tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78332915268507425502024-02-19T04:30:11.752-05:003 Cheap RunnersTales of Running, Eating and Deal-Finding from Three BFF's3cheaprunnershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09154374544086639221noreply@blogger.comBlogger607125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-69739066880692536102019-09-12T17:33:00.000-04:002019-09-12T17:33:47.936-04:002019 Lakeside Triathlon Weekend<p>Last weekend was the final triathlon weekend on our schedule this year and there was plenty of racing to take place at Lakeside Resort, just outside of London. We kicked off the weekend by racing the Sprint Relay as a “family” team…Michelle would do the 5K run, I was handling the 20K bike and Kennedy was going to take the 750m swim. Kennedy ended up having to work that day though so we called in her friend Mimi as backup.<p>The weather had cooled down the last few days which made for some really good racing conditions. Mimi was doing her first ever triathlon but she was ready to go…she gave herself the goal of being the first white cap out of the water (we were in the white cap wave, the last group to go off). She was one of the very few brave souls taking on the swim without a wetsuit. I gave her a few pointers and she waded into the water to get ready. The horn sounded and off she went…the swim must have been good because she ended up being the second white cap out of the water, just behind a guy that is a college swimmer so certainly in good company!<p>Then it was my turn to hit the bike. I had hoped to give a sub-30 minute bike split a shot, but now seeing that we were the final wave I knew it was very unlikely given the congestion out on the course. I took off like a shot though and was passing everyone in sight...it felt like I was a record stuck on the “On your left!” track. I hit the 10K turnaround and was actually on pace for sub-30, but the return leg was going to be uphill and into the wind. I tailed of a little bit but still managed a 31:05 split, pretty happy with that. Then it was Michelle’s turn to get out on the run course and Mimi, Jackson and I went to cheer her on. She ran strong and when she came back to the finish we jumped in with her to run across the finish line as a team. We had a great race and took home the bronze medal!<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48722986653_9643d3694e_k.jpg"><img width="500" height="334" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image002" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48722986653_9643d3694e_k.jpg" border="0"></a><p>Later that afternoon it was Jackson’s time to shine. He was looking to cap off a terrific triathlon season with another podium in the 10-11 year old age group. He went into the year as one of the younger competitors but it didn’t hold him back as he strung together a first, two seconds and a third in his five races…great results and indicative of his hard work! This race was going to suit him very well as the swim was 200m in deep open water, ensuring that he swimmers in the group would actually get to put their weapon to use. One of Jackson’s friends from his swim team has been working out with the Balance Point kids this summer and she was doing this race as well, so I told him to stick with her as long as he could on the swim. He did a great job and came out of the water in third place, only 15 seconds or so behind his first place friend.<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48723893856_8d55c44714_k.jpg"><img width="379" height="500" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image004" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48723893856_8d55c44714_k.jpg" border="0"></a><p>He closed the gap in T1 and was actually the first one out on the bike, really quick transition. The bike was a 5K out and back and Jackson was really looking forward to a good ride as he was racing on his new bike for the first time. He hopped on the bike and was off in a flash…he looked fast right away. One of his Balance Point teammates was racing as well and Jackson knew that he had to bike hard to keep ahead of him, so he made sure he was pushing with all he had. The bike went really well and he came off with the lead still intact, although his BPT teammate had closed the gap significantly and came second off the bike only 10 seconds behind.<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48723561368_77fa10f92f_k.jpg"><img width="410" height="500" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image006" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48723561368_77fa10f92f_k.jpg" border="0"></a><p>Another quick transition and Jackson was the first onto the 1.5K run course. I gave him a cheer and a high five but could see second place already charging hard. Jackson told me later that he held him until the 400m mark, but he just didn’t have that last gear to stay with him. The kid that came out in third was really flying though and he looked very fast. By the time the boys were coming back into sight towards the finish, the third place runner had taken the lead. Jackson’s BPT teammate was hot on his heels but couldn’t quite pull him back, and then Jackson came storming along to take third place. I could see on his face that he was spent, giving it all he had, but he kept pushing through the line…what a great race! An awesome end to an amazing season for Jackson, taking podium spots in all six of his races.<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48723560923_50a7d4064c_k.jpg"><img width="344" height="500" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image008" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48723560923_50a7d4064c_k.jpg" border="0"></a><p>The next day it was my turn again. This time I would be taking on the Olympic distance and I wouldn’t be able to get by with a little help from my friends…it was all on me. The morning was cool but I was plenty warm enough with my wetsuit. The 1500m swim was two loops and I was in wave 2. I was actually caught a bit off guard at the start as I was chatting with a friend when the horn sounded. I wished him luck and began the swim, settling into a nice rhythm. I came up on the back of the first wave very quickly, before I even made it to the first turn buoy, and the rest of my swim was spent navigating traffic, zipping in and out and around other athletes. My goggles were fogged up a bit and sighting was difficult, so I was happy to have people around to guide me along. I finished the swim in 21:49 (swim was a bit short), 4<sup>th</sup> in my age group.<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48724065252_27206541e5_k.jpg"><img width="471" height="500" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image010" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48724065252_27206541e5_k.jpg" border="0"></a><p>I had a good T1 and was out onto the 40K bike to chase down the guys ahead of me. I was going to bike hard as long as I could, not knowing when the previous day’s race effort would take it’s toll. I moved through the field well and only had a couple of guys go by me. I caught my buddy Eric from the swim start shortly before the halfway turnaround and once we hit the turnaround I was able to put in a bit off a push and drop him. I was cruising along pretty well but with about 7K to go I made the last turn to head back to Lakeside and was greeted with a headwind and a gradual but steady climb. My bike legs said “enough” and my pace dropped quite a bit. Shortly afterwards I was passed by Barry Dalton, a guy in my age group that I had raced a few times already this season. I knew that he was running well based on the last race I did in Tecumseh so I didn’t want to let him get too far away. I got to T2 and jumped off the bike not too far back and took off onto the 10K run.<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48724064312_ab2a3833fd_k.jpg"><img width="427" height="500" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image012" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48724064312_ab2a3833fd_k.jpg" border="0"></a><p>My transition was good and I actually made it out ahead of Barry in first place for our age group. My lead wasn’t meant to last though as Barry went by me in the first couple hundred metres…my pace was around where I wanted to be and I knew I would blow up if I chased him so I just stuck to my plan. The run went really well and I always enjoy the dirt roads out at Lakeside (as long as they are dirt and not mud!) and I took the time to thank the volunteers and cheer the other athletes out on the two loop course. I held my pace steady around 4:10/km and probably could have gone a little bit quicker but I felt good out there and didn’t kill myself…dare I say I actually enjoyed myself and had fun?? I crossed the line in 2:10:12, which was almost bang on the 2:10 I told Michelle I would probably do and it was good for second in my age group and 10<sup>th</sup> overall…very solid result and a good end to the season. Thanks for reading everyone and congrats to all who raced!<p><a href="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48724063607_308e413539_b.jpg"><img width="500" height="417" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="clip_image014" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/48724063607_308e413539_b.jpg" border="0"></a><p><br><p><br>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-28750199869296689862019-06-25T20:42:00.001-04:002019-06-25T20:42:39.229-04:002019 MSC Welland Long Course Recap<p>Double Triathlon Weekend! Rose City Long Course Triathlon for me on Saturday and the Wilmot Aces Kids Triathlon on Sunday for Jackson.<p>My weekend started early Saturday morning as I loaded up the Jeep and I hit the road just before 5am. I had a nice drive up to Welland and arrived with plenty of time to pick up my kit and set up transition. I wouldn’t say I was nervous by any means, but I really didn’t have a clue of what to expect from the day. I thought about the time that had passed from when I last raced a triathlon and realized it has been 21 months, nearly two years, since I did <a href="http://www.3cheaprunners.com/2017/09/2017-barrelman-triathlon-recap.html">Barrelman in 2017</a>. That’s a long time between swim bike run. I felt good though and believed that I was in decent shape…my swimming has been going really well having been in the pool more than ever since joining Balance Point Triathlon and swimming two mornings a week with them along with open water swims at Splash n Dash and out at the Balance Point lake. My bike workouts haven’t been as long as they should be, but they have been high quality workouts designed to build strength and speed. My running has been good as well as I was coming off a new half marathon PB just over a month ago at Forest City. The racing should be good but you never know until you get out there how the three disciplines will work together.<p>The race start was at 8:30 and I was in wave 2 5 minutes later. I was also racing in the 40-44 age group for the first time, arguably the most competitive age group out there. I put my wetsuit on and hopped into the water for a little warmup before getting myself ready to go. It was race time.<p><img width="500" height="311" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/aRRLQuKPXLjQwKS-OxGoFQRLFKPyHmO7cK9XmuIYG-J6JiHf_OvKimY70CxlO8FswhSJps2Xp2KGWpuubC05fw8EPYPcsU9nDuDY-r_DEqtAZfuW1tgm8bAIsQkHdyFcutHSYswkr_g2LwMQ7sohm0JQlfhnzGowrd5uS6R0SiCbiZUKw9JEkdXq-5j56EKQd1UeOjfoGj3PSt1ePv6fU4rWtzCf5X3yu_xXJSiVd5JNaudMs-tyGS8P3c-MqV7nlx4yx4hHghnFqQUPx_cTDjqY4H_nkCf0StKiuEqibDNRs9IiIGTeuNnjIqEFQL9ltPpanhWVpAprWvr_polFzfjwfqtLJxOwzHjUI6GkbwYMRyWQ4_PHlhYFdGaph3BkFelFbSR6E-5Di_PnsbQtMAYu53bJvKmtoyZv-mb335coVOs6vOqc1Vahr9ezoBlNqvte_D8DcBGEQNBBDfEwkZiSk6crV-IrIsLXDDCBqdViWld5aWsUiMjqPmw_PXe6CRdf3daznK5w2iRWCAEfzauzrC03y0o9HUO-Mkf0NfhV8Si0ZvDojobLXCCzAbmkhJ1FfUz67Xaq0pfwIz2JMNJPEC8oSXcPuKM_ci_Kb9J6Hx4qE-kxMNQBiACcNiPev5dEY82bNxCfoLyFgBnbuPltioJI4uRlqnbrHU0yVzB3fN8jQpzVaAcARPlANorSnVVGIOIdSNnBIpNjDNlDzGxK=w1005-h625-no"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Swim – 2000m</b><br><i>31:22 (1:34/100m)</i><p>I took my place at the front of the swim beside Luke Ehgoetz and some other fast swimmers and waited for the horn to go off. Once it did I broke into a strong sprint to get out front in order to cut across to the buoy line that runs under the water at the Welland Flatwater course. They use this course for rowing and the underwater rope line is amazing to swim with as you just stay on it and there is no need to sight…you are guaranteed to swim the shortest distance possible. I cut across in front of the swimmer beside me a bit too soon and was rewarded with a punch in the eye. My right goggle pushed right up against my eye so tight I couldn’t even open it. I was surrounded by swimmers though so there was nothing I could do except flex my eye socket to try and pop the goggle back out. Shockingly, it didn’t work. I slowed a bit and in a few meters I found a bit of clean water, so I flipped onto my back so that I could take my goggles off and fix them, then took off after the front pack that had now gapped me.<p>I settled into my breathing and pace and just worked my way back, swimming just on the inside of the rope line. I had lots of clean water and was pulling swimmers back one by one. It wasn’t long before I hit traffic when I caught up to the back of Wave 1…always a good sign when you catch the earlier wave before the first turn. I weaved through the crowd and worked my way around the turns to begin the swim back towards the Flatwater Centre. There was a north wind when we started so we swam into some choppy water to start but now that same wind was giving us a nice push home. I swam out to the turns at a high 1:30’s pace but dropped it down to high 1:20’s with the wind assistance. I continued to fight traffic and was passing some blue caps from my wave as well as the wave 1 red caps, so I had caught some of the swimmers that gapped me while fixing my goggles at the start. I made the final turn and then crossed the canal to the swim exit…I jumped out of the water and made the run in front of the stands of people and up the stairs into transition. While running I heard Steve Fleck on the PA saying, “If anyone needs a clinic on how to get out of their wetsuit, this is how it’s done”, and he proceeded to point out how I unzipped the back and pulled the top off in one fluid motion…made me smile. I also heard Steve call out Luke’s name as he exited the swim and I was already at my bike pulling my feet out of my wetsuit, so I knew I must have had a good swim coming out ahead of him. <p><img width="500" height="332" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fdWc1gS-xoCnkfXucKReQH3lXkpVG7uYszh_cNzdzPwB_7T6AxSr3EdxWGJ1m55y2ODkSNfEIShpIfGMlspLrGJIwLtb_k0TRFYpWfK1nfiQH8Xf0d4WDNekP2IV7ciQK1W5WxIreHlipiYe90rs24R5af3o5ZQUjeur2mBRwEjl8pojM9tkCZ1D0bEWxAEfV21sixzArh9AeFJ301RWKeMwv6wKD8L8bqgQ8P_ZTGP0M9TE9blpmrU-f0iRvnQjPHvNA821qWSFkeMat3SyC7L12Xf3o-NKeP7cA5SB9rMf9D0EpyLrmta_MhSqjy5tSRyrzBuW_HgPfdvtn71OTXfw9l529uxYWfoe3anLjQPULXclT1bkuR6aceMdZGOVvjxkhI4O1ERnO8Acv9RfjbmhYCZoXBawy8N5cwNgB4ayFB-yodw41_phKNH1I7bTzpuilVpWZOYaHVDR_H3z2HbzS4BzFdh_LkdcnLe2PKoat7VSZn58jrH1sxGHWw0DbA1OVAAOSEd9HVHzKXAw6n9VO5mX1T8CDvfLsiEV5eECSoJYuZYNBsbHs9YiaiOr6E8pRJ4P34mts_MgI2DqwYbiaWFQUqXz8fZOjhegMrFikRCkTgbp6sHgMFGJ5iaruWqhsTYArRUmYOE5buMDUkAC9Tu7LG9QuurrEpMdbbQIh7bNVN7R1s64cJpV2wLgf0CIN1Dihek8CDYWAG50d980=w941-h625-no"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Bike – 56K</b><br><i>1:26:36 (38.8kph)</i><p>I slipped into my bike shoes, donned my awesome new pink helmet and ran my bike to the mount line. The bridge that we used to cross to get out of town on this bike course no longer exists so Multisport Canada had to make some changes to get around the canal. This meant that we hit a small, 300m stretch along a fitness path which would be a no-passing zone. We passed through here on the way out and the way back and I had no issues at all…just a minor inconvenience. Not long after coming through this section I heard the womp-womp sound of a disc wheel bearing down on me and Luke tore past. He was nice enough to thank me for towing him along on the swim but wasn’t nice enough to return the favour and tow me along on the bike…he was gone. I pushed hard on the pedals and cruised along at a good speed, just a touch under 40kph. I noticed right from the get go that my power meter wasn’t showing me the numbers I expected to see, they were way too low (like 150’s instead of 230’s). I could tell by the effort that something was off so I would have to race more on feel and use my cadence numbers instead…old school.<p><img width="415" height="625" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/76bU7N1hUr9g96jtYvV2qnUrmOHs6m6h-SrYCh9VMjFJPwjJWruatif1eifUpl42_gLj0jf9PIuv3jufyBDkV366M9jB37KLqHa2DKhfLf5iM7n4rdg_r7UlhwfaNJN5Xm3be2yU3X0ivOx76JJ_Ac5hgIPubPBtzmKE_KnMoSQskwiuct5nSXSOUfPstduqMI1H46b9BvR-nvrcCpxL6MDpHS-KD__p4lKnbNyq4UP7JeI2Zy-1ebnvMfp3Vbj52rVmLge33FIqch-aCPQ1NRTQSeVFk9VPy2F7gDyfB8ht-9vDJ4cIZIG53C3D2IG1KDmGZeFAyluuuIYcADKBeolV9S7o58l9wlbanC4wuzkhhhCxaCIOeIP6J9jjTJACWshbmqPf7hho3judlbFiYzzNpDrqu1qmiqSB_mZvTVdg2xxDTK152fY6jwjTFb6lrCww7p6h-WYtp-YVN6wIuhFo-CU7owdD2AanX0D4tVa9ildnu-SbpD1YYR8k6saPAVkmsLYdfI581PHTlKyH5Gv1zW6AJ4F0V0jQI0lIfYghlc6B5uZwH0H34pq9faZ4dUUnDyFST9m3uEr2pxQCrIxcCZg-0ukxa4oOnvcCKLxWcwSpi06fWyIrRPiJWJMRxf2zVhNRLAjMgsUzPnQr3q5usF-IvAO3-GRRv6J-WHHP858QmxgY4vODnnAybpbUtMxgxW8yoXpt4kooTQNOAhhL=w416-h625-no"><p>There was minimal wind out on the course and it made for some great biking. I picked off athletes from wave 1 and made my way up through the field. The only guys passing me were pretty beastly and I had no chance of keeping up with them, and unless they had a number between 40-44 on their calf I didn’t even care. One guy from my age group did go zooming by and I put in a halfhearted effort to stay with him, but when I realized it was Randy Cooper I knew it was only going to hurt me so I let him go. Smart decision as Randy had the fastest split in the age group and was 3<sup>rd</sup> quickest overall…I didn’t stand a chance.<p>I made the turn when I hit the shore of Lake Erie and began the ride back…just a touch more wind in this stretch but still nothing to worry about. My speed was still holding real steady a touch below 40. I came up to the bottle exchange at 32K and tossed my Gatorade and grabbed a new bottle of F2C. The volunteer and I botched the first exchange but I was able to successfully grab a bottle from the next guy.<p>The bike back to T2 was pretty uneventful but it did have a pretty funny moment…when the course merged back together about 15km to the end I saw one of the athletes still on his way out. He was riding along eating what appeared to be a submarine sandwich…there’s a guy who’s got the right idea! It sure made my Honey Stinger chews seem unappealing. I made my way across the fitness path for the second time and then slipped out of my shoes to jump off the bike…I was off the bike well under an hour and a half and my average speed of 38.8kph was my fastest bike ever. I’ll take it!<p><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/f23cIT_1pSAuar_NjQpbG4Sq1MUapaEXqKGucg-0-VOkLllEMbqU9cVoHma8dPGSwI4EAzL-uVMjxToXib7k3IEi2fgiPqSuE_QKlStA3RACvmdJCqB_P1jaYPdsqL22t1y5mBB-zn4QXSHlXUju1sgcTAuCzuoSmohZEQI61o7V3kcAWEkm-JQFOLr0LvW8dsu_DrhHJG34oQz5ObwJw0Nfi9yPULVPiCXdNZYS5k5PsYDiEeuBqruZHmuLpG54lQLHjFjoJzmzRLXYZQ3e91xGwLdj4N5Ad4vPi9l7VsRiNoSFvAF2mBf0avPa23BPOgPjQ4T3gPRFnp_rxPd6BftFqRRZx5B4KTkRPUjDMg5hpTjfzYx62641tBUx9LAva8xKIlSBVX5jBq5OAvE2mXuF4Yaiub-74B0QKICVeJLF2IzmvIbkJHPn55Bk7MGugnmNt8dWhO5IKRens5kkRt6KT3BVZcPBSVnGLFVFBPXITg1qkNPRoWYO95jTRJpGk0Zzg37VYSGTkiIppFAtmQwEgbS7OJXETlAFFKa45yuNEv34NOAtqdGQutIAxTXJ4TDEKAZavsBCQtD3mi0FmU22I01h3I6OsaZffsdtOy7H3kroT_MHe0KsJKxk3mhfMeooHNMxLwSgpq05u93Vxm7RjLAkpszsxxk4kY4txT6nO8H0oowFgIV-2LRG2vNl003vN_DkTe_VWm8dNERIl2X8=w416-h625-no"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Run – 15K</b><br><i>1:05:01 (4:20/km)</i><p>I zipped through T2 and hit the run course hard. What little wind we had during the swim and bike was gone completely, which didn’t bode well for what was going to be a hot run. The course is nice, taking you up and down both sides of the canal, but there is no shade at all. We had full sun and the heat was creeping in…it felt hot right away. I passed a couple of people right away and according to my watch I was running fast despite what my legs were telling me. I had done a couple of short runs off the bike over the last few months of training, but nothing really prepares you for race day other than race day experience. I was through my first kilometer in 3:52, much faster than I should have been running. I took my foot off the gas a bit but was still going quick, down in the low 4’s. I felt okay but at the same time I knew the second loop of the run was going to be a challenge. On the bright side, I was getting all kinds of cheers and compliments on my Tri Sirena Pina Colada kit…it was certainly a big hit. I may not have won the race (spoiler, I know…), but I might have won ‘best costume’. The first aid station had a big sign as I ran up to it saying that it was being manned by the Parrot Heads In South Niagara (P.H.I.N.S.) and my kit was pure Margaritaville…I hit the aid station and yelled out to them, “Fins to the left! Fins to the right!”...it got a laugh out of them. Sorry for any non-Jimmy Buffett fans reading this, this likely makes no sense at all.<p>The nice thing about a two-loop out and back run is you get to see lots of people out on the course, and there were plenty of familiar faces out there. I was cheering friends and teammates on as I ran along and was enjoying the support from the spectators and other athletes as well. One young guy that I was near the entire run kept telling me how much he liked my kit and was calling me “awesome-kit-guy” every time we saw each other.<p>Still cruising along, I came to the 5K marker and looked at my watch…19:50-something. I did not feel like I was running a 20-minute 5K pace and I knew I didn’t have that left in me for another 10K. I was starting to feel the fade coming. I was going back and forth with another 40-44 age grouper and passed him at the second turnaround…I asked him if we were going to pace off each other the entire run and he said “Only if you’re slowing down”. Prophetic words. I came through the first lap in 30:06 but the wheels were beginning to fall off and each kilometer was getting slower and slower. I thought back to the early stages of the bike when I realized my power meter wasn’t working properly and wondered if I rode too hard. Probably, but nothing I could do about it now except hold on for one more lap.<p>It was a bit of a sufferfest on the second lap but I managed to hold on. There were a lot more people on the course now and I couldn’t tell if I was passing people ahead of me or a lap behind me…one of the worst things about multi-loop races. I had at least put a little bit of a gap between the other guy in my age group from earlier in the race but he was still hanging close enough to keep me honest. I saw even more people I knew on the second loop and it helped me push through. After the final turnaround the young guy behind me said, “Let’s go Awesome-Kit-Guy, just 2K to the finish. This is what we train for!” Then he blew past me. Youth. I stayed close though and then he said something about making the last kilometer our fastest and I just laughed. He was serious though and found another gear. Yup, youth. I did dig deep though and tried not to embarrass myself too much, ending with a solid finish line kick.<p><img width="500" height="281" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/q9ZqnKM5UX4KWUz60Phw_BqruD_PsqTVCZf1z1jcxzij5e50hnj3M9bUL8ujljt8ZY2T1vIQvOaaDDzi1AqjH9JzN3J3R06INclfRe5vqnlR1WjulImUeJRUZwovTnbaDtRx-7X5sREFxXz5M9e4ZQzCktd_6rBCLEf5Vdwd1YnXXi5jn78xV0XDETbZpINdQLDyD3e68RQ7dKu_wbmxvyXNREz9XC3DTytkxT7Zwn00L-iyAbUrzpizd6yUNttZL37HTI8OMkgrzMkATMZtUEmrWjC9K2rzJADSyJQLWGEtG5171hSlp2ml_uj0vnZKrsephlBXQyWOSJ9Lgn-nJlbgwSQK9Hi_HRGk_p5_-66ZvskqfBHKJhOq3SSpgrQT_BUXv9sdH8U4bX8cdibYIMCb4PPHegWl0QSzlwqzZRaPJwQYsrH1viWh1-9gcMoGTlhYxW1hCuqoec8UK4UWJY9GdSz35GOKssa_Kxl8xLDVhLPbs-lqH7Qp__pURpzES3Z97uUQpYk5-zIi7LgGVenQyfSDRh--3G8QDj1sdeW8jthL39UXp6p_UvIa1WJgURa8UKueRIY-Gm2tCpk696BBV4P0ZFB1d7bQ2QRft8OLpJReLdcZuTBOlUx2HapyhfzJNTD-W9ANKQHm45oVFbKGpRNkj6X_a3fCsDjbpJZNta7qRoNtE5685ZhbDV_JCLoHCptOu8QpjAGsY0JecdU6=w1006-h566-no"><p>I came home in 3:05:34, a time I was very pleased with considering I had no idea what to expect from the day. I last did this race back in 2016, my Ironman year in Ironman shape, and I put up a 3:15 for 2<sup>nd</sup> in my age group and 20<sup>th</sup> overall. 10 minutes faster didn’t exactly translate to better results though as I ended up in 6<sup>th</sup> place AG and 21<sup>st</sup> overall. Lots of talent in M40-44, deep deep pool. I learned a few things out there though and know where I can improve for next time. Need to get my legs back in triathlon shape! I didn’t stick around for awards since I had a long drive home and wasn’t collecting any hardware unless ‘Best Costume’ was an actual thing.<p>Fast forward to Sunday morning and Michelle, Jackson and I were on the road again to the Wilmot Aces Kids Triathlon in New Hamburg. Jackson was racing in the 10&11 year old group as a 10 year old, but he was hoping for a good result himself despite taking on the older kids. His last triathlon he came in second place but had a few obstacles to overcome, namely counting his swim laps properly (the volunteer at his first race made him swim an extra 50m in the pool) and being calm and relaxed in Transition (he was really flustered after coming out of the pool behind a kid he knew he had lapped).<p><img width="415" height="553" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/lTuAEiT0H2rr0nb9EAtalrbAI1T1x-L8iaJRHG9hZabW65UxxcipuKID5RcfTMtgoPl3gB3hlXFNChiUsyMQFQK3VwIr9du0YSz8JAihIlc8yuMgp8lhrILiN_Q3SSVE9Cz-CiuCQrqDMyceSMssqh9OKrj7DI4EIQims99FEZxL02LSewPeqkSSk3UeLVcqWuplJbVV_hTF43dD_BFlxiCIz2ddIbazBCTQ8KlUXQyg6fAUWGcRTK5m5qvL_daappF0coFCcrRLCKH1YVR01-0GevzD9FzwEeY7JrD91LDKAJFmdTMVd6O7yOaEAGYZGxynYCIHwgKxw02bSUldJy7KiMtWIPf-Uw0wyFdSoHA8Q6WS9mDTPsd0UfZ0m8Zw3owK2KbFY778gB3sIoLJqmBQsSYyj73UzHZwSZF53A0GIBZSOyi7KhuWRf85NF15bT7k4m50zFY810JDKOQVNofvAXKpPT-HsG_joUo92ZPQ5Q3suCHhfqz0jGHofj9udWeNJ4M6kbKELHBcaJsvrXAalPtGtEbrQq8r_zMS6omQyex4KGYdFMYabsD1YfDx6QNPLr_Rq7tz_Sj23PKMx1N5YxfB6n5MDHVaAPpKqeRy-qxLG2-fsJKpgmprknbl4vJnrmH1TgxYjsl3DMiXAuJ5ipZBhlU=w469-h625-no"><p>We got to the pool and had plenty of time to get his kit and set up transition before running into his Balance Point teammates. We cheered on one of his buddies to a win in 8&9 year old girls and then it was Jackson’s turn. He was a bit nervous but once the buzzer went to start the swim he was all business. He made quick work of the 150m swim, getting into T1 in just 2:22 (fastest swim in his AG). T1 was much better this time around and I barely made out in time to catch him flying by on the first lap of the bike. He had a bit of an issue at the first bend in the road as the kid in front of him had tried to turn around (it wasn’t a turnaround) and took a little spill. Jackson started to turn around himself and then realized there was plenty of course still ahead. He took off after the slight slow down and had a great ride the rest of the way.<p><img width="500" height="282" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XFeIatYiXPh9bIOsc39P5mkfX-lH1nDT8ZurzM1np-MH-AdsuWTqT2nFmKG6VcvAlMig3lc7Cty-Q9_T1d9yip7kPqXbJ-jZt6IRVycIplStzcdf-AVySvU99kiT5kQXFbzp6IFPv8yI5bpULCH3vaaMmRjlXLbGF-sRrAAhYq3OhT0-czwamK-zC45dC1NWYNyr0YU10H3NM-K-OfUIlNoHqMCEyiN_Cvx4p47SIZwNhWphBvs3YYJY900E_qcr5Yjik4Y4_e600QzcqVn5yG_y7O6erkjzhUQoGvsrC_MFoyuEJ9EnoBs9NFziyJpqT135F0WdtA77ccvfFM8-Q1ZAnZOw7k_kSCrH04aVIHZOhk7WFSXfz8x9Psm-JyU-LOs0TyrXPV3W7-gEFUDguP20QTo0gIEJ68pTMxDVUyRUf1w56wDdIfDf2SJHI2XPmboV9cKRuFCxIoFWekX1d8dMgf0cHtO8dKB3Bua5e4vppM0Afw6-nvOqMJXh3VjVkIsUdM0R2OM6Ruks-xJCoJQe8kVxcrxSfalB5YiRMYvcb-7Rn0tvX9-bGZ1cmZ2Xp0i4ZFGF99K9h6Kagah3bzgg5UtxLASx1BvH0A_SixjWrG6MSsiYuRUjDMIuCQ-MoZeXlNPnCwls2WkgUZxm07oUdo8Atw=w800-h450-no"><p>He jumped off his bike after his 4K with a 10:30 split, second fastest behind his Balance Point buddy. Another quick transition and he was off for his 2 lap run through the woods. We love trail running together and while this was a stone-dust path and not what we run on, he still loved being in the shaded woods. He told me that at one point he came up with a kid who had a ‘19’ on his calf (for wave 19…Jackson was in wave 23), and when the kid saw him he started sprinting as fast as he could. Jackson had no problem staying with him and the kid quickly ran out of steam and Jackson went by him. When Jackson made the pass he heard the kid say, “Oh F---!” Too funny. We didn’t get to see Jackson running through the woods but he didn’t take too long to pop out and make his finish line sprint. He finished the 2K run in 8:30 (4<sup>th</sup> fastest) and his finish time of 21:22 was good for 2<sup>nd</sup> place, right behind his Balance Point buddy. Great day for the BPT Kids Club!CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-79165225856020887272019-04-30T10:33:00.002-04:002019-04-30T10:33:41.573-04:002019 Forest City Road Race Half Marathon RecapI’m back. After taking most of last year off and suffering the fitness consequences, it was time to once again don the Sparkle Visor. I did get to do a few races in 2018 but they were all ‘fun’ races…it was now time for me to get competitive again. I have worked hard to get myself back on track in 2019, hopping back on the bike and getting my butt back in the pool. Jackson also wanted to get more serious with triathlon so we joined Balance Point, a local club that offers a kid’s program. We’ve both been able to enjoy some of the group training offered and it has been a good motivation for both of us.<br />
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First race up on the 2019 calendar is one of my favourites, the Forest City Road Race Half Marathon. It is my hometown race and this would be my sixth time running it. It is also the race that I set my current PR at back in 2017 so I know I can do well here. I had some extra motivation as well as I turned 40 late last year so I would be competing as a Masters athlete for the first time, beginning a new chapter of my athletic life. To top the day off, Jackson would be running the 5K all on his own. We had a really good training 5K run a few days earlier and he had his eyes set on a new PR.<br />
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The forecast was not pretty heading up to race day with predictions of rain, snow, wind and cold temperatures, but as we left the house to head downtown the weather was looking just about perfect for racing. It was still cool but there was very little wind and most importantly it was dry…a great start to the day. We arrived at Victoria Park and Jackson and I went for a short little warmup run to get the legs ready to race. We met up with some other friends, caught up with some folks I hadn’t seen since last season and then headed over to start line. I took a quick look at the guys up at the front and knew right away that they would be out of sight in no time…with Josh Lumani, Seth Marcaccio, Matthew Farquharson and Brandon Laan all toeing the line it was sure to be a fast race up front. There were a few older guys kicking around that were sure to put up a good challenge so the race was going to be tight.<br />
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<b><i>Start to Western University (1K-5K, 19:23, 3:52/km)</i></b><br />
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The horn went off to start the race and sure enough the four rabbits were off and quickly out of sight. I was 5<sup>th</sup> off the line but before we even made the second turn around the park another young guy went by me, seemingly huffing and puffing already, so I paid him no mind. I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to last and the gap never grew too much. I checked in on my pace and I was where I had wanted to be for the start, clocking a 3:41 opening kilometer. I was shooting for a steady 3:55/km overall pace but I knew I would always go out quick on this course as we get a nice steady descent for the first couple kilometres heading out of downtown. I kept the pace rich as we made the turn onto Wharncliffe and the climb up towards the University. It was around this turn that I started to hear some feet behind me and a few cheers for another runner as well. Fast Out of the Gate Guy was still up ahead but well within reach. I ran through the intersection at Oxford Street and Michelle was there in the Jeep cheering me on...it was a nice surprise seeing her there and spurred me on as I ran through one of the bigger climbs on the course up Western Road. It was great running along this stretch though as the road was finally repaired last year and unlike years past I didn’t have to dodge any potholes…it used to be like craters of the moon it was so bad, so this was a big improvement!<br />
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<b><i>Western to Old North (6K-10K, 19:24, 3:52/km)</i></b><br />
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I made the turn into Western University and grabbed a high five from Ken Eastwood to power me on my way. I cruised down the hill at a good clip and used the elevation change to up my pace a touch…I was now almost entirely caught up to Fast Out of the Gate Guy. I grabbed my first energy chew of the day knowing that we were about to hit an aid station and choked it down. When we turned out of the University and came to the aid station I ran past the first few cups and then asked for water…apparently they decided to have Gatorade first/water second at the first aid station that we had already run past, but water first/Gatorade second at this one. Great. I made sure to ask for water right away and not assume anything every time I drank the rest of the race. We entered Gibbons Park at this point and those steps that I could hear behind me were now right on me. A runner pulled up beside me and we introduced ourselves. My new running partner was Brian Murphy, a guy I knew of but had never actually met. He’s a super-fast Masters athlete, way faster than me, so I knew I would have my work cut out for me if I was going to hang with him. Together we ran through the park and chased down Fast Out of the Gate Guy, who was flagging a bit just as we were passing the London Pacers aid station/party and about to hit the meat of the run…the St James Street hill and climb through Old North. We hit the hill and reeled him in up towards the top of the climb, all three of us now running together. The Police and volunteers were doing a great job throughout the course controlling traffic for us but as we came up to the four-way stop at Waterloo Street I noticed that there wasn’t anyone stopping traffic here. I was right beside Fast Out of the Gate Guy and saw that there was a Porsche SUV coming across the intersection in front of us…my runner’s instinct kicked in, having seen this situation too many times before. “Watch that car”, I said, “he’s going to go.” Sure enough the SUV went, then stopped, went again and finally decided to actually stop. He must have seen the stream of runners coming and figured there would be too many witnesses. It didn’t slow us, just a little bit of a hitch and most importantly we were through safely. At the next corner there were two volunteers along with a Police Officer and I told them that the last intersection didn’t have anyone on it and cars were going through…not sure if they sent anyone back but I had done all I could.<br />
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<b><i>Old North to Western (11K-15K, 19:45, 3:57/km)</i></b><br />
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Right after turning off of St James Street Brian and I left Fast Out of the Gate Guy in our wake. We were running side by side and despite the good paces we were putting out we both seemed strong and in control. We wound our way through the beautiful Old North neighbourhood and down streets I have run plenty of times over the years and took in cheers from the people that live along the route. I heard the familiar sounds of the bagpipes up ahead as we made our way down Victoria Street and my Scottish heritage came out in a big grin…I can’t hear the pipes and not think of my Grandad, always good memories. In typical runner fashion, Brian and I were talking about upcoming races we had on our schedules. He mentioned that he was doing the Ottawa Marathon in about a month’s time and this race he was just going to run at marathon pace. I told him I was feeling good about my pace and then he dropped that on me, to which he then decided to mention that he had already done a 6-mile run <i>before</i> the race. Wow, this guy is a beast. I didn’t really expect his legs to get too tired either given that he was nearing the end of marathon training…this was like a Tuesday evening shakeout run for him! We made the left-hand turn out of Old North onto Adelaide Street and hit a little bit of wind for the first time all day really. It was hardly anything though, certainly nothing to worry about and less than I had ever experienced in my six years doing this race. Then all of a sudden we had company…another runner had caught us and neither Brian or I even heard him coming. We introduced ourselves and it turns out we knew who this guy was well, Paul Travaglini, and I had a pretty good idea that he would leave us behind pretty quickly. We chatted as we made the turn onto Windermere Road and predictably Paul was gone in no time. Brian and I kept right on each other’s shoulder though…occasionally one of us would pull ahead but the gap was never more than a stride or two. Brian lead the way through the corner of Windermere and Richmond as we headed back towards the University and there was the strongest headwind of the day to greet us. For the first time all day I wasn’t really able to answer and I was just hanging on to that stride or two gap. I was trying to respond but at 16K my legs just weren’t having it. My will kicked in and I didn’t let the elastic snap and pulled myself back up onto Brian’s shoulder as we turned back into Western.<br />
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<b><i>Western to Gibbons (16K-20K, 19:15, 3:51/km)</i></b><br />
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A quick jaunt through Western and then we ducked back into the park system again. Whatever my legs had felt a couple kilometres ago was a memory as I was feeling pretty good again. Brian and I weren’t chatting as much anymore as we were both working hard and I’m sure he was feeling the extra miles he had put in earlier in the day. As we came down the little hill near the Gibbons Pool I gave the slightest of pushes and upped my pace just a touch…and I didn’t hear footsteps. I was pretty sure I had opened a small gap on Brian but there was no way I was going to look back to confirm. I ran through the Pacers aid station for the second time and heard cheers for Brian just a bit further back than they had been before and I kept pushing at the slightly quicker pace. Truth be told he probably had more in the tank but he was sticking to his coach’s plan of holding marathon pace, so I knew I couldn’t let up. I pushed up the hill and left the park at Ann Street towards the final big climb to the finish.<br />
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<b><i>Talbot to Victoria Park Finish (20K-21.1K, 3:43/km)</i></b><br />
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Onto Talbot Street and I merged in with the tail end of the 5K race. I weaved through the runners and cheered them on to their finish and they cheered me on in return. I felt like I was slowing but knew that the climb was nearly over with as I turned onto Central Ave. I dug deep when I saw the 20K sign knowing that there was just a loop of Victoria Park between me and the finish line. I still didn’t know where Brian was and I wouldn’t hear footsteps anymore with so many other runners around, so I couldn’t let up at all. Running up to the final turn I could hear Michelle cheering up ahead. I think she was actually heckling me, telling me that I was lazy and the winner was done over 10 minutes ago. I made that final turn though and gave my best finishing kick. I saw the clock turn over 1:22 and was pleasantly surprised…I hadn’t looked at my time at all and didn’t realize it until now but I was going to have a new PR! I came across with a time of 1:22:07, which gave me 6<sup>th</sup> place overall and the Masters win. I turned after the finish and saw Brian coming down the chute, about 30 seconds behind. I congratulated him on a great race and thanked him for pushing me all day. Another minute later one of my Splash n Dash buddies, Matt Feltham. came through to round out the Masters podium.<br />
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Michelle and Jackson were at the railing waiting for me and I got to hear all about Jackson’s race…he kicked some 5K butt and ran a 23:38, his fastest 5K ever by a big margin. Awesome result for a 10 year old and one that a lot of adults would be proud to have! I was super happy for him. I came through the food area and got myself cleaned up before heading over to the event tent for the awards ceremony. I was able to catch up with a few other running and triathlon friends, then went up on stage and collected my $100 winner’s cheque. After that we packed up and went off to the Singing Chef to grab some brunch…some well-earned brunch! Let’s just say Jackson made short work of his Smurfberry Pancakes and my Denver Benny Bowl didn’t stand a chance.<br />
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Thanks for reading and consider yourselves warned…since I am back to racing that means I’m also back to writing long-winded race recaps! <br />
