NYC marathon training begins!

It has officially begun - the road to the TCS New York City Marathon, 2014! It's all starting to become real now and I am pleased to have the first block of training under my belt.  Thanks to the programming skills of Coach Waino, I feel great and I'm really hoping that feeling will stay for a while!

I've been to New York City a few times but never for a race, and never for a marathon. In fact, this will be my first ever proper marathon. The only other 42km run I've done was at the end of Ironman in 2012. I'm hoping I will feel A LOT better during this race, considering I don't have to ride 180km before the run!

At the moment, my training consists of 3 runs a week on top of swimming, cycling and teaching group fitness classes. This month, I have run a total of 100km (averaging 25km per week, with the longest run being 13km). Probably doesn't seem like a lot of mileage to most runners but it's definitely a step in the right direction, in order to gain some consistency in my training.

Being the peak of winter in Sydney right now, it's time to embrace the suck and stick it to those freezing cold mornings! Getting out of a warm bed in the dark is tough, but not when you have these views to look at:

 Sydney Harbour Bridge - 5 mins from my house

 Milson Park, Kirrbilli (behind my apartment)

Kiama with the girls (Girls Weekend Away)

North Sydney - who run the world? MINIONS!

(huge thank you to Mike Delagarno from Northside Runners in Crows Nest for sorting me out with my new Saucony Ride shoes.  So comfortable for my long runs. Love them)!

Recovery swim with Penny at Balmoral Beach (only in Funkita swimwear)

Along with training for the marathon, I have decided to race in an Olympic Distance triathlon in Yarrawonga, VIC in October! Nuts, right?! There is a reason: this is a qualifying race for the Age Group World Triathlon Championships in Chicago, USA next year. Obviously not ideal timing, but certainly a race I need to do (in terms of locality) if I want any chance of qualifying. That and I have always wanted to race in America!

My New York City marathon buddy, Teresa (aka The Health Whisperer) has been helping me out a lot with my nutrition, which has made a massive difference to my training, both mentally and physically. I'm also enjoying making loads of goodies with Bare Blends products. They have been a massive support since I came on board as a Bare Blends Athlete, so a huge thank you to Anthony and Chris for all their help in fuelling me for training and recovery. I've made a ton of smoothies and bars but I thought I would share some creations made by fellow triathletes that have been using Bare Blends:

Chocolate Ricotta - by Em

Chia Pudding - by Em

Vanilla granola bars (using Bare Blends Vanilla WPI) - by Allison

Peruvian cacao protein balls - by LJ

Lastly, a huge thank you to a few people who have helped out with my fundraising efforts lately: the staff at Australian Fitness Network and to the BTC open water swimmers who bought goodies at the tuckshop I held at Balmoral a couple of weeks ago. Thank you to Kat, Alisha and Kristyn who have all made goodies for me to sell. To the Robison Family in San Francisco and everyone who has generously donated their hard earned dosh to my fundraising page. You guys rock!


I'm always looking for training buddies so drop me a line if you're in the area and want to join me for some training!

15 weeks to go!

Hawaii Ironman World Championships 2013

Every October, the world’s best triathletes line up in Hawaii to compete in the crown jewel of triathlon: the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona.

For the non-triathletes, this Iron-distance event consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride through lava fields and cross-winds and a 42km run in 30*C heat with about 80% humidity. This race brings together the best in the world; top professionals and age groupers alike. In order to compete in this event, you must qualify at an Ironman branded race (in most cases, you need to finish at the top end of your age group) or via the lottery system. This year alone, there were just over 2000 competitors.

I have been wanting to go to Kona for quite a few years now, having watched it online on numerous occasions. It has always been on my bucket list and this year, I was fortunate enough to have a few close friends who had qualified for the event, which gave me an excuse to save up some money and put my cheer squad duties to good use. 

The race and the days leading up to it was everything I had ever dreamt about; and more. Literally thousands of people had flown in from all over the world to be a part of this iconic event. The atmosphere on race day was absolutely electrifying and I was very fortunate to have captured some of the footage on my Go Pro. Highlights included the Underpants Run, swimming to the Coffees of Hawaii boat, meeting Chrissie Wellington and Hillary Biscay and of course, watching my friends running down the finishing chute at a World Championship event, lined with thousands of people. Still gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.

For anyone that has ever wanted to go to Kona - stop thinking about it, and do it. I promise you will love it. Whilst I am far from being good enough to qualify for an event like this (about 3 hours too slow), I have been so inspired by these amazing athletes. The sheer determination and courage that every competitor showed was simply inspiring. I can't say I will be doing another Ironman anytime soon but maybe I could be persuaded to enter the lottery. You never know, right?

You can view the video here.

Thanks for watching!

Bel

Follow me on Twitter/Instagram: the_fonginator

Husky Long Course 2013

The Elite Energy Huskisson Triathlon Festival has become one of Australia's most loved and iconic races on the triathlon calendar. Set amongst the shores of Jervis Bay on the south coast of NSW (about 3 hours south of Sydney), I was excited to make my debut in the Long Course event which consisted of a 2km swim, 83km ride and 20km run (just shy of a Half Ironman). I hadn't competed in a long course race since Ironman (May, 2012) but having competed in the sprint distance event at Husky for the last two years, I decided it was time to take the plunge. After all, everyone who I spoke to said they loved the course and I knew a lot of people were going to be training for it, so I signed up. I'm such a sucker for giving in to peer pressure!

Approximately 100 people from Balmoral Triathlon Club (BTC) descended on Husky for a weekend of racing, along with about 1300 other athletes from various clubs around the state.. There was a 1km ocean swim on the Friday, the men's and women's sprint race on the Saturday morning, a fun run on the Saturday afternoon and the Long Course race on Sunday. If you weren't racing, you could relax on the beach or have a few drinks at the famous Husky Pub. I always love Husky weekend because there really is something for everyone.

I went into the race feeling very relaxed about the whole thing which worked for me in some ways, but unfortunately not in others. For most of you that know me, I don't take myself too seriously. I don't stress too much about hitting times and I feel like I have done that many races that I don't even get nervous anymore. I think this has a lot to do with expectations. Don't get me wrong, I like pushing myself as hard as I can, to see what my body is capable of, but I am not motivated by pressure to perform. At the end of the day it's just a race and I do this sport for fun. Anything else is just a bonus. 

