Tri Alliance Ambassador Blog – Darrell Giles

What a year! The time as inaugural TAQ athlete ambassador, along with colleague Claire Schneider, has been a blast. I have thoroughly enjoyed the ride and highly recommend it to fellow tri club members.

The support of Mark Turner and Suz McCarthy has been fantastic, along with the other coaches and my colleagues. The feedback has been fun and fulfilling. It has been extremely rewarding and I am sad the role is not longer or permanent.

I feel privileged to have been in a position to represent the club at events as ambassador and write race reports and blogs. It has been rewarding to speak to new TAQ members and help them make a mark.

And put up with the crap from all the veteran members. 

It could not have been done without our amazing sponsors: Mizuno, Rocket Science, Shoes Feet Gear, Shotz, Giant and Tri Alliance itself.

I had never been a fan of Mizuno but I’m a true convert now. They make amazing running shoes and I will be sticking with the Runbird logo. They have lifted me to some record run times in 2012-13.

A 1.22 half marathon at the Gold Coast wearing Elixirs and  1.25 at Brisbane wearing Wave Riders; and sub-40 10kms at Redcliffe, Gatton, Noosa and the Duathlon Worlds in France wearing Ronins.

Considering I am now in the plus 50 age group and this is what I ran in my early 20’s I am very happy with those results. 

As for Rocket Science, the wetsuit has been a dream. I am now a SWIMMER. 

Just to reinforce that fact: at the Hervey Bay OD tri last month, a 2.22 PB, I placed highest overall of the three legs in the swim, a top 30 spot.

Not bad for someone who came 3000th in the swim in my first OD tri at Noosa in 2010.

Get this: 28 minutes compared to 64 minutes.

But I still love lane one Coach T.

We are just days away from going to Cairns as a huge squad ready to compete in ironman and half ironman events.

It will bring back incredible memories from the highlight of the last year: Busso 2012.

We went to Western Australia en masse in December and returned as winners. Some faster than others, but 26 started and 26 came away as ironman finishers.

The organisation by Mark and Suz was first rate and made the experience for many first timers that much easier. Cairns will be a breeze in comparison.

My race personally went exceptionally well in the water and on the bike but came unstuck in my favored run leg. Bad nutrition, 34 deg heat, fatigue (coach T will point to back-to-back Port Mac and Noosa races) … who knows.

In the end the time was insignificant. Mark said “you are not going to give up” during the run/walk and there was never a thought of a DNF.

Ironman done and dusted. It produced that incredible Michael Zink finish photo of my always supportive partner Taryn and I embracing after a 13-hour effort.

There were some incredible performances by TAQ colleagues that day, Leigh, Alicia, Krista, Tim,  Ben, Gleeso, just to name a few.

We have many new ironman finishers in our squad now — it is amazing to see how the long distance aspect has grown so strongly — and there will be many more from Cairns. Bring on Ironman Japan in 2014 and TAQ flying the flag there.

The year was full of highs, with only the odd low. A lack of motivation post Busso and a foot injury slowed things down. A complete two-week break — a little later than I should have — did wonders and my  mojo was back by Mooloolaba.

It is easy to get inspired when you hang out at twice daily sessions with so many like minded and equally determined people. Credit to them all.

TAQ does everything, from the coaching sessions to the four-day camps, so well. There is so much attention to detail, individuals and the group collectively. I can’t speak highly enough of our team leaders.

The training programs, again either as a squad or one on one, are brilliant and have helped me and others achieve personal milestones. I again recommend them to everyone.

The rebranding has come and gone and we have united under the Tri Alliance banner. It has without doubt brought huge benefits to us all.

Finally, I would like to say thanks to everyone who has supported me, followed the ambassador blogs and passed on comments, good and bad. We are a big, bold bunch, yet unique, and long may that continue.

Best of luck to the new ambassadors and feel free to seek myself or Claire out for a chat anytime.