MultiSport Canada Triathlon Series

MSC Triathlon Series Newsletter - January 2011

Are you ready for 2011?

We sure are and we've got lots of exciting series news and developments for this year. Some of which will be revealed in this first newsletter for 2011.This newsletter will also fill you in on some great deals, special clinics and camps, the first of our series of athlete profiles and information on those going to Challenge Roth, and our collection of excellent articles from our coaches and partners.As always, feel free to send any articles to mscnewsletter1@gmail.com.

Series News

Welcome To Our New 2011 Series Sponsors

Hero Burgers

HERO Certified Burgers, the GTA's most popular spot for gourmet burgers, has signed on as the newest sponsor for MultiSport Canada. As part of the new agreement, it has been confirmed that HERO's 100% Angus Beef Burgers and Veggie Burgers will be served to event participants after eight of the scheduled race events during the 2011 season.

"Our partnership with MultiSport represents our commitment to both the triathlon sport, and the triathlete community" said John Lettieri, President & CEO, HERO Certified Burgers. "As a brand we're committed to bringing high quality and wholesome food to local families. It's a privilege to support an event that brings together both elite and aspiring athletes together in the spirit of good health and friendly competition. Partnering with MultiSport is a natural fit and we look forward to a long-term relationship with both the company and event participants."

HERO Certified Burgers was the first quick serve concept to recognize the need for a gourmet burger in the GTA. Their commitment to quality goes beyond premium toppings and unique feature burgers. Their 100% Angus Burgers contain no hormones, no antibiotics, no preservatives and no fillers. HERO purchases their meat exclusively from a small group of ranchers located in Western Canada whose cattle is range raised, grass fed and 100% traceable to ensure quality and integrity of product. All beef burgers are certified Halal, Gluten-Free and 100% Canadian.

HERO President, John Lettieri is both an event sponsor and participant. Working in conjunction with Absolute Endurance, a local training & therapy facility, John completed his first series of triathlons with MultiSport in 2010.

HERO currently has 20 locations in the GTA with an additional 7-10 stores opening during 2011. For more information on HERO Certified Burgers please visit www.heroburgers.com, www.facebook.com/heroburgers, or email info@heroburgers.com

For franchising information contact our development team at franchise@heroburgers.com.

Hammer Nutrition

We are very pleased to announce that Hammer Nutrition will be back as the on-course Nutrition Sponsor in 2011. Hammer Nutrition had previously sponsored our series for six years and in 2011 you will see HEED Sports Drink on all of the run courses and Hammer Gel will be available at some of our longer race distances. Please visit the Hammer Nutrition website for information about HEED, Hammer Gel and the full line-up of products.

TYR

TYR is the new Wetsuit and Swim Course sponsor for the 2011 season and beyond. TYR will be at all of our races this year and we will be giving away at least one wetsuit at each race this coming season. To see the full line-up of TYR wetsuits, swimsuits and training products please visit the TYR website.

Tri Success by HR

Healthy Results coaches have collaborated with Multisport Canada to create an ultimate 20 week half iron program gearing you up for the Welland half Iron on June 26. HR has the inside scoop on every aspect of the race and how to get you in the best possible shape for it.

Joining Tri Success gets you:

Members only access to Tri Success content such as weekly video tips from your coach.

A professionally built 20 week training plan

Coaching feedback (monthly) & TEAM support to keep you on track

Detailed race day strategy and support

Cost is only $12/week

Start date is February 7^th, 2011.

To register contact rpady@healthyresults.ca

Join Tri Success today and make the Welland Half Iron your best ever performance!

Sponsor Deals for MSC Racers

25% Discount from Timex

Timex has extended this special offer to all MultiSport Canada customers. This discount offer will last until February 15, 2011 so don't miss your chance at this great opportunity.

Human Kinetics 35% off Fitness Sale

Be your best in 2011with HK training books!

Save up to 35% on HK Fitness related books.

Shop our Fitness and Health store and save up to 35% on all our fitness-related resources when you order before January 31, 2011.

