Jock Athletic Ezine - Issue 23

ACTIVE

SWIMWEAR PRODUCT REVIEW

ROB DE CASTELLA ELECTROLYTES ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW: PART 1

On life, Running & The Indigenous Marathon Project

JOCK ATHLETIC PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S CRICKET TEAM, THE T20 WORLD CHAMPIONS! CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AUSSIE GIRLS T20 CRICKET TEAM, ‘THE SOUTHERN STARS’, WHO TOOK OUT THE T20 WORLD CUP IN SRI LANKA LAST MONTH. OVER THE PAST 2-3 YEARS THE WOMEN’S TEAM HAS BECOME FAR MORE ATHLETIC AND PROFESSIONAL AND ARE REALLY EXCITING TO WATCH. SPECIAL MENTION GOES TO LISA STHALEKAR WHO WAS NAMED NUMBER 1 T20 BOWLER IN THE WORLD AT THE ICC AWARDS AND TO ELLYSE PERRY WHO TOOK THE TOUGH WICKETS THROUGHOUT THE COMP. ELLYSE IS WHAT ALL THE OTHER GIRLS SHOULD BE ASPIRING TO PLAY LIKE, SHE BOWLS FAST OUTSWINGERS, HAS A POWERFUL THROWING ARM, A GREAT PAIR OF HANDS, IS QUICK IN THE FIELD AND THROWS HERSELF ROUND THE PARK AS VIGOROUSLY AS ANY MALE. WITH ELLYSE’S SPORTING PEDIGREE SHE IS GAINING MASSIVE EXPOSURE TO WOMEN’S CRICKET AND WHEN INTERVIEWED ALWAYS PROMOTES THE EFFORTS OF HER TEAMMATES ABOVE HER. A GREAT ROLE MODEL FOR ALL SPORT. I ENJOYED WATCHING THE GREAT TEAM EFFORT OF THE GIRLS AND THEY HAVE MANAGED TO DO WHAT THE MEN HAVEN’T, WIN THE T20 WORLD CUP.

AUSTRALIA, YOU BEAUTY!

Photo: Getty Images

EDITOR’S LETTER

A MASSIVE MONTH IN SPORT. FIRST, AT JOCK ATHLETIC WE HATE PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS AND WHAT THEY STAND FOR. IN OUR OPINION PEOPLE TAKING THEM ARE SAYING, METAPHORICALLY, I’M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO DO IT ON MY OWN! I DON’T EVEN LIKE THE USE OF CAFFEINE AS A STIMULANT EVEN THOUGH IT’S LEGAL. SADLY THE LANCE ARMSTRONG ATHLETE SUCCESS STORY WHICH WE ALL WANTED TO BE TRUE, WAS A DRUG-INDUCED SHAM. DRUGS ARE A BLIGHT ON SPORT AND WHAT IT STANDS FOR - A HEALTHY, ACTIVE, FUN AND HONOURED PURSUIT - WHICH, FOR THE MOST PART, WE DO FOR THE ‘LOVE OF THE GAME’.

WELL WE CHOOSE TO LOOK AT AND WRITE ABOUT WHAT’S GREAT IN SPORT. I TRAINED AND COACHED A CHAP WHO WAS A TOP BEACH SPRINTER, WHO I HAND-TIMED FOR 100M AT 10.5 SECONDS WHEN HE WAS PAST HIS PRIME. HE TRAINED AS HARD AS ANY ONE I KNOW, WHILST WORKING FULL TIME AND REPRESENTED AUSTRALIA IN BEACH SPRINTING, A FINE ACHIEVEMENT AS SURF LIFE SAVING AUSTRALIA ONLY PICK ONE RUNNER PER YEAR. HE NEVER COMPLAINED ABOUT HIS PLIGHT AND HAD TO PAY HIS OWN WAY TO NATIONAL AND WORLD TITLES. HE GOT THE ABSOLUTE BEST OUT OF HIMSELF IN HIS SPORT AND CAN BE SATISFIED THAT HE DID GREAT WITH ONLY HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. THAT’S THE SPORTING STORIES WE’RE TALKING ABOUT, NOT THE CHEATS. IN THIS EDITION WE LOOK AT SOME GREAT SPORTING HEROES DOING IT THE RIGHT WAY. ROB DE CASTELLA IS STILL GIVING TO AUSTRALIA AND ATHLETICS WITH HIS INDIGENOUS MARATHON PROJECT AND IT WAS A GREAT HIGHLIGHT FOR ME TO INTERVIEW HIM; RICKY PONTING IS OUR HIT PREDICTION FOR THIS SEASON; JULIAN WILSON (COVER) SECURES HIS FIRST MAJOR EVENT, WINNING THE RIP CURL PRO IN PORTUGAL AND THE AUSSIE WOMEN’S CRICKET SIDE DO IT IN STYLE; ELOISE WELLINGS TALKS ABOUT WHAT’S NEXT AFTER THE OLYMPICS; PETER HADFIELD JUMPS OF A TALL BUILDING IN A SINGLE BOUND AND WE FIND OUT WHAT ELECTROLYTES ARE. ONE LAST SUGGESTION TO WADA, THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING BODY: DON’T FORGET ABOUT ALL THE DRUG CHEATS FROM THE 80’S. DON’T LET THEM ROAM THE WORLD WITH OLYMPIC GLORY AND RIDICULOUS WORLD RECORDS. YOU HAVE THE CAPABILITIES TO CATCH THEM NOW - IF YOU’RE GOING TO GET ONE, GET THEM ALL! THIS IS OUR 2ND ANNIVERSARY ISSUE, SO HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY TO US AND, EVEN BETTER, HELLO CRICKET SEASON. ENJOY. 6

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10 COVER STORY: JULIAN WILSON Jock Campbell

12 JA HIT PREDICTION OF THE SUMMER: RICKY PONTING Jock Campbell

14 ROBERT ‘DEEKS’ DE CASTELLA: PART 1 - THE ATHLETE Jock Campbell

23 PRECISION PLANNING

PROVIDES PERFORMANCE Dan Atkins

28 MUST DO EVENT OF THE MONTH Wiggle Bendigo Belter

30 ELECTROLYTES: PART 1 Rebecca Gawthorne

34 CONFRONT YOUR FEARS Peter Hadfield OAM

40 PRODUCT REVIEW Active Swimwear

48 SWIMMAN GIVEAWAY 50 GIRL, OFF ROAD Siobhan McCarthy

56 NEXT. LIFE AFTER LONDON Eloise Wellings

62 FASHIONABLY FIT Empirica Research

66 ATHLETE NEWS Jock Athletic

EZINE BRAINS TRUST PUBLISHER Jock Athletic EDITORS Jock Campbell / Melissa Campbell ART DIRECTOR/DESIGN Kiss the Sky ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION Melissa Campbell / Dee McCarthy

CONTRIBUTORS Dan Atkins, Jock Campbell, Rebecca Gawthorne, Peter Hadfield, Daniel Lane, Michael Martin, Siobhan McCarthy, Craig Stevens,

8 COVER IMAGE: 23 year jockathletic.com old Aussie Surfer, Julian Wilson, winning his maiden ASP World Tour event at the Rip Curl Pro

Photo by Kelly Cestari/ASP via Getty Images

Runners take in the spectacular Hamilton Island Yacht Club during the annual Hamilton Island Triathlon, which will take place this year on 10 November.

