Training on the famous Noosa Triathlon Hill Climb

The past month has seen racing downunder really hit it's straps. MSC has had athletes race across distances from the enticer - first timers chalking up a first event right up to Ironman and everything in-between. The national series is well underway with a few of the squad travelling to get a qualification for the TWC in 08 in Vancouver, Canada.
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The Noosa triathlon held it's 25th running with conditions very hot on the run and times a little slower then the previous year. With Christmas coming fast and a break in the race calendar for a few weeks it is a good time to get some endurance miles back in the system and re-focus for the second part of the season. It's been another big year and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the MSC athletes, squad members and sponsors for your support. Train smart to race hard! Nick

Our fourth Tri Clinic featuring German Tour De France Stage winner Marcel Wust was a great success with attendance again seeing the Noosa SLSC training room packed. Another series of clinics will take place towards the end of the season leading into the off season.

Thanks to the Noosa SLSC for providing the venue and the Noosa Tri club for subsudising the clinics and keeping the entry fee's low and of course to our presenters.


Wetsuit / Speedsuit Guidelines from Triathlon Australia
Rules regarding swim suits/wetsuits and water temperatures.

A.
Competitors must:
Wear a Speed Suit for the entire event if it is worn in an event where wetsuits are not permitted. The Speed Suit must remain over both shoulders at all times with only the zipper able to be undone for heat relief;

B.
The temperature limits for the use of wetsuits and maximum time to be in the water for the varying swim distances are as follows:

a. - Elite, Under-23, Open and Junior competitors

Distance Forbidden Above Mandatory Below Maximum Time
Up to 1500m 20o C 14o C 30 mins
1501m - 3000m 23o C 15o C 1 hour 40 mins
3001m and above 24o C 16o C 2 hours 15 mins

b. - Under-19 and Age Group competitors

Distance Forbidden Above Mandatory Below Maximum Time
Up to 1500m 24o C 14o C 1 hour 10 mins
1501m - 3000m 24o C 15o C 1 hour 40 mins
3001m and above 24o C 16o C 2 hours 15 mins



Noosa Triathlon November 4
Justin Hunter - 2.07.40 (5th M 30-34)
Matt O'Neill - 2.08.16 (2nd M 25-29)
Jay Patterson - 2.10.12 (M35-39)
Jason Cheshire - 2.19.06 (M30-34)
Jess Fleming - 2.20.52 (2nd F 30-34)
Sean Macphee - 2.24.35 - (M16-19) First Noosa Tri
Neil Macphee - 2.29.45 - (M50-54) First Noosa Tri
Hazel Lyons - 2.33.38 (F40-44)
David Coulter - 2.35.19 (2nd M60-64)
Peter Fry - 2.35.21 (M45-49)
Maddie Batholomew - 2.40.29 (M45-49) - First Noosa Tri
Geoff Bartholomew - 2.44.23 (M45-49)
Nerissa Stafford - 2.45.19 (F30-34) First Noosa Tri
Karen Artis - 2.49.05 (F40-44)
Angelika Hannon - 2.53.58 (F45-49)
Barbara Brady - 2.55.26 - (F50-54) First Noosa Tri
Annie Jennings - 3.02.03 (F50-54)
Brian Hannon - 3.06.01 (M45-49)
Anna Michel - 3.19.01 (35-39) First Noosa Tri

Port Macquarie Half Ironman NSW November 4
Andrew Partington 4.42.47 - PB
Tom Mewing 4.59.25

Greece Marathon November 4
Bill Skoufis 5.37 - First Marathon

Shepparton Half Ironman Vic November 18
Jon McLachlan 5.05 - First Half IM

Race 2 National Triathlon Series
New Castle NSW November 25
Sue Stevenson - 2nd Female 55-59

Bribie Island Race 2 December 2
Jay Patterson - 1.30.08 - 1st (M 35-39
Dan O'Rourke - 1.32.35 - 2nd (M 30-34)
Jess Fleming - 1.39.29 - 1st (F 30-34)
Neil MacPhee 1.40.37 - 2nd - (M 50-54)
Hazel Lyons - 1.49.48 - 2nd (F 40-44)
Nerissa Stafford - 1.51.06 (F30-34)
Maddie Bartholomew - 1.52.06 2nd (F15-17)
Geoff Bartholomew - 1.53.26 (M 45-49)
Angelika Hannon - 2.00.08 - 3rd (F45-49)
Annie Jennings - 2.05.07 - 2nd (F 50-54)
Peter Degnian - 2.14.35 (M50-54)
Ondine Shaw - 2.17.36 (F35-39)

Ironman Western Australia December 2
Matt O'Neill 9.30.19 - 42min PB!

Also from our Bike group on Tuesdays - doing her first IM was Sarah-Jane Thurston in 13.45.25

Goondiwindi Hell of the West - February 2008

Ironman New Zealand
Carl Schmidt

Ironman Australia - April 6, 2008
Jon McLachlan, Matty O'Neill, Allan Moustoukas, Justin Hunter, Emma Griffiths, Doug Griffiths, Andrew Partington, Grant Callaghan, Peter Degnian

Nutrition - Mary Ellen Bingham MS, RD, CDN

What do you crave when you cross the finish line? After a long training session are you completely turned off by food or do you make sure that the final mile lands you right in front of a fast food joint? (You were just training for 3 hours. You earned it, right?) Every triathlete is different in regard to what works for them. Finding out what proves to be best for you will require some trial and error but you can be certain that whatever you choose to consume after your workouts will affect the way your body recovers between training sessions. This is especially important when training sessions end up being less than 24 hours apart because you will want to maximize your rehydration and nutritional recovery to replace muscle fuel for the next workout.