Discount Club at Gears

Take advantage of the special prices available to MultiSport Canada customers. 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. Every Wednesday is The Gears/MSC discount day with 10% off most items in the store. Download the Discount Card or call the store (905-271-2400) and ask for Ira or Kevin for details. Discount Club details.

Ask the Coach

Our coaching panel of Nigel Gray (NRG Performance Training), Richard Pady (Healthy Results Training), and Chris Pickering (Transition Myself Training) will eagerly answer your questions each month.

Please keep sending your questions to mscnewsletter1@gmail.com.

Richard Pady's Training Tips for the month of January

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: “Running in this cold and snowy weather feels so slow but my effort level has not dropped from the summer. Should I be concerned? What can I do?”

Answer (By Nigel Gray): This is always a concern of athletes in the winter (and even spring and fall) and you just need to realize that running in the winter (or riding!) is going to be a lot slower than it is in the summer. Between all the clothing you wear, cold wind, slippery ice and snow, you are never going to run as fast in the winter for the same effort level as in the summer. But it’s also not a problem!

Focus more on putting in the time, keeping a good running frequency (number of runs/week) but not worrying about pace and focusing more on your effort level and what is the right effort level for your runs. For some athletes doing 1 day a week of more intense running on the treadmill is a good option, this allows you focus on stride length and your turnover but without the worry of slipping on ice or pulling a muscle in the cold.

Otherwise you should bundle up warmly, pick a sheltered loop, run into the wind to start and wear shoes with a more aggressive tread to them (or even things like microspikes if you live in an especially snowy area) to help make things more comfortable in the winter.

Or option B is to cross train and cross country skiing is the best cross over sport for a triathlete! So you can embrace the snow and put in some time cross country skiing, which is a great upper and lower body workout and has no speed relevance to the summer!

Nigel Gray is Head Coach of NRG Performance Training, with over 12 years of coaching experience from beginners to Elite athletes

nigel@nrgpt.com

Chris Pickering races IronPunta

I signed up for IronPunta in beautiful Uruguay, to travel and spend time with my family and compete in a small race of 200 competitors which included my brother Alex, participating in his first ever ironman, and my uncle Jorge, whom I raced my first Ironman in Brazil with in 2008, to take a break from the competitive stress that can become one’s self imposed goals. I used it as a chance to remind myself why I started doing triathlons in the first place…satisfaction in overcoming a tough personal challenge, enjoying good health, and remembering how fortunate I am to live such a lifestyle.

When people heard I was doing another Ironman just 4 months after having completed IM Lake Placid, they started to ask me “when do I take a break and relax?” or “when do I take the time to enjoy life?”. My response was “I am taking a break and enjoying life..............Read more about Chris' IronPunta experience here.

Contact Coach Pickering here.

Training Articles

Cycling Cross Training for Runners

By Derek MacNeil, Cycling and Triathlon Coach - Gears Bike Shop

Many beginner Triathletes know that the one discipline that can make the biggest difference in your results is RUNNING. And it also happens to be the one that can be the most difficult to get faster at while staying injury free. And during the long cold winters, it can also be difficult to add more runs to your training schedule.

Well, what if I told you that you could make significant improvements in your running by NOT running any more than what you currently do? It’s called cross-training, and not the kind of cross training like skiing, boot camps, yoga, etc. But the kind that can also help another key area of Triathlon. It’s CYCLING…the kind you do indoors in a group environment.

Let’s first look at the benefits of cycling (inside or out) to your running. I should note at this time that we are speaking about someone who is a beginner to an accomplished runner…not what I would call an advanced or elite runner. Studies have shown at elite levels too much cycling can deter running performance (and vice-versus hence the delicate training balance Pro’s deal with).

Cycling can benefit your running by:

Being another great Cardio workout
Simulating the general leg motion of running
Stretching your hamstrings during a relaxed phase of the pedal stroke
Working on your Quadriceps strength (good for those hills!)
Working on your core strength; when properly fit and using proper form.

