http://www.thetriathloncoach.comTheTriathlonCoach.com News RSS FeedTTC Coach Simon Ward appeared on the BBC Look North programme -- Inside Out -- on October 22nd. The programme followed Wardy giving former Boxing Champion and BBC Inside out presenter Johnny Nelson a crash course in everything Swim, Bike and Run as he took on the challenge of completing the British Triathlon National Age Group Championships in Wakefield. If you're looking to enter your first triathlon this is a must see triathlon video with great tips from Wardy.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=4411.11.2008.AdminYou probably think that when I go to Hawaii it's all Mai Tais and surfing. Well, not all the time. Take a look at this video to see what we really get up to when we are working in Kona. The athletes are all CompuTrainer users and the beach stuff is footage of a new training DVD I will be releasing soon Watch the video now!http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=4310.11.2008.AdminElite and amateur triathletes needed for testing by a postgraduate researcher and sports science technician at the University of Lincoln. The study is to highlight the physiological processes/markers that are important within the development of fatigue during triathlon performance. If you are interested in volunteering as a subject for this research and learning more about training strategies as a result, please contact Danny Taylor - Human Performance Centre, Department of Sport, Coaching and Exercise Science, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, LN6 7TS.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=4210.11.2008.AdminThis camp is a must for anyone wanting to get into good shape for a TriathlonPB next summer. Due to high early demand we only have 6 places left. Click through here to find out how to book your place and avoid disappointment.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=4108.10.2008.AdminOnce again the Ironman World Championships are upon us and for once we might expect British athletes to be atop the podium rather than just hope. Chrissie Wellington defends her crown with her unbeaten Ironman record now stretching to 4 races, 4 wins. Bella Comerford and Leanda Cave will also be looking for strong performances as will Steven Bayliss, Paul Amey and Scott Neyedli in the men's pro race. And can TTC athlete Dion Harrison back up his ITU Long Course World Championship win with a top 5 in Kona? Your roving TTC correspondent, Simon Ward will be in Kona working for CompuTrainer and Tri247 (www.Tri247.com) and you can also keep up-to-date with events by logging onto Simon's blog. Mahalo!http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=4006.10.2008.AdminTTC Coach Simon Ward will appear on the BBC Look North programme -- Inside Out -- on Wednesday October 22nd at 7.30pm. The programme will follow former Boxing Champion and BBC Inside out presenter Johnny Nelson as he takes on the challenge of completing the British Triathlon National Age Group Championships in Wakefield. With only three weeks until the race Johnny enlists the help of elite triathlon coach Simon Ward to give him a crash course in everything Swim, Bike and Run! The main obstacle being Johnny's fear of open water!! Johnny also catches up with local Yorkshire triathlon hero and Olympian Alistair Brownlee for some advice and a chat about his Olympic campaign. The programme is broadcast in North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and the whole of Lincolnshire. It is also available on the BBC iplayer on the internet for a week after the programme, starting on the day after transmission. Don't worry if you are not in an area where the programme is broadcast. We think that we can find a link so that you can watch it online. Stay tuned!http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3906.10.2008.AdminA round up of the achievements of athletes coached by TTC's Fiona Hoare so far this season: Brian Howarth5th in Age Group, 1st Brit in AG at World Sprint Champs Vancouver Sandra Greaves6hr 2min completing her first Half Ironman Switzerland on 1st JuneNew York OD race 20th July - 2hr 55min Carrine Green2:31, 9th in AG at New York OD race - 20th July Harvey BennettDambuster 21st June: 8th Age Group, 31st overall Wakefield 6th July: 9th Age Group, 2:22 and Qualified for Europeans in Netherlands 2009 Debbie StockleyCleveland Short course, 15th June: 3rd in 1:48Ripon OD 12th July: 6th out of 82 womenPB's thick and fast! Howard DoveEuropean Tri Champs, Lisbon, 11th May: 2:23:45 Kirstie HamiltonLocal club time trial: Set a new PB this year5k Run: Set a new PB this year Richard Hamilton25m TT: Broke PB twice this year5k run: Set new PBQualified for European Duathlon Champs in Rimini Richard ParkerHalf Ironman UK, 15th June: 1st ever Half IM in 7:00 Ian CowieHalf Ironman UK, 15th June: 1st ever Half IM in 7:45 Martin BlacoeIronman Switzerland, 13th July: 1st ever IM in 13:19 Simon BellwoodIronman Switzerland, 13th July: 1st ever IM in 11:36http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3817.09.2008.AdminA summary of Simon Ward's TheTriathlonCoach.com athlete achievements this year in 2008: Dan Brook British Elite Champs 6th, BUSA World Champs 5th Neill Morgan Increased CP30 from 172 – 202w in 12 months (18%) Dion Harrison St Croix – 2nd 25-29 AG qualifying for IM World ChampsCompeted in Vancouver World ChampionshipsAntwerp 70.3 6th 5-29 AG, qualified