BEVAN LEACH - TRIATHLETE & CYCLIST

Training Week 13-2-12 to 19-2-12

2012-02-21T10:35:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,
Lots of work-life balancing this week in regards to training. With sick kids and shocking weather, many of the planned sessions were changed to pushing the two kids in the pram at a hard pace for a good sweat out and muscle strength work. I got an Ironman distance bike in on the weekend 11 weeks out from race day and the feeling in the legs was good. Great for moral when a long way out from race day and the longest part of the race is feeling good.
Next week will be a 'whatever I can get done' week. Sam is away in Sydney for work, kids are still sick, and I head away late Thursday until late Sunday night for my Bucks Party Weekend with my Groomsmen Mal Derbidge, James Freeman and Andy Rayner. Hopefully some of the recovery can involve some swim-jogs to 'flush the system out' ;)

Training Log 2-6/2/12

2012-02-13T22:57:00.000+11:00

Biking is going well. Running is coming along and body is feeling good for it. Now I just need to up the swimming. Adding more runs in and lengthening as the body allows. Weather has been a shocker and just hope for a small window of 'Summer-like" weather to get some fun kilometres in. Winter cycle race programs are coming up soon and will be fun to plan in a few good hard races that will test me.

Training Week 30/1/12-5/2/12

2012-02-08T19:17:00.000+11:00

Another week down. Non stop torrential rain whenever I had the opportunity to train this week which stopped the walks with the kids that add a few hours of pram pushing (10kg bub + 15kg+ girl + pram of gear). The family headed down to Sydney for the day on Saturday for a day of catch ups and a fitting-lunch of the Groomsmen for my coming wedding to Sam in March. Run are feeling better and I just need to add more sessions in. I got a good bike session done on the Sunday with a hard race with lots of efforts and more big dog work after. Swimming sessions need to increase. I had hoped for more this week but it just didn't eventuate.

Training Week 23/1/12 to 29/1/12

2012-01-31T09:32:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,
A good mix of training and fun this past week. I got back into the swimming with a couple of sessions also and the shoulders are reminding me I need to get going again with more swim consistency. A fun Golf day on Sunday with the crew from Hunter Industrial Ceramics topped off a great weekend. A few more training sessions linked in with Max and Frankie to make use of my child minding time with some fun for the kids. Bike racing is progressing well with an unfortunate last lap puncture ruining any chance of a placing. Intensity on the bike is creeping up and the thighs-back are adjusting well. I'll increase the runs this coming week after testing runs this week went well. We had a great family day on Australia Day with a lovely BBQ and foreshore harbour fextival mixed in. Overall, I pulled up well in a recovery week and can increase again next week.

Training Week 16-22/1/12

2012-01-25T21:05:00.000+11:00

Another week down. Busy week at work with the partners away. Sam had her Hen's Night on the weekend and by the longevity and severity of hangovers it seems that it was a great success :) . The kids were a dream so all worked out well. I signed on for a new countryside loop with Justin Jefferson and the boys and it proved to provide great terrain that I will incorporate into my training. Walks and Mtb with Frankie-Max replaced a few sessions due to commitments but lugging an extra 20kgs around on the Mtb certainly added some strength work to the week.
Run and swims will be added to next week along with possibly two bike races if the weather allows. That should take care of the intensity for the coming week.

Bevan Training Log 9/1/12 to 15/1/12

2012-01-16T10:21:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,

Second week completed and feeling better on the bike. I increased the testing of the legs on the bike this week with some good hill efforts and an A grade bike race. Nil swimming but I did start my core work again. The running-walk has allowed the body to ease back in and I will be increasing the time this week however run intensity stays the same. Lacked race fitness and the recovery from the hills sessions took the zip out of the legs. However the diesel engine is still there. Tour Down Under is on the tv this coming week so that will be great to view with GreenEdge becoming the first Aussie Pro Tour team.

Training log 9-15/1/12

Cheers, Bevan.

2012: Training Log 1/1/12 - 8/1/12

2012-01-12T10:18:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,

I will be posting my weekly training log in an effort to keep this blog updated with my ramblings and activities. Whilst having the best intentions, time seemed to always slip away and the blog updates never got done. Weekly posting will prompt me to add updates as well as be more consistent with my training plus post my thoughts on new gear, training methods, recovery techniques, preventative techniques and physiotherapy methods I come across.

Training Log 1/1/12 - 8/1/12

I am trying to be consistent and do some activity each day. I am slowly bringing the running back in with a jog-walk to run-walk method working on extending session length and then shortening walk time before moving to intervals. My biking is coming along well and picking up where I left off in early December. I will be testing it out next week with a Bike race. My swimming needs more consistency but with sickness rotating through the household, time was a limiting factor. I am also reviving my strength and core sessions as I had slackened off this last year to my detriment.
So here is to my weekly update and bring on more consistency this year.
Cheers,
Bevan.

Updates To Come

2011-11-03T08:18:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,

I will be posting an update soon about all the changes over the past 6 months. Many great changes have occurred on both a personal and professional level. Stay tuned.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Frankie's New Bike and Chauffeur

2011-03-28T00:05:00.000+11:00

Sam has given the green light for me to take Frankie out on the bike. We found a great little seat that attaches to the front steering tube rather than the back of the bike. Much safer and I can keep an eye on Frankie easily. Seat is from www.iBert.com which I have no affiliation with - it is just a great product. Frankie loved her first ride and didn't stop screaming with delight and 'yahooing' the whole time. Even better is that I get to spend time with her and Sam has some of her own time. Will come in handy later with another bub on the way and getting some extra training in. Here are some photos of Frankie and her chauffeur.

Australian Long Course Triathlon Champs - Huskisson

2011-03-18T11:23:00.000+11:00

I headed to Huskisson for a hit out to test where the body is at in my preparation for the Hawaii 70.3 in June. Training has been on a casual basis with a few niggles that I have been getting tested for in regards to breathing difficulties and some muscle-joint issues. I had been doing some good biking for Team Newrad picking up a couple of wins. Running and swimming had been 1-2 sessions per week of slow build. So Huski was to be a real 'where am I at' in regards to all aspects. I was expecting to get it handed to me from guys having this as their A race for a national title but was going to give it all.

The swim felt good sitting in the lead grouping until the last turn where a good rip started. The two guys in front of me let a big gap open at the turn buoy and the pack was gone. Lost a minute plus to the finish. Felt ok though but the arms knew it at 1.5km in. More swimming and speed work needed.

Bike went very well. Having lost 2mins plus to the leaders post the steep step climb to transition and a fast pack ahead, my work was cut out. However I comfortably road solo for the whole 83km sitting on good averages over 40km/hr+ on the undulating course for the majority without burning too many candles. I rode through the whole grouping and was announced as the lead age-grouper out of transition. This surprised me a bit as I new I was motoring (low 2hr time) and passed the top guys of my group but I was still comfortable.

Onto the run and being in the lead I had to give it all for a glimmer of hope in holding onto the podium as it is a Nationals. Needless to say the training I had done came through and I relinquished the lead 2km in, the podium 6.5km in. With no glory to happen, I eased up on the run to limit any further damage to my healing hip and ankle and finished in a jog in under 4:30hrs.

Overall a great training tester. I am getting the body in order finally with medical testing and the appropriate rehab. I am ahead in my biking. My running and swimming needs more hours and consistency. I will now sit down and work out my program for Hawaii 70.3 to address these issues.

I have a few cycle races beforehand, the Sydney ITU olympic triathlon, and a half marathon to utilise for testing and pace work. Photo's were taken by Belinda Crossingham who has graciously let me post them here.

Cheers,
Bevan.

8 Tips to Battle Training Blues - Article for endurance Junkie Newsletter

2011-02-10T08:05:00.003+11:00

Taking a bit long to get back into the swing of things? That break going longer than it was supposed to, with no injuries to blame? Hitting the snooze button too much or just lost your training mojo after a major achievement or bad race?

Well here are a few tips to get things going. I didn´t have a great race in Hawaii and here I am in February with a way too long extended training hiatus and overweight.

Tip #1: Sign up for a race.
Any race. Doesn´t matter if it is not the sport of choice. Running races, ocean swims, cycle road races, club triathlons. Get out and feel the burn and competitive spirit. Being out and enjoying the sport and feel of pushing oneself is a great motivator to do more. Who knows, you may surprise yourself from your layoff form. I just scored silver at the National Sprint Triathlon Champs on zippo training and a very unhealthy Xmas dinner the night before.

Tip #2: Join a local cycle club.
Being a triathlete can mean lots of training and no races or all out "flog-fests". Cycle races are every week for the majority of clubs (we have a choice of 3 each weekend where I live). They are a fantastic way to learn skills to help in triathlons plus get extra strength/time logged on the bike. You may even pick up a training partner or group to help with those long rides in your program.

Tip #3: Jump on the scales / Take a photo of yourself in shorts only.
Looking at this compared to your last race photo/race weight can be some damning evidence of too much fun. Sometimes a reality check is needed. Move that weight and get the diet/training going.

Tip #4: Buy a new kit/gear/gadget/pair of shoes.
Triathletes love gizmo´s and cool gear. New stuff makes you want to try it out. I wouldn´t mind a nice Garmin 500 to get me out on the bike more and check out instant inclines temperatures on my local rides (borrowed one in Hawaii to help race prep and loved it). Sometimes instant feedback options are great as it keeps things interesting and will push you further. Or a nice new race kit that has been personalised (thanks endurance Junkie!).

Tip #5: Remember why you do this sport.
Is it health? Fun? Social? Family orientated? Challenge orientated? Personal development? Sightseeing? Because you can? Mental break from work/stresses? Have a bucket list of triathlon objectives. Read it every day for a week. Not motivated by then? You need a new goal/dream list.

Tip #6: Got Kids?
I want to be around for them. With full time work, training, races, house duties, family-life balance and kid time to organise, I want to be healthy to get the most out of each and be there to play with the kids. I do not want to be physically unable to enjoy my children. Triathlon and its healthy lifestyle aids in my goal to provide for, enjoy time with and love my children. Involve your family in some training-races. Team shirts done with iron-on logo lettering or text are great. My 2yr old daughter cheers on every cyclist that passes us as she thinks they are racing. She tells people "daddy is running/riding" and bolts around the house copying me. Nice to know she is getting the idea of a healthy-fun lifestyle. Alternatively, organise a short race weekend away for the family where the triathlon-race is minimal and family fun is at a maximum. They´ll want you to train more to go on more trips!

Tip#7: Make a bet with family/friends.
Don´t break the bank but make it worthwhile. It could be something like vacuuming the house for the wife/partner for six months if you do not train each day (that would motivate me!). Or make it a dollar amount that goes to a charity or your/other wagers child(s) account. I lost a bet with a mate and he made me do a triathlon. Been hooked since.

Tip #8: Watch a Youtube clip.
Rick and Dick Hoyt, Hawaiian Ironman wars, Olympics, Alcatraz, Roth, ITU races, or athlete highlights. They are out there and easily accessible through the internet. Click on it and get the feel-good Goosebumps chill to get out and train.

So there are a few of the things that get me moving back into the training groove again. Not all will work for everyone but try one that sounds good to you. Have fun and get out on the road.

Train safe, play hard.
Bevan Leach

Physiotherapist/Level 1 Tri Coach/Triathlete.

Silver at National Sprint Triathlon Champs 2011

2011-01-31T23:49:00.002+11:00

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note to say I have started back training after the Hawaii extended break. A good couple of months of not doing much but light jogs and the occasional bike spin on the coffee train.

Caught up in Canberra with the parents for a late Xmas with Frankie and Sam. National Triathlon Sprint Champs were on so thought I'd give it a bash and see where the pain barriers were on the unconditioned body.

Well I blew the cobwebs out and placed 2nd in the Men's 35-39yrs with the fastest swim and bike but got run down with 1.3km to go. Not to bad for where I am at but would have been a nice surprise to pick up another national title on no training. As it is, another 2nd at the National Sprint Tri Champs. That's two silvers from two Sprint Nationals. I might train for the next one and really give it a go to see if I can get the title.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Hawaiian Ironman World Championships 2010 Race Report

2010-12-09T07:55:00.003+11:00

Well I have finished another Hawaiian Ironman and received the lovely lei, medal, finisher’s t-shirt and goodies bag. One of the best parts of the bag was a fridge (refrigerator) magnet. A fridge magnet you ask? Yes, a fridge magnet.
Why? Well you peel off sections and it allows the magnet to become your official finishing time. This is now on my fridge saying “10:20:28”. 10 hours, 28 minutes, 28 seconds. This now hits my vision every day mocking me, motivating me, and driving me to want a new fridge magnet that has my goal time of near 9 hours flat or a dream time of sub 9.
Whilst happy to have finished and happy that I put myself in a position to challenge for a podium, I am not happy that nutritional issues derailed my race at 7 miles into the run leading to a run time of 4 hours 16 mins and about an hour slower than I had practiced for and am definitely capable of. This is now my drive for the next year.
I had had a great lead in training over the whole of the course and felt strong, fast and relaxed. I was ready. Race morning transition went on without a hitch and in my orange endurance junkie t-shirt it was very distinctive and helped the guys pick me out.
I had a good warm up swim in a ‘Sailfish prototype speedsuit’. Fought and held position in the front line. Got front water until the board paddler decided to stop and sit up closing in the group. I then joined the thump fest for the next kilometer with people who have no idea to swim draft. I lost some considerable time on the lead swimmers but after gaining free water I pulled back many groups and did it comfortably. The swim went well coming in around mid 50’s with little energy expended.
Transition was going to take longer as I had endurance-junkie compression calf guards to put on and a speed suit to take off. This was taken into consideration so nil problems there. Was interested to see people running out of the water in calf guards after I was told by the swim director that it was illegal to have any clothing/guards on due to the new swim rules and it would be a disqualification.
Lost a few places because of this but it is a long day and being a good cyclist I knew I would pick people off easily on the way to Waikoloa.
On the bike and into the mini loop I looked for the family as it passed our Kona accommodation which had been organized by Hunter Industrial Ceramics. Great to hear them cheering and make eye contact. It is a long day for the spectators and they make sacrifices as well. Plus it also is a great boost.
Using the first large hill back into town to see where the age leaders were and to settle in, I could see comfortable pacing would close down the leaders by scenic lookout-Waikoloa. So I settled in and got the nutrition on board.
Things went as planned and I picked up water-electrolytes at each station and slowly made way up to the front grouping with a couple of people off the front. With the heat and winds picking up I knew it was time to not get caught drafting and be alert to sitting near the front with a good gap. Heading for the Hawi turn and people were already dropping and the outliers were being picked up.
Hitting the base of the Hawi road with 30kms to go the turnaround and things got messy with the hills and the cross winds. Cards were going all over the place and I wanted none of it. So I rode with comfortable power, clean and found myself (being used to the crosswind from training) riding away from all and passing guys up ahead with ease, a low heart rate and able to get nutrition in. Towards Hawi I only spotted 1 guy out front, and 3 in a group, then myself and two others about to pick me up from behind with the head wind into Hawi.
All going well and on target for a comfortable mid 4:40’s. Special needs and slowed to make sure all onboard properly with a troublesome descent at speed to come.. Lost contact with the two guys who had caught me near the turn (both went on to win their age groups I believe) but rode my own race. All ok and rode well on the descent picking up a couple of guys and keeping the others in rein and moving towards to lead car and small lead pack that had formed.
Saw a heap of people on the side of the road after crashes and pulling up stumps for a rest in the wind!
Had a bad patch at around the 120km mark for 10kms but worked through it.
Got my first ever draft penalty in Ironman and second ever since 2000 after passing the Waikoloa timing mat. Lead through the matt and a guy I had picked up 5km before on my tail passed me on the way up the rise/hill. He hit the crest and sat up in the head wind and being down in aero I drifted into his zone. Rather than passing I eased up out of the zone to make him work so he couldn’t jump on my tail again and ‘bang’ done by a draft buster. Ah well, line call but no point arguing. Asked where the next penalty box was and told either in the next two stations. You have to pull up at the next box or you get dq’d. This information meant I could up the tempo a bit and get some more liquid on board to drink and use the 4min penalty time plus stopping time for nutrition/stretching. Useful. Mentally drained me a bit and took a few minutes to pull out of it loosing a small amount of time but thinking of it as a good nutrition-stretch-rest break brings the race back into focus. Knew I could still get to the podium if I used it sensibly.
Grabbed extra drinks at each of the next 2 stations and stopped at the 2nd at a tent with yellow/red large flags and a bike rider sitting in it with an official. Called out my number and the guy walked over saying it wasn’t a penalty box but medical, withdrawal, volunteer rest box – yellow/red flag were signal flags only to alert riders. AGGGHHH. Off I went. Eased up at each aid station getting extra fluid to find that there were no boxes all the way until transition 2. Lost some time stopping-slowing at each one but was riding well and feeling comfortable to run well off the bike not being fatigued for once. Knowing I was going to ride in around the low 4:50-mid 4:50’s was ok but having to serve a penalty but the stop-slowing at stations cost a bit of time.
T2 and my penalty in the heat was fun sitting in the humidity with a helmet on with no fluid was not what I had planned for for my penalty. I used the time to stretch out, drop the heart rate and focus on the run. Changed and ran out comfortable for my marathon.

Saw the family and a quick running chat was great. And off I went. I was still holding on to the top of the age groupers and in 6/7th so the podium was in sight even with the lost time. Got into rhythm straight away and ticked away the kilometer marks comfortable but on pace for a 3:15hr marathon. Nutrition was going ok and I felt strong and energized. Saw the MacDonald’s who I had stayed with training in Waikoloa and Kona who run Newcastle Radiology and was moving well.
Hit the turn around and the aid station and put some gels in, bang, straight back up. Water the same, coke the same. Anything in went out. Ice on the body and off I went to the next station to allow time to settle it. Next, tried salt tabs (even worse as they made non stop dry retching). Managed to get two sips of coke in plus ice on the body and kept going. Slowing the running down as I was starting to get dizzy and a bit tired with no energy to push off, I was working on the ‘ease up and let it settle so that you will come good again soon’ motto.
By the time I was back into town I had got 6 sips of coke in and nothing else but lots regurgitated and plenty of dry retching. Still hopeful I could turn it I kept up an ok pace. Seeing the family again in town was a pick up. Out on the Queen K and I knew it was going to be pure survival and a finish for the year. Got to see Macca and Raelert fighting it out plus the compacting of the top guys racing for a pay cheque.
My battle was now to get some nutrition in some how and walking all aid stations was the way through it hopefully gaining a few sips that stayed down was a bonus. Not much else to say but struggled through to the special needs where I grabbed some salt tabs and sustagen-like drink that stayed in. This turned things around a bit and I could jog home for the last 7kms.
On Alii Drive my fiancée Samantha and daughter Frankie were on the side of the road cheering. I was able to stop for a good cuddle, photo and kiss before heading down the last few hundred meters to the finish line.

