Chris Thomas was the top age-grouper at the inaugural Calgary 70.3 Half Ironman. Chris was recently elected the 2009 USA Triathlon’s Age Group Athlete of the Year.

PB: Chris, thanks for doing this interview. For our readers, please tell us a little about your athletic background.

I was one of those kids that had a lot of energy. My parents tried to expose me to almost every sport out there in hopes of wearing me out. I played Ice Hockey from a very young age up through college. My father was really into running back in the late 70s, early 80s and I started running at age 6. I ran at a pretty competitive level until my sophomore year in High School, when I switched over to Ice Hockey full time. I was getting my butt kicked in hockey and I needed to hit the weights and put on more weight. I did not run again for over 12 years. I got back into running the fall of 1999 and I competed in my first sprint triathlon in the summer of 2000. I was hooked immediately and I have been living the dream ever since.

PB: You recently made the switch from working on Wall Street to owning and operating your gym, fitness studio and coaching service. How has this changed your life?

Oh boy, this has been a huge change. I am now working seven days a week as I focus on getting my businesses up and running. I am currently coaching for Lifesport (www.lifesportcoaching.com). I love to coach and I also love to train people one on one. I get a tremendous satisfaction out of helping people. It’s such a different environment compared to my old line of business.

PB: How many times did you race last year?

I raced in 11 triathlon events last year.

PB: What was your best race of 2009?

Well 70.3 Calgary of course… No, seriously I think the 70.3 World Championship was my best race. I was really peaked for that race and I was able to ride by myself the entire day. It all came together that day.

PB: Please tell us a little about your Calgary 70.3 experience.

I really enjoyed 70.3 Calgary. It was my first trip up there. I got to visit and hang out with my teammates, Lisa Mensink and Kyle Marcotte. The race was beautiful and the level of competition was very high as well.

PB: What races are intended races for 2010?

This year I am trying to be very selective on my races. I am trying to stay closer to home this year. However, I have the urge to go back to Kona this year. So, I think I’m going to try to qualify somewhere. As of right now, my tentative schedule is:

REV 3 ½ IM, 70.3 Buffalo Springs, 70.3 Rhode Island, 70.3 Timberman, hopefully Kona and a few local races.

PB: How do you balance family life, a career and triathlon?

I try to be very creative. I find that the busier I am, the more I get done. I just schedule everything very thoroughly. My family is extremely supportive as well.

PB: Who are your 2010 sponsors?

I have been fortunate enough to be a member of the Timex Multi-sport team for 8 years now. Each year we have a team of extremely high quality sponsors. They are:

Timex, Aqua Sphere, ART, ARX, Finish Line, Gaiam, Genuine Innovations, Headsweats, Nathan, Nuun, Orbea, Powerbar, Powerbreathe, PRO, SBR, Shimano, Sugoi, Thule, Training Peaks, TriggerPoint, Standard Process,  K-Swiss

Christopher Thomas

christhomastri.blogspot.com

Meet the Elite - Catriona Morrison

Last year was a very exciting year for Catriona Morrison. It is hard to believe that already being a multiple Commonwealth Games team member for Scotland, multiple World Duathlon Champion and top five at the World 70.3 Championship, Catriona took it up a notch in 2010. After starting the year revering from surgery, by mid-summer Catriona had the fastest ever Ironman debut by a women (and 6th fastest all-time) at Challenge Roth. Just three weeks later, she travelled across the pond and race the inaugural Calgary 70.3, where she placed 3rd in a very tough women’s field.

PB: After the Calgary 70.3 race, you spent three weeks in Calgary training. Did you like training in Calgary? How did your training in Calgary set you up for the rest of the year?

Training in Calgary was a slog! But it was a good slog. I found the altitude change hard to deal with but the three weeks that I spent in town certainly paid off as I had a great race on at Timberman 70.3 just a few weeks after the Calgary event. Once I found out how to get out of town without getting lost I really enjoyed the riding and had the company of some great friends to keep me entertained.

PB: Catriona, you had so many great races last year. What, in your mind was your best race of 2010?

It’s hard to pick I think that my best race performance wise was the ironman distance race in Roth. I had no idea what to expect with it being my first attempt at the distance. The venue was superb, the organisation fantastic and the race was fun (sort of!). As far as race experiences go,I have to rate Calgary highly as not only was the race super, but I had the opportunity to catch up with loads of close friends.

PB: On your way to Kona this year, you same down with H1N1 but still managed to finish. How will your experience there last year set you up for the future?

I was gutted to have travelled so far, been so fit and then to spend the week prior to the race grovelling on the sofa. However, I had invested so much time, energy and money getting to Kona that I decided that I would start if I felt up to it. I knew that it was not going to be the race that I wanted. Having now been through the build up, been on the course, experienced the weather conditions and the emotional highs and lows I am confident that this year all this will stand me in good stead.

PB: You were recently voted Scotland’s 2009 Sports Women of the Year. What does this honor mean to you?

It was fantastic to have triathlon recognised in the mainstream media. So few people are aware of the sport in general that any push into the national psyche can only be a positive thing. It’s great to be able to visit my local schools and show the kids the award and get them motivated and inspired to invest time and energy into sport.

PB: What are your intended races and training camps for 2010? Do you see yourself coming back to race Calgary 70.3?

At the moment I am in Spain where the weather is currently just like a bad day in Scotland (not so good). I am hoping to do an early season ironman race to qualify for Kona, then stick with some half ironman racing for the mid season. I also plan on taking a month off racing in the summer to concentrate on training before looking towards the later season races of the world duathlon championships and Kona. Calgary is on my plans….

PB: Who are your 2010 sponsors?

At present I’m a bit thin on the sponsor front so top of the list I have to put my wonderful hard working husband! I am hoping to finalise all my 2010 sponsors by the end of this month so keep an eye out on www.catmorrison.com for updates.

www.catmorrison.com

Gearing Up for Calgary Ironman 70.3

By Lisa Mensink-Professional Triathlete & Olympian

Ahh….March & the mid-winter doldrums.  This is the time of year where everyone gets a little antsy to get outside, without a thermal layer, or just off the trainer if you’ve been cycling inside.  We are stuck with winter for at least a few more weeks–so it’s best to make the most of it.  Use this time to get the body into tip-top shape before race season approaches.  Here’s some Tips & Tricks that I use in the winter to make sure I’m ready to go once the weather turns and the races start getting closer.

Core & Strength:

Now that the New Year’s Resolutioners have long cleared the gyms, it’s a perfect time for you to hit the gym and work on your core and strength.   Keep the routine new and fresh so you’ll be excited to go to the gym. Something simple things like alternating which leg you start a bike sprint or run interval on helps balance your muscles out.  Yoga/Pilates classes are also a fun thing to try, sometimes a refreshing change from constant aerobic workouts.

Stretching & Recovery:

Keep on top of those tight muscles.  When your muscles are recovered and ready to go, you’ll have a better workout.  Use the tools; the foam roller is your friend!  Make sure you incorporate stretching time into your daily routine, you’ll notice the difference.  Hot & cold contrast baths are a great way to finish off a strong week of training.  If it’s possible, fill a large tub with warm water and one with icy cold water (Calgary tap water in the winter is usually cold enough) and alternate every 3′ between each bath.  Repeat 4 times and you’ll feel great the next day!

Massage & Athletic Therapy:

Treat your body like a well oiled machine.  Massages not only aid in recovery and flush toxins from the muscles but also can be good relaxation/escape time.  While a good Athletic Therapist can keep any little ‘annoyances’ that pop in check and help you focus on keeping everything well balanced.   Check your employer’s extended health plan, if you have one, your plan may cover more than one of these.

These are just a few things I like to do in the winter to keep me focused and injury free.  Now is a good time to get these things incorporated into your routine.  It is much harder to add these elements into your routine once the weather is nice and all the weekends and evenings are full.  Remember you will get the more out of yourself when you are recovered, stretched, and mentally ready!  Chin up-the days are getting longer, the air is slightly warmer, soon winter will be a distant memory-be ready & strong for spring!

Keep up the good training!

Lisa

Kevin Cutjar is a former Pro triathlete who began racing in 1990, in his home country of Australia. Throughout the last 20 years he’s completed well over 200 endurance events, including 32 Ironman races, around the world. His personal best Ironman times are 8:46 in Florida (’03) and Ironman Canada PB 8:48 (’05). The one result that stands out among his several top 10 Ironman finishes is his win in the 1995 Hawaii Ultraman World Championships, a long distance triathlon held over 3 days on the Big Island. The athletic accomplishment he’s the most proud of is never having dropped out of a race.

Since moving to Penticton in 1996 and setting up Impact MultiSport coaching in 1998, Kevin is now one of the most renowned Coaches for triathlon and endurance sports in Western Canada.  Being a full time coach based in the hometown of Ironman Canada, Kevin estimates he’s coached athletes to in excess of 500 Ironman finishes and finishes in many more races of other distances. Team Impact usually comprises of between 40-60 athletes, with an equal split of Penticton locals and online clients throughout Alberta and BC. Pro Triathlete and coach, New Zealander Olly Piggin has been working with Kevin for the last 3 years, to maintain a high level of success, though personalized coaching.

Personal Best (PB):  Thanks for agreeing to answer a few questions.

Kevin Cutjar (KC):

Firstly, congratulations on the success of your first IronmanCalgary70.3 race last year. When it was announced, my phone was running hot and inbox was full of Team Impact athletes inquiring as to whether it would be wise to do “Calgary 70.3″ as they prepared for Ironman Canada. I gave the thumbs-up and proceeded to tweak season plans accordingly.

PB: When it comes to coaching what are some of your most memorable moments?

KC: In my first year of coaching, 2 middle aged ladies came to me, as they’d entered Ironman. It was October. At their initial consultation, when asked about their athletic background and current fitness level, they replied with “I play second base on a slow-pitch team” and “my long run is up to 4 miles”. I knew I’d have my work cut out for the next 10 months. I literally had tears in my eyes when they crossed the finish line together in August.

I also recall one year, when we bought our first green and yellow Team Impact race outfits and the BC and Alberta athletes all met and raced together at the Rocky Mountain Triathlon in Wasa Lake. There was so much camaraderie amongst the team and lot’s of high-5’s on the run course. It was very rewarding time, as a coach.

PB: So Kevin, you have been a pro athlete and coach to some great Canadian & International endurance talent, now a father of two, what’s next?

KC: I still have some athletic goals, but true, it’s not “all about me” anymore. While Team Impact is still going strong, over the last few years I’ve developed the Endurance Planner training system. It’s a computer program where athletes can manage their own training, by choosing from an array of included training programs to either do one race or plan an entire year. The system includes the season planner, the athlete’s interactive program where you can exchange or move workouts around to suit your week, a comprehensive training log then there’s coach access at enduranceplanner.com

PB: Sounds a great way to support a wider range of athletes to meet their specific goals. How does the coaching model work?

KC: An athlete purchases and download the system, onto their own computer, from enduranceplanner.com. Initially, there is a “walk-though” of all the system features, which leads right into selecting a training program or setting up your race season, via “wizard” or step by step process. The programs which are for Sprint, Olympic, 70.3 or Full Ironman distance triathlons, are  referred to as a templates and have a description as to who it would suit, with respect to ability, experience and time available to train. They come in levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 for each distance.

PB: Who develops the programs?
KC: I put together most of the initial training programs. However, I approached a couple of other Penticton residents to develop the Level 4 Elite Programs. ITU World Cup and Pan-American  Games Champion and Olympian, Jill Savege developed the Sprint and Olympic distance templates and Multiple Ironman Champion, Tom Evans developed the Half (70.3) and Full Ironman programs, which are intended for the seriously competitive.

In working with Tom and Jill, their input did have some influence in some of the level 2 and 3 programs, in order to maintain consistency and progression through the levels. The level 1 programs are for the absolute beginner and suit anyone doing their first triathlon, of any distance. From level 1 up, they establish effective training habits and maintain a progressive and balanced approach toward their races.

PB: What if an athlete needs more support?
KC: There is a coach forum at enduranceplanner.com where athletes can get additional advice on season planning, race strategy etc, whatever they might normally ask a coach. This is in its early stages of development and is free for the first year after purchase (of Endurance Planner).

PB: What’s the feedback from athletes so far?

