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Diamond Women’s Active Triathlon Festival – Sat 13 May 2017

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We’re all about encouraging fun and participation in the sport of triathlon. Join our BEXI team where the atmosphere is a celebration of taking on a personal challenge, focusing on participation not competition!

Training Philosophy

Our 12-week training plans are built around six key features:

Balance – equal number of workouts in all three disciplines so that you get stronger in each discipline and weaker in none
Variation – diversity of workout types, which will enable you to get fitter faster by challenging your body in a variety of different ways
Three Phases – base phase (moderate intensity); build phase (high-intensity) and peak phase (race-specific)
Step Cycles – four week blocks in which each week is incrementally more challenging – every fourth week is a recovery week
Rest Day – incorporates one scheduled rest day per week
Simulation Race –  provides valuable experience in areas of transition, race nutrition and dealing with race discomfort
Training Program

Our programs are provided via Training Peaks – this allows us to provide individual plans that are built around your lifestyle. You will be able to log your workouts and analyse your performance data as you complete each session. We can then analyse your training data and progress your training accordingly. Our aim is to progress you gradually, so that you train safely and without injury.

Training sessions will consist of 3 x coached group sessions per week* and 3 x individual training sessions:

Monday

05.45-06.45am
Dee Why
Tuesday

06.00-07.00am
Narrabeen
Wednesday

09.30-10.30am
Dee Why
Thursday

05.45-06.45am
Dee Why
Friday
Saturday

15.00-16.30pm
Terry Hills
Sunday
Bike Turbo*
(Mon or Weds)
 Run* Rest Day Swim* Own Run Own Bike  Own Swim
 Rest Day Bike Turbo*
(Mon or Weds)		 Bike Outdoor*
(4 x coached sessions during the 12-week program)

“I loved the team spirit – training and competing together! I now have the bug to do better and take on further distances.”  Michelle Nicholas 

What is included?
  • 12-week training program delivered on Training Peaks
  • 3 x face-to-face coached group sessions per week, across the 12-weeks (swim, bike and run)
  • 4 x outdoor bike/brick/simulation sessions – to develop bike skills and confidence on the road
  • Analysis and feedback on training data
  • Mental skills and strategies
  • Race nutrition and recovery
  • Race tactics and guidance
  • Race weekend logistics
  • Motivational support
  • Access to private online forum
  • Membership of a supportive, like-minded Community
What is excluded?
  • Race entry fee
  • BEXI Tri-Suit (optional) – orders must be placed by 18 Feb 2017
What equipment do I require | all your FAQs?

Click here for the list of detailed requirements and FAQs

What is cost?
  • 12-week program, includes 40 x coached sessions – only $520 
  • Total cost can be split into monthly instalments (3 x $178/pm)

“If someone told me that I would compete in a triathlon, I would have said they were dreaming.  Achieving the impossible is totally possible by believing and doing it.”  Monique Manse

Join our BEXI Team and take on an amazing challenge in 2017!

Programs to support your goals

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Schools go back next week, which is a perfect reason to jump-for-joy.

Our daily routines are out of sync and we’re all desperate for some kind of normality to resume.

To help get things back on track and to support you in planning your goals for 2017, we’ve summarised our training programs on offer.  Each program is built on the foundation of our motto:

BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE. Use what you have. Do what you can. 

 5km-FIT
A gentle and supportive learn-to-run program – starts from a low fitness base and builds you up to running 5km.

5km-FITTER [NEW!]
Progressing from our learn-to-run program, our 5km-FITTER program builds on your speed, strength and endurance.

RUN-FIT
For those running 4-5km regularly, our Run-FIT program focuses on building muscular strength, speed and mindset.

RACE-FIT
If you’ve ever wanted to train for a half-marathon | marathon | ultra-marathon – we have an exciting 2017 race calendar.

TRI-FIT
Stepping up from single discipline to multi-discipline triathlete – we have triathlon programs for beginner and improver levels.

SWIM-FIT
A gentle and supportive swim program aimed at beginners who are looking to build  confidence and technique in the open water.

YOU-FIT
Customised online training programs to support you train for a personal goal – from 10km | marathons | triathlons.

Look forward to supporting your health & fitness goals in 2017.

~ Debbie & the Beauty of Exercise Team x

Embrace all the good in your life

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I had the privilege of cheering a friend at the recent Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Mooloolaba a couple of weekends ago.  The atmosphere was amazing! There were athletes from all walks of life, from countries all around the world.

As a world championship race, these age-group athletes would have had to earn a slot at a qualifying event. It’s a huge achievement just making it to the world champs! The key thing that really struck me about this event, was the variety of athletes. There were young & old athletes, small & large athletes, able-bodied & paraplegic athletes. It was truly inspiring watching all these athletes pursue their dream.

One of the biggest inspiration for me that weekend was watching a paraplegic athlete embrace his goal. This guy rolled his wheelchair to the beach, where the race officials carried him to the start and placed him in the water. When he finished his swim, the race officials carried him to his bike (see above pic), where he focused on getting on his bike and continuing with the bike course, followed by the run course in his wheelchair.