for 70.3 World Championships Eric Wintersgill IM Switzerland finisher Felicity Hart St Croix 70.3 – 5 Qualified for 70.3 World Championships, FloridaAntwerp 70.3 – 2nd1st Clumber Park DuathlonBritish Elite Duathlon Champion Heather Riddell IM Switzerland - Completed 1st ever Ironman Andrew Smallwood IM Germany PB by 58 minsReduced local TT pb from 32m21 to 31m27s (54s) (12.5m TT) Mike Clyne IM Austria – PB by 20 mins Matt Lawrence Finished IM Lanzarote – set new PB on marathon Tom Barker IM Germany – by 9 mins Tom Davey IMUK 70.3 – 4th in AGEstonia ½ IM – 15th overall Karen Graham Finished Lisbon ½ Ironman in May Stefan Lawrence Achieved season’s goal of a 2hr15 Olympic distance event at Dambuster Colin McNeill CompuTrainer CP30 PB increased by 47 watts (198-245) in 10 months, That’s a 24% increasehttp://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3717.09.2008.AdminA summary of Jack Maitland's TheTriathlonCoach.com athlete achievements this year: Alistair Brownlee Qualified for GB Olympic team by coming 3rd in Madrid World Cup selection raceWon World U-23 Championships Jonny Brownlee 3rd in European Junior Championships3rd in World Junior ChampionshipsSelected onto British Olympic Association Ambitions 2012 programme Vicky Graves 3rd in European Junior Duathlon ChampsSelected for European Junior ChampsRan 3k PB of 10:10 Lois Rosindale Won Windsor Sprint triathlon outright beating all the menWon the Deva Diva’s triathlonRan 3k PB of 10:20 Douglas Roberts Ran 1500m PB of 4:06Ran 3000m PB of 8:52Swam 750m PB of 8:40 Steven Worthington 22nd National Elite Championships Simon Anderton 6th in M45-49 at Boundary Breeze12th M40-49 in Hathersage Hilly Gary Brine Has PB’d in every race he has entered including 2:31 at Milton Keynes, and breaking 44 minutes for 10k for the first time. Jason Benniman 4th overall in Wetherby Triathlon7th in M35-39 at National Age-group Championships Ryan Bowd Beat his time from last year in a sprint distance race by over 5 minutes. Scott Curley Improved his time at Wakefield triathlon by over 10 minutes from last year to place 27th in his M35-39 in 2:33:51 James Dean 5th in M20-24 at National Age-group Championships4th in British University Olympic Distance Championships Jane Jones 52nd in W25-29 at World Age-group Championships3rd woman at Parc Bryn Bach Grand Prix10th in W25-29 in National Age-group Championships Liam Brennan Bronze-medallist in M20-24 National Age-group Championships5th overall in Lincoln Sprint race Claire Shea-Simmonds 39th woman in Davos Alpine marathon in time of 5:02 Simon Thompson Beat his previous best time at the Windsor triathlon with a bike time over 7 minutes quickerImproved his 5k run time-trial time from 24:44 to 23:54 Tom Williams Won M30-34 at Ironman 70.3 UKIronman Germany in 9:59:10 Oliver Ziff 23rd National Elite Championshipshttp://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3617.09.2008.AdminJust top let you know that I have started a new blog on our site. I'm going to try and add comments about twice a week and you are free to respond if you have any replies. It will cover my thoughts on training and racing and give you updates about my own training programme along the way. As some of you know I am quite forthright in my opinions so don't be offended if you don't like what I write. It's just my opinion. This, of course, is the purpose of a blog. Simonhttp://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3529.08.2008.AdminTo complement the many individual discipline tips Jack has covered during this series, today he talks race day tips - nutrition and fluid intake, mental preparation, knowing the course and Jack's number one top tip for race day! View - Top Tips For Maximising Your Performance On Race Day - the last video in the Gatorade Triathlon Training Series now.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3404.08.2008.AdminToday Jack focuses attention on transition best practices. The pro athletes show you how to prepare correctly and maximise your efficiency in the transition area. Jack then takes you through the technique of mounting and dismounting the bike both with and without shoes. Launch the Transitions video now or go to the Gatorade Triathlon Training Series page to review all the videos.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3302.08.2008.AdminAs sponsors of the National Relay Championships run by Pace Setter Events, TTC will be available to field questions you have about our rolling coaching program, 1-1 training sessions, 1-1 training days and TriFaster workshops. Drop by our marquee to meet coach Jack Maitland for an informal chat to see how we can improve your performance and help achieve your goals.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3201.08.2008.AdminToday Jack shares top tips for running well off the bike which include cadence, hip position, correct pacing, the negative split plus more! Watch the Running For Triathlon video now! http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3101.08.2008.AdminLearn how to be efficient on your bike during the longest discipline of a triathlon. In this session of the Gatorade Triathlon Training Series, Jack Maitland takes you through key tips to help improve your cycling technique. Watch the Biking for Triathlon video now.