RACE REPORT FROM A VOLUNTEER

The day started for me at 3.30am…the alarm went off…I’d just got to sleep at midnight after attending a friends birthday party. I got my gear together and cycled in from Canning Vale into the city on the old Colnago.I noticed how windy it was. I started feeling sorry for the prospective competitors. I checked in as a volunteer and found myself at the bike exit/entry area of transition. The first event away was the Sprint Distance at 7am. This was a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run. Plenty of triathletes using this event to kick off a new season. I saw Sandy Burt’s new P4. Saw many bikes I’d never heard of (who’s seen an ‘Arthur’ bike before??) Kenji Nener ended up flying around the Sprint course in just over 1hr flat.

At the presentations, Simon Beaumont (6PR radio identity and Ironman athlete) introduced Kenji to medal presenter Craig Alexander as a name to watch out for. I can second that. Names like Kierath, Borg, etc also figured in the placings. I noticed over 200 people doing this Sprint event. Fiona Longden was out there sporting the North Coast Tri club colours, Dave Koopu made this his first ever triathlon and finished well, even managing 6min/km run pace at the end. As a 110kg ball of solid muscle, Dave thought he’d give everyone else a few minutes headstart on the swim….before eventually deciding to join in on the Sprint race. I daresay Dave’s recent Ironman entry will see him suffer just a bit more than embarassment A tough rugby match won’t even compare Dave, I’m afraid. Anyway, he was happy to have finished and stayed intact and his Ironman WA training has been in full swing for some time.

The long course event got underway at 8am with a 3km swim, a windy 80 bike leg and a stifling hot 20km run lying in wait for the athletes. Poor old Bob Thomas, wheelchair Ironman, had his new dentures kicked out of his mouth in the swim. At bike transition he managed to say this was vewwy, vewwy fwustwating (apologies to Elmer Fudd…..ok, to Bob too!!) He had a race of attrition and just a hard day at the office. He’s just a gritty, tough bloke.

Now I made a point of cheering on and encouraging every single athlete that passed through bike transition……. I’m sure that after 3km of choppy, windy swim and 80km of gruelling bike, the last thing they wanted was some bloke to tell them to hang tough, to leave it all out on the course, to hydrate well, to do it for their country. Still, I did all that and more and I hope some got a bit of a lift from the encouragement. It always works for me when I’m competing in a hard race. Well done also to the Year 11 John 23rd boys for helping out as volunteers. They all put in a long day.

The day started for me as a volunteer at 5am and finished at 1.30pm when bikes were being checked out. Not sure if they all heard me but I made a point of giving an extra rev up to Hannah Lawton, Gus Lawson, Stuart Durham, Amanda (the Poss) Smith, Brynt McSwain and several others whose name escapes me for the moment. An older French guy had literally taken a bite size chunk out of his carbon bike frame so this put a premature end to his race…and his beautiful, expensive bike. There were some bikes there worth up to $25000. An amazing array really. C’est la vie - the French guy’s bike was insured.

It was pretty funny how lots of people were posing for the professional photographers, completely unaware that the good old Swan River had delivered to each and every one of them a slimy, greasy bearded film around their mouth. Gotta love swimming in the Swan River. Another guy I saw had cut his foot pretty badly on a barnacle and done the whole bike ride with his foot in a lot of pain. He limped from bike end to do the run but he was in for a long day.

Aside from a few Sprint athletes saying they couldn’t get drinks for the run leg (and I’m not sure how fatal this is to a 5km run in any event), the event seemed to be pretty well run. The freeway closure caused predictable angst to motorists who were simply unaware of this fact. Jodie Swallow was simply awesome in the bike leg and even extended her 6min lead by another 5mins to win the female title comfortably. Tim O’Donnell did a ‘Craig Alexander’ by catching people up on the run to win in the men’s division. I think Brynt McSwain just got by fellow Aussie Matt ‘Bulldog’ Jennings and looked strong heading out on the run. Some people just have astonishing running cadence.

O’Neill and Crowther put in strong performances but it was (obviously) a world-class field. In many ways, it was an adventure race but not the sort that would have given the likes of Sean O’Neill any advantage.

