This past year has been one of the hardest and most transformative of my life. Between navigating a separation, ongoing personal changes, and some health challenges, there were many times I felt unsteady — unsure which way was forward. Through it all, running became my compass. When life felt overwhelming, the simple act of lacing up and heading out the door helped me find direction again. Running gave me space to process, to breathe, and to remind myself that movement itself is progress. With the support of Coach Cindy, and my partner Derek, it also became something joyful — a shared journey that helped me reconnect with strength and hope. Together we trained for and raced the Hamilton Road to Hope Half Marathon, where I surprised myself by hitting numbers I never thought possible. The challenges haven’t disappeared, but I feel myself coming out the other side — stronger, steadier, and more grounded in who I am. This season has reminded me that running isn’t just about pace or distance — it’s about finding your way home to yourself, one mile at a time. Outside of running, she brings that same resilience and sense of purpose into her work as a chiropractor in Oakville. She practices at YOUR HEALTH, located on the Mississauga–Oakville border, where she focuses on pediatric and family care. Supporting patients through their own challenges — physical, emotional, and otherwise — remains one of the most meaningful parts of her life.

Mark Brandt raced the 70.3 World Championships in Marbella, Spain on Sunday November 9th, 2025. Here is his race report to share: "Making it one Ironman World Championship 70.3 after learning how to swim at 50 would be a dream come true! Making it to 4 would be a dream over and over! I made it to my 4th this year. After paying to race it was announced the course would be 5900 feet of vertical climb. Double the most I’ve ever raced. I got out and did hills. Over and over. I did 4000 feet multiple times. I changed my gearing to have smaller rings up front and bigger in the back. I am not going to lie I was terrified of this bike course. Early on I would slow to 2.4 mph and my Garmin would pause. After working hard I got up to where even on bike hills of 14-21 percent grade I could maintain 6-8 mph! Cindy told me don’t go over 220W power. So with that I arrived wed with a bike bag but short two suitcases. My wife insisted I put airtags in my bag. After returning day two we sent Carlos the bagman with the number of our claim check into a room of hundreds of bags. A lady behind me in line said you can make those tags beep! I did that and we recovered our bags. Sunday am in the way to the race at 6:30 am the bars and night clubs were on our street and in the way to the race I was propositioned by an all night party. Where are you going? To do an Ironman. I’d like to do an Ironman! No kidding. The race was in the Mediterranean Sea. Very salty and it was very windy at 7:50 when the pros took off but by 9:04 when I got in it was much more calm and the sun was coming out. I had new googles as mine broke in two last week and my right goggle filled pretty quickly. Ohh well I thought eye drops are saline solution and so is the sea. I swam with one eye for about 1200 meters. I then flipped on my back, cleared the right side, and restarted. I got hit, bumped, crushed and kicked a lot. I’ve learned to never get upset, touch those in your space and let them know you are there. I did swallow a huge mouthful of sea water and I felt sick to my stomach the rest of the day. My goal for the swim was 37:00 I got out in 39:00. It was a long transition and the wet suit strippers were not fast. The bike racks had numbering on the back side of the rack so I ran by my bike without seeing it at first. I rubber banded my shoes on the bike for a flying mount and after Finland where my chain fell off and I landed in the ground I hit this one perfectly. Off I went. The first 6 miles were flat and fast through the town. Then I got a 12% grade 3 mile climb. To say it got worse would be an understatement. The hills kept coming and got worse and worse. On the downhills I was able to hit 40 mph a lot and 47 two times. The course was crowded and the way it goes younger people leave after you and unless you are a former TDF cyclist. You get swallowed up by fast tall Europeans! To say it’s humbling would be mild. The issue is they see grey hair and they assume they will never see you again. Not true. My decents are fast. I passed many of them. I saw a terrible wipe out on one where the guy had to be going 40! I made it to several downhills and hit crazy speeds. I never looked at the bike computer because at that stage the road is littered with bottles, inner tubes and nutrition and you need to steer around it. I did well to hit 3:30 where on a flat course I’m regularly at 2:35! The run was flat and fast with big cheering and music and I had my great friend from my tri club in Cleveland and various other affiliations yelling to me. I’m humbled, I’m proud, 🥲 I'm spent. Next year I have Muscleman in New York, Jacksonville Full Ironman and Nice 70.3 World Championships - one more time at the 70.3 Worlds for my 5th time on the docket. Here is my lesson to anyone that will listen. Do your workouts. Stick to everything you can. Some weeks I’m all green on Training Peaks, some weeks I travel for work and there is more red. I work really hard to try and get better at everything every day. My bike was 55 minutes slower but I did finish 114th in the world and let me say there are no slow people at worlds. My run was 2:00:00 but I was on that bike hammering hills you don't find in Ohio for 3:30:00. None of that was easy. I cried three times at the finish line and I quit the sport 50 separate times during that race. This sport sucks a lot, but it’s also great a lot and how many sports at 62 years old on your way to compete do you get propositioned? Coach Cindy is a key part of my training and my life. I wish you all good luck and I’m here for any of you any time."

