Come and train with me!

Would you like an opportunity to train with myself, consistent top 10 Ironman finisher Chris Dmitrieff and ironguides Coach Kristian Manietta in the triathlon mecca Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia for 3-5 days of great training in a stunning location?

Then join us for the ironguides Noosa Camp - June 17-21 (choice of 3-5 days).

Click here for full details and to sign up.

Noosa is blessed with a wonderful climate year round, amazing beaches, exceptional facilities, year round open water swimming, plenty of challenging hinterland and coastal cycling and endless trails and dirt country roads for all your training needs. Come see why many of the worlds best call Noosa home.

This 3-5 day camp is a perfect opportunity to get some highly specific triathlon training in if you're racing in the upcoming Half Ironman Series events (August through November) or if you have qualified for Kona and want to ensure you're doing all the 'right' things in your preparation. It is also an opportunity to switch everything else off and get some really good quality training in "Method Style".

Come and learn the critical components of longer distance racing and training, including strength, nutrition and recovery. i.e. The body's five systems and how they impact your training! Coach Kristian will teach you how to balance your training better so you recover quicker and race faster while not making the BIG THREE common mistakes in training today.


Click here for full details and to sign up.

"If you do the thing you fear...

The death of fear is certain."
Emerson.

One of my favorite quotes.

Today I had my least favorite training session. Yes in the pool- how did you guess??:)
I sometimes dread this session. It's really tough, and if I'm tired its even tougher. I often have to use a pull buoy just to complete the set without totally losing my form. But the problem is that I psyche myself out before I even start...

So today...I changed my attitude. I wanted the session to be a confidence boost before NZ-not demoralizing! So I've been listening to my "Success Mastery Academy" audio cds by Brian Tracy (best selling author and public speaker), and he made me think about why I don't like this session. It's the fear of failure. So I decided there was nothing to be afraid of. I would do the repeats as well as I could. I was confident that I could hit my desired splits.

And guess what? I did hit my splits. I did this session better than ever before. It's such a good feeling. Doing the thing you fear boosts self esteem and gives you confidence. It makes you like yourself. You keep doing the thing you fear, and your self esteem goes up and up and up! You like yourself more and more, you develop a bias for action and you become...UNSTOPPABLE!!

Brian makes me feel like I can take on the World!

Charlotte

checking in...

Just checking in...
I'm in the thick of it with training for IM New Zealand, which is now just 2.5 weeks away! I'm in lock down:)
But just letting you know training is going really well. I've had no more meltdowns. I'm hitting PBs in the pool and on my run circuits. Confidence is building...

I went for a massage today with Helen. She was fantastic. She said all the right things- "this body is ready to race"- Love it! She said my muscles "cleaned" out really well- and she thinks its because I regularly take BioCeutical's "UltraMuscleze"- a high quality magnesium supplement- she's a big fan.
The massage felt great and I had a nice nap afterwards.
Later this afternoon I hit my 2km repeats with much improved range of motion. Very happy. Followed by a hot bath in Epsom Salts, very relaxing.

I'll sleep well tonight.

Charlotte

Yesterday I cracked!

I can laugh now, but at the time it was horrible.
I was negative negative negative:)
And I hated myself for giving up.

I was doing session #2 of the day, the brick! Yes this is the same session I wrote about last week being "ugly". I did the first set and was heading out to do my 2nd set of 400m run repeats...I started running, got 50ms and stopped. Big internal battle going on in my head:). I came back to the start, gave myself a thorough talking to, and set off again...Got to pretty much the same 50m mark, and called it a day.

Training plans are not set in stone. Coaches don't always get it 100% right. Sometimes a session is just too much, or rather, not at the right time, and sometimes we have to try things to know.

I didn't just give this session one go and give up. I've tried it over a number of weeks, and it's been a mission every time. It's been "modified" every week. This week I cracked! It's hard to describe the feeling to someone if they haven't felt it. It's mental as much as physical. I just couldn't make myself push any more. There was no energy, and no amount of sugar or caffeine could turn it around. Actually there probably is an amount of caffeine that could turn it around- but that's called "digging a big hole and jumping in feet first" or quite simply "overtraining". You don't want to go there.

