Age Grouper Spotlight - David Frake

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

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

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

10 Questions with David Frake

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.balancephysiotherapy.com./

Age Grouper Spotlight - Tommy Ferris

Overcoming obstacles is nothing new to my next spotlight guest. Tommy Ferris has battled back from a string of injuries over the past few years to prepare for another season of high level competition against the best age group athletes in Ontario.

I met this highly motivated athlete a few years ago as we jockeyed for position during a few early season duathlons. After he caught my attention, with a very strong effort in the Milton Sprint Du (the first time we were in the same field), we spoke a few times online to discuss training, future races and lots of other duathlon stuff.

We then met up again that summer for the Ontario Duathlon Championships in Gravenhurst. In this race, he showed off his efficient running form to pull off a gutsy pass, finishing one spot ahead of me in 5th Overall. I knew from this late race surge that he had the heart of a winner.

Even though we have only raced head to head in one race since Gravenhurst (due to injuries, my attempt at triathlon, different race schedules, etc.), we have kept in touch and offered up support for one another.

As this Toronto based Graphic Artist prepares for a return to triathlon in 2011, I will be cheering him along, hoping he reaches all his multisport goals!

10 Questions with Tommy Ferris

Q1. What made multisport an attractive recreational outlet for your post graduate years?

- I actually competed in triathlon before starting post secondary ed, so I was hooked on multisport long before I'd finished school. After graduating, I moved to Toronto to start my career. I was broke (my first apartment was a closet. I'm not kidding!) and couldn't afford a gym membership so the only training I did was some running with a few running groups here and there and riding my bike throughout the city. I always wanted to return to multisport and, after a couple of years as a competitive rower, I began competing in duathlons at the end of rowing season. I started with duathlon because it had been years since I'd done any swimming other than jumping in the lake at the cottage. What made multisport so attractive for me, at that point especially, was it was something I could do on my own. Rowing is a team sport and if your crew is one rower short, the entire team is affected. Another attraction with multisport was it's a sport I could take with me anywhere; all I needed was a pair of running shoes or my bike. I had to give up rowing in early 2008 so it was at that point I started training full-time for the duathlon.

Q2. You have had a number of tough injuries over the past few seasons. What motivates you to continue training as hard as you do?

- Yes, injuries have been a huge struggle for me. My 2009 ended early with a stress fracture, 2010 ended early with a torn AC joint as a result of a bike crash, and 2011 started with some fairly debilitating tendinitis in my knee as a result of running too hard in slippery conditions. I feel like I'm constantly walking a fine line... if i push myself too hard and go too far over that line (in an attempt to get faster) I'll hurt myself, and if i stay on this side of the line my run speed won't improve but I'll remain injury-free. In the past, I was a strong runner that struggled on the bike, but because of my injuries things have now done a complete 180. My riding is my strongest discipline and running is my weakest. In fact, I feel it's awful and it's nowhere near where I'd like it to be. What motivates me to keep going is the belief that there's a strong runner inside me trying to come out but keeps getting set back.

Q3. Which race do you believe is your best overall performance? Why do you pick that particular race?

- In terms of athletic performance I'd have to say my race in Welland (2010) was my best so far. My goal heading into that race was to let someone else set the pace on the first run, average more than 40km/h on the bike, and then run a faster time on the second run. All three of those things happened and it felt like the perfect race. However, the performance I'm most proud of would be my race at the Duathlon World Championships in September 2010. I had a good first run (almost setting a 10k PB), made up 12 spots on the first lap of the bike, and was on my way to a top-10 finish... I was having the exact race I'd wanted. On the second lap of the bike I went down hard in a nasty crash. I was traveling more than 60km/h when I wiped out and I thought I was finished. Spectators ran over to help and gathered up all of my things (including the lens that had popped out of my sunglasses!) and called the paramedics. While I was lying on the ground letting my spinning head and nerves settle, I closed my eyes and the letters "DNF" flashed before me in black and white next to my name. I'd worked so hard and traveled so far to be there that I had to try getting up. I ended up finishing the race covered in dirt and blood on my mangled bike, and the fact that I was able to fight through that and cross the line on my own two feet is something I'm quite proud of.

