Adam Beckworth will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Final Race to be held at St.Kilda over a distance of a 750m swim 20km bike ride and a 5km run. After placing 1st in the 30-34 age group at the National Age Group Race held in Hobart during February Beckworth is hoping to back it up with a top 5 finish at the Gatorade race. “The form is pretty good at the moment. I have been putting in some solid training for my next National race in Geelong during April so the body is feeling fit”.
There is expected to be over 2000 competitors to participate in the last race of the 2008/2009 Victorian Gatorade Triathlon Series. Fellow competitor and athlete that Beckworth coaches Peter Kerr will also be competing. Kerr will be coming off a solid result in the pro category at National Olympic Distance Championships held in Perth last week. Kerr who is 20yrs old placed 17th in steamy hot conditions. “This was a great result for Peter at his first Australian Championships racing as pro. He was up against some stiff competition including Olympian Courtney Aktinson. The race was a great learning experience for Peter and I think will give him great motivation to train even harder for next season.”
The main race kicks off at 8.45am on Sunday 22nd March.
Next race: Adam’s next race is the National Olympic Distance Triathlon Series race in Geelong on Sunday 5th April over an Olympic Distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Hobart pre race report
Courtesy of the Geelong Advertiser - By Denis Craven
GEELONG triathlete Adam Beckworth will go to Hobart this weekend with two young dashers for the Australian Sprint Championships.
Beckworth, 32, will contest the 30-34 age group in the hope of gaining selection for the Australian team to compete at the world championships on the Gold Coast in September.
Two triathletes he coaches, Peter Kerr, 20, and Tom Perkins, 17, will also compete in Hobart.
The sprint triathlon championships comprise a 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run.
Beckworth will compete in his event on Sunday morning and then assist Perkins in his ITU junior race at noon and Kerr in his under-23 elite race in the afternoon.
It will be Kerr's first race at under-23 national level after last season qualifying for his pro-licence.
Kerr will be using Hobart to tune up for his next two races in the national series, which are qualifying selection races for the Australian team at the world titles in September.
Kerr hopes to be in peak form for the selection races, the Gold Coast Oceania Championships and the Australian Olympic Distance Championships in Perth.
The Geelong Deakin University student has a strong swimming background as a lifesaver in Warrnambool.
"Peter has improved a lot in his time-trials and seems to be on track for some good results after Hobart," Beckworth said.
"Swimming is the first leg and he's going well enough to come out with the front pack and be in the line of fire," Beckworth said.
The coach believes Perkins, a Victorian team member, will benefit from racing against top triathletes from throughout Australia in Hobart.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4 – Portarlington
Adam Beckworth finished 6th place at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4 held in Portarlington on Sunday. After coming 3rd out of the water Adam joined a pack of 3 riders with a 25 second lead which was quickly diminished to become a pack of 8. In the first 4km on the run four competitors broke away from Beckworth, and although he had a stronger finish he came in at 6th place “I did not feel like I had fresh legs at all today. Straight off in the first 1km I could feel I was not running as freely as I was in the last race. My back stiffened up which restricted me a lot”.
Adam’s next race is a National Age Group Qualifying race “My main focus is the National Olympic distance race in Hobart. I am hoping for a win which I think is possible. My running form will hopefully give me this chance”. Winning the race will allow Beckworth to achieve an automatic selection into the Australian World Age Group Team for the World Olympic Distance Championships that will be held in Queensland later this year
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Australian Triathlon Series race in Hobart on Sunday 15th February over an Olympic Distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run
Beckworth to compete in the Gatorade Portarlington Triathlon’s 23rd Year is Victoria's longest running Triathlon.
Adam Beckworth will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 4 to be held at Portarlington Pier over a distance of an 800m swim 26km bike ride and a 8km run. After placing 3rd in the Elite field at the last race Beckworth is looking for another top 5 finish “The swim is a bit longer at Port and hopefully the weather this week will warm the water up enough for a non wetsuit swim, which sorts out the weaker swimmers”.
Portarlington has been a favorite place for Beckworth with a 2nd place in 2007 “I love these races in your home region. Family and friends come down and share what you work hard for. I’m really looking forward to it”
With Leon Griffin last year’s winner and 2008 Geelong 70.3 Ironman winner, the likes of Series Leader Jamie Rhodes on his tail, and Sam Hume - 2nd Australian in the 2008 Hawaii Ironman it will be a tough race for Beckworth. “We will see what happens, but respect to guys like Leon Griffin must be given as they are world standard and have won big races on the USA circuit so I will be happy to get in the top 5.”
Another local Peter Kerr who placed 4th last year will also be competing at the Portarlington race on Sunday to start his 2009 campaign before he attends the National Elite Series races over February and March which will be held in Hobart, Gold Coast and Perth.
It is Victoria's favourite and longest running triathlon, celebrating its 23rd year! An estimated 1500 competitors will be participating in the race. This is the 10th year that Beckworth has competed in the event.
The main race kicks off at 8.30am on Sunday 1st February.
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Australian Triathlon Series race in Hobart on Sunday 15th February over an Olympic Distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 3 – Sandringham
Beckworth breaks onto the podium
Adam Beckworth finished 3rd place at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Olympic Distance Race - Race 3 held in Sandringham on Sunday. After coming 2nd out of the water Adam joined a pack of 6 riders to chase down the leader out of the swim Jamie Rhodes who was caught at the 25km mark. In the run three competitors broke away from Beckworth in the first part of the run but he started pegging them back in the second 5km “The Olympic Distance race really suited me today. The longer swim and run really sorted out a few people”.
An improved run enabled him to finish on the podium in third place 11 seconds behind 2nd place Jamie Rhodes and 26 seconds behind 1st place Brent Schuster who are both past VIS scholarship holders “I was aiming for a top 5 finish so I’m stoked about coming 3rd today . It spurs me on to train harder and really keep focused over the next 2 months. A month ago I was really struggling with a virus and back problems. It is amazing how things can turn around if you just keep working hard and do the right training”.
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Race 4 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 1st February at Portarlington. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 3 – Sandringham
Adam Beckworth will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 3 to be held at Sandringham this Sunday over an Olympic Distance course of 1500m swim 40km bike ride and a 10km run and is estimated to have over 1500 competitors participating in the race.
After placing 9th in the Elite field at the last race Beckworth is looking to achieve his goal of going top 5. The last two Gatorade Triathlon races have ended up being Duathlons where there the swim at the start of the triathlon was replaced with a run due to the heavy rainfall within 24 hours of the event, it causes the EPA readings to be high therefore it has been unsafe to swim in the ocean. These have not suited Beckworth as his strongest leg is the swim.
