Toronto Duathlon Festival - Race Report

This race was not in the plan earlier this year but as soon as it was announced that it would be the Canadian Championships, I knew I had to re-arrange the schedule and build for this challenge. I registered as soon as the race announcement came out so that I would not get lazy and let this one slip past. Hopefully, others in the community would follow suit...

During the last few weeks, Jesse Bauer and I tried to reach out to as many duathletes we knew to see who was coming into town for Nats. We were trying to pump up the event over Jesse's duathlon revitalization project, www.duathloncentral.com , but we were not getting many encouraging emails from out of province. I totally understood as a lot of time, effort and money go into a destination race and Toronto is not the most affordable place to go for a 2hr duathlon.

Thankfully, the Ontario crew of duathletes stepped up and on race day, we had a nice field of racers for the 2014 Canadian International Distance Duathlon Championships. Unfortunately, mother nature was not in a great mood on the morning of the TTF event so we had to deal with a bunch of rain and wind. This pushed back the start of our duathlon and we stood in the corral for an extra 15 to 20 minutes while the organizers sorted things out.

Eventually, it was time to roll. As expected, Jesse and Michael Park pushed the pace from the gun. As we left Coronation Park we ran into the head wind coming from the west. For the first km I was stuck in between little packs with no protection from the breeze coming at us. Luckily, that did not last too long as two younger runners finally joined me and I latched on to Justin Spalvieri as he edged past. I knew from scouting reports that he had a 33minute 10k in his legs recently so I was happy to hold his shoulder for as long as possible without crushing myself.

Eventually, his pace picked up just before the Lakeshore Legion hill and I was once again running on my own but it seemed to be the speed I was targeting (hard to tell without km markers???) so I just kept them in range. As I ran past the Boulevard Club, I could feel someone closing in on me from behind. I was not sure who else was in the field was looking for around a 36min split so I started to worry I was actually fading back, taking it too easy. A few metres down the trail, that long distinctive stride in my left peripheral made it all to clear that Dave Frake was here to play. As he moved up beside he asked me what pace I thought we were running so I agreed with his guess and jumped on for the ride.

When we reached the turn around down near the Humber Bridge, it was time to enjoy some tail wind and a run along the closed right lane of Lakeshore Blvd. Dave and I went back and forth a little over the next km or so but eventually he sniffed blood and started to pull gradually away. I tried to hold close which brought me much closer to Alexandre Beaulieu and Justin. I was not sure what to expect from a few of these runners once they hit the bike but I knew my pre-race expectations were getting much brighter with this run.

Back at Ontario Place, i checked my watch and noticed I was right on time (36:25 for 10k) and feeling pretty good. The course was a touch damp now so the bike would be tough for some but I was here to race and willing to take a few risks along the way.

Entering transition, I could see some of the others slowing down. I raced over to my bike and dumped a helmet full of rain water over my head as I placed my bucket on my melon. I knew this would happen! I then grabbed my bike and ran up the ramp to the mount line. I must have passed Alex B  during this section as I did not see him again until the final run. My T1 time was the best in the duathlon which helped me get into a good spot right away, even passing Dave at the corner of BMO stadium, although, I knew this would not last long. I then passed Michael Park on the way through CNE and set my sights on Mr Bauer somewhere on the horizon.

Making the turn onto the Gardner Expressway we had the tail wind to help us get up to speed and, as expected, Mr Frake was zipping past as we climbed up the grade to the top of the road. I knew he was not in play as soon as he got a bike between his legs so I did not worry and just got myself up to power as I made my way through the line of triathletes on the right side of the road. Thankfully, the Gardner is wide enough that I had quite a lot of space to pass all these folks and eventually could see Jesse up the road.

Just after 5k of riding I had made up the time on my young competitor and knew I had to put down the hammer to put enough time in between us while on the bike as he would be looking to chase me down on foot for sure. For much of the ride up north on the DVP, I was pushing 53-11 on the www.3sixty5.com disc wheel Chris and Mark had let me sample for the race. I felt like I was putting down a good effort but hard to tell against some of the triathletes in this part of the pack. When I reached the turn around I started my count down to Jesse and could see I had around 1:10 on him now. This would not be enough.

I knew it was now or never so I pushed my hardest down the DVP. We were now getting a head/side wind that was hitting a lot of the people hard so it made me look very fast. I started to wonder if I was pushing too much of a big gear for the run after or for the massive head wind that would hammer me once back on the Gardner? I thought back to what coach, Kevin, said about the wind and my bike and knew I could not back off.

When I reached the ramp from the DVP to the Gardner Expressway, I took a little breather and spun up this tiny climb. It wasn't much of a climb but did force a change in gearing so I took up the cadence for a few seconds and then jumped out of the saddle and prepared myself for the last 8 or so km on the bike. These were tough kilometres due to the wind and I gradually watched my average sink from 42km/h. I used this realization to set up a mental thought in my head. I will not share it but it is something I have been working on during longer, solo rides and seems to keep me pushing hard.

Well, it worked again and I finally made the curve on the off ramp and started to race through the CNE back to transition. Unfortunately, I got a little too aggressive during the twists and turns and ended up sliding across the pavement with about 200m left in the ride. Thankfully, there were only a few scraps on my knee and buttocks, so I picked up the bike and carried on, ready to run scared.

Once again, I had the fastest transition (somehow?) and worked my way up to a pace I hoped to hold. With the first section out to the west into the wind, I used up a lot of energy to hit that pace. I knew I would have help from the wind back to Coronation Park and just counted down the time I would suffer into the wind. As I neared the turn around, I could see Dave out comfortably in 1st so there was no chance in catching him but I assumed I was fair game with some of the run splits the guys behind me could lay down. So the watch was on as soon as I rounded the turn and I used the wind to stretch out my stride and tried to float home.

To my good fortune, Jesse, Alex, Richard (Eyram) and Daryl (Flacks) were out of touch when I spotted them (according to my math) so I relax a little knowing I was going to cross the line in 2nd Place on this day. As I reached the park, I started to feel the effort in my legs and started checking behind to make sure I could coast a little more into the line and enjoy the moment. I could not see anyone in the rear view and made the corner to the finishing chute. What an unexpected way to end this big block of training and racing.

Congrats to everyone that races in these messy conditions! The duathlon community continues to get closer and I hope I got to say hello to everyone before we ran for shelter! Man that last rain came hard!

Triathlon Canada Championships
International Duathlon - Toronto Triathlon Festival

2nd Place Overall
2nd Place Age Group (40-44)

THANK YOU!
*3SIXY5 Cycling
*Toronto Olympic Club - Kevin Smith (coach)
*Kurzawinski Coach Cycling - Krys Kurzawinski (coach)
*Pedalinx Bike Shop
*Endless Endurance
*Johnny K Sports
*Duathlon Central
*Rudy Project
and of course Family and Friends!!!!!

Welland Sprint Duathlon - Race Report

Had this in draft form... I have a lot of catching up so will have to cut back on the length of these reports as they are just getting out of hand.


Recently, I travelled down the QEW to Welland to compete in my third duathlon of the 2013 season. I knew heading into the race that this was going to be a tough battle with a number of speedy duathletes confirmed to hit the start line.

Thankfully, amazing weather was on our side for the morning races and the only concern was a slight breeze out of the west that would test us on the first half of the bike leg of the run/bike/run. After getting set up in transition and chatting with some of the regulars, I headed down to the start line to finish up my warm up. As I waited with Jesse Bauer for our call to the line, Syd Trefiak (my first coach in the sport) spotted me so we were able to catch up a little before the gun.

Shortly after the first swimmers were sent off, we received our que to run and off we went for our first 5k journey along the Welland Recreational Waterway. I took the lead out to the first corner where we turned left to cross over the flat bridge and then was joined by Mr. Bauer as he started his push to stretch out the field. I knew he would want to test all our legs on this rather level and fast course so I just wanted to stay as close to him as possible and hope uber cyclist, Erik Box, would not be on our heals.

