Reviews
Living the dream in Antibes
I’m here in Antibes and absolutely loving it. I booked my accommodation in what I thought was a hostel but turned out to be a crew house. It’s basically a hostel with the one exception that most everyone who is here is looking for work on a yacht. It’s been a huge eye opener to the industry and were it not for all the good things that I have back home I would definitely consider staying!
Basically, with the super yacht industry in peak swing from May to October in southern France, flocks of people come to the area to attempt to make the crew on ships and sail all over the world. It’s a bit if a networking game where most talk to agencies who have connections with privately owned and chartered boats as well as walking along the docks looking for day work. Day work usually consists of maintenance on the boat for one to many days and if you play your cards right you might just be able to work your way into a crew position if one opens up. It’s kind of one of those hurry up and wait situations and with a little luck you might be at the right place at the right time. Speaking with some of the more experienced people with several years under their belts apparently you have to work for a number of boats before you find a good one. Despite all this, it sounds completely awesome! Sailing around the world on a yacht. Over the winter, most boats head to the Caribbean. One guy had a story where he was sailing to France on a boat a few months ago and they reached a section of water in the middle of the Atlantic ocean that was completely flat where everybody jumped off and went for a swim. The water was so deep that the anchor was just hanging down in the depths.
The place that I’m staying in is owned by a couple who basically made their living as crew on ships for many years. They actually have a second place which is a similar layout as well. This one is 4 stories with a roof top patio with a cool little view of the water. Each room sleeps three with a shared bathroom in a quasi dorm style layout. Last night the owners had everyone from both houses over to their place for a BBQ which was a lot of fun! Hearing people’s stories of the places they have sailed and those who just arrived and the process of looking for work and attaining their certification. If you land it well, it can be an amazing career. Seeing some of the boats in harbor, it really seems amazing. It’s pretty common to see them with helicopters on the back as well as smaller speed boats for ripping around. The French Riviera sure lives up to the reputation as a place where to wealthy come to play.
As for Antibes itself…so far it’s my favorite by far! Each morning there is a little market where you can buy fruit and local specialties like wine, cured meats and cheeses and an amazing assortment of spices. By night, the restaurants take over the area and fill it with people and tables. Yesterday, I found a great little wine shop where I chatted with the owner for almost an hour about the different types of wine and how the region influences the flavor and characteristics. One of the things that Antibes is famous for are the gardens. I’ve come across a number of places that are completely covered in plants and flowers. That and aloe vera plants grow as tall as bushes! Royal beach is pretty amazing as well. Unlike the beaches of Nice, they actually have sand!
Just two more days and then I head to the airport for the 18 hour journey back to the 604. It’s been a great trip and is definitely ending on a good note here in Antibes.
Ironman France Race Report
p class=a href=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bG4N7e7LzV0/Tgo5k0K5u-I/AAAAAAAABPM/z80J2OqmeiE/IMG_00046.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bG4N7e7LzV0/Tgo5k0K5u-I/AAAAAAAABPM/z80J2OqmeiE/s500/IMG_00046.jpg id=blogsy-1309429343950.573 class=alignleft width=312 height=234 alt=/a/ppEver since getting turned on to the sport of Ironman I began looking for races that would take me to places with beautiful views and challenging conditions. Upon doing some research, I knew that at some point Ironman France would be on my list of races to do. Upon finishing Ironman Canada last year, I was excited and even to this day look back at it as being one of the best days of my life. With this said, I wasnt planning on doing any iron-distance races in 2011. That is, until I met a mutual friend at the YMCA who mentioned that she was racing with a number of other people that I knew through Speed Theory. As luck would have it they just so happened to have an extra spot in their condo for the week surrounding the race. Taking an evening of restless sleep to think about it I was enthusiastically in and signed up the next morning. /ppOver the next several months I trained, this time going to self-coached route with a major emphasis on power on the bike as I wanted to be prepared for the 1,800m of climbing. Training for this race was a challenge thanks to