Racing for more than yourself

Most of us started in this sport for similar reasons; to have fun, meet new people, get fit, try something new or challenge ourselves…. As we progress in the sport those reasons can shift, take shape, and form into something more. Why we train every day and why we race start to have different meanings and can become extremely powerful and heartfelt.  Some athletes even find themselves in a position to be able to race not just for themselves, but for a bigger cause. 

We recently caught up with CPC athlete Margaret Mielczarek as she races towards the Half Ironman World Championships for a reason far bigger than chasing her own goals. Read on to find out what racing at the Half Ironman World Championships now means for athlete Margs. 

CPC: You’ve been in the sport for a while now, what got you started?
Margs: After taking part in fun runs for a few years I got bored of ‘just running’ so I decided to buy a road bike and signed up to my first mini tri in Elwood. It was possibly the hardest thing I had ever done but I was hooked! It was love at first sight and I haven’t looked back since! 🙂

CPC: And what keeps you going now?
Margs: I am addicted to the feeling you get after a hard workout/training session. I love being fit and healthy, and knowing I can go out for a 10km run at lunchtime like it’s no big deal is awesome. I also have some big goals I want to tick off in this sport, first one being the Ironman (IM) 70.3 World Championships (I qualified in Busso last year) in South Africa this year. Getting to Kona one day would be a dream as well. I don’t think I’ll stop until I get there … even if that means doing tri until I’m 80 and the last one left in my age group! haha.

CPC: Your passion for triathlon also extends into your professional career, for those who don’t know, what does your job involve?
Margs: I’m Deputy Editor at Australian Triathlete magazine … the number one triathlete magazine in the country 🙂 I LOVE my job! I’m so lucky because I literally get to live and breathe this sport! My role is pretty diverse, which is great. I write, cover races, coordinate freelance writers and contributors; this is just to name a few things that I do.

CPC: Triathlon has also taken you around the world, what has been your favourite memory to date?
Margs: Hands down – Kona, Hawaii. I’ve been there twice (or is that three times…?) and I love it. I love the Big Island – the vibe, the people, and, of course the Ironman. My favourite memory of the Big Island is the Kona Undie Run – so much fun. If you ever get the chance to be in Kona for the Ironman make sure you do the Undie Run … it is the best!

CPC: You’ve had some big changes in the last few months, including a new coach, how are you finding things? 
Margs:  The last couple of months have been massive. Without going into too much detail my life has completely changed and I’ve had to re-adjust to a whole new routine … Long story short I moved back home just before Christmas. So, because I’m now no longer living so close to training and work I had to reconsider my training/coaching options. After deliberating all of my options, I decided to approach Sarah at CPC about a personalised program leading into the IM 70.3 World Championships. Sarah was my coach when I first started in triathlon and we work really well together – she gets me 🙂  So I new it would work and would be a great fit, and so far I’m absolutely loving it!
I do most of my training on my own (to make it work around my job, commute and other commitments) so it’s brilliant knowing my program is tailored around my lifestyle and commitments. Also, knowing that Sarah can see whether or not I’ve completed my set training session (ah, the beauty of being on Training Peaks) is a major motivator! I definitely don’t want to leave any sessions ‘red’ when I know coach is watching haha! Also, because I’ve known and have been friends with Sarah for years … she knows all my weaknesses and my excuses, and knows how to kick my butt into gear when I get lazy or fall off the wagon.

CPC: Despite the lead in (read more on that here), you had a great race at Ironman Busselton 70.3 in December last year and secured yourself a place at the 70.3 World Champs in September, congrats!
Margs: PINCH. ME. This sort of thing does not happen to me! I had planned to compete (read: participate) in the Ironman at Busso but unfortunately due to some significant medical issues I had to pull out of the full. I was lucky to get an entry to the 70.3 but I was still undecided whether I’d actually race until literally the morning of the event – it was dependent on how I felt on the day.  I decided to race on the proviso that I would take it easy (the goal was just to roll around the course and enjoy it) and pull out if I felt unwell. Anyway, fast forward a few hours that day and all of a sudden I found myself standing on the stage, accepting a spot to the IM 70.3 World Championships! Ahh-mazing! South Africa here I come!

