Keep the 15th Free ...

... cause we are planning a little Christmas Celebration. More details to follow!

Not the Photo Competition ... But a good cause!

Finn has added an appeal to the Santa Parade Page. Have a read of it here and don't forget to register - it is for a great cause!

Payments for Winter Training now due!

Spinning tonight marks the official start of Winter training. There are no casual places at the moment, and no facility for changing sessions (see latest Session list.

We also ask that you bring payment (cheque or cash) for either the full season, or for the first month if you opted to pay monthly. A credit card payment can also be arranged - just ask. Willie will be after you if not!

Girls beware! Marita Flies South for Winter

The ladies are a competitive bunch, and don't be told any different. Marita O'Connor, one of our up-and-coming lady triathletes has, it seems, organised for herself an extended Summer training period by heading South to Australia. Covering up this most audacious piece of Secret Training known to the club, her official line is that this is a 'back-packing' trip. Well Girls, I certainly wouldnt get complacent - step up your Winter Training!

Let us also take the opportunity to wish Marita the best, and look forward to seeing you once the long dark days of winter have passed!

Good Man Simon ...

... for keeping the ball rolling.

In news just reaching the Trilogy desk, we are pleased to confirm the third engagement in three weeks - a BIG congratulations to Simon and Kate.

Who's next?

Santa Parade Posters - Print Off & Post!

Support the Santa Run by downloading the Santa Poster and then putting it up at work, in your local shop, anywhere a potential Santa might see it!

Santa Poster.

The target is 100 Santas - as of this morning, we're still seeking 92 Santas!

Swimming postponed

Just a short note to let you all know that Portlaoise Pool will not now be ready to open on 28 November, and so this weeks first Swim session will be postponed. I hope that we can start on 5 December instead. There will be an extra swim session scheduled to make up for this. All packages start as planned with Spinning on Tuesday. Apologies!

Santa Parade 2007

One last challenge for 2007. 100 Santas, €5,000 for Bubble Gum Club - Laois Winter Wonderland. And all you have to do is raise €50 and walk less than two miles dressed as one of our hundred Santas. A five piece suit is yours to keep! See more here.

Trilogy Youth Training - Update

Trilogy Kids Squad will be starting just after New Year. A committee has been formed and Chaired by Sinead, and it is hoped that new sessions will attract a large group of junior triathletes, who will compete in a number of special events in 2008. Training will take place Sunday mornings from 10:30, venues to be confirmed. A special webpage will also be set up over the next few weeks.

The Triathlon Ireland AGM

I know there are a few people heading to the Ball on Saturday Night, but I was wondering if anyone is coming the TI AGM on the same day (11am to 2pm apx)? On the agenda is a few motions about how the sport is run (including how funds are taken from races) and proposals about Racing for Ireland in 2008 and for next years Premier League.

If you are thinking of going, do get in touch - I will be there anyway.

Winter Training - Payments Due

Winter Training proper starts 26 November 2008. From this day on, places in classes will be held, and casual visits can only be arranged by invitation.

There are still 8-10 places available for each class, please let anyone you know who may be interested in these last few places.

If you have signed up for any of our sessions, please arrange payment as soon as possible. For those of you on 'season passes' - paying up front for the entire season, the full amount is now due. For anyone paying 'by the month', the first payment is now due.

The rates are as follows:

All-in Season Pass - €179 up front / €42 monthly
Any 2 Sessions (e.g. 'Spin & Swim') - €159 up front / €37 monthly
Any 1 Session (e.g. Pilates Only) - €100 up front / €25 monthly

If you selected the Standing Order option, a form will be sent to you shortly.

Club Gear Update

Good News! Trilogy's Club Gear has gone into production, and all those who have paid their €190 can look forward to a great looking full kit arriving 8 December (give or take).

We will be arranging a one-day kit-out session, probably on 8 December, probably in the Methodist Church Hall. This is to try to get the 40-odd kits out to their new owners as quickly and as efficiently as possible. You will be able to try on the kit and swap sizes if you need to (subject to sizes being available).

So keep that date in your diary, and keep an eye on here for updates.

