Sensing Movement

Evolving Online

2009-05-30T08:36:00.004+10:00

At first I put pages on .mac

Then I got a blog to write and flickr for my pics

Finally gave in and joined CrackBook...

Tweeting is methadone for my status update cold turkey!

Now I'm swimming in the stream, drinking from the fire hose

I'm all linked up at Google Profile .. and waiting to surf the wave

People who inspire me #3 - Sir Richard Branson

2009-05-12T06:55:00.007+10:00

This guy needs no introduction from me, although the cool thing is that he actually helped to 'introduce me to the team' back in 2003 when I was on my way to the Worlds in Queenstown!

Since then I have read 'Losing My Virginity' (I love that the title googles top 2 ahead of videos of girls talking about first time sex!) and am currently half way through 'Business Stripped Bare'. This book is great reading for an ambitious entrepreneur who wants to do big things in his own way... ie ME! I'm also following SRB on twitter

I feel as though we have a lot in common and his public persona highlights so many areas to me where I would like to grow.

Common Ground:

1. Sir Richard Branson and I are both born in the Chinese year of the Tiger.

2. He didn't have a 'conventional' upbringing and looks at the world from his own unique perspective.

3. He has a wide range of interests - not content with just being good at one thing.

4. He looks at the World as it could be and leads others towards it.

5. He believes that capitalism can bring positive change to the World

6. He puts his focus on the possible rather than the obstacles.

7. He is an Englishman.

8. He likes adventure and good fun in equal measures.

9. He takes risks in both.

10. He is open and honest about his mistakes.

Inspiration:

1. Sir Richard Branson has changed the way that millions of people live eg cheap flights in Australia

2. He presents himself with ease in public.

3. He doesn't take himself too seriously http://twitter.com/sirdickbranson

4. He is ok with the idea of having lots of money

5. He is into kitesurfing

6. If someone tells him 'It's impossible.' he becomes more motivated.

7. He has a lot of money

8. He has been kitesurfing with a beautiful naked girl on his back!

9. He has some amazing adventures

10. He is humble and friendly - seems he is especially so when you meet him on a plane!

SRB pops up everywhere. Who knows when we'll have our next encounter? I look forward to it. Thanks Richard for the inspiration.

Sign Up for my Newsletter

2009-04-07T09:33:00.003+10:00

Click here to sign up for my personal newsletter!

Eckart Tolle on 'Responsibility'

2009-04-07T09:32:00.000+10:00

Missions

2009-04-04T21:21:00.000+11:00

April 2009: Putting 'it' Out There

March 2009: Knitting two pieces of collarbone into one

February 2009: Entertaining Beth

January 2009: Anthroposophical Conference Adelaide

December 2008: Ironman Western Australia and more

November 2008: Life Balance

October 2008: Getting fitter for fun
Sepember 2008: Loving what is
August 2008: Enjoying the USA
July 2008: Living in the Present
June 2008: Getting to the end of the financial year
May 2008: Dignity through Struggle
April 2008: grace and humility
March 2008: Exploring Australia by Train!
February 2008: To find the best swimming spot in Australia

September 2007: To find the off switch for my mind

Fracture!

2009-03-02T09:33:00.001+11:00

P2280054
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Was riding too fast one handed on a fixi and stopped pedalling. Hit the deck pretty hard: HIP - SHOULDER - HEAD and then I rolled and slid hence the ribs and gravel rash!

27th February 2009 - International Party Day.

2009-02-27T14:08:00.006+11:00

You are invited wherever you are.

You don't need to go anywhere,
or drink or smoke or take drugs.
You don't actually need to do anything,

just to be yourself.

I mean your real self...

not who you think you want to be...

and certainly not who you think other people want you to be.

Party on the train,
Party at work,

Party with strangers,
Party on your own.
Party with your friends and
Party at home.

Seven Steps to start your own party wherever you are:

1. Don't care what anyone else thinks
2. See the humor in the world today - no matter how bad or sad something seems, there is always a brighter side...
3. Dress up or accesorise to get in the mood.
4. Smile at strangers and don't worry if they smile back or not. Either way you are sharing your love.
5. Laugh at yourself - you are a beautiful individual with your own special quirks and hilarious mannerisms (ask your friends if you aren't sure). Don't you realise how funny you are?
6. Spread the love and invite people you meet to party also!
7. Let go and follow the party vibe wherever it takes you

P2270038.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Party 3

P2270037.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Party 2

P2270044.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Party 1

Remember... Life is too short not to enjoy the party

Today you may be the only person partying.
Next time there will be others...

Enjoy!

Dunstan

People who inspire me #2 - Byron Katie

2009-02-12T07:21:00.003+11:00

Byron Katie has brought the gift of 'The Work' into the world to share with all of us.

It is a simple and effective tool to work with judgments.
Rather than allowing these 'stressful thoughts' to play out
in our lives or suppressing them (which amounts to the
same thing!), the work is a way to hold them still and look
them in the eye.

"I don't let go of concepts--I meet them through inquiry,
then they let go of me." byron katie

Now THAT really is alchemy.

Please note: The Work is not something you can UNDERSTAND.

There are several great ways you can EXPERIENCE it.

1. Go to the website for 'The Work', click on 'resources' and

a) download the first 3 documents.

Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet
Instructions for Doing The Work
One-Belief-At-A-Time Worksheet

b) print them out.

c) follow the instructions to the letter... this can be the hardest part!

2. Read a copy of 'Loving What Is'.

3. Look at some of the video clips of Byron Katie using the 4 questions to guide people to some pretty profound realisations as they work on the full spectrum of life challenges. Access via the website.

4. Go to a 2 day workshop or a 5 day retreat. There are run in Australia by Rosie Stave. I'm just about to sign up for the retreat in Byron Bay from 21st to 26th April. There is a full list of weekend dates throughout Australia so check it out!

If you are interested in Byron Katie herself - and after all, why wouldn't you be? - then check out her blog here for some deep wisdom that can be easily accessed by anyone with an open mind!

At the Movies

2009-02-09T21:53:00.005+11:00

Beth and I are on the way back from Govindas. After dinner we went upstairs to the movie lounge, slipped off our shoes and reclined. We didn't know much about 'In Bruges' but we had a good hunch and were certainly not let down.

It was refreshing to see a film that held my attention with long, slow shots (a stark contrast to the epilepsy inducing opening scene from Quantum of Solace) interspersing a strong plot. The characters were disarmingly genuine in themselves. Each of them served a purpose (Guy Ritchie please take note if and when you follow up on RockandRolla) and they all moved me in some way. Colin Farrell's eyebrows alone did the trick for his character, Ray!

Jokes were plentiful and anything but PC and the characters pulled them off. The stereotypes weren't original but the juxtaposition and randomness of 2 hitmen in a medieval Belgian town at christmas breathed fresh life into them.

A real treat of a movie - far better than its trailer.

Beth's Rating: 5 Stars (upgraded from 4 1/2 as she really couldn't fault it!)

Another Blog To Read!

2009-02-07T08:13:00.002+11:00

Man I'm getting behind... so much interesting stuff to read!

Tami Simon's Blog

2009-02-06T20:29:00.001+11:00

This looks really good.

Note to self:

Come back and read it in full later!

http://shop.soundstrue.com/blog.soundstrue.com/wordpress/?selection=Publisher's%20Blog

International Slow Day!

2009-01-16T00:46:00.000+11:00

I think Carl Honore is great!

http://www.carlhonore.com/?p=150

Another post on goal setting

2009-01-16T00:31:00.002+11:00

Hmmmm... must be the new year or something.

Lots of people seem to be setting fresh new directions for themselves...

http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2009/01/07/the-power-of-less-leo-babauta-zen-habits/#more-1053

One to read later ;-)

Goal Setting

2009-01-16T00:17:00.001+11:00

This is really good - a fresh and insightful perspective.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/08/how-to-set-goals-you-will-actually-achieve/

Thanks Simmi!

People who inspire me #1 - Sam Davies

2009-01-02T08:52:00.002+11:00

Name: Samantha Davies

Age:

Occupation:

Current Mission: Racing single handed around the world aboard 'Roxy'

Conection:

Website:

Hammer Man

2008-12-11T22:06:00.001+11:00

Hammer Man
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Race report coming soon...

Freewheels are for P*****s.JPG

2008-12-06T22:01:00.002+11:00

Freewheels are for P*****s.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

(click the link for more photos)

Q: Why am I riding a fixed wheel?
A: Because I can!

Busselton is the flattest Ironman course in the world. I doubt many people will be using more than a fraction of their 20 gears in any case! Ok I also need to find a way to get lots of attention without having to go too fast but mainly I just wanted to know what it is like!

I'm riding a 40 : 16 (pictured) which means that the bike goes 5.6m for every pedal revolution. That means I'll pedal around 32 000 revolutions - somewhat higher than 'normal' as I'll be undergeared.
Here is the cadence range I'll be riding:

RPM 80 85 90 95 100
speed(kph) 27 29 30 32 34

Morrison was on his last legs as a rusty red racer when Stuart rescued him and gave him a nice pair of track wheels. Big thanks go to Mr Kane for lending me his bike (and also the 'ironfixi' idea). Training partner Mick helped me out with the pedals and shoes so it was really a team effort to get me to the start line! Thanks to Russel for planting the seed of the idea, to Brenda for all her encouragement and Tony for the runs. I struggle with motivation at times and knowing that so many people are encouraging me and supporting me motivated me far more that the desire to get a fast time. Sure I'd love to go back to Kona one day but that is a story for another day...

Well the santa hat is securely fastened to my helmet and Morrison is all kitted up with silver tinsel. My 'race outfits' are

I'm as ready as I'm going to be! I've done some good training in the last 6 weeks and I'm prepared for whatever is served up to me through the race :-)

I'm number 120. You can follow my progress at www.ironmanlive.com

I'll see you on the other side of the finish line!

D

Racing Outfit

2008-12-05T13:13:00.005+11:00

Today I registered and got my race outfit ready.

Wrisband.JPG Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Here is how it went:

Swim

Endurance Speedos $44.99 (Sports Power - Busselton)

Bike (all items from Raylene at 'King Kong' - Busselton)

Bike Gear.JPG Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Tinsel for Morrison $2.00 x 2
Santa Hat $2.50
Cable Ties $1.50

Run

Run Gear.JPG Originally uploaded by sense of movement

Afro Wig $12.95 (King Kong again - great shop!)
Sunnies $9.95 (Busselton Bags and Accesories)
Sweatband $0.00 (just don't tell Baxter!)
0.7m Silver Chain $5.70 (Mitre 10 - Busselton)

Screen Printing $132 (Juice Print - Busselton)

Total Cost $212.60

Having a good time on race day...

'fro with 'tude.JPG Originally uploaded by sense of movement

... PRICELESS!!!

Race Week

2008-12-04T09:19:00.005+11:00

I arrived in Busselton yesterday and am staying with a fantastic couple - Max and Val. They are involved in organising rides for the local club, a local partner dance night and also have a vegetable garden and worm farm so as you can imagine we are getting on really well! Tonight we ate Dew Fish that Max had caught in Geographe Bay with Rhubarb compote for desert. Yum :-)

Here are 2 things I like about the Ironman WA course straight away:

1. The swim is a single lap with a purpose. Not that I have anything against swimming around in circles until the 3.8km have been achieved, just that I prefer a swim where you go somewhere!

On Sunday it will be a trip around the 1.8km jetty - the longest in the southern hemisphere complete with 4 iconic huts and an underwater observatory at the far end.

2. The bike course is a 3 lap course without a hint of a hill and the sweetest hot mix surface you can imagine! This was part of the inspiration for riding a fixed wheel bike! I went out for a spin earlier and the gear seems about right. In the headwind there was a decent amount to push on and in the tailwind it was just spinning out a bit.

Fixi.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

To be continued...

Tour de Central Coast by Fixi & Ferry

2008-11-26T19:25:00.003+11:00

Today was my best training ride so far.

In 10 days time I'm going to ride 180km

(as part of the Busselton Ironman) and I

hadn't ridden over 100km before today.

It was also a great chance to take Morrisson

the Fixi for an outing. I think it was his first

time on the Central Coast...

The real breakthrough was my mental approach.

When you aren't fit and you need to ride 180 km

you need to tailor your approach! Sometimes its

hard to ignore the voice that tells you that you're

feeling great and should 'go for it'! What worked

for me was to just enjoy the experience and stop

for a wee break whenever I felt like it.

Certainly a different mindset than when I was

trying for a Kona Slot!!!

I mapped the route using a great tool

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com
I did it in two chunks so as to omitt the ferry.

Narrabeen to Palm Beach:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2413185

Ettalong to Narrabeen:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2413219

The software has some odd ideas about navigating.
It seemed to think the Old Pac Hwy was one way so
generated some interesting detours! I think I got it
right in the end but I'd be interested to see how a
bike speedo compares to 'as the crow'. It came out

as a total of 165. but I'd like to think it was closer

to the 180 mark and in any case Busso will be less

distance in energy terms so I think I will survive.

The ferry ride is a beaut - $10 from Palmy to Ettalong

and 25 minutes trip time. Ferry timetable is at

www.palmbeachferry.com.au if you are interested.

Carl Honore

2008-11-25T23:07:00.003+11:00

This guy has written a couple of really interesting books that I'd like to get my hands on.

He has an interesting perspective on the changing landscape of childhood and makes a strong case from the point of view of common sense. His blog is a great read!

