February 2013 Newsletter

The February Push

If you haven’t started back on some sort of regular training routine then its time to get started. In just four months, our season gets going at Woodstock on May 26th! That is not too far away and with the new one day format and shortened race distances, you’ll want to be ready to go because everyone will be hammering away for sure. By the time you read this, registration will be open. So have your season planned out to take advantage of the Multi Race Discount which is back for 2013.

We hope you enjoy this jam packed February newsletter. It has the latest series news, training tips and other information such as training camps, which will help you, get primed for the upcoming season and that opening race at Woodstock. Feel free to send any articles and feedback to mscnewsletter1@gmail.com.

Series News

Registration Format Changes – PLEASE READ THIS

You wil see a few changes in the online registration system this year. Look for these changes.

  • We will be asking you for a Finish Time for Toronto Island and Wasaga Beach,
  • Headsweats hats for all athletes, instead of tech shirts,
  • An option to purchase a commemorative race shirt designed by Apres Velo,
  • A change in Triathlon Ontario (formerly OAT) race license fee

We always try and explain the reasoning behind trying something new so, here are the details.

Asking you for a Finish Time for Toronto Island and Wasaga Beach

We constantly receive feedback from very competitve athletes in the older age-groups about having to race “through” the earlier waves. These athletes routinely finish in the top 10% to 20% of a race, yet because of their age, start with the last 20%. We also received feedback on some congestion on the bike leg of the Toronto Island race. With athletes having to move from the back of a race in combination with a looped race on a tight course has resulted in us trying a new system for the wave starts on select races.

In the larger races of Toronto Island and Wasaga Beach, we are going to be grouping participants in starting waves based upon their Predicted Finishing Time.  This change aims to create a less stressful Swim Start, as you know that you are starting with people of like-ability, and to reduce passing on the Bike Course which should make for a more enjoyable and safer ride. When you register for these two races you will see a chart that will help you calculate your expected Finish Time.

We will look for athlete feedback after these races. If it is well received we wil look at expanding this program to more races in 2014.

Headsweats Hats For All Athletes

Last year we had quite a bit of feedback relating to the technical shirts provided with your race entry. The comments ranged from already having too many shirts; some people wanting cotton; some people wanting tech shirts; to giving more apparel options. We asked our customers for suggestions and listened to what they had to say. As a result we will be giving every athlete a Headsweats hat with every race entry. Each race will have a different colour hat and the races which traditionally sell-out will also have the name of the race on the hat. For those athletes competing in the Half Iron races in Welland we will be giving them a long-sleeve cotton shirt, as they will receive a Headsweats Finishers hat and medal upon completion of the race.

Commemorative Race Shirt Designed by Apres Velo

While many athletes told us they already have too many race shirts, we know that there are still some who want to have a special keepsake to remember their race. This year we have retained Apres Velo to design some cutting edge designs that are NOT your typical triathlon race shirt. When you register two weeks before a race you will have the option to purchase an Apres Velo designed shirt that will have the race location on the back. Apres Velo shirts normally sell for $34.99. We want to thank Apres Velo for providing what we feel are great graphics so that we could offer these shirts to our racers at $15. Click here to see all of this years shirt designs.

Triathlon Ontario One Day Fees Change in 2013

We did send this to all of the athletes in our database but wanted to publish it here just in case you missed this important change. If you are a loyal customer of MultiSport Canada you now have an opportunity to get a great deal on one-day license fees.

On January 24th we sent our customers a news release from Triathlon Ontario. So far the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. We have had a few emails asking for some clarification so here is a bit of a history and explanation behind the change in Triathlon Ontario fees.

MultiSport Canada (MSC) and World Endurance Canada (WEC) have always been supporters of Triathlon Ontario, formerly the Ontario Association of Triathletes (OAT). In November 2012 Triathlon Ontario advised us they would require additional funding through increases to the Day of Race License Fees, collected by WEC and MSC, on behalf of Triathlon Ontario. This increased fee revenue would allow Triathlon Ontario to fund their office operations, administer race sanctioning, provide officials at races and develop programs that would help the sports of Triathlon and Duathlon at all levels. They explained the programs covered several areas including: the support of young athletes with elite potential, clubs and their member programs and/or clinics for age group athletes.

The fee increase Triathlon Ontario had proposed was an acroos the board race day fee of $10 per race, up from $6 per race.

