Pacer Power! Two of Our Pacers Share Their Pacing Stories

THETHE BLISTERBLISTER

The Magazine for the Sydney Striders Running Club Established 1980 IssueIssue 123123 May — August 2014 Pacer power! Two of our pacers share their pacing stories

Introducing our new Social Media Team Fast food: Our new regular diet and nutrition column Plus… Having a go! our regular local George Herisson at and international Comrades 2014 in race reports and South Africa juniors’ corner 1

BLISTER CO-EDITORS Amy Cheung and Debi Thornton CLUB PRESIDENT Joe Degabriele VICE PRESIDENT Jo Cowan SECRETARY Kerry Ross PRESIDENT’SPRESIDENT’S DESKDESK Hi Striders TREASURER Lynn Herisson The more I see of the efforts of Striders, the more I’m impressed by their drive and “Having a go” attitude. MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR And I often quote Jo Cowan “the more you do, the more Pauline Evans you can do” as she juggles her running, swimming and 10KM SERIES RACE DIRECTOR cycling for her triathlon training as well as her work and James Masters family. STaRS/CALENDAR COORDINATOR As I’m sure club members know participating in life is not a just a brief dash in the sun while we are young, Jo Cowan but, it is about continuing to have a go as long as our UNIFORMS bodies allow us. Maria Yiasemides David Criniti continues to shine with two marathons in 8 JUNIORS COORDINATORS days and scoring a 1st and 2nd respectively; Keith Bate- Tony Wong and Caroline Yarnell man did the August 10km at Lane Cove in 34:22 at age ANSW COORDINATOR 59 and then the City to Surf in 47:51 – I can just see the 60 year old world rec- ords getting ready to tumble next year. Internationally, Brendan Davis scored Jo Cowan 8th in Western States 100 in California - the crème de a crème of ultras. SUPER SERIES COORDINATOR But it is not just about the elite: our members are extraordinary - having a go April Palmerlee everywhere. George Herisson and Glenn Lockwood (and a few other Striders!) RESULTS AND TIMING having a go in Comrades Marathon (89KM) in South Africa; Leonor Lawler do- Paul Hannell ing the Sahara Desert; Jane Trumper taking on the 2,200km Pilgrim Trail from the UK to Rome, unassisted; Hailey Maxwell seems to be running everywhere SOCIAL FUNCTIONS spreading her message about healthy ageing and campaigning for Dementia. Elizabeth Huband and Nigel Huband And there are lots of Striders looking to share their love of running with a keen SGT-AT-ARMS bunch of Pacers lining up for Blackmore’s. Or even our new crop of newbies David Bray joining the club and MTG to have a go at their first marathon or half mara- SPECIAL PROJECTS thon in the Blackmores Sydney Running Festival. Bruce Graham A new addition to Striders team is our Social Media team, Gilbert Gaddi and Enrique Sauna, these two eager beavers are pushing old fogies into the new world of Tumblr, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter reaching out to the running community.

Finally – we are turning 35 next year, and it’s time for a big, milestone birthday celebration in 2015!

All I can say now is - keep going GO Striders! You are truly inspiring.

Go Striders!

Joe

Page Contents Comrades Marathon- The Ultimate Human Race George Herisson 4 2014 M7 Marathon winner David Criniti commutes to work by running Nigel Gladstone 6 The Maraversary Hailey Maxwell 7 London marathon 2014 Mike Morrissey 8 Giant Steps James Liew 9 TomTom MTG Corner Shika Raju 9 Canberra Half Marathon – A Pacer’s Perspective Simon Ong 10 Perfect Pacing Piece Caroline Yarnell 12 Sydney Strider’s Day @ St. Peter’s Parkrun Gilbert Gaddi 13 @ Gold Coast Airport Marathon 2014... Bruce Tomlinson 13 The SMH Half 2014 Snapped! Stefica Key 14 Melbourne: Ironman Asia-pacific Championship 2014 Steven Newman 15 Boston Marathon 2014 Ginta Viliunas 17 Blood tests to consider as part of your training Amy Gajjar 18 Mystery Strider @ Boston? The Blister Team 19 Great Ocean Road Marathon 2014 Sally McCausland 20 Upcoming races April Palmerlee 21 Juniors’ Corner Tony Wong 22 Fast food Nicole Dynan 26 Product reviews: Hydration David Byrne & Michelle Ng 27 In social media... Gilbert Gaddi & Enrique Suana 28

The Blister is published three times per year by Sydney Striders Road Runner’s Club, Inc.

Address: PO Box R1227, Royal Exchange, Sydney NSW 1225, Australia

Website: www.sydneystriders.org.au

Opinions published in this journal, whether expressed by members or non-members, do not necessarily represent the official policy of the club.

Acknowledgements: Cover photo courtesy of George Herisson. Additional photos by various Sydney Strider Members.

Sydney Striders Juniors: The Club was set up to encourage young runners to train and compete as a group. Training sessions take the form of group training rather than personal coaching. We train on Monday nights at the Sydney Academy of Sport at Narrabeen, and Thursday nights at North Steyne, with members of all ages and standards: from 8-year-olds to HSC-aged runners, from State Repre- sentatives to those just wanting to keep fit.

Please contact us via email at [email protected] to learn more.

Volunteer Shout-Out Want to play a role in your club as a 7.00 am Group Leader? Want to help out at a Striders’ race or event?

Just drop us an email on [email protected]

The Comrades Marathon - The Ultimate Human Race Q and A with George Herisson The City of Durban was buzzing as it welcomed Com- 4. Any drama on race day morning? rades marathoners for another exciting marathon. The morning didn’t start so well as our race site coach was Like all major marathons, there were participants from running late. We were initially informed that the coach would all over the world; friendly, excited and wearing their arrive at 2.45am for a 3am departure to Pietermaritzburg, country or club colours. The Blister had the pleasure of however there was no sign of the coach. Even the hotel re- interviewing George Herisson – first time Comrades ception didn't know the coach’s whereabouts. By 3:10am Marathon participant on this year’s race experience. every other coach had left for the race and I was lucky to be offered a lift with an elite group of runners - 7 of them, whom

I am sure all finished in the top 30! They were an awesome 1. Who or what inspired you to run the Comrades Mar- company especially at this hour in the morning. athon?

My wife, Lynn, and two good friends, Madeline Gill and Mari- us Buitendag, whom I met while running the Paris Marathon 5. The Atmosphere at the start? in 2012, encouraged me to run the Comrades plus a few Before the gun went off, the National Anthem was played at Striders over the years. 5:25am accompanied by a huge sing-along. This was followed by the traditional Rooster crowing at 5.27am and finishing off 2.The night before the race… with the theme from ‘Chariots of Fire’. precisely at 5.30am. The start was from outside Pietermaritzburg City On Friday morning, I was fortunate to get a seat on the Bruce Hall, and finished at Kingsmead Cricket Stadium in Durban. Fordyce Route Tour of the course with my good friends,

Madeline, Marius, and Lukus. In the evening, I was privileged to meet Elana Mayer, one of my favourite runners of all time 6. And the crowd? at the Pasta Dinner. She spoke well of her training, races and I ran in the Sydney Striders Club colours and was so pleased her life in general. The night before was very quiet, dinner to hear, “Go George”, “Go Aussie”, and “Welcome to South with friends and early to bed. Africa, hope you enjoy your stay” - I was over the moon.

3. What time did you get up on race day? 7. What was the route like? On race day, I was up at 2am to a dark sky and a cold breeze, The route was all bitumen, and although it was a downhill run got changed and went downstairs for breakfast, was greeted this year, we still had a lot of uphills, early in the race we ran by lots of happy faces. through few chicken farms and beautiful little towns, Com- rades Wall of Honour, Arthur’s Seat, Fields Hill.