“The Olympic Distance races really suits me due to the longer swim and as the swim is my strongest leg this will work to my advantage. Hopefully a couple of us will be able to achieve at least a 1minute lead out of the water and try to sustain or increase it on the bike. I am also a stronger runner over 10km than the 5km distance so it will come down to who can hang on and run the fastest on the day. You can be the best trainer but it all comes down to what you can do on race day.”
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Race 4 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 1st February at Portarlington. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 1 – St.Kilda - Race Report
Hi Everyone,
Just letting you know I did not race as I woke up the morning of the race with a very sore throat and flu symptoms.
Even though I was really looking forward to the race I decided that it would be a detriment to my health and the rest of the season if I raced.
I am hoping I make a speedy recovery during the week and I can get back into full training for the next Gatorade Race on 14th December.
Thanks for your support.
Cheers
Adam Beckworth
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 1 – St.Kilda
Adam will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 1 to be held at St.Kilda this Sunday over a course of 500m swim 20km bike ride and a 5km run. There will be over 1500 competitors participating in the race. Last year at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Adam placed 4th in the Elite Section. He is hoping to better his result this year.
“These races have always been a favourite of mine. I have been racing in it for the last 14 years, from a Junior to an Elite. The racing is made so much more exciting due to the atmosphere created at the race site by over 2500 competitors and spectators along the course with some great music being pumped out over the PA”
Adam over the last 2 years has been racing in the pro triathlon circuit in France during the Australian winter. This year he decided that he would give racing over there a rest, stay here in Geelong and get a good winter of training under his belt.
“My body is feeling stronger. Having a rest from racing all year for the last 2 years has allowed my body to rest just a little. Don’t get me wrong the racing has changed me as an athlete for the better but there is nothing like doing a solid 6 months of winter training going into the summer season. It has allowed me to be able to concentrate on improving my weaknesses. When you are racing all the time you spend a lot effort preparing yourself for actual races so therefore there is little time for huge amounts of strength training. Accumulation of training and the stability of being in one place will hopefully see some great results. ”
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Race 2 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 14th December at Elwood. It is over a distance of 500m swim 20km ride 5km run.
Need 4 Speed.com.au released
Sports online store Need 4 Speed has been released. Buy all your Engine Goggles, Engine Swimwear and PowerBar products at www.need4speed.com.au
Training in an Australian winter
Well winter has hit Victoria this month. The cold winds have really set in. The cold winds have made it hard to get motivated to get out there and train but the thought of improving and doing well later in the year has been my driving force.
I have been hitting the training pretty hard with gym work, a small amount of some swimming, lots of running work and maintaining my bike fitness.
I am finding it very refreshing to be able to do some solid blocks of training with no racing which is allowing a larger base to built to rebound off.
My strength has definitely been increasing which I can already feel in my running.
This is a great sign.
My first race is Noosa Triathlon as a nice kick off to the season with the main aim on racing well in Victorian Gatorade Triathlon Series and achieving higher results than last year.
Every year I keep improving and I most definitely think it will continue this year. Many years of hard work I feel is starting to pay off which will hopefully see some bigger results to come this season.
Beckworth goes Top 5 in final race
Adam Beckworth finished 5 th place at the final race of the Gatorade Triathlon Series held in St.Kilda on Sunday. An improved run leg helped him achieve his goal of 5th and cement his 4th place in the Elite category for the Series. Up and coming junior Peter Kerr who is coached by Adam finished off a great season with 3 rd place in the Elite category for the Series.
Adam Beckworth had a pleasing result on the weekend to finish off his Australian season at race 6 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series. The sprint distance race consisted of a 750m Swim, a 20km Bike and a 5km Run. In cold conditions Adam came out of the water with the lead swimmers and started the bike leg with them. They were soon caught by a group of 5. Intense speeds were kept on the bike via many attacks by the competitors. Even though the many attacks took the sting out of Adam’s legs he was still able to have a fast run, out running competitors who would normally beat him. The result was a satisfying way for him to finish off his Australian season after all the hard work put into training over the last month. “Finishing 4th in the series is a great achievement for me. It is something that I am happy with after a busy year of racing overseas in France and having a baby boy last April. It has been quite an adjustment with all those sleepless nights combined with training. Credit goes to my wife who has been great support. The result is something to build on into next season. As I am not going back to France this winter I can really concentrate on getting some solid blocks of training laid down over the next 6months. For the past 2 years my training has been focused towards the European season that happens between May to September. The training has always been aimed towards it so it has been hard to get myself up for the racing during the Australian summer season. I am really excited about seeing what will happen to my form in Australian races over the next 6-12months. There are some good signs that there is still room for improvement in my performances.”
Adam’s next race will be on the weekend at a local event in Geelong. It will be the Harwood Andrews Geelong Corporate Triathlon . He is excited about racing in his local town.
“I always love racing in Geelong. Less travel, your friends and family are able to come out and see you race. Most events are too far away for them to attend. They can come and see why triathlon is such as great sport. It is a race I will have some fun with.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Geelong Corporate Triathlon on Sunday 6th April at Eastern Gardens. It is over a distance of 500m swim 10km ride 5km run.
Beckworth and Kerr hope to consolidate top positions in Gatorade Triathlon Series
Geelong athletes Adam Beckworth and Peter Kerr will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 6 to be held at St.Kilda this Sunday over a course of 750m swim 20km bike ride and a 5km run. There will be over 2000 competitors participating at the last race. Adam and Peter are looking for solid performances that will help them take out 4th and 3rd in the Elite Series.
Pete’s running has improved a lot this season which has helped him achieve top results over the past 12months. Since moving to Geelong from Warrnambool in March last year to take up his studies in construction and facilities management at Deakin University, Peter has been under the guidance of triathlon coach and fellow competitor Adam Beckworth. With this being his first serious season of triathlons since moving from the sport of Surf Life Saving, Peter has had some sensational results. They include fastest overall Age Grouper at the Canberra National Series Triathlon which qualified him for his Pro License that will allow him to compete internationally and nationally as a Professional. Other outstanding results have been two 4th places and a 5th place in the Open Elite section in the Gatorade Triathlon Series Races. He has made the step from a Junior Elite to the Open Elite section with success. At the age of 19years this is a great achievement.
Adam and Peter are among the strongest swimmers in the sport of triathlon and have been able to use this as a weapon this season to make a break from their competitors at all races. This has helped in their successful results this season thus far.
Adam said: "Over the past month I have felt my strength come back to me after a horrific 2months over December and January where I could not shake a virus I had. It is looking all positive leading into this weekend’s race. Over the last month my fitness is definitely back to the level it should be. I think a top 5 result is a possibility. A top 3 would be awesome. This will cement my position of 4th Elite in the Gatorade Triathlon Series for the season.”
