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!
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.
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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. “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. 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 Let’s talk business… and the current state of the world. I am no means a business expert. However living with three intelligent folk who love talking business, I do pick up a few general themes that every now and then make me pause and think huh, sometimes business mimics life! One such business topic is the INFLECTION POINT. In business, an inflection point is an event that results in a significant change in the progress of a business, a turning point after which a dramatic change, with either positive or negative results, is expected to result. In 2020, to me, it is obvious that COVID was an inflection point for a large percentage of triathletes and endurance sport folk. We all had decisions to make when COVID hit. The business of moving forward with exercise or training came down to each individual. For a large percentage, these decisions resulted in a training inflection point - some had renewed vigor around training and exercise as part of their lives. Others let it all fade to dust and stopped training and exercise all together.
For the ones who decided on the upward trajectory, life still had to change. I fondly remember the initial wave of enthusiasm and rush to secure a couple of kettlebells or dumbells for the home gym. Bunnings stocking gym equipment. There was the sellout of indoor trainers, bikes, the Zwift craze, yoga online and the slew of virtual events that still continues to flow through the social media. Some discovered a newfound appreciation for outdoor activities, mountain biking, open water swimming, kyacking and trail running. Very few parts of society and life have flowed onward without some scarring by the pandemic. Sport has, necessarily or not, faded into the background as the management of the nation’s physical and economic health has become a more critical and immediate issue. Yet despite the craziness of the world around us, one thing that truly stands out to me is that our RIGHT to exercise and train has remained an untouchable factor, …..no matter the lockdown status imposed. Despite pools and gyms being forced to close, races being cancelled, and community sport having been taken off the table for a period. For all but the few quarantined folk, we all HAVE retained our ability and right to exercise and train during COVID. Yes it has required some creativity at times to continue. But ultimately - the decision to train or exercise had been ours alone, not COVID’s. So, for those who may have decided to put their endurance goals to aside and lay off the focus and dedication, I wonder why? We all know the positive impact of structured training has on our physical and mental health and if we truly want to achieve those goals, nothing should stand in our way, not even COVID. And for those of us still training, still focused, are we progressing in the direction we want? So 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. For me, I have made the decision to dig my heels in right now, believe that races will eventually return and be totally optimistic about the future of our sport. That is my inflection point. Bring on the upward trajectory. Explore deeply, live boldy. Coach Heidi Click here to learn more about Coach Heidi and what incredible work she is doing for her athletes “Triathlon is as much a physical game as it is a mental one – for me, that’s the ultimate challenge. I also love meeting people from all different backgrounds and walks of life. It’s a great community to be a part of.” Caitlin Davis
Canberra, ACT Our June Fast Five athlete is Canberra based Caitlin Davis who has been training with Coach Andrew Perry and T:Zero for just over 12 months. Caitlin has participated in triathlons for 18 months but has already competed in sprint, Olympic, long course and 70.3 races, her favourite distance being the latter as she likes the extra time to settle into things! Caitlin is currently studying law full time so for her, triathlon is the hobby! When she’s not training she likes to practice yoga and hike. Caitlin is inspired by the supportive people in her life who have taught her that possibility is endless. For her, the greatest feeling is seeing these people at the finish line. For anyone starting out in the sport, Caitlin’s best advice is to surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and lift you up, followed by, quite simply, “just have fun!”. With the race season being up in the air for much of early 2020, Caitlin’s set herself a #coronagoal of completing a half marathon PB, choosing to focus more on her overall wellbeing, and building consistency in training. When everything’s back up and running, she hopes to compete in her second 70.3! Why and how did you get into triathlon and multisport? I came from a background of competitive tennis and hockey, which fell away once I started university. I got to a stage where I realised I didn’t have a lot of balance in my life, and everything basically revolved around study. Sport is such a huge contributor to my wellbeing, and I was ready to try something new and was looking for a challenge! I joined a local triathlon club in Canberra and completed their novice program and then my first triathlon in November 2018. Favourite leg and why? The swim – I find it’s where I can set my focus for the rest of the race, and somehow, I find it calming to be in the water. Since becoming a T:Zero athlete, what is the one new belief, behaviour, habit formed or skill honed that has most improved your athletic (or everyday) performance? Coach Andrew has definitely taught me a lot about consistency and patience. If you remain consistent and trust the process everything else will come. Do you have any tips for athletes struggling to find some motivation or who may have temporarily lost focus? I think it’s important to listen to what your body is trying to tell you, and to trust that your intuition is often correct. Sometimes I find that I simply just need a good couple of rest days and then I’m reset and ready to go. Remember that everything will fall together, just be patient. 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? When I’m going through a tough period during a race, I like to think about what an incredible gift it is to be able to swim, bike and run. Oh how lucky I am to suffer like this! 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 positive energy that comes from the T:Zero Team. Everyone is so supportive and it’s great to be part of a community that lifts each other up. *Caitlin has also previously contributed an epic race report on her debut 70.3 (Sunshine Coast) to our blog! It's certainly worth a read! “There is no royal road to anything, one thing at a time, all things in succession. That which grows fast, withers as rapidly. That which grows slowly, endures.”