As someone who has ‘driven the train’ against the wind on the bike from UWA back to Narrows many times, I felt for athletes putting this effort in 4 times on the bike ( in addition to the crosswinds heading out and back from Canning Bridge. All in all, it was pretty inspiring stuff. I took some photos of the bikes (and I saw Kath Garnett from Front Runner doing her professional photographer duties)

Things looked well in hand at the finish area with lots of athletes enjoying many massages at the end along with plenty of food, drink and medical assistance.

I think for those that had banked lots of running kilometres in the legs, had solid swimming technique and had practised cycling into hard headwinds, the day brought rewards. I think my day would have finished at the swim to be honest. Such a tough start to the race with an even tougher bike leg to come!!!

After nearly 9 hours of being on my feet and supporting anything that moved in transition, I dutifully hopped back on the Colnago for a 1hr ride home. I slept for just over an hour, a few litres of electrolyte later and I felt like I’d done the event myself.

Well done to everyone involved in the event - Kellie Maren, the whole Tri Events crew, the Kempson crew at their aid stations and of course the competitors and other volunteers. A great Expo of stalls was set up for athletes to snap up bargains as well. Finally, Palis did well (as they usually do) in setting up the PA system…..and they played Thunderstruck a few times. Extra brownie points for that!!

By the way I have now signed up to do the marathon as part of an IMWA team in place of my wife. Her hip flexor and scoliosis are just causing too many issues at present. So I’m putting in big blocks of running as well as some smaller 12 to 15km blocks. I have an ITT (individual time trial) on the bike at Champion Lakes this Sunday. I hope to break 41kph but it will be very hard, even on a 20km effort.

The countdown is well and truly on for IMWA, a total of over 1300 individual athletes and 111 teams will make it huge.

If you see me running up and down Ranford Road around Canning Vale way, give me a honk or just say ‘gidday Christo’ - it’ll keep me motivated.

Cheers

CHRISTO

CHRISTO

I find myself in an unusual situation with Ironman WA in 8 weeks time. I have my wife training for the marathon as part of a team, following a training plan. Today, I cycled 150kms from the Narrows to Pinjarra Rd and return with their team cyclist Liz on her new Cervelo P3 and new Zipp wheels.

I was watching the Ford Ironman at Lake Placid today on Foxtel and it was such a hard bike and run course. So many brave efforts. The exhiliration of first time Ironman athletes. It’s quite a moment to have someone say to you that you’re an Ironman. And the beauty of it is that once you become an Ironman, you’re an Ironman forever.

I’ve retraced mentally all my preparation for the event, the countless 25 and 30km runs, the times I’d say goodbye to my wife on a Saturday morning for a 120 or 130km bike ride. The endless swimming laps, that insipid black line……and I hate swimming!! I’ve overcome one of my biggest fears in being able to swim nearly 4kms in a race situation. For me, as one who swims like a brick, it became a meditative triumph to emerge from the swim in good shape and ready to tackle the 180km bike and 42.2km run.

I can vividly recall the 6 punctures I got on the bike. The reason for so many punctures isn’t important. There were times out at Wonnerup where I felt like chucking my stupid bike into the bush. But I had a shirt (that I ended up giving to my younger brother who wants to do the Great Ocean Road marathon) that said that Ironman doesn’t build character, it reveals it. I believe that was the case for me. I spent nearly 7.5hr out on that bike knowing that I was aiming to be out there only 5hrs and knowing also that I had to run a marathon. Now that took me another 5 hrs and my 11hr IMWA dream faded to over 14hrs.

Already, there are 1050 individuals entered and over 60 teams for Ironman WA. It’s a triumph of will and determination. They are all on a very arduous journey, each one’s no less significant that the other.

There’ll be 8 weeks more of swimming, cycling and running for all of them. Our team swimmer, Ashleigh, is currently competing in the Great Southern Adventure race near Denmark, WA.

For my part, I’m a spectator/supporter/team assistant.  I’m still doing time trials in my cycling. I’m still running - I want to go under 45mins for the John Gilmour 10km track race at AK athletics track on 6 Nov 09.

The pressure is off for me but it will be my wife’s first marathon. This time last year I was preparing for the Rottnest Island marathon, my first. Ironically, I ran it next to a workmate who , at 40yo, was doing his 100th marathon. He is doing the Kilimanjaro Marathon, Ayers Rock marathon, Las Vegas marathon. He just loves doing marathons.

I’d love to qualify for Boston but that would mean a 3hr 30min marathon - very tough prerequisite.

