<![CDATA[Warringah Triathlon Club

<![CDATA[Warringah Triathlon Club - Life Members]]>Sun, 01 Mar 2026 13:24:09 +1100Weebly<![CDATA[Michael Smith]]>Fri, 03 Sep 2021 23:52:29 GMThttps://www.warringahtriathlonclub.com/life-members/michael-smith

My first triathlon was:
Circa 1995 WTC Club Race on the Old Warriewood Circuit (500m-750m swim in Lake Narrabeen, 1km Run to T1, 20km Bike 4 x 5km laps & 5km run Warriewood wetlands).
No wetsuit just a pair of sluggo’s, a T shirt & joggers. I raced on Linda’s old Pink Malvern Star bike with just flat pedals, no aero bars, gear levers were on the steel frame. I was last out of the water & had no trouble finding my bike in T1.
My first big boy races were Kurnell Sprint & Nepean Triathlon.

My favourite triathlon is:
It’s hard to pick as I love racing & every race is special.
Ironman - Hawaii Ironman (Kona) hard to qualify but if you are lucky enough to get a gig take it, there’s nothing like it. Roth Ironman, Germany fantastic, fast course 6,000 athletes & thousands of awesome spectators. Solar Hill on the bike leg is special with 20,000 spectators (think Tour De France) going nuts.
Half Ironman - Sunshine Coast 70.3
Shorter Events - Club Champs, Big Husky Festival & Nepean

My favourite training session is:
Run - Track & Interval Sessions. Long Trail Runs
Swim – Any Open Water Session, Manly (B & B) or Manly Dam (Intervals with Brucie if he’s there). Sunday arvo a lap or two at the Dam followed by beers with the Big Kahuna (Thorso).
Bike – West Head Time Trials & WTC Group Ride to Pie In Sky

My best race tip is:
Unless you’re a pro we’re not racing to pay bills & put food on the table. It’s okay to be competitive but keep in mind we do this sport because we love it. So have fun, enjoy yourself. Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS) don’t over complicate things. Stay in the moment, think of the process not outcomes.

The highlight of my triathlon journey is:
Definitely meeting people from all walks of life, making lifelong friendships & travelling to so many awesome destinations.

I love being a member of Warringah Triathlon Club because:
I feel privileged to be a member of the best Triathlon Club in the World. It’s like being part of a Community where you are respected & valued regardless of your sporting ability or where you come from. I love the culture of the club, we train hard & we play even harder. I love also the diversity in the club & the amount of members from different cultural backgrounds. I think in his spare time our beloved president David Wiles must get down to the International Airport or Manly Wharf/The Office & hand out WTC Membership Forms to Tourists & International Visitors.

My best advice to anyone new to the sport is:
Get a Coach. Find some great training partners with similar abilities to train with. Get involved with Club activities. Race often, start with short Sprint events & gradually build up to longer events. Club races are a great way to get experience & have fun.

Something I wish I knew when I first started in the sport is:
When you have to travel to races be selective who you share accommodation with. I have a few bad experiences, Thorso will have an adverse effect on your liver. Brucie is the worst cook. Both also like to start training at 3am! Triathlon is an expensive sport. It also attracts a lot of strange people.

]]><![CDATA[GEOFF THORSEN]]>Mon, 17 May 2021 00:54:23 GMThttps://www.warringahtriathlonclub.com/life-members/geoff-thorsen

My first triathlon was:
We're going back into the dreamtime here, in 1980 I was running with Harbord Diggers running club and the first Hawaii ironman had been on TV so we ran our own, swim in Manly Dam ride up Warringah Rd down Wakehurst parkway for two laps and back to Manly dam then run to North head back to the dam. We then put the results in the Manly Daily as the 3rd annual HD tri and were inundated with complaints as we had not told anyone. My first proper organised event was the Sydney triathlon organised by Dr Paul Stone. It was a long course in Narrabeen Lakes Swim about 1500m it was full of sea lice, then ride was up to Powder Works road for two laps, then run up Mona Vale road down powderworks about 20 km. No marshals, we ran through red lights on the road you wouldn't be allowed to run it now.

