"But I will be an Ironman"

Seriously love this!

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Busselton - The race. First Ironman

My first Ironman. "Enjoy it, you never get to do an Ironman for the first time again" I tried to keep these words in my head to remain calm. The morning of the race I was up at 3:50 had a restless sleep. Triggered a little, magnesium, L Glutamine, gatorade and a power bar. Breakfast done.

The morning prep was unlike that of a half Ironman. Pump up tires, fill water bottles, sunscreen and a HELL of a lot of Vaseline in all areas. I mean all areas. I didn't want any discomfort during the race.

I wandered over to the start and prepared myself. Dean was having slight troubles at the hotel checking out at 5:30am so I left my back etc at a stall, rang him and with brief words I was off to the start.

21.1 degrees the water was and I was the only person I could see not wearing a wetsuit. It was a little chilly but the nerves seem to numb me and I was use to the temperature from open water swims. I slipped my way through the field with weird gazes from the field and a few comments. "I'm allergic," "Oh I hope you can make it then!" it was amusing small talk. 3mins to start, I was oddly calm. Looking around I surveyed the 1000+ athletes surrounding me, the calm water and the thousands of spectators. This was it.

I burst of the bottom acceleration quickly to clear out of the group. It was a quick separation a group of around 20 of us. It was there I remained for the complete swim. At no point did I push or go out of my comfort zone. I decided to relax and take it easy on the feet of my competitors and exit with them. 5th in my age to be exact with probably only another 3 or 4 age groupers in our pack. Nice.

Running into transition I was preparing myself for the ride, 5 hours. My helper empty my bag and helped me with socks and helmet as someone else lathered me in sunscreen. Sunnies on, 2mins 58seconds and I was off on the bike. The first 15km was really about getting in the groove, flushing out the legs as they still felt heavy.

By the hour I started to feel good and slipped into the zone averaging 37kph. I made sure to drink as much as I could and fuel well, at least 4gels or power bars and hour was my plan. From water bottle full of Nuuns, back two L Glutamine and Gastrolite to be used throughout the race to prevent muscle breakdown and keep salt levels up.

60km 36.9kph average, I was hitting that target zone and feeling good. On the way in to town I noticed the wind had picked up a little so would have to watch that. by the 75km mark a group past me and I couldn't help but pick it up slightly. 12m is the legal drafting buffer, I will say I was at around 9 for a good 10mins. Sitting up to rearrange my gels from my back pocket I thought to myself I should drop off to the 12m mark when my good friend on the motorbike issued me a yellowcard. We spoke briefly, told him I knew what I did and asked where the penalty box was.

It didnt phase me much, I had done the wrong thing the penalty was deserving. at 93km I jumped off 36.2kph average I had slipped slightly but still feeling fresh. 4mins of standing. I think it was good for me, got to stretch out the hamstrings which where tightening due to the wind. My friend on the motorbike came back and complimented me on my demeanour, "You are the nicest person I have yellowcared today". I told him it was simple, its very windy out there, a lot of people will draft for some point even if its 2mins. I did the wrong thing, I deserved it. I think it was a good attitude to have, why let it have a negative affect on my race.

The next 15km I had to build back into the race and I slipped to 34kph for it, which I think was the consequences of the penalty. by 120 I was still maintaining the 36kph however the winds had picked up quite a bit. Some rain had already come during the rain and with it a massive temperature change. Then as quick as it came it would leave.

The last 20km into town where hell. Kirsten Molloy, 4th place pro female finisher, was in front of me at the time and it was humbling to see us both holding only 26kph into what I would learn would be a 30-45kph head wind. It was tough and I couldn't wait to get off the bike, that last lap cost me. 184.2km at 35.1ish kph - 5:17:19 (my kph is non inclusive of the 4min penalty ie time 5:13) I have no idea how I did an extra 4.2km!

All I think about getting into T2 was TOILET. I had needed to go for almost half the ride and couldn't do anything on the bike. I quickly transitioned, then spent around 3minutes peeing! 5minutes, 2 seconds in transition and I was off on the run! ALMOST OVER!!

I actually felt fairly good off the bike, yes stiff in certain muscles which made me look unnatural but I felt good and that's all that mattered. I managed 12.71km's at 5:27pace which felt good and sustainable, if not something I could build from. This would have been a minimum of 3:49 for the marathon. It was at this point my ITB friction syndrome kicked it like I knew it would all alone.

Things slowly got worse as I eventually slipped to, at my slowest point 8:54km pace, a shuffle at best. At this point I battled with my mind every minute of the way. Everyone expected so much of me, 9hours for the whole thing, my own expectations, these plagued me as I became disappointed watching the hours tick by and my the dream of anything in the 9hour range quickly scream by.

Then I managed to shake it and remember this was my first one. Remember that I knew this injury was still not cured and it could plague me in the run. "Pick your favourite song and just focus on that, you have done the work" Every lap some lady yelled that....I honestly couldn't think of a song, my brain was focused on only one thing and that alone was running. It is almost as if I shut everything down to run. It is at this point I will tell you for almost 4 hours I cant really recall what I thought of, it wasn't much. The pain in my leg was intense and I didn't know how I would finish. All I thought was soon I will be looking back on this race, it will seem like nothing. And here I am nearly a week later looking back. I was right.

With 4km I remember what I quoted at the start, "Enjoy it, you never get to do an Ironman for the first time again" and so I did. I made sure at every station to thank the incredible guys passing us drink for their support. I look at around more and soaked up all the crowds. I was going to finish. No it wasn't going to be a performance people will remember, but it will be something I will always remember and something that has shaped my character. With 1km to go I was handed the orange wrist band. I jogged it as people cheered me, "nearly there mate good job!" I was about to round the final bend to a stretch of 200m, a small shoot to run along with crowds lining the streets.

I sprinted. Regardless of pain I was finishing this thing on what would seem like fresh legs. Kids reached out for high fives everywhere as the announcer yelled KIERAN CARRIGAN as I went to one side to high five the crowd. One final burst up the ramp, "KIERAN CARRIGAN YOU ARE AN IRONMAN FOR THE FIRST TIME" the announcer yelled as the crowed cheered loudly. I pumped the air as a towel was draped over me and two volunteers helped me. I had done it. 11 hours 10 minutes and 9 seconds!

Thanks you to Dean Pugh from APC Endurance Sports and Aquatic Performance CO for all the training and support on the day.

Fuji Bikes for having faith on a new triathlete couldnt have done it without the D-6 Pro!

Ed Fitzgerald, Chris Brady, Dolph Francis and all the guys at QLD Sports Medicine Center for the most amazing physio work ever over the year! Couldn't have done it without you.

Gary Land from Pro Bike Fit for setting me for success on the bike

Look forward to 2011 and what it will bring! I am excited to tackle my next Ironman soon with no injuries and a fresh preparation! Pictures to come!

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Preparation for Busselton.

Tuesday - 6days before my race I decided to try my new wetsuit out. It felt good and very fast, in this thing I would break the course record. 3hours later I was covered head to tow in a severe rash. Seems I'm allergic to the wetsuit. BONUS!

The day before I flew out to Perth was a bit of a mad one. I went through my lists of everything I would need time and time again. New laces, new socks for comfort, gastrolite, L glutamine all things I need to buy before I left.

I also made sure to pack every tool I may need, back up suits, gels and medication. I planned to have it all whatever the occasion. Be ready for anything - I wanted to get to the start line feeling confident and at ease.

SO MUCH BUBBLE WRAP went into packing my bike! I didn't want my baby to get one scratch or break somehow. The flight was uneventful and went slower than I thought the ironman would go. After what I thought was hours we had been in the air for only 30mins, I guess I was anxious, I couldn't sleep and I was hungry.

When we arrived, we quickly grabbed all out gear and packed it into the hire car - a two door Hyundai Getz the "Yellow Flash" we aptly named it. It was a bit of a tight squeeze but got the bag an luggage in.

It was a 3hour drive from Perth to Busselton and I was eager to get it done in less time than that. The close of athlete registration was 4pm and we were looking at a 3:15 arrival. I couldn't afford mishaps along the way so some advice to fellow first time IM athletes, check the athlete guide for close of registation times!!