As I rest after the 150km ride today, I know Dee is mustering all her energy to stick to her running schedule for the marathon. But she has nothing more to prove to the world. She conquered Mt Kilimanjaro in January, she did a 2hr half marathon last year, she’s lost 40kgs and very fit these days!!

The Ironman WA female team name is ‘DeeLizAsh’ and we have a great vibe going. I know IMWA teams may be viewed as a hindrance to the individuals but they all have a place at this event. John Maclean will vouch for that. One of the most inspiring moments straight after I finished IMWA in 2007 was to talk to Bob Thomas, a wheelchair athlete who had also just finished IMWA. My trials and tribulations paled compared to his. It was a very sobering chat that I had with Bob. He is a legend in my books as is John Maclean.

Good training, health and good times ahead over the next several weeks. Bring….it…..ONNNNN!!!

CHRISTO

CHRISTO’S TOPICAL SALAD (www.christoonline.com)

I’v e just come back from climbing Bluff Knoll, WA’s highest peak. Funny name….until we realized that some lady descending from the top would tell us we were nearly there…..when we were around half way up. Bluff mole!  

Just saw Hugh Jackman’s  castigation of a front row audience member whose mobile phone started ringing.  Mobile phones – friend or foe!!

I have to say that Geoffrey Blainey was likely talking about WA when he coined the phrase ‘the tyranny of distance’. Around 450kms to get to Stirling Ranges National Park.

We found the Royal Hotel in a town called Kojonup  watched the Saints go marching out!! No shops open to buy groceries within coo-eee of Bluff Knoll.  My thanks to the guy at Kamballup roadhouse who gave me his own pack of snags and chops, no doubt feeling sorry for my lack of foresight.

Now apparently the duststorm in Sydney originated from a place where there was radioactive dust. But let’s look on the bright side. Now all the Sydney folk will glow in the dark so they should be pretty easy to spot in a crowd!!!

My beloved Blues trading Fevola….no way….it better not happen!!

What do we all think of iSnack 2.0 as the name for  the new cream Vegemite. I would say it should now be called Vege-wont or Vege-cant. An appropriate time for those famous three letters…..WTF!!

The  Friggin Loon is in fine form.  It was the Loon who showed the Mom Song some time ago and suddenly commercial TV has discovered her. Anna Renfroes I think it is.

Not much compares to the Japanese gameshow of Human Tetris on the Loon’s website. Check it out.

Aussie dollar  nudging 87.5 US cents now.  Reserve Bank hinting at lifting interest rates.  A 16yo girl going to sail around the world…if she can avoid 66000 tonne ships that is!! Kerri-Anne looking a little size-challenged. Royal Show on in Perth at the moment. Some storms on the horizon.  Not much Spring weather around – its about 5C cooler than the Sept average.

Shocking floods in the Phillipines. A new Hoges and Kenny film that looks very promising (reckon Hoges won’t be opening up any Swiss bank accounts soon though!)

What’s with this 5 finger shoe thingy? Someone explain it to me!!

Now, I’m all for women wearing these ‘Perfect Shaper’ support garments. But what about that first moment of intimacy…you know…..the need to remove the garment eventually…..and let it all hang out. A Bridget Jones moment if ever there was.

Madonna thinking of marrying Jesus.  Now there is a headline just about guaranteed to offend everybody.

Predictions of petrol set to plummet down to around $1.00 a litre. Bring it on, I say.

Just clearing out all my emails – is it just me getting all these inducements to enlarge myself (you know what I mean. Just makes me feel uncomfortable…like someone spying on you deciding that you clearly need this type of help.  It’s just a phallacy!!

Reservoir amoebas

CHRISTO

A big decision was made today. I phoned my prospective cycling team mate for Ironman WA…..and we both agreed that we’d support our spouses in their female IMWA team. So our team entry can wait till next year!!! Ain’t no thing, and there’s loads of events to still be involved in ( Anaconda 09 at Augusta, ATTA events galore, Cyclosportif,  a new triathlon calendar, WA Marathon Club with loads of runs.

I feel some relief I have to say as my swimming had only really started last week with a 1500m effort and I’m definitely not a natural swimmer….its bloody hard work for me. The lanes should have music piped under the water…something to break up the monotony of following that black line.

Tomorrow, I have the Fremantle Half Marathon to run in. My last run was the one done as part of Busselton Half Ironman ( I’d still love to go under 5hrs…getting closer with this aim). With two 10.5km laps, I’d love to knock off the first one in 50mins and try to go under 1hr 40mins. Still, its just a training run and I think I’d like to go on and do the Rottnest Marathon again.

