Geneva - Saturday, Oct 27

I took the train to Geneva this am. While still in Zermatt I got to use my French to arrange a ride to train station. The train ride was incredible. The first leg descends through the alps on a cog railway. Zermatt is actually at almost 1,600m above sea level. That's the base of the three trams! So I have certainly been getting altitude training.

A couple of noteworthy places the train passed through were Sion - cool castle you could view from train and Montreaux - referred to as the Swiss Riviera, stunning architecture and because it is sandwiched between a mountain and Lake Geneva, a micro-climate that allows the growth of olives, grapes, palm trees, etc. I would like to return to check it out some day.

My hotel in Geneva is literally across the street from the train station. Once again Sandy totally came through. After checking in I explored the city on foot, taking in the fountain, flower clock, and the old city. I had the world's best pretzel (my description) from a street stand for lunch. I ventured into the shops on rue Rive. There was a fun toy store. Jillian: J'ai acheté un cadeau formidable pour Dylan pour Noel! Although a lot of workers speak English my French is finally passable enough that I have been getting by in French! I am so proud and motivated to continue my studies.

At the end of my long walk I took a much needed nap at the hotel before showering and heading out for dinner. I went to a pub near the hotel that I heard was really good and actually ran into someone I know! It was one of the guys from Toronto that had been on the ski trip and had added some days to his trip. So we joined each other for dinner. After a day on my own it after being surrounded by people for a week it was nice to have the company. Now I'm back at the hotel as I have to leave for the airport at 3:45 am. Luckily we have the time change tonight which buys me the extra hour. Good night everybody. I look forward to seeing you all soon! Signing off from Switzerland :(

Zermatt - Friday, October 26

Today was my last day of skiing here. :( Hardly anyone showed up so I got a private lesson with JF, the instructor I had the first day. Can't beat those ratios! We ended the day early as it was snowing hard ice pellets. I don't mind as it will give me time to go to the town's Matterhorn Museum and get organized for the next phase of my journey.

I have been moved into a private room for the night as almost all of the rest of the group is leaving tonight around 11:30. We have a big final dinner tonight before they go. I am going to leave here early tomorrow morning via train to Geneva. Apparently my hotel in Geneva is right across from the train station so I will check my luggage in there before exploring the old city. I leave at 6:00 am on Sunday and courtesy of the time difference will be back in Toronto that afternoon.

Zermatt - Thursday, Oct 25

Powder! A foot of the white stuff awaited us this morning. Sweet! I am now seeing all the feedback come together. I had a major break-through today with opening my hip joint. Marc may be the only one reading this who understands what that means - but it's good. :)

I just came back from a walk through town. I took a few more photos. I have some awesome ones to show you all on my return. Zach: there is a climber's graveyard I went to see today. All people who while died climbing the area's peaks.

We didn't end up going to the disco last night after all. A bunch of us did hang out in the hotel bar until 12:30. Today the people on course get their exam results so it will be interesting to see if there is any celebrating or drowning of sorrows later.

Last day of skiing is tomorrow. I can't believe how quickly it all went by!

Zermatt - Wednesday, Oct 24

Today's group was a "Venus" (ie all female) group. We had two Level 4 instructors - Meredith and Annie and two athletes - Esta and me. Then we lost Annie and picked up another woman. We had so much fun we are repeating the same group tomorrow.

The day started out sunny and warm but fog rolled in after lunch. There was vitually no visibility. We still managed a couple runs. Thank goodness the bottom of the ski out cleared where you had to take speed to make it.

There are a group of us going out tonight. I hope to make it in earlier than last time. :)

Zermatt - Tuesday, Oct 23

Day 3 and we were in the moguls - the same ones the World Cup teams are here training on. I did alright actually, especially considering my lack of sleep.

Last night a bunch of us went out to a nightclub after dinner. Happy hour went until 1:00 am and with two for one drinks everyone sure was happy. I met the coaches of the Canadian national disabled ski team as well as a member of Canada's World Cup freestyle team (moguls). Other people in our group tell me that he has actually won some World Cup races.

The bar was itself was in a cave which was pretty very cool. It was packed on a Monday night. It was a late night (early morning) which made this morning pretty tough. Luckily we had fantasic weather - still sunny but much warmer. I have a wicked ski tan already!

Tonight is going to be a quiet night as the three members of Canada's Interski team that traveled to Korea are going to show a DVD of their experience. Pretty cool that there is only 10 people that make the team every 4 years and I have had lessons from two of them this week and am rooming with the third.

I better go finish getting ready for dinner. TTYS.