Kids Duathlon Training Postponed

We're still working on the kids training, so unfortunately it won't be starting this Saturday as planned. We hope to have a better idea of when it will start after there has been a meeting of the volunteers who signed up to help - thank you to you all.

So watch this space!

New Spinning Rule!

For each minute each person is late for their class in future, Deirdre will be adding another squat.

Seriously, let's be on time for the class - its only fair on everyone, and its only fair on Deirdre.

So how good is triathlon, then?

I recently came across the following quote by Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson, a well-known marathon running married couple, with about 100 years running training between them.

They are trying to explain the many, many benefits of running. And it got me thinking – if running is so good, then imagine how good triathlon must be!

By strengthening the heart, running reduces the rate of heart disease,

By pumping oxygen and antioxidants, it combats carcinogenic free radicals, and so reduces the incidence of many forms of cancer.

By evacuating body waste promptly, it diminishes lingering toxins.

By raising body temperature to fever level on a daily basis, it burns out infection.

By stimulating sweating and increasing breath exchange, it eliminates toxins via the skin and expelled air.

By releasing adrenaline, it flushes the system with disease-fighting white blood cells and immune substances.

By reducing body weight, it counters the effects of obesity – stress on the heart, joints, lungs and muscles, and non-insulin dependent diabetes. By stimulating endorphins, it alleviates stress, counters depression, and enhances creativity and problem solving.

By strengthening bones, it radically reduces the incidence of osteoporosis. By maintaining strong blood flow and creating a positive self-image, it improves desuality. Finally, by leaving the body fulfilled and tired, running helps maintain healthy sleep patterns.

Winter Training - Now accepting non-members

Winter Training is a great way to involve someone you know who is waiting for the right time to start training for the triathlon they have been promising themselves they'll do. There is less than 10 spaces left, but these are now open to non-members.

Please direct your friends to this website to book, but do ask them to leave a number, or give them mine so that I know who they are and that I can hold spaces. There have been a few names already I have not known, and have not given places to because of this (does anyone know John Rowland?). I will not hold places for people I don't know or don't get a number for.

Also, if you are a member of Trilogy, and have not signed up yet, get moving now. Classes will fill by the end of the week.

Nice Bike for Sale

Keith Heary from Carlow is selling a racing bike of his. Some of you may have seen it in action on the Heath. It would suit someone 5'9" / 5'10" to 6' 2", and the spec is below.

• Giant TCR T-mobile aluminium sloping Frame, size M/L with carbon forks


• Ultegra brakes, rear derailleur, bottom bracket, chain 9 speed ultegra block (new)


• New profile design tri bars with Dura Ace 9 speed bar end shifters


• Cosmic Elite wheels


• New FSA Pro team issue carbon cranks


• New Look Keo sprint pedals


• Bladed carbon fibre seatpost with new Selle Italia Aspide saddle.


• Carbon fibre bottle cage.


• On board computer.


• New 120mm stem


• Carbon fibre brake levers

• FREE orca size large tri suit in black and white with it.

Price is €1499 for Trilogy members, €1599 for others. Contact Karl if interested.

The last of the winter places

There have been a few enquiries from outside the club for various places in our Winter training - it must be good, so! So, if your name isn't on this page, then you better check out this one and get registered.

Bobby Behan launches Laois Tri Camps

Bobby Behan has launched his coaching website and announced details of his first coaching weekends, to be held right here in Laois. The weekends are strictly limited to 16 and cost €130-170 (depending on coaches). Read more here - http://www.bobbybehan.com/.

The weekends promise to bring together Bobby, former national AG champion, North America, Ireland's No.1 triathlete, and ex-Pro; Anke Moore, former pro cyclist, leading sprint, distance and 2nd place IM triathlete in South Africa and Joe Fenlon, former national gold medal winner time triallist and multiple Ras veteran.

Check out a typical Schedule, which includes 2 swims, 2 cycles, 2 runs (all coached) and 2 discussion sessions.

So what's the interest in one of these sessions? Any Let me know, contact Karl.