The off-season can feel a little strange for endurance athletes such as triathletes and runners. After months of structuring your life around training sessions, sleeping, eating and data tracking, suddenly things… quiet down. And while rest is necessary, staying motivated during the off-season helps ensure you’re mentally and physically ready to hit the ground ‘running’ (and swimming and cycling) when the next training block begins. Here’s how to keep the fire burning while allowing yourself the necessary time for rest and recovery to avoid burn out: 1. Redefine What “Success” Looks Like Right Now Your goals shift in the off-season, and that’s a good thing. Replace race-day performance targets with goals focussed on things you don’t have as much time to focus on when training volume is high such as: Improving mobility or flexibility Building strength in neglected areas Working on technique (for example, swim form or cycling efficiency) Working on meditation and breathing techniques Low-pressure progress keeps you engaged without overstressing your body. 2. Mix it up, Add New Things Mix up your routine by adding activities you don’t normally have time for: Trail running Gravel or mountain bike riding Cross-country skiing Yoga or Pilates Strength classes 3. Focus on Strength + Stability The off-season (typically fall and winter) is a great time to reinforce foundational strength. A structured strength program can reduce injuries and improve power output when training ramps back up.  In the off-season a strength program for an endurance athlete doesn’t need to differ much from a program for the general population - you are looking for general strength gains, improved stability and core control.  This is the time of year to work on bigger and heavier lifts.  As you progress into your core sport training season you should continue the strength work - it will just look a little different as you get into more and high intensity running, cycling and swimming. 4. Stay Connected to Your Community Although triathlon and running are individual sports, motivation thrives with social accountability. Join a local club or off-season training group Volunteer at races Share goals with training buddies and fellow athletes Join training days or training camps Even during the off-season, the ‘triathlon family’ energy keeps you inspired.  Without them it can suddenly feel lonely and athletes often fall into lower moods during the fall because of it. 5. Embrace Data – but different data! If you love metrics, keep tracking… just adjust the lens: Monitor heart rate and recovery trends Track strength gains instead of mileage Use subjective scales (how did that workout feel  rather than objective scales such as chasing a specific pace or power) 6. Reflect on the previous season Before planning for next year, examine the race season you just finished and look at what went well and what could be improved on: What went well last season? What could you have done better? What would you like to change for next season? Then build excitement by creating new goals and a vision for the next year — choose races that spark excitement, challenge you in new ways, or take you somewhere epic. 7. Rest Without Guilt Rest is necessary this time of year to avoid burnout and set you up for a successful season next year.  However, resting and being okay with resting can be very challenging for a lot of us in endurance sport since we thrive off of being busy and working hard all the time.  However, challenge yourself right now to focus on other things for the next couple of months (while you work on your base fitness with low volume and low intensity work, so you’re not completely stopping, just changing): Sleeping more Improving nutrition Recovering mentally Enjoying time with family and friends Proper rest doesn’t weaken motivation — it restores it. In Conclusion, Motivation in the off-season comes from allowing yourself some balance, taking time to try new things and reconnecting with why you love this crazy three-sport lifestyle. Treat this season as an investment in future success, and by the time it's time to be back 100% into training for your next race you will be re-energized, and eager to dive back in.

Ironman Ottawa will be held for the first time on August 3rd, 2025.  A full Ironman distance consists of a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, and 42.2 km run - any Ironman is not only a physical test but a mental and logistical one too. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned athlete, approaching an Ironman with a strategic mindset can make the difference between finishing strong and falling short. Here are some thoughts to help you prepare for and achieve success at the Ottawa Ironman. Swim (3.8 km) The swim takes place in the Ottawa River, typically calm in late summer but subject to currents. Wetsuits may or may not be allowed, depending on the temperature.  Like any other Ironman event, wetsuits are allowed for age-group athletes up to 76.1 degrees Fahrenheit, they become optional (you can choose to wear one and start the end, but will not be eligible for prizing or qualification) from there up to 83.8 degrees Fahrenheit and are prohibited above 83.8 degrees Fahrenheit.  Based on the reported water temperatures over recent weeks, we recommend you be prepared for a wetsuit optional swim - for most of us, that means swimming without a wetsuit.  As a coach, I find that athletes get so stressed and worried about a non-wetsuit swim - but remember, for most of us the majority of our swimming is done without a wetsuit, so there should be nothing to worry about!  In fact, it means we should be more comfortable - and won’t have to worry about extra compression in the shoulders and chest that can make athletes panic in the water.   Regardless, it is important to practice open-water swimming in similar conditions (both with a wetsuit and without) and train with a group if possible to simulate the crowd dynamics of race day.  Racing open water swim events and/or taking part in shorter triathlons leading up to race day can also help with comfort in the open water.  Practice sighting every few strokes.  Lift your head just so your eyes pop out to see the buoy in front of you.  If you miss it, don’t worry, look for the next time you sight.  Practice sighting without changing the rhythm of your swim stroke and without changing anything else about your body position. Bike (180 km) The bike course is 2.75 loops and is a mix of rolling hills, flat segments, and technical turns, so make sure you’re training on varied terrain.  Wind and heat may be a factor so be prepared mentally for the wind - and make sure you’ve done some heat acclimatization training.  The Ironman bike ride can be long and grueling - and it is important to make sure you’ve done enough cycling leading up to the race to get yourself through it feeling like you still have legs left to run.  Your training plan should include several 5+ hour bike rides.  Make sure you also practice your fueling and hydration plan over and over again during your training days.  Most athletes should practice getting in 70-90 grams of carbohydrates per hour on the bike so they can be fueled for the run.  And depending on the heat of race day and your own personal sweat rate, 750-1L or more of fluid on the bike per hour and 500-1000mg of sodium per hour (this amount will vary by athlete, this is only a range for you to consider).  Never skip your fuelling - you may feel fine on the bike and feel at first that you don’t need it - but it is on your run that this will catch up on you.  Run (42.2 km) The marathon route is fairly flat.  It follows parts of the Rideau Canal and city streets and finishes near the Parliament of Canada.  There is likely to be amazing crowd support along this route, especially through the downtown core.  When you’re not feeling your best and could use a boost, use the crowd's energy to keep you going!  Training for any triathlon should include brick workouts (runs off the bike) and you should have a clear pacing strategy for the run.  It is a long way to go after you’ve already gone a long way in the water and on the bike - don’t arrive at the run without a plan.  Also, prepare mentally for this - no matter who you are or what level of athlete you are, you will experience difficult times both mentally and physically.  Have a clear “why” for your race day and have a pocket full of reasons to stay focussed and keep moving forward!  Just like you did on the bike, make sure you have a fueling and hydration strategy for the run that you have practiced over and over again - and don’t miss any of your fueling opportunities.  The amount of carbohydrates an athlete can absorb and use on the run is slightly less than on the bike - and during your training you should have learned what works for you.  Drink, eat, and take extra electrolytes if needed at regular intervals - don’t wait until you feel like you “need” them.  Be strong, be focussed on the moment, and “run the mile you’re in”! Some Final Thoughts Arrive with a plan and follow it.  Pacing is everything - stick to your plan and don’t get distracted by what other athletes are doing.  Be patient - an Ironman is a long day and you’ll experience a lot of different emotions and physical situations as you work through it.  If you are feeling bad at one point, acknowledge it and keep moving forward - you are likely to work through it and feel better a couple of miles later.   Focus on the task at hand - don’t get worked up about the future or your finish time when you’ve still got a long way to go.  One swim stroke after another.  One pedal stroke after another.  One foot in front of the other.  Be ready to adapt.  If things go off-plan, don’t panic.  Stay positive and problem-solve as you go. Most of all - trust your training, You’ve Got This!!!! See you at the finish line!

