November was always going to be a tough month for me. With my focus set on qualifying for Vegas next year. I have had to race a lot of local races to qualify as I am unable to travel later in the season. This has meant packing a lot into a short time. Mandurah was the first followed by Noosa and Shepparton. It might have been a bit much with work as Shepparton was a tough day out for me.
Other than racing I have picked up the support of Orca and Oakley in November. The crew is building into the new year. I have two key races to go, Canberra and Auckland then I long training block into Cairns then, hopefully the US. I will spend this time focusing on my run. It is well of where it used to be, which has been frustrating.
November was also a month of fundraising. I have supported the Murdoch Research Institute this month by participating in the Foxtel Lap and the MND foundation by completing 100x100 this weekend. My next fundraiser will be for the McGrath Foundation in the new year.
Well it has been a couple of weeks since Shepparton. I have finally recovered. I had yet another bout of the cold leading in, so it was a tough day in the office for me. On a positive note, I exited the swim with the main bunch of girls which is positive given my focus on swimming recently. A solid ride and a 2/3 ok run. It is back to training for a change in training focus leading into the next race.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Drifting in the clouds
I had a nice surprise on Wednesday this week when I received a sample version of the new Brooks Pure Drift. The shoes left an instant impression on me, they were black with hot pink, awesome colour choice.
I decided to take them out for a spin on Thursday morning. They are a minimalist shoe and my run was short so it was a great opportunity to give them a go. Featured technology of the shoe includes:
- Adaptable mid sole height: A removable 4mm sock liner provides a zero offset experience increasing ground connection.
- Dual toe flex: Two splits in the toe box enable the forefoot to flex through its three functional units for natural balance and a springy push off.
- Seamless design: Ensures comfort is maintained when the sock liner is removed.
- Wider forefoot base: Amplifies the anatomical last providing true support and a second skin-like feel.
I decided to test some of these concepts on my run. The key things I noted included:
- Weight: the shoe was amazingly light, I found this was conducive to high cadence running.
- Looks: there was plenty of interest in the pretty colours!
- Flexibility: the sole was very flexible and basically moulded to my foot. This also assisted with cadence and agreed with my forefoot running style.
- Width: there was plenty of room in the front of the shoe yet the shoe was still tight around the mid section supported by additional material (see the pink stripes below) which helped with control.
All in all it was a good experience. I think these shoes will be great for my track sessions due to the light weight, control factor generated from the flexible sole and the way they assist with a high cadence.
Happy running!
Monday, November 5, 2012
Noosa Tri 2012
This year Noosa ranked as a WTC qualifier for the Hy-Vee final in 2013. With 750 points on offer the race soon featured a strong field and would be the biggest test of where I was at this year.
I felt the two week break from Mandurah was perfect preparation for this race and with a few days of annual leave before hand I felt really relaxed leading into the race. I did the open water swim on the Friday and was feeling ready to go on the morining of the race.
I had a decent swim for where I am at in my return to racing however, I was very rusty with the race tactics and struggled to react to surges etc and feel off the back of the bunch around the back of Weyba Island. I had a quick transition and headed out onto the bike feeling quite sluggish. The legs just didn't want to play. I actually lost a little bit of ground on the bike which was disappointing. T2 was good and I was off onto the run. I quickly found a good cadence and concentrated on holding the pace for the full 10k. It was quite controlled and I slowly reeled in a few of the girls out on the run leg. My time was 2.06, a little of my 2.01 from 2009! and a few minutes down on my plan which came down to the bike.
All said I earned some points, had fun and have a real starting point to work from into 2013.
It was awesome having such a great bunch of Red Dogs out on the course and to stay with over the weekend. Thanks also to Endura for helping me out with my nutrition, Brooks and CompresSport for my compression.
Next stop Shepparton 70.3.
I felt the two week break from Mandurah was perfect preparation for this race and with a few days of annual leave before hand I felt really relaxed leading into the race. I did the open water swim on the Friday and was feeling ready to go on the morining of the race.
I had a decent swim for where I am at in my return to racing however, I was very rusty with the race tactics and struggled to react to surges etc and feel off the back of the bunch around the back of Weyba Island. I had a quick transition and headed out onto the bike feeling quite sluggish. The legs just didn't want to play. I actually lost a little bit of ground on the bike which was disappointing. T2 was good and I was off onto the run. I quickly found a good cadence and concentrated on holding the pace for the full 10k. It was quite controlled and I slowly reeled in a few of the girls out on the run leg. My time was 2.06, a little of my 2.01 from 2009! and a few minutes down on my plan which came down to the bike.
All said I earned some points, had fun and have a real starting point to work from into 2013.
It was awesome having such a great bunch of Red Dogs out on the course and to stay with over the weekend. Thanks also to Endura for helping me out with my nutrition, Brooks and CompresSport for my compression.
Next stop Shepparton 70.3.
Mandurah 70.3
A couple of weeks ago I raced the Ironman 70.3 Australian Pro Championships in Manduarah WA. I placed 4th behind Mel Rollison, Liz Blatchford and Radka Vodickova. It was a top field and all the girls performed at their best.
I was focused on improving my swim and for the first time this year I left the water in touch of the race leaders. I road solidly on the bike but did not overcook it knowing that the run was going to be hot and brutal. There was a strong head wind on the second lap of the bike which made moving through the field difficult. I started out on the run in six with Belinda Granger (I followed her wise advice and slowly pegged back the lead group). I soon passed Lisa Marangon and then at the end of the first lap I moved into fourth passing Kat Baker. There was a huge race on at the front of the race with Liz and Mel fighting for 1st. I had to settle for fourth with Radka out of touch.
Picture: Modo
I am very pleased with this result; it was a strong and controlled race and my fastest time.Top five results below:
1. Melissa Hauschildt 04:03:55
2. Liz Blatchford 04:04:45
3. Radka Vodickova 04:08:59
4. Sarah Crowley 04:15:10
5. Rebecca Hoschke 04:17:22
2. Liz Blatchford 04:04:45
3. Radka Vodickova 04:08:59
4. Sarah Crowley 04:15:10
5. Rebecca Hoschke 04:17:22
Thanks to Endura, Brooks and CompresSport for their continued support.