As we rounded the first turn around at the far east end of the course, I could see Jesse had done a decent job setting a quick pace so I just held my position a few metres back as we doubled back to visit the west end of the path. This section travelled along the waters that hosted the swim portion of the triathlon so I just zoned out for a while watching the masses cut through the clear waters south of our running trail.

Eventually, I made my way to the turn around marker on this end where I was still not too far off the lead, comfortably running in second place. We were around 1.5k out from our bikes at this point and I could tell our leader was feeling good as he seemed to put in a surge as we weaved back to transition. I didn't want to give him too much of a lead onto the bikes so I picked up the pace as well and minimized the damage. Finally, we merged with the swimmers coming up from the beach at around 4.5k of our opening run. This was where the first timing mat was located and I posted a time only 23 seconds down from Jesse.

We were then forced to slalom through the groups of triathletes along their run up section until we reached our bike racks. I made a much better switch over in this race as I opted to go with my tri specific cycling shoes already clipped into the pedals. This saved me 20 or so seconds and I was on my way to track down JB.

Out on the first roads of the 30k bike course, the pavement is a touch bumpy so I focused more on my line than the people ahead so when I quickly looked up around three kilomtres and noticed my target, I was surprised to see him as it took 6km last race in Binbrook. This was a huge shot in confidence as I pushed along into the head wind on the smoother roads leading out of town. I knew in time Erik Box would soon be on my tail so I just put my head down and tried to grind away.

I seemed to be hitting a decent pace based on my effort but I was not exactly sure of my speed as my cycling computer decided to die before the race (i had just changed the battery two weeks ago) so I was flying gadget free, trying to replicate the effort in my previous race.

As expected, My Box finally caught me just before the 15k turn around marker. As we hit the turn together, I tried to keep him in sight but he was gradually getting away. To make things worse, Jesse had put in a huge effort to stay close to me so I knew I needed to find some speed on the return trip to transition.

For some reason, my legs were not responding the same as Binbrook and I felt very tired as I pedalled along. I know Coach Kevin and I planned to train through this race and Huronia but wasn't expecting this type of power outage on such a short bike course. Oh well, I just did my best to keep at a respectable speed and get back to transition ahead of Mr Bauer.

After a few slow downs entering Welland, due to traffic, I finally got back into the edge of town and made my short trip along the waterway to the arena. I could not see Erik ahead or Jesse behind so I was not sure how much the gaps were.

As soon as I got out on the run course, though, the picture became a lot more clear. Erik was up the road about 500 metres and Jesse was right on my butt. I was not feeling overly fast during the second run and made it to the first turn around just before Jesse put his pass on me. I made a silly effort to get on his heals but he was flying and determined to catch Erik.

I didn't want to shuffle back to the finish line and tried my best to get into some style of running which actually saw me make up time with Erik who was just now running in second after JB claimed the lead. Along the flat waterfront trail, I could see second place may be a possibility and found a little energy to push my pace. When Erik and I hit the west end pylon to turn back towards home, I was able to pass for second and then used the tailwind to pick up the speed even more.

This effort was good enough to hold the position and I cruised into the finish line about a minute back of Jesse but happy to grab second in a solid field of duathletes.

New Info Box on my Site >>>

I received a few emails lately regarding my weekly training schedule. I am more than happy to give you the basics of my day-to-day workouts so I am adding a text box to the right side of my blog to show how my week should break down.

I am given a program once a week from Tyler and try to stick to it as much as possible. As I have other responsibilities, I sometimes have to switch things around but usually find the time to get each element included during the corresponding seven day period.

click here for Tyler's web site to check out his programs

Ideally, I would like to stick to the original layout as it is created with speed days, rest days, easy days, long days, etc. in a particular order to get the most out of my body. If I am forced to switch things around, I must get creative with the schedule but, with experience, I am usually able to re-arrange the week to make it flow smoothly so I do not place conflicting workouts close together. This can kill the performance of future workouts so I have to be careful not to tax my body too many workouts in consecutive order.

I also train with friends on occasion so I have to flex the schedule here and there to allow for some of these training opportunities. I will usually go with the flow with friends and then check out my schedule to see what workout the run or ride resembled the most and then cross it off the "To Do" list for the week.

If you have any further questions about my training, please send me an email at larrybradleytoronto(at)yahoo.ca

OAT Bike Insurance Programme - New for 2011

Copied from the OAT Website

The Ontario Association of Triathletes is pleased to introduce OAT's Bike Insurance Programme, the newest benefit for OAT members.

The cost of the equipment necessary to compete in triathlon is high. This is particularly true for bicycles. Unfortunately not all of OAT's members have taken steps to insure their bikes for loss or theft. In OAT's continued effort to provide value, this special programme has been developed for OAT members.

Not only will your bike be covered for loss or theft but OAT has gone one step further and provided the opportunity to insure your bike for damage arising from accidents at OAT sanctioned races. Coverage will be extended to National Junior Series and Championship races held in Canada and sanctioned by Triathlon Canada.

Cost for this coverage is determined by the value of the bicycle - $61.50 for up to $5,000 of coverage and $93.90 for up to $10,000 of coverage.

The period of coverage is tied to the membership year - from April 1, 2011 to March31, 2012.

This low cost OAT Bike Insurance programme was specially designed for OAT members and will be available to full members only. You must be a member BEFORE you apply. The programme will be administered through the OAT office.

Please visit their site for more info and the Application Forms...
http://www.triathlonontario.com/hm/inside.php?id=942

Age Grouper Spotlight - David Frake

This season will mark my sixth year of racing duathlon. During those years, there have been many new faces in the fields I have competed against but this spotlight athlete is someone I have been chasing down since those early races.

Toronto's, David Frake, is an incredibly talented duathlete who has been ranked among Canada's best for several years. Even after suffering a serious, early season set back in 2010 (after a crash in the Good Friday cycling race), he worked his way back to form before the end of the summer. His amazing come back was capped off with an impressive Age Group victory at the World Duathlon Championships in Scotland last fall.

Knowing the dedication and attention to detail this duathlete places in his training, I am sure he will be on top of the sport for many years to come. He continues to push the limits each year and is a huge motivating factor in my training as I strive to reach the splits he is able to post on both the run and the bike.

10 Questions with David Frake

Q1. What was the first tri or du that you attempted?

- First Tri - I was 14 yrs old. One of the original President's Choice Triathlon Series races in Waterloo at the Laurel Creek Conservation Area. I raced in the under 18 category and won. Back then the awards were awesome, I won a bike and still have it.

Q2. Do you teach yourself or do you train under the guidance of a coach?

- To date, I have never had a coach. I have a strong running background as well as science degrees in kinesiology and physiotherapy. Not to say that makes me an instant expert on self-training but I have a pretty good sense of what I need to do. Having said that, I will likely take on a consultant running coach this year just to make sure I'm sure I'm on the right track.

Q3. You had a nasty cycling crash in early 2010 and came back to win Gold in your Age Group at the World Duathlon Championships in Scotland. What kept you motivated during the rehab and the training to get back to such amazing race speed?

- The crash in early April really threw a curve-ball into my season. I thought I was finished for the year with a torn acl, mcl, meniscus and completely separated shoulder. Thankfully, I had tons of support from my family, friends, fellow cyclists and my surgeon, Paul Marks. I owe my Team Manager at Triathlon Canada, Joyce Chiang, hugely as she convinced me to return to Duathlon Worlds this past year, not just as the team physiotherapist, which was initially my plan, but as a competitor as well.

As a physiotherapist, I had a pretty good idea of what needed to be done so went to work at it pretty hard. My motivation came when I realized (by August) that things were feeling reasonably healed and strong again that I might just have a shot at a bit of a season. That's when I decided to go for it.

Q4. Being involved in such a crash, and keeping in mind that we all have to work and help provide for our families, does it affect the way you look at bike racing?