Q4. Who (if you could pick anyone in the world) would you love to have as a coach or mentor for this sport?

- It seems too obvious an answer, but I think Simon Whitfield would make a great mentor. He's an incredible athlete and having him guide me through the ins and outs and ups and downs of the sport would be amazing. There isn't anyone out there I can think of off the top of my head, so if I had the opportunity to pick any coach in the world I'd have to do some research. What I do know is that when I first took an interest in triathlon in the late 1990s, Peter Reid was the first athlete that sparked a flame inside me. I didn't know anything about the sport, and little information was available back then, but I somehow knew he was sponsored by Reebok. I remember going to the Reebok outlet in Cookstown and asking if they had Peter Reid posters for sale, and they were like, "Who's Peter Reid?". I wouldn't turn down an opportunity to be coached by him for sure!

Q5. After a number of successful years as a duathlete, you want to focus on Half Ironman Triathlons this season. What made you want to get back into the water?

- A few reasons. The first was I was feeling ready. It's been more than 10 years. I didn't want to start my swim training from scratch and get back into triathlons until I felt like a strong enough athlete on the bike. Swimming will likely be my weakest event for a long time, but as long as I can come out of the water in a position that isn't dead last, I'm confident enough with my riding that I'll be able to make up some ground and have a solid finish. I race better when I'm chasing people down from behind, and since the ride is the largest portion of any triathlon, I'll have plenty of time to do just that. The second is I've always wanted to race the 70.3 distance. The third is there's nothing like Kona for duathlon. I want to go to Kona someday to race in the Ironman World Championships, and I can't do that as a duathlete.

Q6. What is the one piece of equipment you wish you had in your arsenal?

- Power meter. As I'm transitioning into longer distances, race management will play a huge roll in my success on race day. A power meter is an excellent way to track and manage your power output when riding such long distances.

Q7. It appears the duathlon is losing many of it's competitors to the triathlon. Do you have any ideas that would help improve the duathlon?

- First and foremost, people need to start taking duathlon more seriously. I can't count the number of times people have said to me, "Oh, you only do duathlons." Well, I can tell you that as a duathlete I train just as hard or, in many cases, much harder than most triathletes. Duathlon is very tough. In triathlon your running legs are fresh and ready to go once you're off the bike, but by the time the second run rolls around in a duathlon, your legs are dead. Some series in Ontario are much better than others, but on a grassroots event level, race organizers need to stop treating duathlons like nothing more than a formality. From a big picture perspective, I think duathlon needs an annual event or series of events in North America with a large prize purse and lots of promotion that appeals to the world's top multisport athletes. Such an event would generate a lot of buzz and really get people excited about duathlon at every level.

Q8. Are you able to stick to a healthy diet or do other factors in life make it difficult to eat the way you would like to?

- I have a raw food-focused diet and do my best to always eat as healthy as possible, but just like everyone else I cave into those cravings for fast food every now and then. Life's circumstances make it difficult to always eat the way I'd like to, but I don't stress out about it too much. On the whole my diet is very good, so eating food that isn't so great every now and then won't have much of on impact on things overall.

Q9. You traveled to Scotland last season for the World Duathlon Championships. What was your overall impression of racing at this level?

- My overall impression of racing at that level was that there are truly some incredible athletes out there! I doubt I'll ever race a course as tough as that one in Edinburgh, and the fact that people were able to pull off the times they did still amazes me.

Q10. What is the one thing you hope to accomplish in the next 3 years of triathlon/duathlon?

- Over the next three years I'd like to climb my way up the rankings in my age group and qualify for the 70.3 world championships. In order to do that I'll have to get my injuries under control and really get a handle on my running. That's what I'm focusing on right now.