The reality of the distance didn't really hit me until a few days before. I couldn't find anyone to cover my group fitness classes that week so I went into the weekend with some pretty tired legs. For those of you that attend Les Mills classes on a regular basis, you will know that an instructor cannot just stand there and tell people what to do. They are physically involved in the class from start to finish. In hindsight, I should have been a little more organised but there was nothing I could do about it now, except have a massage and stretch. I'm not making excuses by any means, as this was purely my fault. Unfortunately, working is also a priority for most of us, because we all know triathlon is not the cheapest sport in the world!

Our group stayed in a beautiful house located about 5kms out of town in Hyams Beach; home to the whitest sand in the world. I don't think I have ever been to a more beautiful beach. The water was clear as crystal. We spent the day checking out all the action in town and after racking our bikes, we got back to the house and enjoyed a lovely carbo dinner with the team, including Reidy, Bacon and Quinn (the Bondi Rescue boys) who are currently training for their first Ironman. Top blokes.

We were lucky enough to watch our friends do the Sprint Distance race on Saturday morning which was massive for the motivation levels. I was fired up and ready to go! But not before the first drama of the day; my gear shifter on the bike stopped working. I had gone for a spin and there was no resistance to put it into the big chain ring. At first, I was stressing out big time. Thoughts going through my mind already about what I was going to do if I couldn't get it fixed; would I pull out of the race? The Shimano mechanics worked their magic on Argy Bargy and were able to fix it within minutes. Problem #1 – solved! 

I was in the second wave which was 2 hours after the first wave had started, to help prevent congestion out on the course. On the plus side, that meant a sleep-in but on the downside, it also meant running during the hottest part of the day. I arrived in transition and realised not only did I forget to pack a transition towel (had to use a plastic bag which was later removed) but the velcro strap I borrowed to hold my aero bottle in was too small. Crap! Thankfully Coach Mel's bike was directly opposite mine and she came to the rescue with strapping tape, which ended up working a treat. Phew. Problem #2 – solved! One day, I will take this racing business a bit more seriously. I'm usually not this disorganised (I even packed my race gear the night before).

THE SWIM - 2KM

The water was beautiful; about 21 degrees so wetsuits were optional. Coach Mel was there to tell me where to go – it was a triangular loop that was marked out with 3 large orange buoys and you had to do the loop twice. There was a green buoy at the start/finish which I thought you had to swim back to before doing the second lap. Luckily Mel was there to tell me I only had to go to the green buoy to finish. I really need to listen at race briefing a little more!

I managed to get to the front of my age group at the swim start so I could get away from the washing machine in the first 200m. I'm not the fastest swimmer by any means, but I just hate starting with people in front of me because I don't want to get kicked in the face as soon as the gun goes off. My plan was, and always is, to just get through the swim; it is probably my weakest and least favourite leg and I am always so relieved when it's over. The 40-44 women were 10 mins behind us and the 30-34 men 10 mins after that so I knew the top age groupers would be overtaking me by the second lap. I got slammed a few times but tried to not let it bother me too much and just kept swimming.

SWIM TIME – 37m 28s (5^th fastest transition time in T1 – ha!)

THE BIKE - 83KM

I got out of the water and ran past a few people into transition. I had a successful mount, didn't crash into anyone or any witches hats and I was on my way. The bike course was 3 laps. I was told it was undulating. I would describe it in two words – false flats. I'd be riding along, thinking I was on flat road, wondering why I was going so slow, without realising that most of the course was really just steady inclines. How rude! It was a beautifully scenic course but I was in too much pain to enjoy it. My legs decided they didn't want to work very well so each lap was just about getting through it without killing my legs for the run. The wind started to pick up in the last lap and I later found out that everyone else was feeling the same as I was. That made me feel a lot better because when you're out there on your own, it's so easy to give up and stop pushing. Triathletes really are tough as nails! On lap #2, my chain dropped so I had to get off to fix it. Once I hopped back on, I was on a mission to get the bike leg over and done with before I could utter any more f-words. I was frustrated, tired and just wanted to get off and run.

To take my mind off the pain, I was thoroughly entertained by the wonderful Dee Bradbury from Bondi Fit. We were probably the only ones enjoying ourselves on the first lap (all while maintaining the 12m distance of course) and even had a few people giggle at us as they passed us. Why? We were taking it in turns singing lines from various cheesy songs from the 90's ('Baby Got Back' was the favourite). It was brilliant...until she overtook me - ha! I must admit, singing by yourself isn't nearly as fun!

When I finally got into transition, I dismounted and started running but my legs almost fell out under me. I had almost forgotten about that jelly leg feeling, which I don't usually get in the short distance races. Once I started moving it was ok, but the initial shock of getting off the bike and running wasn't like anything I have felt in a long time. 

Bike time – 2h 55m (again, 5^th fastest transition time in T2)! Happy to go under 3 hours in those conditions.

THE RUN – 20KM

I felt like I had a really slow swim and bike, so it was time to make up some time on the run. It was hard to hold back because I am so used to sprinting for 5 or 10kms in the shorter races. I wanted to be solid but conservative for the first lap of the two-lap course. I always go out too hard and pay for it in the second half, and I've been trying to focus a lot on my pacing in the last few months. Well, it worked a treat. My legs felt great for most of the race. I couldn't believe it. I started overtaking people who had pipped me on the bike leg and I finally felt like I had somewhat redeemed myself. I stopped at every aid station to pour water on my head (it was up to around 26*C-28*C by then) but didn't stop during the run leg once. No walking. All running. Stoked.

I got to the 18km mark and thought it was time to pick up the pace for the last few kilometres. Then BOOM, massive stitch on my left side that was so debilitating that I had to run with my left hand in the air and my right hand pushing into my rib cage. I looked like I was trying to wave to someone and was getting a lot of weird looks! It lasted for about 1km then started to settle a little and I was able to finish strong. Thankfully, my friend Lyndell from NSTC was there. We took turns overtaking each other and each time, the person in front would always say something encouraging to keep the other person going. I don't think I could've kept up that pace without her. Its people like Lyndell that make me love racing so much. You really do meet some great people and its nice to know that other people are looking out for you too.

