THE T:ZERO BLOG
Free advice, content and media for all. It's our way of giving back to the tri community who have given so much to us. Enjoy!
Thinking back to my first 70.3 race in September 2019 seems like a lifetime ago. My goal was to finish the race, and I did! I was stoked (ed note - see Caitlin's blog here from her first 70.3). I couldn’t wait to start training for the next one. Little did I know (thanks to covid), that it wouldn’t be until March 2021 (a whole 18 months later).
Being in lockdown with minimal racing on the horizon gave me a chance to reflect on what I really wanted to get out of triathlon. Things had changed pretty drastically since that first 70.3 race – I was working full time, studying part time, and spending every spare second swimming, biking or running. I had reached a point in my professional career where a lot of people were saying to me “it’s difficult to make it work as a lawyer and an endurance athlete” or questioning my ability to ‘fit it all in’. I put those voices aside and started trusting my gut a lot more - that’s when we start to really listen to what we want. After all, we make time for the things we are passionate about, no matter how difficult. Like most athletes, there was some uncertainty about when I might be able to hit the start line again. Training without a clear end goal in sight was strange, but was I ever going to regret all that training? No way. I just learned to find satisfaction in the process, not the goal. Whenever the next race may be, I wanted to be ready to rock it. Fast forward to Geelong 70.3 a couple of weeks ago and I couldn’t be happier with the race I pulled together. The swim start was cold (18-degree water), but I knew it would be short-lived, especially if I swam fast! A well-executed PB swim of 31:35 set me up nicely. Out onto the bike and things weren’t going entirely to plan. Some pretty fierce wind meant that I was well over my power target, but I tried to focus on how I was feeling. Are my legs hurting? – Yes. Do I think I can still run? – also yes. I did the best I could and pushed on. The bike course was certainly tough, and even in the best conditions, cycling doesn’t come as naturally to me as swimming and running, but I was over the moon to have knocked almost 15 minutes off my previous bike time. I had a lot of thoughts going through my head at the start of the run – “don’t go too hard too fast”, “make sure you eat”, “don’t drink too much or you’ll need to pee.” I was also coming off a pretty decent block of run training and if there was one thing I really wanted to nail this race it was my run. I had a not-so-great run at the Husky Classic race a few weeks prior, but I put that behind me and focussed on what I had been doing every single week during my training. About 5kms from the finish and I really wanted to stop running. There were a few things that mentally helped when I was suffering – telling myself that in the scheme of things, it’s really not that much further to go – that at least I wasn’t on the bike anymore – and boy am I grateful to be out here racing! Running down the red carpet at the finish and realising I had knocked almost 30 minutes off my previous time was the most amazing feeling. I also achieved my goal of a top 10 age group finish. Everything had paid off. Reflecting on my first 70.3 to now, I realise how important it was (and still is) to have a coach who understands my lifestyle and day-to-day needs. On busy days that meant getting the bulk of my training done in the morning, or adapting training days based on how I was feeling. I also set myself a few goals throughout covid (including completing a 10km marathon swim – don’t ask) to keep me motivated. I’m looking forward to working on a few things over the winter, going back to the drawing board, and continuing to do what I love. Click here to learn more about Caitlin's coach Andrew Perry
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 Becoming a metronome. How to!?
Ironman. It’s a beast. Underestimate it to your peril. Time and time again, I go to Ironman events and see the classic Ironman shuffle taking place. You know it… hips closed off so much that a large percentage of the field is ‘running’ along looking like they have a sore back, scuffing the footpath and shuffling their way to the finish line… well below their capabilities. As with everything endurance training and racing… there are no secrets or magic sessions/recipes. It’s all about doing the work, week in week out, for a long time. How long is ideal? How long is a piece of string? The longer the better is always my answer. For me personally, if I am wanting to do my absolute best in an IM, then I am wanting to begin training for a specific Ironman around a year out. This doesn’t mean I’m all in from 12 months out… it just means I am thinking about and focussing on that race from that far out, potentially and more often than not, much longer than that. It obviously depends on the history coming into it, and the size of your goals too. Take for example Coach RT… I know his upcoming Ultraman attempt has been 2-3 years in the making… commit. As you may have heard it said before… it’s the years that matter most in the endurance game… not the magic weeks here and there. The blocks of months and years… they are what count the most… there’s that big picture again. One of the main aspects of an Ironman is the repetition of movement in the race on mostly flat terrain. Despite there being a few hills in these races, by far and large is the terrain flat. Therefore, the muscle groups used are the same throughout the majority of the race. Hip flexors/drivers seem to go first amongst most athletes. After spending 5-7 hours hunched over on the bike, we expect them to magically open up and to be able to run freely for a marathon. Well I’m here to tell you that you need to make sure you are a. conditioning those specific muscle groups through specific training and b. backing the specific training up with core/hip/glute work. What’s the specific stuff?
Get at it! SF Click here to learn more about Head Coach Scotty Farrell  Courtney Lornie
Melbourne, Australia ‘Participating in endurance and multisport events gives me discipline, structure to my week where my training becomes MY time and … that finishing feeling … nothing beats it!’ After a one-month hiatus, Fast Five is back and this month we are featuring another member of our amazing coaching team – Coach Courtney Lornie. Court is both an endurance coach and personal trainer who has a long history of participating in triathlon and endurance events, having competed in her first Tour Down Under cycling event when she was just 17 years old. Over the past four years she has taken a more serious approach and became a T: Zero athlete 3.5 years ago, before taking up a coaching position in August last year. Court has competed across numerous events and varying distances during her triathlon and multisport career and counts her proudest moment to date as finishing her very first Ironman. While she’ll always be a cyclist at heart, she is currently also loving swim sessions (something she never thought she’d say!) with her fiancée joining in to keep her accountable. Building on the standard swim/bike/run sessions, Courtney makes sure to include regular weights training to keep on top of muscle growth and maintenance. Outside of training, she enjoys snowboarding, espresso martini making 😉 and regular walks with her pup Cooper. Since becoming a T:Zero athlete and coach, Court believes that having and sticking to a clear schedule, as well as blocking out her time with her own athletes are the two things that have most improved her performance. Her best advice is to “take one step at a time, stay consistent and don’t be too hard on yourself.” Looking to 2021, Courtney is focussed on gaining strength to improve her times across iron-distance events. She is currently training for Ironman Cairns and has her sights set on a 100km trail run to raise money for ‘Fight MND’ in memory of her uncle. Go Court! 👊 Why and how did you get into triathlon/endurance/multisport? I have competed in triathlon/endurance/multisport since I was in high school. I started doing distance cycling with my Dad and then it evolved from that! Favourite distance? Why? Full Ironman. I love the discipline of a full and also the mental aspect of pushing my body that far. Favourite race? Why? Ironman New Zealand – STUNNING. It was my first full distance and my family travelled over to watch me. It will always hold a special place in my heart. My dad is also from NZ so it’s very special to me. I 100% recommend the race. From a coach’s perspective, what attributes do you see the most successful athletes have? Consistency, trusting the process and having a strong enough ‘why’. Any funny or embarrassing race/event memories or stories you’d like to share? Probably when I didn’t clip out fast enough after the bike leg and stacked it SLOWLY in front of everyone. (Editor’s note: A classic … love it!). And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? I love the values of T:Zero and also being part of an amazingly supportive community!  Focus: Race nutrition for long course + ultra endurance (anything over 2-4 hours in length where the body can’t sustain an effort without exogenous (outside sources)).
Race day overview: Pre-race brekky:
We talk regularly about the things within our control for any given race. Nutrition is one of those main controllables and should be well practiced. Going into a race knowing you have dialled things in practice can help both physically (your gut and body know what to expect) and mentally… peace of mind knowing you have practiced and dialled this in for the last few months goes a long way in keeping the mind at peace on race day. There’s enough to focus on already! Control your controllables and leave the rest for the triathlon gods… whoever they might be 😉 Have fun! SF Head Coach Scotty Farrell Bachelor of Nutrition  It has been a sweltering summer here in South East Queensland with the air soaked with humidity and the summer sun bearing down on us as if trying to prove its intensity. Training this summer has seen runners that return looking like they have been swimming. Cyclists tearing up the asphalt with a slick trail of sweat spraying out behind. Swimmers - well, they were just enjoying that swim session a good notch or two above their levels from previous years. Further north in Qld, down south on those scorching days and over in the NT we can only imagine what you were going through….
