​My name is Khloe Healy and I am a long course triathlete who enjoys long runs on the beach and carb-fuelled dinners. 

I found triathlon in 2018 after I went in search of health and a hobby. Since then, it has become so much more. 

For the first year I fumbled my way through on average bikes, tri suits from the op shop and a “give it a crack” attitude before signing up for my first Ironman. 

In 2019 I did Ironman Australia as a dare - I got help from a club coach, borrowed a friend’s bike... and absolutely loved the experience. I probably trained as much for that race as I did under Rich's guidance for Sunshine Coast 70.3, but more on that later. 

After Ironman Australia I stopped with the coach and bombed out at Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast later in the year on the path to Ironman Western Australia where I qualified for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.  

World Championship qualification was not even on my radar but in the hype of the moment and FOMO, I emptied my savings account and booked my spot. 

A few weeks later I ran into a family friend at the pool who told me about a tri guy he used to train insane with and I was given Coach Rich’s number. On Boxing Day 2019, Rich and I met up at a coffee shop in Ashgrove and to this day, whenever I ride past that coffee shop to go on to  climb Mount Nebo I point out to my friends the coffee shop where my life changed. 

Since starting up with T:Zero nine months ago I have grown so much as both an athlete and a person. So much so, it’s even hard to put into words. 

I think back to 2019 Khloe and I am almost sad about how little I believed in myself and my potential. If I’m honest, I knew I had ability in there somewhere but I was too scared to address it. As Coach Carter says ‘our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, it’s that we are powerful beyond measure’. 

When I joined T:Zero I slowly started to understand the other part of that quote - ‘our playing small does not serve the world and there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around us’. I was now in an environment that showed me it was okay to believe in myself and do all the crazy shit we do as triathletes to try and get the best out of myself. Not everyone gets it; in fact, a lot of people think the work we do is bonkers, but I’ve realised that as long as we’re loving the process and chasing our potential that’s what matters. 

To round out my Coach Carter theme - ‘we unconsciously give other people the permission to shine’ and that is what T:Zero did for me. T:Zero’s drive, passion and commitment gave me permission to shine. I’ve been able to leave my self doubt and fear of failure in 2019 to become a better athlete and person. 

I actually used to be a very anxious, chaos chasing and unsatisfied person. It’s like I was never quite happy with where I was or where I was going. I didn’t have a reason or a purpose. 

As most of you would know, triathlon has an amazing way of changing that! It has given me such purpose in my life that everything else has started to fall into place. I’ve stopped worrying what other people are thinking or what might happen because I am mindful and present in a process. I don’t have energy for drama because I am grateful for the opportunity and moments I do have and I’m satisfied because I am living my potential. 

My lifestyle has changed so much as a result to become what I lovingly call ‘the vanilla life’. It’s all about eating right, getting sleep and removing stress so that we can get stuck into the process and achieve our goals. 

I learned pretty early on into training with Rich that I could not keep up with the demands of the dream if I wanted to get drunk on a Saturday night and hang around people who weren’t good for my psyche. It was an adjustment but one I would never take back as it has lead to so many great feats in both my personal life and my triathlon life. When the simple stuff remains constant in my life I am able to nail the exciting stuff.

So, with all that said about the mindset and lifestyle changes, the real proof of T:Zero’s impact has been in the pudding… the results! 

Throughout COVID we had to get creative in keeping training inspired and consistent. We swam in murky waterholes while the pools were closed (ps. great way to help overcome a fear of OWS!), used the lock down time to learn how to “vanilla life” and set our own personal goals or events. 

To stay super motivated I set out solo to achieve my 2019 running goals of cracking 20min for the 5km and 90min for the half. I never quite achieved them in 2019 but 3 months into coaching I ran a 19.14 5km and three months later, brought my half marathon from a 1.34 to a 1.28. Quite literally my old 5km pace became my new half marathon pace and these achievements were very important for me. They instilled a new sense of confidence in myself, the process and the coaching experience. 

I was able to carry this confidence with me as we then decided to build for Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast this year. I did more volume, hours and intensity in the lead up to that race than I ever did in any self-guided ironman builds and it completely paid off, as hard work usually does. 

It was my first time with a race plan and we managed a 20 minute PB from Sunshine Coast the year before and went from 8th in my age category to being the first female age grouper over the line. Holy smokes. I didn’t imagine that in my wildest dreams. But my team did and they basically orchestrated the whole thing right under my nose. 

I came to T:Zero with a hint of ability I wanted to tap into and now I’m here I’ve found a potential I want to tap into! 

Thank you T:Zero for giving me support to shine. 

​Ironman Cairns & 70.3 are next up on the return-to-racing agenda and we couldn’t be more excited! 

T:Zero athletes have a very tidy history of absolutely crushing this spectacular course. There’s so much to love about this race, but here are the top reasons it holds a special place in our hearts… 

​The epic scenery 
Rainforest or Reef - take your pick. Or don’t. Have them both! This course is truly spectacular in every sense of the word and is no doubt one of the reasons Ironman Cairns was voted ‘World’s Best Ironman’ in the 2018 Athlete Choice Awards!

