Ironman Hawaii 2007

Coach Chris competed at the Hawaii Ironman World Championship for the third time in October, finishing in 10:03. A steady swim (1:08) was followed by a comfortable bike (5:05), and a 3:41 marathon (ouch!). Reduced training volume due to work commitments, and excessively hot conditions contributed to a very hard second half of the run. This wasn’t helped by a sun block which didn’t block any sun – he still has the tan lines to prove it! Read his report and look at pictures of sun, sea and surf here.

Lab Testing at Salford University

Lab testing has been arranged for all clients at Salford University. This gives everyone an opportunity to achieve objective data relating to heart rate training zones.

The testing is for cycling heart rate zones, as these are notoriously hard to estimate for most athletes. There is also the option of obtaining running training zones as well.

Determining training zones is essential to maximise your training time. Regardless of ability, we recommend all athletes take advantage of this service.

For further details, please contact f2kmultisports.

Swimming Techniques Video Analysis

Swimming is the Achilles heel of most triathletes, and many train year after year without improving their swim times. The key to increased swim performance is improved efficiency.

f2kmultisports have teamed up with Liquid Motion to offer swimming technique video analysis. This service allows the Liquid Motion coaches to video the swimmer under water from different angles, identify faults, and prescribe specific drills for the athlete to perform in the following weeks. The athlete would then be recommended to return in several weeks to be reassessed.

Swimming technique improvement is a long term programme which takes patience and dedication. Video analysis and 1 – 1 instruction is the most effective way of maximising your training time and improving your swimming times.

Who Are Liquid Motion?
Steve Critchley and Darren Ashton have thirty years swimming coaching experience between them, and currently coach swimmers to international level.

To find out more about Liquid Motion, visit liquidmotion.info.

For more information about video analysis, please contact f2kmultisports

Congratulations to the XME Series Winners

The winners of the XME series were awarded twelve week training programmes from f2kmultisports. Congratulations to Jonathan Metcalfe and Viv Slack for being the most consistent performers throughout the series.

Hopefully both athletes will now continue to improve during next season.

Not Signed Up Yet?

f2kmultisports are now starting training programmes for athletes aiming for success in 2008. Clients range from relative novices attempting their first marathon (well done Maria!) to experienced athletes looking to improve over all distances, including Ironman.

To avoid aimless training mileage (and divorce), a custom training programme could be the answer. Explore our website and see what f2kmultisports can do for you.

f2k Training Facility Is Almost Ready

The f2k training studio is due to open in January. Situated in Didsbury, the studio will offer a high quality training environment for people aiming to improve their performance.

More details to follow!

Facebook Update

You may have noticed we haven’t been very proactive on the Facebook front. Chris has been busy with the development of the new studio, and Nick can’t be arsed.

However, we aim to show a bit more enthusiasm from now on. Promise.

And What About the Coaches?

Nick spent 2007 changing nappies and experiencing the thrills and spills of road racing, eventually achieving 3rd cat status in a four man break in September. Ironman obsession has been replaced with a more disturbing points chasing obsession.

He’s now aiming for 2nd cat points in 2008, and slowly gaining an unhealthy lust for Rapha clothing.

Chris achieved a PB at Ironman UK, finishing in 29th place in a time of 9:33. He then competed at Ironman Hawaii for the third consecutive year, finishing in 10:03. In 2008 Chris is racing Ironman Switzerland with a couple of Ironman 70.3s (to be decided). He’s also considering running his first marathon.

Nina is 9th at London

Nina continued her rise as a junior athlete at the London Triathlon on August 5th. In only her second sprint triathlon, she came 9th in the junior elite race. Not bad for a 16 year old racing against 17 – 19 year olds!

Nina had a good swim, entering T1 with the lead group, but then lost touch in transition. She then showed tactical maturity, working with two other girls on the bike, and dropping one of them before entering T2 in 8th position. She then had a solid run in the 29° heat, although unable to hold off a fast finisher near the end. Well done Nina!

Good Luck to f2kmultisports at Ironman UK

Duncan Hill and Nathan Gladwell are racingtheir debut Ironman this weekend at Ironman UK in Sherbourne. Duncan was forced to pull out of the Marathon Des Sables this year due to work commitments, and quickly switched his focus to Ironman.

Chris Clarke will be aiming for his third Hawaii qualification on minimal training, and also modelling the new f2kmultisports race kit!

Well Done to Andrew D who finished his first Ironman distance race in Canada last weekend.

Message from Andrew: Thanks to everyone who supported me and helped me with the last years obsession. On August 11th 2007 I became an Ironman - and wow did it hurt! Apologise to anyone who doesn't want the detail - but here it is to those who do!