Please show your support of our local Age Groupers! You can follow Tommy Ferris on http://tommyferrisduathlon.blogspot.com/ as he tackles the Half Ironman world this season.

Injury Update

It has been a month and a half since I started to feel a pinching pain in my neck and upper back area. I got on with treatment right away due to a past experience with that region. It was definitely something I did not want to go through again.

Thankfully, things have not been as bad as three years ago, although, I still went through weeks of discomfort. The past 8 to 10 days have been much more manageable with Physio and Chiro helping a lot to keep the region loose and mobile but the iinflammation around the joint/nerve has to settle down on it's own terms. The end seems closer but there is still mild pain to deal with so I am trying to keep any unneeded pressure away from the area.

With the mild temperatures now hitting the GTA, this is going to be very tough to continue as the outdoor cycling season should begin soon. Slumping over the roadie bars is not the best position to be stuck in for an extended period of time with this injury and aero is strictly out of the question. I really hope major progress is made ASAP as I need to get used to that position in a hurry or I will be entering the season at a huge disadvantage.

Other than that, training has been decent but obviously I have not been able to keep up the pace that I was hitting before the start of February. My upper body strength is fading after a lot of work Tyler and I put in during the winter. That is disappointing as I had enjoyed the circuit training sessions he had us moving through. Hopefully, everything will settle down and I will get my core and upper body ready for the big races in the middle of the summer. It sure helps to have those muscles on your side when you are pushing the limits in the triathlon or duathlon.

As it stands, I have been reluctant to sign up for any duathlon races. The sites have now opened their Online Registration (Subaru and MSC) but I don't want to pay out the fee for races, just in case. I would really hate to miss Victoria's this season so I am crossing my fingers for full relief before mid-April so that I can confidently prepare for the season opener. If not, I guess I will have to take it day to day and hope I can get enough races in before the Ontario Du's to be up to speed with the rest of the field.


Talk soon,
Larry

GARAGE SALE - Hockey Collectibles and Cycling/Running Items

Folks, I have a few people interested in my hockey stuff that I am trying to clean from storage so thought I would post here first to give followers first dibs. If items don't sell, after a few weeks, I will post on KIjiji.ca. Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks - Larry

Hockey Card - Collection

No pics, yet. Mostly early 90's Upper Deck cards with a few full sets, many Autographed Cards and over $1000.00 in Rookie Cards (Full Beckett value) included in the lot.

Lots of copies of Sakic, Forsberg, Selanne, Koivu, Kariya, etc. included in those rookie cards. My other sports cards are thrown in as well.

$500 (OBO)

Ron Francis - Easton Gloves

$120 (OBO) - these gloves were made for Ron Francis while he played in Toronto. He never used them so you could use for hockey or as collectible for this HOF member.

Mats Sundin - Framed Picture

$100 (FIRM) - This picture celebrates Mats' point to take over the All Time Leafs Scoring title. It has an actual piece of the net he scored into for that point included in the matting. Very nice limited edition piece.

AKI BERG - Hockey Pants

$50 (OBO) - These are actual pants worn by former Leaf player Aki Berg. They are in very good condition and could be used to play or collect. I got them to play in but never ended up player forward after purchasing (I'm a goalie usually).

DENIS POTVIN - Auto'd 8x10 Pircture

$30.00 (OBO) - This is an 8x10 autographed by Denis Potvin from a session at Cloverdale Mall.


MIKE BOSSY - Auto'd 8x10 Picture

 
$40.00 (OBO) - This is an 8x10 autographed by Mike Bossy from a session at Cloverdale Mall.



DON CHERRY - Auto'd Hockey News

$20.00 (OBO) - This is a Hockey News with the Top 50 Players of all time. Don Cherry was on the voting panel and signed this magazine for me in person.


WENDEL CLARK - Auto'd Beckett




$20.00 (OBO) - This is a Beckett magazine that Wendel signed in person for me.