Natural beauty abounds wherever you look, but particularly on the bike leg - where the magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean and seaside rainforest will 100% help to distract you from feeling sorry for yourself! Carry on!

​The atmosphere 
Although it might be a little different this year, Cairns is generally bustling with tourists. Add Ironman athletes and their families and supporters to the mix and you’ve got a fun-loving party atmosphere that’s bound to keep a spring in your step during the final throes of the marathon. 

The four-lap run course means plentiful opportunity for supporters to see and cheer their athletes on, while the final stretch through vibrant Cairns Esplanade is second-best only to reaching that beautiful red carpet finishing chute. 

T:Zero Represent! 
T:Zero has a pretty epic history of successful outings in Cairns, and we’re sure at least part of this success comes down to the incredible on-course support our FNQ T:Zero Family has provided over the years. 

Coach Mon is Cairns-based, as are a number of our athletes, so there’s never been a shortage of family, friends and fellow teammates lending cheers of encouragement throughout the day. 

And we all know there’s nothing like your very own cheer squad willing you to keep turning the legs over in those final few kms… 

​​
​Athlete-friendly course 
By this we mean … if you’re thinking of signing up for your first Ironman, this one should definitely make the shortlist. And if you’re looking to step up from short-course to long-course there’s always the 70.3 option on the same day! 

A rolling-start ocean swim at Palm Cove Beach followed by an undulating three-lap bike course on closed highway and a four-lap flat run is a nice, neat little package for an Ironman course. Multi lap courses might be polarising but they do mean that cheer squads and mechanical assistance (in the event it may be required) are never too far away. 

​Pre & post race activities abound
This one is an all-important factor for athletes planning on tying a holiday into their race plans or for those who have convinced their families to tag along and cheer for 10+ hours with the promise of pretty sweet rewards (beyond witnessing their loved one cross the coveted Ironman finish line of course!). 

Cairns is traditionally a tourist hot spot so not only does the city know how to cater well for a significant influx of visitors, it also already has a host of activities suitable for everyone (Great Barrier Reef trips, Kuranda Scenic Railway, markets, Esplanade etc.). 

If Cairns doesn’t float your boat beyond the IM weekend, Port Douglas is only a relatively short drive away, as is the Daintree Rainforest. Paradise awaits!

Good luck to all our T:Zero athletes racing this weekend! We will be eagerly tracking your progress and cheering you on from afar, if we can’t be there in person! 

​‘Working with Andy has definitely forced me to be more resilient. A session that was too hard a year ago probably would have led to me getting off the bike and being really shitty about it. Now there is someone watching from the other side I feel way more accountable and know I have to give it a good crack.’

​Our September Fast Five athlete is Kristen McMillan who has been training with T:Zero under the watchful eye of Coach Andrew Perry since November 2019. 

Kristen made her triathlon debut in 2012 as a team swimmer at the TreX cross tri series, later moving into Bribie triathlons and jumping up to Ironman 70.3 in 2019. She recently completed her second Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast a few days ago with a cracking 32 minute PB!

Unsurprisingly, Sunshine Coast Ironman 70.3 has been her favourite race to date - the atmosphere, support from family and friends and race distance (“the sweet spot”) ticking all the boxes. 

Kristen’s favourite leg is the bike where she really looks forward to the weekend long sessions, and is motivated by seeing improvements and progress in this area. A natural swimmer, her favourite training session is “any swim with 200m sets” which suits her lack of patience perfectly ;-) 

Kristen’s currently training for Ironman New Zealand in March 2021 and Ironman Barcelona in October 2021 (rescheduled from 2020 to 2021 due to COVID). 

What’s your favourite thing about triathlon/endurance/multisport?
You don’t have to be the best swimmer, cyclist, or runner, but you can be decent at all 3 and still compete.  

Favourite distance and why? 
That’s a hard question because I jumped from team swimmer, to short course, to 70.3 and back to Olympic and I’m currently training for an Ironman. Looking back, I think the 70.3 is the sweet spot where the training load is pretty achievable to fit around a job and social life. 

Proudest triathlon moment? 
Definitely crossing the finish line at my first 70.3. I was really going through it before I signed up for that race and that finish line symbolised so much more to me than just swimming, riding, and running 70.3 miles. 

What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate? 
Seeing how far I can push myself and trying to get as mentally strong as I can. I’ve definitely realised how much your mindset affects your training and how you cope with challenges. 

Do you have a race day mantra? Or something you think about to get you through tough periods during the race or calm your pre-race nerves? 
I think about how fortunate I am to even be out there racing. There’s so many people who don’t have the opportunity to, so I think about how lucky I am to even be there. 

And one more for good measure (and a big head) …
 
Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team?
The T:Zero community is so approachable. Whatever you’re training for, you can bet someone on the team has done something like it and is happy to pass on their advice.  