I take a lot from this race. I was able to ‘race it’ rather than go to just go to enjoy the experience and aim for a finish. Even though things didn’t turn out great I take a lot of positives out. I swam and biked strong and fast at a very comfortable feeling, heart rate and mental state. It was a windy day with strong crosswinds. It was hot – reports of temp gauges being over 50 degrees Celsius on the bike and 40’s in the run. The run started out great and I got into a good pace early and easily. I was able to be with the leaders pushing for a podium in the age groupings. My family and daughter got to be a part of a Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon race. Samantha and I got engaged in Kona before the race. We had a great trip and want to return. I have the fire to have a fridge magnet saying as close to 9:00:00 as possible.

As an aside, I was trialing a new two piece suit for the endurance-junkie team. In some of the warmest waters and with a speed suit over the top, I did not overheat or have drag issues. In some of the windiest and hottest (50+ degree Celsius) biking conditions I had no over heating issues and was comfortable with fantastic performing padding. In hot running (35-mid 40 degree Celsius) and struggling with nutritional issues and dehydration, I still felt comfortable and cool. Post race I had no burn marks or sun issues at all. The suit worked under the toughest conditions and came through great. Plus it looked ‘shmick’ as one of my triathlon mates said.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Hawaiian Ironman 2010 Update

2010-09-22T23:03:00.001+10:00

Well it is not long now to Kona and the Hawaiian Ironman Champs. This will be my third time racing and I feel like things are coming along nicely. It will be an added bonus this year as my family will be coming including my 22 month old daughter on her first overseas trip to cheer me on and swim with some green turtles. Race numbers are up and I am number 1385 in the Mens 35-39 year grouping which is traditionally one of the fastest and most competitive.

I have utilised a different approach this time working on eash leg individually. With the lack of races available in Australia during winter (zero triathlons) I have focused on marathons and bike races for preparation. This is always a problem for southern hemisphere athletes as Kona occurs before our season starts so it means lots of dark cold hours of training and a white tan on arrival in Hawaii. Acclimation is a big part of the race and some take to it in a more fun way than others :)

Running has been a weaker leg but I feel that this is changing. I have run two challenging marathons placing 11th overall and 2nd overall in my last one in late August on a hilly on-off road course.

Cycling is going well with some good wins including the District Individual Time Trial. Notably I have utilised power for the first time to train my legs to not go 'overboard' and save some energy for the sapping Kona marathon conditions.

During my build I have also had the chance to trial some new endurance Junkie suits that we used in photoshoots for the brand. Kona is the one place you really want to leave nothing to chance especially the suit you will be racing in. I know I can rely on the Kona suit to be comfortable and aid in thermoregulation which plays a big part with temperatures ranging from 20-50 degrees celcius in the lava with humidity 30-90%. Being a bigger guy I need all the help I can with heat regulation and Peter and the team at endurance Junkie have hit on a winner.

I head over this Sunday after a good confidence boosting weekend at the Forster Triathlon Festival. I got a lot of training done and some race practice picking up a win in a Teams Sprint Triathlon and an age group third in an individual Olympic Triathlon. I am looking forward to providing the finishing touches in the next two weeks to place myself on the start line with every chance to achieve a great overall result.

I feel confident, I feel strong, I feel fast, and I will be stylish in my new endurance Junkie race kit. The perfect combination for that winning finish line photo!

Train safe, Dream Big, Be an endurance Junkie ;)

Cheers,
Bevan.

endurance Junkie - top notch triathlon apparel - Press Release of Launch

2010-07-01T12:23:00.003+10:00

Hi Guys,

A couple of weeks ago I completed a photo shoot for endurance Junkie triathlon clothing. Fantastic feel to the suits with a revolutionary material designed for comfort and performance. Andrew Sawatske from Hi-Tide Photography was the photographer for the shoot in Newcastle and Christina Turner joined me and modelled the female suits. Perfect weather and an amazing location to highlight a stylish triathlon suit. Below is the Press Release for the launch of endurance Junkie and I will have some photos from the shoot to post soon.

PRESS RELEASE: New triathlon brand “endurance Junkie” launches with Sportwool™ Race Suit.

July 15, 2010 sees the launch of endurance Junkie, a new brand of triathlon apparel aimed at long-distance and Ironman triathletes. Focusing on quality, performance and style, the brand’s products are designed for maximum breathability, body temperature control and total freedom of movement.

“We believe Ironman triathlon to be the most beautiful sport in the world”, says Peter Brees, founder of the brand and a long-time triathlete. “Everything endurance Junkie does will be based on our passion for the sport and designed to celebrate the glory and suffering unique to Ironman athletes.”

Sportwool™ Race Suit
endurance Junkie’s first core product is the Sportwool™ Race Suit. Available in both a men’s and women’s cut, the suit combines high performance with distinctive styling. The unique blend of technical fabrics provides maximum moisture wicking properties, first-class body temperature control and exceptional wearer comfort.

“The use of Sportwool™ is totally unique in a triathlon race suit”, states Peter. “When I look at what’s available on the market today, a race suit is supposed to be slick through the water. But what’s the point when 99% of the time, athletes wear a wetsuit over it for the swim? We rather believe comfort is key when you’re out on the course all day. We believe in maximum performance on the bike and during the run.”

Why Sportwool™?
Sportwool™ is a lightweight, composite fabric consisting of a layer of machine-washable superfine Merino wool next to the skin and a layer of tough, easy-care polyester on the outside. As a result of Sportwool™’s unique construction, the wearer stays cooler when exercising and formation of liquid sweat is delayed. When formed, the liquid sweat is carried away from the skin to the outside of the fabric, leaving the inside dry and resulting in less ‘clammy’ garment cling. In addition, Sportwool™ is elastic, provides UV protection and does not retain odours.

Extensively tested
The endurance Junkie Test Program collectively engages endurance Junkie designers, manufacturing associates and triathletes of all levels throughout the entire product development process. Before being put to market, new products are tested extensively in real life conditions.

Australian former pro triathlete Bevan Leach, a member of the test team, raced Ironman Australia in a Sportwool™ Race Suit prototype and qualified for Ironman Hawaii in it. “Very impressed with how the suit went. Comfortable all day, I did not notice the heat at all. It did its job well. Looking forward to putting it on the podium in Kona in October”, is what he had to say after the race.

Where to buy
Products will be available exclusively on the website www.endurance-junkie.com. If you are a member of a team or a club and would like to book demo suits for trial purposes, please get in touch with Peter at peter@endurance-junkie.com.

Dedicated athletes who place a premium on quality, performance and design can now add endurance Junkie to their list of must-have brands.

info@endurance-junkie.com
www.endurance-junkie.com

END OF PRESS RELEASE

OFF TO KONA - IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPS 2010 !!

2010-04-02T08:33:00.005+11:00

Hi Guys,

Just a quick note to say that the objective of qualifying at the Port Macquarie Ironman Australia Triathlon was completed. I am now off to Kona for the Hawaiian Ironman World Triathlon Championships on October the 9th 2010. I will post a race report and some of the great race photos. I also received a lot of good coverage being in the top 2 age groupers overall most of the race.

I had a good swim (new pb 46:15mins for 3.8km) and bike leading my group and 2nd overall in age groupers off the bike. It was a hot day and although I had a bad patch in the run I was able to consolidate my Kona slot and finish 27th overall. I had great support on the day and now have the time to work on things for Kona and add some more Australian/local racing into the schedule.

Cheers,
Bevan.

2nd Sparke Helmore Teams Triathlon

2010-03-23T11:46:00.004+11:00

Hi Guys,

I competed in the Sparke Helmore Teams Triathlon on the weekend for Hunter Industrial Ceramics. I am happy to say that we placed 2nd overall in our division.

I lead out the swim which was a great hit out for Port Ironman next weekend and handed over with a good time lead. Arms felt great and good to see that there was some speed in the body after the long stuff. Peter had a great ride on a borrowed bike and really powered through the course. Sam (my partner) had an awesome run to hold onto second place. A great cheers squad of the Hunter Ceramics guys, the Bynons, the Mahons and our little Frankie provided that added encouragement on the course.

Next up is Port Macquarie this coming weekend. All is going well and I am looking forward to a fast race and grabbing that Kona slot. Endurance Junkie has sent over a great suit that I will be racing in and providing some final feedback. There is some extra compression in the legs and length in the body for me. It is always nice to have a custom made suit especially when the material and design is fantastic. The guys have hit on a winner here.

Next update will be checking in from Port Macquarie.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Port Macquarie Ironman Update - race number #794

2010-03-09T10:11:00.003+11:00

Hi Guys,

Well we are only 2.5 weeks away from Port Macquarie Ironman. Training has been going well with some consistent sessions with both strength and endurance having being built up. Now it is for some more intensity to be injected and to concentrate on correct nutrition leading into these last weeks where it is easy to lapse into some splurges.

I will be racing the Sparke Helmore Triathlon the weekend before Ironman with the Hunter Ceramics guys. I will be doing the swim which should get the team off to a good start. Frank Bynon will be smashing the bike and my lovely partner, Samantha, will be ripping up the run course. We should have a good showing. Only doing the swim will allow for a good run session later that day also plus a chance to test out the wettie pre-ironman.

I will be race number #794 for the Ironman. Whilst being 34, I will be competing in the 35-39 year age group due to rule changes regarding qualification for the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships on October 9 2010. You now qualify based on your age as of 31 December 2010 so all have a level playing ground. This actually helps me as traditionally the 35-39 grouping is the largest (normally over 20% of the field of 1550) giving more slots to Kona.

I tested the 2nd prototype for Endurance Junkie and there were more improvements as the designers listened to feed back and acted accordingly. They have really hit on something here and now with a better product all round I am looking forward to using the slightly modified suit at Port Ironman.

Train safe,
Bevan.

Update & Results for Win @ Maitland Sprint Tri

2010-02-09T13:16:00.004+11:00

Hi Guys,

Results have been published. I picked up the win in a seasons fastest time of 51:14. Top 3 were:

1st Bevan Leach 51:14
2nd Craig Shafer 51:44
3rd Charles Rodgers 51:52

Nice hit out and definitely a good tester to start the season. I've been back into the pool regularly and I am starting to feel like I can 'grip' the water finally. Running is going well with builds up to 2hr45min feeling good. Training is going well for the focus on the Hawaii qualification at Port Macquarie Ironman. Next up is the Oceania and Australian Championships in Huskisson on the 21st February. This will be a good indicator of my fitness and a final testing ground for Port IM. Racing will probably be done with no taper and in a semi-fatigued state.

Cheers,
Bevan.

First Win of 2010 - Maitland District Sprint Triathlon

2010-01-25T09:52:00.003+11:00

Hi Guys,

I raced the Maitland Clubs January Sprint Triathlon on the 24th January (this past weekend). It was to be a great test hit out after doing some running specific weeks with little riding or swimming. No aero bling, race wheels, heart rate monitors, or power output - just go hard and go for as long as possible.

Results will be published soon but it looks like I came in with the win in a low 50mins for the Sprint Triathlon. Great volunteers/organisers and nice to see a lovely breakfast put on post race for competitors. I'll post the times etc and top placings once they are up. I need to log more swimming kilometres, the bike was good and the run is progressing well. First time I have felt like I was running fast with good momentum after the dead legs and double run days of late. Good to get a win at the first race of the year.

Great little race and they welcome along all plus they have two kiddies races to get them into the sport that were great to watch.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Prototype Testing for 'endurance Junkie'.

2010-01-14T11:27:00.002+11:00

Over the past six weeks I have been testing the first 'endurance Junkie' triathlon suit prototype. "WOW" is all I can say about the new materials and advanced ideas of design on this suit. For a first prototype it is one of the best I have seen and tested. I am proud to be a part of the development of this new brand of triathlon suit and apparel. Testing of the second prototype starts soon leading to a nice new suit for Ironman Port Macquarie to be unveiled. Unfortunately being a confidential prototype I am unable to post any pictures, but I will get some up pre-Port IM on the final race suit.

It is great to see some new innovative ideas within triathlon design and materials. An example of the benefit of this suit was that I completed a 2hr run in normal gear and then switched to the suit for another 1hr run to make it a 3hr session. With dead legs after the 2hrs session, I found 15-20 minutes of running in the suit had my 'legs' returning and I was able to run at a faster pace for the back end of the session. Great news for that last part of the marathon and the whole distance of the Ironman.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Great Canberra 70.3 Photo of me with Lake Burley Griffin and Parliament House in the Background: shot by Andrew Sawatske - High Tide Photography

2010-01-05T21:43:00.002+11:00

Canberra 70.3 Report

2010-01-05T13:23:00.003+11:00

Day started with a rush to transition due to taking a little too long to get all the gear from the lovely York Apartments we were vacating and getting a sick athlete (me) and sick bub ready for a long day. Poor Sam. Managed to get in with a small amount of time to get everything organised. All done as they were calling the last guys out of transition for lock up as I was trying to inflate my tyres. Unfortunately my connector for the disc blew apart and left me with a flattened back wheel. Luckily the guys from shimano service said they'd fix it for me as I was escorted out of transition by the officials. Well, a great start to the day hoping that they would remember to fix the back wheel.

Got a good position at the start line and short swim warm up felt a bit chesty but ok. With the gun and the usual argee-bargee but managed to get away with a couple of guys whom I assumed where Sam Hume, Brad Campbell and other elite age-groupers. Immediately felt the chest and sinuses making it hard to breathe. So I had to change tact and breathe every stroke rather than my normal bilateral breathing. Made it a bit harder and lost some ground on a couple of guys but for the most came out in the top 3/5 so all going well. Swim 27:30.

Bike became a one man TT which is how I like it. I sat on my power and went a bit by feel also as the HR was a bit high due to sickness but only a little. Whole ride passed people and never once got in a group/person to rotate legally with. Which was perfect as it gave me a good individual data for analysing for the coming Port Ironman. Went well on the hills and long straights. Need to spend some more time in the TT bike saddle but this will come with summer blocks of training. Good nutrition strategy and completed the bike with plenty of energy left in reserve. Bike 2:33:08.

Good start to the run and plan was to sit in 145-155bpm and hold the whole way. Canberra is relatively flat for the run and a great race for pacing practice. After 3km I found that my HR was all over the shop. My sinus/sickness was playing up a bit even though I was feeling good energy wise. I was unable to get the HR out of the 90-120bpm range unless I pushed it and then it would shoot up to above 175+bpm. I check the HR strap and it was fine and reading well. Obviously things were not right due to the sickness so I made the decision to ease into a 120bpm pacing and try to hold off some guys. I dropped a large amount of time from the 8km to home doing this but still managed to grab 5th place. Run 1:39:28. Total of 4:39:21, 5th in age, 31st overall.

Post race the sickness flared up but the body was good. In all, a good hit out and fairly easy on the body for a high end result in approx 800-1000 competitors. I raced to a quicker time than the Port Half Ironman on a harder and longer course with an easier run pace due to sickness. All good indicators that the training is coming along.

Leaving transition I was approached by a guy, Duncan Blake, who offered up his spare aerobar forearm holders to me. This was great as mine had cracked and they do not make replacements any more. Looks like I will now have a working set of aerobars and can get that much needed time in the TT bike saddle in the lead up to Port IM.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Canberra 70.3 Triathlon and Leach Early Xmas

2009-12-10T22:41:00.004+11:00

Hi Guys,

Sam, Frankie and I are heading up to Canberra this weekend for the Canberra 70.3 triathlon and an early Xmas with the Leach family.

The Canberra 70.3 has a great field lined up as it is the final race in the Australian Half Ironman Series and also a qualifier for the ITU World Long Distance Championships in 2010 in Germany. I will be using it as my last big training run to test out a few things before I knuckle down into my build up to the Australian Ironman in 2010. It is one of the toughest courses in Australia and normally can break a few of the packs up. Run by some great guys, Nick Munting and Graeme Hannan, it is one of the races I love doing in Australia.

The trip could be interesting as both Sam and I have picked up Frankie's sickness. Should make it a fun trip down in the car. It is starting to get bad so I will just have to see how it is race day to determine how hard I can push. I am already having great difficulty breathing and the heart rate is terrible on light exercise. But I will race no matter what albeit at a lower level so that no damage is done.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Port 70.3 Wrap up

2009-11-23T21:33:00.003+11:00

Well, I had a good hit out at Port. Drove up/back with Andy Sawatske from High Tide Photography who took some great shots as usual of the Port 70.3 athletes.
Race day came and had a couple of athletes I help out that were racing with differing objectives. It was great to see them both going well in the end with one having a great race dropping time on a build week towards Busso IM and the other placing 4th on only a couple of light jogs after a very bad lower leg injury.

Personally my race day went well in regards to the training and data collection for my build towards Port IM in March 2010. I got enough information to be able to find training grounds around the Newcastle region to suit the race and build.

I swam ok but at a comfortable pace so that I worked slowly up to the lead groups. Just couldn't bridge the last gap to the pro's who had a head start. Too busy in a wrestling match with people who do not know how to swim straight and draft properly. I was happy to lead the groups that I swam through and bridge up. Still work to do on top end speed but strength was there. Time to up the distances in training and get regular speed work in. Time: 23:49.

Slow transition, lost places, not normal for me.

