Testing a Specialized Ruby Elite Road bike

I had the pleasure of testing a Specialized Ruby Elite Road bike this week.

The Specialized Ruby Elite is a women specific road bike which offers female riders a relatively inexpensive way to enjoy the enhanced levels of comfort and lightness. 

The Zertz inserts technology in the frame and fork dampens road vibrations to a pleasing degree ensuring a smooth, soft and comfortable ride.
Even with the Zertz inserts there is no significant difference in the frame stiffness, making you feel under total control at all times.

Specialized does a great job of making sure that women cyclists are perfectly comfortable on its bikes and it is such a pleasure to ride this bike.

The Specialized Ruby Elite is a fast, smooth, comfortable carbon road bike which, for the price, is definitely worth recommending to beginners and experienced riders.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/ruby/rubyelitecompact

Jailbreak Triathlon

It was a warm morning at the Jailbreak Triathlon held at Brandvlei dam in Worcester and the water was also a nice 20.5 degrees Celsius.  This is the last race to qualify for Western Province Triathlon Trials and I was hoping to do well. The swim distance was 1.1 km and  wetsuits was allowed, In my Xterra Vendetta wetsuit and ready for the 1.1 km swim.

I was eager to complete the swim in my XTERRA Vendetta wetsuit and to get on my Felt TT bike. "It was my first race on the bike and I was very excited to feel how it goes. I was about 8th lady out of the water but manged to finish the 44 km bike leg in 3rd...the bike was going like a Boeing!"

I was just ahead of Robyn Williams and the race was on...I was not very keen to give up my 3rd position! She started closing the gap in the first 6 km loop of the run as I was keeping a moderate pace in the heat. I increased my pace in the second 6 km loop and managed to open the gap again. In the last 2km of the 12km run I look behind me and there was ladies behind me that came from nowhere. I increased the pace once again...there wasn't much left, but I'm not giving up my 3rd place in the last km of the race.

 The last 500m was a sprint to the line...'head down and don't look behind u...just to realise that the lady behind me still had to do another lap.

I was ecstatic, I finished 3rd overall behind Kelly van der Toorn and Dianne McEwan. I was also 2nd in my age group (19-29).


Thanks to Mobii, XTERRAWetsuits, 32GI, Linebreak Compression, Virgin Active and Cape Auto Centre!  


 

Stellenbosch Triathlon

Saturday was the first Stellenbosch Triathlon at Rustenburg Wine Farm. It also was my first race back after XTERRA Worlds so I wasn't sure how it would go. 

Registered, racked my bike and ready to go all out. At race briefing they told us that we will climb over 300m in 20km on the bike course. It was going to be a hard and hot ride with expected temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius. 

The race started at 9am with a 750m swim. I swam really hard and had a great swim in my XTERRA Wetsuit and I was the second female out of the water. The bike course was not very technical but challenging with some steep climbing from the start. I was racing hard as I thought I lost a position during transition, but manage to catch one of my competitors in the first 5 km. I thought I was second and kept on racing hard to catch the leader.....not knowing I was leading...

Into T2 I had about a 5 min lead going into the run. I think I pushed too hard on the bike...the 5k run was extremely tough with the heat and challenging hills. I walked up a few hills... (backwards, to keep an eye on the competition behind me) :)

I lost about 3min on a shocking run but I managed to keep the lead.

I finished in 1st place overall in a time of 2:06 and was ecstatic as this was my 1^st overall win in a sprint triathlon.

Thanks to Xterra Wetsuits, Mobii, 32Gi, Virgin Active and Cape Auto Centre Tri Team.

Well Done and thanks to the team from Iqela events for organising another great event. 

Xterra World Champs

After a great week in Los Angeles we headed out to Maui. We arrived in Maui on Monday. I was feeling very emotional as my dad was with me on my last trip to Maui 2 years ago and he should have been here again this year. We went to the hotel where I stayed with my dad and my brother in 2010. I had a cocktail on my dad at the bar where we sat every day in 2010.

After being very emotional it was time to get focused and ready for the Xterra World Champs. Tuesday morning we planned to do the bike course. It was hot and humid and we only managed 20km of the bike course. Each day we did a section of the course and on Thursday I did the full course. The bike course was tough with a lot of short steep climbs and 2 long climbs. It was not too technical but it was very tricky with a lot of dust and sand that made you slip and slide everywhere.

Friday I did the run course. I loved the run course. The 1st 2km was straight up, from 2 to 5 km was up and down and twisty but once you reach the top at just over 5km, it was the best single track back down to the finish. It was technical and full of twist and turns and of course the last 600m on the beach was a killer.

