Faster and/or Funner

The most common question I’ve heard lately is “Do you have any more races coming up?” I always assume people are asking about triathlon since I’ve been doing running races for so long that they only register in my mind as training days. But lately I’ve been excited to reply “I’m doing a bike race”. After a handful of cyclocross races over the last two years and listening to Rick regale me with stories of bike racing, I decided coming into this season that following my early Ironman I’d venture into a couple of road races. But my result at IML didn’t impress. Hold on road racing, I’ve got one more big triathlon to train for. OK, impressed. And then the body started to feel fatigued. So I cut back on training for a couple of weeks hoping I’d be fresh for the return of team J-Force at Sylvan Lake with my girl Ms. Reid. After going solo last year, I teamed up again for this year’s race. I managed to set PBs on the swim and run, while Erin hammered the bike leg, giving us a podium spot with 2^nd team overall. Outcome? What was a disappointing start to the season with Alcatraz and Lanzarote (in regards to my performance, definitely NOT in regards to the races themselves, both of which I highly recommend) ended on a positive note with GWN and Sylvan. 

Okay, NOW cue the bike racing. I competed in the Tour de Bowness road race on Saturday. Well actually competed may be a strong word. But I did finish. After making a rookie mistake right off the start, I was stuck at the back of the group early on and soon learned that if you lose contact with the peloton, you better find some buddies real quick. Asides from that one mistake, I was pretty happy with my performance on the day. Funny how a similar result in triathlon would have left me disappointed. So will road racing and cyclocross ever reach that point of good enough to be disappointed, or will they continue to be the just-for-fun cousins of triathlon? I hope it’s a bit of both. But until then, I’ll look forward to the Prairie Roubaix road race, a Fall full of cyclocross, and Banff triathlon...this one just for fun.

Redemption song

I woke up 2 days after Ironman Lanzarote, turned to Dezz and said "Okay, next focus: sub-5 at Great White North".

Fast forward 2 weeks and I'm sitting at Talisman Centre telling Grant about that same goal.

Sub-5 or bust.

Life has been lived over the past 6 weeks, but not much of it has been lived without a thought of how my actions would help or hinder GWN. Dezz commented about how my training didn't seem to decrease much after IML (true, but only because my IML training focused more on intensity than volume), I tried a new doctor-prescribed diet to hopefully help reduce any GI issues during the race, I memorized the name of said diet (Fermented Oligo-Di -Mono Saccharides And Polyols), I skipped beer and s'mores when camping in favour of water and multigrain crackers. But as is expected, especially when triathlon is a hobby and not a career, flood happens!  Some days training entailed ripping down drywall instead of ripping up hills. (We were fortunate enough to escape the floods untouched; some friends' weren't so lucky). Other days yardwork was left half done in favour of bikework.   Once again, I'm a very lucky man to be blessed with such a supportive wife. (I had to convince her that a girls trip to see Boyz II Men & NKOTB in Vegas should be more appealing to her than a trip to Stony Plain to watch me do yet another triathlon).

So come this weekend I was feeling ready. I had fought through a few days where the legs were feeling fatigued and just wanted to go home (I guess training since November can do that to a body), but I knew Grant had put me in a position to throw down that elusive sub-5.

Race prep, blah, blah, race package, blah blah, nutrition blah, blah, Go!  I started very close to the front of the swim and managed to draft for about 1500/1800m of the swim. I was very happy to exit on 35 minutes (goal was 40min), along with club mates Jonesy, Gus and Slawinski. (In hindsight, I should have beat Jones since I actually saw him stop about 200m into the swim to check his watch).  The swim felt quick and very relaxed. Onto the bike and heading out onto the new bike course, I was excited to see what the day would bring. The course profile looked like it was completely flat. Although there was nothing I'd call an actual hill, there was enough climbing and wind to make the bike a bit harder than anticipated. I caught up with Jones and Slawinski, but couldn't reel in Gus or Faizel. The nice thing about the 2-lap course is it was easy to keep track of everyone.  On the day I didn't have the pop in my legs I'd hoped for, and had to hammer home to turn in a 2h37min 90km bike (a conservative 34km/h).

