The 9th Annual Spring into Motion 5k was hosted by Brad Mailloux and the Feet in Motion Staff at the Gellert Community Centre (Georgetown, ON). The race heads out from the walking paths of the Community Centre and then follows a stretch of the bike path along Eighth Line before snaking through the local subdivision and bringing the runners back to the Gellert Centre.
A full day of rest could not revive my body from the damage of a Friday night out with the guys. It had been a long time since we all got together and I must have thought I could still carry on like my youthful days. Bad mistake.
Not being able to fuel or hydrate for much of Saturday did not give me a lot of confidence as I went through my warm up on Sunday morning but I figured I would give it a whirl and see what I could make out of the situation. I tried to talk myself into going after my goal of sub-17 minutes and knew a few racers were going to be out ahead pacing that effort. Tim Shannon (multiple defending champ) and Sean Bowen (McMaster track athlete) were in attendance so the pace would be brisk for sure.
At the starting line, the light rain didn’t seem to be much of a factor due to the warmer air we were greeted with on this spring morning. Learning from last year, I got right on the line as the lead out to the bike path is a little tight with a lot of young, spirited athletes hammering out of the gate.
As the horn sounded, I moved onto Tim’s heels and just let him work around the teen runners setting the early pace. After about five hundred metres, the speeds dropped and the more experienced athletes seemed to filter out of the crowd to establish the lead pack. There were three runners just a few metres ahead of me following the lead bike up the slight hill making up the first kilometre. At the 1k marker, I was through in 3:18 but was already feeling drained. My legs felt fine but my stomach just felt empty.
When we made the next right turn, I was slipping back from Tim and Sean and following third place by close to 20 metres. We were now moving gently down slope so I was hoping I could maintain the time cushion set in the first kilometre and then work through the final three km’s to get to my goal. Unfortunately, my system was not cooperating and I slowly started to fade back from the youngster as we reached the second kilometre sign.
With survival mode in full order, I ignored my watch and just tried to make back time on the runner ahead of me. Tim and Sean were way up the road and on pace for a blistering time so I knew I had to toughen up if I wanted a piece of the podium. During this middle portion of the race, we zigged zagged through the surrounding neighbourhood where we seemed to be shelter from much of the wind by the taller homes of the community. Even with this relief, I could not get up enough speed to cut the gap and my target slowly drifted away.
Finally, the chase seemed fruitless as he made his turn off the streets and onto the park pathways for our final five hundred metres. When I made my turn, I could see Sean had a slight lead over Tim as they raced down the finishing chute for an incredible 16:07 and 16:13 dual, respectively.
With the finishing line in sight, I tried to muster some last minute speed but even that request was declined and I turned the last corner to watch third hit the line in 17:02. Thankfully, I finally reached that line in 17:40 and fourth place overall (a full 15 seconds off last year’s time).
The disappointing part was that this year’s weather conditions were much easier for running and Tim took 19 seconds off his time from 2011 so I should have had a better result. Oh well, have to look forward and be ready for Sporting Life 10k on May 13th.
A big thank you to Brad and his Feet in Motion crew for another great race. They always make the event worth putting on the calendar with their charity donations, volunteers, prizing and solid, local competitors.
April 16, 2012
April 11, 2012
Good Friday Cycling Race - M3 Race Report
Surprisingly, I had very few nerves going into the first race of the season. As long as the bike was working well, I knew I had put in the work to stay close to my teammates so we could stick with the majority of the riders in the M3 field.
After my warm up, I did get to the start line behind most of the others in my category so this created a little worry but Coach Kris from our team, http://www.kurzawinskicoach.com/ , gave me a game plan to work my way up the pack to align with Richard and Phill. I really wanted to be up much closer to them on the start but the Commissionaires were being very strict with us staying on the right half of the road and forcing all late riders to the back of the pack. Oh well...
So the race starts and several guys go zooming up the other side of the road for the next few kilometres trying to get away from the back. I didn't want to risk a DQ so I "patiently" picked away at the right side. Once out of the tree lined section of the course, we were getting hit with a minor side wind that many were trying to avoid so the right side eventually started to open up, although I was wasting more energy than most of the other riders, I still felt that I was well below my usual race effort so continued up the side of the pack.
By the time we made our first right turn I had moved up into the top fifteen and could see Richard and Phill lurking up near the front. We were now into a head wind and the pace dramatically slowed as nobody wanted to lead out the group. This short stretch leading to a steep, twisting hill tested our braking abilities again so I just stayed put and waited for our first climb.
I dropped down to my small ring up front and spun up the hill with no worries. I was making good time up the hill and was actually getting caught in some of the guys starting to stall, which caused some drama but I strugged it off and crested the hill for my decent. During the decent, I passed a good number of athletes and made it up to see Richard and Phill both in around the top five.
Deciding I could give them a lead out for a while, I settled in behind the lead rider and made the next two climbs on his rear before making a little move as we headed down the hill after turning onto Safari Road. I was hoping Richard and Phill would pick this up and give me a signal to hammer but I think too many others were too close at this point to really make a major move this early in the race. I just kept pulling and monitoring my effort to make I was not burning too much too soon.
As we made the next right onto Brock Road, the huge peloton remained right on my tail. We had a tailwind along this fairly flat part so the speeds started to pick up and everyone held tight until we made our last turn of lap 1 back to the start/finish line.
At this point a few guys decided to pick up the pace and seemed to want to sprint for the line. Not sure what they were thinking but we all jumped on and nothing was established as we started lap 2. Not too much further up the road, my momentum had taken me back up to the front with WOB rider, Stanislaw Bielak. Kris told me to stay with him as much as possible as he had won the past few Good Friday races in this category. I was hoping he was ready to roll but he was not too interested in pulling so I basically had to roll to a stop before he would pull through.
Eventually, a few other riders grew tired of the slow pace and took the lead as we corned onto Westover Road. This was the head wind portion so their efforts were pretty much smashed by the breeze that was showing signs of waking up. I was starting to think this was going to take a sprint to win the race, which is not in my favour, so I was starting to plot a strategy to take off, hopefully with my teammates in tow.
I figured I would wait until we got through the three hills and then pick it up on the flats to see what would happen. With this plan set, I just tried to remain calm on the climbs to reserve my energy for the upcoming effort. Unfortunately, as we were descending on the Safari Road hill, our race was neutralized by an official to let the S4 group pass us. The pace car destroyed any chance I had as the group became like a can of sardines waiting for the race to start again.
Once the S4 group had passed, and gapped us, we were set free but it was chaos for the rest of the race as we had too many people trying to share a lane of this country road. Many were getting edgy and making their move on the other side of the yellow but I did not want to risk this. Especially, after watching one dude almost eat the front grill of a car coming up the other side of the road. Scary...
So the rest of the last lap was just a bunch of grapes floating along the course. I could see Richard and Phill just a couple bikes ahead of me but I was stuck dead centre with nowhere to go. By the time the group started to move along Brock Road for the last few kilometres, things were really getting pushy as I could see a lot of jockeying for position in the couple rows a head. This is when things got really crazy, just to the right of my bike, I saw one guy go down and the rider beside me could not avoid the mess. I was just hoping my teammates were OK but I could only see Phill still riding. I had a bad feeling Richard was a part of the carnage and started to get very cautious.
Around the last corner, to the sprint finish, all I could think was just get me to the line with the rubber side down. Thankfully, this short section opened up to the full road and the group spread out with most grabbing wheels on the right hand side. I saw an opening on the left and hammered down that side of the road passing a few people from the massive peloton. I ended up with the same time as the leader but back in 22nd place. Phill had a nice sprint just a few wheels back of the leaders and ended up in 9th place overall. Jon Westwood had a solid debut in the S4 category getting his feet wet in the sport with a 32nd place showing. Nicely done guys!
Thankfully, Richard ended up being cleared by the medical staff and is back at it already. It was a nasty tumble he took and can be read about on his blog http://richard-westwood.blogspot.com/
From the results page there were 52 riders that finished in the main group and 97 athletes that started the race in M3.
Also, it was good to see a bunch of tri and du folks out on the course. I know the roadies don't like to share their sport very much but we put in some good results. Congrats to Alex Auld, David Moore, Ryan Power, Derek Snider, Evert Lamb, Kevin Tearle, etc. ( I am sure there are more but too many names to sort through...)
After my warm up, I did get to the start line behind most of the others in my category so this created a little worry but Coach Kris from our team, http://www.kurzawinskicoach.com/ , gave me a game plan to work my way up the pack to align with Richard and Phill. I really wanted to be up much closer to them on the start but the Commissionaires were being very strict with us staying on the right half of the road and forcing all late riders to the back of the pack. Oh well...
So the race starts and several guys go zooming up the other side of the road for the next few kilometres trying to get away from the back. I didn't want to risk a DQ so I "patiently" picked away at the right side. Once out of the tree lined section of the course, we were getting hit with a minor side wind that many were trying to avoid so the right side eventually started to open up, although I was wasting more energy than most of the other riders, I still felt that I was well below my usual race effort so continued up the side of the pack.
By the time we made our first right turn I had moved up into the top fifteen and could see Richard and Phill lurking up near the front. We were now into a head wind and the pace dramatically slowed as nobody wanted to lead out the group. This short stretch leading to a steep, twisting hill tested our braking abilities again so I just stayed put and waited for our first climb.
I dropped down to my small ring up front and spun up the hill with no worries. I was making good time up the hill and was actually getting caught in some of the guys starting to stall, which caused some drama but I strugged it off and crested the hill for my decent. During the decent, I passed a good number of athletes and made it up to see Richard and Phill both in around the top five.
Deciding I could give them a lead out for a while, I settled in behind the lead rider and made the next two climbs on his rear before making a little move as we headed down the hill after turning onto Safari Road. I was hoping Richard and Phill would pick this up and give me a signal to hammer but I think too many others were too close at this point to really make a major move this early in the race. I just kept pulling and monitoring my effort to make I was not burning too much too soon.
As we made the next right onto Brock Road, the huge peloton remained right on my tail. We had a tailwind along this fairly flat part so the speeds started to pick up and everyone held tight until we made our last turn of lap 1 back to the start/finish line.
Eventually, a few other riders grew tired of the slow pace and took the lead as we corned onto Westover Road. This was the head wind portion so their efforts were pretty much smashed by the breeze that was showing signs of waking up. I was starting to think this was going to take a sprint to win the race, which is not in my favour, so I was starting to plot a strategy to take off, hopefully with my teammates in tow.
I figured I would wait until we got through the three hills and then pick it up on the flats to see what would happen. With this plan set, I just tried to remain calm on the climbs to reserve my energy for the upcoming effort. Unfortunately, as we were descending on the Safari Road hill, our race was neutralized by an official to let the S4 group pass us. The pace car destroyed any chance I had as the group became like a can of sardines waiting for the race to start again.
Once the S4 group had passed, and gapped us, we were set free but it was chaos for the rest of the race as we had too many people trying to share a lane of this country road. Many were getting edgy and making their move on the other side of the yellow but I did not want to risk this. Especially, after watching one dude almost eat the front grill of a car coming up the other side of the road. Scary...
So the rest of the last lap was just a bunch of grapes floating along the course. I could see Richard and Phill just a couple bikes ahead of me but I was stuck dead centre with nowhere to go. By the time the group started to move along Brock Road for the last few kilometres, things were really getting pushy as I could see a lot of jockeying for position in the couple rows a head. This is when things got really crazy, just to the right of my bike, I saw one guy go down and the rider beside me could not avoid the mess. I was just hoping my teammates were OK but I could only see Phill still riding. I had a bad feeling Richard was a part of the carnage and started to get very cautious.
Around the last corner, to the sprint finish, all I could think was just get me to the line with the rubber side down. Thankfully, this short section opened up to the full road and the group spread out with most grabbing wheels on the right hand side. I saw an opening on the left and hammered down that side of the road passing a few people from the massive peloton. I ended up with the same time as the leader but back in 22nd place. Phill had a nice sprint just a few wheels back of the leaders and ended up in 9th place overall. Jon Westwood had a solid debut in the S4 category getting his feet wet in the sport with a 32nd place showing. Nicely done guys!