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=3031.07.2008.AdminThe second video in the Gatorade Triathlon Training Series with Jack Maitland is now available - over 10 minutes of open water swimming tips from putting on your wetsuit to bouy turn techniques. Watch the pros in action. Watch Open Water Swimming Essentials now.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2930.07.2008.AdminGatorade have teamed up with TTC coach Jack Maitland to produce a stunning series of triathlon training tip videos. Beginning today with "Essential Triathlon Equipment For Race Day" we will publish these videos daily, right here on TTC. Take me to the videos! http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2829.07.2008.AdminSimon Ward interviews TTC colleague Steve Lumley to examine the benefits and strategy behind tapering for Ironman, pre-race planning and what to do on race day. Check out the 80+ minute, three part interview on our Triathlon Podcasts/MP3s page.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2706.06.2008.AdminTheTriathlonCoach.com are pleased to announce that Gatorade have signed up to be their official sports drink supplier for the 2008 season. The relationship will see TheTriathlonCoach.com receive both product and direct access to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute information and resources to support the development of their age group, junior and elite athletes in their training and at training camps. Additionally, the most improved athlete at the end of the year will be selected to visit the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Illinois, USA. (www.gssiweb.org) Additionally, the relationships will see TheTriathlonCoach.com continue to work with Gatorade to provide world class tips and learning opportunities for UK triathletes by expanding on the seminar and information programme that kicked off with the 'Gatorade Theatre' at this year TCR show. TTC founder Simon Ward said of the deal "Gatorade is one of the major forces in sports nutrition and we are extremely proud that they have chosen to partner with us. Their support means that we are able to offer even greater benefits to our athletes in 2008 and hopefully beyond." To find out more about the Gatorade range of products please click on the link below. www.gatorade.co.uk You can also visit the Gatorade Sports Science Institute website which provides articles, tips, research, educational tools, and interactive presentations on sports nutrition and exercise science. http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2611.04.2008.AdminSimon Ward interviews BSCTA Past-President and Leeds Head Swim Coach Terry Denison. This is an hour long interview in which Terry offers essential information for the swim component of your triathlon training. You can listen to this FREE right here on our Podcasts/MP3 page.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2509.03.2008.AdminAt the recent 220 triathlon awards for 2007, TheTriathlonCoach.com athletes took home three of the top four awards. Dion Harrison and Felicity Hart (coached by Simon - pictures below) won the awards for Age Group Male and Female for 2007. In the elite category Alistair Brownlee (coached by Jack) was crowned Elite Male Athlete of the year. Congratulations to all three athletes and best wishes for 2008.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2419.02.2008.AdminIn February 2008 Chris Jones will join TheTriathlonCoach.com as the sixth coach in what is already a formidable line up. Commenting on the appointment, Simon Ward expressed his delight saying ''Chris is one of the best triathlon coaches in the world and joining us is an endorsement of what we are trying to achieve at TTC''. Jones recently resigned his position as British Triathlon's Head Women's coach and he sees this as an opportunity to put something back into the sport. He's looking forward to working with age group athletes alongside a number of the coaches with whom he worked at British Triathlon. Speaking about the new arrangement he said ''I have the utmost respect for Simon Ward and Jack Maitland. We have known each other for a long time and regularly swapped ideas and information. Joining TTC provides an exciting opportunity for me to be continue to be involved with triathlon and work on some exciting new projects''. http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2330.12.2007.AdminJoin coach Steve Lumley for a week of training in the wonderful setting of Club Pollentia from the March 29th - April 12th 2008. Sessions will be coached by Steve and rides will be escorted. There will be a support vehicle for spares, food and water and the opportunity for open-water swimming. At only 399 pounds per person this is a great opportunity to train and learn from a coach of Steve's experience. More informationhttp://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2205.12.2007.AdminThe TheTriathlonCoach.com present a comprehensive programme of training camps and workshops to help athletes get the maximum benefit from their training for the 2008 season. There are two separate programmes: 1. TheTriathlonCoach.com weekend Training Camps 2. TriFaster Workshops Click here for more information.