Graham Park Visits Jersey

World class coach Graham Park is visiting Jersey this week to help the Jersey Triathlon Club prepare for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games

Graham Park New Zealand's Triathlon High Performance Coach is in Jersey this week to hold a series of coaching sessions with Jersey''s triathletes. Park who coaches a number of world-ranked triathletes will be working with Jersey Triathlon Club coaches in order to provide cutting edge triathlon expertise. Park has recently attended British Triathlon's Elite Coaching Seminar at Loughbrough as is widely regarded as one of the world's leading triathlon coaches.

Gary Jones, President of the Jersey Triathlon Club, said 'I am delighted to be able to welcome Graham back to the Island. Graham's connection with the Jersey Triathlon Club goes back to the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, and goes to show that the benefits of participating in the Games are not just limited to the participants, and can be extended to all club members.

For more information please contact

Gary Jones

jones.gary@gmail.com
tel 728323 (h) or 608576 (w)
jerseytrimelbourne.blogspot.com

Key Messages from British Triathlon Coaching Conference

There are a number of key messages from the British Triathlon Elite Coaching Conference 2005.

Cycling

Given the nature of the Melbourne course, there is certainly the need to have turbo sessions which emphasise the development of power. So sessions which incorporate 10 seconds max effort followed by 50 seconds recovery - say 4 x 5 sets will be really useful for the bike course

Acclimatisation

In order to get used to the climate, from 5 weeks out, 4 - 5 training sessions per week are required in a 'hot room' at a temperature of around 30C. You need to measure your weight before the session, and drink 1.5 litres of drink for every 1kg of weight lost. Ideally, you would have sodium/carbohydrate in the drink

Easting for recovery

In order to aid recovery after training sessions you need to consume between 50 - 150g of carbohydrate within 2 hrs of completing the session. Example foods would be 200g of pasta, 80g of raisins, 700ml of a sports drink. 100g of bread. Good examples would be a ham,tuna,cheese or chicken sandwiches

Maintaining your immune system

There is some evidence to suggest that consuming carbohydrate during exercise helps maintain the immune system during periods of heavy training

Tapering

Advice from Professor Greg Whyte Director of Science and Research at the English Institute of Sport gave some interesting insights on the 'art of tapering'. Tapering should start from 2 weeks out, maintaining both intensity and frequency, with a reduction in duration. The recommendation is for a gradual reduction in volumes day by day, rather than a sharp drop in volume in the first week. In addition, intensity should be no more than race pace, in order to avoid risk of injury.

Team Manager attends annual coaching conference

Gary Jones and Andy Kemp have attended the British Triathlon's Annual Coaches Conference held at Loughborough University this weekend.

Jones and Kemp who are both qualified triathlon coaches, attended sessions with the Graeme Maw, Performance Director of British Triathlon. The sessions covered topics which included: physiological markers of training recovery; the psychological profile of elite performers; and how to nurture elite performers.

Jones, Team Manager for the Jersey Triathlon Team at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games said ' The Jersey Triathlon Club is determined to do all that it can to help Jersey triathletes reach their full potential, and attending the annual coaching conference has been a vital part of that process. We have been able to get some excellent information about acclimatisation, which will be useful not just for Melbourne, but the NatWest Island Games in Rhodes in 2007'

The Jersey Triathlon Club would like to thank the Sport Advisory Council for their financial support to help minimise the costs of attending the conference.

If you would like more information please contact Gary Jones,
President of the Jersey Triathlon Club
email jones.gary@gmail.com
tel 728323 (h) or 608576 (w)
or
email Akemp@jec.co.uk tel 499943 (h) 505339 (w)

Clements arrives in Melbourne and reviews course

Paul Clements arrived in Melbourne on Saturday 29 October and sent back this report on the race course


The Swim

In the bay by St Kilda pier. The pier is not sold it is similar to the jetty at Havres des Pas swimming pool so swell and wind can pass right through. Yesterday the sea was rough, there were people kite surfing in the bay and jumping over 3-4 ft swell! So it could be a choppy swim. Today it's like a pond. It's a deep water start so we'll be paraded along the pier before
entering the water. If it's windy this could be cold so we should have some clothing to discard at the start if we are hanging around.