Our May Fast Five feature is Brisbane based athlete Melissa Speare who has been kicking her endurance goals with the help of Coach Scotty and T:Zero for the past four years! Melissa’s favourite thing about triathlon and endurance sport is getting to hang out with other people who think it’s all totally normal! She’s got a love/hate relationship with each tri discipline but says the run is perhaps a soft spot purely because it’s so uncomfortable for her that she challenges herself to love it. Although she doesn’t have a favourite training session, Melissa says her favourite training week was attending the TZ Bright Camp and training up a storm with her buddy Farragio. Her motivation comes from setting the goal which she says makes her feel like she’s “on track” in life sometimes. When she’s not training, Melissa likes to play hunt, catch and cuddle with her kids... even though they’re all grown up 😊 While 2020 has seen her take a bit of a hiatus thus far, Melissa still has her eyes set on Noosa Triathlon in November, aiming to give it a crack for the first time since 2014! Fingers crossed Melissa! Favourite race? Why? Most recently…my first 100km trail run in Tassie a couple of months ago. Getting to the end with spirits high throughout the whole event. Magic. Proudest triathlon moment? My first Port Mac IM in 2018 where I finally got to do something I never thought I could do – finish a 42km run leg. Do you do other training outside the normal swim/bike/run? I’m loving throwing myself into yoga right now. So much so, that I decided I to undertake some yoga teacher training. Doing yoga regularly seems to be a great alternative to spending $$$$ at my physio at the moment. Have you ever had an apparent training or race day “failure” that has set you up for later success? Doing my first OD tri at Byron Bay with my brakes on. Never has that happened again. Seriously, the learnings are endless. Do you have any tips for athletes struggling to find some motivation or who may have temporarily lost focus? Just roll with it….keep moving however you want…mix it up…..try to maintain a sense of perspective not just for the sport you love, but for everything that makes up the kaleidoscope of your world. Make sure you keep talking with coach and surround yourself with good energies. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? Motivation, sharing knowledge that spans in a web of wild direction and camaraderie. With Coach Andrew Perry
As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and everyone comes to terms with the measures needed to flatten the curve, such as social distancing and isolation, many race plans have come undone. The IRONMAN World Championship, which was originally scheduled for October 2020 has now been postponed to February 2021. The Gold Coast Marathon has now officially been cancelled. The Sunshine Coast Marathon has also been cancelled. These are just some of most recent changes to upcoming events, to name a few. And with race plans derailed everywhere you turn; it can be easy to get down and to lose focus. As triathletes, we’re often told to ‘control the controllable’, a sentiment that rings true now more than ever. To get through these global unprecedented events it’s time to change the mindset – to look at this as an opportunity for becoming a better you, rather than an absolute derailment of goals and plans; dreams you’ve worked hard to achieve. It’s about shifting your perception of recent events and developing your long-term mindset. Do you really need to race every other weekend, or every year to be a better athlete? Or can you still achieve great things – to become a better you – by setting smaller milestones that can take you on a journey towards not only physical but also mental strength and wellbeing? My answer is: yes, you can. I’ve seen this in the athletes that I coach. While the pandemic has been a challenge (for coaches as well) I’ve had the pleasure of seeing my athletes achieve some great things during this forced ‘downtime’ – without the stress or pressure of race days, race times etc. Some of the notable improvements I’ve seen in my athletes, include:
So, my advice to athletes during this time is to look at the long-term (keep the bigger picture at the front of mind) while focusing on the short-term. Improvements come through consistency – by ticking off sessions as they come, every day. It’s about actually doing the work. Races will eventually come back – your racing calendar will once again be filled with exciting plans and race adventures. But for now, rather than focusing on what you’re missing out on, focus on what you can do to get stronger; to build a great base; to work on your weaknesses. With pools closed, why not focus on improving your running? If you can’t ride outside, why not focus on improving your technique on the bike while riding on the trainer? How often do we get the chance to focus on our weaknesses? Use this time wisely – to your long-term advantage. Without the added stress and pressure of short-term race goals, you can really get back to basics and build a stronger base that will set you up to achieve great things when we’re finally given the green light to race again. If you do that, you’ll come out on the other side better than ever. Cheers Coach AP Click HERE to learn more about Coach Andrew Perry Is your inner bookworm seeking new material?
Never content to rest on our laurels, at T:Zero we’re constantly searching for ways to improve our performance - both athletically and personally - coaches and athletes alike. In the interests of striving to live our potential, training our brains is just as important as training our bodies. Recently, we asked our coaching team to recommend their favourite endurance-related books so we could collate a comprehensive list to share with our athletes and friends. There’s something to whet the appetite of almost every athlete below, so take a look - one of our recommended reads might just be the catalyst you need to tweak your training, lifestyle or mindset and in return, reap massive rewards in your next big race. So next time you find yourself reaching for your phone for an hour of mindless scrolling, perhaps reach for one of these books instead. Happy reading! Run with the Best by Tony Benson Recommended by: Coach David Dellow Run with the Best is a super practical guide to putting together a long term running program. Author Tony Benson gives a brief outline of training philosophies used by various world class coaches from around the world, then takes you through the benefits of specific training sessions and finally the best way to structure a long term running program. Although it’s just a book about running there’s lots of stuff that can be applied to triathlon. Unbeatable mind: forge resiliency and mental toughness to succeed at an elite level by Mark Divine Recommended by: Coach Monique Ralph Commander Divine is a former Navy SEAL who has trained thousands of candidates for the SEAL program as well as being on active duty for the Navy. Unbeatable Mind has deeply impacted the lives of thousands of people seeking strength in their thinking, mental-state, and self-development with a curated package of tools and techniques not easily found anywhere else. In this book, Author Mark Divine offers his philosophy and methods for developing maximum potential through integrated warrior development. This work was created through trial and error proving to thousands of clients that they are capable of twenty times more than what they believe. The powerful principles for forging deep character, mental toughness and an elite team provided in this book are the foundation of the Unbeatable Mind 'working in' program being used by coaches, professors, therapists, doctors and business professionals worldwide. I have learned the following ideas/principles: > Mental clarity - to make better decisions while under pressure. > Concentration - to focus on the mission until victory is assured. > Awareness - to be more sensitive to your internal and external radar. > Leadership authenticity - to be a heart-centered leader and service oriented teammate. > Intuition - to learn to trust your gut and use mental imagery to your advantage. The Road to Character by David Brooks Recommended by: Coach Stuart Hill Have you ever scrolled through your social media feed, only to be left feeling a bit empty? Everyone else seems always to be having such a great time on holidays, graduating from Uni, or getting some amazing job. But in real life, these people are having struggles just like us. Unfortunately, social media has made a shift from a place to express ourselves to an arena for self-promotion. It’s not just social media, though. The internet itself is just a mirror of what our society has evolved into. These days we are increasingly concerned with ourselves and what we need. Living like this puts people under constant pressure to perform and compete. Because of this stress, we forget that what we really want is for people to remember us for who we were, not for what we did. In The Road to Character, David Brooks reflects on how society’s values have changed for worse, and shares the deeper values we should start filling our lives with instead. He encourages us to rebalance our scales between our “resume virtues,” or achieving wealth and status, and our “eulogy virtues,” which are those deep within us such as honesty, bravery, and kindness. Whilst not a book that relates directly to endurance sport or triathlon you can be sure to read this and emerge thinking about the things that really matter in life. How will you be remembered? Your resume may reveal that you won the race or conversely it may reveal that you stopped to help another athlete and forfeited your chance of winning. Read The Road to Character to "discover who you really are and embrace a simple truth: in order to fulfil yourself you must first learn to forget yourself". Grit - The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth Recommended by: Coach Heidi Sowerby Author Angela Duckworth defines grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals”. Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress. Duckworth explores how gritty individuals approach achievement over the long term and how their key advantage is the commitment to stick to the plan despite challenges. Whereas disappointment or boredom signals to others that it is time to change direction, the gritty individual stays the course. In endurance world essence... doing the work, day in, day out. This book explores a wide variety of topics including measuring grit on the Grit Scale, how to grow grit, interest, practice, purpose, hope and the various playing fields of grit including parenting and sport. The messages and takeaways in every chapter are in definite parallel to those you will hear from your coach on what it takes to be successful in our sport. It may be still early days for grit research, but this book and its concepts are definitely worth exploring. A great read. Mindset by Dr. Carol Dweck Recommended by: Coach Scotty Farrell There are many simple takeaways that can be applied right across the board in skill acquisition and general growth in any area. My favourite: the word 'yet'. By adding this simple word onto the end of a sentence that might otherwise finish feeling a touch negative, you can change your or someone else's whole mindset on something. "I can't possibly do 20 push ups... yet" Great for teaching my kids, and for attempting to shift an athlete's mindset a touch (maybe). Old dogs take more work obviously. Becoming a Supple Leopard by Dr. Kelly Starrett Recommended by: Coach Lisa Spink A rabbit hole I am glad I am down - mobility - understanding how the body copes with load, why it breaks and what to do about it. The Pyramid of Success by John Wooden Recommended by: Coach Richard Thompson One of the greatest coaches of all time and his thoughts around his processes. The chapters dedicated to his way of coaching is the blueprint for why he was so successful over so many decades. The finish line feels!!! It means so much to all of us. But how we get there, how the race unfolds, how we deal with adversity and effectively problem solve throughout the day comes down to the months and sometimes years of preparation, and to some degree, how specific and customised your training program and coaching was, guiding you to that finish line. Below is the latest blog from Head Coach Scotty Farrell who takes a dive into T:Zero's customised coaching approach. At the very heart of what we do at T:Zero lies the notion of customised coaching. The group of awesome humans we have attracted and brought together, all have the shared belief of treating each individual athlete that graces us with their presence, as you guessed it… individuals.
In a recent exchange of ideas behind the scenes, I threw out the macro planning/periodisation question around season structure, and general planning. What overwhelmingly came from that discussion was that, well, ‘it depends’. Every statement made suggesting one method over another, backed by science, art, and experience, was caveated with ‘it depends on the individual’. This exact phrase of ‘it depends’ underpins everything the team of coaches at T:Zero do on a weekly/daily basis with their athletes, and it makes me so proud to be a part of such a great bunch of humans. There is no progression without adequate recovery and adaptation. Therefore, a traditional approach of base/build/peak/taper and 3 weeks on 1 week recovery, that you might find in the classic training ‘bible’, is somewhat null and void, unless, the individual has a lifestyle that allows for an almost flawless routine, and next to zero outside influences effecting their flow. In all my years of coaching, this happens rarely if ever. Sickness, injury, family commitments, work commitments, all rear their face at some stage in a person’s life and without a coach to understand this, and adapt an individual’s training to suit, you are pushing the proverbial shit up hill/going nowhere fast. There’s lots of buzz in the coaching world on a performance level at the moment around technology… AI, machine learning etc and the ability for machines to make better decisions than humans. There’s no denying that with the right programs and algorithms, a machine can indeed make more accurate decisions than us mere mortal humans. But, I am still waiting on a machine that can understand emotions and apply empathy… as I say this I am thinking I am probably going to be slapped in the face with a ‘yeah they can Farrell’. I love the geeky side of coaching, but like the rest of the team of coaches at T:Zero, we believe the tools are there to aide in the daily decisions we make as coaches to treat every individual with respect and empathy, whilst at the same time, being acutely aware that each day, week, month, year, is all part of a bigger picture… the big picture of consistency, patience, stacking the layers, staying healthy, and enjoying the process. My advice to you… if you are training, following a program, working with a coach… and you are not being treated as a unique individual, then find a coach who does. It’s the difference you could be missing. You could for example start right here 😉 Hi everyone, I was able to enjoy some time off training at the end of the year and have started the year easing into it again with some light volume and have gradually built each week. I wanted to have been running more by now but have had to ease off the running over the last 4 weeks due to a niggle in my knee. Thanks to a friend who reminded me of the saying “If we listen to our body when it whispers, we