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Melissa Rollison

Whoa... It is hot here in Boulder. Coming straight from Winter days back home of 8deg in the morning, maxing out at 20deg during the day to over 30deg in the morning, and above 35deg during the day here in Boulder. Bit of a shock to the system. I'm hurting.

Back at home I'm usually out the door each morning by 4:30am to begin training. In summer this is great to avoid the heat but in winter I still have to do it as I have to ride to my pool in time for my swim session and also I work during the day. You get used to it though... I'm in bed at 8:30pm so I still manage to get 8hrs sleep most nights.

Here in Boulder however it's very different. I've had to slide my routine back a couple (or more) hours. I've been taken in by my awesome homestay family. They've helped to make things as easy as possible for me to find my way around the town the first couple days. We usually eat dinner here about 9pm.  After eating, talking and cleaning up I'm in bed around 11:30pm. Training here however doesn't start till 9am so I'm still able to get my 8hrs sleep. I just have to get used to shifting my daily routine back. This wouldn't bother me too much if it were cooler, but trying to run 60min in the middle of the day off the bike in 35+deg heat... I'm not a fan of that part...yet. 

I arrived Tuesday arvo. Knowing I'm at altitude, and that I'vee just come off a long plane trip, probably still dehydrated, and jet lagged, I head out the door at 9am Wednesday morning for an easy run. I feel ok running. It's hot but I'm doing ok. I get about 15min into my run and I have to stop briefly to cross a road. When I stop I feel dizzy. When I start back up I'm fine. So I keep plodding along. On my way back, I I stop again at the road, this time I have to stop a little longer for the traffic to clear. I start feeling dizzy again. This time however it's a lot worse. I see a fence so I walk over to it and lean on it. By now I'm really dizzy, I'm starting to see black patches. 'Oh no...don't pass out'. I can't make any quick movements or I'll drop. I hold tight onto the fence and try to take deep breaths hoping it'll pass. It did eventually pass, but not before getting worse and me realising that I was laying on the ground... for who knows how long.  

"Stop stretching your ankle, you've stretched it enough, it's starting to hurt, stretch the other one now". This is what eventually started running through my head as I started coming back to... I have no idea why I can't get off my ankle. Finally my eyes open... I'm on the ground, my right foot is crushed under me, I'm on my back, my sunnies crooked on my face. I get up and realise I passed out. I find a rock to sit on. I'm feeling sick. Very sick. My body is shaking, my stomach is cramping, I try to spew up but there is nothing in my stomach. I check my body. I have a lump and scratch down my shin. I have some bumps on my head, I've bitten my lip and my ear is sore. I was leaning over a fence so when I dropped I must have whacked the side of my head and ear on the fence, bit my lip as I slid dwn the fence scratching my shin. It was a long walk home... Not in terms of km's, it was only about 400m but I was sick... So sick I had to keep stopping every few metres to sit down and try to throw up. 

It's now Friday... I'm feeling better. Im taking it real easy and I'm training with people in case it happens again. I think I will be well and truly adapted in a week and I might start doing alot of my training alone again so I can leave a lot earlier in the mornings to avoid the heat. Another thing that I've noticed here is that there are very few drink and toilet stops on the rides and runs so it makes things a little more risky training in the middle of the day.

So that's the story so far from my very first cuple days here. Not the perfect start. Should only get better from here though right.

Until next time... Train smart and have fun :-)

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Madrid, Spain (30 May 2011) - This weekend is second round of the 2011 Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series and as expected in a pre-Olympic year both men's and women's start lines are stacked with ITU stars. 

In the men's field, the battle between Javier Gomez (ESP) and Alistair Brownlee (GBR) that almost materialised in Sydney is surely set to happen here, as series leader Gomez aims for his first Dextro Energy Triathlon Series win in Spain while Brownlee targets his third consecutive Madrid title.