Cycling gives you an extra workout without the added stresses that running naturally has…therefore less chance of injuries. And the best way to improvements is consistency. The training ups and downs from a running injury affects all the disciplines in your training, so staying injury free keeps you active in all areas…building confidence and base.

By far, the best way to maximize the benefits of cycling cross training for your running performance, is to get yourself into an indoor cycling studio like the one at Gears Bike Shop in Mississauga (*see the special offer at the end of this article). These indoor classes are the BEST way to make every minute of your training time translate into improvement. How is this so?

It can easier to get to warm indoor workout rather than bundling up for another cold winter run.
The motivation of other like-minded riders, a trained instructor, and music you can feel will keep you engaged for the whole workout. You are less likely to bail part way through a workout when the time is flying by and you are in a zone.
For beginner runners, one big challenge is the ‘pain’ of a hard run. The intensity of an indoor cycling class can ‘train’ you to deal with that discomfort. Accomplishing some challenging indoor rides will give you mental strength when working through a hard run.
The indoors can be a relief from either the cold or the heat! Sometimes, extreme heat of mid summer can set you back. Climates that are controlled indoors give you an environment that won’t leave you with heat stroke.

The final thought on Cycling as a cross training sport to running is the physics behind your ‘weight’. We can all agree that sometimes the motivation for getting active is to lose weight. But have you ever thought of the physics involved in how heavy you are and the energy required to move that mass from A to B…or the start line to the finish line?

Let’s look at a quick example of a 175 lb male with an average VO2 who can run a 10k in 50 minutes. If that runner reduces his weight by 5 lbs, he could take 1 full minute off his time even if his fitness remains the same. Conversely, if he gains 5 lbs, he would add 1 minute to his time with the same fitness.

So, by adding only 1-2 extra workouts a week as an indoor cycling class, an individual could burn an extra 600-1000 calories each time (3500 calories makes about 1 lb). Without modifying their caloric intake, they could lose the 5 lbs within a number of weeks.

They also get the benefit of an extra workout without the added risk of injury, the cardio, mental and muscle strength that comes with an intense workout, and the opportunity to feel motivated afterwards…all while making some new friends! So come out and try something new…or try a new place like the Gears Indoor Studio.

Derek MacNeil is a level 3 NCCP cycling coach, a level 1 triathlon coach and a level 2 FaCT certified lactate tester. He is the head coach out of Gears Bike Shop and leads cycling clinics year round.

* Mention that it’s your first visit to the Gears Indoor Cycling Studio and you can do the class for free. (some restrictions apply…reservations required)

The Gears Indoor Cycling Studio has 36 well maintained bikes, the best sound system in ANY studio, big screen videos, accomplished instructors, and theater style rows. It will be a workout unlike any you could do on your own! Check it out and let Gears help you train for the 2011 season.

The Importance of a Proper Bike Fit

Are you spending at least 90% of your time in the aero bars on your triathlon bike? If not maybe you should be riding a road bike!!

by Scott Judges, FITT 1ST Bike Fitter and Official Fitter of WattsUp Cycling

The intention of this article is not to get you to start riding a road bike, far from it. It is to determine why you are not spending at least 90% of your time in the aero bars!!

One of the first question I ask triathletes when they come to see me for a bike fit is, "How much time are you currently spending in your aero bars while training or in a race?" More often than not the answer ranges between 60 and 70%, and it is not uncommon for people to tell me that they spend less than 20% of their time in the aerobars. Hard to believe isn't it, but its true.

When I ask them why, I usually get one of two answers. Either, "I'm just not comfortable in the aero bars," or " I get so much pain in my crotch that I just can't stay in that position for any length of time." There are also the people that spend a significant amount of time in the aero bars but endure substantial pain for the entire time that they are there, just because they feel that the aerodynamic benefit is worth the pain.

If these scenarios sound familiar to you, then you are in need of having a bike fit done by a certified professional bike fitter.

