PREPARE for a whole new kind of crazy Three days of triathlon racing, starting with a 10km rare opportunity to become part of a world series in Ultraman racing. There are currently three Ultraman events held around the world, Welcome to Ultraman Australia, and the event where athletes use Ironman as a training session is coming to Noosa. The Sunshine Coast has a ocean swim and a 145km ride on day one. Follow that with another 275km bike leg on day two, and polish it off with an 84km double marathon on the final day. Swim 10km, ride 420km and then run 84.4km To Page 2 Wednesday, April 9 This is Ultramman...anything less is just a qualifier Sunshine Coast Daily By GRANT EDWARDS
Transcript
PREPARE for a whole new kindof crazy
Three days of triathlonracing, starting with a 10km
rare opportunity to becomepart of a world series inUltraman racing. There arecurrently three Ultraman eventsheld around the world,
Welcome to UltramanAustralia, and the event whereathletes use Ironman as atraining session is coming toNoosa.
The Sunshine Coast has a
ocean swim and a 145km rideon day one. Follow that withanother 275km bike leg on daytwo, and polish it off with an84km double marathon on thefinal day.
Swim 10km, ride 420kmand then run 84.4km
To Page 2
Wednesday, April 9
This is Ultramman...anything less is just a qualifier
Page 2 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
including Canada, Florida andthe world championships inHawaii.
With the Australian leg nowconfirmed, Noosa and theCoast could become apermanent event on theUltraman calendar.
Race director Tony Horton isworking closely with police,council and other authorities tobring the event to fruition.
He said the support hasbeen positive and growinglocally with many asking thequestion “is this real” and “dopeople actually do this”.
The answer: absolutely.When the Facebook post wentup on April 1 (purely acoincidence) it reached morethan 15,000 people.
Tony has been inundatedwith prospective competitorswho want a spot in the40-person field. There areabout 70 already queuing,around 30% are women.
“It’s a crazy thing and there isa lot of interest,” he said.
“You have a different breed ofculture. That is what makes thisspecial.”
Gaining entry is by invitationonly and qualification is notnecessarily purely based ontimes and results.
Celebrating coreHawaiian values andthe importance ofaloha (love), ohana(family) and kokua(help) is pivotalthroughout the race.
There is no prizemoney, but there arethe bragging rightsfor a lifetime. No matterwhether you finish first or last,you get the same trophy.
And each competitor has theopportunity to speak at theawards ceremony.
“The Ultraman athletes comefrom all ages and differentsporting backgrounds with thecommon goal of the journey tothe finish line. They will sitaround on day one and twoand have a beer together and
re-cap on the epic day theyhave endured,” Tony said.
Each Ultraman has at leasttwo crew for the journey, with amaximum of one vehicle and anaccompanying paddler for theswim. The crew can run with
the competitor inthe doublemarathon, and thatwill be required asparts of the coursewill be inaccessibleto vehicles.
Course details arestill to be finalised,but the 10km oceanswim looks like
heading from Noosa MainBeach to the first groyne, backtoward Main Beach before areturn journey to Winch Cove.Then it will be the 145km ride,which follows the traditionalNoosa Tri course but continueson through Kin Kin and towardGympie before turning around.
The following day’s 275kmcycle leg is throughout thehinterland, out towards Yandinaand Kenilworth.
Capping off the three days isthe double marathon, 84.4kilometres from Noosa toBoreen Point and back,through the National Park andfinishing at the surf club.
There is a 12 hour cut-off oneach day, with the swim havinga six-hour deadline while therun has designated time targetsevery half-marathon. Ifcompetitors miss cut-offs, theyare not removed from thecourse and can still completethe Ultraman – but do notreceive a finishing time.
Some of the competitors willset elite-level pace on each leg,while others will go close to thecut-off on every occasion.
Part of the prerequisite is tohave completed an Ironmandistance race or equivalent inless than 14.5 hours.
Successful applicants will benotified by July.
For Ultraman competitors,“anything less is just aqualifier”.
For more information visitwww.ultramanoz.com.
Long queue already forming
Race director Tony Horton is an Ultraman himself, completing the Canada event in 2012.
From Page 1
WHAT IS ULTRAMAN?● The event attractsindividuals who not only thriveon personal challenge, butwho come to understand, asdid the ancient Hawaiians, theimportance of aloha (love),ohana (family), and kokua(help).● Individual resources, mental,physical, and spiritual, areshared in an atmospherewhere everyone whocompletes the course is awinner, and the pursuit ofhuman excellence is thefundamental rule of the road.● It started 30 years ago, withthe initial challenge tocircumnavigate the Big Islandof Hawaii.When: May 9-11, 2015.Where: Noosa.Day 1 - 10km ocean swimdeparting from the Noosa SurfClub, followed by 145km ride.Day 2 - 275km ride throughthe Sunshine CoastHinterland.Day 3 - 84km loop run,starting and finishing at NoosaSurf Club including a runthrough the National Park.
