Race Week Roulette

If there’s one thing we learned this weekend, it’s that triathlon season is officially ON… and Melbourne has absolutely zero interest in easing us into it gently.

Race #1 of the 2XU Triathlon Series hit Elwood on Sunday (or should we say splashed, sloshed, and squelched its way through?).

Sure, the forecast said “a little night rain,” but Melbourne said “actually, here’s 20mm.”
Classic.

The bay turned into a chemistry experiment no one wanted to swim in, the swim was cancelled, and suddenly Race #1 became…
A wet 'n wild duathlon!

And honestly?
You all handled it like absolute legends.

The puddles were ankle-deep, the grass resembled a bog, and the air temp felt like an ice bath with attitude.  But the squad showed up, adapted and got the job done. That’s racing. That’s resilience. That’s Tri-Alliance DNA.

A special shout-out to the real heroes of the morning — the Tri Kids.
They went first.
They raced in the worst of it.
They didn’t complain.
They just got out there and made the adults look soft.

Huge kudos to:

• Zee Dixon – First girl across the line!

• Grace (GMAC) – for braving the kind of conditions that make you question all your life choices.

And of course, massive thanks to the mighty helpers who got everything set up, packed down, supported, guided, fixed, encouraged and basically held the day together:
Les, Andy, Jo, Jimmy, Tanya, Andrea, John, Mario, Casey, Narelle, Jen, Doug & the TTT squad.
You’re the reason Race Week works.

👉 Full results are now up here:
https://www.multisportaustralia.com.au/races/2xu-triathlon-series-2526-race-1-elwood-2025

And remember, if you’re not registered under Tri-Alliance, (1) Ollie cries a little bit, and (2) your points won’t count. So please fix that.

🎽 Race Week Do’s & Don’ts (Straight From Your Future Self)

Since we’ve officially kicked off race season, and since Mother Nature has made it VERY clear that she’ll be dictating terms, here are a few friendly survival pointers for Race Week:

DO:

• Stick to your routine

• Stay calm when plans change

• Nail your sleep, nutrition and hydration

• Trust your training (because it works)

• Visualise success (even if the course becomes a slip-n-slide)

DON’T:

• Test out a brand new equipment because it “looks interesting”

• Cram missed sessions from earlier in the week

• Overthink the weather forecast (even the BOM doesn’t get it right…)

• Panic if the swim becomes a beach run, the ride becomes a TT, or the run becomes a mud pit.  You’re a triathlete, you adapt

Keep these in your back pocket as we march toward your next race. Your future self will thank you.

🏊‍♂️ Next Up: Race #2 in Brighton!

We’ve got two weeks until we take over Green Point. Car park transition, fast course, a great spectator spot… and with any luck, less precipitation than Elwood delivered.

Who’s racing?
Who’s ready to redeem themselves after a mud bath?
Who’s still washing sand out of their socks?

🌦️ Training for the Unpredictable (Because... Melbourne)

If this weekend taught us anything, it’s this:

You don’t rise to the occasion...you fall to the level of your training.

Rain?
Heat?
Waves?
Cancelled swims?
Zig-zag puddle dodging?
Beach run instead of bay swim?
That’s just racing in 2025/26.

The athletes who handled Sunday best were the ones who:
⭐ trained in all conditions
⭐ developed resilience
⭐ embraced the unpredictable
⭐ didn’t shy away from the elements

If you want to be race-ready, you need to be chaos-ready. And yes, that sometimes means riding in wind, or running in drizzle, or swimming in chilly bay temps...safely, sensibly and consistently.

Mother Nature is not your coach…
but she will test your homework.

📈 Build Week #1 - Clean Slate, Fresh Start

We’re back into Build Week #1, which means one thing:

👉 It’s time to set the tone for this cycle.

Last week was a mix of recovery week, race week + some long weekend hangovers.
Translation:
Some of you had a great week…
Some of you had a holiday…
Some of you forgot where your running shoes were.

But the beauty of Build Week #1?
Everyone starts on level ground, until Tuesday morning run and Thursday Hot Laps remind you otherwise.

Speaking of…

• Tuesday morning run is ON with Coach Ollie.

• Thursday morning Hot Laps are ON and awaiting your attendance.

• Sunday session will be decided closer to the day due to the massive 2XU Wellness Run (15,000+ runners on the roads). Greg will advise via chat groups — stay tuned.
  
  
  

🧪 Sweat Test – Last Call for Interest!

We’re planning a Tuesday night Sweat Testing session with Ollie + the MX3 crew, but we need more hands up to lock it in.

Indoor wind trainers provided. Massive learning opportunity. Game-changing for race fuelling and hydration.

If you’re even slightly curious, email: 📧 [email protected]

Don’t wait. If we don’t get enough interest, it won’t run.

✅ Wrap-Up

Race season has officially begun.  And if Race #1 taught us anything, it’s that preparation beats perfect every single time.

So show up.
Train smart.
Be adaptable.
Stay gritty.
And remember...the season doesn’t wait.

If you need anything, want to join a session, or want your name on the Sweat Test list… you know where to find us.

💛 Team TA