ISSUE 25.1
Souvenir 20 17 Ko n a
Ed iti o n
Crowley Sarah
sh in es at ko na
Cervélo and the “é” logo are trademarks owned or used under license by Cervélo Cycles Inc.
2013 Ironman World Champion: Frederik Van Lierde
18
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
08 What a year! Australia’s Sarah Crowley has capped off a spectacular year with a podium finish - third in the world - at the IRONMAN World Championships.
December 2017 Australian Triathlete
IssUe 25.1
Issue 25.1 DECEmbEr 2017
Souvenir 2017 konA
edITIon
SARAH CROWLEY - shInes AT konA
Crowley
www.austrimag.com.au
Sarah
PP341999/00020
Issue 25.1 2017 AUS $9.95 inc GST
shInes AT konA
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62
78
94
CON T EN T S
Cover Story
Cover: Sarah Crowley Photography: Korupt Vision
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| Australian Triathlete
FEATURES
TECHTALK
TRAINING TOOLBOX
08 IRONMAN World Championship, Kona
40 Tri Products
54 Sirius Musings
We look at the latest must-have products on the market.
Siri Lindley shares her tips on conquering Kona.
42 Product Spotlight: Giant
58 Words With Willy
AT brings you all the action and highlights from the biggest race of the year on the Big Island.
18 In Pictures: Kona Age Group Class of 2017
We shine the spotlight on the Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc.
We scoured Instagram and social media to see how the Kona experience played out in your eyes! See if you can spot yourself (or a friend).
44 Road Test: Xtreme Carbon Wheels
26 Annabel Luxford Out of the Shadows
48 Product Spotlight: Orca
Jodie Cunnama chats with Annabel about her rise in triathlon - from ITU to long course.
We shine the spotlight on Orca Wetsuits - the 3.8 and Predator.
32 Wyn-ing At Life
We road test the latest offering in shoe technology from ASICS - the ASICS DynaFlyte 2 men’s and women’s runners.
Jordan Blanco sits down with eight-time Ironman Champion, Luke McKenzie to talk all things Wyn Republic.
36 Destination Colombo We delve into the tropical world of Colombo and discover what to do and see during Ironman 70.3 Colombo.
The Test Lab road test the Xtreme Carbon Wheels and put them through their paces.
50 Road Test: ASICS DynaFlyte 2
53 Save, Spend, Splurge Whether you’re on a budget or have cash to burn, choose from the right cycling knicks for you.
Dan Wilson talks about the dangers of tinkering with your bike days out from race day.
60 Sexton’s Scrible Brendan Sexton talks all things tri-tech. From heart rate monitors to power meters what is it, how do you use it and does it actually work.
66 Injury Management AT’s newest resident, physiotherapist Zac Turner looks into medial tibial stress syndrome - what is it and, how do you prevent and manage it.
82 Coaches Corner Coach Julie Tedde shares her tips on how to train for hot, humid races.
90 Nutrition Sports dietitian, Peter Herzig gives us his top tips for eating well while travelling.
Editor’s Note
Aloha! W here have the last 12 months gone? It feels like just yesterday that we were all on the edge of our seats, watching Patrick Lange outrun the field to come home in third, breaking the run course record, while Daniela Ryf outclassed the rest of the women’s field. Jan Frodeno and Daniela Ryf were crowned Ironman World Champions that day, for the second time in a row, and over the last 365 days the question on everyone’s lips has been: “Can Jan and Daniela do a three-peat in 2017?” Fast-forward 12 months and Kona 2017 certainly didn’t disappoint. It was an eventful race week leading in and an exciting race day with some phenomenal world-class performances on display. Head to page 8 for the race highlights. Days out from the race we were gutted to learn that Tim Don would not be making the start line due to an accident involving a motor vehicle during his last training ride. It would have been fantastic watching Tim mix it up with the best, but we know he will be bigger and better on his return and wish him a speedy (world record-breaking) recovery. Patrick Lange and Daniela Ryf took top spots on the podium and were crowned 2017 Ironman World Champions, Patrick outrunning the field again, this time breaking the course record in 08:01:40, and Daniela doing a three-peat in 08:50:47. Other standout performances included Lionel Sanders who displayed just what it means to never give up (Lionel - you, sir, are a machine!). Lucy Charles proved she
is certainly one to watch. At just 24 the Ironman world is her oyster. It was exciting to see the Aussies get up there too. From Josh Amberger dominating in the swim (00:47:09), Cameron Wurf breaking the bike course record in an epic time of 04:12:54 to Sarah Crowley battling it out with Heather Jackson to stand on the podium in third – what a way to cap off her amazing year! It was hard to watch World Champion, Jan Frodeno walk/jog the run due to injury. But total respect to him for finishing what he started – he is a true champion. Last but not least – to the Aussie Age Group Kona Class of 2017 (page 18) we salute you. “You are an Ironman!” We couldn’t be more proud of you all. We hope you enjoy this jam-packed Kona Souvenir Edition as much as we do. And we look forward to starting the next #roadtokona journey with you all. In the meantime, happy training, racing and everything in between. Mahalo, Margs (Acting Editor)
EDITOR Aimee Johnsen deputy EDITOR Margaret Mielczarek ART DIRECTOR Andy Cumming Photo EDITOR Korupt Vision Advertising manager Aimee Johnsen Production, Administration & subscriptions Gina Copeland
WEBSITE
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5
NEWS AND Launches
Long Course Duathlon added to the SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon The SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon, incorporating the SunSmart IRONMAN 70.3 Busselton is back for 2018 and is better than ever - this year event organisers have added a Long Course Duathlon into the Festival events. “It is such a great, fun weekend that we want there to be a way for everyone to be involved in the Festival. By adding the Long Course Duathlon, with the Open Water Swim, the Fun Run and Teams event, it gives people another option,” says Event Manager Georgina Westgarth. The Long Course Duathlon will be on Sunday 6 May 2018, running concurrently with the IRONMAN 70.3 for individuals and teams. The race will be a 90.1km bike and a 21km run team event. Registrations are now open. For all the details go to
www.busseltonfestivaloftriathlon.com. au/long-course-teams-duathlon
IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE for Victoria’s Premier Triathlon Series Race 3 St Kilda: Sunday 14th January 2018
D
Challenge Melbourne is back in St Kilda on Sunday 22 April 2018
Also if you’re thinking of doing more than one triathlon this summer be sure to check out all the race bundles and series specials available on the website. There are 3, 5 and 6 race bundles available, which gives you flexibility and packed with added value and awesome savings. Check them all out at:
Get in early and take advantage of Early Bird prices at Australia’s only inner-city half distance triathlon. For those of you who haven’t done a triathlon out of Catani Gardens in Melbourne’s icon beachside suburb of St Kilda, you are certainly in store for a treat. Not only is this a stunning location to stage an event of this calibre, but it also offers an abundance of accommodation, cafes, tourist activities and nightlife that guarantees a great weekend or holiday away. Check out the course details and all event info at:
www.victoriantriathlonseries.com.au/series-and-race-budles/
www.challengemelbourne.com.au/
ue to the original date of Race 3 (7 January 2018) being so close to the start of the year, the organisers of Victoria’s Premier Triathlon Series (formerly Gatorade Triathlon Series) have decided to move the race date back one week so there’s plenty of time to resume training after the Christmas break, and everyone has settled back into the new year. So feel free to overindulge at your Christmas lunches and dinners because you now have an extra week to tune up the body and prepare for the first triathlon in 2018.
For more info, please visit: www.victoriantriathlonseries.com.au/
6
| Australian Triathlete
2017/ 18 Formerly the Gatorade Triathlon Series
Same awesome events... new name
Introducing brand new 3, 5 and 6 race bundles that are packed with awesome extras and huge savings!
Race 1 Elwood 26 November 2017 | Race 2 Portsea 9 December 2017 Race 3 St Kilda 14 January 2018 | Race 4 Elwood 4 February 2018 Race 5 Portarlington 18 March 2018 | Race 6 St Kilda 8 April 2018
For all race details and registrations visit
www.victoriantriathlonseries.com.au
2017
n a IroWnorm ld nship Champio
On a day with stifling conditions, world-class performances and record breaking times Patrick Lange was crowned the new King of Kona, while Daniela Ryf cemented her status as the Queen of Kona, achieving a three-peat victory.
8
| Australian Triathlete
Š Korupt Vision
Š Getty Images for IRONMAN
photography by Korupt vision and Getty images for ironman
© Korupt Vision
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
PRO Men’s Results 1
Lange, Patrick
2 3
DEU
8:01:40
Sanders, Lionel
CAN
8:04:07
McNamee, David
GBR
8:07:11 8:09:59
4
Kienle, Sebastian
DEU
5
Cunnama, James
ZAF
8:11:24
6
Bozzone, Terenzo
NZL
8:13:06
7
Potts, Andy
USA
8:14:43
8
Nilsson, Patrik
SWE
8:18:21
9
Hoffman, Ben
10 Stein, Boris
USA
8:19:26
DEU
8:22:24
above: Daniela Ryf Below (L-R): Lionel Sanders, Patrick Lange, Jan Frodeno
1
Ryf, Daniela
CHE
8:50:47
2
Charles, Lucy
GBR
8:59:38
3
Crowley, Sarah
AUS
9:01:38
4
Jackson, Heather
USA
9:02:29
5
Sali, Kaisa
FIN
9:04:40
6
Cheetham, Susie
GBR
9:16:00
7
Lester, Carrie
8 Lyles, Liz 9
Luxford, Annabel
10 Mccauley, Jocelyn
AUS
9:19:49
USA
9:20:31
AUS
9:20:58
USA
9:21:08
© Korupt Vision
PRO WOMen’s Results
Australian Triathlete |
9
ironman world championships, 2017
NEW
Bike Course Record
© Korupt Vision
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
04:12:54
© Korupt Vision
Above: Cameron Wurf middle (left): Terenzo Bozzone below (l-r): Patrik Nilsson, Lucy Charles
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
10
| Australian Triathlete
© Korupt Vision
2017 ironman world championship
Top (l-r): Ben Hoffman, Patrick Lange middle (l-r): Daniela Ryf, Carrie Lester below: Josh Amberger © Korupt Vision (This page)
Australian Triathlete |
11
2017 ironman world championship
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
12
| Australian Triathlete
© Korupt Vision
© Korupt Vision
Left: Andy Potts middle: Tim Van Berkel and Tim Reed
Š Korupt Vision (This page)
above (l-r): Sarah Crowley, Lionel Sanders Middle (l-r): Lauren Brandon, James Cunnama bottom (right): Sebastian Kienle
Š Getty Images for IRONMAN
Australian Triathlete |
13
2017 ironman world championship
© Korupt Vision
top: Men’s podium - David McNamee (third), Patrick Lange (first), Lionel Sanders (second) Below (l-R): Heather Jackson, David McNamee
© Getty Images for IRONMAN
14
| Australian Triathlete
Š Korupt Vision
top (l-r): Annabel Luxford, Kaisa Sali Middle: Matt Hanson Bottom (l-r): Sebastian Kienle, Lionel Sanders
Š Korupt Vision (This page)
Australian Triathlete |
15
© Korupt Vision
© Korupt Vision
2017 ironman world championship
top (l-r): Sarah Crowley, Lucy Charles bottom: Women’s podium - Sarah Crowley (third), Daniela Ryf (first), Lucy Charles (second) © Getty Images for IRONMAN
16
| Australian Triathlete
WEAR THE BEST. BE THE BEST. CUSTOMISE YOUR PERFORM TRI RANGE TODAY. TEAMWEAR@2XU.COM
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2XU ATHLETE 3X IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPION
Kon a Age
g r o up
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| Australian Triathlete
2017 Ironman world Championship
We scoured Instagram and social media to see how the Aussie Kona Experience played out in your eyes!
@Jody Louise Gilchrist
@katieggreenfield
@nathantaylor1973
@trialliance
@Iain Flegg
@etpa_racing
@richo_surf
Aloha from
@shaw_nutrition
Kona
Australian Triathlete |
19
@stella_ foley_
@trg_triathlon_multisport
@zoe___adams
@kristy_ihearthawaii
@lisa_tyack
@benaboyd
Korupt Vision
WITSUP.com
Korupt Vision
20
| Australian Triathlete
2017 Ironman world Championship
@michelleleister
WITSUP.com
@koachkeph
@winnerstakechances
@markigleeson
@frizee09
@callaghan_testinglimits
lflannery
Aloha from
Korupt Vision
Kona
Australian Triathlete |
21
2017 Ironman world Championship
Aloha from
Kona
@manue_triathlete
@mich_bond
@tridazdarwin
@Ella Louise Davis
@yourironguide
@sian_keast
WITSUP.com
@sarah.f.thomas
@swim.bike.run.world
22
| Australian Triathlete
BRING ON TOMORROW
TRAIN HARDER
RECOVER FASTER
normatecrecovery.com
Conquer sore muscles with NormaTec dynamic compression technology. Australian Triathlete |
23
Name
Name
BIB
Div Rank
Gender Rank
Overall Rank
Swim
Bike
Run
Finish
Tom Callaghan
2377
15
530
584
1:06:43
5:37:02
3:23:21
10:19:41
18-24
BIB
Div Rank
Gender Rank
Overall Rank
Swim
Bike
Run
Finish
Kephren Izzard
1721
139
560
619
1:01:07
5:30:48
3:45:14
10:23:59
Paul Jackson
1722
140
561
620
1:09:14
5:07:37
3:58:01
10:24:00
Brett Archbold
1643
149
631
702
0:58:06
5:01:51
4:24:19
10:32:19
Kirsty Sheehan
1942
22
115
895
1:07:23
5:56:47
3:37:19
10:49:18
Matt Craft
1669
177
924
1099
1:00:13
5:14:05
4:44:11
11:07:21
Luke Cameron
1661
189
1059
1319
1:02:00
5:28:12
4:50:22
11:31:39
Michelle Bond
1883
58
316
1479
1:24:27
6:16:50
4:06:09
11:56:56
Megan Webber
1958
64
396
1651
1:07:12
6:39:44
4:36:36
12:31:26
Lucas Flannery
2385
24
825
954
1:06:50
5:29:00
4:05:03
10:53:03
Adam Lacey
1745
203
1264
1667
0:56:23
5:50:11
5:33:23
12:34:21
Thomas Gersekowski
2387
26
916
1084
1:01:02
5:11:54
4:44:26
11:06:08
David Froude
1704
214
1355
1822
1:07:56
7:13:28
4:53:52
13:23:25
Karlie Jennings
2427
27
438
1766
1:01:40
6:26:13
5:22:11
13:01:43
25-29
Karl Kreiss
1742
216
1373
1847
0:58:12
5:57:45
6:23:54
13:30:12
Mardy Hunt
1904
75
483
1862
1:29:58
6:32:01
5:18:40
13:34:27
Jarrod Harvey
2250
10
85
96
0:54:33
4:51:28
3:32:27
9:23:23
Damien Vaughan
1852
228
1581
2186
1:32:48
7:54:03
6:39:30
16:25:22
Brock Millard
2276
16
171
189
0:50:13
5:05:21
3:37:31
9:37:46
Ryan Oke
1789
---
---
---
1:12:41
---
---
DNF
Emily Loughnan
2347
1
22
250
0:58:03
5:15:28
3:25:18
9:44:25
Ben Richardson
1809
---
---
---
---
---
---
DNS
Andy White
2310
28
250
273
0:52:50
5:15:22
3:30:58
9:46:50
40-44
Tom Mort
2279
36
286
310
0:58:45
5:05:16
3:39:48
9:51:46
Benjamin Bell
1297
3
43
47
0:56:19
4:57:25
3:06:25
9:04:35
Lachlan Green
2247
47
407
442
0:55:08
5:15:21
3:48:52
10:06:28
Nathan Parker
1455
16
151
168
0:57:39
4:55:58
3:35:36
9:35:55
Zoe Adams
2319
7
66
667
1:00:18
5:31:55
3:48:13
10:28:17
Matthew Rae
1470
37
243
266
1:03:43
4:57:35
3:38:51
9:46:17
Lisa Tyack
2366
14
122
915
1:03:54
5:44:53
3:55:40
10:50:33
Steve Guy
1377
61
362
391
1:03:02
5:20:39
3:27:54
10:00:59
Kate Shryock
2358
17
134
971
0:53:01
5:42:11
4:10:47
10:54:49
James Lambert
1411
66
391
422
1:00:18
5:09:36
3:47:14
10:04:24
Scott Koltermann
2264
83
915
1082
1:02:14
5:33:01
4:22:19
11:06:04
Marc Person
1464
75
454
497
1:00:54
5:13:40
3:46:06
10:12:17
Douglas Proctor
2288
87
964
1155
1:06:59
5:28:19
4:24:59
11:13:16
Brendan Flanagan
1352
78
482
529
1:04:40
4:58:18
4:04:40
10:15:36
Jasmine Davie
2327
30
260
1312
1:05:43
6:09:01
4:07:13
11:30:54
Nathan Taylor
1512
85
504
553
1:00:24
5:12:08
3:57:30
10:17:23
Matthew Hill
2254
98
1184
1523
1:08:47
5:51:27
4:44:47
12:03:38
Todd Ridge
1475
87
509
559
1:04:29
5:28:01
3:36:13
10:17:48
Ella Louise Davies
2328
36
342
1529
1:14:04
6:25:38
4:13:04
12:05:04
Michael Timbs
1513
120
628
699
1:01:26
5:35:22
3:47:33
10:32:04
Brooke Colby
2325
---
---
---
1:04:12
5:57:26
---
DNF
Adam Vohmann
1521
121
637
710
0:58:27
5:17:21
4:04:59
10:32:57
Brad Wright
1535
139
702
793
1:03:27
4:56:59
4:33:21
10:41:12
30-34 Blake Kappler
2465
8
63
68
0:52:38
4:54:06
3:20:53
9:14:22
Adam Mclaine
1435
147
745
848
0:58:02
5:16:57
4:19:47
10:46:09
Levi Hauwert
2034
13
83
94
0:56:09
4:49:25
3:32:08
9:23:15
Phoebe Fear
1574
14
105
853
1:08:16
5:42:30
3:50:07
10:46:34
Tim Ballintine
1973
15
90
101
0:55:21
5:10:31
3:12:06
9:24:03
Greg Bain
1289
148
749
854
1:08:14
5:27:08
4:02:11
10:46:40
Brad Wall
2125
17
97
109
0:57:27
4:54:46
3:27:28
9:25:39
Brett Isaac
1398
152
779
891
0:51:59
5:07:31
4:39:01
10:49:02
Ben Castles
1986
41
190
208
0:59:54
4:59:12
3:32:45
9:39:56
Jodie Browning
1556
17
129
949
1:03:21
5:41:34
3:58:58
10:52:57
Dean Callaghan
1983
44
206
225
0:56:01
4:52:32
3:44:56
9:41:55
Caroline Ashby
1543
18
138
989
1:05:24
5:50:34
3:53:32
10:55:59
Dave Kennett
2055
59
268
292
0:57:19
4:52:52
3:51:16
9:49:14
Kristy Hallett
1585
19
141
1002
1:08:05
5:44:16
3:55:43
10:56:58
Sean Richardson
2100
62
282
306
0:58:07
5:04:34
3:40:39
9:51:15
Allison Cooke
1561
21
147
1020
1:01:38
5:49:24
3:59:01
10:58:28 10:59:53
Guy Constant
1993
68
295
319
1:02:53
4:59:55
3:42:54
9:53:03
Ben Boyd
1303
168
881
1035
1:05:42
5:49:24
3:47:32
Scott Connolly
1992
71
330
357
1:03:36
5:08:15
3:37:12
9:56:47
Rachel Matthews
1599
30
167
1081
1:08:44
5:50:21
3:58:28
11:05:57
Ali Foot
2018
72
331
358
0:58:07
5:06:41
3:44:20
9:56:55
Travis How
1393
183
960
1149
1:05:47
5:17:57
4:38:40
11:12:25
Ashan Weerakkody
2130
86
399
432
0:54:37
