Here’s to new experiences

The past couple days have been an adventure into uncharted territory. New feelings (some high, some low), different tastes, new preparation, new times and new companions. As I think back, the cold sting of pelting rain while I watch the train leave me behind only enriches the experience. The heavy chip, pothole ridden roads have left their impressions on both my teeth, but also on my mind.

Pre-race: Had a decent night sleep and the usual breaky then off to the lake to race. My body was definitely feeling a lot better and more rested then Shawnigan.

Swim: The swim was obviously short as I don’t swim 1:22’s for 1.9km, maybe for 200m all out. But it’s weird because the elites swam around 1.5 minutes faster then me. I’ve been swimming well but not that well. My buddy Chris Miller who may have some gills or a tail, only out swam me by like :10 so that’s definitely good news. So it’s hard to get a true time for the swim but I’m quite happy with how I felt in the water and my stroke. I was able to get onto decent feet for pretty much the entire swim. With about 300m to go, who do I see lurking beside, my nemesis as mom calls him, (no offence Vince, it’s because you’re always like 2 min ahead of me at the finish) Vincent. Sure enough we exit the swim together and give each other a little smile and off we go.

"Awww" Definitely one of the coolest triathlon pictures I've seen.

Bike: Myself, Vince, Lance Watson and some other guy formed ourselves a little train for basically 60km. We worked well together despite a wrong turn by all of us that was preceded by a wrong turn for a couple of them. At around 60km, the watt-monsters caught us but weren’t able to hang on to the caboose and rode the rest of the way watching them from a distance. We tried to claw our way back, but I think we were both going through a bit of low point during the bike. I think it actually turned into a good thing we didn’t (okay couldn’t) go with them. Ended up riding a…2:28:xx. Not excited about with the ride but happy how I hung in there during the low times on the bike and just keep going.

"Trudging along"

Run: I was unsure about the run as this because I’ve had some good, long runs lately, but after the Shawnigan fiasco, wasn’t too sure where I was at. Started out with a 3:45km, oops, but then eased off to 4:10’s. I wasn’t having to work hard and was confident in my pace so I held in there for the first lap. Figured I was around 42min for first lap. Plan was to ditch the watch after 10k and just go on feel for the 2nd lap which I was excited for. I knew I was on a good run and was actually getting shivers because of how I was feeling. Either that or I was dehydrated and cold. I’ve had those rounds in golf where you know it’s going to be a good day and you are in total control of your ball then you just start grooving it. Similar feeling to honest. Ended up with a 1:21:30 run and was able to run down some of the the watt monsters after about 10k. Picked up the pace for the 2nd lap and just ran. Definitely wasn’t expecting this. Crossed the tape in 4:18:15. 9th overall, 1st AG.

"Finish line with mini-fist pump"

Post Race: I felt unreal. Sure my legs were starting to tighten up around 15k but I didn't have to dig super deep like I normally do. Ate some food and chatted then scored some brownie points by giving Hannah a bit of a post-race massage. Those have to be double brownie points under the circumstances. We layed around on our blanket watching the festive-like atmosphere that comes with the sport.

The night before the race I had a thought while lying in bed, 4:26. My goal was sub 4:30 but managed to do much better. Last year I was 4:44:44 so I improved quite a bit. I’m quite fascinated by the human body and how it can react to training and under stress. I did a few things differently in my preparation with my diet and really focused on lots of carbs weds-fri. My coach Noa definitely helped get me ready and have enjoyed the past 3 months working with her. Every workout has a purpose and something for me to focus on. My body just felt ready to race and was in a fairly relaxed state.

Next up is the Vancouver 1/2 on July 12th so Noa and I will have to talk sometime about the next half of the season. Recovery week this week which fits in nicely with my life at the moment. The body is starting to come around now and looking forward to testing myself again.

The next few days will be filled with packing then come Sunday, here’s to a new place.

Almost time..

Few more days till New Balance and all I really need to do is rest up as much as I can. Lots of carbs the past couple days, short and sweet workouts, and of course chasing and throwing balls at kids. I must say I'm getting pretty good at Spaceship Tag, I just dominate. The body is feeling pretty good and a lot more rested up then I was for Shawnigan Lake. Less mental stress too. I'm looking forward to the next few days to rest up then let loose on sunday. Curious to know how my body will respond.