Final run time – 1h 38m

Overall race time: 5h 15m

At the end of the race, I initially felt disappointed with my swim and bike times. I don't mean to sound ungrateful because there's so many things in the race you can't control. Thankfully, Coach Mel talked some sense into me and I realised I didn't do as bad as I thought (geez, triathletes, high achievers much)? I ended up finishing in the middle of my age group overall and placed 13^th on the run. Not a bad day at the office. However, I am still not convinced that long course is suited to me. It was great to spend the weekend with my BTC friends but I think I will be doing the sprint race next year.

Next up is Wollongong Olympic Distance on 10^th March and Club Champs in Forster on 6^th April. I'm very much looking forward to these races and then finishing the season off by supporting my friends who are racing Ironman Australia in Port Macquarie in May. It will be a nice change to be on the other side this time!

A huge thank you to the Her Coach crew for all of your encouragement and support (especially Coach Mel and Mia who were instrumental in keeping me on track mentally for the race). And most importantly to the BTC members who raced with me and those who spent the whole day cheering for us on the sidelines. I felt like a rock star at my own concert every time I ran past the club tent! I don't think people realise how much of a difference cheering makes to your race, especially when you are in the hurt locker, riding the pain train. Oh and thanks to all the random people who yelled out “Go Fonginator,” even though I didn't know who you were or how you knew me. God I love this sport!

FIVE LESSONS I LEARNT AT HUSKY:

1. Write a checklist of everything you need for race day.

2. Don't be so hard on yourself if you don't have the perfect day. Its just a race and let's be honest, you're doing a whole lot better than everyone sitting on the couch. 

3. Listen carefully during race briefing. Really listen, especially if you have never done the race before.

4. Don't stress out if something happens or doesn't go according to plan. It doesn't have to mean the end of your day.

5. Sometimes you perform better if you take the time to enjoy the atmosphere, appreciate the volunteers, high five a few people and just have a good time. I know we are out there racing in a competition but I think its important to take the time to acknowledge people on the course too and not be so serious all the time. I always make a point of asking someone if they are ok if I see them walking. Or I will at least wave/smile to my friends on the course if I don't have the energy to talk. Who knows, there might be a time when you are really struggling and need some words of encouragement or help along the way. Karma is a marvellous thing. After all, if you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.

That's it from me. Thanks for taking the time to read my race report. Here are some photos I took from the weekend. Hopefully you are still awake to enjoy them and haven't fallen asleep from boredeom. 

Bring on Husky 2014!

 

   

Her Coach Training Camp - Port Macquarie

Triathlon - 25% physical, 75% mental

Last weekend, I drove up to Port Macquarie for a 3 day triathlon training camp with my coach, Melinda Cockshutt, the inspiring woman behind Her Coach – a Facebook group that provides a forum for people to ask questions about training, racing and a means of support for one another to achieve goals.

As most of you know, I met Mel at a TriNSW Camp a few years ago and I was instantly drawn to her genuine enthusiasm for the sport and complete humbleness in her achievements. She, along with Energylink Coach Christina Thomas were instrumental in improving my running technique.

Mel started participating in triathlons in her late 20s (after the birth of her first son) as a way to 'lose weight post baby'. She has three children now and has participated in six Ironman triathlons (including 2 Hawaii World Championships). She recently won her Age Group at the World Championships in Auckland in both the Olympic Distance Triathlon (1.5km Swim, 40km cycle and 10km run) and Aquathlon (Swim/Run).To add further insult, she also competes in Surf Ironman races like the Coolongatta Gold. Yep, she is a machine and spending time with her always reminds me why I love this sport so much.

Coach Mel on her way to winning her Age Group at the World Championships in Auckland, NZ

I managed to convince 5 of my friends to come to the camp with me for 3 days of swimming, biking and running. Each session involved invaluable technique drills. We also had nutrition talks and at every training session, Mel was there to provide feedback to us individually, including video footage. This was a great chance for each of us to have a look at where we could improve in each leg.

Part of the reason for attending this camp was to help give me some motivation and a bit of confidence for the race I had signed up for; Husky Long Course. This iconic festival is always a great weekend. I've done the sprint race two years in a row and it was time to step up. A lot of my friends from BTC had entered so I thought it would be a great opportunity to have people to train with. It had been on my bucket list for a while and I felt ready to tackle the 2km swim, 83km ride and a 20km run when I initially signed up.

But the last few weeks, I felt grossly underprepared for a number of reasons; niggles that I was conscious of not making worse and generally feeling like I hadn't done enough training. A few weeks leading into the camp, I started having doubts about my ability to complete the race as best as I could. The weird thing was that I didn't have a time goal in mind, or a goal of where I wanted to finish in my age group. I just wanted to do it well and push my body as far I could. But for some reason, this cloud of doubt appeared above my head and I couldn't seem to get rid of it. I knew deep down it was probably all in my head but I needed something to help snap me out of it. Having not had a great race in Nowra a few weeks before, then making the podium for the first time at the BTC race, I went into the weekend with mixed emotions, but an open mind, ready to be inspired and learn as much as I could.

My first ever BTC podium finish (3rd place female)

As most of you were aware, we had horrendous weather conditions over Australia Day weekend; gale forced winds, torrential rain, sideways rain and generally the kind of weather that most people wouldn't dare to go outside in. People driving past us in cars looked at us like we were mental. But we still trained through it and if it wasn't for the camp, I probably would have wussed out and stayed in bed all weekend. It was very character building and I must say, I felt so hardcore for toughing it out.

Flynn's Beach - before and after!

On Saturday we did an 88km ride in what felt like spring, summer, autumn and winter all rolled into one. This included riding up Matthew Flinders Drive (which I voluntarily did twice – never thought I would do that again after Ironman). We did a short run off the bike which was ended quickly by the first downpour of rain and went inside to dry off before the next session; a nutrition talk followed by an open water swim in the Hastings River. Sunday consisted of a morning tempo run, a pool session with technique and drills in the outdoor pool and a brick session on the wind trainer (practicing fast transitions). The day ended with a great stretch at Her Coach HQ (aka Mel's house) to a Yoga for Triathletes DVD.

