HSBC Triathlon Series

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HSBC Triathlon Series Newsletter - October 2009

The Off-Season Begins

The season ended on a high note with two incredible days of racing at the Lakeside II event, where we were treated with excellent weather - where was that all season? But now there is a chill in the air and we are well within the off-season.

We will keep sending you our monthly newsletters, focusing on articles that will help get you through those pool swims, indoor training rides and runs, and snowy outdoor runs or other pursuits.

This month's newsletter kicks off that theme with a few articles from Adam Johnston and Richard Pady, that encourage you to consider using the off-season to improve your cycling. Richard also gives you a chance to win 6 months of free coaching from him - courtesy of Healthy Results Training. Speaking of coaching, we have re-posted Nigel Gray's Ask the Pro article on "Why should I get a coach?" since some windows based computers experienced difficulty accessing the article. Also, Chef Cheliak makes another appearance, soccer player Jason Hraynyk writes about his triathlon debut, and make sure to check out our Find a Triathlon Race Site Contest, Gears Special discount, and more.

And finally, don't forget about our Awards Day on Sunday November 15. It will be held at the Mississaugua Golf and Country Club. More details to follow. Visit the race website regularly for up to date information.

Have a safe and productive off-season.

Roger Hospedales

HSBC Triathlon Series Newsletter Editor & Podcast Producer

Sponsors and Our Series

We would like to thank all of our sponsors in 2009. Without sponsors we would not be able to bring you the quality of races that you have come to epect from MultiSport Canada. Over the past year I have received a few emails from athletes with suggestions for potential sponsors and believe me we follow-up on all of them. If you know of a company or product that you think would be a good fit with Triathlon, Duathlon and MultiSport Canada I would appreciate hearing from you. Please email me and let me know how I can either contact you to discuss this or provide me with the contact name, email address and phone number of the person responsible for sponsorship. If something comes from your introduction I will gladly provide some incentive to you. - John Salt, President and Founder MultiSport Canada

Win 6 months of Free Coaching!

To all athletes who participated in a HSBC triathlon Series race this summer you have the opportunity to enter to win a 6 month Premium Coaching Package from Healthy Results Training. The winner will be coached by Richard Pady who has been in the sport of triathlon for 20 years as an athlete and coach. He has competed at 6 triathlon world championships, won this year's American Triple-T triathlon and is the current Ontario Provincial Champion. Richard's coaching style includes all the latest science from the world of endurance sports but with a touch of reality for the everyday athlete. This prize is valued at $1200. To enter you must go to the link below fill in your information, in the "Send Us a Message" box type in FREE COACHING. There is a limit to one entry per athlete. A name will be drawn at the Series Awards Day on November 15th.

Enter to WIN!!! Healthy Results Training 

 

 

  

The Gears and MultiSport Canada Discount Club

 

Gears is the Official Bike Retailer for MultiSport Canada. To celebrate that partnership Gears and MultiSport Canada have developed a program where you will receive discounts just by letting them know you are a MultiSport Canada customer. It is easy to get your discount. When you go to the store ask for Kevin Wallace or Ira Kargel and they will make sure you get the discount applicable with the product you are buying. Right now there is a great end of the season Tri Bike sales with up to 40% off. As a MultiSport Canada customer you will also receive 10% off all shoes and 15% off accessories. Discount Club details.

 

Series Award Winners

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE HSBC SERIES AWARD WINNERS!

To help celebrate your fantastic achievement I am once again happy to be providing an 8 x 10 commemorative photo for you to have on awards day.

To facilitate the production of these numerous awards, I need all athletes to follow the instructions below. There will be no exceptions. PLEASE read the instructions and email me if you have any questions at all.

ALL ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 31 - NO EXCEPTIONS

1. DO NOT PLACE AN ORDER WITH ZOOM
2. Find your favourite photo from the series by visiting http://mysportsshooter.zoomphoto.ca
3. Locate the Photographer Ref ID (COSAT09-####, LSATII09-####...ETC) under the photo
4. Send an email to info@mikecheliak.com with the following information
   1. PHOTOGRAPHER REF ID
   2. FULL NAME
   3. PLACEMENT (1, 2, 3)
   4. AGE GROUP (40-44, CLYDESDALE 40+...ETC)
   5. RACE CATEGORY (TRIATHLON, DUATHLON OR GT 12.9 TRIATHLON)

Please understand that I will not be able to produce any awards after October 31^st. Anyone who does not place the order by that date will unfortunately miss out.

