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.

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.

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

Smash FM - Red Dog Tri Training

Check out last nights Smash FM interview with myself and Brett on the Red Dog Tri Club

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.

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.
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Thanks also to Brooks for all the support over the years.

Sarah