Welcome to the second addition of Tri-Alliance e-news!

This e-news will be sent out fortnightly, and aims to inform our avid readership of the latest news in tri multisports. We have aimed to cover a hand full of information that we believe will be of most benefit to our readers, and be of interest to all.

Enjoy!

The Tri Alliance web site is now posting the latest and greatest triathlon and multisports news events from Australia and around the world. Thanks to First Off the Bike.com you will be able to stay tuned for some of the hottest competitions coming up plus exclusive interviews that Tri-Alliance will receive before they hit the First Off the Bike web site.

Take look below what is hitting our site or go to www.tri-alliance.com.au

Ok, so take a breath and then commence to read about the massive weekend of 70.3 action worldwide. The 70.3 phenomenon is now truly alive and well and while we don't want to be too biased, the Aussies were out and about on force to show that we might actually be the strongest country in this form of racing. Now that might read a little smug but you cannot argue with the results. The three races took in the beautiful Hawaiian shores, the picturesque Switzerland and the new kid on the block in Boise.

The Giro d'Italia is all done and dusted for another year and it has been quite the eventful circus that we have come to expect from such a flamboyant race. But there are the inevitable winners and losers to come out of any Grand Tour and we thought we might highlight one or two. We have been following the race throughout the journey and have seen many things unfold which took our fancy. But now the Giro is done we all turn our attention to the big one in the Tour de France.

The 70.3 World Tour extravaganza hits Boise this weekend. This race is in its' first year and boasts a great field of over 1,200 age groupers and a raft of professionals all eager to get their name on the trophy first. The professional field, consisting of some of the sport's top contenders, will vie for the title and for the prize money as over $25,000 is on offer for the fast men and women on the day. Pros and age group athletes will also compete slots to the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3, taking place on November 8, 2008, in Clearwater, FL. There are now a staggering thirty events in the Ironman 70.3 global series.

If you ever thought the spread of 70.3 racing was all talk, this weekend's triple-header may just change your mind. Three, count them, three 70.3 races will be taking place in some very cool places across the globe this weekend. Hawaii is synonymous with endurance sports and this weekend the current world number one, Chris McCormack, is back where his legend was made, no doubt also using this weekend as an October tune up. Then the eyes of the 70.3 world turn to Switzerland and on to Boise where the fields are equally as strong.

Any thoughts that Javier Gomez was in trouble this season were smashed in Madrid yesterday as the hometown hero made a mockery of his 7th place at the European Championships just a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday's stunning victory notches up Gomez's 10th in what is fast becoming a very accomplished ITU career. If the Spaniard's victory sent a shudder through the Olympic field, then surely another Vanessa Fernandes win has Beijing-bound triathlete's nervous. Placing's further down the field have also sent shock waves through the Australian team.

Bill Davoren is a man with plenty on his mind. Last weekend was a disastrous one for the Australian Olympic Triathlon Team. Good results for both Russian and U.S. teams mean that the strength of the Australian team could be compromised. We caught up with Triathlon Australia's High Performance Director waiting for his flight out of Madrid, one he was probably happy to take. We get the inside word on what happened in Madrid, how the team now shapes up, Brad Kahlefeldt's injury and the up and coming world titles in Vancouver.

The second week of the Giro d'Italia, like any Grand Tour, can be an odd thing. Generally, the road goes skyward and the speedsters think about surviving. The favorites can no longer hide away in the bunch. If their form is good and the race situation right, week two is where they must come out to play to be a contender. Tactics play a crucial role, particularly in the midsection of the race; dosing effort, preserving effort by gaining time only when the opportunity presents and metering attacks to when there's maximum advantage over your opponents all come into play. All this is cycling 101.  Those who ride the Giro know though that theory is often thrown out the window in the heat of battle.