Thanks and Congratulations again!

Mike Cheliak

Season Long Draw

New prizes have been added to the season long draw and more will be added throughout the season. If you are lucky, maybe you can ride away with a brand new $3000 Specialized Transition Comp bike.

How do you qualify for the draw? We will track your races and once you have entered THREE OR MORE RACES you are automatically entered. Additional ballots are given when you complete a post-race online survey. The more you race the better your chance to win. We thank all of our generous sponsors for the prizes.

One of our proud sponsors, GoodLife Fitness, has launched and exciting contest for our 2009 Tri Series. Please visit our website for your chance to win!

Grand Prize:

October 31, 2009        1 Year Membership

The contest is limited to one entry per person, must be legal age to quality.

Find A Triathlon Race Site Contest

One of the most difficult things to do is find a good race site. Over the years we have had many requests or suggestions on how to improve various race sites and we thought some of you would like a challenge. If you think you have that "perfect" race site, and it matches the criteria we use in looking for a site, you could be rewarded for your suggestion.

All you need to do is send us your race site selection using this criteria and, if your site is chosen, we will pay you $3,000 CDN and give you a full season of racing (value of up to $750). Even if you do not have that ideal site you might be interested in some of the high level criteria used in selecting a race site. All entries must be submitted to MultiSport Canada electronically, no later than February 1, 2010 to the contest email address: racesite@multisportcanada.com. The winning race site will be announced by June 1, 2010. Good Luck!

Twitter & Facebook

Follow our tweets on Twitter, or check us out on Facebook.

Volunteer Help for 2010

We would like to thank all those who came out and volunteered at our races this year. Events like ours cannot happen without volunteer support and we are already looking for volunteers to help at our 2010 events. Why volunteer? It is fun, you can give back to the sport and your fellow competitiors, and we offer some other great incentives. We offer: donations to support community groups or sports teams that volunteer at our events, High School (and Grade 8 Grads) can earn volunteer hours toward their required 40 hrs, FREE racing for young (high school and university) athletes in exchange for volunteering, entry discounts to racers who help recruit volunteers. Helping us recruit volunteers in your local community does not preclude you racing at your local triathlon. If you think you could recruit 8 - 10+ volunteers for your local triathlon, or would like to volunteer, drop us an email at volunteers@multisportcanada.com and let us know.

Tips and Articles From Coaches & Sponsors

The Not-So-Secret to Triathlon/Duathlon

By Adam Johnston

A key component of successful multisport racing is properly managing the bike portion of your race. Properly managing the bike leg requires two things:

1. that you are well-trained on the bike (ie, your bike fitness is well-developed), and
2. that you execute properly on race day (ie, that your pacing is appropriate)

It is pretty safe to say that most age group level athletes mismanage their biking and therefore do not perform on race day to the level that they otherwise could. The age group athlete either tries to race beyond their fitness level...and/or they mis-pace the ride. 

"On race day your performance doesn't rise to the level of your expectations.  Your performance settles to the level of your training."

- Joel Filliol, former Canadian National Team Coach and Simon Whitfield's lead coach for the 2008 Olympic Games

Let's look at some real-world examples. We are going to look at the run-to-bike ratios of select athletes at both the half and full Ironman distance. We will take the athlete's run time in minutes and divide it by their bike time in minutes. The resultant number will be a ratio which will give us an idea of how well-balanced a race the athlete had. We will use the top pros in determining what the gold standard ratio is...as presumably these athletes are as well-balanced and well-developed on the bike as they are on the run.

Craig Alexander, the 2008 Ironman Hawaii champion, raced a local half ironman a few weeks ago. His run to bike ratio was 0.51 (ie, 71 minute run divided by a 138 minute bike). At that same race, Mirinda Carfrae won the women's event, and her ratio was 0.50 (ie, 78 minute run divided by a 155 minute cycle). So at the top level of our sport, the run-to-bike ratio is 0.5, let's say. That is, a top level performance has one's run equating to about half the length of time of their bike in a half ironman race.