Just about to watch the Collingwood/Geelong footy match. Great match last night with St Kilda getting up. am preparing for another scaling of Bluff Knoll. The Narrogin Gliding Club may be good enough to be down there the same time as us. It was a great sight to see the gliders slicing past Bluff Knoll as we neared the top last year.

The Stirling Retreat Caravan Park is great and we plan to watch the Grand Final at bustling Borden Tavern. It’ll be great as a few of our group are mad keen St Kilda supporters.

Getting closer to owning my Giant Bowery fixed wheel bike….a beautiful glossy black number still sitting at Runners World for other people to envy. So many fixies commuting to work in Perth….the flat terrain has something to do with this I’m sure.

Dee’s IMWA team has Ash Davis as swimmer and Liz McSweeney as cyclist with Dee doing the Marathon. I will be doing lots of runs with Dee and lots of long bike rides with Liz. Sorry Ash, can’t see me being of any use in your swimming prep.

A good hard bike ride this morning with our brand new cycling outfit, courtesy of Force Equipment, Slater-Gartrell Sport, Pure Fitness WA gym and Power Alliance. We have already got 22 riders wearing these jerseys and arm warmers. I think Sprint Design may have a sample somewhere on their webpage.

A new option to head down south to the beautiful South West of WA opens up tomorrow with the opening of the Forrest Hwy linking Perth to Bunbury.

I’m sure my 80kg body will be in a bit of pain tomorrow after the half marathon. Not quite built as a marathon runner just yet.

So much happening tomorrow. State Team Time trials in the cycling, the Dwellingup 100 MTB race ( today I think), Freo Half Marathon, and of course the big cycle ride on the new Forrest Hwy.

Adios amoebas.

More, regular updates over the next 11wks.

CHRISTO

We then travelled to Manning Park to watch our young Year 4 niece Sarah compete in her inter-school cross country run. I just love all the enthusiasm of the younger for running. Sarah had a great run and finished 9th out of around 55 runners, full of beans and with a smile on her face. I felt myself slowly turning into a cross country coach again so I had to keep it under control. As it was, we offered to take her to next season’s cross country training and events in Winter as part of Little Athletics.

www.triwa.org.au

A full 7 weeks on from first getting the flu - still coughing up clear phlegm ( hope you’ve all finished lunch). I had a call from Red Cross again, still after my plasma donation. I had to tell them to give it another couple of weeks. A friend of mine managed an average heart rate in excess of 180bpm for the 12km City to Surf for a 46min effort. And my running coach Raf Baugh was a mere 12sec away from winning the 12km City to Surf event. How do you people do that?? It just amazes me.

I was recently watching the London ITU Tri champs and saw Kahlefeldt damage the tendons under his foot. Ouch!! From a near certain 3rd place finish to a DNF.

I’m now officially down as a volunteer for the Long Distance World Tri Champs being held in Perth in October.

On the way home lately, I’ve been spotting ‘fixies’ everywhere. I told you of the tall dude with the red bike and Dunlop Volley shoes. Well, I had a guy with a powder blue fixed wheel bike come zooming past on my trip between Narrows and Roe Hwy turnoff.

He continued south and all I could do really was just try to keep 10m behind him. This morning, because I am it ‘ITT’ mode, I tend not to respond to guys (and girls) that whizz past me in a rush of adrenalin. Slowly but surely however there is a part of me that wants to chase down the rabbit. And I ended up doing just that on the way in. I’m not really looking forward to starting off at position 101 for this Sunday’s ITT at Shenton Park. Those hills just hurt like mad when you’re trying to maintain an even time.

It’s been pretty depressing these past few weeks with precious little decent weather for outdoor training. Friday night saw my first swim as part of my 12wk IMWA swimming program. Ok, was supposed to knock off 3kms of swimming at Beatty Park. Actually did 1500m - my ‘brick’ qualities re-emerged as a swimmer. But I am unperturbed - I may even invest in a long-sleeved wetsuit ….(and one of those mini hand-held submarine thingies to help propel me along!!)

They have the words ‘Team Force’ etched on the back with Force Equipment, Slater Gartrell Sports and Pure Fitness emblazoned. Some heavy duty earthmoving machinery pictures thrown in for good measure and a snazzy looking carbon weave effect on the sleeves and arm warmers.