Also, big thanks to Matty Hopper from Avanti Plus the Valley calming me down after a wheel mechanical on the Saturday.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Acid and Alkaline - Testing my pH
Lately I have been doing some testing of my pH with a view to testing the Endura product "Muscle Recovery". As I understand it, excercise can increase the acidity of your bodily fluids and tissues and because the body likes to stay neurtal, it will use minerals from other parts of the body to neutralise. To understand this whole thing, I had to do some research.
What is PH
pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14—the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7 which is neutral.
Water is the most abundant compound in the human body, comprising 70% of the body. The body has an acid-alkaline (or acid-base) ratio called the pH which is a balance between positively charges ions (acid-forming) and negatively charged ions (alkaline-forming.). The body continually strives to balance pH.
How did I test it?
Well Bindy gave me a whole stack of pH test strips. These strips allowed me to test my pH factor quickly and easily. From what I read, If your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 to 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 in the evening, your body is functioning within a healthy range. As I understand you become more alkaline as the day goes by. The best time to test your pH is about one hour before a meal and two hours after a meal. I tested my pH each day for a week just before bed. I found that my pH ranged around 6-6.5 at night which is slightly acidic.
What does this mean for me?
Apparently if you have an acidic pH your body will borrow minerals—including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium—from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and safely remove it from the body.
There are a whole heap of things that mild acidosis can cause but the things that stuck out for me with my heavy training load were problems such as:
- Immune deficiency.
- Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
- Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
- Low energy and chronic fatigue.
Next step
The next step was to test out Endura Muscle Recovery. The product is intended to relive muscles after exercise and support alkalinity. It requires 5g twice a day in 200mls of water. I must add during the testing period I maintained my regular vitamin intake.
I then tested my pH each day for a week while takeing the Muscle Recovery formula without altering any other aspects of my diet (as far as practical). My evening pH increased to between 6.5 and 7, a more neutral result. Based on these results I will be sticking to the muscle recovery formula. Because i work full time I need to do every little thing I can to help myself stay in the game. Next stop Mandurah in five days time.
I then tested my pH each day for a week while takeing the Muscle Recovery formula without altering any other aspects of my diet (as far as practical). My evening pH increased to between 6.5 and 7, a more neutral result. Based on these results I will be sticking to the muscle recovery formula. Because i work full time I need to do every little thing I can to help myself stay in the game. Next stop Mandurah in five days time.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Compressport Australia
Thanks to Compressport I am now fully equipped with training, racing and recovery compression. I have been racing in the Compressport 3D.Dot pro racing run socks and have found them sensational but now, thanks to the Compressport team, I am able to utilise other products in the range including the new Compressport Triathlon shorts. I am really impressed with the triathlon shorts so far. They seem to provide far more compression than a full length pant and are capable of being worn in the warmer Queensland climate. I am going to be testing them out more practically at RedDog track sessions over the next few weeks. Check them out: http://estore.compressport.com.au/epages/263017.sf/en_AU/?ObjectPath=/Shops/263017/Products/TRISHORTS/SubProducts/TRISHORTS-0003
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Tour Chem Villager - Hell of the North (Spring)
On Sunday the TcV crew from the regular Friday river loop embarked on a the bi-annual Hell of the North not a cycling race, race. Neutral to Cabulture the race then heads up the back of Mt Mee with KOM/QOM at the top of the famously steep Ocean View drive. We sprint for points on the Dayboro - Samford road with GC at the top of the Samford range.
I packed like an 70.3 IM for this one, 4 Endura gels, 2 spare sachets of sports drink and an energy bar. It was also a good excuse for some carb loading the night before. I was so excited about this ride that I spent a good hour cleaning my bike the night before, Rocky music blaring, this was the final count down.
The event saw four femmes' as always out numbered by the hommes. We had perfect weather a nice crisp spring morning. We are obviously all getting older and so there was polite bathroom stop for all at Cabulture before the real event began. It was all about bragging rights for the next six months. You could feel the nerves in the group (as seen in the serious faces below). Little discussions, collusion, perhaps scheming was rife, you could not hide in the bunch everyone was paying close attention to form. Was Jim going to take it easy before 70.3 Worlds, would the reigning champ even be at sign on? Neil C was on the honey, this race was serious.
The attacks began early, basically as soon as the climbing began with last years winner Neil supported by Jim heading out strong and putting a gap on the field early in the hommes division. I hit the first steep section hard and was closely followed by Nic (pic below). We worked together to get back to the chase bunch but I could not hold it on the next hill. Nic made it back and took out the QOM. Up the road a battle was on with Jim and Neil pushing ahead in sight of Paul and Tony. After we learned that the chase bunch with Neil and Nic could also see Paul and Tony. It was a close race, but who wanted it more......Jim crested the hill with only a short gap to Neil to take out KOM. Waz was clearly going to win the KOM he put out so much power he unfortunately broke his chain and had to retire.
Next was a technical decent into Dayboro followed by a civilised bakery stop. John was very serious about the event and did not remove his helmet at the bakery. The bakery saw the departure of a number of riders, with a few of the femmes choosing to enjoy the race from the Chem director sportif's Damian, vehicle.
Rolling out along Dayboro Samford was tough, legs were sore and the lead was rolling over regularly. About 8k in the attacks started and did not cease until the GC line. It was a tired sprint taken out by Tony then Neil and Jimbo. I was certain I was clear of Nic and just aimed to stay with the boys to make sure I kept in contact in case they didn't attack again. Next thing I new Adrian C was making a move up my right hand side. I think this put him in 4th for the sprint.