Thankfully, Richard ended up being cleared by the medical staff and is back at it already. It was a nasty tumble he took and can be read about on his blog http://richard-westwood.blogspot.com/
From the results page there were 52 riders that finished in the main group and 97 athletes that started the race in M3.
Also, it was good to see a bunch of tri and du folks out on the course. I know the roadies don't like to share their sport very much but we put in some good results. Congrats to Alex Auld, David Moore, Ryan Power, Derek Snider, Evert Lamb, Kevin Tearle, etc. ( I am sure there are more but too many names to sort through...)
April 5, 2012
Local Races to add to your calendars...
Run4Hope - organized by the FMCT Falcons
There are both 5k and 10k options for this event on Sunday, April 29th in Brampton.
This is the 8th Annual Run4Hope Road Race. Fletcher’s Meadows Cross Trainers have been organizing this important community race since 2005. It has grown from a race with less than 100 participants in 2005 to over 450 in 2011.
With the support of the City of Brampton and our title sponsors, we encourage local residents to come out for fitness and at the same time help sponsor the Sky's the Limit charity.
Please visit the site below to learn more and to register...
Spring into Motion 5km Road Race and 1km Kids Fun Run - organized by Feet in Motion
The 9th Annual Spring into Motion road race will take place Sunday, April 15th at the Gellert Community centre on 8th Line, Georgetown.
Pre- registered racers can pick up race kit the morning of, beginning at 7:30am
Race day registration begins at 7:30am.
Race day entree fees are $30 for the 5km Road Race and $15 for the 1km Kids fun Run. Remember all proceeds go to Canadian Tire Jumpstart.
Kids 1km Fun Run begins at 8:45 and the route stays on the Gellert paved paths. Kids get a bib number, finishing medal and……….ice cream compliments of Get the Scoop!
The adult 5Km road run begins at 9:00 sharp.
Race will go on rain or shine…..(wish for shine!)
Contact Feet In Motion for further details. Or register online at http://onlineregistrations.ca/
http://feetinmotion.ca/
April 3, 2012
It's been a long time coming...
Well, it is the lead up week to my first race of the season and I am not sure what to expect. This is often the case for my cycling events as I am still learning the ropes and very green behind the ears with these strategic races.
There are a number of factors out there that would suggest it is going to be a tough day. I have kept a strong run schedule of late as I am registered for Sporting Life 10k on May 13th. I have not been out with the group as much as I would have liked due to work and family commitments. There are a lot of strong riders in M3 at Good Friday that technically should be in M2 or M1 but do not have the points to move up.
I could name off many more reasons but I am not going to look for any excuses come race day. I am going to use my ability to hurt to keep up with my teammates and hope to give them a spark when the call comes for a break or a bridge. The sprint will then be in their hands as long as we work well together to set up a favourable finish. We have two solid M3 racers in our club (Phill and Richard) that will have a great opportunity to accumulate some points this weekend so I hope Dave, myself and the rest of the crew can lend a hand to get them to the line in a podium position.
Wish me luck!
Larry
There are a number of factors out there that would suggest it is going to be a tough day. I have kept a strong run schedule of late as I am registered for Sporting Life 10k on May 13th. I have not been out with the group as much as I would have liked due to work and family commitments. There are a lot of strong riders in M3 at Good Friday that technically should be in M2 or M1 but do not have the points to move up.
I could name off many more reasons but I am not going to look for any excuses come race day. I am going to use my ability to hurt to keep up with my teammates and hope to give them a spark when the call comes for a break or a bridge. The sprint will then be in their hands as long as we work well together to set up a favourable finish. We have two solid M3 racers in our club (Phill and Richard) that will have a great opportunity to accumulate some points this weekend so I hope Dave, myself and the rest of the crew can lend a hand to get them to the line in a podium position.
Wish me luck!
Larry
March 23, 2012
Checking in...
Hey folks! Hope everyone is loving the amazing weather we have been so lucky to enjoy for the past few weeks? I know I have!
The bike has seen the asphalt quite a bit already this "spring" and the beautiful weather has motivated me to get off the treadmill for a lot of my speed work. Although, I am not exactly ready for the dizziness of the track just yet, I have found some great, flat stretches of trail to mark out my distances so I can zone out and just concentrate on form and turnover. Results have been promising but I feel I still have a lot of work to do, especially, with the last few reps where my pace has been tailing off.
As I have registered for the Sporting Life 10k, I have been very focused on getting ready to push my time as low as possible. I know it is a downhill run but I do have a few previous experiences with the course so I have to crush those times to show that my running is improving. Other than that run, I hope to jump into a 5k or two before the SL10k. The FMCT Falcon's "Run 4 Hope" ( http://run4hope.com/ ) in Brampton is one option with Brad's Feet in Motion "Spring into Motion" ( http://feetinmotion.ca/blog.html/?page_id=26 ) in Georgetown as another possibility.
On the cycling side, I have had the opportunity to ride along side some new teammates already this year. Richard & Jon Westwood and I have teamed up with some really great guys on http://www.kurzawinskicoach.com/ . Richard and I will be starting off in M3 with a number of other strong riders in hopes of earning enough points to move up the ranks. Although, I cannot make it out to all of their training sessions, I have jumped in and proved that I could ride with my category. When the hockey season wraps up, I will have some more spare time to ride with the boys.
The chance to ride with many top riders from the area can only make me stronger on the bike so I can't wait to join more of their daily sessions. Our first test will be in a few weeks as the OCup season gets underway in Flamborough at the Good Friday Road Race on April 6th. I raced this event back a few years ago so at least I know much of the course. This time, I will have much more confidence and a team to work with so it will be a whole new ball game. I just hope we can get up near the front of the pack before anything silly happens, as it always seems to have a fair number of crashes.
Beyond attending many of the OCup Road Races, I have not put much else in stone to date. I will jump into a bunch of du's along the way and try to stay up with the fast guys that seem to be getting quicker every season. I am just lucky most of them are in different Age Groups so I can take some pride in AG podiums! HA HA
As a parting note, keep an eye out for my next product review. I have been testing the Compex Mi-Sport muscle stimulator device for the past month. This has been a very cool experience and I would love to pass along some of my thoughts regarding the amazing product!
www.compex.info
Talk soon!
Larry
The bike has seen the asphalt quite a bit already this "spring" and the beautiful weather has motivated me to get off the treadmill for a lot of my speed work. Although, I am not exactly ready for the dizziness of the track just yet, I have found some great, flat stretches of trail to mark out my distances so I can zone out and just concentrate on form and turnover. Results have been promising but I feel I still have a lot of work to do, especially, with the last few reps where my pace has been tailing off.
As I have registered for the Sporting Life 10k, I have been very focused on getting ready to push my time as low as possible. I know it is a downhill run but I do have a few previous experiences with the course so I have to crush those times to show that my running is improving. Other than that run, I hope to jump into a 5k or two before the SL10k. The FMCT Falcon's "Run 4 Hope" ( http://run4hope.com/ ) in Brampton is one option with Brad's Feet in Motion "Spring into Motion" ( http://feetinmotion.ca/blog.html/?page_id=26 ) in Georgetown as another possibility.
On the cycling side, I have had the opportunity to ride along side some new teammates already this year. Richard & Jon Westwood and I have teamed up with some really great guys on http://www.kurzawinskicoach.com/ . Richard and I will be starting off in M3 with a number of other strong riders in hopes of earning enough points to move up the ranks. Although, I cannot make it out to all of their training sessions, I have jumped in and proved that I could ride with my category. When the hockey season wraps up, I will have some more spare time to ride with the boys.
The chance to ride with many top riders from the area can only make me stronger on the bike so I can't wait to join more of their daily sessions. Our first test will be in a few weeks as the OCup season gets underway in Flamborough at the Good Friday Road Race on April 6th. I raced this event back a few years ago so at least I know much of the course. This time, I will have much more confidence and a team to work with so it will be a whole new ball game. I just hope we can get up near the front of the pack before anything silly happens, as it always seems to have a fair number of crashes.
Beyond attending many of the OCup Road Races, I have not put much else in stone to date. I will jump into a bunch of du's along the way and try to stay up with the fast guys that seem to be getting quicker every season. I am just lucky most of them are in different Age Groups so I can take some pride in AG podiums! HA HA
As a parting note, keep an eye out for my next product review. I have been testing the Compex Mi-Sport muscle stimulator device for the past month. This has been a very cool experience and I would love to pass along some of my thoughts regarding the amazing product!
www.compex.info
Talk soon!
Larry
March 5, 2012
Product Review - CEP Compression Running Socks
CEP Compression Running Socks
Running and cycling are my passion. They are my stress busters and keep me energized to lead an active and healthy lifestyle. As the years tick by, these recreational outlets become a little tougher on the body and recovery does not come as easy as it did in my youthful days.
Over the past year, I have been a lot more intrigued by merchandise offered to improve this recovery and reduce fatigue during all my hours of training. In experimenting with a number of these items, I have found personal benefit during many of the tests and have grown fond of several products, specifically compression gear.
Through these trials (mostly compression tights and shorts so far) I have been able to increase my training load on the run and on the bike and increase my intensity during speed sessions. Lacking a scientific background, I cannot guarantee that all the positive results are technical in nature but my training and race performances during this period would suggest something in the gear is working.
At the start of 2012, I decided to participate in the annual FMCT 100 Run Challenge. As the days passed, and the miles accumulated, my legs finally started to wear and show signs of overuse. With the success of the compression usage on my upper legs, I figured it was time to try out some better technology below the knee.
For the first test in my new CEP Running Compression Socks, I headed to the gym for a date with the treadmill. I was prepared to write a review for this product so I took extra time to examine the gear before slapping on the runners.
I have the Black version (the white shows the padding much better)
For more information, please visit CEP Compression Canada!
http://cepcompression.ca/
Starting from the tip of the foot, I noticed the toe box was seamless and smooth but still supported to avoid early wear. Moving through the rest of the foot, I could see CEP had taken care to protect the usual breakdown areas with a little more material in these parts to reduce blistering and irritation. Although, there is extra padding in these sections, it does not create a lumpy feel on the foot so comfort is not compromised.
Getting my foot settled into the form fitting sock, I could tell I was going to love the way they would feel in my shoes. As I progress through the sport of running, I get more and more picky about the feel of my gear and footwear. I have tested several types of socks and have come to realize my feet enjoy a thinner sock that allows for greater feel inside of the sneaker.
Rolling the sock up past my calf, I could see the material was creating a lightweight layer of protection over my skin. Unlike a few other suffocating competitors I have tried, the CEP technology promoted a cooling sensation across the skin during the run. It was great to know I was not going to overheat in my lower extremities during this session, even in a warm gym.
As I put the compression socks through the grinds of my workout, they held their form perfectly without any restriction in my natural range of motion. The reduction in vibration through my shin and calf areas kept my lower legs energized during the entire long run, which was exactly what I required.
With all the additional running I was tackling of late, I was starting to develop mild pain in my mid tibialis anterior (muscle along the shin bone). The snug fitting CEP Compression helped to eliminate this feeling during the run so I was definitely impressed!
After sending the CEP’s through the wash cycle it was time to test the recovery function of the garment. Luckily, they disguised perfectly as a black dress sock so I was able to wear them to work after a crazy speed workout a few days later.
Once again, the thin material kept temperatures under control even beneath my slacks. The ideal tension was still holding form after the first wash and kept my muscles stable while on my feet during the course of the day. While wearing the CEP Compression Sock I felt a significant reduction in irritation around my shin so I kept them on for a recovery run that night and breezed through the workout feeling super strong.
Now my only issue was not having a few more sets for total coverage of the week. A few days later, the slight pain in my left shin returned and I started to worry that it was a stress fracture so I took a few days off while I was on a business trip. Before the end of the trip I hit the hotel gym for a test run (with the CEP’s) and everything felt great. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wash them after the workout and the slight nagging pain came back again as I sat in meetings.
A couple days after returning home, I finally had a chance to see my Physiotherapist. Thankfully, she diagnosed it as a minor sprain (from running so much in January) and she immediately started to work out the problem. With her treatment, and the CEP Compression Running Socks, I am back running pain free again. Needless to say, I had to grab another pair to keep a consistent rotation in my sports sock lineup.