the Spring that never arrived. An ironman in June is considered a relatively early season race and I was prepared for plenty of ninja training in the darkness but I was hoping that the weather would improve by May as it normally does. Such was not the case this year but it didnt matter. I logged the miles in all conditions, even when it meant putting fenders on my race bike and pounding out 5 hours in the pouring rain. /ppFast forward 6 months and I arrived in France one week before the race. Nice is beautiful and as I have mentioned in my other blog posts, the weather sure hasnt disappointed either. In the days leading up to the race I prepped all of my equipment and practiced my transitions and organized my nutrition so that on race day I could be sure that everything that I could control was in order. The rest was out of my hands for better or worse which is one of my favorite parts of endurance racing. The you never know what will happen factor. And with that, heres how the day went for me. /ppstrongThe Swim – 1:08:25/strong/ppa href=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l4XjkkxxXXo/TgwK0rJLkvI/AAAAAAAABRc/ubZv_ASv5h0/IMG_00078.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l4XjkkxxXXo/TgwK0rJLkvI/AAAAAAAABRc/ubZv_ASv5h0/s500/IMG_00078.jpg id=blogsy-1309429318435.6577 class=alignleft alt= width=208 height=312/aI got to the swim nice and early to allow myself to go for a warm up as always. The tough part with the beach was that it consisted of irregular rocks which were far from pleasant on the feet making it hard to walk, let alone run. With my wetsuit on I took a few steps out into the water and dove in to the salty abyss. The sea was warm, about 21 degrees in fact! I took a few strokes and swam away from shore for a few minutes. With the salt water and wetsuit combined, I was uber buoyant and proceeded to simply float in the water for a bit and collect my thoughts and energy for the adventure that was about to begin. After swimming a few more strokes I headed back to shore to queue up with my fellow 2,500 competitors. As the time ticked down from 20 minutes to race start, the MC pumped loud pop music and generally pumped us up into a flurry of energy, albeit nervous energy. /ppa href=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YsjKgIJTPmQ/TgwK11NGkAI/AAAAAAAABRg/j-FAaWQetSo/IMG_00079.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YsjKgIJTPmQ/TgwK11NGkAI/AAAAAAAABRg/j-FAaWQetSo/s500/IMG_00079.jpg id=blogsy-1309429318443.6543 class=alignright alt= width=434 height=289/aFinally – 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1… Instantly the group erupted into a mass of flailing arms and legs turning the water into a washing machine just like the other races I had been in before. True to form, I took a few good whacks to the face and body and gave a few as well. Where I was surprised was when the physical battle didnt let up beyond the first few hundred meters. It was like that to the first buoy which was about 1km off shore! At one point, I had a mini panic as I was pushed under the water on my lower back. I scrambled for the surface and shoved the guy off me. I searched for the closest open water but there was none. Just a wall of swimmers in all directions so I had to try to calm myself and settle back in to the mess. Fortunately I found my focus again by recalling how good it felt to cross the finish line at Ironman Canada. I wasnt going to give in. Once I got around the first buoy I found my rhythm and generally stayed in some nice open pockets of water amongst the crowd. The interesting thing with Ironman France is that you get out of the water after 2.4km, run around a buoy on land and head back into the water for the last 1.4km. The final swim went relatively smoothly. A few hundred meters from shore I saw one lonely jellyfish about 5 feet down. I had heard that they can be an issue around here but fortunately that was not the case today. As I emerged from the water, never before had I been so happy to be out of the swim and more happy that I stuck with it. What came next was nothing short of breathtaking – the bike. /ppstrongT1 – 5:32/strong/ppThe transition was a long one. The bike area was narrow, stretching the bikes out for some distance. I grabbed my transition bad, pulled of my wetsuit and asked a volunteer to hit me with some sunscreen. With that, I found my bike without issue and took off on foot to the bike mount line. /ppstrongThe Bike – 6:11:13/strong/ppa href=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4XWb9zGNtz4/TgwIFdsco7I/AAAAAAAABQ0/rQC9S9owDeY/IMG_00070.