Australian Triathlete Magazine - PINK9 Winter 2015

w o m e n ’ s G U I D E T O T r i at h l o n

Pink Issue 9 winter 2015

Winter Workout Wear Get kitted out with the latest gear for the season She Science Revolutionising sports bra technology

Always imitated -d Never repli-

Kate

WINTER 2015

The Pink Edition

58 COVER STORY Kate Bevilaqua shares her remarkable journey from amateur athlete to one of the best Ironman in the country

18 44 68 FROM THE KITCHEN

Why the #50 WomenTo Kona

Three of triathlon’s top

Margaret Mielczarek shares

movement is here to stay

athletes showcase this

her favourite beetroot recipes

season’s latest trends

with us

Triathlete turned entrepreneur Jo

58 SHE SCIENCE

74 TRAINING SESSIONS

Homer gives us the lowdown on

Tish Monahan shares her

GKEndurance’s must-do

tri camps

revolutionary new sports bra

workouts this winter 78 ENDOCRIN-WHAT

30 FOLLOW THE SWALLOW

She Science Revolutionising sports bra technology

ISSN 1320-5773

9 771320 577091

www.oztri.com.au

technology with us

PINK ISSUE 9 WINTER 2015

Winter Workout Wear Get kitted out with the latest gear for the season

Kate Bevilaqua: ALWAYS IMITATED, NEVER REPLICATED

26 TRI FOR ME

W O M E N ’ S G U I D E T O T R I AT H L O N

PINK 9 WINTER 2015

44 WINTER WORKOUTS

Australian Triathlete

16 TRI EQUAL

ISSN 1320-5773

Katee Pedicini debunks

Everyone needs a good sports

hormonal myths

PP341999/00020

62 SAVE, SPEND & SPLURGE

secret world of Team Siri

Pink Edition Issue 9 2015 AUS $8.95 inc GST

Jodie Swallow lets us into the

www.oztri.com.au www.oztri.com.au

9 771320 577091

ISSN 1320-5773

Always imitated -d Never repli-

Kate

9 771320 577091

bra. Find yours now!

33 UP AND COMERS AT highlights the five athletes on

64 NUTRITION

everyone’s radar

Refuelling for winter

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

Cover: Kate Bevilaqua Cover photography: Janine Kaye

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from the editor

The Pink Edition A PUBLICITY PRESS PUBLICATION MANAGING EDITOR

WELCOME

Aimee Johnsen DEPUTY EDITOR

Manveen Maan ART DIRECTOR

Andy Cumming ADVERTISING MANAGER

Scott Llewelyn ADMINISTRATION, PRODUCTION & SUBSCRIPTIONS

reception@publicitypress.com.au

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

t wasn’t until we were ready to send this edition to print that I could finally articulate how excited I was to be the editor of the one and only (as far as I am aware) women’s specific triathlon magazine in the world. Now of course I cannot take credit for its inception but I

can for this specific edition, and it’s something I am very proud to put my name to.

You may be a loyal follower of our magazine, or perhaps you’re reading this in the aisles of your local newsagent or maybe even on your Kindle or Newsstand app – whatever your choice, I would like to say hello and welcome.

This marks a new chapter in the history of our Pink Edition magazine. My plan is simple – I would like to share with you the stories of real women in triathlon, and introduce you to the amazing women who make up this fabulous sport and global community. I want to bring to your coffee tables topics only we understand or perhaps feel strongly about, and hopefully help empower you to achieve your goals within this sport.

Throughout this edition you will meet some of the amazing women I talk about, and I hope you will be just as moved as I am, by their journeys. From Sara Gross, the American professional triathlon, PhD holder and co-founder of TriEqual who will propel you to get on board the equality train and the movement looking to change our great sport (page 16), and Tish Monohan, the owner and founder of SheScience, the only sports bra specialist store in Australia, to Jodie Swallow (page 30) who uncovers the truth behind how the star-studded stable of Team Sirius get along so well and our winter covergirl Kate Bevilaqua, whose tales of victory are bound to inspire, this edition promises to inform, motivate and empower.

So grab a cuppa and snuggle under the quilt and enjoy!

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

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Equality 50WomenToKona

HOW THE 0WOMENTOKONA MOVEMENT CAN CHANGE SPORTING HISTORY Text by: Sara Gross

March, 1967: A young American runner sits in her living room having just completed a 50km run. “Hot damn,” she thought, “I have a coach, a training partner, a plan, and a goal: the biggest marathon in the world—Boston.” She passed the required fitness test, forked over the three dollar entry fee and signed the entry form as she always did, K.V. Switzer.

July, 2014: A young American triathlete sits in her living room and wonders “Why do the professional women get only 35 slots for the World Championships when the men get 50?

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

That doesn’t seem right.” Armed with the notion that others might agree with her, she opens her computer and establishes the twitter handle @50womentokona: “It’s 2015,” she writes, “There should be an equal number of pro men and women racing the Ironman World Championship in Kona. Let’s make it happen.”

I am one of the leaders of TriEqual, a not-for-profit organiation dedicated to issues of equality and fairness in triathlon. Our group of 16 includes four business owners, three lawyers, five professional triathletes and two former world champions. We originally came together

to work towards equality for the professional women at the world championships and once we started talking, we realised there was much more to be done. By working together with hundreds of volunteers all over the globe, we hope to achieve equal opportunity for professional women, equality in total participation numbers at all levels, encourage diversity of race, ethnicity and sexual orientation and nurture and develop athletes of all ages and abilities to the next level of performance. These are big goals, but our approach is to start small and keep building.

The first goal is to achieve equality at the top.

50WomenTOKONA

The professional women provide a guidepost for all of us, from beginners, to age group champions, to our daughters. The #50womentokona movement is for everyone who believes that the professional women deserve the same opportunity to race at the world championships as the professional men.

On the whole, triathlon is a sport that got it right from the start, when it comes to gender equality. A 2014 proposal by the European Commission for Sport twice mentions the International Triathlon Union as having implemented gender equality to positive ends, where 19 out of 90 Sports Federations actually have zero women in leadership positions including boxing, aikido, baseball, shooting and most surprisingly, tennis.

Triathlon has a rich history of gender inclusivity that started with a handful of people asking for equal prize money and sponsorship opportunities when the sport grew up in the 1980s and 90s. Today women in triathlon benefit immensely from this history so why not take the final step? Why would we continue to accept the inequality of allowing less professional women at the world championship level when we are so close to having it all?

Becoming the first sport to be 100% equal would, in the long run, improve diversity, help increase the quantity and quality of female role models for girls and provide a nurturing environment for our daughters. I think we would see an increase in the number of female coaches, which would attract women and keep them in the sport. Consider the overall health benefits for the increasing number of participants and the economic benefits for independent race organisers, coaches, and businesses.

So how do we make this happen?

April, 1967: Katherine Switzer became the first women to officially run the Boston marathon. During the race, the now infamous Jock Semple, launched from a media van and tried to take her off the course by physical force.

As recently as the 1960s people actually believed that women were physically incapable of running 42.2 kilometers.

February, 2015: A group of four women drafted a letter asking members of Ironman’s recently-formed Women for Tri Board to consider the issue of equality for the female pros.

Multiple Ironman Champion Rachel Joyce and Multiple World Champion Chrissie Wellington signed the letter and within 24 hours 100+ signatures were added, plus hundreds more in the days that followed.

March, 2015: Following the letter and the ground swell of support, a number of men and women (who later became TriEqual) began to communicate and discuss a variety of ways to effect change. Many felt that International Women’s Day (March 8th 2015) would be a good time to speak their minds on social media.

A Facebook page was created and within 24 hours, had collected over 2000 likes, while 1500 tweets reached an audience of over two million. The people spoke out and Ironman did not respond.

person learns about #50womentokona is: “Are there not more important issues to fight for in this world?” There certainly are. But when it comes to real people making a real difference, what starts as a small action, like writing “K.V. Switzer” on a marathon entry form or creating the twitter handle @50womentokona can grow into something that will change the world forever. The movement for equal slots in Kona contains this power. If we can achieve gender equality in one sport, than why not two? And if two, why not four? And so on and so forth.

So how can you help? First, wear a “5Q” tattoo or draw 5Q on your limbs with a sharpie at your next race. “5Q” stands for 50-qualified.

Find us on the 50womentokona Facebook page, or follow @50womentokona and @tri_equal on Twitter. To volunteer for #50womentokona or other initiatives, visit our website: www.Triequal.com. When it comes to women in triathlon, we are just getting started.

1969-1984: Following her experience in Boston in 1967, Switzer continued to lead the campaign to get women official status in distance running events. During the 1970s and 80s, she created the world-wide Avon running series for women. The series highlighted global participation and performances for women that demonstrated to the International Olympic Committee that the women’s marathon was a viable option for the Olympic Games. In 1984, at the Los Angeles Olympic Games, Joan Benoit entered the Olympic stadium and became the first woman to win a gold medal in the marathon.

What started with a University student writing “K. V. Switzer” on an entry form grew into a movement that changed the course of marathon history.

The most common criticism I hear when a The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 17

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

SWIMMINGLY

WELL

It seems she has achieved so much already, but what’s in store for champion triathlete Kate Bevilaqua?

We find out.

Text by Aimee Johnsen • Photography by Janine Kaye, Delly Carr and Korupt Vision

I understand your cousin introduced you to triathlon – does he remind you often that he was the catalyst for the path you’re now on?

He does it all the time - especially as I am yet to beat him in an Ironman! We both did our first one together in Forster 2004. At that time you had to qualify just to do the Ironman. We both competed in Busselton Half Ironman 2003 to qualify for the Ironman.

I think in the end he beat me by about 15-20 minutes and has not done another Ironman since. He is quite happy to remind me of that and I have a lot to thank him for. I wouldn’t be involved in the sport, and achieved what I have if it wasn’t for him!

You were a netballer back in the day. I’ve heard you comment about how it’s a killer on the body (which I can 100% agree with) and in the end the risks were too great for you to keep playing. Do you think the toll on your body, as a netballer, is greater than Ironman?

Wow, what a question. You have really thought about these! I loved playing netball and I still miss it now. There are random occasions were I may still get the call up and get asked to fill in for friends’ teams and I get so excited and say “yes, yes, yes”. Then the voice of reason prevails and it is unfortunately just not worth the risk at this stage. I think the long-term toll on the body may be worse doing regular Ironman events, than playing netball. Granted, netball is bad for the knees and the sudden stopping is not ideal. The injuries you sustain are more likely to be impact, or sudden jolting or jarring, while Ironman has an over use of injuries most of the time.

The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 19

Kate Bevilaqua

THE SMILING ASSASSIN: Kate loves what she does - and it shows

“IT WASN’T UNTIL 2003 THAT MY COACH AT THE TIME (ANDREW BUDGE) NICELY TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME THAT HE THOUGHT I WOULD BE BETTER WITH LONG COURSE RACING.” Like most athletes you started off with short distance and progressed to longer distances.

When did you first think about tackling an Ironman race?

Ironman was never on my radar! I loved the sport and I loved the challenge but I was not great at it straight away. I was happy to participate and just get stronger and faster. Age Group Olympic Distance worlds excited me as I loved to travel and could swim, bike and run at the same time.

So while I was studying to be a PE teacher, I competed in Cancun and New Zealand. Again, nothing special, I think I finished about 22nd in my category, but I had a blast! It wasn’t until 2003 that my coach at the time (Andrew Budge) nicely tried to explain to me that he thought I would be better with long course racing. Olympic Distance was not my forte but he felt there was an untapped ability to go long. Clearly, I was not 20

AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

interested! Along comes Cousin Wesley and a grand idea of doing it together and it is on!

Andrew was happy and we were on a plan of attack for Ironman.

What was your first iron-distance race? What was it like?

Forster 2004, and what an experience it was! I wish they still had that race. There was a large group of us traveling from Perth. We all stayed together or close by. Cousin Wez and I had been training together and preparing for the race. It was exciting! There were no expectations, and being my first Ironman, I had no idea what I was in for. Finishing was the obvious goal and I ended up having a great day, finishing second in my age group and getting a slot to Kona. The family was so excited as well, they were heading to the Big Island!

So you obviously progressed nicely as an age grouper, qualifying and racing at the 2004 Ironman World Champs. What were your goals at that point?

My first trip to Kona was in 2004. Leading up to that race I was doing a lot of travel, plus relocating my life as I was beginning a one year teaching exchange opportunity in Vancouver Canada. I had done the best I could with my training but as you know, that course will definitely expose you! I was not there with any illusions of achieving podiums or particular times. From what I had heard I just wanted to survive and be able to say I completed the Hawaii Ironman! 12.46hrs later I crossed the finish line after a lot of walking in the dark out on the Queen K with my glow stick. It was an incredible experience and I was honoured to be a part of it. But then decided a few days later

that that was the end of my Ironman Career. I was not cut out for it!

I went back to Vancouver and had the most amazing time teaching, skiing, eating way too much and not doing anything related to triathlon, but six months later I had the itch again - it was just that competitive nature. I contacted my coach and said I wanted to go back to Hawaii. I thought I could do better so we targeted Ironman Coeur D’Alene. I stepped it up and really committed to the plan and losing the winter coat - it paid off and I had another ticket to Kona in 2005.

You got third and qualified for your pro l icense off the back of that race. Was that completely unexpected?

Yes absolutely - I did not even know what a pro license was! I knew there was a different

category at the races and those guys were fast!

But I was in my own little world. My goal had been to qualify for Kona again and have a better day there than in 2004. My entire family didn’t come this time, just my youngest brother to keep me company. I knew I had worked hard, and that my mental attitude and approach had changed, and I had learnt a lot from the previous year. I had no idea where I was during the race, and just focused on my plan and executing it. I do remember on the run coming up along side another female age grouper and we had a quick chat (we’re in different age groups) and ended up running together and pushing each other for the next 25km. It was great! It wasn’t until I had finished the race, found my brother and was on the phone to my parents back in Perth that I found out I had come third. I was ecstatic! Later that week

when I returned home and was catching up with my coach, he told me I had qualified for a pro license and my response was “What does that mean?”

Did you feel it was a massive step up when you then turned pro?

Yes, I feel it was. Ladies I had seen winning the races now stood next to me on the start line.

Your performance is scrutinised and analysed more because you needed to prove that you are good enough to be racing in the professional ranks. I had no idea what to expect. I continued working full time the first few years and tried to get out there and get as much experience as I could, with the hope of posting some good results along the way.

The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 21

Kate Bevilaqua

What advice do you give your athletes that are thinking of making the same step up to race in the professional ranks?

I think it is an exciting and fantastic opportunity.

If you are good enough to do it, you should! But there is also no hurry. In long course racing especially, you see some of the best in the world in there late 30s, getting experience racing, solid results, and competing in Hawaii. Do these while you can before you take the plunge! Also start building relationships while racing age group - turning pro doesn’t mean you are going to get showered with sponsors!

You were pretty successful immediately in your career with several impressive results early on, most notably your fourth place finishes at Ironman Western Australia (2006), Ironman Australia (2007), and second at Ironman New Zealand (2008). When do you think you started to feel as though you belonged in the elite field?

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Thanks! In the first few years it was all about getting a lot of experience and learning as much as I could with every race. Throughout 2006 and 2007 there was a string of fourth place finishes, so I was definitely consistent. But it was Ironman New Zealand in 2008, which really made me feel that I belonged and could possibly achieve something in the sport.

Although I didn’t win that race (I finished second) I still feel today that this particular race was one of my best race performances (different to a race win). I was running side by side with the legend of the sport, Joanna Lawn, for 15-20km before she was able to put a surge in and break away for the win, which was so exciting! That race gave me confidence. Unfortunately, later that year I was diagnosed with the first of three stress fractures (my pubic ramus and groin) that kept me out of the sport for the rest of 2008 and 2009. I felt that I had to start all over again in 2010, but it was worth it.

That year you got your breakthrough Ironman win at your ‘home race’, Ironman Western Australia. The footage of you winning is well-known. How did it feel to take a big win at home?

