Don't forget to take a few moments, to stop and have a look at what's around you - nature, club mates, family - this is what really makes the sport enjoyable. ![]() Name: Ryan Lonsdale Age: 33 Lives: Freshwater Your supporters: Wife Emma and daughter Lucy for sure but anyone who wants a high five on race day. How long WTC member? 4 years Why triathlon? It made sense, always been a jack-of-all-trades but master of none, and I wanted to be part of a healthy community when moving to the beaches. Goals for 2013/2014 season: First Marathon and a PB at Challenge Forster. Once these were a tick it's all been about participation and supporting other club mates. How do you juggle training & work/life? Negotiating my triathlon time with family and utilising the commute to and from work as part of my training. Most memorable tri experience to date: My first one, Port Mac 70.3 - after I'd ditched my Billabong wetsuit, battled the wind on the bike and was about 12k into the run, I saw my wife cheering me on from the rocks. I suddenly realised that I was going to make it and had a moment to myself where I felt pretty proud of what I was doing. Long term tri ambitions? An Ironman and to share the incredible stories of Triathletes with people who have never tried the sport. 3 Peaks is also on the bucket list. What other hobbies outside of triathlon? Following professional cycling, photography and having adventures with my family. Favourite triathlon race course/location: Husky without doubt, everyone can have a go no matter what ability. Motivators: Steve Waugh, Richard Gill and Bec Hoschke all for different reasons. Favourite motto: How good is this? Tips/Inspiring comments for other triathletes: Don't forget to take a few moments, to stop and have a look at what's around you - nature, club mates, family - this is what really makes the sport enjoyable.
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We asked WTC member and regular competitor at Club Champs, Dan Howitt, to give us some tips and a preview of what to expect on race day and out on the course this year. BY DANIEL HOWITT
Pre Race: With Rego opening at 10am at Forster Main Beach, I recommend those driving up to leave home by 6am ( better to arrive early and be relaxed). Find the club tent and its time to get your gear organised (including finding your wave start time). Prior to your start check surf conditions. There will be a high tide at 1:20pm, so there should be little current unless the surf is up. There's also little chance of a short swim. Swim: There is a 99.12% chance of a wetsuit swim (so pack it!). The swim is a reverse P shape. When choosing your start position, look for areas where waves arent breaking, this will assist you getting out. Have a look where waves are breaking and line it up with a landmark to see where you may get a wave in. Self seed yourself in the swim! If your strength is on land, then don't put yourself on the front row ( it won't be ideal for you or the swimmers in your wave). Being high tide, it will be a shorter run up the beach, but it'll be soft sand, so pace yourself to avoid raising that HR. Hopefully, they'll have carpet in transition, the surface is like running on tacs!!! Bike: 2 laps and undulating. The surface isnt great, but it's not terrible. Watch for the right turn at the golf course outbound (2-3km in) heading on to the beachfront, as it is off camber and can have lose gravel. (see image below) At the 5km mark, there is a long decent of around 1-1.3km, a bit of fun, until you climb it...twice on the return legs. Stay seated, its a long gradual climb. There are no bike aid stations, so ration your fluids for the 30k ride. Run: 2 laps and flat except for the bridge. It is open and exposed and can get warm on course. There is two aid stations - one over the bridge and one at the far turn. Unfortunately the run turn for lap 2 is not near the club tents, so if you finish early, head the 200m to the turn near the bridge to cheer on the later waves. Post Race: Be sure to stay back after your race, to cheer on your fellow club members. There will be food and beverages on hand at the tent post race for all members.....this is where the party starts! Any other tips you can share with first timers to Club Champs? Add in the comments box please :-) Tri babies are taking over WTC! So how do new mums return to the sport they love? Mum-to-be Sarah Howitt offers some advice and checks in with WTC Member Kate Kiley on what worked for her. ![]() BY SARAH HOWITT There is definitely something in the water amongst the WTC ladies. In case you have been living under a rock lately and hadn’t realised it, WTC has had a large influx of pregnancies recently. One definite advantage of this is that I am pretty sure the future of WTC is well taken care of. Our juniors in a couple of years are going to kick some serious butt! Most recently WTC has welcomed Bonnie Wiggins (Trav and Rachel’s Daughter) and Lila De Paula Assis (Rog and Ang’s Daughter). Earlier last year Serena Washbrook (Dave and Emily’s Daughter) was born and we are still expecting 2 more babies to arrive by the end of this triathlon season with myself and Emma Lonsdale due to give birth in March. There seems to be a girl trend happening - I wonder if this will continue. This then begs the question for our new mummies: when do you return to racing, how do you begin to start thinking of returning to training and are you stronger when you return. Our club has seen many seriously talented Mummies make a grand return to racing or even take up the sport after they have had their children. The list of these mummies is extensive!! Recovery from pregnancy/ childbirth and return to impact exercise is not something that should be commenced too early. There is definitely a process that needs to occur and muscles that need rehabilitating before this return can take place. The best thing to do to start is to get advice from a specially trained Physio. They will be able to assess the strength of specific muscles and prescribe exercises for you to begin the recovery process. Personally I have goals of returning to racing at the start of next season. I have winter to work on my recovery and build my strength again. Being a physio I know the importance of rehabilitating myself after pregnancy and childbirth. I definitely plan on attending Post Natal Pilates Classes as I feel this is going to be crucial in my recovery post baby. Once I have built up the strength of these muscles I will reintroduce impact exercise slowly. Kate Kiley shares how she has managed to fit in being a working mum and returning to triathlon: One of the factors that helped in getting back into racing post babies was staying fit during both pregnancies. I found a lot of the training could still be done with modifications - swimming was fantastic and I still did indoor cycle classes and ran until about 7/8 months pregnant (with the use of a heart rate monitor and at a lower intensity). I was super lucky to get back into triathlon racing when both girls were quite young. But the biggest challenge was to do it in very small stages. My first run was down the drive way, second run was around the block and third run was a 2.5km circuit. Having babies has a huge impact on your body so you need to try and be patient and allow recovery before you get right back into it (and sleep when your baby sleeps so you get enough rest). For me now, I am not fussed with what times I do or what place I come. I am just so happy to be a part of it. Funnily enough due to the new found mental strength and physical toughness post child birth and the need to make every session count, I am racing better than ever. The road back has certainly been tough at times having suffered bad dehydration while breastfeeding and just trying to find the work/triathlon/kids/life balance. But it has all been worth it to get back to the sport I love. Kate certainly provides me with hope and motivation that I will be able to return to racing at the beginning of next season. I’m not so good on the sidelines!!! ![]() Sarah is a Physiotherapist and the Director of Innovation Sports Therapy. Visit their website to find out more about what they can offer pregnant women and new mums, and check out their pages dedicated to Post Natal Exercise. |