A ROCKY SEASON

This season was mentally hard, they off season was going well, improved all around and after the first 70.3 race of the year, a little pain to my Achilles tendon turning into an injuries slowed me down greatly.  I had to shorten mileage, reduce intensity and take many days off to help decreasing inflammation.  With intensive physio treatment, ultrasounds, massages, etc I managed to get back on track.  Finishing the 70.3 season with 2 amazing race.  Since those 2 races I had planned to participate into multiple training race (duathlon, run, etc) but I decided to cancel them all and focus on Ironman Cozumel only.  This aloud me to take 2 weeks completely off which was much needed.

In the last few months I change many things, changed coach, changed diet and a changed training plan.  The results are very promising.  My FTP has increased, I have lost almost 15 lbs and my run race has increased.  In my case losing weight has become very difficult since I don't have a lot of body fat, but my upper body is very muscular.  Over the last 2 years I have changed coach 3 times, the first coach had me doing alot of crossfit, but the workout weren't specific to Ironman training and my muscle mass had gain.  I stuck to this program because I believed in this coach and give it a real try but after I moved to a different city this coach abandoned me and I was left alone in the middle of race season.  For months I did it on my own and finally got another coach.  During the off season the gain was enormous but due to the injury the results weren't as expected and the deal was off.  So after a training camp in Mt-Tremblant, I got a new coach who is acting more like a mentor, showing me how to modify my training/diet in order to reach the gain I want and lose the weight I need for optimal results.

Now there is a little less that 2 months from IM Cozumel, the training is going very well, the Achilles pain has disappeared and I have the tools I need to move up to the next level.

Its now time for fund raising, if you are interested to help me please click here.

Check out @MarcPrudhomme1's Tweet: https://twitter.com/MarcPrudhomme1/status/515891421363326976

ALL GREAT NEWS

Since the rough start of the 2014 race season, with Ironman Los Cabos, many great things happen. 

Starting by receiving the Ironman All World Athlete Award for my performance in 2013, this signify that my performances are amongst the top 5% in the world.

A new association as Ambassador of Ted’s Road and Triathlon Bicycle Store.  This Bike Store is located on Princess St. down town Kingston.  It is by far the best bike store I had the chance to deal with, with very professional employees, great bike mechanic and amazing management.  Those guys won’t let you go without being on the right bike.

My nomination for Canadian Forces Base Kingston Athlete of the Year for the First CFB Kingston Sports Banquet.

Finally, a great performance at the Bassman Half Ironman Triathlon held in Tuckerton, NJ where I finished 6^th overall with a personal best Half Ironman finish time, best 90km bike time which was really 95km and best all time half marathon run, all in the same event.

So the season is moving in the right direction after all.  As for whats coming next, well I have multiple races, the next one being Welland Half Ironman.

UNDER THE BLAZING SUN

On Sunday, March 30, 2014, I raced in the Ironman Los Cabos, the single hardest, hottest triathlon event of my athletic career. I wanted to race in the Ironman Texas to achieve professional qualification and thus compete as a ‘pro’ for the rest of the year. But the race sold out before I had the chance to register, so I accepted an offer to participate in Los Cabos, which turned out to be a very humbling experience. Lots of things went wrong but the most important one worked out just right. This is how it went.

An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). It consists of a 3.86 km swim, 180.25 km bike ride and a marathon 42.2 km run, raced in that order, one after the next. Los Cabos, like most Ironman events, had a strict cut off time of 17 hours to complete the race. The start time was 7 a.m. with a mandatory cut off time for the swim at 9:20 a.m., the bike at 5:30 p.m., and the run at midnight. If a participant completed the triathlon within these limits, he or she would become an ironman. Ironman events are known for their grueling length, harsh racing conditions and for being the toughest long distance races in the world.

Ironman Los Cabos was no exception. The race course offered one of the toughest of the WTC series with a climb of more than 1800 meters on the bike, a run course without any shade or a breeze and temperatures fluctuating between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius (not including humidity).

