A trip half way around the world

On Sept 4 I competed at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Mooloolaba, Australia. It was the first time I have traveled this far. This in itself was a learning experience. I landed 9 days before the race and set up at Michelle Bremer's house about 20min away from the race site. I cannot thank C3, Alto, Regenurex and my homestay Michelle Bremer enough for making this trip possible. Arriving this early allowed me to get used to the time change and the climate in preparation for the race. There are a few tricks to getting use to time zone change, which I will talk about more in another post but the most important thing is to get onto the local time right away when you land.

The racecourse had an ocean swim, with the first half of the bike course on flat highway roads going into some very steep hills on the back half. The run was fast with two larger hills every loop. I spent a lot of time in the ocean that week feeling out how to swim in it. This was important for the exit since there could have been some rough surf on race day. My early arrival also allowed me to ride most of the bike course. I moved over to a hotel close to the race site about 3 days before the event so I could get to the start line more easily.

On race day I was very excited and ready to go. The morning was calm and the ocean was a glass lake. I did my normal run warm up, after I set up my transition. I find this really calms me down and allows me to think clearly on race morning.

The swim start was very chaotic. After they had announced the top ten there was not very much time for the rest of the field to make it out to the start line. I was not in the position I wanted to be in when the gun went off, but no matter what, when the race starts I am ready to go. I put my head down and just went for it. In about 200m I had reconnected with the group. The sun was in our faces so I relied on following the people around me.

At about 800m I was still in contact with the front main pack. Over the next 200m the group was pulled apart and the leaders pulled away. I stayed with a smaller group trying to minimize the gap. I exited the water about 1min down from the front pack of 24 people. It was my best swim of the season so far.

After a long transition run I was onto the bike and ready to bring back as many people as possible. I quickly overtook the people I had been swimming with. At about 10km into the ride Trevor Wurtele pulled up beside me. We exchanged a few words and continued racing. Keeping the legal 12m back Trevor and I traded turns on the front doing our best to bring people back to us but when we saw the 24 person group go by at the turn around we knew this was an uphill battle. I never gave up putting it all out there, trying to bring myself into striking distance of the leaders. But the world championship is unlike any other race on the circuit and I was not able to catch the lead group. As the ride came to an end I was able to catch a few more people.

I put all I had left in to the run and by the end I was able to work my way in to 28^th place. It was not the result I was looking for but I will be building on this as I go into the end of 2016 and into 2017 season.

Since it was the first time I had been in Australia I chose to spend a little more time there after the race to see the sights. Ashley and I went down to Sydney to check out the iconic monuments and see some koalas. It was really nice to do a little tourism and see where the first Olympic triathlon was held. We were able to do a few boat tours, see the Opera House, get to the zoo, go whale watching and eat some good food.

Even with all the sight seeing I still had to keep up my training since I have the ITU long course world championships on Sept 24. I am back home now ready to rock the rest of the season.

Pictures taken by: Ashley Rayner

Thank you to:

C3

Kinetico

Royal Containers  

Regenurex
Benson Steel   
Caledon Hills Cycling

Gear:

Alto Wheels

Compressport

Polar

Rip Laces

Saucony

Blueseventy 

Smith Optics

Saxx

Vorgee

First Endurance

History of the Mohawk

Appearances are important in all aspects of life, if you are going in for an interview, working at a job or a professional athlete. They are part of your image. People will judge and connect with you based for of your image. As a professional triathlete my image is also my brand.

There are two key pieces to my brand at the moment that I am building. The first that I will give a little story about is my haircut. I have chosen to express image through having a mohawk. I have been racing with a mohawk haircut for 6 years and it is part of my race ritual now. I will not start the season with out having this haircut.

It started in second year university, after going through my high school long hair faze. It was time to move on. I went up to one of my room mates and said cut my hair into a mohawk for the up coming track meet. At that meet I ran a personal best of 8:42 in the 3000m. 

