We would like to introduce Accredited Sport Dietitian, Steph Cronin, from Perform Dietetics.  An athlete herself Steph has worked with many athletes over the past four years.  

If you are looking for a sports dietitian on the Sunshine Coast we are recommending our athletes try Steph.  She can be contacted on 0432 202 826 and stephcronin@outlook.com.  

Enjoy these two fact sheets to help you understand the importance of your diet when training and racing:

Short Course: https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2017/03/FFYS_TriathlonSprintOD_2016.pdf 

Long Course: https://www.sportsdietitians.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/FFYS_LongCourseTriathlon_2016.pdf

1)  Where do you live? 

I’ve been on the Sunny Coast this time around for 4yrs . I was an underground coal miner for 13yrs and lived mainly on the Coast or Central Queensland. But I’m a proud New South Walshmen and you can tell because unlike Queenslanders I have all my own teeth. I love living on the Coast because it’s full of Queenslanders which means I’m smarter than most people around here .  

2)  Who does your family include?

My son Bj 7yrs old & Violet 4yrs old 

3)  What keeps you busy during the day?

I own a concrete truck 

4)  Your Hobbies…

My main hobby is spending time with my little tribe mainly beach we are all water babies. I also have a Harley and when I go for a ride it’s Dave time.

5)  Why do you do triathlon?

After 26 years of playing rugby league I had become a rather fat midget – but still an extremely attractive one . My friend hassled me for years to have a go I knew I could swim a bit so I entered a novice tri and was hooked . Next race in 3 mths and 20kg Canberra Half Ironman and qualified for Australian Ironman at Forster (back then you had to qualify) 

6)  Favourite food and drink?

Thai and beer in any order 

7)  If I won, the lotto I would…

Get off tinder and buy a wife (with a watertight pre-nup)

8)  Favourite song?

Greatest rock & roll band in the world Rolling Stones Gimme shelter . 

9)  Your favourite race/triathlon moment…

I always liked Forster my grandparents had a house on the beach the growing up so a lot of my childhood was spent there .

Favourite moment was finishing Ironman China in 50 degree heat , longest race time just under 15hrs but came 6th in my age group because 60% of the field dropped out.  Bonus was crossing the finish line without a sh#$*t hanging out of my race kit unlike 40% of the field left . 

10)                   Your advice for anyone wanting to start the sport…

Keep it real – remember we aren’t racing for sheep stations – have fun. Get a good coach and squad that make it fun (atlas free plug). You will make some great friends that I now have from all over the world . Waxing your legs doesn’t make you go faster but damn they look pretty.  Wear Lycra because red neck Queenslanders love to see you in it. Stay safe out on the roads . 

Where do you live? 

For the first 18 years of my life I have lived in a small village  in the vicinity of Stuttgart in Germany, close (for Australian standards) to the Black Forest. Then off to the UK as an au-pair, followed by university which included living half a year in Los Angeles.

In my last year of uni, I met Mick and moved – to my parents despair- to the UK where I finished my degree in a town called Leicester which is bang on in the middle of England. Then we moved to Derby, where all three kids were born. After 20 years of fog and rain, Mick decided to move his family to a nicer  and warmer place… et voilà here we are. After overcoming my initial withdrawal sypmtoms of family and friends and near heat strokes, we acclimatised and have finally settled in Buderim and are very happy here.

• Who does your family include?

Mick and our three kids Calvin (19), Nina (15) and Leyla(12) and our dog Alfie (7). In Germany I have my parents and one brother.

• What keeps you busy during the day?

When we came here, Mick still continued to work  and live in the UK, so I never started teaching full time again (I am a Secondary school language (French, Italian, German) and Geography teacher ) because of the kids, but I started straight away with voluntary teaching work in our kids’ school. I teach mainly German and I also do some language tuition for adults at home.

• Your Hobbies…

My hobbies are triathlon, skiing, I love reading and I play the piano ( badly) and teach myself Spanish at the moment. I also love to be creative with paper, paint and poems (again no talent, just like doing it). As a family we play a lot of board- and card games on weekends.

• Why do you do triathlon?

I did gymnastic until I was about 18 and then I got a bit tired of it and needed a change. So first, I was a bit lost and tried different things until my dad saw an advert in the newspaper and entered us into our first tri. And the rest is history. I love the variety of three different sports and it takes me to interesting places in the world.

• Favourite food and drink?