KC: We’ve received so many positive comments back from athletes, about the speed and functionality of the software, the structure of the programs and the comprehensive swim workouts and help files that are included. We’ve recently released an “add-on” indoor cycling module that has 36 written indoor trainer workouts in an off-season triathlon bike-focus program. Feedback on those has been awesome. It’s very exciting now, but I’m certain the results will show for those athletes this season. I received an email from one girl, who completed a level 2 Ironman program for Arizona and improved her time there by 2.5 hours (to 11:07). There has been some very positive feedback on the effectiveness of the actual training programs.
PB:  Sounds like an interesting system, how can our athletes get more information?

KC: Information on program packages available are at  www.enduranceplanner.com There is also access to all the training program descriptions, system features, coach information, testimonials and athletes can contact us if they have any questions. Although we may appear to specialize in Ironman races, our programs and knowledge for entry level athletes, is just as effective. You only get to do your first triathlon (of any distance) once - I like to see athletes do it with confidence and ensure it’s a very positive experience, from start to finish.

As a special bonus, subscribers to the Personal Best Newsletter get the Indoor cycling program at no additional cost.  When you sign up just enter the special promotion code ‘01082010’.

Here’s the simple three step process to taking advantage of this special promotion: 
1.       Opt to purchase any of the standard packages (Lifestyle, Performance or Ironman either in desktop or USB version).
2.       Then on the purchase page select ‘yes, upgrade’ to include the indoor cycling package.
3.       On the upgraded purchase page there will be a check box that says ‘Check to Enter Coupon Code’, check this and enter the code ‘01082010’, then select ‘Apply’ and the price will be discounted to the standard version, but will include the indoor cycling.

The focus for March is Motivation. So we have tried to add some interesting workouts to the schedule. We also want to ensure you are getting adequate recovery and not getting burnt out from these sessions. If you are feeling tired or bored, we suggest you take one weekend this month TOTALLY OFF or just cross-training (snowshoe, ski whatever).

training_program_march

MARCH 2010 TRAINING PROGRAM

By Dr. Trev Williams
The Doctrine Training Method - Racing with a real life.

I’ve been involved in competitive sport for more than half my life now. For me, some noticeable things have happened to the sport of cycling, running, and triathlon. No matter how awesome I think a bike looks one year, they just keep getting cooler as the years go on. I can’t wait to tell my daughter in 10 years, “No kidding, we used to shift using cables! Crazy eh?” Shoe designers must be so jealous of the bike industry. I can’t imagine a shoe engineer getting excited to change the colour of next year’s shoe line up while being subject to watch the advancements in bike component and frame manufacturing. Anyway, no matter what any of us have observed over the years, all of us have something in common.

The years.

Yes, we’ve aged. Gracefully, sure, but we all have more miles on the odometer. Unfortunately, a lot of us are training like we were 25 year olds still. True, we know we can’t handle multiple days of intensity as well anymore, and we know we can’t stop at McDonalds after a long ride and expect to feel awesome the next day like we used to, but there are fundamental changes that need to be made in your training over the years that need to be addressed and modified. I will talk about one of them for this month’s article, regular high intensity.

I get frustrated when I hear of athletes who turn to a ‘pure base’ diet over the winter. Come spring they can’t figure out why they feel so slow. They justify their friend’s beating them over and over again by telling them they are peaking too early and will surely suffer burn out. When they continue to be crushed well into Cyclo-Cross season the excuses get a little weak. Chances are, ‘pure base’ isn’t really working for this athlete, but I’ll bet you his solution will be to spend more ‘LSD’ in the saddle.

As you age, it isn’t as easy as it once was when you were 25 to ramp the lactic threshold, lose the weight, and morph into a racer from the deep recesses of the winter. If you let yourself slip, even for a month, you’ll be fighting tooth and nail to regain your past splendor (our memories are always very gracious). If you are into Masters racing for the right reasons; fitting it sustainably into your family’s lifestyle, truly enjoying the spirit of competition, making other people suffer, and having a wicked bike, then you need to Embrace Intensity year round. No question.

So when your competitors in spring wonder why you seem to be a different athlete, let them know you are on EI. They’ll assume you mean Employment Insurance and make cracks about the government paying you to ride a bike and how you should be riding pro for Team Stephen Harper. But you’ll know the truth; you’ve Embraced Intensity.
This isn’t to say you need to plan an ‘A’ race every month in the winter; actually quite the opposite. If you live in the hellish north you’ll have to turn your gaze away from riding outside. But you have options. Chill out, don’t prep, keep training, and find a sport that cross over to your favourite discipline and find an eclectic group of racers that seem to appear out of the woodwork on weekends to hammer each other regardless of the environmental conditions. These groups always exist. Be they cross country skiers, snowshoers, trail runners, whatever, they exist.

For me, the past 7 years have been filled with the winter cross-country running series put on by a great local group of ‘git-r-duns’ with a purpose. Every 2 weeks, regardless of the crazy temperatures our city endures, we find a trail, a few frozen creeks, several ridiculous pitches, and say ‘GO!’ We then proceed to hammer each other until our smiling, frozen, pain-washed bodies cross the finish line. It’s perfect!

During these races, which are basically cyclo-cross races with no bikes (read: extremely painful and beneficial) I practice race tactics I want to have nailed come spring. I learn how my body/mind reacts to attacking an opponent when I feel good, or more importantly, when I don’t. I learn to go hard when I don’t want to, and push myself to my limits with no excuses. So I am benefitting from these races more than two-fold. For starters, I am keeping my engine running, learning tactics, and learning a little about myself every race. There is no prize money, and no one wants to here if you ‘trained through this’.

The moral of the story is this: If you are a Master’s athlete in off-season, I recommend doing some form of sustained high intensity effort at least every 2 weeks. Tailor your workouts slightly but not excessively to accommodate them (mainly your recovery). Don’t go into these races with a mental pressure that a lot of triathletes have when approaching a race they’ve spent a lot of money to enter and attend. Show up, look around, smile… then leave everything on the course!

I’ve recently started experimenting running with a camera mounted to my toque. These have turned out much better than I ever imagined. I’d like to share them since they show a few things. One, with the two perspectives, it doesn’t matter where you are in the pack; the racing is just as ferocious and beneficial physically and mentally. Two, you can see some tactics employed by racers to inflict as much pain on each other as possible. Three, it’s fun to re-live the race!

This race: http://vimeo.com/8646569 started off into a stiff headwind. You can see the hesitation of the lead runners to take the front spot. I was thinking I couldn’t get better bike race training in the winter if I tried!! When I attacked, I knew I had to sprint hard for as long as possible before turning into the headwind. I knew I needed a gap to ensure my competitors were working just as hard as me. Unfortunately these are tactics needed by most Ironman athletes on a flat course these days☺.

This race: http://vimeo.com/8940759 I had a disastrous start that left me well off the lead pack. My good friend managed to look back and realize his good fortune and laid it down off the front. What ensued was a great workout for both of us!

Now get out there and go hard!

It’s a lifestyle not a workout,
Trev Williams.

By Kyle Marcotte

Little things that make you faster on the run, that don’t require (that much) training.

Off Season and Pre Season Tips For Triathletes
By: Calvin Zaryski coachcal@criticalspeed.com

Now that the 2010 triathlon season is approaching fast, it is time to evaluate your success based on goals made early last year. For most of us, we want to be faster and clean up the mistakes made either in training or in races. I recommend writing down each competition and identifying three positive aspects and three areas for improvement. Once this task is completed, you should be able to come up with ten reasons why you had some success in your season and plan to incorporate these steps for next year. Of course you will want to resolved your identified mishaps as well. But at times it is almost as important to focus on what worked rather than what did not.

Here is a list of top ten recommendations discovered by successful triathletes of all abilities based on their previous years achievements.

1. Graphically log your training throughout the year. Invest in yourself and make it a seasonal project. Visual documentation is critical. Support the visual picture with written details if you desire. Trends and patterns will be apparent and critical blocks of training will be identified and therefore repeated in the new season. Also, periods of under recovery can be minimized along with possible causes of injuries. Finally, just before your goal race, reflect back on your training log and be confident in your physical preparation.

2. Do not use four week training cycles as recommend by some outdated triathlon books. Not even my professional triathletes are using this aggressive format. This training system involves increasing your total volume by 10 percent each week for three weeks then decreasing by 40-50% for a rest week on the fourth week. Originally this system was developed for single discipline sports using elite athletes. Training three disciplines and working 40 to 50 hours per week certainly does not fit into the original research. Most of my athletes complained of being too tired on the final build week and found it mentally too difficult to achieve the objective of the workouts. On one occasion, I created a 2 week cycle for a gal whos work stress was too high to accommodate the physical stress. She would build her volume for one week, then have to rest the next. She later went on to finishing the Ironman with ease. The most appropriate format would be a 3 week cycle. Your volume will build from week 1 to week 2 but then you will rest on week 3.

3. Midway through the season take a 7 day break from the action! If you are training seriously for 8 months, sometime during the 4th month, take a week holiday from your training! This break rejuvenates the body and soul allowing for the next big push. Do not worry about losing your fitness over the week. Remember, minimal detraining occurs over the 7 day period. A light run every second day for no more than 30 minutes will keep you in the game.

4. Participate in mountain biking to take your cycling fitness to the next level. Since his participation in Xterra Off Road triathlons, Brent McMahon, one of Canada’s top Olympic distance triathletes has advocated he is now much faster on his road bike in ITU World Cup races. The mountain bike is heavier, you need to spin faster with good technique and it provides that mental break from the road. During a single ride lasting over 2 hours, you will train every energy system and process needed to race fast!

5. The health of your soft tissue is the key to consistent training. Those athletes that avoided injuries had the largest personal gains this last season. Make sure to use cold water therapy after every stressful workout. Have regular preventative sessions with your physiotherapist / massage therapist /chiropractor. Avoid managing the trauma by anti-inflammatory medication unless completely necessary and recommend by your sports medicine doctor. During extreme cold weather, minimize your long runs to no more than 2 hours. If you need to run longer, run a portion outdoors and finish inside. Be very cautious of dramatic changes in joint velocity. Make sure you progress slowly when running and spinning faster.

6. Use regular weight training as a tool to help soft tissue become more resistant to injury. Weight training also can enhance performance. However, most athletes lose the performance benefits as they enter the race season. Weight training typically drops away from the training schedule due to time constraints and overall fatigue. You must continue to do some sort of resistant training during the season up to 10 days before your goal race. I suggest incorporating power exercises either in the middle or at the end of your aerobic training while in competition season. It will maintain your strength gains and help transfer your strength to performance. Try doing a circuit training session 1-2 times per week with pushups, burpees, vertical jumps, stair jumps, power tubing swim pulls and V sit ups.

7. Your training program does not come to a dead stop with your last race, particularly after racing Ironman. If your body is accommodating 20 hours of training per week and all systems are functioning to maintain your health at that volume, it is very wise to incorporate a ramp down period after your goal race. To shock the body by doing nothing after a high training season, will lead to depression, poor health, soft tissue tightness and injury. This ramp down period should be at least two weeks to a month long, focusing on low stress activities. Try rowing, yoga, dance, team sports, and or weight training to make the transition smooth and uneventful. This single recommendation can prevent injuries and minimize your fitness loss while rejuvenating your body and mind.

8. Test yourself throughout the season. Time trials and races work well, but try to control the variables as much as possible. Use accurate testing tools such as the computrainer or SRM and express your performance in watts per kg body weight, pace per km or pace per 100m. Your testing should represent all areas of performance such as high-end speed and power, specific race pace and aerobic efficiency. Use a heart rate monitor to test your economy of running or riding at sub-maximal work levels. These economy tests can be done once per month. However, make sure that your testing period will represent your new fitness. In other words, do not test during your rest week. The rest week is designed to allow for adaptation from the previous microcyle. Test when you have full recovery and the body has reached a new level of fitness.

9. The key to running fast next season is leg turnover or cadence. 90 foot strikes per minute counting one leg is the magic number. The secret is to train your neuromuscular system to efficiently have a fast cadence, resulting in better overall run performances off the bike when you are fatigued! Use a treadmill to begin this re-engineering, or 2-4% slope downhill intervals. This past season, I have been incorporating Natural Posture Running into my training sessions, which in turn has increased my running cadence from 88 to 92 foot strikes per minute in race circumstances. With an emphasis on my natural forward lean, keeping my legging turning over is automatic.