Pho
to:R
ick
Ken
t
“You have adifferentbreed ofculture. Thatis what makesthis special.”
WHILE most athletes wouldhave been tucked up in bed at10pm, the night was onlybeginning for a legion ofmountain bikers poised totackle the LunarC.
The eight-hour cross-countrymountain bike race attracted astrong field to the MurrenbongScout Camp course near Petrieon March 14
All riders set off at the sametime for a frenetic start, with thegoal of completing as manylaps of the 10.1km course aspossible between 10pm and6am.
Aroona’s Lukas Cannfinished fifth in the open divisionafter punching out 13 laps inhis first attempt at the race as asolo rider.
“I was aiming for 11 laps,and felt good at the end as thesun was coming up andmanaged to squeeze out acouple more,” he said.
“The trail is not thattechnical. There are two inclinesections, the rest is undulatingsingle trail.
“Most of it is a mental thing.Just the willingness to keepgoing when you are tired.
“Doing it at night puts adifferent aspect to it…if youdon’t do much night riding itcan be daunting.”
Lukas used the LunarC as akey lead-up to two adventureraces.
He will join brothers Andrewand Michael Cann, along withcousin Steve Wallace, in the24-hour Rogue24Adventuregaine on April 26-27,followed by the 48-hourMountain Designs GeoQuestevent from June 6-9.
Lukas has been preparing forthe events under the guidanceof endurance legend StephenGage.
Preparation for the LunarCincluded five bike sessions aweek, with two four-hoursessions in Parklands. He alsospent time on the wind trainer,and clocked up about 150kmon the road each week to helpbuild strength.
He also threw in somekayaking and running as part ofthe program.
Lukas is now doing a largerunning component to fine-tunehis preparation for theRogue24.
The 30-year-old manages tofit in his training around work asthe estimating manager for
Ausmar Homes and familycommitments, thanks primarilyto his understanding wife Kylie,and his three children Toby,Macey and Indie.
Much of his training isundertaken early in themorning, often rising at 3.45amto get in the miles required forsuch gruelling events.
Cross-country race is lunacyBy GRANT EDWARDS
Aroona’s Lukas Cann on his way to finishing fifth in the open division of the LunarC eight-hour mountain bike enduro. Photo: Andrew Willis, Element Photo and Video Productions
VITAL STATISTICSSunshine Coast LunarC competitors:Gary Palmer (Currimundi) 19th overall (solo veteran) with 13 laps.Lukas Cann (Aroona) 24th overall (open solo) with 13 laps.Rob Symmons (Wurtulla) 33rd overall (open solo) with 12 laps.Tim Wood (Mooloolaba) 38th overall (singlespeed solo) with 12 laps.Peter Bigaila (Maroochydore) 48th overall (veteran solo) with 11laps.Rob Bennett (Aroona) 84th overall (veteran solo) with six laps.Craig Richmond (Warana) 97th (veteran solo) overall with four laps.TeamsTeam Bates/Large - Chris Bates (Kingaroy) and Dan Large(Kingaroy) sixth in category with 13 laps.Running on Empty - Clive Bishop (Birtinya) and Brad Harrison(Marcus Beach) seventh in category with 12 laps.Team DC - Colin Kean (Mountain Creek) and David Call (Wamuran)10th in category with 12 laps.
Page 4 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
LIFE’S pathways could havetaken Scott Farrell down aremarkably different trackwithout triathlon.
His passion for the sport hasshaped his life and led to a newcareer as he currently studiesto become a sports dietician.
Enjoying surfing and rockclimbing while teaching childrenwith special needs in HerveyBay, a chance meeting withsprint triathlon through a friendkick-started a new life phasefour years ago.
Now the Palmwoods33-year-old is preparing tocompete at the Holy Grail ofIronman racing, having qualifiedfor the world championshipswith an outstandingperformance at Ironman NewZealand.
He was 17th overall and wonthe men’s 30-34 division in9:14:41 after posting a 53:14swim, 5:09:06 on the bike andfinishing with a 3:06:37marathon.
It was Scott’s secondIronman, having completed theBusselton event in 2012. Whileposting a sub 10-hour time inWest Australia, Scott didn’thave the race he was chasing
and went back to the drawingboard.
He then went on to tacklethe Hervey Bay 100 and theSunshine Coast 70.3 last year,but it was at Goondiwindi inFebruary that he saw the fruitsof his hard labour.
