Although, I will not be participating this year, I am working with my family to see if we can make a trip down to cheer on some friends. I actually just read that this is a World Qualifyer for the Long Course Duathlon. Once again, a little disappointed in the amount of advance warning we get from Triathlon Canada as that may have changed my schedule if I knew this earlier. I know this was not on their calendar for very long as I have been checking it very regularly. Oh well, saves me some money...
My coach, Syd Trefiak, will be guiding a visually impaired triathlete so I would like to go lend my support to their great athletic accomplishment in the 1/2 IM distance. Also, Tom and Kevin (training pals of mine) will likely be down as they make this race one of their must do family weekends. I am also sure to bump into some fellow Du'ers as they complete the sprints or 1/2 IM distance themselves. I know Mark Keating will be in the starting line up. Bruce Bird is rumoured to be in the long course triathlon field so it will be interesting to watch his amazing talents out on the course.
I have been ramping up for Gravenhurst so things have been all about hills and speed work. Hope to hit the track today for a nice 5 x 2k session so we will see how that goes. I hope the legs and lungs are up for the challenge.
Good luck to everyone in Peterborough! I will give all you a nice cheer as you pass by on the runs!
July 3, 2009
June 30, 2009
Thank you Simon!!!
When I first saw this photo on the weekend I knew I needed a copy for my inspiration file.
After reading about Simon's previous race, only days before this amazing victory, you would have written most athletes off on such a quick turnaround, mentally and physically. It goes to show just what it takes to be a champion.
We are ever so lucky that Simon continues to be the face of Canadian triathlon and the major factor for the popularity of the sport in our country. I would recommend that you read his blog as well to see how the man ticks away from the sport. His focus on family, friends and fans puts a lot of what is important in life into persepective. Unlike many professional athletes, it's not about the money and the fame. Good on you Simon!
http://simonwhitfield.blogspot.com
After reading about Simon's previous race, only days before this amazing victory, you would have written most athletes off on such a quick turnaround, mentally and physically. It goes to show just what it takes to be a champion.
We are ever so lucky that Simon continues to be the face of Canadian triathlon and the major factor for the popularity of the sport in our country. I would recommend that you read his blog as well to see how the man ticks away from the sport. His focus on family, friends and fans puts a lot of what is important in life into persepective. Unlike many professional athletes, it's not about the money and the fame. Good on you Simon!
http://simonwhitfield.blogspot.com
June 27, 2009
Mega Training Day with FMCT
This Saturday my club held its annual Mega Day created by Coach Rob McCue. The day consists of a 5k run, 15k ride, 3k run, 15k ride, 3k run, 15k ride and 5k run.
This proved to be a killer session in the nice, warm weather. I took the first 5k out pretty quick but ended up giving back a lot of time as I selected the road bike while others wisely pulled out the Tri bikes. The wind on the back section killed my legs and drove down my cycling speed average to normal stats, even though the effort was there.
Really tried to concentrate on each run and keep them close to 4:10 km splits. Did hit this many times but the hills on the runs made their statements as well.
Overall, great day of training with the team. In the morning, I rode up 25k to get to the site so that was my first leg burner for the day as I did not calculate the distance and would have been late if I continued to cruise up to Terra Cotta in the mid 20's.
After the workout we had a BBQ, with some of the families also joining us, and tons of food and lots of liquids. The event was an incredible way to start the weekend and was organized very, very well.
Great work Rob and FMCT!
Of note - Brian and Rob killed the course and left me in the dust proving I need to get my cycling legs back into shape!!!
This proved to be a killer session in the nice, warm weather. I took the first 5k out pretty quick but ended up giving back a lot of time as I selected the road bike while others wisely pulled out the Tri bikes. The wind on the back section killed my legs and drove down my cycling speed average to normal stats, even though the effort was there.
Really tried to concentrate on each run and keep them close to 4:10 km splits. Did hit this many times but the hills on the runs made their statements as well.
Overall, great day of training with the team. In the morning, I rode up 25k to get to the site so that was my first leg burner for the day as I did not calculate the distance and would have been late if I continued to cruise up to Terra Cotta in the mid 20's.
After the workout we had a BBQ, with some of the families also joining us, and tons of food and lots of liquids. The event was an incredible way to start the weekend and was organized very, very well.
Great work Rob and FMCT!
Of note - Brian and Rob killed the course and left me in the dust proving I need to get my cycling legs back into shape!!!
June 26, 2009
Pics from Muskoka and Guelph Lakes 1
Starting Line at Muskoka Long Course Du
Getting up to Speed in Muskoka (one foot still out so pretty close to the start)
Coming Down the Chute with the Lead - Muskoka Long Course Du
On The Bike in Guelph
First Place Duathlete - GL1(2:03:56, we started after the tri's)
Getting up to Speed in Muskoka (one foot still out so pretty close to the start)
Coming Down the Chute with the Lead - Muskoka Long Course Du
On The Bike in Guelph
First Place Duathlete - GL1(2:03:56, we started after the tri's)
June 24, 2009
Guelph Lakes I Olympic Duathlon Race Report
Going into the Guelph Lakes I weekend, I was feeling a little tired from a busy month of racing and training. This was my third duathlon race in four weekends and I have been putting in some solid training since January so it feels like time to rest. That will have to wait for a couple of days as the Guelph Lakes weekend has so many drawing features that I had to muster up the energy for one more race and man was it worth it.
Being the Club Championship weekend, I wanted to make sure to get the Fletchers Meadow Falcons some participation points by racing. Unfortunately, the duathlon does not qualify for the performance part of the OAT challenge so I could only offer up some vocal support to those competing in the Olympic Triathlon as they raced along.
For me, the next major goal is to break two hours in an Olympic distance duathlon. My previous best was at the National Championships in 2007 with a time of 2:04:56. Since that race in Parry Sound, I have had only a few opportunities to run the distance again and some of the courses were a touch challenging (to get the bike up near the 40km/h that I need with my running speed) or just a bit off on the measurements (Guelph Lakes used to have a 43km bike course), making it very tough to break that mark. This year Guelph Lakes I has changed the bike course to exactly 40k so I was pleased to test my new goal this weekend to motivate my tired body.
With a new plan in place, I was not as worried about my overall showing but just wanted to push the clock.
My pre-race strategy was to bring my old PB down and really push the bike to see where it would take me. Realistically, I knew dropping 5 minutes from my previous best would be a very long shot but I thought I would have a chance to run the 5k / T1 / 40k / T2 / 10k course in 0:18:30 / 0:00:40 / 1:02:00 / 0:00:40 / 0:40:00 for an overall time of 2:01:50. It would take a huge push on the bike and a solid final run (especially after hammering the bike) so I had to come prepared.
On race day the weather was almost perfect. Nice and sunny but just a touch of wind. As always, I used my early arrival to slowly get ready and then headed to the line where I saw some familiar faces that missed the Muskoka race. The field was a little bigger than last weekend’s race but not the size I was expecting. The sprint du in Guelph on Saturday had over 180 athletes so I thought this distance would attract close to 100 du’ers but only 68 registrants showed up. Oh well, many factors hurting the sport these days…
Now on to the race…Once Mitch sent us off for our opening 5k, I could tell my stride was not efficient but I was managing to hover around the pace I needed to hit my mark. I probably could have pushed harder but I figured that would cost on the bike so I wisely ran along in second place using my Garmin to pace me to the transition. The final kilometre was a little tougher on the legs than expected due to some small hills but I was able to keep shuffling towards the fenced in bike zone, reaching the timing mat in 18:30.
Once again, I used my improving transition to jump out to the lead on the bike as the faster runner used up valuable time at his spot in transition. The muddy grass (from all the rain on Saturday) made for a messy path to the bike mount, especially in socks. I got to the “Bike On” line and made another smooth entry to the bike course. Unfortunately, the mud and safety bumps on the way out to the road keep the speeds down so I lost some momentum in this area both times through but it is very difficult to guess how much time you actually lose. Anyway, I was finally out to the main roads and getting up to some pretty respectable splits. Before I left, I was told by OAT officials that I was twelfth onto the bike but had made up some spots (and lost one) so was making my way up to the overall leaders. With the wind in our faces on the way out, I had to really stay focused, pedal hard and remind myself that the average would get much better on the ride home.
I continued to make good progress and got ahead of a few more triathletes by the turn around marker. Now it was time to fly. As I was making great progress, Mark Keating (my personal positioning tracker, HAHA), yelled across from his bike that he counted my bike as the seventh bike. This was pretty cool to hear and I wanted more. I saw another rider in front of me and I passed him going up a hill at around the 25k sign. We were really getting a strong push from the wind on the way home and my average continued to climb. Hitting the 30k mark, I was finally the victim of Tyler Lord (again!!!) and another triathlete.
Unlike Muskoka, I was able to stay close to them. I was not right on their tails but happy to not have them gap me like Tyler did last weekend. By the time our ride had come to the park entrance, I had pushed my average up to 37.8km/h (although my final reading was 37.6 after the slow ride through the park and run to my spot on the rack) and hit the transition in eighth spot overall, first in the duathlon. My final bike time was 1:04:14 so I was off my wishful split and had some work to do on the run.
I quickly slipped on my racing flats and headed out to the 10k course through the inner roads of the conservation area. This is a run I have done several times but they changed it up at the end to eliminate the final hill after too many complaints. This loss of yardage required a newer branch that I had yet to see so I was not sure what to expect, but that would come later in the run.
Out of the gate on the final run, triathlete Mark Linesman settled in beside me. He is a very solid runner and I usually let the faster triathletes go past without much adjustment on my pace but if I really wanted to push my time I knew I could not allow this today. I geared up and hung on for all I had. He was moving well and I was excited that I was able to stay close. I used his pace as much as possible which kept me in a good position to break forty minutes. When we hit the first turn around I could see that Daniel Cain (a great young duathlete that is pretty well rounded on the bike and runs) was running second in our race, about one kilometre back. I could have let up knowing this but that forty minute mark was within grasp. I kept moving along the route watching my splits and hoping the course was close to the posted yardage.
Just after the 5k sign we hit the new section in the course. It was a gravel, off road vehicle trail cut through a field with a mild up and down thrown in for good measure. After making my way through the new out and back section my form was still holding up so I was getting more and more confident that this run would be close to my target. I pushed along the very familiar final few minutes of the run (as a duathlete I have run this section twice per event for over 5 races) so I could put my mind on cruise control and just keep my legs turning over.
The new finish line was constructed on the west side of transition where we usually run towards the final “hill of pain” (that they have eliminated). We had one final small incline up to the bike hold and then it was a very quick downhill sprint into the finishing corral. I used this speedy pathway to my advantage and did not slow down even though my position was secure. I broke through the imaginary tape with a final run time of 39:44 to best my previous 10k efforts in Guelph. The roll up of each individual section resulted in a new PB for this distance by exactly one minute at 2:03:56.
Although, I did not break two hours on this attempt it was very nice to pick up my second Subaru Duathlon win and to also better my 2007 PB. It was also a special day as I was able to enjoy the company of many FMCT Falcons! Our club had a tent set up where we got together after the race to socialize as we recovered from our races. I had a great time meeting many more members of this fantastic club and very happy with my decision to join after a couple years of sitting on the fence. I had researched tri and cycling clubs in my area for the past few seasons but never made the commitment until this winter. Excellent choice!
Being the Club Championship weekend, I wanted to make sure to get the Fletchers Meadow Falcons some participation points by racing. Unfortunately, the duathlon does not qualify for the performance part of the OAT challenge so I could only offer up some vocal support to those competing in the Olympic Triathlon as they raced along.
For me, the next major goal is to break two hours in an Olympic distance duathlon. My previous best was at the National Championships in 2007 with a time of 2:04:56. Since that race in Parry Sound, I have had only a few opportunities to run the distance again and some of the courses were a touch challenging (to get the bike up near the 40km/h that I need with my running speed) or just a bit off on the measurements (Guelph Lakes used to have a 43km bike course), making it very tough to break that mark. This year Guelph Lakes I has changed the bike course to exactly 40k so I was pleased to test my new goal this weekend to motivate my tired body.