We made it fairly easily which allowed me to have some time to take the course in. Walking past the finishing line gave me a rush of excitement and slight anxiety. I had done the work, so it wasn't an issue of whether I could physically do it, however with my ITB injury and the ominous words of my physio, "You can push as hard as you want it wont damage it further, but no matter what its gonna hurt a hell of a lot" I was fairly anxious.

After getting all my gear we shot back to the hotel room and I built up my bike. Everything was going fine until I forgot the torque setting to the front bracket and snapped a bolt in the bike. I quickly removed it and too another from my bottle cage, the bolt was some sort of plastic and snapped again. Now I was really starting to panic a little. I rang home to get my mum to check the setting for me, I had it a little high, and then attempted the third and final time as I had no more spare bolts. I had success and dare not touch the bike.

The next day I awoke early to meet Scott Neyedli Scott Neyedli 2nd place pro finisher of Busselton last year for a swim. I think he was hoping to learn a little from my swimming and I was keen to soak everything up from him! We did around 2km of swimming with short sprints thrown in from time to time. Scott sat on my feet and practiced dragging and responding to my change of speed. Then the final stretch we swam through a big back to have some experience swimming through the pack.

It was a relatively easy swim, however I felt a little lethargic so that annoyed me, but I had no concerns on my swim performance. My rash was playing up a little and hurt quite a bit in some areas so I was hoping that would clear up asap. I talk with Scott for a little on the race course and winds etc which eased my mind somewhat.

Dean head back to the room and I jumped on the bike for a short ride. I didn't really want to do much, 45mins at most. The work is done nothing the day before will help other than a flush out of the legs and loosen up. I wore an aero helmet for the first time and loved it! Great things they are especially in the 29kph winds I was riding into. Legs felt heavy, this is another reason I don't like to do much before a race, keep any negativity away. Despite this I was still hitting my pace even in the wind and rain so that was good.

The afternoon I lay around and watch movies, had a spa and drank plenty of water. Early to bed 8 for a 4am wake up. Gastrolite before bed to maintain water retention, magnesium for muscle cramps and L Glutamine to encourage muscle health etc. Less than 12hours to race start.

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Recreational Athlete: Do you train enough?

Recently I read an article on the stress placed on the heart by marathon running and how under training can severely increase the chances of damage.

With the rise of the fitness craze and increased interest in events such as Ironman and marathon running events I think it was very important to post it on my blog as an Ironman athlete. In December I will race my first full distance Ironman. Am I prepared? Probably not as well as I would like to because of a few injuries, but I have definitely put in hours and hours of work!

I know a lot of people that get the idea into their head of a marathon and run twice a week. Twice a week? If you think about it, a 1500m swimmer trains 10 times a week and does between 50 - 100km. If you use the same formula on running a marathon we need to do around 1400km a week of training! Obviously that's ridiculous and without going into massive amounts of detail the training is significantly different but you can imagine why only 2 runs a week would not be enough! 100km a week is even a lot and would (or in my case) cause a lot of injuries, but we really need to be careful and consult people who know what they are doing.

The study found that in athletes who didn't prepare enough their heart was damaged for up to 3 months after the race making them susceptible to heart related issues. Thats a big risk to take. So if you are going to race something, make sure you do the training and take the time to prepare so you can not only perform as well as you want, but also keep yourself healthy!

Check it out here

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Rocket Science Sports

I am pleased to announce a new partnership with Rocket Science Sports over the next year! I am very excited to represent the country and cant wait to see the improvement in my racing with their products!

Look out for my review in the in the coming months of the new 20BPM race suit which I plan on wearing at the Busselton Ironman. Until then check it out on their site, http://www.rocketsciencesports.com/ its a really exciting product!

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Neuromagnetics Q Magnets

Recently (a few months ago) I had the opportunity to trial Neuromagnetics Q Magnets a product that has received quite a lot of hype over the years for pain relief. Now quite a few leading sports people, rugby players Nick Kenny & Craig Wing, Silvano Meli (former Swiss ski world record Holder) to name a few, are singing the products praises (Read them here) so I thought why not give them a go.

The interesting thing about my meeting with James Hermans the managing director was how he didn't impose the product on me. I have had a lot of people talk black and blue about things that will help me but James was happy to just talk to me like a normal person. It was almost like he knew something I didn't, he was secretly confident in the product and the success I would have with it. We spoke for quite a while about how it works and about the injuries I have had and he simply said, just try it see if it works. Almost offhandedly as he passed me some to try.

So it was with this experience I tried them out. A little history of my injuries may be relevant first however. Having just taken up Ironman Triathlon for a year now, 16 years in a pool beforehand, my body is not use to the impacts of running and the stress on my legs from ride hundreds of kilometers a week. Across the year I have had shin splints, ITB friction syndrome and they seem to regularly rotate between themselves so I always have something wrong with me.

At the time of the trial I was off my feet with a shin splint, trying to start running again. I placed them up and down the shin and the calf where a lot of the tightness was coming from and slept with them on for a couple of days. Immediately I noticed a reduction in the pain to the area, so much so that after a couple of minutes I was simply unaware of the site.

I took this as a positive sign so went out for a trial run, for some reason I thought I had to remove the magnets before running so I did so. I was able to run around 4km without pain - something I hadn't been able to do for some months. There was a slight discomfort as I ran however nothing that was indicative of my previous issues.

I continued to wear them as I slept and was able to gradually increase my running, however in my runs it was never smooth and seamless there was always a slight amount of tension there. However things were improving a lot quicker than they had in the past, it seemed the magnets where helping me not only recover but keep the tightness I normally experience after a run down so I could do my rehab.

The big test was a 15km run one morning to training. I haven't run greater than 10km since my last half Ironman in December 2009 due to all my injuries so this would really be a great test. This time I strapped the magnets on for the run also, feeling confident in their ability to reduce pain and help with my recovery I thought they would be great to use during the exercise.

The result spoke for itself. I ran 15km with no shin pain, faster than I have in over a year. Post run I left the magnets on and didn't experience the general throbbing I use to get after a run on my shin.

Honestly I was pretty impressed with the product and the immediate effects it has at reducing pain. So much so that I use them as a first point of therapy when I get an injury and work my rehab whilst wearing and sleeping with the magnets. After long rides when my muscles are throbbing and just sore from exercise they help relieve the pain but also my recovery increases.

There are a lot of products out there at the moment trying to push themselves onto the consumers and its hard to tell the fakes from the real deal. Q Magnets have been a great recovery aid, pain relief and therapy device for me. I'm sure you are thinking now....does it actually work? Well do as I did, just try it out and you might be pleasantly surprised! Check them out here at http://www.qmagnets.com, or if you just want to buy them http://www.qmagnets.com/products.php

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Fuji D-6 Pro - Bike Review

So I have had enough time to really test out the New D-6 so I thought I would write a bit of a review for you on my findings!

Straight from the onset of getting this bike I was told not to race it without having a week or two of riding on it. This was not a representation of the bike, more a general rule of all TT bikes, they ride differently and you need to get use to the handling, makes sense really.

I am please to announce I ignored this getting the bike the day before I flew out to race, and having only the day prior to my Yeppoon Half Ironman to test it out. My first experience getting into the aero position nearly resulted in a crash. The bike is so much lighter than my training ride the pressure I was placing on the bars was far to much and I over steered to the side greatly.

However the transition to the bike was relatively seamless. Upon discovering the correct amount of pressure I could place on the bike the ride was easy and smooth. After around 10mins I was incredibly comfortable with the bike set up. I didn't experience any of the stiffness that people talked of, which may have been countered by the improvement in handling due to the massive weigh difference, but regardless it was smooth in turns and incredibly responsive. Maybe if you compared it to a Fuji SL 1 RC weighing in at an incredible 6.6kg (the D6 is 8.23kg) but as far as handling goes it was great. Slight movements in the aero position were all that was needed to turn. I didn't take any very sharp fast turns on it, however a U Turn in race was easy and didn't seem a chore for the bike.

The SRAM Red components are incredible. Plain and simple I have never used SRAM but having them on this bike, I wouldn't want to go back. Changing gears is smooth and fast with no delay, and the SRAM return to center shifters make flicking between gears effortless in the aero position.