I love Thai and Mexican food and salads, chocolate, not keen on meat. Favourite drink is def. vodka with lemonade!

• If I won, the lotto I would…

If I won the lotto, I would import all my family and friends to the Sunshine Coast and have them live near me. And then I would also help to save tigers and build a school for girls in Afghanistan.

• Favourite book and song?

Very difficult one as I love so many… but I have repeatedly read a book called “London” by E.Rutherford, it tells you about the very first beginnings to modern age, but unlike a history book it is very interestingly written. I have a German  and an English version, if anyone is keen to borrow either of them.

My favourite song depends on my mood at the time, but “Adesso tu”  by Eros Ramazzottii is my all time favourite.

• Your favourite race/triathlon moment…

Finishing my first ironman  in Roth in 2000, together with my dad, brother and Mick.

• Your advice for anyone wanting to start the sport…

Set yourself little achievable goals and don’t compare yourself with others and their training volume as you might panic and start to overtrain, get injured and maybe give up before you really started. And prepare yourself for early mornings!

Triathlon Qld is hosting an LTO (Local Technical Officer) course on –

Saturday the 3^RD of March 2018

Brisbane CBD

9am – 1pm

Morning tea and a light lunch supplied

Local technical officials (LTO) operate on site at triathlons throughout Queensland and nationally to ensure events are run safely and fairly for all competitors. Technical officials work on the field of play to enforce the Triathlon Australia Race Competition Rules.

Through volunteering as an official, you’ll gain a unique insight into how triathlons and major sporting events are managed, and learn valuable transferable skills. All training is offered free of charge and you’ll also receive a financial contribution each time you volunteer to cover your costs.

The requirements to become a TO include –

• Complete an online Introduction to Officiating course offered by the Australian Sports Commission
• Attend a three to four hour training course and pass a written exam
• Participate in a practical assessment on the field of play (events can be found on the TQ website http://www.triathlon.org.au/State_Associations/QLD/qld/Events/Find_Events.htm
• Become a member of Triathlon Australia (free of charge as a volunteer)
• Sign a code of behaviour agreement
• Attain a Blue Card for child safety
• To maintain your accreditation you need to officiate at least three events a year (these can be local club events whereby a club committee member validates official attendance)

For more information on QLD Triathlon officials please follow this link http://www.triathlon.org.au/State_Associations/QLD/qld/Get_Involved/Officiating.htm

If you are interested or know someone who may be interested please email Tracey Zammit: technical@qld.triathlon.org.au no later than Friday the 16^th of February 2018.

We are very excited to announce that we will be the new event organisers of the Brisbane Marathon Festival.  We are looking forward to continuing the wonderful work of the team from Intraining.  Lock this event into your calendars in 2018!

Click here to read the Sunshine Coast Daily online article.

Where do you live? I’ve been living on the Sunshine Coast for about 2 ½ years and have lived in Mooloolaba for just over a 1 ½ years. However I was born in the UK and I lived in Penzance, which is in Cornwall in the UK. I love living on the Sunshine Coast because the weather is great and I can do all the outdoor activities I love.

Who does your family include?

Here on the Sunny Coast it is just me, my husband Dan and our dog Halo. Back in the UK I have an older sister and her husband, and my niece and nephew and an older brother and my Mother. My Dad Lives In France. Dan’s family live in the UK too.

What keeps you busy during the day?

I work full time as a physiotherapist at Sports and Spinal, Kawana. I treat a range of conditions; Musculoskeletal and Neurological. I also take a number of classes including studio Pilates.

I also train pretty hard for triathlons often twice a day before and after work.

Looking after Halo and going for walks keeps me busy too.

Your Hobbies…

Running, swimming and cycling obviously.  I love doing anything active and getting in the sea, swimming, surfing and paddle boarding and hiking.

I also love food and coffee. Occasionally I like to draw and paint.

Why do you do triathlon?

I can do 3 different sports I love, and like the variety and challenge. Also there is always room to improve and the challenge of different races/distances, to keep me going. Also some might say I am a little bit competitive… Triathlon seems to satisfy that part of me.

Favourite food and drink?

I pretty much like all food. I am partial to a cup of tea and love a coffee.

If I won, the lotto I would…

Train full time, Buy a few houses, help out my family and friends, travel the world, complete races and going on adventures and work as a physio/health professional in under privileged areas as a volunteer.

Favourite book and song?

I change my mind all the time. I do love the book Into the wild. I also am partial to Harry potter.