Photo: Delly Carr

Tim Brennan, Paul Watson, Eloise Wellings EDITORIAL OFFICE Jock Athletic | PO Box 1186 Cronulla 2230 W 0415 998 636 | EMAIL ezine@jockathletic.com

o in Portugal on October 19, 2012

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COVER STORY During my stint with the Aussie cricket team, my great mate Matty Hayden would often tell me about this young bloke form the Sunshine Coast named Julian Wilson who was a family friend of his. He kept going on about how great a surfer this kid was and that he’d had a contract with Quicksilver since his early teens.

Well in 2006 when Julian won the ISA World junior title we all started to listen to Haydos. Matt organised for me to do some training and programming for Julian and we even had a mini fitness camp on Stradbroke Island with Haydos a few years back.

In those days Julian was just a young kid with a slight physique.

He beat Kelly Slater in a few early encounters and had shown enormous promise.

Well now that young boy has officially become a man, both physically and by winning his first ASP Rip Curl Pro event in Portugal, beating all the hardened World Tour professionals last month. That will be the first of many and we are so proud of him and he easily deserves the cover shot for this month.

He’s a great kid, from a great family; even his brothers aren’t bad blokes (ha-ha).

Well-done mate. I hate it when Haydos is right!

Photo: Getty Images

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Robert

deeks

De Castella PART I: THE ATHLETE

JOCK CAMPBELL 14

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ROBERT DE CASTELLA IS A 4-TIME OLYMPIAN, WORLD CHAMPION AND TWO TIMES COMMONWEALTH GAMES MARATHON CHAMPION AND CONSIDERED THE BEST MARATHONER IN THE WORLD DURING THE 1980’S. AND THE BEST PART OF IT ALL, HE IS AN AUSSIE! Throughout my junior years to me “Deeks” was the face of Australian athletics and grabbed my interest in distance running. I’ve learnt more about distance running from watching Deeks run and listening to him being interviewed about running, tactics and nutrition for athletes than anyone else before or since. If you want to hear a masterclass in distance running performance listen to Deeks when he commentates.

During the London Olympics, Mel and I watched both the mens and womens marathons in their entirety. When Deeks spoke we weren’t allowed to talk and had to listen because of the invaluable insights and tactics he gives away.

I was lucky enough to interview Deeks and he was so generous with his time and answers that we will run this interview over two issues: the first on the great man himself, and the second on the great charity and Indigenous running program he runs.

As I said to him at the end of the interview, he always gives great insights through his commentary and interviews and he certainly didn’t let us down with this one.

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JA: WHO IS ROBERT DE CASTELLA? Not the athlete I used to be ha-ha. Not so single-minded and focused. I’m far more diverse and spread thin in a diverse manner these days. I’m very passionate about health, and healthy, active lifestyles. I run a not for profit organisation called Smart Start for Kids, trying to tackle childhood obesity, and I started the Indigenous Marathon Project 3 years ago which promotes participation in the remote aboriginal communities as well as trying to unearth some distance running stars and role models in those communities. I have my own business in Canberra, which is a Healthy Bakery that provides grain and gluten free food and I also do a bit of public speaking.

JA: WHAT IS YOUR SPORT OF CHOICE THESE DAYS? Sport of choice these days is a traditional martial art called Traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu karate, which is a non-sport martial art, also do some running and strength and conditioning work, mostly with kettle bells.

JA: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH RUNNING? My old man got me into running in the 60’s.

I was the oldest of 7 kids and I think he decided to get me out off the couch and take me running. Dad had his first heart attack at the age of 49, after which he became very passionate about health and part of that was running for the health benefits. He ended up running 30 marathons with a very tidy PB of 2hrs 58mins - he was my inspiration.

We used to train on Sunday mornings in the Dandenongs and he ended up dying at the age of 73 on a training run. But because of his change of lifestyle and running he prolonged his life into his 70’s. It was great training with my dad in those days.

JA: WERE YOU REALLY GOOD FROM THE BEGINNING AS A RUNNER? No, started out as a hacker! I really struggled in school junior cross-country up until I was about 16-17. I really started to improve when I trained with my coach Pat Clohessy. There was a great camaraderie amongst his group, which was a real team and I just started to get better and better. I responded really well to training after about 3-4 years.

JA: DID YOU HAVE AN EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH VO2 MAX? It certainly wasn’t the highest, it was in the mid 80’s (that’s still very high), but I had a really good running efficiency or economy as well, so I was lucky enough to have both.

JA: WE UNDERSTAND THIS MONTH WAS THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF YOUR FIRST COMMONWEALTH GAMES MARATHON GOLD MEDAL WIN IN BRISBANE. HOW DO YOU REMEMBER THAT RACE AND HOW DO RATE IT? It’s hard to believe it was 30 years ago, I have a very clear memory of it, as the Brisbane games were a spectacular event all round in a great city. It was a race that really lifted my profile as a distance runner in Australia even though I’d run a really quick marathon the

year before in Japan - this was the race that put me on the map in Australia.

JA: DURING ONE MARATHON YOU MADE A MOVE ON A HILL AND DROPPED A COMPETITOR NEAR THE END. AFTER THE RACE THE COMMENTATOR ASKED WHY YOU WERE SO GOOD ON THE HILLS. YOU SAID THAT YOU RAN LOTS OF HILLS IN TRAINING! WERE USING HILLS A DELIBERATE TACTIC? Yes, that’s right, if you want to be good at hills, you need to do plenty in training. I used to use hills and corners to speed up and put pressure on the field. I loved hills, as they always had a definite top and usually a downhill afterwards that you could recover on. I ran plenty of hills in training.

JA: IN THE 1992 OLYMPICS IN BARCELONA, SPAIN AND IN 27 DEGREE HEAT THE MARATHON STARTED ON A TOUGH COURSE. YOU RAN YOUR HEART OUT TO FINISH VERY DISTRESSED IN TWENTY-SIXTH PLACE IN 2:17.44 AFTER GOING INTO THE RACE AS ONE OF THE FAVOURITES. YOU SAID IF IT WAS ANY RACE OTHER THAN THE OLYMPICS YOU WOULD HAVE PULLED OUT, BUT YOU NEVER PULL OUT OF THE OLYMPICS. WHY AND WHERE DID THIS RESPECT COME FROM FOR THE OLYMPICS? It was part of the culture and era of representing your country in those days. You only have to look back to Aussie Benita Willis at the London Olympics, who after a couple of hundred meters from the start was in great pain with a torn hip tendon, yet battled through to finish the full marathon. There’s NOVEMBER 2012

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a great responsibility and commitment when you’re representing your country.

JA: IS THAT WHERE THE TRADITION OR THE RULE HAS COME FROM THAT ANY AUSSIE MARATHONER THAT PULLS OUT OF AN OLYMPIC MARATHON MUST TAKE THEIR AUSTRALIAN SHIRT OFF AND WALK BACK TO THE VILLAGE? Along those lines! Troopy (Lee Troop) brought that in. There is a great culture in Australian Marathon running teams,

When you get the great opportunity to represent your country you also have to take on the great responsibility that is bestowed upon you and commit to that opportunity 100%.

