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Duathlon
Membership
Ocean swim
Tri season launch
Race news
Athlete news
Club update
Tips, benefits, coaching
Just in from members
DUATHLON 21 AUGUST
After last month’s washout our first winter duathlon training session will take place on Sunday, August 21. So dust off those cycling shoes and come along to Iluka for a run/bike/run workout. Usual format applies. Start time: 8am. Iluka car park. Two options – short course approx 1.5km/8km/1.5km, longer course approx 3km/16km/3km. Fees $5 for members, $10 for non-members. Everyone welcome
Membership. If you haven’t already done so, next Sunday is a great time to renew your club membership for 2010/11. Fees have been kept at $25 a head and there’s a new $50 family rate. Benefits include discounted fees for club events. Payments can also be made electronically to:
Jervis Bay Triathlon Club Bendigo Bank
BSB: 633-000
a/c: 134736297.
Or by cheque and posted to: Jervis Bay Triathlon Club,
PO Box 138,
Huskisson, NSW 2540.
For electronic payments please send a receipt to treasurer@jervisbaytriathlonclub.org
OCEAN SWIM
Big thanks to Chris Stubbs who has been working hard on a new highlight for your racing calendar – an Ocean Swim. It can’t be confirmed yet – details and boring stuff like insurance and approvals are still being worked out – but keep March 18, 2012 free for the inaugural event. The plan is a mix of distances for everyone from beginners and juniors to distance swimmers, held at Plantation Point.
But we need your help. First, we’ll want you to get as many of your mates along as possible. We’d like it to become an iconic event attracting swimmers from around the country.
We also need a name. Chris suggested Shark Bait Swim (let us know what you think about THAT one) but we’re open to ideas. We’re looking for something snappy and memorable that will make us stand out from other events. Free entry to the first race for the member who comes up with the best name.
Tri Season Launch. Also on the planning books is a Club launch for the Tri season at our scheduled event on October 9. This will be a chance to get all those people along who would like to give a triathlon a go and get everyone fired up for the summer season. Ideas and help are welcome. Talk to Jo Warren, Chris Stubbs, or Katie Winkworth.
RACE NEWS
Quite a few club members are gearing up for the Husky Half Marathon on September 4. Entries are still open at www.eliteenergy.com.au and if a half marathon sounds too far, there are also 2km and 5km fun runs. Elite Energy’s summer calendar also includes Olympic, Sprint and Enticer Triathlons at Husky on October 30 and Club, Sprint and Enticer distance at Callala on December 11. Check the web site for other dates.
Club dates. Proposed dates for club events for the rest of the season are August 21, September 18, October 23, November 20, December 18, February 5, March 18, April 29, and May 20.
ATHLETE NEWS
Juniors.Well done to the juniors who competed in last month’s NSW All Schools Cross Country championships at Eastern Creek. Thanks to all that rain, the course had to be moved to the nearby car racing track which made for some fast times. Good luck too to Tim O’Shea and any other members training for the ACT trials next month.
Scholarship.The Illawarra Academy of Sport is taking applications for talented athletes to receive scholarships for the Individual Athlete Program. Interested? Visit www.ias.org.au to find out more and apply.
Adventure race. Fancy a bit of cross training? The Noah’s Challenge Adventure Race will be held in Nowra on October 15. A fund raiser for Noah’s Ark, you’ll need a team of two prepared to mountain bike, canoe and orienteer for anywhere between two and three hours. Oh, and there seems to be a bit of running involved too! The course is designed for all levels and while it will be a secret up until race day, we’re assured it will be relatively flat and predominately on tracks, but with some bush bashing. Basic navigation skills will be needed, but we’re also told the ability to read a street map should get you through.
Canoes, paddles and pfd’s will be provided but racers will need their own mountain bikes and helmets. Details: www.noahschallenge.com.au
Cross training.
Speaking of cross training, our intrepid VP Marcus Vowels has been trying to tell us his recent trip to the Kimberley was a training exercise to make him even more of a demon on this year’s Enticer circuit. This pic certainly doesn’t help his case but you can make your own judgement. His full “training report” appears later in the newsletter.
Trek for Timor. Jo Warren and Cathy Head will be getting their cross training in the upcoming Trek for Timor. Along with two friends, they’ll be raising funds for solar lighting for villages in Timor – the funds go straight back to the community. Walkers can walk 14km or 50km in 24 hours. Last year family and friends joined the group on parts of the walk which starts near Bendela and winds its way through Fitzroy Falls, Meryla Pass, Jacks Corner and finishes at Glengarry College. They’re holding a fund raising dinner and entertainment Pilgrims on Wednesday 7th September. Contact Jo (44418739) or Cath (44435401) for tickets.