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4XWb9zGNtz4/TgwIFdsco7I/AAAAAAAABQ0/rQC9S9owDeY/s500/IMG_00070.jpg id=blogsy-1309429318454.455 class=alignleft alt= width=500 height=336/aThe bike started out well as I headed down the Promenade dAnglais. I soon settled into my rhythm and began taking on nutrition. I had set up my plan with one bottle of regular Infinit as well as a second bottle mixed to double concentration. Ill get more into the nutrition part of the race later. About 20km into the ride the first climb came. As mentioned in the race briefing, it was the hardest climb of the day with 500m of 10%. I remained seated and spun my way up while many others hammered their way to the top of it. Upon reaching the crest I continued on at pace through some cute little villages. Gattièrs, Saint Jeanett, Bar Sur Loup, followed by Gourdon. All were packed with locals and supporters alike lining the streets cheering us on. Next came the 20km ascent up Col de LEcre. By this time the heat really started to climb into the mid 20s. I was still able to enjoy the climb and took in some of the amazing scenery of the surrounding peaks and valleys. I sat back once again as others crushed the hills. The power meter really helped me to stay on pace and not take chase setting me up for what I knew would be a tough run to follow. /ppa href=https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5LGCb5RE6tM/TgwIRBgXkNI/AAAAAAAABRA/WUpQ9PqudMs/IMG_00073.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5LGCb5RE6tM/TgwIRBgXkNI/AAAAAAAABRA/WUpQ9PqudMs/s500/IMG_00073.jpg id=blogsy-1309429318457.8577 class=alignleft alt= width=224 height=336/aAt the 70km point we reached the top of the climb and special needs where I took on two new bottles of Infinit mixed the same as before. The interesting part of Ironman France is that the 70km point represents more than half way through the race in terms of time as there is so much climbing in the early stages. The remaining 110km definitely went faster. There were some additional climbs but this part of the course was generally downhill with some nice technical corners. After talking to the rest of the crew following the race we all agreed that our favorite part of the course was this one village where we tore through a narrow cavern about as wide as a car between adjacent buildings. Super fun! Next up, we began the major descent back into Nice. This is when the heat could be felt more than any other point in the day. Coincidentally, my stomach started giving me grief as the mercury continued to climb. I knew it was going to be a long marathon as the cramps churned in my stomach for the last 10km of the bike.br/ /ppstrongT2 – /strong/ppI got off my bike and the legs felt pretty good. Of course, the first few steps were a little wobbly as I handed my bike off to one of the volunteers and headed to grab my running gear. Helmet and cycling shoes off I dawned my cap, more sunscreen and running shoes./ppstrongThe Run – 4:16:08 /strong/ppa href=https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9VFBebXnL4M/TgwH_keixGI/AAAAAAAABQs/nt79z9nrfio/IMG_00068.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9VFBebXnL4M/TgwH_keixGI/AAAAAAAABQs/nt79z9nrfio/s500/IMG_00068.jpg id=blogsy-1309429318371.416 class=alignright alt= width=349 height=233/aI started the run and everything was feeling pretty good with the exception of the heat. Looking down at my watch I had to scale back the pace as I was going way faster than the plan to start out at a 5:00 min/km pace. As I settled into this new pace the stomach issues from the last section of the bike reared up once again as I hit the first aid station. I cramped up and had to cut back on the pace some more which was too bad as my legs felt like they had lots to give. Thats endurance racing for you though – anything can happen and you have to adapt on the fly. In my race plan I had intended on breaking the marathon into quarters starting at a pace of 5 min/km and increasing the pace by 5 seconds per km for each lap ending with what I hoped would be a pace of 4:40 for the last lap. This just was not in the cards today. Not with that heat at least. /ppAfter the first lap, I started to feel a bit better and continued on my new plan that consisted of walking the aid stations and taking on water, Powerade and cola at every stop as well as two salt pills each lap. They had cold showers on course which looked appealing in the 35 degree heat but using them meant soaking your feet which almost guaranteed blisters. Instead, I opted to soak myself with cups of water which also had the downside of washing off the sunscreen. By the second lap, I could feel my skin physically burning. Fortunately, Kevin was out by the airport and had some sunscreen which I liberally applied to my arms and back. /ppa href=https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MdXERiiyHZ0/TgwIDRbbtCI/AAAAAAAABQw/RH4lfLJjNS0/IMG_00069.