10. If you have identified more mistakes and few successes, and require more assistance in resolving some of your identified set backs, hire a coach. However it is my belief that your coach should have control and awareness of your entire triathlon program. Specialist coaches can be contracted for clinics and additional skill teaching, but your head coach should be at every training session monitoring your overall fatigue and rate of improvement. A strong understanding of exercise physiology, sport psychology which can include personal racing experience as an athlete themselves, exceptional knowledge about injuries and human functionality which ultimately will instill a “coaches intuition” should also be a requirement. Your head coach should also have a network of professionals with open communication. This network should include a sports medical doctor, chiropractor, physiotherapist, massage therapist, registered dietician and sport psychologist. The coach should be able to formulate the next step in the training process by regular contact with these professionals if needed. A team approach is a better formula to your athletic success.

Invest in yourself by evaluating your former season and plan for success. Get in the habit of documenting your training and races. Repeat those aspects that enhanced your performance and solve the set backs. Take a detailed approach to maintaining your health to ensure great performances. Make a top ten list of what you think is valuable for a successful season. If this attention to detail is not your thing, hire a professional coach to guide you to a personal best season and beyond. We all search for that perfect race, so stack the odds in your favor.

Cheers,

CoachCal
ps. Be sure to check our  Training Camps. New this year is our High Altitude and Easter Training Camp both in Banff. Go to www.criticalspeed.com for more information!

The new year has now rolled around and for many of us it is time to get back in the pool.  Although swim workouts can be fun (especially if you are like me and have a great swim group of friends to swim with), getting up at 5:00am to swim in a cold pool is often the first of my training regiment that gets skipped.  So I too will be re-entering the pool after a very long break.

What I need to do (and many of you I assume will be in the same boat) is get my “feel” back for the water.  I need to over-exaggerate those parts of the swim stroke that are most important - “the catch” and “the roll”.  I also need to get used to swimming more than 50-100 metre sets without my swim technique plummeting into a flailing mass of arms and legs.  So I plan to do this by swimming one session per week focused on technique and a second swim session focusing on keeping my swim technique consistent over longer distances.  Here’s the plan for this month:

Technique Workout

Warm-up: (15-20 second rest intervals)
200 easy freestyle  (thinking about my catch and pushing the “same piece of water” past my body)
100 kick (with a flutter board)
200 easy freestyle (thinking about my catch and pushing the “same piece of water” past my body)
100 kick (with a flutter board)

Main set: (Freestyle drills all with 10-15 second rest interval)
100 m kicking on your stomach with arms at your side
(I hate this drill worst of all, I feel like a goof, but it really helps to improve my kick and my roll - to breathe)

5 (week 1) - 10 (week 4) x 50m (25m on left side + 25 m on right side)
(keep “underwater arm” extended, focus on keeping hips up, and ear pressed against the extended arm)

5 (week 1) - 10 (week 4) x 50m (9 kick, 3 stroke drill)
(9 kicks on left side, three arm strokes, 9 kicks on right side)

5 (week 1) - 10 (week 4) x 50m (25m left arm + 25 m right arm)
(focusing on “catching the water” and rolling your body through the stroke)

5 (week 1) - 10 (week 4) x 50m (catch-up drilll)
(pull one arm through an entire arm stroke and have that hand meet the other prior to starting the next stroke)

Cool Down:
200 m - Super Slow Swimming
(Swimming as slowly as you can, mentally focus on the aspects of the stroke we have worked on - the catch and the roll)
100 m choice easy

Getting some distance

Warm-up:
24 x 50m (4x [4 freestyle + 2 other stroke on 10-15 sec rest])

Main set:
Week 1 - 15 x 100m freestyle (on 15 sec rest)

Week 2 - 10 x 150 m freestyle (on 15 sec rest)

Week 3 - 8 x 200 m freestyle (on 15 sec rest)

Week 4 - 6 x 300 m freestyle (on 15 sec rest)

Cool Down:

8 x 75 m - 3 kick, 3 drill, 2 choice

Gearing up for Calgary Ironman 70.3

By Lisa Mensink- Professional Triathlete & Olympian

December 2009: Winter Training Tips

This season I’m going to focus on some tips & tricks to prepare you for the 2^nd Ironman 70.3 Calgary in August 2010! With winter in full swing its sometimes hard to get focused on swimming/biking/running in your bathing suit! Its cold and snowy outside and the days are unbelievably short! But there’s still lots of time to get ready to race in August, regardless of your goals. Here’s some of my suggestions for ways to help get you into the training frame-of-mind and motivated for this year’s 70.3!

• Work on your weaknesses.  The winter can be a great time to finally tackle and try to eliminate your weaknesses.  For me, I use the winter base season to get together with my Athletic Therapist and correct any issues I had last season.  This usually involves a new weight and stretching program.  In the pool, a video analysis and some new drills might be motivation to get wet and get working.
• Stay in the groove with a group. Triathlon may be a solitary sport on race day, but having people to train with can make the world of difference. Having a routine is key to keeping motivation high in winter. Set up training groups and/or partners to spin/swim/run with. This will give you the extra motivation to get the work done (or at least provide some guilt if you skip too many workouts!).
• Cross-train like crazy! Calgary winters are a treat and provide so many great opportunities for cross-training! Try skate-skiing, snowshoeing or anything outside in the snow! Its mostly low-impact, gives you a great aerobic workout, and there’s no where better place to do it than Alberta!
• Enjoy your workouts! This is the time of the year not to monitor every heart beat or watch the clock.  There’s still some time before the Calgary 70.3 so remember to not be too stressed about your workouts and just enjoy them. Try leaving the heart-rate monitor behind. Go for an “unplanned run”…just run for the sake of running or swim for the sake of swimming! The most important thing during winter is to just enjoy being fit and exercising!

These are some of the things that I do to help me get through and prepared for my intense and focused training come spring.

Get ready for the 2010 Calgary Ironman 70.3!!

Lisa

OFF SEASON WEIGHT GAIN

Our lease is expiring. Where should we move?  Cast Your Vote

Results so far…..

Email:

Hi, I am a contributing editor to Triathlon Magazine Canada and I am doing a story on panic attacks and panic attack prevention. I was at your race last year watching my son and admired how well organized your event was. And Ghost Lake was so beautiful at 6 (yawn) a.m.

Did you have any protocols on dealing with panic attacks in the race? I noticed you had people out on the water in those little zodiacs (or whatever they are called) but there were very few problems.

I decided to do this story on panic attack prevention because it seems as though everyone I interview for profiles, etc. has had experiences with panic attacks.

If you have any thoughts on panic attacks—their prevalence, how to avoid them, your perspective as a race director or whatever—I would love to get a quote from you as the race director of this up and coming Canadian half Iron race.

Thanks and congrats on a wonderful event. I think my son is going to sign up for next year in January already!

Our thoughts:

Realistically a panic attack is inside the athlete, so preventing them is tough as a race organizer. However where we can help is to have a solid presence with our medical team and organizational team to give the athlete a sense of confidence that they will be well taken care of if something does not go according to plan.

From an organizational point of view - kayaks and boats on the water with appropriate boat handling skills and medical staff who can recognize panic for what it is - a temporary total lapse in confidence. We let an athlete hang onto the kayak or boat, catch their breath and try to calm them so they can carry on. I have been the volunteer in the kayak in other races and have spent countless minutes reassuring panicked swimmers that they really can accomplish their goal, the only thing stopping them is their ability to admit it to themselves.

One of the best preventions of a panic attack is for an athlete to be well trained (mentally and physically); to get a good mental picture and sense of the race course and their own race strategy, taking into account the possibility of curve balls being thrown at them. Having confidence in their preparation and plan will keep panic attacks at bay. For Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary we tried to assist our athletes by sending out our Personal Best newsletter each month. The newsletter provides a training program to prepare the athlete physically for the challenge of completing a 70.3 distance event. It also provides advice and articles to prepare the athlete mentally for the arduous task they have signed themselves up for.  People can sign up for our newsletter for free at www.ironmancalgary.com.

Most commonly,  panic attacks occur during the start of the swim. Cold water can be a cause for panic attacks in the swim - particularly in inexperienced swimmers.

Cheryl Lowery (our race director) writes:

“I’ve seen it. In fact, before my Dad did his very first race in open water (it was in Chestermere) I went to the lake with him a couple of weeks before the race so he could experience the cold open water. Sure enough - full blown panic as soon as he put his face in the water. I anticipated it so hence the reason I suggested he get in the water ahead of time. That’s the only real cure - to experience it without all of the crowds around. (Look where he is now! 20ish Ironman races under his belt and God only knows how many 1/2’s). I also recommend starting at the back or edge of a swim pack to avoid getting caught up in the crowd. At least until you know you’re completely confident.”

Although our swim venue (Ghost Reservoir) was quite warm for our inaugural race, one of the most common concerns raised was the fear that water temperatures would be especially chilly.   For Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary we sent out a number of articles in our newsletter on how to deal with training and racing in cold water. One of the best compilations of that advice can be found at:

Like anything, we fear the unknown and when our body encounters a new stimulus we often fear the worst. I remember doing a training race a number of years ago in Wasa Lake with my friend Charlie Cooper who organizes the best Olympic Distance race in Western Canada there every year. It was in May and the water was COLD. I fancied myself as a decent swimmer and an experienced triathlete; however, I was struck by panic as soon as I started to push myself on the swim. I didn’t know what was going on, and feared I was dying from some mystery ailment. But I calmed myself down, forced myself to laugh out loud at the ridiculousness of my thinking, and continued swimming. I had one of the best race simulations of my life (and didn’t die). The point of my story is that even experienced and otherwise confident triathletes can succumb to panic if you let yourself believe you are the victim, rather than the master, of your situation.

Panic attacks can also occur on the bike or on the run. Watching Norman Stadler’s temper tantrum over a flat tire on the roadside of the road down from Havi a few years ago appeared to border on panic. Given the investment in time and training he had made for that race no one could blame him. However, there will inevitably be problems that will need to be solved on race day (and in life), being mentally prepared for them, facing them with the confidence that you are strong enough to face them and being in a problem solving frame of mind will ensure you will ward off panic on the day of your race and through out your life.

Paul Anderson (and the Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary Team).
Sent from Paul’s Blackberry Device

The Off-Season - How to Enjoy it and Stay Fit

Tip #1: Stock up on Healthy Stuff

It is more important then ever to stock your kitchen with healthy foods. Have healthy snacks handy. The more convenient they are, the more likely you are to eat them. Instead of thinking about what you shouldn’t eat, promise to eat your 3 to 5 servings of vegetables each day. Also, find good healthy recipes and stock up on the ingredients you need to make them Yummy Sporty Snack Food Recipes

Tip #2: Skip the Baking

Do you make baked goods for giving? Chances are you eat much of what you bake. Who wouldn’t? Instead make non-food gifts, or prepare ingredients for baked goods and put them in pretty jars–let your gift recipient bake it up. That way, they can eat it when they want it and you don’t have to be tempted in the kitchen.

Tip #3: Set Yourself up

Set-up a room in your house solely for training - it doesn’t have to be big and it doesn’t have to be pretty. Get a good trainer, an old TV and DVD player and some good training videos or action movies.  If you have a dedicated spot and good equipment you will have no excuse not to train in-doors this winter.

Tip #4: Plan some “fun events”

Often the last thing we want to do in the off-season is race. However, one way to stay motivated and eat guilt-free in the off-season is to schedule some fun races or events.  A great low key race series is the cross country series offered by the Calgary Road Runners. This series is all about who shows up (not who wins) and is all about fun.  Also, it is sometimes fun to invite friends for a fun competition, like a computrainer race in your basement (or at SpeedTheory) or a track race or a swim 0ff.  Keep it low key and keep it fun.  You don’t want to have any stress at this time if year, and some low key races may remind you of why you got involved in this sport in the first place!

Tip #5: Hydrate

Keep your water bottle with you at all times. You should be drinking eight, 8-oz glasses of water each day. One handy trick is to buy a 64 ounce water jug. Fill it up in the morning and know that you need to finish it by the end of the day.

Last month we asked the question, what new bike brand should we add?

The results were clear - add Felt to the SpeedTheory Line-up.

Cast your vote!

What Bike Brand should we add to our inventory?