L to R - Amy, Me, Penny, Mel L, Mia, Libby Julie (back row); 

Chris, Coach Mel and Katrinka (front row)

On Monday, we all had to do a long run. It was so wet that all kids had their boogie boards out and were sliding down the grass hills through the water and mud! I was told to do a 1.5 hour run at 5 min k's, aerobic pace (for the non-runners, that's 50 mins for a 10km or 1h40m for a 20km). I've never been great at pacing; I always go out too fast and end up dying in the ass. One of the girls on the camp, Mia who qualified for Hawaii in her first Ironman was to be my pace runner. I was shitting myself. This woman is the epitomy of machine. Aside from Mel, she is probably the most mentally strong age group athlete I know (the other day, she had to do 14 x 1km efforts)! She was doing 4:45 min k's so I just had to keep her in my sights. Thankfully she had already run 10km before meeting me so I thought I could at least try and keep up with her! Turns out we had a stellar run together. The best run I've had in ages. It was pouring with rain but the weird thing was, I wasn't even thinking about how wet my clothes and feet were. To be honest, I was just trying to keep up with her. My legs felt so good the whole time (a feeling I have never had before). I wasn't out of breath and Mia and I just paced off each other. After about an 1 hour, I took a caffeine gel (tried a new one from SiS – it was brilliant) and somehow found my second wind. Before I knew it, I was at the end of my 1.5 hours and I had run a 15 min PB; covering 18km. I couldn't actually believe it. And the best thing was, I felt confident about racing Husky. Having the other girls out there running on the course kept me focused and although I was looking like a drowned rat, I was on a high for the rest of the day. All the negative thoughts I previously had about my training were shoved to the side and I realised it really was just in my head; I was ready to do this. 

Drowned rat self portrait!

I want to say a huge thank you to all of the girls who attended the camp, especially my BTC girls who pushed limits they never  thought possible, got out of their comfort zones with so much enthusiasm and trained so hard. They made me laugh the whole weekend and gave me the push I needed. To Mel L, Tracey Rhona, Staff and Mia for the company, to Todd for lending us his wife for the weekend and lastt, but certainly not least, to Coach Mel for always having faith in me. It makes a massive difference when someone you admire and respect so much believes in you - has honest and genuine faith in your ability - especially during your sad moments in training. The funniest thing was that when I did my first camp with Mel in Port, I was so slow, I got dropped by everyone and I had the biggest sookie-la-la. I was a snail. The comparison between my fitness level now to back then is massive, and I finally feel like the consistency and experience is paying off. What a lightbulb moment.

Five key lessons I learnt:

1. Train with people – it helps motivate you, keeps you accountable to turn up to training sessions and makes it more enjoyable
2. Learn to train on your own too – this doesn't have to be all the time but at the end of the day, you are going to be out there on your own come race day. Perhaps even imagine you have someone chasing you or you are chasing someone down.
3. Get your technique sorted – we go through weeks and weeks just swimming, biking, running and just going through the motions. Tweaking one or two things can make a massive difference, especially when it comes to swimming.
4. Learn to run by feel – I never thought I could motivate myself to run without a Garmin but when my strap broke, I started running by “feel” which I never though I could do. This has made a massive difference in my speed and now I never run in a race with a watch. You get too caught up in trying to get a certain time. I find I run faster when I am not aways looking at a watch.
5. It's all in your head – you can find 100 excuses not to train, to blame other issues for being slow and put yourself down. Having negative thoughts is normal sometimes but at the end of the day, it really is all in your head. Nobody else believes these thoughts but you. Take time to look back on what you have done and appreciate that you are doing better than you think.

I can't wait to finally finish off my Level 1 Triathlon Coaching course to get certified and start helping other people achieve their goals, just like Mel has done for me.

Two weeks to go until Husky Long Course. Hope to see you there. I am absolutely pumped!

Training on tired legs - a guaranteed way to HTFU!

What a week! Ironman training is officially kicking in & taking its toll on my body! I've done 15 training hours this week but somehow, the intensity has definitely left its mark.

I had a relatively low-key start to the week, as I was doing an overnight babysitting gig in Lindfield from Monday to Friday, which made it hard for me to fit in training. I would go to work at lululemon, come home & look after the kids & when they went off to school the next morning, I had to go straight to work or only had 30-60 mins of training that I could fit in. It gave me a bit of an idea of how people juggle work, life and family commitments & I have a greater appreciation for people with kids who train in this sport. I am lucky in that I have no other commitments except for work & that I get to do what I love when I can.

My ankle has been holding up pretty well lately but I am being very cautious at the moment as my achilles is extremely tight & its always bit uncomfortable when I first start running, mainly due to the lack of flexibility from when I had ankle surgery. I have been conscious of stretching every morning & night, as well as before AND after all my runs, which has helped a lot.

On Friday, I taught my first Body Attack class in two weeks. I felt good at the time, until I had to do a swim/run that afternoon, resulting in ridiculous muscle aching the following morning! All good pain though & part of the "journey!" I just wanted someone to walk all over my body with their heels though! On Saturday, I did a 90 min ride & 25 min run off the bike around Mosman (more hills). It was a very slow cycle as I had to do it on my own with the company of my iPod on loudspeaker. I need distractions :)

                                                  View from Georges Heights, post-run

But the highlight of this week was definitely today: the Balmoral Triathlon Club race at Chowder Bay, consisting of a 400m swim, 15km cycle & 4km cross-country run, followed by a long ride. I went out to dinner with friends the night before the race & didn't get to bed til almost 11pm, so when my alarm went off at 5am, it was quite a rude awakening. Now I understand why people don't go out & have a social life during Ironman training! Here is a great pic, shared by my friend Dani which was taken at the start of the swim today:

The swim was two laps, starting with a beach sprint along the sand. As soon as the horn went off, it was on. I don't remember any point in the race where I wasn't out of breath. For those of you that aren't familiar with Obelisk Bay, its a long, uneven & steep climb up to transition via some sketchy steps. Everyone walks it because by the time you get to the top, your lungs feel like they're going to regurgitate out of your chest. Definitely an honest way to start a race! I had a fast transition (quote of the day from Nicole Pollitt about having my cleats already clipped in from the start: "Oh, so you're one of THOSE people!"), and I sprinted out of T1. Had some issues getting my feet into the shoes but once I was in, I pelted the first couple of laps (it was a 5 lap course), but I struggled afterwards & got overtaken by a few people by lap 4.

