A First Time for Everything:

The last month has certainly been an exciting and exhausting period filled with spectacular highs and painful lows. My last race for this year was Ironman Western Australia which came just 4 weeks after the ITU Long course world championships. Following the long course race I had a period of 2 weeks where training was minimal. I had intended to have an easy week and then get back into the swing of things for IM WA but the race left me incapacitated for longer than I would have liked. My enforced layoff left me with 1 week to both build my training and throw in some hard work before a week of tapering. Needless to say I had doubts as to whether I should toe the start line for my first Ironman. A week before the race I finally decided I would head over if only to test my ability to back up from a big race. I figure that if I ever have a crack at the professional life, having the ability to back up race after race will make or break you. As if to confirm this line of thought I ended up travelling to Busselton with the enigmatic professional triathlete Petr Vabrousek from the Czech Republic. A professional since the 80’s he switched to long course 13 years ago and has racked up an unbelievable 126 Ironman finishes with no injuries. In the end I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear the most famous catch phrase in triathlon. Whilst the race was not all I had hoped for at least I can say I am an Ironman!

Figure : About time, I can finally re-open my right eye!

I hit T2 feeling pretty positive and flew out onto the run course. I had decided that I would pace the run evenly rather than my normal plan of starting hard and hanging on. I spent much of the bike leg looking forward to the first half of the marathon as it would surely be a walk in the park at a paced effort. After spending the first 4km trying to slow myself down I finally hit my target pace and proceeded to hold that... for all of 2km. Each km split was a few seconds slower than the last but that’s okay, it’s still pretty close right? Unfortunately it was the start of a slippery slope and before you knew it you were 20 and then 30 seconds slower than your original pace. I went through halfway 2-3 minutes slower than planned and was still not too worried but the trend continued and before I knew it I had been reduced to a glorified shuffle. Those last two laps were the longest of my running career but I kept looking forward to breaking the 30km mark (the furthest I had previously run). I have a friend back home who told me at the 30k mark to think of him smile and enjoy the rest of it. That smile lasted all of instant, as soon as I hit the 30k mark the cramps and spasms took hold. I was quietly confident that my special needs bag just 2km up the road would have the cure so I soldiered on.

Figure : Modelling the naked look on Forest Beach road

Now here is where I’d like to dispel a sporting myth. Apparently gherkin juice has a mystery substance in its make up that cures cramps and related issues all but instantly. This is not a crazy hunch of mine, its supported by various bits and pieces of anecdotal evidence easily found on the all knowing Google. With this in mind I grabbed my bottle of gherkin juice (not literally juice squeezed from a gherkin but the strange watery substance that preserves them in the jar) and started sipping. The overwhelmingly tangy and basically foul taste of warm gherkin juice is a hard one to swallow but it was all for the greater good. Shockingly the cramps continued so I went all in downing a half bottle of the stuff with my body protesting the whole time. Needless to say I was left feeling like I had just thrown up a spicy curry. Whilst there is “evidence” out there of gherkin juices all conquering power, I rate its effectiveness below that of yelling “BOO” to cure a bout of hiccups. 

I finished up the run (which I did actually run) managing the bouts of cramps and unsettling spasms by taking one step after the other. I was passed for 3rd in my age group by Amos Gollach in the final kilometres. This suddenly makes you regret every toilet stop and extra moment spent chilling out in transition. Watching someone blow by me at 5 minute kilometre pace was something that, as a former runner, I hang my head in shame... but the Ironman marathon just ain’t a cross country race. Within the 18-24 category the day belonged to Nick Baldwin from Seychelles who won in 9:10 and local triathlete Andy Tyack who was second after putting together an awesome overall race and a great Ironman debut. It was great spending time with both these guys. In the end, I held onto 4th with a 9:41:59 time.

Figure 3: After managing a tedious internal dialog for 9:41.59 I was an Ironman

When I look back at my year there seems like there has been a first time for everything, so I figured I’d pop in an abridged list of those to finish this off and then I’ll be back to blog in the new year.

First time... Competing in a triathlon, buying a time trial bike, riding interstate, wearing Speedos in public, finding sponsorship (A shout out to SIS who have provided me with racing fuel and gear), donning the green and gold, competing overseas, doing an Ironman and of course, first time drinking gherkin juice.  

I feel as though instead of my standard happy training sign off a different phrase is needed for the Christmas period. So enjoy the festivities have a happy new year and don’t forget to rest hard.  

-Ryan

November 12, 2011- The inaugural Ironman 70.3 Shepparton is in the books. Although this was the first time for the event under this name, it’s hardly the first time the event has been held. The event has been part of the Australian Half Ironman Series and has a reputation as a fast course.

Men’s race:

Any triathlon held in Australia is going to have a quality field and Shepparton was no exception. With over 1,000 athletes, 70.3 Racine champ Paul Ambrose was one of the favorites. 2011 had been a good year for Ambrose, who had come within seconds of winning the 70.3 Rhode Island and the 70.3 Mooseman. Another favorite was 70.3 Busselton champ Tim Berkel. As it would turn out, neither man would finish this race.