Climb for Tibor. Tibor Slezak’s one-man mission to take on the Cycle to the Sun bike race in Maui this month has got half the guys in the Tri Club brushing up their mountain climbing skills. Motorists on the back roads of Berry have been wondering what the lunatics in lycra were thinking on cold winter mornings but apparently there was a method in their madness. The Sourdough Bakery, says Tony Lim, makes a fine reward at the end of a gruelling ride.
Tibor leaves at the end of the week and, after practicing on the “small” hills here, spent last weekend in Canberra where he “rode 3 repeats of Honeysuckle on the Friday and the 2 reps of Corin dam on the Saturday (pouring cold rain).”
http://thecycleway.com/?p=748 It being cold and foggy on Sunday, he went for a run!
The race course claims to be the “the longest, steepest paved road on Earth” – and yes, it’s up a volcano. Good luck Tibor, and for those interested in learning more of that hill work, Tony has written a warts and all report later in the newsletter.
CLUB UPDATE
AGM. Interested in having your say? The Club’s annual general meeting will be held on September 15 at 7pm at St Georges Basin Country Club. All members welcome!
TIPS,BENEFITS,COACHING
Facebook. Don’t forget the JB Tri Club Facebook is a quick source of quick information on what we’re up to. We’d also like it to become a forum where members can keep in touch with one another. If you’re not already signed up, get online or talk to Tony Lim.
We’re also online at the Club’s website, www.jervisbaytriathlonclub.org, and Tony has set up a Google group at www.groups.
Training sessions.
If anyone wants to get a new training session up, let us know and we’ll list it here and on the website.
Saturday bike ride.
Leaves from Vincentia Service Station at 7am for the National Park. It’s still the famous “banana ride” – peel off when you need to. Options range from Murrays Beach return to Summercloud Bay and Caves beach, or join the diehards and cycle on.
Vincentia hill repeats. Leaves from Plantation Pt boat ramp at 6pm on Wednesdays. Don’t forget to bring relective clothing and/or lights.
JUST IN FROM MEMBERS
Tony’s hill training.
The email came suggesting a ride up Cambewarra Mt. It wasn’t the first time the suggestion had come up, but it seemed time to give it a go.
The most daunting thing about going up was actually coming down with all that traffic, so it was off to look for an alternative. It didn’t take long for the Berry, Woodhill, Wattamoolla, Bundewallah loop to come up. Traffic wouldn’t be a problem, but there was talk of a section of dirt which varied between a stretch of 2km to 4km. Oh well, a bit of dirt sounded a lot better than negotiating the traffic.
We decided to drive to Berry – there were other takers for the ride that day. Headed out along Prince Alfred St, turned right into North St and then onto Woodhill Mountain Rd. It was cold but didn’t notice any frost. It looked very different to the usual Saturday morning ride, cleared farm land and deciduous trees along the side. The road was nice and flat, and the surface not too bad. Nice to get the legs spinning and warmed up.
Before we knew it we were starting to climb, nothing too steep, like the first half of Tomerong, except it kept on going, around a bend and there it was, still climbing and slightly steeper.
There were some nice views to be had, when you have time to take your mind off keeping those legs spinning. On and on it went.
Should I change gear now? How many do I have left while trying to make sure I’m not pushing too hard in too heavy a gear. Maybe when we around this bend it will flatten out…. No more of the same, and then it slowly changes, it’s getting steeper. I didn’t notice it the first two times, but there is a wire retaining fence on the side of the road and that means it is not far till it starts to flatten out. I never looked forward to a road sign before, but there’s one that indicates sharp turn to the right, and also means the road flattens. Woodhill conquered. Tony 1, Woodhill 0.
Over the next few weeks the score became Tony 3, Woodhill 1. (The wind and hill combined on the second ride to stop me in my tracks.
The road down into Wattamoolla had us descending into a fog. Having not been down the road before, I wasn’t keen to let the speed get away. It was brakes on, brakes off, brakes on, brakes off, hands getting sore from braking. Totally disorientated as the sun was on our right!!! How did that happen? Some very grand entrances to driveways. Where is this dirt? No such thing as a flat road, it was up and down, causeways.