8. What was the atmosphere like? 11. How did you manage to continue for over 25km The atmosphere was magnificent - there was exuberant danc- despite the excruciating pain in your left knee! What ing to the blaring music, from ‘Rocky’ to ‘Born to Run’. People was going through your mind? shouted my name, and there was lots of encouragement from ‘Don’t give up, just run through the pain’! I was advised not spectators and runners alike. Many spectators had trays of to take any painkillers but continue with slow easy running boiled potatoes, while others wanted to shake my hand. and walking, however it finally took its toll at the 80 km mark. Some runners accessorised with bunny ears and funky hats, while others drew on “super hero strength” by wearing Bat- 12. Will you attempt this race again in the near future? man, Spiderman and Superman masks and suits. Many runners stopped to hug their loved ones while others acknowl- Yes, definitely, the whole race was so well planned, and or- edged the loud applause from the crowds. ganised. The Wine region and the coastal drive, in Cape Town was also a highlight of this trip, which I would love to see

more of. 9. How did you feel at the start?

I started in the “G” Wave, crossing the line approximately 7 13. Any last words? minutes from the Gun, and ran conservatory at 6:30min/km. I The Comrades Marathon lived up to its name of “The Ulti- felt great at the super hilly Polly Shorts, and Camperdown and mate Human Race” and I am sure everyone who has run it crossed the halfway mark at Drummond in 5 hours. While will agree that it’s the greatest marathon/Ultra Marathon on most runners cruised past half way, others limped by Earth. The Comrades Marathon is a magical race; it defines shouting for GU, or seeking medical assistance. the very heart of South Africa.

10. And then…? 14. Final thanks and acknowledgements? My left knee started to play up at the 55km mark - I was able I would like to thank a few Striders who over the years have to leave a flower at Arthur’s seat , and check out the names encouraged me to run Comrades: Alf Field, Jonathon Trope, on the Comrades wall of Honour, where I saw the names of Phillip Kennedy and Sharon Callister. Thanks again, it was 25 Sydney Striders. One of them was Alf Field, who had a fantastic, definitely in my top six Life Experiences. green plaque (10 finishes. I also like to thank Madeline Gill, Marius Buitendag and Lukus

Webber for pushing me on our training runs. Di Rust from While I was walking for part of the course, I stopped a few Travelling Fit, Bruce Fordyce and his team at Complete Mara- times at the First Aid tables for Ice and continued walking and thon as well as the thousands of volunteers and spectators jogging until the last cut at the 80km mark. who added so much to the day. 

2014 M7 Marathon winner David Criniti commutes to work by running Nigel Gladstone

This article was first published in the BLACKTOWN ADVOCATE JULY 29, 2014, and reproduced here with permission.

The winner of this year’s M7 Marathon doesn’t have a driver’s licence so he commutes to work by “I like the (M7) marathon,” he said. “It’s not the most running about 30km a day. scenic of courses but it has a rich history. It used to be the Sydney to Blacktown marathon and now as the M7 On Sunday 27th July, David Criniti, 36, of Westleigh, it’s continued to evolve with the half and shorter won the 42km M7 Marathon in a time of 2.24.32, with events.” Alexander Matthews and Brendan Davies in second and third places respectively. Criniti, a Chester Hill High Caringbah’s Magda Karimali-Poulos, 40, won the female School teacher, has been competing in marathons for marathon in 3:02:43 with Heidi Rickard and Akiko more than 10 years and said poor sight helped him with Akashi second and third respectively. his fitness. Winners of the half-marathon were Reuben Kosgei and “I run to wherever I have to get to,” Criniti said. “It’s a Stephanie Auston. blessing in disguise not having a licence. Chester Hill to Thomas Do Canto and Melinda Witchard claimed the Westleigh is a nightmare by public transport so running 10km run while Mitchell Olbrich and Georgia Winkcup is the best option.” won the under 18s 4km race. Runners were fortunate to encounter some good condi- Criniti is no stranger to claiming marathons, he has se- tions with the weather nice and cool and there were cured the title for the Canberra, Townsville and Hobart many volunteers who gave up their time to ensure the events. event’s success. 

TheThe MaraversaryMaraversary bank than not and we believed him. My legs were getting tight and I could feel my hip was not hap- Hailey Maxwell py with me, but I kept moving and tried to stay positive. I think it was about this point that we lost my friend Tom, he slowly This year I decided to run the Westlink M7 Cities Marathon to fell behind and unfortunately I didn't see him again until after celebrate the 1 year anniversary of my first marathon (the the race. same race in 2013) - and what a challenge it was! At about the 38km mark I felt spent. It just felt like there was I knew this year was going to be a lot tougher as not only was I not much left in the legs and Andrew slowly crept ahead. He finding it harder to stay motivated with road running these tried calling out to motivate me but I knew I couldn't keep up days (I prefer trails), but I also wouldn't have the cheer squad that pace any longer so I just kept running as fast as my legs that I had last year to spur me on. So my plan was to talk to as would let me. many other runners as possible and I also had my headphones as backup if things got really tough. I arrived at the start line The chances of running a sub 4 hour marathon were very slim feeling very nervous and a little under-prepared having done now, as I had slowed to a 6'00" pace which wouldn't get me only 1 long distance training run on road, as the others had all there in time, but I wasn't going to let that thought slow me been on trail. I saw many people I know and also made some down. I was going to fight till the end. new friends while we all gathered inside the warm registration Then I saw the big lights of the stadium and something room before the race - it was freezing outside! sparked inside me: there was less than 2km to go and I decid- I ran into Sarah-Jane who I met at this same marathon last ed that I was going to give it everything I had left in the tank. year and we had a good chat. Later she told me that this will When I got to the last 100m I gunned it. I found another gear be her 30th marathon...what a legend! We all slowly made our and sprinted towards the finish line overtaking the two guys way out of the warmth and over to the start line and it was so ahead of me with only seconds to spare. It felt amazing! My nice to know that there were lots of Striders there too. legs were completely shot and I had nothing left in the tank but I had made it and I had finished strong!  I didn’t really have a race plan as I didn't want to put too much pressure on myself , but I really wanted to beat my time from 2013 (4:14:00) and I wondered if a sub 4 hour marathon was possible… maybe, but would that be too much for my body to handle? Don't you hate it when there are more questions than answers? I guess you have to live and learn and I am still new to the marathon game so why not give it a crack. The gun went off and I realised there were some real heavy weights competing in the men’s field, such as David Criniti, Brendan Davies as well as the winner of the King of the Moun- tain, Alex Matthews, who raced a few weeks ago. They sped back past us after the first turn around point and I was luckily enough to see them one more time at a later stage in the course. Those guys made it look so easy! My friend Tom and I ran together and caught up to the 4 hour pacer. We sat in neatly behind the group and I thought this sub 4 hours thing might be a possibility, I just had to stick with them for as long as possible. To finish a marathon in 4 hours means that you should stick to a 5'41" pace and this was definitely achievable for me over shorter distances, especially since I had run under 5'00" pace the previous weekend at an 11km race. Our pacer was Andrew, who runs with the Berowra Bushies group - he was great and we all chatted and encouraged each other along the way. Although further into the race a few people began to slowly drop off, Tom and I kept hanging in there for dear life. The first 20kms seemed to go past quite quickly. Our group was moving well and we were a little ahead of schedule, but Andrew assured us it was better to have a little time in the

London Marathon 2014 Mike Morrissey

I had the good fortune to obtain an entry to this year’s London Marathon, held on 13th April. This is always a huge event, but this year it was bigger than ever, with the races featuring World Champions, Olympic Champions, World Record holders, as well as the UK’s hero from London’s 2012 Olympics, Mo Farah, making his marathon debut.