5:19:52
3:43:43
10:05:08
Travis Atkins
1286
184
962
1153
1:06:17
5:57:46
3:48:35
11:12:51
Joshua Hockley
2038
101
489
536
1:05:25
4:58:33
4:05:20
10:16:00
Adam Hunt
1396
187
978
1173
1:08:04
5:45:51
4:07:29
11:14:55 11:15:47
Kyle Mooney
2075
104
512
563
0:58:19
5:10:51
4:02:25
10:18:23
Jo Coombe
1562
37
198
1179
1:04:05
6:13:53
3:49:06
Justin Walsh
2051
112
544
600
1:15:28
5:27:13
3:25:22
10:21:40
Daniel Hahn
1380
191
995
1202
1:10:50
5:48:56
4:07:23
11:17:42
Krystle Hockley
2168
7
68
690
1:08:49
5:16:02
4:00:17
10:30:49
Brett Moore
1442
196
1047
1304
1:07:28
5:42:21
4:25:49
11:29:58
Mark Bosworth
1978
129
681
761
0:58:09
5:03:30
4:27:01
10:37:36
Bradley Jones
1402
204
1099
1376
0:57:04
6:09:35
4:22:42
11:40:11
Sarah Thomas
2199
20
107
861
1:05:47
5:57:20
3:38:47
10:47:01
Owen Perrott
1463
211
1151
1455
1:20:23
5:49:50
4:30:49
11:53:07 11:56:22
Manue Hooper-Bue
2170
27
135
974
1:03:21
5:53:08
3:51:29
10:54:59
Leyla Porteous
1610
59
313
1474
1:07:12
6:11:28
4:28:07
Stella Foley
2158
34
152
1026
1:12:21
5:46:25
3:54:31
10:59:10
Belinda Dennis
1568
64
339
1521
1:07:35
6:25:36
4:21:21
12:03:15
Nathan Groch
2028
144
930
1107
0:55:41
5:02:34
5:01:54
11:08:48
Steven Nurse
1450
223
1287
1702
1:08:50
5:49:51
5:32:12
12:44:09
Melissa Geddes
1582
78
420
1715
1:18:22
6:13:51
5:00:33
12:46:38
Troy Croker
1328
231
1323
1757
1:07:08
5:42:33
5:56:36
12:58:46
Tamara Green
2163
48
243
1275
1:11:20
6:14:07
3:54:05
11:26:21
Nick Bensley
1977
--
---
---
---
---
---
DNS
Jordy Wright
2134
--
---
---
---
---
---
DNS
35-39
Jodie Barker
1545
83
453
1796
1:14:28
6:26:47
5:15:38
13:10:55
Damian Munday
1446
234
1356
1823
1:23:10
6:15:54
5:26:59
13:23:34
Ryan Miller
1778
9
58
63
1:02:20
4:53:22
3:10:19
9:12:41
Nicky Rose
1614
90
547
2044
1:18:18
7:07:45
6:10:08
14:52:42
Jay Thomas
1839
30
126
142
0:54:48
4:58:21
3:31:38
9:31:14
Leigh Coop
1324
242
1498
2045
1:08:24
6:20:43
6:52:38
14:53:10
Hayden Smith
1833
37
148
165
0:50:13
5:10:43
3:27:18
9:35:19
Anibal Juncal
1403
245
1511
2064
1:07:08
5:41:47
8:00:53
15:03:07
David Thorne
1840
52
223
244
0:56:02
5:10:36
3:28:03
9:44:01
Danielle White
1629
92
598
2165
1:31:04
7:31:01
6:53:14
16:12:51
1477
---
---
---
---
---
---
DNS
Luke Woodland
1870
76
301
325
0:54:40
4:54:42
3:55:47
9:53:30
Kevin Robertson
Tom Beechey
1650
92
359
388
1:15:50
5:14:25
3:24:43
10:00:11
45-49
Jane Fardell
1894
3
32
425
1:01:19
5:33:49
3:22:58
10:04:46
Nicholas Burt
921
7
118
133
0:57:35
4:56:37
3:27:51
9:29:59
James Debenham
1679
126
492
541
1:02:18
5:16:04
3:50:47
10:16:19
Brad Pamp
1082
11
195
214
0:57:59
5:01:17
3:33:53
9:41:03
Dominic Lopez
1762
128
497
546
1:16:30
4:54:30
3:58:04
10:16:43
Mal Joseland
1010
24
311
337
1:05:02
5:07:29
3:36:13
9:54:56
Luke Jeffrey
1723
135
531
585
1:08:22
5:13:29
3:47:23
10:19:45
Damien Coad
932
29
357
386
1:05:26
5:08:35
3:39:18
10:00:01
24
| Australian Triathlete
2017 Ironman world Championship Australian Age group results Name
BIB
Div Rank
Gender Rank
Overall Rank
Swim
Bike
Run
Finish
Ian Lack
1027
31
363
392
1:00:59
5:12:41
3:41:07
10:01:40
Phil Moss
729
168
1354
1821
1:11:51
6:21:59
5:27:52
13:23:09
John Hughes
994
40
412
448
1:10:51
5:25:35
3:21:30
10:06:49
Soolan Clifford
814
51
487
1875
1:20:47
6:46:40
5:16:53
13:37:43
John Joseph Toohey
785
180
1430
1934
1:16:18
6:35:09
5:46:16
14:00:13
Dougal Burton
614
186
1457
1976
0:57:28
6:19:28
6:47:46
14:18:54
Marcus Smith
1141
67
547
603
1:04:19
5:07:44
4:00:50
10:22:54
Mark Gleeson
976
75
566
625
1:03:19
5:13:40
3:57:08
10:24:19
Ian Flego
961
91
618
685
1:08:49
5:34:18
3:38:46
10:30:26
Peter Wex
1181
92
621
688
1:05:18
5:36:56
3:38:05
10:30:45
Shaun Hollis
991
102
660
734
0:58:59
5:12:34
4:13:02
10:35:27
Michael Taylor
1156
111
729
830
1:13:24
5:23:51
3:54:18
10:44:53
Steve Sanders
1125
113
734
835
1:05:25
5:27:15
4:02:47
10:45:34
Michelle Boyes
1198
10
104
851
1:08:08
5:38:57
3:52:47
10:46:21
Anthony Trovato
1166
119
752
857
1:06:56
5:28:02
3:59:10
10:46:51
Troy Ward
1179
130
781
896
1:00:36
5:20:44
4:19:17
10:49:23
Vince Middleton
1058
132
793
912
0:55:37
5:28:57
4:16:45
10:50:17
John Nelson
1068
142
835
968
1:11:01
5:16:17
4:19:21
10:54:47
David Venour
1173
149
853
991
1:12:55
5:19:00
4:13:17
10:56:03
Kelly Phuah
1250
16
139
996
1:09:42
5:38:48
3:58:44
10:56:31
Heidi Sowerby
1261
17
146
1016
1:07:59
5:40:57
4:02:10
10:58:01
Paul Mckay
1053
155
882
1036
1:06:05
5:39:12
4:06:46
10:59:58
Stuart Harsley
984
156
890
1046
1:04:53
5:32:29
4:10:44
11:01:12
Peter Thaus
1159
163
906
1068
1:04:15
5:27:17
4:21:48
11:04:39
Katie Greenfield
1220
19
179
1114
1:06:42
5:55:10
3:58:35
11:09:03
Julie Howle
1225
29
262
1328
1:03:30
6:13:49
4:08:15
11:33:23
Jo Mclaughlin
1246
38
292
1427
1:22:41
5:46:29
4:28:13
11:48:17
Adrian Campbell
925
212
1137
1429
1:09:28
5:40:37
4:43:59
11:48:23
Tracey Zammit
1278
41
309
1464
1:01:19
5:56:58
4:48:09
11:54:43
Jason Sim
1139
219
1179
1508
1:19:33
5:54:31
4:38:27
12:01:11
Travis Temme
1157
221
1189
1535
1:01:49
5:37:23
5:14:07
12:06:11
David Chant
929
227
1218
1587
1:16:46
6:12:24
4:37:04
12:18:00
Justin Sparks
1145
228
1224
1595
1:12:36
6:11:51
4:44:07
12:19:41
Dean Rivelli
1111
230
1232
1608
1:08:46
6:00:04
5:00:34
12:23:30
Peter Beaumont
904
234
1249
1638
1:03:18
6:02:57
5:06:37
12:29:45
Shaz Mcauliffe
1243
62
415
1698
1:14:25
6:10:28
4:59:47
12:43:09 13:33:42
Brett Blake
909
249
1379
1858
1:24:06
6:35:56
5:18:19
Anthony Corcoran
936
251
1383
1866
1:00:50
5:54:28
6:30:22
13:35:27
Scott Sullivan
1151
259
1423
1923
1:10:10
6:27:23
6:03:37
13:56:20
Anne Martin
1240
75
501
1927
1:14:02
6:25:15
5:36:35
13:57:54
Anita Redding
1253
77
516
1966
1:17:48
6:44:02
6:01:11
14:15:17
Mathew Jennings
1004
269
1457
1976
0:58:48
5:22:11
7:36:05
14:18:54
Kerry Ferguson
1215
86
606
2187
1:25:40
8:20:26
6:21:03
16:25:38
50-54 Graham Bruce
611
5
347
376
0:53:39
5:26:27
3:30:34
9:58:53
Michael Glazbrook
658
8
431
471
1:01:12
5:17:28
3:41:09
10:09:31
Angus Wippell
688
18
581
644
1:00:03
5:25:18
3:53:08
10:25:41
Alan Bentley
606
24
615
682
0:54:24
5:22:44
4:03:30
10:29:41
Craig Sweeney
779
25
622
689
0:58:18
5:08:12
4:16:16
10:30:47
Robert Hill
675
30
679
759
1:12:28
5:26:38
3:50:44
10:37:26
Tim Sloan
772
38
718
814
1:08:25
5:20:35
4:06:22
10:43:19
Rod Marton
716
41
723
822
0:58:49
5:21:10
4:11:18
10:43:39
John Flood
646
58
801
924
1:05:23
5:09:57
4:28:02
10:51:22
Brian Draganic
636
94
1003
1220
1:09:52
5:39:33
4:19:42
11:20:05
Alison Coote
815
4
228
1239
1:11:10
6:02:08
3:58:53
11:21:37
Marion Hermitage
839
8
237
1256
1:08:14
6:17:43
3:45:06
11:23:32
Vincenzo Zofrea
806
99
1028
1266
1:09:46
5:32:07
4:34:53
11:24:59
Mark Jankovskis
685
116
1093
1367
1:09:35
5:54:31
4:25:28
11:38:36
Jonathan Cahill
615
122
1124
1411
0:59:53
5:32:46
5:04:29
11:45:43
Gerard Mcdermott
718
133
1162
1476
1:08:11
6:04:13
4:32:00
11:56:25
Stephen Jones
690
140
1208
1568
1:08:45
6:09:31
4:43:01
12:13:31
Chris Price
745
141
1212
1574
0:55:14
6:05:04
4:55:15
12:14:21 12:15:47
Rodney Hall
669
142
1215
1579
1:08:52
5:43:27
5:10:32
Tony Anderson
595
154
1288
1703
1:10:17
6:19:23
5:03:54
12:44:14
Alastair Hanson
670
159
1297
1720
1:19:50
5:55:17
5:21:17
12:47:40
Maria Ross
868
38
443
1779
1:18:34
6:11:02
5:23:24
13:05:13
Tracey Bell
812
41
460
1805
1:23:29
6:54:45
4:44:11
13:15:03
Name
BIB
Div Rank
Gender Rank
Overall Rank
Swim
Bike
Run
Finish
Steven Mackay
710
189
1479
2010
1:27:12
6:07:32
6:32:43
14:32:14
Allison Ratcliffe
865
60
539
2030
1:12:30
7:23:31
5:52:17
14:45:17
Sharon Gunton
833
73
612
2199
1:35:33
8:31:40
6:08:54
16:31:37
Ian Isaac
682
212
1606
2233
1:18:58
6:53:19
8:26:16
16:54:52
55-59 Kevin Fergusson
159
3
520
572
1:01:56
5:06:50
4:01:40
10:18:41
David Boyes
408
4
562
621
1:05:12
5:15:04
3:57:19
10:24:01
Perry Nation
476
12
748
852
1:00:01
5:28:25
4:08:57
10:46:22
Ken Raupach
487
26
920
1093
1:31:26
5:40:40
3:43:01
11:06:41
Shane Flannery
437
30
959
1148
1:07:38
5:39:23
4:08:10
11:12:23
Jenny Alcorn
533
2
221
1230
1:13:12
6:01:59
3:57:54
11:20:38
Mary Mitchell
573
4
239
1267
1:19:01
5:54:00
4:05:32
11:25:25
Glenn Matthews
464
55
1157
1466
1:17:00
6:04:48
4:15:46
11:55:06
June Ward
589
12
361
1572
1:10:06
5:48:53
5:07:17
12:13:45
Rusty Cook
416
83
1286
1701
1:08:37
5:40:49
5:45:53
12:44:02
Stephen Duerden
431
88
1315
1746
1:09:49
6:28:32
5:01:57
12:53:49
Julie Cummings
540
34
515
1954
1:23:19
7:27:55
5:03:39
14:08:26
Terry Roberts
493
114
1445
1960
1:08:51
6:03:28
6:43:14
14:10:05
David Sykes
513
115
1453
1971
1:35:46
6:53:37
5:27:57
14:17:03
Rosie Spicer
585
40
546
2043
1:35:10
6:53:01
6:03:52
14:52:41
Mark Betts
403
126
1530
2100
1:14:52
6:58:43
7:01:23
15:28:29
Susie O'neill
577
51
604
2178
1:40:02
7:26:24
7:02:20
16:23:06
60-64 Mark Egan
306
13
1107
1386
1:02:30
6:05:39
4:23:40
11:41:36
Alan Hartley
314
14
1115
1399
1:10:48
5:42:52
4:40:51
11:43:24
Nancy Cullen
364
1
312
1473
1:12:24
6:18:34
4:13:49
11:56:12
Kim Elvery
366
5
416
1703
1:18:42
6:24:27
4:53:28
12:44:14
Gareth Buckley
298
38
1366
1837
1:16:31
6:53:33
5:00:16
13:27:28
Sandra Reid
383
15
540
2031
1:14:31
6:59:51
6:10:34
14:45:33
Sharman Parr
380
25
570
2099
1:48:55
7:31:11
5:52:01
15:27:08
John Hill
317
---
---
---
---
---
---
DNS
65-69 Ray Schliebs
256
11
1336
1776
1:34:17
6:25:01
4:47:47
13:03:54
Graham Crocker
231
12
1346
1806
1:03:57
6:20:55
5:42:20
13:17:20
Rob Howitt
236
17
1371
1843
1:08:58
6:44:55
5:23:11
13:29:11
Ian Mossenson
248
21
1396
1885
1:21:24
7:06:56
4:56:01
13:41:48
Catherine (Beryl) Wilson
287
14
627
2228
1:16:38
8:49:05
6:23:56
16:49:28
David Smith
259
41
1605
2232
1:56:31
7:28:51
7:08:11
16:53:09
219
5
614
2203
1:35:56
7:51:48
6:47:37
16:33:35
174
3
1543
2124
1:45:05
7:39:28
5:57:27
15:43:26
149
3
1311
1741
1:47:12
7:55:47
2:54:02
12:52:36
70-74 Karla Mckinlay 75-79 George Hulse PC Andrew Jamieson
Aloha from
Kona
* Results from Ironman.com as of 19/10/17
Australian Triathlete |
25
© Korupt Vision
Luxford Annabel
Out of the Shadows text by Jodie Cunnama p h o t o g r a p h y b y K o r u p t Vi s i o n , G e t t y i m a g e s , D e l l y C A r r a n d I TU m e d i a
A
nnabel Luxford (Bella) is a name any decent triathlon fan will know. You may be forgiven for thinking Bella is older than her years. With an elite career spanning more than 20 years, it is difficult to perceive that she is still only 35 years old - a spring chicken in terms of elite Ironman racers. She was a member of the Australian Triathlon Team for the first time in 1999. Six years on, she won the ITU World Cup Series, and a further eight years on, a medal at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Another four years later (that’s 17 years on!), she lines up this year as a main contender at the Ironman World Championships. She still has her own hips, complete collarbones and a solid smile. What led that scrawny, asthmatic and ditzy Queensland girl to endure a literal
26
| Australian Triathlete
lifetime in elite sport? For that girl, that woman now, to suspend her perpetual need to attain “balance and security”, and live as a professional athlete? Not much has been written about this established, some would say overlooked, champion of Australian sport. There are fewer articles than you would expect about her on the Internet; less hype or publicity follows her than does similar (or even sub-) standard athletes. I’m privileged to delve into the intelligent personality of Annabel Luxford, but I also feel a responsibility to ensure I pay suitable tribute to the lesser-famed woman that has played such a part in all areas of the sport through the years. She really is an icon. Results-wise Annabel Luxford could be the most consistently successful Australian woman across the years, and across the distances of modern triathlon.
That is some claim considering the pedigree of triathlon in Australia, and the stars it has produced. In any other generation or decade Bella’s accolades would have regularly made the national
annabel luxford © Michael Dodge/Getty Images
© Spomedis/ITU Media
sports pages. But despite her consistency and her reliability of result, there always seems to have been another countrywoman stealing the limelight. In short course it was Emma Snowsill. Middle distance - Melissa Hauschildt. In long distance - Mirinda Carfrae. Is Bella destined to always remain in the shadows of ‘The Greats’ despite her achievements? Perhaps Kona 2017 is the race to refocus the slightly wayward spotlight onto Bella. My interview with Bella offered me another insight into the reason why she may remain an outlier in sports media. She is very ‘matter-of-fact’ and that, in turn, communicates as being quite blasé about her achievements in sport. Her tone and compact phrasing tend to allow the listener to skim over some quite outrageously exceptional accomplishments. I don’t think she likes talking about her success.
Here are just a few statements from Bella’s account of her introduction to the sport. “I won National Cross Country when I was ten years old.” “I went on to win the Australian U20 Cross Country in 2000.” “I guess I knew that I was good at this sport and could be better if I wanted to be, but it was still just a small part of my life. I went off to Bond University the following year, on a scholarship to study full time.”
© Delly Carr/ITU Media
© Spomedis/ITU Media
Exceptional accomplishments: Annabel is one of the most consistently succesful female triathletes Australia has produced across the years, and across all distances of triathlon.
“I was named reserve for 1999 Australian Junior Team for the ITU World Championships as I was in my final year of high school and focusing a little less on sport. I got a call up to compete. I did a month of training and went, and finished fourth.” “I won the U23 World Championship, won some World Cups, and finished off the year ranked second in the World Series. In 2005, I got a silver medal at the World Championships behind Emma Snowsill, and won the World Series.” Australian Triathlete |
27
annabel luxford
© Spomedis/ITU Media
Not everyday stuff (not least of all winning a full scholarship to university). Bella is not intentionally indifferent, she just seems very used to success. She speaks of world titles as if they were school sports colours, and university scholarships like they are ‘a dime a dozen’. She is clearly a very high achiever, maybe even a perfectionist. Bella paints an intimate picture of the resourcefulness and determination that helped to shape her beginnings in sport. “When I was 16, I’d had enough of riding a bad bike. My mum was a single parent, teaching full time and raising two girls - she couldn’t afford to buy me a better bike. I asked her to get rid of the cleaning and ironing lady, and asked her if she could pay me to do that work instead. I think it was thirty
l to R: Annabel Luxford, Peter Robertson, Emma Snowsill and Brad kahlefeldt at the 2005 ITU Gamagori Triathlon World Championships.
28
| Australian Triathlete
Celebrations: Ironman 70.3 Mandurah victory, 2014.
dollars a week for about four hours work that she paid me. I saved up that money for about six months and then, with a loan from her, I bought my first carbon bike - a second hand one from another athlete in the triathlon squad.” I love this story. It paints a very real picture and offers such insight into the origins of successful sports people we too easily label ‘talented’ or ‘gifted’ athletes - athletes that are eventually assimilated into the AIS [Australian Institute of Sport] blanket program and perhaps seen as
lucky or privileged. Bella learnt to earn her ‘gifts’ from a young age. The Australian female fraternity of the 2000’s is legendary. Inspired by greats such as Michellie Jones, Nicky Hackett and Loretta Harrop, the ‘early 80s kids’ went on to (and still do) frequent world podiums time and time again. They dominated ITU Triathlon and starred in a ‘golden era’ for Triathlon Australia. Emma Snowsill, Liz Blatchford, Mirinda Carfrae, Emma Moffatt and Annabel Luxford learnt their trade together, yet were pitted
Between 2004 and 2007, Annabel attained podiums at 18 World Cups and finished fifth in Melbourne, at the Commonwealth Games. — Jodie Cunnama
© Delly Carr/ITU Media
against each other. Bella is still best friends with some of these women, meshed together by the experiences and endeavours as young, aspiring girls. “When you get a group of talented athletes, who are all intrinsically driven, resilient, and training, and competing in each other’s backyard, I think success is contagious. Of course the AIS program in the early years was probably a little ahead of what the other countries were doing collectively. But I think there was the perfect recipe of talent and drive with these women.” Between 2004 and 2007, Annabel attained podiums at 18 World Cups and finished fifth in Melbourne, at the Commonwealth Games. Despite her outrageous success on the results sheet there are gaps in form to be seen too - the obvious consequences of injury and illness. Bella has missed out on three Olympic Games qualifications over 12 years, the effect of which would be frustrating for any athlete and careerending for most. It did not, as common, incite Bella’s switch to long course racing. Nor did she ever consider quitting. She remains definite of her motivations and her own personal markers of success.
Early days: Annabel (right) keeping company on the podium with Champions Emma Snowsill (left) and Loretta Harrop (middle).