With a new plan in place, I was not as worried about my overall showing but just wanted to push the clock.
My pre-race strategy was to bring my old PB down and really push the bike to see where it would take me. Realistically, I knew dropping 5 minutes from my previous best would be a very long shot but I thought I would have a chance to run the 5k / T1 / 40k / T2 / 10k course in 0:18:30 / 0:00:40 / 1:02:00 / 0:00:40 / 0:40:00 for an overall time of 2:01:50. It would take a huge push on the bike and a solid final run (especially after hammering the bike) so I had to come prepared.
On race day the weather was almost perfect. Nice and sunny but just a touch of wind. As always, I used my early arrival to slowly get ready and then headed to the line where I saw some familiar faces that missed the Muskoka race. The field was a little bigger than last weekend’s race but not the size I was expecting. The sprint du in Guelph on Saturday had over 180 athletes so I thought this distance would attract close to 100 du’ers but only 68 registrants showed up. Oh well, many factors hurting the sport these days…
Now on to the race…Once Mitch sent us off for our opening 5k, I could tell my stride was not efficient but I was managing to hover around the pace I needed to hit my mark. I probably could have pushed harder but I figured that would cost on the bike so I wisely ran along in second place using my Garmin to pace me to the transition. The final kilometre was a little tougher on the legs than expected due to some small hills but I was able to keep shuffling towards the fenced in bike zone, reaching the timing mat in 18:30.
Once again, I used my improving transition to jump out to the lead on the bike as the faster runner used up valuable time at his spot in transition. The muddy grass (from all the rain on Saturday) made for a messy path to the bike mount, especially in socks. I got to the “Bike On” line and made another smooth entry to the bike course. Unfortunately, the mud and safety bumps on the way out to the road keep the speeds down so I lost some momentum in this area both times through but it is very difficult to guess how much time you actually lose. Anyway, I was finally out to the main roads and getting up to some pretty respectable splits. Before I left, I was told by OAT officials that I was twelfth onto the bike but had made up some spots (and lost one) so was making my way up to the overall leaders. With the wind in our faces on the way out, I had to really stay focused, pedal hard and remind myself that the average would get much better on the ride home.
I continued to make good progress and got ahead of a few more triathletes by the turn around marker. Now it was time to fly. As I was making great progress, Mark Keating (my personal positioning tracker, HAHA), yelled across from his bike that he counted my bike as the seventh bike. This was pretty cool to hear and I wanted more. I saw another rider in front of me and I passed him going up a hill at around the 25k sign. We were really getting a strong push from the wind on the way home and my average continued to climb. Hitting the 30k mark, I was finally the victim of Tyler Lord (again!!!) and another triathlete.
Unlike Muskoka, I was able to stay close to them. I was not right on their tails but happy to not have them gap me like Tyler did last weekend. By the time our ride had come to the park entrance, I had pushed my average up to 37.8km/h (although my final reading was 37.6 after the slow ride through the park and run to my spot on the rack) and hit the transition in eighth spot overall, first in the duathlon. My final bike time was 1:04:14 so I was off my wishful split and had some work to do on the run.
I quickly slipped on my racing flats and headed out to the 10k course through the inner roads of the conservation area. This is a run I have done several times but they changed it up at the end to eliminate the final hill after too many complaints. This loss of yardage required a newer branch that I had yet to see so I was not sure what to expect, but that would come later in the run.
Out of the gate on the final run, triathlete Mark Linesman settled in beside me. He is a very solid runner and I usually let the faster triathletes go past without much adjustment on my pace but if I really wanted to push my time I knew I could not allow this today. I geared up and hung on for all I had. He was moving well and I was excited that I was able to stay close. I used his pace as much as possible which kept me in a good position to break forty minutes. When we hit the first turn around I could see that Daniel Cain (a great young duathlete that is pretty well rounded on the bike and runs) was running second in our race, about one kilometre back. I could have let up knowing this but that forty minute mark was within grasp. I kept moving along the route watching my splits and hoping the course was close to the posted yardage.
Just after the 5k sign we hit the new section in the course. It was a gravel, off road vehicle trail cut through a field with a mild up and down thrown in for good measure. After making my way through the new out and back section my form was still holding up so I was getting more and more confident that this run would be close to my target. I pushed along the very familiar final few minutes of the run (as a duathlete I have run this section twice per event for over 5 races) so I could put my mind on cruise control and just keep my legs turning over.
The new finish line was constructed on the west side of transition where we usually run towards the final “hill of pain” (that they have eliminated). We had one final small incline up to the bike hold and then it was a very quick downhill sprint into the finishing corral. I used this speedy pathway to my advantage and did not slow down even though my position was secure. I broke through the imaginary tape with a final run time of 39:44 to best my previous 10k efforts in Guelph. The roll up of each individual section resulted in a new PB for this distance by exactly one minute at 2:03:56.
Although, I did not break two hours on this attempt it was very nice to pick up my second Subaru Duathlon win and to also better my 2007 PB. It was also a special day as I was able to enjoy the company of many FMCT Falcons! Our club had a tent set up where we got together after the race to socialize as we recovered from our races. I had a great time meeting many more members of this fantastic club and very happy with my decision to join after a couple years of sitting on the fence. I had researched tri and cycling clubs in my area for the past few seasons but never made the commitment until this winter. Excellent choice!
June 18, 2009
Muskoka Long Course Du - 2009!
Race day started out very early as I headed out from my brother-in-laws place in Bracebridge. Steve lives only 20 minutes from the race so it made sense to save some dough and accept the kind invitation. I jumped in the car at 5:15am and drove to Deerhurst to pick up Bruce Bird (ex-duathlete, now making a name for himself in the tri!). We got to the event site before 6:15am and began to set up. There is always a lot of buzz around this race (especially the tri) so people were already filling the racks two hours before the start. At this time, all three duathlon racks had the first bikes on them so I picked the closest rack to the run course (right beside the gate) and had the second spot on that pole. It was now time to set up.
After getting everything in place, it was time for a warm up on the bike. I went out about three kilometres but when I turned back, I noticed my front tire was a lot softer than moments earlier in transition. I had pulled off the valve, by accident, when pumping up the tire during set up, although, I thought it was screwed in tight enough. Apparently it was not. I raced back to the race venue and took my bike over to D’Ornella’s tent in the expo area and we tried to pump it up. Nothing was happening and it was 40 minutes to race time. To put a new tubular on would take some time and a good chunk of money. I did not have either so thankfully the tech support from D’Ornella’s tried a solid twist on the stem with a wrench and we pumped up the tire again. It seemed to be holding.
Back in transition, Mark Keating (an always helpful friend I have met through this great sport), saw me scrambling and offered up an extra valve stem and some other suggestions. I felt the tire again and there was still lots of air holding so I did not want to risk changing anything so we left it as is. At this point, I remembered that I had packed my spare wheel so, in case something happened during the next half an hour (time between then and when I should be back in from the first run), I ran back to the car and grabbed it and set it beside my bike. At this time, the OAT officials were now kicking everyone out of the bike zone as the first wave of triathletes were now off and swimming.
I had 20 minutes to finish my warm up so I walked up with Mark to the duathlon start and put in some running and stretching. On the line, Brian Hastings and Bill Vieira from my training club (FMCT Falcons) joined me as the race director counted down the final 20 seconds. The first run is only 3k but has some moderate hills to make it interesting. I went out to the lead at a controlled pace and ran solo right up to the turn around. As I turned at the marker, another runner that I had not seen before on the series jumped into the lead and started to stretch the gap. Slightly after hitting 2k his pace came down a little so I had some time to pull tighter and sit comfortably in second place about 5 seconds behind. I reached the staging area still sitting in second and dropped the HR a little for a few seconds to allow for a relaxed transition.
This seemed to work nicely and I quickly put on my helmet and ran my bike out to the far end of the fenced in transition zone for the bike mount. I had been frustrated many times during the past four or five races with poor transitions (mainly getting my feet into the shoes already clipped to the pedals) so I finally forced myself to practice a few hours at home during the last week. This paid off in a big way as I jumped on and found the tops of the shoes right away. I was off and making my way up the ramp entrance to the main road. Once on a flatter area on the main street, I set up for my shoe entry and got my feet into the cleats just like I had visualized it. What a great feeling to start the bike portion as smoothly as I had planned.
On the road, I was out with most of the top pro triathletes and made my way past some of the female leaders before finding a lot of open road. I was cycling well, for my abilities, but it was a little lonely out there and I seemed to miss the little packs I am used to as they seem to motivate and drive you faster. It was like this all the way across the hilly, out and back course until the turn back. At this point, I could see Tyler Lord, a pro triathlete from Milton, coming up from behind with a few other triathletes. I knew Tyler’s bike (the distinctive pink Guru) and abilities (I am a fan of his blog as he updates often and shares his training stats) so I knew it would only be a matter of seconds before he made his way by me. This actually helped to get me going faster. I now made it my mission to have a negative split on the bike.
I pedaled with a lot more confidence as I continued to lead the duathlon and was sticking pretty close to top age group triathletes. I tried to keep Tyler in the rearview for a little longer but he eventually caught me as we turned up Brunel Road with about 15k to go. It did not take long for him to speed up and I decided to drop off the pace a touch so I did not burn myself out for the run. I looked back now and there was nobody in sight, again. I started to count down the kilometres and knew much of the climbing was done and the rest of the ride was mainly downhill. I figured I would be able to put on a full km/h on my overall average speed since the halfway point. Nearing the transition, I tried to stretch my legs and slowed up a bit to catch my breath and release my feet from my cycling shoes. Coming into the final run in around the ninth spot (triathletes and duathletes together) was pretty neat as the crowds really poured on the applause as they probably figured I was one of the triathletes.
With my bike now on the rack, I started out on the final 15k run hoping to look strong and better my time from last year. My first obstacle to overcome was cramping in my lower back. It was on both sides and slowing me down in a big way. I could not stop as I was not sure how far behind my next competitor was so I shuffled on. My Garmin 405 was showing that I was holding a decent pace but I wanted to go faster. As the back pain eased I tried to stay with some of the other runners in the tri race but it wasn’t happening and I was now fearful that my lead was going to slip away. I was hoping my three days of taper would produce a solid run?
With a few more triathletes blowing past me it was now gut check time. I was exhausted and had several negative thoughts swirling around in my head. Thankfully, I snapped out of that mood and started to think about winning. I did not want to crawl in as a winner. I had to reach deep and find some energy to finish up strong.
I finally reached the turnaround marker and could see some of my chasers. I did know if the leader of our run was in the mix but did see Brian coming down the other lane about half a kilometre back. With his running legs I began to really worry. That was very motivating and, from that point on, I did not have anyone pass me.
Getting back to Huntsville in the lead was a great feeling. I knew my current gap over the next runner with 2km to go would hold up to most charges and I could now start to finally get excited about winning a race. With so many fans out on the route to cheer us on, it was a thrill to race down the final hill to the finish line knowing I had accomplished the very goal I had set out to reach this season.
Many thanks to all the people that allowed an old, out of shape, beer drinking, chicken wing addict to reach the top of the podium. That includes family and friends (I do not want to leave anyone out so I will not name names) who were there to lend support right from my painful first 3.8k run 4 years and 50 pounds ago.
It also includes coach, Syd Trefiak, for putting the plan in place (now in its third year), Bruce Bird (for the inspiration and tips), Team Running Free (for all the great support even in my alumni years), Tommy B (my Meadowvale training partner), Mark Keaton (my “onsite bike advisor”) and my amazing new teammates at Fletchers Meadow CT.
Thank you all!
After getting everything in place, it was time for a warm up on the bike. I went out about three kilometres but when I turned back, I noticed my front tire was a lot softer than moments earlier in transition. I had pulled off the valve, by accident, when pumping up the tire during set up, although, I thought it was screwed in tight enough. Apparently it was not. I raced back to the race venue and took my bike over to D’Ornella’s tent in the expo area and we tried to pump it up. Nothing was happening and it was 40 minutes to race time. To put a new tubular on would take some time and a good chunk of money. I did not have either so thankfully the tech support from D’Ornella’s tried a solid twist on the stem with a wrench and we pumped up the tire again. It seemed to be holding.