Scott

27%

Specialized

23%

Felt

41%

Guru

0%

Kuota

9%

Speed Matrix Canada (SMC) is pleased to officially announce the release of their dynamic, high tech bike fitting system in association with Speed Theory. Through the use of infra-red LED’s, SMC is able to precisely fit any rider according to their individual needs and body specifications. The Speed Matrix Bike Fit is unlike any other bike fitting service offered in Alberta as it allows the rider to be fit in a dynamic situation with the utmost precision in identifying the important body angles for a given cyclist. The accuracy of the SMC system allows the rider to subsequently deliver maximum power while performing with optimal biomechanical efficiency gained from the fitting process. Correct alignment of the cyclist’s joints will also aid in reducing the discomfort and aches that are common to so many riders. In addition to increasing efficiency and reducing pain, the SMC Bike Fit will put each rider in the most streamline position possible which will decrease aerodynamic drag and ultimately improve race times. The diversity of the SMC Bike Fit system allows riders to be fit on multiple bikes across a wide range of bike categories from road to mountain and even cross. After the post-test has been completed, riders can also be shown video highlighting the improvement in their body positioning on the bike which will hopefully lead to more effortless riding. Our goal at Speed Matrix Canada is to ensure each cyclist is properly fit by examining every integral component in the sport of cycling. Whether you are the weekend warrior looking to eliminate discomfort or an elite triathlete looking to gain the competitive edge, contact Adam at (403)921-7337 to set up your personalized bike fit or check out our website at www.speedmatrix.ca for more information. 

DVD copies of the inaugural race are now available! Get your own personal copy of the 2009 race on DVD today!

It is a great keepsake to remember the day and great for training inspiration in the dead of winter.

Price: $ 19.99
S&H: $5.00

The Interbike skuttle….

Interbike is an annual trade show in Las Vegas where retailers get to
spend two days test riding bikes in the desert followed by three days
of endless walking the trade show where everything cycling is present.
The 2010 product lines are unveiled and we finally get to see what
will be available for our store shelves next year.

So, what were the top 5 big items for 2010?

1) Power Meters.  Training and racing with the instantanious feedback
of your wattage is considered by most experts to be the best way to
take your performance to the next level.  Power meters range from
cycle computers who guess your power from your speed, gradient and
your weight to actual measuring tools built into cranks or hubs or
even tiny prototypes built into a Speedplay pedal (MetriGear).  The
big players in the power meter world are SRM, Quarq cinco and
Powertap.  SRM and Quarq are meters built into cranks while Powertap
is a rear hub that can be built into practically any wheel you want.
The prices for powermeters are not low with SRM being the most
expensive.

2) Shimano electronic shifting.  When I first read about this, I
thought is was a joke.  However, it clearly was not.  I had the
opportunity to test ride the electronic shifting on both a road bike
and a triathlon bike.  On the road bike, I found it interesting.  But,
it didn’t blow me away.  On the triathlon bike, it was amazing.  There
are buttons to shift on both the aerobars and on the brake hoods.  So,
shifting while climbing out of the aerobars is a breeze.  Also,
shifting while in aero does not require any movement of your hands or
wrists.  Just flick the button.  I was most impressed with the front
derailler.  a) It will shift with ease, even when under load.  Have
you ever tried to switch into or out of your big ring while standing
up climbing?  The electronic shifting did it with ease.  b) automatic
front derailler trim.  As you move from your small to large cog on
your cassette, the front derailler automatically trims so you never
get chain rub.  Very nice touch.

3) Carbon is everywhere.  Obviously, carbon fibre has infiltrated the
cycling world with most bikes being made with it now.  Aluminum is now
a rarity.  Carbon did not stop at frames though.  You can now get a
carbon fibre swim goggle from Blue Seventy.

4) Cyclocross is gaining in popularity.  Two years ago there were only
a handful of companies who had cross bikes.  This year, almost
everyone has one (or more).  And who can blame them.  Cyclecross is
amazing fun and a great way to keep your fitness through the fall.

5) TYR finally entered the wetsuit market.  TYR has been a mainstay in
the swim industry for decades.  They have developed some of the
fastest swim suits on the planet.  Now, they have entered the wetsuit
market with three very nice suits.

Check out some of the new bikes here!

My Calgary 70.3 Experience

I have been doing triathlons since 2002. My first tri was a sprint where on a mountain bike I met a flat at the 10 k mark and was basically told I got DNF if I did not run my bike home and finish the 5 k otherwise. My final time took 2 and ½ hours but it got done. Till now it was the hardest tri I completed but I was hooked. Since then I have participated in 4 iron distance, 3x ½ IM’s, Escape from Alcatraz 3 times with dozens of Olympics and Sprints. Several years of Triathlete magazine articles, books, clinics and what have you I was starting to learn the other disciplines we call triathlon. Hey if it was easy it’d be hockey or golf or football. While I am still trying to figure out what I am doing I did know how to get through a race at any cost.

Calgary 70.3.

After staying up all night in a fitful sleep like the rest of everyone else, (does any one really sleep the night before the race?) When you think about it not only do we do the race with the physical demands, most of us do it on about 5 minutes sleep too. (note to self if I ever direct a ½ or Full IM, build a napping station behind the finish line……So there I was in T1. Got the bike all set up, ran back and forth making adjustments resisting the desire to move the seat up or down or back because it just does not look right. You rode it that way for the last 1000km but now I think it needs to change…Nope stick to what you know….So then the bathroom parade begins. Once, Twice, ah, third time a charm I think I am good to go.

The swim I was surprised to be quite pleasant. Aside from the first 200m where it felt like Penticton’s madness (rinse cycle of feet, arms legs and what have you, I think there was t shirt in there too) I rather enjoyed the water. Like most I found the water crisp, clean and not that bad if you got a lung full. Made it through and get into riding gear. feeling good tip toeing around the rocks left on the matting by previous athletes. Thanks! On the bike and down the road, wind behind me and settling into a good pace. The bike went as anticipated and for the most part was almost fanatical about hydration, nutrition and lytes. OK almost fanatical, some how I miss packing my tube of calcium. Had the other stuff but lately as a aging Triguy I understand my calcium needs are becoming more important on the 3-4 hour plus days. Having a great ride as I take the rise on Lower Sprinbank Road…..CRAMPPPPPPPPP!. Stop, massage, drink, salt tab, massage, get on and crawl up the rise then slowly get back to a lite spin to T3. 3 cramps later I roll in to T3 taking nearly 45minutes in the last 12 k of the ride.

T3 - I chew on a calcium tab I had stashed somewhere in my gear and start the run praying for oranges (calcium and magnesium, my kingdom for calcium). Get to 1 km mark of run water and gels. CRAMMPPPPP. 10 minutes of standing absolutely still , begging race officials to let me alone and let me race. Then slowly walking, 100, 200, 300 m I start to shuffle, 100, 200 300m and we (me, my ego and the pain) settle in to a surviving pace. Then, just shy of the 2^nd Aid station CRAMPPPP. And so it begins: Cramp, massage, walk, shuffle, run, repeat 20 times through the run. I finished but only because I don’t like to quite and kept hearing Mark Allen in my head, you only quite if you have a broken femur and only then when the EMS pull you off the course………Lesson learned: sometimes finishing a hard fought race feels like much more than blowing away the competition. And always triathlon is about more than any outcome on a Sunny Sunday morning afternoon. It’s the process, or months of training, people, family and the race day itself. On August 2 I found something new in a 48 y.o body.

Thanks Calgary. Thanks to every athlete and volunteer who said something to keep me going.

So while we spend hours staring a few metres ahead of us whether training or racing we are always looking for what lays deep inside.

I am not young enough to know everything……Oscar Wilde

Gordo Smith

Click on the embedded slide show to see the photos:

Well it was quite a week!

There was considerable stress putting together the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Calgary race - but it was a tremendously rewarding experience.  Here are 5 of the high (or perhaps low) lights of the week include:

1.  Thursday at 4:59pm - Registration is about to open, there is a line up of 200 athletes who are going to have their first experience with our race, the ATA is stuck in traffic, the volunteers aren’t sure what is going on and we are still putting up display booths in the expo!  Oh well, I guess this is “show biz”

2.  After three 16 hour days leading up to the race, it is Saturday evening at 8:30pm and we are about to set up the swim course when a storm comes in, blows down most of the fencing of T1 and destroys one of the new tents.  A redneck fight breaks out at the top of the boat launch between four boaters who have been drinking in the sun too long and culminates with one of them discharging an entire canister of bear spray into the truck’s cab.  And I didn’t even have to pay admission!

3.  Setting up the swim course in the dark in gale force winds and hail.  Thank you Peter and Ron - you guys were hilarious!

4.  Arriving to T2 on race day and athletes on the run informing me that the second aid station on the bike had been relocated to the bottom of a hill resulting in much concern for several competitors

5.  Despite all of the above, standing at the finish line and seeing all those faces as they crossed they line and knowing the race was a success!

Thanks to every single athlete, and every single volunteer!  You were all amazing and I am blessed to have had the opportunity to share the experience with you!

See you next year.

Paul

The High and Low of my DNF at the initial Calgary 70.3

Jeff Knowles
Male - 34
No. 1653

On August 2, I stepped off the bus at the Ghost Lake Reservoir in preparation for the inaugural Calgary Ironman 70.3 race. That my result would be a DNF was not even a remote thought in my mind. The better part of a year, swimming masters, running with the marathon clinic and cycling with likeminded loons and winter spinning classes had prepared my body for the task at hand.

Topping up my tires prior to the race start I inadvertently pulled the stem off the tube while trying to disconnect the pump. This left me with one spare tube and one spare tire to hit the 94km bike course with. I thought to myself, “What are the chances of another flat? I haven’t had 2 flats in a day in 10 years of road cycling.”

The 8:30am wave start for the 30-34 males was the start to what would be a short race. My swim was as I expected though the reservoir was pleasantly fresh and nowhere near as cold as anticipated. Transition was uneventful and the initial kilometers of the road course were refreshing. Settling into a nice cadence I made the left turn onto Grand Valley Road. Kilometer 20 was the start of the end. Subtle vibrations through my seat post alerted me to my second flat of the day - again on my rear tire. I was amazed, so much so that I didn’t even mutter a sound as I started the task of removing the tube, checking the tire and inserting the new tube. No tubes left, one spare tire remaining and back on the course I go.

Not 6 short kilometers later, the same vibrations alert me to flat number 3 on the day - again on my back tire. My thoughts are not reprintable here. This challenge brought the high point of my day. The rider behind me - whose name and number I forget - spotted me a tube and a patch kit to allow me to continue my race. At this juncture, I changed the tire also (unsure of the source of my flats) and with the new tube I was back on the road. By the time I was through aid station 1 I was the last rider on the bike course but I still had time (or so my positive mindset kept telling me).

Kilometer 35 was the scene of flat number 4, this time on my front tire. Inspection of the tire and rim didn’t reveal any cause for the flat. With only a patch kit to keep me in the race, my frustrations began to bubble. With assistance of the volunteers and race marshall (Thanks Eleanor) I set about patching the tube. With more time lost to fixing a flat, I began to realize the time point for making the bike cut-off was slowly creeping out of reach. The tube was patched and I set out once again.

The last flat - failure of the tire patch - occurred not 3 km later. Completely mentally spent, I made the difficult decision to withdraw from the race. Looking back, I am proud for not melting into a fit of frustration (as would have been perfectly understandable). I am happy that I had a decent swim and a strong start to the bike. I am humbled to have shared a great moment of sportsmanship with a fellow rider supporting me with a tube and patch kit. (I hope your race was memorable, my high point is our brief conversation at kilometer 26).

“If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”

I am now looking at the tri-schedule for the end of this season and into next year with eyes on finishing an M-dot 70.3 event. Congrats to all the finishers.

Jeff Knowles
Red Deer, AB

My Asthma Story

I wanted to write in about my experience on Sunday August 2nd at Calgary 70.3.

I started this race thinking I might have to pull out because of my severe asthma which has been kicking up a storm this year due to the forced burns going on in Northern Alberta to get rid of the pine beetle and the natural fires in B.C..

I have had my asthma since birth I am 48 years old now. I had many years as a child spent in emergency rooms with it and pneumonia and bronchitis. I had to be incubated in 1993 with it for a week and a half. It was after this bout that I turned things around and started to make changes in my life. I have since 1995 run 17 marathons including Boston and in 2004 until now have completed 5 Olympics, 7 Half Ironmans and 6 full Ironmans. I am now coaching (I am USAT/NCCP certified) through my company Never Stop TRI-ing hoping to inspire others who think that they cannot do it and tell them they CAN DO IT!!!

My doctors term my asthma twitchy airways which can close at any moment without much warning if I am not careful. I have a lung capacity of about 57% lately it has probably been hovering around 40%. I know just from past experience and pulmonary function tests. My asthma has also developed into COPD these last few years.