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MdXERiiyHZ0/TgwIDRbbtCI/AAAAAAAABQw/RH4lfLJjNS0/s500/IMG_00069.jpg id=blogsy-1309429318405.832 class=alignleft alt= width=261 height=392/aThe most challenging thing about the marathon was that it was 4 completely exposed laps. With each lap, I collected a different colored wrist band to signify that I had completed a lap. They also served as a constant reminder of how much more I had to do. Upon collecting my third band as I headed on the final lap I thought to myself that it was just like running a lap of the sea wall and the sooner I finished, the sooner I could stop running and get out of the sun. With each km, I was getting closer to having completed my second ironman. As the finish shoot approached, I could hear the announcer and loud music blasting. I took my last few strides and crossed the line throwing both hands in the air! Contrary to Ironman Canada the year before where I had no doubt that I would finish, this race had numerous times where I wasnt sure that I could go on. Especially in the marathon. I pushed through it and was glad that I did. /ppstrongNutrition/strong/ppFor breakfast, I had a couple of cups of coffee, two waffles with jam and a few other pastries. For the swim, I had a gel about 30 minutes before the swim washed down with some water. /ppOn the bike is where I took in the majority of my calories for the day. I started the bike with two bottles of Infinit – 1 of normal concentration and the second a double concentration which I alternated with water. I also had 4 gels and a couple of Stinger Waffles. I lost not one but two packages of energy chews out of the pockets on my jersey which was a bit frustrating but fortunately those were just for a change in taste from the liquid nutrition and not essential to my nutrition plan. All in all, I took on about 2,500 calories on the bike which set me up well for the run. /ppBreaking the golden rule of not trying anything new on race day, I opted not to run with a hydration belt on race day as I was not allowed to access my running bags on the morning of the race which would have meant that I would have had to check my liquids in the night before and have them baking in the sun for 24 hours. This required a slight change to my plan as I had never used salt pills before. I usually run with a hydration belt with Infinit which takes care of replacing electrolytes for me without having to experiment and see how many I needed to take to avoid cramping. Given how much sodium I had taken on in the 6 servings of Infinit on the bike, I went conservative and took two pills per lap. Otherwise, I relied on a combination of water, sports drink and cola to get me through the run. The system worked out fairly well once I settled into the heat. /ppstrongPost Race Thoughts/strong/ppThat was the hardest thing that I have every physically or mentally done. We simply have not have the heat in Vancouver to be able to acclimatize to the temperatures that were experienced on race day. I had never experienced doubt in a race before. Sure, I had come across challenges that I could work through but never did I think that I couldnt or didnt want to go on. It was a good experience to have and only now am I beginning to appreciate it now that Ive had a few days to collect my thoughts on the day. I didnt give up and I feel stronger for it. Also, I had no idea how I would react to heat in a racing situation. Generally, I dont do well with heat and now I know how my body reacts for the next time that I race when temperatures exceed 30 degrees./ppWhen I crossed the line I wasnt sure when I would do another Ironman. Two days later, I registered for Ironman Coeur dAlene on June 24, 2012! Now the big question is whether or not I will race Ironman Canada as well making for a double Ironman year…/ppstrongThank You/strong/ppI am one lucky guy to have such an amazing support network around me. Training for an Ironman can really take a tole on ones non-triathlon life. Thanks to my amazing family and friends for being there and taking an interest in my passion. I promise youll see a bit more of me over the next few months. Mom youre my biggest fan – thanks for everything you do! Of course, I cant forget the new lady in my life who enthusiastically supports me through training and racing. A big you rock to The Girl and I cant wait for the vacations we have planned this summer!/ppSuper thanks to Lauren and the rest of the gang for having me along! Honestly, it was a blast to be in such good company for the week of the race. Congrats to Katrina and Stephen on your engagement at the finish line! /ppThanks to Speed Theory for all the advice, and mechanical expertise that kept my bike running like a dream throughout the race. The Cervèlo S3 for me was the perfect bike for climbing the long hills and ripping the descents and hairpin turns. When does my S5 with Ui2 arrive? Kidding!/p
Prepping for the big day
Things are really coming together as race day fast approaches. Yesterday morning started with a short 1k swim around a couple of the buoys before heading back to shore. I elected to swim without a wetsuit and was completely comfortable with the water temperature of 21 degrees. If it weren’t for the advantage to be had with a wetsuit, I would definitely race without one as I’ve heard others saying they’re too warm in it.