This is where COMMUNICATION with your coach is KEY.
I know I live with my coach, so its easier for me, but he's away at the moment. So I sent him an email and told him how I felt. I know myself well enough to know the difference between being soft and when it's just too much, so he trusts my feedback. So moving forward that session will be adjusted or put on a different day.

Today was backed off and I had a lie in. The goal now is to get back to normal levels of fatigue, so that I can get back into my training routine. I'll still train today, but not the amount that I would normally do, and without so much intensity.

Common Mistakes;

1. Not backing off.- The worst thing to do is keep battling on. You will dig that hole deeper and deeper! You must listen to your body. There is a time when you need to push and a time when you shouldn't. If you keep overtraining you'll end up burnt out or sick and having to take a huge chuck of time off- or leaving the sport altogether! It happens a lot! I don't mean to scare you, but don't let it happen to you.

2. Totally stopping.- Active recovery is key. Keep moving, but back off.

3. Not getting enough sleep. The more rest you get the quicker you will return to "normal".

4. Not eating enough. You need to feed the engine. Your appetite will most likely be off the Richter scale. You'll crave junk. Try to be kind to yourself and eat high nutrient foods, but do get the calories in.

I'll be back!

Charlotte

Today was UGLY!

I promised to share with you the good, the bad and the ugly.

Today was a perfect example of UGLY!
I woke tired, and took longer than usual to become coherent!

The first session of the day was something new for me, an ocean swim squad at Noosa Main Beach. We started at 5.30am (it gets light here at 4:58am!!), and did a series of short intervals out and around a couple of cans and in again. Doesn't sound too bad?? Throw in the biggest surf they've seen all summer, and its one heck of a grueling, ball breaker session! Also throw in 30 teenage surf clubbies and its a recipe for humble pie!!

I was starting with the faster group (well that's where my friends were...) and coming out at the back each time.- Less because of my swimming, but because I'm a hopeless body surfer! But I also found all the running through knee deep water absolutely exhausting!

I got totally nailed by one wave and ended up a long way down the beach:) I lost all my confidence and was just totally shattered. So called it a day early- after an hour- the session went for 90 punishing mins...

Luke was in his element, and Belinda, Amanda and Kristian all loved it. I watched in admiration. Amanda was worried that I'd not come back next week...I don't give up that easily:) I want to learn to conquer surf swimming, so that I can turn up to any race in any conditions and be prepared. If it doesn't kill me it'll make me one tough cookie.

So home for brekky and I was a total wreck. I have to laugh now, but I was smashed. I had an hour nap, but I reckon I could have slept all day:) I made myself get out of bed and eventually plucked up the courage to embark on session 2 of the day- a bike/run x3 brick!

I felt tired and my splits were way slower than I'm usually able to punch out. I made myself complete it and just tried to detach my emotions from the session. I thought "just do it", remembering how good it feels to finish a session that you "think" you are too tired to do- Without giving in to the emotions of tiredness- if that makes any sense.

Once all done, I felt a thousand times better. Much more energized. It's bonkers I know.

But you know, days like these are when you learn and grow, mentally and physically. If you stick with it and give it your best shot, no matter if is less than on other days- you can still get benefit from the day. You make forward progress. You are nearer your goal, and you reinforced the habit that you NEVER GIVE UP!

Tomorrow is a whole new day.

Charlotte

Christmas is coming, the Goose is getting fat!

and so is Charlotte!:)
So, time to get back into training...

It's been just over 2 weeks since Ironman. I've had 2 weeks of "movement" but nothing structured and no training. I did things like swim in the ocean, body surf, go for short hikes and walk along the beach...nothing too energetic! But importantly I didn't totally stop either. I gave myself a physical and mental break from routine and the discipline, but I kept moving.

It's always my biggest break of the year, after IM WA, and the timing is really good with Christmas. I've eaten all of the things I would normally eat very rarely like pizza, burgers, ice cream, pasta, potato chips, bread, mince pies:) Its a total break for me. I even read some junk too!

If I take too long off, it becomes increasingly difficult to come back. When we stop our body goes into "flight mode". The is no "fight" in the systems since our hormones are shut down and not available, and we become flat. Whilst we do want the systems to recover we don't want to lose everything we've worked so hard to develop.