Getting back to the race; I was excited to compete in the first ever Calgary 70.3 and signed up the day I saw it on line. The fact that Lisa Bentley was involved with the race cinched it. I was preparing this year for the Calgary 70.3 as well as the CDA IM and the Desert half in Osoyoos, and Canmore. But I have had the worse year ever for my asthma and right from the start of this year have experienced problems from all the smoke in the air. I guess that is why we have not seen much of the mountains this year.

CDA my asthma kicked up and I finished the race but had the worse swim I thought until this past weekend. The swims I have had this year have been a result of my asthma problems. If you look at my previous results they are not at all like this years races. I also had a very successful training year and was looking forward to the results of my labour. But that has not been the case or so I thought.

As it turns out this the first year ever that I was able to swim through my attacks including the one this past weekend at Calgary 70.3 and that I think is attributed to the many 20,000m swims per week that I have put in the at the pool.

I started the race optimistic as usual but that soon turned as I clung to a boat that was moored at Ghost Lake at the beginning of the swim and had to use my Ventolin inhaler which was tucked in my wetsuit leg. Just a quick note - I had a small heart attack at the start at the race because one of my inhalers I had packed was the wrong one and was close to empty but thanks to a Volunteer named Cindy who had full Ventolin inhaler gave me her canister and I gave her the almost empty one. I then had to ask for assistance from the Kayaks (a huge thank-you also to the only woman in the motorized Kodiak boat-her family has a history of asthma and she knew how to calm me down when I started to wheeze badly). This carried on for an hour and half. It was a struggle and the waves picked up on the Lake which did not help matters much.

I finally got out of the water I think I was 2nd last person out and was met by medical (the race Doctor) but I insisted I was alright. I did not want to miss this race. I continued on to the bike and had an awesome ride the start was a little rocky because the blood in your legs/arms goes to your chest when you have an attack but the race certainly turned around for me. I could not believe the ride (even though I was still wheezing) what a course, it was fantastic.

In previous years I had trained at Glenmore the famous loop and was absolutely thrilled it was part of the Calgary 70.3 course. I could not wait to get back on it race day and after what happened race morning on the swim I looked forward to it even more. So when it came time for the run I knew I had to make up time. I decided to be the best I could be that day and turned things around on bike/run. I really had to pick myself up for the run because I was not a 100% yet and I did. I started running saying that this is the best I could do and pushed do even better.

By the end of the day I was 19 out of 31 in my age group. But that’s not what mattered what mattered was that I Never Stop(ped) TRI-ing!

Thank-you,

Caroline

P.S. A lot people over the years have helped me to get to the start line at my races I would like to thank my husband, the guys at Speed Theory, my friend Scott Curry, my past coach Lisa Bentley, the guys at Ridley’s, my BF Kathryn Julien, and if I have forgotten anyone it’s because it’s late and nothing else.

Thank you for the tremendous support for our inaugrual event.  Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary is now sold out for 2009 for Age-Group Athletes.

We do have 10 charity spots left to support the Jason Lapierre Memorial Scholarship - at the same price!  We also still have spots left for AWAD and Pro Athletes. Registration will close Monday July 20th at 11:59 pm

Thanks again - we are looking forward to an amazing race!

Women’s Race will be Hotly Contested!

With the likes of Mirinda Carfrae, Lisa Bentley, Catriona Morrison, Lisa Mensink and Heather Gollink the women’s field of the Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary will be a hotly contested race!

Lisa Bentley, 11 time Ironman Champion, is the most experienced and winning female Ironman pro in the women’s field.

With four 70.3 wins already in 2008, Mirinda has clearly claimed the 70.3 distance as her own and leaves no doubt that she’s a force to be reckoned with in ironman racing.

Calgary’s own Lisa Mensink - who competed in the 2008 in Beijing is new to the longer distance; however, she has been on fire this season with several extremely strong performances and may just have the ability to win.

Catriona  Morrison completed the fastest first Ironman time with a blazing time in her debut at Ironman Roth last weekend.  If she can fully recover, she will be a true force on race day.

Other female pros competing are included in the list below.  Do any of them have what it takes to pull out a win at the Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary?  We’ll have to wait a couple weeks to find out!
Tara  Ross
Jennifer Luebke
Fiona Eagles
Tanya Salomon
Linsey Corbin
Sara Gross
Jennifer  Coombs
Ayesha Rollinson

Camping Sites Available at Ghost Lake for Race Weekend

We have limited spots available for campers at the campground at race start (southside of the highway) at Ghost Lake for race weekend.  There are RV sites (with electricity) and tent sites (with no electricity).  Bookings must be made for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights (all 3 nights inclusive) - no exceptions, even if you can only stay for a single night as we have had to book the entire campsite for all three nights. The cost is $60 + GST for the 3 nights for RV’s and $45 + GST for the 3 nights for tent camping.   You must book using the PayPal link below.

For more information about the facilities please visit:
Information about Ghost Lake Camping

Any questions? please contact Jody at:  jmiller110@cogeco.ca

Tent or Rv?

Tent $45.00 RV $60.00

ALREADY WARM ENOUGH TO SWIM IN

My fellow race organizer (Dan Ouimet) and I went outon course to film some footage for the race briefing last Sunday.  We met up with a couple from Edmonton who are doing the race and had come down for the weekend to swim, bike and run the Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary course.

I am terrible with names, but I think their names were Ed and Angela had been down to swim and bike on Saturday and run on Sunday.  So when they saw us doing some filming they asked about the run course turnaround locations.

We asked them what they thought of the bike course and they both thought it was awesome.  They felt it was scenic, smooth and very challenging.  I suspect the challenge was made even harder for these two extremely fit individuals by the head wind that prevailed all last weekend.  When I asked them about the swim, they thought it ws great and when I asked them if they found it cold they said it was cool getting in but was fine for a swimming.

Later, when we ourselves went to Ghost Lake, we saw several athletes swimming in the lake.  When asked how about the water temperature, Cathy responded it was “fresh” but definitely swim-able.  And this is still three weeks from race day (and likely the hottest three weeks we are likely to see this summer!).

So for to all the nay sayers of Ghost Lake as a swim venue - come on out this weekendand check out the swimmers or better yet, come out on August 2nd and see the best Ironman 70.3 Event ever!

The All Important Taper

Leading up to a race, it is easy to start second guessing yourself and start doubting whether or not you’ve done enough training. If you are an ironman pro or new to the sport, we’ve all second guessed our training leading into a race. Truth be told, it is usually better to be going into a long distance race a little bit undertrained versus over-trained.

Soon athletes will be heading into the rest phase we call “the taper.” Tapering refers to the practice of reducing, or tapering off, exercise in the days just before an important competition.

Again, everyone is different so if you already have a good taper plan don’t mess with it, but here is a little plan if you need something.

-Saturday July 25^th: Off… No training. Use this time to get all of your equipment ready.

-Sunday July 26^th: Off… again. Get your equipment ready. Don’t leave this to the last minute.

-Monday July 27^th: Short swim (1k to 2k), Short bike less than an hour.

-Tuesday July 28^th: Short swim (1k to 2k), 30 to 45 minute run with strides

-Wednesday July 29^th: 1 hr bike with a 15 minute transition run.

-Thursday July 30^th: Short swim (1k to 2k), 30 minute run, go to the expo

-Friday July 31^st: Off. Carbo load day. Go to expo but don’t walk too much

-Saturday Aug 1^st: 15 minute swim, 15 minute bike, 15 minute run. drop off bike at T1

-Sunday Aug 2^nd: RACE DAY!

It is normal to feel a little groggy leading up to the race. This can actually be a good thing come race day as it will slow you down from going out too hard at the beginning of the race.

Eat normally throughout the week but maybe start consuming less fiber starting on Thursday.

Leading up to a race, it is very normal to feel anxious and nervous. Try not to let the thinking about the race consume you and don’t take out your nervousness on your coworkers, friends or family.

Have all your equipment ready well before race day. You don’t need the added stress of worrying about your equipment the day before the race.

Good luck and enjoy the day.

Kyle Marcotte

Cold Water Swimming

With colder water temperatures, many athletes have problems with facial immersion causing perceived shortness of breath, especially below 65°F. At first, it can be a shock to your system that can lead to hyperventilating or a panicked feeling. I remember the first time this happened to me, I found it very surprising (because I am quite comfortable in the water) and thought there might be something wrong with me.  Well there isn’t, I just didn’t know that cold water can induce these panicky feelings in everyone.  The important thing is that you recognize what is happening, get control of yourself and take precautions like the ones below to minimize the discomfort that may be associated with cold water swimming.

When you first encounter cold water and are not used to it, you will want to swim slowly until you catch your breath. The first time you experience this it can throw you off, but with practice you will get used to it and be able to relax into your swim.

Some tips:

1.  The number one precaution to us is the use of a full neoprene wetsuit designed for open water endurance swimming. For Ironman 70.3 Calgary, a full sleeve neoprene wetsuit is STRONGLY recommended. Today’s triathlon wetsuits are amazing, not only for keeping us warm, but for improving our swim times.  If you don’t own a wetsuit, many triathlon stores have rental programs (for example SpeedTheory does).  This allows you to avoid the costs of buying a wetsuit and allows you to try one before you buy it.  However, if you like the sport, next to a good bike, a wetsuit is probably the most important investment you can make.

2. Get warm on race morning and focus on body heat conservation.  You will be getting up early on race morning and it sometimes takes awhile for your body to wake up and warm up.  Bundle up race morning and wear a warm cap. Science supports the fact that pre-warming oneself prior to a cold challenge improves your tolerance of colder temperatures.

3.  Put your wetsuit on early! Put it on and zip it up. This helps keep your body warm and helps the wetsuit to stretch and fit you well prior to starting the race.

4. Pre-warm your wetsuit. Take a large disposable bottle of hot water with you. The hot water should be protected from getting cold by placing it in the middle of your gear bag. Take the bottle to swim start and after making sure it is not hot enough to burn you, pour it down the neck of your wetsuit about 5 mins before you enter the water. The warm water in your suit will reduce the surge of cold water into your wetsuit upon entering the water.  Don’t litter! We’ll have a trash can near the swim start to dispose your bottle in.
Also, there is a well known phenomena known as cold immersion diuresis. That means that your body makes lots of extra urine when you go swimming in cold water. Peeing in your wetsuit will also help stop the cold water surge and will warm your body. Don’t worry, the wetsuit will survive, thoroughly rinse your suit out afterward with mild soap and water, it’ll be just fine. An additional strategy here is to remember that cold immersion diuresis may contribute to greater fluid losses and hence greater fluid needs, and you may need to drink more after the swim.

5. Purchase a neoprene wetsuit cap. Many of the triathlon wetsuit brands make neoprene caps that are specially designed for openwater swimming. These great heat loss prevention devices are available at leading triathlon stores and can be worn under your colored cap marking your swim wave. The blood vessels to your head can’t constrict the way the ones in your feet and hands do in the cold, so your head becomes a major avenue for heat loss, especially in cold water.

6. Earplugs: At colder water temperatures, some swimmers experience dizziness due to cold water entering their external ear canals. This is especially true as temps reach 60°F and below (which is colder than we expect on race day). Ear plugs can assist in reducing this autoresponse.  A nose clip too can also help. You should experiment in the pool and in practice open water swims to find one that works for you.  The inexpensive ones sold for use in construction made of foam work well and if they get lost in T1, it won’t matter.

7. Splash water on your face at swim start 3-5 mins before entering the water.  This tactic will mitigate the shortness of breath many of us experience when entering cold water. Another technique is to blow bubbles before starting. When the cold water hits your face, it elicits a response causing your lungs to contract. Go waist deep into the water and submerge your face to blow bubbles. This helps alleviate the shock of the cold water.

8. Have a thorough warm-up but avoid long warm-ups, especially if a long time before swim start.   A 5 minute warm-up immediately prior to swim start is best. During your warm-up and at the beginning of your swim, keep your hands and feet moving. Many triathletes barely use their feet in warm water swims to save energy for the bike. When the body is in cold water it reacts and blood rushes to protect your vital organs and out of your extremities. So keep a steady kick going at the beginning of you swim.  The large muscle groups will produce a lot of body heat and will allow you to warm up quicker.  Also, you may not want to start your swim as an all-out effort.  A steady start and building effort over the swim is often a better strategy in a cold water swim.

9. Consider toweling off in T1 after the swim and wearing some extra clothing on the bike.  The use of arm warmers or even a jacket may help you warm up quickly on the bike if you are chilled during the swim.
We will have a bin at the first bike aid station for athletes to drop off any extra clothing. The bin will be brought to the race finish for clothing to be picked up during the award ceremony after the race.  Any clothing will be dropped at your own risk.