won’t have to listen when it screams.” Although, it’s frustrating being limited by the duration, intensity and amount of running training, I know I have plenty of time up my sleeve to get fit and sharpen up my run before being able to race this year. Once I am confident that my body is good to go again we will focus more on steadily building my run volume over the first half of the year. Apart from the niggle that’s been puttingthe brakes on my run training, I’ve enjoyed riding my bike with mates. I’ve even had a couple of goes at trying to stay on my partner’s (Damien Collins) wheel on some long rides through the Sunshine Coast hinterland. I still have lots of work to do to be able to keep up with him but I have been enjoying the challenge and it’s great to see him riding so strong early on in the year. I’ve also loved being back at the Nambour swim squad a couple of times a week. This month’s blog I thought I would write about tips on how to qualify for Kona as an age group athlete. The qualifying process takes lots of hard work and heart so I have come up with a few tips that should be able to give any age group athlete an advantage on their quest for Kona. 1. Talk to your close circle of people It isn’t going to be an easy feat so you will need as much help as you can get. Before setting out a plan on what race to qualify at etc. you will need to talk to your loved ones and propose to them why you want to go on this journey. If you can get their approval and support it will make the next 12-24 month (or sometimes years) journey much easier. Come up with a plan together and work out where you want to try and qualify. You will be a team from that point forward. Ironman training is demanding when you’re in the thick of it, especially, while working full-time. It’s nice to have a couple of people who are looking out for you and can pick up the slack around the home when you need to catch up on “ironman related activities that are not training” such as; naps, bike maintenance, stretching, eating or going to body maintenance appointments. Let your friends know the reason that can’t make a special event and 9 times out of 10 they will understand. Your loved ones will be affected by your decision to go on this journey so make sure you take the time to listen to any concerns that the may have. 2. Hire a coach that will work around your lifestyle Good coaches have experience and knowledge in specifically building your training up safely to get you ready for your chosen event. Training can be difficult enough so I don’t see the point in wasting further mental energy on planning your sessions. I am motivated by being accountable to someone and having feedback on certain sessions. It’s even better if you can hire a coach who will plan your training around your lifestyle. There’s no point in paying for a coach if you can only fit in a few of their training sessions around your busy schedule. Success in Ironman is based on consistency and this is what you want to aim for with your coach. You will need to map out your approach to qualifying with your coach and come up with some process-orientated goals. I believe you will be 100% more prepared physically and mentally on race day knowing that a professional in the field has planned the work for you. 3. Pick a race that suits you
If you’re thinking of qualifying for Kona you should know your strengths and weaknesses within the 3 disciplines by now. You want to reduce as many “unknowns” on race-day and select a course that is suited to your strengths. Look at what time of year you want to race and research each Ironman course around that time and select the one that BEST suits you. I find other athlete race reports/blogs to be VERY helpful here as well as the course description on the Ironman website in regards to race conditions. Know your strengths e.g. are you like me and have NO swim background as a child? Possibly, you need a salt-water and wetsuit swim rather than a lake swim so everyone spends less time in the water which will decrease the gap between you and the faster swimmers. Do you suit flat or hilly bike courses? Would you rather race in the heat? You don’t want to be adding any extra stress on race day by throwing in conditions that you know are playing your weaker cards. 4. Race at a regional champs Age group racing has become so competitive these days and most Ironman races offer 40 qualifying slots which guarantees only one Kona slot per age group. The age groups with the highest percentage of competitors will be allocated the leftover slots and may end up with 2-4 in the densest age groups. At regional champs, there are usually 75 allocated Kona slots so therefore you almost double your chance of qualifying for a slot and double the chance that it might roll down to you. Yes, usually your competition increases at a regional championship but you have to remember that Ironman is a long day and anything is possible if you keep believing and focusing on your race. 5. Ask yourself if you really want to do this Ironman training is hard. There are lots of fun and rewarding moments along the way but there’s also a lot of times that you will question why you’re doing it. You need to know YOUR why so that you stay disciplined and consistent in getting the work done. Develop a no-excuse policy because no one will do the work for you. 6. Recovery is key Yes the work needs to be done but keep in mind you still need to be realistic in terms of your recovery and listening to your body. We’ve all stayed up late to finish off a session or set our alarms to some un-holy hour to get the session in before a big day of work. Sometimes we have no option but if our bodies aren’t recovering properly we won’t be getting the benefits from training and will increase our chance of burn-out or injury. 7. Surround yourself with positive people There are going to be people in your life who are inhibited by fear that will judge you and tell you all the reasons why this is a stupid idea and why you can’t do it. They will be the first ones to say, “I told you so” when you come across your first deviation from the original plan due to injury or any other obstacles. While Ironman is mostly about being consistent in training, you will get so much more out of yourself if you’re in a positive frame of mind. You won’t have much spare time anyway so make sure you spend it with the people who make you feel refreshed after spending time with, make you laugh and celebrate the small things along the journey. Good luck on your quest to Kona and/or happy training :) Thanks for reading and I hope you find my tips helpful, Ash Hunter On the weekend of February 7-9, Goondiwindi will host its annual ‘Festival of Hell’, which encompasses the infamous Hell of the West triathlon (a 2km swim, 80km cycle and 20km run), now in its 29th year, and a number of additional complementary events the day prior on what is now known as ‘Super Saturday’. Described as one of Queensland’s most iconic long course triathlon events, HOTW is certainly one for the bucket list if you haven’t dared to attempt it already. Here are five reasons why we love this laid back, local long course race …