Never fear though. We humans are adaptable creatures and compared to most mammals absolutely excel at exercising in and adapting to hot conditions. Apparently one of our evolutionary advantages is being able to run down an antelope or similar large dinner beast in the heat by outlasting the said prey. This is due to our ability to sweat and cool being fair superior to our prey’s talent in the heat. Good to know next time you are outback and short a meal… Training in the heat and racing in the heat sure do present their challenges though. With deepest regret I inform you that it is fact that humans are slower in the heat – our pace and our power will never be as high on a 35 degree vs a 22 degree race day – sorry to all the egos, but that is just they way it rolls. Your body is busily trying to execute two functions that are competing for the same blood supply – exercise and the regulation of body temperature. I pause here for a little nerd moment – I love the science of training and racing in the heat and have been down many a rabbit hole of research and devoured a geeky textbook or two here. Most recent deep dive was a pretty extensive course on just that – Training and Racing in the Heat – and I was definitely in in a bubble of physiology study joy….sorry to digress, back to actual useful information! I previously talked about heat adaptation here … https://www.tzeromultisport.com/tzero-blog/category/heat in my last heat blog. Doing some training sessions in the heat or passive heat work to get some pretty sweet adaptations going will definitely help come race day. A lower core body temperature, more pace and power for the same heart rate vs your non adapted state and an improved sweat response. Hands up for that anyone? Heat adaptation does require some planning though – to get the right dose, the right conditions and to monitor the response. Quite likely that if you have been training in the heat this summer, you have inadvertently notched up some points on the adaptation board. Go you!! But to refine and optimise your heat adaptations, it is best to go with a plan that considers your training, your response and includes some definite monitoring. Chat to your coach on this one. The other piece of the pie though is how you prep around race day and how you execute your race in the heat. Taking some time to think and plan about these may well be the difference between a course PB, finishing across the line or ending up in the medical tent. The aim of thermoregulation for triathlon in the heat is to limit the rise in body temperature. Get your cool shady thinking caps on here – plan some race day strategies to up your chances of a great race day experience! What to do, what to do…..Well here are some suggestions. Tokyo Olympics anyone? 1. Stay cool – avoid warming up before! Stay out of the sun where you can. Precooling strategies are less effective than other sports because we swim first but avoiding a rise in body temp before you start is a great strategy. 2. Hydration: Start your race well hydrated. This is one of the most important strategies you can employ pre race. Consider and plan what you are going to consume hydration-wise during your event. Try to keep your drinks as cool as possible. Freeze drink bottles if they get a chance to thaw out! 3. Clothing – consider wearing light coloured clothing as black tends to soak up the summer sun! Do some testing if you have multiple race suits and choose your coolest one – you will thank yourself on the run! 4. Sunscreen – use it! Stick to a non oil based product and apply well before your race! Thick oil based sunscreens may actually impair your ability to sweat and cool yourself. 5. Cooling strategies mid race – water over your head, ice in your hat and down your race suit, cold sponges and cool fluids are all effective ways of improving your thermal comfort mid race. 6. Pacing – discuss with your coach your best pacing strategy. Plan to modify your pace and power compared to more temperate conditions. Going out on the run at 30 secs per km faster than your planned pace in the heat is a sure fire way to raise that core body temp. And send your chance of race success in the wrong direction! In reality, there is a whole body of science around training for and racing in the heat and many finer details that could further improve your chance of success. I’ll stop at the question around whether we should wear antiperspirant in the heat? Believe me, the thermoregulation gurus actually have scientific opinions on this… Until next time, all the best of personal success for your hot and sweaty races. Stay cool! Cheers H Cick here to learn more about Coach Heidi Sowerby  Why we love // Ultra355 Australia The inaugural Ultra355 Australia is set to take place in the beautiful city of Hervey Bay, Queensland between February 27 and March 1, and to say we are pumped is an understatement! A new event on the ultra endurance scene is exciting in itself, but with 10 T:Zero athletes hitting that start line at the end of February, let’s take a closer look at why this race has more than piqued our interest already … A brand new, exciting challenge! The brainchild of the Ultraman Australia organisers, Ultra355 is a three-day stage triathlon, comprised of a 5km swim and 100km bike (day 1); 200km bike (day 2) and 50km run (day 3). To us, it presents as a new and exciting opportunity for athletes who may have already finished multiple iron-distance events, qualified for and raced Kona or simply decided that distances even longer than standard Ironman are more suited to them. Or perhaps they just want to see how far they can truly go... (*cough* #liveyourpotential *cough*). If the distances weren’t already challenge enough, athletes must also be prepared to tackle the race fully self-supported. Unlike ‘big brother’ Ultraman, competitors must complete the event without a dedicated support crew. There are some crazy awesome ultra races all around the world but certainly (and also importantly), in these unprecedented times, there aren’t too many that are this close to home (for most of us anyway). The ‘stage’ aspect Sure, the thought of getting all the pain over and done with in a day might seem more appealing on the surface, but let’s look at the upside to multi-day racing. Stage racing is an incredibly awesome, challenging yet equally rewarding type of event to train for. First, and arguably most important - there is no run off the bike! Not only is this a win on race day, but it also means no nasty brick sessions in training! In fact, just like in Ultraman, there’s only ONE transition in the entire race - occurring between swim and bike on Day 1. After that - it’s all smooth sailing. What stage racing does mean, particularly across three days, is that elements of rest and recovery are absolutely critical - athletes who are able to support and aid their body to recover and reset between the days will have the best chance at success. The element of mindset and an athlete’s ability to refocus or stay focussed ‘in the zone’ across that extended period of time adds a whole new dimension (and challenge) too. Hervey Bay is a largely undiscovered oasis … in our own backyard The stage is set friends, and my goodness it’s a beauty! If you haven’t seen them already, do yourself a favour and check out Coach Rich’s @richardthompsontriathlon Instagram for some photos of the race recon trip he recently took to Hervey Bay. The photos are incredible and probably don’t even do it justice. Situated in the Fraser Coast region of Queensland, Hervey Bay is a beautiful coastal city surrounded by picturesque waters and known for some of the very best whale watching in the world. It’s got that small town feel, yet is established enough to feature everything an athlete might need across the weekend, which, particularly when stage racing, is of considerable benefit. There are plenty of accommodation options along the 10km esplanade too, all with spectacular water views. Indeed the race locations for Ultra355 events across the world have been chosen specifically for their “natural beauty and unique character” so if you can’t make it to Hervey Bay, how do Cozumel, Mexico, Penticton, Canada or Punta Del Este, Uruguay sound as alternative options? We can certainly vouch for two of the three having raced in these locations previously. And in our humble opinion, the common denominator is …exquisite beauty. The course - of course! If you’ve signed up for a suffer-fest, you may as well do it in paradise, right? And while we can’t speak from experience just yet, we can only dream… The Ultra355 course encompasses: 5km swim - in a calm, protected and pristine bay with an expected temperature of around 27 degrees 300km (total, across Day 1 & 2) bike through rolling hills and out towards the Fraser Island barge before heading inland through the scenic rural Fraser Coast. The course then turns back towards the ocean, winding through coastal communities and returning to the race precinct along Hervey Bay esplanade 50km scenic run, out and back along the rockwall, through race central and along the esplanade for two fun-filled laps of pavement pounding! This course gets extra points for spectator-friendliness too. 💯 The perfect precursor to Ultraman Hey, we’re T:Zero! We’re passionate about endurance racing and we can’t help but see Ultra355 as the perfect stepping stone from Iron(man) to Ultra(man). Most people don’t jump straight into triathlon by way of an Ironman. The majority of athletes start small - teams, sprints, Olympic, half, long-course … all come first. Often it takes many years of these events (and throw in a few swim, ride and run solo events) before they feel comfortable to make the jump. Similarly, many endurance athletes would look at Ultraman and immediately discount it as a realistic undertaking for them, presuming it would all be “too hard or too much” **. Ultra355 is the perfect race to step up the challenge without going all the way. It’s a comfortable, (just over) half way point and fills a hole the race scene has been missing for quite some time. We are thrilled to be able to support it at the grassroots level and excited to see it grow. We are super pumped to have so many T:Zero athletes taking on the challenge at Ultra355 Australia and can’t wait to see them all take the start line on February 27. To our Ultra355 athletes - wishing you all the best of luck as you jump in to the last big training load before taper time! If all this reading about the race has piqued your interest, you can find out more on the Ultra355 website, register your interest and of course reach out to us for some help with an achievable, completely customised training program to get you across that finish line, wherever it may be! ** If this is you, please take a look at this super blog from one of our incredible Ultraman athletes Jen McMillan. Might make you think twice ;-) #liveyourpotential   Firstly, what do I mean when I use the term ‘own 2021’? Good question SF… haha.