Out onto the run and although the tummy was feeling a bit of discomfort, I quickly found my leg speed. It's the first time I've used my Garmin on race day in a couple years and my pace fluctuated more than I'd have liked, but there were only about 10 minutes out there where it was a struggle (about the 10-12km mark) to move my legs. Otherwise I focused on technique and kept that sub-5 hour goal in site. Again it was great to see so many familiar faces out on course. And another reason I love triathlon - pros cheering on the age groupers. Kyle, Grant and Elmar were all coaxing me along as I passed in the opposite direction while they were still racing. Reaching the last KM of the race, I spotted Emma up ahead. Emma is a very strong triathlete in her early 20s who has much more potential than any of us age group guys ever had. But, we're typical guys with an ego, so the talk over the last week was that we couldn't get chicked by Emma, knowing that was a very real potential. One final push and a "let's finish strong Emma" propelled the two of us past a few other racers on the way to the finish line. Rounding the finishing chute to shouts of "Let's go Stringer", I crossed the line in 4:54:19. Goal: achieved.

Props to a great day of racing and new PBs by my teammates and coach, and cheering/cowbelling from Hillary and Jenn. And if you're ever looking for a good local race, check out the 2014 edition of Great White North. Just don't bother with the awards dinner unless you want some free food and have lots (and lots) of time to spare, or you are actually fast enough to win some money.

So what's next?  I'll let you know when I figure that out.

Ironman Lanzarote - A race report of sorts

If only I'd run as fast as the last ten days have gone by.

A little later than anticipated, but here's how life unfolded in Lanzarote May 12-20, 2013. Dezz and I arrived on Lanzarote May 12 about 9pm, picked up the Volvo V60, and slid the bike bag into the back before heading to our fave wee Finca Molina just outside of Teguise (if you ever visit Lanzarote, I'd definitely recommend Jose Carlos' place for a quiet retreat). We promptly started the process of making up for 4 months of sleep deprivation.

The next few days were an opportunity to relax, get the bike assembled, eat, sleep, spin out the legs, eat, sleep, run out the legs, eat,  sleep, swim out the arms, eat, sleep, pick up my parents, eat, sleep,  scout the race course, eat, sleep. Repeat (well, except for picking up my parents, we only did that once). The water was amazing and for the first time in my life I was actually looking forward to seeing how well I could do on the swim. On Thursday I went to the English-speaking athlete's meeting (I could have also selected Spanish, German or French), picked up my race package, did some shopping at one of the best race expos I've attended (Dezz, being Dezz, managed to by a pair of shoes), and started to prep for race day. Friday was a chill day. Just a little visit to the beach and quick dip to visualize how my swim would go, dropped off the Flying Scotsman for the night, promised I'd be back in the morning, and headed home to rest the legs. I also had a brief chat with coach Grant as he waited for a flight to Florida for his race (oh, the life of a triathlete); I hung up the phone realizing how mentally ready for the race I was. BBQ chicken, yams, grilled corn, broccoli and bed by about 9pm rounded out the day.

Sliding out of bed and into the Team JForce shorts at 3:15am, I slipped on the headphones, made brekky, and started to get my mind ready for the race. By 4:30 the whole house was up getting ready to the race start. My disdain of early mornings is genetic, so to see my mum up at 4:30am for anything, never mind watching 1900 crazy people jump into the ocean at the same time was a wonder in itself. Driving in the dark on the quiet, winding roads with DJ Dezz bumping Kanye, Buju, et al, the butterflies stopped fluttering and started to do the Cabbage Patch. Arriving at transition by 6am, the butterflies went back to sleep as there was final prep to be done. Pump up the tires, wait in line for the baño as the rain poured down, tug on the wetsuit and swim cap, and head to the beach. Lanzarote was a race that Jay dreamed of doing one day. So standing there in my Team JForce shorts, I thought back to where this whole journey started and hoped I could do the man and the team proud.