Initially, both MSC and WEC had concerns that the proposed one-day race fee increase would be perceived in a negative light by our respective athlete customers. We jointly suggested that it would be best if a clear explanation be provided by Triathlon Ontario as to how membership and Day of Race License Fees are, and will be used. Both WEC and MSC wanted to continue our support of Triathlon Ontario, while ensuring our customers good value. To that end, from November to late December, we met several times and had numerous conference calls with Triathlon Ontario. During these discussions Triathlon Ontario articulated a commitment to use the fee increases in ways, which would support age group athletes, clubs, elite athletes and continued development of the sports of Triathlon and Duathlon. Given this commitment we have accepted Triathlon Ontario’s request to revise the fees collected on behalf of Triathlon Ontario by WEC and MSC.

With this commitment by Triathlon Ontario, WEC and MSC then worked collaboratively to assist Triathlon Ontario in the development of a new Day of Race License Fee and Annual Membership program. In the case of MSC and WEC races, the new program will see the Day of Race License Fees become a Series Limited Triathlon Ontario membership. Athletes will pay the Limited Series Membership of $10 with their first race registration. Subsequent race entries for the respective race series, WEC or MSC, will not be charged an additional fee (see below). We are hopeful this race-day fee program will assist Triathlon Ontario in reaching the goals outlined above and will not be seen as onerous by our respective athlete/customers. Of course an Annual Triathlon Ontario Membership will still be available which will cover race day fees for all races, whether MSC, WEC or independent races.

MSC and WEC have committed to continue to work with the Board at Triathlon Ontario to ensure that programs will be developed for athlete development and to support the growth of Triathlon and Duathlon. We are look forward to seeing delivery by Triathlon Ontario of the various programs to which they committed funding and continuing our support of Triathlon Ontario.

Triathlon Ontario has committed to:

You can see where your Triathlon Ontario Membership and Day of Race License Fees go http://www.triathlonontario.com/sanctioning-s16155

The new fee structures are as follows:

  • Triathlon Ontario Annual Membership – $45 (Club Member) or $55 (individual)
    • Covers race day fees for all race in Ontario
  • Limited Triathlon Ontario Membership Race Fee – $10
    • Covers MultiSport Canada or World Endurance Canada races only. This fee is a ONE TIME fee and provides the athlete with coverage for all races in the respective series.

Example:

  1. Athlete purchases a Triathlon Ontario Membership for $45 or $55. This athlete would not pay any additional race day fees for any race in Ontario. This is excellent value for those athletes who race in multiple events throughout the province.
  2. Athlete who traditionally competes in only WEC or MSC races. The athlete will pay a Limited Day of Race License Fee of $10. This fee will cover the athlete for ALL races within the specific series. If an athlete competes in both series they would pay this fee for each for a total of $20. Should that athlete wish to compete in independent races they would be subject to the One Day Race Fee.

Register Now

Here is the Series Registration Page with all of the details.

New Local Presenting Sponsors

We are very pleased to annouce two new Local Presenting Sponsors, Absolute Endurance and Trysport Niagara.

Of course, many of you have seen the Absolute Endurance team providing post-race massage and ART at our races for the past 10 years, We welcome them as the Local Presenting Sponsor for Gravenhurst, Toronto Island and Wasaga Beach. Please visit their website.

 

Trysport Niagara is a new Triathlon retail store located in Welland, owned and operated by Wolfgang and Barbara Guembel. Many of you have seen Wolf race in our races and around the world. Trysport Niagara is the Local Presenting Sponsor for Binbrook and the Welland Half Iron Weekend. Please visit their website and store.

Thanks to Absolute Endurance and Trysport Niagara for supporting our series.

New Bike/Run Event For Welland Half Iron

Last month we announced a Bike/Run Half Iron to replace the full Half Iron Duathlon in Welland. Here are some of the race details which are now posted to the Welland event page.

  • Start at the former Duathlon Start Line 10m North of the Swim Exit
  • Start time will be 9:10AM to mix-in the Bike Run athletes will 1st 1/3rd of the ½ Iron Triathletes
  • Bike Run Athletes will walk/run from their start line to the TA following the same path as the ½ Iron Triathletes
  • Bike Run Athletes will complete the remainder of the race with the ½ Iron Triathletes
  • Awards will be Top Three Men & Top 3 Women U40 and 40+

MultiSport Canada is Hiring! 

MultiSport Canada is hiring event staff for the 2013 Triathlon Season.

If you are someone that enjoys:

  • Working in the great outdoors (in all elements!!)
  • Waking up before the sun and working on weekends.
  • Working independently with opportunity for leadership and growth.
  • Working with a keen focus on customer experience.
  • Making decisions in a fast paced environment.
  • Making a personal difference in the lives of many.
  • Being physical active and have the ability to lift, bend, run, and be on your feet for long periods of time.