My goal was to run hard off the bike but in short races like this, you are firing on all cylinders from the word go. There was no time to "settle in" or catch a breath. But I was really happy with my T2 (once I racked my bike, I was out in about 15 seconds). It was then 2 laps through bushland (which in some parts felt like we were running in sand, the grass was so long) & thanks to the amazing marshalls who cheered me on, I managed to hang on for dear life & not get overtaken, resulting in 4th female, behind Fleur, Nicole & Jill in a time of 58.05. Only 37 secs slower than my best time which I did in March last year. And even better, I won some socks & a gel in the lucky draw! Definitely made the pain worthwhile.

After the race, I was scheduled to do a 90km ride. My legs were trashed from Fri/Sat training sessions but thankfully, some of the BTC crew were heading out for an easy roll & I had somehow convinced Mary & Joe to join me for the whole ride (they've just returned back to Sydney from the States & are training for Busso IM). We started at Avenue Rd in Mosman & headed towards West Head via the Northern Beaches. Most of the others turned back after an hour when we got to Mona Vale Golf Club but Mary, Joe & I made our way towards West Head (Kuringai National Park). I hadn't ridden there for a while (was trying to avoid it for as long as I could!) & I knew it was going to be tough. That route is hard on fresh legs, let along lactic ones! There were loads of HTFU moments & at the half way turnaround (the Lookout), I felt like crying & calling a cab home. At one point, I was cycling up the steepest hill at 4.4kms. Yes, FOUR POINT FOUR kilometres! It was so embarrassing. My grandmother could WALK faster than that. The ride home was undulating too & by then, all I could think about was getting home & sitting in a bath full of ice to numb the pain.

Sarah had dropped my car to work so I could drive home from Mosman & the only thing I had in my car to eat post-ride was a gel or white bread which was leftover from the BBQ that morning. To the disappointment of my nutritionist & naturopath friends, Terri (http://www.ahealthyview.com.au/index.php?page=about) & Cat (www.catherinepritchard.com.au), I was so hungry that I smashed down 6 pieces of bread. Yep, six. I had left my wallet at home so I couldn't even buy anything on the way. So operation PRP is back on from tomorrow! Although I may rename it to Operation MBA - Michelle Bridges' Abs. Lunch was followed closely by a long afternoon nap & couch time with the remote control. God bless Sundays.

Before I finish off, I just want to give a shout out to everyone at Balmoral Triathlon Club (including all the volunteers at the race today) for their encouragement & support, especially over the last few months. Its so great to be a part of a club that is so welcoming, friendly, but most of all who believe in your ability. I love triathlon so much because of the people & without training partners, it would definitely be one a helluva lonely road. There's always someone around to kick my ass & stop me from giving up. So, massive high fives to BTC. You rock my socks off.

Speaking of socks, I am going to give lululemon a plug here. I bought a pair of their padded run socks & wore them running yesterday AND cycling today. You need to get your hands on these babies. They seriously feel like you are slipping pillows on your feet. The cushioning is unlike any other sock I have worn. And they are SO comfortable. I cannot recommend them highly enough (and I am not just saying that because I work there. They really are amazing). I feel like I can run forever when I wear them. On the bike today, everything on my body hurt...except my feet. True story.

50 days til the Sydney ITU Olympic Distance race & 69 days til Ironman!

Thanks for reading my blog! Until next week, happy training & remember to HTFU,

Bel

Husky Triathlon Festival

The Elite Energy Series in Huskisson, on the south coast of NSW, proved once again to be one of the most popular races on the triathlon calendar. The place was buzzing with athletes all weekend & I was so excited to be a part of it. 

Because my ankle didn't heal in time, and I hadn't done enough training for the run, I had to pull out of the Long Course, but this meant I could make up for it by doing a few shorter races. On Friday, I raced in the 1km Ocean Swim. I felt a lot faster than last year & I definitely pushed more than usual but unfortunately the tide did not work in my favour & it ended up being a really choppy swim. Final time was 21.48. About 3 mins slower than last year but I came 8th in my AG (out of 23) & 25th female (out of 59). Apparently everyone else said theit times were a lot slower this year so I didn't feel so bad after that! Nate, Cat & Bel B arrived so we went out to dinner for some Thai & it started pouring with rain. I starting getting really antsy as I hate racing in heavy rain (riding in the rain isn't exactly safe & running in wet shoes is just asking for blisters & grossness).

Thankfully, come Saturday morning, the sun decided to come out for the Sprint Triathlon (750m swim/20km cycle/5km run) which was my very first race for 2012 & first race back from ankle surgery. The 30-39 females were one of the last waves to go. It was a bit of a fight in the water for the first few minutes. I got kicked in the face a few times & I ended up swimming on top of people (unintentionally) because there were so many of us. The human washing machine is probably my least favourite thing about triathlon! I didn't feel very fast but I ran out of the water & took my cap, goggles & wetsuit off down to my waist. As soon as I hit the stairs, I saw the BTC crew, who cheered so loudly & gave me great motivation to overtake a few people heading up towards transition. I took my wetsuit off as fast as I could & found my bike. In true Fonginator style, I was in & out like a flash; no cups of tea in transition for this girl (and ended up placing 2nd in my AG for T1). The day before, I had practiced leaving my cleats in the pedals to save some time (and its so dangerous trying to run in cleats) & I thought for sure I was going to fall on my ass. But thankfully, it all went according to plan & I had absolutely no issues getting my feet in the shoes once I was on the bike. Swim time: 16.02. T1 time: 1.32 (3rd fastest T1 in my AG).

The bike course was fairly undulating with some gradual hills that weren't really steep but felt like they just never ended! I didn't feel like I got into a rhythm & although I overtook quite a lot of people, there were times where I felt like I was going nowhere, no matter how hard I pushed. It probably didn't help that I bolted out of T1 like a bat out of hell & went as hard as I could on the bike for the first 5kms. I started getting a stitch towards the end of the ride, so I made sure I didn't pedal too hard in the last few kilometres, as I wanted to save my legs (and my lungs) for the run. As I headed into T2 (after a successful dismount. No falls - yay), I overtook a couple more people coming in off the bike which made me happy! Bike time: 38.19. T2 time: 1.12 (2nd fastest T2 in my AG).