For the vast majority of triathletes out there...YOU DO NOT HAVE TO RIDE IN PAIN WHILE IN THE AERO BARS.

Research has continuously proven that riding in an aero position on a triathlon bike is faster than riding a road bike. However, research also tells us that if you are not spending at least 90% of your time in the aero bars that all the time advantage rapidly disappears and can become a significant disadvantage over a road bike. This disadvantage multiplies as the distance and speed you ride increases.

Although triathlon bikes are more aerodynamic, they are also typically 2-4 lbs heavier than a comparable quality road bike. Also, when you are not in the aero bars your body position on your triathlon bike may be less aerodynamic than your position on the hoods of a road bike.

When you ride with your hands on the bull horns of your triathlon bike you are muscularly supporting more of your upper body weight than when you are in the aero bars. This causes fatigue in the upper body and the core, which can eventually lead to a drop in efficiency of your pedal stroke and potential injury due to poor biomechanics.

The reasons for discomfort in the aero bars can be numerous and can result from a combination of several factors: improper saddle height and tilt, a position too far forward or backward on the bike, too much drop in height from your saddle to the aero bar pads, a position too stretched out on the bike, leg length discrepancies causing hip drop, asymmetric hips, or even incorrect cleat position.

In order to ride to your best ability, your triathlon bike must be set up for YOU. And by this I mean that your bike must be set up to match your body morphology, current flexibility and strength. You will be your fastest by being the most aerodynamic that you can be while retaining as much comfort as possible in the aero bars.

Through comfort comes power, though power comes speed, and through speed comes performance. Becoming comfortable and powerful on the bike is a process, not a procedure. A process that starts from the foot, and then works from the back of the bike to the front. Full triathlon bike fits can take as long as five hours to complete, but the results are well worth the investment in time for the return of pain-free training and racing and better results.

Scott Judges is a SICI Certified Professional Bike Fit Specialist and is the Founder and Owner of FITT 1ST, an Independent premier provider of Bike Fitting Services and Biometric Analysis in the greater Toronto area. Scott is the official fitter for WattsUp Cycling. Scott can be contacted through the WattsUp Cycling website at www.wattsupcycling.ca, directly at www.fitt1st.com or by email at fitt1stbikefitting@gmail.com

* For our west end athletes (London & Waterloo area), check out the Camps and Clinics section to find out MultiSport Zone's Bike Fit Seminar.

Developing Running Efficiency

By Dr. Cindy Lewis, Chiropractor and Triathlon Coach - Absolute Endurance Training and Therapy

Running seems like a simple sport… put one foot in front of the other, and repeat, and repeat. However, just like cycling and swimming, running efficiency is one key to both improving performance in the run leg of your triathlon event and to reducing the risk of injury.

Here are five keys to efficient running biomechanics:

Lean forward. Running can be looked at as controlled falling. Your body should be tilted forward slightly from the ankles. It is important to maintain a strong core to avoid forward flexion at the waist. Maintain a proud chest and visualize yourself leading with your chest and your hips.
Knee flexion. Most triathletes could improve their running speed simply by bending their knees more during the swing phase of the running stride. As you pull the leg through for the next step, the knee should be bent so that the lower leg is parallel to the ground. However, the knee should be bent underneath you, rather than behind you. Previously, coaches taught a “butt kick” running drill whereby you kick your butt from behind with the heels. More recently, we teach a hamstring snap, where you pull the heel and lower leg up underneath you, along your centre of gravity.
“Running on hot coals”. Visualize yourself running on hot coals. You don’t want to keep your foot on the ground for any longer than you have to or your feet will get burned. As soon as your foot hits the ground, snap the hamstring and bend the knee underneath you to go right into the next stride. The longer your foot is on the ground, the slower you will go.
Foot strike. Landing on one’s mid foot is the most efficient and will result in the lowest impact forces. With fatigued muscles after the bike portion of a triathlon, many triathletes head out on the run with a full on heel strike. In order to heel strike, the foot lands out in front of the body’s centre of gravity. Besides increasing impact forces through the ankles, knees, hips and low back, this also results in a braking force – slowing you down rather than continuing to encourage forward motion. Instead, try landing right along or just slightly ahead of your centre of gravity, on your mid foot as opposed to the heel. This will continue to push your body forward, put you in a position to snap the foot back up underneath you, and ultimately increase your running speed.
Cadence. For most triathletes, the most efficient cycling cadence is close to 90rpm. The most efficient running cadence is 90 strides per minute, per foot. This makes things easy – our bodies can maintain the same rhythm of turnover throughout the bike and the run. Besides increasing your speed and eliminating the need for your body to adjust to a new rhythm on the run, running with a high cadence also encourages a mid foot landing.

