July - November 2012

All the races are over and now we can enjoy Christmas and a happy new year!

We’ve done number of small and big races over the last few months – finally it is the off-season and time to celebrate our achievements (or take this time to think about what could be improved for year 2013!).

Goal-setting
Many of our age-groupers will spend time with friends and family but if you’re really itching and aiming for improvement, you could set up some goals for next year to work on.

• Look at the race calendar in 2013 and ask yourself following the questions:
• What races would you like to do? List them in priority order (A to C) – from a major "A race" right down to a training "C race". 
• List three to five training objectives you’d like to achieve – such as finishing an open-water swim of 1.5k in 30 minutes or a 21k run at 5-minute pace.
• Keep your goals realistic and achievable, share your goals with coach Kenneth and share them with us - we’d like to hear from you and help plan to achieve your aims.
• Review your goals mid-season to see if you’re on track.

Who knows, this method of goal-setting could apply to other parts of your life, too.

What we have done in last few months?
Round two of the Sonic Time Trial (Shek O Aquathon) was held on 22 July in choppy conditions. A good number of brave souls turned up to conquer the four-loop swim in the washing-machine-like water of Shek O before completing a 4k run. Coach Alan led all the way and was the first man cross the finish line, with Andrew Patrick and junior Eugene Wong coming in after him.

Sonic Time Trial 2 on the start line

Sonic Time Trial 2: The team start the work!

In early August some of the Sonic team flew to Cebu Island for the Ironman 70.3 Philippines, see the race recap.

Sonic Time Trial round 3 conflicted with the newly organised Sports Soho Airwave Triathlon on 23 September. As a number of Sonic members had enrolled this race and there was no other available date to hold the time trial during the busy season, it was cancelled.

The Airwave Triathlon inspired excitement for local triathletes as their first taste of a long-distance triathlon in Hong Kong. It featured a 1.8k swim, 60k bike and 15k run in Plover Cove. It attracted good number of Ironman triathletes who, like the other competitors, had to draw on mental toughness to complete the course in difficult conditions. Poor course layout, insufficient water on the run course plus the heat and humidity turned the race into a game of survival. Those who finished, predict they swam 2.2k, biked 60k and ran 19k.

The now well-known open-water swim event Clean Half 15k swim was the week after the Airwave Triathlon. Another endurance event and our party girl Janice Lee teamed up with friends to paddle and swim from Stanley to Repulse Bay! See her story:

Hong Kong ITU Triathlon on 14 October was the annual gathering of the triathlon community and it is fantastic to see a growing number of participants and teams in Hong Kong! See this race recap.

Aquawiz
Aquawiz is a new local organizer of open-water swims and aquathon races with a pontoon setup in the sea – the 2k swim course involves climbing onto the pontoon and diving back in again. See this video if you're on Facebook (Charles Hui suggests they also invite a live band and photographer on the pontoon!)
The Aquawiz races are friendly and low-key and last until December, see http://www.aquawiz2000.com/

Taiwan 70.3 finishers

Ironman 70.3 Taiwan
The third Ironman 70.3 Taiwan was successfully held in Kenting on 4th November. This year the course was adjusted to avoid a hill climb in the heat, so one segment of the hill climb was removed and T1 and T2 was moved to a shadier location. Although these changes were welcome, one problem was that the organisers forgot to equip the aid stations with sports drinks and Coca-Cola.

Gigi: where is my coke...?

Some say the Ironman Taiwan is the Kona equivalent for Sonic members and Hong Kong triathletes. Congratulation for all finishers especially those who have improved from last year and achieved a good result
5:04:47 Christopher Tong
5:26:48 Delgado‐Moreira Juan
5:41:53 Lee Ying Ho
5:51:37 Chan Wai Kee Eric
5:53:34 Relay No More 3 (9th)
5:55:12 Niiro Mari
5:55:12 Wong Kent
5:55:58 Lee Kin Lun Brian
6:04:50 Lau Gabriel
6:11:48 George Lee

Gigi 9th in AG

6:13:08 Wang Julius
6:13:12 Wong Gigi Gi Wai (9th)
6:16:22 Koo Dreyfus
6:17:15 Mak Teresa

Where is Coach Alan Tam?
Do you miss the hardcore coach Alan’s sports beeper during 20 sets of fartlek runs or 20 sets of 50m swim sprints? Or perhaps you are feeling relief?
Where is he now?!
Coach Alan injured his knee during training and is scheduled for knee surgery in late November. He will take a few months off for rehabilitation so let’s wish him a quick recovery and that he can come back even stronger.

