Welcome to the Ipswich triathlon club handout.

Entries are open as of April 1st for Culford, which is confirmed for 25th July.

Entries have been open for some time for the Junior, which is confirmed for 29th August.

The Duathlon currently remains scheduled for 26th September.

Our own time-trials
The first of the 2010 Ipswich Cycling Association evening cycling time trial series was underway as this ITCH was being completed. This is the first time trial of the series to be organised by Ipswich triathlon club - the "stop press" report just handed to me says that people were quite chuffed that as many as 20 people entered on what was a very, very cold, wet & windy evening. Thanks to the several club members who turned out to get even colder by marshalling. Brrrrr....

Do take a look at the ICA website http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tim.m.butler/  for more details - and contact antony.birt1@btinternet.com if you can volunteer for marshalling at future events.

The ITCH League 2010 - augmented

A number of members have lobbied me to include the Swashbuckler middle-distance triathlon and, being a reasonable fellow, I have added it to the list published at http://ipswich-tri.org/JOIN/itch-league/itch-league-2010-info.htm .

The Club Championship 2010 - Cambridge

Reminder: the event we have chosen as the decider for our 2010 club championships is the Cambridge Triathlon.

Cambridge Triathlon is now open for entries and, as of March 31st, there were still 160 places remaining - and only eleven members currently shown as having entered.
See http://www.cambridgetriathlonclub.com/ for current news and a "hot spot" link to the on-line entry pages, which takes you to http://www.howesplace.com/ctc/ctc_entry.php . Please identify your club as "Ipswich triathlon club", not just "Ipswich".

e-mail problems

Please note that I have had problems receiving e-mail over the last few weeks, with lots of items being delayed and - it turns out - some items simply being lost.  I have now been given a techie workaround but if you have submitted something for ITCH which I haven't used, it may be that it never got to me so you may want to send it to me again.

Charlie Stannett - itch@ipswich-tri.org

The summer competition season will soon begin.

Look out for details of bike time trials, including those organised by your Tri Club (thanks to Ant Birt and everyone who has agreed to marshal). It would be good to see a strong showing in red & black; time trials can be an excellent way of boosting cycling speed.

The Future of Ipswich Triathlon Club

I recently met one of the British Triathlon Federation Regional Development Managers. He was incredibly enthusiastic and made me realise that as a club, we could benefit from working more closely with BTF.

Triathlon is a growth sport with new clubs emerging. Ipswich Triathlon Club is currently the biggest (and hopefully best) Tri Club in Suffolk, but to maintain this position, we need to review and update our offering to members.

To achieve this, we will be working on a club development plan over the coming months. Open water swim sessions at Alton Water remain a key objective. Progress has stalled due to staff illness, but I hope to have some news for next month’s ITCH.

All the best
Mary
 

Mary can contacted by e-mail to chair@ipswich-tri.org

The new season is rapidly approaching and I have been looking at my training logs, past and present. It's quite interesting to look back at last year to see what I was doing and how I felt.

Although last year I had decided to do an early marathon, I was following the same schedule as this year, with a few minor adjustments and I think I was struggling, rarely a week went by without missing some sessions.

This year is proving to be different. My swim times are improving, I am more successful at completing speed sessions in both run and bike and although I haven't yet done many races, I feel that I am improving. That can't be bad, at my advanced years, no improvement is actually pretty good, with every passing year I should be getting slower.... but I'm not.

Something else that I have started doing is keeping a mini-blog on Twitter. Now, being a bit of a luddite, I initially couldn't see the point at all, but now I find that briefly telling anyone or no-one what I am doing is quite therapeutic, while following other athletes is inspirational.

Pip-pip. Kate

Athlete of the month for March is ever helpful Norseman and former world bog-snorkelling triathlon champion Dave Copland.

How did you get into triathlon?

My mate R2D2 asked, "Do you fancy doing a triathlon?" in 1994, and I did.

What is your main motivation and/or inspiration?

Not much actually *inspires* me to train or race. But I'm motivated by enjoying being outdoors and out of breath.

