Cool temps, sunshine and Byron Bay, Wow, what a day this turned out to be! About 4 weeks ago, I was talking to a mate of mine when the subject of this run came up. Mike is a martial artist who also occasionally will do the odd run. We decided to enter the run as the course looked not only beautiful, but challenging (and challenging it was). At the last minute, the race organizer had to do a small course change which gave new meaning to “sand running”. To summarise: we had to run about 1k before going down to the beach. We went through a tough stretch of loose sand then along the beach to bypass the road that was undergoing construction. (the road we to originally to run on), then up a small climb, (again hitting the sand) out to the tarmac and started the climb to the lighthouse. Between breaths as my heart was bursting, I glanced over to the side and saw the wonderful South Pacific and said to myself: “It does not get any better than this” Once there, we circled the lighthouse and started a very hard decent. Back again on the same stretch of beach we were just on, then across the street to another beach (Tallows) and guess what? More soft sand (again!) down to the shore, along for 1k to a turnaround back through and going up a small grade till the home stretch. I came in top 25 or so, got a small drink and went back to run Mike in. It did not take long for me to see him and was very happy to see him finish his first 10Krun. Not the best course for a first time run, but now when he gets smooth flat courses, it will seem like a cakewalk. As for me, I just finished 14 seconds off podium, but I used it as a training day to warm up for a hard bike ride after the run. What a great, glorious day!!!

Clint “the cannibal” Arizmendi came out firing on 7 of 8 cylinders to start the Aussie tri season for System Jake. An overcast, hilly and very windy day greeted triathletes to shake off the cobwebs for the Maitland tri (2k Swim 60k Bike and 15K run) as well as a 5 and 10k run and smaller tri. As Clint is in the middle of training for long course worlds, this would be a good gauge to see where he was at and a good chance to flex it for the Women. It was also a good chance to swim on the treadmill as the start was going into a tough river current. Despite just coming off a tough training cycle, he was able to snag a 6^th place age group in the largest AG for the day. Vegas is next for Cliff and he is set to have a great day there.

Incidentally, local Pro Tim Reed is back from his U.S. season and along w/ local Pro (Lennox Head) Joe Lampe, went 1-2 in the open division and was two of only three people to break 3 hrs. for the day.

http://www.maitlandtriathlon.net/

No doubt about it, Laura Ackerman has tenacity. Despite some setbacks this season, She has soldiered on in true Bull Dog spirit. She recently sorted her way to the second annual Tri to Beat Cancer in Athens, Georgia. After getting a slow start to the season, She continues to make a strong second half of competition and today did not disappoint! She had a great swim followed by a well paced bike to jump off and set the road afire with a good negative split run which saw her cop a 6th place AG  Can't wait till She gets to Tugaloo.

For her Husband Jerry, he has been a Vince Dooley groupie since his days on the field. Jerry found out he would be presenting awards that day, so the only way to meet him and shake his hand would be to get on the podium and get on the podium he did! He just missed out on 2nd, but copped a very strong 3rd place age group to add to the bling he has won this year. Oh yea, he got to shake hands w/Vince. Champions think alike.

July 31,  2011 : The dawn came early this hot day as Laura and Jerry Ackerman travelled to Blacksburg, South Carolina for the “Assault on Cherokee” Olympic Triathlon.  Jerry paced a good 3 disciplines to garner a 5^th overall and a 1^st place in his age group!! He rode a really strong bike and followed it up with a lightning fast hilly and hot run to smash the field to bits.

Laura Ackerman’s season has been slowly gaining momentum and as this was her 2^nd Olympic distance race ever, she had her eyes on the podium. However, a small mistake in course marking and recognition threw her off track for the run. She finished the race in a solid position also winning her age group. However as She reviewed her times for the day, she knew something was amiss. She then realized she took a wrong turn on the run and cut out part of the course. Before the awards ceremony, Laura graciously told the referee what had happened and relinquished her prize that day. Based on her times and fitness for the day however, I still think she would have scored a first or second place. Next time Laura.

