Race Report: Toronto Island Triathlon

I competed in the Multisport Canada Toronto Island Triathlon on Sunday. I have always loved this race. I get to sleep in my own bed on race night, the ferry ride to the island boasts spectacular views of the city, the looped course means you are surrounded by spectators and you get chocolate milk at the end! This year added a special twist to the day...the race crew was unable to set the swim course due to high winds and wavy conditions. This meant that the Tri was turned into a Du (5km run - 20km bike - 2.5km run). Without my strongest leg (the swim) to give me a head start on the competition, I knew I would have to work hard to continue my streak of never losing a race on Toronto Island. Thankfully, I was able to find that competitive drive that seemed to be lacking in previous races this year and I fought my very hardest to take the win on Sunday.

Highlights

- Running with Nina and Leah side by side for the first 5km of the race. It kind of felt like we were ITU athletes racing hard to win a championship. I may have even fantasized that I was Gwen Jorgenson running with Nicola Spirig at times!

- Actually having the fastest bike split among the women. Knowing that my bike fitness isn't what it used to be, I have worked incredibly hard at being as aerodynamic as possible. My time this year was just a few seconds slower than my time in 2013 and the normalized power was 25W lower. (Or maybe my power meter is broken?)

- Seeing so many of my fellow TTC athletes racing, seeing old friends and meeting some new people.

Learning points:

- So much of racing is mental. I realized that today. In training, I haven't done ANY speed work..nothing faster than 4:30/km. But I told myself today that I could run with the other girls, and we averaged 3:53/km for our opening run (actually 5.3km). Then I ran a 4:06/km pace in the closing 2.5km (actually closer to 3km). So, sometimes a little competition can drive you to reach that next level in a race.

Pictures

The Run: If you get a chance, check out the run start on Multisport Canada's Instagram account. I love watching myself at the start, because I just see my mum. Smaller than the other competitors, not intimidating AT ALL, but still feisty and competitive on the inside - which is exactly how I see my Mamma. Did you know athletes inherit their mitochondria from your mothers? The mitochondria are largely responsible for energy processing and athletic endurance. So, triathletes, thank you mums for your endurance abilities!

The Bike: After my usual slow T1, I was off on the bike just after Leah. I actually had a good bike mount and gave a big strong effort at the start of the ride. It's a fairly technical course, so I took a few more chances and had a few more close calls than normal. It was worth it though as I caught Leah just before the first turn around and took the lead from there. The rest of my ride I spent trying to avoid the puddles and get as big a lead as I could - I had no idea how the second run would feel.

The Second Run: Legs were feeling pretty heavy along the first 500m, but I had a fellow male competitor go by and then I tried to stay close. I passed him at 1km and pushed myself to the finish line.

Special thanks to Adam's kids, who just brightened the day even more!

Interview with another participant: PIETER

Pieter is new to the sport of triathlon and was 2nd in his age group (35-39) in Sunday's sprint Triathlon turned Duathlon. He is also an active member of the Toronto Triathlon Club.

Q. Name, Age, One word to describe yourself?
A. Pieter Wijnhoven, 34, happy

Q. How long have you been doing triathlons?
A. Since beginning this year

Q. What was one highlight of today's event?
A. The sprint for the finish with three other athletes

Q. What did you eat for breakfast?
A. Oatmeal mixed with strawberries and blue berries with soy milk

Q. What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you in a triathlon?
A. To me personally not much, I saw this weekend somebody on an electrical bike and people wearing their bike helmet on the run :)

Q. What did you think about on the bike today?
A. Push harder! But be careful with the wet roads.

Q. What is one thing you are proud of about yourself, either in triathlon or in the rest of life?
A. I am proud of my positive attitude in life and enjoy every day!

Q. What/when is your next event?
A. Next weekend Wasaga beach triathlon

Q. What do you like best about the MultiSport Canada race series?
A. It’s great to have some many races close to Toronto with such a good organization!

