Welcome to Build Week #2, team.

One week down. One week closer to becoming the athlete you want to be.

Last week marked the start of our current three-week training cycle, and now we roll straight into the second build week. The work continues. The consistency continues. The opportunities continue.

This is often the point in a training block where athletes start asking themselves questions.

"Am I doing enough?"

"Should I add a bit more?"

"Should I push a bit harder?"

"Why am I still tired from last week?"

The answer, more often than not, is simple:

Trust the process.

One of the biggest mistakes athletes make is treating every week as if it should feel amazing. The reality is that successful endurance training is built on carefully managed stress and recovery.

Build Week #1 creates the stimulus. Build Week #2 adds another layer. Then comes Recovery Week, where the magic happens and your body adapts to all the work you've put in.

That's why next week's recovery isn't a reward. It's part of the plan.

You don't earn fitness by smashing yourself every day. You earn it by applying the right amount of training stress, recovering properly, and repeating the process month after month after month.

Build. Recover. Adapt.

Then rinse and repeat.

It's not particularly sexy. It doesn't make for exciting Instagram content. But it works. And while we're talking about timing, today also marks the official first day of Winter.

Now before everyone collectively groans, remember this:

Winter is where next season gets built.

Nobody remembers the easy mornings in January. They remember the mornings they got out of bed in June when it was dark, cold, and far more appealing to stay under the doona.

Those sessions matter.

Not because they're heroic. Because they're repeated.

One session won't change your season. One hundred sessions might.

So keep showing up. Keep ticking the boxes. Keep trusting the process.

Build Week #2 awaits.

🐢 Slow Down to Go Faster

This week's coaching article tackles one of the most misunderstood concepts in endurance sport:

Zone 2 training.

Or as we like to call it:

"Slow Down to Go Faster."

It sounds completely backwards.

Most athletes naturally assume that getting faster requires training faster. More intensity. More effort. More suffering.

The problem is that many athletes spend far too much time training in the grey area between easy and hard. Not easy enough to recover. Not hard enough to create meaningful adaptation.

The result?

Tired legs.

Stagnant progress.

Frustration.

And a lot of athletes wondering why they're working so hard without seeing the results they expected.

In our latest article and accompanying podcast, Ollie and I unpack why Zone 2 training matters, why so many athletes get it wrong, and how slowing down in the right places can actually help you become a stronger, faster, more durable triathlete.

Whether you're walking the dog, driving to work, sitting on the train, or enjoying a coffee before the day begins, it's a quick 8-minute listen that could completely change the way you think about your training.

🎧 Podcast Listeners Exist! (And We Have Proof)

I must admit...

After publishing our first podcast episode last week, I was briefly concerned that perhaps nobody had listened.

Thankfully, I was wrong.

A number of athletes took the time to reach out, share their thoughts, and let us know they enjoyed the episode.

Some of our favourite responses included:

And possibly our favourite:

Another athlete wrote:

Firstly, thank you.

Creating content takes time, and it's always nice to know people are reading, listening, learning, and reflecting.

Secondly...

For those who took the time to send us feedback, keep an eye on your mailbox. We've got a little thank-you gift coming your way. 🎁

And finally, if you haven't listened yet, the episode is still there waiting for you. We promise it won't ruin your commute.

🎨 The Bigger Picture

Last week Gaz posed a question in the Symposium:

"What's the difference between APL and the Newsletter?"

The clues involved sunrises, impressions, water lilies and haystacks, so I suspect we've accidentally wandered into an art history lesson.

But it did get me thinking.

Some things reveal more of their value the longer you spend around them.

At first glance, APL is just a bunch of athletes riding around Albert Park Lake before the sun comes up.

The newsletter is just words on a screen.

A squad session is just another workout on the calendar.

But spend enough time around any of them and you start to see the bigger picture.

You realise the value isn't actually the ride, the session, the program or even the newsletter itself.

It's the people.

It's the standards.

It's the accountability.

It's the friendships.

It's knowing somebody notices when you're not there.

It's having someone to chase when you're feeling good and someone to encourage you when you're not.

Those things don't happen by accident.

They're created by hundreds of small contributions from athletes, coaches, volunteers and members over many years.

Like any good piece of art, you don't always appreciate the whole picture when you're standing right in front of it.

Sometimes you need to step back.

And when you do, you realise you're part of something much bigger than a swim, bike or run session.

🧥 Winter Armour Has Arrived

Today is officially the first day of Winter.

And if Saturday morning was any indication, Winter is not arriving quietly.

With the colder months now upon us, it's time to stop pretending that a summer jersey and positive thinking are adequate riding apparel.

Our Tri-Alliance Winter Jackets are in stock and ready for action.

Designed specifically for Australian winter riding conditions, these jackets feature:

• ✅ Windtex front panels to block cold winds
• ✅ Warm Italian Roubaix fabric for insulation and breathability
• ✅ Extended sleeves for seamless glove coverage
• ✅ Longer rear panels for protection from road spray
• ✅ Rear pockets for winter ride essentials
• ✅ Distinctive Tri-Alliance branding

They're warm.

They're comfortable.

They work.

And, fittingly after this week's discussion about culture and belonging, they also make us instantly recognisable out on the road.

There's something pretty special about seeing a line of blue and yellow jerseys rolling through Melbourne on a cold winter morning.

It's a reminder that you're not out there doing it alone.

Winter miles are always a little easier when you're riding as part of something bigger.

🏆 Athlete Nest – Andrea Does It Again!

Huge congratulations to Andrea Crompton, who attended the Victorian State Awards Breakfast yesterday and was recognised as the 2025/26 State Series Champion Female Para Athlete.

What an incredible achievement.

While race-day results often get the spotlight, awards like this are built over an entire season.

Months of training.

Months of consistency.

Months of showing up when motivation is high and when motivation is nowhere to be found.

To finish on top of a State Series requires commitment, resilience, patience, and a willingness to keep turning up long after the novelty has worn off.

Andrea has done exactly that.

We are incredibly proud of what she has achieved and feel very lucky to have her as part of the Tri-Alliance family.

Congratulations Andrea. A thoroughly deserved recognition of a fantastic season. 💛

📬 Got A Happy Story?

One of the best parts of writing this newsletter is celebrating the wins that happen inside our community.

Big wins.

Small wins.

Unexpected wins.

Race results.

Personal breakthroughs.

Training milestones.

Life achievements.

If something exciting has happened recently and you'd like to share it with the squad, send us a message.

The Athlete Nest only works because athletes contribute to it, and we'd love to celebrate more of your stories in the weeks ahead.

Don't be shy.

👑 King's Birthday Reminder

A quick heads-up for next week:

Monday, 8th June is the King's Birthday Public Holiday.

As a result, there will be no coached swim session at MSAC on Monday evening.

Coincidentally, next week is also Recovery Week, making it the perfect opportunity to put some of the lessons from our Zone 2 article into practice.

Recovery doesn't mean doing nothing.

It means allowing your body to absorb the work you've completed over the past fortnight.

Keep things easy.

Keep things controlled.

Trust the process.

And arrive at the next training block fresh, motivated, and ready to build again.

💛 Stay Warm. Stay Consistent.

Keep showing up.

Keep trusting the process.

Keep putting another brick in the wall.

Because while race season might still feel a long way away, the athletes standing on podiums next summer are quietly building themselves right now.

See you out there,
💙💛
Team TA