A New Mission

2008-10-24T20:12:00.005+11:00

OK guys so here is the scoop.

I've entered an Ironman race in just over 6 weeks time.

On Sunday 7th December I will:

Swim 3.8km (2.4mi)

Ride 180km (112mi)

Run 42km (26mi)

My aims is to complete the event and enjoy every moment of it.

This will be my 5th Ironman start. For the first 3 I tried to go as fast as I could and my times were 9:32 (Forster 04), 9:24 (Forster 05) and 9:33 (Kona 05). The last one (Taupo 07) was 'just for fun' and I came home in 12:44.

This time I'll be doing some preparation so lets see what I can do with the time remaining...

I entered the race yesterday and can feel my focus sharpening.

Now that I have 'definitely committed' myself each day will be a fresh beginning. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Says it better than I could! Right now its 20:32 and I'm going to 'begin' by going to bed!

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to pin on a number again!

Dunstan

Save the Murray Darling!

2008-09-20T15:49:00.006+10:00

I need your help on this one, there are 2 petitions that I'd like you to sign 'cause I think its a really important cause.
One is through Getup! and the other at rivermurray.com.
They are both quick and easy and don't ask for much information.

When I went to visit Biggsy and the crew for some TI training up in Cunnamulla there had been some pretty massive rainfall and the river was flowing strong! This amount of water is actually really uncommon and hardly any of it will make it out to sea.

It was quite amazing and also quite humbling to discover that this flow up in Queensland becomes the Darling and joins with the Murray that starts in the Snowy Mountains.

The Murray-Darling Basin covers one seventh of the whole of Australia and meets the ocean at Lake Alexandria which is South of Adelaide and just downriver the town of Murray Bridge. It seems like all the land to the West of the Great Dividing Range in 4 states feeds in. There is a good map here.

Well the problem is that water can be really scarce in Australia and there is a huge strain on supplies. Lack of water in the river system brings death and permanent damage to large ecosystems. Seemingly there are political challenges whereby state governments and other organisations have conflicting interests. If you have 5 minutes to spare and can join me in supporting a worthwhile cause I'd be most grateful.

Dunstan

Ladder.JPG

2008-09-07T14:13:00.003+10:00

Ladder 4.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

OK so there is a problem with some of the cables above Huaihai Lu, a busy 5 lane road in downtown Shanghai. So what do you do? Bring out a hydraulic hoist truck, right?

Well wrong actually. In Shanghai this type of job gets the prompt attention of 4 blokes with a standard issue ladder! Unbelievable but true and here are the photos to show how. One guy stood upstream and waved the traffic across into a lane and the others held the base of the ladder. Once they had extended the upper part they leaned it against the cable in question and after a brief discussion along the lines of:

LadderHolder 1: "Hey c'mon Bill, up you go!"
NervousGuy: "How come I have to climb again?"
LadderHolder 2: "Quit whinging and get on with it before the astonished-looking Laowei (whitey) takes too many photos."
NervousGuy: "Aw man, it sucks being the new guy."

NervousGuy then made his way up to the cable, in that unsteady manner well known to those of you who have climbed a bendy, wobbly ladders. At this point the traffic-directing guy gestured that I shouldn't take any (more) photos. Not one to argue, I put my camera away as asked.

On reflecion I guess that there is probably no shortage of people seeking work as ladder holders in China and I'm sure it pays well. To give this team their due, it did seem like a quick and efficient way of getting the job done.

... although the guy at the top looked more unsteady than convinced.

It was hard to see what they were actually trying to do. Hopefully not cutting the cable the ladder was leaning against!

Check out my flickr set for the full sequence...

Back in Sydney

2008-09-07T10:59:00.006+10:00

I'm at home in North Narrabeen after an outstanding trip and it feels great to be home. I've been doing a lot of traveling with work during the last year but this trip was mainly about taking some 'time off' and catching up with my friend Beth and my Aunt Christine and her family spanning 3 generations! That said, I did have the fortune to visit the TI Studio in New Paltz and enjoyed some great lake swimming and racing with Terry Laughlin.

View Larger Map

I flew in and out of JFK (New York) with China Eastern and extended the transit in Shanghai to a week long stopover. Hence I spent the last week of July in China and the month of August in the United States.

View Larger Map

I'm still working on the google maps for each country so you can see the places I visited. I've also put some photos on my Flickr site and will post some more as I edit them.

Check back soon or use my RSS feed to stay on the pules!

Dunstan

The Adventure Begins

2008-07-31T08:52:00.001+10:00

Leaving Home.JPG
Originally uploaded by sense of movement

I waved farewell to Sarah, Simonne and Baxter and headed off into the damp morning air of Wakehurst Parkway.

Are we 'Wi-Fri' ing our brains

2007-10-02T17:14:00.000+10:00

This is a really intersting article about 'Electrosmog'... namely the soup of electomagnetic radiation that connects our wireless devices. The industry claims that that the connection with cancer and other ill health effects is unproven but the results of the studies seem to vary depending on who is funding the research!

I for one am going to be keeping my airport (wireless) switched off and my phone away from my heart and groin as much as possible!

Dunstan

The Naked Pumpkin Run!

2007-07-02T18:33:00.000+10:00

Here is something to make you smile!

Enter the site, go to the videos page and download the 2002 video.
Beware there is nudity but don't worry, it is on a very small scale on account of the cold ;-)

Any takers?

Bad Taste ... ? What do you think?

2007-06-18T09:00:00.000+10:00

Today I read a news article online at the Age newspaper's website.

Click through and read it before you go further...

How did that make you feel?
Did you read the whole article?
Were you distracted or distured by the ads?

My answer are: 'Sad', 'yes' and 'yes' so I wrote the following email to scoop@theage.com.au via the link at the bottom:

I have just been reading your article: 'How suicide is ripping Aboriginal lives apart' online at http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/how-suicide-is-ripping-aboriginal-lives-apart/2007/06/17/1182018938157.html?page=2

It was saddening to read and I felt a lot of compassion towards the people and communities involved.

I found the advertisement that was displayed on the same page entirely distasteful.
For me the shiny red and powerful sports car clashes horribly with the human nature of the article and I find it extremely crass.

I am grateful that I can read your news articles online and I appreciate that funding from advertisements probably makes this possible but I think you will agree that in this case there is a clear lack of relevance to the article and a lack of sensitivity. I can't begin to imagine how Patrick Dodson or one someone else from a community who had lost someone to suicide would feel if they viewed this page.

I hope that you can give this matter some though and look forward to your response.

Regards.

Dunstan Bertschinger

...so leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Living Sustainably

2007-06-16T08:27:00.000+10:00

Today I decided to act. It is time for me to DO something!

I have done my best to be aware of the consequences of my life(style) choices for several years but I know now that this is not enough and I want to do more.

It is clear to me that we human beings need to develop a healthier relationship with each other and with the Earth if we are to survive. There is plenty of scope for feelings of powerlessness, despair and cynicism but I would like to think, feel and act in a positive way. I know that any change must start with the individual so I'm starting with myself! I want to become one of the people who is part of the "solution".

I believe that the way of the future will be really different to how it is now. Consumption of raw materials and generation of waste is going to be something that we reduce by being more aware of our deeds. Eventually we will be able to see beyond 'money' and see the real effect of our actions in the world.

It is an exciting time. We face a challenge and we have the opportunity to become more than we are.

Dunstan

I've started a new blog!

2007-05-26T22:40:00.000+10:00

I often find myself searching for my favourite poems, verses and quotes online so I decided to start a new blog!
Everything that I post on there means something special to me. I think that they are best enjoyed one at a time, like you would look at works of art when you go to a gallery. So read slowly and allow it to affect you a little bit deeper if you can!

… and now for something different…

2007-03-19T00:42:00.000+11:00

My report from Taupo Ironman 2007

As the East grew red with the first light of dawn I stripped off and joined the other 999 competitors in the clear still waters of lake Taupo. What was I doing here? I certainly wasn’t planning to set any records, win any prizes or challenge for a Kona spot. Could I honestly claim to be lining up at the start of an Ironman ‘for fun’? Was I deluded to think that I could last the distance with only a scattered handful of modest training sessions in my training diary? And how DID I come to be here in the first place… ?

Last Spring I spent two weeks cycling and hitch hiking from Christchurch up to Auckland via Motueka, Picton, Wellington, Havelock North, Napier and Taupo. Lush green hues, enchanting birdsongs and captivating mountainous backdrops made riding all day a genuine pleasure. Back home in Surry Hills I looked up the IMNZ website and called the race office eager to find an excuse to return: “Hi my name is Dunstan, I represent Total Immersion Swimming. Your Ironman looks like a great event and I’d like to give away some state-of-the-art swim coaching in return for some exposure.”. I met with and enthusiastic response from Jane and they somehow persuaded me to take part too!

… so there I was, waist deep in the lake at 0700 and ready for adventure! My ‘taper week’ had consisted of early mornings at/in the lake giving swimming tips, coaching sessions at the local pool and co-presenting seminars on “What makes good swimming?” and “How to achieve your perfect Ironman swim” with Terry Laughlin, Mr Total Immersion himself! I felt pretty confident that I would be able to complete the distance but I knew that it would take a bit longer than my other 3 Ironman races - Forster ’04 and ’05 and Kona ‘05. I had trained pretty well for those and managed two that were close to 9:30 and one that was well inside. My plan for today was to swim relaxed, survive the bike and walk/run the marathon as best I could.

I started at the back and took my time as the start gun sounded. My goggles leaked so I discarded them pretty quickly, feeling grateful for the clean, fresh water. I used focal points to work on different parts of my stroke and core rhythm for 20 strokes at a time. On the way out to the turn I cruised past a good number of swimmers, ‘feeling my way through the pack’ and did my best to avoid the thrashing legs I encountered! On the return I cruised with the pack, feeling great and saving energy.

Onto dry land and my lack of wetsuit raised a big cheer from the crowd. Speedos off, nicks on then out onto the road armed with dates, tamari almonds, a bag of fresh apricots and a couple of sandwiches. Feeling fresh, powerful and loving the crowd! 60km later it was a different story … speed dropped right off and I switched to survival mode. Back into town, the halfway point, a big wave of energy from the crowd carried me back out to the turnaround... and dumped me there. I chuckled to myself as I realised that I was empty. I truly had nothing! I lay down by the side of the road and really didn’t care if I looked ridiculous! A couple of minutes eased my discomfort slightly and I continued the struggle to get home. Reaching the final right turn was pure bliss; I had never imagined that a yellow arrow could make me feel so happy!

Through T2 and changed I walked out onto the run course. What a pleasure to be upright with a straight spine after 6+ hours hunched over my bike! I worked in some brief sections of super slow jogging, relaxing into my best form. I figured that I had about 20km of running in me and I didn’t want to ‘use it up’ too quickly! By 32 km I really was all used up. Fully spent! Walking in the marathon was a new experience for me but it really wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed some good chats and for the first time I took full advantage those wonderful aid stations. I mustered something resembling a run for the final kilometres and scored top for high 5’s in the home straight. My finish was happy but not especially glorious. My adventure had lasted close to 13 hours and the experience was quite unlike any of the others. Thank you IMNZ for a fantastic day. Yes I DID enjoy it, yes I AM deluded and yes I MIGHT even do it again sometime…

Couch Surfing, WWOOFING and SERVAS

2006-12-24T15:32:00.000+11:00

I've just signed up as a 'couch surfer'! It looks like a good way of connecting with like minded people, with the added benefit that you might be able crash on someone's couch for a few nights. Click here to see my "Couch Surfing Profile"

When I was in NZ I used the SERVAS organisation. I stayed with some really great hosts and I'd like to be a host in the future.

As part of my travels next year I'd like to deepen my experience of organic / biodynamic farming / sustainable living / alternative communities and I'm hoping that WWOOF (willing workers on organic farms) will provide some opportunities for this.

One way or another, I shouldn't be short of somewhere to stay! All of these organisations seem like a great way to establish a meaningful connection to a place when away from home. I'm hoping that my new housemates will be up for getting involved too as I'd love to offer our sofa bed!

The Importance of Being Earnest

2006-12-18T21:05:00.000+11:00

Click here the photos from our graduation performance!

Here is what I was thinking a week out...

I've never been involved in anything like this before, this final week is 'production week' and the best way I have of understanding it is to compare it to something I am more familiar with, the last week before a big triathlon / rowing event. There are 8 of us cast members plus our wonderful director Joanne Panagiotopolous and we are a tight team so it feels a little bit like our final week of rowing before Henley '97...

In both cases you are trying to build your energy and bring your performance to a peak at the right time. In both cases an outstanding performance involves reproducing the best from all the hours of practise you have put in but also creating a good mental space to allow something extra special to happen on the day. Great 'performances' seem to correlate quite strongly with 'letting go' and enjoying each moment as it unfolds... The biggest difference, as far as I can make out, is that I'd be spending most of the week ahead of a race with my feet up doing very little!

Oscar Wilde is a comic genius and you if we the team do our job well then the audience will certainly be laughing a great deal more than you ever did when you watched a race!

Looking for housemates again!

2006-12-15T18:27:00.000+11:00

Olivier and Chrissie are moving out in the new year, they are going to get a place together. So I'm on the hunt for housemates again. It gets a bit easier each time. I'm a lot clearer about what I'm looking for now. We always get a lot of interest so it is good to be really clear about what kind of a person you are looking for. Click anywhere on the text to see the ad.