The rear breaks are hidden as most TT bikes employee however they are inset above the top of the tire in the frame (the normal position of a road bike) rather than down near the bottom of the frame. This keeps the area a lot cleaner and free of a lot more dirty than they would have if they were down the bottom which makes the breaker consistent. The design is also great for cleaning, for something so complex, hidden breaks cables etc, it is very easy to get to all the areas of the frame and components to keep it in racing condition!

Its a very aggressive bike, extremely aero and just slices through the wind. I have been on quite a few rides in big headwinds and it powers through the wind unlike anything I have ever seen.

And look at it!! Have you ever seen a bike this good looking? The curves, the colour scheme no other bike can rival the look, and it backs it all up with the performance. And no its not a $15 000 bike, I was incredibly surprised with the price. You can pick one up for just under $8000 depending on your bike store. A top of the line TT bike for under 8k that rides this good, you cant go wrong.

My only suggestion for those traveling for races, get yourself a torque wrench. As you may have seen in my Yeppoon race report I was a little too cautious in tightening them not wanting to damage the carbon frame. I have also read some reports about the seat post needing significant tightening to stop it slipping. All the bolts have NW suggestions - follow them with a torque wrench and your set!

So thats it from me, if you want a fast, aggressive, aero TT bike that handles superbly and for all under 8K get the new Fuji D-6 Pro. And if all that doesn't sell you, I'm sure the look will!

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Yeppoon Half Ironman - Race Report

Yeppoon would be a great learning curve for me with some great experiences to take away and learn from.



The course is centered in the middle of the Capricorn Resort a really nice backdrop to the event making me very excited about the course. Flat, hopefully minimal wind, and my new Fuji D-6 Pro.

My coach Dean and I arrived early at 10am, and I was very keen to get the bike out and have a ride on the course. Traveling with a new as I am sure you are all aware is a very nerve racking experience, but I am pleased to announce that everything went smoothing so scratches at all.

It didn't take me long to reassemble and set it up with my aero bottle etc ready for a ride and then I was good to go.

Bike ready to go


Me proudly displaying the new weapon!

I am proud to say my bike was the talk of the event! As I registered Dean waited with the bike and many athletes stopped to ask questions and to look it up and down. And yes for all of you wondering, it does ride as well as it looks!

My practice ride on the course went really well. The responsiveness of the bike was incredible. Getting up to 40kph was easy and very quick like you would expect a sports car to do. A lot of people warned me of stiffness that come with the design of TT bikes but I didn't experience any sort of issues with the D6. It literally took me a minute or so to adjust to the weight of the bike, then it just seemed natural.

From the aero position I was able to easily control the bike through the course with slight movements and pressure from my forearms. Honestly if anything this bike was more responsive than my previous ride, and a hell of a lot smoother.

I only rode 15km and for that averaged 36kph with great ease - even into a strong head wind. The D-6 was a machine, and I was actually a little nervous as to how fast I could go with it, I didn't want to push to hard!

Race morning I woke up late, walked to bike down and then prepared back in the room. There was a 1.9km walk to the start down the beach which was a little annoying and starting at 8:37 - wow are you kidding me, in normal races would have less than 45mins of the ride to go at this time!


The long walk to the start

I was one of the last waves to start, and by the time I did the current and turned and rather than assisting, it was holding us back. The swim was fairly uneventful, I didn't feel really good in it, sore shoulders but I think that was from my suit - way to tight I wont be using it again!

Running out I was confident of my position and ended up having the 4th fastest swim of the day - fairly disappointing as I am normally minutes clear of the field, but considering the tide change very good. To put it in perspective I normally swim 23mins or so, this swim was 29mins - so a rough current!


Difficult to see, but me in transition after the swim

5 lap course, 18kms per lap out and back. I got into my groove fairly quickly, made sure to drink and eat properly and was feeling confident as I passed many competitors. After the first lap we were at 35kph, the second 37kph and I was building, feeling very smooth and comfortable on the new bike. I topped out at 46kph on the flats going past people like they were standing still.

I was very cautious on the U turns; it was funny guys caught me and passed just before the turn, then the acceleration of the D6 blew them away and I would drop them very quickly.

By 60km I was leading my age group by a couple of minutes; no one had passed me yet on the course from any age group, I was passing everyone. Then things went wrong.

A great learning experience for everyone; TIGHTEN YOUR HANDLEBARS WELL on reassembly. Of course I didn't, and they dropped down enough for my bottle to rest on my front wheel. I rode like this for at least 10km and finally pulled over and waited for 15mins for a mechanic; ending my chances of finishing high up and the lactate rushed to my legs. At this point I was looking at a 2:25 ride - would have been very fast.

By the end my actual time on the bike had dropped to 2:33 - I rode the last lap on a slowly deflating tire, yes the bike is that smooth that I didnt notice, but I did notice the drop in speed.


Running into transition - yelling not smiling

So the run was eventful, fully lactate legs, cramping - the self inflicted bike issues cost me dearly in fueling my body. At 10km I decided to pull the plug on the race. Having Busselton in December it really wasnt worth pushing through and stressing my body.

So all in all amazing experience, great lessons learnt and WOW the bike. I will be getting a torque wrench so it doesn't happen again, and I am very confident going into my next race at Noosa. To be leading my age group still at 60km was a massive improvement; my last two races I lead from the water and slowly ppl passed me pushing me back to say 20th in my age group. I put it all down to the bike. Look out for my next blog, my review of the D6; you will want to read it, cause this bike is incredible!

Thank again Fuji for the support! Check out the bike for yourself at www.fujibikes.com.au under the specialty section.

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New Sponsor - Fuji Bikes

I'm proud to announce Fuji Bicycles have come on board to support me and I look forward to representing them in all my future races! Cant wait to ride on the new Fuji D-6 PRO - look out for my review on the bike after my Yeppoon Half Ironman!

Once again thanks Fuji for the support! Its great to have a company willing to support an up and coming triathlete!

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Brisbane to Mooloolaba and back - 204kms

The biggest ride of my life - I was going to attempt 200+ km's solo with no support from anyone in a car. To be honest I was very apprehensive, and somewhat scared of the endeavor, mainly due to the thought of being 100+ from home and having to turn around and come back. Needless to say I still did it.

With 3 powerbars and 3 gel shots I started my ride at around 6 in the morning, sunday when there was the least traffic.

To be honest the first 100km went by fairly uneventful. I just got in a zone and rode taking it in 30km blocks/1hour blocks which seemed to make it more achievable in my mind rather than thinking I have to ride for 7hours.

I was very aware of the importance of eating correctly and made sure to have a power bar or gel every hour and drink a lot. At the turn around point I was sitting on around 29.9kph which I was disappointed in, but the ride was more about finishing that the speed.

I wasn't feeling the best, sore legs and was slightly concerned about the ride back. I had a timetable of the trains and kept that in mind as I set out on the return journey after a short stop at one of the coffee shops I work for.

The first 20km of the return journey there was a strong headwind which just kept attacking me, but I kept my head down on the aerobars and focusing on driving my legs hard. I think the most important part of the ride would be the mental side of things and not giving up.

At 150km I was surprised to see my KPH lifting and I had pushed it above 30kph so this drove me on more. I found it easiest to concentrate on segments, ride to Landsborough (around 30km) and all I would do was focus on that and not the entire journey. Once getting to that point I would set a new target.

I guess all that talk of setting small goals along the way to your dream is important really does work. When attempted something so big (really just thinking about it scared me) it would be so easy to let the magnitude of the ride defeat me before even attempting it, that's why it was so important to break it down.

At 180km I had a small headache a sign that I really hadn't eaten enough but I was really near the finish line now and drove even harder. I had one more gel shot and I called ahead for a lift from the 205km mark (I woudl still be 30km from home and couldn't attempted that on no fuel or fluids). My 180 time was around 5:57 - so happy to get it under 6hours but still felt I had more fuel in the take.

To get my average up from 30.2 was going to take a lot of effort over the last 20kms as I had already done 180 at that pace. With the end in sight I put my head down and thought about nothing but driving my legs and hurting more than I ever had before.

I finished in 6:44 an average speed of 30.4 - I was over the moon and exhausted!

I learnt so many things on this ride. About my limits, pushing myself, setting little goals but most importantly fuel and recovery.

