March 2013 Newsletter

Sponsor Deals for MSC Racers 

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 30^th!

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 31^st 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 31^st 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

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.

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

Gobsmacking Results

Will Newton, a cycling coach/athlete with 23 years in endurance sport in the UK, just experienced a remarkable performance increase with his CompuTrainer (he used the word ‘gobsmacking’, English slang for flabbergasting)

In a 20 minute test on December 31, 2012, he recorded 219 Watts Average. At the end of January, 2013, after training 5 hours+/week on CompuTrainer, Will repeated the test and cranked 266 Watts Average —a 47 watt (21%) increase in one month!  (Read Will’s entire post)

Will has made owning a CompuTrainer a strong recommendation for the riders he coaches, and says it soon will probably be a requirement.

For over 15 years RacerMate has GUARANTEED, and delivered, this gobsmacking level of performance improvement.  It distinguishes CompuTrainer from all other trainers. If you’re looking to improve your cycling, CompuTrainer is for you. We actually guarantee it.

Here is a simple way to fit a CompuTrainer into your budget.
Note: Phone-in orders only — credit check required.

E-Z Payment Options with 0% Financing

Canadian Orders – NOW with lower cost USPS Shipping!
$460.00  Down and balance split into 12 equal payments.
Down payment includes USPS Priority Mail International shipping ($110.00 total) into Canada.  Average delivery time is 6 – 10 days.  Call or email for faster delivery times and pricing.

RacerMate Inc.
3016 NE Blakeley Street Seattle, WA 98105
206-524-6625

 

 

Training Articles

Super Foods and How They Can Help Your Clients

Superfoods your clients need.

When you work your clients to the max, you always have to keep their diet at the forefront. They might be getting good results and feeling healthy, but it’s important to communicate the vital importance of nutrition. And with March being nutrition month, there’s never been a better time than right now. We’ve got some great suggestions for superfoods that can help you and your clients get to the next level.

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 might make it a better choice for any picky eaters you might train. 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, 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. If your clients are resistant or have any trouble finding it, be sure to remind them that they can 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. The story on these berries is still being told, but you may want to remind your clients that simple blueberries can accomplish much of the same benefits for a fraction of the price 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’s packed with all the amino acids you need to build muscle. That’s definitely something many of your clients will be interested in.

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.

Start now for a successful open water swim

By LifeSport coach Jessica Adam

Spring. It’s so close yet still so far away. This time of year can be tough to feel motivated as you are probably getting tired of the weather and are longing for a nice, double-digit temperature day! What might help is to switch up your training a bit. Do something that gets your mind into race mode, fires up that competitive edge, and reminds you that race season is really just around the corner. Here are a few tips and tricks you can take with you to your next swim workout in order to get you ready for the sometimes chaotic but always exciting open water swim!

Practice drafting and accelerating. In a lane with people of similar ability to you, do some longer 300-400m sets on a steady pace time and take turns drafting each other for each set. Take note of how it feels when you are leading and when you are on someone’s feet when setting the same pace. You can also try some accelerations where the front swimmers swim an easy pace but the person at the back has to accelerate to the front, like a reverse pace line. This will help your open water swim fitness for when you have to pass, are turning a corner, or to catch another drafting ride that is better suited for the pace you are trying to set.

Sighting drills. This is an easy drill in the pool. Just pick a spot on the wall and practice lifting your head out of the water every 4-5 strokes finding that spot. This will help develop your neck strength and technique for sighting. You should only be lifting your head high enough for roughly half your face to be out of the water. Try to breathe as you normally would, not every time you lift your head to sight. This brings your head out too high and gets very tiring.

Hypoxic breathing. This is a drill you can practice to help your body deal with a small bit of oxygen deprivation. Sometimes in open water swims you can’t take a breath when you want to because of some jostling, a buoy turn, or you get hit with a wave in an ocean or big lake swim. Swim sets of 75m where you breathe the first 25m every 3 strokes, the next every 5 strokes, and the last 25m every 7 strokes at a smooth pace.

Buoy turns. Preferably in an extra wide lane or an open section of the pool practice some buoy turns either with a friend as your buoy or just pretend there is one there. Swim up to your mark at a good pace, when you are almost about to pass it, turn your body to do a quick backstroke in the direction you want to take to go around the mark, then flip back onto your front and accelerate away from the buoy. This is the fastest way to make a buoy turn as you will maintain your momentum.