C.Lewis Post published:March 9, 2025 Post category: BEYOND THE FINISH LINE / BLOG / Recovery / Training The journey to a long distance race goal usually includes some shorter races along the way. That might be a half marathon on your way to a marathon, or sprint and Olympic distance triathlons on your way to a half or full course race . Your program hopefully includes some recovery after that race – for a couple of reasons. First – your body needs it. Second – your brain needs it! Over the course of a season our races need to be categorized to prevent injury or burn out. The ‘A’ races are the ones you want to focus to be on performance to reach a specific goal, and your training will build you up to peak for it. The ‘B’ races are planned as markers along the way to benchmark your fitness, pace, skills, nutrition and/or mental strength. The ‘C’ races are considered training races to practice specific skills or to get a read on your maximum HR, for example. Giving 100% in each race might be a recipe for burn out if recovery isn’t well managed. Training Peaks So how does recovery fit into the picture when your season includes a series of races that are weeks apart? And what does recovery look like? As with training, it depends on several factors, including your fitness and experience, age, lifestyle, history with injuries and your unique physiology. Most importantly it takes into account listening to your own body instead of following the next steps in a pre-determined program. Inexperienced or self-coached athletes can fall prey to ‘shoulding’ on themselves easily, and may feel pressure to continue on their program in spite of needing recovery time. Step One – Immediately after racing…keep moving. Rehydrate with whatever liquid appeals – water, electrolytes, milk, soft drink… your cravings will tell you what you need most. However, within 20 minutes, take in something with protein and carbs, then honour your body’s signals that you need to eat again. And again. Sometimes a series of smaller meals will appeal instead of a huge meal, at least until your body settles down. Step Two – Scan for injury. There is a difference between muscles that have worked hard and an injury, and it may take a day or so to truly distinguish one from the other, depending on the severity. Icing either way can bring down the inflammation response for either situation. A traumatic injury will be more immediately apparent and requires medical treatment. Overuse injuries can be less obvious and hard to distinguish from post-race aches. Step Three – Epsom salt bath, compression socks, elevation and lots of rehydration – in addition to a few good sleeps, should help repair most of the discomfort following a race. Some light foam rolling and stretching the next day will help soften the tissues that are carrying fatigue and soreness. Getting out for a walk keeps things loose without creating further trauma. Treat blisters or chafing gently and allow them a few days to begin healing. Step Four – Allow yourself time! This is the greatest challenge for athletes on a training program towards an ‘A’ race. Returning to hard training in the next day or two after a race should feel difficult, and probably means you need more recovery time. Forcing yourself to get out for a run or jumping right into a fast paced bike session can mean prolonged soreness or aggravate an overused muscle or tendon into becoming something more pronounced. Instead – allow yourself to go easy for your first workout back. A really slow jog or easy spin on the bike won’t undo the training you have already put in. Sandy Orlando Step Five – Accept that you may feel sluggish or unmotivated in your next few workouts. Pay attention to good nutrition and hydration . Keep up the foam rolling and stretching to work out any adhesions and knots. Depending on how hard you raced, and how long you raced, the recovery period may be only a few days to a week. You’ll start to feel the motivation return as your body is ready to train harder again.