Summer Students:

We hire a number of students that work with us over the course of the season.  Some students work for a couple of races local to their home and some join us for the season. Students can work and gain valuable experience in the following areas:

  • Event set up and take-down.
  • Race operations; course set up, volunteer management, vehicle operations, race course management, communications, equipment care and maintenance.
  • Working with external partners such as police, community volunteers, and vendors.
  • Customer service
  • Leadership, Decision Making and time management.

Local Champions:

This position is well suited for someone that has time and energy in addition to their working lives.  We are keenly interested in working with individuals that live, work or play in our host communities, such as Cobourg, Welland, Bracebridge, Wooodstock, and Lakeside.  Our vision is to engage with local resources that can built capacity in their respective communities.

MultiSport Canada is currently hiring to fill all positions from Team Captains to Race Crew to Customer Service Staff.

Please contact Jan Thomas admin@multisportcanada.com or (705) 797-4951 for more information or to submit your resume.

Triathlon Future is Bright

The sport of triathlon is alive and well in Ontario. Just look at MultiSport Canada’s (MSC) Recharge with Milk Series with continual growth in participation and the expanding schedule of events year after year. How long will this continue? Well, if the success of the SunRype TRi KiDS Triathlon Series, presented by IronKids Gummies is any indication the sport has a very bright future.

TRi KiDS, now entering its 5th year, has experienced annual growth in participation and the number of events offered each year. In 2012, 4300 young athletes aged 3 to 15 crossed the TRi KiDS finish line at 6 Ontario races and 2 in British Columbia. In 2013, 4800 are expected to participate in 9 events.

The success of TRi KiDS can be attributed to three principle reasons.

1)     The welcoming and all inclusive atmosphere and the non-competitive philosophy of COMPLETE NOT COMPETE. Each athlete is recognized and rewarded with a finisher’s medal for ‘tri’ing their best.

2)     Attention to detail in the planning and execution of each race. Communication with parents and athletes is paramount and starts from the time of registration.

3)     The sense of accomplishment, boost in self esteem and family celebration that is experienced by athletes, parents and spectators.

Participation in a TRi KiDS race results in a very positive experience for everyone involved, from the athletes, families and spectators to the volunteers. With this it is safe to say that many TRi KiDS will continue in the sport and eventually graduate into the MSC series.

Tara and Brad Melville, series Founders and Directors are pleased to be producing such a successful series where the young athletes participation is the focus. Tara and Brad draw on their own racing experiences as athletes and Race Directors in creating the TRi KiDS experience. Working and partnering with John Salt in past ventures has proven to be valuable to the growth of their company Run Well Events Inc.

Please visit www.trikids.ca

MultiSport Canada is The Largest Canadian Owned Triathlon Series in Canada!

We are very proud to announce that going into season ten MultiSport Canada is now the largest “Canadian owned” series in Canada. We would like to thank all who have raced with us and supported the series.

 

50% Off XX2i

Best Western Plus Rose City for the 2013 Welland Triathlon

Book Early Incentive – Event Dates: June 22 & 23, 2013

The 2012 rate is being held until March 30th!

Book now and pay only $119.99 for a Queen suite or $129.99 for a King or Two Queen suite (taxes extra)

Hotel is located almost next to the course!

From April 1 – May 31st rates will be available at $124.99 for a Queen Suite or $134.99 for a King or Two Queen suite. (taxes extra)

Only 25 rooms are guaranteed at these rates!

Any requests for reservations after May 31st will not be booked at the group. Non group rate is $167.99. (taxes extra) No exceptions.

Each room is a suite with bedroom, separate living room with sofa bed, and kitchenette with mini fridge, microwave, and range top stove.  Hotel is non-smoking.  Pricing includes hot breakfast from 7am, as well as wireless internet and parking.

Ask for the Welland Triathlon Group before booking to ensure you receive the above mentioned savings!

www.bestwesternniagara.com

Book Your Accommodations with Niagara Residence & Conference Centres

Niagara Residence & Conference Centres – Welland

Each of our spacious guest suites feature two separate bedrooms, each with its own double bed, kitchenette with microwave and refrigerator and three piece washroom. All of our suites provide air-conditioning with individual climate controls.

Amenities Include:

– Complimentary continental breakfast               – Complimentary on-site-parking

– Complimentary high-speed internet                 – Children under 12 stay for FREE

We are located just 5 minutes from the race site. A limited amount of rooms have been arranged for the Welland Triathlon at a discounted rate. Please contact Mike Parente, Sales Manager to arrange your group reservation in advance.