I haven’t been sleeping all that well since getting to the condo as a function of the incredibly loud road right out in front of where we’re staying. I managed to get an hour nap in before rolling out the door for one last ride to make sure everything was still in good order on the bike. Afterwards, a quick stop in at the supermarket and it was time to make some dinner which consisted of a salad with some pasta and crab meat thrown in. Sounds kind of random but it was actually pretty good.
Today is all about relaxing and putting the final touches on getting my head ready to race. The physical component is there, but now I need to take some time to review my race plan and visualize my transitions and the course. We were going to rent a van and take a look but weren’t able to find one that was available. Scooters were another option that we explored but I opted instead to hang out in town. The key though is to try and stay off the legs as much as possible and drink water. I’ve been a bit dehydrated so today I packed two bottles of water with me.
Overall, I’m feeling pretty good about the race! I’m happy with the amount of training that I put in and am confident that once I take some time to myself to visualize the race that I will be as prepared as I can be. Anything can happen on race day and the only thing you can control are the things that you prepare for. Nutritional, mechanical, physical and psychological aspects considered, any one of them can be challenged throughout a race. One thing that endurance sports has taught me is how to better handle adversity. Admittedly, I’m a planner. I like knowing what I’m doing and where I’m going both now and in the future. I’ve struggled in the past with the unknown surprises that life can throw at you but more and more I like those sorts of challenges. It keeps me on my toes and making my way through them has taught me that I can adapt with success.
Being in Nice the week before, it’s been interesting as droves of athletes have started to descend upon the town. When I first arrived in Sunday, I felt like a complete foreigner. I’ve been able to make my way through as previously mentioned and have continued to speak French as much as possible. Now as I walk around the streets, a whole multitude of languages are being spoken. It’s a blessing and a curse to have these highly visible orange wrist bands signifying that you will be one of the 2,500 people that will be racing come Sunday morning. It’s cool as you can instantly spot other competitors and usually end up exchanging a nod of respect as you carry on throughout town. While not actually a curse but its funny as the bands are almost an instant beacon for being a tourist, analogous to having a big camera around your neck!
The rest of the day will consist of getting my medical check in to complete my registration followed by the Energy Party! In other words, carbo loading with plenty of pasta and bread. Having done one other Ironman, I look forward to this as it’s a lot of fun to be in the company of so many others who have endured the training and have a similar passion to push yourself both physically and mentally over the course of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and a 42.2km run. It’s always fun to exchange racing and training “war stories” as to what made you crazy enough to want to do this to yourself.
Settled In
I’ve been in Nice for a coupe of days now and am really having a blast! The weather has been nothing short of spectacular. Especially given that it was 12 degrees and pouring rain when I left Vancouver it’s no wonder that almost 30 degrees and sunny is a treat.
Yesterday morning I awoke to the sound of a scooter ripping up the hill beside where I am staying. With the streets being so narrow and the cost of fuel being what it is, it’s no surprise that scooters and small cars rule the streets. Best of all, bicycles are everywhere…even the kamikaze drivers who dart in and out of traffic give lots of room!
I was a little apprehensive about coming to a place where English is not the primary language but fortunately I took french in high school and have been able to make my way. It’s slowly coming back to me and for everything else I have been able to get by with one of those handy phrase books. I started the morning with a stroll into the old part of Nice where I found a little café. Pastries are my vice and the French are famous for their variants of the croissantsso I was more than happy to have my fill with one as well as a couple of almond filled pastries and a caffè au lait.
