Friday, June 29, 2007

Sex Bomb

Tom Jones is an undiscovered talent that i haven't been a part all my years but i'm starting to make up for my lack of Tom Jones in a big way. My new favourite track is....you guessed it.....sex bomb Cause isn't that what lifes all about? Being the best sex bomb you can be.


Back in the pool this week feels good, i can't remember the last time i swam 5k but on tuesday it took forever. Training in general is relaxed this week, with little or no intensity at all. On Sunday this weekend i am running the HBC 10k in victoria. Convinced Marty to run it as well, together its a two member Hyack Air team. Haven't decided whether to run it steady and giver and race the heck out of it.

Monday, June 25, 2007

City of Champions Race Report

Edmonton World Cup

50 men toed the startline on sunday for the last ever Edmonton World Cup. I was ranked right at the back and was lined up on the far left beside A-Mac and Dano Wells. I had a great start and found myself right on Andrew's hip thru 50m. Then i think i let up a little to early into my race pace. I should have hammered it right up to the first bouy, about 300m in. First bouy absolutely insane, as coach said it picture a bunch of frogs in pond crawling all over each other and that was us. Battled thru that and from then on it wasn't too bad. Exited the swim at the back of a pack of around a dozen. Mistake #2 was exiting at the back of the pack, not the front. Being at the back of the pack made for an incredibly hard first 1km on the bike. In that km was the hill where i got popped and the race basically ended for me there. My body was on fire and i felt like i was on some hardcore drugs or something, dizzy, shaking...but i hung in... I ended up riding the bike with one other athlete who thank god also got popped. We shared the work but found ourselves losing minutes left right and centre. Two guys vs. 15 = K.O.

The run was not too bad considering the effort done on the bike. I tried to get some air time on cbc when the leader blew by me..cross the fingers for that. I finished the race 3rd last but really feeling that i learned some valuable things and will be able to spot them out before they happen next time:

#1) Go hard on the swim until the acceleration out of the first bouy
#2) Coming to shore to exit try to surge to the front of the group
#3) Need to work on climbing skills and first few km on the bike
#4) Run as if it were your last race

I can't see myself doing another world cup until my swim improves another notch to be able to make the second group. A swim focus in the fall is what coach has in order i think. Continental Cups is where i belong really and i've got a few a those lined up and looking forward to the next couple of months.

Thanks for everyones support and for my dad who drove all the way out to Edmonton to see the race and the fun ass kicking.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Sunday........

All the training i've done up till now is going to be tested this Sunday. It's the equivalent to being called up from the farm team to dance in the big show...my first World Cup!

Once chance to prove something, one chance to see what i've got...

Tune in to www.triathlon.org and click on live event coverage to see me race the Edmonton World Cup sunday at 2:45pst.

I'll need all of you cheering me on...trust me.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Durance Dash

I seem to be saying this a lot but today was my new favourite workout. Thursday and Friday a part from training Steve and I were given the task of building two Transition racks for this workout and future ones. The racks turned out pretty good and the workout was killer.

Started off with a perimeter loop of the lake (about 800m). Then a couple of fast 50's and we were into the main set of 2x600m, 2x300m race pace. On the last 300m we exited the lake and did a T1 onto our bikes (hung nicely from the crafty racks). We then cycled about 2km which included a steep hill similar to the one on the course at edmonton. Andrew McCartney got away off the front and took the win with AP and I about 10s back. We then did a second one sans wetsuit. COld water made for a short 100m swim and then the same bike. Same result, A-Mac took it easily this time.

This workout was sooo fun and I hope we do some more this summer!

Just before dinner i did a 40' run oyo on my favourite loop to run in victoria, cedar hill golf course. It is about a 15' loop on cedar mulch chips. It feels like your running on a couple inches of foam, so springy. The loop, done CW also has a few short lung busters which keep you puffing. I did 20' WU, 12' tempo, 8' WD and a stretch.

Tomorrow is a longer base ride with a short run to follow. Should be a big group with all the athletes here right now from different countries before heading to edmonton.

The Des Moines ITU WC is tomorrow with the biggest cash purse ever in triathlon. $700,000 and a hummer H3 to the winner!

Good Looking Podium


Wasa Lake Top 3 ( L to R Krochak,Russell,Jensen)

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

UBC Camp

After Wasa we drove back right after the race to Vancouver back along the crowsnest highway. Lots of wildlife and turns later we arrived at UBC around midnight to meet Patrick.

Monday and Tuesday we trained at UBC with Juniour Team BC. Was nice to swim in the outdoor pool there and hit up some of the training routes i used while i was at school.

