http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_thompson_nicola/salmonarmobserver/sports/
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Katie's Salmon Arm race
I forgot to mention that Katie also raced the Salmon arm triathlon. She was a bit tired just having completed the West Coast Trail. Katie was 2nd Female overall. Nice job Katie and we are looking forward to your next race in Vancouver.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Ben's 1st ever triathlon!
Here's a quick recap of my race in Devon though:
First off, I kicked ass. All this training has really helped me
improve. Final time was 1:17:28 (I figured I'd finish at about 1:20,
so I did better than I had estimated). I came 6th overall, 1st place
time was 1:13.
Swim:
Pool swim, three people per lane. My swim time was 15:24 with a pace
of 2:04/100m. I was first out of my lane. Stroke felt good, I was
really focused on not letting myself "go" too early and wanted to swim
a neg split. As it turned out I think I kept the same pace the whole
way through. Of the two other people in my lane, one was a woman who
exited the pool about 3s behind me, and the other was a man who I
lapped about 3 times. About 400m in I lost track of my lengths
though, and I think I may've swum and extra 50m...In talking to my
other lanemate afterwards, she thinks the same thing. If that's the
case then it would've dropped my final time by ~1min.
1st Trans:
Went really smooth. After my experience with trying to put my feet
into my shoes while riding and falling off 2 weeks ago, I decided to
simply slip my bike shoes on first and run with my bike to the mount
line. Only place I could've lost time was in fiddling with my bike
jersey, had a bit of an issue sliding it on, which probably only cost
me 5 seconds.
Bike:
Stayed in the drops the whole ride. Cadence avg was 87rpm. It was a
simple out and back loop, really flat, no hills. On the way back
though there was a wicked headwind.
2nd Trans:
Managed to slide my feet out of my shoes while still on my bike, so I
hit the dismount line barefoot and running. Threw my bike over my
shoulder and ran to the rack. Unfortunately I ran to the wrong rack,
and realized my stuff was two racks over. Cost me maybe 10s. Slipped
my shoes on fast though, I'd put elastic laces in my runners the day
before, so total transition time was maybe 30s.
Run:
Legs felt weird. Took me awhile to find my stride. I'd tried
increasing my cadence at the end of the bike to get some blood
flushing through my legs to prepare me for the run, but it still felt
really weird. They had the kms marked out on the bike route with
little signs, so by about 3km I started to hit my stride. I was
really cautious about not starting out too fast, although in
retrospect I realize I probably could've upped my pace sooner. Once I
hit 4km I was really moving, and I ended up sprinting the last 200m to
the finish.
Overall:
I'm pleased with how my race went, I had a really good time. The
whole time I was biking and running I had a big smile on my face. The
entire race nobody passed me, which is kind of a good feeling. And
right up until the end of the day (when the faster heats started
going) I was in first position on the leader board. Still, I'm
pleased with a 6th place finish for my first tri (pun intended).
Can't wait until Lake Chapperal though, as I have a feeling it'll be
more competitive, as the tri community in Calgary is a lot larger than
the one in Edmonton. Should be a good race!
Cheers!
Ben
First off, I kicked ass. All this training has really helped me
improve. Final time was 1:17:28 (I figured I'd finish at about 1:20,
so I did better than I had estimated). I came 6th overall, 1st place
time was 1:13.
Swim:
Pool swim, three people per lane. My swim time was 15:24 with a pace
of 2:04/100m. I was first out of my lane. Stroke felt good, I was
really focused on not letting myself "go" too early and wanted to swim
a neg split. As it turned out I think I kept the same pace the whole
way through. Of the two other people in my lane, one was a woman who
exited the pool about 3s behind me, and the other was a man who I
lapped about 3 times. About 400m in I lost track of my lengths
though, and I think I may've swum and extra 50m...In talking to my
other lanemate afterwards, she thinks the same thing. If that's the
case then it would've dropped my final time by ~1min.
1st Trans:
Went really smooth. After my experience with trying to put my feet
into my shoes while riding and falling off 2 weeks ago, I decided to
simply slip my bike shoes on first and run with my bike to the mount
line. Only place I could've lost time was in fiddling with my bike
jersey, had a bit of an issue sliding it on, which probably only cost
me 5 seconds.
Bike:
Stayed in the drops the whole ride. Cadence avg was 87rpm. It was a
simple out and back loop, really flat, no hills. On the way back
though there was a wicked headwind.
2nd Trans:
Managed to slide my feet out of my shoes while still on my bike, so I
hit the dismount line barefoot and running. Threw my bike over my
shoulder and ran to the rack. Unfortunately I ran to the wrong rack,
and realized my stuff was two racks over. Cost me maybe 10s. Slipped
my shoes on fast though, I'd put elastic laces in my runners the day
before, so total transition time was maybe 30s.
Run:
Legs felt weird. Took me awhile to find my stride. I'd tried
increasing my cadence at the end of the bike to get some blood
flushing through my legs to prepare me for the run, but it still felt
really weird. They had the kms marked out on the bike route with
little signs, so by about 3km I started to hit my stride. I was
really cautious about not starting out too fast, although in
retrospect I realize I probably could've upped my pace sooner. Once I
hit 4km I was really moving, and I ended up sprinting the last 200m to
the finish.