It was truly very humbling. He never complained.  He just embraced the atmosphere and all the support from those along the course. At the end of the race, a supporter walked up to him, patted him on the shoulder and said, “Well done mate, you were truly awesome!”

As able-bodied athletes, we often take our situation for granted. We complain about the mundane — “I’m injured, I can’t train… I’m overweight, I can’t run… I can’t cycle, I’m too scared… I am busy, I can’t commit.”

We are all guilty of taking things for granted — however, it just requires a little reminder from time-to-time, to appreciate what we have. Just watch the Paralympics at Rio – swimmers with no limbs, runners with no eyesight, table-tennis players with no arms. It is truly very humbling.

So my message today – pause for a moment to appreciate all the good in your life. Your health, your family, your environment, the opportunities you have, the choices you have… the support you have.

Learn to appreciate what you have… before time makes you appreciate what you had.

A huge congratulations to all those athletes who competed in Mooloolaba — the oldest being 87years old! Truly amazing!

Also a massive ‘Good Luck’ shout to all our BEXI athletes taking part in the Blackmores Running Festival this weekend.  Embrace all the good in your life and make the most of it.

 

Debbie Solms
Feeling Grateful

BEXI Custom Cycling Kit

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We are taking orders for our new sexy BEXI custom cycling kit range. This kit will be ready for our first BEXI cycle event will be the MS Gong Ride on 6 November 2016 – and other exciting cycling events in the spring/summer.

The CRAFT custom collection has been developed in close collaboration with professional cycling teams – including ORICA-BikeExchange (who had great success at the Tour de France this year). The fabric is Italian and all the kit is made in Europe – so top quality!

All items are available in various sizing: XS – XXXL. We have a supply of sizing samples for you to try on – it is very important to get the right fit. Contact Debbie to try on a sample.  (As a reference, I am a M in the jersey and bib, and S in the arm warmers.)

If you are interested in placing an order, please email debbie.solms@gmail.com by Wed 10 August.  Once we have agreed numbers and sizing, we will need a 50% deposit to confirm our order. 

NOTE – we will need a minimum of 10 x orders per item to process our order. If we can’t achieve the min requirement, we will not be able to place our order.

Short-sleeve Jersey – $65 (vs $90)

Jersey

 Cycling Bib – $80 (vs $109)

Bib

Arm-Warmers – $30 (vs $45) – great for running too!

Arm Warmers

Achieving the Impossible

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Last Saturday our Tri-FIT team embarked on the final stage of their 12-week triathlon training journey – the Diamond Women’s Active Festival in Penrith.  The conditions were almost perfect – apart from the smokey air from the back-burning. Nervously the girls entered transition to set up their bikes… then it was race briefing… and next, the long walk to the swim start…

One of our team member’s captured the journey beautifully…

If someone would have told me I would compete in a triathlon a few years ago, I would have smiled and told them that they were dreaming. I guess I am in their dreams now, as I officially did my first Sprint Triathlon (750m swim, 20 km bike and 5km run) last Saturday, 7th May 2016.

It started 12 weeks ago as I wanted to learn to swim the real Ozzie freestyle, and enjoy running and cycling with a team. From learning to bubble in the ocean pool, to doing a few 50m laps in the early days, to doing 750m in the race, was a beautiful and challenging journey. Not to forget our interval training in the dark, early mornings – to conquering hills on the bike without understanding how the gears actually work (and I am Dutch!).

I had been hesitant to commit and register for the sprint distance, as I doubted my ability. But with the support from my amazing team mates and coaches who believed, inspired and motivated me – I was encouraged to sign up for the big one (the sprint), instead of the shorter option.

And yes everybody was right. It was more than possible and they were not dreaming – I was dreaming.  Achieving the impossible is just possible by just believing and doing it.

Plus keep on smiling!

 

Monique Manse
Sprint Triathlete
May 2016

Finish3

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HugFinish2

Get Hatched or go Bad!

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We’ve had a booming start to 2016 – and pretty soon our first term is going to be over. Boom, just like that! Which is why the topic of our blog is so timely.

 

“We cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad.”

 

What does this mean?

In order to progress, we need to change.  We all love our day-to-day routines – wake up,cup of tea, breakfast, kids to school, head to work… etc. But if we all lived our lives following the same status quo… well, guess what?! We are going to get what we’ve always gotten – fact!

My story

Heading into 2016, my life was pretty hectic. Running a business, prioritising family, moving house (stress!), focusing on health/fitness… the list was endless. Whilst I was trying to advocate a balanced lifestyle… I was the one running ragged. My head was deep underground (or Facebook rather) and the important things in life were passing me by. I needed to take control and make some changes.

Affecting change

Change is hard! Especially when it comes to taking a step back from something that you have loved and nurtured for over 5yrs. Our BEXI community means the world to me – it is my second-family. I have forged some incredibly deep and meaningful friendships. But I knew that I needed to take a step back in order to progress forward.

