Welcome back (and yes...my bad!)  Quick one from me to kick things off…

No newsletter last week 🙈

We were mid-transit coming home and, between airports, delays, bags, ppl, and trying to remember what day it was… the newsletter just didn’t make the cut. Appreciate your patience.  We’re back into it now.

🔄 Recovery Month: The Phase That Most People Get Wrong

We’re now three weeks into Recovery Month… and this is the point where the purpose of it really starts to show.

The first week feels easy.
The second week feels different.
And by now? You might be feeling a little unsettled.

That’s not a mistake, that’s the design.

Because Recovery Month isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about doing just enough while allowing the body and mind to fully reset from a long season.

At this stage, you should be noticing:

• The body feeling fresher, less heavy, fewer niggles
• Energy levels starting to come back up
• Motivation slowly creeping back in
• That little voice saying… “I’m ready to train again”

That last one is key.

👉 We don’t want you dragging yourself into May.
👉 We want you itching to get started.

This phase allows:

• Muscular repair and adaptation
• Hormonal reset after months of load
• Mental refresh (which is often overlooked but critical)

Skip this or rush it… and you carry fatigue into the next phase.
Respect it… and you build from a clean slate.

So yes, keep enjoying the balance, the social time, the lighter structure. That’s part of the process, not a deviation from it.

☕ Latte Ride Recap: Controlled Chaos at Its Finest

Saturday’s ride to the Maribyrnong Boat House had a bit of everything, and honestly, that’s what made it great.

Flat tyre early ✔
Wrong turns ✔
Stops, starts, regrouping ✔
Classic Melbourne chill ✔

But then:

• A stunning stretch along the river
• Plenty of laughs
• A genuinely enjoyable ride with great people

This is where the value sits.

Not in perfect execution, but in:
👉 Time in the saddle
👉 Navigating real-world riding conditions
👉 Building confidence and comfort on the bike
👉 And most importantly...enjoying it

Big thanks to Andy for mapping the ride and Les for steering the ship (even if it went slightly off course at times 😅).

🔜 Final Latte Ride: One More Before We Shift Gears

We’ve got one final Latte Ride for 2026, and we’re making a small but important change:

📅 Moved to Sunday morning
👉 Due to ANZAC Day on Saturday, which we absolutely respect and step aside for.

This will be the last of the series before we transition fully into winter structure.

So if you:

• Haven’t made one yet
• Have been thinking about it
• Or just want one more cruisy ride with the crew

👉 This is your chance.

Les will post full details in the FB group.  Keep an eye out.

📅 May Timetable: Structured for a Reason (Not Random)

The May timetable is now live, and this is where things shift from “free flowing” back to deliberate structure.

Let’s break it down, because every session is there for a reason:

🏊 Monday & Wednesday – Technique & Base Swim

These sessions aren’t about smashing laps.

They’re about:

• Stroke efficiency
• Body position
• Breathing control
• Feel for the water

Why now?

Because small improvements here = massive gains later.
Better technique = less effort for more speed.

🚴 Tuesday – Windtrainer @ MSAC

Controlled environment. No variables.

This is where we:

• Build aerobic efficiency
• Work on cadence and power output
• Introduce structured intensity safely

No traffic. No interruptions. Just quality work.

🏃 Thursday – Run @ The Tan

This becomes your run technique + aerobic conditioning session.

We focus on:

• Form under fatigue
• Cadence
• Pacing control

The Tan gives consistency, which is perfect for building repeatable habits.

🚴 Saturday – Beach Rd Ride (Base Endurance)

This is your aerobic engine builder.

Longer, steady efforts that:

• Improve endurance
• Build resilience
• Teach pacing and fuelling

Not flashy… but absolutely essential.

🏃 Sunday – Fairfield Long Run

The cornerstone of run development.

This is where:

• Strength is built
• Durability is developed
• Mental toughness quietly grows

The Big Picture

This week isn’t random. It’s layered.

• Swim = technique foundation
• Bike = controlled load + endurance
• Run = mechanics + durability

👉 Together, they build a complete athlete.

