Taking charge

The nature of television is that it's hard to be inclusive and that drama and conflict rule. And that's particularly true for an event that spans 17 hours let alone half an hour for the nightly news.

The latest Kona special on NBC no doubt will bring home more accolades for the producers. They will be well deserved.

For the first time, I think, the coverage of the actual race took precedence. That's great.

It didn't hurt at all that the men's race wasn't decided until there were about two miles left. And it didn't matter to me that the ironmanlive coverage of the event - about two months ago - was the best ever either and I'd already seen 'in real time' almost every minute of the pro races.

For me, it's similar to the appeal of watching any of the Bourne films again and again and again. I never tire of the action. The outcome becomes irrelevant because Ironman is far more about the journey.

This year the commentary from Macca stood in stark contrast to that from Crowie. The producers must have been falling all over themselves during those interviews. Talk about two people with two different perspectives about each other.

Macca spoke of Crowie as a lost brother; all Crowie could do was agree that they were both Aussies. Ouch.

The interviews reinforced what a great ambassador Macca is for the sport and left me unsure of who Crowie is. I believe that's unfair to Crowie because he has been a superb champion and he has been one of the most consistent triathletes in the world the last three seasons.

Clearly Macca sees his win as a vindication of the dominating triathlete that he is. He most certainly has assured his place in the Hall of Frame.

The coverage also showed that Macca is a master race strategist. He deliberately held back on the bike in order to unleash himself on the run. That's not new.

But as he came out of the Energy Lab, Macca would have known Andreas was approaching fast. Did he let Andreas catch him and then run with him for a bit before dropping the hammer? Too bad the producers didn't ask that question.

Too bad also that we never heard what Andreas or Marino were thinking. These guys have the potential to win in Kona. It mystifies me why no effort is made to talk to the Europeans.

As for Chris Lieto, what if Macca was right? What if Chris took it a little easier on the bike? What if he had a bit more left in the tank for the run? How bad does Chris want to win in Kona? Is he prepared to take the risk that Macca did and work harder on becoming a Sub 3 runner? Or is he content with pushing as hard as he can on the bike and seeing how far he gets on the run?

The coverage of the woman's race lacked the same intensity though NBC did as best it could.

I suspect Chrissie wasn't available for comment, or declined to chat, so as Miranda could rightly take centre stage. Chrissie did indicate so in her post-race comment. Still it would have been good to hear at least something from Chrissie. A missed opportunity for her.

Were there really only three pro women in the race? Dibens, Carfrae and Steffen. What was Steffen thinking?

Like it or not, Kona is the race to win bar none. Coming second means nothing. That sounds harsher than intended and it's not fair, but it's the truth. The winner gets his/her face on a box of Wheaties, everyone else simply gets a bowl and a spoon and some milk to eat them with.

Kudos to NBC for this year's pro coverage.

As for the age groupers, I think there's still a bit of a learning curve for the producers. Not every age grouper has had some life/death experience. Really. No, really. But there's still some drama.

I do have to say that Lew had some great advice: push yourself every single day. And what you do at age 40 will determine what you're capable of doing at age 80. Truer words couldn't have been said.

I would have liked to have known more about the French guy who crashed on the Queen K and then was so hurt that he had to walk the entire marathon. Why was he so determined to finish? For me, he's more representative of what it means to be an Ironman.

At the end of the day, Ironman is about the potential within each and every one of us. It's about the ability to persist and to excel.

It's about being disciplined. And it's about being fortunate. It's about taking calculated risks and taking charge of one's life and how one chooses to live. It is life changing and life reinforcing.

Squamish Tri

I've now put a second race on my 2011 sked - the Squamish Triathlon on July 10th.

If you enter before January 2nd, there's a few extra dollars to invest in something to power you faster.

Squamish Tri

Squamish Titans

I will be part of the Squamish Titans board for 2011.

The sport of triathlon has been very good to me and being part of the board will provide me with another opportunity to give a little bit back.

Run faster

Coach Troy - of the Spinerval series - wrote an interesting review of his run performance at Ironman Arizona where he clocked a sub three hour marathon.

Here is the link to the full comment.

And here are some of his training tips:

1. Build base with frequency: This simple concept is often overused, but holds true. Steady state 'aerobic' paced training should comprise the bulk of your training program. Run often but not necessarily far each workout. Frequency is the key. If you can run 5-6 days per week, do it. The Kenyans run 15 -- 20 workouts per week to accumulate huge training volumes. You can't do that, you'll get injured… but you can run 5-8 shorter workouts per week at an aerobic pace (i.e. not as pounding on the joints).

2. Practice good form: With minimalist shoes all the rage, more runners are focused on forefoot striking and better run posture. I've made a conscious effort over the past year to do this as well, shifting my weight a little forward and not pounding the heel as much as I did in the past.

3. Run on the Treadmill: Since last winter, I've done one or two runs per week on the treadmill. I set it at 7 -- 8 mph at 3% grade and run 40-50 minutes. I feel that frequent treadmill work saves my aging joints and connective tissues from injury. It's forgiving and feels good to get off the pavement.

4. Don't run too long: We all know that you should do a 'long run'. How long is ideal? That's hard to say, but for me, a 2 hr run was my longest on my way to my Ironman marathon PR. I did a couple 1:45 hr runs too, but that was it. I run at roughly a 7-7:20 / mile pace on these runs, with some 'tempo' once in awhile.