It was 22 year old Matt Bailey that led the men out of the water with a 23:40 split. Close behind him was Ambrose, posting a 23:42 split for the 1.9 km (1.2 mile) swim. Matty White of Magill, South Australia was third into T1 with a 23:44.

The 90.1 km (56 mile) bike ride saw Leon Griffin take the lead and keep it. Griffin posted a 2:09:45 split. Ollie Whistler moved up to second place on the strength of his 2:10:32 bike ride. White stayed in third place, riding a 2:10:40.

Griffin stayed in the lead for the rest of the race, covering the 21.1 km (13.1 mile) run in 1:15:01. Leon Griffin won the 2011 Ironman 70.3 Shepparton with an overall 3:51:27.  Whistler ran a 1:20:10 to finish second with an overall 4:01:33. Monty Frankish earned a podium trip by running a 1:22:12, giving him an overall 4:03:13.

Men’s top 5:

1) Leon Griffin (Kangaroo Flat, Victoria) – 3:51:27

2) Ollie Whistler (Lord Howe Island, NSW) – 4:01:33

3) Monty Frankish (Melbourne, Victoria) – 4:03:13

4) Luke Whitmore (Montmorency, Victoria) – 4:04:40

5) Matt Bailey (Melbourne, Victoria) – 4:04:49

Women’s race:

Ironman New Zealand champ Samantha Warriner was one of the pre-race favorites. Ironman 70.3 Cancun and 70.3 Racine champ Christie Sym was registered, but didn’t compete, nor did speedy Aussie Rachael Paxton. 70.3 Port Macquarie runner-up Madeleine Oldfield and Elly Franks were being watched as podium contenders.

Lisa Marangon led the female pros out of the lake with a 25:20 split. Nicole Ward was second into T1 with a 26:28 swim. Warriner was right behind her with a 26:30.

The normally fast riding Elly Franks didn’t disappoint on the bike ride, leading the women into T2 after riding a 2:23:50. Marangon rode a 2:27:31 to stay in second place and Warriner’s 2:28:30 split kept her in third place.

During the 21.1 km run, Warriner took the lead and kept it. Samantha Warriner won the 2011 Ironman 70.3 Shepparton women’s title with an overall 4:25:25. Her run split was 1:27:52. Marangon ran a 1:32:30 to finish second with an overall 4:27:56. Ward’s 1:31:57 earned her a podium trip with an overall time of 4:35:22.

The women’s top 5:

1) Samantha Warriner (New Zealand) – 4:25:25

2) Lisa Marangon (Vaucluse, NSW) – 4:27:56

3) Nicole Ward (Freshwater, NSW) – 4:35:22

4) Suzanne Blackborrow (Belmont, Victoria) – 4:36:16

5) Elly Franks (South Yarra, Victoria) – 4:36:57

Experiencing life in Las Vegas seems far more like a bucket list item than a necessity involved in preparation for a triathlon world championship. Whilst spending longer than a few days in Vegas really didn’t appeal to me I have always been fascinated by what type of community exists around the world famous Strip. I was pleasantly surprised to find it was incredible normal one. In fact the most abnormal thing about the community was their overwhelmingly generosity and willingness to help. In saying this I should make the distinction between life in Henderson (where I stayed) as opposed to on Las Vegas Blvd. I located myself near Henderson Multigenerational Centre which is a fabulously diverse facility and host to T2 and the finish line. Conveniently I found myself walking distance from many dining options and Aspen Creek Cycles which is undoubtedly the best bike shop in Nevada. The guys there gave great advice but they also gave the shop a chilled out atmosphere which made it a perfect place to chat and relax in a city where I knew no one. Being just 3k from T2 I’d suggest anyone doing the 70.3 drops in if only to absorb some local knowledge and replace the Co2’s that customs took off you. If your just in for a few days before the race staying within Lake Las Vegas is the way to go, it’s certainly the best training location although it is pretty isolated if your there some time before race day. Whilst the whole area is synonymous with the Strip I found that the people and state of Nevada had so much more to offer, it was easy to forget you were there to race. The long course championships were my first age group world championships and I decided on taking the time off uni to prepare for it with the respect that such a race deserves. I also wanted to see what it would be like to live as a pro for three weeks. As Las Vegas is set to hold the 70.3 worlds for another few years I think I’ve gained some useful insights.