Swim (2.4 miles) went really well in 64 minutes. Transition 1 took 8 minutes plus a very long jog with Bike of 3 minutes to the road. (Avg HR 155)

Ride was very hot, windy and rolling - quite tough 112 miles - 6 hrs 36 minutes (including a few loo stops with lots of hydration!) (Avg HR 151) Transition 2- 9 mins 10 sec.

First Half Marathon was steady at 2 hrs 20mins but was hot and hurting by now - the concrete just pounds it out of you and I had to walk a lot of the second half. Total Marathon 5 hrs 38mins (avg HR 126)

Totalfinish 13 hrs 39 mins.

We're Live!

After months of planning, re planning and tearing our hair out, the f2kmultisports website is finally here. Please look around, see what we have to offer and let us know what you think.

To existing clients, we hope you visit the site for regularly updated news and updates.

To athletes visiting the site for the first time, please contact us with any questions you have.

Sprint Triathlon - Sunday 3rd of June 2007

Great day, Really enjoyed the swim and pleased with my time. The bike was good, although I do need some practice on the gears and it would have been good if there had been someone in front of me that I could have chased! Could’ve gone faster. Didn’t enjoy the run at all – don’t like the running on grass and felt that I’d nothing left. Think it would have been easier with an earlier start as I was crap with my food. My race started at 12.07 and I’d eaten breakfast at 7.30 with half a bagel at 10.30 so by the time I’d got to the run, I was hungry. Plus it was pretty hot by the time I got to the run – and I don’t do heat well! Overall though, I really enjoyed it and am already booked onto September and looking forward to it!

Jo

Sprint Triathlon - Sunday 3rd of June 2007

Obviously I want to say a big thanks to you my friend, I really,
really do. Without your help guidance and support, I wouldn’t have
done as well as I have,(or probably at all truth beknown) and although
this is just the beginning, I’m so happy how its turned out mate. As
I’m sat here typing this mail, I’ve been debating about when to do my
next one, and of course I’ll be seeking your advice.

The race itself went pretty good, Swim was ok, and frankly I was glad
to get through it. I made it without stopping and the confidence of
completing is great and means I shall work doubly hard now going
forward on my Swim as its an easy win to get better at for sure. As for the bike, what can I say. We just nailed em.. All.. Those
horrid, evil nights on the turbo have clearly worked their magic. I
give you no words of exaggeration when I say I passed, literally, 30
riders. I couldn’t believe it. I’d done 4 before I even really went
on the hillier ascent half. I’d see them in the distance and one by
one, they went. How many passed me? Er, that would be none then!
Well, well chuffed with that, and 38:30 is an okish time as well.
Then onto the run really.. To do a 27:12 I think I managed is ok, I
thought it was going to be a slow as hell time, was tough but I just
picked a pace I could do and dragged it out, but it was better than my
split for the Manchester 10K so can’t be unhappy. Clearly a lot of
improvement to come on this as people did pass me a bit, but hey ho.

As you can probs tell, I’m well pleased. We’d set a goal time of 1:25
and to do it by 3mins, well, we just couldn’t ask for more could we
really.

So that’s it, first one down, bring on the next one already I say.
Gonna defo get some more weight of in the meantime around that
midrift to just assist me in my pursuit of better times.

Andrew Goddard

Ironman Switzerland

Jan Rogers and Darren Roberts competed at Ironman Switzerland last weekend.

Darren was racing his second Ironman and found the scorching conditions hard going, finishing in 12:39. He is now addicted to Ironman and has his sights firmly set on Ironman Germany 2008.

Jan is a veteran of many ITU age group World Championships and Longest Day events, but this was her first experience of a WTC Ironman. She overcome a hectic work and travelling schedule in the weeks preceding the event, and finished in 12:50, 16th in her age group.

Age Group Worlds

Congratulations to John Murray and Phil Stannard who both competed at the World Duathlon Champs in Hungary on May 20th. Both had good races while appreciating the quality of international competition!

Phil went on to compete in the European Duathlon Champs in Edinburgh, and John finally succumbed to swimming by racing the European Triathlon Champs in Copenhagen.

Both sold themselves to fame by (repeatedly) appearing in the local media.

Good Luck for Ironman Austria!

Suzi Blackledge, Kat Burley and Adrian Decunto are all competing at Ironman Austria on July 8th. All three are racing their first Ironman around the beautiful lakeside town of Klagenfurt.

The course involves a lake swim, two lap bike with two climbs each lap, and a flat out and back run in and around Klagenfurt.

Good luck to you all. The slippery slope to Ironman addiction has begun!

Gift Vouchers

f2kmultisports gift vouchers are now available to purchase. They can be used as payment for any f2k product or service, and would make an ideal gift for someone who wants to take their training to the next level. They will love you forever!