The 2010 Kokoda Challenge - a grueling 96km run/walk/crawl through the most rugged terrain possible in the Gold Coast Hinterland - has been run and won.
Check out the informative video from Scott Whimpey, a member of Team Nike Hammer who completed the course in a record time of 11 hours 48 minutes.
See What Scott Says About Teams That Take 39 Hours!
Check the video out to see what Scott says about people who take 39 hours to complete the course - interesting stuff!
Tuesday, 3 August, 2010
2 Records Broken - Both Teams Used Hammer Nutrition
The 2010 Kokoda Challenge - a grueling 96km run/walk/crawl through the most rugged terrain possible in the Gold Coast Hinterland - has been run and won.
It's no co-incidence that the 2 winning teams - Team Nike Hammer & Hogan's Heroes from Elanora High on the Gold Coast - both used Hammer Nutrition as their main energy nutrition.
The Nike Hammer team beat the old record by 6 1/2 minutes, whilst the Elanora High lads, under the direction of their inspiring teacher Glen Hogan, wiped 21 minutes from the school competiton record.
That's Jack Sinclair from Elanora High (l), Scott Whimpey of Team Nike Hammer (centre) & Harry Sinclair from Elanora High (r) hamming it up for the cameras after the wins.
Well done to all teams who completed this very tough event.
We're currently editing up a video interview we did with Scott Whimpey that will be of great interest to kokoda competitors and people taking on any sort of endurance event.
Friday, 2 July, 2010
Kokoda Challenge Tips
Kokoda Challenge - race of a life time!
For the past 2 years, Team Victory (sponsored by Hammer Nutrition!) have won the Kokoda Challenge - a grueling 96km run/walk/crawl through the most rugged terrain possible in the Gold Coast Hinterland.
I asked Scott Whimpey some questions on how the team prepare for this huge race.
Scott runs his own First Aid Training Gold Coast business. Check him out for some quality first aid training courses.
1. How do you guys feel about the event, and is there a special feeling amongst the group around the name "Kokoda" with what it means to Australian people ?
The event is growing at an astonishing rate, this year filling in only 30 hrs, over 90 teams were wait listed and missed getting in.
It's a credit to Doug Henderson and his team who not only put on a great event, but have clearly captured the publics imagination. I think through experiencing such events it makes us understand a little more, just what those men experienced on the trail, and instils in us, a greater respect for what they actually achieved.
Doug has also ensured that the legacy of Kokoda lives on through his Kokoda Challenge Youth Program.
This program is instilling in today's youth, those typically Australian qualities that helped our diggers achieve so much in the Kokoda campaign.
2. Do you think this years event is going to be more challenging now that you have had the winning team for 2 years and going for your 3rd win?
It will definitely be interesting this year to see how the race unfolds.
While confident in our preparations for the event, we definitely don't take it for granted that it's in the bag, this was shown in 2009 with Nike Hammer losing a team member with only 3 hrs to go. Everything must go right for the team to succeed.
With the popularity of 100km team events at an all time high, the standard of team over this distance is definitely improving.
3. Have you got the same team for this year, and can you give us a brief background on each person?
No, we have changed the team with the inclusion of myself, Scott Whimpey and Mile page having a rest this year. The support crew has also changed with Dennis Fitzgerald backing us up.
This year we are ready to hammer the 96km with-
Peter Hall has run a total of 30 marathons during his time with a PB of 2:34:28.
Don Wallace has finished the prestigious Comrades Marathon 5 times. Twice in the top 10 and three times in the top 15.
He has also gone under 7 hours for 100km numerous times as well has a host of other results, this year running a marathon already in 2:33.
Nicki Carrol is a Sydney 2000 Olympian, having run a PB of 2:25:51 in the 1999 London Marathon. She is one of only 5 Australian females to go under the 2:30 mark.
Me (Scott Whimpey) - I competed in this years Australian Ironman and have run various Australian x country races and some international races. My PB in the half marathon is 66min, and some good 10k times of sub 30 min.