Figure : Borrowing the Aussie Flag

The Infamous Course:

This year the ITU world long course triathlon replaced the Iron-distance Silverman that bills itself as the world’s toughest course... though there are a few of those claims out there.  The Long distance triathlon was point to point and used most of the Silverman which is different to the 70.3. All told there was a bit over 6000ft of overall climbing. Local guys won’t ride less than an 11-25 out here and if your not a fan of hills lower gearing is recommended. I think a lot of people bring the wrong equipment and then try to make it work for them on race day. That said the 70.3 uses a more pleasant course however it’s certainly not without its hills. I think both courses suit lighter riders like myself however heavier athletes are hard to keep pace with on the downhill sections. I found the course challenging but not ridiculous, though many would disagree with me. If you happen to be out riding on a windy day you will quickly re-evaluate your current understanding of strong winds. I have come to realise that Sydney is only capable of a stiff breeze. I think having taken the time to learn the ins and outs of the course really helps, and whilst driving it shows you the hills only riding it can really give you an idea of what it’s like. Come race day it’s a huge advantage to know the tight corners, when to drop gears, how far till the top of the next incline and exactly when it will end. The popular opinion is that a conservative bike wins the race however both courses offer a real opportunity to open up large time gaps. What worked for me was riding within myself before putting the hammer down with 30k to go.

The 70.3 and long course events both utilise slight variations of the same 7.5k loop which is set up on the corner of a block. It’s simple but brutal with 3.75k of uphill running before a turnaround which sends you all the way back down. Having run it in training previously the gradients really are not that bad and the downhills quite fast (though rough on the body). However at the end of a race it is a different story. As we all know when running off the bike a mole hill feels like a mountain and the only thing downhills are good for are stimulating cramps.  

Figure : Just before my race plan turned to survival

ITU Long Course World Championships Race Report:

I was initially devastated by the news that the swim in the seemingly pristine Lake Las Vegas was cancelled over concerns for its water quality and the ambient air temperature being too low. For most of the year Las Vegas is really hot. 70.3 racers this year experienced what was a relatively mild 33 degree’s, the temperature in September is often around the 40 mark. However 3 days before the long course event in early November a cold front came through and race morning was just 1 degree. With the swim cancelled the bike started in time trial fashion with 5 seconds between riders. The pros left first with age groupers following them in ascending order of age. I rarely wear anything other than my race suit however the freezing conditions meant riding off in gloves and arm warmers still left me looking comparatively underdressed. The hills get underway almost immediately and it works well to sort the sheep from goats. The first 15-20k was a bit of a mad rush to try and close down the initial time stagger on your fellow age groupers but once I got near the front a paceline of 6 athletes with varied nationalities established itself. With two Frenchman off the front I anxiously bided my time waiting for steeper gradients in the last 36k to make my push for home. Whilst there are various turnaround points it’s hard to keep track of where everyone is. The paceline fell apart at about 40k and I found myself trading lead duties with a British rider until the last 30k. It was quite satisfying to execute my race plan perfectly and ride away from my competition with a surge over the first of three 18% grade hills. From there on everyone I was catching were professionals and seeing famous names on the backs of race suits was a real buzz.  In fact the race highlight for me was getting off the bike and hitting the run course as Michael Raelert was starting his second lap. Running with him and eventually away from him was quite motivating however my last 10k or so left a lot to be desired. The run has always been my strength but it was certainly my best biking performance getting off 3rd in my age group, albeit someway behind the two Frenchmen Pierre and Franck. I had a 6 minute deficit to Pierre who was leading and although I closed the gap to within 4 minutes my early speed saw the gap blow back out. Incredibly after 30k of running the original gap was exactly the same with both myself and Pierre sharing the fastest run in our age group. It was incredible to take an Aussie flag as I ran down the finish chute although the effort required to wave it was about all I had left! I finished 2nd in the 20-24 age group which more impressively put me as the 5th fastest non professional and 22nd outright in a field of 987 with 81 pro’s. The result was more than I expected and although I feel my swim would have brought me closer to winning it wouldn’t have changed the final podium positions. Full credit to Pierre-Yves Gigou who won the 20-24’s and is as great a guy as a he is a competitor. I wish him the best of luck as he moves into the professional ranks next season. 

Figure : 20-24, 1st Pierre Yves Gigou (FRA), 2nd Ryan Waddington (AUS), 3rd Franck Kervarec (FRA)

Post-Race Thoughts:

In the meantime I write this from a comfy chair that provides the support my legs are unable to give me at present. After finishing the race with bloody soaked shoes I think a new pair of racing flats is on the cards before I tackle my first Ironman in WA next month. Although I snuck in a ride through Death Valley on my way back to LA I will wait till I’m back in Sydney and my blisters have healed to recommence a proper training pattern. After riding the incredible roads out here how can I ever return to Olympic park? The experience has been one of the best in my life and has shown me that perhaps I do have what it takes to be a competitive professional one day. It’s also shown me how much more enjoyable training is when it’s the only priority. The lifestyle is incredible if only marred by occasional tedium of having nothing to do on a light day of training.

Figure : Riding into Death Valley... US national parks are just phenomenal.

Until I’ve raced my way over 140.6 miles of refreshingly flat terrain in Western Australia you won’t hear from me, so train hard in the meantime.