Race Report by CLPT athlete RUTHIE SLOAN, who completed the Golden Ultra this past September! Post published:October 29, 2024 Post category: BLOG Background:  On the eve of turning 40 this year, I promised myself one thing- to say yes to all the big racing adventures that were to come up this year. 4 years ago during COVID and my own cancer journey, turning 40 had seemed like a pipe dream, so celebrating this milestone of life, and friendships deserved incredible adventure stories. So I signed up for crazy athletic goals that were way out of my comfort zone and way out of my postal code. Going into this year, I would have identified myself as an ultramarathon trail runner who was learning how to transfer her ‘superpower’ of using ‘slow-twitch muscles’ and Disney Princess playlist to conjure the mental fortitude to smile and sing through 50+km on the trails to Ironman racing.  Trail running has become therapy for me over COVID and cancer. Chasing trails was not measuring PBs on Strava, or committing to a ‘training regime’, it was about returning to gratitude for a body that could run, measuring time in the changing of the seasons and having friends to share them with. The longer the trail run, the more Disney karaoke, snacks,laughter and feeling like I was chasing after life vs. having to ‘survive’ COVID/cancer.  Diving into triathlons was such a different world to me, and while it was expected that I would ‘love’ and excel with the long distance run portion of the sport, It quickly became the portion I loathed the most, regardless of how much Disney Princess music one might play. However, one of the biggest assets I have discovered through this process is that my training for triathlons has actually improved my trail running not only in stamina, but also in mental fortitude. I would argue that sometimes growth as an athlete is more easy to observe when you opt to add different forms of training that require new learning of techniques and understanding of body awareness and muscle sets.  As a trail runner, signing up for this race, I had run segments of the entire Bruce trail, set FKT’s in certain sections and paced others in their attempts as well. I had done a bunch of local ultra trail races at the conservation areas in GTA with 5 Peaks, Happy Trails, Sulphur Springs, The Bad Thing (Maitland trail), Fat Ass (Batawa Ski Hill), Limberlost in Huntsville and the Haliburton Hundred Miler. But the closest I had come to a ‘mountain’ run was being a pacer for the run segment up mountain in south Quebec for Canadaman, one of the most extreme ultra triathlon races.  So when the invitation to signup for a 3 day ultra trail race in the mountains in BC came up, it was an opportunity to expand my trail exposure to something bigger and better. I have to confess that there was a lot of people that voiced concerns and had a perception that signing up for this race was a wildly impulsive idea as there were so many new and unknown factors involved in mountain races (e.g., altitude, elevation climbs, and weather/climate shifts and hungry bears) all of which,  I would not have exposure or experience with in training beforehand. However as a trail runner I have learned that flexibility is one of the fundamental characteristics of trail running as conditions are unpredictable and affect pacing goals and race outcomes. No 2 races are ever the same, and each race is an opportunity for learning- especially when weather is less than ideal.  Logistics:  Signing Up for the Race:  There is a 3 tier sign-up opportunity for this race. If you register when it opens, you have the option of saving money if you are one of the lucky first 100 or so racers.  The Break Down of Distance: The Golden Ultra Full Pint This race is a 3-day staged race that takes place at the Kicking Horse Ski Resort in Golden BC. The longest distance is the Full-Pint which advertises 3-stages of ‘Blood’, ‘Sweat’ and ‘Tears’.   Day 1= ‘Blood’ Distance – 4.6 km Elevation Gain – 1063 m          Begins at the chalet of Kicking Horse and is a 5km climb straight up the mountain that roughly follows the gondola track. As this was my first time at Golden, I had no clue what the course would be like, and the strategy was to ‘warm-up’ and have fun with Day 1 run, and save legs for the 60km of Day 2. As a trail runner, I have worn knee braces for all of my trail races. However, this year while training on roads I have not used them very much at all. Given the unknown of mountain elevation and the distances my plan was to use them for the entirety of the race.  Unfortunately, my knee braces did not get packed in my gear and Day 1 I was anxious about fall injury or knee injuries with the scramble and high elevation. So the goal was to save my legs and ‘not to die’ by going crazy fast.         The first 2km is an easy climb that is a mix of gravel roads and paths. However the last 3km, I would not in any way advertise this as a ‘trail’ run as much as it was a steep and sketchy hill climb that was a down and dirty scramble up a steep overgrown ski hill. Although 5km does not seem like a far distance, the challenge is in the terrain. As the ski hill is overgrown with small saplings and random hidden rocks, it is a technical nightmare to navigate. What adds to the challenge, is that while there is no cut down ‘path’ racers navigate in single file, observing the footing of the racer in front as a guide. Even more challenging is the elevation grade, as there are sections where it feels like the racer ahead is ‘on top’ vs. in front of you and you are praying that their feet and poles do not misfire. This climb does not allow you to stop for gels or hydration as racers move so closely together. Fortunately sticking in the middle of the pack meant that there was a trampled path that we could see rocks and sharp cut off tree trunks sticking up. However, overthinking footing, or attempting to pass other racers is a dangerous risk as it meant you had to navigate the overgrowth sections that were not flat and had things hiding beneath.         Originally Cindy (my coach) had suggested to my friend Mike and I to take our trekking poles for all 3 days. I had brought my poles and purchased a new Salomon quiver from Running Free, however I had not trained with it as I have never considered using poles for distances under 50km and hate having to carry more than necessary. Thankfully Mike and I had brought our quivers and poles and took them out in the first 2km before the grassy climb. The poles helped to focus on keeping head down and powering through, as you soon learn that looking ahead and seeing racers still climbing becomes demoralizing quickly.         The last 700m opens up to a more trail-like path through more rocky terrain up a bunch of short uneven rock steps (which made me wildly grateful for all the mind numbing stair-sprint workouts I had been given prior).        The finish line is at the top of the gondola track with some incredible mountain views that were too dangerous to stop and observe while we were climbing. The option to have a drop bag was announced at the start of the race, and I was glad Mike and I had gone back to the truck to grab warmer clothing after finishing because it was 10 degrees colder and had begun to rain once we got there. Truthfully, it wasn’t until we got on the gondola and traveled back down, that the reality of what the 5km had entailed began to sink in. Observing the race on the ride down made the 5km seem way more insane, as we got to see both the incredible views and the bear that was roaming the course we had just climbed 30 mins prior.         