Cairns Round up and other things.

So, been a BIG 3 weeks for me.  Let's start at Cairns Ironman.

I had 5 athletes enter the Ironman and 1 in the 70.3...And I was asked to run for a team with Jamie Black.

The Ironman Round up:

I got my first Age Group Winner and Hawaiian Ironman Qualifier.  After only coaching for 2 years and Full Time since October 2012, I couldn't be happier.  I know others that have been coaching for 10 or so years and took a long time to get a "Legitimate Qualifier".  By legitimate, I say that coaching them all the time, not having spoken to someone about their training or happened to swim with them once.  There are a few "Coaches" out there that claim athletes that they have no impact in or no longer coach.  I can say that I look up to people like Andrew (TMC) and Jarrod Evans (Enduranceteam.net) as the premium coaches in Victoria for specific Long Course/Ironman coaching.

Others have more numbers and might have a greater amount of qualifiers, but the % of athletes that they have race to qualifiers is very low. (Food for thought!!)

Jody Gilchrist, whom you might remember that I paced to a 1hr 31min Half Ironman back in May was her.  Getting off the bike in 2nd place in the 45-49 age group, some 12min behind the leader, Jody then not only caught the leader by the half way point in the marathon, but then proceeded to put another 22min into her and win her age group by that much.  Her run time of 3hr 41min was just amazing and the emotions that flowed was even better.

This was only Jody's 2nd Ironman and her first she completed at IMWA 2008 in a time of 12hr 39min.  A massive improvement from her and a ticket to the BIG ISLAND, not just to complete in, to be competitive.

Tim Tingiri, who as I stated in my pre race blog, had a crash back in December and broke his sternum among other injuries.  After asking him to withdraw from Melbourne so that we could have a great race here, he did just that.

After a 11hr 11min Port Mc 2012, Tim achieved a 10hr 44min on the back on a 5month very careful lead in so that we could balance the training without upsetting the body.

Jeff Gloger, raced Cairns in 2012 and was uncoached and finished with a time of 12hr 24min, this year after a good 12month build, we got his time down to 11hr 46min.  Great stuff mate.

Adam Kelsall had a good race, went out a little hard on the run and paid the price on the back half, this is all learning.  A 10hr 57min was a great reward on a tough day.

Unfortunately Damo Harris withdrew prior to the start due to illness which with several conversations, we both agreed was the best plan of action.  Health is more important than a towel and medal.

In the 70.3 event, Michael Harvey was out to grab a win, or at least podium.  The race plan was to go hard, and when that hurt, go harder on the bike.  Off the bike, just run.  That he did, in both disciplines.

Gaining a second place was a great effort with some more improvement on the bike to come.  The most pleasing thing for me was that he had the fastest run time in his age group by over 4min and was the only one in that age group to break 90min (87min 28 sec)  Great signs to come for future races.

As stated earlier I did a team run with Jamie Black and we were there for the win and win only.  Jamie is a great athlete and suffered an injury which prevented him from competing as an individual.  Riding a 2hr 11 min (equal to the pros) ensured a lead for me, but I didn't know it was 5min.  I just ran, being that is was my 2nd 1/2 Marathon in two weeks, I knew at some stage that my legs would get heavy.  I was never going to give away the lead.  We ended up winning by 9 min.  Thanks Mate for inviting me into the team.

So overall, another cracking event for myself and my athletes and all things positive going forward.

As far as my age group tips were involved, I picked 11winners and 3 podiums, struggled with the oldies this time, but nailed a lot of the fast guys.  Nick Gates (40-44) got under the radar and took the win in that age group, but Ben Bell was the highlight for me as the only age grouper to run sub 3hrs.  Hats off mate...

So moving on from there, and having a long chat with Andrew (TMC) about my coaching future.  After learning a great amount on how the write successful programs and get athletes to their goals, we both decided that it was a perfect opportunity for me to branch out and start building my own brand.  Having his full support is fantastic and discussing the best coaches for all athletes has been the plan of attack the last few weeks.

Ofcourse there will be people who think otherwise, but Haters will always Hate, Jealous people will always be jealous, so I look forward to many rumors that evolve around the traps and also look forward to building my brand along with still working with Andrew to offer the best coaching service in the Western Suburbs.. 

No Gimmicks, no lies, no claiming athletes by default, just doing what is right for the athletes.

My new Coaching Service is called:

T.E.A.M Coaching... Triathlon & Endurance Athlete Management & Coaching.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamtricoaching
Twitter: 

@TEAMTriCoach

Make sure you follow to get all the updates.  My website is currently being built as I want to have it right from the start.

With the motto is:

"Focusing on Performance without losing Balance"

Balance is something that I have always instilled in my racing/training and also into my athletes.  I have been writing programs to suit their lives, not asking them to change around the program.

Michael Harvey is the perfect example.  The only time he does anything Triathlon related on a Sunday is when he races, no training for him on a Sunday.  Of course there are compromises mid week, but it is what works for him.  The proof is in the pudding!!

I know of many coaches that ask athletes to take days off mid week from work to get sessions in.  Now as age group athletes, we work to fund our Triathlons, we don't have the luxury of the "pro life".  I myself am in the same boat, I am out the door early to train, so I get it.  I know how cold it gets, what pain we all go through, that's how I can write programs to suit each individual.  I get out with my athletes (where possible) to learn form them more then an email or a conversation, learning from them on the training track to gain feedback, see where changes can be made to continue improvements.

All I can say that the experience from Andrew & TMC has been invaluable and I can also thank all the support that I have had already even before the Official Commencement.

Exciting times ahead...