Beckworth goes top 5 at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 5
Adam had a solid race at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 5 held at Elwood on Sunday. He placed 5th in the Elite field. Adam was first out of the water over the 600m swim. On the bike Adam stayed with the chasing pack of 7. A strong run enabled Adam to hold onto 5th position.
"This was a positive performance for me and my best place for the season in the Gatorade Series. I feel my form I was in at the start of season where I placed first up in Noosa in the Open category is coming back to me. The couple of changes I have made in my training has started to take affect. It was a good result today as I was up against multiple World Triathlon champion Peter Robertson and World Duathlon champion Leon Griffin.
I am starting to now achieve my goal of Top 5 every time I race.”
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Race 5 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 30th March at St.Kilda. It is over a distance of 750mswim 20km ride 5km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4 – Portarlington – Race Result
Adam had a solid race at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 4 held at Portarlington on Sunday. He placed 9 th in the Elite field. Adam was second out of the water over the 800m swim. On the bike a group of three including Adam broke away for a small distance of 4km before being joined by 4 others. Adam stayed with the front pack until the run. Fellow local competitor Peter Kerr finished strong in the run to finish 4 th. With these results both Adam and Peter hold their positions in the series of 4 th and 3 rd respectively.
"This race was the strongest I have felt in the water all season. I was able to maintain a high speed with little ease. On the bike I also felt the strongest I have all season. There are definitely some good signs there. Now for my run leg to fall into place. I am hoping a few little changes I make in training will start to come into affect at the next race and I can start placing in at least the Top 5. I think this is achievable”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race 5 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 17th February at Elwood. It is over a distance of 600m swim 20km ride 6km run.
Beckworth hopes to strike it lucky again this year
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4 – Portarlington
Adam will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 4 to be held at Portarlington this Sunday over a course of 800m swim 26km bike ride and a 8km run. There will be over 1500 competitors participating in the race. Last year at the Portarlington race was where Adam achieved his best result at a Gatorade Race over his triathlon career. Placing 2 nd in the Elite section he was able to join together with fellow competitors Peter Kerr and Kristian McCartney to make a break on the bike.
“I hope Portarlington turns out to be my lucky race. Last year was a great result for me considering that I was really training for the French season. This year has been more of a focus on the triathlon season here in Australia as I will not be heading back over to France this year. Training has been feeling a lot better over the last 2 weeks. As they say the harder you work the more luck you create for yourself.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race 5 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 17th February at Elwood. It is over a distance of 600m swim 20km ride 6km run.
Another solid hit out.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 3 – Sandringham
Adam had a solid race at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 3 held at Sandringham on Sunday. He placed 9th in the Elite field. Adam was second out of the water over the 1500m swim. On the 40km bike leg there was a group of 6 riders in the lead pack. Adam stayed with the front pack until the run.
"I felt great in the water. On the bike I felt like I held my own against my competitors. My fitness has definitely improved. I am feeling stronger everyday which means I am over my virus. That was a good solid hit out for me today as I did not back my training off too much leading into the race. I am gunning to have a better performance on the 3rd February at Race 4 in Portarlington.
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Race 4 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 3rd February at Portarlington. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 3 – Sandringham
Adam will be competing at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 3 to be held at Sandringham this Sunday over an Olympic Distance course of 1500m swim 40km bike ride and a 10km run and is estimated to have over 1500 competitors participating in the race. After placing 8th in the Elite field at the last race he is ready to take the next step in getting onto the podium. After being hampered by a virus early in December Adam has been able to put in some solid training over the last 3 weeks and hopes he can take a step in the right direction and achieve his first Gatorade podium finish for this season.
“The Olympic Distance races really suits me due to the longer swim and I am also a stronger runner over 10km than the 5km distance. Due to the hot weather we have had there is a very good chance it will be a non wetsuit swim for the elite category which will work to my advantage and hopefully a couple of us will be able to achieve at least a 1.5minute lead out of the water over the faster runners who are usually slower swimmers. Then it will come down to who can hang on and run the fastest on the day. I feel my running fitness has improved a lot since the last race so it will be very interesting to see what happens.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race 4 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 3rd February at Portarlington. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run.
A Great Hit Out at Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 2 – Elwood
Adam had a solid race at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 2 held at Elwood on Sunday. He placed 8th in the Elite field. There were over 2000 competitors participating in the race. Adam was second out of the water over the 500m swim. On the 20km bike leg there was a group of 7 riders in the lead pack. Adam stayed with the front pack until the run. Unfortunately he was still feeling the after effects of the virus he had last week and was not able to meet his goal of top 5.
"I just did not feel myself today. In the swim I was up there but not feeling as strong as I normally do. On the bike I really struggled with my breathing which hampered me putting in a max effort. On the run I was only able to keep a good rhythm. All in all it was a good race to compete in which allowed me to get a great hit out against some top competition. ”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race 3 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 13th January at Sandringham. It is over a distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 2 – Elwood
Adam will race at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 2 held in Elwood this Sunday. It will be over a 500m swim 20km bike ride and a 5km run. There will be over 1800 competitors participating in the race. After placing 7 th in the Elite field at the last race he is out to improve on that result. The race this weekend will help him in his preparation for more important races coming up in January and February.
"I was hoping to put in a couple of big weeks of training before this weeks race but unfortunately got sick. I have not been able to complete much training at all over the last 7 days. I will take it easy for the rest of the week to fully get over the virus and use this weekend’s race as training to bring up my fitness. I still hope to go top 5 though.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race 2 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 9th December at Elwood. It is over a distance of 500m swim 20km ride 5km run.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 1 – St.Kilda
Adam had a solid race at the Gatorade Triathlon Series - Race 1 held in St.Kilda on Sunday. He placed 7 th in the Elite field. There were over 2000 competitors participating in the race. Adam was second out of the water over the 500m swim behind fellow training partner Peter Kerr. They had a 20sec gap coming out of the swim. On the 20km bike leg conditions were quite stormy and windy making it very challenging ride. Adam stayed with the front pack until the run. Unfortunately his body started to stiffen up on the run therefore not enabling him to maintain the speed he needed to keep up with the leaders.
"I was hoping to come top 5 today but the legs were just not there in the run. I had a red hot crack in the swim and the bike to try and make a break with two others but unfortunately it took its toll on the run. I tried to work to my strengths by attempting to make a break in the swim, then convert this into a bigger lead on the bike and hold on in the run. This is the best way for me to race in draft legal elite races. It didn’t happen today but one of these races I am sure a big result will come out of it.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race 2 of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 9th December at Elwood. It is over a distance of 500m swim 20km ride 5km run.
