SEPTEMBER 9: Running About a Quart Low...

Nate, Dr. Peacock and Jeremy

Sweet! surfing shot of Jeremy and Nate

Nate and Jeremy- heading out to catch some waves!

Jeremy, Nate, Dr. Peacock and his lovely wife Sabina

Jeremy and Nate- taken' it all in!

Jeremy and Dr. Peacock- waiting for some waves

Nate, Dr. Peacock and Jeremy- the end of a killer day!

Today was our last day in Noosa, a final bit of preparation away from the actual race site of Gold Coast. We started the day with another long surf/swim session, this one complete with dolphins and sea turtles. We managed to surf ourselves to near exhaustion (or hypothermia) and finished up with a black rice sticky porridge. Lest you think I am just on a surf trip with a race at the end, keep in mind that the wave-play stuff has a definite purpose for me; my best swim times in races have occurred right after extended periods of time in and around surf. The repetitive arm stroke of paddling has a definite relationship to my swimming stroke.

Midday was reserved for some work on the bikes, and I took a short run to the Noosa Aquatic Centre, which boasts two huge outdoor pools (a 25- and 50-meter) and complete locker, fitness and restaurant facilities. It was about $4 to use for the day, and I ripped out 2000 meters of intervals and ran home while the pool filled with school-age water polo players.

Coastal Australians have a rich history of water sports, surf-lifesaving, surfing, open-ocean kayaking, and various other forms of play and transportation in and around the ocean. Our host, Dr. Peacock (and his wife, Sabina) swim early morning three days a week, and Andrew uses the "off" days to practice surf-ski (kind of a long and thin open-hulled craft.) He belongs to a typical regional surf club, which houses his craft, and provides him with a base for operations for his various pursuits. I've run into bike shop owners who are planning on racing this weekend, and everyone seems to know about the triathlon championships. I think the average local here has at least four sports or hobbies.

There was an entire retail outfit on Noosa's posh Hastings Street that was dedicated to merchandise commemorating the country's history of surf-lifesaving called Between the Flags (a beach term referring to the allowed water activities - surfing, watercraft, swimming - and where they may take place based on the safety of the conditions.) Can you imagine a US retail outlet based on the athletic history of a public service? Maybe someone should open a Smokejumpers Store at the mall in Missoula...

Having grown up in Southern California, I am familiar with the beach lifestyle, and the active nature of people who have grown up in and around the water. But these folks seem to have taken it to another level, and it is most obvious in the everyday participatory sports like surfing and swimming; everyone here has at least a modest level of skill, and many are more than proficient. I saw a group of stand-up paddle boarders (kind of a bigger, thicker surfboard one stands on and paddles with a long carbon fiber paddle) working the Tea Tree lineup from outside to shore, as if they had been doing it for years. But these guys were teenagers, and the sport was only invented about five years ago! In the pool today, everyone to either side of me was as fast or faster, and with much better technique, which isn't saying much, but I'm the one here competing in the World Championships. They were just on their lunch break, and all were fairly business-like in getting in their yardage, grabbing a veggie pie and getting back to work. I was there for the purpose of training and fine-tuning, and getting my confidence in the water up to an acceptable level as I prepare to get pummelled on Saturday. I am in full panic-cramming mode now, as if anything I do this week will somehow actually help my performance.

Which is all to say, I'm ready for some rest, and some fluids. Seems like we do something about every four hours, and that we are in a constant state of re- hydration. The hosts are putting snags (sausages) on the barbie (you knew I would have to use that expression at least once, right?) and the local brews and wines have come out of the pantry. Tomorrow morning we rent a van and load up the bikes for the trip down to Gold Coast, where the environment will be a little more tense than Noosa. I'm ready for tense.

Thanks again for the continued support, our goal is slowly being met! You can check out the progress by hitting "Click here to support Jeremy's Efforts" or on the main page and scrolling down. We have also updated the website to reflect the "off-line" donations!! Getting closer and closer thanks to you!

Until tomorrow,

Jeremy

Click here to support Jeremy's Efforts!