At Hell of the West Scottfinished seventh overall andeasily won his age group whichprovided him with ampleconfidence heading to NewZealand.
“I had pretty much a perfectlead-up going into NewZealand,” he said.
“I set out my six months oftraining, three months of niceand consistent base work andthen my last 12 weeks lead-upI don’t think I missed a session.
“I only had about two orthree hours sleep the nightbefore because of howlingwinds and I thought it wasgoing to be a rough day, but Iwoke up and felt great.”
Scott got in with a goodpack on the swim and felt freshleaving T1, but the latter uphillstages on the ride tested hisresolve and he began towonder how he would feelduring the marathon. But hegot off the bike feeling strongand immediately began hittinghis targets.
With wife Nicki and sonHarper cheering him on, andbeing a former Kiwi he also had
Sliding doors lead to Holy Grail
Scott Farrell celebrates his first place age group finish at Ironman New Zealand.
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014 Page 5
strong family support with hisgrandfather along with someuncles and aunties linedthroughout the run course,Scott maintained his strongmomentum and reeled in hisage group leader with just onekilometre before the finish.
“The first couple of years oftriathlon Kona wasn’t really onmy radar,” Scott said.
“Once you start doing longcourse and you get more intotriathlon you start watchingKona every year and when Istarted getting good results Ithought I might be able toqualify.
“I’m pretty stoked.”
Scott has been ticking overlimited training since NewZealand but is champing at thebit to get back into things, andnow has plans to undertake arange of local races, includingthe Allez Sport cross-countryseries as well as the Wild Horse30km trail, and Sunshine Coast70.3 once again provides theperfect Kona lead-up fourweeks out from the worldchampionships.
In between study, Scott alsolooks after one-year-old Harperthree days a week, coachessome athletes and also worksfor Infinit Nutrition.
Scott will be producing anonline training blog throughouthis Kona build, and anyonekeen to follow can check out
his Facebook pagewww.facebook.com/scottyfarrell13 before his website isoperational.
In achieving Konaqualification he paid tribute to
his coach Stephen Gage, andsponsors Kunara OrganicMarketplace, Custom Bike Fit,Infinit Nutrition, T:Zero SportsManagement and Allez SportMooloolaba for their support.
Pumped to take on world’s best
Scott Farrell looking comfortable at Hell of the West.
TRAINING REGIMEScott’s base training weekBike – three sessions, one atCustom Bike Fit concentratingon strength. One 2-3hr hillsride. Saturday is a 4-5hr longride with some hills, big gears,low heart rate.Run – four times a week,including 1.5-2hr runs on trailsat Noosa National Park,Parklands or in the hinterland.He also undertakes an easy30-40 jog around Palmwoods,and runs off the bike once ortwice a week which is about20-30min easy.Swim – three sessions.Concentrate on strength, oftenusing paddles and pull buoy,with longer slower sets, 1kmrepeats. Each session is about2-3km.12 weeks before Ironman● The intensity increases, butroutine stays similar.● Join the AlexandraHeadland bunch ride to workon top-end speed.● Long rides are extended tosix hours.● Pacing work starts at theback end of long runs, runningeasy for 1hr and building torace pace.● Start track work, 1600mrepeats on 6min at 3:40 pace.● The swim sessions includeone longer 4km session, theothers are shorter and sharperwith a lot of 50m efforts, and aweekly ocean swim of about3km.
From Page 4
“The first couple ofyears of triathlonKona wasn’t reallyon my radar.”
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014 Page 7
MOTORING groups andcyclists alike say it’s a shamenew laws regarding safelyovertaking bicycles haveneeded to be introduced toimprove rider safety.
Both parties raised concernsthat fining drivers for not leavingcyclists safe room whenpassing could exacerbate analready uneasy relationshipbetween drivers and push-bikeriders.
New cycling laws introducedby the QueenslandGovernment came in to forceon Monday, April 7, stipulatingmotorists must leave at leastone metre when passingcyclists in a 60kmh or lessspeed zone.
On roads faster than this, apassing distance of 1.5 metreswill be required.
Regular cyclist BrettReedman, of Mountain Creek,said better education for allroad users, rather thanpenalties, would have beenpreferable.
“It’s a good ideato leave thatamount of roomwhen passing acyclist, but it needsan educationcampaign to goalong with it,” he said.
“The laws will be difficult toenforce, but positively the lawsshould give people moreawareness that cyclists havethe right to be on the road andare vulnerable.”
RACQ spokesman SteveSpalding agreed drivers andcyclists needed to be morerespectful of each other toimprove safety, but was alsodisappointed a law needed tobe introduced.
“Our (RACQ’s) view wasthere was an absolute clear
case for safe passing distancesfor cyclists,” he said.
