Aloha!  Did someone say Kona?!?  We are over the moon that Nathan and Gary have achieved the ultimate reward of their World Championship ticket after their stellar performances at Ironman Cairns.  Despite their modest personas, these gentlemen both executed their races to a tee.  Nath came out of the swim well down the field, which was not unexpected and actually all part of his plan.  Once on the bike, Nath set to work, moving up a whopping 29 places over the 180kms, and hitting T2 in 25^th place.  But this is where he really shone, smashing out a crazy 3hr10 marathon to move his way up to 7^th position and into that Kona spot.  Gaz, on the other hand, came out of the swim leading his AG, which although was a bit of a surprise, it was a fantastic reward for all his hard work in the pool over many years.  He then used the bike leg to have a solid ride, but to always stay within himself and save enough in the tank for the run.  Into T2 in 3^rd position, this was where the real test would start.  Gaz has been ‘managing’ a calf injury for many months (halting his IM NZ campaign) and was coming in with limited running prep.  But this tough nut (read stubborn!) dug deep and showed just how bad he wanted it, by running his way into 2^nd place!  We can’t wait to have a proper catch up with these two and help them on their journey towards the big island #RoadToKona.  Congratulations to all our newly-crowned Ironman and 70.3 athletes.  Cairns is not an easy race, so you should certainly be proud of your efforts.  We’re looking forward to congratulating you all in person very soon.

So how’s your lets-escape-the-cold-weather planning going?  A trip to Thailand is just around the corner!  I’ll say it again, Thanyapura truly is something amazing and every triathlete's dream.  Our camp will not only be an incredible opportunity to take your training and racing to the next level, but also a life experience to treasure.  We need to get an indication of interested athletes now, so make sure you let us know asap so we can plan for you!

Ok, straight back to reality and the sessions for this week.  We’re planning on heading out to the Dandenongs for our ride on Saturday.  If you are new to the squad, a beginner rider or a short course athlete, then your ride will begin from Wantirna Mall.  Bondy will take you up to Sky High so bring plenty of warm layers, nutrition and spares to get through the day.  If you are a more advanced rider or a long course athlete, then your day will start slightly earlier from North Point Café with Ollie.  Also heading out to the Dandenongs, come prepared to ride long and hard.  In saying all this, please keep a close eye on the VIC FB page later in the week as we monitor the weather.  We will be riding….somewhere….but will also be sensible if there is considerable rain.  More deets below. 

Sticking with the sessions of the week, we’ve decided to be all social like and have a friendly catch up after our run session this week.  Please join us for a steak and a red wine after the Tan Run at the Arcadia Hotel, where we can unwind and have some time to chat, without trying to train (and breathe!) at the same time!  More details below. 

And the final reminder about sessions is just a little bit of a grumble….if you are borrowing a wind trainer on a Tuesday night, can you please show a little love to our equipment and look after it.  In the last couple of weeks, we’ve had a few trainers getting damaged, which decreases our stock for future sessions.  So if you are not strong enough to carry the silver trainers (and not drop them), please take a red one.  And even though they are all very sturdy, show a bit of care so we can continue to provide trainers to our athletes.

There’s still loads more in this edition; Steph takes a very cheeky look into band work and lets you know what you’re missing out on, we’ve kept the Tri Vic affiliation decision in for another week, there’s a link to grab those toasty winter jackets (highly recommended for this weekend!), winter racing options, Eddy’s pick of what to watch this week (it’s very inspirational) and all the info about Liv Cycling’s upcoming winter solstice’s evening across Melbourne.  So enough dilly-dalling….time for you to get reading my friends.  Go on….off you go….and R.E.A.D   O.N  !    

How about those frosty mornings this weekend....Hello Winter! Well, you should have heard by now, 'there’s no such thing as bad weather – just bad clothing choices'. And we may have seen some...errrmmm...interesting choices over the weekend! When you’re riding on a cold, frosty, wet or windy day, you want to be as warm and as comfortable as you can. I had a look over the weekend at our Winter Cycling Jackets and saw that there's not many left. Don't leave it until it's too late if you need one of these as new stock will not be here to keep you warm this winter! And they are heavily discounted, so this'll be the best $60 you spend this winter!

Have you given any thought to what you might do over Winter?  Have you heard about Duathlons?  Do you want to compliment your triathlon season and keep race fit?  Well, Triathlon Victoria released their 2018 Duathlon dates during the week, so now you can start planning your assault!  Let the coaches know if this is something you'd like to be involved in or want more information about.
"Bring some colour into your winter training with the 2018 Victorian Duathlon Series!  Proudly supported by Pilates For Sports, the Victorian Duathlon Series will bring a bit of colour into your 2018 winter training. Early bird registrations opening soon!"

Having a run goal over winter is a good way to work on your fitness, technique and run-specific strength, as well as incorporating a training spike as you build to an event, practising your race prep and giving yourself some Winter motivation to keep you getting out the door.  So........we want to know who's in?  It's so much more fun training in a group, so let's start a roll call so we can get a little #squadgoals happening!
Melbourne is the sporting capital of the world, and as a result you can always find a running event to fit your needs. But with so many going on, it's easy to get confused.  I found the website below super helpful in finding all the running events around town.  Take a look!
Also, did you know that you can have a specific run program attached to your current program to help you meet your goals? 
So, if you're planning on hitting the trails or the pavement anytime soon, shoot me an email so we can get a gang together!

The Liv Winter Solstice Takeover event sees us heading indoors to celebrate the shortest day of the year in style. We’ll be taking over local halls, gyms, eateries and more for a selection of fun, yet challenging, bicycle-related activities - complemented, of course, with tempting treats and refreshments. You might find yourself completing a bike boot camp, a vigorous spin session with a twist, or, making your own delicious mix of nutritious goodies to take on your next ride. There might even be s'mores... Whichever event you attend, you will learn new skills, meet amazing people and have a great time.

Above all, the Winter Solstice Takeover is an opportunity to try something a little different, meet like minded-people and celebrate Sol Invictus with our Liv family.

Join us In Good Company on Thursday June 21.