Bike, aim was to sit in my wattage 290-350 with a comfortable heart rate. Took a lot of control as first part of course was hilly so had to back off normal pace and as such groups got time on me. However, sitting on the wattage I worked my way up through the groups into the top 10 and picked up a couple of pro's I couldn't shift. Slowly bridging up to main group in 3-8th positions when the CPU from the powermeter wasn't there. Had to do a u-turn and go looking for it, found it approx 1-1.5km back. This was the main reason for the race as I needed that information to train for the next 5 months. The CPU worked so I plugged it back in and got on with the job. This happened before the last portion of the first lap before the hills so a bad position for it to occur. Lost a lot of time [ post race checked my splits on CPU (2:25 including both transitions and continue over so approx low 2:20's) vs the race 2:32 so a good 7mins plus lost]. Sat on wattage and over next loop rode back up into the top groupings and back to near 10th?? Dragged a few people through but didn't worry just got the info. Passed a big pack that I dragged for a while with 20+ people in it to near the end. I was happy with the ride as was working but comfortable and a pace I could keep going for the IM.

Run, got off with a chance to consolidate top 10/15 overall and win age or stay with the plan and run IM pacing to get the training information. Sat at required 150-155bpm HR with the plan to test different drink combo's/salt each lap. In the first 2km I got swamped by guys from the 20+ group. It was hard not to go with them and 'race' but I was there for a different reason. Slowly I built into each loop getting faster (or it felt like it) with the same HR. Although I lost a large amount of placings, I got the information I needed re the HR vs pace vs course layout to train for the IM rather than flooring it for a placing with no help for the IM training. I could have continued running and completed a marathon at that pace. Time: 1:45. Overall time 4:41hr 56/750 [with 7mins (7-10mins actual lost) off from bike CPU lost = 4:34hr which would have got me a top 30/750 with a training day effort].

Nil problems after the race and some great information/baselines to focus for Kona qualification. For the fitness I have at the moment things are moving forward. I am racing Canberra 70.3 on December 13 and will be able to compare pacings and push harder as the fitness and body slowly recovers its normality/race fitness.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Port Macquarie 70.3 this weekend

2009-10-30T12:48:00.003+11:00

Hi Guys,

I head up to Port Macquaire this weekend for the half ironman triathlon. It is a bit of a fact finding mission and test run. This is predominately the identical course that will host the March 2010 Australian Ironman which I have as a major goal to qualify for the Hawaiian Ironman World Champs in 2010. Port Half traditionally has a good field with athletes building into Busselton Ironman in 5 weeks time or looking for points in the Australian Half Ironman Series.

With that in mind, I head to Port to try a few different things. I will be using a powertap and aiming to sit at a certain wattage to see how the body copes and what this means for my run off the bike. I am working towards full recuperative fitness by the end of this year and then a long lead in to the Australian Ironman in March. I will also try a wheelbuilder cover on the powertap and test if this is appropriate for the course and if it 'works'. This will an initial test run on the product so here's hoping there are no mechanical issues with it.

Port is normally a very wet and windy weekend but forecasts are for a hot one. I will push to see where the limits are in the swim and run. I am looking forward to a good hard hit out and then being able to analyse the data post race to develop some specific training for the March Ironman goal race.

I am also looking forward to seeing how the coaching guys go and touching base with my triathlon mates I have not seen in a while. I will touch base after the race.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Maitland Triathlon Unofficial Results: 1st Mens 30-34 years, 9th male overall.

2009-10-13T21:56:00.003+11:00

Hi Guys,

I completed my test event in Morpeth over the weekend made that little bit harder by attending the Mauling for Muscles black tie charity dinner for Muscular Dystrophy the previous evening. The triathlon incorporated a 1.5km swim, 55km bike, and 12km on/off road run. I decided to race on my road bike with powertap to record data to enable me to have working numbers for the half ironman races coming up. Results will be posted sometime this week but from the presentations I came 1st in the Men's 30-34 years division, 9th male overall, and first overall using a roadie ;) haha. I found that I can definitely make some big changes in the way I distribute my energy with large power ranges in the bike. I purposely did not hang in any groups taking a turn then sitting off the back to get an even power recording. I also noticed a big change in power legally drifting through a group of up to 150-250 Watts. Also the aero advantage of a tri bike compared to a roadie and the extra wattage needed was noticeable. Good points for the race were coming out in the top couple of the swim, a good consistent run that I was able to build on throughout, and no further problems to the rehab. I am now looking forward to banking some specific training and working towards the seasons goals.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Update and New Partnerships Formed!

2009-10-08T21:05:00.004+11:00

Hi Guys,

Well a bit of time has gone by since the last update. Things were going well for a bit and then I have had some set backs with the recuperation. I was still able to race the Worlds on very limited training and was happy with the result placing 18th in the Aquathlon and 9th in the Sprint. I lead the sprint for a large portion but the lack of running training let me down as I ran 3:30min slower than normal and lost out by 1:51min. I went for the win and could not have done anything more, so was happy with the result and getting through with no further injuries. I have picked up a few muscle imbalances from the bike crash and am now slowly working through these to get the body back up in shape. The major objective for the season will be Port Macquarie Ironman March 28 2010 and gaining my spot to the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships in October 2010. I will be using cycling races and Half Ironmans to bring the body up to speed for an all out assault in March. I have already locked in the Port Macquarie 70.3 in November to test the course using a powertap for the first time and then the hard Canberra 70.3 course for a challenging race. I will look for more racing in the New Year in the lead up to Port IM with the Oceania Long Distance Champs as a probability.

Other great news is that I have formed two new partnerships. I am greatly appreciative of the support that they will provide:

The first is with Hunter Industrial Ceramics Pty Ltd (www.hunterceramics.homestead.com/index.html) who aided in providing the Giant TCR Advanced SL Team Road Bike for all my road racing, short course triathlon racing, and training. Hunter Industrial Ceramics are involved in quality on-site tile maintenance for the coal preparation industry, the use of wear technology in the coal mining industry, as well as servicing the grain handling and power generation industries. Based in Newcastle, they also service the Hunter Valley and Central Coast - with a newly opened Mudgee office providing further servicing options.

The second is with endurance Junkie (www.endurance-junkie.com). This is a company that will be aiming to develop, manufacture and sell multisport apparel that is world class in terms of quality, performance and design. I will be involved in the development, testing and marketing of this top-notch triathlon apparel and look forward to getting it on as many podiums as possible. A media release can be found on the endurance-Junkie website on our new partnership.

Next up is a mid-distance triathlon training race this weekend in Maitland that will provide a good baseline of where I am at for the start of the season and test how the recuperation is going.

Train safe,
Bevan.

Recovery

2009-08-04T23:06:00.004+10:00

Hi Guys,

Recovery is going ok. My skin has repaired well but the nerve and muscle injuries are taking longer than first thought. At this point in time I have been unable to ride since the accident. Running is coming along ok. Swimming is a work in progress.

I am still working towards being able to compete in the world championships in September. Unfortunately due to my injuries I have had to withdraw from the WTC Cobra Energy Drink Philippine 70.3 Triathlon race in Cam Sur. I was looking forward to this as I have won the last couple of major championships in the Philippines and really enjoy the challenging courses, hospitality, friendly locals, community support, and the amazing scenery. I had been mentioned in a few media pieces for the race and it looks like a good field for a first time race (Chris McCormack, Cameron Brown, Terenzo Bozzone, Tim Marr, Pete Jacobs). I wish the race a great start and I hope that I can return next year to challenge on Cam Sur.

I am also in the process of obtaining a new road bike after the last one was destroyed in the crash. I hope to provide an update soon and I am looking forward to getting out on the bike again and preparing for the worlds.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Crash!!! Bye Bye Bike and Some Bark Lost.

2009-07-07T22:20:00.004+10:00

Well, my bike decided that it wanted me to kiss some bitumen and I 'came a cropper' as the Doctor at the hospital described it. I fell during a cycle race at Minmi/Blackhill on Saturday (4th July). Well I didn't really fall but was more catapulted along with my bike head first into the lovely chunky blue chip bitumen we have here in Australia. After a small descent where the speedo got to 71km/hr a small breakaway formed on the corresponding ascent so I stood up and stomped on the pedals to bridge up. Unfortunately for me this stomp ripped the rear derailleur out of the back bike frame and I went straight into the ground head and elbow/shoulder first at a very high speed. I managed to yell out to the boys I was going down and sorry (hoping that I would bring no one else down). Luckily everyone else avoided the mess. I didn't break the chain this time (happened a little while ago and this was a brand new durace chain on).

I managed to get my wrist out of the way and take the brunt on my helmet, shoulder, elbow and hip. Plenty of bark off and my lovely new Team Newrad vest, winter long sleeve, bib shorts, gloves, helmet, undergarments, and shoes are destroyed.

The bike is DEAD. The front derailleur is destroyed, the back one is ripped out along with the rear of the bike dropouts and frame attachment, the frame has been cracked/snapped, the handlebars are bent and ripped to pieces, the frame is 'chunked' to pieces, pedals gone, seat dead, and the seat post is hanging by 2mm of carbon thatch to the frame. I am happy that the seat post managed to stay attached as last week a guy in the Tamworth race had a crash and his carbon seat post impaled into his thigh! Glad that was not the case for me. I am sure that there is other damage to the bike but really there is not many other parts to it. The only good thing is that Brad's crankset is untouched. So, I am now minus a road bike and out of any road racing until I can obtain another.

The doctor at the hospital said I had a small fracture in my elbow as well as an ulnar step (gapping in the elbow joint) with accompanying neck, shoulder, elbow, forearm, hip, knee, shin muscle/ligament/tendon/haematoma damage with nerve problems in the ulnar and brachial plexus regions. My wrist and neck are cracking and popping, jaw now pops, and my elbow and shoulder are both 'gapping' out with weird nerve pain when I move them. So, not much damage done ;) . Luckily I heal well thanks to my mum's genes and I expect to make a quick recovery.

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and offers of help. It is truly amazing the support being offered. I also want to thank Ben from 3 Bean cafe in Hamilton (and his son Jonas) for pulling out of their own races and taking me and my mangled bike home immediately so that I could get some aid. Also to David Turnidge and his lovely partner Lea for there help also. Plus Sam for having the pleasure of swabbing my road rash with nice antiseptic buds and taking no pleasure in my discomfort ;) .

Thanks must also go to the guys at Macquarie Physiotherapy for helping in diagnosis and continuing treatment of my injuries, Newcastle radiology for the prompt x-rays, Dr Minas Petrelis (Orthopaedic Surgeon) for future consults, and Frankie for her lovely hugs and magical healing kisses.

Will keep an update as I will be following an aggressive rehabilitation program to be able to race the Worlds in September and hopefully the WTC race in August. I have already gone for a couple of runs and the hips/legs seem to be holding up ok, but the arm is gapping when I run with some nerve pain.

Cheers,
Bevan.

1st Tour de Tweed Coast General Classification

2009-06-11T15:01:00.003+10:00

Hi Guys,

Just a quick update.

I won the overall/general classification in the Tour de Tweed Coast (Elite C) over the past long weekend. It was a four day tour stage race. It consisted of an individual time trial, a hilly stage race, a long stage race, and a criterium. I won the ITT on a roadie with no aero bars or aero equipment. I won the next hilly stage race which gave me the yellow leaders jersey. I then had to defend the yellow jersey for the last two stages which I was able to do by countering any attacks and placing second in both the long stage and the final criterium.

It was a great trip away, I learned a lot, had a fun time with the Team Newrad Gateshead guys, and was happy to win my first ever Tour stage race that I entered. Other great results for the team with David Witherden placing 3rd in the GC, 3rd in the crit, and 2nd in the KOM; Brad McDonald placing 3rd in the ITT and 4th in the GC, and Jason Cox placing 6th overall in the GC (all guys in Masters Men B).

Full report to follow, hopefully with some photos.

Cheers and thanks for all the support,
Bevan.

Training and Tour De Tweed Coast

2009-06-02T20:41:00.004+10:00

Hi Guys,

Training has been coming along nicely. I ramped up the kilometres and intervals last week adding in a few more runs also. I have been testing some compression gear out and this has helped the leg recovery. The Bill Ebeling Handicap was on the weekend at Blackhill and I completed a good long hill session in the morning followed by a good hard ride out to the course. The race was feeling comfortable until I was 'done in' by the Beer Bottle Gremlin along with another cyclist in the same group. Race over in the handicap. I was not alone and saw about 7 others repairing flats also in the first two laps. Team Newrad placed Brad McDonald in 3rd for another podium.

This weekend (June 5th-8th) I am racing the Tour De Tweed Coast with Team Newrad Gateshead. Involved is a ITT, two hill stages, and a criterium. The tour leader at each stage is given a jersey, there is also a jersey for KOM, and individual stage win prizes. Should be a blast. I will go hard in the ITT and try to get a win but unfortunately cannot take the TT bike as we will be using the same roadie for the whole tour. Will just have to give it a bit more to go for the win. It should be a tough stage race with the stages encompassing many hill climbs. They state there is enough flat-rolling hills for the race to not be decided by hill climbers, so we will just have to see how things pan out. This is my first stage/tour race purely for cycling. I am looking forward to the challenge of backing up each day (and racing twice on the Saturday). We have a good team going and will be aiming for some podiums. I think it will be great to see how the team tactics play a part in determining the winners. I will try to update daily during the tour and give some idea of the terrain and challenges faced.

Train safe, race hard,
Bevan.

1st ITT Hunter Districts Champs - Brad Maund Memorial Trophy

2009-05-25T09:21:00.004+10:00

Hi Guys,

This past weekend was the individual time trial champs for Hunter Districts on the Minmi/Blackhill course. It was a gusty day which made conditions tough with no one using disks in the winds. The course was slightly lengthened at both ends to the normal annual course so rather than a 20km TT it was a bit more (longer the better for me ;) ). Last years winner, Brad McDonald, was back to defend and we had a good turnout from Team Newrad.

I did not know where the course turnarounds were, so I took the first lap with reserve to not blow up. There was broken glass everywhere to make it more interesting. A local resident is known to drive his car around and throw XXXX beer bottles all over the course whenever there is a race. Got to love those cycle haters as it is his/her idea to discourage racing by doing this and maybe injure a cyclist also.

I was able to ramp up the second lap knowing where the glass and course went and came through in a respectable time. I was able to pick up the win and annual trophy. The defending champ came 2nd, with Newrad Team guys filling the first 6 positions.

The Trophy will be presented at the annual awards dinner in September with my name engraved on the perpetual Brad Maund trophy. Brad was a triathlete, cyclist, and handy time trialler by accounts. He was killed in tragic circumstances when run down by a truck whilst training (another rider was also killed, and another badly injured). It is an honour to win his trophy and being a fellow triathlete/cyclist was quite a nice touch.

Next up is some hill training for the coming races and high cadence work.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Nice mention of our TTT win on the Central Division Cycling News.

2009-05-19T14:27:00.004+10:00

Below is the text taken from the Central Division Cycling website for the TTT and we should now be leading the Clyde Marshall Shield points:

Final Results Posted for TTT at Kooragang

It was another great day for racing when 143 riders took to the well worn pavement at Kooragang for the annual Central Division Teams Time Trial.

It was only a testing little seabreeze that spoilt anotherwise perfect day, but still the times were pretty hot. The winning team of Bevan Leach, Brett Lambkin, Nathan Stewart and Geoff Troup from NewRad Gateshead #1 Team suffered a mechanical on the start line and had to complete the entire race with just three riders. Even so, they were still able to circulate at a stunning 44.3kmh to complete the course in 33mins 51sec.

The Rob Hadley / Nigel Perry Shield for the most points scored by a club was won by Kooragang Open Cycling Club in a repeat of last year's dominating performance. Their tally of 48 points was better than all the other clubs combined!

1st in Central Division TTT and trying new races.

2009-05-18T09:19:00.003+10:00

Hi Guys,

Well we won the Central Division Team Time Trial at Kooragang Island for Team Newrad Gateshead. The flu had not cleared but I was able to breathe ok and pitied the poor guys behind me when I had to clear the tubes (always tried to do it at the end of a turn though). Different team this time with me, Brett Lambkin, Geoff Troup, and Nathan Stewart swapping in for Brett James. We got off to a shocking start when Geoff's back wheel slipped the limiting screws and smacked into his frame. We all stood around for 30secs to see if he could fix it but no go. So we had to high tail it. Nath was coming off ironman so was a little fatigued but Brett was feeling good. It was a race of long turns at the front and keeping everyone together to finish and record a time. We ploughed through it though and checking on other teams I thought we may just have it. Ended up with a 13sec win over Manning Valley in 2nd, and our 2nd Team Newrad guys in 3rd. Geoff continued through by himself in case any of us flatted so we would get some points in the Division Cup. I also found out after there is a rule in TT whereby if you have a mechanical in the first 100m you can restart again but luckily we got away with the win anyway.

I also tried a couple of new races (a handicap and a criterium) this past weekend. The handicap was interesting as I went of scratch with Glen Stojanow, Geoff Troup, Brett Lambkin, Sam Layzell, and Michael Burke. The limit (ie bunnies) had 20mins head start on us for a 4 lap race. I lost the group on the first hill after taking a turn I dropped some gears to spin but ended up skipping the chain and two gears. This opened up a gap of 2 bike lengths to the last guy and I just couldn't get back on when the boys crested the hill and got into the 53x11s as I only had a 53x12 and have not trained myself to spin as fast as the pure cyclists yet. They were very impressive and very strong cyclists. Gave me a lesson and I will be working on higher cadence and getting the appropriate gearing. The bunnies ended up winning the day with the head start a little bit too much for the boys to catch. I hammered for 3 laps passing buys that were dropped but unable to make any inroads. Good training though.

Sunday saw a criterium out at Steel River. Plenty of 90 degree turns and 2 u-turns each lap saw lots of corner and sprinting practice. I am racing the Tour of Tweed and the last stage is a crit so I thought I had better get some practice in. I was in B grade and we went off 10 secs behind A grade. I was able to bridge up quickly but not knowing the rules I sat 7-10m behind like in triathlon non-drafting races. This was a big mistake as the A grade guys fly out of corners with the concertina happening in a big way. Needless to say I drifted off the pace. Again I learnt more about positioning and cadence watching the top guys do turns. I hammered away for the 35mins +3 laps which constituted the race. I slowly picked up a couple of A grade guys that had drifted off the back but wanted to work more and practice. I ended up 2nd in my grade as the other guy held into a A grade pairing just ahead of me and I couldn't bridge up on the winding track. I learnt a lot about race craft and got a fantastic workout to boot. These two races were all after a week of increasing cycling mileage with some nice rides with Rich Stanton and Michael Edgar including a lovely hill repeat loop I can utilise for training.