By Head Coach (and qualified nutritionist) Scotty Farrell

​When it comes to race day nutrition, experienced athlete or not, I still hear and see so many basic boo boos. We know this stuff, we just forget, especially if we are not racing often, as has been the case this year.
So… a refresher for your convenience.

The please do’s:

1. Practice your race nutrition many times (5-6x) before the event. Experiment with different products, amounts, and timing strategies in the lead up to your race and find out the product and the amount of fuel you can handle. With plenty of concerted practice, you can really dial this stuff in, so that race day isn’t such a gamble on the gut
   1. For running specifically (as this is where we tend to see gut issues happen most often) aim for around 50g of carbs per hour and work up from there.
   2. Smaller feeds more often works well, especially for more intense racing. I personally like 15-20’ between feeds (a couple of bloks or half a gel).
2. Practice your pre-race eating routine.
   1. If you’re wanting a big brekky, let’s say you’re doing an Ironman, then it’s a good idea to work backwards from race start and aim for about 3 hours for a bigger feed (big bowl of oats and fruit).
   2. If your race is shorter or you’re not a big fan of eating whilst having the butterflies, you might prefer to nibble on an energy bar or a banana. But keep to small bits and every 20’ or so, like you would during a race.
   3. Big feed/longer racing = think 3 hours or more pre-race for time to digest. Smaller race or don’t like eating then think small feeds and spread the love.

 
Please don'ts:

1. Smashing down a clif bar, a banana and a bowl of cereal with an hour to go until race start isn’t enough time. Expect a good bout of stitch or some gut cramps and trip or two to the porta loo.
2. Have nothing and expect your body to go all day.
3. Aim for high amounts of fluid and carbs when you haven’t practiced it beforehand.

 
Think of your gut like any other muscle in the body. If you want it to perform well on race day, then you need to teach it what’s expected and train it accordingly.

On the bike, in my experience, I find it’s a lot easier for athletes to consume a higher amount of carbohydrates, so perhaps start with 60g/hr and work up from there. Using a glucose/fructose mix, athletes can train their gut to absorb around 90g/hr and in some cases even higher than this. Personally, I like the 70-80g/hr mark on the bike.

On the run, with pavement pounding happening, I find my gut struggles a bit more and I need to down regulate and aim for more like 50g/hr. But again, practice and trial it out.

Same deal with hydration… train your gut to handle the amounts of fluids you will ideally need on race day. If your race is going to be hot, then it makes sense to keep your fluid intake up, so train for this. If it’s going to be a cold weather race, then maybe a bit less fluid is needed? Use your nut, it’s common sense stuff, we don’t need to over complicate it, we just do.

The other thing to consider is that if the race is intense and short (let’s say under 90 minutes in length) then smashing down carbs and fluids isn’t as important. A well trained athlete could very well punch out a 80-90 minute race with barely any nutrition at all, maybe a gel or a couple of Clif Bloks and a few mouthfuls of water. And the more intense a race is, the more blood flow is diverted away from the digestive system to the working muscles, and the harder it will be to digest anything.

If the race is longer than 90 minutes, then nutrition and avoiding total energy depletion and the dreaded bonk, becomes more important.

The longer an event goes, let’s say all day or multi-day, the lower the intensity, but the more important it is to keep the fuel going in steadily. An Ironman, in my opinion blurs the lines of pushing ‘hard’ all day and being classed as ‘intense’ for most of us. And therefore, it’s super important to be practicing and training your gut for the rigors of race day stress. For multi-day events or ultra distance runs, we find that the intensity is generally low enough, that we can train our gut to eat almost anything. The longer an event goes too, the more important it becomes to avoid flavour or texture fatigue and mix up your nutrition between sweet, savoury, umami etc.

There you go. Keep it simple. Control the controllables.
​
Coach SF

​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.

Our July Fast Five athlete is Sydney-based Stephen Reville who has been a triathlete for almost 6 years and training with Coach David Dellow and T:Zero for the past six months. 

Originally from Ireland (more on this below) and a former boxer, when it comes to triathlon, Stephen is partial to half and full iron-distance races. Motivated by the desire to test himself against the best in the world under extreme conditions, Kona 2021/22 is his big goal. 

Stephen counts his proudest triathlon moment as breaking the 4:30 mark at  Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast. The run and bike are his (equal) favourite legs as they come most naturally to him. Outside of triathlon, he enjoys surfing and boxing occasionally. 

While Stephen's currently focussed on rehabilitation following an injury, he’s hoping to shift that towards racing 70.3 and Ironman again in the very near future. All the best, Stephen!

Why and how did you get into triathlon and multisport? 
When I was 24 years old, I was asked by my gym manager at the time to do a lifeguard course. I told him I couldn’t because I couldn’t even swim a quarter length of a 25 metre pool and I was scared of the deep end. I had to learn to swim so I could do the lifeguard course. I then moved to New Zealand and endurance events seemed to be all the go and my mates back home were doing triathlon so I thought I’d give it a try. I did my first ever triathlon in New Zealand (the South Island Half) after only 10 weeks of training! 

