ITU Oceania Championships Devonport, Tasmania

The swim was a beach start on the shores of Devonport. My start was reasonable, although a group of really strong swimmers to my left got out ahead of me. Early on I was able to swim across the gap managing to position myself in the top 6 after the first 300 metres. James Sears set a solid tempo at the front of the pack, which forced the lead group into a single file line. I was able to relax into my stroke once I could see that I was in a comfortable position near the front. I exited the water in 4th, right on the leader’s feet.

Australia’s plan for the race was to make sure all of our top athletes were in the lead pack off the bike, giving Australia the best opportunity to take the win. Consequently we had to immediately assess how we were going to approach the ride. We quickly realized that Australia were in a dominate position. Not only did the front pack include really strong Australian riders, but also some of New Zealand’s top athletes including Gemmell and Scissons were not present. Along with Atkinson, Sear, Amberger, Hickey and Box, we were maintaining a solid pace to keep ourselves away from the chase pack which included the 2 most dangerous NZ athletes. Nevertheless our efforts weren’t enough; with some incredibly strong riding from behind they were able to catch us before the halfway point on the ride. After the 2 packs came together the pace dropped with everyone’s attention turning to conserving as much energy as possible to ensure a quick run. Driving the pack was Jack Hickey, controlling the group he ensured a trouble free ride for Australian athletes sitting in behind. Coming into transition I followed the very experienced Courtney Atkinson and Kris Gemmell, knowing they would come off the bike at the front of the group. I had a few little problems getting to my spot and putting my shoes on which cost me a couple of valuable seconds coming out of transition.

Atkinson and Gemmell went out hard on the run, as did I, managing to tuck in behind Brendan Sexton’s shoulder coming out of transition. I felt stretched running with Sexton for the first 400 metres as we tried to bridge across to the lead two, and after 500 metres I had to drop off to ensure I didn’t completely blow myself to pieces. In the first few steps of the run I had committed and backed myself to go for the win, and although I wasn’t able to keep up with the lead 3, my initial intensity allowed a buffer between me and the chasing athletes. I didn’t want my early efforts on the

run to go to waste so I set my own tempo, making sure the guys behind didn’t bridge across. With the top 3 only 20 – 30 metres ahead during the first lap, I could see that Sexton was the stronger athlete, with the other two struggling to keep up. This kept my motivation high, knowing that if they spent too much energy trying to stay with Sexton I might be able to catch them later on. This did eventually happen, after the first of 4 laps, New Zealand’s Kris Gemmell couldn’t keep up with Sexton. I lifted my rating and started to close the 50 metre gap to around 25. It wasn’t enough though, as he must’ve got a second as he started to extend his lead again. At this point Brendan had pulled away, with Gemmell now running with Atkinson, followed by me, around 20 seconds behind and then about 20 seconds back to the next guy. At the 6 kilometre mark Atkinson looked like he had blown up and it didn’t take long before I had bridged the gap and then moved straight passed. With 2.5km left in the run I had moved into 3rd spot, with Gemmell 25 seconds ahead and Brendan another 30 seconds ahead of him!

I had crossed the line 3rd to finish on the podium two years in a row at the Oceania Championships. I was extremely happy with my result. Moreover I was satisfied that I could prove my form over the Olympic distance as opposed to the Sprint distance events I had raced in this season. I have managed to set up a good foundation to work off for the rest of the season and I can have confidence going forward that I can be up with the world’s best elite men. My next race will be the World Championship Series Race 1 on the Sydney Harbour with the highest quality field where everyone will be out to make a statement as countries finalise their Olympic Games’ selections.