As I ran out of T2 & onto the run, I could hear screams of "Go The Fonginator" from almost every corner of transition! It was all a bit of a blur but I remember getting really excited when I heard people cheering for me. I sprinted down the hill & as I reached the corner outside of the view of spectators, I had to force myself to slow down or my lungs would've collapsed shortly after. Either that, or I would've dry-reached! Its funny how adrenaline can get you pumping! My ankle felt good for the whole run & I was trying to chase down people who I knew were in my AG. The run was out & back past beautiful beaches & through bushland too. I was about 3.5kms into the run when I saw a girl walking, so I asked her if she was ok & if she was injured. Thankfully she was just tired, so I told her she had to jog & that there was no more walking because we were so close to the finish. She listened & that made me want to push myself even more. Its so inspiring to see people's spirits lift with just a little bit of encouragement. The next time you're in a race, I urge you to do the same for someone else. Pay it forward if you wish. I know if it was me, I would definitely want someone to tell me to move my ass & HTFU!

I got to the flags & saw all the BTC crew there, yelling & screaming for a sprint finish up the chute (which felt like the longest finishing chute in the world)! I went as hard as I possibly could & made it over the line without falling over or puking. Run time: 22.51. Total race time: 1.19.58, which resulted in 7th place in my AG (out of 89) & 47th female out of 434. Only about a minute slower than last year, so I was happy; moreso because I had absolutely no pain in my ankle. Win!

I took a few hours off after the race to eat, have a shower, stretch & have a look around the expo (more ways to burn money). Then I signed up for the 5km Fun Run. I know, sucker for punishment, right? My quads & calves were pretty sore from the triathlon that morning but I thought, what the heck, let's see how the ankle goes. Plus I needed to start building up a bit of running mileage in my legs for Ironman.

It was 4pm & still blistering hot. There ended up being 130 people in the 5km Fun Run, 88 were women. At the start, I just thought to myself, set no expectations except race as hard as you can within the limits of ankle pain. Anything else is a bonus. As soon as the gun went off, two girls sprinted to the top of the hill to the first turn around. I couldn't help but follow. For some reason, I can't start slow & get faster. I start at suicide pace & then get slower. For some reason, psychologically, I like it better. It's weird. Anyway, after the first 500m the 2nd girl dropped back & I overtook her, so the only girl in front of me was "the girl in the yellow crop top." We'll call her Yellow. My goal was to just keep her in my sights. And for most of the race, she stayed within about 25 metres of me. FYI, my lungs were burning from start to finish. At the 2.5km turn around, I had gotten within 5 metres of Yellow & I thought to myself, she's slowing down, just stay behind her. After another kilometre, she was really pushing me to my limits. As we crossed over the bridge and into the park, I saw a bit of an incline. I love my hills so I managed to pass her but I told her to pump her arms faster & that way, her legs will just follow (good advice that my coach gave me that I have never forgotten). I also told her to stay with me as I picked up the pace. There was one more climb after the aid station & I was getting more & more out of breath. It felt weird to know I was leading. It's only ever happened to me once before (Balmoral Burn last year). I couldn't actually believe it. I kept thinking to myself, are you sure you're at the front?! Don't get excited just yet! Surely there's been a mistake. As we headed towards the finishing chute, with about 250m to go, I turned around & I could see that she was about 25m behind me. Then someone on the sidelines yelled out for me to sprint to the finish because she was catching up to me. So I did. I figure if someone is going to use their energy to yell at me, the least I can do is listen! Let's just say, had the race been 10 metres longer, there would've been projectile vomit. Final time: 22.10, fastest female overall, 1st place AG & no ankle pain. FRIGGIN STOKED!

I got home, celebrated with the BTC crew over an amazing dinner & headed out for a couple of drinks at the Husky Pub.

Sunday morning came around & I was on official cheering duties. Our house was conveniently located on Elizabeth Dr - so they had to cycle past the front of the house & run past the back of the house. Talk about prime position! There were about 20 people from BTC racing & it was getting pretty hot as the day went on. There were a lot of people who looked absolutely miserable by the time they got to the run but most of the athletes were happy when they saw us. There were lots of high fives. Huge thanks to lululemon Mosman for letting me borrow the supporter signs. They were a huge hit! 

I just want to say a huge congratulations to everyone who raced this weekend, especially the amazing people from Balmoral Triathlon Club who continue to support, encourage & inspire me. It was also fantastic to catch up with friends who I haven't seen in ages. Thank you to Balance, BondiFit, Cronulla & Hills Tri Clubs for all the cheering & being so welcoming & fun. It makes a huge difference to the atmosphere.

I am really looking forward to racing Husky again next year (hopefully the Long Course). Now its time to smother my body in tiger balm...

11 weeks til IRONMAN!!

HTFU,

Bel

Week 6 - Ankle healed & ready for Husky!

Hey guys!

Not a whole lot to report on this week. Have just arrived back in Sydney after a weekend in Perth for a friends wedding, so it was a very short week of training. I had a fantastic time though (my second time to the west coast) & the weather was simply amazing. Apparently Perth gets something ridiculous like 300 days of sunshine a year. So I have added it to my list of places to live before I die. I would love to go over & actually work/live there for a while. The idea of training outdoors year round is VERY appealing (ie I can leave my wind trainer here, that's for sure)!

 

Cottesloe Beach on a Friday afternoon - about 30*C!

There's only more week til my first race of the season - the Elite Energy Series in Huskisson on the south coast of NSW. I plan to race in the 1km Ocean Swim on Friday afternoon, the Sprint distance triathlon on Saturday morning (750m swim, 20km cycle, 5km run) & the Fun Run on Saturday afternoon (either the 2km or the 5km race, depending on my ankle). On Sunday, I will be cheering from the sidelines & supporting all of the guys/girls racing in the Long Course event (2km swim/83km cycle/20km run). Look out for The Fonginator in the new yellow tri suit (which needs to be remade to actually fit me, but serves well as a fancy dress outfit for the day in the mean time).

Husky is going to be an awesome weekend! I have hired a house with 6 others in Vincentia, only a couple of kilometres from transition and I can't wait to finally get my racing legs back. 

I am still feeling very positive & happy with how my training has progressed so far & I am trying to be as consistent as my other work/life commitments will allow. I keep picturing that Ironman finish line every time I come home have a stretch after a training session. It gives me butterflies & I haven't even done the race yet! If that doesn't get you out of bed in the morning (after you've already tried a dose of HTFU), then nothing will!