5. Do your Bricks: One or two times a week, if not more, do a 'brick' from the bike to the run. My typical training day would include a 30-mile bike (1.5 hrs) followed by a 30-40 minute run (4-6 miles).

6. Do short double runs: During your build up weeks (about 5-10 from race day), do one or two double runs each week. Going back to the idea of frequency, make these short 30-40 minute aerobic paced runs with one in the morning and one again in the evening. This same concept can be used too during your pre-season base building period, but I do not recommend it when you're racing often.

Coach Troy also advises to race often, be patient, rest often, taper early and consider running 'blind' sometimes.

All in all, a solid comment.

Test

Well, my first race of the 2011 season, or rather the first one that I've entered is the Test of Metal.

It's a 67km mountain bike race and there's more than 1200m of climbing and 35km of single track.

Since it's been a few years since I've been on my mtn bike, I will have a bit of work to do this winter and next spring.

Ultra

I will write a bit more later this week but I was very impressed with Margreet's effort on Saturday. It was a long day and she worked her way through some serious demons about two thirds through the 100km.

A successful end to a full year of hard work.

Here are a few photos from the day.

Here's one of Margreet as she headed off after passing through an aid station amid light but steady rain.

Ultra - Cropped 1

The race began at 4am and so there wasn't much light to work with. I pointed and clicked, in particular as headlights approached.

Ultra - Cropped 2

These shots were taken on the Harrison side of the Harrison River, at about the 81km mark. The rain had stopped though the mist clung tightly.

Learning to swim

I learned to swim when I was a kid, and I'm still learning. It's one heck of a curve!

When in Sydney, it was like I was demoted back to grade one. Three of us - I won't name the other two but you know who you are - were in the 'slow' lane. That wasn't fair to the 9, 10, 11 year olds who motored by us repeatedly. There was nothing to do but laugh - and wear fins, big, huge fins.

Today I began swimming a master's squad here in Squamish. It's the first time I've swum with anyone for years.

It was also the first time I've skulled or backstroked for years.

Usually I get in the pool and swim - front crawl. It's basically worked but with every approach to training, a bit of differentiation is needed from time to time. Right now I do need, want to improve my technique and I simply can't do that on my own.

So the plan is to swim with the squad - three coached sessions a week for the next few months. I'll restrict my use of my pull buoy and paddles during these sessions. But I'll still use them to help me on the days/mornings that I decide to drop in to swim on my own.

I like the serenity that comes with swimming on my own. That's especially true at this time of year when it's pitch black outside and there's a chill in air an inch above the covers.

Ironman Access: Now it's here, now it's not

On Wednesday, the World Triathlon Corp unveiled the $1000 a year Ironman Access membership program. The key benefit was having early access to register for Ironman races.

On Thursday, the president of the WTC, Ben Fertic, rescinded the program after an onslaught of negative comments.

For the record, I had no fundamental issue with the program though I appreciate how others saw it as a tax or a way for a few people to cut to the front of the line. I thought the program was, in principle, a good idea.

The intent, as Fertic said, was to make it easier to enter a race. I’m all for that. Who wouldn’t be?

I wouldn't have spent the $1000 but I see how it would have made sense for some to do so. Time is money. (Here's how I could spend $1000.)

It had never occurred to me that 2500-3000 slots at Ironman events in North America were 'default' race entries. Fertic said some athletes were entering multiple events until they got the one slot they really wanted.

That's part of the reason why I wasn't able to find a spot at Ironman Arizona next month after a tough day at Ironman Canada. Arizona was the next best fit for me.

I haven't lost any sleep over not getting an entry. Neither though am I going to start registering for races that I don't really intend to race. I can find other ways to spend $600.

One reason for the 'unused' slots I think is the lack of a 'real' refund policy. Athletes should be able to get most of their money back - which would encourage those who register for multiple events to 'give' them back.

It's an easy fix. So why hasn't the WTC done so? Some would say it's all about the money that the WTC gets to keep. I think that's too simplistic.

Of course it's hard not to dismiss the fact that 3000 times $600 is $1.8 million. Yet there's so much demand for slots that I think the WTC would be further ahead financially from taking a small administration fee and then reselling the slots.

While some people see the WTC as evil, I don't.

I think that there is an honest effort among the people who work at the WTC to strengthen the sport. For me that is a given. And I have no issue with the WTC and its private equity owners making money.

That said, the WTC has, in a short period of time, angered first the pro field and now age groupers.

This week it got punched and kicked like most of us have during a swim.

In my opinion, the aggressiveness of the punching and kicking was over the top.

The sport is a niche one but it has gone corporate. I don't see that as inherently negative as others do, even some friends who have more invested in the sport.

If you don't want to race WTC sponsored events, then you don't have to.

There are hundreds - perhaps thousands - of independent events around the world. These races need our support. Most of these races also have cheaper entry fees too.

There is the Team Challenge series of half and full iron events, which will expand to 11 in 2011. Hopefully, it will have an event or two in North America soon.

There's also the newer Rev3 Series which will have four events in the US and one in Costa Rica in 2011.

Here on the West Coast of Canada are the five half irons of the Subaru Western Triathlon Series, including Victoria, Vancouver and Banff.

Triathlon is booming and I am one motivated triathlete.

To be fair, I think that the WTC has invested a lot of effort, time and money in the sport. I have the potential to race all over the world almost every week of year in a WTC event. I think that's impressive. Perhaps it simply has grown too fast?

One key issue with the WTC from my point of view is a lack of transparency.