- Cycling, especially road racing, is a sport that takes years of experience and learning. Even with that experience, it can be dangerous. If you road race and think you'll never crash you should get out of the sport altogether. I have had numerous crashes, none as bad as last year, and have learned from every one of them. I have no intention of leaving the sport but have definitely become more selective in what races I enter and who I race with. Doing this minimizes the chances of serious injury and keeps everyone around me happier.

Q5. What is the biggest honour you have received in the sport?

- Canadian Duathlete of the Year (Triathlon Magazine) this year was a huge honour. OAT Duathlete of the Year a couple of times was nice as well but I have to say that winning a World Championship was the ultimate achievement in my tri/du career.

Q6. You have seen a lot of people come and go in the sport of duathlon, what kept you interested in Run/Bike/Run for so long, compared to your competitors?

- I've always considered myself a triathlete but haven't raced in one in a few years so I guess that pretty much makes me a duathlete, for now. I suppose I've just gotten in the groove of running and cycling and haven't managed to break the habit. Running and cycling are my favourite disciplines. I also love swimming but just haven't managed to incorporate it back into my training. What's kept me in it is the constant lure of going back to a World Championship with an eye on the podium.

Q7. What is the training session you love to see on your calendar? What makes it worth looking forward to?

- I love group bike rides. I ride with an amazing group of guys who call themselves the Morning Glory. They ride every Tues and Thurs morning at 5:30am in midtown Toronto. The group has grown to nearly 50 riders. The lead group are quite competitive so we all go head to head. It's like a training ride that becomes a race. I love and thrive on any kind of competition, anywhere, anytime so I love this ride! The other one I look forward to all week is the La Bicicletta/Midweek Thursday Night Time Trial series in Markham. Some of the Province and Country's best TT racers show up every week. It's uber relaxed yet uber competitive...my favourite combination.

Q8. Do you think there is a chance of you returning to triathlon now that you have achieved such success in the duathlon?

- I'm always thinking about Tri. I've been back in the pool a few times this winter so who knows...??!

Q9. Is there a long term goal that you have set in triathlon, duathlon, running or cycling that you would like to accomplish?

- Long term, I'd definitely like to race a triathlon at a world championships. I'd love to defend my World Duathlon Championship. Racing a season as an elite on the international scene would be great. I'd like to place top 5 Nationally in road and or road TT one of these years and would like to run a 32:00 min 10k so I guess I have my work cut out for me.

Q10. Is there something about Dave Frake that many of your co-racers would be surprised to learn about?

- I'm a physiotherapist and practice owner of Balance Physiotherapy. My physiotherapy practice donates a minimum of 15% of it's services to those without adequate financial resources as well as a portion to elite athletes as a part of a sponsorship program. I'm French-English bilingual and can read basic Chinese. I love traveling and have lived and worked in Hong Kong and sub-Saharan Africa. I'm also passionate about great food and wine, it's something I'll never give up, not even during the race season!

My sponsors are Neal Brother's Foods, Clif Bar and Octto Cyclo components. I'd love to thank Triathlon Canada for all their great work and support over the years and would love to mention my practice-

http://www.balancephysiotherapy.com./

OHL Player taking to triathlon to promote Brain Injury Awareness

KITCHENER — Hockey may be on trial over serious head injuries.

But Ben Fanelli, whose hockey career has been stalled by a hit that resulted in severe head trauma, declines to sit on the jury.

“It’s not my duty to change the game,” the Kitchener Rangers defenceman said Thursday as he discussed his plans to run, swim and cycle in a triathlon this June to raise funds for brain injury awareness.

The game may be beyond changing.

In Tuesday night’s NHL game between Boston and Montreal, the Bruins towering defenceman Zdeno Chara drove Max Pacioretty’s head into the turnbuckle stanchion at the Canadiens bench.

Pacioretty suffered a severe concussion and fractured neck, the same injuries Colorado’s Steve Moore sustained seven years earlier – to the night – after Todd Bertuzzi drove Moore’s head into the ice in Vancouver.

On Wednesday, as the NHL refused to suspend Chara for putting Pacioretty in hospital, Fanelli prepared to take media questions for the first time in nearly a year.

It’s been 16 months since Fanelli, seven games into his now-dormant Ontario Hockey League career, almost died on the ice at the Aud.

Strafed and sideswiped by Mike Liambas of the Erie Otters, Fanelli’s head slammed into a stanchion supporting the glass at the Zamboni entrance behind one net. His helmet flew off on impact. Fanelli spent a week in hospital with skull fractures and severe head trauma. Liambas was banned from the OHL.

Fanelli, who turned 18 on Wednesday, skates weekly with the Rangers as part of his remarkable recovery. But he is no longer on the active roster for this season. The reality is his hockey career may be over.

As Montreal police promised a probe into the Chara hit on Pacioretty, Fanelli spoke of his progress and the need to transform himself from “bulky” hockey player into a “slimmer” triathlete. He is taking business courses now in preparation for university.

The likelihood he must embrace a career outside hockey, is something he is prepared for. Initially, after his injuries, he was determined to return to hockey.

But if the game will not change, the victims of its devastating legacy will have to.

Fanelli has re-assessed his life. Pacioretty may be next to.

“I’m not his doctor,” Fanelli said of Pacioretty. “I don’t really have a comment on everything he’s going through.

Flanked by teammates Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan Murphy, Fanelli also spoke of the inevitability of hockey’s grimmest moments involving bruised brain matter.

Recent head traumas threaten the careers of Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Boston’s Marc Savard. Both top centres have serious concussions. If and when they do return to the NHL, they may never be what they once were on the ice. Or off the ice.

Even Murphy said he was uncertain of playing Friday’s game against Owen Sound after taking a head shot in Kingston a week earlier.

"Concussions or, which they say now, head injuries, that’s part of the game and it happens,” said Fanelli, an Oakville kid who is taking business courses this year in preparation for university in the fall.

“On purpose or not, it’s going to happen. Not only in hockey, other sports and daily life. You can hit your head.”

So Fanelli will run, cycle and swim to help those who face the same daunting recovery he has endured. The program he created, Head Strong: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness, is to be a permanent part of his future.

“This is more to treat those concussions, as opposed to prevent them,” Fanelli said.

“I can’t do that. I’m only one person. But I can raise the money to help those people that have those concussions.”

Physically, Fanelli says he is just as he was before.

Emotionally, he has difficult days. That’s where friends like Landeskog and Murphy help out. They were on the ice with him when his helmet flew off and the Aud fell silent on Oct. 30, 2009.

They sat beside him on Thursday, wearing Head Strong T-shirts and taking questions.

“Me and Ryan, we just want to be there for him,” said Landeskog, the Rangers captain.

Dan Lebold, the Rangers trainer who helped save his life, was there too.

So were most of his coaches and teammates like Cody Sol and Mike Morrison. His agent, Waterloo’s Rob Hooper, also watched Fanelli’s winning performance in front of the media. Things are about to change for Ben Fanelli again.

He used to be the kid who missed the party to go to hockey.

“Now, I’ll miss the party because I have to train for the triathlon,” he said.

He will do a 750-metre swim, 30-kilometre bike ride and 7.5-kilometre run. That’s his agenda in Milton on June 5. There will be no skates involved.

“After three or four concussions, parents think their kid’s sporting career is finished,” said Harry Zarins, executive director of the Brain Injury Association of Canada. “This is a prime example that you can switch into another sport. You don’t just stop being active.”

If hockey won’t change, the Ben Fanellis of the world have to.

Just don’t ask him to testify in the case against hockey. It’s not his duty. He’s been through enough. And don’t ask the hard-hitting Landeskog, sure to be a top NHL pick in June, to make a ruling in the Pacioretty-Chara incident either.

“It’s not up to me to judge that,” Landeskog said.

No, it isn’t. The game goes on. You take your chances.

One shift, your whole career is ahead of you.