Favourite race and why? 
Sunshine Coast 70.3. I love the scenery up there and I love hot humid conditions.

Any funny or embarrassing race memories you’d like to share? 
I was racing a double Olympic triathlon and moments before I asked this random guy to zip my wetsuit up for me and he ended up ripping the zip completely off my wetsuit so I couldn’t get it back on as it was broken. My mates then grabbed safety pins to hold it together! A few popped right away but some stayed. Off the gun went. We were swimming and during my first few strokes all the pins blew out and I had an open-back wetsuit in a really cold Irish river for 3 kilometres! It was great crack* really.

What’s your favourite thing about triathlon/endurance/multisport? 
You can train at anytime. When I was a boxer you had to be in the gym same time every week and with my job being 60 to 70 hrs per week and physical it’s always been hard to maintain that. 

Do you do other training outside the normal swim/bike/run? 
Strength work every day as part of my rehab. Sometimes I’ll go surfing and a tiny bit of boxing training.

And one more for good measure (and a big head) …
 
Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team?
Because my coach Dave Dellow is THE MAN.

*crack - Irish word for “fun” :-P 

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:
 

• Mental health. It’s no secret that exercise makes you feel better (hello, endorphins). For me, this is a big reason why I’ve continued to train.

 

• Getting back to basics. T:Zero coaches time and time again speak about the benefits of getting back to basics.

 
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!
 

• Exercise as a way to spend time with friends/family. While this one is a little tricky, and social distancing measures still have to take place, during COVID-19 think about training as a way to spend time with a friend or family member – this is especially beneficial for those who live alone.

 
Getting out for a run with a friend can enhance the feeling of connection while living in a world of social distancing and isolation.
 

• If nothing else, think about your health. As someone who has been covering the pandemic for work over the last few months, it’s no secret that staying healthy is beneficial to avoiding infection.

 
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.
 

• Think about the long-term game. While races are being cancelled left, right and centre, use this as an opportunity to develop your long-term mindset.

 
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!”
 

• Try new things. Why not use this time to try new things.

 
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

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:

• Two athletes achieving FTP increases of 8% and 15% respectfully in training.
• An unintentional 5km PB achievement in a training run – the athlete didn’t set out to achieve a PB, through continued regular training in lockdown, it just happened.
• An athlete completed a 10km run, in training, for the first time – without the need of a race to prompt the achievement.

 
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
 

​First of all, I’ll start off by saying that there are many ways to skin a cat when it comes to what data you have showing on your bike computer screen, but if you are new to riding with power, or are looking to start riding with power, please read on for some learnings that I have had over the years of being in the sport from both riding with and without power at different stages. 

Do I need to ride with power? Is it worth the expense? As per most, I asked these questions of myself about five years ago, and in my experiences since, the answer is yes. 

What are the benefits?  It’s my opinion that power is a number that can’t be cheated, no matter if you are riding into a block head wind, with a humming tail wind, rain, heat, cold, uphill, downhill; it doesn’t change anything……

200W IS STILL 200W in all these circumstances.  

On the other hand, if you are riding to speed and/or heart rate, they are massively affected by all the elements, terrain and conditions listed above. If you’re going into a race with a pre perceived plan of “I’m going to ride 36k/hr tomorrow” and you come up against a 30k head wind, you are going to be looking down at your screen wondering what is wrong with you, push harder into the wind to get your speed up and burn match after match which is going to come back to haunt you on that run.  You also need to remember that the conditions are the same for everyone racing when you are faced with these challenging situations, and those that race smart and stick to their plan will be the ones smiling at the end of the day.  The time will be what it will be, and if you walk away from the race knowing that you nailed your plan, you will be happy.
Personally, I no longer have “current speed” on my bike computer, and I haven’t missed it.  If anything, it has kept my head clearer in challenging conditions in both training and racing by just focusing on my power and cadence. 
​
So, you’ve got the power metre, and now you are messing around with the screens on your bike computer trying to work out what you should be looking at and why.  As mentioned above, there’s a heap of different options that you can be looking at, but I like to keep things as simple as possible. You can go through trial and error for what works for you but from my own experience, below is what I have on my screen and why.

 
3s POWER

• Rather than using straight power, which jumps all over the place whilst it tries to keep up with what is going on at your cranks or pedals, “3 Seconds Power” allows a bit of consistency to show through as it only updates every three seconds. This helps, because the main focus in training and racing is to keep as consistent as possible to the numbers your coach has noted.  Something else to be thinking about when riding to power is what your “perceived effort” feels like at different power levels. The reason being is that I can almost guarantee that at some point in the future you are going to lose your power number in a race situation and have to go to plan B. If you have been thinking about your perceived effort  during training, it won’t be so daunting. This extends to the run as well, electronics are a wonderful thing when they are working, but you can’t solely rely on them, really think about how you feel during sessions.

