Sweet ass!! Triathlon Nationals are held in Kelowna August 21st, and I have been selected for Team BC. This has been a long term goal of mine ever since I started competing in triathlons and if has finally come true. This summer so far is rocken'

Reflexion Clinic Triathlon
This morning I got up bright and early to race at UBC in Race #6 of Triathlon Provincial Race Series (Sprint distance) Reflexion Clinic Triathlon. Following a week off of training after recovering from a chest cold and ear infection the race went very smoothly.

One thing I had never done before but use to always joke about was puking at the end of a race. Lauralee a co-worker from Surrey and I adopted a slogan "Win or puke" two years ago at race, after seeing a finisher puke up their breakfast from exertion right after finishing the race. We used this puking scale as a test of how hard you were willing to push your body. There is also an other expression we used however it is only reserved for the crazy Ironman competitors who can finish in sub 9 hours get the title of recognition..."Win or Poop." It is nuts the limits people are willing to push their bodies in sport, I sure as hell not going to push myself to the point I loose all control of all my bodily function.

Despite puking at the end of the race, which instantly cured my cramp that plagued me my entire run, I won. Finally my thousands...yes thousands of hours of train have amounted to something. Not a personal best time but a podium finish. I do not race entirely to win however it is a bonus when it happens. I race for the intrinsic rewards of the sport, I love what I am doing.

Canada Day Challenge
This morning was the most fun I have ever had celebrating Canada's birthday! Sure it required exercise and it was early, however it was tons of fun swimming 2kms around Sasamat Lake, in Port Moody, doing the Canada Day Challenge. The race was intended to be 2kms however I still have not mastered the ability to swim straight in a lake. I might have swam an extra two or three hundred metres however my skills are coming together. This might not be your idea of fun however it wasn't mine either until last fall when I started swimming a few times per week. It doesn't matter how fast you go, just have a good time...and finish. Sure some twelve year old girl might practically drown you as she powers past you in a Speedo Fastskin kick your butt, but who cares? So if you are interested in doing the Canada Day Challenge next year here is how you should train for the race. HARD, and with a buddy.

Inspirational Quote of the Week
"We all have the potential to participate in any sport we choose, as long as we have the desire and develop the appropriate skills. Size or body type does not have to be a determining factor. While the average basketball player is not so average in height, we occasionally see outstanding players who are quite regular in size. Just as the typical long-distance runner is very slight, there have been quite successful runners who don’t fit this prototype.

It’s all about spirit and desire. It’s about the power of the underdog. When we set our hearts and minds on something, chances are our bodies will cooperate. We are truly our own best motivators."

Kara Leverte Farley and Sheila M. Curry, authors of Get Motivated!

Click for pictures

I was up in Oliver last weekend for TriBC Provincial Championships and Race #5 in the TriBC Race Series.

Here is a break down of the race
Swim - 750 metres - along the shore of Tucelnuit Lake
Bike - 20 kilometres - challenging out and back course
through the city of Oliver and beyond
Run - 5 kilometres - flat 2.5k out and back loop.

"For me, the hardest part about racing is how it extends to my a social life. I'm friends with a lot of my competitors, in fatherly way. It gets pretty awkward when their wives and girlfriends are always flirting with me."
-Skeletor-

Sasamat Lake Swim 6:30AM
First of all, being able to see is no guarantee you'll stay on course...I learned this early this morning when I zigzagged back and forth probably an extra 200m trying to swim to my target. I met the "women in robes," Traci and Char at the floating bridge, a 200 metre floating walkway with 2 swimming and fishing decks. The initial plunge was a little chilly however as water slowly seeped into my wetsuit I warmed up. We swam from the South end of the lake to White Pine Beach and back. Being early June, the water was already pretty warm, I can imagine how nice it would be in July and August.

The Best Garage Sale Find Ever!

"In the world of garage sales, one person's trash is often another person's treasure."

I found this funky 8'4" retro surfboard off of Dunbar Street in Vancouver, in a pretty up scale neighbourhood for only 20 bucks! Only one place I need to do some fibreglass patching and it is ready to hit the surf. It is in awesome shape. I image it has been sitting in some guy’s basement for the past decade. All I need now are some waves now! Guess it will sit in my basement now until I have some time to head to Vancouver Island.

Triathlon Team X Killer Kelowna Training Camp

In the midst of a flurry of luggage, bikes and backpacks, the main group of Victoria's triathlon Team X left Kelowna, British Columbia on Saturday after wrapping up a 5 day training camp. While some of the athletes returned home and others remained in Kelowna to finish out the week of training, most of the athletes are now are focusing on Race #4 in Triathlon Provincial Race Series, Panorama Classic Triathlon on June 5th in Victoria.

Following on the success of the North Shore Triathlon on May 23rd, the camp started with a full training schedule after one days of active recovery. Head coach of Triathlon Team X Steve Chater set up key workouts; that were not only a physical challenge but a nutritional challenge trying to develop different hydration strategies to balance electrolytes in response to the hot training conditions.

Training highlights included a 2 x 140km cycling workouts; Tuesday riding along Westside road to Vernon and then back along the highway to Kelowna and Thursday in a reverse direction paralleling Highway 97A to Vernon and back on Westside road to Okanogan Lake Resort. Recovery runs were met with less eagerness around the resorts golf course and surrounding areas followed long rides. Okanogan Lake Resort was the site of the great swim sessions in the frigid waters of Lake Okanogan. To conclude the excitement the athlete's were treated with an exhilarating glimpse of my legendary butt swimming at their last open water swim session.

The defining workout for myself was Wednesday's 90km+ ride to Crystal Mountain; 30 km west of Kelowna, with a 10km ascend to the base elevation of 1200m (3936ft).

Thursday night concluded with a relaxing BBQ at the resort. The BBQ was a reflection point of the hard but enjoyable week behind us with an excess of 350km already in the saddle the party was cut short by exhaustion and most the athlete's were heading off to bed before 10pm.

After packing up all of their gear from the resort Friday morning and off to settle in at Charlene's parents house on the opposite side of the lake, the mornings workout started with an hour run in Kelowna's City Park broken up with 2 x 10 minute tempo runs. A procession of cars left City Park in a hurry to proceeded to Westbank were we started our short ride to Peachland elementary school for a triathlon show and tell to practice our public relations skills and to promote the sport and bike safety. The athletes rose to the occasion and delivered an excellent presentation for the school. With temperatures in excess of 30 degrees celsius and rapidly rising humidity, the remainder of the afternoon was spent riding back to Westbank, which I did with a flat tire for six kilometres, sitting in a traffic jam for an hour and skipping out on the remainder of the our afternoon's workout to drink some beer.

Throughout the entire camp, the athletes met each new challenge with a healthy mix of cooperation and enthusiasm. Development and age group athletes benefited from the mentorship of senior elite athletes, and the atmosphere of teamwork served to push everyone to new levels during key workouts.

For many of the athletes, the conclusion of the Kelowna training camp marks the beginning of their back-to-back weekend race schedule spanning till the end of August. I would like to thank Charlene and Team X for inviting me on the training camp and congratulate all athletes on their dedication and strong work ethic during the camp, and wish everyone a successful race season.

Tales from the the camp -Day 2-
Former Canadian National Triathlon Team Member, Master Jeti said it best. "When we approach Fintry I'll be putting a very small bowl in my jersey pocket. It's very simple. When my apprentice starts to dish out the pain, you don't want to be taking a big helping"