The highlight of my training this week was the BTC Run Time Trial at Alan Border Oval on Thursday night. This was my first track session for 2012 (and probably only my third ever appearance at track, as I used to have teaching commitments on Thursday nights) & I was stoked to have completed the 5km race with absolutely no pain (except when my lungs wanted to explode out of my chest). My ankle held up really well & even though I forgot to wear my Garmin, I managed to count all 15 laps of the oval (yes, 15 LAPS)! I am not 100% sure of my finish time but it was in the vicinity of 22-24 mins. Not bad considering I only had surgery about 10 weeks ago. Good work ankle, keep it up!

Oh & I had some pretty cool celeb spots on my flight home from Perth; Johnny Ruffo from X Factor Australia & the entire St George Illawarra Rugby League team, including Wendell Sailor. I sat next to Daniel Vidot who was very charming. This is him (photo courtesy of Google stalker):

So, anyone up for some footy??

Anyway, that's it from me this week. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog. Feel free to repost & share the Fonginator love.

Bel
HTFU

Week 5 - Why can't I ride faster, damnit!

Everyone I know that is doing IMOZ is now officially in training mode! Yay! Its so exciting to be training alongside some very inspirational & motivated people from Balmoral Triathlon Club (www.balmoraltriclub.org.au). There are some seriously strong athletes who I am learning so much from & I feel like the girls in particular are just kicking ass & constantly improving. So great to see in this sport & definitely gets me out of bed in the morning (most of the time). I truly love this sport!

This week, my training hours totalled 11.5 hours; made up of 3 x group fitness classes (2 x Body Pumps, 1 x Body Attack), 2 x bike rides (25kms & 65kms), 2 x swims (1 x pool, 1 x open water), 2 x runs (5kms & 3kms) & 1 x Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga session (www.SUPYoga.com.au). As we head into the fifth week of training, I am happy with the consistency so far & trust that I will make it to the start line ready to race as hard as I can, despite the fact that I am not cranking out huge kilometres yet. The key for me is to enjoy the journey (there's that word again!) & the last thing I want is to burn out too early. I don't plan to do any long course racing in the lead up. But so far, I have signed up for Husky Sprint on 18th Feb (1km Ocean Swim on the Friday, Sprint Triathlon on the Sat morning & mini Fun Run in the afternoon, depending on how the ankle is feeling) & Sydney ITU in April (Olympic Distance Triathlon). Outside of this, I will be doing a lot more hours come March/April, so hopefully I can recruit some training partners to help keep me focused. I honestly don't know how people can train for this sport on their own. Where's the fun in that?!

This week, the weather was so ridiculously balls that I had to do a dreaded wind trainer session. Everyone knows how much I hate sitting on a stationary bike (let alone a moving one). I did an awesome set which was recommended to me by my good friend Rhona Maclean (who just qualified for Kona - woo hoo)! It was 1 min hard/1 min easy, 2 min hard/1 min easy, 3 min hard/1 min easy, 4 min hard/1 min easy, 5 min hard/1 min easy then go back down 4, 3, 2, 1. I lasted up to 5 before losing all motivation but still decided to stay on the bike & turn over the legs. My heart rate was barely getting over 100 so it probably didn't justify a workout (considering my resting heart rate is currently between 46-48).  I made a couple of phone calls & watched TV but at least I was on the bike for 1hr15mins as programmed! I felt very guilty because all I could think about was the ride I did in Port Macquarie & when I asked Bronwyn (gun road rider from Newcastle) how to get better on the bike, she said "no junk kilometres." Damnit!!

Come Friday night, I was ready to get out of the rut & challenge myself, so I signed up for the BTC Aquathlon down at Balmoral Beach, consisting of a 400m swim & 3km run. Sounds easy, right? This short stuff is TOUGH. You are going at 100% the whole way. There's no time to take it easy. But I swam hard , overtook a couple of people on the run & managed to not fall over in the rain. Yay! My calves paid for it the next day, resulting in a very excruciating 90 min massage today - I almost kicked the therapist in the nuts, I was in that much pain. Ah, the joys of being somewhat of an athlete!

This Tuesday, I rode with Bel B & Angela down to Clifton Gardens which I hadn't done before. It was stunning. Such a great morning for a ride. Yet another hill in Mosman to ride - yay (not)! Why can't I live anywhere near flat roads?! On Wednesday, I swam with Anne in the pouring rain at North Sydney Olympic Pool (outdoors). Brrr! Again, another session which was made better by having someone to train with.

Today (Sunday), the lululemon crew headed out to Narrabeen Lake for another SUP Yoga session with the wonderful Di Morrison.

It was 27*C & a gorgeous summer day, and I was so happy to have introduced a few friends to the class too, who joined the later session. Turns out they loved it as much as I did. Seriously the best way to start the morning. You should definitely give it a go (and if I can do it - with no flexibility or balance - anyone can)! Then after the session, KG came to meet me for a 2.5hr ride. We ended up doing 65kms from Narrabeen Lake, up McCarrs Creek, towards Duffy's Forest/Terrey Hills & back to Narrabeen along the Wakehurst Parkway. I love riding with people like Kirsty because she knows all the rules when it comes to road riding (ie warning people when there is debris on the road, signalling what she is doing so you know where to follow). She is also one of the most improved riders I have seen this season & even though I was quite far behind her, she really motivated me to keep pushing & gave me so many great tips to become better at cycling, which I sometimes feel I can just never get. When I was finally able to catch up to her, we would have a good old catch up about life & everything in between. I have to say, its just nice to have company when you train, especially on the bike. For me, I just know I would hate it if I had to do more than an hour by myself. I seriously need some cement to HTFU.

When I got home, I smashed down 10 of my mum's home made mini quiches (best damn quiches in the world I tell ya) & settled in for a nice nap. God bless Sundays.

I am looking forward to what this week will bring & can't wait for the weekend - I am flying to Perth on Friday for my friend's wedding! I cannot wait to catch up with all the Perth crew. And they are having wicked hot weather so no doubt I will come home a shade darker - yes! But most importantly, even tan lines!!

Special thanks to all the people who came out training with me this week. I couldn't have done it without you!

HTFU,
The Fonginator

P.S. Operation PRP failed this weekend. I celebrated my one month anniversary of "no chocolate & fried food" by eating fish n chips & having a milo. Oops! Although I was pretty happy with lasting as long as I did. Might try & just make it a monthly treat. Back on track this week!! Gotta suck it up so I don't have to suck it in!