Morning of the race

When my family and I left Kingston, Ontario on the Tuesday before the race, the temperature was -10 degrees Celsius. The travel to Cabos was what you would call, eventful. The drive was nice, but once we arrived at the Ottawa Airport the trouble began. Our first flight was cancelled, so we had to find a place to stay in Ottawa to fly out first thing the next morning. When we finally got to our destination, my bike box (the protective case with my triathlon bicycle in it) did not make it. I started getting really nervous. I could see bike boxes coming out for all the other arriving athletes, but not mine. By the time we got through customs, someone from the airport was waiting to tell me that my bike was missing. I will spare you the details, but I believe TSA may have had a party with it, or something like that.

Shortly after, we got our rental car and drove to the hotel. We got unpacked and had a quick lunch, then I went for a short run to fight the jet leg and have a first feel of the heat. Although it was hot, I felt very good. My legs felt light and full of energy. And fortunately, my bike arrived the next evening. Things were looking good.

In the following few days, the athletes had multiple conferences and timings to meet. I did at least one workout per day, managing to run and bike the race course at least once and to swim at the start and finish of the swim course as well.

Day before the race in T1

On the day of the race, I was ready. I had had a great sleep. I was stress free. And breakfast went down very well. The only thing I needed to do was to get to the race site. There wouldn't be parking so we jumped in a taxi and off we went. When we arrived at the starting line, the sun was just rising and the temperature had started to climb. By the beginning of the race, it was already 40 degrees. I would be lying if I said that it hadn't worried me. But on the sound of the horn, I dove in.

The swim was great! I had found the perfect group of guys to swim with. They were working very hard and I was sheltered from the high-tide waves by swimming behind them. I managed to achieve my best time ever out of the water without spending much energy. In 54 minutes and 51 seconds, I completed the 3.86 km swim and moved to the transition.

The first transition, T1, was quick as I had everything set up and the volunteers were so helpful. They made it easy for all of us. Bike shoes on, helmet on, while a generous volunteer applied sun block to my shoulders (though I still burned) and I was off again.

The first climb was right off the transition. My bike shoes weren't even clipped in yet and I was climbing. It wasn't a surprise, but it was challenging.

Within minutes, I had passed most of the competitors in my age group who had come out of the water before me, and within an hour I caught sight of the lead group of ‘pros.’ We spent most of the bike course climbing.  On the descent, where athletes can usually catch a break, we had to maneuver around weird speed bumps, or what cyclists call ‘wheel crushers.’

Coming out of T1

After 5 hours, 25 minutes and 31 seconds, I completed the 180 km bike course. In the second transition, T2, I was relaxed, a little hungry and thirsty, but still good to go. I took a couple of minutes to change out of my bike shoes and into my runners and to eat something. Then I got up for the final portion of the race.

The first 8 km were great. I had a good pace, my legs felt good and I had plenty of energy. But that was when I started feeling discomfort, and I started feeling nauseous. A few hundred meters further my head started spinning. And if that wasn't enough, near the end of the first loop of three (about 14 km in) my heart had started a race of its own. I had to walk. Those who know me will understand that I hate being the guy in a race who has to walk, but I had no choice. I didn't want to quit.

By the end of the second loop, my condition was much worse. I couldn't even walk fast; walking slowly was my only option. There even came a point where I quit. I convinced myself that it was stupid to carry on this way. So I took a break in the trees away from the view of the spectators. But then, I started thinking with my heart, about my role models and friends, Jody Mitic and Bjarne Nielsen, who had suffered severe injuries and kept moving forward with their lives. What kind of person would I be if I stopped? I wasn't injured. I was just suffering from the heat. I still had 7 hours to complete the last loop, the last 14 km, plenty of time. So I got up, brushed myself off and resumed the grueling race.

