Swim, bike, run, read….
WORD FROM THE COACHES
This week is our first official recovery week for the season. A lot of athletes have been saying to us ‘but I don’t feel tired’ or asking ‘do I have to have a day off?’ If this is you – then make sure you read on. We cannot stress enough how important recovery is to you physically (and often mentally too). Recovery does not just mean you get a couple of lie-in’s to catch up on sleep. It is a lot more scientific than that.
In order to make gains from your training, your body needs to be exposed to stresses (your training load), but more importantly, once it is put under stress, it needs time to ADAPT to the stresses – and for this to occur, it must need time to recover. And this is when our ‘recovery weeks’ come into play. Our program is tructured as:
Build Week 1: Building a load on the body (stress)
Build Week 2: Progressively overloading training from previous weeks training (additional stress)
Recovery Week: Allowing the body to recover and adaption to occur
A few things to remember with your training:
- Training is designed to progressively overload your body
- If the training stress is insufficient to overload the body’s capabilities, no adaptations will occur. This is why we have build weeks.
- If the workload is too great (progressed too quickly/performed too often without adequate rest), then fatigue follows and subsequent performance will be reduced AND the risk of injury. This is why your training program is specific and structured.
- Training alone is not enough to produce the best results; you need time to adapt to training stress. If you follow the program this will occur.
- The sooner you recover from fatigue, and the fresher you are when training the better the chance you have of improving. At this time of the year you SHOULD NOT be training tired.
- Consistency is the key. You will gain the best results from consistent training (ie consistently stressing the body, then allowing it to RECOVER and ADAPT so it can then be stressed at a higher level)
So next time you question whether to follow your recovery week plan – question yourself “Are you allowing your body to RECOVERY and ADAPT so it is in the best possible position to GROW and become a FASTER and STRONGER athlete?
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TIME TRIALS
Swim Time Trials @ MSAC
This week has been a massive one in terms of the number of athletes logging their time trials. We have recorded the largest number of swim time trials this week – no less than 90 athletes in total!! Not a bad effort from our coaches to manage such huge numbers! And we are pleased to say that the majority of athletes have recorded PB’s in the pool already – being faster than they were at their peak last year! This is exciting times and we can’t wait to see what times we get you down to over the Winter. Great stuff guys.
Tonight is Run Time Trials around Albert Park Lake. Meet in the MSAC Foyer outside Lakeside Sports Medicine Centre at 6.15pm tonight for Time Trial Briefing. Please bring warm clothes for pre/post timetrial. Note for our West Athletes – time trials are being held here for you also, however next Timetrials will be completed out the West. Distances are:
Fun/Beginners: 2km
Short Course: 5km
Long Course: 10km
So make sure you get along and log your ‘baseline’ time trial. This will allow us to see how you progress over the coming weeks.
Time Tral results will be posted in your online toolkit early next week – so make sure you check them out next week to see how you compare.
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REFUEL DINNER TONIGHT @ CAFE A TALIO
DINNER TONIGHT at Cafe a Taglio after our timtrial – so pack some warm gear and come along for a feed. We have secured a fantastic deal, choose any Gaurmet Pasta and a slice of their authentic Italian Pizza for only $15! Cafe a Taglio, 157 Fitzroy Street StKilda. Parking can be found under the IGA Carpark for only $2. Then head across the road and walk towards the junction 50m and you will find it. See you there!
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JUNE GROUP RIDES – IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Group Training Rides
We have released information for our June Long Rides including meeting points, groups, times etc. So if you are coming along to any groups rides you MUST read this information. Groups will now be leaving from 7.00am, 7.15am and 7.30am. So please ensure you know what time you need to be ready by. Read all information here.
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NEW ATHLETES
This week we welcome our newest athletes into the squad:
Wendy & Doug Wates – Another great couple from the UK! Read Wendy’s blogspot here on her introduction to the squad and to triathlon. And let’s see how long until Doug converts to triathlon! 😉
Chris Mutimer – Long course with Canberra in his sights
Mark Jenkins – Long course aiming for Port Mac
Leo Pinho – Ready to improve and catch the triathlon bug!
Caitlin Stuart – Caught the bug from sister Meghann! 😉
Natalie Howard – Looking for some big improvements as she heads into long course racing
Damien Phelon – Moving into tri’s for a change of scenery. Great choice!
Gordon Spargo – IM athlete with Kona within his sights….
Stef Sheldon – Strong swimmer looking to move up the triathlon ranks
Joanne Rafferty – focusing on swimming and swim events
Welcome to you all – we look forward to working with each of you towards your goals!!
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ATHLETES RACING IN JUNE
Good luck to all our athletes in their races.
- Challenge Cairns Half IM – We have a group of dedicated athletes headnig up to Cairns this weekend for the Challenge Cairns Half IM. These athletes have been doing the hard yards over the past few months (while the rest of us have been taking it easy!) and are ready than ever to race. They are all looking extremely fit and pumped for a race in the warmth – although the humidity will be tough going, with careful preparation we know our athletes will do extremely well. So good luck to: Marina Zupan, Matt McShane, Jen Ashmore, Jay Mueller, Berit Barton and Dave Barton. Go out and show the course what you are made of!!
