Apology and Weekend's Training

Dear Swimmers

Firstly, sincerest apologies to those of you who turned up at 5.30am to swim on Wednesday 28th October for our new morning swim. As explained, the Duty Manager rostered for this shift did not turn up and as such the pool couldn't be opened until 6.05am. Unfortunately we had no way of accurately knowing just how long this wait would be and as such I made the call to cancel the swim and offer to take us down to Cottesloe Beach for a free open water swim instead (where it was very rough!!). This incident was an unfortunate start to many of your days and I can only apologise and pass on the Centre Manager's sincere apologies also. 

Also regarding the pool, there is currently a heating issue which is being investigated and work is due to commence (hopefully) early next week to rectify this. The temperature is currently hovering at a brisk 24.5 degrees which many of you have commented on is "fresh" to begin with but actually really nice to train (hard) in. Hope this doesn't put you off but definitely come attired with a nice warm towel to greet you after the session!

TRAINING THIS WEEKEND:

Saturday - 6am = ride / run from Cottesloe Beach Car Park. This will be a 15 mins easy warm-up, 1hr hard riding (or as hard as you wish to go), followed by a 15 to 20 mins run off the bike for those keen.

12pm squad swim session - early this week and next due to waterpolo competitions.

Sunday - Rockingham Open Water Series race - 1.25km, 2.5km, 5km. Details at http://www.wa.swimming.org.au/

Cheers

Paul

Photos from the race and Thursday open water swim

Dear All

Just two quick ones today:

1. Photos from the race expertly delivered by Adam can now be seen at http://www.bornskinny.com/bs113_itulongcourse09/index.html Adam was experimenting with some arty slow shutter-speeds which look kind of cool. See what you think!
2. Don't forget, 6am Thursday morning, the place to be is Cottesloe Beach for our open water skills swim session. Lots of fun. Suitable for all - plus, its definitely warming up out there!!!

Cheers

Paul

Long Course World Championships - Results

Dear All

Well the wind blew hard and it was hot, hot, hot - exactly as I predicted 6 months ago!! Ok, enough about my mystical future-predicting skills ;-) on to the results!

Members of the TEAM who had been training with us for anything from regular swim squad sessions to full Long Course triathlon programs performed admirably in the conditions. In all, 6 athletes scooped up Top-5 finishing positions in their age groups. This is a great result! 

I was particularly inspired by Sandy Crowe's run up to 5th place, Sally Scaffidi's 1st place out of the water, Nat Laurendeau's dominance on the bike leg and Anne Murrell's 5th place in her age-group despite being unsure as to whether she should race or not! Well done to everyone!! I thoroughly enjoyed supporting you out there!

You can see their results here:

http://www.theteamcore.com/images/Longcourse.pdf

And the full unabridged results here:

http://results.racetectiming.com/default.aspx?CId=11&RId=2003

I have to give a quick shout out to my very good friends and former training partners Jodie Swallow and Daniel Plews who had sensational races! As predicted Jodie totally annihilated the field beating former Ironman WA Champion Rebecca Keat by over 11 minutes and actually lapped one of the race favourites (Pip Taylor) on the run course. Not bad on a 5km lap I think you'll agree! This result was really pleasing and I am so happy for Jodie that she has claimed her first senior World Title. Well done. Dan Plews took a bronze in his age-group which was doubly special as his Dad also scooped up a bronze in his 55-59 age-group too!

Cheers

Paul

Fisher Photography Exhibition for Heart Swim Week

Dear Team

Masters Water Polo Player and multi-award winning professional photographer, Geoff Fisher, is hosting a photographic exhibition, entitled 'Rising to the Challenge,' featuring local swimmers and his photographic art. The exhibition is to be held at Challenge Stadium from Friday 6th November 2009 to Sunday 15th November 2009.

The exhibition will coincide with Heart Swim week being held at Challenge. The title, 'Rising to the Challenge,' and the link to the Heart Swim is based on Geoff's own journey from serious heart-related illness. In early June this year the super fit veteran water polo player was struck down by a virus that damaged his heart and left him near death on the pool-deck at Challenge. Subsequent blood-clot induced paralysis has seen Geoff journey through hospitals, rehabilitation, wheelchairs, and now crutches on his long road back to the pool.