“Early on I decided on three metrics and continually evaluated them. Was I making a living from the sport where I was financially independent and debt free? Was I consistently ranked in the Top 10 in the world? And was I still enjoying triathlon? The AIS support helped but the first two metrics kept me honest and realistic. I didn’t want to be going around making up the numbers and I couldn’t afford to be doing so.” “My motivations are still much the same - to consistently be one of the best long course athletes in the world and to make a living from the sport.” Annabel is most certainly intriguing. There is a slight dichotomy between the clear performance objectives, which she states so adamantly here and her later assertions on what is important to her in sport. “I’m looking forward to seeing where that takes me. I’ve never been an athlete to say I want to win this and that. It really is about the process.” Perhaps there is a miscommunication of term or an error in context. I think that Annabel (understandably) plays her real cards quite close to her chest. A lifetime in competitive sport teaches hard lessons. It is a fragile career, easily ended by ill circumstance and no result is ever guaranteed to anybody - irrespective of talent, skill or desire. Bella is rightly reticent to claim that success or failure in sport revolves solely around victory but her attention to the importance of ‘process’ in sport somewhat conflicts with her initial assertion of never wanting to merely ‘make up the numbers’. Bella has got more cautious as she has matured in the sport. The injury struggles and the fatigue of living continually from a
Half Distance: Annabel wins the Inaugural Scody Challenge Melbourne in 2014, in front of Caroline Steffen, second (right) and Rebecca Hoschke, third (left).
© Delly Carr
© Delly Carr
© Michael Dodge/Getty Images
annabel luxford
Victory: Ironman 70.3 Auckland, Asia-Pacific Championship, 2013.
suitcase, and at the whim of results and/or sponsors are difficult to do for consecutive years. In 2015, in a quest to ease her burden of worry for the future, Bella began balancing full-time Ironman training with a three-day-week corporate job based in Melbourne. Her role did not lack responsibility - a ‘Content Optimisation Specialist’ in the digital team at National Australia Bank [NAB]. Balancing corporate city life and full-time Ironman training is some feat, as age-groupers know. Bella is not the only professional athlete to have ever taken on Australian Triathlete |
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annabel luxford
We grow up being told that we can have it all - and I think we can but maybe not all at once.
© AT
— Annabel Luxford
Turning the legs: Annabel out training before the 2016 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii
such challenges; Daniela Ryf balanced a university degree within her two most successful years on the circuit; many Pro athletes coach; I write. We all feel a need for balance and security - whether that be to procure future roles or to prolong our athletic careers. There is a time and need for recuperation away from the sports arena, and many have succeeded in excelling in multiple areas of life. Bella took it to extremes, committing to regular hours in a pressurised corporate atmosphere. That takes juggling to a whole different level. “Entering the corporate world (part time) and still racing professionally was the right choice for me. I needed to know what life after triathlon would be like and that I could thrive in that environment if I set my mind to it.” Annabel’s experiment did not fail. She developed in both sectors of her work/ sport life procuring many titles at the half-distance triathlon across Australia, satisfying her work commitments and still occasionally racing internationally to podiums. She finished 12th at her first Ironman World Championships in 2015. In high-level sport though, ‘not failing’ is never enough. Staying in the ‘top 10 in the
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world’ was proving difficult over the long distance, despite maintaining a formidable presence in 70.3 racing. In 2016, Annabel withdrew from the Ironman World Championships midmarathon due to illness. She was burning the candle at both ends. In April 2017, she surrendered to the lure of full time sport once again, having been granted extended leave from NAB. She had tried balance, but was now poised to risk a little more for a better reward. The lessons she has learnt from her experience hint to her true expectations as an athlete as well as in the banking industry - she wanted more than she could get ‘balancing’. “I’ve realised that yes, I could combine the two but funnily enough I wasn’t satisfied. I knew I wouldn’t progress in the corporate world this way and I also knew that I was limiting my success as a world-class long course athlete. So, I found myself wondering what the point was? I wasn’t happy with mediocrity in either. I think if you’re going to chase that balance, you need to adjust your measures of success, or pick pursuits that aren’t mutually exclusive.”
“We grow up being told that we can have it all - and I think we can - but maybe not all at once. I’ve always craved balance - combining study with triathlon in the early days, wanting a life travelling around the world racing but also a permanent home base and normality; and lately a foot in the corporate world and a foot in the professional sporting world. But chasing ‘balance’ can sometimes come at a cost.” Such mature statements hint towards the importance of ‘process’ that Bella so highly regards - the process of selfdiscovery on the way to athletic success. The quest to win professional races tests a persons motivations and reality, more ruthlessly than most philosophy or idealism would recommend. But humans like certainty. We like truths. Perhaps that is why Ironman is so popular - though its lessons can be painful and harsh, they are always honest and clear. If that clarity has suspended Annabel’s desire for ‘balance’ in her life then we can look forward to many more years in the presence of a successful Annabel Luxford in our sport. Perhaps right at the top of that ‘top 10 in the world’… I leave you with a statement by Annabel Luxford again, because it is that good.
Sunday 22nd April 2018, St Kilda Challenge yourself at Australia’s only inner city half distance triathlon
For more information and to enter visit:
www.challengemelbourne.com.au
© Topher Riley
© Delly Carr
Wyn Republic
Wyn-ing at Life text by Jordan Blanco p h o t o g r a p h y b y T o p h e r Ri l e y a n d K o r u p t v i s i o n
E
ight-time Ironman Champion, Luke McKenzie, has had a passion for the sport of triathlon since he was a young boy, volunteering alongside his family at Ironman Australia, in Port Macquarie, year after year, until he started racing himself. Now entering the twilight years of his professional triathlon career, McKenzie
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cannot imagine life outside of the sport. “In the past few years, I’ve started to think about life after racing professionally,” reflects McKenzie, “and how I can make a mark within the triathlon community beyond just racing.” McKenzie’s first entrepreneurial foray in triathlon came in 2015, as producer and race director of the highly successful
Island House Invitational Triathlon. The race attracts Ironman World Champions and Olympic medalists to compete alongside one another over several days of fast and furious racing in a spectacular location in the Bahamas. “I really enjoy looking at ways we can make our sport better, ways that we can bring people together in the sport,” explains McKenzie,
Wyn Republic
Not content with a successful race production career as well as racing, in 2017 McKenzie and wife Beth, have launched a new performance apparel brand, Wyn Republic. It’s an idea that had been bubbling in McKenzie’s mind for several years. “In 2013, I came second in Kona,” he recalls, “and my podium placing brought a lot of attention to the suit I wore that day.” While McKenzie was not the first athlete
© Delly Carr
© Nils Nilsen
“and I think that the Island House race is something unique for the sport.” In 2017, the race is entering its third year and is well established on the triathlon calendar. As a further testament to McKenzie’s vision, short-course, multi-day triathlon racing is attracting imitators, such as Super League Triathlon, who also recognise the media value and fan excitement of super short-course racing.
to wear a sleeved skin suit in Kona, paired with his signature “Go Luke” trucker hat, McKenzie’s outfit turned a lot of heads. Over the next several years, both McKenzies worked with their apparel sponsor to push the development of racing suits further, and the pair relished the experience: “Beth and I spent two years helping to refine aerodynamic race suits. During that time we learned a lot, and it sparked our interest in the apparel space,” says McKenzie. They savoured learning about fabrics, testing prototypes as well as sharing their design input, and they began to consider apparel as a path they might pursue for themselves when the time was right. That time came in 2017. Wyn Republic was born of McKenzie’s desire for purpose-built, high-quality performance apparel with a timeless design aesthetic. McKenzie confesses that he’s married his fanatical attention to detail when it comes to racing performance, together with his preference for sleek yet simple designs. Australian Triathlete |
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Wyn Republic flexible fabric in the shoulders and tweaked traditional seam placement in order to eliminate restriction during the swim portion of a race. Also, “the suit disconnects at the zipper,” known as dual construction, which offers athletes the option to roll down the top half during the swim and pull up in transition, if preferred. The benefits of this dual-construction design skin suit are made even clearer for the bike and run. “The two-piece construction allows for incredible flexibility in the midriff,” demonstrates McKenzie, leaning over in the suit, “so when you bend over in the aerodynamic position on the
compromising comfort. They’ve evaluated and tested each feature of the design, everything from chamois quality and placement to leg grippers that do not chafe or rub, as well as adding compression panels where appropriate to keep the suit in place. From an aesthetic perspective, the Wyn Republic designs are in McKenzie’s words “appealing without being ostentatious”, having made a conscious choice to avoid loud designs and bright colours. This maintains the focus on the functional design of the triathlon suits and cycling gear rather than fashion-oriented.
We’re really passionate about what we’ve created and we aim to build a long lasting brand. — Luke McKenzie
bike, the suit morphs to your body, while also allowing the suit to remain taut in the upright position for the run.” In addition to functional performance, McKenzie underscores that comfort has also been a critical design element: “When you’re doing an Ironman, you’re spending upwards of eight hours in a suit!” The comfort factor forced them to pay a lot of attention to fabric selection and placement, choosing the highest quality fabrics in order to maximise aerodynamics, coverage and flexibility, without
© Topher Riley
“We’re looking at how these suits perform,” he says, “selecting the best fabrics, as well as focusing on the features that triathletes require throughout the swim, bike and run legs of a triathlon.” McKenzie, together with his wife, have researched and thought through how their suits will perform in each situation. “There are a few suits out there designed for aerodynamics on the bike,” he says, “but they’re not necessarily designed for swimming and running.” In the case of Wyn Republic, they’ve incorporated more
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As much as McKenzie is excited to talk about the design features and aesthetics of the Wyn Republic apparel line, he’s quick to turn the conversation to the values that are core to their new company. The McKenzies have put family and community at the forefront of what their brand represents. It starts with the company name, as “Wyn” is a shorter version of their first daughter’s name, Wynne. This decision speaks to their experience as parents, fully incorporating their daughter into their triathlon lifestyle: “It’s a really positive environment for a child to grow up in, with so much inspiration around her… She’s been very lucky to travel along and be part of what we’ve been able to do in the sport so far.” It’s not lost on McKenzie that the name Wyn is a homonym of “win” so he’s quick to explain that “win doesn’t necessarily mean winning a race, it’s more about achieving personal goals and winning at life.” The McKenzies have taken a big risk in launching Wyn Republic, taking a leap of faith and investing a considerable amount of their personal savings into the venture. To date, the collection has received a strong reception with sales continuing to build. “We’re really passionate about what we’ve created,” says McKenzie, “and we aim to build a long lasting brand.” Following their passions, investing in their own ideas and forging their own path in the triathlon community is clearly the McKenzie version of winning at life.
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Australian Triathlete |
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Paradise Calling
t e x t b y M a r g a r e t Mi e l c z a r e k p h o t o g r a p h y b y s h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m
L
ocated on the west coast of Sri Lanka, the cosmopolitan city of Colombo is the largest city of the island and is known as its commercial capital. It’s often described as a ‘sum of its contrasting parts’, an island of contradictions. It’s a place where history meets modern living; where urban slums, and diesel fumed roads and street markets meet designer shopping malls. While Sri Lanka may have been overlooked on the traveller’s map in the past, in favour of perhaps
more exotic destinations like India, Thailand and Vietnam, it’s certainly come into its own over the years and has become a popular destination for travellers. And rightly so. For athletes who love to race in exotic destinations, Colombo will host Ironman 70.3 Colombo on February 25, 2018. With a fast, flat course, this is set to be the perfect race for athletes who thrive in warm, tropical environments, and who are hoping to qualify for the 2018 Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
The weather The average temperature in Colombo in February is siad to be around 27°C (23°C - 31°C). February falls right between the two rainy seasons, so expect warm, but not too hot temperatures with low rainfall. Although, speaking to Sri Lankan local, Tisara Samarasuriya expect that “it’ll be humid so prepare to sweat.”
Getting there The only way to get to Colombo, Sri Lanka from Australia is to fly - you can get there from most major Australian cities. Check out www.skyscanner.com.au or www. cheapflights.com.au for hot deals! Next up - getting from the airport to Colombo and your accommodation. The international airport that services Colombo, Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), is about 32km north of the city. It is said that it can take up to 90minutes to get from the airport to Colombo, depending on the traffic, so you may want to factor that into your planning. An airport shuttle runs every 15 minutes from the airport to a nearby bus station, from where you will have to use public transport, which will
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Destination: colombo, Sri lanka
connect you to Colombo. While this might be a cheaper option, it may be a logistical nightmare if you’re trying to juggle multiple bags and a bike bag. So, it might be better to opt for a taxi instead.
Getting around Colombo Once you’ve arrived at your destination, to get around the city or to get to and from the race venue, you have some options. One of the most popular and convenient ways to get around Colombo is in a tuk-tuk (a three-wheeled vehicle). NB: it’s recommended that tourists opt for metered tuk-tuks rather than trying to negotiate a rate with a driver as you may be over charged. “Tuk guys are always lying when they say their meter isn’t working,” warns Samarasuriya. A hot tip from Samarasuriya: “Start calling everyone ‘Machang’ [meaning buddy] and befriend your tuk guy – they will get you places fastest; they will be the best local guides, and they have an infinite supply of tuk-tuk quote wisdom.” Judging from that, it would be well worth the experience riding in a tuk-tuk, before and after the race. Outside of tuk-tuks, other modes of transport include taxis (again, probably most suitable when getting to and from the race venue), buses and a train system.
Where to stay Colombo offers lots of accommodation options to suit all tastes and budgets. From plush hotels, Airbnb’s to hostels there is something for everyone. When booking your place to stay, one thing I’d recommend is staying somewhere close to the race. And remember, while five kilometres out from the race might not seem far, when you’re in taper and meant to be staying off your legs days out from
© Saman527 / Shutterstock.com
Location: Aerial view of Colombo and Galle Face Green, Sri Lanka.
Food and Drink the race, the last thing you want to be doing is walking the extra kilometres to and from the race venue. It also makes things a lot easier, logistically, on race morning if you stay as close to the start as possible. With that in mind, accommodation options located within one to two kilometres of Galle Face Green include the following: • • • • • • • • • •
Hilton Colombo Colombo Courtyard Cinnamon Grand Colombo Taj Samudra Colombo Shangri-La Colombo (the race host hotel) Galle Face Hotel Crescat Apartments City Beds The Regent Grand Oriental Hostel at Galle Face
For most accommodation options you will be looking to spend around $100-200 per night unless you choose cheaper options like staying at a hostel. Check out the following websites for all your options – www.trivago.com, www.tripadvisor.com. au and www.booking.com. It would also be worth looking at www. airbnb.com.au for cheaper, short-term holiday rentals.
“Colombo is probably the food capital of Sri Lanka. From wherever you stay a short walk should get you enough food to last you the whole stay. All partner hotels have been informed of the carb load dinner,” informs Samarasuriya. Sri Lanka, also known as the spice island, is famous for its diverse, rich, colourful and vibrant cuisines. Read a little bit about its history and it soon appears that almost every nationality has visited or traded in Sri Lanka over the years, and has left its mark. This is very much reflected in
© Miha Travnik / Shutterstock.com
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the menu options on offer at restaurants and cafes across the island – you will find dishes to suit all tastes. From traditional Sri Lankan curries to Portuguese, English, German and Japanese cuisines, there is something for everyone. According to www.tripadvisor.com.au popular restaurants near Galle Face Green include the following: • Yumi – Japanese, Sushi and Asian cuisines • Latitude – Asian, Indian • Sea Spray – seafood, Asian • The Bavarian German Restaurant Pub – German, pub/bar, European • The Poolside Bar and Terrace – bar, International, Asian, Sri Lankan • The Lagoon – Seafood, Asian, Sri Lankan • Echo – Italian, Pizza, European • The Gardenia Coffee Shop – fusion, Sri Lankan, International, Asian • Baked – International, delicatessen • Graze Kitchen – Italian, Japanese, Indian, International, Sushi, Asian, Thai • Burgers King – fast food, American. Of course, while away on holiday it’s fun trying local cuisine (think: street food from local food traders); however, I’d say
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leave being adventurous with local cuisine for after the race. For coffee lovers, fret not – Sri Lanka does have some quality coffee spots. The only catch is, most of them are located in the city centre, which is around five kilometres from Galle Face Green. Recommended coffee spots include, Java Lounge (www.javalounge.lk), Hansa Café (www.srilankacoffee.com), Coco Veranda (www.cocoveranda.com) and Barista (www.barista.lk).
Do and See “This is Sri Lanka,” says Samarasuriya proudly. “The country has so much culture and diversity. A few hours drive inland, and you get the beautiful picturesque mountains, cold climate and probably the best tea in the world. Kandy is the cultural capital of Sri Lanka, which is also inland and there is so much to see and do there. Ella and Haputhle for the adventurous, and then to Arugambay, Galle and Unawatuna for the white sand beaches. If you want to experience an empty beach though, travel to Passikudah, and you might get just that - a whole private beach to yourself. I would recommend going through a travel site to get the whole thing down since there is so much to do,” he adds.
Trawling through travel websites and blogs, it soon becomes very obvious that there is so much to do in Sri Lanka. From parks and gardens, beaches, art galleries and museums, to temples and statues, and of course the Galle Face Green; there is something for everyone. Some of the standout things to do and see include, walking through the Viharamahadevi Park, which is lined with palms and fig trees. It’s believed to be a great place to relax and people watch, and you might even catch the odd snake charmer in action. If you like the zoo and landscaped gardens don’t miss out on a visit to the National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka. For market lovers – head over to Diyatha Uyana. According to the Lonely Planet, this is Colombo’s ‘most happening public park’ – an ‘outdoor hub of cultural activity’. The Good Market, where you can find Sri Lankan crafts and healthy snacks, is held here on Thursdays. Speaking of shopping, if you crave some retail therapy during your stay, head over to Arcade Independence Square where you will find some major brands, along with food and entertainment (cinemas). While in Sri Lanka another must-do item for your list is a visit to the temples. The Bellanwila Temple is one not to be missed. It is said to be ‘a real locals’ temple’, where you can truly experience ‘the authenticity of the Buddhist tradition’. It’s also known as a great place to meditate – perhaps a good spot to clear the mind before the race? For the art lovers and those interested in finding out about the history of Sri Lanka, don’t go past art galleries and museums. The Paradise Road Galleries are popular with locals and tourists. Established in 1988 in the offices of Sri Lankan architect, Geoffrey Bawa, exhibitions change monthly and showcase leading Sri Lankan, as well as South Asian talent. For more, visit www.paradiseroad. lk. To learn about Sri Lankan history, the people that fought to preserve the Sri Lankan identity and their historic journey towards independence make sure you visit the Independence Memorial Museum, which is located in the basement of the Memorial Hall, Independence Square. Not only is it a great to learn about Sri Lanka’s history but it’s also said to be a beautiful place to relax and hang out. Visit www. museum.gov.lk to find out more. And of course, while you’re in Sri Lanka you cannot miss out on spending the day at one of the stunning beaches. Mount Lavinia Beach is popular. It’s a 40-minute bus trip from the centre of Colombo, but it sounds like it’s well worth the effort as the sunsets here are believed to be spectacular.
Destination: colombo, Sri lanka
According to the locals Tisara Samarasuriya say’s:
The swim: “The swim will be tough going out due to the current but should be a breeze coming back in. The water quality is good, no swells.”
The bike: “If you want a PB in your 70.3 this is the race for you. [The bike] is flat and fast. The only thing to watch is the headwind. If it’s a windy day, you might have a tough day.” Scenic: White lighthouse and Meeran Jumma Masjid mosque in old Dutch Galle fort, Sri Lanka.
Leading into the race If you want to do some last minute training leading into the race or if you want to tick the legs over and make sure everything works properly on the bike, it’s recommended that you ride before 6:30am, when the roads are relatively empty. Local athlete, Samarasuriya suggests riding early. “I wouldn’t recommend riding out during the day,” he says. “Part of the [Ironman 70.3] course goes over a local training ride course – Marine Drive. This is a very safe place to cycle,” he adds. “[It’s] good to get the legs spinning around here.”
Ironman 70.3 Colombo, 25 February 2018 Ironman 70.3 Colombo will take place in the heart of the city – at Galle Face Green, also known as ‘Colombo’s favourite promenade’. Galle Face Green is described as an ocean-side urban park, which is animated by bubble-blowers, bouncing beach balls and colourful kites. It stretches for 500 meters along the coast and according to the Lonely Planet is the place where street food traders congregate to serve Sri Lankan treats, including crispy egg hoppers and the island’s signature dish, Kottu (a grilled fry-up of chopped noodles eggs and spices).
The course is said to be a flat and fast, so it’s a great destination race if you want an Ironman 70.3 PB! The 1.9km ocean swim will be held at the historic Galle Face Green, followed by a well paved, flat and fast 90km bike course that will take you through the Port of Colombo. The spectator friendly 21.1km run will pass some of Colombo’s landmarks and the Port of Colombo, and it’s sure to leave you with many great memories to cherish. Perfect warm, tropical weather conditions, friendly and supportive locals, and 30 qualifying slots to the 2018 Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa, why wouldn’t you want to race Ironman 70.3 Colombo.
The run: “It’s going to be hot, no doubt. It’s a flat run, but if the wind picks up, you’re in for a treat. But hey, you need a challenge, right?”
Rajan Thananayagam say’s:
Pre-race training: “Viharamahdevi Park is a good loop for cycling with minimal traffic and a pleasant route. You could use the short tracks there for running practice before the race too.”
Sports fans: “People of Colombo love a race and are always ready to cheer on hard working athletes. Expect hundreds of locals to turn up to cheer you on as you test your limits in their backyard.”
The after party and night life: “After an eventful day of racing, challenging your limits on a pleasant Sunday morning, get ready for some after party entertainment at Shangri La Hotel Colombo with the Ironman extended family in the epic Colombo style.”