CPC: But the world champs are more than just a race for you now, tell us a bit more…
Margs: Sadly, recently someone very, very dear to me was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. To witness someone so close to you having to go through the realisation and all the emotions that come with it is heartbreaking. So I’ve decided it’s time to give back and to use this sport for a greater good. I’m not just going to be racing for myself, I’ll be racing for those close to me, and all those devastated by cancer. So my goal is to raise at least $3000 for the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) leading into worlds in September. Cancer of any sort is devastating for all those it effects, so it’s time to say a big FU to cancer!

CPC: How can others support your cause?
Margs: That’s super easy. I’ll be sharing my journey along the way,so you can follow me, and make a donation. All you have to do is click here – any donation, big or small, is very much appreciated and means a lot – every little bit helps!

For more on the OCRF, visit – ocrf.com.au

 

What a powerful reason to continue to strive for her own goals, while helping a cause now extremely close to her own heart. We all wish Margs a great lead in, and health and happiness to those close to her and all those affected by cancer. 

CLICK HERE TO DONATE and support Margs cause.

Athlete Profile: Narelle Crooks

A founding CPC Member, Narelle is a stalwart in the endurance game. Not to mention signing up for her first IM when her baby was just 6 weeks old  !

Name: Narelle Crooks

Nickname: Crooksie

Lives: Elwood, Melbourne

Sports growing up: Netball and tennis

Chosen sport now: Triathlon

Years in Sport: 8 years 🙂

Ultimate goal: I would love to get on the podium in a race that has a swim in it!

Triathlon in 3 words: Challenging. Rewarding, Friendship.

Why I choose CPC: I was fortunate to train under Sarah a few years ago when I had my most rewarding races and exceeded my expectations.

What couldn’t you live without: Coffee !

Biggest love: Nathan and Mitchell….and my three Cervelo bikes!

Pet peeve: Commuting cyclists rolling through red lights! argh!

Interesting fact about me: I signed up to do my first Ironman when Mitchell was 6 weeks old…crazy!

Athletes achieve results in sweltering conditions

If you ever want to see some hard fought racing in some tough conditions, then you need not look any further than some of the awesome racing happening in country Victoria.

The weekend saw the 20th running of the Morley Auto Group Echuca Moama Triathlon and the race threw up extreme conditions for competitors. As athletes checked in for the event, the temperature was tipping 45+ degrees, and everyone knew it wasn’t going to be a race for the faint hearted. As expected, wetsuits were banned, additional aid stations were added on the run and they even allowed you to have a friend/family member pass you a fresh cold bottle on the 3 lap bike course if you chose.

Athletes Brett Sands (individual) and Mal McLeod (team) along with myself all had a hit out at the local event. I grew up in the area and loved being able to support the local event. Brett and Mal are fantastic contributors to not only the triathlon but local community as a whole, living and running their own business in the local area.

I was super excited to be racing – even though I knew it was going to be a tough one, as it was my first triathlon back – 5months post bubs. Other mum and dads I know always speak about what an amazing feeling it is to have their little one on the sidelines, so I always knew it was going to be special, and I can honestly say, nothing compares!

The swim is downstream in the Murray River and as you wind your way down river you find yourself swimming past paddle steamers and houseboats – a spectacular way to start a race!

Onto the bike and it’s 3laps of the historic town, I was amazed at the number of spectators out supporting in the conditions, so I yelled thanks at any opportunity I could. There was a little respite thanks to some passing cloud cover, but that didn’t help quench the thirst that the hot northerly winds did to dry out your mouth within seconds, and sear your eyes. But it wasn’t long and onto the run and you knew it was only going to get tougher! Out of transition you head straight into the bush – no wind, and minimal spectators along this area. I looked down at my watch and felt like I’d been running for 2km already and my watch said 628m. “This is going to be a long 5km!” I remember saying to myself.