Practice accelerating from treading water. Some swim starts like Ironman Hawaii have swim starts from a treading water position where you can’t touch the bottom. If you know your swim start will be like this, practice in the pool to get the edge. Do a set of 25’s or 50’s (depending on the length of the pool) and instead of pushing off the wall, start them from a treading water position and simulate your goal race start. You can make these sets a little longer and practice settling in to the race pace you want to set as well.

The jostle. Sometimes the hardest thing to deal with is your fellow competitors. Get comfortable by swimming side by side up your lane with as many buddies that will fit without injuring each other. Bump into each other a little to simulate a race situation. This can be a fun drill but don’t get too carried away!

Bilateral breathing. If you don’t already, practice bilateral breathing. This will help you by balancing your stroke which will in turn help you stay swimming in a straight line but it also gives you the option to breathe on one side or the other with ease. Sometimes you have to breathe only to one side in an open water swim due to waves that are rolling towards you and you will want to breathe away from the direction they are coming, potentially there is someone on one side of you that is too close and you will want to avoid their elbow or foot, or another possible scenario is that the sun is coming up on one side making it really hard to see in that direction. Give yourself the option and incorporate bilateral breathing into the way you swim.

There are many things you can practice in the pool to ensure a successful and hopefully less stressful open water swim. Get a jump on the season and start some of these drills now. They are fun and will get you psyched for your race season!

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

The Mental Game of Triathlon

By Dr. Lindsey Forbes, C.Psych.

Triathlon provides the perfect opportunity to push your limits, physically and mentally. Considerable “mental toughness” is required to endure the demands of training and to finish races. Triathletes commonly report challenges: Maintaining motivation across training; dealing with fatigue, pain, and injury; staying focused and positive; managing race anxiety (e.g., worries about poor performance, the swim leg, and uncontrollables like a flat tire); and “digging deep” in the final stretch of the race.

As you head into the training season, are you mentally prepared for training and competition? You put in countless hours and kilometers of physical training, but have you trained your mind?

Mind over matter. The mental game is critical for successful performance, allowing your body to perform to full capacity during training and competition. Physically, the central governor theory[1] suggests that our brain “protects” our body by continuously monitoring our physical state (e.g., energy stores, oxygen), perceived effort, pace, and the distance ahead, to ensure we stay in a safe, comfortable zone. To do so, it purposely holds the body back through specific adjustments (e.g., reducing muscle activation) and signals (e.g., discomfort, fatigue) to protect it from “over-exerting.” This explains why we experience discomfort, reduced pace, and the intense urge to stop about two-thirds into a race. Turns out, the brain is a tad overprotective, releasing fatigue sensations early to trick the body into believing that it’s at its maximum limit (in reality, we still have energy reserves and aren’t fully activating our muscles!). This accounts for our extra surge in energy and speed when the finish line is in sight. As endurance athletes, we can learn to override our overly protective brain and to “dig deep” when we’re struggling. Mentally, we also need to learn to control what Tim Gallwey calls the “inner game[2]” – overcoming our self-imposed obstacles (e.g., fear, self-doubt, lapses in focus, our assumed limits) to reach our full potential.

The mental edge. After training as much as you can and buying the best gear, mental strategies can give you that extra edge to achieve your best performance. As a psychologist, runner, and newbie triathlete (I completed my first 2 triathlons last summer and was instantly hooked!), I can attest to the power of mental strategies in enhancing athletic performance. In my consultation work with athletes, we focus on the use of specific mental skills (e.g., goal setting, relaxation, self-talk, focus/attention cues, visualization, pre-competition routines, race strategies) to help athletes get the most out of training and to achieve their peak performance.

On first glance, these mental skills appear to be “common sense” (we all know it’s helpful to think positively, to stay focused, and to relax and breathe deeply); however, knowing and doing are very different things. It’s not so “common” if we’re not regularly practicing these skills! Practicing mental skills during training can help us get the most out of our training, can boost our focus, motivation, and enjoyment, and can allow us to apply strategies to race situations.