Back in transition, Mark Keating (an always helpful friend I have met through this great sport), saw me scrambling and offered up an extra valve stem and some other suggestions. I felt the tire again and there was still lots of air holding so I did not want to risk changing anything so we left it as is. At this point, I remembered that I had packed my spare wheel so, in case something happened during the next half an hour (time between then and when I should be back in from the first run), I ran back to the car and grabbed it and set it beside my bike. At this time, the OAT officials were now kicking everyone out of the bike zone as the first wave of triathletes were now off and swimming.
I had 20 minutes to finish my warm up so I walked up with Mark to the duathlon start and put in some running and stretching. On the line, Brian Hastings and Bill Vieira from my training club (FMCT Falcons) joined me as the race director counted down the final 20 seconds. The first run is only 3k but has some moderate hills to make it interesting. I went out to the lead at a controlled pace and ran solo right up to the turn around. As I turned at the marker, another runner that I had not seen before on the series jumped into the lead and started to stretch the gap. Slightly after hitting 2k his pace came down a little so I had some time to pull tighter and sit comfortably in second place about 5 seconds behind. I reached the staging area still sitting in second and dropped the HR a little for a few seconds to allow for a relaxed transition.
This seemed to work nicely and I quickly put on my helmet and ran my bike out to the far end of the fenced in transition zone for the bike mount. I had been frustrated many times during the past four or five races with poor transitions (mainly getting my feet into the shoes already clipped to the pedals) so I finally forced myself to practice a few hours at home during the last week. This paid off in a big way as I jumped on and found the tops of the shoes right away. I was off and making my way up the ramp entrance to the main road. Once on a flatter area on the main street, I set up for my shoe entry and got my feet into the cleats just like I had visualized it. What a great feeling to start the bike portion as smoothly as I had planned.
On the road, I was out with most of the top pro triathletes and made my way past some of the female leaders before finding a lot of open road. I was cycling well, for my abilities, but it was a little lonely out there and I seemed to miss the little packs I am used to as they seem to motivate and drive you faster. It was like this all the way across the hilly, out and back course until the turn back. At this point, I could see Tyler Lord, a pro triathlete from Milton, coming up from behind with a few other triathletes. I knew Tyler’s bike (the distinctive pink Guru) and abilities (I am a fan of his blog as he updates often and shares his training stats) so I knew it would only be a matter of seconds before he made his way by me. This actually helped to get me going faster. I now made it my mission to have a negative split on the bike.
I pedaled with a lot more confidence as I continued to lead the duathlon and was sticking pretty close to top age group triathletes. I tried to keep Tyler in the rearview for a little longer but he eventually caught me as we turned up Brunel Road with about 15k to go. It did not take long for him to speed up and I decided to drop off the pace a touch so I did not burn myself out for the run. I looked back now and there was nobody in sight, again. I started to count down the kilometres and knew much of the climbing was done and the rest of the ride was mainly downhill. I figured I would be able to put on a full km/h on my overall average speed since the halfway point. Nearing the transition, I tried to stretch my legs and slowed up a bit to catch my breath and release my feet from my cycling shoes. Coming into the final run in around the ninth spot (triathletes and duathletes together) was pretty neat as the crowds really poured on the applause as they probably figured I was one of the triathletes.
With my bike now on the rack, I started out on the final 15k run hoping to look strong and better my time from last year. My first obstacle to overcome was cramping in my lower back. It was on both sides and slowing me down in a big way. I could not stop as I was not sure how far behind my next competitor was so I shuffled on. My Garmin 405 was showing that I was holding a decent pace but I wanted to go faster. As the back pain eased I tried to stay with some of the other runners in the tri race but it wasn’t happening and I was now fearful that my lead was going to slip away. I was hoping my three days of taper would produce a solid run?
With a few more triathletes blowing past me it was now gut check time. I was exhausted and had several negative thoughts swirling around in my head. Thankfully, I snapped out of that mood and started to think about winning. I did not want to crawl in as a winner. I had to reach deep and find some energy to finish up strong.
I finally reached the turnaround marker and could see some of my chasers. I did know if the leader of our run was in the mix but did see Brian coming down the other lane about half a kilometre back. With his running legs I began to really worry. That was very motivating and, from that point on, I did not have anyone pass me.
Getting back to Huntsville in the lead was a great feeling. I knew my current gap over the next runner with 2km to go would hold up to most charges and I could now start to finally get excited about winning a race. With so many fans out on the route to cheer us on, it was a thrill to race down the final hill to the finish line knowing I had accomplished the very goal I had set out to reach this season.
Many thanks to all the people that allowed an old, out of shape, beer drinking, chicken wing addict to reach the top of the podium. That includes family and friends (I do not want to leave anyone out so I will not name names) who were there to lend support right from my painful first 3.8k run 4 years and 50 pounds ago.
It also includes coach, Syd Trefiak, for putting the plan in place (now in its third year), Bruce Bird (for the inspiration and tips), Team Running Free (for all the great support even in my alumni years), Tommy B (my Meadowvale training partner), Mark Keaton (my “onsite bike advisor”) and my amazing new teammates at Fletchers Meadow CT.
Thank you all!
June 16, 2009
Quick Update - midweek round up
Well, it has been a very busy few days. The weekend went very good and I was able to come away with my first win in a duathlon. It was the race I trained to hopefully win this year and, even with a slow final run, I was able to hold off some guys that gave me a few scares over the course of the race. I will post a full race report very soon.
One thing I took away from the weekend. I want to be faster and be able to compete with the top age group triathletes. I am a little behind them right now but they have planted the seed. The top pros are so good and put so much into their craft. It would be amazing if I could race at their level but I am afraid that would place many stresses on my life. I wish I had their time and training abilities but I always need to keep family first.
I think I showed this when I received my award and selected the water bottle over the other prizes. Reason for that, my daughter always tries to take my water bottle off my bike in the garage to use and I always have to stop her and remind her that it is dirty. For some time now she has asked me to bring a water bottle home from a race, one with the "sports guys" (Subaru triathlon logos), so I told her that if I ever win I will bring a bottle home for her so she can put it on her tricycle. Happy to finally get that mission completed.
Monday and Tuesday, I had my boss in town from the States and we kept busy going over our plans and just catching up. Really great to get these very solid days of work in but it was tough to be super energetic after a long race.
I ended up going out with some people from work on Monday night for a quick appetizer but did not plan to train anyway and needed to recover. On Tuesday though, it was back at it and I hooked up with my club in Brampton. Rob let me know about his intentions to run before the ride so I booked it over after work but they were already around 1.5k into the 6k run by the time I saw them. I parked the car and sprinted out to try to catch them. Not going to happen but I ran quick and put in close to 4.5 to 5 k with half being faster than race pace. We then headed out on a awesome group ride.
The pace started very manageable at first but then the gun went off and Rob, Richard and I paced ourselves to a very fast 63k ride through north Brampton. Lots of climbs were along the route and we pushed each other very hard. These guys are much stronger on the bike so I was just trying to hang in there. I managed to keep up and our finishing few km's were in a pace line at 40k/hr into the wind. As I have not rode in a formal group before, I was excited to learn the drill. We each took 30 seconds on the pull as we headed back to the cars. Excellent ride to get back into the swing and ready for the olympic distance du this weekend.
Talk soon,
Larry
One thing I took away from the weekend. I want to be faster and be able to compete with the top age group triathletes. I am a little behind them right now but they have planted the seed. The top pros are so good and put so much into their craft. It would be amazing if I could race at their level but I am afraid that would place many stresses on my life. I wish I had their time and training abilities but I always need to keep family first.
I think I showed this when I received my award and selected the water bottle over the other prizes. Reason for that, my daughter always tries to take my water bottle off my bike in the garage to use and I always have to stop her and remind her that it is dirty. For some time now she has asked me to bring a water bottle home from a race, one with the "sports guys" (Subaru triathlon logos), so I told her that if I ever win I will bring a bottle home for her so she can put it on her tricycle. Happy to finally get that mission completed.
Monday and Tuesday, I had my boss in town from the States and we kept busy going over our plans and just catching up. Really great to get these very solid days of work in but it was tough to be super energetic after a long race.
I ended up going out with some people from work on Monday night for a quick appetizer but did not plan to train anyway and needed to recover. On Tuesday though, it was back at it and I hooked up with my club in Brampton. Rob let me know about his intentions to run before the ride so I booked it over after work but they were already around 1.5k into the 6k run by the time I saw them. I parked the car and sprinted out to try to catch them. Not going to happen but I ran quick and put in close to 4.5 to 5 k with half being faster than race pace. We then headed out on a awesome group ride.
The pace started very manageable at first but then the gun went off and Rob, Richard and I paced ourselves to a very fast 63k ride through north Brampton. Lots of climbs were along the route and we pushed each other very hard. These guys are much stronger on the bike so I was just trying to hang in there. I managed to keep up and our finishing few km's were in a pace line at 40k/hr into the wind. As I have not rode in a formal group before, I was excited to learn the drill. We each took 30 seconds on the pull as we headed back to the cars. Excellent ride to get back into the swing and ready for the olympic distance du this weekend.
Talk soon,
Larry
June 11, 2009
Time to Taper...
From the blogs I have been reading of late, the posts I love the most are those with the pros training logs. Although, I do not have as much time in the day as some of the pros to train or have the amazing splits they hammer out, I hope someone finds my training log interesting...
Monday - the weather at lunch was aweful so I headed to the gym to hit the tready. Ran a relaxed 10k in 45 minutes at an incline. Didn't want to go too hard with TT at night. After work, drove up to north Brampton for the TT with our FMCT group. It was very windy and I did not use it to my advantage out of the gates. Couldn't make up the time on the way home as we were now into the wind. Still clocked 17:40 for a 40.8 km/h average. Not great so decided to stay on the bike and ride hard for another 23k. That would get me home in lots of time to help get the kids to bed.
Tuesday - my body was tired and I could not muster much at lunch so just went for a quick 15k ride on the bike to the cycling shop. They did not have the part for my QR so it was a short visit. At night, just did some home work outs on abs and upper body to give my legs a break. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body and this was one of those times where there would be very little benefit of pushing out a run or bike workout.
Wednesday - rode 30k to work on the cross bike with weight (back pack). Had a lot of traffic lights to stop at so the flow was bad but tempo was good while I was pedalling. At lunch, went out for a interval session around Lake Aquataine. 3k warmup followed by 5 X 1k reps with 2 min breaks between. The lake trail is around 1.4 k so my 1 k and 2 minute slow run was close to a full lap. Bad part for my times was that the wind was against me in my race pace. Also the uphill portion was in my 1k zone and the downhill was in my rest. Oh well, better to work hard than look for the easy routes.
Thursday - I really need to rest my legs as much as possible for a few days to let them rebuild and energize for the long race. At lunch I will go to the gym to stretch and work lightly on core and upper body. At night, I will do some transition training just to make my shoe entry smoother. This method is new to me for 2009 and, even though it has saved me transition time, it has cost me some time and power on the bike.
Friday - total rest day...
Saturday - more rest and checking out the course in Muskoka. Also cheering on the sprinters in the triathlon.
Sunday - RACE DAY.
Monday - the weather at lunch was aweful so I headed to the gym to hit the tready. Ran a relaxed 10k in 45 minutes at an incline. Didn't want to go too hard with TT at night. After work, drove up to north Brampton for the TT with our FMCT group. It was very windy and I did not use it to my advantage out of the gates. Couldn't make up the time on the way home as we were now into the wind. Still clocked 17:40 for a 40.8 km/h average. Not great so decided to stay on the bike and ride hard for another 23k. That would get me home in lots of time to help get the kids to bed.
Tuesday - my body was tired and I could not muster much at lunch so just went for a quick 15k ride on the bike to the cycling shop. They did not have the part for my QR so it was a short visit. At night, just did some home work outs on abs and upper body to give my legs a break. Sometimes you just have to listen to your body and this was one of those times where there would be very little benefit of pushing out a run or bike workout.