Here are some of the people I have lived with over the last 3 years: Nick, Bianca, Jane, Jamie, Melody, Elmo, Mattieu, Carole, Thomas, Martin, Adam, Cath, Chrissie, Josh, Mali, Olivier, Christina. Perhaps we ought to have a 303 reunion sometime and see what everyone is up to...

2006 draws to a close

2006-12-15T14:23:00.000+11:00

My year is nearly over and it has been the best of my life so far. I have been a full time student at Parsifal College in Sydney for the year and that had a lot to do with it! In my spare time I have been running Total Immersion swim coaching for Australia. I've started a photo page too. My aim is to post only the best ones so that we can avoid digital overload! In any case I've put in permanent links for each of these so you can check them out.

Does anyone use RSS with 'live bookmarks'? It seems like a great way to see when websites have been updated without checking them every 5 minutes...

Bye for now,

Dunstan

February Birthdays

2006-03-02T20:43:00.000+11:00

Well 3 of the 9 of us on my course happened to have birthdays within 4 days of each other so Zohar, Evan and Myself shared a cake!

... and then there were the parties...

Myself and Josh had a joint BBQ in Centennial Park and managed to find some fairly subtle (not!) fabrics for our togas. People made a great effort, Phil maintained his near-perfect record for party attendence and the bottle walking brought out a competitive streak in many!

The following week was Claire's 'Moulin Rouge' themed party at 'Slide'. Another great night where people made a real effort with outfits, although the sight of a 6ft drag queen was somewhat disturbing, especially to me!

Here are a couple of photos. Emma has provided her ususal excellent service of publishing them online and I have added her website as a permanent link on the right ... Dunstan & Josh's Toga BBQ and Claire's Birthday

on becoming an anthroposophist...

2006-03-02T20:05:00.000+11:00

Well I'm now 4 weeks into my course. It is unlike anything I have ever done before and I am enjoying some of the creative tasks such as sculpting, painting and weaving. We have 3 sessions each day from Monday to Thursday. I leave home by 8 am for the hour ride up to Pennant Hills and am showered in time to start at 9:30.

I've also started a blog for us, the students at www.anthroposophists.blogspot.com. Full time students are: Celine, Connie, Dunstan, Ella, Evan, Kelly-Anne, Naho, Naoto, Rosa and Zohar. 5 of us are international students from as far afield as Japan, Israel and the UK so its a good mix.

Here are some photos!

Dunstan's UK Tour draws to a close...

2006-01-20T01:31:00.001+11:00

Well my 6 weeks excellent weeks in the UK are drawing to a close. Lots good times with great people. Sorry if the blogging has been a bit sparse!

I've been doing my best to get around the UK and see as many people as possible and am doing a couple of weeks of supply teaching to finish off the trip.

I'm having a great final week in Northampton. Lots of challenge, especially in the classroom - teaching in a school that is in special measures - ie under threat of being closed down. This week is their follow up Offsted inspection. Yesterday one of the inspectors went onto the field when a fight was in progress and had a burger thrown at her! Most of the classes need a pretty high level of behaviour management so it is keeping me honest!

Thought for Thursday 19th Jan 2006:

"A lot of the kids at school seem to think that I (their supply teacher) am there for their entertainment and try their hardest to get a predictable reaction. Well they are most mistaken - I'm actually there in a spirit of lovingkindness and light humour to help them to learn and to grow as people. Often I feel as though certain individuals are the ones who are providing entertainment for me and the rest of the class!"

... love that shit!

When I get back to Sydney I'll be starting my course in Anthroposophy with a view to becoming a Waldorf teacher. I will miss many aspects of my job at NumberWorks and there will be many sad farewells but I am fully excited about the start of the next chapter of my antipodean adventure. It seems as though the Steiner approach treats a person as'an acorn to be nurtured in growth', rather than a 'vessel that needs to be filled' and this is something I believe in my heart.

I'll also be running Total Immersion swim workshops, setting up swim squad, getting more involved with Rob's Run teaching, helping friends with their triathlon training and perhaps doing some supply teaching and maths tuition.

Plenty to keep me busy there!

Dunstan's UK Tour draws to a close...

2006-01-20T01:31:00.000+11:00

Well my 6 weeks excellent weeks in the UK are drawing to a close. I've been doing my best to get around the UK and see as much of my friends and family as possible. Lots good times with great people. Sorry if the blogging has been a bit sparse! I'll post some highlights soon :-)

I'm having a great final week in Northampton. Lots of challenge, especially in the classroom - teaching in a school that is in special measures - ie under threat of being closed down. This week is their follow up Offsted inspection. Yesterday one of the inspectors went onto the field when a fight was in progress and had a burger thrown at her! Most of the classes need a pretty high level of behaviour management so it is keeping me honest!

Thought for Thursday 19th Jan 2006:

"A lot of the kids at school seem to think that I (their supply teacher) am there for their entertainment and try their hardest to get a predictable reaction. Well they are most mistaken - I'm actually there in a spirit of lovingkindness and light humour to help them to learn and to grow as people. Often I feel as though certain individuals are the ones who are providing entertainment for me and the rest of the class!"

... love that stuff!

When I get back to Sydney I'll be starting my course in Anthroposophy with a view to becoming a Waldorf teacher. I will miss many aspects of my job at NumberWorks and there will be many sad farewells but I am fully excited about the start of the next chapter of my antipodean adventure. It seems as though the Steiner approach treats a person as 'an acorn to be nurtured in growth', rather than a 'vessel that needs to be filled' and this is something I believe in my heart.

I'll also be running Total Immersion swim workshops, setting up swim squad, getting more involved with Rob's Run teaching, helping friends with their triathlon training and perhaps doing some supply teaching and maths tuition.

Should be plenty to keep me busy there!

Flying Long Haul

2006-01-06T22:18:00.000+11:00

Here is an excellent article about surviving international flighst from my friend Matt Eaves. His hilarious posting includes factual info, tips for coping and comments.

Check out the site by clicking here!

here is my response ...

haha - I thought he was joking about the pepper thing!

re: when to get on the plane I agree with Matt that being in the middle of the anxious throng is the worst scenario. My solution, however is the opposite - I like to stay in the lounge, with my laptop plugged into the mains, until the very last! I figure they will always give me a final call and once you get around the corner there is always a queue anyway so you haven't exactly delayed proceedings... I just hate queues so I want to avoid them & spend the mimimun time in the plane possible!

re: charging your lapton on the plane - especially for Cokaru the new Airbus A340-600 has in-flight charging facilities without having to buy one of those silly and expensive adaptors. You just plug in between the seats! The socket takes US, Au and UK plugs (very clever) but my AU iBook charger didn't have enough clearance to fit in. Next time I'll take my US adaptor or an extension!

BTW I once got 'in trouble' for plugging my laptop into a socket I found. I figured that if it was going to cause the plane to crash then they wouldn't leave it lying around, but the I got busted and the head air steward told the pilot who told the head air steward to spank me soundly! If only it had been a stewardess, sigh... note: only one part of this story is elaborated, can you tell which...?

an aside: Has anyone ever tried charging from a 110V shaving socket? Kind of antisocial but if you were on the last level of Tetris and you combined it with a pepper snorting mission...?

Cheers Matt,

PS "Discomfort is a state of mind!"

(my)OPIC bar accused of racist door policy

2006-01-06T18:44:00.000+11:00

What do you think of this article (click the link)?
What is your opinion of 'bouncers'?
Do you have any personal experiences?

I'd be interested to see if experiences in the UK are different to Australia

I used to live with a guy who worked as a doorman. This guy had a PhD and had some pretty logical yet innovative ideas on the subject.

More from me once others have expressed their opinions...

Dunstan's UK Tour dates

2005-12-16T22:39:00.000+11:00

I've added a permanent link to my online diary - look on the right...

Don't forget to check down to the bottom of this page for new photos.

OK - off to Saffron Walden, more later,

D

Cambridge Trial VIII's

2005-12-16T22:10:00.000+11:00

I caught the Train in from St Albans with Dom and headed down to Putney to watch Cambridge University Boat Club's tideway race. The squad is preparing for the famous Oxford vs Cambridge Boat Race that takes place at Easter. Trial VIII's give two matched crews a chance to race head to head over the Boat Race course from Putney to Mortlake. There is considerable media interest and pundits attempt to gain an early indicator of the form of the two squads.

The 'Tideway' is, as the name suggests, a tidal section of the Thames. the race is timed to coincide with the fast tide flowing in, and both crews will attempt to position themselves in the fastest moving piece of water or 'stream'. I was in a Launch with good friend and CUBC boatman Rob Baker and Legendary coach Donald Legget.

It was a drizzly, grey day which required several layers + waterproofs. The two crews were 'Goldie' and 'Fairbairn' after two influential figures from the rich history of Cambridge rowing. We followed 'Goldie' who got off to a good start but suffered at the hands of the harbour master who, for reasons unknown, decided to wash the race down. 'Fairbairn' contained Tasmanian President Tom Edwards and 2000 Olympic gold medallist Kieran West in the stroke seat. Fairbairn sat on a higher rating for the whole race and moved up to a length of clear water by the mile post. Goldie's rhythm improved visibly in the flatter water after Hammersmith and they managed to neutralise some of Fairbairn's advantage, but they were never a threat.

Chief Coach, Duncan Holland seemed pleased with the performance of the two crews and all returned to the King's School Boathouse in Putney for hot soup.

UK here I come!

2005-12-16T05:57:00.000+11:00

On Monday I finished packing just in time and Claire gave me a lift to the airport :-) My flight was uneventful, although I met some cool people, including Molly, a triathlete from Wellington, NZ who was on her way to the UK with her sister Jessica to spend Christmas and NY with relatives.

The Cathay Pacific airbus from Sydney to Hong Kong was brand new and boasted laptop charging facilities (hooray!) and internet connection. The latter didn't work but is clearly the way of the future! At HK airport I connected to the wireless network and sent some quick emails. I also used Skpe Out to make a couple of calls to the UK from my iBook. Rather cool to be talking to Red in the UK for a cent per minute whilst wandering around the terminal. I only had to hang up as I got onto the plane. Tres cool Technology!!!

Landed at 0500 Tuesday morning and Dad picked me up from Heathrow and drove me home to Northampton :-) I haven't seen my dad since summer '03! I'm hoping to do some supply (casual) teaching for a couple of weeks in the New Year to help to fund the trip and I fired off my CV to 'Kingsthorpe Commuinty College' where I was a pupil from to 1988-1993. After lunch with my mum and a quick nap I headed down to London for a beer. The venue where we were meeting turned out not to exist anymore and I was unable to contact anyone to let them know plan B... BIG APOLOGIES to James and anyone else who couldn't find us. I was able to introduce two of my best mates Dom and Rob from the UK to Sydney training partners Charlotte and Kristian and Headed back to the Adair residence in St Albans where Dom lives with his wife Maria.

10th / 11th Canberra Weekend

2005-12-16T05:52:00.000+11:00

Friday night was a late one at NumberWorks, finishing everything off for the end of term. I caught the late bus home and was forced to move to a higher seat when a fellow passenger evacuated his stomach. The bus driver kicked the offending passenger off at the next stop with 'All you had to do was ask and I'd have stopped the bus!" fair point...

Dan picked me + 2 bikes up in the morning for the drive down to Canberra. I stayed with Jaqui and Chris, two of Wendy's excellent friends. Chris led a group of us out for a tour on the mountain bikes, the highlight was a BMX track where I made and emergency landing and narrowly escaped a big stack after getting carried away on a big jump!

In the afternoon I registered, racked my bike and gave Ainsley & Richard a hand on the Inner City Cycles stand. That evening we were treated to a gourmet Pasta feast at the Pulkkinen residence. Wendy is part of a wonderful group of friends who were all involved in the 1/2 Ironman in capacities including hosts, photographer, support crew, relay team and full distance competitors. AJ, Dan, Kerry, Mark and Wendy completed the full event and all had really positive experiences that were enjoyed by the whole group. Notably Wendy and AJ both 'popped their 1/2 IM cherries' with big smiles and very respectable performances.

I had a good swim but took a wrong turn on the bike course. This was 100% my own fault, as I hadn't driven the course or checked the map, but certainly wasn't helped by the illogical signage and general confusion. I ended up riding with Aeromax team mate Chris Shaw and we were several km past the point of error by the time we realised we had missed 20km of the course!

Dunstan "That sucks. Were you racing for an Ironman slot?"
Shawey "Nah, I already qualified at Port Mac Half."
Dunstan "Well I can't be bothered to go back now, what say we head back to transition and do the run anyway?"

We rode into T2 in 5th place overall and for a while the crowd and announcer thought we were having the race of our lives and had made up 15+ minutes on the pros but our amusement soon gave the game away. We explained our circumstances to the TA officials, gave our recommendations for improvements to signage and were stripped of our timing chips before we were allowed to progress to the run.

Belinda won her age group by 22 minutes.

I'll put some more results here soon - has anyone compiled them yet?

Lots of blogging to catch up on!

2005-12-16T05:50:00.000+11:00

The 3rd / 4th was a great weekend down in Melbourne visiting Belinda. On the Saturday we went down to the beach for a swim with Andy Sleaman's Tri-Bal squad and then headed over to 'Gwargy's' house for their christmas party. Sunday was a fine day and we rode down to Sandringham for the 'Protivity' sprint race. I had a great time racing and think I won my age group, although there were some pretty major issues with the timing / results! I caught up with Greer for a coffee in St Kilda and managed to catch up with Nathan, Su-z and newborn Keira in the evening.