Fueled up and ready to start my day, I headed back home to get kitted up for my ride. One of the first things that I had done the day before was to assemble my bike. The guys as Speed Theory had just installed some new cables the week before and checked over everything to make sure she’d be ready to roll come race day. Today’s goal was to spin out the legs after a long day of trave yesterdayl. I started with a short climb followed by a blasting descent towards the Promenade d’Anglais. Seriously, I can’t get over how blue the water is. Only have I ever seen such a colour at Garibaldi Lake but the Medeiteranean Sea is much more welcoming to swim in as it’s about 20 degrees compared to the near freezing temps of the the former.
I continued my ride out towards Monaco. Super yatch central in other words and there were plenty to be seen! On my way, I came across a small cafe where stopped in for lunch. This time I had a pizza and more coffee with an amazing view overlooking the sea. I ordered my food almost completely in French and the shop keeper clearly appreciated it although he did respond in English a few times when I made some mistakes. One of the things I am enjoying most is being out of my element. I wasn’t sure how I would feel being that this trip represents my first trip abroad. So far, so good.
Later in the day in went for a run down to the Promenade des Anglais. I waited until the afternoon to get a sense of the temperature. At almost 30 degrees it wasn’t too bad although I was fresh having only ridden 25km earlier and the run itself was only 5 km, not 42! I also brought my goggles and went for a quick swim. The stony beach was hard on my feet and the surf wiped up the water into a cloudy colour but it was still slot of fun!
The rest of my day was pretty low key with some more exploring through the old part of town. The hardest part most of the time is trying to find a place to eat as there are so man to choose from! Moule frîtes was on the menu last night!
Catching Up
p class=a href=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z2bxBpmbnVQ/TgGl_cYAJ5I/AAAAAAAABNs/R-sRpg4UYuY/IMG_00016.jpg target=_blankimg src=https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z2bxBpmbnVQ/TgGl_cYAJ5I/AAAAAAAABNs/R-sRpg4UYuY/s500/IMG_00016.jpg id=blogsy-1308730963640.035 class=alignleft width=500 height=375/a/p
pIm on route to France and finally have a few moments on stop and reflect on what got me here and what will undoubtedly be a fun three weeks. Needless to say, my blogging has been a bit on the light side for the past few months. New job, new girlfriend, training for an Ironman thrown in with planning an international trip made for a logistical puzzle. Fortunately, I like logistics and was up for the challenge and wouldnt have changed a thing! /p
pAs I write this, I am on a plane from Vancouver to Toronto before connecting to Frankfurt where I will board my final connection to Nice. A bit of a roundabout route but it will get the job done. This trip represents my first time off the continent. Reality struck the other day when The Girl and I were watching a movie. That momentary escape from reality brought with it an exciting return to reality where I realized that soon I would be venturing into not only a completely foreign country but foreign experiences as well. One week will be spent with some familiar faces and the rest of the time I will be on my own to explore. /p
pIn the weeks leading up to my departure, I have been spending as much time as I could with the Girl. Weve had a few good trips away with camping with some friends followed by a trip to Seattle. We both share a passion for good food and she is particularly knowledgable when it comes to the local dining hot spots. We had an awesome dinner together La Quercia complete with 7 courses. I pushed for the 11 course option with my Ironman sized appetite but sanity prevailed as 7 turned out to be quite sufficient!/p
pFor the first few days, Ill be staying in a BB prior to meeting up with the rest of the crew on Wednesday where well move into our temporary home and begin preparing for the big race on Sunday. Im excited to bout of my contort bubble to a certain degree. I think it will be a good experience for me and as of yet, have yet to feel nervous about it. A bit out of character for me, I dont have the second half of my trip entirely planned as of yet. My initial plan was to head to Avignon by train and base out of the town for the remaining 8 days with a few rides to the surrounding villages and hopefully a climb up the famed Mont Ventoux. /p
pI had the idea put in my mind that it might be worth renting a car and exploring a few different areas throughout the south of France. My initial research has me leaning towards this option as it means I will be able to see more. Having some time to just relax upon my arrival in France, I will solidify my plans with what will likely be a mix of some stricture and spur of the moment based on advice from locals. /p
pIts going to be a great adventure! More to come. /p
Gearing up for France
As seems to be the trend recently I have been a bit behind on my writing. Lots of good continues to go on with just over 8 weeks until the big day! That means just seven short weeks until I depart for France. I’m excited and a bit nervous all at the same time as I have never traveled abroad before let alone while packing all the gear that goes along with triathlon.