JA: I’VE SEEN OTHER FAVOURITES IN THE OLYMPIC MARATHON PULL OUT WHEN THINGS AREN’T GOING WELL FOR THEM OR THEY’RE HAVING A BAD DAY, AND EVEN OTHER ATHLETES SAY THEY DON’T NEED TO BE AT THEIR BEST TO WIN THE OLYMPICS, WHICH I DON’T FIND TERRIBLY INSPIRING AND DISRESPECTFUL OF THE OLYMPICS, WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON THAT? Its’ sad! As an Olympian, to be part of such a great event, you should compete with humility, respect and pride. However, the sad part is it’s easy to get caught up in the commercialisation of the sport. As a marathoner you only have around 3 decent 18

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marathons in you a year and some runners, if not going well in one, may pull out to save themselves for one of the big city events where they can make some money by entering an extra one that year. This is where as an athlete you can lose substance, but you must be humble and have great respect for your sport and the event. Some of them need to take a good look at themselves, but we all make mistakes and hopefully upon reflection with their coaches they will learn form this.

JA: I DON’T EVER REMEMBER YOU HAVING ANY SERIOUS INJURIES THROUGH YOUR CAREER. DID YOU? No major injuries, but definitely aches, pains and niggley injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, patella tendonitis and back and hip pain. But I just had to understand and read my body and when pushing hard you need to increase your recovery techniques, because that’s where you improve. Training is about breaking your body down by stressing it and then letting it improve in the recovery time. If you don’t have some niggle or pain your not pushing the training hard enough!

Everyone’s different and some can handle far greater training loads than others and some runners respond to far less training than others.

JA: WHAT DO YOU THINK RUNNING TEACHES YOU? Man can run further, faster and longer than any other animal and it’s a big part of the reason we became the dominant species.

Running connects us in a very deep rooted

way to our ancestry, which we feel we’ve lost something if that day we miss out on it. Most people can run, they just have to stick with it and start slowly, it wont be long before you get a rhythm and then it’s what we call “greasing the groove”, feeling comfortable running. It gives intellectual and emotional development, critical for us to find ourselves and feel great about ourselves. And it’s great for your body health wise as well.

LET’S FINISH WITH SOME QUICK QUESTIONS FOR THE FINAL KM HOME! JA: WHAT’S THE TOUGHEST EVENT OR SPORTING ACHIEVEMENT YOU’VE EVER DONE? Finishing a bad marathon. I’ve had a few of those.

JA: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRAINING SESSION AND WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? Hills sessions. I love the conquest to the summit, doing multiple hills, the psychology of how hard they are and physical test that is required.

JA: HOW MANY TRAINING SESSIONS DO YOU DO PER WEEK & THE BREAKDOWN? About 10 sessions per week these days. A 20-30min jog each day, 3 kettle bell sessions per week and 4 karate sessions. (That’s more than 10 by my count. Like all good endure athletes, they do more than they admit!)

JA: WHAT ARE YOUR SECRETS TO STICKING TO A TRAINING PROGRAM? If you’re serious there’s no option. For beginners plenty of variety and train with other people, that’s how you’ll get the most out of yourself.

JA: WHAT’S YOUR MOST DREADED TRAINING SESSION (DETAILS) AND WHY? None really, some are tougher than others, but if you’re tired or rehabbing from injury and have to be cautious with your approach they’re the tough ones.

JA: WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN THE SPORTING WORLD (WHY?)?

Pat Clohessy my coach. I met him at a young age of 14 or 15 and we began with an athlete coach relationship, but turned into a more father/son type relationship. I learnt from him about having a great attitude, the right training and racing culture and values.

JA: YOUR FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL SAYING?

“A little pain never hurts!”

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JA: OUR GREAT MATE AND JA E-ZINE CONTRIBUTOR PETER HADFIELD TOLD US A COUPLE OF DIFFICULTIES OUTSIDE THE NORM THAT YOUR INDIGENOUS RUNNERS HAVE WITH TRAINING. PLEASE EXPLAIN. Yeah, the first year of the project in 2010, I asked one of my runners, Gwan, who is from a small place in Arnhem Land called Maningrida, how his training was going and he said he couldn’t run. I asked him was it too hard, or was he injured and his response wasn’t what I expected. In the town the locals never ran, or even walked fast, because the town stray dogs would rip them apart. So we enlisted the help of the local police who would take Gwan 10km out of town on the service road, drop him off and he’d run back into town. As soon as he saw any town dogs near the outskirts he’d have top start walking.

Another story is that we’d set up a fun run in one of the small towns, with a section on the beach, and it was carefully measured and marked out the day before the race. Upon arrival one of the organisers had changed the course, and I said no, it was well planned, a good course. But then I was told no we had to change the course, as there was a four-metre salt water crocodile down on the beach, and we should avoid that. Not problems you normally come across.

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Life is local Proudly supporting and informing the local community since 1960

www.theleader.com.au

PRECISION

PROVIDES

PERFORMANCE I DON’T DEAL WELL WITH GREY AREA RESPONSES FROM ATHLETES. WHEN I ASK AN ATHLETE HOW THEY FELT AFTER A SESSION OR A RACE AND THEY ANSWER “WELL, NOT BAD” I TEND TO LOSE THE PLOT. LET ME ELABORATE.

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see better run faster supernova pro

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AS AN ATHLETE YOU HAVE TO HAVE COMPLETE HONESTY WITH YOUR PLANNING AND PREPARATION. IN MY EYES YOU ARE EITHER WHERE YOU NEED TO BE AT OR YOU’RE NOT.

THAT SIMPLE. IT’S BLACK OR IT’S WHITE. NOTHING IN BETWEEN. Our club, DAT racing, has already had its first two season-opening races and as the head coach of approximately 30 athletes, we are where we should be.

Of course there are some athletes that have a huge expectation on their heads and expect more, but honestly if I look back over last weekend’s races, I am comfortable with our position.

We had 12 podiums including three in the elite ranks and the other three where inside the top ten overall. So yes I am good with the direction we are travelling.

Setting up for your peak race must have some serious test events. If you just want to wait for the big day without any sort of gauge you will almost certainly fall short. Test events should be just that - a test to iron out any little problem areas in your conditioning.

Goal based As a group of high performance athletes I sit down with all my athletes at some point pre season about June/July and ask the athlete what are your season goals.

Remembering our season started in October so the planning has been a long term set up.

I make the athlete accountable to their goals.

Make them come up with the goals. If I think the goal is unrealistic I let them know. That is what us coaches do. We are the sounding board for better or worse and a good coach that cares for his or her athletes will let them directly know if the challenge they come up with is unrealistic.

The planning must start with a long term goal - a good ironman challenge I believe takes about two years of planning and preparation. It’s not a spur of the minute decision to just jump in and do one.

I then ask the athlete about training goals: What are we going to work on in and out of training- Technique? Speed? Strength? etc. All these areas will improve through consistent work without directly focussing on them.

Focus on the cues your coach gives you, not how you feel. Focus on length in your stroke in swimming not how tired they make your arms feel.

If you’re not coached and you do things on your own ask someone that is interested in your plan, discuss with them your thoughts on how you’re going to achieve your race goals.

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Setting up the Season

Plan to Perform:

As I mentioned earlier the only real test of where your fitness levels are it is to race. If you don’t have an early season option of a triathlon, do a fun run, set up a training race where it will give you the best indication of your early season form.

I hate hearing athletes say, “Well it’s the first race of the season I really just went through the motions”.

So honesty starts with that person in the mirror. Be wise enough to make change if needed. If you hit your first season race and are confident you are on track for a great season then look for ways to improve further. Work on your weakness, work on the underrated aspects of the race.

Rubbish!!!!