What does your family think about you & triathlon?

I've no idea what they think about me. But I reckon they think of triathlon as "what Dave does".

What has been your happiest sporting moment?

So many to choose from. Probably winning the world bog-snorkelling triathlon championship.

And what about your worst?

So few to choose from. A race has to be *really* bad for me to think of it as a bad experience. And even then, I'll probably latch on to a redeeming memory to take home. I didn't enjoy DNF-ing at the Cambridge duathlon a few years ago when an injury made it impossible to continue. But even then, I was pleased that I'd made it as far as run 2.

How much training do you do fit in (on each discipline)?

It varies through the year. On average, 1 or 2 swims, 2 or 3 bike rides and 2 or 3 runs per week. That includes racing as well as training.

What is your favourite training session?

A bike ride in the Alps or Pyrenees with a couple of 1000m climbs.

Apart from triathlon, what are your other obsessions?

Eating.

How do you indulge yourself on a rest day?

I don't understand the question. Indulgences aren't something I would save for a rest day.

What are your plans for the near future?

I plan to eat a cake very soon.

Dave at the Vitruvian

Next month Kate hopes to feature Wendy Quantrill. Kate can be contacted by e-mail to kate@ipswich-tri.org

Isabel - 22 March 2010

Dave (Copland) and I will be running different distances at Alton Water after swimming on Saturday 3rd April (Easter Saturday).

Dave will probably start at Woolverstone after the swim session (about 10:20am), run to Alton Water and do a lap of the reservoir at an indecently fast pace.

I will drive from Woolverstone to Alton Water (so if anyone wants their stuff transported I can do that).  I can also give a couple of people a lift to Alton Water, with bikes, if they want to save the car parking fee.  (I have an annual pass).

At the moment, after swimming I’m too tired to run all the way round Alton Water (as Charlie and Amanda well know).  So I’ll do a run/walk session to the bridge and back (about 5km each way).  This will be slow.  I’ll be starting when I get there – about 10:30ish.

If other adult club members (or friends of members and all the usual suspects) wish to turn up, that would be great.  You can do whatever route you like at whatever pace you like.

Remember, this is not a coached session.  You are responsible for yourselves.  We are a bunch of friends out doing some exercise.

Tea will be drunk and chat will be chatted in the café afterwards.

I hope some of you can make it…

Susannah

1st Apr - Valley Road hills
8th Apr - Town run
15th Apr - Speed session (flat intervals on road)
22nd Apr - Fynn Valley run (no headtorch needed)

Please watch out for e-mails/Twitter updates about forth-coming Thursday sessions.

You are reminded that Gresham's Sports Club has recently introduced a membership 'swipe' card which enables members to get a discount on drinks. They will shortly issue a generic Ipswich Tri club membership card for our members' use, which will be kept in the box/behind the bar. It may take a week or so for the card to be issued: in the meantime, please say that you are a member of the Tri club when ordering.

Time is as before (9am - 10am) and we might need to cancel the odd date if it clashes with a race. Also, if you know of a life guard who could be called upon as necessary, could you let Greg know.

Please note that on some occasions we will be reserving one lane for use in coaching juniors. See also the offer of senior coaching from Isabel (above)

If you want to be on a ring round list for notification of changes at short notice then let Greg Allen have your number. Greg is on 07501 464143 or e-mail greg.jamie@talktalk.net

For further information about swimming arrangements, contact Greg Allen on 07501 464143 or e-mail greg.jamie@talktalk.net

I did a turbo ride for school charity week. Covered 240.17 miles in 10 hours.

One bike, three changes of shorts, three changes of top, two upright fans on setting 2, 7 litres of Torq/SIS. Took a five minute break every hour so rode for 55 mins then 5 min toilet break/stretch. Started at 7.30am finished at 5.30pm.

Stupid or what?

Graham

Reminiscences from the Rear of the Race

You would not expect help from a fellow competitor in a race. But that is how it was. I was running in a  20 mile road race at Wymondham in aid of Talitha Koum, the Christian Centre for rehabilitation for women from drug substance abuse.