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tech talk Tri Products
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HR+ Standout Features: -- Interchangeable noise isolation ear tips and locking fins (S/M/L) -- Clinical-grade heart rate monitor -- Instant audio feedback -- Light weight: 17g -- Greater than 7 hours battery life -- Large, 8.6mm audio drivers -- IPX5 water and sweat resistant lifetime guarantee -- The HR+ earphones can also be used with current running apps including Strava and Map My Run Biosensing earphones work alongside the BioConnected MyBest App, to measure all possible fitness biometrics to give you a clear picture of how your body is performing. -------
MyBest™ App Essential Features: Multi sport tracking A.I Audio feedback coach Ghost racer Goal setting Share with others
Oakley Evzero™ path prizm™ road metals collection Built for speed and engineered to be the ultimate multi-sport sunglass for training, running and beyond, EVZero™ Path is Oakley’s lightest performance frame and features a toric shield of Plutonite® in a rimless design for an unobstructed view. Features: -- Three-Point Fit holds lenses in precise optical alignment while eliminating pressure points -- Unobtainium® earsocks and nosepads increase grip with perspiration for a no slip grip -- Plutonite® Lenses offer top UV Protection filtering 100% of all UVA, UVB, UVC and harmful blue light up to 400nm -- Matter™ stress-resistant frame material is both lightweight and durable for all-day comfort and protection RRP: $224.95 http://au.oakley.com
TOPEAK® Tri-Backup Tubebag Tri-BackUp TubeBag provides protection from harmful ultra violet rays that can quickly degrade an inner tube. So the next time you have to fix a flat, your tube is ready to go. Features: -- Designed to integrate with Tri-Backup Pro V and Tri-Backup Pro I for maximum aerodynamic efficiency. -- Up to 700 x 25c inner tube -- Side pockets for up to four 16g CO2 cartridges -- Includes all mounting straps -- Weight: 70g
TOPEAK® Tri-Backup Airstation Tri-BackUp series is a complete system that Topeak has carefully integrated storage, hydration and repair into one solution for triathletes. The Tri-BackUp AirStation is an adapter for mounting a CO2 inflator, CO2 cartridges, and a mini pump. Features: -- Engineering grade plastic -- Works with TRI-BackUp Elite/Pro V /Pro I -- Weight: 30g
TOPEAK® Tri-Backup Pro I Saving time wherever possible is important to a Triathlete. The Tri-Backup Pro I aids by mounting to the parallel section of your saddle to form a rear saddle hook helping to minimize T1 times. This sturdy rack also provides multi-combo capabilities to customize equipment for any race needs. Features: -- Pressed aluminium -- Can hold one or two bottles -- Two angle positions -- Weight: 102g
RRP: $29.95 www.cassons.com.au
RRP: $24.95 www.cassons.com.au
RRP: $89.95 www.cassons.com.au Australian Triathlete |
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tech talk
Brand:
Product Spotlight
© Cameron Baird
Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc
T
he goal was clear: Forget limitations, ignore conventional wisdom, and create a racewinning aero road bike without compromises. To achieve what was previously unachievable. Superior aerodynamics is a critical part of the equation, but the team of engineers, aerodynamics experts and pro racers at Giant wanted more. So they began the process of building an aero road machine that also delivers measurable gains in control and efficiency. It would have disc brakes integrated into the overall design. It would be light and stiff, and would offer previously unattainable aerodynamic performance. It’s easy to improve aerodynamic performance by sacrificing stiffness or weight. While also being committed to key design elements including a larger headtube, downtube and bottom bracket area that we feel are
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critical to the bike’s efficiency and handling. These decisions help give the Propel Disc an even better stiffness-to-weight ratio and put it well ahead of competitors. It took three years, radical experimentation with tube shapes, and hundreds of iterations in CFD and wind-tunnel testing, but the final results speak for themselves. The new Propel Disc range delivers ultimate speed with three key benefits: integrated aerodynamics, total control and unrivaled efficiency.
As the test data shows, (below) the flagship model of the new Propel Disc range has the highest frame stiffness of any other bike in its category, and it beats out most of its key competitors in overall weight. Those two factors together give it unrivaled efficiency on the road. And with its updated AeroSystem Shaping Technology and integrated disc brakes, the new Propel Disc range combines race-winning aero performance with total control on the road.
RANK
Model
frame stiffness/ weight ratio
1
Giant Propel Advanced SL Disc
71.1
2
Canyon Aeroad CF SLX
60.6
3
Specialized Venge ViAS Disc
57.7
4
Giant Propel Advanced SL
53.6
5
Trek Madone
45.9
Propel advanced sl disc Re-engineered with Giant’s AeroSystem Shaping technology, which means that every tube shape and angle is optimized for minimal drag, the Advanced SL-grade composite frame is ultra-stiff and superlight. And its new discbraketechnology is integrated with the frameset, including flat-mount calipers and thru-axles for optimal wheel stiffness andbraking performance on the road. For pro-level road performance and the ultimate aero advantage, the new PropelAdvanced SL Disc is way ahead of the pack. Here are the core technologies that help the Propel Advanced SL Disc give you a competitive edge:
technology 1 AEROSYSTEM SHAPING TECHNOLOGY Through CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind-tunnel data, engineers optimize each tube shape to deliver superior aerodynamic performance.
6 RIDESENSE Giant’s chainstay integrated, wireless data transmitter. The removable transmitter sendswheel speed and cadence information directly to any ANT+ compatible computer.
2 VECTOR INTEGRATED SEATPOST Designed as a key performance factor in the overall frameset, the integrated seat post saves up to 45 grams compared to standard composite posts, while improving aerodynamics and adding road-smoothing compliance.
7 GIANT WHEELSYSTEM Engineered with proprietary Dynamic Balanced Lacing technology, Giant’s all-new42/65mm SLR Composite WheelSystem delivers superior efficiency, pinpoint control and supreme aerodynamics. The wheels are integrated with Giant Gavia tubeless tires for added rolling efficiency and a reduced risk of flats.
3 ADVANCED COMPOSITE TECHNOLOGY From bare thread to finished frame, every Giant composite bicycle is designed, engineered and hand-built in our own factory. Using state-of-the art materials and manufacturing techniques, both Advanced SL-Grade and Advanced-Grade Composite framesets offer outstanding weight, stiffness and compliance characteristics. 4 OVERDRIVE 2 Giant’s most advanced steerer tube technology offers unprecedented steering precision. Oversized headset bearings (1 1/2” lower, 1 1/4” upper) and a tapered steerer tube produce superior front-end stiffness. 5 POWERCORE A massively oversized bottom-bracket/chainstay area features a fully integrated, 86-millimeter wide bottom-bracket design. Asymmetric chainstays provide additional stiffness on the driveside and stability on the non-driveside.
8 INTERNAL CABLE ROUTING Frame/handlebar/stem feature unique cable porting for sleek, non-cluttered appearanceand performance. 9 DISC BRAKE INTEGRATION The frame and fork are engineered specifically for flat-mount disc-brakes, including front and rear 12mm thru-axles for reliable braking performance in all weather and road conditions. 10 CONTACT SLR AERO BAR/STEM Composite integrated handlebar-and-stem unit improves aero performance with wind-tunnel shaped airfoil design and internal cable routing.
Learn more at www.giant-bicycles.com/au
Australian Triathlete |
43
tech talk Road Test
Product Tested: Xtreme Carbon wheels
Xtreme Carbon wheels text by The test lab | photography by Xtreme Carbon wheels
O
ver the last few years, there have been many changes in performance race wheels for bikes. From deeper, to wider and serrated, there seems to be no end to the innovations coming from the big brands in the market. And while these grab most of our attention, occasionally a boutique brand will come out of left field with something that really catches the eye. Enter Australian company, Xtreme Carbon. Not to be confused with the late 90s, early 2000s wheel company, X-treme (which has long been out of business) this small family business entered the wheel market about 18 months ago and immediately caught our eye. They were different. The wheels looked different. Sure, the depths were familiar with 60, 80 and 90mm all available, but there was more to these wheels. Fast-forward a few months and we were lucky enough to receive a pair of 90s to test.
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The box the wheels came in was a visual feast, with the giant ‘Scary Dad’ logo (as my daughter calls it) large and loud across the front. Our test wheel set was the 90mm front and rear Race Grade option. Xtreme Carbon also have a 60mm front and rear Race Grade option and a 120mm rear option in the top-end range available. For the more budget minded, 60mm and 80mm Enticer Grade front and rear options are also offered. On opening up the box you get a real appreciation for the work that has gone into producing these wheels. Nothing has been left to chance. From the 12K weave of the carbon to the classic decals and high gloss clear coat, not to mention the gold nipples and skewers, these wheels are such a visual delight you would almost be forgiven for missing the hero of the wheel - the hub, which pulls the wheel together. It’s a deep, narrow, alloy aero hub with a carbon axle that essentially hides the spokes behind the rim when looking
straight on. Our test wheels were spot on 90mm deep and 25mm wide, as advertised, although not as blunt-nosed as some other offerings out there, and came fitted with Continental GP4000s. Before we get to the ride quality of the Xtreme Carbon wheels, let’s take a closer look at their development. First of all the designs and moulds are all Xtreme Carbon’s own, in-house designs and are manufactured by Topkey International, in Taiwan. The rims fall somewhere between the straight-line aero shape of a ‘V’ rim and the ‘U’ shape of the more stable rims seen in a lot of wheels today. The shape is the result of basing the development on a rotating aerodynamic object rather than just a rim shape, thus the resulting hub shape - more on that later. They use 12K carbon with a gloss finish on all their rims, and the braking surface and tyre U section (clincher and tubular) are constructed using a 3K weave and high temperature (240 degrees Celsius) resin on the braking
Reviewed by: The Test Lab Craig McKenzie and Patrick Legge are The Test Lab. Two guys with an obsession for trialling all things related to swimming, riding and running and telling anyone who will listen what they think. Having 20 years each in the sport, they’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly, but always loved the innovation triathlon brings to the world stage. Craig raced as a professional triathlete, winning 4 National Duathlon titles, and has worked as an exercise physiologist, osteopath and coach, while Pat has built a career running a personal training, massage and coaching business, working with State, Australian and World Champions, including Australian Olympic and Commonwealth squads whilst competing himself.
© The Test Lab
@thetestlab
surface. All of the Xtreme Carbon wheels are explicitly designed for triathlon and time trial (TT) events, and the forces exhibited by such events. As a result, they have been ratified, legal for all UCI TT and triathlon events. NB: mass start cycling events require depths of 65mm and under, which Xtreme Carbon are working on for future projects. There are also disc brake versions coming down the line, should the current trend become the norm. Both the front and rear options use 24 J-pull round Sapim spokes. This allows Xtreme to achieve optimal stiffness and reliability. One might expect there to be some deficit with round spokes but Xtreme state that there is no aero data available that confirms that a bladed spoke decreases the aero drag for the wheel. Furthermore, testing undertaken by the AIS track team on round versus bladed spokes revealed that there is ‘no measurable difference’ in the drag experienced between both wheels. So the extra strength of the round spoke wins out. This makes life a lot easier when working on the wheels or when you need a quick change out on the road. This brings us to the hubs. The hubs are machined from aerospace-grade, single-piece billet
Aluminium 6061 T6 in Melbourne, and look spectacular. Just 25mm wide, and with a flange depth of 100m, they came about as a result of the designers realising they needed a hub and axle design that fit precisely with the aero wheel design. Thus, this hub was designed to tuck the spokes behind the rim and reduce the frontal area of the wheel profile resulting in less rotating drag. We checked to see if there had been any failures in the hub. Xtreme reported that through the whole testing period, and in the production time there had been no instances of cracks or failure. Not surprising as the material used is specified for use in aircraft landing gear. Xtreme Carbon top their hubs of with US-based, Enduro ceramic bearings. Finishing off the look of the wheels are the flashy gold skewers. While they may look bulky, Xtreme assured us they were designed for clamping force, and there is very little aerodynamic penalty. The benefits of a secure wheel, especially when you consider how tight the tolerance is with some modern frames, far outweigh any aero loss. We received some wind tunnel data from Xtreme highlighting the work they’ve
done to ensure that what comes out of their factory has been designed to limit any losses due to drag. The tests were performed at the SAPT tunnel in Arizona, where the protocol was standardised across all tests. The wheels were tested inside a bike to predict more real-life riding, and all variables such as tyres, inflation pressures, wind and wheel speed remained consistent throughout. Yaw angles between 0-10degrees were tested, reflecting conditions triathletes and time trialists might come up against when racing. The data was drawn from testing the Xtreme wheels against several industry-leading wheel brands of the similar depth of 60mm. The results showed that the Xtreme 60s had around 4.2% less drag than the next best wheel. That equates to saving about 3.2watts at these Yaw angles, which can add up to considerable energy or timesavings over any triathlon course, and especially over 180km. We would like to see how the 60s and 90s perform at higher degrees of Yaw (that you might see in races like Hawaii where a higher Yaw is common). We suspect that the advantages at higher Yaws with these wheel sets may not be as significant Australian Triathlete |
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tech talk Road Test
Xtreme carbon Wheels: Very aesthetic to the eyes and so much more .
because the spokes become more exposed as Yaw values rise. Now, only the 60mm depth wheels were tested. We suspect that the 90mm wheels would offer similar drag reductions or maybe just a little less, as a deeper rim depth will have slightly less spoke profile in the wind. What we were really itching to test was the 120mm (‘The Godzilla 120’) that has just been released. Unfortunately at the time of testing, this was not quite ready for us. This wheel depth fascinates us, as athletes will typically jump from an 80 or 90mm wheel depth to a disc if they want the gold standard of rears to ride. At 120mm not only is this wheel a great substitute for a disc but can still be legally ridden at Kona, and seems to be the deepest wheel commercially available. The Godzilla rear wheel is still built with the aero hub and axle system, so there’s the same 25mm distance between the hub flanges, allowing the spokes to vertically align with the rim, as they do with the 60s and 90s. But this is where the wheel becomes more interesting than its shallower brothers or sisters, as Xtreme have designed this wheel to be reverse parabolic like the profile of a sail, and their calculations show that the 120 has the
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same aerodynamic profile as a solid disc rear wheel through 0-20degrees of Yaw. Adding to that between 30-60 degrees of Yaw (yes, very high Yaw) they have demonstrated that wheel can generate, on average, dependent on wind speed, 1.25% drive or free speed, which equates to around 0.5kph for free speed at 40kph. As Brad from Xtreme tells us, “Sailing mechanics is the new frontier in bicycle wheel design.” This could lead the company to look into different wheel designs and possibly new bike designs too, which can take advantage of the very creature we fight against when racing. While all of the above is rather interesting the reality is, everything comes down to how the wheels ride. Pulling the wheels out of their box you notice they are a little heavier than a lot of wheels out there, but when it comes to triathlon and time trials, this is not such a big deal. It’s also obvious how stiff the rims themselves are, let alone the whole wheel. Onto the bike - they offer next to no flex, even accelerating out of corners there was no brake rub against a flexing rim, which is a real testament to the build quality. Our first outing on the Xtremes was hitting hot laps around the Melbourne Grand Prix
Product Tested: Xtreme Carbon wheels
circuit in Albert Park. Through a number of the tight corners, where we often get pushed around by winds, when testing deep rims, they tracked perfectly and returned to speed very quickly - none of the sluggish acceleration you sometimes get with heavier wheels. While it’s hard to notice any real difference from other wheels we have tested when riding with a tailwind, one of the highlights of the wheel set is just how they perform into a headwind. They just want to keep going, riding seems less of an effort than with other wheel sets, and we can only imagine that this is down to the hub and tucked-in spokes. Winds in Melbourne can get moving and, as we have had with almost all brands, there were a few hairy moments with side wind gusts, but overall even in Melbourne you could get away with a pair of 90s for 80% of all races. Having said that we are sure that if you substituted out the 90mm for a 60mm at the front, you could handle any race going around, and have very little aerodynamic loss, so that might be the better allaround option. One area we expected the Xtremes to not perform well in was descending. We expected the narrow pull of the spokes into the hub flange to maybe not spread the pressure through the turns as well as other brands. We were wrong. In fact, they flew down the hills and never gave us the feeling of being on the edge. For the majority of athletes, we would probably recommend going with the 60mm front, and 90mm rear, or even the 120mm - this combination will treat you well from your local sprint race right through to the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. When we heard we were getting a pair of the Xtreme Carbon wheels to test, we expected to get a very cool looking and very unique wheel set. What we got ended up being so much more - an Australian brand, ready to go, head-to-head with the industry leaders. At $2000 for a set of Race Grade 90s, they are competitively priced to make an impact locally and internationally. Naturally, we love seeing innovative Australian companies, and can’t wait to see where Xtreme Carbon heads in the future and the products they come up with.
IA AL
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www.goldcoasttri.com
LON AUSTR H T
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INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM ENTRIES AVAILABLE
TRI A
25 FEBRUARY 2018
tech talk Product Spotlight
Product: ORCA wetsuits 3.8 and Predator
Orca Wetsuits 3.8 and Predator
T
he Orca brand is synonymous with speed, power and organic streamlined designs. Taking inspiration from the Orca whale, Orca evokes the prowess and instincts of this powerful ruler of the seas with it’s wetsuits. New for 2017, we offer extended use of 0.88Free Technology in the Predator, and an even more buoyant 3.8 with the addition of the Core Lateral Stabilizer. These compliment perfectly our existing wetsuit range carried forward for 2017, which continues to use both design and technological advances to offer a wetsuit to suit every need and price-point for triathletes.
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3.8 With the addition of the Core Lateral Stabilizer, extended Exo-cell and Aerodome and more exible arms and shoulders, the new 3.8 provides the perfect option for a swimmer who needs extra buoyancy and better swimming position as their number one requirement, but also appreciates an unrivalled feeling of freedom in their stroke.
PREDATOR The Predator wetsuit is perfect for the swimmer looking for the ultimate swim assistance - now with extended 0.88Free technology for the ultimate feeling of freedom and an even higher level of buoyancy to keep you streamlined even when you tire.
The 3.8 and Predator range will be available through your local Orca dealer in Australia. To find your nearest stockist head to www.orca-australia.com.au/
3.8
EXOCELL & AERODOME CORE LATERAL
Extended Exocell to cover the entire lower front panel of the male suit, combined with Aerodome2 panels from the lower back to the calf of the 3.8 wetsuit provide the most buoyancy available across any of our suits. Male and female specific buoyancy panels enable more customised swimming suport with balanced buoyancy.
1.5MM 40CELL
0.88FREE
EXOLIFT WITH
CORE LATERAL
TECHNOLOGY
AERODOME
STABILIZER (CLS)
At just 0.88mm thick, the 0.88 Free Material used on the sleeves, underarms and now upper back of the Predator make it feel like you’re not even wearing a wetsuit - with total freedom throughout every phase of your stroke. Titanium coating on this super flexible material provides thermal protection for your arms to regulate your temperature.
The unique sandwiching of Exo-Lift technology and the super buoyant Aerodome neoprene on the lower front and back of the suit provides the ultimate lift where it’s most needed. These panels have no lining and so don’t absorb water and so the level of buoyancy offered remains unchanged no matter how long you’ve been in the water.
Using a less flexible material on the core panels to stabilize the body. The suit feels stiff but once in the water it gives the feeling of swimming on a surfboard - greatly improving your body position and so also your speed.
STABILIZER (CLS) New to the 3.8 wetsuit, the CLS uses a less flexible material on the core panels to stabilize the body. The suit feels stiff but once in the water it gives the feeling of swimming on a surf board - greatly improving your body position and so also your speed.
Predator
NEOPRENE The use of 1.5mm 40cell neoprene on the shoulders of the 3.8 as well as the underarms makes this version of the 3.8 the most flexible ever made providing unrivalled stretch where it’s most important.
Australian Triathlete |
49
tech talk Road Test
Product Tested: Asics® Dynaflyte™ 2 Women’s and Men’s Runners
Women’s
W
hat do you look for in a running/triathlon shoe? Is it purely about comfort and choosing a shoe to suit the distance you plan to run? Or is there more to it and does it come down to the technology used and the construction? Is it about the heel drop and the weight of the shoe? Or is it about the style of the shoe; the colour and what’s currently “in running shoe fashion”? These are some of the questions I asked myself when I received my latest assignment – to road test the new Women’s ASICS® DynaFlyte ™ 2 running shoes. For me, it’s about comfort - I don’t want unnecessary rubbing that might cause blisters, especially over long distances. It’s about the fit and the feel – I want the shoes to fit properly so that I can run long distances without issue and
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without fear that it might cause injury due to forcing a different running style or foot strike. Secondary to comfort, and fit and feel, like most triathletes, I also like to look good during training and racing. So a stylish shoe, that’s bright and colourful, is a bonus. In the past, I haven’t worried too much about the weight of the shoe – I’ve gone with what was recommended at an ActiveFeet fitting years ago (when I was first starting out in triathlon). And while my training buddies have tried other shoes, and coaches and training clubs have recommended this brand or that, I’ve stuck with what I know works for me - ASICS®. I’m an ASICS® girl. I have run in ASICS® for years and haven’t felt the need to change because “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?” Now, while I’ve run in ASICS for years, I’ve run in a heavier model – ASICS® GT-2000, which weighs about 329g. The ASICS® GT-2000’s were initially recommended to me for extra support and stability. So, I was a little sceptical to try a lighter, neutral shoe. Would this mean
less support? Would I be able to run longer distances (think: half and full marathon distances) in a lighter shoe with, perhaps, less support? But I was pleasantly surprised.