Running is more technical than it seems at first glance. Running with good technique will both reduce your risk of injury by minimizing impact forces and the associated stress on bones, tendons, muscle and ligaments, as well as increase your running speed at any given amount of effort. Spending some time on run technique this winter is a worthwhile endeavour.

The team at Absolute Endurance performs run gait assessments on athletes regularly, as well as biomechanical assessments of other sports and movement patterns. Contact cindy@absoluteendurance.com or 416.483.2388 for more information.

Athlete Profiles and Stories

MSC Goes to Challenge Roth

As promised in the last issue, from now until the race in July, we will profile the athletes heading off on the MultiSport Canada Triathlon Series/Healthy Results trip to Challenge Roth.

We will kick things off with Richard Pady, and Cindy Lewis.

Richard Pady is the Head Coach of Healthy Results Training, is one of the organizers of the trip, coaches many of the athletes going to Roth, and will run training camps geared towards Challenge Roth along with other races on the triathlon race calendar.

Dr. Cindy Lewis is a chiropractor and multisport coach at Absolute Endurance, is coming off a 8th overall women's finish at Ironman Louisville - a feat that helped get her nominated as a candidate for Triathlon Magazine Canada's Age Group Triathlete of the Year.

"The Coach" - Richard Pady

Age - 36

Hometown - Midland, ON (reside in Orangeville)

Family Info – Married 10 years to Heather Pady and have two kids Elizabeth (7) and Clarke (5)

Years racing triathlon – 22 years

Best Performance - Winning the HFP Triple T triathlon in 2009 and setting the course record.

Background - I’m a certified Triathlon Coach, Personal Trainer, Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, and currently I train athletes all around the World. As an athlete I started very young as a competitive downhill skier, runner and then triathlete. At the age of 14, I completed my first international distance triathlon in 3 hr 11 min and half marathon in 1 hr 45 mins. By the age of 19 I was second in the country in the sport of triathlon and made the switch to professional racing. I competed in many Triathlon World Championships and Ironman events around the world as a professional and then as an age grouper (since 2003). I have been in the sport of triathlon for 22 years and have 13 years of coaching and personal training experience. I went to the University of Western Ontario where I studied Psychology and Kinesiology with the goal of being able to combine these areas of focus to train an individual’s mind and body.

Dream race performance - Just to be able to race again. Recovering from a Bike crash in 2010.

Tips for newcomers thinking about doing Iron distance or half iron distance racing - Make sure you have a good plan that fits YOUR life. Everyone needs something different to bring out the best in themselves. Remember family and friends come before training and by putting them first doesn’t mean you will race any slower.

Favourite gear – Anything from Gears Bike Shop

Fave MSC race – Cobourg

Dr. Cindy Lewis

Age - 29

Hometown - Gore Bay, On (grew up there.. currently live in Toronto, ON)

Years of racing experience - 19 years in running, 5 years in triathlon

# of Irondistance and half irondistance races - 5 full, 3 half irondistance

Best iron distance performance - 10:32

Goal time for Roth - 10:15

Why race Roth? - Experience another country, travel, and I've heard great reviews of Roth's race.

Sporting background - Running from age 10 through high school and varsity.

Dream race iron distance performance - Swim 0:59, Bike in the low 5's, and run under 3:30.

