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Name:  Helen Freer

Age: 60

Country Representing:  Australia

Occupation:  Retired Personal Trainer

Marital Status/Family:  Divorced

 

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

 

No, I competed in Kona in 2006. I travelled with Tri Travel and they made the whole ‘first time’ experience memorable, with no stress.  That was the year of the earthquake during the week prior to the race, which gave everyone something else to talk about other than ‘the race’ !  

 

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

 

IM Australia at Port Macquarie. I was confident before the race and once I was standing on the start line I knew I was in for a blitzer of a day.  That came to fruition with a win and a new 60-64yr age record. 

 

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

 

My prep has been good.  A bike crash the day before Yeppoon 70.3 in August threw a spanner in the works for a couple of weeks, otherwise my training has been consistent.  Great weather and a very supportive group of training friends help with that consistency. I haven’t done anything specific regarding heat training.  I like the heat. 

 

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

 

A typical training week!  I didn’t think there was such a thing!!!!  Every week seems to have had its share of unexpected hiccups.  My programme has been focussed more on quality than quantity.  ‘Older’ bodies take longer to recover, so my coach has made sure that recovery happened while still providing a program that encompassed all the key sessions of Ironman triathlon racing.

 

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

 

The atmosphere is amazing.  The whole town seems to vibrate with anticipation, which continues to build during the week.  And Lava Java coffee shop!

 

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

Not specifically. I am respectful of the race and all that it can be, but by the time I race I am totally focussed on what I need to do to have a good race.

 

What are your goals for the race? 

 

To stand on the podium!!!!!  Other than that, every Ironman race is a long day and given that nothing goes pear shaped during the day, my goal is to finish with a smile. 

 

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

 

I am learning to walk again in Kona and then Honolulu for a couple of days.  I then fly to New York and meet up with family and another friend who is competing with me in the New York Marathon on 6 November.

 

Tell us a little about your background?  

 

Sport has always been an important part of my life.  I was a runner and hurdler at school, surfed, played tennis and rode horses.  I competed in my first enticer triathlon in 2000 and loved the challenge of the three disciplines. I joined Bill Davoren’s Triathlon Gold squad and trained for longer races until my first Ironman in 2005.  I found it inspiring and motivating to train with other triathletes who competed at Ironman level.

 

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

 

My daughters have moved into their own homes and I am single and retired, so those major commitments have not been hurdles in this preparation.  When I was working I trained before and after work and often during my lunch break too. 

 

Interesting Fact:    I don’t intend stopping anytime soon!!

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

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Name: Travis Haslam

Age:35

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation: Australian Government – Sports Administration

Marital Status/Family: Married to Heather and we have a 1 year old son Oscar.

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

This is the first (and only!) time I’ll be on the big island. I started Ironman in 2006 just to see if I could do one and loved the challenge. I’ve kept saying just one more after not quite executing the race I wanted to. In 2010 I went to New Zealand to see if I could race to my potential rather than survive Ironman and got close enough to qualifying to consider the dream as actually being realistic. I decided it would be worth trying one more time to see if I could get to the big dance which had always appealed to me as the ultimate goal.

Kona will be my 5^th IM having done Port Mac in 2006 and 2008 and NZ in 2010 and 2011.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?  

I qualified in Taupo at IMNZ in a fairly horrible day. The weather was very ordinary with wind and heavy rain throughout which made a few of the corners on the bike fairly interesting through town and a tough day for the spectators who were amazing. After giving everyone a fair head start on the swim and bike, I managed to run a 3.02 marathon to just snag a Kona slot.  I finished in 9.18 which was 4^th in age group and 20^th overall. 

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

Training in Canberra hasn’t exactly been perfect acclimatisation for Kona, but it has its own challenges. I think the coldest I trained in this year was -8.5 degrees for a run set! The difference in temperature and humidity will be a real challenge for me, given it is late September and we are still having frosts and minus temperatures overnight. I’m hoping to remove the arm warmers and leggings just once for my morning rides before we head over so that the skin can see some sun!

I raced Ironman Yeppoon 70.3 to break up training and winter in August, but unfortunately got crook and spent a couple of weeks post race unable to train. Hopefully that break has refreshed the body and I’ll go into Kona feeling ready to ‘enjoy’ what Madam Pele has to offer. 