July 2, 2011: Nathan “Woodsy” Wood and his lovely Wife Michelle made it up to the Gold Coast from Leeton for the World Class Gold Coast marathon. Woodsy’s training was going good for some time, yet a couple months before he was to make his marathon debut, injury beset him. As he was getting very frustrated by not training, I knew his mentality would take him through the day, however, I was a bit worried with his big chassis, he may reinjure himself. So with some top notch physio work and a couple of last minute 30K runs, it was do or die. The Sun rose on a beautiful day on the Gold Coast and over 5000 runners took off for the full Mary. Michelle quickly got a gap on her husband, but he was to have none of that and caught her and slowly drew away. His goal time of 3:30 was achieved with a 3:28 (on limited training at that!) as Michelle busted the 3:45 mark with a fine run for the day.

A great start for the season as Woodsy has a few big races planned this season and good on him and his Wife.

Well, the Mother of South-eastern ½ Ironman's did not disappoint. Macon, Georgia is host to the Rock and Roll man ½ Iron distance triathlon.This race is billed as one of the hardest 1/2 Irons in the country. Every year it seems to get hotter and more humid. This year was no different as the organizer decided to change race date to June 06!! I’ll tell you from personal experience that this is a very hard race that has a bit of everything for the punishment gluttons; hills, heat, more hills, more heat and to top it off, an unshaded run. There are athletes that return to this race every year and there are those that say ”never again”

Dalford England is one of those that returns year after year. This year he has been having some really good races and despite the conditions, he busted out a PR by over 30 minutes! We have been working on his execution (pacing) in regards to Long course racing and I think a combo of attention to that and his durability that he has gained over the last couple of seasons has really propelled him to the forefront.  He had a smooth swim to set up his day, a well paced and tough bike, and when the run came round, it was over 95F!!! (35C)Before the race we went over a run/walk protocol and stuffing ice down the jersey/shorts and under the hat to keep the core cooled off. This seemed to have worked out well for him and he wound up getting a 3^rd place overall and 1^st age group. Wow is all I can say. Good on ya Dalfreddo!!

I know I said I would not talk about myself so sorry about that.

I just had to share what I am up to recently.

So on to athlete updates.

The American Triathlon season is in full swing and the System Jake American contingent is full on at the moment.

Jerry Ackerman made it down to Jekyll Island, Ga. for the Turtle crawl Olympic distance Triathlon. However, two days before the race, he came down with a wicked sinus infection. Being the trooper and hard charger that he is, he toed the line anyway and had a great day coming in a quick 6th place for his age group and snuck into the top 25 overall.

His lovely Wife Laura is famous for starting the season a bit behind; however, she will train herself in to fine form for the last 2/3 of the season after she has lured her competition in to a false sense of security. She turned up to the Iron Girl sprint in Atlanta, Georgia shaking the cobwebs out w/ a good 28th out of 135 in her Age group to get the ball rolling.

Well, after what would probably be the best two weeks of my recent life, I tearfully said goodbye to Troy.

I am so proud of him and he is really coming in to his own.

His creativeness and generous heart will reward him for a lifetime.

We will be together once again as we have many more adventures to experience.

Just over 26 years ago, I was blessed w/ a very healthy 10lb. 10oz. (almost 5kg.) red haired boy. Little did I know what lay ahead in my life as I was still young myself? The years went by quickly as I chose to raise him on my own.

A special relationship formed from this and gets stronger as time passes on. Now after being in Australia for 1.5 years and not being w/him for almost 2 years, he would arrive at Brisbane airport in two days for 2 weeks w/the Old man.

What would we do?

First, we would get him back in the ocean and re-establish his Love for surfing. (He has been in Wisconsin the last couple of years).

Then maybe go to Sydney to see the sights, etc. However, winter was moving in so we would have to keep an eye on all that.

To make a long story short, we dived the Great Barrier Reef, hiked through beautiful rainforest, skipped Sydney (piss cold and rainy) and just hung out on the coast.

Oh yeah, we got in the pool and worked on his swim technique.

The next to last day he was here, we went surfing at Wategos beach, and got some great pics of our dolphin brothers showing us what life is all about.

Hi all, this will be the first at my attempt to blog-post on a regular basis for my website for all to read.

There are a good number of blogs out there in cyberspace which you can just about read anything about anybody.

The intent of this blog is not to post about my life (well maybe a bit), but to post about the athletes I work with, the area I live and work/train in, snippets of research, equipment reviews and general good ol’ fashion BS!

If anyone would like to have me write about anything in particular, please let me know and I will accommodate that.