Wednesday - rode 30k to work on the cross bike with weight (back pack). Had a lot of traffic lights to stop at so the flow was bad but tempo was good while I was pedalling. At lunch, went out for a interval session around Lake Aquataine. 3k warmup followed by 5 X 1k reps with 2 min breaks between. The lake trail is around 1.4 k so my 1 k and 2 minute slow run was close to a full lap. Bad part for my times was that the wind was against me in my race pace. Also the uphill portion was in my 1k zone and the downhill was in my rest. Oh well, better to work hard than look for the easy routes.
Thursday - I really need to rest my legs as much as possible for a few days to let them rebuild and energize for the long race. At lunch I will go to the gym to stretch and work lightly on core and upper body. At night, I will do some transition training just to make my shoe entry smoother. This method is new to me for 2009 and, even though it has saved me transition time, it has cost me some time and power on the bike.
Friday - total rest day...
Saturday - more rest and checking out the course in Muskoka. Also cheering on the sprinters in the triathlon.
Sunday - RACE DAY.
Owen Sound Start Line 2008
This is a great pic I just glanced at in my photos. It has so many of the awesome duathletes I competed against last year. Funny thing is only a few will race in the same race as I this season. Bruce has graduated to the tri-world. John is off cycling this summer. Derek is MIA so far in 2009. John was in Milton so it was good to race him this year.
June 8, 2009
Weekend Prep for Muskoka
Things never seem to go as planned in our family so to get the amount of training I did this weekend was totally unexpected. Thank you Tanya!
Friday started with an early departure from work (hello summer hours!) to meet up with Tom to bike the hills in Milton. We put in a solid 83k ride and I really put the hurt on up the several escarpement climbs. I also threw in some very solid "bike fartleks" on the straight aways into the wind. We seem to have an abundance of the blowy stuff these days so might as well get use to it.
Saturday, we had a busy day. I got up before the family and put in a decent 10k run. I was going to run longer and harder but I also had planned to race 15k on Sunday so wanted to save a little for a respectable time, even if it was for training purposes. Second order of business was to pick up my Garmiin 405 from Running Free in Milton. I was on the fence about buying a new watch this season but, thanks to a lot of $$ support from my mom for this purchase, I was happy to have the opportunity to get this awesome training upgrade. Map my Run is a great tool but so time consuming after a work out. Then it was off to Orangeville for some fun with the old high school boys and our families.
Sunday, I was going to race in the Bread and Honey 15k. Took my wife's readings in the newspaper as the correct start time (I was too tired Sat. night to check for myself). When I showed up to register I was 5 minutes too late as the race started at 8am and not 8:30am as per Tanya's words. To be honest, the cool weather, my tired legs and next weeks race made the miss in registration a blessing in disguise so I was not disappointed when I was turned away at the registration table. With this pressure out of the way, I could enjoy some extra family shopping time as we went to the Brook's outlet and picked up some new trail shoes and trainin tops. Not racing had bought me some training time and I used it to the fullest, putting in a very solid 62k ride over to Milton and back. I did not let up at any point in this cycling tour. The wind on the way home was very strong and really pushed the HR. Got off the bike in under 2 hours and took off immediately for a 10k run on the asphalt walking trails. I was clipping along at close to race pace for the first 5k. It was so nice to have the Garmin showing my pace as I usually just run out blind, only knowing the elapsed time in the run. From my new watch, I could tell I was pushing very hard but wanted to hit the 5k mark before slowing it down. My legs were bushed and ready to fall off so just before 5k (4.7k) so I shut things down for a quick walk for 1 minute and then resumed with a 4:20 paced run for the next 5k.
Due to the lack of long consectutive, training periods I had not been able to do as many big brick sessions this season so it felt very good to put this together today. Last year I did the Peterborough 1/2 IM distance so really had to put in the long bricks but Muskoka LC will be my longest race of the season so I can think I can get away with multiple, smaller training periods in a day. I just break it up into 2 workouts instead. For me, duathlon is only a lifestyle and not a profession so I must keep family a priority, especially at the stage the kids are at these days.
Now, hopefully the weather holds and we can get our TT in on Monday night before putting in some lower intensity efforts before the Muskoka Weekend!
Friday started with an early departure from work (hello summer hours!) to meet up with Tom to bike the hills in Milton. We put in a solid 83k ride and I really put the hurt on up the several escarpement climbs. I also threw in some very solid "bike fartleks" on the straight aways into the wind. We seem to have an abundance of the blowy stuff these days so might as well get use to it.
Saturday, we had a busy day. I got up before the family and put in a decent 10k run. I was going to run longer and harder but I also had planned to race 15k on Sunday so wanted to save a little for a respectable time, even if it was for training purposes. Second order of business was to pick up my Garmiin 405 from Running Free in Milton. I was on the fence about buying a new watch this season but, thanks to a lot of $$ support from my mom for this purchase, I was happy to have the opportunity to get this awesome training upgrade. Map my Run is a great tool but so time consuming after a work out. Then it was off to Orangeville for some fun with the old high school boys and our families.
Sunday, I was going to race in the Bread and Honey 15k. Took my wife's readings in the newspaper as the correct start time (I was too tired Sat. night to check for myself). When I showed up to register I was 5 minutes too late as the race started at 8am and not 8:30am as per Tanya's words. To be honest, the cool weather, my tired legs and next weeks race made the miss in registration a blessing in disguise so I was not disappointed when I was turned away at the registration table. With this pressure out of the way, I could enjoy some extra family shopping time as we went to the Brook's outlet and picked up some new trail shoes and trainin tops. Not racing had bought me some training time and I used it to the fullest, putting in a very solid 62k ride over to Milton and back. I did not let up at any point in this cycling tour. The wind on the way home was very strong and really pushed the HR. Got off the bike in under 2 hours and took off immediately for a 10k run on the asphalt walking trails. I was clipping along at close to race pace for the first 5k. It was so nice to have the Garmin showing my pace as I usually just run out blind, only knowing the elapsed time in the run. From my new watch, I could tell I was pushing very hard but wanted to hit the 5k mark before slowing it down. My legs were bushed and ready to fall off so just before 5k (4.7k) so I shut things down for a quick walk for 1 minute and then resumed with a 4:20 paced run for the next 5k.
Due to the lack of long consectutive, training periods I had not been able to do as many big brick sessions this season so it felt very good to put this together today. Last year I did the Peterborough 1/2 IM distance so really had to put in the long bricks but Muskoka LC will be my longest race of the season so I can think I can get away with multiple, smaller training periods in a day. I just break it up into 2 workouts instead. For me, duathlon is only a lifestyle and not a profession so I must keep family a priority, especially at the stage the kids are at these days.
Now, hopefully the weather holds and we can get our TT in on Monday night before putting in some lower intensity efforts before the Muskoka Weekend!
June 4, 2009
June 1, 2009
Milton Duathlon 2009
In my third year of racing, I am starting to realize that I have to expect the unexpected. If I don’t, I am going to walk away from almost every event in a negative frame of mind. I have decided that I need to start enjoying the races and be thankful that I have the ability to take part in this great sport. That being said, here is my upbeat race report from the 2009 Milton Sprint Duathlon.
Triathletes and duathletes alike were met with very windy and cool conditions when we gathered at Kelso Conservation Area in Milton, Ontario. On this particular day, I was very thankful to be a duathlete and not have to take the plunge into the chilly waters. This was a frequent comment made during my pre-race chats with friends in the triathlon. Sorry fellas.
Off to the race, the first 2k run was pretty quick out of the gate. I wanted to get away from the crowd to find some running room and, before long, three of us had surged to the front with Brent McMillan (a great duathlete that doesn’t show up to many Subaru events) out to the lead showing off his smooth, efficient stride. I did not know that this was him until I saw the results page and recognized the name from my internet readings. The other racer, Tommy Ferris, was also a new face to me so I had to be careful and stick to my pace instead of trying get out in front.
The bumpy, trail run went relatively as per my pre-race visuals. I was not sure who would show up (you never can be sure who will appear on any given weekend) but was very happy reaching transition in third place in 7:37, only fifteen seconds behind the leader.
In T1, I had a major issue as my helmet must have blown of my handle bars due to the crazy wind. I could not find where it landed and panicked looking around the racks for it. Compared to my second transition time I think I lost a full minute in my search. Ouch!
Finally, out on the bike and I was in damage control trying to regain spots from the athletes that got out during my helmet fiasco. The strong winds were coming out of the north so I was expecting a slow first half of the ride. I put my head down and pedaled my butt off which ended up costing me once I reached the 6th Line hill as I did not climb as well as I had hoped. I saw some other familiar faces on the hill so I knew I had to get faster. At the top, I pushed to get back up to speed, eventually passing those duathletes (seen on the climb) and making my way through the mass of triathletes on course.
At the far end of 6th Line, I continued to look for more of the leading duathletes but could not recognize any jerseys on the riders up ahead. On the short East to West section, at the top of the course, I was moving rapidly and tried to get even faster. In an attempt to crank out with more powerful strokes, I switched down a few rear rings and ended up dropping the chain off the big front ring as the chain jammed along the frame in the back end. Opps.
I tried to kick the chain back on the front ring with no luck. I was losing too much speed and not watching the road so it was best to stop and manually spin it back on. I had a few triathletes pass me on my pit stop but made short work of picking them off again once I started up. I think this may have been a thirty second drama that caused a lot more stress at a time I did not need it.
With the wind now on our backs, I watched my bike computer as the average started to move up to respectable levels. I passed a lot of people during this stretch and approached the downhill with a lot of space around me to get my line and cautiously descend. The wind gusts earlier in the ride left some fear in the back of my head so I was glad to have room to focus only on the road and not people around me.
Now I was less than 5km from the run and had a feeling that I was getting back some time on the field. This was even more evident when I saw Brent around 2.5k from the end of the ride. I was not sure of this athlete’s (McMillan’s) cycling abilities at this time but, as the leader going onto the bike, I assumed I had to be close to top five. Looking back at the results, my bike time was fourth best with an average of 36.2km/h. I was expecting faster because of previous years but the wind threw a curve into my forecast.
Thankfully, everything was smooth during T2 and I only saw a few bikes on the racks before me. Getting the cycling gear off, I was now getting my head ready for the last portion of the race. The final 7.5k run in the Milton race is one of the toughest in the series as you have an uphill battle to the turn around. The wind would make it even more of a leg burner on this day.
My goal was to go sub-thirty minutes for the last run, a twenty-two second improvement over 2008. Coming out of the transition, up the tester hill immediately out of bike zone, I could feel that I had used up much of my legs in my aggressive ride. In the first five hundred metres Brent had blown by me. I tried to match his pace but he was looking very strong on his feet again so I just attempted to keep him in sight. This tactic increased my foot speed and motivated me to go faster. I ended up passing a couple others but in the end, two tough kilometres (1 and 3) on the way up to the Hilton Falls turn around cost me too much time and I came short of my goal, posting 31:13 for the last stage of the race.
In the end, I finished the race in fourth position overall with the potential for a much better showing. After taking some notes from the lessons learned, and add in some better luck in the future, and there are many reasons to stay positive. I am very satisfied with my early season progress in 2009, especially on the bike, but I also realize that I have a lot of room to grow (mentally and physically) but comparing my times against some experienced duathletes has justified my training efforts.
Triathletes and duathletes alike were met with very windy and cool conditions when we gathered at Kelso Conservation Area in Milton, Ontario. On this particular day, I was very thankful to be a duathlete and not have to take the plunge into the chilly waters. This was a frequent comment made during my pre-race chats with friends in the triathlon. Sorry fellas.
Off to the race, the first 2k run was pretty quick out of the gate. I wanted to get away from the crowd to find some running room and, before long, three of us had surged to the front with Brent McMillan (a great duathlete that doesn’t show up to many Subaru events) out to the lead showing off his smooth, efficient stride. I did not know that this was him until I saw the results page and recognized the name from my internet readings. The other racer, Tommy Ferris, was also a new face to me so I had to be careful and stick to my pace instead of trying get out in front.
The bumpy, trail run went relatively as per my pre-race visuals. I was not sure who would show up (you never can be sure who will appear on any given weekend) but was very happy reaching transition in third place in 7:37, only fifteen seconds behind the leader.