Overall:
I'm pleased with how my race went, I had a really good time. The
whole time I was biking and running I had a big smile on my face. The
entire race nobody passed me, which is kind of a good feeling. And
right up until the end of the day (when the faster heats started
going) I was in first position on the leader board. Still, I'm
pleased with a 6th place finish for my first tri (pun intended).
Can't wait until Lake Chapperal though, as I have a feeling it'll be
more competitive, as the tri community in Calgary is a lot larger than
the one in Edmonton. Should be a good race!
Cheers!
Ben
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Race resuts - Ian and Shane
Last weekend Shane took part in the Regina Beach triathlon. He was really looking forward to seeing how he would do as his training has been going very well. Unfortunately Shane crashed on his bike. He is OK. Just a lot of scrapes. Even with the fall and not being able to shift his bike post fall he ended up placing 12 Overall. It was nice to see his brother do so well in 5th overall. Nice job Kim! Shane I hope you heal fast! :(
Ian was racing his 2nd race in 2 weeks. This time it was the Salmon Arm triathlon. this race has a bit of a different order. Swim, run, bike. 4 years ago this was his 1st ever triathlon and this time he was the overall champ! By almost 5 mins. Nice job Ian!
Next race up is Calgary 70.3. Best of luck to all racers!
Ian was racing his 2nd race in 2 weeks. This time it was the Salmon Arm triathlon. this race has a bit of a different order. Swim, run, bike. 4 years ago this was his 1st ever triathlon and this time he was the overall champ! By almost 5 mins. Nice job Ian!
Next race up is Calgary 70.3. Best of luck to all racers!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Busy weekend
Lots of races this weekend.
Briefly here we go:
Coral Springs had a perfect day to race. Myron was out running his last triathlon of the summer fresh off his IM France finish. He had a good day and finished 6th overall, 1st in Age group in the Olympic distance event.
In the Sprint event we saw Monika take the overall win for the women. This was a warmup race for her big race coming up quick 70.3. Also in this race was Bill who finished just behind Monika in 8th place overall and 2nd in Age group.
Out in B.C. the peach classic was on. Ian had a good race and finished in a time of 2:15 which was fast enough for 3rd in his Age group. Doug also did the race after completing a week long IMC training camp. Doug was a bit tired going into the race but did well in 2:41.
Also in B.C. was the Heart of the Rockies triathlon. Kim and Gord were racing this one and believe it or not they unknowingly finished in the same time 3:19.
Back to AB was Magrath triathlon where Marj was racing. She was happy with her race and finished in 3:07.
Great work everyone and keep up the hard training.
Briefly here we go:
Coral Springs had a perfect day to race. Myron was out running his last triathlon of the summer fresh off his IM France finish. He had a good day and finished 6th overall, 1st in Age group in the Olympic distance event.
In the Sprint event we saw Monika take the overall win for the women. This was a warmup race for her big race coming up quick 70.3. Also in this race was Bill who finished just behind Monika in 8th place overall and 2nd in Age group.
Out in B.C. the peach classic was on. Ian had a good race and finished in a time of 2:15 which was fast enough for 3rd in his Age group. Doug also did the race after completing a week long IMC training camp. Doug was a bit tired going into the race but did well in 2:41.
Also in B.C. was the Heart of the Rockies triathlon. Kim and Gord were racing this one and believe it or not they unknowingly finished in the same time 3:19.
Back to AB was Magrath triathlon where Marj was racing. She was happy with her race and finished in 3:07.
Great work everyone and keep up the hard training.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Stampede running events
Last weekend was the Stampede 10 Km. Sean was out testing his leg speed and new racing strategies. He fininshed in 44:24. This was a 4 min improvement over his last 10 Km time. Nice.
Newcomer Monika was also running this weekend. Monika was using the half marathon in preparations for the Calgary 70.3. She finished in 1:37. Next up is another half with a short swim and bike as a warmup. :)
This weekend we have racers in Penticton doing the Peach Classic. Good luck to Doug and Ian! We also have some racers in Calgary at the Coral Springs events. Good Luck to Myron, Bill and Monika.
Also there is the heart of the rockies event in Invermere. Good Luck to Kim and Gord!
SO many races! :) Good luck and have fun everyone!
Newcomer Monika was also running this weekend. Monika was using the half marathon in preparations for the Calgary 70.3. She finished in 1:37. Next up is another half with a short swim and bike as a warmup. :)
This weekend we have racers in Penticton doing the Peach Classic. Good luck to Doug and Ian! We also have some racers in Calgary at the Coral Springs events. Good Luck to Myron, Bill and Monika.
Also there is the heart of the rockies event in Invermere. Good Luck to Kim and Gord!
SO many races! :) Good luck and have fun everyone!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Kevin's lucky number 13
Lucky number thirteen
It’s been a busy season with a schwack of races so far. The big one (IMC) is still on the horizon and I am hopeful of a good day.
Thus far I have done the Hamilton around the bay 30k, Wildflower training camp and half Ironman, Oliver half, Banff Bikefest, Great White North and cheered Lisa on at IMCd (did a few stellar rides there as well). Not too sure where I found the time to work but it all seems to get done with only a few rough spots along the way.