In my opinion, CEP has made a superior quality Compression sock that I will continue to purchase over cheaper, less effective competition. Quality may come at a bit of a premium in this category but the results are well worth the extra spend.
CEP Compression is very confident in their product and offers a 6 Month Guarantee and Money Back Guarantee. If you have any reservations about trying their premium compression gear, test them out and you will not be disappointed.
For more information, please visit CEP Compression Canada!
http://cepcompression.ca/
February 28, 2012
Let the fun begin...
After a few weeks of mild depression, as I worried about a possible long term injury, I am happy to say I am back in action. When I arrived back from Vegas I made an appointment to see my Physio as soon as I could and thank goodness her diagnosis was on the positive side. My fear was that I had a stress fracture in my shin but she checked things out and determined that it was just muscle strain along that region. I took a few more days off after the initial treatment and went back for a second round less than a week later. Now I am back in business as the pain has disappeared and I can run confident that I will not be adding to a small fracture in my lower leg.
Obviously, after sitting on the sidelines for a few weeks, I had to slowly ramp back up to the speeds and distances that I was hitting before I shut things down. Today is actually my first speed session coming off the injured reserve so I am excited to see if I can build it up or if I will be winded earlier than my January tests? I was entering February in great shape thanks to a much better diet but I have fallen off the sugar wagon since the stress levels increased. Thankfully, I have not gained much in weight but I do notice a little more chub around the belly than I was sporting three weeks ago.
It is tough to eliminate all the bad foods, as I am sure everyone can attest. Problem with me is that I don't just snack, I devour mass quantities of all items that get in my way. I am also a terrible impulse purchaser and will grab garbage foods as I walk to the counter to pay for the products I really need. Damn you smart marketing people!
Hopefully, the outdoor long rides will start up soon so I can burn off a few more calories! I did get out for a 90 minute cruise on Sunday to commute to work. It was a lot more enjoyable than sitting on the trainer so I will cross my fingers for the bigger, weekend sessions to commence in the coming weeks. My attention span on the trainer is 45 to 60 minutes so getting the endurance sets done are way too painful indoors. Hats off to all those 2 and 3 hour stationary cycling folks I read about!
Anyway, just wanted to drop a quick update before my blog got too stale.
Talk soon,
Larry
Obviously, after sitting on the sidelines for a few weeks, I had to slowly ramp back up to the speeds and distances that I was hitting before I shut things down. Today is actually my first speed session coming off the injured reserve so I am excited to see if I can build it up or if I will be winded earlier than my January tests? I was entering February in great shape thanks to a much better diet but I have fallen off the sugar wagon since the stress levels increased. Thankfully, I have not gained much in weight but I do notice a little more chub around the belly than I was sporting three weeks ago.
It is tough to eliminate all the bad foods, as I am sure everyone can attest. Problem with me is that I don't just snack, I devour mass quantities of all items that get in my way. I am also a terrible impulse purchaser and will grab garbage foods as I walk to the counter to pay for the products I really need. Damn you smart marketing people!
Hopefully, the outdoor long rides will start up soon so I can burn off a few more calories! I did get out for a 90 minute cruise on Sunday to commute to work. It was a lot more enjoyable than sitting on the trainer so I will cross my fingers for the bigger, weekend sessions to commence in the coming weeks. My attention span on the trainer is 45 to 60 minutes so getting the endurance sets done are way too painful indoors. Hats off to all those 2 and 3 hour stationary cycling folks I read about!
Anyway, just wanted to drop a quick update before my blog got too stale.
Talk soon,
Larry
February 16, 2012
Here I am...
I know, I have been a little quiet for the past few weeks due to work and family stuff so here's a quick update.
Last week, I was in Las Vegas for a work related trip so I was kept pretty busy and away from my computer. It was not a great week as my training suffered and I fell back into some bad habits with poor eating and very little rest (tried to sleep but too many things bouncing around my head). Let's just say, I am not a big fan of the Vegas experience. Thankfully, I stuck to my plan of not gambling so I did not walk away from there minus any funds that I hope to put towards my running and cycling this season. That would have been a huge bummer.
Before I left for Vegas, I had a very amazing January of training. Specifically in my running where I put in some big weeks with a lot of solid speed work. I kept to my diet during the month and, by the end of the period, was feeling light and quick. I was getting super excited about month two of the new year but in the past week I think the volume may have caught up with me. As a precaution, I reduced my running last week in case it was a stress fracture in my shin.
The problem was not bothering me during the runs but I felt a little pain while sitting around during the meetings. It didn't help that I took a slap shot off that area in my last game between the pipes in hockey days before leaving for Sin City. I did run a few times on the treadmill at the hotel but decided to get a few professional opinions before making a possible fracture worse and having to take more time off to heal. After a visit with my physio today, it appears to be just a common strain that just needs some extra stretching and care. That was nice news for the day. I will stay with Tyler's cycling week plans to keep the impact off the area for a few more days and then ease back into the run. Hopefully, I will pick up where I left off and continue to get ready for the Sporting Life 10k.
Another thing affecting my training these days is the health of the people around me at home. Nothing major but everyone has been down with the flu for the past three weeks so it has been tough to leave the house without feeling guilty. Thankfully, I have the trainer set up in the basement this year so I can spend some time on it after everyone is sleeping. Although, on a few occasions I have been interrupted to help out after someone has had a coughing fit or needed to cool a fever. Fun times!
Anyway, just a quick note. I have my first 2012 Product Review almost completed so please keep an eye open for my report on CEP Compression Running Socks! So very amazing results from this product. Wish I had more of them for Vegas so I could recover during all the meetings!
Last week, I was in Las Vegas for a work related trip so I was kept pretty busy and away from my computer. It was not a great week as my training suffered and I fell back into some bad habits with poor eating and very little rest (tried to sleep but too many things bouncing around my head). Let's just say, I am not a big fan of the Vegas experience. Thankfully, I stuck to my plan of not gambling so I did not walk away from there minus any funds that I hope to put towards my running and cycling this season. That would have been a huge bummer.
Before I left for Vegas, I had a very amazing January of training. Specifically in my running where I put in some big weeks with a lot of solid speed work. I kept to my diet during the month and, by the end of the period, was feeling light and quick. I was getting super excited about month two of the new year but in the past week I think the volume may have caught up with me. As a precaution, I reduced my running last week in case it was a stress fracture in my shin.
The problem was not bothering me during the runs but I felt a little pain while sitting around during the meetings. It didn't help that I took a slap shot off that area in my last game between the pipes in hockey days before leaving for Sin City. I did run a few times on the treadmill at the hotel but decided to get a few professional opinions before making a possible fracture worse and having to take more time off to heal. After a visit with my physio today, it appears to be just a common strain that just needs some extra stretching and care. That was nice news for the day. I will stay with Tyler's cycling week plans to keep the impact off the area for a few more days and then ease back into the run. Hopefully, I will pick up where I left off and continue to get ready for the Sporting Life 10k.
Another thing affecting my training these days is the health of the people around me at home. Nothing major but everyone has been down with the flu for the past three weeks so it has been tough to leave the house without feeling guilty. Thankfully, I have the trainer set up in the basement this year so I can spend some time on it after everyone is sleeping. Although, on a few occasions I have been interrupted to help out after someone has had a coughing fit or needed to cool a fever. Fun times!
Anyway, just a quick note. I have my first 2012 Product Review almost completed so please keep an eye open for my report on CEP Compression Running Socks! So very amazing results from this product. Wish I had more of them for Vegas so I could recover during all the meetings!
January 27, 2012
Age Grouper Spotlight - Sean Delanghe
The 2011 Milton Duathlon was my first du in a little more than a calendar year. I spent most of 2010 racing triathlon but did not enjoy the swim training very much so I decided to go back to my comfort zone, run/bike/run.
As it turns out, one gentleman in this race would leave a lasting impression on me as he glided past me with about 500 metres left to the finish. I knew he was a strong runner, from the open 2k run, but I hoped I had put enough of a gap between us on the bike to avoid being caught on the final leg of the race. I guessed wrong. He put out an amazing effort, on a tough course, and fought very hard for that win.
Thankfully, I had a chance to chat with the victor after the race where I discovered he wasn't so new to the sport after all. We then connected over the internet through the summer and got out for a great training ride in his old stomping grounds, Collingwood. His cycling skills were impressive in the hills and he went on to a fantastic Centurion Canada race a few weeks after our scouting mission.
Dr. Sean Delanghe recently graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto and has now set up shop in the Waterloo area. Make sure you look him up if you are in need of some attention ( http://drseandelanghe.blogspot.com/p/contact.html ) .
Q1. How long have you been competing in duathlon/triathlon?
- I started with some Kids of Steel events when I was really young, along with some local, smaller scale races. However, I jumped into my first “adult” multisport race in 1999 when I was 13, the Collingwood Duathlon. The course was ridiculous, taking us up Grey Road 19 (7-8 km of climbing, which felt like a lot when I was 13), but I had so much fun.
Q2. Do you train as much as you would like or are there outside factors that limit your training?
- Work (and previously school) definitely limits the amount of time I train. However, I almost think this is a good thing. I get excited about getting out for a run or a ride, and I dream about this stuff throughout the busy day. Sure, I would be able to fit in more if I was less busy but I don’t think I would have nearly as much fun with it. Right now, training and racing is my release and I am more than happy to keep it that way.
Q3. How do you find training now that you are out in the workforce?
- I’m finding it easier than when I was in school, surprisingly. When I was in chiropractic school, my schedule was so inconsistent that I just had to squeeze in workouts whenever I “felt like it”. And then, during exams, it was almost impossible to put in any worthwhile work. While I am probably working more total hours now, the consistency is amazing. For instance, I know for a fact that I can do intervals with a group I lead every Monday night, whereas I did not have that luxury while in school. I just find it much easier to rely on scheduled training rather than will power on any given day.
Q4. If you had a full day to train (with fresh legs), which workout would you pick to make the most of this time?
- If I had a full day, I would without a doubt add more endurance work (especially long rides). Being able to sleep in, have a good breakfast and then get on the bike for 4+ hours without having to worry about other responsibilities would be amazing. Having the time to eat and rest properly after the workout (and potentially throw in another ride) would be a great day.
Q5. Do you see yourself entering triathlon in the future or will you be sticking with duathlon for the next few years?
- I think for now I will be sticking with duathlon. I love training for biking and running, so duathlon was a natural progression of my love of both of these sports. I did pursue swimming for a few months one off season, but realized that I just was not having fun with it. I do have a decent swimming background so never say never (that’s for all the Justin Bieber fans out there hah!), but for now I’ll stick with duathlons and road races.
Q6. What is your most memorable sporting moment?
- I would have to go back to that first duathlon in Collingwood (1999). I was 13 years old and I remember being really intimidated by everybody around me. Even when I signed up, we had to argue with the people doing registration because they said I should be racing the Kids of Steel event, not the adult event. Everybody had their tri suits and easy laces, and seemingly nice bikes with areo bars. I was wearing old mountain bike clothes, had two pairs of running shoes (one for the first run, one for the second), and my dad’s old road bike. At that point my goal was to just finish the race. The distance was 4km-30km-4km and I remember finishing the first 4km in first place. I couldn’t believe what was going on because I was so used to being beat by other runners at my track club. I ended up being passed on the bike, but held on for 2nd place overall. It is a great memory, and one of the major reasons why I still race today!
Q7. How important is technology in your training?
- Up until Christmas this year, I never used any technology beyond a stopwatch. I just went based on effort - make it hurt during intervals, make it kind of hurt on tempo days, and keep it smooth-ish on endurance days. However, this year I received a Garmin 310 as a gift. I am just learning how to use it now, so things may change.
Q8. Which athlete inspires you to be the best you can be?
- The athletes that really inspire me include my parents and a group of my parent’s friends. They are all busy professionals, yet they have still found the time to stay not only fit, but competitive in endurance sports throughout their entire lives. For instance, two of these individuals were 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 65-69 age group in the Collingwood Centurion last September. These people have shown me (from a young age) that it is possible to have a happy and successful family, social and professional life, while still pursuing sport at a high level.
Q9. What are your main goals for 2012?
