March Athlete of the Month
As a newcomer to Brisbane how do triathlons here compare to Sydney?
Training and competitions here are far superior to that in Sydney. I trained by myself and rarely raced there because logistically it was harder to get around and the courses are not as good. And it shows in results, Queenslanders always seem to come out ahead of those who train in NSW.
Leading up to Mooloolaba, how many sessions a week were you doing?
About 10. The majority with Trent but I stretch for half an hour most days (I’m getting old) and try to do a pilates or yoga class at least once a week. During winter I’ll do a similar load but it will vary so I stay motivated.
Most enjoyable race and why?
An adventure marathon I raced at Mont Blanc in France last year. It was my first marathon and it was sensational. The location, the people and the scenery, it was jaw-dropping stuff. It took me 6hrs 20 minutes and my training (a month travelling through Europe) did not prepare me in the slightest. But I would do it again in a heartbeat. The French are crazy fanatics when it comes to long distance sport. And they have cheese and other goodies at the drink stations.
Triathlons you would like to do and why?
Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco because it looks like one hell of an adventure.
If you were the Reddog coach for a week what would you do differently?
The schedule seemed to work pretty well for me in the lead-up to Mooloolaba. I’d probably do the occasional relay at the track to keep people pushing really hard when they think it’s all getting a bit too much.
Who would be your ideal training partner?
Definitely not Mark (sorry) we’re too competitive and I hate it when he rides past me, which happens regularly. I love training with people who I can learn from. They also need to enjoy eating, drinking and be able to discuss shopping, for shoes in particular, at length.
Which age grouper do you admire and why?
The girls in my age group that generally, okay always, beat me. But the gap is closing. Consider that an official warning.
Do you think male triathletes should go back to racing in sluggos and singlets?
The male body, one that’s fit (and ripped), is a thing of beauty, so in rare cases yes, sluggos and singlets are ideal. But that can’t be said for everyone, it can get very ugly.
What would be your advice to other Reddogs who would like to be athlete of the month?
You could always attend more training sessions, put in a bit more effort and enter a heap of races but nothing beats a party for your fellow training buddies. It doesn’t need to be too big or flashy, Reddogs aren’t fussy it seems. And extra points for making your own sausage rolls.
Who do you think in the squad is hot right now?
Umm dunno, you all look the same in the pool and the humid weather in Brisbane makes everyone pretty unattractive at the track.
Favourite Wednesday night dinner destination?
Vespas was a highlight particularly watching little Nicole work her way through an entire pizza, crust and all. Maybe the next AOTM award should be a year’s supply of Vespas streaky bacon pizzas?
Favourite motivational quote?
There’s no substitute for hard work.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out in the sport?
Aim to improve one thing each time you race. You learn something new every time you compete whether it’s how you lay your gear out in transition to how you approach the swim. And have fun, at your most trying moments, remember why you’re doing it.
If you had one wish?
It would be to take a year off work to travel and train. The more running, ocean swimming and triathlons I do the more there is to be discovered. I have a long "to do list" of races. Failing that I’d just settle for good health.