10. Try to find an opportunity to practice in cold water over the next month.  Use all the strategy tips listed above for practice sessions and build your confidence.  If you feel panicky in your first few cold water swims, just try to relax and do not panic, the stress will only tighten your lungs and restrict blood circulation. The key thing to keeping mind is the motto - mind over matter. You are (or hope to be) an Ironman – you can do this, just let your mind relax and your body will follow.

If, at the race, the cold and being surrounded by other athletes is just too much, just drop back and do not panic.  There will be lifeguards, kayakers, power boats and scuba divers all there to assist you should you need it.  That alone should give you the confidence to relax and just focus on your swim.

Fueling before the race

Generally speaking, food and swimming often are at odds with one another.  Swimming with a belly of full of food often leads to nausea and/or difficulty breathing (as the pressure of food in the stomach can push on the diaphram).  Slow breakdown of food can particularly become an issue when pre-race nerves are thrown in the mix - it’s therefore important that your breakfast is consumed well before the start of the race.
 
My recommendation is to consume a normal breakfast about 3hours before the start of the event.  Which means for events that start at 7am, to start eating your breakfast at 4am!  Make sure you’re not consuming anything that your body isn’t used to…make it like any other day.  Now, for the remaining 2.5hours leading up to the race, if you feel like you want to drink something, I’d recommend drinking a diluted solution of maltodextrin in water (an example being, 1-2 scoops of CarboPro in a waterbottle full with water).  Consuming gels and simple sugars are a ‘no-no’ leading up to a race start as they can blunt aerobic metabolism, and often paradoxically lead to a ’sugar crash’.
 
With nutrition taken care of well before race start, you can then focus on other things that matter.  Try to get everything completed and finished in transition about 30min before race start.  You can then put on your wetsuit, and make your way down to the swim start without feeling rushed,…keeping your breathing easy, nerves calm, and your food down.
 
Scott Curry - Pro Ironman

Run Interval #1

Warm-up:
15-20 mins easy
6xstrides
Main-set: 6×3mins (2 mins recovery)
Cool-down: 20 mins easy

Run Intervals #2

Warm-up:
15-20 mins easy
6xstrides
Main-set: 4×5mins (2 mins recovery)
Cool-down: 20 mins easy

The example workouts are even shorter intervals with even higher intensity.

———————————————————–

Example Workout #1

Warm up

Warm-up  riding to the bottom of a short steep hill in the small ring and going very easy with only one or two 1 – 2min pickups; still in the small ring. Arive at the hill sweating, but ready to go. 

Workout

2min easy spin

5 X (3 min hill interval in a small gear - HARD!) with 5min rest. 

Spin home.

———————————————————–

Example Workout #2

Warm up

Good warm-up, with some low gear spin-ups.  Again, get a good sweat going, but don’t overdo it.  For this workout, you need to find a predominately slightly downhill road, hopefully with a tailwind. 

Main Set

These sets should be race simulation done in a tight TT position pushing a big gear.

5 X (3 min as big of a gear that you can push around 90-95 rpm, 5min spin).

Cool down easy for the ride home in an easy gear.

———————————————————–

Aerobic 1

Warm-up:  10×100 (2 swim, 2 pull,  1 kick) with 10-15 sec rest
Main:  8×200  @80% on 20 sec rest
cool down: 500 mixed

Aerobic 2

Warm-up: 800 choice (pull and swim)
Main set:
8×50 Hard on 20 sec rest
6×300 on 30 sec rest mod to hard
8×50 All out on 30 sec rest
Cool-down: 800 mixed

Fast Stuff 1

Warm-up:
800 swim ez
3×300 m swim mod
Main set: 5×100 all out on 1 min rest
Cool down: 5×100 easy on 15 sec rest

Fast Stuff 2

Warm-up: 300 swim, 200 kick, 500 pull, 200 kick
Main set: 16×50 All Out with 30 sec rest
Cool down: 400m mixed

 Anaerobic Threshold

Warm-up: 1000m (400 swim, 300 pull, 200 kick, 100 build)
Main set: 6×200m 5-10 sec faster than race pace
Cool down: 2×400 m (breathing 3,5,7)

July Training Program

One month to go!

Well, here you are, it’s almost “go-time” and you are doing great. You have done all the work.  You built your foundation over the winter by strengthening your core, working on technique and mental toughness.  Then you started training like an endurance athlete, getting in your miles and teaching your body to move quickly by building those neuromuscular pathways with improved speed.  Next you started training like a triathlete, with specific training to prepare you for the race.  So you have built a fine cake and now its time to put on the icing.
This five week build to race day is really all about maximizing the work you have put in.  You are coming off a recovery week last week and next you have two hard weeks, two taper weeks and then race week.  A common misconception is tapering is about not training.  Well it is about relaxing and sleeping, but it also about fine-tuning the machine that you have become.  We have included a number of race simulation efforts that will ultimately prepare your body to race in top form on race day. You should be well rested and stress free to maximize the benefits of these efforts.

Race week is even more about recovery with explosive efforts.  Take the rest and try to keep all workouts peppy to keep your legs lightning fast and to build confidence.
As always, the workouts identified in the attached calendar refer to articles in this month’s newsletter. They are also all on the SpeedTheory blog.

Good luck, email us if you have questions.

Just like the athletes, spectators can be picked up from 3 convenient locations within the city on race day and taken to race start.  Pick-up locations are the Westin Hotel, T2 near North Glenmore Park and McMahon Stadium.  Cost is $10.   Following the swim, buses will transport spectators to the finish line and then back to their point of origin after the race.
Priority will be given to athletes on race day and spectators are encouraged to take the later scheduled buses prior to race start to ensure Athletes have ample time to prepare prior to race start.

Adult Bus Ticket

Select Pick-Up Location

Westin Hotel $10.00 North Glenmore $10.00 McMahon Stadium $10.00

Child Bus Pass

Select Pick-Up Location

Westin Hotel $5.00 North Glenmore $5.00 McMahon Stadium $5.00

Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary is proud to announce five charity entry spots for the Calgary 70.3 half-Ironman. The proceeds of these entries are going to support that Jason Lapierre Scholarship fund at the University of Calgary.

On July 19th 2006 we of lost a very good friend when Jason Lapierre was hit by a car while he was out training on Highway 1A near Cochrane. Jay was doing nothing wrong. He was riding in the shoulder of the road (a wide shoulder at that) when a driver coming from the opposite direction passed out behind the wheel, crossed over the highway and hit Jay head on. There is a very good chance that Jay never saw it coming.

Jay made close personal connections with people and many would have described him as their best friend. Such was his strength of character. Jay and I first met in the summer of 2001 at some duathlon races but it wasn’t until the fall of 2002 when we joined the Kronos triathlon club where Jay and I really got to know each other.

Jay would often disappear during the winter as his duties with the Calgary Alpine Ski club meant that he was out of town quite a bit but when in town we would join up to hammer some running intervals at the Olympic Oval in Calgary. Both of us would often exchange ‘glory’ day stories as to when we thought we had some speed back running in university.

We started traveling together to races but I would admit that I wasn’t always the best traveling buddy, as I’d fall asleep when he was driving. He’d use this opportunity to play tricks on me like turning up all the heat on me. I’d wake up feeling sick not knowing what he had done. We’ve made half a dozen trips together to the Okanogan for races and training.

In the summer of 2003 Jay was focusing training on Ironman Canada. Even if we weren’t able to be there to watch Jay race, many of us were following it on the internet. I was both happy and proud of Jay at the same time. He inspired us. Here is a slide show that Trev Williams put together on Jay’s first ironman, which inspired us to take up long course triathlon the challenge.

http://www.jasonlapierre.com/Jaysvideo.wmv

That fall, Lap moved out to Canmore, so I didn’t see as much of him but Jay would often come into town and use my place as a training base. We would do a workout at night, he’d crash on my fouton and then we’d wake up in the morning to do another run or bike before he drove back to Canmore. I’d often do the same out at his place in Canmore. When he moved back to Calgary after buying his townhouse, it wouldn’t be an odd-occurrence to find us doing a three-hour trainer rides together in his garage.

Jay and I became close friends and I would not hesitate to say that he has been my best friend for the last couple of years. I talked with Jay for a good 20 minutes early in the afternoon of the day of the accident. We spoke of career opportunities (Jay had just turned down an opportunity with Alpine Canada); we talked about mutual friends, investment properties (Jay was looking at buying a downtown condo as an investment), and upcoming races. Jay was hoping for some good races by the end of season after taking a mid summer break from bike racing. He said that he had been feeling strong on his last couple of bike rides. We looked forward to a 200k ride together in the next weekend.

Our last conversation was a good talk, as we often had. In fact I remember we ended the conversation, and then I called him back again about 5 minutes later and we talked some more. Things were going well for him and I am confident that his last day with us was a good day filled with Jay having happy thoughts and memories.

The long road trips to races, our shared sense of humor and the great conversations were special times Jay and I had together. I will miss Jay as a great friend, training buddy and role model. There are so many people that owe so much to Jason for his leadership and coaching to help make us what we are in terms of athletes and people. Jay always believed in us and pushed us to accomplish more.

Jason has been a great friend and I will really miss him. Since Jay’s passing there have been many wonderful things done in his name. The fact that we are keeping his spirit alive is wonderful.  Click here to Register

Below is the a slide show that world champion down hill skier, Olympian and one of Jay’s best friends John Kucera put together for Jay. Jay was John’s coach when John was a teen. Jay was extremely influential in John’s athletic development.

For more information about the Jason Lapierre Memorial Scholarship, please visit:

http://netcommunity.ucalgary.ca/Page.aspx?&pid=290&srcid=231

www.jasonlapierre.com

New to Ironman races? Never competed in a point-to-point race before?

We have received numerous emails from people asking about race day logistics. We compiled this Ironman Calgary Race Day for dummies to guide you through the day and answer many of these questions. Please let us know if you have others and we’ll add these to the list.

Race Week….

Thursday

• 3:00 p.m.: Expo opens and package pick up begins
• 8:00 p.m.: Expo and package pick up closes
• 7:00 p.m.: Keynote Speaker (to be announced)

Race week will begin for us on the Thursday. We will begin setting up the expo and technical conference at the Westin Calgary on Thursday morning. Race Registration and Package Pick-up (at the Westin) will open on Thursday at 3pm*. Your race package will include a schedule for the week, bus schedule, race information, wristband, your race bib, swim cap, Transition bags, race number stickers for bags, helmet, and bike as well as a number of goodies from Sponsors. 

The Expo will also open on Thursday afternoon and will include over 20 exhibitors and retailers.  The first speaker(s) for the technical conference will be scheduled on Thursday after 5pm*

Friday

• 10:00 a.m.: Expo opens and package pick up begins
• 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.: Technical Conference - Guest speakers throughout the day – watch the website for details
• 8:00 p.m.: Expo and package pick up closes
• 7:00 p.m.: Keynote Speaker (to be announced)

The expo will open again Friday morning and speakers will be scheduled throughout the day. The Technical Conference will include numerous talks by Ironman pros, pro coaches and experts on such relevant topics as nutrition, training secrets, technical advances, testing and other topics of interest. The conference schedule is not full, so if you have topics or speakers you’d like to hear about or from, please contact us with your suggestions.  In addition to speakers, there will be numerous athlete-briefing sessions throughout Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Athletes will be required to attend one of these briefings at their convenience to ensure they understand the rules and specifics of the course.

Registration and Package Pick-up area will also be open all day as will the expo and retail areas of exhibition hall at the Westin.

Saturday

• 9:00 a.m.: Bike drop off begins at Ghost Reservoir (T1)
• 9:00 a.m.: Expo and package pick up begins
• 3:00 p.m.: Expo and package pick up closes
• 5:00 p.m.: Bike drop off closes
• 10:00 - 1:00 p.m.: Technical Conference Continues - Guest speakers throughout the day

The Expo, Registration and Technical Conference will continue Saturday until midday (approx 1pm*).

Bike drop off is required at T1 (Ghost Lake) on Saturday morning. Buses will be available from a number of locations to bring you and your bike to race start.

Bikes will be secure overnight. The transition area will have security fencing and lighting and will be continuously patrolled by security guards and volunteers.