- My main goal is to be faster than last year. I wouldn’t mind diving into a 34:something 10km, or breaking the 39km/h barrier during the bike leg of a duathlon.
Q10. Do you have any sponsors that you would like to mention?
- I’d like to thank Compressport Canada for helping me out with some gear. Squire John’s (a ski and bike shop near Collingwood) for helping me out with a bike this year. Maikawa Financial for helping me out with some gear. Also, I have to thank my #1 all time sponsors: Mom and Dad!
Dr. Delange is also blogging and has started a very imforative site for us athletes!
http://drseandelanghe.blogspot.com/
As it turns out, one gentleman in this race would leave a lasting impression on me as he glided past me with about 500 metres left to the finish. I knew he was a strong runner, from the open 2k run, but I hoped I had put enough of a gap between us on the bike to avoid being caught on the final leg of the race. I guessed wrong. He put out an amazing effort, on a tough course, and fought very hard for that win.
Thankfully, I had a chance to chat with the victor after the race where I discovered he wasn't so new to the sport after all. We then connected over the internet through the summer and got out for a great training ride in his old stomping grounds, Collingwood. His cycling skills were impressive in the hills and he went on to a fantastic Centurion Canada race a few weeks after our scouting mission.
Dr. Sean Delanghe recently graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto and has now set up shop in the Waterloo area. Make sure you look him up if you are in need of some attention ( http://drseandelanghe.blogspot.com/p/contact.html ) .
10 Questions with Sean Delanghe
- I started with some Kids of Steel events when I was really young, along with some local, smaller scale races. However, I jumped into my first “adult” multisport race in 1999 when I was 13, the Collingwood Duathlon. The course was ridiculous, taking us up Grey Road 19 (7-8 km of climbing, which felt like a lot when I was 13), but I had so much fun.
Q2. Do you train as much as you would like or are there outside factors that limit your training?
- Work (and previously school) definitely limits the amount of time I train. However, I almost think this is a good thing. I get excited about getting out for a run or a ride, and I dream about this stuff throughout the busy day. Sure, I would be able to fit in more if I was less busy but I don’t think I would have nearly as much fun with it. Right now, training and racing is my release and I am more than happy to keep it that way.
Q3. How do you find training now that you are out in the workforce?
- I’m finding it easier than when I was in school, surprisingly. When I was in chiropractic school, my schedule was so inconsistent that I just had to squeeze in workouts whenever I “felt like it”. And then, during exams, it was almost impossible to put in any worthwhile work. While I am probably working more total hours now, the consistency is amazing. For instance, I know for a fact that I can do intervals with a group I lead every Monday night, whereas I did not have that luxury while in school. I just find it much easier to rely on scheduled training rather than will power on any given day.
Q4. If you had a full day to train (with fresh legs), which workout would you pick to make the most of this time?
- If I had a full day, I would without a doubt add more endurance work (especially long rides). Being able to sleep in, have a good breakfast and then get on the bike for 4+ hours without having to worry about other responsibilities would be amazing. Having the time to eat and rest properly after the workout (and potentially throw in another ride) would be a great day.
- I think for now I will be sticking with duathlon. I love training for biking and running, so duathlon was a natural progression of my love of both of these sports. I did pursue swimming for a few months one off season, but realized that I just was not having fun with it. I do have a decent swimming background so never say never (that’s for all the Justin Bieber fans out there hah!), but for now I’ll stick with duathlons and road races.
Q6. What is your most memorable sporting moment?
- I would have to go back to that first duathlon in Collingwood (1999). I was 13 years old and I remember being really intimidated by everybody around me. Even when I signed up, we had to argue with the people doing registration because they said I should be racing the Kids of Steel event, not the adult event. Everybody had their tri suits and easy laces, and seemingly nice bikes with areo bars. I was wearing old mountain bike clothes, had two pairs of running shoes (one for the first run, one for the second), and my dad’s old road bike. At that point my goal was to just finish the race. The distance was 4km-30km-4km and I remember finishing the first 4km in first place. I couldn’t believe what was going on because I was so used to being beat by other runners at my track club. I ended up being passed on the bike, but held on for 2nd place overall. It is a great memory, and one of the major reasons why I still race today!
Q7. How important is technology in your training?
- Up until Christmas this year, I never used any technology beyond a stopwatch. I just went based on effort - make it hurt during intervals, make it kind of hurt on tempo days, and keep it smooth-ish on endurance days. However, this year I received a Garmin 310 as a gift. I am just learning how to use it now, so things may change.
Q8. Which athlete inspires you to be the best you can be?
- The athletes that really inspire me include my parents and a group of my parent’s friends. They are all busy professionals, yet they have still found the time to stay not only fit, but competitive in endurance sports throughout their entire lives. For instance, two of these individuals were 1st and 2nd, respectively, in the 65-69 age group in the Collingwood Centurion last September. These people have shown me (from a young age) that it is possible to have a happy and successful family, social and professional life, while still pursuing sport at a high level.
- My main goal is to be faster than last year. I wouldn’t mind diving into a 34:something 10km, or breaking the 39km/h barrier during the bike leg of a duathlon.
Q10. Do you have any sponsors that you would like to mention?
- I’d like to thank Compressport Canada for helping me out with some gear. Squire John’s (a ski and bike shop near Collingwood) for helping me out with a bike this year. Maikawa Financial for helping me out with some gear. Also, I have to thank my #1 all time sponsors: Mom and Dad!
Dr. Delange is also blogging and has started a very imforative site for us athletes!
http://drseandelanghe.blogspot.com/
January 26, 2012
This stuff is crazy...
So I was shopping at Best Buy over the holidays and as I was waiting for a sales person to help me, I found myself glued to a promo video playing on one of the televisions.
It was a cycling video but it was beyond extreme and I could not stop watching. I could not believe the single track spine riding these guys were pulling off at incredible speeds.
There is no way in hell I could ever muster up the courage to tackle this type of route but man is it ever cool to watch. They did not show any crashes but now that I have watched more of these on youtube I have seen what happens when you go off course. Early retirement...
Also, I am going to be adding a Product Review section to my site in between Age Group Spotlights. I really appreciate the help of @kevinjagger from CEP Canada as I ramp up to start this new blog series. Stay tuned...
It was a cycling video but it was beyond extreme and I could not stop watching. I could not believe the single track spine riding these guys were pulling off at incredible speeds.
There is no way in hell I could ever muster up the courage to tackle this type of route but man is it ever cool to watch. They did not show any crashes but now that I have watched more of these on youtube I have seen what happens when you go off course. Early retirement...
Also, I am going to be adding a Product Review section to my site in between Age Group Spotlights. I really appreciate the help of @kevinjagger from CEP Canada as I ramp up to start this new blog series. Stay tuned...
January 17, 2012
Age Grouper Spotlight - Kane Picken
My first impression of Kane was from an early 2010 FMCT club TT. I was studying the results from one of the races I missed and noticed a new name up near the top. As the name did not ring a bell, I checked a few of the local results sites to learn more about this new Falcon but I could not dig up anything on my computer.
A few weeks later, after another club time trial, we got to chat a little and introduce ourselves. From the accent, I knew he was from another hotbed of triathlon a tiny distance to the south, Australia. Growing up down under, Kano had built quite the resume in the sport but had just taken some time off as he moved to Canada. He and his fiancee (now wife) were just getting settled in the area and he was feeling the itch to compete once again.
After using the 2010 season to get back into form, Kano had planned out an amazing calendar of races for 2011. He had a few of the favourite local races mixed in with some famous selections south of the border. I knew from a few of our training sessions that he was in great shape as he ramped up for Ironman Louisville so I was very surprised to hear about his illness that sidelined him just a few months before the big race. Unfortunately, a string of set backs followed so he had to pass up many of the events he had worked so hard to prepare for, ultimately tossing the 2011 triathlon season away.
Thankfully, this tough Aussie is feeling healthy again and is ready to take aim on a promising 2012!
Q1. How did you get started in the sport of triathlon?
- In my late twenties, I was at a difficult point in my life. I needed to make some changes. I had always been active but had found myself sliding quickly out of control. So, I decided it was time to get happy and healthy. A short run to the end of our road kicked it off. Originally, it was to get fit for the up coming rugby season but, when I stumbled across an adventure race in Men’s Health, my focus changed direction. My dad bought a mountain bike for me he had seen for sale and away I went. The adventure race was a three-man team so my uncle, dad and I entered and had an absolute blast! A couple of weeks later I raced my first triathlon 300m/10k/2.5k and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Q2. How tough was it to sit out most of 2011 due to health issues?
- Some years are forgettable, 2011 is going to be one of them. It was extremely tough. For all of us time is precious, especially, when you spend all your spare time training for triathlons. I’m sure many can relate to me when I say I had minute-by-minute of everyday planned out. Ironman Louisville was my main target for the year and I was ready to go big. I was the fittest I had ever been and determined to reach my goals. Being hospitalized and diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis certainly brought the wheels to a screeching halt. I think the news that racing Louisville was now out of the question was harder to take than the diagnoses. Being 2 months out from the race, I felt I still had time. Once I had recovered, I began training again in hope there was still a chance. However, after my second hospital visit, and a mere 6 hours from death due to organ failure, I realized it was time to let it go. I still traveled to Louisville to be a part of the action. I was surprised by the visit of my mum and one of my sisters. What I learnt from all this was it's time to listen to my body. Rest when you’re tired; take two days off if that’s what you need, be smart.
Q3. What are your long term goals in the sport?
- My long term goals in the sport of triathlon are to make multiple visits to Hawaii for the World Championships. I want to win my age group at a domestic Ironman event. Also, I would like to take a trip to Las Vegas for the 70.3 World Championships. I would like to continue to love the sport and enjoy doing it for the right reasons. Lastly, I hope to inspire more friends to get involved so they can reap the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.
Q4. How do you motivate yourself to push through all the long training hours?
- I’m motivated by the fact that I like to work hard and I like to see results (I’m not happy with my results). I’m motivated by my long-term goals. I’m motivated because I’m not the best so there is always room for improvement. Training for triathlons, and competing in them, is rewarding and a positive way to live life.
Q5. What piece of gear would you love to purchase if you had an unlimited budget?
- Electronic shifters
Q6. What is your favourite training session?
- It’s a toss up between a long ocean swim with mates or a long brick session. I love the ocean swims as there is no black line, the water is clear and beautiful, it’s peaceful and I like nothing more than swimming in salt water. Long brick sessions are tough and rewarding. Spending 6hrs of your Saturday or Sunday out on the road and trails isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it builds real character and confidence.
Q7. Do you have any sponsors you would like to mention or thank?
- Clif Bar has given me great support and I’m happy to refer anyone to try their products. They have a huge selection for every kind of workout or recovery and the best thing is they taste great. Steve Keating, owner of Du, tri and Run in Streetsville, has given me amazing support. I’m very thankful for his generousity. For any of your triathlon needs in the Mississauga area, be sure to visit Steve. Maverick Hair Studio for men. It’s the place to go for stylish haircuts to keep you looking fast. Lastly, if you’re in the Erin area, “The Shed” has great coffee and super friendly staff to boot.
Q8. What do you find different between Australian and Canadian triathlon at the local level?
- Truthfully, there is not a huge amount of difference. Taking nothing away from the competition here, which has plenty of great athletes, I find the competition goes a lot deeper in each age group back home. Some races cracking the top 20 can be hard. Canada lacks in the number of Pros racing at each event. However, I like what Multisport Canada is doing this year with the Elite Age Group division and some prize money to go with it. Other than that, both countries have great race options, friendly competition and are well organized.
Q9. Who is the one triathlete you would love to spend a training week with?
- I can’t go past Craig Alexander. He is a humble, hardworking champion who always puts his family first.
Q10. What is the best piece of training advice you have received and from whom?
- Something that I live and die by now, especially after last year’s issues, is it's better to do too little rather than too much. Over training will only lead to injury. This was advice given to me by my Uncle, a multiple Hawaiian Ironman finisher.
Make sure you follow Kane on his blog @ http://kanepicken.blogspot.com/ !