At one point in the race I said to a passing competitor “at least we are all as mad as each other” and we had a chuckle together. As the race went on, I found myself finally finding my groove and I cheered athletes as I past them and spurred on others as they passed me. A highlight – coming past transition and my little man to stop for a big sweaty kiss before finishing the final 3km of the race.

But despite the conditions, I was so super impressed with everyone out on course, including competitors, spectators and all the staff and volunteers. It takes a lot to put an event on, and to do so in such extreme conditions is a credit to the community in the area. Was also great to see athletes Ollie McNulty and Michelle Kervin on the sidelines cheering for their fellow athletes, friends and families!

RACE RESULTS:

Brett Sands 6th, M45-49
Brett ticked off another year on the calendar (if I told you he was 48 you wouldn’t believe me!) but age is no barrier for this guy. Due to a slight hammy tear during his ski training in his bid to earn himself a spot on the Australian Barefoot Skiing Open Men’s Elite Class team, Brett went into the race with 2 weeks off running and a mindset of playing it smart. He did just that and had a great race all round. So with just a minor set back, we know he’ll be back in full swing for his next barefoot comp in Sydney in a couple of weeks time.

Sarah Grove 2nd F35-39
First race back post bubs, and first race in my new age category! Super happy to be back out racing, the result is simply a bonus. 🙂

Mal Mcleod 7th TEAMS
Mal is a champion bloke and a slight calf strain at cricket training wasn’t going to let him miss this race, cue his wife Veronica who was roped into the run leg of the race. Mal had a great race and was awesome to see the both of them out together. We still think Veronica got the short end of the stick though! 😉

Full race results

 

CAPE PATERSON AQUATHON

If you have ever done an aquathon, you can vouch for it that they are tough. Diving back into the water after a hard run is tough work! The race down the Bass Coast provided for a fantastic race of 400m surf swim, 4.4km run, and rounded off with another 400m surf swim.

Kara Landells 4th Female

“Happy with my efforts today, big improvement from last year!” Kara said after her race. She just keeps getting faster and faster this chick and love watching her continue to grow as a young athlete with plenty to give to the sport!

 

So next time you are looking for a race, why don’t you check out some of the awesome racing that is being held outside of the main cities and into the country towns and regions. You may be pleasantly surprised on how great these races are and how much you will enjoy the weekend away in the fresh country air! 🙂

Coach Sarah

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Complete Per4mance Coaching is triathlon, cycling and running coaching for athletes seeking a performance edge. My coaching is born out of the desire and passion to not just coach but to educate athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while maintaining a balanced, happy and healthy life.

Every athlete is individual, therefore I provide programs written and designed specifically based on each athletes goals, time commitment, training level and ‘life’ in general. Delivered through training peaks, each athlete receives a truly personal coaching service dedicated to improving YOUR results, while providing a pricing structure that helps allow every athlete receive the coaching that they deserve.

Contact me to discuss your training and coaching options. 

Who says you have to be ready?

With the Christmas New Year break pretty much all but forgotten for another year, the racing season is now back in full swing. At this time of the year there is an abundance of races you can choose from. Pick a weekend and somewhere close by there will be a race being held. It’s such a great time of the year to be a part of the sport of triathlon and cycling!

Yet chatting to a number of athletes, and I’m finding that many are deciding not to race at the moment. And after chatting further, it all came back to the same reason…

So if you are not racing at the moment, ask yourself – why ?

Are you coming off the back of a long course race at the end of last year and building back that strength, endurance and speed again? Or maybe you are recovering from an injury? Has the time off over the holiday period and that little extra Christmas pudding left you feeling slower and heavier, so you are waiting until you get the fitness and weight back in check?  Do you not feel quite at your peak yet? Or not quite ready to test your training out in a race? Maybe you are waiting for the ‘right’ time. The right race. The right circumstances for you to be ready?