Next week we're starting to pack our things up and move into our new place. We actually get to move it June 28th as all my stuff will be moved out and our new landlords are awesome.

Time for a little coffee then it's off to soccer class. Thinking some chicken and brocolli for dinner, followed by some stretching, then an ice bath. Early night tonight and no alarm set for tomorrow. Excited for the sleep but I'll probably be up at 6am like always. Perhaps some LOTR to help me sleep.

Will post again the next couple days prior to racing. Out.

Ticking along

Little by little, bit by bit. Each km, each meter, they are all important.

The past couple weeks have been good training wise. Enjoying the highs and enduring the lows. The heat wave last week even bumped up Crystal Pool to 86 F, that's OB Rec warm and made for brutal swims at high noon. I'm riding okay and just putting in the time. Left glute is still tight and definitely needs much more TLC. Running is going well, very well actually. I had two runs last week were I was able to punch out some quick times. Feels weird to be running faster. Icing my legs has become part of my daily routine since I live 5min from the beach. Soon I'll be only 2 minutes.

I had coffee with my coach Noa yesterday and we watched a horror film entitled, "Nick Swimming." Wasn't too scary actually, just a few parts though. It had a Blair Witch Project feel to it as it was all filmed with a handheld camera. Not oscar worthy unfortunately and the background music was chosen by the seniors in the morning aquacise class. I feel my swimming has plateaued at the moment but fortunately Noa knew what was going on. New swim thoughts, "catch from the elbow, lower arm straight." I always like to have little sayings during training or when I'm thinking of training. She also got me onto a training aid called Tech Paddles. Really cool concept and great idea that aid in developing a proper catch. Mine are on their way, though Noa said it'll be a humbling experience. Probably reminiscent of the first time I tried swimming with a band around my ankles. Felt like the capital L in the water. Ewwww.

Easy today which is nice. Started the day off with a coffee and poker in bed. $10 in the green so far. 1 more solid week of training then next week is taper time. Is it time already to race again? Guess so, time to see where I'm at..

Been awhile..

This time I have a reason for waking up at 3:15am. For starters, there was a car alarm and with it being as hot as Egypt, I keep a window cracked a bit when I sleep. Secondly, my alarm is set for 5am as an am ride/gym session is needed before work. No mashing my alarm and doing it later…Mind you I was supposed to ride yesterday but I can explain. My girlfriend and I have been looking for our own place starting July 1 and we’ve found one. It’s right beside Mount Douglas at the bottom of Ash Rd. It’s a 2 bedroom, ground level suite with approx 1300 sq feet. There’s lots of room, in a great neighbourhood and even have our own little 10x15’ cement pad which we can use for bbq’s and beers. We both kinda knew right away that we wanted this place. It was definitely pushing our budget but it was definitely worth it. We signed the lease yesterday so there’s a sense of giddiness in me still. I still don’t think Hannah has stopped smiling yet. One good thing is that we’ll be able to move some stuff over prior to July 1 which definitely makes the move less daunting. I’ll have to post some pictures once we get moved in.

With summer looming, we’re getting ready for summer camps and looking forward to getting in a bit more work to help things out. Definitely makes for some longer days so I’ll have to tweak my workout schedule starting the end of June.

Training has been going well and my body has recovered well after Shawnigan. The past few days I’ve had trouble in the water and not feeling very strong. 6hrs a day with kids in this heat has affected me a bit but I also think my diet has been a touch off also. Trying to get back on track with lots of water and healthy food. I need to get more Nuun….I’m definitely looking forward to New Balance and the speedwork is starting to increase. Just need to make sure I’m able to absorb all the work/effort. Saturday is a 4hr brick session at about 1pm so that’ll be good prep for some heat.

This weekend is going to be a busy one too but that’s my life at the moment. Parents are coming down Saturday and we’re having an open house for work on Sunday followed by another dinner that night. Luckily I only work till 4 today then hopefully spending the rest of the day near the water and sleeping in tomorrow. Can’t wait. 4:30am now, and I can see the darkness starting to lift, slowly. Guess it’s time to get my bottles ready. 12x2min on, 1 ez on the menu. Time to enjoy a sunrise.

