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Team Nagi Coaching Newsletter – July 2017

 

Hi Guys,

Well it’s been a roller coaster of a month to say the least!

The downside was that The Park Club finally closed on July 16th for a 9 month refurb, the upside is we have found a fantastic new venue at David Lloyds Heston to transfer to during this period. I’ve been given a tremendous welcome by the club manager Mary Jones and if you haven’t already met her please go up and introduce yourself to her. She’s really excited to have us there and is looking forward to meeting you.

Over the past week I’ve spent some quality time at the club getting a feel for the place, I honestly don’t think we could have found a better venue. It has a very relaxed vibe and the team is young, friendly and welcoming. The pools have also been extremely quiet and it’s been terrific to see so many of you here swimming already. The feedback has been extremely positive and I can’t wait to kick things off in September. There will be new lane ropes and a pool clock will be in place during the coming weeks.

I also wanted to give you an update on my whereabouts over the next few weeks. As of next week (7th – 19th) I will be heading out to LA for 5 days, then 6 days in San Francisco with a short stay in Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite in between. It’s a trip i’ve always wanted to make and comes at the perfect time.

The reason being is because this part of the world is a mecca for some of the best triathletes in the world. It’s a beautiful training environment that draws many athletes in. It’s also the home of some of the world’s best coaches. Two of these I will be meeting and spending time with – Gerry Rodrigues and Matt Dixon. These are coaches I have a huge amount of respect for because they have given so much back to the triathlon world over the past 20 years.

They also have the most amazing set ups out there that help develop triathletes of all levels from beginner to world class pro. I’m looking forward to immersing myself in this environment and coming back to the UK full of ideas for the season ahead.

I will try to blog as much as feasible so you can experience some of the journey with me so please watch this space.

Wishing you all a great summer!

Julian

Team Race News

 

July is always one of the busiest racing months and I’m pleased to say that our guys and girls did us proud. There were many stand-out performances, with a few being just a little bit special.

3 athletes managed to qualify to race at the Triathlon World Championships and 1 qualified to race at European Triathlon Championships. Huge congratulations to:

– Helen Read who put in a gutsy performance to claim her first ever slot to race for Team GB in September. Helen finished 3rd in her 60-64 category at the Arundel triathlon to finish in 2:51:31. This is a performance I’m particularly proud of due to the number of hurdles Helen has had to overcome to get there. The biggest of these being terrified of swimming in open water! Something many will relate to, but this determined lady didn’t shy away from it and met the challenge head on. She is now starting to reap the rewards and move her confidence to a whole new level.

– Elvira Stromback placed a fantastic 3rd in her AG at the Sweden 70.3 in (40-44) 5:11:56. Such a impressive performance after being away from the sport for a long time. This bodes extremely well for the future, it’s time to start to believe Elvira!

– Paul Pulze proved you’ve go to be in it to win it claiming a thoroughly deserved roll down slot for the 70.3 World Champs in Chattanooga in September.

– Jeremy Cole came 3rd at the Castle triathlon series to qualify yet again to race at the European Triathlon Champs in Estonia next year.

JC castle triathlon series

Full race results list:

Challenge Roth – Iron distance

– Simon North (60-64) 12:55:11 (1:29:59 swim / 6:20:50 bike / 4:51:13 run)

Simon North Roth

Sweden 70.3 

– Elvira Stromback (40-44)  5:11:56  (32:27 swim / 2:46:18 bike / 1:43:31 run)  3rd place AG

Edinburgh 70.3 – (shortened swim)

– Andy Rogerson (30-34)  4:55:29  (19:03 swim / 2:51:20 bike / 1:39:20 run)

– Jerome Jones (40-44)  5:12:17  (20:26 swim / 2:59:11 bike / 1:46 run)

JJ holkham

– Paul Pulze (35-39)  5:23:48  (23:07 swim / 3:05 bike / 1:46:39 run)

Holkham 70.3 

– Tash Jackson (30-34) 5:12:29 (34:53 swim / 2:48 bike / 1:44 run) 5th place AG

– Toby Dean (45-49) 5:14:33  (31:41 swim / 2:42:16 bike / 1:55:33 run)

– Ed Seaton (45-49)  5:26:09  (37:22 swim / 2:46:40 bike / 1:56:52 run)

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Team Relays

– Jonathan Turner  2:59:13 (Bike leg)
– Tran Seaton 3:05:32 (Bike leg)
– Jo Dean 38:20 (Swim leg)
– Anna John 34:38 (Swim leg)

London Olympic triathlon 

– Eric Kump  2:43:04  (36:25 swim / 1:11:46 bike / 51:08 run)

– Gehan Abou-Ameira  3:09:41  (53:21 swim / 1:16:26 bike / 51:08 run)

Arundel Olympic triathlon 

– Helen Read (60-64)  2:51:31  (26:13 swim / 1:23:35 bike / 58:06 run) 3rd place AG

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– David Magyar (55-59) 2:30:56   (25:30 swim / 1:17:59 bike / 45:14 run)