After your physical training is complete, your mind ultimately will determine how well you execute during a race. It can either limit you orallow you to get 100% of what your body can deliver. Why leave it up to chance? Train your brain to help you achieve your best performance.

Dr. Lindsey Forbes, C.Psych. – Psychologist, runner, triathlete

Dealing with injuries before they break the surface.

By Jessica Craymer

With the winter season coming to an end athletes should be starting to think about their plan for the 2013 year. Whether your goal is to tackle a longer distance, fit more races into a season or simply try for some personal bests, it is important you make a plan that will help prevent any injuries that could risk hurting your performance level.

Let’s face it, you can’t always tell when you are going to get injured. A wipe out on the bike, uneven ground when you’re running or a collision during a swim are all injury prone events that cannot always be controlled. However, sprains, muscle pulls, shin splints and joint pain are all injuries that can be prevented; it just takes adding the right exercises and techniques into your daily plan. Frank Jenny, a sprint triathlete and varsity coach says, “In order to prevent an injury you must first have a positive mind set, don’t get worried or stressed out that you might get injured. Assume every workout will be a good one.”

Injury prevention techniques are evolving constantly; however, one thing that has never changed is quality specific to the sport. For example, a swimmer may focus on rotation in a neutral spine position, while a runner prefers to minimize any rotational movements in that same neutral position. Charlotte Loaring, Registered Physiotherapist and owner of Loaring Physiotherapy & Health Centre in Windsor Ontario and an Ironman finisher says, “Triathletes should aim to target 1-2 hour per week of “preventative rehab” – exercises that focus on core stability, motor control, and balance for performance and injury-prevention purposes.

Balance

Muscle balance is the key to prevent injuries. “It is important to be symmetric,” says athletic therapist and small time triathlete ­­­­­­­­David Stoute, “try to keep muscle mass even on both sides of your body so one side is not forced to work harder than the other.” There are three main areas of focus that athletes need to work on in order to maintain balance:

1. Core – The base of your body. Other muscle strength will drive from your core so keeping it strong will benefit the rest of your muscles. Exercises include: deep abdominal and pelvic floor activities, as well as glute medius and maximus work. (Planks and bridges are great exercises for this).
2. Motor Control – Doing movements to simulate the sport will help you control your body when the sport is actually being asserted. Loaring said, “for example: We try to ensure people understand that running is a single legged sport… you will never have both feet on the ground at the same time. Therefore, it’s critical to incorporate single-legged running-specific motor control exercises into your program.”
3. Proprioception – This is the body’s ability to sense joint movement deriving from nerve sensors. This keeps us standing upright and able to move efficiently. Strong proprioception will allow athletes to quickly change direction and be well aware of what position each of their body parts are in so they can avoid potential injuries. Proprioception can be improved by balancing on one foot or any unstable surface (e.g., a BOSU ball). Resistance bands and weights will also help further challenge your stabilizing muscles.

Focusing on these three areas will not only keep your body balanced, it will also help you perform efficiently during a race. Since a triathlon causes you to use different muscle groups, staying balanced will make it easier to switch sports and preform at your best.

Triathletes come in all shapes and sizes. Depending on their body type, each athlete is prone to different injuries. For example, a heavier athlete is more likely to be injured during the running portion because they are carrying more weight than lighter athletes. When you decide to make a plan, be sure to research exercises that focus on the muscles groups that benefit your specific body type. If you are not an experienced or trained athlete than seeing a health professional with sports therapy experience will help you decide what kind of exercises to do in order to prevent injury and allow you to perform at your highest potential. “If your goal is to perform well, you need a plan. Without one, you have a lesser chance of succeeding and will increase your risk of injury.” Said Loaring, “You don’t have to wait to be injured to see a sports therapist, you can prevent it.”

Hailing from Muskoka, Ontario, Jessica Craymer, is an 18 years old currently double majoring in Journalism and Communications in Media and Film at the University of Windsor. She started running at 14 and then triathlons at 16. Jessica enjoys racing the Olympic distance the most and is training hard for this upcoming season. A local community group donated a Cervelo bicycle that was fitted just for her and knowing that her community cared enough to do that is what keeps her loving the sport and motivated all year long.

Speed Up By Slowing Down: Want to run faster? Slow down your pace and run more often!