Then we hit dirt. I think the fog helped disguise the surface. There was the dairy. Hmm the smell of cows and milk. Luckily we were not gasping for breath.
Finally came to a T intersection, the end of the valley and the start of the climb out. But this wasn’t a gradual start like Woodhill, we were straight into it. The sound of waterfalls and overhead trees, reminded me of part of the Sydney to Gong ride. Once again it goes on and on, steeper shorter sections between bends. Maybe it will flatten after this bend… no, more climbing. A couple of signs selling “eggs and vegs” indicate the end is near.
Great views down the coast before it is time to keep your wits as the road starts to descend. Down and round it goes, and some with bumps, no retaining fence, down and around. Luckily I was not alone as we spotted 3 utes converted to look like trucks heading up the hill. I would have thought I was seeing things.
It was nice to reach a gradual descent and head into Berry. Back at the car in under 2 hrs, having done 34ks
After doing the loop 3.5 times what have I learnt?
1. Riding up Woodhill Mt Road in cold windy conditions is not a good idea – you get pushed all over the road and breathing cold air is not fun.
2. Take a spare set of winter gloves, leggings and thermals; your riding partner is prepared to brave anything, when he only wears fingerless gloves, knicks and long sleeve top.
3. Frost on the ground along Woodhill Mt Rd means it is going to be cold in the valley.
4. There is no such thing as a flat road when you go for a run.
5. The Berry Sourdough Bakery makes great coffee and pastries… you have earned it
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/39633868
Marcus on cross training.
Getting some of the best of the Kimberleys involves two roads; the sealed highway past the Bungle Bungles and Fitzroy Crossing and the Gibb River Rd. Not surprisingly, we thought doing the outback dirt track of Gibb river road in someone else’s vehicle had appeal.
So we flew to Broome and boarded an APT bus at 6am for an 8-day Gibb River road tour, stopping first at the historic 1500 year old Boab tree which is hollow and used to corral (usually) aboriginal prisoners being transported to Broome in the 1900s for trial – often for petty theft such as killing a sheep wandering on their land.
Then through the mountain range that was once a coral sea and into Windjana Gorge with visible marine fossils in the sandstone and “freshies” lazing at the water’s edge (Good hill training to practice beating a “freshie” up the bank) and on to the first night at Bell George Wilderness Lodge. On the way we passed a gentleman walking the trail with 2 camels mounted with solar panels.
The weather was close to zero at night which created some problems as we had no winter clothes, were sleeping in “tented” cabins and bedding was for warmer fare. Good experience for those occasional wet, cold tris.
Onward into Galvins Gorge where a few laps in the 50m long gorge were possible. Then back to the Lodge for a 4km run/walk (bit hot at 250C).Because there was a very late and wet,wet season some gorges were still closed due to road damage. Some Roadhouses had run out of fuel as tankers could not get through. Vehicles silly enough to try and cross rivers without testing the depth (difficult to do when there is a sign at water’s edge saying “Danger-crocodiles”) couldn’t send the wife out to save the car.
Then to Drysdale River Station, a cattle property and the entry point to the Mitchell Plateau.
Because the road to Mitchell Plateau and falls was closed, APT arranged fixed wing flights down to the Plateau (yes, 1200ft down to 1000ft) where we stayed in a beautiful Wilderness Lodge (tents) in the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, over dinner, a 70th birthday cake appeared even though only 2 people (me and the wife) were aware of the secret. A nice end to the evening. It isn’t often you get to have a birthday party in the middle of nowhere with people you’ve never met and who paid money to attend.
An Aboriginal guide walked us to the falls providing a wealth of local indigenous history. As the last river crossing to the falls was not yet passable another airlift was required, this time in an exciting no-doors helicopter ride up over and around the falls. Nutrition, then swimming and walking training before another no-door heli trip back – don’t need to do a no-door ride ever again. Back to Drysdale by plane and then some altitude training – another 4km. Amongst all this there were indigenous rock art paintings and amazing wildflowers. The rock art we saw was from 2 eras; Gwion figure drawings aged > 17,000 years and more recent Wandjina drawings.
Last stop was the Emma Gorge resort set in El Questro Wilderness Park with an excursion to the Gorge (spectacular), the Zebedee hot springs (flushing) and a visit to the El Questro Station for lunch before heading to Kununurra and the flight home.
FEEDBACK. Got some news or thoughts you’d like to share? ? Send any ideas, news, photos etc to asampson@smh.com.au or mvowels@ozemail.com.au. Or just post on the Club’s Facebook page.