Dunstan's UK Tour 2005-2006

2005-12-09T23:52:00.000+11:00

Well I'm flying out on Monday the 12th, arriving in the UK on the 13th in time for a beer with Charlotte, Kristian, Dom and others! Can't wait to catch up with everyone over there, its been too long - not far off 3 years... Woah!

I've published my 'Tour Dates' Calendar here so that you can keep track of my movements.

Do have a look, and be sure to bookmark it as I will update it when I plan more details. I think its pretty cool! Note: the bit in italics at the top is where I will be spending each night ;-)

Just finishing everythin off here at work and Off to Canberra in the morning for MTBing and Half Ironman on Sunday, then back to Clovelly for farewell drinks on Sunday night. Pretty busy and lots still to do...

More soon,

D

Meanwhile...

2005-12-05T12:01:00.000+11:00

Whilst Charlotte and the others were over in WA getting their final pre-race sleep I was at the Murrayfield Scottish Ball! A black tie affair with Haggis aplenty! I headed over from Bondi with JP (via an unmissable photo opportunity on the beach) and bumped into Anna wandering through Martin Place in her ball gown and looking rather fine. Roo had organised two tables of 20 great people and showed us why she is a Highland Dancing champion. Claire was diverted from a quiet night in after a last minute cancellation and turned up within 30 minutes looking stunning! Kenny showed us what to do with the Haggis, Jack and Alana told us of their recent engagement - CONGRATULATIONS! Emma suffered some impressive 'fling-bruising' on her upper arm, JP claimed that it was inflicted collectively. Doug Isles arrived after dinner but without his kilt and entertained us all with his infamous game of 'C or B'. Emma has published some great photos from the night, they are on her website which can be found here...

Sunday morning was a rather wet affair. What better way to recover than at an Ocean Swim, the 'Round the Island' in Coogee. I got there in the nick of time for the 1km warm up swim!

There are three things you need to know about the morning...

1. It started well but soon revealed itself to be cold, wet and windy.
2. We didn't make it around Wedding Cake Island - the organisers changed the course to keep us inside the Bay. Probably a wise move!
3. It was good to finish the swims feeling positive, with some great results from the crew:

In the 1km Ian won his age group with his usual laid-back & modest attitude and picked up a nice photo at the soggy presentation. Eva managed to overcome her fears of open water and finished 2nd in her age group. Anna completed her first ocean swim and coped really well with the challenging conditions, all smiles at the finish on around 3 hours of sleep. Nice work! Chad's teams (racing as 'Sea's the Limit') picked up 1st (Dash) and 3rd (Splash) for the 1km event and the Mermaids were 3rd overall in the 2.4km.

... meanwhile Emma was standing on her head somewhere in Brookvale as part of her yoga competition! Perhaps not the best position to recover from a big night, but certainly a great look...

Those links again in case you missed them...
Emma's Photos are here
'Sea's the Limit' is Chad's swim club
Coogee Swim photos - I'm in at least 2 of them, can you spot me?
Coogee Swim results are here I'm still trying to work out why I didn't get a time for the 2.4km, I reckon it was about 24:45 which would have put me 18th in my age...

Its interesting to note how 90% of swimmers in the photos lift their heads right out of the water to breathe. I know its important to be able to see where you are going but doing it every breath is like driving with the handbrake on!

"Ideal Body Shape" by Grace McCLure

2005-12-02T13:12:00.000+11:00

Click here to read an interesting article by Grace McClure
(scroll down)
Her modelling website can be found here

Grace is an interesting combination of: IronMan Triathlete, Model and Single Mother. This gives her a pretty unique perspective on several worlds!

Grace has experienced pressure to conform to a body shape that is expected of her as a model and this is now at odds with her desire to pursue her ambitions as a triathlete. Recently she has been turned down by a bikini swimwear calendar on the grounds of being too athletic!

The irony of that is certainly not lost on me...

Grace seems to have rejected the notion of having a 'perfect figure' in favor of living and training as she wants to, citing her happiness and health as higher priorities. She quotes a survey which claims that 74% of Australian women are unhappy with their bodies. I think Grace would like to challenge some of society's firmly held notions from within the modeling industry. I have never met her, but I can imagine that this takes a certain amount of determination and courage.

As for my opinion...?

I think that athletic girls can be very attractive and I think that beauty resides in the heart and mind as well as the body. When a person is living strong mentally, physically AND emotionally then they are are truly alive they radiate life energy. To my mind the 26% are the truly attractive ones ;-)

So what do YOU THE READER think?

Would you like to see models that are more representative of the general population?

GIRLS Are you happy with your body the way it is? Do you feel that there is pressure to conform to an 'ideal' body shape?

GUYS Do you like athletic girls?

Bussleton Ironman - Sunday 27th November

2005-12-01T15:26:00.000+11:00

It sounds as though this event was an epic. It was a stormy weekend across much of Australia and Western Australia seemed to get more than its share! Race start was postponed for an hour to give the weather a chance to die down. By all accounts the swim was still pretty rough, times seemed about 5 minutes slower than usual. The bike was really windy too - "...hardest conditions I have ever raced or trained in..." (Dingo).

It sounds as though people were happy to get to the run leg and none more than fellow Inner City Cycles athlete Charlotte Paul, who had the race of her life to finish 2nd Pro Female and 39th overall in 9:47 with a blistering 3:10 run split that decimated most of the pro women. Angela Milne, however, was never headed, despite a drafting penalty, and finished 16 minutes ahead to claim the only available Pro Women's Hawaii spot. Charlotte has certainly proven that she is capable of racing with the best in Hawaii.

Other notable results were John Mergler, fresh from his 2nd place in Kona, who won 40-44 by a country mile in 9:34; Tony 'Dingo' McClement, who finished 4th in his last year of 25-29 with a time of 9:50, narrowly missing out on a Hawaii slot in the process; and Jarrod Hudson who was 9th in 30-34 with a 10:12.

Mitch Anderson took out his first Ironman title in 8:27, racing cleverly and patiently for the whole day. Luke McKenzie led for much of the race, tried to break Mitch Anderson on the run and succeeded only in breaking himself, ending up withdrawing, his 2nd DNF out of 3 IM starts. Surely the race goal for this young talent must be to FINISH his next race, regardless of placing!

McKenzie wasn't alone, as 13% of the field failed to complete the race, most of them falling victim to the extreme swim conditions. It is an achievement to complete any Ironman race, but it seems that Bussleton '05 will go down in history as an epic test, with those that rose to the challenge achieving success.

The official race report can be found here

PS - OOOH I nearly forgot to mention, Charlotte's husband Kristian is the official cover boy for IMWA! Can't wait to get my signed copy of the poster ;-)

Training Ride

2005-11-26T17:21:00.000+11:00

We rode up to Hornsby and out on the old highway, got a bit wet, used makeshift bin-liner waterproofs to keep warm, ate pie at 'Pie in the Sky', flew home and dried out on the Harbour Bridge. Group riding skills were excellent in the heavy traffic on the way back down the Pacific Highway and spirits were mostly high in some appalling conditions. Nice work Adrian, Chris, Lynsey & Roo!

I'll be donating $60 from the ride to the Amy Gillett Safe Cycling Foundation. Amy Gillet was a member of the Australian cycling team who died when they were struck by a car in Germany in July. Cycling safety is an issue close to my heart and I feel that this is a very worthwhile and relevant cause. Click here to find out more...

Leave me a message or send me an email if you would like to know about the next session in the New Year

Paul Mac and The Presets...

2005-11-26T16:29:00.000+11:00

... played at the metro last night. I was there with my housemate Cath.

The Preset were brilliant. They really didn't five a s**t, just as you'd expect from a pair of rock stars!

Paul Mac's 'Panic Room' was good, but not quite as good as I'd hoped. it was really hard to understand what he was saying between songs, he seemed a bit weary and I don't think he was really connecting with the audience. Don't get me wrong, the guy is a huge talent, just he seemed to be a bit lacking a bit of Mojo... Abby Dobbs had a strong presence on vocals. Dreamy and sexy. GRRR!

The Presets are here
Paul Mac's website is awesome - you can listen to the whole album, the first track is pumping!

TI Workshop and Cockatoo Island Swim

2005-11-22T16:01:00.001+11:00

Last weekend was the TI workshop and the Dawny-Cockatoo Swim on the Sunday morning.

My friend Belinda came up from Melbourne for the weekend and 'did the double' - click here to read her race report from the ocean swim. My housemate Josh also swam, completing his first ocean swim without any difficulty. Official photo report is here. Results will be here once they are posted.

The TI workshop was one of our best ever. I was lucky enough to be working with Kim Gould and all of the participants picked up the new ideas really well.

All in all a great weekend!

... something to inspire ...

2005-11-14T14:24:00.000+11:00

There is something about an extreme challenge that can lift the human spirit and gives a person the opportunity to face their doubts and fears head on and to grow bigger and stronger. Physical challenges and in particular sporting events are an opportunity to test oneself and often to compare achievement to others'. I have been fortunate enough to experience some amazing 'growth moments' in my life, all of them connected with my heart and many of them through sport.

Many people face challenges in their life that are part of the daily fabric of their lives. Some of the life challenges that people face are things that I find hard to comprehend, as I don't have any direct experience of hardship. All of my challenges so far are out of choice. I hope that some of my personal challenges in the future will involve helping others who have less choices.

Two guys I know from my rowing days at university are attempting an extreme physical challenge that few have completed. Dan and Rich are competing in the 2005 Atlantic Rowing Race. In just over 13 days (Sunday 27th) they will set off in a 24ft craft 'Atlantic Prince' from the Canary Islands and will, along with 25 other teams, attempt to complete the 2,550 nautical miles across the Atlantic to Antigua in the West Indies.

They are aiming to win the pairs event and also to break the record, which stands at just over 40 days, and are hoping to raise £50,000 for Cancer Research UK and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. As part of their preparation, these guys broke the world record for one million metres on a rowing machine - a shade over 3 days! If you are anything like me, you will enjoy reading about their adventures to date and following their progress online at www.atlanticprince.com. If you want to support the guys and have the chance to win £1000 you can enter a competion to guess their finishing time.

Rich and Dan, here's wishing you the adventure of a lifetime and hoping that you achieve your 3 goals!

India's marathon boy, aged three

2005-11-11T11:03:00.000+11:00

What do you think about this?

Its an article about a kid who runs marathons in India - AGED THREE!

Click the title to check it out...

What do you think? This is something you are bound to have an opinion on so go ahead and share it by leaving a comment!

Wow - what a weekend!

2005-11-07T10:24:00.000+11:00

It was a good one so I thought I'd share...

On Friday night Cath and I left the clues for the treasure hunt. This involved a bit of crafty stencil work and some exploration of the more 'interesting' parts of our 5-floor warehouse complex.

On Saturday morning Rod took me to the St George Rowing Club. I used to do a lot of rowing between 1995 and 1999 before I started triathlon but I don't think I've been in a boat since then! The first outing was a time trial so I decided to go for a light paddle insted to get used to being in a boat again. Rod showed me the map of the waterways, coach Ron allocated my scull and off I went. Great to be back on the water and to my relief it all came back to me pretty quickly, although my balance was somewhat suspect! Second outing was a quad with Rod, Daniels and Andrew. It was great to be back in a crew boat, it felt great for a scratch crew and we even managed some cheeky starts which left me grinning broadly!

Our Hawaiian party kicked off with the treasure hunt. Teams had to answer 10 questions about the housemates by discovering clues around the building. The winning team of Andrew, Dan, Dan, Emma and Leilani scored 23.5 out of 30. Awesome! The questions are here (click link and scroll down) in case you missed out ;-)

Josh opened up a classy cocktail bar in his room and we served up Water Melon Martinis, Thailand Iced Teas, Lychee Lime Caprioscas and Tequila Mockingbirds until we ran out of ingredients. Lani's home made pesto and humus dips were a big hit too. Thanks to everyone who helped to pump up the pool. It was officially 'opened' and the party moved into phase 3...

Well I'm out of time so if you want to know the rest you'll need to find someone who was here. In the meantime click here to check out the rest of Emma's outstanding photos.

PS The award for the best outfit has to go to Wendy for her outstanding coconut bra which she was kind enough to share upon leaving! It was actually rather comfortable - I'm sure that Piers can confirm...

Letter to my coach - Grant Giles (Aeromax)

2005-10-27T21:19:00.000+10:00

I'd like to say thanks for getting me to the start. Your progs were excellent with lots of emphasis on quality, but helping me through some of my darker times was what made the biggest difference and meant the most to me...I had a really good race - I went in 70% looking to enjoy the experience and 30% hoping for a good result.
I used to be the other way around but Yeppoon taught me an important lesson there...

Swim was fine but nothing special. Bike was mostly good - all of the strength work must have paid off! I was expecting lots of people to ride hard at the start and then blow up on the way home. Riding out to Hawi felt easy but I think I drank too much water for first part of ride. Stomach bloated and the gels weren't going in. On the way back I had some low energy patches so I was the one struggling and getting passed! Strangely enough, most people out there were decent riders. Mental note to self - don't underestimate the other competitors when you are at the World IM champs! Hit the cola at 130km which was good but energy was flicking on and off all the way back, like a car with dodgy carburettor! Last 20k of the ride I gave my stomach a chance to empty and came into town strong.

