Refreshed, Recharged, & Ready to Rip back in!
Hi Team,
It’s been awhile but I have really enjoyed being home, &
taking some time off last month on a solid break, before kicking back into it
this month. Easing back into the training mileage, & trying not to get over
excited early because it’s just the start!!! And the next solid break of No
training ain’t coming around again until this time next year!
As Triathletes training up to 4 times a day most days it’s
actually hard to just accept relaxing & not exercising, it’s so strange
& I know for me, my body feels more tired & lethargic some days after
sleeping in & not training than days where I’m up at 4.30am & have
clocked a 2 hour swim, gym & run before 10am! So, to help this I love to pick
a new completely different sport I’ve never tried & give it a go for this
month, & this year was no different, giving Bikram Yoga a RED HOT go… literally!
2 x 90minute yoga classes in a hot room, I did have a few regrets when I came
out looking like a tomato that had just jumped in the pool, but it was great to
give it a go, & I had a few friends jump in too for a try!
This year in my break I took some time away with my family
up the coast & enjoyed days by the beach & on the water! I had my
beautiful cousins wedding with a weekend away in the Hunter Valley, headed to
the Gold Coast to support my best mate complete the Long Course Coolangatta
Gold Endurance Event & I had my 5 year school reunion which was great to catch
up with everyone from my graduating class of 2012 at ST Luke’s Grammar School.
October was a great month!
Of course, I Netflix binged- Getting into the Good Wife
& Stranger Things S2, had plenty of naughty food dates … YUM! And enjoyed exploring
my own backyard on the Northern Beaches after having so much time travelling
& abroad this year!
It’s great to have a break but I always Love coming back to training,
feeling super refreshed, recharged & motivated to rip in & start
building the foundations for another year racing!
I must say though, it’s a bit scary those first few weeks back after a break, wondering where that fitness disappeared sooo quick & whether it will ever return?!?
I must say though, it’s a bit scary those first few weeks back after a break, wondering where that fitness disappeared sooo quick & whether it will ever return?!?
Struggling to make a 1:30 cycle in the pool with dead arms or
break under 5:00min/km running, something that was “easy” 4 weeks ago! But
after a few weeks back now I can reassure you my old friend “fitness” came
creeping back & I’m starting to feel like myself again! Although the old
friend of mine, that 4.20am alarm wasn’t missed though, that was probably one
of the harder readjustments after a break & coming off a few months in Europe
where the first session isn’t till 8.30am!
This time of year is always perfect for some cross training,
something my Coach Mick is big on including into my program to keep it interesting,
break up the mileage, build skills & have fun! I’ve loved getting back on
my mountain bike on the trails & similarly running! Also including more gym
Strength & conditioning work to build functional strength, involving Pilates
into this routine! For me I use KX Pilates, a franchise that is second to none,
these guys are the best, they know how to make those little muscles you never
knew existed BURN!
Now I don’t recommend hitting up a tough race after a break,
but if it’s Hamilton Island then why would you say no! I have been an
ambassador for the Hamilton Island Endurance Series Triathlon & Ocean Swim
weekend for the past 3 years & always LOVE coming back for the racing up
here in Paradise, returning with fellow triathletes Natalie Van Coevorden &
Charlotte McShane, along with Luke Willan & Jake Birtwhistle for 2017! We were
also joined by swimming superstars Mac Horton, Gregorio Paltrinieri, and legends
of sport, Olympic champion Susie O’Neill, & Triathlon 1994/97 World
Champion Emma Carney!
Racing Hamilton Island Triathlon on Saturday, with an early
start at 6.15am! Treated to 4 seasons in a day- sunshine, showers & hail
all in an action-packed morning! The course starts with a 750m ocean swim in the
tropical water of Catseye beach, before jumping on the bike for a 20km ride UP
& over Hamilton island, with the very unique feature of a zip down the
runway! Yes that’s right they close the “International airport” and let
triathletes race up & down the 2km runway strip over the 3 laps! After
tackling the killer hills & fast downhills its off onto the 5km run with
burning legs for more hilly action!!
On the day Nat & I swam stroke for stroke in the swim
before Nat took off on TT bike, leaving Char & I to play cat & mouse in
a bit of fun on the bike before my break got the better of me on that run! The
final hill up from the marina to the chapel on the hill is a killer, & having
taken the tape 2 years earlier when I was fit I sure appreciate how hard that
felt out there unfit! Finishing on the soft sand of Catseye beach in 3rd
overall behind Nat & Charlotte.
The action didn’t stop there, we headed over on the (VERY
BUMPY) cruise ride to Whitehaven Beach Sunday Morning for the Whitehaven Ocean
Swim. I count my lucky stars I don’t get sea sick & nursing has given me a
strong stomach! Racing over the 2km Ocean Swim course in the glorious crystal
blue water of Whitehaven beach, in the southern part of Australia’s famous
Great Barrier Reef! Rallied up by the Great dynamic duo of Deano & Reidy on
the Mic for one amazing day in the sun, perfect for a race, cheering on
hundreds of other swimmers, & helping some kids tackle their first ocean
swim! You can see how it earns its title as one of the best beaches in the
world!