A few weeks later, after another club time trial, we got to chat a little and introduce ourselves. From the accent, I knew he was from another hotbed of triathlon a tiny distance to the south, Australia. Growing up down under, Kano had built quite the resume in the sport but had just taken some time off as he moved to Canada. He and his fiancee (now wife) were just getting settled in the area and he was feeling the itch to compete once again.
After using the 2010 season to get back into form, Kano had planned out an amazing calendar of races for 2011. He had a few of the favourite local races mixed in with some famous selections south of the border. I knew from a few of our training sessions that he was in great shape as he ramped up for Ironman Louisville so I was very surprised to hear about his illness that sidelined him just a few months before the big race. Unfortunately, a string of set backs followed so he had to pass up many of the events he had worked so hard to prepare for, ultimately tossing the 2011 triathlon season away.
Thankfully, this tough Aussie is feeling healthy again and is ready to take aim on a promising 2012!
10 Questions with Kane Picken
Q1. How did you get started in the sport of triathlon?
- In my late twenties, I was at a difficult point in my life. I needed to make some changes. I had always been active but had found myself sliding quickly out of control. So, I decided it was time to get happy and healthy. A short run to the end of our road kicked it off. Originally, it was to get fit for the up coming rugby season but, when I stumbled across an adventure race in Men’s Health, my focus changed direction. My dad bought a mountain bike for me he had seen for sale and away I went. The adventure race was a three-man team so my uncle, dad and I entered and had an absolute blast! A couple of weeks later I raced my first triathlon 300m/10k/2.5k and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Q2. How tough was it to sit out most of 2011 due to health issues?
- Some years are forgettable, 2011 is going to be one of them. It was extremely tough. For all of us time is precious, especially, when you spend all your spare time training for triathlons. I’m sure many can relate to me when I say I had minute-by-minute of everyday planned out. Ironman Louisville was my main target for the year and I was ready to go big. I was the fittest I had ever been and determined to reach my goals. Being hospitalized and diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis certainly brought the wheels to a screeching halt. I think the news that racing Louisville was now out of the question was harder to take than the diagnoses. Being 2 months out from the race, I felt I still had time. Once I had recovered, I began training again in hope there was still a chance. However, after my second hospital visit, and a mere 6 hours from death due to organ failure, I realized it was time to let it go. I still traveled to Louisville to be a part of the action. I was surprised by the visit of my mum and one of my sisters. What I learnt from all this was it's time to listen to my body. Rest when you’re tired; take two days off if that’s what you need, be smart.
Q3. What are your long term goals in the sport?
- My long term goals in the sport of triathlon are to make multiple visits to Hawaii for the World Championships. I want to win my age group at a domestic Ironman event. Also, I would like to take a trip to Las Vegas for the 70.3 World Championships. I would like to continue to love the sport and enjoy doing it for the right reasons. Lastly, I hope to inspire more friends to get involved so they can reap the benefits of leading a healthy lifestyle.
Q4. How do you motivate yourself to push through all the long training hours?
- I’m motivated by the fact that I like to work hard and I like to see results (I’m not happy with my results). I’m motivated by my long-term goals. I’m motivated because I’m not the best so there is always room for improvement. Training for triathlons, and competing in them, is rewarding and a positive way to live life.
Q5. What piece of gear would you love to purchase if you had an unlimited budget?
- Electronic shifters
Q6. What is your favourite training session?
- It’s a toss up between a long ocean swim with mates or a long brick session. I love the ocean swims as there is no black line, the water is clear and beautiful, it’s peaceful and I like nothing more than swimming in salt water. Long brick sessions are tough and rewarding. Spending 6hrs of your Saturday or Sunday out on the road and trails isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for me, it builds real character and confidence.
Q7. Do you have any sponsors you would like to mention or thank?
- Clif Bar has given me great support and I’m happy to refer anyone to try their products. They have a huge selection for every kind of workout or recovery and the best thing is they taste great. Steve Keating, owner of Du, tri and Run in Streetsville, has given me amazing support. I’m very thankful for his generousity. For any of your triathlon needs in the Mississauga area, be sure to visit Steve. Maverick Hair Studio for men. It’s the place to go for stylish haircuts to keep you looking fast. Lastly, if you’re in the Erin area, “The Shed” has great coffee and super friendly staff to boot.
Q8. What do you find different between Australian and Canadian triathlon at the local level?
- Truthfully, there is not a huge amount of difference. Taking nothing away from the competition here, which has plenty of great athletes, I find the competition goes a lot deeper in each age group back home. Some races cracking the top 20 can be hard. Canada lacks in the number of Pros racing at each event. However, I like what Multisport Canada is doing this year with the Elite Age Group division and some prize money to go with it. Other than that, both countries have great race options, friendly competition and are well organized.
Q9. Who is the one triathlete you would love to spend a training week with?
- I can’t go past Craig Alexander. He is a humble, hardworking champion who always puts his family first.
Q10. What is the best piece of training advice you have received and from whom?
- Something that I live and die by now, especially after last year’s issues, is it's better to do too little rather than too much. Over training will only lead to injury. This was advice given to me by my Uncle, a multiple Hawaiian Ironman finisher.
Make sure you follow Kane on his blog @ http://kanepicken.blogspot.com/ !
Get the Press Rolling...
I was looking back at some posts from last year and came across a number of the online interviews I conducted. I really enjoyed learning more about the folks that make up tour local triathlon community so I figured I had better pick up where I left off in 2011.
I have one person in mind (a nominee from 2011 just as I was moving into race mode) that I have contacted so hopefully I can start off with this gentleman and get the ball rolling.
If you have an Age Group athlete that you would like to nominate, please send the information my way and I will do my best to find out more about this local talent.
Please re-visit some of the great guest from the past through the link below.
http://larryofteamrunningfree.blogspot.com/search/label/interview
Some of the people you can read about through this link are...
Canadian AG Athletes
-Paul Gonsalves
-Rhys Spencer
-Marco Sadeghi
-David Frake
-Tommy Ferris
-Glenn Camplin
-Luke Ehgoetz
-Carlos Vilchez
-Bruce Bird
-Richard Pady
And Canadian Pros
-Brent Poulsen
-Simon Whitfield
-Tom Evans
Enjoy!
I have one person in mind (a nominee from 2011 just as I was moving into race mode) that I have contacted so hopefully I can start off with this gentleman and get the ball rolling.
If you have an Age Group athlete that you would like to nominate, please send the information my way and I will do my best to find out more about this local talent.
Please re-visit some of the great guest from the past through the link below.
http://larryofteamrunningfree.blogspot.com/search/label/interview
Some of the people you can read about through this link are...
Canadian AG Athletes
-Paul Gonsalves
-Rhys Spencer
-Marco Sadeghi
-David Frake
-Tommy Ferris
-Glenn Camplin
-Luke Ehgoetz
-Carlos Vilchez
-Bruce Bird
-Richard Pady
And Canadian Pros
-Brent Poulsen
-Simon Whitfield
-Tom Evans
Enjoy!
January 14, 2012
Head Strong...
In my early career, I was fortunate enough to learn several sides of the pro sports business from many of the top players in the industry. One person, in particular, presented countless opportunities (scouting, practice goaltending, video analysis, etc.) to me during those years that eventually led to my part-time (hobby) role as an Assistant Video Coach in the NHL (and now as Video Coach in the AHL).
On several occasions I would visit his office to discuss how his work with athletes improved the product on the ice or in the dressing room. He obviously could not get into specifics or names (which I was not interested in anyway) but it was always interesting to hear how the mental strength of an athlete adds huge gains to their physical skills. There are so many obstacles a pro athlete needs to tackle during their rise to the top and anyone without mental toughness is sure to struggle and will out on reaching their full potential.
Through this friendship, I soaked in as many examples as I could. When I then took up running, to get back into shape, I thought back to his lessons to help me get through the tough miles on the road. I knew that I had to reinforce my physical effort with a positive mental state to ensure I put the most into my training. If you could hear my thoughts during training and racing you would see how much I took away from his teachings.
So, why am I sharing this? Well Mr. Paul Dennis has recently created a twitter account for all to follow. If you would like to receive thought provoking tweets from Canada's top sports psychologist please follow @dennissportpsy on twitter!
On several occasions I would visit his office to discuss how his work with athletes improved the product on the ice or in the dressing room. He obviously could not get into specifics or names (which I was not interested in anyway) but it was always interesting to hear how the mental strength of an athlete adds huge gains to their physical skills. There are so many obstacles a pro athlete needs to tackle during their rise to the top and anyone without mental toughness is sure to struggle and will out on reaching their full potential.
Through this friendship, I soaked in as many examples as I could. When I then took up running, to get back into shape, I thought back to his lessons to help me get through the tough miles on the road. I knew that I had to reinforce my physical effort with a positive mental state to ensure I put the most into my training. If you could hear my thoughts during training and racing you would see how much I took away from his teachings.
So, why am I sharing this? Well Mr. Paul Dennis has recently created a twitter account for all to follow. If you would like to receive thought provoking tweets from Canada's top sports psychologist please follow @dennissportpsy on twitter!
January 5, 2012
Things are taking shape...
Wow, what a difference a week makes!
My training has been very solid in the new year but the biggest difference so far is my improved diet. I have cut out the sweets and have been snacking a lot more wisely and it is already showing, big time! I know it is easy to do this for the short term, when I set my mind to it, so it is going to be very important that I keep on track throughout the year. The past few seasons I have been overly relaxed with my eating habits and ended up racing much heavier than I would have liked. I know I will have to enjoy the odd day of bad food choices now and then but must reduce those instances in a big way.
So what else is happening? Actually, not a heck of a lot. Just trying to set up a race calendar for 2012 that includes a little bit of all my passions. A little running, duathlon and triathlon. Makes for a busy year so I hope I can pick some of my favourites and work them into an OCup cycling schedule.
Another thing I have been doing of late is catching up on some reading. A very good posting I just read comes from local triathlete, Rhys Spencer. He lays out a great summary of what it takes to complete a quick Ironman so please check it out http://rhysspencer.blogspot.com/ .
I also enjoyed reading Ricard Westwood's latest analysis of his training program. If you are an Age Group cyclist interested to see how one of the top performers in his AG gets it done, you would be wise to follow his link at http://richard-westwood.blogspot.com/ !
Of course, there are several other worthy reads from the list of blogs I follow so please scan over to the left side of my page and add some to your daily information gathering!
Lastly, I will leave you with a video that I have been studying of late. Coach Tyler continues to emphasize the importance of efficiencies in my running. Forefoot running with higher knee action are some of the mental keys I have been using of late. This YouTube video demonstrates what I have been trying to incorporate into my drills. I hope you enjoy... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaYQwq6TnXY&feature=related
My training has been very solid in the new year but the biggest difference so far is my improved diet. I have cut out the sweets and have been snacking a lot more wisely and it is already showing, big time! I know it is easy to do this for the short term, when I set my mind to it, so it is going to be very important that I keep on track throughout the year. The past few seasons I have been overly relaxed with my eating habits and ended up racing much heavier than I would have liked. I know I will have to enjoy the odd day of bad food choices now and then but must reduce those instances in a big way.
So what else is happening? Actually, not a heck of a lot. Just trying to set up a race calendar for 2012 that includes a little bit of all my passions. A little running, duathlon and triathlon. Makes for a busy year so I hope I can pick some of my favourites and work them into an OCup cycling schedule.
Another thing I have been doing of late is catching up on some reading. A very good posting I just read comes from local triathlete, Rhys Spencer. He lays out a great summary of what it takes to complete a quick Ironman so please check it out http://rhysspencer.blogspot.com/ .
I also enjoyed reading Ricard Westwood's latest analysis of his training program. If you are an Age Group cyclist interested to see how one of the top performers in his AG gets it done, you would be wise to follow his link at http://richard-westwood.blogspot.com/ !
Of course, there are several other worthy reads from the list of blogs I follow so please scan over to the left side of my page and add some to your daily information gathering!
Lastly, I will leave you with a video that I have been studying of late. Coach Tyler continues to emphasize the importance of efficiencies in my running. Forefoot running with higher knee action are some of the mental keys I have been using of late. This YouTube video demonstrates what I have been trying to incorporate into my drills. I hope you enjoy... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaYQwq6TnXY&feature=related
December 28, 2011
2011 - Year in Rear View
Sitting here as the final days tick down I have to admit I am not totally satisfied with my athletic achievements during the past 365 days. I set some big, but obtainable, goals for 2011 but only cashed in a few solid performances.