MIKE WEIR - Auto'd Score Magazine

$20.00 (OBO) - Mike Weir signed this for me in person at a Canadian Open tournament.

OHL Player taking to triathlon to promote Brain Injury Awareness

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

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

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

The game may be beyond changing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

One shift, your whole career is ahead of you.

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



jhicks@therecord.com

Spring into Motion 5km Road Race and 1km Kids Fun Run

Here is a great local event brought to you by Brad and his Crew at Feet in Motion.

Spring into Motion 5k Road Race and 1k Kids Fun Run (Sunday April 17, 2011)

Gellert Community Centre - 8th Line, Georgetown.

**Pre- registered racers can pick up race kit the morning of, beginning at 7:30am
**Race day registration begins at 7:30am.
**Race day entree fees are $30 for the 5km Road Race and $15 for the 1km Kids fun Run. Remember all proceeds go to Canadian Tire Jumpstart.
**Kids 1km Fun Run begins at 8:45am and the route stays on the Gellert paved paths. Kids get a bib number, finishing medal and……….ice cream compliments of Get the Scoop!
**The adult 5K road run begins at 9:00am sharp.

Race will go on rain or shine…..(wish for shine!)

The 8th Annual Spring Into Motion 5Km Race will take place on Sunday April 17, 2011 at the Gellert Community Centre.

Contact Feet In Motion for further details.
Georgetown’s Running Store

Contact #: (905) 877-3201
Address : 72 Main St S, Georgetown, ON , L7G 3G3

http://feetinmotion.ca/blog.html/

Email: fim @ spectranet. ca

Toronto Bike Show

Don't forget to get all your great Cycling deals for 2011 this weekend at the Annual Spring Show!


25th Annual
Toronto International Bicycle Show

New Building
Better Living Centre
Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario,


Friday, March 4, 2011 - Noon to 9: P.M.
Saturday, March 5, 2011 - 10 A.M. to 7 P.M.
Sunday, March 6, 2011 - 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.


http://www.bicycleshowtoronto.com/

Frustrating Injury

It is coming up on 2 1/2 weeks now since I inured my upper back/neck area while training. What started out as a pinch like feeling in the shoulder blade has developed into much more and several physio sessions, some meds and lots of stretching have yet to cure the problem.

The burning pain in the nerve is very uncomfortable and makes it tough to sleep at night so that does not help the situation. I am trying to keep up with some of my cycling on the recumbent style stationary bike at the gym but it is just not the same. Running these days, is pretty painful so I have cut that out for now which really hurts as I experienced so much progress in the past few months. My upper body and core strength is also starting to fade as I have not been able to work on these exercises since the workout in which I first felt the pain.

Having gone through a very similar injury in 2007, I know just how long this can take to improve. Last time, I spent 3 months in physio before I was able to train again. The pain is a little less this time around but it still seems far from leaving my body. Hopefully, some miracle happens over night very soon and I wake up feeling 100% and ready to train as hard as I was just a few weeks ago.

As everyone knows, injuries are such a demoralizing part of the game as you feel that all your previous training efforts are drifting away. It is tough to stay positive during these stretches so I really appreciate all the support I have received.

Talk soon,
Larry

Ontario Olympic Distance Championships Announced

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



2011 Schedule


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

Age Grouper Spotlight - Glenn Camplin

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

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

 10 Questions with Glenn Camplin

Q1. What got you started in triathlon?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks for your time Glenn!

Age Grouper Spotlight - Luke Ehgoetz

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

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

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

10 Questions with Luke Ehgoetz

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Q9. Do you have any other hobbies outside triathlon?

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

Thanks Luke!

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

http://mytriathlonandtrainingadventures.blogspot.com/

Product Review - Clif Shot Energy Gel

I have not posted too many product reviews of late as I seem to purchase the same items over and over again. The items I have found to work for me a few years ago seem to do the trick for me several years later.

