Racing/Training update

I’m way behind on updating my blog but here are a few words.

May was a super busy month with 2 marathons 14 days apart. I was very happy with a 1st place overall 2:47 in St Albert and a 2nd place overall 2:44 in Santa Cruz. This race schedule was not ideal but revolved around my kids activities. With that being said I have never been worried about overtraining. I believe too many endurance athletes get caught up in the over used term and never realize their true potential.

June has been a good month of getting my swim back thanks to my very solid training partners at the St. Albert triathlon club. My riding legs are slowly coming back with some very intense early morning trainer rides in my basement. Early morning workouts are never easy but are definitely a necessity in the world of triathlon training with 2 or 3 workouts per day. My strength training has also been consistent which always makes me feel better.

July 1st is the Canada Day 15k race which is going to be fast and furious. That distance is always painful to race and brings out some of the fastest racers around the city so it’s good to see if your training has been working or not.

That’s about it for now. Thanks for reading and happy training!

Kona Race Report

As I lay here wired from my day and not being able to sleep because of a wicked sunburn I thought I would write my race report. My swim was 64 minutes and at a regular Ironman that is decent and gets you some nice open water. In Kona that is average which means you are in a big pack of swimmers getting tossed around which is not pleasant. Kicked, punched and swallowing salt water was the extent of it. I was so happy to be out of that ocean. The waves aren’t exactly easy on the stomach either. Thanks to my friend Kari who lent me some great anti nausea pills which saved me. After a quick transition I was happy to be on the bike but was not happy how many times I got passed. I was holding a decent pace but couldn’t believe the people ripping by me. If you were following me online you probably thought I was having a picnic out there. I’ve never had a monster bike split and like to keep it between 5:15 and 5:25. Today was 5:24 with some solid winds. I just decided to be conservative on the bike and stay fresh for the run. In transition two I was a little deflated to see so many bikes already racked and guys out running but didn’t stress too much. I had another good transition and as soon as I hit the road I knew my run legs were there today. Look out uber bikers because I was going to pick you off one by one! My first two run splits were 4:02 and 4:05 so I really had to be patient but it was difficult to hold back my legs just wanted to go. I saw my family and friends out there and that gave me another boost. I looked at my wife at mile 5 and said to her: ‘I got this today’. I wasn’t being cocky but I knew the legs were there. I was going to dig deep for this one and dial it in. I was hitting every aid station with ice, water and cold sponges. Keeping cool and getting my nutrition was key. I finished 4 gels at the halfway point with a time of 1:30. Then it was time to hit the cola. Caffeine and sugar was going to finish this marathon off. I kept pushing but felt my left calf and hamstring start to tweak. I kept up with the salt tabs and the legs responded well….disaster averted! With 4k to go I pushed even more and the body responded once again. I thought at this point I possibly had a sub three hour run but it was just a bit short at 3:03. I did pass over 600 athletes on the run so I made up for the sub par bike split. I was so ecstatic at the finish line that my emotions got the best of me and I just fist pumped and screamed. Thanks to my friend Mel who was there as a volunteer to catch me and share my pure joy! I would really like to thank all my family and friends that were in Kona this week. It made such a huge difference to see you out there. I would also like to thank all those who followed me online and sent me well wishes. Believe me when I cross a timing mat on the course I think of all you. Thanks for reading.

2 Days to go!

Today was a day off from training. It was a good day to hit the beach with the family and get away from all the Ironman congestion. At this point nervous energy starts to build up and you know it’s time to race. Tomorrow is what I like to call the calm before the storm. On Saturday I will enter the pain cave and squeeze as much speed out of my body that I possibly can. Every race I do my best to dig a bit deeper and give a little more. Finishing a race and leaving everything you have out there is very rewarding. On that note I am off to the athlete banquet to have a carbo load meal and hang out with fellow competitors. Thanks for reading!

Ironman parade

The best part of my day was representing Canada at the athletes parade of nations in Kona. Very well organized and family friendly.