This week I am back training again. But I'm easing back into it this week, letting my body find its routine again, and stimulating the systems.
During this first week, I can slowly wake up the systems back into "fight mode" whilst still recovering. I'll be doing strength, speed, motor skills and race tolerance work without the volume. There will definitely be no long and slow work. Unless I want to race long and slow:)
I follow "The Method" approach of inverted periodization which focuses on developing technique,strength and speed first and endurance closer to your event(s).

To read more on how my training is structured with ironguides, read this article by Sergio Borges, ironguides Coach - San Diego, CA

Or about why NOT to go long and slow right now, read this article by Vinnie Santana, ironguides Coach - Bangkok, Thailand
"If you are a long-distance triathlete, forget those hours and hours on the bike early in the year. Instead of the usual 4-6h rides with your group or on the trainer, how about a Time Trial with some training partners? Or a strength oriented set in a bigger gear and low cadence? Same with the run and swim. Focus on speed, strength, and holding a perfect technique while doing this, then once the racing season gets closer, shift your training to a specific plan."... read more

Charlotte

Last minute Present for a loved triathlete??

TP Therapy online store in the US has a special Christmas offer.

FREE Ground & 2-day HOLIDAY SHIPPING!
FOR A LIMITED TIME ON ALL INJURY KITS!
US ONLY

There's still JUST enough time!
You won't be disappointed.

I use TP Products daily to prevent injury and maximize muscle length and range of motion.
30 minutes a day is all it takes me, lying on the floor, in my own home.
They are just like my toothbrush, brushing daily keeps my dentist away!

Why do I use them?

They make my muscles feel great.
If I feel sore, tight or have a niggle, I can treat it straight away. I don't have to wait for an appointment to see someone, I can get to work immediately on it. So I can get back out training- faster!
The products come with tonnes of education to empower you to take care of yourself.
To save money on trips to the masseur.
To save time on trips to the masseur!
They're time efficient and easy to use.
They can be packed easily to take with you on training camps and to races.
Less time injured= More time to train= I go fast!

Australians can purchase here

Taper begins again!

I'm now just one week away from my last race of the year, Ironman Western Australia in Busselton.

It's one of my all time favorite races and places to be. I feel like a kid at Christmas, I just can't wait to get there! It's my 5th time racing, on their 5th anniversary.

My training has gone exceptionally well in my new home on the Sunshine Coast. I don't feel like I'm at the end of the year, with any kind of fatigue. I feel just the opposite and am jumping out of my skin to race. My fitness has been building since August, and this time of year has historically been great for me. I've grown as an athlete alongside this race, almost always achieving PRs, which made it all the more special to have my first win there last year.

My taper is just one week long, which is perfect. I did a one week taper for the first time in Hawaii and it worked really well. Usually after a couple of weeks of tapering, I am in such a sluggish, lazy, relaxed mode that come race day, I almost don't feel like racing! And there is actually something hormonal going on that explains this. So shortening the taper to just one week allows me to be still in active mode, and on race day I feel ready to go.


If you want to come and say hello, I'll most likely be spending a bit of time helping my husband on the TP Therapy stand at the Expo.

Charlotte

No more Heart Rate training

After 6 years of strapping on a heart rate monitor it's GONE!
I feel free and liberated and the chaffing scars have started to disappear.

I was very resistant at first. That's an understatement! I was almost dependent on it. If I went out the door without it I felt as if something was missing- I was almost naked! But now, after 3 months without it, I couldn't imagine putting it on.

So now it is the biggest relief not to wear it. I was a slave to it. I wouldn't look at it all the time, I thought. But I would come home and write down or upload my data. Sometimes I would compare it to previous sessions, often I didn't look at it ever again. But I felt I needed it. It was an obsession and a crutch.

For 6 years I also raced with it. I felt like I needed it to know "how" to race.
What I now realize is that I know how to race. I know what race pace feels like. I'm now able to make pacing decisions based on feel. I know when I am giving too much or too little intrinsically. I'm not constrained by what my watch is telling me.