I will be attaching a cadence sensor and doing some high rpm work along with hill drills to bring myself up to speed a bit with the pure cyclists. This will also transfer across to my triathlon racing and hopefully help with my hit out at the Tour de Tweed on the June long weekend in Queensland. Things coming up are the Hunter Districts Individual Time Trial this weekend, possibly the Wineries 100km cyclosportif (or a crit), Newcastle Rodeo with some friends, the Tour de Tweed, and the normal runs/swims for my triathlons.

On a side note, Frankie turned six months old on the weekend. She loves the running pram and so I will be able to clock up some more kilometres whilst spending time with her. She looks so cute all rugged up and ready to cruise.

Cheers and train safe,
Bevan.

Monthly Update - Snakes, Jobs, Chains, a Blackberry, and Congrats.

2009-04-28T15:46:00.006+10:00

Hi Guys,

All has been going well. I have picked up a bit of a cold though as the dreaded lurgy seems to be catching up with everyone. Frankie has had it for a little while and now it is moving through the family. Not good as I have a Regional Team Time Trial this weekend but I still should be ok for it and have a good hit out. I can put Frankie in the running pram in a week as she will be six months old - I can't wait but gee the time goes quick.

Other things happening over the past month have included:

- being bitten by a green tree snake on a ride during the pelting rain. It only just latched on for a quick tad mainly scraping my leg and really only some pins & needles, a bad headache, and some weird leg pain for a day. Otherwise ok.

- my mate Dezza (Derek Scott) and his partner Christine (Chrissy) Eldridge having a lovely wedding in Scottish attire in the Rocks in Sydney. So good that unfortunately I misplaced my mobile phone. Also got to catch up with some Sydney mates, James, Mal and Sam - was good to touch base guys.

-No mobile meant joining the Blackberry world. Passed on the Iphone as had heard too many dodgy stories and wanted the ability to send photo's plus check emails etc when travelling or for work. How good are they!;

- I have found a new job working at Macquarie Physiotherapy and Macquarie Exercise Centre. Three days with the private practice setting, two days in the gym rehabilitation area. Thereby giving me variety but work that I can enjoy with great hours so I can still train and mind Frankie. Loving it.

- I snapped my 2 month old duraace bike chain. Thus 10 days off the bike. Ended up having to replace jockey wheels, chain, wiring, and also cracked the front derailleur (but can change this later). Have double taped the handlebars and it is very comfortable now but with a good road feel. I may have to look into getting a new road bike for the races but definitely some race wheels/power for training.

Congrats to Jo-Ann Stevens for making her first Australian team for the sprint triathlon world champs in the Gold Coast this year. Jo-Ann has done the work and now can reap the benefits. Enjoy the moment and the first time you get to wear the green and gold uniform!

Otherwise, training is coming along well. I have now got into a routine with the swimming and running. The biking is freezing already and very dark in the mornings here in Newcastle. Much colder than Sydney. I am going to have to get into the attic and grab my Euro winter gear.

Happy Mothers Day to all the mum's, grandma's, and I hope that you can have a relaxing day on Sunday. Cheers to my mum in Canberra - hope the boys spoil you well and you get breaky in bed.

Cheers,

Bevan.

First A Grade TTT Win in Billy Robson Annual Memorial

2009-04-18T10:36:00.007+10:00

Hi Guys,

Last weekend (11/4/09) I participated in the Billy Robson Memorial TTT for Team Newrad Gateshead at Kooragang Island NSW. The race was 3 laps for a total of 25km on a rough and very patchy course in comparison to the normal TT smooth roads.

It was my first hit out with the guys who were very experienced with the TTT and so I was a little nervous on how I would work in with the team. It took a little bit to get things going together but it didn't take long until we were flying along in sync. We ended up with the fastest time in 33mins24 and winning by 1min26secs on another A grade team. This is the fastest time over the course in the trophy's history. As a nice touch, the winning teams of each grade get the four members names and finish time engraved on the Billy Robson Memorial TTT Trophy.

Above is a photo of our team with left to right being: myself, Brett Lambkin, Geoff Troup, and Brett James. We have another TTT in a months time for the District Regional Cup Series so this was perfect training to get some ideas for improvement.

The Newrad Gateshead B Grade team won their grade and came in 3rd overall - a great effort.

Cheers,

Bevan.

March/April Update

2009-04-10T22:39:00.004+10:00

Hi Guys,

It has been a month since my last post. In that time a lot of things have happened. I'll try to give you a brief run down.

I had a great break after IM NZ and enjoyed the recovery. I had some calf and hip flexor tightness post IM. I raced some cycle races within a week of the ironman and was feeling ok. I have only done a couple of swims but am now into the groove again with running and biking. I'll start to pick up the swimming in the following weeks.

I have been picked up by a cycling team based here in the Newcastle region. It is called 'Team Newrad Gateshead" with title sponsors of Newcastle Radiology (Brad McDonald) and Gateshead Cycles. A great squad of guys and I hope to help the team pick up some wins/podiums over the coming season. I also want to learn more about the cycle road racing intricacies so that I am better prepared to go for wins and also utilise the hard racing to maintain my cycling strength for my triathlon races. I have already raced for them last weekend helping the team to a 2nd, 3rd, 5th, & 6th position whilst having a few good digs in breakaways. I am really enjoying the fun and challenge of the different type of racing. I'll be racing the Central Division State A Grade Cup for the team which involves a 5 stage race series including time trialing over the winter months. Also included for the team are some stage races, day classics, NSW ITT, team TT, and individual road races for the winter.

I also had confirmation of my selection in the Australian Team for the ITU World Sprint Triathlon Championships in September on the Gold Coast. This will be fun and get the speed back into the body which I hope to capitalise on for my long distance triathlon racing. I will also be heading to Asia on invite to a WTC 70.3 Triathlon and working towards this as a focus to build speed and strength for the mid distances.

Over winter I will be working on technique and old school kilometres for my running and swimming. I will be trying a few new things for running and using this time to build these into strengths again for the coming seasons races. I am also looking at utilising power for training and racing on the bike if I can find some suitable support/sponsorship to aid in purchasing the power meter units. I have been racing on Xentis quad spokes for the past couple of years in my races and may look at moving to a disc so that I can further utilise my biking strength in races.

Work wise, I have been 'Daddy Day Care'. It has been great to spend some time with Frankie in this early period that a lot of dad's miss out on. She changes week to week and sometimes it seems like there are new things she does each day. Being there to witness and be a part of it is fantastic. It looks like I have found a job though working as a physiotherapist for a company that houses both a private practice setting and gym/exercise rehabilitation/weight loss setting. I will post more on this when everything is finalised but I am looking forward to this opportunity and working with some great people.

I hope that everyone has a great Easter break.
Cheers and train safe,
Bevan.

IM NZ quick wrap up

2009-03-08T15:27:00.003+11:00

Hi Guys,

Well I went for it. At one point I was sitting in 7th/8th at the 20km mark on the run with 3 speedsters chasing me down with a guaranteed Hawaii spot on the line. I had the choice of keeping a steady pace and hoping that they blew up or going for it. I went for it. Unfortunately I had two mini blow ups in the next 20kms that cost me. I went for it and it didn't come off, as a side note, the guys chasing me ran through all with great runs and no blow ups. I ended up coming 14th male pro.
I have just been to the Hawaii roll downs and I ended up missing out by one spot on a pro slot (ie. I was next person up). Must of been the year for rolling over. You can not pick it as many years there are no slot roll overs in the pro section hence going for the automatic qualification position.
I have improved on last year and it was good to be up there mixing it with the guys. I need to work more on my second half of the run. But after only 4 real months of training under Mark Watson, I have improved a lot and we will continue this progression.
I will file a race report and hopefully some nice photo's as well.
I am a bit disappointed on missing a Hawaii slot, but happy that I gave everything to nail one and am improving my overall position/racing.
Cheers,
Bevan.

The Night Before

2009-03-06T18:00:00.006+11:00

Everything is now ready for the race. It looks like the weather has been good to us with winds and rain last night and early today. Otherwise it has been dry and calm. This means either a nightmare day weather-wise tomorrow as we are one-day of the forecast, or a brilliant mid temperature day with little wind. It is a deceptively tough course here in Taupo. I am well prepared under Mark Watson's guidance and will leave everything out there going for a good position and time. I want to thank everyone for their well wishes, sms', emails, blog notes, and facebook messages. Also to the Newcastle cycling boys for the extra bodies in training and likewise the Sydney crew. Thanks again to the guys at Platypus Asset Management for supporting me again for this tilt at the New Zealand Ironman. It was great to hear and see Frankie & Sam tonight on Skype - got to love those computer aids when they work.

Remember, you can follow my progress tomorrow on http://www.ironmanlive.com/ under race number 38 and if you click on my name it should give you progress reports/times/splits at the timing mats over the course.
Thanks to the Bynon and Leach families for their support and well wishes. Also to my sponsors High5, Brooks, and Platypus Asset Management, many thanks for aiding me in my training and racing goals.
Well, it is time to out the legs up, sleep, and wait for the race to start.
Cheers,
Bevan.

Ironman New Zealand - Sat 7th March 2009

2009-03-05T16:34:00.002+11:00

Hi Everyone,

I have arrived safe in sunny Taupo. I flew directly into Taupo on a very small plane that Sam would hate. Two bikes were able to fit in out of three and my one made it. Let's hope the luck continues all weekend. Good weather by NZ standards has greeted me so far but is forecast to change for the next few days. Built the bike, did the test ride, and all good. Tv reports said the wind was getting up to 60km/hr+ and it was a tad wobbly on the road during the test ride. Water in the lake is crystal clear with no waves and without the usual NZ chill. Was quite warm actually but definitely a wetsuit swim. Everyone is out in their gear on the strip. Sensible ones though are inside watching the tv, internet, or sleeping. Taper is going well and I am looking forward to letting it all rip on the Saturday.

I am race number 38. You can follow the race on http://www.ironmanlive.com/ through either the athlete tracker or updates. Race day weather forecast is rain, 16-22 degrees Celsius, with a moderate northerly wind. Not sure what moderate wind means by NZ standards probably an Aussie cyclone. The wind pushed the waves on the lake up to 1-1.5m the other day which if it occurs on Saturday will make it interesting for a lot of competitors.

The pro briefing was today. They are going to hammer drafting, littering, and infractions this year. They even have a chopper with a tv to bust drafters and have them sit out their penalty on entering transition 2. Littering, including banana peels, will be a u-turn and pick up plus penalty. We have a 15min start on the age-groupers so that they can police the race better and also it is a new worldwide WTC rule change. This may change as the race director seems to want us to start with the age-groupers and may give us a late start 'due to darkness' but not change the age-grouper start time. We will find out race morning. Otherwise, it is as per normal and a good field of racers that should make the viewing interesting. I will touch base again before race day .

Cheers,
Bevan.

New Zealand Ironman - Lake Taupo

2009-02-28T21:57:00.002+11:00

Well, I am now into the final week of my preparation for IM NZ and things have been going well. I am lighter than I have been for a few years for an Australasian race and I have put in a great block of training. I feel good, well prepared, and ready to go. It is just a matter of keeping things together for the last week, travelling well, and firing on race day. Platypus Asset Management will be supporting me again this year and I want to thank Nick, Gabrielle, and the guys for helping me out and all their encouragement. It will be interesting to see how the race plays out with a few people already qualified for Hawaii, some Olympians stepping up, the World 70.3 (Half Ironman) Champion racing with pre-qualification, and the 15 minute head start on the Age-groupers. The head start is good for me as it does not allow the slower swimming pro's to be dragged along in the swim to quicker times thereby lessening the gap to the better swim-bikers. There will be a few people going bust for podium positions which should splinter the field and a few will survive with others blowing up. The weather has been shocking the last few days but forecast is for similar rain and wind to last year on race day. Overall, good things for me as the weather does not bother me and I am happy for splintering groups with people not sure if they will make the distance or have correct nutrition strategies. I am race number 38 and will have the linkages for following the race posted this week sometime. I have some old mates from Sydney and abroad racing in Taupo so it will be great to catch up with them.
Cheers,
Bevan.

Goondiwindi Photos - Courtesy of Andrew Sawatske of Hi-Tide Photography

2009-02-20T22:00:00.011+11:00

All photo's are courtesy of Andrew Sawatske from Hi-Tide Photography (http://www.hitidephotography.com.au/) who was also my road trip partner for the weekend. The last shot will be going into "Triathlete" magazine that is distributed worldwide (esp USA & Australia). Some nice shots in there. You can see how my aero bars 'broke' during the race making it 'interesting' to ride the return 40km, although I still managed to have the fastest bike time and win the prime (a bottle of lovely wine).

Cheers,

Bevan.

Frankie Photo's

2009-02-09T23:27:00.004+11:00

Here are two photo's of Frankie in the past week. Check out our cutie!

I've made Xtri.com photo gallery for Hell of West Triathlon

2009-02-04T22:11:00.004+11:00

Here is a link to the xtri.com triathlon website that does galleries of races from around the world. Andrew has taken some great photo's and here is the gallery for the Goondiwindi Hell of the West - link is: http://www.xtri.com/pix_thms.aspx?navT=1&navC=12&navG=115&navAll=1^12^115 . I am in two photo's, just click on the far right side both top (on bike) and bottom rows (just after finish line) to check it out. The last photo is the headline image for the gallery and on the main page also www.xtri.com .

Cheers,
Bevan.

7th @ Hell of the West Triathlon

2009-02-04T11:34:00.002+11:00

Hi Guys,

Race report and some awesome photo's to follow. Quick summary. Came 7th overall, road to be leader of bike after 5th in swim, leader at bike/run transition, fastest bike split. Long road trip made fun with Andy from Hide Tide Photography who took some fantastic photo's that should end up in Australian and USA magazines. Recovering well and ready to hit the speed work in the lead up to Ironman NZ.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Off on a road trip to Goondiwindi !!

2009-01-30T21:58:00.002+11:00

Hi All,

Well the training has been coming along nicely. I have concentrated on a lot of strength and endurance work but no speed work as yet. I am driving up to Goondiwindi for the "Hell of the West" triathlon on Saturday. It is about an 8.5-10hour trip I have been told. I have a partner in this escapade, Andrew Sawatske from High Tide Photography. He is the official photographer for the race and lives on the Central Coast. We will start our road trip from Newcastle. I think registration is in the late afternoon followed by a pasta feed with the organisers. This race is a little different in that it is normally high 30's-mid 40's degree celcius during the race. We start early (3am check in and 5am swim start) but by 8am the temperature is already 35. The non-wetsuit 2km swim is up current in the local river for 1km, then turn with the tide. The 80km bike is an out & back on large blue chip with very strong winds to work you hard as the mercury climbs. The 20km run is a 3 looper out/back so that the whippets can chase you down. Sure to be nice & tough especially after driving up the day before. I am looking forward to a good test knowing that I have a good training base behind me know with 5 weeks to NZ IM needing only some fine tuning and speed work to be done. It will be interesting to see how my IM strength/endurance goes against the speed work of others focusing on this race. I hope to also get some good photos from the race.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Finally wireless and another cycle road race win

2009-01-13T17:48:00.002+11:00

Hi Guys,

Well, we finally have wireless at the house. Oh the freedom it gives you. Bless the Telstra technician that decided to drop by unannounced by accident. I was tempted to rush to the cellar door and give the man a case of beer. We can now actually view the internet again properly. I will be able to publish some photo's of Frankie for all.

I picked up another win this past week. I had a good day of training with a long tempo run and 4km swim before the race. Legs were heavy and a bit fatigued, but that is the best way for me to use the road races as training for my triathlons. I took off from the start and time trialled the whole way for a good win in gusty conditions. I was able to back up the next day with a good 5 hour ride and run off the bike with no residual soreness. I have now been banking consistent training for the past few weeks and look to continue this through to March.

Congrats to an old acquaintance, Pete McDonald, who had the legs to beat out Michael Rogers and Adam Hansen in a sprint to win the Australian elite men's road race and get the "pretty" jersey/outfit to wear for the year. Awesome work and great to see a local team have the Australian jersey again to help with sponsors and exposure.

Enjoy the good weather for training,
Bevan.

Happy New Year and Update

2009-01-07T10:18:00.002+11:00

Hi All,

Happy New Year. I wish you a successful and safe racing season. May it bring new trips to lovely locations (and hopefully you can stash the bike in for a race :) ), much fun and happiness, and continued good health.

I am now settled in Newcastle. Training has been going great. All sessions have been completed. I have had some extra time for training of late as '3 Sports' closed in early December. I have also made good use of the time to spend it with Sam and Frankie. I have ridden all over the Hunter district taking in some good challenging rides. Running at Glenrock State Park with its numerous trails and hills has kept me interested and without need for music tunes. I destroyed my back wheel on a 4hr ride and limped home on the weekend. But I must thank Brett from Hadley's Cycles for organising a quick fix so that the bike was fully serviced and returned in less than a day.

I am presently job hunting in the Newcastle region for some Physiotherapy/Personal-Gym Trainer rehabilitation work. I am also looking for new sponsors due to my sponsor 3 Sports closing its doors. So, there is a lot on the table at the moment organisational wise.

Frankie is growing and seems to become more aware each day. It is amazing how much children pick up from what you do and others around. She is now 60cm long and 5.3kg and we have daily play conversations/mumbles. I now have some Frankie photo's up on my facebook page but am yet to be able to post photo's here due to Telstra taking there time in fixing wireless for us at the house. It has been since late November since we were told 4 days and it would be on. Hopefully, wireless will be on soon and I can post more.

I will be racing in Goondawindi at 'The Hell of the West' triathlon on February 1st in preparation for the New Zealand Ironman Triathlon on March 7th. All training is directed at a good performance in NZ and I am looking forward to successfully executing a great race.

Train safe,
Bevan.