Kona Oakley rig

Kona race kit

Kona

It’s been exactly 5yrs since I competed at the World Ironman Championships here in Kona. I told myself at the time that I would be back but really I didn’t have a timeline. The first time here we had my 3 month old son Ty and this time we have my 8 month old son Brody. My now 5 yr old son Ty is very excited to be here and loves to watch me race. He’s a big part of the reason I wanted to get back as it’s important to me that he sees me compete in such a great event. I am definitely much less nervous this time as it’s my seventh Ironman. I have experience and age to bank on when things get tough. The last two days in Kona have been great surrounded by family and friends. Yesterday was a great training day with Joel Maley. I really like to keep the tempo up and the duration of each workout shorter during my taper. I never want to have that flat feeling.
This is my first blog in a long time but I’ll keep it up this week and try to keep it entertaining. I’m off to my first Luau tonight but not sure about the food so I’ve already had a Muscle Milk recovery shake to fill me up in case I pass on the roasted pig ha!

St Albert 10 mile road race

My first race of 2013 is done and it was the St Albert 10 mile road race.  This is a very hilly course and a great indication of your current fitness.  I was very happy with my 58:05 for 8th overall as this was my second fastest time on this course and highest placing.  It is a distance that really makes you suffer and test your mental strength.  Even if your fitness is not quite where you want it to be the training effects from the all out effort on the hills are definitely worth it.  I am further along at this point from where I was last year with my running even with all my swimming and riding.  I have maintained my run miles and definitely my tempo work which has made a big difference.  With the triathlon training I am again getting used to running on tired legs which is not easy but definitely a must in the world of triathlon.  My next race is the St Albert marathon on May 5th which again is very hilly and will be a tough race.  All of my racing this season is geared toward my ultimate goal of Ironman Canada in Whistler B.C.!  See you on the road.

Ironman

After another season of solid run racing my focus has now changed back to Ironman training.  I had a good 2012 running season with 8 races including 4 marathons with a record best 2:42 in Victoria and 2:43 in Sacramento.  Running the Grand Canyon was also a highlight and something I will never forget.  For the last 8 weeks I’ve found my swim stroke again and the bike trainer and I are also very well acquainted.  My last Ironman was back in 2008 at the World Championships in Kona Hawaii and I always promised myself I would be back.  There is not guarantees I’ll get there but dreams and big goals are what endurance sports are made of.  My last 4 years of training have been running lots, fast and strength training.  Swimming and biking have not been a priority but I am now working harder than ever and seeing great results.  It’s amazing how well the human body remembers former fitness and brings you back to where you were.  My running has reached an all time high and I have no regrets as I begin this physically and mentally exhausting training which leads to Ironman racing.  The one thing I will never do is sacrifice my family for training and racing which means 90% of my workouts are done at 4:30am or when the family is sleeping.  I have great running partners who join me for early morning and lunch hour runs.  I have a great fitness centre at work and at home which allows for quick access for strength and bike workouts.  I have an excellent swim coach and partners with the St Albert triathlon club which the pool is directly next door to my work.  My training facilities, partners and family support are all there so the rest is up to me to push myself and get the most out of my body.  As an Athletic Director my philosophy is that parents should be the best role models for their children.  My 4 yr old son loves to train with me, play hockey talk sports, work hard and sweat so I strongly feel that my lead by example attitude is paying off.  My wife is also a great supporter and 8 months pregnant with our second boy.  She shares the same healthy living values as I do which makes it all that much more rewarding.  The next six months will not be easy but getting to the start line at Ironman Canada in Whistler will be well worth it.  Stay tuned for more blogs updating my training and racing throughout this journey!