 

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

Training has been reasonably consistent, without really big mileage. Running has been enjoyable throughout winter with my coach handing me my butt on a regular basis in training sets to keep me honest. I’ve also had some good company over the winter rides with mates, including some quality cafe time, and just enjoyed the fact that I’m getting the opportunity to race in Kona.

Weekly training has averaged 3 runs, 3 rides, 2 gym sessions and anywhere between 1 and 4 swims a week. My coach has been working with me for a long time now and knows what I need to do and what my body can handle. So as much as I would love to run more, the injury risk isn’t worth it and it also needs to be relatively balanced with family and work.

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

The aura and history of Kona is really exciting and I’m looking forward to testing myself on the course that we have all seen and heard about since the early days of the sport. After training through a Canberra winter, the appeal of some down time at the beach is pretty alluring too. It’s also pretty special and unique to triathlon that we punters who do this for fun get to compete and compare against the big guns of the sport at such an iconic race.

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

The heat! I recently trained in about 15 degrees and it felt hot after slogging through winter, so I’m not sure how the body will handle the heat of the lava fields.

What are your goals for the race?

The first goal is to finish in ‘reasonable’ shape, having pushed myself while still enjoying the experience. To be honest, this is the icing on the cake after the qualification process and whilst I am committed to racing as hard as possible, I’m really looking forward to the whole experience and enjoying myself. You can’t set hard time goals as you don’t know what the day will bring.

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

I’m having a couple of weeks off post race to have a look around Hawaii and enjoy some down time with the family which will be great. They have done the hard yards in terms of supporting me to reach my goal, so I’m really looking forward to relaxing with them.

 

Tell us a little about your background?

After being in a pretty good paddock about 10 years ago I got back into running and did a few tri’s just for something different. My first few races involved some backstroke and breaststroke just to survive, but I enjoyed the challenge and decided to go longer – the short stuff just wasn’t for me. I’ve flirted between marathons and triathlons on and off over the past 5 years but always had a few races each year to keep me motivated. I tend to drift along unless I have a goal race to keep me focussed and getting out of bed each morning. The goal of reaching Kona has always been in the back of my mind, but it was only in the past 18months that it became a realistic option if I was committed to do the work.

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

A great wife! My wife has had the past year off work on maternity leave and she has been fantastic support in terms of helping me get what I need to done. Without her support, I wouldn’t have qualified or been able to train for Kona.  Work has certainly been challenging in terms of time commitment and balance, however having a pool and gym on site has helped when I’ve had the time to access them. However the reality is this is a hobby and good fun; it’s something that needs to fit in with life.

Interesting Fact:

Up until a few years ago, I refereed elite basketball and held an international badge. I refereed 10 seasons in the men’s NBL and about 15 in the Women’s National Basketball League including a couple of grand finals. 

I’m also going on a donut only diet post race ;)

 

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

Name: Peter Coulson

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

Aloha and Congratulations, Peter Coulson!  As a 2011 Lottery winner, you are cordially invited to compete at the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship in beautiful Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 8, 2011!  If you plan to accept this invitation to participate in this year’s event, please review the details below.

 

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 :)

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

 

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

Name:  Anne Maclean

Age: 41

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation: Personal Trainer

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?  

Yes, I’ve been competing in triathlon (sprint and half-ironman) for 2-3 years and thought I’d better attempt the ironman distance. I was only ever going to do one ironman just to tick it off the list. There were 2 qualifying spots in my age group and I came second, so here I am. 

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?  

Taupo NZ in March of this year. Despite the rain, literally all day, I loved it! I was very composed and being my first ironman I decided I was sticking to my race plan/pacing and not making the mistake of going out too hard. In hind sight I may have raced a little too conservatively, but this allowed me to have heaps of energy left for the whole duration of the run, and I felt amazing when I crossed the finish line. With about 5k to go I thought I might be able to get under 11:00hrs and I picked up the pace as best I could, but couldn’t quite get there and recorded a time of 11:02.       

