Hi Gang,

Well, I’m in Honolulu waiting at the airport to get through to Kona. I don’t feel sort of breath at the minute, so I think my DVT hasn’t turned into a PE yet! That’s a medical joke for all you House watchers out there.

I met a few good sorts on the way over and have explained what’s going on with my paratenon for the 58th time. I can see it’s going to get annoying, but I’ll suck it up!

I’m looking fwd to getting in the water in Kona and starting back training every day. Being an owner-builder is good fun, but not as much as training for Ironman.

I have attached the promo material for Busso which is coming out…looks pretty cool. (imwa_a2_poster.pdf) (imwa_sticker_2008.pdf)

I’ll update you all from Kona with some photo’s…this is Ros in the airport in Kona (06102008007.jpg).

see you on the road,

Mitch

Hi Gang,

I’m off to Hawaii on Wednesday, but will not be racing due to an achilles injury. I’m keeping my powder dry for Busso and letting this thing heal. It’s been a frustrating 2 months with this injury, but I’m going to get it right now, so that it doesn’t affect my Dec 2008 or any of 2009!

I’m going to be running a couple of seminars at Melbourne Uni in October (see below info- which I clearly didn’t write!)

see you on the road,

Mitch  

Members,

We are pleased to announce that Ironman Mitch Anderson has agreed to take us on a presentation over two sessions (including Q&A), focusing on training, nutrition and race tactics to maximise your potential on the bike. Needless to say, this is a remarkable opportunity to be counseled by one of the sports best: Mitch is currently one of Australia’s top ironmen, recently finishing second in Ironman Japan (22 June 08). Further, Mitch is a graduate of Physiotherapy as well as Medicine at the University of Melbourne - and is a professional trainer to many young talented Australian cyclists. Please see his website for further info: www.mitchellanderson.com

At this stage we need you, our members, to help make this happen!Please confirm your interest by this coming Monday (29th Sept) to attend a one hour session on the 17th Oct (Fri) at 12:30pm, followed by another follow-up session on the 30th Oct (Thurs) 12:30pm.Prices will be between $5-10 per person per session depending on numbers. Likely location somewhere on Uni Campus - Details TBC. Those that have investigated professional coaching will know that this is a rare, not to be missed offer. I hasten to add that you do not need to be racing, or considering it, to benefit from the wealth of knowledge and advice that Mitch has to offer. I am confident that all of our members will find it an interesting and useful experience.

I hope to see you there!

Regards,

Joseph Amin

Vice President

Hi gang,

hmmm…it’s not all going to plan…but watch the video and see what’s new.

Good luck Bridie who is racing the world championship TT tonight at 23:14!!!!

see you out there,

Mitch

Ciao, buongiorno!

When I played Widow Corney, the mean, fat owner of the orphanage in our year 11 production of ‘Oliver! The Musical,’ it was a small but pivotal role. I was the one Mr Bumble confided in when he devised his plan to sell Oliver for a schilling. Dressed in my fat suit and waddling about on the stage, I really felt like a late 19th century mean, fat owner of an orphanage. 

Surprisingly, the dress rehearsal was a disaster. Something to do with with orphans who couldn’t sing and stage furniture that fell apart. But just 48h later, we were ready for the West End! Parents obligingly cheered and video-ed and showered us with praise. No one cared that Bill was a pimply faced 16 year old and not the sweaty, alcoholic murderer portrayed by Oliver Reed in the film.

And so, with 17 sleeps to go til World Championships, I’m not too worried that I rode like a tired, leg-heavy 34yo coming off a 2 week block of 1200km. It was a hard day at the office, and a technical course with 7 corners requiring braking and accelerating out of in each of the 3 laps, a feature that doesn’t correlate well with tired legs. And hey, I had a shocker, came 10th but still won 60 euro (that’s 3 day’s allowance in AIS language!)

The race was won by the Swiss Karin Thurig (dual World TT Champion, and bronze medallist last month in Beijing), 2nd was teammate Vicki Whitelaw 1.30 down, and a whisker later was the Swede Susanne Lungskog, also a dual world Champion but on the road. So Vicki had a cracker day, and I’m saving mine for the 24th.

Here’s a snap of the crazy bio/medical info we needed to provide. In case of medical disaster over a 7km lap? Or so they could announce my favourite song on the start line? (Birdy Italian medical bio)

Bird

This Sunday, Wazza McDonald (National women’s coach), Vicki Whitelaw (teammate and TT stage winner of the Giro Donne) and I will travel to Rogno, outside Bergamo to race the Cronometro Individuale. 

It’s 3 x laps of a 7.6km circuit through the streets to commemorate the life of an Italian cyclist killed in 2004. I don’t know why TTs are often named in memory of the dead, and it would be bad karma to make a joke here, so let’s just say Vail, Davide. It will be my first Italian TT, and an excellent form check before Worlds in 19 days.

Incidentally, the Australian Women’s Team was officially named yesterday. 7 riders in the road race - Carla Ryan (QLD), Nikki Egyed (QLD), Emma Rickards (VIC), Oenone Wood (NSW), Rochelle Gilmore (NSW), Natalie Bates (NSW, Commonwealth Games Road Champion) and Vicki Whitelaw (ACT). We qualified an extra rider in the team thanks to Rochelle’s win in the Oceania Road Race in Invercargill last year.

We also have 3 starters in the TT, thanks to my win in the Oceania’s again - Alexis Rhodes (SA, 3rd at this year’s Nationals), Vicki, and myself. Alas, no road selection per mio. Still, I’m the only Australian to make their first worlds team at the tender age of 34. First doctor too. First wedding singer, probably. And first Talent ID and Development rider too. So, I only have one job to do, and that makes it easy!

We’ve had some inclement weather in Varese the last few days, the SA.com boys were caught in flash flooding at Laveno and had to get picked up (soft). We gals soldiered on, even motor pacing in the pouring rain, which doubles as an excellent exfoliant when combined with local grit.

Flower beds are springing up everywhere on roads that form part of the TT and road race courses. Productivity is up comrades! Mussolini has nothing on the Mayor of Varese. Here’s a snap of Lago Varese. In case you thought you were having good weather in Oz.

Ciao!

Bridie