A successful start in Noosa
Adam had an impressive start to his season finishing first place in the Open section in Noosa on the weekend in a time of 2hours and 12 seconds and 18 th overall in a field of 2200 competitors. Adam led out of the calm waters of the 1500metre swim in the Noosa lagoon by 5 seconds. Out on the 40km bike leg, Adam stayed with the front group and in windy conditions managed to finish the bike leg in the top 4 competitors in his category. Leaving transition in first place going into the 10km run Adam had 2 other competitors on his tail and in the last 5km had a handy lead. He finished the race in first place with second and third place finishing within 30 seconds behind him. With only two months of training under his belt after taking 4 weeks off this result showed good signs for the future summer season in Victoria starting in two weeks time at Race One of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 18th November .
Both Age Group competitors and professional competitors competed over the same course in the same conditions. Adam raced in the Open section which is in between the Professional category and the Age Group category .
"I was not expecting to win up here in Noosa but believed that could if there was a chance. The racing in France over the last two years has played a big part in my win today. Even though I was not fully fit my racing skills were there. I am really looking forward to the summer season ahead."
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race One of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 18th November at St.Kilda, Catani Gardens. It is over a distance of 500m swim 20km ride 5km run.
Starting the Triathlon season in Noosa
Adam's first race of the season will kick off in sunny Noosa. He has put in a hard two months of training since having a break for 4 weeks upon his return to Australia after his successful European race season in France. His fitness has come along in leaps and bounds which is a great sign with his first race only days away. "I will use the Noosa triathlon to help condition me for the up and coming summer season."
The Noosa Triathlon which is being held on 4th November attracts over 4000 competitors to its popular shores. The race includes a 1.5km swim 40km ride and 10km run. Both Age Group competitors and professional competitors compete over the same course in the same conditions. Adam's racing in the Open section which is in between the Professional category and the Age Group category .
"I am hoping for a top 5 finish at this race due it being my first race back. I expect my swim, bike and run to all be solid and It will about getting the feel for racing again. My plan is to swim strong and come out of the water with the leaders, then on the bike it will be about hurting myself for the first 20km to stay with the front group. After that I should be right to stay with them for the rest of the ride. On the run it will be my greatest test to see where my running speed is at."
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Race One of the Gatorade Triathlon Series on Sunday 18th November at St.Kilda, Catani Gardens. It is over a distance of 500m swim 20km ride 5km run.
New Sponsor - Orca
Adam is proud to announce that Orca have come on board as a sponsor. They have a great range of swimming wetsuits.
View their website to see more www.orca.com
Time to head home
Well the family and I are heading back to Geelong, Australia after a successful European campaign. It was yet again a great experience and enjoyable time had by all. We had 2 weeks in Spain as a break after all the racing. We are back on Thursday 2nd August.
Look forward to catching up with you all. Hope everyone is well. Adam
Beckworth finishes off European Season in style
Adam Beckworth finished 2 nd place at the Saint Nazaire Triathlon on Sunday which was the last race of his European season. Adam had a superb swim which enabled him to lead out of the water by 30 seconds. He had a strong ride and run to finish in 2nd place.
Adam Beckworth had a fantastic result on the weekend to finish off his European season at the Saint Nazaire Triathlon. The Sprint distance race consisted of a 750m Swim, a 20km Bike and a 5km Run where Adam finished 2nd in the Professional section. He was able to overcome his fatigue he suffered from last week’s race in Le Man to bounce back into some great form. He started well by leading out of the swim by 30seconds and held onto that lead until the 9km mark on the bike leg. His running form was stronger this week which enabled him to secure a podium finish of 2 nd place. The result for Adam was a pleasing and satisfying way for him to finish off his European season after being so down after last week’s race. “Freshening up last week really made a difference. I felt great during the swim and worked hard to make sure I had a good break. During the bike leg I got into a great rhythm and rode my own race. Running off the bike I felt so much better this week. It felt like I had a new lease of life in my legs. Taking it easy in training last week worked well for me as my aim was to finish off my European season on a good note. Finishing nd did just that. Tres bien”
Next race : Adam’s next race is Noosa Triathlon in Australia on 4 th November. It is over an Olympic distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Le Man Triathlon – 1st July 2007
Adam Beckworth finished 8 th place at the Le Man Triathlon on Sunday. Adam had a solid swim leading ex-Olympian Stephan Bignet out of the water by 10 seconds. Effects of the crash last week and 6 consecutive weeks of racing caught up with Adam and he finished in 8th place.
Adam Beckworth had an indifferent result on the weekend at the Le Man Triathlon on the weekend. The Olympic distance race consisted of a 1500m Swim, a 40km Bike and a 10km Run. Adam finished 8 th in the Professional section. After leading out of the swim by 10seconds he was joined by a group on the bike leg that included World Long Course Triathlon Champion Xavier Le Floch. During the last part of the bike leg Adam lost a lot of time as fatigue eventually caught up to him due to the effects of the bike crash he had during last week’s race and 6 consecutive weeks of racing. He could not recover from there and finished in 8th place. “During the bike leg I felt like I was on the edge most of the time and the rubber band eventually broke. From there I could not recover and battled hard through the run leg. I think the crash last week, 6 consecutive weeks of racing and intense training has taken a lot more out of me than what I first thought. I am really flat and tired at the moment. It really showed in the race on the weekend. I blew up in a big way. I have run at least 3minutes quicker in all my races this season. Even in training I have run faster. I have taken the strategy of taking the next 4 days of training very easy. This will hopefully freshen me up for the last race of my European Season. I really hope I can finish off on a good note.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is at the St.Nazaire Triathlon on the coast of France on 8 th July. It is over a distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Beckworth places 2 nd at St Jean De Mont Triathlon – 24 th June 2007
Adam Beckworth finished 2 nd place at the St Jean De Mont Triathlon on Sunday. Adam had a strong swim leading out of the water by 1min 30 seconds. While joint leader he crashed on the bike but recovered to be 3 rd after the bike and had a great run to finish in 2 nd place.
Adam Beckworth had an extremely pleasing result on the weekend at the St Jean De Mont Triathlon held on the east coast of France. The Olympic distance race consisted of a 1500m Swim, a 40km Bike and a 10km Run. Adam finished 2 nd in the Professional section. After leading out of the swim by 1min 30seconds he was joined by fellow Australian Kristian McCartney on the bike leg. During the bike leg Adam crashed during the second lap. He recovered well despite losing valuable ground and was still able to run a very strong final leg to finish in 2 nd place. “ St Jean De Mont is a big race on the French triathlon calendar so to come second here is is very satisfying. I was able to get back on the bike after the crash despite an ankle injury and run myself into a podium finish over a challenging run course. I am in good form now after a very solid preparation of training and racing during the last few weeks. Next week I race at Le Man where I am aiming to finish in the top three again.