By Tommy Ferris

If you were to survey runners and triathletes and ask all of them to name the best way to improve running speed, you’d get a lot of different answers. However, I’m certain the vast majority of people will all tell you that in order to run faster, you need to be running faster more often. It’s true that intervals and tempo sessions all have a place in a well balanced training plan, but today I’m going to introduce you to another concept: run faster by running slower. Do I have your attention now? Have I suggested a concept that sounds completely upside down? Good.

One of the very first questions I ask athletes when I’m starting to work with them is, “What does your current training schedule look like?”. Several times I’ve gotten a response that is something like, “I’m currently riding 3x/week, swimming 3x/week and running 2x/week, but Ireally want to improve my running speed!”. I don’t have to tell you that in a case like this, it’s easy to spot why running would be this particular athlete’s weakness. The next question I often ask is, “How do you feel about running 6x/week?”. Most people look at me like I’m crazy. The thought of running so much immediately conjures up images of tough track sessions, brutal tempo runs, and painful threshold sets. To make them feel better I then go on to explain that my fundamental philosophy on running training is more frequency with less intensity. The easiest way to make big gains in your running speed is to run more often, and the only way to run as frequently as 5 or 6 times per week (sometimes even 7!) is to slow down and make sure you’re not running too hard. If you’re running too hard, your heart rate goes up too high and you push yourself into a training zone that requires more recovery and increases the risk of injury. However, keep your intensity in check and you’ll recover faster, allowing you to run more frequently and develop a strong aerobic base. In order to run that often and to reap the benefits of running as much as possible, it’s crucial to train at the right intensity.

During the off season you want almost all of your running – about 90% of it – to be in your Endurance heart rate zone (Zone 2). Triathlon (and any other endurance event, whether it be swimming, cycling or running) is almost entirely an aerobic sport, so it’s important to become as efficient as possible when training and racing. Training in this zone achieves this efficiency by teaching your body to run faster at a lower heart rate. By consistently keeping the vast majority of running training in this heart rate zone you’ll begin to notice that your pace times will improve while your heart rate remains the same or decreases. As long as some high-intensity work is present in your program (the other 10% of your running training during the off season), the biggest performance benefits come from focusing on this aerobic endurance intensity. As a triathlete, fitting in the extra runs is as easy as adding at least two short, easy 20- or 30-minute runs off the bike. Brick workouts are a part of every triathlete’s training regimen already, so adding in one or two extra easy runs off the bike isn’t very hard. This fact makes those that look at me as if I’m crazy feel a bit better. What also makes them feel better is the story I tell them of Mark Allen, who stuck with this Z2 theory and improved his running pace by a whopping 35%. He also went on to set an Ironman World Championships run split record that still stands today.

So what does an “endurance” or “Zone 2” run feel like? It should feel easy. In fact, it should feel a bit too easy. It will be an adjustment for most people to run that slow. It certainly isn’t as slow as an easy recovery effort where you’re hardly trying to break a sweat, but it’s not nearly as hard as you probably already do the bulk of your running training at. If you’ve done any running threshold testing and have target heart rates then you can take the guesswork out of it, but if you’re running by feel then think of it as a pace that’s too hard to be easy, but too easy to be hard.

Keeping with this model, the most important workout each week for all of my athletes – one that should never be overlooked – is the long run, almost always done on the weekend. If something comes up and schedules change and they know they won’t be able to fit in their long run on the weekend, I move things around so that it still gets done that week. In addition to hammering in the feel and the benefits of proper endurance training, this run ensures that you have plenty of aerobic endurance to complete the distance in your longest race of the year.

Keep in mind that there are some drawbacks to this type of training and it isn’t for everyone. If you want to increase your number of weekly runs from 2 or 3 to 5 or 6, do so gradually. Running is hard on the body if you’re not strong or fit enough to handle that much volume. If you’re currently running 3x week, add an easy 15-minute brick run after a ride once a week for a few weeks, then do the same several weeks later before increasing the duration. Also keep the length of your newly added mid-week runs shorter, maxing out at perhaps 45 minutes until you feel you can take on more. What’s more important than anything else is that you have a well balanced, well thought out program. If your goal this season is to smash your 5k personal record, intervals, threshold and tempo workouts will be a huge part of your program year round. Your coach will make a program that will be periodized to ensure you’re continuing to build a strong aerobic base while keeping your speed skills sharp earlier in the year, then shifting gears to a higher intensity program as race day nears. If you’re training for a marathon, the majority of your training at all times will be at an aerobic pace, with speed and tempo work sprinkled in more and more as your goal race approaches.