It looks like we will have two teams for the Pinjarra cyclosportif which is great. For those of you contemplating the opening of the new Perth to Bunbury Hwy ride next week 20 September, it will cost $25 and you need to register at

www.cyclosportif.com.au

Dee has sorted out a nutritious eating program for us for these next 12 weeks. We will both benefit from better food intake and hydration.

Its getting close to registration time for IMWA 09. Unfortunately my brother John has readjusted his marathon aspirations to May next year for the Great Ocean Road Marathon. I’ve been training as if I were doing the 3.8km swim and marathon anyway so there’s no dramas.

I watched Emma Moffatt’s 5 sec triathlon win which was well-timed and showed her grit and determination.

Not sure if I regaled you all with this last time but Dee and I will scale Bluff Knoll soon. It was about a year ago that we last did this.

Not too many hard efforts this week as the Freo Half Marathon is looming on 20 Sept 2009.

Adios amoebas!! Stay fit, healthy and happy!

——————–

Just been so unwell this last week. I recall cancelling my Spin coaching class last Friday mainly because I had a bad flu. I persisted with it on the Saturday AM ride. Guy Pritchard took this and we got in around 75kms of pretty hard riding, a lot of it TT style. Interestingly enough, we went via the Wandi time trial circuit and the route in general was fairly new to us.

We have new sprint design bike jerseys now - we are now ‘Team Force’ and, thanks to some sponsors, notably Force Equipment, Pure Fitness Gym, Power Alliance and Slater Gartrell Sports, we will ride the Cyclosportif Byford 106km ride with new jerseys on 23 August. Going to be a tough ride and some hill training called for I fear.

As previously stated, I’ll be setting up a few bike racks at Cardiac Hill, The Truth and the Zig Zag as part of Painathlon 2009 so am happy to be a volunteer this time around instead of a participant. Going to be a tough gig with just under 70 competitors. Come along and watch them getting up Jacob’s Ladder at the end. A very tough event indeed.

I wasn’t well enough to do Sunday’s time trial at Champion Lakes as part of ATTA (www.atta.asn.au) I think only one person posted a PB which meant the course was a little different, perhaps a little longer and I do recall conditions on the last Champion Lakes ITT were ideal.

Daughter will be in Melbourne watching the Carlton Geelong match tonight. Fingers crossed for the blue baggers!! Really wanted to take Dee to watch the Kransky Sisters - very quirky humour. Not sure whether she’d be into it. Their style of prim, proper, Gothic-style humour very hard to pinpoint and describe.

Don’t forget the Friggin Loon. Remains very funny and very edgy.

Didn’t get around to watching the Avon Descent. We’ve been following David Koch’s Kilimanjaro attempt with interest as he is with Therese Rein, Joe Hockey and several others. Very challenging stuff.

Had some recent dramas getting my solar hot water system serviced. Won’t bore you with the hassles I’ve had. Good help is hard to find!!

English Premier League starting back soon. AFL Dream Team sailing along pretty well for both me and my son. He tends to score around 2000 points and I seem to hover around 1800 to 1900. Not too bad though - pretty addictive stuff.

Amazing, I cycled in on a day this week with my Gravity Zero wheels on - and it’s amazing, like a red rag to a bull. Everyone just assumes that because you have the blingy wheels that it’s worth racing me. It shouldn’t surprise but I won’t make a habit of using them for my commutes. The Mavic Ksyriums and DA22s are more than enough. I have the yellow and red Colnago Cromor set up with mudguards for the daily commute and I bring out Sparkles to play occasionally.

Can someone tell me what interest rates are going to do? And the Aussie dollar going gangbusters. Unemployment likely to peak at 6.5%. Economic growth - where to, how to forecast. It all does my head in.

Good luck to all Painathlon competitors (and to Perth Glory tonight against Adelaide in the soccer)

CHRISTO

Written by the oldest person to compete at the Beijing Olympics, Japanese equestrian Hiroshi Hoketsu. I just thought it was a great quote to start you all off today. Geez, no posts since 23 June. I’ve been a bit slack. I was supposed to have started my 20 week training program on Monday for the Ironman WA team effort. Stupidly agreed to both swimming and running and my teammate will do the cycle.