The attacks continued but we re-bunched going up the Samford range with all the key players for the homme GC grouped together. I was dropped about 300m from the top but rumour has it that there was a ding dong battle for the line with big Tony taking line honors from Jimbo and Neil in the 2012 Spring TcV HOTN.
It was a great day out, we all felt it. I hope that the effort pays off for everyone in the group. Thanks Daimo in the support car, Waz for arranging, CHEM, the Villager and all the team for such a fun day. Until next time TcV'ers...
I packed like an 70.3 IM for this one, 4 Endura gels, 2 spare sachets of sports drink and an energy bar. It was also a good excuse for some carb loading the night before. I was so excited about this ride that I spent a good hour cleaning my bike the night before, Rocky music blaring, this was the final count down.
The event saw four femmes' as always out numbered by the hommes. We had perfect weather a nice crisp spring morning. We are obviously all getting older and so there was polite bathroom stop for all at Cabulture before the real event began. It was all about bragging rights for the next six months. You could feel the nerves in the group (as seen in the serious faces below). Little discussions, collusion, perhaps scheming was rife, you could not hide in the bunch everyone was paying close attention to form. Was Jim going to take it easy before 70.3 Worlds, would the reigning champ even be at sign on? Neil C was on the honey, this race was serious.
The attacks began early, basically as soon as the climbing began with last years winner Neil supported by Jim heading out strong and putting a gap on the field early in the hommes division. I hit the first steep section hard and was closely followed by Nic (pic below). We worked together to get back to the chase bunch but I could not hold it on the next hill. Nic made it back and took out the QOM. Up the road a battle was on with Jim and Neil pushing ahead in sight of Paul and Tony. After we learned that the chase bunch with Neil and Nic could also see Paul and Tony. It was a close race, but who wanted it more......Jim crested the hill with only a short gap to Neil to take out KOM. Waz was clearly going to win the KOM he put out so much power he unfortunately broke his chain and had to retire.
Next was a technical decent into Dayboro followed by a civilised bakery stop. John was very serious about the event and did not remove his helmet at the bakery. The bakery saw the departure of a number of riders, with a few of the femmes choosing to enjoy the race from the Chem director sportif's Damian, vehicle.
Rolling out along Dayboro Samford was tough, legs were sore and the lead was rolling over regularly. About 8k in the attacks started and did not cease until the GC line. It was a tired sprint taken out by Tony then Neil and Jimbo. I was certain I was clear of Nic and just aimed to stay with the boys to make sure I kept in contact in case they didn't attack again. Next thing I new Adrian C was making a move up my right hand side. I think this put him in 4th for the sprint.
The attacks continued but we re-bunched going up the Samford range with all the key players for the homme GC grouped together. I was dropped about 300m from the top but rumour has it that there was a ding dong battle for the line with big Tony taking line honors from Jimbo and Neil in the 2012 Spring TcV HOTN.
It was a great day out, we all felt it. I hope that the effort pays off for everyone in the group. Thanks Daimo in the support car, Waz for arranging, CHEM, the Villager and all the team for such a fun day. Until next time TcV'ers...
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Mecure Yeppoon Ironman 70.3
Well it has taken me a few days longer than usual to write this. I was struck down by a nasty virus this week which I had unfortunately started showing signs of last Friday night before the race. On Sunday morning I thought it was just hay fever. This is the second cold/flu this season and only four weeks after the last one. It’s ironic because I was reading an article from Michael Shelly about that basically says not to run if you wake up with a head cold. I thought that makes sense. Then a week later I’ve gone and done it anyway. So that’s how the day started….
The swim was rough. You can see it in the video. I just wasn’t switched on enough to get going and lost out big time in the swim. I can’t complain I just haven’t done the work in the water yet. The positive I can take out of this is that there is room for some quick gains in the water.
The bike is known as being a really rough course. It didn't bother me too much during the race but I think it was because I actually wore shorts rather than bathers which were far more comfortable. I set the course record on the bike which is pretty cool. My cycling has been going really well lately. I found the course congested on the bike and spent most of the day in the right tyre road grove where it was a little smoother. I had my Endura products as usual on the bike with no major issues other than feeling slightly more thirsty than normal. I made up a minute on the bike and felt pretty good riding into transition.
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Going out onto the run I felt pretty comfortable for the first lap. Pulling a minute back on half one of lap one and another 15 seconds back by the second half of lap one. The gap stayed the same through the off road section and then I hit what could be none other than described as ‘the wall’. I started to wobble and my ears started ringing it was really strange. I thought maybe it was nutrition but I had eaten to the usual plan. When I crossed the line I needed assistance. There was nothing left in the tank. I was disappointed with my run because it is not an indication of where my running is at and the training I have been putting in. Nonetheless, I was pleased that I could still challenge up to the last lap. Now the task is to get healthy and ready for the next race. I am really motivated to get the swim back to where it was in 2009 and get the run firing for next race and yes I will practice my banner lifting. This is the second time in as many races I have failed to lift the banner over my face.
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The swim was rough. You can see it in the video. I just wasn’t switched on enough to get going and lost out big time in the swim. I can’t complain I just haven’t done the work in the water yet. The positive I can take out of this is that there is room for some quick gains in the water.
The bike is known as being a really rough course. It didn't bother me too much during the race but I think it was because I actually wore shorts rather than bathers which were far more comfortable. I set the course record on the bike which is pretty cool. My cycling has been going really well lately. I found the course congested on the bike and spent most of the day in the right tyre road grove where it was a little smoother. I had my Endura products as usual on the bike with no major issues other than feeling slightly more thirsty than normal. I made up a minute on the bike and felt pretty good riding into transition.
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Photo: www.witsup.com
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Photo: www.witsup.com
A big thanks go to Nick Munting, the crew from www.xtri.com.au and the Yeppoon Mecure for hosting such a fantastic event. Thanks to Endura, Brooks and RedDog triathlon training for all the support. Thanks also to the race caller Steph Hanson from www.witsup.com for making me feel welcome at the event. I will upload a video with sum clips from the event once editing is complete.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Gatton Duathlon, Gez they hurt dont they...