The common theme I’m finding as to why athletes don’t race is centred around believing they are not ready to race yet.

But who says you have to be ‘ready’ to race? And what does being ready even look like? Why can’t you just go out and race because you feel like it? To learn from it? To gain physical and mental strength from it?

If you have been in your base training but haven’t done your race specific prep yet, does it matter? You will finish and you will be fine AND you may just surprise yourself! Racing isn’t always about being ‘ready’. It’s about putting yourself out there. It’s about learning and discovering how to push yourself.

Every race doesn’t have to be raced for a PB. (as nice as a PB is!) 

I’ll be racing a short course race this weekend – my first triathlon since having my little man 5 months ago. But I certainly haven’t trained specifically for it. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been in the pool in the last 12 months. My running (aka jogging) is with a pram and on average once a week (if that), and my cycling is sporadic – and mostly on the trainer, but I’ve been strength training and walking. Loads. I’m definitely not ‘ready’ to race, but in my mind, I don’t know when I will be. And what does it matter anyway? I’m fit, and I’m healthy and I love training and I love racing. So why not race?

My old athlete self would never have toed a start line without being ‘ready’. I would not have even considered it. I remember conversations I’ve have with athletes a few years ago and they would ask if I was racing. If I wasn’t I’ll tell them – ‘no I’m not ready to race yet‘, ‘can’t you just race to enjoy it?’ I remember one athlete ask back. And I remember at the time that I quipped back ‘I’d rather not race at all….‘  Back then, I was all or nothing. If I hadn’t put everything into training, then I felt I wouldn’t be able to put everything into a race. And there was no way I was going into a race without being race ready.

How wrong my old self was!

If I could go back and advise my old self, I would tell the younger me that it is ok to race even if you aren’t 100% ready. As long as you give 100% of whatever you have on the day – then you are winning. And you will gain from it. You will learn from it. And you will be motivated from it. You don’t have to be ‘race ready’ to get the benefits from a race. It is often these races that athletes actually gain more from than the ones when they are ready.

Of course when you are fully prepared you get the results and the rewards, but it is the races when you come in without expectations, you learn how to mentally push yourself when your body physically doesn’t want you to. It is these races where you can surprise yourself, and when you will learn more about yourself.

There are plenty of goals you can have for a race. Even if you are underdone. You just have to be prepared to put yourself out there.

So go into a race underdone – but with a different goal. You may have been working tirelessly on your bike leg which has previously been your weakness, but that’s left your run underdone. So go in with the purpose of racing hard on the bike and letting the run be what it will be.

Your training may have fallen off the bandwagon as you search for a new goal, if so, then use the race to get that fire in the belly back.

You may be returning from injury and can’t run – enter as a team.

Every race you do you experience and learn from. So the more racing you do, the more you will learn. About how to race, what the body is capable of, how to read racing conditions, race tactics… the list is endless.

So stop putting off entering a race because you don’t feel ready. Enter and throw yourself into it. You won’t regret it!

 

Coach Sarah

Complete Per4mance Coaching is triathlon, cycling and running coaching for athletes seeking a performance edge. My coaching is born out of the desire and passion to not just coach but to educate athletes of all levels to help them achieve their optimal performance while maintaining a balanced, happy and healthy life.

Every athlete is individual, therefore I provide programs written and designed specifically based on each athletes goals, time commitment, training level and ‘life’ in general. Delivered through training peaks, each athlete receives a truly personal coaching service dedicated to improving YOUR results, while providing a pricing structure that helps allow every athlete receive the coaching that they deserve.

Contact me to discuss your training and coaching options. 

Dealing with Race Day Disappointment

You trained for months; you dedicated your ‘life’ to this race. You sacrificed birthday parties, nights out and sleep ins. Weeks went by and all you can remember doing is training, eating and sleeping – and trying to hold down your job/family in between! You trained SO hard for this race. You had done everything possible for this to be the most amazing race ever. And you did it! You are an Ironman!! Your friends and family applause you and praise you on your efforts. They think you are super human for achieving such a feat – something they would never think possible for themselves.