Profits from the exhibition have been pledged to the Heart & Lung Transplant Foundation to aid the work championed by cardiothorasic surgeon and masters water polo player, Dr Rob Larbalestier. Rob, a long-time friend and team mate of Geoff, was swimming at Challenge with Geoff when Geoff's heart stopped. Rob literally saved his life.

Ticket numbers to the Friday evening function Nov 6 are limited so please respond quickly by contacting Fisher Photography on 9381 2233. You can purchase over the phone or drop in to the studio at 294 Hay St. Subiaco.

Thanks to Jeremy for sending this through. Check out some of the images here.

Cheers

Paul

Training / Racing this weekend

Dear Crew

This weekend sees the City of Perth being over-run by some of the world's best triathletes in the form of the ITU Triathlon Long Distance World Championships held right here, down at Langley Park and utilising the Freeway and Mounts Bay Road area. It will be a spectacular event to watch, so I suggest you try and make it down. The event consists of a 3km swim, an 80km bike ride and a 20km run to finish. Racing starts from 8am on Sunday down by the Barrack Street Jetty. Full details here: http://www.ldworlds.org.au/en/default.htm

Racing from the squad will be (good luck crew!):

40-44 Mens

• Matt Illingworth

45-49 Mens

• Mike Bowles
• Sandy Burt (...is he back? Judging by the Aquathlon today - maybe?! Good on you Sandy!)

50-54 Mens

• David Laidlaw
• Alan Nicholls

60-64 Mens

• Graham Crocker

25-29 Womens

• Lisa Delaurentis
• Sandy Crowe

30-34 Womens

• Sarah Thomson

40-44 Womens

• Judi Clemie
• Suzanne Laidlaw
• Donna Todesco
• Sally Scaffidi

45-49 Womens

• Desiree Silva

55-59 Womens

• Anne Murrell

We'll also be batting for three British athletes with whom I've shared many a hotel-room whilst on training camps / races etc: Jodie Swallow, Leanda Cave and Daniel Plews - all will be right up there at the pointy end of the PRO field. Give them a shout for me!

OK, so back to the training for us mere mortals then:

Saturday:

6am - ride from Cottesloe Beach Car Park - just under 2hrs at a good old pace on a looped course.

8am - swim from Cottesloe Beach - aim for 3 to 5km for those doing the Rottnest DUO / SOLO swim.

1pm - squad swim at Claremont Pool (please note - 1pm)

Rottnest Solo / Duo Swimmers and those racing triathlons this season:

I've been promising to get this information out to you for a good few weeks now and I'm nearly there - promise!! First up, here's my pick of the races that I would recommend this season on a per-discipline-basis. I'm not suggesting you have to do all of them - just to help you plan: 

http://www.theteamcore.com/images/Suggested_Races.pdf

The final Rottnest Program (adjusted for this Calendar and our new timetable) is not quite complete yet, but as inspiration for some benchmarks for where you should be aiming as you step up your volume, please see last year's program as a rough guide:

http://www.theteamcore.com/images/Rotto_Program.pdf

I'm busy writing a more detailed plan for 2009/10 with some tips on what we learnt last year for those doing it this year as solo or duo swimmers which will be very useful for you. Please bare with me - I've been very busy of late (yeah, that old chestnut!). Here's one thing to get you started though - for those doing the Solo swim, aim to do a 2km continuous swim in the pool this week. Do this at a pace which you believe you could go for 5km at currently. Take the time and work out your 100m pace, i.e. 1:45 per 100m. We'll then use this as your Endurance Pace as we develop your ability to swim for ever-increasing distances. This figure is very important, so please make sure you get chance to do this.

OK, see you over the weekend!

Paul

Blue Seventy Suits Permitted at Rottnest Channel Swim 2010

http://rottnestchannelswim.com.au/content/open-letter-president-rottnest-channel-swim-association-regarding-swim-suits

Thursday Morning Open Water Swim

Business as usual tomorrow morning down at Cottesloe Beach. Meeting at
6am on the grass in front of the pylon. See you there for a fun open
water skills session. Please remember your PAYG session card. Thanks
in advance!

Cheers

Paul