DynaFlyte ™ 2 Women’s – A lightweight, durable, neutral trainer Dubbed as the “go fast” training shoe, the latest DynaFlyte ™ model - DynaFlyte ™ 2 - is said to be lighter (about 20g lighter) than the original DynaFlyte ™ model, which was released in 2016. It’s also said to have a ‘revamped adapt mesh upper material’, which according to ASICS®, this is meant to allow the foot to breathe better in the shoe. A light yet cushioned and supported shoe? You’ve got my attention. NB: While I wasn’t able to compare between the original model and the DynaFlyte ™ 2 - I haven’t tried the original model - I was very excited to road test the shoes when they arrived in the office.
Photos: © Asics.com.au
Don’t Run… FLY!
Reviewed by: Margaret Mielczarek Women’s The Test Lab Men’s
a combination of black/hot pink/Persian jewel – so you’ve got choices! I was also instantly impressed with how good the shoes look, overall – they don’t look bulky, and the shoelace eyelets are nicely discrete. And they’re light – at 204g they’re a lot lighter compared to what I’m used to. This got my attention. But would the shoes pass the run test?
The Fit and Feel As soon as I put on the shoes, they instantly felt good – ah, that new-shoes feel. Despite being light, they felt super comfortable and cushioned underfoot – almost bouncy, like walking on clouds. I felt that the shoe upper hugged my feet comfortably, without being too tight, and the discrete eyelets dispersed the lace tension, enhancing the upper comfort and fit – the shoes didn’t feel too tight up top when laced up normally. Also, there was a generous amount of room in the toe box meaning my toes didn’t feel squashed, and the width of the shoe was spot on too – you want a little bit of room to move in a running shoe. Overall, the fit and feel were excellent from the first wear. It was time to test them on the road.
The Comfort Factor
Out of the Box The first thing that got my attention when I opened the box was the colour – bright blue! That would certainly stand out in the crowd at any fun run or triathlon event. I love bright colours, so I was very excited about this. According to the ASICS website the shoes also come in black and
My first road test was an eight-kilometre lunchtime road run (think: a harder surface compared to softer trails). I was curious to see what the shoes would feel like pounding the pavement. I’m excited to report that I quickly forgot I was wearing new shoes – not something that typically happens with new runners. They definitely passed the comfort factor. Tick! Also, despite these being a neutral runner, I felt supported throughout the run, all without the extra bulk that typically comes with more supportive shoes. I am sold. They felt responsive and stable, which is largely because of the FlyteFoam Midsole Technology used in the shoes. I felt like the shoes absorbed most of the impact and shock of running on the road well. The Seamless Construction of the shoes meant no internal rubbing. I also tried the shoes barefoot (during a treadmill run session) and still, no rubbing. These shoes
maintain the comfort factor both if you’re wearing socks or if you’re barefoot – perfect for Sprint or Olympic Distance Triathlons where you might not wear socks (for a speedy T1). NB: If you’re worried about running in a neutral shoe, the DynaFlyte ™ 2 runners come with a removable Ortholite Sockliner. This can be removed, so you could swap it over for an orthotic for added support.
The Longer Run Test – I felt like I was flying OK. So the shoes work for a shorter run (<10km). But how would they go during a longer run? To test this, I wore the shoes during a half marathon (21.2km) – Run Melbourne. Like the shorter run, I felt stable, supported, cushioned yet lightweight – I felt like I was flying! Outside of the expected soreness and discomfort, you might feel after running 21.1km; I didn’t feel any other pain like calf pain for example. My feet didn’t hurt or burn – I experienced this once when I ran more than 20km in new shoes – the bottoms of my feet felt like they were burning. I didn’t experience this in the DynaFlyte ™ 2’s despite only having done a handful of runs in them leading into the half marathon. The shoes worked. Tick! I even managed to walk away with a sneaky little half marathon PB - very happy. What’s more, I pulled up better than expected after the half marathon. To do with the shoes? Not sure. But I’m thinking, running in a comfortable pair of shoes that fit well and feel good – that surely aids faster recovery!
Final Verdict I am sold. I’m really impressed with the DynaFlyte ™ 2’s - finally, a lightweight shoe that’s stable and comfortable. I’m really excited to run in a lightweight shoe that provides me with the support that I need without being bulky. I really did feel like I was flying during the half marathon. Next stop, Ironman Western Australia. I can’t wait to wear my new kicks in the marathon portion of the Ironman. Australian Triathlete |
51
tech talk Road Test
men’s
T
his time last year we reviewed the Asics DynaFlyte. It was an entirely new shoe, from the ground up, for Asics and one, which, we felt, was a big step forward. Fast-forward twelve months, and we are reviewing the DynaFlyte 2. A year on, has there been a significant change in the DynaFlyte? Well first off, we absolutely loved version one, so much so that it really became our go-to trainer for most sessions. Having said that it’s always a nervous time when you test the new version of a product you have loved in the past. As seems to be the case with most shoes we test nowadays, upon opening the box, we were greeted with a pristine pair of black runners. Our test model were black with a white heal cup, which is quite striking. You can also get black with an electric blue heal cup, which looks seriously cool. Let’s get into the difference between version one and two - in short, there isn’t a lot of difference, but what they have done are definite improvements. Basically, the upper has been changed. It’s still a seamless mesh upper, but now it somehow feels like it moulds to your foot better and supports you through the stride in a better way.
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Also, the toecap is softer and internal now, rather than external, which is nicer aesthetically more than anything. The other noticeable thing about the upper is that it breaths better. Over a number of runs varying from five to 15km, it was noticeable that the shoes were cooler than the first edition. These are all quite nice little improvements without detracting what we loved about the original DynaFlyte. Looking at the sole, and as far as we can tell there is no change here. Everything looks and feels the same as the original. They still use the FoamFlyte technology from the first edition, which is apparently 55% lighter than the EVA foam previously used. And the shoe is light, - very light at 250g, which is about 20g lighter than the last model. As the sole hasn’t noticeably changed, we can presume this is down to the redesigned upper. One of the great things about the DynaFlytes are the inners - silky smooth, and one of the most comfortable shoes to run in without socks. We were very relieved to find that the latest version has retained that feature, making it close to the perfect triathlon shoe. Well, we couldn’t just look at this pair of shoes - we had to take them out for a few kilometres. Having put about five weeks of running into the DynaFlyte 2’s it’s really just like being reacquainted with an old friend. Everything is pretty familiar. While the overall fit is slightly changed, for the better, the run itself is pretty much the same. It’s like running on clouds. Your foot never moves in this shoe, with the great heal cup that seems to mould to, and
hold, your foot with just the right amount of firmness to the light mesh upper that provides support but allows your foot to spread naturally. Couple that with a sole that both absorbs a great deal of shock and gives a little back, the DynaFlyte can pretty much handle any distance or session. Our longest run was only 15km this time around but was fine, whether the session was a speed session or and long slow run. If you like to run the same shoe for racing and training, then this is a fantastic option. Overall, the DynaFlyte 2 is another well thought out shoe from Asics and builds on the reputation of the first edition. So, if you are in the market for a good, lightweight, neutral trainer, jump into a pair of these.
ASICS® DynaFlyte ™ 2
A lightweight, neutral trainer
Women
Men
Weight:
204g*
250g**
Heel Height:
19mm
25mm
Forefoot Height:
11mm
17mm
Heel Drop:
8mm
8mm
Note: This is said to be a lower heel drop www.gearinstitute.com/getschooled/item/ what-is-heel-drop (*original DynaFlyte™ = 221g) (**original DynaFlyte™ = 270g)
ASICS® DynaFlyte ™ 2 Women’s and men’s $220 AUD www.asics.com/au
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Splurge $295.00 MAAP Women’s Team Bib Short II A premium women’s cycling bib short that is super comfortable, flattering and carries all of the race-oriented performance from our existing Men’s style. maap.cc
Sugoi Netti Men’s Pro Cycling Nix The Netti Men’s Pro Cycling Nix provide added padding while reducing your wind resistance, a great combination when out on a long ride. Simple things like the silicone leg grippers ensure you are only worrying about the road and not your shorts, they stop the legs from ridding up which can become a distraction and uncomfortable, just a small feature but one that indicates the level of design that goes into these nicks to ensure your comfort and performance. www.rebelsport.com.au
2XU Sub cycle bib shorts Introducing the seasonal offering of 2XU’s Cycle Bib Shorts in vibrant colours and prints. Engineered with SBR Power fabrication, the 2XU Sub Cycle Bib Short offers optimal durability and endurance. High performance yarns and engineering for muscle support and stabilisation. www.2xu.com.au
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Rapha Pro Team Bib Shorts II Rapha’s elite performance bib shorts, completely overhauled for 2017 with a new dual- density chamois pad for optimised comfort and fit, an improved bib section and a unique new gripper to comfortably secure the legs. Colours: Black/Black, Black/Chartreuse, Black/High-Vis Pink, Black/White www.rapha.cc/au
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M US I N GS © Korupt Vision
Kona 2017 t e x t b y s i r i Li n d l e y | p h o t o g r a p h y b y K o r u p t v i s i o n
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will never forget when I fell in love with the support you receive in triathlon. I came out to Colorado to spend some time with my mum, who lives in Vail. I went out for a cross-country ski, of course trying to get stronger and fitter for the triathlon season. As I was cross country skiing along the Vail golf course, there was a group of ladies laughing, chatting and having a team picture taken. I looked over to see what was going on, my skis crossed, and I fell to the ground and spread-eagled into the snow. This wonderful Latin American woman came running over to see if I was OK. Aside from being morbidly embarrassed, I was
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fine. She said: “Hi, my name is Yoli. What’s yours?” “My name is Siri,” I replied. “I’m a triathlete,” (how embarrassing). “Wow, I am a triathlon coach. I live in Boulder,” she said. I could not believe the synchronicity of this moment. First, I was a triathlete, and I needed a coach. Secondly, I had been dreaming of one day living in Boulder, Colorado - to fully pursue a career in the sport. Yoli said that she would be happy to coach me if I moved out to Colorado. So, just like everything else I do in my life, I pounced on the opportunity and said yes! A week later I was driving my car from Worcester, Massachusetts to Boulder,
Colorado. This is where my real triathlon journey began. The best thing about Yoli was that she cared much more about who I was as a human being, then what kind of an athlete I was. This was one of the most powerful things I could have ever learned from her. I learned that it doesn’t matter how fast you can go, or how many races you can win - what matters is who you are as a human being. It matters how you treat other people. With kindness and respect, and love. This laid the foundation for me as a human being and the athlete I am proud to be. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. For that, I am maternally grateful.
Siri Lindley A world champion athlete herself and now one of the most revered triathlon coaches in the world, Siri enables athletes to become the champions and the people they were born to be. With an ability to see things in people they cannot see in themselves, Siri is driven by a unrivalled passion for triathlon and the people within. http://siri-lindley.com
Siri Lindley © shutterstock.com
The Ironman World Championship is coming up soon. This race has been known to be an incredible teacher for many. Although the student may not necessarily be ready, Kona is ready to teach. Last year, I was coaching a very talented young man. When he arrived at our training camp, I noticed that when the going got tough, he stopped going. This is often a problem with a lot of athletes. If things aren’t going their way, they give up and just let the rest of the session, or the rest of the race, go downhill. Throughout our work leading into Kona, we were focusing on always changing his mindset, so that in bad moments, he could focus on technique and on executing, and get himself back in the game. He was up-and-down with sessions like this. I was happy to see that sometimes he could turn his attitude around and finish the session strong, even though it started poorly. But there were also sessions where he continued to lose it mentally if things weren’t going exactly as he hoped. We arrived in Conifer, to race. He was fitter than he has ever been in his life. He started and had the best start he has ever had. He was in a tremendous position and looked to be ready to achieve all the goals that he had set for that day. Pop! A flat tyre, one mile out of transition. He stopped, fixed it, and maintained composure. He got back on the bike and started riding again.
When the student is ready, The teacher appears.
Pop! He got another flat, three miles in this time. Again, he maintained his composure, fixed the flat quickly, and was on his way again. Mile five - pop! I was standing on the side of the road and could see that he had flooded. He yelled out that this was his third flat. He had lost it mentally and was very angry. He was yelling over to me: “I cannot believe that this is happening to me. That’s it. I’m done!” I gathered myself, and sternly yelled back: “You are not done! You must fix the flat, get back on that bike and race your heart out from here to the finish line.” “This race needs to know that
So, when you are racing in Kona, have an open mind to anything that could possibly happen on the day. — Siri Lindley
you can battle through any adversity,” I continued. “This is your moment to prove to yourself, to this course, and everyone around you that nothing will stop you! Today is the day where you wake, overcome every obstacle, and find a way to not only finish but to finish with heart and soul.” He didn’t necessarily like what he was hearing. But, I gave him no way out. He was going to finish at all costs. On that day, this athlete discovered a part of himself that he didn’t even know existed. He discovered that he had the persistence, strength, and resilience to deal with anything that could come his way. The teacher appeared - the flat tyres, and everything that was happening that could have derailed all his efforts to have a great day. The lesson was that no matter what, you keep going! In Kona, it is so very important to prove to Madame Pele, and to the island, that no matter what, you have what it takes to remain strong, relentless, and persistent in your efforts to conquer the course. Australian Triathlete |
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M USINGS
© Korupt Vision
Forget all the reasons It wont work and
never know what Madame Pele will hand out on the day. But, you can trust that, whatever it is, it will be an incredible opportunity to learn. An incredible opportunity to grow. And learning and growth is exactly what we need to become the very best people that we can become. Other lessons the Ironman World Championships will teach you:
Believe
THE ONE REASON THAT
IT will
1. Conserve your energy race week. If you don’t, race day will be so much tougher than it already is. 2. Don’t set time goals for each section. The conditions can change everything! Set goals regarding your effort along the way, your race strategy, nutrition and fueling. Then just get out there and race hard, and race strong, mentally. 3. Never underestimate the importance of giving your body what it needs to sustain the effort you are asking from it.
This, then, will set you up for an amazing experience on this incredible island. The teacher appeared, in the form of flats and adversity. My athlete chose to embrace this lesson and to go about giving his whole heart and soul towards making the right answer. That answer finish no matter what. Finish with your entire heart and soul. Be grateful for the incredible fitness that you have developed in all your hours of hard work leading into this day. He chose to back himself. He chose to believe in himself. He chose to persist - to not give up. To believe in himself enough to know that he could continue the race and finish. But not just finish - to do it with spirit, enthusiasm and determination. He ended up having an unbelievable day. If you subtract the two hours that he spent trying to fix all those flats (he had to go to a bike shop and buy a new tyre and a new tube and had to wait for his father to come with the credit card) he would have achieved exactly what he had set out to do on a perfect day. That was not the ultimate gift, however. The ultimate gift was him
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proving to himself that everything he needed was inside of him. That no matter what happens in life, no matter how hard the times may be, he has everything he needs to make it through. Not just to survive it but to make it through in the most powerful ways. He had given himself the gift of trust. Trusting in himself, believing in himself. Knowing, that no matter what, he would be OK! For this, as a coach, I could not be prouder. What he achieved on that day is something that will change his life forever. What he accomplished on that day will ensure that nothing, no matter how hard, or how impossible a situation may seem, will get him down. Nothing will stop him from being the very best version of himself every single day. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. Or in this case, when the teacher is ready, the student will appear. So, when you are racing in Kona, have an open mind to anything that could possibly happen on the day. You have done the work. You are perfectly prepared - physically, emotionally and mentally. You
4. There is so much incredible energy on this incredible island. Take it all in. Thousands before you have swum in this ocean, biked on these roads and run on this course. They were fueled by the same powerful dreams that you are. Imagine all that energy stored on this island. Tap into that. Be grateful. Embrace the entire experience and use that energy to help propel you forward in the most powerful ways! 5. NEVER EVER, EVER GIVE UP! You will be rewarded for your persistence! The gift of crossing that line is the ultimate achievement!
@siri.lindley.3 @SELTS @sirilindley
with Willy Dan Wilson
TINKER t e x t b y d a n Wi l s o n | p h o t o g r a p h y b y S h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m
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t was the day before the State Cycling Championships, a big deal for the then 14-year-old Wilson. My lack of natural talent, combined with conservative (i.e. sensible) training protocols for a youngster had meant that I had copped an absolute thrashing anytime I had toed the line with my lycra-clad contemporaries. Seemingly, the entire pack was either more talented,
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more mature, trained harder, or a sinister cocktail of all three. As such, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d spent all season getting dropped like a bad habit from the junior bunches around QLD. Finishing by myself, minutes in arrears was beginning to get a little bit old. Like a lone grape at the bottom of the bag, I yearned to have my place in the bunch. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d lifted my training in response, upping my wind trainer set from 45 minutes to 60,
while re-watching old tapes of the 2001 Tour de France, tutting at how those nay-saying Frenchies could dare doubt the Armstrong story. Surely they should just have a little faith, after all, how many times must the man reiterate that he is clean? Clearly, my ability to pick a lying psychopath was about on par with my ability to stick with a peloton of 14-yearold Queenslandersâ&#x20AC;Ś
Just a thought: The moral of Dan’s story is to get a professional to tinker with your bike before race day, whether you are 14 or older!
Anyway, I’d trained ‘hard’ towards my goal of surviving in the bunch at the QLD champs, had tapered up, and was getting to that stage of a taper where one - a) starts to get nervous, b) can’t train any more to advance one’s condition to ease such nerves, which leads to, c) looking to one’s equipment to gain free speed wherever possible. In other words, ‘having a tinker’. Having previously made all the modifications and improvements to my bike that the budget of an unemployed 14-year-old would allow, I cast a suspicious eye over my wheels. I gave the spokes a squeeze. They seemed to scream, “Not stiff enough Wilson. Not stiff enough by half.” In my infinite wisdom, despite never having used a spoke tensioning tool before, and knowing less about wheel truing than I did about Armstrong’s blood profiles, I spent a good 30 minutes tightening whichever spokes seemed like they needed a little extra tension in them. Satisfied I had adroitly increased my wheel stiffness to levels that would withstand my power more proficiently, I went to put my bike in the car for the next day. The problem being, of course, that I had unbalanced the tension in the wheels so badly that they had buckled like a deformed pancake, and now rubbed on the frame so badly I couldn’t push it more than a meter before the wheels fixed. I yelped and ran to find Dad. The pre-race tinker rarely bears fruit worth picking. However, the lure is often irresistible. You’ve trained hard; you’ve resisted the urge to overtrain in the last week due to those ‘taper week jitters’. However, the promise of free speed by purchasing new equipment, or fiddling with your tried and true set up, proves to be too much to resist for some. I once had a training partner who bought a new bike, which only had one water bottle holder. The day before a race, he started to question his ability to adequately hydrate
with such a setup, so decided to ‘tinker’ himself a second bidon cage, by drilling some holes in his brand new carbon fibre frame. Unsurprisingly, the frame lasted all of 150 metres the next day, before his seat tube completely broke in half, rendering both his race and hydration concerns, null and void. Forced tinkering can be just as portentous. I was building my bike prior to the famous Tiszaujvaros World Cup one year, tightening my seat tube only to hear
T1, which led to a widening of his eyes, a vigorous shake of his head, and quickly re-tuning the bike to the work stand. Following the addition of at least another 200 grams of metal to the seat post area, I had an improvised clamping device that a) withstood the force of me mounting it with vigour, and b) was just narrow enough not to gouge my legs as I pedalled. I was lucky the technical officials didn’t see the fabrication work as I entered the transition area.
The mechanic re-trued my wheels by closing time. I still got dropped the next day, but bloody hell, those wheels were stiff. — Dan Wilson
the ‘tinkle of death’ of a snapped seat post clamp. Sourcing such a part in rural Hungary proved a challenge, and resulted in half an hour of inventive mechanics at the local bike shop, attempting to overcome both the language barrier and my mechanical problems. Satisfied, the mechanic had all but sent me on my way when I mimed jumping on my bike, as in
Back to 14-year-old Wilson, the state champs, and the wheels with more peaks and troughs than an echocardiogram. Luckily, the local bike shop was open for another 30 minutes, and despite swearing in surprise under his breath, the mechanic re-trued my wheels by closing time. I still got dropped the next day, but bloody hell, those wheels were stiff.
About Dan Biomechanically denied his dream of becoming an NBA superstar, Dan Wilson has been racing the ITU circuit for over seven years representing Australia at Junior, U/23 and Elite level. His results have ranged from winning a World Cup to finishing only with the aid of glow sticks. When not “at work” training three times a day, he incompetently plays the guitar, competently sips short blacks, and fervently studies the underground metal scene. http://www.danwilson.com.au/ and Twitter: @dan_wilson_
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SEXTON’S Scribble...