In T1, I had a major issue as my helmet must have blown of my handle bars due to the crazy wind. I could not find where it landed and panicked looking around the racks for it. Compared to my second transition time I think I lost a full minute in my search. Ouch!
Finally, out on the bike and I was in damage control trying to regain spots from the athletes that got out during my helmet fiasco. The strong winds were coming out of the north so I was expecting a slow first half of the ride. I put my head down and pedaled my butt off which ended up costing me once I reached the 6th Line hill as I did not climb as well as I had hoped. I saw some other familiar faces on the hill so I knew I had to get faster. At the top, I pushed to get back up to speed, eventually passing those duathletes (seen on the climb) and making my way through the mass of triathletes on course.
At the far end of 6th Line, I continued to look for more of the leading duathletes but could not recognize any jerseys on the riders up ahead. On the short East to West section, at the top of the course, I was moving rapidly and tried to get even faster. In an attempt to crank out with more powerful strokes, I switched down a few rear rings and ended up dropping the chain off the big front ring as the chain jammed along the frame in the back end. Opps.
I tried to kick the chain back on the front ring with no luck. I was losing too much speed and not watching the road so it was best to stop and manually spin it back on. I had a few triathletes pass me on my pit stop but made short work of picking them off again once I started up. I think this may have been a thirty second drama that caused a lot more stress at a time I did not need it.
With the wind now on our backs, I watched my bike computer as the average started to move up to respectable levels. I passed a lot of people during this stretch and approached the downhill with a lot of space around me to get my line and cautiously descend. The wind gusts earlier in the ride left some fear in the back of my head so I was glad to have room to focus only on the road and not people around me.
Now I was less than 5km from the run and had a feeling that I was getting back some time on the field. This was even more evident when I saw Brent around 2.5k from the end of the ride. I was not sure of this athlete’s (McMillan’s) cycling abilities at this time but, as the leader going onto the bike, I assumed I had to be close to top five. Looking back at the results, my bike time was fourth best with an average of 36.2km/h. I was expecting faster because of previous years but the wind threw a curve into my forecast.
Thankfully, everything was smooth during T2 and I only saw a few bikes on the racks before me. Getting the cycling gear off, I was now getting my head ready for the last portion of the race. The final 7.5k run in the Milton race is one of the toughest in the series as you have an uphill battle to the turn around. The wind would make it even more of a leg burner on this day.
My goal was to go sub-thirty minutes for the last run, a twenty-two second improvement over 2008. Coming out of the transition, up the tester hill immediately out of bike zone, I could feel that I had used up much of my legs in my aggressive ride. In the first five hundred metres Brent had blown by me. I tried to match his pace but he was looking very strong on his feet again so I just attempted to keep him in sight. This tactic increased my foot speed and motivated me to go faster. I ended up passing a couple others but in the end, two tough kilometres (1 and 3) on the way up to the Hilton Falls turn around cost me too much time and I came short of my goal, posting 31:13 for the last stage of the race.
In the end, I finished the race in fourth position overall with the potential for a much better showing. After taking some notes from the lessons learned, and add in some better luck in the future, and there are many reasons to stay positive. I am very satisfied with my early season progress in 2009, especially on the bike, but I also realize that I have a lot of room to grow (mentally and physically) but comparing my times against some experienced duathletes has justified my training efforts.
May 30, 2009
10 Questions with Richard Pady
1. You have been involved in multisport for a long time for a young person. How did you get started back when the sport did not have the hype, the pre-Olympic years?
RP - When I was 14 years old there was a little 1/2 Marathon in my home town of Midland, Ontario. I found out about the race 1 week before. Back then there were no books or websites (at least not in Midland). We didn't know what we were doing but my mom had me run half the course on Tuesday and half the course on Thursday and I raced the full 1/2 Marathon on the Sunday. For a kid who didn't really train for any sport at the time, I ran 1:45:21 on a very hilly course. I loved it. It was at that race I heard about a triathlon that was going to be held in town in June of that year (1989). It was a 1.5km swim, 45km bike, 12km run. No sprints back then. My sister and I started training a month out from the race.
We'd get our 10 speed CCM bikes out and try to ride the course or parts of it, we'd get into the pool and see how far we could go without stopping (I think I made it 10 lengths = 250m) and of course I didn't need to worry about the run because I had already done the 1/2 marathon in April. On race day, I wore my Body Glove windsurfing wet suit in the swim so I would not drown, I rode the 45km bike on my 10 speed with no aero bars and I think I walked 50% of the run. I finished in a time of 3:01:45 and my sister beat me, which to this day she still reminds me of anytime I do well in a race. I can't explain what I enjoyed so much about it but I was hooked and we started learning more about the sport and where other events would take place. I was so lucky to have two of the most involved people in the triathlon world here in Ontario at the time. Graham Fraser had his triathlon series, which to this day is one of the best series in the world, and Barrie Shepley was, and still is, one of the more involved men in the world of triathlon.
Graham's races and Barrie's coaching lead me to the career I had and the sport I love.
2. Looking back at some earlier results in your career, I recognized some familiar names in your races. Is there anyone you competed against during your first few years that you follow and cheer for when he or she races?
RP - I wonder who you are talking about .......... Actually there were so many close friends and training partners that I have followed and cheered on from the TV or the internet. Back then, triathlon was so small we didn't just race with which other we also traveled and trained together whenever possible. I spent many summers with Simon Whitfield and Jasper Blake training in the hills of Collingwood, Ontario. My training partner at the track for many years was Lori Bowden (helped I had a crush on her!!) and when I went to University I trained with Noel Harrington (1997 IMC champion) and Mike Buck who basically won every race he went into back in the 90's. Now I train whenever possible with my close friend Tara Norton. So in my 20 years in the sport I have been very lucky to train with some of the best athletes our sport has ever seen.
1. You have your Healthy Results Coaching business ( www.healthyresults.ca ) that, I assume, fills up most of your schedule. The address on the site states Orangeville, Ontario as the location. Why did you select this town as your base as opposed to the bigger cities in the area?
RP - It was a location that fit for both my wife and myself. My wife, Heather, was finishing up Chiropractic college in Toronto in 2000 and together we were trying to figure out where she could set up a practice and I could still run my coaching and personal training business. My sister, Kim, is also a chiropractor and was looking for a partner in her practice which was in Orangeville. It was a great fit for Heather. When we came up to Orangeville for the first time it became clear that it is one of the best training areas in the world for triathlon. I have been all over the world with triathlon and there are few places in the world that have as much variety of running and riding routes. Low traffic and beautiful roads. We also have two pools and three locations to open water swim.
Some think one down side is the snow in the winter, but we have great cross country skiing up here so it allows me to get off the bike trainer and get outside to build my endurance over the winter. My business might be bigger in the city like my friends who are coaches there, but I like the lifestyle of the small town. For me it's about lifestyle first, work second.
4. If my math is correct, you raced 9 years as a Pro from 1995 – 2003. What were the main factors in dropping from the professional ranks and racing as an Age Group athlete?
RP - Reality..................in 2003 it was clear I was not going to be like my friends Jasper Blake and Simon Whitfield and my focus in life was changing. In January of 2004, my wife and I welcomed the birth of our daughter Elizabeth. I was now a husband, dad, coach and then if there was any free time, an athlete. I do the sport for fun now and don't need the pressure of racing professionally.
5. Being a Professional Triathlete is a tough job and it is hard to make ends meet a lot of the time which turns a lot of Pro triathletes to coaching. Does coaching give you a similar level of satisfaction when you see someone else reaching their goals compared to the excitement of competing in your own race?
RP - Being a coach is more rewarding then my own racing career. I've always been the guy who is the leader in the group and enjoys helping people achieve their very best. I got into coaching not to pay the bills but because I wanted to stay in the sport I loved. I enjoy coaching athletes of all levels. I currently have two junior athletes with a world of potential, many first time Ironman or 70.3 athletes, and a hand full of elite age group athletes. Every hour of my day is different for me as a coach. I get a lot of satisfaction from my job, from seeing an athlete finish their first race or winning their age group. I'm very lucky to be able to love what I do for a living.
6. What words of advice do you most commonly give to your athletes?
RP - Training is all about being consistent. Everyone is looking for the upper hand in training or the magic workout or gear, but at any level unless you learn to train consistently nothing else matters. Being consistent is not as easy as it seems on paper. It is not about hours trained or finishing all the workouts in a program. It's about doing the right workouts, at the right time, at the right level of effort.
7. What race experience is your most memorable and why does it hold such value to you?
RP - In 1993 I missed making the national junior team by 3 second. I spend the next year preparing for the National Championships. I had the date written all over my walls in my bedroom "June 17th, 1994". It was my last year as a junior. I had a great swim and solid bike but it was my run that got me across the line in second place. Winning a silver may not be a gold but if you look at the athletes that came out of the junior ranks that year they all went on to very strong professional careers. It also was the race that turned triathlon in to a lifelong passion.
8. I was reading a blog yesterday and followed a link to a race a few Canadians had entered called the American Triple T Race. This is a three day, four race epic with a quick Prologue Tri on Friday. Two Olympic Distance Tri races on Saturday and a Half Ironman distance on Sunday. I noticed your name in the overall rankings and it looks like you put in an incredible performance for the combined four event win. Congrats! What drew you to this tough endurance challenge in Ohio?
RP - First, thank you.
Why TTT?....Peer Pressure........I had a few friends that did the race last year and they thought it would be something I'd do well at, well actually they told me I could win it. My biggest weakness is when I get challenged. I'm not as fast as someone who races ITU, but I do still swim under 20mins for 1500m, bike 40k an hour on a rolling course and can run a 35-36 minute 10k. A long with my speed I have been training off and on for Ironmans for 9 years, so I have the endurance most of the short course athletes don't have. But one of the real reasons I did the race was because I like to challenge myself. It is a one of a kind race.
It tests your speed, endurance, and mental strength over three days. All four races are some of the most challenging course you'll ever find. It is not like most endurance triathlons. You have to go fast in the first two events to stay in contact with the leaders but if you over do it you play for it on the Sunday race. I positioned myself well going into Sunday and won the race because I didn't fall apart on the final 21.1km run. To read more go to www.hrtchat.com
9. Seeing the results from question 8 and your results in the 2008 Muskoka 70.3 race you can tell you are still in amazing shape and you still love to race. How many races a year does it take to fill your appetite to compete? What other races are on your schedule in the future?
RP - Funny I don't really have much of an appetite to compete any more. I just race to see how fast I can go. I've done almost every triathlon in Ontario in the 20 years I've been in the sport. There were seasons back in the day (pre wife and kids) where I raced almost every weekend. Now I love the process of getting ready for a race and the art of getting in shape. Race day is more like the test to see if I did the training correctly. I train about half as much as most of the athletes at my level and I race even less.
(Since I stopped racing as a professional) In 2004 I raced once In 2005 I raced once In 2006 I raced once In 2007 I did 3 races In 2008 I did 2 races
My goal for 2009 is to get back into the sport I spend so much time talking about. I love coaching and I feel I'm even a better coach when I'm training and racing as I'm more in tune with workouts, dealing with the challenges athletes face and how to balance training with family and work.
10. What goals have you outlined for yourself in 2009?
RP - This year I'm doing Ironman Lake Placid for my charity www.race4kids.ca. On top of a fundraising goal of $250,000.00 to fight Childhood Cancer I hope to qualify for the World Championships in Kona. In Kona I'm hoping to medal in my age group (35-39). I know this goal is big, it will take more than likely a sub 9hr race in Kona to do it, but both my coach and I feel it is possible. Other then the three major events I'll do a hand full of running races and local triathlons (Huronia, Wasaga Beach, Bracebridge) here in Ontario.
Once again, thank you very much for your time!
LARRY BRADLEY
RP - When I was 14 years old there was a little 1/2 Marathon in my home town of Midland, Ontario. I found out about the race 1 week before. Back then there were no books or websites (at least not in Midland). We didn't know what we were doing but my mom had me run half the course on Tuesday and half the course on Thursday and I raced the full 1/2 Marathon on the Sunday. For a kid who didn't really train for any sport at the time, I ran 1:45:21 on a very hilly course. I loved it. It was at that race I heard about a triathlon that was going to be held in town in June of that year (1989). It was a 1.5km swim, 45km bike, 12km run. No sprints back then. My sister and I started training a month out from the race.