“But based on overseasexperience, education hasshown to be far more effectivethan having a rule.”
Steve said the relationshipbetween cyclists and motoristswas an emotive topic and
important to getright.
“It’s a criticalsafety issue, and ifyou get it wrongthere’ll be moreanimosity betweendrivers and
cyclists,” he said.Brett said he’d been sworn
at by drivers and had eggsthrown at him on two separateoccasions while using thecycling lane along David LowWay.
“Motorists sometimes needreminding that the cyclist you’respitting at or trying to run offthe road is a person: a father,mother, husband, wife, sister orbrother,” he said.
The new rules regardingsafely overtaking cyclists will betrialled over the next two years.
Laws targetsafer riding
CYCLING RULESMotorists must stay wider ofcyclists by giving:● A minimum of one metrewhen passing cyclists in a60kmh or less speed zone.● A minimum of 1.5-metreswhere the speed limit is over60kmh.● But, drivers are legallyallowed to cross centre lines –including double unbrokencentre lines – to pass cyclistswhen safe to do so.Penalties for breaking newcycling law● Motorists who don’t leavethe required space for cyclistsand are caught by theQueensland Police will receivethree demerit points and a fineof $330.
OPINIONAll cylists have experienced the perils of riding on the road. Abuse,close calls, car doors being flung open in your path...the list goeson.For some reason, many drivers feel aggrieved at seeing cyclists onthe road. Perhaps it’s jealousy, maybe it’s just a pure lack ofunderstanding?Yet some people behind the wheel are unintentionally putting riders’lives at risk for the sake of costing their travel time a few seconds.A lot of drivers have no comprehension of the size of their vehicle.How often do small hatchbacks cross to the other side of the roadto pass you, while four-wheel drives nearly skim your thigh?But while we can point the finger and recall poor drivers at will, thefact remains many cyclists also fail to follow the road rules.Collectively we must set the right example to help avoid the angstagainst cyclists. That means stopping at red lights, using handsignals, riding single file where appropriate, ensuring you have lightsfront and back, as well as following the road rules.The road can be shared, cyclists and motorists just need to respecteach other and have some patience. – GRANT EDWARDS
By IAIN CURRY
Cyclist Brett Reedman says the new bike laws will be diffiultto enforce. Photo: Warren Lynam
“...it needs aneducationcampaign to goalong with it.“
Page 8 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
AS THE end of the season ishere and the last events arebeen run and won, the time hascome to change intooff-season mode.
Even though we may bemotivated to keep up the hectictempo of the season justfinished, it is now time to backoff and allow the body andmind some downtime. It is hardfor some athletes to activelytake a step back as by takingrest days and even rest weeks,aren’t we risking losingmomentum and the fitness thatwe have worked so hard allseason to achieve?
This is a question that, as acoach, I face frequently at thistime of year.
Especially for those quitenew to the sport and possiblyfacing their first off-season afterthe highs of getting throughseason number one in triathlon.
One of the first things youmust aim to do is take a break.
You may find that manysquads will actively have amonth or so downtime wheresquads are scaled back and ifyou are on a program even toldthat nothing structured will beset so you are forced to takesome rest.
and realistic plan to take intothe off-season with you. Thekey is to keep it simple andabove all else keep it real.
Once you have a strategyand plan for the following
I have seen coaches actuallythreaten highly motivatedclients with locking their bike upfor a few weeks to ensure thetraining is kept to a minimum!
This is a good time to takestock and plan the events andgoals for next season. In orderto improve we must raise thatbar and it may be as simple asnot having too much total timeoff between seasons. Identifythe limiters that have beenpossibly negatively impactingthe results.
First though, some downtimeis needed. I like to give myathletes a minimum of fourweeks at season’s end.
As mentioned, this is also agreat time to re-evaluate the
season just gone and askyourself:
● What did I do well intraining and racing this pastseason?
● What needs some workand what are my weaknesses?
● How do I improve overalltimes and efficiency,technique?
● Do I train more? Faster?Smarter?
● Start using a coach or joina club?
● How many hours do I haveto train to achieve these – forthe off-season and newseason?
You will find a great deal ofmotivation comes from puttingpen to paper and list a simple To Page 9
summer, now we come to thequestion of what do we do toget to next season (some fourto six months away dependingon your race schedule), tomake training interesting andmaintain that hard foughtfitness.
Time to rest – as alreadymentioned, it is important tohave some downtime andbreak that structure and routineyou have set yourself allsummer.
By all means stay in touchwith some light training butmake it more social, cut outintensity, drop the volume andfrequency, make sure you havesome sleep-ins and break awayfrom the normal trainingpatterns.
Keep up aerobic activity buttry to change from the swim,
bike, run norm and broadenyour activities – it is true of thesaying that a change is as goodas a holiday.