My goal for Hamilton was to finish in 2:15 or better and get a silver medal. A gold medal and a sub 2:00 time seemed beyond my reach. My brother lives in Hammer Town and it was a great reason to make the trip east. Hanging with family was definitely the highlight of the trip. Had been very diligent with training coming into the race. Race day was great – big crowds, cool conditions and feeling good coming into it. The race was great for the first 22 km, on pace and feeling fine. What happened from km 22 to 30 was not as much fun… Legs cramped up and saw my goal time vaporize at about km 29. Actually watched the clock roll past 2:15 and felt very disappointed. Post race I was SORE! Legs and feet were killing me.
After licking my wounds and getting over being slow…It was back to training! Had a rocking camp with Todd and the No Limits crew in Cali! Even better, Lisa and I got to spend a few days in Santa Barbara before the camp – It was a great time. Wildflower was an amazing event! Super huge race with the youngest/cutest/drunkest fans ever – unreal. The race was great with an average swim, a great ride on the Kevelo and a trail run that was to die for. Felt strong throughout and happy to be racing in such a great place.
Next on the list was Oliver. Treated myself with a flight to Kelowna as Mike (Deluca) took my stuff out. Got to hang out for a day before the race which was fantastic. Race day was (again) great. It was the first ride on my new bike, an Argon 18 E-114. Interestingly, my swim/T1/bike time was almost the same to the previous year – 30 seconds slower… But I had a great run for the first 15 km then had some hamstring issues and had to stop for the occasional stretch. Even still it was a good run... Just have to dial the bike position a bit.
After Oliver it was up to Banff for the second annual Banff Bikefest! I did the ITT and new Road Race. Skipped the crit this year which turned out to be a crash fest. Felt like I left it out on the road for the 21 km TT but was almost a minute thirty slower than last year… The road race was 6 loops around Tunnel Mountain with almost 1000m of elevation gain. It was a combo of Cat 4/3/2 riders. The 2’s hammered from the gun forcing a break. Managed to reconnect with the leaders on lap 3 only to get popped again. Managed to not get swept from the course and had a BLAST – doing 80 kph ripping it down Tunnel Mtn. Dr., rotating pace lines on Banff Ave. It was everything I love about road racing!
Went to Coeur d’Alene to watch Lisa do IMCd. She had a great day and finished strong. I got some great rides in. Did the IM course and the Oly course along with a stellar loop around Hayden Lake. Got some new Newton shoes – the gal there said they’d make me fast (and sore at first…).
Last race was GWN. Missed racing with Todd as in years past but got to cheer on my sister-in-law in her first tri experience, she did the team thing with Lisa and Viv. Had an OK swim (same as previous attempts…). Had a good bike, feeling more settled with the position now and had a great run. Maybe the Gal in CDa was right. I was faster than before and my calves are still sore.
So here’s the funny thing. In Wildflower, Oliver and Stony I have been 13th in my age group each time. As they are progressively flatter courses – my times have fallen accordingly 5:20:07, 5:01:15 and 4:39:42. Similarly, my times from previous years has fallen 10:30 for Oliver and almost 21 minutes for GWN! Almost all of the changes come from the run. It makes me think that Hamilton maybe wasn’t such a bad thing.
I wonder if 13th at IMC is possible…
It’s been a busy season with a schwack of races so far. The big one (IMC) is still on the horizon and I am hopeful of a good day.
Thus far I have done the Hamilton around the bay 30k, Wildflower training camp and half Ironman, Oliver half, Banff Bikefest, Great White North and cheered Lisa on at IMCd (did a few stellar rides there as well). Not too sure where I found the time to work but it all seems to get done with only a few rough spots along the way.
My goal for Hamilton was to finish in 2:15 or better and get a silver medal. A gold medal and a sub 2:00 time seemed beyond my reach. My brother lives in Hammer Town and it was a great reason to make the trip east. Hanging with family was definitely the highlight of the trip. Had been very diligent with training coming into the race. Race day was great – big crowds, cool conditions and feeling good coming into it. The race was great for the first 22 km, on pace and feeling fine. What happened from km 22 to 30 was not as much fun… Legs cramped up and saw my goal time vaporize at about km 29. Actually watched the clock roll past 2:15 and felt very disappointed. Post race I was SORE! Legs and feet were killing me.
After licking my wounds and getting over being slow…It was back to training! Had a rocking camp with Todd and the No Limits crew in Cali! Even better, Lisa and I got to spend a few days in Santa Barbara before the camp – It was a great time. Wildflower was an amazing event! Super huge race with the youngest/cutest/drunkest fans ever – unreal. The race was great with an average swim, a great ride on the Kevelo and a trail run that was to die for. Felt strong throughout and happy to be racing in such a great place.
Next on the list was Oliver. Treated myself with a flight to Kelowna as Mike (Deluca) took my stuff out. Got to hang out for a day before the race which was fantastic. Race day was (again) great. It was the first ride on my new bike, an Argon 18 E-114. Interestingly, my swim/T1/bike time was almost the same to the previous year – 30 seconds slower… But I had a great run for the first 15 km then had some hamstring issues and had to stop for the occasional stretch. Even still it was a good run... Just have to dial the bike position a bit.
