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Donning the leader's yellow jersey
Posted: Tuesday December 28, 1999 02:15 PM
Currently ranked No. 10 in the world, Australian triathlete Miles Stewart began competing in triathlons in 1985. Since then he has won a World Championship and World Cup title. The triathlon will make its Olympic debut in Stewart's home country at the 2000 Games, and the 28-year-old plans to be there. Check out Stewart's diary each month on CNNSI.com
December 28, 1999
Wow what a month! So much has happened I don't quite know where to start! Well, first of all, Merry Christmas to you all. I spent a wonderful Christmas on the beautiful gold coast of Australia with my family and had a great time. I'm a little on the tired side as I decided to run out to my sisters (25km). Fortunately my wife Kate drove out there, so I didn't have to run home too! Since I last wrote this diary, I've survived two rounds of the F1 triathlon event in the one summer series -- Crunulla and Coolangatta. I entered into both of these events with the idea of trying to get top five on Saturday, so I could make the A final on Sunday. As it turns out, I surprised myself and those around me, pulling on the leader's yellow jersey after the second round with a 3rd in Cronulla and a 2nd on the coast! Very pleasing, if unexpected! As I'm sure you can understand, despite the great feeling donning the leader's jersey, my real focus is on the Olympic trials in April. Not wanting to get too fast too soon I decided to try and hold myself back a little. What better way than to take a holiday! So Sunday after the race, we booked a little break on Hamilton Island in the beautiful Whitsundays. Despite taking a step back I think it will turn out to be a really good move in the long run (Olympics, Olympics, Olympics!). Kate and I spent the week sailing catamarans, jet-skiing, diving, skeet-shooting, and even managed to fit in a twilight yacht race! We stayed in the most amazing place -- right on the beach, overlooking the water and the various other islands around us. I spent lots of time sitting, looking at the view in deep thought. I've come home with my batteries charged and an even stronger drive to do everything in my power to make these Games.
I've just heard that I've made the Australian team for the world championships (for the 10th year in a row!), which means I now am one of the five who have two chances to make the Olympic golden three spots in Perth this September. I should explain the Olympic selection policy. The three spots will be chosen in April this year from two races -- the Sydney ITU race and the World Championships in Perth. Both races are in April 2000. First place in either is an automatic spot. The other people will be chosen from their best result over the two races, with Sydney having a bit more weight. If a third choice is not clear, then past results will count. This is good for me because I have been the first Aussie in the last two World Champs (the only race where the pressure is really on). I've been not only third, but the only one in the top ten finishers! I've just had a browse through some of the questions that were sent to me, and by far the most common ones were what inspired me to start triathlon and what kind of training will I be doing to prepare for the Olympics. Here goes, Inspiration. Triathlon was a natural progression for me really. I had already done the three sports individually and had been national champion in two of them. My school teacher in high school was also a triathlon race director and he asked me one day to come and have a go at a race. I had a couple of weeks training, and I ended up coming in 4th place overall and won $400. So I thought I would stick with this and do some more. As for training, I'll be doing whatever my coach tells me to do! He seems to have got it right so far! No really, at the moment I'm doing the long hard yards, getting the km under my belt. As the time comes, I'll cut it down and go for more speed, which with me seems to work well. At the moment we are swimming 30, riding 450, and running 100 kms per week. Later we will cut this down and add some more speed to sharpen up for the trials. Well, I guess I'd better wrap this up now. Hope your new century brings you happiness and success in all you do, and 2000 turns out to be the best year yet! Thanks for visiting and as always, keep the questions flowing. I'll be back in a month with more stories! --Miles
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