Wednesday, July 31 Sunshine Coast Daily BUSINESS can be like a trek up the Pyrenees. There’s peaks and troughs, with constant challenges on the route to success. But sometimes work can take precedence over lifestyle and staying healthy. After the past month, no one knows the benefits of combining business with pleasure than successful Sunshine Coast businessman Mark Darling. A self-described “cycling addict” it was little wonder Mark threw himself at the Mix business with pleasure To Page 2 By MICHELLE SINGER Photo: Brett Wortman
Transcript
Wednesday, July 31
Sunshine Coast Daily
BUSINESS can be like atrek up the Pyrenees.There’s peaks and troughs,with constant challengeson the route to success.But sometimes work can
take precedence overlifestyle and stayinghealthy.
After the past month, noone knows the benefits ofcombining business withpleasure than successfulSunshine Coastbusinessman MarkDarling.A self-described “cyclingaddict” it was little wonderMark threw himself at the
VITAL STATISTICSMark Darling snapshot:■ Rides 250-300km a week.■ Father of three childrenunder 10 who all run, ride andswim.■ Tries to fit in two to threesessions a week withmembers of his professionalcycling team Pensar SPMRacing.■ Currently rides a 2012 TCRSL0 and a 2103 Cervelo P3time trial bike.■ Increased his power over 21days riding 30km (about anhour a day) during HUB105’sTour de France Challenge from2.7 watts/kg to 4.1 watts/kg.■ Hopes to encourage moreprofessional, youth and femalecycling events on the SunshineCoast.■ Actively encourages his staffto be healthy by changing theoffice working hours to 8am to4pm to allow more time toenjoy the Sunshine Coast’sextra-curricular activities.
HUB105’s inaugural Tour deFrance challenge with 100%dedication.The low profile founderand managing director ofSPM Investment Group wasmotivated to complete the21-day cycle not to prove apoint or beat others butsimply to challenge tohimself.“It was like riding 30km
time trials every day for 21days,” Mark said.Riders were required toride a pre-mapped 30kmsection of every Tour deFrance stage of the 100thedition in the new virtualcycling studio on BrisbaneRoad at Mooloolaba.Of the 16 riders, rangingfrom former professionalcyclists to beginners, Markwas the only one to completeall 21 stages, almost doublinghis power output (measuredin watts per kilo).“Over 21 sessions that’s anenormous gain and it’s notsomething you would be ableto achieve when ridingoutdoors,” he said.Generally Mark ridesbetween 250km to 300km perweek and has foundachieving the TDF goal hasbenefited other areas of hislife, including the office.Having worked 80 hours a
week for 21 years to build hisfinancial advice business(only ever taking three daysoff to visit New Zealand) thefather-of-three is nowconsidering taking time outto experience the Tour deFrance first hand in thecoming years.“If I’ve got a goal or an aimI want to do it the best way Ican,” he said.“When I started thechallenge I wanted to use itto see an improvement in mystrength and fitness.“I saw absolutely serious
improvements. I really hadn’tridden in a cycle studiobefore using watts as ameasure for improvement; I’d
always focussed on heartrate, cadence and endurance.“The flow on effect hasbeen immense.“I’ve come off the back ofthis tour on a high. I look atwhat I’ve physically achievedover 21 days: 700km of ridingand 15,000 metres ofclimbing.“Some people might scoffbut it was a huge bucket-listthing for me. I’m refreshedand focussed I’m on top of mywork, I’m more productiveand I just come in and getthings done.”Mark also realised along-held ambition to supportyouth development, this yearinking a three-year deal tobecome a major sponsor ofthe Pensar SPM Racing teamthat competes in the NationalRoad Series. The women’selite team is on its way todefend the title it won in 2012and the men’s developmentteam “is holding its own”against some toughcompetition.It’s an area of“philanthropy” that Marktakes seriously and one hehopes to develop as a way ofgiving back to thecommunity.“I don’t want to run it as a
business or be someone who
just throws cash over thecounter,” he said, havingfollowed the team to events,changing tyres, setting uptents and providing muchneeded hands-on support.“This is my way to giveback to youth, developmentand women in sport as well.“I would like to see cycling
on the Coast supportedperhaps with a regular nightcriterium and other eventssupported professionally.“We have the ideal locationfor training, great roads,
amazing paths and bikelanes. It’s the perfect venueand training ground forsporting groups to come anduse, not just for events suchas the Mooloolaba and Noosatriathlons or the 70.3. Whynot come here for trainingand enjoy the Coast, thecafes, the roads and thescenery?”
Tour success provides newfound inspirationFrom Page 1
Mark Darling is a strong supporter of Sunshine Coast cycling, sponsoring the Pensar SPMRacing team.