X-Man

PS.. Around all this I have started my Kona prep and am in better shape than this time the last few years.  I have 40 odd coaches this time around and each one of them is going to be a part of the training and success on the Big Island come October

Ironman Cairns Age Group Tips

As seen on Trizone my age group tips for Cairns Ironman are below:

Male 18-24:

The standout for me in this one is:

#57 Amos Gollach - went to the big island last year, so knows how to get there. Under a structured program now and had a great lead in at Busso 70.3.

Female 18-24:

#76 Madison Taylor - only has to finish to get her ticket.

Male 25-29:

My pick here is:

#110 Daniel Macpherson (no not the actor)...stepping up from the 70.3 last year which he went 4.18, then a 4.07 at Port 70.3 2012.  Unsure about his Ironman ability.

Main rival:

#145 Todd Spackman, more of a 70.3 specialist (in his own words) however has been to the big island on a few occasions, so can get the job done.

Female 25-29:

#167 Kimberley Russell for the "W" here, however I have heard on the grape vine that she is going to do her best work at the Melt down..  Fast on course, Groover on the floor.

Male 30-34:

The one to catch is:

#203 Matthew Craft... We had a good chat walking the Queen K last year and is looking for his 5th ticket to Kona.. The big question for me is not if he will win his a/g, will he make it to the "Sub 9" club and be the fasted age grouper overall??

Others to watch:

#197 Dane Cantwell, this flying kiwi will be around the mark for a long way into the race....but how far can he push Crafty?

#234 Jayson Gerde who is coming off a 5th place in the 30-34 at IMWA 2012 in 9hr 19min should be the main one to challenge Matt.

#332 Ben Squires gets a mention as the one who will be 1st out of the water in this age group and maybe among all age groups after his 45.32 swim at IMAUST a few weeks back.  I think the 3.30 marathon there might just tax his legs too much in the heat late here.

My Roughies:

#331 Lucas Spargo...Watch this space...Had an ok Melbourne this year and will be better for the run.
#346 Daniel Thompson... A 70.3 gun who can run....1st up over IM distance

Others been thrown my way, however as I state every time...I am not picking the top 15 in each age group...just the top couple.  Your mate might be going well, but will he match the above??

Female 30 - 34:

This should be one of the best races in my view:

Hard to separate these three (in no particular order):

#380 Kristy Craft....I am just waiting for the day that she chicks Matt ;)

#394 Marina Jurjevic... Is flying atm, not taking her Kona spot regardless...Will this hinder her if the race is close at the end??

#395 Felicity Lloyd... Fastest 30-34 at IMMELB 2012 in 9hr 45min...Swim is her weakness, wonder how much time she can afford to give Kristy in this battle.

Kristy will lead out of the water by a few minutes here and will be interesting to watch the race unfold from there.

Male 35 - 35: (My special interest category)

#424 Ben Bell - flying machine, running specialist, multiple 3hr 0x Hawaiian Ironman Marathon Runner.  Weakness is riding.  As per Matty Craft, Ben's biggest battle...sub 9 & fastest a/g.  Always gets things right. Only way he will be beaten if he beats himself.

#461 Nathan Fitzakerley was 3rd here last year and will be on the podium again.  Will need a very low 4hr 50min ride to have enough gap on Bell to challenge him.

#469 David Green had him, however got his spot at Auckland 70.3 and raced Melbourne, so unsure if he is racing.

Podium Roughie:

#580 Steven Roberts.  He has been in the mines working for the last 6+ months, unsure of his fitness, can swim/bike well, just unsure about the run.  One thing that will work in his favour is the heat.

Female 35 - 39:

Another cracking girls field and once again a few front runners that will make for a close exciting race.  Just because you get older doesn't mean it gets easier...

#638 Jessica Fleming 3rd overall at Ironman Aust, so unsure if she will be racing here.  If she does, she will challenge for top step again.

#650 Emma Miller 3rd in the 2012 IMMelb 30-34.  Been running a lot of late, so wouldn't surprise if a fast run time for her.

#654 Julianne Schliebs is about to do her 3rd Ironman in 7 months, tough ask on the body.  Ironman WA 2nd, Ironman Melbourne 6th and now here.  Will she have enough left in the tank?

Male 40 - 44:

#693 Peter Breadsall, the man can bike and run, swim is a big weakness.  Been carrying a few injuries in the last 12 months, but wasn't that long ago where he went 9.19 Ironman UK, 13th overall with one of the fastest bike times.  If he can repeat that form, he will be tough to beat.

The added pressure with this age group is that in the Asia/Pacific Ironmans in 2013, the 40-44 age group has produced the fastest time.

NZ - Matt Lewis
Melb - Olaf Kasten
Port- David Meade

Big shoes to fill??

I am pretty sure that I would have missed an obvious one here, however no-one else really jumps out at me.

Female 40 - 44:

#937 Susan Crowe won her age group her last year and will be hard to beat again.  My tip...back to back.

Male 45 - 49:

A big field here, have found a few to name:

#976 Alan Bentley 5th here last year.

#982 Trevor Buchanan double Hawaiian Ironman Finisher, says enough...will be around the mark.

#987 Peter Clark 2nd year last year, no doubt wants top place in 2013.

#1009 Darren Franken got a roll down spot at Melbourne, will be there abouts off the bike and into the first part of the run, will be interesting to see if he can challenge late.

#1078 Dennis Neal one of the toughest athletes I know.  Bumped into him running a few week back and is looking fit.  Is keen for this and will give them a good shake.

Female 45 - 49:

Looks like a very open field.

The only one that is returning from last year is

#1171 Susan Meehan who finished 5th.

#1173 Raija Ogden never underestimate the wife of a pro!