Physical screening – by aphysiotherapist, experiencedpersonal trainer with sometriathlon knowledge or qualifiedcoach. This will go a long wayto help you find out potentialweaknesses in your physicalself to work on during the offseason.
Things like overall or certainareas of flexibility, glutealstrength, core, lower back orlower leg weaknesses – allwhich can be worked on whilethe winter sets in and the focuscomes away from the swim,bike and run volume thatsummer dictates
In the next edition I will list anumber of different ways to getthrough winter and gain from
the off-season in order to comeout the other side a stronger
and more tuned athlete readyto go to a new level.
Perfect time to have some restFrom Page 8
Enjoy some rest during the off-season, and enjoy some timewith the family. Photo: Grant Edwards
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014 Page 9
Page 10 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
FOR the second year insuccession, Kacey Willoughbyis off to Kona to compete at theIronman World Championships.
The 30-year-old ripped upthe Melbourne Ironman coursetwo weeks ago, posting aquick sub-10-hour time tofinish second in her age group.
It was another oustandingeffort from Kacey, who in 2012finished Busselton’s IronmanWestern Australia in 10:06:52,before backing that up with a10:17:45 in Ironman Australiaat Port Macquarie last year.
But she had a need forspeed in Melbourne, gettingout of the swim in 1:08, andthen smashing the bike in lessthan five hours. Kacey thenfollowed that with a 3:31marathon.
Here is how the localsfinished at Ironman Melbourne:
David Dellow (Kawana Island) thirdoverall in 8:03:07 (45:44, 4:21:35,2:51:41).
Casey Munro (Mooloolaba) 14thoverall in 8:29:41 (45:39, 4:29:04,3:10:38).
Caroline Steffan (Kawana Island) firstwoman overall in 8:57:57 (52:03,4:56:38, 3:04:44).
Nathan Shearer (Mountain Creek)ninth in category in 9:20:13 (1:05:19,4:54:40, 3:10:56).
Kacey Willoughby (Mooloolaba)second in category in 9:42:40(1:08:32, 4:57:26, 3:31:28).
Catherine Thiele (Mooloolaba) thirdin category in 9:55:57 (59:09, 5:14:23,3:36:44).
Grant Callaghan (Aroona) 10:06:57(1:06:44, 5:06:19, 3:46:00).
Peter Schultz (Moffat Beach)10:11:43 (53:41, 5:10:55, 3:57:14).
Katie Kenny (Parrearra) ninth incategory in 10:18:33 (58:44, 5:13:14,
THE Sunshine Coast producedsome strong results at theQueensland Sprint Triathlonchampionships at the weekendin Redcliffe.
Here are the Coast’s podiumfinishers:
Nathan Fitzakerley second in men's35-39 (1:03:05).
Drew Westbrook third in men's40-44 (1:03:37).
Robbie Andrews first men's 45-49(1:08:15).
Rowland Cook second men's 60-64(1:15:54).
David Royle second men's 65-69(1:18:19).
Jonathan Hamwood third men's65-69 (1:21:25).
Maureen Cummings first women50-54 years (1:14:07).
Penny Hearn first women 60-74(1:24:30).
Rosemary Longstaff second women60-64 (1:30:40).
Need for triathlon speed
Robbie Andrews.
China-boundTHE Mountain Designs team ofGold Coast pair GarySutherland and Leo Theoharis,David “Sloshy” Schloss fromWurtulla and Noosa’s KimBeckinsale will tomorrow headfor China to take part in theirlatest adventure race. Thefour-day race starts onSaturday.
Fun run openENTRY to the 2014 StocklandCaloundra Foreshore Fun Runon Sunday, June 22, is nowopen with the event celebratingits 10th year. A team categoryhas been introduced into the10km foreshore run. Entry intothe 10km run is $35 per personwith every runner registeredonline before race day receivinga free event singlet.Participants of the 10km runcan nominate their team whenregistering. Entry in the 3km funrun starts at $7.50 for primaryschool students and $15 in theopen category. The 3km familywalk is $22 allowing up to sixmembers to be registered. Theevent’s prize pool consists of$500 for first prize, $200 forsecond prize and $100 for thirdprize for both male and femaleoverall winner in the 10kmforeshore run.
Getting dirtyTHREE-time victor ofAustralia’s toughest sprinttriathlon will return to outbackQueensland this weekend todefend his title and attempt tobecome the first man tosurpass the hat-trick in thegruelling event. Sam Bettenhas competed in the JuliaCreek Cannington Dirt n DustTriathlon five times previously,and is hoping to bag his fourthconsecutive win this year; afeat that has never yet beenaccomplished.