1. The diversity Uber competitive age groupers, professionals and social triathletes - this race attracts them all! Every year, some of Australia’s very best triathletes and a contingent of internationals descend on Goondiwindi to compete side-by-side with locals and amateurs, toughing out the relaxed but competitive long course event in some of the hottest, most challenging conditions of any triathlon in Australia. According to the HOTW president, the prize money on offer isn’t what attracts professional athletes, but the history of this iconic, community-centric race and the desire to ensure its survival in the “very corporate” IRONMAN world of triathlon. If you’re looking for a decent long-course hit out but need a break from the all-consuming M-dot, HOTW is for you! 2. The course HOT HOT HOT. The Goondiwindi temperature in February (up to 38 degrees) is what sets this race apart. A 2km freshwater swim in the Macintyre River, followed by an 80km (40km out-and-back) flat cycle along the Barwon Highway, topped off with a 20km run back along the river (3 loops - perfect for spectators!), presents athletes with a formidable challenge, undoubtedly enticing to athletes who love to race in the heat. Due to the timing of the event, it’s a great early-year race if you’re ramping up Ironman training or even looking to compete in a team as a warm up for whatever is on the agenda for the rest of the calendar year. 3. The community feel Nothing beats local hospitality, and Goondiwindi offers it in droves. With an average of 500 competitors, HOTW is big enough to warrant a well-organised and professional event, but still small enough for race morning bike racking! The relaxed and casual approach to this race helps to curb many a pre-race jitter, as do the local volunteers, assisting as ushers, aid station attendants and in a variety of other roles. The location of race transition - in the centre of the town at Goondiwindi Town Park - means the race (racking, transition set-up etc.) is also easily accessible for athletes and equally handy for spectators and supporters (no huge line ups to cross roads for better vantage points etc.). The race attracts a strong and loyal following amongst age groupers, with many competitors embracing the community event and returning to compete on a yearly basis, only adding to the laid-back and familial atmosphere. 4. The weekend “festival” Recently rebranded as the “Festival of Hell”, events now span the entire weekend, and athletes of all abilities and their families can participate in additional races on ’Super Saturday’ including a 5 or 10km charity run “Gundy Inferno”, an enticer triathlon “The Firestarter” and “Hell Kids” - a kids triathlon open for ages 6-11. These events really encourage more local and family participation, adding to the festive atmosphere and offering the opportunity for an even larger contingent of athletes to descend on Goondiwindi without having to commit themselves to the formidable distances of the iconic HOTW race. 5. Its “feel good” factor When you participate in local events like HOTW, the impact of both your time and money spent in regional areas like Goondiwindi cannot be overstated. Each year, this event benefits the Goondiwindi Region’s local economy significantly - every dollar spent by athletes on accomodation and local services helps to support the community, which is particularly important during these times of drought. In fact, HOTW is run as a not-for-profit incorporation and donates a significant amount of money back to the local community groups, sporting clubs, schools and charities who volunteer their time over the weekend. What could be better than knowing you are making an impact on a local scale, while doing what you love? Surely, this “feel good factor” will help to keep those mental demons at bay during the last 10K of the run leg… :-P Good luck to all our awesome T:Zero athletes racing Hell of the West next weekend! Remember to stay hydrated, have fun and give it hell! “Be consistent in all you do. Consistency over many months and years will allow you to yield the results you want.” This month we’re shining the spotlight on our coaching team again, featuring our Cairns-based super coach and a stellar athlete in her own right - Coach Mon!
Originally turning to triathlon as a new athletic endeavour after finishing her cricketing career, Monique joined T:Zero as an athlete in 2014 and has been a T:Zero coach for almost 3 years now. Her favourite thing about the sport, she says is “the discipline it requires”, while her least favourite is washing all the training clothes (we’re with you on this one, Mon!). Her favourite leg is the bike, where she feels she can “get into the groove” and really work her hardest, motivated no doubt by the sweet sounds of Eminem, who dominates her training playlist. Since her triathlon debut in 2013, Mon has competed in two Ironmans, 11 Ironman 70.3 races and countless sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. All her hard work has recently culminated in her proudest triathlon moment to date - qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in New Zealand later this year. From a coach’s perspective, Mon believes the most successful athletes share the attributes of consistency, positivity and understanding that the process is more important than the outcome. We couldn’t agree more! Outside of triathlon, Coach Mon is a self-confessed “nerd” who loves reading, brain training and doing jigsaw puzzles. Since becoming a T:Zero athlete or coach, what is the one new belief, behaviour, habit formed or skill honed that has most improved your athletic (or every day or coaching) performance? It is all about having a growth mindset. I am a very structured and rigid person and I can stumble with change, but I am developing my mindset to enjoy new challenges. Do you do other training outside the normal swim/bike/run? Love to MTB. I am an uncoordinated baby giraffe and always fall off but I love the feeling of being free! What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate? Self drive motivates me. I want to see what I can do and I love to know the session has been nailed each and every day. Love the greens in TP (Training Peaks)! Do you have any tips for athletes struggling to find some motivation or who may have temporarily lost focus? Go back to your ‘why’. The ‘why’ you are doing triathlon in the first place. There was an initial reason you started, so search back and try and rekindle the passion. What is your favourite thing about being a T:Zero coach? I have grown as a coach under the tutelage of Scotty as my mentor. My favourite thing is when an athlete nails a session, or a race and they are so excited. That excitement is contagious and keeps me motivated to give them exciting and challenging sessions. 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 way it has grown. When I started with Scotty, T:Zero as we know it today did not exist. It has been interesting to watch it grow from a thought to a reality and it has been exciting to be an athlete and a coach with this amazing coaching group and stable of athletes. Hi Everyone, Wow – and just like that 2019 is done and dusted! I hope you’ve all had a great festive season. I’ve been on my off-season since Ironman Cozumel and have really enjoyed the time away from structured training. I’ve been keeping the body moving with some light enjoyable exercise. It’s been nice having more time to catch up with friends and family over the break and do things that I wouldn’t usually do while in training like going to a couple of live music gigs. Off-season is now over though and I’m slowly getting back into consistent training. Getting back into training this year hasn’t been an easy feat. I’m not struggling so much with motivation but more so… (GETTING OLDER haha) now some of you may laugh at me saying this as I’m only 28 years old BUT I feel like my body is trying to tell me I’m getting older haha. I don’t remember feeling so many aches and pains in so many places! I’ve noticed the more I eat well, maintain consistent sleep patterns, wear supportive shoes at work, try to keep on top of massage and rolling the aches and pains go away and it’s easier to get going (hope those tips help you too if you’re feeling like getting started again has left you on struggle street). It’s been GREAT to have a break and all but I’m ready now to start thinking about and working towards my next goal. Yay! So I would like to share with you what that focus is going to be.