The short version of my race is; target time before start - 3:15, target time after a couple of kms of feeling great - 3:09, target time after 30kms - still 3:09, finish time 3:14:46! Do I get prize for being the one millionth Strider to say “I was feeling great for 30kms, but then …”?

I had a mixed experience with Pacers. The 3:15 Pacer I started with went through halfway in sub 94mins in order to “put something in the Bank”. He clearly hadn’t graduated from the Strider’s Pacing College! However, another 3:15 Pacer caught me with 2-3kms to go, when I’d almost given up on 3:15, and encouraged me to hang on to him, using the great line “the previous 24 miles were a waste of time if you don’t stick with me to the finish”. I wanted to punch him at the time, but hug him at the finish! Mike on the run It was my 3rd Marathon Major, having run Boston and New York previously, and is my favourite so far, despite ending up excellent organisation. in the medical tent for a while after the race, as the world My sub 3:15 gives me a guaranteed entry to Chicago 2015 wouldn’t stop spinning around once I’d stopped running! (unless they change the rules), so that will be another major to It’s a great course, (both fast and scenic), fantastic crowds and tick off the list and another great city to visit. 

Spinning Around...Mike in the medical tent after his 3:14:46 marathon in London 2014

GiantGiant Steps!Steps! James Liew I'm taking part in this year’s Blackmore's Sydney Marathon and hoping to raise much needed funds for Giant Steps Sydney, a school for children with autism. My hope is that I can highlight the dedica- tion and hard work of the staff at Giant Steps, as well as the great support given to the children and parents of the school.

Giant Steps charges no fees, and relies on the support of parents, family, friends and the general public. All funds raised by me will go to the running of the school. My wife and I are so very grateful that my son is able to attend this school, and know that our lives would be very different without this opportunity. I would very much appreciate any support, big or small.

Your donations will serve as encouragement for me as I plan my training schedule.

Donations can be made here: http://bsrf2014.gofundraise.com.au/page/ gogiantsteps Thank you so much!  James in full flight!

TomTomTomTom MTGMTG CornerCorner

Shika Raju After the successful completion of the 2014 Can- berra marathon, the MTG started training for the 2014 Sydney Blackmore’s Marathon. Currently we are in week 13 of the training program and are moving towards 30km long runs and, despite several weeks of hilly routes, the team is progressing extremely well and are eagerly awaiting the marathon. For many, Blackmore’s will be their first marathon, whilst for others it will be a chance to re- visit the experience. The aim of the MTG is not only to get through the weekly long runs but to provide support and encouragement to one another and make the long runs enjoyable. Your TomTom MTG leaders are Shika Raju, Tony For updates, join our Facebook page Kellner, Phil Skurrie and Lynn Herisson  “Sydney Striders TomTom MTG” or email [email protected]

had initially planned to do the warm-up with Amy, but Canberra Half Marathon she was frantically running around looking for her car in which she had left her Garmin, so I went solo. As I was – A Pacer’s Perspective jogging around, I could sense the people around me staring and whispering things. Admittedly, I felt a bit Simon Ong special.

My first experience encountering pacers was at the As the clock ticked closer to 7:45am, I headed over to Blackmores Sydney Running Festival in September 2012 the start line. Most of the runners were already lined- when I was lining up for my very first half marathon. I up and it was fairly congested. There was a sign with was still relatively new to running at the time, having 120 minutes written on it located near the middle of only started nine months prior, and I did not know what the pack, so I squeezed my way through the crowd to to expect. As I was waiting at the start line, I noticed a get into the correct position, which was not too difficult group of people heading over. They were wearing green because people made way for me, seeing that I was a and white Sydney Strider Singlets with numbered flags pacer (talk about privileges of being a pacer!). mounted on a bottle strapped to their waist. These were the pacers. There was something about them. As they made their way through the crowd to position themselves accordingly, the people around them stared with glowing admiration. I was no different. I quickly pinpointed the 120 minute pacers (Joe Degabriele and Danielle Fiore) and made it my mission to stay with them, which I did up until the halfway mark before I sped off to complete the job solo. Up until this day, I believe that they set me up in that race, and I am grateful for that. Fast forward 2 years, and here I am, continuing the cycle and pacing the 120 minute bus at the 2014 Canberra Half Marathon. My main motivation for becoming a pacer was to give back to the running community. I gain a lot of satisfaction from racing and running PBs, but I believe it is equally satisfying (if not more so) to help others achieve their running goals and mile- stones. This is why I put my hand up to pace when the opportunity arose.

Apart from the usual training regime, my preparation specifically for the pacing role was somewhat limited. Six weeks before the race I ran a steady 15km run at 120 minutes half marathon pace (5:41 min/km) to get a sense of what it felt like. The session progressed very comfortably, and gave me confidence that I would not have too much trouble maintaining that speed over the entire distance. One week out, I ran as the 55 minute pacer at the Striders 10km series at Lane Cove to get a sense of what it felt like to run with a flag on my back. No issues there either. All was looking well.

On the day of the race, I arrived at the Striders tent at 5:45am while it was still dark and cold. Most of the marathon pacers were already there getting prepared for their 6:30am start. The half marathon did not kick off till 7:45am, so the pacers for that distance were still just rolling in, including my pacing partner, Amy Cheung. After gearing up, I had a quick chat with a few of the other pacers and fellow Striders, took some obligatory group photos, and then went for a short warm-up jog. I

We lost a few people from the initial group of runners who started with us at the beginning but we also picked up a truck load of new runners along the way.

With 1km to go, I started telling the runners to power ahead if they were still feeling strong. Many obliged, while a few still hung onto us until the last few hun- dred metres before they made their move.

With 100m to go, I shouted out words of encouragement and waved my hands frantically to summon as many runners as I could before the clock reached 2:00:00. Having herded a dozen or so runners, I continued home and crossed the finish line with a Gun time of 1:59:38 and Net time of 1:58:47.

Shortly before the gun went off, I made a quick an- What an amazing experience! Would I do it again? Ab- nouncement to the people around me and told them solutely! What really made it worthwhile was when that there were two 120 minute pacers – one pacing people came up to us at the end to give us a handshake Gun time (myself) and the other Net/Chip time (Amy). and words of appreciation for helping them cross the I also announced that my strategy was to run an even line in under 2 hours. This is something I will not easily pace the whole way and to get over the finish line with forget.  around 30-60 seconds to spare. There were a lot of first- timers who were relying on my pacing, so I did not want to disappoint. After the gun was fired it took around 50 seconds to cross the line. As I crossed the line, I had a quick glance at the pacing table that I had prepared a few days prior, and worked out that I needed to run 5:34-5:35 min/km average to take into account the delay in crossing the line and to give myself a 30-60 second buffer. It was a slow start with the congestion, and in the first 200m I was trying to find some space to get into rhythm.

Not too long after, I spotted Amy in the near distance, the 120 minute Net time pacer, zooming fast ahead. What?! She is meant to be behind me! I called out to her and she told me her GPS was playing up. Her strategy was to run 119 minutes net time, and given the small delay between Gun time and Net time, we decided just to stick together the whole way.

The course was very scenic. The first 2km’s took us up Capital Hill to the Parliament House. As Amy and I chatted away, the km’s just seemed to disappear and, before we knew it, we had 3kms to go. It was here that I started to tell the people behind us that ‘2hrs is within your grasp!’, and the people in front of us ‘Don’t let me catch you!’.