My favourite triathlon is:
Favourite triathlon has to be The Hawaiian ironman (it's like a box of chocolates you never know what you're going to get) beautiful one day blown off your bike the next. In 1995 I thought I might die I saw guys blown into a head on with a motorcycle, women taken away in helicopters after being blown off the road into the lava, I saw police pulling a guy out of the lava after the wind blew him off the road, I have been stopped dead with the headwind hoping for a break to get pedal over before I fell off but I'd do it again in a flash if the body would take it. You wouldn't miss it for quids.

My favourite training session is:
Don't really have one, but used to like (tolerate) a 160km ride because I could pig out on bacon and eggs.

My best race tip is:
Start slow then back off. If you enjoy short course for gods sake stick with it, you'll have a ball, not everybody is suited for endurance. That's why we have 100m sprints and Marathon.

The highlight of my triathlon journey is:
Shit I've been going for 40 years they've all been highlights, but doing Hawaii and having Bev support me all the way has been the most important thing you can't go out and train for xx hours a week without support (she made do the Honu in Hawaii one year because I missed out at Port Mac and didn't qualify) Hawaii is tough but it's a great place to race but not for everyone, it helps if you're a bit twisted (like Brucie).

I love being a member of Warringah Triathlon Club because:
Being a member of Warringah has been the fuel that kept me going, where else can you meet and train with such a fantastic group of friends. And I can put up with Brucie every Sunday (I wear earplugs).

My best advice to anyone new to the sport is:
If I was talking to a newbie just starting I would say: don't be worried if you come last, or think you don't fit in, at Warringah races you are the one that the race is for, if you can keep going the benefits will roll in. The last person in a race is the most important. Coming first takes enormous dedication and training, to keep coming last is showing courage to not give in and being happy with your effort. I admire these people.

If I was starting again I would not bother with any vitamins, they're a waste of money. I gave up drinking for 6 months when I was racing interclub athletics in the 70s trying to break 15min for 5km made no difference so that was that. Don't even bother with a low salt diet - if you're training, you lose salt. I was dead in the water for 6 years until I was told you need salt (salt is the answer, what was the question again)? You need a rest don't flog yourself all the time, you'll finish up like me, taste the beer and red wine.

If I knew how much I triathlon was going to cost me 40 years ago I might have decided differently, 30 trips to Hawaii, 10 to Western Australia, 25 to Forster and Port Mac, 3 to Melbourne, plus all the half Ironmans that were training, over $500k but wouldn't miss doing it again. Hopefully a bit smarter.

]]><![CDATA[LINDSAY ANDERSON]]>Mon, 26 Apr 2021 09:56:38 GMThttps://www.warringahtriathlonclub.com/life-members/lindsay-anderson

My first triathlon was:
Port Stephens in May 2012. I was so nervous about the swim (fear of underwater creatures), that I swam the whole way with my eyes closed under the water so I could not see what was coming at me from below. When I finally emerged from the water, I was practically skipping with joy and smiled the rest of the way through the race.

My favourite triathlon is:
Club champs of course. From being able to wear almost every piece of WTC kit I own, to soaking up the vibe around the club tent, meeting new WTC members excited for their first club champs, racing in an awesome location, hearing that “Go Warringah” out on course, enjoying the post-race social and partying the night away at the presentation awards.

My favourite training session is:
I used to love the track sessions down at Narrabeen where you test yourself over 400m or 800m efforts. It was all about being consistent during the session and praying that the recovery time between laps lasted as long as possible.

My best race tip is:
Enjoy it! You’ve done all the hard work, so while you go about getting the race done, look around you, soak up the atmosphere and smile at the people cheering you on. And always check your bag twice before leaving home to ensure you’ve packed everything.

The highlight of my triathlon journey is:
Without a doubt, the people I’ve met along the way. Triathlon has given me great friends, an amazing husband and a wonderful community to be a part of, for which I will always be grateful.

I love being a member of Warringah Triathlon Club because:
In addition to the above, I can be exercising anywhere around the peninsula and I’m almost guaranteed to see a fellow club member for a smile and a wave. We have one of the best locations in the world for our club races and an incredible bunch of people who volunteer their time to make our great club what it is.