Top 10 finishMARGIE Atthow finished 10thin the women’s 1500m final atthe national athleticschampionships in Melbourneon Saturday. It was the mosttalented field seen in 10 years,and Margie ran a strong 4:27.
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014 Page 11
YOUR drivetrain is typically thedirtiest part of your bike.
Failure to properly lubricateor maintain your drivetrain canresult in increased chain wear,reduced flexibility of chain links,added wear on derailleurassemblies and drivetrain cogsas well as impaired shiftingperformance.
Then, ultimately you have todig into your pocket sooner forreplacement parts.
Whenever you ride, therunning gear picks up sand andgrit, even in dry conditions.
Riding in the wetexacerbates the issue, and it’sbest to clean and relubricateimmediately after you finish.
A good way to clean thedrivetrain is to get somedegreaser, rags and a brush.
If you don’t have any
degreaser, you can applyenough lubricant and get thechain dripping.
Scrub the jockey wheel, notforgetting the insides of themechanical arm, and then flossbetween the rear sprockets.Then do the same with thechainring.
If you have used a degreaser,spray the drivetrain clean, dryall parts of the drivetrain, andthen liberally apply morelubricant.
Be sure to lubricate thejockey wheel at the point ofspinning.
“By keeping up withmaintenance and lubricatingregularly you don't generallyneed a degreaser,” Cyclezone’sJohn Carey said.
When undertaking regularlubrication, apply ample to the
chain and then wipe off theexcess.
A bottle of lubricant costs
about $20, which should lastfor a least few months even ifused fortnightly.
Maintenance protects drivetrain
Cyclezone’s John Carey says lubricating your chain shouldbe done every fortnight.
Page 12 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
WITH Easter fast approaching,an extra food group will soonbe added to the daily intake ofmost Australians.
From milk chocolate, foilwrapped bilbys to fairtrade,dark, organic, goji berry Eastereggs, there is something foreveryone! But how does thisimportant food, chocolate, fitinto the life of an athlete whohas performance and bodycomposition goals to considerat this time?
Chocolate is usually madefrom cacoa or cocoa, cocoaliquor, cocoa butter, sugar oralternative sweetener,emulsifier (lecithin) and flavour(vanilla, fruit, spices etc.).Cacao is a tree that can growtall (up to 12 metres) and itproduces fruit called pods orcabossides, which containfrom 20-40 cacoa beans.
These beans are dried andground to produce raw cacao,or roast, shelled and ground toproduce cocoa and cocoaliqueur, which are used in mostcommercial chocolate productstoday. While raw cacao isalways going to be the morenatural option, with high levelsof antioxidants, stimulants andminerals, cocoa (particularlyorganic) still offers good levelsof all of these components.
Until recently chocolate hasbeen considered by most as aguilty pleasure, however goodnews has come in the form ofresearch which suggests thatcacoa, cocoa and chocolate(dark in particular as it containsmore cocoa) are rich in plantpolyphenols and flavonolswhich are strong antioxidants.
In particular, compounds
known as catechins have beenshown to have a possible rolein helping protect against heartdisease and cancer.
Chocolate is noted to haveanti-inflammatory,neuroprotective andcardioprotective effects, andimproves the bioavailability ofnitric oxide, which improvesblood pressure, plateletfunction and fluidity of blood. Inaddition, it contains a numberof psychoactive substancesincluding serotonin andphenylethylamine which controlmood, and offer the“antidepressant” effect ofchocolate.
And if that’s not enough,cocoa contains caffeine,theophylline and theobrominewhich are all stimulants with anumber of possibleperformance enhancing effects.
While we desperately awaitdirect research showing thatcocoa and chocolate enhancessports performance, we cantake comfort in recent studiesfrom the exercise physiologylabs looking at the role ofchocolate milk in recovery.
Several studies have shownthat chocolate milk supplies acarbohydrate-protein
By LORNAGARDEN
Accredited sportsdietitian
combination that maximisespost workout recovery, itcontains calcium and vitamin Dwhich promote overall muscle,bone, and cardiovascularhealth, is rich in electrolytes,and is a good source of fluidsfor post-exercise replacementof sweat losses.
So, chocolate for breakfast,lunch and dinner for maximumperformance? Probably not.
Chocolate is still an energydense food, and many varietiescontain significant amounts ofadded sugar and about30-45% fat (although this fathas a high proportion of stearicacid which does not have thesame cholesterol raising effectthat other saturated fats do).Like any high fat/high sugarfood, when eaten in excess,chocolate can have an adverseeffect on body fat levels, andcan replace nutritious foods likefruits, vegetables, nuts andgrains.
So while chocolate shouldn’tbe your main fuel source eachday, it can certainly be enjoyedby most athletes, inmoderation. Here are my tipson healthy ways to includechocolate in a highperformance eating regime.