I have an eclectic choice in music and my favourites change. If I had to pick one song I would have to say our Wedding dance, Barry Louis Polisar, All I want is you.

Your favourite race/triathlon moment…

This is a tough one. I have some really good memories from when I was a Guide competing for GB, In New Zealand and Israel. But also I do think completing my First 70.3 at Port Macquarie and qualifying for the world champs would be up there.

Your advice for anyone wanting to start the sport…

Don’t get caught up in getting all the gear! The basics are all you need when you start, along with training consistently, taking advice from those who are experienced and make sure you enjoy yourself in the process.

You don’t need all the gear to do well. I did my first triathlon on my mum’s hybrid bike, I borrowed a tri suit and wore trainers while cycling.

Thank you to everyone for your feedback and if you are thinking of doing the Christmas Training Camp or even triathlon in 2018 we hope these testimonials will help lock it into your diary!

The Camp was informative and exhausting, but most of all, lots of fun. It took me a long way outside of my comfort zone in many different ways, but support was never far away, which I am really grateful for. I must say, it was also great to spend time and meet so many wonderful people on the camp. Their focus and dedication, while having lots of fun, was really inspiring. Thank You. – Richard

The Atlas Training Camp was a great way to finish off the year and kick-start 2018.  It is a great way to build up strength and be around a great group of people doing the same thing.  The courses set were challenging, but very rewarding once completed.  Having an active recovery session in the PM certainly built strength and stamina and another challenge (not that we are competitive).The coaches were excellent, very experienced triathletes, very helpful and very patient with their team, they always made sure we were safe and sticking with the group.  We also had available ample nutrition (Infinit – thanks Jason Cheshire) and good advice of the importance of nutrition during the camp.  Totally recommend this – Garry

Jason, thank you for organising and leading a 4 day training camp throughout the Sunshine Coast.  This year there were new challenging sections of road to climb as well as some old favourites.  New river swims and core strength sessions were added which were fresh and fun. It was great making new friends as well as forming closer bonds with athletes that I already train with. Coaches and leaders were outstanding; please lock them in for 2018 and 2019. It didn’t matter if you were an elite athlete or very new to the sport; you made the camp achievable for all different levels of ability.  I can’t thank you enough for what I was able to achieve over the past four days….. WOW bring on 2018!  If doing a triathlon in 2018 or 2019 is your New Years Resolution, I recommend participating in the Atlas Womens Tri workshop weekend in February 2018.  You will learn technical skills, meet new friends and gain more confidence.  Join the Atlas squad sessions, train with like minded people and make your dream a reality.  – Susan

Awesome training camp with a good bunch of people. Definitely pushed some boundaries to help build my strength and endurance. – Nick

The Christmas camp is challenging, tough, stretches your limits, but the scenery, camaraderie and support is beyond these tough challenges.  Wonderful strength building time and a way to explore your own capabilities and learn new skills. – Lisa

Awakening at 3:30am to allow for sufficient drive time to attend the first day of camp I asked myself “Why are you doing this?”.  At the top of Montville, looking across the rolling fields and view over the Sunshine Coast, it came to me “this is why”.  Thank you Jason for an exceptional camp. You could not train that hard by yourself.  It was tough, super tough, at times, but the group gets you through and I could achieve more.  The entire camp was well balanced to test my limits in an accumulated way, but I felt that I had a minimal chance of injury occurring.  I signed up in the hope of qualifying for the 2018 World Championship.  If I make the team these few days will be a pivotal reason for making it.  If I don’t make the team what was most important was the great time I had doing something I love to do in some of the most beautiful places in Australia.  I’d love to be back. – Matt

Thanks for a great training block. Although it was tough and hard. Looking back we enjoyed it. Feeling stronger than what we started.   And now we can build on it. We always enjoy training with Atlas, really very supportive and encouraging, can not ask for a better training group. – Ben and Belinda

This is a great way to finish a year and slingshot into the next by building on a solid base (certainly if racing early in the new year). The camp is a challenging format with solid work in the mornings and active recovery type sessions in the afternoons. Certainly achievable. Nutrition and hydration are the key to backing up each day, and having the support of really good group leaders makes the sessions roll by. – Ben

Having not participating in the training camp for a few years I found the groups and coaches very accommodating to different levels of ability.  A great way to end the year and set goals for the year ahead. – Jarrod

I have never been pushed so hard in my life, but I surprisingly enjoyed it??  Well run and fun. – Kim

1. Where do you live?

I currently flit between Woolooga near Gympie and Tuchekoi. The Cooloola and Sunshine Coast has been home for the past 30 years with a short stint in Brisbane while working for a multinational IT corporate. I was born in Stanthorpe and lived in Emerald, Monto, St. George, Glen Lyon, Cooma, and Mauritius as a kid.  I feel most at home in Western Queensland and Africa

2. Who does your family include?

I have a mum, brother, two boisterous nephews, a niece who boxes their ears, and a cat that I feed because it adopted me (like it’s doing ME a favour). I used to have cattle, but they were less family, more food.