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

My preparation for Kona has been a bit of a disaster actually. I rested for 6 weeks after Tapau and then was pretty keen to get back into training. Went along as planned for about a month and then came down with whooping cough. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do but let it run its course, which takes about 14 weeks! So I kept up with the training and after a big two week block was utterly exhausted and ended up with heart palpitations on two training sessions. End result was I was suffering from overtraining and have mild left ventricle hypertrophy, not uncommon really. I’d been working pretty hard as a personal trainer also, so it was all catching up with me. Cardiologist has given me the go ahead to still compete, so after 2 weeks off and having scaled back work commitments I am finally starting to feel much better. Still have the whooping cough, but think I’m due to be over it about a week before the race!   

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

As per the above, my weeks have been very irregular. I haven’t been as structured as I was when training for Tapau, but lately I have been just making sure I get in the key sessions (ie. long ride, long run, bricks and a little bit of pace work). If I’m tired I don’t mind missing a session.

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

Being warm!!! I’m so sick of training during a Victorian Winter! It will be amazing to see the pro athletes out there on the course, especially Chrissie Wellington.

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

Without doubt, the swim. As soon as I get over there I’ll need to practice in the water. I’ve only ever swum in the ocean a handful of times.

What are your goals for the race?

To finish it feeling relatively strong and cross the finish line in front of my husband and 3 children. 

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

Yes, can’t wait! We are going to America for a couple of weeks after which will be a family trip of a life time.

Tell us a little about your background?  

I’ve always enjoyed running, but had never done anything too much before. A friend convinced me to enter our local Shepparton sprint triathlon and I loved it, so it all snow balled from there. 

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

This has been the hardest thing for me. I hate going out basically all day on Sunday for the long ride. But apart from this most of my training is done early morning or during the week in between personal training sessions, so it doesn’t affect them too much. My husband is amazingly supportive and never makes me feel guilty about my time away. I am really looking forward to scaling back my training though.

Interesting Fact:

I couldn’t swim 3 years ago and even had a phobia about putting my face in the water. My first sprint tri was swum freestyle and breaststroke polo style (ie. head out of water)!

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

We look forward to catching up with you 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

 

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Name:  Merryn Truskett

Age:  45

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation:  Business Owner

Marital Status/Family: Married

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

Yes. I have always wanted to qualify since competing at Ironman distance – 4yrs ago.  I came 3^rd at Port Macquarie 2 years ago so just missed out.  I came 3^rd again at N.Z. but the 1^st place didn’t take up the slot, thus got the roll down.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

I qualified in N.Z. in very wet and windy (on the bike) conditions.  These conditions I love!  I was placed 1^st in my age group until the run.  The run is my weakest link.  I enjoyed every minute of the race, except the run, just couldn’t wait for it to be over.  Had no idea I was in 1^st then 3^rd place during the race. 

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

 I commenced training in May.  I don’t tend to do any lead up races unless they are local.  Unfortunately I replaced my current orthodics with new and believe that may be the reason I have been suffering an achillies injury.  I am just starting to increase my training time in running as have been on a very good rehab training programme my coach set for me.  Hopefully this means I’ll be fresh for the race!!  I have asked about what I can do to prepare for the humidity but everyone tells me the only way to get use to it is be over there experiencing it and getting the body used to it.  I have been told I need at least 10 days over there in the lead up to the race, Due to work commitments I have only been able to accomplish just over 6 days pre-race.

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

My coach is great, he concentrates on quality, not quantity.  Unlike a lot of athletes around me my schedule is not overwhelming and I love the training side of things.  I especially love training through winter, unlike most people.

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

I am excited about being able to race at such an amazing venue and Hawaii Ironman is the dream of most Ironman athletes, it is the pinnacle.

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

I was getting increasingly nervous up until a couple of weeks ago when I decided to sort myself out.  I now keep telling myself ‘it’s just another race, so do on the day as you have done before and you’ll be alright.’

What are your goals for the race? 

Being able to finish as anything can happen in an ironman race.  I am very excited about the experience of running through to the finish chute.  I really want to enjoy the experience.

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

Quite a few friends are coming over to watch, friends that aren’t even involved in triathlon.  It blows me away that they have stuck by their word that they would come and watch me race in Hawaii if I ever qualified.  My 87 year old father is coming over too.  He was adamant he was coming when we tried to reason with him!  This is an amazing feat in itself because the only time he has ever been overseas before was by boat to Borneo in the 2^nd World War!  My eldest brother will be coming too and looking after my dad pre-race, then I’m taking over and can’t wait to share an overseas experience with him for the very first time.  A couple of friends and I are then going on to Turtle Bay for a few days before flying home.  I have been told this is a very beautiful place.