Ironman racing was in full swing this weekend with races in both Lanzarote and Brazil. Both races had good professionals fields who were no doubt keen to leave their mark on a global Ironman weekend. The number of races are somewhat a double edged sword; multiple races in a year means there's always a race to compete in and opens up the sport to more pros and age groupers. But does this dilute the quality of the fields? Time will tell on this one but this weekend saw some great performances.

There are two Ironman races this weekend. Both have good professional fields mainly from Europe. Lanzarote is known as one of the hardest races in the Ironman world. It's desolate and volcanic and there is not a lot to see. Now where have we seen that description before? Lanzarote is known as the Hawaii of Europe and so it is a little surprising there are not more North American and Australian professionals there to race.

The ITU caravan rolls into Madrid this weekend for the 200th World Cup event, a fantastic milestone for the ITU. The World Cup started back in 1991 and has now progressed to be a bone fide world competition. This was capped off at the Sydney Olympics where triathlon made a spectacular debut on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. The ITU race in Madrid is going to be a cracker with Olympic places up for grabs in the British and German camps and there are those who are using this race as a genuine tune up for the Worlds in Vancouver.

For more on these hot news topics go to www.tri-alliance.com.au

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BEST WAYS TO HAVE A PRODUCTIVE OFF-SEASON

Now that it's off season, the same question seems to be asked by many triathlete's, both budding and experienced....."How do i have a productive off-season?" So we decided to compile some points that will help guide all fellow triathlete's, and give some idea on how to maintain fitness, and build strength in the off-season.

-- Strong consistent running base

Ask almost any experienced Triathlete and you will find that one of the keys to maintaining fitness in the off-season is to be consistent with your weekly run volume. This will build the small muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the lower leg, thus allowing you to run greater miles at higher intensities in the future. For your off-season run training, try to do the following:
· Reduce the frequency of your runs. If you are running 5 days a week for example, try just 3 or 4 runs per week.
·Try to maintain some track sessions with drills incorporated into the sessions, perhaps after the warm up. Drills help you to not forget how to run fast!
· Keep up with your weekly long run, as this tends to be the hardest one to develop. If you maintain a regular long run, you won't have to start from scratch when you do training closer to race season. You will already have a decent fitness level to build on.

-- Improve cycling and swimming technique

Cold, dark, and rainy. Yes, these are the kind of days we have been seeing of late, with 3 degree mornings in Melbourne, placing morning rides on the back burner for many people. But fear not!!! These freezing cold mornings are good for some things, as they mean more time indoors on a wind trainer. This offers an excellent opportunity for isolated leg and spinning drills. It's also an excellent opportunity to take the emphasis off of trying to gain swim fitness, and putting more emphasis on improving stroke technique through drills and professional opinion.

-- Improve Your Power-to-Weight Ratio

You have two athletes of the same height, the same fitness, the same aerobic capacity, yet athlete 1 weighs 70kg, and athlete 2 weighs 77kg. This means that athlete 1 will have the greater power-to-weight ratio, and therefore be faster than athlete 2. It doesn't seem fair does it? They have the same levels of fitness as each other, it's just that athlete 2 weighs a bit more. In order for the two to become more even matched, athlete 2 needs to lose weight...

-- How can I lose weight?

This questions seems to be the most asked question in the world these days, even though the answer is incredibly simple: Calories in < Calories out. Burn more calories than you eat on a consistent basis and you will lose weight over time.

You can increase the amount of calories your body burns by increasing your metabolism. Since it takes more calories per day to maintain muscle than to maintain fat, the best way to speed up your metabolism is to increase your lean muscle mass. You add lean muscle mass by adding weight training to your weekly exercise regimen, and perhaps adding a whey protein powder to your diet to be consumed after exercise.

You can also increase your metabolism by INCREASING the amount of times you eat per day. Yes, that's right, increasing. Although it makes no sense to most people, if you have 5-6 smaller meals per day rather than 3 big meals per day, your body will burn energy faster because it knows that you are going to be regularly nourishing it, rather than letting it go hungry for a couple of hours, forcing it to hold onto the energy that it has. If you are the kind of person that starts getting those 3.30pm hunger issues, this style of eating will also help you, as it will decrease the chances of you reaching for that overly indulgent snack every day. We were designed to "graze" on food throughout the day, so it only makes sense to eat the way nature intended us to eat.