Nothing will ever be as awesome as the win at Ironman Western Australia in 2010. My mum and I had been chatting before the race and we were talking about how amazing it would be to win an Ironman one day! But nothing about that particular race. I do actually recall the end of the race, because I remember crawling, then crossing over the line and laying there thinking to myself “You did it! You don’t have to do anymore now! You don’t need to move!

You won”. It was a massive relief and I was absolutely and completely done. I definitely left everything out there that day and it was totally worth it! To take the win at home was and always will be special.

After that the next challenge was winning Busselton 70.3 because I wanted to be able to say I had won both. That took me another 4 years!

Ironman Western Australia 2010 was Kate’s first Ironman victory.

BREAKTHROUGH:

“I REMEMBER CRAWLING, THEN CROSSING OVER THE LINE AND LAYING THERE THINKING TO MYSELF “YOU DID IT! YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO ANYMORE NOW! YOU DON’T NEED TO MOVE! YOU WON”.

You have now won three iron-distance titles.

For someone never intending to race professionally, that’s amazing! Are you proud of all you have achieved?

Very proud! It gives me goose bumps just thinking about it now. They are experiences and achievements that can never be taken away. I look back on them and smile. It was a dream to win one title, but to be able to say I have three has been beyond my expectations.

Is Kona the goal this year?

No, Kona is not the goal this year. With the changes to the points system and not getting the points I had hoped at the end of 2014, I am behind in the rankings and I knew it would require a lot of racing in a short period of time.

Kona is the goal in 2016 though and in less than three months that campaign can begin!

Do you think racing Kona as an age grouper and earlier in your pro career will aid your

success on the big island when you return now as a much more experienced athlete?

You would think the answer would be yes. But any athlete who has raced in Kona knows that no two years are like each other. You never know what you are going to get. Yes, having raced there in the heat and humidity before and on the course has got to help to some extent when you return. But the professional race is so different from one year to the next. The level of racing has changed. More short course athletes are taking the step up and having an impact on long course racing. If you aren’t out of the water in that lead pack or close to it (unless you can run like Rhinny or ride like Angela), you would be lucky to crack the top 10! Women’s racing has come a long way, which is fantastic.

You were a PE teacher in a former life. Is teaching/coaching a passion of yours?

Absolutely! Ever since I was in high school I wanted to be a PE teacher. I did the required

studies at university so I could do it. Whilst I was playing netball I also got involved in coaching and had successful teams at the State League level. When I changed sports to triathlon after competing a few years myself, I first became involved with coaching through travelling as a manager for the State Schools Triathlon Teams.

Then I got my Level 1 and have just begun doing a little bit of coaching on the side.

How long have you been coaching for?

Good question - probably a good six or seven years now. I am always trying to keep up to date The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 23

Kate Bevilaqua

Kate and Guy make a great team

GK ENDURANCE:

“THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY WHEN I AM NOT LAUGHING EITHER AT HIM OR WITH HIM. HIS PERSONALITY IS INFECTIOUS I AM VERY LUCKY! on what is going on in regards to swimming, cycling and running training in relation to Triathlon. But the reality is that it is different for every single athlete, and is constantly changing.

You launched GKEndurance in 2013 with your partner Guy (Crawford). How do you find juggling both careers?

Honestly they fit in nicely! Each day we allocate time in the morning to respond to e-mails then time in the afternoon to work on programs. As long as we stick to this regime, the job gets done.

Like any job, it doesn’t always go to plan and we get stressed at times but I do love it and it is something I am definitely passionate about. If I had more time to give I would but I am not ready to do that just yet.

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

Now speaking of your partner – Guy – one of the coolest dudes in triathlon. Is it a great support for you both to have partners that do triathlon, understand what’s involved and are there every step of the way?

I think it is great and we definitely balance each other out. He is the cool, calm and collected one before races and I stress out, can’t sleep and worry about things that are not even worth worrying about. We get to travel to some amazing places around the world, make lifelong friends and share the experience. We can sit at the dinner table years later and say “Remember when....?” and he will know exactly what I am talking about.

After a not so great race he will hold me, tell me he loves me and that there will be another race and another day, so yes life is good and he is right! There is not a day that goes by when I am not laughing either at him or with him. His personality is infectious - I am very lucky!

If you had a crystal ball, what does the next two years hold for you?

Wow, I wish I knew. Marriage? I had a proposal at Busselton 70.3 last month, but it was not from Guy! (Laughs).

In relation to Triathlon we have sat down and discussed what we still want to achieve in the sport and the best way to get there. Both of us racing in Kona 2016 is where we want to be.

Not chasing points at the moment has opened up the door for me to do something I have always wanted to do even though it has just never fit in and that is Ultraman! I would have loved to do Ultraman Australia but it was too close to Busselton 70.3, which I was not going to miss. Instead Canada 520km the first week of August is where I will be. I have two months to prepare myself but am hoping having just done an Ironman, there will be some good fitness in the bank already. Plus helping our GKEndurance athletes achieve their goals! We are so lucky to have such a great group. It is a big responsibility and they have entrusted us to guide them along the way, I definitely don’t want to let them down! Another Ironman or 70.3 Title would be nice too.

Pink

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INSPIRATIONAL:

Tri for Me Fitness showcases the team spirit of triathlon

Going the

Distance What’s it like to run tri camps, hold a full-time job and be a mum of two? Superwoman Jo Homer gives us the lowdown on life as a busy entrepreneurial triathlete.

When did you start Tri for Me Fitness Camps?

We started Tri for Me Fitness in October 2014, however the concept of assisting women in triathlon had been evolving in our heads for some time before this.

Why did you decide to set it up?

I had been assisting with my local tri club Women’s Only Triathlon and encouraging women to give triathlon a go. I really got a lot of enjoyment out of supporting and empowering women. My business partner and I both wanted to be able to do this on a larger and more regular scale and after doing some research, realised that there were limited women only triathlon training options and thought we could fill this gap!

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

Why do the camps focus on women?

We found after doing some research, there wasn’t a lot of information out there for women wanting to enter the sport. Sure you could research online, approach a coach, or a friend; but what if you were shy or didn’t have those resources around you, or the language was so confusing you felt overwhelmed? We wanted to provide an atmosphere where women felt supported and encouraged without fear of failure or embarrassment.

How do you decide your locations for these camps?

I am from Albury Wodonga and Leah is from Canberra. Both locations are rich in triathlon options and great facilities offering us access to everything we need to run our camps. We would eventually like to look at offering camps in other locations too.

Who runs the two-day camps?

We both do. I run the sessions as a triathlon coach, and Leah runs the scheduling and all the organisation – she keeps me on track! We also have guest coaches and specialists (such as sports psychologists, physiotherapists and nutritionists) attending the camps.

What is the camp program like?

Although triathlon is an individual sport, you need a team behind you to give you the best possible start. What we do is showcase the team in the camp environment. The program is not just about

tri for me

shine 4.00am : Rise and n ning training sessio 4.30 – 5.00am : Mor training sessions 6.30am : Coffee afterget up to train (the only reason I some days) for work and get 7.00am : Get ready r the day teenagers moving fo Work 9.00 am -5.00pm : d training session an 5.30pm : Afternoon y, working around depending on the da her sport or work. the youngest with d can drive herself My eldest is 18 an around now. cook dinner, 7.00pm : Home to k and prep for clean up, housewor the next day. ven’t already fallen ve 9.30pm : Bed, if I ha h; and the kids ha asleep on the couc ip me off to bed! woken me up to sh

swimming, riding and running - we go through the importance of a strong core, touch on women’s specific issues (that you may be too embarrassed to talk to other people about) and speak about transition and psychology. We also cover programs, time management, nutrition, family fitness (we have a few mums that attend), health and fitness in general and also of course, people’s dreams and aspirations. Dreams are a big driver and we certainly encourage all our ladies to dream big!

Are the camps in place to train women for a specific triathlon event, or general fitness?

Our first two camps were set up with a triathlon event running on the second day of the camp.

This allowed our ladies to put into practice what they had learnt the previous day. But not all our camps will work that way. Our next two camps will run a little differently as our Canberra camp will be stepping up to an intermediate level and run as a one day activity. In Canberra we work closely with TriACT to encourage our ladies to continue to participate in future events throughout the tri season. The Albury Wodonga camp will be run as a novice camp four weeks

out from the Albury Wodonga Triathlon Club’s Women’s Only Triathlon. This will be a one day camp, however our local ladies will have the option of attending three specific training sessions a week leading up to the Women’s Only Triathlon.

What is it about your work that you enjoy the most?

The smile on the faces of our ladies when they achieve what they think is the impossible! This is the reason we hold the camps. It is amazing how far a little bit of encouragement can go. We have had women who have said “No way, I can’t do that” and by the end of the camp, they are doing it and the smiles on their faces say it all. It just melts my heart!

How are the camps designed to suit the fitness levels of everyone from beginners to experienced triathletes?

We have specific camps. Our novice camps are designed around ladies with little to no fitness.

We do some drills with running and riding and get in the open water and do a little bit of

THE DAY I APPLIED AND WAS ACCEPTED MADE ME REALISE, THAT IF YOU DON’T STEP OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE YOU WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT CAN BE!

swimming. The intermediate camps require some level of fitness but not a lot. At the start of our camps we stress that all physical activity is at your own pace and attendees can choose to either participate in the activity or observe it.

We encourage participation in the sport, so if you come first or last you will still get the same amount of cheering from us.

What is your daily routine like?

Oh this may scare some people! When I am in training for Ironman can get hectic. I also work full time as a business manager and have two teenage girls. My schedule looks like this: My weekends are spent on my bike, worked around my youngest and her work schedule and sporting timetable. I also study part-time and work together with Leah for TFM planning.

I usually put some time away on the weekend or late at night in bed to do this. (See list above).

What do you love most about triathlon?

I love a few things about triathlon. The first is how far I can push myself and my body, by setting goals and ticking them off, one by one.

The second is the opportunities I have gotten through the sport. Two years ago, I put myself out there and applied to become an ambassador for SOAS Racing. I had been wearing their gear for a number of years and loved it. It was a huge thing for me to do. I am not a top end age group athlete, nor am I fast or fit looking. I doubted that they would pick me (another examples of the The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 27

usual self-doubts females have) but they did, I was amazed! The friends I have met from being in this team are nothing short of amazing.

Like-minded women all over the world with one common bond – a love of triathlon. Women who are pro female athletes, top end age groupers, and back of the packers all encouraging and supporting each other. That is what I love about triathlon.

It is a lesson I will carry with me forever – the day I applied and was accepted made me realise, that if you don’t step outside your comfort zone, you will never know what can be! I would never have met all those amazing women in Team SOAS. It is a great lesson to take into triathlon, training and life.

What do you think is the most difficult part about being a triathlete?

I don’t really have a most difficult part. When in full Ironman training, I do find that towards the end of the program, I start to resent the time I am out on the bike training each weekend, but when I am in downtime like now, I wish I was out there training! I guess on the home front, with it just being the girls and I, when I spend a fair amount of time out training the house things can slip behind and that becomes a difficult thing for me to let go of – I get lawn envy with my neighbours when their lawns are nice, neat and freshly mown and mine have to wait another day because my legs are sore and I would cramp up if I tried to push the

lawn mower around after a 6 hour bike ride and an hour run! I have been known to mow the lawns in my compression socks because I just can’t stand another day of the place looking untidy!

What has been the most difficult part of running the camps so far?

I haven’t had a difficult part yet. If I did have to pick one, I would say it would have to be at the Albury camp where it rained on us for most of the day. Our novice camps are based outside but the ladies still participated in the rain and didn’t complain once about it. In fact they loved the day and took it all as part of the experience.

Tell me about a standout experience (or experiences) over the course of your triathlon career thus far.

I have a few of them. My first Ironman back in 2010 at IM WA was a huge accomplishment.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could finish an Ironman. It had been a dream for so long that on race day, about 2kms from the finish line, I had to excuse myself to compose my thoughts and pull myself together. I didn’t want a finish photo of me a blubbering mess!

My fifth Ironman at IM Australia recently was also memorable for a couple of reasons.

It was my fifth time competing when I didn’t think I would ever finish. I also competed alongside my girlfriend who encouraged me to give triathlon a go. She has just come back

TEAMWORK IS KEY: Women of all fitness levels are a part of Tri For Me Fitness

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

after a 10+ year break to finish her second Ironman. I had dreamt about competing and we had talked about doing an Ironman together back then and we finally did – never stop dreaming!

My sister also recently finished Ironman Melbourne and I was the proudest sister in the whole world that day. I volunteer at Melbourne each year in T1, so when she ran this year, I was already crying! For someone who used to think I was crazy for doing this sport, she finally gave in to the pressure of both myself and my niece (a Triathlon Victoria Development Program squad member) to start triathlon and is now an Ironman – never stop dreaming and encouraging others.

My girls, although not directly related to triathlon, have been a highlight. They see what I do and how I dream, set goals, and manage my time. Hopefully one day when they are older this will have rubbed off on them and they too will understand the importance of never stop dreaming.

What has been your biggest achievement/ makes you most proud thus far?

Apart from my girls and raising them to be strong, independent young ladies, it would have to be a non-triathlon achievement of spending the last 20+ years working towards my goal of achieving my degree, all while training for Ironman, working full time and a being a mum.

tri for me How do you think triathlon has changed over the past few years?

There are certainly more women participating in the sport now. Organisations like WITSUP do a great job promoting women in the sport. The female pro athletes are getting more exposure these days, and no more boring black tri suits with a splash of pink to make you think it is designed specifically for a female body!

How have you changed since conducting these camps?

Initially, I didn’t think I would be able to coach.

I have coached other sports (hockey) in my past, so it wasn’t my ability to coach I doubted, but I wondered what I could possibly give to other women. I soon realised that I could share my years of experience. When I first started there wasn’t anyone out there helping me, building a team or showing me what sort of team I needed.

It took me over five years to work up the courage to approach a coach. It took me another two years to work up the courage to set foot on a track. I can help them achieve their dreams and remove the fears.

At our first camp, one of our young girls very quietly mentioned her dream of representing Australia at the Age Group World Championships.

After she competed in the sprint tri the next day, I did some research for her and I suggested that this was a dream she could achieve with some hard

work. When I received a message months later to say she had made that team this year with less than 18 months in total in the sport, I realised then the privilege that I had been awarded in being part of her dream. That is an honour and one that will hold a special place in my heart.

Georgia achieved what we set up the camps to do.

It wasn’t about being on Team Australia, it was about setting a goal, and taking the steps to achieve that goal!

Who or what is your inspiration?

I am inspired by our past females, who have paved the way for people like me to participate in this amazing sport. One of my favourites is Louise Mackinlay because I believe she pioneered the sport for females in Australia as a professional athlete all while working. Her accomplishments from sprint to Ironman are outstanding and watching her cross the finish line back in 2012 at Ironman Melbourne as an age grouper was amazing.

My business partner Leah, who despite limitations with her body, continues to strive and to push herself further and further in the world of triathlon.

My mentor Juliana, who suggested I try a local triathlon (and yes I did the complete newbie thing and forgot my helmet!), and exposed me to this sport. Women like Juliana inspire me every day. Their ‘can do’, positive approach to everything they do shines through. I

hope that in by what we are doing with Tri for Me, we are passing on and inspiring others to do the same.

What advice do you have for women wanting to pursue triathlon as a sport?

No matter what your fitness levels are like, if you have a desire to do triathlon, give it a go. It doesn’t matter where you are in the field, you are still giving it a go! Have the courage to take that step. If you have an old bike, clean it up and get on it.

If you can’t swim, seek some help from a swim coach and get in the pool. If you know triathletes, ask them for advice and assistance.

Set a goal, and step outside your comfort zone.

Yes it will hurt you, but it is so worthwhile.

Just imagine the life you can lead when you empower yourself.

Build your team, and add in a physiotherapist, osteopath, nutrionist, tri coach and doctor.

By building your team you reduce the risk of injury, over training and bad eating. You don’t have to see them all the time but make them aware of your goals and dreams. Surround yourself with people that have a “can do” attitude and are supportive of your passions.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?

Running Tri for Me Fitness Camps Australia wide and clocking up Ironman #15.