-Ryan   

I did my 1^st Milo triathlon at South West Rocks when I was 5years old and fell in love with the sport.

On the weekend of 29^th  through to 31^st of July, a group of about 24 athletes from the Hunter /Central Coast areas and the Gunnedah/Tamworth areas all resided to Myuna Bay recreation centre for a training camp. The 24 athletes ranged from 13 to 19 years and there was a range experienced coaches including John and Donna Hickey.

On Friday night we travelled to Toronto pool for an hour and a half swim session. The session was mainly skilled based, but after the skills we did a few relays which challenged us physically whilst having fun. After the swim session we had dinner, a team meeting and went to bed.

On Saturday morning half of the athletes did a spin session on the wind trainers and the other half of athletes did a challenging skills session. I was one of the athletes that did the skills session. Some of the skills included taking tight turns around tables, scooting and bike/run efforts.

After the bike session, we all travelled down to Mingara pool and did a time trial. The athletes that were trying out for the NSW Pro Tour did a 1km time trial and the rest of us did a 500m time trial where I managed to do a 7:08 for the 500m.

After the swim time trial, we walked over to Mingara Athletics track where we then completed a run time trial. Again, the athletes trying out for the NSW Pro Tour did a 5km time trial and the rest of us completed a 3km time trial. I managed to do 12.10 for the 3km.

After the run time trial we travelled back to Myuna Bay and rode out to a small town nearby and raced a criterium. I was placed in C grade where I finished 2^nd.

On Sunday morning we woke up early and did a long ride which had some challenging hills in it. After the ride we did one last swim session back at Toronto pool where we performed 10 x 100m efforts, alternating swim/pull.

We wrapped up at about 2.30 with a team meeting.

The camp gave me a chance to catch up with my triathlon friends before the start of our up and coming race season.

Teneah

After arriving in Frankfurt airport and hurtling down the autobahn at 200km/hr, fellow Aussie Ben Lyons, and I settled into our new home in Crailsheim, just north of Stuttgart. After a warm welcome from The Magic Man: Steffen Mayer, Team Captain Luke Dragstra and a short tour of the triathlon warehouse where we would be living for the next 3 months, it was straight to business, i set off with my new team mates from Magic sportfood Team TSV Crailsheim on a short ride, and before i knew it, the first race was upon us.

After several pre-race mechanical and organisational problems, a very flustered Magic Team got to the start line at Forst with 5mins to spare, and no time for a warm-up.  In this team style race the rules are little different to back in Oz, you have to leave each transition with all 5 team mates. And the final time is taken as the fourth member crosses the finish line.  Teams we’re set off 20 seconds apart, and as defending champions we were the first team off.  We had a solid swim, but four of us left T1 with a little more enthusiasm than our fifth team mate.  After jumping on the bikes and realizing we were a man down, we chucked a ‘U’-ee and rode back to find him being held by an official. We lost 90seconds and watched three of the top contending teams ride straight passed.  Once we got going, we really flew: averaging 45km/h on the bike and posting a very solid run split.  We finished with the 5^th fastest time…not what we hoped for, which left us to rue a needless 90 second penalty.

Our next Liga race was set in the picturesque German town of Rheinfelden, tucked away in the southwest corner of the country, a stone’s throw away from Switzerland.  Literally…the town was on the Rhein, a river that separated the two countries.  We took advantage of this novelty which we don’t get in Australia, and on the morning of a race went for a 15 minute jog, crossing an international border, twice!  This week I had the honour of racing in the same team as Sydney Olympic Silver medallist StephanVuckovich!  Instead of a mass start, this time, athletes were sent off at 7 second intervals to make it a ‘true’ time trial.  A 1500m swim in the fast-flowing Rhein, followed by a 22km bike (which included a real kneecap-popping hill) and a very scenic 5km dash; all done without having much idea how you were doing compared to everyone else.  I finished with the 2^nd fastest time of the day.  Drags and Vuko also posted top 10 times which was enough to give Magic the win!’

With 4 weeks before our next Liga race, Ben and I made the decision to go and ‘see Europe’.  After countless hours searching for races in nearby countries where we might be able to win a bit of cash; we jumped on the train down to Kirchbichl, Austria…not far from the site of WCS race in Kitzbuhel.  This was an Olympic Distance race with some very long challenge climbs in the bike and run, in the non-drafting format.  The two Aussies were treated like kings by the race organisers who provided us with a hotel, and took us on a personal tour of the bike course in their car!  Unfortunately, race day wasn’t all smiles: Ben hit the ground hard on a fast downhill hairpin, and I was ran down by 3 very strong runners after riding 40km off the front in no-man’s land.  On the plus side I won the U23 division and walked away with 300 euro prize money!

For now it’s back to the track for some hard work before our next Liga race where we will line up next to some big names such as South African gun Richard Murray, and German uber-biker Sebastian Kienle for a draft legal race over the sprint distance.