Win at Grade Cycling Kooragang Island

2008-12-22T07:58:00.004+11:00

Hi Guys,

I am back into the training again. I have linked in with some good cyclists here in Newcastle and joined the Hunter Districts Cycling Club. Kooragang Island hosts Friday evening racing where there is cycle racing on a semi-closed road circuit region for anyone with a Cycling Australia/UCI licence. It is a good course and on Friday it was very windy. I managed to break away with a training buddy, Nick, for the win in my grade. Gets the heart rate up with some nice efforts and the break away is perfect training for triathlons.

Still no internet hardware for wireless from Telstra for the house, so no photos can be uploaded as yet of Frankie and New Zealand. Hopefully we will receive it soon and I can post the race reports and photos.

Train safe and travel safe over the xmas period,
Bevan.

8th at Rotorua Half Ironman Triathlon NZ

2008-12-16T22:28:00.002+11:00

Hi guys,

A quick note to say I came 8th overall at the Rotorua Half Ironman Triathlon over the past weekend. A very tough but honest course with the most stunning scenery incorporating off road trails in the run. Easily the hardest half ironman in the Oceania region that I have raced. Will detail a race/trip report over the next few days. I also was able to spend a few days in Auckland with my coach, Mark Watson, to go over my training and formulate a training program for the next few months leading into Ironman New Zealand 2009. Auckland has some great natural training venues.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Update

2008-12-10T10:54:00.003+11:00

Hi Guys,

Firstly, apologies for the lack of photo's of Frankie and news of late. We have had no internet or phone connections for the past 3 weeks. All should be complete by next week and regular updates will follow.

It has been a big few weeks. Between moving out of our Surry Hills warehouse apartment to a house near Newcastle's Bar Beach area, closing up the "3 Sports" business in the Sydney cbd due to the lease not being renewed, the new "fatherly" duties and attempting to get Frankie into a routine, travelling to Sydney every day for work, and trying to get the training hours back up again, there has not been much time for anything else. All seems to be falling into place now though and Frankie is getting into a better routine. The training around the Newcastle region is fantastic. I have a choice of two ocean baths within 5-10mins jog/walk from our house. There are great cycle crews around and I will be racing criteriums plus road races with them to get some more efforts in. I have been running around beaches or national parks the last two weeks enjoying the scenery and trail runs again.

I am racing in NZ this weekend at a half ironman triathlon on Saturday. I am flying over this Thursday and returning on Monday. It is a hard hilly course with some off road parts to the run (including a run up a lighthouse staircase twice). This will be a great test to mark my condition for the coming season. I will also be staying with my coach and going over my programs/races for the next period and lead into Ironman NZ in March. I am looking forward to the hard hit out and then continuing on with training through this festive season. I cannot wait to train in this Newcastle/Hunter region this summer and log a large amount of hours.

Frankie is absolutely amazing. Her smile can make your day. She already has me wrapped around her little finger. She has grown another 2.5cm and 1.1kgs. She is going to be a very tall, thin blonde according to the midwife and predictive graphs. We have some great photos and I am just awaiting the home internet connection to place these up. Frankie is absolutely gorgeous, but I am a bit biased ;) .

Cheers for now,
Bevan.

It's a Girl! Frankie Bynon Leach arrives!!

2008-11-17T13:02:00.004+11:00

Well guys,

Sam and I welcomed into the world our gorgeous baby girl on Sunday 16th November 2008 at 2332hrs.

Frankie Bynon Leach was born weighing 3.5kg and measuring 55cm.

She has long limbs, big feet and hands, blonde hair, and a good set of lungs. A calm demeanour though and has been able to sleep and feed well for us. Maybe an athlete here already ;) .

After a long and exhausting 32hr labour, Sam is now finally resting up and starting to recover well. Sam was absolutely awesome during the whole process and I am very proud of how she coped with what she went through to deliver Frankie.

Photo's to follow soon of Frankie Leach and her loving parents.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Helicopter Lesson Photo's

2008-11-13T18:31:00.005+11:00

Some lovely photo's courtesy of Sam. Raced the Oz Sprint champs in the morning and drove straight to the helicopter lesson. Was a little tired, but had a great time flying and will look to continue it in the future. Also found some training grounds during the flight that I will check out for runs when we move up to Newcastle. Thanks to Sam for the Red Balloon Day present and Aerologistics Newcastle for the lesson.

Cheers,

Bevan.

Our Bub In Womb - The picy

2008-11-05T10:44:00.003+11:00

Well, this is a picture taken of our bub in Sam's womb a while ago. We are now eagerly awaiting the birth (well Sam wants it out now, I am happy with another couple of weeks rest ;) ). Bub is due out on the 11th November (according to doctor) or 12th November (according to hospital). Our friends and family have had a competition to pick the birth date and sex of the bub with a case of wine/beers as the prize. I am aiming for an overnight birth on the 7th/8th or 17th/18th. Sam's is 'right now' regardless of the day. Anyhow, our little active one will be joining us soon when he/she decides.

Cheers,

Bevan.

Australian Sprint Champs and Helicopter Lesson

2008-10-20T16:03:00.002+11:00

Hi Guys,

Well the hour of pain went well on the weekend at the Australian Sprint Triathlon Championships in Forster. It was great to have a hit out after some time off. I had one objective - to podium and obtain an automatic qualifying spot for the ITU World Sprint Triathlon Championships on the Gold Coast in 2009 but I aimed to win and gain a national title. After leading the swim and bike (go the norminator kuota kalibur), I was passed on the return run leg from Tuncurry by 1 guy. I finished 2nd, podiumed at an Australian Champs again for the year, and gained my spot to the worlds. It was nice to race again in Forster after the Ironman has moved to Port Macquarie. I tried out some new gear which seemed to go well (compressport calf guards) and had a ball racing some mates. I also have to say thanks to the "Lee Clan" for letting Sam and I crash at their place in Elizabeth Beach/Pacific Palms - it certainly helped out a great deal being able to have a quick kip before the race.

I didn't get to enjoy the Forster festivities and free beer because I had to drive to Newcastle for a helicopter (Robinson 22) lesson with Aerologistics. This has been a long time coming as Sam gave it to me as a present last year and circumstances have dictated many missed opportunities for the lesson. I got to fly the chopper over Newcastle, Swansea, and the surrounding regions. It is such a lovely area seen from the sky and I found many new training grounds to try. We also flew over our house in Cooks Hill and just enjoyed the beautiful sunny day up in the sky. Flying a helicopter is very precise with very limited movements of the controls giving huge movements of the chopper. But you can do some pretty awesome turns and you speed along deceptively. Perfect conditions made for an unforgettable experience and one I hope to continue doing in the future. Thanks Sam.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Countdown begun, Developments, and Thanks

2008-10-14T16:25:00.002+11:00

The count down has begun in the household. Four weeks left until the due date and we are welcomed with either a baby girl or boy. Our baby is now 'full term' meaning it could come at any time. We had our last baby class Sunday and so now are all 'trained up' for the arrival. I must say Taryn presented a thoughtful and very helpful course. Sam and I feel more prepared now and mostly gained an insight into the onslaught of sleep deprivation that our bundle of joy will invoke upon us ;) . Seriously, it was great to gain pointers into signs that can help us better judge the needs of our baby, be better prepared, and have some insights into what we are embarking upon in a few weeks time. It would certainly be a massive change if you were not alerted to the changes that will be occurring and I can see how some people have trouble coping. At least we now have our eyes open to some of the things that will be thrown our way and have some direction in options for us as these events occur. Anything that helps is a bonus I say. We also cannot wait to welcome our child into this world and I am truly looking forward to the moment.

The shop has been going great guns with the sales. We are clearing out a large amount of stock and there are people in continuously.

The house in Newcastle is nearly ready. Just a few more things to complete on the inside and some minor aesthetic things on the outside, and the house is done. We received the king-sized bed from Sleepyhead (thanks George and Mike) on Monday. I cannot wait to sleep in it and have some leg room for once. It will certainly help with the recovery. The way this house has gone up is a tribute to Frank, Jan, and Dave (plus the others roped into helping). It is miraculous how fast it has been completed.

Training has been going well. Time has been short, but the sessions completed have been pure quality. Lets hope that the hour of pain this Saturday goes well (Australian Sprint Champs in Forster) and I get a win/podium. We'll see how the short course speed is going on the long course training and lack of sleep ;) .

New car is going great guns. Anthony, John, and Gabriel from Peter Warren Ford helped us out with the Kia Sportage V6 and tricked it out with a bike rack also. So much easier to get the bike, training gear, and casual stuff into the car plus have leg room with left over space. It suits us to a tee and will fit in the bub, bike, us, and gear with room aplenty. It is also pure comfort on the road compared to the no air-con, non-power steering, Toyota echo that has been the transport vehicle of late.

A big congrats also to Craig Alexander on winning the 2008 Hawaiian Ironman World Championships. A fellow physiotherapist from Sydney Uni, it is great to see such a nice bloke win.

Train safe,
Bevan.

A busy September

2008-09-30T10:33:00.003+10:00

Hi All,

It has been a hectic few past weeks with much travel, developments, and training. Along the way:

- Sam and I have been to the Hunter Valley for Sam’s work colleagues’ wedding, staying at the lovely St Briavel's cottage near Broke (with Dirk and Sarah Melton - plus Brad, who was a late addition to the household ;) ). It was a great weekend away…'Angel' by Robbie Williams has taken on a whole new meaning for me…I don’t think I’ll ever sing it seriously again…not that I ever did;
- I wanted to do 3:10hr for the Sydney Marathon and I scraped in with 3:09hr on dead legs. Sam’s cousin Steve ran his first major half marathon and Sam felt like she had done a marathon just walking around and watching it from the sidelines (she’s not so active these days);
- I finally bought a car (from Peter Warren Ford thanks Anthony, Peter, Gabriel, Emma) for the bub (and my bikes ;) ) ;
- I bought a nice new king sized bed for some leg room and a great sleep from Sleepyhead;
- the house is speeding along and nearly complete. Sam and I are hopeless “handymen” – thank goodness we have Sam’s parents to help us with it – they’re like our own version of a renovation show – we keep expecting Scott Cam and Jamie Durie to jump out at us – but instead we have our own makeover show with Frank and Jan”;
- baby classes are almost complete - with the biggest learning curve yet to come; and
- the shop is having a sale in a big way to clear all stock for some new remodelling and it is going crazy.

Updates to follow with some nice pictures. But Sam, bub, and I are all travelling well and all spare time is being spent on the training front with the programs Mark has given me which I’m really enjoying.

Congrats to Brats for winning the Australian Team Triathlon Champs on the weekend for the 4th consecutive year!

Cheers,
Bevan.

Week 25-31 August and Kangaroo Valley

2008-09-02T09:16:00.005+10:00

Training wise, a stable week of 107.2km running plus 30km of walking recovery. I also had my first hit out in the pool which felt great with the blood flowing into the arms. I will be starting to ramp up the biking and swimming again now. Sam is not able to exercise much with the bub growth now limiting her. So, Sam will be joining me for night swims at the pool which will help us both with some frequency. It will be fun to train with Sam for a bit.

We had our first 'baby class' last Thursday where we got the gist of what happens, how, and where in the hospital. Was a good eye opener for all and very informative, especially the 'how to tell you are in labour' part rather than plain old 'cruisy' Braxton Hicks contractions. Five more classes, with 3 on having the bub, and 3 on parenting/post birth. No doubt, many more interesting tidbits to come...

Sam and I headed to Kangaroo Valley with Julian and Melanie Grover for the weekend staying at the lovely 'Alcheringa' bed and breakfast which is owned by Sam's old boss. It's very relaxing and well positioned on top of a mountain on Nugents Creek Road. We lapped up the luxury. Greeted with good weather, we headed out to Berry for a day trip, into the Valley for some good food, and just generally chilled in front of the log fire enjoying the view. Julian and I however did not enjoy waiting up to watch Australia get flogged and show a dismal display of schoolboy rugby against the Springboks (albeit with some dodgy refereeing decisions ;) ). Let's hope they can turn that around for the Bledisloe and Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane in a fortnight against the All-Blacks. Kangaroo Valley is a bit of a misnomer also. There were a few kangaroos but we saw echidnas, wallaby's, many native birds, and heaps of wombats. It should actually be renamed Wombat Valley for the pure numbers of those fuzzy animals. It would be a great place to show off our flora and fauna to overseas visitors with a guarantee of viewing the above.

I also headed out each day for some hard hill running over the Valley. Perfect tracks for training those muscles. At times I was virtually running on the spot to climb up the steep inclines of tracks. My butt, hami's, and quads are a bit sore these past two days from the hill climbs and descents. Makes me think about the Comrades marathon in South Africa that I would like to complete one day that runs through the 'Valley of 1000 hills'. I would need some serious hill training to complete that one.

I found a nice quote the other day, "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve". I like finding things that help to remind you of your goals and refocus when you are drifting at times. I will be posting any that I see now at the end of each blog. The above is a nice one as I have been told many times that I could not do something or win something only to make it happen. I would rather give things a go and see how they fall, than not try at all because something/one told me it was not possible (or not possible for them). Things may take some 'extra time' but you can get there in the end or damn close ;) .

Cheers,
Bevan.

Week 18th - 24th August Update

2008-08-25T09:51:00.003+10:00

Another week and I am feeling better as the legs are turning over well. Total of 104.6km of running and 30km of walking. I have been walking for recovery totalling a minimum of 30km each week for the past 3 weeks. It is certainly helping with flushing the legs out with the increase in weekly kilometres.

What a week for triathlon as Australia finally broke the Hoodoo and claimed an Olympic Gold Medal. Emma Snowsill in first with a gutsy run putting it all on the line to claim Gold, and Emma Moffet claiming the Bronze with a more controlled early pace to run through. The boys had a different day but Courtney Atkinson ran awesome and just missed out on a top ten. Geez, those guys can run fast! Terrific scenery on the course and great to see a lot of coverage on the TV for triathlon. Hopefully TA can now parley that into some summer coverage for our sport and keep the ball rolling.

It will be a busy week at 3 Sports with the Winter Sales starting. 30% off rrp for most items, more for some older stock. Great opportunity to come in and get some new runners/gear for the summer season or stock pile some great cycle gear. I'll be grabbing some Assos at those discounted prices ;) .

Sam and I have our first ante-natal class this Thursday evening, so it should be interesting. We are away this weekend with Julian and Mel in Kangaroo Valley. I am looking forward to some mountain runs and finding a few beaten tracks to plod along. Last time we had a great dinner at the local cafe with a chicken and duck pie that I can hear calling my name again. Hopefully the weather behaves for us.

Train safe, Bevan.

Canberra and training

2008-08-21T10:29:00.004+10:00

Well, it was cold in Canberra as predicted. It got to minus 4 degrees overnight not including the wind chill factor. And believe me there was some wind chill. Driving into Canberra we could see snow on the far mountains which was quite a nice sight. It was great to catch up with the family and for them to see Sam and her growing bulge. We also had our last scan on the Friday before heading down and so were able to bring the 4D photos of the bub. We again escaped without finding out the sex so it still a surprise until 'pop out day' ;) . The photo's are absolutely amazing and seeing the 4D image in motion was pretty damn cool. It really brings it home that there is a live bub running around in Sam's tummy. And believe me, Sam says it already feels like it is doing laps galore. Maybe another athlete on the way!

We headed out for the evening in Canberra to a charity auction for the Buffaloes League Team and had a quick dinner before taking the boys (brothers Stewart and Morgan) to the movies to see 'Taken'. Was nice to give mum and dad a night out. Damn cold after though and we were happy to get to the electric blankets. A good sleep and I headed out for a run around Tuggeranong lake for an hour or so. I had brought my micro-climate gear and rugged up big time. I think it was still in the minus degrees when I headed out. Certainly made me put a few intense surges in to get the blood running. Was nice to train on the old stomping grounds and after a while the chill was refreshing. Everyone I met said hello, which is nice after running in Sydney. A great 'Mum's lunch' and we headed back to Sydney. A nice weekend away and good to see everyone again before we have the new addition to the family.

I have been concentrating on running only these past few weeks. I have been easing into it and getting plenty of rest/sleep for recovery. I feel great now and ready to start ramping up the kilometres. I logged 80.4km for the past week of running and 67.2km the week before. I will have a slow progression up and continue through the marathon including it into my base phase without much of a taper. It is now 4.5 weeks away, which is plenty of time to get the kilometres in the legs to use it as a practice pace session for the Ironman's and test some nutrition strategies.

Train well and keep safe,
Bevan.

More Ironman NZ Photo's 2008

2008-08-20T13:17:00.004+10:00

Myself, Nick Wright from Platypus Asset Management, and his brother Dan celebrating finishing NZ IM earlier this year. It was great to have their support for race day and Sam certainly loved having someone to have a good laugh with during the long, wet day. I am looking forward to the encouraging barracking again in March 2009 from the guys.

My lovely Sam giving me a final farewell before the start of the NZ IM. You can't tell but it was absolutely freezing. The sun came up just before race start and it looked to be a perfect day before the rain and wind settled in. Next time around we will have one more addition to this photo for our family.

Photo and Weekend Trip Home

2008-08-15T23:40:00.002+10:00

Well I have finally got this photo loading caper down. This is a photo from Ironman NZ 2008 out on the bike course with me winding up the Norminator. You can see the clouds starting to roll in over the mountain behind. I think this was one of the few times during the day that it was not actually raining. Arm warmers and gloves are two things I normally do not use and were there for the freezing temperatures/winds that belted us on race day.