Whether you’re training for a 5k or for a marathon, just starting out or a seasoned pro, athletes of all abilities and levels will benefit from more aerobic endurance running. Running more often at the appropriate intensity is a proven method in making you run faster. And remember that training is an adaptive process and this type of running is no different from any other; it will take several weeks of properly targeted endurance running to produce noticeable effects, so be patient. And even more good news is that your improved aerobic base will make all of those harder interval, tempo and threshold sessions feel a lot easier. Good luck!

Athlete Profiles and Special Stories

Join Joe’s Team Today!

Sign up as a member of Joe’s Team and raise funds for vital cancer research.

In 2004 Joe Finley was diagnosed with cancer. Despite the physical and emotional toll of his treatment Joe fulfilled a life-long goal in 2006 when he completed his first triathlon. Crossing the finish line was just the beginning for Joe. That fall he approached the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation with the idea of forming a triathlon fundraising event and Joe’s Team was created.

In its inaugural year over 230 people competed as members of Joe’s Team in the Multi Sport Gravenhurst sprint triathlon and raised over $500000. After 3 years of cancer treatment and just 10 days after his latest round of chemotherapy, Joe also completed the event.

Given this success, Joe’s Team began running its own stand alone event. In just 6 years the triathlon/duathlon has raised over $6.3 million for the Head and Neck Translational Research program at the Princess Margaret. This ground breaking, internationally recognized research, benefitting many forms of cancer, would not happen without the support of Joe’s Team. Thanks to Joe’s Team funding, the research team has grown from 4 to 82 dedicated clinicians and researchers! Every year these gifted scientists are making discoveries bringing us one step closer to a cure.

Joe passed away in October 2010 but his dream of conquering cancer lives on through Joe’s Team. Please visit JoesTeam.ca for full details.

Paul Huyer – from Joe’s Team to The Worlds

Our charity partner, Joe’s Team triathlon, was founded by Joe Finley in 2007 to raise funds for cancer research at The Princess Margaret.  The first race was organized jointly with MultiSport Canada within the Gravenhurst sprint triathlon and was such a success that starting in 2008 it was spun off to its own venue at CNIB Lake Joseph Centre in Muskoka and has been going strong ever since.  Paul Huyer, a regular competitor in the Recharge With Milk Series, got his start at Joe’s Team.

Paul completed his first triathlon in 2009 on Joe’s Team and three years later he competed for Canada in the World Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships in New Zealand, finishing in the top third and second Canadian in his age group.  Paul qualified for the Worlds by winning the provincial championship for his age group at our Bracebridge race in 2011.

Paul traces his quick rise to success on the triathlon circuit back to Joe’s Team. “I was inspired by Joe Finley, his family and the other athletes who were participating for a great cause,” says Paul.  “In 2008 as a spectator, I decided I would take up swimming and cycling and participate at the next year’s event.” Paul, up until then, was a competitive marathon runner but was hampered by injury. “Training for a triathlon forced me to reduce my volume of running to allow time for swimming and cycling,” says Paul. “The surprise benefit was the cross-training actually improved my running.”

Paul is now entering his fourth year in the Recharge With Milk Series but hasn’t forgotten his Joe’s Team roots. “It’s become a family affair with my wife and two daughters participating along with many friends,” says Paul. “The camaraderie and rallying around the cause is very special and although initially a bit intimidated by the fundraising, I have learned that once you explain Joe’s story, people are compelled to donate.”

Besides being a phenomenal athlete, Paul is a Joe’s Team Ambassador, a Captain for The Ride to Conquer Cancer and has joined the Joe’s Team executive committee. Paul will be competing again at the World Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships this Fall in London, England and of course you will see him this July 6^th speeding by in his Joe’s Team jersey.