Thank yous

- My parents for their continued love and support throughout this crazy adventure of mine.
- Adam, my coach and partner, and just a great guy in general. He keeps me calm when I get anxious and so it helps so much to have him there on race day.
- Saige, Rhys and Mack. They surprised me on the Island for awards after the race and ran towards me with open arms and huge smiles. That they can accept me as their step-mum and give me so much support is amazing.
- My health care team of David Lamy (RMT), Bill Wells (Chiro) and Michael Hong (Acupuncture). I wouldn't have been able to race this one without you.
- All my readers for their support and for following me in my triathlon endeavours
- MultiSport Canada and all the volunteers!
- Fellow athletes at the race and training partners, especially those at WattsUp!
- My other coaches: Kim and Nigel from NRG
- My sponsors: High Rock Capital Management, WattsUp Cycling, MultiSport Canada, The Urban Athlete, Fitt1st Bike Fitting

What's Next? BARRELMAN HALF-IRONMAN!!!

What would I do without Bill Wells at Urban Athlete?

What would I do without Bill Wells at The Urban Athlete?

This summer has been marked by niggles and injuries that have really taken a toll on my running. So, I thought I would take a moment to thank the individual who has been there to ensure that I can get back to full training ASAP: my amazing Chiropractor, Bill Wells at The Urban Athlete.

Someone referred me to Bill saying that he knew a Chiropractor who could tell your injury just by looking at you and cure you just as fast. In 2010? I was three weeks out from an important race and was not able to run at all due to a knee injury, so I booked an appointment with Bill ASAP. Sure enough, on my first visit I was in awe at what Bill could tell by just looking at me! Among many things, he knew that I had been a swimmer and that I must have specialized in breast stroke without me even mentioning this fact. Not only this, but I was back to running within a week, which allowed me to compete in the race that qualified me for the World Championships. Since then I have struggled with MANY injuries: strained muscles, IT band syndrome, a bruised tailbone, a stuck fibula, strained peroneal muscles, hip flexor issues...you name it, I’ve had it. All of these injuries might have kept me from training and even racing, but Bill didn't only keep me on my feet, he kept me in the pool, on the bike and in my running shoes throughout them all!

Most recently, I had a strained peroneal muscle in the weeks leading up to Calgary 70.3. I was booking 2-3 appointments a week with Bill. He'd fix me. I'd train hard. I’d reinjure myself...he'd fix me again and the the cycle continued. Even though I knew that rest was probably what I needed, he NEVER told me to stop training. He would just keep fixing me. So, not only was I able to complete the race in relatively good shape, I was also able to get back to training right after and compete and win the Bracebridge Olympic just two weeks later and then Toronto Island after that.

I whole-heartedly recommend Bill Wells to any of my athletes, family, and social media followers. You won’t be disappointed.

The team at Urban Athlete also includes physiotherapists, naturopaths, and personal trainers (check out: www.theurbanathlete.ca for a complete list or their services).

Thank you Bill for helping to keep me going!

Race Report: Bracebridge Olympic Triathlon

What a weekend in Bracebridge! On Saturday I got to watch the racers complete the Try-a-Tri and the Sprint distance events as a volunteer. I had a few athletes I coach race in both events, saw some familiar faces and got caught up with athletes I hadn't seen in awhile. That's why these events are so great. Local races really bring ALL Ontario triathletes together and help to keep our triathlon community strong. Let's keep the participation high!

On the Sunday, I got to take part in the Olympic distance event in Bracebridge. I have always loved this race. I competed in this race back when it was a half-ironman, and anytime it fits my race schedule I aim to participate. Last year I competed in the swim-bike (knee still recovering), so this year it was great to be able to complete the full race.

1. The highlights of the day included:

- My swim. I think I finally am back on track with my swimming!! In looking at the results, I won this race based on my swim time!
- Seeing my sister (Sara) finish 1st in her age group (F25-29). Sara has been training consistently and very steadily building her fitness, while balancing her role as a mum and teacher. It was great to see her patience and dedication pay off!
- Running pain-free! My long run in the past month was at the half-ironman 2 weeks ago. I have only run every other day in the past 4 weeks. So, putting together a half-decent run that was relatively pain free (still had some tightness in my hamstrings) was HUGE! I hope this means I can run consistently until Barrelman.
- The venue and course itself. What a beautiful place to host a race. The swim course was easy to navigate, the bike course was varied and challenging, but not too hard, the run course was along the river and mostly on paved roads (not gravel - I am not a fan of gravel!)

2. Learning points:

- I need to work on my mental state on the bike. In training, I have been able to consistently perform at the level I want to be at. On race day, however, I seem to lose confidence in my ability and I can't hold my power at the same level as I should. This only causes me to lose about 5W, but still, I want to be able to tolerate pain a little more so I can bike stronger on race day.