Post training nutrition options varies from sports drinks and recovery mixes to energy bars, whole foods, fruit juices and perhaps the choice gaining the most attention these days, low-fat (1%) chocolate milk. Regardless of the triathlete's preferred way to reload, there are certain evidenced-based practices that should be considered when deciding what to choose for recovery nutrition. To reload, your nutrition plan should aim to replenish muscle glycogen, body water (hydration), and electrolytes (primarily sodium).

You may be familiar with the common recommendation to reload within 30 minutes immediately follow exercise. Ever wonder why this 30-minute window is so crucial? Studies have shown that this window of time is when the body's sensitivity to insulin is at its highest and this is when muscles are able to quickly absorb nutrients for maximum restoration and storage of muscle glycogen. A triathlete's body can be depleted of muscle glycogen rather quickly; therefore immediate consumption of carbohydrate is very important. Studies suggest anywhere from 0.5-0.7 grams per pound of body weight (1-1.2g/kg) is an optimal goal for rapidly absorbed carbohydrate intake. Thus, a 155-pound triathlete (70 kg) may require about 80 grams of carbohydrate immediately following a long training session.

There has been much debate regarding the value of protein intake as part of reloading. Generally accepted practice at this time is to consume a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein for your recovery nutrition. Choosing to include high-quality protein sources such as whey protein, dairy products and soy milk, lean meats or nuts may help to speed up the repair of muscle tissue. If the 155-pound athlete is consuming 80 grams of carbohydrate, about 20 to 26 grams of protein will satisfy the recommended 3:1 or 4:1 ratio for optimal recovery. Additionally, the amino acid glutamine (a building block for proteins) is found in many recovery products and may be beneficial for muscle repair.

The most effective way to figure out your individual fluid needs following your workouts is to weigh yourself before and after the session. Replace each pound lost with 24 ounces of fluid. You will also want to ingest sodium to enhance your rehydration efforts and replace that which has been lost through sweat. Similar to fluid needs, sodium requirements will vary among individuals based on how much sodium is lost during exercise. Salty snacks, salt packets and sports drinks are all good options for repleting sodium losses. The recommendation is 110-200 mg of sodium per 8 ounces of fluid. The sodium content of most sports drinks per 8 ounces fall in this range. Knowing how many grams of carbs and protein, ounces of fluid and milligrams of sodium your body needs is half the battle but figuring out which foods and fluids work best for you is the other half. Most likely your nutrition and hydration choices are going to depend on taste, tolerance, convenience and affordability. Some athletes simply have no tolerance for solid food immediately following exercise. This is where recovery mixes can come in handy. The commonly noted drawbacks to these are that often times they do not taste good and they can be costly. If you choose to purchase these products, don't waste your money on unnecessary ingredients. You now know that you are looking for a 3:1 or 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, and adequate fluid and sodium to match your losses. Recoverite by Hammer Nutrition offers 332 calories, 65 g carbohydrate, 20 g protein, 148 mg sodium and 38 mg potassium in 4 scoops, mixed with 16-24 ounces of water. Sports drinks are commonly used for recovery nutrition as well. Relatively inexpensive, often well-tolerated, offered in a variety of different flavors and as previously mentioned, these beverages are a good way to replete sodium and fluid losses at the same time. Newer to the market than traditional Gatorade, Gatorade Endurance offer 90 more mg sodium per 8 ounces, and Accelerade offers 4 grams of protein per 8 ounces.

With all of these sports drinks and recovery mixes out there you may find it hard to believe that if you choose to, you can actually practice proper post-training nutrition guidelines using real food! Believe it or not, low-fat chocolate milk has proven to be a very successful recovery beverage providing 84 grams of carbohydrate, 26 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, and 345 mg of sodium in 24 ounces! This matches up with your recovery nutrition plan a little bit better than the Big Mac with 540 calories, 25 g protein, 75 mg cholesterol, 30 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 1040 mg sodium, and 45 g carbs! Other great real food choices include a turkey sandwich with pretzels, a bagel with peanut butter and jelly, a fruit/granola/yogurt parfait or even a smoothie made with fresh or frozen fruit, soy or low fat milk and yogurt. Just be sure to wash these foods down with and appropriate amount of water.

With the guidelines in place, take some time to experiment during your longer training sessions to see which choices fit into your budget, appear to your taste buds, and sit well in your stomach. Once you find a successful strategy, stick with it for the race. Nothing new on race day!

Now you have jam-packed the 30-minute window of opportunity with all of your immediate needs for nutrition and hydration but the game isn't over just yet. Your body is still recovering. Within 2 hours after the session you are going to want to consume a balanced meal, packed with protein, vegetables and a large portion of starch. This is also a great time to get "healthy" (mono- and poly-unsaturated fats) into your diet. Sample healthy and balanced meals include salmon with sweet potato and steam vegetables or pasta with chicken and vegetables mixed with olive oil and little garlic salt and parmesan cheese for flavor. As a triathlete your body has unique demands. To optimize performance you know you need to keep your body strong, your energy high and your immune system healthy. Proper nutrition and hydration is essential before, during and after you cross the finish line.

Resources:

Coleman, Ellen RD, MA, MPH. Eating for Endurance, 4th Edition. Bull Publishing Company, 2003.

Dunford, Marie PhD, RD, editor. Sports Nutrition- A Practice Manual for Professionals, 4th Edition. American Dietetic Association, 2006.

Ryan, Monique MS, RD, LDN. Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, 2nd Edition. Velo Press, 2007.

Seebohar, Bob MS, RD, CSCS. Nutrition Periodization for Endurance Athletes. Bull Publishing Company, 2004.