Sunday, May 4, 2008

Weekend's Results

Dear All
 
Well I've just got back from a weekend of inspiring results with the Team down in Busselton. I'm very pleased to inform you that everyone who had trained with us over the last 16 weeks completed the event and to coin the phrase from Shotz Nutrition (sponsors of the event) "finished what they started" - well done everyone! Full results can be seen at:
 
 
...or you can view the attached file which highlights our team athletes. Highlighted in yellow are the top 3 male and female athletes for your information and comparison (highlighted in green = one of the Team over from the UK).
 
It was a day of mixed results - some people having absolute blinders, others having mishaps whether being through bike mechanicals, punctures or nutrition issues. The most important thing to note (and what was particularly inspiring for me as the coach) was that despite these adversities, everyone kept their mind focused and headstrong to finish the event. This superb display of courage and determination is what makes my job so special - a very rewarding day indeed. Thankyou guys for letting me be part of that with you. Oh, and by the way, I won one of the prizes for the most "outlandish" supporters!!! Go Captain Core!
 
A quick run-down of each result (photos will be up at www.theteamcore.com/photogallery.html by the end of the week):
  • Mike Gee went on to improve on last year's awesome result with a 6th place finish on Saturday that saw him take the runner-up spot to Sean O'Neill in the State Championships. An amazing effort considering Mike's first ever event was only back in 2005 on this same course!
  • Richard Kay (from Liverpool) took home a 4th spot in the 35-39 age-group with a blinding 26.03 swim and 4.16 overall time. He's now set to prepare for the Singapore HIM in September. Good luck Richard!
  • Sandy Burt showed his dominance in the 45-49 age-group to win with a fabulous 4.17 finish time. Sandy posted a 29 min swim split then averaged just under 38km/h on the bike before tapping out sub-4min K's on the run leg. Nice work!
  • Zane Randell had a solid performance in the tough 30-34 age-group category with a very noteworthy 2.25 bike split - top job that man!
  • Andrew (Giantman) Menschelyi proved he had what it takes to knock out another good endurance performance just 4 weeks after the Australian Ironman Championships to finish in 4.57. Well done!
  • Clint Doak just snuck under the 5hr mark with an almost identical bike split to the Giantman (no, they weren't drafting before you ask!). Clint also did well to back up after Port Macquarie. Good effort mate.
  • One of the top performances of the day had to be Ian Murray's effort which saw him just missing the 5hr marker. Ian was solid all round which shows good potential for future events (this being his first HIM!).
  • Sue-ann Anderson never fails to impress. After 3 weeks off with a nasty sinus infection and very little training in the lead-up, Sue managed a 3rd place in the competitive 45-49 age-group category and with a bike split nearly 10 minutes quicker than many of the younger girls in the Team. Well done!
  • Carl Andrews cruised through the swim and bike disciplines and rounded off with a gutsy performance on the run leg to see him finish his first longer distance event in quite sometime - not bad at all considering the issues Carl had with his back several weeks ago which saw him stranded at the Dodgy Dunnies unable to move for several hours!
  • If Ian's performance was one of the top fella's performances of the day, then first-timer Helen Cuthbert's awesome 5.22 has to be worthy of the same mantel for the ladies! What was so good about Helen's performance was her attitue and spirit out there - big smiles all day - it was a pleasure to witness that result! Love your work Hellraiser!
  • Jane Day didn't have the blisteringly fast race that she was secretly hoping for, however, despite some pretty serious cramping on the run leg from the get-go, she showed true grit and determination to soldier on through the run and then look upon the result as a learning experience and the need to maybe go back to the drawing board on the nutrition front. We'll be working together on this for future events. Well done Jane - you did good!
  • Caitlin Hunt also had her first HIM outing on Saturday and put in a solid all-round performance with saw her take out a Top-20 position in her 25-29 age-group. I think Caitlin will be back for some more and a solid winter's training for sure!
  • According to legend, Lindy Brand exited the Busselton waters with a smile on her face having completed the swim discipline with no major worries what-so-ever. Once on land Lindy went about ripping up the field with as solid 2.47 bike ride and a 1.50 run split to finish 17th in the 30-34 age group. Well done Lindy - we knew you could get through that swim OK!!
  • Janet Musker sliced another 10 minutes off her HIM P.B with 13th position in the 40-44 category - not bad for having just completed teh Port Macquarie Ironman just 4 weeks previously! Top notch Janet!
  • Kathryn Granheim also emerged from the waters smiling and happy with her swim split, only to then realise halfway through the ride that her rear brake had been rubbing and slowing her progress. Despite being agonisingly close to her when this happened, we weren't allowed to assist for fear of Kathryn's disqualification. Despite this frustrating mechanical incident and the drain it obviously placed on her body for the run, Kathryn finished the task at hand to complete not only her first HIM, but her first triathlon! Well done - onwards and upwards!
  • Matt Biddle was seen regularly out on the course with a big smile on his face; whether this was because of Paul' ridiculous supporting attire though, we'll never know! Again Matt's performance was solid all round, looking like he could have easily gone round again...Ironman in December, Matt????
  • Just behind Matt was Michelle Newsome completing her first ever HIM event as well. After a 29 minute swim and a 2.48 bike split, things started to get a little tougher on the run when Michelle also started cramping severely. Headstrong to the end however, my little "champ" shone on through to make me a very proud coach / husband indeed! Well done Mish!
  • Glen Blackwell deserves both a commendation for comedy and selfless-support having completed the run discipline dressed as a French waiter and then picking up Michelle in the final few K's of the run leg when she was really starting to hurt. Thanks Glen! Its the Busso IM for you my friend!!!
  • Gabe Alves found out first-hand how frustrating a mechanical on the bike can be. After a really superb 38 minute swim split, Gabe actually punctured not once, but twice out on the course. Despite the obvious frustration, he didn't let this stop him and still managed a sub-2hr run split for the half marathon. Well done mate - you did great!
  • Melissa Cundy cruised through the swim and absolutely nailed the bike in an awesome 2.49 bike split in the tough, windy conditions. Despite struggling a touch on the run and picking up a nice collection of blisters, Mel kept ticking along and finished the event in 5.49. Good effort Mel!
  • Trevor Magee didn't have the greatest lead-up to the event with an achilles tendinitis issue but did knock out a really gutsy performance nonetheless to finish in well under 6 hours - well done Trev - you made us proud!
  • Greg Doucas was rumoured to have commented just how much he enjoyed the swim discipline on race day before knocking out a really solid 2.41 bike split and a 2.21 run split - with that sort of swimming spirit, anything's possible mate! Well done.
  • Chris Murphy also had a less than ideal lead-up to the event, being plagued as he was by an old calf injury. He reported before the event that it was 50/50 as to whether he would finish, but he did, and as such I'd say that this Chris's performance is one of those nice moments when you realise "what the mind can conceive the mind can achieve!" Nice job.
  • Paul Williams came to me just 6 weeks ago and asked whether I thought he could make it through the swim leg given his current level of ability in the pool. It was a tough call but I knew that if Paul put his mind to it, it could be done. And done it was...a 45 minute swim split followed by solid performances on the bike and run should now assure Paul that he can do this swimming "thing". Well done mate, that is something to be proud of!
  • Karen Wynne was back to Busselton once again after narrowly missing out on a finish at the full Ironman just 6 months ago. Nothing was stopping her on Saturday though and special thanks and commendation should go to Karen for finishing 9th in her age-group and 3rd in the State Titles, not to mention the support she gave Mary in the last kilometre.
  • Mary Tennant knocked out a really awesome swim split of 39 minutes before shooting along on the bike and then suffering through ITB pain (which has held her back a touch in training in the last 2 months) on the run to complete her first ever Half Ironman in a fabulous time of 6.42 and to take out a top-10 position in her age-group. I know Mary was a little disappointed that she didn't go a little quicker and that the run was super tough, but that just makes the challenge of the next one all the more exciting...right Mary?!! Great effort - we're very proud of you and you should be too!
So, where to from here?
 