Saturday I rested and hydrated for the race. My kit and bike was set out and ready to race. Thanks to Paddy from Specialized for checking my bike and making sure it was in perfect race condition.

I was ready for an early night to be well rested on race day. As I got into bed, a tsunami warming was announced on the tv. We didn’t take to much notice until the tsunami sirens went off.

We were evacuated out of our place as we stayed 50yards from the beach. So we packed the necessary stuff (my bike and race kit for race day was the only things I could think of) and we drove to a high point. When we got there, it was just people and cars everywhere. The estimated time for the tsunami to hit was at 10:28. To be honest, I was shit scared. Everything happened so fast…one minute I’m heading for bed and the next I’m waiting for a tsunami to hit. At 10:27 there was complete silence until 10:29 that 2 minutes felt like 2 days. I think I didn’t breath and my heart stopped for those 2 minutes. They announced over the radio that the roads will remain close until 4am as the tsunami was not over. I tried to sleep in the car, but who can sleep with the little voice in your head “it’s not over yet”. At 3am they opened the roads and we returned to our condo.

Sunday – Race day: After very little sleep we headed down to the race village. Kahuna Dave (race director) inspected the swim spot and after confirmation from the officials …the race was on!  I got body marked, racked my bike and headed down to the beach. The waves were not as big as what I thought it would be but it was big enough and the current was super strong.

We had a wave start, pro men and women, age group men and then age group women. Before I could get really nervous we were off. We swam a 2 x 750m loop with a 50m run on the beach in between each lap. The swim was tough but I managed to survive.

Once I entered transition I was glad the swim was over and I felt more relaxed. The first 8km of the bike course is a very narrow section. I was stuck behind some of the age group men but I didn’t make an effort to pass as it was part of my race plan to not go out to hard in the first 10km. I took the first 8km easy as this was the hardest and most tiring section. Once I hit the one long climb I felt good and started pushing the pace. As we headed into the last 10km of the 30km bike course I passed a few girls and I was feeling strong for the run.

My plan for the run was to pace myself for the first 2km uphill. I passed a girl in my age group in the first km on the run and I just focused on the next girl ahead of me and tried to race them down. Once I got to the 5km mark I ran as hard as I could to the finish. The single track was technical and I had to concentrate not to make a mistake but I loved every second of it. Entering the beach run section was the best feeling ever with people everywhere cheering you on right to the finish line. Crossing the finish line was filled with emotion and happiness knowing I finished the toughest race I have ever done so far.

I finished in 10th place in my age group…not the position I was hoping for but I was happy with my race. Just the feeling of finishing a World Championship and the experience that I gained was worth the effort.

After the race we had to go pack as we had to be on the airport at 4am the Monday morning. We arrived in Los Angeles just to find out that our flight to Washington and Cape Town was cancelled due to a hurricane. They cancelled over 900 flights. The first available flight to Washington was on Thursday and from Washington to Cape Town was on Tuesday. So we were stuck in Los Angeles for another few days.

After struggling for 5hrs we eventually got a car and a place to stay. The Tuesday we decided to take the 4hrs drive to Las Vegas and stay there for one night. Vegas were so awesome. Vegas were another highlight of the entire trip. Wednesday was Halloween and to experience it in Vegas was so much fun.

We had to be on the airport Thursday morning to get our flight to Washington. We left Vegas at midnight and drove through the night back to LA. We arrived in LA at about 6pm and we took a quick nap in the car at the beach until 9am.
We arrived at the airport just to be told our flight was cancelled again. Luckily we got another flight at 10pm so we had to spend another 7hrs at the airport.

We arrived in a very cold Washington. We stayed with the Ellis family (South Africans by heart). Thank you so much Craig and Sam for opening your doors and making us feel right at home, for feeding us, for taking us on a DC trip and taking me for a run (and loosing Riaan). We really appreciate everything.

Thank you to everyone for the support!!

So what’s next….

5 days in Los Angeles

This is just a short summary of our 5 day stay in Los Angeles. I will have to write a book to give you all the details. It is very hard to put each experience in words as each day was a once in lifetime experience…something that you can’t explain to anyone.

After a very long flight, we arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday at midday.

We dropped our bags and bikes at the house and we went for a drive to see what Hollywood California is all about. We all think Hollywood is beautiful and full of glitz and glam like in the movies. To be honest, the city is dry, dull and dirty, but don’t let the dull and dirty give you the wrong impression…the vibe, atmosphere and activities makes up for it!