Zermatt - Monday, Oct 22

Left hotel at 8 am this morning as I was to meet the instructor at the top of the glacier at 9:45. After just missing a series of trams, I didn't get there until after 10 am. Only I can run into commuting problems on a glacier in Switzerland! Luckily everyone else was late too.

We had a couple of additions to our class today. I'm still in a class with all men like usual. The two new additions both have their Level 3 teaching and are working on their skiing. Marc: you will know one - Paul from Mansfield. He was on course with you when you got your 3.

Our instructor Josh, head of ski school at Big White, was really good. We'll be reviewing video of the day at 6:30. He even diagnosed me while riding the T-bar together. He noticed that my boots aren't canted properly - that I'm actually stemming (snow plowing) when going up the t-bar instead of my skis running flat. I've already taken my boots into the shop to have the canting adjusted so we will see how it goes tomorrow. I've also left my skis in the shop. The firm conditions have been rough on them. I was surprised by how few (none?) of the Level 4's tune their own equipment. They've all been taking them in.

Weather is still cold (-23C at the top this am) but as long as the trams are running and I can ski I don't care. I am getting a wicked tan from all the sun on the glacier.

I do have to get the name of a massage therapist from Sandy to see if I can get in this week. The sooner the better!

Zermatt - Sunday, Oct 21 (Part 2)

I thought of a few things I forgot to mention in my last posting.

1. Weather - cold in the am (-17C) but I was dressed well so hardly noticed.

2. Lifts - 3 trams to get to the top. Can ski out under one tram so only 2 trams on the way back. T-bars are not as nasty as I would have expected.

3. Terrain - Blue-Black, nothing too insane.

4. Conditions - firm. Really firm. Glazed where the glacier showed through. Good tune on my skis Marc! If it stays like this I am going to get the edges sharpened twice while I am here.

5. Falls - one but not while skiing. ;) Walking down the ice from our lunch spot.

6. Lunch in Italy - fantastic! Included in our package is a pasta lunch accompanied with homemade bread every day. Delicio!

Zermatt - Sunday, Oct 21

I am posting from my sunny balcony overlooking the Matterhorn (see view above). :) I actually need to go get sunglasses...

Okay I'm back. My roomie just got in too. We were discussing the best place to go for apres-ski. Seems I have a few hours as they do it a little later here. So let me continue...

Day 1 was fabulous! Only three of us in my group. The other two are training for the Level 4 so it's referred to as the Level 4 prep group. Funny as I have yet to go on the Level 3! Glad I am with this group rather than the other people training for the 3. It is not only a fraction of the size (7-8 people in other groups) but I also get to ski with stronger skiers. AND I've been holding my own! While I am the slowest in the group, I am already on Day 1 skiing as well as I was by the end of last year! It felt like I had not taken a break at all. This is definitely my year!

Today's instructor was JF, who heads up the Ski School at Mont Ste. Anne. He is an incredible skier and a fantastic instructor. He broke everything down very simply and related everything to how it felt (physically not emotionally!) I totally got everything he was saying and was able to make big changes instantly. I'm going to write notes after this posting to try to capture what I learned today. Then it's time to explore the town before apres. Have a great Sunday and I'll check in with you again soon!

Zermatt - Arrival Oct 20/07

Just wanted to let everyone know that two planes and two trains later I have arrived safe and sound in Zermatt. The train ride from Geneva was breathtaking - spectacular lake and mountain vistas. The train ride up above high gorges was not for the faint of heart. We passed the remnants of an unbelievably large rock slide that buried an entire village in 1992.

Zermatt is a typical Alpen village - super clean and tidy and brimming with character. You can only get here from train although a tiny electric car and wagon did carry our luggage to the hotel for us leaving us free to walk unencumboured.

The hotel is nice - very similar to the hotels where we have stayed in Austria. I am sharing a room with Sunny Verault. Marc will know her as she is one of the top Level 4 women in Canada and is featured in some of the CSIA videos. She is from Chicoutimi so I can practice my French...especially good because the language in Zermatt is German. Of course I left my German phrase book at home because I was convinced they spoke French here! I also took out Euros to find they use Swiss Francs here! 0/2 so far.

I actually had a funny incident checking into my room. When I got to the room Sandy told me I was sharing with Sunny I knocked on the door only to have it answered by a middle-aged male Brit wearing nothing but a towel! We had a laugh over the fact that he was expecting his new roommate too. I asked Sandy what kind of services he was offering on this trip?!?

Just had a really good dinner. There would have been no leftovers for Marc at this one! Meals are included and I got to choose an appetizer, main, and desert. I'll have to ski hard to work it off tomorrow!