After Oliver it was up to Banff for the second annual Banff Bikefest! I did the ITT and new Road Race. Skipped the crit this year which turned out to be a crash fest. Felt like I left it out on the road for the 21 km TT but was almost a minute thirty slower than last year… The road race was 6 loops around Tunnel Mountain with almost 1000m of elevation gain. It was a combo of Cat 4/3/2 riders. The 2’s hammered from the gun forcing a break. Managed to reconnect with the leaders on lap 3 only to get popped again. Managed to not get swept from the course and had a BLAST – doing 80 kph ripping it down Tunnel Mtn. Dr., rotating pace lines on Banff Ave. It was everything I love about road racing!
Went to Coeur d’Alene to watch Lisa do IMCd. She had a great day and finished strong. I got some great rides in. Did the IM course and the Oly course along with a stellar loop around Hayden Lake. Got some new Newton shoes – the gal there said they’d make me fast (and sore at first…).
Last race was GWN. Missed racing with Todd as in years past but got to cheer on my sister-in-law in her first tri experience, she did the team thing with Lisa and Viv. Had an OK swim (same as previous attempts…). Had a good bike, feeling more settled with the position now and had a great run. Maybe the Gal in CDa was right. I was faster than before and my calves are still sore.
So here’s the funny thing. In Wildflower, Oliver and Stony I have been 13th in my age group each time. As they are progressively flatter courses – my times have fallen accordingly 5:20:07, 5:01:15 and 4:39:42. Similarly, my times from previous years has fallen 10:30 for Oliver and almost 21 minutes for GWN! Almost all of the changes come from the run. It makes me think that Hamilton maybe wasn’t such a bad thing.
I wonder if 13th at IMC is possible…
Friday, July 09, 2010
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Shane's 10 Km race report (Moose Jaw)
I would like to start off by quoting a good friend of mine, “What a great day to be me!!!”
Well if you could not tell already I had a great day at the race this morning. I did not put any pressure on myself expecting a great result but I did have in the back of my mind that I could really run fast and I showed it.
I warmed up with my brother before the race and I felt pretty good…a few aches and pains but otherwise a felt great. We only had a few minutes to change into our racing flats and get down to the start and within a short time the gun had gone off and off I went. The first km or so, I just thought about getting into a rhythm with controlled breathing and fast pace. It was an unusual feeling in a race to be so relaxed and still run fast. I looked at my watch at the 2 and 3K marks and I was about 10 seconds under a 4 minute/km pace and still felt good. At the 5K turn, I was at 20 minutes flat and still felt in control and told myself that I needed to push. During the final 5K I kept thinking that the only way to beat my personal best in this distance was to keep pushing. And that I did, just when I thought I was taking it easy I would pick it up and keep the pedal to the metal. I think I slowed a bit between the 5.5K mark and the 7.5K mark as I had not looked at my watch and at the 8K mark I looked and the watch read 32:48, so I said only 8 more minutes of pain. (In the back of my mind, I said if I can do that I will beat my overall pb in the 10K). As well at this point I was dealing with some cramping issues in my side as well as feeling a little nauseous but I tried to think of something else.
I kept looking to the guy that was just in front of me and tried to focus on trying to catch him, he was approximately 5 to 10 seconds in front of me. (I kept saying that if I can close the gap a bit and then kick close to the end I will be able to beat him.) Well over the next 1K I closed the gap and at approximately 800m to go I passed him but soon after he passed me back and so I bided my time and with 200m to go I kicked it into high gear and blew passed him and into the finish line. It felt great and I was still nauseous but could hold it in. I completed the last 2K in 8:10 and finished in a time of 41:03, which is a new personal best for my ‘30s and only 13 seconds off of my fastest ever of 40:50 (at the age of 21). I felt so sick after the finish line but I also knew that I had put everything out on the line and I felt great for it. What a great day to be me!!!
I was so proud of what I have accomplished and I look forward to competing again in 3 weeks at the Regina Beach Triathlon. I ended up finishing 7th overall and 3rd in my age group.
Well if you could not tell already I had a great day at the race this morning. I did not put any pressure on myself expecting a great result but I did have in the back of my mind that I could really run fast and I showed it.
I warmed up with my brother before the race and I felt pretty good…a few aches and pains but otherwise a felt great. We only had a few minutes to change into our racing flats and get down to the start and within a short time the gun had gone off and off I went. The first km or so, I just thought about getting into a rhythm with controlled breathing and fast pace. It was an unusual feeling in a race to be so relaxed and still run fast. I looked at my watch at the 2 and 3K marks and I was about 10 seconds under a 4 minute/km pace and still felt good. At the 5K turn, I was at 20 minutes flat and still felt in control and told myself that I needed to push. During the final 5K I kept thinking that the only way to beat my personal best in this distance was to keep pushing. And that I did, just when I thought I was taking it easy I would pick it up and keep the pedal to the metal. I think I slowed a bit between the 5.5K mark and the 7.5K mark as I had not looked at my watch and at the 8K mark I looked and the watch read 32:48, so I said only 8 more minutes of pain. (In the back of my mind, I said if I can do that I will beat my overall pb in the 10K). As well at this point I was dealing with some cramping issues in my side as well as feeling a little nauseous but I tried to think of something else.