After doing some reading, and shopping around, I noticed the Clif Shot Energy Gels were close to 25% cheaper than my usual Power Gel products. If you add up the number of gels I consume over the course of a season, this could make a small, but favourable, difference in my multisport budget so I was curious to test them out. If they work for Macca, they must be good, right?

Well, after going through half a box of two of my usual flavours (Strawberry and Vanilla), I must say I am left disappointed.

I have found the flavours to be rather weak and not as enjoyable as the same Power Gel options. I see that Clif tries to sell itself on Organic ingredients (90% Organic) but to be honest, that is not a selling feature for me. If I do not dedicate myself to an organic lifestyle on an everyday basis, than I am not going to worry too much about the organic nature of my tiny intake of gels.

I also found the consistency of the gel to be much thicker and tougher to get out of the packet than Power Gel. When you are fighting to get the product out of the package, it takes focus away from the task at hand. Once again, Power Gel comes out on top in the head to head battle for gel preference when it comes to this important quality.

As for performance, I did not recognize an extra boost in effort from the Clif Shot over my experiences with Power Gel. It seemed to keep me just as energized as Power Gel but nothing more that would make me want to change brands.

Overall, the lack of taste and the extra effort required to get all the product from the package cannot make up for the cost savings. When you are in need of a quick fix during a race, or in training, you need something to look forward to from your nutritional choices. For me, I like the taste of Power Gel and look forward to that little, sugary reward during a longer effort.

Remember, this is just my opinion and my taste buds could be much different than yours. I would love to hear what you have to say regarding this topic.

Note - I have also compared Gu Gel to Power Gel and they were relatively similar. I found the Gu a touch thicker but was able to get the gel out in respectable time. The Gu flavours I tested tasted well so that was not an issue. Where Gu (especially the Roctane) lost me as a consumer is in their pricing.

Bike and Tri gear Online Garage Sale

Hey All,

Check out the amazing deals on "Speedy's" facebook page. He is trying to clear a bunch of product out of his basement and is offering some sweet prices.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=283946&id=650815108&l=07e1c0b8f4

FOR EXAMPLE...

Age Grouper Spotlight - Carlos Vilchez

I was sitting back the other day, trying to think of ways to be more active on my blog. Since, I do not feel that I have the knowledge to teach folks about the sport, gear or nutrition, I will leave that in the hands of the professionals (see my blog roll for many of these people!). The one thing that I can offer is a passion to learn more about the sport and the people involved in this great lifestyle.

I have conducted interviews in the past with some of our country’s top Triathletes, receiving positive feedback from the athletes and readers when they view the finished product. With triathlon being relatively small, these athletes are featured many times a year in magazines, online and through other media so we tend to know quite a bit about our Canadian Pros.

This being the case, my thought was to promote the amazing Age Grouper Athletes from Ontario with hopes that others at their level may relate to their answers and feel more in touch with the triathlon community around them. The first subject of my new series is a Barrie, Ontario resident who picked up the sport after his college days and has juggled family, work and training in his quest to reach his full potential in all three disciplines.

I had the opportunity to meet Carlos Vilchez through my blog after he left a comment on one of my race report posts. Coincidentally, his name came up on a tweet I was reading not too long after our original contact and we started chatting regularly through Twitter.

When I came up with the plan to follow the athletes on the local scene, I was confident he would be game for a quick Q&A session. It didn’t hurt that I had some contact info handy, which took care of the initial set up for the interview.

10 Questions with Carlos Vilchez

Q1. How long have you been involved in triathlon and which event was your first?

- My first triathlon was actually a duathlon in September of 2005 when I did the Niagara on the lake Duathlon, hosted by the Subaru Series. I did it with my Brodie Bandit, 32 pounds mountain bike, as I wasn't sure about the sport just yet. Being my first multisport event, it went well but was extremely hard. I went a bit too hard on the first 4k run and really started to feel it halfway through the 23k bike ride (or maybe it was lugging my mountain bike around!). The last 4k run was sheer pain but being 27 at the time, I still felt invincible.