In the women's field, series leader Paula Findlay (CAN) will wear the number one for the first time, and deservedly so after winning three of her last four Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series races she's contested. But there are a number of contenders who could knock either Gomez or Findlay off the top of the podium in Madrid.  Click here for full race preview

About the race: Madrid has an impressive triathlon history, hosting regular World Cups from 2003 to 2009 - when it then became one of the host cities for the first Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series. The course winds its way through the Casa De Campo park in central Madrid, offering a quick sightseeing tour around one of Europe's most dynamic cities. The challenging bike course, with a 12 per cent climb on each lap, always offers opportunities for breakaways. Madrid, with a population of over 3.2-million is the largest city in Spain and the third largest city in Europe. 

Javier Gomez vs Alistair Brownlee - The 2011 season could very well come down to a Javier Gomezand Alistair Brownlee affair and perhaps it would have been exactly that in Sydney if the Brit hadn't slipped in the run on a rain-slicked Sydney course. Instead, it was younger brother Jonathan Brownleethat ran into second behind the Spanish champ. But Gomez and Alistair Brownlee both have history in Madrid. Gomez hasn't won a Dextro Energy Triathlon Series round here yet and Brownlee has won the last two years. Gomez's form in Sydney was incredible though, after a crash on the bike he rode 10km by himself and then put in a blistering run split to catch, then overtake the pack to win by 20 seconds. Don't forget about the younger Brownlee though, the silver in Sydney was his second Dextro Energy Triathlon Series medal and he could be on track for an even better senior year that his break through one in 2010.

 

The chance to make amends - It's not often the Aussie Emmas enter a Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series race and don't make the podium but Beijing 2008 gold medallist Emma Snowsill and reigning ITU World Champion Emma Moffatt failed to reach it at home in Sydney. Snowsill had a rough swim leg and was out of contention from the start, while Moffatt faded to finish 13th. It's the first time both are contesting the Madrid leg of the Dextro Energy Triathlon Series race, but if they are at their best, will be hard to beat. In the men's, it will be men's 2008 Olympic champion Jan Frodeno (GER) and last year's series bronze medallist Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) looking for a new start to 2011. In Sydney, Frodeno turned with the leaders into T2 but ended-up finishing 45th, while Kahlefeldt did not finish.

 

The new contenders - It's seems like it's been a long day since that rainy day in Sydney for the season opener, but since then a group of triathletes have cut themselves a slice of history in World Cup races in Japan and Mexico. Rising Australian star Brendan Sexton claimed his first World Cup win in Monterrey, following on from silver in Mooloolaba and fourth in Sydney already this year.  In the women's field, Sarah Haskins (USA) claimed her first career World Cup gold in Monterrey. And while they aren't new, Hunter Kemper (USA) and Frederic Belaubre

 (FRA) have hit some form. Kemper claimed his first World Cup win since 2005 in Ishigaki and backed it up with bronze in Monterrey, while Belaubre's silver in Monterrey was his first World Cup medal since 2007.

 

The following 4 athletes have been selected to represent The Triathlon Tribe and its major sponsors, Mizuno and SiS.  In return we are happy to support these athletes in their quest to represent Australia at the highest levels.

 

 

Kenji Nener

      -          2011:State Open Aquathon        Champion

-          2010: 2nd National Development camp for U/ 20 ITU

-          2nd Open Olympic Distance State TEP athlete of the year

-          8th Oceania Championships U/ 20 ITU

 

 

Nicholas Kastelein

 

-          Australia Olympic Distance Age Group Champion 2010

-          3rd Nepean Triathlon 2011

-          3rd San Sebastian International Triathlon

-          5th Devonport ITU Sprint Triathlon Championships.

 

Mikhele Rundle

National Level

-          1^st Australian Schools Triathlon (Mar 2010)

-          18^th Australian Schools Triathlon (Mar 2009)

State Level

-          1^st NSW Time Trial Champs (Oct 2010)

-          1^St NSW Triathlon Champs (Mar 2009 and Mar 2010)

-          2^nd NSW Schools Triathlon (Feb 2010)

-          1^St Triathlon NSW State Junior Series Point Score 2010

-           (4 Wins from 4 Starts 2011 State Junior Series)

-           NSW Representative at National Level 2009 and 2010

 

Natalie Van Coevorden

 

2011:

-          1^st place at Australian Junior Series Devonport Race- Sprint Distance triathlon

-          2^nd place in Australia Day Aquathon- 1km swim/7km run

-          3^rd at World Selection Trials Cross Country in Under 20 Women

-          Both qualifying times for Junior World Selection for 1km swim-13.15 and 5km run-17.27. Fastest run in Junior females

 

 

 

After a solid 2 and a half months living and racing in 'España', I'm finally back home and training in Canberra. 