Page 2 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 3
NOMINATING as a pacer fora long distance run eventisn’t just a matter of checkingyour GPS every few minutes.Responsible for the goalsof people around you a pacerrequires some serious mentaland physical strength not tomention a generous sense ofhumour.Among the pacers at thisyear’s 7 Sunshine CoastMarathon will be renownedBrisbane distance runnerBruce “Digger” Hargreaves,60, who will lead the4hrs30min group in what willbe his 125th marathon.Bruce is using the event aspart of his training programfor the Melbourne Marathonin October, an event he hasrun in every year since itbegan in 1978.“I’ve lost count how manytimes I’ve been a pacer,definitely more than 20 timesthough,” Bruce said.“I enjoy pacing as it’s achance to for us olderrunners to pass on ourexperience to those newermarathon runners. You getimmense satisfaction frombeing a pace runner.”Bruce said two types ofrunners settle into a pacegroup during a race.The first is the “scared”virgin marathoners, whohave rarely run further than30km and don’t know how topace themselves. The secondis the experienced athletegroup who may havepreviously struggled to
achieve a personal best ornever achieved their goal asthey’ve gone out too fast.“Running with a pacergives someone the chance toachieve their goals so whenyou run down the finishchute with them it gives youan enormous sense ofsatisfaction,” Bruce said.“As a pacer there’senormous pressure on us.You’ve got all theseexpectations from people andour job is to help them taketheir mind off running 42km.“You work out who you’vegot around you within thefirst few kilometres, you’vegot to be careful not toaccelerate too rapidly andyou need to be conscious thataround the 20km to 25kmmark people are reachingtheir limits.“At that point you’ll be theonly one talking and you
need to encourage the peoplearound you, entertain them,help them understand how topace themselves and tohydrate properly.”The 7 Sunshine CoastMarathon will have 24 pacerunners in the half and fullmarathon events. They’vebeen chosen for specific timeslots based on their ability torun the distance comfortablywhile encouraging othersalong the way.Event organiser, Atlas
Multisports managingdirector Jason Crowther, saidpacing was an important rolethat many athletes relied onto get them to their goal orjust to the finish line.He said runners needed to
be realistic about their racegoals before starting and tostick with a pacer group thatmatched the speed they werecomfortable with to avoid
“blowing out” or not beingable to finish.“Running with a pacer
takes out all the thinking,you can get in that zone andyou don’t have to worryabout what split you’remeant to be doing, it’s justone less thing you have tothink about,” he said.“It’s not like drafting in the
pool or on the bike but itmakes running a lot easier. Ifyou’re going to stay with thepace group it’s much easierto stay close to the pacerleader to avoid the ‘rubberband’ effect from happening.”
Digger sets a cracking marathon pace
Bruce “Digger” Hargreaves and Sue O’Brien at the GoldCoast Marathon. Photo: PartnerRunning.com
VITAL STATISTICSTips for running with a pacer■ Set a realistic goal time thatreflects your ability and trainingtimes. If you’re running 60seconds faster per kilometrethan you were in trainingthere’s a high chance of“blowing up” before the finish.■ Avoid surging andoutrunning a pacer, any extraenergy should be used in thefinal 4km run to the finish line.■ Try to sit near the front of apace group to help you get inthe zone. By hanging off theback you risk the “rubberband” snapping, making itdifficult mentally and physicallyto get back up to speed andinto the pack.7 Sunshine Coast Marathonpace runners (two for eachtime)Half marathon – 1.24, 1.30,1.45, 2.00, 2.15.Marathon – 3hrs, 3.15, 3.30,3.45, 4hrs, 4.15, 4.30.
10. The booze made me do it:Floyd Landis, 2006Floyd Landis had a bad day
on July 19, 2006. While ridingthe Tour's 16th stage fromBourg d’Oisans to LaToussuire he lost the yellowjersey and eight minutes.He then went back to hishotel and downed two draftbeers and “at least fourshots” of Jack Daniel’swhiskey.The ratio of testosterone toepitestosterone in his urinesample taken the next daywhen Landis made amiraculous recovery was saidto be 11:1, above theacceptable threshold of 4:1.Landis lost his case andsubsequent appeals beforeeventually admitting his druguse in May 2010.9. The coffee made me do it:Gianni Bugno, 1992The two-time worldchampion was suspended fortwo years in 1994 following apositive test for caffeine inItaly after a minor race.Bugno denied he had takendrugs and that instead thepositive test came down tothe cup of coffee he enjoyedbefore the race.Caffeine is considered to beperformance enhancingabove prescribed levels andthe Italian returned a sample30 times above the limit.8. Throes of passion made medo it:Björn Leukemans, 2007At first when the Belgianreturned a positive test fortestosterone in anout-of-competition control, heclaimed to have naturallyhigh levels of the hormonebefore moving to theexplanation that he washaving sex when the testersarrived to take his urine. Hewas suspended beforereturning to the sport in 2009.7. The steak made me do it:Alberto Contador, 2010Alberto Contador went
down the food-based line ofexcuses, alleging that his
positive result for clenbuterolcame from tainted meatbought by a friend fromSpain. It’s either a genuinemis-steak or a ham-fistedpiece of baloney.6. My Phantom twin made medo it:Tyler Hamilton, 2004Grasping at straws is onething, but playing the “it wasmy unborn phantom twin”card, when testing positivefor a blood transfusion in2004 was preposterous.His two-year ban wasupheld, then he tested againin 2009. He announced hisretirement soon after.5. My sick dog made me do it:Frank Vandenbroucke, 2002Police searched thecyclist's residence, wherethey found EPO, morphineand clenbuterol.Vandenbroucke claimed theEPO was for his anaemic dog.He was handed a six monthban and a 10,000 Swiss francs
fine by the Belgianfederation. He died in 2009aged 34 from a pulmonaryembolism in Segegal.4. My muffins made me do it:Alexi Grewal, 1992The 1984 US Olympic roadrace gold medallist said hetested positive for opiatesafter gorging on poppyseedmuffins before the prologueat the Tour of West Virginia.While opiates have no
performance-enhancingqualities, they are banned toprevent their use in helpingathletes compete whileinjured.3. The pigeon made me do it:Adri van de Poel, 1983When Adri van der Poeltested positive forstrychinine in 1983, heblamed it on a pigeon pie hehad for lunch – it transpiredthat his father-in-law bredracing pigeons, which hadbeen injected with thestimulant. The Dutchman
came back to enjoy asuccessful career, withseveral Classics wins.2. My mother-in-law made medo it:Raimondas Rumas, 2002Lithuanian Raimondas
Rumsas said that drugsfound in his wife’s car werefor her sick mother.Growth hormone,
testosterone, cortisone: withall that in her system, it’s asurprise she didn’t get on thepodium as well.Wife Edita spent two
months behind bars, andRaimondas tested positiveafter the 2003 Giro.1. The ointment made me do it:Christian Henn, 1999Former Telekom riderChristian Henn testedpositive for testosterone in1999, putting it down to anItalian “fruit extract”designed to increase fertilityas he and his wife tried for ababy.
Top 10 excuses for a positive dope test
Alberto Contador says his positive drug test was due to tainted meat.