But they have now moved on, and you are now a little lost and you have had some time to reflect. Underneath the thrill of finishing, there’s a slight niggle of disappointment. You didn’t achieve the race time you had trained so hard for. Yes you are proud that you got to the start line – a feat that so many never even get the chance to do. But there’s a part of you that feels that lingering disappointment. All your commitment, your effort, your sacrifices and still you didn’t achieve your race time and your race goal. And you just can’t get past it.

Most triathlete’s work in numbers, it’s just what we do. We log distances, paces, times, heart rate and effort. We compare PB’s, we analyse results and we are critical. We put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve, that even when we do, this is often still not enough. “I could have trained a little more, I could have pushed a little harder, I could have eaten a little better”. Triathletes are perfectionist and we prepare so hard for our race. We pursue our goals so vigorously and hold onto them so tightly that when we don’t achieve them we feel a sense of disappointment. That all our hard work was for nothing, as we didn’t get that goal, or target, or position. And if we aren’t careful, that feeling of disappointment can linger.

Scenario: An athlete has a goal of sub 10hours, their previous best is 10:45. On race day they achieved 10:00:07. But it isn’t enough. Those 7 seconds eats away at them. “What if I hadn’t stopped to tie my shoe lace, what if I didn’t slow down to high five my partner, what if….
WHAT IF they actually appreciated what they had just accomplished? What if they looked for the positives first instead of the negatives? What if things could have actually gone the other way? What if what they achieved was the best they could do on that day? What if we didn’t have to search for excuses? What if???
But all this athlete can think about is those 7 seconds. 7 seconds that they feel robbed them of their dream. 7 seconds that if they had their time again they would do differently. They allowed those 7 seconds to take away from their achievement – which if they look from a positive stand point – is a 45min Personal Best (PB)!

We’ve all been there. Being over critical, over thinking, over analysing and simply being hard on ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, I get disappointed too when a race doesn’t go to plan, and I feel for athletes when this happens to them. But the difference is, I not only have a race plan, but I have a post-race plan. A plan that can help me evaluate my race and my athletes races – whether good or bad, so we can learn from each race and become stronger and more resilient athletes as a result. And more importantly, allows me to see the positives in every race, despite the race outcome.

6 Tips for BEATING post-race disappointment

1. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
What does it mean if you didn’t reach your goal? How does it make you feel? Do you consider yourself a failure for not achieving your goal? Do you feel like you have let others down?
Most athletes would be judgmental and hard on themselves because of their unrelenting standards. They feel like they let their Coach down, their friends down, themselves down. They set their standards so high that they feel like a failure if they aren’t achieved.
You need goals, as they drive you, but think about WHY you have the goal, not just the goal itself. If you know your WHY, you won’t be so judgmental if you do not reach the goal. You won’t be so disappointed if your time wasn’t want you had planned, and you won’t feel guilty for letting others down. You will simply find another way to continue to work to achieve it.
So pursue your goals vigorously, but hold onto them lightly – meaning chase your goals, but hold onto them lightly enough that if you don’t reach them this time, they won’t drag you down.

2. Find the positives in the negatives
Ok, so your race didn’t go to plan. You didn’t have the race you wanted and you didn’t achieve the time you had dreamed of. But amongst all the negatives, search for the positives. What worked well? What would you replicate again? What made you feel good? What are you proud of? Write them down, as you will want to use these again! And it’s a great way to remind yourself that even if your overall race didn’t go to plan, there were parts of your race that did.

3. Learn from each race.
‘You cannot learn how to cook if someone always cooks for you…’ Same principle applies to athletes. So use each race as a learning experience. Whether you achieved your goal or not, as long as you are learning from each experience, you are on the track to success – a term I like to call ‘failing to succeed’. So don’t be afraid to fail, but also don’t accept it. And accepting means learning. Did you go out too hard? Did you stick to your nutrition/hydration plan? Learn from each race and you will become a better athlete for it.