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<br />CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-16879064710169024712018-10-11T14:31:00.001-04:002018-10-11T14:31:12.147-04:00Chicago Marathon 2018 Race Recap<p>So I need to start off with a confession…2018 has been an absolute s**t year. It started with me battling back from injury in my last race of 2017 and actually getting myself into decent running shape, but never really to the point where I actually felt good. I raced a half marathon in April at much less than 100% and still managed to get a 1:24 so I figured things were on the right track. A few weeks later in May, Michelle and I ran Ragnar Cape Cod and had an amazing time…it was an absolute blast running with our Florida friends and the course and organization were top-notch, restoring my faith in Ragnar after the South Beach debacle in late 2017. I even got to run the ‘Wiked Hahd’ leg and crushed it. Just a lot of fun.<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4a6p7GXEG_svmewhES7AOT30rcsO3YbzvzI14Gg540SGCwK_cNCsWiDYoesxshaIDdjkZoTAPwxF2zLhWoLjsRHH3khXNBj6KOUEui2gN1yN1SN3KcMSFwRg3hxyiLv5zze9jNVwdQNY/s1600-h/capecod%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="500" title="capecod" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="capecod" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kZdOPAe_840/W7-W4Wr9DrI/AAAAAAAAG2Q/x9uWPk-r2tYZRRw6RGQNOfNaFXJ7nxYLQCHMYCw/capecod_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p>Unfortunately the Spring wasn’t all roses. There were some big changes at work that resulted in a lot of extra responsibilities falling on me. I have been in my job for nearly 20 years and have always enjoyed it. This year is the first time that I have actually hated my job. Stress has been through the roof, I’m unhappy, overworked, underappreciated, and oh ya did I mention stressed? Just not fun. And it has taken a toll. I haven’t had much in the way of time and that has meant things don’t get done. Both kids are super busy with swimming and I am the one that takes them to all of their practices and meets, and I do not begrudge that one bit…but it is just another thing that consumes my time. Running just hasn’t been a priority and when I actually have time to get a run in I am already exhausted before I even start. To top things off, Michelle’s Mom, who has been quite sick on and off for a few years now, passed away in August. Just a rough time for our family. Running and racing weren’t even a blip on our radar.</p><p>We were dealing with Michelle’s Mom’s passing, cleaning out her place, taking care of the estate and before we knew it we were into September. Oh right, we are both signed up for the Chicago Marathon in like a month’s time…maybe we should start training??? I did the bike and run legs in a Sprint triathlon relay with my daughter and we both had a good time and that was sort of a catalyst for me to get going for Chicago. I started adding the miles and getting in some long runs to try and build fitness but I’ll be honest and admit that it was really tough. My longest training run was 17 miles and for most of my “training” I was doing run/walk…I was seriously considering doing run/walk for Chicago. My fitness had just fallen so much and I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. I had always prided myself that I could basically roll out of bed on any given day and run a half marathon, and run it well. Not true. My base that I had worked so hard to build over the last 5 years was gone.<p>The thing that perhaps bothered me the most had nothing to do with my race goals. I had reached out to Billy, a Disney running friend, back in late 2017 and offered to help him run a BQ at Chicago. That meant a sub-3 marathon and there was absolutely no way I was going to be able to do that. Just as I was getting ready to go to Billy with my tail between my legs he sent me a message saying, <i>“So I won't hold it against you if you'd like to do your own thing on race day. Neither will I hold it against you if you choose to drop me sometime mid-race. I aim to do my best on that day whatever my body will give me. But just wanted to put it out there that you've got no obligation to run with me if you'd prefer otherwise.”</i> I quickly let him know that I had no intentions of dropping him and also made sure that he knew he was free to drop me if that’s how the race was going. I admitted that my fitness was way off and told him I was realistically looking at a 3:30. We decided that we would stick with the plan to run together, at least at the start, and I think we eventually settled on the goal of ‘Might not suck’. That sounded like it might be the best goal for me going into race day.<p>Cue Sunday October 7 and it is suddenly race day. Michelle and I walked down to the race start from our hotel and said our goodbyes before heading to our corrals…I was up in B with Billy and Michelle was in L, the last corral. After dealing with bag check and bathroom lines I met Billy in the corral about 20 minutes before the race started. We quickly caught up with each other and decided a bit on race strategy. Billy was aiming for a negative split and wanted to run fairly even splits, blind running of course as he doesn’t typically look at his watch during his races. I said not to worry, I would call out every split for him…although I would be running in kilometres so he would be really worried when I gave him splits starting with 4’s & 5’s. Elites were announced, an anthem was sung and we were off.<p>The first few miles took us through the tall buildings of downtown, effectively destroying GPS pace reliability for the rest of the race. It was coolish, but also incredibly humid and I was sweating right from the get go…a bit of an odd sensation to be honest. The clouds were ominous and the sky was low…wet weather was a certainty. Billy and I started out nice and easy, with seas of runners flowing past us. We just stuck to our pace and chatted away, knowing the tough miles would come eventually. We crossed the river a couple of times and began our trek north towards Wrigley Field. As we headed up LaSalle I knew we would see my Mum and the kids shortly…they were right around the 5K point. Sure enough I could hear them calling my name as we approached, so I ran over once I spotted them and gave everyone big kisses.<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AeqWYReZ6fw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" encrypted-media"=""></iframe><p>A quick little burst and I caught back up with Billy and settled back into our easy steady pace. We were cruising along at about an 8:30 mile pace as we hit Lincoln Park and the rain began to fall. Just past the bagpipers I decided to duck into the port-a-potties as I couldn’t hold it any longer. After the pee that Would. Not. End. I took off and weaved my way through the crowd to find Billy a little ways up ahead. We made our way out of the park and made the turn back towards downtown. Running through Old Town was one of my favourite experiences the first time I ran Chicago back in 2013 (my first marathon) and it didn’t fail to recapture those great memories this time. Despite the less than ideal conditions, there were still plenty of spectators out supporting all of us runners. The streets were lined with people and there were plenty of high fives for kids as we ran past. Billy was getting lots of shout outs for his Wisconsin singlet while I received cheers as well for my getup…it usually went something like this…”On Wisconsin, go Badgers! Oh, and go Hawaii!!”<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LyWJvzHykOY/W7-W49OV-xI/AAAAAAAAG2U/O-2R8oe6X8YaaG4m9oWI2wvJCu0ejNiywCHMYCw/s1600-h/0018%255B9%255D"><img width="387" height="583" title="0018" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="0018" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gDPk3RSq_ts/W7-W5XLe7KI/AAAAAAAAG2Y/8mxeGnSmwq8OSu1A0pA8ORdkSkiszYHuwCHMYCw/0018_thumb%255B5%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p>Billy got to see his pineapple-balloon toting family through this stretch, which was completely fitting given my pineapple jersey…we had a bit of a laugh about this. He received his boost from their cheers and we started to up the pace a little bit around that time…nothing much, but enough that I could see we were now booting along at sub-8:00 miles. I didn’t tell Billy though since he was busy playing Blind Man’s Bluff…I just let him keep setting the pace. It was still seeming quite easy for me at this point and I felt like I would be able to run forever. We crossed the halfway point as we came through downtown once again and our time was 1:49:28…Billy’s negative split goal was certainly within reach. We turned west towards the United Center and continued to drop the pace hammer, getting down in the 7:30 mile range. It was raining very steadily now and it was cool. The wind also picked up a few times around this stretch and I realized that I wasn’t sweating very much anymore. I had been drinking plenty of water and Gatorade at the aid stations but because I wasn’t working super hard, along with the cool conditions, I wasn’t sweating out my fluids. Yup, time for another pee break. It is rare that I ever have to stop during a race, but twice? This was different. Another post pee break sprint and I caught back up with Billy. We were not coming through 30K and I was finally starting to feel the run a bit. I told Billy that he could probably tell that it was starting to get a bit harder for me because it was at this point that I began to get really chatty. We talked about Disney, running, food and whatever else came to mind…just distractions to what was going on with our bodies. I was past the point I had run in any of my training and Billy was long past his as well, so we knew that there would be struggles ahead despite the conservative pace we were holding.<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HOyJzft8p9o/W7-W56K_0cI/AAAAAAAAG2c/sSZMtdhTrrQvoZbJek0g-q1SCHBcfF65gCHMYCw/s1600-h/0027%255B4%255D"><img width="387" height="583" title="0027" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="0027" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jk2SPiQeFco/W7-W6PX_WkI/AAAAAAAAG2g/od1AZj1WjQEEjYy9u8jRNeIRhxPzLYjagCHMYCw/0027_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p>Speaking of our pace, it was creeping up again, back into 8:00 miles. We were on our way to Chinatown and I heard someone call out “Hey Canada!” (I was wearing Maple Leaf compression socks) and I turned and called back, “Hey Joe!”. It was a local runner I know and was cool to see a familiar face on course. We chatted a bit and wished each other luck before him and his buddy took off ahead of us. Around this time Billy was really starting to show signs of slowing…the race was definitely taking it’s toll. I kept the chatter up and wasn’t getting much back so I knew he was boarding the struggle bus. I tried to keep it positive and gave us some short term goals to work for, Pac-Manning other runners and stuff like that. I also told him that right around that spot with 5K left to go was all new territory for me, since I don’t really remember anything from my first Chicago after Chinatown. Billy was really labouring now so I asked him a few questions…”Are you hurt?” “No.” “Are you injured?” “No.” “So you’re just tired?” “Ya.” “Well, you can run tired so let’s finish this thing. You know what Zelly’s Chris says right?” “Ya.” “What does Chris say?” “F**k tired” “That’s right, F**k tired. Let’s do this.”<p>As we made the turn back towards Lake Michigan I noticed an impromptu beer station set up across the road…I pointed it out to Billy “Look Billy, BEER!”, to which he said go get it buddy, or something to that effect. I darted across the road to the table and picked up a Dixie cup of beer and slugged it back with a Dixie cup pinch and everything, just like a real water station. It was actually pretty awful, probably PBR or some other swill, but I was able to check off my only real race goal of drinking beer on the course.<p>One last turn and we were onto Michigan Ave, home stretch time. The crowds were back out in force cheering everyone on and it looked like a giant block party. The conditions on the street itself weren’t quite the same party atmosphere as there was quite a bit of carnage all around us. Billy was focused on just putting one foot in front of the other and he was actually looking better than a lot of the other runners out there that we were passing, despite our pace slowing into the 9:00’s. I saw one poor guy doubled over at the side of the road so I came by to pat him on the back and give some words of encouragement only to find he wasn’t doubled over in pain, he was puking. Yuck. Another woman went cruising by us saying she was going to keep running to Boston and it made me smile thinking happy thoughts for her…it’s always great seeing people meet their goals. The final mile seemed like an eternity and then we were greeted by the ‘big’ hill at the end, but I greeted it with joy as I saw my family again at the turn and knew we were finished. Billy and I made the climb into the park and crossed the line in 3:41:16, which was a great result given the training we both suffered through and the conditions on the day. I was able to grab a delicious Goose Island 312 Dry Hop, which was specially crafted just for Chicago Marathon finishers, DELICIOUS!<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Xz8dHR8Fgcs/W7-W6usLfLI/AAAAAAAAG2k/Mm6svgbPTwEGzeZxd5zpov8tFl1LBXQ1wCHMYCw/s1600-h/Goose%2B312%255B5%255D"><img width="500" height="355" title="Goose 312" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="Goose 312" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uUxC5S1SL_4/W7-W7JARdmI/AAAAAAAAG2o/COmw23kqsvU0iqqBZZn57b2dG29WA9NIgCHMYCw/Goose%2B312_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p>After that Billy and I grabbed our bags and made our way to the ‘Q’ runner reunite area, where I met up with my family and was also able to celebrate some amazing results from Christian and Kris (BQ WOO HOO!). I changed out of my soaking wet run gear and my Mum suggested that we head back onto the course to try and see Michelle. Based on her little map she thought it would be a good idea to walk back to Chinatown to see Michelle come through around 22 miles and then a quick scoot back to Michigan Ave to see her again around 25. I was like, “Okaaaaaay….” Knowing the area enough to know that was a solid 2 mile walk, plus the walk back of course, after I just ran a bloody marathon. So off we went and 45 minutes later we arrived in Chinatown and waited for Michelle. And waited. And then waited some more. Finally I asked a stranger if they could do me a favour and pull up a runner on their phone for me (I couldn’t grab a wifi signal and I am too cheap to pay roaming charges).<p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--8aoeqfLplc/W7-W7cmGBeI/AAAAAAAAG2s/_dyS7tMFomUELGhLSabImKKZRJA8K_DFgCHMYCw/s1600-h/phone%255B8%255D"><img width="375" height="500" title="phone" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="phone" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qPQACiyv65g/W7-W72D3SCI/AAAAAAAAG2w/s5D-oArkT2cTESdE1M1-5xdy2riT62e-QCHMYCw/phone_thumb%255B5%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p>She was somewhere around 16 miles and the app said she was well overdue for her latest checkpoint. I decided to be not-quite-as-cheap RunnerMike and turned on the phone to call her…she was running with her phone along with cash and a credit card in case things went pear-shaped. And pear-shaped they went. I asked her how she was doing and she said “Fine…I’m just waiting at ‘Q’ for you guys”. Turns out she pulled the plug at 16, she was done. I felt awful for her and we went back (another 2 miles/45 minutes) to the runner reunite to find her. We finally got there and she gave me the lowdown…<p>Michelle’s training was even worse than mine. Her Mom’s passing was hard for me but obviously much harder for her, and the work that fell on her was also way more than I had. We got out to run together a few times and her longest runs were in the neighbourhood of 10K. I was proud of her for even starting and giving it a go. She ended up walking towards the end of her day and the final straw was when she neared 15 miles the water stations were gone, shut down. She was by no means alone as there were plenty of other runners around, many asking her to run/walk with them, but that was it, she was done. She said that mentally she couldn’t continue under the conditions, knowing that there was no more support ahead, and also realizing that she didn’t deserve to finish with the training she had put in . She was realistic and at peace with her decision.<p>She decided to grab a cab back to the finish area and started to walk off course to find one. About three blocks later a police officer saw her with her bib on and asked if she was okay…she said yes and explained the situation and he got his phone out and ordered a Lyft for her on his account…super nice of him. He put her in the car and told the driver to take care of her for him. Thank you officer Chris! In talking with Michelle she is totally at peace with her decision…it was the right move and the way she puts it she probably put in 10 miles more than she expected. The good news is that she has a bit of a fire in her to take on Chicago again with proper training…this year just wasn’t meant to be. I’m proud of her for her effort and even more so her attitude in defeat.<p>After heading back to the hotel for well deserved showers we went to Lou Malnati’s for some Chicago deep dish (and beer) and then we hit Cantina Laredo for our traditional post-marathon margaritas. A great way to end the night!<p>Thanks for reading folks!</p> <table style="text-align: justify;" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td><br></td></tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table> <p style="text-align: justify;"></p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-71266998813046609142017-11-07T11:26:00.001-05:002017-11-07T11:26:22.019-05:002017 Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon Recap<p align="justify">It wasn’t the race that I wanted, but it was the race that I got.<p align="justify">On Sunday I ran the Hamilton Road2Hope Marathon, which is consistently one of Canada’s fastest marathon courses and one of the top Boston Qualifying courses in North America. I was coming into the race with a shorter than ideal training block due to my triathlon season creeping into mid-September…only 7 weeks of actual marathon work. The training went very well though and I was able to get both my speed and endurance up, with only one small hiccup along the way in the form of a minor hamstring strain two weeks out from race day. I took care of the hamstring though and it felt fine during my last hard workouts and heading into the race.<p align="justify">Michelle and I left for Hamilton early on Sunday morning, grateful for the extra hour of sleep that daylight savings afforded us, and also thankful that my buddy Jamie was able to get my bib for me beforehand, which saved us having to get to the start even earlier. It was an easy hour and a half drive even if the fog on the roads was as thick as pea soup. The forecast was calling for rain, a chance of thunderstorms, lots of wind, and mild temperatures. It was cool at the start, probably sitting around 10ºC or so, but the conditions were great for running. I moved up towards the front of the pack to find my starting spot and noticed my buddy Patrick so went to say hi…I walked up to him with a mouthful of Honey Stinger Chew and couldn’t actually say anything at first, but thankfully he saw me as well and we were able to get a quick chat to wish each other well. He was being his usual selfless running self and was pacing his friend. I went back to the line and we were about 5 minutes out from the 7:45 start…then the skies opened up. The rain was cold and sideways. We had all discarded our warm clothes at this point and there was a large group of shivering runners soaked to the bone, hopping around trying to stay warm as best as we could.<p align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilU1zgvvn0Nh9QULYcBroeI5WMe5o-z2Dz3siIjT3ojTUgJXAqEtH7JpyvCgQ-bvTK6BrzrM7xpQrNwRx8MSuUbt3KzBPp6hZEr_ijInjomelMfsRnX56aMGxqnCnwxIXcJkQI9QsXfMlp/s1600-h/IMG_1089%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="423" title="IMG_1089" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_1089" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-01c_R1G-kiw/WgHepG0xYFI/AAAAAAAAGy8/SOY0REl9BbUgcLRvM8HOcJ-G_SAGRxA7QCHMYCw/IMG_1089_thumb%255B8%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">The gun finally went off and I went out just behind the lead group of 4 or 5 runners. The pace was quick but I just wanted to get going to warm up a bit. The rain did relent a bit and turned into a steady drizzle and the wind was thankfully at our backs for the first 2K, so it didn’t take long to settle in and get warm. I began to chat a bit with a runner beside me and then realized it was Mitch, one of my Strava buddies. Mitch was second overall in this race last year so that gave me a bit of an idea of where I was currently pacing and I knew it was too fast…I had cruised through the first two kilometres in 3:41 & 3:52 respectively. We made the first turn and we were now feeling the wind a bit more and I said, “Sorry Mitch, the pace is too rich” (see what I did there…ya), so I wished him luck and dropped back to the pace I had trained for. It worked well as the pace felt light and easy, never forced. Even as we turned again and were into the teeth of 30kph+ wind and hit the rolling hills I was feeling really good and the pace just came naturally. I had managed to separate from the group and was running with one other guy who was racing his first ever marathon. We chatted a little but he wasn’t very talkative. I was a nice guy though and went ahead of him in the wind and told him to tuck in behind me. We crossed the 10K mark with a time of 39:50 and around this point I heard a familiar voice behind me…it was my racing buddy Trevor on his bike. He was there cheering on one of his friends and saw me just a little bit up the road (I am hard to miss in my tie-dye jersey and pink sparkle visor), so he zipped up and we chatted for a bit. It was a nice break from the race monotony. Shortly after that my good deed of cutting the wind was rewarded as a couple other runners bridged up with us, including Trevor’s friend John. He pulled up beside me and said, “Let’s get this conga line going!”, and then he took a turn pulling us along. I scooted back around him after my quick break and took another pull and then he said that he would take another turn at the next kilometre marker. We went back and forth like that for 4 or 5K until we made the next turn and the wind was no longer in our faces.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--Yo88aN3mt8/WgHepri9HZI/AAAAAAAAGzA/s4btSWHpsD4B8aSNXpPEPjqPvAW5cnsbQCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_1088%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="375" title="IMG_1088" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_1088" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vs2ADzB6CxE/WgHeqDnzNoI/AAAAAAAAGzE/54JiJXrX8zkqU0jSdaARsbE50jOq9JipACHMYCw/IMG_1088_thumb%255B5%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">Unfortunately it was around this time that I was becoming aware of my hamstring. It didn’t hurt by any means, but I knew it hadn’t recovered as much as I had thought going into the race. The pack decided to pick up the pace by a second or two per kilometre, but I decided that my best bet was to just hold the pace I was at and not push it. Everything else was still feeling good. The guys took off and were never too far ahead of me, but I was now left to work on my own. Thankfully we were through the windiest sections of the course up on the top of the Escarpment. I went past the halfway point of the race and was clocking in 1:24:50 with everything still feeling great…the hamstring was still lingering but it wasn’t getting any worse. I made the turn onto the Red Hill Valley Parkway, the highway section of the race where we run down the Escarpment towards Lake Ontario, with 115m of descent over the next 8K. Right away my legs speed up and my heart rate slowed down…I was through the toughest part of the race and starting the fast back half. The marathon course had caught up with the half marathon at this point and I was passing lots of people, feeding off of their energy. Then just as I passed the 24K marker disaster struck. I felt like I was shot from behind and my right hamstring just said “Nope.” It knotted up on me so quickly and violently that I almost fell over…I couldn’t even walk. I was legitimately looking at finishing the day anywhere between 2:48 and 2:52 and just like that my race was over. I was stopped in my tracks and tried to stretch it out and eventually managed to get to the side of the highway where I was able to prop my leg up on a guardrail and get a bit of a better stretch while massaging the knot. It was moderately better, at least I was able to walk, so I decided to continue. If it wasn’t for the fact that I was on the side of the highway with nowhere to go I would have quit on the spot. My only options were to continue down the hill to the end of the highway or turn around and climb back up the highway…I decided to trudge on to the end of the highway. Eventually my walk turned into a light jog. The hamstring was no better, but no worse. I was dealing with the pain. Then my jog became some kind of mutated hobble/shuffle run. I was almost at the end of the highway but I was starting to actually, sort of, run. It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t pretty, but it was forward progress. I was even passing a couple of people. Off the highway and onto trail, almost at the lake. I started doing some math…I had 11K to go and if I could manage a 5:00/km pace it would at least be enough to get me under my 3:15 Boston Qualifier time. I decided to make the left hand turn and finish the run.<p align="justify">The run along the waterfront was a bit of a boost as there were a lot of runners around with the out and back section…it was nice to see people running well towards the finish. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to cheer many people on, I was just in too much pain. I imagine I had a pretty nasty scowl on my face. At 33K the marathon runners split off as the half made their turnaround and I noticed that I was actually starting to pass people. While others were hitting the wall I was feeling great…all things considered. I had zero fatigue and other than the pain of my hamstring I was doing well. My mental state had improved as I now had a goal to shoot for again. I upped the pace gently and backed off whenever the pain increased and I was able to hold steady right around a 4:40/km pace. We hit our turnaround point and I was greeted by wind and rain…I was finishing the race the way it started, just minus my right leg. I had a lot of time to reflect over the back half of the race and my mind went all over the place. I thought about my kids and how I always want them to give their best and never give up and I was glad to know that I was leading by example. I also thought of Michelle and some of the races she has struggled through but always managed to push until the end to get it done. Racing doesn’t always go as planned and your true character comes out in adversity. I was going to finish this thing and finish as strong as I could.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zv0esEmHjbU/WgHeqmIT8vI/AAAAAAAAGzI/uTESZSQf0uAGzAIbItniOv9L_fVcy8g_wCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_1090%255B5%255D"><img width="500" height="448" title="IMG_1090" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_1090" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WBKs77ouQ60/WgHerJo-keI/AAAAAAAAGzM/ydOBTyY8-9YV1JJG-HfMwXpaZ9edVD6FACHMYCw/IMG_1090_thumb%255B7%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">As I neared the final stretch I emptied the tank and pushed as hard as my injured leg would let me…I heard Michelle calling my name and cheering me home as I hit the final turn towards the finish chute and I kicked out a 4:25 for my last kilometre. I was done with a final time of 3:05:56, well above what I had planned, hoped and trained for but also nearly 10 minutes faster than my BQ. This wasn’t a race to feel sorry for myself, this was a race where I was able to show what I was made of. I set out to prove something to myself and in the end that is exactly what I did…I just took a different route to get there.<p align="justify">I have had some time since the race finished and have reflected on the day…I know that I have the fire in me to go through another marathon build and put in the type of training required to post the times I know I am capable of. I also now know how mentally tough I can be, something I attribute in part to the suffering I’ve put myself through on the triathlon course. Triathlon has made me a tougher, stronger and better runner. I look forward to the next time I get to go out and test my limits. Thanks for reading folks.<p align="justify"><br><p align="justify">CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-50277842331769014652017-09-20T13:28:00.001-04:002017-09-20T13:28:27.205-04:002017 Barrelman Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">Full disclosure…I may or may not have had too much IPA in Nashville after racing the Ironman 70.3 Worlds last Sunday which lead to me registering for Barrelman, a half iron race this past weekend in Niagara Falls. This is how triathletes get crazy, we register for races after a few beers.<p align="justify">I knew that the race was going to be tough with no time to recover after a tough course in Chattanooga but Barrelman is a great local race that ends the Tri season here in Ontario, so it was a great chance to see a bunch of friends before the offseason. It was a bit of a celebration as well as this race has grown so much over its four years and they sold out this year with 1100 spots…I was fortunate to get in after the sellout. This year MultiSport Canada partnered with Rev3 Triathlon to expand their reach into the US and there were 300+ Americans that came to race with us as well…it was an awesome turnout and Barrelman is now the largest independent (ie non-Ironman) half iron triathlon in North America. Congrats to John Salt and team on this huge accomplishment!<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--LBNBFv4hT0/WcKk-8hrisI/AAAAAAAAGyE/mhJJVHxN6Mg9cr6gQCNpIGQ1udgXdLIWACHMYCw/s1600-h/logo%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="101" title="BG_Barrelman 2016" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="BG_Barrelman 2016" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jdzosttUs_g/WcKk_hhwZuI/AAAAAAAAGyI/JOGYlyLx1JEGBPaIf9G55mHytpVCbEx7gCHMYCw/logo_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">I raced Barrelman back in 2015 and really enjoyed it and was happy to get to come back again. Being just off a 70.3 a week prior I knew that I had to be realistic with any goals going into the race and had to resign myself to the fact that a podium spot was almost certainly out of the question. This was fine with me and took a lot of the pressure off, so I was able to just go out and have fun. Michelle asked me what I was hoping to do and the only thing I could really come up with was besting my time from two years ago, which was 4:47. Absolutely a time I could beat, but on tired legs? Worth a shot.<p align="justify">Michelle, Jackson and I hit the road on Sunday morning at 4:30 to make the drive to Welland where the race was starting. As a last-minute race we didn’t really have a chance to get a hotel room the night before as rooms were scarce and what was available was $400 and up, plus we already had other weekend plans. It was an easy drive at that time of day though and we arrived at the swim start shortly before 7:00, plenty of time to get checked in and set up my transition area. This race is a point-to-point race, so we would be swimming in Welland at the beautiful Welland International Flatwater Centre (my absolute favourite swim venue) and then we would hop on our bikes and ride 90K (roughly) to Niagara Falls, where we would finish our races with a 2-loop half marathon that would see us run by the Falls twice.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SZEHOeS7VYA/WcKlAvXdpRI/AAAAAAAAGyM/ilM-80ffIi0paCw-llCBxIxurqZ2X8W2gCHMYCw/s1600-h/WellandInternationalFlatwaterCentre-1%255B5%255D"><img width="500" height="250" title="WellandInternationalFlatwaterCentre-1" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="WellandInternationalFlatwaterCentre-1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ot8zQLg82PI/WcKlBO6wtyI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/nU-Pn94x2UAgM3hz73JH3IRTbvB64ZWnwCHMYCw/WellandInternationalFlatwaterCentre-1_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify"><b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1189390425" target="_blank">Swim – 2000m</a><br></b><i>31:38 (1:35/100m), 5<sup>th</sup> AG</i><p align="justify"><i></i><p align="justify">The race kicked off at 9:00 and I was in the second wave 3 minutes later. I set out at a hard pace in hopes of getting ahead of the pack and then finding some fast feet to latch on to. The plan worked as I made my way over towards the underwater lane rope (used for rowing and awesome for sighting!) and found a swimmer that was setting an ambitious pace. I settled in behind him and the swim felt nice and easy as he pulled me along. It didn’t take long until we were catching the back of the first wave and had to work our way through the crowds. There was quite a bit of congestion but I managed to hold this guy’s feet as we weaved in and out. We got down towards the first turn nearly 900m in and I could begin to feel that the feet in front of me were slowing down a bit so I made a move and went past him, moving out on my own. Well, not really on my own as I was caught up in a mass of Wave 1 swimmers. It was so congested in a couple spots that I actually had to stop swimming, there was nowhere to go. As soon as I made the turn though I was able to find some clean water and cleared the pack. The rest of the way was pretty easy going as I found someone else of similar pace to swim with and we seemed to work pretty well together until the finish. I hit the exit ramp and grabbed a volunteer’s arm as he pulled me up out of the water. I fumbled a bit with my wetsuit zipper but was still able to get the top off as I run up the stairs into transition towards my bike. First leg down and feeling good. <p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_bmDMQEfQlI/WcKlCUuceEI/AAAAAAAAGyU/6aSl9tXgOIs7DpO-Nv7AwLa1Ew_fJg0LACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0921%255B12%255D"><img width="500" height="485" title="IMG_0921" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0921" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IV-n0x14Rg0/WcKlDTFjYaI/AAAAAAAAGyY/j1fD5vxFqWgC2j7Ytdv8RbtLa6xGfPg1gCHMYCw/IMG_0921_thumb%255B14%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify"><b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1189390448" target="_blank">Bike – 86K</a><br></b><i>2:15:14 (38.2kph), 7<sup>th</sup> AG</i><p align="justify"><i></i><p align="justify">I jumped on my bike and took off fast. This is a very flat, fast course and today there was almost no wind to speak of, so the opportunity was certainly there for a very fast bike split. I was quickly out of Welland and on the country roads heading west for the ‘out’ section of the ride. My legs were feeling good and I was moving along well, passing lots of athletes from Wave 1. I eventually settled in and was holding my speed around 40kph and the watts were a very maintainable 220 or so. I was cruising along and heard someone call my name and it was my buddy Luke coming up from behind me. He had raced at Worlds as well but it didn’t look like it was slowing him down at all…he went flying by me. He didn’t pull too far away though so I thought why not try to catch him? I had never passed him on the bike before and figured I had nothing to lose in this race so I hammered at nearly 600W to catch him. I came up beside him and said something to the effect of “Uh oh, look who’s passing you!”. To his credit Luke told me to go for it and then went flying by me about 20 seconds later, hoping that I would come along and work with him all the way to Niagara Falls…it wasn’t happening though, I have a long way to go before I can hang with Luke on the bike.<p align="justify">From about the 15K point until nearly 50K I was caught up in a pack of 7 or 8 cyclists, of which there was just me and one other guy that made any effort to not draft. The rest of these clowns would just come up and pass you, then slot in between you and the guy in front of you that you were following at a legal distance behind. As they were now within 5m of the cyclist in front of them, they are required to pass that cyclist as well…if they don’t then they are drafting and that is cheating. Well they never did pass, though they did get up nice and close to the bike in front of them, and in the meantime I am dropping back to a legal distance behind them as I am required to do and another joker goes and slots in again until I have dropped all the way to the back of the line. So I would sit back there (legal) and get angry about it, then I would go and burn a match in frustration by passing (as you are supposed to do) the entire group of 7 or 8 cyclists. Rinse and repeat. I complained to the one other guy who was riding legal and he just said it was a joke. We were caught up in it and there was nothing we could do. I tried riding away from them but they were working as a pack and would always come back and catch me. What really bothered me was that there were two of the female pros in the group and they definitely know better. The pack even sucked up Ryan Van Praet & Syd Trefiak on their tandem bike…Ryan is a visually-impaired triathlete and Syd is his guide and these guys are monsters on the bike...they don’t get overtaken easily. They made a comment to me about these guys as well, could tell there were a number of people on the course who were not impressed.<p align="justify">I eventually lost touch with the pack and was soloing it for the final 30K into Niagara Falls and my pace did drop a bit. There were some pretty rough roads back in this stretch and a lot of turns which certainly didn’t help, but the bike split was still my fastest ever for a half ironman. I made the final turn towards transition at Kingsbridge Park and I heard Michelle and Jackson calling my name…they were on the patio at The Boathouse restaurant finishing up their breakfast. Bad news though, the temperature had risen substantially since we started back in Welland and it was now hot and humid. The run was going to be ugly.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hm-B1GM2860/WcKlFUt_jMI/AAAAAAAAGyc/cyq3mV9qO0srAx5moNzyP5Bu-h7AASbHwCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0926%255B5%255D"><img width="441" height="451" title="IMG_0926" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0926" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MTQokc2pAGo/WcKlHaqoZCI/AAAAAAAAGyg/yAlWi92tFaYITclo-g4kXlPxc0ZwfSTwACHMYCw/IMG_0926_thumb%255B7%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify"><b></b><p align="justify"><b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1189390454" target="_blank">Run – 21.1K</a><br></b><i>1:47:05 (5:05/km), 9<sup>th</sup> AG</i><p align="justify"><i></i><p align="justify">The run started well enough as I covered the first kilometre in 4:09. I made my way into the shade of Dufferin Islands park and was already feeling the effects of the previous week’s race. I knew that if I kept the pace I was running that the wheels were going to fall off quite spectacularly so I began to dial it back. The heat was also getting to me and I was making sure that I was taking in lots of fluid at every aid station. The big hill up to Portage knocked me on my butt pretty good and that’s when I really realized that this was going to be a struggle til the finish. I saw a familiar face up ahead though, it was Trevor, the young guy that I ran Ironman Mont Tremblant with last year and have run into at numerous races since. I came up behind him and just before I reached him he pulled off to the side to deal with some cramping…the heat was getting to everyone. I wished him well and continued up the hill towards the Casino. There was actually more climbing on the run than there was on the entire bike course…this run feels like you are climbing the whole time and you pretty much are. You get all of the elevation back in what amounts to about a 500m stretch down Murray St. Then it was my favourite part of the run, going past the Falls. I’ve seen them so many times but they always leave me in awe. Unfortunately the air was so still this day that there was barely any mist spraying us, and man I could have used some of that mist. I pushed on up the hill back towards Kingsbridge Park to make my turnaround for loop 2 and saw a guy wearing a ‘Running Sucks’ t-shirt. “It sure does right now”, I said to him. Michelle and Jackson were right up ahead cheering and Jackson ran over to me…I was going slow enough that he was able to run along with me. It gave me a bit of a boost and I used it as motivation to get me through the next loop.<p align="justify">And boy did I need motivation. As soon as I started my second loop the first thing I noticed was how many more people were now out on the run. Lots of people were in from the bike now and setting out for the run, and a lot of them were looking pretty rough. There were lots of walkers already and you could tell the heat was taking a toll on everyone. It was a death march out there. Temperatures were up to 30º or so and with the humidity it was even worse. I just kept trudging along, refusing to walk. Water and ice at the aid stations but I ended up missing a few along the way because they were so busy now. I approached the Falls for the second and final time and took it in…this time there was actually a slight mist making its way across the street to us and I enjoyed every little drop of it (although maybe it was just the humidity, who knows?). Back up the hill and someone commented on my Team Sheri jersey…”Sheri would tell you to get going!” they said. “She would have a lot more to say than that”, I relied, “and she would have a few other words to throw in!” With just a mile left to go we were merging back with the runners beginning their loop and I heard someone call my name…it was Ken Eastwood, the local radio morning guy I listen to as well as a runner/triathlete. We exchanged a high five and I was headed for home. Ken went on to post a big PR and get some redemption after suffering a flat on this course last year, so congrats to him! I made the final turn into the park and heard Jordan Powers cheering me on. “Mike, You’re crushing it!” “No, I think it’s crushing me!” Next thing I knew I was in the finishing chute and heard Steve Fleck calling my name, commenting on the ‘distinctive’ jerseys of Sheri Fraser’s athletes, then a handshake from John Salt to seal the deal. Final time <strong>4:37:55</strong>, well under my previous time here and under much more difficult conditions…I had a moment of pride to think of how far I’ve come over the last two years.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Rk-OTWis99o/WcKlLpV7dWI/AAAAAAAAGyk/YdYWYXz0BskAJxOS2KeTv3xu-Hd2HfgjQCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0924%255B10%255D"><img width="443" height="500" title="IMG_0924" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0924" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FCAQ_w3RQKA/WcKlOotBtTI/AAAAAAAAGyo/6gzPpLGZC2kQVZmKCLzX7TcubVXO285nwCHMYCw/IMG_0924_thumb%255B9%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">I met up with Jackson and Michelle once I was done and we watched a few more athletes cross the finish line, including my pal Carol who took 10<sup>th</sup> female after she had raced Worlds last weekend…great job Carol! After that it was time to pack up the Jeep and get some food before heading back to London. It ended up being a really great day down in Niagara and it was nice way to put a bow on the 2017 triathlon season. Thanks to everyone for their support this year!<p align="justify">CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-36130904364707431582017-09-13T14:22:00.001-04:002017-09-13T14:54:11.260-04:002017 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships Recap<div align="justify">
Back in June I earned my spot in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and this past weekend I was down in Chattanooga Tennessee to compete with some of the best long-distance triathletes in the world. Michelle and I made the drive down on Thursday with an overnight stop in Kentucky and pulled into town around lunchtime on Friday, and my sister Emily was flying in around the same time to meet us. We met up at the race village where we were able to explore the expo and I picked up my race kit. I was happy with the swag I was able to pick up with a couple of shirts for the kids and a beer glass and hat for me (I actually bought the women’s hat, liked the colour more than the men’s). The participant bag was the nicest I’ve received so far from an Ironman race as well.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VQNLPQ03Cyk/Wbl3PM_93PI/AAAAAAAAGwo/LpWD5UYBkyU-k3O3s-4I-yrnlYDgF-sZgCHMYCw/s1600-h/logo%255B4%255D"><img alt="logo" border="0" height="128" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JPXaGaQZ2Dg/Wbl3P6udfWI/AAAAAAAAGws/-Xbv8DXwUZAFAfTKmJWwzmeyKpRNHEZ-QCHMYCw/logo_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline;" title="logo" width="340" /></a></div>
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After leaving the race village we went to check grab some lunch and checked into our hotel. We were staying about 15 minutes away from the venue, not too bad. I had a little snooze in the room while the girls went out to lounge by the pool. Soon enough it was time to get some dinner so off we went to find some grub. We ended up eating at Big River Grille & Brewing Works where I was able to enjoy a nice cold IPA on the patio. As we were getting ready to leave I saw my buddy Luke heading into the restaurant so I called his name to say hi. We chatted for a few minutes and he asked if I had been able to get in the river for a swim yet. I hadn’t, so he showed me a video he had taken earlier that day of a guy <i>trying</i> to swim into the currant. He wasn’t moving at all, and the second he stopped he started floating backwards. Luke said it took him almost 5 minutes to cover about 100m, and then less than 50 seconds to go back the other way. Here’s hoping that they were able to control the river flow for race day!</div>
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On Saturday morning I got my bike all ready for race day while watching the coverage of the women’s race and then we all headed down to the race site to watch the women as they were heading out on the run. We snagged a pretty decent viewing location where we saw runners both starting their run and then coming through again for the beginning of their second loop. We saw the leader and eventual winner Daniela Ryf run by looking strong as can be, along with a number of other top pros that I had seen race on TV numerous times. It was really cool getting so close to the best in the world…I was even able to grab a high five from Daniela as she cruised into the finisher chute to claim her victory.</div>
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We knew a number of people doing the race and were anxiously waiting them to come by on the run. I was able to cheer for Carol, Ange and Britney but we somehow missed Erin. We did see Luke again, which became one of the themes of the weekend. I think I ran into Luke a good 7 times or so over the three days, crazy when you consider that there were thousands upon thousands of people in town for the races. We also caught up with Matt and Chris, my Splash n Dash training buddies. We chatted about the race and what we were all hoping to do and wished each other well before we headed off to rack my bike in transition in advance of Sunday’s race. The rest of the day was spent lazing around and fuelling up (Olive Garden, where we once again saw Luke) before heading to bed early. The alarm was set for 5am.</div>