I have my accommodation covered for a week once I get there but before that and for the week and a half after I’m on my own. I’m debating between camping versus the hotel/hostel option as both are appealing in their own right. I’ve always loved camping as it is a great way to see an area and waking up to fresh air is always pleasant. I’m still mulling it over and will likely do a bit of both. The question will really come down to what to do with the bike while I’m not riding it.
One of my goals is to explore some of the French villages that I have always wanted to see ever since watching the Tour de France. Part of the draw of doing Ironman France has always been the bike course which is not only challenging in it’s relentless climbs but also because it takes you through many of these villages. I’m hoping to spend some time in Carpentras or Bédoin which are well known for great cycling. Perhaps a bit crazy but I’m hoping to have some time to just noodle on the bike and check out some of the sights on two wheels. After a week of recovery post ironman I may even attempt to climb Mont Ventoux.
Added to this, I’ve recently started a new role with my existing employer and I’m really enjoying the opportunity. I am learning more with each passing day. Interestingly, the lessons learned from sport have come to provide me with some added tools in managing the multitude of information and work that comes along with it. That and I’m surrounded by great people who are both knowledgable and keen to lend a hand.
On the training front, all is going well. I have really enjoyed going the self-coached route this year and have found that I am far more accountable to myself. That is, I’m more inclined to reach the targets that I set out for myself and have learned a lot in terms of assessing my personal performance and when I need to take a recovery day. It has meant spending more time researching different methodologies but by in large I have enjoyed the process and have used Joel Friel’s book “Your Best Triathlon” as the basis to my training. Admittedly, I don’t do everything by the book in an attempt to maintain some balance with the rest of life but I’m definitely the fittest that I have ever been and with 6 more weeks of the build phase prior to starting my taper I am confident that it will be a fantastic race. In combination with the training I have had a number of great rides with the fellas from Speed Theory where I have laughed until it hurts while still getting the work done. We did a long day on the north shore a few weekends ago with a combined total of 7,000 feet of climbing. It was a long day and I definitely felt it but it made my feel good knowing that IMFr has 5,000 feet. Still, I need to make sure I can run a marathon after so I intend on spending more time in the hills over the coming weeks.
That’s it for now!
A long overdue update!
It’s been far too long since my last post but it’s all for good reason. Training has been going really well for both the run and the bike. However, I could certainly use some work on the consistency front for the swim as I haven’t touched the pool in over 4 weeks! As of this week that all changes as I’ve decided to ditch the 25 yard pool at the Y and start going to the 50m at the VAC until the outdoor pools open in May. I was starting to lose my mind with some many flip turns…
In terms of volume in the two sports, a quick check on the last 28 days in Training Peaks returns a result of 31 hours on the bike and 15 hours running. 0 swimming…I wasn’t lieing! The body is holding up well and I have been able to track a noticeable improvement in form and endurance and with that SPEED!
I am excited for the next 8 weeks as I start the build phase of my program this week. Intensity goes up a bit with a little less volume overall before tapering down into the race for the last 3 weeks before the big day. If that past 16 weeks of my program have been any indication, these blocks will pass just as fast if not faster!
In terms of travel, the flight is booked with 3 weeks in France and accommodation is booked for one of the three. I want to be flexible and will likely hostel it where I can as I would like to see some of the neat villages outside of Nice.
That’s all for now, time for a run before work!
Gone Paleo
About 8 weeks ago I was turned on to the Paleo Diet by my Rolfer. She had been following Dr. Gundry’s “Diet Evolution” and was praising the benefits of how she felt in terms of energy and the weight that she lost. When I was training for Ironman I ate reasonably well but as with most athletes, the emphasis was on carbs with the belief that I needed this to restore my glycogen stores. My motivation for learning more about the Paleo Diet was more so for the long term health benefits and day to day energy than the weight loss, although I’ll take the added performance benefit of improving my power-to-weight ration.