Thirteen miles in to the race I had hit the wall and runners who were behind were now forging ahead into the distance. Then Lisa arrived on my shoulder. A tall fit girl who told me she had run very slowly so far to conserve her energy and was now feeling strong. She said she would take me to the finish and invited me to tuck in behind her slipstream. Her kindness was touching and gave me a fresh lease of energy. We chatted together for some miles and as comrades in adversity can do, learnt a lot of each other in a short time. Training for the London Marathon she was running for Oxfam and I hoped I could give her a donation at the finish.

One, two, three four breath, hands low hardly swinging.  Legs traced the most lazy economical, elliptical gait. Progress like a mute metronome. Trees hedges and thatched cottages drifted gently behind and we re-passed runners who had previously passed me.

‘Is that the next mile marker’ she said.
‘No that’s eggs for sale sign. I made that mistake on the first lap’

Silence

’The markers are yellow and there is one ahead of it’
‘That’s the one I mean’
‘Silly me’

Her eyes were sharper than mine. I had forgotten the distance we had covered. That’s how it is sometimes as muscles rob the brain of blood.

I’d got a place just before entries closed and had not fully trained for it. Fifteen miles! Five to go. I could just about work that one out!  She was still there, sheltering me like a mother hen. She was there at sixteen, but I knew we’d part and at seventeen she was a hundred yards ahead and I needed a fix. We were at the end of the second lap now. A quiet straight tree lined lane with hedges and rough verges.

Then I saw it. Like manna from heaven.   A discarded  energy drink left by the front runners on the first lap,. It was double capped and therefore hygienic. It would give me a boost . I carried it a while, debating with self verses sharing!  A tall dark haired South African lady - didn’t know her name but she shaped like a  runner so lets call her Zola, after her fellow native and famous, Zola Budd! Her real name can be found from last month’s ITCH but for the sake of this story, she’s Zola.   She  was behind and we had exchanged positional and pleasantries over the previous sixteen miles. Should I wait and share it? Would she want it? I doubted it, so downed it. I felt a cad!  I continued but very soon saw another much fuller bottle. I turned round pointed it out to ‘Zola’ and shouted instructions. She told me at the end she had drunk it and it helped her immediately run better. I was glad she gained the strength to catch me and race with me to the finish.

And so ended one of my  very infrequent 20 mile races, considerably faster than the last I did in 2008, but very pedestrian compared with you guys!

Talitha Koum is nearing completion and needs £125,000 by the autumn so that it can open as planned.
They are too small to warrant  paying to have having an internet giving site, so If you would like to sponsor me  please make cheques payable to Release Ipswich and send to The Treasurer, Talitha Koum Office, The Bungalow, 20 Back Hamlet, Ipswich, IP3 8AJ. If you would like a gift aid form go to: www.talithakoum.org.uk/resources/releaseipswichtalkoumgiftaidform.doc

Are you available between 6^th and 16^th April to take part in a study at the University of Essex?

You’ll be required to attend on two occasions and in return you’ll receive a free VO2max test.

If you are interested in taking part please contact Dr Dominic Micklewright (dpmick@essex.ac.uk)

Opening times

March & April -  Fri, Sat, Sun 11.00 am - 5.00pm
May to October - Thursday to Monday 11.00am - 5.00pm

and no i am not on any free drinks for doing this but i know the people who run the cafe well and can say that runners and cyclists are made very welcome so hope to see some tri people going through the village...

To order kit - for delivery on club nights - contact John Wankowski on club nights or by e-mailing him at kit@ipswich-tri.org - please include your own name and contact details in the e-mail!

You are reminded that club kit vouchers distributed during 2009 are valid until the end of 2010.