Took my time in transition, walked into easy jog pace. Felt great for Ali'i drive section of run - form was good and I felt like I had the Ace of Spades up my sleeve. Out to energy lab still felt great but the Ace wasn't there anymore, although I hadn't used it! Lost my form coming back from EL, It turned into a muscular effort but I knew I was on the way home :-) Run nutrition worked well. No flat patch like at Forster 04/05. Last 2km were a HUGE BUZZ. Feeding off the energy of the crowd and just soaking up the finish chute.

Was doing my own thing all day, didn't really race anyone apart from a couple of dudes I overtook in the last 100m. Lots of nice shade along Ali'i and the hat flap worked a treat. Supporters were great. I'm voting for the bikini as the best invention of the century - why do you think I was smiling so much? The event was so much bigger than its competitors and I feel lucky to have been able to be a part of it in 2005.

Not sure what now, I'm really enjoying training 'cause I feel like it at the moment. Looking forward to doing some work on core / technique / flexibility without the pressure of a big race coming up, quite keen on Canberra 1/2.

Exploring the Big Island

2005-10-21T11:44:00.000+10:00

Well the post ironman celebration dust has finally begun to settle.
I'll be posting my race report and more photos soon :-)

Yesterday was a bit of a washout. Good to take some time out though +
hung out with Renaud and his cool parents in the evening. Watched the
sunset and fell asleep to the sound of the waves breaking! from the
balcony.

This morning I completed my 3rd checkout in 4 days and then went to
visit this amazingly cool Waldorf elementary (K-8) school. Spent this
morning observing / participating in lessons - I practised walking
along a telegraph pole with a stick balanced on my head and my eyes
closed, in geography I learned about the Hawaiian island chain (did
you know there is a new one forming to the SE of the Big Island?) and
then helped out with some gardening, followed by a pumpkin hunting
session in Spanish. The kids fed me thimble-berries, I helped them to
reach some guavas that were out of reach and we checked a den in the
middle of some giant bamboos! I bought a school T-shirt and the kids
personalised it for me with some funky dolphins, turtles and a
volcano. All in all a very stimulating experience.

Hitched out of town with some interesting characters - a chilled
dude, a vietnam veteran and a local climate expert. We just drove
past South Point and crossed a stark N-S line onto the east side of
the island. It goes from bleak broken lava to lush green over a
couple of metres. A bit drizzly now. I'm now in Naalehu. Population
of 800, 9 churches, 0 pubs and 1 very cool cafe with wireless
internet where I'm sitting now - the old theatre. Also famous for a
tree that Mark Twain planted

9:33:15 – Happier than Larry!

2005-10-17T13:58:00.000+10:00

1:03 swim, 5:03 bike, 3:20 run

Well I’ve finished and it was an amazing day. Certainly one of the best in my life so far! Completing an Ironman takes a while, and every day has its highs and lows.

My main aim for the day was to enjoy the race and soak up as much of the experience as possible. I also wanted to 'push my envelope' by having the race of my life. I had no specific target time in mind, although 10 hours was always a subconcious barrier. All of these things I achieved. The ride was fast due to the smooth surface and kind conditions. The marathon was a PB and the first part of my run felt amazing!

Some of my highlights were:
• Seeing some of the disabled athletes being carried into the water for the swim start, let me tell you, that IS inspiring
• Treading water watching the pro start, pier packed full of people, helicopters overhead.
• Finishing the swim
• The first 80km of the bike leg – sitting of an average of 38kph!
• Working with Phil on the bike at the start of the climb to Hawi (“har-v”)
• Getting back to civilisation on the bike!
• The first 30km of the run. It felt effortless – F-A-S-T.

• Seeing Mel out at the energy lab.
• Getting water, ice and coke from some of the kids on the aid stations. These kids rock!
• The final 2 km, down Alii Drive and into the finish chute, feeding off the emotion.

Thank you to everyone for the awesome messages you have been sending to me. I've had so much support throught cyberspace and it gives me a really strong anchor!

Dunstan's live update from Kona...

2005-10-16T01:55:00.000+10:00

Hi all,

My name is Jacqui, i am a good friend of Dunstans and
proud spectator of todays Ironman Championships over
here in Kona, Hawaii.

I am sharing with him in a house over here and will be
giving you as many live updates as i can throughout
today to track Dunstans race. Alternatively you can
also track it through www.ironmanlive.com.

Both Dunstan and Melissa have just departed our house
to head down for the race. I will heading down there
to watch the swim.

The action has started.........

International Spectator Info - Part 6

2005-10-15T16:25:00.000+10:00

All packed and ready to roll out in the am.

I've been keeping my head down and saving energy for the last few days.
Thanks for all the messages, they mean a lot to me!

If you want to watch go to www.ironmanlive.com

If you want to use the 'athlete tracker' my race no is 1501. Mel is 149

Race start is at 0700 local time
that's 0300 on Sunday if you're in Aus
and 1800 on Saturday if you're in the UK
Pro start is 15 minutes earlier

My friend Jacqui might post some updates to the blog during the race.

Feeling quite nervous and really looking forward to the start gun firing.

That's all for now,

D

Observatory Sunrise and Briefing – Part 5

2005-10-13T13:05:00.000+10:00

Last night was an awesome swim. I left it a bit late so swam out a km or so as the sun set. Beautiful! One of the venues was kicking off and as I floated in the ocean I took in the contrast between the calm of the ocean, with several fishing boats at anchor against the buzz of activity from the shore. Sadly, I returned to the shore to find that my bag, containing my towel, T-shirt and body glide had been taken. Fortunately my thongs (flip flops) and shorts, with the key to Mel’s hire car in the pocket were still there. Phew! On the way back I stopped by at the expo to seek out a free T-shirt and got the chance to try out the endless pool.

Kona, here I come! – Part 4

2005-10-12T17:15:00.001+10:00

I'm on my way to the airport and looking forward to experiencing one of the most unusual and beautiful landscapes in the world. I have heard a lot about the race but am aware that I really know very little. I'm expecting the unexpected and looking forward to one of the best adventures of my life and soaking up as much of the experience as I can!

The big island is awesome. 2 main industries here are tourism and astronomy, on account of the clear skies. Ranching is also big, as is Ginger and Macadamia nut production. Just touched down in Kona airport. Its one of the coolest airports I've been through. As you fly in the overwhelming impression is one of blackness from the lava around the airport. You step out into the heat and down onto the runway. Into the terminal and past the queue of people waiting to board the same plane! Its 100% pedestrian, not a conveyor belt or walkway in sight!

I’m staying with my good friend and training partner Melissa Ashton and several of her friends – Britt, Jacqui, Andrew (Mel’s brother) and Brendon (Mel’s Husband). Monday was a day off for travelling. John took me to the iconic Lava Java hotel for some lunch and free wireless internet ☺. The accommodation is at Luna Pule, about 1km out of town along the Ali’i Drive (that’s pronounced Aleehee) which is part of the bike course and the run course. Put my bike together again and wandered down to the Kailua Pier to check out the transition areas and the swim course. 1.9 km out and 1.9 km back! That’s like swimming 2 lengths of an Olympic rowing lake. Most Ironman swims are 2 lap affairs and unsurprisingly, this one looks like a long way too!

This morning was my first ride on the legendary smooth roads. Mel led us out of town along the Queen Kaahumanu Highway (Queen K for short) and into the lava fields. A few solitary pieces of white coral form a sharp contrast to the black-brown of the lava and are also used to write messages along the side of the road, a kind of eco-friendly graffiti. The Queen K runs parallel to the coast and passes the Natural Energy Lab (most distant part of the run course) and the Airport. We spotted a few lava goats and also a donkey crossing!? See photo above... Later on I ran out along Ali’i drive with Dan McGuigan. Kona is truly a triathlon paradise, there is even free Gatorade at the side of the road so you can help yourself while you are training! Well that’s all for now, I’m off to swim.

World Championships – Part 3

2005-10-12T17:15:00.000+10:00

Well Yesterday (Saturday)’s swim was a bit bouncy on account of the swell coming in from the side. I swam the 2 laps of the 750 m worlds course, pausing half way to tread water and take in the spectacle of the sun sinking into the ocean. The moon was out way before it got dark and made up for my stroke feeling slightly ordinary.

Sunday I was up early in my role as support crew. I’d been given the task of counting places in 35-39 for Phil and giving him times from the lead. He came out of the water in 35th, 4 minutes off the lead. Coming into T2 he had closed the gap to 2:30 and was in 7th place but a 35 min run was only good enough for 5th in the age. I knew that Phil had been hoping for a higher placing but to his great credit he was as positive and sporting as he was after his recent win at the World Duathlon championships in Newcastle.

Time for a quick change and onto the bike for my last key brick session. 5 x 3 min above race pace followed by 4 x 4 min of run efforts, again above race pace. The ride felt good and yielded some excellent power / heart rate data and the run felt controlled too, despite the heat. Straight back to the hotel to refuel, pack and box my bike. Off for my 30 min easy recovery run and then off to the Australian team party to catch up with Ben, Phil and other friends.

Some provisional results:

Brit Caling 5th in 30-34 (1st Australian)
Jacqui Wrightson 15th in 30-34 (2nd Australian)
Tim Porter 6th in 20-24
Ben Wearing 21st in 25-29 (1st place for partying hard)
Phil Dove 5th in 35-39 *
John Hill 15th in 45-49 *
John Mergler 21st in 45-49 *

*denotes athletes who have also completed the Duathlon Worlds and are heading to Kona for the Ironman Worlds too!!!

Full results are at www.triathlon.org

Honolulu - Part 2

2005-10-09T12:29:00.000+10:00

Had the most amazing run last night in the dark. I ended up on top of a volcanic crater with a spectacular view of the lights of the city (Phil rekons its the 6th largest in the US!) and then had to run through an eerily empty US air force bace with rows and rows of jeeps parked up in order to get out! The running felt awesome.

This morning I rode a 70km loop of this end of the island, taking in the most spectacular rainforest I have ever seen. Riding felt great, lots of power and not much heart rate :-) Amazing how much fluid and salt you lose, not to mention the power of the sun! If doesn't feel too hot in the breeze but that is deceptive!

'Aloha' means 'hello' and 'Mahalo' is 'thank you'. Interestingly, the 2 words are close to being an anagram of each other and they both lend their names to many things, including gas (petrol) stations!

Thats all for now, I'm going offline to read your emails and then for a swim, easy 30 min

Dunstan out.

Dunstan in Hawaii - Part 1

2005-10-08T13:14:00.000+10:00

I flew in to Honolulu yesterday, in the process crossing the equator and the international date line, which meant that I had 2 Thursdays! I flew out of Sydney at 2030 and arrived in Hi, USA on Thursday morning at 1030. I’m here until Monday, watching the Olympic distance worlds on Sunday where my good friends Ben Wearing and Phil Dove are going to tear it up, and then heading to Kona, over on ‘the big island’ ahead of my big race on Saturday 15th.

So far all is good, had my fingerprints and photo taken at immigration as part of US ‘homeland security’, 'cause remember, the world IS a safer place now. On ya GWB! I caught the shuttle bus across to the quaint little (pink!) hotel in Waikiki where I’m staying with Phil. Took my bike out of the box where It was securely packed in bubble wrap and polystyrene and reassembled it straight away. Having all of the tools and plenty of time made it a very satisfying and pleasurable experience!

The Royal Grove is a few minutes from the beach. As Piers had told me, it has ideal surf for beginners. The floor drops REALLY gradually, which means that the waves keep going forever. Long enough to actually stand up and steer the board. The place is also really mellow; kids, old guys, locals, holidaymakers, all enjoying the beach and connecting with the surf. I needed to do something to loosen up and feel alive after a busy day of packing and a reasonable flight so Phil Joined me for a quick swim in the surf. We caught a few waves and caught up with each other and headed back for some food with John Mergler. John is an extreme endurance athlete with many Ironmen races under his belt, including 6x Kona, so another great person to be staying with.

Phil really liked my bike and my umbrella! My photo of the day...

Today (Friday) we rode a 40km lap of the bike course and jogged the 5km run loop. The roads are smooth as, 95% of the course is dead flat and there is likely to be a ‘strong headwind out, fast tailwind back’ scenario. That actually sounds like a similar set of parameters to next weekend if you drop the ‘flat’ part and scale it up!

Well that’s it for now. I’m fully in chilled out spectator mode, looking forward to my last significant run tonight and happier than Larry. Hope to post some pictures soon and hope to write again from Honolulu. Bye for now,

Dunstan

Racing from the Heart

2005-09-01T15:02:00.000+10:00

Well August '05 will go down as a landmark month in my life. Several reasons, lets just say for now that there has been a lot of soul searching, and also some answers found!

Yeppoon Half Ironman was right in the middle, my first race in the open category which ended up with a solid result of 5th. That has a nice kind of clarity to it; not having to say "I finished 7th overall, won 25-29 and was the 2nd age grouper home etc etc..."