That to me is an indication you’re not where you want to be, and I heard it from the season opener the other day by lots of athletes.

If you’re going to pay about $60$90 for a local race, you give it everything you have. A real test should leave you in the hurt box, needing a good few days to recover.

So go hard, prepare mentally as well as physically. Walk away from the tester and gather information. Ask spectators that are there to watch you, “how did I look?”

Ask your coach for an honest opinion of your performance then plan towards improving.

Search for solutions to your problems.

How focussed where you on the coach cues from training?

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Get comfortable being uncomfortable Train at a higher heart rate for longer period of times, so not flat out but train at the level that you can no longer talk. Swim, bike and run. Pain is unavoidable in this sport, deal with it.

Train with people faster than you Big one here, train in a group that challenges you and with a coach that is willing to push you harder than before.

Listen to your coach Planning takes time and needs back up from the people that believe in you, trust your coach wants the same thing you do, success.

Put it all On the Line:

DAN ATKINS IS THE DIRECTOR OF D.A.T. RACING IN BRISBANE AND HAS SOME 23 YEARS EXPERIENCE

We all watched or listened in awe of Pete Jacobs’s race in Kona. He backed his ability from the gun. You never heard from him in the lead up, he didn’t tweet, Facebook or even pump himself up in the spot light. He went quietly about his goal and never once doubted his plan. It was one of the most well crafted races I have ever witnessed.

And he did it his way.

AS A COACH AND ATHLETE. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR DAN, PLEASE CONTACT HIM VIA EMAIL: DANATKINS08@GMAIL.COM.

FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER (@DANAT75) OR CHECK OUT HIS WEBSITE DANATKINSTRAINING.COM.AU

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“Bendigo has a solid reputation for delivering major events across a broad spectrum, our sports event portfolio is bolstered by this event and I encourage all cycling enthusiasts to participate in The Wiggle Bendigo Belter.�

. THE ’ S R ’ E T I BELT CTORIA ON ING H ” O C S G E N I U D RI , VI A E N O L S E G I S B I R D LE EN PE LE WIGG IGGLE SU HE WIGG D FINISH IN B “W RT AN IA, ‘T L A T A S R FIRST T L L S

I IN AU IVE W T T R N O E P S EV LING C Y C ROAD DEC. F O H T THE 9

The Wiggle Bendigo Belter will be aimed at riders that want to challenge themselves with friends, family or a group of fellow club riders.

Everyone is welcome and Wiggle.com.au have organised three route options to cater for different levels of ability:

FUN: 90KM STANDARD: 130KM EPIC: 160KM Pre-marked routes, mechanical support, feed stations and onsite facilities mean that entrants can simply turn up and ride. The Wiggle Super Series are not races but friendly organised group rides that cyclists can enjoy, while entrants will be timed and will be allocated a bronze, silver or gold finishing time.

Tickets will be sold online on a first come, first served basis as places are limited and demand is expected to be high.

REGISTER TODAY PLACES ARE LIMITED

TO BOOK ONLINE OR FOR MORE INFO, GO TO WIGGLE.COM.AU

Wiggle has built an exceptional reputation for hosting some of the UK’s biggest and best cycling events and Wiggle’s popularity in Australia has prompted the company to offer the same opportunities to get out and ride to its Australian customers.

Maddy Riordan, Head of International Marketing for Wiggle said: “The Wiggle Super Series is enormous fun for cyclists of all abilities. We think that it is super to be able to get people out on their bikes in the most stunning locations. Australia has some of the most jaw-­dropping scenery -­it is the perfect place to offer keen cyclists the indulgence of a completely organised, hassle free weekend ride.”

City of Greater Bendigo Major Events Manager Mr. Terry Karamaloudis said “The ongoing attraction of major events to Bendigo is an important part of our economic development. We are excited that this international company has chosen Bendigo as the city to host the first Wiggle Super Series event in Australia.”

ELECTROLY ? ? e h t t Wha WE’VE ALL HEARD THE WORD “ELECTROLYTE” AND MOST LIKELY HAD A DRINK CONTAINING SAID INGREDIENT. BUT DO WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY ARE OR WHAT THEY DO??

IN THIS 2 PART SPECIAL, OUT RESIDENT DIETICIAN EXPLAINS THE PURPOSE OF ELECTROLYTES AND THE SCIENCE BEHIND ELECTROLYTE DRINKS AND SUPPLEMENTS.

REBECCA GAWTHORNE 30

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PART 1

YTES:

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The Science Behind Electrolytes

What are electrolytes?

ELECTROLYTE IS THE MEDICAL TERM FOR SALTS (SPECIFICALLY IONS) THAT ARE DISSOLVED IN THE BLOOD AND OTHER BODY FLUIDS SUCH AS SWEAT. THE TERM ELECTROLYTE MEANS THE ION IS ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED. THAT IS, THE ION CAN CONDUCT ELECTRICITY. Because electrolytes are electrically charged, they function to maintain electrical impulses in your heart, nerves and muscles. Basically this means that electrolytes are essential for stimulating your muscle contractions and nerve impulses.

The major electrolytes in your body include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, magnesium and phosphate.

You may have seen the names of some of these electrolytes listed on sports drinks or sport supplements.

Sometimes these electrolytes will be written using their elemental symbols: • Sodium (Na+ ) • Potassium (K+) • Chloride (Cl-) • Calcium (Ca2+) • Phosphate (PO42-) • Magnesium (Mg2+)

The proper concentration of electrolytes in your blood is essential not only for your health, but also athletic performance.

Electrolytes need to be maintained within a very narrow range in your body fluids (blood, sweat etc). The correct range of electrolytes allows electrochemical impulses to be transmitted in your nerve and muscle fibers.

If the balance is disrupted ever so slightly, muscular, neurological and heart problems can occur In most situations, your body uses homeostatic mechanisms to maintain electrolytes within the narrow range. These mechanisms include absorption, distribution and excretion of body fluids that contain electrolytes.

However, in sport and prolonged exercise, your body can lose electrolytes such as sodium and potassium through sweat.

Depending on your sport, duration and intensity level, your body may not be able to maintain the correct balance of electrolytes in your blood. This can lead to conditions such as hyponatraemia (not enough sodium in the blood) and hypernatraemia (too much sodium in the blood).

You may experience the following symptoms during exercise if your electrolytes are not maintained with the narrow range:

• Nausea and Vomiting • Headache, Dizziness, Fatigue • Weakness, Lethargy or Confusion

which are lost through sweat, may need to be replaced during strenuous exercise to avoid problems associated with electrolyte imbalance.

• Muscle Cramps or Spasms (often involuntary) • Bloating Exercise-associated muscle cramps may be caused by electrolyte imbalances. There is some evidence that whole body sodium (salt) depletion may be a cause of specific types of cramps in some individuals. Electrolyte supplementation may be beneficial for these athletes.

REBECCA GAWTHORNE IS AN ACCREDITED PRACTISING DIETICIAN AND NUTRITIONIST. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

The stability of the electrolyte balance during exercise is therefore very important.

Electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium,

REBECCA.GAWTHORNE@GMAIL.COM FACEBOOK.COM/REBECCAGAWTHORNE

Rebecca Gawthorne - Dietit ian & Nu t r itio n ist

BN utrD i et (H ons I ), A P D , A N

“Feel, Look & Live Healthier” As an Accredited Practising Dietitian, Rebecca uses the latest scientific evidence to develop personalised dietary plans to help you reach your goals. Plans are tailored specifically to you, the individual, whatever your lifestyle. Rebecca will provide you with expert nutrition and dietary advice on easy ways to eat healthier and achieve your health goals faster.