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2104.09.2007.AdminMay 27th: Corus elite series Jodie Stimpson placed 14th in her first senior elite outing at the Strathclyde Sprint distance race on Sunday. June 3rd: Blenheim Sprint A busy day of racing saw Birmingham based athletes competing in all the 'elite' races at Blenheim. The West Midlands triathlon Academy youngsters were well represented in the youth and Junior National Championships, for most it was their first 'elite' drafting race. In the boys Youth race Tom Watts was a very encouraging 12th. Alex Jackson unfortunately suffered from mechanical problems on the bike but, nevertheless, swam and ran well. In his first elite race, Phil Wolfe came home in 10th place in the junior boy's race, with James Ratcliffe making up for the disappointment of a DNF in Strathlcyde, with a strong showing in 6th. The girls Junior Championships saw Jodie Stimpson take Silver despite having to search for her shoes in T2, with Abbey Norman in a terrific 7th place - read Jodies race report here. Zoe Hanson achieved an ambition to compete in an elite, drafting race, finishing in a more than creditable 8th position in the female senior race. Mike Cornes placed 5th in the men's elite, with Brian Jenkins and Simon Richards racing pretty much side by side for most of the race for 22nd and 23rd place respectively. June 3rd: Stephan Teeling-Lynch Wins Garadice Lake The inaugural Waterways Ireland Garadice Lake Sprint Triathlon was won convincingly by Stephan Teeling-Lynch. The open water sprint triathlon took place at 2pm on Sunday 3rd June 2007, in the Co. Leitrim town of Ballinamore located on the Shannon Erne Waterway. Stephans' customary strong bike leg gave him a comfortable lead going into the run and he held on to win by nearly 2 minutes June 9th - Corus Elite National Championships At the second race of the Corus Elite series Jodie Stimpson finished her first Elite Olympic distance race in an impressive 10th place (8th in the British champs). She swam with the lead group of women, rode strongly on the tough, technical course and ran steadily, finishing the race with an overall time of 2:08:52 - read Jodies race report here. In the Mens elite race Mike Cornes ran through strongly, after a somewhat leisurely swim to finish 18th overall and 13th in the British championship. June 10th - Shropshire Triathlon A big turnout at Ellesmere on Sunday saw some excellent results with athletes chasing world AG qualifying slots. Simon Richards finished 5th in his age group in 2h 01m. West Midlands academy athlete Phil Wolfe won the junior AG in 2h 05m and qualified for the Worlds in September. Zoe Hanson took nearly 6 minutes off last years time to finish 4th in her AG and qualify in 2h 12m. Abbey Norman came 2nd in the junior AG in a time of 2h 16m. Vicky Rusius was 9th in her AG in 2h19m. Stacie Wellesbury finished 6th in age group in a time of 2h 26m. June 17th - Windsor Elite and UK 70.3 A hectic few weeks of race watching concluded on Sunday with the UK 70-3 at Wimbleball with Windsor taking place at the same time - there were some excellent performances at both... It was great to see James Gilfillan back at the top level with a terrific 2nd place at the UK 70.3, Mike Cornes usual excellent run took him up to 10th place in the pro division. For both it was their first outing over the distance. Anne Fallows toughed it out to finish 10th female pro on a day when it didn't really happen for her (hopefully saving it for Roth IM next weekend..?). Angie Girgis had a solid race to take fifth place in her AG with 6h 19min (having briefly met her three kids after the race, I'm amazed she has any energy for racing and training!). At Windsor, 4 athletes were racing in the elite division; in the women's race Jodie Stimpson continued her run of good form with a 5th place finish and a particularly encouraging run split. Zoe Hanson pulled out a strong all round performance for 7th. In the mens race James Ratcliffe and Simon Richards both did well for 10th and 12th places respectively. June 24th: 'Challenge Roth' Congratulations to Rob Johnson who improved his IM distance pb by over half an hour to 9h 29mins. Anne Fallows came home 19th in 10h 32, and Helen MacVicker completing a tough one in 11h40m. Dom Irvine's 'Raid Pyreneen' Between June 17th and 21st, Dom rode the 'Raid Pyreneen' - a classic 710km route along the Pyrenees in France, taking in a total of 18 cols, here is his 'report. Ahhhhh, what a trip. Awesome! Once again the Lumley Schedule pays off. 30 riders on Day 1 riding as if on a one day classic. By day 2 onwards more and more began to wilt and fade away. Not I! Too many months of disciplined training, understanding HR zones, LT thresholds, eating whilst riding, hydration strategies etc all as a result of steady training. OK, the field was tiny, and most were not up to much, but they still ended up awarding me the Maillot Jaune at the end of the week. You can't beat hours of training on your own to help you face the Tourmalet, Aspet, Aubisque, Peysourade etc. (Why do people honestly believe a 12inch pizza is the right thing to eat before going over the Tourmalet?) I bet my LT threshold is much higher than when we measured it, given the HR sustained during the week. I know the overall av speed is slow (15.6mph) but I'm chuffed with it considering I spent most of the time riding on my own. I'm an Assos Chamois creme convert and recommend the combo of Brave Soldier friction creme and Assos chamois creme for that no pain in the butt feeling. Even better, no back pain, neck pain, sore shoulders or anything. The bike set up is just so comfortable. I have a lot to thank you for Steve, your coaching has enabled me to really raise my endurance game. July 8th: National Age Group Championships A big