FORMER Olympic and AIScycling coach WarrenMcDonald said it was sad tohear of Stuart O’Grady’sdemise.The recently retired proracer admitted last week hetook EPO in 1998.McDonald said given theunfolding events, the likeablefreckle-faced kid fromAdelaide was caught in a trapin the late 1990s.“It’s sad,” he said. “InAustralia we try to hold ourcredibility. But that was anera – a dark past.
“I’ve seen some scary andsad things, particularly withEuropean women who knowno better because directorssay ‘you have to take drugs’.“As a coach I know what’snormal and not normal. I’veseen some girls and think‘that’s not normal’.”Veteran cyclist O’Grady
rode in an era driven bygreed and drugs, syringesand blood boosters were theonly way to succeed.“It’s sad but there was
always a question markaround the history of cyclingthen,” McDonald said.“Stuart had to make a
decision. I know the guy, andI think it’s fantastic that hehas admitted it.”The Maroochydore-basedcoach is not concerned withhis junior riders heading tothe senior ranks.Two of his U19 junior
cyclists Mapleton’s DanielFitter and Buddina’s RyanCavanagh will compete at thejunior UCI Road WorldCycling Championships inItaly, September 22-29.“There’s help and supportfrom the grassroots to theelite level,” he said.“People know now when
something is not right. They
are able to stand up to otherriders. And if people aredoing things wrong, there’s asystem in place.“It’s hard when you look at
all sports and the moneythat’s in sport so you can seepeople make certaindecisions.“You always like to thinkthat the way we do things inAustralia is right and you cantrust our riders. We cancontrol the environment withOrica-GreenEDGE.“There has been a massive
upheaval and with that, a lotof people are trying to do theright thing.”
Cycling world tainted by doping
By HELEN TSITOURIS
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 5
The Radiant Reds team of Ann Campbell, Amy Renwick, Linda Killin and Renee Williams.
WHAT started as alight-hearted threat to beather husband’s KokodaChallenge time turned intoreality last week when ReneeWilliams and her NambourHospital colleagues were thefirst women’s team of four tofinish the gruelling 96kmtrek.Considered Australia’stoughest endurance event,
400 teams, ran and walkedthe 96km Gold Coasthinterland fire trail routecrossing 12 creeks andclimbing 5000m of verticalelevation.The Radiant Rads werepleasantly surprised to findthey were first female teamwith all four members tocross the line, finishing in 22hours and 35 minutes, wellwithin their sub 24-hour goaltime.
“My husband did it a fewyears ago and I wasdetermined to beat his time,”Renee said.“More importantly though
I thought it would be a goodchallenge for my workdepartment to do togetherbecause it’s a great teamevent and it helps to raisemoney for a good cause.”The challenge, whichcelebrates 10 years in 2014, isheld in honour of the spirit
forged on the Kokoda Trackin 1942. The goal is to finishthe trek as a complete teamof four within 38 hours.Teams raise money for theKokoda Challenge YouthProgram which supportsdisadvantaged children inAustralia.Last minute ring-in Linda
Killin, from Buderim, saidshe agreed to join the teamdespite being given only 24
Surviving the toughest of challengesBy MICHELLE SINGER
To Page 7
Page 6 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
VITAL STATISTICSThink you’ve got what ittakes?■ Of the 2183 starters 26.5%didn’t finish.■ 57 teams withdrewcompletely.■ Recommended trainingincludes off road hilly walks ofup to 42km.■ Of the 310 teams whostarted only 125 teamsfinished with a full team of four.■ Oldest competitor to finishthe 96km was a 65-year-old inthe last team across the line in38 hours.■ The winning team of fourfinished in 12hours 24minutes.SOURCE: Gold Coast KokodaChallenge
hours notice because havingfour motivated members wascrucial to successfullyfinishing the event.First time Kokoda
participant Amy Renwick,said she found the sheer sizeof the climbs daunting butthe encouragement from herteam members, otherparticipants and the supportcrew vital for motivation.As part of their training
the women did 2.5 hour walksin Parklands before workduring the week and up toeight hours of trekking atMount Allan near Kenilworthon weekends.“Looking up the hills wasjust de-motivating but I gotstronger as I went on andgained more confidence,”Amy said.“The hardest parts were
the steep downhill, which canput a lot of pressure on theknees.”Picnic Point’s AnnCampbell, an avid triathleteand two-time Hawaii Ironmanfinisher, said the opportunityto participate in teamendurance events was rarebut extremely rewarding.Battling excruciatingblisters at the 30km mark shesaid crossing the line in onepiece with all team memberswas an emotional experience.“Given the blisters and ahamstring injury it was arelief to complete the event
and it felt like such a greatachievement to complete it inless than 24 hours, which wasour goal,” she said.Renee attributed the finishtime to working well togetheras a team, the agreeableweather and theirexperienced support crew ofMurray and TrishKoltermann.Murray and Trish, whohave supported teams for thepast three years, ensured thewomen had a range of food,space blankets for warmth,changes of clothes andmedical supplies at all fourrest stations.“You can prepare all kindsof meals but when they comeinto a stop at 2am and they’refatigued sometimes theywant something completelydifferent,” Murray said.“This year we had salads,wraps and pumpkin soup but
at one stage all they wantedwas Coke.”Renee ensured no stop was
longer than 15-20 minutes toavoid getting too cold or stiffand they kept their energylevels up by eating smallsnacks every hour.Of the 2183 starters 26.5%didn’t finish (down on 2012when almost a third ofcompetitors did not finish theevent) and 57 teamswithdrew completely.“It’s very much a mentalevent,” Linda said.“I don’t think you have tobe the fittest person tocomplete it as you see a lot offit people pulling out. You seepeople limping into the reststops in a world of painleaning on one another butthey keep going and nevergive up.“That’s what it’s about.
You’re walking the same
distance as the troops did in1942 but not under the sameconditions. We’re not gettingshot at, we have food andsupport crews and a tent tosleep in at the end.”