To register for Joe’s Team 2013 or find out more about the event, please go to: Joesteam.ca.  Also, stay tuned for an announcement about how you can participate and contribute to Joe’s Team through select Recharge With Milk series races this year.

The Levac Attack

Two and half years ago, when Lorna Levac was 20 weeks pregnant with their first child, she and her husband John Levac received the devastating news that the baby had passed away in utero.

Though the standard course of action would be to quickly deliver the baby, they had to wait several weeks to do so because of a medical complication. To complicate things further, Lorna went into labour days before her scheduled delivery, and what subsequently unfolded nearly took her life.

“I ended up in the emergency department, had to receive eight units of blood and nearly lost my life,” said Lorna on www.mshfoundation.ca. “I think it was all just too much for my body – the hormones, the trauma, and probably just the emotional devastation too. It was so terrible for John, who thought that he was going to lose me too, in addition to our child.”

To thank the Mount Sinai Hospital for the care that they received, Lorna and John decided that they had to give back and started The Levac Attack – a 5.6 km, 11.2 km, or 22.4 km run/walk event.While they had received wonderful care during the pregnancy from Dr. Gareth Seaward, Fetal Medicine Specialist, it was Dr. Greg Ryan, Head of the Fetal Medicine Unit, who was on call that night. “He was incredible,” said John, a racer with MultiSport Canada. “He expertly got her through those terrifying few hours, stabilized her and then she just kept improving after that. What astonished us was seeing Dr. Ryan 20 hours later as he came in to check on Lorna. He was still there. He’s like Superman.”

With the help of Mount Sinai’s on-line event fundraising tools, in 2012 they were able to raise over $30 000! For a total of $50 000 over the past three years. And in the most joyous of happy endings, approximately one month after the 2012 Levac Attack took place, Lorna and John welcomed their newborn son Ben on September 26 – John’s birthday!

“I can’t imagine a better birthday present,” said John on www.mshfoundation.ca. “If you ask anyone who is lucky enough to have a child, the day that child is born is the happiest day of your life. All I want to do is come home from work and see him. It’s been wonderful.”

The Levac Attack is a fun event that grows with each and every passing year. Those that keep returning to raise funds each year, many of them Recharge With Milk Triathlon Series racers, know that the event provides the best t-shirts, medals, draw prizes and post race food anywhere. Heading into its fourth year later this summer, you can be sure that the Levac’s along with their family, friends and co-workers will raise the bar once again to support the Fetal Medicine Unit at the Mount Sinai Hospital. You can join the fun of this worthwhile event too.

Visit www.levacattack.com for more information.

Longtime K-Town Tri Race Director, Joe Putos To Receive Ontario Sport Award

Congratulations to Joe Putos who will be receiving the Syl Apps Volunteer Achievement Award at the 2012 Ontario Sport Awards on April 18, 2013.

The Syl Apps Volunteer Achievement Award recognizes volunteers, nominated by Provincial Sport Organizations that have made an outstanding contribution to the establishment and/or ongoing development of groups, clubs, facilities, projects and/or special programs in the Province of Ontario. For award criteria, check out www.sportallianceontario.com.

Joe has worked tirelessly for over 20 years as an official, a member of Triathlon Ontario’s Technical Committee and is a Race Director for the CIBC Wood Gundy K-Town Tri.

This recognition is long overdue says Linda Kirk – Executive Director of Triathlon Ontario!

MSC Radio – Athlete Interviews and Course Profiles

Check out our archived interviews with many of our race winners, including members of the Recharge 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

The Milton Half Marathon, September 15^th, 2013

This September, come join us for the 2^nd Annual Milton Half Marathon, 5km Run/Walk or the new 1km Family Fun Run! We have some exciting new things lined up for the race this year, including some course improvements and partnerships! The first 50 registrants in the half marathon will receive a free pair of Nathan Lock Laces or a free pair of Balega Hidden Comfort Socks. The first 25 registrants in the 5km Run/Walk will receive a free LaLa Soap athletic product! Same great swag bags as last year, with more excitement within! Register by March 31^st to receive $10 off the Half Marathon or 5km Run/Walk with coupon code “MARCHMILK13”

Check out www.miltonmarathon.com for full and complete details….

Running Free Milton is moving and we are having a giant MOVING SALE!