Later that year before 5k Around the bay race I chose to cut of the mohawk. The day before the race I ran into my varsity XC captain. How said, ‘Taylor you cut your hair! Why? That was the source of your power… Welcome to the slowest day of your life.’ Surprisingly I did not have a very good race and from that day forth I chose to never race with out having mohawk.

Through the years of my racing career I have kept the mohawk as part of my image and slowly building it into my brand.

I my next post I will discus the history of the Wolf and how I have built that into part of my image and why I chose it.

Racine Race Recap

Ironman 70.3 Racine was a crazy race.

The day before the race was perfectly sunny weather, but by the time race morning had rolled around that had changed. A massive thunderstorm was on it way. I did not change any of my routine that morning just incase the race did go off as plained. I was up at 4am and at the race site by 5am. I went through my normal set up and started off for a 15min run. When I got back Ironman had decided to delay the race till at least 8:00am (the scheduled start was 7:00am) and they remove the swim portion. I was fine with this and started to rap my head around racing a duathlon, when the first storm hit. It was a few minutes of heavy rain. I hid in a tent with Robbie Wade, another pro. When that storm had passed the race organizers announced that another large storm cell was on its way with lightening and they would announce what was happening at 9:30 with a planned race start time of 10:30.

It was only about 7:50 at this time. With a storm on the way and having eaten breakfast almost 4 hours ago, I chose to go to Starbucks with a few other professionals from the GTA area. We got some coffee and a little to eat. It allowed us to stay warm, dry and get a little food before the next attempted race start.

We got back to the race site around 9:20. It looked like the storm had passed and there was some blue sky. We were told due to the late start of the race the bike would be shortened to 31miles and the run would stay at a half marathon 13.1miles.

We then were told that the pros would have a mass start on the bike. Starting at the base of a steep little hill. Most of the pros were not pleased with this. It would have been a dangerous way to start the race and there would be a large amount of drafting going on. We argued to have a rolling TT start, where someone started every 30seconds. This did change the dynamics of the race but it was the fairest way to do it.

Since I was ranked 8^th in the race I would be the 8^th man off the line and 4 minutes back from Lionel how was ranked 1^st.  The officials did let us out to have a short 10-15min bike warm up. Finally it was go time!

It was a very different feeling starting on the bike. The crowds were there, all eyes on you. I felt a little shaky standing there on the start line watching the clock tick away the seconds, till I started. I just kept thinking stay calm, just clip in properly and do your job out there. 3…2…1…go. I was into my clip smoothly and out of the saddle climbing up the short hill. It was nice to have people to chase up the road. I chose to build a little into the bike since there was a lot of cross winds and rough roads conditions.

In the first 2miles I saw Tim Don walking back with his bike. It looked like he had gotten a puncture and was out of the race. He stayed around for the whole race cheering on the rest of the field, a true sportsman. I stayed focused on avoiding holes and putting down the hammer. Drew Scott passed me about 10miles in he had started 30seconds behind me. I new if I kept him in my sites I could out run him. After playing with the wind and bumps on the road for 20miles I passed Paul Matthews and Luke Bell. I then started to mentally prepare for the run. I made sure my transition was clean and quick.

I went out onto the run knowing that I was in the race but with the TT start I did not know what position. I had to run smart and fast. I opened up quickly getting my legs turning over. I could see Drew Scott up the road and focused on catching him. Tim Don and Andrew Starykowicz where giving out splits. I new Paul Ambrose and Richie Cunningham were 30 seconds up the road but had no idea where the people behind me stood. I passed Paul Ambrose and Richie Cunningham about 6km into the run as Paul Matthews ran past me.

Since Paul Matthews started 30 second ahead of me I had 30seconds on him even though we where running side by side. I guessed I was close to the top three, either in third or fourth position at that point. For the next 10km I sat on Paul making sure he did not get away from me. At the far turn around about 6km from the finish we noticed that James Hadley had been making up time on us and he very well could be beating us. I put in a last ditch effort to try and bring back the ‘virtual’ James Hadley who was now in third place. I gave it all to see if I could bring him back in the final 5km, but in the end he took 3^rd place by 42seconds. I finished in 4^th.