I raced the Gatton Duathlon last year and was keen to head out to the Lockyer again in 2012 to test my fitness before Ironman 70.3 Yeppoon. It was an early start as we drove from Brisbane leaving around 4.45am with Clifford the Big Red Dog (Kristen).
I like the venue out at Gatton. It is spectator friendly as it is a multi-lap run course. The temperature was perfect. Last year it was colder and I couldn't feel my feet until the end of the race.
We started with a four lap 10km part x-country part path run that traversed hills and flats. I used my Brooks x-country shoes, which hadn't had a workout for a while because they handle the bumpy terrain well.
My plan was to do a strong 5km run and then hold back until the bike where I would go hard again for the first lap of the two lap course. I established a lead into T1 but my opponents were quality athletes so I needed to work hard on the bike to ensure I stayed away. It was tough on the bike with a very strong head wind. I only used one gel on the bike. As it was a shorter race I did not bother with my race bottle that sits in the bars of my TT bike. I returned from the bike and lead out of T2. I backed it off for the second run as Yeppoon was only seven days away.
Photo: Amanda McIntosh
I ended up winning the race, it was solid. I needed to ensure my recovery was right so I immediately took advantage of a serve of Endura Optimiser, compression, a cool down run, some stretching, some ice, and an epsom salt bath. I was booked for a massage at No More Knots on the Wednesday, recovery was going to be key if I was to pull up well for Yeppoon.
Thanks to Triathlon Queensland for a great course, well done Kym and Bri for a great race and thanks to RedDog Triathlon Training, Avanti Plus the Valley, Endura and Brooks for getting me over the line. Oh and thanks to Kristen for a lend of the wheels.
Photo: Amanda McIntosh
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Gatton Duathlon
Blog to come once I get some photos... in the mean time check out the results. Thanks Endura and Brooks. http://www.wizardresults.com.au/default.aspx
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Gold Coast 10k
Well I can't say I had the best run for the GC 10k and I don't really have a reason. I just didn't apply myself the way I should have. My time was 36.10 which is ok but not where I should be for the results I have been getting on the track. I can only put it down to the epic week at work last week and the fact that I have been focusing on longer distances lately.
I headed straight from work on Friday night and met with friends for dinner which was nice. It was an early start the next day. I think I am starting to get the nutrition thing sorted as I felt I had great energy levels. We had a good warm up and I got an ok starting position. My run went well at the start but after about 4km I settled into a pace that was not optimal and I just didn't seem to care about changing it. I feel frustrated with my run and am now looking forward to finding another race to set the record straight.
All in all great fun, enjoyed catching up with Endura and other sponsors at the Expo and perfect weather!
Follow this link for a little bit of footage.....http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10151085089013783
I headed straight from work on Friday night and met with friends for dinner which was nice. It was an early start the next day. I think I am starting to get the nutrition thing sorted as I felt I had great energy levels. We had a good warm up and I got an ok starting position. My run went well at the start but after about 4km I settled into a pace that was not optimal and I just didn't seem to care about changing it. I feel frustrated with my run and am now looking forward to finding another race to set the record straight.
All in all great fun, enjoyed catching up with Endura and other sponsors at the Expo and perfect weather!
Follow this link for a little bit of footage.....http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?v=10151085089013783
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Green Island and Cairns 70.3 racing in tropical paradise
What a place to stage a race
Cairns is stop 4 on my challenge to visit the big five Queensland races for the season. I have already tackled Mooloolaba, Hervey Bay, Byron Bay and aim to do Noosa later in the year.
Pre-race
It was an early start but we moved our flight to 7am on Wednesday morning so we could get up to Cairns in time to have a short training session the first day we arrived. It turned out we spent the day venturing around the hills and kissing butterfly’s at the butterfly farm rather than doing any sort of training but I think the early flight was a great idea in the end as it allowed us to relax without running into the hustle and bustle at the airport as everyone else began to arrive.
One highlight from the trip was learning how to caramelise figs on the for a salad and cook a ripper steak on the Wednesday thanks to Red Dog’s very own Master Chef Finalist.
Green Island Swim
Now I am most definitely not noted for my swimming but it is getting better and I am really starting to enjoy the atmosphere of open water swimming. Thanks to Drew and Trent I won my first ever swimming event at the Green Island 1500m. It was a fantastic way to visit an amazing tourist location and very, very good preparation for a wetsuit swim in the Cairns half. Yes I did only see one small fish but it was still an amazing experience.
Innisfail field trip
On Friday we travelled to Innisfail, snapping a shot with the guys in front of the Brad Bevan sign. Great motivation for Sunday. The trip to Innisfail was in search of Olivari’s deli, an old fashioned, European style deli, rumoured to have a fantastic sandwich. This was true, it was a ripper and, I highly recommend it. We spend a couple of hours chilling out doing some street watching and taking in the exciting city that is Innisfail.
Checking in the gear
I had an early start on Saturday going for a short ride before heading to the practice swim. It was more of a dip as we were herded through pretty quickly. It was actually a pretty nice swim in the sense that it was flat and calm. After this the most part of the day was spend taking pieces of equipment to different locations, sort of a choose your own adventure book or the yellow brick road show bag at the Ekka. Nonetheless, a great opportunity to check out the different transitions. Oh, I also fit in a hair appointment for a half head of foils and a trip over the course up to Port Douglass. I would have to say that the road north of cairns is pretty close to one of the best stretches of road going in the world. Beautiful and untouched, for me it was up there with the Amalfi coast.
This trip also gave me the opportunity to identify some visual cues for my race nutrition from Endura and identify a race strategy for the bike. Great company on the drive, great views and an interesting mix of music genre’s made for a fun drive. We ate in for the pre-race dinner thanks to Mari for cooking tasty pasta. One thing we learned was that it’s not a good idea to go looking for a hot chicken, sports bars, sports drink or bananas the night before an Ironman they will be gone.