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The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 29

WHY A SQUAD WORKS Text by Jodie Swallow • Photography by AT

T

he most enjoyable aspect of achieving any goal in triathlon is the journey undertaken to get there. Whether the aim is to finish, to achieve a personal best, or to win, none of it means much without people to share your goals with. As the saying goes: “A mission shared is a task halved, a victory shared is a triumph doubled.”

Triathlon may be an individual sport but it is far from a lonely pursuit. Squads and teams are essential features of triathlon programs, from grass root sectors to the best triathletes in the world. One of the most common questions I get asked in interviews relates to ‘Team Sirius’, the squad that I belong to. It seems to elude people, particularly men, that a group of elite, competitive and relentless women are able (primarily) to train together and (secondly) would choose to do so.

Before I get on my feminist high horse and expand on the successful dynamics of the most decorated female squad in triathlon, I must confess to having initial doubts and concerns of my own regarding the female factor at Team Sirius.

I once questioned if a woman could ever coach me. I had also, almost exclusively, chosen to train with men throughout my triathlon career.

I had to control my own instinctive attitudes and insecurities in order to flourish in a squad peppered with competitors.

I like to call out people that ask anyway. It may be the sociological norm to assume that a group of successful women equates to a squad bound by endemic bitching and fighting, but it shouldn’t however, be an acceptable assumption.

Our world is sexist and sport, particularly so.

Being sportswomen in the current world means mastering and fathoming a number of conundrums. We must be competitive but not 30

AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

aggressive; overtly confident but never arrogant.

We tread a minefield of contradictions.

Team Sirius had five women qualifiers for Kona in 2014 - five out of thirty-five at World Champs. All these women have top ten Kona finishes to their name. So how can it work? The ‘best in the world’ chasing the same dream; pitted against one another each day up until the big race.

How exactly is it not one gigantic bitch fest?

THE NATURE OF CHAMPIONS When considering the dynamics of any group it is integral to recognise the traits of the individuals in that faction. On that premise, most of the Sirius squad members display the attributes of champions.

Whilst society trivialises and sexualises women, inducing a constant torrent of selfdepreciation and doubt into young females, sport teaches direction and focus. Excelling at sport,

(ABOVE) TEAM SIRIUS ARE A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH

Jodie Swallow Jodie Swallow is a world champion, Ironman champion and Olympian. Not one to shy away from an uncomfortable but necessary conversation, Jodie Swallow is guaranteed to keep you thinking. Follow her at www.ifollowtheswallow.co.uk

Jodie Swallow inspiring others, achieving stupendous goals, and embracing challenge creates confident, independent females with high self-worth.

Champions excel in self-belief and autonomy, and are focused on their improvement. It is not always a friendly environment. Niceties and etiquette can be sparse at times, but it is always professional. Champion athletes don’t squabble, bitch or moan — those portray a lack of personal control.

Elite sport, specifically endurance sport, is very much about personal discipline. Longevity and consistency in a professional career can only be achieved with balance and harmony of the soul. As in any endurance event, the psyche must be as steadfast as the body. The peaks and

troughs of emotion are as damaging to performance as the peaks and troughs of an erratic physical effort.

LEARNING BY EXAMPLE Before joining Team Sirius, I instinctively reacted to competition or threat with vengeance. I would throw counterpunch after counterpunch through sweat, blood and finally tears.

I used to have a mantra: ‘Never let anyone beat you because they outworked you’. I strived for that.

I now have a role model within my own group - three-time World Ironman Champion Mirinda Carfrae challenged my former belief and made me re-evaluate my approach.

Rinny is the fastest female Ironman runner of all time. In 2014, she ran down a fourteen and a half minute deficit to win the World Championships. The reason she was able to do that was due to her relentless mental discipline.

Every day in the pool she dives in next to her competitors and is out swum. Given the circumstances, the regularity and the comparison the pool provides, I am astonished that Rinny does not hate swimming. It would be incredibly easy to lose confidence in her own process or to doubt herself and lose perspective, but she doesn’t. She backs herself entirely, even when swimming in a lane on her own, fourteen and half minutes behind everyone else. She does this because she is Mirinda Carfrae.

There is a reason why I was able to hold focus when given a wrong 4-minute penalty in Kona. I learnt self-focus from the best. Like Rinny does, each squad member offers their own lesson to the group. As Jodie Seawllow, I bring physicality

and application. Mary Beth teaches toughness, Dede Greisbauer defies the accepted parameters of age, and Ellie Salthouse, exudes the freshness of youth and excitement. Excellence breeds excellence, and solid, mutual respect.

BOUND BY EXPERIENCE The stars of the group have spent many years learning their trade and enduring the many ups and downs of professional sport. We have lost races, put on weight, struggled through injury, and even been tired of the sport.

Stardom is not permanent and the fluidity of elite sport is recognised by us all. I have watched Nicola Spirig catapult over the finish line for Olympic gold, but I have also walked out of a Thai hospital on crutches with her. The precocious talent of Paula Findlay has beaten me, but I have also witnessed her struggle with injury and expectation. Witnessing Paula’s return to stardom will truly be a group celebration because it is so familiar to each of us. I have bought into her dreams as if they were my own.

To me, the psychological toughness exampled by sportswomen is both exemplary and exquisite.

Their mental tolerance and resilience is something I feed off every day.

A CLEAR HIERARCHY As in all groups of people, social stratification is evident in Team Sirius. Sociologists and psychologists will argue that matriarchal societies suffer continuous competition for hierarchy between group members and that there is ever-present friction and conflict.

Sports squads have a tool to measure hierarchical position in the group - results! There

“TEAM SIRIUS HAD FIVE WOMEN QUALIFIERS FOR KONA IN 2014 - FIVE OUT OF THIRTY-FIVE AT WORLD CHAMPS.” The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 31

Jodie Swallow

“THE BEST COACHES IN THE WORLD HAVE A WAITING LIST OF ATHLETES WANTING TO BE COACHED BY THEM.” is no need to usurp or struggle for position when results predetermine the order of hierarchy.

With a leadership structure and social positioning, there are clear parameters of position and measures. Groups of females work better in sport than in other sectors of society because group-influenced authority is based on achievement and only achievement.

Our squad is taught the same reality every day - that at world level, talent alone just doesn’t cut it. Everyone who is successful in triathlon works extraordinarily hard. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes, just repetitive and regular toil.

Siri keeps it simple. There is limited tolerance given to priorities outside the confines of speed, distance, effort and recovery. Siri may be completely positive but immediately comes down hard on vulnerability, negativity and ill focus.

Antagonism can infiltrate female squads quickly, as can eating problems and complaining. Siri constantly treads a fine line between monitoring

and managing the group, and assessing and judging the results. Her authority in group dynamics, is as crucial as her coaching.

RESPECT IS KEY A coach chooses whom they coach. It is one of those strange situations where an employer (the athlete) pays an employee (the coach) to be their boss. What is more warped is that the employees are instructed to induce torture, manipulation and criticism on the employers!

The best coaches in the world have a waiting list of athletes wanting to be coached by them, and it is a privileged few who can be. When you join a squad you respect that privilege. One of my old coaches ruled with an iron fist. The same coach held me on ‘trial’ for the squad for a year - a year in which I won a World Championship title. While Siri’s squad members do not live in fear of being sacked, we know to watch our manners.

ECONOMIES OF SCALE What the training montages in the ‘Rocky’ films don’t tell you is that you could probably only last training like that for about a month. If you add a few training partners in, you could probably last a season. Add some friends to the mix and you can

carry on like that for years. Longevity in training and success needs sustenance for the soul as well as the body.

The best athletes in the world require the best coaches. The best coach in the world is a coveted being and can command a high price. Nobody in our sport can afford the premium for the monopoly on such expertise. It is inevitable that an elite squad will emerge.

Siri has had much success at coaching women athletes. She therefore attracts the top women in the world. Personally, I would love to have a few men to train with on Team Sirius but I think at the moment, the stereotypes that society creates around groups of women scares them off – so be it.

PERSEVERENCE IS NECESSARY Having resided in multiple squads over a career of twenty years I continue to learn, be inspired, evolve my discipline in squads and censor my sensitivities. The value of working with others, whether they be companions or competitors is priceless. It is the relationships with my teams, my squads and my coaches that frame all of my memories in sport.

TEAM SIRIUS WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD

Jodie Swallow @jodieswallow 32

AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

UP AND COMERS

Polly

Renee

Michelle

Katey Katey

Katy

Australia has produced some of the best long course talent in the world. We catch up with five of the sport’s most promising athletes and find out what the future holds for them.

The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 33

up and comers

POLLY

HENDY RECENT RESULTS 2014 5th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

10th

Ironman 70.3 Cairns

5th

Challenge Gold Coast

9th

Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast

5th

Husky Long Course

8th

Challenge Batemans Bay

10th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

2015

Where do you live and train?

Originally from the south coast of England, we moved over to Australia in 2012 and now live in Byron Bay - not a bad training ground!

Who are your sponsors?

Ad on Hold (www.adonhold.com.au) is based on the Gold Coast and have been a fundamental part of my development in the sport over the past two years. Their financial support from the start allowed me to travel and race as an age grouper right through to the present day where I am establishing and developing my professional career. Australian Financial Advisors (www. afawebsite.com.au) and their local Byron Bay office assist me with coaching costs. Having local support means we can regularly catch up and take part in community events. I am also an ambassador for Kitbrix (www.kitbrix.co.uk) who provide me with awesome joinable kit bags, which help me organise my day-to-day and race day equipment.

This year I have been wearing Fusion Multisport race kit. I love the design and fit of the garments especially the low waistband and low under-arm

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cut helping me stay comfortable for the entirety of the race. I am now pleased to be an ambassador for Fusion Multisport and excited to wear their garments in training and racing. Custom printing and with no minimum order (difficult to find in the market) are just a few of the reasons why I love working with the company.

Are you a full-time athlete? If not, what do you do when not being a triathlete?

I currently work as a waitress in a local restaurant, covering three to four shifts a week and to be honest I love it! Not only does it make me feel like I’m contributing a little to the household but having that time away from training and around people who aren’t talking all things swim, bike, run keeps me sane and gives my mind a break. Plus Byron is always pretty interesting with its ‘different characters’, so there’s never a boring shift!

What was your first ever triathlon and where?

I actually can’t remember my first triathlon but I think it was a sprint distance back in

the UK in 2011. I actually grew up doing Pony Club Triathlon, which was a little different and comprised of shooting, swimming and running, with riding (horses) making up the Tetrathlon.

I started doing these when I was about eight years old.

This is your second year on the pro circuit – how have you found the step up from age group ranks?

I was pretty nervous moving up to racing professionally, unsure of whether I had made the right decision and if I would actually be ‘in the race’. Even though I still have a lot of improvement to make I am generally pleased with my first year, having consistent performances that three years ago I wouldn’t have even considered.

Like most of us discover I think the main difference is the style of racing. You are a lot more aware of the race around you compared to age group racing where you’re racing against your watch or searching for the corresponding category letter on the calf in front!

What is one thing you wish you had of known before your first pro race?

How much fun it is! Yes racing is tough and your game face is on but outside of the race getting to know the other athletes and enjoying a party makes travelling really enjoyable. I’ve already made really good friends with some of the other pro girls.

What is your greatest moment so far since turning pro?

I’ll admit I still get a little star struck and when the start list comes out or if I’m there on the start line with the other girls it makes me realise that even though I haven’t yet reached my potential, three years ago this was just a dream!

What advice would you give any age group athletes thinking of turning pro?

Don’t expect to turn pro and have everything thrown in your direction. Unfortunately in a sport like this, earning a living through prize money and sponsorship is a tough gig. Make sure you don’t give up everything, whether it be a hobby, study or a part-time job, I find it healthy to have a balance.

If we were to speak again in 12 months, what would you hope you could say about your year?

For me the next year is about getting race experience and as many solid results as I can, consistently and injury-free. As important as results are I would also like to develop my relationship with sponsors and get back into study.

What about five years?

If you asked Kriss (Polly’s husband), kids will definitely be in the picture. I’m still young in terms of my triathlon career and I’m aware many great athletes have come back stronger. Five years is a long time though so anything could happen.

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up and comers

RENEE

BAKER RECENT RESULTS 2014 1st

5150 Coral Coast

7th

Ironman 70.3 Cairns

6th

Challenge Gold Coast

7th

Ironman 70.3 Port Macquarie

2nd

Glenelg Quattro Olympic Distance

8th

Ironman 70.3 Geelong

6th

Challenge Batemans Bay

8th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

2015

Where do you live and train?

I live and train in Perth.

Who are your sponsors?

Giant, Torq Nutrition, Run West (Hoka OneOne), Body Right massage, Scody and Cyclemania Are you a full-time athlete? If not, what do you do when not being a triathlete?

I work part-time as an orthopaedic theatre nurse.

What was your first ever triathlon and where?

It was the women’s only triathlon in Perth around six years ago now. I have never looked back.

This is your second year on the pro circuit – how have you found the step up from age group ranks?

I have learnt so much in my first year as a professional, and every race I continue to find out more about myself. I never for a moment thought this was going to be easy. Every race I have found that I can’t even grab a drink through the aid station without having

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someone hot on your heels. The female racing over the past year has stepped up a notch and I am very lucky to be a part of this group of talented women.

What is one thing you wish you had of known before your first pro race?

I wish I had known the bike course map a little better on my first race. A wrong turn left me going the wrong way and I was ultimately disqualified. Not the start I wanted on my first race, but it is one that I have learnt from.

What is your greatest moment so far since turning pro?

I have had some great races but after my injuries I was struggling with my confidence. After hip surgery in November, I raced Batemans Bay in March and ran my fastest ever half marathon. I finished that race not winning but taking away so many positives, and I knew I was on the right track with my coach Matty White.

What advice would you give any age group athletes thinking of turning pro?

Make sure you are winning at a local level first. I see so many triathletes wanting to go professional but who are not winning their age group.

If we were to speak again in 12 months, what would you hope you could say about your year?

I am really hoping to start to push up on the podium this year in various 70.3 and half iron-distance races around the world, starting in Asia in a few weeks time. I am getting close but need more fine-tuning on my run leg.

What about five years?

In five years I hope to have really cemented myself as a successful triathlete and a role model to women in sport. I am just your average girl who works hard to achieve goals.

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up and comers

KATY

DUFFIELD RECENT RESULTS 2014 5th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

6th

Ironman 70.3 Cairns

1st

Ironman 70.3 Korea

5th

Ironman Western Australia

2015 2nd

Albany Half

6th

Ironman 70.3 Geelong

2nd

Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya

5th

Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay

6th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

Where do you live and train?

Perth, Western Australia. I live on the outskirts of the city, and enjoy training in the Perth Hills, which are on my doorstep.

Since doing most of my racing in the Asia Pacific region, it has been great to make friends around the world, who are in similar situations to myself, and enjoying their time on the pro circuit too.

Who are your sponsors?

Shotz Sports Nutrition, Wembley Cycles, Hall Cycle Training, Insight Intelligence, Shaw Finance, Bassendean Central Physio.

What is one thing you wish you had of known before your first pro race?

It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing!

Just have to confidence to run your own race.

Are you a full-time athlete? If not, what do you do when not being a triathlete?

I’m a part-time athlete, and a part-time primary school teacher.

What is your greatest moment so far since turning pro?

Receiving letters and signing pictures for students in my class has been particularly rewarding. Regardless of my results, they think I’m a champion – they are very special to me.

What was your first ever triathlon and where?

It was a ‘fun’ distance triathlon in Rockingham.

This is your second year on the pro circuit – how have you found the step up from age group ranks?

Exciting! It is so great racing with world-class ladies who I have watched and admired for many years now. I have loved travelling to new places, and meeting wonderful people along the way.

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What advice would you give any age group athletes thinking of turning pro?

Dot it! You only live once. That way if you give it a go and work out that it’s not for you, at least you can look back with no regrets, or not knowing what could have been.

If we were to speak again in 12 months, what would you hope you could say about your year?

A successful year would be one where I continue to travel, race and enjoy what I am doing. I would love to be doing more traveling to races with my sister too. My success for the year will be measured in happiness!

