Happy New Year everyone.  Now that the festive season is behind us and the reality of being back at work has hit home, we tend to reflect on the last year or look towards the new year. 

A lot of people have made New Years Resolutions but how many of us actually follow through with them??  We make that first initial step to say “I want to change or do  something” and sometimes thats are far as we get.  Most people tend to look towards improving their health and why wouldn’t you it's the most important one but the least important on your list of priorities!  How often do you say to yourself, I should check to see what I’m eating and make sure I’m getting enough fluids.  I bet you never say i should book myself in for a full medical and make sure my health is in order!

Last month I was up in Auckland visitIng friends and meeting up with the Triathlon NZ director of coaching.  While I was there I hired a mountain bike and cycled the bike course for the Auckland triathlon as part of my race preparation.  For those of you who are entering the race and have not had the opportunity to cycle the course then check out the information below.  I can tell you that it is a hilly course but the climbs are short and there are only a couple of steepish ones.  I've also added some photos of some of the climbs for you to visualize, as well as the elevations.

BlueSeventy Helix Wetsuit 2010 Size SMT

This suit has had minimal use and is in near new condition, no rips or tears

Would fit someone 168 - 182 cm  and 68-78kg

This Years Spring Challenge was epic for me.  It took a long time to get a team sorted for the event.  For some reason there's not that many woman I know who are chomping at the bit to do a 6hr adventure race!   There were a few women who said they'd love to but couldn't afford the entry, a few who said it sounded great but they'd never be able to do it.  So after registering 1 team and pulling out, I slotted into a friends team who had an injury.  After weeks of training together and only 3 weeks from the race 1 of the team members pulled out due to pregnancy.  We were really lucky to get a another woman to join the team at such late notice, especially one who was such an athlete.

What fun there is to be had in racing, the battles you have during the race, the body pumping with adrenaline, the muscles screaming at you to stop and the exhilaration when you cross that finish line!  The Enduro is a 2.6km run, 9km bike, 1.3km run, 9km bike, 1.3km run and is the 3rd and final race of the JD Duathlon Series.

Winter is without a doubt the most difficult time of year to train. Not only do you have limited hours of light and sometimes freezing cold weather but motivation is also hard to maintain! It’s easy to say “It’s raining I’m not training”, or “It’s too cold”.

#1 Motivation

Why not start here! For everyone it’s different, but I find goal setting the easiest way to maintain motivation, races certainly help with this. If there are no races then plan your training with a few swim, bike or run time-trials each month.

Christchurch – Ruapuna Raceway - Novice: 1.3 km run, 13.2 km bike, 1.3 km run

Who would have thought 18 months ago I would be heading into my 13th competitive sports event.   Before this the last sports event I was involved in was “dragon boating” and this was over 11 years prior, which to be honest didn’t require a very high level of fitness to paddle a boat for just over 60 seconds.

Who would have thought that opening up your local paper could give you more energy and help with weight loss and this almost sounds like one of those ads on TV, “But wait there’s more” what a cliché however in this case its true.

My name is Debs, I’m a 46 year old farmer and I need to loose 10 kg, there I said it, its out there and now I have to do something about it.  I’m on the go all the time with the farm and the animals, I look after them

The Rise Up Team Challenge was created after the earthquakes that recently struck Christchurch, this was a fun event catering for everyone designed to start people back on the road to a healthy active lifestyle.  Any profits from the event went towards re-building triathlon services in Christchurch.  With this in mind I couldn't help but enter a Tri-Planet team to show our support to the people of Christchurch.  Very little arm twisting was required and in no time at all I had Caren and Natasha signed up for Team Tri-Planet!

We registered for the Enduro which was a team duathlon relay consisting of each member doing a 2km Run, 10km Bike and 2km Run.  On the morning of the race Caren had to unfortunately pull out due to illness, so team manager Natasha set about organising a last minute recruit and luckily for me (I would have had to do 2 duathlons!) Charlotte accepted and was on her way in no time at all.