4. How is the team preparing for this years challenge and what sort of training are you doing?
Preparation this year has been excellent, Nic and Donny are in great shape, running hills and forest sections in Brisbane, peter and myself have been running various sections on the Kokoda Challenge track and some great long runs up around 35km. We are all in fantastic shape.
We all prepare in our own way, but the one thing that is the same for everyone is dedication to training. Each of us puts in big kilometres leading up to this event. This is definitely a race where strength and endurance rule.
So volume over hilly terrain is paramount in the lead up to this race.
5. Do you train together as a team to get the team spirit going ?
Not really, we get together when we can.
Two of the team (Don and Nicki) live (together) in Brisbane so they train together regularly.
Pete and myself both live on the Gold Coast so we also training together regularly.
As a group, we have known each other for over 20 years, going back a long, long, long time
6. Do you have a support crew and how important are they?
We have a new face supporting us this year - Dennis Fitsgerrald.
Dennis is a nationally classed runner, competing in X Country events, Half and Full marathons and international Races, he is on the money for motivation and support. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it and know what is required to get us through the event.
7.0 How important are they?
We simply could not complete the event without them.
8. What is the hardest thing about the challenge?
The hardest thing about this challenge is the un expected, 12 hrs of running on hills and a heart rate of 140 plus can do strange things to your body, we are as prepared as can be, however we are in the lap of the running gods here.
9. If you had 2-3 tips for 1st time teams what would they be?
Make sure you go over as much of the course before hand as you can. The first year we competed, we covered every section of the course so we knew what we were in for.
ake sure you have trained in the gear you are going to race in.
It is important to know exactly where those shoes are going to rub, or if your hydration pack is going to cause you problems before you go into the event.
Have a nutrition plan that you have also tested in training. Know what works for you and know what your body needs.
Knowing what your body is trying to tell you during the day and responding to its needs before problems occur is 50% of the ra
10. Obviously nutrition is crucial to this event - what is the team plan for this year?
Our nutrition plan this year is to use all Hammer products. Bascially we will looking to consume around the 250-300 calories per hour maximum. On top of this we will be drinking approx 600-750 ml water per hour.
The basis of our Nutriton will be Perpeutem. where we will be taking around the 1 - 2 scoops per hour. On top of this we will be adding Endurolytes 2-3 capsules per hour each.
To relieve a bit of the boredom from consuming the same thing for 12 hours we will occasionally use the HammerGels (1-2 per hour) and have a Hammer Bar as well.
The main thing is not to consume too many calories and to avoid the simple sugars. The simple sugars will give you large spikes and falls in the blood sugar levels which could make you really suffer as the race goes on.
Taking too much nutrition will lead to your system shutting down like a road traffic jam ! and eventually crashing. Always remember less is better becasue you can always corrrect it by adding more!
Hammer is supplying it's HEED drink for the Gold Coast 1/2 Ironman. HEED was chosen for 3 main reasons:
It's easy to consume. It has no sickly sweet taste, only a mild natural flavour which encourages consumption all day long. The temperature can be in excess of 30c, and athletes need something they can easily get down.
It only uses complex carbs (no simple sugars) which maintain a consistent blood sugar level, unlike sports drinks with ingredients ending with "ose" ( glucose, fructose, sucrose, dextrose etc) which are simple sugars that spike the blood sugars levels.
HEED contains a good cross section of electrolytes at the right level. Some drinks contain excessive amounts of electrolytes such as magnesium which the body can not absorb and end up causing intestinal problems.
As part of our sponsorship we have 2 FREE entries to give away for the event. These will be given away to the first 2 people that place an order above $150. To get this FREE entry you must state in the comments section that you are applying for a FREE entry. We will place a comment on this page when the entries are gone.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hammer Bars - In Two Great Flavours!
At long last Hammer Bars now landed ! Check out the new Bars in 2 great flavours!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Buy 3 Jugs, get the 4th FREE!
Just a heads up on the latest great Hammer Nutrition special.