Age: 55

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation: Dentist and veterinarian

Marital Status/Family: Married to Alison

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

This is my first time racing on the big island although I have accompanied my wife several times when she has competed at Kona. I qualified at Ironman Korea (originally I was to do Ironman China, until it was cancelled at very short notice I may add). I did my first ironman at Forster in 2000 after being in Kona in 1999 just after the ironman event that year. My wife and I decided on the plane home that we wanted to do an ironman race. I had a hiatus from ironman for 10 years and decided to do Ironman China in 2010 hoping to get a spot for Kona. Unfortunately, I tore my plantar fascia in my right foot 3 weeks before Ironman China and although being in 2^nd place into the T2 transition had to hobble/walk the whole marathon in 7 hours 15 mins (the most boring marathon I have ever done!). I decided to have another crack at the ironman for 2011 and was fortunate enough to get the last qualifying spot in my age group in Korea.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

I qualified at Ironman Korea. I had a very good race, although swimming is not my greatest leg, I managed to hang onto the feet of some faster swimmers, and this gave me a confidence lift to do well on the bike. The race started to hot up on the run with humidity and high temperatures taking its toll on a number of contestants. I have osteoarthritis in both hips and knees and I survive the run by taking celebrex anti-inflammatory drugs a week before the ironman. I made a pact with myself that I would run the first half of the marathon without walking and I nearly succeeded and got to the 19 km mark before doing a run walk for the rest of the marathon. The final 2 kms. of the run was downhill and even though my quads were burning, I decided to try to run the last 2 kms. This was a good decision on my behalf because I beat the contestant behind me by only just over a minute, which luckily got the final qualifying spot in my age group.

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

I have been fairly consistent with my training (at least for me) in my preparation for Kona. It is sometimes hard to fit work commitments in around the training because I do travel a bit interstate which affects my training rhythm. I have not competed in any events prior to Kona. I have not done anything special re training in heat and humidity, although I was in Las Vegas in September and did get some training in the dry heat of Nevada.  I have had some Achilles niggles for the past 3-4 weeks but with massage and resting my Achilles (less running) I am hoping it will hold up for Kona.

What has a typical training week looked like for you in the lead-up to this event?

I do about 300-400 kms on the bike, about 6-7 kms swimming and only about 15 kms running due to the Achilles injury.

What excites you the most about competing at an iconic race like the Hawaii Ironman?

I am at an age now where I do not know whether my body can hold up to the riggers of ironman. What excites me about Kona is not the race itself(it will bloody tough)  but the fact that I was able to get there in the first place and when I walk around the town of Kona, I really enjoy the atmosphere, the friendliness of everyone and on race day, the support and encouragement of the supporters and volunteers (I really enjoyed 2010 because I volunteered as a bike catcher at T2 and was able to catch my wife’s bike when she came into transition)

Is there anything about the Ironman in Hawaii that makes you really nervous?

The main concern for me is an old injury flaring up in the run and not being able to finish. That is my worst fear.

What are your goals for the race?

My goal for Kona is not to come last in my age group and hopefully come in the top half of my age group. Either that or to finish close to midnight because the crowd support and atmosphere around this time is unforgettable.

What are you doing to relax after the race? Are you planning on a holiday in Hawaii post Ironman?

Unfortunately no holiday- straight home.

Tell us a little about your background?

I have been doing triathlons since the early 90’s. It started with duathlons (my first one was at Sandown racetrack) and then not knowing how to swim and starting from scratch with swimming- taking the big step of getting into triathlons including representing Australia at age group level in Olympic distance world championships.

How have you managed to balance the training for Ironman with your other commitments such as work and family?

I am very lucky that my wife also trains for ironman and so she is very understanding.  My job can be very tiring and some days the thought of training is totally foreign to me. I will never be one to put in the long hours into training (I know that I will never set the world on fire in triathlon). I do not have a coach and so coach myself which means I usually do what I feel like- I am not a hard coach and give myself plenty of rest time.

Ironman is always a balancing act between family and work but never lose sight or not recognise the people that sacrifice their own time to allow you to be an ironman.

Interesting Fact:

This will be my fourth ironman ever.

Thanks for chatting to us and best of luck for the race!

Do you have a friend or family member who has qualified for Kona?? We would love to profile them! Please have them email michelle@getsetupinsport.com.au

Age: 45

Country Representing: AUSTRALIA

Occupation: Business Owner

Marital Status/Family: Married, no kids, 2 dogs

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

No. This will be my 5^th time in Kona. I did my first race in Kona in 1993 and the last time I raced in Kona was in 2008.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

Ironman New Zealand. One of the wettest IM race I’ve ever done! The rain did not stop all day!