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Race day and the transition area was abuzz with activity. There was a really cool vibe going on as everyone at the race had qualified to get there so the level of competition was off the charts. This led to the majority of us to just be chill and not worry about winning or placing and simply enjoying the experience. That’s not to say people weren’t out there working hard and trying to give it everything they had, it just meant that the pressure was off. I put the finishing touches on my race setup with fluids and nutrition on my bike and then hung out with Michelle and Emily while we waited for the race to get started. The announcement was made that this would be a wetsuit legal swim so I was glad I had decided to bring mine along, though I had actually been looking forward to trying to race in my new swimskin. I got into my wetsuit and then headed down to the swim start. I saw Matt again with his family and we wished each luck, then I was into my corral to await my turn. The pros went off first at 7:30 and I wasn’t due to start until 8:00. I found a place where I could be alone and noticed a gentleman taking pictures just on the other side of the fence I was at…I waited for him to finish snapping photos and then I shook his hand and said good morning, and he wished me luck in my race. It was 6-time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen. Cool moment.</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1179496485" target="_blank">Swim – 1900m</a></b><br /><i>32:48 (1:42/100m)</i></div>
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The swim was in the Tennessee River and we had a self-seeded rolling start to kick it off. I put myself in the 31-33 minute crowd which I figured would be realistic, but I should have seeded myself faster (since everyone else did!). We were filtered onto the dock and were being set off in groups of 10 about 10 seconds apart. This was the first time I was ever able to start from a dock and therefore able to dive…the guys around me all said they were just jumping in and not diving but I said no way, I’m diving! I knew I would probably lose my goggles but who cares…I wanted to try it and didn’t know if I would get another chance. The beep sounded and we all took a few running steps before jumping in…I made an incredibly graceful dive (prove I didn’t!) and of course my goggles ended up on my nose. I took a couple one-armed recovery strokes while sliding my goggles back on and the other guys that just plopped into the river were just getting to me as I started up again…nothing lost nothing gained with the dive so glad I did it. It made me think of my daughter Kennedy and all the trouble she had with her goggles while learning to dive start and it made me happy to think about how far she has come with her swimming. We started out swimming across the river to the far shore with the current coming on our right-hand side and it wasn’t bothering me at all. I was swimming well and feeling good. I made the turn to head up-river into the currant and still didn’t feel it too much. It was there but it wasn’t really a problem. I was cruising along passing all kinds of people, and not slowly either…I was flying past them. I guess I should have seeded myself higher. It was a really nice swim and in the wetsuit it was actually pretty warm…I’m thinking that it really shouldn’t have been a wetsuit swim but oh well. When I eventually made the turn towards the opposite shore I really started to notice the current. I was sighting the buoys ahead and the current was really pushing me off target so I made the adjustment. Once I made the turn and had the current at my back it was fly time back to the finish. I came up to shore and grabbed a volunteer’s hand as he pulled me up and out of the river, then flopped down to the ground as a couple of wetsuit peelers ripped my suit off for me. Another volunteer called out my bib number and directed me down an aisle where yet another volunteer had my bike transition bag waiting for me. Smooth process.</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1179496613" target="_blank">Bike – 90K</a></b><br /><i>2:34:34 (33.3kph)</i></div>
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The first 8K of the bike take you on the city streets from downtown out towards the town of Saint Elmo. This was a pretty fast and flat stretch and was a great spot to start getting food and fluids in. I chugged some Gatorade and took in a Gu gel and a bit of a Clif bar knowing that we were about to embark on the course’s big climb up Lookout Mountain. I took a left turn in Saint Elmo and the climb was upon me. I put my bike into the small chainring right away knowing that I was going to need it…the next 5K was a steady climb of nearly 1000 feet with grades at times over 10%. Alex VanderLinden, a local pro I know, had been out to ride the climb a couple days earlier and had said that he averaged between 9-11kph most of the climb…it was legit.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z1EelQoVHYw/Wbl3UXVLhaI/AAAAAAAAGxI/hWdaXJOZeLMxc8zd_1ZXnui3ll6KfZIvACHMYCw/s1600-h/bike%255B5%255D"><img alt="bike" border="0" height="110" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xGsIUdfqQfc/Wbl3VEJ0AYI/AAAAAAAAGxM/ZwLwAU1kodMUm2ogqAGtrhPCLbdg8e3HgCHMYCw/bike_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline;" title="bike" width="500" /></a></div>
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I managed to keep spinning around 90rpm but it was slow going. I passed a few people, a few people passed me, and I made sure to work hard enough that I felt it but not so hard that I would suffer for the rest of the race. As I came to the end of the climb the streets were lined with supporters blasting music and cheering us on…I was going slow enough that I was able to reach out and get high-fives from the kids that were there. The whole scene here really reminded me of Boston and the support you get through Heartbreak Hill, it was really cool and pumped you up just in time for a nice quick descent. There were a few more shorter climbs and a couple of really fun descents, including a nice twisty one that saw my speed hit nearly 70kph. The remainder of the ride was mostly rolling hills and the scenery was spectacular. My only complaint was on the back half of the course there were four large packs of riders, like 20 guys or so, that went bombing by me. These are illegal draft packs and if you doubt the advantage they provide you’re fooling yourself. I was going over 40kph (on my own!) and these packs went by me like I was standing still, and there were guys in the pack actually sitting up. It was awful. The first pack that went by caused me to visibly shake my head in disgust and one of the cheaters in the middle of the peloton said to me, “I know, it’s ridiculous” as he went by. Well if you know it’s ridiculous then why are you doing it?? The good news was that I heard from a number of people who were also complaining about the draft packs that there were plenty of guys stopped at the penalty tents, though I only saw two guys myself. In fairness I did see the officials out on the course a number of times so they were doing their best to stop the cheats. Sad to see this from guys that are at this level, but maybe that’s how they “earned” their spots.</div>
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<b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1179496593" target="_blank">Run – 21.1K</a></b><br /><i>1:35:48 (4:33/km)</i></div>
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Onto the run and my legs felt great right away. I flew through the first kilometre on adrenaline at a way too fast 4:02. I was pretty sure that I would be seeing Michelle and Emily shortly and sure enough there they were in the middle of the very first climb. I ran over to give Michelle a smooch and then gave Em a quick hug and I was back on my way. This run course was no joke…it was climbing nonstop and the climbs were long and hard. If you wanted a good time on this course you were going to have to earn it.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fB7KHSDIiZA/Wbl3XCdjbOI/AAAAAAAAGxY/zTCBPUDA7fsG3yLn12d81Vc7wT23jdaTgCHMYCw/s1600-h/run%255B4%255D"><img alt="run" border="0" height="79" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--Aj5G_RjZkc/Wbl3XtfDGsI/AAAAAAAAGxc/TUH5PpEz5nAAiGIIEeJyAkCVlHdHUqXiACHMYCw/run_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline;" title="run" width="500" /></a></div>
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I made my way up the hills to the first turn and we headed into a really pretty park area along the river. There was shade through this stretch and a bit of a descent as well to allow some recovery in the legs. We ran through a boardwalk area before coming out into a little subdivision with another big climb and then the bridge that took us across the Tennessee River and up the biggest climbs on the course. The aid stations back in this section were having a lot of fun as they were themed as police (one of the guys was SWAT team, and carried a flyswatter in his holster) and another station was a hula party. The neighbourhood was out in full force cheering us all on through what was probably the toughest stretch of the course. As I came down the last hill the out and back sections of the course briefly came together and Matt spotted me coming so we nailed an awkward high-five and cheered each other on. Another short little climb up through a section that reminded me of a small town downtown area and then we turned onto the wooden pedestrian bridge to cross back into downtown Chattanooga to start our second loop. I saw Carol and her friend Becky right after the bridge and they were cheering me on and I couldn’t help but smile…they were certainly having a good time with their races already in the rearview mirror.</div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eVYuOGGx-8I/Wbl3Y9lXD7I/AAAAAAAAGxg/RBJvEBTOg0Mr4UCp9pUDY65_rV5HsQwiACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_2370%255B8%255D"><img alt="IMG_2370" border="0" height="376" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Zeu1eFylpiY/Wbl3ZaEddRI/AAAAAAAAGxk/CAnR4MEStbU2PdW45Oh6izQuXPd_eeWMgCHMYCw/IMG_2370_thumb%255B5%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline;" title="IMG_2370" width="500" /></a></div>
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Out onto my second loop and I saw Michelle and Emily again. I had told Michelle before the race that I was just going out to have fun and not push too hard…I mentioned something about kissing babies and taking selfies out on the run course. So when I saw her again I decided to run up and grab a selfie with her, which I think she was a little surprised by. I was really enjoying myself and just having fun out there. As I turned to get back on the run she yelled that if I kept my pace I would be under 5 hours…well, that surprised me. I hadn’t really been watching my pace or time so didn’t realize that, but figured I may as well try to get under 5 since I was on track for it. I started to buckle down a bit and keep the pace around 4:30/km and managed to do a pretty good job of it. The climbs were a little slower and the descents a little faster but I was holding it together pretty well. My right foot had felt funny right from the start of the run, almost like it was numb and I couldn’t really feel anything more than a stump at the end of my leg. It wasn’t getting better but it wasn’t any worse either. At this point it was just getting annoying so I tried to just push it out of my head. I was onto the last tough climb on the north side of the river and someone came up from behind and smacked my butt and told me to get going…it was Chris who was out on his first loop. He went by in a flash of neon and was looking really strong. I asked how his leg was feeling as he had been dealing with IT pain and he said it was sore…makes his run that much more impressive, the guy is a beast. I chatted with some other runners to pass the time and then as I started to cross the wooden pedestrian bridge into the last mile I saw a guy ahead of me with ‘Jeff’ on his bib…it made me laugh as I thought of Jackson and some stupid thing he says…”My name is Jeff” in some dopey sorta redneck accent…and it gave me that final bit of motivation I needed to get through to the finish. I made the turn down to the finish chute and hit the red carpet. I was well under 5 hours so I let myself enjoy the moment as I crossed the line with a final time of 4:57:21. </div>
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<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q57df9m9toU/Wbl3cgaSw0I/AAAAAAAAGxo/aYgpI4VoNjsEPBa8ZKooavRXglQpcYTWACHMYCw/s1600-h/finish%255B5%255D"><img alt="finish" border="0" height="500" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U1_uynFPxRo/Wbl3eUVqBYI/AAAAAAAAGxs/hbmvhAYvaOMu3KXsWFb2IiUsTqIIsTC5gCHMYCw/finish_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border: 0px currentcolor; display: inline;" title="finish" width="367" /></a></div>
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I was given a finisher’s towel, shirt and hat, along with a delicious ice-cold Coca-Cola (so good!). Then I started to head out of the finisher’s area and realized I couldn’t put any weight on my right foot. I limped around until I found Michelle and Emily and then sat and took my shoe off, revealing a VERY swollen foot. I ended up going back to medical where they checked it out and gave me some ice for the swelling. It wasn’t long and I was able to hobble around much easier so off I went to grab my finisher food and beer.</div>
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After grabbing my bike and gear we loaded the Jeep back up and then went for some lunch at a joint called Sticky Fingers where I had some delicious BBQ and IPA. Emily was catching her flight home afterwards while Michelle and I headed to Nashville for the night where we had a great time on the town before making the long drive home on Monday.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-1UfK2g9XJAqSgkZPr9S5Ki2UZk_KU-tiPj55CgAw0FUeFlSC0s3n3xmrxzo6gl3vpuM3C1hCfnxZueb8aiFrTRAT5zNiDTesmJ8rt98KkIYOyh3p5C8EHB2IMRjdpqCIux-jLf5CpVl/s1600-h/IMG_0881%255B6%255D"><img alt="IMG_0881" border="0" height="500" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nhfu7jOtYH0/Wbl3fhAsTxI/AAAAAAAAGx0/IEp1Vr514QQJQNJ1MCRcNHYKwklRMLA3gCHMYCw/IMG_0881_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; display: inline;" title="IMG_0881" width="375" /></a></div>
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All in all it was a really great weekend…lots of fun with people I love, was able to watch an awesome women’s race on Saturday and take part in a fantastic race myself on Sunday. Just a lot of fun. Thanks to Michelle as always for your support and thanks for coming to cheer me on as well Emily. Thanks to Coach Sheri for getting me to my race in one piece and thanks to all of you for your cheers from afar…I appreciate everyone’s support and well wishes. Cheers folks!</div>
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CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-89734184917695815252017-08-21T13:51:00.001-04:002017-08-21T13:51:48.062-04:002017 Goderich Olympic Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">Short version…I swam well, I biked well, I ran well, but I raced like crap.<p align="justify">Long version, read on.<p align="justify">While just about everyone else I know was racing at Ironman Mont Tremblant this weekend (huge congrats to everyone who took part!), I had the Goderich Olympic Triathlon on my schedule. I did this local race a couple of years ago and knew that it was a challenging course with a tough swim, lots of hills on the bike and a run along a beautiful rail path that was a long steady climb the entire way out. A really great course that makes you earn every minute of your finishing time.<p align="justify">The race was on Sunday morning and we were up at the cottage for the weekend, so the drive up was only an hour or so. We arrived at the race site with lots of time to get my race bib and timing chip and then go set up my transition area. Michelle and Jackson came up to cheer me on and Jackson had a friend there with him as well. We chatted with some familiar faces and I got a quick warmup swim in, checking out the waves that were crashing into shore and the rollers out on the water. It was going to be a tough swim today!<div align="justify"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HsY074_JX0k/WZsc4f6HWII/AAAAAAAAGv0/dphsCNlVfM8tYAnDlnuaQotzf-cXXiTjACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0818%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="333" title="IMG_0818" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0818" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kEi6xYlWjQY/WZsc85iepXI/AAAAAAAAGv4/JmrM0JZTSAgtdBa-KzAIzdDows9QnUK7QCHMYCw/IMG_0818_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="justify"><b>Swim – 1000m</b><br><i>18:55 (1:54/100m), 1st OA / 1st AG</i></p><p align="justify">The Goderich swim is usually tough, probably one of the reasons it is only 1000m instead of the typical 1500m. There were huge waves when I did the race a couple years ago and last year was even worse, causing the swim to be cancelled. There were plenty of waves again this year but not enough to stop us from getting the swim in. We all lined up just a few feet into the water and the race began. Almost right away I could tell that I was at the front or just a couple swimmers back at the most…it was hard to tell as the waves were crashing on us heading out and the swells were bobbing us all up and down. Sighting was difficult but it was easy enough to spot the orange buoy that we had to turn at. I hit the first turn and was now pretty sure I was the lead swimmer, not that I would have even been able to see someone out ahead of me with the swells. The waves were coming from the side know as I set out for the next swim buoy. I kept cruising along focussing on good form, keeping myself small with big arm swing. I sighted as best I could as I went up and down the waves but it was not easy. It seemed like I was staying on course but as I made it to the second buoy I realized I couldn’t see the third and final buoy anywhere. I started swimming head up trying to find it with no luck. I looked all around me and there was no one…a whole bunch of swimmers were coming up from behind but I was a good way out ahead of them. Maybe I had missed the second buoy? Easily done in these conditions I suppose. Then I spotted some race officials nearby on a Jet Ski…I started waving at them and yelled “Do I turn to shore here?” They came over and said yes, I was supposed to turn back towards shore so off I went towards the yellow flags on the beach marking the swim exit. I was going at a good clip now with the waves pushing me in, but it wasn’t long before the Jet Ski came up to me and said “You need to go around that buoy!”, pointing in the other direction to the third swim buoy that I couldn’t see earlier. Crap. The swim pack was nearing the buoy so I hightailed it the other direction and narrowly made the turn just before the pack, then busted it into shore where I somehow managed to still be first out of the water despite my bonehead mistakes. This was mistakes number one and two. More to come.<div align="justify"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-txaBWX75IaY/WZsdJp7fW_I/AAAAAAAAGv8/psZp1ZTSPuwWfJ_mKedO0bYKVc-YVfqZgCHMYCw/s1600-h/bike%255B5%255D"><img width="500" height="329" title="bike" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="bike" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sSFvM-6kzR8/WZsdM_3TP2I/AAAAAAAAGwA/ubwxdt0uiWE-rsb1AE2jVJS7q6pquZtKQCHMYCw/bike_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="justify"><b>Bike – 42.5K (if you stay on course that is)</b><br><i>1:16:11 (33.5kph), 7th OA / 3rd AG</i></p><p align="justify">As I ran from the beach up to transition I was stewing about the mistakes I had made. I saw transition and turned to run in but then someone yelled that I was going the wrong way, transition was the next entrance. Seriously?? I guess we actually run across the run finish chute before going into T1 and there wasn’t anyone blocking off the chute, so I just thought that was where we turned. Ya, it wasn’t. Mistake number three. I turned and headed into the actual transition area and was halfway to my bike all the way at the far end when they started yelling at me again. “You missed the timing mat! You need to go back!” Oh come on, this was just getting stupid now…I had no choice but to laugh as I turned around and raced back to the mat. Mistake number four. Then off to get my wetsuit off and head out on the bike. Officially my T1 was only :59 seconds, so at least that was good…of course that doesn’t count all of the other time spent running around touring the race site (that was all hidden in my swim time!). Anyways…out on the bike.<p align="justify">The bike is hilly and there is no easing into it. The first hill comes right away and it is a pretty steep climb up from the beach. I started the climb and once I made the top of the hill started putting down some watts, trying to put some distance between the chase group and myself. I was zipping through the neighbourhood when I came to the first busy intersection just under 2K into the ride. There were a couple of police officers who were at the intersection to control traffic…or at least that’s what they were supposed to be doing. Instead they had their cruisers parked on the side street and they were out of their cars just chit chatting with each other. I came speeding up and had to come to a complete stop when the one officer asked me if I was the lead bike. Uhm, yeah. “Oh sorry”. He got in his car, hit the lights and went out to stop traffic and then proceeded to direct me straight through the intersection. Straight. Not left. Which was where the course went. Seriously. Mistake number five for those playing along at home. I went through a couple more unmanned intersections and was pretty sure I was now off course in a town I don’t know at all. I did know where the course went though, but I couldn’t tell you the street names. I was able to head north and back west though and then I saw streams of cyclists going by a few blocks ahead. Geez. An extra one and a half kilometres of sightseeing but I was back on course, with who knows how many people now ahead of me. Nothing to do now except put my head down and get to work.<p align="justify">I was able to pass a number of people heading up the climb along the highway and made the turn east. A couple more passes and then I saw my buddy Carol up ahead looking really strong (she went on to take first place female!). As I went by her she was like, “What happened to you??” I gave her the quick and dirty on going off course and got back at it. Very shortly afterwards another familiar face came along, this time it was Abe passing me (the only guy to pass me the entire day). He went by looking like a beast and knowing how strong he is on the bike I decided that right outside of his draft would be a great place to spend the next 25K or so. Abe continued rolling and I was feeling really good pacing off of him, but when we began to head south we had a 90 degree turn with an immediate climb. This slowed Abe enough that I entered into his 3m draft zone meaning I had to pass him. Until this point I was almost positive he had no idea I was even there, which was what I had wanted. As I went by I made some sort of comment about hanging on his wheel and almost right away he went by me again, but this time he hammered it a bit harder and really pulled away in an effort to drop me. I didn’t even bother chasing as I knew that I was already on the fringes of where I wanted to be power-wise and trying to stay with Abe would only torch my legs for the run. Mistake number six. From that point on in the bike I was solo, with only the hills to keep me company, until we merged towards the end with the duathlon and try-a-tri. The best I could tell there were four or five guys up ahead on the bike, but I really had no clue. Back into Goderich we came and finally, with only 2.5K left we go, we were done with climbing. Yup, this is a tough bike…and riding 44K while everyone else only does 42.5K doesn’t make things any easier!<div align="justify"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LwqLMz0-6bU/WZsdTWDXLLI/AAAAAAAAGwE/wnPYLmMJmAEudP9xd6GiQRrdhJAlMEW4gCHMYCw/s1600-h/dismount%255B14%255D"><img width="500" height="571" title="dismount" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="dismount" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ab3HJrCGQxI/WZsdXJtlk-I/AAAAAAAAGwI/jtOOK1e4gU4TS_LOBH0TZIkTHG1r6ObQACHMYCw/dismount_thumb%255B10%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="justify"><b>Run – 10K</b><br><i>42:21 (4:12/km), 2nd OA / 1st AG</i></p><p align="justify">Empty racks in transition so at least that was a good sign. In and out in :44 seconds. As I was finishing up the bike I had seen Abe already out there as well as Cason. Cason is super fast, so I knew first overall was no longer a possibility…I would be running hard, hopefully for a podium spot. I left T2 and saw Spencer coming in to finish (and win) the duathlon. He got a high-five from Jackson so I decided to grab a high-five from both of them as well as I went by in the opposite direction. As I passed the family Michelle asked me if I was okay and what happened, knowing that there must have been some sort of bad thing on the ride. I just grunted and shook my head.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fjxppPm2IFU/WZsdfmEfDKI/AAAAAAAAGwM/LpgU6MdTkPsZKxanVq72SnTFMP4vjccwACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0823%255B7%255D"><img width="500" height="592" title="IMG_0823" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0823" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tkNKbDzSfvE/WZsdkidnD0I/AAAAAAAAGwQ/1PJSvhOIbgcaHX9Ybk09kHWMiJS2ZEDuwCHMYCw/IMG_0823_thumb%255B8%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">The run begins with the same big hill as the bike, but halfway up the hill we duck off the road and onto an old rail trail. It is a beautiful run with a couple of bridges to run across and lots of shady spots. I came up behind Tanner, yet another Splash n Dash buddy doing the race and he asked what happened to me on the bike…seemed to be the question on everyone’s mind! He was actually second out of the water and never saw me on the bike, so was a bit surprised seeing me behind him. Next up was Abe, who had slowed down with a nasty side stitch…the consequences of a hard bike he would later tell me. Abe said that the podium was right ahead and I could see third place there for the taking. I was able to pass third shortly afterwards and focused on moving up to second place, but the two leaders were nowhere to be seen. I would have to wait until the turnaround at 5K to see what sort of gap I was still looking at. The legs were feeling good and if properly motivated I was ready to run them down. Well, Cason went flying by me on his way back towards the finish and I could see how strong he was looking. I told him he was crushing the run and there was no one in sight behind him…he was way out in front. I glanced at my watch and saw that he was almost 2K ahead of me…no chance. It wasn’t long before I saw second place coming by and the gap to him was also pretty insurmountable at nearly 1.5K. I wasn’t catching second place today either, but I would keep running strong and see what happened. I made the turn at 5K and began making my way back towards the finish and cheered people on the whole way back. I made sure to keep going hard enough that nobody was going to catch me but I wasn’t really motivated enough to push hard and make it hurt knowing that the guys ahead weren’t about to be caught. I made the turn off of the trail and gave it a good final kick to the finish line where I heard Michelle cheering me on. I crossed the line with a time of 2:19:08 which gave me third overall and first in my age group…a really solid result in spite of all the mistakes I made during the race. Overall I had to be happy with my performance but also knew that I needed to do a better job in the future with a few aspects of my mental game.<div align="justify"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"><p><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RHWUzo7Tym0/WZsdoZEXnAI/AAAAAAAAGwU/CxDKIqq9Kd0Zomf-nWdrMrNnS9L1U5FIACHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_0825%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="386" title="IMG_0825" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="IMG_0825" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hAQFwAPWrAM/WZsdseBIxBI/AAAAAAAAGwY/Hi-vpFDGb_g96G3PQE1NInQZ-7whMLEXwCHMYCw/IMG_0825_thumb%255B7%255D?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="justify">After the race we hung around for a bit and were able to catch up with friends to see how their races went. I was able to congratulate both Cason and Carol on their great wins and was happy to see so many Londoners and Splash n Dashers up on the podium collecting hardware…you were well represented Coach Sheri! Thanks everyone for reading and special thanks to Michelle for the great race day support. Next up, 70.3 World Championships in Chattanooga!<p align="justify"><br><p align="justify">CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-54340763235982757712017-07-26T10:23:00.001-04:002017-07-26T10:23:00.462-04:002017 Bluewater Olympic Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">The Bluewater Triathlon in Bright’s Grove is one of my favourite races out there, clearly evident by the fact that this past weekend was my sixth year in a row competing in the Olympic distance triathlon. It is a wonderful local race and it is conveniently located just down the road from our cottage. The race supports a local church and is known as much for the post-race “pig out” as it is for the race itself.<p align="justify">Michelle, Jackson and I left the cottage bright and early on Saturday and made the short drive down to Bright’s Grove…Jackson was going to be helping Michelle out as she was volunteering at one of the run aid stations. I dumped my bike in transition and then went to grab my race kit while Michelle figured out where she was going to be stationed. It didn’t take long for me to get everything ready and set up my transition area, leaving me with plenty of time to socialize with some of the many people I knew who were doing the race. I chatted with Spencer, who was back to defend his Sprint Duathlon win from last year, as well as Abe, who was out to try and knock me off as the top 30-39 year old male. I finished second overall in the Olympic Tri last year, which was good for first in my age group…Abe was second in the age group and has had his sights set on taking me down in this race since last year. We had a side bet for this one too, as whoever wins the age group receives a big bottle of beer from Refined Fool, a local craft brewery. It was decided that whoever won would have to buy the other guy a Refined Fool. Good deal.<div align="justify"><table width="400" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody><tr><td width="400" valign="top"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GTYgynJWy6E/WXilohAzgZI/AAAAAAAAGuk/uX5tsXyXJ6YET1oz3HEODVe8yaCxJjdiwCHMYCw/s1600-h/image2%255B10%255D"><img width="500" height="368" title="image2" style="display: inline;" alt="image2" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZK3Ext2hgls/WXilpCJS2EI/AAAAAAAAGuo/QzKabZuDEQ45YDo1btdSL-CWaQ05TrJ0wCHMYCw/image2_thumb%255B22%255D?imgmax=800"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p align="justify"><strong>Swim – 1100m</strong><br><em>18:14 (1:33/100m), 3rd OA / 1st AG</em><p align="justify">The swim is supposed to be 1500m, but in reality it is about 1100. To be fair the run from the lake to transition might just make up that extra 400m. The swim here is beautiful, always one of my favourites. It is in Lake Huron and hugs tight to the shore…the water is clear and cool, perfect conditions with a wetsuit. This morning was overcast and rain was threatening, but the lake was calm as can be, a sheet of glass. I managed a quick warm up and then just hung out on shore waiting for the start. I took up my position right in line with the first turn buoy, which was a mere 50m from shore. The horn went and I busted it from the start to the turn , trying to avoid the crush of people hitting that turn at the same time. I was successful as I was the second or third guy there, which gave me plenty of clean water for the rest of the race. I just settled in and found my rhythm, cruising along nice and easy. It didn’t take long to get some separation from the field and I was swimming in second or third position most of the time. The lead swimmer was way out front and there was no catching him, but I went back and forth with another guy for second spot. He seemed to pull ahead a couple of times but I noticed he was off line and going out pretty wide, so I knew that if I just held my line I would be out front once we made the turn back to shore. Soon enough we came to the final buoy and I put my head down and swam hard to the swim exit, trying my best to be second out of the water. As I approached the shore I took a quick peek to see how close I was and I could see/hear people yelling at me…not cheering, but yelling, “You’re on the wrong side!”. The shoreline in Bright’s Grove has a bunch of groynes that protect the beaches from eroding away…basically they are metal walls that go out into the water. The water level is higher than previous years and the groyne is therefore a bit lower and apparently not as easy to see. Since I didn’t have anyone in front of me to follow I guess I didn’t notice that I had in fact swam up the wrong side of the groyne. It took a couple of seconds for this to register before I had my “oh $h!t” moment, then I turned around and began to swim back around the groyne to the swim exit side. Of course this meant that the guy I had battled all through the swim with was able to pass me and I had to settle for third out of the water. A bit frustrated but I knew I was still in a good position. Swim time was 17:10, 18:14 by the time I raced up the stairs and along the long path into T1.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ALHSV4MT6nA/WXiluRGmnxI/AAAAAAAAGus/IrXoIw0K4VoAPQntGLCtEvUcPj7qvtkZgCHMYCw/s1600-h/image7%255B6%255D"><img width="500" height="223" title="image7" style="display: inline;" alt="image7" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BwQux8oVxLo/WXilu0K_H4I/AAAAAAAAGuw/rph3wAJvniITb3az7ur0UEReU1L4Pqf_QCHMYCw/image7_thumb%255B7%255D?imgmax=800"></a><p align="justify"><strong>Bike – 40K<br></strong><em>1:03:27 (37.8kph), 8th OA / 1st AG</em><p align="justify">Onto the bike and the pancake flat ride. There was a little bit of wind but not enough to really do much damage. I had to work slightly harder with the wind in my face but the slight tailwind evened things out on the way back. I passed a few of the sprint athletes as well as some duathletes and was settling in nicely. I popped a salt tab and was downing water and Gatorade, getting my nutrition taken care of. It wasn’t long before Chris Balestrini went flying past me, trying to chase down the leader. Chris has won the Olympic Duathlon here for as long as I can remember but he has focused on triathlon this year…bad news for us triathletes! He has been coming out on Wednesdays to our weekly Splash n Dash and you can see the improvements in his swimming. It won’t be long until he is a serious threat to the big boys as there aren’t many faster runners out there. Anyways, Chris flew by me and then I was quickly passed again by Mike Coughlin, who I had just met before the race since we racked our bikes beside each other. He went by like a rocket and left me in his dust. No worries, my game isn’t biking guys down…if I chased I knew I would blow up on the run. I just continued to focus on keeping a nice high cadence and holding steady watts. I kept the power just under 90% FTP and managed to hold it there the entire ride, right where I had planned to be.<p align="justify">I saw a bunch a familiar faces out on the course and cheered people on as I went by them. Once I hit the first turnaround I was able to check out my competition and see how close they were. It looked like Chris had put nearly a kilometre into me by the turn at 18K, but when I saw Abe flying by towards the turnaround I figured I had almost 3K on him, a gap that I knew would be hard for him to overcome. I kept pushing and rode the tailwind back to T2, nice and uneventful. <p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Sn3otGBwzNo/WXilvIT419I/AAAAAAAAGu0/mFAZKobnVGQ6IC6V7ZnFhqNd5p1izXKXwCHMYCw/s1600-h/image4%255B4%255D"><img width="500" height="356" title="image4" style="display: inline;" alt="image4" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tY_Wtkx6K9A/WXilvUzFL0I/AAAAAAAAGu4/EdjCIIoqimwt-Kxbpigqsyu8u9hjfHKhwCHMYCw/image4_thumb%255B8%255D?imgmax=800"></a><p align="justify"><strong>Run – 10K<br></strong><em>40:21 (4:03/km), 8th OA / 1st AG</em><p align="justify">It was a quick 39 seconds to get through transition and out onto the run. The first section of the run is a left turn out of transition with a short little 500m run to a turnaround, then you run back past transition for a long out and back along the lakeshore path and road. As I made the left out of T1 I saw Shane from MEC (a local running/biking/outdoors store) heading the other way and gave him a cheer…he was competing in the Relay event and I knew he was a strong runner, so I was hoping I could try to claw back some time from him and use his pace as a motivator. I hit the first turn and took some water right away…it was still overcast but it was warm and muggy. These were the best racing conditions I can remember having at this race and I wanted to make the most of it. I saw a few more faces I knew as I ran back past transition, but no Abe. At this point I was just hoping he was doing okay as I knew he was battling some knee issues and wasn’t at 100%. I came to the next aid station at the park exit and I had to make sure I took some water there as that was where Michelle and Jackson were stationed. I could hear Michelle long before I saw her! I darted across the path and made the cup grab from Jackson and then took off with some fire in my belly. Right after that the rain came and it was quite welcome at that point. It was light and just enough that it felt good. I was holding the pace around 4:15, which felt very manageable…I didn’t see the sense in pushing too hard too soon. I cruised along and made it to the turn at 5.5K…I had made up most of the gap on Shane by this point as he was now about 300m ahead. There was another issue now though as the sixth place athlete, Andrew Scollard, had caught up to me while I was downing some ice water. Before he could actually pass me I started talking to him. We follow each other on Strava but had never actually met, so I introduced myself and we chatted for a bit. I told him he must have really been moving to catch up to me and he said he was chasing hard the whole way and was feeling it now. Perfect. I just kept talking away and staying right on his shoulder. We had upped the pace by now and were running in the low 4:00-range. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t able to recover from his initial effort to catch me but I was still feeling pretty fresh and was saving something for the finish. We came to the second last aid station and I scooted over to grab some water, knowing that Jackson and Michelle’s aid station would be where I made my move. Andrew was hanging on but I could tell by his breathing that he was near his limit. He wasn’t really talking to me anymore either. We came to the end of the road an entered the park with Michelle and Jackson there cheering me on. Just a half mile to the finish. We had just caught Shane, who was putting down a great run of his own, and I dropped the hammer. I took off and sprinted the final 800m. I heard footsteps chasing me and wondered if it was Shane or Andrew, but then I heard “go Daddy! I’m coming!” and realized it was actually Jackson chasing me! I made the turn into the finish chute and the little guy met me on the other side. Shane came in next followed closely by Andrew…I ended up getting him by 10 seconds in the end. The run felt great and I believe that I executed it perfectly…I could have pushed harder and gone under 40 minutes if I wanted to but I didn’t want to risk a blow up. <p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jxUEE2huMgQ/WXilv747V8I/AAAAAAAAGu8/RfE_XhMicls4oQAexlX4PYxYM0h7Y_J_ACHMYCw/s1600-h/image5%255B4%255D"><img width="500" height="359" title="image5" style="display: inline;" alt="image5" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QGS-EnJnt8s/WXilwMkDZuI/AAAAAAAAGvA/OMeBhJr0NCEGNPQ6c5qbIgqWZFIn6zzUgCHMYCw/image5_thumb%255B9%255D?imgmax=800"></a><p align="justify">My final time was <strong>2:03:34</strong>, fastest I have ever gone at this race and 3 and a half minutes faster than last year. I took 5th place overall and most importantly the age group win, meaning I win a big ol’ bottle of beer! We stuck around for awards and of course the great food spread…I enjoyed my hot dog, chili and of course the legendary butter tarts. Thanks to all of the volunteers that continue to make this a great race, thanks to Michelle and Jackson for being a great cheer squad while volunteering themselves, and thanks as well to Brad Reiter for the great photos. A special shout out to Ken Walker (along with his wife Deb and daughter Haley) who has been running this race for nearly 30 years now…thank you so much for all the work you do year after year. All of us athletes truly appreciate it!</p><p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q1yZhVX9cWk/WXilwpn25pI/AAAAAAAAGvE/DJ6efvWS_J86hgBvLxJ-altCxpqpV1IdQCHMYCw/s1600-h/image6%255B3%255D"><img width="375" height="500" title="image6" style="display: inline;" alt="image6" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WaIjhPW96VM/WXilwz8MINI/AAAAAAAAGvI/KJsZhbx1ohgTxjJf3YM3j3X6n6x7Y8yuACHMYCw/image6_thumb%255B3%255D?imgmax=800"></a></p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-38189329959305777652017-06-21T09:20:00.001-04:002017-06-21T09:20:44.015-04:002017 IRONMAN 70.3 Syracuse Recap<p align="justify">This past weekend Michelle and I were down in lovely Syracuse, NY as I took on my first goal race of the year, Ironman 70.3 Syracuse. I had chosen this race for a few reasons, the key one being that it was one of the final races offering qualifying spots to this year’s 70.3 Half Ironman World Championship, being held September 9-10 in Chattanooga, TN. My goal was to snag one of those spots.<p align="justify">I knew going into the race that it was going to be tough. Prior to signing up for it last fall I did a bit of reading and asked some people about it and it seems like many agree that it is one of the toughest Half Ironman courses in North America, and if the weather turns at all it makes it the toughest. Last year’s finishing times were slow for a big race with just 42 finishers going under 5 hours, so I knew that I had to respect this course. I put in the training over the winter and spring and I have been running better than ever the last couple of months…I was ready for whatever the day brought.<p align="justify">Michelle and I arrived in town on Friday afternoon and went straight to the Ironman Village at Jamesville Beach Park where we were able to zip through athlete check-in in no time and also picked up all of the race swag. One of my regrets from Ironman Mont Tremblant last year was not just buying the swag I wanted and being my typical cheap self, so this year I just got what I wanted (and tried to not think about how much that US-Canadian exchange rate was going to hurt!). Walked away with a couple of shirts and a running visor, as well as shirts for the kids. I also managed to snag some new aerobar pads for my bike from one of the vendors there to replace my gross and filthy old ones…long overdue and I got them for half the cost here in Canada. We stuck around and took in the athlete briefing and then took off to get checked into our hotel.<p align="justify">We are fans of local bars and hangouts, so we found a cool little place not far from our hotel called <a href="http://www.thedistillery.com/" target="_blank">The Distillery</a>…they featured a menu full of typical pub fare, lots of specials, and a whole mess of craft and local beer on tap. I was a happy boy! I tried out their House Ale and then switched over to the Founder’s Session (being responsible, I had a race coming up). I also loaded up on the carbs with some spicy chicken pasta…Cajun chicken with linguine tossed in a Buffalo sauce, yum! It was a great meal and the sort of place Michelle and I wish we had to go to at home. After a delicious dinner we hit the local Target to get supplies (bananas and a 12-pack of Saranac) and then went to the Sweet Frog to cap the night off with some frozen yogurt.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ycp34BtTnQ/WUpyWq02BRI/AAAAAAAAGtA/1cdO45mNlkU_Yr8sqq2KvxaQSbwl1Xd0QCHMYCw/s1600-h/image13"><img width="400" height="300" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cjmXTG6Kq0c/WUpyYphw8kI/AAAAAAAAGtE/zuDvS1_4q98fhbBn41CtJYtsUvJqjlDqgCHMYCw/image1_thumb3?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">The next morning we woke up and went out for a little shakeout run…Michelle and I just did a few kilometres (think it was about 3 or so) and already at that time of the morning it was HOT. Plenty of hills too, no matter where we went around town. I had a feeling this race was going to live up to its reputation. We finished up and went next door to Denny’s to grab some breakfast and my sister Emily came and met us there…she had made the drive down that morning from Kingston to hang out with us and watch my race. After breakfast it was back to the hotel where I did a final tune up of my bike and took it for a quick little spin around the neighbourhood and then we were back off to the race site for bike check in. No issues there and we decided to drive the bike course to see what I was getting myself into the next day (basically a lot of hills. A LOT of hills.) After a quick stop back at the hotel for Emily to check in we were off to dinner at Olive Garden, more carbs with pasta and unlimited breadsticks. A decent fill up and I put myself to bed for the night…tomorrow was race day.