Chocolate Foot are proud to announce the launch of the premier MTB endurance race series for New South Wales: The 2010 SRAM Singletrack Mind Series. From April 2010 mountain bikers are set to test themselves and their team mates in a series of five events ranging in length from 6 hours to the series finale, a 10 hour challenge! Also at the conclusion of the series to celebrate all the hard work and relive the great times of almost 40 hours of mud, sweat and gears, the village of Appin is ready to party!
Each venue in the series has been selected for its sweet flowing singletrack and ability to host everything that makes for a great event. The series kicks off on 18 April in western NSW's singletrack oasis, Lidsdale State Forest near Lithgow. Well worth the drive, the deceptively challenging track will serve up 8 hours of singletrack joy for those seeking the enduro fix!
Hammer Nutrition will be working with Chocolate Foot to provide the best possible nutrition for athletes entered into the Event.
Hammer Nutrition has one FREE entry for each round of the event. The first customer of ours to email us requesting this entry will get it !
This is a great series of races for the Adventure athletes or those who want to put together a team and enjoy a whole new experience.
Hammer has joined with In2Adventure (Robyn and Simon Lazenby) to make this a great series of events.
Hammer Nutrition has 1 FREE entry for a team in each event. This is available to any one of our customers who has or is going to place an order within the last 30 days.
All you need to do is to be the 1st to email us and let us know what race you would like to do.
We will post details of the spots taken as they become filled.
If you have nothing to do for 7 days and need a walking vacation ! here's one.
Racing the Planet have organised a 7 day 250km + event through the Pilbra in W.A.
An area known to house Australia's best resources, will be home to over 200 people for 7 days in April.
We have had large numbers of competitors call us to discuss their nutrition plan for the event. They have to take all their food with them in back packs !
It's great to get positive feedback from some of our customers. From our Sponsorship of the Australian Long Course Triathlon, we had lots of people praising our products which we appreciate ;
One age group Champion said - I received the purchased pack from your company. It was after some research that I decided to buy and try with great results. Having consumed Perpetuem pre race then Heed, Endurolytes and Hammer gels during the race I suffered no stomach discomfort at all. I had heaps of energy left in the tank but restrained myself during the run due to a slight calf injury that I felt may flare up. Anyway now converted to hammer nutrition for future races.
Another athlete said "I have now used the Perpeteum twice, 1st time on Saturday which was a 6hr ride, and today was a tough 3hr brick session, and it is sensational! Very happy I have found this product, and it certainly does work. I have forwarded the details onto another mate who has worse nutrition plans than I did, so maybe another customer / convert on the way."
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 7TH 2009 WAS AN EXTREME DAY OF BLISTERING HEAT AND GAIL FORCE WINDS.IT BECAME AUSTRALIA'S WORST EVER NATURAL DISASTER! IT IS NOW KNOW AS BLACK SATURDAY! 173 people lost their lives, thousands of people lost their loved ones. Over 2000 Houses were destroyed, thousands of hectares chard. Communities were at the brink and challenged like never before.
3 Melbourne Business Men (JARROD KANIZAY,ERIC LOUW & MARTIN EDWARDS) will run 220 km around Port Philip Bay in Melbourne to raise funds and in memory of this day !
Hammer Nutrition is extremely proud to be able to support this cause and hope that you can contribute by donating on the Website.
The guys will using Perpetuem, HEED. HammerGels and Endurolytes to help them through this
Since our involvement in the Alpine Classic we have had numerous competitors contact us with request for fuelling advice. Below is what we have recommended to a 90kg male.