The start of my Ironman Journey!

So I have decided to follow through with one of my new years resolutions - to update my blog on a weekly basis!

At 119 days to go (or 17 weeks), I began my official Ironman Training Program this week. When people ask about my training, the sheer magnitude of it all doesn't really hit me until I utter the words: "It's a 3.8km swim, 180km cycle, followed by a 42km run." It's pretty crazy if you think about it & I never thought I would be at this stage so soon. Some say 'Why?' I say, 'Why not?!'

As most of you know, I rolled my ankle falling down my apartment stairs whilst trying to take out the garbage at the beginning of August, 2011. To cut a long story short, I had to undergo an arthroscopy under general anaesthetic in December, 2011 to remove all the scar tissue. Thus beginning a long road to recovery.

It has now been approximately 5 weeks since the surgery & my ankle is feeling so much better. I still can't run yet but I have been swimming, cycling, and teaching all of my classes as low impact as possible. I have an appointment with the surgeon on Wednesday but my physio (Mike Lee from Performance Care in Crows Nest) said it is healing really well. So under his guidance, I will start power walking this week, mixing in some intermittent skipping, to see if my ankle is up for the impact. If all goes well, and I continue stretching, massaging & looking after my ankle, I will be able to start jogging by the end of January, just in time for the Australia Day triathlon camp that my coach (Melinda Cockshutt from the 'Her Coach' group on Facebook) is holding in Port Macquarie. I couldn't be happier! Obviously there is still a long way to go but I am confident it will all be ok when it comes to race day. Unfortunately I have had to pull out of a couple of races (Kurnell Sprint on 15th January & Husky Long Course on 19th February) but I am still planning on doing Husky Sprint (18th February) & Sydney ITU Olympic Distance in April, for the build up to Ironman in May.

This week was all about consistency. I did a 12hour training week, which included 5.5kms of swimming, 5.5 hrs of cycling (2 out of the three sessions involved doing sets on a turbo trainer as there aren't any decent stretches of flat road where I live; I am surrounded by hills, which aren't good for my ankle yet), a Power Yoga class (at Power Living in Neutral Bay) & I taught Body Attack (at Fitness First, St Leonards); for a total of 13 hours of training.

One of my other new years resolutions is to do yoga on a weekly basis, which is something I have never done. I figure having just had ankle surgery, it would help with my flexibility & core training; an area that I have very much neglected! This is very new territory for me, as I have always played sports or exercises involving high impact, high heart rates, profuse sweating & being completely out of breath! I recently landed a role as an Educator at lululemon athletica & we are encouraged to get out into the community & try new classes. This is such an amazing opportunity & I am looking forward to getting out of my comfort zone & trying something new that may just complement my Ironman training. If only there were more hours in the day!

I have had some much needed guidance about my eating from a very good friend & Naturopath, Catherine Pritchard (from Radiance Health Care Centre in Sydney). I have been eating very well so far & only allowing one day of indulgence a week, in the lead up to Ironman.  I am noticing a huge difference in my body already by limiting all the crap. I have cut out all fried foods (I usually eat chips at least once a week & like to splurge on my Mum's spring rolls every now & again!), no lollies/processed sugar (with the exception of gels & lollies on bike rides equal to or more than 3hrs), minimal gluten/dairy, and eating more fruit & vegetables (the latter I neglect more than I should). I also try to limit the amount of times I eat out; at the moment its 1-2 times per week (once during the week & once on the weekend). This has made grocery shopping a little more expensive but I usually make my meals for the week on a Sunday night, so I can just grab & go on my way to work/training.

Breakfasts are typically 2 poaches eggs with a big handful of spinach & some salsa; plus a banana straight after an early morning training session (within 15 mins for optimal recovery).

If I have more than one training session in a day, lunch usually consists of a starchy carb & protein (eg pesto chicken & brocolli with spelt pasta or brown rice; or smoked salmon & avocado on Ryvita; or tofu & veg with noodles & gluten-free soy sauce).

Snacks are mostly nuts (almonds & cashews) and fruit (apples, grapes, watermelon, blueberries, strawberries) or veg (carrots/celery with hummous). I also take fish oil, magnesium, vitamin c and recently, tissue regenex tablets (for my ankle) on a daily basis, which I think have made a huge difference in my recovery.

Dinner is usually a protein with veg (eg chicken or beef or prawn & veg stiry fry; sometimes a salad if I haven't had one for lunch). Again, I modify this depending on how much training I am doing. At the moment, in the early stages of training, I am limiting my starchy carbs to once a day but this will increase as my training builds in intensity.

Unfortunately, you can't always choose what you eat when you aren't at home. For example, I was out for sushi on Tuesday night. There wasn't any brown rice so I had white instead. I hadn't had starchy carbs that day & was hungry for it! I also had Unagi (eel) & fresh sashimi with tamari sauce (gluten-free).

My indulgence was on Saturday & I tried to limit it as much as possible, but I think I went a bit overboard (considering how well I had eaten all week). It involved french toast, bacon, maple syrup & english muffins for breakfast (brunch at a friends house after a killer bike session in Centennial Park), and out for dinner again at another friends house. There was cheese fondue with white bread (I don't usually eat dairy or a lot of gluten as it doesn't agree with my gut. But I have to admit, it was irresistable). I also had a couple of scoops of ice cream & two small meringues for dessert. Oops! Oh well, you only live once, right?!

This week's training highlight would have to be riding in Centennial Park on Saturday morning (cue song, "All By Myself..."). The BTC crew were out in full force, cheering me on as they whizzed past! It was awesome! But the best part was when a random stranger cycled up next to me & stayed with me during my 10 minute efforts. He was a complete stranger but we striked up a conversation in between sets & he made me cycle faster than I would on my own. Its amazing how one person can make such an impact.

I am feeling focused, determined, and ready to get to the start line of Ironman Australia in the best form I possibly can. I am so lucky have so many supportive friends (particularly from Balmoral Triathlon Club) who train with me & keep me motivated. Watch this space. The Fonginator is about to kick some ass.

Please feel free to post any questions, comments or feedback below.

Thanks for reading. See you next week!


    Wind trainer session in the garage



    Early morning cycle at Centennial Park



    Cheese fondue with The Team