There is actually talk that the trams may be shut down tomorrow due to high winds. If the day does go it is going to be cold. I really hope we can ski as I'm dying to get out there.

The people on the trip are great. Have already met people from England, Victoria, Thunder Bay, and Montreal. Have also recruited a new Voyageur - a new Level 1 my age from Toronto who I sat next to on the flight from Zurich to Geneva and then sat with on the trains.

The one thing I haven't done is slept - not a wink since Thursday. I'm calling it a night now as I can't stay awake for another minute.

Riding Mountain Triathlon - August 18, 2007

Flying to Manitoba I am still not certain if it will be the Sprint or Olympic distance I will compete in the following week. On the one hand, I am feeling healthy and having a great season. I know I can beat my previous Olympic distance time on this course. On the other hand, it is my vacation and I want to have fun. I don’t want to spend the entire week worrying about the longer distance. I want to have fun doing the race. I don’t want to come in last in a tight field of competitors. Eventually I come to the decision to do the Sprint. I have nothing to prove. I want to have a good time.

Race day arrives. It is very cool outside. I have to wear a jacket while getting set up in transition. I begin to second guess my decision to not wear a wet suit but I know I will be more comfortable with my breathing without it. I try to get in a warm-up but when I take my bike for a ride I decide I don’t like the seat set up. I get my Dad to help me adjust it…twice. I must get a new bolt or a quick release for that seat. The pre-race meeting upsets the rhythm of my warm-up but is integral as it reminds me that the entrance to the run is not the corner I think it is. I head out for a warm-up run to check out the course but I’m feeling antsy and don’t go out for as long as usual.

The Olympic distance athletes start their swim. I go in the water to warm up. It turns out it is too soon. A few of the Olympic distance swimmers are very weak and the race marshals elect to wait for them to complete before letting the Sprinters start. I am shaking I am so cold. The water temperature is 17C and the air temperature is similar. The announcer notes that by the times coming in, the course is set long.

Finally we get the clearance to start and I dive into the cold, clear water. Something is wrong. I cannot get my breathing under control. I mix my freestyle stroke with some breast stroke to try to get enough air. When I do freestyle I breathe every second pull instead of every third. I tell myself to just continue moving forward and that it will get better. I fight my way through the first three buoys, choking on some water between the second and third. When I get to the final buoy I check my watch and find out that I have only put in 11 minutes. Surprisingly I have not lost much time. I fight to get my breathing under control and start going 20-30 pulls before sighting during the last, longest, leg to shore. As I exit I see that I have exceeded my goal by 5 minutes! I don’t know how it happened with that disastrous start, but I’ll take it. Swim: 20:01 PB (course)

I run into transition handing over my first Velcro number. This is what life must have been like before electronic timing! As I exit transition I hear the announcer announce my name and mention that I have come here from Toronto where I am a Vice President at an ad agency. Love the bios they made us fill out as it definitely makes it more interesting for the spectators as well as personalizing the experience for the athletes.

I go out hard on the bike past our family cottage, passing two people on our street that leads to the highway. I feel fantastic the entire ride. Though I am breathing heavily for the first part of the ride I continue to push, trying to stay in aero or at least on the low drops for the majority of the ride. I remind myself to drink lots of Gatorade even though it is cool out. I know the hills well and try to take a lot of speed from the downhills into the uphills. My heart beats a bit faster as I go up the hill where my chain broke days before. Luckily it holds and I have no gearing issues whatsoever for the whole ride. I see Michelle heading back so I know she is having a great race. I average 24.8 KPH on the way out. I’m happy with that as it is an extremely hilly course. The turnaround is on a downhill which sucks as I have to dump my speed to turn around and then set off uphill. I am feeling good though and feel even better when an Olympic distance athlete passing me states “you’re looking good”. That is until she follows it up with, “is this your first race?” Ouch! On the way back I try to push at 30-40 KPH on the flats so that I can average 25 KPH overall. I am feeling so good that I can’t believe it when I see the turnoff back into town. How can it be over? I’m still feeling so good! I kick it up into town and disaster almost strikes. A truck stops at a crosswalk (yes, they do that in Manitoba) by the campground and three kids begin crossing the road right in front of me on their bikes. I yell “WATCH OUT!!!” at the top of my lungs and they stop dead in their tracks. Luckily I am able to swerve around them. The announcer again announces my arrival. I’m thrilled to note I did manage to average 25.2 KPH on the bike. Bike (including transitions): 51:07 PB (course)