-- Positive mind set

Ok, so here's the section that most people skip over. I mean, what incredible benefit could a positive mind set have on the way i train? Sure, it'll help a little bit, but not that much. Right?

Well, sorry all you non-believers.....you'd be WRONG! A positive mind set can be the difference between you actually doing a session, or remaining seated on that couch in front of the TV. It could be the difference between you doing that interval session at 80% effort like you're coach wanted you to do, or you doing the interval session at 70% effort. It really is a big contributor to performance. Think back to a time when you've woken up on the wrong side of the bed, had a terrible day at work, the cafe that you go to for lunch had run out of chicken AND avocado for the chicken and avocado focaccia that you usually buy, and you're boss made you stay back after knock off time to do some extra work. Well, maybe that didn't all happen in one day, but it made you feel pretty crappy when it came round to training didn't it? And all because you were in a negative mind set So try to stay in that positive mind set at all times. Be a "the glass is half full" kind of person, and it's a guarantee that your training will benefit from it.

SWIM

They're a problem for a lot of athletes wanting to improve their technique in the water, so here's some tips to help you out in these instances...

Problem: Exhaustion by the end of a few laps

Solution: Breath holding without realising it, or poor breathing technique will cause fatigue. Make sure you exhale slowly while your face is in the water, so that during the body roll you can inhale.

Problem: Legs low and head high in the water

Solution: A streamlined body is key for efficiency in the pool. Your head shoulder, hips and feet should all be at the surface of the water to minimize drag. Your head should be looking down and slightly forward, and the body roll should be used to breathe – not lifting of the head. Studies have found that a mere two inch lift of the head can cause a 12 inch dropping of the feet, so think about that when you're next swimming!

BIKE

Now that's it's coming into winter, it's the time to start longer rides, and the key to long-distance riding is preparation. You will need:

• A repair kit, at least one spare inner tube, a pump, tire levers, allen wrenches, a spoke wrench, a cell phone or coins, and money to take the train if all else fails. Riding long distances means that it is impractical to walk home.

• Plenty of food and water. Don't under-estimate this. You need to eat and drink all the time, before you feel hungry or thirsty. Otherwise you run the risk of "hitting the wall". Good foods to take with you on your long rides include Powerbars, gels, jam sandwich, bananas, energy bars, gatorade, etc. It is a good idea to eat something every half hour to maintain those glycogen levels.

• If you are riding in an area that is not familiar to you, it is a good idea to bring a map of the area with you so that in case of separation from the group, you are able to still make your own way home. Mobile phones are also essential.

• Clothing MUST be appropriate for the type of day that you are riding on. If you do not come properly prepared for a freezing cold morning especially, you are sure to have a miserable long ride. Soo think ahead!

It is also essential that you remember to treat the long slow bike ride as exactly that. Don't try to push the boundaries by riding at your normal pace that you might ride for a shorter distance ride, as these long rides are all about stamina and endurance.

RUN

We at Tri-Alliance like to place a large emphasis on technique and style for running, so as to make it easier for the athlete in the future. So here's some tips on posture that you may apply to you r own running technique...

Head: Keep your head tilted down slightly. Look forward at the ground in front of you, 10 to 20 feet ahead, and concentrate on trying to run in a straight line. Your jaw and neck should be relaxed.

Torso: Bend slightly forward from the waist to create a bit of a forward lean. (You want gravity on your side.) Keep your upper body “open,” which will permit easier breathing.

Hips: Hips should be in line with head and shoulders. Your foot should strike directly under your hips.

Shoulders: Keep them relaxed and square, and do not hunch over because this tends to restrict the breathing passage and make it harder for the muscles to work as they are not receiving the great amounts oxygen that they need to perform.