Emotional finish for determined teamFrom Page 6
Murray and TrishKoltermann werethe support crew,who had thevehicle and setuporganised toperfection.
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 7
Page 8 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
RULE number 35 says it all.“No visors on the road –road helmets can be worn onmountain bikes, but neverthe other way around. If youwant shade, see Rule #22.”That comes from the sacredtext of Velominati: Keepers ofthe Cog, and is vital whenconsidering your helmetpurchase.Visors are the key thing todifferentiate mountain bikersfrom road riders… unless ofcourse you’re a hardcoredownhill off-roader thenyou’re best served by afull-face lid.When it comes to helmets,there are about five majorbrands which producemodels which meet theAustralian Standard for justabout every facet of cycling.Prices vary from $70 throughto $300.Some brands specalise in
styles and genres, althoughgenerally the lighter andbetter fitting helmets aremore expensive.The advanced helmetshave more air vents and feelbetter to wear.CyclezoneMooloolaba’s JohnCarey (picturedright) said mostreputable brands dooffer replacementpads but wouldrecommend a newhelmet every threeyears …“becausethey all get dropped at somestage”.“They are designed to
absorb impact once, not keeptaking impact,” John said.
“Technically theyshould still break ifyou drop them.”For those lookingfor speed on the road,a helmet can makesurprising difference.John said anaerodynamic timetrial helmet can save
riders about 10 watts, and thebest carbon wheelsets deliversimilar gains.
“It’s the best bang for buckyou can get,” he said.One upcoming release
which has got the road andtriathlon fraternity excited isthe Specialized S-WorksEvade.It is expected to be themost aerodynamic andcoolest (due to air vents, notstyling) on the market whenit arrives in November.In a straight line the Evadeis equally as good as any ofthe current offerings, but is
better when the rider’s headturns sideways, upward ordownward. The Evade willretail for $300.This style of helmet will be
particularly good whenriding in hot climates likeHawaii, as many of thecurrent aero lids have veryfew vents.By the way, rule number 22:Cycling caps can be wornunder helmets, but neverwhen not riding, no matterhow hip you think you look.
Aerodynamic helmets are bang for buck
The Specialized S-Works Evade is forecast to be the most aerodynamic helmet on the mar-ket when it arrives in November.
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 9
TWO-wheeled crusaders willput pedal power to the testwhen they pull on lycra forthe Smiling for Smiddycancer charity rides.Buderim fire-fighter MickFarrag will take on threerides totalling 4266km toraise money for the Smilingfor Smiddy foundation.Mick, 48, will go on topeddle great distances inhope of conquering cancer.His first leg is 1600kmBrisbane to Townsville fromSeptember 7-14.After a few days recoveringfrom the Townsville leg, hewill then ride from Adelaideto Melbourne, September18-24. His final quest iscycling 1200km aroundTasmania, September 26 toOctober 2.The trans-national ride is achallenging but a worthwhilecause for many cancerpatients who struggle andpersevere.The event is held inmemory of Adam Smiddy, atriathlete who died ofmelanoma in 2006, aged 26.Mick said the hard work isirrelevant compared to whatmany cancer sufferersendure in their fight againstcancer.“I lost my dad to cancer,and my wife’s grandfatherdied of cancer and otherfamily members havesuffered.“During fundraising,people open up who lostfamily to cancer and it reallystarted to bring it home andit was more personal thandoing a bike ride.”He admits he struggled tohold back tears when helistened to cyclists talk oftheir ordeal with cancer.During last year’s ride,
each rider was invited tostand up and talk aboutreasons for doing the ride.“One lady said she hadthree instances in the last 12
months of family membersand herself being inremission and you sit therewith tears streaming downyour face.”The passionate rider is
motivated by the stories ofthose affected by cancer.“The Smiddy Foundation
and the people involved are abig family. Once you beeninvolved it’s very infectious.”“I didn’t know any of theriders last year and sincethat time you become bestfriends.“You go through somethingthat is hard to do and thecause adds to that.”The durable rider is not
daunted by the undulatingterrain across three states.“Everyone suffers atdifferent times, you do ittough but there’s alwayssomeone to help each otherand push people up on hills.“There’s no better way inseeing Australia.“I’ve driven the roadthrough Monto and GayndahI don’t know how manytimes, and riding it so muchdifferent. There’s an oldabandoned mine that I hadnever seen before and oldbroken sheds and thecountryside from south-eastQueensland up to Townsvilleconstantly changes.
“Six years ago, I hadn’tridden more than 20km. I was100kg, so unfit and it is a slowprogression in increasingdistances and losing weight.Anything is achievable if youhave the motivation.”
To achieve the aerobic feathe will need to raise about$3000 to qualify, but aims toraise $10,000.To support Mick visitwww.smiddyfundraising.com.au/mick_farrag_3
Fire in the belly to fight cancer
Buderim fire-fighter Mick Farrag will ride 4266km to raisemoney for the Smiling for Smiddy foundation.
Pho
to:D
arry
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mith
By HELEN TSITOURISVITAL STATISTICS
■ On August 6, 2006,Adam Smiddy passedaway after a short battleagainst an aggressivemelanoma. Adam was just26 and in the prime of hislife.■ Adam's last name,Smiddy, is what all hisfriends affectionately calledhim. Smiddy was atalented triathlete andrespected physiotherapist.He loved life with a passionand he loved his family andfriends more.
Page 10 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
MORE than 100 swimmersare gearing up for the annualIsland Charity Swim.For one man it is his 10thyear of participation in the11km event from MudjimbaBeach, around Old WomanIsland, and back to shore atMooloolaba Beach.Ross McNally ofMaroochydore (pictured) willhit the water to helpraise funds for theregion’s two specialschools at Currimundiand Nambour.The 51-year-old saidthe physical challenge,on August 10, was notonly for a good cause,but was also anenjoyable experience.“It gives mepleasure to see thechildren and theirfamilies benefit fromthe money we raise,”Mr McNally said.