Sunday Shek O Training suspended
Since we are stepping into the off-season, Shek O BRICK training will be suspended until April 2013. We look forward to re-forming our coaching resources for the season of 2013.

Sonic End of Season Time Trial 40k Cycling
We follow our tradition to end the season by 40k individual time trial at Tung Chung, the game set on 24 November, weather was wet and cold, not so motivating, our machine Sacha Cheong won the title, Simon Jones, Charles Hui and Eugene Wong after.

Sonic 9th End of Season Party
As everyone knows our coach Kenneth is expecting his first baby (not his belly) in early December, so our End of Season Party will be scheduled in 6th January 2013! Stay tuned!

New payment scheme for the Sonic Training in 2013
We have reviewed the current payment scheme and heard some feedback from the members. By the help of Anson we are able to maintain an accurate attendance and payment record and we are also able to develop the system.
To encourage our members to keep training with Sonic and to cater for busy travelling and shift schedules, we will enhance our payment scheme to make it more flexible while not raising the training fee for our long-term supportive members (same fees since 2008).

See below:
ALL sessions 6 calendar month: $3500 1st January to 30th June or 1st July to 31st December
ALL sessions: $1300 per two calendar month
ALL sessions: $750 per calendar month
**Swim Only: $500 per calendar month
**Run Only: $500 per calendar month
*10 Days: $1000 valid for two months from the time of your first session
*1 Days: $200
*One Day cover 2 to 3 hours continues session on the same day.
**Swim Only session apply for 1 hour or 2 hours swim training subject to club arrangement
**Run Only session apply for 1 hour or 2 hours run training subject to club arrangement
All Sonic sessions cover coaching, entry fee and dedicated swim lane.
All payment are non-refundable.

How’s Yvan?
The bone marrow campaign is huge success and a match bone marrow donor was identified and located in Germany. After a lot of detailed compatibility tests, Yvan received the bone marrow transplant in October, he has gone though six weeks of isolation and now he can go home although he is taking almost 100 pills for anti-rejection therapy. His body is coping well and his mind is strong - he hopes to resume his Sonic membership in 2014. I believe his triathlete spirit makes him a role model for other cancer-fighters.
On 17 October, quote from http://bonemarrowhk.blogspot.hk/
"Dear All,
After yet another little planning twist, the bone marrow has arrived in HK a bit earlier than expected and the transplant is now scheduled for this evening. I am not sure whether this is going to be the end, the beginning of the end of another stage in a longer recovery but I do know however that this is where I want to be. I am happy to proceed and confident in the outcome.

Yvan: Looking Forward!

During this process, I will have a deep thought for all of you who have supported me during these long months. I feel privileged and immensely grateful.
I look forward to see you all very soon.
Love,
Y"



Thank you for reading, enjoy the off-season and have good health.

2012 Sanshui ITU Triathlon

We are back from SanShui ITU Triathlon, bring back the trophies, price money, PB and great result, Congratulating Michal crowned AG champion, Janice AG 3rd, Gigi AG 5th, big thanks to TriHK close coordination and great hospitality of SanShui volunteers!

It was a beautiful weather on race morning, sunny, 15C air temperature and 21C in the water, around 60% humidity, and blue sky, perfect racing condition! Very big difference from the previous rainy and cold race day for elite. Pre-race announcement confirm it’s NOT allow for wetsuit that help for those on/off decision to put on the wetsuit.

· Stay optimistic for all weather conditions, we prepared for the cold day but who know it turned sunny?

GuangDong style is going global!

Course Map

The race setup is exactly aligning with high ITU standard, blue carpet, big LED screen live coverage, 5 buoys swim course with floating pontoon to dive-in, very wide bike course you only need to slow down on 1 turning point, well defined marking you just feel like racing in any of the World Champion series. This race is the event of the whole SanShui City, they mobilized large number of volunteers from the schools and university to station in race registration, greeting and sending off triathletes, cheerleading at every 10m on bike/run course, handing out full bottle of waters, you got the same level of experience compare to fully commercialized Ironman races, given that only RMB80 for registration, you eventually forgave some of the chaos during registration.

Last minutes withdrawal
From the start list we are one of the big continental team of 17 athletes however we only have 9 standing on the start line because of difference reasons I received. We are lucky for no penalty charge for hotel and race entry just for this time.
We will go again next year, and we will need strong commitment from everyone to protect our reputation as age-grouper team of Sonic from Hong Kong China.