Arms: Arms should be held low, bent at a 90-degree angle and relaxed. The arms should swing up and down, bringing your hands to your sternum at the top of the swing, and brush them past your waistband on the downswing, bringing them back behind your body. The arm movement should minimize the rotation of the torso.

As it is not hard to break old habits, try to incorporate any new additions to you running style very slowly, and maybe only practice them for a few minutes at a time to begin with, slowly increasing the times each session.

GLYCOGEN

This is your muscles stored energy. Glycogen is the substance that, when you run out of it on a long ride for example, makes you "hit the wall" as you have run out of the easiest thing for the body to break down to convert to energy. The greater the energy expenditure, the greater the depletion of glycogen. But it can be restored with carbohydrates.

Now the confusing part is with what type of carbohydrates should you eat: simple or complex? Both are helpful at different times....

-- Complex is your slow digesting energy source (pasta, whole wheat…). This is the type that will be best the night before and up to 3 hours before your race as it is a long lasting energy source for the body.

-- Simple carbohydrates (juice, candy, some fruits) get into your muscles a lot faster then the complex carbohydrates, so they do not need as much time to digest. Simple carbohydrates are also great right after your race for faster recovery. The sooner your muscle gets replenished with glycogen after a workout the better, so go for the simple carbohydrates after a race or intense training session.

Heel and Arch Pain

The most common foot complaint in active people is pain in the heel or arch region. Here we’ll discuss the common causes and symptoms of heel pain, as well as some simple and effective forms of treatment you can do at home and after training.

Causes

Most people who experience heel pain report symptoms directly under the heel bone, and/or sometimes a little further forward into the arch. It is often inaccurately referred to as “heel spur syndrome”, however, we now know that in the vast majority of cases a heel spur is rarely the problem. In fact, about 10 - 30% of us have a spur that doesn’t cause any troubles. By far the major cause of pain in this area is inflammation of the plantar fascia, hence the name of the condition: plantar fasciitis.

The main fibres of the plantar fascia attach to the base of the heel bone. They then run along the arch of the foot and insert under the big toe. Its job is to support the arch, but when there’s too much pull on the fascia, minor tears can form. These are usually directly under the heel where it attaches (hence the site of pain), although we also can see it in the arch, and rarely, towards the front of the foot. Too much pull on the plantar fascia can be the result of a lot of different things, however the main recognised causes include training errors (including running technique), faulty foot biomechanics and incorrect footwear.

Symptoms

Symptoms of plantar fasciitis are commonly much worse when we first get out of bed and take our first steps of the day. The pain often then eases after walking for a little while, and can then return towards the end of the day, or upon standing after sitting down for some time. Triathlete's may occasionally notice it at the start of a run after being on the bike for a while, or towards the end of longer runs.

Treatment

Most cases of plantar fasciitis respond well to basic forms of therapy such as stretching, ice and training modifications including rest and cross training. Here are some simple things you can try:

• Before you first get out of bed and step on the foot in the morning, stretch the plantar fascia by pulling the toes towards the shin. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 10 times. Also include this stretch in your cool down, and if you can, at other times during the day (the more the better!).
• Freeze a small soft drink bottle filled with water. Three times a day, and always after training, take it out of the freezer, place it on the ground, and using some pressure, roll the painful spot back and forward over the bottle. Do this for 15-20 minutes – never longer and never more than once per hour.
• Whenever you get a chance, take your shoe off and roll your foot over a tennis ball using some pressure. You can also try this after training.
• Ease off slightly on the running until symptoms ease. In some instances you may need to stop running altogether for a short period of time. Substitute the running for cycling and swimming.

Bounce Podiatrists are experts in the assessment of foot and leg biomechanics and the treatment and prevention of foot and lower leg injuries. If your symptoms don’t improve, or if you would like more information on heel or other forms of foot pain, come down and see us on the ground floor at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Center, or book an appointment on 1300 855 442.  We offer ALL Tri Alliance members 5-10% off podiatry, physiotherapy and myotherapy consultations.