For a virtual tour of our Welland property, please click on the following link:

http://www.stayrcc.com/profile/21/6/ 

Our group rates are as follows:

Special Group Rate: $74.95 per suite plus taxes, based on double occupancy.

Mike Parente – Sales Manager (mparente@stayrcc.com)

Website: www.stayrcc.com/welland

Phone: 905-641-4435 Ext 2009

Get faster with a CompuTrainer?

How can you be sure? Thanks to their CompuTrainer’s Performance Improvement Guarantee you can’t really go wrong.

We can go on and on about the benefits, but you can check out the Testimonials yourselves.

Combined with that, they offer 12 month 0% Financing, and lower shipping costs to Canada.

CompuTrainer Pro Model  $1649.00 

PLUS (1) Free Real Course Video (USAT Tuscaloosa)

All CompuTrainers Include the Popular New RacerMate One Software Suite.

Canadian Orders – NOW with lower cost USPS Shipping!

$450.00  Down and balance split into 12 equal payments.

Down payment includes USPS Priority Mail International shipping ($100.00 total) into Canada. Average delivery time is 6 – 10 days. Call or email for faster delivery times and pricing.

Note: Phone-in orders only — credit check required.

Click on the banner below to find out more or to order.

Ladies Night at D’Ornellas Bike Shop (Monday February 11 from 7-9 pm)

With the upcoming season fast approaching don’t worry as you make a list of the things you will need. All year round MSC participants get additional discounts at D’Ornellas Bike Shop. We have a great night planned with Guest Speakers, SALE on all women’s apparel and bicycles and of course there will be wine! Come on out and enjoy a night of information, shopping and great conversations! Feel free to bring along friends.

Ignition Fitness – Coaching, 2XU & A Clean Slate

Coaching Promo

My coaching promo is still running and expires Feb 15. All the details are here.

2XU Deals

We have access to some exclusive deals with 2XU compression clothing, running gear and wetsuits. All the details are here. 

Clean Slate Program

Our Ignition Fitness team nutritionist Sarah Maughan is offering a great deal on a light detox program that is especially beneficial to athletes! To find out all the details, click here.

 

Training Articles

Superfoods & How They Can Help Your Performance

Meet the superfoods.

When you’re pushing yourself to the limit, you should think about your diet and how it can best support a healthy, active body. You’re getting good results, feeling healthy, but is there a feeling that you could get one step further with even better nutrition? Luckily, there’s more information available than ever before. As we close in on nutrition month in March, let’s take a look at some of the most popular superfoods and see if they can help you reach the next level and make tomorrow’s workout better.

From Greece, with protein.

A rising star in the dairy section, Greek yogurt has many things to recommend it. It’s higher in protein (in some cases double the protein content of non-Greek yogurt choices). It’s also lower in both sodium and sugar, and has a rich, creamy texture that makes it appealing. As well, always be sure to look for the 100% Canadian Milk logo to find dairy products made entirely with quality Canadian ingredients.

All hail kale.

Kale is one powerful veggie. It’s an anti-oxidant, it’s packed with fiber, and it’s a good source of Vitamin A and even calcium. With that many impressive qualities, it might be time to start working more kale into your diet. You’ll find it’s versatile enough to be part of salads or side dishes as well. Having trouble finding it? You can also get many of the same benefits from broccoli.

Berry good.

There are several berries that could be called superfoods. You’ve probably noticed that acai and goji berries have been getting a lot of the attention these days. Both have exotic histories and promise several health benefits, but the main benefit each provides is as an anti-oxidant for heart health. If you have any issues tracking them down, you may find that simple blueberries accomplish much of the same and are available everywhere.

Quinoa with wow.

When it comes to superfoods, it doesn’t get much better than quinoa. An average serving has twice the protein of other cereal grains, fewer carbs and even a dose of healthy fats. It’s also considered a complete protein, which means it has the amino acids you need to build muscle.

Still on top.

No list of superfoods would be complete without including the 16 essential nutrients in chocolate milk. To have a better workout tomorrow, it’s important to ensure you’re getting the right amount of nutrients in your diet today.

Drinking chocolate milk within 30 minutes of an intense workout can help provide the fluids, carbs and protein your body needs to rehydrate, refuel and recharge. It’s a great way to make tomorrow’s workout better today. For more, bookmark rechargewithmilk.ca for all the latest news, events and updates throughout the year.