<p align="justify">Race morning arrived at 4:45am…I was up without my alarm. Some oatmeal and a cup of coffee in my belly, we were out the door and I was setting up my spot in transition by 6:00. The race kicked off at 7:00 and I was in wave 4, starting at 7:12. We watched (and laughed) at the peacocks strutting around trying to be seen. I had joked the day before that I need to make some fake race shirts to wear to expos, something like “Lard Lad Donut Dash 5K Fun Run – 43rd Place”, just to thwart the cockiness of other triathletes. I was intimidating the other athletes with my runDisney race shirt, I’m sure they were terrified. We went down to the beach and I jumped in my wetsuit and had a quick warmup swim. It was pretty ridiculous as we were only allowed in a small little roped off swim area, so everyone was just swimming around in a big circle. I said to one of the ladies there that it looked like we were trying to make a whirlpool like we did as kids in the backyard swimming pools. It was enough to get loosened up before the start though so it served its purpose. Out of the lake and a quick kiss and goodbye to Michelle and Emily, then I was off to my corral. Race time.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-a-mwxdajmUo/WUpyZF65VeI/AAAAAAAAGtI/J1y7QhsUTcUqfSEbToWy3RTHH_oOpbcswCHMYCw/s1600-h/image1713"><img width="350" height="467" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9eQzcSvC9-0/WUpyZ6hje-I/AAAAAAAAGtM/7bEvrHWOWq4A-0VxY0Qe9yz69xVT86HUACHMYCw/image17_thumb13?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1043217385" target="_blank"><strong>Swim - 1.2 miles / 1900m</strong></a><br><em>31:47 (1:39/100m), 8/159 AG</em></p><p align="justify">I was in the largest Age Group (M35-39) with 159 guys registered, so our age group was split into two waves. I was in the first of the two and had discussed the split-wave with my buddy Matt as he had the same situation for his Florida 70.3 race. He told me to just treat it as a time trial and go as hard as I could, knowing that there were other athletes coming in 4 minutes behind me. I took his advice with me to the start line and made my way to the front of the wave. I positioned myself right at the front and on the buoy line, giving me a straight shot on the out and back swim. The horn went off and I was ahead of the pack in clean water right from the start. Clean water didn’t last long as I was on the previous wave in minutes. From that point on it was traffic, lots of traffic. I just weaved my way through the crowd staying on that buoy line. As we got further out I noticed that the chop was starting to pick up…the wind was blowing and waves were forming on the lake. I knew that it was going to be tough once we turned to head back to shore. I kept the pace steady and focused on form, knowing that it was going to be important when the conditions worsened. Around 900m I made the turn and began the 100m swim across to the turn buoy where we would head back towards shore. Right away the waves were on me, crashing from my right-hand side. I just made sure to breathe to the left and all was good, although sighting that turn buoy was a little more difficult as I typically sight from my right. I made it though, which is better than a lot of the other people around me. There were plenty of folks struggling with the chop. Once I turned to shore the waves were crashing head on right into us. It was like swimming upstream the whole time. I just focused on my head position, roll and a strong pull. Still plenty of traffic to deal with and I got kicked twice right in the goggle…both times it completely compressed the socket on my eye and I couldn’t see a thing, so I had to pop up and fix it. It may have cost me a few seconds but it was time well wasted. I went past the final sighting buoy and approached the shore…I grabbed sand (and a few weeds) and popped out of the lake, tearing the top of my wetsuit off and running past the cheering spectators, picking out Michelle and Emily along the way, and then plopped down in front of a pair of wetsuit peelers. They were almost all available, no one was using them for some reason. They ripped the suit off of me in about 1 second and I was off on the long 500m run to transition.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NxecDtEGzgA/WUpycuEYlmI/AAAAAAAAGtQ/BSuB8nxgmEUKrIS_cOV0nrZ-2VnHYsrDwCHMYCw/s1600-h/IMG_05667"><img width="294" height="500" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6neE6daPPXY/WUpyeFQfFkI/AAAAAAAAGtU/-wTK38CZgEYQopG9Sfjb4NtXV0bHSVJFgCHMYCw/IMG_0566_thumb8?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1043217603" target="_blank"><strong>Bike – 56 Miles / 90km</strong></a><br><em>2:50:18 (32.2 kph), 15/159 AG</em></p><p align="justify">Long run to my bike in transition. It was hot already and the sun was blazing. I’m usually lousy for wearing sunscreen during a race but I knew that the sun would kick my butt today if I didn’t, so I took the extra couple of seconds to spray myself. Again, time well wasted based on all of the lobsters I saw walking around the park later in the day. All told it was 3:08 from the swim exit to the bike mount, not bad considering I had to run half a kilometre with a wetsuit over my shoulders or a bike in my hands. I hopped on my bike and zipped past Michelle and Emily again and headed up the road, getting the legs loose and ready for some serious climbing. There is 3244 feet of climbing on the bike course (almost 1000m) and it is pretty constant throughout the ride. We were hit with the first big climb just 3K into the bike. I switched into my small ring up front and spun past a bunch of people. First hill down, didn’t drop my chain, I’m happy. We cruised along for a few more kilometres before turning south right into the teeth of the wind that had whipped up for us. The wind was out of the South all day and it was blowing pretty good. The turn also marked the beginning of the biggest climb on the course…really the first 20K or so you are climbing the entire time, gaining nearly 1000 feet. I have never used my small chainring as much as I did on this bike course, it was climb after climb with barely any time between climbs to even shift back up to the big ring before dropping right back down again. Eventually we crested the top of the final climb (in this opening stretch anyways) and had a nice long decent to give the legs a bit of a break. I got it up well over 50kph in this stretch and it felt good to go finally go fast. Once it flattened out we took a couple of turns and hit the first aid station. I tossed my water and Gatorade bottles and grabbed new ones…Orange Gatorade, yuck.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ka_oK-p4UOY/WUpyfvpexAI/AAAAAAAAGtY/t-DxXredycsn2WhAHsNuozI5oSeWxOhqQCHMYCw/s1600-h/image028"><img width="350" height="298" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zN1dcu-MOLM/WUpyg3Sia4I/AAAAAAAAGtc/mHf07LvvN78qXteXOtKqZDUr9KYWLFg2gCHMYCw/image02_thumb9?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">One of the nice things about this flatter, more rolling stretch of the course was that I could finally enjoy the beautiful scenery. Seriously, what a gorgeous part of the country. We continued south into the wind around a pretty little lake with cottages all around it and hit the halfway point. I was aiming to put out 220W on the bike and the first half was a little high due to the big climbs, as I had expected. I was right around 30kph for the first half but I knew that I would be able to ride easier yet faster on the back half due to the wind and lack of really big climbs. I tucked into my aerobars and just cruised, ensuring that I kept the power steady by spinning quick up the rollers and not pushing it too hard on the flat sections. It was around 60K in when I finally saw someone from my age group pass by me…I considered chasing him for a split second but quickly thought the better of it. A few minutes later another one of my age groupers went past but I ended up catching him on the very next hill. We went back and forth with each other pretty much the rest of the ride…I didn’t let him get too far away from me and managed to leapfrog him on almost every hill, only for him to go by on the corresponding descent.<p align="justify">At 70K we made the turn north onto the appropriately named Sky High Road, another big climb for about 5K. The last 20K of the ride was similar to the climbs and descents of the first section. I swapped out my water and Gatorade at the final aid station and dug in for this last tough stretch. Right away it was going wrong…the guy that handed me my water gave me a bottle without a cap so I had to take a swig and stick it in the cage on my downtube…a lit bit sloshy but okay. Shortly after that I went to take a slug of Gatorade and…nothing. I squeezed again and still nothing, so I unscrewed the cap and, yup, it was sealed. Come on. I stuck the cap in my jersey pocket and peeled off the seal, taking a big gulp to try to avoid sticky sport drink getting all over me, but there was no way I was getting that cap back on. I was moving along at a good clip through these hills and had to hold the open bottle with one hand (my second cage is mounted horizontally between my aerobars, so couldn’t use it), and I couldn’t get the cap back out of my jersey pocket unless I completely let go of the bike…not happening at that speed on that road in the middle of a race. I took another good slug from the bottle and then just dumped the contents. I shoved the empty bottle back into my cage and trudged on to the finish. A couple more climbs and one final big descent (which had a nice sharp 90 degree turn in the middle of it, along with a 40kph speed trap) and I was jumping off my bike and running into a very empty transition area…I hardly saw any bikes at all.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-WSvYAW9NY4Y/WUpyh5ppqcI/AAAAAAAAGtg/-xDQvWymvlkF4wbl_IezwDzPbV-cPTJdACHMYCw/s1600-h/image35"><img width="282" height="290" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qnuJD75lhv0/WUpyjJdH1MI/AAAAAAAAGtk/NF-hvymnkEkUJlO-ta02_28xydkuwZkFwCHMYCw/image3_thumb7?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify"><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1043217562" target="_blank"><strong>Run – 13.1 Miles / 21.1km</strong></a><br><em>1:37:18 (4:37/km), 6/159 AG</em></p><p align="justify">Without the long run from the beach, T2 was a much quicker 1:33…still a bit longer as it is a big transition area and I reapplied my sunscreen. I sprinted out of T2 with my legs feeling really good…I had been taking salt caps on the bike as I knew I would be in trouble with the heat. By the time I got onto the run course the temperatures were soaring and the heat index was in the mid-90’s, along with blazing hot sun and no shade. What wind we could actually feel at this point was certainly welcome! I ran past Michelle and Emily and Michelle said something about me being “well in the top 20”, which made sense given the lack of bikes in transition, but I had to remember that I just had to run my own race and keep in mind that half of my age group started 4 minutes after me in the other wave. I checked my pace and it was a bit too hot, around 4:00/km. I kept telling myself to slow it down and was trying to hold it around 4:30/km. I quickly caught and passed a couple guys in front of me and then pulled up beside the guy in my age group who I went back and forth with on the bike. The two of us ran pretty much side by side for the first 5K and then I made a bit of a push up a hill and put some distance between us. I also saw another guy ahead from my age group and I put the pass on him as well…I had already moved up two spots on the run.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jXm4dL4gx1Q/WUpyjuPyeWI/AAAAAAAAGto/AiN2aUDodEQ_WWHYQerYu7BbPk8S1aK5gCHMYCw/s1600-h/1911_0318944"><img width="349" height="525" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_YfTm9rqwlk/WUpykTbcDsI/AAAAAAAAGts/bUa_iCgrN6MDDVMShh1u-v7cSnYmi3i1ACHMYCw/1911_031894_thumb2?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">The heat was brutal now and you could see its effects on everyone. By now there were a lot of people on the out portion of the course as I was running by them on the back and they were struggling. I was still holding on though and made my way back to the turnaround to complete my first loop in 46 minutes. I was feeling the heat though and my pace was starting to fall off. Shortly into the second loop the back and forth battle with the bike guy swung his way again as he scooted past me. He opened a bit of a gap but I never let him get too far ahead…he was looking alright but not great, no better than me I was thinking, so I was pretty confident that I could reel him in next time we hit a hill. And there were plenty of hills on the run course as well, no flats here with over 600 feet of elevation to deal with. Sure enough I caught up to him and made a pass, pulling away for what I hoped would be for good.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cMAjdtO_oLk/WUpyk61vJEI/AAAAAAAAGtw/dQMP6YtQbSA7IS11yQ1H_fT7WxZyK1_hgCHMYCw/s1600-h/run-profile5"><img width="350" height="102" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U_gFzRWfwOg/WUpylXUbCmI/AAAAAAAAGt0/YYLeGLWiexUFjf6dl84pXXiE_GgROqpOACHMYCw/run-profile_thumb3?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><p align="justify">Once I hit the first of the two out and back sections of second loop I was feeling just about done…my pace had really fallen off and I was putting in kilometres in the 5:15 range. I continued to take water, ice, Coke, more water and more ice at all of the aid stations and was eventually able to dig deep and make a push for the final 5K. It was nowhere near fast, but I managed to get the pace back into the high 4-minutes range. I was passing a whole bunch of guys in my age group now, but with the multiple wave start coupled with the two-loop run course there was no way to know if they were anywhere near me. Eventually I made it back into the park and was running along the path towards the finish line, just a half mile to go. Wouldn’t you know it, back and forth bike guy pulled up beside me. Seriously, this guy was like Robert Patrick’s T-1000 Terminator, he just wouldn’t die! I saw him pull even and knew how hard he would have had to have worked to get back to me and I knew that I had to drop him right away, so I gave everything I had and just sprinted all out for these last 800m, dropping him right away…I finally broke the guy. I approached the finish chute and made the final turn, hearing Michelle and Emily cheering me on. It was a bit of a blur as I was getting loopy from the heat and the big finishing kick but I knew it was over. The announcer called out my name and remarked about the great time that I put in and it was over…final time <strong>5:04:04</strong>.<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-scOgc_QA4D4/WUpymwgnvZI/AAAAAAAAGt4/OGJSD-6BM_8ZISRwFE008wDSVUoOAmL9ACHMYCw/s1600-h/image76"><img width="350" height="440" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eFs2sKiznII/WUpyoWJKmrI/AAAAAAAAGt8/V9R5ILi5F54nyBYmPzNgPQa-NBm9WrllgCHMYCw/image7_thumb7?imgmax=800" border="0"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HielSm5PgLY/WUpypObvJcI/AAAAAAAAGuA/1yiFmiJEmME8QZ3CKaq4iDzZZ1ZCysbbwCHMYCw/s1600-h/image93"><img width="350" height="349" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-49NMkxEiGf0/WUpypj2KcFI/AAAAAAAAGuE/UQ9AQ-n-I6UTkc7914Jq9v8-pxy2wEZZgCHMYCw/image9_thumb3?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">I collected my finisher swag and grabbed a slice of shade under a tree, waiting for Michelle and Emily to show up. It didn’t take them long to find me and they had the cooler with them so I was able to just lie down, crack open an ice cold beer and start the recovery process. I really had no idea of how I finished, what my time was, nothing. Michelle figured I was around top 7 in my age group but wasn’t sure as the Ironman tracking had crapped out on her phone. Guys were still coming in that started 4 minutes after me, so it was hard to tell. I knew I had raced well on a tough day and had a good shot at a Worlds spot, that’s all I could ask for. I took a dip in the cool lake with a bar of soap and got myself cleaned off, then we headed into town to grab some beer and pizza at The Distillery. Once I sat down I checked my phone and saw a message from my buddy Luke saying, “5th place bud congrats!”…sweet! I had made the age group podium and had a guaranteed spot for Worlds, I just had to show up at the roll down ceremony with my credit card. We downed our meal and headed back to the park just in time for awards. It turned out that it was an incredibly tough day for everyone, even harder than the year before, with only 14 athletes going under 5 hours. I did indeed end up coming in 5th in my age group and the gap between 1st and 5th was just 4 minutes…incredibly tight. My time was also good for 25th overall out of over 1300 people. I was called up to the stage for my award and a little while later went up to claim my spot for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Chattanooga this September. My age group was allocated 7 spots for Worlds plus one additional spot for 8 total…the top 7 guys all claimed their spot and the final slot only rolled down to 10. I’m glad I didn’t slack off expecting slots to roll!<p align="justify"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Imb4Ea1xJAY/WUpyqL7AJjI/AAAAAAAAGuI/8Yfx3c-jwvAyfy17SxlBTg7-9cA7R07-gCHMYCw/s1600-h/award4"><img width="350" height="433" title="" style="border: 0px currentcolor; border-image: none; display: inline; background-image: none;" alt="" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s3SYxqKT9Pg/WUpyq9Zg9gI/AAAAAAAAGuM/uaMeCQ_oPRUdbJ50zunUty1HfJ49mXYnACHMYCw/award_thumb2?imgmax=800" border="0"></a></p><p align="justify">It was a great day and I was happy that Michelle and Emily were able to be there to share it with me. The conditions were brutal and this was the hardest course I have raced on (it made Mont Tremblant seem like a joke), but I was smart and stuck to my plan, racing with my head as much as my legs. The weather did beat me in the end, but I held on a lot longer than most people out there. The training I had put in paid off on race day (thanks Coach Sheri!) and now I have the great opportunity to go and race in the World Championships. I’ll take it easy for a little bit but will be back out training real soon and taking on some local races over the next couple months leading up to Chattanooga. Thanks for reading folks!CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-79833541466110213752017-06-06T11:24:00.001-04:002017-06-06T11:24:03.739-04:002017 Milton Sprint Triathlon Recap<p>Triathlon season is underway! I did my first race of the year on Sunday up in Milton at Kelso Conservation Area. The course is beautiful and challenging as it is held at a little ski hill on the Escarpment, so the hills are plentiful…a good warm up for my Half Ironman in Syracuse in two weeks. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t the greatest as it rained all night and continued through the earlier Try-a-Tri race, but ultimately relenting about a half hour before we started at 9:45. </p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-I4DydMfQJ6o/WTbJCJ2IAsI/AAAAAAAAGq8/E2vhHDV7U2gAw0yjiJIeGf24Ekqzz6mRwCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0471%255B4%255D"><img title="IMG_0471" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0471" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UTTi3Hdgbxg/WTbJCnSSqBI/AAAAAAAAGrA/JWgCLXNNoigQJWrkrFO9Pt58q2uj7vXAQCHM/IMG_0471_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="361" height="272"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">The Milton race offers a Try-a-Tri for beginners and Juniors as well as the longer Sprint race that I took part in. This race is a bit longer than a typical Sprint as we swim 750m, bike 30K (instead of the usual 20) and then run 7K (instead of the traditional 5), all on hilly terrain…a very good challenge to knock the rust off and kick start the season!</p> <p align="justify"><strong><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1021202806" target="_blank">Swim - 750m</a><br></strong><em>11:43 (1:33/100m), 3/55 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">I was able to get out and swim the entire course for warmup and the water was just right (if you were wearing a wetsuit) at 68º. My first impressions were, “Ew, this is weedy”. Every stroke it seemed like you were grabbing huge swaths of seaweed…gross. I was also getting seaweed stuck in my goggles and on my arms…I felt a little bit like swamp thing. No matter though, start time was approaching. I was in the second wave, going out 3 minutes after the elites and men & women under 30. There was certainly a large crowd out in force for the first race of the season…</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BTIX4dJLn9g/WTbJDGxFjDI/AAAAAAAAGrE/WEwjZIPUf80bNGfb18DnE2MJ_cUEctxLQCHM/s1600-h/DBe8XBRXoAALUhL%255B4%255D"><img title="DBe8XBRXoAALUhL" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="DBe8XBRXoAALUhL" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LhQEcwz28E0/WTbJDacHtDI/AAAAAAAAGrI/6ll-MZBksuI6yL3xfoQyE1Ic67DIfLW6wCHM/DBe8XBRXoAALUhL_thumb%255B7%255D?imgmax=800" width="404" height="281"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">The first wave went off and I made my way into the water, getting myself lined up right beside the start buoy. The countdown was on and next thing I knew we were off. I swam hard all the way to the first turn about 175m in and I was right on the feet of the lead pack. I’ve never been able to swim with a pack in a race, I never seem to be able to find the right group, so this was exciting for me. It didn’t last however, as we quickly came up on the back end of the wave that went off before us and there was a LOT of traffic. I lost my pack and just did my best to try and weave my way through the field. It likely slowed me down a little bit but I had a feeling that I was swimming really well. There were no other red swim caps around me, only the blue caps from wave 1. Eventually I came up beside another red cap as we were closing in on the swim finish and I stuck with him as he was clearing a nice path through the crowd. I felt the lake bottom in my hands (instead of seaweed) and popped up out of the water to begin the run into transition…turns out the swim was good enough for third in my age group, I’ll certainly take that.</p> <p align="justify"><strong><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1021202868" target="_blank">Bike - 30K</a><br></strong><em>50:29 (35.6 kph), 5/55 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">After I relatively quick T1 of 47 seconds I was out on my bike. Frustration set in instantly as a moving truck decided it would be a great idea to pull out right in front of me and crawl along down the road for over a full kilometre. I was yelling at the guy as I sat up on my bike, unable to even get going. When he finally got to the stop sign he thankfully turned right as we all headed left on our bikes…I stomped down on the pedals and took out my frustration on the bike course. It wasn’t long before I came upon the signature climb of the race, the Sixth Line Hill. It is a tough hill that features nearly 100m of climbing in a little over one kilometre. I spun fast and furious and made my way up, passing other cyclists along the way. I dropped into my little ring about three quarters of the way up but never even got to the point where I needed the large cog on my cassette…it was a solid hill but nowhere near as hard as some people made it out to be. I actually got to the Irish flag that marks the end of the climb and thought, “That’s it?” I was expecting it to keep going, but wasn’t complaining that it was over!</p> <p align="justify">The rest of the ride was rolling hills through the countryside and I was cruising along nicely. It was my usual bike of passing guys on the flats and climbs, then spinning out on the descents while the same guys just coast by me. The roads were wet throughout the ride but the sun started to creep out about 10K in, bringing the humidity with it. I had stuffed a gel in my jersey pocket and wanted to get it in me with 10K or so to go on the bike, but I was having a tough time getting it out. I eventually managed to get it out and ate it up, and then it was another struggle trying to get the empty wrapper back in my pocket. I struggled but did get it back, and it was a good thing too because as soon as I got it in there the course marshal pulled up from behind me to ask if I was okay (I must have looked pretty bad with that wrapper!)…glad I didn’t just toss it away, I had no idea he was right there.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eC5U-Xv6ihY/WTbJD-OgJHI/AAAAAAAAGrM/Gb7O-ouj3QMzhcGcuSLF5yn-mCOG5j4OgCHM/s1600-h/IMG_0470%255B5%255D"><img title="IMG_0470" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_0470" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QSIn0bC7S-Y/WTbJENQBJFI/AAAAAAAAGrQ/6K_i_fmA7d89yiarQbb5pXJ9lbqtaaSggCHM/IMG_0470_thumb%255B2%255D?imgmax=800" width="404" height="537"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">I was a little anxious about the descent ahead of me on the Sixth Line Hill as today was the first time I was racing with my new carbon 3SIXTY5 wheels, but I was able to control my speed pretty well despite the wet pavement. I was also racing with a power metre for the first time and was looking to hold around 220 watts…well I was closer to 250 watts for the ride so it would be interesting to see how my legs would fare for the hilly run that was in store.</p> <p align="justify"><strong><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/1021202862" target="_blank">Run - 7K</a><br></strong><em>26:33 (3:47/km), 2/55 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">I took a little bit longer than usual getting through T2 as I was chided by a race official for not wearing my bib on the bike…apparently that is a new rule this season. I apologized, slipped on my shoes and visor and put on my race bib…in and out in 1:07. The run goes all through Kelso park and consists of 3 turnarounds, lots of hills (you are pretty much climbing or descending the entire 7K), and paved surface for the first 5K with the last 2K on a gravel path that was now a mud slick. My legs felt horrible from the get go, but my Garmin said I was cruising along nicely at a sub-4:00/km pace. I was passing all kinds of people and just before the first turnaround at 1.5K I saw another M35-39 ahead of me. I set him in my sights and went by him. That was the last I would see of anyone from my age group.</p> <p align="justify">I kept working the hills and chugged along, getting faster as I went…I was through 5K in under 20 minutes and hitting the mud slick. It was a bit tougher running in the mud but my legs felt great and kept driving onward. I came to the last descent and had one kilometre to go to the finish and gave it all I had, managing to clock my fastest kilometre of the day with a 3:26. As I came through the finishing chute I saw 1:33:xx on the clock and I was pretty thrilled knowing that meant I was 1:30:xx, much quicker than I had anticipated for this “rust-buster”. Certainly nice to see that the winter of training was already paying off. My official time was <strong>1:30:39</strong>, good for 17th place overall and 2nd in my age group. Really thrilled with my run, especially since I thought I pushed a bit harder than I should have on the bike…far and away my best triathlon run ever.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0ULkw_jrnIA/WTbJEfeApkI/AAAAAAAAGrU/byaS7LnzyqonZ-fV2_j9zjX8O06ONYHnQCHM/s1600-h/18953457_1450007011711929_8528468351758454516_o%255B4%255D"><img title="18953457_1450007011711929_8528468351758454516_o" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="18953457_1450007011711929_8528468351758454516_o" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-udQMb_Wz1HI/WTbJE41q4FI/AAAAAAAAGrY/mbU4JOa1beIa2ZN1GmThe8aGUFafTLy1wCHM/18953457_1450007011711929_8528468351758454516_o_thumb%255B5%255D?imgmax=800" width="404" height="357"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">Next on the schedule is Ironman 70.3 Syracuse on Father’s Day, where I try to punch my ticket for the 70.3 World Championship this September. Milton was a great confidence booster for me and I know that if I race the way I am capable of racing I have a shot at my goal.</p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-12861875886511165922017-05-02T13:41:00.001-04:002017-05-02T13:41:03.146-04:002017 Forest City Road Race Half Marathon Recap<p>This past weekend marked the 35th running of the Forest City Road Races, the premier running race in Southwestern Ontario and my hometown race. I ran in the half marathon in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and took last year off to volunteer at the race. I was back to run again on Sunday morning.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjOl-UCCQCZG9ZVhCQ3FFI3coTLhbPfckk7fVY9hKyPBGzs3nXitdGO7ibvVK_N0UQgvLN9It8d1FKya8RJsvI0OTRrLwGPw0Vyntml30dlgP4bT9jhV1I_gA5yOhFUOEpekY_NGruukI/s1600-h/FCRR_Twitter_Profile_2017%255B10%255D"><img title="FCRR_Twitter_Profile_2017" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="FCRR_Twitter_Profile_2017" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h9ko1T-eQbQ/WQjEoMlN_FI/AAAAAAAAGp4/82u0qswGnywFiViPuTwxoCu9M5Ro1ZAewCHM/FCRR_Twitter_Profile_2017_thumb%255B5%255D?imgmax=800" width="304" height="304"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">The forecast had been calling for rain in the days leading up to the race but the rain passed through overnight. It was still cool and overcast, with plenty of wind, but conditions were pretty favourable for racing. We arrived at Victoria Park around 7:30 with the race set to begin at 8:00. I met up with a few friends and passed some time before getting a nice easy jog in around the park to warm up. After that I stripped out of my warm gear and checked my bag before walking to the start line. I was going to be running with my buddy Spencer who was racing his first half. We were both looking to run sub-1:25 and hopefully closer to 1:22 so we decided to work together as long as we could.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rYVxGzM15Ys/WQjEos0DzcI/AAAAAAAAGp8/sIsleTcPe9UP8-3peic5kZhLhVC1gom-wCHM/s1600-h/100090-5bf868-1000082881%255B7%255D"><img title="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2wV00DChv7s/WQjEo_7ZsYI/AAAAAAAAGqA/HMt4WrPDGJYyuTHsu67JpjsEgdFl3_FzACHM/100090-5bf868-1000082881_thumb%255B4%255D?imgmax=800" width="504" height="337"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong><em>Start to Western University (1K-5K, 19:12, 3:50/km)</em></strong></p> <p align="justify">After singing the National Anthem the gun went and we were off like a shot. Spencer and I were solidly holding 4th & 5th place, with 1 through 3 gapping us quickly. Chris Balestrini was out running, so I was pretty sure who would be winning today…the guy is a beast and has won this race every year I have run it. He was pretty much out of sight about 500m in. Spencer and I were cruising though and clipped off the first couple of kilometres at a really good pace to establish ourselves before settling in around 3:55/km. We were chatting away and holding our pace steady, although Spencer would point out that I really liked to pull hard at every intersection we came to. I couldn’t help it, I was fired up…especially when a pickup truck with a trailer pulled into our lane to attempt a right-hand turn just as we were about to come through the intersection. Thankfully the police officer at the intersection put a stop to the guy. We continued our run up Western Road, climbing the hill to the university.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jpEM5CyeNQg/WQjEpNaRSGI/AAAAAAAAGqE/anLmLvT_DyM4gSK7-sY4QPNKOiXFavDRQCHM/s1600-h/100090-26e482-1000077724%2B%25281%2529%255B4%255D"><img title="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0IGhJ2KcGU8/WQjEpiUnvNI/AAAAAAAAGqI/4gGylXvCD4wCCdQaO9ZPEL_Hd0A3gBVGwCHM/100090-26e482-1000077724%2B%25281%2529_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="337" height="504"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong><em>Western to Old North (6K-10K, 19:59, 4:00/km)</em></strong></p> <p align="justify"> <p>We turned into Western and into the teeth of the wind…it was stiff. We kept the effort up but the pace dipped a touch once we headed into Gibbons Park. I could tell that Spencer was fighting it just a little bit at this point as his breathing was getting harder so I told him to tuck in behind me and I would take on the wind for him as best as I could. I slowed just a touch to let him try and get his heart rate and breathing back in line. It seemed to help as we were able to get back on our pace just in time for the London Pacers water station (always one of the best water stations for FCRR!). I knew that we had the big climb of the race coming up though…we were about to exit the park up St James hill, a 20m incline over just 800m.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFoLwtTT636SyCa99aS2ngx6aV_Fe9IN5Q_RwN4GUTJHRCDaDI5br-fKsdTL6sRwFaVtlgtijFzSb_xjjpPjxEA__q-Z6OerPD7HCyMp73yI6qe0rlCcQdhCiJbRU731TAWvublSekHDM/s1600-h/100090-67393b-1000094951%255B4%255D"><img title="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dFUnvkJyY68/WQjEqfkIjxI/AAAAAAAAGqQ/mK0XFr5ADoUTdKLY_JKH4a9q-HzOkIu1wCHM/100090-67393b-1000094951_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="337" height="504"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">We turned up the hill and started our climb. Spencer’s heart rate spiked again and he had to slow it right down. He told me to keep going and he’d catch back up, but I knew the last thing he needed was to take a breath just to put in a surge to catch me so I slowed down to stay with him. He got going again but it wasn’t long before the problem came right back. All of a sudden I could hear another set of footsteps right behind us as the pack behind us closed the gap. We were at 9K and if I wanted to hold my position I knew I had to let Spencer go. I took off just before the pack caught me and didn’t look back…I didn’t need to look because I could hear them right on my heels.</p></p> <p align="justify"><strong><em>Old North to Western (11K-15K, 19:06, 3:49/km)</em></strong></p> <p align="justify"> <p>I really started to pick up the pace after leaving Spencer, knowing that there was a pack trying to run me down. I was able to enjoy the run through the beautiful Old North neighbourhood and took in the cheers from the spectators out supporting us as well as the delightful strains of the bagpipes…I had a big Scottish grin across my face as soon as I saw the piper ahead. I continued weaving my way through the streets of Old North and soon came to the corner of Waterloo and Victoria, which happened to be where Michelle was volunteering as a course marshal. As soon as I turned onto Waterloo I could hear her screaming from the other end of the street…”Come on Michael! Woo Hoooooo!!!!” I run up towards her and attempted (and failed) to grab one of the licorices she was handing out. She informed me that there were three guys right behind me and probably said something like run faster. I got hustling and picked it up a tad, dropping my pace down to the 3:40’s, despite running into the wind. Soon enough I was making the turn north on Adelaide and then west onto the long Windermere stretch, which is a little climb followed by a big descent, and with the wind finally at my back!</p> <p align="justify"> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-F5IqbEL0LvM/WQjEqlJy-cI/AAAAAAAAGqU/OPZZGHvimws-G_Ndu4x9iZhPXoHocYncwCHM/s1600-h/100090-9d3471-1000096524%255B4%255D"><img title="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8a1ZIpAUJ9E/WQjEq7SeBQI/AAAAAAAAGqY/c7q3ms_RUJEMuTj22LCt5D6CqoBL6HdFACHM/100090-9d3471-1000096524_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="337" height="504"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong><em>Western to Gibbons (16K-20K, 19:03, 3:49/km)</em></strong></p> <p align="justify"> <p> <p>As I made the turn off of Windermere and onto Richmond I decided to allow myself a quick peek behind me. I could see back around the corner nearly 500m before the Windermere Mount blocked my view and there was nobody. I was entirely clear of the pack that had been chasing me. Obviously there was no one that I could see ahead of me either, as those three bunnies took off right from the start and I hadn’t seen a trace of them since around 5K. I was all alone, just me and that stiff stiff wind in my face. I was really wishing I still had Spencer with me at this point (or anyone, really) as it would have been nice having someone to work with against that headwind. I just tried to make myself small and powered through it though, pumping my arms and legs as hard as I could. Back into the university I turned and quickly back onto the path through Gibbons. Really fighting that wind but still feeling good and strong. I was working hard but never really struggling. I passed the Pacers water station a second time and continued up towards St James hill where I kept straight instead of turning as I began to head back to downtown and the finish line. I crossed under the Oxford Street bridge and one of the volunteers cheered me on, telling me that there was no one in sight. I took a left out of the park onto Ann Street and then back into a brutal headwind for the homestretch on Talbot.</p> <p align="justify"> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7FNIohMdNAs/WQjErfYSLII/AAAAAAAAGqc/DrAxOssGXd4gRzasIXNCepw4BsL2ExiXQCHM/s1600-h/100090-b7af76-1000086433%255B4%255D"><img title="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://fcrr.zoomphoto.ca/gallery/2017fcrr" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f8g6qPQAp90/WQjErksHyQI/AAAAAAAAGqg/NmCDvwcpbJounHpMHGsSKqCCubTcgA9gACHM/100090-b7af76-1000086433_thumb%255B1%255D?imgmax=800" width="337" height="504"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong><em>Talbot to Victoria Park Finish (20K-21.1K, 3:43/km)</em></strong></p> <p align="justify"> <p> <p>It was actually a really nice boost to come up out of the park and onto Talbot, despite the wind and the final climb, because I was hooking up with the tail end of the 5K race…there were actually other runners! I felt like the climb and the wind had knocked me well off my pace, but I looked down at my watch and saw that I was still cruising in the 3:40’s. I shouted out encouragement to the 5K runners as I went past them and cheered them into their finish line. I headed up Central Ave and made the final victory loop around Victoria Park, finishing up strong with a big kick down Dufferin into the finish chute. The commentators saw me coming in my Team Sheri shirt and shouted, “Here comes Mike Cooke, the Tye Dyed Streak!” Across the finish with a time of 1:22:13…4th place overall, 1st in my age group and even a 2 second PR!</p> <p>It ended up being a great day of racing as I had a whole bunch of friends setting new PR’s and a number of them even running their first races at these distances. Thanks to all the folks at Forest City Road Races for putting on yet another great race, they really have this race thing figured out after 35 years! Also a big thank you to all of the awesome volunteers (my lovely wife included) who braved some pretty nasty spectating/volunteering weather to support us all out on the course. Really appreciate you all being there. Cheers, and thanks for reading!</p></p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-59200074294470091522017-03-27T13:15:00.001-04:002017-03-27T13:15:33.875-04:002017 Around the Bay Recap<p align="justify">Race report! My first race of the season was this past weekend in Hamilton, the Around the Bay 30K Road Race…oldest road race in North America, this being the 123rd anniversary. This would be my third time doing the race.</p> <p align="justify">I had signed up to take the bus down with the New Balance group, who provide bib pickup as well as the bus to and from the race for only $30…the only way I will ever do this race! Michelle, my Mum and I caught the bus at 5:30am Sunday and we were pulling into Hamilton shortly after 7:00. The race didn’t start until 9:30 so we had a bit of time to relax and enjoy the warmth (and toilets) of First Ontario Centre while we waited. Once the race start was near we all headed off to our corrals to begin the race. I ran into a few familiar faces I hadn’t seen since last season and said my hellos to Zindine, Brad and Luke. I was at the start line with Brad and Luke but knew that their opening pace would be a bit rich for me as I had wanted to hold back a bit at the start. The horn (a train horn since CN was the presenting sponsor) signaled the start of the race and we were off.</p> <p align="justify"><strong><em>The Out (1K-10K, 4:00/km)</em></strong><br>The first 10K of the race was through the Hamilton downtown and then out into a more industrial area as we headed towards Lake Ontario. There was a pretty stiff headwind all through this section and that knocked my pace down a wee bit. I was moving along well but just wasn’t able to find a good group to tuck in with to hide from the wind…everyone that I came up on was going a little too slow for my liking. I made sure to not push too hard in the wind and tried to hold the pace around 4:00/km. I came through the first 5K in 20:03 and began to run side by side with another guy and we held a similar pace through to nearly the 20K mark. We were holding our own on the flat sections and every overpass we came to we bounded pass other runners. Looking good for the hills on the back half, which I knew I needed to save the legs for. We hit the highway offramp and looped around to the 10K mark in 40:03 to begin the next stretch of the race.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T1D3XplLjgg/WNlIriH6XYI/AAAAAAAAGoE/U6UNgD2fLOM/s1600-h/ABAF0147%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ABAF0147" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ABAF0147" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-QNFQ-8AE6lE/WNlIr0l2z-I/AAAAAAAAGoI/BArs8yyZmP8/ABAF0147_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="236" height="354"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div align="justify"> </div> <p align="justify"><strong><em>The Across (11K-20K, 3:54/km)</em></strong><br>As we crossed the 10K timing mat we were also turning out of the wind…it was still there to be sure but it was a much more manageable crosswind. This is the section of the race where I knew I could bank some time, yet being careful to keep enough in reserve for the hills. I found a group to run with this time and stuck right on the heels of a woman that was absolutely dialed in to her pace. We cruised along at around a 3:55/km pace and it was feeling relatively easy after the headwind on the first 10K. There was another woman a little bit up the road from us and I commented to my new running buddy that she was reeling her in…she just chuckled. We were certainly closing though and it wasn’t long before we passed her, and good for her too as she ended up placing as the 10th overall female. We came across the lift bridge and made the turn towards the neighbourhood hills and began the swaybacks with the wind assisting us for the first time all day…</p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"><strong><em>The Hills (21K-27K, 3:56/km)</em></strong><br>This section is the meat of the course, where the rubber really hits the road. It starts out easy enough with some gentle rollers and builds up to a few really tough hills and ends with the Valley Inn Road Hill, the signature climb of the course which was returning after a 2 year hiatus due to construction. The hills in this section quite simply will make or break your race. I managed to hold my pace steady through the first couple of rollers and then I saw a familiar sight up ahead. There was Luke, chugging up a hill. I came up behind him and made a lame joke about using the force, then proceeded on my way. Luke was using this as a training run for Boston in 3 weeks, it is a really great pre-Boston course as there are plenty of similarities. Up on the next hill I recognized another runner ahead. This time I was pretty sure I knew who it was because of their form and I was right…it was Trevor, the young kid that I ran almost my entire Ironman Mont Tremblant run leg with, along with his mom on the bike beside him. I pulled up beside him and said, “Fancy seeing you here.” He just looked at me funny and said, “Do I know you?”, to which I just replied “Tremblant”. “Mike!” he shouted, “Hey Mom, it’s Mike from Mont Tremblant!”. He was pretty stoked and I think it was a nice little boost for him to see a friendly face out there at a tough point in the race. Again I was off though, bounding up the hills and on to the final big Valley Inn hill. I used the big downhill approaching it as much as I could and then proceeded to chug my way up the other side. Head down, lean forward, pump the arms. I chewed the final hill up and spit it out at the top. I could hear some heavy breathing from someone that was right on my heels the whole way and once I crested the top I just stuck my fist out for a fist bump and it was my female running buddy from earlier…she crushed the hill too. In fact she nailed it so well that she took off once we were at the top and left me in her dust as she flew towards the finish. Beast.