First iron distance experience - Ironman Canada 2007 (where she qualified for Kona).

Tips for newcomers thinking about doing Irondistance or half iron distance racing - Get some help with an organized and progressive training schedule, be patient! Give yourself appropriate time to allow your bones and tendons to adapt to the added stress of long distance racing. Enjoy it!

Other accomplishments - Chiropractor, Absolute Endurance owner/director

Favourite gear - Focus TT bike!

Fave MSC race(s) - Lakeside, and Wasaga Beach

MSC Radio - Athlete Interviews

We will kick off our first interview for 2011 with Cindy Lewis.

Find out more about this great athlete here at MSC Radio.

Stay tuned for more interviews with RJ Ross, Mike Cheliak, and other special guests.

Camps, Clinics & Other Events

Swim Faster Now - Kicking Tips and more

Well, the new year is here and many people are working on their goals for the upcoming season. Did you know that in a few short weeks of learning some very specific skills, that you can change your swimming and swim much faster and be more efficient? More importantly, changes in your swim speed can over time come through changes in your technique. Wouldn’t it be nice to focus more of your swim workouts on training specific technical drills at slow speeds in order to allow them to imprint themselves on your system? Once this happens, you are well under way to swimming much faster, smoother and more relaxed for the upcoming season. Here are two examples of the many techniques we practice at Swim Faster Now clinics.

The next time you are kicking with a kick board, try unlocking your underarm and sliding it directly forward about an inch (remember to keep your elbows on the bottom corners of the kickboard). This is done by simply stretching forward on your kickboard with the stretch coming from the underarm. When you learn how to do this simple but extremely effective move, you will be left with forward momentum and a higher hip position. You will feel lighter in the water. Try this first while wearing flippers. When kicking your feet and ankles, you should be relaxed and you should be kicking like you have socks hanging half off of your feet and you want to kick them off. When you learn the underarm stretch forward movement and the focal point of kicking socks off your feet, these movements will imprint themselves on your system and will begin to show up in your swim. As you get better at your kicking, your legs will become stronger and wont take alot of energy out of your system when you race.

At Swim Faster Now, we work with triathletes and swimmers from the beginner level to international level. Whether you are just getting started, or are becoming a seasoned competitor, we can help you gain that competitive advantage you have been looking for. We offer monthly clinics and private one on one classes.

Our next clinic is on January 23 from 9am to 12pm. At this clinic we will be addressing the six steps to faster and smoother front crawl. Over the course of the clinic, you will learn proper balance, body position and the timing of proper arm movements for front crawl.

Our next clinic after this will take place on March 6th from 9am - 12pm. The pool is located at our facility in Oakville. Please call 1-888-380-7946 to enroll for our clinic or private classes. Space in the clinics is limited to a maximum of 10 participants.

Remember…Make the changes today that will make you better tomorrow!!

If you have a question about your swimming, send me an email thru our website at www.swimfasternow.com

Bike Fit Seminar from MultiSport Zone - January 22nd

MultiSport Zone is planning a bike fit seminar @ Laurier University on Saturday January 22, 2011.

Learn how we use the Slowtwitch FIST method and the Exit Cycle System to get you in the most powerful, comfortable and aero position on your triathlon or road bike.
We will also demonstrate the use of Retul 3D motion software for both road and triathlon bike fits.

If you are planning to purchase a new bike in 2011 or looking for a better position on your current bike, don't miss this opportunity to get the right fit for you.

All participants will receive a 20% off coupon for a bike fit back at our centre in London.

A $10 deposit is required to reserve your spot, but you will receive a gift certificate for same in store.

Call the store to reserve your spot and secure your bike fit discount.... 519-685-6600.

Please Support our 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

We extend our thanks to each and every sponsor and the local bike, running and triathlon shops in the communities where you race. 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.

MultiSport Canada Triathlon Series

We are extremely grateful to have the support of our sponsors. Please support all of our sponsors. You can visit their website by clicking on their logo.