The beaches and some areas like Beverly Hills are beautiful.

Thursday:  Universal Studios

This place is unreal and something you need to see for yourself to get an idea. We did a tour of the park on a tram, the tram takes you through scenes and streets where movies/series (like Desperate Housewives, Jaws, Jurassic park and many more) were shot. We went through a 3D tunnel with scenes from Jurassic Park. The tram stops on a track that moves as the dinosaur’s bumps and stands on the tram. It felt so real and it was kind of scary.

                                               

The Jurassic Park, The Mummy and Transformer Rides were awesome. The Jurassic Park ride was a water ride and we got soaked. The Transformers was a 3D ride where you fall of buildings, fight other transformers and dodge bullets. The Mummy ride was scary as hell and super fast.

Universal Studios is unbelievable.

After Universal Studios we did the ‘Walk of Fame’. We also did a tour of Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Sunset Boulevard. They took us to the Hollywood sign. They showed us some ‘Star Houses’ including the Playboy Mansion and Michael Jacksons house where he passed away.

After the tour we walked around in Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood at night is so alive and the vibe is amazing …an experience I will never forget.

Friday was our shopping day. I first went for a 10km run on the bike/run patch on the beach before we drove around looking for Outlet stores. We found one but it was a bit expensive and disappointing. We ended up in Venice Beach. WOW what an awesome little place. It’s so hard to explain this street. It’s a street on the beach with little shops owned by locals. They sell anything you can think of to make a living. You can even get a certificate to legally buy dagga. This is a real trailer trash street, everyone is high and dirty but so friendly. It was an indescribable experience to see how these people live and make a living. It just makes you realise how grateful we should be for what we have.

Saturday we went to Orange County for some mountain biking. We cycled in the Laguna Nature reserve. They have over 70miles of mountain biking tracks. The route that we did was about 20km…but that was enough…20km of mountain after mountain. After our ride we went to two cycle shops where the shopping was way to successful. After spending too much money on cycling kit we went home for an easy night and a BBQ.

Sunday: Six Flags Magic Mountain theme park.

O my word…this place was huge. They have about 20 different rides. We only survived 5. We did the fastest, longest and highest and most insane= rides in the world. The 2 rides that had me on the edge of a nervous breakdown was the first ride we did, the X2 and the Superman. To be completely honest, I nearly cried after the X2. The X2 is a roller coaster ride with face first free falls and the seats turn upside down as you go down falls and around loops. Superman is just plain crazy. I refused to do it but when we got to the front of the line there was no exit. They strap you in a little car and with no warning you pull away backwards at a neck breaking speed. You go backwards and 50feet up in the air at 100mph (160km/h) and then you come back down.  It was INSANE.

After Magic Mountain we headed home to pack for an early morning flight to Hawaii.

Will keep you updated and post more photos on Facebook in Hawaii.

Clanwilliam Fitness Festival

Saturday morning at 5:30 my alarm went off. I still wanted to sleep, I was feeling tired and miserable.

I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed and headed to Clanwilliam Dam. 
It was a perfect morning and the dam looked like a mirror.

I entered the 1.5km swim with some team mates. It was my first race or long swim in my new Xterra Vendetta wetsuit. I struggle to get going but as we turned at the first buoy I got into a great rhythm. I finished the swim in 26min at a comfortable pace.

It was a long day as the triathlon only started at 3. I felt tired and not in race mood but I knew I had to have a great race to prepare myself mentally for Xterra Worlds.

The swim start was fast and I was 21st out of the swim...not my best.
In and out of T1, I didn't expect much on the bike as I haven't been on my road bike for a while.

As we left the town, Jayde Morison caught up to me. We worked together on the bike and caught Dominique D'Oliveira and another girl. The 4 of us worked together and soon dropped the girl.

Into T2 the 3 of us was still together. I knew it was going to be a hard run and I went as hard as I could out of T2 to open up a gap. The run route is an out and back with the out being a long hill. I pushed hard but it felt comfortable.

I finished 4th and felt great. 

Thanks to Xterra Wetsuits, 32GI, Mobii, Glider eyewear, Linebreak Compression and Virgin Active and Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team.

Thank you!

12 Days to go before I leave for Xterra Worlds Champs in Maui Hawaii.

I would just like to thank every single person that supported me to make a dream come true.

From the people that bought one raffle ticket to the ones that bought hundreds. From the people that donated funds to the people that paid money into my account even after the draw...family, friends and even people that I don't know.