“I swim in the canal mostdays. You can see all the way
to the bottom nearOld Woman Island.“There are lots ofturtles – it is so, sobeautiful.”This year’s eventwill be the 12thIsland Charity Swimand organisers areconfident it will bejust as fruitful asyears gone by.The swim is opento anyone willing toparticipate and raisefunds to helpchildren of the
special schools.The swim event has raisedmore than a million dollarssince it began in 2000 as adare between Coast identitiesBill Hoffman and AshleyRobinson who wanted to
raise money to buy schoolequipment. Each year the twoschools identify transport,equipment and educationalmaterial they need to buywith the fundraisingproceeds.
Monster swim inthe name of charity
VITAL STATISTICS■ 2013 is the 12th time thisevent has been held■ Swimmers leave fromMudjimba Beach and swimaround Old Woman Islandthen finish at Mooloolaba■ Swim is about 11km■ Visit the event websitewww.islandcharityswim.com.au
REBECCA Ind has battledsea-sickness and been hit inthe face by a stinger.But nothing could deterher from taking part in one ofher favourite fundraisingevents.The 34-year-oldMaroochydore woman willparticipate in her third IslandCharity Swim this year.Once again she will swim
with good friend, PatriciaSmith.Unlike her first year, when
she swam with a team of fourfriends, it will just be the twoof them this year.They will share theworkload, relay style for the11km course from MudjimbaBeach, around Old WomanIsland and finishing atMooloolaba Beach.
“We will do 20 minutes inand out of water, which hasworked well for us before.”Rebecca said.“In past years I have
trained hard but after havinga baby last year, my fitnessisn’t where it has been –Patricia is training for ToughMudder so she will be wellprepared.“The good news is – I can
swim. I might be a bit slowerbut I’ll make it to the end.“Knowing children fromthe schools will benefitgreatly from the funds raisedand hearing the IslandCharity Swim familycheering us into the shore isthe ultimate reward forPatricia and I.”Next year Rebecca aims tocomplete the whole course on
her own. The Australian RedCross Blood Servicecommunity relations officersaid over the past three yearsshe had helped raise $8500.
“The same wonderfulbusinesses, supporters,family and friends get onboard and help us out eachyear,” Rebecca said.
Patricia Smith and Rebecca Ind have paired up for the an-nual Island Charity Swim. Photo: Kristy Muir
Tag-teameffort to conquer the annual island battle
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 11
DISGRACED cyclist LanceArmstrong will return to hisbike later this month for astate-long trek across Iowa.Love him or loathe him,cancer has affected manypeople and none other thanhis mother Linda ArmstrongKelly.I interviewed her sevenyears ago for a story onWorld Cancer Day: LanceArmstrong Specials, on theDiscovery Home and Healthnetwork.Here is what she told meabout her son and her battlein dealing with his cancer.Speaking from her home inTexas, Linda, now 58, saidcancer changed her life, too.“I would never want for
another parent to go throughthat watching my son gothrough the dark days oftreatment,” she said.“It was just me and Lance
for so many years.”Cancer is a major killer ofAustralian men and womenbut Linda says “earlydiagnosis, by far, is the bestway to nip it in the butt andtake precautionary healthcautions”.Linda went on from herdays as a supermarket girl tobecome an empowering mumwho is an inspiration toothers.“I didn’t have much moneyas a single mum but everyday I tried to give back inother ways. Today, I have theprivilege in speaking togroups of single parents,cancer patients, girls andboys clubs, visiting teenagerswith unplanned pregnanciesand prisoners.“I was never exposed tocharitable organisations as Iam today. But I love what I dowith fundraising andorganisations. It’s the mostfulfilling thing for me to do
when Lance was makinghuge sacrifices to train forthe Tour,” she said.Lance’s journey was of
survival, triumph anddisgrace.Linda, too, went on to
survive a myriad of emotions– relationships marred byabuse, infidelity andalcoholism.“I went into middle age and
kissed a lot of frogs along theway.”Even when faced with the
possibility of losing her onlyson, her belief neverwavered.“Your children are aproduct of your work ethicand I live by the golden rule:Do unto others as you wouldhave others do unto you.“I love children and I neverhad more than one. But theone I had has made adifference to the world’skids.’’
For many, the scandal can’terase the good Lance hasdone. He was a role model formillions, not just kids but tomany cancer patients andathletes who have drawnfrom his experience.Alongside him throughevery stroke and pedal washis mother who becamepregnant as a 16-year-old athigh school.“My son is somebody whoI’ve fought for, and I love himand I will always love him
and support him,” she said.“I had Lance at 17 and thestruggle ahead and growingup in poverty gave medetermination.“It gave me the inspirationto reach higher, not formonetary reasons but for abetter life.“All of my life, my
number-one fear had beenlosing my job. Then my mostimportant job was being hiscaregiver.“It was an emotional
rollercoaster. I didn’t wanthim to see me upset. Whenhe was going through cancer,I would cry at night, andwake up and cry in themorning. But he never sawit.”In 1997, Lance was
diagnosed with testicularcancer and his chance ofsurvival was less than 20%.Even if he did survive, his
career as an athlete would beover.Lance went on to win the
most gruelling bike race theTour de France a recordseven times. But despite him
confessing to doping and theaftershocks of long-termabuse doping, LivestrongFoundation, carries onwithout the fallen hero.Through education,advocacy, public health andresearch programs, themission of the foundation isto inspire people to livestrong.Since Lance’s demise, she
says she still follows cycling.“I sure do, only because Istrongly want to promotesafety on roads and getchildren to become moreactive and ride bikes. It’s agreat family event.’’And asked whether she
rides herself Linda adds: “Iwent for a spin class thismorning for an hour and Ilove the music.”She talks poignantly abouther son. “He’s gone throughwhat most people will ever gothrough in a lifetime.”There is no denying thewrongs he has done. But hehas admitted his mistakes.Can we can forgive, move onand learn from this?
