State Triathlon

Well! What a week it has been! We had troubles at the airport and great success in the water, on the bike and on the footpaths.

Last Wednesday the Peninsula Triathlon Team were scheduled to fly out to race at Hervey Bay for the state championships. When we arrived at the airport, there was a slight drama. Half of the team was supposed to fly out at 10 o'clock that morning. I unfortunately was in the half that was supposed to be on the early flight. The managers said that we were being put on a flight at 9pm that night and then having a four hour drive to Hervey Bay after that. They also said that we would have to send our bikes with someone else as there was not enough room on for the amount of bikes on the late flight. This made me uneasy as I was using the shop bike. I was lucky enough that Dad got me onto a flight with him for the next morning, which meant I was able to get a good nights sleep.
When I arrived in Hervey Bay the next day I found out that the people that went on the late flight got there at 4am which would have been unfortunate for them as they wouldn't have had a great sleep. Thankfully I made it there in one piece and my mum received my bike safely.

I felt really good going into the race on Friday morning. It wasn't a very big field this year, maybe about 30 athletes. I woke up and this year I felt that I was ready and that it was going to be a good year. I worked so hard in the swim leg but as I watched the quick swimmers swim away I thought that I was coming dead last. I actually came out about 18th place (unofficially) which is incredible for me. I knew that I was going to have to work extra hard on the bike and I secretly had a goal of having a top 10 ride time. I rode extremely well, maybe not my best ride ever but I could tell that it was good. For the first time ever I had caught Adam (one of the other local boys from Cairns) in a state championship race, although I think that I put too much effort into catching him on the bike that when I passed him I didn't accelerate and he was able to follow my wheel. We came off the bike together and I thought in my head that I would be able to run away from him but that was not the case. He was closing quickly and on the last lap of the run I pushed even harder to stay away. As he got onto my shoulder I vomited and when he tried to run past the same thing happened too him. He slowed and I was able to pull away. It wasn't long to the finish and I knew that the pain would be over. I gave it one last go but everything was in agony, I had blisters on my feet and my hip was pulling. As we came into the finish chute I heard someone yell, "GO! GO! GO! He's coming!" I pushed one last time and was just able to beat Adam across the line.

I finished in 11th place which is my best ever result at those championships and I also achieved my other goal of having a top 10 bike time, with 8th best.  I don't think that these championships could have gone any better than they did. Next year I am aiming for a spot on the Queensland Team in my last year of school sport racing. I want to put out a big thank you to my Mum for always taking me away to these events and giving her time up to get me to training sessions so I can succeed. She saw the finished product of the hard work on the weekend and I think that she was proud.

Sprinting for the line in the individual race. 

Shout out to Marlin Coast Cycles

I can't possibly go another day with out thanking Marlin Coast Cycle Sport for helping me out with an amazing machine for states this week. Steve the owner set me up with a Trek Speed Concept 7.5 with Reynolds Assault race wheels. I got out for a ride on it today as it had finally stopped raining and I got out about 45km and all I can say that is fast.

Yesterday morning I ran in the Cairns Parkrun for the first time and it wasn't very pleasant because it was absolutely pouring rain when we got there. Thankfully the rain eased to a drizzle but the course had way too many puddles and we came away with soaking wet shoes and mud stained shirts. I felt sick for most of the race which did not help, but I was able to run an 18:31 which is my second fastest time this year.
That afternoon Jill (my coach) had asked me to do a 4x 200m as part of a summer series and I said yes. On the way in the rain was so heavy that I lost all motivation to run. By the time we got into town the rain had eased once again and lets just say my motivation came back because I now wanted to run the 800m. I was feeling the pain from the morning but I decided on racing anyway. I know that I pushed the first lap too hard because it was about 61 seconds and I'm not in the kind of form to run that quick. I couldn't feel my arms for the last 300m because of the lactic acid build up but I pushed on and ran a 2:09. For the start of the year and the fact that I am training for longer races this has given me a lot of confidence going into this year. Last year I took off an enormous amount of time off my 800m and if I could do something similar this year, I think I have a chance of running sub two minutes.

Trek Speed Concept 7.5- The bike I am riding on for states

The unforgiving wet season

It's possible to cope with the rain for a certain amount of time, but after that it just becomes too much! I really am fed up with this drizzling rain that just keeps hanging around. It disrupts my training and it's not the right time to be missing out on the last few sessions leading up to State Triathlon.