I am so overwhelmed by everyone's generosity and will be forever grateful. Every cent is so much appreciated. Words can't explain.

Thank you to Jonkheer Wine for the Wine sponsor. 
 Also to Mobii for the Mobii Unit that they sponsored.

SO...the winners:
3rd prize (Lam) Rory McKinley
2nd prize (Jonker Wine Hamper) Marinda Lindeque
1st prize (Ipad) Hermanus De Jager

The highest bid for the 'special edition' Mobii Unit went to Tiaan Pretorius. The closing bid was R3500.

Thank you to my sponsors:

Table Mountain Challenge

Saturday 15 September was a perfect day for The Crazy Store Table Mountain Challenge.

The Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team entered a ladies team, Cathy leg1, Jeannie leg2 and I ran leg3.

I was feeling a bit nervous (ok, a lot) because I did not know what to expect.
Everyone said the 3rd leg is hectic....

As I watched the front runners pass check point 2, the nerves went away and I started feeling better, eager to run.

I checked in at the check point with my compulsory kit. It was a very hot day and as waited for Jeannie to finish the nerves set in again. Should I go to the loo again...what if I go and Jeannie gets to check point 2...do I have enough water...how hard should I go....all the things that go through my head, but before I knew it, I was off.

The 1st 2km was jeep track before we head into some very awesome single track. At 5km we started climbing...no not a hill...but a mountain...Table Mountain.

I look up and saw the top. I thought to myself, it's not as bad as everyone said. Well that was till I got to the top and realised, This is not the top.
 We climbed some rocks for about 6km.  The view from the top was just unbelievable, something you can't explain.

At the top, Yeah some flat running! You think Table Mountain is flat...It's NOT.
I felt great at the top and enjoyed every single minute of the run. The tracks, the view, the people, the beautiful sunshine day and just the idea of running on Table Mountain was great.

The downhill section, not my favorite part. The 6km we climbed up, we went down in 2km. After some rock jumping, sliding down on my bum and 2 nearly big mistakes I reached the pipe track. This was the longest 3km home. It went on forever, It was hot and my legs were not existent after the downhill. At last, the finish!!

We finished 2nd Lady team and 3rd Corporate Team. Tough but successful day.

It's hard to explain this race to someone. You can't explain the route, the views, the feeling. You need to go run it yourself to understand. I enjoyed every moment, the up, the down, the sun even the pain! It was just unbelievable.

Thanks to 32GI for keeping hydrated on a very hot and hard day. Mobii for keeping me on track and pace. Linebreak for the recovery and Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team for the Support and just being a great team.

Mountain Warrior Trail Running Festival

This weekend was the Mountain Warrior Trail Running Festival at Rustenberg Farm in Stellenbosch.
This is great event for all fitness levels. You can enter for the following individual races or you can do the 2day Challenge.

Day 1: 

Jonkershoek SKY RUN 36km
Botmaskop Traverse 15km
Night Trail Run 10km

Day 2: 

Simonsberg Challenge 30km
Barlow Trail 15km
Rustenberg Fun Run 10km

Mountain Warrior Challenge:
Day 1: Jonkershoek SKY Run
Day 2: Simonsberg Challenge

Married Couples Challenge:
Husband compete in long races on both days
Wife compete in both shorter (15km) races on both days.

I entered the 10km Saturday night run and the 15km on the Sunday. The night run started at 6pm. The route was great with a few climbs to warm you up and fast 3km down to the finish.

The plan was to run the 10km as an easy training run and race the 15km the Sunday...well that was the plan.
The race started on a downhill so I started a bit to fast but I soon got into a comfortable stride. The scenery and the views was so awesome with the sun setting in the background.

The last 3km was really fast, I felt great and I didn't want the run to end. Well as they say...All good things come to an end. I was the first lady home and 4th overall.

Sunday morning - 15km

It was a chilly morning with a 4degree start. The first 3km and the last 3km was the same as the 10km night run. I started with a easy pace as I knew we where going to climb a bit...just a little bit :)

After a bit of confusion at one section and running up and down the steepest hill we realised we need to go up again!

I met up with Yolandi Visser and we ran together for the last 8km. We got into a comfortable pace and chatting away with no other ladies in sight.

With about 1.5km to go we looked behind us and the 3rd lady was right behind us.
Well I guess that was the end of our tea party and we had to sprint the last 1.5km.

Yolandi took a well deserve 1st place after running the grueling 15km the Saturday.
I took 2nd place with Kerry Sillifant in 3rd.