The next shift, you’re a triathlete in training. If you’re lucky.



jhicks@therecord.com

Ontario Olympic Distance Championships Announced

OAT has announced that Cobourg will hold the 2011 Ontario Olympic Distance Duathlon Championships and Bracebridge will host the 2011 Ontario Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships. Both races are part of the Multisport Canada Triathlon Series.



2011 Schedule


*Woodstock - June 11 - June 12
*Binbrook (Hamilton) - June 18 - June 19
*Welland - June 25 - June 26
*Gravenhurst - July 16 - July 17
*Bala Falls - July 24
*Bracebridge - August 6 - August 7
*Cobourg - August 13 - August 14
*Toronto Island - August 27 - August 28
*Wasaga Beach - September 10
*Lakeside - September 17 - September 18

Age Grouper Spotlight - Glenn Camplin

Team HiPerformance athlete, Glenn Camplin, is my next subject in the Age Grouper Series on my blog. I have been lucky enough to train with Glenn for the past few years (with our coach Tyler Lord) and have seen just how hard this driven triathlete works to stay at the top of his AG.

He has a well rounded mix of swimming, cycling and running which makes it very tough to catch him out on the course. This season, this Hamilton native will look to improve on an incredibly successful 2010 as he attempts to push the bar even higher.

 10 Questions with Glenn Camplin

Q1. What got you started in triathlon?

- After way too many years of inactivity, I decided I should do something to get back into shape. Around that time one of my friends was competing in the Niagara Duathlon and another in the triathlon. My wife and I went to watch them to yell some encouragement. After the race, my friend told me given my swimming background, I should give triathlon a try and that was the start of it.

Q2. Is there a workout you dread to see on your schedule? How do you overcome this initial lack of enthusiasm to get through it?

- That's easy, track workouts. They hurt way too much! I much prefer long steady/tempo runs. The only thing that gets me through it is the results they produce. No doubt about it, the track makes you fast.

Q3. You have been training with Tyler Lord for a few years now. How does a coach help you most (motivation, form, periodization, etc.)?

- Tyler helps immeasurably. The biggest benefits from working with a coach are that it keeps you accountable, and the knowledge he provides. Before, I would just go out and swim, bike and run kind of aimlessly, thinking more means better. Now my training is much more focused.

Q4. What do you hope to accomplish in the 2011 season?

- I haven't really decided on a race schedule for this year, however, Tyler has suggested my "A" race could be going sub 4:20 at the Esprit 70.3 in Montreal this September.

Q5. Is there a professional athlete that inspires you to reach your goals?

- Chrissie Wellington. It is unbelievable how dominant she is. I was fortunate enough to see her racing Ironman Arizona...how she can go that fast and smile through the pain is inspirational. Also, the elite ITU athletes in general are inspiring. The speed they possess and the pain barriers they can push themselves through is crazy.

Q6. You have traveled to several races outside of Ontario, which destination race have you enjoyed most?

- The ITU Grand Finale in Surfer's Paradise, Australia has to be my favourite race. The race organization was great, the weather was great and Australia is such an awesome place to relax for a holiday at the end of the season.

Q7. What is your greatest source of information for triathlon, magazines, online sites, blogs, coach, etc.?

- All of the above. I check out athlete's blogs and web sites fairly consistently. Tyler always keeps me up to date with everything in the triathlon world. Also, training partners and I need something to talk about during our long runs and rides.

Q8. Is there any training aid that you cannot live without, I.E. HR monitor, GPS, power metre, gels, Gatorade, etc.?

-Two things. Firstly, my wattage metre. Two years ago, I just rode the trainer and had no real idea how to train properly on it. With the power metre, I can accurately do intervals and gauge my progress. The second thing would be Eload Fly. Not many people seem to know about it but, for longer races when nutrition is very important, it is a great product. I like to add it to my water bottles to make a super concentrated drink to make sure I get enough carbs and calories.

Q9. Do you try to stick to a strict nutritional plan or do you eat whatever is convenient at the time?

- I have to stick to a nutritional plan as much as possible. I seem to gain weight very easily and very quickly due to my sweet tooth. If I don't stick to my plan, I feel very blotted and slow.

Q10. Do you listen to music during training? If yes, what song really gets you rolling?

- I don't listen to music as much as I used to. We can't race with music so I try not to become reliant on it while training, however, a little Rage Against the Machine has gotten me through a few tough track workouts.

Thanks for your time Glenn!

Age Grouper Spotlight - Luke Ehgoetz

The next subject in my Age Group Triathlete spotlight is a New Hamburg resident who continues to climb the AG rankings year after year. Luke Ehgoetz had a solid 2010 season and is currently working hard to improve on his past triathlon times with a big focus on becoming an Ironman in 2011.

To help him on his journey, Luke has joined Team Running Free – Milton and will be sporting the very familiar Red and Black of this well represented local squad. His outgoing personality and dedication to the sport make him a perfect match for a team that continues to attract many of the top endurance sport athletes of the area.

When I sat down to create my list of potential candidates for this series, I had a good feeling Luke would be open to share his story. As usual, he did not disappoint so I hope you enjoy learning about another amazing Age Group Triathlete from our region.

10 Questions with Luke Ehgoetz

Q1. How did your triathlon journey begin? Was there an individual sport that led you into this lifestyle?

- I started running back when I was in University, simply for exercise and to try and lose some weight. I moved to Bermuda in 1997 and did my first running race in 1998, I think. My first official road race was the Bermuda Day half marathon. Wow, did I learn a lot that day. It was also the last day I wore a cotton tank top to run in.

I struggled plenty in that first race, finishing in about 2 hours and 5 minutes. After that, I was hooked on running and decided to take it more serious. I did many more races while living in Bermuda, and actually got my Bermuda Day half marathon time down to about 1:40.

I moved back to Canada in 2002 and did some more running races, but nothing too competitive. It wasn't until I started biking to work (New Hamburg to Kitchener and back) in 2005 that I really start to step it up.

In the summer of 2006, I decided to sign up for my first triathlon. It was the Subaru Sherkston Shores sprint triathlon in September 2006. I was pretty nervous at the start and asked to get moved to the last swim wave.

As expected, the swim was a real challenge, but once I got out, I flew through the bike and run and finished with a decent time. After that, I was totally hooked, and for 2007 I got the express pass and did all of the Subaru races except the Peterborough Half.

Q2. Where do you draw your inspiration from for those long, tough training hours?

- I think my inspiration comes from wanting to do better than I have in the past. For the past few years, I've had a spring marathon on the schedule (Mississauga in 2009 and Ottawa in 2010). I have a running friend here in New Hamburg that I run with (Darryl Huras) who is also a very good runner. It is great that we can go out and be equally challenged while training, and since we have had similar race schedules the past few years, it is motivating to get out there and run when you know you don't have to do it alone.

I did my first long distance triathlon in 2008 (Muskoka 70.3). It was a real struggle and I knew when I was done that I could do a lot better. Therefore, I was motivated in 2009 to train hard over the summer in order to improve upon my time. In 2009, I did the Muskoka 70.3 again and placed 5th in my AG and actually earned a spot for Clearwater. Unfortunately, I could not go, so once again, I trained hard in 2010 to qualify one more time so that I could go.

In 2010, I ended up getting 4th place in my AG and qualified for Clearwater. In November 2010, I did the 70.3 World Championship race down in Clearwater, Florida. It was an incredible experience overall.

Q3. Which of the three sports do you believe you need to work on the most to improve your overall performance?

- Well, if you look at my results over the past few years, swimming has always been my weakest discipline. In the winter of 2009/2010, and again this winter, I have spent a lot more time swimming and in the 2010 season, had much better results in the water. Still, swimming is my weakest event of the three. There comes a point where the additional swim time is only going to get me a few minutes faster perhaps.

The additional time spent swimming could be better spent either improving bike or run training that could improve overall performance by a significantly greater time. This is amplified the longer the race is. With July 2011 being my first Ironman attempt, I believe spending more time on the bike and run in the early spring will give me the best overall performance come race day. It is going to be very difficult to improve my swim time between now and July by a significant amount.