CADENCE

• No brainer that cadence is our next most important number to be looking at.  Your coach will more than likely be prescribing what cadence he or she wants the session done at, and there is reasons behind that so you should focus on nailing that as much as your power.  This can be for building strength (low cadence) or recovery components (high cadence)  Your cadence is also a great number to really get in tune with during training as it points out where the sweet spot is for you in regards to your gearing.  Sometimes you will go one gear easier and your power goes up considerably, creating a situation where you are using less perceived effort for a better result.

LAP NP (Normalised Power for the Lap)

• First of all, what is Normalised Power, and how is it different to normal power? Normalised power takes into account the variation in workouts, ie efforts, hilly terrain etc.  eg If you are riding around a flat crit track, riding a consistent power number, you will find that your power and normalised power will be very similar. However, in a hilly ride, or a ride where you are fluctuating your efforts quite a bit, you could potentially see variance in these numbers in the vicinity of 20 – 30%.  Normalised power will also give you a more accurate read of the actual physiological impact the ride is having on your body… how many matches are we burning at this effort level?  So for mine, this is the number we focus on so we can get off and run on race day. 

 

• The reason for using “LAP” NP on the screen is that when prescribing workouts for athletes, it may be something like 5 * 10min at 75% of FTP with an RPM of 85.  With a 2-minute spin between - as an example.  Or in a race situation, a coach tells you to ride 230W for the first lap, 240W for the second and 250W for the third.  By using this selection, it is as simple as hitting the lap button on your bike computer to reset the lap data so you can focus in on this number for the proceeding laps.  Also, by hitting the lap button at the end of each effort or rest in training, or after each lap in a race, it also captures it as a piece of data that can be reviewed by you and your coach.

 
LAP TIME.

• Do you find yourself having to become a mathematical genius when a training session has a lot of variance in efforts and rest, having to remember what time you started that effort on etc.  By having “Lap Time” on your screen, each time you hit that lap button at the end of each effort or rest, as per above it resets so you can know exactly how long you have been going / left to go of an effort or rest. 

 
LAP CADENCE

• Along the same lines, this will reset each time you hit the lap button, which is useful in both training sessions and on race day, keeping check that you are on the money against the planned cadence.  It’s a real good check on race day, if the number is under the plan, fair chance that you are pushing too big of a gear, therefore burning those much needed matches again.  This number will clearly call it out.  

 
AVG SPEED

• Although I said that I don’t have current speed on my computer, I do like to see what the average speed is for training sessions, and on race day.  This number keeps you a bit honest when completing training sessions, and on race day  but it doesn’t mess with your head like current speed does, as it takes time to vary unlike looking at your computer going up a hill at 14k/hr and feeling like you have to push harder because you are going to slow.  If you are hitting your power plan, speed will be what it will be.

 
DISTANCE

• Bit of a no brainer, but we need this on screen if we are measuring efforts by distance, and or riding an overall distance rather than time in training.  The other benefit is having those key mental moments as you tick through the ks during a race bike leg.     

 
TIMER

• This is the overall time for the session.  Much like the distance this is covering off the total duration, so you know where you are at in your training day, and keeping an overall view on your race time.

 
As I said in the very beginning, there is a plethora of options in your device to display on the screen, and you can obviously set up multiple screens if you want to see extra data like heart rate if that is key with your coach.  For me, I’m not looking for much more outside of my screen above to be honest, and that’s in training and racing. 
​
Should you have questions, I’m more than happy to chat further, feel free to reach out in the comments or send me a PM through messenger.

Robbie Andrews 
Sunshine Coast, QLD
 
“Go hard. And when it starts hurting…go a little harder!”
 
Our April Fast Five athlete is Sunshine Coast based T:Zero stalwart Robbie Andrews. 

Robbie’s been competing in endurance and triathlon events for over 30 years and has been a T:Zero athlete in Coach Scotty’s stable since the very beginning. His last race was Ironman Cozumel 2019, where he posted a cracking time of 9:35 (his fastest ever; with his previous best being 9:38 at Forster in 2003), earning himself a coveted Ironman World Championships slot for 2020. 

Robbie balances his swim/bike/run training with sessions in the gym and says he doesn’t need any motivation to get out there - he just LOVES to train! In 2020 he’s focussed on preparing himself for the start line in Kona, and we’re all crossing our fingers and toes it will be going ahead. Until then, it’s head down, bum up and train on! 

Why and how did you get into triathlon/endurance/multisport? 
It was what I did to keep fit for AFL footy back in the 1990’s. 

Favourite distance? Why?
Ironman. I’m not a great swimmer so I need time to catch the front guys!

Proudest triathlon moment?
Third place at the Long Course World Championships in Penticton, BC, Canada in 2017.

What keeps you coming back time and again to compete in endurance events? 
I keep doing endurance events because I love to challenge myself. Most longer training is done by yourself and I'm happiest when I'm just training. Also I still want a 3.15 marathon off the bike!! So that drives me a little.