In training my directions are to go easy, moderate or hard. It's very simple, and it's all based on feel. Easy one day might be very different to easy another day, and that's how it should be. When I'm feeling good, I can give a bit more. When I'm feeling tired my hard won't be as hard.

It's very easy to follow a training plan that is so simple. An "easy effort" is very straightforward to understand. I don't get confused or annoyed that my HR isn't doing what it should be.

I now worry less, and am more relaxed. I'm free to concentrate on my training and can cut out the noise. I match my effort with what the session requires.

Thank you ironguides for freeing me from slavery!

"You know you're smashed when...

You get out of the shower, look in the mirror, and you still have shampoo in your hair"

~Kristian Manietta, 7pm Tues 18th Nov 2008.

Beautiful Sunshine Coast Queensland.

It's been a hectic few weeks.

Flew back from Hawaii.
Spent a week in Sydney catching up with the relos, (Aussie relatives) and friends whilst collecting our belongings from about 10 different garages around the city.
Packed it all into a 3 tonne truck, and set off for a new chapter of our lives in Queensland! 15 hours north, and a different time zone.

Why Queensland?
Because we can!

Sydney is a fantastic city, but its not an ideal home for triathletes. We base our rides around the flow of traffic. If you want to ride out of Sydney on the weekend you have to be in a group and you have to leave at 6am!
Whilst there are tonnes of 50m pools, to get to one you battle the traffic if you go at the wrong time, and pay for parking if there is any.
Running you can do anywhere...

So whilst we have made the best of Sydney since we have been triathletes, now that we have the opportunity to live anywhere in Australia, why not be in a location that is perfect?

Kristian is now a coach with Ironguides and his clients are all online at the moment. His work with TP Therapy doesn't require him to be in Sydney, and if he needs to get there its an hour flight and the airport is 15 mins away...puuurfect.

So we chose the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Why?
It's hotter in the "winter". Put it this way- we'll have year round tans:)
There's great riding in the Hinterland. Plenty of challenging terrain and flats, that can be accessed at any time of day.

We are surrounded by National Parks with heaps of trails to run on.

We have an outdoor 25m pool a 5 min drive away, and an awesome 50m pool with gym 15 mins away. Almost $2 cheaper than Sydney pools, and no parking fee. Plus we can swim in the ocean year round. Noosa Main Beach is sheltered and perfect for open water swimming.
There's good reason the Sunshine Coast is home to the Grangers, the Bennetts, Lisbeth Kristensen and Andrew Johns and is known as the Australia's triathlon mecca.
And apparently soon to be training camp of Ironman's World Champion...We'll have some interesting new neighbors.

Before you ask, Kristian is adamant that he will always be a New South Welshman at heart, and will never support the cane toads.

I'll post some photos soon of Kristian in his new Queensland attire- ugg boots (sheep skin boots), wife beater (thats Aussie for cotton vest) with beer in one hand and BBQ tongs in the other:)

Happy training
Charlotte

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.

Home of IM Canada

The next chapter begins...
After a week of R&R with my parents in the UK, we are now settling into our new home for the summer, OK Falls in British Columbia Canada, home of IM Canada. It is the prefect training location. We have a lake to swim in literally on our doorstep and a local pool in Penticton. There are mountains to climb and trails to run on, and the best bit- the sun is shining!
Summer has finally arrived.

After my disappointment in Roth I am keen to get back into training. There will be no distractions here and my focus is only to get as fit and strong as I possibly can. We have found some local short course triathlons, so it looks like I will be doing my first Olympic distance race this summer!

The harder I work the luckier I get.
Time to make it happen.

Charlotte

The adventure starts

The Noosa Hinterland with Andy and Greg
An evening swim at the Noosa Aquatic Centre. I think my new favourite pool.
Recovery session with the TP kit.
The BIG Pelican!
As of Tuesday 10th June we became homeless. Our stuff was spread over friends and relative's garages across Sydney and our Honda Jazz was packed to the roof top and we were off North on the start of our 4 month adventure.