Beyond Fertic, it’s unclear who the WTC is. And even Fertic has a low profile, which I assume is a conscious decision. He wants the focus to be on the sport, not him. But it needs a rethink. Who is he? What is he doing? Where does he see the sport in a year from now, five years, 10 years?

It's easy to point at the WTC as corporate, authoritative and dictatorial. Here are the rules. No discussion. That may not be the reality but it's the impression many triathletes have.

The WTC has work to do to earn our trust. I work hard for my money and I do think hard about where to spend it.

I’ll stop there or else I’ll never finish this post.

All is not lost. And that's the approach I take to the sport and life.

The swift rethink on the access program was a good starting point for the WTC. Let's see what happens next.

What to do with $1000?

This post isn’t about the Ironman Access program. At least not directly. (See my other post for those thoughts.)

This post IS about the $1000 fee that came with the program and what other options I have for spending that amount of money to make myself a better triathlete - if I had $1000 lying beneath my mattress.

To be honest, $1000 is a tight budget.

(Apparently triathletes earn $175,000 and spend $22,000 of that on endurance ‘stuff’ each year, according to a K-Swiss marketing guy recently quoted by The New York Times. He wasn’t talking about me.)

So what could I do with $1000?

I could buy new cycling shoes, a new helmet and perhaps Rotor rings. I need the shoes and the helmet – the rings would be bling. I’ve looked at the rings for two years but the $400 or so for them is hard for me to justify.

Still, it’s hard to resist some bling as a triathlete.

I could buy some new cycling jerseys and some fall/winter running clothes. A ‘cheap’ jersey costs $50 and a ‘normal’ one about $100. I haven’t priced any long sleeve jerseys or any clothing from Assos (Swiss cycling gear for the rich).

What else could I do with $1000?

My tri club, provincial tri card, masters swim pass and pool pass take $400.

I could hire a coach for a few months, but certainly not a year. So do I hire one now or wait til six months leading to my key race? It’s the work that I do now and in the next few months that will determine how I perform next summer.

I could sign up for one 70.3 and one Ironman race. That’s about $900. Or I could just about buy a charity spot at an Ironman event. Ah right, Ironman races are completely sold out a year in advance. So 2012?

It’s hard for me to think about the 2012 season when I’m recovering from 2010 and trying to plan 2011.

I decided not to sign up for Ironman Canada 2011 after two tough races there. I did get an online spot in 2009 and qualified for this year’s event.

If I chose to try to qualify for next year, then I’d need to race one or two events in either June or July. A weekend away to race one of those events would cost about $500 – very conservatively.

It would appear that $1000 doesn’t go so far in this sport and that's my point - though it's not like I, or you, didn't already know that.

Here are some basic prices from the SBR Multisport website.

A Cervelo P1 is listed at $1699, the basic P3 goes for $3599 and the top P4 goes for $12,499.

A SRM ‘standard’ power metre would set you back $2894.95. The highest price one here is $3994.95.

How about some race wheels? A Zipp Sub 9 Tubular Disc is a cool $2074.95.

The Assos Fugu Cycling Jacket: $639.95.

Or I could put a downpayment on a CompuTrainer Pro Model: $437.25 plus $108.25 a month for the next year. A smart idea given that fall has arrived and the forecast is for a lot of snow this winter.

My point here is that it’s easy – very easy – to spend a lot of money fast in this sport.

For me, everything I do in the sport involves competing within my means.

Still that hasn’t slowed me down. It hasn't stopped others from becoming pros.

Money doesn't translate into consistent hard work and you can't buy determination.

Mindset Triathlon

Margreet has begun distributing her books through a new online site called

Mindset Triathlon

H2H

Haney to Harrision

We did a drive of the course yesterday .. It's a long way to run but it's also a stunningly beautiful run as well.

The first half is a tough marathon - there are no solid stretches of any flat or even ground.

However, from the 45km mark til the end, there are two sections of flats (though there is one very sold climb and solid descent that separates them).

Two weeks to go .. hopefully we'll have similar weather then as we did yesterday.

$US22,000 a year ...

In 2000, there were 50 USA Triathlon clubs. Now there are 831 throughout the country. In 2000, there were 229 USA Triathlon-certified coaches; now there are 1,800, according to USA Triathlon.

“Triathletes are a discerning group of alpha consumers, with $175,000 average salaries,” said Erik Vervloet, vice president for sports marketing at K-Swiss, which jumped into the tri-market three years ago. “The average Ironman spends $22,000 a year on the sport.”

From a New York Times story that can be found here

***

From Triathlete Magazine:

The average reader of the magazine earns $US167,784 and spends more than $US3,300 on endurance-sports 'stuff' each year. The average age of the reader is 40.

Volker - Go Big or Go Home

There's a deciding moment in every Ironman's journey and Volker Schneider has arrived there.

http://squishrunner.blogspot.com/

Accepting the hurt

Dr. Jeroen Swart, a sports medicine physician, exercise physiologist and champion cross-country mountain biker who works at the Sports Science Institute of South Africa.

“Some think elite athletes have an easy time of it,” Dr. Swart said in a telephone interview. Nothing could be further from the truth.

And as athletes improve — getting faster and beating their own records — “it never gets any easier,” Dr. Swart said. “You hurt just as much.”

But, he added, “Knowing how to accept that allows people to improve their performance.”

How to Push Past the Pain, as the Champions Do

Joan Samuelson

Great profile/story on Joan Samuelson on the New York Times' website.

She's 53. Her PB for the marathon is 2:21:21.