Could be a surprise here...That's my tip ;)

Male 50 - 54:

Easiest one to pick:

My sparring partner in races (and old enough to be my dad)

#1197 Kevin Fergusson, will almost be the first age grouper off the bike out right.  Wins everytime he turns up and this race will be no exception.

Female 50 - 54:

Too open to say so just going for a roughie... Eenie Meenie Minie Mow...

#1289 Elizabeth Model, just has to look the part with a surname like that?!?

Male 55 - 59:

Predicting a straight out win for

#1307 Stephen Hempel 3rd last year in 11hrs

Female 55 - 59:

A two way war between:

#1345 Sharman Parr 

&

#1346 Belinda Sharpless

Male 60 - 64:

#1386 Peter Vaughan

Female 60 - 64:

#1389 Lynn Davies

Male 65 - 69:

Lucky Dip...

#1397 Yasushi Sakuma

Male 70 - 74:

#1400 Alex Hamill

Male 75 - 79:

#1405  Sze Mun Yee

AWAD

#104 Ricky James

As I say after every post, I am so amazed by the achievements of the "older generation" who turn up, do the race to the best of their ability.

Hats off.

Now to some of the younger generation.... STOP MAKING EXCUSES... You were beaten by better athletes on the day, if you blame something, have a good old look in the mirror as the excuse starts and stops with you.  Until you put a decent time on the board, "your" potential has no cred, what you think you can do and what you actually do are probably miles apart.

Let your legs do the talking instead of your mouth.

Overall Age Groupers:

Male:

#424 Ben Bell (35-39) age group
with
#203 Matt Craft 2nd

Will it take sub 9 to take the title?

Female:

A battle betweem:

#395 Felicity Lloyd 
&
#650 Emma Miller



In the Pro's:

Male:

Unsure about who will race and who will not....

#2 Am going for Cameron Brown here....too good to miss out.  (think Macca is just going around)

Roughie:

#4 Clayton Fettell, knowing some of the people he is now working with, has the support and right plan to jag a win.  Just has to hold it together in the back half of the run.  Especially if he teams up with #9 Brett Carter out of the water.  Brett might just be able to assist in the first part of the bike.

Female:

Tough one here for me... A few top quality girls racing.

I think Gina Crawford is the best athlete, however after already successfully racing 3 Iron Distance races this year, I just don't think she can back up in the heat.

#22 Michell Gailey, back with the coach that got her first win at Challenge Cairns in 2011.

Roughie:

#27 Anna Ross, had a cracking run at Busso 70.3 a few weeks back and might be a chance late.

For now...

X-Man

PS..  For me I have 5 athletes racing.

#237 Jeffrey Gloger....12hrs 24min last year in his first Ironman (uncoached)... Goal this year is close to 11hr (or breaking it).

#477 Damien Harris...Backing up from Ironman Melbourne which he encountered 3 punctures.  Ironic that he is our bike mechanic.  Looking forward to seeing what he can push out on a good day.  Hoping for about 11 hours.

#504 Adam Kelsall...10hr 38min IM Aust 2012, no strengths or weaknesses, just strong.  He is still torn between 24hr MTB & Ironman, and mixes the both well.  Goal is 10hr 20min or so.

#897 Tim Tingiri...Just happy to see him back racing.  Broke his sternum on the Ironman WA weekend last December after being blown off his bike.  The rehab and comeback has been slow and steady and watching him cross that line will be great.  No goals at all.  Went 11hr 11min at Port 2012

#1156 Jody Gilchrist...Paced her to a 1hr 31min Half Marathon a few weeks back...not bad for a 49y.o (sorry Jody ;) ) and will be in for a good race here.  Hoping to go around the 11hr 30min mark and see where that gets us.

And in the 70.3 Race, I have 1 athlete racing:

Michael Harvey in the 25 - 29 age group.  We are using this race as a "see where we are at" race.  I do expect a fast time for Banger and have given him some smack talk about it.

Something close to home...

So, I find out today that one of my best mates & training partners for the last few years has decided to run 7 Marathons in 7 Days in 7 Different states of Australia.

Ben Robinson & I have been through a lot together as far as training goes and I have been a witness to the battle that him and his wife Tammy have undergone in the last few years (Tammy for the last 21 and Ben for the last 18 or so).

It is not my place to tell their story, however Tammy has opened up her life to the world in her quest to make the world safer for all our kids.

So please have a read of this blog and if you are touched by it like I am, please donate to a great cause.

http://7marathons7states7days.blogspot.com.au/ 

For the record, I am going to donate $100 for every marathon that Ben runs under 3hr 30min.

He has run a 3hr 3min Marathon and a 3hr 40min Marathon off the bike.

Thanks for the support.

For now...

X-Man

Final "Free" Week!

So, as I enter my last "free training" week before I start my 3rd Prep for Kona I have really enjoyed getting the mind fresh, and still testing it at times to see if I am ready to go.

I have been getting something done most days, sometimes 3 sessions in a day, other times just the one.  By doing this I have stayed a pretty good fitness level and am confident that once I get going on a full structured program again, I will be chomping at the bit.

This week sees anther half marathon before me which I am excited to run, just to have a final good crack before everything gets stripped back to start again.   I find myself in an exciting position as 4 - 6 post every other race, I usually put on 6-8 kgs and the body battles to get going for the following 4 - 6 weeks.

The New me Post Ironman (left) vs the Old me Post Ironman (right)

Not this time, I have really looked after my self and actually a tad lighter than when I raced Ironman Melbourne (just under 90kgs).