What about five years?

In five years time I hope to have traveled and raced in many countries, and made many wonderful friends all over the world. I would like to be a full-time athlete, with growing coaching experience, and sponsorship support.

Again, the main measure of my success will always be my happiness.

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up and comers

MICHELLE ‘Mim’

DUFFIELD RECENT RESULTS 2014 8th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

12th

Challenge Batemans Bay

1st

Geraldton Olympic Distance

2015

Where do you live and train?

The most isolated city in the world – Perth.

Who are your sponsors?

Well I don’t really have any sponsors per se.

However, I am an ambassador for a number of brands including: Wembley Cycles, Shotz Sports Nutrition, Specialized, Elite SportzSpecialist, USANA Health Supplements and Central Bassendean Physiotherapy Are you a full-time athlete? If not, what do you do when not being a triathlete?

I wish! I just started a new job working full time for a company called eddi. My role is a student mentor, which revolves around helping students who are enrolled in online studies stay on track and successfully complete their courses.

What was your first ever triathlon and where?

It was a women’s only triathlon in Perth. I knew no one, I had an $80 bike from K-Mart and it was a 200m swim, 10km bike, 3km run. I was very close to last.

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9th

Ironman 70.3 Mandurah

6th

Ironman Malaysia

1st

Geraldton Marathon

12th

Ironman 70.3 Cairns

7th

Ironman 70.3 Busselton

8th

Ironman Melbourne

This is your second year on the pro circuit – how have you found the step up from age group ranks?

I have loved it! There is a great sense of camaraderie amongst the pro women’s circuit – especially in Australia. Seeing familiar faces at each race is great, there is so much support amongst the group. Yes, we are all there to do the best race we possibly can, but we all want that for each other too. It’s a great little sisterhood!

What is one thing you wish you had of known before your first pro race?

“It’s ok, you belong here.”

What is your greatest moment so far since turning pro?

Probably my most recent race at Busso 70.3.

Certainly not the whole race, just my run!

To produce a three-minute half marathon personal best coming back from five months of no running due to injury was a huge personal victory for me.

What advice would you give any age group athletes thinking of turning pro?

If you’ve met the criteria and you love the sport then I say go for it! You only live once so you might as well take a risk and see how you stack up against the pros – you may just surprise yourself.

If we were to speak again in 12 months, what would you hope you could say about your year?

I’ve made some big changes to my training strategy over the past couple of months (mainly a new coach) and have seen dramatic signs of improvement already.

I can’t wait to see where this new path will take me by the end of the year. I feel there are new heights in my career in the near future.

What about five years?

I am creeping up to 30 this year, so I will be 35 then. From what I understand that will be at about my physiological peak in Ironman racing, and about my 16th year in triathlon. Right now, I don’t know the limits of my potential, I can only guess and hope, but I expect that by that stage, I will be able to confidently tell you and know that my results at that point in my career will be very close to what I am truly capable of.

It’s still a long way off, and I’ve got a lot of work to do between now and then, bit it’s bound to be an awesome journey getting there – so I’m in no great rush.

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up and comers

KATEY GIBB RECENT RESULTS 2014 1st

W.A Triathlete of the year 2013/14, Open Female

1st

WA Olympic Distance State Championships, Open female

3rd

Telstra Tri Series race#4 Rockingham, Open female

2nd

Karri Valley Triathlon, Open female

1st

Geraldton Olympic Distance

10th

Ironman 70.3 Mandurah

2015 3rd

Where do you live and train?

I’m lucky enough to live in Perth, a perfect city for triathlon training. My training takes me all around the city, from long rides in the Perth hills, to open water swimming opportunities in either the Swan River or one of the many beautiful beaches. We are spoilt for choice here!

Who are your sponsors?

My sponsors are Specialized, Ride Advice (the best bike shop in Perth!), Mizuno, SRG Bikesure and 32Gi. Are you a full-time athlete? If not, what do you do when not being a triathlete?

I consider triathlon my hobby. My full-time job is as Marketing Manager at accounting firm BDO. I love having the mix between a desk job and triathlon, as it gives me a bit of balance in life.

Triathlon can become a bit all consuming, so spending time away from the sport and being creative in my job helps break things up. Don’t get me wrong though, I do have the occasional meltdown when I can’t seem to fit enough in my day, usually leading up to a key race.

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Ironman 70.3 Busselton

What was your first ever triathlon and where?

My first triathlon was Perth’s Women’s Triathlon in 2008. I had completed the eight-week training course leading up to it, as I had never ridden a road bike or run a distance further than a few kilometres before. I had no idea about triathlon, but ended up winning my age group and completely fell in love with the sport!

This is your first year on the pro circuit – how have you found the step up from age group ranks?

I love it! It was a big decision for me to make the step up as I don’t plan on making triathlon my full-time career, so I wanted to make sure I could do well but also hold down a job. I love the challenge and different racing style you need to compete in the pro ranks. I have worked out really quickly that you can’t afford to have a weakness in any leg of the race, so training has become a lot more targeted.

What is one thing you wish you had of known before your first pro race?

It would probably be to pace myself better. In my first pro race I got a little too excited with my

position out of the swim and hit the bike too hard. The run resulted in something I would rather forget.

What is your greatest moment so far since turning pro?

My greatest achievement as a pro and in general was making it to the start line of the 2014 Mandurah 70.3, for my professional debut. I had been training hard for months in preparation for this race and was the fittest and most prepared I had ever been. Unfortunately, life took a turn four weeks out when my partner was killed whilst cycling. I made a promise to myself that I would do the race and I kept it. I can honestly say it was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. It wasn’t my best race but it will always be one of my greatest achievements.

Results wise it would definitely have to be my 3rd place at this year’s Busselton 70.3. I was not expecting to podium at all in my first season as a pro, and especially not after an up and down few months personally. The feeling of coming down the finish shoot and knowing I had done the fastest run time was unbelievable! It was

excellent to finish the Western Australian season on such a high.

What advice would you give any age group athletes thinking of turning pro?

Just give it a go! You do have to be prepared to take your training to the next level, but it is worth it to race against the best. I’ve found it such a great opportunity to see how far I can push myself physically and having such strong competition forces you to give it your all.

having fun racing as a pro. Hopefully that includes a few podium finishes along the way over Olympic and long course distances. It would be great to fit a few more interstate and overseas races in, work permitting.

What about five years?

I hope to be still racing as a pro, but I plan at some stage to do some distance running at memorable places around the world. I’d never say never to possibly doing a full Ironman, but at this stage that is a long way off!

If we were to speak again in 12 months, what would you hope you could say about your year?

In 12 months time I hope I can say I am still

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Winter Workouts

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

Katee Pedicini, Margs Mielczarek, and Sarah Grove road test the latest gear to keep you sorted this season.

The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 45

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ride

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

winter workouts

PIMP MY RIDE Opposite page and below: Sarah rides a LIV Suede 2 recreational bike This page: Katee rides a LIV Advanced Pro (www.giant-bicycles.com)

The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 47

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accessorise ME

RIDE IN STYLE Above: (Left) Katee wears Louis Garneau W’s Tri 400 (Right) Margs wears Louis Garneau W’s Tri X-Lite (www.monzaimports.com.au) Clockwise from right: Margs wears Project Clothing Elite Cycle Jersey (www.projectclothing.com.au) Katee wears Coeur Sports Women’s Cycling Jersey in Monaco and Margs wears Project Clothing Women’s Cycle Bib Short - Pink Detail Katee wears Liv Passion Helmet in Blue (www.giant-bicycles.com) Katee wears Coeur Sports Women’s Cycling Shorts in Monaco (www.coeursports.com)

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Winter workouts

accessorise ME

BLING IT UP Above: Margs wears Headsweats Super Visor Bright Coral (www.everestsports.com.au) Clockwise from right: Sarah and Katee wears Oakley FLAK 2.0XL Matte Grey Smoke with Prizm Road Lens (au.oakley.com.au) Sarah wears Headaweats LM Supervisor PurplePaze (www.everestsports.com.au) Sarah wears Project Clothing backpack (www.projectclothing.com.au) Katee wears KitBrix in blue (www.everestsports.com.au)

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This page: Margs wears Brooks Defyance 8 (www.brooksrunning.com.au)

kicks

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winter workouts

PUMPED UP KICKS Clockwise from above: Sarah wears New Balance WRUSHBK B (www.newbalance.com.au) Sarah wears Brooks transcend 2 (www.brooksrunning.com.au) Katee wears Asics Noosa Tri-10 (www.asics.com.au) Margs wears Compressport Pro Racing Socks V2 Low Cut (www.compressport.com.au)

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jackets

This page: Margs wears Asics Lightweight jacket in Fizzy Peach Cloud (www.asics.com.au)

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winter workouts

KITTED OUT Clockwise from top left: Katee wears Coeur Sports Hoodie (www.coeursports.com) Katee wears New Balance Pink Ribbon Pullover (www.pinkribbon.com.au) Margs wears Brooks Women’s Essential L/S 1/2 Zip III with Epiphany 3.5” Stretch Short III in Midnight Katee wears Brooks Infiniti Tight III with Nightlife Essential Jacket III (www.brooksrunning.com.au)

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Pins

Sarah wears Asics Cleo Pop Barre Tight in Geo Tribal Print (www.asics.com.au)

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winter workouts

SNAZZY LEGS Clockwise from right: Sarah wears Coeur Sports Compression Capris (www.coeursports.com) Margs wears Asics Stripe Knee Tight in Fizzy Peach (www.asics.com.au) Sarah wears New Balance Pink Ribbon Short, Katee and Margs wear Pink Ribbon Capri (www.pinkribbon.com.au) Sarah wears Asics Leg Balance Knee Tight (www.asics.com.au) Sarah wears Coeur Sports Run Tank in Pink Tartan and Katee wears Coeur Sports Triathlon Top and Shorts in Pink Tartan (www.coeursports.com)

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tops

Sarah wears Coeur Sports Pink Tartan Sports Bra (www.coeursports.com)

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winter workouts

LOVE YOUR GIRLS Clockwise from top left: Margs wears Asics Race Sleeveless Top in Fizzy Peach Sarah wears Asics Cleo Pop Double Tank in Cool Mint (www.asics.com.au) Katee wears Orca Women’s Printed Support Top (www.orca.com/au-en) Sarah wears Coeur Sports Bike Love Tee (www.coeursports.com) Katee wears Brooks Nightlife SS in Brite Pink (www.brooksrunning.com.au) Sarah wears New Balance Vitalize Bra Top Margs wears Brooks Versatile Printed SS IV in Heather Cornflower (www.brooksrunning.com.au) Sarah wears New Balance Pink Ribbon Love Your Girls Tee, Katee wears New Balance Pink Ribbon Pullover, Margs wears Pink Ribbon Vitalize Top (www.newbalance.com.au) PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEC BRINDLEY

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Cream

OF THE CROP

She Science has the latest in sports bra technology

SUPPORT SYSTEM:

We popped in to Australia’s one and only sports bra specialty store, She Science, to get abreast of the latest on sports bra technology.

Was it uplifting? You bet!

Text by Verity Russo • Photography by She Science

W

hen buying a new bike, being fitted properly is a must, right? Limbs and joint angles are measured, seats adjusted and cleat position altered. You certainly wouldn’t make a purchase without going for a spin round the block. So why don’t we give our boobs the same love when shopping for a sports bra? It is, after all, a contraption that has to look after some pretty precious cargo.

The reasons, I suspect, are many. For one, there aren’t specialty sports bra shops in every suburb like there are bike stores. In fact, as far as we know, there is only one specialty sports bra shop in the whole of Australia. It is thought to be the only one in the world that uses motion analysis software to help find the best product for 58

AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

you – one that minimises displacement of breast tissue when you’re on the go.

Secondly, few people ‘specialise’ in sports bras. Plenty of people know bikes back to front – the latest research, biomechanics banter, the latest technology and why it’s so dapper – but few can tell you about the latest on sports bras and breast biomechanics, which brands make a ‘J’ cup, and what features and designs are best suited to triathletes. So if we don’t know anybody who can answer these trickier questions, more often than not we resign ourselves to the fact that the best available option is an off-the-shelf selection.

For so many women this is a sub-optimal option, especially if you’re well endowed in the

chest department or your sport of choice is a high intensity one (hello, triathlon) – or both. If you leave your run until after dark so that your chest movements are indiscernible, or are known to drape an arm across your chest to diminish movement, seriously loud bells should be jingling.

If you experience breast pain during exercise, that’s another red flag. Not only are you probably doing your breasts harm but your training is probably exponentially less fun than it ought to be.

According to a recent study at the University of Portsmouth, breast related concerns are the fourth most common reason for a woman to avoid exercise, after lack of motivation, time constraints and poor health¹. These concerns included exercise-induced pain and feeling self-conscious about breast movement during exercise.

A paper examining the experience of breast pain in female marathon runners at the 2012

she science

THE PERFECT FIT: Tish Monahan begins every session by taking measurements and getting background information

London Marathon found that of the 1400-odd participants in the study, one third experienced breast pain². There was a significant correlation between breast pain and larger cup sizes, as well as higher intensity running compared to a more moderate pace. Interestingly, almost half those affected did not do anything to alleviate their pain. The big question is: Why isn’t any action taken to rectify this?

Is it because the pain is not deemed severe enough to warrant intervention? Is it because these women are unable to get their hands on legitimate high-intensity sports bras? Or is it because too many believe enduring this pain is part and parcel of being a woman?

For Tish Monahan, the exercise-induced breast pain she experienced was overwhelming. It demanded action and ultimately drove her, at the tender age of 17, to go under the knife. Her experience was what led her (in partnership with Matt Morgan) to establish She Science, a specialty sports bra store, in the hopes that other women would not have to resort to such measures if quality high impact sports bras were more readily available.

For the women of Melbourne, this is a real blessing. Self-declared exercise nuts will feel like

PUT SIMPLY, HERE IS A STORE THAT GETS IT – GETS WOMEN AND GETS EXERCISE. a kid in a candy store at She Science, while those on the opposite end of the spectrum will discover a supportive and encouraging space that will reassure even the most doubtful woman that she is capable of pounding the pavement in comfort and with confidence.

Put simply, here is a store that gets it – both women and adequate exercise equipment. She Science recognises that keeping the twins secure and comfortable is a primary factor in increasing female participation in sport, especially high intensity sports such as running or triathlon. Best of all, the whole shebang is scientifically grounded – Tish and the team use quantitative data to match a product to your needs. It’s like science and shopping intermingled!

So how does it all work? What’s the secret to the perfect sports bra fit? And what of this motion analysis software? Aimee Johnsen and I ventured down to the leafy Victorian suburb of Kew to find out.

THE FIT Belonging to the ‘exercise nut/kid in a candy store when at She Science’ category, I am very quick to put my hand up to have a motion analysis assessment using this impressive software. For a lady who owns more sports bras than actual bras, this has me genuinely excited. Imagine – a sports bra fitted to perfection!

Tish begins by taking my measures and getting a bit of background info. What do I normally wear when exercising: crop or sports bra? Underwire? What size do I normally wear?

Have I had a proper fit before? What are my sports of choice?

My answers are more commonplace than I thought: I wear crop tops because sports bras look like grandma bras. Underwire in a sports bra makes me nervous and contributes to my old lady The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 59

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE: She Science has a fully stocked range of bras to suit every body type and shape

bias. My size is too modest to print. I’ve never had a proper fit, and my sports of choice are triathlon, running, cycling and badminton.

Any issues in the past? Not really, just a lingering angst when I exit the water in a triathlon that there isn’t the support in my crop once it’s wet.

Tish selects a few designs that she thinks will suit my needs. There’s the Moving Comfort Rebound Racer, the Moving Comfort Juno, the 2XU Tri Bra and the Freya Active Moulded.

I head to the changing rooms, loaded with hangers and get ready to test drive sports bra numero uno. Test drive? Like a bike round the block? Yep! In each She Science changing room is a treadmill, set up with video motion analysis software. Tish gets the video recorder ready and instructs me to pop a white sticky dot on the sports bra I’m testing, roughly in the vicinity of the nipple. Then it’s on to the treadmill for a quick run.