What a terrific weekend as always, the unique course, terrific
staff, fabulous volunteers, & unreal organisation, I couldn’t recommend Hamilton
Island Triathlon more to anyone looking for a destination race, little holiday
or tough race! As ambassadors we got to be involved with all the competitors
and really get behind the event! With a ‘Swim
with the stars,’ & Dinner with the Pro’s on Friday, the inaugural Women in
Sport sunset cocktails Saturday evening, the Kids triathlon event on Sunday morning
cheering on the next gen! Finishing off a great weekend with Sunset Yoga &
dinner with our team of event ambassadors & the World class legend himself Steve
Jackson, who took us through our paces Monday morning pre-flight with a group “recovery
run.” Starting with a 2.5km climb up to passage peak, my legs & lungs were hurting
on that one, but with 40 or so runners coming along it was great fun, finishing
the 10km jog around the island with amazing views out over the Whitsundays!
A terrific weekend with an awesome group of friends who I’m
lucky enough to share this fun work life with!
#RACEHARDRECOVERHARDER
I’d like to think as a group of athletes us Aussie triathletes
are quite humble, yes, we will probably talk your ear off about triathlon if
given the chance but not about ourselves! So, it’s always nice to be recognised
for your hard work & achievements & to take the time to appreciate the
pretty cool accomplishments you’ve kicked!
The NSWIS AWARDs night was a great
example of this. Being recognised as Academic Athlete Award Nominee representative,
for my 2017 Triathlon efforts & the (painfully close) completion of my Bachelor
of Nursing at the University of Sydney. Something that would not have been
possible had I of not been in the Elite Athlete Program- a brilliant athlete centred model to make
study achievable for busy juggling athletes. It was an awesome night recognising
some incredible successes which don’t come without, dedication, consistent hard
work, resilience & grit! Plus… OMG the dessert stands- Doughnut time, Messina
& Adriano Zumbo, lucky were athletes & we could all work a little
harder at training the next day!
I was also honoured to attend the St Luke’s Annual sporting
awards night as a guest speaker to present to this group of up & coming
sporting stars! What an AMAZING night, it was so surreal to go back, get up on
stage & have the mic in a room where I had been sitting 5 years earlier waiting
on every word of Pete Jacobs- Ironman World Champion, who was the guest speaker
that night! Then here I was with a brilliant oppourtunity to talk to the next
gen of potential professional athletes about the good, bad & reality of
elite sport, & balancing study & life in the middle. Informing them
about the whirlwind of what is involved for me in a year & a week as a
triathlete, lessons I’ve learnt & advice I would give, before hitting the
floor for a Q&A!
It was great to catch
up with all the teachers that helped get me here today, especially the 2 legend
staff - Mr Baker & Mr Whickham, that were the first to encourage & push
me towards giving triathlon a go, I was lucky enough to go to a school & be
in an environment that allowed students to give everything & anything a go,
be supported & earn a sense of belief in themselves! I would like to believe
I followed the school motto, taking the oppourtunity to inspire a room full of
kids to DREAM BIG, give 100%, work hard but always love what you do, & to get
Dream chasing- “making a difference in the world.”
Finishing off November with a whole lot of fun at the Splash
& Dash Event at Bondi Beach!! Run by Bondi Lifeguard local, Reidy, as part
of his Splash Series! Competing in the Splash & Dash event- a 1km soft sand
run, into a 1km ocean swim, back to a final 1 km soft sand run for the tape!
I LOVED returning to the soft sand and the surf where I was ‘lucky’
enough in my time to earn 3 gold Aussie titles & one World title over 2km
soft sand, & always grew up in the ocean every afternoon!! Taking the overall
win in the Splash & Dash after a neat handicap over the men, winning myself
a new Vivoactive 3 Garmin watch, FRESH! A pretty successful game of catch me if
you can!
The serious event of the day though was the duck dash!! Not
to be taken lightly, we had to put on big flippers…. and run 400m in soft sand-
OUCH… I won’t lie, there may have been some walking … before waddling/tripping
our way into the surf & making our way around a flying 400m ocean swim with
my blow up yellow duck in hand before making it back to shore (with at least a
50% inflated blow up yellow duck) for a flipper sprint run up the beach to the finish line for an overall cash prize winner
of the duck dash! A hilarious twist on the dash for cash! Lining up with
Defending Duck Dash & also (on the downlow) World Triathlon ITU Champion Non
Stanford, & fellow triathletes Nat & Grace Musgrove it was one fierce lot
of fun! If the next event is half as fun & well run, I’ll be back for the next
Splash Series race! https://splashseries.events/
UP NEXT, Summer is here (Deja-vu for us triathletes seeing
the 3rd summer cycle for the year, with no complaints) and the
festive season is about to be into full swing!! I have a birthday soon
approaching… celebrating with the 3 Point
challenge local race at Curl Curl Beach on my 23rd bday, looking to defend
my title & kick off the celebrations!! I’m also signed up for the Callalla
XTERRA TRI race in Jervis bay, my first Cross-Tri Race & I can’t wait to
put the mountain biking & trail running skills to the test!!
Before we know it Christmas will be here & the wonderful
summer time between Christmas & New years with family, friends & a few
food bellies! It’s certainly my favourite time of year, & I can’t wait to
get my new Catfish Christmas cossies out for swimming! I may be a year older
but I’m still one of the biggest kids going around! Check them out, available online
but they won’t last long! – https://catfishdesigns.com.au/product-category/christmas-cosie/
Thanks for the latest read & catch up on the busy antics
of a professional triathlete!
Get out & enjoy the warmer home weather & daylight
hours for a walk, swim, ride or run, you won’t regret it!
Em.
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