I am off to Canberra this weekend to see the family with Sam. Looking at this photo reminds me of the cold weather that will hit once I arrive in Canberra. Has been in the minus degree range there. We may also head out to the farm to help with the sheep and lambs where it has been snowing regularly. It will make my early morning runs interesting. I will post some more photos when I have thawed out from Canberra.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Update - Fast Cars, Opera, Running, Beijing Olympics

2008-08-04T16:40:00.010+10:00

Hi guys,

Well I have been back now in oz for a couple of weeks. The running has started again and it feels good to be out in the early morning/late night chill. I love that cold feeling when exercising, reminds me of growing up in Canberra and minus degree temperatures. I get to catch up with the guys at Platypus this coming week and see how things have been for all. Extra time due to less training has meant some more time with Sam plus bub, catch ups with mates, and others things including:

- a ride in a Lambourghini Murcielago and an Aston Martin DB9 around the Newcastle beaches and top of town (absolutely amazing experience and the speed, stopping, and cornering ability are phenomenal);
- finally saw 'Phantom of the Opera' at star city casino lyric theatre with Sam (something I have always wanted to do but just somehow let it pass by each time - another box ticked);
- entered the Sydney Marathon on September 21 as part of my run specific block;
- had a damn good night out at a Bavarian beer cafe with Irishman Niall, NZ girl Deb (Sam's friend), and a big stein glass (yep, sounds like a bad joke);
- tried those Una's famous schnitzels again twice with Sam and friends;
- hit the movies for some down time;
- checked out the progress on the renovations of our house (Frank and Jan are making it fly up);
- feel the bub tumble turn on time each night; and
- had some time to read some books again.

The training will ramp up a bit now. Especially with the Olympic Games starting this Friday in Beijing. Always nice to feed off some great athletes competing in the best arena for some extra motivation to hit the training grounds. And we have an added bonus in Australia of the games being only 2 hours behind us so I do not have to stay up during the wee hours of the morning watching sport. All the finals will be around midday oz time due to the broadcasting rights being adapted for US time. I will be looking out for the triathlon finals in the second week and hope that the Aussies can get up after all the selection dilemmas that have occurred. I can appreciate how the athletes have to prepare for each sport and love watching new sports - I really got into the fencing last time with the French going fantastic. I worked for Nike during the Sydney Olympics with the VIPs and gold medal athletes and had some amazing one-off experiences. The Olympics always bring up memories I think for all Australians of the Sydney games and I am eager to watch the cycling, waterpolo, marathon, and just the Aussies in general to go well. And best of all, I do not have to go to the eurosport channel to watch it ;) . My coach is also commentating for NZ Media for the cycling, triathlon, and some other sports. It will good to hear his thoughts post games on how things went.

Injury free and looking forward to the new training phase,
Go Aussies!
Bevan.

Back In Cold Australia, Roth Roundup, and Next Challenge

2008-07-28T15:59:00.006+10:00

The gear, bike, and myself have arrived safely back in Australia. It is always nice returning after a trip but this time I got even more of a surprise with the amount that Sam's tummy has grown out in the front. From behind you cannot notice a change but when she turns to the side, wow. Four more months of this amazing experience before we welcome the bub. I am not sure how big it will get but by the look of things so far, I could not imagine how Sam could have coped if there were twins inside!

On the training front, I have been turning over with a few runs and a couple of bike rides. It is seriously cold here in Australia in the mornings with a large amount of towns having their 'coldest ever days'. I have to say I have crept back into bed twice after heading out to grab my running shoes from a frozen/frosty balcony. Bed is soooo nice when you do not have to get out at 5am for a session.

Time to brave the mornings again though as the recovery period is over. It is run focus time and entry into the Sydney Marathon on the 21st September is in the plans. I have only run one straight marathon before in 2000 two weeks after my first Ironman. I helped a mate to break the 3 hour barrier and I think we came in around 2:58hrs. I had also ran backwards on the course for a bit to help another mate to try a crack the 3hr mark, so it should be interesting to see what I can pull out running the marathon straight for myself. The bike and swim will still get a go each week but with more of a run focus, I am looking forward to the different training that it will entail. Always nice to try something different.

Looking back on Roth, the race is magnificent. The Solarberg lives up to all the pictures you see and the noise is unbelievable. Now that I know the course I will be able to prepare a bit better for it. Also, my host family were great and made the experience memorable. I will be catching up with the Fuersts again for sure. There were the most amount of spectators on course at Roth that I have seen anywhere in the world for an Ironman. And this was on a day where it was 10 degrees and pouring with rain. It is a very honest course. The swim in the canal makes it comfortable for both good swimmers and those that are not confident with plenty of space in the canal and good wave starts to break it up. The bike course is a little more technical than I thought it would be with a fair few rolling hills. It is not a flat course like Western Australia or Florida but the roads are good. The run is very much dead flat on either a gravel or concrete surface (predominantly gravel) which allows for you to get into a good rhythm. On the run at each village there seemed to be beer tables set up and people in a 'jovial' mood. Great support to get you out of a troubled patch or continue flying along. Nice forest and off road parts with some long stretches on the canal make it a good mental challenge also. Really, you can work your strength on this course and go for a good overall time. This all said, it is not an easy course and you can be lulled into a sense of going for it when tempering the pace is needed. Many an athlete has seen the wheels tumble off a pb due to this fact. The mini 'stadium' of the hemisphere finish chute is 'goosebumpy' and where else do athletes get a bouquet of flowers to carry into the chute to finish with unless you are the top 3? Then being handed the Erdinger beer straight after the finish line is a great way to celebrate.

Did it live up to the hype? Most definitely. I can only imagine what it would be like on a sunny day and it is something I hope to experience because I will definitely be making my way back.

When I get my race photos I will post a few and also some of the training grounds around Eckental. Time to go battle the cold weather and the Sydney traffic and dream of the warm weather around the corner.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Roth Race Report - 9hrs21 - A Wet Day in Many Ways

2008-07-15T18:38:00.004+10:00

Hi Guys,

Finished the Roth Ironman on sunday and I have to say I am a little disappointed in how things went. No excuses, just couldn't get the running going. Good times for others including a new world record for Yvonne Van Klerken in the womens event and a win for Patrick Vernay in the mens. I just couldn't put together the 3:10-3:15 hour run that I was aiming for. Until I get this run right I am not going to make any great improvements on the leader board. However, I had a good comfortable swim and bike under the conditions (torrential downpour on swim-bike) and my first half of the run went well. Now is a bit of a break and then it is time to focus solely on my run for the next few months (which is has been the plan from coach since day one post roth).

The skinny: Swim 49:56 Bike 4:49:48 Run 3:37:55 Total 9:21:31 New record for number of pee's on the bike of 15 and 6 on the run! (This is not a good record).

Swim: Plan was to keep in the big lead group and swim fast but comfortable sub 50min. Got into a few scuffles with people who have no idea how to draft and someone undoing my wettie meant I fell off the back of the lead group at the 2km mark. Could not make it back up without redlining for a while so swam strong but comfortable. Sub 50min so ok, but dissapointed lost the main group and 1-2mins. Swim training is going well as I thought I would have swam slower after losing the group.

Bike: Plan - to ride comfortable in heart rate zone, spin hills, work hard to get in a good position early on but not expend much energy, and set myself up for the ability to test my training and have a good run rather than getting a fast bike time and holding on in the run. Actual - found myself riding well and fast picking up the guys in front of me from the swim. Hit a big group about 35km mark which must have been the big swim pack. First part of course is downhill and some technical parts so the group was travelling faster in the rain with some locals knowing the course better to pick up time. Quickly went through the group and just concentrated on higher rpms, heart rate, and feeling comfortable. Dropped group and rode off front without any effort. Kept up a good comfortable work rate and focused on myself rather than groups etc. and confident in training and race plan. At about 55km mark I had my first pee and this continued every 10km til the end of the bike (and long ones also, not this hit and miss stuff). Hitting the famous Solarberg was an awesome sight. Even in the terrible conditions people were everywhere and the sound was unbelievable. I made a conscious effort to not get caught up in it when I passed road supporters (including the beer mile - people with tables of steins lining the road and having a good ol' party at 9am). Kept it going, and at 90km special needs station Matthias informed me I was less than 10mins behind a flying lead group and on the verge of the top 10. I could see a group of 3-4 guys ahead of me by a few minutes but I could not make any inroads without going all out for a fair bit. So kept it controlled and stayed to the plan. Around 115km mark I was joined by a few guys hammering the bike who had gone top 5-10 here before and we kept a good distance between us but paced well off each other. Was still peeing all the time and body felt bloated but not in the stomach. Just couldnt stop peeing huge amounts about 1min+ each time. Tried to keep the nutrition going. Ride was feeling very easy and worked on spinning and getting the legs ready for a good run. I knew I could ride much faster and harder but stuck to the plan and was looking at a 4:45 easy bike. Most comfortable 4:49 I have rode given the 15 pee stops, the rain slowing the technical parts, and no pushing it to take to much energy from my run. Bike training is going well and I am confident I can ride 4:40's or better comfortably now for Ironman anywhere.

Run: Plan - First 5km and last 5km take care of themselves, other parts need to be on pace and comfortable so I can work it from 25km onwards. Actual - Feeling good off the bike and ready for a good run knowing I had taken the bike as planned. First 10km good comfortable 4:30-4:37ish pace, next 10 km 4:45-5min pace (still peeing). This was ok as still on target and just had to hold it together for next 22km for a 3:15 and good sub 9. Next 10km started to falter and time was blowing out. Couldn't get the acceleration going or high knee lift. Was turning over legs ok, just no real push off no matter what trick I tried. This pretty much continued all the way to the end. Disappointing as I have worked on this and at no point did I walk (shuffle peeing must have been fun for the spectators). Body was bloated all day in the skin-muscles and I just kept on peeing. Have to sort this out also as sure it did not help my cause. Grabbed the Aussie flag from Matthias and was handed a bouquet of flowers from the Quelle girls for the 100m finish shute loop and finish photo. First thing you see in the finish area past the cameras is the Erdinger Beer Table staff handing you a pint of beer. Ah! That and a toilet stop (again) and I was a happy man ready for a leg massage.

Will write up also about the overall experience of the race. It is truly as people report and you see in the magazines with people crowded in like tour de france hill stages. I can only imagine what it would be like on a day where it is not cold and without a torrential downpour all day and there are even more people out.

Bevan resting up for now,
Ciao.

Roth #4 - Checked in and Ready to Go

2008-07-13T01:43:00.003+10:00

Hi Guys,

Well all is ready for tommorrow morning and my first go at the famous Quelle Challenge. My final blow the cobwebs out session in the morning after a birthday breaky with the Fürsts has me feeling ready to go. I am confident in the training I have completed over the past 10 weeks under a new coach and with the support of Sam (plus growing bub), Nick from Platypus Asset Management, and my other friends, training partners, and sponsors. I am looking at a good performance with the aim of moving towards future goals in mind for tommorrows race.

Thanks for all the well wishes and birthday messages (today is my 33rd birthday). Much appreciated. It is always nice to get some support when you are on the other side of the world preparing for a race. I always seem to be away for my birthday with the European races predominantly focusing there major races in the first two weeks of July.

Rego went without a hassle. The expo was not too bad at all, with many new triathlon brands for me to view for the shop. Plenty of those bike brands that we have not heard of at all in Oz and each seem to be a carbon blend with plenty of bling factor.

I went over the course and am glad that I did. It is quite a hilly course with many rolling hills and long slight inclines. But then you have perfect road surfaces and long descents to pick the speed up and make it a fast course. Some "hairy" corners though especially in the wet and the hay bails are already awaiting a few people I think. You could make the mistake of going hard on one of the big climbs early on where there is a steep 10%+ incline for a short 1km, but it then continues for the next 5kms into a headwind. So some patience is needed on the course.

Last night I completed a phone interview with Tim Moore who writes for Triathlete mag in the US and other triathlon related media foremats. The interview was mostly about the doping in triathlon, testing or lack thereof, and ways of moving forward for our sport. This is becoming more of a hot topic of late with some of the major races (eg Frankfurt and Roth Ironmans) making large efforts in testing and after a couple of major positive results occuring in the last year/s. It will be interesting to read the article when it is published. Other athletes to talk to Tim have included Chris Lieto, Faris Al Sultan, and many other prominent athletes. Again we have another cyclist testing positive, Manuel Beltran, at the Tour de France and bringing it to light in the media for all. I am looking forward to a challenging but clean race against top athletes here in Roth on Sunday.

At bike check in today I met up with Clemens Coenen, a German friend who raced in Japan with me. His fiancee is racing tommorrow and I have been told to look out for the "get going" slap on the Solarberg (the tour de france like hill where people crowd in and there is no gap in front of wou until they peel away). Nice guy, and look forward to catching up again post race for the promised beer.

Sam says the bub is growing great guns at the moment and is kicking all over the place. Probably trying to give me a boot and help me along tommorrow ;) .

The forecast is for either 8-15 degrees or 10-16degrees depending on the weather channel. What they both agree on is heavy rain for the day. This shall make the bike course a bit slower, 10mins the locals say. I like racing in the cold and wet so should suit me perfectly, especially considering the cold conditions in Sydney. I cannot wait to get out and put all my training into place during the race and be patient but focused for a good, quick result tommorrow. The main aim is a good run and everything else will fall into place.

So, I am off for my last carbo load, some tour de france tv, and reading Sams movitational cards she writes each time I take off to race. Next blog will bring my report about racing the Quelle challenge and ticking another box off my triathlon list of to do's...

Cheers,
Bevan.

Roth # 3 - Update and Link for Live Coverage

2008-07-11T07:52:00.004+10:00

Hallo (as they say here),

The final training sessions have all gone well. Bike is in order and rego is tommorrow. I will be getting my first look at the course Friday with Matthias and Felix taking me around and offering tips on the technical bike course. We will no doubt also check out the race expo and see what new toys are about. There are some bike stalls so may have a look to see if I can organise something other than the borrowed bike at the moment for future racing. Friday is a rest day though, so there shall not be much running around on the feet and a nice sleep in.

The link to the website in english is here:

http://www.challenge-roth.com/en/index.html .

There are cameras at certain points of the course running continually (Live-Cams) plus an up to date stream on individual athletes. There is also an overall leaders play by play (Live-Ticker) and I think a continual tv stream that you can sign up for on the same page. Race day is this Sunday 13th July.

I am in the Sub 9 group/Pro's and shall be off at 6:20am German time, or 2:20pm Eastern Standard Australian time this Sunday. My race number is 348. I will be racing for the Franken Speed Fighters team and have Matthias as my aid for the special needs stations (you have to provide your own coach-trainer for the special needs drops here at Roth).

I shall write another update before the race after the rego, expo, and bike-gear check in. Am looking forward to the start line and hitting the course in good shape with a good competitive field.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Roth Update # 2

2008-07-09T07:14:00.004+10:00

Güten Morgen,

Time is ticking along now until race day and the days have been turning over with the required training as prescribed by my coach. It is nice to not be able to drift along doing what training I can organise but to have this all scheduled out. This has been the best lead up to a race I have had in a long time. All things seem to be coming together nicely. I received a great message from Nick at Platypus about the race which was good to give it a check in regards to the overall picture.

Today I awoke late after stuffing up my alarm. Changing between two mobile sim cards is always a risk and I was late for the morning swim as Matthias had freaked out, in a good way, that I had not tested my wetsuit yet. Matthias took me to Birkensee, a lake with a 500m diametre in forests 20km away which they had found after running trail sessions. We had to hike in about 1.5km to the place, but it was stunning. I had to test out a wettie for the race as my personal one had been sent back to 2XU for repair only to be lost in the warranties department somewhere. So, a borrowed blue seventy helix shall be doing the job this weekend. It was pretty awesome to be the only person doing 400m efforts in this alpine lake chasing geese and trout out of the way with fir trees and utter quiet (apart from my splashing around). A good 4km set and the suit stood up well. Very impressed actually with the ease of ability to breath and shoulder stretch. Matthias took some photos of me training in the lake which I hope to put up.

Matthias has been a great help including taking me to a former German mountain bike and cyclocross champion (Felix) this afternoon to service my bike. I couldnt get the bike into the 3 small cogs for speed. Felix found a few faults that had not been picked up and the bike is now running smoother that ever. He is also a Stevens bike rep which are some pretty nice looking bikes. There are so many brands of bike here in Europe and all look good. The individual time trial at the tour de france today was paradise. Now only if I can get a hold of some of the gear somehow ;) .

Germans are inspiring for their facilities for sports. Everywhere I go in villages there are helpful things. For example, there is a parcour that is exactly 2km long of forest track about 2km from the house. This was made for training for the local teams and people to have a loop on soft ground that they can use for timed efforts. Labelled and all, utterly amazing. And you see this everywhere. I have not done a single session on the same course yet and each has been of ease navigational wise and of great safety. It certainly makes a mockery of the roads and hassles of Sydney training. I am going to enjoy this whilst I can.

Matthias took me on a hill loop yesterday on the bike that included a 2km climb that had a 18% gradient for the last km. I had asked what the famous "Solarberg" climb in Roth was like and this effort was to show me something a bit harder. This "serpentine" climb passed through a small village of cobble stones on a big slant and then finished with a hill top cherry tree orchard. It was a nice way to finish off a 2hour ride for me but poor matthias had raced to a pb in frankfurt ironman the day before. I had my first car buzzing for the period on the steep descent when a "Isetta" BMW car passed me. This car was all over the shop and I couldnt stop laughing as these cars are those little boxes with one wheel in back and two in the front and open with a single door at the car front (think Mr Bean's european car or the gogo mobile but worse). As it passed me it slewed across the cliff edge and slammed the breaks on too investigate the solar panel field next to us. I nearly smacked into the back of it gave the old guy some Aussie barbs to his dumbfounded look. Matthias and I nearly ran into a cherry tree pissing ourselves. (Germany is big on the environment and alternative energy. Petrol is 1.60 euro to the litre. That is worse than oz and equates to about $2.67 per litre. The government also rebates energy saving devices.).

Monday I had headed to the university town of Erlangen where Seimens holds court with its major design buildings. Bjorn is at school here in the Sports Sciences Sector. They are in the middle of exams so I headed to the uni 50m pool for a non neck hurting session away from a 25m pool. An in and outdoor 50m pool greeted me with a lane to myself, nice. I checked out some of the other facilities of the sports sciences faculty and it looked like I had walked into the German version of the AIS. Technology everywhere of the highest standard and outside were top notch climbing walls, athletics tracks, football grounds, you name it. Not bad at all. Plus a damn good "bakerei" for lunch :) to add to a sprezee (think i didnt get that right) which is a coke-fanta mix softdrink that is the thing to have here if you do not drink beer.