Race day
I woke up on race morning for the 70.3 somewhat excited but also wanting more time. I don’t know why but it is like exam morning you always want more time. I knew the day would go all too fast and that I have to capture each little piece one at a time. Before I knew it we were down at the venue preparing our bikes and putting on wetsuits.
Once in the water I was ready and wanted the race to start. Then it was on. I was somewhat pleased with my swim holding a reasonable time compared to the others, but for me the race really started once I was on the bike. Once on the bike I was surprised to feel a little flat, all my sessions in the lead up had felt sharp but I think the intensity of a race and the run through transition stung a little. I settled in and by the T2 area I was hitting a good rhythm and had regained time lost in the swim.
Once I caught the others I mounted an attack up the first hill leading into the coast road and got a nice lead such that I could not see the others when I looked back. However, 5km before the turn around I was passed by a sizable bunch with a mix of guys and gals. Very disappointing given the effort I had put into the break. The draft busters were out in force but their presence didn’t seem to break the bunch up and they sailed off into the distance out of sight. I powered on maintaining the same tempo as practiced in training.
Coming back into transition I noticed two riders, one of which was the race leader. I rode straight past without hesitation and did not look back. I increased my cadence and prepared for the run. I hit the run leg and was really pleased to feel great. I guess that’s what all the training is for. Similarly to the bike I maintained a steady tempo, holding back a fraction, keeping my temperature manageable given the heat and saving a little in case I needed to drive the last few ks into the finish. I realised I had a great lead once I doubled back on the short section out to Yorkeys Knob, where I saw the other girls battling it out behind me.
I was happy with the lead but concerned that they may race each other back up to me. Notwithstanding that I stuck to the plan and reassured myself that it would be difficult to catch me if I could hold c.3m50s/4m per km.
I used every aid station along the way collecting water each time and utilising my Endura gel at the 10km and 18km marks. How good are socks by the way, I could throw water on and get no blisters! Once I reached the city park and esplanade road I knew I was getting close and started to enjoy the experience. As I have said previously, it was so great to have my Red Dog buddies out there and really lapped up that last km coming into the finish shoot. After that it was a bit of a blur it all happened too quickly. By the way the boomerang I was given at presentation is broken it didn’t come back….
Thanks very much to my husband Mike, my coach Trent Patten and all the RED DOG gang on course and in the crowd, Nick Lavelle from Endura – we got it right this time, Team Texas peak and the guys from Brooks (run happy), Clifford the big RED DOG (out on course) my colleagues at Deloitte and Industrea. It was in an awesome frame of mind and the Monkey is definitely of my back.
This is how I saw it, see how they saw it at:
Trizone:
http://www.trizone.com.au/20120603/sarah-crowley-wins-urban-hotel-group-ironman-70-3-cairns-2012/
Ironman live:
http://ironman.com/events/ironman70.3/cairns70.3/jacobs-crowley-score-runaway-wins-in-cairns#axzz1x3xhwMml
Triathlon and multisport magazine:
http://www.triathlonmag.com.au/features/448-jacobs-and-crowley-win-ironman-703-cairns
Cairns is stop 4 on my challenge to visit the big five Queensland races for the season. I have already tackled Mooloolaba, Hervey Bay, Byron Bay and aim to do Noosa later in the year.
Pre-race
It was an early start but we moved our flight to 7am on Wednesday morning so we could get up to Cairns in time to have a short training session the first day we arrived. It turned out we spent the day venturing around the hills and kissing butterfly’s at the butterfly farm rather than doing any sort of training but I think the early flight was a great idea in the end as it allowed us to relax without running into the hustle and bustle at the airport as everyone else began to arrive.
One highlight from the trip was learning how to caramelise figs on the for a salad and cook a ripper steak on the Wednesday thanks to Red Dog’s very own Master Chef Finalist.
Green Island Swim
Now I am most definitely not noted for my swimming but it is getting better and I am really starting to enjoy the atmosphere of open water swimming. Thanks to Drew and Trent I won my first ever swimming event at the Green Island 1500m. It was a fantastic way to visit an amazing tourist location and very, very good preparation for a wetsuit swim in the Cairns half. Yes I did only see one small fish but it was still an amazing experience.
Barry Alsop Photographer Eyes Wide Open IMAGES
Innisfail field trip
On Friday we travelled to Innisfail, snapping a shot with the guys in front of the Brad Bevan sign. Great motivation for Sunday. The trip to Innisfail was in search of Olivari’s deli, an old fashioned, European style deli, rumoured to have a fantastic sandwich. This was true, it was a ripper and, I highly recommend it. We spend a couple of hours chilling out doing some street watching and taking in the exciting city that is Innisfail.
Checking in the gear
I had an early start on Saturday going for a short ride before heading to the practice swim. It was more of a dip as we were herded through pretty quickly. It was actually a pretty nice swim in the sense that it was flat and calm. After this the most part of the day was spend taking pieces of equipment to different locations, sort of a choose your own adventure book or the yellow brick road show bag at the Ekka. Nonetheless, a great opportunity to check out the different transitions. Oh, I also fit in a hair appointment for a half head of foils and a trip over the course up to Port Douglass. I would have to say that the road north of cairns is pretty close to one of the best stretches of road going in the world. Beautiful and untouched, for me it was up there with the Amalfi coast.
This trip also gave me the opportunity to identify some visual cues for my race nutrition from Endura and identify a race strategy for the bike. Great company on the drive, great views and an interesting mix of music genre’s made for a fun drive. We ate in for the pre-race dinner thanks to Mari for cooking tasty pasta. One thing we learned was that it’s not a good idea to go looking for a hot chicken, sports bars, sports drink or bananas the night before an Ironman they will be gone.
Race day
I woke up on race morning for the 70.3 somewhat excited but also wanting more time. I don’t know why but it is like exam morning you always want more time. I knew the day would go all too fast and that I have to capture each little piece one at a time. Before I knew it we were down at the venue preparing our bikes and putting on wetsuits.