My coach and I sat down to discuss my goals for the up and coming year, recently. As many of you know I have come from a strength background (powerlifting), which has mostly given me an advantage on the bike leg. But Ironman triathlon isn’t all about how big your power file is on the bike but mainly how well you can execute the run after arriving into T2. It’s been apparent in long course racing that I arrive into T2 usually at the top of the female amateur race or at least near the top. And it’s always my run where I am trying to not give too much time away and/or where I get overtaken. Seeing as my run is letting me down quite a lot we have made a decision to focus on building my run volume over the first third of the year. I’m excited to spend more time running and working my way up to some pretty solid run volume (for me), we’ll aim at trying to build up towards 100km’s of running per week dependant on how my body reacts and adjusts over the block. Obviously, there is a chance of injury here so I have to be 100% aware of my body and communicate with my coach when anything feels out of place so we can move progressively forward. I would like to take 20 minutes off my marathon time. I really enjoy the challenges of Ironman training and working towards trying to be the best athlete that I can be so I will try and provide myself every opportunity to do so while trying to balance “life.” I’d like to try and execute a marathon that I’m happy with in my home town at Ironman Cairns. After Ironman Cairns we plan to bring back in higher bike and swim volumes in the lead up to the Ironman World Champs 2020. I can’t wait to share how the run progress goes over the next few months. Thanks for reading along Run Happy, Ash Hunter Coach Scotty - Sunshine Coast, Qld
“Successful athletes see the big picture and have a long-term approach to their training and goals. They also generally possess a growth mindset. Rather than seeing setbacks as failures and obstacles as a potential risk, they see them as an opportunity to learn and develop.” T:Zero co-founder, Director of Coaching and resident qualified nutritionist Coach Scotty has been “officially” involved in triathlon and endurance sports for over 15 years and “unofficially” running his entire life. Making his debut via sprint triathlons in Hervey Bay in the early 000’s, he subsequently discovered his real love for the sport existed after 7+ hours of anything endurance related … aka “when the fun begins!”. Scotty’s favourite race was Ironman New Zealand 2014 - a day where everything fell into place and he learned how deep he could go and still come out smiling! His favourite leg is the bike, because, as he says, it took him “forever” to get any good at it. As a coach/dad/pseudo dad, Scotty derives his greatest pride from seeing an athlete achieve their goal - especially when he’s able to be there and see it happen in person. An experience, he says, that is second-to-none. While he has some big, scary goals for 2020, at the moment, Scotty’s training purely for the love of it, and is motivated daily by the search for new boundaries and facing his fears. He cross trains with some yoga, Brazilian Ju Juitsu, chasing his kids, mountain biking and surfing. Outside the normal swim/bike/run, he dabbles in gardening, home schooling his kids, bee keeping, reading and listening to podcasts. In lots of ways, Scotty is not your typical triathlete. In his own words, he’s more “laid back than most” and he says that while his process is still “methodical and precise”, he has chosen to do this sport and at the end of the day, “whilst I love it, it doesn’t define me”. His endurance goal for 2020 is to get out there, have as much fun as possible and race something scary and new! Since becoming a T:Zero coach, what is the one new belief, behaviour, habit formed or skill honed that has most impacted your coaching performance? As I become more experienced and my skillset has developed in all areas, I think the most valuable thing to come with the experience is the ability to zoom out (when required) and not get too caught up in the weeds. Educating athletes to be able to see things this way, from a global, long term perspective, is key to kicking over those big goals. Let the coach deal with the weeds and get down to the business of nailing the process ;-) Have you ever had an apparent training or race day “failure” that has set you up for later success? So many. Huge one for me was Kona 2014 and learning (in hindsight) all about the effects of outside mental stress leading into a big race. In order to nail an A race at that level, stress levels on all fronts need to be nice and low leading in, in order to firstly make it there in one piece and then be fresh enough to have a great performance. Best piece of advice for someone starting out in the sport? Or best advice you’ve received? For those starting out: be patient, be consistent and don’t be in too much of a hurry to go straight to full Ironman distance. Play around for a while in the shorter distances and get some decent skin in the game. It takes many years to build true endurance fitness, so be prepared to think in two year blocks as opposed to two months. Do you have any tips for athletes struggling to find some motivation or who may have temporarily lost focus? Take a break. If the motivation is not there and you can’t see the big picture, then either you’re heavily fatigued and in need of a rest, or you’re doing it for the wrong reasons. For the most part, motivation will ebb and flow, but you shouldn’t have to be constantly searching for it … the love of it all should be dragging your backside out the door each day. Otherwise, don’t forget the big picture … not every session needs to be all fancy and motivating. The big picture tells us that the real results come from putting together the big blocks of training, rather than the odd magic session. What is your favourite thing about being a T:Zero coach? I like when I get to share in the journey of ticking off big goals with an athlete, the same goes for sharing our coaching team’s experiences in training and racing. The joy in the lightbulb moments and breakthroughs is awesome. And sharing it means I get to vicariously relive all these experiences over and over. As well as this, I am constantly having my thoughts and perspectives shaped and challenged by the team environment, effectively making me a more well-rounded coach. And one more for good measure (and a big head) … Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team? Helping athletes and other coaches to achieve their goals is what it’s all about. I got into coaching because I am drawn to helping others and sharing my knowledge, and the more you help, the more you receive in return. I get so much out of working with athletes and coaches. And I’m a not-so-closet nerd… so the technical side of coaching is always fun too. With Head Coach Em Quinn