I kept looking to the guy that was just in front of me and tried to focus on trying to catch him, he was approximately 5 to 10 seconds in front of me. (I kept saying that if I can close the gap a bit and then kick close to the end I will be able to beat him.) Well over the next 1K I closed the gap and at approximately 800m to go I passed him but soon after he passed me back and so I bided my time and with 200m to go I kicked it into high gear and blew passed him and into the finish line. It felt great and I was still nauseous but could hold it in. I completed the last 2K in 8:10 and finished in a time of 41:03, which is a new personal best for my ‘30s and only 13 seconds off of my fastest ever of 40:50 (at the age of 21). I felt so sick after the finish line but I also knew that I had put everything out on the line and I felt great for it. What a great day to be me!!!
I was so proud of what I have accomplished and I look forward to competing again in 3 weeks at the Regina Beach Triathlon. I ended up finishing 7th overall and 3rd in my age group.
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Canmore Olympic distance triathlon
Canmore olympic distance triathlon was also last weekend. Here we had Katie steppping up her racing for her 1st olympic distance event. In her words "My first Olympic Distance went great today and I'm so happy, but completely exhausted. I think my love for triathlon is just beginning and thanks to you and the optimistic athletes I've met it will be a lifelong one for me!"
Katie finished in a time of 2:46 and fast enough to win her age group. Katie is off to UBC to start her studies and resume her triathlon training. Keep looking for her name in the results as I think she is one to watch. :) Good Luck in Vancouver Katie!
Carrie was also at Canmore and was taking a break from moving homes. Carrie and Kyle moved the day before and both raced on Sunday. Carrie was very happy to cross the line in a cold 3:01 and Kyle finished in 2:26. I think moving is much harder than an Ironman. Congrats to both of you!
Katie finished in a time of 2:46 and fast enough to win her age group. Katie is off to UBC to start her studies and resume her triathlon training. Keep looking for her name in the results as I think she is one to watch. :) Good Luck in Vancouver Katie!
Carrie was also at Canmore and was taking a break from moving homes. Carrie and Kyle moved the day before and both raced on Sunday. Carrie was very happy to cross the line in a cold 3:01 and Kyle finished in 2:26. I think moving is much harder than an Ironman. Congrats to both of you!
Great White North Results
Last weekend was the annual GWN triathlon held in Stoney Plain. This is one of my favorite races and was a bit sad that I was not up there to race or cheer. We just arrived the day before from our big trip and we not ready to travel right away.
We had some good results:
Kevin was using this race for IMC training. He finished in 4:39. Very happy with his run.
Elaine was using this race to get into IMC and she was successful finishing in 5:07.
Mike was also using this day to train for IMC. He felt great from start to finish and crossed the line in 5:23.
Ken was finishing the goal he set for himself in 2010 and came home in 5:34.
Tina was hopeful to grab an IMC spot here today. She suffered through a cold but was able to get her spot. Tina finished in a hard battled 5:52. Now the fun begins! :)
Looking at the results it is nice to see many familar names and old names returning to race again. I look forward to hear what happened with Patti and Kendal who finished side by side. I am sure it is a good story.
We had some good results:
Kevin was using this race for IMC training. He finished in 4:39. Very happy with his run.
Elaine was using this race to get into IMC and she was successful finishing in 5:07.
Mike was also using this day to train for IMC. He felt great from start to finish and crossed the line in 5:23.
Ken was finishing the goal he set for himself in 2010 and came home in 5:34.
Tina was hopeful to grab an IMC spot here today. She suffered through a cold but was able to get her spot. Tina finished in a hard battled 5:52. Now the fun begins! :)
Looking at the results it is nice to see many familar names and old names returning to race again. I look forward to hear what happened with Patti and Kendal who finished side by side. I am sure it is a good story.
Ken's GWN race report
Early in the new year Ken contacted me and asked if I would help guide him to his 1st ever Half ironman. This was a cool idea for me as Ken was my University roommate and we have not seen each other for over 10+ years. I still have not seen him. :) It was great to reconnect with an old friend and awesome to help him reach his goal. Below is Ken's Great White North race report:
Hey Todd,
The race went well. Got myself a PR (since it was my first 1/2 Ironman)!
I don't think any amount of training can prepare you for your first "mass" open water start. Was fairly calm waiting for the race to start. When I hit the water, and there were tonnes of people "thrashing" around me, the nerves started to kick in. Could not get my breath. I made my way over to the open water and flipped on my back to do the backstroke. Tried to calm myself down and catch my breath. It took a while but I managed to do it. The first lap took me 23 minutes. The second lap went a lot better, I was calm and breathing well. Swam the whole second lap and finished it in 19 minutes. Overall, the swim took me about 42 minutes.
Little upset at myself from the swim. Told myself to put it behind me and to make it up on the bike. I did. Starting "chewing" up riders a head of me. Was feeling strong and it showed. Was going at a pretty good clip, and I told myself I should slow down. Might not last the whole ride at this pace. Not sure what my ride time was. Think it was about 2:50 (ish).
The T2 transition was quick. Made a rookie mistake and started running with my arm sleeves and gloves on. Took them off and ran with them in the back of my bike shirt. Took me about 3 km to get my legs underneath me. After that I was running at a 5 minute pace. Had to take a "personal" break around 12 km. Knew I was well hydrated. My pace began to slow around 13 km. By the end I was running at a 6 min pace. Again, not sure what my run time was. Think it was about 1:50 (ish).
My unofficial race time (my watch time) was 5:34:27. Was pleased with that. Wanted to finish between 5:30 and 6 hours. My training buddy beat me by 7 minutes. I was ok with that. For a half ironman, I did not think that was much.