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

After IMNZ I had a couple of months of active recovery and did start my build-up for Hawaii in around early June. So far I’ve had no injuries this year which is good. I’ve raced in Darwin in mid August over half ironman distance to check how my training is progressing. And I’ve done the City to Surf Half Marathon in Perth in late August to test my running legs. Everything seems to be on track. The heat and humidity in Kona don’t worry me at all as I excel in hot & humid conditions.  

What has a typical training week looked like for you in the lead-up to this event?

My usual training week consists of 2 squad swims, 3-4 bike sessions (one of which is usually a wind trainer session) and 4 running sessions, plus 1-2 gym sessions focussing on core strength. I do probably a bit less volume than most athletes at my level but it seems to work best for me. Plus recovery has become more important the older I’ve got.

What excites you the most about competing at an iconic race like the Hawaii Ironman?

I always like to go back & race in Kona as it is such an iconic event for triathlon. And my first ever ironman actually was Hawaii in 1993 as I qualified via a half ironman in the USA. So Kona does hold a very special place in my heart and in a way Kona feels like a second home to me. And it is good to see that not much has changed in Kona over last 20 years anyway, it is still a very laid back island.

Is there anything about the Ironman in Hawaii that makes you really nervous?

Not much really as I try to use my experience to calm down my nerves pre-race start. But maybe the swim start if anything. It is always fairly aggressive and last couple of times I seemed to have ended up on the receiving end of some elbows and knees.

What are your goals for the race?

I’d like to finish in top 10 of my 45-49 age group and overall maybe place in top 200 finishers. Time wise Kona is always tricky. It can be very windy, hot or extremely humid on the day so a good time is always a bonus but not a given in Kona. But around 9:30hrs would be nice.

What are you doing to relax after the race? Are you planning on a holiday in Hawaii post Ironman?

My wife and I usually leave Kona on the Monday after the race and spend some time on Oahu relaxing and doing things not related to triathlon. I might give surfing a go this year!

Tell us a little about your background?

I was a cross-country runner from very young on and naturally progressed to track & field (800m, 1500m, long jump, etc) over the years. After some time off from sport during my teen years (pursuing other interests) I started training for triathlons in the mid 80’s. My first race was an Olympic distance race in Switzerland in 1987 and I still remember that I came out of the water second last and it took me close to 35mins to finish the swim leg! Triathlon was very much a novelty sport in those days and not as widely recognised as it is nowadays.  

How have you managed to balance the training for Ironman with your other commitments such as work and family?

Work-family-training balance has always been very important to me. I really enjoy the healthy and versatile lifestyle ironman training offers and my wife and I always try to combine racing and travelling to some exotic destinations to make it a bit more interesting for us.

Interesting Facts:

I got hit by cars twice before I was 20 but was lucky to walk away both times without too much drama, apart from a broken leg the second time round.

Thanks for chatting to us and best of luck for the race!

We look forward to catching up on the Big Island :)

Do you have a friend or family member who has qualified for Kona?? We would love to profile them! Please have them email michelle@getsetupinsport.com.au

Name:

Age: 40

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation: Technology (IT Nerd)

Marital Status/Family: Married, no kids

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

Several years ago I did the Honu 70.3, but I have never been for the big dance. Back then, I did a training camp for the week before the race and we rode to Hawi and back about 4 times.  Come race day I was exhausted and could only think during the ride, why would anyone want to do the full Ironman here?  The bike is insane.  On TV it looks flat. But when you are out there it seems you are always going up and into a head wind.  And that’s going in both directions!

I have never been interested in Qualifying for Kona.  I’m too slow. I have a PB of 12:05 which I have done both at Forster and Busselton.  I’ve also raced IMNZ and Port Mac for  eight Ironman’s in total.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

At the end of Ironman Busselton 2010, I said that’s it for me.  I had done eight Ironman’s and to be honest I was really disappointed with my time. I did 12:51 and had shocking stomach issues all day. Crossed the line threw the shoes away and into retirement I went!