Q2. How much of your training is solo and how much is done with others, i.e.
Barrie TC?

- I would say 99% of my training is solo. Every once in a while I'm fortunate enough to team up with some fast guys but, based on my job and family commitments, my training times seem to be sporadic and I can never commit to someone's set schedule. I have some lofty goals for 2011 so I'm hoping I can jump in with some faster guys in all 3 disciplines to help kick it up a notch.

Q3. It is tough as an AG triathlete to obtain sponsorship; do you have any you would like to mention?

- I've never really considered sponsorships. Yes, the sport is extremely expensive and when your goals include reaching a podium, you're competing against guys who've got all the equipment (powertaps, race wheels, time trial bikes, etc..) but being an amateur and doing this "competitively for fun" I still have to treat this as a hobby and set a budget for it. But yes, I'm in the market for some race wheels... Specifically some a Zipp 808's or Easton EC90's... So if there are any sponsors out there, I won't turn these down!!

Q4. How do you measure your performance - your perceived fitness level, AG ranking in a race or overall position in a race?

- Up until this season, I've always measured my performance based on my own goals and objectives. I've always been looking to better my performance from previous years and improve the numbers across all disciplines. Being new to the sport, this was fairly easy to do since every year of somewhat consistent training means automatic gains. This season however, I'm paying more attention to the field and my age group and trying to measure myself against them. I'm a pretty analytical guy so I really take time to study past results for races I plan on doing and establishing a goal along those times.

Q5. Do you have a coach or are you self-taught?

- I do have a coach. I use the services of Sara Gross from Mercury Rising Triathlon based out of Victoria, BC. I used to be self-taught until I started taking the sport more seriously and decided to take on the Ironman distance. I'm now entering my 3rd year with Sara and it's been the greatest investment I've made in the sport. Generally speaking, having a coach is great to keep you honest and to help you structure your season. Specifically speaking about Sara, she has a great skill to really get to know you as an athlete (in fact, better than I know myself) and push through any plateaus or performance issues I may have. I also like the fact that she's willing to take risks and not follow the typical training plans available out there.

Q6. What are your triathlon strengths? Is this from past involvement in that/those individual sports?

- Ironically, swimming is my strength (based on percentile finish times in all disciplines), however, it's the discipline I've been doing the least! I'm not sure why it turned out this way, and as my coach likes to put it, what I've accomplished in swimming in 5 years is short of a miracle!! In high school, I ran track, with average finish times (nothing impressive) and running was the sport I kept on doing after high school (10k, half-marathon, etc...).

Q7. What is your most memorable moment in triathlon?

- My most memorable moment in triathlon was crossing the finish line at Ironman Canada in 2010. It was a big year leading up to that race and, aside from all the training and the hard work I personally did, there were a lot of sacrifices made by my friends and family. On top of the usual pressures of finishing a race, I had some added pressure that I owed everyone else around me the "finisher's medal", as well. So when I was about 800m meters from the finish line (and knew I would finish), the race really ended for me right then and there... It was a huge relief and I felt a big sense of accomplishment as well as being thankful to everyone around me who made it happen.

Q8. What are your 2011 goals? Any long term goals in the sport?

- My 2011 goal is to get a 2012 Vegas spot at the Muskoka 70.3 race in September. I wanted 2011 to be somewhat of a down year as we're expecting our third child and moving to a new house so there will be a lot of unknowns for the 2011 schedule. In terms of long term goals, getting to Kona to race the Ironman would be the crowning moment of my amateur career and, quite honestly, I'm just trying to set a really high benchmark for my kids in the event they wanted to compete in the sport or in any other sport.

Q9. What keeps you interested in the sport of triathlon - people, fitness, cool gear, etc?

- Knowing that I haven't reach the plateau, and that I can still squeeze minutes off my finish times, is what keeps me going in the sport. I really want to see how fast I can get before I can't do the sport anymore. In my family, it's become a lifestyle so, whether competitively or not, I can see myself doing this for a very long time. I've never been much into weight-lifting and I always got injured when just running so doing all three disciplines is a great way to stay physically and mentally fit.