Side Note: (Mike will kill me for putting this in) But do not ever show up for a trail race with a ‘bear bell’. Serious trail runners at events like these consider them to be ‘dinner bells’ for ‘bear baiting’. Cindy had suggested we purchase bear spray as an alternative. However the spray is heavy, and while it seemed the majority of racers had cans, Mike and I figured we would stay in the middle of the pack with other racers who were more sensible than us. For the record this strategy did work, as we did not encounter any bears while racing.   ‘Sweat’ Day 2=Distance – 59 km Elevation Gain – 2322 m (4 mountain peaks)    Thankfully I did not experience any stiffness lingering from Day 1 and we went to sleep early to be able to get up early the next morning. The race began in the middle of Golden’s ski town in the dark. The first few kilometers ran along a backroad to some easy flowing single track mountain bike trails. Passing racers was difficult until reaching the first aid station at 6km. Thankfully the sun had come up by this point and we ditched our headlamps and headed back to the trails. My hydration for this race had been using Gruppo (which is incredible for carbs and calories for long distances) and Gu Roctane gels, pickles, and gluten free honey mustard pretzels. I had some fruit at the aid stations, but stuck most of the race with what I had brought.  The Climb: We got to the second aid station, still cruising. There had been a location shift of 2-3km and a couple of us had backtracked a bit to see if we had missed a cut off. We made it to the second aid station and didn’t stay long as the temperature had dropped significantly and snowflakes were starting to fall. Between aid station 2-3 is the crazy mountain climb and drastic changes in altitude. There were kilometers that took 30 mins of climbing, and everytime you looked up you saw racers tackling steeper sections. This is where bike climbing in training pays off, as I literally put my head down and kept breathing through the climbs. I did not notice the altitude at all and the fog on the mountain prevented me from seeing any dangerous parts. I kept moving forward and stopping every so often to ensure I didn’t lose Mike or let him become bear bait.  We got to the summit and the trail changed to navigating rock piles. As it was still foggy, we did not see much, however we were glad for the hype squad at T2 that had epic tunes blasting. From T2-Aid station 3 was navigating more rock piles surrounded by fog. It was hard to understand distance or perspective because you could not see or hear much. But eventually you see the gondola from the day before and you arrive at Aid Station 3 The descent:  After a quick stop, and some soup broth, you get to descend down the rock stairs and trail you scrambled up the day before. After the climb, this descent feels like you can and should fly. Beware… While a gravel service road seems like safe terrain, it is deceiving. I ran my fastest paces down these gravel roads as gravity pulled me fasters. Unfortunately my knees did not appreciate the pounding whatsoever. In between the gravel roads were marked sections of overgrown ski hill that were steep and unrunnable (you literally felt like you were tumbling down them). The last 25% of the run is returning to the single track bike trails back to town. It was after Aid Station 3 I began to pass a bunch of people, all of which were walking. My legs were so glad to not be climbing, they kept shuffling. There was no other racers at aid station 4 and I was told that I needed to keep moving as there was an expected train crossing around 5pm that would delay finishing. I got to the railway tracks as the train came to the bridge and lights began flashing. I made it across before the train and crossed the finish line in 10:27hr right before the rain.  ‘Tears’ Day 3 distance: 23.9km Vertical – 750 m  ‘Tears’ Day 3 distance: 23.9km Vertical – 750 m  My legs were crazy mad at me on Sunday. Due to another event in town, the race course was rerouted and the distance was shortened to 16km the night before. When we got to the starting line, I was skeptical about how much ‘running’ my legs had left for single track switchback trails. Without my knee braces, my feet were shaky and felt like they were lead. It took 5km to get into a groove that came to a stop when we got attacked by wasps whose hive had been kicked over by the runners ahead. You heard screams of racers plucking out wasps from clothing. I stopped to give Gravol, Advil and Benadryl to a racer who was puking on the trail less than a kilometer from the wasps. She was having a violent reaction and had no drugs and was with her friend. 2 of us ran ahead to get help from a trail marshall and were told to continue on. This leg of the race was the least technical, but mentally the hardest. There was no way I was not going to finish, however I knew it was not going to be pretty at all. I gave everything I had left to get to the finish line, and I crossed it with no regrets and a heart full of gratitude.  Perks of the race:  Race includes meals for Friday and Saturday (with medal ceremonies and photos from each day)  You get a belt buckle medal (but only after completing the final day). If you drop out after Saturday they give you a racing beer glass The community: the race series are crazy fun and supportive community that want you to laugh more than watching you puke or cry.  Small town: Golden is a small town with great restaurants and locals who are ready to cheer you on all weekend.  Commute: We flew into Calgary and rented a pick up truck and stopped to check out Canmore (and stopped in at Ski Bike Run for free latte and gels) as well as a tour of Banff and a quick leg stretch walk around Lake Louise.  The suspension bridge post race: I would strongly recommend touring the suspension bridge post Sunday’s race as it is a great place to stretch out legs and see the mountain range your just ran.   Victory

C.Lewis Post published:July 2, 2024 Post category: BLOG / Mental Strength / Training / Training Prep Training on rain days takes some extra preparation, but builds confidence that you can handle anything nature throws at you. Rain comes with the territory when it comes to training and racing days. Unless it comes with lighting and thunder, extreme high winds or hail – it’s just another day and doesn’t have to keep you inside. The ultimate benefit of dealing with a rain day…it builds confidence in your ability to handle a rainy race day! Here are a few tips for sticking with your training – or heading into a race day that looks like a soaker. Open Water Swimming You’re going to be wet anyway, so what’s the difference? There are a few things to keep in mind. Most important – if there is any thunder or lighting – WAIT at least 30 minutes after the last roll of thunder has subsided. Safety first. Putting on a wetsuit when already wet can actually be easier, but keeping sand and grit out will be important. Try to stand on a towel and have a water bottle handy to rinse off feet before getting grit inside the wetsuit. Same for post-swim before putting on bike or running shoes. Keeping goggles from fogging up might be more challenging. One quick fix is to use good old spit rubbed on the inside. Before getting wet, check that the straps for your goggles are in place – wet straps can get slippery and challenging to fix. Remember to apply any anti-chafing products on your neck, wrists and ankles before getting wet. Cycling Starting out dry on a training day and encountering rain poses different challenges than starting out in a rain. Unless you’ve planned for rain, you get what you get in terms of your set up. Just be aware that roads will be extra slippery when rain is just getting started because of the residue from tires and oil. Any painted lines or metal inserts on the road will become very slippery – so extra care with speed and turns is in order. Safe riding on sunny days includes having a front and back light for visibility – and becomes even more important in rain. Hopefully the sun breaks. Planning ahead for a rainy training day or race might include accounting