Tell us a little about your background?

 I have been competing in triathlons for 20 years.  I started competing in sprint, which I love.  I didn’t move into ironman until after I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease.  The disease, if untreated causes fatigue, amongst many other symptons.  Once I was put on a special diet I become a totally different person.  This meant I had more energy and become quicker.  So, I thought I’d try an Ironman.  Hawaii will be my 4^th Ironman race.  I was a diver and swimmer growing up and have a very competitive nature.  I started running at the age of 25 and gave away the cigarettes and the desire to compete came to light again.  Thus I completed my first duathlon and haven’t stopped since.

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

We do not have kids so no pressures there, I am amazed at how people with kids can fit in training.  I have 3 dogs and a cat instead. My husband and I have a family business which is seasonal.  The winter time is our quietest so training for Hawaii fits in perfectly.

Interesting Fact:

I realised during the N.Z. race how much your brain is involved when racing (I’d say 90%).  When I came out of the water with what I thought was a bad swim I felt absolutely gutted.  My initial performance on the bike shadowed this feeling.  Once I realised I had made a mistake, due to forgetting the pros went off before the age groupers by 15 mins., my whole mindset changed dramatically.  This has taught me not to spend time dwelling on the negatives, but to put positives in place instead.

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

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

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

Name: Pablo Safrana

Age: 29

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation: Accountant

Marital Status/Family: Single

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

This is my 5^th time in Kona, first time was 2006 then missed 07’ and did 08’, 09’ 10’. Every year has been a different experience, I believe last year was my best race I’ve done over there with 9h: 25min and 12^th on my AG. Best not only for the time, it also was the one where I did less mistakes. It is a very though race between the level of athletes and the weather conditions.

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

I Qualified in IM NZ 2011. Got 12^th overall and won my AG. 9hrs:13mins under very hard weather conditions. Was very happy at the end even though suffered lots in the last 6 kms on the run..,. I thought wouldn’t make it J

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

I have just done Yeppon 70.3 for my preparation; it was good to see where I am at. Had a flat tire and was helped by another athlete to keep going. Very thankful for that, also had big cramps on the run so at least I know there is a lot of work to do for Kona J. So far no injuries. I have never prepared myself for Hawaii training in the same weather conditions as Hawaii, as I believe for me it is better, as hot weather takes a lot out of me and If I spend a few weeks training in that heat I wouldn’t make to the race J

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

I work office hours as an Accountant, so there is not much time to train but my perfect weeks has 15kms swim, 450km bike and 80km run.. If I can hold that for 4 weeks I believe I m ready to do my best in Kona.

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

The atmosphere, the kindness of the Hawaiian people and the History that the race has.. Even though I do not agree in many ways how WTC manages Ironman, I still have a romantic idea of what Ironman Hawaii is!!

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

I love to get nervous for races even though every time I have less of that feeling but what normally scares me of Kona is that terrible bike ride heading to Hawii... I have bonked there 3 of my 4 times done the race, so there is a lot of respect for the bike ride in Kona!!

What are your goals for the race?

Try to do better than my best time over there. Hopefully be able to have a consistent race...Not to walk in the energy Lab J

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

I’ve been to Hawaii 4 times to race but I really haven’t been to Hawaii yet... Never been in Honolulu or another island of Hawaii... This year I will stay for 4 days after the race so I hope try to get to see more of Hawaii besides the Lava fields...Normally as I spend lots of time training and out of parties I try to catch up a bit in that area!! J

Tell us a little about your background?

I Come from Chile... been in AUS for 4 years now and started doing Triathlons while I was over there. As a teenager wanted to be soccer player but did not chase the dream too hard, did lots of Ski as well.

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

I am single at the moment, probably between work and training I do not leave much time for other things but is why I look forward to the offseason. I believe as long as you want something you will always manage the way to do it.... So far so good.