The event is held at the Ruapuna raceway which is an ideal venue with no traffic so you can really go for it on the bike.  Unfortunately it was raining so that meant the course was a little slippery, but by the time we started it had cleared.  Charlotte, who is currently training for the SBS Half Marathon, decided to go first.  So after a quick team pep talk (i.e. go out there and and give it loads), Charlotte was on the start line ready to go.  The race started and we all shouted and screamed our support.  There was a diverse mix of people which was really great to see.  People were dressed up as chickens, super heros, tooth fairies, The Pink Ladies etc and this created a real carnival atmosphere.

First run done and Charlotte was on the bike, each lap when she came past us she shouted, “You owe me one!”, not sure when that debt will be called in, gulp!  Great effort considering that she hadn’t been on a bike for a while.  Next up was Natasha, after a quick warm up she was waiting for Charlotte to finish the run and then was off on her first run, in her usual determined fashion.  A solid effort on the bike and then she was off on the run.  My turn next, I find it difficult to get into a race when there are waves and your in the last one or in a relay situation like this.  You wait around and the initial buzz of the start has worn off, so you really have to get back into it.  Not much time to think though as Natasha came flying back, big high five and I’m off, woo hoo.  Did I mention that I love racing?  Its such a great feeling to get out there and push yourself, no matter what your level is.  First run went well and then off on the bike.  At this stage most teams had finished the bike and there were not many people on the course, so I chased a few that were on their last lap and then passed one who was on the same lap as me.  Yee haa!  Off onto the second run (after a very fast transition, although I did pause to wave my cap at the announcer!).  This is were it gets tough, the legs are burning your lungs don’t seem to be big enough and you’ve just got to put your head down and go for it.  If you pushed too hard on the first run then you have nothing left for the second, so you’ve got to race wisely.  Unfortunately I had no one close enough to chase down so I focused on putting distance between myself and the guy behind me.  Into the last km and I could see the gap widening so one final push to the finish line.  As I got to the finish there were my team mates waiting to cross the line with me, awesome!

What a great feeling and a great race.  Thanks to everyone who helped with the race and to my team members.  Go team Tri-Planet!  We finished 16th overall in the Enduro in a time of 2hrs 15mins and 19secs. 

Anyone keen for next year???????

The JD Duathlon series is being run out at Ruapuna, the first race is on the 25th June.  If you want to get involved then I recommend you do, there are no cars to cause you issues.  Its ideal for anyone doing their first race or as a high intensity training session.  For more information go to www.jdevents.co.nz

Written by Gail Harvey-Heyward

Date: 11 March 2011

Distances: 1500m Swim / 40km Bike / 10km Run
 

Firstly thanks to all those who gave me words of encouragement, support and congratulations.  Especially Craig for his last minute “tweaking” maybe my swimming isn't a lost cause after all.  This race was a target for me and it was an absolute buzz, blast and adrenaline rush to complete it successfully.

Race Day

Conditions were calm….unbelievable for Wellington. The dawn atmosphere at transition was tense and electric. Not sure if that was the anticipation of racing or a result of the possibly pending tsunami on its way.

Swim

Pre-race was surprisingly improved for me, I was actually able to breathe and relax and stay composed. I felt like I was ripping through the water, the salt water felt so light and easy to pull through after doing so much training in fresh water. A definite positive BUT I got so engulfed in swimming strong and fast I lost sight of…literally the course.  It felt like I swam via china to get around the first buoy. Definitely lots to work on.

Bike

Wee drama here….my race belt broke and slipped off my waist and thankfully didn’t tangle itself in my rear wheel.  After being yelled at that I would be disqualified if I didn’t pick it up I did a u-turn, retrieved it and knotted it on. This lost me about two minutes and I felt like I was in catch up mode for the rest of the bike leg.  All competitors had their age group displayed in massive black vivid marker on our calf so I was on a mission to catch any F35-39, hunt them down and pass them.  I did manage to pass lots of other competitors but didn’t see any of my age group and assumed they were still further ahead. With this in mind I was very pleased to finish the bike without any further incidents especially cheering to myself ‘yaaaah, no flat tyres!’ and ready to hammer the run.