turnout on Sunday for the National Age Group championships at Wakefield saw some excellent results. Simon Richards took the win in his age group and third overall, Lyndsey Smith second overall and in AG, Zoe Hanson and Stacie Wellesbury both 5th in AG and Vic Rusius 7th in AG. http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=2002.08.2007.AdminIM Switzerland (24-6-07) Andrew Smallwood set a new PB as he crossed the finish line at Ironman Switzerland in 12hrs13 mins an improvement of 34 minutes and on a slower course. The key to Andrew's race was excellent pacing. Despite being capable of riding faster than the 5.54 he posted, Andrew held enough back for a 4hr56 marathon. Andrew was the 99th athlete coached by Simon to finish an Ironman. Tom Williams - In the big one at Ironman Switzerland it was all on for improving his debut IM time of 10:34 at IM Austria last year to a sub-10 hour finish. The swim proved a tricky start and with a time of 1:01:52 Tom was a few minutes down on schedule. However since getting his new Planet X Stealth his biking has moved onto a new level and sure enough he clawed back the time and more to start the run with 4 minutes in hand on the 10 hour schedule. His first run lap was sub 50 minutes and although he slowed slightly with each subsequent lap he was actually moving through the field and hit his run target almost exactly to finish in 9:56:24. IM France (24-6-07) Also in the running for the title of 100th athlete to be coached by Simon to an IM finish were Mark Turton and Martin Sowery. As it transpired Mark was far too fast to achieve this finishing in a very strong 11hrs 13mins. Martin Sowery had a solid day achieving all of his goals and breasting the tape in a very creditable 13hrs 28mins and taking the honour of being Simon's 100th IM finisher. IM Germany (24-6-07) Colin McNeill spent 12 months preparing for his first Ironman. In Frankfurt on July 1, he started his Ironman career with a fantastic race, crossing the line in 11hrs and 34 minutes, well inside his sub 12hr goal. Ironman UK 70.3 (17-6-07) The tough Exmoor course proved to be just right for TTC athletes as several hit their goals and qualified for the 70.3 world championships in Clearwater next November. Fiona Hoare set a new AG course record by over 12 minutes on her way to winning the 40-44 age group. Dion Harrison continued a fine run of form to take 2nd in the (25-29 AG) while Toby Baxendale managed to secure a roll down slot after finishing 21st in his age group. Ralph Hydes - A 30 minute swim saw Ralph out near the head of the field and he followed this up with a strong first lap on the bike. Unfortunately he then began to suffer from cramps in his quads which affected the rest of his race and he just missed out on qualifying for the 70.3 World Championships. http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1911.07.2007.AdminWindsor (17-6-07) Dominic Brook finished his first ever elite drafting race in 17th However the defining part of Dom's event was a pre race interview with the BBC and a long stint at the front of the chase pack on the bike, in full view of the BBC camera's. Clare McKim knocked over 3 minutes off last year's time for the Windsor Olympic Distance race. She had to execute a spectacular dive from the side to make it to her start in time but then went on to beat her previous best swim time and set herself up for a result that saw her move from 30th in her age-group last year to 17th this time around. Kirstie Hamilton knocked nearly 10 mins off her sprint time at Windsor Sprint. Shropshire (24-6-07) Felicity Hart survived pre race illness and severe blisters to take a hard earned 3rd place and in the process earned herself a spot at the Age group World Championships in Hamburg later this summer. Tom Williams also completed the race as a final bit of race preparation 2 weeks out from IM Switzerland. Sticking closely to pre-set heart rates he cruised round the bike and run to come 19th in his age-category in 2:07:02. Scott Curley had a stormer in is first Olympic distance race of the season at Shropshire. His time of 2:28:25 placed him 51st in his age-category and was only a few seconds outside of his pb for the distance. Liam Brennan had a dream debut over the Olympic distance at Shropshire. He finished a remarkable 19th overall and 4th in his category in 2:00:43. A conservative race strategy ensured that he finished strongly on the run leg and although he would have loved to drop the few seconds necessary to get under 2 hours there is no doubt that he'll break that barrier before too long. Ralph Hydes had just recovered from a minor calf injury prior to Shropshire so was pleased with his 16th place in his category with a strong bike leg just outside the 1 hour mark. Particularly pleasing was the significant reduction in his swim time compared to the previous year as this is the discipline he had really targeted for improvement over the winter. The Dambuster Once again TTC athletes were at the head of the field in the 2nd World championship qualifying race at Rutland water. Felicity Hart took control of the race after a strong swim. Arriving back in T2 with almost a 2 minute lead she consolidated this with a fine run to finish with over 2m30s on the 2nd place woman. Clare McKim followed up a strong a result at Windsor with a good result at the Dambuster where she came 21st in a strong field that was vying for selection for both