Interesting Fact:

I love the sport and I think I enjoy every second of it. Always try to set up goals and work in daily basis chasing them... I am very competitive with myself and always need to do my best for whatever I do. Not sure if is good or bad though J

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

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

Name: Karla McKinlay

Age: 65

Country Representing: Australia

Occupation: Anaesthetist (semi retired)

Marital Status/Family: Married (husband thinks I’m crazy) but have one fabulous supportive married daughter, who is coming to Kona with me.

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?  Yes

Where did you qualify for Kona 2011?

Qualified from Port Macquarie, 2011.  First time in 65-69 age group, and thought that I just might have the age group to myself, as I have so far been the oldest in my age group in the 60-64’s by a couple of years, and was unable to win those age groups!  However I found there were three entered!  Only two of us actually competed: having googled my opponent I was not optimistic, as she had considerably more experience than I, and had been to Kona on several occasions. I learnt later she was not interested in Kona this year, but I was glad I won the spot, by winning the event. I was behind after the swim, overtook on the bike x 2, the second time after a puncture and surprisingly increased the lead on my normally weakest leg, the run, with a PB for Port Mac (my third go) by about 90 mins.

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii.

No triathlons, though I will attempt a PB in the Shepparton ½ marathon on August 28^th as a training run.  My previous Achilles Tendonopathy and Gluteal Bursitis have both settled, and I having lots of myotherapy and massage to keep it that way.  Apart from indoor running on treadmill, and riding on wind trainer, it is cold here in Shepparton.  I attended a great training Camp with TriSpecific in Bali in June and in Noosa a couple of weeks ago.

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

I swim 5x/week, three with my masters group, which is very important to me both socially and because they started me on the road to triathlon. Then I do two short runs, often on treadmill and one long run, so far long, is under 2 hrs, and two intense but shorter wind-trainer sessions and a “long ride” max to date 4 hrs. 2-3 Core/Strength sessions, plus a Pilates and yoga class.

My current coach is Kristian Manietta of Tri Specific, and for Kona he has taken me on his One-2-One programme, which I think is important as am so much older and newer to the sport than my local Triathlon Members, who are also very supportive. But Kristian has an “easy to hard” approach with shorter sessions than I was used to, always ending with the hardest bit last.  Injury prevention and nutrition are also important, and I spend a lot of time on Trigger Point rollers. All that, lots of feed back, and some positive thinking are keeping me sound and sane – I hope!

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

The fact that it is WORLD Championships.  I have been involved in other sports, but have never represented my country in a world event, even if it is unofficial and I won’t be wearing green and gold!

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

Yes I feel nervous about not coming up to expectations, both mine and those who have helped me get there.  “Falling in a Heap” as I call it.  I have been told “Not to Be Afraid to Fail” my experience and times are improving, but it will be hot, humid, windy and I am not sure how ready I am for all that.  However Cadel Evans has been an inspiration, and I have entered IM NZ and Port Mac again for 2012, to give myself another chance to qualify!  I also have a new TT bike, so I must be serious!

What are your goals for the race?

Just starting is a plus. I think of all the people who miss out by seconds, in age groups that are far more “competitive” than mine, and I feel it is a privilege just to be there.  So I set some more lofty goals, perhaps in order of possibility.  1 – Finish (Hope so) 2 - Make the Podium (Perhaps) 3 - Win my age group (Very Doubtful!) 4 – Under 14 hrs (a PB – for all my IM races – would make my day).

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

Have to dash back- am captain of my local golf club and I have end of season presentations to attend to!

Tell us a little about your background?

I was born in Prague, and ethnically am Czech, escaping to the UK in 1950. I graduated in Medicine in 1969, and started travelling; Gibraltar, through Europe, even Czechoslovakia, tip to toe in Africa, with working spells in Kenya and Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Migrated to Australia in 1977.  I have always enjoyed sport, going back to school days.  Dabbled in sailing, scuba, squash, skiing, trekked the Himalayas, climbed Kilimanjaro: more seriously I flew gliders competitively, and made the Vic State Veterans Hockey Team from 1998 for 10 year in a row.  Then I stuffed up my knees, and decided to try something with less impact and joined our masters swimming group.  There I met triathlete Carole McGregor and got talked into a mini TRI.  Running in a straight line seemed OK, so I bought a 2^nd hand Cannondale road bike, fitted TRI Bars and ran my first ½ marathon in Shepparton and the Melbourne Full Marathon – just to see if I could. MY first opportunity at a proper TRI came locally as Shepparton hosts a Half Ironman.  So Nov 08 was my first IM (and proper TRI) and as I had “ticked the box” qualified for Port Mac 09; this was my second event!  It was only ever meant to be the ONE full IM event, but it sort of snowballed and I got hooked.  I have now completed IM Port Mac in 09/10/11 and Busso in 10, (PB so far there) plus Shepp ½ x  3 & Geelong ½ x 1. Plus  a couple of sprint and Olympic events. 