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CiKktXqQJRc/WNlIsNW1OVI/AAAAAAAAGoM/xL4IAGhMnNk/s1600-h/ABAM0106%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ABAM0106" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ABAM0106" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g1eRMKVxXqA/WNlIsrb6ydI/AAAAAAAAGoQ/rA3IL6nSmKA/ABAM0106_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="237" height="354"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div align="justify"> </div> <p align="justify"><strong><em>The Back (28K-30K, 3:53/km)</em></strong><br></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">The final 3K stretch after the hills back to the finish is all downhill, so you can really hammer it home. Unfortunately the wind had other ideas on this day…yup, the headwind was back. I knew how close I was though and I pushed the pace with everything I had left in my legs…I was now chasing a sub-2 hour run which would net me a gold medal. I ignored my screaming quads and kept the pace rich, passing people all the way back to First Ontario Centre. As we neared the finish there were cheers from the spectators and we made the turn into the arena to the finish. I crossed with a bit of time to spare for the gold, official time <strong>1:58:25</strong>.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VtkzPpbI5vU/WNlIs_aex7I/AAAAAAAAGoU/61aSlN6R5L0/s1600-h/ABZZ4171%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="ABZZ4171" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="ABZZ4171" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KLmwc_Q5pX0/WNlItYp3pvI/AAAAAAAAGoY/tZGgLIX4_9k/ABZZ4171_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="354" height="235"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div align="justify"> </div> <p align="justify">Brad and a couple of his buddies had just crossed the line and both Trevor and Luke were in just shortly after me, so we all congratulated each other and got some pictures together. Then I was off to the bus to get changed and have a couple of beers before Michelle and my Mum finished their races. I cheered on some runners and saw the ladies cross the line and then before long we were back on the bus heading home to London. </p> <p align="justify">Oh, one other cool thing…on the way to the race there was a clipboard passed around the bus for people to guess their finishing times. Michelle decided that she would guess my time and went with 1:59:16, only 9 seconds off of my actual time. Turns out I was closest to my guess and I won a $25 New Balance gift card! Sweet!</p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-24733761162208225902016-10-18T08:25:00.001-04:002016-10-18T08:25:18.226-04:002016 Vulture Bait 50K Trail Race Recap<p align="justify">The triathlon season ended for me last month but that didn't mean my race season with done with…I still had my first ever 50K Ultra to look forward to, the Vulture Bait Trail Race.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-U4P6ffpFkkA/WAYUnieoRNI/AAAAAAAAGg0/iKCF_X-EfJA/s1600-h/vblogo%25255B4%25255D.png"><img title="vblogo" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="vblogo" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FJcJFtDwqc8/WAYUoMrQImI/AAAAAAAAGg4/Q2BQPgj9mkg/vblogo_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="277" height="196"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">The race is local for us as it takes place at Fanshawe Conservation Area, just the other end of town. The setting is beautiful as you run through the woods around the lake, one of the best trails to run in our neck of the woods. I was looking forward to it, but really didn't know what to expect as my longest training run was only 30K and I had never run further than the standard marathon distance of 42.2K (26.2 miles). Nothing to worry about, right??</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bQYVyNyhI5I/WAYUoTTOOcI/AAAAAAAAGg8/g4u6C2KJbAk/s1600-h/vbaitmap%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="vbaitmap" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="vbaitmap" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-azun6e-oP-w/WAYUovyIU1I/AAAAAAAAGhA/n6Lu3s-pyno/vbaitmap_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="317" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">The race was Saturday morning and we were blessed with absolutely perfect weather…a true anomaly for this race as they were quick to let us all know. Apparently this was the first time in the 14 year running of the race that the weather has been decent. I did the 25K last year and we had snow flurries, so we were quite fortunate. It was cool to start, probably around 10ºC or so, but the sun was shining and it warmed up to 20ºC during the morning. Michelle was with me as well as she was taking on the single-loop 25K, her first trail race! She was running with our friend Nancy, and we met up with her and her husband Tom in the parking lot on the way in. There were plenty of familiar faces to say hi to and catch up with so the time went by quickly as we waited for the race start. The wait wasn't completely uneventful though as I had to seek out first aid before the race even began. I went to unlock the bathroom stall and the door was a little tight…as I slid the lock open I though to myself, "I better be careful or I'll end up slicing my finger." Sure enough. Knuckle gashed and dripping blood (it was just a flesh wound), I found a lovely volunteer to bandage me up (she also happened to be a nurse, lucky me). Hopefully not a sign of things to come!</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH4F0CT9A-PW8yP6im393E1jge5kshT2GrSRUr6a694hMOnZ_MoXZFZDbZjZA_9wfkv6IWF5HI2mRFfR7OcUmdtS2sJWXxHAPR83Ldj41EoCbFlH8DvP5AL2RqitUDrE8Ps_iG2I1rfYku/s1600-h/16e%25255B3%25255D.gif"><img title="16e" style="display: inline" alt="16e" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7h390LyzJXY/WAYUp1AALUI/AAAAAAAAGhI/hbePlqlhAdc/16e_thumb%25255B1%25255D.gif?imgmax=800" width="500" height="250"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">9:00 rolled around and we all made our way down the steep (slippery) hill to the start line. I scampered to the back of the pack and found Michelle to give her a kiss and wish her well, then made my way back up through the crowd to the front. The 25K and 50K start at the same time (can't really call 300 people a "mass start", but you get the idea) and I wanted to make sure I got out quick enough to avoid the crowd as we headed into the single-track. If you are looking for trail racing advice, that's about all I've got…get in the lead pack and avoid congestion…once the trail narrows you do not want to be stuck behind people that have nowhere to go. Frustrating for you and frustrating for them too.</p> <p align="justify">A group of about 10 took off and set the pace right from the start. I had tried to scope out the bib numbers at the start to see who was wearing a 300+ (meaning 50K) as I had no desire to chase the 25K rabbits for very long. It didn't take long to see the front 5 putting in a bit of a gap on us, and I called back to my buddy Abe (who was doing the 25K race) to let him know that this first 5K stretch was one of the only places on the course where you could book some time as it was pretty open and easy running. He nodded and took off after the pack. Shortly afterwards the runner in front of me called back to let me know that he was off the pace of the leaders in case I wanted to chase, but I was quick to let him know that I wasn't interested in running anyone down today. It was pretty easy to tell who the 50K runners were!</p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">I bridged up to this guy and we chatted for a little while…he had travelled all the way down from Sudbury (about 600km away) because he had heard how great this race was. We ran for a bit until we hit the aid station at 5K…I just grabbed a quick sip of water and he stopped for a beat or two longer and that was the last I saw of him for the day.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N2I7Wqqq5tQ/WAYUqEzyEeI/AAAAAAAAGhM/qZVvyJuTnRQ/s1600-h/VB2016%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="VB2016" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="VB2016" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbkMaIfq6ICC6MQuCnIfCVVQoVoJrzpc5ry8Cuoa1NCsB1t1nUP7D3f9T-d3v9VHIcC4OMglJ3CHQoyr7SGMBCcTHBi_tlC6wvCEnRaLYngjD3CmTOTWl8GhD76iueObzjLW7z6aNoIby/?imgmax=800" width="500" height="333"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I made my way across the dam and ducked back into the woods again, beginning the real traily part of the race. This section was a bit twisty through some pine forest with lots of roots to tiptoe through. I was finding that I was able to run the road/easy trail sections around a 4:20-4:30/km pace and once I got back into the more technical sections I was down around 4:45-5:00/km…paces I would be very happy to hold. Coming up on 10K and I saw a runner in front of me that I was reeling in…I recognized his blue shirt (or maybe purple? Not sure, I'm colourblind #colourblindessdidnotwin) and knew it was Abe. As I got up behind him I told him not to worry it was only me…nobody was overtaking him. We started running together and chatted a bit along the way. He was dealing with some hamstring issues but was holding a really good pace. We spurred each other on through the next 9 or 10K before Abe eventually had to pull off for a moment to stretch out his wonky hammy on the Thorndale bridge.</p> <p align="justify">Back into the woods for the last 5K of the first loop…last year this was the area that featured an unofficial "Hillbilly" Aid Station (which featured three types of beer…light beer, dark, beer and root beer. Plus banjos) This year was a different take with a beach party going on, complete with Bob Marley & Jimmy Buffett tunes and the Jamaican flag. The guys were decked out in hula skirts and Hawaiian shirts and offered me margaritas, Red Stripe beer and cerveza…I downed a margarita (LOADED with tequila!) with a Red Stripe chaser, then tried my hand at their limbo station, all while some other guy went zipping by saying something about catching them on his second loop. Jeez man, taking the lead from a guy doing shots and limbo??? Where's the fun in that?!? I figured I better say goodbye to the Rasta-party-ans and chase this guy down before he got too far ahead of me. I closed the gap and got on his heels after another kilometre or so and we ran together the last couple kilometres back to the start/finish area and our halfway point. We chatted briefly about race position and wondering if anyone was out ahead, which neither of us believed was the case…we were fairly certain we were the first two runners. We cruised into the halfway point and both of us stopped at the feed tables. He quickly refilled his water bottle while I downed Coke and water and grabbed a couple handfuls of peanut M&M's and ju jubes. As I was <strike>pigging out</strike> refueling the other guy was already out building up a lead of nearly 200m…time to chase again. I took off and right away I felt gross. I had been running a bit quicker than I knew I should have been when I was running back to halfway with the other fella and now I was feeling it. I wasn't exactly letting him go at this point, but I wasn't going to burn all my matches trying to stay with him now either. I still had a long way to go and I had to run my race. I settled back into a more sustainable pace and was once again running solo.</p> <p align="justify">I made my way through the quicker section of the trail again and as I popped out by the first aid station near the dam I caught a glimpse of the lead runner already heading up the hill, but surprisingly no further ahead than he was when we started our second loop. he aid station volunteers confirmed we were 1 & 2 and urged me on to go get him, saying I was about 30 seconds back. I grabbed some goodies at their station and took off again, keeping to my steady pace. Back into the woods again I saw a couple out walking their dog…as I got closer I realized that it was Ralph, one of my buddies from work. I'm not sure who was more surprised to see who. A quick "hey Ralph!" was all I could muster as I trudged onwards.</p> <p align="justify">Eventually I made it to the cottages section where we were back onto some road and coming up to another aid station…I knew it was coming so I downed my second and final Gu gel (Root Beer, yum). This aid station was great…more Coke & water along with candies, cookies, chips, crackers and watermelon (which I downed in one big bite). Seriously, when you are racing there is nothing better than watermelon. Also at the aid station was the lead runner, once again refilling his bottle. He left just as I was pulling in, but I knew that I was closing the gap. Once I took off again I decided to try and make up some ground while I could on the faster surface before ducking back into the woods. It was about a kilometre before we hit the woods again and I pulled up beside him just as we were going in. I saw him stretching his arms out above his head a few times and asked him how he was feeling. He replied that his stomach wasn't great and he was having trouble eating, as well as some cramps. I wished him well and took off…he didn't even try to chase me.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kleaRsJFsBE/WAYUq4TFJTI/AAAAAAAAGhU/aCqh7k-EOO4/s1600-h/VB%252520weUltra%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="VB weUltra" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="VB weUltra" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FUi6Q_k3q5U/WAYUrD0aK0I/AAAAAAAAGhY/0Tpm-SEqzw8/VB%252520weUltra_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="350"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">By now I was 40K in and was just focusing on making the next aid stations. As I cruised into the next station the volunteers were still putting their finishing touches on for the 50K runners. She told me I was about 3 minutes earlier than they were expecting people…that's gotta be a good sign! I refueled with more Coke, water and sport drink as well as some delicious oranges and was back on my way. I tore down the black diamond hill and noticed my watch beep at 42K…I was crossing the marathon threshold at 3:31. I was now into uncharted running territory and way past that 30K training run. I came out on the final stretch of road and took a peek behind me as I was turning back into the woods…you can see back close to 500m from here and there was no one in sight. The race was mine to lose, I just had to make sure I didn't do anything stupid.</p> <p align="justify">The next aid station was the unofficial beach party again and all I wanted was water. I asked the Rasta-party-ans if they had anything non-alcoholic and one of them said, "sure, there's plenty of water down that hill…in the lake". So Red Stripe it was! No limbo this time and for the first time ever at their station nobody passed me! I thanked the guys and headed off towards the final aid station up at the top of the hill. By now I was wondering if I would see Michelle and Nancy and sure enough as I was just about up the hill I could hear Michelle's voice as she was leaving the aid station, saying something about not letting her husband pass her. One last Coke, Ginger Ale, water fill up for me at Jeremy's aid station and then off to the finish line. I came up behind Michelle and Nancy shortly after and they cheered me on as I passed them…I still think Michelle was trying to block me but she'll deny it ;) There were actually quite a few 25K runners still out finishing their races and they all cheered me on as I went by and I tried my best to encourage them as well, but truth be told I was a little grumpy and tired at that point…the energy level just wasn't there.</p> <p align="justify">I emerged from the woods and made the final 2K run to the finish. Tom was there to cheer me on as he was heading out to cheer in Nancy and Michelle, and at the finish line there was a decent sized crowd gathered to cheer me in. I crossed the finish line with a winning time of <strong>4:11:34</strong>. I knew the guys at the finish line handing out medals too and got mine from Kevin, which was kind of a nice touch. I found a comfy picnic table to sit at and waited for Michelle to finish. I gave her a big cheer as she crossed the line to complete her first trail race.</p> <p align="justify">We were unfortunately unable to stick around for the amazing post-race food spread and awards ceremony, but I did get hooked up with some pretty sweet swag for my win. I walked away with a $50 gift card for MEC, and I will soon have a new custom embroidered Columbia Sportswear jacket as well as a new pair of Montrail shoes. Not bad at all!</p> <p align="justify">Big thanks go out to the organizers and all of the amazing volunteers on this one…without you the race doesn't happen. Vulture Bait is definitely on the must-do list if you are looking for a trail run here in Southwestern Ontario, highly recommended! Cheers for reading folks :)</p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-54678749517877569492016-09-13T15:33:00.001-04:002016-09-13T15:33:45.820-04:002016 MSC Lakeside Olympic Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">Just three weeks ago I completed Ironman Mont Tremblant, but there was still work to do with one last race on my triathlon calendar. My final triathlon of the year was the Olympic race at Lakeside, which is relatively local as it is just east of London. Lakeside has a Sprint race as well as Kids races on Saturday and then on Sunday there is the Olympic along with a Give it a Tri. MultiSport Canada runs season long series and I needed one more race to qualify for the Olympic+ series…they take your top 3 results in races that are Olympic distance or longer and crown age group champions at the end of the season. With a decent result I would be in good shape to win the series for my age group so I decided to sign up and give it a shot despite the heavy post-Ironman legs. Training was somewhat non-existent leading up to the race as I only had a couple of swims and just one bike ride, but I was getting out running a bit more than I had been during the Ironman training (something that has made me happy…I’ve been feeling disconnected from running for a while and it feels ‘right’ to be back at it). This race was going to be interesting, I really didn’t know what to expect going into it.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UFxrg0FLl3M/V9hUiS2izbI/AAAAAAAAGfc/G9-wNNgOkyg/s1600-h/Lakeside_kos-300x300_Logo-201510271127%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="Lakeside_kos-300x300_Logo-201510271127" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Lakeside_kos-300x300_Logo-201510271127" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o9BXoGbOaBc/V9hUig2avwI/AAAAAAAAGfg/DsfW8WHO2Fg/Lakeside_kos-300x300_Logo-201510271127_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="300"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">I arrived at nice and early with plenty of time to get a great spot to rack my bike, set up my transition and say hi and catch up with friends. It was a very cool morning (only 15º), something we haven’t had in a long time in these parts. I chatted with one of the officials and he commented that wetsuits would probably not be allowed as the water temperature the day before for the Sprint race was 28º. I was hoping that I could wear the suit with the air temps being so low, but I wasn’t worried if they weren’t allowed…I have enough confidence in my swim that I knew I would be fine. Non-wetsuit might even be an advantage for me.</p> <p align="justify"><strong><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/708760424" target="_blank">Swim - 1500m</a><br></strong><em>24:21 (1:37/100m), 1st AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The wetsuit call was made and to most people’s relief, they allowed them. I headed down to the beach to get a quick warmup in and to scope out the two-loop swim course. I was in the first wave and we took off at 10:00. I positioned myself all the way to the far left and went out hard. It wasn’t long and I had some nice clean water to work with and by the first turn I could see that I was up at the front with about 7 or 8 other guys. The swim at Lakeside is fairly weedy, something a lot of people complain about, but I actually liked having the weeds just below my fingertips…they were a good reminder to maintain my form (or else I would get a handful of the stuff) and as a bonus it made me feel speedy as I saw the weeds zip by below me. We made the second turn to head back towards shore and I decided to close the gap on the guy right ahead of me. A few good strong pulls and I was on his feet, allowing me to catch my breath and settle in again. I always find it hard to gauge my effort when I’m riding someone’s wake in the swim, but this felt way too easy. I decided to pop out and go around him and the effort was minimal…good decision as he was slowing down. I made the turn through the start line to begin my second loop and I swam the rest of the time all on my own. There were still a few guys ahead of me but they remained just out of reach. My hands started grabbing sand and I popped up to run it in…one of my better swims of the year as I was 5th out of the water.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j026DyaR_J0/V9hUjEUGUkI/AAAAAAAAGfk/Ftm3Ab7mOjY/s1600-h/19904-603ac8-28046008%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tl-RVgtXdRs/V9hUjpkEgCI/AAAAAAAAGfo/qJI4omeR9hM/19904-603ac8-28046008_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/708760517" target="_blank">Bike – 40K</a><br></b><em>1:07:26 (35.6kph), 6th AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">T1 was my typical 1:04…I always seem to be right around the 1 minute mark. I set out to take on the 40K bike course, complete with wind and rolling hills. Right from the start I could tell my legs really weren’t feeling it. I wasn’t ‘slow’, but they just didn’t feel right. I pushed with what I had and kept the cadence high and managed to hold off the charging pack behind me through the first 10K. After we turned north I started to feel the wind a bit. It wasn’t too bad as there were some treed sections that blocked it and I just tucked in a bit tighter to try to minimize the impact. A couple of guys rode past but I was still holding my own. We turned east and were able to get a bit of a push from the wind, but the wind wasn’t able to help me when my crank decided it didn’t want to turn anymore. I tried to back pedal in an attempt to free it up to no avail so I had to come to a stop and get off the bike. That’s a get-off-the-bike issue two races in a row now after never having a problem before. I thought maybe I had dropped the chain and it was stuck but that wasn’t the case…figuring that it was probably bearings I gave the bottom bracket a bit of a knock to try and free things up and that seemed to get things moving again. A couple guys zipped by me as I was going through my troubleshooting and looking back at my ride details it cost me a little over a minute. Again though, I stuck to my seven year old’s mantra…”You get what you get and you don’t get upset.” I didn’t let it bother me as it was out of my hands at that point, but I guess I’ll be looking at that bottom bracket in the near future. I was able to catch and pass the two guys that went by me but the bigger pack was now a minute closer and a few of the stronger cyclists were able to get me (I’m looking at you Zindine!). I kept pushing with what I had but between the mechanical and tired bike legs I knew it just wasn’t my day. I made the turn back towards Lakeside and took on the rollers, which seemed like mole hills after Tremblant. Back into transition, but not before one more bike gaffe…as I went to slip my left foot out of my shoe I ended up pulling my shoe right off the pedal. I managed to get it back clipped in and dismounted well enough, but the shoe must not have been quite in as it went flying across the road once I crossed the dismount line. I yelled back and asked a volunteer to get it off the road for me and they obliged, even tossing it over the fence to me at my rack during transition. Thanks volunteer!</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-djvuQIyo-yw/V9hUj2lGRkI/AAAAAAAAGfs/iqjRw9VnI9Q/s1600-h/19904-a55a48-28040129%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Xm-AFwR1-GNuklI7hn1la_pamP1YWXgpSVAhi97WOjKfUZEwbrrDDVzS1WsIPGGZ4kDsChnjzDjSksZKREbiaYLZS5V3U72s2lHcmEcRGGHHjMeSOs6NA2PuHC0pzOh_mZ86gFgrefUc/?imgmax=800" width="334" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify"><b><a href="https://www.strava.com/activities/708760503" target="_blank">Run - 10K</a><br></b><em> 41:47 (4:10/km), 2nd AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The temperature was warming up a bit and the sun was shining…really great conditions for a nice 10K run. Judging by the empty racks in T2, I knew I was still up towards the front of the pack. I took off for the two-loop run and started picking of relay runners and duathletes right away. The run here is great as it is on a nice dirt road…really easy to run on. There are a few potholes to look out for but I’d rather that than running on hot, hard pavement. Just before I hit the first turnaround I saw Zin coming towards me from the other direction…he yelled something at me basically saying he wanted me to try and catch him. The volunteers at the water station got a kick out of it and it gave me a bit of motivation. I dug in a bit and picked up the pace. Heading back to the start turnaround I saw teammate John coming (easy to spot each other in the Team Sheri jerseys) and we nailed a picture-perfect high five. He’s in his first year of racing and looked great, getting better every time out. I hit the start/finish turnaround and set out for lap number two. My legs were really feeling good now and I was finding my groove. It helped that there were a lot of other people on the course which gave me motivation…I was cheering people on as I went by and feeding off of the energy they were putting out. I made the last turn and began the run back to the finish. I was picking off plenty of people now and moved past Ryan Van Praet and his guide Steve Moore. Ryan is a blind triathlete who is training for Ironman Florida this fall…it is so cool getting to race with him, what an inspiration. He is tethered on both the swim and the run to his guide and they ride a tandem tri bike like a couple of bosses. They went by my like I was standing still on the bike and took home the fastest bike split of the race. He looks like he’s going to do great at IMFL! Next up was the eventual race winner Jim Sunners…Jim is in his 50’s and shames the best of us with his fitness. Very impressive. I went past Jim with less than a kilometre to go (he started in a later wave than I did) and gave him a cheer…he just yelled something about how I better not be on my last loop :) I came up to the turnaround to cheers from some familiar faces in Loe and Scott, then headed down the chute to finish up the day. I crossed the line in 2:15:37, which was good enough for 8th overall and 1st in my age group.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6pnNvDrVf2Y/V9hUkvd_ykI/AAAAAAAAGf0/xzxBZ28PuXE/s1600-h/19904-b8cd48-28042961%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-k2gKPiBGFVM/V9hUlMcV2fI/AAAAAAAAGf4/Sbf-oFC80xE/19904-b8cd48-28042961_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>With the age group win I was assured of enough points to win the series as well, so I had achieved the goal I set out for myself. It was a great season and I thoroughly enjoyed it, with podiums in every race not named Ironman Mont Tremblant. Thanks to everyone for their support this year and thanks to MultiSport Canada for hosting such a great series right here in our own backyard…we are so lucky to have local races all summer! Thanks for reading, cheers!</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZUo26htlSbc/V9hUlqc7eyI/AAAAAAAAGf8/qz0z9dT-qm4/s1600-h/19904-76e3f1-28039773%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Lakeside Triathlon (Sunday)" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Tv47TbCAibg/V9hUl6L2ouI/AAAAAAAAGgA/Z3z_HDnlQ1E/19904-76e3f1-28039773_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="439"></a></td></tr></tbody></table>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-27824415559489467412016-08-28T16:04:00.001-04:002016-08-28T16:04:35.144-04:00I am IRONMAN! 2016 Ironman Mont Tremblant Recap<p align="justify">They are what get us out the door when all we want is to sit on the couch and relax. What gets us to the pool for another hour session while your buddies are going to grab lunch. What pushes us through that last 10K up at the cottage when you know your family and a cold beer is just a moment away if you decide to quit right here and now. They are our goals. The things we decide months in advance are important to us, for one reason or another. To show others what we can do, to show OURSELVES what we can do. To see just how far I can push this body of mine. See if I will crack, either physically or mentally, or if I can overcome and reach that goal that I have put so much importance on. I set a lot of goals for myself, particularly in sport, and this year there was no bigger goal for me than Ironman.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7hVcPdiSgV4/V8NDeW1BJNI/AAAAAAAAGa0/JcpXJqi9Fws/s1600-h/subaru_ironman_monttremblantqc%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="subaru_ironman_monttremblantqc" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="subaru_ironman_monttremblantqc" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IX3OsqMASo4/V8NDfKhSlcI/AAAAAAAAGa4/Nm-cL_cVNyc/subaru_ironman_monttremblantqc_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="187"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I signed up for Ironman Mont Tremblant way back in October of 2015. I had known for a while that I wanted to do one, but I had always told myself that I would wait until I was 40. While out on a trail run the idea kept bouncing around my head that my fitness was good enough and with the kids getting older I was able to manipulate my schedule in such a way that I could get in the necessary training. I knew I had the Boston Marathon to look forward to training for in April, so I decided to call Coach Sheri Fraser to see how realistic it would be to train for both Boston and my first Ironman at the same time. She assured me that I could do it and after discussing my Ironman idea with Michelle I took the plunge and signed myself up.</p> <p align="justify">The training was long and arduous, officially beginning on February 1, but unofficially building fitness in the pool, on the bike trainer and on the run all through the winter. No offseason. It was worth it though as I had a great marathon training block capped by a solid showing on a very tough day in Boston and age group podiums (and even a second overall) in all of my triathlons leading up to the big day in Quebec. I had done the training under the watchful eye of a great coach and I just had to trust that she knew what she was doing and the results would be there on race day.</p> <p align="justify">We made the 8 hour drive to Mont Tremblant on the Thursday before race day and checked into our condo without any issues. There was Michelle and the kids, my Mum and Dad, and my sister Emily along with her husband Jon and their two kids…a full house. My brother Dave even came up from Montreal for the night on Friday. We took it pretty easy leading up to race day on Sunday, only hitting the Ironman Village when necessary and staying off my feet as much as I could. I was able to get over to see Coach Sheri and a bunch of my teammates for some last minute advice as well as an easy prerace ride of the toughest part of the bike course, the out and back hills on Chemin Duplessis. I also hit Lac Tremblant a couple of times to get some easy swimming in, and I took advantage of the Coffee Barge that was out in the lake serving triathletes free espresso…what a treat! Before long it was Saturday night and the eve of the race was upon us…off to bed to try and get some sleep at 8:30.</p> <p align="justify">The alarm broke my slumber at 3:45 and I headed downstairs to grab a cup of coffee and a bagel with peanut butter. Michelle was up shortly after and the two of us headed across the street to catch the shuttle to the Ironman Village. We arrived on site shortly after 5am and I checked on my bike, pumping the tires and loading my food and drinks, then did a last minute check of my swim-to-bike and bike-to-run bags before getting in line for body marking. As soon as I peeled off my London Triathlon Club sweatshirt to reveal my Team Sheri tye dye jersey I had a pair of hands grab me by the shoulders from behind…I turned around and it was Nick, one of my teammates that I had just met a couple nights earlier at Sheri’s place. We chatted while we waited in line and wished each other luck. After getting marked up I met up with Michelle and we began the walk down to the beach. As the roads merged Michelle spotted my Mum and Dad, my sister and Kennedy and Jackson…they had taken a shuttle to come watch the start and it was great to see them before things got started. We waited around at the beach for a bit and there were some bagpipers playing some music followed by a couple of welcome speeches and the National Anthem, then a real treat as we had a flyover from a CF-18…wow! The noise was incredible and people were really starting to get pumped up.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hWYHetGOk2I/V8NDghO3eEI/AAAAAAAAGa8/P9fJnUucEzE/s1600-h/IMG_9487%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_9487" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9487" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xcESfARAc0s/V8NDhWww3sI/AAAAAAAAGbA/olq2HcpPsaE/IMG_9487_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="333"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I got my wetsuit on and hopped into the water for a quick warmup swim and then got myself situated in the sea of lime green swim caps that made up the Men’s 35-39 age group. The pro men kicked the race off at 6:35, followed by the pro women and then Men 18-34. We were up at 6:45. I had met up with my buddy Matt, who I’ve trained with all summer at Splash n Dash, and we chatted a bit and he gave me some tips for the mass start…this was his 4th or 5th Ironman so I welcomed the advice. We lined up together as far to the right as we could and when the horn went off I held his feet for all of 10 seconds…man there were a lot of people!</p> <p align="justify"><b>Swim – 3.8K (2.4 miles)<br></b><em>1:05:44 (1:43/100m), 25/257 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">A 3800m swim, 180K bike and a full 42.2K marathon loomed before me. I stood at the edge of the beach waiting for the day to start and I realized I wasn’t even nervous. I had a healthy respect for the distance and the task at hand, but nerves didn’t come into play. I was ready. I dove into the cool waters and started to swim. I focused on my stroke, on my breathing, the roll of my body. “Where is Matt?”, I wondered. Before long that question was answered as I swam up on him. I tucked in beside him for a little bit and noticed that I was pulling ahead. I took this as a good sign as I consider us fairly even in the water, giving him a slight edge. I wondered if I was swimming too hard but it <em>felt</em> easy…that was what counted right now. In no time I was onto the blue caps from the wave before us. I had already closed the 3 minute gap on them and was now dealing with a lot of traffic. I kept Matt’s advice and stayed off to the side, finding what clean water I could. I came up on some feet now and then but there was no one going fast enough for me to utilize their draft.</p> <p align="justify">As I approached the halfway point of the swim I noticed that the waves were starting to roll pretty good…the wind was at our backs from the south and it was picking up. I was fighting the waves a bit but knew it was going to be a tough choppy swim on the way back. Sure enough as I made the turn to swim the short across portion of the out across and back swim I felt the waves slamming me on my right hand side (the side I like to sight from). Fortunately there were only a couple of buoys to pass before turning to head to the finish, but heading to the finish meant shipping directly into the chop. I was certainly aware of it but I didn’t let it bother me too much…I just kept swimming while thinking about my form. Body roll. Big arms. Strong pull. At the awards ceremony the following day, women’s winner Mary-Beth Ellis said that the swim was as rough as any ocean swim she has had to compete in. Again, I didn’t think it was that bad…not easy but not ocean waves by any means. I was just cruising along and felt really good…I’ll often get bored and zone out during the swim in longer races but I was focused the entire time on this day, just being aware of what my body was doing and making sure I maintained good form. Coach Sheri was definitely in my ear.</p> <p align="justify">I hit the shallow waters and soon enough my stroke started to grab sand so I popped up out of the water and started peeling my wetsuit down to my waist. I remembered Sheri’s tip about the wetsuit strippers and ran past the first ones and all the way to the last bunch who were standing around just waiting for people. I plopped to my bum and the two volunteers ripped the suit off my legs. I said Merci Beaucoup and ran off with my suit in hand…it was nearly 500m of running along the red carpet to the change tent. I ran quickly and passed a bunch of lollygaggers along the way, then grabbed my swim-to-bike bag and hit the change room. I made short work of my helmet and sunglasses, then tossed my wetsuit, swim cap and goggles in the bag before handing it off to a volunteer and running another 300m through transition, bike shoes in hand, to find my bike on its rack. I had a great spot near the bike exit and only a couple of spots in from the end. I slipped my shoes on and ran to the mount line, ready for the next stage of the day.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ajxjThrsyus/V8NDi-w4bzI/AAAAAAAAGbE/5Yr4O6B708U/s1600-h/IMG_9486%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_9486" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9486" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qCyz7bi0HVk/V8NDj5cW5jI/AAAAAAAAGbI/7AG6Ea3ipQE/IMG_9486_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="333"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Bike – 180K (112 miles)<br></b><em>5:31:04 (32.6kph), 26/257 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The bike was going to be dicey. Rain was in the forecast and the dark skies looked ominous. The course had no shortage of hills with 1800m/6000’ worth of climbing. My longest ride in preparation for the day was just over 180K, so I knew I could do the distance, but there just aren’t hills like this where I live, and I hadn’t been out at all this year in the rain…it has been an extremely dry summer in Southwestern Ontario. I wanted to go out strong on the first 90K loop and hit the hills with what I could and then take it easier on the second to make sure my legs weren’t cooked for the run.</p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">I jumped on the bike and took off from transition…Michelle and the family were there at the mount line to cheer me on and shortly after I saw Sheri as well, who informed me I was the first one (of our group) out on the bike. I settled into an easy cadence around 100rpm and began to tackle the course. We rode along the road out of the Village towards the highway, about a 15K trek. The highway is divided and the entire Northbound side was shut down for the race with all of the vehicle traffic routed across the median in the Southbound lanes. Never have I been fortunate enough to ride a bike course that is completely shut down to vehicular traffic like this was, such a treat. On top of the traffic-free course, all of the roads were pristine…beautiful, smooth asphalt the entire ride.</p> <p align="justify">As I was spinning away along the highway the rain started. At first I wasn’t sure, but it looked like some raindrop spots were on the road ahead of me. It didn’t take long to confirm the rain as it started pattering down on my helmet…plop plop plop, just like the sound of rain while you’re in a tent. I knew it was coming though so it didn’t phase me…just roll with it and take the day as it comes, not much else you can do. I continued to ride hard in the wet conditions and made it out to the first turnaround on the highway. As I made the turn I was greeted by a blast of headwind accompanied by stinging rain in my face. The wind out of the south was strong, with gusts reaching 40kph. I reached the top of the first hill heading south on the highway and was able to grab water, Gatorade and a banana half, discarding my empty bottles in the hockey nets provided…a fun mini-game trying to score on the volunteers manning the nets with their hockey sticks. I was drinking constantly and taking in plenty of calories courtesy of broken up pieces of bagels and Clif Bars as well as salted mini potatoes. Adding in the bananas at aid stations as well as the Gatorade and I was able to average between 200-250 calories per hour, supplemented with an eLoad Zone Cap salt tab once an hour. Nutrition was always going to be a wildcard on this day, but I had trained with this strategy and it had worked so there was no reason to fear any GI issues on the day.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5o8B_a6ewY8/V8NDlBUbUCI/AAAAAAAAGbM/mfQb49VVBh0/s1600-h/1360_028513%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="1360_028513" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1360_028513" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xsvUo9r9rvY/V8NDlyJGURI/AAAAAAAAGbQ/X-tHFDPZ0E4/1360_028513_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="323" height="233"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">I continued up the hills on the highway and heard a rider come buzzing up behind saying I was looking good…it was Scott, one of my teammates. He cruised by on his way and I just kept spinning quick and easy up the highway. Eventually we pulled off of the highway and made the quick skip into town. The crowds were out lining the streets cheering us all on, such a great morale boost! After a quick climb up to downtown we turned and headed back on the return road towards transition. There were a couple of climbs going back up Montée Ryan and going up the second of them I saw Scott up ahead of me. I was climbing well and making up ground on people at every hill we came to. I made a rookie mistake on the hill though and shifted from the big ring up front to my small ring and dropped the chain. D’oh! Luckily I was able to quickly get unclipped and yell out to those behind me that I was stopping and managed to stay upright…would have been very easy to fall over on an incline like that. Again I stuck to the theme of my day and didn’t let it get to me…no panic, just get the chain back on and grind my way up the rest of the hill from a dead stop. As Jackson would say, “You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.” I didn’t dwell on the chain drop, but I did worry a bit as I knew the tough Chemin Duplessis hills were only a few minutes away and I was going to need that small ring up front. I went through it in my head, making sure to shift carefully and not just slam the shifter down hard all the way, and also getting into the small ring long before the last minute.</p> <p align="justify">I zoomed past transition to complete the last 16K of the first loop, the dreaded Chemin Duplessis out and back. A challenging section with a 125m climb out and then a fast downhill back to transition…and it was just bucketing rain by now. Spectators lined both sides of the road in this section encouraging everyone up the hills with their shouts of “Allez! Allez! Allez!” I was able to pick out the family and Sheri along the route here as well, always a nice boost to see familiar faces. I spotted Scott on one of the first hills on the way up and scooted past him…I really enjoy climbing and just loved this section of the ride (at least this first time!). I was able to get in and out of my small chainring without issue, just being aware of what I was doing and not being stupid with my shifting. After ascending the final hill I made the turn at the top and zoomed down the hill towards the halfway 90K turnaround. I was on the brakes and still hitting speeds of 60kph in the pouring rain. I just made sure to be aware of those around me and was careful to hold my line. I heard of a couple of really nasty accidents that occurred on this stretch after the race and honestly can’t say that I was surprised. The course itself wasn’t dangerous, even under the conditions, but there are a lot of athletes that managed to make it dangerous, for themselves and others, simply by not using their common sense.