3. What keeps you busy during the day?

During the day I’m a mild mannered IT Analyst at the University of the Sunshine Coast. I’ve been there long enough to take long service leave (10+ years). Before I worked for Unisys Australia in the longest IT outsourcing engagement in the HISTORY OF THE WORLD (no word of a lie) with TAFE Queensland.  In previous lives I’ve been a Teacher in adult education, worked in small crops, business owner/operator, and Martial Arts instructor.

4. Your Hobbies…

Outside of triathlon and the newly discovered trail running, there’s not much room for other things, but I’ve a strong interest in Nature Photography (published), fitness and strength coaching, travel, and almost anything off the beaten path. I’m a certified diver and have dived Sipadan Malaysia and the Red Sea from Egypt. I used to be a voracious reader, but when I’m hitting the sack at 8pm to get up at 3:30am there’s about 30 seconds of quality page turning. I ski, after a fashion. I ride a motorbike, when I can. I drive a truck. I climb mountains. I also cook.

5. Why do you do triathlon?

Well it seemed like a good idea at the time. I watched a friend (Bruce, a Zimbabwean) compete in the Mooloolaba triathlon in 2012 thinking “How hard could it be?”. I signed up with Atlas and promptly found out that I couldn’t swim as well as I thought, and I couldn’t ride any appreciable distance, or speed. The first couple of weeks with tri-bars and I thought my TT bike wanted to snuff me out in the nearest ditch. As it turns out, I got passed those initial hurdles and found it to be great cross training for obstacle course racing – another hobby. But really, triathlon can’t be beaten for flattering attire, awesome helmet hair, uneven tan lines, and an excuse to wear ridiculous gear for charity all the while pushing through boundaries that seemed completely insurmountable in the dark hours of the early dawn.

6. Favourite food and drink?

It’s hard to pick one favourite food and if you’ve ever seen my instagram feed you’d be forgive for thinking I have a penchant for coffee – I can stop any time I like, honest. I have adventurous tastes in food due mainly to extensive travel as a kid I suspect. I’ve eaten Mopane worms in Botswana, sparrows in China (taste like chicken), Snails and frogs legs in Paris (also like chicken), deep-fried salmon in Canada (strangely also like chicken – I don’t recommend), something that I hope was chicken in Lesotho, but what sits right at the top is Bobotie made with Mrs H.S. Balls chutney, and obligatory yellow rice. Favourite drink is a grand single malt peated scotch whisky, but any top shelf scotch will do. Second is a Cab Sav so dry your eyes will roll back in your head and your toes curl up.

7. If I won the lotto, I would…

Buy some carbon race wheels, give up the day job and train full time for races in exotic locations around the world (Kilimanjaro Marathon, Victoria Falls Marathon, Cape Town Triathlon, Norsman Xtreme, Barossa Marathon etc. the list is endless). While waiting for the race wheels to arrive I’d crack the top on a Laphroaig whisky and track down new running tights for the next Sunshine Coast Marathon, so bright a welding mask becomes mandatory. It’s tradition, just ask Ruth.

8. Favourite book and Song?

Book: Magician – Raymond Feist

Song: Africa – Toto

9. Your favourite race/triathlon moment?

I have two. Standing in the corrals on Orchard road, Singapore. I’ve walked along Orchard road many times, but this time I was waiting to start my first ever marathon and was thinking at the time “It’s 5:30 in the morning, it’s 27 degrees and a billion percent humidity, and I’m about to run 42.2 f*cking kilometres.”. The second was crossing the finish line of the Port Mac Ironman, hearing “Ben Johnston, you are an IRONMAN” and thinking “Coming at you ULTRAMAN”.

10. Your advice for anyone wanting to start the sport…

Just start, it’s not that far. There is nothing you can’t do once you start chipping away at it, and the finish line is right there waiting for you to step across it.