Congratulations on your Race Ken and I look forward to seeing what your next goal will be!
Hey Todd,
The race went well. Got myself a PR (since it was my first 1/2 Ironman)!
I don't think any amount of training can prepare you for your first "mass" open water start. Was fairly calm waiting for the race to start. When I hit the water, and there were tonnes of people "thrashing" around me, the nerves started to kick in. Could not get my breath. I made my way over to the open water and flipped on my back to do the backstroke. Tried to calm myself down and catch my breath. It took a while but I managed to do it. The first lap took me 23 minutes. The second lap went a lot better, I was calm and breathing well. Swam the whole second lap and finished it in 19 minutes. Overall, the swim took me about 42 minutes.
Little upset at myself from the swim. Told myself to put it behind me and to make it up on the bike. I did. Starting "chewing" up riders a head of me. Was feeling strong and it showed. Was going at a pretty good clip, and I told myself I should slow down. Might not last the whole ride at this pace. Not sure what my ride time was. Think it was about 2:50 (ish).
The T2 transition was quick. Made a rookie mistake and started running with my arm sleeves and gloves on. Took them off and ran with them in the back of my bike shirt. Took me about 3 km to get my legs underneath me. After that I was running at a 5 minute pace. Had to take a "personal" break around 12 km. Knew I was well hydrated. My pace began to slow around 13 km. By the end I was running at a 6 min pace. Again, not sure what my run time was. Think it was about 1:50 (ish).
My unofficial race time (my watch time) was 5:34:27. Was pleased with that. Wanted to finish between 5:30 and 6 hours. My training buddy beat me by 7 minutes. I was ok with that. For a half ironman, I did not think that was much.
Congratulations on your Race Ken and I look forward to seeing what your next goal will be!
Canada Day Triathlon for Amy
For 2010 Amy set a goal for herself to complete a triathlon. Amy chose the Turner Valley sprint triathlon. Below is her race report.
Hi Todd, Just wanted to let you know how the race turned out. I drove the bike route the morning of the race and was freaked out by the hills. I knew I trained for them on the trainer but I had biked flat areas outside. The swim was okay. It was a wavy pool and I don't know my times yet. The bike portion was AWESOME! Other than a guy in a speedo who I called Turner Valley Todd who passed me and was really fast, I passed lots of people, even on hills. A guy named Randy and I duked it out. He would pass me downhill and then I would pass him on flat areas and uphill. I guess my downhills could be faster. He didn't pass me in the final portion either. I think my time was around 45 or 46 minutes. Going up the hills I would think about different loved ones and "pedal" their names. My legs felt like cement during the run but I never stopped or walked and was able to pass people. I was tired but never "ran" out of energy. I think my time was about 31 minutes. I think my time was around 1:45. The results will be on the website soon.
Todd, thank you so much for the excellent training you provided. Before the thought of being clipped to a bike and riding fast was terrifying. You saw me the first day I rode the Felt outside. No clipped shoes and really slow. I wasn't sure that day if I would even be able to do 90 rpm on the bike outside. But I made myself do it in the last part of training and I'm so proud of myself. Your encouragement that I was prepared really helped too.
Amy's final result was 1:39. Congratulations and welcome to the crazy sport of triathlon!!!!
Hi Todd, Just wanted to let you know how the race turned out. I drove the bike route the morning of the race and was freaked out by the hills. I knew I trained for them on the trainer but I had biked flat areas outside. The swim was okay. It was a wavy pool and I don't know my times yet. The bike portion was AWESOME! Other than a guy in a speedo who I called Turner Valley Todd who passed me and was really fast, I passed lots of people, even on hills. A guy named Randy and I duked it out. He would pass me downhill and then I would pass him on flat areas and uphill. I guess my downhills could be faster. He didn't pass me in the final portion either. I think my time was around 45 or 46 minutes. Going up the hills I would think about different loved ones and "pedal" their names. My legs felt like cement during the run but I never stopped or walked and was able to pass people. I was tired but never "ran" out of energy. I think my time was about 31 minutes. I think my time was around 1:45. The results will be on the website soon.
Todd, thank you so much for the excellent training you provided. Before the thought of being clipped to a bike and riding fast was terrifying. You saw me the first day I rode the Felt outside. No clipped shoes and really slow. I wasn't sure that day if I would even be able to do 90 rpm on the bike outside. But I made myself do it in the last part of training and I'm so proud of myself. Your encouragement that I was prepared really helped too.
Amy's final result was 1:39. Congratulations and welcome to the crazy sport of triathlon!!!!
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Myron's Ironman France race report
I'm sitting in my hotel in Paris after a wonderful day with my wife, Catherine. Most of the soreness in my legs is gone and all I have left to show for battle scars is the chafing on my neck from the wetsuit. I have been thinking about my Ironman France race with a mixture of pride and disappointment. While I am thrilled to have become an Ironman and happy with my mental strength during the race, I feel like I am capable of much more.
I had some trepidation about this race and, because of my achilles issues, no idea what to expect on the run. I could only hope that my prior training and overall fitness level would allow me to run when the time came. In the days before the race, I swung between feelings of excitement / confidence and worries about my achilles and the bike course descents.