Once in the water I was ready and wanted the race to start. Then it was on. I was somewhat pleased with my swim holding a reasonable time compared to the others, but for me the race really started once I was on the bike. Once on the bike I was surprised to feel a little flat, all my sessions in the lead up had felt sharp but I think the intensity of a race and the run through transition stung a little. I settled in and by the T2 area I was hitting a good rhythm and had regained time lost in the swim.
Barry Alsop Photographer Eyes Wide Open IMAGES
Once I caught the others I mounted an attack up the first hill leading into the coast road and got a nice lead such that I could not see the others when I looked back. However, 5km before the turn around I was passed by a sizable bunch with a mix of guys and gals. Very disappointing given the effort I had put into the break. The draft busters were out in force but their presence didn’t seem to break the bunch up and they sailed off into the distance out of sight. I powered on maintaining the same tempo as practiced in training.
Coming back into transition I noticed two riders, one of which was the race leader. I rode straight past without hesitation and did not look back. I increased my cadence and prepared for the run. I hit the run leg and was really pleased to feel great. I guess that’s what all the training is for. Similarly to the bike I maintained a steady tempo, holding back a fraction, keeping my temperature manageable given the heat and saving a little in case I needed to drive the last few ks into the finish. I realised I had a great lead once I doubled back on the short section out to Yorkeys Knob, where I saw the other girls battling it out behind me.
I was happy with the lead but concerned that they may race each other back up to me. Notwithstanding that I stuck to the plan and reassured myself that it would be difficult to catch me if I could hold c.3m50s/4m per km.
I used every aid station along the way collecting water each time and utilising my Endura gel at the 10km and 18km marks. How good are socks by the way, I could throw water on and get no blisters! Once I reached the city park and esplanade road I knew I was getting close and started to enjoy the experience. As I have said previously, it was so great to have my Red Dog buddies out there and really lapped up that last km coming into the finish shoot. After that it was a bit of a blur it all happened too quickly. By the way the boomerang I was given at presentation is broken it didn’t come back….
Thanks Wazza for the photo – Photo by Warren Foster
Thanks very much to my husband Mike, my coach Trent Patten and all the RED DOG gang on course and in the crowd, Nick Lavelle from Endura – we got it right this time, Team Texas peak and the guys from Brooks (run happy), Clifford the big RED DOG (out on course) my colleagues at Deloitte and Industrea. It was in an awesome frame of mind and the Monkey is definitely of my back.
This is how I saw it, see how they saw it at:
Trizone:
http://www.trizone.com.au/20120603/sarah-crowley-wins-urban-hotel-group-ironman-70-3-cairns-2012/
Ironman live:
http://ironman.com/events/ironman70.3/cairns70.3/jacobs-crowley-score-runaway-wins-in-cairns#axzz1x3xhwMml
Triathlon and multisport magazine:
http://www.triathlonmag.com.au/features/448-jacobs-and-crowley-win-ironman-703-cairns
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Endura test day
I'm not the best at refuelling during or after exercise so I really appreciate the time I spent last Friday with Nick from Endura. We caught up before Goondiwindi and planned my nutrition for that race, which was successful on the day, but after talking it through we worked out a couple of things that could be improved leading into Cairns next week.
We decided to formulate a clear volume and timing for my fuel and link this to a trial run on Saturday where I could test the type and frequency of the fuel. The best thing about the trial was that I had an epic wind trainer / run set planned for Sunday so we would really know if the fuelling was appropriate and working.
I was quite excited on Saturday and had everything laid out before the ride. I didn't smoke the ride but was conscious of keeping a controlled race effort in certain sections. Taking on the Endura Gel and Endura sports drink was fairly straight forward as I gave myself evenly placed land marks rather than time marks which meant that I was visually reminded to take on the Gel. I drank pretty constantly. All- in-all I finished the ride tired but no completely wrecked.
Day 2 was interesting, I can honestly say I very rarely take on Gel on the run but considering the size of the run we had planned there was no time like the present to start. In summary, I completed the last of my run efforts on the Sunday in the same time (if not slightly faster) that the first run effort some hour and forty minutes later. I took a gel straight after the wind trainer and one at the hour mark.
I think the best thing was my legs felt great in the afternoon and whats even better, I was able to back up for an intense session on the following Tuesday, a nice 5km timed on the track. I got a time that I would consider as my RedDog PB.
This was a great experience and I have learned a considerable amount about my performance and what's best, I know exactly what I need to do for this 1%'r at Cairns.
Thanks Nick and Endura.
We decided to formulate a clear volume and timing for my fuel and link this to a trial run on Saturday where I could test the type and frequency of the fuel. The best thing about the trial was that I had an epic wind trainer / run set planned for Sunday so we would really know if the fuelling was appropriate and working.
I was quite excited on Saturday and had everything laid out before the ride. I didn't smoke the ride but was conscious of keeping a controlled race effort in certain sections. Taking on the Endura Gel and Endura sports drink was fairly straight forward as I gave myself evenly placed land marks rather than time marks which meant that I was visually reminded to take on the Gel. I drank pretty constantly. All- in-all I finished the ride tired but no completely wrecked.
Day 2 was interesting, I can honestly say I very rarely take on Gel on the run but considering the size of the run we had planned there was no time like the present to start. In summary, I completed the last of my run efforts on the Sunday in the same time (if not slightly faster) that the first run effort some hour and forty minutes later. I took a gel straight after the wind trainer and one at the hour mark.
Thanks Sweeny for the photo shoot.
I think the best thing was my legs felt great in the afternoon and whats even better, I was able to back up for an intense session on the following Tuesday, a nice 5km timed on the track. I got a time that I would consider as my RedDog PB.
This was a great experience and I have learned a considerable amount about my performance and what's best, I know exactly what I need to do for this 1%'r at Cairns.