A few excerpts and the link to the story at the end.

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Two decades ago, Nike did an advertising campaign with Samuelson that carried the tagline “There is no finish line.”

“I don’t know if it haunted me or motivated me,” she said.

****

Click here

Kona

There's nothing much more inspirational than watching Kona - all day - from start to finish.

I must say that ironmanlive coverage, combined with twitter and facebook, made this year far more interesting than any previous race.

Teresa Rider

You are so consistent .. year in and year out .. and you put in such high quality performances. Your determination seems infinite.

Lisa Marangon

While I know it wasn't the performance you had visualized, you know that there's more potential within and as long as you work as hard as you have you'll reach it. Keep moving forward.

Scott Jones

He smashed the course in Canada at the end of August and then regrouped, recouped and ran even faster today in Kona.

Very impressive.

Peter McLean

Solid, solid, solid day in Kona. Couldn't be happier for you mate!

Mind-set

For years, it's bothered me. Sometimes it has infuriated me. Other times I've let it slide.

The longer that I train and race as a triathlete, I find that I'm becoming more open and aware of what drives other athletes, and how they see themselves. And it's forcing me to rethink how I see them and myself too.

It's so easy to compare myself to others, especially those with whom I have trained. I have often used my previous training and race performances to provide me a measure of my competitiveness. Perhaps that's a misuse of my energy.

I have a number of friends who are elite age-group triathletes. Two of them will be racing this weekend in Kona. At Ironman Canada, both of them were fast to say that they weren't ready to race. Yet both smashed the course and won their age groups with ease (my interpretation).

I was reading a post by one of them as he prepares for Kona. He mentioned that he did a training swim of the course in Kona this past week and among his comments was: "It is not only because I am slow ..."

I almost fell over.

Time, of course, is relative for all of us. This athlete swims 100m repetitions in 1:11 and swam 54:56 at Ironman Canada. He swam 1:01 in Kona in 2009. He's not as fast as a pro but he's damn fast.

What confounds me is whether this athlete is being modest or whether he's simply downplaying his ability, consciously or not, in order to drive himself on race day. Race day execution is something that I've been thinking more and more about the past few months.

Relative to me this guy is super fast. I have swum as fast as 1:24 for 100m in a pool. I swam 1:04 at Ironman Canada in August and in my Kona debut in 2007 I swam 1:13.

But I'm intrigued.

Is it better to be conservative with one's expectations heading into a race or to have confidence in what one has accomplished in training and racing? What's the best approach to put oneself in the driver's seat on race morning?

Confidence on race day is a huge factor, I think, in how an athlete will perform. It's something that I want to focus on ahead of my 2011 season. It's something that I want to learn more about.

Kona

We're on Kona watch ahead of Saturday's most important race of the season.

Strategic debut

I’m developing a new marathon strategy and I had a superb start with it in Bellingham.

The objective was simply: run as hard as I could for as long as I could, and then run still harder.

Well.

I ran some superb times through the first eight miles. Then my strategy proved a tad ambitious. But as I said at the beginning of this post, Bellingham was the start.

I wanted to race because I hadn’t had the chance to run at Ironman Canada. And I wanted to race this race because I wanted to take advantage of all of the training that I have done this past year before hitting pause for a few weeks or a month.

And so .. the Bellingham marathon appeared on my schedule. (Note: Margreet found it first and was keen to race it until she redirected herself towards the 100km Haney to Harrision in early November.)

The race began as I expected. I ran a bit too fast. The first 1 mile was 6:35. Ha. Take that.

I immediately eased back a touch and settled into a 7:00 to 7:06 pace for the next seven miles.

I was running with three others – two guys and the first woman. The pace was good and it was great to have the others there to help me focus.

One realization from yesterday’s effort was that I think far far far too much. I need to ask some others but I need to find a way to settle my mind more during races. I have often said that I have trouble focusing. I think for me the challenge is narrowing that focus.

We ran as a group for about 7 miles and then one of the lead guys accelerated just a bit as we zoomed by some spectators who were cheering for him. The adrenaline kicked in for him and the two others also accelerated. I chose not to go. I felt the pace I was on was superb and I didn’t see any need to go harder at this point.

My 5km split was about 20:26 and my 10km split was about 43:20. I believed my training ahead of Ironman would have put me in a position to run a standalone marathon of 3:02 to 3:10. I hadn’t trained to run faster and it didn’t make sense for me to try to run too fast too early.

That said, I suppose at the end of the day I can say that I ran too fast too early. But that’s OK. I don’t regret the pace.

Sitting here on the Oregon Coast in Lincoln City the day after the race, I have thought, what if I had gone with those other three – would it have hurt me?

The weather was good for the race. Light rain to start. We got a solid shower at about the 8-mile mark and there was a decent headwind on the return from the first out and back. That wind was there from time to time throughout the rest of the run.

My times drifted further and further from the 7 minute area. I had six caf gels – one mistake was not taking the other two. I also would have ‘appreciated’ the opportunity for some coke. There simply wasn’t any on the course.

I crossed the line in 3:25. My ninth marathon.

Faster times ahead.

Bellingham

Me and Macca

My first thought was .. what the ..

How could it be both cold and raining as hard as it was? A year ago it was sunny and 35-40 degrees. And here we have had the driest and warmest summer on record - or close to it. I had the misfortune of one day of rain for one long training spin.

Race day though is the challenge. And it's a learning curve too.