Execute a successful goal race by planning your season now

By LifeSport coach Jessica Adam

The triathlon season is going to be here before you know it. Most races for 2013 are scheduled and it’s time to sign up. Before you do, there are many things to consider when it comes to planning your race season. This article will guide you through the thought process of planning for a long distance triathlon such as Ironman.

  • Write down all the races you would like to do for any reason such as it’s your goal event, you like the race, you’ve done it before and want to better your time, or its in a location that works for you. Then prioritize these from most important to least.
  • Label them as “A, B, and C” races. An “A” race is your goal event(s) in this case Ironman. For most athletes in a given year an Ironman will be your only “A” race. An example of a “B” race might be a Half Ironman that is scheduled in order to prepare you and track your progress toward Ironman. “C” races might be anything else that you want to do just for fun if it fits in with your plan.
  • Count back from your “A” race. You need to give yourself enough time to prepare for and recover from your ½ Ironman. You will also need to consider having enough build weeks after the event to get your volume to a point where you will be properly prepared for Ironman. You need to plan on a good 3 week taper and peak period as well. So, with all this considered, ideally your ½ Ironman will be at least 10 weeks prior to your full Ironman event. Below is a sample plan.
Week of Period Weeks to race Events Priority Comments

Winter

April 1-7

April 8-14

April 15-21

April 22-28

April 29-5

May 6-12

May 13-19

May 20-26

May 27-2

June 3-9

June 10-16

June 17-23

June 24-30

July 1-7

July 8-14

July 15-21

July 22-28

July 29-4

Aug 5-11

Aug 12-18

Aug 19-25

Aerobic conditioning/strengthBuildBuildRaceRecovery

Build

Build/Race

Recovery

Build

Build

Taper

Peak/Race

Recovery

Build

Build

Recovery

Build

Build

Taper begins

Taper/Peak

Peak/Race

 

Recovery

21+20191817

16

15

14

13

12

11

 

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

 

0

½ marathon 

 

Short triathlon

 

 

 

 

½ Ironman

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ironman

 

C

 

 

 

 

 

B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A

Prep for future demandGet the bugs out, test nutrition 

Great for testing and practicing

 

Race specific workouts

 

Prep for IM

 

 

Focus on building volume

 

Ride/run course if possible

 

 

 

 

Execute race successfully!

  • What if your “A” race is early in the season? Sometimes there are not a lot of races to choose from in order to prep for an early season race or possibly a race you are travelling to with a hot climate early in the year. A great solution to this is to find an early season running event of appropriate distance and simulate a hard bike effort before the race. Try to finish the workout with as little time as you can before the run to get the effect of a race effort brick.

Planning your season of racing is a crucial aspect of executing a successful goal event. Important things to remember in both your training leading up to and within your preparatory events is to practice the things you feel you may be weak on or just want to perfect such as nutrition, transitions, getting up to speed off the bike etc. This will help you to “get the bugs out” and will build your confidence as you near your goal event.

LifeSport triathlon coach Jessica Adam has been a coach in Victoria, Vancouver and now resides in the Toronto area. She loves to share her years of experience with beginner triathletes and also experienced triathletes that are trying new distances like ½ IM or IM for the first time. She coaches athletes online all across the country.

If you are interested in working with Jess, write Jess@LifeSportCoaching.com

Swim Faster Now – Six step system to fix your stroke mechanics

With the new season just months away, it seems that everyone is in the pool ramping their swim up. After visiting several pools, we noticed that a lot of swimmers are slugging out endless lamps in hopes of getting in shape. The question is does this work? The answer is no. So many triathletes have poor stroke mechanics that lead to injury or putting out more effort than required to race effectively. So how do you fix this? It is simple…Spend more time on stroke mechanics. You can research some drills online and get an idea of a few new drills to try at your next practice. The problem with this is what drills do you use to fix certain mechanical problems in your stroke and what exactly are the problems with your stroke. Most swimmers have their own individual challenges. So now you are asking: How do you fix your stroke and make it right?

The process is simple and straightforward at Swim Faster Now. We have created a 6-step system that can teach and improve stroke mechanics of any level swimmer from beginner to world record holder. We have had the opportunity over the years to apply our system to swimmers from beginner to world record holder. Our system deals with balance and a step-by-step system detailed series of specific drills that are easy to learn and refine at your own pace.

At Swim Faster Now, you can attend one of our 1/2 clinics or you can purchase our DVD six step system which includes DVD, workbook and water cards to go with you when you go to the pool.

For more information on our upcoming clinics, please call 1-888-380-7946 or go towww.swimfasternow.com to order our DVD system and help you to be your best for the upcoming season.