Unwavering supportas son rides againBy HELEN TSITOURIS
Linda Armstong Kelly with her son Lance.
“My son issomebody whoI’ve fought for,and I love himand I will alwayslove him andsupport him.”
Page 12 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
THERE is never a good timeto get injured, and for somereason it always seems tohappen at exactly the worstpossible time.Hopefully it is a relativelyminor injury that shouldsettle within a couple ofweeks, but sometimes it canbe one that requires monthsoff.Either way we don’t want
to lose all of our hard work,so need to look at the optionsavailable to help maintainfitness and sanity during therecovery period.The first and mostimportant thing is to acceptthat an injury has happened,and seek advice regardingmanagement.Denial isn’t good foranyone.If you ignore
an injury and tryto train throughit, ultimately it isonly going to domore damageand take longerto recover. Seekadvice from ahealth careprofessional ifunsure aboutinjurymanagement.This informationwill allow youand your coach to create aprogram that is gearedtoward you rehabilitatingwhile maintaining fitness.Managing this injury isyour training now.Include your family so youhave your full supportnetwork on board. They arethere for you in times ofsickness and in health.Identify any areas of
weakness. This time off is theperfect opportunity to targetflexibility, strength, and skilldevelopment.For runners and cyclists,
focus on correcting footposition, improving balance,strengthening the glutealmuscles and increasing corestrength.
For swimmersyou may need toconcentrate onstroke correction,building kickingstrength anddevelopingscapular stability.Rowers and
paddlers, you cantake this time towork on yourthoracic andhamstringflexibility, corestrength, andtechnique.
By targeting these areas itwill not just help you healfrom the injury, but will alsomake you a stronger andmore efficient athlete,enhancing your performanceand minimising the risk ofinjury happening in thefuture.If you can’t perform your
normal activity, find anotherpain-free option.
Cycling, gym, deep waterrunning, swimming, ski orkayak paddling, rowing andyoga are all good options.It is important to stress the
cardiovascular system tokeep the fitness you havealready developed and toprevent musculoskeletalatrophy.If you are only out of full
training for one-two weeksyou won’t notice anysignificant change in yourfitness, but any longer youcertainly need to keep someform of aerobic exercise tomaintain fitness levels.If trying a new activity,
make sure you learn thecorrect technique so not todamage anything else.The last but not least areathat must be considered isour mental health.It is hard to be told to stopsomething you enjoy and hadgoals set for, particularlywhen we use exercise formany different reasons:Quiet time, stress release,health, and socialising.When we lose that outlet it
is a big hole to fill.Try something new that
you haven’t had time for inthe past.Learn a new language, play
an instrument, read a book.
Catch up with friends andfamily for a coffee and a chatthat doesn’t involve howmany kilometres you havecompleted that day.Remember, you are still
you, and those around youlove and care for youregardless of your sportingcapabilities.Be positive and control
what you can.You may surprise yourselfand come back fitter andstronger than before.Sometimes our bodies need
these enforced breaks.If you use this time
productively you will becomea much better athlete, who ismore aware of their body andits needs, as well aspotentially developing somenew skills to add into thetraining mix.
Stay positive when injury strikesBy MARGIE
ATTHOWPhysiotherapist
and elitemiddle-distance
runner
Clickhere tovisit Margie’s
website
“If you ignorean injury andtry to trainthrough it,ultimately it isonly going todo moredamage...”
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 13
OVER the years of dealingwith athletes through SCTA,national talent ID and ITUdevelopment camps a majorthing that I have seen is alack of technique.It is especially prevalent
with the athletes that haven’thad the luxury of swimtraining as youngsters, orthey started and then haven’tcontinued into adulthood.The one thing we do on aregular basis is a drill setwith flippers...predominatelywhen the athletes are tired.Don’t get me wrong, andyou can ask my athletes, drillwork is sometimes tougherthan a main set due to thethought process ofunderstanding what they aredoing and co-ordinating theskills at the same time.One of the main drills we
do is the single arm drill.As you can see from theabove photos the nonstroking arm is by the side towhich the athlete breaths to.Why? For the balance ofthe stroke while stroking onthe one side.The main emphasis I want
to show you here is therelease phase out the back of
the hips.The one problem that I see
on a regular basis is theathletes either pull outwithout any propulsion orthey push past their hips(which causes problems onthe catch of their stroke) withnot a lot of propulsion or itslows their stroke rate downDiagram # 1 – shows the
hand is at the hip line/togline. This is where we want tocome out of the water asindicated by the yellow line.Diagram # 2 – shows thehand propulsion whichcomes from extending thepush from the elbow joint sothat we see the end of thehand in relation to the elbowjoint being straight.
Diagram # 3 – indicates thepropulsion from pushing outthe back corresponds withthe swimmer moving forwardand shows the push of thewater behind the swimmerwhich adds to the propulsionDiagram # 4 – shows theathlete with high elbow inthe recovery phase.So every time you hit thatpool each time that handgoes into the water thereneeds to be a purpose to whatyou are doing with that hand.Pick one or two key focusareas on the stroke and workat that in that session.Sometimes it will click
straight away and sometimesit may take a bit more time.The key is to understand
what you are trying toachieve and keep working tillyou get it. Then move on tothe next key focus/principle.SCTA conduct regular drill
swimming sessions on aSaturday afternoon.For more information,contact [email protected] or0414 765 861.