Reading articles and from my experience I have learnt on a ride like that I should be having a gel shot/power bar every 15mins or so - around 5000calories or more. I had 1000 - which would explain the massive headache and the 3 foot long subs I had when I was finished.

To recover I ate. As much as I could and then some more. Iced my legs for 3-4hours and stretched. The next day I woke up feeling fine better than I had after previous shorter rides. Eating, Ice, stretching would be key to my training if I was going to continue doing rides such as this one!

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2010 Endeavour Challenge 110km Charity Ride

Its a little hard to find bike races around the place so when this opportunity came up I jumped at the chance! Now I know its a charity ride, and they say its not a race, but I planned on racing and I was sure that others would too!

The morning of the event myself and dean set out very early to make it there on time. It was overcast and raining a little by the time we arrived. What an awesome start to the day

When we arrived we found an open subway so I could fuel up and then I got into my gear ready for the start of the ride. Unfortunately I discovered I left my arm warmers at home, so it could be interesting as no other rider did not have arm warmers on.

The rain for the moment had subsided and I position myself in the front of the pack for the slow start as we departed Toowoomba. It was pretty clear from the start there were going to be a few to race as we quickly lost the majority of the riders forming a pack of around 20 riders.

The pace was hot from the start and before I knew it we had gone through the 45km mark in around 37km an hour. I was sitting at the back of the pack conserving myself not really sure of what the ride would be like.

It was spitting gently as we ride through rolling hills that would continue for the entire 110kms. It was a great experience to ride with a pack and race like cyclists would and it was interesting to note the pack mentality and trying to resist the temptation to attack. We slowly dropped riders until only 8 of us remained. At around 60kms a rider made a break away and I decided to chase it down.

Another rider took off before me and cleared out away from the pack. Coming from the back I built my speed up quickly and shot around the peloton. Unfortunately I did this with quite a lot of pace and before I knew it was I was shooting past the breakaway riders and forming my own.

I decided I was committed so continued the pace for around a Km before hitting a long hill where the pack quickly caught me. And this was the end of my excitement for the day.

By around the 75km mark I was dropped, the rolling hills finally took their toll and I just couldn't maintain the pace of the pack. We were still sitting on around 35kph for the 75km but I was slowing rapidly.

Dean pulled up along side of me in the car for the remainder of the ride, and it really was a struggle. Along the flats I was fine and managed to hit around 36kph but the hills were killing me and dropping my speed significantly.

The pack had stretch to single riders apart from three lead riders. I caught one and another was in my sights over the last 10km but I couldn't catch them.

In the end I was the 5th rider across the line in a time of 3:27:10 a great time and a very fast average speed for me to hold through rolling hills. All in all it was a great training rider and a massive learning curve for me!

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Caloundra 3.8km Kings Of the Coast Ocean Swim

May 30th saw me attack my first paced swim for the Ironman Busselton in December. Perfect conditions for it and open water swim through the surf.

It was fairly flat with a bit of assistance from a sweep however it wasn't anything majorly noticeable. Dean and I had discussed at length before the race what I was going to do. I was to swim it like the 3.8km swim of the Ironman so I would be able to get out of the water and ride a 180 - so this swim had to be comfortable and in no way taxing to my muscles.

We both knew I ran the risk of getting excited and trying to go for the win if possible, but I had to think about the bigger picture.



The start was fairly standard of an event such as this, run down the beach into the waves and quickly out past the breakers. I positioned myself near the far flag to give myself the straightest run. I was also surrounded by national & International level swimmers so knew I would be at home and not get stuck behind slower swimmers.

Before long I found my rhythm, something comfortable around 12 or so in the pack. It was fairly choppy on the way out to the first boy so we kept colliding with each other. Around what I can think would have been 1km into the race I started to move through the pack, feeling comfortable and in no way stressed. I could see a group of swimmers starting to move away and wanted to be with that break away.

Around 2.5km I started to feel sick from the waves and vomited 3 times or so, which didn't make things very enjoyable but it was something I had experienced before and knew it would pass.


I was very surprised at the pace and started to make another move, it was slower than I would have expected from this caliber of field, or maybe I was just in good form. Moving into 3rd position with about 1km to go I could see the leaders and really wanted to push it out to catch them, crossing the line first would be a dream.

However I knew I had a game plan to stick to and within another 100m I was caught by the remainder of the group behind me and was relegated to 6th. Crossing the line I felt comfortable and was elated to discover I had swum 41:37 just over 1:05 pace and was confident I could go on to ride a good 180 after this.

All in all it was a very good hit out and I was very surprised to be able to keep up with these guys and still be a contender for the win. In the end 2 swimmers pulled away quite convincingly and won over me by around 2mins but then there was a very close bunch from 3rd to 7th or so. I guess the 16years of swimming endurance work I have done has built a strong enough base for me to still be a good swimmer off only 2 sessions a week - all the bike and run work keeps me fit.

After this swim I am very confident in the 3.8km for Busselton and would be interested to know what the swim course record is, maybe I will have a shot!

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Caboolture 120km Ride

This morning I tried out a new route. I went for a ride with my mate Richard Thompson, 2008 18-24 Hawaiian Ironman World Champion (you can check him out here). Recently moving back from Geelong to the sunshine coast he was riding down to Brisbane so I arranged to ride out halfway to meet him.

The first 60km was great. I rode out following Rich's instructions, not so well however, making around 10 round turns and having to come back - luckily my android HTC Magic showed me the right way on google maps!

We had arranged to meet a South Caboolture at around 9am, however he was running a bit late so I winged it hoping to catch up with him. Unfortunately I took a wrong turn onto a freshly torn up rode which was now, due to the rain a mud pit. However I was convinced I would run into him shortly, it wasn’t until I hit a hill where my wheels just spun with no traction that I decided I should turn back.

Finally Rich messaged me and I waited for him around 60km from Brisbane. The ride was a great learning experience. Rich is obviously a fantastic rider and it was great to see what level I need to take it to, to make it to Hawaii.

We discussed many things, but one thing I took away from the ride was using Watts as a training method. It had never occurred to me, I had always used kph as a means of measuring my effort levels. He explained it in very simple terms, and honestly I felt a little foolish for not thinking of it. Basically too riders do a 60km ride. Rider one holds 200 Watts for the entire ride. The other rider fluctuates from 100Watts to 300Watts. They both finish at the same time, however because rider 1 was consistent he is fresher than rider 2 who exerted a lot more energy moving between the power zones.

I would love to be able to do this, however presently don’t have a powertap or SRM, they range from like $1500 - $5000 in price range from what I'm heard. Unfortunately I don’t have that kinda cash, but it has made me more aware of the power I am pushing with my legs and trying to hold it consistent.

By the end of the ride I was destroyed. Every hill Rich got a lead and I had to push to get back to his wheel. It was a great learning experience and it was awesome to have someone to ride with, let alone a Hawaiian Ironman Champion! Can’t wait to do it again!!

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New Photos Up!

Finally got the pics from my mountain ride up! Check them out here

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Back to the mountains!

On a cold and raining day I woke up anxious about the day ahead. A return to the mountains. We are not talking Alpe d Huez here but as much as my area has to answer. Dean messaged me fairly early, "you good to go? How you feel about the weather?" Cold, cloudy, rain had stopped but the threat was there for it to return. I had already had to cancel last Wednesday, nothing would stop me this time around. "Good to go, lets hit the mountains."

I wasn't exactly sure how far I would be able to go today, I hadn't been hill climbing for quite some time. Gazing out at the mountains as Dean drove us to the base of Canungra for the start I was nervous. It would be remiss of me to even suggest that I was tough and ready for anything. Parts of me wanted to call it quits after and hour, parts of me wanted to use the wet roads as and excuse. But the part of me that wanted to be greater than ordinary trumped all my doubts.

The look out from the car to the mountains - cloudy and wet!

I started off at around 6:45 up Canungra. This always served as a warm up so I didn’t have Dean follow me; the road was safe, no fear of cars hitting me. It only took around 20mins or so to get to the base of Beechmount. I'm not too sure how long the climb is I think around 5km at an average gradient of 8.5% from the websites I have read.

The climb started well, but shortly into it I was hurting already. I guess I am lacking a lot in conditioning more so that I thought. About 2km into the climb the road turned to compacted mud due to road works. My back wheel kept slipping out which made it difficult. Dean followed patiently easing up beside me from time to time offering support, asking questions etc. We only had about 5 or so cars which is normal for this climb so it’s easy to do solo, due to the wet though I needed Dean there to block.