I have just been at a 15 year olds b'day dinner where I got to try some more of the healthy local cuisine many ending in würst. Well, that and a small chocholate tart for carbo loading ;) . The family is a big thing here and there is another "do" tuesday following the race for Matthias and Ines' 25th wedding anniversary. This is going to be a big family food fest with a belated beer for my birthday. Something nice to think of after the pain sunday night. I am an endless source of laughter for my dismal attempts at German pronounciation. I have been trying to build up my vocab and a few sentences. Food seems to be a good starting point and there are two sounds I just cannot get right. All in good fun though and I love trying to learn something new. Also shared a great Greek meal at a local cafe here with Bjorn and his girlfriend. She had been on a 9hr 30km pilgrimage walk for a wedding that day so the food went down well.

One other plus is the extra sleep. With no work to run off to, an extra 4 hours or so sleep a day is doing wonders for the body and recovery. I have even got Bjorn into calling his study naps a "kip", now all I have to do is convince Sam at home that they are great things and not lazing off. Although I am sure that with the bub growing and doing tumble turns, she may be having a kip or two as is deserved.

More tour de france over the next day or two and on Friday will be heading to Roth to register and go over the bike course for the techinical details. Am looking forward to the race and having a good hitout. The team uniform looks like half a black-white cow pelt with blue arms and stars on it. Stands out as we were able to see Matthias on the live television cast on Sunday from a mile. I will be in my sponsors labelled racing uniform that is a proven comfortable item though.

Tchüss,
Bevan.

Ironman Roth - Arrived in Eckental with the Fürst Family

2008-07-06T16:47:00.004+10:00

Hi Guys,

I have now arrived safely in Eckenhaid in Eckental near Nuremburg in Germany. It was a long 2 day voyage from Sydney through Shanghai, Beijing, Frankfurt, Nuremburg to here with zippo sleep. I will be racing at Ironman Roth for a German team called Franken Speed Fighters. My homestay is an old friend, Matthias Fürst, who is the sponsor of the team and an Ironman racer himself (in fact racing Ironman Frankfurt this weekend). I will be joining his family for two weeks for Roth and they (Ines, his wife, and Bjorn and Carlo, his two sons) have welcomed me like another son. Eckental is a town made up of 12 villages each separated by a small divide of forest in a valley. A picturesque place for sure and it is absolutely stunning with greenery and great weather (25+ degrees at the moment). Plenty of great training areas surround. It is about 15mins drive from Nuremburg and close to Roth also. Unfortunately Sam will not be joining me here as it is too hard on her travelling whilst 5 months pregnant. Sam has joked thatI am to be called "the abandoner" for a little while whilst the job here in Germany is being done. I missed the first midwife meeting friday but luckily as would happen, Ines is a midwife here so I can get the tips and I don't get in trouble :) .

On arriving, Matthias took me for a 50min run. It was great to get out after the long plane trip and see the area. I then joined the team swim session for the evening in Nuremburg and it is always fun to learn to turn the opposite way in pools again - the back will be feeling this tommorrow. Pools are just like driving cars. The euros drive on the right and so swim up the right side of the lane also. It is actually quite hard to flip turn the opposite way - try it - but something I mastered living and racing in France.

A great 11 hour sleep and I was back to normal. The loan bike was built and all ok - always a relief. Matthias and Felix (another team member) took me for a ride thorugh some of the small villages that included some hops fields for local beer brewing, some cobbled paths, a few forest paths, and some cool looking old farm houses. The architecture always amazes me when you see houses that are older than your country and it has been a generational home for 400 years. I then took a tour for another 1.5 hours to Erlangen as the other guys are racing an Ironman this weekend. I had an offer to race for the team at the Hamburg World Cup triathlon series this weekend coming but passed up to focus on Roth the following weekend. I love how there are races every weekend in Europe whereas in Oz they are few and far between in NSW.

The food here is just great. Ines made home-made pizza and special bread for dinner and it was mouthwatering AND healthy. Perfect for a long training day. Breaky is cold meats, cheeses, yoghurt, juice, coffee and after this load up it is train away for the day. Matthias was off to Frankfurt for the ironman, so Heinz (a former 2hr25 marathon runner) took me on some bike tours in the region for an hour. I then did the extra training hours including efforts and had no car episodes at all. A bit different to the daily car check in Sydney. Training here is SO good. I always fall in love with Europe each time I come back with the ease and beauty of training and the respect triathletes get here. An hour run in the heat followed by a train trip to Nuremburg for a 4km swim set finished the training day. With the day in excess of 28 degrees, my winter skin got burnt, so time for the "sonnen milch" tommorrow. Will be nice to get some colour again so I do not get lobstered at Roth.

Another great thing is that the Tour de France is live during the day. Rather than jumping on the windtrainer in Sydney in the middle of the night to watch and provide endless laughs for my partner Sam, it is great to organise training around the interesting stage parts and end sprint each day. That and eurosport 1 & 2 and I am in heaven.

On Sunday is Ironman Frankfurt and I will be watching in between training to see how Cameron Brown goes and also Matthias, Felix, and the other Franken Speed Fighters Triathlon team guys. Sounds like perfect weather and wind, so should be a fast day. Two great things about Frankfurt Ironman is they are taking blood from each Professional before the race to check for doping (eg epo) and that the whole race is live on normal television for the whole day! Good that it is not just the top 3 guys being tested. Roth also has stringent doping rules which is great for the athletes and also the sport. Fantastic for the sport to have live telecasts all day long, no chance that happening in Australia. So I will be in front of the tv Sunday between my training hours watching the Ironman and Tour de France, how good is that!

Tchuss,
Bevan.

Baby On The Way !!! And other developments...

2008-06-10T17:01:00.000+10:00

Hi Guys,

Well the big news is that Samantha and I are going to be parents sometime in November this year! Sam is now half way through the cooking stage and is past the nightmarish morning sickness part. The bulge is starting to grow well with Sam having to succumb to the maternity jeans for comfort. Mum and bub are all healthy according to the tests.

There was a chance of twins due to my family history but tests confirmed that there is one baby only. I was sort of looking forward to twins, but having seen the amount of gear you need for one baby, I am now definitely pleased our first foray into parenthood is being to one child. I think we would need to build an extension on the house if twins were due.

We have decided that we will not be finding out the sex of our child. There are few true surprises now in life and I think that when the baby is born and finding out the sex only as it is lifted up to us will be one of those few moments that Sam and I can share together. This will no doubt cause the grand parents/family/friends some grief in preparing the garments/gear/room for our child, but I think one that will not really matter in the way things play out. Sam tells a story of when her little sister was born and having to tell a room of family/friends the details and finally that it is a girl then everyone yelling in joy. I want that for our child/family and friends rather than everyone knowing what the baby is in this preplanned world we now live in. I do not want us having a preconceived idea of our baby due to the sex but just to leave it as the wonder that it is, our lovely healthy baby.

We have chosen names. Frankie for a girl, Zachariah for a boy. We had already chosen the names along time ago on a trip with a few wines. Sam got to choose the girl's name, me the boy's. Frankie sits well with both families being in both fathers names and first born rotational names. I have always just liked the name Zac and think that it'll sound damn good rattling out four syllables when/if Zac-ha-ri-ah gets in trouble as he''ll certainly know it ;) . Bynon will be the middle name, Leach the last.

People always say that your mindset instantly changes when you become a parent. I know that to be true now. Even though the bub hasn't popped out yet, my mindset towards life, Sam, my family, work, racing, and in general has now changed for the better.

It has prompted me to get more serious about my racing. Nick from Platypus Asset Management is a great motivator and director, and he has certainly got me moving in a more professional manner in my triathlon and racing career. After years of being self-coached, I now am being coached by Mark Watson. Mark has great experience in this triathlon caper having raced elite but also involves himself in all aspects of commentating, coaching, being involved in the NZ High Performance Program, and has good athletes working with him (Cameron Brown amongst them). He also tells it as it is, which is how I like it. I look forward to working with Nick and Mark towards my goal of winning an Ironman race. The only type of triathlon race I have not won. This will be a long process, but one that I am willing to undertake to not go away wondering 'what if?'. I am now more focused on things and have the support of my lovely partner Sam and my bub. It will be an enjoyable, challenging experience that I am looking forward to.

Here's to a healthy baby!

Cheers,
Bevan.

Strongman Race Day

2008-04-28T09:46:00.000+10:00

Woke up early as normal and put in the calories. A good stretch and headed out to transition to organise special needs bags, bike tyres etc. An ordered hive of activity here. All good, even had the translator take me around to the special needs stations to make sure my gear was in the correct places and in the correct way.

The media was crazy, but in a polite way and let you go about your morning rituals in peace albeit with tv cameras and lights blaring over you (handy though in the dark pumping up tyres).

As the race start was at our hotel, I was able to head back up to the room and chill out before having to head to the start line. Was nice to be warm and lie down for the last time in the day. Great conditions greeted us after the mini typhoon mid week and strong gusting winds over the past few days (100km/hr winds hit the race one year lately).

Swim warm up and all was ready. We lined up for a deep water start and then all the japanese started going crazy with a big chant. The reason, the ex-prime minister was here to start the race. A BIG DEAL here in japan. They love him, and he had graced the race with his presence. Well, he finally was able to start the gun after minutes of applause.

Swim 3km + beach run: I got off to a great start and lead out for a while. Had a japanese guy going schizo on my inside so I let him go off at full speed. Obviously he was there to win the swim prime and nothing else. I slotted into the lead group and worked my way along nicely. The group slowly broke up to leave 4 of us. Tim Hola, myself and two japanese. I slotted in behind Tim for the free ride. The guy next to Tim wanted to play 'bashes' with him. My guy decided he wanted to start the same. My guy learned quickly that was not a good idea and then for the remainder of the swim stayed out of my way and we swam comfortably along at a fast pace. Tim on the other hand had to fight his way the whole time. I looked ahead and the winning guy was only about 30secs ahead, I decided to go around the group but the group all floored it to keep up. This final leg was against the current for the last 1.3km. No point wasting energy when I had two guys willing to do the work for me, as I wanted the overall win, so I let them do their thing.

Out of the water in a comfortable but fast 37.5 mins for 3kms plus a fair bit of a sand run. Good overall swim, crossed the timing mats last of the group in 5th overall swim time, less than 1min down on the winner.

Transition 1: passed two guys in the bag transition grab and headed out, whoops, bag split, u-turn for gear and on my way without much loss. I later learned this was a warning for how my day would progress. Transiton was about 1km long with a run around the hotel grounds to the bike compound.

Bike 155km:

Worked into a good rythym and within 1km found myself nearing the lead. A slight swerve around a drain and all my nutrition bottles popped out and started skidding over the road. Brakes and U-turn head back 100m against bikes with some dodgy WTH looks from the athletes and locals. Anyway, after that little mishap it didn't take long to get back up into the lead. Although for about 15km I didn't know I was in the lead. I was just concentrating on turning over at a hard but sustainable pace for the 155km. I kept thinking that if there is someone up ahead they must be motoring because I was. I had a heap of vehicles and police escorts but thought that I must be in 2nd/3rd place as the way the media was before the race, I expected cars etc for all of the top 3 on the bike and run. There was daylight behind me after doing a lap of an adjacent island with a 1km+ bridge and I couldn't see anyone behind me. It was then that Patrick Legge yelled out I was winning and to go for it mate.

The crowd support on the island was only what can be described as totally inspiring. There was not one part that did not have some person cheering for you. Including workers in the rice paddies who would stop and chant 'waido, waido, waido' translated to 'go for it.....'. Japanese traditional drum groups and dancers littered the course.

The back half of the bike were rolling hills into a wind. I consolidated the lead and tried to get as much water/fluid/gels into the body as possible. I found it hard to get water at the aid stations as me yelling 'miso' (water) somehow kept getting me cola half filled bottles. After a couple of these I ended up stopping at a station to load up on water. I really wanted to go for the win and a few seconds would not make a big difference if I couldn't get energy into the body. And it was really starting to heat up plus the humidity was starting to kick in.

I lead onto the traditional media and bike photo prime position of Higa Road Turnpoint. A beautiful peninsula with a light house at the end that graces all the postcards of the Okinawa region and Miyakojima. It was here I could see my first look at the other guys. I had an ok lead and Clemens and Matsumaru were flooring it to try and catch up.

Some bigger hills started and I had run out of gels and water. I paced myself to not blow up and awaited the special needs station at 100km. I was passed by Clemens and Matsumaru on some hills leading into the bridge taking you to the 95km mark. I sat a little distance back (few hundred metres) to await the special needs and get some more energy before ramping the bike up again to hopefully bring a lead into the run as I felt confident of being able to work the last third of the bike with no problems.

Special needs came and unfortunately they had lost my bag. After dismounting and searching with the whole aid station searching, my bag was not to be found. Hell, that was going to make the rest of the day and bike interesting as I was out of gels/electrolyte and had everything there for the next 60kms (plus the last 10kms where I had run out). I then had to stop at each aid station to get a half filled water and electrolyte/coke bottle and a banana when I could.

I tried this and kept my position (after being passed into 5th/6th at the special needs station fiasco). I could feel the body depleting but kept working within a sustainable pace hoping that I could get some gels or something at one of the aid stations and load up for the rest. I was on good pace and the splits were the same or slightly decreasing to the leaders.

With 30kms to go, I heard the bike chain start to grate. I hoped off and tried to fix the problem. What had occured was the front derailler had come loose from the frame and slipped down into the big chain ring at the bottom bracket and locked into a position I couldnt get it out of. I could peddle for about 1-2mins max before I was unable to turn the cranks over. I was able to slowly grind away (with 2 stops per hill to fix derailleur) to be able to get up the rolling hills, but had to glide downhills, stop at the end of the glide, dismount fix the front derailler and go for the next roller. As there were only two bike mechanics on course at either end of the course and I had passed them both, the closest and only chance was a media/aid station before the finish line. So the slog home continued with no mechanical assistance to be found and me grinding my way home. Needless to say I was not a happy camper. I tried to make the most of a bad situation and limit my losses and get some bananas and fluid in for the marathon.

Coming into transition 2, the bike sounded like those BMX's you ride as a kid and put the paper pieces in the back wheel to make it sound like a motor bike. Geez, did I get some funny looks on this smick tri bike making play motorbike sounds!

The organisers had worked out from the course what had occurred at the special needs and were apologetic. I had gone a bit cold and clammy and the athlete liason guy was a bit worried about me due to the lack of nutrition in the heat and humidity. I said I was still going to go for it and try and get back up there in the top guys. I had still somehow managed to come into transition in 10th place overall nut had dropped 15mins in the last 30kms of the bike. I wanted to go well even though I could feel that the body was empty. With all the tv cameras hovering over me in transition I rushed throught the transition and out to start the marathon and try to get this body going by feeding gels into it asap.

Marathon:

The marathon is an out and back 21.1km of rolling hills and no coverage in baking heat and humidity. To make things more interesting, aid stations are not the norm being at different distances. Some are 1.2km apart, others 2.9km and they vary throughout the course. The crowd support is only what can be described as something like in Roth Germany or the other European iconic races where the whole course is lined. There was only one part of about 100m where I did not see someone who was seated to cheer on the race for the entire duration.

I ran the first few kilometres holding a good pace. At about the 15km mark things started to go a bit with the body running on empty. I tried to get calories in but the damage had already been done on the bike. I slowly dropped back in the field placings. As the marathon progessed and the chants got louder by the supporters, the heat and humidity increased. My body started to slowly pack it in in the speed department. By the last 10km's I was stopping at each aid station for a few minutes and following the ritual of: Ice the head and body, drink some electrolyte/coke and water + gel, ice the body and head again, then spray muscle cramp/numbing spray over the hips, thighs, knees, and anywhere that I could still feel ;) . Then start the run to the next aid station. I tried to limit any damage to the body and get to the finish as quick as possible.

Seeing the finish stadium was a welcome relief. The final 3/4 loop with girls/guys running behind you with banners 12 feet high was amazing with a packed stadium. All finisher recieved immediately when crossing a wreath on your head, a gold finishers medal, and a finishers t-shirt with your overall placing on the arm! Plus a couple of lovely people to guide you to the ground (in my case) followed by a dry retching in a wheelchair to the medical centre for some treatment, 2-3 drips, then some massage with students trying to practice their english after you come back to consciousness!

I was then looking forward to some japanese food, soups, and one of those strongman 2008 beers, but unfortunately we had to head straight back to the hotel.

Well, that was my Strongman experience! I was very disappointed at how the race turned out result wise. It was good to ead for a large portion of the race. I was in a good position to go for the overall win but some mechanical mishaps along the way changed the situation. I was proud to have got to the finish line of this great race albeit a little slower than I had planned. A few good things to take from this race as I know my swim and biking is placing me in a good position to challenge for the wins in these long distance races. I am now going to enjoy the rest of the trip here in Japan and the cultural experiences the race organisers have planned for us.

Bevan.

Strongman Overview - Press conference, Waido/Cardbo Party, After Events.

2008-04-28T09:22:00.000+10:00

Well what a big few days. I am writing this post race as the computers went down at the hotel and time just flew byI will break it down into three separate entries: pre-race conference,post race, and post-race activites.

Friday was the pre-race elite athlete conference on the lawns of the Strongman Expo area and finish line region. Before this I had a great sleep in and some light swim training to flush the blood after the fantastic breaky's we get served here in the mornings.

The conference consisted of Gernot, Clemens, last years 4th place, Matsumara, Hayato Kawahara, a previous girl winner, Izumi, myself, then Nadelle Legge. There was a huge bank of cameras, tvs, and reporters. With translations of anwers in German, Japansese, and English, all questions were to take some time. Overall three general qusetions were asked (How do you like the island and first impressions; Your condition for the race and aims; Who is your competition and list your prospective split times) plus a few other small ones to myself. Overall a great experience and some lasting memories but it also brought the race back into hard focus and to see the other guys that will be gunning for the win was nice. At the end an individual and a group photo were taken that ended up on all tv networks and newspapers. We even made the front page of the newspaper with individual photos and a small blurb of each of us. Was nice to get the Platypus Asset Management logo out and I also did some smaller individual interviews after the big conference. Then it was time to check out the expo (smallish but some good Ceepo bike stuff)and head home for a relax and gear clean up before the Carbo Party.