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Le Man Triathlon on 1 st July. It is over a distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Beckworth finally makes podium
Mont St Michel Triathlon – 17 th June 2007
Adam Beckworth finished 2 nd place at the Mont St Michel Triathlon on Sunday. Adam had a strong swim leading out of the water by 30 seconds. He kept in touch on the bike with the top 5. He finished off with a great run, running from 6 th position into 2 nd place.
Adam Beckworth just keeps on improving. His performance on the weekend at the Mont St Michel Triathlon held at the top of Brittany in France was over an Olympic distance course of 1500m Swim 40km Bike and 10km Run. His result was 2 nd in the Professional section. The race created some great competition and fitness to finish off a hard week’s training for Adam. This will help him in his preparation for two big races coming up in the next couple of weeks. “I was really happy with my race today and it was a tough course especially where we had to run 10km on grass and mud. It was a really good hard hit out, if you can call it that to finish off a hard week of training. Hopefully this is a positive sign of things to come and I can finish off my French season on a good note. The next two races I am looking forward to are, one on the coast which has an ocean swim which I love and other at Le Man where I was disqualified last year for not doing a penalty lap on the run.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the St Jean De Mont Triathlon on the coast of France on 24 th June. It is over a distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Port Brillet Triathlon – 10 th June 2007
Adam Beckworth finished 5th place at the Port Brillet Triathlon on Sunday. Adam had a great swim leading out of the water by 5 seconds. His bike leg was a lot stronger than the last two weeks keeping pace with the top 5 for 30km but he faded in the last 10km. He had another solid run, running from 7 th position to finish in 5 th place.
Adam Beckworth had an improved performance on the weekend at the Port Brillet Triathlon held at one of the beautiful small towns in France over an Olympic distance course of 1500m Swim 40km Bike and 10km Run. His result was 5 th in the Professional section. There were some pleasing signs in his race over a testing bike course. He again achieved another bit of fitness out of the race which will help him to achieve a higher place in his upcoming races. “I really put the pedal down in the swim today and made my other competitors work hard, I felt great in the water. On the bike I felt like I held my own against the same competitors I have raced against over the past few French races. My fitness has improved and I am feeling stronger everyday which means I am over the jet lag. I would expect my performances to keep improving as I am adjusting to racing again. I am gunning to have better performances on the 24 th June at St Jean De Mont and 1 st July at Le Man.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Mont St Michel Triathlon in the northern part of France on 17 th June. It is over a distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
La Rochelle Triathlon – 3rd June 2007
Adam Beckworth finished 4 th place at the La Rochelle Triathlon on Sunday. Adam had a great swim and led out of the swim by 20 seconds. He was soon joined by 8 other competitors on the bike due to it being a drafting allowed race during the bike leg. Adam was unlucky to miss the break away on the bike and was 7 th off the bike. He had a solid run to finish in 4 th spot just 15seconds behind 3rd.
Adam Beckworth had another solid performance on the weekend at the La Rochelle Triathlon held at one of the picturesque beaches of southern part of France over a course of a 750m Swim 20km Bike Ride 5km Run. His result was 4 th in the Professional section. It being his second race for the European season Adam feels he gained great race fitness from it and can feel himself improving with every race. “I had a great swim today coming out first by a fair way. I felt great coming out of the water which was a great sign. Unfortunately I missed the break away pack during the ride which probably cost me second place but that is racing. I will make sure it will not happen next time. I felt great during the run today which is a good sign that I am getting over the jet lag. My body is feeling stronger and stronger every week so I look forward to the race next week where I hope to place in the top 3.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the Port Brillet Triathlon in the northern part of France on 10 th June. It is over a distance of 1500m swim 40km ride 10km run.
Beckworth’s start to the European Season
Adam Beckworth finished 5th place at his first race in France at the Laval Triathlon last Sunday. Together with two other international competitors Adam led out the swim and made a 50 second gap on the chasing pack in the swim. Cold, wet and windy conditions along with a extremely hilly course made it hard for Adam on the bike leg with the temperature getting down to 10 degrees. Adam was 7th off the bike and had a solid run to finish in 5th spot.
Adam Beckworth had another solid performance on the weekend at the Laval Triathlon held in the north west of France over a course of a 1500m Swim 40km Bike Ride 10km Run. His result was 5th in the Professional section. It being his first race for the season Adam was pleased with the performance as he has not yet recovered from jet lag and the time difference. He feels that it will help him in his preparation for his future races in the coming month. “My race plan was to swim with the leaders and then keep a good tempo on the bike. I found it pretty hard out there on the bike as it was extremely cold and windy. I just seemed to have no power on the bike today. I think I need another week of high intensity training and adjusting to the time zones. We are racing at 3pm in the afternoon which is 11pm Australian time. So I just need to give my body time to adjust and then I will hopefully start placing a bit higher.”
Next race : Adam’s next race is the La Rochelle Triathlon in the southern part of France on 3 rd June. It is over a distance of 750m swim 20km ride 5km run. It set on the along the coast of France.
Great news on all fronts
Firstly
A beautiful baby boy was born on 13th April
My wife Pen gave birth to Taj John Beckworth 6.30am Friday morning. A healthy baby weighing in at 7 pound 12.
Exciting times and another adventure in life.
Secondly I have been given the opportunity to race for the France team TOC Cesson-Sevigne that I raced for last season. I am heading over there for 8 weeks of racing starting with my first race on 27th May. I am really looking forward to racing in France again. I feel like I am in the best racing form of my career in triathlons after some great results this summer in Australia most notably my 2nd at the last Gatorade Triathlon Series race in Portarlington finishing in front of World Champion Peter Robertson and race one winner Josh Rix for nearly 2minutes.
The whole family Penny, Shae, Taj and I are all heading over to France on 14th May.
We will be returning back to Australia on 1st August.
With my job of website designing I will be still working my usual hours every week for Infosync. www.infosync.com.au.
If anyone wishes to contact me when I am away I can be reached and have voice mail at (03) 9016 9118 or skypename: adambeckworth
Have fun in life as it is to short
Beckworth’s finishes off the season in style
Adam Beckworth finished 2nd place at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 6 held in Portarlington on Sunday. Together Peter Kerr and Adam made a 15 second gap on the chasing pack in the swim. Kristian McCartney joined them and a further 2 minute gap was made on the bike to give them a 2 minute 30 second lead after the bike leg. Adam held on in the run to finish 56 seconds behind Kristian and 30 seconds in front of Peter.