Q4. Who is responsible for setting up your training program? If you are, how do you develop the plan (magazine articles, on-line programs, etc.)?

 - Up to this point, I have completely come up with my own training plans. They have not been overly complicated and I, more or less, train as much as I can in the available time that I have. Rather than elaborate here on what makes up a regular training week for me, readers can check out one of my January 2011 blog posts where I outline my plan through until the spring of this year. I didn't really base that on anything I found in a magazine or any on-line program. I simply knew how many swim, bike and run workouts I wanted to do in a week, and then I simply put that plan into action. Like many other age group athletes, I have had to work my schedule around other "life" commitments like work and family. It's tough, but if you are disciplined enough, and have the motivation to succeed, it can be done.

In addition, I have a few very experienced resources that I can check in with to get training ideas and feedback. Patti Warr (multiple Ironman AG winner), from Baden, Ontario, is a good friend and I share training ideas with her. I am also a friend of, and swim with Brian Keast (2x Ironman AG World Championship winner), and he has given me some valuable training advice in advance of my first Ironman attempt this summer in Austria.

Q5. You have tried many of the distances triathlon has to offer, do you have a favourite race length? What excites you about that distance compared to the others?

- I don't really have a favourite race distance. Each is exciting in its own way. A sprint is so exciting because it's just so fast. Every second counts here, so things like quick transitions can mean the difference between a podium spot or not. I think the Olympic distance is a very popular distance for me, because it is short enough that you have to go pretty darn hard, but long enough that you have to pace yourself so you don't blow up.

I've done four half Ironman events now, and the key element in this event is pacing and nutrition. If you don't get these right, the run can be a very dark place. As I said above, my first Ironman attempt is going to be this year, and like the Half, you must pace yourself and ensure your nutrition plan is dialed in. I think that the concern for the Ironman is that there is little room for error in both pacing and nutrition, so it makes it that much harder and for a longer period of time.

Q6. To date, which race has been your favourite?

- I'd say that from an overall race perspective, the Clearwater 70.3 World Championship that I did last fall was my favourite. The hype and excitement of race day was nothing I have ever experienced before. The bike ride was crazy fast, and despite the drafting issues, it was still very cool to be biking with so many other guys that are at the same level. It was just 2 hours and 13 minutes that absolutely flew by (at almost 41 kph!!)

Locally, in Ontario, I have always loved going up to Muskoka and doing either the long course triathlon or the 70.3 race in September. I've done every one so far, if that is any indication of how much I like it.

The Lakeside triathlon and Victoria's duathlon are also a favourite of mine because they are the close to my home, and I consider them my "home" races.

From a pure running perspective, I have always really liked the Around the Bay 30K road race in Hamilton. I've done it 3 times now and really enjoy it.

Q7. What accomplishment(s) would make 2011 a successful year for you in the sport?

- Easy. A sub 10 hour finish at Ironman Austria on July 3, 2011. Realistically, I'm aiming for a low 10 hour finish, but one can always shoot high, right? I am also doing the Boston Marathon (qualified at the Ottawa marathon in May 2010 - 3:00:49 qualifying time). My goal there is to simply enjoy the race and try to take it all in, not set a new marathon PB in the process!

Q8. If you were to walk into a bike shop with unlimited funds for one day, what would you buy?

- Another easy question. This would be a Trek Speed Concept 9.9 (picture below). Mine would be totally tricked out with Shimano Di2, Zipp Sub 9 rear disc and Zipp 1080 front. Of course, everything would have to match from a colour perspective too. Throw on an SRM or Quarq power meter and a Garmin 800 to track it all!! I still likely wouldn't have the fastest bike split, but there is a good chance I'd have the best looking and most expensive bike in transition. Now, who has $20,000 you can give me to make this dream a reality?

Q9. Do you have any other hobbies outside triathlon?

- I consider myself very handy around the home (from a building perspective). I have done many things from finishing our basement to building the two decks that we have in our backyard. Below is a picture of the deck and fencing I did around the swimspa that we put in back in 2009.

I also play recreational hockey Sunday mornings here in town during the winter. I used to play softball in the summers, but given my increased training commitments over the last few years, I decided to stop playing and devote more time to the family.


Q10. If you had the chance to sit down with any three people in the world, who would you chose?

- Tough question. After thinking about it for a bit, here is my list of three people in the world I'd like to talk to:

1 -Craig Alexander. Craig is one of the top triathlon professionals in the world, and is definitely my favourite. He's done a number of the local races (including Muskoka 70.3 all three years in a row). I'd love to pick his brain on all things triathlon. Training, life as a pro, traveling the world, etc. etc.

2 - Warren Buffet. Who wouldn't want to talk with Warren Buffet, one of the richest guys on the entire planet? I'm sure his insight into finances and investing would be incredible to listen to, especially since I work in the hedge fund industry.

3 - Oprah Winfrey. I'm not one to be big on celebrities, but Oprah is one classy lady that has everything figured out, I think. She has met so many amazing people over the years herself that I'm sure she could talk to you all day about it, and just barely scratch the surface.

Thanks Luke!

Make sure you visit Luke's blog and add him to your Blog Roll!

http://mytriathlonandtrainingadventures.blogspot.com/

Let's Open up this Blog!

Hi All,

I am looking for material to use on my blog. I would love to write more often but I am not the most interesting of subjects so I want to open my blog up to you.

If you are an athlete, coach or business in the multisport community, let me know via email (larrybradleytoronto@yahoo.ca) and I will grab some info from you so that I can post a nice article about you or your business.

I have done many interviews in the past so don't forget to check out some of the triathlon spotlights from this blog.

http://larryofteamrunningfree.blogspot.com/search/label/interview

I hope to hear from you all out there...AG'ers, Pro's, Coaches and anyone that is involved in our great sport!

Talk soon!
Larry

Mid-June Update!

Hey Gang,


Just wanted to promote my new blog that Multisport Canada is carrying on their website. We are trying to keep the material exclusive to their site so if you enjoy my writing, please drop by their site to check things out!


http://www.multisportcanada.com/one-du-tri.html

Have to send out a huge thanks to John Salt and Roger Hospedales for starting up this project! I really appreciate their support and look forward to getting out on the MSC Series to get in a bunch of races this summer.

Carrying on with that theme, I will be heading out to Hamilton this Sunday to put down my first Triathlon of the season at the Binbrook Triathlon. I feel really good these days and expect a fun event as I look to build on my swimming experiences.

I have some goals in mind, especially on the bike and run, where I would love be close to the top of the field for the last two legs, combined. The biggest thing for me is to remind myself to push through into the next gear. Sometimes I get stale or stuck in a pace that is below my real potential, almost afraid to blow up half way through the run. I have to start to trust my training and hit the pace that I am capable of each time I am out there. I hit it a few times near the end of the year but missed it a bunch of other times during 2009. Time to step it up mentally on race day and hammer through the pain!

Have a great weekend!
Larry

2010 Ontario Duathlon Championships???

OK - I know some of you folks are in the know (wink, wink) so I am posting this question.

When and where will the 2010 Ontario Du Championships take place?

I find it very ridiculous that this event has not been posted to date. I am sure there are triathlon dates not posted as well but I have not looked (I am not ready for that competition, yet).

How hard is it to plan ahead and have this set up, or at least keep the website current (it is 2010 after all). Surely, many of the OAT folks realize that serious athletes start building their calendars before the new year and plan out their year based on the Subaru, Somersault, HSBC, etc. schedules.

I actually posed the question to OAT in very early December and was told that it would be announced soon. Well, "soon" has passed and I have not seen a posting on the OAT website or the HSBC website (rumour was that they have the place and date due to a two year agreement with OAT and this is the second year)

Wonder why some top athletes don't show up for these events? Probably because they already set their schedule and cannot switch it up to make them fit. I recently registered for an Ironman 70.3 event so that will be a focus for several weeks around the date of that event. My luck will be that the Ont. Championship will fall in that time period and I will not be able to compete but if I waited any longer I would have been out of luck as the Ironman events fill very early (in most cases).