Should I see a Dietitian?

If you need help with, or experience any of the following, you will benefit from seeing a Dietitian: ·

Slow or plateaued results from your exercise

Clinical conditions including:

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Lethargy, tiredness, weak immune system

·

Sport nutrition training and competition diet

·

Diabetes

·

Help with weight loss

·

High blood pressure

· ·

Mood swings, food or sugar cravings Safe muscle building

·

High cholesterol

·

Heart conditions

·

Digestion & gut problems

·

Food allergies & intolerances

Health Fund & Medicare Rebates available.

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CONFRONT YOUR FEARS PETER HADFIELD (OAM)

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A FRIEND OF MINE RECENTLY STARTED A NEW JOB AS A FUND RAISING OFFICER FOR THE SIR DAVID MARTIN FOUNDATION, A CHARITY WHICH LOOKS AFTER YOUNG AUSTRALIANS TO OVERCOME MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, ADDICTION, HOMELESSNESS AND FAMILY BREAKDOWN. SHE ASKED ME WHETHER I COULD HELP HER WITH A FUND RAISING EVENT AND I SAID YES WITHOUT EVEN ASKING WHAT WAS NEEDED. After the fact, I was asked to participate in the Abseil for Youth event, which meant that I had to abseil down the AMP Building in Sydney’s Circular Quay!

Now I’m not great with heights.

Although I pole vaulted almost 5 metres as a part of my Decathlon competitions in years gone by, when I vaulted I started on the ground, went up in the air, over the bar and them came back to earth on nice soft landing bags.

My aversion to heights was very apparent when I was asked to film a television commercial for Tooheys Flag beer in 1977 (obviously a commercial that wasn’t very successful as Flag came off the market not long after then). The camera crew shot me pole vaulting all day from a myriad of different angles, vaulting over a height of about 4.5 metres. The final shot required by the director was for me to stand in a cherry picker with the cameraman 4.5 metres off 36

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the ground and simply fall backwards out of the lift into the landing bags. Although, I’d jumped this exact height all day, to stand and think about falling out at this height made me feel as though I needed to bring in the stunt double. We lowered the height and sped up the film to give the impression that I was falling from a greater height!

Which brings me to my folly - abseiling the AMP Building. The descent was 26 stories, totalling 118 metres down the western side of Sydney’s first major skyscraper which is located at Circular Quay.

My challenge, (in addition to the abseiling), was to raise over $1500 to support the Foundation which turned out to be a simple process thanks to the generosity of my friends and working associates.

I felt surprisingly calm on the day of the abseil, mostly distracted by a normal work day as well as an upcoming radio interview about the event. I conducted the interview live from the top of the AMP Building as I watched over the edge of the building, taking in the sights of the harbour, the bridge and the Opera House on what was a perfect spring afternoon.

Then it was time and there was a very strict protocol to be followed, with direction from the Royal Australian Navy and the Urban Descent Team.

There was suddenly a feel of calm as I was taken through every step required. All the safety procedures were confirmed, and then I

Peter makes his way down the 26 Stories of Sydney’s AMP Building.

Don’t Look Down: The bottom-up view

was outfitted in the required harness, helmet and two pairs of gloves.

had to do and as the emphasis was totally on safety, all my fear of height had disappeared.

There was a quick rehearsal on the balcony to get the technique of how to operate the ropes and the various pieces of equipment and then it was time.

I was on the edge of the building taking my weight on the rope and then it was a simple matter of taking a few small backward steps and I as over the edge – 118 metres off the ground, focusing on what I had to do, but totally enjoying he experience.

I was fitted with a temporary safety rope and then stepped up onto a ladder to step over the safety rail onto the edge of the building.

I wasn’t distracted by the view, just taking in every instruction, as we double checked the equipment and was hooked up to the abseiling rope and the safety line.

I must admit that I felt very comfortable at this time, as I was totally focused on what I

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I took a few breaks on the descent down to stop and take in the views and they were stunning. The people below on the city footpaths looked like ants as I braved a look below.

The descent probably took about 3-4 minutes but it seemed much slower.

When I finally hit the footpath, I felt a sense of achievement – not only for making it down but realising that thanks to my friends I had raised over $3,500 for a worthy cause.

I can say that abseiling didn’t appear to require any specific fitness, but the next morning my abs were absolutely burning – probably because I was crunching so hard all the way down.

YOU CAN STILL HELP ME TO HELP THE SIR DAVID MARTIN FOUNDATION. CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION TODAY.

THE EXPERIENCE OF ABSEILING CONFIRMED A FEW LIFE LESSONS: • Take on your fears head on - don’t let them get the better of you or don’t procrastinate to avoid them. Hopefully by working through your fear logically you may be able to totally eliminate it.

• Surround yourself with positive, competent and skilled people to assist you to achieve your objectives and build your confidence as a result of it.

• Don’t have negative thoughts – there is no logistical reason to be negative when you can be positive.

• Live in the now – focus on what is important at that very moment in time.

• Derive confidence in your ability to perform at your personal best based on excellent preparation.

PETER HADFIELD OAM IS AN OLYMPIAN WHO REPRESENTED AUSTRALIA IN TWO OLYMPIC GAMES AND TWO COMMONWEALTH GAMES, WINNING A COMMONWEALTH GAMES SILVER MEDAL BEHIND OLYMPIC CHAMPION AND WORLD RECORD HOLDER DALEY THOMPSON. AS WELL AS WORKING AS A TV AND RADIO COMMENTATOR AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, PETER PROVIDES TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR SPORTING TEAMS AND INDIVIDUALS.

NOVEMBER 2012

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Active

SWIMWEAR I’VE BEEN ACTIVE FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER AND DURING OUR LONG AUSTRALIAN SUMMERS, A FITNESS SESSION IS ALMOST ALWAYS FOLLOWED

BY A DIP IN THE OCEAN OR A SWIM IN THE POOL. I’M ALWAYS ON THE HUNT FOR SWIMWEAR THAT I CAN USE FOR MY ‘DRY LAND’ TRAINING AS WELL AS MY LAPS IN THE POOL - A COSSIE THAT IS SUPPORTIVE, FUNCTIONAL, FITS WELL AND LOOKS GOOD. It will be no surprise to you then to learn that this product review on Active Swimwear was my idea. Being an active bunch, I invited my fellow contributors to put some of the big name swimwear brands, as well as some of the lesser-known brands, to the test during their regular training sessions. We gave this gear a solid workout and I’m happy to report, the brands and their products responded well.

What I love about these brands is the diversity they offer in their range. They cater for those who want the support and freedom of movement, without looking like grandma, to those who are after the no-frills, “this baby ain’t goin’ nowhere” costume that is guaranteed to perform. They have something for everyone and a great range of colours, shapes and styles to suit.

NO EXCUSES NOW.

MELISSA CAMPBELL NOVEMBER 2012

41

PRODUCT REVIEW

ACTIVE SWIMWEAR

BRAND: PRODUCT:

USER:

SPEEDO

SPEEDO PRIMAL FUTURE V-BACK (FLIPTURNS RANGE) & ENDURANCE MEDALIST (ESSENTIALS RANGE) OLYMPIC TRACK ATHLETE, ENJOYING SOME CROSS TRAINING ON HER RETURN FROM LONDON 2012.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

RESULTS

Comfort

Both the Primal Future and the Endurance Medalist were quite comfortable.