At the top I grabbed something to eat, before commencing the ride to Binna Burra. It’s about a 10km stretch of Rolling before 3km hill climb. I hadn't pumped up my tires enough so the ride was hard, felt like there was a weight on the back of my wheel. Not too sure if that was purely mental or a combination of both. It was in the stretch it really started to rain, at some points Dean lost sight of me and I could see. The rain was pelting against my face, glasses were useless so I just squinted.


Riding off into the rain

The climb up Binna Burra was fairly uneventful. At the top all I wanted to do was stop. Dean urged me on, not with encouragement really but more so by not acknowledging my fatigue. I knew he could see it, but he knew I would say stop when it was really enough. He suggested the 28km rolling descent down to Nerang. Once we got there we would roll out past Hinze Dam and head to the NSW border.

The descent was crazy. I was so glad I took Deans suggestion and stuffed my jersey with newspaper as I was freezing! It really works well as an insulator. Although you might find a nice mirror image print of the writing left on your stomach!


Part of the descent


Me on my aerobars getting some speed

The remainder of the ride after the descent was just hell for me. Rolling hills with 11% gradient mini climbs. 3hours and 45mins after I began I called it quits. I literally couldn’t believe the agony my legs were in. Straight away I massaged them with deep heat, and then ate 4sandwiches and some fruit. I think it was a combination of lactic acid and not fueling myself properly.


Feeling the pinch

The descents in the rain where tricky, I learnt a lot of things about how to handle my bike, and also a valuable lesson on fueling; I never want to be in that much pain again unless its after a PB race.

I will upload some picture I took of the ride as soon as I can get them to work - for some reason my computer isn't recognizing the drive.

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Week 1; Busselton Prep

Now I know what you are all thinking, bit far out from Busselton (Dec 5th) to be doing a dedicated prep. I say no way, we will just build and build over the weeks leading up to it and hopefully magical things can happen!

As you well know I haven’t been able to do much training over the past weeks, very disappointed, but taking the time to fix my injuries is far more important in the long run.

This week was tough, and I didn’t even complete half of my full schedule!

Monday - I went for a 3km run followed by physio. We did a lot of triggering dry needling etc. Got the ok to run 3 times a week, up to 3km to test things out. May still experience pain in the knee from time to time.
Tuesday - 36km ride, meant to be 48km but just run off the road by a raging ignorant asshole who thought I was trespassing for some reason on his turf?! He was just pissed that his 20 year old car could accelerate faster than me on my bike, so when he finally caught up to me he ran me off the road. Eitherway I was wrecked, 32kph average. Followed by a swim and gym/stability exercises.
Wednesday - 52km ride fairly easy but hurt my legs, straight off the bike 2km run at 4.10km pace. Stiff by the end, happy I could hold that pace, now just have to work on endurance to do it for 42.2km.
Thursday - 40km ride, 3km swim, gym/stability. Fairly easy day, legs stiff from wed.
Friday - 65km ride, hurt a lot was good being on the bike for that long again but had got dry needling done just prior to it. 3km swim in afternoon/gym stability. Got my new seat post, in optimal position now on my bike. Feels great.
Sat - was suppose to do a mini tri in training. Cancelled all of that. Week took its toll short ride, followed by 3km run at 4.50pace. Legs so stiff no knee soreness!

All in all I'm happy with the week. Obviously would have liked to do a lot more Kms but I did what my body was able to do. 205km riding, 8km run, whatever in the pool. Hopefully looking to push it to 330km riding this week, 10km run and whatever I get done in the pool! Got some good weeks ahead, 2 weeks time hopefully into full prep minus running, still will be building back into that with physio instructions. May take some time.

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Busselton Ironman

With a mix of excitement and trepidation the above image confirms my registration for my next big event. The Busselton Ironman. Its done, I'm in nothing to worry about now but training! Wooo

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Ironman Marathons

I recently read and article by Matt Fitzgerald called "How to Nail the Ironman Marathon" you can read it here, that provided some really good insights into running the best you can at the end of a 180km ride.

Coming from an endurance background of elite competitive open water swimming, the ideas are not that far removed from what I have already done through my career, but its very interesting to see the cross over.

Matt suggests the following tips;

Get as strong as you can on the bike
Run long, but don’t run a lot
Do frequent transition runs
Don’t waste your energy on speed work
Do a metric Ironman
Don’t banquet on the bike

Strength on the bike is the most important part of running a good marathon in the Ironman. Funny that?! Pretty much it’s about making the ride fast, but as easy on your legs as possible, so it would seem logical to do this you must ride and ride and ride! I guess the aim is to ride a great 180km and get off like you haven’t done anything - fresh legs. I found it very interesting that this point has been made perfectly in 2002 by an experimental coach,

"A couple of elite Kenyan runners did the race. I’m talking about sub-2:15 marathoners. The story was that some coach had recruited these guys as a sort of experiment. Anyway, not only did the poor guinea pigs get crushed on the swim and the bike, but they also ran terribly. This unique example demonstrates that the first key to running strong in an Ironman is not pure running ability but strength on the bike."

I don’t really want to touch on it all, I would just be rehashing his words. A few things though, from my limited experience I would disagree with slightly. Run long, but not run often. I agree with running long, but I think it is important to run everyday, even if it is just a little 5km run. Now of course it depends on where you are as an athlete and if your body can take it. I guess his reasoning is the bodies’ ability to recover and deal with the breakdown. Sure if you can only run 3times a week, do so. But if you body can deal with the workload (adequately, not for a month then breakdown) then more running would make sense. Read Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner . Now I'm not saying that’s what we should all do. But if we worked on his bike, can you imagine what he would run?! Sub 3 marathons are nothing to him day in and day out. He shows your body can deal with it, if you build into it.

Speed work is pointless - completely agree. In my training for 25km open water swims I use to come in and Dean would say go 5km, 3km, 2km straight. Not time cycle I just feel it out, listen to my body and go as fast as I was able to. That’s what a long race is about; going the fastest you can for the longest time possible, not short sharp abilities to sprint.

The only other point I would like to mention is his of not banqueting on the bike. Yes don’t banquet, but you really have to be mindful of your body and what it needs. Those figures he quoted for me are too low; I know that from 25km races. Practise in training on long rides, learn what your body needs rather than going off a formula!

Just some light reading, a good little article with tips on putting together the best IM of you life!

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ITB tightness; How to avoid ITB friction Syndrome

So as I discussed in my other blog I have ITB FS. I touched briefly on the causes, but wanted to go into my detail about how to avoid these arising.

Poor biomechanics (running technique)
You really need to get someone to look at your running. Not everyone has a perfect technique, its possible I may turn my left leg out a little due to tightness in my hip which places pressure on my ITB making tight. Really you should be able to keep biomechanical stuff under control if you look after you muscles, loosen them etc. But if you have concerns about your style, talk to your physio and try and get someone to look at it. You may even just need a pair or orthotics, so if you plan on running a lot see a podiatrist.


Poor biomechanics (riding technique)
Same thing as I spoke about above, you could have poor form in your riding. I lift my right hip up to compensate for my tightness. This in turn pushes my knee closer to the top tube creating stress on my ITB. A lot of this is my muscle tightness, however some of it is my bike set up. So make sure you have it professionally set up. People in Brisbane Leon Vogels is amazing however hard to get into. Brian McLean is also great. I will see him shortly for my work. Both can be contacted at QSMC

Weak gluteal muscles, Weak inner quadriceps
Strength work is highly important. At the moment I do a lot of single leg squats focusing on engaging the hip and gluts solely. Maintain a good symmetry of both hips keeping the level. Lunges, squats, stretch cord work is really important and good for strengthening the hip. Make sure when doing these also you keep the knee in line with your first or second toe, you don’t want it coming inside the line and stressing your knee and ITB.