the 2007 and 2008 World Championships. Rob Harvey had a solid race at the Dambuster. He knocked about a minute off last year's time as he went 2:08:31 for 11th place in the competitive 25-29 age-group. Dion Harrison also made sure of a spot in Hamburg with a storming finish, crossing the line in 6th place and taking 2nd in his age group (25-29). Gordon Dalgarno dipped under the 2:30 barrier for the Dambuster Olympic distance race where a good swim time of 26:44 helped place him 41st overall in the 40-44 age-group. Pembrokeshire Sara Riley qualified for World Olympic champs at Hamburg during her epic race at Pembrokeshire. Mazda National Age Group Triathlon Championships, Wakefield Felicity Hart won the Mazda National Age Group Triathlon Championships in Wakefield. Over the tough Yorkshire course, Hart spent most of the race locked in tight battle with Lindsay Smith (BRAT) as they exited the second transition after a gruelling 40km bike course neck and neck. However the final 10km run saw Hart establish a one minute lead and a well deserved victory to cap an excellent season. Smith held on for second whilst Loretta Sollars (BRAT) ran her way into third place. In the mens Division Dominic Brook took 3rd in the16-19 AG. After leading out of the swim, he had a strong bike and ahd a comfortable gap to 4th place taking his firsat ever podium finish in a national champioship event Other athletes who have raced recently include: Simon Anderton - Simon was in Belgium representing GB in the European Long Distance championships. It was his first outing over this distance but with a strong background in endurance running he was confident of a good performance. After a steady swim he was going well on the bike until he punctured with a split tyre 10k from the finish and had to ride it in on the rim, The frustration of the lost time saw him put his running fitness to good use as he ran an impressive 1:28:34 for the final 20k which placed him 4th Brit and 14th overall in his ag-group. Lois Rosindale - Lois had a great race in the Eton Super Sprint on the 1st July. Her third place puts her in a strong position for consideration for the GB team for the European Youth relays. Jason Benniman - Racing elite at Windsor exactly one year after debuting in the category Jason set out to show how much he has improved this season. He did this convincingly finishing in 17th position and hopefully confirming his place in the elite field at London. Racing age-group at the European Championships in Copenhagen Jason unfortunately went off-course on the run but still managed to salvage 6th in his age-group and 21st fastest overall. James Dean - At the Mansfield pool based triathlon James came 8th overall and won his category in a time of 48:25. http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1811.07.2007.AdminMay 20th: Redditch Sprint tri James Gilfillan and Mike Cornes took first and second in the mens race at Redditch, in 58m 20s and 59m 15s respectively. Sam Hugh was first Junior home in 62m 07s. The womens race saw Jodie Stimpson take first junior and the overall win in 67m 31s. Zoe Hanson took over 3 minute off last years time to take 4th place in 68m 16s. May 19th: Ironman Lanzarote Congratulations to Carol Young who completed her first Ironman in Lanzarote on Saturday. She placed 3rd in the 45-49 AG in a time of 13h 21mins. Matt Nell had a solid race to finish his 4th Ironman in a time of 10h 55mins. May 6th: Joey Hannon Triathlon, Limerick Following on the back of 2 weeks excellent training in Majorca, Brian Jenkins took second place in his first triathlon outing of the season at the Joey Hannon Olympic distance race. Stephan Teeling Lynch took fourth place on the back of his 'now customary' strong bike leg!! May 2nd: Mike Cornes wins DK 10k Mike cornes went one better than last year, winning the Dudley Kingsinford 10k road race on a warm but windy evening in a time of 32m 15s. http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1727.06.2007.AdminSo how are the TTC athletes fairing this season? Here is a brief summary of some of our athletes performance and progression: Dann Brook Had a difficult start to the season after a promising winter. You can catch up more with Dann at his website: www.dannbrook.co.uk. Debbie Knott Is showing great promise as she prepares for IMUK in August. After a couple of disappointing races she had a great performance at Weymouth recently setting a new PB by over 10 minutes in the swim and then finishing the event despite being knocked from her bike after only 30 miles. Dan Plews Now living in Singapore Dan has found it difficult to combine being a pro athlete with full time work. Never the less he as managed 20+ hours week and recently finished 16th at the Busselton half Ironman in W. Australia. Dan is now preparing for Singapore 70.3 where he hopes to qualify for the 70.3 worlds in Clearwater, Florida. Iain Hamilton Recently finished the Lanzarote Ironman in just over 11hours. A great performance from the ex Pro triathlete and shows plenty of promise for the future. Now it's back to a summer of delivering events. Why not try one yourself?. Read more about them by clicking on the following link: www.pacesetterevents.com Jon Riddell Jon completed his first ever Ironman at Lanzarote recently and was absolutely delighted with his finishing time of 12hrs 53minutes. Once he has recovered his next big event will be the Vitruvian in September. Judith