As I leave transition for the run I note that my time is 1:10 and change. I completed the course in just under 2 hours the year previously and had been aiming for 1:55. I could walk the run course and meet that! Instead I decide to push it and see if I can get 1:50, maybe even 1:45. I am breathing hard the first kilometer or so. I know the course well but I don’t see any distance markers so I have no idea how far I have gone. I check my time at the turnaround and see that, if it is truly halfway I am running at about 7:30 minutes per kilometer. I try to go quicker, even running up the awful hill on Ta-wa-pit whose twin sister on Wasagaming was the hill Michelle and I hill trained on (twice!) earlier in the week. Finally I see the 8K marker which given the Sprint and Olympic courses had married up must mean I have 2 km to go. I am still feeling surprisingly good. When I get the 9K marker I check my time - 1:40. As I usually race at 7-8 minutes per km, I figure that 1:45 is now out of reach but I can break 1:50. I pick up the pace still further. I see the right turn ahead that will take me past my cottage and to the finish line. I put everything I have into getting there as quickly as possible without falling down. As I cross the finish line I am ecstatic to see that I did it in 1:45!!! I ran the last km in under 5 minutes!!! I did not know that I was capable of that pace! Run: 33:37 PB (course) + PB (Ever!)

Total time: 1:45:27 PB (course) + PB (ever!) A six-peat PB race! I am soooooooo happy! It only gets better as I run Michelle in for her Olympic distance finish and we find out she has finished third in her age group. One of us medaled! What a fantastic way to end an amazing holiday!

Belwood - August 5, 2007

I am really nervous. I am wondering why I felt compelled to do a longer distance than the nice half-Olympic sprint I am used to. I know I can complete the race but I also know it is going to hurt!

I stay overnight at Michelle’s before the race so we will be closer to the start. She prepares an awesome carb-loading pasta dinner that we top off with a trip to DQ.

Sunday morning arrives too early and we make our way to Belwood Conservation Area by Fergus, Ontario. We arrive closer to the start time than we like yet because it is a smaller race there are still plenty of primo parking and racking positions. I even have time to warm up my run, bike, and swim. It makes me feel more comfortable to fit my warm-up in and also to remember the course.

We line up on the boat launch area for the entrance to the swim. I position myself at the back of the group as I don’t want a repeat of Peterborough with other swimmers pushing down my feet. Michelle and I are both in the fourth of five waves. When the siren goes off we pick our way down the ramp into the water as there are even rocks on the boat ramp. The water is nice and warm and other than a couple of pushing matches near the beginning of the swim I am left alone. The water is clearer than I remember and the lake is weedless. Things to be thankful for as I swim the LONG 1K loop. The buoys for this race almost reach the shore on the other side of the lake which is quite intimidating. I go at my own pace and feel fine throughout the swim though at the halfway point I have to wonder when it will ever end! On the way back I use the dam for sighting and don’t have to look up as often. By the last 100-150m I am back to my typical zig zag swimming. I must be tired but I pour on an additional effort as I know it almost over. Swim: 32:48

I’m very dizzy as I exit the water. With the longer effort and rocks on the bottom I drunkenly spill out of the water and run up the hill to transition. Why is transition always at the top of a hill? T1: 2:01

I start out on the bike feeling really good. I am not hyperventilating as I did at the last three races. The route is quite flat to start and it is very windy. I spend as much time as possible in aero, dropping to my drops when my shoulders can’t take the aero effort. In my drops my back is just as low as in aero though I lose some aerodynamics with my shoulders being more open. At the 10K mark I am ready to head back in as I would in a usual spring but alas with this race I am not yet 1/3 finished. The course is a loop which I love for training rides and hate for races. There are few other riders around me and I am not motivated. I start to enjoy the scenery too much and have to remind myself that I am still in a race. The 33K mark eventually comes and I am ready to hop of the bike and begin the run. Bike: 1:19:09

There are some finishers already in transition. The cruelty of it all. I hasten to get out on the course. T2: 1:30

The run is almost completely flat and on a trail that is easy on the legs. Unfortunately it does not offer much for shade and it is now approaching noon. I make the decision to stick to 10 + 1’s as I want to pace myself for the longer than usual effort and I have already given up on my goal time as it would require a 50 minute run that I do not feel capable of. I decide to think of it as simply a training run and to pace myself accordingly. There are lots of water and Gatorade stations and I am pleased to note at the two turnaround points that I am actually ahead of a few people. I even pass a couple of people in the run. I take my last walk break right before my last km and try to sustain a tougher effort. I am shocked to discover at the end of the run that it is a PB for me on the course by 3 minutes. It enables me to sneak in a new overall personal best by 15 seconds! Run: 50:42 PB

Triathlon: 2:46:09 PB.