I have learnt so much about myself, my eating and my discipline since Melbourne.  Don't get me wrong, there has been a few "BIG" days/nights with the crew, but on an overall scale, the majority of time, I have been
. 

Just being a little more prepared and motivated to maintain myself opposed to letting myself go has made it easier along with the support I have received from everyone.  My sister is one of the main ones as she is on my case to "eat clean" which I really appreciate as it has stopped me from eating the pizzas, the KFC and the sausage rolls.



I haven't eaten "fast food" in over 4 weeks and I know that this is one of the main reasons of me keeping the weight down.  And I will say that I am fair from obsessed by it as I know that my body will find its own natural weight.  I am just starting in a better position than previously.

I have even been hitting the pool 3-4 times per week at the moment.  Not doing monster k's, just ensuring that I am ticking the arms over and getting loads of drills done.  I want to keep it this way as swimming always destroys me mentally and is always the one that I drop off first, so by just ticking the arms over, I know that I will be right to ramp it up when needed and get some really good quality in over the next few months.

Having people to commit to has been great, even if it has meant that I have to drive to meet them.  This is another aspect that I have changed, to get the job done, I need to commit to others and sometimes go to meet them.

Now it is a light taper week with getting the legs pumping for the weekend, next week will be a light week and then it all starts.

The only question that will need to be answered is this:


The answer is:



For now....

X-Man

PS... This new regime is all about one day hopefully getting invited to join:

Team Racing - A Different Experience

The whole team racing is not new to me, however the experience that I had at Busso 70.3 was different to say the least.

In previous team races that I have competed in meant the teams started in the last wave after all the Pros and Age groups.

In Busso the teams were due to start 3hrs after the pros and after all the age groupers were out on the bike and most back in.  I was swimming in a mixed team and we had our own wave.  There were 3 waves, male, mixed and team.

I wanted to have a good hit out as this was most likely going to be my last open water swim for some time.  I started about 10m in front of everyone else and the mind was just to swim as hard as I could until I popped or got caught and then just hang on.  Knowing that there was no bike to follow and the Run  I was doing for another Team (story for later in blog) meant that I had no excuse not to see where I was at.  I have only been back in the pool for a few weeks and this would give me a good gauge and hopefully motivation booster to continue in the pool.  If I am going to give Leigh Chapman another lesson in Kona, I know I need to minimize my lose in the swim as I know his biking has improved.

The swim out was good and on the way back it got a bit choppy, but to see a sub 29min swim (28.53) was pleasing for me.  Handing the chip to my team mate meant a good wait between swim and run was to be had.

The day prior, a girl was on her phone looking dissapointed when she hung up.  I asked her what was wrong and she told me her team runner had pulled out.... So I offered to do the run for her.  She thought that I was joking at first, but I assured her that I would be happy to do it.  Over to register and my day was going to be quality.

The whole fueling here was weird, not exactly knowing what to have in fear of crapping my pants on the run...

I wanted to post a solid run time, as close as I could to 80min so was going to have a good crack at it and the last thing I wanted was this:
















So, I decided to go on the lighter side of eating in between the sessions.  Also, not knowing what time my swim/biker would take, I had no idea of when to get ready.  Really weird situation.

After seeing all the runners get ready, I decided to do the same without any idea how long I would be standing there for.  Then one of the officials held up the race number that I was in the team with.  I went over to see what was going on and I was informed that the poor girl had been taken to medical after just one lap and that we were not going to post a finish time.  He did tell me that I could still do the run leg though.  I was happy as my wait was over and it was time to test the legs.  My last run pre this was Tuesday, so I was fresh, however sluggish as the weather had been poor all week.

I set out at a good click holding 3.40's and was feeling good.  Plan was to have a Shotz Gel at 15min and then another at 40min (caffeinated) and 1hr to get me home.  This is easily more than a normal plan for me, however gives me a good look at how much I can consume/absorb for more important races.

Knocking back the first gel was easy and then I was just cruising along holding the same speeds.  Getting through 10k's in almost 37min even I started wondering if I had it in me to have a crack at the 78min I ran in 2010.  16k in 1 hr, meant a 3.40ave for the last 5.1 to have a chance.

I had my caffeine gel here and felt like I need a bit more, so I had my third gel within the next k before the final turnaround, just so that I could concentrate on the final part to the line.

Then Bang, stitch, WTF..... never stitched in a running race, damn, had my gels to close together and the body just didn't like it... slowing to a 4min 33k removed all thoughts of a 78, ok let's go for 79min.. Stopping at the aid station for some liquid, and with a stitch in my right side, meant another slow k 4.19.  With a head wind last 3k, 80min started to look like a battle, so I just tried to see what time I would post this early in my prep.

Getting back under the 4min k pace for the final two k's was pleasing and crossing the line in 1hr 21min 30 sec gives me a great starting point for my Kona assault.  Learning after every race is the key to development and gaining heaps from this run puts me in a good position for my next 1/2 marathon in a few weeks.

Details of my run are below:

You can see where I started to battle, this will be rectified for next run.  The next 10 days are going to resemble a structure that I will take deep into the winters months.  The goal for the next half is sub 80, still not at my fastest but will be showing signs that I am heading that way.  No point peaking now and having TEAM PIS destroy me on the Lava Fields!

Another really good positive from the weekend were the invites to train with various people around the place.  A few from WA, the boys from the Institute, all which I look forward to accepting in the coming months.

For now....

X-Man

Overall another great weekend and with great starting points and motivation as high as ever, I really look forward to this winter and another good prep for Kona.

Forming new Partnerships - TRIZONE

After a few texts, emails and phone calls with Karl from Trizone I am very pleased to announce that I am going to be a regular on the very popular site.