3. Pictures:

Swim: While the rest of the athletes got a TT start, the 12 Elite-Age Group/Pro athletes all started together. Of course, I got kicked in my left fibula (the one that's been an issue) right away so that was worrisome. However, it proved to be a non-issue. I swam with two other guys and felt this was my best swim yet this year. On Tuesday I did a set of 15x100 on 1:25 to get ready and this seemed to help my swim confidence.

Bike: The bike started off really well, I was in my power target range of 190-200W and having fun. On the 20km return I seemed to lose some of my motivation and my power dropped off significantly. I basically rode alone - which had me questioning at times whether I was even on the course! I pushed strong at the end of the race and my power recovered a bit, but I'm still somewhat disappointed with my result. If I can hold 191W in training, I should be able to hold it in a race situation!

Run: The run today was mostly focused on getting 10km in without injury. I hadn't planned on "racing" the run. I ran in tempo pace to keep my niggles at bay and this was a success! A Zone 3 tempo heart rate of 168bpm got me a decent run in and I was more than pleased!

Happy to break the tape!

4. Interview with another participant: SARA

Q. Name, Age, One word to describe yourself?
A. Sara, 28, Outgoing

Q. How long have you been doing triathlons?
A. 5 years

Q. What was one highlight of today's event?
A. Winning First Place in my age group as well as taking about 7 minutes off my time from last year.

Q. What did you eat for breakfast?
A. Blueberry Muffin from McDonalds, thats what I eat before every race.

Q. What is the funniest thing that has ever happened to you in a triathlon?
A. It was my second triathlon (Bracebridge Sprint Triathlon), I was coming out of the water, after the swim, and saw my family cheering, but didn’t see my husband. So i yelled really loud, “Where’s Kevin?” He was running late because he was up late the night before and didn’t set his alarm. I can laugh about it now.

Q. What did you think about on the bike today?
A. Winning & that these hills are killer

Q. What is one thing you are proud of about yourself, either in triathlon or in the rest of life?
A. I am proud to have finished all the Triathlon races I have competed in: Sprint, Olympic and especially Ironman 70.3. I am proud of making podium in two of my three races this year. I am proud that my sister is able to coach me and be there at all my races, either cheering me on or racing with me. She is my inspiration! I am proud that my husband, Kevin and daughter, Maddy are there to support me through my training and for all my races. Especially when I keep saying, “Just want to do one more race.” I am proud of Family and everything that they do!

Q. What/when is your next event?
A. I am thinking about Barrelman, but will be competing in the Scotiabank Half-Marathon.

Q. What do you like best about the MultiSport Canada race series?
A. The organization, all the great people who put it together, the volunteers, these races wouldn’t be possible without them. And the chocolate milk at the end ;)

5. Course Information

6. TrainingPeaks/Quantitative Race information for those interested

WARMUP: 30 minute bike, practicing getting my feet in and out of shoes while they were in the pedals, 5 minute run, 400m swim warmup with 3x40 strokes fast

SWIM: 1500m, 20:33 (~1:20/100m)*I actually managed to stay on course!*

BIKE: Speed - 35.85kph, NP - 185W (3.4W/kg, 90% of FTP), Avg Power - 176W, Avg HR - 164bpm, Avg Cadence - 83rpm

RUN: 10.35km (according to my watch), 43:59 (4:15/km), Avg HR - 168bpm

7. Thank-you:

- My parents for their continued love and support throughout this crazy adventure of mine. Yes, they drive 5 hours to be at Bracebridge for the race
- Wheels of Bloor for coming to my rescue the Friday before the race. I had a broken elbow rest (not the pad, the actual rest) and they came up with a solution that worked wonders!
- My health care team of David Lamy (RMT), Bill Wells (Chiro) and Michael Hong (Acupuncture). I wouldn't have been able to race this one without you.
- Adam, my coach and partner, and just a great guy in general. He keeps me calm when I get anxious and so it helps so much to have him there on race day.
- All my readers for their support and for following me in my triathlon endeavours
- MultiSport Canada and all the volunteers!
- Fellow athletes at the race and training partners, especially those at WattsUp!
- My other coaches: Kim and Nigel from NRG
- My sponsors: High Rock Capital Management, WattsUp Cycling, MultiSport Canada, The Urban Athlete, Fitt1st Bike Fitting