Auf Wiedersehen,

James 

The good news for Aussie tri fans is that Johan recently became an Australian citizen after six years in the country, so when he is tearing up the international triathlon world we can claim him as fair dinkum aussie!

TT: You recently had a blinder of a race at Ironman New Zealand.......9.13, 13^th overall and winning your 18-24 age group, all in your very first attempt at the distance! Tell us about your race. What were the highlights for you?

I was stoked with my race, everything worked out as good as I could have hoped for. I had some time goals for the race. For the swim I just wanted to go under an hour, hopefully closer to 55. For the ride I wanted to go under 5 hours and then run about 3.15. So with transitions I was hoping to do 9.15-20 overall. I beat my goals in the swim and run and went a little bit slower on the bike. So one of the highlights were definitely coming out of the swim and realising I had gone 2 or so minutes quicker than I had been hoping for. It always feels good to have a good start. Another highlight was coming off the bike and starting the run. I felt so much better than I had expected and I managed to overtake some of the people that passed me in the swim and on the bike. I was expecting to hit a wall sometime during the run but I didn’t really. The last 10 km really hurt and I was constantly on the border of cramping. But at the same time I thought I had made up enough time to go under 3:10 for the marathon and 9:15 overall so it made the legs seem to hurt a bit less!

TT: You have raced plenty of Half Ironman and 70.3 events in the last few years. How many Half IM’s did you actually complete before taking on the full distance? Do you think these experiences in the Half IM events provided a good base for you to take into the Ironman and how different was your preparation for the IM compared to the Half IM events?

I did my first half in Busso in 07 and since then I’ve done 9 more so I’ve done 2 or 3 every year. I think that’s given me a good base and it’s kept me training all year round. Without doing an Ironman I think doing a half is the closest you can come to the experiencing a full so that makes them good practice. My preparation for Ironman started quite early when I started running more during the winter and spring. But the real difference started about 15 or so weeks before the race when all the long runs and rides started to get longer and longer and towards the end my legs were pretty much permanently sore. Another difference is that I’ve never been so focused on just one race. Because New Zealand is in the beginning of March, it also gave me the whole summer uni break to train.

TT: What made you decide to do Ironman, has it always been part of the long term plan? Why Ironman New Zealand?

Yeah Ironman has been part of my plan for the last few years. I had planned to do it in another one or two years but then a number of people from my squad and my girlfriend decided to do New Zealand. Taking place in March, just after the uni break, it was good timing so I just thought why not?

TT: You didn’t accept your Hawaii Ironman slot for October as you intend to now apply to race with a professional licence. What are the racing plans and goals for the rest of the year and was it hard to say no to Hawaii? 

I’m in the process of applying for my professional licence and hopefully I can race Busselton 70.3 as a professional. This year I also want to do Busselton Ironman in December and then New Zealand again in March next year. I also want to do a half or two before December so I’d like to do Gold Coast and maybe something else. As far as goals go I just want to improve on my previous results and maybe get a top 5 in a half and top 10 in Ironman.

Saying no to Hawaii was hard but it will always be there, and I hope I can get another chance in the future.

TT: Prior to the race in New Zealand you had some exceptional results, particularly last year. Tell us about some of your tri achievements to date. When did you start thinking of racing as a professional?

I first started thinking about racing as a professional after Busselton Half last year. I finished 9^th overall and was the first age grouper. After that I decided I wanted to try to race in the open category. So I did in Yeppoon Half Ironman and I came 10^th overall and I think 8th in Open so it seemed to be the right thing to do. Later In the year I did Canberra Half Ironman which got turned into a duathlon which really suited me and I came 5^th overall. It’s thanks to that race and Ironman New Zealand that I should be able to get my pro licence.

TT: Tell us a little bit about your development as an athlete. How long have you been competing in triathlons for and how have you progressed through the ranks?

I started triathlon when I first moved to Australia almost 6 years ago. Before that I had just done some running and cycling. I did some of the shorter races and I was close to last out of the water but was ok in the ride and run. After the first year I started training more and my swimming was slowly getting better. At the end of my second year I did my first half in Busso. I had a good race and did 4:23, which placed me 5^th in my age group. From then on I have been trying to better my training and have slowly improved.

TT: When you arrived in Australia five years ago, swimming was an obvious weakness; however in New Zealand you swam 54minutes, nothing wrong with that!! What type of work have you done over the years to improve your swimming?

Yeah I had a great swim in New Zealand and my time surprised both my coach and me. Since I started I’ve been swimming about 3-4 times a week, a little more during summer and less during winter. Our swim sets are usually 3-4 km and overtime my times have slowly started coming down. I think the key have been to be consistent, and try to never go more than a few days without swimming.

TT: As a beginning professional, have you tried to look for sponsors yet? How tough has this been and do you have anyone on board supporting you as yet?