Next 3 weeks - Spinning / Pilates

The spin sessions & pilates sessions this week, next week and the week after cost €5.00 per night, payable on the night. These sessions are not included in any package. The idea is that you can try these sessions out before committing to a package. Packages start with spinning on 27 November.

Winter Starts Here - Not in 5 minutes time!

The first training session of the off-season is on tonight. Fartlek running, for anyone who didn't participate last year, is a brilliant way to bring down your run times, and is also a very social session. The group is always divided on ability - Fast, Medium, Slow and Non-Runner! There is something for all.

One thing we are going to be disciplined on this Winter is starting time.

Sessions will start on time, every time.

If you are late, assume you have missed the session. This is most important for the paid-sessions (Spin, Swim, Pilates) where a session can be disrupted by late-comers. Here will be a 'locked door' policy on these sessions - arrive late and you will find yourself locked out! Being on time, means being ready to train - in your gear, with your water / towel, etc, and ready to start the work-out (Not 'parking the car up'!)

The best advice is to aim to be in Killenard / Portlaoise Pool / Midway 15 minutes before the session.

Sizing Session Tonight (Mon 5 November)

There is a sizing session for the new gear scheduled this evening, before and after Fartlek.

We're asking the ladies to drop in to the Methodist Church Hall between 7pm and 8pm, and for the lads to drop in after the run (9pm-10pm). The Methodist Hall is about 50m from the train station in the direction of the gym, right beside the Methodist Church.

We need two sizes from you:

- Top Size (which will be used for your run top, cycle top, cycle jacket & tri-suit
- Waist Size (used for both cycling & running shorts)

We have a limited number of (i.e. two) sizes available for male & female. Best advice is to use these as a guide in conjunction with a printed sizing chart. If anything the gear is 'small-sized' - so if you are normally 'Medium' you could be large or extra large in this range. We will also need a waist size for shorts (these are not available for sizing). An inch-tape is available if you need it.

When you are happy with your size, you tick the appropriate box and leave with Sinead (Ladies) or Willie (Lads).

I ask you to do your best to get the size right, but remember we will be buying 15 or so extra kits, so there is some scope for 'swapping' sizes when the gear arrives.

On the gear itself, I hope to have a final design to show you this week, and have been told that we will have our gear inside 4 weeks.

Thanks again to all who have paid in advance - if you still need to settle up, we'd appreciate it if you could do so at your earliest convenience; all this stuff has to be paid for in advance of delivery.

Lastly - if you can't make tonight, please let me know & I'll try to arrange something else with you this week.

Junior Squad Development

With the upcoming new training season starting, and as we introduce for the first time training for 12-16, Triathlon Ireland are organising - by coincidence - a workshop all about starting up youth squads, and plans for a youth league of events in 2008.

There are 7 people so far who volunteered to join the 'training panel', and I wondered if any of you could be available to attend the session, and present the details back to the rest of the panel.

The unfortunate thing is that the workshop is in Dublin (Castleknock), and is an evening event (next Thursday, 8 November, time tbc) - so perhaps its not feasible. However, if you think you could make it, there is lots more info on the TI website, and do let me know if you are planning to be there.

Finally, I would like to arrange in the next week or so a meeting of the 7-strong junior trainer panel to discuss the junior programme. The first junior session will be deferred until 17 November to allow this meeting take place.

Update - Laois Cycling Workshop

Laois Cycling workshop starts at 9am at the Midway hotel. There will be a 2 / 2.5 hour cycle to start with, split into two groups based on ability. Padraig Marrey will spend an hour or so with each group, looking at technique, etc. When we return to the Midway, we make our own arrangements for lunch (food court probably best) and get changed (note: showers not available). After lunch, Padraig will then finish the day with a cycling workshop. The day will be complete about 4:30pm.

Trilogy members should aim to be at the Midway at 8:45pm – we don’t want to be the ones holding things up!!

We have ten places, so the following people are included - Sandra Furney, Willie Fitzpatrick, Karl McCann , Deirdre Ryan, Sinead Wearen, Trish Nicholls, Simon Tsang, Patrick Marshall, Kevin Bracken & Martin Keane.

Don’t forget to bring €10 for the workshop and money for lunch!