Over all it was a good day. I stayed positive through out all the crazy changes and placed reasonably amongst a strong field.

I am back in Caledon for a month now to prepare for the Ironman 70.3 world championship in Australia on Sept. 4. I will also be racing Timberman on Aug 21 to sharpen up for worlds.

Thank you to:

C3

Kinetico

Royal Containers  

Astavantage
Benson Steel  
Caledon Hills Cycle 

Gear:

Alto Wheels

Compressport

Polar

Rip Laces

Saucony

Blueseventy 

Smith Optics

Saxx

Vorgee

First Endurance

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

A Come Back

Just like any sport Triathlon has a lot of ups and down. You really do not know what will happen in a race. As professionals we prepare as best as we can for all kinds of situations, but at the end of the day a race is a race and anything can happen.

The first race I competed in this year was Oceanside 70.3. I was very anxious to start the season off on a good note. I raced well at Oceanside last year and had spent some time in California preparing for the race. It was a strong field of athletes and I was looking forward to testing myself.

As I prepared my transition area it was nice to catch up with a Trevor Wurtele who was raking his bike next to mine. As much as it is serious business out on the racecourse I am very good friends with some of my competition.

I lined up in a good position and was in contact with the leaders at about the half way mark of the swim. But eventually the group pulled away and I had to fend for my self for the rest of the swim. I entered transition about 1min and 40 second down from the leaders, which was about 20second faster than I had been last year.

The bike was very interesting. I could see the group up the road and tried desperately to work my way up to them. As the race went on the top cyclists like Sebastian Kienle and Lional Sanders went past me. I focused on riding my own pace and having a good run. But sadly as I rounded the last corner in the bike a photographer was on the course and took me out. That was the end of my day with the bike broken and I had lost too much time to continue.

For the next two weeks I had to get everything sorted out for the next race. I did my best to keep a positive attitude. My amazing, bike shop Caledon Hills Cycle had me back on a bike in three days. Once that was in place I just had to make sure my body was recovered and ready to race in New Orleans 70.3.

One week out from New Orleans I started to feel better. I was able to do a few fast run workouts and swim properly. I was ready to make a little come back.

The race at New Orleans was flat and windy they were registering wind up to 37kph on the course. This was going to change the day. In the swim the start was a mess since the gun went off as we were lining up. I put in a hard swim in some very choppy water but came up short off from where I had wanted to, about 2:30 down from the leader and in 9^th place.

I quickly got into a grove on the bike it was an out and back course with a head wind the whole way out. I was able to push a higher power going out and work my way into 4^th position. On the way back home I just put my head down and road with the wind getting up to 60kph on some sections. I did not see TJ Tollakson on the side of the road with a flat tire. So, as I entered into transition I thought I was still in 4^th but in reality I had moved into 3^rd.

I could see Matt Chrabot 2min up the road from me and new he was my target. I had no idea how far away Andrew Starykowicz was so I just focused on catching Chrabot. The run was an out and back as well but this time it was a tail wind going out and head wind as we returned to the finish line. I slowly brought back Chrabot one-step at a time and by the10km I had passed him. Starykowicz was about a mile ahead at the half way mark. 

On the way back to the finish line and into the wind Chrabot clawed his way back to me and sat on my shoulder. I led the rest of the run just steps ahead of him thinking, this is going to come down to a sprint and I need to be prepared for it. We both were slowly gaining on Starykowicz but he had built up such a lead on the bike that he was out of our reach. 

Kilometer after Kilometer went by and Chrabot was still there. As we came into the last Kilometer of the race it was show time, with about 800m to go I put in a massive surge and broke away from him. As I entered into the last few meters of the run Chrabot was nowhere to be seen I had dropped him and put just under a minute between us. 

I am very happy with this result after the tough couple of weeks I was able to get the job done. 

Thank you to the Triathlon Squad, C3, Kinetico, Royal Containers, Caledon Hills Cycling,  Saucony, BlueSeventy, Compressport, SMITH Optic, Vorgee, Polar, Riplaces, TrueStart, my parents and Friends, for making this happen.