Best piece of advice for someone starting out in the sport? Or best advice you’ve received?
Go out the door every day for training, no questions asked! Even when you’re not feeling like it, if you still feel shit 30mins into it, you’re allowed to go home!

And one more for good measure (and a big head) …
 
Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team?
Coach Scotty. I could probably write my own training plans (been doing it long enough!!) but I like the accountability that I get from him, and we can chat about what I think about training and he listens to what I have to say.

Rachelle Mulligan 
Brisbane, QLD
 
“Anything is better than nothing. Just have a go and start small to prove to yourself you can do it. Then the sky’s the limit!”
 
Our March Fast Five athlete is Rachelle Mulligan. Based in Brisbane, Rachelle has recently celebrated one year of being a T:Zero athlete, under the tutelage of Coach Steve. 

For the last four years Rachelle has participated in numerous running and triathlon events - from fun runs and half marathons to sprint, olympic and half ironman triathlon. Her preference is the longer distances that play to her endurance strength and completing the Sunshine Coast Half Ironman with her family at the finish line has been her proudest triathlon moment to date. 
 
While her best leg is the swim, she gains most enjoyment from the run; her favourite training session being the long L2/L3 runs which give her time to “chill and reset”. 

As an Associate Nurse Unit Manager on a Cardiothoracic Surgical Unit at one of Brisbane’s largest hospitals as well as a mum of two young children, understandably, Rachelle’s biggest challenge is working around the logistics of managing training, shift work and home life. Fortunately, with a supportive family and coach in her corner, she’s been able to achieve balance between all three with careful planning, focus and dedication. 

Prior to the COVID-19 cancellations to events announced earlier this month, Rachelle was focussed on the goal of completing her first marathon at Noosa in May, as well as the Gold Coast Half Marathon and her first trail run at the Brisbane Trail Ultra 30K. In true T:Zero spirit, she’s now revised her plans and has the Virtual Triathlon Series on top of her list and is setting a date to run her own marathon in the coming months. She’s still got her fingers crossed the Sunshine Coast Half Ironman goes ahead later this year - as do we! 


Why and how did you get into triathlon/endurance/multisport?
After having my second child in 2015 (2 children under 2) I found myself possibly selfishly looking for something just for me to achieve and a bonus was I got a bit of alone time.

My sister-in-law who was a runner dragged me down to parkrun and encouraged me weekly after that. The feeling of participating in a weekly event with people of all abilities made it the perfect environment for me to get started. 

I then was asked to be the swimmer in a team triathlon and the atmosphere from that day sparked the hunger in me to want to be part of that!

Favourite race? Why?
Sunshine Coast Half Ironman. 
It was a long lead up with lots of training and sacrifices (not just for me but my husband and children) that went into one perfect day. With lots of family and friends on the sideline cheering me on to complete something that I never thought possible. 

What’s your favourite thing about triathlon/endurance/multisport?
I think the atmosphere on race day is something that is unbeatable. I am always a nervous wreck as I just want to be able to do my best and make all the training count. When I cross that line I am already thinking about when I can do it again (maybe not my first thought but definitely always have that post tri week high which results in entries to more events!)
 
What motivates or inspires you to train/race/participate?
Initially I wanted to get fit and healthy and have found a way to do this while having fun with triathlons. To have an event coming up pushes me to be race ready and have another focus in life outside of family and work. The love and support of my family to participate in this sport is also a big motivator.  

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?
The fear of the red session on Training Peaks!!!! 
I guess with that deep down is being accountable for my own success. I have an amazing coach who sets well thought out sessions and if they are not completed then that is all on me. If I want to improve and smash goals then I need to put the work in and not make excuses. 

And one more for good measure (and a big head) …
 
Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team?
Steve’s coaching is second to none and I have really enjoyed the support and training he has provided over the last year. 

Meeting the extended T:Zero team before the Sunshine Coast Half IM last year was great to put some faces to names and felt nice to be a part of a team in a primarily individual sport. Out on the course it helped pass the tough times by spotting the T:Zero kits and the famous pink socks and I heard a lot of encouragement every time paths were crosse

We are in an unprecedented situation.

The Coronavirus is taking a grip around the world and Governments are taking action.  The spread of the virus is inevitable, it is simply a matter of doing everything possible to reduce the speed of which is spreads.
It is a result of this, that sporting events are quickly becoming impacted.  Just this week, the NBA put a hold on its season, and today the Formula 1 made the call to cancel the Australian Grand Prix. 

Ironman, today, sent out an email to all and sundry, whereby CEO Andrew Messick said:
“We expect that there are going to be substantial and widespread event postponements in the coming weeks and months.”  This comes on the back of Ironman postponing both Greece and Puerto Rico’s 70.3 events and Ultraman postponing Arizona. 