In any race, however, people you never noticed reveal PerfectPerfect PacingPacing PiecePiece that they were following your flag all along. Caroline Yarnell For the technicalities you can get yourself some pacing stats from http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/ and may- It is interesting that I should find myself writing this be make yourself a handy armband, which will need lam- piece, as when ‘running my own race’ I have always been inating to act as a pacing chart. such a poor pacer: going off like a rocket , only to be passed by more sensible runners before we even get to half way. This is, of course, because I always assumed I was in far better shape than I actually was, and I fully expected to maintain that blistering pace. Nowadays I’m more of a ‘start slow stay slow’ kind of a runner. Volunteering as a pacer at Striders 10K, or at some of the big running festival events for which Striders provide pacers, is a very rewarding experience in many ways:

 You are helping people  You are learning how to pace yourself  You are experiencing the joy of running a course with no personal ‘time pressure’ Something to get used to is that, thus far, technology has not progressed far enough to provide us pacers with an- ything more comfortable or glamorous than a back bang- ing bottle holding a lengthy flag to indicate our pres- In our perfectly measured Striders 10K races there is no ence! This device is worn strapped tightly around your need to wear a Garmin, as all the 1K markers are spot tum (see picture). on. Sadly this is not the case in some of the running festi- I find it works best when you minute per km pace for a val races, but you usually pace these with a partner, so race time about 20 seconds or more slower than your one of you can pace based on gun time and Garmin K PB. For example, pacing a 50 minute 10K when you can markers and the other on net time and the course K actually manage 45 minutes on a good day with all the markers thus covering all bases. I could never hope to planets correctly aligned. This means that you have rival my idol as a pacer, Barbara Becker, for peppy com- enough spare puff and energy to be able to encourage mentary and chirpy cheering, but you do need to make people, report on progress and even to chat if that’s the odd utterance. For example, I reach the 6K marker in what the punters want. On the other hand, the pace is a 10K and might shout out, for anyone who cares to lis- not so slow and unfamiliar to you that you slip into run- ten ‘we’re 30 seconds ahead of schedule at 6k – you’re ning too fast and ruining everyone’s race. doing really well’ – and the like. People tend to talk to you a lot when you pace a half At the end happy, rosy faces come up and thank you and marathon, whereas when you pace a 10K they tend to you go home feeling almost as good as if you’d run a PB leave it to the end to come up and thank you profusely. yourself. 

Pacers at Blackmores Sydney Running Festival

Sydney Striders will once again provide pacers for this year’s Blackmore Running Festi- val. For pacer profiles and pace charts, check out: http://sydney-striders.tumblr.com/post/94584192400/

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/520230171443125/

SydneySydney Strider’sStrider’s DayDay @@ St.St. Peter’sPeter’s ParkrunParkrun

Gilbert Gaddi

Braving the early morning chill, several Striders rugged up and volunteered at St Peter’s Parkrun on Saturday, 28th June 2014.

The day saw 298 runners, of whom 42 were first We’ve received a lot of positive feedback from runners on the day and more have converted to liking timers and 58 recorded new PBs. Special thanks to and sharing our content via their own social media our pacers Lisa Mintz, Lisa Bovill, Shika Raju, Claire channels so overall, it was a very effective outreach Stewart and Simon Ong. Zoe Cameron did the time- program for our running crew.  keeping whilst Amy Cheung, Sally McCausland and Gilbert Gaddi helped marshal the course.

PBPB @@ GoldGold CoastCoast AirportAirport MarathonMarathon 2014...2014...

Bruce Tomlinson

I am very pleased to report that, in my 10th marathon, I finally broke 3 hours, with a 3-plus minute PB/PR of 2:58:47.

Fortunately I didn't follow the 3hr pacer, who was at least a few minutes faster than me!

Go Striders! 

The SMH Half Marathon 2014 Snapped! Photos courtesy of Stefica Key

Melbourne: Ironman Asia- pacific Championship 2014 Steven Newman 23 March 2014—the date for the biggest Ironman race in Australia, the goal for this year was to return to Kona for Sue’s BIG birthday (age not disclosed) in October to watch the Ironman World Championships OR if I could qualify, take part myself. 180km Bike There were goals set and a plan put in place starting on 1 Onto the bike and the air was cold. It was overcast and Jan 2014. there was a stiff breeze on my back for the first of two out-and-back laps on the Eastlink Freeway. This road is 1. Diet (lose 7kg to get to 70kg) fast and flat and I rode with a power meter for the first 2. Reduce drinking (no alcohol on school days) time, watching like a hawk to ensure that my average did not go over 237 watts. 3. Train and attend a training camp (5 days of male bonding) The first outbound lap was fast with a 41km/h average and going through the Mullum Mullum Tunnel was an 4. Don’t get injured (listen to your body) experience as the noise from the passing disc wheels is I managed to achieve all of the above so, in the days be- quite loud and the temperature in the tunnel almost 10 fore the race, I knew I had done the hard work, was fitter degrees warmer. than I had ever been before and all my numbers were Once the turnaround was reached you were then left looking good. with a 45km ride into a head wind. I was smart with my I was nervous, apprehensive and probably a major pain effort as I knew I would have to do all this just one more to be around in the days leading into the race. I am not time. The crowds at the turn around in Frankston were normally that bad before these events but I must admit I great as it momentarily took your mind off what the sec- that this, my 17th Ironman, felt different. I wrote down ond lap would bring. my race predictions on a napkin (as you do) and shook My nutrition (packed by me) was located at around the my head at the 9h14min time, ‘I can’t go that fast!’, was 120km mark. Normally you call your number to a all I was saying to myself. spotter 500-800m from the pickup point who radios 3.8km Swim through your number, thus giving the volunteers time to The swim is always a spectacle. It is worth getting up and arrange your bag to collect. But in this instance there watching the start to see 2000 people get off the line. was only a 50m gap between the spotter and the collec- My swim was rough, not fast, not too slow, but I was tion point and no radio, just a loud speaker. Remember extremely pleased to make it out of the water in one that we are doing 42km/h; thus there was no chance of piece with no real issues to carry through the rest of the collection and there was absolutely no way I was stop- day. ping!! So the race plan just changed. Swim 1:02:38 M35-39 88th Overall 439th The focus from here on was to drink lots of Gatorade to ensure I had enough electrolyte onboard, the result was a full tummy and the need for a toilet break ASAP. The wind was still increasing and the last 45km home was very difficult. There was no respite and also no opportunity to relieve the building bladder pressure. Moving into transition I checked out my watch and saw a time of 4h48min, which was a few min quicker then expected. However I knew that I rode a well paced ride and that I felt good, apart from the impending toilet stop and I was ready to RUN! Bike 4:49:33 M35-39 18th Overall 94th POWER DATA- AP 233W NP 225W IF 0.717 TSS 202.6 Transition 2- Went to toilet for what felt like forever!

knew I was in a good position but not entirely sure where. I also knew that as more people passed me the dream that I have been chasing for 9 years would get further away. With that in mind and just over 2 km to go I gritted my teeth and I just said go, go, go and pushed as hard as I could. I ran the last two km in 4:32 and 4:14 with no cramp, just adrenaline.

I stopped on the carpet just 20m from the finish and relaxed for the first time all day as I saw 9hours 11min on the clock. Elated, I crossed the finish line and only then realised how much the last 2km really hurt! - Run 3:13:03 with a 4min34s average. - Overall 9:11:24 M35-39 15th Overall 75th

The day after the race WTC allocated 14 spots to my age group based on the official start list. However, out of 42.2km Run the 14 finishers in front of me one person had already There is a saying, “Ride for Show, Run for Dough”, in my qualified for Kona and another two people did not ac- case, there is no dough up for grabs but a dream to cept their spots so one spot went to me and had finally qualify for Kona. I knew that to have any chance of a qualified for the 2014 Ironman World Championships!!! Kona spot I had to run 3h10m to 3h15m. I have never run that fast before in any Ironman but there were indi- To Sue and Oliver, you have always been supportive and cators in training that I was capable of such a time, I just as long as I finish before sunset, “happy”. This little had to believe in my ability. I took off at 4:30/km and team achieved something great that could not have the plan was to hold that for 42.2km, simple!! I did not been done without you by my side. To my family, ex- take any splits nor look at my race time at all, just my tended family, friends and supporters. I have shared pace and heart rate. My heart rate was about right so I some challenging journeys with you all, that include the stopped looking at that too, and focused solely on lowest of lows and the highest of highs and at times pace. some other challenges that society label as “just plain The first section to the 19.5km big screen spectator crazy”, I say THANKYOU!  zone went quickly and I was not in pain, feeling relaxed Images www.finisherpix.com and slightly ahead of pace averaging 4:24/km.