What drives me? I often ask myself the same?  Why such an extreme sport?  Personally I NEED purpose, a goal, something to aim for, or I know my idle self would take over with obesity the inevitable consequence. I see a lot of unhealthy people in my job, not always but frequently, self-inflicted.  I hear the excuses tumble forth.  So while I can do, I will keep going, no retirement date set, I guess the body will tell me when it’s time to stop!  I’m an “endurance” athlete, not a “sprinter”.  Or so my friend Carole, who started it all tells me!

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

That’s the easy bit.  Hubby and I are friends but at present live apart.  Daughter is married and comes and “crews”.  She honeymooned in Hawaii last year and sussed out Kona – in case mum qualified! So I’m independent, working part time only.  No excuses!

Interesting Fact:

Don’t know?  Perhaps it is a bit unusual for people to start IM in their 60’s, with no background in triathlon, swimming, cycling or distance running? As someone said about Cadel Evans when he won Le Tour – “Age is no barrier” – well it’s true.

Good luck for the race Karla!

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

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

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Name: Jason Nuttman

Age: 32

Country
Representing:
Australia

Occupation:
Sales Manager

Marital
Status/Family: Married with one baby girl

Is this the first time you have been to Kona?

Yes, this was a goal of mine after starting triathlon about 5 years ago. I enjoyed the local tri scene but after hearing stories and watching the coverage of the IM World Champs on TV it become something I wanted to compete in.

How did you qualify for Kona 2011?

I targeted IMNZ for my qualification and trained consistently for 16 weeks in build up. I had the added challenge of a pregnant wife and baby due 3 weeks after IMNZ! Thankfully our little girl was patient and didn’t come early! My race went to plan with a good swim, solid ride in tough windy conditions and a PB run of 3.13. The race rained the whole day and was a challenge, coming away with a 9.23 finishing time was great but I learnt some more during this race which will hopefully help me improve further.

Tell us about your preparation for Hawaii. What has a typical training week looked like for you in the lead-up to this event?

Having a little baby has been a major change to my normally very structured life and training. My wife has been amazing and has taken much of the burden of waking our daughter up and spending the first couple of hours with her whilst I train. I hope the trip to Hawaii and experience for them both will be a big enough reward. I typically focus on 3 swims, 7 runs and 4 rides per week. This program I have been thankful to have the guidance of 2 great athletes that have given me some great structure and advice. Matt Illingworth (former British Olympic cyclist and Medallist) is a beast on the bike and top bloke, he has helped structure my cycling and build strength, based on his advice I added a fourth ride per week. Raf Baugh a Pro duathlete and top level runner has been a long term coach of mine. He has really been the main reason I have been able to develop as quickly as I have as he has ensured that my benchmarks for performance, weekly training volumes and mental approach to competition are at a high level and I am constantly pushing my ability. The winter weather has been tough to deal with particularly this year, which has been a lot wetter than the past few years. I have just been getting out and ticking the boxes every week, the toughest day’s are my Sunday long run in the hills when I am saturated, wet and freezing for the whole 30k run, what drives me on is knowing how tough the race will be in October and the effort my family is putting in helping me train. I have adopted 2 days of wind trainer sessions per week to help get consistency, using a power meter and training to specific zones has allowed me to be at home with the family but still get quality training in. To date my biggest WT session was a 4 hr ride…..hopefully it built a bit of mental strength as well!

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

The environment the race is in, the challenge of the competition and the cool expo that goes with it.

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

I am most concerned about the humidity and ensuring I am hydrated, coming out of a Perth winter into a Hawaii summer is going to be tough.

What are your goals for the race?