This afternoon, the Australian Federal and State Governments have directed that all non-essential gatherings of man than 500 people to be suspended.   It is likely that we will see this worldwide in the coming weeks.  If this becomes the reality it will quite possibly mean that a lot (if not all) of the 2020 race schedule for all of our endurance athletes will be postponed until 2021.

So, if this occurs, how can we turn this into a positive? Almost every athlete in the T:Zero stable has a priority A race in 2020 but if these races are postponed to 2021, where does that leave us?

Your goals - A matter of when, not if
At T:Zero we have always believed that you can achieve anything in this sport. For us, it has always been a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’ you will achieve your goal.
Whether or not you want to finish your first triathlon, break that certain time in an Ironman, qualify for the world championships, or do your first Ultra – these goals do not need to change. Nothing should get in your way.  Whether you achieve them this year, or next year or in 2025, it is always a matter of when, not if.

When racing is not the answer – A case in point
The possibility of having your goal race postponed until 2021 will no doubt cause for some disappointment. But quite possibly, we will look back and concluded that it was the best outcome. 
A case in point was Coach Andrew Perry. After a solid debut Ironman Melbourne (40th in Age Group), he raced again in Ironman WA and had an underwhelming performance, coming 15th in his age group.  His goal was to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii but knew he had to improve.  He made the decision to not race a single race the ensuing year – to simply train, develop and improve. Do everything possible in his power to be the best athlete he could be for an entire year. The data, the speed, the power, were all able to provide the necessary feedback as to his development over the year off racing. 
What happened? The year immediately after his hiatus from racing, he raced an Ironman, became Age Group champion and qualified for Kona!

The lesson here – the obstacle is the way
The COVID-19 is worrying. It will likely have a detrimental impact on the racing calendar this year – but how you react to this, will set you apart from the rest.
​
Are you someone who will use this as an excuse to drop the ball for your athletic development, or will you see this as an incredible opportunity to double down, to go all in and use this year as a year to develop into an even stronger, fitter, faster version of yourself?  The decision is ultimately yours, but if you ask Andrew – taking a year off racing to concentrate on his training – was the best decision he could have made.
Marcus Aurelius said “The mind adapts and converts to is own purposes the obstacle to our acting.  The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way”

What defines every T:Zero athlete, is their drive and determination to achieve their crazy awesome goal – whatever that goal is. We know there will be obstacles, and in fact, it is because of these obstacles that make the journey and achieving the ultimate goal worthwhile.  At T:Zero, we embrace the obstacles.   
We know that this sort of temporary delay in the 2020 calendar, will only encourage the T:Zero athletes to see the opportunity that it presents.  To improve our craft, to improve our strengths and work on our weaknesses, so when we do race, we will be ready to live our potential. 

Richard & Scotty 

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.

1. The swim is “unreal” 
… in the immortal words of Coach Scotty, who knows this course so well. Other words often used to describe the swim include “magnificent” “breathtaking” and “magic”. Set in the pristine waters of Lake Taupo, one of the world’s largest fresh water lakes, the swim course is crisp and clear; and golf balls lining the bottom of the lake offer swimmers a nice, novel surprise, as do the friendly scuba divers waving from down below! Combine this with the haka at sunrise and the starting cannon sending athletes off from a deep water mass start … it’s enough to send chills down your spine. Be warned - the swim transition run to T1 is significantly longer than normal, although the fact that it’s lined by a red carpet eases the pain somewhat… 

​2. Community support is second to none
One of the universally-loved aspects of IMNZ is the incredible support athletes receive from the local community. Crowds of locals line each leg of the course to ensure that athletes are never left alone with a dark thought in a dark corner for even a moment. And they never stop cheering. Campervans, cars and people abound, and the ability of the locals to embrace the visiting athletes and make them feel at home makes all the difference. Local school children even pen letters of encouragement to distribute to athletes which provides a unique gift and a welcome boost too!

​3. The volunteers are awesome
An extension of #2, the volunteers make this race incredible. Consistently voted as one of Ironman’s most well-run events, Ironman New Zealand’s 2000+ volunteers provide an army of support for athletes, ensuring the day runs as smoothly as possible. Time and again, professionals and age groupers consistently mention the incredible support provided by the volunteers, who sure know how to throw a party (particularly at the aid stations), making themselves a memorable highlight for many athletes.

​4. Taupo itself … is a gem! 
Taupo offers visitors spectacular scenery and a relaxed small town feel, because it is, in fact, a relaxed small town! Despite the small population, Taupo has plenty of shops (great coffee shops!) and restaurants and is brimming with culture, rich in local Maori history. The town is packed with sights, attractions and activities for athletes and their families to enjoy, pre or post-race - whatever floats your boat. And if you're struggling to move on the Sunday, you can rest up and enjoy the lake and mountains that surround the town - natural beauty is plentiful here. 