Monday

5km regeneration Swim, easy aerobic efforts
2hr Ride with some Steady state efforts (medium hard right!) thrown in.

Tuesday (My 25th Birthday)

4.5km Swim with some speed work (20x50 Easy/Hard) Paired up with Sharpie We swam neck and neck the whole set. We were able pull out a 29.8 on #8 as well.

90' Ride with 5 times up the spanish Banks hill.

B-lined it to the ferry and gorged out at the buffett. Between the 8 of us we dominated every aspect of that buffett.


Wednesday

Today i showed up at the OW swim at thetis without my wetsuit. Well i swam, but it was frigidly cold. I basically didn't stop swimming the entire time cause if i stopped i would freeze. I didn't realize how cold i was until i got out and downed a thermos of tea and jump in the car to crank the heat! Looking back it was a blurry swim and for some reason i remember doing a cool down. Why the hell would i need to do that!

A 90' ride followed and this helped. I threw on 5 layers and within half an hour i was warm and sweating.

This afternoon it was run time. Speedwork on lochside. 8x1km these felt good for just doing a race this weekend. I was holding 3:04-3:08's. 3x 200m and a cool down the day is done.

Big weekend ahead of training, i will keep you posted.

Wasa Lake Triathlon Report

I raced for the third year in a row, the wasa lake triathlon out in Cranbrook this past weekend. This race is probably my favourite BC tri series race. It isn't the course that i like so much as the atmosphere and vibe the whole event has. The community really gets involved and they put on a great show.

This year I was gunning for the win, but knew it would be a competitive and hard race. Steve and I drove up on friday and arrived into Kimberely late to stay with a very good buddy of mine, Mr. Smurph, at his pad in the wilderness. Smurph and his family put us up to the nines and i'd like to give a big blog thank you to them all.

Saturday we checked out the swim loop and did a short bike and run with a few accelerations just to keep the blood moving. Steve had to have his campy cassette switched over to his race wheels which we almost ended up going to a bike mechanics dad house to have fixed but figured that we'd get it down just before package pick up.

Sunday was race day and it wasn't raining so things looked good. My swim went very well. I broke off the front after the first bouy and swam solo for the remainder coming out in just over 18'. Out onto the bike the legs felt strong and i got in the aero bars and gaver. Out and back bike, so when i made the turn around i realized why i felt so good on the way out. There was a good headwind behind me pushing my bony butt along. On the return leg, it was grind it out against the headwind. It fatigued me a bit and some of the stronger riders in the race caught me. Coming into T2 I was in 3rd spot and knew the run ahead of me would be hunting season. I pinned the first k and actually caught both of the guys (Paul krochak and Adam Jensen) ahead of me. The remainder of the race i ran for my life like a crazy chicken legged freak. I held on for the win and was so pumped when i crossed that line. My time set a new course record to boot which was a nice surprise.

My parents also made it out to watch the race which was great!

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Trot and a Swim

After a tough friday i was feeling pretty good this morning and recovered. We met at 8 at thetis for a 75' run in and around the lakes. Julien led the way thru some single track stuff which passes the time quickly on a base run.

Quick bite to eat and then we plunged into the lake for a ow swim workout. One small loop (700-800m) warmup, 2x75m starts and then 1x150m start Hard! Then it was a TT effort around the big island. This one went in the books as 16:04 for me with some navigational errors to boot. Very happy with the effort and found a good rhythm coming back. The big loop is somewhere around 1350m or so.

THat is it for today. Time to enjoy and the sun.

NST pictures

Couple of photos from the north shore triahtlon this year.



On the 5km run



Scotty and I laying down the bike

Friday, June 01, 2007

another day in paradise

Weather has been great this week...today was another tough day. I think this week in general has been hard and i am tired.

5km swim this morning with a main set of:

500m Even Split
10x50m (25! 25E)
500m Harder (even split)
5x100 on 1:25
500m Hard Effort

the 500m times were 6:30, 6:22, 6:11. Feels good in the water. Recently coach and Neil have been working on my catch. Catch earlier and a higher elbow to initiate it.

After the swim it was a 20min sauna and then onto the bike workout. 3hrs total with 4x15' motorpacing with Steve Lund (New cycling coach). He set his bike on 50km/hr and we hung on for dear life. Wow, tough! Definitley hard when rotating thru and catching back onto the back of the paceline.

A short fartlek run just before dinner #1 of 20min WU, drills, 6x90' with 1'' easy between, 10' CD.

Now for dinner #2 and meeting up with some old friends.