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xpRETR__zzA/V8NDmts1CkI/AAAAAAAAGbU/cZOacC--4z0/s1600-h/1360_074609%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="1360_074609" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1360_074609" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GI10GSBmz78/V8NDnZKyC6I/AAAAAAAAGbY/LMVIJ5bBaVY/1360_074609_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I hit the halfway point in 2:38, a time I was more than happy with. The legs still felt really good but I made sure to start taking it a bit easier for the second loop. I spun easier, going one gear easier than “easy”. I had a few guys still go flying by me but I was still able to pass a good number of riders, many of whom were out on their first loop. The rain continued to teem down on us and I was absolutely drenched. I made the decision to not wear socks on the bike leg and I believe it was the right choice…I couldn’t imagine how awful they would have felt in this rain. My bike was getting to be unhappy with all of the water and was starting to make some creaking noises, especially on the hills, and the shifting was nowhere near as crisp as it was to start with. After the race Sheri picked up my bike for me and noticed that my rear tire was actually rubbing on the cutout on my seat tube…I was working harder than I needed to with every pedal stroke. My chain was also covered in little rust spots afterwards despite having just lubed it. I could barely see at times as my glasses were so wet, coupled with the rain and road spray. Plenty of excuses but none of these things put me off during the ride…I just kept pedalling, drinking and eating. My food was in a gross, sorry state towards the end due to all the water as well…my bagels were disgusting, just a soggy mess of yuck, and my potatoes were now mashed potatoes. I knew I had to keep taking in the calories though, so I just made a scoop with my hand and dug right in.</p> <p>An uneventful second loop and I eventually made it back to the Duplessis out and back. I decided before I got there that I wouldn’t attack the hills in the same manner as I had the first time, I was just going to drop into the small ring right away and take every hill a bit easier. I jumped back up to the big ring for any descents, but the strategy worked well. On one of the larger climbs I saw a volunteer out in the middle of the road telling the riders coming down the hill to slow down, go easy and get on their brakes. It turns out this was the Race Director himself and he was out there because of a very bad crash that had occurred earlier. I made sure to be careful as I came down the hill and I nodded when he said “Easy easy”, to which he gave me a thumbs and said, “Yes! I like it!!” I made it safely to the bottom of the hills and turned into T2, jumping off my bike at the line and handing the bike off to a volunteer, then running to grab my bike-to-run bag in the change tent. Thank goodness those bags were in the tent to stay dry! Swim done, bike done, just a marathon to go! </p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uPIK22XUY4c/V8NDoF6A7lI/AAAAAAAAGbc/b64eqa8Nfk8/s1600-h/1360_037632%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="1360_037632" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1360_037632" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YrJjgQZb_5k/V8NDo4229kI/AAAAAAAAGbg/CU3Of7CziF0/1360_037632_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="356"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Run – 42.2K (26.2 miles)<br></b><em>3:57:12 (5:37/km), 29/257 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The rain continued as I set out on my run. I was hoping to hold my pace around 5:00/km (8:00/mile) and I could look to pick it up a bit in the last 10K if I had anything left to give (spoiler alert: I didn’t). I run past the cheers of the family, who were happy to see me looking happy and able to wave after the long bike ride. It didn’t take me too long to find a friend on the run as a young guy named Trevor came up from behind me and asked what pace I was running…he must have liked my answer because we ran together through the 5K or so. He also commented that he was a fan of my pink sparkle visor…between the tye dye jersey and pink sparkle visor I always get plenty of comments out on the run. I was hitting every aid station out there, grabbing water and dumping it over my head (it was still raining, but it was sooooo humid!), or grabbing Coke and maybe a banana. I did end up having to use the port-a-potty at one point as the pressure was building up inside of me to the point that it was painful. I jumped in and started to relieve the pressure and there were immediately rumblings of another kind (TMI, sorry). In total I lost almost 3 minutes for the two bathroom stops, but I likely saved that time and more in comfort so it was worth it. This run course was two loops and was easy to break up. The first 5K was on the hilly road out to the town of Mont Tremblant, and from there we turned onto a flatter, sheltered path called ‘Le P’tit Train du Nord’, translated ‘the little train of the North’, which we took for another 5K before turning around and heading back on the same path to the finish area. It is an old railway that has been paved over to create a 200km bike path heading north from Montreal. It is tree-lined on both sides providing excellent cover from the sun, but on this day all that cover did was hold the humidity. </p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVGeU1SRF2siklK6h886x0K6ei0xB21zSufw3rrGaG8D8ekS9l23yIqEgV95vHgnb4NzgqthvYtGXBlp4eqy6_CZDwzD-YYU977-pjmaKbCxrqVbRu2tccUHjGN7jJRbHU_UHh41KOmmGo/s1600-h/13895397_1250960228261803_3092659401711590348_n%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="13895397_1250960228261803_3092659401711590348_n" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="13895397_1250960228261803_3092659401711590348_n" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-RWEbvpDFZVI/V8NDqwB7ZFI/AAAAAAAAGbo/PgnclDGp_04/13895397_1250960228261803_3092659401711590348_n_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="469" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">I lost Trevor for a little bit but he caught back up to me and then took off ahead on his own…we ended up leapfrogging each other throughout the entire run leg, finishing within about a minute and a half of each other. It’s always great to have someone to run with and keep you honest and pushing on. I was able to hold my pace where I wanted it until just before the halfway point. It was all too much though and I was getting beat. I had just run the hilly section for 5K back to the finish area, and unlike the first time running the hills, I had to turn right around and run them again. My legs were gassed and I decided to let myself walk two of the hills, but that was it. Trevor came up from behind me again and gave a few words of encouragement and I got back at it. I was also buoyed on the run by seeing some friendly faces out on the course…I was just a little ways ahead of both Scott and Matt so I saw them at the turnarounds, and another buddy doing the race, Zindine, wasn’t too far back either. There were other Sheri shirts on course and we all cheered each other on, and I saw another teammate, Mary-Elizabeth (also doing her first Ironman) rocking her awesome Smashfest kit..I think we even got a high-five (not 100% sure, I may be making that up!).</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DdaUKKUJdLI/V8NDrvQpRyI/AAAAAAAAGbs/vN6OJjN2OLY/s1600-h/1360_040474%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="1360_040474" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1360_040474" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OzzShj66cEE/V8NDsWBsvEI/AAAAAAAAGbw/k1hbmymHv5E/1360_040474_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">I was struggling again through the flatter railpath section, and as I hit the 30K mark just before the railpath turnaround I let myself walk one more time, this time for 100m (which became 150m) and then no more. I told myself that I had to run the rest of the railpath and then I would deal with the last 5K of hills. I was leaning towards switching to a run-walk-run once I got back there, but I was feeling alright (enough) that I decided to keep running. Around that point I heard someone unexpectedly call out my name and it was Zindine’s wife Irina…always a boost when you have an encouraging spectator and she was in the perfect spot for me there. I decided to ditch the run-walk and went with plan B…let myself walk two more hills. I sorta realized this plan as I was already about halfway up a longish hill, and I didn’t want to waste my walk break on half of a hill, so I just kept plowing my way up the hill. Before I knew it there was another hill, but I decided it was too short to waste a walk on. This game continued and soon enough I was nearing the end of the run and still hadn’t taken a walk break. My goal going into the day was to run the marathon in under 4 hours and I was going to be close to meeting that goal, so I just decided to scrap any idea of walking and run this thing home. I made my way up the last big hill and turned into the pedestrian village for the final 500m downhill stretch to the finish line. I was sprinting (ya right…) as hard as I could, smelling the finish line just around the corner. I came to the split for the finish chute/lap two and I gladly kept left this time. The smile on my face must have been huge…I was slapping the hands of spectators down the chute and started to slow down to savour the moment. I made the final bend and saw the finish arch before me…I looked for Michelle and the family but it was just a sea of people and excitement down there. I heard my name called out, “Mike Cooke of London Ontario…YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” I stopped before the finish line and turned in a big circle to the crowd around me, clapping my hands, blowing kisses and finally raising my arms to cross the line. I had done it, completing the race on a really tough day in a very respectable <strong>10:40:48</strong>, good for 29th in my age group and 180th out of 2500 or so competitors. Pretty decent debut, super happy with it. My goal was to finish in under 11 hours and I was well within the goal, despite rain on my parade.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2gnbEo3i-OE/V8NDtOap2wI/AAAAAAAAGb0/nf7JynlVs4A/s1600-h/1360_099155%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="1360_099155" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1360_099155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe9K2azpx_GeIik4OaTe5v39YD9Miw6n_SAuPBunDelRqvtqZ78KT2-5UDkD3KjcVLO35-otqm4bDKvOwOJ-adoX2eaS_YZpujVHP67hlLYdLOPIgpprPMyR2UMJUSt_HkWPiPCX8i-U6R/?imgmax=800" width="332" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">After crossing I was ushered to the food tent where I got some food in me and a space blanket to warm me up…the chill set in quickly. There was delicious chicken noodle soup which was full of everything I needed, and the food that sealed the deal was from the food truck handing out poutine…yum! I bounced out of the food tent feeling really good (and with a coffee in hand!) and met up with the whole family right away. Many hugs and kisses, the best reward for the day.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NB7Im2RMYlo/V8NDvC7e1_I/AAAAAAAAGb8/seODNjEHaSY/s1600-h/1360_102854%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="1360_102854" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="1360_102854" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dTWQherISzU/V8NDvz_5HvI/AAAAAAAAGcA/ZPxa07dH90o/1360_102854_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">We headed back to the condo where I was able to enjoy a nice hot bath in the Jacuzzi and then shower off before grabbing a beer and a couple slices of pizza. Michelle and I then hopped in the Jeep and drove back down to the finish to cheer in the last athletes of the day until midnight. It was an amazing scene and something that we were both thrilled to be a part of. We even saw one of my teammates, Colm, and his wife Joanne, so we called them up to the bleachers to cheer with us. Colm won his age group (70 years old! He’s a beast.) and is heading to the World Championships in Hawaii…what an inspiration! We wrapped up at the finish and headed back home…it was finally time to put my head down and call it a day.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LpwS0LchVqI/V8NDw5QlPiI/AAAAAAAAGcE/N5VvrtQEpDs/s1600-h/IMG_9475%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_9475" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9475" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C_0CiLsN_04/V8NDx_dCB9I/AAAAAAAAGcI/eIXwqHTky2I/IMG_9475_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">If you made it this far in this post I think you are also worthy of the title ‘Ironman’…seriously, I went on long enough, right? So thanks for reading and most of all thanks to my family who gave me the support I needed throughout the year leading up to this race. Without their sacrifices I would never be able to do this…so a huge thanks to you guys from the bottom of my heart.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yof2hSmoROQ/V8NDzM_l8cI/AAAAAAAAGcM/Gd8wp_l-X8A/s1600-h/IMG_9472%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_9472" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9472" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dehpJPqOUIg/V8ND0AMbZEI/AAAAAAAAGcQ/F-Q0S7uT2vY/IMG_9472_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="458" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-77345026208259537432016-08-02T12:48:00.001-04:002016-08-02T12:48:59.240-04:002016 MSC Kingston Long Course Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">We had a great long weekend here in Ontario and we spent the weekend with family up in historic Kingston. My sister Emily lives there and she had taken the kids to her place for the week and Michelle and I made the drive up on Friday after work. I did the Kingston race last year and loved the course, and my sister decided that she would sign up to do the race herself this year, her first real triathlon! Sunday was race day and I was registered for the Long Course (2K swim, 56.2Kbike, 15K run).</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lPHlsaJUw2Q/V6DO6fN0mvI/AAAAAAAAGV4/FO9Q7KSXWXk/s1600-h/KTown2.png"><img title="KTown" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="KTown" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XJLRm6VIkgc/V6DO66fOp6I/AAAAAAAAGV8/dcS_lqrxHlM/KTown_thumb.png?imgmax=800" width="373" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">In the race last year I had blown up a little bit on the run in some pretty hot conditions. I was determined to do better this time around and had my eyes on an Age Group podium spot. I was looking for a bit of redemption and wanted to see how much I had improved over last year. The weather wasn’t supposed to be too hot, but the weatherman was calling for rain all day. Not exactly ideal.</p> <p align="justify">When we woke up on race morning it was a bit cloudy, but no rain. The forecast had changed and it looked like we would stay dry, though temperatures did get up into the high-20’s as the race wore on. Michelle was volunteering at the race as well, so early Sunday morning the three of us all headed out to the race site. I helped Emily get her bike racked and guided her through the pre-race routines, then it was time for me to get my transition area set up and jump into Lake Ontario for a quick warmup swim. The 8:00 race start was upon us.</p> <p align="justify"><b>Swim - 2000m<br></b><em>33:30 (1:40/100m), 3rd AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The swim was out of the harbour at Confederation Park and was pretty calm by Lake Ontario standards. We were quite sheltered in the harbour and once we left it’s confines it got a little choppier but nothing too bad. I started the swim beside my buddy Luke (who went total beast mode and took 5th place overall) and we swam beside each other for most of the first half of the swim. I guess that means I can hang with Luke for almost 2% of a race. The swim is an “L”-shaped course, and when we made the turn at the midpoint we were swimming right into the chop. I’m a little guy and really get thrown around once the water gets rough, but I found some feet and managed to hold on pretty well (thanks to whoever you are random swimmer). I was getting pounded by waves to the face and drank quite a bit of water, and sighting was difficult with all the bobbing, but I knew I was still swimming well as I passed a few of the red caps that designated the Pros and Elite Age Groupers who went off a minute before us. I came up to the dock at water’s edge and slung my leg up as a couple of volunteers helped to pull me out of the water…the swim felt good and I was a minute and a half faster than last year. Progress!</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1ylpCmGoJD4/V6DO7POR-jI/AAAAAAAAGWA/KvcyPzFh4uc/s1600-h/19896-ec2343-27356171%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="19896-ec2343-27356171" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="19896-ec2343-27356171" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J6613oC9fYY/V6DO7XwKKdI/AAAAAAAAGWE/HtdMJu9oQDE/19896-ec2343-27356171_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="390" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Bike – 56.2K<br></b><em>1:34:29 (35.7kph), 3rd AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The Long Course athletes were all racked near the swim exit so I was at my rack before I even had the top of my wetsuit stripped off. My transition was a touch slower than usual, possibly because of the longer run to the bike mount line in my bike shoes (as I still haven’t mastered leaving my shoes clipped in), but it was the same for everyone else out there and it was still only 1:04. The bike starts right in downtown Kingston and we quickly made our way past Michelle’s volunteer spot right at the LaSalle Causeway and then up a steep hill at Fort Henry. From there is was pretty much a straight out and back on hilly highway. The roads were in decent shape and the traffic wasn’t too bad. The first hill was a bit tough as I didn’t really have my bike legs going yet (another thing I’ve been struggling with, the early hills), but once I was a few kilometres in the hills were no trouble. We were dealing with a bit of a headwind on the way out as well, so I knew not to worry about my speed too much as I would make it up on the return trip. A couple of guys passed me early on but that was really about it. Every now and then someone would zoom by on a descent…I would basically be spun out and still cranking with everything that I had while they were just coasting. Yup, the disadvantages of being a little guy. No worries though because I would always scamper up the next hill and blow by them. Fun little games of cat and mouse.</p> <p align="justify">Just before I hit the turnaround in Gananoque I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh and let out an expletive…I looked down and there was a wasp stuck in my shorts. I flicked it away and tried to block out the throbbing pain. I’ll spare you most of the details, but it still looks really nasty today and it is red, swollen and very itchy. If it doesn’t get better soon I’ll have to give in and go see the doctor about it.</p> <p align="justify">I made the turn and began the ride back to Kingston with the wind at my back. I had a bottle of Gatorade that was nearly done and I knew I was approaching a bottle exchange, so I figured I would give it a try. I downed what was left of my Gatorade, tossed the empty bottle, and when I got to the exchange I called out for HEED (the on-course electrolyte drink). I slowed down and stuck my arm out, elbow bent and ready to receive the handoff…maybe it was still early on in the race and the girl handing off didn’t have her technique down, but she just slammed the bottle into my hand and there was no chance I was going to make that handoff. A word of advice to volunteers at bottle exchanges…have your arm easy with your elbow bent to allow some give in the exchange, and also jog along with the cyclist as you make the handoff…it really makes it a lot easier. No more electrolyte drinks for me, and really not a lot of water left either for the final 20K of the bike. I decided I had better pop a salt tab and hope that would be enough to carry me home.</p> <p align="justify">There was a little bit more cat and mouse on the homestretch but nothing too exciting…I guess a bee sting and a botched bottle exchange was enough action for one ride. I did notice a number of people drafting out there on the course, and not the questionable “am I 5 metres or 4 metres” kind of drafting, more like the wheel-sucking variety. This is becoming a bit of a disturbing trend that I’m finding in the local races, even when MultiSport make the effort and have Triathlon Ontario Officials riding motorbikes along the course. Guys, if you are drafting off the cyclist in front of you, YOU ARE CHEATING. Please stop.</p> <p align="justify">With my rant over, I made my way back across the causeway, past Michelle and into transition…more progress as the bike was over 3 minutes faster than last year. All that was left was the run, and the temperature was rising as the sun was now out and had burned away the clouds.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bqBrfB9PRWo/V6DO77XARRI/AAAAAAAAGWI/VlE-1yBonvk/s1600-h/19896-8b96aa-27341792%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19896/" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19896/" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IwolIgFQetg/V6DO8IGsv9I/AAAAAAAAGWM/YAK114x3tAw/19896-8b96aa-27341792_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="366" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Run – 15K<br></b><em>1:07:17 (4:29/km), 5th AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">A decent T2 of 1:07, which accounted for the long run to the rack with my bike, then the long run from my rack to the run out which was right beside the bike in, and it was out on the run course for some redemption. I was feeling the heat right away and knew that I would need to be hitting every water station and taking in fluids as well as dumping cold water over my head. The heat wasn’t going to be an excuse this year. Within the first kilometre I caught Strava buddy Zindine (who had zoomed past me at the end of the bike) and he reminded me to watch my pace and hold back. I was doing my best to not go out too quick but was still running around 4:00/km. I eased off as best I could and eventually settled into a nice 4:20-4:30 pace, right where I want to be coming off the bike in a longer race.</p> <p align="justify">I saw a few friendly faces on the run course as the Sprint athletes were already on their way to the finish line and I cheered them on as we passed each other. I reeled in a few people but didn’t see anyone that was in my age group. I knew at least one guy passed me on the bike (Tim Chaplin, whom Zin had warned would be my competition before the race) and I figured there might have been one other guy as well. I just kept running my race though and tried to keep the pace in the desired zone.</p> <p align="justify">Once the course passed the old Kingston Penitentiary the Sprint athletes had their turnaround and the race was a bit lonelier. I was running solo now and the Long Course athletes wouldn’t be coming the other way for a few more kilometres. I ran by Emily’s house just before entering the park to run the Rideau Trail…I thought I might see the kids out there but they were likely already headed down to the finish line. As I entered the park a few of the athletes began to come by, including Luke who was looking really strong. The park is full of short but steep hills and descents and if you haven’t saved your legs it will eat you up. That’s the spot I began walking water stops last year, which led to walking hills, which led to well, just walking when I was tired. I felt good though and began to take in some delicious flat Coke at the aid stations while continuing with the water and dumping of water.</p> <p align="justify">Nearing the turnaround just shortly before the park exit a began to hear footsteps coming up from behind and the next thing I knew the woman that won the race went blowing by me…that girl was flying! I hung with her for about a kilometre but her pace was just too rich for me at that point (she smoked the run, fastest female). It was up a big hill once we left the park, with a turnaround at the top, then down the hill to the second turnaround before heading back into the park and retracing our steps. I ran past Team Sheri teammate Kristen and got a high five and I managed to pass a couple more people along this stretch. The big hill at the Penitentiary was tough and dropped my pace a bit but I hung tough and didn’t walk at all…as my reward I was greeted on the other side of the hill be Emily, who was just about to hit the turnaround for her race! A great big high five and some shouts of encouragement to each other and I had all the motivation I needed to get to that finish line. I was able to pick up the pace again over the last couple of kilometres when I saw the kids and gave a strong kick through the finish line where I had the familiar feeling of Steve Fleck calling out my name (and pointing out that I was one of Sheri Fraser’s athletes) followed by a handshake from John Salt. I collected my finisher’s medal as well as the finisher’s t-shirt that the Long Course athletes received (nice touch MSC!) before downing a couple cups of water. As for redemption? Four and a half minutes faster on the run than last year. That sounds like vidication to me! I crossed the line with a time of <strong>3:17:26</strong>, which was 10 minutes faster than last year and good for third in my age group. Funny enough, Michelle asked me the night before what sort of time goal I had in mind…I said I would like to shoot for 3:20, to which she said, “Nah, you’ll do it in 3:17:30”. So ya, she’s totally taking the credit now!</p> <p align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N6zSzOxcb4Q/V6DO8uo-B3I/AAAAAAAAGWQ/oOZC7edaV9M/s1600-h/19896-8fc424-27351122%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19896/" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19896/" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KxJrIbFXaSc/V6DO849JCqI/AAAAAAAAGWU/8JYUpsZ8bcI/19896-8fc424-27351122_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="416"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4Yy6ZN9HswQ/V6DO9AhR49I/AAAAAAAAGWY/bpySOzZbAIo/s1600-h/19896-e149f1-27345330%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19896/" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19896/" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NGPbHMXuWY8/V6DO9piHdPI/AAAAAAAAGWc/MgnyB8pIjYo/19896-e149f1-27345330_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="410" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">I went and met the kids and we waited just a little bit longer and saw Emily cross the line as well…she did great and beat her goal time by nearly 20 minutes! Great job Sis! As soon as Emily crossed the line we went to meet her and Michelle joined us as well. Then it was food tent, awards and back to Emily’s place before going out for a great dinner (just the adults) over on Wolfe Island. It was a great way to finish a great day.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eMWrCkZE7Bk/V6DO9wps6cI/AAAAAAAAGWg/8vYF_fhcUxg/s1600-h/13653493_10153778716277584_4475339901771987774_o%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="13653493_10153778716277584_4475339901771987774_o" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="13653493_10153778716277584_4475339901771987774_o" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZPr96jGzT78/V6DO-UI5KyI/AAAAAAAAGWk/TsVLAEggLJc/13653493_10153778716277584_4475339901771987774_o_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="412" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">Now it’s time for me to take the foot off the gas a bit and start my taper for Ironman Mont Tremblant, which is just three weeks away! Thanks for reading, cheers!</p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-11503583166069707832016-07-25T09:33:00.001-04:002016-07-26T10:59:23.813-04:002016 Bluewater Olympic Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">We’re into the thick of the triathlon season now and I was racing one of my “hometown” races, the Bluewater Triathlon. Being in Brights Grove, it is pretty local to our cottage and this was going to be my 5th year in a row doing the race. The race is put on by a local church and is known for having one of the absolute best post-race spreads in multisport, complete with hot dogs, chili, tuna & egg salad sandwiches and <em>oodles</em> of homemade cookies & butter tarts. Simply put, I NEVER miss this race!</p> <p align="justify">Last year I had my best showing in this race with a time of 2:15, good enough for 8th overall and 3rd in my age group. I received a cool prize for my efforts, a beer glass from a local Sarnia brewer Refined Fool with the Bluewater Tri logo on it. Sadly, only the age group winners received the big 650mL bottle of Refined Fool. I knew I had to up my game and bust my ass in training for the next year if I was going to have a shot at the big prize. People think that signing up for my first Ironman in August is what has had me putting in so many hours swimming, biking and running, but now the truth is out. It’s all about the Bluewater and a big ol’ bottle of craft beer!</p> <p align="justify">Saturday was race day and we left the cottage around 6:30 for the 30 minute drive to the Grove. Michelle, my sister and my Mum were doing the Olympic Relay together so it was a full Jeep on the way there. We got to the school that serves as transition and got ourselves all signed in and set up and before too long my sister and I set off to the swim start, which took place in the beautiful clear cool waters of Lake Huron.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9iPDlor1zww/V5YVJP7SzlI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/51iMKhXEpRk/s1600-h/FullSizeRender2.jpg"><img title="FullSizeRender" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="FullSizeRender" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zeCllkcPIqc/V5YVJpSjr_I/AAAAAAAAGTU/-Xk8s4MGBe0/FullSizeRender_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="307"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Swim – <strike>1500m</strike> 1100m<br></b><em>16:49 (1:32/100m), 2 OA / 1 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">Officially the Bluewater is a 1500m swim, but it actually measures out at 1100. At least we get to feel really fast (my “official” split says my pace was 1:12/100m). I’ve been swimming pretty well this year and now look forward to the swim as a chance to help get me out in the front of the pack instead of just getting out of the water ready to bike. It has become a strength and I actually have confidence at the start line. This race was no exception and I was fully expecting to be one of the first few out of the water. I had a quick warmup swim with my sister and gave her a bit of advice on where to line up at the beach start and next thing you know we were off. I sprinted hard to the first buoy which was only about 50m from shore and beat the majority of the pack there and missed out on the slap party (thanks Abe!), making the right hand turn with ease. From there I settled in and steadied my breathing, working in a smallish pack of 4 or 5 guys for the next little bit. It didn’t take long and I had separated from them and was pretty sure I was in second place. There was one guy I could see up ahead and he was flying…there was no way I would be catching him in the swim. I tried to sneak a peek behind me a couple of times and it appeared that I was swimming solo, just like being at Splash n Dash on a Wednesday night. I just cruised the last half of the swim and tried to keep the leader at least in my sight. I made the right turn to shore, which came up much faster than I had expected, and ran across the rocky beach and up the stairs to make the 300m run into T1. I saw my Dad and he yelled at me “Number two!”. Into T1 and off with the wetsuit…I saw Michelle waiting for my sister at her bike and yelled to her, but she was busy helping out some girls. There was a Triathlon Ontario official in T1 and he decided to stand right beside me as I stomped my wetsuit off and strapped on my helmet. I was very careful to make sure that buckle was done up before touching my bike! He actually said “wow, quick work” or something to that extent and I was running out of T1 in just 54 seconds.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MMoniydLh1U/V5YVJ-J810I/AAAAAAAAGTY/vmgr33QQE1c/s1600-h/FullSizeRender5.jpg"><img title="FullSizeRender" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="FullSizeRender" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9dttm2ZJC4M/V5YVKK_4kdI/AAAAAAAAGTc/S1s0kwhzsII/FullSizeRender_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="466" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Bike– 40K<br></b><em>1:03:36 (37.7 kph), 2 OA / 1 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">Having done this race so many times already, and having checked the weather forecast, I knew that we were about to get baked out on the bike and run course. For an Olympic I will typically only need one bottle of water on the bike, but the temperature was already high and by the time we hit the run course the humidex would be pushing 100º…not fun. I have suffered through the run a few times so I knew I needed to get my fuelling right on the bike, despite it only being an Olympic. That said, I made sure to down an entire bottle of water as well as a whole Gatorade, and I supplemented that with a Clif Bar, Gu gel and a salt tab. It was a good thing I got all those calories and electrolytes in too, because I was busting my hump on the bike. The course is flat and it was a good day to ride with not much of a wind to speak of. I kept the pace high and tried to reel in the leader and picked my way through the women’s field as well as the duathletes. As we came up to the Sprint turnaround about 10K in the volunteers were hollering “Sprint turnaround, Olympic turn right”…well I don’t know what I heard but I just kept bombing straight ahead through the intersection. I made it about 50m before my brain registered the instructions they just heard and I slammed on the brakes and yelled back at the volunteers to confirm that I had indeed missed my turn. Ugh. Feeling stupid I stomped on the pedals as hard as I could and burned a few matches I probably should have been saving to try to make up for my mistake.</p> <p align="justify">Coming up to our first of two turnarounds I was flying along averaging around 40kph and no one had passed me at all, but I still couldn’t see the leader. I was eying up all of the other riders who had already made the turn and there was one guy there that I thought I might be chasing. I put my head down and got to work. Around this time I also started to see a few friends and London Tri Club teammates out on the course and it was a nice boost when we were able to cheer each other on. Thanks Melissa and Paula!</p> <p align="justify">I was back on the homestretch riding along Lakeshore and weaving my way through all kinds of traffic as I had caught up to the sprint race. I even had to slow down almost to a stop just 2K from transition as there was a Jeep on the course who was (thankfully) going slow, but he was also blocking the entire road meaning I had to go slow. We turned a corner and an opening appeared beside the Jeep so I shot through and then signalled him that I was passing him…again stomping on the pedals, again more matches burned. I need to learn to deal with frustration a bit better <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-top-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none" alt="Smile" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FVG3S5002Ew/V5YVKkS_uyI/AAAAAAAAGTg/jRGdDtoUrkE/wlEmoticon-smile2.png?imgmax=800">. I rode my way through the neighbourhood and slipped my feet out of my shoes and jumped off my bike just before the dismount line. This wasn’t without it’s own frustrations either as a guy decided to bring his bike to a complete stop and take his sweet time to unclip right at the line, managing to block everyone. I yelled at him (I actually yelled at a few people on the bike course…I must have been in a bad mood) and narrowly missed a collision but I was off the bike course averaging 37.7kph, my fastest bike split ever.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tf4i-afB6Cw/V5YVKxWrz5I/AAAAAAAAGTk/ZAXIehMnzvw/s1600-h/FullSizeRender-42.jpg"><img title="FullSizeRender (4)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="FullSizeRender (4)" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iJLrqc-TMu0/V5YVLOMb8YI/AAAAAAAAGTo/d1gc0grbRiI/FullSizeRender-4_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="443" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Run – 10K<br></b><em>43:44 (4:23/km), 7 OA / 1 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">Another quick transition in T2 of 56 seconds and I hit the 10K run course. After a kilometre plus of swimming and another 40 kilometres of biking I was still in second place and I still couldn’t see the guy in front of me. I made the turn out of T2 and saw Tom cheering and taking pictures, supporting all of the London Tri Club folks out here for the race. I saw Nancy on the short out and back leg that starts the run and we cheered each other on, giving me a boost to start my 10K. It was scorching hot by now and there is absolutely no shade on the run course. We run along the shore of Lake Huron for a while but there wasn’t a lick of a breeze to speak of. Everyone was melting and you could see the struggle on people’s faces. I was taking water at every aid station and drinking as well as dumping over my head. There were plenty of people out with their hoses as well offering a sweet cooling mist of relief, which I also took every advantage of.</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UgKi8f_MeuI/V5YVLjWeRxI/AAAAAAAAGTs/eFNJLc_LWUs/s1600-h/IMG_92983.jpg"><img title="IMG_9298" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9298" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hWyqbYb8ZCU/V5YVLyS64bI/AAAAAAAAGTw/CWfLc-nt-S0/IMG_9298_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="264" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I was hoping to keep my pace under 4:30/km for the run, which is slower than I would normally settle for but under the circumstances it was a reasonable goal. I was also trying to reel in the leader and knew there would be some strong runners in the field that would love to run me down as well. I was a couple of kilometres in when I saw the Duathlon leader Chris Balestrini go tearing by on the way to his win and he gave me a high five as he flew by…he was looking strong. A little bit later I saw the second place duathlete Scott Finch go by and he looked like I felt…the heat was getting to everyone.</p> <p align="justify">The turnaround came and they had ice water…glorious ice water! I downed a cup and dumped ice in my hat and liked it so much I had seconds…such a relief. I was an absolute puddle by this point after dumping waters, getting sprayed by hoses and generally sweating like a whore in church. Only 4K to go, but I thought I caught a glimpse of the leader before making the turn…I had him about 500m ahead. It was the push I needed in the heat and I kept on the gas as best I could to try and run him down…I knew I had a shot. With about 2K til the finish I came up right behind him, finally close enough to read his calf…O DU. Nooooo!!! “Dammit, you’re in the Duathlon!”, I said as I came up on him. “I thought you were leading the Tri!” I knew that I wouldn’t be catching first place now but I didn’t let up. I don’t know that they were actually there or not, but I was hearing footsteps…I wasn’t about to let second place slip away. I took the final turn to the finish with the cheers of my family (and Tom) and gave the strongest kick I could. I crossed the line in 2:06:58 (30+ seconds ahead of third, so I wasn’t hearing any steps) and I took second place overall. All that was left to be determined was if the winner was in my age group…my big bottle of beer was on the line!</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eiBzdxwgQf0/V5YVMLQoA2I/AAAAAAAAGT0/_T_xhw1pX1Q/s1600-h/IMG_92874.jpg"><img title="IMG_9287" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9287" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TLTtB4dInhM/V5YVMq3braI/AAAAAAAAGT4/C7aD9XLL65c/IMG_9287_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="418" height="400"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">After crossing the line I downed a couple of bottles of water and had a wee lie on the ground before getting up to go find my family. I found them and we went and sat in the shade of the picnic pavilion, cheering on runners as they headed down the finishing chute. I also got to see a bunch of friends out there and chatted with everyone while we waited around for the awards ceremony. I was called up as part of the overall podium and received a plaque for my efforts (but not a bottle of beer), and shortly after that they called my name as the winner of the 30-39 age group…whew what a relief! All of the training came to fruition in a glorious giant bottle of craft beer! I also got to share the podium with my buddy Abe, so that was pretty cool. This guy’s swim just keeps getting better and once he reaches that potential I know I’m going to have to work even harder in my age group!</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nr83i1CmH0E/V5YVMw_3-6I/AAAAAAAAGT8/Mp5Q_XMOIoE/s1600-h/IMG_92893.jpg"><img title="IMG_9289" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9289" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M4ZUsEjifNI/V5YVNDP3-5I/AAAAAAAAGUA/yV7h3kwtGmc/IMG_9289_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="334"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">All in all it was another great day at the Bluewater Triathlon and there is little doubt that I will be back next year. Best triathlon prizes ever to go with a legendary post-race pig out, ya I’ll be back <img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" style="border-top-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none" alt="Smile" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FVG3S5002Ew/V5YVKkS_uyI/AAAAAAAAGTg/jRGdDtoUrkE/wlEmoticon-smile2.png?imgmax=800">.</p> <p align="justify">The ladies did well in their relay as well, with Michelle beating her bike goal by nearly 15 minutes!</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JClHN0thY4k/V5YVNgMBeRI/AAAAAAAAGUE/cN36i63N6p4/s1600-h/IMG_92923.jpg"><img title="IMG_9292" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDy4-zaoEDuN6DAybv8r0ttTUqUJs8HRQBC2yeNNrEA80uYDJaZ0Ucn47W_yE5tNGswgikjL7qL-A49ZxsxmQRxooF0Tjyvi6SvelGIkaXMfS5v7svXo9Dpy69YSJ-P1W_x9yaeoxEfcy8/?imgmax=800" width="290" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">And I guess the report isn’t complete if I don’t show a picture of the elusive big ol’ bottle of beer, so hear it is…Team Sheri teammate Paula also won her age group!</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qcrGZkAPw-Q/V5YVOOWyXLI/AAAAAAAAGUM/-trtZBqeQ4g/s1600-h/IMG_92903.jpg"><img title="IMG_9290" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_9290" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OPshvrtz5gs/V5YVOaSW9DI/AAAAAAAAGUQ/AmyjYvmRDEs/IMG_9290_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="315" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">Thanks to everyone at the Bluewater Triathlon, the volunteers here are outstanding and Ken Walker and his daughter Haley Walker do an excellent job organizing the event year in and year out. Thanks to Tom for supporting all of us London Tri Clubbers and to my Dad for bringing the kids out and cheering us on. Next race for me will be the Long Course at Kingston this weekend and then Ironman Mont Tremblant on August 21. Cheers for reading!</p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-10309243347599616942016-06-27T13:22:00.001-04:002016-06-27T13:22:22.370-04:002016 MSC Welland Long Course Race Recap<p>Triathlon season is now well underway with races going on almost every weekend here in Southwestern Ontario. This past weekend I took part in my second triathlon of the season in Welland, down in the Niagara region. Multisport Canada was putting the race on as part of their Rose City Triathlon Weekend, which featured short course on Saturday and my race, the Long Course, on Sunday. The weather looked great with no threat of rain and some smoking hot temperatures.</p> <p>The whole family would be going to the race and we set off for Welland on Saturday morning after Kennedy finished her swim practice. It was a gorgeous day and we decided to drop the top on the Jeep and take the backroads as we didn’t have anywhere to be at a certain time. It was a nice relaxing drive and we pulled into Welland shortly after 3:00, just in time to go to the race site and do a quick and easy bib pickup (one less thing to worry about on race day). After that it was off to check in to our room (we ended up staying at the college dorm) and then off to Niagara Falls to grab some dinner. We have a cool little restaurant there called The Boat House that has become our go-to for prerace dining when down in the region…a little bit off the beaten path, decent food at decent prices, cool patio and best of all, no tourists! A big plate of spaghetti & meatballs later and we were heading back to our room in Welland (with a quick ice cream stop on the way!) to head off to bed.