I saw a huge horse statue on my left as I came out of a bush cutting at around 22km that startled me, I thought the damn thing was real! This made me laugh and I for- got about what I was doing for a bit. The course has a few rolling hills at around 23 to 27km that I needed to concentrate on to get through, I just took it easy up the hills and then slowly picked up the pace again until I reached my goal race pace.

From 30km to the end is the business end of the day, it was focus time! The first issue I had was some cramp in my left hamstring, which struck at around 32km. This reminded me to ensure that I took extra time getting all the nutrition I needed at each aid station; but, along with the hills, dropped my average pace over that 15km section to 4:41. From 34km till the end I was hurting. Every 2km I cramped and had to walk it out, then I would start to run and build speed up to 4:30/km until I cramped again.

At 39km one person in my age group ran past me like I was standing still (I later found out he ran 2:53:58). I

BostonBoston MarathonMarathon 20142014 Ginta Viliuna

Boston 2014 was quite simply, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! The whole experience was highly emotional, powerful and affirming.

There were thousands of “Boston Strong” messages: it began at Boston’s Logan airport, adorned with prominent “Welcome, Runners!” signs and loads of passengers wearing Boston running jackets, shirts, caps, scarves and so on.

Excited and frequently slightly nervous chatter about the marathon was to be heard in snatches at the baggage carou- sel, in the taxi rank, everywhere…It was clear that we had arrived in a city with a purpose this weekend!

The yellow-on-blue “Boston Strong” message was everywhere: over the next few days, we were to see it on – literally – hundreds of t-shirts, on banners, on dogs, on balloons all over the place, on posters, on restaurant menus, on busses, on pots of daffodils, on tattoos, on the mirror in the bar of the hotel, on the risers on the stairs in the hotel, in shop windows and in restaurant windows. After a day of being in Bos- ton, meeting and hearing so many runners, all seemingly perfectly happy to talk about running for what seemed to be an Ginta (right) completed the Boston Marathon in 2014 eternity, my elder daughter Vilija, experiencing her first big- city marathon, remarked that this was a convention of crazy people! last few Ks, he thought I’d been hit by a truck at the 40K My own run was uneven – the first half was fine, on track for mark! a Dream Time of 3:30. Despite the indulgent kissing at Wellesley, things didn’t end so fantastically. I was doing OK I really, really enjoyed the run (hated the cramps!), totally (10K – 50 mins, 1:50 half), but, despite taking salt tabs and fabulous crowds and great atmosphere in Boston for the hydrating properly, I fell victim to some pretty ugly cramp- whole time that we were there. ing. This was the most painful second half marathon of them Most impressively, I was reminded of what humans with suffi- all. However, there was NO WAY I wasn’t going to finish Bos- cient motivation, can do with their lives and under extreme ton Strong! While zillions of spectators shouted the usual – circumstances. very welcome – encouragement, the spectators of Boston Vilija, Vida & I had an exceptionally splendid and very special 2014 had a unique message to deliver: I lost count of how marathon celebration dinner at Boston’s superb “L’Espalier” many times I heard sentiments along the lines of: “Nobody Restaurant in now-famous Boylston Street. The entire trip, doesn’t finish this year! We OWN that finish line! Do you hear especially the run, was an awesome experience. It will be a me??!! We f…. own it!”. very hard act to follow. Plans to return to Massachusetts in My cramps were bad at about mile 17 or so, then really bad 2016 for the 120th running of Boston are – at least in my from mile 20, then really, really bad from mile 24. I refused to head – confirmed! There is the minor matter of having to run stop or walk as I was absolutely certain that, if I did, I’d col- a BQ (Boston Qualifier) within the requisite period before- lapse in a heap. I positively shuffled my way to the finish line hand, but I hope to do that in Tokyo in February 2015; I’ve for the last 2.2 miles. I was running in such discomfort, pain already paid my deposit to Travelling Fit of Terrigal! and apprehension for the last few miles, I really thought my Check out http:// time would be closer to the 5:00 hour mark, so I was rather gintaontherun.wordpress.com/2014/04/23/boston-2014/ pleasantly surprised with my actual finishing time of 4:08:03. for her full story.  A fellow Sydney marathoner friend who tracked me, has told me that, judging from the pace at which I was travelling the

BloodBlood teststests asas partpart ofof youryour training?training?

Amy Gajjar 2. THYROID TESTS – Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) is much more common than over- MB BS (UK) MRCGP (UK) FRACGP Member of ACNEM active thyroid. Common symptoms include tired- Integrative General Practitioner ness, weight gain, difficulty losing weight, cold extremities, cold intolerance, palpitations, dry skin, It’s wise to ensure your health is optimal before em- dry hair and hair loss, low mood, heavy periods and barking on a training regime, as well as ensuring it’s chronic constipation. Standard testing only allows looked after throughout your training so you can for a test called TSH - however, even if it is in complete your chosen event successfully, happily “normal” limits, there could still be a thyroid issue and as healthily as possible! and further tests are needed - this includes both This is particularly relevant if you are embarking on Medicare and non-Medicare functional tests. Unfor- long distance training (due to the sheer stress on tunately, conventional medicine does not recognize the system), if you have dietary restrictions (e.g. thyroid problems unless the numbers are outside vegetarian, vegan) or if you have any other health the given ranges. So if you have been told your tests conditions or symptoms you are concerned about. “are normal”, this may well need to be looked into The following are a few things to consider checking further. Other clue that your thyroid may be under- in the bloods - just some helpful tips that certainly active is high cholesterol. helped me during the marathon training this year as Underactive thyroid is also associated with adrenal well as factors addressed when I see patients in my fatigue (stress related and that includes the stress of clinic. long distance running), oestrogen excess and insulin resistance. Unfortunately, many people are under- diagnosed and continue to suffer symptoms be- 1. FULL BLOOD COUNT(FBC) AND IRON/ FERRITIN - cause their tests are “normal”. Please ensure you The FBC shows if you have anaemia (low haemoglo- get tested properly if you have concerns. bin) which can contribute towards symptoms like tiredness, breathlessness, dizziness, poor immunity and poor recovery from training. However, the FBC 3. VITAMIN D - there are vitamin D receptors in eve- may be normal but the iron levels could still be ry cell of the body; the role of vitamin D is crucial. It suboptimal. Iron has multiple vital functions such as: has roles in not just calcium metabolism, but also ¨ part of haemoglobin, carrying oxygen around in thyroid function, cardiovascular function, weight, the blood diabetes, gut health and cancer protection. Despite the Australian sun, people can still be low in it- inad- ¨ part of the myoglobin of muscles equate exposure or just not getting converted ¨ conversion of glucose to energy properly to its active forms via the kidney and liver. Once again, normal levels are not necessarily opti- ¨ imperative for liver detoxification mal. Aim for 100-150 in the blood tests (as per Vita- ¨ thyroid health min D Council recommendations.) ¨ production of neurotransmitters and hormones. 4. B VITAMINS – B12, FOLATE – these are the two B Iron can be low due to poor dietary intake, especial- vitamins that commonly get measured. Low B12 can ly if vegetarian/vegan but can also be lost through cause various symptoms including tiredness, weak- the gut if there is “leaky gut” (increased intestinal ness, dizziness, sore tongue, tingling/numbness of permeability) – hence the importance of gut health extremities, confusion - and can also be associated and diet. Replacement can be via oral liquid/tablets with other disorders like pernicious anaemia and but injections and creams are also available. Note gut disorders where the vitamin cannot be ab- that vitamin C is required for iron absorption. sorbed. Again, it can also be low in vegetarians/ vegans.