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Tish captures 40-odd seconds of treadmill run on video and then plays it back, using the analysis software to calculate the displacement of the white dot. Obviously, the greater the displacement, the more your breasts are moving and the more pain and potential damage you are doing to your breast tissue. Tish explains that we are looking for a good figure eight movement of the white dot – and a balanced ratio between breast movement and torso movement.

One of the biggest misfits, Tish explains, is band sizing. Often women wear the band too high (up under their armpits) when it ought to be lower, closer to the waist. Consequently, bands are often a size or two bigger than they ought to be. Given the support we get from our bra (sports or otherwise) is primarily from the band, this can significantly affect the support we receive.

This band debacle gives sports bras one up on crop tops for athletes. The very act of getting a

crop top on means stretching the band up over your head, which over time, stretches the fabric and reduces the support you receive.

I’m clinging on to Tish’s every word as she shares all the things I wish I had learnt years ago. Perhaps the most intriguing of all is discovering that research has found that over the past couple of decades, the average bra size in Australia has increased. The national average going from a 12B to around a 14C means more women than ever before are dealing with the issue of finding a sports bra that truly suits their needs. How many of these women have abandoned sports like triathlon and running because they are just too uncomfortable, self-conscious or embarrassed?

So how does sports bra number one score on the treadmill test? Not bad at all. Displacement ratio is acceptable and it feels super supportive.

It’s time to analytically compare these results

she science

DYNAMIC DUO: Together with business partner Matt Morgan (above left), Tish is making

waves with her one of its kind concept stores

while using the different bras. All in all, we repeat the process a handful of times. How does each sports bra stack up? In my opinion, every single product offers great support. With these results, Tish says, it comes down to whichever feels most comfortable and is most visually appealing to me.

In the end, I opt for the Juno Moving Comfort as it indicated the least displacement on the motion analysis software and was ridiculously comfortable. The shoulder straps are decked out with Velcro to get the correct fit and the funky racerback design is a winner. Aesthetically, you could go t-shirtless on a hot summer’s day with this creation – no grandma bra concerns here.!

Aimee and I leave the store buzzing with excitement. Here is a place that has the potential to quite literally, change women’s lives. For women who have always watched friends, partners, parents or siblings compete in triathlon

but have never felt comfortable doing it themselves because of breast concerns, this is a ticket in. And for those who have never been able to find a sports bra in their size, get excited – She Science stocks sports bras from an A cup to a J cup, and bands from size 6 to 22..

References 1. Research Group in Breast Health, University of Portsmouth, http://www.port.ac.uk/department-of-sport-and-exercise-science/ research/breast-health/ 2. British Journal of Sports Medicine, http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/ early/2013/03/14/bjsports-2013-092175.abstract

She Science is located at 144a Cotham Road, Kew, Victoria. Can’t get there? Shop online at www.shescience.com.au or contact Tish on (03) 9817 6641.

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TECH TALK SAVE/SPEND/SPLURGE Save

Product:

SPORTS BRAS

$60 $55

PRO FIERCE This traditionally designed racerback Sports Bra delivers its support via the compression method, leaving you feeling safe and secure. The seamless interior helps to eliminate chafing, providing maximum comfort with minimal distraction. We love the light weight feel of the Dri-FIT material that’ll keep you comfortable in just about any conditions. Suitable for A – C cup, this bra comes in sizes XS – XL.

ELECTRIFY The ‘electrify’ offers a great sense of familiarity for most wearers. Women instantly feel comfortable in this underwire Sports Bra. Available in A – E cup.

www.shescience.com.au

Spend

www.shescience.com.au

PANACHE SPORTS BRA The high coverage moulded cup design of this bra gives any sized bust a great shape and superb support. Available in B – H cup, in an array of seasonal colours.

www.shescience.com.au

$80 PRO ELITE With a cleverly concealed underwire and soft materials, the Pro Elite is one of the most comfortable high impact Sports Bras on the market. This bra can reduced bounce by 50% in up to a G cup.

$85

www.shescience.com.au

Splurge $100

TRI BRA Not just for race day, the Tri Bra can be used for run sessions and swim sessions too. The light, quick dry fabrics and multiple adjustment points will help to reduce the chance of chafing and leave you free from bounce! This bra is appropriate for cup sizes A – D and is available in sizes XXS – XL.

www.shescience.com.au

JUNO If you’re looking for strong support than you shouldn’t need to look any further than the Juno! This full coverage moulded cup racer back Sports Bra has a huge following in Australia. Internal cups separate the breasts to offer a flattering shape without the the use of underwire. Available for cup sizes C – E.

www.shescience.com.au

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$120

nutrition Brought to you by:

RECOVERY FOR PERFORMANCE AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT It’s normal to feel fatigued after training hard, but how sore and tired are you really meant to be? Lisa Middleton delves into the nitty gritty details of the world of recovery.

Photography by Delly Carr and Shutterstock.com and Delly Carr

WHAT IS RECOVERY?

D

o you have sore and tired legs, feel rundown or sick all the time, or posses a general lack of energy when training?

The secret to feeling great and training to your potential is recovery. How well you recover has a direct impact on how you feel for your next session and the quality of training you can produce.

Recover well and you will be getting the most out of your sessions and this can only improve your chances of better performances.

But what if one of your goals to improve your performance is to lose body fat? Recovery recommendations for endurance sports often focus on essentially as much carbohydrate as you can eat in a small window of time. Sure, endurance athletes need some carbohydrate for recovery, but that’s not what it’s only about. But before you start cutting your carbs, read on to learn more about how to best combine recovery needs with your body composition goals.

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We hear the word “recovery” all the time, but what does it actually mean? If you are training a lot, at a reasonable intensity, then you will be depleting your body of important nutrients and fluid, as well as producing muscle damage.

Restoring fuel and fluids, and repairing muscles, will promote training adaptations and improvements over time. Get your recovery nutrition right and your body will be as close to its pre-exercise state, to have you fresh and ready to go before the next training session.

Benefits of recovery nutrition: • Muscle repair • Reduced soreness • Reduced fatigue • Feeling fresher for the next session • Enhanced training adaptations • Performing better at the next training session • Improved immune function • Improved performance

If you want to get the best out of your training, here are the key elements of nutrition recovery to keep you in top form.

FUEL UP Triathlon training involves many long, hard sessions that burn substantial carbohydrate.

Replacing your glycogen stores in the muscle and liver will top up the tank for the next training session. If you are training in the morning and again at night, your recovery after breakfast is crucial to replenishing for your evening session.

The same applies if you are training at night, and again early in the morning. Getting some carbohydrate in immediately will help kick-start recovery and ensure adequate fuel for a quality session at your next workout.

nutrition

CARBS CE POST RA

o ur 1g/kg/h

“IT’S NORMAL TO FEEL FATIGUED AFTER TRAINING HARD, AS THIS IS ALL PART OF THE PROCESS OF ADAPTATION AND IMPROVEMENT. BUT HOW SORE AND TIRED ARE YOU REALLY MEANT TO FEEL?” REPLACE FLUID AND ELECTROLYTES LOSSES The theoretical recommendation for carbohydrate post-exercise is around 1g/kg/hour for up to four hours post-exercise. For some people this amount is challenging, especially after morning training sessions where time is precious. This amount of carbohydrate can also seem like a lot if you are trying to lose body fat.

If you combine the carbohydrate with a small amount of protein then you may not need quite as much carbohydrate for recovery - protein can stimulate insulin levels and help promote carbohydrate storage. As protein is recommended for muscle recovery anyway, it’s acceptable if your carbohydrate intake is not quite up to the 1g/kg/hour mark, and this may be useful if you are trying to manage your daily kilojoule intake.

There has been a recent emergence of athletes who follow a low-carbohydrate, high-fat style of eating. The theory behind this is to train the body to use fat as a major fuel for endurance activity, which is quite different to the traditional approach of endurance athletes. This approach has been used predominantly in ultra-endurance activity, and it will be interesting to see research in the future of the benefits or not of this approach. The problem with using fat as a fuel is that it is slowly broken down, whereas carbohydrates are readily available as a fuel source when you need that burst of extra energy to pass another competitor or sprint to the line.

When we train, our bodies generate heat. Our body likes to maintain a tight temperature range, and we have in-built systems to assist with heat loss. Evaporation is responsible for around 80% of heat loss, and most of this evaporation is in the form of sweat. How much you sweat depends on factors such as exercise intensity, climate and genetics. The composition of sweat is also very individual and some people lose more sodium, the main electrolyte in sweat, than others. It is a good idea to replace some of the water lost during exercise, but it can be very difficult to drink exactly what you lose (nor is this recommended). The more sweat you lose, the higher the requirement to replenish fluids after exercise. The best way to estimate fluid losses is to monitor weight change during a session.

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nutrition

Remember that 1kg is equivalent to 1 litre in fluid, so by checking your losses you can estimate how much you need to drink to re-hydrate. Aim for about 1.2 to 1.5 times the amount you lose, consumed over several hours post-exercise for optimal fluid replenishment.

Including sodium as part of recovery foods and fluids will assist in replacing losses and also help you to rehydrate by holding onto fluid.

Some athletes use electrolyte drinks, powders or tablets, but after exercise you can also focus on savoury or salty foods to replace sodium. If watching your weight, it may be useful to stick to the food options to provide carbohydrate, sodium and fluid and avoid some of the extra sugars in liquid forms. As one of the highest electrolyte fluid around, soup is a great option. A dairy-based drink will also help to meet all your recovery needs with carbohydrate, sodium and protein.

An individual rehydration strategy is essential, particularly if there is a short time before your next training session and recovery is of elevated importance. Your specific needs may differ from day-to-day depending on training and climate, but the more aware you are of potential losses and needs, the better your recovery will be.

However, it is important not to overhydrate as well. The colour of your urine should be pale yellow. If it is completely clear or if you are going to the toilet to the point where it disrupts your day or sleep patterns, you may be overdoing it.

REPAIR MUSCLE Every time you train you cause muscle damage.

The higher the intensity, the more damage is likely. The best way to help speed up muscle repair and reduce the likelihood of soreness is to consume protein soon after exercise. High quality protein that is rich in essential amino acids is best, in particular the branch-chain amino acid called leucine. Much time and effort goes into researching proteins, and the consistent outcome is that 2-3g of leucine is required to stimulate muscle protein synthesis after exercise. In terms of food, 2-3g of leucine is usually found in around 20-25g of high quality protein, hence the recommendation to consume 20-25g of protein post-training. There is talk among the experts that we could be even more specific by considering body size, and determine post-exercise protein requirements based on around 0.3g/kg body weight after exercise. More than this is not necessary, and recent research indicates that recovery may be optimised by regular intake of 20g of protein every 2 hours for 12 hours.

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S c h e d u l ei n i n g post t ra food t o e wit h c o i n c id m e s meal ti The protein needs of elite endurance athletes can be as high as, or exceed, the daily needs of strength athletes. In practical terms, this means keeping up regular protein intake through snacks and meals all the time if you are training daily, with added importance when there are multiple training sessions per day.

PUT IT INTO PRACTICE To meet initial recovery needs after exercise, it is important to choose a snack or meal that contains adequate carbohydrates, protein and sodium, along with plenty of fluid. As a general rule, consume recovery foods and fluids as soon as you can, or at least within an hour or so (research is inconclusive as to the precise timing of recovery foods and fluids). Don’t forget vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which can also benefit recovery – think vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and wholegrain options.

20-25g protein post training

Fr u it S m o o t hi e s

Below are some examples of foods that contain at least 20g of protein and 50g of carbohydrates: • 200g of Greek yoghurt with 30g of almonds and a banana • Fruit smoothie • Chicken and salad roll with a piece of fruit • Small can of tuna or salmon with wholegrain dry biscuits and a piece of fruit • Liquid meal supplement or whey protein drink made with milk • Bowl of chicken and barley soup with a small bread roll • Stir-fry chicken and vegetables with 1 ½ cups of cooked quinoa

nutrition CHALLENGES

RECOVERY NUTRITION AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Many female athletes are concerned about the extra kilojoules from recovery foods and fluids and how these will affect weight. This is a valid concern, and for athletes on an energy budget or those who are trying to lose body fat, there needs to be careful planning. Try to schedule your post-training food to coincide with meals or snacks to ensure you are not just adding extra kilojoules post-exercise. You may also able to concentrate carbohydrates around training sessions to optimise recovery, and reduce that intake at other times of the day. The amount of carbohydrates can be carefully planned according to the training session – you won’t need the same amount of carbohydrates for a light recovery swim that you would for a two hour run with hills. The amount of protein for recovery will remain consistent, but daily carbohydrate intake will vary significantly between days and meals.

Recovery is always a priority. If muscles are recovering well, they function better and this has potential implications on your metabolism and the body’s ability to burn kilojoules.

Unless you do all of your training in your backyard, the only way to recover well after exercise is to be organised. A lot of us know that recovery is important but we do not always set ourselves up to ensure proper recovery nutrition happens.

As a triathlete your body is constantly recovering, as a result of the frequency, intensity and volume of training required. If you are training multiple times a day, it may be difficult to completely recover before your next session, however you can put strategies in place to make sure you are getting close. There is no need to feel disheartened if you are not able to recover from every session. There is emerging research that training ‘low’ (in fuel) for some sessions may in fact, enhance training adaptations that allow

the body to utilise fat more readily, and prepare itself for situations where there may be low carbohydrate availability. If you are feeling a bit confused about how to put nutrition strategies into place, contact an Accredited Sports Dietitian for assessment and advice. Remember that it’s not just about nutrition - a well-planned training program, rest and sleep are all essential.

If you feel like your training could do with a revamp, think about your nutrition and hydration, and get your recovery strategies organised to enjoy the benefits that re-fuelling, re-hydrating and muscle repair can bring. You can recover well and achieve body composition goals - you just need to take the time to prioritise your nutrition, get the right advice and get organised!

“AS A GENERAL RULE, CONSUME RECOVERY FOODS AND FLUIDS AS SOON AS YOU CAN.”

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The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 67

FROM THE

e Kitch n of MARGARET MIELCZAREK

UKRAINIAN BORSCH

Ways with Beetroot

T

he benefits of nitrates, a substance abundant in green leafy vegetables and beetroots, are well known to endurance athletes. Nitrate consumption is associated with decreased resting blood pressure. It lowers the oxygen coast of sub-maximal exercise (it enhances muscle efficiency) and may enhance exercise performance.

With winter fast approaching, I decided to showcase some delicious beetroot based recipes, perfect for the cold days and nights ahead. Being of Polish descent, these recipes, passed down to me from my mum, are well known to my family - we often ate beetroot soup at lunch and dinner throughout winter.

A word of caution though: if you’re fructose intolerant you may need to go easy on the beetroots, otherwise you may experience some uncomfortable gastro-intestinal symptoms.

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Ing redie nts: 3 beet roots, grat ed and set asid e 1 /4 cele riac root, diced 2 pars nips, diced 3 carrots, diced 1 /2 savoy cab bag e, shredded 1 leek, diced 3 clove s of garlic, crus hed Pars ley Salt 1 /2 -tea spoo n suga r Juice from 1/2 lemo n 1-ta bles poon butt er 2-3 potatoes, diced 1-ca n cann ellon i bean s or chickpea s 1-2 cube s chicken stock Dollop of crea m to serve Met hod: 1. Heat butt er in saucepan, add garlic and leek and cook until soft 2. Add carrots, cele riac, pars nip and potatoes 3. Add a sma ll a mou nt of wate r 4. Cook vegetables until soft 5. Add the cab bag e and cook 6. Add the grat ed beet root and bean s 7. Cook for about 15m inut es 8. Add the lemo n juice whe n beet root is soft 9. Seas on with salt, suga r and pepper to tast e 10. Add the pars ley to tast e 11. Serve topped with dollop of crea m and pars ley

CLEAR BORSCH Ingredients: Whole chicken 2-3 beetroots, grated 2 parsnips, chopped in to large chunks 3 carrots, diced 1 leek, diced 3 cloves of garlic, crushed Parsley, whole Method: Part A 1. In a large saucepan, cook the chicken (whole) in water 2. Season with salt and pepper 3. Bring to boil 4. When cooked, drain and discard the water

Margaret

Part B 1. To the chicken, add all vegetables except beetroot 2. Season with salt and pepper 3. Add in the whole parsley (don’t chop the parsley), cover with water 4. Bring to a boil on high heat then reduce and simmer/slow cook for 40-60minutes, until chicken is soft and falling off the bone 5. Once cooked, in a large colander, drain the liquid/broth into a separate saucepan and put aside Part C 1. In another saucepan, cook the beetroot in a small a mount of water, season with salt and pepper to taste 2. Cook until beetroot is soft Part D Place the vegetables and cooked chicken from Part B in to a colander; pour the cooked beetroot over the chicken and vegetables in to the saucepan with the broth from Part B. This will enhance the flavor of the beetroot soup.