Victoria marathon

First of all I would like to thank all the people who wished me well and offered congratulations.  I apologize if I have not gotten back to you.  I am always very appreciative of the support I get from all my family, friends and co workers.  As I posted on twitter my Victoria marathon was bitter sweet.  I attained a personal best time of 2:42:01 placed 10th overall and first in my age group.  I didn’t hit my 2:39 goal so it still left a very large unfinished goal to attain.  I know this may sound strange but the longer you’re involved in endurance sports the smaller the increments of improvement become.  People keep saying it’s not a big deal but deep down I need to get that 2:39 accomplished!  Every athlete needs something to strive for wether it’s a major championship or small time goal.  This is the carrot that keeps you chasing and striving for more.  My training leading up to this marathon was as focused as it has ever been.  I was hitting 140km weeks, I was running a lot of tempo/race pace and nailing all of my splits and best of all I had the greatest training partners in Edmonton.  You know who you are and the list is very long.  I’ve always said if you hang out with successful people it wears off on you!  Thanks guys for pushing me hard.  So this is how the race unfolded: Kevin Masters and I arrived to Victoria Friday night and the weather was definitely warm.  My biggest concern was that I didn’t want to run in any tough head winds.  We went out for a good dinner and headed back to the hotel for some rest and as per our usual routine some very bad TV watching.  It’s always tought to stay off your feet when you travel to these marathons as you want to check out the sites and be a tourist.  We woke up Saturday to another beautiful day in Victoria and headed out very overdressed for our customary 30 minute day before the marathon run.  After that it was a good breakfast and off to the expo to pick up our race package.  The morning got away on us a bit and we realized we weren’t going to make the marathon bus tour but that’s fine as sometimes not knowing is the best thing… in this case it definitely was.  We found out a few weeks before the race that we had qualified for an elite status race package which meant we didn’t have to wait in line and had our own custom bottles out on the course.  The rest of the day was spent carbo loading, resting and hydrating for the next day.  Race morning came quickly and because of the 8:45am start the sun was getting warm already.  We had a good breakfast watched the 8k and half marathon take off and brought our custom bottles to the truck to be dropped off on course.  I went with purple gatorade in some very comfortable bottles that my wife had bought for me.  We had a 15 minute warm up, got to the start line and we were off.  We started very comfortably hitting the first 10k at 37:55 which was perfect and right on track but the small short hills were definiteley a concern.  Holding pace wasn’t a problem at this point but I was a bit worried and actually glad I had missed the marathon bus tour the day before.  Knowing these hills were this bad would have just caused more stress the night before.  In my mind I stayed positive but knew it was going to be a tough haul.  I wasn’t expecting a super flat course as I had studied the race profile but this was just a bit more than I imagined.  Things always seem to look easier on paper!  At the 21k mark we were at 1:20:01 and this is not what I wanted.  I was hoping for 1:19 but at this point I still felt very good.  We started to push the pace a bit because I knew deep down that I had some time to get back for a 2:39 finish.  The problem was how much to push and how soon.  From km 21-24 we hit 3:39/k-3:41/k.  It was feeling good and we knew we had to go for it.  My biggest issue at this point was to get to 32k with some energy left for the final 10k.  The custom race course bottles were great and I was running with a gel flask in one hand and the purple gatorade in the other.  It was comfortable and I knew hydration and glycogen were going to be key to a strong finish.  The sun was out in full force and the heat was becoming a factor but everybody was contending with the same elements so I tried not to think about it.  I kept pushing and when I got to 32k I was back on track for my 2:39 and still feeling good.  Now it was time to suffer as the last 10k can eat you alive on a marathon and will either make or break you.  I had settled in to a 3:45/k pace at this point and was happy to hold it and keep things in check.  At about 37k my 3:45/k pace was becoming extremely difficult.  I was hung out on my own fighting the same small hills that just never seemed to end.  My pace started to fall off to about 3:48-3:50/k and with 4k to go my 2:39 fnish time was slipping away.  At this point I had discarded my bottle of gel and gatorade as it was too late for any nutritional help.  This was simply a race against the clock pushing every muscle fiber I had to the max.  Taking a glance at my watch far too often with my teeth fully clenched I was down to the final 2km’s and I was in trouble.  The one thing I did not realize at this point was that I was 10th overall.  My goal going in was a top 20 finish.  The last 2km’s were as painful as I can remember any race being and I finally crossed the line just short of my goal time.  I sat down on a chair beside the top finishers and dumped a water bottle on my head.  I gave everything I had on that day and I’m not one to use excuses.  I pushed as I hard as I could, trained as much as I could and left it all out there but it just wasn’t my day.  I am very grateful to have finished another marathon in my fastest time at the age of 39 but I also feel that I still have a faster race in me and will be out to prove that to myself ASAP!