Word From the Coaches
February has come around quickly, and it’s a big month of racing ahead, with 4 races in 3 weeks. The month kicks off with the Victorian Olympic Distance Championships at Sandringham (Race 4 of the Gatorade Series) this weekend, followed by the Australian Long Course Championships in Falls Creek and Geelong Multi-sports Festival (including Long Course) next weekend. The following week we head back to Melbourne for Race 5 of the Gatorade Series at Elwood. So for the majority of short course athletes you will have 2 if not 3 races on your calendar, so very demanding on the body. Ensure you seek coaches advice in regards to correct taper/recovery for each race. Our Ironman NZ/Melb athletes continue their big build for their races in March, so a very solid month of training ahead for our IM athletes. Make sure you check out February training timetables, and always ensure you read our latest ‘Weekly Transition‘ for full weekend training details.
Shepparton Half Ironman opened on Monday and as anticipated there has been much interest in this race again. At the moment we are looking at around 45-50 athletes who are racing, so another big race on the 2012/2013 calendar for Tri Alliance. Training for Shepparton kick starts in May, so unless you are already training for a Half Ironman, you don’t need to worry about training on the half ironman program just yet – there is plenty of time for that! 🙂 If you are however training for Port Arlington Long Course, Busso Half or Cairns Half/Full then you need to make sure you are on our Long Course Program to ensure you are training correctly. Please email sarah@dev.tri-alliance.com.au if you need to adjust your program.
This weekend is Race 4 of the Gatorade Series – and is also the Victorian Olympic Distance Championships, so looking forward to some great results! Remember training on Saturday for our core squad will be from Sandringham at 7.30am, so if you turn up to Elwood and wonder why it is quiet you know where we will be!
As with all Gatorade Races, we are looking for a number of athletes who are able to help with SETUP and PACK DOWN. We will be setting up the TA Taj on Friday afternoon at Sandringham Football Oval around 4/5pm, so if anyone can be in the area to assist please sarah@dev.tri-alliance.com.au so details can be provided to you. On Sunday after the race we need at least 6 people to assist with pack down. Last race we were left with just two assisting with pack down and this makes it very difficult for those involved. We would appreciate for some of you to hang around after the race to help our coaches. We aren’t able to provide the race day service you all receive without your help so it would be much appreciated.
Best of luck to everyone racing over the next few weeks – we have a feeling we are going to have some great results!!
Team Tri Alliance
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MONTHLY ATHLETE DINNER
The start of the month also brings about our next Monthly Dinner (held the first Thursday of every month). So make sure if you are coming along to training tomorrow night, that you let your family know your dinner is sorted, or if you look after yourself, then you can leave the dinner in the freeza. And if you are new to the squad – make sure you don’t plan anything because our athletes will be dragging you along so we can get to know you all better! 🙂
Details:
Where: La Porchetta, Elwood Beach.
Time: Approx 8pm, directly after training.
We have chosen La Porchetta this month as the location can’t get any closer. No need to drive to dinner, simply throw on some warm clothes and walk across for a quick dinner before heading home.
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TRAINING & RACING GEAR
The majority of our recent order for trainnig and racing gear has arrived – ll except the Tri Suits. So we will start to distribute to athletes tomorrow (Thursday) night. The one piece Tri Suits are due to arrive on Friday so we can get these to athletes on Saturday if you need them for Sunday’s race. Look out Sandringham – there are going to be even more athletes in Tri Alliance gear, our photographers will be snap happy!!
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MAINTAINING YOUR BODY DURING THE RACE SEASON
The racing season or ‘competition phase’ of our training program is the most physically demanding period of our five training phases. The intenity is high, the sessions long and hard. You asre asking a lot of your bodies to continually back up for sessions, race every few weeks and back up for training the following week. So it’s a great time to remind you all again of the recovery phase of your training. One thing athletes forget is that recovery is actually PART of your training. So don’t look at it as a break from training, but include it as part of your overall program. Recovery includes things like lower intensity ‘recovery’ sessions, recovery foods, massage, stretching, icing and many others. So ensure you have a good balance of all these in your training. At this time of the year we highly recommend that you are doing regular (daily if not every second day) additional stretching and rolling of key areas of the body to keep your muscles relaxed and supple. On top of that you may want additional massage/physio to ensure you body is in top shape. Fortnightly or minimum monthly massages at this time of the year are a great way to ensure your body is maintained and ready to continue to push to it’s limits.