Who is this Mystery Strid- er in Boston Marathon?

Our keen eyed Club President Joe spotted this while browsing the world wide web : [http://www.livestrong.com/ slideshow/1010452-16-worlds-marathons/ #slide=2]

Help us solve the mystery! Drop us an email at: [email protected] if this is you or someone you know! 

Folic acid (vitamin B9) is absolutely critical for every dress all of these appropriately. cell. It is used to convert carbs/proteins/fats into The basic blood tests can be ordered by any health energy/ATP (Krebs cycle), make red blood cells, care practitioner. Further testing (e.g. thyroid, ad- protect DNA, neurotransmitter and hormone pro- renal hormones) may be needed via an appropriate duction (serotonin, dopamine, melatonin) and it health practitioner such as a naturopath or inte- has a role in the recycling of homocysteine - a grative doctor. known independent risk factor for conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, migraines, re- So… just a few things to think about as you embark current miscarriages, infertility and Alzheimer’s dis- on training for an event - optimise your fitness and ease. health and enjoy the challenge!  Abnormal B12/Folate results can also imply problems with a process called methylation, an important biochemical process in the body. Both vitamins need to be converted to their active forms by our genes/enzymes- if there are genetic defects, we cannot do this and hence we have a functional vitamin deficiency- in such a scenario, it would be necessary to have active B vitamins to bypass this roadblock –normal B vitamins may not suffice. The MTHFR gene (folic acid conversion) is commonly tested in integrative medicine and can be done by standard labs. 5. GLUCOSE / INSULIN LEVELS – In non -diabetics, a borderline glucose can indicate insulin resistance. In those with early insulin resistance, the insulin level could be raised before the glucose has be- come abnormal -this is relevant as action can be taken so this doesn’t develop further into diabetes. Apart from diet, certainly the nature of the training program will be important- and will be a good pa- rameter to monitor. When there is insulin resistance there is rationale for resistance/weights training, as opposed to just cardio. For women, it may also be associated with polcystic ovaries, oestrogen excess as well as thyroid and adrenal issues- they all affect each other and it is important to ad- Amy Gajjar at London Marathon 2014

the sweeper truck coming up behind us and someone Great Ocean Road called “ok that’s the last runner” – I was literally last! This gave me a spurt and I picked up the pace. Joe’s ad- Marathon 2014 vice was good, as I was able to motor steadily past other runners throughout the whole race – a psychological Sally McCausland boost as my legs started to tire on the last few hills. I finished in a time of 4:35 for 45 km, a thrilling result for me. The feeling of running into Apollo Bay with the crowds lining the streets was fantastic. The other Strid- ers, Gilbert Gaddi, Hajung Lee and Lisa Mintz, all finished well too. Apollo Bay and Lorne were buzzing the whole weekend. As small towns, the whole population seems to turn out to watch and participate in the races of various lengths, as well as races for kids and wheelchairs. The accommo- dation is comfy and there are lots of restaurants to choose from – many of which were serving pasta spe- cials all weekend. Most people make a weekend of it, as we did. Highly recommended. I’ll be back to Striders next year for the next big mara- Apollo Bay at the finish line thon challenge. Thank you to the MTG who helped me do something I never thought I would be able to do. I’m It’s one of the world’s great coastline roads, so the still on a high. Thank you Striders!  chance to experience it without traffic drew several of us to Victoria to run The Great Ocean Road Marathon— “Australia’s most stunning marathon” - an event held over the weekend of 17-18 May 2014. Beginning at Lorne, the race travels to Apollo Bay along a daunting 45 km - a long rugged coastline disappearing into the distance, featuring steep hills, cliff disappearing into the distance, seaside farms and settlements lined with cheering locals. I trained for this marathon – my first – with the Mara- thon Training Group (MTG). As a new Strider I wondered if I’d be tough enough to keep up as the mileage increased week by week, often starting before dawn. But my longstanding mentor Gilbert Gaddi as well as Joe Degabriele, Tony Kellner and the inspiring “greyhound girls” looked after me. I was pushed just enough to build up strength, without injury. While the early starts were pretty challenging, it was fun getting out there and running along the streets of Sydney at dawn, getting tips from experienced runners, gorging on delicious food at the end, and sometimes finishing off with a swim, all before most of Sydney had woken up on a Sunday morning. All this training paid off on the big day. The weather was perfect, about 20 degrees with a light wind. As we took off on the first bends I remembered Joe’s sage advice – “don’t go too fast at the beginning, or you will flake in the last 10 km”. So I paced slowly and at the first bana- nas and drinks table I stopped and queued up for the toilets and chatted to some of the other runners. How- ever, I realised I might have overdone things when I saw Great Ocean Road—DONE! Sally at the finish with her medal

42.2K, 21.1K, 10K, 5.5K, On Road Beach Run Upcoming races  SIDS Stampede: McQuade Park,  Washpool World Heritage Trails - Windsor - 21.1K, 10K, 5K, On Road 50K, 25K, 9K Off Road April Palmerlee  Sri Chinmoy: Iron Cove - 21.1K, 7K, 4K, On Road Weekend of 18-19 Oct 2014 Here is a selection of events that you  Hume and Hovell Ultramarathon: might be interested in. Happy running! Weekend of 13-14 Sept 2014 Tumbarumba to Tumut - 100K, 50K,  The Great North Walk 100s: Newcas- 100K Team Relay, Off Road Weekend of August 23-24 tle to Sydney - 100 Mile, 100K, Off  Big Coast Run: Kamai Botany Bay -  Friday, 22 August Oxfam Trailwalker, Road 35K, 20K, 10K, 7K, Off Road NSW  Forster Running Festival - 21.1K, 10K,  The Bloody Long Walk: Palm Beach  Saturday, 23 August Bilpin Bush Run, 5K, 4K Walk, Kids 4K & 2K, On Road to North Head Sanctuary, 35K, On NSW  Husky Half Marathon - 21.1K, 5K, 2K, Road  Sunday 24th August Pub2Pub, NSW On Road  Sunday, 24 August Adelaide Running  Sydney Trail Run: Kuringai National Weekend of 25-26 Oct 2014 Festival, SA Park - 20K, Medium, Short, Off Road  Kedumba Half Marathon: Went-  Sunday, 24 August Glenbrook Mara- worth Falls- 21.1K, Off Road thon, NSW Weekend of 20-21 Sept 2014  Sunday, 24 August Mudgee Running  Sydney Running Festival - 42.2K, Weekend of 1-2 Nov 2014 Festival, NSW 21.1K, 9K, 3.5K, On Road  Carcoar Cup Running Festival - 42.2K  Sunday, 24 August Sydney Tower Solo/Relay, 21.1K, 26x1 Mile Relay, Stair Challenge, NSW Weekend of 27-28 Sept 2014 10K, 6K, Kids 1.8K, On Road  Run Y'Ass Off, Yass - 21.1K, 14K, 5K,  Deep Space Mountain Marathon: Weekend of August 30-31 2.5K, On Road ACT - 42.2K, 21.1K, 10K, 5K, Off Road  Sunday, 31 August Southern High-  Canberra 101 Trail Run - 101K Solo, 2  Rebel Run Sydney - 21.1K, 10K, 3K, lands Challenge, NSW to 4 Person 100K Relay, Off Road On Road  Sunday, 31 August Sunshine Coast Marathon, QLD Weekend of 4-5 Oct 2014 Weekend of 15-16 Nov 2014  Sunday, 31 August The Tan Ultra, VIC  Western Sydney Marathon - 42.2K,  Narrowneck Night Run: Katoomba - 21.1K, 10K, 5K, On Road 20K, 14K, Off Road, Night Run Weekend of 6-7 Sept 2014  Tough Mudder Sydney: Southern  Inov-8 Coastal Classic: Otford to Bun- Weekend of 11-12 Oct 2014 Highlands - 20K, Off Road, Obstacle deena - 29K, Off Road  Neon Run , The Domain – 5km, On Course  Bankstown Half Marathon - 21.1K, Road (Night Run)  Stromlo Running Festival: ACT - 50K, 3K, On Road  Spartan Race: Razorback - 14K Super, 30K, 10K, Off Road  Canberra Times Fun Run - 14K, 10K, Kids 1K Off Road, Obstacle Course 5K, On Road  Sri Chinmoy: Royal National Park - Weekend of 29-30 Nov 2014  Coffs Harbour Running Festival - 21.1K, 10K, 5K Trail Runs Off Road  Central Coast Half Marathon - 21.1K, 21.1K, 10K, 5K, 3K, Off Road  Wanda Spring Beach Classic - 8K, 10K, On Road   Dubbo Stampede Running Festival -

NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships 2014 21

Juniors’ Juniors’ CornerCorner Tony Wong NSW Cross Country Relay Championships in Miran- da A record 51 juniors ran in 13 teams on Saturday so well done everyone. Competition throughout was very tough and we did well with the two silver medals won by the under 12 and under 20 girls. It was a case of so near and yet so far with the many 4th places. In terms of individuals, in the 2k, the outstanding performances were from newcomer Maeve Goerner with her 7.01 opening leg for the under 12 girls and Edita Grin- bergs with her last leg for the under 14 girls in 7.03. For the boys, it has to be the two who ran under 10 minutes for the 3k: David Gardiner’s 1st leg of 9.38 for the under 20 boys and Daniel Francken’s 4th leg for the under 18 Fashion parade courtesy of the under 12 girls, keeping warm boys in 9.40. before the start of training. From left, Ciara Sinclair, Gemima Janet Jagger posted many great photos on our closed Davies, Emma Kirkland and Emily Gocher. Facebook page. If you are not in, we strongly recommended you join as we will be shifting to communicating more via Facebook. All you need to do is search for Syd- Any junior financial member aged 10 or older can only ney Striders Juniors and request to join. have access to our free training, which is offered twice per week, if they are committed to run a minimum three Membership events in the ANSW Winter Series. This has been quite successful. At the end of the ANSW winter season, out of We currently have 97 members. We introduced a new the 97 members, 44 competed in 3 events or more, a policy this year, in an attempt to increase participation at further 21 also competed in either one or two events. ANSW competition and also to encourage club loyalty.

A sea of green and white at the NSW Cross Country Relays last Saturday with 51 juniors competing from under 12s to under 20s.

Training NSW Novice Cross Country Champion- Monday night training continues at Sydney Acade- ship – Scarborough my of Sport, Narrabeen at 6.00 pm. The cost is $5.40 for the use of the track, paid at the gate. 19 year old Bethany Halmy was part of Mid-week training will be either on Wednesday or the team who took Thursday at 6.00pm and the venue will vary. These gold in the wom- arrangements might change when the Little Ath- en’s 7k event. letics’ Season recommences. Please email jun- [email protected] for further details. NSW Road Running Championships – Lindfield Fun Run SOPAC

We had a great turnout for our traditional winter Nicola Hogg season opener and there were quite a few place (pictured) joined getters. David Gardiner won the 5k for the second the exclusive club of NSW Champions by taking out time with Josh Phillips 2nd, while Joe Jones was 2nd the under 12 girls 2.5k in a time of 9.07. Sophie in the 10k. In the age groups, Becky Rogers won her Gocher claimed a bronze in the under 14 girls’ 2.5k. age group in the 10k and Jess Francis won her age group in the 5k. In the team competition, there were silver medals for the under 12 girls, under 18 boys, under 20 ANSW Winter Season round up: boys, while bronze medals were won by the under 14 boys, under 14 girls and under 18 girls.

Overall place getters at the Lindfield Fun Run from left, Josh Phillips, 2nd in the 5k, Joe Jones, 2nd in the 10k and David Gardiner, winner of the 5k

Our army of under 12 and under 14 competitors at Miranda. NSW Cross Country Relays Championships - Mi- medals were won by under 14 girls and the under randa 18 boys.

This was our biggest turnout ever with 51 juniors NSW Road Relay Championships – Ourimbah competing in 13 teams. It was an afternoon of medals galore thanks to a This was also arguably the most competitive event number of juniors doubling up in two age groups. in the calendar. The under 12 girls and the under The highlight of the day beyond doubt, our under 20 girls did well to win their silver medals in their 18 boys’ team of Adam Halmy, Daniel Francken, respective events. Ben Jagger and Harlan Mulherin winning their event. Our first team gold of the season. In the 2k, the outstanding individual performances were from newcomer Maeve Goehner with her There were silver medals for under 14 boys A and 7.01 opening leg for the under 12 girls and Edita under 20 girls, while bronze medals were won by Grinbergs with her last leg for the under 14 girls in under 12 girls, under 14 boys B and under 16 boys. 7.03. For the boys, it has to be the two who ran under 10 minutes for the 3k: David Gardiner’s 1st leg Finally a special mention for an individual perfor- of 9.38 for the under 20 boys and Daniel Francken’s mance. Lachlan Cooper ran the third fastest 2k 4th leg for the under 18 boys in 9.40. time of the day in 6.10.

NSW Cross Country Championships – Nowra

Tom Davies ran a strong race to claim his first ever individual NSW Winter Competition medal, a silver in the under 14 boys 3k, while Sophie Gocher added another bronze to her collection in the under 14 girls 3k.

In the team competition, there were silver medals The under 20 girls with their silver medals from their 4x4k for under 14 boys and under 16 boys, while bronze event. From left, Jess Vernon, Bethany Halmy, Arlia Pattersen and Amelia Gorman. 24

NSW Champion Hurdler, Tessa Constantine, on behalf of the juniors attending, thanked everyone for their support.

Other news

A number of juniors were presented with their Out- standing Achievement Award by Sonia O’Sullivan at the Annual Awards Dinner back in May. The recipi- ents were:

 Edita Grinbergs – NSW Under 14s 400m/800m Champion and Australian Maeve Goehner being awarded her silver medal in the Under 14 400m Champion  Lachlan Cooper - NSW and Australian Un- Under 12 Girls 1.5 der 16 1500m Champion  Josh Phillips - Australian All School Under NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships – 16 2000m Steeplechase Champion Rydalmere  Tessa Constantine – NSW Under 18 400m On this glorious afternoon at Upjohn Park, in the hurdles Champion  100th running of the event, Maeve Goehner and Ni- Daniel Francken – NSW Under 18 3000m cola Hogg won silver and bronze medals in the un- Champion der 12 girls 1.5k event. The team results were not  Lachlan Francis – NSW Under 12 Short available at the time of writing. Course Cross Country Champion 

A number of our juniors went to the Steeplechase Training Day held at SOPAC and here they are with Youcef Abdi.

From left to right: Will Law, Daniel Cooper, Lachlan Cooper, Jack Mills, Tom Davies, Nick Corel, Youcef Abdi, Adam Halmy and Ben Jagger 25

FAST FOOD Nicole Dynan APD/AN/SD

The Good Nutrition Co. are excited to be asked to support the nutrition needs of the Sydney Striders and to be regular contribu- tors to ‘The Blister’.