Run

The course was a two lap out and back which meant you could see and track other competitors.  The wind had picked up by now, no surprise being in Wellington.  Pushing into the head wind on the first 2.5k I soon realized my legs knew they had pushed hard on the bike and I would need to dig deep to achieve a run time I would be satisfied with.  It was time to get into my ‘hurt box’ and stay there.  I finished with everything I had left in me, I never did get to pass any F35-39 competitors and was honestly terrified I was forth.  Winning my age group and receiving my gold national medal was a pleasant surprise, relief and huge buzz for me. However, an overall placing of 24th and a race time of 2hrs 24mins did not impress me so I still have lots to improve on and lots of work to do and lots of fun to be had.
 

Swim + T1 28:00

Bike + T2 1:14:31

Run42:28Total

Time 2:24:59

I've had a lot of people ask me about nutrition in recent months so Tri-Planet has teamed up with NutriFit to bring to you a Nutrition Workshop that will help improve your diet and understanding of nutrition.  I have used the Nutrifit principles and meal plans and find these easy to use and easy to maintain.  Before using the Nutrifit principles I was training twice a day and couldn't work out why I wasn't loosing weight.  What I realised was that I had my diet and eating regime completely wrong.  I was eating the wrong type of food at the wrong time of day, doh!  

What Dr Nick Kimber has created is a really easy to use plan that sheds light on what food to eat and how to structure your eating using readily available foods.  Once I started using the NutirFit plan I started loosing weight and also gained energy!  

This is the best thing you can do for your health and well being, and for the price you would be crazy not to attend.  Not only do you get two NutrFit ebooks you also get a free 90min workshop with Dr Nick Kimber!   For more information click here.

See you on Wednesday night for some nutritional enlightenment!      

Coach Craig 

We've had a successful 8 weeks training outdoors in Dudley Park, but with the clocks changing and the weather too, its time to hang up the sunnies and move indoors.  

This summers session saw a lot of people making some great progress with their fitness and also their weight.  As the muscles have strengthened people have been able to run who previously couldn't; still have to work on those burpees though!  I was even surprised last night by how fast Woodsey is over 50 yards!  Interesting to hear that he only seems to run fast for his own quick singles in cricket?!  

A great effort was put in by everyone on the programme, we've had some good laughs (especially Susie's monkey walk!) and are looking to finish up the 8 weeks with a walk up Mount Thomas this weekend.  I'll let you have a week off and then we start again (well except Ryan who seems to want to carry on next week)!  

I'll also be organising a nutrition coaching evening in conjunction Dr Nick Kimber from Nutrifit, hopefully on Wednesday 27th April (cost $35), so make sure you've eaten all your Easter Eggs before then!  If you are interested in the nutrition evening please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and I'll keep you updated.  

For anyone who is interested in joining for the Indoor Programme on the 11th April please register here, there are two different programmes depending on your level of fitness, its a great way to improve your health and fitness.  We will be at the Rangiora Rugby Clubrooms on a Monday and Tuesday night and at the Ashgrove School Hall on Thursday nights.  If you are unsure as to whether you would feel comfortable doing the programme then please come down on Monday night for a no obligation trial, if you like it (which I reckon you will) then you can register after that.  Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and let me know you will be joining for the first session as a trial for the programme.

Looking forward to the walk this weekend and seeing some new faces at the next Indoor Session!

Coach Craig 

We had a great eight weeks of coaching and training for all the participants in the Summer Triathlon and Duathlon Boot Camp.  Learning techniques for swimming, cycling and running as well as things such as how to sight during the swim, mount and dismount the bike and pacing for the run were to culminate with the North Canterbury Triathlon.  During the last few sessions before the race we had covered everything they needed to know about setting up and performing transitions, racing and open water swimming.

Unfortunately the cancellation of the North Canterbury Triathlon meant that the team were not going to be able to race  However Tri-Planet to the rescue with a simulation race out at Pegasus.  And they thought they would get off lightly without doing a race. no way!  Carefully plotting the course the wheels went into motion.