Part E 1. Place pepper, nutmeg, aniseed, oregano and lemon or lime rind in to a piece of gauze. Tie it with string and add this in to the beetroot soup 2. Cook to infuse the flavor 3. Add lemon juice and a small serve of apple cider vinegar to taste 4. Serve with veal du mplings

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QUICK, CREAMY BORSCH Ingredients: Potatoes 3-4 mediu m beetroots, diced Approx imately 1 teaspoon butter 1 /2 teaspoon sugar 3 cloves of garlic, crushed Juice of 1/2 lemon For the whiten ing (Z aczepk a): Approx imately 1 tables poon thicke ned crea m Approx imately 1 tables poon gravy flour Approx imately 1/2 -1 cup milk Method 1. Boil potatoes in a large saucepan 2. Place beetroot in to a saucepan 3. Cover with water 4. Add butter, salt, sugar and garlic 5. Bring to boil 6. Add lemon juice to taste 7. White ning (‘Z aczepk a’): Place crea m, gravy flour and milk in to a mug and mix togeth er until a runny mixture is formed 8. Add the whiten ing to the beetroot soup and mix in 9. Serve with boiled potatoes (option al: you can also serve this soup with 1-2 boiled eggs or with cooked lima beans)

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Margaret Mielczarek is a triathlete and has an APD, AN, and AccSD.

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IMAGE OF THE

MONTH PHOTO: DELLY CARR Sisters and best friends The Hedgeland’s.

Older sister Jaz (right) comforts Kira (left) after narrowly loosing in a sprint finish.

The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 73

uld Indo or po o ls wo ing the be the ticket dur Winter months

Winter

TRAINING Text by Kate Bevilaqua • Photography by Korupt Vision, Bec Brindley Photography and Shutterstock.com

Winter is the perfect opportunity to build up a base and prepare yourself for a great summer of racing, by working on those

Swim

weaknesses, spending more time in the pool, getting stronger by doing strength work in the gym or just working on that aerobic engine.

Here are a few of our regular training sessions for our GKEndurance athletes that you can easily adjust and incorporate into your own training plan leading into your next long distance race during your base phase.

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ENJOY THE WATER • For a lot of triathletes swimming isn’t fun, but it can be. If you join a squad it makes bashing out the laps so much easier and seeing the progress keeps you motivated during colder months! We are lucky to train with Paul Newsome from SwimSmooth and one of our favorite sessions (with or without the squad) is called the “Goldi-locks Set”.

Check out www.swimsmooth.com for more great sessions or training advice, plus links to the drills used during the warm up.

• The main set is done at your Critical Swim Speed or as is referred to in the swimset below as your “CSS”. So if you swim 1500m in 30 minutes then your hundreds should be swum at 2mins/hundred (a good effort).

Be a little conservative in the beginning and don’t go out too hard. The 300m and 400m are the tough parts of this set!

Training for the season

WARM UP 300m Swim Freestyle 200m Fins 6/1/6 drill for 25m/swim for 25m Repeat x 4 200m Pull buoy only as 25m skull/25m swim Repeat x 4 4x50m as 25m hard, 25m easy - 10 sec Rest

MAIN SET

“BE A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE IN THE BEGINNING AND DON’T GO OUT TOO HARD.” Like most long course racing, pacing is the key and this particular session teaches you to hold back in the beginning. Even if you feel great and hitting your target times with ease, the big “Mamma Bear” is the last set and your goal is to be able to swim that 400m at your CSS and hold a consistent pace through out the entire session.

4x100m @ your CSS, 20sec rest after each 100 1x200m @ your CSS, 20sec rest 4x100m @ your CSS, 20sec rest after each 100 1x300m @ your CSS, 20sec rest 4x100m @ your CSS 20sec rest after each 100 1x400m @ your CSS, 20 sec rest 200m easy cool down Total: 3200m

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TraininG for the season

Bike BIG GEAR/STRENGTH WORK TRAINER SESSION Not only is this a session our athletes do, but one we incorporate ourselves regularly in our training program.

I can hear you saying “not another indoor trainer session!” but honestly they are so good for you! No free wheeling, or slowing down for lights, just a controlled session. As long as you have a plan in place before you start, your cycling will improve with regular indoor sessions.

If you can’t get outside because of that big storm, gale force winds and rain, but you really want to work on your bike strength, fit some hill reps into your schedule. No stress - you can still do them inside!

SESSION 15min Aerobic Cycling Warm Up 5 x 1min @ 100+rpm / 1min easy 5min Easy Cycling 4 x 10min BIG GEAR 50 - 55rpm (remember to push from the glutes!)

Wintegr Tips

(6min Aero/2min Seated/2min Standing) 5min Recovery

n Traini

Aerobic cycling to Finish Total Time - 90min Total: 90min How this session can be adjusted:

Don’t be afraid to train indoors: The treadmill, the trainer -

Only have 60min to get a quick ride in before work, decrease the warm up time to 10mins and the Big Gear Efforts to 4 x 8min.

Want to use this session as part of your regular winter workouts?

Then play with the time spent each week/second week doing Big Gear Work and the position you are in.

these are all better options than not training at all.

4 x 12min (8min Aero Position/2min Seated/2min Standing)

rides go on, but if you are cold and wet it can be hard to warm

4 x 15min (5min Aero/5min Seated/5min Standing)

up again!

5 x 10min (4min Aero/3min Seated/3min Standing) The key is to have the session all planned and organised before you get on the trainer!

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Time efficient, effective and you can get the work done.

Be Prepared: Check the weather forecast before you head out riding. Take your jacket if it is going to rain, and some long gloves if it is cold. It is much easier to take layers off as the

Stay Hydrated: In winter it is quite common to not drink as much because you are cold. If the water doesn’t do the trick, then as Guy would say, be a Saint Bernard and carry your barrel of liquor under your chin!

© AJ Tri

Run

TREADMILL HILLS Sticking with the winter theme of strength, just because you have to run inside on the treadmill doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with it! If you take the time during your base phase to focus on building your strength, then when it comes to ramping it up and concentrating on speed/race specific work, your body will be a lot stronger. You will have given yourself the best chance to hit those targets and stay injury free during a long summer season. The goal of this session is to keep it all aerobic, although keep in mind, your heart rate or perceived rate of exertion will obviously go up in relation to the incline increase.

The pace you run your warm up in, may not be the pace you are able to maintain when you are running at a 5% incline - this is fine! At this point in time in your training you want to be thinking about your technique. Using your glutes to get you up that hill, keeping your cadence up, not falling into the trap of striding it out, and trying to stay as relaxed as possible through your upper body. Then when you eventually come back down to a 0% incline it will feel oh so easy!

KATE BEVILAQUA Kate Bevilaqua is a professional triathlete and coach at GKEndurance. After studying Physical and Health Education, she worked as a teacher for eight years before following her dream and becoming a professional triathlete.

Career highlights include 3 x Ironman Titles (Western Australia, Korea, Louisville) and Busselton 70.3 in 2014.

WARM UP 5min @ 0.5% incline.Warm up at a comfortable pace

MAIN SET 5min @ 1% incline

During the last two years, Kate has started putting more time and effort into her other passion – coaching!

1min @ 2% incline, 4min@ 0% incline 2min @ 3% incline, 3min@ 0% incline 3min @ 4% incline, 2min@ 0% incline

GKEndurance athletes are of all abilities and compete in all distances. Each athlete receives their very own personalised program based on their lifestyle and commitments because there is no such thing as generic!

4min @ 5% incline, 1min@ 0% incline 5min @ 5% incline,

MAIN SET 15min easy @ 0.5% incline Total: 60m This session can easily be modified to suit the time you have available. If you only have 45 minutes, then a 10 minute warm up and a shorter 5 minute cool down will still allow you to complete the main set and get the strength adaptations you are looking for. If you want to get a longer run in, consider repeating the main set twice.

Twitter @katebevilaqua Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/GkEndurance Website www.katebevilaqua.com

GKEndurance is also excited to announce that in addition to Kate Bevilaqua, Guy Crawford and Ruth Chang as part of the coaching team, Witsup Ambassador and Level 1 Triathlon Coach Janine Kaye is now on board with a sole focus on the ladies! If you have been thinking about it and procrastinating, don’t have the time to attend sessions but wish to have an individual program tailored and structured to your lifestyle and abilities, contact us at www.gkendurance.com. Numbers are limited.

http://gkendurance.blogspot.com.au www.facebook.com/GkEndurance

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Endocrin-what?

HORMONES AND YOUR GOALS PMS doesn’t have to get you down in the dumps.

Katee Pedicini helps us navigate through the highs and the lows of the hormonal rollercoaster ride.

Photography by Shutterstock.com

P

remenstrual syndrome (PMS) doesn’t affect all female athletes, but it’s quite common for female athletes to experience PMS for the first time or with worsening symptoms when training for endurance events.

Don’t despair! If you want to cruise straight through your monthly cycle with heightened

performance and consistency, you can by knowing and understanding the natural rhythm of your hormones. Understanding the rise or fall of sex hormones throughout the menstrual cycle will arm you with the tools for exceptional performance, happy hormones and ultimately longevity in your

chosen sport. I want to fill your brain with all things oestrogen, progesterone, periods and Cortisol – so grab those sexy ‘hormone nerd glasses’ and a super-food smoothie!

Jour nal e nt ri es o f a g rumpy at hl e t e MONDAY “Wow, I nailed my training session today. It was raining and windy but I didn’t care, I felt really good, performance seems to be improving, woohoo! Off to hang out with girlfriends tonight, looking forward to wearing my little black number and being a social butterfly.”

THURSDAY “Seriously - why is it so hard to get out of bed? My legs feel heavy and I feel humungous! Must be all that chocolate I ate last night. I was meant to train this morning but just couldn’t do it. I attempted a jog at lunchtime that ended in tears. I have no idea how I am going to be ready for this race and there is no way I’m going out for dinner tonight!”

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Holistic Endurance

“I OFTEN HEAR THAT WOMEN JUST “PUT UP WITH IT”,“SUFFER THROUGH IT” OR THINK IT’S NORMAL. GOOD NEWS LADIES, NONE OF THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.”

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Holistic Endurance

Leg s up t he wall Or a l c o n t r a c elp t i v e pil This, my dear ladies, is a classic case of the Grumpy Athlete being impacted by her pre-menstrual sex hormones. Females are different from one another and are thus impacted by their menstrual cycle in many different ways to varying degrees, but did you know that partaking in endurance exercise affects your hormones and, therefore, PMS too?

Being aware of your hormones within your menstrual cycle is one of the greatest tools at your disposal to manage your training schedule and demands to achieve consistency. Short cycles, long cycles, non-existent cycles, troublesome cycles, and regular cycles all provide us with valuable insight to our hormonal balance. If this balance is disrupted, it can play havoc with training consistency, motivation and performance - and we all know that consistency equals improved performance!

From my time as a coach and hormone nerd, I often hear that women just “put up with it”, “suffer through it” or think it’s normal. Good news ladies, none of that needs to happen.

It is important to note that prescriptions such as the oral contraceptive pill (OCP) can mask underlying hormonal issues. Importantly, even if you are currently taking the OCP with little or no symptoms, this does not mean that you are in hormonal homeostasis. A warning sign if you are on the OCP is a lack of period when you start your sugar pills. If this sounds like you, I recommend consulting a holistic practitioner such as a naturopath to assist.

Why your hormones are out of whack, specifically as an athlete There is a major hormone at play here and it can be your best friend and worst enemy all in one day.

Any guesses? It’s your stress hormone - Cortisol.

Cortisol’s original purpose is to manage your fight or flight response. Back in the day, this response was used in emergency situations. In today’s busy world, our system is in “go” mode when we rush from training to breakfast to work to meetings and home again, only to do it all over again.

If you regularly experience the following, your hormones may be out of whack (and are likely impacting performance) Bloating - particularly in the week prior to your period.

Fatigue - significant change or needing more naps or sleep.

Periods - irregular or skipping, menstrual cramps or pain.

Headaches - persistent headaches when you aren’t dehydrated.

Acne - breakouts, particularly around the chin and jaw line.

Moody - grumpy is your middle name.

Inflammation - always seem to be sore and struggling to process inflammation.

Weight Gain - unusual weight gain or inability to lose body fat (usually on the hips or mid-section).

Missed sessions - even though you really want to go.

Antisocial Behaviour - withdrawal from social situations, or where you normally find enjoyment.

Cravings - significant change in chocolate, sugar, salt or carbohydrate cravings throughout the month.

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It’s not all gloom though, because Cortisol is also the very thing that allows you to train long hours and push intensity. But when it’s constantly put under pressure to perform, eventually it crashes, much like we do. Add nutritional stress (a poor diet), pain, stressors, and traffic and we have the perfect recipe for hormone imbalance.

For Cortisol to be your best friend and give you energy to perform solidly, you need to do the one thing that feels the hardest – that is to calm down. To continue functioning and training, our body does something pretty clever - it goes about sourcing Cortisol from other places and essentially steals it from other hormones to keep up with demands. One of these hormones is Progesterone, which decreases as a result.

The goal is to hang on to Progesterone, your calming, grounding, peace keeping and energy balancing hormone, with all your might. It keeps your periods regular and aids in living free of PMS (*insert squeal of delight*).

Strategies to keep hormones in check while training hard The first thing to understand is that everything is connected - from training, nutrition and sleep, to stress, gut health, supplements and medication.

With this in mind, please understand this is a complex and vast topic, impossible to cover entirely in this article, but I will pick out the best bits for you to start implementing changes right away.

1

#

HOW TO BECOME BFFS WITH CORTISOL

• Take Vitamin C post training, especially after intense or high volume sessions.

• Get to know and love the yoga pose, “Legs up the Wall”. This restorative pose helps your body process the Cortisol raging through your

body. Most effective if done just prior to bed or immediately after a training session.

• Learn and understand the difference between slowing down and calming down with meditation. I’m an athlete too, so I get it.

Slowing down is not in our DNA. However you can still calm down your central nervous system while going about your busy, fun-filled, productive life. Meditation will assist in lowering Cortisol levels, but also enable you to be a far greater athlete with the ability to focus and work through pain.

• Schedule yoga into your weekly program - because we all know if it’s not on the program it won’t happen. Not only will it help you manage Cortisol levels but it also works to strengthen your core, and keep you mobile and injury free.

• Utilise heart rate training. There is a vast difference between perceived effort and actual effort for a lot of athletes, and it takes time in the sport and a stack of intuition to get this right. Utilising heart rate training to avoid training in the “grey zone” (not hard enough for speed development, yet not easy enough to build strength and endurance) is an effective way to manage the cortisol response from training, and improve your performance.

2

#

PROGRAM YOUR TRAINING AROUND YOUR HORMONES

If you are among the 85% of the female population and experience PMS, you are going to love this strategy. Regardless of your cycle length, PMS or if you take an OCP, we all experience fluctuating hormone levels throughout the month. These different levels mean there are optimal times for training and performance gains, and times when the body will struggle to cope and adapt. So I say, embrace your hormones!

Start to track your cycle and ovulation patterns so you can move your training program accordingly. Here are my starting points: • Program your recovery week 4 days out from when you are due for your period and continue into Day 2 or 3 of your period depending on your symptoms.