One-arm drill helps gain full propulsionBy TOBYCOOTE
Page 14 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet,consectetaur adipisicing elit,sed do eiusmod tempor in-cididunt ut labore et doloremagna aliqua. Ut enim adminim veniam, quis nostrudexercitation ullamco laborisnisi ut aliquip ex ea commodoconsequat. Duis aute iruredolor in reprehenderit involuptate velit esse cillumdolore eu fu CCI EuropeExcepteur sint occaecatcupidatat non proident, suntin culpa qui officia deseruntmollit anim id est laborum Etharumd und lookum likeGreek to me, dereud facilisest er expedit distinct. Namliber te conscient to factor
tum poen legum odioqueciviuda. The Great Dane. Ettam neque pecun modut estneque nonor et imper nedlibidig met, consectetur adi-piscing elit, sed ut labore etdolore magna aliquam makesone wonder who would everread this stuff? Bis nostrudexercitation ullam mmodoconsequet. Duis aute in vo-luptate velit esse cillumdolore eu fugiat nulla paria-tur. At vver eos et accusamdignissum qui blandit estpraesent luptatum deleni Etharumd dereud facilis est erexpedit distinct. Nam libesoluta nobis eligent optio estcongue nihil impedit doming
id Lorem ipsum dolor sitamet, consectetIrure dolor inreprehend incididunt utlabore et dolore magna ali-qua. Ut enim ad minim ve-niam, quis nostrud exercita-tion ullamco laboris nisi utaliquip ex Victor Borge pecunmodut est neque nonor etimper ned libidig met, con-sectetur adipiscing elit, sedut labore et dolore magnaaliquam is nostrud exercita-tion ullam Trenz pruca bey-nocguon doas nog apoply sutrenz ucu hugh rasoluguonmonugor or trenz ucugwo jagscannar. Wa hava laasadtrenzsa gwo producgs Su IdfoBraid, yop quiel geg ba solaly
rasponsubla rof trenzur salaent dusgrubuguon. Offoctivoimmoriatoly, hawrgasi pwi-cos asi sirucor. Thas sirutci-un applios tyu thuso itomsghuso pwicos gosi sirucor inmixent gosi sirucor ic mixentples cak ontisi sowios ufZerm hawr rwivos. H C An-dersen is another brilliantdane... Unte af phen neigepheings atoot Prexs eis phateit sak Eslo idaffacgad geftrenz beynocguon quiel batrenz Spraadshaag ent trenzdreek wirc procassidt pro-gram. Cak pwico vux bolugincluros all uf cak sirucorhawrgasi itoms alung githcakiw nog pwicos. Plloaso
Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013 Page 15
THE reign has ended.After seven straightPomona King of theMountain titles, NeilLabinsky has relinquishedhis crown.Aspiring physicist BenDuffus conquered MountCooroora’s arduous terrainon Sunday to claim victory.The 21-year-old University
of Queensland physicsundergraduate studentstormed the mountain torecord an impressive time of24mins 10 secs to end thewinning streak of Neil whofinished in third place.Remarkably, Ben signed up
to the event last week afterthe original registration timehad lapsed and only gainedentry when a fellowcompetitor pulled out of therace.Having hiked the coursejust once prior to yesterday’striumph, Ben said he wasecstatic to snatch victory inhis first time at the event.“To sign up last week andget the win in the debut racehere is unbelievable and I am
so stoked,” he said.“I didn’t really know what
to expect to be honest andhiked the mountain with afriend the other day, so Iguess I did okay.“My legs were burning on
my way up but that went away on the way down and itwas really enjoyable to skipand jump down all the rockscoming down.”Retracing the steps thatled to his victory, Ben said he
always tried to infuse hisknowledge of physics into hisrace preparations.“I think there are some
similarities between the twobecause with physics youhave to understand theworkings of the universe andI bring that meticulousplanning to my racing,” hesaid.Race co-ordinator Barry
Stewart said Ben blitzed thefield in the 4.2km race to the
top of Mount Cooroora(435m).“To come in as an
unknown the way he did andonly get in when someonepulled out is quite amazing,”he said.“On top of that he comes
and ends Neil Labinsky’sseven-year-run in the processwhich is remarkable.”New Zealand’s Chris
Morrissey claimed second inthe gruelling event.
Young scientist claims Pomona crownBy ANTHONY BRAND
Ben Duffus, 21, from Indooroopilly, wins King of the Mountain. Photo: Brett Wortman
REIGNING Sunshine CoastMarathon champion AdamFitzakerley showed animpressive turn of speed towin the 10km race atBuddina on Sunday.With an incentive of $150for anyone who could breakthe 10km or 5km racerecord on offer, Fitzakerleywas unable to beat his ownrecord of 32:07 – falling 39seconds short of the mark.The talented athlete toreup the course from LaBalsa Park, up PointCartwright and towardKawana surf club, finishingmore than two minutesahead of Luke Farrell(35:23) and Chris Bell(36:29).Krista Meares was the
first female home in 39.14,followed by the consistentHeather Courtney (40:39)and Melissa Charlton(42:33).In the 5km event, Peter
Bock was victorious (16:33)in a tight finish with DrewWestbrook (16:41), whileMargie Atthow was the bestof the women (17:17) toagain break her own courserecord. Kirra Seidel wasabout one minute behindMargie in second.Sunday’s event was the
last race of the Allez SportSunshine Coast Run Series,which included six racessince February.Competitors accrued pointsthroughout the series, thewinners are featured right.