Worn out or unsuitable joggers
As I said before. First see a paediatrist. All feet are different yours could roll in, you need more ankle support. More cushion on the back heel. Or maybe you run on your toes. All shoes are made for different reasons; you need to get the right ones. Also replace your shoes regularly. When I was told this I didn’t really believe it. But every 3-4months or 1000kms on my feet I change them. I recently just tried out my old pair and wo it makes a different, the cushioning determinates a lot. I heard marathon runners replace them fortnightly. So keep track of your miles and replace them as need be. Bad shoes can cause major problems with your knees and sideline you for months if not for good.

Thigh muscle fatigue, Change of running time, distance and/or terrain
Just rest up guys. Know your limits and don’t be afraid to keep it tame for a while. My first run - 22kms in a 10 year old pair of shoes. Yea I learnt the hard way all he above. Don’t do it. Start out with short distances 5kms and build it up. Listen to your body and know your limits. Downhill really stresses the shins. Forest running can be hard on the ankles. Know your weaknesses in form and your ability as an athlete and don’t over do it better to do 5km a day for 5 days, than a 10km run and be out for the rest of the week. Keep it in moderation, and slowly build as you become a better runner and athlete.

So hopefully it all makes sense and helps you where I had failed. Learn from my mistakes. If you want to compete well and race hard, don’t take an amateurs approach to a professional sport. Get your bike set up, the right shoes, riding technique etc. Set yourself up for success and the sky’s the limit.

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ITB Friction Syndrome

Well don’t I just have a lot to talk about today. Finally got to put a name to what is causing all my running problems. Iliotibial band (ITB) friction syndrome is actually one of the most common running complaints. They call runners knee.

For those of you who dont know, the ITB runs down the length of the lateral thigh and lateral knee. Basically a strong band that runs on the outside of the thigh and knee.




As you can see it just takes up quite a lot of the lateral side of the quad and exends up to the hip. No wonder I have been having a lot of pain in my hip etc. This thing is insanely tight.

Basically the short of it is, it is an overuse injury. Your weekend runner doesn’t really experience this as they have long periods of rest and are not stressing the ITB day in and day out. What happens with ITB FS is the ITB can shorten and tighten due to overuse. This causes it to rub against the femoral epicondyle which is on the lateral side of the knee almost dead center.

As you bend your knee with running the ITB flicks over the femoral epicondyle and in time can either become damaged or inflamed. Hence you have what is called ITB FS.

So great I have something treatable. However for 6month we have been doing all the work, which I will discuss later, so that basically I have come to the point I am at know. Before I disucss that lets talk about what causes it. I think this is really important as a lot of beginning triathletes will not do these little things. So I wil merely list them, then we can talk about it in another blog.

- Poor biomechanics (running technique)
- Poor biomechanics (riding technique)
- Weak gluteal muscles
- Weak inner quadriceps
- Worn out or unsuitable joggers
- Thigh muscle fatigue
- Change of running time, distance and/or terrain

So to fix it or stop it occurring you have to keep the ITB loose. Stretch it, learn your ITB stretches. A good one is below.



But also stretch gluts, hamstrings. Trigger point and foam roll. If you don’t know what they are ask a physio, or Google it. Basically you lie on a tennis ball/foam roller and bring it up and down along the ITB and hamstring etc finding tight spots and freeing them out. This stuff really helps with keeping it loose.

However when you get to my stage, it just doesn’t work, plus with all the underlying factors causing the tightness it cannot be fixed without them being resolved.

Today I had a cortisone injection to the ITB just before it crossed the knee, followed by a series of around 10 injections with a Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (not sure of the name started with T) mixed with an anaesthetic. Relaxes the muscles, reduces the tightness and gets rid of the inflammation. The needles don’t really hurt, similar to dry needling if you have had it before. Expect pain the night time after you have it done. Just an all over ache of the muscle!

I know a lot of people talk about cortisone injections being bad and leading to all these bad scenarios. Yes of course it can happen, but not if you approach it the right way. I have seen my physio Ed Fitzgerald at Qld Sports Medicine Centre for years now. He is great discusses all the issues with it. He stressed that this is NOT the cure. It is to help me be able to do the things I need to get back on track. The physio work, stretching, fixing my bike – the real causes I am getting tight is the only way I can fix it. The shots just get me in a better position to do it.

Great we have an action plan and I know what’s wrong. Now my next blog I will talk about the causes, why I am getting tight and how to avoid it!

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Speedsuits Vs Wetsuits; the difference, whats best for you?

Coming from a swimming background I have extensive experience with speedsuits. Recently FINA changed the swimming rules to band all suits for men that extend past the knee and above the waist due to their performance enhancing capabilities. Then there are wetsuits which anyone who has even donned these amazing floatation devices will attest to their powers to make even the worst swimmer passable. But what is best for you?
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180km's; 5hours?

I wonder if it’s possible to improve to this level in 9months. 5hours for the ride I would love to be able to do that, but I honestly have no idea how fast that is, or if it is possible to get that quick. Its 36kph, for 130 my best is like 33.2 an hour, I have been able to hold 36kph for 60km's at the back end of a 120k time trial.

So I need to be able to do this 3 times over and then run a marathon. It would be great to do it, I would just love to know how achievable it is!

Today I didn’t get to do my 120, raining again, so I did 1hour of hill climbs followed by wind trainer work. Then my strength work for my knee. Tomorrow is an "off" day - suppose to run for 2/3hours but cant due to knee. Hopefully get a ride on the road in, but rain is predicted for the next 5 days or so.

All in all it’s a good first week, happy with what I achieved and hopefully next week I am ready to push it out, on the bike at least. Keen to get that riding consistently every week. 5 Hour 180km, is it possible by December? What do you think?

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Week Recap

Well it's Friday, only two more days left of training and I thought I would give you a bit of a recap.

Monday - first day back. I approached this day with an optimistic outlook, probably too ambitious. I didn’t realise how much the past month would take out of me, I learnt very quickly. Monday morning all I did was a 2km swim. Was going to ride to the pool but it was raining.

5 x 400 free 1 on 5.30, 2 on 5:15, 2 on 5:00. I held all at around 5min pace (1.15 per 100) and the last two made by around 5 seconds. Then I called it a day so to speak. My head was still drowsy from sickness so I didn’t want to push myself to much.

The afternoon I rode, with intentions of riding back home around a 30km round trip. I started the afternoon with a run, 11.5km was very excited, but took it easy knowing of my past knee injuries. Was going great until 8km, small pain in the knee so I walked the rest.

Tuesday - Another swim season 4km mixed pace work. The plan for Busselton is 1.15pace 3.8km swim, which will easily put me at the front, if not first. SO it’s pretty much just about making that as easy as possible, as I can already do that pace. Saw the physio in the afternoon about my knee. I lack the strength to support the flexibility in my knee; therefore I'm always having issues. A week off with strength exercises before I can try it again.

Wednesday - 1hour swim, followed by 1hour wind trainer set. Just testing the legs out, hitting them hard on the trainer so when I pop I'm not hours from home.

Thursday - morning did 2 hours of glute work, dear god is my butt sore! Afternoon ride/swim. 50km ride 3km swim 1.20pace cycling.

Friday - Was suppose to be my 90km ride, was raining so did 2hour wind trainer set.

That is the week thus far. Been fairly good, going to be slow to get back into things. Hopefully the rain is gone tomorrow and I can do a 120k on the road. Will let you know!

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Back, finally back.

Finally I'm back, for real this time. Its been nearly a month since my last post. I have had to work full time for the month. I could have said no but this finally put me in the clear, now I have some savings and can focus more solidly. In this time I have had the chance to assess and re-evaluate my journey. The 2010 ironman series is all but sold out, a few events remain but nothing I can firmly lock in.

It is with some disappointment I've realised Hawaii 2010 is not a viable dream. However I am still committed I merely altered my path. I may not compete in Hawaii this year, but I will qualify this year at the Busselton Ironman December 5. This will be my first ironman. I have locked it in and with this as my primary focus Dean and I have developed a training plan to suit.

Busselton, here I come take beats on my finish time guys, already have one in mind but I won't ruin it for you all, keep you in suspense!

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Black Max Review: Open Water Swimmers Secret

Have you ever tried Speed Black Max goggles? If you haven’t please do. 19years of swimming, one type of goggles - Black Max. I currently have 5 pairs in my house.

If you are considering what to buy or are in need of a replacement pair try them out for me! If they fit your face then I guarantee you won’t turn back. My brother unfortunately can’t wear them as they don’t fit his face well, however most Open Water Swimmers I know wear them.
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Japan IM. Geelong 70.3 - 180km time trial.