Sun burn post-race

I completed Ironman Los Cabos in 12 hours, 1 minute and 50 seconds. It is, officially, the toughest thing I have ever done in my life. The heat was the most important factor in this race and we all suffered from it in our own way. Nine ‘pro’ athletes out of 40 didn't complete the race and one eighth of all the age group triathletes couldn't finish it. So, I guess, even if I am not 100 percent proud of my result, I can say that I have pushed myself further than I ever have before, and I had the will power to carry on. 

I can say that the Never Quit movement from the Never Quit Foundation has a meaning for everyone, not just injured soldiers, but everyone who is going through a tough time in life, work, socially or even in sports. I have to thank my two friends, Jody and Bjarne, for their strength through adversity. You helped me make it to, and through, the finish line. I didn't achieve the ‘pro’ standard I wanted, but it doesn't matter anymore. I am so proud to have completed the race.

I don’t think I will ever forget Ironman Los Cabos.  The pain, the heat, the climbs… Oh and did I mention HEAT?!

-Never Quit- 

My last business trip

Put aside the fact that I always dislike going away from my family for extended period of time, this last business trip was not like the others.  Just like most of them I had to face adversities but mostly had good time and was surrounded by great people that helped me greatly.

So where to start?  What about D-1, the day before my report time to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden I raced a Half Marathon, at the Winterman of Ottawa.  The course was winding, it was very wind and cold, but I managed to do my Personal Best (PB) by more than 2 minutes which is pretty inseam since I was wearing so much cloths and my intent was not to beat my time, it was a training race in an effort to build confidence and momentum for the start of the season.  I didn’t expect anything, I just wanted to enjoy the run, nothing more, but I return home with excitement.  What a great way to start the season, right?

After the race, my wife and I had to go get our beautiful daughter then drive home to Kingston, following to that I had to drive to CFB Borden and get my room.  The drive was long but enjoyable.  Had good music, and there wasn’t traffic.  Once I got there my Sister In Law was there to help me out finding my building and unloading all me stuff.  Thank you Kimberly Stewart.

I had to change my training schedule a little in order to keep good friendship with the roommate who didn’t really appreciate my getting up at 4:00AM to go for a run, or to prep for a swim with mobility exercises.  But ultimately it was ok, I had to sleep in (till 5:00AM) instead.  It not much you say, but after 3 weeks away, it’s a pretty big deal.

Few days into this trip, my sister in law was graduating from culinary school, although I missed the grad parade, I still managed to enjoy a great lunch after.  The fun part was that my wife, kid and her parents were there too.  My course staff had knowledge of them being in town so they let me go with them and return whenever we were done, which was great.

When I arrived in Borden, I had a bothering issue with my Achilles tendon which was making me worry a little bit.  I had some symptoms resembling to Achilles Tendonitis, but thanks to my friend Georgette Mink, who happen to be the fastest CF Runner and an awesome Physiotherapist on that base.  She help me by giving me multiple exercises and drills to do to prevent it from getting worst.  At this point, even if I still work on it, I barely feel anything anymore.  Thank you very much Georgette.

With great friends

My adoptive family in Borden, during my stay in there, my great friend Eric Thibault, his wife Valerie Savard and his three kids adopted me…  They were so great, they invited me for many dinner and few training session, which made for a great atmosphere to train in.  My friend Eric, two years ago was the man behind me when I crashed on the metal bridge, when my front wheel got stock and I flew off the bike.  He was the first person on site administering first aid.  So being reunited with him for couple of week really met a lot to me.  The opportunity to actually say thank you face to face was great.  Thibault’s family, I am looking forward to have you over this summer and my thanks for everything you have done to help me those few weeks.