10KMNAME SEX AGE POINTSHARRIET SMITH Female 20 & under 60WILLIAM PUGSLEY Male 20 & under 66HEATHER COURTNEY Female 21 ‐ 39 84ADAM HALL Male 21 ‐ 39 66KATIE WHITTLE Female 40 ‐ 59 72CHRIS BELL Male 40 ‐ 59 92CHRISTINE WALKER Female 60+ 100RON ROSSITER Male 60+ 83
5KMNAME SEX AGE POINTSCECILIA LUHRS Female 20 & Under 72
DOMINIC CRADICK Male 20 & under 67
MARGIE ATTHOW Female 21 ‐ 39 96
ADAM HULME Male 21 ‐ 39 56
KATERINA O'ROURKE Female 40 ‐ 59 49
ROGER GREVIS‐JAMES Male 40 ‐ 59 89
ROBYN EGLENTALS Female 60+ 96
TONY MCCALL Male 60+ 100
2KMNAME SEX AGE POINTSKATEY BRASSEY Female 20 & under 120
Page 16 Sunshine Coast Multisport Mecca, July 31, 2013
RIDERS who want their bikescocooned in the safety of aluxury sporting sedanrejoice, Lexus finally hassplit-fold seats in its new ISrange.And even better news…it
can go around corners.The Lexus IS range hasalways been a comfortablecar with high levels of luxury.But a driver’s car?Unfortunately no. That wastraditionally left to theEuropeans.While once floaty andbeige, Lexus has engineeredgreater rigidity withoutstanding results.The two V6 powerplantshave similar performanceattributes as the outgoingmodels but the gains inhandling have providedrenewed youthfulenthusiasm to the ageingdonks.Greater steering balanceand poise offers a more directfeeling and you can throw thesports sedan around withself-belief.But the 300h is truly thesurprise package. Youcontinually have to remindyourself that it’s a hybridbeneath the skin.During some testing twisty
terrain the hybrid copedadmirably with sharphandling and instantaneousacceleration response. It wasonly found wanting whenreally pushed hard – pointswhich the majority of driverswill never want to or feel theneed to reach.Those seeking extra
performance would be wellserved by the IS350 S Sportwith its ultra-sharpeight-speed automatic boxoffering rapid-fire shifts andalways managing to find theright cog.Prices have risen slightlyover outgoing models, butLexus has thrown in somenew kit which improves valueand still trumps theEuropean rivals spec forspec.And for the first time thereis a hybrid model. That willplease those who have deeppockets and prefer to keep itthat way with miserly fuelconsumption.Inside there is extra space
which is especially
appreciated by those in theback seat. An extendedwheelbase and otherrefinements resulted in anadditional 85mm of rearlegroom.Redesigned dash
treatments maintain thelavish interior feel. Although,while the top section with itsanalogue clock and 17.7cmcolour screen appearupmarket, the utilitarianoperations for the stereo andair con appear basic apartfrom the groovy airtemperature controls.Standard equipment
includes satellite navigation,
reversing camera, pop-uphood (for pedestrian safety),smart entry with push buttonstart, dual zone air con,heated and ventilated leatheraccented front seats, digitalradio, eight airbags (10 onup-spec models), cruisecontrol and Bi-Xenon HIDheadlamps.
Finally there is some room for a bikeBy GRANT EDWARDS
VITAL STATISTICSModel: Lexus IS.Details: Four-door rear-wheel drive sports sedan.Engines: 2.5-litre V6 generating maximum power of 153kW @6400rpm; 3.5-litre V6 233kW @ 6400rpm and 378 @ 4800rpm;2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid 164kW (combinedpower) @ 6000rpm and 221Nm @ 4200-5400rpm.Transmissions: IS250 - six-speed automatic, IS350 – eight-speedautomatic, IS300h – continuously variable automatic.Bottom line: IS 250 - Luxury $55,900, F Sport $64,900, SportsLuxury $77,900. IS 350 - Luxury $65,000, F Sport $73,000, SportsLuxury $84,000. IS 300h - Luxury $58,900, F Sport $67,900.
The newly released Giant 2014 female specific Avail 3 islightweight due to its premium aluminium frame, yet comfortablethanks in part to the carbon fork. It’s the perfect starter bike forthose new to road riding or dipping a toe into triathlons. Availablein a range of sizes, it comes with a free bike fit by road andtriathlon specialists, plus a free first service. All this for $999, callin to Spin City Cycles at Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba for a test ridetoday.
The Blue Mystic PaisleyTCurl is Catfish's mostpopular one-pieceswimsuit. Thischlorine-resistant one pieceis $60 fromwww.missmotivate.com.au
The team from Cyclezone Mooloolaba has anawesome deal for Multisport Mecca readers.
Drop in to see the crew, tell Paulie he has anice haircut, mention the Mecca, and theywill give you the Roubaix Endurance roadtyre for $55. That’s $20 off retail. TheRoubix is perfect for rides on poorquality roads. The Roubaix is fast likeany competitive road tyre, but featuresunique casing technologies for addedcomfort and puncture protection. The23mm tread handles quick. The25mm casing smoothes your ride andkeeps you fresh. Slick centre treadfor low rolling resistance, shouldersipes for increased surface adaptionand grip. See the team at Cyclezone,
105 Brisbane Road, Mooloolaba.
Stand out from the crowdwith the TCurl racer and theRetro Squares print. Ideal forsurf or pool training it's atraditional cut, withmoderate back coverage anda band across the back foradditional support. Thechlorine-resistant CatfishRetro Squares one piece is$60 fromwww.missmotivate.com.au
A snug and agile shoe that fits like a sock and is as light asa feather, the Nike Flyknit 1 features an innovative upper,constructed entirely of tightly woven polyester yarn thatvaries in density: more open in targeted areas that needgreater flexibility or ventilation and tighter in areas thatdemand support. They retail for $200 from Allez SportMooloolaba.
In honour of all the events we've got coming up on the Coast overthe next couple of months, Performance Physio is offeringMultisport Mecca readers some special rates for physiotherapy andmassage appointments. Any new physiotherapy patients will get $20off their initial consult with Margie Atthow (health fund rebatesavailable as well), and for those with tight muscles they can visitLauren Gray for a 60 minute massage for the price of 30 minutes.Just mention "Multisport Mecca Offer" and the team at PerformancePhysio will look after you from there.
athletes looking for the best results from the training incorporate chiropractic. Justlike you would tune your bike to keep in running fast, your body is the same. whenyour spine is out of place, performance and results suffer. especially in training andsport, your body can take a serious beating. Chiropractic helps in multiple ways.
drdavid in 2013MooLooLabatriatHLon
1. injurymanagementChiropractic reducesstress in the body,allowing quicker healingtimes.
2. injury preventionMaintaining a strong spineprevents serious injuries
3. Sports performanceChiropractic improvesfunction of your muscles,your heart, and your lungs.
don’t leave your performance to the luck of the irish