To ‘own’ something in this context, means to take control of the situation and get it done… ‘own it’. You’ve heard me get on my soap box enough about being consistent with your approach, and the importance of creating a sustainable routine, so I’ll try stay on track. But, your first port of call should be just that, creating an attainable, sustainable schedule. Not sure how to roll there? Easy, work with one of our coaches, they are pros at designing customised schedules with your best interest at heart, plus, ya know, accountability sure does help. Or have a flick through the blog section, I’ve written about that a few times. The fact that almost all of our coaching staff work with a coach themselves, says how valuable it is to work with a coach. If you know, you know, am I right? Back to owning it. In the beginning, creating your routine should be about simply ‘getting into a routine’, and finding the best fit scenario for you, and your lifestyle i.e. finding a good blend of balance, and sacrifice where it needs to happen. It’s a fallacy to think you can do it all and be 100% happy with every aspect of your life all at once… good luck with that. With big hairy goals, comes sacrifice (not forever), but if you want to go all in on something, then it needs to take precedence before other things, and therefore, as coach Lise would say “where focus goes, energy flows”. I love this and often think about divvying up my energy bucket between all of the things, so I don’t burn the candle too hot. So, firstly, sit down with the most important people in your life and discuss what it is you are looking to achieve, and what commitment it takes, so you can have the peace of mind that your immediate support network are all in, or not (in which case you might have to re-tweak your personal endurance goals). Create your routine, and make it all about sticking to the routine like a hungry wolf. Once you have dialled your routine, then you can set about tweaking and working on the finer areas within your routine. You and/or your coach will have talked about the goals on the line, and the things requiring attention (limiters) along the journey. I guess we could call this ‘owning the big picture’… understanding what it is you are working towards, and having this to return to and remind yourself of if you’re easily side-tracked like me and need that redirection back on topic. Big picture goals are set. Now let’s talk about owning the days. I’m willing to throw a small fortune on the table here and bet that we can all agree, if we sleep in, and tell ourselves we’ll do the session later, more often than not, life dumps a whole bunch of unexpected stuff in our way, and it doesn’t get done. Therefore, owning the mornings are your lifeblood to owning the day/s. Sleep in at your peril. Unless of course you really do need the extra zzz’s. Absolutely no sympathy here if you decide staying up late binging the last 3 episodes of Schitt’s Creek and cut 90 mins of your sleep. Either you own the morning, or the day own’s you. How do I own the morning? Another great question 😉
Getting the gist of the splattering of what it means to ‘own the day/year’? Clear as mud as always. Bring it back to the KISS principle, and Keep It Simple Scotty. Slow down to go fast, breathe, focus your attention on the things that are productive to accomplishing whatever it is your heart desires and get at it. Own it. Take control of the things within your control. Less scatter, more presence. If we take another step back before all of the above, we need to remember why it is we do the things we do. At the very core of your goals and sport, needs to lie a level of enjoyment. For most of us, this might come in the form of being what we call type 2 fun (the feeling we get after it’s done). But there needs to be a certain level of love for the process along the way too. Once you’ve ticked the routine box, and you are in a good flow with your training, things become ‘easier’ to consistently stick with it, and the enjoyment and general feelings of being fit come more frequently too. As a general rule, and correct me here Ex Scientists, but it takes roughly 6 weeks to strengthen a muscle, about 6 months to rehab/strengthen a ligament/tendon, and probably 6 years (give or take a couple) to realise the true benefits of consistency in your craft, not to mention the mental strength that comes from experience (the brain is a muscle too remember). There in lies the difference between those who see the big picture and those who want a short-term magic pill. There we have it.
Own 2021! As I touched on early in my ramblings, working with a coach has so many benefits to your growth as an athlete. If improved performance, community, health and longevity in the sport, and general knowledge of your sport is what you’re looking for, then join us and reap the rewards. Our coaching team are always looking to share, teach, support, push and see you flourish. Thanks for reading if you made it this far… great focus 😉 Coach Scotty Click here to learn more about Head Coach Scotty  Ann Brinkamp
Perth, Western Australia ‘I’m someone who will sign up for any race, any distance, any weekend. Since working with RT that has changed and now it is much more about planning what makes sense for what we are trying to achieve. I now train and race with a clear, super-specific focus which has given me a lot of confidence.’ This month, our Fast Five feature athlete is Ann Brinkamp, who has been training with Coach Rich for just over a year. Ann somewhat stumbled into triathlon in 2013 and has raced across a variety of short and long-course, half and iron-distance, TT, half and marathon events every year since, including bucket-list favourite Challenge Roth (2019) and Ultraman Australia (2018). A self-confessed lover of racing, Ann doesn’t really mind the distance or format but feels the longer races suit her best. Challenge Roth in 2019 presented the perfect combination of distance, location, atmosphere, climate and course to suit her strengths, making it a race she remembers particularly fondly. Speaking of strengths, the bike is definitely where she’s in her element and “happy place”, especially when there’s coffee, chats and the occasional cake afterwards! The mental aspect, and honestly - fourth discipline of triathlon - is Ann’s most favourite thing about endurance sport. As we all know, no matter how physically fit you are, your mind is ultimately what will set you apart. The mid-week WT is her favourite training session that Coach Rich *allegedly* manages to keep interesting and super challenging (we don’t believe you ;-) Looking to 2021, Ann is hoping to race an iron-distance event which is keeping her firmly focussed for now. In the meantime, she’ll balance the training nicely with a few more recovery sessions on the couch with her supportive (and occasional running companion) dog Whiskey. Why and how did you get into triathlon/endurance/multisport? Mainly by accident. I bought a road bike in 2010 which I never used until a friend took me on a ride in 2012 – I remember 30km felt like a massive achievement. Another friend introduced me to his Triathlon Club and I signed up for a novice course and next thing I knew I registered for a 70.3. Initially it was to get fit but quickly became a different kind of lifestyle which I really loved (still do!). Favourite race? Why? Every race left some amazing memories, either the race itself or the process to getting to the start line, people I raced/ trained with etc. But if I have to pick a favourite experience start to finish, it has to be Ultraman Australia. It was such an epic year from deciding that this was what I wanted to do to crossing the finish line on Day 3. Many highs and lows in the lead up, the best team ever and 3 perfect days of racing. Still gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. What is your favourite motivational quote? Not so much a quote but a concept I love – Ultra runner Courtney Dauwalter was asked how she handles those really tough moments you are bound to have during a long run. She said she pictures her pain cave and goes all the way in rather than being afraid of it and then chips away at the walls, making it bigger for the next time. Have you ever had an apparent training or race day “failure” that has set you up for later success? Plenty of training failures, and they continue to happen – frustrating in that moment but I think they keep me on my toes and remind me of all the things to do better/ differently on race day. One thing I remember is a couple of weeks before Ultraman, I was signed up for one of our local tris. It was a pretty cold April morning, which I had not planned for at all. Someone offered me their jacket but whatever my logic was, I didn’t want to take it. By the time the gun went off, I was frozen and hadn’t been for a warm-up swim. I made it to the first buoy and then got pulled out of the water. I was cold but mainly mortified!!!! I learnt: pack warm clothes even if you think you don’t need them; ALWAYS warm up, in particular if it’s cold; if someone offers you help (not matter if it’s a jacket or a space blanket), don’t be too proud to accept it. By the time Ultraman came around, we were super prepared with plenty of spare clothes, so the cold morning didn’t bother any of us. What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate? While I am super competitive and goal driven, the key thing for me is knowing that I fortunately stumbled across a hobby that I love and in a way it opened up a world I never knew existed. I didn’t grow up as a ‘sporty’ kid and came to the sport very late with no talent for any of the disciplines, so I sometimes still wonder how I ended up doing this. It’s easy to get caught up in chasing numbers and PB’s but in the end the 4.45am alarms seem totally acceptable because I’m doing something that makes me happy and feel good. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? The amount of experience around and athlete-specific coaching.  In the southern hemisphere, we are getting into summer, it’s hot, and it’s sweaty… so what’s the G.O. on hydration? And how best should I do this hydration thing to maximise both performance and recovery?
