Race team member Ali Hollington, changed her usual 45-49 age group entry for a pro start at the Port of Tauranga half ironman in New Zealand last weekend. Ali who raced in the elite category in triathlon in the UK in the 90s, set a p.b. for the distance to finish 7th pro. Setting the 3rd fastest bike split helped Ali to a finishing time of 4 hours 34 minutes 56 seconds, just 12 minutes behind winner, seven-time IM NZ champion, Jo Lawn. Ali will now be switching her attention to her preparations for IM NZ in March, before returning to UK for UK70.3 and the World Long Course Champs in Spain.
1. FREE BODY COMPOSITION ASSESSMENT · Receive a free body composition assessment worth £50 with any Cycle, Run or Tri test. · Valid throughout January only.
2. DISCOUNTED RETÜL BIKE FITTING · We are offering the £170 RETÜL ,3D motion capture technology, bike fitting service for just £100. · Valid throughout January only.
3. SAME DAY GROUP DISCOUNT · Book in multiple athletes for testing on the same day and receive up to a 20% discount. (2 athletes= 5%, 3= 10%, 4= 15%, 5+ = 20%). Weekend testing is available if 3 or more athletes book
4. REPEATED TESTING DISCOUNT Receive up to a 20% discount with repeated visits to the HPU for testing. (2nd visit= 5%, 3rd= 10%, 4th= 15%, 5th or more= 20%)
Happy New Year, and what better way to welcome 2012 than with some sunny bike miles.
Last week was the north island now it's the turn of the south. Last weeks adventure didn't quite go to plan, but what a ride. Time was always going to be against me as I raced to get to Wellington for NY eve and this mornings ferry to the South island. After a 200k first day my planned 4 day 1200k ride was a bit optimistic.
Day two I got from Papamoa Beach (just east of Tauranga) all the way around the Cape to Hicks Bay. 275k of ever increasingly beautiful and remote road. The sun was out and with some decent distances between shops and cell reception having no accommodation and a single water bottle kept me pushing all day.
A room, roast lamb, pavlova and a hot shower at Hick's Bay Motel was very welcome I can tell you.
Day three was just a blast all the way down the east coast, it was going to be over 400k to get to the target Napier and with my legs tired from the proceeding 500k I took a decision to go a bit more sensible. Still an early start and a miserable 80k in the rain through to Tokomaru Bay before the sun came out, the tailwinds were on my back and I met a friend from Gisborne for the spin through Gisborne (cheers for the advice, company and ice cream Nathan). Leaving Nathan on the southern outskirts of Gisborne, early afternoon, it was a 60k tired slog (there is a big hill through Whararata) over to some wonderful hot pools at Morere.
40mins of hot pool soaking, cold pool plunging and I happily rolled the last 3k down to old school friend Jo's farm, finishing the day a touch under 250k. Another friendly face, great accommodation and being spoilt with a huge home cooked meal I was a happy camper. Thank you Jo, Hilton and Harrison.
So that just left me 480k to get home to Welly on Day 4. Yea right... With motivation, better lights and car I could have done it, but frankly the promised rain had arrived I having the option of a lift from Napier meant I just wasn't feeling it. So Day 4 was a slightly grim 6hr push through the rain and the devils elbow (a big gorge that thankfully wasn't as bad as the numerous warnings had led me to expect) to Napier. Even in the rain Napier was warm and inviting and the trip was over.
Four days and nearly 900k, the legs were battered but not perhaps as bad as on last years John O'groats to Lands End. I should learn to take these rides slower, the East Cape was spectacular, with bay after bay of deserted beaches, I'll be back to enjoy at leisure.
Back in Welly for a quiet NY Eve I've swapped bikes and am now cruising out of the harbour on the ferry to Picton for a much more sedate 7 days ride down the East Coast to Queenstown.
It's going to be an interesting contrast comparing last weeks lightweight touring (BMC time machine, small backpack, credit card and toothbrush) with this weeks Cannondale tourer, rear panniers and a handlebar bag. Riding the 'dale to the ferry this morning, it's so different, no acceleration, high bars, tonnes of momentum, triple chainring. It's a treat not to have anything on my back though and panniers have loads of room so I've even bought runners.
This week I'm going to trial a new concept, a touring training camp. Unfortunately I drew the line at a wetty but shorts, goggles and runners are in the bag. Hopefully we can cruise through 700-800k of riding whilst still getting in a handful of runs, a few swims and it feeling like a bit of a break.
I need the running and swimming as Challenge Wanaka Half is just 2 weeks once I return for Queenstown.
Eight weeks of running and speed and I've been getting pretty sharp. It's been great to mix up the training with a block of higher intensity stuff. I reckon my running is down towards 5/10k PB territory, which is a first since I've come to NZ.
Now with 9 weeks to IM Taupo it's time to get those longer endurance sessions in. Unfortunately, I've taken the extended Christmas Hols and summer sun to get some longer runs in and gone a little off programme (sorry Dave).
Last weds, after a pub (albeit not drunk) conversation the week before, Chris Swallow, local off road run star, and I hatched a plan to try and do something a bit special before Christmas. Earlier in the year I'd missed out on racing the local Southern Crossing mountain race as I hadn'trun the route before. After a pint and some banter it seemed a great idea to try and run the point to point route twice. At 36k+ for once over it was always going to be a big day.