Brand Judith has overcome several personal traumas in the last 18 months so for her just to be on the start line for Ironman Lanzarote was a victory. After a touch and go final few weeks with a sore calf muscle, Judith completed the event in 16hrs 20 minutes. Judith will also be racing at the Vitruvian in September. Oliver Ziff Came to triathlon from a running background and threw himself in at the deep end by entering the Junior Sprint championships in Strathclyde. Despite a baptism of fire he acquitted himself well finishing just outside of the top 10 juniors. He followed this up with another good result at Blenheim finishing 14th. Dion Harrison After an exceptional winter of training Dion headed off to California for the 70.3 event and had a great result, finishing 6th in his age group and qualifying for the 70.3 world Championships in Florida in November. Since then he has taken a 2nd AG place in the national aquathlon champs and also won a local sprint event at Crystal Palace. Dion is now hoping to qualify for the world AG champs in Hamburg and also races the LD ITU event in Lorient in a few weeks. Felicity Pell Had a fantastic start to the season. Training duathlons at Clumber Park, Swindon and Cambridge turned into victories and an invitation to race for GB elite at the European (Edinburgh) and World (Gyor, Hungary) Duathlon champs. However the GYOR race was a disaster and felicity collapsed on the first run. It seems she had a virus and is almost fully recovered now. She took 3rd place overall at Shropshire and has qualified for the worlds in Hamburg. Colin McNeill Has had a strong start to the season with impressive performances at a Half Ironman event in Portugal and then a personal best at Bala. So far all is looking good for Ironman Germany on July 1st. Dom Brook Dann's younger brother has started the season strongly with much improved performances especially on the run in 2007. Dom Finished 43 overall in the Corus elite race at Strathclyde and a couple of weeks later in the Junior Elite championships at Blenheim. Andrew Smallwood Has been preparing well for IM Switzerland on June 24 with a strong race (New PB of 4hrs 38 mins) at Bala and also setting PB's at the local Wed evening TT. Clare McKim Wetherby Olympic Distance: 4th female overall in a time of 2:36:37 with a storming run of 45:49 which easily achieved her goal of breaking 47 mins for 10k this season. Big Cow Sprint Distance: 16th in the Women's 30-34 age-group in a time of 1:19:31. Particularly pleasing were her super fast transition times that were a tribute to the hard work put in since a 121 session with coach Jack Maitland. Gordon Dalgarno Had a couple of solid races to start his season. Firstly he ran the Rothwell 10k in 40:09, just outside his target of getting under the 40 min mark. The following weekend he completed the Southwell triathlon in 59:10 which placed him 14th in the men's 40-44 age-group. Tom Williams Tom's preparations for Ironman Switzerland continue with an impressive string of results: Eton Super Sprint: 2nd in his age-group and 10th overall in 56:45 which was an improvement of over 5 minutes on his time last year. Bala Middle distance triathlon: 16th overall in 4:07, knocking over 22 minutes from last year's time and placing him third in his age-group. Leigh Thomas Leigh also raced at the Eton Super Sprints and came 5th in his wave with a time of 64:35. His run split of 19:13 showed the benefits of his regular commute which now involves running 90 mins a day between home and Reading station and then on to work in central London. Ralph Hydes Ralph hasn't started his racing programme yet but he has completed some promising Test Sets that augur well for the race results! Improving his swim has been a particular target and since September his Test Set shows a consistent 5 sec improvement per 100m at all intensities so that should translate to being 1:15 quicker over 1500m in all his races. His latest Run Test Set also showed a significant improvement and predicts a sub-34 minute 10k to come. Ryan Bowd Ryan completed Ironman Lanzarote in 14:21:23. Not his fastest time but considering that he was unable to walk the previous week after a wakeboarding incident it was a fantastic effort to finish. Ironman Florida in the autumn should see a considerable improvement! Simon Anderton Simon has been preparing for the European Long Distance Championships to be held in Belgium on June 24th. He will be representing GB in the men's 45-49 category and is optimistic for a good performance after feeling strong in training for the last month. Scott Curley Scott raced two sprint distance events in May. The first was the Sivota triathlon in Greece and he shaved minutes off his splits in the bike and run disciplines compared to his debut event there last year. The swim course was altered from the previous year but in a test swim around a nearby island he was a full 4 minutes quicker than last October. His second event was nearer to home at Strathclyde Park and he put down a marker for the rest of the season by finishing 26th in his age-group in a time of 1:22:21. Lois Rosindale Lois has been achieving some early success in her first season as a junior. At the National Junior Duathlon Championships she finished 5th and then backed that up with a 6th place in the National Junior Triathlon Championships. In between those two events she took on the elite senior athletes in the Corus sprint race at Strathclyde Park and gave a good account of herself in 19th place overall. Jason Benniman Jason's duathlon season was very successful as he finished 10th in his age-group in the World Championships and came 3rd overall in the National Duathlon series. His first elite triathlon of the year was at Blenheim where he gave a good enough account of himself to secure a spot in the elite field for the London triathlon.