I started off reading Dr. Gundry’s book which begins with a story of one of his patients who was 95 and was in perfect health and looked much younger…to the tune of 65! He asked what her secret was. She threw out all white/processed foods and had been doing so for the past 75 years after being instructed to do so by her doctor. When reading Dr. Gundry’s book you will learn a lot about how your body works in terms of processing the nutrients that it takes in. For example, did you know that the fructose in fruit is genetically designed to surpress your liver’s release of an enzyme that makes you feel full. In theory, this is because the fruit tree wants you to consume more so that you increase the likelihood of consuming it’s seeds contained in the fruit to redeposit them elsewhere to increase it’s chances of reproducing. If that sounds a little far fetched to you, then I don’t recommend reading Diet Evolution as it is full of stuff like that. I generally subscribe to what Dr. Gundry is saying but was concerned when I got to the part talking about how glycogen stores are compromised (at least temporarily) while your body rewires how it processes fat vs. carbohydrate.
Good news, there another book specifically aimed at athletes called the “Paleo Diet for Athletes” by Loren Cordain, a guru in Paleo research and Joe Friel, an expert in endurance sports. I found having read Dr. Gundry’s book gave me better understanding of the diet and Cordain/Friels book honed the learnings more for the competitive athlete. The main difference between the two is the timing of the types of foods that are eaten. The Paleo Diet for Athletes is a bit more liberal in the consumption of carbs before, during and immediately after workouts and switches to a more traditional paleo diet in stage 5 which is the time between all those other stages.
So with a bit of background, you’re probably wondering what the results have been in 7 weeks. Well, I’ve lost about 4kg which isn’t entirely fat as my training load has decreased likely losing a bit of muscle as well. From Ironman, I have lost a total of about 5kg or about 6% of my body weight. Not huge but they say you gain about 2 sec/mile for every pound you lose on the run and about 1.5 watts on climbs (Joe Friel’s new book, Your Best Triathlon). In theory, that adds up to almost 9 minutes on a marathon assuming I continue to lean down even more as I regain the same muscle. Overall, I am really liking the results. I feel great and have more sustained energy throughout the day and I have found plenty of energy during my workouts supplementing with my normal mix of Infinit. My goal is the follow the diet 75% of the time as it’s a bit tough to be social with a 100% paleo diet which would mean I would have to bring my own meals to just about everything. Restaurants are fairly easy so long as you get a salad with a good portion of protein. Here’s what a typical day looks like for me:
Breakfast – protein shake:
– 30g of hemp protein powder
– 1 banana
– hand full of frozen berries
– 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
Morning Snack – 1/4 cup of mixed nuts:
– raw almonds
– pumpkin seeds
– raw brazil nuts
– hazel nuts
Lunch – lettuce sandwich
– 4-5 pieces of romain lettuce
– 1 oz of hard cheese (swiss, etc.)
– 1/4 of a bell pepper
– 4 slices of turkey lunch meat
Afternoon Snack – same as morning snack plus an apple.
Dinner – Baked Salmon and a HUGE salad and seared asparagus
As you can see, one of the secrets to the paleo diet is the absence of dairy (1oz of cheese per day is considered okay) and grain/cereals. Generally , I don’t get bored with having the same thing for breakfast and lunch which is good as I eat the same thing most every day. For dinner, I do like to mix it up with the majority of my protein coming from lean sources of land based animals or wild seafood which is known for its abundance of Omega-3′s. Some research from both books suggest that there are benefits from Omega-3′s which reduce inflammation which may be associated with exercise. The typical north american diet has a bias towards Omega 6′s which are actually known to cause inflammation. Ideally, we want a ratio of about 1:3 Omega-3′s to Omega-6′s, not the 1:10+ common today.
Slow and steady
I will continue to track my progress as I pick up training again in a more structured form starting next week and will report back as to my findings. I can definitely see my serving sizes going up as well as a few more servings of fruit but the rest should stay more or less the same. Give it a shot yourself and let me know what you think!
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