I had an excellent race. Plenty of time to warm up including a 1.5km beach walk which I jogged with my good friend Phil Dove. We met the previous year racing as age groupers at the same race and he shared some of his racing philosophy with me on the way to the start. I was pretty pumped on the start line, thinking "this is it, my first pro start...". It was a buzz when the gun went - RACE UNDERWAY! The water was pretty choppy and the swim seemed to last forever, especially considering there was supposed to be a strong following current! I exited with a few other guys. I was 13th onto the bike and settled into race rhythm. My SRM's were giving some bizarre power readings so I just rode by feel. Phil was a minute ahead of me onto the ride but he was going like a train, on his way to the 2nd fastest bike split of the day and 4th overall.

By the 3rd lap I was starting to catch plenty of people who had gone hard at the start of the bike leg and also Timmy Porter (from HERT - my old training group) fresh out of the sin bin where he had been 'resting' for 5 minutes, tut tut! Dan McGuigan (from Aeromax - my new training group) was riding strong and caught me near the end of the ride. He led the charge to T2 and we started the run together despite his brief but intimate encounter with the tarmac in the vicintiy of the dismount line. Tim was around 50m behind and we set off for 3 laps of the resort and surrounding bushland. Dan was running strong and turned the screw a bit heading into the bush on lap 1. At one point it was all I could do to stay with him and I hoped we'd be able to work together into the top 5. Dan eased the pace slightly and I took the lead but after a few hundred metres there was no more Dan.

Tim was always in the back of my mind and sure enough, he soon came by at a decent pace. I decided to let him go and focused on running well in my own rhythm. If I'm honest, I probably wouldn't have been able to match his pace for long so I decided to be patient. On the last lap I passed Matt Clark to move into 6th and later spotted Timmy through the bush, about 100m ahead. Yeppoon has one of those run courses with limited visibility, so Tim was actually quite close by the time I saw him. This time it was my turn to surge past, doing my best to look invincible! Into the top 5 and that was where I finished.

Top placings were:

1. Leon Griffin - 4:14:22 (click to read his race report)
2. Cameron Watt - 4:14:35
3. Mathew Tippett - 4:15:58
4. Philip Dove - 4:16:30
5. Dunstan Bertschinger - 4:21:04
6. Tim Porter - 4:22:55
7. Jason Crowther - 4:23:28 (winner of 25-29)
8. Stephen Hemy - 4:23:45 (winner of 40-44)
9. Callum Millward - 4:24:28
10. Matthew Clark - 4:25:45
11.Dan McGuigan - 4:26:05
12. Brett Currie - 4:26:13 (winner of 30-34)

Some other solid results were

Ben Wearing - 3rd in age with 4:32:11
Greer Sansom - 4th in age with 5:11:04
Mel Ashton - 2nd Pro Female with 4:35:55

Special thanks to my sponsors, Ainsley, Robyn, LLewelyn and Russ at Inner City Cycles and Pauline and Murray from Pharmanex for their continued support.

My final preparations for the big race in Kona on Saturday 15th October are going really well. I'll be flying out on the 6th. More soon, including my latest racing photos...

Gallery Jack

2005-07-27T12:30:00.000+10:00

My friend Matt Fawl has taken over an art gallery in Surry Hills. His aim is to build a thriving art studio and gallery with a unique focus on creative opportunities for those who would not otherwise get them. Here is Matt's Mission Statement. I hope you find it interesting. Ring Matt or leave me a message here if you want to get involved ;-)

Gallery Jack (working title) - Mission Statement

Gallery Jack’s main focus is on providing a charitable outreach program to teach art classes and help develop creativity for the underprivileged people of our society.

Gallery Jack will also focus on providing a thriving gallery / art studio space amongst its peer galleries in the inner city suburb of Surry Hills. Its aim is to achieve this by promoting to everybody, not only the underprivileged, but to the whole community as a Gallery space to exhibit and as a place to work and develop creative processes in its communal area and studio work spaces.

This is where Jack can succeed by hosting its outreach classes in an environment which is used by people who rent the studio spaces, through to established artists exhibiting in its gallery.

Where Gallery Jack is right now

Jack has a large, well established galley / workshop in Surry Hills offering, upon its lease ending towards the end of the year, the space for Jack to fulfil its mission. These premises are absolutely perfect for Jack’s objectives and the bonus is it has already been known as a successful gallery space for 4 years.

Even in Jack’s conceptual stages it has attracted some very keen interest in setting up affiliations and programs with large organizations such as The City of Sydney Council, Art Gallery of NSW and the University of NSW College of Fine Arts.

Jack has already come a long way in setting up structures and sourcing teachers and general advice as a team of very committed people are working around the clock to ensure its success. However, we are in need of help. Our biggest problem is lack of funding, lack of building material and art materials.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Dated 22/07/05

Matt Fawl, Director.

Mobile 0418 415 828

Who are my Sponsors?

2005-07-05T10:56:00.000+10:00

In my athletic endeavours I'm fortunate enough to be supported by a lot of people. These are people who know me and understand the nature of my journey. My aim is simple:

"to be the best triathlete I can possibly be ... no more ... no less"

Inner City Cycles

Its the best bike shop Sydney. Why? Because they understand and deliver what I need. During my final preparations for my first Ironman (Forster 2003), I had a critical mechanical faliure which could have kept me from racing but Ainsley and the crew came through for me, located a replacement part and got my bike ready in time.

Ainsley is also the person who has given me the best explanation of how an upright road position should translate to an aerodynamic TT position (clear and simple concepts are much easier to understand). These are just a couple of examples of my good experiences with the shop. I know that great customer service is the rule rather than the exception so I feel really good about recommending Inner City Cycles.

The staff are all enthusiastic cyclists with a wealth of experience in triathlon, road, MTB and BMX. The shop is well connected to the triathlon scene and sponsors both Canberra City Half Ironman and Star City Triathlon. Besides this, Inner City Cycles offers an abundance of easily accessible expertise and exceptional value for money.

Overall its a pretty cool shop!

Pauline Lindsay and Murray Smith from Pharmanex supply me with Lifepak, Cordyceps and Overdrive nutritional supplements to enhance my training, recovery and general health.

I first met with Pauline at the Gold Coast Half Ironman in 2004. More recently Murray (and most of his family!) travelled up to Port Stephens for the Club Championships. It was great to have their support whilst I was racing and several of my friends took the opportunity to get scanned.

Working as a teacher in an enclosed space and coming into close contact with 240 children from over 20 different schools means I get exposed to whatever is going around! During the 2004 winter (before I started using LifePak) I missed some key training weeks with a pretty nasty flu. Since then I have worked to improve my chances of staying healthy. I believe that using LifePak, eating better, more rest & improved life balance been key changes. I've been in great health in 2005 and I've been able to enjoy training consistently at a new level.

Lifepak is a high quality source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients with a big difference. Pharmanex have developed the BioPhotonic Scanner - it represents a big advance in technology whereby a low intensity laser is used to measure the amount of carotenoid (a key antioxidant) stored in your skin. This is indicative of your body's ability to deal with free radicals, harmful chemicals which damage body cells, accelerate ageing and can cause cancer. Free Radical levels in the body are elevated by exposure to pollutants such as cigarette smoke, car exhaust fumes and excessive exercise (eg Ironman!). My skin carotenoid score was good to start with and has risen consistently since I started using LifePak. It's great to know that my body has the best protection available when I'm subjecting it to the rigours of intesive overloading aka training harder than I ever have in my life!

Cordyceps and Overdrive are two extra supplements that I have been using for endurance and recovery in my specific preparations for the Ironman Worlds in Hawaii in October.

Cordyceps is a natural extract from the Cordyceps Sinensis mushroom that has been used in China for over 1000 years! It is said that the Chinese Emperors used the mushroom to help them to keep up with their concubines!!! I'm using it to boost my life vitality during training and at work.

Overdrive is a herb, mineral and vitamin formulation which aims to replace key nutrients that are lost during intensive exercise. I'm using it to help me to train better and recover more quickly.

I had a really interesting experience at the NSW Club Championships soon after starting to use these 2 product. When I'm racing hard it usually feels as though I come up against a ceiling of speed which prevents me from going faster without 'blowing up', kind of like a boundary line that I can't cross without paying for it later. This race was different. It's hard to describe but I felt as though the line became less solid and I was able to push myself to go faster. I felt really strong despite the lack of any specific preparation (the event came soon after racing the Forster Ironman).

I have had some excellent experiences with the 3 products I have been trying out. You can follow the links to find out more and I have no hesitation in recommending that you try out the products if you want to experience the benefits that I have experienced. If you have any questions or comments please leave me a message.

"stay balanced, train effectively and enjoy every moment of it"

... introducing Rob Higley...

2005-06-21T23:23:00.003+10:00

Rob is one of the most inspiring and 'human' people I have ever met. He has dedicated the last 28 years of his life to travelling the world in order to discover the secrets of human running. In recent years Rob has refined his model to the point where he is now able to impart his technique through a series of connected exercises and drills as a 'running teacher'.

Rob has just 'gone public' with the publication of his website at www.robsrun.org and will soon be travelling to Europe to work with athletes and to present his ideas.

This is a very exciting time for Rob and I'm delighted to announce that Rob will be giving a Seminar & Demonstration @ the '303 School of Life' in Surry Hills this weekend. Rob will be accompanied by Todd Hardie, one of his young, developing athletes.

Date - Sunday 26th June 2005
Time - 3pm to 5pm
Location - a stone's throw from Central Station. Leave a message if you need directions
Cost - $20 per person, free for under 16's
Nutrition - healthy snacks & refreshments will be provided
Bring - a bean bag if you have one...

... and no, you don't have to wear your school uniform this time ;-)

See you there,
Dunstan

Falling off bikes!!!

2005-06-20T11:53:00.000+10:00

Committed Blog readers will remember reading about my crash on the Sydney Harbour Bridge in December.
(Click here if you missed the article and photos!)

Well despite managing to elude the all-seeing-eye of my phone camera on that occasion, Wendy has put in more regular appearences of late, notably at the 303 'back to school' party where she tied for 'most convincing schoolgirl' with Dan!

Her most recent adventure made me chuckle so I decided to share it with you! Enjoy.

Lancette's Diary: Clip in pedals - Day 1.

Scene 1: Next to the table, inside.
"It's kind of hard to get my feet into these new bike shoes, I hope they loosen up a bit. Maybe if I just jam my feet in really quickly, it'll be easier...
What's that? Hmmm... my bike light. Might be needing that later. Ok, feet in shoes, now onto the bike".

Scene 2:Outside the house, on the neighbour's driveway, standing upright.
"I hope I don't get a flat. I'd be stuffed if I had to walk to work in these shoes. And late. I'm already late. Maybe I should get the pump. Where is the pump? Bugger the pump, I haven't got time to find it. I won't get a flat... surely. Let's just get into these pedals. Ok, left foot first..... hey! Bingo! How cool is that? Is my foot in properly? Yep, I think so!"

Scene 3: Outside the house, on the neighbour's driveway, not standing upright.
"What the F*%! Ouch. Bloody bike. How did that happen? Did I just fall off? I must have. That's concrete. Ok... I'll just get out from under it. Huh...? My foot won't move. How do I get out of these bloody things? Hmmm... Easy, huh? I'll love my cycling? Huh...?"

Scene 4: Outside the house, on the neighbour's driveway, on the MTB.
"If I'm late, I'm late. At least I might arrive alive".

Wendy Andrews aka Lancette

Editor's note: Readers facing a similar 'bike-shoes-and-matching-clip-in-pedals' adventure might like to losen off the spring tension adjuster to facilitate easy foot removal in the event of sudden, inexplicable loss of balance! For others (you know who you are - TDBB) even this precautionary measure is not enough ;-) !

Please see Dan's comment (below) clarification on this last point!

Happy pedalling!

"What now between you and me?"

2005-06-03T15:34:00.000+10:00

"...there is no 'you and me'..."

I've got one final weekend of shenanigans before I settle back into my full training routine. Tonight at the Clock for a few drinks to say farewell to Pauly Morris ahead of his European adventure, tomorrow afternoon for Emma's housewarming in Balmain and tomorrow evening at the Arthouse to REALLY say goodbye to Paul!!! He had better not change his mind and come back in 3 weeks! ;-)

I've been working on my core strength and flexibility and have been doing a few sessions with a strong technical focus.
Now I'm ready to ease back into a full workload and push on to the next level!

Back2School@303

2005-06-03T07:31:00.000+10:00

Editor's note - have you found one of the links to the photos?

I had a great time at our party last Saturday: there was an awesome group of people with some very convincing outfits and the warehouse space came alive as a 'school'!

Quote of the evening has to be from a guy who wondered in looking for somewhere else, took a quick peek at our setup and said:

"What is this, a bar or something?"

...nice...

Headmaster's Report

Faculty Staff:

Mr Dunstan Bertschinger – Principal
Mr Adam Sanford – Vice Principal

Miss Catherine Bellini – Graphic Design
Mr/iss Eric(a) Clarke - Science
Mr Scott Fink - Sport
Baden Reynolds - Maths
Mr Thomas Zatare - Latin

Mr Ross Pulido - Careers advisor

Trudi Davies - Cheerleader (to motivate the sports teams of course!)