Karl recently used my Age Group Tips from Ironman Australia and since then we have discussed my tips being a regular feature on the site.  This is something that I very eagerly agreed to.

So, moving forward, I will be providing my tips and insights to Trizone.  I will be attempting to correctly tip all Ironmans in the region including New Zealand (one which I haven't included until now), Melbourne, Port Mc, Cairns and Busso at the age group level mostly.

Along with this, I will be adding some coaching advice for beginners, product reviews, race reports, professional interviews (will have a different flavour to the traditional style), age group interviews, coach profiles along with a few little extras.

As this site does not just focus on the "BIG players", there is a definite feel that many ideas that are thrown up will be acted on.  I am excited to be able to contribute to a great site and looking forward to having many ideas thrown at me to keep it fresh and entertaining.

I will open for any little segments that you want included in my contribution, so like my age group tips, all your feedback is greatly appreciated, so please keep it coming.

For now...

X-Man

My first attempt will be this weekends 70.3 Race in Busselton. 

Ironman Australia - Age Group Tips

There are plenty of newbies racing here which is a really good sign, but also many "repeat offenders" going around again which should be the ones chasing the podiums and slots.

The signing of another 5 years shows healthy signs for Ironman Australia, however has me wondering with the lack of points & prize money available to Pro's, what sort of race will this be in years to come.

With only 4 female pro's yet again and 11 males on the start list, which I doubt all will race anyway, there is just not enough value for the Pro's who race here when the week after Busso 70.3 has more $$$ and more Kona points available.  Just doesn't make sense to me.  Having such a Iconic event getting shafted by the organisers is almost unjust.

Any rant over.....Onto the real stuff.

Now, as I said above, with so many newbies racing, there are not that familiar names that I recognise in the start list.  This will be good as apart from the odd stand out, I believe the fields will be rather competitive and the times a fair bit slower than last year.  Then again, I could be wrong.

Male 18 - 24:

Ashleigh McDougall 3rd 2012 should deliver this year with absence of Matthew Burton.
Luke Beauchamp should be right up there also.

Female 18 - 24:

A small field which I am going for Laura Harris.

Male 25 - 29:

Josh Strahorn did 10.22 last year so should push for top position here, it won't be all his own way with a good sized field and plenty hungry to get to Kona.

Female 25 - 29:

Michelle Duffield by a long way here, a good pedigree and that family always goes well.

Male 30 - 34:

Brad Manczak, the BIG man got to Kona last year and is in the EnduranceTeam.net camp.  Jarrod always gets his athletes peaking on the right day.

Ben Squiz will lead out of the water, but how long will that lead last for before Scott Hobson takes control on the bike and leads into T2... But how fast does he need to run to capture the "W"??

Smokey: Jarrod Draper, under the careful guidance of David Meade, he could surprise a few in his first start.. No pressure though!

Female 30 - 34:

Kacey Willoughby has turned old ;) and after already securing her Kona spot at Busso, will head into this race relaxed.  I still think those "old" legs will get the chocolates here.
Meredith Hill should podium again.
Cassandra Percival should be pushing the above two for a good portion of the race also.

Male 35 - 35:

Corey Chapman and Marc Rawlings should be the front runners for most of the day in this age group, however with a quality field and the VICARY brothers going to War, anything could happen.

Phillip Townsend, Zane Hopper & Kane Towns should be in contention, however the TEAM PIS mind games might hinder a few in the next few days.

Paul O'Brien should lead out of the water here and be in the front pack on the bike.  Just unsure how many k's he has in his legs to round out the day.

Female 35 - 39:

Erika Ellis age groups up and is my pick to take the flowers home to mum.  With a 10.13 last year, the other girls should get used to the sight of her behind!

Alison Ferry who finished 3rd last year should be around the mark again and along with Katie Dukes & Tarryn Whitmore.

Male 40 - 44:

This is the age group the I believe will have the fastest age grouper for the day in the men's.  Like Matty Lewis did in New Zealand and Olaf Kasten did in Melbourne, there is still hope for us young guys getting faster with age..

It is also a red hot field with many guns lining up for the title.  I am leaning towards David Meade, saw him first hand at Shepparton last year run the pants off many include myself.  The guy is tough as nails and can swim/bike and run the house down.

Others to consider:

Matt Koorey - Just knows how to get the job done.
Dieter McDonald - Firstly I didn't realise he was this old!! He is also form EnduranceTeam.net and has been to the big island a few times.
Marcus Smith - 2nd here last year and is ultra consistent.
Bruse Theile - the pressure is on him as his wife has already got a Kona slot and so has Kacey Willoughby (he coaches her) so will be competing along side them at Kona or carrying the bags??
Brian Price will also be around the mark.

Female 40 - 44:

Leanne Southwell is returning as Champion and will salute the chequered flag again first.
Terry Anne Box who finished 3rd will be hoping to get closer but as Southwell swims 50 odd minutes, she will always be a long way ahead.

This is definitely Southwell's to lose.

Male 45 - 49:

This looks to be a very open field.

Andrew Mildren will give the front runners a big start out of the water again, but how much is too much that he cannot chase down??

Paul Muherin will be around the mark also.

Also a shout out to fellow Western Suburbs Triathlon Club Member Louis Lopex who is competing in his 25th Ironman Australia, hope you have a great day mate.

Female 45 - 49:

Angela Clarke to make it back to back wins....

Male 50 - 54:

In this age group there are 4 out of the top 5 returning from last year so will be another cracking age group to follow.

Stephen Bingham will be looking to be champion again, however Bevan Earnst will be trying to find the 45 sec he lost by last year.