My best advice to anyone new to the sport is:
Be consistent in your training if you want to see results and ask for advice if you have questions. One thing triathletes love to do is talk about all things triathlon.

Something I wish I knew when I first started in the sport is:
The existence of elastic laces.

]]><![CDATA[Andy Kean]]>Mon, 30 Nov 2020 06:20:19 GMThttps://www.warringahtriathlonclub.com/life-members/andy-kean

My first triathlon was:
I did the swim portion of a team event (out in Drumoyne I think) organised by LAPD tri club, with some gals I met at a local swim squad…probably mid 1999…..I was one of the few without a wetsuit (did not have one) and the water was bloody cold. I think we managed a silver in the mixed team event.
My first triathlon was a Kurnell event in about 2002 I think…had a young daughter so it took me a while to get to the bike and run!

My favourite triathlon is:
Definitely the Huskisson long course – magnificent swim, ride and run and the local community are fantastic.

My favourite training session is:
Really depends on which discipline….a really good endurance swim session, is a 10 x 200m set which takes about an hour:
After a 300-400m warm up + a few of your favourite drills, do 10 x 200m repeats

the first is really easy, no harder than a warm up pace, take a 30 sec break and note that interval (e.g. 3:30 for the swim and 30s rest = 4:00);
each successive rep is supposed to be very slightly quicker, but keep the 4:00 interval throughout…..the idea is that the 10th one is at least 30 secs quicker than the first, but of course, you get more rest the quicker you go;
don’t forgot an easy cool down of at least 200m

Really easy to remember and it sounds easy….try it and let me know!

My best race tip is:
Race how you feel and only use your watch/garmin/data as a guide….. some days, you will feel much better than the data suggests and some days worse. That will, of course, require you to be attuned to how you feel at certain effort levels during training sessions too…can only be a good thing right 😊

The highlight of my triathlon journey is:
You learn to push your physical boundaries the stronger you become mentally and there are also a few races that I look back on with fondness (if that’s the right word). However, absolutely no doubt, the best thing is the friends I have made along the way…when you train/suffer together and then race together, the sense of camaraderie cannot be topped.

I love being a member of Warringah Triathlon Club because:
It’s a community of like minded people (aka idiots) who love to push their limits and laugh about it…at their friends and themselves.

My best advice to anyone new to the sport is:
You don’t need to spend a fortune on the latest equipment…remember the engine matters Sooo much more. Much better to have $10,000 legs and a $200 bike than the other way round!

]]><![CDATA[PETE WALKER]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 11:02:55 GMThttps://www.warringahtriathlonclub.com/life-members/pete-walkerMy first triathlon was: Warringah Triathlon Race with a swim in South Creek in Narrabeen Lagoon, a run across Pittwater Road back along Garden St to transition in Apollo Place and then laps on the bike past the old drive-in at Warriewood. They were the days when you didn't need Police approval and marshalls at every intersection.

My favourite triathlon is: Nepean Triathlon - Australia's oldest triathlon with a 1km swim, 30km bike, 10km run

My favourite training session is: A Warringah Tri Club race.

My best race tip is: Work your strengths and be aware of where your main competitors are in the race.

The highlight of my triathlon journey is: being part of the Warringah Tri team at NSW Club Champs and always having WTC on the podium.

I love being a member of Warringah Triathlon Club because: of the above highlight and the friendly relaxed atmosphere at all the WTC events with a balance of the regular legends that are really competitive and the newcomers doing their first Tri with everyone so willing to help.