Thanks for asking 😉 I was out riding the range this morning with my good man friends, soaking up the morning sunrise and trying to beat the late spring-time sun before it got up too high and started forcing the old sweat glands to fire up. However, before too long, there was sweat dripping everywhere, and the need for water increased. Today (Saturday long ride) was a good reminder that I need to be onto my hydration practices as the weather warms up, or I’ll be hindering the good work done, by jeopardising my performance during the long ride, and taking longer to recover afterwards, and also potentially hindering days to come. If you have done a longer session in the hot weather, and then felt your performance decline later in the ride, chances are, you’ve either gone short on food or fluids. If you get home and you’ve eaten, had a drink, then been chilling on the couch for a while and you go to get up and get all light headed, that’s a sure sign you’ve under hydrated. Or the colour of your pee is a better shade of gold than clear, you’ve under hydrated. Or, you’ve weighed yourself before and after your ride and you’re down a coupla kegs, you’ve (you guessed it) under hydrated. It’s easy to do. But it’s also not hard to stay onto it either, with a little bit of common sense. We like common sense approaches, so let’s roll with a few strategies to help with hydration practices as we head into the scorching summer months (in the southern hemisphere anyway). Rules still very much apply to those of you in the north who are heading into the cooler months and in a lot of cases, training entirely indoors. Righto, let’s dive into some proactive measures to stay hydrated and maximise our performance.
Let’s leave it there. Learn your body, and practice the 150% rule to ace your recovery. Use your nous… drink to the conditions (not necessarily to thirst). And yep, have some electrolytes during and after, they’re not going to hurt one iota. Stay safe in the sun, and have fun out there. Coach SF - click HERE to learn more about Head Coach Scotty Farrell Michael Silk San Francisco Bay Area/Oakland, California, USA ‘Quality is sometimes better than quantity. I’m learning that I perform better when workouts are high-intensity, focused on building one aspect (FTP, Aerobic bases…), structured (intervals, warm up, specific targets) and allow time for full adaptive recovery.’ This month, our Fast Five feature athlete is Michael Silk.  Michael’s a relatively new addition to the T:Zero team but has been participating in triathlon for about six years. Over this time, he’s completed Olympic distance, 70.3 and iron-distance races, including the incredible Patagonman Chile in 2019 (you’ll want to check this one out - trust us!).
Iron-distance is definitely Michael’s jam; with both the long training blocks and race day itself pushing him to experience breakthroughs and moments of physical and mental clarity that keep the fire alive. He also credits the distance for pushing him to be more organised with his time - both in training and every day life. Since becoming a T:Zero athlete, Michael says he’s started to focus more on hydration and core stability. Outside the standard swim/bike/run, he consistently incorporates strength training at the gym and is inspired to keep training and racing through seeing his own progress and improvement. He’s also deeply inspired by others who are pushing their own bodies beyond perceivable limits too. Under the watchful eye and steadfast guidance of Coach Rich, Michael’s plans for 2021 include tackling Ironman Arizona and attempting a sub-six hour bike leg. And while he does not currently possess a race day mantra, he’s keen and up for suggestions, so over to you team! Why and how did you get into triathlon/endurance/multisport? I played sports growing up. I was injured playing post-college rugby and decided to take up running. I found a magazine that was advertising a sprint triathlon in a sauna at a YMCA in San Francisco. After finishing the sprint, I knew I loved the sport. Favourite race? Why? Patagonman is a tough ironman-distance race through the world’s most striking landscapes. You swim through a Chilean fjord, bike through Patagonia then run a trail marathon along the Ibanez River next to beautiful lakes, waterfalls, sheep herds, mountain towns and ends at a small port town on the border of Argentina. The community and race organizers are some of the most friendly and passionate people you will ever meet. Truly a bucket list race. What’s your favourite thing about triathlon/endurance/multisport? Achieving a “runner’s high” or ‘peak/flow’ state while training or racing. It is usually followed by a sense of clarity and I believe it makes me a better person. I also truly enjoy the opportunity it provides to connect the natural world through ocean swimming, running trails or biking through pristine forests. Have you ever had an apparent training or race day “failure” that has set you up for later success? I wasn’t able to find my bike during the Oakland Triathlon because they were all racked tightly and in one corral. Since then, I’ve attached a flag, swim cap or bright coloured tag on my bike so that I can find it quickly after the swim. Do you have any tips for athletes struggling to find some motivation or who may have temporarily lost focus? Go on an unfocused adventure (swimming, biking or running), try not to focus on HR, metrics or goals. Rekindle your love for the outdoors. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? It’s an admirable group of coaches and athletes. Let me set some context for you. What is Bikepacking and what does a Bikepacking race involve?
BRISDIVIDE, 3rd-5th October, 2020
640km 90% off-road loop, 14000+m of elevation gain (lots of climbing steep, rough trails/forestry roads). Bikepacking is essentially... strapping a bunch of stuff to your bike (storage bags, bottles mainly). Depending on how long you’re going for determines how much and what stuff you need. Think of it like multi-day hiking but on a bike. Things need to be lightweight and stuffable. If going to remote areas you’ll need the ability to cook on a stove, heat water etc. If venturing not too far from towns, then a credit card, some sleep gear and some snacks are probably all that’s needed as you can just buy supplies from wherever to keep on truckin’. For the BRISDIVIDE being a Bikepacking race, the prerogative for us was to pack light, keep things tidy and move relatively quickly. I did the race with my two long time mates Robbie and Tony. Robbie has done a bunch of adventure racing so knows how to grind it out over a week, and TB threw himself into Bikepacking at the end of last year and has banked a bunch of overnighters including a week long expedition in NZ’s North Island from Wellington to Auckland over 7 days. For myself, I have a history of outdoor activities including many week-long and multi week long hiking expeditions throughout NZ and even 3 week trip to Everest Basecamp in Nepal, plus all the rock climbing, sea kayaking overnighters I used to do 20 years ago. It was our first Bikepacking race, but not the first trip we’ve been on. Normally, these races are done solo, but we decided to stick together for this one, which worked well and likely was lucky as we all made a few little errors along the way and helped each other out. Personally, I went into the race conservatively. Both nursing a sore lower back, and not as fit/strong as the lads, I wanted to get through it, so I paced myself accordingly. This likely wasn’t ideal for the boys who could quite easily have kicked on and gone a fair bit faster. But in the end, the extra rest they got, the spare Clif Bars in the last few hours, and a handy spare tube probably helped them out. The course started and finished in Brisbane atop Mt Coot-tha. On sunrise we headed south-west and ventured out and connected with the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT) before heading north to Nanango, back across to Borumba Dam, Kenilworth, Kilcoy, Nuerum Creek, Mt Mee, Mt Glorious, Mt Nebo, and back to Mt Coot-tha. Plus a few other little towns along the way. The majority of the course was off-road and a mixture of really rough forestry roads, gravel roads, 4WD tracks, the odd single track, and a few short stints on sealed roads which felt amazing after the constant shudder and distinct lack of flow on the rough dirt. DAY 1 Day 1 started at 5:30am and we rode through until around 11pm clocking up about 250km with a heap of that being pretty fast riding along the rail trail which in the direction we were going was slightly uphill the whole way… 1-2% grinding all day. A couple of flats and a bent derailleur stalled us by a good hour all up across Day 1. We stopped for water refills, a bakery binge, and a burger in Blackbutt, but other than that we moved well all day and by the end of the day, my old man back felt better