Despite this horrible, miserable and disgusting weather I forced myself out rain, hail or shine this afternoon to go and do an easy ride. It looked nice this morning when the cloud started to break up and I was able to spot some blue sky. By five o'clock this afternoon when it was time to go the rain was back, but I pushed on, determined not to let the rain stop me. In a sense it made me feel really good, knowing that I was probably the only person out there training in that sort of weather and those thoughts seemed to motivate me.

Yesterday my calves were so sore that I found it hard to walk. I didn't think that it would be even remotely possible that I made it through a session but I went anyway. The track was so muddy it could have been home to some feral farm animals and we could only use half the track. I got through the session but I was at the back and it was a struggle to finish.

I really like the feeling of pushing myself harder. Recently I have felt that in the middle of a session I feel like collapsing or stopping or slowing down, but I don't slow down, I run harder, I push more because I know that soon the pain will be over, I'll have positive memories and I'll be stronger than the day before. I personally don't see this kind of attitude in a lot of people and I think that I am lucky to have this because it helps me to strive to reach my goals.

Covered in mud at the end of the session

How I am Feeling

I thought that I should try and post as much as I can in the lead up to State Triathlon. Yesterday I had a run session on the track and I didn't feel like I had any energy, so I thought my times were a little bit off and I was coming in second or third where as I prefer to lead out the intervals. I told myself to stay strong and at least get through the session because soon the pain would be over and I would only be getting stronger. I managed to get through the tough session and I ran my last 400 metres in 59 seconds which is quite fast considering it was at the end of the set.
Today I was supposed to do an easy 5km recovery run and I also wanted to get out on the time trial (tt) bike to get some kilometres in but it was raining and I just didn't have the motivation to run or clean my bike after riding in the wet. That sounds so slack of me considering I am racing next week, but it is exactly how I felt. Although I can't say that I didn't do anything because this morning I did my second swim session for the week and today we did 30x 100m leaving off 1:45. As hard as this sounds I felt really strong and I think that has to do with the strength training that I have been doing.
Not too much is planned for the rest of the week except a Parkrun on Saturday. Other than that it should be pretty easy up until states with a few short intense sessions but nothing that'll destroy me.

2 Weeks until States

I have just under two weeks until State Titles for triathlon. I feel like that I am in good shape despite not having started my swim training just yet. I feel that I am still strong enough to power through the water as I have been doing strength and core work. I think my bike leg is the strongest that it has ever been, I also feel super strong in my run leg.

Running this week was tough but I got through all the sessions. Thursday was especially hard because the track was pretty much a mud pit and that slowed down our intervals. I ran just under 9km this afternoon, after not running in Adelaide I think that my strength is back and I'm feeling fast.

Yesterday I got out 108km on the bike. Although I struggled up one the steeper climbs and I had to take a short cut, I came back and was able to win the sprint back into town. I honestly didn't think that I had it in me but the 13,000 metres of climbing that I did in Adelaide has made riding on the flat a breeze. I got set up on the time trial bike today which I am planning on riding at states so all my cycling should be on that bike until I pack it away before I travel south.

I'm going to have this week of intense training before I ease off next week before my race a week on Friday. I want to race really well in Harvey Bay and I just really hope that I haven't peaked too early.

Tour Down Under

I returned home from Adelaide yesterday and it sure was a big eleven days following the Tour Down Under. In the eleven days that I was away I rode 909km, I thought this was a big effort. For me the most memorable part was meeting some of the best riders in the world. I was able to rub shoulders with people such as Adam Hansen (Lotto Belisol), Richie Port (Sky Pro Cycling), Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto Belisol), Marcel Seiberg (Lotto Belisol), Cadel Evans (BMC), Calvin Watson (Trek Factory Racing), Jens Voit (Trek Factory Racing), Marcel Kittle (Giant Shimano) and that is only naming a few.


Adam Hansen who went on to win the King of the Mountains classification is a Cairns boy as well and after going to the tour for four years now, he now knows who I am. When I arrived home at the airport yesterday, Adam was there as well because he was visiting his mum. I was sitting down waiting for mum as she had gone to get the car and as I turned around I noticed Adam walking over to me. He said good luck for the next year and he also said, "I might see you at the end of the year, maybe we can train together?" I was absolutely over the moon! It may not happen but it was the fact that he suggested training together. These words made my Tour Down Under.