Race Morning

• 4:30 a.m.: Bus transportation to Ghost Reservoir begins from the Westin, McMahon Stadium and North Glenmore Park. Buses will depart every 15 minutes until 5:30. Please bring your T2 bag with you.
• 7:00 a.m.: First age-group wave start
• 7:00 p.m. (approx): Awards ceremony

Your day will start early. Buses will begin at 4:30am* to shuttle athletes from three locations within Calgary (Westin, T2 - North Glenmore Park and McMahon Stadium). Parking will be available at McMahon Stadium and near North Glenmore Park. Spectators who have bought tickets in advance will be allowed to take buses - athletes will be given preference and spectators are encouraged to take later buses to give athletes sufficient time to prepare prior to race start. 

Body marking stations will be available at the Westin, North Glenmore, McMahon Stadium and Race start. Bins for T2 (run gear) bags will also be available at each location and at race start. T2 (run) bags will then be transported to and put into position in T2.

Pre race

Athletes will be transported to race start where they can drop off their T1 (Bike gear) bags.  T2 (run gear) bags will be transported to T2.

Athletes can also be dropped by at race start by friends or family, but parking at race start will be very limited and spectators will not be allowed to drive east of Ghost Lake on Highway 1A after race start.

Athletes will don their wetsuits, warm-up and perform any pre-race rituals.  All athletes will be required to be out of Transition by *7:00 am.

Athletes will place their pre-race clothing in their dry clothes bag and drop them with volunteers before entering the water.  There will be a table for eyeglasses to be placed on the boat ramp.

Race start

Swim starts will proceed in predetermined waves by age group starting with the Men and Women Pros at 6:45am. The Canadian National Anthem will be sung.  Wave starts will be staggered by 3-5 min intervals as per the schedule, which will be posted on the website July 10th.

Swim

The triangular swim course will start from the vicinity of the boat ramp at Ghost Lake. Swim temperatures are expected to be cool (16-18C) so full sleeve wetsuits will be required.  Neoprene caps can be worn but are not required. Neoprene booties or gloves will not be allowed unless water temperatures happen to be lower.

The wave starts will be in the control of the starter who will ensure all athletes are behind the swim start line and to ensure a fair start. A one-minute warning will be given and a horn will be sounded to start each wave. The swim start line is approximately 5 metres into the water, at the edge of the dock, but athletes can elect to start from the boat launch on dry land. Less confident swimmers may also elect to start slightly behind the wave to avoid other swimmers. Kayaks and power rescue boats will be positioned throughout the swim course in the event athletes require assistance. Scuba divers will also be positioned strategically along the swim course.

T1

Upon completion of the swim all athletes will exit and proceed up the boat ramp and over the timing mat. Wetsuit strippers will be on hand on the grass preceding T1 bag pick-up.

T1 bags will be positioned in lines on the grass immediately before T1. Athletes will then put on their bike gear and pack their wetsuit and other swim gear into their T1 bags, which will be dropped at the drop zone prior to entering the bike corral.

Volunteers will be on hand to assist. No private change tents will be available at T1. T1 (swim gear) and dry clothes bags will be transported to T2 for pick-up after the race.

A medical tent will be located in the T1 area for any emergencies.

All athletes will proceed down and into the transition area wearing their bike gear. Sunscreen and water will be available. Athletes will pick up their bike from the rack and proceed on foot to the mount line. Volunteers and race officials will be present at the mount line to ensure all athletes have their helmets on and chin straps attached to ensure a safe and fair bike start.

Bike

There will be a large number of race officials on course who will STRICTLY apply all rules. Drafting is expressly prohibited and WILL BE closely monitored and policed on this course. Athletes must ride on the right and pass on the left. In addition, we will have a ZERO tolerance for any safety-related infractions.  These violations will result in the athlete’s immediate removal from the competition.

All rules will be clearly described in the athlete briefing sessions.

The bike course has a number of left turns and busy intersections. These areas will have officials, and in some cases, police officers prominently positioned.   Athletes must obey race officials and police at all times and especially in these areas to ensure our race is safe.

There will be two aid stations on the bike. These stations will supply water as well as energy drinks, gels and bars. Athletes will be able to dispose of empty water bottles and garbage at aid station. Littering on course will not be tolerated. Porta-potties will also be available at aid stations.

SpeedTheory will also provide mechanical support on course. Several support vehicles and a sag wagon to pick up athletes who do not complete the bike will be on course. Although there will be numerous mechanical support vehicles, athletes are encouraged to have sufficient equipment to address any minor mechanical issues (such as flats) as support may not be on-hand when you need them.

Athletes will proceed along the course as outlined on the maps on the website. There will be distance signage at 10 km intervals. The bike course ends at the entry to North Glenmore Park. Volunteers will be on-hand at the dismount line to collect your bikes and they will place your bike in numbered racks in T2.

T2

Athletes will proceed and collect their T2 bags from numbered lines on the grass in T2. Athletes will need to proceed through change tents to don their run gear. Removed bike clothing will be placed in the T2 bags.  Volunteers will be on-hand to assist.  Athletes will proceed to the run course. An aid station, medical tent and washroom will be available in T2.

Run

The run will progress on a closed road and pathways within North Glenmore Park and around the Glenmore Reservoir. The run course will have distance signs posted every kilometre and aid stations positioned every mile. The aid stations will provide water, energy drinks & gels and other assistance.    

Finish Line

Once you crest the Weaselhead Hill the finish line will almost be in sight. The finish line will be located on the ring road in North Glenmore Park near T2. The finish line will have a clock displaying the total time from the first elite wave start.

Smile as you cross the finish line because you have just had a great race and you are on camera.  Volunteers will be holding a finish line tape for you to cross.

After you cross the finish line volunteers will be available to assist you. They will help you remove your timing chip and give you your justly deserved finisher’s medal and finisher’s shirt.

Post Race

Recovery food and drinks will be available immediately after you finish the race.  You will be able to collect your bike, T1 (swim gear) bag, T2 (Bike gear) bag and dry clothes bag from T2.

An awards ceremony will be held in North Glenmore Park after the race.  Athletes who are parked near North Glenmore Park can then leave at their leisure. Other athletes and spectators will be bused to the Westin Hotel or McMahon Stadium.

A post race party will be held - location to be determined.

**Times are tentative and subject to change. Times will be confirmed and a scheduled will be prepared and distributed to all athletes by email and included in your race package.

Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary is excited to announce that Craig Alexander will challenge an international field at Western Canada’s only Ironman 70.3 event on August 2nd, 2009.
Craig “Crowie” Alexander is a world class professional triathlete with nearly a decade of racing experience. Coming off a World Championship victory at last year’s Ironman Hawaii, seen as one of the world’s toughest triathlons, Crowie has started the year with several Ironman 70.3 victories including Geelong Australia, Singapore, Hawaii and Boise.

Alexander is the only man to have won a Canadian Ironman 70.3, including both the Muskoka 70.3 and the former Newfoundland 70.3 events. Crowie, an Australian, will lead an international field including athletes from every Canadian province, all corners of the United States, Mexico, South America, Europe, as well as South Africa and several Asian nations.

The inaugural Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary will take place August 2, 2009 and will include nearly 2,000 athletes from over 20 countries. The race begins with a 1.9 km swim in Ghost Lake with the rural backdrop of the Rocky Mountains in the distance. Thereafter, athletes will ride 90 km from the foothills of the Rockies to the city of Calgary linking the majestic mountains with urban landscape of the city. Then, athletes will run 21.1 km along the scenic paths of the Glenmore Reservoir finishing on the road at the west end inside North Glenmore Park.

Since its inception in 2006, the Ironman 70.3 series has become the fasted growing triathlon series in the world. Calgary is one of 34 events, worldwide, that qualify athletes for the Foster Grant World Championships 70.3, held every November in Clearwater Florida.

Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary is proud to be supported by Viterra, Canada’s leading Agribusiness, with their roots in Western Canada, and operations around the world. We are also very proud to be supported by the Calgary Sport Tourism Authority, whose aim is to support Calgary hosting world class sporting events.

Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary is pleased to support fundraising for the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS). STARS is a non-profit helicopter emergency medical service that provides emergency communications; patient care and transport; education and research; and, fundraising and community partnerships to the people in the communities in which our athletes, families, sponsors and supporters train, work and live.

imcal_viterra_press_release_craig_alexander

Two months to go! June is when we really start training like Ironmen and women. You now
have an excellent base and we started triathlon-specific training last month so your transition
runs should start feeling more natural (if that is ever possible). Now we start real training - it
may be time to have “the talk” with your loved ones about not being around as much and
reminding them that it is only for a few more weeks……

Click here to view the June Training Program

Brian Cowie, races in tandem with 25-year-old pilot Devon Smibert. Brain is a two time world championship silver medallist in the triathlon for athletes with a disability. Named Triathlon Canada’s athlete of the year in the disabled category in 2008, he started to lose his sight at age 22 due to a degenerative problem He has raced numerous Ironman events and plans to race the Viterra ironman 70.3 Calgary in prepration for Kona.

In 1987 I was 35 year old “Couch Potato”. I had spent my 20’s and the better part of my 30’s living the good life and partying extensively. While like many others I watched triathlons on T.V. and dreamed of maybe completing a triathlon one day. DREAMED was the operative word because triathlon was the world of the super fit and that was not my world. I had watched Ironman Triathlons over the years and saw these athletes as superhuman. There was no way the average person could ever complete an Ironman.

In the summer of 1988 my cousin came to town to do the Vancouver International Triathlon. I went to watch and I was immediately hooked. The crowds, the music, the excitement and the energy made me determined to train. I was ‘IN” The only problem is I was a “slug”, but I started in the spring of 1988 with a sprint distance and survived. I raced every weekend that summer, completing in over 60 triathlons of varying distances over the years.

My involvement in Ironman started much the same. Watching the 1988 Ironman Canada in person I decided that the next year I was going to finish that race. So, I signed up and that was the first of my 10 Ironman triathlons including 2 in Hawaii over the next 7 years. Although legally blind, I competed as an age grouper in the able body ranks.

I originally told my wife “I just want to do one”. I think I am always looking for the ultimate challenge. Seeking my limit, I think that I have found out that the human spirit is limitless. It has no boundaries. You can accomplish anything you want if you are willing to do the work.
In 1996 I discovered tandem cycling where I have competed internationally since then for the Canadian National Paracycling Team. I have competed at 3 Paralympic Games (2000, 2004 and 2008) and maybe a 4th is in my future in London 2012.

I really enjoy cycling but my first love is Triathlons. I have continued to compete in Olympic distance triathlons since 1997 including 3 ITU World Championships earning 2 silver medals in the Athletes with a disability category. This year, along with my National Paracycling team pilot Devon Smibert we decided to enter the Hawaii Ironman physically challenged lottery and we were lucky enough to get 1 of only 5 spots. In Kona this October our goal is to have the fastest bike split of the day and if all goes well, maybe a new bike record.

This month we will have a combination of tempo runs and interval runs.  We haven’t done a lot o interval running in this program, so you will need to be sure that you warm up very well and take a balanced approach to these workouts.  Interval running can be very injury causing (that’s why we haven’t done much), however, it is important for increasing leg speed.  In addition to the interval runs, there are also continuing our long runs (same rules apply to past months in this regard) and lots more transition runs.

This month has a general increase in run frequency - so try not to add to the risk of injury by adding lots of intensity too.

Here are some example workouts:

Intervals 1

Warm up
20 mins easy pace
6x strides

Main
1×5 mins tempo, 2 mins ez
4×2 mins build, 30-60 sec ez
1×5 mins, 2 mins ez

Cool down
20 mins ez and stretch

Intervals 2

Warm up
20 mins easy
6 strides

Main
6×5 mins steady tempo, 2 mins easy

Cool down
20 mins easy and stretching

For this month we recommend that swim workouts include aerobic sessions (on easy days) and anaerobic threshold sessions on tougher days.  We are including two aerobic and two anaerobic workouts below.  Both are important, so try to fit them in.  We are also recommending some optional swims - these are identified as swim choice workouts.  These workouts should be easy distance workouts where you forget about the clock and just enjoy the feelingof movement through the water.  Concentrate on your technique  during these workouts, not the clock and if your swimming with a friend, try switching off the lead and practice drafting for extended distances.