I decided during this race that doing a triathlon could be likened to what I have heard about childbirth. While you are going through it you are wondering why you are doing it and vow never to do it (or at least this length) ever again. When you cross the finish line the pain is instantly forgotten and all you feel is the thrill of having completed the race. Which brings me to my next question of myself: I am currently registered in the Riding Mountain Olympic distance triathlon in two weeks. I could still drop down to the sprint distance. I know I can complete the Olympic and probably even get a PB but I also know it is likely that I will be last in the field and that it is going to be very painful. If I do the sprint I will have a fun, stress-free race but will I feel I didn’t deliver to my potential? The dilemma unfolds…Stay tuned for my decision…

Birthday Weekend - July 28-29

Why is it everyone goes on holiday during my birthday? Luckily Michelle came through once again and the two of us headed to Pinery at Grand Bend for a weekend of camping. We took our bikes with us but they didn't leave the rack all weekend. :( Michelle was nursing a bug and I had to do a couple of runs to keep up with my Half Marathon training. Saturday was only a 4K but on Sunday I ran 15K over two hours. The campground was so huge that I didn't cover a fraction of it over that time!

The weather was fantastic and the natural beauty of the park was wonderful. We had some beach time both days - my first this summer! I even had time to finish reading Harry Potter. Overindulged in snacks and ice cream cake so now am on the straight and narrow as I head into a race this weekend. I'm doing Belwood on Sunday. I'm a bit concerned over its longer length but know that I will persever. 'til next time!

Blue Mountain - July 21-22

Another race-free weekend. I could get used to this! I spent this weekend at my place at Blue Mountain with my friend Michelle and her sister-in-law Chantal. On Friday night Michelle and I disappointed Chan by heading back to the condo after only a couple of drinks at Windy O’Neils, choosing an early night in order to get some rest for our ride the next day. Saturday morning we took out our mountain bikes and covered the Georgian Trail from Blue Mountain to Meaford and back. It was fun to be back on my mountain bike. Though it is very old it is still functioning well and is oh, so much more comfortable than my road bike. The ride ended up being 63 km. I felt great throughout. Chan impressed me with her ride out as she hadn’t biked much this season. She did pay for it on the way back though as she dropped further and further behind. On the one 500 m section of what could be termed single track on the whole ride, Michelle elected to sacrifice herself rather than a couple of seniors on a corner so had some battle scars – skin loss on her arm and cool bruises on her hip/thigh – to prove her mountain bike riding cred the rest of the weekend.

The next day Chan opted out of the training run I had planned so Michelle and I dragged ourselves away from the mountain stage of the Tour de France for a 14K run. (OK, Michelle dragged me kicking and screaming away from the TV I was hugging.) We did the other part of the Georgian Trail heading towards Collingwood this time. The run went by so much faster having someone with me. Post-run Michelle dove right into the swimming pool only stopping to take off her running shoes. I took a little more time getting there only because I needed to gulp down another litre of water first! The rest of the day was spent relaxing and hobbling around the village feeling good about the weekend’s efforts.

Training weekend - July 14-15

Not much to report. On Saturday I rode in St. Jacob’s. Not a great ride as the area reeked of manure and a red minivan decided to use me as target practice in an intersection after I signaled my turn perfectly clearly. Crazy-ass minivan drivers! The awesome farmers’ market was the only thing that salvaged the day.

Sunday was better. I didn’t leave home as early as anticipated as the Tour de France Alp stage was wicked! Once I did, I headed to Hilton Falls for some trail running. I LOVE trail running! The time just flies by as I maneuver myself up and down hills, across rocks, and over roots. I did a 9.5k trail followed by a 4K trail. In the end I ran almost two hours. I skipped my swim as I needed some chill time after the run more badly.

I’ve decided to register for Belwood on the August long weekend as it will be good to do a race in between the short sprint and Olympic distances before my Olympic race in Manitoba in August. I’ve only done Belwood once before and it was an interesting day as the swim headed off into a dense fog and I did the ride on my road bike for the first time. Other than the swim I had a pretty good time so it may be a challenge to get a PB. Something to strive towards!

Peterborough Sprint - July 8, 2007

Photos above: Me “relaxing” after the race. Michelle doing her strip-tease act in the transition area post-race. For the first time this season my friend Michelle and I competed in the same race so I lost my official race photographer and had to settle for post-race photos for my blog.