</p> <p>Morning came and I was greeted by a splitting headache. My allergies were in full force and decided full-on congestion wasn’t enough, so they threw in an upset stomach and the headache for good measure. We went to grab breakfast and I could barely stomach a half of a bagel…not good. Michelle looked at me and said I didn’t look good. I certainly didn’t feel good. Not much to do but dial back my goals and try to be realistic out there, so I got myself ready and we headed to the race site.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-AcuAkJT3sHE/V3FgsmZNubI/AAAAAAAAGPg/4e--adx_jvE/s1600-h/family%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="family" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="family" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OpDLd2jXRX0/V3FgtCzv8KI/AAAAAAAAGPo/EtxCJsXKG_A/family_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="352"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>We arrived at the race site, the Welland International Flatwater Centre, and I set up my transition area, got body marked and said hi to a few people including Coach Sheri who was there to cheer on and support a bunch of her athletes. A quick farewell to the family and I was off for a short warmup swim.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9UqOukewSpk/V3FgtuV0CcI/AAAAAAAAGPw/JZkCRNClgvk/s1600-h/WIFC%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="WIFC" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="WIFC" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T1dGEdEhZX0/V3Fguz3D7tI/AAAAAAAAGP4/agQz8MaWF2U/WIFC_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify"><b>Swim - 2000m<br></b><em>32:37 (1:37/100m), 3/21 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">I was looking forward to this swim for a while as the venue is incredible…by far the best open water swim course I have ever done. I had done the exact same course back in September at <a href="http://www.3cheaprunners.com/2015/09/2015-barrelman-703-recap.html">Barrelman</a> so I knew it was conducive to a quick time. I hung out at the start line with Team Sheri teammate Kristen as we were in the same wave, set to go off at 8:30 just one minute after the pros. The horn sounded and I took off. The start was nice and clean, no real jarring for position for a change and I didn’t take a single elbow to the face. I got into a good rhythm right away and had my stroke and breathing well under control. My favourite feature of this swim course is the rope that runs the length of the canal that has the distance markers for the rowing that competes there…the swim course uses the rope to tie the buoys as well, and the water is crystal clear so you can actually sight off of the ropes under water. I am a notorious zig-zagger, so this helps immensely. I made my way to the rope within the first 100m or so and stuck with it the rest of the way. A few other people had the same idea and the only time I came off the rope was when I had to go past another swimmer and when we had to cross to the other side of the canal at the halfway point. To give you an idea how effective the rope line was, my watch measured the 2000m swim at 1984m…I am never that close let alone short! I was passing a good number of people and very few people were passing me, other than one guy from the wave behind me that made me feel like I was just treading water…whoever you are you looked like a torpedo screaming by my! I made the final turn back to shore and climb up the swim ramp to run in front of the crowd in the grandstand and up the stairway to T1. There was a guy in front of me walking up the stairs so I gave him a heads up that I was coming and ran past him…I don’t get people who walk through transition, do they forget it’s a race?? It was a great swim for me though, pretty sure it was my quickest pace ever and I was over a minute and a half faster than Barrelman last September on the exact same course. All that winter swimming is paying off!</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fgDHmxKpcYo/V3FgvsV8_KI/AAAAAAAAGQA/52EC5nG_qSo/s1600-h/bike%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="bike" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="bike" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BgGLwlqFYWE/V3FgwF64lRI/AAAAAAAAGQI/W8W1D25gPCY/bike_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="335"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify"><b>Bike - 56K<br></b><em>1:35:36 (35.2kph), 4/21 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">There was a bit of a run from T1 to the mount line and then it was off on the roads to the west of Welland. I was familiar with the course as it was identical to the first 56K of Barrelman…flat. I was still feeling like garbage with a headache that was getting worse by the minute. Now that I was out of the cool canal waters I could feel the heat…it was already 30ºC+ and the sun was blazing without a cloud in the sky. The only relief was the wind, but we were riding into it, felt like a bit of a crosswind coming in on the front right shoulder. I kept spinning quick and easy but I was not feeling good. The legs felt tired and heavy and it didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere for the work I was putting in. I passed a few guys right away in the first 5K and I saw Coach Sheri on the course as well taking pictures and cheering her athletes on. She even told me I had a great swim, high praise coming from her! After that first stretch I was riding all alone for a while with no one in sight ahead of me. Eventually a few riders came up from behind to pass me, but the numbers weren’t overwhelming…I honestly was expecting more of them I felt so bad. When we made the turn at Lake Erie to head back towards Welland I immediately saw a boost in my speed with no change in effort…maybe that wind was stronger than I had thought? With the tailwind assisting me I picked up the pace and started to feel better about my ride. I still physically felt like crap, but at least the mental game was getting better. My headache was absolutely pounding by this point and I had loosed off the tension on my helmet as much as I could without having the thing bounce around too much. I even tried to pop it up on my forehead a bit to get some air through as aero helmets are notorious for their lack of airflow. My average speed was creeping up and I was able to get over 35kph, so I kept pushing and even managed to catch a few people. There was still the occasional athlete going by me, but it wasn’t until the 40K point I saw someone that was in my age group...I put a mental marker on him to track him down on the run. Just as we got back into town I was able to experience a race first…getting stopped by a train. Another rider and I crossed the Forks Rd bridge and made the turn onto Canal Bank St and were greeted by the bells and flashing lights of a railway crossing. A line of cars were stopped as well as another athlete, but the train was just sitting there, moving very slowly towards the street. It looked like he was stopping, but who knows with a train and who wants to risk it? The cyclist at the tracks was communicating with the conductor and we were given the go ahead to cross the tracks. Probably not the best time to be shunting given there BEING A RACE and all. Jeez. With that potential mess out of the way we only had 2 to 3K to go until T2…with four of us stopped at the tracks it was hard not to ride in a pack, but especially knowing T2 was so close I backed off as much as I could to avoid any drafting penalties (I don’t think the other 3 cared, they just rode each other’s wheel). It might have been a mistake on my part as the guy in front of me took his sweet time coming into T2 to get out of his shoes and dismount, managing to take up the entire lane while he was at it. As soon as he pulled over near the dismount line I hoped off my bike and ran right by him into T2. By now I was actually pretty happy with how the ride turned out, and it was one of my fastest bike splits ever.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6vZwc0Ts9iU/V3FgwWH_BUI/AAAAAAAAGQQ/5aOPlBFKCj0/s1600-h/run%2525201%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="run 1" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2QCJeKtBLME/V3FgxH0O1XI/AAAAAAAAGQY/Q2-pYqp0_Fw/run%2525201_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="358"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify"><b>Run - 15K<br></b><em>1:06:10 (4:24/km), 1/21 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">Another quick transition buoyed by seeing Michelle and the kids on my way in and it was out to the run course. The 15K run consisted of 3 loops of 5K along the Canal path. The run was in a great setting with no traffic to worry about and the opportunity to run in front of crowds in the WIFC grandstand 3 times. The only negative was that there wasn’t a lick of shade and it was scorching hot by now. At least there were plenty of aid stations to go by and they were well-stocked with water, HEED, Coke, ice, gels and cold sponges…you pass an aid station 12 times over the course of the run so support is never far away. As soon as I left T2 I saw Coach Sheri again…she asked how I was feeling to which I responded, “Shitty!”. The headache wasn’t getting any better and now that I was running I <em>really</em> felt the heat. I made sure to start taking water right away and took a drink and dumped the rest over my head at each station. I was flying out of T2 and clocked my first kilometre at 3:51…waaaaay too fast in this heat. I made an effort to back off and decided that I should try and settle in somewhere around a 4:30 pace. Less than 2K into the run I spotted the guy in my age group that I made a mental marker of and flew by him. For as awful as I was feeling I felt like the run was starting out well. I went by quite a few people on the first loop and only one guy passed me (some young 20-something whippersnapper). I ran in front of the grandstand crowd and easily spotted Michelle and the kids as they were right at the path cheering all the runners on. I blew them a kiss and grabbed some high-fives before setting out on loop 2. My first 5K was a pretty speedy 20:43. I went by Coach Sheri again and she was happy with my run so far and the number of people I had gone past…that’s easy to do in the first 5K though, it’s whether you can keep it up or not that really counts. Everyone was bound to fade in these conditions, so I was just trying to not fade as quickly as the others.</p> <p align="justify">Loop 2 was a lot more crowded as athletes were making their way from the bike to the run and I was feeding off of the competition and reeling plenty of runners in. The heat was taking it’s toll but I just keep drinking water and pouring water and ice over my head. I also started to add in some HEED on this lop to try and get some electrolytes in (I had also had an entire bottle of Gatorade while on the bike). I saw a few teammates on the run and got high-fives from Stacy, who was looking strong as usual on the run. Around the canal and by the family again where I told Michelle I would see her at the finish…22:38 for the second 5K loop, still hanging strong. This last time by Coach Sheri she yelled at me to get some calories on this loop, which I bonked on not having a clue what to take…there was no way I could down one of the gels they were handing out. Then she added on, “Coke! At this aid station!!” Light bulb! Man did that Coke taste good…mmm, mmmmmm!! I enjoyed the quick boost and picked up the pace a bit. More people, more cheers, more encouragement given to other runners…all the while feeding my push to the finish. I made the final turn and starting busting it with everything I had left…saw the family one last time and took the left turn to the finishing chute. Across the line in <strong>3:15:53</strong>, 4+ minutes better than my loose goal of 3:20, and a handshake from John Salt to seal the deal. All of this despite tough conditions and never feeling even remotely good physically. My time gave me 20th overall and was good for 2nd in my age group. Pretty happy with this result, especially since I had basically written the race off just a few hours earlier.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CwDdrINMRes/V3Fgxklq5II/AAAAAAAAGQg/lDgIwQsu49U/s1600-h/podium%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="podium" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="podium" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MsAcGRZjMJM/V3Fgx8RwNRI/AAAAAAAAGQo/dAyYU-Gt1WA/podium_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="403"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p align="justify">I spent the rest of the day nursing my headache (thanks again for the pills Stacy!) and hanging out with the family. We went to Saint Catharines for dinner at one of our favourite local hangouts there, Bugsy’s, and then took the short drive to Niagara-On-The-Lake for some ice cream (yes, two days in a row!) before setting out on our drive home. Having the family around to travel to races and cheer me on sure makes racing more enjoyable…I’m so lucky that they put up with my training and racing schedule. Thanks guys!</p>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-80521377966929597472016-06-13T13:22:00.001-04:002016-06-13T13:22:01.313-04:002016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">I kicked off my 2016 triathlon season this past weekend at the MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon. There is usually a pretty great turnout for this race as it is the first race of the series and Woodstock is in a nice central area for Southwestern Ontario. The longest race offered is a Sprint triathlon, so I was slated for a 750m swim, 20K bike and a 5K run…basically just a training day that would let me see where my racing legs were at. <p align="justify">Michelle and I drove down early Saturday morning and I was able to get my bike racked and bib picked up quickly, giving me plenty of time to set up in transition and say hi to a lot of familiar faces, many of whom I hadn’t seen since last season. This was also our London Triathlon Club club race, so I had plenty of team mates around as well (not to mention our team tent fully stocked with cold water and Gatorade – thanks Tom!). Even Coach Sheri showed up to race with Coach Scott in the relay…it was going to be a fun day. <p align="justify">The weather forecast was not looking very good leading up to race morning with rain, wind and thunderstorms being a near certainty, but race morning arrived with sunshine and a lot of wind. It was also getting hot and humid right away, and I was sweating as soon as I got in my wetsuit. A kiss from Michelle and a couple last minute well-wishes with a few other athletes and I popped into the lake for a quick warm-up swim (where I managed to smack heads with another swimmer, ouch!). I was in wave 1, and we were starting right at 9:00, one minute after the pros (an awesome field too, including Lionel Sanders & Alex Vanderlinden).</p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hqeCluC54z4/V17rpz3R2nI/AAAAAAAAGMs/bDGEEKa1A2A/s1600-h/File%2525202016-06-13%25252C%2525209%25252036%25252030%252520AM%25255B2%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon
http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19889/
All photos are FREE to download thanks to MultiSport Canada http://www.multisportcanada.com/tri/ @MultiSportCan #racelocal #freeracephotos
Need photographic services at your race, event, gala, party, or other? Are you in Canada? Give Zoomphoto a shout! support@zoomphoto.ca" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon
http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19889/
All photos are FREE to download thanks to MultiSport Canada http://www.multisportcanada.com/tri/ @MultiSportCan #racelocal #freeracephotos
Need photographic services at your race, event, gala, party, or other? Are you in Canada? Give Zoomphoto a shout! support@zoomphoto.ca" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xDksm9uwgYQ/V17rqQJfMCI/AAAAAAAAGM0/NZaTHqJWjh4/File%2525202016-06-13%25252C%2525209%25252036%25252030%252520AM_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="631"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Swim - 750m<br></b><em>12:44 (1:41/100m), 1/27 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">The swim was a bit dicey right from the start…everyone kinda freaks out and spazzes a bit, resulting in me taking a Jimmy Superfly Snuka-worthy elbow to the goggles, compressing the left goggle so tight all I could see was black and my right goggle slid halfway down my eye. I continued on through the melee for about 25m before popping my head up to fix them…back at it. As I cruised past a number of people I experienced something I have never had happen in a triathlon swim before…multiple times someone actually grabbed my leg. I’m not talking brushing my leg or tickling my toes, but a full on clutch accompanied by a pull back. Seriously, WTF? There has to be faster swimmers than me to latch on to! <p align="justify">I made the turn at the first buoy and started dealing with a bit of chop but I think I was handling it better than others as I continued to swim by people. I made the second turn and began heading back to the beach and even noticed that I was going by some purple swim caps, which belonged to the Pros and Elite Age Groupers that went off a minute before me. I hit the beach and saw 12:30 on my watch, a time I could certainly live with. A quick sprint up the hill to transition (T1 1:09, meh) revealed a very full bike rack…always a good sign!<br></p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8NaqK0Z2wfc/V17rq_yy6-I/AAAAAAAAGM8/UYsCst-3wuw/s1600-h/13427935_1558995897737114_8721174508613422063_n%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="13427935_1558995897737114_8721174508613422063_n" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="13427935_1558995897737114_8721174508613422063_n" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IIRfkFQpLrs/V17rrWvWLvI/AAAAAAAAGNE/H9yB1XqFkIw/13427935_1558995897737114_8721174508613422063_n_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="429"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Bike - 20K<br></b><em>34:39 (34.6km/h), 2/27 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">I jumped on my bike and started up the first hill out of the park. This is supposed to be a no-passing zone for safety and there was one guy ahead of me put-putting his way up it…he was maybe doing 15. I waited and waited and finally got to the top of the hill and blew past him. Very frustrating, but I understand that it probably gets a bit messier as the race goes on and the hill gets more congested. Once I was out of the park and on the open road the wind came whipping by in full force. The bike course is an ‘n’ shape and the 30+kph crosswinds were hard to take. I saw a few guys out there with deep dishes and even discs and I really don’t know how they managed. About 2K from the turnaround I saw the green flash of Lionel Sanders blow by the other way and I have to admit it was pretty impressive. Not far behind was Alex Vanderlinden and then a steady stream of cyclists…I was sitting back about 20 spots or so. I made the turn and tried to stomach a gel (got half of it down I guess?) and then it was time to put the head down and really fight the wind. I had gone into the race hoping to nail the bike, going hard through the whole ride and seeing what my legs would have left for the run. This year was a much tougher ride than last and I still managed to beat my bike split…good progress. On the tough wind-in-your-face backstretch I was finally passed for the first time but nobody else caught me. I came down the hill back into the park (with no one to worry about passing this time), got my feet out of my shoes and hopped off the bike to run into T2 (1:02). There was an empty rack greeting Betty and I, again always a good sign, but as soon as I racked Betty the section of rack I was in fell down…ugh. I took a second to try and put it back but it wasn’t happening, so I slid my shoes on as well as my sparkly pink visor (#teamsparkle) and hit the hot & humid run course…it was already up over 30ºC (86ºF). </p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ThjTrR0kWNo/V17rrrErgBI/AAAAAAAAGNM/uHTW57Q2kTo/s1600-h/19889-26a5f5-26772964%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon
http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19889/
All photos are FREE to download thanks to MultiSport Canada http://www.multisportcanada.com/tri/ @MultiSportCan #racelocal #freeracephotos
Need photographic services at your race, event, gala, party, or other? Are you in Canada? Give Zoomphoto a shout! support@zoomphoto.ca" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon
http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19889/
All photos are FREE to download thanks to MultiSport Canada http://www.multisportcanada.com/tri/ @MultiSportCan #racelocal #freeracephotos
Need photographic services at your race, event, gala, party, or other? Are you in Canada? Give Zoomphoto a shout! support@zoomphoto.ca" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dMaxu7L7rBE/V17rsDUIrAI/AAAAAAAAGNU/RYy3fNI1--w/19889-26a5f5-26772964_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="759"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><b>Run - 5K<br></b><em>19:43 (3:56/km), 1/27 AG</em> </p> <p align="justify">As I exited transition I yelled to one of the volunteers that the rack was down hoping that they would get it fixed before the other athletes got in there. I came out of T2 with Prakash Pandya right on my heels and he overtook me pretty quickly (not a surprise). I held onto him for a while but knew the legs didn’t have the juice to keep up…had to just hold a steady pace. I was closing the gap on another runner up in front of me who happened to be wearing a TRS Triathlon team kit…he represented TRS well as he pulled off to the side of the course just before 1K and started puking. Dark Mark would be proud. I made the turn to run across the dam and had the highlight of my race, Lionel Sanders barrelling towards me with a big lead. I figured I may not get this chance again so I put up my hand and yelled, “Hey Lionel, I need one of these!”. He got a bit of a smile on his face, maybe something to do with the goofy runner coming at him with a sparkly pink visor, rainbow tie-dye jersey and pink running shoes, but he threw his hand up and we connected on a picture-perfect high-five…seriously Zoomphoto, where were you on that one??? <p align="justify">I grabbed a quick slug of water from Loe’s water station and made the turn, noticing that there were a few guys in hot pursuit. I just continued to hold a steady pace hoping that would be enough to hold them off. When one guy did get by me I just let him go as I saw he was in the 30-34AG, not mine. I heard footsteps the entire back section of the run but no one else got by me. Apparently every time he surged I did too (unknowingly). It was actually pretty fu on the way back as I saw a bunch of friends and team mates out on their run…cheers and high-fives from Coach Sheri, Abe, Luke and a few others. I came down the finishing chute and still had plenty of gas left so I gave it a strong kick. I saw 1:09:xx and knew I had beat last year’s time (in much tougher conditions) and had gone under 1:10 as I had hoped. It was a PR time of 1:09:15, good for 22nd overall and a win in my Age Group.<br></p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R7sKjUm9gE4/V17rsgYPvmI/AAAAAAAAGNc/ceRiMHMwTkc/s1600-h/19889-d84026-26772147%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon
http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19889/
All photos are FREE to download thanks to MultiSport Canada http://www.multisportcanada.com/tri/ @MultiSportCan #racelocal #freeracephotos
Need photographic services at your race, event, gala, party, or other? Are you in Canada? Give Zoomphoto a shout! support@zoomphoto.ca" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2016 MultiSport Canada Woodstock Triathlon
http://www.zoomphoto.ca/event/19889/
All photos are FREE to download thanks to MultiSport Canada http://www.multisportcanada.com/tri/ @MultiSportCan #racelocal #freeracephotos
Need photographic services at your race, event, gala, party, or other? Are you in Canada? Give Zoomphoto a shout! support@zoomphoto.ca" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--Jvdw_fgMnE/V17rs62AiPI/AAAAAAAAGNk/Mdu50NKJCfM/19889-d84026-26772147_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="337"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">After the race I met up with Michelle again and we cheered people on at the finish line, grabbed some food, chatted with friends and enjoyed the party. Michelle had to head back to London to get to Kennedy’s swim meet so I said goodbye and shortly after I took off with one of my London Tri Club team mates to ride our bikes home to London…you know, because racing wasn’t enough. It was a great day and yet another great event put on by John Salt and his team at MultiSport Canada. Two more weeks and I’ll do it all over again down in Welland!<br></p> <div align="justify"> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="400"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VPI1t7oyFMc/V17rtSOs0kI/AAAAAAAAGNs/lyW0BhI5pds/s1600-h/13419207_1558996204403750_966720676249467881_n%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="13419207_1558996204403750_966720676249467881_n" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="13419207_1558996204403750_966720676249467881_n" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_TPAO4WxYz4/V17rtxBt11I/AAAAAAAAGN0/W_Jv_qe6cNg/13419207_1558996204403750_966720676249467881_n_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="504" height="604"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-48927329988939137152016-04-22T07:55:00.001-04:002016-04-22T07:55:47.750-04:0004.18.2016 - My First Boston<p>This past weekend I was fortunate enough to run the Boston Marathon, the crown jewel of the marathon circuit. I had qualified for the race way back in <a href="http://www.3cheaprunners.com/2015/01/cheaprunnermike-2015-walt-disney-world.html">January of 2015 at Disney</a>, which now seemed like an eternity ago, but the time was finally here.</p> <p>I have been training for my first Ironman this year so my marathon training has been different than in years past, but I am working with a great coach and I trust her training. I had a great race two weeks ago at Around the Bay in Hamilton and had every reason to believe I was on track for a great result in Boston as well. My main goal going into the race was to enjoy the experience more than anything…I really didn't want to focus on a time goal, but seeing how well my training had been in the last couple of months I was expecting to have a real shot at a sub-3 hour run.</p> <p>Michelle and I got into Boston on Sunday morning and quickly checked into our hotel before heading down to bib pick-up at the expo. The expo was pretty cool with all the major vendors represented, but there were just too many people for me and I wanted to get out of there. I bought the obligatory Adidas jacket and Michelle picked up a shirt from Saucony and we took off in search of lunch. We ended up finding a cool little joint called 'Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe' that was full of history and had some great food too.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pfCvj8WPH8k/VxoRLN2aXUI/AAAAAAAAGJc/lBcN2HsyTgY/s1600-h/IMG_87254.jpg"><img title="IMG_8725" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8725" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-N6_nkTMWA5c/VxoRLtINXGI/AAAAAAAAGJg/qxx6wwe7qqk/IMG_8725_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="281" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>After taking an afternoon break back at the hotel we headed off for dinner at City Hall where the official pre-race pasta dinner was being held. Runners received a complimentary ticket and guests were $25 so we figured it was probably cheaper than anywhere else we would find in downtown Boston. The location wasn't great for us from our hotel, it was a hotel shuttle ride plus a decent hike after we were dropped off. The food itself was okay but certainly nothing special, and it was buffet style filling up styrofoam boxes. We then ate at cafeteria tables. I would have rather just gone to Olive Garden to be honest…we'd skip this dinner if we ever come back. We headed back to the shuttle pick up location but it was nowhere to be seen, so we just walked the rest of the way back to the hotel, nearly a 5K walk in total. Lots of walking the day before a marathon, probably not the best strategy.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TNtWCyEqj0I/VxoRL8q9GqI/AAAAAAAAGJk/IlMXYHRYyhc/s1600-h/13006601_10154026225686203_383760838%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="13006601_10154026225686203_3837608381701353621_n" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="13006601_10154026225686203_3837608381701353621_n" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-91fBXCgxbN4/VxoRMPeLqDI/AAAAAAAAGJo/vQPJ-GW-sD4/13006601_10154026225686203_383760838%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="281" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I ended up having a great sleep which isn't always the case the night before a big race and when the alarm went off at 4:30 I was ready to go. I got dressed and Michelle and I went downstairs to grab breakfast…with the race start not until 10:00 I was able to get a pretty decent meal in. The hotel we stayed at had a great breakfast and they opened it up early on Marathon Monday for the runners. Breakfast started at 3:30 and when we walked in shortly before 5am the staff cheered for me…I was their first customer of the day :) I had some pancakes and greek yogurt to fill up on and then it was off to catch the hotel shuttle to the bus loading area before heading off to the Athlete's Village in Hopkinton. I caught the shuttle with a young guy named Kevin who was also running his first Boston and we stuck together up until it was time to head into our corals. The weather was cool when we arrived in Hopkinton but the sun was shining and we knew the temperature was on the rise. I ditched my throwaway sweatshirt and headed off to my corral, ready to run.</p> <p>The corrals were packed tight and there wasn't much room to move let alone get any warmup in. A couple minutes before the starting gun went off I looked to my left and saw my buddy Laura only a couple people over…I snaked through the crowd and said hi. It was nice to catch up a bit and wish each other well before we set off. She's a rockstar running her third straight Boston!</p> <p>10:00 rolled around and the elites took off…I was in the first wave as well, back in corral 4, so I had to wait a couple minutes to get across the start line. It was pretty incredible to see the river of people heading down the hill at the start, all bobbing in unison like a giant tidal wave rolling towards Boston. The running was congested, just as I had expected, and plenty of people were taking off at a pace I knew I didn't want to run at. I was planning to run around 4:20-4:30/km for the first 5K as the descent is around 70m and you can really trick your legs into running fast out of the gate if you aren't careful. </p> <p>I stuck to my pacing and came through 5K at 21:50…the course levels out a bit at this point as we head into Ashland and Framingham and at this point I was looking to build a bit of speed. I dropped my pace to run 4:10-4:15 and I managed to stay here all the way through to 15K. My split at 10K was 43:12 and things were looking good. There were a couple of developing issues though, the first being that my armpits had started to chafe almost right away, I'm talking about a kilometre in or so. This despite bathing in Body Glide :( It was the first run I had worn a singlet for this year and my pits were not happy. The heat was rising and the sun was beating down…no shade on this course. I knew the heat would be a factor so I was taking in water at every aid station and when I hit 15K I had to make a quick pit stop…I wasn't willing to pee my pants with two-thirds of the race still to go. </p> <p>After my quick port-a-potty stop I felt much better and continued clipping along at a good steady 4:10-4:15ish pace, right where I wanted to be. I passed Kevin along the way and cheered him on and I caught up with Laura again as well. I pulled in beside her to see how she was doing and she was making the smart decision that it was not going to be her day. She let off the pace a bit (but honestly, not too much…she still finished with a great time) and let herself enjoy the race. I wished her well again and took off through Natick and on to Wellesley and the famous kissing girls of Wellesley College. Wow what a rush that was! So much energy as you are subjected to the scream tunnel…it was a blast and you couldn't help but laugh at the signs the girls were holding up in hopes of getting a smooch. Boosted by their energy, I cruised through the halfway point at 1:31:15…pace was still looking really good and not fluctuating at all.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-78CmE5vp7uk/VxoRMUBTjHI/AAAAAAAAGJs/blNikvVcMYw/s1600-h/00053.jpg"><img title="0005" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="0005" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hG4b63kNo-w/VxoRMtzZ_FI/AAAAAAAAGJw/rxaibB4S718/0005_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="248" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I kept pushing hard through the next couple kilometres, making sure to keep drinking at the water stations and keeping my fluids up, but coming up on 25K I was starting to get some mild cramping in my side and my stomach was fighting some GI issues. I knew I could fight through it and watch my pace drop or I could jump in to the next port-a-potty I saw and just deal with the issue as quick as I could and hope my pace would stay strong. I opted for the latter and it cost me a little over a minute but I felt a lot better…I actually had my fastest split of the day after taking care of business. At this point I was now closing in on 30K as I entered the dreaded Newton Hills. I had trained for the hills for months and felt like I was ready for them…my pace dipped a bit but that was to be expected. I made the turn at the Fire Station and was still feeling decent. I was passing people as I climbed the hills but felt good…there was no walking these hills for me. I held my pace around 4:30 for the first couple hills and then on the big ones through to Heartbreak Hill I kept it close to 5:00 (8:00/mile). I was through the toughest part of the race and it was a nice downhill run into Boston from here over the final 8K. Only problem, I was toast.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IZmwvGLgUPA/VxoRM2suV1I/AAAAAAAAGJ0/TvDCVBiu8FU/s1600-h/0019-13.jpg"><img title="0019 (1)" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="0019 (1)" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ty-iwfoZ_Kg/VxoRNGp7j2I/AAAAAAAAGJ4/M1ll6Zgu_68/0019-1_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="248" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I wanted to push but I couldn't. I was boiling hot but had goosebumps…never a good sign. Dehydration and heat exhaustion were setting in and I just hard to work as hard as I could to push on to the finish. I knew that there was no way sub-3 was going to happen…I knew that after bathroom stop number 2…and now I knew that I was likely going to miss out on getting under 3:10 to get another BQ. My new goal became "don't walk". I made a special effort to take in the sights around me and enjoy the crowd…and what an amazing crowd they were. People lined the entire length of the course urging you on every step of the way. It is a crowd that can't be described, only experienced. I saw the Citgo sign I knew I was close. I passed by Fenway and then shortly after 40K I heard "Go Michael! Woo Hoo!!!" and looked over to see Michelle cheering me on…if there was any moisture left in my body I might have been able to produce a tear.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_9GUlQjydJI/VxoRNf-_Z6I/AAAAAAAAGJ8/riECtkHYx5I/s1600-h/IMG_87614.png"><img title="IMG_8761" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8761" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-DoTXDkTDeUA/VxoRNnxTE-I/AAAAAAAAGKA/kbguXPQ1q7Y/IMG_8761_thumb5.png?imgmax=800" width="291" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I gave her a smile and thumbs up and pushed on to the finish. It gave me the boost I needed and I was able to pick up my pace to the finish.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4oZwrazvHME/VxoRN7d4TQI/AAAAAAAAGKE/5RVv-sZyvMk/s1600-h/00203.jpg"><img title="0020" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="0020" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zdEhjIVg4bw/VxoROeiM-ZI/AAAAAAAAGKI/WHUT2lhBy6E/0020_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="248" height="375"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1IwJ9RHFvl8/VxoROkqr3XI/AAAAAAAAGKM/CO7dCNDcw4w/s1600-h/00234.jpg"><img title="0023" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="0023" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L0m5ZxFpQjY/VxoROoz5NsI/AAAAAAAAGKQ/5joZjMdj868/0023_thumb5.jpg?imgmax=800" width="297" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>I crossed the line with a time of 3:12:16, which actually works out to be my second fastest marathon. I was pleased with my effort, knowing that I gave it everything I had on a tough day on a tough course. It would have been easy for me to throw in the towel once the going got tough and my goals had slipped away, but I adjusted and thought back to my original, most important goal…enjoy the experience because you never know if you'll be here again. That goal was a success!</p> <p>I met Michelle afterwards in the family reunion area and we hopped a cab back to the hotel to rest…I was knackered. Eventually we got up and got moving again and headed off to watch the last runners cross the finish line hours after the race had officially come to a close. People were still out cheering runners on and we were proud to be a part of it. Shortly after we found a little pizza joint called 'Woody's' that served some pretty delicious wood-oven pizza as well as equally delicious Guinness. I may have had a pint or two ;)</p> <p>We polished off our dinner and went over to the afterparty at Fenway Park…I've always wanted to go and didn't want to pass up the opportunity to get on the field.</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fYpeLkZzopE/VxoRO0pYcYI/AAAAAAAAGKU/SFsxxnUXTiA/s1600-h/IMG_87529.jpg"><img title="IMG_8752" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8752" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M6DcNOJOkHQ/VxoRPd2ETJI/AAAAAAAAGKY/eqB5U6nsPOU/IMG_8752_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="281"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--NQgz-7l1IQ/VxoRPhpfdpI/AAAAAAAAGKc/d4ovruqpVik/s1600-h/IMG_87554.jpg"><img title="IMG_8755" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8755" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lXL2o0DPwgw/VxoRPwIIwFI/AAAAAAAAGKg/mVyuCfbkreE/IMG_8755_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="281" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>We wrapped up the day with a nice long walk back to our hotel and I collapsed in bed for a well-deserved good night's sleep.</p> <p>I have to say that in the days after the race I was really overwhelmed by all of the support I received from people…people in my personal life, at work, from up at the cottage, on Strava, Facebook, the DIS Boards…everyone was so supportive! There are too many of you to thank but please know every one of you that I am humbled and truly appreciate your cheers and well wishes. THANK YOU!</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375" border="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JDOiIOPt4VE/VxoRQA7ZAMI/AAAAAAAAGKk/tOTn-KQepvU/s1600-h/IMG_87494.jpg"><img title="IMG_8749" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="IMG_8749" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cEZ3qSiJbnU/VxoRQQKBAfI/AAAAAAAAGKo/XAR72yArjDw/IMG_8749_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="281" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table>CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-11519656949382644782015-09-22T13:21:00.001-04:002015-09-22T13:21:30.832-04:002015 Barrelman 70.3 Recap<p align="justify">This past weekend in Niagara Falls I put a bow on my 2015 triathlon season. I had decided to end the year with a bang and signed up for the Barrelman half iron-distance race…way back in March when I registered I had every intention of this being my goal race for the year. As the race drew closer however, instead of getting excited about racing I was just excited to be done with racing for the year. It has been a long season, and my last few races have been a bit of a disappointment for me as I have suffered out on the run (which should be my strongest discipline).</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3yaHwFu0q5U/VgGN3oyCSZI/AAAAAAAAF6k/zOYvDg7ku-A/s1600-h/barrelman-rwm-logo-web%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="barrelman-rwm-logo-web" border="0" alt="barrelman-rwm-logo-web" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LZdIjsEu4aU/VgGN4VMx7PI/AAAAAAAAF6o/-Lzcu_fO7TI/barrelman-rwm-logo-web_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="173"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">The race was set to take place on Sunday, starting in Welland and ending up down in Niagara Falls. Michelle, the kids and I headed down to Welland on Saturday to take care of kit pickup, racking my bike in T1 (where it would stay overnight with a tarp over it since the weather was calling for rain…lots of rain) and attending the athlete's briefing. Everything went smooth enough but the rain did end up coming in while we were there…it was bucketing out. Better to get it out of the way though and not have to worry about racing in the rain. I ran into quite a few people I knew from the London Tri Club and just from around the tri scene, so it was nice to catch up a bit and wish everyone good luck. After leaving we drove the bike course into Niagara Falls, checked into our hotel and then went to do what we do best…carb load.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ObZHoqTYkPs/VgGN4zU0lkI/AAAAAAAAF6w/JelGkv9ZJk0/s1600-h/IMG_8200%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8200" border="0" alt="IMG_8200" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-q_YzpwprRpg/VgGN5jirEHI/AAAAAAAAF64/27k7JECntU4/IMG_8200_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></td></tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-f4x5LT4dKIk/VgGN6Qh8KCI/AAAAAAAAF7E/PBnCbm20Uc8/s1600-h/IMG_8201%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8201" border="0" alt="IMG_8201" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4RDiO4lW7ic/VgGN7CqrTvI/AAAAAAAAF7I/TdqhC2X1hik/IMG_8201_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="423"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">Sunday morning came and it was just perfect outside…sunny and cool, amazing racing conditions. It was set to warm up to around 20ºC as the day went on, so certainly wouldn't have to worry about it being a scorcher out there on the bike and run. We jumped in the Jeep and were at the swim start at the Welland International Flatwater Centre by 8:15…plenty of time before my wave went off at 9:10. The venue itself was great…it is at the end of the Welland recreational canal and is where they hold all kinds of rowing events, including the recent Panam Games. There are stands on the banks for spectators and they were able to enjoy great views. I finished setting up my transition area, kissed Michelle and the kids and went down to get a bit of a warmup swim in. I was able to hang out for a bit before the start with some of the ladies from the Tri Club (Trudie, Mary Elizabeth and Carol), always nice having some company to help keep the nerves at bay.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uvXjhSYD-lI/VgGN8FVY_tI/AAAAAAAAF7Q/jeogxyBwog8/s1600-h/swim%25255B5%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="swim" border="0" alt="swim" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i9v9R1brR0g/VgGN88_ctZI/AAAAAAAAF7Y/kYhC-gklCvc/swim_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="427" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><strong> <p align="justify">Swim - 2000m<br></strong><em>34:13 (1:42/100m), 12/43 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">The water was perfect…cool, clear and flat. The canal is a great place to swim, so easy to sight. There were orange markers along the route and green tetrahedrons for the turns. On top of that there were markers almost the entire way out and back used for rowing, so it was super easy to stay in a straight line. I wasn't able to find any fast feet around me so I ducked out into some cleaner water and just plowed along on my own. There was a lot of congestion as we were in one of the last waves, so I was coming up behind a lot of slower swimmers. I've been fortunate in the races I've done this year to be in the first or second wave every time, so it was just my turn to be near the back. I knew this would happen going in so I just didn't let it bother me.