DM Arundel

Eton Dorney Olympic triathlon

– Alex Tanti 2:17:37  (24:56 swim / 1:04:45 bike / 45:29 run) 10th place AG

– Stefano Lolli 2:29:21  (29:39 swim / 1:09:16 bike / 46:31 run)

– Aymeric De Jessey 2:24:34 (27:00 swim / 1:12:00 bike / 42:00 run)

Property triathlon

– Paul Pulze (35-39) 1:11:33  ( 13:15swim / 35:03 bike /20:52 run)

The Dragon ride finishers 

– Jonathan Turner  7:09:00

– Tran Seaton  7:09:00

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L’Etape du Tour finishers 

– Elvira Stromback 8:58:39

– Jonathan Turner 10:26:23. Big shout out to JT who came through a double hernia op just weeks before the start of this event, but still manage to keep battle his way through. A performance to be proud of.

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Bosphorus 6.5km sea swim

– Claire Rimmer 1:09:00

– Carmen Prem  1:09:00

Carem bosphourous 

Photo of the month

                                                           “This one hurt (lots)…but I loved it”

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If there was ever a statement and a photo that summed up the spirit of an athlete up it’s this one. Some people just relish the challenge of digging deep and pushing their body to new limits. Loving your work as always Terry Rodham, Ironman Denmark won’t know what’s hit it.

Q & A  with Olympic distance World Championship Qualifier – Helen Read

HB May 21

Name:

Helen Read

Age:

29
(oh okaaaay ….. 63)

Years in triathlon:

In my second proper triathlon year.
I did no sport activity from leaving school until an 8 minute jog on a treadmill 13 years ago.

Occupation:

Accountant.

Luckily I run my office from home, which helps considerably.  In the summer I often “cycle to work” in Richmond Park (on my doorstep) as an added extra.  Working for myself also allows me to take training breaks in the middle of the afternoon and return to my desk in the evening.

Favourite training session:

Any endurance training but probably the Richmond Park runs are my favourite. Huge variety in route length and type.

Least favourite training session:

Nothing in particular but each plan has its nemesis and currently it’s the session that has the words Turbo and Mad Pace.

Favourite training track:

Peace and quiet.

Favourite training venue/location:

I have a love-hate relationship with Heron Lake, Wraysbury.
Five years ago my niece challenged me to do the Padstow to Rock swim which sounds easy enough if you can do front crawl and enjoy swimming in the sea of which I did neither.  So I taught myself freestyle (from You Tube) then took lessons in Heron Lake, a local gravel pit – it was murky and freezing cold.  Six weeks later I succeeded in my challenge and beat my niece.  After all that effort I simply couldn’t stop there but what to do …… then came the London Olympics and the triathlon seed was sown.
Every year I return to Heron Lake fighting myself, the fishes, algae, weed, cold pools, swans and sheer size of the reservoir.  Almost giving up but somehow not.  Last year’s Worthing Standard tri swimming in a force 5/6 gale finally put all this fear to bed and I’ve not looked back.
Now I just enjoy the freedom of that never-ending swim in this beautiful, safe, filtered water lake.

Training hours per week:

Around 9 hours a week but stepped up recently to 12 hours.

How was your training build up to the Arundel qualifier?

This year started well and then in March, like so many, I was hit with that terrible bug then started back too hard and picked up an injury.
To me it seemed like a long slog to get my fitness back but I stuck to Coach’s training plans and finally felt some strength return.  I tried to keep calm throughout which was fully tested two weeks before the race when my bike was stolen.  Huge thanks to Richard Melik at Freespeed who sourced and fitted its replacement which arrived the Friday evening of race weekend.

What were your race goals?

I made a terrible mistake at my previous standard tri in Chester.  Lost my focus and was influenced by chatter before the race – the result was predictably bad.  However, I heard many of the ladies talking about Arundel and got the bit between my teeth.  I really wanted to prove to myself that I was better than last post and make those ladies Eat Dirt.  So I dug in, followed Julian’s training plan as best I could in the heat getting up extra early to train before work when necessary.  The week before the race life threw me some serious curve balls but I “parked them up” and got my focus fully on the race (that lesson has been well and truly learnt).

How did it go?

Better than I could have possibly hoped for.  A good river swim where I started well, fought for my water and kept to my own pace.  A hilly bike circuit, which our training plan had prepared for, and then two gruelling run laps on a hilly flint path topped by a set of steps where I just had to dig deep.
To discover that I had pipped another competitor to 3rd place by 85 seconds and taken 8 minutes off my Olympic race PB – oh happy day

What are the key elements you’ve put in place to move to that next level this year ? 

Just three come to mind:

I’ve finally realized that on the swims I don’t have to hold something back in case I’m about to drown.
I realize the importance of that focus.
I’ve found an inkling of self belief that needs nurturing.

What’s next ?

My first attempt at Middle Distance in August – nervously excited.  This is well beyond anything else I’ve attempted but am looking forward to seeing what it feels like to push myself further.
Then, of course, that first Team GB AG race in Rotterdam – yes, ME in a GB trisuit !!