I preferred the V-back of the Primal Future

Fit

Both fit well in a size 10. If I was to choose one for running, I would choose the endurance racer as it had a tighter grip around the hips so it wouldn’t ride up when running

Functionality/ Ease of Use

Mostly good, non restrictive, felt good swimming and also running distances straight out of the water.

Effectiveness

Very effective. I’m confident that I’d be comfortable swimming a long distance- without worrying about chaffing due to the quality of the material and the cut of the swimwear. Plus it’s 100% chlorine resistant and the fabric has 4-way stretch technology which make it super comfortable.

Price Evaluation

Expected prices for a premium product but still very competitive with other elite swimwear brands on the market.

Fashion/Coolness Rating

Love the bright and happy colours of the Primal Future range!

Overall

Both pieces were comfortable, effective and looked good

RATING OUT OF 10 SPEEDO Endurance Medalist

RRP $70

SPEEDO Primal Future V-Back

RRP $85

8 Endurance Medalist

Primal Future V-Back

CATFISH

BRAND: PRODUCT: USER:

CATFISH DESIGNS SCOOP BIKINI & ONE-PIECE V-BACK LONG TIME RUNNER, CURRENTLY TRAINING FOR HER FIRST TRIATHLON

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

RESULTS

Comfort

Both pieces are really comfy.

Fit

The one-piece V-back fit really well particularly around the chest, shoulders and backside. The Scoop bikini also a great fit up top, a bit roomy below (I’d like to be able to tell you it’s because I have a small bum - alas, size 10 bottoms in other brands will confirm otherwise).

Functionality/ Ease of Use

Really easy to maneuver in both pieces - excellent to run in both. The Bikini acts like a sports bra, so a no-brainer to wear under your fitness gear for quick transition into the pool or ocean.

Effectiveness

These cossies were both very supportive, which is surprising given the thin, non-adjustable straps. Both provide freedom of movement during the swim and whilst running.

Price Evaluation

Great value and well priced compared to other swimwear brands.

Fashion/Coolness Rating

These guys offer a stack of original designs across all their swimwear ranges. Very cool! I love the one-piece V-Back (pictured) - totally sexy and very HOT!!

Overall

A really comfy product for a mixture of cross training activities. Most importantly, it offers you the support you need up top. Their ranges come in sizes for Girls and Ladies and are chlorine resistant.

RATING OUT OF 10 CATFISH SCOOP BIKINI

RRP $69

CATFISH ONE-PIECE V-BACK

RRP $69

8 Giraffe Blue V-Back

Rainbow Wave Scoop Bikini

BRAND: PRODUCT: USER:

FINZ

FINZ (FORMERLY TYR AUSTRALIA) ONE PIECE DUO FLASHBACK & TECHNO MICROBACK + TECHNO BIKINI SPORTS DIETICIAN, RUNNER AND PART-TIME SWIMMER.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

RESULTS

Comfort

The one-piece swimmers are very comfortable! The Nylon lycra gives great strength and comfort. I also love the feel of the swimwear. I found the one-pieces more comfortable than the bikini.

Fit

There is a sizing chart on Finz website which is accurate for the one-pieces. I love the design fit of the Duo Flashback (one-piece) with the thick shoulder straps. Both one-pieces fit very well and don’t need adjusting when swimming. The one-piece Techno Microback (pictured right) is a higher cut around the hips but still a great fit. I recommend trying the bikinis on first for size.

Functionality/ Ease of Use

Smooth feel and non-restrictive. Perfect in and out of the pool and at the beach. Also great for a quick run up and back along the sand.

Effectiveness

Great for both beach & chlorinated pool. Finz feature technology is designed to last in chlorinated environments and not breakdown. Prefect if you often forget to rinse your cossies after a swim.

Price Evaluation

Well priced; great value for money.

Fashion/Coolness Rating

Love the design of the one-pieces. The rainbow techno-colours on the one-piece and bikini look amazing.

Overall

Great Australian swimwear! I highly recommend Finz one-pieces (over the bikini) for training and competition based on the comfort and fit.

RATING OUT OF 10 FINZ ONE-PIECE MICROBACK FINZ TECHNO BIKINI

8 Rival Bikini Techno MIcroback

BRAND: PRODUCT: USER:

RIVAL

RIVAL PAINTBOX BIKINI & ONE-PIECE LIGHTNING CROSSTRAINER JOURNALIST & TRIATHLETE

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

RESULTS

Comfort

Really comfortable and supportive in the top.

Fit

The sizing guide is good from their website and would consider ordering online.

Functionality/ Ease Both really nice cossies to wear that are functional and both look good at of Use the same time.

Effectiveness

I was able to train quite comfortably (swimming) and was also able to go for a run straight after in it, with very little chafing but with plenty of support. The one piece I would not recommend for running in given that it would be too warm and constricting. The one piece fit really well and would be great for those longer sets in the pool although perhaps for a larger busted woman more support may be required.

Price Evaluation

Like most quality swimmers they are not the cheapest, but with the chlorine resistant you will get good wear out of it.

Fashion/Coolness Rating Overall

The range of colours and prints makes it enjoyable to wear.

The new range of cossies that Rival have with so many colours and prints it is nice to have train in quality gear which is also fun.

RATING OUT OF 10 RIVAL LIGHTNING CROSSTRAINER

RRP $85

RIVAL PAINTBOX BIKINI

RRP $65

8.5 Bridgeback Trainer Paintbox Racer one-piece

BRAND: PRODUCT: USER:

VICI

VICI SPORTS BIKINI AND ONE-PIECE “SAMUII” SKY RANGE WEEKEND WARRIOR TRAINING FOR LOCAL BIATHLON SERIES.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

RESULTS

Comfort

Great – comfy straps on the top that are adjustable.

Fit

I tried a bikini and a one piece and the fit was good. Always best to try on first.

Functionality/ Ease of Use

Non restrictive – felt good swimming. May need to use the one piece if you were doing ocean swimming, but the bikini version was fine for pool lap swimming.

Effectiveness

Nice style, good comfort.

Price Evaluation

They seem very competitively priced – I would’ve expected them to be more expensive. Bargain!

Fashion/Coolness Rating Overall

Some really nice designs - their website has a great range.

These were great – a brand I hadn’t come across before, but I was impressed with the fit and the feel of them.

RATING OUT OF 10 VICI SPORTS BIKINI

RRP $55

VICI ONE-PIECE SAMUII RACER

RRP $89

7.5 Samuii Sky

Sports Bikini

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WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE

NOVEMBER 2012

51

IT SEEMS FOR NIENKE OOSTRA THE TOUGHER THE SPORT, THE MORE SHE ENJOYS IT AS SHE MAKES HER WAY ROUND THE MOUNTAIN BIKE, MULTISPORT AND XTERRA RACE SCENES. While Nienke has spend the last nine years trying her hand at a wide variety of sports, her recent successes have seen her become a serious contender in a number of races.

“I used to be a bit conservative while racing, but I have learnt to race more aggressively and positively,” she said. “With that attitude I have ended up on the podium in the last five races I have raced.”

Some of the races have included marathon mountain bike races where Nienke sits in the saddle for up to 50km.

“I am the happiest about the mountain bike races lately as they are very competitive,” she said “I have raced the National XCM mountain bike series in the 50km coming and came second in the veteran female and second elite female in the Wolombi ride.”