I want to go sub 10 at least but I have set some more specific goals personally which I hope to achieve.

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

Absolutely, we will spend some time on Kona then head to Honululu for a break.

Tell us a little about your background?

I have been involved in the local tri scene for about 5 years and started my interest in the sport with the BRW corporate tri. I don’t have a specific sporting background, in my youth I just competed in school sports and cricket. I just love the camaraderie and friendships that I have developed through the sport. My club Exceed Triathlon really make a big effort to have a great social scene and remind all of their neurotic athletes that there is always more to tri than just exercise! Outside of the sport I am the State Manager of a Global Furniture company called La Z Boy. The business has been super supportive of my racing.

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

We look forward to catching up with you 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

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Firstly I must apologise for my laziness in updating my blog.  I am in the middle of an 8 hour stop-over in Singapore ‘Changi’ Airport, and have finally run out of excuses not to start writing again.

 

Well the Australian 2010/11 triathlon season has come to an end for me…and what a season!  This was definitely a season full of transitions, including a transition from age group to elite, a new bike, a new coach, a new hometown, and a spattering of pleasing race results.

 

The season kicked off with the Noosa festival which I had perhaps my best result to date chasing down a strong lead swim/bike pack to post the fastest age group run of the day and snag a spot on the podium in the open men’s division.  The next few months were focussed on local races.  I recorded my first state series title at the Bunberri Classic, and missed out on an open state title by the smallest of margins to triathlon stalwart Sean O’Neill at the Rockingham state sprint champs.

 

Once I’d received confirmation of my pro license, I began planning a semi-permanent move to the eastern states to be closer to the action.  My coach at this time (Paul “What a Guy” Mackay) had done the same thing as a young triathlete and strongly encouraged me to not hesitate in the move.  Warwick Dalziel, coach at the Carina Leagues Triathlon Club in suburbs of Brisbane, had been very helpful to me in the past when I needed a place to train in lead up to races of the east coast, so I decided to move to Brisbane to train under his guidance.  After one last swing (and miss) at an open state title at the end of January, I flew to Brisbane where I had my first 3 elite races lined up (National sprint champs in Geelong, Oceania champs in Wellington, and Oceania Cup in Mooloolaba).

 

Geelong taught me a few great lessons about racing against the elites, and sent me walking away with my tail between my legs.  Wellington looked a bit better on paper, but still wasn’t a great race.  Mooloolaba was the best of the 3, but my run split still let me down and I could only manage 27^th place, a whole 4 minutes behind the winner.  As disappointing as these results may have been, I needed to take a step back and remember that I had taken a massive step in the last 12months from struggling age grouper, to struggling elite!  Lance Armstrong was lapped out of his first elite race, so I couldn’t let these results get to me.

 

Another transition that I made this year was from a part time athlete/full time student, to full time athlete/graduate (BSc).  When I was given the opportunity to race for a Division 2 German club over the winter months, I jumped at the chance…not having to worry about study.  I would spend May, June, and July training in a small town in southern Germany, Crailsheim, with a few very established long course athletes, and racing for ‘Magic Sport-food Team TSV Crailsheim’. 

 

My next race was an Asian cup race in Subic Bay, Philippines on May 1.  I saw this as an opportunity to take advantage of a relatively small starting list and score my first ITU points by making placing top 20.  I pumped out some impressive running k’s in the 3 weeks leading up to the race, but a minor flu in the last week left my confidence a bit shot.  By the time the race came around the start list was of a much better calibre.  After a good first 750m in the swim, I really struggled over the second half and lost contact of the front group.  With very few strong cyclists around me into the first half of the 40km bike I wasn’t able to bridge the gap back to the front group, and lost a lot of time, eventually being caught by a pack with 5km to go.  As I jumped off the bike, I had a quick count of the number of runners in the front pack…21.  This meant that unless I was able to make up 4 minutes to the slower runners, AND stay within 5 minutes of the winner (which would require a 32min 10km split) then I wasn’t going to score any points.  I made the decision to pull the pin early and save my legs for what is going to be a very long and intense European season.

 

So now, my Aussie season is over, and in two weeks my European season kicks off. Can’t wait!