We'd get our 10 speed CCM bikes out and try to ride the course or parts of it, we'd get into the pool and see how far we could go without stopping (I think I made it 10 lengths = 250m) and of course I didn't need to worry about the run because I had already done the 1/2 marathon in April. On race day, I wore my Body Glove windsurfing wet suit in the swim so I would not drown, I rode the 45km bike on my 10 speed with no aero bars and I think I walked 50% of the run. I finished in a time of 3:01:45 and my sister beat me, which to this day she still reminds me of anytime I do well in a race. I can't explain what I enjoyed so much about it but I was hooked and we started learning more about the sport and where other events would take place. I was so lucky to have two of the most involved people in the triathlon world here in Ontario at the time. Graham Fraser had his triathlon series, which to this day is one of the best series in the world, and Barrie Shepley was, and still is, one of the more involved men in the world of triathlon.
Graham's races and Barrie's coaching lead me to the career I had and the sport I love.
2. Looking back at some earlier results in your career, I recognized some familiar names in your races. Is there anyone you competed against during your first few years that you follow and cheer for when he or she races?
RP - I wonder who you are talking about .......... Actually there were so many close friends and training partners that I have followed and cheered on from the TV or the internet. Back then, triathlon was so small we didn't just race with which other we also traveled and trained together whenever possible. I spent many summers with Simon Whitfield and Jasper Blake training in the hills of Collingwood, Ontario. My training partner at the track for many years was Lori Bowden (helped I had a crush on her!!) and when I went to University I trained with Noel Harrington (1997 IMC champion) and Mike Buck who basically won every race he went into back in the 90's. Now I train whenever possible with my close friend Tara Norton. So in my 20 years in the sport I have been very lucky to train with some of the best athletes our sport has ever seen.
1. You have your Healthy Results Coaching business ( www.healthyresults.ca ) that, I assume, fills up most of your schedule. The address on the site states Orangeville, Ontario as the location. Why did you select this town as your base as opposed to the bigger cities in the area?
RP - It was a location that fit for both my wife and myself. My wife, Heather, was finishing up Chiropractic college in Toronto in 2000 and together we were trying to figure out where she could set up a practice and I could still run my coaching and personal training business. My sister, Kim, is also a chiropractor and was looking for a partner in her practice which was in Orangeville. It was a great fit for Heather. When we came up to Orangeville for the first time it became clear that it is one of the best training areas in the world for triathlon. I have been all over the world with triathlon and there are few places in the world that have as much variety of running and riding routes. Low traffic and beautiful roads. We also have two pools and three locations to open water swim.
Some think one down side is the snow in the winter, but we have great cross country skiing up here so it allows me to get off the bike trainer and get outside to build my endurance over the winter. My business might be bigger in the city like my friends who are coaches there, but I like the lifestyle of the small town. For me it's about lifestyle first, work second.
4. If my math is correct, you raced 9 years as a Pro from 1995 – 2003. What were the main factors in dropping from the professional ranks and racing as an Age Group athlete?
RP - Reality..................in 2003 it was clear I was not going to be like my friends Jasper Blake and Simon Whitfield and my focus in life was changing. In January of 2004, my wife and I welcomed the birth of our daughter Elizabeth. I was now a husband, dad, coach and then if there was any free time, an athlete. I do the sport for fun now and don't need the pressure of racing professionally.
5. Being a Professional Triathlete is a tough job and it is hard to make ends meet a lot of the time which turns a lot of Pro triathletes to coaching. Does coaching give you a similar level of satisfaction when you see someone else reaching their goals compared to the excitement of competing in your own race?
RP - Being a coach is more rewarding then my own racing career. I've always been the guy who is the leader in the group and enjoys helping people achieve their very best. I got into coaching not to pay the bills but because I wanted to stay in the sport I loved. I enjoy coaching athletes of all levels. I currently have two junior athletes with a world of potential, many first time Ironman or 70.3 athletes, and a hand full of elite age group athletes. Every hour of my day is different for me as a coach. I get a lot of satisfaction from my job, from seeing an athlete finish their first race or winning their age group. I'm very lucky to be able to love what I do for a living.
6. What words of advice do you most commonly give to your athletes?
RP - Training is all about being consistent. Everyone is looking for the upper hand in training or the magic workout or gear, but at any level unless you learn to train consistently nothing else matters. Being consistent is not as easy as it seems on paper. It is not about hours trained or finishing all the workouts in a program. It's about doing the right workouts, at the right time, at the right level of effort.
7. What race experience is your most memorable and why does it hold such value to you?
RP - In 1993 I missed making the national junior team by 3 second. I spend the next year preparing for the National Championships. I had the date written all over my walls in my bedroom "June 17th, 1994". It was my last year as a junior. I had a great swim and solid bike but it was my run that got me across the line in second place. Winning a silver may not be a gold but if you look at the athletes that came out of the junior ranks that year they all went on to very strong professional careers. It also was the race that turned triathlon in to a lifelong passion.
8. I was reading a blog yesterday and followed a link to a race a few Canadians had entered called the American Triple T Race. This is a three day, four race epic with a quick Prologue Tri on Friday. Two Olympic Distance Tri races on Saturday and a Half Ironman distance on Sunday. I noticed your name in the overall rankings and it looks like you put in an incredible performance for the combined four event win. Congrats! What drew you to this tough endurance challenge in Ohio?
RP - First, thank you.
Why TTT?....Peer Pressure........I had a few friends that did the race last year and they thought it would be something I'd do well at, well actually they told me I could win it. My biggest weakness is when I get challenged. I'm not as fast as someone who races ITU, but I do still swim under 20mins for 1500m, bike 40k an hour on a rolling course and can run a 35-36 minute 10k. A long with my speed I have been training off and on for Ironmans for 9 years, so I have the endurance most of the short course athletes don't have. But one of the real reasons I did the race was because I like to challenge myself. It is a one of a kind race.
It tests your speed, endurance, and mental strength over three days. All four races are some of the most challenging course you'll ever find. It is not like most endurance triathlons. You have to go fast in the first two events to stay in contact with the leaders but if you over do it you play for it on the Sunday race. I positioned myself well going into Sunday and won the race because I didn't fall apart on the final 21.1km run. To read more go to www.hrtchat.com
9. Seeing the results from question 8 and your results in the 2008 Muskoka 70.3 race you can tell you are still in amazing shape and you still love to race. How many races a year does it take to fill your appetite to compete? What other races are on your schedule in the future?
RP - Funny I don't really have much of an appetite to compete any more. I just race to see how fast I can go. I've done almost every triathlon in Ontario in the 20 years I've been in the sport. There were seasons back in the day (pre wife and kids) where I raced almost every weekend. Now I love the process of getting ready for a race and the art of getting in shape. Race day is more like the test to see if I did the training correctly. I train about half as much as most of the athletes at my level and I race even less.
(Since I stopped racing as a professional) In 2004 I raced once In 2005 I raced once In 2006 I raced once In 2007 I did 3 races In 2008 I did 2 races
My goal for 2009 is to get back into the sport I spend so much time talking about. I love coaching and I feel I'm even a better coach when I'm training and racing as I'm more in tune with workouts, dealing with the challenges athletes face and how to balance training with family and work.
10. What goals have you outlined for yourself in 2009?
RP - This year I'm doing Ironman Lake Placid for my charity www.race4kids.ca. On top of a fundraising goal of $250,000.00 to fight Childhood Cancer I hope to qualify for the World Championships in Kona. In Kona I'm hoping to medal in my age group (35-39). I know this goal is big, it will take more than likely a sub 9hr race in Kona to do it, but both my coach and I feel it is possible. Other then the three major events I'll do a hand full of running races and local triathlons (Huronia, Wasaga Beach, Bracebridge) here in Ontario.
Once again, thank you very much for your time!
LARRY BRADLEY
May 29, 2009
Milton Du is coming soon...
I have not been blogging much in the past as family life and work have left a little time to train and not much else. Hopefully, I can get back into the swing of things with some quick hits and maybe have some people follow my work.
I read a lot of the blogs out there, mostly the Canadian pros like Simon, Kyle and Brent and the likes, to see how the multisport community runs. I am always impressed by the training they are able to achieve in a week but am also amazed at how they tend to change things up a lot and go with the flow for most of their workouts. I think it says a lot about how well they know their bodies and how they know what needs be done during their week to make it a successful training week.
I was following my plan to a "T" earlier this season but a few opportunities have changed things up such as my membership with Fletcher's Meadow Cross Trainers and training with friends. These make the training load much more enjoyable and motivating.
This week was a great week for me leading up to the Milton Du on Sunday. Last Saturday, Tom and I got out to Milton to ride the course and check out the road conditions this year. On Sunday, Tom and I got in a nice and easy long run during the kids nap in the afternoon. Then I had a great TT on Monday, some decent km's on the bike and run on Tuesday and a very fine brick session on Thursday with a PB on one of my home loops (16:29).
After my results from Victoria's a few weeks ago, I am very excited to best my times of last year on some of the courses. Hopefully, one weekend, that will be good enout for the win. Tough to say as you just never know who will show up for an event.
Best of luck to all those heading to Milton this weekend!
Larry Bradley
Age Group Du Guy
I read a lot of the blogs out there, mostly the Canadian pros like Simon, Kyle and Brent and the likes, to see how the multisport community runs. I am always impressed by the training they are able to achieve in a week but am also amazed at how they tend to change things up a lot and go with the flow for most of their workouts. I think it says a lot about how well they know their bodies and how they know what needs be done during their week to make it a successful training week.
I was following my plan to a "T" earlier this season but a few opportunities have changed things up such as my membership with Fletcher's Meadow Cross Trainers and training with friends. These make the training load much more enjoyable and motivating.
This week was a great week for me leading up to the Milton Du on Sunday. Last Saturday, Tom and I got out to Milton to ride the course and check out the road conditions this year. On Sunday, Tom and I got in a nice and easy long run during the kids nap in the afternoon. Then I had a great TT on Monday, some decent km's on the bike and run on Tuesday and a very fine brick session on Thursday with a PB on one of my home loops (16:29).
After my results from Victoria's a few weeks ago, I am very excited to best my times of last year on some of the courses. Hopefully, one weekend, that will be good enout for the win. Tough to say as you just never know who will show up for an event.
Best of luck to all those heading to Milton this weekend!
Larry Bradley
Age Group Du Guy
May 21, 2009
Victoria's Duathlon - Waterloo (5/18/09(
Our crazy weather of the past few weeks took a holiday in time to offer an incredible day for racing at Victoria’s Duathlon 2009. The night before, I had mentioned to my wife that I would stay home if the winds continued to blow as strongly as they were. Thankfully, when I got out of bed early to put some finishing touches on my bike, the conditions outside were showing excellent potential so I packed up the last of my gear and headed to Waterloo.
After getting registered, talking to some multisport friends and getting organized in transition, it was time to race. I requested to start in Wave 1 with the elites and top age groupers so that I could test my training with the best on the course. It was a strange start as the little girl they had as the official starter sounded the horn pre-maturely during the instructions sending all the athletes down the driveway. Everyone was quickly called back to the line for the real start. The next time, when the countdown reached zero, she hit it twice, so I stopped thinking it was a false start (as a couple of guys left a few seconds early). The rest of the field was off so it was already catch up time. I sped up to find the duathletes I usually race with (Bruce Bird and David Moore) and settled into a quick but manageable pace. A little farther out, I was surprising holding my own and running very smoothly so pushed a little harder than anticipated. I stuck close to a bunch of the triathletes I recognized from previous years on the circuit and came into transition in very good shape, just under fourteen minutes for the opening four km.
With a large group of runners pretty tight into T1 race positions flipped around but I was out to the bike in one of my best transitions and was feeling excited about the ride. I gradually got up to a steady cruising speed and, by the five kilometre sign, was catching up to four or five other riders that were all over the map with their pace. I was happy to be around because of their past results compared to my skill level, but honestly I would much rather be away from the traffic as it draws the attention of the unpredictable officials.