I think it was a fantastic week and the amount of riding that I got in made it even better. It was my biggest year at the Tour Down Under and during that week I had a block of four days where I rode 479km. The whole week was really good and I'll be back down there next year to do it all again.

Me with Adam Hansen and Jurgen Roelandts.

Riding in Adelaide

I must say yesterday was one of the best days I have ever had in Adelaide. We managed to get in contact with Adam Hansen who rides for a Belgium Pro Cycling Team, Lotto Belisol. He told us that he was going for a training ride with his team leaving at 9 o'clock. Before we were able to ride I had a Parkrun that my coach Jill suggested that I do. I ran that very well with a time of 18:17 and coming in 6th out of 168 runners. This makes it my best time this year.

We had to rush to get over to meet Adam only to find out that they were running late and didn't come out for an extra twenty minutes. We started off riding heading towards the hills and Dad told me to stick with them and meet up with him later. We rode up this amazing climb that kept going forever and I was able to sit comfortably on the back. Adam heard about my run that morning and discussed it Andre Greipel who is one of the best sprinters in the world. I thought that was a such an honour for them to be talking about me like that and how they thought it was so good. We reached a small town and the team wanted to do a quick lap of a section on stage two. I found out that it was going to be really quick. The undulating hills and short sharp descents absolutely burned my legs and I had trouble hanging on. Marcel Seiberg dropped off the back as well so I rode and had a chat with him which was good. It was such a good day at the office but I paid for it today.

This morning we woke up early and met some friends from back home and rode up into the hills. It was such a change from the other day when it was 41 degrees and this morning it was 11. My head really wanted to go hard but today, my legs were just shattered. I was so slow and found it hard holding the a half decent pace. Everyone beat me up to the top and I just thought that today was one of those days. When we reached the coffee shop, we sat down and shortly after the Women's Greenedge cycling team turned up to have coffee there as well. We then left there and went to the cycling expo where I got a photo with a world class sprinter Marcel Kittel and a photo walking alongside Cadel Evans. More riding is planned for this afternoon before the People's Choice Classic Crtierium begins is on tonight.

Marcel Kittel and myself this morning.

The Start of Adelaide

I have been in Adelaide for two days now training and preparing to watch the Tour Down Under which starts on Sunday evening. Yesterday when we arrived the temperature was about 41 degrees, but it did not feel that hot as I am used to having high humidity back home. We rode straight up into the hills where it seemed to be a lot cooler. It wasn't such a bad ride and we managed a quick 50km.

Today was hot but on a larger scale. It reached a maximum of 46 degrees and this was bad. It felt like the sun was burning through my skin. Luckily for us we found the best coffee shop in Adelaide and spent a majority of the day in there drinking coffee. We rode out to the beach where it was a lot cooler. At the end of the day when everyone wanted to go home I still had the urge to keep riding as we hadn't been that far and I wanted to ride up the hill which is around the corner. Dad decided that he wanted to come as well and before long he told me not to kill myself and then I didn't see him until the top. I had consumed a bottle of water before I had even begun the climb and we are staying only five kilometres from the base. Overall today we only rode about 60km but it felt like it was so much more. Tomorrow I am aiming to wake up early and get a ride done before it becomes too hot. Hopefully we'll be able to see some of the professional teams out riding as well. I am also hoping to give an update bout my training here on Sunday.

The view from the lookout we rode to yesterday.

Training over Christmas

I travelled down to the Sunshine Coast for Christmas and I was able to run almost everyday, as well as some ocean swims. Most of my running down there was long runs as I had only started training after my crash. I ran in a Parkrun event which is a 5km event and are all over the world. I managed to come 7th out of 208 competitors with a not too bad time of 18:47. While I was away I bought some new Nike Lunar Racers which are amazing shoes and a Nike+ GPS watch which is also fantastic.

My running legs have been getting stronger as I witnessed yesterday when I did my first hard session on the track for the year and was running about two seconds under my target times for each interval.

Today I went out and ran a nice 10km steady run, but it was extremely hot which made it hard. I had areas of flat spots where I couldn't get under 4:40 per kilometre and then about 6km into my run I was suddenly at 4:25 per km. I thought this was a bit strange but I guess that's running.