I will be a volunteer, along with my wife, for Painathlon 2009.  Have been watching the Tour de France with interest and I made the fatal mistake of saying that I found it a little boring this year with the dominance of Astana, the inactivity of Cadel. Aside from Lance’s recent power surge up the Petit St Bernard, there hasn’t been a lot of highlights. Bring back big Miguel Indurain’s sheer power for mine.

My footy team, Carlton, has been providing a lot of joy. Sorry for all you Eagles and Dockers. I thought I’d give Corpus Christi College a boost as a few of its recent students have done well in the footy. Notably, Chris Masten, Garrick Ibbotson and the emergence in the junior ranks of Brandon Matera.

I know I have to start swimming…..and running. I have rather foolishly put my hat in the ring with the Cyclebuzz A team for the York to Beverley to York cyclosportif this Sunday 2 August. Should be a hard 105km slog so I had better be in shape for it. We have a full team of 9 riders. I also went in the Shenton Park time trial as part of ATTA but a disappointing 36kph meant that I was quicker 2 years ago in this very same event. I do harbour aims of getting better in this cycling caper.

I have eyed off a Giant Bowery 2009 fixed wheel bike so that will be my next purchase for commuting from Canning Vale to Northbridge on. It has a ‘flip flop’ hub and I’ve noticed a lot of riders using ‘fixies’ lately.

My Spin classes finish in a couple of weeks and those attending have got some real fitness benefits out of it. We will be ‘reviving’ the old group bike ride starting from cnr Amherst and Warton Rds on Saturday mornings from 7am. Its a 65km ride, mostly flat and will have a quick group and slightly slower group. This will commence from 8 August so all welcome.

I’ve put my name down for the Champion Lakes time trial. I haven’t been game to go in any running events lately but I’m going to have to toughen up now. City to Surf beckons in a month.

I watched Mortal Kombat on Foxtel recently and actually enjoyed it. Where is my head at , really?!

When I get a bit fitter, I’ll rejoin the Front Runners training group. I’ll be happy when warmer weather returns. Its been a bit wet and windy here in Perth of late.

Reservoir Amoebas.

CHRISTO

The next day I still was feeling ok in the legs but in the second and subsequent days (and even today, can you believe it?) my quadriceps are still quite sore. I opted out of both the Sat AM bike ride with Cyclebuzz (but, in truth, that was more about the weather) and the Perth Half Marathon yesterday. How awesome was Courtney Carter - 67mins (and tracking 32mins at the halfway…geez)

Brownie snaps to Fiona Longden for volunteering on the rego desk at the Perth HM at which I am told up to 900 people ran. Steve Dunn put in a 1hr 44m effort. Sorry mate, I am sure I would have been right alongside you with that effort. Perhaps I can ‘dip my toe in the water’ at the Perth Marathon on 5 July in two weeks time!!

I was so impressed with John Worsfold’s effort last year. Steve reminded me that the Mt Kilimanjaro Marathon entries have just opened with the event being held late February 2010. Yes, I know, I know - I’m washing my hair on that day too!!

Dee and I spent a lot of the weekend studying her new Suunto T4C Heart Rate Monitor instruction booklet.  In time we will buy the foot pod, bike pod, PC pod and GPS armband accessories which will add enormous functionality to it. Even so, the watch has an intuitive coach program that assesses your physical attributes, heart rate and sets your training effort for the next week. Its amazing that our exercise bike was telling us we were burning approx twice the calories that this watch says.

The Painathlon (www.painathlon.com)  is on the horizon at the start of August and it seems as if it will attract record entries in the hundreds. The event is worthy of this popularity but not an effort to underestimate, especially with the Zig Zag addition. I’ve said to Jono Hague that I’ll help out with the next ‘reccy/familiariser’ of stages 5 to 10. Yesterday was the familiariser of stages 1 to 5. Still, there are teams options for the first time so check it out and get on board. Looks like that familiariser will be on Sat 4 July - perfect, relaxing prep for Perth Marathon, n’est ce pas?  Richard Kelly again doing well in West Coast Masters A grade racing at Pickering Brook.

I used my new Nightpro light set on the cycle home last Friday and , at 3 watts, its around 100 lumen and considerably brighter than my Basto light set. Didn’t stop me from nearly skittling a bandicoot on the path just south of South St on the Freeway path. Scared the &%$# out of me!