Michelle kicked some serious butt in the race coming in at 15th in her category of 38! She scored 10th in the bike, averaging over 30 km/hour! Unfortunately Michelle was also the biggest bad-ass in the group of over 400 and ended up getting disqualified after the race for having “words” with a race official. Michelle assures her fans that the race official was being unreasonable.

As for my race, I didn’t have a great feeling about it from the beginning. My allergies were really acting up this last week and I was woken on Sunday morning by Michelle’s Blackberry alarm going of at 5:00 am and could not get back to sleep. In transition before the race I was accidentally smacked in the face by male athlete warming up doing shoulder rolls. Not a great omen.

The siren goes off. I dolphin dive a few times into the lake. I feel like a goldfish in a goldfish pond competing for food thrown in by a tourist. The water is thick with bodies and I can’t find my spot. I keep getting my legs pushed down which is throwing me off. I concentrate solely on my breathing, getting it under control. The whole swim continues in this vein, fighting other swimmers off, avoiding flailing legs and arms. Two women in my age group block me doing an assortment of strokes – sidestroke, breaststroke, freestyle – the whole race. I am determined to beat them. One gets out of the water right before me. I run as fast as I can to get past her into transition. Score! I know I have beat at least two people in my age group in the swim. (After checking results, I find I actually beat four – making the swim the strongest part of my event.) Swim: 21:17

It was raining when we started the swim but it is now bright and sunny. Like Muskoka, I have to change back my sunglasses lens to something darker for the bike. T1: 2:47

I couldn’t warm up the bike as the fight for transition spots was fierce in the morning and I didn’t want to risk losing my spot by unracking my bike. I run past five people out of transition and get on to find that my guess as to the right gear to start was correct. The bike is a series of short and steep hills. I am working hard and breathing hard yet I can’t seem to go as fast as Guelph. I am trying to be as aero as possible as there is a strong wind. I gear change too quickly as I fly down one hill and dump my chain. A horrible place to do it as I now have to stop at the bottom of the next steep hill to put it back on. Two runners happen to be there and assist me in getting it into the right gear for the hill. One even pushes me to get me started on the hill. I don’t even think at the time that I should not be accepting aid. I’m just so grateful for the help. Don’t tell the OAT officials or Michelle won’t be the only one DQ’d! Bike: 49:24 T2: 2:15

I run out from transition and then stop dead in my tracks. I don’t know which way to go! They changed the course since the previous year. Luckily someone sees my dilemma and tells me. The run course is now through the park instead of through town. It’s a lot of grass running which is slower than concrete but I don’t mind as it is also a lot cooler. I am not terribly motivated because I know that even with a PB run I can no longer get a PB on the race because of my swim and bike times. I still run as best as I can only taking one 30 second walk break. I experience some cramping but nothing like the stitches I usually get. I try to really push it the last couple of km’s thinking the faster I race, the faster it will be over! In the end I come within hundredths of a second of my run PB. Run: 36:28 Total time: 1:52:09

Next up: I’ve registered for the Olympic distance of the Riding Mountain Tri at the cottage in Manitoba on August 18. I may do Belwood on the August long weekend as its distance is halfway between the Sprints I have been doing this season and the Olympic. Stay tuned…

Canada Day (training) weekend

Photos above: Me getting mauled by a black bear at Santa's Village and Deborah annihilating me at mini-putt.

No races this weekend. Took the opportunity to do a few day trips and get some training in. Friday: Left work early afternoon and headed to Lake Kelso for a 30K bike ride and 30 minute swim. Made it up the evil 6th line hill. A very scenic ride that is brutal outbound and oh so short and sweet on return.

Saturday: Got in a 12K run on the Beltline before meeting Deborah and driving to Niagara. While Deborah wandered around NOTL I got in a short fun 20K bike ride on the paved trails. Some silly pedestrians but not as much bike traffic as expected. I wish my competition was as slow as these people on bikes.

Sunday: Did a hill training run in the morning. Flew up the hills in Mount Pleasant cemetary. Unbelievable. Could I be improving at hills? Probably just the cool, temperate weather. Later picked up Deborah and headed to Muskoka for Canada Day which is where the photos above were taken.

Monday: Time for one more serious training day. To Guelph Lake for a 40K bike ride. Love the countryside there for cycling. Good roads. Very little traffic. Other cyclists around. Some challenging hills but nothing too killer. Afterwards got in a 35 minute swim.