Q10. Who is your favourite triathlete? What is it that interests you in that athlete?

- I'm a big fan of the ITU guys. The fact that they can race at their maximum ability the entire race really intrigues me, especially since it's mostly a mental game near the end of the race. It's probably been my biggest challenge (to mentally overcome what I can and can't do) so seeing those guys in a hurt locker for that long, helps me push myself when the going gets tough. I'm a big fan of Simon Whitfield and Javier Gomez. Simon, because he's really representing Canada in the sport and Javier because I was born in Spain. I'm hoping those 2 are shoulder to shoulder in London in 2012 and may the best man win!!


Thanks Carlos! Best of luck in 2011 and beyond!


Please help support our local Age Groupers as they drive towards their goals in Triathlon! You can follow Carlos through his blog or twitter board at the links below.

Blog Link = http://carlostriathlon.blogspot.com/

Twitter Handle = @carlos_el_toro



Thanks for reading!

IF YOU OR YOUR CLUB WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED ON MY BLOG PLEASE CONTACT ME AT larrybradleytoronto@yahoo.ca !

Let's Open up this Blog!

Hi All,

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

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

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

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

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

Talk soon!
Larry

Congrats Tyler on your Studio Opening!

This morning, I had the excellent opportunity to join my HiPerformance Spin Group at Coach Tyler's brand new studio in Oakville. It was very cool to see the fruits of all his hard work in his new home away from home.

He has just opened the HiPerformance Personal Training and Coaching Studio on Thomas Street (Thomas and Lakeshore) in the heart of the downtown and has done a fantastic job laying the machines out and making lounge room for pre and post workout rest. I am sure Tyler would be more than happy to have you drop in for a visit and to inquire about his services.

Here is the Conceptual Design of the Studio.

If you would like to learn some more check out the links below...

http://tylerlord.blogspot.com/

http://tylerlord.blogspot.com/2010/11/hipeformance-personal-training-and.html


Please join me in congratulating Tyler on his new business venture!

Write Off Week

Last week I was fortunate enough to travel to St John, USVI with work for our annual Americas Meeting. I cannot complain that I had this opportunity so I will not. I must say though, because of the food and activities to keep us busy, I did not get in my full training week so I was a little lazy to start today.

During the stay on the island I put in a very hot, tough run that basically scared me from future runs. Not only was the road (the only road around that part of the island) very twisty and hilly, it was also very narrow with no sidewalks or shoulders. The locals and taxis were motoring along this asphalt at crazy speeds and not willing to share with some silly tourist out for a run. When I reached the beach, to meet up with co-workers, it was like hitting the tape at the end of an ironman. I was thrilled to finish the 10k without stopping and headed straight to the beach to jump into the refreshing water.

Not wanting to push my luck with traffic, I stuck to swimming for the rest of my stay. I took on my fair share of salt water but actually enjoyed my time spent in the ocean, even with my slight phobia of sharks. The snorkeling was impressive with countless colourful reef fish. Our day spent sailing at sea was very fun with a few stops along the way for lunch and beach hopping.

Back at home on the weekend, I just felt so flat and tired so I really could not get into the spirit. I was more focused on spending time with family (as well as putting in my hockey duties) so I got caught up and set my sights on this week to get back into the mood.

At work today, I was still struggling to get up for a run but finally pulled myself out to the gym around 2pm. Thankfully, I ran into a fellow runner I have had the pleasure of chatting with a few time now and  we hit the mill together so the run I feared getting back to was much more enjoyable. I got through my 10k much easier than expected and hope this leads to a solid week to burn off the several pounds I found on the beach.

Bummer is that I had been so close to my target weight just before the trip, dropping a bunch of lbs from the holidays. Hopefully, they come of a little quicker this time and my speeds do not suffer too much.