Thanks Nick and Endura.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Byron Bay tri
http://www.nbnnews.com.au/index.php/2012/05/12/byron-bay-tri-has-biggest-turnout-in-race-history/
I had a great weekend at the Byron Bay Tri with my Mum arriving from Adelaide last Wednesday night to come down to the race.
It was like times of old on Saturday with the mid-day race start. I had a very relaxing morning before the race with a sleep in and a wonder up to the cafe near race start for breakfast. The weather was perfect and I felt really good about racing.
The race rolled around and I had a dodgy set of goggles on so I didn't get to enjoy the wildlife everyone keeps talking about on the swim (turtles, fish etc) or the draft from the bunch.. After an average swim, I headed out on the bike on a mission to catch the girls. To be honest a few words of encouragement from Bill Abram (2XU Brisbane) helped fire me up.
When I arrived back in transition, I was stoked to have the best ride run transition I have probably ever had. I was right on the end of the rack. So I mounted my bike from one side and then as I kept moving past the rack I stuck my shoes on. Some times its the little things that get you chuffed! I'm in the Brooks T5 Racer at the moment, they are really easy to pull on.
I headed out onto the run feeling somewhat like a bunny out in front. My legs were still in a state of spacticity after a grueling couple of weeks of training and only 6 days rest from the 1/2 marathon at Noosa. Mel R passed me after about 500m and gaped-it pretty quickly. It felt like I was running with bricks on my feet but results showed a not-to-shabby time however, there is still plenty of work to be done.
2nd in the end. NBN footage attached. Looking forward to Cairns now in three weeks.
Run Happy
I had a great weekend at the Byron Bay Tri with my Mum arriving from Adelaide last Wednesday night to come down to the race.
It was like times of old on Saturday with the mid-day race start. I had a very relaxing morning before the race with a sleep in and a wonder up to the cafe near race start for breakfast. The weather was perfect and I felt really good about racing.
The race rolled around and I had a dodgy set of goggles on so I didn't get to enjoy the wildlife everyone keeps talking about on the swim (turtles, fish etc) or the draft from the bunch.. After an average swim, I headed out on the bike on a mission to catch the girls. To be honest a few words of encouragement from Bill Abram (2XU Brisbane) helped fire me up.
When I arrived back in transition, I was stoked to have the best ride run transition I have probably ever had. I was right on the end of the rack. So I mounted my bike from one side and then as I kept moving past the rack I stuck my shoes on. Some times its the little things that get you chuffed! I'm in the Brooks T5 Racer at the moment, they are really easy to pull on.
I headed out onto the run feeling somewhat like a bunny out in front. My legs were still in a state of spacticity after a grueling couple of weeks of training and only 6 days rest from the 1/2 marathon at Noosa. Mel R passed me after about 500m and gaped-it pretty quickly. It felt like I was running with bricks on my feet but results showed a not-to-shabby time however, there is still plenty of work to be done.
2nd in the end. NBN footage attached. Looking forward to Cairns now in three weeks.
Run Happy
Friday, May 11, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
Noosa Winter Festival
This weekend was week three of Red Dog on tour with a large number of the training group heading north for the Noosa Winter Festival. There were a bunch that headed up on the bike on Friday, however, due to work commitments my trip had to wait until Friday night.
Ok, so I think sometimes working a professional job and trying to train like a professional athlete leaves me with batter brain. It took me and my friend Bel until the Emundi turn off to realise we had forgotten something.... Did you put the bike on the roof?
Nonetheless, we arrived at Noosa to a fantastic BBQ and some great company.
Saturday saw the group head to the little cove for the open water swim. I did the 2km swim in the 29 and below cagetory with Bri. Thee would have to have been 10 or more other Red Dogs who took up the opportunity to swim one of the most beautiful swims on the calendar. It was on within the group with a number of the gang preparing for show downs aginst each other later in the season. Swimming is not a massive strong point but I was pretty stoked with my effort. Second in my age, my first swimming achievement since the age of 12. Afterwards I caught up with Nick from Endura, as Endura were sponsoring the event. www.endura.com.au.
Sunday was a big day, I was surprised to realise it was my first ever proper half marathon. I had done two half ironmans and one team but never a half marathon in its own right. I was actually nervous. Not sure what to expect I stuck very closely to Redman's instructions. It was great to have lots of friends at the start line and a really good standard of girls to race. I was happy with my race 4th overall and 1hour 20minutes form my time. It was awesome to see all the Red Dog's out on the course cheering and giving stats.
I didn't have to coach or work on Monday due to the labour day holiday but there was a ride back to Brisbane planned. How you may ask without a bike? Well many thanks to a kind member of the training group who lent me a bike for the trip back.
Well done everyone on a great weekend. Its a lot of fun seeing everyone out there and even better when you hear the great results people are starting to achieve.
Ok, so I think sometimes working a professional job and trying to train like a professional athlete leaves me with batter brain. It took me and my friend Bel until the Emundi turn off to realise we had forgotten something.... Did you put the bike on the roof?
Nonetheless, we arrived at Noosa to a fantastic BBQ and some great company.
Saturday saw the group head to the little cove for the open water swim. I did the 2km swim in the 29 and below cagetory with Bri. Thee would have to have been 10 or more other Red Dogs who took up the opportunity to swim one of the most beautiful swims on the calendar. It was on within the group with a number of the gang preparing for show downs aginst each other later in the season. Swimming is not a massive strong point but I was pretty stoked with my effort. Second in my age, my first swimming achievement since the age of 12. Afterwards I caught up with Nick from Endura, as Endura were sponsoring the event. www.endura.com.au.
Sunday was a big day, I was surprised to realise it was my first ever proper half marathon. I had done two half ironmans and one team but never a half marathon in its own right. I was actually nervous. Not sure what to expect I stuck very closely to Redman's instructions. It was great to have lots of friends at the start line and a really good standard of girls to race. I was happy with my race 4th overall and 1hour 20minutes form my time. It was awesome to see all the Red Dog's out on the course cheering and giving stats.