I can really recommend this event! Great vibe, great routes and great fun for the whole family.

Sports Nutrition

Are you eating right and taking the right amount and combination of supplements before, with or after your training??
My answer was Yes, until I went to go see a Sports Nutritionist today!! All I can say is WOW, what an eye-opener.

After today I will surely think twice about what and when I put something in my mouth.
I really urge you to go see someone, it changed my thinking of nutrition.

I recommend Tania Kapp from 360Nutrition.
She is a Performance Nutritionist bases in Tyger Waterfront.

Mobile: 082 568 6667

Email: tania@my360nutrition.com

Cape Winter Trail Series #4 @ Kleinmond

Sunday was the last race of the Cape Winter Trail Series. Kleinmond was the venue and I was looking forward to the race.

I stayed over in Kleinmond with some of the Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team members.
The morning of the race was freezing cold, we registered and stood around trying to keep warm.

Knowing the route, I knew I had to go out very fast as the first single track started at about 1km into the race. The gun went off and I sprinted the first 1km trying to keep up with team mates Manus and Andre.

As we got into the single track I eased into a comfortable pace. I was in 2nd position just ahead of Mari Wessels so I knew I couldn't get to comfortable. At 3km we started with a long climb with some steps and lots of walking. Half way up the climb I was still feeling strong and started pushing the pace.

I was happy to reach the highest point of the race, it was downhill from here! I am not as good on the technical downhills as what I would like to be...but everything just came together on the day. I was flying down the rocky downhill and feeling very comfortable.

Reaching the 1km tar road section at 7km I knew it wasn't that far to go. Manus was still running with me and he pushed the pace to under 4min per km on the tar section and it was feeling so good.

The last 5km was on a single track section along the beach. I just love running on this section, it's full of twists and turns, rocky technical sections with some wooden bridges. I had the race of my life...feeling great...adrenaline pumping and I gave it my all the last few km's of the race.

I am super happy with my race and my 2nd place for the day.

Thanks to my sponsors Cape Auto Centre Triathlon team, 32GI, Mobii, GliderEyewear, Linebreak Compression and Virgin Active.

And a Big Thanks to Manus for making me run so hard :)

Cape Winter Trail Series 2 @ Tygerberg Nature Reserve

Sunday was the second race of the Cape Winter Trail Series at Tygerberg Nature Reserve...not my favourite course but surely the one with the most spectacular views! This is not a very technical course but very hilly.

It was a perfect morning and the CapeAutoCentre Triathlon team turned up in masses!! There was a great vibe between the team members which led to great camaraderie and racing!

We started with a steep hill, the pace was fast but I tried to pace my race as I knew it was a hard course.
I few girls got ahead of me on the first hill but it didn't bother me. I ran a consistent pace and managed to catch up to them.

I did the Burger mountain bike race the day before, my legs were heavy on the hills but I felt strong on the straights and downhills. I made up some places before the second long and steep climb.

When I got to the top my legs was so tired. I had about 5km to go (with the last 2km being another long climb). I tried to forget about my legs and focused on the finish line. I caught up to team mate Manus and we ran the last 4km together.

The last climb was tough on my "non-existent" legs, but I knew I had a bit of a gap to the next lady so I just eased to the finish line.

I finished in 5th place overall of the Ladies and 4th in the Open Ladies.

Thanks to Mobii, 32GI, Linebreak compression, Glider eyewear and CapeAutoCentre Triathlon Team!

Cape Winter Trail Series - Race 1 @ Paul Cluver

Today was the 1st race of the Cape Winter Trail Series at Paul Cluver in Grabouw.

The Cape Auto Centre Team was there in full force. It was very exciting as it was our first run in our sponsored 32GI kit. The vibe of the team lifted my mood after a very emotional and hard week. 

The pace at the start was very fast, but ran my own race. I knew the course from last year...it's not an easy one!

At the 2km mark I noticed I was in 6th position and I was feeling great. I kept my pace as I knew it was still a long way home.

At the 4km mark, we started with a long climb (4km long). I felt surprisingly strong and I passed Jenny Close. After reaching the high point at 8.5km it was a technical downhill. Jenny passed me again on the downhill so I was back in 6th position.

I caught two ladies on the downhill section. I saw Jenny in front of me and pushed hard to keep up with her and to maintain my 4th position. Jacoline passed me and Jenny in the last 2km.

I ended up in 5th place. I had a great race and was very happy with my performance. Well done to the rest of the Cape Auto Centre Team. I'm looking forward to the next race at Tygerberg Nature reserve.