Greatest time at Ann Green Yoga studio

Few days after I arrived, I located a Yoga Class being given on Base my Yoga Instructor Amanda, she was very good, but since I had lots of time in my hands I thought I could perhaps do more Yoga n order to enhance my flexibility and strength.  So Amanda suggested I joint a great yoga studio call AnnGreenYoga.  It was a great idea, I ended up spending my Saturday morning there do two classes, the Sunrise Yoga class was an amazing experience taught by Jeff, a great instructor that truly find the best way to get people up on a weekend morning.  Then I would do a Hot Lava Yoga taught by Amanda, she was extremely energetic, and inspiring.  Finally I managed to make it to one class held by the owner Ann Green herself, her Juice Flow with Ann was a fascinating, a class filled from surprises, happiness.  This class was a complete stress relief, I had a smile on my face that is still present almost two weeks later.  Thank you to all you guys.

Collingwood Swim Team

Near the end of my trip, Valerie Savard and her coworker gave me an opportunity of a life time.  They brought me to Collingwood Swim Team and asked me to talk with the swimmers there, it had been a while since I was a guest speaker to kids and teenagers, those girls and guys were amazing, and very welcoming.  They had good questions that made me think before I had to answer.  I enjoyed the experience and hope to be able to do it again.

About the course I was one.  Without going into details, it was refreshing to actually learn things for once, most of the course I have taken in the last 4 years were more to see if I could use that knowledge, but this course I actually learn things and feel like I wanna know more and hope to get on the follow-on courses.  Thanks to the school staff.

The drive back was good and fast, following the traffic, I made it back in a little less than 3 hours which is pretty good and I was reunited with my family in early afternoon.

In conclusion – if all the trip could be like this one life would be always fun, and almost stress free.

Essential Tips

In 2014, don't let faith be the unique reason for the results you get for your races.  Check those tips I have for you to be successful in your competition, they are true for everyone, Olympian or first timer.

1. Goal setting – Short/Long term goals, you should write them down and have them displayed somewhere as a remainder.  Short terms goals should be easier to achieve so you have the chance to celebrate small victories.  Long term goals should be in sight so you remember where you are going and why you are making all those sacrifices.

2. Listen to your body – Push hard but remember to take easy days to recover. Train hard means race hard, but remember that you can’t race all out the whole race.  Well training is the same way, some days have to be dedicated to recovery, also known as Active Recovery or Off Load Training.  Those session are just as valuable as the hard work out, don’t forget that.

3. Get a Coach – It’s always good to have an outsider looking in, self coaching has never been a successful way to get where you want to go.  The coach can see what you are doing wrong, and can have a gut feel of what should happen next.  You as an athlete should spend that time thinking of what you are doing, not planning.

4. Listen to your coach – Although some days you feel like the world just crashed on your head, and you’re not going anyway.  Listen to your coach, there may be a reason to his madness.  But don’t be afraid to let him know how you feel, you might end up in a new plan.

5. Consistency – With a proper training plan comes a routine, I swim on the same day, same time every week and so on.  Things to think of are Macro/micro plan, periodization etc.  Hire a coach and this will be done for you.

6. Weather & Sickness – I believe that weather vs sickness is what creates many issues with the previous topic in different aspect.  When the weather is bad some athlete use that as an excuse to not train.  Many choices present itself to you, train inside or go outside anyway.  Both have their own challenges, you might

not be able to bike or run as long or as hard but the fact of the matter is, you did the workout while having to deal with variables which on its own help you to deal with curve balls a race might throw at you.  Remember that consistency is the key.

Sickness on the other hand is always dealt with the wrong way; I find that I almost always have a high before I get sick, so when I do get sick, I don’t want to stop to keep the ball rolling.  That is bad; you should always deal with your sickness like it was the most important thing in your life at this exact moment.  If you are sick and you push one more workout, you might set yourself back few more days.  Eat well, drink a lot and go to bed early, you might only need couple of days instead of a week or two.

7. Sleep – Go to bed early, it seems like a not problem going to bed late if the next workout is not word or if you’re not tired, but you might be very tired once the morning come.  A great rule of thumb would be to sleep at least 8+ per night no matter what.