Our new column ‘Fast Food’ will cover nutrition issues specifically related to running. We would love to hear from you if there is a Here are some food ideas particular topic you would like us to write about.  particularly after a long run

EAT TO RUN (AND RECOVER) Whilst individual considerations of total energy needs, specific training needs and feedback from training ses- You don’t need to be an elite athlete to benefit from sions need to be taken into account a general aim is for sports nutrition advice. Some of our greatest successes 1g carbohydrate/kg of body mass in the first 2 hours have been with ‘weekend warriors’ who are keen on after training. improving their times and performance during training sessions and events. For example: 50g of carbohydrates for a 50kg person. Taking on board 10-20g of protein at the same time will Whilst most of us know that training diets should be assist the recovery process. If you are training again the built around good quality carbohydrates, moderate same day, eat within the ‘magic 30 minute window’ after amounts of lean protein, a small amount of good fats, exercise to optimise carbohydrate repletion, followed by and an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals, a meal within 2-4 hours. eating to optimize recovery is often overlooked. Some studies have shown that muscle glycogen (stored Recovery nutrition should aim to reload muscles with carbohydrate) levels do not completely recover within carbohydrate and provide protein to muscles for growth the 24-48 hours after a running session of unaccustomed and repair. Eaten in a timely fashion after a workout, this high intensity or duration (e.g. a marathon). In such cas- will not only provide you with the energy to train or es, higher levels of carbohydrates may need to be con- compete again but also reduce muscle soreness and fa- sumed for up to 7 days to achieve full recovery. tigue.

Post cardio / endurance session (50g Carbohydrate and 10g Protein) 1 sandwich with lean meat, eggs or cheese and a piece of

1 low fat muesli bar Liquid meal supplement (Up and Go) or 1 serve of Sustagen Sport made as per instructions. 1 X 200g tub of yoghurt and 1 piece fruit Fruit smoothie made from 1 fruit and 500ml skim milk ¾ cup of cereal with 200ml skim milk 1 small can baked beans + toast

A word on Alcohol Recipe corner: Blackened Fish Taco It is not recommended that alcohol be consumed be- Branch out from the traditional Sunday roast and try fore or after training. If alcohol is consumed after physi- these delicious blackened fish tacos! cal activity it needs to be after the body has been refu- 1. Pan fry white fish fillets rubbed with Cajun spice eled and rehydrated with fluid and carbohydrate. until cooked through. Source: Burke & Deakin, Clinical Sports Nutrition 2012 2. Combine lime-juice, chopped coriander, chopped white onion, chopped chili and natural yoghurt in To contact The Good Nutrition Co, please visit: a bowl and set aside. www.goodnutritionco.com ; M: 0400 945 503 3. Chop your choice of vegies, grated beetroot, cu- cumber, tomato, red cabbage or avocado. https://www.facebook.com/goodnutritionco 4. Heat multigrain tortillas. 5. Assemble tacos and serve with a lime wedge, gar- https://twitter.com/goodnutritionco nished with extra coriander. Buen Provecho!

Product review: Hydration Next edition: We are looking for reviews on running gadgets (in time for Christmas—naturally!) Camelbak Ultra LR Vest - David Byrne Send your reviews to: [email protected]

As trail and ultra running be- comes increasingly popular, the In my humble opinion, there’s a place for both. For shorter gear associated with doing runs, or races where there are regular aid stations, a pack is them keeps evolving. Where overkill. Having a handheld bottle does away with the often once people headed into the hot and cumbersome pack and bladder system. What’s more, wilds with a water bottle in a handheld bottle is super hand and a jacket tied around quick and easy to fill. their waist, today we have This particular unit is simple loads of options, and gadgets, to make life easier. One big and effective. The bottle itself improvement is the development of vests in place of back- stays cool, has a great mouth- packs. They offer more comfort and maximum use of space, piece that features a lock so meaning they’re lighter, but typically offer less storage. the bottle won’t leak during The Camelbak Ultra LR Vest is for those after a hydration sys- transportation, and when in tem that also provides a small amount of storage for basic use it releases loads of fluid nutrition and a few necessities. The water reservoir is 2L and with minimal effort. The sits low on your back, tucked into your lumbar area. This shape is quite ergonomic and makes it quite comfy and snug with almost no sloshing or the volume of the bottle is moving around as you run. The shoulder straps are adjustable ideal for runs up to 2 hours. The adjustable pack has a small and wide, however the basic nature of the design makes it pocket that holds gels, cash, car keys or other small essen- not so comfortable for people at the ‘small’ end of the physi- tials. There’s also a clip for your keys, which is a very handy cal spectrum. The straps tend to sit a touch wide and there feature if you’re neurotic about losing things like we are! It’s was some friction from them that can lead to irritation. The actually really handy because if you open the pocket on the dual sternum straps allow you to adjust the fit according to run to grab a gel, it’s easy for your keys to fall out. So this the load in the back and your size. Once again, if you’re a little seemingly small feature is actually really important. There are human then this vest is probably unsuitable. all sorts of colours available, so you can find something to match your outfits or just go with plain black as it has timeless What we liked was the mesh stash pocket on the back, which appeal. It comes with Podium Chill 21 oz bottle. is perfect for a lightweight jacket, as well as the deep cargo pockets on the front. That’s where you put some gels/bars 4/5 Cost: ≈$20 and your mobile. Also, the reservoir is quick and easy to fill on Nathan Quickshot - the go and just as easy to clean afterwards. Plus the mouth- Michelle Ng piece is simple in operation and delivers fluid in a fast man- ner. Also worth a quick note is that there’s an integrated safe- I use the Nathan Quickshot for ty whistle. All in all it’s a good vest for anyone planning long medium distance runs, from 10 runs in the bush or after a simple pack for racing. It’s basic, up to around 20km. It holds durable, holds plenty of fluid and, at around $140, is at the 300ml which is light to carry, middle end of the price range for this type of product. and you can refill it if there are water stops available. After a 3.5/5 Cost: ≈$140 few runs with it, you don't Camelbak Quick Grip - David Byrne even really notice it any more. I also put some fabric tape on the bottle where my palm sits Handheld bottles are a love/hate thing. Some people prefer so it's a little more comfortable when it gets sweaty! The race to have their fluids in the palm of their hand and ready to cap has a special 'quick-flow' valve which works well. It's very gulp down in an instant while others prefer to keep their easy to clean so is a good alternative to something larger such hands free and rely on packs and bladders for their hydration. as a Camelbak.

4/5 Cost: ≈$15  27

InIn socialsocial media…media…

Over the last few months, you may have noticed a significant increase in the Club's Social Media Posts. We’re really committed to trying to bring you all the latest news and photos via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr. If you haven’t liked us on Facebook or started following us on Instagram, make sure you do! As for Twitter and Tumblr, you just need to search for Sydney Striders! By far the biggest post of the last few months was Dave Criniti winning the Westlink M7 Marathon - how good was that! If you notice your social me- Enrique and Gilbert are having a very serious discussion dia team out running with you or on the sidelines taking pho- on how to pose for selfies at the City to Surf 2014... tos, make sure you smile!

Keep a look out for the Social Media team taking photos using the special Social Media team phone covers!

On a final note, we can only stretch so far, www.facebook.com/SydneyStriders we need your help! Any sporting events you’d like us to share photos of, do mes- instagram.com/sydney_striders sage us via Facebook and we’ll arrange @sydneystriders to showcase your Strider photos!

sydney-striders.tumblr.com Gilbert & Enrique

MTG—We were here!!!

Our Dave!

FOOD!!!

Steve Moneghetti!!! Selfieeee!!