Winter Swimming Fundamentals

In two past articles I’ve covered topics on cycling and running that cover some basic fundamentals you may want to focus on over the winter training season. In the third part of this series I’ll be talking about the same with swimming, and tips and techniques to work on early in the year to set you up for your best summer of racing. As with those two other articles, here we’re also talking about small changes in your training to produce big results.

Swimming is, in a lot of ways, like golf. If you play golf – or have at least tried to play golf – then you probably have an appreciation for just how difficult a game it is. What could be so hard about hitting a tiny, still white ball down a grass fairway before tapping it into a little cup? Well, it’s a lot harder than it looks, and the pros on TV make it look easy. Those pros have worked on their stroke and technique for thousands of hours over several decades. Pro triathletes are the same. They make swimming fast look easy. And like golf, swim is a sport all about technique. The more you practice, the more you refine your stroke, the better you become. There is a long list of swimming drills you could do to help improve your technique and you can find those drills on any number of websites, but today I’m going to talk about a few other things that will help you improve your swimming over the winter.

Swimming with a snorkel
Swimming with a snorkel completely takes the breathing out of swimming and allows you to focus on proper technique and body alignment. Just keep your head down and swim. As the focus is no longer your breathing, focus on all the finer points of your swim stroke such as body position, body roll, long arm reach, high elbows, pulling more water, etc. I try to include snorkel swimming in warm ups for all of my athletes, and if they don’t have a snorkel I always recommend they get one and start using it over the winter.

Pull with band
Most of us will already have a pull buoy in our arsenal of swimming tools, but very few of us will have a band. A pull buoy is excellent for developing swim-specific upper body strength, and a pull buoy focused workout is a great break if you’ve wrecked your legs the day before while running or on the bike. However, a pull buoy still allows you to swim with poor body position, and using a pull buoy on its own doesn’t take away your kicking 100%. By simply wrapping your ankles in a sturdy elastic band or tube (old inner tubes are perfect!), your feet become useless and kicking is eliminated. If you’ve never used a band, chances are your feet will sink and drag along the bottom of the pool. Swimming with a band forces you to catch more water; the more water you catch, the faster you move through the water, and the more your feet will rise to the surface to their proper position. It’s a tough drill to get the hang of, but it’s effective. Your feet won’t come to the surface by continuing to swim with a poor body position. Everything has to come together when swimming with a band to get you from one end of the pool to the next!

Monthly Endurance Swim
I’m a fan of shorter sets over the winter, maxing out at 400s or 500s, usually focusing on paces faster than your goal race time. Workouts will almost always be a combined total of close to twice the race distance you’re training for (if you’re training for a 2k swim in a half-iron race, your typically swim set would be 3000-4000m), but broken up into several shorter sets.  However, I do like to add at least one long, steady state endurance swim once a month over the winter.  This is one of those small things that can have huge benefits mentally. On race day when you’re standing at the water’s edge, knowing you completed several long, uninterrupted swims that were almost twice the distance you’re there to race will go a long way.

Frequency vs. Duration
This is something I get asked about a lot. Several athletes have told me they can only swim 2x week for 1 hour per session because they can’t fit any longer swim sessions into their schedule. When I ask them if they can swim 4x week for 30 minutes per session, suddenly they realize, “Yes! I can swim that often!” Getting in the water more frequently is more important than making sure you swim several thousand metres in fewer sessions. As long as you’re at least swimming the equivalent distance of your goal race (500-2000m for most) per session then all is good. Getting in the water and swimming more frequently is one of the easiest ways to improve your swimming.

All of the above tips can help you become faster and more efficient in the water. This has been the theme for this series of articles (read thecycling article here and the running article here), and with making a few small changes to your training you can expect some big payoffs. Drills are definitely an important part of your swim training, so be sure to include drills into most of your warm up sessions. Get yourself a snorkel and band, do at least one long, steady state swim per month, and get to the pool as often as you can! Combine these with drills as a part of your warm up and you’ll be swimming better than ever at the end of this winter’s indoor training season! Good luck!

Tommy Ferris – Head Coach, Ignition Fitness

Athlete Profiles and Special Stories

Structuring a Workout with Spincore

The beauty of Spincore is in its simplicity and portability as well as its ability to deliver an effective core and upper body workout.  It can be used to cross train for many sports but particularly swimming and paddling.  A very effective workout can be structured in only 15 minutes and it will dramatically increase your strength and endurance in the pool.  To structure a workout all you have to do is take a main set workout from the pool for freestyle and use the same time intervals and do the workout with Spincore in a freestyle motion.  It can be done as a stand alone workout or during a running warm down.