I seeded myself about mid-pack and as the race started I sauntered (running would only raise the heart rate and would require a fair amount of slalom) towards the ocean, starting my swim 1min 3 secs after the gun went off. I tried to find my rhythm early on, heard clearly in my head "Let's go Dave, you've been here before" and despite utter chaos for the first 750m, I fell into a comfort zone fairly early in the swim. We've been working on accelerations in the pool lately and I was happy to find out they actually work, either to close the gap and catch a draft, or too open up a gap when someone is constantly trying to hold hands with you on the swim.  I exited lap one at 39min with a smile on my face and the start of some chafing on my right side. Lap two was no less chaotic at the start, but after having my goggles knocked off a couple of times and swimming directly into the sun, I made the final turn and swam directly towards the end of the rainbow (literally). Fatigue started to creep in over the last 600m and I wasn't surprised to find I'd lost some time. Overall I shaved off 15mins from my IMC time and beat by goal by 5 minutes, emerging in 1h25. Good start.

My transitions took nearly as long as my swim. This wasn't due (completely) to my ineptitude in transitioning as much as it was an artefact of the transition zones themselves. After finally jumping onto the bike on a rain-slicked road, I started putting some distance between myself and Puerto del Carmen. Unfortunately the wind had other ideas. The bike course is stunning and very challenging on a good day. The drizzle only lasted about an hour, but the wind lasted for the entirety of the bike leg. I knew going in that my goal of a 6 hour bike would be a challenge, but as the kilometres ticked away I became more and more aware of how truly huge that ask was. Saying we had a head or crosswind for the entire bike leg would be a fallacy, but it definitely felt like 140 of the 180km were completed without a friendly breeze at my back. I was mentally strong, never once thinking "I don't want to be here", but the legs just didn't have it on the day and a bit of stomach cramping prevented me from being in aero as much as I would have liked. Nutrition and hydration felt pretty solid. After hammering a fun, flowing decent back into town, I was off the bike in 6h37. Ouch. (Looking back on the results and talking to a few other athletes, it wasn't a completely off day for me on the bike, it was more just the nature of the course and conditions).  Hands down the toughest cycling I've ever done. Dezz caught a telling photo of me on the bike, passing by oblivious to the cheers, staring at the ground. But it was also probably one of the most rewarding days on the bike too.

T2 wasn't much faster, but I was anxious to get out on the run. This time slipping out of my bike shorts and into the new Talisman tri shorts, my first 6km had me on pace for a 3:40 marathon. And then things fell apart. Feelings of nausea kicked in and the tummy decided it was done with all that jostling around. I felt my pace slow, pick up a little bit, and slow again. The 3 loop course gave me lots of opportunities to see Dezz and my parents cheering, and I also walked a few hundred metres chatting with Dezz.  The legs felt strong and when I did kick I could still get some good speed (usually when some little Spanish kids were shouting Venga Davi! Vamos Davi! Rapido, Rapido! but it was followed by more nausea kicking in. Having the legs ready to go but not being able to do much with them definitely started to get into my head. By the end of the run, the odd orange and many ice cubes got me through. A shot of red bull and water with 5km to go gave me that final boost as I dug deep to avoid a 5 hour marathon. 4:59:44. Phew!

My overall time was a very disappointing 13:28. It's funny the thoughts you have when the body is fatigued. After months of training, I felt I'd let down Dezz after all her support, coach Grant after getting me to the start line with great potential to lay down a solid race, and Rick because I know my training partner wants to see me succeed almost as much as I want it myself. I sat on the curb, literally dozed off for about 30 seconds, woke up, looked down at the fuchsia pink wrist band I was wearing, and suddenly everything fell into perspective. Sure there would still be disappointment, but thoughts of Swe-Yen put the race back into perspective. I just completed one of the toughest Ironman courses in the world under gruelling conditions, had my wife and parents there waiting to congratulate me (my folks probably learned more about triathlon in a single day than they have over the last 7 years), and whether I did an 11h50 or a 13h28 wasn't going to change any of that. In 2009 and 2011 I barely had an appetite following the race. I certainly didn't suffer from that symptom in 2013. Bring on the food!