Thanks to 32GI, Mobii, Linebreak compression and Glider Eyewear!!

Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team

Last night we had the first Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team meeting/get together!

It was great to meet the team and to finally put the "Name to the Face" :)

We received our products from 32GI and Glider Eyewear!
Thanks for the support and believing in us!!

I really look forward to the season ahead with the team...It's going to be a great one!!

A BIG thank you to Captain T (Tiaan Pretorius) for the effort that you put in to get the team and sponsors together! The team really appreciates your effort!

New Sponsor - Linebreak Compression

I am super excited about my new sponsor - LinebreakCompression!


Linebreak gear does four things:

1. Help you recover faster,
2. Improve your performance,
3.  Control your temperature and
4.  Reduce your risk of injury.

That’s it. No more, No less. No nonsense.

So if you’re expecting to find footy glamour boys or supermodels with big… smiles on our website then toughen up princess, you might as well click off now! On the other hand, if you think durability, performance and No Nonsense speaks your language, then welcome. 

Welcome to our website and welcome to Linebreak. 

http://www.linebreak.com.au/

Thank you Linebreak for supporting me!

XTERRA Hawaii - Fund Raiser

I'm selling raffle tickets to raise funds for my XTERRA World Champs trip to Hawaii in October 2012 


1st Prize: Apple Ipad
2nd Prize: Jonkheer Wine Hamper
3rd Prize: A Grade Lamb.


Tickets are R20.


Please let me know if you want to buy some tickets and support me!!


You can buy tickets directly from me, deposit the money into my bank account and I will enter your name in the draw. If you wish to make a donation towards my trip, please use the same account details.

Thank you for your support!!!!


Acct Name: Colleen De Oliveira
Bank: Absa
Acct Number: 4062540664 (cheque)
Branch Code: 632005

Blog Stats

Thanks to all the people who visit my blog regularly, since 22nd February 2012 to today, i have managed over 1000 hits.

Thanks again for your support and keep coming back for existing news and updates on my sporting career.

South Africa

757

United Kingdom

82

United States

42

Russia

15

Australia

6

Ireland

6

Germany

5

Netherlands

4

Slovakia

4

Switzerland

1

Virgin Active SA – New Sponsor

I am very happy to announce that I'm the new Virgin Active SA - Brand Ambassador for the next year. 



Virgin Active offered to sponsor me with a Premier membership status with access to all Virgin Active Clubs in South Africa and the following:

• Full Public Relations support in terms of activities through the Virgin Active brand
• Links to Virgin Active events and launches
• Inclusion in Virgin Active SA campaigns as a Virgin Active SA ambassador
• Mention on all social media and website – STUFF CAMPAIGN

By the end of 2012 , Virgin Active will have over 100 health clubs nationally.


Please visit Virgin Active website for news and information.


http://www.virginactive.co.za/


http://www.virginactive.co.za/news/view/40

New Sponsor: XTERRA Wetsuits

I am so excited about my new XTERRA Vendetta wetsuit...I just want to swim. 

I fitted and tested the XTERRA wetsuits today at Sea Point swimming pool...WOW what a great wetsuit.

It is really a good quality wetsuit, very comfortable and buoyant....and to top it all, they have excellent after sales service. 

The XTERRA Vendetta is the most technologically advanced wetsuit. The product of years of research and design, the Vendetta is the most flexible and buoyant wetsuit ever made.

If you are looking for a  wetsuit or in the market for a new one...please let me know. 

For more information go to the XTERRA US Website:  http://www.xterrawetsuits.com/

And 'like' the XTERRA SA Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/XterraWetsuitsSouthAfrica

Selected for WP Duathlon Team!

I received some exciting news today...I have been selected to represent Western Province at the SA Duathlon Championships to be held in Worcester on the 17th of June 2012.

Well Done to my friends Jenny Close and Catherine Weedall for making the team as well. I am super excited to be sharing this achievement with you!!  The ladies of the Cape Auto Centre Triathlon Team took the WP Duathlon Champs by storm!!

Thank you to Mobii and GU Energy for the support!

XTERRA World Championship Qualifier Digital Badge

Congratulations on qualifying for the 2012 XTERRA World Championship in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii. We'd like to present you with an official XTERRA qualifying digital badge so that you can share your accomplishment throughout your online social networks including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. We look forward to seeing you on Maui in October. Aloha!

-XTERRA

WP Duathlon Champs - Killarney Race Track

So after not such a great race at the WP trials last Sunday I knew I had to change my mindset!