Today, my reason to cycle solo was punctuated as I was hit with a 2 minute drafting penalty for the actions of other riders (in my opinion). My consistent pace had me boxed in with this group and I didn’t feel like they were going to distance themselves if I dropped back. Dropping off would have ruined my momentum so I just kept plugging away trying to stay out of the way. I moved past the small group on a downhill and got back to the right side (as far right as the winter beaten road would safely allow without flatting) but heading up the next incline, two athletes went past me and gradually slowed pushing up the hill. Trying to stay out of their direct line, I moved to the yellow centre line and continued my own pace up the hill, which was faster than their current speed. This apparently, is a violation (pardon my ignorance as I am still fresh to the sport in only my third full year) and I was suppose to let them pass and let them fool around while I slowed to give them 5 metres.
When the motorcyclist gave me the penalty I was overly frustrated as I did not see what I had done to gain an advantage. I just wanted to ride as hard as I could and was trying to ignore the others around me as they seemed to be playing games that I could not avoid. As he tried to explain things, I sat up in my saddle to argue my case and lost more time and focus as we verbally battled back and forth for a few hundred metres.
By this time other riders were catching me and I was losing a lot of speed. I had to mentally block this out and get my head back into the race. I had not trained all winter to let this spoil my day! In the end, I blistered down the rest of the course and even passed the group (still riding together!!!) during the last 5 km of the ride, this time making sure not to get caught up in their games. My average speed of 38.4 km/h was way faster than previous rides in this race and we had an extra 5 kilometres to ride this year.
After another smooth transition, I was off for the run and sitting in a very good position. My goal was to keep it under sixteen minutes for the final four km as I knew I had expending a lot of energy to get back into the race. Most of the athletes on the run had stretched out on the road and were looking strong so I didn’t see too many opportunities to move up the charts. I continued to race my own race and it seemed to be going very well as I felt like I could actually run this final leg instead of shuffling to the finish line.
I finally saw the group chasing me at the turn-around marker, two kilometres out. I had not lost a spot on the last run to this point but knew it would be short lived with the speedy youngster, Taylor Reid, pushing through the field. He ended up zooming by just after we made the turn and was not slowing down. My focus remained to keep loose and get to the finish line. This relaxed frame of mind actually helped me patiently track down one cycling specialist about five hundred metres from the line. With only the grassy section around transition left, I hit the gas for one final burst and broke the (imaginary) tape in 1:17:17, posting a third leg time of 15:22.
This would have placed me in 11th spot (the seventh place athlete was DQ’d but is still on the sheet) for the entire race, well ahead of my top 25 goal. With my two minute penalty, I ended the day in 17th place and a huge improvement over 2008.
Even with the disputable penalty assessed against my race, I am still very happy with my improved runs and efficient transitions. My bike time was 12th fastest in the field and could have been a little quicker if I was just allowed to race. I will take all these positives into Milton when the season resumes in two weeks.
Thanks for reading,
Larry Bradley
After getting registered, talking to some multisport friends and getting organized in transition, it was time to race. I requested to start in Wave 1 with the elites and top age groupers so that I could test my training with the best on the course. It was a strange start as the little girl they had as the official starter sounded the horn pre-maturely during the instructions sending all the athletes down the driveway. Everyone was quickly called back to the line for the real start. The next time, when the countdown reached zero, she hit it twice, so I stopped thinking it was a false start (as a couple of guys left a few seconds early). The rest of the field was off so it was already catch up time. I sped up to find the duathletes I usually race with (Bruce Bird and David Moore) and settled into a quick but manageable pace. A little farther out, I was surprising holding my own and running very smoothly so pushed a little harder than anticipated. I stuck close to a bunch of the triathletes I recognized from previous years on the circuit and came into transition in very good shape, just under fourteen minutes for the opening four km.
With a large group of runners pretty tight into T1 race positions flipped around but I was out to the bike in one of my best transitions and was feeling excited about the ride. I gradually got up to a steady cruising speed and, by the five kilometre sign, was catching up to four or five other riders that were all over the map with their pace. I was happy to be around because of their past results compared to my skill level, but honestly I would much rather be away from the traffic as it draws the attention of the unpredictable officials.
Today, my reason to cycle solo was punctuated as I was hit with a 2 minute drafting penalty for the actions of other riders (in my opinion). My consistent pace had me boxed in with this group and I didn’t feel like they were going to distance themselves if I dropped back. Dropping off would have ruined my momentum so I just kept plugging away trying to stay out of the way. I moved past the small group on a downhill and got back to the right side (as far right as the winter beaten road would safely allow without flatting) but heading up the next incline, two athletes went past me and gradually slowed pushing up the hill. Trying to stay out of their direct line, I moved to the yellow centre line and continued my own pace up the hill, which was faster than their current speed. This apparently, is a violation (pardon my ignorance as I am still fresh to the sport in only my third full year) and I was suppose to let them pass and let them fool around while I slowed to give them 5 metres.
When the motorcyclist gave me the penalty I was overly frustrated as I did not see what I had done to gain an advantage. I just wanted to ride as hard as I could and was trying to ignore the others around me as they seemed to be playing games that I could not avoid. As he tried to explain things, I sat up in my saddle to argue my case and lost more time and focus as we verbally battled back and forth for a few hundred metres.
By this time other riders were catching me and I was losing a lot of speed. I had to mentally block this out and get my head back into the race. I had not trained all winter to let this spoil my day! In the end, I blistered down the rest of the course and even passed the group (still riding together!!!) during the last 5 km of the ride, this time making sure not to get caught up in their games. My average speed of 38.4 km/h was way faster than previous rides in this race and we had an extra 5 kilometres to ride this year.
After another smooth transition, I was off for the run and sitting in a very good position. My goal was to keep it under sixteen minutes for the final four km as I knew I had expending a lot of energy to get back into the race. Most of the athletes on the run had stretched out on the road and were looking strong so I didn’t see too many opportunities to move up the charts. I continued to race my own race and it seemed to be going very well as I felt like I could actually run this final leg instead of shuffling to the finish line.
I finally saw the group chasing me at the turn-around marker, two kilometres out. I had not lost a spot on the last run to this point but knew it would be short lived with the speedy youngster, Taylor Reid, pushing through the field. He ended up zooming by just after we made the turn and was not slowing down. My focus remained to keep loose and get to the finish line. This relaxed frame of mind actually helped me patiently track down one cycling specialist about five hundred metres from the line. With only the grassy section around transition left, I hit the gas for one final burst and broke the (imaginary) tape in 1:17:17, posting a third leg time of 15:22.
This would have placed me in 11th spot (the seventh place athlete was DQ’d but is still on the sheet) for the entire race, well ahead of my top 25 goal. With my two minute penalty, I ended the day in 17th place and a huge improvement over 2008.
Even with the disputable penalty assessed against my race, I am still very happy with my improved runs and efficient transitions. My bike time was 12th fastest in the field and could have been a little quicker if I was just allowed to race. I will take all these positives into Milton when the season resumes in two weeks.
Thanks for reading,
Larry Bradley
May 19, 2009
Photos from Victoria's Du - 2009
FIRST RUN, LOOKING AHEAD TO THE LEADERS
OUT TO THE COURSE ON THE BIKE
TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME AFTER PENALTY
AT THE FINISH LINE, 17TH PLACE
OUT TO THE COURSE ON THE BIKE
TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME AFTER PENALTY
AT THE FINISH LINE, 17TH PLACE
April 2, 2009
Around the Bay - PICS!
Around the Bay - Race Report
On Sunday, March 29th, 2009, I finally experienced the great tradition that is the Around the Bay road race. I have had this race in my plans for the past few years but have always registered too late and been disappointed to hear that the race is sold out.
This year was no different as I went to the website just a couple of days into February and received the same message. For me, it is tough to commit to a 30k race before knowing how my body feels at the start of the training season and this year I felt strong and relatively quick. Therefore, seeing the SOLD OUT sign on the registration page was a bit of a downer. Thankfully, a member of my marathon clinic had a co-worker looking to unload his race number so we arranged the transfer with the race officials and I was set to run my rookie Around the Bay.
Fast forward to the day of the event and I woke up to a miserable rainy mess of a day. As I drove over to Hamilton it continued to pour down rain with wind that never seemed to stay consistent in the direction of origin. This is what I gathered as I drove along the QEW through Burlington by observing the flags along the highway. My ultimate goal, already a very extreme target for my abilities, was definitely in doubt now.
Before the race, I looked around for some of the Canadian Triathletes but the arena was too large of a staging area to find familiar faces. I had also arranged to hook up with Robbie-T from the Running Maniacs as his goal was to go under 2 hours as well. He has been posting very solid results over the past few years so I knew he would be right there no matter the conditions.
After we set out for a warm up we got settled into the starting corral near the 2 hour pace bunny and Team Running Free member Mike Bosch. We timed it pretty well that we only had to stand still for a couple of minutes in the rain before the gun was blasted to send all the runners down the road. The mass of participants made for a slower than usual start for me, which probably allowed me to actually finish the race. When the three of us finally broke away from some of the other runners, we hit our pace of just under 4 minutes per kilometre (3:57 for the 1st KM). As the race continued through the streets of East Hamilton, and towards Lake Ontario, we kept our pace pretty even but I was not feeling as confident in my effort as I was hoping.
Our pack of three stayed together right up to the 10k marker which we hit at 40:08 (39:57 on my watch) on the gun timer beside the road side sign. At this point we hit an overpass bridge and I started to waiver with Mike and Robbie-T starting to pull away as we headed north along the Lakeshore. By the 11k marker they had about a 10 second gap and my energy levels were very poor so I had to let them go.
Along this stretch, I tried to maintain the pace of the other runners in my sight and was able to do a little damage control reaching the half way point less than 1 minute off the 2 hour pace. This was a little piece of motivation as 2:03 sounded a lot better than 2:05 in my mind given the factors of the day. For the next 5k, I was clipping along with a much better rhythm trying to erase the thoughts of saving my body for another day. I think the choice of shorts may have been poor given the lack of running I have done in the cold this year as my quads were aching much more than I can remember from any race in the past.
Anyway, as I headed along the service road in Burlington towards 20k, I felt like I was moving a little quicker but I could not get back to the 4 minute kilometres that I needed. 2/3 of the race were thankfully behind me and I had been out on the course for 1:21:42 so I had lost almost another minute since the last 5k sign and would have to pull off a 41 minute 10k through the hardest part of the race with dead legs to hit 2:03. Not exactly what I had planned for leading up to this event.
Well, to keep the story shorter, I ran the hills as well or better than those around me but I think we were all in the same boat, trying to hit a crazy goal and now paying for it in a big way. Only a few experienced Masters seemed to have the energy to make shorter work of the rollers, among the runners I could see so it would have been neat to watch the quicker guys blow by the hills.
Finally, I reached the summit of the last, and most famous of the climbs. It was here that I knew I would be able to finish so I made my way along the slightly downhill decent to Copps Coliseum as quickly as my legs would move. I had lost even more time to my goal struggling through kilometres 22 to 25 and just wanted to make it respectable. As I made my way down the service ramp at the arena I turned on the jets for one last effort to save a few seconds and move up one additional spot at the line in 2:05:31 on the gun or 2:05:20 for the chip time.
Since I had to get home to get ready for work, I left Hamilton right after changing out of my soaking wet gear. I looked up my times on the live tracker at home where I was originally 85th overall and 12th for my age group. Looking again later in the evening I had moved down to 90th overall and 14th in the 35 to 39 AG. Oh well, I am sure it is very tough to keep track of so many athletes (over 10,000 reported to have participated in the event) so I expected some correction from the live tracker.
All in all, a pretty good experience which really tests your running ability early in the season. I was a little disappointed in my time given all the work I have done in training but also proud that I didn’t quit the race as there were several points where I was ready to after 2 hours was no longer an option. I have a good feeling that my duathlon training is on track as I try to even out my cycling abilities with my running skills.