Prefects:
Thomas Carr
Peter Abraham

Pupils:
There was good attendance from most of the pupils and good standards of dress were observed by boys and girls alike, although there were actually more of the former despite the school gender ratio being even
;-)

Awards were given for:
Standout graphic design work – Greer Sansom (Year 12 – on exam leave)
Best presented hair – Carole (Year 10)
Outstanding sausage rolls made in home economics – Christie Wong (Year 10)
Best Art Project – Melody Williams (Year 11)
Year 9 High Achiever award - Anna Turk
Outstanding photograpy project - David Tickler (Year 9)
Best Long-Island-Iced-Tea - Ali & Zeno (Year 8)
School Hopscotch Champion - Zoe (Year 8)
Sexiest Hula-hoop performance - Alex(andra) (Year 7)
Best dressed Schoolboy – Philip McDonald (Year 6)
Highest Swing (both feet on ceiling!) - Gaz (Year 10)
Most convincing schoolgirl – Wendy Andrews (Year 9) (although Dan in Year 9 was a close 2nd)
Most litter collected during after school detention – Ben Wearing (Year 7) & Erik(a) (75 483 bottles and 6 201 cans the following morning)

Make sure you leave a message, especially if you wagged off school last Saturday and especially if you were there but didn't fill in the register (guestbook).

Let me know if anyone wants a yearbook CD - I'm holding out on a few more people sending in their pics (Grainne, Al and perhaps Maria...)

Love you all,

Dunstan

Starting my Journey to Hawaii^2 2005

2005-05-05T09:49:00.000+10:00

A month ago I achieved my goal of qualifying to race in the 2005 Ironman World Championships which are held in Kona at the start of October. I'm also hoping to race the Olympic Distance World Championships which are in Honolulu the week before; hence "Hawaii squared"!

This is a pretty unique opportunity to race both events in Hawaii, since the Olympic Distance Worlds are held at a different location every year! I am at my best in the face of a challenge and when I get out of my comfort zone. This adventure will certainly fulfil both of those criteria!

About Triathlon

The sport is divided into Age Group and Elite / Professional categories. Age groups are divided into 5 year intervals and I've just moved up into the 30-34 category. This is often the largest age group and is certainly one of the most comptetitive; in big events the winner of 30-34 will often place amongst the professionals. In order to race as a professional, and be able to compete for prize money you need a license. This ensures a certain standard of racing but the age group system means that athletes can continue to be competitive for many years, sometimes into their 70's. Triathlon didn't exist when those people were my age so it will be interesting to see what the senior age groups are like by the time I'm 70!

During the 2 years I've spent in Australia I've committed a lot of time, energy and money to my racing and training and have become a "good age grouper". My best results are:

12th in 25-29 at Olympic Dist Worlds in Dec 2003 (Queenstown, NZ)

63rd (17th in 25-29) at Ironman Australia in April 2004 (Forster-Tuncurry, NSW)
5th (Winner of 25-29) Yeppoon 1/2 Ironman in August 2004
7th (Winner of 25-29) Gold Coast 1/2 Ironman in October 2004
14th (3rd in 25-29) at Forster 1/2 Ironman in October 2004

14th (2nd in 25-29) at Australian Long Course Championships in February 2005
Winner of 25-29 for Ironman qualifying series (on results Yeppoon, Gold Coast and Forster 1/2 IM)
33rd (8th in 30-34 and Kona qualifier) at Ironman Australia in April 2005 (Forster-Tuncurry, NSW)

Well I took most of April off training. My focus for May is to get back into my training with a focus on: establishing good daily routines, developing core stability and functional strength, maintining aerobic fitness and organising as much as possible for the next 24 weeks so that I can focus 100% once I begin my serious training in June. This term I'm also aiming to put extra time and effort into my job at NumberWorks, Pennant Hills.

Feel free to post any quesions or comments here... :-D

Pure Madness - "Drag Racing in NY"!!!

2005-05-02T22:39:00.000+10:00

If you've ever wondered what a bicycle courier race is like then wonder no further!

Click HERE for the link if you've got broadband (or are just really patient!)

Thanks Nige for the link!

PS Look out for the guy riding fixed wheel and please don't try this at home!

Planning the next Chapter

2005-04-19T01:45:00.000+10:00

I've just been putting some dates into my diary for the rest of this year.

Click here to see the calendar

If you have a digital calendar you can click on 'subscribe' to put the dates into your diary :-)

I've also included the links so you can just click and go through to the event websites.

... hope you find it useful, please leave me a message or email if there are other events you'd like me to include.

Enjoy,

Dunstan

Sydney 24 hour Mountain Bike Race

2005-04-18T10:58:00.000+10:00

16th to 17th April 2005

Part 1:

Are you feeling the post-IM blues? Is the thought of riding to Waterfall again making you saddlesore? If so, then here is some food for thought...

imagine...

A 10k off road loop featuring climbs, descents, moguls, jumps, dropoffs, and single track; up to 6 riders in a team, 24 hours to complete as many laps as you can. The N-ZO Sydney 24 Hour MTB Event is one of the best organised events I've ever taken part in: there's a timing team typing race numbers into a computer as you finish each lap, and there's even a tent with 5 computers where you can check your team's position and individual lap times! I've just had a hot shower, there's a live band playing, I'm tucking into a big bowl of pasta from the excellent Bush Fireys food station and I'm hanging out in the campsite with my courier mates. Does life get much better?

The riding is amazing, especially in the dark, our team is sitting in 4th place in the 4 man category and I can honestly say that I haven't had this much fun with my clothes on in a very long time! Something tells me that I'll be doing plenty more riding on knobbly tyres in the off-season! Oh yeah, did I mention it's really good for core strength and bike handling skills too? As a bonus I just won a cool N-ZO shirt in the track stand competition for staying still on my bike with one hand off the bars ;-)

One of the great things about being sponsored by Inner City Cycles is that they know their mountain bikes too; especially useful if you don't know a hard-tail from a dual! When you do something as different as this you are on a huge learning curve and good advice is invaluable. Thanks to Ainsley, Russ and Llewellyn for going well beyond the call of duty to get me + bike onto the start line!

Thanks especially to 'Dangerous' Dave Tickler for lending me his sexy Stump Jumper to ride and also Jana, Kristian, Charlotte and Pete for lending me the lights! Believe me, its nice to see what's ahead when you are riding a rough trail at speeds of up to 50kph!

Part 2:

Our lack of co-ordination and absence of a support crew became a big factor during the night. We lost time to the better organised teams but managed to keep a rider on the course for 90% of the time. Our team slid to 13th place but some inspired daylight riding in the morning moved us back up for a 10th place finish with a total of 38 laps.

Our riders were Tim, Ruido 329, Bado 332 and myself 398 (but riding for Adrian Kingsell as a substitute) and rode under Team Boris as a tribute to Jason 929, a courier and mountain biker who is really seriously ill :-(

If you think that racing an Ironman is the ultimate test of endurance then you might need to rethink. The winner of the solo category completed 35 laps; that's over 350km of riding, OFF ROAD and half of it in the dark! 3rd placed solo was Steve, another courier (who was so well organised that he even had a spare battery to lend me when I had run ouf of light) rode the whole thing on a SINGLE SPEED !!! You might like to bear that in mind next time you snap a gear cable!

Photos to follow soon. Click here to see some other upcoming events.

Why … is Dunstan … riding a bike naked?

2005-04-08T20:55:00.000+10:00

It was all in the name of raising money for kids cancer research and having a good laugh at the same time! The first ever Sydney Body Art Ride was held last Sunday. It was a simple concept – you rock up, chose your colour, strip off, get painted up and then ride as part of a ‘human rainbow’. Many of my friends expressed an interest in the early stages of planning but when it came down to it, ‘Dangerous’ Dave Tickler was the only one brave enough to join me on this adventure!
That said, there was a sterling effort from my non-participant friends on the previous night where a quick whip around raised $305, including $100 from Richard at Café Niki up on Bourke Street. Did I tell you how great they are?

Dave and myself selected ‘sky blue’ and ended up looking like Smurfs, although not the innocent sort that appear in children’s books!!! The ride started at Randwick Racecourse and meandered its way down to the beach in Maroubra where everyone had a body surf and scrubbed ourselves back to a flesh colour. Reaction from the public was generally really positive, especially once the people on the route realised we were raising money for charity! I’m still finding bits of blue in strange places but it was a fantastic experience – kind of like running the City to Surf dressed as Santa, only a bit different!

To be continued + photos to follow shortly...

Paul and Clements win at Kurnell

2005-03-28T11:19:00.000+10:00

Inner City Cycles athletes Charlotte Paul and Yvette Clements both won their age groups at the 3rd and final race of the Kurnell Triathlon series on the Easter weekend. Both athletes were using the sprint distance race as a final hit out ahead of next weekend's Ironman Championships which will take place in Forster-Tucurry. It was a chilly start to the day, with a 750m swim in the choppy waters of Botany Bay, followed by a flat 20km ride and a 5km run in the picturesque setting of the Botany Bay National Park, now warmed by fine Easter Sunshine.

Clements set a blistering pace on the run course, recording the second fastest female run split of the day (within 4 seconds of outright winner, Swedish champion Lisa Norden) to win the 24-29 category and place 4th overall. Paul placed 2nd overall, winning the 30-34 category for both the race and the series with a comfortable and solid performance. Husband Kristian Manietta took 3rd place in the series.

Top 5 for Men and Women were as follows:

1 Chris Mccormack 0:53:27.4
2 Benjamin Harley 0:54:14.7
3 Phillip Dove 0:56:44.1
4 Blake Field 0:58:28.6
5 Peter Slijkhuis 0:58:52.6

1 Lisa Norden 1:00:11.1
2 Charlotte Paul 1:04:57.4
3 Lisa Tulic 1:06:25.3
4 Yvette Clements 1:06:43.9
5 Eva Rongard 1:07:09.1

For full results click here

Dunstan is looking for housemates!

2005-03-22T18:00:00.000+11:00

Well Adam moved in a couple of weeks ago. Definitely a good choice as we get on really well and he likes the place a lot! We also have a lot of common interests and overlapping musical tastes that we are just beginning to explore...

At the end of April I took over the lease on my house. Its the end of a 303 era with lots of happy memories! Melody has moved over to Clovelly but we still see plenty of her so that's ok. Matt is back in France as his working holiday visa has come to an end - hopefully he'll carry on running so that we can hook up for some training next time I'm in Europe! Jane is in New Zealand for a year - the place will definitely miss her creative energy!

In any case, I love it here. The warehouse has been my home now for over a year and suits me really well. Its a great location with easy access to the City, right next to Central for my commute to work, really handy for training in Centennial Park and the ultra-fast, ultra-cheap broadband is a definite bonus! Not to mention the abundance of living space, the cute quirks of each room and the great potential for movie nights, dinner parties, etc!

Click here to see some photos of the place!

Well the bottom line is that we're looking for 2 really awesome housemates! One room is available NOW, Carole and Tommy (some friends of Mathieu's) are staying here until the end of May so the other room will be available then.

There are 4 rooms in total; we're looking for 2 girls so that the numbers balance. We're happy to consider someone for a short term but are looking to build a stable house in the long term.

Rent will be $620 per month ($145pw) , including electricity, gas, broadband and phone rental. Bond will be $550.

We've always had a 'no television' rule but watch DVD's instead - it means that people interact more with each other when they are at home, but of course the place is big enough for everyone to have plenty of space to themselves.

My vision is a shared space with happy occupants.
People who have lots in common but who also do different things.
A household where all of the tedious stuff like bills and cleaning are well organised so that housemates can just enjoy hanging out with each other!

If you are interested then get in touch. You can send me a short message via the link to the photos or a longer message from the advert on Domain

Tell us something about yourself: what you like, what you do, what you do when you're not doing what you do and anything else you think we'll find interesting!

Dunstan and Adam!

Where ... is Dunstan ... training?

2005-02-06T21:04:00.000+11:00

Just concluding an excellent weekend of training. Was off training ill for most of last week but had another excellent physio session with Kylie on Friday; always come out of there feeling really good :-D. Work has been pretty mental with the first week of the new term so I put in a few extra hours to get on top of things.

Saturday was a recovery ride - a 170km loop around the Hawkesbury valley starting at Turramurra & taking in: Galston Gorge, Maroota, Wisemans Ferry, Gunderman, Spencer, Mangrove Creek, Peats Ridge to Calga along part of the ATTA time trial route, then returning along the Old Highway (Mt. White, Brooklyn, Pie in the Sky) and back to Turramurra via Hornsby.

Its a beautiful ride, it was a perfect day, Ursula was running smooth and we had a great crew (10 of us). Click here for pics and maps! Thanks to Walter Stanish for 2 of the images.

Stats were as follows: Distance 170km, Average 27 kph, Total Time 7h, Total Dist Climbed 2000m, Time in Re: 2h10, Time in E1 3h05, Time above E1 17 min (oops!), Average HR 118 (right between Re and E1 as it was supposed to be :-D).

On Sunday I ran 16km over to Manly for the Cole Classic.
Met up with my mates Mick, Tony and Piers for the 2km Classic Challenge. Good results all round for the 4 of us:

Michael hasn't been training much but cruised home in the 20-24 wave with a 20 second lead (although he is a bit of a swim freak and won the whole event in 2002). I'd only talked Piers and Tony into it the night before and they both had awesome races. I was really happy with my swim but somehow managed to end up in the 13-15 Category with an extra 5 min on my time!!! LOL. Interestingly enough I wouldn't have made the top 10, not even in the 13-15 girls!!! Click here for results

Sydney is an amazing place to train! Bring on some more :-D

The Little Differences

2005-02-05T04:38:00.000+11:00

Its often the little things that are different here in Australia; a few weeks ago I was doing a swim coaching course and discovered that the innocent child's song, "The Hokey-Cokey" somehow transforms itself into the "the Hokey-Pokey" somewhere over the equator!