For the first time in my Ironman 'career' I did not finish a race. I abandoned it and opted for the back of an ambulance at about 160km into the bike. It was the right decision at that moment for me. I was soaked and moving slower and slower and getting colder and colder. I wasn't thinking clearly and I was shivering nonstop.

At least I had the presence of mind to stop and start walking down the hill that I had hammered a year earlier. I didn't have the spirit to smash the final 20km of the bike, which is mostly downhill.

For a second year, I had a disappointing day at Ironman Canada. The idea of not finishing though had never crossed my mind. I expected to be faster than ever.

One of the thoughts that came to me as I realized my day was done was that I'd have to race here again because I know that I have the potential to nail this course. I say that with the knowledge that I've put in two very solid years of training and each year my overall fitness has been at a new high.

I look at my race results the last few months as a sign that I was well prepared, and I believe that I was in a position to be competitive.

In the immediate aftermath of the race, I was disappointed. It was an empty feeling. I wasn't happy with myself.

And - simply because of the huge demand for Ironman races, there is no other race that I can do this year to express my fitness.

One thought that came to mind however was that I was in good company. Ironman is about the journey.

It took Macca six attempts to win in Kona including one DNF.

So really .. perspective is critical.

I'm fit, I'm motivated and I'm looking ahead to 2011.

Meeting with success

"I have learned this at least by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with success unexpected in common hours."

Henry David Thoreau
1817-1862, Writer and Poet

Harrison to Haney

No .. I'm not going to run 100km anytime soon. But Margreet is.

Check out her post from earlier today: here.

IMJ Coaching

Two good friends and superbly fit triathletes.

Scott Jones won his age group at Ironman Canada on Sunday. The first - no doubt - of many such wins ahead.

Teresa Rider added yet another age group win - and massive new course record - to her race history also at IMC.

This dynamic duo are based in Boulder, Co and recently have begun offering camps for athletes looking to push themselves to a new level.

Here's the link for their site: IMJ Coaching.

Early on the bike at IMC

Two new TMC articles

During the expo at IMC, I met the publisher of Triathlon Magazine Canada - Sam Cohen.

In the latest September & October 2010 issue of the magazine, I have two stories:

Profile - Team TriLife and its head coach Angie Anderson

Finish line podium - Paul Tichelaar, who talks about his decision to move to longer distance racing

Catch up

I'm going to fill in a few events and results so I can find them easier.

I'm now in the heart of Ironman training and it's going well. I really love the feeling of being and becoming Iron Fit.

I had almost a week off after the Squamish tri and began my return to cycling with another spin to the top of Cypress from here. The spin was cut a bit short about I got one flat and then when I blew one spare - there is a maximum amount of air that a tube will take.

I've also been adding more speed to my run workouts both outside and on the treadmill.

I'm looking forward to another solid spin - this time to Whistler and back this pending weekend. Before then I hope to fall into Brohm Lake for a swim or two.

I'm watching more carefully what I'm consuming - mostly not buying the food that I find far too tempting.

That's the update for now.

Lake Placid

Some superb news from Lake Placid .. my brother has signed up to race there in 2011. It will be his first Ironman.

John was there in Forster, Australia when Margreet and I finished our first Ironman in 2002 and we'll make every effort to be there to support him.

It's a decision you won't regret little brother. Ironman has changed my life. There's nothing that I can't fathom trying and that's what life is all about.

Believe in yourself and you can achieve greatness.

**

Another bit of good news from Lake Placid was that Lisa Marangon came in third overall and got a spot to Kona. She last raced there as an age grouper, this year will be her first appearance as a pro.

We've watched her develop as an athlete and the challenges of life that she's accepted with a fierce determination and endless enthusiasm.

Lisa is an inspirational athlete and mom. A very well grounded person who's worked very hard for her successes in the sport.

Here is a link to Lisa's site.

Inspiration

"You can conquer almost any fear if you will only make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind."

Dale Carnegie

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"One difference between successful people and all the rest is that successful people take action."

Bob Proctor

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"Each indecision brings its own delays and days are lost lamenting over lost days. What you can do or think you can do, begin it. For boldness has magic, power, and genius in it."

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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"Doubt, of whatever kind, can be ended by action alone."

Thomas Carlyle

Recent articles

A profile that I wrote on Jordan Bryden can be found online at Triathlon Magazine Canada. I think it's a good read on an articulate athlete.

Here's the link.

I recently filed two other stories to the magazine - for future issues - including a Q&A with former Olympian Paul Tichelaar, a real ambassador for the sport.

Squamish Olympic

Solid day. I opted to enter this just last night - 10 minutes before entry closed. Ha.

The main reason I wanted to race is that I found at the Vancouver Half a week ago that I was a bit race rusty. I hadn't thought about it much but the warning I got for starting to take my helmet off before my bike was fully racked was a reminder.

In Australia, we used to race more and also we used to practice transitions. I definitely view transitions as free time and I want all of it.

I knew that today might be a challenge after having gone for a near 6 hour bike ride yesterday - Squamish to the top of Cypress, up 1/3 again, then back home. It was a superb spin on a spectacular summer day.

I was optimistic of winning my age group and while I was near the front after the swim and at about half way through the bike, two went past me on the steady uphill and I couldn't respond. Oh well.

I continued to spin as fast as I could and really hammered the downslope. I felt great.

My legs weren't turning over as fast as I'd hoped the first 2-3km - though after the race I was 'told' that was the uphill section. Sometimes the obvious isn't so.

