Mt. Trembalnt 70.3

Mt. Tremblant 70.3 was the last of my three race month. I really enjoy this event. Mt. Tremblant was my first podium in a 70.3 race and the race that showed me that I could thrive at the 70.3 distance. My pre race week was a little different going into this race, with TV interviews and sponsorship appearances. I think it is very important to give back to my fans as much I can, it makes Triathlon more exciting for every one.

The build up to the race was phenomenal about 5min from the start an F-16 did a fly by over the start. Setting the stage for the race!

The swim was fast with a few new swimmers in the mix. I was able to make my way out of the craziness of the start and moved into the lead of the chase group. The lead group slowly got a gap of about 90 seconds by the end of the swim but I was pleased with keeping it at that with some very strong swimmers like  John Rasmussen, Jarrod Shoemaker and Antoine Jolicoeur Desroches leading the charge. I exited the water with Trevor Wurtele, Chris Leiferman and Cody Beals on my feet. I was ready to give it all on the bike.

As the bike started it was clear that Trevor Wurtele, Cody Beals, Chris Leiferman and myself were going to be the main chase group. The race was playing out as I started to chew into the top swimmers lead. Lionel went by us at about 20km and  I rolled the disc, trying to go with him. I found that his pace was to hot for me and I had to let him go. I led the group as an official gave us splits to the other athletes up the road. We where brining them back slowly. At the 50km mark Trevor Wurtele made a move and I just could not react. For the next 20km I work very hard to bridge the little gap that had formed between the group and myself. I was able to reconnect at 70km but I was spent. I dropped back into my own pace to prepare for a solid run. I got off the bike in 7^th place.

I worked my way through the run. I caught TJ Tollaksonn in the first 5km. I split the run up into 7km sections breaking the run in to thirds. I new that the run was going to be a war of hydration in the heat and I paced myself for it. By the 11km I had moved into 5^th position. I dug deep to hold of 6^th place while I tried to reach 4^th. I was able to stay in 5^th from the rest for the race and I am pleased with this result.

I will be taking a lot away from this race and applying it to my future events. Next up will be Ironman 70.3 Racine on July 17.

Thank you too:

C3

Kinetico

Royal Containers  

Alto Wheels

Compressport

Polar

Benson Steel

Rip Laces

Saucony

Blueseventy 

Smith Optics

Saxx

Vorgee

Caledon Hills Cycle

Victory in Victoria!

Victoria was the second race of my three-race series in June. After a disappointing flat in Raleigh one week before, I was very fired up to get back out there and prove myself.

I hopped a flight straight from Raleigh and arrived in Victoria one week before the race. This was the first time I had tried racing on back-to-back weekends. It seemed to work well, thanks to a very helpful homestay.

In the week leading up to the race, I was able to learn a new skill. I learned how to drive a standard vehicle. It made for a very interesting week. But as I have learned over the year, part of being a professional triathlete is being able to go with the flow and get the job done no matter what happens. I was invited to sit on the pro panel and to be part of the kids’ run again with my good friends Trevor and Heather Wurtele.

On race day, I was ready to go, acclimatized to the time zone and area. The race was insanely early even for Ironman: a 6:00 am start. But luckily the time zone change was in my favour. After a 3 am wake-up and my morning routine, I was race ready. It looked like it was going to be a cool day, starting at 10°C and getting up to 14°C. I chose to put a plastic bag under my race suit to stay warm on the bike.  The swim had been shorted to about 1500m. The swim went of as usual. I chose to start on the right side is the sallower water and jockeyed for position early on. By about 400m the race had strung out with a group of two-three people up a head and myself in a small three man group following. I exited the water about 1min down from the leader and was ready for some redemption on the bike after last weeks flat tire.

As I was taking my bike off the rack Trevor Wurtele arrived at his bike. I knew I had about 10 seconds on my main competition of the day. At the start of the bike there was a little jockeying as we settled into our own race paces. I quickly moved myself in the lead of the race by 10km. I then started to settle into a grove preparing myself for when Trevor would arrive. By 20km Trevor arrived as he went by I new that I had to stay with him if I wanted any chance of winning. For the next 40km not much changed. Trevor led and tried a few surges but he could not get away. I stayed in second responding to Trevor’s moves and Nathan Killam sat in third.

 At 60km I chose to take control of the race and put in my own attack. Trevor could not respond and gap started to form. The hunter soon became the hunted! At 70km I put in another big pushed up the largest hill on the course about 2km. I entered into T2 with in first place. I had never had this happen--it was very interesting to be following the lead car. 

 

As I dismounted my bike, I slipped on my shoe and hit the deck. Luckily I was only going 10-5kph so I was able to bounce back quickly and continue the race unharmed. (The bike is fine too.)

I headed out onto the two loop run around the lake on the gravel trails with a 90 sec on second place. I pushed the first loop and as I ran through the woods all I could think was Trevor is out there don’t you dare slow down. By the half way mark I had extended my lead to 2min but then Trevor start to chew into that nice lead of mine. At the 19km I got a glimpse of how close Trevor really was at a short out and back section and that really did scare me. All I could think is you have come this far don’t you dare let it go, fight for it. In those last 2km I really had to dig deep. In the end that is really what makes a win worth it, having a serious competitor that pushes you to new levels and Trevor did that. I crossed the line in 1^st place. It was such an amazing feeling with the crowds there watching.

I am heading back to Caledon the for the next two weeks to prepare for Mt. Tremblant 70.3.

Thank you too:

C3

Kinetico

Royal Containers  

Alto Wheels

Compressport

Polar

Saucony

Smith Optics

Saxx

Caledon Hills Cycle

Up set at Raleigh

After a rough race in St. George Utah I had a month to get in a really good block of training. I was based in Caledon for that month and it was the perfect time with some very nice weather.

I was feeling ready for a big block of racing with Raleigh 70.3 on June 5, Victoria 703 on June 12 then Mt. Tremblant on June 26. I have never tried to race three times in a month and I am very excited to push myself to the limits.

First up was Raleigh 70.3, it was hot and humid in Raleigh North Carolina. Raleigh was amazing with a lot of green, it really reminded me of Caledon. I was able to check out the course before hand. The bike looked amazing with rolling hills and smooth pavement.

In the days leading up I had the privilege to lead the kids run and sit on the pro panel. It was a great experience and the kids had such a good time.

The morning of the race was perfect warm and looking like to would be cloudy. In the race I had a very strong swim. I was able to get out to the front and hold on to the lead group for a very long time until it finally strung out. I exited the water in 5^th place only 1min down from the leaders. I was having a very good day and by the mile 5 on the bike I had moved into 3^rd place with the top two in my sites. I was preparing to over take 2^nd place and on my way to the front of the race when I got a flat tire at mile 6. I quickly started to change my flat but when I went to fill up my tire with CO2 it did not fill properly and I was not able to fix the flat. Sadly that was the end of my day.

I know I have the fitness and I will be racing again this coming weekend in Ironman 70.3 Victoria looking for some redemption. I will be learning as much as I can from this race and bring it into the next one.

I will be back to Raleigh next year for sure.

Huge thank you to my home stay Stephen and all my sponsors.

C3

Kinetico

Royal Containers  

Alto Wheels

Compressport

Polar

Saucony

Smith Optics

Saxx

Caledon Hills Cycle