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1614.06.2007.AdminDue to popular demand we have produced a narrative of the bike course for this race which you can listen to in our podcasts/MP3 section. In addition we have provided you with photo's of the bike course in our gallery. Ironman UK 70.3 MP3 Gallery - Bike Course Photos http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1518.04.2007.AdminMike Cornes took 2nd in the Stafford Half Marathon (25 March) with a 2 min PB of 69mins 30s. Dion Harrison took 6th in his age group at IM California 70.3 (30th March) and so became the first TTC athlete in 2007 to qualify for the 70.3 World Championships in Florida in November. Felicity Hart continued her winning ways with victory at the Swindon Duathlon (1st April). Despite racing in the non drafting race she still managed to post faster times than the elite field that were draft racing!http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1409.04.2007.AdminStephan Teeling-Lynch won the Irish Universities road race championships last weekend. He placed 5th in the morning prologue time trial which was enough to give him second place overall in the All Ireland Inter-Collegiate Road Championships!!http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1328.03.2007.AdminDom Irvine finished 4th in the tough, hilly, off road Devon coastal Marathon last weekend in a time of 4h 11 mins. Neill Morgan improved his marathon PB by 11 minutes at the recent Barcelona marathon finishing in a time of 3hrs 44 mins. Felicity Hart won the Clumber Classic Duathlon on Sat March 10.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1210.03.2007.AdminDan Brook took first place in the recent Big Cow Duathlon at Milton Keynes. At the recent Dewsbury 10k, W. Yorkshire, Simon Brooksbank ran 33m45s. This was a new PB having dropped 2m30s since November!! Gordon Dalgarno ran a pb of 40:14, closing in on his goal of a sub 40min 10k this year. Kelly Crickmore was 2nd female overall in 35.52. Kelly who is a lifelong runner turned triathlete smashed her previous 10km PB by 1minute 40 seconds. Anne Fallows took a mini break to Seville recently and raced her first marathon (without warming up first with a swim and bike). She posted 3h 06 mins for 9th place.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1127.02.2007.AdminWe interviewed the 2006 Hawaii Ironman Champion, Normann Stadler, at the recent TCR Show on the 10th February 2007. Normann reveals what it takes reach the pinnacle of the sport and shares tips and suggestions to help with your training and racing strategies. Watch the full interview in our free video vault.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=1026.02.2007.AdminJoin coach Steve Lumley for a week of training in the wonderful setting of Club Pollentia from the 14th-28th April. Sessions will be coached by Steve and rides will be escorted. There will be a support vehicle for spares, food and water and the opportunity for open-water swimming. At only 399 pounds per person this is a great opportunity to train and learn from a coach of Steve's experience. More informationhttp://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=910.01.2007.AdminUniversity Sport Birmingham Scholar Simon Richards has won the British Triathlon West Midlands Young Volunteer of the Year award. His major contribution has been the organisation of the Paul Weston Memorial Triathlon, an event for approximately 80 8-16 year olds held at the university for the past 5 years in memory of a past University triathlon club member who tragically died during Simons first year. As well as being captain of the triathlon club last year, the final year medical student has also helped out with various races in the regional children's triathlon series. Voting for the award was done by people involved with triathlon in the region and was presented to Simon last month. 'It is very humbling to be recognised this way, as it has really been a hard year combining organising the race, being captain and training as a scholar with studying as a medic. Equally however, I received a great deal of help in the organisation of the Paul Western Memorial race, importantly from Daisy Wilson (current club captain), other members of the club, and the city triathlon club (BRAT). Also, I am just another captain from a long line of successors who were each equally deserving of recognition for their efforts.'http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=810.01.2007.AdminAfter the success of Simon's Ironman presentations (25 ways to your next, best race) at last year's show, we will be back at the TCR Show with an even better workshop this year. In the next few weeks we'll keep you posted about the times and content of the seminars as well as how you can be involved in some of the interactive demonstrations. In the meantime visit the TCR Show website at http://www.tcrshow.com. Stay tuned for further updates.http://www.thetriathloncoach.com//thetriathloncoach-news.php?id=705.01.2007.Admin