than at the start. I got talking to a 78 year old, recently retired fruit farmer from Blackbutt whilst waiting for my burger. Randomly he told me about an old dinosaur fossil he had ploughed up a while back and had it in the car. He asked if I wanted to see it… be rude not to really and what else was I doing at Blackbutt on a Saturday night whilst waiting for my burger? He also asked if I wanted to take a photo, so I kindly obliged. Turns out it was pretty cool (see pic) and is of a three toed something or other. He was taking it to sell to someone. After Blackbutt we followed the GPS route down through a sketchy looking “Private Property-Keep Out” sign and ventured down then up what can only be described as a dried up, boulder lined, white water rafting river bed with some resemblance of a skimpy little trail, that my dynamo light sure as hell couldn’t see very well. What an adventure it was hike-a-bikepacking down through that valley and back out. We were lucky to get through there unscathed really. We finally made Nanango and found a delightful, well lit, kinda shady (as in felt spooky), picnic table and roof to set up camp for a few hours. Rookie error number 1 for me - forgot to put my thermal pants in so I froze my nuts off for 6 hours whilst listening to the humming, knocking, and snoring coming from a cacophony of pool pumps (turns out we were next to the town pool) and the lads’ snoring their big hearts out. I had a bivy and sleeping mat, sans sleeping bag, TB a sleeping bag and mat, and Robbie just a sleeping bag. Nutbags! Night 1, I think I had maybe 20 mins of broken sleep and woke feeling very cold (shaking like a rattle snake) and rather shite. DAY 2 The plan was to sleep for four hours then get up and hit it for Day 2 (Sunday). Six hours later one of the lads made some noise and we sprung into action. A quick stop at the local servo for a $1 coffee and a sanga and we were off. Despite not a great deal of climbing initially, Day 2 had a fair chunk of flat but really rocky old farm road that seemed to go on forever. It was flattish, but technical, so it was a hard slog through to Jimna for lunch. TB fell victim to the sleep dragon and passed out on the side of the road for a power nap whilst Robbie and I had a coke and chips party. TB got his second wind and we headed for Jimna. He’d also, in his OCD highly organised spreadsheet living life, pre-ordered us a lunch/dinner pack each from the coffee van at Jimna, and the guy had prepared it and left it out for us the night before. We were only about 18 hours behind where we thought we’d be, but man it was good to arrive there, see a couple of other racers, and chow down on a few sangas. Logistically we were behind the mark a bit and chasing tail to reach Borumba Dam/Kenilworth on time to eat a meal or refill snacks and food. But we hightailed it and got lucky… twice. At Borumba Dam, there was no visible potable water and the camp shop had closed earlier, but randomly I asked a lady if she knew where I might find some water and she just happened to be the owner and kindly opened the shop and gave us some bottles of water… score! After a brief climb out of Borumba, we settled into a good rhythm over the smooth forestry road (yep smooth for a change) to Kenilworth we arrived to a ghost town! Nothing but people cleaning floors with the ugly lights on. Robbie (the nicest guy in the world) must have sweet talked the other nicest guy in the world into opening the kitchen and reheating us some lasagne at the Kenilworth pub… winning! Leaving Kenilworth at 9:15pm we had ahead of us the biggest climb of the trip up Sunday Creek Rd topping out at 830m elevation, it took us about 3.5 hours to ride about 18k up the climb… hectic. We road through until 1:30am and set up camp for a few hours in the bush. Again, I was cold and had very broken sleep (if any). DAY 3 We set off at 4:30am for Kilcoy and ventured down a very rough and steep downhill before popping out into prime farming country and a few of the straightest, smoothest, country roads I have come across. Another flat tyre saw TB chuck a mini tantrum after realising he packed the wrong size tube (hehe). Borrowed tube, (slow mate to the rescue) and we were off again. Kilcoy provided the best bakery feast ever… potato top pie, chicken wrap and a coffee. Food supplies stocked and home is calling. A brief stint on road before we hit the forestry/4WD roads for the rest of the day/night, and some of the steepest, roughest climbing and descending of the trip. The climbs on that final day were unrelenting. It was hot, dusty, rocky as all hell and steep. My knees felt the pinch on Day 3… not sure whether it was the uphill grinding, the downhill bracing, or the constant unclipping to stop for a quick drink that caused so much pain. Note to self, loosen pedals and keep lubed. I succumbed to two nights of next to no sleep and had a 20 min power nap on the grass at ‘The Gantry’ (wherever that is… I think near Mt Mee?), which was unreal. We hit the top of Mt Glorious after more of the steepest fire trails in the country, and were greeted by the smoothest road of the trip on nightfall and from there to the finish was fairly well downhill (apart from climbing back up Mt Coot-tha to finish). We hooked it downhill as best we could, the boys were running super low on fuel so we traded Clif Bars and this got them through to a last minute stop at Maccas before scaling Coot-tha for the finish at 10:30pm on Monday night. 2 days, 17 hours later (65 hours). What an epic adventure. It was a solid challenge for me. I paced it well based on my current fitness, and despite the lack of sleep and knees having had enough, I finished pretty well. Would I do it again? Hell yes. I’m already looking for another one and fine-tuning my setup some more. Gear and Tech My bike is a gravel bike. A Bombtrack Hook Ext-C. Running a SRAM mullet AXS 12 spd 1x groupset. Hunt 650b wheelset with a SON Dynamo front hub connected to an expsosure revo dyno light and a Sinewave USB converter to charge electronics. I navigated using a Garmin GPS Maps 66i which has built in SOS and tracking technology. For these races where you have to rely on the gpx files for navigation (pre set and reccied by the person setting the route/race) and you have to have a tracker, this device was awesome. I had a back up 10000mamp powerbank which I kept charging during the day. I carried 2.6 litres of water, plus a raincoat, thermals (sans leggings), hygiene stuff, tools, spares, food and first aid kit. Nutrition Given the race was over 3 days (potentially more), my plan was to eat a variety of snacks and meals and compliment this with water (and coke when the opportunity presented itself and was needed). I pre-made 3 x Vegemite and cheese sandwiches before we left and ate them periodically across Day 1, and mixed this in with a couple of bakery stops and a burger and chips for dinner. Because the intensity was steady/aerobic, I went more with the ‘eat whatever you want approach’ than strategically sticking to easily digestible carbs like gels and bloks. I had a Clif gel every couple of hours, a couple of Clif Builder’s Bars each day, bought wraps from bakery stops, sandwiches, a couple of pies, and the best reheated lasagne I have ever had at Kenilworth pub. I was super diligent with my fuelling and just kept feeding the entire time really. I didn’t monitor carb content as such like I would a one-day event, but I was definitely mindful of not getting behind and having enough food logistically between towns/shops. Variety is key for these long events… too much of one thing and you’ll end up with flavour fatigue, especially the sweet stuff. Job done. How did I end up venturing into the world of Bikepacking? TB went there first out of our crew. We’ve been looking at gravel bikes for a few years, and he took the plunge so we followed and haven’t looked back. After snapping my ACL a second time at the end of last year, I hit the pool, training for rehab and training for a marathon swim but that got canned and when opportunity knocks, I sold my TT bike and dived head first into the gravel world which has also been doubling has rehab for the knee. I’m back running a bit now, and looking forward to doing a few tris next year, as well as off-road tris, 12-24 hour mountain biking events, mountain bike marathon races, maybe a stage race, and another big bikepacking race! Whatever comes really, if it fits in with my work and family 😊 Ask not why, but why not! CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAD COACH SCOTTY FARRELL Ciaran Kelly Perth, WA ‘Every session has a purpose. Coach Scotty drills in the “turtle gains” every now and then to remind me of the big picture. You can get caught up in the present without understanding the longer term plan’  Our October Fast Five athlete is Ciaran Kelly who has been training with Coach Scotty for just over 12 months.