Running is my passion – I live it, I breathe it, I love it!  This is going to be my main focus moving forward. Coaching beginner runners; athletes training for half-marathons/marathons/ultras; and writing on-line programs for those who have their own personal goals.

Triathlon is my other passion – there is something really special about this sport. I am going to be partnering with recognised coaches to coach beginner triathletes – Sarah Anne Evans & Sue Bennett. Building confidence across the three disciplines (swim, bike, run), progressing to sprint/olympic and eventually long course distances. We will also be writing on-line programs for those who have their own personal goals.

Strength & conditioning classes are the key change. These classes will be relocated to our partner, Active Lifestyles, Collaroy. Marcel Soares is a recognised Holistic Coach & Exercise Specialist. He has a wealth of experience, particularly with athletes recovering from injuries. I feel truly confident that my BEXI athletes will be extremely well cared for by Marcel and his team.

What next?

Our Summer term comes to an end this Friday (8 April), we will have a short break over the school holidays and then reconvene on Tues 26 April for our Autumn term. In the meantime, our Race-FIT and Tri-FIT athletes will continue training for their upcoming races. On Sunday we will be cheering our BEXI runners taking on the Canberra Half-Marathon — go team!

On signing off, I want to say a heartfelt thanks for all your support over the past 5yrs. I’m feeling energised and excited about the upcoming new term and look forward to supporting you little by little, until a little becomes A LOT!

~ Debbie Solms ✘
   Beauty of Exercise

 

 

parkrunSun RunSwim

Tri-FIT

In the Pink

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Last Sunday one of our favourite Beauty of Exercise (BEXI) members, Liza Dukino, faced her fears and took part in her first ever triathlon – the Pinkie Triathlon. We are all so proud of what Liza achieved – from being anxious in the water, to having an immense fear on the bike (having had a bad stack). Liza has filled so many of us with inspiration and admiration. Below is a heartfelt story about Liza’s journey to the start-line and the actual race day – enjoy the read…

When you are part of a group like BEXI an injury can leave you isolated and lonely… if you let it!
In November last year an MRI showed a 50% tear of my plantar fascia and the advice was to stop. Stop meant no more training for Coastrek with the BEXI Trekkers and no more running. This was tough to deal with, with a severe case of FOMO (fear of missing out), I couldn’t imagine not being around all my BEXI mates. And bigger than that I was afraid of stopping and going back to who I was before I found my healthy lifestyle focus.

I needed a new focus something that I could do that wouldn’t exasperate my injury and would still allow me to be part of the community. I had always enjoyed swimming and I had bought a 2nd hand road bike earlier in the year that was gathering dust in the garage… they became my new focus. But what to work towards?

I had joined the BEXI triathletes at the Port Stephens Triathlon event that year, just tackling the swim leg for the fabulous Helen. Seeing the team tackle and conquer the swim, cycle and run all with a smile on their faces and celebrating their achievements that evening lit a little fire in my belly… that was something I wanted to achieve.

So I joined the well time new Swim-FIT program with the lovely Sue Bennett and joined the Run-FIT crew on a Tuesday morning with a special tailored Liza-FIT program on the bike. A few rides on closed paths gave me the confidence to join the BEXI cycle girls on my first ride to Church Point – almost 20km and I was stoked. My confidence crew on the bike the more I joined my buddies Cass and Katja on our regular rides and my swimming was improving as I learned about my stoke and bilateral breathing.

Now, it was time to give all this effort a focus… the Ultra course of the Pinkie Triathlon. The plan was to do the whole thing myself, just do the run on the day and deal with the consequences of the injury to the foot afterwards but I had been finally started to see an improvement. Finally, I was learning to listen to my body and decided 2 of the 3 legs was a much better option. Super Coach (SC) Debbie, a constant source of advice and support jumped at the chance of joining me to finish the tri off with the run.

Along came race day and off we went, my run coach and my swim coach by my side on the trek out to Parramatta Park, I was pooing my pants I was so nervous. Waiting for the briefing to start I see 3 figures in the distance, all decked out in orange. My first thought is ‘WOW!’ – we need to get those feather boas and hats for the BEXI support crew for the Australian Running Festival in Canberra next month’. My next thought was -‘Oh s*#t’… that’s Lisa, Cass and Kris! These 3 amazing BEXI friends had taken time away from their families on a Sunday morning to come and support me. I welled up. I was so touched and overwhelmed by the support of those girls there on the day and all the positive support from those who couldn’t be there.

So with my BEXI friends cheering by the side of the pool I jumped into my first triathlon, maybe my second if you count Port Stephens but this time I was adding on another leg. The event was tough but the whole time I had a smile on my face because I was there, I was actually doing it! I tagged SC and off she went, blitzing all the other runners and I joined her for the last 50m and we ran through the finish together. Phew it was done, now where is that champagne?

So my advice in all of this is, never let an injury let you feel isolated and lonely because there is a fabulous BEXI community around you that will train with you and support you in whatever goal it is you set out to achieve.

Liza Dukino
BEXI Triathlete, March 2015