Looking in the mirror, as scary as it may be (HA HA), I can only blame myself for the short comings. I laid out a silly schedule that I hardly stuck to. On workouts, I got lazy on the bricks and it showed big time on the few duathlons I competed in. Lastly, I never really got serious about my eating habits and raced almost every event 5 to 10 pounds over my desired weight. If I really want to take my performances to the next level in 2012, I will have to get serious about cutting calories. This older body just doesn't have the metabolism it once had.
So thinking back on the year, here is a quick month by month account of how 2011 played out.
January - things were going really well to start the new year. Tyler had us geared up on the spinning and strength end of the training with several group sessions per week. I was getting through the routines with more ease than a few months earlier so I was getting pumped about the season. At the end of the month I went on a work trip to the USVI and this set me off track with the food and drink.
February - Back at it with the gang until I made a bad lift with the kettle bells and trapped a nerve in my upper back. This required several weeks of physio and reduced my running and cycling for most of February and March.
March - A lot more rehab on the back continued to slow my desired speed work I had planned. Due to the condition of my back I decided to hold off pre-registering for any races until I knew I would be ready to race up to my potential.
April - My back and neck were feeling much better so I jumped into the Spring into Motion 5k to see how things were lining up. It turned out to be a tough day with wind and snow but I managed to go mid 17 minutes so I felt OK with speed. With Mississauga Half Marathon as a priority race in May, I had to adjust the rest of my duathlon schedule as I would not have recovered enough to race Victoria's Du.
May - As my first major race arrived, I felt ready to run fast but at the Mississauga Half Marathon the wind was not our friend and I missed out on sub 1:20, again. This time by less than 20 seconds so that was disappointing but I took the positives and keep training hard for my first duathlon in June.
June - This month was rather busy with the Milton Duathlon to start things off. I was third on the opening run, first off the bike but suffered on the run to finish second to a new friend. This should have motivated me to pick up my brick training but I brushed it off thinking I will get back in the next race. The second race was a four person, 5k relay. It was after work so I rushed down to Exhibition Place to meet Jo Jo and the crew. I ran a strong 5k but still mid 17 minutes. Lastly, I ran the 10k portion of a triathlon relay team in Guelph Lakes. With Ang and Richard, we pulled off the win but I still wanted to go faster than 37minutes. At the end of the month I changed my Peterborough Half Ironman Du focus to the Tri as Syd and Ryan asked me to guide Brian Cowie.
July - Brian and I completed the Peterborough Half Iron Triathlon on a very hot and humid day. It was quite an experience and I am very happy to have had the privilege to race with Brian. We have stayed in contact since the race so I am very thankful for this opportunity to make a new amazing friend. After Peterborough, I had to travel twice for work (Calgary and California) so my schedule had to be adjusted again. This meant I missed out on the Provincial Duathlon Championships in Cobourg.
August - With my commitment to Centurion Collingwood to my FMCT friends, cycling took a front seat for the next few months. I spent a lot of weekend time riding with the gang so running was not too important. I did not want to go into a 100mile bike race without the proper training. In early August I did wet my duathlon whistle one more time for 2011 and raced the Niagara Duathlon. It was a decent race and I managed the victory to add some confidence to my future training.
September - After joining the Ontario Masters Association (looking to do fall XC races) I decided to take a flyer and race Carrotfast 5k. It was the OMA 5k Championships so I tested my running legs against all my cycling training and was able to match my earlier 5k time of 2011, winning my AG for the 2011 OMA 5k Championships. After that it was all about Centurion. Leading into the race I ended up tearing a muscle in my lower abs that hurt my running but I could continue to ride. When race day finally came, I settled in with a good sized chase group and did well to navigate through the challenging hills of Collingwood. I did end up falling a part in the last 10k but still beat my expectations on time and average pace so that added to the cycling fire.
October - With our cycling legs still in fine working order, the FMCT gang decided to tackle the 100km Tour de Hans in Waterloo. My injury continued to hurt on my runs so I skipped a xc race and jumped on the tour and had an amazing race. I hung with the lead group for 30k and then battled hard to create a new chase group and ended up in 21st overall. My next race was suppose to be a shot at sub 2:50 in the Scotia Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I was not sure if I was up for it but the injury was feeling better. I was then called out to California the week before race and once again had to ditch my plans due to travel. I probably was not ready for the marathon but now wanted to finish the season on a good note so signed up for the Hamilton Half Marathon.
November - In this month I ended up striking one goal off my 2011 list. In the Hamilton Half Marathon, I raced to a 1:17:41 time and finally went sub 1:20 for a half marathon. I was then taking some time off when a friend asked me to run the Mississauga Canoe Club 15k so I decided to just go all out and try to see what I could do. It was not my best effort but I still beat the FMCT club record so I could take some positives out of the race.
December - This has been down time. I was going to race the Boxing Day 10 Miler but I had a conflict with work so I just kept running and added some swims and bike rides in there. I hope this time to recharge the batteries will get my motivation fueled up so I can get off on the right foot in 2012.
Looking in the mirror, as scary as it may be (HA HA), I can only blame myself for the short comings. I laid out a silly schedule that I hardly stuck to. On workouts, I got lazy on the bricks and it showed big time on the few duathlons I competed in. Lastly, I never really got serious about my eating habits and raced almost every event 5 to 10 pounds over my desired weight. If I really want to take my performances to the next level in 2012, I will have to get serious about cutting calories. This older body just doesn't have the metabolism it once had.
So thinking back on the year, here is a quick month by month account of how 2011 played out.
January - things were going really well to start the new year. Tyler had us geared up on the spinning and strength end of the training with several group sessions per week. I was getting through the routines with more ease than a few months earlier so I was getting pumped about the season. At the end of the month I went on a work trip to the USVI and this set me off track with the food and drink.
February - Back at it with the gang until I made a bad lift with the kettle bells and trapped a nerve in my upper back. This required several weeks of physio and reduced my running and cycling for most of February and March.
March - A lot more rehab on the back continued to slow my desired speed work I had planned. Due to the condition of my back I decided to hold off pre-registering for any races until I knew I would be ready to race up to my potential.
April - My back and neck were feeling much better so I jumped into the Spring into Motion 5k to see how things were lining up. It turned out to be a tough day with wind and snow but I managed to go mid 17 minutes so I felt OK with speed. With Mississauga Half Marathon as a priority race in May, I had to adjust the rest of my duathlon schedule as I would not have recovered enough to race Victoria's Du.
May - As my first major race arrived, I felt ready to run fast but at the Mississauga Half Marathon the wind was not our friend and I missed out on sub 1:20, again. This time by less than 20 seconds so that was disappointing but I took the positives and keep training hard for my first duathlon in June.
June - This month was rather busy with the Milton Duathlon to start things off. I was third on the opening run, first off the bike but suffered on the run to finish second to a new friend. This should have motivated me to pick up my brick training but I brushed it off thinking I will get back in the next race. The second race was a four person, 5k relay. It was after work so I rushed down to Exhibition Place to meet Jo Jo and the crew. I ran a strong 5k but still mid 17 minutes. Lastly, I ran the 10k portion of a triathlon relay team in Guelph Lakes. With Ang and Richard, we pulled off the win but I still wanted to go faster than 37minutes. At the end of the month I changed my Peterborough Half Ironman Du focus to the Tri as Syd and Ryan asked me to guide Brian Cowie.
July - Brian and I completed the Peterborough Half Iron Triathlon on a very hot and humid day. It was quite an experience and I am very happy to have had the privilege to race with Brian. We have stayed in contact since the race so I am very thankful for this opportunity to make a new amazing friend. After Peterborough, I had to travel twice for work (Calgary and California) so my schedule had to be adjusted again. This meant I missed out on the Provincial Duathlon Championships in Cobourg.
August - With my commitment to Centurion Collingwood to my FMCT friends, cycling took a front seat for the next few months. I spent a lot of weekend time riding with the gang so running was not too important. I did not want to go into a 100mile bike race without the proper training. In early August I did wet my duathlon whistle one more time for 2011 and raced the Niagara Duathlon. It was a decent race and I managed the victory to add some confidence to my future training.
September - After joining the Ontario Masters Association (looking to do fall XC races) I decided to take a flyer and race Carrotfast 5k. It was the OMA 5k Championships so I tested my running legs against all my cycling training and was able to match my earlier 5k time of 2011, winning my AG for the 2011 OMA 5k Championships. After that it was all about Centurion. Leading into the race I ended up tearing a muscle in my lower abs that hurt my running but I could continue to ride. When race day finally came, I settled in with a good sized chase group and did well to navigate through the challenging hills of Collingwood. I did end up falling a part in the last 10k but still beat my expectations on time and average pace so that added to the cycling fire.
October - With our cycling legs still in fine working order, the FMCT gang decided to tackle the 100km Tour de Hans in Waterloo. My injury continued to hurt on my runs so I skipped a xc race and jumped on the tour and had an amazing race. I hung with the lead group for 30k and then battled hard to create a new chase group and ended up in 21st overall. My next race was suppose to be a shot at sub 2:50 in the Scotia Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I was not sure if I was up for it but the injury was feeling better. I was then called out to California the week before race and once again had to ditch my plans due to travel. I probably was not ready for the marathon but now wanted to finish the season on a good note so signed up for the Hamilton Half Marathon.
November - In this month I ended up striking one goal off my 2011 list. In the Hamilton Half Marathon, I raced to a 1:17:41 time and finally went sub 1:20 for a half marathon. I was then taking some time off when a friend asked me to run the Mississauga Canoe Club 15k so I decided to just go all out and try to see what I could do. It was not my best effort but I still beat the FMCT club record so I could take some positives out of the race.
December - This has been down time. I was going to race the Boxing Day 10 Miler but I had a conflict with work so I just kept running and added some swims and bike rides in there. I hope this time to recharge the batteries will get my motivation fueled up so I can get off on the right foot in 2012.
December 20, 2011
Some New Web Reading Material...
Hey Folks,
I made some changes to the site so I hope you have a chance to check out the new link tabs across the header of the page. I have replaced some of the side material (results, links, etc.) and added pages for a nicer, clean read.
Let me know if you have any more comments of questions!
Thank you,
Larry
I made some changes to the site so I hope you have a chance to check out the new link tabs across the header of the page. I have replaced some of the side material (results, links, etc.) and added pages for a nicer, clean read.
Let me know if you have any more comments of questions!
Thank you,
Larry
December 8, 2011
Interactive Reflection - Why?
I am sure most of you are in the same boat as I am and often have friends or family ask you why? Maybe it is even you asking this question when you are looking in the mirror in the morning?
Why do I train as frequently and as hard as I do for a recreational pastime?
When I think of my days in hockey and golf, I do not recall wanting to spend hours a day on training. Even though I wanted to be the best I could be in those sports, the norm (among the people I competed against and with) was not to practice a hour or two or three per day to improve my game day performance.
With hockey it was always just show up at the rink, once or twice a week, and play the game. In golf, we just booked a tee time and whacked the ball around a course (when you could find six hours of spare time). I would maybe go to the driving range a few times a month to try to fix the numerous flaws in my swing, but not five or six time a week.
There is definitely something different about triathlon...
I would love to hear from as many readers as possible. As the comments and email responses come in, I will add them below on this posting to create a motivational piece to spark everyone for the new year.
Please send me a comment or email (larrybradleytoronto@yahoo.ca) so I can post your thoughts!
Larry,
Why do I train as frequently and as hard as I do for a recreational pastime?
When I think of my days in hockey and golf, I do not recall wanting to spend hours a day on training. Even though I wanted to be the best I could be in those sports, the norm (among the people I competed against and with) was not to practice a hour or two or three per day to improve my game day performance.
With hockey it was always just show up at the rink, once or twice a week, and play the game. In golf, we just booked a tee time and whacked the ball around a course (when you could find six hours of spare time). I would maybe go to the driving range a few times a month to try to fix the numerous flaws in my swing, but not five or six time a week.
