Bala Falls weekend

This weekend was my race in Bala Falls. It was a tough course, extremely hilly both on the bike and the run. We got to the Bala Bay Inn where me and my family stayed for the Saturday night. I biked over the course the night before to check it out and see what surprises they could throw at us. It was crazy hilly that night and I had a feeling that I would suffer, even though hills are my specialty after spending a year in Kelowna riding those hills repeatedly, and leading the peloton on the Sunday rides.

The night before recon was good, I saw where the hills crest and where the bigger hills were, and where to push the hardest and where to relax. I made up a plan in my mind on what I was going to do in terms of hydration and re-fueling on the bike. I headed back to the Hotel and met some of my competition who were staying there also, this was going to be a very tough race I thought. Well the only thing I could do at that moment was to get in some carbs before the race, and hopefully have the best outcome. I had some awesome pasta, which was so good. I even had some ice cream desert for some sugars. We went for a walk around the area and check out the town which wasn't really much, but it was a nice place to visit. That night was brutal, from the noisy air conditioner, the pre-race nerves, and the bachelor party up-stairs didn't really get that much sleep.

That morning we were promised a breakfast at around 6:15, so I was up at 5:30am to kinda get myself ready for the race and make sure I have everything and my bike is ready. Went downstairs and got some breakfast which was the same thing I eat before a Saturday brick session, part Special K lol. The race started at 8:30am with my wave being the first to go, we got there around 6:45am to set some things up and get my spot ready. I got everything ready and met up with my friend Mike Faul who will be doing his first ever race, picking a very hard course to make his debut on. I also met a guy named Robbie Chapman, who we found out was 16, and looked 23, he was rocking cervelo P3C, and was sponsored by a few places very intimidating. Him and I was having a very intense conversation about how the really skinny athletes are able to muster up so much power and be able to pawn everyone, such as Andy Schleck for example.

Well after the conversation it was time to get into the zone for the race and block out the others, I got my wetsuit on, luckily it was a wetsuit swim being under 78 for the water, the age-group and under 76 for elite, the water was a nice 75. I have to practice more without a wetsuit swim, I have a feeling it will come up eventually in my triathlon career. Anyways I went out for a pre-race swim just to get the muscles warmed up, Mike went out and started swimming and my deepest fear was realized, he is a faster swimmer then me.

The race started with a off the beach run into the water, I started beside Mike in hope of drafting him during the race, my coach just told me to draft the fastest person there, and I couldn't find Ryan Power. I was in the mix of guys and got kicked in the face a few times surprisingly by Mike, but then after awhile I settled into a good pace, and was pushing myself harder and harder throughout the swim, keeping it gradually increasing. I got out of the water with a few guys and surprisingly I could see the race-leaders just ahead of me so I was really close. I ran to my bike and saw Mike there so I was really surprised I came out and met him this early in the race. I got my wetsuit down to my ankles and thing wasn't coming off which was not good for my transition time. I got on the bike and took in some fluids, Mike was right behind on the first hill, but I switched into high gear and took off trying to branch up to the race leaders. I was pushing it on the entire bike ride, taking in fluids everytime I crested a hill. I managed to come really close to the race leaders before the second transition, I ended up blowing away both Mike and Dustin my teammate. It was a solid bike, and I my legs seemed pretty fresh throughout the ride. I had a time off the bike that was 8th which was pretty fast for me being on the hills, but like I said hills are my specialty.

During the run I was paying for my intense bike a bit, and the fact that it was also a very hilly and difficult run. I only ended up passing one other person on the run, but it was a solid pass, and I held my position for the entire run, it wasn't a run time that I had wanted but it will improve. I came to the final kilometer and started pushing it until the end, knowing I had someone behind me and did not want to be caught. I crossed the line and just my legs just died, I left everything on the course which was the goal I was going for.

I then waited at the finish line waiting for my teammate Dustin, and my friend Mike, who both finished strong. My overall performance ended with the fasted swim I have ever done in my life with a time of 1:45 per 100m which was amazing for me. My bike time also increased which was good, this shows I am improving, but my run can still be worked on.

My overall time was 1:38:40 which was a good time for me, I came 11th overall and 1st in my age group making this my first win in my age-group.

Overall this was a good race for me, I am racing Bracebridge on August 7th, and I think cause it's a sprint I will use it as a training session, getting me ready for my final race Toronto Island. I am feeling very happy with my results, but I have to get faster in all three disciplines in order to get myself ready for ITU races and nationals and worlds. That is my future goal, and to become pro one day, but after school. I was dreaming about representing Canada in the Olympics, and I will try my best to get into that, but since this country has a lot of requirements that I may never be able to meet, so I might just move to Italy for a bit and race for them since my mom has citizenship. That will be a few years from now though.

race week

Well this is race week, on friday I am heading up to Barrie to spend the night with my grandmother, and then me my grandmother and my parents are heading up to Bala the next day in order to arrive there and rest up before the big race.

This race will be the first one since joining the Add Activity triathlon team, which is a fantastic team and they are all extremely supportive and helpful. They will help you with anything and are some the nicest and most energetic group I have met. I am enjoying my time with them and will miss them and the workout sessions when I leave at the end of August.

This race in Bala will be hopefully my breakthrough for a podium position, and this will be a great race for me, I have been training extra hard putting long sessions in brick training, and my swim workouts, I am hoping that I have not been slacking on the bike. I have been getting faster though I have noticed, and now with the help of an UWO swim team coach I will hopefully get even faster.

I am extremely nervous of this race, because I feel like I have a lot of pressure on me to do well, I dislike it very much, but being nervous never hurt anyone. Until I get to the point where I start self-doubting myself, which enables me to do my best, but I have the support of my team and friends, and my parents and family so I can do this and I will do this.

I am a force to be reckon with, and from the words of many others pain is only temporary but pride lasts forever.

First post of July

Well this is my first July posting, and so far it has been a pretty decent month. I have been working at panago pizza as a delivery boy which hasn't been all that bad, sometimes it can get frustrating, and when you running on hardly any sleep things can turn ugly quickly.

I have been watching and following both the World Cup which is now over with a win by Spain, not the team that I had wanted to win but they will have to do. And also the Tour de France, which has been very interesting so far. With Frank Schleck dropping out of the running leaving his brother to support himself, and with Lance struggling in the second day on the mountains, this should be a very interesting GC. I just don't want Alberto Contador to win again, he is a great and rider in every aspect of the race but he is just pretty cocky, and I just don't like him.

Training though has been going very well. I have started with Add Activity and being coached by Leigh-Ann Rowe who is am excellent coach and very knowledgeable, she wants me to hold off on my ironman dreams just for a little bit, and focus more so on Olympic distance and possibly get a few podium places, and maybe even a win here or there, who knows. My swimming has really been coming along I have liked the improvement, and also my running off the bike has been great my legs have been able to get a really good turnaround. My biking is still a little choppy in the consistency, I can hammer the speed but the problem is that my average speed seems to always be lower then the speed that I am holding for a quite a long time. Not sure if my speedometer is working but it seems that everything I own is falling apart, now being my bike shoes, so I have to see if they can be fixed, or I may have to go out and get a new pair, hopefully not the latter, but I could use some decent triathlon ones.

I really want to start buying things from my sponsors and start getting things in order to represent them, but I might have to wait till closer to the end of the season seeing how things are money wise and what not.

Just leaving on this, I always get the feeling that I have started this sport later in my life, and that everyone I compete against has a step up on me. I believe that it is not how old that you start the sport, its how much heart and desire you put into it, and right now I am putting everything I have into this to make it work, cause I will go to nationals and I will go to worlds.