Brendan Sexton
Gadget games
Getting the most from your technology b y B r e n d a n s e x t o n | p h o t o g r a p h y b y S h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m
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echnology and triathlon go hand-in-hand. Being a relatively young sport, triathlon has fortuitously fallen into a golden age of sporting technology advances, which could be one of the reasons for the sports rapid rise in popularity. Tri newbies come into the sport greener than a kiddie pool with chlorine deficiency. They see the pimped out bikes, TT helmets and GPS watches (that can count strokes, calories, kilometres and number of times you swear under your breath at your coach) and see this gear as their ticket to bucket list glory. The bright, tight and slick bling has done a lot for the sport. It is a two-way street though – burgeoning sports technology has been able to throw out a kite in the updraft of triathlon’s rise. Being so new to the sporting arena has meant that tradition and tried-and-tested methods aren’t nearly as deeply entrenched in tri as in established sports like soccer, golf or skiing. This youth and, in a way, naivety has given triathletes space and liberty to experiment in training and racing innovations. We have proven to be a freshly turned garden bed for next-gen sports science enterprise and global immersion technology to plant their seeds. In many cases, the point of difference triathlon has offered in terms of willingness to test, trial and invest has given us an edge over technology used in
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swimming, cycling and running. And, being a sport whose event duration ranges from less than 30 minutes to 12+ hours, triathlon’s garden is rich in soil, perfect for planting and developing technology from fields like physiology, psychology, nutrition, biomechanics, aerodynamics and more. However, it goes without saying that technology is only useful if used correctly. It seems bizarre to me that there are still so many athletes spending time and money on products that are being used incorrectly, partially or not at all. Here are some examples of tech I’ve found useful in my career.
Heart Rate (HR) Monitor: Many athletes would have used, or at least seen this wearable technology that offers real-time pulse readings. It has been around for a few decades. Recent progress has seen the ability to read and record HR using technology ranging from a special chest strap, bulky finger clamps to inbuilt sensors within ever shrinking wrist watches. Most people would understand HR monitors are a relatively sound method of measuring effort, but this isn’t an exact science. Every individual’s pulmonary system can differ and, taking into account factors like fitness, training experience, genetics and body composition; all hearts can act differently. To best utilise a HR monitor, knowledge of
an athlete’s HR history is key. Building up a bank of data records with an explanation of differing stimuli will give greater insight into an individual’s HR profile, and aid training and competition planning. But HR monitoring need not solely be used to measure and monitor intensity of work - your HR is also a clear exhibit of ability to recover. As an athlete, I would often take note of my HR maximum during an effort and, in recovery, allow my rate to drop to a certain number of beats or percentage of maximum before beginning the next effort. This meant I was not only aware of my performance at effort but also of the change in my ability to recover over time. Also, keeping track of resting HR (say, upon waking or right before sleeping) can show changes in fitness and even signs of illness before other symptoms present themselves.
Power Meter: This is one of the most sought after pieces of cycling technology. After an influx of power measuring products on the market, power meters have become more affordable, but what are watts and how can they help you get more out of your time on the bike? As with most quantifiable values, power is another number that is part of a bigger picture. Power is a measurement of torque applied to the pedals combined with the angular velocity displayed in a format of watts. What this number actually means from
Brendan Sexton As a youngster, Brendan’s life ambition was to be the fifth Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. That didn’t quite pan out. But triathlon did. A decade on, he’s still at it. www.brendansexton.com.au @kung_fu_sexton
one individual to another can be massive. For example, a heavier person will be able to produce a greater wattage purely from adding their body mass to the pedals. An athlete set up on their bike to utilise their posterior chain (big muscles down the back of their legs) will be able to produce more power, but then you add in some other factors, the heavier athlete will have to use all that extra power to overcome inertia and maintain momentum of a greater mass, and the big muscle setup could potentially tire out muscles required to stabilise the athlete’s hips once they get onto the run. The key to getting the most benefit out of a power meter is, as with the HR monitor, to build a bank of data that can give you a comprehensive profile of your own thresholds and limits, then work at improving those numbers within a similar context. Using power meter data, you can plan training on the bike to target race specific cycling e.g, a long flat bike course will best benefit from a moderate but sustained power whereas a short hilly course will be better prepared for by obtaining short, high and repeated peaks of wattage with recovery.
Metronomes: Metronomes (or pacers) aren’t as well known as the data monitors previously mentioned but can be just as beneficial for triathletes, particularly those new to the sport. Metronomes are devices that hold a rhythm. The most common metronomes beep at a constant rate allowing the user to hear a preset rhythm. Used in both swimming and running the metronome allows the user to hold a consistent rate of stroke or stride without overrating or dropping below the desired tempo. Having a constant reminder of rhythm can be a useful tool for athletes who find it difficult to identify when their form is beginning to deteriorate or for those who get distracted when training and tend to fall out of their prescribed intensity zone – a little beeping voice that helps out when training buddies are a no-show. Clocks: Hardly a new technology, very few of us would not use a clock, stopwatch, or timing device of some kind in our daily training. We time efforts and recovery; we set time goals, and we chase the clock through traffic to get to the pool before closing. But do we use clocks to their full potential? The concept of rating (in swimming and running) or cadence (in cycling) is, in essence, the sum of repetition over time. So, where a metronome sets rating, we can use clocks to measure and monitor rating and be aware of a value many of us don’t often take into account. Simply count strokes, pedal revolutions or steps over a set time and compare at different points within a session or race. A higher rating will generally require more central effort and will rehearse a movement more effectively whereas a lower rating will need more power, strength and put more pressure peripherally (on arms and legs). Set your own time frame (say, 30 seconds) and always use the same count window.
Computerised Training Logs: When I started triathlon, I was encouraged to keep a training diary. Being a standard teenager with the attention span of a cartoon surgeonfish my entries were intermittent and would often record inconsistent information. Enter the digital age of GPS watches, Wi-Fi and mobile phone Apps, and data recording and analysis is a science within itself. As a professional athlete, having past training session numbers, mapped courses, race course profiles and a metrics history gave me an almost instant comparison of my performances in repeated sessions or races. As a coach, I can use training data software to chart athletes’ improvements and setbacks and cross reference these to identify relationships. I can gather that if an athlete begins to run a certain volume in a week, the following week will see a drop in cycling performance. Going into greater detail and using metric recordings I can establish that at a certain weight an athlete will be able to hold peak power-toweight, but any less and the athlete is highly susceptible to falling ill. In the huge range of software and Apps available, there are specially designed values that give fitness scores or predict race performance by compiling uploaded data and feeding it through trademarked algorithms. If that’s all a bit too technical for you, I still recommend giving the basic training diary features a try. It’s just like the old ink and parchment, and you might find there’s a feature that shines a bit more light on your goals than you could already see. It is a brilliant time to be a triathlete in the digital age. Whether you’re just looking to tick a bucket list box or carve out a career at the top, you’re very likely to utilise some form of technology. No doubt there is a product out there that can help you smash your goals but keep in mind, the best tools a triathlete can have is their arms, legs and some good company. Australian Triathlete |
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Power in numbers: The microbiome and its role in health and athlete performance t e x t b y D r Si m o n S o s t a r ic
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ne hundred trillion is an insurmountable number in anyone’s language. That’s the approximate number of microbes living within the human body, mostly residing in the digestive tract and colon. Together, these microbes, mostly bacteria, but also archaea, fungi, protozoans and viruses (Rankin et al. 2017; Cerdá et al. 2016) - are collectively known as the human microbiome. Genetic sequencing technology is now so advanced that it is possible to map specific species of bacteria, their genetic material, how they colonise, respond to lifestyle choices, and affect your health and performance.
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| p h o t o g r a p h y b y S h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m
Why should you take notice, and be aware of your gastrointestinal friends? Microbes are the gatekeepers to your health, fitness and vitality, and should not be ignored. They are responsible for synthesising an array of vitamins that are essential for physiological function; digesting fibre; and amongst other things, interacting with immune function. Your genes, lifestyle choices and various medications are the primary determinants of your microbiome. Subsequently, if colonies of the most “important” microbes are diminished, or absent, and the colonies of “bad” microbes are over populated, health can be significantly impacted. For
example, the microbiome is strongly related to mood, metabolism, weight gain, gastrointestinal disturbances, fatigue, depression and auto-immune conditions. Naturally, any one or combination of even minor disturbances linked to an altered microbiome can also derail athletic performance.
What’s involved in analysing your microbiome? Given that microbiome analysis is relatively new to the Australian healthcare system, finding an accredited healthcare professional to facilitate microbiome analysis can be tricky. Some of the genomic laboratories, such as smartDNA,
Training TOOLBOX performance
and others. The practitioner will collate an extensive history from the recipient (health, physical activity, dietary patterns), and provide them with a faecal smear collection kit. The sample is sent to a genomic laboratory for analysis, which takes six to eight weeks. DNA sequencing targets variable regions within the bacterial genome. The healthcare professional then interprets microbiome results, and an action plan is devised in order to target requisite changes in microbial form and function.
© Getty Images
How diet affects the microbiome?
provide a “locate practitioner” search option on their website. The accredited practitioner is typically a health professional with a background in lifestyle and intervention effects on genetics – including general practitioners, molecular scientists, dietitians, exercise physiologists
Nutrition is perhaps the most intriguing and misunderstood of the fundamental sciences that are essential for humans to thrive. We live in an age that is, at best, confusing to the average person when it comes to applying food and beverage “best practice”. The truth of the matter is, there is no, ‘one size that fits all’ when it comes to ideal nutritional guidelines, as everyone responds differently to the consumption and metabolic handling of foods and beverages. Indeed, a landmark study by Professor David Zeevi and colleagues (2015) from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, identified that even when people eat the exact same types of meals, there is a remarkably high level of variability in blood glucose responses (post-prandial glucose response, or PPGR). The primary concern for those individuals who exhibit poor glucose handling following meals is their inherent risk of developing metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes. The Israeli research group also made significant inroads into finding solutions to the complex nature of varied PPGR, which included personalising diets based on their microbiome, dietary and physical activity habits. This integrated approach proved to be instrumental in accurately predicting individual PPGR. Furthermore, microbial diversity is sensitive to dietary changes after only several days. Studies during the past decade (quoted in Zeevi, 2015) have provided strong links between
Microbes are the gatekeepers to your health, fitness and vitality, and should not be ignored. — Dr Simon Sostaric
the type of diet, microbial subpopulations and their subsequent link with common health conditions. For example, low levels of Bifidobacterium adolescentis are associated with greater weight loss when adhering to a diet that improves glucose handling, whereas the opposite is true for maintaining a diet that diminishes glucose handling. Low levels of Bacteroidetes phylum is characterised in those affected by obesity and high fasting glucose. However, switching to a diet that improves glucose handling will increase the diversity of these microbes. With regard to a more sinister chronic disease, such as type 2 diabetes, low levels of Roseburia inulinivorans is typically observed. Australian Triathlete |
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Training TOOLBOX Performance demonstrated lower levels of inflammation and improved metabolic function compared to controls. The diverse health promoting benefits of exercise is very well established and continues to gain momentum. Recent research has certainly shed light on the likelihood that these health benefits also include exercise-induced modulation of gut microbiota.
Considerations & take home message for triathletes
How the microbiome interacts with physical activity and athletic performance?
Generally speaking, your gut microbiome will thrive with a diverse diet that includes: high fibre foods (vegetables, fruits, legumes et al), fermented foods (natural yoghurt; kimchi; sauerkraut; et al), prebiotic foods (mostly fibre from complex carbohydrate, fruit and vegetables that cannot be digested by human cells) and, amongst other things, minimising sugars and artificial sweeteners. The benefit of analysing your unique microbiome allows for a higher level of precision in dietary intervention.
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The interaction between gut microbiota and immune function, in particular, is central to an athlete’s ability to train and recover with consistency and efficacy. For example, a dysfunctional microbiome has been linked with inflammatory induced changes in gut wall permeability, which may facilitate leakage of bacterial material, and subsequently promote immune and metabolic disturbances throughout the body (Rankin et al., 2017). Altered microbiome is characterised following extended periods of physical or psychological stress. Endurance athletes, in particular, are often susceptible to overtraining syndrome. Therefore, investigating individual microbiome characteristics in endurance athletes who are in good health, and in those affected by a myriad of fatigue disorders, has the capacity to better understand the mechanisms of systemic fatigue and inflammation. Bacteria DNA originating in the gut (and of the utmost functional value remaining in the gut) have also been found in the circulation and joints of individuals affected by inflammatory disorders. Therefore, the microbiome also appears to play an important regulatory role in tendon, bone and joint function. While research investigating the microbiome in athletes versus nonathletes is in its infancy, a recent study by Clarke and colleagues (2014) observed a significantly more diverse microbiome in elite professional rugby players compared to controls. Furthermore, the rugby players
The implications of altered gut microbes on body composition, energy availability, metabolic function, local and systemic inflammation and immune function are significant not only in maintaining good health, but also transferring to an athlete’s ability to effectively respond and adapt to training stimuli, and minimise the risk of injury and illness. The sensitivity of the microbiome to changes in diet, exercise, stress, medication and the like, is perhaps the ultimate case in point for athletes to consider individualising their dietary and training composition and methods, in order to capitalise on the best opportunity to thrive.
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References: Rankin, A., et al. (Br J Sports Med, 2017). Microbes in sport – The potential role of the gut microbiota in athlete health and performance. Cerdá, B., et al. (Frontiers in Physiol, 2016). Gut microbiota modification: Another piece in the puzzle of the benefits of physical exercise in health? Zeevi, D., et al. (Cell, 2015). Personalized nutrition by prediction of glycemic responses. Clarke, SF., et al. (Gut, 2014). Exercise and associated dietary extremes impact on gut microbial diversity.
Dr Simon Sostaric PhD.,BAppSc.,AEP.,AES Exercise Physiologist / Sport Scientist Dr Simon Sostaric is a distinguished exercise physiologist, sports scientist, researcher and author. Simon holds a physiology doctorate (Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia), in electrolyte regulation and skeletal muscle fatigue. He is the founder and director of Melbourne Sports & Allied Health Clinic (www.msahc.com.au), with 25 years’ experience in professional sport, clinical practice and academia. For more information, Twitter: @DrSimonSostaric Facebook: @melbournesports andalliedhealthclinic
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Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome t e x t b y Z a c h a r y T u r n e r | p h o t o g r a p h y b y S h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m
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t is a common belief that, as athletes and physically active individuals, we are made more susceptible to injuries, specifically those due to overuse. And while at times this may be an accurate reflection, the underlying reason may not be due to the nature of the sport itself, but rather how it is performed. Despite this, it is true - many overuse injuries may be more prevalent in sporting populations. However, with correct management and early intervention, these injuries can be avoided, or their severity and duration may well be reduced.
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Have you ever been stopped short during your morning run, unable to keep going because of the pain in your shin, made worse each time your foot strikes the ground? Or would firmly running your hand up the middle of your shin be enough to send you jumping off your seat? Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (MTSS), commonly known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shin Splintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is an overuse injury affecting the muscles and bone in the lower leg. Due to repetitive impact, the tibia (shin bone) and surrounding musculature undergo various stress reactions. These stress reactions
are a normal response to activity, and the body recovers to make these structures more resilient for future stressors. However, with MTSS the degree of stress reactions caused outweigh the ability and/ or the capacity for a full recovery to occur. MTSS is best categorised by a dull, diffuse pain along the middle of the tibia (shin bone) - this pain is made worse with weight bearing and high impact activity. Often pain may be more notable in the cool down and after each training session, and this is an important warning sign to take note of. As the injury progresses,
Training TOOLBOX injury management
10% 10% rule: To help avoid shin splints, progressive overload suggests that increases in training volume should not exeed 10% of the current volume.
increased levels of pain may be felt throughout the workout itself. Many intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be attributable to MTSS, and having an appropriate awareness of these factors can be useful for prevention and treatment of the injury. As athletes, training makes up a major part of our lives, but often-common errors in training can make us more susceptible to overuse injuries such as MTSS. The
early signs of MTSS should not be ignored, as this is the body’s way of telling us that the stress/load placed upon it, is too much for it to withstand. Many athletes who are highly driven by their training don’t like to hear the word ‘de-load’. However, for the prevention and management of MTSS, making appropriate alterations to training plans is imperative to ensure the injury is short lived. Upon the onset of acute symptoms of MTSS, a decrease of running volume should be made - this does not necessarily mean that training must stop. High training loads are still possible without having to run kilometres on end. As triathlete’s we can reap the benefits of training in other disciplines, both of which are ideal in this scenario due to their non-weightbearing nature. This means decreased running times can be
MTSS is best categorised by a dull, diffuse pain along the middle of the tibia (shin bone). — Zachary Turner
compensated for, by increased hours on the bike or in the pool. Running is a sport with repetitive high impact, and this needs to be considered when both, designing and executing training plans. Training principles such as ‘progressive overload’ can be applied to ensure increases in training volume are done so, in realistic and manageable increments. Progressive overload suggests that increases in training volume should not exceed 10% of the current volume. This gives a simple guideline to follow when designing training plans to ensure that loads placed upon the body are not exceeding its capabilities from which it can recover from. In conjunction with this, running surfaces should also be a consideration when training. Soft surface running e.g. on grass should form part of training. This is often easy to incorporate into speed/fartlek sessions. Certain biomechanical factors may also contribute to the likelihood of MTSS. With running, each foot strike produces ground reaction forces, which the body needs to overcome. When assessing running technique and kinematics, this remains one of the main risk factors when considering MTSS. Safe and efficient biomechanics and kinematics are integral Australian Triathlete |
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to ensure running loads are absorbed harmlessly with less stress placed on structures such as bone and muscle. If we can ascertain running techniques that allow us to reduce the ground reaction forces produced, and absorb these forces in an effective manner, the likelihood of MTSS may, therefore, be reduced. Having said that, to say we should all run the same way and adopt the same movement patterns is unrealistic, and may bring about more harm than good. And although this ‘one size fits all’ approach is not encouraged, some common biomechanical elements, such as differences in hip range of motion, changes in pelvic position and pelvic tilt, and muscle imbalances, may predispose someone to produce greater running
forces, thus increasing their likelihood of developing injuries such as MTSS. Video running analysis is a way in which we can slow the speed of running gaits and thoroughly assess any inefficient movement patterns. It can be an effective tool for early identification and intervention. With running, overstriding remains a common error - this is when the foot contacts the ground at a distance too far from the body. Overstriding implies that the runner’s leg is in full extension when foot strike occurs. Not only does this produce great force due to the lower limb still in its acceleration phase, but also creates an inefficient way of absorbing this increased load. So, how do we deem what is an appropriate distance?
Overstriding remains a common error - this is when the foot contacts the ground at a distance too far from — Zachary Turner the body. 68
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And should this be the same for everyone? Rather than measuring the distance from the body to the foot, it is more effective to look at the runner’s knee flexion angle that is, how much the knee is bent when the foot is striking the ground. Having an increased knee flexion angle will mean that foot strike occurs closer to the body, and during its deceleration phase, therefore producing less ground reaction force. A common and effective cue to decrease stride length and increase knee flexion is to increase running cadence, meaning more steps are made per minute. Extrinsic factors such as footwear can also affect running loads. Footwear remains a contentious issue among runners, many believing that more material in their shoe means more foot support. I stand on the side that says, highly supportive shoes take away from the natural movement of the foot, and if our foot needs support, why not strengthen the bodily structures that give this support rather than relying on external support? Typically, the modern shoe is made with an enlarged heel wedge, which makes this an ultra-comfortable striking point when running. Now, I’m not going to get into the debate about rear foot vs. forefoot striking, however, for an excessive heel strike to occur the runner’s leg needs to be in full extension. Having already discussed the implications of overstriding with full leg extension, we should be aware of the implications of this when running. Therefore, in contrast, shoes with a smaller heel wedge may encourage foot strike to occur at a close distance to the body, meaning more knee flexion is seen at this point. Now, everybody has his or her preference of running shoes, myself included. However, when opting for a running shoe, I would advise shopping for those that wouldn’t encourage excessive foot strike and don’t limit the foot’s natural movement. If transitioning between running shoes, it is best to transition gradually, as changes in footwear types may alter running mechanics and loading.
Training TOOLBOX injury management With acute onset of MTSS, recovery becomes more important than ever. We are consistently told, with good reason, the importance of allowing adequate recovery time, but this tends to be an area, which some athletes oversee. In the acute injury phase, recovery should consist of relative rest (from running), ice and cryotherapy, to allow the opportunity for healing to occur. As the injury starts to improve recovery should progress accordingly. Stretching and
strengthening, particularly of the calf, should be incorporated. Developing adequate central strength and stability should also be a consideration of this phase of rehab, this means exercises targeted toward hips and core. Proprioception is also a highly important factor for controlled and safe running impact. Proprioceptive training should be executed, and if non-weight bearing in nature can be implemented throughout the entire course of rehab. After discussing recovery and rehab methodologies, it is most important to remember that best injury care is injury prevention. Giving regular attention to strengthening susceptible structures can not only enhance performance but also decrease the likelihood of injuries, including MTSS, from occurring. Having early screening, such as running video analysis, may help in the early identification of predisposing factors to injury.