The swim course is self explanatory. The swim exit is via a small beach and slip, then you run over a single lane road and into a park where T1 will be. This is about 400m of running on sand, road, gravel path (which I am told will be carpeted) and grass. It is very similar to imagining running from Bel Royal beach opposite Millbrook Park, across Victoria avenue and through
Millbrook Park, then exiting out onto the inner road.

The Bike

Bike starts on a 3 lane carriage and heads West, this road is just like Victoria avenue at home so lots of space but there are raised cats eyes in the middle of each carriageway so care is needed. After about 1K along Beaconsfield Parade you reach the first dead turn, but actually it's really wide and is more like 2x90 degree bends round the centre reservation. The bike then heads back the way you came past transition and follows the coast. It is wide and flat. You then turn left at Elwood which is flat but only single lane going past Luna Park but then you turn left again onto the Esplande and climb a small hill. This is similar to cycling up the slope by the underpass toward Aquasplash from the tunnel but about 4 times longer. This could be tricky as the Esplanade is single lane with tram lines in the middle between the lane coming the other way. There is a low curb that separates the cars from the tram lines and this could take you off if you hit it! The Esplanade curves around a load of hotels and guest houses so you can't see too far ahead.

You then turn right onto Fitzroy Street, crossing tram lines as you do so but these are perpendicular to you so shouldn't cause any problems. Fitzroy Street is flat for approach 500m then it climbs, similar to the first part of St Aubins hill, then if you imagine at the shell house you turn right and climb the next part of the hill that will be similar to turning into Grey Street. Tram lines run in the middle of the street seperating the dual carriageway traffic. You have to cross tram lines again as you turn into Grey Street and as they are travelling up and down Fitzroy Street this could be tricky, especially if wet! Grey Street flattens out at the top and then you turn (dead turn) and fly back down. Turning left back onto Fitzroy Street, but we will need to be careful not to run wide or you'll be in those tram lines! Then straight back down Fitzroy street dual carriageway, which
is going to be fast. At the bottom is a sweeping left turn but again this goes back into single lane and if you drift to far out into the centre of the road you'll hit those tram lines. Then it's along Esplanade which is flat until the end approaching Luna park, small down hill section, the one you came up, and turn right, across more tram lines which run up and down Esplanade so care will be needed. Follow flat straight road, single lane past Luna Park and turn right onto Beaconsfied Parade (similar to turning on the Vic Avenue from First Tower junction, lots of space, and back to Transition - 5 laps so it's going to be tough towards the end and the stronger bikers will pull away up Fitzroy Street and Grey Street.

The road surfaces are fantastic, very smooth but this could mean slippery if it rains. It's also very exposed so if it gets windy, like yesterday the bike and run could be hard. The prevailing wind is Easterly so you'll have it in your face heading toward Elwood and Luna Park and also up Grey Street...nice climbing hill into wind..!

The run
Is flat apart from the slight climb as you run past Luna Park and start along the Esplanade. Fitzroy street is full of cafe's and restaurants with El-Fresco dining so it's going to be a buzz biking and running past there, a bit like going up and down King Street at home.

I hope that helps. I am really excited as it's going to be a great course. I've taken photos of the course but as I don't have my computer with me I'll have to go to a photo shop and get them down loaded, before emailing them to you.

I went to the MCG today, it's been re-built for the games so it's a bit messed up right now but still very impressive. It can hold 140,000 people so the opening and closing ceremonies are going to be awesome! The athletics field had to be lengthened in the middle so spectators won't be speared by flying javelins!

Anyway happy training and speak to you guys soon.

For more information on the race course follow this link