Anyway 16hrs was all it took! And we made the local rag
After some RnR over Christmas I flew up to Auckland yesterday to try and ride home,via the East Cape, in 4 days. The route is around 1200k and I only pushed out 200 yesterday after a late start. So that's over 200 miles (320k) a days to do the next three days.
Right now I'm I. whakatane having second breakfast, 80k into day 2. Every inch seems to be headwind so here's hoping when I get up to the top of the cape it'll be on my back.
New race team member Ali Hollington has been setting fast times whilst over-wintering in New Zealand. Two half-ironman events on successive weekends saw Ali produce impressive displays. At the IronMaori event, Ali finished second overall, beaten by just one male competitor, in a time of 4 hours 52 minutes. Then just a week later Ali placed 8th female overall in the Taupo Half in a time of 4 hours 49 minutes, winning the 45-49 age category by 36 minutes. The event featured a high quality field, won by former Commonwealth silver medallist, Sam Warriner in 4h24m.
The Human Performance Unit has sponsored a triathlon team since 2005. In that time, a mix of talented juniors, top age group athletes, and elite triathletes representing team GB have been supported with a package of sports science, coaching, physiotherapy, bike fitting, access to facilities, and training and racing kit.
The 2012 team features a number of new additions to the line up. In addition to last year's trio of Hawaii Ironman qualifiers (Roger Canham, Melissa Dowell, Laurence Pidcock), Ali Hollington brings experience of racing at the Ironman World Championship. Ali was also 2010 ITU World Long Course Champion in the 45-49 age group, and set a tremendous time of 9.52 at Challenge Roth in 2011. Looking to join the Hawaii qualifiers is Keith Sanders who recorded 9.08 at Ironman Austria in 2011, and will be looking to better this at Frankfurt in 2012. The senior Women's team is completed by Melissa Brand who races predominantly over 70.3 distance, including qualification for the Las Vegas World Championships this year, and Julia Jepson, member of the HPU team that placed second at the Eastern Region Relays in July. In keeping with the talent development policy of the Human Performance Unit, the junior team has been strengthened by the addition of younger members of the team. Youths boys Elliott Bennett and Arran Rae, and Tristar 3 girls Sophie Alden, Ellie Bushell and Kiera Tippett will be looking to emulate the likes of James Kidd, Sean Watson and Alex McKibben by taking regional titles and placing highly in the national youth and junior series in 2012.
2012 Full Team Line Up:
Senior Women: Melissa Brand - 2011 UK70.3 2nd 30-34 Melissa Dowell - 2011 IM Lanzarote 45-49 Winner (course record) and Hawaii IM finisher Ali Hollington - 2011 Challenge Roth 9h52m 13th overall, 1st 45-49. 2010 ITU World Long Course Champion 45-49 Julia Jepson - 2011 National Standard distance 3rd 40-44
Senior Men: Roger Canham - 2011 IM St George 45-49 Winner (course record), Hawaii IM 11th 45-49 Laurence Pidcock - 2011 IM NZ 9h22m and Hawaii IM finisher Keith Sanders - 2011 IM Austria 9h08m
Junior Women Alex McKibben - 2011 Eastern Region Champion, National Series 6th Junior Men
Adam Edwards - National Series Competitor, London Youth Games Cycling 2nd Sean Watson - 2011 National Youth Aquathlon 3rd, National Triathlon Series 5th
Youth Women Molly McKenzie - 2011 Eastern Region Champion, National Series 11th
Youth Men Elliott Bennett - 2nd 2011 Eastern Region TS3 series Connor Delaney - 2011 Eastern Region Runner up, National Series 16th James Kidd - 2011 Eastern Region Champion, National Series 7th Arran Rae - 2011 Eastern Region Series Winner
TS3 Women Sophie Alden - 2011 Eastern Region Champion, 5th at Inter Regional Championships Ellie Bushell - 2011 Eastern Region TS2 series runner-up, Winner Castle Triathlon Series Kiera Tippett - 2011 Eastern Region TS2 series Winner, 2nd at Inter Regional Championships
Human Performance Unit Spring Training Camp Saturday 31st March - Saturday 7th April 2012 Girona Cycling, Spain (www.gironacycling.com)
Join us for a week of cycling/triathlon training in stunning surroundings, offering a range of terrain Girona is used as the base for many top pro cycling teams and elite triathletes
Price includes half-board accommodation, 25m heated pool and indoor gym, coached sessions and guided rides, and transfers to/from Barcelona airport
£355 - 4 sharing, £425 - 2 sharing
Coaching will be provided by Dave Parry, Sport Scientist and former BTA World Class Programme Coach.
For more details, or to book a place on the camp, contact Dave Parry: dapcoach@essex.ac.uk, 01206 873254
Sport science testing helps athletes identify
strengths and weaknesses and measure how their
bodies respond to different training stimuli.
For the last ten years we have been helping
athletes of all levels achieve more by the
application of sports science testing and
support.
For schools HPU lab
sessions provide an opportunity for college and
sixth form students to apply their sport science
knowledge in a practical lab environment. The
HPU also offers G&T sessions for aspiring
athletes to participate in exercise tests and
have individual feedback on strengths and
weaknesses.
Video showing some of the testing we undertake at the
HPU
Triathlon Coaching ensures you get the most out
of training and is recommended for anyone who
wants to perform to their optimum. Whatever your
goals we can help you to use your time
effectively, and find a lifestyle balance that
makes your training life-enhancing.