for a change in temperature, especially if it becomes windy. You might pack arm warmers or a vest for warmth when you become wet. There are many lightweight options available that compact small enough to fit into a jersey pocket or into a flat pack. Or try fitting it into a ziplock bag and ziptie it to your bike under the top tube. A light weight buff can come in handy for many reasons – neck warmth, keeping long soaked hair off your face, wiping down sunglasses or visors, or keeping wind out of ears. Carry it along with your phone, ID, cards/money in a ziplock bag for protection until it’s needed. Keep in mind that everything becomes slippery and will swell when wet – so keep an extra grip on water bottles, loosen off your shoe straps when your socks become soaked to prevent numb feet from lack of circulation. Your chamois may become droopy when soaked causing your shorts to catch on the nose of your seat when in and out of the saddle. A change of clothes for post-ride on training days is a smart move to prevent getting chilled from being wet – try to change quickly after finishing. This includes socks and run bra – two things that can become incredibly uncomfortable and chilling if left on when soaked. Don’t forget to clean and lube your bike thoroughly after a rainy ride – the amount of dirt and sand in the drive train and in the components can cause bigger problems if left. Transition Race days that are soakers can be extra miserable. Returning to T2 and finding your running shoes floating is disheartening. All triathletes will have obsessed over the weather forecast and will have had the opportunity to plan in advance for mitigating some of the misery of a rainy day. But a few decisions must be made. How much time are you willing to give up to be more comfortable on the bike or run by changing into dry socks or washing/drying/lubing your feet before getting on the bike or out on the run? How much will blisters slow you down if you choose not to take that time? Either way – having a bottle of water at transition to rinse off your feet helps to avoid grit inside socks or shoes. Running in the rain Running Running in rain can be a freeing experience – it brings out the kid in you to splash through the puddles. On race day – its a different story. The question becomes, what to wear that will give you the best edge given the conditions? Shoes – Your regular training shoes can feel very different when soaked. They can become heavy, the laces may tighten up as your socks and feet swell, and the upper might become sloppy. Those carbon plate race shoes may perform differently on wet pavement, especially if the course has tight turns to navigate. Hopefully you will have trained in wet conditions before race day to know what those shoes feel like so you can make the best decision. Jacket or not? The question of what to wear adds a further dimension to the formula of dressing for temperatures 10 degrees higher than in the forecast. Wearing a rain jacket in an attempt to keep yourself dry can result in making you overheat quickly. A wind shell when soaked just clings to your body and will no longer break the wind. Sometimes the best option for retaining some warmth when on a soaking wet run might be a long sleeve technical shirt that offers a layer that your own body temperature will warm the inner layer as insulation. A wind vest can protect your core but allow for ventilation. Hat – Probably a good choice so the peak can prevent rain from getting in your eyes. Wet hair can be held back off your face – and there is a layer of insulation to keep your head from losing heat if it becomes cooler. Pre-Race – Still one of the most effective options is an oversized plastic garbage bag that can be easily ripped off once the race starts and your body warms up. Socks – Your favourite socks might not be your favourite after being soaked. Some padded versions swell so your shoes feel tighter. Thinner socks can feel abrasive or slippery inside shoes when wet. Cotton will be horrible. Wool can be a good option, especially if your feet tend to feeling chilled. Whatever you choose – change out of wet socks quickly afterwards to help get warmed up. Shorts & Tops – For some reason, soaking wet sport fabrics can feel more abrasive. Give more thought to using anti-chafing products around necklines, arms, nipples, waistbands before dressing. Those shorts with pockets for your phone can become floppy and annoying, and looser versions of shorts can ride up inside your thighs causing chafing. A tighter fitting short – like a cycling short – might be a more comfortable choice. Long tights or running pants could become heavy and droopy when soaked – choose these only if the temperatures are quite cool and your run is fairly long. A final word about hydration and nutrition It can be easy to overlook hydration and nutrition on a rainy day – but it still factors into your performance and recovery. In fact, your body might need more calories to balance out the effect of trying to maintain a core temperature. Shivering is an indicator that your body is working harder to stay warm. As always, nutrition is an important component of your training for any weather and can be fine tuned working with a nutritionist.

C.Lewis Post published:June 22, 2024 Post category: Race Report / Racing & Events Brenda's race report Brenda Santos is an experienced Ironman athlete who has experienced both the thrill of victory and the agony of the feet! She documented her recent trip to her birthplace in the Philippines on her Facebook account, along with a full version of this race report. Not many triathletes get private bike transfer by the military. And that’s just the start of her story. Read on and check out Brenda’s Facebook page. Pre-Race Uneventful. Chills (and tears) as they played the Philippine national anthem. Was so proud to be racing in my homeland. Trained and ready to go! 🏊‍♀️Swim : 1.9 km (1:12:36)Personal WORST. I started out strong. Water was quite calm. The usual washing machine at the beginning of everyone entering the water and heading for the first turn buoy 100m away. But there was no panic. Ocean swim, no wetsuit; I was confident as these conditions were not new to me. I went out hard but then got into a rhythm after the first turn. 500m @ 500 m @ 2:20/100m500 m @ 2:24/100m ….Was on my way to my best swim ever … but then things took a turn for the worse.Then return trip back was chaotic. I was stuck behind some really slow swimmers and was trying swim through and around them. I think a lot of people lied about their seeding. I am normally able to sight really well and swim straight, but today, I didn’t even swim the proper rectangle of the course. Everyone was just having a tough time fighting the current and I think everyone had a rough swim. For context, I heard about 100 people didn’t make the swim cut-off and about 300 people had slower swim times than me. Emerging from a tougher than expected swim. 🚴‍♀️ Bike (90km. Made it to 40km – 1:43.14) The bike course was six times over the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) – the longest (8.9km) and highest (145m) bridge in the Philippines. Definitely not the flat course they promised us. Great views. Smooth roads. Had some fun on the descents (even though in one direction had some strong headwind). Stopped at 40km. Long story short : heat exhaustion. 38 deg (feels like 50 deg). I have never experience that kind of heat before! Received two units of IV (1 L). Fun on a descent….but the heat was too much! Disappointed? Definitely. A DNF (Did Not Finish) always a tough pill to swallow.  Did I have fun? Absolutely! Best race experience!  Probably the loudest and most crowds lining the streets cheering I’ve experienced in any race. Met some great people and most of all, having cousins from many parts of the country to come cheer me on in person.