Ciaran’s been participating in triathlon since early 2017; finding his way in the sport after working FIFO for a number of years and making a personal promise to practise a healthy lifestyle once he finished working offshore. Most recently, he’s competed in both Challenge Roth (2019) and Busselton 70.3 (2020). While Challenge Roth has been his favourite race to date (see question below), Ciaran is partial to the 70.3 distance, feeling that it’s just the right length to allow flirtation with pace to find that tipping point. Although he finds it challenging to incorporate triathlon training with the demands of his full time job, Ciaran’s favourite thing about the sport is the people he meets along the journey - everyone is here for different reasons but bound together by a common interest. Ciaran counts his proudest triathlon moment as placing 3rd in the Western Australia AG Triathlete of the Year Awards 2019. Currently, he’s gearing up for the Tour of Margaret River - a 3-day cycling race in November - and plans to focus on strengthening his run off the bike coming into the 2021 season. Favourite race? Why? Has to be Challenge Roth. It’s a race on everyone’s bucket list and now I know why. 200,000 volunteers and the area just stops and gets involved for the week. Favourite training session? Coach Scotty has a few classics, however, he likes dishing out a long bike session with a steady increase in power with a nasty 20min TT at the end. It requires a lot of disciple to hold back early on. Have you ever had an apparent training or race day “failure” that has set you up for later success? Watch not working. When this happens you forget about the data and just concentrate on yourself in the moment and run/bike to feel. Since this I try not to use a watch while swimming. I’ve realised that when I come out of the water I can’t change what has just happened so I might as well be in a good head space and keep pushing on for the bike/run legs with a positive approach. What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate? To constantly try and improve my performance. While I’m new to triathlon I’m also behind the majority of other triathletes who have been in the sport for a number of years. It’s good to try and keep pushing myself to progress and develop. Best piece of advice for someone starting out in the sport? Or best advice you’ve received? It’s not all about the data (although some coaches might say otherwise). Don’t get caught up in the numbers when starting out. Progression comes from building page upon page of sessions stacked together and before you know it, you will have developed and learned quite quickly. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? The personalisation of the program and the relationship with Coach Scotty. With a busy work schedule I need a coach who understands my work/life balance. PUSHING BARRIERS - RUNNING YOUR FIRST ULTRAMARATHON AT 19 TO HELP YOUNG REFUGEES GET INTO SPORT15/10/2020
Hi guys, I’m Annabelle Carey a 19-year-old starting out in the endurance/multisport world. I was lucky enough to be put in contact with coach Rich at the beginning of this year to help me on my journey. Thanks to COVID it has been an interesting year competition wise. But I finally entered the Blackall 50 and set my eyes on training for my first ultramarathon in mid-October (now the race is this weekend!!)
At about 8 weeks out from racing I was sitting down with Tracey Tucker a good friend and founder of a Brisbane based charity, Pushing Barriers which help refugee youth be included in club sport. I have volunteered with the charity since the beginning of 2020 and have seen firsthand the impact that sports can have in the lives of these children. It was during this conversation that we spoke about the difficulties they have had raising funds due to COVID 19 and the impact it had on them being able to continue running the program. It was at this point I suggested that I could do Blackall as a charity run, it would be the perfect opportunity to raise awareness and funds. Running 50k on your own, out on the trails is no easy feat it is both mentally and physically demanding, but it is the ultra-running community that surrounds you that makes you feel apart of something greater and pushes you to keep going. These youth have been through so much in their lives often all alone and have constantly continued to push on. It is for this reason that involving them in club sport is so much more than just being active. It provides them with a community where they are considered an equal, and an opportunity for them to be free and express their emotions. A little more about Pushing Barriers (PB) and what exactly they provide… Pushing Barriers is a Brisbane based non for profit organisation with the primary objective being to improve the lives and welfare of refugee youth by providing them with opportunities to be included and welcomed into Australian culture through club sport. These youth do not have families with the capacity to support them to play sport therefore PB assists with club registrations and fees as well transporting them to and from training and games. These volunteer drivers become role models to these young people. For further information about Pushing Barriers watch this short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf7tHjlV5Ak or check out their website here http://www.pushingbarriers.org/about-us.html you can also find them on Facebook and Instagram @Pushing Barriers. It would be devastating to think that as a result of COVID 19 many of these refugees would be unable to play sport next year considering the huge impact it is having on their lives, helping them to feel connected in their new country. So, if you can contribute a small amount towards a great cause it would be much appreciated. Let’s make a difference together and help assist refugee youth be included in Australian club sport for many years to come. And who knows we may just see them out on the trails, in the pool or on the road riding beside us in the future. Thanks again, happy training and racing! Annie
My name is Khloe Healy and I am a long course triathlete who enjoys long runs on the beach and carb-fuelled dinners.
I found triathlon in 2018 after I went in search of health and a hobby. Since then, it has become so much more. For the first year I fumbled my way through on average bikes, tri suits from the op shop and a “give it a crack” attitude before signing up for my first Ironman. In 2019 I did Ironman Australia as a dare - I got help from a club coach, borrowed a friend’s bike... and absolutely loved the experience. I probably trained as much for that race as I did under Rich's guidance for Sunshine Coast 70.3, but more on that later. After Ironman Australia I stopped with the coach and bombed out at Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast later in the year on the path to Ironman Western Australia where I qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. World Championship qualification was not even on my radar but in the hype of the moment and FOMO, I emptied my savings account and booked my spot. A few weeks later I ran into a family friend at the pool who told me about a tri guy he used to train insane with and I was given Coach Rich’s number. On Boxing Day 2019, Rich and I met up at a coffee shop in Ashgrove and to this day, whenever I ride past that coffee shop to go on to climb Mount Nebo I point out to my friends the coffee shop where my life changed. Since starting up with T:Zero nine months ago I have grown so much as both an athlete and a person. So much so, it’s even hard to put into words. I think back to 2019 Khloe and I am almost sad about how little I believed in myself and my potential. If I’m honest, I knew I had ability in there somewhere but I was too scared to address it. As Coach Carter says ‘our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, it’s that we are powerful beyond measure’. When I joined T:Zero I slowly started to understand the other part of that quote - ‘our playing small does not serve the world and there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around us’. I was now in an environment that showed me it was okay to believe in myself and do all the crazy shit we do as triathletes to try and get the best out of myself. Not everyone gets it; in fact, a lot of people think the work we do is bonkers, but I’ve realised that as long as we’re loving the process and chasing our potential that’s what matters. To round out my Coach Carter theme - ‘we unconsciously give other people the permission to shine’ and that is what T:Zero did for me. T:Zero’s drive, passion and commitment gave me permission to shine. I’ve been able to leave my self doubt and fear of failure in 2019 to become a better athlete and person. I actually used to be a very anxious, chaos chasing and unsatisfied person. It’s like I was never quite happy with where I was or where I was going. I didn’t have a reason or a purpose. As most of you would know, triathlon has an amazing way of changing that! It has given me such purpose in my life that everything else has started to fall into place. I’ve stopped worrying what other people are thinking or what might happen because I am mindful and present in a process. I don’t have energy for drama because I am grateful for the opportunity and moments I do have and I’m satisfied because I am living my potential. My lifestyle has changed so much as a result to become what I lovingly call ‘the vanilla life’. It’s all about eating right, getting sleep and removing stress so that we can get stuck into the process and achieve our goals. I learned pretty early on into training with Rich that I could not keep up with the demands of the dream if I wanted to get drunk on a Saturday night and hang around people who weren’t good for my psyche. It was an adjustment but one I would never take back as it has lead to so many great feats in both my personal life and my triathlon life. When the simple stuff remains constant in my life I am able to nail the exciting stuff. So, with all that said about the mindset and lifestyle changes, the real proof of T:Zero’s impact has been in the pudding… the results! Throughout COVID we had to get creative in keeping training inspired and consistent. We swam in murky waterholes while the pools were closed (ps. great way to help overcome a fear of OWS!), used the lock down time to learn how to “vanilla life” and set our own personal goals or events. To stay super motivated I set out solo to achieve my 2019 running goals of cracking 20min for the 5km and 90min for the half. I never quite achieved them in 2019 but 3 months into coaching I ran a 19.14 5km and three months later, brought my half marathon from a 1.34 to a 1.28. Quite literally my old 5km pace became my new half marathon pace and these achievements were very important for me. They instilled a new sense of confidence in myself, the process and the coaching experience. I was able to carry this confidence with me as we then decided to build for Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast this year. I did more volume, hours and intensity in the lead up to that race than I ever did in any self-guided ironman builds and it completely paid off, as hard work usually does. It was my first time with a race plan and we managed a 20 minute PB from Sunshine Coast the year before and went from 8th in my age category to being the first female age grouper over the line. Holy smokes. I didn’t imagine that in my wildest dreams. But my team did and they basically orchestrated the whole thing right under my nose. I came to T:Zero with a hint of ability I wanted to tap into and now I’m here I’ve found a potential I want to tap into! Thank you T:Zero for giving me support to shine. Ironman Cairns & 70.3 are next up on the return-to-racing agenda and we couldn’t be more excited! T:Zero athletes have a very tidy history of absolutely crushing this spectacular course. There’s so much to love about this race, but here are the top reasons it holds a special place in our hearts…
The epic scenery Rainforest or Reef - take your pick. Or don’t. Have them both! This course is truly spectacular in every sense of the word and is no doubt one of the reasons Ironman Cairns was voted ‘World’s Best Ironman’ in the 2018 Athlete Choice Awards! Natural beauty abounds wherever you look, but particularly on the bike leg - where the magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and seaside rainforest will 100% help to distract you from feeling sorry for yourself! Carry on!  The atmosphere Although it might be a little different this year, Cairns is generally bustling with tourists. Add Ironman athletes and their families and supporters to the mix and you’ve got a fun-loving party atmosphere that’s bound to keep a spring in your step during the final throes of the marathon. The four-lap run course means plentiful opportunity for supporters to see and cheer their athletes on, while the final stretch through vibrant Cairns Esplanade is second-best only to reaching that beautiful red carpet finishing chute.
