TDU - Stage 1 finish at Tanunda

Today we loaded the bikes into the van and headed up to ride the loop from Tanunda round to Mengler's Hill. A short ride up one of the regular climbs of the Tour Down Under.

Even though we were there hours before the race was scheduled to pass through, there were thousands of people already lining the climb, all ready to cheer on the many cyclists who'd made their way out to test themselves up the hill.

After regrouping at the top we were surprised to lose our way on the outskirts of Angaston, but we found our bearings thanks to a trusty sign post! Although we didn't end up following the tour route exactly, our timing was impeccable - we found ourselves on the outskirts of Tanunda as the peleton entered the town before heading out to climb the Hill.


HTC Columbia's Andre Greipel was victorious in the group sprint for the line, winning the right to pull on the distinctive Tour Down Under's ochre leader's jersey.

TDU - a day of chance encounters

A day that was to be largely devoted to chores turned out to be full of opportunities to enjoy the vibe of the Tour Down Under.

Unsurprisingly, we prioritised the trip to the bike shop to pick up CO2 canisters - and we're glad we did. In walked Lance to meet the store owner and sign a Trek with the signature Livestrong paint job.

A master of getting in and out of situations on his own schedule, there wasn't the opportunity for anything but a quick snap - he was in the store just a few minutes in total.

From the bike shop to the supermarket, where we spotted Team Radio Shack's soigneur stocking up on bananas, soy milk, mineral water, and ham and cheese. And then the Team Fuji Servetto with pies, Doritos, Oreos... and more bananas. Something told me that bananas were going to become increasingly scarce in Adelaide this week...

Back to the unit to put our bikes together and a quick test spin around the Stage Six criterium course. Had a few mechanical issues, so back to the bike shop for some repairs. Unfortunately - no brushes with fame this time.

TDU - Cancer Council Classic

We got to the team presentations to get a first look at Cadel in his rainbow jersey! We were not disappointed with our, as he was flanked by his new lieutenant, George Hincapie, who, looked just as impressive in his own US national champion's jersey.

SBS commentators Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen interviewed some of the big names in the race, which included not only Cadel and George, but also Stuart O'Grady, Alejandro Valverde, Luis Leon Sanchez - not to mention Lance Armstrong.

While the Cancer Council Classic isn't officially a stage in the Tour Down Under, the teams are on show and it signals to Adelaide that the carnival has come to town. We found our spot on one of the straights and waited for our first glimpse of the peleton as it snaked its way down Bartels Road.

With primes up for grabs on laps 5, 10, 15 and 20 (of 30 laps in total), there was plenty of action off the front. Lance Armstrong did the right thing by the Cancer Council by putting in a show in a small breakaway with Oscar Pereiro and three others.

We heard from the commentary that he led the breakaway through the finish line almost every lap they were away - but we only got to see him lead the race once.


In the end, though, the new Team Sky were victorious with kiwi sprinter Greg Henderson. A great way for the new British team to debut on the Pro Tour.

Off Down Under

I know, I live "Down Under". But today I'm off to Adelaide for the Tour Down Under. Plenty to see and plenty of great rides.

For more regular updates, follow me on twitter. Hopefully I'll be able to figure out how to do photos as well... wish me luck with that...

What role a coach?

I've got a new coach on board to prepare me for Ironman Regensburg. I've enlisted the services of my friend Andy Stewart, who has started coaching recently, primarily for adventure racing.

Andy was one of the first in my old triathlon squad, Phoenix triathlon, to take the plunge at Ironman. He's since competed at Kona, and his next personal challenge is the Speights Coast to Coast in just a few weeks' time.

I thought long and hard about my coaching options for Regensburg.
Did I need a coach?  Yes
Should I join a squad?  Maybe
What did I want from a coach?  That's not such a straightforward answer.

First things first - I need someone to write me a program. I'm hopeless without a "To Do List". I definitely needed someone to set out for me the work I need to do to get through this race in the best possible way. But what else does a coach do for you? I haven't had a coach for the last couple of years, and I think I've lacked a couple of things.

Firstly, someone to push me. Although I've managed without a coach, I doubt I've trained or raced as well as I might have, if I'd just had someone to stretch me just that little more.

Secondly, someone to help me understand all the data I get from my new Garmin 310XT. What heart rate should I train at? Is that important? Should I just give all that up and go back to training on feel?

Thirdly, someone to be accountable to. It can be really easy to fob off that extra training session because you're a little bit tired. But what will Andy think if I do that now?

Lastly, I think there's an extra little intangible benefit in having a coach. Particularly for someone like me, who trains mostly by myself, knowing you've got a coach on your side gives you just a little something extra when things get tough.

Bring it on, Coach Andy.

It takes three weeks right... Pt2

So, I guess I have to report back on how my training regime fared since my last post, which was full of bravado and promises.

Did that bravado last the festive season? Yep, great. First week back at work? Not so good.

I don't know why. Most of my requirements for motivation were there:

Race locked in? Check
Healthy respect (or even fear) for the race in question? Check
Weather nice and warm? Check

But during the week, I just couldn't get anything going. At the end of each day when I drove home from work, I gazed enviously at the runners I saw going about their business. Yet it didn't cross my mind to lace on the shoes when I got home. Yes, I'm a habitual morning trainer... but even so!

Today though, I snapped out of it.

I'd had a few things to attend to and spent the day thinking about these rather than my training program. When KKB got home from his crazy long ride, I'd just gotten through my to do list. Although I knew I wouldn't have enough time to catch up on the long run I'd expected to get in that day, I decided that it was time to blow out some cobwebs.

I left behind my watch and my Garmin and just ran.

It felt good.

It left me reinvigorated and ready to go.

It takes three weeks, right...

I've completed the first two weeks of what I can fairly honestly say is proper triathlon training.

I made a commitment about a month ago to train six times a week, and although I can't say I've achieved this, the last two weeks have definitely qualified as some form of training for triathlon

• a run over 10ks
• a long ride (or in today's case, a long WT due to rain)
  
• a swim session
• ... plus a couple of other bits and pieces each week.
  

I know, I've got a long way to go before I can feel confident that I've got an Ironman in me physically. But I figure by the time 2010 rolls around, I'll be doing 12k long runs and 80-100k long rides. An OD age grouper would be doing this at the peak of the training. A HIM athlete would be happy with this as a base for any endurance program.

Since it takes three weeks to form a habit... wish me luck to keep it up for Christmas week...