Sandy Orlando Post published:April 22, 2024 Post category: BEYOND THE FINISH LINE / BLOG / Mental Strength / Racing & Events Every athlete brings a unique story to their event – and needs a strategy for managing their nerves, Feeling race ready involves more than just a training plan. It also involves conquering some nerves! Getting ready Every athlete comes into race day with their unique story. This might be their first race ever – a new distance – a goal race – a comeback – or a dragon to slay! It’s safe to say that in most cases, pre-race nerves are real. And without a strategy to deal with them, they can make a big impact on how the race goes. Here are a few thoughts on how to manage those nerves: Know what to expect of the course. If it’s hilly or requires a lot of turns, be prepared for that. If there is a long stretch of flat without scenery, be prepared for that. Physical and mental training – even if it’s simply knowing advance of what to expect – can help alleviate nerves. Taking some time to drive the course before race day is one of the simplest ways to become familiar with the course. Read the rules. Don’t assume every race is the same with respect to wearing earbuds, penalties for littering, carrying a phone, permitted bike or running gear. Triathlon has very specific rules for drafting and passing. Athlete guides are published before each race to give all athletes the opportunity to know the rules. Read it! Hydration and nutrition on the course . Even a short race can pose challenges if consideration isn’t given to what and how frequently hydration is available. A hot day or an upset stomach might require a change of plans – plan ahead. Know what works for you, and how you will carry it. Weather. Be prepared for changes, especially if traveling to a destination event. Assuming that the usual weather pattern will hold can lead to being unprepared for a sudden change of temperature or conditions. Know how to get there. Nothing is worse than leaving too little time on race day and feeling the pressure of not making the race site with enough time to use portalets or pick up a race kit. Make a list and pack in advance. Arriving without shoes, goggles or a helmet causes more panic than necessary. Consider whether throw-away clothes for a cold pre-race wait, or warm clothes for post-race chills might be worth packing. Perspective. Have a mental back up if the event doesn’t go as planned. Any number of situations can change the day, even with the best preparation. The day doesn’t have to be a write-off, and important lessons can be a valuable take away that could be worth more than that shiny medal. by Sandie Orlando, CLPT Coach

C.Lewis Post published:March 5, 2024 Post category: Bike fit / BLOG / Training Prep By Sandie Orlando, Assistant Coach, CL Performance Training Photo credits: Steve Pennell, Instagram @fotostevezoom New Bike Fitting New bike day is super exciting, but don’t let the excitement of getting on your new ride stop you from getting it set up properly. By properly – we mean a bike fit session. Most reputable dealers will include a bike fit with the purchase. However, when it’s a ‘new to me’ bike – purchased from a marketplace or bike swap, getting in for a proper bike fit is easily overlooked. The “let’s just see how it feels” approach is tempting, but can set you up for discomfort and unnecessary saddle changes that might be avoided. There are many capable bike fitters out there, including our own Coach Al, who helps athletes local to the Burlington, ON area with a fit session that can help guide the decision for a new bike build or purchase. Read more about that process here. Coach Sandie documented her new bike fit with D’Ornellas to share the process and explain why the initial fit and set up is so important. (And to show off her new ride…!!) Old bike shoes aren’t a good place to start for a proper bike fit. New bike deserves new shoes. The old bike (Specialized Ruby Comp) has a lot of kms on it and is still a great bike, but my arthritic thumbs can’t handle the clincher brakes and manual shifters so easily now. It’s finally time for an upgrade – to a Specialized Roubaix with electronic shifters and disc brakes! When you go for a bike fit, you bring everything you would normally wear to ride, plus your shoes and other bike parts – in case they are recruited into action. Unfortunately, the old shoes, pedals and cranks didn’t transfer over…too worn out and the power crank arm was too long for the bike frame size. Upgrades number #1 (shoes) and number #2 (power pedals). Fortunately, the handle bars and stem were a perfect size. After a good warm up under the expert eye of Neil, he could see a few things that needed adjusting. Not the saddle, however, although there are so many choices on that wall. With the proper frame size, the handle bar width and stem length was perfect, and only needed slight adjustments to ensure the reach was set properly for shifting and braking. The tilt of the bars and position of the hoods was adjusted slightly to reduce fatigue for longer rides and prevent neck and shoulder pain. Hip angle measurement makes certain the height and position of the saddle (forward or back) is correct, and the knee is positioned properly over the foot. Fine tuning for leg length discrepancies are determined when hip angles are being measured. In my case, the cleat position needed a slight adjustment to even things out. Most people are not perfectly symmetrical to begin with, so it’s not unusual for this type of adjustment to be made. Making this adjustment made me realize my TT bike probably needs a fit update to help alleviate the knee and shoulder pain I’ve been putting up with all winter. Cleat placement is fine tuned. The placement should be recorded so when the cleats need replacing, they are positioned correctly. The final part of the fitting is done and I’m sent home with my new ride and instructions for using and caring for all of the upgrades. Charging the shifter batteries is new. A through axel is new – and means this bike won’t be going on my trainer any time soon. I passed on the suggestion of the different style of trainer that could be used – and the bento box that screws on instead of wrapping around the stem. You have to leave something for the next spending spree, after all. Excited to get out and ride!