I know I am never going to be a popular person with our governing bodies but the athletes need a voice and deserve value for the money they pay for these memberships.


Thank you,

Larry Bradley

Pro or Age Grouper

I brought this up on another forum back when I first cracked into the sport about three years ago. At that point in time, I wondered why some super fast people were racing as Age Group athletes when they would easily meet the Elite times in this area? I was also curious as to why people raced elite on HSBC, or another one-off event (i.e. Windsor Duathlon), but Age Group on Subaru?

Now that I have had a some success in duathlon (mainly by default as most of the top athletes are too busy with the triathlon to fill the high positions in the Du), I wonder if I should apply for my Elite status with OAT for Duathlon?

Not sure what benefit I would get out of this as most duathlon races in the area do not offer that category, and I will be racing many more triathlons this season, so the only race this would really matter for is the Ontario Du Championships. I know I will not be a top three elite duathlete in Ontario, even if I worked my butt off this year, but I guess it would be more of a status reward for getting into the overall top 10 (8th in 2008, 6th in 2009) in the province. It would also open up an Age Group spot for somebody else that has been close to the podium for a few years.

To be honest, I think all the guys and gals, who have been up at the top of duathlon over the past few years, should go into an Elite category to battle it out and allow other Age Groupers a chance to taste the top three or five in a race.

What are your thoughts?

I would also love to hear why some of you have decided to apply for Pro/Elite status (benefits, pride, money, etc.) or why you have elected to compete at the Age Group level, even though you are more than fast enough to race at the top of many events?

Or, should it be up to the governing bodies to decide if we are Elite or Age Group? I know this is a whole new can of worms!!!!

Fall Update...

With the busy season behind most of us, it is sometimes tough to keep the blog fresh. Nothing too exciting (except my little guy's 1st birthday!) these days but I will throw down as few bullet points...

-A couple great race reports to read from Clearwater from Bruce Bird (4 parts) and Syd Trefiak. Click their names to visit their sites!

-Took a week and a half off after the marathon. Now my left knee has been acting up since tweaking it on the downhill portion of the marathon. Trying to get ready, and faster, for Guelph 5k XC (Nov 28) and Egg Nog Jog (Dec 13) but have to be very careful.

-Set up my first massage appointment since switching jobs. My legs need a good treatment session. Had a nice sports clinic downtown TO but it is much too far to visit now that I work in Meadowvale.

-Had a little spell in the pool last Thursday and had to leave practice half way through. Second time I have not been very clear in that pool. Not sure what happened but was dizzy and nauseous for most of the night when I got home. Felt 100% the next morning. Been back in the water at another pool twice this week and felt fine (even broke 1:40 for 100m for my first time during one of the intervals, wahoo!). Hope it is not the pool in Brampton that is giving me issues as that is my big session with Hans and FMCT.

-Had a fun run with the Falcons on Sunday to tour the Egg Nog Jog course. Man, this is a tough course and will require some strategic pace changes to hit my secret goal!

-Had a fantastic email from Jeremy at Running Free sent to me the other day. My application for team status has been submitted so I will cross my fingers. I really missed their support last season, but that was my (silly) choice.

Last, but not least...

Don't forget to visit the websites of our local pros. They have all kinds of great articles and tips throughout their postings. I know it has helped me since I started to follow along. Follow the links below to visit their sites...

Tyler Lord

Jen Coombs

James Loaring




Well, that is it for this post. I hope everyone is staying motivated and healthy!

Larry

My 2009 Retail Customer Service Award - Swim & Sports

First some background - since this was my first triathlon, I have not had to enter too many swimming stores. My FMCT club is sponsored by the store but I actually called Swim & Sports (Mississauga, Ontario) after seeing the ad on a triathlon series website. I now know that I have a connection to the store for the future which works out very well for the following reasons.

Why they win the Award - when I was calling around to rent a wetsuit, I phoned a few different places in the area. Swim & Sports were second on the list. The lady that answered the phone was really nice and very thoughtful. She listened to my situation and when I asked if they rented sleeveless wetsuits so politely said no. In most cases this would lead to an up sell to another product or the end of the conversation. She continued to help me out with some pointers for my first swim and gave me the name of another retailer that may rent out what I was looking for. I knew the store and told her that I could look up their number but she was already on the case and provided that as well. I was impressed by the service she was giving even though it may lead to a sale for a competitor.

As the other place did not have the sleeveless option, I made sure to give Swim & Sports my business thanks to the special treatment I had received on the phone. When I arrived I was greeted by Alan, who set me up with my rental. He had a lot of tips and wetsuit information that I never even thought about during the lead up to this race. Once in the suit, he then positioned me properly in the gear to show me exactly how it should fit and then let me know what I should look for to get back to this fit on race day. As I checked out, he continued to pass along some very handy suggestions that I stored away upstairs and remembered at the tri to complete my first transition in very competitive fashion.

The swim, on race day, went well thanks to the suit which definitely made it so much better. The unfortunate thing was that I put a 4 inch tear in the shoulder removing the suit running up the beach to my bike rack. I felt terrible and started to worry about the extra cost associated with this venture into the tri world.

With the race completed early Saturday, I had a few days to think about this rip which was unsettling to say the least. The store did not open until Tuesday (they are closed Sunday and Monday) so I had to wait to find out the damage, dollar wise. Wanting to be prepared, I called ahead to see what their policy was for that type of damage and to my delight I was told that they have accounted for it and they will be able to repair before the next person rents.

This was a huge relief as I heard through the grapevine that some places may charge around $60 for the repair. At that rate, I may as well have bought the suit. As it turns out, I had a more than pleasant experience renting from Swim & Sports and would recommend their service in a hear beat. I know the service I received will bring me back to them when I buy my own suit this winter!



Here are some other details that made this rental an easy sell -

Cost - $35 for the week (you can pick it up Wednesday and return it the following Tuesday. This was the best value I received from the places I called by a long shot!

Tri Friendly - I was surprised at all the tri specific gear they carried. I figured it was just a bunch of swimming products that people could use as tri gear but they actually cater to the tri community in a big way.

Product Knowledge - the staff knew their stuff which really helped me as I couldn't tell you the difference between wetsuits, how to find sizes, or what type of goggle is best for outdoor swimming.

Much, much more...

Lakeside 2 - A TRIATHLON Race Report

With my duathlon racing all wrapped up for 2009, I figured it was time to get some open water experience for 2010. The HSBC Triathlon Series’ Lakeside 2 aligned perfectly with my previous schedule and allowed me to stay in game shape while getting a few weeks of swimming under my belt. Since, I am still very green around the gills, I selected the shorter distance race on the Saturday (600m swim, 20k bike, 4k run) to limit the time I would have to spend in the lake.

It was a chilly race morning but I arrived nice and early for my triathlon debut which gave me a bunch of time for a solid warm up. About thirty minutes before my wave, I started to get into my rental wetsuit to get a feel for it in the water for the first time. I was amazed at the extra float the suit gave me. It seemed like I only had to crawl in the water as my legs were so close to the surface without even working to keep them there. I tested out the suit for a few minutes and got used to the open water swim. Thankfully, the lake was calm on this morning and I did not have to work too much on my breathing over top of any waves.

When I finally felt confident about my chances to make it through the opening swim, I headed to shore to make sure my fans (my Mom and Jim) had made the trip safely, which they did after a slight detour through the side roads of Oxford County. My mom loves to snap away on her new camera and she wanted to put it through the full range of settings with a bunch of action shots. It was awesome to have somebody taking so many photos documenting my first real triathlon.