Terry Roberts & Grant Thomas will be looking for revenge and hoping to dish it up to the above two.

Female 50 - 54:

The only one that appeals to me is Janet McAfee who finished 3rd in 2012.

Male 55 - 59:

John Hill here.  He is one guy that I enjoy seeing on the start list as it make my tips a little easier in this age group.

Female 55 - 59:

Judith Golledge will be looking to go one better than in 2012 and should greet the line as the victor.

Male 60 - 64:

Ron Wilson to defend his crown and win this by a long way.

Robert Howitt and Rod Harrod to fill the minor places.

Female 60 - 64:

She has to be Ron's wife.... Berryl Wilson last years winner, would be great to see her "chick" her hubby!!

Male 65 - 69:

The evergreen Allan Pittman here....not sure if he is really this age or that the die he puts in his hair covers the greys?!?  But he will take the win.

Resutek Thoephile should be on the podium again.

Male 70 - 74:

George Hulse: 12.50 last year.... Has anyone made him pee into a cup??  That is amazing from a guy of that young age.

In the Pro race, I am going for Patrick Evoe & Rebecca Hoschke.  After seeing Rebecca run at Busso, she will be running all the way to the win!  Although the men's field is not very big I think it will be a good race.  Luke Bell will be trying hard, but I think Evoe has his measure.

I will add that if Bell wins, I believe he will go onto BIG BIG things.. Getting the monkey off the back might be the hard part though.

For Now...

X-Man

PS... Word just in, Ben the white Kenyan to smash Ched Towns son Kane.

Also, theses are my tips and my views only.  I seem to offend people by writing my blog.  I am not a journalist, nor an expert in this tipping field.  It is more for fun, so if I have left you off and you think you are worthy, don't worry, I don't play GOD on race day and influence your race.  Go out there and have fun and remember:

PAIN IS TEMPORARY, QUITTING LASTS FOREVER!

YOU WILL BE AN IRONMAN

As for my athletes, I have two racing, both first timers... Scott Slater in the 30 - 34 and Ian Spinks in the 45 - 49, have a great day boys and remember to smile at the finish line.  Do yourselves proud!

The Professional Life - With Lisa Marangon.

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NO, I AM NOT TURNING PRO! Just have to say that, have no ambition to either, I just wanted to experience the "Professional Life" for a week.

Well, after chatting to Lisa and floating the idea of coming Sydney to learn a little more about the “professional triathlete life” the flights were booked and the week of cough cough *hell* cough cough learning was upon me.

Lisa, with one of her many wins to date.

Coming off a monster weekend with all the boys and flying to Sydney on the Sunday was always going to be hard work.  But I was packed ready for the unexpected….Discipline, good eating and hard training.

Well, if I was going to get benefit out of it, I just had to follow her lead and just put up with what was thrown in front of me. 

That meant no KFC, pies, alcohol or soft drink for the week…..That was going to be tough.  So arriving, slightly seedy from the weekend, Lisa picked me up and took me back to her apartment.  I did ask her permission to jot down some notes about the week for this blog and after coming to an agreement about the details, we found a happy medium.  So, Firstly thanks for the opportunity to follow and live the pro life for the week.  Lisa also works full time and took a week off to show me about and run me through everything.   I am so appreciative!

Being explained the week ahead and me asking for that to be repeated as I didn’t quite expect what I heard.  The first bit that got me was the 4.20am Wake up on the Monday morning for swimming…. You want me to get up at what time?? WOW!!

The promise of good coffee post session was almost enough to convince me to think it was a good idea.

With that in mind, was early to bed for me… My bike box as my pillow and my garmin as my alarm, it was bed time.  Didn’t take long to fall asleep as having a total of 8 hours sleep on the previous two nights, I was looking forward to hitting the hay (or bike box).  I was certainly more excited about the coffee then the swim!

I wasn't looking this cheerful when the alarm sounded!

And true to her word, 4.20am not a minute earlier or later I got the, “It’s time to get up.”  Shocked from being in a deep sleep and in a strange location (been in many of them in my life!) it was time to get up and head to the pool.  No Coffee in the house…..hmmmmm, Lesson 1 learnt…Drink less coffee. 

I was privileged enough to get a small amount of nutrition to fuel my session,  I could only keep thinking, I could die, I can’t train without coffee or a bucket of KFC. 

Just a Standard Post training meal for me.

In the pool at 5am, still blurred eyed and probably over .05, I looked at the session plan and my first words were, “Do you guys do a standard warmup before we hit that main set?”

With a joint laugh, Lisa, Angelo & Gai (Coaches) turned to me and responded as one, “No, No, that is the warm up!”

Ouch, I could drown, first swim since Ironman Melbourne and with the warmup at my main set speed, I was always going to be in trouble.  Gai then threw the line out there, “If you need a longer rest, feel free.” A longer rest, I was happy just to be able to get through the warm up and then get out!

The session was 4.6k and I can honestly say that I got through 4k….Longest swim since Oct 2012.  Lisa did chuckle and say that my arms were going to be sore.  Getting the session done before 6.30 was a bonus though, the whole day ahead.

A quick spin on the bike followed after breakfast and then a long awaited nap for me…

The afternoon involved Yoga….hmmm does that come in banana and chocolate flavour?  The only thing this did confirm (which I already knew) was that I have no core or balance.  Something to work on.

Survived Day 1.  Tomorrow seemed like a lighter day, Swim, Pilates and Run.

Alarm set for 4.20am….I actually woke up feeling very ordinary, so after being called weak, Lisa let me sleep in whilst she went to swimming.  I was out cold.  When she got back, I was still feeling very average so I knew that I had made the right choice.  The easy run was what I thought is what I needed, how wrong was I??  I crashed hard that afternoon with the dreaded man flu and spent the whole afternoon asleep.  Maybe the weekend had finally caught up with me.  Missing two sessions that day was not what I had in mind however I know I was going to be better for it.

