Rebekah Keat

Hi everyone,

Just a quick update from my last days at Jeju Korea. All is going amazingly well here and Brett and I have been very happy with my training. As we both say I have been ‘posting the numbers’ and now its upto me to do it on race day’post good numbers’ and its upto the rest to post better numbers!

I depart for Kona,Hawaii on Monday , only two days away, with more confidence than ever before and excitement.I also feel a little pressure, but not from you,only the pressure I have put on myself to perform.

Really I need to take the attitude it’s’ just another race’, but deep down I know its more, a hell of alot more,and I will be doing everything on race day in my power to get to the finish line in the quickest fashion possible!Even if it means crawling the last 10 metres!

I hope I can do you all proud not just during the race, but pre and post race as I do my very best job to represent you as a professional triathlete!

Please can you all log onto Facebook and find my homepage and go to my profile or wall, check out my latest video where I have done a very ’special sponsor tribute video’ to all my amazing sponsors!

Next time we talk I hope its very good news, and the cause for celebration!

Thanks again for your ongoing support that allows me to live my dream, as I couldnt do it without you!

Oz Ironman is two days away and the nerves are starting to set in! I am fighting off a last minute cold which is a good sign that my body is rested and ready to race.

Other than that, my body feels great; I feel strong and I’m definitely fitter and faster than this time two years ago.

The weather forecast is not so great – rainy, 80% humidity, and 30km winds. So combine that with a really tough course and it will be an epic day for everyone out there!

Even more challenging is the women’s field, with Chrissie Wellington and Michellie Jones (neither who need an introduction). It’s going to be a great day for me if I can perform at my best and really take the race to them.

So with 3 other team members in Jonno, Abbie and Cam, Team TBB hope to get out there and fly the flag proud. Hopefully this time on Sunday I’ll be writing with a podium result, a qualifying spot for Hawaii and possibly an Aussie title.

If I don’t get another update in before hand, keep your eyes on my Twitter (http://twitter.com/rebekahkeat). Be sure to follow me too (if you’re a fellow Twitterer).

Bring on Sunday! ……. Bek.

Hi all,

Unfortunately this is not good news. I write to you from my hotel room in Singapore still stinging itchy and in alot of pain!Sound terrible?  It was!

I was stung by a really nasty jellyfish today during the swim leg of Singapore 70.3! I got onto the bike not knowing why it was so painfull and I just hoped it would go away quickly! However, I didn’t know at this stage that I was allergic to this jellyfish type, but I found that out soon enough.

During the bike leg, the swelling in my right arm, my neck and my  tongue, got worse with every kilometer. I knew I could fight through the pain, but the swelling was beoming a very serious issue. I stopped roadside to splash some vinegar on my arm hoping it would do the trick!

It didn’t.

I kept racing and was in 4th place, only 5 minutes down on the leader, on the last lap of the bike. I knew I could still win the race if I could run to my potential. But the swelling continued worsen, and I simply could not go on.

I couldn”t breathe and felt extremely nauseous; I was about to to be sick and I stopped on the side of the road. Unfortunately it was day over for me, and I’m very disappointed. It was one of those unbelievable and unfortunate things you just can’t control, or prepare for. And that’s Ironman triathlon for you.

I’m now looking forward to Port, where I know there are no jellyfish AND I’ll have my wetsuit to protect just in case!
It’s ony two weeks away and the biggest race of this season, so far. I have bigger jellyfish to fry!
Thanks for your continued support,
Bek Keat.

Hi All,

Well I am back home after my first race back since Hawaii in October. I competed yesterday in the Geelong 70.3 World Triathlon Circuits first race of the year. My swim started well and I was at the back of the lead Men’s swim pack and also with the lead female swimmer. Nervs got the better of me though about half way round the swim course, as I wondered what I was doing staying with the pro men. I dropped of the back of the pack but still remained 3rd overall position out of the water.

A bit of a tricky transition as my blueseventy wetsuit that had seved me very well in the swim, once again got stuck on my over sized calfes! I struggled a little to get it off but was out in the bike 1min 15sec down on the lead female. “No worries” i thought.

The bike consisted of 3 laps to make up the 90km. I felt good with the wind behind me heading out I managed to really wind it up. I also managed to hold off strong riders Belinda Granger and Libeth Kristianson (ex-world long course champion) who excited the swim only 30 or so seconds behind me. By the end of the first lap though I had been joined by the two, and as a pack of men came through I was tempted to jump on the back. I didnt though, and Belinda and I stayed honest riding solo again! We noticed we had not lost anytime to Yvonne Vanklerken (the World record holder) and she was still a good 3 or 4 mintues down after the second lap. I was placed 3rd with Granger and we had now also reeled in Pip Taylor (lead swimmer). Sam warriner was having a blinder and leading the race with one lap to go.