While Nienke continues to take on these mammoth rides her goal is firmly set on the Xterra world championships.

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“I am still getting used to hurting for the 2-3 hours a race takes compared to my easier pace that I am used to competing at,” she said.

“But because I am a weak swimmer, I have to make it up on the mountain bike leg to have a chance to podium at the worlds in Maui.”

Nienke said that she loves the dynamics that off-road multisport events have.

“Whilst the racing is just as competitive, there is just a greater sense of friendship amongst competitors during off-road events.” She said.

“ON ROAD TRIATHLONS ARE GREAT FOR BUILDING FITNESS AND PUSHING YOURSELF, BUT OFF-ROAD RACERS JUST HAVE THAT EXTRA ELEMENT. I ALSO LOVE THE OUTDOORS ASPECT OF IT, OFTEN THOSE RACES ARE HELD ON VERY REMOTE TERRAIN, YOU SEE THE MOST AMAZING PLACES YOU NORMALLY DON’T GET TO SEE. RUNNING INTO WILD LIFE IS NOT UNCOMMON EITHER SO IT’S A REAL ADVENTURE.”

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WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE “On road triathlons are great for building fitness and pushing yourself, but off-road racers just have that extra element. I also love the outdoors aspect of it, often those races are held on very remote terrain, you see the most amazing places you normally don’t get to see. Running into wild life is not uncommon either so it’s a real adventure.”

Nienke, like all multisport athletes attempt the balancing act the goes with multidiscipline events.

“The training is not too different from normal triathlon training, I swim and ride my long rides with squads,” she said.

“I do my hard bike sets on the trainer with a power meter and my runs consist of one speed run, one set of hill repeats and one endurance run with trail blasts per week.”

While Nienke is set to dominate the Xterra world titles, she said she knows what her heart wants.

“I think mountain biking is where my future lies,” she said. “I am hoping I can step it up a level when I target specific marathon mountain bike races with the right training.

“My dream for next season is to podium in the elite national marathon mountain bike series and to be able to get a spot at the world champs.

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OFF-ROAD TRIATHLON TRAINING TIPS: • GET EXPERT ADVICE FROM A COACH IN ORDER TO TACKLE YOUR FIRST OFF-ROAD RACE. • MAKE SURE YOU ARE WELL PREPARED AND YOU WILL HAVE A GREAT DAY. • MIX UP THE TRAINING TO COVER ALL DISCIPLINES INCLUDING THE VARIABLES OF THE OFF-ROAD • MOST RACES ARE BETWEEN 4-8HRS LONG SO IT CAN BE A LONG DAY OUT WHEN THINGS GO WRONG; A SENSE OF HUMOUR COMES IN HANDY IN THOSE SITUATIONS. • LOVE WHAT YOU ARE DOING

SIOBHAN MCCARTHY IS A JOURNALIST, TRIATHLETE, RUNNER, COFFEE SNOB & KNEEHIGH TO A GRASSHOPPER. YOU CAN FOLLOW SIOBHAN ON TWITTER (@SIOBHANANN) FOR ATTEMPTS AT HUMOUR, WIT AND INTELLECT (WHICH QUITE OFTEN FALLS SHORT). HER WORDS, NOT OURS!! HA

Interested in ADVERTISING IN THE JOCK ATHLETIC EZINE? FOR A COPY OF OUR MEDIA KIT, CONTACT US AT EZINE@JOCKATHLETIC.COM OR 0415 998 636

NEXT.

Life after London

THEY TALK ABOUT THE “POST OLYMPIC COME DOWN.” IT’S REAL, IT’S VERY REAL! IT’S NOT THAT I’M SAD OR DEPRESSED OR EVEN WANTING TO RELIVE IT ALL, IT’S JUST THAT AS FAR AS RUNNING GOALS GO, I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LOST. THE OLYMPIC DREAM HAS CONSUMED MY MIND, AND MY EVERY MOVE, FOR THE LAST 12 YEARS AND NOW THAT IT’S DONE AND IT’S BEEN ACCOMPLISHED AND THERE’S A WHOLE ANOTHER 4 YEARS TO WAIT TILL THE NEXT ONE, I NEED A NEW STRATEGY. IT’S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO HAVE SOMETHING TO WORK TOWARDS.

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WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE

ELOISE WELLINGS NOVEMBER 2012

57

I’M

NOT

COMPLAINING,

I’VE

REALLY

ENJOYED THE LAST 10 WEEKS OR SO OF JUST RUNNING EASY EVERYDAY, RUNNING WITHOUT

A

WATCH,

TRYING

SOME

DIFFERENT RUNNING ROUTES, BASICALLY RUNNING WITH ABANDON, IT’S CAREFREE, IT’S EASY AND THE CONTRAST TO BEING IN FULL TRAINING IS VAST - IT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE I’M DOING A DIFFERENT SPORT. BUT THEN THERE’S THE COMPETITIVE SIDE OF ME WHO WANTS BACK IN, TO WANT TO CHASE AFTER SOMETHING WITH THE INTENSITY OF A BULL AT A GATE AND TO WANT TO BE FOCUSED AND DISCIPLINED AGAIN IF I WANT TO BE AT MY BEST.

I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT EVERY ATHLETE HAS TIMES LIKE THESE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU’RE A WEEKEND WARRIOR, AN EVERYDAY HACK OR A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE DOWNTIME, REFLECTION TIME AFTER SOMETHING THAT YOU’VE TRAINED HARD FOR. IT’S A GOOD TIME TO REASSESS WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF YOUR SPORT AND TO ASSESS WHAT THINGS YOU NEED TO CHANGE. IT HELPS YOU RESET YOUR FOCUS.

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WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE

NOVEMBER 2012

59

WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE I know for me, on the flight home after every big event, Commonwealth Games, Olympics or European season, I’ll write down a list of things that I need to change in order to improve. I’ll take the results of my recent performances and critically assess what I need to do when I get home to become a better athlete. I’m unashamed to say I haven’t started on my post Olympics list yet. I know I will, I’m just not ready. I don’t like doing anything by half measures. And I know I’ve got time on my side. I like to think my many injuries have extended my running career by giving me necessary breaks from intense training that I probably wouldn’t have allowed myself otherwise.

People ask me all the time “4 years is so long to wait for another Olympics, does another 4 years of such intense training seem daunting?” My answer is always “No”. I thrive on intense training and striving for something big.

But not only this, there will be smaller challenges and goals in between - the Commonwealth Games in Scotland 2014 will be a perfect stepping stone to Rio. Not to mention all of the smaller races in between.

My coach Nic Bideu always says it’s important to keep the interest and motivation high with smaller races that have no pressure and you can just get out and practise racing and being competitive.

I’ve been sharing my Olympic journey at a lot of schools since I got home. I’ve really enjoyed this. I enjoy giving kids the hope that good things can happen if you don’t give up on your dreams. I’ll never get tired of this.

It’s been therapeutic in a way that it reminds me of starting the Love Mercy Foundation in 2008 and how that all came about with being injured and meeting Ugandan runner Julius Achon. It’s like everything came together at the right time and there was purpose to my injuries and purpose to the pain and purpose to missing the other 3 Olympics. That by the time I finally made the team for London and ran at the ‘big sports carnival’, it was more than just about realizing a childhood dream.

I’m grateful for this and wouldn’t change one bit of the journey.