As I was running, I could not carry my camera so here is a stock photo from one of the look outs along the road. Of course, they had to place the road up and down these huge hills and not just flat along the beaches. HAHA

Bike For Sale - 2008 Argon 18 Mercury TT

2008 Argon 18 Mercury TT bike, med. Full Dura Ace (7800), Pro missile bars.

Excellent condition, only been ridden a handful of times.

Raced once, IMLP 09. $2,300, obo.

Contact Jon at jpadams007@hotmail.com or (905)401-1635

Mention you saw it on Larry's blog. Wink, Wink! 

Getting it Done!

As with most multisport athletes, my January is busy getting back to hard work after a few months of lighter base building. Sure, we are still building on that base but, when you have spring goals in mind, coach makes sure the speed is coming back as well.

I love these speed sessions as they scare the pants off you before the workout but you feel such an amazing rush when you get through that last rep. I may not get as animated as Tiger (with the fist pump) but you will often see a mini-pump when I count down those final 5 seconds.

Today, I had the old 6 x 1k treat...and I made sure to make it count. With the cold, windy conditions, and frozen Garmin (yes, again!), I opted for the comforts of the gym and my friend Mr. Tready. I laid down 6 solid efforts at 3:29/km pace (3 x 1 degree and 3 x 0 degree slope), probably looking like a dofus running that speed but I was so focused it didn't matter one bit.

This workout came after two solid weeks of run build up where Ty has me hitting some great splits and I can tell this is going to be a great season if I can stay with the plan. Right now, I look forward to the pay off and the training is something I really enjoy so I hope I can keep positive and pull down my PB's as a result.

With the training hours getting longer, I have to resort back to night workouts to get everything in. Because, I need to stay alert for these sessions, I cannot drift off when the kids are winding down any longer so I have been doing even more Twitter and Facebook reading. My BB is hooked up to these and are quick hits while I watch to make sure the little ones settle down during their last cartoons. A few weeks ago, Steve Fleck put out the call for some questions and I threw one his way for his blog. He grabbed my question and has posted his answers at the link below.

http://stevefleck.blogspot.com/

Another call for questions I answered of late was from Canadian Cyclist, Christian Meier. I didn't expect to get a Twitter mention, especially, in VeloNation so that was pretty neat.

http://www.velonation.com/Blogs/Christian-Meier/ID/120/Fielding-questions-from-the-Twitterati.aspx

Have a great week!
larry

2011 Goals - Larry Bradley

I think everyone who knows me, knows that I am a huge dreamer when it comes to running, duathlon and cycling. I am very passionate about my hobbies and truly believe that I have a lot more room to improve, even at my advancing age.

I have only been running since mid-2005 and cycling since late-2006, therefore, I really haven't been at it for very long but I think my results show that I have come a long way from the overweight, inactive person I was before I got into this lifestyle.

All this being said, I aim big every year when I set up my goals. In 2010, I hit some targets but also missed many results I was hoping to achieve. Much of this can be linked back to the high swim standards I expected to reach. I did not get to that point and realized the lack of excitement and training opportunities for that sport were holding me back from doing what I really love -  running and cycling.

I came up with the following 5 goals that I want to work with Coach Tyler to achieve this season. Some are running specific and others are duathlon in nature.

1. Sub 1:20:00 Mississauga Half Marathon

2. Top 10 at Victoria's Duathlon

3. Sub 17:00 5k or sub 35:00 10k (depends on which distance fits into my schedule this year)

4. Sub 2:00:00 Olympic Duathlon

5. Top 3 Overall at Ontario Duathlon Championships / 1st AG

It would also be nice to match the number of wins I had in Duathlon in 2009 (before I entered the world of triathlon last season).

Some people do not like to share their goals, and I totally get where they are coming from, but I like to put it all out there. If I don't hit some of these in 2011, hopefully, somebody will point it out and I will work even harder to make it happen in the future.

Best wishes!
Larry