Dezz and my dad hired bikes (thanks to ProBike Lanzarote who actually opened their doors on their day off to get them kitted up - amazing service) and we got out for an easy 40km spin the next day. Dinner that night was very enjoyable, as was a well-deserved glass of wine (or was it two?). On Monday we headed to Gran Canaria and spent an all-too-short 6 days with my sis, Alberto and our nephews. A great way to end the trip, and at 1 and 3 1/2 years old, they really don't care how fast Tio David can run unless it's how quickly I can go get that soccer ball.

Muchas Gracias Lanzarote. Hasta Pronto.

Love what you do

Ironman Lanzarote is trying to sneak up on me, and as it nears my training intensity is ramping up. I've gotten my first 2 real outdoor rides in this week, done a whole lot of running, and put in some quality time in the pool. And with the intensity has come some tired legs, fatigued lungs, and a few mental stumbling blocks. But this week I'm soaking in that pain and thriving on it. This week I'm actually relishing in my ability to keep pushing. Because I can.

Now I'd be lying if I said my mind has been focused 100% on my workouts this week. Especially those solo sessions. That's the beauty of training on your own; it gives you time to reflect. It's become a bit cliche to say someone is one of the nicest people you'll meet. And I try to avoid cliches.  But those hours of swimming/running/biking on my own this week have given me time to pay tribute to honestly one of the most genuinely beautiful souls I have ever met. I only met Sweyen Lam a couple of times and chatted on the phone a few times, but those brief encounters (and plenty of stories from my wife) were enough to make a strong impression on me. So it was with great sadness that I was awoken by a phone call from Dezz early Monday morning to tell me Sweyen was gone; taken from us unexpectedly and way too soon. 

I've never been one to believe things happen for a reason. The universe didn't dictate it. Some god didn't have greater plans. Bad shit just happens to some amazing people. All we can do is keep their memory alive and strive to enjoy life. Love what you do. It's hard to push away the grief long enough to see how any good can come of this situation right now. But in time I truly believe that greatness will rise out of people's desires to honour Sweyen's memory. The last time I saw that happen, I ended up doing a little triathlon in Jason Lapierre's memory. 6 years later I watched my good friend (and one of Sweyen's best friends) cross the finish line at Ironman Canada with a huge smile on her face. I believe Jay's spirit had a little something to do with that. And in time, we'll reflect back during some training ride or hike in the woods or dance off at a house party, and realize that although we'll only see Sweyen's smile in pictures, the memory of her amazing spirit will have lifted us to a place we never thought possible. Rest in Peace Sweyen.

I escaped...barely

Escape from Alcatraz is one of those bucket-list triathlons that I always heard so much about. But it wasn't until I was in San Fran coincidentally the same weekend as the race  last year that I even considered the race. After chatting with coach Jon (5th overall) and my clubmate Ari, it sounded like this race was definitely worth some consideration. And when they moved the race from June to March this year, perfect for IM Lanzarote training, I took that as a sign.

So after getting a lottery spot for this race, Grant has been incorporating training for Alcatraz into my IML training. Training was going well, but over the past couple of weeks life has been chaos...home renos in the new house and getting the condo ready for rental.  The move is complete now, but at the expense of sleep and training.  A less than ideal way to prep for a race.

We pulled an all nighter to finish the move, missed our 7:30am flight but caught a later flight and arrived about 3pm on Friday.  Perfect plan...Liadhan and Eamon had already done the grocery shopping. Good dinner, solid 12 hour sleep, ride down to package pickup, recon the course, salad for lunch, fish for dinner, prep and a 5 hour sleep before our 3:30am wake up.  After a light breakfast, Eamon and I rode down to T1 to drop off our gear and grab the shuttle bus to the ferry. Fast forward 2 hours and we were plunging off the edge of the boat into 10c water.

The swim was intense. Very choppy water and cold conditions were enough to throw off my first 7 or 8 minutes to the point where I was swimming with my head above water.  I eventually found my rhythm and tried to focus on technique while getting smacked in the face by brackish water. 56 minutes after jumping off the boat I was walking onto the beach...4 minutes past the exit.  The next delay came in trying to find my swim-exit bag.  I'm not sure where it ended up, so I made the 800m run to T1 barefoot.