● Choose dark chocolate –at least 75% cocoa.
● Buy good quality, organic,fair trade chocolate.
● Enjoy a small amount,eaten slowly and without guilt.
● As a general rule, eatchocolate after training orcompetition, not before.
● Ultra-endurance athletesmay be able to tolerate a littledark chocolate in a nutritiousbar or in a trail mix duringtraining and events.
● Blend together cacoa orcocoa, frozen banana andcoconut yoghurt for a healthydessert or snack.
● Grab a chocolate milk forrecovery after a hard workout(or make your own cacoasmoothie).
● Blend a little darkchocolate or cocoa with rawnuts, fresh dates and vanillaand roll into balls for yummy‘power balls’ (see website forrecipe).
● Drizzle a little meltedchocolate over fresh fruit(berries, kiwi, bananas, pears,dates etc.) for a treat.
Page 14 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
WELCOME to funky townNissan X-Trail.
The sports utility vehicle,which previously looked like itwas designed with a setsquare, has a new fluentmodern look inside and out.
Despite starting from aheadline price of $27,990 (thatis just for the entry-level 2.0-litrepetrol engine with a manualtransmission), most buyers willbe chasing the larger 2.5-litrepowerplant which is partneredto an automatic transmissionand starts from $30,490 – andyou can have seven seats forabout one grand more.
There are three grades, ST,ST-L and Ti, and all have theoption of 4WD with the Nissan4x4-i system.
Anyone chasing a diesel willhave to wait until later this yearwhen a 1.6-litre oil-burner willjoin the range.
Huge gains have been madewith interior finishes and a morecohesive design. Even basemodel ST has a more refinedfeel with glossy black materialsand a crisper, clearerinstrument cluster for the driver.
Pivotal to the improvementsis the new driver digitalread-out, which sits betweenthe speedo and tachometerand can be altered betweenfunctions such as tripcomputer, digital speedo andchassis drive modes.
Just like the Altima sedanlaunched last year, the X-Trailbenefits from supple seatswhich offer cosseting supportlaterally and at the bases.
It makes long journeys apleasure.
There is nothing too technicalabout the dash operations, andfinding your way through thevarious functions and using theair con only needs a quick lookbefore you have a thoroughunderstanding of how thingswork.
Soft touch materials are usedin the areas which matter most,like across the doors, with hardplastics restricted to the baseof the console.
Getting into the back ismade easier by doors whichopen at up to 80 degrees. Withthe second row having a tiltand roll function, it offers ampleleg room for adults andimproves entry into the thirdrow of the seven-seat models.
Adults can fit in the third row,but that’s best suited to shorterjourneys and it is territory moreakin to kids.
Quiet and composed, thenew X-Trail is an easy andcomfortable drive.
We sampled the 2.5-litre unitpartnered to the continuouslyvariable transmission in twoand four-wheel drive, with bothliving up to modern
expectations with responsiveacceleration and a quiet cabinat speed and around town.
Many drivers are critical ofCVTs for “flaring” through therev range and sounding like asewing machine. Often thetransmission and engine workhard to catch up with driverintentions, but this is part of agrowing band of good CVTs,which operates well and feelsmore like a conventional autobox.
Approach and departureangles have been reduced, aswell as ride height, although theX-Trail was virtuallyunchallenged on some dirttrails and deeply ruttedsurfaces.
Base STs come with 17-inchalloys, 12.7cm LCD monitor,push button start, CD stereowith USB and auxiliary port aswell as Bluetooth phone andaudio connectivity, NissanConnect system with apps,air-con and cruise control.
The ST-L also gains foglamps, privacy glass, sat navwith larger 17.7cm screen anddigital radio, cameras which
provide front/rear/top view,leather trim, power adjustabledriver seat, dual zone climatecontrolled air-con as well asheated pews for driver andfront passenger.
Range topping Ti alsoreceives 18-inch alloys, LEDheadlights, power tailgate,automatic wipers, sunroof,along with lane departure andblind spot warning functions.
While the X-Trail is longer,wider and taller than itspredecessor, it does lose cabinspace due to the more shapelydesign.
Rear seat knee and leg roomhas improved, but load spacehas decreased by about 250litres.
The bench seat does have ahandy 40/20/40 split foldfunction which is great forbikes.