I decided a couple of days ago to not compete in the Geelong 70.3. It was a tough decision to make, this was the one we were aiming for since October to do well at as it is the only race in Aus that has Clearwater spots up for grabs. But with my recent knee injury I am not confident in its recovery yet. Only 3 weeks out I can still only really run solid for 7kms or so. If I go down I could either not finish the race due to a bad knee or finish but damage my knee and have to have a few months off running. Long term there is only one real answer to skip it.

So with this upset I really needed to think of another goal, set my sights on another race. The current thoughts at the moment between my coach and I are to try and find my first Ironman so I can focus on it. I am looking around still but the idea of Japan in June has been tossed up it looks ok, so if I can get together the funding I will definitely have a shot at it.

With this in mind, I set out on Tuesday Morning on what I hoped would be a 180km time trial. You may have seen me twitter about it, so may already know the result. Let me also clarify being brought up as a swimmer I refer to anything you do for time as a time trial. Apparently some of you guys and pure cyclists get a little confused about this as some cycling races are called time trials. Whenever I say time trial, I mean by myself on the road seeing how fast I can go, if it was in a race time trial I will let you know haha!

The course was to be the same as my recent 120km ride I blogged about where I recorded my fastest ever average speed of 33kph. The intention was to go a little further to the Spit which is about 8km past where I stopped last time, then to do a loop out where I did my first Half Ironman then return home.

I set off as I normally do at 4:20. Why 4:20? I get up at 4, and by the time I have driven to the pool and set my bike up etc it’s normally 4:20 - 4:30. I start from the pool as the 13km from my house to the pool is laboriously slow so I skipped that part. I get up at 4 because 1 min earlier would be in the realms of 3am and I really don’t want to do that yet!

Things went a lot quicker than the 120 I did a week prior. I have certain checkpoints I know and tally off if I am ahead of the previous ride or not. Eagleby roundabout - 45mins or so, Dreamworld 1hour 20mins, Southport 1hour 53mins. Anything ahead of this and I am on PB pace.

Well the first half I was definitely on pb pace, I really hammered it. This time I approached it differently to the 120. The 120 was really about making it, but now after completing that and the mountain run in big chain I knew i could go at least 120. I shot past my check points early, 40mins, 1hour and 10mins, 1hour 45 and had got to the 68km turn around point by 2 hours and 1min exactly. Average speed 33.5 pb pace definitely, but I could easily drop from that. And honestly I was hurting quite a bit.

From the spit I rode back into a bit of a headwind with a rider I had picked up on my tail for a bit of a ride, he peeled off after 6kms thanking me and I began my return trip to Brisbane, quickly stopping at McDonalds to refill my bottles.

I surmised in my head that if I could go back as fast as I did on the 120 (I had gone to the turn around at 31kph and managed to do the last half at 36kph) I would complete at least 120 at around 34.5kph which would be outstanding. Doing this proved to be a lot more difficult than I had anticipated!

I don’t know if I went into a headwind (I think at times I had some) or I just died but it was tough. I decided when I passed the breakaway point for the extra loop I would have to do that I didn’t have the legs for a 180km time trial at this pace. I really wanted to do a PB pace ride.

So i continued on, pushing hard up the hills checking off my average speed as I went. It wasn’t budging, which annoyed me. Great that it wasn’t dropping but I had visions of grandeur in the back of my mind. Phenomenal speeds and that average speed just getting faster and faster.

115km's average speed 33.5kph time around 3:27 from memory. I was in Struggle Street. Not blow up cant continue, but definitely that average speed was in jeopardy. I pushed and pushed as hard as I could all that was in my mind was the Ironman. I want to hold 33kph in my first race or something to that tune anything over 30kph would be great so I have to train hard.

At around 6km from my end point, 130kms my tired popped. Maybe it was a sign from god that I should not continue, or maybe I was just clutching at straws to finish this, but that was the end of my ride. I changed the tired quickly, and went to inject a c02 canister into it only to discover the tip wouldn’t work. For some reason it wasn’t puncturing the canister so I couldn’t fill my tyre with air. I called Dean, he came and got me and that was the end of my first attempt to do a 180km time trial.

130kms, fairly flat road with a few rolling hills. By the end I had dropped to 33.2kph a total time of 3hours 54mins. Pb pace again for longer distance so that’s a great achievement. Next time I ride, I will be riding to finish. More than likely start at 31kph or so, and just make sure I get the 180 done. It will be slower than I like, but I think before I can time trial it properly I need to know how I handle it, and also know the check points etc along the way so I can gauge how I’m feeling.

More practise to come, and many more long rides, things are coming together my legs are getting bigger and more toned. Call me vain but being a skinny swimmer with small legs I can help by look in the mirror and be happy that I am starting to actually have calves and quads!

Hopefully soon some great running blogs!

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My Bike

Frame & Fork
Frame Construction TIG-welded
Frame Tubing Material 7005 aluminum
Fork Brand & Model Scott
Fork Material Aluminum, aero crown
Rear Shock Not applicable
Weight 10.1kg

Components
Component Group Shimano Tiagra
Brakeset Scott Pro brakes, Shimano Tiagra STI Dual Control levers
Shift Levers Shimano Tiagra STI Dual Control
Front Derailleur Shimano Tiagra
Rear Derailleur Shimano Tiagra SS
Crankset Shimano Tiagra, 39/53 teeth
Pedals Not included
Bottom Bracket Shimano BB-ES30
BB Shell Width Unspecified
Rear Cogs 9-speed, 12 - 25 teeth
Chain Shimano CN-HG50, 1/2 x 3/32"
Seatpost Scott AFD Comp, 31.6mm diameter
Saddle Scott Road
Handlebar Ritchey Road V2
Handlebar Extensions Not included
Handlebar Stem Ritchey Road V2
Headset 1 1/8" integrated steel

Wheels
Hubs Front: Scott Comp, Rear: Shimano HB-2200
Rims Alex - Scott R500, 32-hole
Tires 700 x 23c Maxxis Fuse
Spoke Brand Stainless steel, 14ga. (2.0mm) straight gauge
Spoke Nipples Unspecified

Scott Speedster s4, 2005 model. I thought I would show you what I ride on. Tiagra gear set, all alloy, alloy areos I picked up for around $70 off torpedo7.com. The bike cost me $700 with cleats and computer included off eBay. So as you can see, I'm not riding anything fancy, not too sure how much it weighs but would definitely be more than 10kgs easy. When I pack it up in a bike bag with cleats and helmet inside and a few cloths its 20kg.





On it are my new Michelin Krylion tyres I got when my last Maxxis Refuse pair had worn to the matting. No flats ever with them just thought as there was no rubber left in parts I should replace! The Michelin where suggested to me by a man of few words at my local bike shop. "They are good for training and roll fast." Well he got the rolling fast part right. Training not so much. 5 days old, a broken bottle and they were a complete write off.

I now sport continental GP4000s which so far I feel are a lot more durable. Definitely don’t roll as fast as the Michelins. The Michelins seemed to be a lot smoother and more rounded than the Continentals. Needless to say apparently this makes them suited for racing due to the faster rolling ability and the Continentals are tough so will last longer during training



I also have fitted on the front an Aqua Cell water bottle. I got the bigger one I think it holds 1.5-2Lts or something. Has two sections one which I put Gatorade and Gastrolyte (a salt replenisher used to treat dehydration due to diarrhoea) and the other section just straight Gatorade. This along with my two water bottles adds around 4-5kgs to my bike. So we are starting too look at something pretty heavy! A lot say I shouldn’t have got the bigger water bottle. It was an impulse buy before my first half Ironman but I don’t regret it. Not now anyway. In my first few races it’s more important for me to be comfortable and to hydrate well rather than worry about a few extra kgs. Once I start to race better I will drop to a smaller one.

I use a Cateye Strada Cadence wired computer fitted on the stem holding my handle bars, and always carry two tubes, 4 c02 canisters and my tyre levers in my seat pack.

All in all, I am happy with it, I won’t be upgrading or getting a better bike until 1) I am racing a lot faster or 2) I can get some sponsorship. At these early stages I am happy having the bare essentials and beating my competitors on their carbon fibre super light bikes with zipp 808s and aero helmets!