Carbo/Waido Party, what an experience. I have never seen so much food devoured in so quick a time! Lots of great cultural dances, songs, and an athlete swear in ceremony. The invited athletes were situated at the front of this banquet hall and we met with the officials of the Committee and sponsors of the race. Lots of other people came up to talk to us as well. The food was fantastic. Very healthy but thank heavens that they placed some on our table, as the side buffets were demolished in no time. There was one big table with a Strongman cake on it about 3m x 3m. It was gone in less than 8mins! They also made everyone do a 'cheers' drink with the official Strongman Beer. Very nice brew ;) . No seats though and everyone had to stand. Overall a very different experience.

Post race we had much of the same at the Awards Ceremony except that this was an afternoon feed. People devoured the food in much the same fashion but there was more alcohol (beer/saki) to do the rounds. The invited athletes got up on the stage to dance to the traditional Miyakojima Strongman dance - was a good laugh! Then there was a rock'n'roll band and some songs to get eveyone in the mood for a party. After this they held an informal celebration at a traditional japanese restaurant house in town where the food flowed again but this time the drinks did as well. Karaoke was performed by anyone and everyone. People were allowed to walk on stage, say something about the race, and then everyone did a 'cheers' drink. Let's just say there were a hell of a lot of people wanting to say something and get another 'cheers' drink. I was even dressed in traditional head gear by some of the locals for some photo's and participate in a traditional circle dance. Quite a good experience. Met some lovely people and had a good night. This is also a family affair with most people bringing there young children in and the kids getting into the spirit as well. I was lucky to be sitting next to Patrick and Nadelle Legge who have lived in Japan and could translate for us with the young family group we sat with and others that dropped in to congratulate us for coming and honouring the island by racing.

All the invited athletes then headed to Tokyo the following morning. We all checked out the city touring for the afternoon before ending up in a backstreet bbq house-restaurant. The whole gang was there which made for an enjoyable evening. We all then went up market to Gary's hotel for traditional cakes and coffee as desert. Great views in a 'Times Square' type area out of 'Lost in Translation'.

The following day was a sightseeing expedition back into town do the prerequisite gift shopping, nature park gardens for the cherry blossums, skyline viewing at a skyscraper, and then general fun banter before we all went back to fly home. The trains are very efficient and a great way to travel.

Overall, Strongman was a truely great experience. The locals really make this race and the organising committee would rather that the invited athletes have a great experience culturally and see the island for the amazing place it is than just to rock up and race. Do not be fooled, they want you to race well and to the best of your abilities to do a good showing, but mostly they want you to finish and take something away from the island and race that makes you a better person for the experience of Miyakojima and the Strongman.

Would I come back to do this race again even with the bad mechanical luck I had and a missed opportunity for a victory/great placing in the Strongman? Most definitely! I would happily bring back my partner and our newborn next year to take up the Strongman challenge once again. But also for my loved ones to experience the island called Miyakojima and the people that make it.

Bevan.

Strongman Adventures

2008-04-18T14:30:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

Have settled at the Miyakojima Tokyu Resort here now with a great sleep in (so nice to not be up at 5am) and an amazing spread at the breaky buffet. Sleep was disturbed by what at first sounded like firecrackers but was in fact horizontal rain hitting the glass balcony doors! This is a typhoon area and winds have been known to get to 100km/hr on race day. That will make sunday interesting if this rain and wind continues.

Had another swim on the course. A strongish current flows one direction but this is of no help as the return leg is directly into it for a greater distance. Should help me and the strong swimmers though which is nice. Water is clear and reminds me of the hawaiian islands crystal clear waters.

Visited the Fukimine Junior High School today with Tim Hola from the Timex Triathlon team and his wife Nicole. Justin who is an American english teacher living on the island and racing also helped us out. Lovely school of 28 students with 10 teachers. Bit different to the 30+ students 1 teacher deals we have in Australia. The school is immaculate and the gardens are stunning with centuries old architecture. Pretty nice place to study. The kids sang us the island song accompanied by the traditional guitar/banjo and dance. This was followed by a powerpoint presentation of the island, school, students, and some race information. The kids man an aid station on the marathon course and have signs made up for us! Sure to help when the pain kicks in. After question time and some speeches we played 'jung-ko'. It is a type of paper/scissors/rock whereby most arguments/draws/decisions are made here in Japan. A tied baseball grandfinal was determined by the two teams lining up agaisnt each other and playing it - no kidding! We than took the students in smaller groups for talks and games (darts, bowling, volleyball) and I got free throws. I ended up dunking using some of the kids. Good fun. At the end we were presented with brown rock sugar in bags (japanese sweet) with the schoolkids photos on it. A lovely present for home. The school is on the southern end of the island with is literally stunning. It is where a lot of the postcard photo's of the island are taken. We both bike and run through here race day.

Arvo ride on the course showed it to be a fast paced smooth ride with many rollers. With no wind this could be a fast course, but that rarely happens. Bike is all ok after the travels (Greg, your bike is all good).

The evening we had a dinner with all international athletes hosted by the Rotary Club of Miyakojima. Banners were exchange and we received a t-shirt banner and icecream toy from them. A great dinner and presentation of local culture (songs, traditional band, tradition martial arts dance). This was followed by a famous singer and a movie star, who compete in the race, who have designed a dance and song for the race. Of course, everyone was up and learning the dance and song words for the carbo/awards parties to follow. More games followed of paper/scissors/rock and a musical chair like game but with bodies! The japanese love games. Then it was home and to bed.

We made the front page of the newspaper today with photo's of us and the Mayor of Miyakojima.
Friday is the elite athletes press conference followed by the carbo dinner. The race favourties are to go to the press conference and Clemens, Gernot, and myself are to participate. Should be fun. Nick, the Platypus Asset Management gear will get a run at this ;) .

All is looking good for the race. Cheers,

Bevan.

Strongman Japan Miyakojima Triathlon

2008-04-16T22:16:00.000+10:00

Hi Guys,

I have arrived in Miyakojima ready for the Strongman Japan on Sunday 20th April. I flew into Tokyo last night and roomed with an Austrian pro male, Gernot Seidl. A quiet night with only one funny episode when Samantha's g-string fell out of my washing in front of Gernot! On my flight over from Sydney were two other Aussies racing, Patrick and Nadelle Legge. Nadelle has placed well in this race the past two years and Patrick raced here last year. They absolutely love the race, the island, and the locals that make this race.

This morning we met the other pro athletes in Tokyo before all flying here to Miyakojima. Gary Sato organises the international guys and gals to come and compete against the best Asian competitors. He has been a part of this race for many years, first as an elite competitor and now lately as a liason. Clemens Coenen (Germany), Tim Hola (USA), Luis Dela Torres (USA) are the other pro males flying in. Verena Walters (Germany) joins Nadelle in the female race.

Miyakojima is a beautiful island. So clean, lush, and with stunning beaches and coves around every bend. Upon first arriving at the airport we had photo's of our group and individually, newspaper interviews, and television interviews. Quite a fun thing to do and really gets you into the spirit of things showing you how much of a big thing this race is in Japan and on this island for the locals. It is the 24th edition of the race here and there are tv specials of previous editions, posters all over the place, banners over road ways, and locals screaming out to you. They even do a special run of the beer cans from the beer sponsor with it changing each year. This year it is a photo of the island and course layout on the can. Think one will be making it to the trophy room! If you go top 10 overall, they give you a special year edition saki bottle in the shape of the island with the course and details on it! I am definitely aiming for one of those little babies...

After a swim in the crystal waters and building the bike to make sure all is ok, the invited athletes headed to a meeting with the Mayor of Miyakojima and Chairman of the Strongman Committee. A lovely man who is genuinely interested in supporting this race and bringing athletes from around the globe to his island to talk to school kids, see their culture, fall in love with his island, and challenge us to have fun racing whilst doing our best. We all brought gifts from our home countries (myself a boomerang, Patrick and Nadelle a Sherin football - watch out locals as the Mayor looked like it was Christmas with those gifts). Some more photo's with the Mayor and associates from the Committee and we were off to a Japanese restaurant for dinner. A good helping and it was home to run off dinner, the flight, and loosen up.

Tommorrow we have school visits, some training, registration, and a dinner with the Miyakojima Rotary Club.

All's going well and I am looking forward to racing on the weekend.

Cheers,
Bevan.

Sparke Helmore Solo Triathlon

2008-03-20T15:55:00.000+11:00

Hi Guys,

Sam and I headed up to Newcastle for the Sparke Helmore Solo Triathlon. This is my yearly handicap triathlon race with the Bynon clan and friends. This year saw an extended course due to the large number of participants and a huge transition area. Rather than a single out and back run course, it was a double out/back loop. So more viewing for the chasing speedsters to catch me and more time for me to look for the handicappers!

Soft Sam pulled the pin due to sickness, the Lee's dropped out due to family commitments, but the lovely 'Surging' Sandy Bynon was back and fitter than ever, whilst Steve 'S Club 7' Howard was lining up for his first ever tilt at a triathlon. The handicaps worked out on last year's times were:

Bevan - scratch (last year overall win in a course record of 47:40min)
Sandy - 1.5 x Bevan's time (not a novice anymore)
Steve - 2 x Bevan's time - 5mins (this was considered a bit lenient)

The tide had turned and the swim course was reversed. The nerves showed on S Club, but his swim and race hinged on Soft Sam giving him his glasses after the swim. No glasses equalled carnage on the multi-loop bike. Sandy was quiet and confident. I had to blast it and live up to my nickname of 'Bam Bam'.

I lead from start to finish in the race overall and crossed in 47:43 narrowly missing the course record. The loaned bike certainly flyes thanks to Greg from 3 Sports. An extra distance on the run courtesy of a marshall cost the record - she thought I was in a separate race distance as I was too far ahead. Ah well, a back track to the correct path and no love lost. But, was the handicap gone??

I went to watch the others and both Steve and Sandy exited transition 2 at the same time. Steve had foxed us ;) . The duo had had a great ride and surely with no blow ups, Steve had the handicap and the first beers. Sandy was cruising on the run and I could be last on handicap and 1st beer round buyer!

Final times were: Bam Bam - 47:43min; Surging - 1hr12:56min; S Club 7 - 1hr16:25min.
Handicapped to beat Bevan - Surging had to go sub 1hr11:34.5; S Club 7 had to go sub 1hr30:045secs.

Handicap winner - Steve 'S Club 7' Howard!! Followed by me and then Sandy. So, first round is on Sandy at the next function!!

Congrats to Steve and Sandy on a great race and Sam for her support. I was happy with the overall win but a bit disappointed to miss the record by a few seconds even if the course was longer. Next up is some hard training weeks in preparation for Strongman Japan. As always, a big thank you to my sponsors: Nick from Platypus Asset Management, Greg from 3 Sports, John from High 5, Brooks Shoes, and Ralph from Ryders Eyewear.

Train safe and race hard,
Bevan.

2008 To Date and Next Challenge

2008-03-12T09:13:00.000+11:00

Well I am back in Oz after Ironman NZ which was my main focus for the first quarter of the year. Nick and the guys at Platypus Asset Management supported me to focus on this race including a pre-race training camp with Cameron Brown (winner of the race a world record 7 times including this year). I will be posting my race report but the low down was I came in at 19th pro male in 9:33hrs in what became a good day not a great day. I will post my race report here with all the usual details but I was happy that I was able to 'race' the ironman and let things fall as they may. I feel that I am now able to 'race' an ironman rather than going out and making up the numbers. I now race the people rather than time and would rather place well than aim for a certain time. But, a good fast time is always nice ;) .

This past weekend, after a weeks total rest from the ironman, was the State Sprint Champs at Kurnell. I backed up to test how the recovery was going. I am happy to say I won my grouping in the race which gave me the State Sprint Title for the M30-34yrs. I had only competed in 2 of the 4 race series but by winning the last 2 races I also won the Pointscore Series.

I love to race as much as possible including racing a few shorter distance races for training in a heavily fatigued state. My thoughts were that if I could perform in a 'dead' state, I could still be 'racing' the guys at the end of the marathon in the Ironman. For example, running 36km of 8x4km repeats plus a long swim, then the following morning riding hard race pace efforts over a 4.5hr ride with hills before immediately racing an Open Water Harbour Swim (lead until cramping in last 500m - note to self, no swim races after hard bikes). Here are my results for 2008 to date:

Australian Aquathlon Championships - 2nd M30-34yrs, 7th overall;
Sydney Triathlon Series Race#3 - 1st M30-34yrs, 3rd overall;
Australia Day Harbour Swim Newcastle - 1st M30-39yrs, 9th overall;
Sydney Triathlon Series Race#4 - 1st M30-34yrs, 4th overall;
Sydney Triathlon Series Pointscore Champion M30-34yrs; and
NSW State Triathlon Sprint Champion M30-34yrs.

My next major goal is the Miyakojima Strongman Japan Triathlon on April 20th. This is an iconic race in its 24th year. Held on the island of Miyakojima, each year 1500 people toe the line. Most are drawn from a ballot/lottery and get a delivered envelope on Xmas day preceeding the race year to tell them that they made the start line. Many thousands apply and it is an honour to get a start. Internationals are by invite only and each year approx 1 pro athlete from each continent is invited to race plus the top 10 from the year before. Winning the 2007 Asian Long Distance Championships, a 2007 Asian Half Ironman Triathlon and placing 4th ranking in the 2007 ITU Pro males is what got me my invite to this years race. The race is a 3km swim, followed by two loops of the island and its volcano of 155km, then a rolling hilly 42.2km marathon finished by running through huge ornate steel gates with a 400m loop of a running track in a full stadium. Drums are set at the entrance of the stadium with its huge steel gates. As the race finish time nears, spectators head to the entrance gates. The drums increase in tempo until they are a deafening roar and the gates close. Athletes listen for the drums and sprint to get through them before they shut whilst others are left stranded at the gates with the finish line in sight 400m away. This is all televised live for the whole race day including pre race conference and interviews. We go and talk to the local schools and also meet with the local council/mayor/committee plus other cultural experiences. Sure to be a great trip and something I have looked forward to competing in since hearing about it in europe in the early 2001.

I will of course be racing some smaller stuff before including this weekends Sparke Helmore Triathlon in Newcastle. I have some close mates racing and each year we have a handicap system to make things fair between us as we range from pro's to novice racers. Handicap losers buy the first round at the local drinking establishment ;) .

Train hard and safe,

Bevan.

Back again and 2007 round up

2008-03-06T10:50:00.000+11:00

Well it is time to get my adventures on the net again. After having some website administrator difficulties over the past year, I am going to have my blog back up and running. This way all my supporters, sponsors, family, friends, and general interested parties can follow my progress towards my triathlon goals.

Firstly, I must update you on 2007 - the year I learnt to win big again! I ended the year as the 4th ranked professional male in the ITU World Long Distance Rankings after racing the Oceania titles and winning the Asian ITU Long Distance Championships. I won all possible triathlon race distances except an Ironman (although I did lead one for a while!) these being sprint, olympic, half ironman, and long distance. I broke swim, bike, and overall course records during the year. I was especially proud to become a member of a select group of Australian athletes to win an ITU Continental Title and ITU World Cup Series race. Breaking the bike and overall course records to win my first half ironman triathlon at White Rock was another highlight. I gained a lot more knowledge on how to 'race' ironman and long course and shall be implementing this in 2008 to push for that maiden ironman win.

In 2008 I will have great support from some new sponsors in Platypus Asset Management and Cooltainer with continued support from 3 sports, Ryders Eyewear, Brooks running shoes, and High 5 Nutrition.

A list of results for 2007 follows:

1st White Rock Half Ironman Distance Triathlon – Asia, set a new bike course record and overall course record;
1st ITU Asian O2 Long Distance Triathlon Championships – Subic Bay, Philippines, set a new bike course record, 2nd in swim breaking old swim course record;
4th ITU World Long Distance Triathlon Rankings – Professional Males;
1st Overall Sparke Helmore Solo Triathlon, swim & bike primes, 1st M30-39yr, lead start-finish, setting overall course record and bike records;
2nd Sri Chinmoy Champions Challenge Triathlon (3.2km/125km/30km) – Setting swim and bike course records, leader until 24.5km mark of run;
11th Oceania and Australian Long Distance Championships – Huskisson – 3hrs59mins;
1st Newcastle foreshore triathlon M30-34yrs, 4th overall, 1st overall swim;
1st Kurnell 60km Cycling Time Trial High 5 Testing & 2 x Course Record (3 x 1st, 1 x 2nd in 4 Time Trial Races);
3rd Australian Half Ironman Professional Men’s Triathlon Division 2006/2007;
1st Men’s 30-34 Australian Olympic Distance Triathlon Series - Newcastle Race #2;
2nd Men’s 30-34, 6th Overall, Australian Olympic Distance Triathlon Series - Nowra Race #1;
2nd Premier/Elite Men’s Division Australian Triathlon Club Teams, Penrith;
National Club Champions - Australian Triathlon Club Teams -Brats;
4th Karuah 8km fun run, 2nd 31-40yrs male;
5th Illawarra Aquathon Long Distance Men’s 30-39yrs, 1st swim category;
10th Pro Male Ironman Japan;
35th Almere Ironman -Leader during swim and bike portions of the race; and
Ironman Brazil – Qualified for Hawaii Ironman Pro Spot but passed due to financial reasons.

After these results and learning more about the way I need to race and train, I am confident that 2008 will bring much more success. I gained a great deal from 2007 from a racing perspective and shall use this to continue my rise in triathlon, further improve my personal best times, and to chase that win everytime I race.

Cheers,

Bevan.

Touching Base and Welcome

2007-06-29T21:20:00.000+10:00

Hi All,

Have just arrived back from trips to both Ironman Brazil in Florianopolis and Ironman Japan on Goto Island. Race reports and photos to come from these amazing races. Was unable to take the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships Pro Male Spot I was offered in Brazil due to financial reasons. And in Japan, I placed 10th Professional Male. After a weeks recouperation, I am now starting my preparation for my European Ironman.

Welcome to my blog and thanks for checking in. If you have any questions or want to touch base, please contact me on naveb@hotmail.com .

Cheers,

Bevan.