Shawnigan 1/2 RR

Pre Race:

Wasn’t the best race prep I’ve had. First off my Mexico trip wasn’t ideal timing (but wouldn’t have missed it for the world), then once I came back it was tough to get into a routine again. I was able to get in some workouts but a lot of shorter sessions squeezed in between work. Though the May long weekend was a blast and it was a solid weekend for me. I had two key runs Saturday/Sunday that kicked my ass after failing to pace myself enough.
My swim goal was to swim hard and steady (as I find this is a much better idea instead of swimming easy). I was confident I could put some time into people once on the bike. Unfortunately, I knew that my running would be a big question mark as this would probably be the longest run I’ve done since September. Leading up to the race I wasn’t too keen on racing (partially due to some previous so-so workouts and confidence issues), but viewed this race a hard workout.

Swim:

Wasn’t ideally placed when the cannon went off and really had to fight my way through a couple rows and some scrappy women. I was able to get on some feet for a couple hundred then worked my way up to a group that I felt was a good pace. About halfway through the swim, I was beside someone in an Orca wetsuit with red shoulders. I thought, “hmmm Vince has a suit like that, I wonder if that is him.” Sure enough it was so I that was a good surprise. Came out in 29:35ish (decent for me at the moment). Smooth transition and out riding.

Bike:

Once rolling, I rode steady for about 5min to get myself calmed down then put on the pressure. I didn’t time my laps but felt they were all pretty consistent. First one was iffy, 2nd one I felt good, then #3 & #4 I could start to feel my legs a bit but knew I was riding well. I caught Lisa Mensink and we were able to work together a bit for the final two laps. She sorta just stayed glued to me after I passed her originally. Whenever I felt we were going slow, I went to the front and worked but whenever she felt I was slowing down, she took a turn. Worked out well and I take partial credit in her victory. And I remind others that we were riding legal. Rode a 2:28:37 for 88k which I was happy with. After checking out the results, I thought I would have ridden more time into people but it turns out most everyone else had a good ride too. Props to them.

Run:

After making a few pacing mistakes during my previous run workouts, I was really focused on holding 4:30’s. I did that and I felt good and strong for about 7-8km. Once I hit the first turn around at 6.5km in or so, I was surprised to see Vince and about 5 or 6 others about 1-2min back of me. It was kind of disheartening to see this as I thought I would have rode more time into those behind me. My km’s were 4:30,:23,:28,:26, :37,:25, then it started to go downhill with 4:40,:39,:35,:45,:40,:50,:52,:53, then it was into the 5:00/kms . Sad stuff but my strength just wasn’t there. I stopped for a leak at about 16km then saw a group coming up. I thought, “Okay, work hard for the last 5km and see what happens.” 3km and my body just said no-more. I tried my plan but it didn’t work. Knowing that I gave-in has upset me, I won’t lie. The run course won. After “giving-in,” I dropped five places and finished with a snail-like time of 1:41:03. Just didn’t have it on the run. Plain and simple.

Overall:

I was happy with my swim/bike combo. I was able to head out onto the run after around 3hrs of racing and knew that if I had a decent run, I’d be able to post a good time. I’ve probably checked the results about thirty times since I’ve been home, wondering what could’ve been. This my fastest ½ so far but am looking forward to New Balance and seeing what I can crank out there. 4 weeks solid weeks till then and the motivation is high again. I gotta give some love to my buddy Vince who held tough during the run and shouted out some encouragement to me during the run. I had a feeling we’d come down to the wire but unfortunately I couldn’t keep it together. Well done to him and looking forward to some showdowns in the future. In closing, consider all factors, I did alright and can hopefully get closer to 100% for New Balance and really bring my game. Also, I need to learn to become a better runner. Ride for show and run for dough.

Hannah raced the sprint and ended up….3rd in her age-group. Unfortunately we missed the sprint awards so she missed out on her hat. Poor thing…just heart broken.

The next few days are easy then it’s back to work. I was up at 6am and ready to roll so I headed to the pool for foam rolling then an easy 3k with Coach Noa and company. Suppose I should get going and have some more food. Here’s a few pics from the race. Happy training.


"Get back here Vince, you dropped something ;)"


"De-briefing with Coach Noa."


"Sums up the run, wondering what could have been."


"All is good though"

It "WAS" 5 o'clock somewhere...