Come April 16 and 2:09am a mere 5 months later of basically ZERO exercise other than a little surfing and a lot of beers, I got an email from WTC

A few funny things happened this day. The previous night I had been out and decided to put my phone on silent.  I wanted a sleep in. When I woke up my wife and I went out for breakfast. When I got home around 11:30am, I noticed I had 38 missed calls and 11 SMS’s.  The first SMS I read was from my mate Ken [You tinny bastard. You got a Kona spot] The other SMS’s were similar!

I still wasn’t sure if it was true.  So I fired up the laptop and sure enough, there was my name.  I was off to Kona.

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

The first thing I decided to do was employ a coach.  I needed someone to get me on the right track. We came up with a 24 week plan. There was no shortage of mates that offered to train with me thru a cold Melbourne Winter so that was nice. But I will be honest, it’s been hard! Firstly, because I usually don’t train for Ironman races.  I just ‘wing it’ and turn up on race day. So over 24 weeks I have done more training for Kona that I have for the last 3 Ironman’s. (honestly)

For the last 10 weeks I have been taking Wednesday’s off to do long rides.  I need all the help I can get.

No races like Yeppoon as I was in the grove and didn’t want to do a race to mess that up.

What has a typical training week looked like for you in the lead-up to this event?

Typical week as been

Monday –
Am – Swim (squad)
pm – Turbo

Tuesday
am – Long run
pm – Turbo

Wednesday
am – Long ride
pm – Swim

Thursday
am – Middle distance run
pm - Intervals run 1k’s

Friday
am- Swim squad

Saturday
am Long run
pm easy 40min recovery run

Sunday
am Long bike

What excites you the most about competing at an iconic race like the Hawaii Ironman?

Can I tell you when I’ve done it? To be honest I am sh*t scared. But I think what excites me most is knowing that I would have finished the Hawaiian Ironman! Nothing can take that away. And I can also say YES when people go, “so have you done that race in Hawaii then?”

Is there anything about the Ironman in Hawaii that makes you really nervous?

I am not worried about the course. I know it’s going to be tough! 
I know I am just making up numbers. That’s cool too. Hey, if everyone finished under 10 hours it would be a boring finish line for that last 7 hours!!

What are your goals for the race?

I have the one goal.  Finish. I have no time in mind.  I know my coach does.  And I am sure he will tell me but being totally honest, I just want to finish in good shape and enjoy it.  It’s not like I will be going back to race it again.

What are you doing to relax after the race? Are you planning on a holiday in Hawaii post Ironman?

For my wife it is all about the holiday.  Two weeks kicking back in Hawaii while Melbourne is still cold!!

Tell us a little about your background?

My background is I used to be very big into field hockey. I played for almost 13 years near the top.  I played premier division in Sydney.  The next step up is for NSW.

One day a guy at my work said a few were doing the City to Surf and I should do it.  SO on no training (hmm, there is a pattern here), I paid my money and did it.  I had never run other than around the outside of a hockey field. I did 1:01.  It hurt like hell and nearly killed me. I have never done that race again. That was back in 1993.

Back at work on the Monday my ‘friend’ said I should do a triathlon with him. He sold it well. 

‘Triathlons are easy
You swim and then you don’t use your arms again.
You bike and you are just sitting down.
Then you have to do something and run’

So I signed up and did my first triathlon at Pier One in Sydney in 1993. For the next eight years I just raced and did swim training.  I was too scared to go out on the bike and really wasn’t interested in running.  But I loved racing. Also, back in the 90’s you could race every weekend and the cost was $15. You got great goodie bags as well at every single race.

It wasn’t until 2001 that I did Ironman Australia in Forster.  I did it with a neighbour.  Neither of us knew anything about Ironman.  I wasn’t even sure of the distance. I just knew they were long.

I finished that race and said never again. I did the entire race on water.  No gels. No nothing. I didn’t like sports drink. The cramps I had that day made me want to kill myself. I remember laying on the massage table after crossing the line and the guy next to me had done his first and he was saying, where do I sign up for next year? I was thinking, this guy is nuts.  He took longer than me and wants to come back. Two years later I was back. Time heals all wounds.

How have you managed to balance the training for Ironman with your other commitments such as work and family?