Day 2: Not a total disaster.

Wednesday was my day of bouncing back, I wasn’t going to let this chick or the man flu get the better of me.

Lisa runs an open water swim in the Morning which was amazing, having the sun rise, the warm water (yes still had wetty on) and a group of enthusiastic swimmers there eased the disappointment from yesterday.  Getting through the session was my goal without putting myself in the box.  Mission Accomplished.

From here, we headed to the Athlete Lab (spin room) to do a pretty solid 90min session.  Once again, I didn’t want to have to much intensity so only got to 350 Watts in some of my efforts, a bit short of what I was pushing in my last lab test.  90min done, shirt drenched, 2litres fluid consumed and we were off to the track for a speed session.  This is not something that I would usually do, however  looking back, it was definitely beneficial.  Doing some pretty hard and sharp 1k efforts, I was surprised at the times I was doing, albeit, still chasing tail.

Victory at Canberra 70.3 2011

Day 3: Back on track – TICK

Thursday was a mid-long ride with some undulations.  I have no idea where we started from or where we went, however the best way for me to describe the ride was amazing, the scenery was fantastic and the weather once again put on a show.  It reminded me of the great ocean Rd back home, just stunning.  And this was the day of my secret mission to Sydney was busted by Matt Palmer, who spotted me out there…unsure how, but hats off!!

Pilates followed in the afternoon, which was my first time doing this.  I can say that I did enjoy it and saw the benefit from just one session, will consider this for future programs/training blocks that I do.

Day 4: Energy coming back, and had a great day.

Here comes Friday, another run, another swim.

That’s right my 3^rd swim for the week (should have been 4^th) but a pool set.  3k in the arms for me (Lisa easily disposed of me covering over 4) but my arms felt ok.  I did notice some tension from another female pro that started swimming after we started and took more notice of our times then her own session.  That entertained me more than the hurt that my arms felt. 

It still baffles me how much people are more worried about what other people are doing rather than the square that they are in.  Lisa was in a zone and had no idea what was going on until I told her post session.  Good luck trying to talk mid set.

I was still pretty happy with the times I was coming in on after only my 4^th swim since Melbourne….There might be hope for me yet!

The run was pretty sharp, some high intensity and some easy running, once again, I was feeling good and better everyday.

Friday – All going well.

Saturday involved a longer ride with a 40 odd min off the bike.  Meeting up with her riding group, we heading off on some unknown direction for me.  Everyone was once again so welcoming and made me feel like I was in a bunch from home, not an invader up here…Maybe they didn’t know I was a Victorian?!

Heading out the old highway, a few of the boys increased the work rate, I decided to jump on board and follow their lead.  Todd Israel was driving the bunch with a few other following.  I was enjoying the ride and the atmosphere.  One the return we caught up to Craig Alexander and I was star struck, instantly I whipped out my camera and took some photos of him.  Once again, this guy has so much time for everyone, I quizzed him about a few things and the honesty that he responds in is WORLD CLASS.  He has no issues giving advice and offering tips of you want to listen….That’s exactly what I did.  WOW, another great moment.

The nicest guy in the World 3 x World Champion - Craig Alexander

Once the heart rate settled again, I started to think about the run ahead.  I had a feeling that I had left something at Lisa’s….Yep, my runners…ooopppsss, I can say that I was disappointed as I wanted to get every session done with her.  Todd & I were going to do a few laps around Centennial Park, but he had a better idea….Have a coffee.  Bingo.  This would also give me the chance to quiz him about his transformation from a/g to pro.  And this is what I did.  Asking about what he has done differently now to the guy whom beat me at IMWA a few years back in 9hr 14min to the 8.39 he did at IMMelb 2012.  Asking, listening and absorbing was my task and was something that I did with success.

30min come and gone and more advice and experience thrown my way.  Thanks heaps Todd, value there.

Todd Israel - On his way to a Podium in Hawaii, now a Professional

The PM session was an open water swim again…4 in 1 week, Did I have rocks in my head??  But with the weather being so pleasant, it was always going to be fun.  Having 16 in the group meant for fun times.  Scott McKenna started a little banter after the Wednesday session and the mornings ride.  I almost felt like a local.  The session was great fun and I got plenty out of it.  I am just hoping that it gives me the kick start that I need to get into the pool on a regular basis.

Saturday: Where has the week gone?

And the final session of the week was an easy run….got it covered, could have run for 2hr 30min however getting just under 20k in the legs was enough for me.  No need to kill myself first week back.  Having another quick chat with Todd and thanking him for his time again. 

So, Overall what did I learn?

Not all pro’s think their shit doesn’t stink.  That there are actually ones out there who are happy to tell their story and help out where they can. There are many “Pro’s” who should follow this lead and give more time to others around them.

The difference from hearing about how they go about things to actually living it is totally different and a lot harder than you think.  Throw in that many of the pro’s work to support themselves just makes the respect that I have for them even greater.

A Bucket load, following Lisa around for the week, shadowing her sessions, partaking in the open water, bike and runs that she did was great.  The training itself is not really that much different to what I do, just tweaked to her needs.

The major difference is the mindset, attitude and the way the sessions are completed.  There are no excuses, no short cuts, just sessions getting completed exactly how they were meant to be. 

The 4.20am starts, the mid day naps, the clean eating & the regular body maintenance really opened my eyes about what it really takes to compete at that level.  Not just to compete, but also to be successful.