Our first stop is here in Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland. This place rocks! It is triathlete heaven! We are here for our final prep. for Roth which is now only a month away. We have been starting our rides with the local shop riders and they are a really friendly bunch. We seem to have bumped into all the people we needed to bump into and have been shown around the best places to ride, run and swim- there are tonnes of them:)
The roads are super smooth, there are no traffic lights, there is a huge variety of terrain and easy to escape the minimum traffic. I rode for the first time in a long time without constantly looking over my shoulder, or being on edge all day, stressed at the constant abuse from drivers.

So Noosa is so far ticking all the boxes...did I also mention the 50 m outdoor pool in which I don't shiver, adn the National Park full of trails?? All within spitting distance.

Next stop will be Germany for Quelle-Challenge Roth, then over to the UK to visit with my family in Somerset before heading to Canada for Hawaii base training in Penticton and then over to Hawaii in August a long lead up to the World Champs. The home!

But we have no home!
When we come back to Australia we have decided that post IM Western Australia we will move to the Sunshine Coast permanently. We haven't decided where yet, and that is really very exciting. It could be anywhere between Tweed Heads and Noosa. Any suggestions?? The only criteria is nearness to an airport and awesome training.

Charlotte

A change of plans...

I've just got back from a long weekend training in Port Macquarie- home of Ironman Australia. The weather was sensational and I got some great training in with the Challenge Corp. The bike course is a lot of fun to ride and the scenery is just fantastic. It was definitely a "feel good" weekend. For those coming to Port for the first time- you'll love it!

However, I have decided not to race Ironman here next month. I'm really happy with this decision as it allows me to focus on my goal races for the year; Roth, Hawaii and WA. There was a long time of indecision, but now that I have finally decided I am very happy and know it's the right thing to do.

I'll still be up in Port for the whole week. I'll be working with Kristian on the Trigger Point stand at the expo- come and say hello! And supporting the TriSpecific athletes as they make their final preparations. On race day I'll be helping the media team as a spotter for the women's pro race. I'm really excited about seeing all the action from a bird's eye view. Apparently Welchy was a spotter in Hawaii in 1993, saw the race from an entirely different perspective- the rest is history!

See you up there.
Charlotte

Falls Creek

I've just returned from the Victorian Alps, Falls Creek, where I was on a Challenge Corp Camp. It was a great week in a perfect training location.
It has altitude, great roads, 30km climbs, running trails and an outdoor pool just down the road...and I was there with some awesome training partners.
In true Challenge Corp style we did some epic days to remember.

The third day will be one I will never forget.
We rode from Falls Creek across Towonga Gap, through Harrietville, up Mt Hotham, through dinner plain, Omeo, then...the fun part!
Everyone bar 5 of us got in the van. The remainder of the ride, about 40kms, was expected to be another climb. It turned out to the the most fun part of the day; a super smooth road, on the side of the mountain, with beautiful sweeping bends that were an absolute pleasure to ride.

However, that's where our luck ran out...
The van that was meant to meet us was nowhere to be seen. So we kept moving forward. The beautiful road surface had become the climb we were expecting, but on a dirt track. On road bikes it was pretty ridiculous, on my TT bike it was absolutely ludicrous!

We were running out of daylight, in the middle of woop woop, riding at a max of 8km/h on the flats, 4km/hr on the uphill sections, we had 37ks of track ahead of us...by our calculations we were in trouble! Thanks to Brenton's clever thinking we let some air out of our tires to increase traction.

Smolly (Mark Smolonogov), whose 22nd birthday it was, went from positive exuberant youth to absolute dismay. He came up with quote of the camp;
His dad had asked him what he wanted for his birthday? He was going to tell him " a series of psychiatric treatments after this insane camp".

After a couple of hours at moving at the painfully slow pace, and having to walk for sections, we started rationing our food and thinking of plans of survival. The van eventually came, and I have never been so happy to see someone. After setting out at 6am, we returned to the lodge at 7.30pm.

A truly epic day. One that built a lasting camaraderie. We stuck together and looked out for each other, and I feel fortunate to have such great people to train with. Smolly gave me a big hug and said it was a birthday he will never forget:)

The camp was a great start to the year, and built a solid foundation of strength endurance. Thank you John and Kristian for organising it so well, and our camp sponsors; hypo2, Compex, High5 and Clarence St Cyclery.

We did some long days, so now its time for some speed!

Charlotte