Adam Beckworth had an spectacular result on the weekend at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 6 held in Portarlington over a course of a 800m Swim 26km Bike Ride 8km Run. His result was 2nd in the Elite section his best ever result in a Victorian race in the Elite section. It being his last race for the season he was ecstatic to finish off the Australian Triathlon season on a positive note. “My race went to plan as I had some one to work with me on the bike leg to increase the lead we had after the swim. I had a strong swim and bike combination today and a solid run which made the difference. My result showed that the hard training on the bike and run over the summer has really paid off. I am absolutely stoked. I would like to thank the support of all my sponsors who have helped me out this season: PowerBar, Engine Eyewear swimwear and goggles, Oakley, Brooks running and Degrandi Cycle and Sport.”
Adam Beckworth wants a podium at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Final race!
Adam Beckworth next race is the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 6 to be held in Portarlington. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run. The organiser expects over 1500 people competing. It is the last race of the Gatorade Triathlon Series Victoria's Premier Triathlon Series.
"I will take the race out hard and hopefully a couple of us can get away on the bike to create a gap on my strongest opponents", says Adam Beckworth.
Adam Beckworth is expected to dominate the opening 800 meter swim again in Portarlington.
"My strong swim leg can be a decisive advantage and hopefully the hard training on the bike I have been doing over the last month will show this weekend".
"After a rigorous summer of training I am confident the solid work is paying off. At the moment I feel ahead of my original schedule. I hope I can already show improved performances in the bike and the run leg."
"I am fired up about finishing off the Victorian season with a good result. I am hoping to place in the top 3."
Barwon Banks Fun Run
Adam Beckworth finished 3rd in the 10km fun run race. He was pleased with his place up against in form specialist distance runners. He held a good pace over a slow course to finish in a time of 34min 06sec.
Triathlete Adam Beckworth had a pleasing result on the weekend at the Barwon Banks Fun 10km race held in Geelong along the Barwon River coming in 3rd. It was a perfect race to do as it is the distance that he has to cover on the run leg in Olympic Distance triathlons he competes in. It will help him get the running fitness and speed he will need to keep up with the front runners in the Gatorade Triathlon Series, the top state triathlon series in Victoria. “This was a great hit out to see where my training is at and also great practice for running over the 10km. I was pleased with my result up against the specialist distance runners. I feel the race will help me immensely leading into a 4week hard running phase I start next week.”
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Gatorade Triathlon Race 6 to be held in Portarlington on 25th March. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run. There will be over 2000 people competing.
Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4
- Press Release
Adam Beckworth who finished in 5th place and had the fastest Elite swim. There was 2500 people racing. He made a 30sec gap on the chasing pack in the swim but was caught by the main pack during the bike leg.
Adam Beckworth had another solid performance on the weekend at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4 held in Elwood over a course of a 500m Swim 14km Bike Ride 4km Run. His result was 5th in the Open/Elite section. It being his second race for the season he has not yet reached his full race fitness. He feels that it will be a great lead up to the next Gatorade Triathlon Series Race in Portarlington in one months time. “My race really did not go to plan as I had no one to work with me on the bike leg to increase the lead I had after the swim. The main pack eventually caught me. I felt good in the swim and bike but by the time I got to the run I had wasted a lot of energy on the bike trying to break away. I am looking forward to my next race in the Gatorade Series as the swim is longer and I am getting fitter with every race.”
Next race:
Adam’s next race is the Gatorade Triathlon Race 6 to be held in Portarlington on 25th March. It is over a distance of 800m swim 26km ride 8km run. There will be over 2000 people competing.
Victorian Triathlon Sprint Championships
Sandringham - Press Release
1:05 Minutes and 21 Seconds was Adam Beckworth’s time for his first race for the triathlon season in Victoria.
Adam Beckworth who finished in 3rd place together with Brett Cooper and Jamie Rhodes made a 46sec gap on the chasing pack in the swim and put a further 47sec on them on the bike to have a 1 minute 33sec lead after the bike leg.
The winner of the event was Brett Cooper who finished 41seconds ahead of 2nd placed Jamie Rodes and 50seconds ahead of Adam. Brett made his break on the run to win. After the race Adam and Jamie were both disqualified.
Adam Beckworth had a great result on the weekend at the Victorian Sprint Championships held in Sandringham over a course of a 750m Swim 20km Bike Ride 5km Run. His result was 3rd in the Open/Elite section his best result in a Victoria Championships in the Open/Elite section. It being his first race for the season he has not yet reached his full race fitness and is already placing in the top three. This has given him even more motivation for next weeks hit out at the Gatorade Triathlon Series Race 4 in Elwood. “I had a pretty good day considering this was my first real hit out for the year. I felt good in the bike and swim but struggled a little on the run due to race fitness. I had a good swim coming out of the water equal first out of 600 people. ”
Due a ruling that has just been brought in that a person racing in the Open category must be a holder of a Professional license or have been endorsed by a Level 2 triathlon coach and Triathlon Victoria to race in drafting races Adam was disqualified. Adam was not made aware that he needed to complete it every season after being endorsed last year.
“I was very disappointed that I was not notified about this earlier in the week when I entered as I could of easily been endorsed as I have been doing this type of racing for the last 10 years.”
Next race: Adam’s next race is the Gatorade Triathlon Race 4 to be held in Elwood. It is over a distance of 600m swim 20km ride 6km run. There will be over 1500 people competing. Last years Gatorade Triathlon Series winner Kristian McCartney, current series leader Josh Rix and three time World Champion Peter Robertson will be racing who Adam hopes both will come out of the swim with him so they can work together and repeat last weeks performance of a large lead onto the run.
“I will be taking it easy the next few days to recover from the race last weekend and then get back into some hard running training leading up the race this Sunday.” “Due to the disqualification last Sunday I am even more fired up and motivated to do well at Elwood which will be my first Gatorade this year. It will be interesting to see where I stand compared to the world’s best. I am hoping to place in the top 4.”
New Sponsor - Engine Swim Eyewear
Adam is proud to announce that Engine Eyewear have come on board as a sponsor. They have a great range of swimming goggles, bags, swim wear, swimming caps, sun visors and hats, denim threads, swimming team gear which includes hoodies, t-shirts, polo tops, caps and goggles.
View their website to see more www.engineeyewear.com
Noosa Triathlon 2006
Noosa is such a nice place. I not only travelled up there for the race but also to catch up with my best mate Rom and his family, Peta and new 6 month old son Kylan. My wife Penny and I stayed at his place in Tewantin about 10km out of central Noosa. On the Saturday we travelled to central Noosa to see the 5km run race and 45min bike criterium race that was being held that night in Hastings Street. It was a great spectacle seeing marathon runner Lee Troop bash it out with the best middle runners in Australia (except for Craig Mottram who was not there). Troopey ended up second. We then watched Robbie McEwen battle it out with Alan Davis with everyone else just trying to hang on. Alan Davis was the eventual winner. I also got a photo taken with Robbie and him to sign my new Oakley visor. If only you were there Linc and Mitch.