 

It's has been a while since my last update and for good reason. I planned on training up for and racing the London Triathlon. As it turns out, I got a head cold the day before the race and never felt good from then on. I was 40 seconds down out of the swim and the race was literally over from there. After many hours spent on the tube and in transit, it was a massive let down to not finish my overseas stint on a high.

 

Overall I was pleased with my first season overseas and made some really good friends while there. I'm already planning my trip for next year!

 

This weekend I venture off to Taiwan for the I-Ian ITU Triathlon. This is purely a point’s race before a much needed break. Fingers crossed all goes well as its always difficult preparing yourself for a race in a different country. 

Would you look at that, itʼs September already! Only this year I am at home for the first September in at least five years. Normally this time of the year I am training in a pre-Hawaii camp either somewhere in South East Asia or in the US (California or Colorado). The difference this time around is that Belinda and I decided to come home to Noosa and get her ready for the Ironman World Championships in a place that we are very comfortable being in. Maybe it has something to do with our age or simply the consistency in training that home provides, but we felt that the last two years of Kona prep we just never found the groove. Being content in your surroundings sure has a major influence in your ability to be productive and stay motivated in order to get the work done.

 

It was great to get home, two weeks ago, after a rotten string of race performances over the last three months. My last race at Challenge Copenhagen I recorded a DNF. And to top things off I contracted a bout of E-Coli from the poor water quality that we swam in. Whilst my immune system was down I also got nailed by the flu! As a result my first week home included lots of rest and recovery. My partner in crime, Belinda, also had the same illness so at least I wasnʼt the only misery guts around the house.

 

With all the drama of sickness gone we are both great now and hitting the mark on the training program that I have put together. The program consists of a bunch of key sessions for the bike and run, really focusing in on perceived race pace. One thing I learned from Ironman training is that often it is better to forgo doing too much over speed training and instead try to hold race pace over a long period similar to race day duration. This strategy is the aim this time around for Belindaʼs Kona build. Swimming is a no brainer for us at home and we can just show up at the NAC (Noosa Aquatic Centre) and be sure that swim coach Max will look after the swim. Max fires up when we get back to town and 5 and 6 kilometer sessions become the norm. Everybody rises to the occasion, even the full-year swimmers, and it’s a great environment to be in.

 

Not long now till the 20th of September when we fly out of here for Hawaii. Once there, we will finish off the training out on the Kona lava fields in the heat of the Big Island. My role as coach and support crew peaks on the 9th of October - Race Day! From then on I will get myself ready for my next two races of Laguna Phuket and the Asia Pacific 70.3 champs in Thailand late November and early December, looking forward to finishing the year off with the same sort of success that I started it with.

 

Swim,Bike N Run.

 

Juz.

My first Blog for TriathleteTribe thanks for asking me Fella’s hopefully I’ll be able to keep some of you Tri Geeks out there in the Triathlon World entertained.

I’m half English half Kiwi… living in Mainz, Germany (what happened there???) but I also live in Christchurch, New Zealand and a few other places too. I do a bit of Triathlon, a bit of Physiotherapy and a bit of Coaching and a lot of hanging out. Anyway I’ll bore you with stuff about me in a future Blog…

I don’t tend to write standard ‘Race Reports’ or ‘Training Diaries’… you can find this in plenty of other Blogs and Websites.

I like writing about what’s out there and what no body seems to pay attention too… but I think people are far more interesting than ‘Av Power Readings‘.

Thought I’d kick off with my race report of Challenge Copenhagen.

 

Ah yes Challenge Copenhagen... 3 weeks ago now but here's the official race report... I think this will be quite a Cathartic Experience for me... and I hope an amusing an insightful one for you ;-).

I drove up to Copenhagen from Mainz feeling pretty fit, pretty skinny and looking forward to a fast race... I wouldn't say I was in my best shape… there’s a lot of distractions here in Germany ;-)… but a sub 9 was on the cards. Although the first thing that Coach said to me was that I looked fat compared to him!?? Cheers Coach! Ha Triathletes are messed up man J!