Next race: Peterborough on Sunday! I love that race. I tend to do well there. Usually I'm inspired by the Tour de France by that point but as it only starts Saturday I can't rely on that as motivation. My goal: 1:50 which is better than the last two years but not quite as good as my PB of 1:47:57. Stay tuned...

Guelph Sprint - June 23, 2007

I had so much fun doing Muskoka that I decide to attempt to repeat the experience this weekend in Guelph. I drive up to Guelph early Saturday morning. No traffic so I get there in time to cheer on the Try-a-Tri'ers including Michelle's friend Sasha and her husband. Michelle and her boyfriend Richard are camping at Guelph for the weekend as she is doing the Olympic distance Tri on Sunday. It is great to have some "athletic supporters" there to cheer me on.

I find myself in the elder stateswoman role for the first time at this race. I am answering one first-timer’s questions when another begins peppering me with questions of her own. I help them out as much as I can. Richard comments that if they looked fitter than me I should have led them astray with my answers but Michelle decides that helping others will give me better karma for the race.

I try to replicate the warm-up of my successful Tri in Muskoka as much as possible. I go for a 1K run scoping out the finish area and deciding on the point from which I will sprint to the finish. I bike 4K, going through my gears to make sure everything is working properly. I have to adjust the bag that carries my spare tubes as it is catching my shorts. The water is cool to get into for my warm-up swim but I feel good in my decision to go without my wetsuit given my great swim in Muskoka doing the same.

I line up at the start feeling calm and confident. As the whistle blows I am off running into the water, doing dolphin dives to get through the shallows. Dolphin dives are fun but I do get some water up my nose. I stay with the majority of my wave most of the way out to the farthest buoy. There is some unusual swimming going on around me – I count a sidestroke, breast stroke, and even a backstroke. The breast stroker is quite strong so I follow her for a bit to keep me in a straight line. I kept listing to the right so I concentrate on feeling like I am going left in order to go straight. I actually rub up against the first buoy as I go by so I can't have gotten any closer. At the furthest buoy the fastest swimmers from the next wave catch me so there is a bit of jostling but I keep my cool. Before I know it I am back at shore, running up the LONG grassy hill to transition. Swim: 23:34.

In transition one of the newbies is still asking questions. I'm kind of busy but I try to be polite and answer as I pull on my bike shoes. T1:2:45

Out on the bike I am not feeling as breathless as Muskoka and try to push myself harder. The hills aren't as bad as Muskoka and I am able to get a run at the uphills from the downhills. I pass a number of people including several women from my age group. I even manage to pass a couple of people on uphills. Yay! I know the course well and the hills aren't as bad as I remember. I am able to stay aero in the flats and push at over 30 KPH knowing that I will lose substantial time on the two steepest hills. On the way back I concentrate on getting and keeping my average speed at over 25 KPH knowing the one last big hill will bring it down. As I swing into transition I see that I was successful in keeping my average speed at exactly 25 KPH. Bike: 45:38 PB

Back into transition. More questions from a newbie. I really have to stop being polite. T2: 2:23

A time check confirms that I have 41 minutes for the run to make my goal and a new PB of 1:55. Cramping on right side. Tell myself I can massage it during a one minute walk break after running for 10 minutes. Stick to it and get rid of the cramp after 11 minutes. Take only 30 seconds of my next walk break and then decide to nix them as I'm feeling good. With 2K to go, realize that not only will I attain my goal of 1:55 but that if I really push myself I could potentially make it in 1:50. Decide to go for it. Pick up the speed. With 1K to go, I have 6 1/2 minutes left to make 1:50. I'm glad I practiced this km in warm-up as I know what to expect. I run up the last hill knowing I have conquered worse in training and that the rest of the way in will be downhill. When I get to the spot I picked out in the morning I pour my last effort into going hard into the finish. Run: 35:53 PB.

Not only do I make it in at 1:50:11, seven minutes faster than I have done this course before but I also score PB's in the bike and run and almost match my PB on the swim. Another fantastic race! Stay tuned for Peterborough on July 8!

Arriving at Muskoka

Muskoka Sprint - Photos!

By popular demand, I have added photos to my blog. The first was taken while exiting the swim. It's good to see that I'm already running as I step out of the water! No comments on the swim cap please! In the second I'm heading out on the bike while the third was taken as I crossed the finish line. Big thanks to Michelle, my very fast Muskoka photographer!

Muskoka Sprint - June 16, 2007

Setting the stage: My fifth time competing in the Muskoka Sprint. I have completed three out of four of these races with a time of 2:17-2:19. My Personal Best (PB) is 2:07. I have swam all of four times since my last Tri in August and biked six times so far this year. The one area I'm feeling good about is my run as I have now been running regularly for seven weeks. I've also been eating fairly well over the past six weeks.