I haven’t really been looking for sponsors but I work for Apollo Bicycles and they have helped me out with equipment and I recently got an Apollo Elite C road bike. There is also a time trial bike in the works that I’ll hopefully get to ride before Busso 70.3.  I also get some help from Attadale cycles that helps me with bike services and some good deals on other equipment.

TT: Ironman New Zealand was also the first-time Ironman of your girlfriend, Helen. Was it a big support also having your partner competing? Did the two of you train together often in the lead-up to the race?

Yeah it was great also having her race. It makes the experience so much more enjoyable to have someone to share it with. She had a great race and did 10:46 and came 2^nd in the 18-24 age group. Helen was one of the reasons that I did New Zealand because it was her idea to do the race in the first place.  We both train with Eclipse Fitness in Perth; so much of our training was similar. We rarely ran together although we often ran at the same time so that helped our motivation. Whereas for riding we did some parts together and some with other training mates or by ourselves

TT: As a recent first-time Ironman finisher, any advice for those about to take on the challenge of Ironman for the first time?

During the weeks leading up to the race I did two long runs and two long rides a week and I think that helped. Also make sure to practice your nutrition plan during these sessions.

Listen to your body, if you are feeling stuffed before sessions just make it a bit slower or shorter instead. Have a good taper and don’t be afraid of losing, fitness you will feel better come race day.

Thanks Johan, we look forward to watching as your triathlon career progresses!

Arriving in Canberra on Friday, mum and I hired a car and made the trek to Husky, where we were welcomed by our awesome home stay family Cindy, Ellen and Isabel (the Jack Russel).

As the sun began to rise on race morning we all knew that it was going to be a tough race in hot conditions. It was a non-wetsuit swim for the Pro's with water temp being 23.5 degrees. The relatively small Pro Female field was packed with some notable racers including Michelle Wu, Nicole Ward and Matilda Raynolds.

I had a great swim and exited the water up the front. After a quick transition I got out onto the bike course in 1st place, where I was soon joined by Raynolds and later on Wu. The 83km bike course was made up of 3 laps. The first half of each lap consisted of a slow gradual climb with the second half being undulating. I managed to stick with Wu and Raynolds until about 15km to go, where I then started to feel the effects of the hard riding and heat and unfortunately lost contact. This was the move that would prove to cost me the race, however it is these races that I learn the most from! 

Entering T2 I was about 1min30sec down off the lead two girls. I was expecting to feel pretty heavy on the run, however once my legs hit the ground and I got some more nutrition into me I started to feel strong and went about trying to make up as much ground as I could. I managed to come within 50sec of second place, but ran out of road, crossing the line in 3rd place Pro Female, with Michelle running strong to take the win by 2min 30sec and Matilda claiming 2nd. The aim of the race was to podium, and while I wasn't on the top, it was still a good race in which I learnt a lot.

Having only competed in 2 long course events prior to Husskison, I am still learning the in and outs of endurance racing. I have put in some really solid training over the summer months, and with another long course race under my belt I am looking forward to a great upcoming season in the US.

I am living the dream and it all wouldn't be possible without the support of my sponsors Malvern Star, Peak Bike Hub, Brooks Running, Giro, Selle SMP Saddles and Team Barefoot. 



A huge thanks to my Mum for travelling with me to Husky and looking after me...number one support crew! Also thanks to Cindy and Ellen for opening their home to us and Elite Energy for putting on a great event.

For now it's time to eat, sleep and recover in time for the final round of the Victorian Gatorade Series next weekend.

Profile

DOB: 08/25/1973

Nickname: Richie

Career highlight to date: Winning Phuket in 2008 and getting to run down the finish line with the elephant.

Favourite race: Phuket, because you get to run with an elephant

Best leg: Run

Sponsors:  Trakkers, Saucony, Shimano, TYR, Kestrel, Jack and Adams, Rudy Project, SKS

Favourite TV show: Band of Brothers

TT: Richie, thanks for your time. Congrats on your 4^th place at the ROHTO 70.3 the other week. Were you happy with the result?

RC: Normally I would say no. I'm never happy if I don't get on the podium. With the problems I've had this year with teeth infections, I'm happy to be healthy and racing again without any complications. It should only get better from here.

TT: Were you stoked to just out-sprint Paul Ambrose ? (By one hundredth of a second)

RC: Yeah it's always exciting to win a sprint. It would have been better if it was a sprint for first.

TT:  This year you seem to be racing a bit less than the other top pros. One week after ROHTO 70.3 Paul Ambrose lined up and finished 2^nd at the Port Stevens 70.3 in Washington, whilst your next race is not until the Avia Austin Triathlon on September 6.  Is this just what works for you?

RC: Actually, I'm known for racing more than most pros. I've spent most of this year trying to get healthy, which is why I've raced less than usual. Earlier in the year, I did a 4 race block with 3 half’s. When I used to race in Germany, my record was 18 races in 16 weeks. The reason I've taken so much time before my next race is that I want to hit the last part of the season hard and stop going into races unprepared and not fully fit.