My best advice to anyone new to the sport is: You don't have to be the best at every part of Triathlon, just do your best overall and you will get good results and enjoy it.
Something I wish I knew when I first started in the sport is: Focus on technique improvements to improve for your weaker area rather than increased training and keep a balance of the training between swimming, cycling and running.
]]><![CDATA[GRAHAM BRUCE]]>Mon, 01 Jun 2020 11:01:30 GMThttps://www.warringahtriathlonclub.com/life-members/graham-bruceTell us about your first triathlon?
Way back in the 80s (1980s Thorso not 1880s) it was in Bondi and the swim was in the ocean. It was onshore winds and about 4-foot surf, you would not hold one in those conditions nowadays. I was first out of the swim and then on the bike and headed towards Malabar. No road closures, no traffic marshals or green lights it was like driving in an Asian city and do your best at the intersections. I had no idea where I was going and waited until Greg Reddan caught up to me (he was from Freshie Surf Club and finished 7th in Kona in 1982 and was the first Aussie to finish Kona). I followed him as best I could and then when other cyclists caught me I followed them till I was dropped. I got off the bike and did the run and was passed by more people. I liked it so much it was on my bucket list after I did surf Ironman’s and the Channel.

What is your favourite triathlon event?
This is split between Club Champs and Husky. Some might say my fav would be an Ironman but I like the team spirit and social side of these races, you get to see your club mates and friends. We are all have different abilities and time schedules so it’s not always possible to train together (there’s not too many WTC members on the road at 3am).

What is your favourite training session, and what does it help to achieve?
Swimming: 3 rounds of 3x300 on 4.30 plus 4x50 on 60 recovery -Distance Per Stroke
Why: helps your endurance strength and range of movement
Bike: Leading up to an Ironman
Weekday- 4 x 15 mins FTP with 5 mins recovery
Weekend- 160km ride.
Why: ride at an honest consistent wattage with pressure on the pedals for the whole ride with HR under 130bpm. Shows you have the endurance strength which is what you need after the bike in an iron with the run still to come (no one can help you on the run leg)
Run:
Split between
6 x 1km FTP 60 sec recovery
Hill sess 6 x 90 sec up down Recovery, 6 x 60 sec up down Recovery, 6 x 30 sec up down recovery. All at the same pace, controlled breathing and form
Why- There’s no real spiking in an iron run leg.

What is the highlight of your triathlon journey?
Living
Where do I start, I came from a surf ironman back ground (Uncle Toby’s Iron Series) where we did everything together so I really cherish the memories of the races where we have been travelling and rooming together with people from the club, people like Hooky, Neil McNeil (yep that’s his name), Smithy, Bev and Thorso, Tracey Spindler, Pete Walker and the Coffs Drive, Pete Jacobs etc. Rooming with Hooky in Cairns and he is asking should he go to the hospital as he had a blister on his foot, he was serious. I still remember having Pizzas at Thorso’s place after Forster Ironman 20 years ago, or going into Rob and Carmel’s unit on the morning of a Canberra Half Iron and having a bath to warm my legs up. Hooky’s and my place didn’t have one.
Some would say the highlight would be the 70.3 Worlds in 2016 or Kona, that may be with regards to a result but to me it was in 2005 at Forster where I had to walk the run due to a torn disc, in 2004 I had run a 3.18 on a hilly course but ended up doing 7.10 in 2005. Being out on that course for an extra 3-4 hours I saw a different side to the “race”. For some people, this would be the biggest sorting thing that they would do. I was ok physically (jury is still out on the mental side of things) but I wasn’t allowed to run so I walked. I helped people out of gutters and encouraged them to finish and to worry about what “went wrong “after the event. I helped 9 people finish that day/night. Up until then I never really saw the people after 10 hours as I would be having my own issues after finishing an iron race. It really hit home that this was a huge achievement for these people.

Why do you love being a member of Warringah?
Well I could say it’s because I can hassle Thorso on the group Facebook page or that I can yell out to Smithy when I am riding past his place in the early hours, but to be honest, you get to meet a lot of like similar people that are drawn to the sport and they are at various stages of their lives and they train and race and get it done “with what they have got”.

What is the best advice you can give to other athletes?
Be realistic. It takes time “to improve” all components of each leg (again be realistic).
I see so many people training SO hard but they have no way of doing it in a race.
Something I wish I knew when I first started in this sport.
That I would have a reminder of Thorso on my key ring in my shorts for most of the day
What are your best racing tips?
Be realistic
Train at the correct intensities (don’t redline it)
Have confidence in your ability and training
It’s too easy to go toooooo hard on the bike, there’s still a run leg to go (Tri = 3 )]]>