​5. The bike and run courses keep you honest 
Nail these two legs and you’ll know you’ve done an Ironman, that’s for sure. The two-loop bike course is technically described as “undulating”, providing a good challenge for athletes who’ll enjoy some spectacular scenery (think farmlands and forests) while battling the potentially interesting headwinds amongst other things. The run course is a three-looper so you can get into your groove here, taking in lakefront scenery which eases the pain of some interesting changes in terrain on the run (which, incidentally is described on the Ironman website as “flat”). The run course also takes athletes through town three times which helps if you need a boost of support from the amazing crowds (refer #2, above). 

All in all, Ironman New Zealand offers spectacular scenery, a challenging course and incredible local support. It’s certainly one race in the suite of Ironman events that’s best placed on your bucket list now if it’s not already. Good luck to all our T:Zero athletes racing IMNZ 2020! ​

February 2020
Coach Steve Wehlow
Brisbane, Australia

“To me, it’s all about attitude and commitment to your goal. Inevitably life is going to get in the way sometimes, but over the long term, athletes with the right attitude and commitment are the ones who succeed” 

​In our February edition of Fast Five, we’re rounding up the spotlight on our coaches with a feature on long-time T:Zero athlete (one of the very first, in fact!) and coach, Steve Wehlow.  Steve’s been a T:Zero athlete for 10 years and a coach for four. 

Coach Steve’s debut in triathlon occurred at the 1994 Chinchilla Melon Festival at the tender age of 11. After a long hiatus, he decided to relaunch his triathlon career at the Noosa Tri in 2007 and hasn’t looked back, participating in triathlons and endurance events in one form or another every year since. 

From sprint and Olympic distance, to numerous Ironman 70.3, long-courses and six Ironmans throughout Australia, Canada and Mexico, Steve has endured and enjoyed his fair share of triathlon. Add to the mix a few Peaks Challenge cycling events and Ultra Trail Australia 100km and it’s clear he’s got a lot of endurance experience to offer. 

Training, early mornings and time away from his family are Steve’s least favourite things about the sport, but these downsides are countered by the positives of comradery with old friends and meeting new friends along the way, as well as providing an opportunity to visit new places. 

His favourite session is called “Treadmill Gold” (sounds ominous) - which he says his own athletes will know well. It’s tough, but keeps him honest and in a heaped mess at the end of the session more often than not! While he’s not currently training for any events, he’s firmly focussed on making sure his stable of athletes live their potential in 2020 and beyond. 


Favourite race? Why? 
IM Western Australia 2010 
My first Ironman - had a great day out on course and achieved something I never thought I could do (also proposed to my now wife). 

IM Cozumel 2011 
A race where anything that could go wrong did (e.g. running over my race wheel heading into check-in, getting 4 flats and no way to fix them). Yet I also saw the best that people had to offer and why I enjoy the endurance events so much including (long story short) being loaned a bike mid-race from another competitor unable to make the cut-off time themselves, allowing me to complete my race. Add some torrential rain and a few dizzy spells during the run … it was quite an emotional finish! 

UTA100 2018 
My first race after my daughter was born. And while the views are spectacular, the highlight was being able to see her at the check points. Especially in the bad sections, it pushed me to keep going knowing I’d get to see her again soon. Also getting to spend the weekend away with my family as an encore to our IMWA trip three years earlier. 

Proudest triathlon moment? 
Finishing the Long Course World Championships in Las Vegas, being able to wear the green and gold and having my parents there watching as I’d been living in Canada for 11 months prior. 

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? 
Be willing to continue to learn. This holds true as an athlete and a coach. From the athlete side, I am constantly learning more about myself and what I can accomplish both in training and racing. And that’s not always about how hard or fast I go, it’s also about control. 

As a coach, I am constantly learning new ideas from a range of sources, but especially from the other coaches in our group. Each has come with their own history/experience knowledge and the diversity enables all of us to grow. I’m also learning from my athletes. Each one is different and has different needs and while I may not have all the answers immediately, I aim to learn so I can. 
 
Have you ever had an apparent training or race day “failure” that has set you up for later success? 
I don’t know if failure is the right word, but I have had some tough training days - from riding in rain so hard you can hardly see what’s ahead, to training indoors next to a heater because it’s zero degrees and raining outside and then changing into three layers to run off the bike in freezing temperatures (all because I decided to do a race in Mexico while I was living in Canada … not my best idea in hindsight!). Knowing I’d been through this meant that come race day I could honestly say it can’t get much worse! 

Best piece of advice for someone starting out in the sport? Or best advice you’ve received? 
Consistency is king. You DON’T need all the fancy gear. Sure, some of it is helpful and fun, but there were people going around twenty years ago without all the fancy equipment and they were still going faster than a lot of the pros these days. 

And one more for good measure (and a big head) …
 
Why do you love being part of the T:Zero Multisport team?
It’s a supportive and inspiring group to be a part of, as both an athlete and coach. Whether you’re a competitive age-grouper, weekend warrior, first-timer or somewhere in between - there are no egos. Everyone is committed to achieving their own goals. What’s not to love about that?

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 ​