• Allow a rest or recovery session around Ovulation, as many women experience exacerbated fatigue at this time • Between Days 8 - 12 (or 4 days prior to ovulation if you have an irregular cycle) is when you can utilise your hormones to your advantage with intensity sessions or some higher volume.

• Likewise, between Day 16 (or post ovulation if your cycle is irregular) and Day 24 is a great time to program your key sessions.

Now that you’ve been properly introduced to your hormones and their impact on your performance, you can start listening to your body a little more clearly and track any symptoms and patterns that you experience during your cycle.

From there, you can communicate this information to your coach or adapt your own program.

Remembering that this is a vast, individual and complex area so I would encourage you to consult a holistic practitioner to explore this further. You will be rewarded with a body that can withstand illness, hard training, a busy life and ultimately a body and mind that is incredibly happy to participate in endurance events for as long as your heart desires.

Katee Pedicini has a B.Ex.Sci, and is a Triathlon Coach & Author of Healing The Grumpy Athlete. She has a host of resources and practitioners able to implement all of the strategies above. Contact programs@holisticendurance. com.au for more information.

Healing -The Grumpy Athlete

"Embrace your Hormones & Achieve your Athletic Potential" The ultimate E-toolkit & program, full of knowledge bombs and practical tools.

Author: Katee Pedicini

Purchase online: www.holisticendurance.com.au The Pink Edition AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE 81

Maximise Your Performance

Smart Tips for

BUSY WOMEN If you’ve often felt like there are not enough hours in the day to fit in all of life’s tasks and training, fret no more. Jen Brown takes us through the top five tips to making the most of your day and training sessions.

Photography by Shutterstock.com

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’ve often wished someone would invent a way to add more hours to the day. There are so many competing demands on your time work, school sports, maintaining a great relationship with your spouse and looking after your (ageing) parents, not to mention everything you do to keep the house running. Somewhere in all of that, you need to find time to fit your training in.

Whether you’re new to the sport and training for your first triathlon or you’ve been involved for a few seasons and are training for an Ironman, the challenges are the same. You need to find ways to get the best results from the limited training time you have available. You can’t afford to waste time; after all, you’re a busy woman with lots of things to do. Your free time is limited and extremely valuable, so you want to make it count.

You might be tempted to do all your training at the same (high) heart rate or race the clock and try to snag a personal best every training session 82

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because it seems like the quickest way to get the most fitness gains. However, the best way to raise those fitness levels is to make smart decisions.

I’ve outlined five tips to help you make smart decisions in your training. Some of these might seem small or perhaps insignificant in the overall scheme of your training but each is critical. Get these right and your fitness, improvements and results will follow. Get these wrong and you’ll risk injury, fighting off coughs and colds and feeling frustrated by your training. A word of advice you may have heard these five tips before, as none of them are new (especially if you’ve been in the sport for a few years). But how many do you currently implement?

Unfortunately many people put these types of tactics into the “too hard” basket because they seem insignificant and they’d rather go and buy nice, new, and often expensive equipment.

However, these tips will not only bring you greater improvements in your training and racing but also in your long-term physical and mental health - and they are far cheaper too!

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MINDSET IS KEY

I’m starting here because I truly believe it is the most important place to begin.

Without your head being in the right space, none of the following tips will make a significant difference.

Mindset and confidence is critical in sport.

Confidence, or a lack of it, can be a major roadblock for women especially if they are new to the sport. Riding on the road, using cleats, the fear

of falling and the terrifying nature of open water swimming are factors that many women find daunting. If you do, you certainly aren’t alone!

But fear and doubt are not just reserved for newbies. If you have ever doubted your ability to achieve your goal, step up to the next race distance, learn something new like a flying mount onto your bike or if you stood on the start line, looked at everyone around you and thought “They all look so fit, I don’t belong here” then your thoughts are creating a roadblock that will limit your improvement, performance, results and potential. All of these fears and doubts: “I’m going to crash, I can’t swim, I don’t belong here, what will people say” are stories you tell yourself.

to you by: Maximise YourBrought Performance

Brought to you by:

BRING YOUR A GAME: The swim leg is the make or break segment of your training

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# If you’re like me, the mental chatter inside your head almost never stops. So it is important to realise when it happens. Sometimes you’re aware of it, but sometimes these “stories” can become so deeply ingrained in your thoughts that they operate at a subconscious level and you’re hardly aware they are running through your mind. The first step is to become aware of the stories, stop and reframe them by re-writing the script, into a more positive and constructive thought process.

I’m not for a moment suggesting that positive thoughts translate into exceptional performance far above anything you’ve previously demonstrated.

But you can’t have exceptional performance (by your standards) without it. You can’t ride your bike safely or fast if you’re constantly worried that you might crash - because riding a bike requires confidence. You can’t focus on executing your own race plan if you’re looking around at the other women on the start line and thinking

that you don’t belong. You might be telling yourself “I’m a bad swimmer” and you might be, but you’ll never improve if you don’t shift your mindset first.

So my challenge to you today (remember our goal is to implement!) is to recognise at least one story you tell yourself. Given how deeply ingrained they can be, it might take you a day or two to recognise them. Once you’ve identified them, every time you catch that thought passing through your mind, stop and rewrite the script. Tell yourself “I’m becoming a better swimmer every time I get into the pool” and then reward yourself. Pat yourself on the back, and acknowledge that you’ve done a good job. The reward helps to rewire your brain so the “stop and rewrite the script” process will feel more comfortable. And like anything, it becomes easier the more you repeat the process so you’ll ultimately find yourself having negative thoughts less frequently.

“THESE TIPS WILL NOT ONLY BRING YOU GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR TRAINING AND RACING BUT ALSO IN YOUR LONG-TERM PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH.”

THE SWIM LEG IS CRITICAL

Regardless of your race distance or whether you’re at the front of the pack or the back, the swim leg is important. There’s an old saying in this sport - you can’t win the race in the swim but you can lose it. It’s certainly relevant for draft-legal racing or if you’re likely to be towards the front of your age group. But it’s just as important if you’re towards the middle or the back of your age group.

The stronger you are in the water and the more comfortable and relaxed you feel, the less energy you’ll burn, leaving more for the bike and the run. It’s really that simple! If you get out of the water feeling beaten up, exhausted, frazzled and tired, it won’t matter how much time you’ve spent working on your cycling and running over the last few months.

I know swimming is time consuming, so make sure when you get in the water that you’re making the most of your time. Don’t just swim lap after lap at your ‘normal’ speed. Challenge yourself to swim at a faster speed than you normally would, even if it’s just for 50m or 100m the first time you try.

Some people say you don’t really need to focus on swimming because it’s the shortest part of the race. But that approach doesn’t look at the big picture. If you want to ride and run well, you need to swim better too. So swim girl, swim!

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Maximise Your Performance

EATING ENOUGH?: Eat appropriate portions to get those energy levels back up to face another day of training

“UNLESS YOUR INJURY WAS THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, YOUR BODY WAS SENDING YOU SIGNS THAT A PROBLEM WAS BREWING LONG BEFORE YOU STARTED TO NOTICE THE SYMPTOMS.”

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SIGNS BEFORE SYMPTOMS

I’m sure you hate getting injured as much as I do!

I’ve often heard athletes complain that their injury “appeared out of nowhere”. One day they were fine and the next, they hobbled out of bed.

Unless your injury was the result of an accident, your body was sending you signs that a problem was brewing (such as tenderness or tightness) long before you started to notice the symptoms (such as pain).

As women we tend to be quite intuitive.

We notice things in a social setting that go right over the heads of our partners and husbands.

Your body is constantly sending you signs and signals about what’s going on - the trick is to listen and pay attention. How many times have you got out of bed and thought to yourself “Gosh my right foot is a bit tight today…but I’ll take care of it later” and then never done anything about it?

This is where body maintenance work such as strength training, stretching and foam rolling can really help. If you’re doing these things regularly, you’ll begin to notice when a calf or hip is unusually tight. There are many quick and easy 84

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things you can do after a session or in front of the TV at night (such as foam rolling) that will help to keep your body in check.

The faster you address these signs, whether through more body maintenance work yourself, by getting a long overdue massage or seeing a physiotherapist, the faster you’ll recover. The longer you leave it (especially if you leave it until you’re in pain) the more hard earned fitness you’ll lose, the longer your recovery is likely to be and the more frustration you’ll experience.

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DON’T STARVE YOURSELF

You’ve heard it before but food really is fuel.

The combination of overly restricting your food intake and exercising heavily is not conducive to producing the high energy levels required to be involved in this sport.

It’s hard to commit to your training if you’re struggling to drag yourself off the couch!

Sure, you might want to lose a few kilos but don’t heavily restrict your body of the fuel it needs early in your training week. You’ve probably been through this (classic) cycle yourself: you

decide on Sunday that you’re going to focus on your diet this week so you restrict your food intake early in the week, which, for most people, also happen to be heavy training days. By Thursday, you’re getting tired and grumpy. Friday rolls around and all of a sudden you’re getting stuck into morning tea, and then lunch. And you decide you may as well have takeaway for dinner on Friday because you’ve blown the whole day. Don’t beat yourself up, we’ve all been there!

Unfortunately, this approach simply deprives your body of the energy it needs to fuel your heavier training sessions early in the week. This reduces how well your body adapts to the training, limits your recovery, increases your risk of injury and ultimately wastes your time and effort.

So if weight management is an issue for you, try eating a bit more on your harder or heavier training days and less on your rest or recovery days. Don’t use your rest day as a chance to overeat!

If you’re watching your weight, skip the sports drinks for any session less than 60 minutes or if it isn’t a key session for the week - you don’t need or want the calories. Besides, research shows that you’ll get the same benefit if you swirl a mouthful of sports drinks around in your mouth and then spit it out - truly!

Maximise Your Performance

C halkdus ter s tyle text to use!

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NEVER SKIMP ON SLEEP

Ok I have a confession to make. I feel very hypocritical writing this as it’s well after 11pm and I’m in the middle of an intense 6 day coaching course. My eyes feel like they’re about to fall out of my head and given the week I’ve had, I really should have gone to bed well over an hour ago.

Forget the compression tights and calf guards - sleep is the single most important thing you can do for your recovery. It’s important to do everything you can to get as much sleep as you can. For the average adult, that’s 8 hours a night!

Anyone who says they can function and train at a high level on 5 hours of sleep is kidding themselves. And if you think you don’t have time to get more sleep, you’re kidding yourself (turn off Facebook for starters!).

If you sleep less than eight hours each night, the likelihood that you’ll get injured is 1.7 times greater than if you slept for 8 hours or more - that’s a significantly higher risk that can easily be reduced with more rest. If you aren’t sleeping properly and aren’t eating well, your body won’t fully adapt to, or recover from, the training you’ve

g n i t t e g u o y e r A 8 ho urs sleep? done - meaning you’ve been wasting your limited training time and increasing your risk of injury.

And you don’t want that.

I don’t want that either so I’m going to bed now too! But before I do, don’t forget our commitment to implementation. These five tips are all easy ways to make significant gains from the limited training time you have available.

There’s nothing revolutionary or ground breaking on this list. But if you incorporate them into your day, you’ll see bigger improvements and faster results in less time.

Whatever the distance of your race, your goal remains the same - to perform at your best on the day. And whether that leaves you at the front of the pack or the back, the satisfaction, enjoyment and pride you’ll feel from setting a goal (particularly if it’s one that scares you), working towards it over a few weeks (or months) and crossing that finish line having met, or exceeding it, is the same. So which of these tips will you focus on this week?

Jen Brown is a Triathlon Coach and Personal Trainer who specialises in helping triathletes and trail runners build strong minds and resilient, fast and injury-free bodies. She established Sparta Chicks in 2015 to help women pursue their dreams and goals without guilt, fear or doubt standing in their way. Visit www.spartachicks.com for more information.

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SIBLING RIVALRY

Double Trouble

We have all heard of sibling rivalry right?

Where one’s level of competitiveness is heightened by the desire to experience success, in all its glory, over their siblings. The Duffield Ironman Twins reveal just how competitive sibling rivalry can get.

Photography by Papparazzi on the Run, Korupt Vision and AT

W

hen we were asked to write about how we deal with being twins and rivals, we both agreed that the task was best completed individually. So we both set about reflecting on our journey into the professional ranks of triathlon, and how our relationship as sisters comes into it all. You can read the interpretations of our relationship (or rivalry) below, and get an honest understanding of how we have dealt with the other’s successes when in direct competition. Funnily enough, the similarities between each of our takes are uncanny – but honestly, we wrote our contributions separately before exchanging what we had written. Hopefully, some of you will have a level of understanding as to how difficult sibling rivalry can be at times, but also an appreciation that at the end of the day family is the most important thing.

Ka t y

DOUBLE TROUBLE:

Katy (left) and Mim (right) have always enjoyed a healthy level of competition

KATY: As I sit here and reflect on my journey into professional racing, I can’t help but smile.

The highs and lows, as well as the struggles and triumphs along the way have shaped the person I am today. It has been almost one year since I completed my first professional race, and I have since gone from strength to strength as I continue to learn about this great sport, and more importantly, my true capabilities as a professional athlete. As a twin, I have had the privilege of sharing this journey with Mim, as we both 86

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entered the pro ranks at similar times. Let me take you back to the beginning of my story: In 1985, we were born as the largest pair of twins in WA (I believe that record has since been broken - that poor woman!). I was the younger one, born five minutes after Mim, and I was also the smaller twin. From the moment we were born I was always two steps behind her. Since the day she started talking, she was physically bigger, braver, smarter and more confident than I was. As a twin there is always a constant comparison

from others, and from a young age I accepted being the ‘weaker twin’ in every sense. As we grew up and found our feet in the world of athletics I was happy to play second fiddle to Mim - it was my ‘normal’. At the age of 19 when we started competing as triathletes, it was no surprise that Mim was beating me to the finish line every time - I expected it!

It wasn’t until many years later that I began to consciously change the people I surrounded myself with, and those I chose to listen to. I

Duffield Twins

GOING FOR GOLD:

Katy has found renewed vigour in her training

YES, I WANT TO BE BETTER THAN MY SISTER (LET’S BE HONEST HERE, WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BEAT THEIR SIBLINGS? - Katy Duffield

Mi m

removed certain ‘weeds’ from my life and sought out people who believed in me. As a result, I found that my confidence grew. I began to really apply myself to training and noticed significant gains in my racing performances. In 2013, I had a ‘breakthrough race’ at the Asia Pacific Ironman Championships in Melbourne, where I finished as the first age-grouper and 13th female overall, and most importantly, got my ticket to the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships. This race was a turning point in my life. On this day I

raced so far beyond my own and everyone else’s expectations that my life, and the person I was, was never the same again.

Since then Mim and I have both accepted our professional racing licences, and have gone about our own ways of becoming smarter and stronger athletes. We now have separate coaches, and different racing schedules, goals and focuses.

These individual choices have sent us on very different paths. As an example, I was initially unable to accept my pro licence in 2013 due to a severe stress fracture in my tibia, which forced me to watch Mim take on the professional racing scene from the sidelines. How did that feel? Honestly, it sucked! I was so excited to witness her chasing her dreams and finding her feet amongst the big kids, but I wanted to play too! I watched Mim race in Busselton Ironman 2013, and then Ironman Melbourne in 2014, while dealing with my injury. It ignited a fire in me, and watching her inspired me to focus on my return to the competitive circuit. If she could do it, so could I So this is how our journey continues. At one point, one of us is up and racing, while the other faces the difficulty of injury or other setbacks.

Maybe it’s a twin thing! Regardless of the circumstances, I will always have a deep and genuine desire to see Mim fulfil her dreams. As athletes, we know racing and training doesn’t always go to plan. Watching Mim experience any difficulties is really hard, and I often wish I could take the hit for her, but I can’t. All we can do is offer each other support when things don’t go as

planned. I can honestly say I don’t think we have experienced a ‘fair race’ against each other yet, but I can tell you that I’m looking forward to that day!

At the end of the day, blood is thicker than water, and I am lucky to have such a supportive sister and competitor. Whatever happens in the world of racing and triathlon does not change the fact that she is my family, and I want nothing more that to see her succeed by my side.

