It is an exciting time. So much going on. Last week was the National Junior Championships at Champion Lakes, part of the Australian Junior Triathlon Series. Normal weekly sessions to deliver, Mallorca training camp is looming. This week, the beginnings of a brand new project which I am very proud to be a part of, Phoenix Triathlon Club WA. I'll come back to that in a while.
So last weekend... how hot was that? Not just the temperature but the standard of racing too. Of the F4L athletes racing Clancy "Gizmo" Quick did everything that I had asked of her. She gave it the beans in the swim, sat in the pack on the bike and then toughed it out on the run. 2016/17 has been a massive learning curve for her, but watch out in 2017/18...
Sadly, we can't always have great races and Cate had one that she will continue to learn from. Being in year 12 and then on school retreat in the week leading into the race and not being 100% is not ideal for a race of this magnitude. At elite junior level only 100% will cut it, but school comes first. With Inter-State Schools to come she'll be back stronger than ever.
Dubai! I nearly forgot Dubai...
sorry, that might be one of the best venues ever for an ITU race. I have been following formula one motor racing since I was about three months old. I think I went to my first race in Kyalami (South Africa) at that age... 2017 could be a great season... new cars, engine development allowed, some new rules but I think Lewis Hamilton will come out on top. Ferrari look quick, as do Williams, Red Bull will do alright if they can sort reliability. McLaren... hmmm
I digress... I follow formula one and this is an awesome venue (would have been better under floodlights though!)
Sarah had a good race in Dubai with possibly her best run off the bike to date. We will be working her water confidence in Mallorca.
As for the elites - I was close with my predictions of Jodie Stimpson and Javier Gomez. It was a big race for Andrea Hewitt and its so nice to see someone who has been close for a long time finally get a win... massive result for Tom Bishop though.
From an organisational view point, this week has been full-on with Mallorca coming up. Everything is now ordered, hotel is all sorted and now organising flight pick ups... and this year we will find that cafe! To explain, we found this absolutely stunning cafe on a cliff top somewhere on the Island and have been back four years in a row and cannot find it anywhere. It'll be right, this is the year... and there is always the cheesecake place.
In other news my golf was curtailed last week - due to the 40 degree heat - so still didn't get under 45... but been practicing this morning.
This weekend we have a team meeting - which is anything but a meeting. It is an evening when the athletes will receive a presentation about positivity, balancing life, staying determined and working hard to achieve goals. How it is ok to fail every now and again. If winning was easy, there would be no satisfaction, no sense of achievement. This is followed by a social BBQ for the athletes. Its not all about swimming, cycling and running you know!
And so to the new club in Western Australia: Phoenix Triathlon Club.
Phoenix is a new, friendly, motivated club supporting triathletes of all abilities across the Perth Hills and the Swan Valley. The club's aim is to welcome new and existing triathletes into one of Western Australia’s fastest growing sports through a friendly, fun and challenging club environment.
I can tell you that, “F4L Triathlon Coaching is very proud and excited to be associated with this new club. F4L has agreed to work in partnership with Phoenix Triathlon Club as their preferred coaching provider.”
Newly formed in 2017, Phoenix Triathlon Club is in the process of affiliating with Triathlon Western Australia ready for the 2017/18 season. If you want to find out more check out there website or click the link above.