For those of use age groupers that struggle to get to the pool due to our busy lives, this device is as effective as any other trainers at a fraction of the cost and is totally portable and adjustable.  It can be used alone while watching tv, listening to tune etc or in a group workout.  In the time that most of us take to drive to the pool you can get a complete workout without ever leaving your house.

See what Hall of Fame Coach Barrie Shepley has to say about its use.

Use this video as a background and pretend that you are kayaking on beautiful Lake Wahwashkesh

Order online at Spincorefitness.com!

The IronCanucks Triathlon Team

The IronCanucks Triathlon Team is training all year long together in the Burlington Ontario and surrounding areas.

The IronCanucks provide support and development to triathletes/duathletes of all levels. We have an average of 60 members on this very active team. Our qualified NCCP Coaches and Team Leaders organize training and social events to give athletes the opportunity to meet new friends and training partners. There have many organized events/seminars/indoor training and socials during the year and at many races you will see our IronCanucks cheer squad supporting their fellow team mates. You cannot miss us on race day, equipped with bells and inspiring signs. IronCanucks are always having fun!

TEAM GOALS

  • Our PASSION is a healthy lifestyle
  • We strive to INSPIRE others as they follow us on our journey
  • We have COURAGE to participate out of our comfort zones
  • Our POWER comes from within

Find out more about the team by visiting their WebsiteFacebook Page, or on Twitter.

Canada’s Largest Triathlon Conference!

Three days of leading edge education and training taught by endurance, strength and nutrition experts.

On May 3, 4 & 5th 2013, TriMuskoka will bring the top triathlon & endurance sport educators to Huntsville & Lake of Bays, Muskoka for a jaw dropping three day event.

A  jammed packed conference with the industry’s experts conducting more than twenty lectures, clinics, and training sessions.

The keynote presenter is the world renowned author and endurance sports coach, Joe Friel.?? Conference delegates will have the pleasure of attending all three of Joe Friel’s motivational and thought provoking presentations.

Other experts will follow suit; Sean Bechtel, Ryan Cain, Craig Taylor, Sheri Fraser, Brooke Brown, Rebecca Glennie, Alex Hutchison, James Kowalewski, and Kyra Watters.

You name it – every topic is addressed. You’ll leave with answers, and a competitive edge.

Registration opens on February 15th, 2013. ??Click on the Conference Link on the main page of the TriMuskoka website, (www.trimuskoka.com) to learn more about speakers and topics and to sign up for the preregistration newsletter. ??Interested conference sponsors may obtain information from the website.

Rich Trenholm (rich@triathlonmuskoka.com

MSC Radio – Catch new interviews with our race winners

We’ve got a huge collection of lots post-race interviews with many of our race winners, including members of theRecharge With Milk Development Team and the Recharge With Milk Mentor Team.

Listen and learn more at MSC Radio. If you’ve got an interesting story or know of a fellow racer with one, please let us know at newsletter@multisportcanada.com

 

Camps, Clinics & Other Events

Panama City Training Camp with Mat Reid

Panama City Beach Winter Training Camp
Join 4-time Worlds Age Group Coach Mat Reid from March 3rd-9th or March 10th-16th for a triathlon training camp. Website iswww.panamacitytrainingcamp.com. This camp is the best valued camp in North America. Single person costs are as low as $575 (travel, condo and training). Families more then welcome. 64 attendees in 2012. Email Mat Reid at matcreid@yahoo.com.

Fighting Koalas Winter Triathlon Series
Register today for a winter triathlon. Dates are Sun Jan 13th, Sun Feb 10th and Sun Mar 31st. Cost is $40. Distances are a 750m swim (Flamborough YMCA), 20k cycle (Compu-Trainer Studio) and 5k run (outdoors). The location is Waterdown (between Hamilton and Burlington). Email Mat Reid at matcreid@yahoo.com.

Winter Defrost Part 1 with Healthy Results

April 7 to April 13th

The week is FULLY coached. You will have access to a coach all day, every day. The goal will be to improve your fitness and technique to give you that jump on the competition.  ARRIVAL DAY: April 7th, 2013 (Afternoon) /// DEPARTURE DAY: April 13th, 2013 (Evening)

Packages include:

  • Accommodations, Van Transportation, Pick Up and Drop Off at Airport, Camp Organization
  • Access to a 50m Pool, Access to OW swimming, Fully coached workouts, Video: swim, bike, and run during the week

To Register Contact Healthy Results at: Richard Pady – rpady@healthyresults.ca

Absolute Endurance 2013 Tucson Training Camp

2013 NRGPT Performance Training Camps

NRG Performance Training  has a number of training camp options for 2013 whether you are looking to get away in the winter or ride some big mountains or dial in your race day execution we have a camp for you. Our camps are open to all athletes of any ability!