The following are the most basic requirements you should take into consideration 1. Separate your nutrition from your hydration. - this will avoid confusion between the two. - often the longer the event goes the more important this becomes. People get tired and confused as to how much they have taken and the general outcome is they take too much Nutrition. - The least amount of fuel is always preferable. You can always correct this by adding more, but to correct over consumption takes a considerable amount of time and gastro problems 2. Consume up to 280-320 calories per hour. - this is approx for your body weight. - ensure you measure this properly - this may vary slightly pending conditions and terrain.- these calories should be complex carbohydrates, plus some soy protein plus &some lipids - avoid simple sugars until the very end. - the continual consumption of simple sugars leads to considerable fluctuations on blood sugars. This eventually leads to some form of "crash/low" 3. Consume 550ml - 800ml of water / hour. - the variation accounts for conditions. 4. Take additional Electrolytes above what is in drinks. - Electrolytes are like "oil is to a car", without sufficient amounts you will cramp. - the further you go and the harder the terrain the more important they become. 5. Limit the amount if any solid fuels. - solid fuels are not a necessary requirement for long events. - some people feel they are necessary and can cope with limited amounts. - there is always going to be a digestion problem, which will take blood away from working muscles to digest the solid food. - you can never be 100% sure as to how much has been digested. This makes it hard to calculate how many calories you have digested.
There are 3 main fuel/electrolyte sources to consume
1. Perepteum This is a complete fuel - containing Complex Carbohydrates. soy protein and lipids. - The complex carbohydrates provide the main fuel source. - The Soy protein helps prevent the muscle tissue breakdown. - Lipids (type of fat) is added. The body recognises lipids coming into the system and releases it's own fat stores. This can add to your fuel source and help stabilize blood sugars. 2. Hammergels A quick easy source of Complex Carbohydrates 3. Endurolytes This adds extra electrolytes to prevent cramping.
Our suggestion for fueling is.
1. Take 2 x three hour bottles of Perpetuem - Take 1 fresh on the bike (keep it cold over night) - each bottle contains 6 scoops of Perpetuem - divide the bottle into 3 by marking on the bottle lines - consume 1/3 bottle each hour.
Put the second bottle 6 scoops contained in a zip lock bag. You would stop at an aid station and mix this second bottle. - Drink as above.
This would give you approx. 6 hours of riding.
2. An additional 2-4 hours would be gained by taking a small flask of Hammergel. - Take 1 gel each 30-45mins - the Hammergel Flasks contain 6 gels.
3. I would take 2-3 Endurolytes per hour every hour to prevent cramping.
Solid Fuel
As mentioned above, some people feel the need to eat something. This is fine, but always remember to take this into consideration with the amount of Calories consumed. You should also ensure that any solid food consumed is not done in large amounts at anyone time. You also need to ensure that the food is appropriate. - easy to digest - no dairy, simple sugars, minimal fats etc.
Colin Anderson NZ Cycling Ledgend doing the Alpine Classic
Colin Anderson, is known in NZ as the holder of many Endurance Cycling Records ! The amazing thing is that he was in his late 50's and early 60's doing it !
Completed BMB 1200km Boston 2005 NZ Record holder for 2158km complete length of NZ Solo Cycle-- 2007 NZ record holder 24 hour Solo Out-door velodrome 672km 2005 NZ record holder 24 hour indoor velodrome 660km--followed by ride up NZ,s notorious bluff hill Invercargill--slowly!! 2008 Record holder for most completed laps of NZ,s Lake Taupo Cycle- 47 laps && counting Completed 2007,1200km -Wet- PBP 66hr 22mins. 4th of Australia/NZ teamlpine Classic.
Colin uses Hammer Fuels for all his rides, mainly Perpetuem and gels
Good luck Colin, it might be a bit hot, so we would also recommend he use some Endurolytes
How's this, we have top quality Italian made Cycling Bibs. Made with all the quality and comfort expected from Italy. At a price of $99 it's a great new years buy ! Enjoy
The Alpine Classic has been know throughout the cycling community as truly of the hardest and best organised mass cycling events in Australia. Last year the maximum distance was 200km, this year an extra 50 km has been added to keep the riders at their limits.
Taking place in the Alpine area of Victoria around Bright with climbs in excess of 10% !
Audax the organisers, is a great group organising cycling events with no time limits, with riders completing the event in their own time.
Hammer Nutrition has become involved to ensure that cyclist have the best possible nutrition available to finish the event.
Perpetuem is sure to be the favourite fuel of choice !
Just a heads up on the latest great Hammer Nutrition special.