As a coach of any sporting code, the job requires a close relationship to be formed with an individual athlete and the guidance and goal setting process to help the individual achieve what he/she is seeking. Daily my role as a Head Coach within T:Zero Multisport has me continually working closely with my athletes by providing them with periodised, structured and diverse training plans to help them see the desired goal or outcome. I sit in the office for 3 days per week (plus often some nights when big racing weeks roll around) sifting through training plans, programming and making my way through emails all in the pursuit to bring out the very best in those I help. Recently an athlete of mine ticked off her second “A” race for the 2019 year. It was a cracker, one of those days where things just come together across all three disciplines and the stars align, one of those rare days which we often only stumble across every now and again, but when we do, they are ever so sweet. Following this race and some planned active recovery weeks (those whom I coach will know I am a big fan of some active recovery sessions and unplugging a little post big events) I received an email from this athlete which outlined her next set of 2019/2020 triathlon goals. I opened the email with excitement as I get such a buzz from seeing what athletes set out to achieve within the sport but also within themselves. The first line of the email read “so….I know I will never be a champion in this sport or a podium contender BUT here are my goals and thoughts for the year ahead”. At the time, I continued reading the email, I got motivated and excited by the A, B and C goals that the athlete had in mind and replied with a lose agenda and of course scheduling a meeting where we can sit down and discuss the ins and outs of what it will take to get to where the athlete intended to be. However, that night, as I sat awake for several hours (the nightly grind with a newborn) I thought to myself, what does this world “champion” even mean? On the surface, some may say in the context of triathlon that a “champion” are those elite professionals, those who swim, bike and run for a day job and those who are successful enough to make a living from this all-consuming sport that we all seem to love so much. Others may say to a mate “you champion” for gaining world championship selection, for hitting a new personal best or for simply finishing an endurance event that once may have been a pipeline dream. As a coach, of many athletes of varying abilities, goals and physical limits, I sat awake that night thinking of a way I could define “champion”. For me, I feel the definition is far more a mental one than a physical one. Of course, the fast 5km, the new PB’s, the World Championship Qualifications or the multiple Ironman finishes are impressive achievements and I am the first to feel immense satisfaction and pride when an athlete and I achieve one of these accolades, but do I feel these assets are individual qualities which define a person, the answer is no. For me the word “champion” means much more than results on paper or medals hanging in the garage. I think that an athlete who has a “champion mindset” is just as much of an achiever as those who swim, bike and run their way to the top level of this sport. By this, I mean, those individuals who strive to better themselves day in and day out, those who give 110% in training and in racing, even when at times it may seem like an impossible task. Those who seek to tackle the impossible and take each training session as an opportunity not only to better their physiological capacities but also to gain an insight and a continued love into the sport of triathlon. I, personally get just as much motivation and enthusiasm to create a plan for an athlete who is driven, process as well as performance orientated and brings with them a growth mindset (by this I mean viewing a setback or a weaker result as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than a failure). If you portray all of these qualities and have a genuine passion for the sport, then I believe that is a much more meaningful definition of a “champion” than simply a pen to paper result, which may appear on the surface like a success. With the start of a new decade only a matter of weeks away, I ask you to question your mindset as you plan and set you goals for the season ahead. Seek the very best in yourself and strive to develop a love and genuine passion for the sport. Promise to be the best you can be, to learn, grown and develop as the highs and lows of the season occur (and they both will occur – prepare for them), I have no doubt that if you employ these tiny increments of positive mindset applications into your daily training, you’ll have an unbeatable season and without a doubt, enjoy the journey a lot more. I cannot wait for 2020 and I am so excited by the goals and plans ahead for my team and the T:Zero Multisport crew. If you are striving for that next level in your performance (as an athlete and as a person) or simply feel as though your performance has plateaued, or that your love and passion for the sport has dwindled, then I challenge you take a step back and question your mindset, you never know where it could take you. Until next time, Emma Quinn Head Coach T:Zero Multisport Click here to find out more about what makes Em Quinn a champion coach! Over the last three months I’ve been struggling with fatigue over the couple of days leading into my menstrual cycle or the first couple of days of my cycle. The purpose of ‘The Ash Hunter Diaries’ is for me to be open with you guys about my ups and downs along my journey towards Cozumel and my quest for Kona 2020. This has definitely been a low in my journey as it keeps interrupting the flow (pardon the pun) of my consistent training blocks... ugh! There’s nothing more frustrating than when training seems to be going on track and all of a sudden… BOOM! I’m floored for 1 or 2, or sometimes even 3 days with fatigue. Welcome to the world of being a female athlete. Ever since I can remember, I’ve trained through this time of the month and have found some months affect me more than others and some don’t affect me at all. As of lately, though, I’ve noticed the affects three months in a row. I’ve always felt rather guilty or have beat myself up about not being able to achieve my target sessions during the pre-menstrual time of the month because I didn’t really understand what was going on inside my body. I hope that this blog helps other women who’ve experienced the same thing so they’re not be so hard on themselves when they can’t hit their targets during this time of the month. So let’s take a look at what happens to our hormones and the four different phases during the menstrual cycle and then we’ll take a look at a very simplified explanation on how and why our training is affected by our fluctuating hormones. A quick summary – what is the menstrual cycle? “The menstrual cycle starts with menses, when females are (unless they have