This year was no different as I went to the website just a couple of days into February and received the same message. For me, it is tough to commit to a 30k race before knowing how my body feels at the start of the training season and this year I felt strong and relatively quick. Therefore, seeing the SOLD OUT sign on the registration page was a bit of a downer. Thankfully, a member of my marathon clinic had a co-worker looking to unload his race number so we arranged the transfer with the race officials and I was set to run my rookie Around the Bay.
Fast forward to the day of the event and I woke up to a miserable rainy mess of a day. As I drove over to Hamilton it continued to pour down rain with wind that never seemed to stay consistent in the direction of origin. This is what I gathered as I drove along the QEW through Burlington by observing the flags along the highway. My ultimate goal, already a very extreme target for my abilities, was definitely in doubt now.
Before the race, I looked around for some of the Canadian Triathletes but the arena was too large of a staging area to find familiar faces. I had also arranged to hook up with Robbie-T from the Running Maniacs as his goal was to go under 2 hours as well. He has been posting very solid results over the past few years so I knew he would be right there no matter the conditions.
After we set out for a warm up we got settled into the starting corral near the 2 hour pace bunny and Team Running Free member Mike Bosch. We timed it pretty well that we only had to stand still for a couple of minutes in the rain before the gun was blasted to send all the runners down the road. The mass of participants made for a slower than usual start for me, which probably allowed me to actually finish the race. When the three of us finally broke away from some of the other runners, we hit our pace of just under 4 minutes per kilometre (3:57 for the 1st KM). As the race continued through the streets of East Hamilton, and towards Lake Ontario, we kept our pace pretty even but I was not feeling as confident in my effort as I was hoping.
Our pack of three stayed together right up to the 10k marker which we hit at 40:08 (39:57 on my watch) on the gun timer beside the road side sign. At this point we hit an overpass bridge and I started to waiver with Mike and Robbie-T starting to pull away as we headed north along the Lakeshore. By the 11k marker they had about a 10 second gap and my energy levels were very poor so I had to let them go.
Along this stretch, I tried to maintain the pace of the other runners in my sight and was able to do a little damage control reaching the half way point less than 1 minute off the 2 hour pace. This was a little piece of motivation as 2:03 sounded a lot better than 2:05 in my mind given the factors of the day. For the next 5k, I was clipping along with a much better rhythm trying to erase the thoughts of saving my body for another day. I think the choice of shorts may have been poor given the lack of running I have done in the cold this year as my quads were aching much more than I can remember from any race in the past.
Anyway, as I headed along the service road in Burlington towards 20k, I felt like I was moving a little quicker but I could not get back to the 4 minute kilometres that I needed. 2/3 of the race were thankfully behind me and I had been out on the course for 1:21:42 so I had lost almost another minute since the last 5k sign and would have to pull off a 41 minute 10k through the hardest part of the race with dead legs to hit 2:03. Not exactly what I had planned for leading up to this event.
Well, to keep the story shorter, I ran the hills as well or better than those around me but I think we were all in the same boat, trying to hit a crazy goal and now paying for it in a big way. Only a few experienced Masters seemed to have the energy to make shorter work of the rollers, among the runners I could see so it would have been neat to watch the quicker guys blow by the hills.
Finally, I reached the summit of the last, and most famous of the climbs. It was here that I knew I would be able to finish so I made my way along the slightly downhill decent to Copps Coliseum as quickly as my legs would move. I had lost even more time to my goal struggling through kilometres 22 to 25 and just wanted to make it respectable. As I made my way down the service ramp at the arena I turned on the jets for one last effort to save a few seconds and move up one additional spot at the line in 2:05:31 on the gun or 2:05:20 for the chip time.
Since I had to get home to get ready for work, I left Hamilton right after changing out of my soaking wet gear. I looked up my times on the live tracker at home where I was originally 85th overall and 12th for my age group. Looking again later in the evening I had moved down to 90th overall and 14th in the 35 to 39 AG. Oh well, I am sure it is very tough to keep track of so many athletes (over 10,000 reported to have participated in the event) so I expected some correction from the live tracker.
All in all, a pretty good experience which really tests your running ability early in the season. I was a little disappointed in my time given all the work I have done in training but also proud that I didn’t quit the race as there were several points where I was ready to after 2 hours was no longer an option. I have a good feeling that my duathlon training is on track as I try to even out my cycling abilities with my running skills.
March 14, 2009
My Interview with Tom Evans
So I spend a little of my spare time in front of the computer trying to learn as much about this sport as I possibly can. During my surfing, I enjoy looking at results and studying the times and splits to see just how good some people are out there.
As I was going through the Ironman website, I picked out a name (as I always check out the Canadian content) that kept coming up near or at the top of these tough races. I did not know much about this 40 year British Columbian dentist so I had to learn more.
I searched the internet a little more but did not see much more than stats and race clippings so I decided to dig a little deeper. I created a few questions from what I had already read and sent it along to Dr. Evans. I didn't expect to see anything for a little while, if at all, but he was such a great sport that he returned my email within the same day.
This just adds to my many great experiences in this sport and is very refreshing after many years dealing with professional athletes in some of the big money sports.
10 Questions with Tom Evans –
1. When did you find the sport of triathlon and how long did it take you to turn professional?
TE - I watched IMC in 1999 and signed up for the 2000 race. 2002 was my first professional year.
2. You have won several big races but when searching for data on the web, besides results on event sites, your personal info (bio, sponsors, upcoming races, etc.) is pretty hard to find. Do you like to keep a lower profile than the other pros or am I not searching in the right place (please provide your website in your answer if you have one, thank you!)?
TE - I don’t really see much value in a website as there are so many out there. I also don’t have the time to maintain one properly. The guys I train with have started a blog which is just for fun www.teambigdeal.blogspot.com however I have not posted there (yet). If I ever do start a website it will be to promote my dental practice. I am currently offering root form dental implants for $1000 each ($2500 including crown) in order to make the cost of replacing a single tooth with an implant equivalent to a 3 unit bridge.
3. What is the toughest part of triathlon for you, racing or training (why)?
TE - The only part of triathlon I do not enjoy is the air travel to and from a race. For the most part I will just be racing locally to minimize air travel with the bike.
4. The sport of golf has created a lot of controversy in the past because of huge developments in gear technology. Do you believe the newer triathlon bikes and wheels sets create the same type of issue in triathlon? Is it fair that some athletes are being left behind because they do not have the funds to ride the same calibre of bike as the ones who ride the top models?
TE - Technology is not a problem…drugs are. There needs to be much more testing on this front.
5. As you participate in mostly longer races, you can only select a few races in a year to avoid burnout and injuries. Are there any races out there that you would love to compete in if you had unlimited resources to race whenever you felt like racing?
TE - I have yet to race (triathlon) in Europe. Hopefully IM Germany or Roth will work out at some point in the future.
6. What keeps you motivated to stay at such an incredible level of performance well past the proverbial “peak” athletic years?
TE - My triathlon season is only 8 months long. I focus on cross country skiing for the other 4 months. This approach keeps me mentally and physically fresh.
7. When you finally decide that you have had enough of professional competition, will you still get the same enjoyment by winning your Age Group or do you think you will continue to compete as a pro for your entire triathlon career?
TE - I’m always just looking to perform to the best of my abilities. Age should not matter nor the category I’m entered in.
8. What other sports do you participate on a regular basis that you believe helps your triathlon performance?
TE - Skate and classic cross-country skiing.
9. I saw a humourous posting on the Slowtwitch forums where a gentleman challenged you to a paddling race. I think you really surprised him with your extensive kayaking background. Will this challenge take place?
TE - I spent many years on the river but that is something I have not done for many years. Time is always the limiter in terms of “extras”
10. What is the question you are asked the most from Age Group athletes looking to improve their overall triathlon results, and your response to that question?
TE - To answer most questions properly I usually refer people to a good coach.
Thank you very much for your time Tom!
As I was going through the Ironman website, I picked out a name (as I always check out the Canadian content) that kept coming up near or at the top of these tough races. I did not know much about this 40 year British Columbian dentist so I had to learn more.
I searched the internet a little more but did not see much more than stats and race clippings so I decided to dig a little deeper. I created a few questions from what I had already read and sent it along to Dr. Evans. I didn't expect to see anything for a little while, if at all, but he was such a great sport that he returned my email within the same day.
This just adds to my many great experiences in this sport and is very refreshing after many years dealing with professional athletes in some of the big money sports.
10 Questions with Tom Evans –
1. When did you find the sport of triathlon and how long did it take you to turn professional?
TE - I watched IMC in 1999 and signed up for the 2000 race. 2002 was my first professional year.
2. You have won several big races but when searching for data on the web, besides results on event sites, your personal info (bio, sponsors, upcoming races, etc.) is pretty hard to find. Do you like to keep a lower profile than the other pros or am I not searching in the right place (please provide your website in your answer if you have one, thank you!)?
TE - I don’t really see much value in a website as there are so many out there. I also don’t have the time to maintain one properly. The guys I train with have started a blog which is just for fun www.teambigdeal.blogspot.com however I have not posted there (yet). If I ever do start a website it will be to promote my dental practice. I am currently offering root form dental implants for $1000 each ($2500 including crown) in order to make the cost of replacing a single tooth with an implant equivalent to a 3 unit bridge.
3. What is the toughest part of triathlon for you, racing or training (why)?
TE - The only part of triathlon I do not enjoy is the air travel to and from a race. For the most part I will just be racing locally to minimize air travel with the bike.
4. The sport of golf has created a lot of controversy in the past because of huge developments in gear technology. Do you believe the newer triathlon bikes and wheels sets create the same type of issue in triathlon? Is it fair that some athletes are being left behind because they do not have the funds to ride the same calibre of bike as the ones who ride the top models?
TE - Technology is not a problem…drugs are. There needs to be much more testing on this front.
5. As you participate in mostly longer races, you can only select a few races in a year to avoid burnout and injuries. Are there any races out there that you would love to compete in if you had unlimited resources to race whenever you felt like racing?
TE - I have yet to race (triathlon) in Europe. Hopefully IM Germany or Roth will work out at some point in the future.
6. What keeps you motivated to stay at such an incredible level of performance well past the proverbial “peak” athletic years?
TE - My triathlon season is only 8 months long. I focus on cross country skiing for the other 4 months. This approach keeps me mentally and physically fresh.
7. When you finally decide that you have had enough of professional competition, will you still get the same enjoyment by winning your Age Group or do you think you will continue to compete as a pro for your entire triathlon career?
TE - I’m always just looking to perform to the best of my abilities. Age should not matter nor the category I’m entered in.
8. What other sports do you participate on a regular basis that you believe helps your triathlon performance?
TE - Skate and classic cross-country skiing.
9. I saw a humourous posting on the Slowtwitch forums where a gentleman challenged you to a paddling race. I think you really surprised him with your extensive kayaking background. Will this challenge take place?
TE - I spent many years on the river but that is something I have not done for many years. Time is always the limiter in terms of “extras”
10. What is the question you are asked the most from Age Group athletes looking to improve their overall triathlon results, and your response to that question?
TE - To answer most questions properly I usually refer people to a good coach.
Thank you very much for your time Tom!
March 13, 2009
If the pros have time to post...
So I took a beating last year when I was updating my training log each night as one gentleman made a comment that I should worry about getting faster instead of posting blogs. Well, I may not be a pro and, at the age of 35, probably will never be pro. One thing I do know is that I have come very far since my chicken wing eating, beer drinking days only a few years ago. Another thing I know is that I also like to write and communicate with outher that share my passion for multisport. My family and friends are very supportive of my lifestyle change but they do not get too interested in the sport to create conversation. Therefore, I get my daily dose of chat on the internet. All the amazing people I have met in this sport live far enough away that we do not get to see each other unless we are at the same events.
For the past few weeks I have found some extra time and energy to start re-visiting some of my favourite blogs (Simon Whitfields, Canadian Triathletes, etc.) and they have inspired me to write more often. I hope you can follow along and drop a line when you get some time of your own!
Happy training,
Larry
For the past few weeks I have found some extra time and energy to start re-visiting some of my favourite blogs (Simon Whitfields, Canadian Triathletes, etc.) and they have inspired me to write more often. I hope you can follow along and drop a line when you get some time of your own!
Happy training,
Larry
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