References Galbraith, M. R., & Lavallee, M. E. (2009). Medial tibial stress syndrome: conservative treatment options. Current Reviews In Musculoskeletal Medicine, 127-133.
Zac Turner Physiotherapist – Kieser Geelong DPhty/Bed/APAM Zac is a physiotherapist at Kieser Training located in Geelong, Victoria. After studying his Bachelor of Education, and working for a short period as a physical education teacher, Zac went on to postgraduate studies in a ‘Doctor of Physiotherapy’ at Bond University on Queensland’s Gold Coast. With his background in education Zac uses effective education tools to empower his clients, and give them the knowledge and direction they need, to achieve and exceed their physical goals. A firm believer of ‘practice what you preach’ Zac enjoys a physical challenge, and competes in marathons and ironman 70.3 races. Zac has a special interest in the treatment, management and prevention of overuse injuries commonly seen in athletes.
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Maximal Oxygen Uptake: Does it matter? t e x t b y D r Mi t c h A n d e r s o n I l l us t r a t i o n b y s h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m / Nik o l a K n e z e v ic
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long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I had time gates to jump through that involved training two or three times a day, attending tutorials or lectures, grabbing a meal or even catching up with friends (usually while training). Oh, and sleeping! Through this halcyon period (“the 90s”), Danger (Damien Angus) and I discussed two major topics: physiology and time optimisation. I know you were all
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expecting me to say girls, but the topic of ‘fairer sex’ is covered under the umbrella of physiology and time. One prominent difference between training now and in the 90s is the availability of data. Heart rate, speed and distance was really all there was. I used to volunteer for scientific studies so that I could objectify my performance. This included maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and lactate threshold (LT) -
using Douglas bags to measure expired oxygen and carbon dioxide with Lode bikes setting wattage. But once I had participated in a few trials, it became obvious that my VO2max wasn’t changing much. It was just a number that gave me an idea of the limits of my heart rate. It didn’t add much to my training, aside from giving me the confidence that I had a decent motor, which I still needed to learn how to use and tune. Fast-forward 20 years and on top of the basics, we have power, rpm, left-right balance, pedalling efficiency, temperature, elevation gain, TSS (training stress score) or equivalent, and more. But I feel as though data collection may have jumped the shark. With the glut of information we now try to understand on a daily basis, are we over complicating things just a little? Do you really care what your normalised power was on the weekend ride? Does it really add to your (or your hypothetical coach’s) understanding of the session? Do you even know what normalised power is and how it changes your power number? Professor John Hawley and his mates essentially covered off all that I am about
to blather below in a paper examining the five best predictors of triathlon race time in 20001. In summary these were: LT at steady state wattage of four watts/ kilogram on the bike; lactate at 15 kilometres/hour running; cycling peak power output; peak running velocity, and cycling VO2 maximum - you can’t measure all of these without a lab. But he doesn’t mention normalised power anywhere! So, in homage to Danger and my chats, usually about Hawley/Jeukendrup or Noakes papers, let’s address the more important measures versus the time wasters, with the goal of spending more time training effectively, and less time in front of a screen trying to understand what the numbers mean. Or, in other words, how others are simply ‘Instagram training’! VO2max: This is a useful number to have measured once, in the context of finding out a total number in litres per minute. Knowing your maximum heart rate is valuable, and the deflection point of ventilatory threshold gives a solid guide for LT. Note that bike VO2 is usually 10% lower than a running test, because you
With the glut of information we now try to understand on a daily basis, are we over complicating things — Dr Mitch just a little? utilise less muscle mass (thus less oxygen). Would I spend money on running out and getting this testing done? Negative. But if you’re interested in doing this test, I’d recommend volunteering in a study at a university or you could perform the Hawley test described under ‘power’.
blood is a drag and measuring lactate is also costly, which is why FTP (Functional Threshold Power) is so often used as a 20-minute test of training performance. It’s a functional and meaningful test of your ability to hold power, therefore a steady state lactate.
Lactate threshold: When partnered with power, this is a valuable tool. By way of illustration, Derek Clayton ran 2:08:33 for the marathon in Antwerp in 1969. This stood as a world best for 12 years. It still stacks up today as a fast time. He had a VO2max of 70ml.min.kg - elite, but not that elite in comparison to many who get a VO2max into the 80’s (Cadel Evans) or even 90’s (Bjorn Daehlie). But he could hold ~99% of this maximum for over two hours (i.e. Antwerp marathon). Taking
Heart rate: This is a great measure to get to know. It is simple and easy to measure. It is a little prone to drift and is variable according to weather etc, but you can still look at it with confidence once you build experience. Danger has 20 years of Excel spreadsheets of heart rates and uses them to benchmark his form, year on year. But it’s a powerful tool that he understands, and it allows him to guide effort and nutrition by knowing his limits. Add power, and you have a useful data set. Australian Triathlete |
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Training TOOLBOX Health kicks © Shutterstock.com
Performance anxiety: Having access to performance data can give you neccessary feedback on your training progress, but overdoing it can be unproductive.
Power: This is by far the most objective number you can attain - if you have calibrated the crank! It precisely tells your ability to push the pedals in watts, which is then expressed per kilogram. A peak power test2 can be used to predict VO2 max with a simple step test if you have a Wahoo KICKR or similar. Look at the Hawley paper and try it at home. An average power can be a much better predictor of a training session than any other measure. Even if you do take a scientific approach to training, there’s just no sense in comparing minutiae data on a day-to-day basis. Given how inconsistent temperature, pressure, wind, time of day, sleep, nutrition, fluid status and recovery can be, there is too much noise in all your data to draw exact comparisons. But if you need to run the numbers, do it inside on a trainer that measures power at the same time each week. It’s reproducible and thereby comparable data.
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Spending time on Strava, Garmin Connect, MapMyRide or the equivalent is just time spent on social media - it’s cyberstalking or general amusement. But it’s not helping your training much. Using these applications in a productive manner may include finding new and interesting routes to train, especially in a new location (i.e. if you have moved). For example, I use heat maps when I’m travelling and can’t be bothered wasting time exploring when I can be doing productive training instead. Lastly, to complete my rant - DO NOT spend any of your God-given time hitting
‘like’ buttons on Strava. It’s a really strange modern phenomenon. You ‘like’ my training session? Whatttt? It creeps me out. If you are going to stalk me, at least don’t alert me to the fact that you are doing it. See you on the road! Mitch likes this.
References:
1. Prediction of triathlon race time from laboratory testing in national triathletes. Schabort EJ1, Killian SC, St Clair Gibson A, Hawley JA, Noakes TD. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Apr;32(4):844-9. 2. Peak power output predicts maximal oxygen uptake and performance time in trained cyclists. Hawley JA, Noakes TD. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1992;65(1):79-83.
mitch@shinbonemedical.com @DrMitcha
@Drmitcha
DOUBLING DOWN WITH GIANT AND SHIMANO. After a twelve hour ride of over 500km, Dr Mitch Anderson is tackling 24 hours. The best bikes and components in the industry have already signed on for the attempt at 900km in early 2018.
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© Korupt Vision
Race Week and Ready Top 5 Race Week Reminders text by kriss hendy photography by Kriss Hendy and korupt vision
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or some, considering strength training during race week is simply ludicrous. But for those of you with a more open mind, the type of strength training that I’m talking about isn’t about loading or intensity but much more about keeping things firing, ready for when that gun goes off. Here are five focus areas I try to encourage athletes to remember when crunch time is fast approaching.
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1. Mobility The idea behind an effective mobility routine is to take the body from a cold, static position, and move it through movements that mobilise the joints and surrounding soft tissues. Mobilising your body through its optimal range of motion is the key to maintaining healthy movement and can drastically improve performance when done consistently. Due to its lower intensity demand upon the body, it is an ideal way to keep the body moving during taper week without adding any unnecessary stress. The hip complex
is the most important area for the triathlete to focus on, as this is the ‘control centre’ of all the work that you do throughout your swim, bike and run. Exercises such as the Inchworm, Spider Lunge and T-spine Lunge are great to keep you hip area open and moving.
Tip: Don’t expect a great range to start with, endurance athletes are notoriously tight so go steady to avoid over-stretching.
Training TOOLBOX strength and conditioning
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Conditioning: The T-Spine Lunge is a great exercise to keep the joints and soft tissues mobilised with loading or intensity during race week.
2. Glute Activation Race day is the time that you want all the correct muscles to be working to ensure you produce the power and speed that you need. Hopefully, you will have been including some glute activation work into your weekly programming, so now is the time to maintain that, to keep things switched on.
Tip: If you have never done the following exercises, don’t start the week before your most important race! Even though they are basic body weight exercises, they are a stimulus that you may not be used to, so you could feel a little sore for a few days after. Hold off and start in your next training block.
Glute Bridge Complex – Position yourself with your upper back/shoulders on the edge of a bed or chair, with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Drive up through your heels and elevate your hips to the sky to create a ‘table-top’ hold. To increase the intensity, lift one leg off the ground and hold a single leg hold for 10 to 20 seconds. Important points – keep your hips stable and flat; do not allow your hips to drop one side.
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The idea behind an effective mobility routine is to take the body from a cold, static position, and move it through movements that mobilise the joints. — Kriss Hendy Australian Triathlete |
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b: Banded lateral walks Banded Lateral Walks – With the mini band around your ankles or above your knees (preferred as further up the chain means less chance of being performed wrong). Widen your stance to create tension in the band, sit back into a half squat, ‘athletic’ position with your arm out in front for balance. Holding this position will immediately engage your hip complex, loading the key muscle groups together. From here, staying at the same height, step to the side with your outside foot and follow with a shorter step from your second foot. Repeat for 10 to 15 steps and head back the opposite direction. Key points to remember is that the control comes from your core stability - focus on maintaining tension through your midline. Also, keep your feet facing forward or slightly inwards, as this engage the glute med more efficiently.
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Ankle stabilisers 3. Ankle Stabilisers The few days leading into your race are commonly spent resting the legs and staying off your feet as much as possible. Even though this is a common practice, you also don’t want to sit stationary for a week, where too much inactivity will lead to dormant muscles and lack of body awareness that has you feeling like jelly come race day. You require the muscles in your lower legs to support your every step when you run, and to prevent any ‘ankle rolling’ on uneven terrain or when your form becomes tired and sloppy. Single leg runners (see picture) are a fantastic exercise for getting everything to work together. Standing on one leg and transitioning through the planes of motion will force you to work
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on a number of variables, balance, coordination, proprioception, strength and stability. The focus is both on maintaining straight alignment of your hips throughout, but also ensure that your feet are engaged too. Look to grip the floor with your feet as this will immediately give you more control and stability, as you are telling your feet to work.
Tip: If this is too hard, performing a knee lift hold is a perfect alternative to recruit your ankle stabilisers.
Training TOOLBOX strength and conditioning
4 Pull aparts: A good example of the swimmer’s pre race training is the Pull Apart.
Pull aparts 4. Swimmers ‘catch’
Taking a couple of resistance bands when you travel, will give you the ability to keep your swim stroke on point when a pre-race swim is not possible or overcrowded. There are a number of great upper body exercises you can do with a large resistance band (note – that it needs to be light enough resistance to allow full range of motion). These exercises will engage the upper body, focus on form and keep you ticking over in between your swim sessions
Tip: Similar to glute activation, include band work as a warm up before you enter the water to make sure your upper back, core and shoulders are working optimally.
5. Trust If you’re reading this thinking that you haven’t done enough. STOP! All the work has been done, and you now have to use what you’ve got to get the most out of yourself on race day. Cramming or last minute training sessions will only be detrimental, so ignore the pressure of what everyone else is doing around you. Keep it simple!
Kriss Hendy
Strength & Performance Coach Seeing the need for better athlete education and understanding with regards to Strength & Conditioning for the Endurance Athlete. Kriss works with a variety of athletes from Age Groupers to Professionals, developing programs that support and heighten their endurance performance. Kriss is based in Byron Bay with his wife (Professional Triathlete) Polly Hendy. He has both a local & International client base that use his Online Strength Training Packages.
For further details or to contact Kriss: www.khstrengthandperformance.com Twitter: khendy3 Instagram: @kriss_hendy
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5 TIME HACKS TO CREATING EXTRA HOURS IN YOUR TRAINING WEEK
t e x t b y s a r a h g r o v e | p h o t o g r a p h y b y s h u t t e r s t o ck . c o m
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ou have found yourself a sport that you have fallen in love with. You’ve made some amazing friends, enjoy a sport that provides you with a challenge every day; that gives you immense satisfaction and allows you to stay fit and healthy. How lucky we all are to have discovered triathlon! But on top of triathlon, you still have a full-time job. You have friends to catch up with; you may have a family to look after or study on the side. And did someone mention pets too? All of a sudden the sport you fell in love with starts to pull you away from these other areas, and you are starting to struggle to find time for everyone and everything. Somewhere along the line you have found yourself in a cycle of getting up early, rushing to training and hurrying to get to work on time; eating at your desk, dashing home in the afternoon to make your second
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session for the day, and then not sitting down for dinner until after 8pm - all before having to get yourself organised to do it all again tomorrow! It’s like your days are on fast forward - rushing, moving, hurrying, always on the go. Some days feel like you even forget to stop and breathe! Arghhhhh! But you have to, right? How else do you fit in everything you need to in a week? Unlike single sports where you train just for one discipline, triathlon involves the dedication to improve in three sports - no wonder we have little time left in each of our days! What if I told you I had some simple but effective time hacks to help create extra hours in your week so that you can find that time to breathe, relax and enjoy each day and each week, while still striving and achieving your training and racing goals. It is possible – so triathletes take note!
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Maximise your commute
Look at your daily/weekly schedule and work out how much time you are spending on travelling to/from work. Could you look at incorporating some of your training into your travel? Could you use public transport instead of driving and use that time for study or catching up on personal emails/social media etc. rather than having to do this at home? To me, travel time in the car is ‘dead’ time, so maximising every wasted minute commuting can save you loads of time. I coach a number of athletes who incorporate their training time into their commuting time. Not necessarily every week, but as an example, they may choose during their recovery week to commute by bike and use that as their recovery ride, rather than driving to work and then having to do a recovery session on top of that. Depending on how far your
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commute is, during peak builds, some athletes complete their long aerobic run to/from work. This means that they then have spare time on their traditional ‘Sunday long run day’ to either enjoy extra recovery/down time or complete a different session. So, to do this, you need to think and look outside the box of your ‘traditional’ training days/times and work out if you can incorporate your commute into this. If you have a coach, discuss options and see what can be worked into your weekly training. It is well worth it! Weekly time saving: >2hours a week
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one-hour training session! Now you don’t have to be a mathematician to work out that that is not an efficient use of time. That additional travel time can be utilised for recovery, down time, family time, free time, extra training time – the last thing we want is wasted time in a busy week! I get athletes to review their time spent travelling to and from training and do a cost vs. reward analysis. Sometimes the reward (benefit) is worth the cost (time), but other times it isn’t. For example, you may not enjoy swimming, or you need a coach to review your swim technique so travelling further to get to a swim squad may be beneficial to you, even if you have a pool just around the corner. But on the other side, travelling 20+ minutes to attend an aerobic style run that you could do out your front door may not be as beneficial/effective use of your time. So, weigh it up and be honest with yourself. Not every session needs to be done with a group. Pick the key sessions you feel you gain the most benefit from (i.e., the coaching, camaraderie, etc.) and then trial completing the other sessions closer to home/work to save you the extra travel time. This one can become a BIG time saver in the long run! Weekly time saving: >2hours a week
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Avoid the big ‘day wasters’
How often do you find yourself on the couch at night simply surfing the web, scrolling Facebook or mindlessly watching TV? Don’t get me wrong; we all need some down time, a way to switch off from work, training and general life stressors. But use these in moderation because before you even realise it, you’ve ‘wasted’ over an hour of your valuable time, it’s now 10pm, and you haven’t even organised yourself for the next day - sound familiar? So, set yourself a time limit. Decide how much time you want to allocate to TV/ social media, and set an alarm. As soon as the alarm goes off, that’s your time done for the day. No excuses. Switch off, and move on. Remember, whatever you are looking at today, will still be there tomorrow - you won’t miss out! Weekly time saving: unlimited! But most of us could easily save half an hour a day if we are honest with ourselves... 4+hours a week
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Train indoors, from home or work
As with commuting to and from work, the travel time to and from training can be a costly time waster. I’ve seen athletes commute anywhere up to 45 minutes to one hour just to get to complete a Australian Triathlete |
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Delegate or ask for help
We all have lots on our plate - training, working, washing, cleaning, studying, cooking, family. But who said you have to do it all? If you have a partner, ask for their help and share the load. You don’t have to be superman/woman! If you have kids, get them involved (I remember having to clean my own room and doing my own washing and chores!) If you live alone, you can call on a cleaner, or order in pre-cooked meals - there are lots of great options available nowadays. There is nothing wrong with asking for help if you view your time to be more valuable than the time spent on these ‘jobs’. Remember your time is valuable, so although you may not want to pay or ask someone to do something that you could do yourself, sometimes a little helping hand can go a long way to resetting and allowing you some extra time to breathe, particularly during the heavier months of training. Weekly time saving: 1-2hours a week
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Train smarter, not harder
You may have heard this term before, but honestly, it is the most time efficient way to train and still get the results you are after. Gone are the days of needing to do countless hours of long, hard kilometres. Review your training and see how you can also maximise your time here instead of training for the sake of training. Some people will know this as the ‘polarised’ method of training; others can simply look at it as ‘effective time-efficient training’.
Whichever way you look at it, your ultimate aim should always be to do as little as possible to achieve the result you are aiming for. Why would you want to train more than you have to? Successful athletes don’t just train for the sake of training; every session has a purpose. Understanding why you are completing a session is important to ensure you are getting the most out of the session. So, get rid of the junk miles, isolate what is truly important in each area of the sport, focus on those areas and then do them well. There is a time and place for
Prioritising and managing your time is the key to your success – both in life and in triathlon! — Sarah Grove
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a couple of changes to implement into your routine, work out what works for you and then build on that. In the end, what each of these time hacks has in common is time management. Whether you are a busy mum, a workaholic, a dedicated dad, climbing the corporate ladder or studying full time, prioritising and managing your time is the key to your success â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both in life and in triathlon!
Sarah Grove Triathlon Coach Holistic Endurance
Delegate: Getting food delivered or someone else doing the house cleaning will always be a sure fire way to find extra time.
long miles, but you need to understand where (and why) they fit in, rather than simply logging the kilometres for the sake of it. Do this, and you will find a few extra hours a week up your sleeve you may just have been missing! Weekly time saving: >3hours a week
Overall, total weekly time saving implementing the above time hacks: >13+hours a week! Seems unrealistic, right? But let me tell you it IS possible! You may not get to the 13+ hours of timesaving a week from the get go; you may need to start small. Pick
Sarah Grove is a Triathlon Coach with Holistic Endurance. Sarah competes competitively at all levels of triathlon and has raced around the world including the Ironman World Championships. She shares her coaching knowledge, experience and education with athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while living a balanced, happy and healthy life. More information: www.holisticendurance.com.au
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Can you handle the
heat?
I’ve just watched Kona and it’s got me pumped but I hate the heat. Coach, what are your tips?
text by Julie tedde photography by Getty Images for Ironman
F
irstly, wow, what an exciting journey you are about to start on. Secondly, what I’m going to discuss in this article really applies to anyone heading to a race destination that is traditionally warm/hot or humid, or both.
The facts One of the most important things for you to know is that heat and humidity will slow your performance by making you work
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harder. Your body typically responds to hot/humid conditions by increasing sweat rate – you will sweat more. This requires that you take in greater amounts of fluid to stay hydrated, and it requires you to replace more salt and electrolytes to absorb this fluid. These are the main aspects of dealing with heat and humidity. However, I want to explore a different angle - how to think about heat as part of your race, and how to develop a strategy
to learn how to adjust your race tactics to deal with or even excel in the heat. Your training strategy needs to include increasing your tolerance to the heat and being able to dissipate heat more effectively. Following is a list of methods that are believed to assist with preparing your body for hot/humid climates.
How to acclimatise to racing in the heat The two main ways of acclimatising to the heat of race destinations like Hawaii or even Busselton include:
1. Live and train in a similar climate to what you are expecting in at your race destination. 2. Stay at home and adapt to the heat by training in an artificial environment.
Training TOOLBOX coaches corner
Method 1 Live and train in a similar climate to what you are expecting in Hawaii Pros: • Spending extra time in Hawaii before the race will allow you time to cover the majority of the bike and run course, and will also give you extra insight into the course. • Seven to 14 days out from the race means that you are already in taper mode, so you could use the first few days of being there to give you some extra recovery time.
Cons: • Training for Hawaii already has associated costs, including travel, accommodation, training and time off work. To increase time spent away or take an additional seven to 14 days off before race day may be too much. • To be able to train in the heat and not overdo things you’re forced to change your training. You must not put any intensity into your training to give your body a chance to cope with the heat. Any higher intensity sessions will need to be dropped or moved.