Winter Getaway Camp:  We have 2 x 1 weeks camps in  Clermont, Florida, Feb 9 – 16 and Feb 23 – March 2. These weeks are a great chance to get away in the middle of winter and put in some great training out in the Florida sun under the guidance of some of the sports top coaches!

France Training Camp: We are heading back to France next year with a new mid week trip to Andorra. Check out the feature on our 2012 camp in the Nov/Dec issue of Triathlon Magazine Canada! We will be based in Luchon, France, May 9-19 for 9 days of great training in the heart of the Pyrenees, come and join us and test yourself on some of the classic climbs of the Tour de France including the Tourmalet, the Col d’Aspin and the Port de Bales

Mt Tremblant IM Training Camp: This is a weekend camp focused on Ironman and 70.3 on the Mt Tremblant course.  Join us June 14-16 to learn all you need to know about racing to your potential in long course triathlons and put in a great weekend of training with feedback from the NRGPT coaching team!

Please contact Nigel (nigel@nrgpt.com) with any questions.

Bike For Mike (click on the banner below for more information)

A Message from Ride Milton

We now find ourselves in the dead of winter and for all but the very hardy, riding outside is not an option. But cycling is still an amazing form of exercise and with the race season fast approaching many of us have training to get done.

So how does the average triathlete and cyclist make the necessary fitness gains during the off season or winter months? Spin classes are a popular choice but are not ideal as bike set-up is so different from your own. A personal bike trainer at home is a great alternative but lonely hours in the basement or garage leave many athletes unmotivated and sick of staring at a wall or mindless TV.

RIDE offers an alternative that combines the fun group setting of a spin class with the efficiency of training with watts on a computrainer.

Email nicole@ridemilton.com to book your first session for only $10. Yoga classes are also available.

519 Main Street East | Milton, Ontario | 905-878-4800

Please Support our Sponsors

We extend our thanks to each and every sponsor. Race entry fees never cover the complete cost of a particular race or series of races and without the sponsors there is no race or race series that would survive without their support. We hope that you all take a moment to check out our Series Sponsors below or visit the sponsors page and see what they do and look at the products they sell. Please thank them for supporting the sports of Triathlon and Duathlon by trying and using their products. If you do visit them please take a moment to thank them for supporting Triathlon, Duathlon and Kids races in Ontario.

MultiSport Canada Triathlon Series

We are extremely grateful to have the support of our sponsors. The Series Level Sponsors contribute a great deal to help make our series successful.

[hr ]

Title Sponsor

RWM-4C

[hr ]

Series Sponsors

apres_velo_red_square_logo_lg timex_black Hero Burgers RudyProjectRacing-BLACK400
Official & Exclusive T-shirt Designer Swim & Wetsuit Sponsor Volunteer Sponsor Timing Sponsor Post Race Food Sponsor Eyewear & Helmet Sponsor
Hammer_nutrition Adult_Essentials_image002 Brooks_LogoV_Black_400 xx2ilogo.black.red1_400 mcp series_computrainer
Nutrition & Hydration Sponsor Vitamins Running Shoe and Apparel Sponsor Eyewear Sponsor Series Photographer Bike Trainer Sponsor

[hr ]

Local Presenting Race Sponsors

Trysport_niagara_400 New-Absolute-Endurace DuTri&Run
Binbrook & Welland Toronto Island, Wasaga Beach, Gravenhurst Belwood, Lakeside

[hr ]

Silver Level Sponsors

TRICO-LOGO clifbar headsweats_logo countryharvest 2007kinesys_logo
Official Bike Box Nutrition Bar Official Headwear Post-Race Bagels Sunscreen

[hr ]

Retail Sponsors

DornellasMultisportcanadaGLOGO_400 gears muskoka_outfitters_new retail_RUNNINGFREE_redandblack_600 Du_tri_run MultisportZone

[hr ]

Local Partners

IDA_rexall retail_RUNNINGFREE_redandblack_600 londonhonda SiskindsLogo

[hr ]

Accommodation Sponsors

marriott_res_inn_id_5c Quality-Hotel-and-Conference-Centre Best_Western_logo.svg_ westin_logo
Gravenhurst
Bracebridge
Bala Falls
Woodstock Welland Toronto

Thank you for racing in the MultiSport Canada Triathlon Series!
John Salt and the MultiSport Canada Team