Went to the 'Radisson Blue Hotel' for the Race Briefing, however they told me it wasn't THIS Radisson Blue Hotel but another one 3K away... shit! So I had to do a nice 'Pick-Ups' running session to get to the other hotel in my Jeans and Chucks... Got there sweating quite a bit but happy that my legs felt pretty good and thought that would do as my 'taper' run for the day… hmmm may be I should race in my Converse???

The rest of the time was spent sitting in cafe's watching the folk of Copenhagen go about their business... everyone on bikes... funny seeing people in 'full clubbing gear' cycling to a night out on the town chicks riding in their high heels... Genius!

So onto the race. The start was at 'The Beach' 10K from town... I remember some of the Danish guys telling me it was really nice at The Beach... hmmm??? Well it was grey and wet and a 'Northern Euro Beach'... there was a bit of sand knocking around and salty water but that was about it... heee?!?! It wasn't Mt Maunganui or Noosa anyway L… No Surf and not a Flat White to be found anywhere… what’s up with that???

And of course it was raining... the worse rain and storms that Denmark had ever seen apparently... TOP marks for the Challenge Guys who spent all night dealing with a multitude of problems such as the Transition area flooding out and all the swim buoys getting swept away.

So into the swim... Sweet it was good! Got onto some guys feet and sat there the whole swim... would of been better if there was a bunch of us but the guy lost some feet he was following so it was just me and him. He would of had a hard race swimming into clear water for nearly the whole swim, I felt kind of guilty but he should of 'sat up' if he wanted me to come through?? All I had to do was focus on the bubbles to stay on his feet... this really does help to keep your focus when racing, time flies by AND DRAFTING in the swim is soooooo important for an optimum race... I think a lot of age-groupers are training to be synchronised swimmers rather than triathletes???... It's not about looking pretty in the pool... get ugly, get moving, get on those feet and stay there! Simple!

Finished in 54:45... a PB J Coach was pissed as I put 3 minutes into him... (I told you Coach that Gemmell said I was swimming well!) you need to put some weight on Bro!

Set off on the bike through the rain... The Spanish guy I was drafting in the swim over took me... he was going pretty hard judging by how his shoulders were moving... so I thought yeh! You can have it Bro... I sat in behind him... and 'Legally drafted' his ass J... We then caught Jimmy ('Little Danish‘) Johnson who had just fixed a puncture... and then Coach caught us at about the 30K mark... Serrrrrweeet I thought this is perfect! We formed a nice little pace line and started reeling in people. Yes folks remember Triathlon is a 'Draft Legal' sport... because even the 10 metre rule still gives you a Heart Rate 5 - 10 beats lower... I was keeping my distance even further as I defo didn't want a drafting penalty like Roth last year.

Yep... so it was all sweet until about 90K when I got a flat... Scheeeeisssseeeeeeee!!!! OK Kein Ding I thought... no probs... got my 'Pit Stop' thing and started to mess around with valves and shit and all that messing around you do when trying to fix a flat... tyre seemed to go up J... and then seemed to go down L... OK try again... this time let the tyre spin to let the 'Pit Stop' gunk fix the puncture... wait... wait... be fricking PATIENT Pauli! Just ignore those guy's cycling past you very fast... Wehey!!! I've got it up! A little limp but it'll do ;-)... Off I went feeling very proud of my on road repairs... now to go and catch those bugga's who wouldn't wait for me!

There were many punctures that day... Denmark has lots of 'Flint Stones' on the road which are as sharp as glass and when it rains they all come up to the surface. I had my bestest tyres on for puncture resistance... and I have never punctured on them before... first time for everything?? Seeing other people on the side of the road raised some mixed emotions in me from 'Poor Bleeder' to 'Ha! One more Loser less to worry about...' heeee ;-)

Then after 10K I got my second flat... front tyre completely shredded! I was going to throw in the towel there and then but... I had another spare (I came prepared as I knew what Danish Roads were like) and I knew people around the World would be watching and I didn't want to let the folks in NZ and OZ go to bed yet…!