The most populated age group for the men at the same half ironman was the M40to44, where the mid pack racer in that age group had an average run-to-bike ratio of 0.65. The women's most populated age group in that race was the W30to34, where the mid pack racer also had an average ratio of 0.65.

Let's look at Ironman. At the 2009 Ironman Canada, Endurance Lab coach, Tereza Macel, won the women's event, posting a run-to-bike ratio of 0.66. In the most populated men's age group, M35to39, the mid pack athlete had an average ratio of 0.8 (ie, their run split was 80% of the length of time of their bike split!). And the most populated women's age group was also the W35to39 where the mid pack athlete averaged a ratio of 0.77.

In summary:

Table 1: Run-to-Bike Ratios of Select Athletes at Half and Full Ironmans

	Top Pro	Mid Pack Age Grouper Female	Mid Pack Age Grouper Male
Half Ironman	0.50 to 0.51	0.65	0.65
Ironman	0.64 to 0.66	0.77	0.80

Compared to the professionals, most age group athletes are running a considerably longer amount of time in proportion to their biking time. You might therefore assume that most age group athletes should thus work on their running. We beg to differ: most age group athletes should work on their biking. 

If you want to improve your performances in 2010, work on your biking. Build your bike fitness throughout the winter. And as spring 2010 draws near, start working on your bike pacing skills. 

Want to improve your run at triathlon/duathlon?  Improve your biking.

Want to improve your triathlon/duathlon results?  Improve your biking.

Want to improve your biking?  Ride with us at WattsUp Cycling.

 

Adam Johnston, along with Peter Oyler, operates WattsUp Cycling, Toronto's only individualized power-based indoor cycling program. Conveniently located just off the DVP and Eglinton with plenty of free parking, classes are offered year-round in the early morning, late afternoon, and evening. Check out their indoor facility at www.WattsUpCycling.ca. 

Ask the Pro

As we head into indoor riding season (well some of you tough guys will still ride outside), Richard Pady has provided an article to adress that topic. Some of you may also be pondering getting a coach for next season. Last issue we talked about how to go about doing that but we understand that some of you had problems viewing those articles. For your convenience we have included Nigel Gray's response of why you should get a coach? Enjoy, and please keep sending your questions for our pros to answer. Send your question(s) to hosspro@hotmail.com.

Don't walk away from your trainer

By Richard Pady

Don't let excuses keep you off the bike this season. Many riders moan about not being able to really ride through the winter.  To go for more than an hour on their trainer is a major challenge. But this is the time of year to get your training going and building that good foundation that will not only improve you cycling, but lower your risk of over training and injuries later in the season.  All it takes is a plan and committing to your goals.

In fact, you might even find, as I do, that it's a lot easier to ride indoors because all you need is a pair of shoes, and your shorts, as opposed to outdoor rides where dressing for nasty weather takes seemingly forever.

What to do:

Prepare your body. Cars won't run without fuel. Ditto for your body. So, even though you're technically not going anywhere on your ride, before you climb on the trainer, make sure you're well-hydrated and have some form of sport drink. If you start the ride shortly after you wake up, make sure to drink and eat a little extra to make up for the deficit you've incurred while sleeping.

No matter what time you start your indoor ride, if you drink either coffee or tea, you can pump up your workout by having a cup, so this is the time to do it. The "life in a cup" as I like to call it will get you psyched to push the pedals and also enhance fat metabolism on longer rides.  But always accompany the morning perk with a glass of water.

To keep you going every week make sure you have a goal and get excited about it. Having a set route or workout plan motivates you outside. The same goes for indoor sessions. Usually the best indoor goals are based on measurements of riding output, such as wattage, or heart rate. Both provide an excellent reason to keep pedaling.  Any measurement can work, as long as it is reliable and motivates you. Training tools like heart rate or wattage allow you to break trainer sessions into smaller, more manageable intervals which makes it more interesting and helps to control your effort. Focusing on things like this ensures you get the most out of your workouts.  Find what works best for you.  If you have not used a heart rate monitor or wattage meter before there is a lot of good information on how to use them on the internet.

Keeping a training diary to track your workouts via some form of riding output (power, heart rate average, perceived effort, time, etc) is an excellent way to ensure you are training effectively and making progress. I find it very helpful and important to be able to go back to previous workouts and compare results, or look for trends. This helps determine whether the workouts you are doing are targeting what you need to improve.  The purpose of training is to make the road to your goals a little less bumpy.

