A New Charlotte

When I came to Canada I made the call that I was going to chop my hair off. Time to get serious. A symbolic gesture that I am down to business now.
I had kind of forgotten about it, my training has been going really well. I have been down to business without the hair cut.
But, Kristian reminded me of my call...so I had to follow through! And I am very glad I did.
I love my new hair. I feel free and liberated! It is the very latest in SL technology:) It's going to shave minutes off my time over an Ironman. Better still it is going to be super cool.
So if you have ever wondered about what you would look like with short hair- Just do it!

Charlotte

Adam van Koeverden Silver in K 500m

From an interview with Adam Van Koeverden after a devastating loss in the men's K 1000, the following day grabbing silver in the K 500m.

Unable to read or concentrate as he tried alternately to forget what happened in the Friday race and figure out what had gone wrong, van Koeverden said between a handful of cold showers and restless pacing he probably grabbed only about four hours sleep.

"I wrote down things that I wanted to be today, in the morning," he told reporters. "I don't write very much, but after I got out of bed I wrote things I wanted to be.
And I said I wanted to be strong. And confident. Triumphant. And the last one was 'Adam'. Try to be myself, because I wasn't yesterday. And you know, I got a little bit of it back."

I was really touched by this guy. He was a favorite for the 1000, and was totally destroyed by his loss. Absolutely killed, with no explanation, no excuses, just didn't have it. He did some soul searching, and he came up trumps.

Stories like these make the Olympics for me.

Congratulations Belinda

Belinda all smiles up Yellow Lake- making it look soooo easy! She rode only 11 minutes slower than Rhodes...!

I am pleased that my friend Belinda Granger had another cracking race today, and won IM Canada in 9.17.
If there is a female in the sport that I would like to emulate it is Belinda. She is the most consistent female Ironman athlete I know. She just loves the sport, loves racing and it shows. She deserved the win today as she dominated the women's race. Congrats also to Ali Fitch, who put together a personal best performance to come 2nd in 9.26.

Today was inspiring. The winners were grinners. I know what it feels like and I know what it takes. I'm coming back here next year to race, and I'm going to make it my mission to be in shape to challenge Belinda.- Belinda you are my goal, please take this as a complement!:) as you are driving and inspiring me to be a better athlete. I know why you love this course Belinda, it is sensational, and to ride it well must be a fantastic feeling.


This guy in the bleechers was an absolute turkey! He stood there dancing for ages, holding up a business card and a cigar...then when race sponsors were announced he booed them...and held up various products that he perhaps was trying to promote?? A running shoe, a gel, some electrolytes...it was the strangest thing I have ever seen. And it was funny watching people watching him.

The top 3 women celebrating; Belinda, Ali and Heather Wurtele.

Photos from around the place...

The view from our bedroom window on Skaha Lake, OK Falls. Pretty special to wake up to.

The day after IM here, there are queues of competitors lining up for their tattoos!

At the top of Carmi Road, about a 45 minute climb out of Penticton.

1.8 kgs of blueberries for $10 !!!
This would cost over $50 in Australia if they were on special. We are loving the fresh fruit here; peaches, cherries, raspberries, apricots, apples and of course blueberries. A real treat, and great for the post workout recovery shakes.

I like this...

I found it on the back of a Celestial Seasonings "Sleepytime" tea bag packet...

"what lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Currently my Olympic "moment" is Simon Whitfield in the last km of the Triathlon. He had fallen off the front group of 3 men, and it looked like he was gone. He re-grouped, threw off his cap, got back on to the group, and then make a final sprint for the line. He ended up with silver, but he can say without a doubt he gave it everything. Sensational.

Charlotte

My First Olympic Distance Triathlon

It is shocking that in my 6 years in triathlon I have never raced an Olympic distance race until today, at the Kelowna Apple Triathlon.

Since it was my first foray into this distance, and it was the Canadian Championships, I raced incognito as an age grouper. I won my AG, in 2 hours 13. I was really happy with my race, although I think I only awoke after the swim.(24.40) The bike was a 3 lap course, with lots of turns and a nasty little hill- that I actually really enjoyed. I felt strong, and it was great to be racing.(1.05) The run was good too. I wanted to go under 40 mins, but did a 40.20, but I'm still pleased. It was a good result after only a few weeks running again since injury problems. My legs felt great. I've also had a pretty solid week so very happy.

So a fun day.
Kristian had a flat on the bike, and didn't have the tools to fix it. He wasn't too disappointed since it's his first flat in a race ever. He did the run anyway, and yes ran faster than me- but he had fresher legs:)


So today might be better remembered for Australia winning our first Triathlon Gold medal at the Olympics. Emma Snowsill had an awesome race, and I am really happy for her. Congrats also to Emma Moffat for getting the bronze. A great day for Australian triathlon.

Charlotte

New Sponsor - Kestrel

Press Release
Kestrel Signs Pro Triathlete Charlotte Paul
8/7/2008

PHILADELPHIA, PA (08/07/08) - Kestrel Bicycles is pleased to announce the sponsorship of pro triathlete Charlotte Paul. An Ironman distance competitor, Paul will join fellow Kestrel athlete Katja Schumacher at this year's Ironman Hawaii - both with a strong chance to bring home the victory.

"Charlotte brings years of experience to Kestrel and currently rides a 2007 Airfoil Pro," says Kestrel Brand Manager Steven Harad. "We are excited to add her to the list of sponsored riders from Kestrel."

"I am very excited to be a new addition to the Kestrel team of athletes," says Paul. "I have been riding the Airfoil Pro now for over a year, so to go into a relationship with my first choice of bicycle brand is fantastic."

Kestrel has Paul signed through the 2010 season.

"Since I first started riding an Airfoil one year ago, I have knocked over 10 minutes off my Ironman bike PR, a huge improvement, which took me to my first victory in Ironman Western Australia 2007. Kestrel has a long and illustrious history in triathlon and I look forward to being part of their future."

Charlotte will debut the 2009 Kestrel Airfoil Pro SL Special Edition at Kona in October.


About Kestrel / Advanced Sports, Inc.
Advanced Sports, Inc. (ASI) is a privately held corporation located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with distributors in over forty countries. Operating in the U.S. through the independent bicycle dealer network (IBD), ASI markets a full line of high performance bicycles including road, mountain, women's, comfort, BMX and recreational bicycles under the Fuji, Kestrel and SE Bikes brands.

For more information, visit:
Kestrel Bicycles

My Nike Lunar Lites...

Are light as a feather!
I said I would let you know how they went in Roth...well they were excellent.
They were an absolute pleasure to run in. Their lack of weight really is beneficial over the course of a marathon. Plus they are no less supportive than the Marathoner, another excellent Nike neutral racing shoe. You have to get your hands on a pair to really appreciate how cool they are, a truly revolutionary pair of runners.
I didn't have a great run in Roth, but it wasn't due to the shoes. The first 21ks I did in 1.31, and felt fantastic. The second half I shuffled...

So anyway, the shoes are a definite goer and I will be wearing them in Hawaii.

My Magic Shoes!

Thanks Mike

Charlotte