So I pulled into a big crowd of spectators... thought they can help me... but Danish people are very reserved. They sort of surrounded me as if I was an alien that had crash landed and just stood and stared... some of them gazing and poking at my spacecraft / bike which I had fallen to earth on.

Changing the tubbie was a bit of a struggle... I like to glue them on HARD! There was a 'Gasp' from the crowd as I finally summoned up all my inner strength and ripped that bad boy off... throwing the dead tyre to the floor like a triumphant Gladiator...

This one chick had a Track Pump... Sweet! Get pumping I told her... 'Am I allowed to help??'... she replied? 'YES...! because I said so... I'm like a triathlete and from New Zealand and shit...' I told her... now pump... PUMP like the wind! little Danish woman... she did but she was Rubbish L?? so I told her to go away and got a lad to take over... he was much better J By now everyone was helping and they sent me off on my bike with a cheer and round of applause... Oooo loverly Danish folk J...

But now I had lost another 10+ minutes... and worse I had to do the rest on my own. Loosing the plot a little and with the added adrenalin I was just going for it... Passed Ain Ahar like he was going nowhere (though I think he was having a tough day too) thought hmm... I could pay for this... I'm not following any of my advice I would give to people about 'Optimum Ironman Performance' but I had to risk it I wanted to go under 9 hours.

Finally got off the bike in 04:55... pretty fast giving 15 - 20 minutes worth of puncture time... too fast may be???

But I set off on the run feeling not too bad and feeling fast... waiting for that first K marker to get a split... dam... where is it? I must be going too slow better speed up... no still not there??? There it is 1.5k... WTF?!? Then the next marker was 3.2k or something like that... hmm that was a bit confusing… was I going delirious already?? They said there would be 1k markers... every ermmmm… 1k…? Oh well keep going.

Then I saw the Spanish guy and Bex Keat and others I had been cycling with 6+K ahead of me... this is the most difficult thing to deal with when your mind is playing all those mental games with you... Dam! This could have been soooo much better... but have to stay focused... stop thinking about them... 'Stay on Target... Stay on Target...!'

The first 10K was good though... crowds were awesome and I was keeping up a steady 04:00 km pace... picking my way through the field I think I got up to about 12th place sweet! With a big Pro field this was cool J. Then I thought 'Shit' I need to walk...?? It was too early to start feeling such things... Dam it! Keep going... walked a few aid stations... ran on a bit, breathing was getting far too laboured when I was running... like a car radiator overheating I kept having to walk to cool it down L. Then I started to need a poo... Eeek never had to do that in an IM race before!?!? Stopped at a cafe but there was a cue (being in the middle of the city meant I couldn't just squat down a la Paula Radcliffe (My Hero)... no even I wasn't able to summon up those mighty powers of 'no-shame' not with an audience of 1000 spectators... plus the race organisers said it wasn't allowed). The next aid station was too far off... so I had to go back to the last aid station and find the toilet there... and YES... I needed it.

Feeling 5kg lighter I thought I would carry on and headed off again... but I had no clue now what was going on having messed around trying to find a toilet and had walked backwards along the course… I was in a serious state of delirium… I started to have to walk again and then I decided to DNF. Bugga! I couldn't be bothered with another Challenge Roth as it was virtually the same as happened there, fek! The Finish line looked like such a great party too! L

So what went wrong?

·         Obviously two punctures loosing 15-20 minutes.

·         Loosing the bunch in the bike.

·         Going too hard trying to 'chase a time'. I always tell age-groupers not to worry about aiming for a time. If you are going at the appropriate intensity during an IM race... but your splits are coming in slower than your target times... you can not increase your intensity / speed to make a time... you just blow otherwise and end up walking as I did.

·         Although I was fit enough for the race to go under 9 hours my training hours had been limited to around 15 hours most weeks... not enough to have the reserves to fall back on when something goes wrong like two punctures.

·         The mental energy and adrenalin I had used fixing the flats meant I had little mental strength left to push myself when times got hard on the run... with 10K to go it could have been possible but not with over 20K to go.