In Noosa race I raced the Open Age Group category where all the top age groupers raced against each other in the same wave. My race in Noosa was not so good. I had a puncture 13km into the bike. I had a great swim sitting comfortabley behind the lead person all through out the swim and was sitting with the lead guys on the bike that eventually formed into a pack of six. I was really looking forward to the run and felt confident that I would have a good enough to win my the Open category. To think I raced 5months in France with out a puncture. I did not even get to try out my bright new Brooks Racer ST 2 shoes.
Ah well that is racing. We move on. I was lucky enough to get back to see Craig Walton finish the race and win yet again another Noosa Title. I also was able to cheer on friends and athletes I coach with Gossy and wife Penny as they finished their last 1km of the run.
The next couple days was spent hanging out with my wife Penny of coure, doing a little of surfing and catching up with an old friend Callum Stewart that had moved up to Maroochydore just after Christmas.
I am now getting back into some base training to get ready for the summer season coming up. I am unsure of what races I am doing yet but will be definitely racing.
August 28th
New Breakfast routine
Well weather back here in Rennes is variable. The temperature is getting to the low to mid twenties by the afternoons. The weather is now a bit like when I arrived cold in the mornings but not as cold as May and it warms up in the afternoon to a nice temperature. At about 5pm is a good time to do the afternoon session. I have therefore slipped back into waking up a little later, 9 to 10am and start training at 12pm.
After staying in Embrun with Raph’s family and a few other French people I noticed what they had for breakfast. In a soup bowl or small breakfast bowl they have coffee full to the top and baguettes with butter or margarine. They cut the baguette up and dip it into their coffee and eat it. So I have started have hot chocolate with some baguette and margarine. I love the dipping part of the baguette into the hot chocolate. It is quite yummy and satisfying. It seems to be agreeing with me better than the muesli over here. For lunch it is baguette and vegemite. I usually buy a pain long baguette that is 400grams and that lasts me for breakfast, lunch and a small bit for tea.
Another thing I picked up from Embrun was garlic bread. Not by the French but by New Zealanders Jenny, Brooke triathlete friend and Jenny’s boyfriend Matt. We were taking it in turns to make tea and these guy whipped out a bit of garlic bread on the side. Cut up garlic mixed into margarine. So I have been applying that the last two nights and putting it on toast and then in the microwave. Yummy. Garlic is what I miss.
At Embrun I cooked up the old spaghetti bolognaise the Penny way with curry. I put in some carrots and broccoli which Penny does not and I am not sure how much curry but I thought it was just right. I ended up cooking it for 8 people. They were very happy with the sauce and so was I. Thanks Pen.
At Embrun we travelled to Gap 30min away to swim the 50m pool there. Every time we went there we ended up stopping at the bakery near the pool on the way home. We tasted some awesome chocolate éclairs there. I will have to find some in Rennes some where. Rebecca he expert said that they were the best she had tasted.
On the Flan band wagon
Another type of dessert food I am on the band wagon is Flan Nature. An Australian dude Jono O’Grady stayed with us for a few days in Embrun and he bought a Flan Nature every day for lunch. I thought they looked nice. I had tried them in Rennes city but did not rate them very highly but I was willing to give it another try as I felt I was missing something like this in my diet. So one lunch time I bought one and it had apricot jam very finely spread on top like a jelly on a 1mm high. For people who do not know a Flan is a custard type pie. The custard in this one was a little like jelly, sort of. Well after getting these for a few days I decided to lay it every day and treat myself now and again as I felt the weight could definitely come on if they became a regular part of my daily intake every day. Well when I arrived back in Rennes and had been training hard for a few days I decided a treat had to be have. So off I went to the local bakery just around the corner from me to buy that Flan Nature. Man it was good. Better than Embrun by fair. It was more custardy and had a great creamy texture to it not like the Embrun one that was a jelly like. So I am on a winner here with this bakery. As the family can vouch for me the baguette are great at the bakery as well in comparison to other I have been to.
Races coming up
Well I have three weeks left to go here in France. My race calendar is a division 2 race in Avion on Sunday which is a sprint distance drafting race. It is the last Division 2 race. I hope to hang onto the front bunch which is usually 4-5 people and then see how I go from there.
The week after is another sprint race 10min from Rennes which is convenient at a town called Betton. Apparently it has some good money up for grabs and it not well known.
Then my last one is on the 16th or 17th September is the big one at La Baule where the final for Davison 1 Grand Prix racing is. The team I am in is currently in Division 2 and we are in 5th place at the moment out of 21 teams. Next week is the last race and the final result is known then. It will determine whether I race on the 16th or 17th .
In Divison 2 racing the team that places 1st and 2nd automatically goes up into Division 1 next year, the 3rd and 4th teams go to La Baule to race the last Division 1 Grand Prix race. At La Baule if one of the Division 2 teams beat either of the Division 1 teams that are 13th and 14th they are then relegated back to Division 2. In Division 2, 1st and 2nd place teams are already determined but 3rd and 4th are not. 4 other teams plus us(Cesson) are vying for those positions.
We must come in the top 5 teams at the race this weekend for us to place 3rd or 4th overall in the series. If we do we will race La Baule Division 1 Grand prix race. Kristian and I will both race this which will be a first as only one has raced each time in these races. La Baule is apparently the biggest race of the season. The last division 1 race at La Baule is Olympic Distance and drafting which would be interesting for me to race against the best to see where I am at and maybe get a great result.
If we do not end up 3rd or 4th team I will be doing the race on the 17th September at La Baule which is a non drafting Olympic Distance Race with big money. Kris and I are even thinking of doing both which will be a big ask. I think it will be a good experience to race the Division 1 race and then the party afterwards but to race the next day would be good for money but I am sure there will be some big names chasing the money like Stephane Bignet.
After these races it is then be home for me. Next race back in Australia will be the Noosa Triathlon on 30th November.
Lincoln Beckworth, Shae French, Adam Beckworth, Penny Beckworth, Mitchell Beckworth, Paul French, Megan French(Penny's parents)
Now back in Rennes - 22nd August 2006
I have just been on a massive road trip around France for 3 weeks. It has taken a bit of a toll on me. One side effect as been a beard has appeared on my face. Now onto the story. There were six of us in a mini bus. It was awesome. First went to the Coupe de Oxygen competition where I did the 6-7 races over three days and then down to the famous Alp Duez. We trained there for one week and Kristian also did the Alp Duez Triathlon. Did some great mountain rides. It was a great experience to ride up Alp Duez. Man the air got thin. We also trained in a pool up there as well. I did not realize that Alp Duez is a huge ski resort town.