On that note, I have designed an exciting new training program specifically for people wanting to make the most of their indoor trainer rides this winter. If you find your trainer is collecting dust or you dread the thought of climbing back on it...check out my website at Indoor Rider where I will help you make 2010 the season you reach a new level of fitness and performance.

Richard Pady is the Head Coach of Healthy Results Training, the creator of Indoorrider.com, and the Founder of Race 4 Kids.

rpady@healthyresults.ca

 

 

Question: Why should I get a coach?

Nigel Gray's response:

Well, there are many answers to this question!! First off coaching isn't for everyone, some athletes are very successful doing their own thing, but having said that coaching should be able to offer a wide range of benefits to any athlete

Coaching goes well beyond just setting up a monthly training schedule, coaching should provide a lot more:

• A Dynamic Training Plan -adjusting your training on an ongoing basis, based upon feedback from your workouts.

• Workout Analysis - a coach should be looking at your workouts and providing feedback on how well they were executed and what can be done to make them better in the future.

• Goal Setting - help you to set up appropriate (i.e. challenging but achievable) goals.

• Setting Appropriate Training Loads - being able to help dial in the appropriate amount of training needed at the different points in the season depending upon your goals and schedule.

• A Plan you Trust - having the comfort of believing in your training plan and being able to wake up in the morning and focusing on executing the set workout as opposed to getting up and wondering what workout you should do that day!

• Psychologist - a coach should help you with the mental side of training and racing, whether it be day to day fatigue, swim start phobias or your best mind set for racing, a coach should help you figure out what works best for you.

• Equipment - being able to provide feedback and information on the huge variety of training and racing equipment available and help you to use your money wisely and get the tools that give you the most return for your $.

• Race Plans - A coach will provide a detailed race plan, going over overall strategy for the day as well as details on the appropriate heart rate, power and perceived exertion levels for any given race for each athlete as well as specific details about the race course. This will all help to ensure that you have best chance or racing to your potential on the day.

• Nutrition - A coach will be able to help you set up a nutrition plan for training and racing, as well as daily nutrition.

• A Reliable Source of Information - there are so many places to get triathlon information these days (tri mags, internet forums, your training buddies) but there are lots of conflicting ideas and theories, by working with a coach you should have a go to person who you are able to ask any questions and not be left confused by the differing opinions from different sources of info.

• Experience - a good coach should have a wealth of experience with different athletes and different training situations, so that when issues arise with your training your coach is able to recognize the problem and help provide a solution. As well a coach should be able to help athletes avoid some of the common pitfalls of training and racing so you can avoid having to learn by doing!

• A Different View Point - a lot of times as athletes we get too caught up in the daily ritual of training and aren't able to step back and take a look at the big picture, a coach is there to be able to tell you if you aren't seeing all the factors in an important decision (this tends to happen a lot with type A motivated personalities) i.e. when you are too tired and what you really need is more rest as opposed to more training, this is a very hard call for most athletes to make on their own.

• The Stick or the Reins - a coach should help an athlete with their motivation (i.e. the Stick!) when they need it but also be able to hold an athlete back (i.e. the Reins!) when they need it as well.

• Provide a Network of Assistance - whether it be bike issues, massage therapy or a sports injury specialist a coach should have a network of contacts that they use to help their athletes with any issues that comes up.

Overall coaching is about building a relationship and a level of trust between the coach and athlete so that the athlete feels confident in their training and racing plans and they are able to focus on key factors to success and not worry about the smaller details.

Nigel Gray is Head Coach of NRG Performance Training, with over 10 years of coaching experience from beginners to Elite athletes www.nrgpt.com

 

Faces of HSBC Triathlon Series

By Roger Hospedales

This month's Face of the HSBC Series is Richard Pady. Richard had the top Canadian Age Group performance at the recent Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, a 9:40:37 clocking. I caught up with Richard a few days after his race in Kona and I hope you enjoy what he had to say. Make sure to check out the podcasts of past Faces of the Series here to stream it online or here on iTunes.

Richard Pady

 

What made you return to Hawaii? - he first qualified in 2002 (at Lake Placid), going there just for the experience.