I would love to hear from as many readers as possible. As the comments and email responses come in, I will add them below on this posting to create a motivational piece to spark everyone for the new year.
Please send me a comment or email (larrybradleytoronto@yahoo.ca) so I can post your thoughts!
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Larry,
the short answer is "it's in me".
When I was about 9 or 10, I got my first bike and, though I don't remember much about riding around on it, one memory that does stand out is circuit racing around the mini strip mall not far from my house. The tarmac went completely around the mall and my friends and I used to race around it. It was dangerous, as we'd have to weave in and out of cars that were driving in to buy milk or whatever, but that didn't stop me. The cars were just obstacles to go around. I loved this game; it was the thrill of racing but there was also the high from exerting myself. When I was a bit older, I'd used spend hours hitting a tennis ball against the school wall. This time I was by myself which showed that it wasn't just about competition; the activity itself was enough. Now I'm 55 and I still get the same feeling of elation when I'm out riding my bike or in the middle of a run. It doesn't happen all the time but often enough to keep me coming back. Throw the thrill of competition in there and the elation is magnified tenfold. So I don't know what the scientific or philosophical or medical answers are. All I know for sure is it's in me.
-richard http://richard-westwood.blogspot.com/
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For me, Triathlon (SBR) is my thing and my lifestyle now. My kids have their hockey/soccer, etc. and I have my triathlon. I think what makes it addictive to most is when we see that little bit of improvement year over year. This just makes me want to train more and harder. In our sport, we have world championship events that are out of reach for most, but after doing the 70.3 World Championship in Florida, the Boston marathon and recently "qualifying" for the NYC marathon, the last thing that really motivates me is to earn and take a Kona slot for Ironman. It's that carrot that is out in front me and drives me to keep working harder and harder, even as I approach that magical 40 number in age. A lot of people in triathlon who give it their first go, quickly get addicted, as they, like me, can see those small incremental improvements year over year. In doing triathlon/running/cycling, you surround yourself with like minded individuals and you feed off each other. I'm not going to lie that I watch what you do and think to myself, "man, can I do that?"
In addition to the performance improvements, a lot of people see dramatic physical changes to their body the more training they do, which is also a huge motivating factor. I'm as fit now as I have ever been in my whole life, and that is awesome. I look forward to 2012 and the challenges that lie ahead, as I'm sure you do as well.
-Luke http://mytriathlonandtrainingadventures.blogspot.com/
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The reason why I originally got into it is kind of funny. I started racing and training for mountain biking when I was about 12 because- believe it or not- I was a huge X-Men fan, and I wanted to push myself and my body to be as close to a super hero's as possible!
Obviously not my main goal now, but that's what got the ball rolling way back when! haha
-Sean http://www.drdelanghe.com/
December 1, 2011
Mississauga Canoe Club 15k - Race Report
This race was not originally on my calendar so I wasn't totally prepared to go super hard for 15k. A co-worker, who has always been supportive of my racing and my tri club, is a member of the "Missy" Canoe Club and asked a few of us in the office to join in the fun. It didn't take much to convince me to run so I re-arranged my weekly schedule to make it fit into my training so I that I wouldn't miss out on any of my workouts.
Although, the weather was a little cool and wet on the morning of the event, I was curious to see how close I could take this race to my 15k split in the Hamilton Half Marathon. This kept the motivation high while I warmed up in the chilly rain as the rest of the small field assembled near the starting line. As the gun time neared, I decided shorts were still acceptable but went with arm warmers and a tri top to kept a little warmer up top.
With the Canoe Club trying to keep costs down (rightfully so) they designed the course to stick to the walking paths around the Lakefront Promenade Marina. This made for a lot of twists and turns with some blinds spots out on the course so I made sure to listen to the lead bike guide during the pre-race instructions. When it was time to begin the run, I positioned myself behind some of the younger athletes and just came off the line in a relaxed effort. This was probably a good call as many of the teenaged runners went off like canons, getting out well ahead of me to the start of the path.
I was fairly certain a good number of them would burn out after their short sprint so I just set my target on a few of the smoother looking ones and slowly made made way through the crowd. By the time we had covered the first kilometre I had moved up to sixth spot with a couple solid looking runners chasing the bike very quickly. One of them was relatively young but had great form so I was not sure what to expect from him at this distance. The other was a familiar face from a few previous races. I knew he was a gamer so there was no way I was going to stay on his heels for 15k. I just patiently hung back as we circled RK McMilland Park to the west of the starting area.
After making the loop around this tree filled park (could not see the competition during this section), we doubled back past the beach cove and headed to the northeast trails. I was now running in fourth spot, about a hundred metres back of third, feeling confident that I could catch this guy somewhere down the road.
We were just over three km into the race as we zigged and zagged along Waterfront Trail and I was making solid ground on my target. From a previous 10k race on these grounds, I was now comfortable enough with the course to zone out (take my mind off the pain building in my legs) for a little while and focus on my form and pace.
As I reached the 5k mark (water station), I could tell I had fallen too far off the pace of the two leaders so there was little chance of reeling them back in. I now had to settle with the possibility of a third place finish. Not so bad but not exactly they way I imagined the day...
A little further through Marie Curtis Park, as I neared the turnaround at the far east end of the course, I noticed I wasn't too far off that podium position. I hurried over to the volunteer pointing out the turn marker and made a quick pivot to re-trace my steps. Two things hit me at this point. Firstly, my legs died on me right out of the blue. Secondly, I could now see how close two runners were just behind me. Oh Oh!
The twosome on my rear brought a bit of a spark but I felt like I was suddenly struggling with my form over the small rolling mounds of asphalt, fighting despreately to speed up. By the time I weaved through the kilometre in the forest, I had lost contact with the last spot on the podium. I hit the 7km aid station and was afraid that reaching for a drink would stop me in my tracks so I just kept my eyes forward and hoped to hold off the guys on my heels.
Watching my garmin on the way back to the marina, I could tell my pace was suffering compared to my early splits. My goal of fifty-five minutes was in jeopardy now so it was all about getting through the final portion of the race without losing too many spots or dropping out. Thankfully, my mental game was on to make up for the lack of physical game on this day and I talked myself into staying as efficient as possible.
This was not pretty, believe me. I couldn't see the guy running in third at this point so I was starting to doubt some of the upcoming turns on the course as we twisted back to Lakefront Promenade Park for another loop. I got through the loop for the second time in the race and was really not sure where we were heading next for the last four kilometres. I just hoped the volunteers were on top of the situation as they directed both 8k and 15k runners along the pathway.
Lucky for us, they did a great job! I travelled back along the Waterfront Trail, along the back edge of an industrial park, and counted down the distance knowing the final turnaround must be coming soon. Shortly after that thought, I watched the leader zoom past me with second place a litttle back from the young, talented runner. After I saw third place, I knew I was getting close to my final switch back and hit the line and blasted off to get back up to speed. I could once again see 5th and 6th place licking their lips so I just gunned it for the final two km.
My legs were too tired to put any length into my stride so I had to concentrate on just speeding up the cadence of my shuffle. This was enough to increase the gap and provide a respectable final few thousand metres. I was very relieved to make my way back to the marina parking lot and see a low 56 on the clock. I made a final sprint to keep it under 57 minutes and broke the tape in 56:32 (on my garmin).
This was good for 4th place overall and a nice, new standard for 15k (not including splits from longer races)for me to aim for next year. I still have not seen the actual chip time results so I am not sure how that looked for my age but I would assume two of the three runners ahead of me where under thirty years of age.
Although, the weather was a little cool and wet on the morning of the event, I was curious to see how close I could take this race to my 15k split in the Hamilton Half Marathon. This kept the motivation high while I warmed up in the chilly rain as the rest of the small field assembled near the starting line. As the gun time neared, I decided shorts were still acceptable but went with arm warmers and a tri top to kept a little warmer up top.
With the Canoe Club trying to keep costs down (rightfully so) they designed the course to stick to the walking paths around the Lakefront Promenade Marina. This made for a lot of twists and turns with some blinds spots out on the course so I made sure to listen to the lead bike guide during the pre-race instructions. When it was time to begin the run, I positioned myself behind some of the younger athletes and just came off the line in a relaxed effort. This was probably a good call as many of the teenaged runners went off like canons, getting out well ahead of me to the start of the path.
I was fairly certain a good number of them would burn out after their short sprint so I just set my target on a few of the smoother looking ones and slowly made made way through the crowd. By the time we had covered the first kilometre I had moved up to sixth spot with a couple solid looking runners chasing the bike very quickly. One of them was relatively young but had great form so I was not sure what to expect from him at this distance. The other was a familiar face from a few previous races. I knew he was a gamer so there was no way I was going to stay on his heels for 15k. I just patiently hung back as we circled RK McMilland Park to the west of the starting area.
After making the loop around this tree filled park (could not see the competition during this section), we doubled back past the beach cove and headed to the northeast trails. I was now running in fourth spot, about a hundred metres back of third, feeling confident that I could catch this guy somewhere down the road.
We were just over three km into the race as we zigged and zagged along Waterfront Trail and I was making solid ground on my target. From a previous 10k race on these grounds, I was now comfortable enough with the course to zone out (take my mind off the pain building in my legs) for a little while and focus on my form and pace.
As I reached the 5k mark (water station), I could tell I had fallen too far off the pace of the two leaders so there was little chance of reeling them back in. I now had to settle with the possibility of a third place finish. Not so bad but not exactly they way I imagined the day...
A little further through Marie Curtis Park, as I neared the turnaround at the far east end of the course, I noticed I wasn't too far off that podium position. I hurried over to the volunteer pointing out the turn marker and made a quick pivot to re-trace my steps. Two things hit me at this point. Firstly, my legs died on me right out of the blue. Secondly, I could now see how close two runners were just behind me. Oh Oh!
The twosome on my rear brought a bit of a spark but I felt like I was suddenly struggling with my form over the small rolling mounds of asphalt, fighting despreately to speed up. By the time I weaved through the kilometre in the forest, I had lost contact with the last spot on the podium. I hit the 7km aid station and was afraid that reaching for a drink would stop me in my tracks so I just kept my eyes forward and hoped to hold off the guys on my heels.
Watching my garmin on the way back to the marina, I could tell my pace was suffering compared to my early splits. My goal of fifty-five minutes was in jeopardy now so it was all about getting through the final portion of the race without losing too many spots or dropping out. Thankfully, my mental game was on to make up for the lack of physical game on this day and I talked myself into staying as efficient as possible.
This was not pretty, believe me. I couldn't see the guy running in third at this point so I was starting to doubt some of the upcoming turns on the course as we twisted back to Lakefront Promenade Park for another loop. I got through the loop for the second time in the race and was really not sure where we were heading next for the last four kilometres. I just hoped the volunteers were on top of the situation as they directed both 8k and 15k runners along the pathway.
Lucky for us, they did a great job! I travelled back along the Waterfront Trail, along the back edge of an industrial park, and counted down the distance knowing the final turnaround must be coming soon. Shortly after that thought, I watched the leader zoom past me with second place a litttle back from the young, talented runner. After I saw third place, I knew I was getting close to my final switch back and hit the line and blasted off to get back up to speed. I could once again see 5th and 6th place licking their lips so I just gunned it for the final two km.
My legs were too tired to put any length into my stride so I had to concentrate on just speeding up the cadence of my shuffle. This was enough to increase the gap and provide a respectable final few thousand metres. I was very relieved to make my way back to the marina parking lot and see a low 56 on the clock. I made a final sprint to keep it under 57 minutes and broke the tape in 56:32 (on my garmin).
This was good for 4th place overall and a nice, new standard for 15k (not including splits from longer races)for me to aim for next year. I still have not seen the actual chip time results so I am not sure how that looked for my age but I would assume two of the three runners ahead of me where under thirty years of age.
November 29, 2011
Hiperformance Online - Come run with us...
Hey Folks,
My coach, Tyler Lord, is rolling out an exciting new training program for 2012 and he would love to have everyone out for a FREE orientation run.
What - Hiperformance Online orientation run
When - Sunday, December 11, 2011
tyler_hiperformance@hotmail.com
(I will post more information about the program specifics as they are posted up on the Hiperformance Online site! Stay tuned...)