Tri Alliance works closely with Lakeside Sports Medicine Centre who provide Physio, Massage/Myotherapy, Podiatry, Sports Medicine plus more. Lakeside are our massage and physio providers at each Gatorade/Active Feet Race (Click here to read about how Lakeside support you and Tri Alliance.) So make sure you see them race day for a pre/post race massage and chat about any concerns you may have.
Make sure you also ‘like’ them on facebook to keep up to date on the latest news and articles to keep your body in top shape. Recent articles include ostearthritis, achilles and patella tendonitis, engaging your core, plus more!
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RACE RESULTS
Omara womens Tri was held on the weekend at Mordialloc and Tri Alliance had a number female athletes new to triathlon take on the challenge. Well done to:
Sprint Distance:
- Clare Manley 10th
- Sophie Thompson 14th
- Rachel Stonestreet
- Kate Bannister
Mini Distance:
- Renae Villai – 5th
- Tara Salter
We also hear that Wendy Wates came through with her first podium place in no less spot that 1st place in her category in the Womens Triathlon Pink at MSAC. So well done Wendy, awesome effort and great motivation! 🙂
SilvaDuo Off Road Duathlon
Those looking to mix up their triathlon racing with some off road headed to Ballarat on the weekend. A Duo is a sprint distance adventure race series involving 5km run, 18km mountain bike ride, 3km run and an element of navigation. Tri Alliance had 3 athletes race including our adventure racing Queen Kristine ‘KBS’ Banks-Smith, Daryl Clemson and Damien ‘Damo’ Phelan. From all reports the guys had an absolute ball racing, although declare the navigation should be barred from sport! 🙂 All 3 are now also geering up for the 100km Kona Odessy Mountain Bike Race on 18 Feb, so keep up the great work! Click here to read about their race – trust me it will make you laugh!
The next duo race in being held on Sunday 18 March Click here to find out more…
Perth Olympic Distance
Tri Alliance athlete Chris Ormston is gearng himself up for a big month of racing, with the Perth Olympic Distance last weekend, Sandy this weekend and then backing up with Geelong. So goodluck to Chris in his challenge! Race conditions in Perth were pretty tough for competitors on the weekend “the 40+ weather leading up to raceday brought the Swan river to a barmy 27degrees so it was a non-wetsuit swim as suspected, I hadn’t even packed it!! Luckily it “cooled down” to 33 for the race on Sunday. I felt really good in the swim and on the bike, had a tough run (bad stitch off the bike again…) but pulled through and felt strong at the finish. I was aiming for a 2:40 but came away with a 2:48. Very happy overall, a great course with spectacular views of the city and foreshore during all legs and great to have the family & friends out in force to cheer us on, so well worth the trip.” Great work Chris – see you out there agin this weekend! 🙂
Australia Day Brighton Swim
Well done to Dan Brueckner and Paul O’Dowd for takingon the 5km swim challenge (yes 5km open water swim!). Dan had a super result just missing a podium and coming in 4th in his age group in 1:09min. And Paul stepped up to the challenge in his prep for his first IM in Melbourne so well done Paul.
In the 1.4km swim we had loads of athletes compete and from all reports there were PB’s all round. A great confidence booster for many as they lead into this weekends race at Sandringham and next weekends Geelong race.
Williamston Aus Day Swim
Great work by the girls (and Coach Darren) who competed int he Williamstown 2km swim. Lidia Ursini, Richelle Olsen, Sally Clements, Nola MacGregor and Darren Schonewille. A big shout uot to Lidia for her encouragement and support to the others and Nola for ‘smashing’ the waves right back. Well done all!
Alpine Classic Ride
Another event on the weekend was the Alpine Classic, a road ride in and around Bright, Mount Hotham, Towonga Gap, Dinner Plains, and Falls Creek. An extremely tough ride, made even tougher in went conditions. Well done to Geoof Taylor who continues on his come back trail. Viola Nadj also competed in the event but had an unfortunate accident on the Hotham decent which subsequently landed her in an ambulance and taken to the hospital to be checked out for concussion. She was very lucky with no permanent damage done and only minor brusing and abrasions – her bike did not fair so well though, and will be headed to bike heaven. Lets wish Vi all the best in a speedy recovery – she’s coming down to support this weekend and still plans to race Geelong next weekend.
Good luck also goes to BRETT MILLER who racing in New Zealand this weekend in the New Zealand National Triathlon Championships being held in Kinloch. Brett has had a remarkable return to triathlon after having both his achilles operated on last year in a bid to fix his ongoing achilles injury and so far so good. He’s made it back to solid training in the swim and bike, but still on limited running but still managed a 21min at Brighton a few weeks back, so best of luck to Brett this weekend!