This is what a structured, periodised program looks like.

🧠 May Training Phase: Why Technique & Base Matter So Much

This is Phase 1 of our yearly plan...and arguably the most important.

Because everything that comes later:
👉 Speed
👉 Race prep
👉 Peak performance

…is built on what you do right now.

Technique training means:

• Breaking movements down
• Rebuilding them correctly
• Reinforcing them under light load before increasing intensity

Base training means:

• Developing aerobic capacity
• Teaching the body to work efficiently over time
• Building a platform that can handle future load

Without this phase:
❌ You plateau early
❌ You fatigue quicker
❌ You increase injury risk

With it:
✔ You move better
✔ You last longer
✔ You perform better

This is the long game.

🎯 Goal Setting: Don’t Just Train… Train With Purpose

As we roll out of Recovery Month and into a new training phase, this is the perfect time to pause for a second and ask yourself:

👉 What am I actually working towards?

Not just “getting fitter” or “doing more sessions”… but something a bit clearer, a bit more intentional.

Because turning up and ticking off sessions is great, but turning up with purpose is where the real progress happens.

Now, let’s be honest… goal setting can sometimes feel a bit fluffy. Write something down, forget about it two weeks later, and carry on as usual.

We want to do this a little differently.

Start by thinking about your season in layers:

• Big Picture (Outcome Goals):
  What races or events are you aiming for? What would you love to achieve?

• Performance Goals:
  What would improvement look like for you? Stronger swim? More consistent run? Holding power on the bike?

• Process Goals:
  This is the big one. What are you actually going to do each week to get there?
  Turning up to sessions? Staying consistent? Prioritising recovery?

Because at the end of the day…
👉 Results don’t come from what you want.  They come from what you do consistently.

It’s also important to keep things realistic.

You’ve got work, family, life, and all the moving parts that come with it. The best plan isn’t the most ambitious one… it’s the one you can stick to.

So take a bit of time this week:

• Set a couple of clear goals

• Keep them realistic

• And most importantly… commit to the process

Because come race season, there’s no guessing.

👉 You’ll either know you’ve done the work… or you’ll wish you had.

And we know which side of that line we’d all rather be on.

🏁 Off-Season Events: Build a Better Athlete (Not Just a Fitter One)

The off-season is where you can become more well-rounded, not just more tired.

Here’s what’s coming up and why it matters:

🔥 Victorian Duathlon Series

• Race 1: Sunday 28 June – Calder Park
• Race 2: Sunday 19 July – Altona
• Race 3: Friday 25 September – Ballarat

Why do it?

• Run strength improves massively
• Bike-run transitions sharpen
• Lower injury/load risk without the swim

Great for building strength without overcomplicating things.

🌄 You Yangs Off-Road Festival

A mix of trail running and MTB racing.

Why it’s valuable:

• Develops strength through varied terrain
• Improves handling skills
• Builds resilience outside “perfect conditions”

🤝 Clontarf Duathlon Relay (MSAC)

Team-based event.

Why it works:

• Social
• Lower pressure
• Still keeps you engaged with racing

🏃 Athletics Victoria XCR Series

Cross country + road racing through winter.

Why it’s gold:

• Builds serious run strength
• Improves efficiency and durability
• Great variety of distances and terrains

🚴 AusCycling Events (VIC)

Road cycling races and endurance rides.

Why you should consider it:

• Pack riding skills
• Bike strength and race awareness
• Confidence at speed

👉 The takeaway:
These events aren’t just “fillers”, they’re tools.

Use them properly, and you come back to tri season stronger, more skilled, and more complete.

🙌 Wrap Up: One Phase Ends, Another Begins

So here we are…

Recovery Month almost wrapped.
Structure returning.
New phase about to begin.

If you’ve done this right:

• You’re fresh
• You’re motivated
• You’re ready

And that’s exactly where we want you.

Because next month…

💥 We start building again...properly.

Enjoy the final Latte Ride, lock in your goals, and get ready for a big winter block ahead
💙💛
Team TA