Flying straight from London to Uganda to open the medical clinic that the Love Mercy foundation has helped to build was one of the most emotional moments of my life. My Olympic dreams had found a purpose.

ELOISE WELLINGS IS AN OLYMPIC 10,000M AND 5,000M TRACK ATHLETE AND FOUNDER OF THE LOVE MERCY FOUNDATION. YOU CAN FOLLOW EL ON TWITTER AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HER AMAZING FOUNDATION AT LOVEMERCYFOUNDATION.ORG

Fashionably

FIT

EMPIRICA RESEARCH ALMOST ALL OF US CAN ADMIT TO CHOOSING

FASHIONABLE OVER SOMETHING FUNCTIONAL AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES. SOMETHING

WOMEN HEAD OUT IN UNCOMFORTABLY HIGH HEELS IN THE NAME OF FASHION ONLY TO HEAD HOME BAREFOOT AND BLISTERED BY THE END OF THE EVENING. BUT, ATHLETES ARE GUILTY OF THIS TOO.

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WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE

HOW MANY OF US HAVE HAD A DOCTOR OR PHYSIOTHERAPIST RECOMMEND A SPECIFIC RUNNING SHOE TO ALLEVIATE PAIN, ONLY TO CHOOSE SOMETHING BETTER LOOKING INSTEAD? Despite a focus on function, athletes will occasionally choose gear that looks good over a less attractive alternative that is better for us. Luckily, premium brands are now offering more fashion-forward exercise gear, but how much emphasis do we put on the importance of fashion in what we wear when we exercise, and why is it so important?

While at first glance this may seem a superficial concern, psychological research suggests that the clothes we wear may have an impact on how we think, feel and behave. According to Dr. Adam Galinsky from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in the US, research on embodied cognition has shown that certain clothing can help put the wearer into different psychological states. In one study, Dr. Galinsky looked at the impact of clothing on people’s performance on cognitive and attention tasks. Everyone performing these tasks was given a white coat to wear – but the beauty of this study is that half of the participants were told the white coat was a “doctor’s coat” and the other half were told it was a “painter’s coat.” Guess

Photo: Tublr.com

NOVEMBER 2012

63

what happened? Those who were told that they were wearing a doctor’s coat did better on the tasks than those who were told they were wearing a painter’s coat! Incredible.

This same sort of impact of clothing on our psychological mindset occurs in sport too. A competitive cheerleader (the flying through the air kind of cheerleader, not the “give me an A” kind) who was interviewed about the impact of clothing on performance in her sport stated: “While functional clothing is important, it is equally important that your training clothes look right… like putting on a costume. When you’re covered in fake tan with your hair done up and your costume on, it’s easier to train right because you’re dressed for the part.” Another interviewee, a female collegiate track and field athlete, stated that the competition uniform is important because “it helps you get you into that competitive mindset you need to race well”. Additionally, when all teammates are identically clad it helps athletes to not only appear unified but also to feel like they are “working toward the same goal”.

Clothing is also important for the casual exerciser. One 25-year-old female interviewed described the pressure she felt to look good during group classes at a large gym in the heart of fashion-conscious Melbourne. She explained the desire not to be “the odd one out in daggy old charity t-shirts”. After succumbing to the lure of fashionable hi-tech 64

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fitness wear she said she felt “more accepted in the gym community” – and she probably worked just that little bit harder in the spin class in her brand new gear too!

Premium designer brands like Lululemon, Lorna Jane, and Stella McCartney for Adidas are busy capitalising on the desire for fashionable fitness wear. But we also see it coming in to very performance-focused brands like SKINS, too, with their new range including a dash of color to the tights and tops. These brands are becoming increasingly popular amongst weekend warriors and competitive athletes alike, despite high price tags.

As exercise wear becomes more fashionable it has started creeping into our weekend wardrobes.

While on Sunday mornings some fashionably-clad exercisers jump on the exercise bikes at the gym and reach down for the water bottle, just as many Lorna Jane/Lululemon/ Skins-clad bodies fight for seats at trendy cafes and reach for their Soy Chai Lattes.

WOMEN IN SPORT & EXERCISE

IT LEAVES US WONDERING - AT WHAT POINT IS OUR GEAR TOO NICE FOR THE GYM? While fashion is important, we don’t want to get to the point where we no longer want to sweat in our exercise wear!

So, keep in mind that looking the part can help to give us that psychological edge when

training or competing – but, don’t buy gear that you’re going to be scared to sweat in … and if a health professional recommends a certain style of shoe for you, try not to sacrifice functionality for fashionability!

EMPIRICA RESEARCH IS A SOCIAL AND CONSUMER RESEARCH FIRM BASED IN MELBOURNE AND MIAMI. FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT EMPIRICARESEARCH.COM.AU

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OM AND RESULTS FR S W E N U O Y G E BRIN .

EACH MONTH W E AND ABROAD R E H , S TE LE TH A JOCK ATHLETIC Y (Surfing) CONNOR O’LEAR for the cket) an Event invite d ve ei BRAD HOGG (Cri ec R tational, unthinkable by e th id d Rampage Oz Invi y e d g a n Alrea ee T d ralia in a Worl lia’s most elite st ra u st A u r A s fo g n g ri n b li h w bo whic 6 f 41 – but o e g a e der 20, under 1 th n t u a ed g a s er rf Twenty20 su ew challenge n a lf se im h ts now se and under 13. et k ic cr f o profile with lifting the A helping the US d n a a ic WLER (Football) er O F m A E K in LA B up in the ICC poms how it’s e th g in w o sh ll eventually rise Sti g rd work is payin s. g rankin done, Blake’s ha n of the match in off, claiming ma on. athlon) ant with for Bolt rt o p im MICHAEL FOX (Tri n a 12 th place in the 20 Finished a tops 4 ng) ith a time of w n lo th a ri T GH (Surf Life Savi U n P Y E B Nepea B A minutes behind im, 6th U/15 3 sw 5 se o /1 cl U a st 1 – a 5 :0 ed 1:30 Claim son. in tk A ey 5 Ironwoman at n rt /1 u U o d C n , 2 n d ia n p a m rd ly O boa l. durance Carniva n E te ta S LS S e th ) g in n n u (R M JE ALI NA ) strong race in er th o n a MPBELL (Surfing A ed C h E is N A Fin H S p team event at nce Carnivals u ra g u ta d n a E in te ed ta S et p e m th Co is e weekend – th r ve o Gromtag with h h le tc st ti S ca rf u S e in New th /19 2km run U e 1st place th in st 1 g in finish team finishing in

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ricket) RICKY PONTING (C house down in Still tearing the g in great shape in lt su re g in in a tr f the Sheffield for the start o Season R (Running) MITCHELL PALME the Open 2km Finished 3rd in State Endurance run at the SLS Carnival.

GHUE MELISSA O’DONO (Running) do her first Mel O is off to ING New York e th in n o th ra a m ot sure at the Marathon, still n the race will go date of writing if rricane Sandy. ahead due to Hu s of training, With 20+ week to start this she is determined it! event and finish Good Luck Mel!

DEARNE COOPER (Running) onth, first Has had a big m al Spring winning the annu t Wanda Beach Classic a hing 3rd Beach and finis Run at in the 5km Beach ng State the Surf Life Savi al in the Endurance Carniv . She’s off Open age group is month to Adelaide th km Beach to contest the 2 which she Run World Title, won in 2006. irl!

Good Luck Dee G