I woke up at 3 am on race day after only a few hours sleep and had a good breakfast. I checked in for the race at 5 am, organized my gear and lined up with the faster swimmers. I had planned to do a good warm up but was disappointed to see that the warm up area was way off to the side and, had I gone there, I would have had to line up at the back of the beach. I chose to stay in the second row and forego the warm up. The swim was in the Mediteranean sea, just off the coast of Nice. The water was quite calm and the weather was perfect.
The gun went off at 6:30 am and I hit the water flying. I was quickly able to get to some open water and then looked for a good draft. I settled in and began enjoying the swim. I felt comfortable and strong and was pretty excited to be in my first Ironman race. I figured it was going to be a good day. I kept a steady pace throughout and completed the swim in 57 minutes, which was about I expected. I was 66th out of the water out of 2500 athletes. More importantly, I kept calm and held my heart rate in check throughout the swim.
The run up through transition took a bit of time. I threw on a bike jersey, grabbed my nutrition and headed out on the bike course. The first 20 kms of the bike ride felt amazing. I was riding with mostly pros and young guys. I was going about 40 km / hour and it felt effortless. At 20 km, we hit a 500 m, 12% grade hill. I went up in a controlled way, doing my best to stay under threshhold. A 6 km, 4.2% grade climb followed and then a nice flat section. I was still feeling good. At about 50 kms, we started the tough 20 km climb, with over 900 metres of elevation gain. I had planned to take this section slowly and then gradually pick up pace on the last half of the course. Unfortunately, about half way up the hill I bonked hard. I lost all power in my legs and struggled to get up the last 10 km in my lowest gear. It was a disaster and I started getting passed by everyone.
When I got to the top of the climb, I was thrashed and hit a very low point, with visions of a DNF or 15 hour race. I spent the next 50 kms trying to get my legs back. It was not pretty. The descents on the back half of the course were looping with tricky turns and narrow, winding roads. In fact, this course was a former leg of the Tour de France and is a true bike riders' course. I let some of the packs of speeding Europeans go by, opting to stay safe. I did manage to pick up some time on the back part of the course and eventually felt some strength come back in my legs.
By this point, though, I started feeling throbbing in my back and achilles, and began thinking about the run. I finished the bike in 5:54, a pace that was slower than all of my big training rides and far off my expectations.
When I hit the transition area, I hopped off my bike and started running with it. I immediately felt the pain in my achilles and had a flashback to my Wildflower race. I did not think I would be able to run the marathon. I sat in transition for 9 minutes trying to decide what to do. I put on a pair of compression socks, massaged my calves a bit, ate some gels and then decided to start walking.
When I got to the start of the run course I started jogging and felt shooting pain up my calves with every step. I just kept moving and hoped it would settle down. I was not thinking too much about my pace, as I was focused on my achilles and back. As I completed the first 10.5 km lap, I saw my wife Catherine and friends Doug and Claire, which gave me a boost. I thought that if I could get through one more lap, I'd be able to walk the last half of the marathon and still finish.
I just kept plugging away at the same pace and at about 20 kms my achilles started feeling numb, which made it easier to run. Great, now I could focus on other things. The weather was about 25 degrees celsius but with the sun it felt much warmer. I used every mental trick in my arsenal - counting steps, thinking about special people in my life, reeling in other runners with my magic rubber band, being in the moment, etc.
At the end of the third lap, I knew I was going to be able to hold it together and started thinking about crossing the finish line. I pictured my kids checking the updates at home and watching the live webcam. I felt an incredible wave of appreciation that I was able to be here, running, being part of an Ironman race, living life. I also thought about all of the training and discipline it took to get here as well as the many people who had supported me in this quest.
I pushed to the finish line and crossed in 11:14:57. I was about 470th out of 2500 people. My marathon time was 4:09 (far off my personal best of 2:57), but I was able to run a consistent pace for the entire race, walking only at the aid stations. I crossed the line with a huge smile on my face and felt pretty emotional. I was now an Ironman.
I am, of course, thrilled that I was able to accomplish this goal. When I phoned home, my 5 year old daughter said: "Daddy Tetreault - YOU ARE AN IRONMAN", which is about the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I am proud of how I fought through the run, I am glad I did not crash on the descents or have any mechanical issues on the bike, I am thankful for the wonderful weather and spectacular course. I am extremely appreciative of the support of my family and many others. It was fun to be able to share this experience in France with my wife, my coach Todd, his wife Claire and our friend Doug.
However, I am also disappointed with my time. I did not achieve my goal of qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman World Championship race. I genuinely believe that I am capable of a sub-10 hour Ironman race - but it did not happen today.
I don't understand my bonk on the bike course - I felt I had the fitness, nutrition strategy and ability to do better. The course highlighted my relative cycling inexperience. While I worked hard this year at getting leaner, building my leg strength and developing endurance, I did not get enough outside riding. I remain frustrated with the achilles issues and the impact that had on my training and race. In short, I feel I can do much better.
I am not going to let those feelings ruin my joy and satisfaction at having achieved my goal of becoming an Ironman. I have truly enjoyed the journey and did the best I could on this day.
I've gotta go now - there is a cafe in Paris calling my name...
Myron
I had some trepidation about this race and, because of my achilles issues, no idea what to expect on the run. I could only hope that my prior training and overall fitness level would allow me to run when the time came. In the days before the race, I swung between feelings of excitement / confidence and worries about my achilles and the bike course descents.