When our wave was finally up, I easily found a spot on the far left side of the swim course. I am sure there was a reason for the rest of them lining up more to the middle and right side of the starting buoys but I liked the left side that seemed to be the shortest line to the first turn in the water. As the horn sounded to start (wave number 2), I tried not to get caught up in the action to my right and set out at a controlled pace. I was doing pretty decent, so I thought, but wanted to do a sight check. This is when I noticed how fast the rest of my wave was going. Wow, they were flying in comparison to me.

I think this pushed me into a poor decision to increase my stroke pace. By the time I was to make my first turn, I had already started to wear down and found myself in breast stroke mode. I made the turn right beside the buoy and talked myself into returning to a sloppy freestyle stroke. I had not spent three weeks in the pool to do breast stroke around the 600 metre swim! I put down another 100 metres in a very inefficient manner before my tired shoulders forced me back to the breast stroke again. I used it as a chance to catch my breath and scope out the others around me. I was actually catching some of the wave ahead but, in reality, I was falling behind the leaders of my age group in a big way.

Once again, I found the strength to get back to a front crawl and was down the home stretch. I could see the others ahead of me exiting the water about 200 metres up on the beach but every time I got my head back into the water, the small current would push me to the other shore. I fought this for a little over a minute before I finally got in close enough to start walking through the weeds and sand. I had made it and 75% was actually freestyle, a poor version but still quicker than my trusty breast stroke.

Running through the water was tough and zapped my energy. I made sure to use all the tips from Alan at Swim and Sports to get out of the suit as quick as possible. Pull the Velcro tab, yank the zipper down, get my swim cap off, start peeling off the top of the suit one arm at a time. Well, things seemed to be going well until the darn wetsuit ripped big time in the shoulder. I hope the charge to repair is not too much as it would put a damper on an other wise great experience.

I had to clear this possible expense out of my mind for now as I had a lot of work to do to catch up. Upon reaching my bike, I got the rest of the suit off and grabbed my bike from the rack. This would be my first ride without socks but I was not too worried as the air seemed warm enough at this point. My goal was to hammer out a top 5 bike split to get back into the game. I rushed to get up to speed and was off through the field of triathletes and duathletes. I felt like I was really moving as I cruised down the left side of the competition. The road was already busy with several other riders so I was constantly yelling out “on the left” to make sure I did not lose any momentum. I pushed harder and harder but was not quite at the pace I wanted.

When I hit the turn I could tell I had made some big gains and knew it was hammer time. The wind was now a little to our backs so I used it along the ride home to get my average up to a more respectable split. A few hundred metres from transition I was up near 38km/h on my computer so I was pleased with my progress and started my dismount preparations. I have noticed in the past few races that I need to maintain speed leading to the dismount and will work on this over the off-season. I continue to throw away valuable time taking it easy after posting very competitive bike splits leading to those final few hundred metres.

Back in transition, I saw only one other bike on my rack so things were looking good. My bare feet, though, were numb from the wet of the swim and cool wind on the bike. I stumbled to get my racing flats on but was still out the back gate with one of the faster changes. The first several steps were very strange as I could not feel my feet at all. I did not worry about it and just pushed on as hard as I could thanks to my fans urging me on! I lost a little time from my goal pace right out of the gate due to the grass and curves covered to get out of the staging area but was up to speed by the time I hit the asphalt.

The first 800 metres consisted of an asphalt street joined to 1.2k of gravel country road. The gravel road had tire wide paths of hard surface that I was able to keep the pace through as I made my way down a slight slope to the turn around. Just before I reached this marker, I started to cramp in my side. I slowed down a touch to work it out with my hands and also used some breathing methods to relieve the pain. It seemed to work and I was able to race on without tossing away too many more seconds.

Feeling that I was in decent shape (judging by the lack of runners coming back towards me as I made my turn), I decided there was no reason to hold back now. I had the one minor hill to climb but other than that I made short work of the 2k on the way home. I could only see one other person in front of me that resembled my age but he was a couple hundred metres out in front and moving at a clip very similar to mine.

Once I hit the final kilometre, I hammered it out, leaving nothing in the tank. It was so cool to find that gear again at the end of a race and helped me move up a few spots on the overall standings. Being a duathlete, I am use to knowing the final placing immediately after the race but here I had to wait several minutes before they posted some results to show how the waves mixed together. My goal was to go top 20 overall in my first tri attempt. In the end, I reached 6th place overall and 3rd in my Age Group which I was very happy to achieve.

The challenge has now been set to improve dramatically in the water over the course of the off-season. Although, my swim was not quite what I imagined in my pre-race visualizations (I honestly thought I could pull myself across the 600m in roughly 2:00/100 m pace based on my pool times), I still feel pretty confident with my abilities to bring my splits down by the time Milton rolls along next spring.

On the bike side, I was able to lay down a solid split and recorded the fastest time of the day (tri and du included) which slightly exceeded my target heading into the race.

On the run, I really felt I put in a solid effort but I could not get my watch on to pace accurately. I also left some seconds on the course negotiating the grass out of transition and trying to work out the cramp but I am still pleased with the result. Looking at the overall run times, I was fourth quickest among the field and still under my yearly goal of 4:00/km.

With multisport events now finished for the season, I will relax for a few days before gearing up for a few running races this fall/winter. Currently, I have a marathon in mind and would also like to test a few 5k races to see where I sit these days at that distance.

Thanks for reading,
Larry

PS - I have to say hi to a number of people that I talked to in Lakeside. John from FMCT, who has been very generous with swim tips and videos. Anne from Saugeen Tri Club was down from Hanover (my old high school town) competing and cheering on her daughter in the KOS! Energizer Bunny (Jeff) and Triskele (Shayne) from Canadian Triathletes.com picked me out of the crowd and introduced themselves which was cool to finally meet after several conversations online.

10 Non-Tri Questions with Simon Whitfield

When I set up a poll (LINK TO POLL) a few weeks ago, I mentioned that the person brought up the most in the answers would be a possible interview subject for my blog. Well, since my blog is not all that popular, yet, I only received one answer (thanks Bruce!).

Sticking to my word, I sent Bruce's favorite triathlete a quick email interview and here are my Q's and the A's from Mr. Whitfield. I must mention that Simon responded to my email with full answers in less than 1 day, building on his reputation as one of the most classy professional athletes ever!

1. Where is your favourite place in the world to relax for a week?

home home home, with my daughter and Jennie.


2. What is your favourite hobby outside of the sport?

guitar. i'm terrible, it's humbling!


3. What is the one food you cannot resist? How often do you actually get to enjoy it?

is beer a food, once a week in season, ok maybe twice.


4. What do you think you would be doing as a career if you did not have athletic success?

never considered it. something competitive and creative. marketing?


5. Do you enjoy wine (in moderation and in the off-season)? If so, what varietal do you enjoy?

yes, I've been fortunate enough to enjoy some really nice wines while in Tuscany with a bunch of wino's.

6. Who, outside of sports figures, do you respect the most (current or historic)? What did they do to capture your attention?

Jim Cuddy lead singer Blue Rodeo and Barney Bental. cool dudes, driven, compassionate, funny as hell, incredible relationships with their kids and their wives. astounding musicians


7. I am sure you always get questions about your sport but is there a topic of conversation outside of athletics that you are very passionate about?

now, music. loving this challenge around learning the guitar.


local issues, sustainability, sewage treatment (VICTORIA DON'T BUILD THE TREATMENT PLANTS).


8. How many break away attempts would it take you to score a goal on Martin Brodeur?

one. 5 hole.


9. What song is your secret guilty pleasure? Or was until this became public…

while others are listening to high tempo pump up music I'm listening to Iron and Wine and Bon Iver......

10. Did you have to practice your autograph when people started to recognize you for your achievements?

rubber stamp....

My Day Watching Muskoka 70.3!!