4. Don’t dwell on the what if’s or could have’s.
Simply put. Don’t dwell on the past. If you are dwelling on the past, your concentration is heading in the wrong direction. Yes it’s easy to focus on what could have been, and using statements such as ‘I lost the race here’. But reality is, you didn’t have it in the first place, so you didn’t lose anything. So don’t dwell on it, it serves no purpose at all apart from detracting you from forward progression. Use that energy and focus to move forward.

5. Look back to how far you have come.
The longer we are in the sport, the harder it can become to remember where we started and why. What drove us to this sport in the first place? What continues to drive us today? So take the time to reflect on why it is you ‘do’ triathlon? What drives you? What motivates you? What inspires you? You will often find it’s not the race result that drives you, it’s something much deeper, and when you can determine your WHY you may just realise that you aren’t so disappointed after all.

6. Re-evaluate and Refocus
Use your time post-race to re-evaluate and refocus. If your race didn’t go to plan, that’s ok. Simply re-evaluate and refocus to determine your plan for your next goal/race. Whether it’s to achieve a PB, podium, qualify for the world championship, or simply to love racing and enjoy the sport. Post-race is the perfect time to re-evaluate, check in and understand your goals and motivations. And remember, people change and goals change. The goals you once had may not be the goals you have for your next race, or your next season. So don’t feel like you have to keep the same goal.

And finally, is it possible to avoid disappointment in the first place? Or would that mean setting your goals so low that you always achieve them? And therefore not really reaching your full potential?
I ask athletes to ensure they are setting realistic goals and expectations of themselves. Yes goals should scare you a little, but they have to be realistic and within achievable time frames. So often Coaches see athletes come into the sport and want to achieve huge goals in just 12-18months. They compare themselves to others who have been in the sport for years, without knowing their history, their journey, their goals or their motivations. So compare yourself to yourself, and not others. Set goals that are for you, not about anyone else. You don’t have to aim to be the best in your age group, or qualify for Kona, or PB every single race. Setting realistic goals means finding goals that drive you, motivate you, but most importantly excite you! Then be prepared to put in the hard work that is required to achieve those goals. And be ready with the points above if, for whatever reason, you don’t achieve them first time round.

6 Tips for AVOIDING post-race disappointment

1. Set realistic goals (SMART goals)
2. Don’t compare yourself to others
3. Don’t compare race times to other courses/events
4. Re-evaluate your goals/times based on conditions
5. Focus on the process, not the result
6. ENJOY what you do!

Racing itself is amazing. The feelings and emotions running down the finishing shoot and crossing the line cannot be replaced or replicated in any way. It is truly an amazing experience. So don’t let your disappointment over shadow that experience. Your triathlon journey is not simply about crossing the finishing line, earning that medal or achieving a PB. Each race should allow you to become a stronger athlete and person, more resilient and resourceful. You will appreciate and respect some of the simple things in life because you had to sacrifice some of these to reach your goal.

So next time you feel disappointment after a race, take the time to find the positives in the negatives, learn from the race, don’t dwell on what’s if’s, look back at how far you have come and re-evaluate and refocus.

Written by Coach Sarah, as previously published in the  Australian Triathlete Magazine 

First race of the season

The first race of the season in Melbourne kicked off on the weekend with Race 1 of the 2XU Triathlon Series at Elwood. I was super excited as it wasn’t just the first race on the calendar, but also the first race of athletes racing for CPC. So I wonder if it was for that reason that I turned up to StKilda instead of Elwood! 😉 I’m clearly still learning that no matter how many years of racing, ALWAYS look up details of your race – especially the location!  (can I blame baby brain for that one!) 😉 Another great lesson to take away – always allow plenty of time before your race for unexpected things to happen!