T1 was very slow...putting on socks and arm warmers with cold fingers and reduced dexterity make the simplest things look ridiculously difficult. I spent the first few minutes on the bike spinning at high cadence trying to get my legs going again. And as soon as we hit the first hill it ws on. I tried to attack every uphill and downhill (and flat) and managed to make up a lot of the places I'd lost in the bike.  Unfortunately the effects of the swim along with the headwind hampered my ride and I finished the 30km ride in a disappointing 1:04. I do continue to be shocked by the complete disregard for safety that some triathletes exhibit on the bike and understand why roadies make fun of triathlete bike handling skills. Seriously people, wake the eff up and pay attention to your surroundings for everyone's safety! Please.

I realized after a sluggish ride my goal time was out the window. I had a decent transition and headed out for a slow first km on the run.  All that brackish water sloshing around in my belly was not making for a very comfortable run. A quick pit stop and I was able to pick up my pace...only to be slowed at the first set of stairs. I literally had to walk up the stairs as this part was 2-way traffic and I hit a traffic jam. I've never done a race where my run pace was so dictated by others on the course.  No excuses though; I just have to get out the swim faster! The run course itself is gorgeous - pavement, dirt trails, stairs, beach, sand ladder, uphill, downhill. Following a sandy run along the beach, I hit the sand ladder - about 250 steps covered by sand. This was the highlight of my race with a 16th overall in my age group (yes they provide a sand ladder split).  Even after a fairly fast ascent I had the energy to maintain a good pace. Once I hit the downhill I picked up the pace and pushed it home.

I crossed the line in 3:27.  A much slower day than I had aimed for. Definitely some negatives on the day, but also a few positives to take away.  Like making it through the swim and having the mental and physical strength for a strong finish on the run. Overall it was a great race.  Eamon and I have spent the last couple of days discussing if we'd throw our names in the lottery agin...I'm still undecided. Today's winery tour wasn't such a tough decision.  Congrats to Eamon (we had a bit of a rivalry leading up to the race, perpetuated more by our TCTC club mates) who kicked my butt in the race.  And great job to Jorge and Katie from the club too.

Blogging about blogs. Oh, and training.

I recently read a tweet from Paula Findlay asking if blogging was still a thing.  And she wrote an accompanying blog just in case. Given that there were 6 comments on said blog, I can only assume that the answer to the question is yes, blogging is indeed still a thing. Well at least if you have fans. I’ve decided to finally write another entry regardless.

Lately when we go out with friends, I’m asked about how much I train, what races I’m doing this year, what I eat when training,etc. I’m not sure if it’s because people actually care, or they think I just have nothing else to talk about. It must be the first one. I’ll happily talk about travel (I’m racing in San Fran and Lanzarote this Spring), fashion (those new TCTC kits are gonna look sick) or music (Kanye’s Monster still gets me amped for races).  See. At any rate, this blog entry is dedicated to you.

With two early season races this year, my training schedule has looked a little different than previous years. I’m usually in the early stages of building my base back up at this time of year. But with Escape from Alcatraz coming up in 4 ½ weeks and IMLanzarote a mere 3 ½ months away, weeknight beers have been banished and the goggle straps are wearing thin. It is tough to keep motivated throughout the winter, but several people have been there to keep me going 6 days a week, especially my coach who has finally built some rigour around my training, and Dezz who all but kicks me out the door to make sure I get my training in despite just starting renos in our new house. And all that training seems to be paying off (well at least on the bike and the run).  

The newest addition to my training regimen is stair repeats in preparation for the dreaded Alcatraz sand ladder. Thanks Jon...no really, thanks. I’ve noticed a positive impact on my leg strength already. The only downside is tight calves. But last night I rocked the CEP socks during (instead of just after) my set, and today the legs feel like they are ready to hammer tonight’s spin (wait, can one “hammer” an E2 ride?).

All in all, I’m pretty stoked to see where the next 4 weeks take me, and then the next 8 or 9 weeks after that. If you already know what happens, don’t tell me. I prefer surprises.