become pregnant) bleeding and shedding the uterine lining. Menses is the start of the follicular phase, or “low hormone” phase, characterized by low luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), progesterone and slowly increasing levels of estrogens. This phase lasts for around the first 14 days of the menstrual cycle. Then around the "middle" of the cycle ovulation should occur, which is characterized by a spike in levels of estrogen and luteinizing hormone. This coincides with the release of the egg and is the time of the menstrual cycle when females can become pregnant. Ovulation is followed by the luteal phase and is the high-hormone phase of the menstrual cycle when both estrogen and progesterone levels are higher.” (Ihalainen, 2019) The Science According to author Dr Stacy Sims, when we start to get into the high hormonal phase (luteal phase / pre-menstrual phase) this is where oestrogen is inhibiting carbohydrate utilisation so therefore we can’t quite hit high intensities in training at this time. Increased oestrogen levels usually increases serotonin in the brain which causes some brain fog. The increase of progesterone increases the core temperature so we have less time to fatigue and less tolerance to heat. During the high hormonal phase we have less water in the blood so we become less efficient at getting blood to the working muscle tissue. Now that we know how our performance is slightly impeded we can use nutrition and recovery practises to overcome this. Attempting to train when my hormones wreak havoc - slightly dramatic but keeping it real The alarm goes off… my brain tells my body to get up, it doesn’t respond. With the sound of the alarm in the background, I feel like I’m looking at my body from above trying to wake it but it seems to be stuck in quicksand. I’m standing above my body shouting at it with motivational thoughts like, “you are ready,” “get up and slay that bike today, Ash” then I turn to negative comments to really try and get me out of bed, “you’re never going to achieve your best” or “get up, you’re being weak.” I end up having an internal battle and agree to reset the alarm for another 30 mins time. I roll over and regretfully still lay there achieving nothing because I am feeling so guilty for feeling like I’m giving in to fatigue and not being on my bike. One would think this would be a clear indicator that one needs to stay in bed. Hmmm. Well, you see, we are endurance athletes and we’ve been trained to keep going without giving into tiredness and fatigue. Ok so I end up getting out of bed through shear guilt. I get onto my bike. Everything hurts more than usual, the spots on my saddle that usually take a few hours to get sore are there immediately, I feel short of breath, my heart rate is high, my attention span is low, where are my legs? They’ve gone! I can’t focus too long on one spot otherwise I feel like I will collapse onto the road into the foetal position and sleep there for the next 3 hours. Trying to be optimistic that I would ‘come good’ throughout the session I stayed out there 3 hours holding all of 100 watts NP (I usually sit at 135 watts for an easy warm up) which felt like a 7/8 RPE, I skipped my important backend intervals, went home and rested instead as I knew my body just didn’t feel right. I was able to train back to normal the next day. If you have ‘meat above your feet,’ (borrowing that saying from WITSUP – thanks) you may think I’m exaggerating here. Well, I’m not! I usually feel like this 1 or 2 days throughout each cycle. Life is a constant learning process and I’m just trying to work out my puzzle of the female physiology and endurance training. Looking at fatigue I wasn’t sure whether I was getting knocked out with these ‘fatigue days’ due to a lack of iron, dehydration, or that I hadn’t fuelled myself with enough calories a day or two before. I’d been to see a health professional about this topic to get my iron levels, blood count, B12, thyroid and a couple of other tests checked but they all came back within normal ranges. I make an extremely conscious effort to focus on hydration and have been seeing a dietitians to help with nutrient absorption and energy intake. But it keeps happening at the same time throughout my cycle each month. Fatigue is very generalised but to me it feels like weakness, tiredness, decreased tolerance for heat training, increased heart rate, increased sensitivity, increased perception of effort and decreased mood. These symptoms seem to happen at any time throughout the luteal phase or start of menses. I could be training well and all of a sudden I hit a big wall (that seems to be built with solid bricks of emotions, sluggishness, discomfort and so much tiredness.) I then feel frustrated at myself for the interruption to my training block as I can only tolerate low –moderate intensity training and even missing a session or two due to needing the rest or not listening to my body (and also not telling my coach how I’m feeling because I just want to do the darn session… oops), pushing beyond what I should and then burying myself for a few days… doh! After this happened for the third month in a row it’s becoming more obvious that my athletic performance can be impeded during this time of the month, maybe more so when my volume is higher. I’m pretty slow at working things out at times but I think I’m slowly starting to get it now. I am calling this the quest to finding my menstrual cycle and exercise performance sweet spot. Where to from here? My coach has approached the topic with me recently, I don’t know why I haven’t thought of this before but we are going to base my training block around my cycle. We’ll use the days where my hormones are back to being stable/low at the end of the follicular phase and during ovulation to build and hit those target sessions and then do active recovery during those days when my hormones rise up in the luteal phase and get close to menses. We have been using the FITR Woman app to track my cycle so far. I will continually play around with my nutrition and keep using trial and error to see how my body is fuelled best within each phase with the help of Stacy Sims research. Each one of us are different but I hope you’ve enjoyed a rather un-talked about topic and that it may bring awareness to this topic. I am excited to start using my female physiology to my advantage and get the most out of my training when I’m feeling strong! I look forward to being a happier athlete and not getting frustrated at myself for not being able to hit targets or complete sessions for reasons outside of my control… Here’s a couple of interesting articles I found that will provide some more information on this topic which have links to evidence based research:
https://www.miun.se/en/Research/research-centers/swsrc/news/2019-2/the-menstrual-cycle-and-female-athletic-performance/ Until next time! Keep up the great work. Ash |
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