8. Eat healthy – See how I didn't say: “follow a diet” athletes don’t diet they eat healthy; it’s a way of living.  Your sport shouldn't be a reason to eat healthy.  I say that because their actually nothing good in junk food, it doesn't help you performing, it’s very hard for your system to digest, and is the sole reason related to cardio/ vascular diseases

9. Be Strong – Being strong starts with you mental strength, which is followed by your physical strength, one doesn't come without the other, that being said, being physically strong won’t come first.  Visualization is a tool to help you being ready for what you will have to go threw in your event.  It is the key of success.

10. Stretching & Mobility – They are often believed to be the same which in fact they work on different aspect.  Stretching is the act of flexing or pulling on a muscle in order to enhance the elasticity of this muscle, mobility or to increase the range of a joint which only deal with ligament and tendon.  The end result is called flexibility.  Improve both are you will gain a tremendous amount of strength and it will also help you to stay injury free.


11. Train with groups – Training with others can bring a great sense of accomplishment and joy, the camaraderie will help fight the boredom of some long workout plus it will help you pushing that extra little bit that you might have had not otherwise.

12. Challenge yourself – When you have a tough workout, try and see if you can bring this to a new level.  Dare to see what would happen if I didn't stop there.  You could potentially be surprise by the results.  Also set some workout only about testing, it will help to see if you’re on the right track or way off line.  Your first races certainly shouldn't be your first test of the year.  Training session is too long to spend is in the unknown.

13. Stay hydrated – Water is good and a must, drink a lot of it, but also remember that water alone is not good enough.  On long training days and event you may need an extra help.  Electrolytes will do that for you, read more about it and try and choose one that best suits you.  Other than that, bananas, avocados and coconut water will greatly help you to become more hydrated by increasing the levels of potassium and sodium in your system without becoming harmful.

14. Control – Control what you can control, leave everything behind while you train, the important is you not someone else or work problem.  Dwelling on those will only bring bad energy to your training and losing control of what need to happen.

15. Use your Resources – Spread your network, you never know how far it will bring you, people are genuinely good, they want to help and make you reach your goals, talk to them, ask for their help, little things go a long way.  Social Network is also good to use, if you need info about a race or a place to stay, often local athlete will be very interested to host you of the weekend, you only need to ask.  Knowledge is power!

16. Have fun! 

TRAINING AND BUSINESS TRIP

For many year I have struggled with managing my training and travelling for work.  Maybe because of the nature of my career, juggling with both makes it even harder.  But with proper preparation and dedication I have figured it out and now I know what to do before departure.

Where to train

It is important that you find out as many details as possible, don’t let any stone unturned.  The most important to start with would be the location and the dates of your business trip.  Next, find out what physical facility are available nearby.  Is there a pool, running track and others.  Can you bring your bike and do you need a trainer?  If you can’t bring them, look for a Spinning gym.  There are many other style of indoor cycling, they don’t offer the same level of cycling knowledge but it’s not a problem, many of those gym offer open classes that you can come and do your own workout.

Personally what I do is, find all the pools and gym in a 10-20km radius, because I know I likely won’t have time to drive farther.  Then I look at what they offer for organized classes, Lane Swim, Yoga, Spin, Crossfit, Pilates, etc.  I look at all the option, even if I don’t think this will fit to my schedule, I highlight them anyway, you never know your schedule might change and you might be able to squeeze a short valuable workout.

Look for local sports team.  I do triathlon, so I look for tri team, swim team, cycling group and running team.  They also may have a good training schedule that you might be able to take part of.  Send them a quick line by email, you never know, they might invite you to train for free.  It’s all about how you ask and who you are too.  Usually the coach is a very good person to ask.

If I get injured

Next I look at health service in the area, by that I mean, physiotherapist, massage therapist, chiropractor if you already see one and of course athletic therapist.  I’m only looking for those in case of problem, better be ready, you never know.  If you research those prior, you can always see what people are saying about them and pick a physician you believe would have the best results with you.

