Murray Man - Australian Long Course AG Championship

Here we go the first race blog for the year and what a way to get it started. Murray Man – Australian Long Course Age Group Championships. 

Back in June I decided I wanted to target this race for the sole purpose of taking an Australian LC title.  At the time and right up until the day it seemed like a big task, I knew that I’d have to hit a pb to get there, but considered it achievable. There has been a lot happening over the last 12 months with the move to Canberra, a change of coach and the constant travel to and from Newcastle to keep the mortgage payments coming in, so to say there was a full focus towards training would be a stretch.

Coming under the reins of Corey Bacon “Coach Corey” and the Performance Triathlon Coaching squad was a big change. A very different approach, going from a LC based approach to a SC approach meant that I was venturing into unknown territory.  Essentially a different approach and focus to training and I have to say that right up until after the race I was still unsure how everything would go. A hit out a few weeks earlier in Yamba hadn’t gone exactly to plan with high temperatures and losing my nutrition on the bike meant I was playing a game of catch most of the day. Overall not the result I wanted, but looking back a lot of positives to take on board considering it was my first real race in over 10 months after some serious fatigue problems.

Onto the Murray man, arriving on the fri afternoon we (Alicia took out 4^th overall Female in the Half Murray, Again missing the podium by less than 10s…. Apparently she is unfit? hehehe) took a bit of tie to have a look at the course, pretty flat and open… This means winds.  My thoughts?  You beauty!!! Hopefully race day delivers the conditions I am after; I’ll need all the help I can get. 

Race morning came and we headed off to Barmera (from Berri) to get things underway. Not too warm, some solid wind and slightly overcast. Although I was still a little unsure in where I was performance wise, I was happy and ready to get this one underway. 

The swim got cracking with the Open guys (and some dickhead AG’ers) starting 50m off shore and I slowly set myself the goal of catching the main pack.  I can’t say I really took much else in until that point which was about 1400m into the 2k. Once on the back of the wash I had a look around and noticed there was only one other AG cap in the mix so decided to sit on for the ride and cruise out the final half a km coming in just on 28 mins. Tick one… good swim.

Onto the bike and the 4 x 20km loops.  By now which was still early the wind had start to build so I knew I’d have an advantage, especially heading back to town into a pretty strong head wind. I set myself the goal of being smart and watching the power output, wanting to try as best I could to prepare myself for a good run. Each loop coming through 31mins, 30 mins, 31 mins and finally the last lap 31mins…. Wow, I was surprised… Had the plan worked that well? Only time could tell. I did have some guide that I was riding well in the weeks leading up, however a 2:03 80k, and one of the quickest bike times of the day was still a surprise. Either way I headed into t2 in the overall AG lead, I didn’t know this at the time but I had not seen too many guys up the road and thought to myself, surely there’s no other AG guys up there. 

With about a 1:30 lead in the overall AG race over Ryan Waddington onto the run, I knew my lead would be short lived. To win my AG I knew I’d have to run well, but to beat Ryan….. Not going to happen.  He promptly wound me in after about 3km on his way to the day’s fastest 70 min run split. So with that as the benchmark, I knew I was in the mix and more than likely 2^nd o/all age grouper. My thoughts before heading into the race were, If I can run 1:30 or better, I should win, Simple as that. Did I think it was possible? Sure, but I can’t say I was super confident, my fastest 20km prior to this was a 1:28 so I knew it was possible, however the disruption and injuries always leave a sense of doubt.  I just had to believe in what I had been doing. The evidence was there. I just had to have faith and as CC kept saying…. Trust the plan!!!

Feeling pretty good I held a solid 4:10 /km pc for around 13-14km. But the lack of consistent volume associated with the leg injury had to show up eventually….. Then Bam!! There was that non ideal prep. 4:10 slid to 4:20 then to 4:30 and it became all battle stations. I think knowing or expecting it was coming helped me to control the race and if I could minimise the damage (not ride too hard and pace the first 10) id get through it. Heading through 19km in a bit over 1:22 and blowing pretty hard I was caught by another guy who looked like he could be in my AG, I just hoped. Hoped he wasn’t, there was nothing left, I tried to chase but the motor was already redlined. For that last 500m I had kind of let myself accept that I might have lost the title with just 800m to go. . . I can’t really remember what I thought during that period. There was probably more hope and disbelief than anything but as I headed into the finish chute and the final 100m I heard the announcer call me through as the first 30-34 male and 3^rd overall age grouper…… That moment, wow, you fell like your flying… a combination of relief and elation, It is a little hard to describe (a good old fist pump does he trick hehehe). Not wanting to slow down I kept pushing until I crossed that line, all with a pb run 1:26 on the watch…. What a day…. Trust in the Plan alright, training, race, nutrition… WOW…… To have set taking an Australian Championship as a bit of a stretch goal for the season and achieving it, I was happy, very very happy.

I need to mention as always my fiancé and number one supporter Alicia. Although she is my partner, I think her decision to make a few changes to my race nutrition about two weeks out was a pretty big addition to the day’s performance. Nutrition - Absolutely nailed!  Also my new coach Corey (CC), I know I need to get to Canberra full time; trust me I’m working on it, but have to say I am really liking where we are going. Trust the plan!! hehe. To my old coaches Rod and Ben who helped lay the foundations for the athlete I am and having faith, I think if it wasn’t for you guys I wouldn’t have made the sporting change. Not to mention your support with me making the most recent change. The Guys from DRIFT bike in Newcastle for getting me on the ride and looking after me with everything Specialized i need....

Where to next?.. Hmmm…. not sure as there are plans and I know I can’t stop here, there is so much more to achieve. I remember saying to a good friend a few years ago just before making the switch to Triathlon I wasn’t going to waste an opportunity like I have others.  This result has helped prove to myself that I am being honest with myself and keeping my word. So…. Maybe a crack at a world title? A change in distance? Who knows?  Either way I’ll be happy if the improve continues and we can see where we end up.