Apr 07 - ITC event, volunteers needed - Henley Community Centre - 5 miles
Apr 14 - Combs Gardeners Arms  - 10 miles
Apr 21 - Combs Gardeners Arms  - 10 miles
Apr 28 - Combs Gardeners Arms  - 10 miles

May 05 - Combs Gardeners Arms  - 10 miles
May 12 - Combs Gardeners Arms  - 10 miles
May 19 - Combs Gardeners Arms  - 10 miles
May 26 - Crowfield Rose  - 10 miles

Jun 02 - Crowfield Rose  - 10 miles
Jun 09 - Crowfield Rose  - 10 miles
Jun 16 - Crowfield Rose  - 10 miles
Jun 23 - Crowfield Rose  - 10 miles
Jun 30 - Crowfield Rose  - 10 miles

Jul 07 - Henley Community Centre  - 10 miles
Jul 14 - Henley Community Centre  - 10 miles
Jul 21 - Henley Community Centre  - 10 miles
Jul 28 - Henley Community Centre  - 10 miles

Aug 04 - Henley Community Centre  - 10 miles
Aug 11 - Henley Community Centre  - 10 miles
Aug 18 - ITC event, volunteers needed - Henley Community Centre - 5 miles
Aug 25 - ITC event, volunteers needed - Henley Community Centre - 5 miles

See http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tim.m.butler/ for start times and further details of Ipswich Cycling Association.

Volunteers needed for ITC-organised events - contact antony.birt1@btinternet.com if you can help.

Charity 5 Mile Sudbury Fun Run on Good Friday 2nd April 2010.
More details can be located at www.sudburyfunrun.co.uk

"a range of coaching activities for the triathlete in your family that will still allow you to spend quality time together and where you can experience the unique environment of Kelling Heath and still go home refreshed and relaxed.

Break 1:-  Arrive Mon 10th May- Depart Fri 14th May
Break 2:-  Arrive Mon 4th Oct- Depart Fri 8th Oct

The triathlon package will include:

• Morning swim coaching sessions carried out at the leisure centre pool
• Coach led bike fit and skills sessions
• Coach led run technique sessions
• Evening coach clinics (Q&A about your training)
• Nutritional evening – Join us for an evening looking at healthy eating with an opportunity to enjoy a family meal in our restaurant (additional cost)
• The Kelling Heath Leisure Triathlon – We take you and your equipment to an open water swim venue.  After the swim you will be able to ride back to Kelling Heath on a selected route of a distance according to your requirements, followed by a run around the park trails.

All coaching sessions (incl. open water swim) are led by an experienced L3 triathlon coach."

See http://www.kellingheath.co.uk for more details. For further information, costs and booking details then contact activeoutdoorsport@ntlworld.com or telephone 07962 430136.

Wetsuits - Abbie Thorrington has been having a bit of a clear out:

2007 Snugg slipstream, black with silver panels. £45 plus p&p
2008 Snugg slipstream, black with silver and blue panels. £50 plus p&p

Both were made to measure so will fit 5ft 4in - 5ft 8in, 58-65kg, will allow return if not right fit.
Both only used for one season racing, good condition with no splits/holes etc

Also

2009 ladies Aqua Sphere Wracer. Perfect condition, just a little big for me, only worn the once. Size medium £130 p&p

Contact Abbie by e-mail [athorrington@yahoo.co.uk] or telephone 07837891732.

Profile Design CGT bars - carbon clip-on shorty aerobars "ITU approved for Olympic distance triathlons which require draft-legal Aerobars" (see http://www.profile-design.com/profile-design/products/aerobars/carbon-aerobars/cgt.html for picture & spec). Hardly ever used (it's a long story). Current price new seems to be around $120 (eBay) - $240 (Amazon.com) from USA (Wiggle sell the metal ones in the UK for £98) so offers invited around £70. Sound reasonable? Contact Charlie Stannett charlie@stannett.com or 01206-298888.

Wanted

Sponsors - please sponsor Charlie Stannett, who is using his club place in the Virgin London Marathon to raise money for the RNID - see http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/CharlieStannett (or, if you want to use PayPal, see www.justgiving.com/charlie-and-ronel )

Race reports - thanks to everybody who has written items. Please continue to send them in, to itch@ipswich-tri.org - thanks.