The outcome was a triathlon with a 200m swim, 20 km bike and 2.5 km run, a duathlon with a 2.5 km run, 20 km bike and 2.5 km run (approximately!).  

Woke up on Sunday morning to a very cold and strong southerly wind and headed out to the course.  The Canterbury Triathlon Club had also been informed about the simulation race as it was a good opportunity for them to practice ahead of the national champs in Wellington.  When I arrived everyone was wrapped up warm and uncertain about the weather conditions.  After the race briefing we set up transition and discussed who would be racing what, some were doing a triathlon, others a duathlon and others an Aquathlon (swim and then run).  There were a few that decided not to race in the conditions, but not the boot camp disciples they were keen as mustard to race!  

So under starters orders, on your marks....get set.... GO!  And they were off, lots of splashing and running as you would expect at the start of a race.  The first person out of the water was Debbie, 'Geez its warm in there' as she sped through to transition.  The lake is heated so I'll be testing that out in winter.....not!  Wetsuit off, shorts on, shirt on, jacket on, socks and shoes on, helmet and cool sunglasses.  

Then out of transition and off on the bike into a nice head wind!  At least there was a back wind at one point to push them along.  Daniel was first in on the bike after a blistering effort, then hammered out on the run determined to race to the end.   Jacqueline was next in but too far behind Daniel who was way out in front.  Debbie arrived next very casually with a big smile on her face and then off on the run with high knees.  Oops I think she took the coaching a little too much to the letter!

A great race by all with a strong finish by Daniel and a determined run from the rest.  Thanks to the athletes for making this happen and also to the supporters for braving the weather to shout support and encouragement.    

Thanks also to Lynette from the Canterbury Triathlon Club for the coffee and tea and some mighty fine cakes and savouries, I think you have set a precedent for the future!  The photos are courteous of Paula who did a mighty fine job!

Congratulations to everyone for graduating from Boot Camp, I know that some of you are racing the Contact Tri Womens race on the 03rd April.  All the best and remember its not how you start but how you finish!

Check out the photos on FaceBook.

Coach Craig

6th February 2011 at QE2 Christchurch

It was the third event of the Physiomed series, the biggest of the three, with a 250m swim 20km bike and a 5km run. Not a huge event with too many people but for me it was going to be a huge challenge. I had been training over the Christmas break while everyone was relaxing and getting in the Christmas spirit, I would be hitting the pavements or splashing in the sea to keep up my level of fitness while away on holiday and not too many wines or Christmas treats.

The morning arrived gear was packed and nerves had hit as well as heat wave of 29 degrees at 7am.  Arrived at QE2 with the men getting ready for their race which started at 8am, already complaining about the heat, so off to transition to set up the bike etc, I was already sweating and hadn’t even raced yet!  Lots of nervous women hanging around fighting to find shade until 9.30am start time, temperature rising now 32 degrees!

Lined up at the pool thinking we are the lucky ones going to have a dip to cool off unlike our duathlon counterparts who had to 1.5 km run in the heat.  The hooter went and we were off swimming 5 lengths of the pool, trying to remember all the techniques from bootcamp Craig had taught me in the pool, (slow arms, strongkick, relax the shoulders, bilateral breathing), well it all went out the window but I managed to make it to the end.  

I checked my watch and to my surprise only  5.15 minutes had past and I was out of the pool and running to transition, WHAM straight into the heat of 37 degrees!  Into transition; found my bike, rushed to put shoes on, quick sip of water and don’t forget the helmet.  Approx 2 minutes later (very slow in Craig’s standards) I was out of transition and on the 20 km bike ride and flying down marine parade, yippee tail wind not looking forward to head wind back and the HEAT did I mention the HEAT?  I must be mad.  Before I knew I was at the turn around point and slogging it back in the head wind, mouth dry passing people giving as much encouragement as you can thinking when will this end.

