First win of the year

Starting the season with a win is always exciting and let you appreciate the long hours spent in your basement on the treadmill or the rollers and the endless laps at the community pool.

This year I have been lucky enough to have been part of few training camp that broke the boredom a little. I also was blessed with the opportunity to swim with the Owen Sounds Aquatic Club who gladly incorporated me to their most elite group. Bytown Triathlon Club, too invited me from time to time to train with them. All those opportunity gave me a chance to meet new people and appreciate my training that much more.

So, about this race. With some surprise I’m starting to see a pattern in which I get amazing results in shitty weather. Would this be my thing? The army says often “Ain’t trainin’ unless it’s rainin’.” Well like that soldier that I am, I never or almost never alter my training because of the weather, so this probably gives me the edge, who knows.

Well this Saturday, the good weather wasn’t part of the party. It was cold, windy and rainy. But it was ok, I’m sure the spectators hated it more than us, the racers.

So the swim was good, the water wasn’t too cold, and there weren’t any waves. To my knowledge that athletes didn’t rough each other’s up too badly.

The bike was fun, we got to see each other few time and have a feel of who you had to look for and see if you took space on them lose some on your competition. The U-Turns were a little slippery but that’s all part of the game, isn’t it.

The run was pretty lonely; I completed a full lap before anyone else got on the course. Everyone was impressed at the gap I created and how I maintained the distance throughout and completed the race by myself at the finish line. What a woot it was.

Promising for the season undergo.

Finally special thanks to @teamzootcanada @zootsports @velofixgatineaukanata @nuunhydration @nuuncanada @trainerroad

2016 Race Opener

My Season Opener As part of the Canadian Armed Forces team, I went to Clermont Florida for a training camp and a race. The Camp originally had us training an average of 20-25 hrs which would have given us plenty of time to get ready for the race on Sunday. But the team manager had a different mind set. The Team Manager didnt care about the race, he just wanted to have a great training camp with lots of mileage. The race was just a way to secure the funding for the camp. Knowing this, the coach changed the plan from a comfortable training week to an off the hook distance camp. 

From Sunday 28 Feb to Sunday 6 Mar, we have accumulated more the 37 hours of training. Some of the more interesting training sesh had us do 7km swim, another was 210km bike riding it at an average speed exceeding 39 kph and 10 miles run in the Orange Groves. The sun, the heat and the wind was a daily reminder that life can be better then the 20 degree sub zero with blizzard and snow fall almost measured in meters. 

After a long week of training, no one was expecting to have a great race, we taught at best some top 10s finishers, but that it. The race was short, thanks to god. It was the ITU Clermont Age Group Drafting Legal Challenge. The water was choppy, the wind was high and the sun was blazing. Great receipt for a long hour race. 

The race started at noon for the male, when the weather just got at its hottest. Early within the 800m swim I managed to set the tone, I led the swim from the start till I realized that one guy was feeling very comfortable behind me, so I did the nice thing to let him by so he could do some work a little. I got out of the water just behind him, caught him in the transition and passed him immediately passed the mount line. I was latterly in no men land, I was completely alone. After the first 5k loop of the 20km, I was so far ahead it would have been a mistake to slow down and wait to work with someone. So I kept hammering the pedals maintaining an average of 40-45 kph. I finished couple minutes before the first peloton increasing my lead by almost 30 sec.  After completion of the race I was surprise to find out that I had doe the fastest bike split, it was that much more surprise since my teammate are all outstanding cyclist. With this lead in mind, I started the 5k run. Run being my weakness discipline, I was aware that everyone had me in their crosshair. I push hard and managed to hold the damages to a 7th place finish. I was so happy with that because I have improved my time from last year by 4 minutes and had the fastest bike split riding alone, after this crazy training week.

Along with this performance, my team mate have been very encouraging me and had such positive and kind word for my performance.  I feel blessed to have them pushing me and feel that we will do some serious damage the next time we get to race together.

January 2016 Review

So last season has been the best race year yet.  I was very happy of my accomplishment and was looking forward to see what 2016 had in book for me.  The changes I had made last year paid of quickly and now I know those decision were for the best.

The changes have been, change of coach, change of training regime and change in nutritional plan.

I have built my endurance, leaned out and start loosing this unnecessary muscle mass gained over the last 12 years.  I am now faster on the bike and the run then ever and I have been swimming at my best in the last 12 years.

I completed the 2015 season with multiple podium, I PDed at all my races and I have qualified and participated to the World Military Games in Korea.

Last in December, few days before Christmas I thought I was starting at zero.  I dislocated my shoulder and had a terrible general practice Dr trying to use 1970's method to put it back in place.  After being tortured for 30mins or more I decided to walk away and go see real Dr at a real hospital.

Only 5 days later I was in a Christmas Camp, not sure if I was going to make it.  But I did.

January turned the corner.  I wasn't expecting anything, just training hard, staying focus.  Good news came one after the others.  First I was contacted by Nuun Hydration, a company who makes Electrolyte tabs specifically for endurance athlete.  They were interested to sponsor me.  So I jumped on the opportunity.

Next I had text done, requirement for the application to the Canadian Forces National Team.  I did my best 800m swim recorded in the last 12 years, even after a dislocation and my best 5km run in a life time.  Those performances got me selected on the High Performance Triathlon Team.  The list of athlete being so short, this would really make me smile.

On the same week, we finally receive an offer on our house that would aloud us to move on from our obligation in Kingston.

Finally, I receive a offer to join the rank of Team Zoot Canada.

This year is promising... Stay tune, I wont disappoint you.