RP: Just over 16 months ago my legs were swollen so badly my ankles were the size of my knees and I could not walk without severe pain in my ankles. Doctors had spotted a nodule on my lung and they were telling me I had rheumatoid arthritis (RA). For someone who loves to swim, bike, and run as much as I do this was life changing news. We'd already had our
share of realizing how quickly life can change. I was lucky; I did not have RA, but rather had an infection called Coccidioidomycosis from the spores of a fungus. I more than likely inhaled the spores while at a training camp in Tucson in 2008. The great news was I could make a full recovery.
 
During the recovery process I made it my goal to get back into great fitness and try to qualify
 
Describe your race. What happened out there? Were you happy with your performance?
 
RP: For the swim I positioned myself right in the middle on the front line much like in Lake Placid. As the gun went it was crazy. I felt like I was fighting for my life. At 500m into the race I settled into a group. I knew it was not as fast as I wanted but there was nowhere to go as I was boxed in. It seemed to take forever to get to the turn buoy at 1.2miles. When we finally made the turn I looked at my watch. 30min!!!!!!!!!! I was planning on 25-27mins. In the water that is a big difference. But then I noticed the wire on the turn buoy was pointing back to shore, which meant we would be faster home. And sure enough we were. As I exited the water I looked at my watch 56mins. I was hoping to be faster but no stress.

After a quick transition I was off to my bike. In the first 40kms I think many athletes forgot we were doing an Ironman as they were pushing way too hard. I think I rode the first half of the bike course perfectly and hit Hawi (95km) holding 225watts and averaging 36km/h. On the way back down from Hawi the famous winds of the big island started to pick up. This race rewards the faster cyclists as they get closer to home before the wind gets too severe. At 125km you get back on HWY 19 (Queen K) for the challenging ride back to Kona. The wind was really starting to pick up. For the next 55kms I rode into a steady head/cross wind. My power tap was a lifesaver as I just kept my eyes on how hard I was working and didn't pay attention to my speed, which at times was so slow. Mentally I was great. I was holding 220-250watts and I was passing people. I only started to fade in the closing 10kms but really not too badly. I came into T2 feeling good that I was still on my time goals and very much in the Age Group race.

So on to run. I left T2 and settled into a pace. The heat was unlike anything I had experienced before. Yes we had been here all week but running mid day at 95 degrees was crazy. My head felt like it was going to explode. I will not lie it killed me mentally. The first 10 miles was a fight to keep running. My legs felt great, I was not challenged cardiovascularly, but oh my lord it was hot. I ran from aid station to aid station and then walked through the aid station. At every aid station I did the following: Water over the head, then ice in the hat, ice down the shorts and in the shirt (sorry too much info) then a sip of coke for sugar and then water again with a salt tab. I did this 26 times. I negative split the run by coming home faster. This was a small reward for me as mentally I felt like I was failing by walking. However I made it back to Ali Drive and enjoyed the final mile.
 
Times: 56mins swim, 5:06 bike, 3:29 run. 9:40 overall time
 
Describe your overall Ironman Hawaii experience. Did you learn anything from the first one in 2002?
 
RP: In 2002 I had an injury with my foot so it stopped me from running well so I came to the island with the goal of racing this year. The island is amazing and it is a place I recommend every triathlete should think of coming either to race or train. I enjoyed my experience here this year. Race day was the biggest mental challenge I've ever faced in a race. I learned a lot about where my limits and how hard I can push myself.
 
How does it compare to the other Ironman events you have done? How is Hawaii different than any other race? Or is it?
 
RP: This race is like no other Ironman. The course itself is not that hard but the weather is what makes it challenging. Heat and wind are like nowhere else I've ever raced. You also have the best athletes in the world here. In Lake Placid I saw 3-5 athletes during the bike leg compared to Hawaii where there was a long line of athletes as far as the eye could see in both directions. Everyone is fast here. By about 13hrs this race looks like it is all over.
 
Do you see yourself heading back?
 
RP: Is my wife going to see this???? I think I'm going to take a few years to race more locally. Heather and I talked about it today actually and I think we'd like to come back in about 5 years. Maybe when I move into the 40-44 age group.
 
What's next (2010) or earlier of you have anything left for 2009?
 