T:Zero Represent! T:Zero has a pretty epic history of successful outings in Cairns, and we’re sure at least part of this success comes down to the incredible on-course support our FNQ T:Zero Family has provided over the years. Coach Mon is Cairns-based, as are a number of our athletes, so there’s never been a shortage of family, friends and fellow teammates lending cheers of encouragement throughout the day. And we all know there’s nothing like your very own cheer squad willing you to keep turning the legs over in those final few kms…  Athlete-friendly course By this we mean … if you’re thinking of signing up for your first Ironman, this one should definitely make the shortlist. And if you’re looking to step up from short-course to long-course there’s always the 70.3 option on the same day! A rolling-start ocean swim at Palm Cove Beach followed by an undulating three-lap bike course on closed highway and a four-lap flat run is a nice, neat little package for an Ironman course. Multi lap courses might be polarising but they do mean that cheer squads and mechanical assistance (in the event it may be required) are never too far away.  Pre & post race activities abound This one is an all-important factor for athletes planning on tying a holiday into their race plans or for those who have convinced their families to tag along and cheer for 10+ hours with the promise of pretty sweet rewards (beyond witnessing their loved one cross the coveted Ironman finish line of course!). Cairns is traditionally a tourist hot spot so not only does the city know how to cater well for a significant influx of visitors, it also already has a host of activities suitable for everyone (Great Barrier Reef trips, Kuranda Scenic Railway, markets, Esplanade etc.). If Cairns doesn’t float your boat beyond the IM weekend, Port Douglas is only a relatively short drive away, as is the Daintree Rainforest. Paradise awaits! Good luck to all our T:Zero athletes racing this weekend! We will be eagerly tracking your progress and cheering you on from afar, if we can’t be there in person!  ‘Working with Andy has definitely forced me to be more resilient. A session that was too hard a year ago probably would have led to me getting off the bike and being really shitty about it. Now there is someone watching from the other side I feel way more accountable and know I have to give it a good crack.’  Our September Fast Five athlete is Kristen McMillan who has been training with T:Zero under the watchful eye of Coach Andrew Perry since November 2019.
Kristen made her triathlon debut in 2012 as a team swimmer at the TreX cross tri series, later moving into Bribie triathlons and jumping up to Ironman 70.3 in 2019. She recently completed her second Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast a few days ago with a cracking 32 minute PB! Unsurprisingly, Sunshine Coast Ironman 70.3 has been her favourite race to date - the atmosphere, support from family and friends and race distance (“the sweet spot”) ticking all the boxes. Kristen’s favourite leg is the bike where she really looks forward to the weekend long sessions, and is motivated by seeing improvements and progress in this area. A natural swimmer, her favourite training session is “any swim with 200m sets” which suits her lack of patience perfectly ;-) Kristen’s currently training for Ironman New Zealand in March 2021 and Ironman Barcelona in October 2021 (rescheduled from 2020 to 2021 due to COVID). What’s your favourite thing about triathlon/endurance/multisport? You don’t have to be the best swimmer, cyclist, or runner, but you can be decent at all 3 and still compete. Favourite distance and why? That’s a hard question because I jumped from team swimmer, to short course, to 70.3 and back to Olympic and I’m currently training for an Ironman. Looking back, I think the 70.3 is the sweet spot where the training load is pretty achievable to fit around a job and social life. Proudest triathlon moment? Definitely crossing the finish line at my first 70.3. I was really going through it before I signed up for that race and that finish line symbolised so much more to me than just swimming, riding, and running 70.3 miles. What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate? Seeing how far I can push myself and trying to get as mentally strong as I can. I’ve definitely realised how much your mindset affects your training and how you cope with challenges. Do you have a race day mantra? Or something you think about to get you through tough periods during the race or calm your pre-race nerves? I think about how fortunate I am to even be out there racing. There’s so many people who don’t have the opportunity to, so I think about how lucky I am to even be there. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? The T:Zero community is so approachable. Whatever you’re training for, you can bet someone on the team has done something like it and is happy to pass on their advice. By Head Coach (and qualified nutritionist) Scotty Farrell  When it comes to race day nutrition, experienced athlete or not, I still hear and see so many basic boo boos. We know this stuff, we just forget, especially if we are not racing often, as has been the case this year.
So… a refresher for your convenience. The please do’s:
Please don'ts:
Think of your gut like any other muscle in the body. If you want it to perform well on race day, then you need to teach it what’s expected and train it accordingly. On the bike, in my experience, I find it’s a lot easier for athletes to consume a higher amount of carbohydrates, so perhaps start with 60g/hr and work up from there. Using a glucose/fructose mix, athletes can train their gut to absorb around 90g/hr and in some cases even higher than this. Personally, I like the 70-80g/hr mark on the bike. On the run, with pavement pounding happening, I find my gut struggles a bit more and I need to down regulate and aim for more like 50g/hr. But again, practice and trial it out. Same deal with hydration… train your gut to handle the amounts of fluids you will ideally need on race day. If your race is going to be hot, then it makes sense to keep your fluid intake up, so train for this. If it’s going to be a cold weather race, then maybe a bit less fluid is needed? Use your nut, it’s common sense stuff, we don’t need to over complicate it, we just do. The other thing to consider is that if the race is intense and short (let’s say under 90 minutes in length) then smashing down carbs and fluids isn’t as important. A well trained athlete could very well punch out a 80-90 minute race with barely any nutrition at all, maybe a gel or a couple of Clif Bloks and a few mouthfuls of water. And the more intense a race is, the more blood flow is diverted away from the digestive system to the working muscles, and the harder it will be to digest anything. If the race is longer than 90 minutes, then nutrition and avoiding total energy depletion and the dreaded bonk, becomes more important. The longer an event goes, let’s say all day or multi-day, the lower the intensity, but the more important it is to keep the fuel going in steadily. An Ironman, in my opinion blurs the lines of pushing ‘hard’ all day and being classed as ‘intense’ for most of us. And therefore, it’s super important to be practicing and training your gut for the rigors of race day stress. For multi-day events or ultra distance runs, we find that the intensity is generally low enough, that we can train our gut to eat almost anything. The longer an event goes too, the more important it becomes to avoid flavour or texture fatigue and mix up your nutrition between sweet, savoury, umami etc. There you go. Keep it simple. Control the controllables. Coach SF “Self belief has been a key driver in my behaviours and habits becoming more deliberate and directed at success rather than just having a go.”  Our August Fast Five athlete is self-confessed “race fiend” Khloe Healy who has been training with Coach Rich and T:Zero for 8 months.