Friday’s spin session had only around 8 or 9 of us with around 8 people missing. Still, everyone put hard efforts in and well done to Lesley, Brendan, Emily, Norma, Scott and Luke. With a full contingent, we will have Brendan, Liz, Dee, Sarah, Lesley, Emily, Norma, Scott, Luke, Grant, John, Margaret, Scotty, Michelle which makes around 15 of us. Jeff, just let me know if you have any Cyclebuzz folk wanting to give this a go. Even though we aim to start at 7pm, sometimes we don’t get into the Spin room till around that time. In any event, we will always finish around 7.55pm. It’s a great option on a cold wintry day.

Ash told me about an event that’s on in mid November called the Geo Bay Swim. It’s a 19.2km swim from Dunsborough to Busselton Jetty. You don’t end up more than 300metres offshore and powered boats are not allowed as support craft, only skis. Looks like a long-sleeved wetsuit will need to be purchased soon enough.

I’ve put my name down for the July ATTA event at Shenton Park. A pretty hard time trial with a couple of hills. Should keep the ‘fixed wheel’ cyclists at bay! By the way, if any of you know of options to convert my Colnago to a fixed wheel setup (or of a cheap fixed wheel commuter bike) please let me know, thanks.

Finally, we should be able to field a team of 8 in this Sunday’s Cyclosportif 78km effort. This entails 5 laps of a 15+km circuit around the Herne Hill area and is pretty flat. We then have some exciting track racing to watch at the Midvale Speeddome starting at 11.30am with some of the best track riders around Australia.

Let’s hope its not torrential conditions like it has been for the last 2 years. Looks like it will be wet though!!

I’ve got to stop challenging female cyclists - they just keep getting quicker. If its not Lorraine Shutz, its Davina Summers (and another random commuter between Canning Bridge and Mt Henry the other day!)

Reservoir. Stay happy (or, alternatively, continue to support West Coast and Fremantle)!! Actually our team at work is lunching at a Noodle House called Win’s. Hopefully our WCE and Freo supporters will tag along…..as its the only Win they’re going to see for some time!!!

Been a long time between drinks. I didn’t end up doing Cyclosportif Lancelin as we simply didn’t have enough team members. For the upcoming event on 28 June at the Swan Valley, we have a team…..thank God!

This morning, around 10 of us transferred to doing the Cyclebuzz ride. It was a 6.30am start and pretty chilly at around 4C. Beautiful morning though and Troy Coulthard steered the ship. At the corner of Willeri and Roe Hwy, 5 of us turned left onto the Roe Hwy path up to Welshpool Rd and back again to the Cyclebuzz shop. It was solid time trialling and around 20kms extra that was a good sharpener.

Last night, I was coaching week 2 of 10 of my Friday night Spin Cycling class at Pure Fitness gym. There were around 14 of us and the class is pretty much full at the moment. Its a great vibe and I only charge $5 per person per class. I can’t see me doing a good time in next week’s Perth Half Marathon. I’d be happy with a time better than 1hr 45min but pretty poor preparation.

I’m still on track for my Ironman WA team to do both the swim and run. I’m also going to do the Painathlon (www.painathlon.com) in early August 2009. for the second time. An extra stage has been added up the Zig Zag at Kalamunda…..so there’s more pain. Give yourself a real physical challenge and do this thing. Sign up in next few days to get an earlybird discount.

I’m wanting to buy a fixed wheel commuter bike but it may cost a little. I’ve signed up to do the Shenton Park time trial cycling event in July. My diet is pretty much non existent. Truth be told, I’m still in hiatus from the half ironman at Busselton. There’s now just under 6mths till Ironman WA. And as I was cycling along Roe Hwy path I was reminded about all the long, lonely runs up till Kenwick Link from Canning Vale. Such a bloody long way.

I watched the Carlton vs St Kilda footy match last night. My Blues unlucky but on the way up. The Forrest Hwy (Perth to Bunbury ) will open mid August 2009. Potentially, a huge line of unbroken bike path to add.

I was marshalling at the Champion Lakes 20km cycling time trial last week. An interesting perspective to help out rather than to just compete. I’ve been reading Cam Meyer’s cycling blog about his Giro experience. A great read

I had a great line the other day. Next Friday is apparently ‘Purple Bra’ day as a fundraiser. I was quizzing workmates on where I’d find a purple bra…..and , of course the Freo Dockers came to mind. Harsh but fair!

Reservoir Amoebas

CHRISTO