Styling now has the X-factorVITAL STATISTICSModel: Nissan T32 X-Trail.Details: Five-doormedium-size sports utilityvehicle.Engines: 2.0-litre four-cylindergenerating maximum power of106kW @ 6000rpm and200Nm @ 4400rpm; 2.5-litrepetrol 126kW @ 6000rpm and226Nm @ 4400rpm.Transmission: Six-speedmanual or continuouslyvariable automatic.Consumption: 7.9-8.3litres/100km (combinedaverage, slight differencesdepending on model).Bottom line plus on-roads:2WD – ST (m) $27,990, ST (a)$30,490, ST seven-seat (a)$31,580, ST-L (a) $36,190,ST-L seven-seat (a) $37,190.4WD – ST (a) $33,980, ST-L (a)$39,080, Ti (a) $44,680.
*Within 3 days of taking delivery of your used vehicle, you can return it. The amount paid (excluding stamp duty) can be credited towards any other vehicle for sale in our group. See cricks.com.au for details.
Finding a used carwith a 6YearWarranty can be hard.Unless you’re in Maroochydore, Caloundra, Noosa or Nambour.
Page 16 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014
The latest and greatest...
Want to make the most of your awesome riding app? TheQuad Lock kit for the iPhone 4/5 and Galaxy S4 claims tobe the lightest and strongest smartphone bike mount onthe market. The phone sits in a polycarbonate case andtwists onto the mount which is attached to the handlebars.With more Bluetooth enabled heart rate monitorsbecoming available, this enables your phone to do the lot.It comes with a poncho for phone protection. Check themout at Cyclezone Mooloolaba, priced from $69.
Lapierre – a touch of French qualityon the Sunshine Coast. Sexy, fastand now great value as well. Call into Bicycle Centre Caloundra and seefor yourself. Take a look at the TheFDJ team edition model with fullUltegra for just $3449 (above). Or aseriously sharp Audacio 400 Tiagrafor just $1449 (below).
Stages power meters havearrived at Cyclezone Mooloolaba.These crank-mounted power meters arean affordable alternative to hub orpedal-mounted meters. They are priced from $799.Shimano, SRAM, FSA and Cannondale alloy cranks areavailable for road and mountain bikes.
Smashfest Queen, a new triathlonand cyclewear brand is thebrainchild of Ultraman worldchampion and 63-time Ironmanfinisher Hillary Biscay.MissMotivate is the exclusiveAustralian stockist of the newwomen’s range with thebest-selling Fast-n-Loud kitavailable online. The brightrainbow inspired print is availablein tri and cycle tops and bottomswith matching arm and kneewarmers for the cool morningstarts. Jersey $129, tri top $99 andarm warmers $49.www.missmotivate.com.au
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, April 9, 2014 Page 17
Venture Cycles at Noosaville has some awesome deals onTrek at the moment. This Madone 4 Series boasts race-level performance with a Shimano Ultegra Di2 drivetrain.Now on sale for $3200.
Zipp’s SL-70 Aero carbon road bar has just arrived. Itreplaces the VukaSprint bar and has a retail price of $419.The bar’s distinctive wing-shaped top is designed usingComputational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the same softwareused to design Zipp Firecrest wheels. A traditionalround-tube section creates drag of about 0.74 Newtons,which Zipp found requires about 7.5 watts of effort at48.3kph to overcome. The airfoil developed in CFD that isused in the SL-70 Aero handlebar creates just 0.11N ofdrag, which means a savings of 6.4 watts over around-tube section. (Pictured with the Zipp SL Sprint stemavailable separately.)
Want to step off the road in style? Get set for the newSRAM Force CX1 Groupset, which will arrive in June/July.This 1x11 cyclocross drivetrain has been created byblending the best of SRAM’s XX1 mountain bike and roadtechnologies. This is a single-ring, 11-speed completedrivetrain that is lighter, simpler and tougher while offeringa clean look and optimal gear selection for cyclocross. Fullgroupset pricing and options are yet to be finalised.
The light and fast Trek Fuel EX sets the bar for mountainbike versatility, bringing race-day tech to all-dayadventure. This fast-rolling ride is your go-to fullsuspension trail bike. Features include Fox Factory forkw/Kashima coat, Shimano XTR 2x10 drivetrain, ShimanoXTR brakes, Bontrager Evoke RXL saddle w/carbon railsand OCLV Mountain chainstay. It is now $7600 fromVenture Cycles at Noosaville.
The latest and greatest...
New to the Asics 33 series, the GEL-Super J33 is bestsuited to the neutral to mildly over-pronator who wants tomix up their fast-paced training routine with something alittle different. A 2 density SpEVA and EVA midsole create aplush underfoot feel while a lightweight, breathable andseamless upper with no heel counter reduces friction onthe foot and enhances comfort. This is not a shoe forrunners to do all their training in, but rather a second shoethat can be used for some speed work or for racing andshorter fast-paced runs. Check them out in men’s (below)and women’s (above) styles at Allez Sport, Brisbane Road,Mooloolaba. They retail for $159.95.