On my way to Killarney Race Track it was raining like cats and dogs but I was feeling very positive. As I got to the race track the clouds pulled away and a spot of perfect blue sky opened up above the track.

At the start of the race I was feeling calm, positive and in the zone. I decided to start the first two laps of the run a bit easier and then push hard on the last two laps. After the first lap I felt great and I started pushing harder and passed two ladies.

Into transition I was in 4th position. On the bike I put my head down and pushed as hard as I could. I felt great and kept on pushing harder. After the first 2 laps I realised the gap between me and 5th place got bigger and it made me even push harder. I started to close the gap on Jenny Close that was in 3rd place. Being the great runner that Jenny is, I knew I had to open a gap of at least 2 to 3 minutes to stay ahead of her on the next 5km run.

I passed Jenny with 2 laps to go. I tried to open a gap but Jenny stuck like glue :)
We entered transition together. I tried to stay with Jenny on the run but she just opened the gap. I eased into a comfortable pace and just enjoyed the last lap.  I finished feeling great with a smile on my face.

I won my age group and finished 4th overall.

Thanks to Mobii and GU Energy for keeping me on pace :)
 

WP Duathlon Trials - Killarney

Sunday 13 May was the WP Duathlon Trials at Killarney race track.

I knew it was going to be a hard one.
I haven't been on my road bike since SA Triathlon Champs, the wind was blowing and it was at 14h00 in the afternoon. And to make it even worse, we had to run 4 laps (10km), ride 6 laps (40km) and run 2 laps (5km).

The first 2 laps on the run I felt really great and strong, but it just went downhill from there. The last 2 laps was very hard, mentally.

I felt strong on the bike, better than what I thought I would. It felt like the wind got stronger with each lap but before I knew the 40km cycle was over.

Another 2 laps (5km) of running...I knew I had to dig deep to keep going.

I finished 6th overall and I won my age group.

Final Summary of my race: THAT WAS HARD!!!

I can't believe I must do that 'Hamster on a Wheel' course all over again on Sunday 20 May at the WP Duathlon Championships.

New Sponsor on board - Mobii GPS Sport Trainer

I'm so super excited when Mobii contacted me this week during my search for sponsors for XTERRA World Championships in Hawaii this year. They offered to sponsor me with the Mobii Motion GPS training computer to assist me in my preperation for XTERRA World Championship and to utilize the device to measure my performance, heart rate, power output an many more....

This is THE best little device on the market. I really love it. If you thinking of buying a new GPS sport trainer...this is it!

The Motion M01-1 is a GPS training computer designed and manufactured in South Africa. It records your activities and gives you valuable real-time performance information on both a full colour display
as well as via Voice Feedback.

So now you can listen to real-time information such as your speed, pace, stride length, heart rate, calories, distance and more via voice feedback, and listen to your favourite music while out training.

Completely waterproof, with high resolution 1/4 second GPS recording intervals, you can use the Motion in a wide range of sports, and with a lithium polymer battery with extended battery life, it will not let you down. Analyse your performance and synchronise recorded video in the Motion Experience Centre.


Please take a moment and follow the link below:

Link to Mobii: http://www.mobii.com/index.aspx

Lourensford Vineyard 15km Trail run

The Cape Times Lourensford Vineyard 15km trail run, hosted by the beautiful Lourensford Wine Estate, is a must for any "trail-lover"

The trail run has a uniquely designed route, with great views and the best single track ever, that cater for all outdoor enthusiasts of all fitness levels.

This was the best trail run I have done in a very long time. I enjoyed every single moment of the run and I didn't want it to end. Highly recommended race - 10 out of 10!!

After a 4th place and a great run it was time to enjoy the beautiful day at Lourensford Wine Estate and watch the (best) team of Stander and Sauser take another Absa Cape Epic win for the second year in a row.

Next year I will also be crossing that finish line!! :)

SA Triathlon Champs - Port Elizabeth

After a long drive, we eventually got to a windy Port Elizabeth.

We went to race briefing and received our new WP tri-suits. We had a relaxed dinner with the team at Primi Piatti.
I went back to the guest house and packed my race bag.

Sunday morning - Race day:
I woke up, followed my usual routine and off we went to the race venue.
I racked my bike and went for a warm-up swim.

I realised I was very calm...not nervous at all (very unusual for me). I knew my head was not in the race. At the start of the swim I tried to get my focus and my head in the race.

The swim was crazy, the sea was rough. We had a 2 lap swim (2 x 750m). At the start of my 2nd lap I struggle to get back in the water. The waves kept pushing me back.

