Sparke Helmore Solo Triathlon

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

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

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.