Approximately 45 minutes later I was back into transition thinking another one down I am alive and still standing but how am I going to run 5 km in this heat, not much left in the reserve.  But as you do off come the bike shoes and on went the runners and don’t forget to take your helmet off. People cheering you on so I knew I could finish it.  Out of transition legs like lead and running like I was going nowhere, I set off to finish the race.  It was getter hotter and hotter people were walking and stopping, the water at each drink station would just melt off you like an egg frying in a pan.  One lap down saw my hubby and said got nothing left,
he said you can do it, you are doing awesome, you haven’t done all this training to quit now!  So I dug it in and determined to finish I made it to the finish line with heaps of cheers and a shower of water waiting to cool avery dehydrated body.

With a big smile on my face I finished in a time of 1.24.02 I completed the series and in extreme conditions. All I can say it is very character building. If asked would I do it again YOU BET I have the tri bug.

Natasha Marshall (Boot Camp Graduate)

The transition from swimming in a pool to swimming in open water can be a daunting one for some people.  Once you get into open water, you no longer have lane ropes or a nice line down the centre of the lane to keep you swimming straight.  Those of you that can only breathe to one side probably find that you tend not to go straight but instead veer to one side.  There are many factors to consider; below I have listed 10 tips to help you with this transition.

1. Always swim with a buddy, if you get into trouble its good to have someone there to help, plus you can work on techniques like drafting and open water starts.
2. Be aware of the temperature of the water, do not spend too much time in very cold water, you can get disorientated and your swim stroke will no longer be effective.   
3. Check for visible signs of water currents and rips before entering, also be wary of dangerous conditions such as crashing or high waves. 
4. Warm up on shore by swinging your arms around.  When you enter the water its a good idea to let the wetsuit fill up with water before you swim.  The wetsuit is designed to work with water between you and the wetsuit to provide warmth and also to suck the wetsuit to your body ensuring a tight fit.
5. Use non-petroleum based products such as body glide for lubrication (these do not damage the wetsuit), apply to the back of your neck to prevent chaffing and also to the top of your feet and ankles to aid in wetsuit removal.
6. Breathing in open water is different to that in the pool, in the pool you should look to the side, but in open water you need to be looking to the sky.
7. Bilateral breathing has a number of benefits so start doing it!  Not only will it help you to swim straighter but when you have waves crashing in on your left or right side you have the ability to breathe away from the waves.  Breathing into the waves is not a good idea, you either get a mouthful of water or are unable to take a breath!
8. Sighting is important, practice, practice, practice!  Sight regularly in a race so you can adjust your direction of swimming.  I’ve seen a lot of people waste energy zig zagging on a course.  Look for landmarks behind the buoy, this makes sighting much easier.
9. Drafting behind someone is the most efficient however be weary that not all swimmers swim straight.  So although you are getting a great draft they could be going off course.  Always sight while drafting, if they are off course then drop them and try another swimmer.
10.   Race preparation is vital, make sure you know the entry and exit points and the course, look for landmarks that you can use for sighting.  For the start of the race make sure you position yourself in the right place, do not start at the front if you are not a strong swimmer.  If you are unsure start at the outside.

Use your time wisely in the open water, practice the techniques you will need for racing and get use to swimming in a wetsuit.  The more people you can get together the better, swim as a tight group so you get use to having other swimmers around you.  Most importantly smile, there is nothing better than swimming in the sea!

I'll be doing an open water session at Pegasus Sunday 27th March, email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  if you are interested in joining.

"I struggle to breathe, my shoulders are sore, when I swim I feel like I'm getting nowhere!", sound familiar?  The problem with swimming is that its about 90% technique, and if you've never been taught to swim then generally your technique needs work.  I see a lot of people swimming that are not relaxed because they panic about breathing, and people who lose momentum because they are not using the correct swimming stroke.  These factors and many more can cause our swimming to be frustrating and also waste precious energy.

So how do you correct these?  Obviously the easiest way is to get swimming lessons, or join swimming sessions with a qualified coach who can help correct your stroke.  However to help those of you who aren't able to do this I've listed four points below to focus on.