After a very long and tough swim, I was in and out of T1 and onto a very windy bike leg.
We had a 2 lap bike route (2 x 20km). On the way out to the turn-around point the wind was right from the front. I pushed hard against the wind but I also tried not to kill my legs in the wind.

Coming into T2 I knew I had to push hard on the run. As I ran out of T2 I knew it was going to be a long run. I was feeling flat and had no energy.
I tried to push through it and the harder I pushed the worst I felt.

We had a 4 lap run route (4 x 2.5km). On lap 2 I started to get a terrible back pain. I never wanted to stop so badly before. I kept on telling myself "you got this far, just keep going".
With about 3k's to go I gave it everything but there was nothing.

I finished the race with a 5th place in my age group! I am happy with my position, but I knew I could've done so much better. Officially this is my worst race ever!

I had a great season and achieved my goal!
Thank you to everyone who supported me and believed in me!

It's time to hang up the Road bike and let the fun and games begin on the Mountain Bike.
32 weeks to go - Xterra World Champs!!!

Off to SA Triathlon Champs - Port Elizabeth

So after not such a great week, 2 sessions to the Chiro, some needles in my shoulder (well at least he sorted me out with some minor adjustments and I am feeling much stronger) and our Tri-kit that is a disaster, we are off to Port Elizabeth for the SA Triathlon Champs and it can just go better from here.

I am feeling positive and strong!

Xterra SA Champs - Grabouw

So the week started off on a high note...making the WP triathlon team!
Sunday morning 26 February 2012 my alarm went off at 5am...another early morning start.
I got up, felt calm and positive, but you never know what to expect at Xterra SA Champs.

We had a mass swim start...over 800 athletes fighting for survival. The first 450m was crazy with lots of punches, pulling and kicking. After the first bouy I found myself in a great rhythm and I had a great swim...

Out onto the bike I thought...'this is going to be a good day'...and the next moment I was lying on the ground. I took a huge tumble at about 4k's into the race.
I got up, dusted myself off and back on the bike I realised I could not put pressure on my arm and I couldn't  pull my back break. I had to run down some technical single track sections but I pushed through the pain.

Into T2 I was just so relieved and happy to get off the bike. I lost a lot of time on the bike so I knew I had to push hard on the run. It was hot and hilly and I struggled to get into a rhythm and I was hurting so much...I just wanted to cry.
I collected my thoughts and pulled myself together and pushed hard on the hills.
I made up 5 places on the run but I knew it was not enough.

I finished the race in 3h57, very disappointed but just glad I could finish.

Just as we headed home, a friend, Jenny Close (who did extremely well for her first Xterra) told me I won my age group. I didn't believe her and went to check the results. And so it was... a 1 next to my name. I couldn't believe it. I went back about 4 times just to make double sure.

I was so stoked. I ran to my dad..."guess what..we going to Hawaii again!!"
I will never forget the smile on his face. Seeing the pride on his face, its the best feeling ever...
Mission accomplished.

Thank you to everyone for supporting me, It's just not possible without your support!!

So off to Hawaii we go again in October....

GLOBAL 11/ WP CHAMPS – BIG BAY

My alarm went off at 5am and I got up with the thought in my head....Do I really have to do this??

But I got up, packed the car and off we went to Big Bay.

I felt tense and very nervous...which is an unfamiliar feeling for me and right then I knew it's going to be a good day!!

I racked my bike and met up with my fellow club mates. The tension and nerves disappeared as we started chatting and making jokes.

At 13degrees I knew it was going to be a cold swim!

The swim start was a bit frantic and the stretch to the first bouy felt forever, but once we turned I got into a great rhythm and kicked into gear.

Into T1 I realised I had a very good swim, so I pulled off my suit and got on my bike knowing I have no time to waste.

My bike leg was the best ever. A 4 x 10km loop, with my dad and aunt at the turn-around point.

On each lap I could wait to get to the turn-around point to hear my aunt screaming and supporting me.

I caught up to some of the girls that always lead me by about 3 to 5 min. I had to push hard to stay with them.

Into T2 we were all together. I raced through T2 and started the 10k run.

Jayde Morrison passed me at the 2k mark, I pushed hard to try and stay with her, but she opened the gap with every stride. My legs felt great and I kept pushing hard, but it just wasn't enough.

I finished the race feeling strong and really happy with my performance.....until I saw my dad at the finish line, I just broke down and cried. I was just so happy with my race and to have my family and friends there supporting me.

Next stop - Grabouw for Xterra!