Aerobic 1

Warm-up
10 x 75m (5 swim, 5 drill) - 15sec rest
16 x 25 (4 IM order, 4 Free x2) - 10 sec rest

Main
600 m pull - 20 sec rest
2×300 swim - 20 sec rest
3×200 swim - 15 sec rest
400 pull

Cool Down
8×25 - 1 easy, 1 moderate - 10 sec rest

Aerobic 2

Warm-up
6×200m (swim, kick, pull x2)

Main
6×400 (swim, pull, pull with paddles x2) - 30 sec rest

Cool Down
200 m (75 free, 25 back x2)

Anaerobic 1

Warm-up
3×300m (Free, Kick, IM) - 30 sec rest

Main
2×400 free - 20 sec rest
200 kick
3×200 free - 15 sec rest
200 kick
5×100 free - 10 sec rest

Cool Down
16×25 - 4 moderate, 4 ez, 4 back, 4 ez

Anaerobic 2

Warm up
4×200 (swim, pull, swim, pull)

Main
6×400 (400 swim on 20 sec rest, 4×100 hard on 20 sec rest each, 4 pull on 20 sec rest) x2

Cool down
200m choice

‘Enjoy the Ride’

Dr. Trev Williams of

‘The Doctrine Training Method and Coaching’

May/June 2009 Newsletter

This sixth installment of ‘Enjoy the Ride’ will come to you when you are looking particularly silly naked. Your tan lines should be clean and crisp and ridiculous by now! Finally, the skies have cleared and Mother Nature has decided that riding outside may not require punishment. I know I have probably logged a little too many kms in the last 3 weeks just because I could. Pretty much everyone goes through this. It is not bad, it is not optimal, but it has to be done after being released from the dark confines of a basement or gym. I just got back from a riding camp in Penticton. I wouldn’t call it so much a ‘training’ camp as there are much better things to do to become faster physically. But I find that if I can get some monster rides done outside just after winter, mentally, I am more at peace with the quality of training ahead. The big thing I need to do now is to monitor my recovery, since long consecutive hammerfests can have a lasting effect. If you are in the same boat, having burst free from the trainer and logged volume after volume, just because you felt like you mentally needed it, then good, we have that out of our systems. Let’s take 4 or 5 days really really low and start some quality training leading up to your A race…. which is only 2months away.

The first thing you need to become comfortable with is that quality always trumps long slow miles. The amount of times I have heard someone say, “I am not going to race that 10mile TT because I need to get in a long slow 100km”, is too many, and it is infuriating. But somehow, it has become acceptable to use this line as an excuse to try to circumnavigate quality with volume. Guess what? It doesn’t work. It turns you into a participant if you are trying to race. It gets you through the event, but doesn’t help you do it quickly.

Therefore, now is the time to take part in every short ITT that your provincial federation has to offer. Most likely there will be a weekly race series as well that you can take advantage of. You can add on some km’s after the events if you really feel like you need too, but after a 60min solid warm up, and 25 - 35min race pace effort, and a cool down, that is a pretty solid amount of time in the saddle. When competing in TTs or short road races, ensure you are adjusting your training schedule accordingly. Remember, only 2 or max 3 intervals session per week. Most of them will be done on the bike now, but if you do one on the run, then ensure to schedule increased recovery. What you don’t need right now is long semi-steady grey-zone miles.

Now is the time to figure out your nutrition as well. Don’t leave it to only a couple weeks before race day. If you are going out for a 20 - 40km ITT, your warm up on the trainer will be at least 60min long and will include some good intensity. Now is the time to determine what nutritional supplements digest well for your system. I can drink PowerGels like they are water, and Monster’s go down OK too, but they have to be flat. Figure out what works for you so you aren’t burping up during the event. Also, ensure to eat something with lots of Carbs and Protein DIRECTLY after every race. If you don’t, then schedule another day of recovery in there if it was a long TT or road race.

Learn to pace yourself in the ITTs. I am in no way saying don’t go so hard you have to throw up at the end. I am just saying make sure you want to throw up 1 second AFTER the finish line and not 1km into the race. Time Trials are very technical in terms of how to pace them, the more experience you get the better. Working in nutrition is another level and will require lots of practice. Get practice.

The example workouts will now turn to slightly shorter intervals with slightly higher intensity.

———————————————————–

Example Workout #1

Warm up

(Do not ruin your main set by being a hero in the warm up)

Ride to the group ride, or to the bottom of the hill. Spend all of your time in the small ring and going very easy with only one or two 1 – 2min pickups; still in the small ring. Do not ruin your hill work being the guy who can’t ride slowly to the workout location.

Depending on the length of hill and duration of ride to the hill, get in your smallest gear and get a sweat on by doing an interval or two at about 70% on the hill. Remember this isn’t your ‘workout’.

Workout

2min easy spin

3 - 5 X (3 – 5min interval up hill in a gear that stresses your heart and lungs more than your legs, 5min rest) For these, your legs will still hurt, however you should feel like they wouldn’t if you could just breathe deeper or your heart could beat faster. Not because they are blowing up due to being in too big a gear.

Spin home.

———————————————————–

Example Workout #2

Warm up

Ride to the group ride. Then make sure you have a good sweat on and your legs have recovered from any initial livelihood of the group ride, or any rollers you accidentally powered over getting to your spot. For this workout, you need to find a predominately slightly downhill, hopefully tailwindy road. You want to be able to push the gears you will hopefully push during a race, without trashing yourself like you hopefully would in a race.

Main Set

These sets should be done in a tight TT position. The position you would hopefully race in. Nothing ‘in-between’, or you will race ‘in-between’, and that will land you ‘in-between’ two of your competitors instead of ahead of both of them.

3 - 6 X (3 - 5 min as big of a gear that you can push around 90-95 rpm, 5min spin). For this set, the goal is to go at a pace that you could do 2 more exact same sets at the exact same gear and rpm. For example: if you plan on doing 4 reps of 6min, go at a gear and rpm you could probably perform 6 exact reps. No lighter, and definitely not any harder. This will take some time to master, but learn how to do it.

Cool down easy for the ride home.

———————————————————–

Once again, like last installment, I would suggest no more than one each of these workouts a week, or maybe even one on every alternate week if you are adding intensity into your run as well.

Also, once again, you don’t want to be ‘fresh’ for every workout, but you shouldn’t be getting slower as the weeks click by.

It’s a lifestyle, not a workout,

Trev Williams PhD

Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon–Race Report

By Professional Triathlete & 2008 Olympian Lisa Mensink

For the past few weeks I’ve been training in Victoria, BC, Canada. The riding around Victoria is excellent and it’s a great place to train with lots of world class athletes and gorgeous mountain and ocean scenery. I’ve had some epic training sessions over the past two weeks, including a long ride with Ironman 70.3 New Orleans winner Brent McMahon and another session of hill repeats with Brent and 2x Olympic medalist Simon Whitfield. It’s tough to keep up with those guys, but at least they were great company!  I finished off this block of training by racing the half at the Subaru Shawnigan Lake Triathlon on May 24^th.

Since my focus over the past two seasons has been solely on Olympic distance races, the 70.3 distance is still pretty new to me. This was to be my second half ironman ever; the first being Oceanside 70.3 in April where I finished in 6^th place; good swim, mediocre bike, and the second fastest run for the women to finish off strong. I’ve been training hard in Victoria going into Shawnigan Lake and my coach, Paul Regensburg of Lifesport, had only scheduled two lighter days before the race…so not much of a taper!  But Shawnigan was a good opportunity to test myself at the 70.3 distance once again.

The Race:

The swim took place in the picturesque Lake Shawnigan, a wetsuit swim since the water was about 17 degrees Celsius.  The race was started by a cannon shot…even though I was expecting it, it still sent my heart rate up when it blew!  After a good start I found myself swimming solo and slightly off course due to the glare of the sun, but I managed to be the first female out of the water and set a new course swim record in the process.

The bike was a very scenic rolling four lap course. I had good focus and was pushing some decent watts for most of the bike and tried hard to keep my daydreaming to a minimum.  Keeping focus on the bike for all 56 miles has been my biggest challenge at the 70.3 distance; its not at all like an ITU World Cup where you ride the 40 km fast and furious and there is always action. I’ve been working on it and felt my bike at Shawnigan was much improved from Oceanside.  Last year’s winner Rachel Keirs managed to pass me near the end of the cycle to take the lead and gain a minute on me going into T2.

The start of the run was straight up a hill on a trail through the forest, then across a road and onto the Cowichan Valley Trail, which is a historical railway bed that is now a beautiful winding gravel pathway.  My game plan was to run a solid tempo run for the half marathon since I am racing the Rev 3 Triathlon in two weeks and wanted to save my legs.  I focused on my form and heart rate and managed to re-gain the lead after 2.5 km.; from there it was a smooth run into the finish for the win!

It was a great day out at Shawnigan Lake. I’ve been lucky to race and train around the world and can say that Shawnigan is just a spectacular place for an event. It was very well organized and the athletes were treated great, which is always a plus! I was even given a brand new 2010 Subaru Forester to drive for the weekend!  If you’re looking for a fun race with great scenery next year, I’d recommend this one!

Here a link to an article from the local Times Colonist newspaper.

A big thank you to all my supporters; Lifesport Coaching, Paul (my coach), Team Timex and all the team partners, Speed Theory Calgary, Travis Blanton, Richard and of course my family and friends!  Thanks for all the cheers!

Lisa Mensink

www.lisa-triathlete.blogspot.com

Photo Credits: Kevin Light, Olympic Rowing Gold Medalist and photographer.  Click here for Kevin’s Gallery.

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RECOVERY

Recovery is a vital component to any training routine.
-workouts and competitions deplete your glycogen stores
-muscle tissue is damaged as you train and compete and requires repair
-muscles are being stimulated to adapt to your training workload

Recovery must include replenishing glycogen, the repair and synthesis of new protein tissue, and rehydration
You must provide your body with carbohydrates, protein, fluids and electrolytes to stimulate the process of recovery post activity ideally within the first thirty minutes post workout

Carbohydrates
-target 1.1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight (0.5 grams/lb) within 30 minutes of finishing exercise
For a 150 lb athletes that means 75 grams of carbohydrate within 30 minutes of exercise (1 PowerBar Sport Bar and 8 oz Chocolate Milk)

-repeat this within two hours post exercise
-this is especially critical if exercising within 24 hours

Protein
Endurance athletes need between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kg of body weight, so for 150 lb athlete that would be 82-109 grams of protein per day

You should consume between 10 and 20 grams of protein post workout to help stimulate protein synthesis

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Kyle Marcotte - Pro Ironman

There are plenty of people who are more qualified than I am to write about what you should eat before, during and after an event. I have found that works well for me is to keep things simple. I am a big fan of the Powergels during a race because I find them easy to go down and stay down.

I have heard quite a few funny and sometimes even dangerous things about pre-race and race nutrition.

I had a crazy teammate on the Timex team a few years ago who used to drink 5 Red Bulls before the start of a race. He was strange before the 5 Red Bulls, I can’t imagine what he was like after the excessive amount of caffeine and taurine. Scary.

In ironman races, at about mid-way on the bike course there is an area called “special needs,” where athletes can package a bag with what ever they think that they may need during the race. People sometimes pack some strange things in there. I’ve heard of people packing Kentucky Fried Chicken, full sandwiches, sushi and chocolate milk. Since ironman races are usually in hot conditions, the thought of what the sushi and chocolate milk were like after sitting in the sun for 5 hours seems a little unappealing to me.

Sometimes you hear about some weird things that people do. I had a friend who was told to boil and peal potatoes for her race nutrition. This was quite a time consuming process and the boiled potatoes turned into a big ball of mush before they were consumed. It was more than a little gross. When I asked her if she had any nutritional issues, she said that she didn’t and she actually liked the taste of gels. When I asked her why she prepared the boiled potatoes, she said that it was because she had been told to do so by a friend of a friend. It turned out that the friend of a friend had a case of mild celiac disease and that was the reason why they couldn’t handle the normal gels during the race. Do you know how many potatoes you have to boil and peal to make up your nutritional requirements for an ironman????? Well… a lot. My friend stopped the boiled potatoes habit immediately.

Other strange things I’ve heard about are athletes being told to not consume any carbohydrates while racing and only to consume protein. I hope that those poor athletes found enough porta poties when they needed them. I imagine the bonk from a nutrition strategy of pure protein was pretty bad.

There are some people who even suggest some things that are down right dangerous… like taking an excessive amount of ibuprofen before an ironman race. The side effects of this can be quite dangerous. Triathlon is a lifestyle sport, don’t risk your health to earn a couple more spots on an age-group podium. If someone is giving you advice that endangers your health, I think it is a good idea to get advice elsewhere.

Keeping things simple leading up to your race and on race day is the best advice that someone can give you. Sure, there is the occasional person that truly has “special needs” when it comes to nutrition, but for the vast majority of us the best strategy is KISS… “Keep It Simple, Stupid”

Kyle Marcotte

Pro something