Despite the detour, all athletes arrived on time and prepped and ready for their race. Rain over night always makes the swim leg doubtful, but good news in the morning that the swim was on and race 1 of the series was set and ready to go! So conditions were pretty good for racing – the bay surprisingly clear and flat, the bike fast as usual despite a little bit of breeze and the run warm and humid but great for spectating. A light sprinkle of rain during the race didn’t phase athletes and was actually welcomed in the warm conditions.

We had a small group taking on the race including Brett Sands – returning to defend his series podium finish last year against always tough competition in the 45-49 age group. Mal McLeod – off the back of the Half Ironman World Championships and Melbourne Marathon! And new mums Dayna Wilkie and Coach Sarah teamed up as a team for their first races post babies.

Well done to so many of our friends racing also – the triathlon community is a fantastic one, and it doesn’t matter who you are, who you train with or how long you have been in the sport, the support for one another is fantastic and it’s always fun cheering on your fellow competitors on the sidelines and from within. So well done everyone, and thanks to the supporters who came down and cheered!

RESULTS:

Brett Sands – 2nd M45-49
Swim 8:34 Bike 30:54 Run 19:17 Overall 1:02.21
“Going in to today’s race I thought I was well underdone, as I had missed some key sessions of late. I made sure Sarah knew this at the time. Sarah made some adjustments to my program and she nailed it. 2nd on the day and I thought I was way off this result going in. Goes to show my coach knows me better than I do! Thanks Sarah, there is no way I could have got this right without your input.” ~Brett
After a review from last years races, one of the key focus’s for Brett for this race was to have slick transitions, and Brett nailed it with 6th fastest in T1 and fastest out of T2. The little things always count! Well done Brett on your execution on a great race!

Team Dayna & Sarah – 2nd Teams
Swim 9:29 (Dayna)  Bike 36:45 (Dayna) Run 21:40(Sarah) Overall 1:12.09

Going into this race with zero expectations meant that, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t nervous at the start line. I went out pretty hard on the swim, trying to keep up with the others in my wave, until I had to force myself to back off, knowing that I was never going to be able to keep going at that effort level. Eventually the others must have realised the same as I slowly started catching and passing many of them. The run from the water to the bike felt like a marathon for someone that hasn’t been allowed to do any run training! I finally got on my bike. It has been a long time since I last raced, so it took a little longer than usual to get my shoes done up, but once they were on it was go time. I felt good on the bike… not my fittest “good” but still good… and overall I was happy with my time splits for my current fitness level. Once back into transition it was onto Sarah for the run…” ~Dayna

It was so good to team up with Dayna so she could get back onto the racing scene 9 months post baby. Dayna hasn’t been able to return to running yet, but has been committed to getting back her fitness in the swim and ride, and her work has paid off, nailing her fastest swim AND bike times over the sprint distance! (she failed to mention that!) Who said having a baby slows you down!

Mal McLeod – 9th Clydesdale
Swim 12:38 Bike 34:13 Run 29:02 Overall 1:19.58

Mal is starting his build back after a big year of training and racing including the resent Half Ironman World Championships followed closely by the Melbourne Marathon. A consistent race all round and we look forward to working closely together to continue his triathlon and health journey.

Official Photos here
More photos here
Race Results here

 

TREX CROSS TRIATHLON
On Saturday north of Melbourne in Bendigo Goldfields, we had two athletes take on an off road triathlon. For those who haven’t raced off road before – they are TOUGH! The physical ability racing off road is harder as well as the mental concentration required to navigate rocks, turns, climbs, tree roots, other competitors means you have to be ‘on’ the whole race. But at the same time they are super fun and very rewarding so if you haven’t done one before, have a think about including one into your races this season! Well done to both our athletes out there over the weekend.

Ollie McNulty – 4th M40-49
Sprint 400/10/5 01:26:4097

Margaret Wilcock – 2nd 
Teaser 200/5/1 50:03.38
Margaret wasn’t going to let injury and recent illness stopping her from lining up for her first off-road race as part of her journey to her ultimate goal!
Read about Margarets experience here.

Race Results here