In any event, I caught one guy just before the end of the first loop of the run. I didn't know he was in front. I felt good at that point and pushed it. And a little bit later, on the short out and back section, I saw the two who were in the lead. I was optimistic that I could catch at least one of them.

As it happened, both of them caught a second wind and I never saw them til the race was over.

It was a good day. My second third in two weeks. Margreet was out in the mix and helped pace her all-women relay team to second in their division.

one loop swim, four loops on the bike and two loops on the run
swim 25.56

bike 1.06.43

run 47.22

2.20.00

Vancouver Half Iron

It's a great event and this was the second year in a row in which I have competed. I highly recommend it as it is well organized.

It was an even better day for racing than last year as the sun was hidden most of the day. The water temp was said to be 15.5C but I don't think it was quite so cold - there were some cold pockets in English Bay which helped refocus my effort.

1.9k (2 loops), 90k (4 loops) and 20k (2 loops)

Total time: 4:50:22

swim: 32:35 1:43 avg for 100m

t1 2:12

bike: 2:41:28 33.8km/hr avg

t2: 1:34 (helmet warning!)

run: 1:32:35 4:38/km avg


Last year I was second in the age group .. the guy who won last year was second this year .. he finished in 4.39 ..

The guy who won the age group did 4.26 on a 1.20 run for 20k. Impressive.

So 9th at Oliver a month ago and 3rd today.

Just do it

"You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless."

Caroline Myss

One more time

I will be returning to Penticton in late August for another go at Ironman Canada.

I secured my ticket in the rolldown after the Oliver half ironman yesterday. As I type this early on Monday morning, I'm aware that I put in a solid effort. That said, I'm in good stead.

My race went largely as I expected. I had a fair degree of confidence in my fitness heading towards the start line though I was far more nervous than I can recall before any recent race - though since Ironman Canada last August, the one race I have done was a 5k running one in Seattle in late November.

So I was rusty.

I swam 34 and change. I was in the third and final wave - everyone over 45 years of age. I got a great start and swam hard for the first several hundred metres and for the first time in a long time, I found some very helpful feet and with a few surges was able to benefit from them til they pulled away at about the half way mark. I was 10th in my age group.

At Oliver it's a long transition from the beach to T1. I clocked 3.21 and I ran relatively hard, passing a lot of people.

Onto the bike and this for me was going to be the challenge. I wasn't fully confident of what my conditioning was because I haven't been outside on my bike much this season. But I felt good. And I rode 2.35 for 93km, avg speed of 35.9 km/hr. I was very happy with my spin. I had the 10th fastest bike.

The run proved the challenge on this day. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with my final time of 1.39, though the consolation was it was 6th fastest split in the age group. I started slowly and it appears perhaps I started just a tad too slow.

I was confident of a top 10 finish - and felt I could be competitive for a top five too. I was 9th overall. As it turned out I got the second of three spots allocated to my age group.

I'm looking forward to building on the fitness I have now.

Oliver Half Iron

9th in the age group

Swim 34:16 1:43

T1 3:21

Bike 2:35:34 35.9

T2 1:39

Run 1:39:06 4:44

4:53:54

Oliver awaits

As Oliver approaches this weekend, I'm confident.

The last few weeks I've had some good spins on my bike - albeit mostly indoors - and I've had some solid swim/treadmill sessions too.

I know that I have to start to extend my run sessions a bit but I've had some very high quality 1k and 2k all out effort sessions the last few weeks and they have really bolstered my confidence.

I really would like to make my run stronger this summer.

Road warrior

Roadies are simply different than triathletes. And I was reminded of that earlier this evening after participating in the Friday evening hammer session in the valley.

From a training perspective, it was a solid hit out.

From a cycling perspective, it's not something that I will seek to repeat.

It's been several years since I've cycled consistently with a group, and one in which I had a 'feel' for the other riders.

As much as I appreciated the push, I prefer cycling on my own which I've become accustomed to the last two years in particular. And I like my trainer too.

Hedged

While technically not a sport, attacking and whacking a hedge back into some semblance of order is a workout nonetheless. Perhaps it will help me during the swim, somewhere.

TT dust

I headed out for a spin today and intended initially to simply check out the time trial course that I had used last summer.

The road is in worse shape than a year ago and the hilarious part was that there now is a sign in bright orange: Pavement broken. Ah, I don't think that helps much.

As I rolled to the starting point for the 20km - about 10km out and then the same back - I thought that I would put in a bit of effort and see what happens. I can't resist analyzing a few numbers, no matter how relevant, or not.

I clocked 17.20 for the first 10km, I opted to leave my speedo at home and so I also wasn't watching my cadence. I rode steady, dodged a few holes - some new and some I remembered.

At the turnaround, I thought, OK, I'm going to work going back because, as it is generally uphill, I'll need to put in some effort and who knows, maybe I'll negative split.

I didn't catch my exact time as I was shifting my eyes fast from my watch to the road because shortly after finishing one effort last year I crashed through a massive hole right in the middle of the road that I hadn't seen because it was in the shade.

It was a decent effort in the end, and also a reminder that it's a good thing that my race is a month away. I'm on the right track but need a bit more work to sharpen up.

Three books

Check them out:

Margreet Dietz

SDofS completed

Well .. I can check this objective off my list!

I swam for seven days in a row. I swam twice on three days (Tues, Weds and Thurs).

The shortest swim was 15 minutes, the average about 45 mins and the longest was an hour.