This is an experience that has armed we with tools to make me not only a better person, but also a far greater athlete.  It is now just up to me what I do with them.

Armed with all the tools now.

* Session details were not included in the above to support the confidentiality that I agreed with Lisa.

If you want to know more about Lisa Marangon, click here. 

For now...

X-Man

PS.. If you ever get the chance to do what I did, go for it. Just be prepared to watch, listen and do.  It is an amazing experience

Life since Ironman Melbourne.

Well, it really hasn't stopped.  I had committed to going away with the Family to Maryborough (Central Victoria) for Easter and to do some Road Racing there with the Veterans. 

Yes the Headstem has since been cut down!

Yes, unfortunately I am in that category now.  So I had entered 5 races across that weekend ranging from a 300m Sprint (pfft, me sprint?!?) to a ITT, a Criterium race and 2 x 65k road races, one being a scratch race in my category and the other being a handicap on the final day.

43kph ave was still not enough to win the TT.

For a full run down and a great read, check out Shane Millar's blog below. He handed it to me in every event, so better reports form him.

http://gplama.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/vets-south-pacs-maryborough-victoria.html

Was good to have such a gun cyclist there, not only to show me how far off I am, but also to learn a lot from him.

I prob should have ticked the legs over post Melbourne before I went straight into a road race and an attack 7k in....

My legs finally came good in the handicap, was placed off 3rd scratch 4min ahead of scratch and when 3 riders failed to show, 1 wasn't up to it, having 4 of us try to chase 9 was going to be hard so we made the decision no to kill ourselves but to pace ourselves until scratch & co caught us.  I rolled in with the scratch group as it was safer than sitting near the back of the 70 rider peleton.  I then decided to save my legs from about 15k to go until the final attacks started to happen and was going to have a crack at the sprint.  In the end we didn't catch all the riders, but I still managed 6th in the bunch sprint, great end to the weekend.  

From there, I entered, along with a few of the athletes in the Geelong Half Marathon.  All the talk was whether I was going to be repeat my time of 1hr 18min from a few years back, but I decided to help pace Jody to as close as we could to 90min.  We compromised and decided on 92mins (4min 20sec per k).  Her instructions were to just run with me, no watch, no garmin, just run.  2 gels and focusing on running a very even 1/2 Marathon. 

Almost done

The plan was to start out a little slower and work into it.  

The splits were as follows:
 Km  Time

1	4:24.0	1.00	4:24
2	4:22.5	1.00	4:23
3	4:24.6	1.00	4:25
4	4:20.7	1.00	4:21
5	4:09.3	1.00	4:09
6	4:17.3	1.00	4:17
7	4:16.0	1.00	4:16
8	4:14.3	1.00	4:14
9	4:20.0	1.00	4:20
10	4:19.3	1.00	4:19
11	4:15.7	1.00	4:16
12	4:16.9	1.00	4:17
13	4:13.8	1.00	4:14
14	4:24.8	1.00	4:25
15	4:13.5	1.00	4:14
16	4:18.6	1.00	4:19
17	4:16.4	1.00	4:16
18	4:17.6	1.00	4:18
19	4:28.3	1.00	4:28
20	4:29.1	1.00	4:29
21	4:17.3	1.00	4:17
22	:56.3	0.23	4

One final time check to make sure we hit the mark!

This was a time of 1hr 31min and 36sec...right on the money.  And speaking of money, that's what Jody got, a 1st place finish in her age (won't disclose) and her fastest 1/2 Marathon time in 15 years.  Happy people all around.  Tim, Daniel, Paul and Harley also ran with Harley breaking the 2hr mark and recording a 25min pb.  Well done mate!

Just telling Harley to get to the finish!

From there I hit a few sessions with Scott Slater (doing his first IM at Port) and we rolled around for a few hours (5 1/2) and ticked off just under 180k's.  Throwing in a run and he is in for a good race in the upcoming weeks. 

A few days off and then back to Vets racing on the weekend.  I signed up Geelong as Dad has been a member there and it is an amazing feeling being able to compete with and against your Dad in a sport, so I was a bit overwhelmed about it all.  He is also a Club Legend there....Big shoes to fill!

Just tucking his laces into the new Giro Bike Shoes!

We were both in A Grade and I had the no. 1 on my back, not much pressure there.  Dad left his bike shoes at home, so was never going to last long.  I knew who I had to watch as had a bit of insight from the Fos and proceeded to play the cat and mouse game for a while until the main break went and I had to close the gap and move with them  The pace remained high for the 43k and after all the attacks, it finally go the better of me and I got dropped by the 2 leaders.  Not to ever give up, I tried to settle into a rhythm and chase them down. 


I could see a bit of fluctuations up the road and was positive that I could ride them down.  Steve Young noticed me closing the gap and jumped away, all of a sudden it was a 3 way Individual TT to the end.  I closed in on 2nd and now had my eyes firmly set on Steve.  I was closing in ever so slowly until Steve hit the tail wind.  

Nek minut....... He was gone.  I continued to the end and tailed in about 1min behind with the same gap to 3rd.  The bunch rolled across the line about 1min further back.  So a good entry into Vets racing.  I will be back at Footscray again soon and with a few other tweaks, I am looking forward to a solid winter's base heading to Hawaii.

The athlete numbers are continuing to grow which I look at as a compliment & reward to the work I put in and the results that are coming through.  Planning with other athletes about how to move forward post Ironman and how we plan for them to improve and it has been a pretty hectic time.

I do just love it though.

Throw in a few interstate trips for training and supporting at some races and the build will be up and going before I know it.

Back to planning and looking at ways to improve.

For now...

X-Man