C.Lewis Post published: October 31, 2023, Leisure cycling can give your body and mind a break. Post category: BLOG / Injury Prevention & Management / Motivation / Recovery / Training Prep The months at end of the calendar year are a good time to take a break from ‘training’ once the target races are over. Our bodies need recovery time but even more importantly, our brains need to be refreshed. Staying in training mode can easily wear out an athlete’s motivation and interest in putting in the hard efforts required for the next training block . It can be difficult to step back for athletes who ‘ need ‘ to be doing something to feel healthy and happy. Whatever is driving that ‘need’ is worth taking a look at. For some athletes, the lack of structure can be disconcerting, especially if it’s tied in with not having a goal. Those athletes might find participating in a local fun or holiday run gives them a purpose to stay active without having to get after a PB or new distance. Trying out a new sport can fill the gap for athletes who like variety and the social aspect of training. That bootcamp, water aerobics or zumba class might be challenging enough to work up a good sweat without posing the risk of injury. Pickleball….you decide…. Take some time during this phase to reflect honestly on strengths and weaknesses. Off season is perfect for addressing imbalances, skills and persistent ‘niggles’ that can present as injuries when the training load begins to ramp up. Laying down the habit of doing core and full body strength training will pay off. Getting back to doing drills in the pool with a focus on form can start to build better habits and muscle memory that are important to support a strong swim. A complete mental break might mean doing some easy touring rides, hiking in the woods, participating in a yoga class or chatting with other bobbing heads while pool running. Read about the cycling tours and pro races, new developments in gear technology or races that are being introduced next season . With enough time away from training – inspiration and motivation are likely to kick in. That’s the time to get out the planning calendar, talk with your coach  and set some goals. Then….get back to some foundation work that prepares the body to take on new challenges. Off season weather usually means indoor workouts. Make the most of them to get stronger.

by Sandie Orlando Open water swimming is notorious for causing stress for triathletes. Even proficient pool swimmers can feel anxiety when faced with dark water, a wetsuit or lots of other bodies thrashing around them. Each athlete experiences this differently. Some are just excited-nervous and it goes away quickly. For others, it can be persistent, paralyzing, race destroying and sometimes turns them away from doing triathlon at all. Dealing with open water swimming anxiety isn’t about getting over it once. For some triathletes, it’s persistent and requires strategies to just get through it – every time. Understanding how your body responds and figuring out how to deal with those reactions is more productive than trying to understand why it happens. Sandie is an anxious open water swimmer who got through Ironman For those who are in the latter category, the well-meaning advice from those who have no issue with it at all sometimes isn’t that helpful. It helps if you understand what the anxiety comes from in the first place, but recognizing how your body reacts and adopting tactics for dealing with those reactions can be more productive in the long run. It’s hard to start when open water swimming anxiety is persistent. The accomplishment of doing it is worth the discomfort when you have a big goal. Here are some ideas that can help: Take the pressure off yourself in early open water swim sessions by leaving the ‘workout’ behind and just get accustomed to being in the water in a wetsuit. Your balance in the water will feel different with the buoyancy, which can throw off your rotation. The feeling of constriction on your chest and neck can cause a feeling of panic and shortness of breath. Work at going a little bit further or longer each time and giving yourself time to rest and gather yourself mid-swim. This is especially important when dealing with waves or chop in certain segments of the course. If you tend to get out of breath and start feeling panic 100m or so into your swim, try doing a warm up to get your heart rate up before getting into the water. By getting your heart rate and breathing rate up, it helps your body deal with that spike when you first start swimming, making it less shocking and uncomfortable. Run up and down a hill, do jumping jacks, run on the spot – whatever gets your heart rate up! Deal with colder temperature shock up front. Let some water into the front of your wetsuit when you first get in. Your body heat will warm up that layer of water and act as a bit of insulation – and lubrication. Get your face and head under water by doing a few dolphin dives. This also gives you a chance to check that your goggles aren’t leaking or fogging while you can stand up and adjust them. Do some short, fast efforts in the water as part of your warm up and let your HR settle after each before starting into the longer sets. Then practice your ‘alligator eyes’ sighting to remind yourself of the pattern in combination with taking a breath. This also helps get you more accustomed to keeping your face and mouth in the water. Remind yourself to keep your core tight and your body in a straight line. Practice breathing to the side while keeping one goggle in the water. This helps avoid the tendency to lift your head and over-rotate, which just adds to the feeling of struggling. Try breathing with every stroke instead of every three or five as you would in the pool until you settle into a rhythm and your breathing calms down.  Ignore the plants and critters. There is nothing in the weeds or lake water that’s likely to be dangerous or particularly interested in you. Murky water just means there is silt or sand at the bottom which you are swimming over. You are meant to be horizontal and kicking at the top of the water anyway. Use your sighting to remember that other people are around you and to appreciate the landscape above the water line instead. In training, swim with other people for safety, but ignore how fast and great they look. Do your own thing and work at slaying your own dragons while focusing on staying calm. Use positive self-talk. Instead of saying “I suck at this and I hate it”, try saying “I’m getting better at this and I’m okay”. Give yourself points for showing up, even if it didn’t go so well. It makes a big difference! Tags: anxiety , open water swimming