Khloe’s triathlon debut was at Kingscliff in early 2018. Since then she has completed 30 events including sprints, ultra trail runs, long course triathlons and marathons. Qualifying for Kona at Ironman Western Australia in 2019, Khloe is now firmly focussed on Ironman - her favourite distance simply because she loves racing and triathlon so much that she wants to be out on a course for as far (not long) as possible! While Khloe can’t pick a favourite training session (Parkrun, weekend long rides and pool sessions tick all the boxes), her least favourite is the wind trainer recovery ride (boring!). Khloe loves triathlon, endurance and multisport for many reasons including “the people and sense of purpose” it brings as well as “hitting the numbers and seeing progress”. She also appreciates the fact she can eat just about anything she wants with the training load that Ironman requires! Khloe lists “chafe and the logistics” as her two least favourite things about the sport … and we quite agree! ;-P Outside of triathlon, Khloe enjoys cooking (and eating) good food, reading and hanging out with her friends and family. At the moment, she is training for both the love of it (v. Important) and Kona, where she is hoping to achieve her endurance goal for 2021 and break 10 hours. We’re behind you all the way, Khloe! Why and how did you get into triathlon and multisport? It's been a bit of luck, magic and accident... One minute I was partying and travelling and the next I'd printed a Parkrun barcode and started trying to run 5km without walking. I met some triathlon people at Parkrun who convinced me to free trial their club and I just kept showing up and the habit and then love of training just kept growing. Favourite leg and why? The swim! Helps that it’s my strongest leg but I also like that you’re very much in your own race in the water- you don’t know who’s who or what’s what so you just swim your swim and deal with catching up or staying ahead when you’re out on the rest of the course. Also the water is refreshing instead of hot and sweaty. Any funny or embarrassing race memories you’d like to share? I didn't realise how embarrassing these things were at the time but looking back I did so many silly things because I didn't know any better. You don't know what you don't know. Like insisting that cleats didn't make a difference so I didn't use them for sunny coast 70.3 2018. Or when I signed up for the whole QTS series as an 'open' because I thought that meant the 'fun for everyone' category not elite! What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate? My parents and brothers. My parents were unwell and absent which has greatly impacted my life but they gave me a good set of genetics for triathlon and I feel that triathlon is my way of being connected to them and learning to appreciate what they gave me instead of what I missed out on. Triathlon has really shown me how to let my past make me better not bitter. Best piece of advice for someone starting out in the sport? Don’t get caught up in all the gear and technical stuff. Just start moving and let the bike upgrades and fancy workouts come as your increasing fitness and experience demands the upgrade. Best piece of advice I ever got given was to always keep it fun. Even since starting more serious training I keep training as social as possible and probably joke around a bit too much but training has never felt like a chore and I think that’s lead to great consistency and hopefully longevity in the sport. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? Having access to Richard's expertise and support. “Build a strong foundation before you start, make sure your glutes are firing on both sides, get the correct sleep and take stretching seriously.”  Our July Fast Five athlete is Sydney-based Stephen Reville who has been a triathlete for almost 6 years and training with Coach David Dellow and T:Zero for the past six months.
Originally from Ireland (more on this below) and a former boxer, when it comes to triathlon, Stephen is partial to half and full iron-distance races. Motivated by the desire to test himself against the best in the world under extreme conditions, Kona 2021/22 is his big goal. Stephen counts his proudest triathlon moment as breaking the 4:30 mark at Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast. The run and bike are his (equal) favourite legs as they come most naturally to him. Outside of triathlon, he enjoys surfing and boxing occasionally. While Stephen's currently focussed on rehabilitation following an injury, he’s hoping to shift that towards racing 70.3 and Ironman again in the very near future. All the best, Stephen! Why and how did you get into triathlon and multisport? When I was 24 years old, I was asked by my gym manager at the time to do a lifeguard course. I told him I couldn’t because I couldn’t even swim a quarter length of a 25 metre pool and I was scared of the deep end. I had to learn to swim so I could do the lifeguard course. I then moved to New Zealand and endurance events seemed to be all the go and my mates back home were doing triathlon so I thought I’d give it a try. I did my first ever triathlon in New Zealand (the South Island Half) after only 10 weeks of training! Favourite race and why? Sunshine Coast 70.3. I love the scenery up there and I love hot humid conditions. Any funny or embarrassing race memories you’d like to share? I was racing a double Olympic triathlon and moments before I asked this random guy to zip my wetsuit up for me and he ended up ripping the zip completely off my wetsuit so I couldn’t get it back on as it was broken. My mates then grabbed safety pins to hold it together! A few popped right away but some stayed. Off the gun went. We were swimming and during my first few strokes all the pins blew out and I had an open-back wetsuit in a really cold Irish river for 3 kilometres! It was great crack* really. What’s your favourite thing about triathlon/endurance/multisport? You can train at anytime. When I was a boxer you had to be in the gym same time every week and with my job being 60 to 70 hrs per week and physical it’s always been hard to maintain that. Do you do other training outside the normal swim/bike/run? Strength work every day as part of my rehab. Sometimes I’ll go surfing and a tiny bit of boxing training. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? Because my coach Dave Dellow is THE MAN. *crack - Irish word for “fun” :-P By Margaret Mielczarek  With the recent announcement from IRONMAN that, “due to the continued impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, the 2020 editions of the IRONMAN World Championship and IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship have been cancelled”, perhaps it’s time that we (the athletes) readjust our reasons – our ‘why’ – for training and participating in all things swim, bike and run.
While the recent announcement will no doubt leave many athletes deflated, disappointed and unmotivated – perhaps even adding to the negative mental health impacts that this pandemic has had – with everything going on at the moment (looking at you, Melbourne), really, the decision doesn’t come as a surprise. And, deep down, we all know this is the right call by IRONMAN. “It is with a heavy heart that we have made the decision to cancel the 2020 editions of the IRONMAN World Championship and the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship,” said President and Chief Executive Officer for the IRONMAN Group, Andrew Messick in a statement released by IRONMAN. “While we were hopeful that we could welcome our athletes, their families, and supporters to these events in early 2021, the continued impact of the pandemic makes this impossible. It’s tough to make this decision in July, but it will provide the necessary clarity for our athletes, cities and partners." "We will endure … and look forward to the day when we will again assemble the greatest professional and age-group triathletes in the world, and crown world champions.” TAKE STOCK AND READJUST For many athletes, a big motivator to train – especially in winter, when it’s cold, dark and possibly raining outside – is a looming race. There’s nothing quite like the fear of a race on the horizon to help you get out of bed at 4:30am. Am I right? But now with a lot of races off the calendar, perhaps one way to stay motivated is to readjust your ‘why’. Besides race day, what are your other reasons for training? What are the other benefits for getting out the door for that run, ride or even swim? Some of the reasons for training could be:
So, think about training during COVID-19 as an opportunity to strip it all back; to build a serious base, without the added pressure of an upcoming race. I, for one, have reaped the benefits of this, especially when it comes to my running – thanks, Scotty!
Getting out for a run with a friend can enhance the feeling of connection while living in a world of social distancing and isolation.
While, of course, there have been stories of even the strongest, healthiest people contracting the virus, exercise will help you stay as healthy as possible. Every time you step out the door, think about the good it’s doing for your body and mind.
COVID-19 doesn’t have to crush your race dreams completely, and certainly not forever. The virus will eventually pass, and races will once again fill calendars – remember this. Because before you know it, it’ll be 2021 or even 2022 and what will you have done? Use this time wisely. A conversation I recently had with a friend from Melbourne went a little something like this: “Looks like my running will be the only time I’ll be allowed out without a facemask … think I’ll be running a bit more now (laughs).” “Haha yeah, use it as an opportunity to get super fit, too! By the time we have some fun runs back … at this point we might all qualify for the Olympics, haha!”
Always wanted to do yoga but didn’t have the time? Do it now. Adult ballet taking your fancy? (*raises hand slowly*) Why not! It’s a great way to work on strength and core, and to improve your balance. Now is the time to try all the things you never got a chance to do because you were too busy … #training! LEAN ON YOUR COACH As with other disappointments in life, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received is that it’s also important to feel all the feels when trying to get through a tough situation or setback – be that an injury or a cancelled race. Allow yourself some time – cut yourself some slack. If you feel down or unmotivated, don’t beat yourself up about it. Chances are, a lot of athletes are feeling the same. Take the time you need to come to terms with the situation and to readjust to the new normal. Just don’t stay down for too long. And if you’re struggling, speak with your coach. Coaches are great at getting you to your race, but they can be so much more than simply the experts who keep an eye on what colours are appearing on your TrainingPeaks. So, reach out to your coach. Speak with your fellow athletes, friends and family. You don’t have to go through this alone. As Coach Heidi says in her recent blog: “As we hit a potential second wave of the virus and uncertainty, it may now be the perfect time to review your trajectory and create a second COVID inflection point by making a decision about your direction, locking into a goal or creating a positive change to your mindset.” #liveyourpotential #tzeromultisport |