Tragedy struck and out of no where Vanklerken appeared, and so did about 8 other male age groupers! The three of us, who had been honest all day, were pretty shocked to be caught so quickly with the draft busters not doing alot to bust the drafters. Again, it was very tempting to jump on the back of the pack! Reluctantly, again, the three of use girls stayed back and rode alone watching the wo women leaders ride off infront of us! I pushed hard for the last 15km and all three of us managed to all get off the bike together only about 3 minutes down, quiet good considering we rode into a 30km head wind with no help!

I jumped off the bike ready to run the fastest ever 21km of my life – my legs felt great, so I was motivated to give it all. The run is my strength and in my mind I believed I could catch possibly two, if not all of the girls infront! I hammered out the first 7km as hard as I could but in control and stying focused on the job ahead. At the 7km turn on completion of the first lap I had made up about 20 seconds on Yvonne but was still a good 3 minutes down on race leader Warriner. We were running at exactly the same pace! I knew then it was going to be really tough to reel them back in, but thought I would still just give it everything in the hope one of them may blow up and I wouldn’t!

The second lap saw us all in almost the same postion – I had made another 20 seconds or so up on the world record holder, and Sam and I passed at the exaxt same spot! “Bugger” I thought. I was running a personal best and I still was not putting enough time into them enough to catch up a place! In the end after a fastest womens run split and personal best of 120.40 seconds, I finshed just over a minute behind second place and fastest Ironwomen Yvonne and 3 minutes down on ITU World No.2 and Olympian, Warriner.

I was disappointed that my bike, or that my decisions not to go with the pack, had let me down. But at the end of the day I had an honest race and there was really nothing extra I could’ve done. What I was happy about was my improved time overall from last year on exactly the same course by well over 8 minutes! The difficult thing was, with that time I placed 2nd behing the 2007 World 70.3 Champ by 2 minutes. So this means we all just keep getting faster and pushing the boundries more and more! I am only 8 weeks into my new programme with my new coach Brett Sutton, so I guess that’s something good I can come away with.

I hope I did my Team TBB proud for my first race back. I was first Aussie accross the line, and after winning two other Australian 70.3 races last year, I was crowned Australian National Series 08 winner for the 3rd year in a row.

Well it’s 3 days before the last race of Australian 70.3 National series and World Triathlon Corp 70.3 in Geelong. I’m excited and nervous about the race; some of the world’s best athletes are on the start list, including world champion Lisbeth Kristianson, world record holder Yvonne WankKlerken, and 2008 world #2 Sam Warriner.

I’m ready to take on the girls – rain, hail or shine – thanks to Brett and my big 10 week block of solid training. The race will be a tough one to win, and I’m now racing for myself and my new Team TBB. So you can bet I’ll be racing to bring home a podium!
I’ll keep you updated!
Bek keat

Well it’s been four years of kicking my own butt, day-in, day-out. I’ve coached myself to an Aussie title and a 6th at Hawaii Ironman. I realised it was time I got myself a real coach and a mentor; someone to tell me what i need to do to improve my results and better my performances.

I have always believed if Brett Sutton would take me on, I could take on the world. But until now this has not been possible. I was extremely fortunate this year to be offered a position in Team Bike Botique.

Team Bike Botique is a professionally-run Triathlon Squad with a global base. TBB are located in conjunction with each Bike Botique Stores, with expansion plans for some 35 shops worldwide. The team is managed by Alex Bok and coached by World No1 coach Brett Sutton; at this stage there are around 30 Triathletes on the team.

Our goal is to have a worldwide brand in The Bike Botique, represented by professional Triathletes who race around the globe as individuals and for the team. We are extremely lucky to have some fantastic sponsors on board and also amazing athletes for me to train with. What more can I ask for – a team behind me, a coach who is the best in the world and a manager who is nothing less than the best!

I look forward to a huge 2009 season and I am feeling fantastic with my new program under the guidance of Brett.
Bring on 2009. Thank you to Team BB, all my sponsors and all my buddying triathletes.

Bek Keat

I headed off today for my last ride before the big test.

Alii Drive is PACKED full of atheletes running and riding – they all look pretty serious. I try to give a few of them an encouraging smile but don’t get much in return, they’re too focused on whether they’ve done enough training or if the guy that just overtook them is in their age group!