I was going to time trial up it but it rained for two days on which I planned I would do it. It is a climb I am sure you would have loved riding up. They also have a race up it every Monday. We found out to late about this so we could not participate in it. Alp Duez is amazing the number of switch backs, a total of 21.
Next was to venture further into the Alps to Embrun where they say they have the hardest Ironman in the world 3.8km swim 188km ride 42km run through some huge mountains. It is crazy. I rode a couple of the mountain parts and doing this in an Ironman would be crazy and then getting off and running which is also very hilly.
I now know that when they say hilly in Australia it is a few rises compared to France. They say a few rises are in the race course when they would be classed as hills in Oz.
Hope it makes me strong.
We stayed in Embrun for two weeks and trained there. That was a bit of fun. Then we headed to the Division 2 race. To get there we traveled through Italy and Switzerland. I raced the division 2 race on the Saturday which was a sprint distance race and it pissed rain all
|
throughout the race. Had a good race but got disqualified for losing my number from my number belt. Bloody French are so particular about the numbers. We then stayed there the night and I raced the next day in an Olympic Distance race. It was a tough field and I was tired from the day before. In a race like this I would usually come 5-10 but ended up 13th. Lost my gel on the bike which hurt me on the run. Hard bike course also hurt me with strong winds and yes hills again over a two lap bike course. No hiding on this race.
The race was in the afternoon at 3.30pm and we did not leave for Rennes until 7pm. We thought it may be a 7 hour trip but ended up being about 10 hours. It ended up being only Cam and I heading back to Rennes as we had dropped the other guys off in Switzerland before the Division 2 race as they were racing some where else. We ended up calling it quits at 3.30am and pulled over on the side of the road. We ended up sleeping for 3hours on the seats. I woke at 6.30am and started the drive back while Cam kept sleeping. We eventually arrived back in Rennes at 8.30am. What an adventure. I slept a fair bit Monday and went to bed at 8pm that night also. It is Tuesday here so I will keep resting up as I feel quite tired. I think sleep is the best thing and also my muscles feel pretty fatigued from the racing both days in hard conditions.
Now at Embrun in the Alps - 8th August 2006
It is a nice town. Not to small and not too big. We are staying right in town in a little apartment. Quite a poey one that has two storeys. First level is a living area, roomy kitchen area, toilet and bathroom. In the living area is a bunk. Up stairs there is two rooms of some stairs. One quite big with four sets of bunks and the other room is an attic that has four matresses in it. I am in the attic at the moment by myself as no one jumped in it so I did. A little room to myself which is nice and comfy. Weather her has been great with it being in the mid twenties every day. We stay here until the 18th August. The Division one women's and men's races are being held here on 13th August and then an Ironman is being held here on the 15th. The Ironman is suppose to be the hardest in the world. I reckon it would be as the only way to ride is up. As I write the rain is starting to come down.
The Internet Cafe is right around the corner which is great so I can keep in touch a lot easier. All the roads around us are car free and are stoned alley ways with shops either side which is pretty cool.
Video from some rides - 8th August 2006
Hi Everyone,
While out doing our crazy rides I took some videos. They are quite big files. I will upload some pictures soon. I have taken some awesome mountain photos while here. Photo below is of when we rode up Sestriere. We rode over into Italy to get there.
Movie 1 - Driving to Embrun 1 [Click Here] - 4.7KB
Movie 2 - Driving to Embrun 2 [Click Here] - 22KB
Movie 3 - Riding to the Sestriere Cimb where Lance Armstrong Won 1 [Click Here] - 10KB
Movie 4 - Riding to the Sestriere Cimb where Lance Armstrong Won 2 [Click Here] - 10KB
Movie 5 - Riding to the Sestriere Cimb where Lance Armstrong Won 3 [Click Here] - 4KB
Movie 6 - At the top of the Sestriere [Click Here] - 16KB
Movie 7 - Riding through a tunnel coming back from Sestriere climb [Click Here] - 4KB
Staying at the bottom of Alp Duez
Wow I can not believe I am here. We are right at the bottom. I rode up it Wednesday and it is a fairly tough climb. I had to deal with the steepness and the altitude. The bottom is 700m above sea level and the top is 1800m. I was going fairly easy 30-40BBM and still found it hard to breath. Fantastic views and great experience to ride the mountain that the Tour de France goes up. You can still see all the writing from the Tour. Absolutely awesome. The town at the bottom is a cool little ski resort town. All six of us are staying in a cabin. We all went for a swim in a heated 25m pool up the top of Alp Duez on Thursday and Friday. Great experience to train at a high altitude. It will be interesting to see whether my fitness improves. Up the top of the Alp Duez the town there is a lot bigger and I am sure it is great skiing in winter.
Weather the last few days has been terrible. It has been raining on and off. Lucky for Kris as he raced the Alp Duez Triathlon on Wednesday and it was a beautiful day even though it was still cold up the top of the mountain.
We rode to Col du Galiber today which is Friday and it rained and was 13 degrees. I think I went out to hard earlier on before the climb as I was stuffed even before we got to the major climb the Col du Galiber. We climbed it and Kris heart rate monitor recorded it was 3 degrees at the top which did not suprise me as there was snow at the top. On the way up you could feel the wind blowing off the snow onto us on the way up. On the way up there was some awesome views. We froze and had to stop at the cafe at the bottom. We were all shivering and soaked from the rain. Man my hands hurt. It was a worry descending also. It was a climb that took us to 2600m above sea level. It took us 3 and half hours to get there and come down and we rode 80km and climbed 2000m plus in total. With 30km I ended up ringing Bec to come and get me and I was too cold to head back. It felt like hypotherma. I just could ride anymore it was pissing rain and I was soaked as could be.
Coupe de Oxygen
The event was 7 short races as a team and individual over three days. We did an aquathon 200m swim and 1.2km swim(came 18th) on Friday night, Saturday 350m swim 9km ride 4.4km run 9km ride 350m swim (came 1st)then four hours later team time trial over 350m swim 14km ride 2.8km run where the we time trialed as a team and the time was taken from the third person crossing the line. Unfortunately the third member did not have the legs in the run and we had a slow run therefore losing time(came 5th team) at night we did an individual triathlon sent off individually 1min apart 350m swim 14km ride 2.8km run(came 9th), Sunday - Sprint Race in the morning in the reverse order of with the person leading the event with overall time going first(came 6th), Double race in afternoon with 30min break in between 200m swim 6km ride 1.2km run then 1.2km run 6km ride 200m swim(came 4th). Overall I came 9th and would have come 3rd or fourth if our team time trial was 1min faster. If the team time trial was taken out I am sure I would have placed higher.
Adam in France
Lincoln Beckworth Mitchell Beckworth