Yesterday started a little off schedule as I received a call at 1:00 am from the security company at work. Apparently, someone(s) decided it would be a good night to attempt to break into our office. When I got there the front, glass door had a huge hole from a rock. I immediately called the police and waited around for them to clear the scene. After they wrapped up their duties, I cleaned up the mess and made some repairs to door, patching the hole as best as I could with some cardboard. By the time I got home it was 4:00 am and I had the alarm set for 6:00 am to get up and travel north to watch the Muskoka 70.3.

Nolan ended up waking us at 5:45 am but my wife got him back to sleep right away. I knew 15 minutes would not be worth the effort to get myself back to sleep so I hit the shower and then quietly made my way out to the car. Leaving this early made for a quick trip to Huntsville free of traffic on the way to cottage country.
I ended up getting into my parking spot around 8:30 am and took my bike off the rack. I brought my cyclo cross bike to allow for easy transport around the race site. It was actually a good idea as I saw so much more this year compared to last year when I spectated in the pouring rain. I spent most of last year walking between viewing areas so I missed a lot of action.

As I reached the 1k marker on the bike course, the first of the pro men were just rolling by so I decided to get down to the backside of transition to cheer on my age group buddies. They were spread across the various waves so I stuck around here for awhile trying to catch them all before the mount line. I think Paul Bregin was the first person I noticed with his age group heading out 15 minutes after the pro men. After Paul, they started to flood through the gate including Syd, Bruce, Brian, Jim, Bill, Laura, Terry, Natalie, Andrea, Colin, John, and many others looking excited to hit the bikes.

After watching the bike mount area, I headed back down to the 1k turn at the top of the first climb. I saw a few others pass by here including Gavin and Richard so I was happy to see them continuing on their way. The 2k swim can be a very tough and intimidating task so I was just glad that they all made it through the first section.

After Richard flew looking very strong on his distinctive yellow Cervelo, I decided to make another move to check out the bike course. I ended up finding a great spot about 3k from transition on the top of a serious climb. I knew I had a long wait before the leaders would be back here but I used the time to grab a snack from my pack and cheer on the last of the waves heading out. These folks always seem so upbeat and appreciative of the support that you cannot help but cheer them on.

Once the last of the cyclists cruised past, I had close to an hour before the pro men would be in the area so I continued down the route and put in a bit of a workout myself on the very technical and hilly course. I got out to the 10k sign and figured I better head back to my spot to get set up for some photos. With some other fans out on this section, I received a lot of attention as they thought I was a racer from a distance. As I got closer you could see the disappointment in their cheering. I guess my pack back, baggy shorts and cross bike gave it away. HAHA

When I reached my viewing area, I had worked up a little sweat. Oh well, it was worth it to get an idea of the pain the athletes would suffer on this course. Just a few minutes after I was settled, I could see the top riders making their way around a fast sweeping curve in the distance. They were flying around the bend and down the hill on the other side of the valley that I was using as my vantage point. By the time they pumped their way up to me they were 91k into the ride and dead tired from the effort expended on the challenging track.

At this point my favourite long course triathlete, Craig Alexander, was in second only a few bike lengths behind the leader and in prime striking position with his running abilities. The rest of pro field was now in chase mode as they made their way by with locals Sean Bechtel and Wolfgang Guembel sitting nicely up the rankings.

On the ladies side, a number of the international pros (Mirinda Carfrae, Rebeccah Wassner, Kelly Couch) made it to the top of the hill before the Canadian gals. Magali, Paolina and Lisa had their work cut out for them but you could tell they were not about to quit. Along with the ladies came a number of the top age groupers from the early wave so I was getting excited to see how far Bruce had made it through the field. It didn’t take long to find out as he crushed the bike (an amazing 7th fastest bike split) and was making serious ground up on the entire age group contingent.

I waited at this spot for a little longer and watched as Paul and Syd passed by, both looking focused and ready for the half marathon ahead of them. I then jumped back on my bike and made my way back towards the run section of the course. By the time I reached the main intersection (the 1k marker on top of the hill), Paul was just about to catch Lisa Bentley and he was surging. I drove past and offered him some more encouragement as I headed deeper into the run course. As I progressed along Highway 60, I found one of Bruce’s main opponents, Darren Walton, making his way along the side of the busy roadway. I was going to estimate a split for Bruce but the Birdman must have been out on the switchback section that I did not travel.

In searching for the former Du’er, I biked out to the part of the course where the runners entered an asphalt trail along the east side of the highway that was about 6.5k from the finish. When I arrived to this location the official I spoke to mentioned the leaders had already gone down the trail quite some time ago. Since I wanted to see the finish, I decided to head back but did not want to get in the way so I let Wolfgang and Andrew Russell make their way down the path before I made my way back to the staging area at Deerhurst Resort.

Even though I cut some corners on the way back, I still missed the first 4 or 5 triathletes cross the line. I could tell by the athlete’s body language how they had done. Crowie had another amazing 21.1 k run (1:11:41!!) to take the title by 4 minutes over Richie Cunningham.

With so many fans congested in the transition area about a hundred metres up from the finish line, I figured I would just hang out where I was and wait for all the people I came to cheer on. Because of the gaps between starting times, this was a longer wait than expected but so worth it when I saw the excitement of the guys when they finished.

The first age groupers started to roll in around 40 minutes after the winners. I watched as a few 35-39 and 25-29 AG athletes ran down the final chute to the finish. I knew if Bruce was having a good run he would not be far behind. As expected he was not far at all and he had made his first year in triathlon an incredible story winning a the competitive 40-44 Age Group, placing him 16th overall and more impressively finishing FIRST overall of the non-pro triathletes. Not bad for a duathlete that only started swimming last fall!

Bruce’s results and progress this year have been very instrumental in leading me into the water for next season. As we competed on the duathlon circuit in 2008, we had some close races at the start of the year before Bruce really picked it up later in the summer, especially on the longer races where his cycling dominates. Seeing him succeed in the triathlon has showed me that I will be able to compete in my age group next year as long as I put the same effort into my swimming as I do with the bike and run. I don’t think I will have as big of a rookie season as the Birdman but even if I am a small percentage back, it will still be very respectable on the stats sheet.

Back to the race, as I continued to watch the finishing area I caught site of FMCT teammate Brian Hastings looking great down the final hundred metre stretch. He was closely followed by Syd (sorry I could not find you in the crowds after to congratulate in person!), Richard (FMCT), Peter (FMCT), Hans (FMCT swim coach), Laura (FMCT), and JJ (Running Free). I stuck around for a few minutes to congratulate all the Falcons for their great races. By this point it was pushing on 1:30 pm so I figured I should head home to help out with the family work around supper and bedtime.

On my way to my car, I saw Andrew (FMCT) looking very happy to see the finish. Then, on my way over to highway 11 (stuck in traffic for 30 minutes on highway 60 where the runners cross the road), I saw several others making their way back to the finish area. Jim (FMCT), Peter (FMCT), John (FMCT), Natalie (FMCT), Terry (FMCT), Kevin (Guelph buddy) and Andrea (FMCT) were only a few kilometres from the end of their races.

Unfortunately, when I checked the stats at home that night, I noticed Paul was not able to finish because of an injury. He was looking so strong the last time I saw him so I am sure he was disappointed. I was really hoping his injury string was done for this season. Hope you are back to 100% soon!
To all those I missed in the above message, great racing! I hope you all achieved your goals and are able to take some positives into your next challenge!

Also, I have to say a big thank you to my wife for letting me follow my friends around the course. I know she likes to read my odd story (just to make sure I am being a good boy, HAHA)!

Photos from Muskoka 70.3

I use to take some nice shots before digital came around. I ended up losing a lot of photos from the race due to focus issues. Very disappointing!
4 OF THE TOP 5 CATCHING THEIR BREATH


TERRY FROM FMCT


PAUL MAKING HIS BIG CLIMB


MIGHTY MOUSE CLOSING ON THIRD


CROWIE WRAPPING UP AN INTERVIEW


REBECCAH WASSNER TAKING SECOND


LAKE PLACID WINNER MAIK TWELSIEK