Some quick research on Google revealed that something we use to teach co-ordination and "left / right" to young kids was actually invented by Protestants who were ridiculing the Roman Catholic tradition.

HILARIOUS!!!

If you have too much time on your hands you might like to check out a couple of sites that clarify (???) the situation.

The original Google search

... a very informative article...
...explains connection with hocus pocus...
... apparently American GI's were to blame!
... gets a little rude!
... another perspective...
ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS!

Thanks to my new friend Lydia for pointing out the difference after she read my blog!

Aust Swim Teaching Course

2005-01-19T15:28:00.000+11:00

Last weekend I went along to Ravenswood School in Gordon to complete the 2nd part of this course. 0830 to 1730 on each day proved too much for some, especially on the Sunday, with a few taking impromptu 'power naps' during the theory sessions. You know who you are! Anyhow, it was really useful to get some ideas to use for teaching kids to swim. I learnt a whole load of fun games and now I also know the words to the 'Hokey Cokey'! The course was packed full of information about water safety: did you know that 80% of the 270 people who drowned in Australia last year were male and heaps of them were washed into the sea from rocks?

Our facilitators Sonya, Melissa, and Karina were really enthusiastic and did a great job of getting us through all of the mateial we know in order to pass our exam and become qualified swim teachers. Click the link to see photos and a video of some of the pool activites we did which were really good fun. I thought that there should have been more emphasis on some of the personal qualities that makes a good swim teacher such as being a really positive person who loves swimming & teaching it and how to build a good rapport with kids. Perhaps this is something that is a pre-requisite for being Australian and that's why it doesn't need to be covered! In any case, all of the people on the course seemed like they would make great swim teachers anyway! GO YOU GOOD THINGS :-D

I'm a Total Immersion coach. We run weekend workshops with a 100% focus on freestyle technique where we use underwater video footage and teach a clever sequence of progressive drills to transform the swimmer's stroke into a more efficient one. Last workshop there was a guy called Steve who improved from 22 strokes for 25m at the start of the workshop to 10 strokes at the end. AWESOME! It was good for me to see that some of the key TI concepts are present in the Austswim way of teaching, but I felt that the concept of 'balance in the water' should be introduced at an early stage in the teaching progression and emphasised throughout as it is probably the single most important consideration for efficient swimming.

I had a very constructive discussion about 'principles of movement' with Melissa Rickwood and she asked me to demonstrate one of the TI drills we use to teach swimmers how to 'lean on their lung' and 'hide their head' in order to swim downhill (ie in balance) rather that uphill (head out of water and legs sinking). On the TI workshops we have a teaching ratio of 1:6 or better and we give very specific feedback to our participants. Next summer I'm going to organise a Total Immersion Swimming Camp For Kids and I'm looking forward to implementing some of the Austswim ideas.

In the meantime, all you soon-to-be swim teachers should definitely sign in and leave me a message on this blog. Its really easy and it would be great to hear how you are all going with your swim teaching! ;-D

Dunstan out.

Why ... is Dunstan ... lucky?

2004-12-10T02:39:00.000+11:00

Click here for photos: WARNING - NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!

The Stack...

On Monday Eve I rode up to Pennant Hills to get things at work ready for the painters to do their thing. I was riding across the Sydney Harbour bridge towards the city on the cycleway from N. Sydney; past the middle and heading downhill with a tailwind so probably doing about 40-45 kph. A girl was coming the other way on her MTB and we were reaching an extra narrow section so I moved over to the left to give her plenty of space. Just as we crossed I hit a bit of metal that was sticking out from the pipes on the handrail. The first I knew was I heard a metallic 'clunk' (actually the sound of my brake lever hitting the bit of metal) and then I was flying through the air in a 'Superman' position.

The Aftermath...

I came to a rest after sliding about 10m and dead opposite where the security guard was. My initial thought was to get back on my bike and ride on to avoid embarassment but I quickly realised that wouldn't be a good idea. The guard helped me off the cycleway and Wendy (the girl on the MTB) cleared my bike out of the way - I later discovered that I'd clipped her as I came off but fortunately only lightly so she wasn't hurt. We were soon joined by another security guard and they called an ambulance. I knew that I had a big hole in my elbow and suspected I had broken my forearm. At this stage I was sitting on an old tin of paint with my back against a wall. I began to have some really lucid thoughts and then everything faded to white (why do they call it 'blacking out'?) for what must have been a couple of seconds. Then the security guard brought me round and helped me to lie down. The 4 of us were soon joined by Elaine - she had been leading a Bridge Climb group and had seen me sliding along the path! Elaine covered me up with her jacket to keep me warm and she, Wendy, Sam and Paul (the security guards) were great company; even agreeing to a few photos! I called Ali, Hani and Jane and they co-ordinated arrangements to pick up my bike.

The Hospital ...

Once the paramedics (Nathan and Kylie) arrived they put my arm into a sling and helped me to my feet. I felt a lot better by this stage and was able to walk down the stairs unaided - getting a round of applause from Elaine's boiler-suit clad group on the way past. The rest is less interesting: lots of waiting around in the hospital, Some X-rays, a clean up for my wounds and some more waiting. Al, Hani and Trudi came to see me in the hospital and brought me a heap of goodies :-) The 4 of us had been planning to go to a Tango class in Broadway and I was really grateful to them for cheerfully downgrading their evening to come and keep me company. Great news when I got the all clear as far as broken bones - so relieved!!! By the time it came to the stitches Hani was the only one who didn't feel squeamish (good job being as she's a vet!)
I must have been feeling the benefits of a whole load of adrenalin and endorphins 'cause it actually didn't hurt too much, even though I had persuaded Mike (the doc) not to use anaesthetic, much to everyone's bemusement! Good choice - I certainly felt alive and anyway, I knew I'd need a good cold beer once I got out of the hospital!
4 stitches and a few dressings later I was discharged.

Why am I lucky?

1. I met some amazing people who really went out of their way to look after me and check I was ok. Thanks Elaine, Paul, Sam & Wendy.
2. My friends and all of my housemates were great - its nice to feel truly cared for.
3. Because it happened during a maintainence phase of my training and not before a big race.
4. Not to have broken anything! A cast would need 6 weeks and my serious training starts in 3.
5. That I didn't bang my head!
6. My bike isn't as bad as it could have been.
7. I managed to stay in control mentally. That's gotta be a good life experience!
8. I ended up wih a great story and some cool pics for you, the blog-reader, to check out!

Forster Half-Ironman '04 Race Report

2004-11-02T17:26:00.000+11:00

I had a pretty good race - my dumb goggles filled up with water in both eyes (despite a perfect seal during my warm-up swim) about 100m into the swim so I discarded them and felt my way around the rest of the course as best I could! It is good to know that I can get through a swim like that without goggles, without too much stress and all importantly without losing my contact lenses! I Swam well for my current ablility and clocked just under 29 min. My investment in Total Immersion swimming is definitely starting to pay me some good speed dividends!

My bike leg was strong - I caught and passed heaps of people but couldn't manage to get away. At the first (24km) turnaround I saw the race leader and eventual winner, Jason Shortis out on his own (phenomenal rider) then a 'chase' bunch of 10, then a small group of 3, including my swim coach Steve Croft and training partner Paul Morris. I also realised that there were about 40+ people right behind me, despite my best efforts to break clear on the hills. After 35km I used an aid station and a sharp pinch to get away from the bunch. Determined to stay clear, I was able to bridge the gap to the group of 3 within about 10km :-)

Crofty was riding strong - we worked well together but stayed legal, again determined that we wouldn't be swallowed up by the big bunch. At the end of the ride we were still a couple of minutes clear. My plan for the run was to settle in for the first 5km and then see what I could do. Well as it happened I didn't find my running legs until 14km in and managed to finish 15th overall and 3rd in my age group (the other 2 both made it into the chase bunch).

All in all it was a pretty hard day; especially knowing that I was too far away to run anyone down + trying to hold off the faster runners behind me when I had nothing left in my legs. I learnt a lot from the race - It was the most tactical triathlon I've ever raced and I really enjoyed that aspect. One of my main aims now is to work another couple of minutes off my swim so that I'm not forced to play catchup from the start of the bike leg!

For full results check out the Forster 1/2 IM website.

When ... is Dunstan ... racing next?

2004-10-26T15:12:00.000+10:00

This weekend is the Forster Half-Ironman .

This will be my 3rd 1/2 IM this season. Yeppoon was a real breakthrough race for me back in mid-August, I won the 25-29 age group and was 5th overall. Gold Coast was at the start of October, I won my age group again and was 7th fastest on the day.

At Half-Ironman and Ironman distance triathlon competitors are either Professionals who race for money (regardless of age) or 'age groupers' (like me). So far this season I've only been beaten by 3 age-group athletes; I'd like to keep it that way and am aiming to win the Michael Atkins Memorial Trophy this weekend for the fastest athlete outside of the Professional category.

My coach Mark has kindly lent me a full-carbon Trek with full Dura-Ace for the race. Its a bit lighter than my trusty old Cannondale and feels a bit more responsive on climbs too!

Watch this space for results!

What ... is Dunstan ... taking to stay fit and healthy?

2004-10-26T04:02:00.001+10:00

Right now I'm fitter than I've ever been in my life. The training that I'm doing overloads my body, which then repairs itself to be stronger than it was before. Three things that accelerate this repair process are stretching, sleeping and sound nutrition.

I'm just about to start a 60 day trial of a nutritional supplement called 'Lifepack'. The twice-daily tablets contain vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Carotenoids are one type of phytonutrient which occur naturally in fruit and vegetables and help the body to fight the effects of free-radicals.

The cool part is that they have recently developed a laser test which measures the amount of carotenoid that is stored in your skin. My skin carotenoid was measured at 42 000 during a normal day. There are 4 bands, 10 000, 20 000, 30 000 and 40 000+ so that was a 'good' score.

I'm told that the carotenoid component of the supplement will build up my body's reserves so that the free radicals released during intensive training sessions and racing will be better absorbed and cause less damage to my body.

I'm pretty excited to see what effect the 'Lifepack' will have on me but I'm going to be as objective as I can be. I'm going to have my blood vitamin levels tested before and after and also Iridology - where a photo of your iris is taken to reveal information about your health. The whole thing should be a really interesting learning experience.

Watch this space for the results...

How ... is Dunstan ... enjoying the Sydney weather?

2004-10-25T21:17:00.001+10:00

The spring weather in Sydney has been pretty chaotic during the last fortnight. Last week there were a couple of days where the the wind blew from the NW and brought 38 degree heat from inland. Last week it was mostly rain and drizzle; which is unusual cause it normally seems to hose down for a couple of hours and then fine up again!

I'm not complaining though, the winter felt cold but it was really dry - generally pretty good for training on the bike, although not that many people were out on the roads!

ROLL ON SUMMERTIME IN SYDNEY!!! ;-D

Check out the Australian Bureau of Meterology website if you want to know more!

HOW OFTEN ... is Dunstan ... training?

2004-08-31T12:58:00.000+10:00

Thanks Haggis for the question!

Those of you who knew me well back in the UK will have been aware of my adddiction to physical activity. I took up triathlon in 2000 with the Cambridge Tri Club , and used to ride my bike to and from work when I was teaching at Saffron Walden as part of my training.

Well since I arrived over here in Sydney the quality of of my training and racing have risen to a new level. Over the next month I'll be completing 13 training session per week, a total of over 20 hours per week. Most of the training is 'base conditioning' at this stage - maintaining a low intensity over a long distance. My weekly totals will be up to 450km on the bike, up to 62km for running and up to about 15km in the water.

With these mileages recovery is obviously really important, as is the correct timing of all of those sessions to allow my body to rebuild itself stronger and faster. I've been training as part of the Human Endurance Racing Team (HERT for short) for about 10 months now. A wealth of knowledge, experience and support from my coach Mark Newton and my training partners in the squad has made it possible for me to 'step up'.

I'm loving the challenge and want to see how far I can go in the next 4 years

:-D

WHERE ... is Dunstan ... working?

2004-07-23T09:36:00.000+10:00

I work for a company called Numberworks which provides after-school maths tuition for pupils.

Check out www.numberworks.com

I'm the manager of the Pennant Hills Numberworks centre which is close to Hornsby, towards the North of Sydney.

Its a 40 minute train journey to work so I take Nemone (my iBook) and catch up on my emails etc. I work from 2pm til 8pm so that means I have plenty of time in the morning to do my training.

Our pupils range in age from Kindergarten to Year 12 (up to 18 years old). They work on our computer maths programs under the guidance of one of our tutors for an hour per week. When I arrive I catch up on paperwork and get everything ready for the first pupils, who arrive at 4pm.

WHERE ... is Dunstan ... living?

2004-07-23T08:58:00.000+10:00

Right in the heart of Sydney. I've never lived in a big city before but I love it here!

I'm sharing a place with 3 flatmates. It's really close to the CBD (central business district), close to Centennial park where I do a lot of my triathlon training, and really handy for catching a train to work.

WHY ... is Dunstan ... starting a blog?

2004-07-22T23:41:00.000+10:00

I thought it would be good to start a blog so that friends and former pupils can keep up to date with my news!

I'm planning to post someting here about once a week so that you can check out my latest as it happens.

More soon, Dunstan