When I get hungry

Eating right is very important, most of us are following a eating habit very streaked, so your guess is right, you have to look for restaurants and grocery stores that will offer food you can eat.  But if you have the possibility to pick where you stay, you should choose a hotel room with a kitchenette.  That will solve most of your problem.  Personally I eat gluten free food, it’s a planning nightmare, but I make it work.  The important is to stay as close as possible as you can to your normal habit so you don’t get an unfortunate surprise once you return home with a gain of weight.

If you use supplements like protein bars and powder, multivitamins, etc.  You have the choice to bring enough for the whole trip or once again, locate the place you can find the brand you are already using.  When come to supplements, it’s even more important to stick to what you are using if possible so you do get digesting issue.  Plus there is so many brand out there, you will spend hours just trying to find something as close as possible to what you want.

Travel

If you are lucky and you can drive there, your only limited to the space in your vehicle, if you have a small vehicle and need to bring people with you, you can also rent a bigger vehicle for the time you are away.  Rentals are getting cheaper every year.

If you are flying, well this come with challenges.  Some company makes you pay for every piece of luggage’s and has special cost of specific items like a bicycle.  Inform yourself before you get to the airport because it could cost you a little fortune.

Social Network

Use them to inform yourself on any of the subject above, people loves to give their opinion, sometime too much, but regardless it’s good to know and they might open your eyes on thing you didn’t think of and they might invite you to join them which makes everything easier for you.

Los Cabos Ironman - 30 March 2014

English version below

Bonjour a tous, famille et amis, aujourd’hui je m'appel a vous pour vous demandez un support financier. Comme vous le savez surement bien, je compétitions en Triathlon IRONMAN , se qui consiste a 3,9km de nage, suivi de 180km a vélo et de 42,2km de course a pied, tout sa, sans aucun arrêt. En novembre j’ai pris part au Ironman de l'Arizona se qui était la première fois ou je participais a cette distance. A ma première course j’ai fini en très bonne position, à quelque minute du standard Professionnel/Elite pour Ironman. Après 3 semaines de congre, j’ai repris l'entrainer et mes performances sont de plus en plus impressionnante. C'est pourquoi nous avons décider de participer a un Ironman, tôt dans la saison pour me donner une chance d’accomplir le standard Pro qui es de 10h00 ou moins, avant que la saison au Canada commence. Ironman Los Cabos au Mexique aura lieu le 30 Mars 2014.

Si vous n'avez pas les fonds pour m'aider, je comprends ne vous en faites pas. Mais si vous avez quelque souls, sa nous aiderais beaucoup. Et si vous avez des Aeropoints dont vous ne vous servirai pas, je peux vous aider avec eux aussi.

Merci bcp de votre intérêts et votre temps, plus j'aurai de détails, je vais les poster sur cette page.

Vous pouvez aussi me suivre sur ma page Facebook ou sur le page d'evenement.

Pour plus ample information comment m'aider cliquer ici.

-------------------------------

Age Groupers main start

Hi there, family and friends, I am calling for your help today to ask for your support financially. As you well know, I’m competing in Ironman Triathlon competitions which consist of 3,9km swim followed by 180km bicycle and 42,2km run without stopping. In November I took part of Ironman Arizona which was my very first Ironman distance Triathlon, I finished in a very good position only few minutes away from the Professional/Elite Standard. After 3 weeks off, I started training again, my performances are better than ever. This is why we decided to participate in a Ironman early in the season to give me a chance to accomplish the Pro Standard of 10h00 and below, before the Canadian season begin. Ironman Los Cabos in Mexico is taking place on March 30th. 

Please feel free to help as you see fit, even Aeropoint can help.

Thank you for your interest and time. When I get more details, I will post them on this page.

You can also follow me on my Facebook page or on my event page.

For more information on how to help me, please click here.