·         After the swim the race organisers said that the sea was unfit to swim in... nice, but that couldn't be helped with the weather. Many people had stomach issues. My first poo in an IM race couldn't of helped matters. I need to harden my stomach up to European pollution it's got soft in the clear waters of NZ... may be I need to go and hang out in My Dirty Old Home Town of Birmingham for a bit???

·         Racing 4 seasons in a row... Northern and Southern Hemispheres takes it's toll and I think I was getting tired.

I have to say it was a great race and bigs up to Kim, Felix and the whole of the Challenge Crew for putting it on, it's well worth doing if you're contemplating an Iron Distance race next year... just pack your bestest Tyres!

Great work to all my fellow athletes out there... especially Coach for coming 8th and Jimmy J 6th despite getting 3 punctures (he could of won????).

Sorry to everyone watching... there and on the net for not seeing me finish, it was a shitter... but at the end of the day I'm just grateful to have been there racing in such a great place thanks so much for your support. I'm already looking forward to a fun packed year... and some races too of course!

So it's time for a bit of RandR... what I do best ;-)... time to take it easy and get stronger again.

 

Sweet as

 

Westy xxx

Well my time based in Santa Cruz training has come to an end, as yesterday I took the 3 hour drive north to the Sonoma area where the Vineman70.3 Ironman will be held on Sunday morning.

When Fiona and I raced here in 2008, we met Bob and Cherie Collins, a lovely family that home stayed us back then. I am fortunate enough to be able to come back to stay in their new house they have built in the hills above Santa Rosa. The place is amazing with great views across the valley and looking down over the Vineman course. Bob Collins will also be racing in the 45-49 age group so a big good luck to the local legend!! 

Training has been going really well in Santa Cruz so I am looking forward to putting it to the test on Sunday. It has been 5 weeks since placing 5th at the Boise 70.3, so I am definitely feeling ready for another race!

The pro men’s field has a strong kiwi contingent with Graham O'grady and Kerion Doe racing. Former Kiwi (now based in America) James Cotter is also racing.

Thank you all for reading. I will be in touch with the race report soon.

Athlete Coach: Self Coached

Website: courtneyatkinson.com.au

Courtney: As happy can be while still getting beaten. Getting out sprinted by the current Olympic Champion wasn't exactly how I thought it would go down but was in interesting tussle no the less. It was the first race in a long time that I think I showed that my run is my true strength.

Triathlete Tribe: It takes a lot of discipline and experience to step back and look at the big picture in terms of sports and injury/illness. Tell us about your decision to make sure you were 100% over your illness before returning? Did you watch the Sydney WCS?

Courtney: I watched the men's race recorded (fast forwarding) as I was out doing quiet a hard run when the race was on. I was so close to being right to race at Sydney but I just knew I wouldn't be 100% in the form I wanted to be racing. In hindsight I am 110% sure I made the correct decision. Not for Seoul, but thinking about the rest of a long season.

Triathlete Tribe: You finished the 2009 season 7^h in the World overall. What were the highs and lows of this season and what are your goals for the 2010 season?

Courtney: Last year although on paper isn't anything special 2009 was a real turning point for me. I raced 4 times as much as I normally would and all around the globe and baring one disaster coming down from altitude my worse position at WCS level was 11^th. This was a big improve on consistency to the past and has set up this season.

I had a real mid season slump due to initially over doing it at altitude then sickness but turned it around in 7 weeks to finish 5^th at the WCS grand final on the Gold Coast in what many said was the fastest running in triathlon history. I have just continued building on that.

2010 aim is to try and win the ITU World Championship and then come home to try and win the hatrick of Noosa Triathlon titles.

Triathlete Tribe: Are you focusing on any discipline in particular in training at this point?

Courtney: Obviously I am very run focused as this is where you win the race, but to be able to run fast and strong my swim and ride need to have no weakness either. This has always been my strong hand and these days in ITU men you will find many of the fastest runners are also the fastest swimmers

Triathlete Tribe: If you could do any other job in the world, what would it be?

Courtney: I would rather be snowboarding

Triathlete Tribe: Courtney, We wish you all the best this season and hope you to see you at the top of the podium come September.

September 11, 2010

Photo credit: Janos Schmidt/ITU