RP: Next year the goal is to go shorter. I'd like to try races like Gravenhurst and Lakeside. I also have a goal of getting my 1/2 Iron Distance time much faster.
 
When did you first get started in triathlon? What made you do it? Where was that first race?
 
RP: When I was 14 years old there was a little 1/2 Marathon in my hometown of Midland, Ontario. I found out about the race 1 week before. Back then there were no books or websites (at least not in Midland). I didn't know what I was doing but my mom had me run half the course on Tuesday and half the course on Thursday and I raced the full 1/2 Marathon on the Sunday. For a kid who didn't really train for any sport at the time, I ran 1:45:21 on a very hilly course. I loved it. It was at that race I heard about a triathlon that was going to be held in town in June of that year (1989). It was a 1.5km swim, 45km bike, 12km run. No sprints back then. My sister and I started training a month out from the race. On race day, I wore my Body Glove windsurfing wet suit in the swim so I would not drown, I rode the 45km bike on my 10 speed with no aerobars and I think I walked 50% of the run. I finished in a time of 3:01:45 and my sister beat me, which to this day she still reminds me of anytime I do well in a race. I can't explain what I enjoyed so much about it but I was hooked and we started learning more about the sport and where other events would take place.
 
What was your main sports background? How did you go about improving the other events that were not your specialty?
 
RP: I came from a downhill skiing and sailing background. I started improving all three sports after I did my first race. I'm truly a triathlete. I learned how to do all three at the same time.
 
Talk about why you went into coaching. Describe the services you provide and who you cater to?
 
RP: When I first got into the sport I had a few individuals that really helped me improve in the sport. Without their coaching I may not have continued as long. As I got older I learned I enjoyed giving back what I had learned. It's been 20 years since I started and I've been coaching for 12 of those years. I coach athletes online, one on one, and in training clinics. I love to see people achieve what they think is impossible. I have a simple approach to training. I take all the science of training, add in a touch of reality, and then plan it around the athlete's life. Everyone is different and that is what I enjoy about coaching.
 
Tell us about indoorrider.com. How did the idea come about? How will it help triathletes?
 
RP: Just over a year ago I had the idea on a long ride that it would be cool to create a video series where athletes could download a new video every week. From that Indoor Rider was created. By joining it provides you with a new video workout every week, each approximately one hour in length. The program will build you slowly, safely, and in the most efficient way to guarantee success. By following the program, you will train smart and avoid over training or burn out. The sessions allow you to work at your own level and progress at your own pace. Each week you will ride with me as together we increases our fitness and power in all energy/power zones.Please check it out www.indoorrider.com

Special Feature - Racing for Right to Play

By Jason Hraynyk

As a player with Whitby Town FC in southern Ontario, soccer has been a huge part of my life for almost a decade now. with a decent fitness level and a desire to get back to running in road races, this soccer player took up the challenge of attempting a triathlon with only seven weeks to train.

With a decent cardio level through soccer, there were elements which should be fairly easy, while others would be a true challenge. Having been a runner in high school and completing the Paris marathon in 2005, the running was just a matter of staying injury free and building stamina.

The bike also seemed to be an easier part of the equation, although speed and effort on a mountain bike over long distances on the road were more demanding than expected. The swim was the most challenging. Although comfortable in the water, it soon became clear that going great distances using a freestyle stroke would take work. thankfully, after a couple of weeks in the pool and an attempt at swimming the cold waters of Lake Ontario, a wet-suit came to my rescue and everything changed. the confidence, comfort and added buoyancy of the suit had me looking like Batman and swimming like a salmon upstream. this swimming thing was not so bad after all.

Over the weeks, the kilometers added up, the strength and stamina built and the love for triath- lon soon started to match my love and passion for soccer. Finding myself skipping a midweek match to hit the pool, or get in a nice run, lead me to wonder why. Perhaps it was the newness of everything and the variety, but more so, it was the effort and accomplishment of working towards the goal; the mental strength of pushing yourself faster or the achievement of beating a previous time... and this was only in training. It also has to be said that the triathlon community itself is incredible. I found myself being welcomed by those at the pool who were only too happy to offer tips, invite me to swim sessions and offer encouragement.

The original race turned into a duathlon (run, bike, run), as high waves lead to the swim being canceled. needless to say the duathlon was an incredible experience and a great all-round day. But, it still was not that first ever triathlon!