I didn't have to coach or work on Monday due to the labour day holiday but there was a ride back to Brisbane planned. How you may ask without a bike? Well many thanks to a kind member of the training group who lent me a bike for the trip back.
Well done everyone on a great weekend. Its a lot of fun seeing everyone out there and even better when you hear the great results people are starting to achieve.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Catch up on this year
Ok .....I have not posted for a long while. Busy training racing and now back working. Well its never to late to get back into things. Excuse me if I start off somewhere random having not commented on the ITU World Champ season in 2009 a couple of Noosa's and other various racing and training travels.
Last weekend I competed in the Hervey Bay Olympic Distance Triathlon, after which I started thinking about how much everyone is using social media my competitors, the race organisers the sponsors. I thought it was time to start getting into the spirit of it and would re-commence my blog.
It turns out I placed second at Hervey Bay. Following a pretty hectic week at work and a long drive up the afternoon before. I feel it was the first real race where I have felt a return to some form. I had far more control over my racing and was able to moderate the bike to smash out the run. Long time coming after a full year off from formal coached trainign in 2010 and a building year in 2011 where I principally focused on riding with Pure Tasmania and Deloitte Cycle team in the NRS. To be honest all the full time training has laid a pretty stong base for me now.
The race before that was Mooloolaba where I won the open category (with a 12 day old broken rib!). The run was a little painful but I had a strong first 5km.
I am looking to attempt selection for the Elite Australian Long Course Team to race in Spain in July but before then my training will be focused on getting Mike through Cairns. He's in full swing and will go great guns.
On other fronts, I have had my Level 1 coaching verified and am now a fully-fledged coach, which I feel is a new step for me. I have already been allocated a wind trainer session with Red Dog on Monday mornings. Check out details via the website http://www.reddogtriathlontraining.com/.
Below are my 2012 race results:
8 January 12 Resolution Fun Run (11km) 1st Female
14 January 12 Gatorade QTS race 4 – Robina 3rd Open Female
5 February 12 Goondiwindi – Hell of the West 1st Elite Female
Article http://www.firstoffthebike.com/races/2603-goondiwindi-the-hell-of-the-west
19 February 12 Kingscliff triathlon 2nd Elite Female
4 March 12 Dalby triathlon 1st Open Female
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2012/03/05/sporty-dalby-puts-on-a-show/
25 March 12 Mooloolaba triathlon 1st Open Female
21 April 12 Hervey Bay triathlon 2nd Open Female
http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/04/23/lampe-seidel-victorious/
2012 Proposed Race Calendar
Date Race
6 May 2012 ½ Marathon – Noosa Winter Festival, Queensland, AUS
12 May 2012 Byron Bay Triathlon, Queensland, AUS
3 June 2012 Cairns 70.3 Ironman, Queensland, AUS
29 July 2012 ITU Long Course World Championships, Vitoria, ESP
5 August 2012 70.3 Boulder, Colorado, USA
19 August 2012 70.3 Yeppoon, Queensland, AUS
28 October 2012 70.3 Port Macquarie, NSW, AUS
4 November 2012 Noosa Triathlon, Queensland, AUS
Hopefully all goes to plan. I will be blogging more now and will include training details and insights.
.
Thanks also to Brooks for all the support over the years.
Sarah
Last weekend I competed in the Hervey Bay Olympic Distance Triathlon, after which I started thinking about how much everyone is using social media my competitors, the race organisers the sponsors. I thought it was time to start getting into the spirit of it and would re-commence my blog.
It turns out I placed second at Hervey Bay. Following a pretty hectic week at work and a long drive up the afternoon before. I feel it was the first real race where I have felt a return to some form. I had far more control over my racing and was able to moderate the bike to smash out the run. Long time coming after a full year off from formal coached trainign in 2010 and a building year in 2011 where I principally focused on riding with Pure Tasmania and Deloitte Cycle team in the NRS. To be honest all the full time training has laid a pretty stong base for me now.
The race before that was Mooloolaba where I won the open category (with a 12 day old broken rib!). The run was a little painful but I had a strong first 5km.
I am looking to attempt selection for the Elite Australian Long Course Team to race in Spain in July but before then my training will be focused on getting Mike through Cairns. He's in full swing and will go great guns.
On other fronts, I have had my Level 1 coaching verified and am now a fully-fledged coach, which I feel is a new step for me. I have already been allocated a wind trainer session with Red Dog on Monday mornings. Check out details via the website http://www.reddogtriathlontraining.com/.
Below are my 2012 race results:
8 January 12 Resolution Fun Run (11km) 1st Female
14 January 12 Gatorade QTS race 4 – Robina 3rd Open Female
5 February 12 Goondiwindi – Hell of the West 1st Elite Female
Article http://www.firstoffthebike.com/races/2603-goondiwindi-the-hell-of-the-west
19 February 12 Kingscliff triathlon 2nd Elite Female
4 March 12 Dalby triathlon 1st Open Female
http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2012/03/05/sporty-dalby-puts-on-a-show/
25 March 12 Mooloolaba triathlon 1st Open Female
21 April 12 Hervey Bay triathlon 2nd Open Female
http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/04/23/lampe-seidel-victorious/
2012 Proposed Race Calendar
Date Race
6 May 2012 ½ Marathon – Noosa Winter Festival, Queensland, AUS
12 May 2012 Byron Bay Triathlon, Queensland, AUS
3 June 2012 Cairns 70.3 Ironman, Queensland, AUS
29 July 2012 ITU Long Course World Championships, Vitoria, ESP
5 August 2012 70.3 Boulder, Colorado, USA
19 August 2012 70.3 Yeppoon, Queensland, AUS
28 October 2012 70.3 Port Macquarie, NSW, AUS
4 November 2012 Noosa Triathlon, Queensland, AUS
Hopefully all goes to plan. I will be blogging more now and will include training details and insights.
.
Thanks also to Brooks for all the support over the years.
Sarah
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