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6YehW6ROYvE/VgGN9bS-oaI/AAAAAAAAF7g/5IgOPZtQiWM/s1600-h/11229775_10153528218036233_378969603350991946_o%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="11229775_10153528218036233_378969603350991946_o" border="0" alt="11229775_10153528218036233_378969603350991946_o" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IMhDoD2ihpA/VgGN9_tFQgI/AAAAAAAAF7o/2PpEW-jUIpw/11229775_10153528218036233_378969603350991946_o_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="263"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">The swim went great though, I was really happy with it. No issues with leaky goggles or getting kicked and pulled by other swimmers…just a nice swim. I had been hoping to do the swim in 35-36 minutes, so was happy to pop out of the water at 34. A quick run in front of the stands full of cheering spectators then up a concrete stairway to T1, followed by balling up my wetsuit, goggles and swim cap to throw in my wetsuit bag (as T1 was in Welland and T2 was all the way in Niagara Falls). In and out of T1 in 1:47 including the run up, not too bad.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8qjHavfNB7s/VgGN-lnVF-I/AAAAAAAAF7w/D_K35xvlGm4/s1600-h/IMG_8192%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8192" border="0" alt="IMG_8192" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sSDp2CqPJ4o/VgGN_WN5T4I/AAAAAAAAF74/m-vxJd8k6y0/IMG_8192_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="343"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><strong> <p align="justify">Bike - 89K<br></strong><em>2:34:32 (34.6km/h), 11/43 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">As I ran up to the mount line coming out of T1 there was a crowd of people that had basically stopped in their tracks to get on their bikes…I was able to find just enough room to scoot between them and then leap onto my bike to get going. Out onto the bike course things were just as busy for quite a while…lots of slower riders from the earlier waves to navigate around. We set out to the west from Welland where we would do an out, then loop down to the shore of Lake Erie and back to Welland, then out east to Niagara Falls. The 25K out portion down to Lake Erie had a nice tailwind, but that meant the last 65K of the ride would be into a headwind. I used the tailwind as best I could to really get going and then planned on just maintaining a strong pace with a fast cadence for the duration of the ride. I kept my cadence over 100 for the entire ride (12 avg), so I was never really pushing too hard. The course itself is very flat…my Garmin only showed 94m of elevation gain on the bike over 90K, compared to 114m on the 21.1K run. I actually prefer some hills on the course as I am light enough that I end up passing a lot of people on climbs and can use the descents to pick up speed…a flat course you just end up pushing the entire ride.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fdcD4tcPJb8/VgGOAPdu2WI/AAAAAAAAF8E/60updC3ZsJU/s1600-h/bike%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="bike" border="0" alt="bike" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8DCJLDgPM0Q/VgGOBb1B_WI/AAAAAAAAF8M/m7RTSxxxwHY/bike_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="373"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I was able to fuel well on the bike, taking in a full bottle of Gatorade, another bottle of water, a Clif bar and a couple of Louis Garneau gels. I knew I was pretty well hydrated as I actually needed to pee towards the end of the ride. The only anxious moment I had on the ride came right at the 10K point when I passed another athlete. I called out "on your left" as I always do to make sure he knew I was there. I gave him plenty of room and after pulling back in front of him I heard him yell "Oh shit!" followed by a crash as he rode right into the 10K marker sign. I was already a ways up the road and didn't see it happen, only heard it. The bike lane might not be the best place to set up the distance markers (basically a little sandwich-board type sign if you haven't seen them before), but also a reminder that you need to pay attention at all times and keep your head in the game. One of the pros I know was actually leading the race on the bike and rode right into a parked police car at a T-intersection. He crashed hard and his bike went flying…his day was done but thankfully he is doing okay. I came upon the scene not too long after and the ambulance had just finished loading up. I didn't know what had happened, nor did I know it was someone I knew in there, but it is always unsettling to see that on the course.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lOKchazkZDM/VgGOCAiXk-I/AAAAAAAAF8Q/r10IUw4oo6o/s1600-h/12045801_10153528243121233_8811831221316291108_o%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="12045801_10153528243121233_8811831221316291108_o" border="0" alt="12045801_10153528243121233_8811831221316291108_o" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CrzgSAquhf4/VgGOCxyEd9I/AAAAAAAAF8Y/mah6L-bWYS4/12045801_10153528243121233_8811831221316291108_o_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="365"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div><strong> <p align="justify">Run- 21.1K<br></strong><em>1:35:10 (4:31/km), 7/43 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">It was a bit of a long transition in T2…having not really seen the area until I got in there I only knew roughly where my rack was. I found it easily enough (luckily I ran on the correct side of the rack) and my bike-to-run bag was waiting for me with my shoes and visor. I always race in my New Balance 1400 flats, but this past week I decided that with the run being a half marathon I would go with something just a little more comfortable in my Saucony Kinvaras. The Kinvara is pretty much my everyday training shoe and the shoe I wear for marathons so I wasn't at all concerned about running the last leg of the triathlon in them. Once I had my shoes on it was another long run to the end of transition and I was in and out in 1:42.</p> <p align="justify">Despite my last few runs being slower than I had hoped, I had come off the bike with my legs feeling good for all of them. My problem was just that I would tire out really quickly, which I figured had a lot to do with the heat but I couldn't say for sure. I wouldn't be able to use the heat as an excuse today though because the temperature was perfect. I took off with legs that felt good despite having just rode 90K and I saw my family almost right away when I hit the run course. High fives all around and I was off for the first of two loops. We ran along the river for a little bit before ducking into Dufferin Islands Park. We had a little out and back in there before heading up a big hill past Marineland and along Portage Road towards Casino Niagara. Heading up Portage we could feel the mist from the Horseshoe Falls and it was certainly a welcome addition to the run. I was going along at a good pace, but I kept telling myself to slow it down and not burn up those matches too soon. I was trying to keep my pace around 4:30, but the first couple kilometres were a touch quick (4:06, 4:07). The climbing helped bring my pace into check and I was able to settle into a good groove between 4:15-4:25 for quite a while.</p> <p align="justify">Once we finished climbing the hill on Portage we ducked onto a public walkway the goes behind the Casino. There were lots of people out walking back there but the race had enough volunteers around to make sure no one was getting in the way of the runners. I saw a mother with her two little girls sitting on a bench watching us and gave one of the girls a little wave…she smiled and waved back happy to be a part of the action. When I came by on my second loop they were still there and she started shouting "Mommy! I remember him!" as she jumped up and waved at me…made my day <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BhBTwUxs8yo/VgGODSwIHTI/AAAAAAAAF8g/8iTzdXKjaj0/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800">. </p> <p align="justify">As we exited the pathway we had to descend a flight of stairs to get back to the street…there was a short set of three or four stairs up and then the long flight down. The volunteer was yelling out "up the stairs then down the stairs" and I couldn't help but sing out loud (I got a few looks…)</p> <blockquote> <p align="justify"><em>Wee Willie Winkie, running thru the toon,<br>Up the stairs, down the stairs, in his nightgoon<br>Rappin' at the windaes, tappin' at the locks,<br>Are all the bhoys and ghirls in bed? For now it's 8 o'clock</em></p></blockquote> <p align="justify">My Mum would be proud. I got to the bottom of the stairs and then it was a massive downhill…nearly 100 feet in just 200m. Quite the quad burner after the long incline. Then it was onto the Niagara Parkway with the Falls right beside us…hard to explain in words what an awesome feeling it is to run past the Falls. You can't help but appreciate the power and the beauty and it inspires you to push on (which was helpful because it was immediately back to a long incline). I got back to Kingsbridge Park where the finish was and saw the family again as I set out for loop number two. More cheers and high fives to fill up my tank for the final push. I was at 45:37 for the first half of my run and I saw that my overall time was only 3:57:xx…I only had two goals coming into the race, one being to finish with a decent run and not feel like a piece of garbage, and the second being to go sub 5-hours. If I could manage the first goal then the second was a virtual lock. Knowing this helped me push through the second loopp even as it started to get tough around 14K. There were a couple times towards the end where I contemplated a little walk break through a water station but I pushed those thoughts out of my mind. There wasn't another race on the calendar for me to save myself for and there wouldn't be a chance for redemption. I was going to push through to the end with everything I had. As I ran past the 20K marker I switched my watch over to just see total time…I wasn't only going to break 5 hours, but I was going to be under 4:50. I dug deep to pull out whatever was left in my legs and ran that last kilometre hard…I saw Michelle and the kids as I came down the finishing chute and I slowed up to just enjoy the moment. One of my running buddies just went sub-3 on her marathon last week to net a massive PR and she had one of the best finishing pics I've ever seen…she had a huge smile on her face as she fist-pumped her way across the line. I guess she was my inspiration as I was punching the air as I came across the line in 4:47:21 (although I also seem to be sticking my tongue out for some reason??)</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w8So_0Fl3kk/VgGODy_Vo9I/AAAAAAAAF8o/saZrRPPFdsM/s1600-h/IMG_8199%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8199" border="0" alt="IMG_8199" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M5_KPvvYoYA/VgGOEaBYAGI/AAAAAAAAF8w/QE2Dt33rhQ8/IMG_8199_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="577"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I had smashed my goals, my expectations and my previous best effort. I was thrilled with my result and I felt great in the process. I collected my finisher's medal and hat then went over to enjoy the moment with my family.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Overall</strong><br><em>4:47:21, 36/496 OA, 9/43 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">Multisport Canada put on a great event as always and this is one of those races that people will keep coming back to. It is a fantastic event with a beautiful course and easily the best swim venue I have ever raced at with the Flatwater Centre. John Salt and his team deserve heaps of praise and this event will only continue to grow year over year. Thanks to John, his team and all of the volunteers that made this such a wonderful event.</p> <p align="justify">Thanks as well to my family for being out there supporting me…despite my best efforts to be fast, I know it was a long day for you. Your cheers, smiles and high fives really helped me push through so thank you!</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ncYrfp89ZNs/VgGOFLSAGOI/AAAAAAAAF84/tANtx-dLQJ8/s1600-h/IMG_8170%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8170" border="0" alt="IMG_8170" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rAjerR-XSDI/VgGOF9JNbNI/AAAAAAAAF9A/7lDbWLiCMII/IMG_8170_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="375"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-74598011772381283402015-08-17T10:35:00.001-04:002015-08-17T10:35:52.283-04:002015 Goderich Olympic Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">On Sunday Michelle and I got up early and took off from the cottage to go take part in the Goderich Triathlon about an hour's drive up the coast of Lake Huron. Michelle would be taking part in the Duathlon while I was taking on the Olympic Tri. We had never done this race before but had heard good things about it from a number of people and were looking forward to seeing some new sights.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Uf4-EeD6d14/VdHxKe3Uo_I/AAAAAAAAF0g/bdSH_efxjpM/s1600-h/cropped-GoderichTri-LogoSmall%25255B3%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="cropped-GoderichTri-LogoSmall" border="0" alt="cropped-GoderichTri-LogoSmall" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-69jGE6D0vE8/VdHxLISqnXI/AAAAAAAAF0k/ZR3AboY90Hs/cropped-GoderichTri-LogoSmall_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="300" height="113"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">We were on the road just before 6am and arrived at the race site just before 7. We had plenty of time to rack our bikes, pick up our race kits, etc as well as say hi to a few people who were also racing or had made their way up to Goderich just to cheer us on. This was our club race for the year so there were plenty of familiar faces out there on the course as well as a London Triathlon Club tent stocked with ice cold water, which would certainly come in handy on a hot day like this.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8AI5hSWlMnw/VdHxLqUrssI/AAAAAAAAF0s/F2Oqc4I3Qy0/s1600-h/IMG_8117%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8117" border="0" alt="IMG_8117" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-26SOA2rCnD0/VdHxL2cOpuI/AAAAAAAAF04/supzSJVAZ70/IMG_8117_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Swim - 1000m<br></strong><em>20:26 (2:03/100m), 3/12 AG, 11th Overall</em></p> <p align="justify">Rough swim. We started at 8:30 and the waves were crashing pretty good right away. This was one of those triathlon swims where the best way to describe it is swimming in the washing machine. All of the Olympic triathletes started together in one wave and there was plenty of crashing and banging out towards the first buoy. The water was rough right from the start, but as soon as we were clear of the breakwall it got really tough. The waves were large enough that they would slam you in the face and I'm light enough that they would pick me up and drop me at times. The water itself was beautiful though…nice and cool and an amazing shade of clear blue. It was tough sighting with the waves and the early morning sun, but I "only" added an extra 65m to my swim based on my Garmin, so I kept it fairly straight. As much as the swim was rough and tumble, I actually enjoyed it. Once I was able to just settle into a decent rhythm I was fine. I lost the fast feet just before the first buoy but I managed to keep them in sight most of the time. Overall I was happy with this swim.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-atMvUqiv4Lg/VdHxMiDquBI/AAAAAAAAF1A/bnhERD18tYs/s1600-h/bike%252520dismount%25255B3%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="bike dismount" border="0" alt="bike dismount" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TF0qtQkopgE/VdHxNNhQ_FI/AAAAAAAAF1I/Ec-pmDxaLEc/bike%252520dismount_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="375" height="517"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Bike - 42.5K<br></strong><em>1:17:56 (32.7kph), 3/12 AG, 10th Overall</em></p> <p align="justify">An uneventful T1 (that's always a good thing) had me in and out in 1:21. I hopped on the bike and immediately had a long climb up the hill from the beach. The temperatures had already started to climb as well and it was hot by now. The sun was beating down and my legs were in for quite the hill workout. I knew that there were some hills on this course, but I didn't realize that it was basically all climbing (over 1100 feet). Usually I am good with the hills, but this was tough. I can bounce right up a regular hill just staying in my big ring no problem, but these hills went on and on and on and on. Even when you got to the top of the hill it would keep going! I had no choice but to drop into the small ring on a few of them. I normally aim to ride the bike course around 35kph, but that simply wasn't in the cards with this course. I still managed to keep it close to 33, which is over 20mph, so that is pretty solid. I managed to hold my cadence in the 95-100rpm for most of the ride, averaging 97 overall…just keep spinning <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0XM1nDvrtWI/VdHxNtNVUhI/AAAAAAAAF1M/jaTVS5EQY6w/wlEmoticon-smile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"> I passed a few people, a few people passed me…nothing too exciting really, just a lot of hills. The most exciting part of the bike was my dismount (which you can see in the picture above). We finally have a good downhill section but it is coming back down to T2 at the beach, with a sharp left-hand turn ahead and volunteers yelling at you to slow down. I slipped my right foot out of my shoe easy enough, but when I went to tug the heel strap on my left shoe to get my foot out, the entire shoe came off in my hand! (again, see photo above <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-winkingsmile" alt="Winking smile" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-iDHy7EEaAzI/VdHxOBLVvfI/AAAAAAAAF1U/_3lOx3Wq5K8/wlEmoticon-winkingsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800">) The left pedal also happens to be the side I dismount on, of course. Smooth.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Trlc7rSiGzc/VdHxOU_0z3I/AAAAAAAAF1g/D1kfgKExt9Q/s1600-h/IMG_8120%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8120" border="0" alt="IMG_8120" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-FIYJzP75esY/VdHxOztU-GI/AAAAAAAAF1o/ZUiW4s8hzIA/IMG_8120_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="542"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Run - 10K<br></strong><em>48:02 (4:49/km), 5/12 AG, 13th Overall</em></p> <p align="justify">Ugh, the run. Still the leg of triathlon that needs the most work (funny, isn't it?). I started off the tri season in June with a sub-20 5K run and a 40 minute 10K, but my last 3 races have all been in hot weather (upwards of 30ºC plus humidity) and I have been just sapped on the run. The worst part is that my legs feel fine…I get off the bike and I'm able to run well, but the heat just beats me down. Goderich was more of the same and I'm really going to need to figure this out for next season. The run itself was beautiful…we ran up the beach hill and then darted off to the rail path, which is a chip & dust trail that is great for running on. Quite a bit of the trail is shaded which at least kept the sun off of us. Of course, this is Goderich so that meant climbing the whole way out to the turnaround. As I turned onto the rail path I saw Michelle up ahead of me completing her second run of the day. I came up behind her and gave her a little kiss on the shoulder and wished her well…she yelled at me that I better not pass her again or else I would need to carry her the rest of the way. She was looking good though and finished up well. I went out hoping to hold the pace around 4:30/km and was doing a decent job of it up to the 5K turnaround, coming through 5K in 22:55 (4:35/km). Once I hit the turn though I was done…the heat was really getting to me and I was starting to play mind games with myself. My brain kept telling me to stop and take a walk break, it was okay, blah blah blah. I knew this was coming and I pushed it out as best as I could. I decided that I would walk through just one water station so I could actually get a whole cup down and another to pour over my head and I stuck to that plan. I was really encouraged to see a bunch of my teammates coming through on the run course and we cheered each other on…there were lots of great results out there for a bunch of people I knew! Eventually I made it off the trail and back onto the road where I gave it a strong finish line kick. I heard Tom yelling my name and knew the finish chute was just around the corner and I cruised through in 2:28:51. The time was good enough for 6th overall and second in my age group, much better than I had expected after the strugglebus run.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zvPwhvATym4/VdHxPQiNYKI/AAAAAAAAF1w/-HiGAWJQWCg/s1600-h/image%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" border="0" alt="image" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-llsPxIrWfJ8/VdHxP9LjB_I/AAAAAAAAF14/jgzRZcDXSEM/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">It was a tough day but in the end it was a fun and successful day. Michelle did great too and made a podium appearance taking 3rd in her age group woot woot! The race itself is very well organized with plenty of great volunteers. It is a tough course but it is also a beautiful course…I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a challenging race. A nice surprise at the end of the race was a food truck was set up and was offering free breakfast sandwiches to all athletes…what a great post-meal snack!</p> <p align="justify">Couldn't beat the support we had from the London Tri Club as well…the shade of the tent (and the ice-cold water) was such a relief after the race and it was great having Tom, Nancy, Catherine and Richard all make the trip from London just to cheer us all on. And thanks to Tom for all the great pictures! I stole most of the ones here from him <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-openmouthedsmile" alt="Open-mouthed smile" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LTu8qUtvWvA/VdHxQC04NwI/AAAAAAAAF18/jWmM4-odCAw/wlEmoticon-openmouthedsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"></p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CoJRhuQw5bM/VdHxQhDBxpI/AAAAAAAAF2I/JVGa9hH-174/s1600-h/IMG_8118%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_8118" border="0" alt="IMG_8118" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mYTa0PkhR6I/VdHxRU336fI/AAAAAAAAF2M/gO45lbe8m1k/IMG_8118_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="471"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">Now it's time for a little race break as I have just over a month to get in my final training for the Barrelman Half Iron in Niagara Falls. Time to work on getting my run straightened out!</p> <p align="justify">Thanks for reading folks!</p> CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-35874909762908010672015-06-23T10:33:00.001-04:002015-06-23T10:33:22.311-04:002015 Guelph Lake I 5150 Recap<p align="justify">This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be racing yet again…it was the Guelph Lake I 5150 (Olympic Distance) Triathlon this time around.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-TIwTlhfNHyw/VYluArif9UI/AAAAAAAAFvs/YuTUNGEprZc/s1600-h/guelph-lake-i%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="guelph-lake-i" border="0" alt="guelph-lake-i" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oM3h6zYKOng/VYluBFfhDQI/AAAAAAAAFv0/mIhu8bsm-9k/guelph-lake-i_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="205"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I have raced Guelph a couple of times before, in fact it was my first triathlon back in 2012 when I did the Try-a-Tri. It is a great venue with the swim in a lake big enough to accommodate a single-loop 1500m swim, low-traffic country roads with a few rolling hills for the 40K bike and a 10K run that winds through the park. Kennedy and Michelle were tagging along as my support crew/cheering squad on Saturday morning and we were on the road bright and early at 5:30. We pulled into the park shortly after 7 which left enough time to comfortably get set up in transition and take care of all of the logistics before my wave started at 8:03. In no time at all I was grabbing my wetsuit and heading down to the beach…it was race time!</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ROtFBkFocbo/VYluBr4CYNI/AAAAAAAAFv4/BYmfvAhNJ6A/s1600-h/0d8b677c4adc89c99d5ea816295f_Content%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="0d8b677c4adc89c99d5ea816295f_Content" border="0" alt="0d8b677c4adc89c99d5ea816295f_Content" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-mitolgNbhWU/VYluCG_f9cI/AAAAAAAAFwE/B4vDy2ZfRrI/0d8b677c4adc89c99d5ea816295f_Content_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="345" height="269"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Swim - 1500m<br></strong><em>24:27 (1:37/100m), 4/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">My swim start wasn't great when I raced Woodstock a couple weeks ago, but I managed to scope out a better starting position this time around. I had space to work in right from the start and somehow avoided elbows and flailing arms so that I could get off to a quick start. The swim loop here at Guelph is great as you swim all the way across the lake, hang a right, swim along the shoreline, then a right turn back to the other side of the lake where you started from. Plenty of buoys (5 on each side I think?) make sighting really easy too. I was cruising at a good pace, breathing easy and never feeling panic. I was in wave 2, 3 minutes after the first wave, and I was coming up on wave 1 swimmers about 400m in. There were a few other red caps (wave 2), but the majority around me were purple wave 1 caps…definitely a good sign. I tried to draft off of some feet, but found that was slowing me down as I wasn't able to find any fast swimmers to work with…that will be my swim takeaway from this race, find the fast swimmers in my wave and stick with them from the start. As I got back to shore I lapped my watch to record just my swim time as the chiptime is recorded heading into transition, which is a bit of a run away. My actual swim was 23:36, good for a 1:34/100m pace…fourth out of the water in my age group and my best ever!</p> <p align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kb6Opk5lWzU/VYluC6HEU_I/AAAAAAAAFwM/roB52mfWKZE/s1600-h/IMG_7787%25255B5%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7787" border="0" alt="IMG_7787" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-j6oeyD5yULA/VYluDbLJrJI/AAAAAAAAFwU/KeAoiadWNqE/IMG_7787_thumb%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="378"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></p> <p align="justify"><strong>Bike - 40K<br></strong><em>1:07:29 (35.6 km/h), 2/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify"> <p align="justify">I made the run up to T1 and peeled out of my wetsuit…I was encouraged to see a full rack of bikes still there knowing that my swim had set me up for a good bike. I got my bike shoes on, strapped on the helmet and took off across the mount line with a running leap…still not a full-on flying mount but still a lot quicker than years past. T1 was 1:23, pretty happy with that as my T1 transitions have always been closer to 2 minutes. I was off to the bike course and was promptly passing people as we made the 5K climb on the only section of really rough road on the course. I was hoping to ride the course around 35-36 km/h and I was keeping the pace right there the whole time. There are a few turns on the course but I was able to hold some decent speed through them…I'm starting to build some handling ability as I get more and more comfortable on the bike. I was riding up through the pack and feeling good with a quick and easy cadence…my average for the ride was 102, even quicker than last time out. The hills weren't all that tough and I was able to get through them with good gearing while holding aero, in fact I only had to come out of aero for the corners. I saw the leaders on their way back to T2 as I was about 5K to the turnaround and I was surprised that there really wasn't a whole lot of people ahead of me despite being in wave 2. I hit the turn and speed back to transition and was finally passed for the first time by a couple of guys in the last 5K, when we were back on the rough surface. There's my bike takeaway, learn to hold my speed on poor surface. I slipped out of my shoes as I got back to the park and made the running leap off my bike just before the dismount line (scraping my long toe on the asphalt in the process…ouch!)…I wrestled my bike around the sharp turn and into T2 with the second fastest bike in my age group, and right on target of where I had hoped to be.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xzxQPaOCOSc/VYluEQUl0FI/AAAAAAAAFwc/dRgh_Mdrrtc/s1600-h/IMG_7786%25255B5%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7786" border="0" alt="IMG_7786" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-KHYN2kBTfIo/VYluFD8RLEI/AAAAAAAAFwk/aDv0M1BuPWc/IMG_7786_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="563"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Run - 10K<br></strong><em>40:04 (4:00/km), 1/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify"> <p align="justify">The run is where it all went wrong for me <a href="http://www.3cheaprunners.com/2014/06/guelph-lake-1-olympic-triathlon.html">last year</a> in this race (long story short, I cut the run course short by about a kilometre, resulting in reporting myself and getting a penalty). The run in general was also my weakness last year in my return to triathlon…I would push too hard on the bike and have spent legs once I got to the run. I figured it out in the last race of the season at Lakeside, where I ran a 20:07 5K after I took it easy on the bike, and then again in the first race of this season at Woodstock where I put up a 19:33 5K after a quick bike where I was spinning quick and not pushing the big gears. Those were both 5K's though and I was now facing a 10K, and was coming off a 40K bike instead of 20K. I really wanted to go sub-40 minutes off the bike, but I knew that was a tall order. T2 was a quick in and out as I slipped into my New Balance 1400 flats and hit the run course. Michelle and Kennedy were there to cheer me on as I made the turn out of T2 on my jelly legs…unfortunately I completely whiffed on the high five from Kennedy.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-zlHclEMTvUk/VYluF8n0ORI/AAAAAAAAFws/Kjq9gLvbAd4/s1600-h/IMG_7788%25255B5%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7788" border="0" alt="IMG_7788" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1rmGsmq7baU/VYluGhAzzVI/AAAAAAAAFw0/Nu8u6ROtuBo/IMG_7788_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="500" height="562"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I really wasn't feeling great on the run, but I was moving at a good pace. It is always such a strange feeling to be running fast but feel slow, but that's the triathlon run. I ran through a few guys as my first three kilometres were all under 4 minutes. On kilometre 4 I turned off the park road and onto the goat path…this stretch is a grassy, gravelly mess of a path to run on and just isn't fun. I kept pushing though as I was now starting to tire a bit…I hit the 5K point and my watch showed me my split of 20:01, ever so slightly below that sub-40 pace I was looking for. As I made my way back to the road I made a left turn (instead of the right I made last year) and set out on the section of the course I had never seen before. As I came up on the turn I could see how I missed it last year…I was running alone again this time with no one else around (ie no one to follow) and there were no volunteers there directing traffic either. No signs marked the turn, only pylons that could be confusing if you didn't really know the course. This second out and back section quickly peeled off the road and took you down a loose gravel path to a 180° turnaround, the second such turn on the run course. You ran down a somewhat steep hill to the turn and then went right back up it. I was keeping my pace right around where it should be, but these middle kilometres saw me slowing just a bit. I was back on the road for the homestretch and dropped the hammer and gave all I had for the finish. I clocked another sub-4 9th kilometre and then finished up with my fastest split of the day, a 3:49 10th. I made my kick down the chute as I heard cheers from Michelle and Kennedy. The clock was showing 2:17:xx and I knew that I would go under 2:15, which was the goal time I was aiming for. My run ended up just shy of sub-40 at 40:04, but it was the quickest of the day in my age group.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaRsC_pH9sZn9SL2fAbBDeYNl6lZ0sRcpOv7hwW5RLjsh5Fij8mYdfbHXqzgd5sP5BBWK1no8Sm1GSLMKOCpZPPWILUI1j6elelwaSHAs1KU-GQWCWCSLN_Li6BM3kcsjo9irw7toR0aZJ/s1600-h/IMG_7792%25255B4%25255D.png"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7792" border="0" alt="IMG_7792" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tFzaKhRzakw/VYluIc3G0KI/AAAAAAAAFxE/HjCBtW4krhI/IMG_7792_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="449" height="585"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I crossed the line with an official time of <strong>2:14:34</strong>, which was good enough to place me second in my age group and 19th overall (in a field of over 400 athletes). I also managed to beat my "cheater" time from last year by almost 2 minutes. I felt great! We stuck around to cheer on other athletes, fill up on the postrace food (Subway!) and collect some hardware up on the podium.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-LDjJaXqC8VE/VYluJGVrF3I/AAAAAAAAFxI/jgki4toFsCo/s1600-h/IMG_7782%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7782" border="0" alt="IMG_7782" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-K7OdCvR4Mgc/VYluJrytGoI/AAAAAAAAFxQ/Xny4JZlAYSQ/IMG_7782_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="333" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">Once that was done we packed up the Jeep, dropped the top and set off for the cottage to enjoy the rest of the Father's Day weekend. The kids even got me this awesome card…</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-idGDt1Qxzic/VYluKtAl86I/AAAAAAAAFxc/ZdMkqmXVO0E/s1600-h/IMG_7796%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG_7796" border="0" alt="IMG_7796" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--3pTR0xJXOA/VYluLSEOHbI/AAAAAAAAFxk/M2x_4C7QbLs/IMG_7796_thumb%25255B9%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="415" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">Thanks for reading guys! Next race on my schedule is the Bluewater Olympic Tri on July 25, can't believe I have to wait another month to race again <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-sadsmile" alt="Sad smile" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-u-5YCDL06BM/VYluL1SnOsI/AAAAAAAAFxs/MWxJy2d2BbM/wlEmoticon-sadsmile%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800"></p> CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7833291526850742550.post-69359468050766543872015-06-08T10:58:00.001-04:002015-06-08T10:58:05.009-04:00MSC Woodstock Sprint Triathlon Recap<p align="justify">Hey all, it's race recap day! Seems that races are the only thing that motivate me to post these days…sorry about that.</p> <p align="justify">I signed up pretty much last minute to race the Multisport Canada Series season opener in Woodstock, which is relatively close to home at only 45 minutes away. The Sprint was the longest distance offered, but they also had their Give-it-a-Tri as well as Duathlon options. I signed up for the Sprint (750m swim/20K bike/5K run) figuring it would be a great opportunity to put my offseason training to the test and knock the rust off my racing legs.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-88bmQlcd09Q/VXWtZA4GQnI/AAAAAAAAFtY/YnyYChpw9qA/s1600-h/2015-woodstock-web-300x300%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2015-woodstock-final" border="0" alt="2015-woodstock-final" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rY_Ud6pSehw/VXWtZ7JEHcI/AAAAAAAAFtg/ZbYlKrkzdKc/2015-woodstock-web-300x300_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="135"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">I arrived at the race site about an hour and a half before the start, so I had plenty of time to rack my bike and go through packet pick up. I was glad I was early as the pick up line got really long really fast. I snagged a primo spot on the end of the rack, literally step from the bike in/out, and got to the business of setting up transition. I was also able to meet up with all kinds of people and catch up a bit, so the time passed quickly. It was a cool morning, but the sun was shining and the water temperature was recorded at 20°C, so it was looking like it would be a great day to race.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Swim - 750m<br></strong><em>13:35 (1:48/100m), 6/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">I was in wave 2, so we set out 3 minutes after the first group left at 9:00. I had almost forgotten how fun the mass swim start was, but I was reminded about 100m in as I was clocked across the head and was forced to stop to fix my flooded askew goggles. There was a pretty good crush of swimmers until we hit the first turn buoy and then I was able to find clean water and get moving. There was a bit of a chop on the lake, but nothing too bad, especially after the turn. I was able to settle in to a good rhythm and cruised to shore at a much better pace. Overall it wasn't my best swim and I know I can do better, but it wasn't terrible.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0wjUTrKYJl0/VXWtacQ4InI/AAAAAAAAFto/PEo1CrNML5w/s1600-h/photo%2525204%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="photo 4" border="0" alt="photo 4" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy7VK5rxHpRz1x7b_KQ94k6R7pqVWYNnq68wdTk5_ekr_ZAdhNvNTWnJaVORvsZJ8dw3IdiTt7WMyXhaqJcJ4A51_tt_AX3ZXL8iOxptw23cqPZl8xjDEhwMVJw0kcaRGkcrM9elIeSwo6/?imgmax=800" width="333" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Bike - 20K<br></strong><em>34:51 (34.4km/h), 6/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">I ran up the hill to T1 and peeled out of my wetsuit as quick as I could. I noticed that the rack was still pretty full, always a good sign. I strapped on my helmet, put on my bike shoes and then ran towards the mount line. T1 took 1:24, which is pretty good for me…I was pleased as everything went smoothly. As I got to the mount line there were 3 or 4 people stopped and trying to get on their bikes, so I just ran right through them and once I was clear I was able to make a flying leap onto my bike in one nice smooth beautiful motion (at least that's how I imagine it looked!). It wasn't a full-on flying mount as I still had to clip my shoes in, but it was much better than my usual stop-at-the-line-and-get-on method. As soon as you get on the bike there is a big hill to climb coming up out of the park and it is designated as a no passing zone. I had to hold back a bit, which really sucked because I have worked hard and become a pretty decent climber, while some of the riders in front of me well…not so much. I find it so tough to slow down on a climb and lose your momentum and then try to get it going again. Oh well. As soon as I was out of the park and able to pass I continued up the road nearly 5K to the first corner, a pretty nice steady climb. There was a pretty decent wind out on the course and it somehow seemed to be in your face the whole time, but it wasn't enough to really bother me. I was picking off riders throughout the course and only counted two guys that went past me, one of which was Strava buddy <a href="https://www.facebook.com/luke.ehgoetz" target="_blank">Luke</a> who finished the race 9th overall. Luke went screaming by just after the turnaround and yelled at me, "Time to hammer Mike!". I thought I was hammering! I was able to get some great speed on the last 5K coming back to T2 as I rode hard on the downhill. Entering the park we were again subject to the no-passing zone, but at least this time the only rider in front of me was moving quick as well. I got my feet out of my shoes and swung the leg over to make a solid running dismount…my Dad would be proud (he always makes fun of my crappy mounts/dismounts, so I had to work on them just for him).</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SRYZDSjZNao/VXWtb7hrIsI/AAAAAAAAFt4/3dqN5GFTwD8/s1600-h/photo%2525201%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="photo 1" border="0" alt="photo 1" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jFq6fRUKRJQ/VXWtcRd1pHI/AAAAAAAAFuA/saROP2XLRgI/photo%2525201_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="333" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Run - 5K<br></strong><em>19:33 (3:54/km), 3/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">T2 was a breeze, nice and uneventful…in and out in 57 seconds. The run was a 5K out and back and we covered all kinds of surface. There was grass, dirt, gravel and a little bit of pavement mixed in when we crossed over the dam. It was a tricky course as there were plenty of twisty narrow sections with two-way traffic which made it difficult to pass. I had been warned about the run though and that it was a tough setup…but it's the same course for everyone out there. My legs felt good as I had maintained a high cadence on the bike and I was off right from the get go. First kilometre clocked in at 3:55 and I was able to keep pushing it from there. I moved through the field scoping out ages on other runners calves…I felt great and had plenty of people to chase down, something I haven't had in running races in quite a while. I loved having that motivation to push harder! I put down a 3:47 second kilometre and cruised through the turnaround in under 10 minutes. I had one goal coming into the race and that was to go sub-20 minutes on the run…I was well on my way.</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Jv3u21I-Bl0/VXWtcm-2Q5I/AAAAAAAAFuI/e425jjI08L0/s1600-h/photo%2525205%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="photo 5" border="0" alt="photo 5" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gPZYeYWkCu8/VXWtdfvvgpI/AAAAAAAAFuQ/zwm0LZIJNvo/photo%2525205_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="333" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify">There were still a few people out in front of me on the way to the finish line, but I was also encouraged by the runners on their way out on the run…lots of familiar faces offering words of encouragement to help me keep pushing on. I managed to keep every kilometre in the 3:xx's and as I turned into the finishing chute I gave a big kick even though there wasn't anyone there to kick with. It felt great to finish strong!</p> <div align="justify"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="375"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="375"><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VoxjlrzjcuU/VXWtdg8TDqI/AAAAAAAAFuY/Hm6E4n_qUBw/s1600-h/photo%2525203%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="photo 3" border="0" alt="photo 3" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dGqO7K8bFJs/VXWteA1mprI/AAAAAAAAFug/KJ5t_NOE5ew/photo%2525203_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="333" height="500"></a></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <p align="justify"><strong>Official Time - 1:10:19<br></strong><em>33/361 OA, 6/29 AG</em></p> <p align="justify">Very pleased with the effort and the time…nearly a 5 minute PR for me in the Sprint distance. I just wish that my age group wasn't so deep! It was a great day out in Woodstock and I was able to have a good race and take away a few lessons learned as well. Clearly there is still room to improve on the swim, but I was moving good once I found some clean water…need to get used to swimming in the washing machine <img style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" alt="Smile" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksMX6E9Vy3HWfChDjSf5KPQ7mo8eJQPlP9AekRfoU3k-qOFUYiu0yEb2g7HJ7qZEtRCAROcGz0QP1m5JqNjYq5PcuRCMXAxP6b9SijmREOkO5okGPLsEgh0P5cjs-jZs8wA9mtXwMAp_V/?imgmax=800">. I was also happy to see that the higher bike cadence worked to keep the running legs fresh…19:33 on this course is a big mental boost going into future races.</p> <p align="justify">Congrats to all my buddies who raced as well, there were good results all around! Big thanks as well to the volunteers and Multisport Canada who always put on an excellent race.</p> <p align="justify">As for my race calendar, next up is Guelph in a couple of weeks where I'll take on the Olympic distance Tri…already looking forward to it!</p> <p align="justify">Thanks for reading, cheers.</p> CheapRunnerMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04929697213549484269noreply@blogger.com3