My coach, Tyler Lord, is rolling out an exciting new training program for 2012 and he would love to have everyone out for a FREE orientation run.
What - Hiperformance Online orientation run
When - Sunday, December 11, 2011
Where - Hiperformance Training Centre - 118 Thomas Street, Oakville
Tyler (Pro triathlete, Head Coach), Glenn Camplin (amazing, local AG triathlete) and myself will be in attendance to lead the group through the quiet streets of Oakville. There will be several distances to pick from so everyone is more than welcome to come out and see what the program has to offer.
Please come out and see what all the buzz is about!
If you have any questions, or would like to RSVP, please send your correspondance to the contact below -
(I will post more information about the program specifics as they are posted up on the Hiperformance Online site! Stay tuned...)
November 21, 2011
Road 2 Hope Half Marathon (2011) Race Report
Missing the Scotia Toronto Waterfront Marathon a few weeks ago, I thought I would just pack it in for the season and take some time to rest and recuperate. Thankfully, other people had better ideas and I soon found myself gearing up for the Hamilton Road to Hope Half Marathon. I had put in a lot of work for the marathon and my coach did not want to see me waste all the effort so he recommended this date for me to compete.
Having raced this particular event last year, I knew it was a fast course but I still had to be ready and on my game to hit the time he had in mind for me. So I took the three weeks and made a very solid push in training to get myself ready to go sub 1:20 in Hamilton. As luck would have it, Tyler made a last minute change to his schedule to help pace my effort. Heading into the race with this support, I was feeling very good about my chances.
On Sunday morning, I grabbed my gear and headed towards the Hammer. On my way, I picked up Tyler and we drove to Confederation Park (the finish area) to catch the shuttle bus up the hill to the starting line. During the ride we discussed the strategy of the day so I knew what to expect and where I wanted to be in relation to his position on the course.
When we arrived at the high school (our warming centre), we grabbed a spot in one of the halls and I slowly prepared my kit for the race. I was not sure how warm it would feel come gun time so I was taking a long time deciding what to wear. As I weighed my clothing options, I had a chance to chat with Laura G (FMCT) and Luke Ehgoetz. Laura was gearing up for the full so she had a bit of a head start and was just about to make her way over to the line. Luke was running the half with us so I was interested to see what his game plan was for the 21.1k.
After we discussed this, and checked in our bags, it was time for a quick warm up outside. It was incredible running weather so I ended up ditching the short sleeve technical shirt I had under my top and just went with tri top and gloves on this early November morning.
At the start line, I tucked in behind Tyler and let him lead out of the tight chute. Unfortunately, I did not battle very hard once the gun sounded and I found myself falling off the pace, getting stuck behind some folks that were not hitting the pace the lead group was pushing. With a sharp right turn about 100 metres out of the school driveway, I had to wait to get around the corner before I could negotiate the crowd and then bridge up to the group I wanted to be running with. I wasn’t expecting to generate this kind of acceleration in this part of the run so once I caught up to Tyler I just sat on his heels for a few minutes to get the heart rate back down.
Over the next few kilometres we kept things under control, hanging slightly back from the chase group (the solo leader was well ahead of them). A few times I felt the urge to surge up to one of the other small packs in between us and the chase but Coach T wisely held me back keeping me just under our targeted pace across the flats leading up to the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
Just after the 5k marker we arrived at the downhill section as we merged onto the expressway. We had the benefit of a solid tailwind at this point so Tyler pumped up the pace and I just stuck on his tail. Most of the small groups were now strung out down the road so we just ran our own pace and did not worry about working with anyone else, for the time being.
On the decent, I was cruising along quicker than planned but I was doing well staying with my coach for most of this drop towards the lake, usually following him or just behind the twosome or threesome he was pulling along. This held true until the 8k area when I made a mental mistake trying to grab a cup of energy drink from an aid station. I missed the first one when I took my eyes off the cup and had to scramble to reach for another before passing through the zone. This brief lapse in focus seemed to knock me slightly off their pace and a gap opened up between myself and Tyler, Hugo Reyes and Michael Enright.
Tyler had mentioned Hugo’s talent level (as we watched him charge out at the start of the race) so when Tyler started to run beside Mr. Reyes, I figured they were going for a much quicker time than I could manage. My new plan was to just try and keep my gap around a hundred metres back. With the wind helping I knew I would be OK to work alone for the moment but I also knew once we changed direction, in a few thousand metres onto Barton, I would be expending a lot of extra energy going solo.
As I reached the 10k sign, I looked at my watch (35:23) to notice I was around ten seconds ahead of last year’s pace. This had me a little worried as I remember how much time I gave back in the last half of the run in 2010 and I felt like I was struggling a lot earlier this year. Shortly after the sign, I started to climb up the exit ramp from the expressway and decided to skip the aid station that would have added a few extra metres (on the far side of the curve). I saw Tyler, Hugo, Michael and another runner all head towards the volunteers so I hoped that my shorter route to Barton would allow me grab onto the back of their line to find some protection from the wind.
Similar to 2010, the wind was slowing everyone down along this short detour to Woodward Avenue. Tyler was now pushing ahead of the rest of us and looking very strong as I joined in behind Hugo and Michael. Once we turned right onto Woodward, we enjoyed more assistance from the wind and I just let my legs go and led the group for a few minutes with my coach a little ways up the road.
Over the next few kilometres, the three of us kept swapping positions leading the small pack to the lake front portion of the course. The cross wind was pretty tough along Beach Blvd as Hugo and Michael started to fade a little so I decided to just run on my own and try to chase down Tyler who was now about 50 metres up the street. When we finally reached the turnaround at 16k, I was not too far off but realized it would be a mistake to bridge up since the last five kilometres were going to be killer with the winds howling from our right.
On our way along the lake front path to the finish line, Michael ended up catching and pulling past me with about 4k to go. My form was getting very ugly at this point and I could not match his speed to work with him (to be honest, I don’t think there was any place to hide from the wind from the direction it was coming from so I just tried to use a training course landmarks to get me closer to the line as fast as possible). The Brooklin, Ontario native eventually hit a wall with about 2.5k to the line and I slowly got around him. He held on for a few hundred feet until a twosome from the London area smoothly glided past us, knocking both of us out of the top ten.
I had nothing left in the tank but Michael seemed to have a little juice and tried to track them down. He eventually came up six seconds short of their time and I was another eight behind him. I was just happy to reach the tape before having to crawl.
I ended up breaking through in 1:17:40 and finishing 12th overall and 2nd in my Age Group. Tyler also set a PB finishing 45 seconds ahead of me in 8th position. Thanks Coach!
Congrats to everyone on their races in Hamilton! Great work by Luke to easily beat his goal and qualify for New York in 2011!
Having raced this particular event last year, I knew it was a fast course but I still had to be ready and on my game to hit the time he had in mind for me. So I took the three weeks and made a very solid push in training to get myself ready to go sub 1:20 in Hamilton. As luck would have it, Tyler made a last minute change to his schedule to help pace my effort. Heading into the race with this support, I was feeling very good about my chances.
On Sunday morning, I grabbed my gear and headed towards the Hammer. On my way, I picked up Tyler and we drove to Confederation Park (the finish area) to catch the shuttle bus up the hill to the starting line. During the ride we discussed the strategy of the day so I knew what to expect and where I wanted to be in relation to his position on the course.
When we arrived at the high school (our warming centre), we grabbed a spot in one of the halls and I slowly prepared my kit for the race. I was not sure how warm it would feel come gun time so I was taking a long time deciding what to wear. As I weighed my clothing options, I had a chance to chat with Laura G (FMCT) and Luke Ehgoetz. Laura was gearing up for the full so she had a bit of a head start and was just about to make her way over to the line. Luke was running the half with us so I was interested to see what his game plan was for the 21.1k.
After we discussed this, and checked in our bags, it was time for a quick warm up outside. It was incredible running weather so I ended up ditching the short sleeve technical shirt I had under my top and just went with tri top and gloves on this early November morning.
At the start line, I tucked in behind Tyler and let him lead out of the tight chute. Unfortunately, I did not battle very hard once the gun sounded and I found myself falling off the pace, getting stuck behind some folks that were not hitting the pace the lead group was pushing. With a sharp right turn about 100 metres out of the school driveway, I had to wait to get around the corner before I could negotiate the crowd and then bridge up to the group I wanted to be running with. I wasn’t expecting to generate this kind of acceleration in this part of the run so once I caught up to Tyler I just sat on his heels for a few minutes to get the heart rate back down.
Over the next few kilometres we kept things under control, hanging slightly back from the chase group (the solo leader was well ahead of them). A few times I felt the urge to surge up to one of the other small packs in between us and the chase but Coach T wisely held me back keeping me just under our targeted pace across the flats leading up to the Red Hill Valley Parkway.
Just after the 5k marker we arrived at the downhill section as we merged onto the expressway. We had the benefit of a solid tailwind at this point so Tyler pumped up the pace and I just stuck on his tail. Most of the small groups were now strung out down the road so we just ran our own pace and did not worry about working with anyone else, for the time being.
On the decent, I was cruising along quicker than planned but I was doing well staying with my coach for most of this drop towards the lake, usually following him or just behind the twosome or threesome he was pulling along. This held true until the 8k area when I made a mental mistake trying to grab a cup of energy drink from an aid station. I missed the first one when I took my eyes off the cup and had to scramble to reach for another before passing through the zone. This brief lapse in focus seemed to knock me slightly off their pace and a gap opened up between myself and Tyler, Hugo Reyes and Michael Enright.
Tyler had mentioned Hugo’s talent level (as we watched him charge out at the start of the race) so when Tyler started to run beside Mr. Reyes, I figured they were going for a much quicker time than I could manage. My new plan was to just try and keep my gap around a hundred metres back. With the wind helping I knew I would be OK to work alone for the moment but I also knew once we changed direction, in a few thousand metres onto Barton, I would be expending a lot of extra energy going solo.
As I reached the 10k sign, I looked at my watch (35:23) to notice I was around ten seconds ahead of last year’s pace. This had me a little worried as I remember how much time I gave back in the last half of the run in 2010 and I felt like I was struggling a lot earlier this year. Shortly after the sign, I started to climb up the exit ramp from the expressway and decided to skip the aid station that would have added a few extra metres (on the far side of the curve). I saw Tyler, Hugo, Michael and another runner all head towards the volunteers so I hoped that my shorter route to Barton would allow me grab onto the back of their line to find some protection from the wind.
Similar to 2010, the wind was slowing everyone down along this short detour to Woodward Avenue. Tyler was now pushing ahead of the rest of us and looking very strong as I joined in behind Hugo and Michael. Once we turned right onto Woodward, we enjoyed more assistance from the wind and I just let my legs go and led the group for a few minutes with my coach a little ways up the road.
Over the next few kilometres, the three of us kept swapping positions leading the small pack to the lake front portion of the course. The cross wind was pretty tough along Beach Blvd as Hugo and Michael started to fade a little so I decided to just run on my own and try to chase down Tyler who was now about 50 metres up the street. When we finally reached the turnaround at 16k, I was not too far off but realized it would be a mistake to bridge up since the last five kilometres were going to be killer with the winds howling from our right.
On our way along the lake front path to the finish line, Michael ended up catching and pulling past me with about 4k to go. My form was getting very ugly at this point and I could not match his speed to work with him (to be honest, I don’t think there was any place to hide from the wind from the direction it was coming from so I just tried to use a training course landmarks to get me closer to the line as fast as possible). The Brooklin, Ontario native eventually hit a wall with about 2.5k to the line and I slowly got around him. He held on for a few hundred feet until a twosome from the London area smoothly glided past us, knocking both of us out of the top ten.
I had nothing left in the tank but Michael seemed to have a little juice and tried to track them down. He eventually came up six seconds short of their time and I was another eight behind him. I was just happy to reach the tape before having to crawl.
I ended up breaking through in 1:17:40 and finishing 12th overall and 2nd in my Age Group. Tyler also set a PB finishing 45 seconds ahead of me in 8th position. Thanks Coach!
Congrats to everyone on their races in Hamilton! Great work by Luke to easily beat his goal and qualify for New York in 2011!
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