Farewell goes to Sophie Thomson who is leaving us and heading south to Tassie for work. Sophie completed our first TRY-the-TRI in November last year and has been training with us every since and loving her new found sport! Hopefully we will get Sophie back in action after her work stint. (We’re sure we will!) 😉 Best of luck Soph.
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Ironman Melbourne SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
Tri Alliance has 17 athletes racing and a HUGE number who will be supporting from the sidelines. If you would like to ‘be a part’ of IM Melbourne then why not be a part of the Tri Alliance Volunteer Team? We will be manning TWO run aid stations on the day with a great set-up, atmoshphere and support provided for the 1500+ athletes who are racing. More details will be available next week, but if you would like to express your initial interest please email Emma.nicholl@dev.tri-alliance.com.au. It’s going to be an awesome day – so make sure you are a part of it!!
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Nissan Corporate Triathlon Training
Is your company participating in this years Nissan Corporate Triathlon? Tri Alliance is again offering great 4 week training program either as individuals or corporate groups. So make sure you spur on your fellow collegues and have them learn a thing or two before they race on Sunday 4 March at the biggest Triathlon in Australia! CLICK HERE for packages details.
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Technical Officials Course
All sports need their officials and Triathlon is currently recruiting for Technical Officials.
The primary role of the Technical Officials (TO’s) is to ensure the safe and fair conduct of triathlon events. TO’s need to be good communicators, be assertive (not aggressive) and work effectively as a team member.
Tri Alliance currently has a number of athletes who are registered TO’s including Ian ‘Roofie’ Renouf, Sarah Lausberg, Sheridan Brown and Sam Tunas. If you are interested in being part of the TO Team then please read the attached.
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Triathlon Trading Post
Looking for triathlon gear at a chaeaper price? Why not check out our Triathlon Trading Post! We’ve had some new inclusions recently including Zipp 404 wheel set, Male Wetsuit and a brand new Garmin 310XT. Click here to find out more!
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TRAINING DETAILS THIS WEEKEND
SATURDAY
SHORT COURSE: SANDRINGHAM FOOTBALL OVAL – RACE VENUE
7.25am training brief for a 7.30am start. Please ensure you are on time. (And lets see who turns up to Elwood before they realise they should be at Sandringham…) 
Option 1 – Those racing: Pre Race Session for those racing, including an easy bike, run and swim over part of the course. Last chance for course familiarisation.
Option 2 – Those not racing: Long run and long swim – follow your program distances.
Coache Emma
TRY-the-TRI’s / NISSAN CORPORTES: ELWOOD BEACH
9.30-11.00am
Bring all swim/bike/run gear. Coach Bernadette & assisting Sheridan & Des.
LONG COURSE:
Long Ride LEAVING from NORTH ROAD BRIGHTON, 6AM SHARP!
There will be two rides – one heading out to the Dandenongs and the other on Beach road. 5.50am briefing for a 6.00am roll out (sharp)
- IM NZ – 180km with 8km off the bike – Beach road
- IM Melb – 160km return, 6km off the bike- Dandenongs (or Beach Road)
- FALLS CREEK/GEELONG 90km – Beach road
- PORT MAC QUARIE – 120-130km – Dandenongs inc Sky High and 2x 1in20 in Dandenongs
- PORT ARLINGTON / BUSSO – if racing Sandy 80-90km Beach Road, if not racing 110km inc Sky High and 1in20 in Dandenongs.
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SUNDAY
SHORT COURSE: RACE DAY!!
Please ensure you read all the details provided by SuperSprint. Note the race starts times:
Active Feet: 6:45am
Olympic Distance 7:15am
Sprint Distance: 8:15am
So make sure you are aware of the bike compound closure times and arrive in plenty of time to set up, warm up and get down to the swim start (at least an hour before your wave start/compound closure) And if you are not racing, make sure you come along and support!
LONG COURSE
Long run – uncoached. Follow your specific programs.
NZ -34km (or 23kms if racing)
Melbourne – 32km (or 18km if racing)
Falls, Geelong – 15km (or an additional 5km post race if racing)
Port Mac – 16-17km
Port Arlington – 14-15km (if not racing)
If you have any queries on distances for your specific races please ensure you contact one of our coaches.
Happy Training & Racing!
Team Tri Alliance