Method 2 Stay at home and adapt to the heat by training in an artificial environment You may ask: “How do I create an artificial environment similar to the heat and humidity of Hawaii?” Research suggests that if you are not going to be in the heat day-after-day, then aim to expose yourself to the heat every two to three days, starting around 30 days out from race day. You can do this in the following ways: • Pay and go to a heat chamber or a controlled heat environment. • If you have access to an indoor pool deck, you can use this for added heat and humidity during training sessions such as ergo sessions.
• Train at home in the laundry with the dryer running and a heater on. • Train at home in the bathroom with the heater and hot tap running to create the humidity. • Train indoors - anywhere that you can ramp the heat up (but there may not be much humidity here).
Indoor Bike/Ergo Session 1
Warm Up
10mins. HR <70%mhr or 60-70%FTP cadence 90rpm 6x (30-second accelerations, build cadence form 80-100rpm+, 30 seconds easy)
Main Set
6-10x (5mins @75%mhr or 7080%FTP, 1mins easy)
Pros: • The great news is, with staying home you can plan your training around the time you have, or you can do sessions in these environments but at the same time maintain some intensity in other training sessions when training in the cooler conditions at home. This means less interruption to your training routine. • You remain in your normal routine, and therefore there is less impact on your life or family.
Warm Down
Warm Up
10mins. HR<70%mhr or 60-70%FTP cadence 90rpm
Main Set
10mins @70-75%mhr or 70%FTP, start with a cadence of 80rpm and pick up by 5rpm every 2mins 6-10x (30seconds max. efforts, 4 ½ minutes easy) 6-10x (5minutes @75%mhr or 7080%FTP, 1mins easy)
Cons: • Paying to use a heat chamber or regular sauna sessions may be expensive and less readily accessible. • Training indoors, at home (in the laundry/bathroom) – it’s difficult to exactly measure and control the heat and the humidity. • Increased water and electricitiy bills. So, obviously you want to know - how do you include heat training, whether you’re away in the heat pre-event or doing acclimatisation at home. Well, the key to training in the heat is to respect how it will affect you. You need to understand that racing in the heat/humidity will mean the training metrics you are used to may not be reached because of this additional stressor - expect to be slower. By training in the heat before the race, you will realise pretty quickly how much slower you are or how much the heat affects you. It is quite individual, and that shows you why it is important to expose yourself to it and learn what is right for you. Following are examples of a one-hour indoor bike/ergo and treadmill sessions to include in a heat chamber or at home in your homemade heat chamber.
5-10minutes
Session 2
Warm Down
5-10mins
Treadmill Running Session 1 Warm Up
5minutes. Have the treadmill set on a one percent incline
Main Set
8-10x (2minutes @80%mhr, 1minutes easy)
Warm Down
5minutes
Session 2 Warm Up
5mins warm up
Main Set
3x (10minutes @7578%mhr or race pace, 2minutes easy)
Warm Down
5minutes
Australian Triathlete |
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Training TOOLBOX coaches corner
Arriving at the destination and knowing how to adjust your race plan So, you are now at your race destination - maybe seven days out from race day. Hopefully, you are halfway through acclimatising on the Big Island or have started your acclimatisation at home and then are just finishing it off in Hawaii. It now comes down to having a smart plan on race day. You know to drink more water; you know to increase electrolytes throughout the day, but what do you do with regards to the speed you hope to ride; the pace you hope to run? Be smart and adjust these. Is running at 5min/km pace on the Big Island going to feel the same or have the same energy requirements as if running in the cooler conditions you trained in or last raced in? The answer is no. This means that to be successful in the heat, you need to adjust your pace targets upward and understand that running slower is equal to running faster in lower temperatures. What can help you, is to use a heart rate monitor. By training with a heart rate monitor in cool weather and ensuring that you keep your heart rate at similar rates in hot weather (slowing your pace accordingly to keep your heart rate down), you should be close to the same effort level.
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Other quick tips Tactically speaking, there are some specific things that you can do to handle the heat, in addition to adjusting your race strategy, which can not be overlooked as well. These include the following:
Pre-event • Hydrate well - remember to mix water with a bidon on noncarbohydrate electrolyte (Hydralyte/ Nuun/Shotz etc.). • Keep out of the sun. • Don’t train in the heat. • Skip sessions if feeling tired, especially if you work in the heat.
Race day • Wear extremely light-weight clothing that can be soaked with water in aid stations to keep you cool and not cause chaffing. This would include most triathlon gear that is made to be worn wet. • Cover your head with a light coloured, vented hat and fill it with ice at aid stations, if available. • Wear arm coolers if you’re biking in a hot weather race. • Carry a water-bottle with you so that you have access to fluid whenever you need it, even between aid stations.
• Carry non-energy, electrolyte tablets such as TOPIN or CARBOSHOTZ effervescent tabs that can be added to plain-water to replenish electrolytes, even when your stomach can not tolerate any more sweet energy drinks, like Gatorade, which might be served on the course. It is critical to keep replenishing electrolytes to stave off dehydration in hot weather, and plain water will not help hydrate you if you’ve become sick and can’t tolerate an energy drink. • Freeze drink bidons as they will melt before you require them on the bike. Test this in training, so you are confident they will melt. • If there is ice on course – put down tops, in a hat, down below. Also, suck on it if feeling nauseous. • Tip water on you every aid station.
julie tedde Julie is Head Coach of TRG Triathlon and Multisport, with 20 years coaching experience working with Junior Development all the way through to Kona Ironman athletes.
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tips & tricks
Coping with the Triathlon Swim Start t e x t b y n ick c r o f t | p h o t o g r a p h y b y G e t t y i m a g e s
S
wim starts in triathlon can be tricky, in particular for those new to the sport and, of course, for the not so strong or anxious swimmers. Neglecting one of the most basic pre-race/pre-swim must do’s – the warm up - will magnify the nerves or fear. So many times I have seen or heard of beginner athletes that did not warm up at all, or did not warm up enough, before the swim start. These athletes have then had to stop 200-300 metres into the swim to catch their breath, leading to potentially
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copping a hit or being swum over. This does nothing to ease the fear of the swim. At least 10+ minutes warm up in the water, or an alternative on dry land, needs to be done before the swim start to get blood into the swim muscles, and the heart rate up to close to threshold before the warm up stops. This should be completed in the last few minutes before your wave start. If you need to warm up on dry land, it can suffice to get some swim stretch cords or to use body weight exercises, like pushups or dips in a mini circuit.
Now, onto the actual start. There are two types of triathlon starts - the deep water start, where you will swim out into a depth where you may just be able to stand - or you may not - a little off shore and then start swimming straight away once the gun goes off. The other is the run-in. The distances for the run-in can vary from being standing on the water’s edge and having only to run, wade and dolphin 10-30 metres until you start swimming, to a bit further before you hit the water. In your pre race warm-up make sure you
Nick Croft Nick Croft is a former professional and Australian Triathlete of the year. A two- time Noosa Triathlon winner and coach for the last 22 years. Nick coaches athletes of all abilities in his home town of Noosa on Queensland’s Sunshine coast and runs Noosa Tri Camps and online coaching through www.mscsport.com.au
know the depth of the water where you are swimming so you know when you can start swimming. As for where to position yourself at the start - if you have problems with the masses, then stay away from the middle of the pack. Make sure you place yourself to one side of the start wave or a bit further back. Some events now have rolling starts where you submit a rough swim time and you are set off in smaller groups of the same ability so that you won’t get hammered by the masses. Know the swim course and what configuration it is. Make sure your navigation is ‘on’ by lifting the head at least every 7-10 strokes. Swimmers that keep their head down for more than this, and especially those new to open water swimming, will usually start to go off course if their head is down without lifting to sight after only 10 strokes. Your swim catch and pull will also dictate if you swim straight or off to one side. Work on a direct pull and set up your stroke from hand entry in the water, keeping your elbow high as you catch. This will help with swimming straight and not across your midline. Once the gun goes, start out strong but relaxed. This is hard to do in practice, I know, but it is the start of a triathlon - there is no point in getting a super high heart rate in the first few minutes of an endurance race. Those that go too hard at the start will falter later on if it is way above what they can handle. Starting out too hard in the swim and above your swim fitness will cause your heart rate to go to anaerobic levels, leaving you in oxygen debt. It is better to build your speed throughout the swim. Find your pace first, then up the tempo. This will keep your heart rate lower and leave you better prepared for the rest of the race. Australian Triathlete |
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Adapting To The Heat Heat Acclimation t e x t b y S a m b e t t e n | p h o t o g r a p h y b y r e b e cc a o h l w e i n
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s a professional athlete for over a decade, one of the hardest and most complex aspects of racing that I have struggled to get right is racing in the heat. Racing in the heat and humidity has the ability to completely humble you as an athlete as it is so easy to fall into the trap of going past your limits and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;cookingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; yourself to the point of no return. Getting the heat equation right takes a lot of planning, preparation and mental discipline that can take years to master correctly. If you need evidence of this just
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look at past years of the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and how many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best triathletes have fallen apart during the race as a result of the extreme heat. It took the greats of the sport like Chris McCormack and Mark Allen many years to crack the code before they perfected their strategy of racing in the heat and humidity of Kona. There are several components that are important to consider in the lead up to racing in hot and humid conditions. The first and foremost is how you approach your hydration and nutrition
strategy. It goes without saying that when the temperatures rise, your body will sweat more and therefore you will need to consume more fluids in order to combat this. In addition to this, we not only need to replace the water loss itself but also sodium and calories. When you are racing in the heat, it is much harder for your stomach to process the increased nutritional and hydration demands, which is why it is very important to be practising your strategy in training to test what you can handle. Too much and you will experience gut fatigue where your stomach will not be able to process the higher volume of fluids and nutrition. Too little and you will not get the fluid and calories that are needed in order to stay well hydrated and fuelled.
Training TOOLBOX
If you have trained or raced in the heat before while wearing a heart rate monitor, you will have already noticed the massive effect that heat and humidity play in elevating your heart rate. As a simple experiment, try running in a colder environment at tempo pace and then replicate the same running pace in a much
hotter environment, and witness for yourself the variability in your heart rate. It is a simple test that is very beneficial in highlighting just how much the heat causes your heart rate to elevate. Looking at how this translates to race day, you cannot simply have the same pacing strategy as you would in colder events. As a good example of this, in colder climates when I race Ironman 70.3 events, I try to run sub 3 minutes and 30 seconds per kilometre pace. However, in the heat and humidity of many Asian races that I compete in, my goal is to run around 4 minutes per kilometre pace. Interestingly, looking back at my heart rate data from a colder vs. a hotter Ironman 70.3, my heart rate is often still lower in colder events even though I run much faster. Pacing in hotter races is so important because there is no coming back from blowing up in a hot race - when your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temperature rises too high it will not allow you to recover from this. It is actually much wiser to start conservatively and build into the race than to go out one percent too hard and have your body start to shut down. During a race, it is very important to do whatever you can in order to cool your body down. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be shy in grabbing ice and cold sponges to help lower your bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core temperature. One of the best strategies that you can employ in your training in the lead up to racing a hotter event is doing heat acclimation training. This is especially beneficial if you are travelling from a colder environment, as your body will not be used to the heat. There are a few ways that you can help acclimate to the heat such as wearing a long sleeved shirt and
Bathroom: Heat acclimation can be done at home in a room with high humidity.
long pants on your run to increase your sweat rate or by running during the hottest part of the day to get as used to the heat as much as possible. Another great way to acclimate is to ride indoors on your bike trainer in a heated room for an hour while doing a few efforts every now and then to elevate your heart rate. In the past, I have used a heat light in the bathroom and turned on the hot shower in order to simulate temperatures of 30 degrees or more along with the very high humidity. Doing sessions like these in the weeks leading up to a hot and humid race helps your body to learn to adapt to these conditions prior to race day and should make racing feel a little more manageable. Racing in the heat is truly an art form in itself and something that does take time and practice in order to be able to get the best from yourself on race day. Hydration, pacing and heat acclimation are three of the best strategies in your triathlon bag of tricks that will ensure that you are on the right path to racing well in the heat.
Sam Betten A professional triathlete from QLD
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The Travelling Triathlete - Domestic Travel t e x t b y P e t e r h e r z ig | p h o t o g r a p h y b y SHUTTERSTO C K . C OM
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o your friends ever tell you how lucky you are to be travelling to a race? While I’m sure you are looking forward to the race, in the back of your mind you’re probably also thinking, “Man, I am not looking forward to packing the bike, the running gear, the swimming gear, the nutrition products, the water bottles, plus the clothes that normal people take when travelling.” The travelling triathlete is indeed a tough gig. As a seasoned campaigner of domestic travel and assisting athletes find their way more easily, I hope to bring you some down-to-earth (sorry, DTE) suggestions in this month’s article.
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Air Okay, so you’ve packed your bike, your bag and have all your race foods. Magically you’ve also avoided unnecessary excess baggage charges. No? Well, my hot tip for travel is to make use of your hand luggage. This is the best place to put (besides your electronic devices) your sports nutrition, if short on baggage allowance. Most airlines will give you seven kilograms - some athletes may or may not have gotten away with more than this. Because your sports products are high density they don’t take up much space, so they are the perfect option for your backpack, along with a few
extra snacks (more on this later). So, recheck your other luggage and add anything heavy and small to your hand luggage to avoid excess fees. So, you’ve avoided some extra fees, you’ve checked-in, but you’ve realised that there aren’t any food options that suit your regular diet. Yes, I know, in reality, there are usually many food options at the airport from which to choose. However, let’s for a minute assume you are flying out of one of the regional centres. What do you do? Have something out of the ordinary? Or go hungry? Or plan ahead? A great proportion of carefree travel comes down to planning. If you plan, you have options.
Training TOOLBOX Nutrition
This is particularly the case for those early morning flights. If you have an early morning flight, don’t feel like you necessarily have to have breakfast beforehand, especially if you leave home at zero o’clock. What you could do instead is - while at the airport, go to a café or the newsagent and buy some milk that you can then pour onto your regular cereal. Yes, you may have seen me outside an airport somewhere tucking into my favourite fruit muesli, and the overpriced milk. There is no reason why you can’t bring your own food to the airport, or even onto the plane. Depending on time frames, you may be flying only a few days before the event, while trying to ensure adequate carbohydrate intake. Airline food may not
cater for your portion sizes or tastes. For that reason, I would always recommend taking some food options on board. Options like muesli bars, fruit or an apple scroll are great. Think about carbohydrate-dense foods that will top you up. Also, if you’re flying later in the day, why not take your lunch with you? One thing to note though - different locations (most notably Tassie and WA) kindly request that you dispose of any fruit products before entering their states. For those on longer flights, for example, Brisbane to Perth, this is where hydration becomes more of an issue. The combination of altitude and air-conditioning, with reduced humidity, may mean you will lose more water. Of course, alcohol consumption may compound this issue. To combat dehydration, take your water bottle through security. Even with now increased security at airports (similar to an international flight) as long as it is empty, you are fine - previously a full water bottle wasn’t an issue domestically. While you don’t need to go crazy with hydration, particularly a few days before racing, keeping yourself hydrated will keep your body systems in balance. There is nothing worse than that post-flight headache. As always, drinking with your meals is the best time to hydrate. Finally, some of you may struggle eating meals on the plane due to feelings of bloating. To avoid discomfort, you may be better to wait until after your flight for your next main meal (within reason).
Options: Don’t be caught off-guard with aeroplane food. Be prepared and have plenty of your usual snacks on hand in your carry-on bag. Additionally, a great tip is to take an empty water bottle through security so it isn’t taken off you and then refill it before boarding to stay adequately hydrated during the flight.
Road Okay, so you’ve packed your bike, the rest of your kit and double-checked all your race foods and bottles. Always double check! Driving to a race (unless you have a smart car) may give you extra space to pack what you want. This should include meals and snacks for the road if travelling a long distance because, how often have you got in the car and driven away thinking you would stop in so-and-so town but
Because your sports products are high density they don’t take up much space, so they are the perfect option for your backpack. —Peter Herzig Australian Triathlete |
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Training TOOLBOX Nutrition
upon arriving found there is nothing open or nothing suitable? Packing a small esky with drinks and snacks is a great option for those road trips, so you don’t have to go without. Alternatively, do some research - check the internet to see what there is or ask some training buddies where they have stopped previously, so you know what to expect. That old modified, race day adage also applies to road travel - don’t change anything on the day before the race. This goes for eating on the road as well. Now, the last thing I want you to do is to become paranoid about food, and if you like to experience other foods while travelling then go for it. That said - the best advice would always be to match your intake and food choices to what you would normally eat, to minimise any potential issues. Driving also has the added benefit of allowing you to take a few favourites with you. Take your favourite bread or cereal, for example. Pack some favourite snacks and fruit to have on the journey, and please make sure you have enough water to provide adequate hydration for your trip. That way you aren’t relying on finding a tap or buying bottled water. I’ve also known a few athletes that throw in their own coffee machine in, to boot.
Destination You’ve arrived at your destination - your bike has made it, you have all your favourite foods - or have you? If you’ve flown and luggage space was at a premium, then you may have to head to
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Preparation: Stocking your fridge full of food, getting a place to stay that has adequate cooking amenities and all those small things, that when properly planned, make for a more pleasant stay and lead up to race day.
the shops for a food shop. Making a list before you go shopping will take a few minutes but will save you 10-fold when reaching the store. Again, planning, planning, planning is the key. Starting to get the idea? Knowing where your closest sports nutrition shop is (if need be) and supermarket (which is pretty easy these days with any map App) will also make life easier. Using your shopping list, grab the things you will need for the next few days if possible, with particular consideration to the meals around race day. That way you can just do ‘top up shops’ (or TUS as I like to call it) if need be.
Amenities You’ve arrived at your destination; your bike has made it, you have all your favourite foods, you have gone food shopping and, you’ve just realised that you don’t have any cooking facilities at your accommodation. This is one that I always ask my athletes about before writing up a race plan. You need to check what is available. Having a microwave and a kettle is a major bonus. I once catered for a week by myself with only a toaster, fridge and kettle - some have done it for much longer. I understand it adds cost to your trip, but cooking facilities can pay back in spades if you are away for a few days. Travelling with a buddy is a great help in this respect.
Another key point is to find out what utensils are in the room/apartment. When travelling with groups, I would usually bring one good sharp knife, a cutting board and a cheese grater (mainly for veg prep), just because I know it will speed up food prep and reduce the chance of cooking frustration. Furthermore, a small container with olive oil, and salt and pepper shakers make life that much simpler. Taking these items from home or keeping a set for travelling will save you money if travelling frequently. Also, having a few Tupperware containers for your leftovers is super helpful, and they also serve a dual purpose as bowls. Have you ever had the issue of trying to eat
Training TOOLBOX your big cereal serve in those tiny motel bowls? If travelling alone, I would always take a knife, fork, spoon and plastic bowl. While, sure, most motels will have this option, it just means you can eat anywhere, at any time (even outside T2 at Sydney domestic). While some athletes have a much more casual approach to travelling, I find that most prefer to have a basic plan. Having a basic plan will mean that you can maximise rest time and/or some sightseeing before your big event. If you are travelling with others, it is always worth talking about your preference for planning to ensure you are all on the same page. There is nothing worse than cracking a wobbly with your travelling buddy at 6pm on race eve because they have taken over the kitchen for an hour and are cooking a meal incompatible with any of your pre-race options. At the end of the day, adequate nutrition for travelling comes down to common sense, logistics and catering (and planning, planning and more planning). Hopefully, this article has jogged your memory to think about how you can best plan for your next tri travel adventure.
Nutrition
Pete’s top nutrition tips for the travelling triathlete: • Check and re-check all your race nutrition (plus backups) before travelling • Use your hand luggage allowance to avoid excess baggage charges • Plan your meal stops and think about airport choices • Bring your favourite foods with you if possible/necessary • Know what cooking facilities you have • Plan to take some utensils/basics if not readily available • Know where your closest supermarket/sports nutrition shop is • Plan your meals, make a shopping list and buy what you need • Have fun, and I wish you all the best with your travel and upcoming races
Peter Herzig Centred Nutrition was founded by Peter Herzig (APD). Peter is a qualified Dietitian and Accredited Sports Dietitian who also has a degree in Exercise Science. Peter set up Centred Nutrition in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to focus on a client centred approach; as there is no one solution in nutrition that will work for everyone.
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Summer time and higher temperatures can mean we don’t always feel like eating straight after training. To incorporate a great carbohydrate option with the added vitamins, fibre and water content from fruit - why not go for a refreshing fruit salad? Easily made the night before or fresh on the day as a quick option to keep you going until your next main meal.
serves Ingredients: • Two punnets strawberries hulled (if preferred) and quartered
1. In a small saucepan heat lime juice, zest, mint and honey to dissolve, then allow to cool (heating is optional, you can stir well to combine)
• Four kiwi fruit skinned, halved and sliced
2. Prepare all fruit
• Two large bananas cubed
3. Mix dressing into salad and serve
• 2 cups pineapple cubed
© Shutterstock.com
• One punnet blueberries • Four sprigs fresh mint finely sliced • Zest of one lime • Two limes juiced • 1Tbs honey
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Added twist: add your favourite yoghurt for an added protein punch!
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POWER REVOLUTION
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The real revolution. Power Box crank: training with the same professional cyclist tool and measure your power, to enhance your performance.
Power Box is available in aluminum and carbon version from 585 g.
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Power Box Carbon
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