Written by Kade Paterson, Sports Podiatrist, Bounce Health Group, Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre, Albert Park

WINDTRAINERS

As it was mentioned in the "Tips and Tricks" section, we decided to put in a section on the humble windtrainer, just in case there are some triathlete's out there that are in the dark with regards to windtrainers.

Windtrainers currently range from very reasonably priced, to absolutely ridiculously priced, so if your looking at buying a windtrainer to keep up the fitness on those freezing winter mornings that are almost impossible to go out in on a bike, then place yourself in the correct category for prices depending on your income.

There is a huge range to chose from out there, so have a good look around before you lash out and buy a windtrainer. Despite the price though, it is a guaranteed way to keep yourself cycle fit in winter for triathlons, and you can do some killer interval sessions on them too

So go out and have a browse!!

Yes you did see correctly. We have a great NEW venue again right near the ocean, and this years camp will have new bush trails and tracks for running, the same great ocean swimming (optional), great Mountain Bike Rides and Tracks.

BUT...in a new innovation we will be running it more as TEAM BOOT CAMP weekend.  Some of the activities will include military course, orienteering, vertical challenge, Indoor Rock Climbing, High and Low Ropes, Kayaking..... As well as the ride, run and swim sessions you are used to on the Queens Birthday weekend camp.

This will be conducted on the Queens B’Day Weekend from Friday June 6th – Monday June 9th 2008

For more information please contact Jarrod Evans on jarrod@tri-alliance.com.au

More..........

The CBD program will now have a brand new timetable with 2 swims, 2 bikes, 2 runs. STARTS TUESDAY JUNE 10th. The new timetable will be:
--Monday Swim 6.30pm
--Tuesday indoor wind trainer session 6.30pm
--Wednesday swim 6.30pm
--Thursday run 6.30pm
--Friday based on numbers and if the program goes well, possibility of a swim at 6.30
--Saturday long ride with squad
--Sunday long run to either start from the corner of Pickles and Beach Road, or alternatively, if feedback provides, MSAC  

So, if you are interested in training at MSAC and using the venues, what you will get will be:
--the 6 sessions suggested above
--Entry into MSAC, which is a premium facility in Victoria
--Entry into 3 winter events with runriderun.com
--Full generic program
--The program will be ongoing  and you can still pay by direct debit or up front for blocks.  This will be set up as the MSAC Tri Alliance program in the renew and join up sections of the web site.
All for only $35 a week which is outstanding value.
If you compare that to the current generic program you will pay $25 per week coaching fees, $14 per week for swimming if training at CBD, and if you enter a Triathlon Victoria duathlon, this will cost $50 per entry.  Weekly costs is now approaching up to $50 per week on the current scheme for a CBD athlete doing the current generic program.  

You can upgrade to a fully personalised program if you choose or we are also looking at casual sessions for those who want to do the once off session.  As you would understand there is facility costs that we will be absorbing within your fees with this program but in terms of value for money and the venue it is second to none.

If you have any further question about this please let me know.

For more information contact CBD Cycles on (03) 9639 2299 shop 1 top of Bourke St or (03) 9642 8766 at shop 2 bottom of Bourke St Melbourne.

Email, sales@cbdcycles.com.au

1. First off the bike race news
2. Swim
3. Bike
4. Run
5. Nutrition
6. Injury Topics brought to you by Bounce Health MSAC
7. Triathlon Accessories
8. New toys on the Market brought to you by CBD Cycles
9. Tri Alliance and RUNRIDERUN.COM Starting full multisports timetable from MSAC 10th of June.
10. CBD Cycles Drapac Team Bikes For Sale brought to you by CBD Cycles
11. Tri Alliance Bike Kit On Sale @ CBD Cycles

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