My friend Michelle and I drive up to Huntsville Friday night. After checking in at the Hidden Valley Inn we head to our pre-race pasta dinner at East Side Mario's. What can I say? It's tradition. We then drive down to the race site for an evening walk of the run course that includes scoping out the swim course.

I am particularly nervous about the swim. I haven't swum in a wetsuit for a couple of years. I have verified that I can wiggle into mine so that's a start. On Saturday morning I take my wetsuit down to the lake to test it out. I'm not liking it. It feels like it is cutting off my breath. Even though I know I'll lose buoyancy I make the call to race without it. I'd rather be comfortable.

Once at the race site I begin my warm-up. I run a quarter of the race course. I'm feeling pretty good but the weather feels warmer than I expected. I then go for a 4K bike ride. I find I have to adjust my cadence computer but all else is working fine. It's time to warm up the swim. I make my way into the river. Brrr...it's colder than the lake, especially without the wetsuit.

I then make my way to the start. I'm happy to be in the second of fourth waves. Hopefully this means I can beat some people out of the water! I position myself behind everyone else in my wave and when the siren goes off I begin swimming. I am calmer than I would have thought. I'm hoping I can keep my breathing under control and keep up the swimming until the end of the course. I concentrate on blowing lots of bubbles as it forces me to fully exhale and keep my breathing under control. I feel good. I stick to my plan and head straight for the point, knowing this will keep me on the left side of the river. I feel comfortable as I slip past the shoreline. I can see and hear Michelle cheering me on. I even see her slip on a rock and almost come into the river herself. I keep up the pace thinking of nothing other than blowing bubbles and staying to the left. Before I know it I am coming into shore with a group of other participants. The swim felt really fast. I get out of the water quickly and pass six people on the way up to transition. I check my watch and am shocked/elated to see that I may just have achieved a personal best time. Swim: 25:42 PB

I fly into transition. I see there is at least one other bike on my rack so I have beat someone in my age group on the swim. I do have one delay as I have to change my sunglasses lens as it has gotten bright outside. I also take a couple puffs on my inhaler. T1: 2:03

I fly out on the bike. I am feeling really strong. There are lots of competitors around me and I am more determined than ever to keep up the swim's momentum. The bike course has some really tough hills where my quads are burning but I stay on the bike trying not to lose too much speed. It takes me a while to get my breathing under control but I concentrate on how I do it with my trainer and feel confident knowing I have my inhaler with me in case of emergency. I do witness one horrific crash as a police officer does not get a mini-van out of an intersection quickly enough and to avoid it, a cyclist coming from the other way flies across the road and careens into the gravel shoulder and a road sign on our side of the ditch. Judging by how much he was swearing I am sure he was okay. Though he may need a new front fork and helmet! I continue to push on, trying not to lose too much time on the uphills and getting as much speed as I can on the downhills. When I get to the halfway point I see my speed is 28:30. As I am going for :56 minutes on the bike and I know the second half is much easier, this is a great time. It gives me incentive to really push on the way back and as I come into the bike finish I know I have another personal best. Bike: 53:12 PB

The second transition takes more time than it should because someone has totally disrupted my stuff and I cannot find one of my running socks. I take the time to locate it knowing it is not worth it to go without and blister up before the end of the run. T2: 1:51

As I run out of transition I note that my total elapsed time is just over 1:20. I know I can do 5K in 40 minutes so I am thrilled to know that if I can just not blow up I am going to demolish my previous PB. I decide that I will do 10 + 1's to keep my legs fresh and work out the cramps that are starting on my left side. I run the riverfront loop past the first water station and begin my first walk break while massaging out the cramp. When I begin running up each hill, I push myself refusing to walk. I feel so strong and grateful for all the running I have been doing. Michelle chears me on as I pass, telling me to smile if I love hills. I can't help myself but I'm smiling. I'm actually enjoying the race! People are cheering me on. I'm even encouraging people that are having more trouble than me. At the 3K and 4K markers I check my time and see that a two hour time is still possible. My second loop flies by and I am climbing the last hill to the finish. I push forward as hard as I can and stop the clock at 2:00:21, a new PB! I am soooo happy, excited, surprised. It is an awesome feeling.

After the race two separate women congratulate me on my run. One thought I did it as part of a relay because I looked so fresh. The other told me that I was her inspiration on the run and that she just tried to keep me in sight to keep going. A nice feeling. What a fantastic day! Now I may just have to consider doing Guelph next week....