1. Body Balance - this is a major part of swimming and is the starting point of many stroke issues.  To be balanced in the water you should have four points of contact with the surface, your head, shoulders, hips and heels.  When you are swimming think of your lungs as being a buoy and you are swimming over the buoy.  If your legs are dragging in the water then they act as an anchor, therefore your head is too high and needs to be lower in the water (but not completely submerged!) to raise your hips.

2. Kicking - Yes the dreaded kick!  What I've noticed in most swimmers is that they kick with a scissor type action or kick with a lot of knee bending.  Stop it!  We point our toes and kick from our hips with a whip like action.  The knee bend should be about 10 to 15 degrees, if you kick with more knee bend than this you'll be pulling water towards you and slowing down (you want to kick water away to push you forward).  The best way to practice kick is vertically in deep water holding onto a kick board across your chest.  Kick from the hips with a whip like action (think of how a dolphin flicks its tail), and make sure your legs are not too far apart.

3. Breathing - First thing is don't lift your head forward before turning to breathe, your hips will drop and this makes breathing more difficult.  Turn your head to the side with your arm stroke and breathe into the pocket that is created by your 'bow' wave, you should be looking directly at the side of the pool when you breathe (not at the ceiling or behind you!).  Most importantly breathe out in the water (blowing bubbles) and don't hold your breath and then try to breathe out and in when you turn your head to breathe.  This is snatching breath and you won't get enough oxygen.

4. Arm Stroke - Once you have all of the above working then its time to start on arm stroke.  There are four elements to your arm stroke, catch, pull, push and recovery.  Catch happens just after the hand enters the water, pull occurs as the arm moves from a 45 to 90 degree point with the body , push occurs by your hips and recovery is when your arm is out of the water.  At all times throughout the stroke your hand should be lower than your elbow.

• Catch - I encourage people not to stretch forward parallel with the surface as you enter your hand into the water, this causes the elbow to drop and immediately weakens your stroke.  Instead think of pushing your hand down into the water as it enters, like an archer.
• Pull - Keep your hand deep and fingers pointing to the bottom of the pool, elbows bent.
• Push - This is the power element of the stroke and where all your focus should be, push the water behind you to drive you forward.
• Recovery - lift from the elbow and arc the hand around to re-enter the water.  Above all you must be relaxed, that's way its called recovery :o)

So you have a few things to get you thinking, my advice to you is only think of one element at a time.  If you try to think of everything at once then it generally all goes wrong.  

I'm taking some morning swim sessions on a Thursday at Amberley Pool, if you need help with your stroke come along and we'll get it sorted!

I’ve had plenty of time to think over the Christmas break, which is sometimes bad news for my Tri-Planet athletes, but after too many bowls of Christmas pudding and too much beer I’ve come up with a training programme to work off those Christmas mince pies! The Outdoor Fitness programme is designed for people of all abilities and is ideal for anyone wanting to lose some weight or get back into fitness after an extended period of inactivity. It’s also a good way to start getting your fitness up to speed for the winter sporting season. Unlike the triathlon programme this course requires nothing other than a drink, shoes and some cloths to exercise in, although when the sun is out make sure you bring your cool sunglasses.

My first Christmas at home for nine years was a very special one shared with my family, but the fun had only just begun as I was heading out to Glenthorne Station , Lake Coleridge that night with a few friends. We were staying in the middle of nowhere at the shearers quarters in the upper Glenthorne Station. Surrounded by glorious mountains, trees, bellbirds and horses, it was a great place to chill out for a few days, and get into some outdoor activities! Boxing Day we climbed 1100m to The Spurs at 1760m, it was a nice climb and we worked hard to get there but the views and serenity were well worth it.

The triathlon festival held out at Pegasus Bay on 19th December was a fantastic day.  With around 400 competitors and a range of races that catered for all levels including children, beginner, intermediate and elite triathletes this certainly was one event I couldn't miss out on...

Starting out in any multi-sport event is definitely a challenge and can be quite daunting.  I remember my first triathlon in Clontarf, Dublin.  Believe it or not I was wearing speedos and a t-shirt in the race!  I had no idea what to wear and what to do, but I loved it and was instantly hooked.