I am lucky enough to travel to Adelaide next week for the Tour Down Under, a cycling race which features many of the worlds best professional riders. It'll be one big week of riding and hopefully this year I wont encounter a crash. I think it will be tough but also very fun at the same time.

Running through Hervey Bay on our way back to Cairns

Feeling the Pain

Lately I have been fatiguing, I'm too sure why, maybe it's just too much too soon. It has been getting better though. I did my first track session on Tuesday and my running coach Jill thought that I had been secretly training because I was able to run some quick times. I think it is the fact that I had some strength in my legs from my riding. I am getting stronger on the bike and I am absolutely loving that, but once again I am coming back with aching muscles and that is very unusual.

I am heading south for Christmas so I'll be training away and unfortunately Mum won't let me take my bike away so I'll just be running and I will also have to start swimming. After the doctor last week he said that I should be able to get my hip wet in a week and that time has come. As racing has finished for this year, it's just training now for state triathlon, state athletics and possibly national athletics in sydney next year.

Hopefully this stage of being fatigued so easily will pass and I'll be able to train how I like to.

A piece of entertainment!

Although this blog is mainly about my training and racing, I thought it would be nice if I put up a video that I found recently of a trials rider named Martyn Ashton. He rides on a road bike and does some absolutely breathtaking tricks, something that an ordinary rider wouldn't attempt. It features Martyn Ashton, Danny MacAskill and Chris Akrigg.

Anyway enjoy!

Getting back to training

This week has been an awesome week for me. My hip has healed so much more and it's almost a complete scar. I tried to run on Tuesday but I had general soreness and there was still minor pain in my hip. On Thursday though I went to my running group to join in and ran about 5/6km which I was really happy with.

Today I convinced myself to go out on the bike for a few hours and that's exactly what I did. Left home at 5:10 his morning and came back at about 10:30, three hours of riding with some socialising to break up the effort. Clocked up 90km and I felt good, except I have fatigued this afternoon so tonight I'll be replacing my electrolytes and doing some stretching to try and help recover so I can do it all again tomorrow. I plan to ride again tomorrow and then off to work in the bike shop. I must say it's the best job in the world!

Things are starting to go upwards. It's been some long recovering, but I am absolutely loving being able to training everyday in the holidays and just get out there and enjoy myself.

I have great news

After my accident it has taken me a long time to get back into training. I have started riding and did my first long ride on Friday morning and on Saturday I rode again. After some quick thinking and taking some time to convince Mum, I came to the decision that I was going to race the Copperlode Cup on Sunday morning. This is a 15km race up to Copperlode Dam. It is race held once a year and is a training route for many cyclists in the area.

I had decided that I wasn't going to do anything stupid, just make it though the race but knowing my attitude, that definitely was not the case. I may have told Mum otherwise but I knew in the back of my mind that I don't go into races just to ride, I go in and I race. It started off hard from the gun but I also knew that I had to play it a little safe because of my hip. I rode the B Grade boys off my wheel and focused on one guy that was up ahead, slowly pulling him back. I caught him at the road works traffic lights, which for him was a disadvantage. I was able to sit on his wheel and I just kept thinking that soon the pain would be over and I could relax. I passed him on one of the short descents but took a corner too quick and nearly went into the mountain. I got back onto his wheel but unfortunately for me, my chain came off just before another climb. I had to settle for 4th place which was more than enough for me as I hadn't been training. One thing that did make me smile though was beating my Dad up the hill. It would have been the first race we've done together and well he couldn't hang on.

I think I rode really well considering I had done only two rides. I'm slowly getting back into training now, but I still can't get my hip wet and this is tough because I need to start swimming. It's been a long process but I think it was a well deserved break.

Coming into the finish of the race in 4th place.

This is Getting to Me

Well I got the good news of being able to start training again and I thought that it would be best to go and at least try go for a ride. I got all geared up and it was a nice feeling to be wearing that kit again. Checked my bike and pumped up the tyres and said my goodbye to Mum. I felt my hip pulling as soon as I started, but I took no notice and thought that the pulling and pain would stop soon. I rode approximately 2.5km down the road when I couldn't take the already aggravating pain. I made the decision to turn around and come home.

I'm just finding it tough to have to sit around at home, not being able to train. It was nice at the start but this has just dragged on too long and I'm starting to get more agitated. I will try again soon but I just want my hip to heal.