Vancity Tri Guy

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.

Tags: France, Reflection, Relaxation, Travel

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!

Tags: France, Ironman, race, Speed Theory, Travel

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!

Tags: France, Ironman, Training, Travel