That short swim was the result of overcrowding at the pool and a decision I made to stop rather than dodge four others moving at variable speed in the one 'free' lane. It was a good decision.

The end result: PB's for 50m (38-39 sec) and 100m (1.23-.24).

*Times based on watching the clock on the pool deck

I must admit that I lose count far too easily so the exact distance covered, in total each swim, is unknown.

I am estimating conservatively that I swam 1.5km in 30mins and 2km in 45mins and 3k in the hour.

So I'm estimating that I covered 20km through the week.

And in a 25m pool that's 800 laps, which I think is a good reason why I lost count from time to time.

But the week - despite what the note suggests - wasn't about numbers.

It was about reinforcing a few simple changes in how I swim. I focused on three things every time I hit the water.

First, pulling all the way through and feeling strong throughout the pull.

Second, tilting my head up just a bit and looking ahead rather than down. This needs a bit more work as when I'm doing the 100m sprints I tend to be 'head down and in fourth gear'.

Third, kicking - because I've not been using my legs enough to help me go forward. I kicked 200m today. I can't recall ever having used a kickboard for 200m. And while I am kicking while using the pull buoy, I haven't been kicking enough. Though I don't believe that I'm 'over' kicking, just kicking more judiciously.

It was a great week. Thanks for the input. Every piece of advice I've received has been a help.

Margreet runs through Rotterdam

Yes, she's done it again - her 13th marathon.

Rotterdam was held earlier today and Margreet "cruised" to a 3:11.51. That placed her 8th in her age group - which was won with a 2:39 clocking. Talk about a competitive field - in the age group ahead of Margreet, 21 women finished Sub Three.

Back to Margreet the Marathoner.

She has now run all eight of her latest marathons in 3 hours and 15 minutes, and change, or faster.

2009

NODM 3:10:39 *course record

Vancouver 3:10:19

2008

Victoria 3:07:10

Vancouver 3:12:26

2007

Canberra 3:08:48

Gold Coast 3:15:13

2006

Gold Coast 3:13:01


Rotterdam was her first marathon in her home country and it sets the stage for the next one - yes, she's already looking where she will run next.

Charlotte's take on Born to Run

A post from Charlotte Paul's blog on 'Born to Run'.

Like most people I know- I’ve just finished reading “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall. The main feeling I got from it was a renewed passion for running, just wanting to run free! Just running for the sake of running, with no agenda, for the love of it. For that reason alone I would recommend this book to anyone who would like some fresh inspiration.

I loved one character, Jenn, and her approach to racing. Basically flat out until she couldn’t go anymore. It sounds exhilarating. However I’m not sure about her pre-race drinking:)

The book throws up a lot of controversial topics, ranging from shoes, injury management and causes, even diet. I do like a book that makes you think, and isn’t instantly forgettable. McDougall mentions studies that show a surprising correlation between cost of shoe and rate of injury! As cost increases, injuries rise rather than fall. The book throws up the questions, are we in shoes to make the shoe companies money? What about orthotics?

McDougall suggests that some medical professionals are a bit too quick to blame running for injuries, rather than the shoes- and hence the run technique. I think it’s a crying shame that people are told to stop running altogether when they get injuries that are in fact simple to fix.

My shoes have progressively been getting lighter and lighter, and less built up over the last 2 years, whilst I have been injury free. I’ve moved gradually over the last 2 years from training in “lightweight trainers” like the Nike Zoom Elite, to now shoes that are considered racing flats like the Nike Marathoner, Lunar Racer, Speed Spider and the Free 3.0. So for me, book confirms what Kristian and I have been thinking and doing, and that we’re moving in the right direction.

I’ve been making the move gradually, allowing my feet to adjust and get stronger. In January this year I finally threw out my orthotics. That was a fantastically liberating feeling. A pretty similar feeling to getting rid of the heart rate monitor! I didn’t like the idea of being dependent on them- like a crutch. I can’t tell if my lighter shoes have made me faster- there are simply too many other variables. They certainly have not slowed me down and it’s my longest spell injury-free. But I do agree that a lighter shoe puts you in a better position. One that is more upright with your feet landing underneath you, preventing the heel-strike.

A friend of mine tuned in on the diet aspect of the book. To be honest this part of the book washed right over me.

My take home message was to continue my gradual shift into lighter and lighter shoes. That the Trigger Point Performance Therapy approach to injury prevention and rehabilitation is the correct one. And that we are in fact “Born to Run”.

OOhh, and I do love a good quote…

“You don’t stop running because you get old.
You get old because you stop running.” Jack Kirk

“The best runner leaves no tracks” Tao Te Ching

So as the barefoot phenomenon gathers speed … pick up a copy of “Born to Run” by Christopher McDougall and see what all the fuss is all about.

Charlotte

Born to Run

I had seen a mention of the book along the way, I can't recall exactly where. And then we saw it in a bookstore near Pioneer Square in Seattle in late November.

However it wasn't until prompted by two friends did I look it up at the library and brought it home.

It's interesting, I think, how a book says different things to different people.

I found the book a bit tough to get into.

It's the story of Christopher McDougall's journey into the world of ultrarunning. Within the story is his search for the reason why his foot hurts?

He mixes comments from doctors, research by a range of academics and explores the world of the Tarahumara Indians who live in Mexico's remote Copper Canyon.

He challenges us to rethink what we eat, how much we eat, how we run, the shoes we run in and why running is as innate to humans as breathing.

It's a good read.

One passage that caught my attention was the basic running advice from the guy who had befriended the Tarahumara.