 

Cheers,

 

James

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Monterrey, Mexico, 3 May 2011 - The third round of the 2011 ITU Triathlon World Cup series is in Monterrey, Mexico where full fields of 150 athletes from 34 nations will compete in this Sunday's races.

Some fresh, promising names are vying for the world cup title as well as Olympic qualification points for their countries in the women's field: Emma Jackson (AUS) is 2010 ITU Under23 World Champion while Emmie Charayron (FRA) claimed bronze in the same Under23 World Championships last year and was a surprising runner-up at the 2010 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Madrid.  However, the strongest contenders are veteran Liz Blatchford (GBR), Sarah Haskins (USA) and Ai Ueda (JPN), winner of two World Cups and last year's Monterrey runner-up.

In the men's field, the most well-known name among the 75 athletes on the start list is two-time Olympic medallist Bevan Docherty (NZL), who claimed silver and bronze in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 respectively.  Team USA has a trio of strong contenders including Matt Chrabot, Jarrod Shoemaker and triple Olympian Hunter Kemper, who recently won a World Cup in Ishigaki.  Other contenders to watch for include 2007 ITU World Champion Daniel Unger (GER), 2002 ITU World Champions Ivan Rana (ESP) and Brendan Sexton (AUS).  The young Aussie has been on fire at the 2011 season with impressive showings in Mooloolaba and Sydney.

 

About the race:

Monterrey first appeared in the ITU race calendar in 2008 hosting the ITU Aquathlon World Championships.  This marks the second straight year that Monterrey has hosted a World Cup event.  Last year Paula Findlay (CAN) and Joao Silva (POR) won the respective women's and men's races to establish themselves as stars of the future.  Located at the base of the Sierre Madre Mountains, Monterrey is situated in northeastern Mexico and has the second largest population after Mexico City.  The race takes place within Fundidora Park, one of the city's most famous landmark.

 

SCHEDULE: 

Elite women start - Sunday, May 8 - 8:30am (UTC/GMT -6)   Click here for time in your area
Elite men start - Sunday, May 8 - 11:30am (UTC/GMT -6)   Click here for time in your area

WEBSITES:
ITU homepage: www.triathlon.org

START LISTS:
 Women
 Men

LIVE COVERAGE:
Follow @triathlonlive on Twitter for live text updates on the race day.

TOTAL PRIZE MONEY:
$50,000 USD (equal for men & women)

COURSE PROFILE:
Swim - One-lap, 1.5k swim in canal
Bike - Eight-lap, 40k bike on flat course
Run - Four-lap, 10k run on flat layout

 

STORIES TO WATCH FOR:
Veterans vs. Emerging Talent in Men's Field - Two-time Olympic medallist Bevan Docherty (NZL), who claimed silver and bronze in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 respectively, launched his 2011 season at the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series opener in Sydney.  While Docherty finished in 18th, 25-year old Brendan Sexton (AUS) came in surprising 4th and is now considered as a favourite in the field this weekend.  Sexton was also runner-up in Mooloolaba.  Past ITU World Champions Daniel Unger (GER) and Ivan Rana (ESP) will also toe the start line.

Team USA Aims for Gold with their A-team - The U.S. fields a strong team in the men's contest, including Matt Chrabot, who claimed his first World Cup title in Huatulco in 2009 and finished second in Monterrey last year.  Also, 2009 ITU Duathlon World Champion Jarrod Shoemaker opened his 2011 season at the Clermont ITU Sprint Triathlon Pan American Cup, finishing second.  Three-time Olympian Hunter Kemper won a World Cup in Ishigaki, Japan last month, his first since 2005.

Wide Open Women's Field - Liz Blatchford (GBR), who finished 7th and 8th in strong fields in Mooloolaba and Sydney respectively, has scored marginally better this season than other contenders in the field.  But Ai Ueda (JPN) is not to be counted out as she races particularly well in Mexico.  Ueda finished second in Monterrey last year and owns back-to-back ITU World Cup titles in Huatulco in 2010 and 2009.  Other contenders to watch for include Sarah Haskins (USA), 2010 ITU Under23 World Champion Emma Jackson (AUS) and rising French star Emmie Charayron (FRA).

 

PAST MONTERREY WINNERS:
             WOMEN                             MEN

2010     Paula Findlay (CAN)            Joao Silva (POR)

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