In the afternoon I meet up with Welchy for interviews with NBC, Ironman Live etc and even shed a few salty ones when asked about what got me to where I am today. In the arvo the bike got tuned, a new chain and quick adjust of the gears, it looks awesome . I stare at it envisaging me flying along the Queen K.

I finish off a fairly hectic day with the 2002 Ironman DVD falling asleep as Natascha Badmann clocks an incredible 4hrs52 on the bike.”

Bek.

Today I received the BEST present ever from my twin sister; a personally autographed hard cover by Bob Babbet – 30 years of Ironman!

This book is incredible taking us through the Hawaii Ironman journey with every winner and top place finisher included – even me for my 6th place in my first ever Hawaii last year. I spotted Badman and Chrissie out on the bike, both looking pretty fired up.

I caught up with fellow Aussie Luke Mckenzie and spotted a guy riding a pink Planet X! I think mine suits me better though.

I arrived to the warm thick air of kona’s big island! I felt a great sense of calm as I stepped off my Hawaiin Airlines flight with a smile as I remember my time here last year. My smile war turned into a frown when I heard once again that they lost my bag! Fortunately though I had learnt from last years experience and packed run, swim and bike gear into my carry on bag, so it realy didn’t bother me too much. That’s one thing about this island of volcanoes, you never know what they will spit out at you and I came this year prepared for ANYTHING. I know there will be bigger rocks to dodge than that one.

Took a bus ride to the start of the energy lab with a bunch of 60 chattery Australian tri travellers to start my day today. The heat is building on the Queen K highway and it’s not even 9am. With the help of Shane and Tif from Tri Travel we were kept hydrated for the 15km slog. Everyone joked about how crap we’ll feel at this point next Saturday!

I enjoyed a great meal this evening, feeling right at out at the Outback Pub, especially with our 72 year old Ozzy waitress Wilma. In the company of some icons of the sport, Stephen Vuckovik and Thomas “THE MAN” Hellreigel, there were lots of laughs and the food definitely comes recommended.

Hi all,

Just a quick report from my win at the Yeppon 70.3 Australian Half Ironman Series.

The weather was perfect race morning,even though it was a little windy and a cool 15 degrees! The sun made up for the cool air in a perfectly blue sky as we made our 2km walk down to the swim start. I had a good start and kept the lead female Sarah Pollet in view as to try and nab the swim premium. She was too quick for me into the last turn, and I excited in second place not far behind the lead men.

I was onto the bike and the new Planet-x was feeling great!The bike consisted of a 5 lap loop with very rough roads for about half the loop and a jolly strong head wind for the way out to the turn. The tail wind felt great on the way back, as I clocked around 50km an hour for some part of it!

My legs felt great and i managed to push ahead of the rest of the women’s field, with myself and Lisa Maragon having over 5 minutes lead by the 3rd lap. Unfortunately I decided to overtake on the inside of a very pushy male on the 3rd lap, with Lisa following me and unknowingly the draft buster right behind us! We both received a 5 minute penalty for being too close to the guy in front and illegal overtaking i suspect!

As we stood stretching and stealing lollies from the lovely lady in the penatly box we watched 1, then 2 then 3 women go past at a time! Much to both Lisa and my disappointment they were certainly not on their own!

Kate Belaquia was having a great day though leading around a bunch of male ’sitter onerers’ which would have bugged the hell out of me. Poor Kate!

I came into transition only 1minute down from first place. All credit to the young 18 year old Charlotte who beat me off the bike … she will be one to watch in the future for sure!

I headed out on the 3 lap run feeling great and ran side by side with a chatty male age grouper, although he certainly did more chatting than me!I realised we were on an extremely fast pace! We went through the first 10km in just over 36 minutes,and I had to tell myself to settle down as it was a little too quick for me. By the first 7km lap I had a 2min40 sec lead over the NZ Half Ironman winner Kate Belaqua, and maintained a steady pace right through the next two laps.

I was happy to finish the run knocking a minute off my personal best time with a 1:21 split,something i need to use as a weapon in Hawaii. Kate finished 2nd around 5 minutes behind and Lisa ran well to hang onto third place.

I also managed to be the first person to have 3 straight victories and 3 QLD state titles in a row! I was happy to come away with a good win and especially in heavy Ironman training for Hawaii.

My next race is Singapore 70.3, which will see me up against some tough competition!

Lets hope i can get 3 from 3 half ironman wins for the season! Hawaii is only 8 weeks away and feeling like i am certainly on the track to improving on my 6th palce from last year!

Thanks for yor support
Bek Keat