"Think Easy, Light, Smooth and Fast. You start with easy, because if that's all you get, that's not so bad. Then work on light. Make it effortless, like you don't give a sh.. how high the hill is or how far you've got to go. When you've practiced that so long that you forget you're practicing, you work on making it smooooooth. You won't have to worry about the last one - you get those three, and you'll be fast."

I'll stop there - time for a run.

Spinning

I spun on the trainer five of the last seven days. Eight hours in all. It's a start.

I also tweaked my position a bike - lowering the seat a tad and shifting my cleats so that my knees track more straight.

Today I didn't spin. However I did a solid hour on the treadmill with eight repeats of 3 mins hard and two mins recovery. Then I fell into the pool for half an hour with the paddles and pull buoy.

Starting tomorrow is my Seven Days of Swimming (I didn't count today but perhaps I will reverse that decision when Saturday rolls around. One must be able to adapt.)

Entered - Oliver Half Iron

First race of the season - June 6th.

The Debate

My internal debate continues and today is decision day. I haven't yet made up my mind.

The question: Enter the Oliver half iron and seek to qualify for Ironman Canada? Or wait?

Waiting isn't any easier.

It's now 6.30am here and I'm somewhat delaying an early morning spin on my trainer. I'll get there momentarily.

I'm keen to be more fit than I am now. I think - rather I know - having the focus of a race will make it easier for me.

Seven Days of Swimming

In the last few weeks, I've been in touch with three friends - two are coaches.

I've written a seven day program which involves swimming at least once seven consecutive days, starting on a Monday.

The idea was sparked by my continuing fascination with 'epic' training. But this pending swim week isn't about volume - it's about feel.

In the last year, having eased significantly on overall volume and crazy brick sessions, I've become more technically proficient at each sport.

Swimming is, of course, the hardest to master from a technical point. I feel like I'm swimming superbly and then I see someone in the lane beside me zooming past with what looks like far less effort.

That's OK. I don't need to be the fastest swimmer. I won't ever be the 'fastest' swimmer in a race but I am determined to become faster and swimming seven days in one week is my plan to bolster my feel in and of the water.

I'm not simply going to swim seven days next week. In fact, I've been building towards this for several weeks now. I don't want to injure myself.

I'm now swimming four times a week and I'll bump that up a bit over the next two weeks. And I'm continuing a three times a week push-up regimen found on onehundredpushups.

Signs

Superstitious? Me?

Not really.

But I do like it when I see things that validate what I'm thinking and perhaps bolster my decision making.

This weekend a very good friend qualified for Hawaii at Ironman China. He earned his spot after years of hard work.

I also caught a glimpse of a former pro who lives in the town where we do, on the same day.

Two signs not be to ignored.

Back at it

I had news this week of a key development .. a good mate of mine has put in a final push to race Ironman China later this month - next weekend.

Like me he's been training on his own for the most part and like me he lost a bit of motivation to train in the last few months.

But he was inspired again, and the Koach has put him on a strict one month schedule to get to the start line as best prepared as he can.

It's helped me get back at it this week.

I hopped on my mountain bike for an outdoor spin, went for a good run and have hit the pool two mornings in a row.

Now, I'm still a long way from being what I consider to be 'fit' or 'in the zone' in terms of training to race.

But I have to start.

A year ago I was so highly motivated at this time. I was hammering myself in the pool and on the treadmill. And I was spending hours and hours on my indoor trainer.

Life has subtly reminded me that there is more to it than Ironman. And while I can acknowledge that point, it doesn't mean that I have to give up the sport or my preference to train at the highest level that I can find.

And so the 10 x 100m all out efforts in the pool today were a bit harsh but they woke me up in more ways than expected.

Margreet's book now available on amazon.com

You can get a copy of Margreet's first book, Running Shoes are a Girl's Best Friend, on amazon.com.

Here's the link.

We understand from one buyer that it was ordered, printed and arrived in Australia within two weeks.

Where did the month go?

February has been a blur and also a bit of a lost month training wise.

As most people know the Olympics finished today and for us here on the Sea to Sky Coast of British Columbia it's been a rather intense time - all good though.

Today's final match in which Canada won the men's hockey gold medal capped a superb two weeks of competition.

What struck me most about the Games were the individual athletes.

The allure of becoming, being an Olympian never ceases to dim for me. I have tremendous respect for these athletes as they put far more on the line in order to perform at the highest level of sports that pale in comparison to triathlon.

Skeleton? Nordic combined?

My brother dropped in and we caught first a women's hockey semi-final match and then the men's 10,000 metre speedskating final: there were just 15 competitors in the second event.

As seen mostly clearly with the finish line dash in the men's 50km cross country race, less than 2 seconds .. far less time than it takes to read this sentence .. was the difference between first and fifth place.

The first 18 across the line in that race were within 42.6 seconds!

Every second counts. And in triathlon that holds particularly true when it comes to doing all the little things right. It's a reminder to me to practice my transitions - the simple act of putting on my helmet and sun glasses and then leaping on my bike (hopefully the race organizers will let me clip my shoes on my pedals before the start).

Happy New Year!

Well, it's time to take it up a notch. Eight full months of training is all that is left. There's no time to waste.

I'm going to keep this blog running in the similar manner in which I have for the past year.

I also have started a new blog, one to which I intend to post every day at least 400 words a day. It's intended to be a conversation between me and my brother, who's entered two half ironmans in 2010.

http://thethinkingtriathlete.blogspot.com/