My wife is fantastic.  I proposed at a triathlon in Manly. (Brad Beven won that day.  Heck, he won every day back then!!) When the triathlon was over and we were walking around near Shelly Beach I got down on one knee.  She cried.  Don’t they all?
Never once in 12 years has she ever complained about me being out training. She’s the best.

My work also allows me to be pretty flexible with the hours.  If I need to run 90 minutes at lunch it isn’t an issue.  As long as the work gets done!

Interesting Fact:

8% of people in Australia have tapeworms.  This makes them more popular than Dogs.

Hence I worm myself.

Thanks for chatting to us and best of luck for the race!

We look forward to catching up on the Big Island :)

By Michelle Downs http://www.getsetupinsport.com.au

Name:

Age: 25

Country Representing: AUS

Occupation: Fisheries and Marine Officer

Marital Status/Family: Single

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

Sure is! I was lucky enough to qualify through my first IM attempt at IMWA. So Kona will be IM # 2 for me.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

IM Busselton was my first (and was meant to be my last) IM. Being my first IM, I wasn’t too sure what I was getting myself into. Based on times I was doing in training, I calculated my race splits to get me across the line in 9 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds. Sub 10 hours was the goal, if that got me to Hawaii, then so be it. I kept within seconds to my race schedule each lap of each leg, except the last lap on the run, which saw me miss the 10 hour mark by 17 seconds. Still, a fairly accurate calculation for a first timer!

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

Busselton 70.3 and the Cairns Half Challenge were both incorporated into my Kona prep. It was good to do a race in some warmth with a few hills in it in Cairns, unlike the flat, cool conditions of Busselton. Since Cairns it’s been a matter of spending quality time on the bike in the Perth hills. The temperature of the Perth hills in winter is a far cry from what is to come in Kona, but there isn’t much I can do about that. So far I’m injury free and enjoying the journey, but cannot wait til that cannon fires!

What has a typical training week looked like for you in the lead-up to this event?

At this stage in the program I’m swimming three times a week, running four times a week, on the bike four times a week. Saturdays are a long ride, followed by a run, which is followed by a coma like state for the rest of the afternoon. Oh, and there are three gym/core stability/trigger point sessions mixed in each week too. It’s totally an average of 22 – 25 hours each week.

What excites you the most about competing at an iconic race like the Hawaii Ironman?

Coming down Alii drive and seeing my family, partner, and good friends down that finishing chute. The support these people have given me on this journey has been amazing and to see them all there when it comes to an end means the world to me.

Is there anything about the Ironman in Hawaii that makes you really nervous?

The cross winds on the bike, and the heat. I will be making it up as I go along with both of those factors, which is hard to accept because I like to be prepared!

What are your goals for the race?

Hard to say. I guess that part of the beauty (?) of IM, a lot can go right and a lot can go wrong - it’s a long, unpredictable day. Who knows what the day will bring and what challenges my competition will put to me, but I can’t wait to find out!

What are you doing to relax after the race? Are you planning on a holiday in Hawaii post Ironman?

I am really looking forward to some quality time with my family, partner, and friends who will be making the journey to Kona with me. It’s just as much a long day for them as it will be for me, so we will all head to Honolulu for some R&R post race.

Tell us a little about your background?

I started triathlons in 2004 after my 1500m athletics coach advised me that after 16 years of athletics and an ongoing injury that I needed to take a season off. He told me to ‘keep myself in shape, but he didn’t want to see me at the track until the next season’. It was during my first year off athletics that I thought I would try a triathlon, and the rest is history. I have not been back to the track since. In 2009 I saw my twin sister battle through IM WA in 35 degree heat, and I was in awe. After watching her finish that race, I committed there and then to do IM WA in 2010.

How have you managed to balance the training for Ironman with your other commitments such as work and family?

Ah, not very well! Luckily there is only 7 weeks to go, and that will be it for me in terms of IM. I want my life back J I don’t know how people with children can do this. I struggle to manage work, training, and having some sort of a relationship with my partner. I take my hat off to those who do this with children, that is truly amazing.

Thanks for chatting to us and best of luck for the race!

We look forward to catching up with you on the Big Island :)