Well, whilst the program as per http://www.theteamcore.com/weeklyprogram.html will continue to run throughout the winter with the new changes taking effect from Monday 5th May, many of these athletes would be wise to take a good couple of weeks off to relax and recuperate. Its really hard work on the body, mind and soul to train as consistently as they have for the last 16 weeks and the rest really is very vital. After such a big event it is very common to feel like you're almost on a "come down" and some people do develop post-race "blues". The main thing is to allow your body the time it needs to adjust and move on when you're well and truly ready, and not before. You deserve the break!
 
For those of you whom have been inspired by this program, we can now start to look at gearing up towards the other many and varied challenges that lie ahead (http://www.theteamcore.com/futureprograms.html) Squad sessions will likley be very quiet over the next couple of weeks, but please be assured that I'll be down there, so if you can make it, I'd love the company!!
 
Squad Social:
 
Subject to final confirmation, we will be holding an end-of-season squad social up in Hillary's on Saturday 17th May at "Bar One Twenty". The event will serve as a wind-down after the season and as a chance to meet up again after the Half Ironman to see how we're all feeling and what people are thinking of as their next challenge. I shall keep you posted in due course!
 
Cheers and thanks again for a great season!
 
Paul
 
Paul Newsome
Swim Smooth & The TEAM CORE
www.swimsmooth.com & www.theteamcore.com
+ 61 (0) 431 540 980
Follow the Blog at http://theteamcore.blogspot.com/

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