- Hawaii 70.3 Half IM – Dave Nealon is ready for his big race this weekend. Read his story here.
- Bali Olympic Distance – Meghann Blakemann and Bill Kosmopoulos (raising money for Dads in Distress) heading over to Bali on June 26. So a few more weeks to finalise their preparations.
- Korea Ironman – Brett Archibold takes on Ironman Korea on Sund 3 July. A replacement race from the abondoned China Ironman, Brett has had to reset himself back up and mentally prepare for an extra month + of training. So keep it up Brett!
Run Melbourne Participants
Keep up the great work to those who are entered into Run Melbourne on Sunday 17 July. run programs have been posted and you will start to build strength and pace over the coming weeks. If you are racing and haven’t let us know ye make sure you email sarah@dev.tri-alliance.com.au
- Half Marathon – Chris Ormston, Lucas Reily, Lisa MacFarlane, Sheridan Brown, Evalin Ling, Paul Cassie, Marina Zupan, Brad Campbell, Stan Assimopoulos, Alex Angelini, Dean Hawkins.
- 10km Event – Pam Tunas, Jess Evans
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WELL DONE TO ATHLETES COMPETING
A number of athletes at this time of the year are competing in winter events to keep their training varied. On the weekend at the Whittlesea Ride Classic (115km of mountains) Geoff Taylor, Pam Tunas and Anthony Churchward did extremely well in ticking off the tough kms.
The popular Sri Shimoy Runs were also held on the weekend this one at Williamstown. Well done to Alison Werstuk, Meghann Blakemann, Lynne & Kev Fountain on earning their pancakes at the end of the run!!
If you compete in any events over winter, make sure you let us know so we can share your experience with us!
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ONE TRIATHLETES INSPIRING JOURNEY TO HALF IRONMAN……….
Dave Nealon on his journey to Half Ironman
Dave Nealon – well know in the Tri Alliance circle as being one of the ‘nice guys’. Always cheerful, ready to crack a joke (often at himself!), happy to help others, always up for a coffee and this years winner of our Social Award for riding an RACV Bike during the Sandringham Olympic Distance – simply because he could!
Yet Dave was up for another challenge and that challenge he set himself was to complete a Half Ironman. After sitting down with his coach, he knew the challenge was going to be a big one, but one he was ready for.
Dave has had to not only contend with the usual Ironman leadup including flying himself halfway across the world – in no other place than HAWAII, he had to over come injuries, hire a bike (and subsequently fallen off said bike) but more note worthy is the challenge within himself that he had to face to get himself to the start line this weekend in the Hawaii Half Ironman.
So Dave leaves his story with us on HIS extrordinary journey to Ironman….. Read more….
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SPECIAL ATHLETE OFFER FROM AUSTRALIAN VITAMINS
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LORNE CAMP NEXT WEEKEND
Lorne Camp 2010
Next weekend is our annual Lorne Camp. We have our largest numbers in recent years, with 65 athletes and coaches heading down the great ocean road to take on the rigours of easting, sleeping and training triathlon for 3 whole days. There is plenty planned and our athletes are going to gain huge benefits in going. Thanks to our partners Lakeside Sports Medicine Centre (thanks Khan and Chrarlie!!) and Shotz Sports Nutrition (Darryl Griffiths) for their suuport for the weekends camp.
Due to the majority of our coaches being on the Lorne Camp, there will be NO coached sessions during this time. (Saturday/Sunday) and Monday is a public Holiday. Further information will be provided on what those in Melbourne can do for their training, including organising Rebel Ride/Runs.
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ATHLETE ID’s – IMPORTANT INFORMATION
You should have now received your Athlete ID – if you haven’t, please get in contact with sarah@dev.tri-alliance.com.au Your athlete ID will be required at ALL sessions, and shown to the coach taking the session. Your ID will be scanned and your attendance recorded. This process will be helping us monitor session numbers. Remember your athlete ID will also be required to gain the benefits from any of our partners. Click here to view our partners and your benefits as a Tri Alliance athlete. 
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TRAINING ZONES – AN IMPORTANT TRAINING TOOL
Training Zones in your program are the most important part in improving performance. Each training zone represents a training load that will induce specific training adaptations in the body. In order for an athlete to improve his/her performance – these zones must be adhered to wherever possible. Changes in training zones in your program represent the need to improve and adapt to new and higher level of performance.
Training zones are very unique and vary with each individual. Age can be very general guide to ranges although the common mistake made is that the higher the heart rate training the better – this is not the case. To view our training zones, what they are, how they work and why it is used to improve your performance, log into your athlete toolkit and find it under Training > Training Zones & Definitions.
If you would like to accurately calculate your own training zones (specific for you), then check out our assessment which includes calculating your body fat percentage, basal & active metabolic rates, and training zones. Click here to read more…