I woke up at 3 am on race day after only a few hours sleep and had a good breakfast. I checked in for the race at 5 am, organized my gear and lined up with the faster swimmers. I had planned to do a good warm up but was disappointed to see that the warm up area was way off to the side and, had I gone there, I would have had to line up at the back of the beach. I chose to stay in the second row and forego the warm up. The swim was in the Mediteranean sea, just off the coast of Nice. The water was quite calm and the weather was perfect.
The gun went off at 6:30 am and I hit the water flying. I was quickly able to get to some open water and then looked for a good draft. I settled in and began enjoying the swim. I felt comfortable and strong and was pretty excited to be in my first Ironman race. I figured it was going to be a good day. I kept a steady pace throughout and completed the swim in 57 minutes, which was about I expected. I was 66th out of the water out of 2500 athletes. More importantly, I kept calm and held my heart rate in check throughout the swim.
The run up through transition took a bit of time. I threw on a bike jersey, grabbed my nutrition and headed out on the bike course. The first 20 kms of the bike ride felt amazing. I was riding with mostly pros and young guys. I was going about 40 km / hour and it felt effortless. At 20 km, we hit a 500 m, 12% grade hill. I went up in a controlled way, doing my best to stay under threshhold. A 6 km, 4.2% grade climb followed and then a nice flat section. I was still feeling good. At about 50 kms, we started the tough 20 km climb, with over 900 metres of elevation gain. I had planned to take this section slowly and then gradually pick up pace on the last half of the course. Unfortunately, about half way up the hill I bonked hard. I lost all power in my legs and struggled to get up the last 10 km in my lowest gear. It was a disaster and I started getting passed by everyone.
When I got to the top of the climb, I was thrashed and hit a very low point, with visions of a DNF or 15 hour race. I spent the next 50 kms trying to get my legs back. It was not pretty. The descents on the back half of the course were looping with tricky turns and narrow, winding roads. In fact, this course was a former leg of the Tour de France and is a true bike riders' course. I let some of the packs of speeding Europeans go by, opting to stay safe. I did manage to pick up some time on the back part of the course and eventually felt some strength come back in my legs.
By this point, though, I started feeling throbbing in my back and achilles, and began thinking about the run. I finished the bike in 5:54, a pace that was slower than all of my big training rides and far off my expectations.
When I hit the transition area, I hopped off my bike and started running with it. I immediately felt the pain in my achilles and had a flashback to my Wildflower race. I did not think I would be able to run the marathon. I sat in transition for 9 minutes trying to decide what to do. I put on a pair of compression socks, massaged my calves a bit, ate some gels and then decided to start walking.
When I got to the start of the run course I started jogging and felt shooting pain up my calves with every step. I just kept moving and hoped it would settle down. I was not thinking too much about my pace, as I was focused on my achilles and back. As I completed the first 10.5 km lap, I saw my wife Catherine and friends Doug and Claire, which gave me a boost. I thought that if I could get through one more lap, I'd be able to walk the last half of the marathon and still finish.
I just kept plugging away at the same pace and at about 20 kms my achilles started feeling numb, which made it easier to run. Great, now I could focus on other things. The weather was about 25 degrees celsius but with the sun it felt much warmer. I used every mental trick in my arsenal - counting steps, thinking about special people in my life, reeling in other runners with my magic rubber band, being in the moment, etc.
At the end of the third lap, I knew I was going to be able to hold it together and started thinking about crossing the finish line. I pictured my kids checking the updates at home and watching the live webcam. I felt an incredible wave of appreciation that I was able to be here, running, being part of an Ironman race, living life. I also thought about all of the training and discipline it took to get here as well as the many people who had supported me in this quest.
I pushed to the finish line and crossed in 11:14:57. I was about 470th out of 2500 people. My marathon time was 4:09 (far off my personal best of 2:57), but I was able to run a consistent pace for the entire race, walking only at the aid stations. I crossed the line with a huge smile on my face and felt pretty emotional. I was now an Ironman.
I am, of course, thrilled that I was able to accomplish this goal. When I phoned home, my 5 year old daughter said: "Daddy Tetreault - YOU ARE AN IRONMAN", which is about the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I am proud of how I fought through the run, I am glad I did not crash on the descents or have any mechanical issues on the bike, I am thankful for the wonderful weather and spectacular course. I am extremely appreciative of the support of my family and many others. It was fun to be able to share this experience in France with my wife, my coach Todd, his wife Claire and our friend Doug.
However, I am also disappointed with my time. I did not achieve my goal of qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman World Championship race. I genuinely believe that I am capable of a sub-10 hour Ironman race - but it did not happen today.
I don't understand my bonk on the bike course - I felt I had the fitness, nutrition strategy and ability to do better. The course highlighted my relative cycling inexperience. While I worked hard this year at getting leaner, building my leg strength and developing endurance, I did not get enough outside riding. I remain frustrated with the achilles issues and the impact that had on my training and race. In short, I feel I can do much better.
I am not going to let those feelings ruin my joy and satisfaction at having achieved my goal of becoming an Ironman. I have truly enjoyed the journey and did the best I could on this day.
I've gotta go now - there is a cafe in Paris calling my name...
Myron
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