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

We hope you are enjoying our editions of Tri-Alliance e-news, and are getting the information that you need to help yourself through your training program in the off-season. If you would like to see any specific information in these newsletters that we have not yet covered, please contact us at news@tri-alliance.com.au, or for an answer requiring a quick response, go to http://www.triathlon-forum.com/

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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SWIM

SWIM SESSIONS

As we are now currently well into our off season for triathlon, you should all be well into some heavy sessions for swimming to increase your strength in the water, and build a good base for you to work on when it comes round to the race season. But if you havn't already been hitting the water on a regular base for whatever reason it may be, then here's some good sessions that may motivate you to get up on those cold, dark mornings, and actually do the training!!

SESSION 1

400m w/u
4x100m medley
8x50m solid effort
2-4x200m
6-10x50m kick

200-400m cooldown

SESSION 2

400-600m warmup
2x200m medley
4x50m solid effort
4(150m paddles & pool buoy, 2x50m kick)
6-12x50m hard

cooldown

SESSION 3

400-600m warmup
2x200m medley with flippers
8x50m
3-5(400m freestyle, 100m backstroke)
10x50m (odds fast, evens cruisey

cooldown

BIKE

WET ROAD SAFETY

So, this is what happened the other weekend. We're riding up King Lake (yes, i know, a nice, relaxing, cruisey drive......BUT WE WERE RIDING UP IT!!!), and upon finally making it to the top, having a nice snack from the local bakery for energy, and jumping back onto the bike to ride home with the rest of my riding compatriots.......it started raining. No, this term is not correct. I believe the correct term is that it started bucketing down!! This was of particular concern for us, as we now had to make the already dangerous decent down the hill for 5km.

So this article is goin to be based on how to try to be safer if you ever get caught in the rain on your long rides.

-- Make sure you always have lights on your bike. Flashing ones tend to get the attention of drivers more so than others, but any bright lights will essentially do.

-- When it is wet, DO NOT sit as close to the wheel in front of you as you usually would. It is much easier to skid or slip on a wet road, so the further away you are from the person in front of you, the more time that you have to manoeuvre your way through any potential crashes, or obstacles on the road.

-- If it is already heavily raining when you get up in the morning, and the weather report suggests that it's just going to get worse throughout the day, it might be an idea to pull out the rollers or windtrainer for a couple of hours instead. It's better to be safe than sorry.

-- You know how bad it is to drive in the wet with regards to vision and how much harder it makes it, so don't give drivers a chance to not see you. Make sure that you dress in easy to see clothing. Yes, i know, this may mean getting out the daggy fluoro rain coat!!     

-- Change your tyres if they are old and dodgy!! Bald tyres makes it even easier to slip or skid on the road.

-- Try to avoid those white lines. When it starts raining, the road lines tend to become very slippery, and make it very easy for you to fall off.

-- tram tracks are already the mortal enemy of the bike rider!! But they are even worse in the wet. So just try to avoid them altogether!!!

RUN

POSTURE

When running, possibly the most easiest way to ensure that you are on the way to faster running id to make sure that your running posture is correct. I know, it doesn't make as much sense as hitting the big k's or the fast running sessions, but if you don't have the correct posture when you are doing this, it;s almost all a waste of time.

When we talk about perfect posture during running, we are talking about having a strong, upright carriage which allows you to move forward as one unit, and means your muscles won't be wasting energy on trying to maintain as much balance as they may have had to. Think about it.......if you have a car that is out of wheel alignment, it is going to take up more power to drive than it usually does. If you're body alignment is also out of whack, then you too will take up more energy than is necessary.

An upright body also allows you to increase speed straight away, as it allows you to stretch out your legs more so than you would be able to if you are slumped over in posture.

Correct posture will also lead to less injuries, as there is not as much strain or stretching on the muscles in your lower back and legs when you have a good posture to work with.

And most importantly, it will increase lung capacity. When you are upright you will breathe easier and get more oxygen to those working muscles.

So the next time your out there for a running session, make sure you pay special attention to posture when you are running. It may even be worth substituting a hard interval session with an easy long run, just so that you can pay more attention to your postural habits. It will be worth it in the long run.

If you and your better half often find yourselfs training together because you both have the same training program, make sure you don't also have the same "eating program". The nutritional needs for men and women vary greatly, so if you are both eating exactly the same things at most meals, you are likely to be missing out on specific nutrients that are needed specifically for whichever gender you are.

FEMALES - for women, the emphasis is mainly placed on iron and calcium. Iron is of great importance to women as they are prone to low iron levels due to menstrual cycles. This, as well as the added stresses that come with regular training mean that you need to make sure that you are consuming at least 18mg of iron per day, which can be obtained through lean red meats, muscles, green leafy vegies, iron supplementation.

As women are also more prone to the risk of osteoporosis, it is also important that calcium levels are maintained through the consumption of dairy foods, and calcium fortified foods. This will ensure the maintenance of strong healthy bones needed particularly to keep up with that training!!

MEN - while men have less to worry about in terms of osteoporosis and low iron levels, you must pay special attention to zinc levels which can be obtained through oysters and seafoods. Magnesium is also of great importance, however this is important for all....

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong.There is also an increasing opinion that magnesium may also help inpreventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. You can consume more magnesium by including foods in your diet such as green leafy vegies such as spinach, wholegrain cereals, nuts and seeds.

TRI BARS

Well, what can i say about tri bars. They've helped me out on many a windy race day or training ride. Just being able to get into that aerodynamic position and getting a little bit away from that constant and annoying wind is a blessing. So this is why we suggest tri bars.

But before you go out and buy a set of aerodynamic tri bars, make sure you look into it. There are many types, varieties and styles available to you, and you need to find the one that is most comfortable for you.

So get out there or get onto the net and have a look at what is most suitable for you.

Here's some examples of designs and types of bars on the market:

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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