Getting back into a "healthy" routine takes time. A lot longer then I hoped but it's slowly coming along. Though I did mash my alarm this morning and missed my swim group (Sorry again Noa), but still got in 4k this am and also a lap around the big island at Thetis. My Mexico routine was breakfast,pool/beach, lunch,pool, gym/run,pool/beach, bar. It was fun and wouldn't have missed my best-friends wedding for the world (maybe for a P4), but it definately wasn't the best thing to do a month out from you're first 1/2 of the year. I was in good shape before the trip, now I'm still trying to see where I'm at. Am hoping the rest did my body good and repaired itself.

Do you ever feel like you live out of your car? I sure as hell do. I just finished loading my bags for tomorrow's am swim, inside&outside clothes for work, run clothes for between classes, and a big-ass lunch that is going to rock. I love food.

The lakes are slowing getting warm enough to swim in and I'm excited. I hit up Thetis today as I supposed to swim yesterday but after my ride but I couldn't convince myself to swim in a lake while it was cold outside. Double-swim day and it was very refreshing being in the lake. Though as I was getting my wetsuit, a woman was standing about 30 feet away wearing pants, jacket, toque, gloves, the whole nine-yards. Kinda strange, I wonder what she was thinking. Anyways the swim was great. Sure your face is cold for a bit, but once you get going it was perfect. Did a few race simulation starts once I was done just for something else to do. Just playing around in the water like a 5 year old.

The menu for tomorrow is an Am swim, followed by football(new sport being taught at Sportball), sneaking in a 50min run between classes, then some evening soccer. Go-go-go. Out.

Can I breathe yet?

What a whirlwind the past couple weeks have been. Filled with work, training, stag, more work, Swine Flu scares, Mexico, and more Swine flu scares. Of all the weeks a pandemic could have hit, it had to be the week we were going to Mexico. Sigh…

The week before the trip, I tried to get in all my sessions before I left but come Thursday, I forgot my some of swim stuff then went and saw Chris Lamb at Cedar Hill then went back to the pool hoping to get in 4k but was rejected as there was only 30min left for lanes…sigh…Instead I went to Frontrunners and got myself a new pair of Adidas Supernova’s (3rd pair) in hopes of curing my knee for good. So far all systems good. Friday I worked all day then it was off to a stag party for my buddy Curtis. Off to the Fox then back to play poker (unfortunately), then a few hours sleep and two more hours of work on Saturday. I packed Saturday then took Hannah out to dinner as she was all done exams.

We flew out at 6am out of Vic on Sunday and got down to Puerto Vallarta at around 5pm. Just in time for happy hour. First night we just gave’r but figured 6am was late enough and called it a night. Me and my buddy Tait were out grooving it to Mexican club music and trying to have conversations with people who didn’t know any English. I know a bit of Spanish but not enough so it was rather frustrating. Fortunately dancing is a language we all understand and was able to bust out some moves.

The rest of the week consisted of laying in the sun, drinking beers and margaritas, and a few workouts. I ran 3 times, swam once, and hit up the gym 3 times so it wasn’t a complete waste of a week. I did a 30min run along the beach at 11am and it was probably the hardest 30min run I’ve ever done. The heat just killed me. I resorted to the treadmill for the rest of my runs. The wedding was awesome and we looked damn sharp. I was surprised how amazing a sunset wedding on the beach is. We were only there for a week but even got to play a round on a Nicklaus design. Is it wrong to win money from the groom on his wedding day? Not in my books.

On a sad note, we had drive through the slums to get to the golf course which was really hard for me. I’ve never really been exposed to poverty like this and seeing it really upset me. The added fear of being in a foreign country didn’t help either. Definitely was out of my comfort zone.

So at the end of the week, I was able to speak a bit more Spanish, worked a lot on the tan, drink a lot of beverages with little umbrellas in them, but was left with a dry bottom lip from the salt on the rim of a margarita. What can I say, they were quite good. We got into Victoria at around 12:30am so today has been spent unpacking, laundry, returning stuff, and taking it easy. I went out for a 40min run before dinner and am back it tomorrow. The next few days are easy which helps the body get used to training again, then it’s on for a couple weeks to get for the Shawnigan Lake ½ on the 23rd. I’m curious to see what this time off has done to my body and see where I am at. Anyways I have more emails to write and stuff to do. I’ll post some Mexico pictures later.

PS, I don't have Swine Flu.