My first official triathlon race day, a couple of weeks later, found me standing in a chilly lake at 9 am, looking through my goggles at the orange markers of the 750m course. All of the past 750km of training were for that moment. People were all around me; waiting, smiling, wishing good luck and knowing that the horn would sound and this very special group called triathletes would start their journey.

The horn went and we were off. Arms and feet flying in all directions and hundreds of people propelling themselves forward. It is as scary as everyone had explained and keeping composure and finding a rhythm is the only thing that keeps you going. Eighteen minutes, a few kicks and punches and 750m later the sea legs took me to transition where wetsuits turned to race gear and helmets buckled up for 30km on the bike.

The roads through the country side were smooth and cool as the air whipped past me on the new carbon fiber FELt F5 which replaced the mountain bike that had been used in training. With the ability to maintain 30 kph+ through the strenuous and continual uphill route, it became a matter of saving my legs in order to carry me over the 7.5km run to the finish.

Despite a couple of setbacks on the bike, I coasted into transition number two, made the change into my Zoot shoes and hit the road on my own two feet. the third stage turned into a nicely paced run over pavement and dirt road with volunteers handing out water and cheering me on. As the kilometers clicked over and the last 500m appeared, the crowd enhanced the sheer enjoyment and accomplishment of stringing together three unique sports and going great lengths to reach the finish line. 1:59:59 later, I had reached that goal, surrounded by family, and with a desire to go on to attempt an Ironman race. with a whole winter of training ahead of me, this will be the next objective and race.

As for soccer, the passion is still there and the indoor season is around the corner. the number of times I hit the pitch will depend on the day and how badly the bike, roads, or pool are calling me. This whole experience became an opportunity to race for Right to Play, a special charity we have featured in the past. thank you to all of those who sponsored me in this race. together, we raised close to $750 for the charity.

A special thanks as well to Elissette at Zoot, who were kind enough to equip me with incredible triathlon racing gear which kept the muscles working, the wind to a minimum and most of all me looking like a pro out there on the course. To Brad at Neosport who made me look like Batman and helped me float when needed. the Neosport wet-suit was the key to learning to freestyle swim so well and go the distance. Carol and Normand, Felt Bikes and Spasso who got me onto a road rocket which very nearly had me getting ticketed, while training, for going over the posted speed limit. A bike 16 lbs lighter than my mountain monster and arrow dynamic, equals minutes off the bike time and legs that do not feel like Jello.

Thanks also to John and Jan and the whole HSBC crew for the time and preparations involved in running such events. From the moment of arrival at the site to the finish line, the HSBC team offered the most enjoyable event experience. Thank you!

Chef Cheliak

Back by popular demand, here is another recipe by Photograper and Chef extraordinaire Mike Cheliak.

Easiest ever Tandoori Chicken

• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root
• 3 tablespoons Sharwood's Tandoori Spice (available in your local grocer spice section)
• 1 tsp salt

 

Mix the marinade ingredients in a large glass bowl. Add the chicken and coat and cover in fridge overnight. About 30 minutes before cooking, remove chicken from the marinade and let sit on a platter at room temperature.

Brush the grill with oil or spray with a non-stick spray. Grille the chicken on medium low heat turning often until it is done (about 15 -20 minutes).

Serve with slices of cucumber, tomatoes, red onion and some fragrant basmati rice.

Check out more great recipes and other great stuff here.

 

Valuable Athlete Services

For our Orillia based athletes

Velocity Cycle and Ski

They are located at 161 Mississaga Street, East Orillia, Ontario.

Pay them a visit, give them a call (705 329 0367 or 1 888 612 1183) or check out their website.

Ironman Bike Transportation

Planning on flying with your bike to either 70.3 World Ironman^TM Championships in Clearwater or Ironman ^TM  Florida, in Panama City?  Think again!  Going from a big hub like Toronto to a big hub like Atlanta, then to a much smaller regional airport at the race city has its delivery risks. Minimize that stress plus the cost of renting bike boxes, disassembling and reassembling your bike, long assembly wait-times, high air transport costs and on-time delivery risks.  Instead, drop your bike off at our location and have it arrive at the race site on-time, intact and as race-ready as at the moment you placed it in our hands for transport. Your bike will arrive ready to ride with no dents or scratches!