TT: What sort of training have you been doing, and do you have planned between now and the World Champs on November 13 in Clearwater?

RC: I'm taking this next 6 weeks away from racing to train in order to set me up for Clearwater. I've been trying to focus more on my run as it's been very weak this year. To podium at Clearwater I think you have to at least run a 1:11 so that's what I'm aiming for.

TT:  Come World Champs time who is your most fierce rival? Whose scalp do you want the most?

RC: Luckily, Crowie and Terenzo are both doing the Ironman. Clearwater is one of those races where any one of 15 guys could win.

TT: What is the hardest session that you have ever done?

RC: The first year I became a pro, Lothar Leder invited me to come to Germany and train with him. He took me on a 250K ride (I had never rode over 150K). Just the distance was hard but he also rode hard - about 37 averages through the hills. In the old days, Lothar never stopped for food and if we did, it was in and out of the shop with no rest.

TT: To leave us. If you had to quit Tri’s tomorrow and start a new career, what would it be?

RC: Coaching. I feel there are a lot of coaches out there but very few who actually know what they are doing. If that fails, then a day trader.

Profile 

DOB:   8/8/1978

Career highlight to date:   2006 ITU Triathlon Team World Championships   1st place   Cancun, Mexico

Favourite race:   Escape To Bermuda Triathlon

Best leg:   swim

Ultimate goal:  Win major US Olympic distance and 70.3 races on a consistent basis

Sponsors:   Trakkers, Saucony, First Endurance, Rudy Project, Kestrel, Profile Design

Favourite movie:    Best In Show directed by Christopher Guest

TT: Brian, thanks for your time. Congrats on your second place at the Calgary 70.3. Talk us through the race?

BF:    It was my first trip to Calgary and I thoroughly the city as well as the race.  It was raining for most of the race which made it quite wet and cold but I managed to make the best of it.  The race was run well and very organized as most races that I have done in Canada seem to be based on past race experiences in Edmonton and Cornerbrook. 

As far as breaking the race down goes I would say that I had a decent race although there were a few minor mistakes but all in all my pacing nutrition was on throughout the entire four hours.  After leading the swim out comfortably I was able to have a fairly quick and blunder free transition one and get out onto the bike with a slight lead over Doe and crew.  Doe had a great ride and came by me early in the ride.  I have been working on my cycling but still have a long way to go to get to where I want to be by the end of the year.   I lost about 4 minutes to Doe throughout the cold and rainy 58 mile bike leg.  Feeling good out of transition two I managed to claw back about two minutes of that lead by half-way but as I was approaching the turnaround I had a slip in the mud around a blind right hand bend that cost me a little time and a lot of energy.  I believe I matched Kieran Doe's pace for the last 10 K which granted me second on the day.  All in all it was a tough day on a challenging course which will enable me to direct my effort in training to specific areas and progress through the season accordingly. 

TT: Calgary was the first race back since your calf injury, how did it hold up?

BF:   Good, I heal quickly.  This injury had me out of running for three weeks for the most part.  I was able to have a solid steady run on minimal running training so I see this result as a gauge to where I am at physically and as a mental starting point to the second half of the season post calf injury.  I was able to get back into training shortly after Calgary so to put a tough 13 miles up and not have my calf regress back to being injured is quite a relief. 

TT: What is on the agenda for the rest of the year?

BF:   I am going to do a few more 70.3 races in the US from August to September and race 70.3 World Champs in November as well.  I also intend to focus on having a great result at US Pro Nationals at the end of September.  Racing both distances is very challenging and I have made some mistakes in the past with my race choices and training but I believe I have a sound plan in place to get the most out of each race that I compete in for the remainder of the season.  

TT: Are you back in Colorado Springs now training?  

BF:  Yes

TT: How perfect is Colorado Spring as a training base?

BF:   It is great.  I have lived in Colorado Springs for 8 years now and still really enjoy training here.  Colorado Springs is not where I will live forever but it is a great location to train for triathlon. 

TT: How vital do you think the altitude component of Colorado Springs is?

 BF:  Altitude is a very delicate topic and 6000 feet of elevation is not to be treated lightly.  I have learned a lot about my body and the effects that training at 6,000 feet has had on me over the years.  I am still learning and trying to maximize the training and performance gains that altitude training has to offer.  Dialling in the right training strategies for altitude training takes some experimentation and over the years I have learned a lot.  In general my approach to training, compared to that of other athletes of the same calibre, is along the lines of "less is more" so to speak. 

TT: Have you, or do you currently sleep in an altitude tent? 

BF:   No, I have never had the desire to sleep in an altitude tent. 

TT: How much do you taper for your races? For example, what sort of training did you do during the 10 days leading intoCalgary 70.3?