Photos from local forum:
http://www.fsbike.net/viewthread.php?tid=22396&extra=page%3D1
http://www.fsbike.net/forumdisplay.php?fid=73&page=1

Here what they said:
By Julius
Couple of vignettes to share about racing in China. It’s a new sport there. As with all other aspects, racing in China will take on China characteristics. Sometimes in very humorous ways.

1) No wet suits since only foreigners and Hong Kongers have them. No one in China has one (though most are probably “made in China”
2) While Philip and I were getting ready in transition area, guy next to me had a swim top on. On it he had pinned his race number on front and back of the shirt. Obviously not aware that you don’t need a number for the swim and that the pins could potentially jab someone’s finger during the wave starts. So Philip kindly gave him a race belt and showed him how to use it.
3) Another guy saw me putting on sunscreen so he comes excitedly over to ask for some. After I squeezed some into the palm of his hand, he proudly announced that this is the first time he has used this stuff. You have to realize this guy is in his 50’s and his sun-baked face with creases showed it.
4) On my bike, there was a guy who passed me on every incline for 2 loops. During the straight-aways and down slopes, I passed him with ease in my TT position. When you first see this guy, he is on an ordinary bike. Ok it does not have a basket, but it has clips and he is wearing sneakers. But on the uphills, he is standing and really putting his back into it. I could hear him huffing and puffing behind me until he passed me.
5) During the start, we were lined up according to our race number. Yes, we stood in order of our number. You can’t even imagine doing this in HK, or for that matter, anywhere else in the world! Guy next me was asking all kinds of questions while we were watching the swim starts. Turns out the only other race he has done—ever—was the Shanshui race last year.

Anyway, we are in the early stages of Tri’s in China. Since it is an Olympic sport, it will undoubtedly grow large over time. With 1.3 billion people, expect some tough competitors to emerge in the future.

By Janice
Supplementing Julius' point 5 below, there were 11 people in Gigi and my age group, and the guy ordered and reordered us 4 times to line up in accordance with our race numbers (no. 631 to, er, 641) even though we had not moved since the first time we were told to stand in place and looked equally perplexed each time when Gi and I told him that no. 641 (a la Louise Wheeler) is not coming. I think he might have thought that he would have to write a report to each superior level on why he did not have a complete set of athletes.

Another anecdote is that when I emerged from the the water, taking off my swim cap to enter into T1, there were lots of "It's a girl!" exclamations from the crowd as if I had just emerged from my mother's womb.

I don't think I have seen so many "voluteers" along the course in a race, each cheered as enthusiastically as they were my own friends. I had put "volunteers" in quotation marks as Gi would probably respond otherwise with her (somewhat ironically true) theory that everything over the weekend (including the blue sky on race day) had been paid, one way or another, by the government.

This girl is one of the helpful volunteers for our group registration.

Janice feels like celebrity

2012 Sonic End of Season Time Trial - 40k Cycling

Sonic End Of Season Time Trial 24 Nov, SATURDAYIt's for someone climbing the top 3 title of Sonic Time Trial series!

It's for someone testing their brand new time trial bike, aero wheels, helmet, ceramic bearings...

It's for someone testing their bike time without tolerances the ocean swim and saving for run...
It's for someone last bike training for Phuket Tri!

This is the real butt-chasing Individual Time Trial for all members of Sonic!

 

DON'T FORGET THIS END OF SEASON TIME TRIAL!!!
This is the final stage of Sonic Time Trial series of 2012!!

 

*Helmet Manatory

*1 Foot down start from the Cheung Tung Rd <> Sunny Bay Rd T-junction

*Start List based on the HK ITU bike time, slowest go first, fastest go last at 1min interval.

*Uphill finish

*Roads are open to traffic

*Extra caution when doing a U-Turn at Cheung Tung Road. Do a long shoulder check for traffic coming from behind.

*no need to sign up, just show up, register Sonic members will be ranked.

This time trial is the last training race for Sonic point.

 
Individual Time Trial
Date: 24 November, Saturday
Arrival Time: 07:30 for warm up
Start Time: 0800

Starting Point: Cheung Tung Road, Sunny Bay Road T-junction

Suggested Car Parking:

You can park at Sunny Bay as long as you have warm up and get to the starting point before 0800.

Most of us will be arriving at 7:30am at Sunny Bay car park.

Format: Individual Time Trial (NO DRAFTING)
Course Map:
Start from Cheung Tung Rd (Sunny Bay junction) > Cheung Tung Rd (Tung Chung end)
http://sites.sonicsports.org.hk/Home/maps

Adult: 40k (2 x loops on Cheung Tung Road A > B > A > B > A)
Junior: 20k (1 x loop on Cheung Tung Road A > B > A)