Katy is now a stronger and smarter athlete

WATER BABY:

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“KATY HAS GONE FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH AS AN ATHLETE,WHICH HAS BEEN EVIDENT IN HER CONSISTENT AND OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES.” - Mim Duffield

SISTER ACT: As a champion athlete herself, Mim knows the importance of having a good support system

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MIM: When people find out that I am a twin there is a list of standard questions that soon follow. These include: “Who is faster?”, “Who is smarter?”, “Can you stand side by side please?” and finally “What’s it like being a twin?”. I can even recall our Year 10 maths teacher handing back our tests while saying “She just beat you in this one Mim”. There is a long history between us (29 years to be exact), and our friendship and rivalry go back well beyond our ten or so years in the sport of triathlon. I guess having other people constantly comparing me to Katy, automatically has me comparing myself to Katy, almost pre-empting how others will react.

I understand that to some readers this may sound arrogant, but I believe that for most of our earlier years, I was fortunate to have a greater level of self-confidence and belief than Katy did.

Please note I am not talking about physical ability in any way here. I am not referring to physical ability here, but rather that by believing if I worked hard enough, I was capable of achieving

my goals. I believe this is the single factor that gave me an edge over Katy for so many years in athletics and triathlon. Katy always seemed to have a level of self-doubt or a lack of belief in her ability, which led to her consciously or subconsciously positioning herself behind me. Of course I was always happy to be the top dog, but as I grew up I started to realise what was going on. My being the “better athlete” was because she had programmed herself to believe that one step behind me was where she belonged.

Katy is a fighter and would always give everything she had to any training session or race, yet her mindset held her back. Yes, I want to be better than my sister (let’s be honest here, who doesn’t want to beat their siblings?), but I want it to be on an even playing field – where both of us are at the top of our physical and mental game. I spent many years giving Katy encouragement and support, sharing any research or information that I thought might help her to realise her potential and become the athlete I knew she could be.

However, it wasn’t until Katy made some tough but necessary changes in her personal life that she was finally able to remove the glass ceiling on her performance. The changes I observed in Katy were inspiring – her confidence, attitude, hunger and belief in herself were obvious. She was no longer running two steps behind me!

I recall watching Katy qualify for Kona at IM Melbourne in 2013, while being an emotional mess. It was like I had just done it myself, and I think that is really special – to be so intertwined with someone’s success that it feels like your own.

In 2014, I witnessed her smashing pro debut race at Busselton 70.3 from two steps (and then some!) behind her. After 27 years, I was suddenly in the

Duffield Twins

The Duffield Twins have experienced the highs and lows of the triathlon world - by each other’s side.

TWIN PEAKS:

EYE ON THE PRIZE:

Mim is focused on bringing her best at the next competition

back seat – what just happened? On one hand, it was a tough pill to swallow, but on the other, I was so darn proud that she had achieved a podium finish on her debut race as a professional athlete.

Once I got over the initial disappointment of being beaten by my ultimate rival, I found that I was able to enjoy Katy’s amazing achievement as a very proud sister, friend and comrade.

Over the past year, Katy has gone from strength to strength as an athlete, which has been evident in her consistent and outstanding performances. For me the opposite has occured, which I think may be accentuated by Katy’s successes. The age old comparison between us has made my lack of progress feel like serious digression. Although my lack of progress while watching Katy’s success has been frustrating, it has also been exciting for a few reasons. Firstly, I get to watch my bestie do great things. Secondly,

I know that physiologically we are almost the same, so if she can do it, then so can I. Thirdly ‘Duffield Ironman Twins’ are a team, so her achievements do great things for the brand, which both Katy and I equally benefit from. It’s easy to get bogged down in the self-pity of watching your sibling perform better than you, but life is all about swings and roundabouts and there is a bigger picture to focus on. I’ve had my time at the top, and now Katy is enjoying hers.

BOTH: So there you have it. It would appear that we both view the world from a very similar lens – no great surprises there.

When it comes to sibling rivalry, most of us have got a story to tell. Whether it’s a history of backyard cricket or racing for prize money, there’s always a level of competition when it comes to facing off with your sister or brother. But let’s not lose sight of what is most important here – both of us chose to conclude our contributions to this article with what we believe is most important.

There will always be one sibling performing better than the other, and for us this will undoubtedly change many times over our careers as professional athletes. We will always be there to encourage and support each other, and humbly enjoy our respective times at the top - you never know when the tables will turn! The key is to ensure the competitive drive doesn’t undermine the friendship or love for each other as family, because that is what lasts a lifetime.

Duffield Ironman Twins www.duffieldironmantwins.com @DuffieldTwins

D U F F I E L D T W I N S Professional Endurance Athletes

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Wheel WOMEN rule the world Tina McCarthy is changing the world, one woman,

one bike at a time. AT caught up with this Wheel Woman.

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t’s pretty much impossible to meet Tina McCarthy and not be instantly inspired to ride a bike. As someone who gave in to her fear of riding a bike (after living side by side with a professional triathlete partner), I too have been inspired. Throughout our conversation, Tina and I discussed my fears and apprehension about getting on a real bike - and by a real bike I mean something other than my extremely pretty mint green cruiser bike complete with the wicker ‘Toto’ basket in front. Tina notes that this is a story she hears daily by women who contact her and by many who are now ‘Wheel Women’. A risk both professionally and financially to walk away from a career in advertising, but driven by the massive hole in the world of cycling in this country, Tina’s Wheel Women was born.

I first came across Wheel Women a few months ago in a complete roundabout way (a friend of a friend, word of month type thing), I was immediately drawn to the concept and business model and the first thing I thought was “How fabulous!”. Women, riding with women, with no lycra required, inspiring and encouraging each other and most importantly, having a laugh while they do it. Did I already say fabulous?

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Through further investigation and an in-depth one on one with the founder herself, I came to understand the core values of Tina and Wheel Women - teaching women to ride bikes, inspiring them to get on two wheels and be active, offering an incredibly safe and supportive environment for women to be themselves while on those wheels, and providing a judgment free environment where real, I mean, wheel, women gather.

They may not fit into the cookie cutter mold of a cyclist, they may not be trying to break any land speed records or look like supermodels in a lycra bib and jersey ensemble, but through Tina and her fellow coaches, these women are inspired to get out there and be active.

What is great is that message is not then followed up with the oh-so-often heard “Get active, and lose weight” phrase. Throughout our three-hour catch up, not once did our conversation take that path. OK, we discussed the realities of being ‘bigger boned’ and the perils of shopping when you’re not sample sized. We also talked about the freedom being on a bike brings, but not the weight loss benefits that may also come with that. Hallelujah – women

promoting an active lifestyle to women without discussing weight loss!

Wheel Women is in its infancy (just two years old) but Tina has big plans ahead.

National, possibly international programs and sectors all spreading the word, sharing knowledge, encouraging and teaching women who were once lost to the world of cycling, and above all, empowering women to connect and be active.

There is the clothing line already offered for Wheel Women riders – think comfy relaxed fit cycling jerseys, three-quarter length cycling leggings and jackets the can be zipped up across a chest further down the alphabet than C. The tech classes, which in partnership with Wheel Women supports shops, helps educate women on the basics and not-so-basic bike maintenance and safety aspects that often play a big role in why women shy away from riding a bike in their later years. And of course the daily and weekly rides that see women of all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities to learn, develop and reach their own cycling goals.

wheel women

Where it all began After spending time in Denmark - which is widely referred to as the cycling capital of the world, with dedicated bike tracks that span hundreds of kilometres, Tina recalls the amazing feeling of freedom when riding a bike.

Tina’s Story

Not content with a small ride, I ended up riding from Copenhagen to a deer park via the coast road - it was magical! About 80km later I returned the old, black bike to my friends and felt like a new person. It was one of those days when I felt free, confident, in charge of my life and excited about the unknown future.

The wind in my face, sun shining, fresh air and lost in another world - that’s what bike riding can do to you.

But as the years rolled by, work and paying bills made me forget about that amazing day, and my own poor bike remained dusty, neglected and lonely in the shed. I’d put on weight and I knew I was a ticking time bomb for disease as my age progressed. I’d had gestational diabetes during pregnancy, so my risk of mature onset

Tina McCart

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diabetes had increased substantially, and that really bothered me. I had to do something to stop that ticking time bomb!

So the dusty bike was dragged from the shed, but when I tried to ride again, like many women, I wondered why I couldn’t keep up with the boys.

I wondered why everyone else passed me on the track and why cycling just wasn’t like that day in the ’90s. It all just seemed so hard.

With some good advice, a lighter second hand bike and a lot of nerves I gave it another go and after a few rides, all those great feelings returned - but I had no one to ride with.

So after a few enquiries at the local bike shops, I was told that if I wanted a riding group, I’d need to start it myself. And that is how Wheel Women was born.

Getting back on the bike meant feeling free, confident and excited about life. The great thing is, I know each time I get on the bike I’m not only keeping the risk factors for disease at bay but I’m also encouraging so many women to take up riding too. I am cycling for life literally, and loving it!

I have now completed many rides, covered thousands of kilometres and have seen so many women come through Wheel Women starting out exactly as I did - scared and nervous. But to watch them take the first steps of that same journey is amazing. We are a revolution and we’re waiting for you!

You don’t have to be an elite athlete to ride a bike; you just need to have a desire to make time for yourself. Being on a bike brings a real sense of freedom, and sometimes that’s just what we all need.

Cycling takes me to a whole different headspace and it is a great place to be.

I hope you will come and join us.

Tina

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What Rider Am I? There is a program and weekly rides to cater for all levels that are divided into the following categories. It is easy to understand your level and ensure rider safety: you find your colour then head to the website or app and find a ride or program – it’s that simple!

At this stage it is just available for women in Melbourne, but if you’re a budding cycling coach, Tina would love to hear from you and bring Wheel Women to your state or area.

TOTAL BEGINNER - AQUA LEVEL

BEGINNER RIDER – BLUE LEVEL

INTERMEDIATE RIDER - PINK

You’ve seen everyone riding a bike and want to join in, but you never learnt to ride. That’s okay, plenty of adults don’t know how to ride a bike, and you are never too old to learn!

You’ve grabbed the old bike out of the shed and thought you’d get back into it.

Gosh, it’s a little different to riding when you were a child! That’s okay, we all start somewhere.

THIS IS YOU:

THIS IS YOU:

You’ve been on one of the Blue Level courses, or you’ve been riding for a little while now and feel quite confident.

Well done, now it’s time to keep riding to build up the skills and take your riding further.

You can’t ride at all; you never learned as a child, you have never even owned a bike. You’ve tried before, have had no success, but are determined to do this. You need help to get started and need a Learn To Ride for Adults program.

This is real ‘Learner Plates’ material and we are here to help. It isn’t always easy, but some catch on very quickly.

You need to overcome the fear and relax!

We can teach you, but we only do these lessons one-on-one.

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You can ride and keep your balance, your starting and stopping is a little wonky, you don’t change gears and you would never go on the road! You aren’t fast but you want to ride further, faster and be a better rider. You may even be an accomplished rider but are getting back into shape after years away from the bike, so short distances are better. You like a distance of maximum 10 kilometres.

We all have our starting points, and clocking up more rides is the best way to keep progressing.

THIS IS YOU:

You can signal one handed, start and stop confidently, ride in moderate traffic, are happy to go on bike paths and enjoy some slightly longer rides of around 25km-40km.

You enjoy trying to get a little bit of speed up now and then but mostly cruise at around 18-20km/hr. You might be an accomplished rider getting back into it and just need some rides to find your form again. The best way to progress is to join any rides, and to keep doing programs and sessions - the more experience you have the better you will be.

You are showing others what is possible!

wheel women

ADVANCED RIDER – SILVER HIGH INTERMEDIATE RIDER – PURPLE LEVEL You’ve been riding for a while now and really loving it all. You just want to be on the bike all the time - we know that feeling!

Good on you, you are inspiring others and staying healthy!

THIS IS YOU:

You feel pretty confident in any traffic situation, but still prefer the path when it gets really busy. You like a 50-70km ride and you’re working up to even longer rides, like 100km+. You can signal easily, grab the drink bottle while riding, manage a few rides each week and you enjoy a faster pace - around 25km/hr. You love a road ride and are just starting to get the hang of riding in the bunch and starting to do a hill or two.

Let’s keep riding - you are doing such a great job and when women see you they can also see your journey. You are inspiring women to ride, so stay with it!

You love nothing more than being on the bike and you are a really accomplished rider.

You’ve been taking on quite a few challenges and you love a multi day ride, long tours and some challenges thrown in. Your skills set is solid and you are not afraid to tackle just about anything.

THIS IS YOU:

You love a long ride and by now you’re probably doing between 150 - 200 or more kms a week and that’s making you smile. You’ve been riding some hills, or just smashing out the distance. Your speed is upwards of 26km/hr, but general cruising is over 30km/hr. You live for the ride, will do anything for the ride and are obsessed with all things bike. You love to share the passion, share the knowledge and are happy to ride the slower rides just to encourage other women to ride, because it’s fun - don’t stop, your journey is an inspiration. You are a great mentor to other women riders.

Make the most of it - you are doing an amazing job and are an asset to women’s cycling!

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Can I come to a class?

SKILLS PROGRAMS Jumping on a bike can be scary, especially if it has been a while since you have ridden one.

The skills programs teach you (but are not limited to) braking skills, changing a flat tyre, hill climbing, cornering, using the road, group riding (bunch riding), what tools to carry, gears and how to use them.

Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Levels are available in a 6-week group program or a 3-week basic group program, so there is something for everyone! Each session lasts 1 to 1.5 hours and start with covering a specific skill each week, followed with a short ride. $160 per 6 - week block $90 per 3 - week block Classes run with a minimum of five participants WHEEL WOMEN DIAMOND CLASS Have a bunch of friends you want to ride with already? Don’t worry if you can’t find a program near you, we can always run one specifically for you and a group of friends.

All you need to do is gather a minimum number of 4 people for your group (max of 10) and we’ll plan a program to suit. Sessions are 2 hours long.

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AUSTRALIAN TRIATHLETE The Pink Edition

Wheel Women caters to all levels, but it’s best if you and your friends are all roughly that the same place with your riding.

You can have as many sessions as you like, but are encouraged to do a minimum of three sessions for the groups.

One session - $60 per person Three sessions - $160 per person Six sessions - $240 per person Distances of 25-40km will incur an extra travel fee of $20 per session. 40-60km is $30 and for distances beyond 60km, please contact us.

PRIVATE LESSONS Is there a specific skill you want to master?

Want to feel more confident without having the group watch you learn? Or are you training for a big ride? Individual classes are great for intensive and focused learning to set you on track to being a better rider.

Wheel Women will design the class to suit your specific needs. Beginners are welcome. Classes are priced at $40 per half hour or $70 per hour, or book 3 lessons for $170.

TECH LESSONS Wheel Women will always try to run specialist Tech Sessions so you can learn all about the best way to care for your bike, keep yourself on the road and save yourself a few dollars. Tech Sessions are always a great chance to get your hands dirty and learn how to make those quick repairs to keep riding. Prices vary per session so refer to the website below for the next class.

RIDE TO WORK HELP Have you been thinking about riding to work but are not feeling very confident? Wheel Women can help you plan a route, ride it with you and make sure you find the easiest and safest route to take.

They will discuss your ideas and organise an individual plan. In an initial meeting you’ll look at the options, then plan a route and ride it over ‘off peak’ hours to prepare you for the ride.

Then when you’re ready, Wheel Women will ride to work with you to get you started.

For more information visit www.wheelwomen.com.au and look out for Tina’s wisdom throughout the pages of Australian Triathlete Magazine bringing all things women and cycling to our readers monthly.

The beauty of the Whitsundays will keep you going when your body’s ready to give up during the Hamilton Island Triathlon. A 750m swim in Catseye Bay is followed by a 20km cycle, and a 5km run through the island’s Marina Village. Get into gear for race day on Saturday 21st of November. For more information visit www.hamiltonisland.com.au

1 May 2016

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