BF:   I did rest for Calgary.  I started to cut down the volume the Tuesday prior to the race.  5 days of legitimate tapering with a taxing travel day thrown in the mix works for the half ironmans for me I believe.  I would rest the same for an important Olympic distance race as well.  You can not rest for every race if you race a lot but I did rest for Calgary. 

TT: Do you find you find it harder to sleep during the tapers? 

BF:   What I will do is cut my nap short or cut it out entirely to enable my body and mind to be as tired as they are when I am training hard and taking naps, which is something that I do almost on a daily basis and believe in. 

TT: Who do you consider your fiercest rival within the U.S? And why?

BF:   Andy Potts....  He has it all....talent, work ethic, ability to suffer in training and racing, and the willingness to do what it takes to be the best.  His ability ranges from sprint distance to Ironman.  I wish to raise my game this season to honesty compete at the level that he is competing at currently. 

TT:  Brian thanks again for you time and all the best for the rest of 2010.

BF: Thank you,  -Brian

Fresh off his win at last weekend’s Calgary 70.3, we caught up with New Zealand Ironman star, Kieran Doe.

Profile

DOB: 13-05-1981

Nickname: Doeboy

Career highlight to date: Winning IM Canada 07

Favourite race: Mount half NZ

Best leg: Swim/Bike

Sponsors: Konica Minolta,Bonita,Orbea,Nike,Profile,Orca,Fuelbelt,Fizik,Leppin, Em’s

Favourite TV show: Two and a half men

TT: Kieran, thanks for your time. Congrats on your victory at the Calgary 70.3. You must be stoked. Did you sense before the race that it was time for you first 70.3 title?

KD: Thanks my pleasure, it was good to get a win after lots of second places.

I knew I was coming into some great form after the 2^nd at Vineman two weeks before but I decided not to rest too much with IM Canada being the big goal, so I thought I might be a little flat, but it was a strength race and those courses suit my style of racing and I guess I managed to use this to my advantage.

TT:  So with IM Canada in about 3 week’s time. Can you give us some examples of the sort of training that you are doing during this three week period leading into the race?

KD:  The first few days after Calgary I needed to recover and absorb the race, then I will have a 12 day big block with lots of tempo and race pace work before a 10 day taper.

TT: Who do you consider as your main rivals for IM Canada?

KD: There are some strong athletes in the race who could be dark horses with lots of new talent arising in this sport everyday, but then there are a couple of consistent performers such as Victor Zemestive who runs in the 2hr40s every time and has 8 IM titles, as well as Tom Evens who does all three legs strong and has 4 IM titles.

I think IM is about getting your own performance right first and if I can do that then I know I will be in for the fight to win the title at the end of the day.

TT: You have been in some seriously good form, what do you put this down to?

KD: Yes it is good to be back in form.

I have some good balance back in my life having being married in March, and just pulling my program apart and going back to basics as well as listing to my body more and adding in more recovery.

I also have a good team and great support network from my wife, friends, family and sponsors who have kept me going through the tough times.

The hardest thing when you are struggling is to keep your confidence and when this drops everything changes but right now I feel like a re-born athlete.

TT: How is your training base in Penticton? Is it an ideal training location?

KD: I love it here it’s great running, riding and with a lake to swim in its perfect for training. We couldn’t get a better host family either. I stayed with them in 2007 and they have allowed my wife and me to stay until IM Canada, we are so lucky and grateful to them.

TT: How is life on the road for you?  Do you ever get homesick?

KD: This has being a down fall of mine which I plan on changing, I love home and hate being away but in this sport it is to hard to train at home in the winter and it is too far to travel to the USA to race all the time.

I like being around my family and friends and having my dog welcome me home every day no mater what.

TT: A lot of athletes struggle with how best to taper before major races. How much do you taper for your races? For example, what sort of training did you do during the 10 days leading into Calgary 70.3?

KD: As I said before I didn’t taper for Calgary as IM is the major goal in this block of races. Taper is all about rest and keeping the body ticking, but if you have done the work it is during the taper where you absorb all the fitness gains.  I try to spread my training out during the day so I don’t sit around for too long feeling like I am doing nothing.

TT: Do you find you find it harder to sleep during the tapers?

KD: Yes for sure you are training much less and freshening up so by the last few days you are jumping out of your skin with energy.

TT: Training wise, during your base training period how many weekly k’s do you average for running, swimming and on the bike?

KD: Macca once said when asked this question

“I go to bed tired and I wake up tired” that pretty much sum’s it up

TT: Who do you consider your fiercest rival and why?

KD: There are many Fierce rivals out there, but someone I have grown up with in the sport of triathlon and train a lot with is Terenzo Bozzone so we have a great rivalry, but friendship also, we haven’t raced a lot lately and he has become one of the most consistent racers in the world this year, when we race I have huge respect for him but always want to beat him.

TT: Kieran, thanks again for your time and all the best for the rest of 2010.

KD: Pleasure.