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Technique vs Kms

Technique vs Kms
A lot of cyclists and Ironman triathletes I have met over the past few months have told me many things how how to develop my riding. The sentiment from everyone is resounding, lots and lots of kilometres. You won’t get faster working on technique, its time in the saddle and leg strength that will get you to the top.
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Mountain Run Mach 2.

Wednesday. 180km is the general plan, it is my biggest day of the week. Last week I did 120, this week hopefully I would do the full 180. I set off on a brand new course at 4.20 in the morning. The plan was to ride until my coach finished training the swim team then he would catch up with me at around 7:30 to provide support and drive behind me up any mountains to stop the crazy drives from smashing into me.

I didn’t really have many supplies in my food stockpile at home as I had slowly depleted them through my training. I try to steer clear of GUs etc during my training rides just because they are so expensive, however in reality I just get pretty lazy. So I grabbed two fresh bananas, 4 gel shots, and a powerbar.

The first 60km of my ride where fairly easy, was interesting going through a course I hadn’t done before, however at times it slowed me down not knowing how safe certain areas where etc. I was glad it was 4 in the morning; the road I was on would have been a bit scary at around 8 if the traffic had picked up. Sure there was a little bit of a side strip for me to ride on but 45km in the road became a 100km zone and cars flying past at that speed if not paying attention would not be a very good thing!

I really should have researched the route a little more before leaving. I had a quick glance at the map and tried to remember key roads and turn offs. The aim was to ride out to Beaudesert and ride back home, a ride with continuous rolling hills. What actually happened turned out to be the toughest ride of my life, but when I was done I was over the moon.

At 60km I read a text message from my coast, "Make sure to take the 1st turn off, not the 2nd." As I stood at the foot of Mt Tamborine I realised I had taken the second. I did a quick Google map check and plotted a course. I was at the base, I might as well go over. It took me around 45mins to get to the top then another 30 or so to go along the ridge to the other side. It was a very nice ride up some areas almost seeming like a tropic rainforest in nature.

I started to get fairly frustrated at the top however as it just went on and on. I didn’t realise it was like I ridge, what I had anticipated was going up then quickly shooting back down the other side. I stopped very quickly to take some pics at a lookout to show you guys how high up I was. Riding places like this just make it so much easier, the view was incredible.





The descent was interesting. I had heard about the route I had taken being very dangerous during the day as it has a 14% gradient, at times single lane, and around 34 hairpins all the way down. I made sure to be on the breaks as much as possible but there is only so much you can do on that angle. My descent was relatively safe, some great stretches I peaked at 75km and hour, could have easily gone faster but I was unsure of how quick the turns would come and how safe they where.

I exited at the middle of Canungra, it is only a hill really 2km long or so, and quickly shot down it to the little cafe I stopped at on my first mountain run (one of my first blogs a while back!). I grabbed a Gatorade and chocolate bar and told Dean where I was. He was just leaving, on his way and would just scout the track for me.

Ahead of me lay Canungra, Beechmount and Binna Burra. Last time I did these was a very slow ride, this time however I seemed to eat them up. Canungra was a hill really, not struggle at all. By the time I got to Beechmount I realised I had done everything to this point in big chain, never taking advantage of the easier small chain ring. So with this thought in mind I endeavoured to complete the ride with only big chain.

Beechmount took a while, some parts where very tough averaging on 10kph, but never once did I think of popping down into small chain. I made up for the slow ascent with the flat ridge that runs along to Binna Burra. 50-60kph averages helped to boost my average speed. By the time I got to the base of Binna Burra I was wondering where dean was, he was missing out on all the fun!

Binna Burra is a lot shorter than Beechmount but kicks up a lot at the end making the last km fairly tough. I honestly didn’t know how I was going to make it so I just put my head down and focused on the road not what was ahead. About a km from the top Dean passed. We met at the top after a gruelling climb. I had completed 90km, 4 climbs all in big chain. We talked a little about the next course of action before setting out.

We took a different route home going down a very long descent of around 20mins or so, was amazing for the legs. At the 120km mark I was exhausted, my technique sloppy speeds slowly dropping. Dean checked up on me more often. I wanted to do Tamborine once more finish with that.

I arrived at the base, taking a different route for the ascent this time, at around 134kms. My heart dropped. Average gradient 18%, if you haven’t seen a climb like this you seriously won’t even be able to comprehend. 2.4km long.

Without hesitation I hit it with speed, big chain ring. 4 pedals in I was in small chain ring, big ring on the back. Average speed 5-6kph, this mountain was going to take me at least 30mins probably 40. Dean was unable to sit behind me for the climb so had to meet me up top, as he shot past I slipped into the gravel, my tyres just spun continuously until I had to get off and jump back onto the road. How would I ever complete this?

I put my head down determined; slipping into the gravel once more I quickly pulled myself out of it. I didn’t even dare look ahead. My legs where burning and the pace was horrendously slow, I even saw a mountain goat! 800m in I looked ahead. It got steeper, a lot steeper. And suddenly I was hit with tunnel vision, everything blurred and I shivered. With one last pedal I knew I was spent. I pulled over to the other side of the road defeated.

"If you need me to pick you up let me know," my phone read. "Dear god come get me," I responded. It was only once we drove up that I realised the true feat of what I had tried to attempt. This climb would potentially defeat me fresh. I tried after 135km of 4 climbs all in big chain ring.

What a day. It’s after days like this that you feel like you can accomplish anything. I finished in 5:19:24, average speed of around 25.7km per hour. My toughest ride yet, not 180kms, but I had achieved far more than I would have on a flat road. Many more to come!

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120km Time trial. To the coast and back

Saturday morning. This was going to be my second longest ride ever; Wednesday rides are the only opportunity I would have to beat it. I decided to go with a course I knew as I had only ever go over 100k twice.

I got up at 4, was at the pool (where I take off from) at 4.15, left by 4.21. With my trusty ipod that I got for Christmas, 4 gu shots and two full water bottles I was ready to go. I also had $20 emergency dollars and my phone of course.

Now I understand riding with an ipod increases the danger, but it makes time go by so much quicker. Also I only have one ear piece in, in the ear away from traffic and have it quite enough so that I can always hear on coming traffic.

I'm glad I started early, it meant I could finish at a reasonable time and not waste the whole day. The first half of the course was fairly uneventful, 58km at the turn around point average of 31.1kph. At this pace I was looking at getting back into Brisbane at around 8:30 or a little later allowing for a drop off due to fatigue.

The coast was quite and I would love to have been able to continue along the waterline but I needed to head back. I messaged dean to inform him of my progress. I think its important if you are doing a solo long ride with no support crew to at least be in contact with someone with progress reports. If anything goes wrong they may be your only chance of help.

I felt fairly good as I clipped in after a short stop at McDonalds to fill my water bottles up again. I had a gel shot to keep the energy levels up, my second for the morning. I was surprised with how I felt. Although it was only 60km since I left I didn’t expect to have fresh legs.

Somewhere around 65km in I feel into a rhythm, a very fast rhythm. I become acutely aware of my pace hovering around 42kph along flats and realised I was really gunning it in comparison to the way day. Interestingly enough there was no tail wind, I was just pushing a lot harder.

It seemed to be a lot easier. 60km to go, what’s the worst that could happen? I die another 3hours to go instead of 2. I started to pass countless groups riding along the road losing sight of them in minutes. at the 90km mark I did a quick calculation. 2.46.17, only 2mins slower than my PB 90km race time. Set pretty much on a large portion of this course! I was ecstatic and continued to drive.

Right until the end I never let up. My legs had started to burn around the 100km mark, but I figured I only had around 30-45mins to go, if I could put up with the burn it would be interesting to see if my legs would hold out.

In the end they did. I ended the ride 119.48kms in 3hours and 37mins. Average speed of 33.0kph. My pb 90KM pace is 32.9kph! I had just held it for 30kms longer and I really wasn’t pushing from the start.

To top if off after doing a breakdown my last 90km was 2.39 - 5min pb and my last 60 (from the turn around) i held 36kph! Such an amazing ride, over the moon with my progress. The whole ride I kept it in big chain ring with quite ease, my legs are getting a lot stronger and powerful!

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