Remember! Wrapping your bike in a jute bag and strapping it in a truck among others serves no real protection for a $10,000 piece of essential equipment. Putting it in a cardboard bike box also has is drawbacks as this sometimes necessitates removal of pedals, seats and handle bars, depending on the size and specific configuration of your bicycle. Our system ships your bike whole. We simply drop the front wheel and lock your fork into our newly developed locking system, which secures your bike to the shipping floor. There is no possibility of movement and contact with adjacent bikes.  Your wheels are labeled and shipped beside your bike in padded wheel bags.

 

Cost: $250 (+GST)

 

Sign up online at: www.endurotraining.com

or

call (416) 881-7036

 

 

Partner Events

Multisport Canada Running Series

 

Make sure to visit the site of the MultiSport Canada Running Series and check out the Simcoe Shores race. The Simcoe Shores is a 250KM running team relay that starts in Barrie and travels through Orillia, Midland, Wasaga Beach with a finish in Collingwood. Entry is for teams from 5 to 8 members. The first event description PDF is now available to download. The race starts on Saturday August 21, 2010.

 

 

If you would like to submit content to the newsletter, please send items to hosspro@hotmail.com

Please Support our 2009 Sponsors

We extend our thanks to each and every sponsor. Race entry fees never cover the complete cost of a particular race or series of races and without the sponsors there is no race or race series that would survive without their support. We hope that you all take a moment to check out our Series Sponsors below or visit the sponsors page and see what they do and look at the products they sell. Please thank them for supporting the sports of Triathlon and Duathlon by trying and using their products. If you do visit them please take a moment to thank them for supporting Triathlon, Duathlon and Kids races in Ontario.

Thanks To All Of Our Sponsors

As you all know there would be no race or series without sponsors. We extend our thanks to each and every sponsor starting with the HSBC Bank Canada or the local bike and running shops in the communities where you race. We hope that you all take a moment to visit the sponsors page and see what they do and look at the products they sell. Please thank them for supporting the sports of triathlon and duathlon by trying and using their products. If you do visit them please take a moment to thank them for supporting triathlon and duathlon.

A Message From The HSBC Bank Canada

HSBC Bank Canada is extremely proud to be the title sponsor of Canada's fastest growing triathlon series. HSBC, both here in Canada and around the world, has a strong tradition of supporting both local and national events. Health, fitness and a balanced life is important. Many of the initiatives we support are based on this premise. Whether its our sponsorship of HSBC Stars on Ice (skating), the HSBC Calgary Marathon, The Vancouver Sun Run, HSBC Childrun, HSBC Triathlon Series, the ITU Brampton Pan American Cup, or the Ford World Curling Championships, presented by HSBC we believe our presence in communities across Canada should extend far beyond meeting the financial services needs of our customers.

About HSBC Bank Canada

HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, has more than 290 offices, including over 140 bank branches. With around 9,500 offices in 86 countries and territories and assets of US$2,527 billion at 31 December 2008, the HSBC Group is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organizations.

Our Title Sponsor

HSBC Bank Canada is back for a fifth year. HSBC Bank Canada is a tremendous supporter of Triathlon, Duathlon and other mass participation sporting events

 

Transition Zone, Volunteer and GT12.9 Series Sponsor

Series Sponsors

Please support all of our sponsors. You can visit their website by clicking on their logo on the left side of the page.

Official Swim Course and Wetusit Sponsor	Official Bike Course Sponsor
Official Nutrition and Hydration Sponsor	Official Run Course and Running Shoe Sponsor
Official Watch And Heart Rate Monitor	Official Apparel Sponsor
Official Bike Trainer	Official Photographer
Official Bike Support Team

Silver Level Sponsors

Post-Race Bagels
Post-Race Prizes		Hats and Headwear

 

Local and Retail Sponsors

GTA - Mississauga	Located in London
Toronto	Markham, Barrie, Newmarket and Milton
GTA - Scarborough	Located in Orillia
Located in London	Located in London
Oshawa	Located in London
Parry Sound
Gravenhurst Rexall IDA	Gravenhurst

Medical Support

Thank you for racing in the HSBC Triathlon Series!

John Salt and the MultiSport Canada Team