Jen Ashman Takes on Noosa!

"In the realm of triathlons, the Noosa Tri stands as a beacon of challenge and celebration. Their website says, “The Place to Be”. My journey to this iconic event began in 2022, as a spectator, cheering on fellow Tri-Alliance athletes. Little did I know that the allure of Noosa would beckon me to its shores the following year. Fast forward to November 2023, and I proudly wear the finisher’s medal from the 40th Noosa Triathlon, a testament to my completion of an Olympic distance triathlon – an inspiring experience etched in my memory."

Why You Should Not Skip WT Sessions

When riding on the road, it can be difficult to complete a specific training session, especially targeted intervals, without your rhythm being disrupted by the undulating nature of the route, or the need to stop at traffic lights. Indoor training eliminates interruptions and uncontrollable variables, allowing you to concentrate solely on completing your workout. However, it’s important not to lose focus on why we ride – getting out into the great outdoors. You can use indoor training to complement outdoor riding, not replace it.

Here are four golden rules for all riders to follow, if they want to become a better cyclist.

Maintain good posture while riding.

There is no reason to ride with your elbows locked, shoulders tense, and hips rotated back in your seat. Ride as if you're the rider you want to be. Positive postural habits will be present on the race course if they are ingrained.

Make your pedal stroke smooth.

Indoor training allows you to focus on technique, most notably your cadence and pedal stroke. Riding inside allows you to understand, appreciate, and apply fluid and smooth pedaling. You can feel and "see" the chain bouncing if you are a quad-focused rider. A chance to improve and become a more fluid rider.

Put the plan into action.

You have a controlled environment, so carry out your training as planned. Why not take advantage of that? This is the intended output, but it is also the cadence (RPM) that is the goal of an interval.  

Bring it outside.

When riding inside, keep an eye out for "how does this apply to my outside riding?" As your races and events take place outside, connect the dots to see how your efforts contribute to becoming a better outside rider.

And on top of all that, having a coach watch and guide you through your session is an additional bonus. Not many people can have technique advice yelled out through a screen!

In a nutshell, embrace the trainer. It's a great tool to have in your arsenal but remember that your goal is to become a better bike rider outside. Taking advantage of the trainer's benefits (and coaches) and then applying those habits, lessons, and intervals to the outside world is your optimal performance lens for framing its role in your overall development and race readiness.

We look forward to seeing more of you at Tuesday's Wind Trainer with Coach Gaz.

Where Are We At?

We're currently rocking the triathlon scene, but it's time to turn up the heat in the 2XU Tri Club Competition! This competition is all about showcasing the strength and camaraderie of Victoria's triathlon clubs, and we want TA to shine.

We are currently sitting in 2nd place, which is an awesome result.  But we're not done yet.  So, let's get our heads across the rules to see how you can contribute to the collective success.

Here's the deal:
Every member who competes in a Timed Triathlon – whether it's Olympic, Sprint, or Fun Tri (excludes teams and aquabike) – scores us a solid point. But it gets even better – if you finish in the top five of your category, you'll bag additional points. The best 15 competitors' club points are totaled to calculate the team score for each race.  
Finish Points Bonus Points: 1st = 5pts / 2nd = 4pts / 3rd = 3pts / 4th = 2pts / 5th = 1pt

With three races to go, let's give it our all, push our limits, and see if we can give that top spot a nudge!

Club                                                    R1     R2     R3       Total
1 Beckworth Racing                             66     64      51        181
2 Tri-Alliance                                        50     46      52        148
3 Triathlon Adventures Geelong           41    42      51         134
4 Melbourne Triathlon Club                  40    53      34         127
5 Peak Athlete Coaching                      39    44      42         125
6 Bayside Tri club                                 39    36      44         119
7 Inclusive Sports Training                   42    32      39          113
8 ETPA Racing                                     36    39      28          103
9 Riviera Triathlon Club                       27     24      34           85
10 Triathlon Vic Development Prog     23     29      30           82