All apparel is 40% off until the end of March. Milton location only.

Discomfort Zone Spring Triathlon Training Camps

Asheville, North Carolina: April 7-12 and 14-19, 2013

Week 1: Check in 1:00pm on Sunday April 7, check out 11:00am on Friday April 12
Week 2: Check in 1:00pm on Sunday April 14, check out 11:00am on Friday April 19
Bridge weekend: Accommodation Friday April 12 and Saturday April 13.

Daily triathlon-specific swim, bike, run and core strength workouts in and around beautiful Asheville, North Carolina.

Accommodation Options:
Trail’s End vacation rental (self catering) / Off-site accommodation options / Local athletes welcome

Cost:
$895 & up including triathlon camp and accommodation at Trails End, depending on type of room
Discounts to DZ Multisport Members and Coached Athletes!

The Area: There’s Shut-In Trail, rated one of the top twenty-five running trails in North America. There’s mount Pisgah: brutal climbs, hair-raising switchback descents, and seriously good dining afterward. There’s even a canted-track speedway converted for bicycle racing. And there’s the big one: Mount Mitchell, highest peak east of the Mississippi. Steeps to challenge even the strongest athletes, wild descents to satisfy the most discriminating speed demons, culminating in ten miles of unrelenting climb with spectacular views to either side.

The Coach: Don’t let the trademark easygoing coaching style fool you: get out cycling on the famous Blue Ridge Parkway, and you’ll see the competitiveness that took DZ Head Coach Mike Coughlin to Kona and Ultraman. Coach Mike is a veteran of more triathlons, trail runs, and ultras than he likes to remember. Triathlon coaching for over 10 years, Mike has worked with all levels of triathletes from absolute beginners to Olympic candidates. Mike’s been running triathlon camps here for 9 years now, and always finds something new and unique in Asheville.

The Training: This Camp is intended to provide a getaway week of challenging, fully coached training in a fun, social setting. Training emphasis is on fitness-building which takes full advantage of the mountain environment. The training and route plans carefully allow for beginner and intermediate athletes to safely enjoy scenic mountain training at a challenging but not overwhelming level of difficulty. At the same time, strong cyclists and runners can find unlimited challenge with epic climbs, hair-raising descents, and technical trails.

Support & Gear (SAG): As should be the case with camps in challenging mountain terrain, long distance training is fully vehicle supported. Two DZ coaches are on hand, providing personal attention with a low coach to athlete ratio. In addition to safety, the combination of vehicle support and two coaching staff allows great flexibility: long distance training starts can be staged at different points on the route to accommodate athletes of all abilities, and athletes can have extra gear and nutrition on hand.

For further information or to register: email info@discomfortzone.com or visit www.discomfortzone.com/camps

ProActive Rehab & Sport Injury Centre

16 Weeks till the first race of the MultiSport Canada series. Are you training hard enough?

ProActive Rehab & Sport Injury Centre is thrilled to announce the arrival of their latest athletic service – The ProActive Fitness Profile. This profile executes simple and accurate fitness testing based on oxygen consumption. This data can be used as the foundation for customized training programs that truly meet the needs of the athlete.

‘A fitness test can provide you with information about your progress, the areas you need to focus on and intensities to train at. It helps you determine your starting point in order to plan where it is you want to go. Preseason, mid-season or race season, knowing your baseline will impact your finish line.’

– Kyra Watters, Head Coach of TriMuskoka

Measurements include:

•         Aerobic threshold

•         Anaerobic threshold

•         Peak VO2

•         VO2 Max

•         Target heart rate

•         Active Metabolic Rate

•         Resting Metabolic Rate

•         Body Composition

•         Energy Expenditure

10% OFF for MSC newsletter recipients when you book your appointment before April 1^st, 2013.

Single Test $96.40 / Package of Two $175.45 / Package of Three $244.80

ProActive Rehab & Sport Injury Centre

104 Main St. East #1  Huntsville ON 705.788.1480  www.proactiverehab.com

Athelite

Athelite is a Professional Triathlon Coaching Company based up in Aurora, just north of Toronto. Working with athletes in Canada & around the world, we offer Performance Coaching, Bike fitting, Personal Training, Video Swim Analysis Clinics, Squad Swim Sessions, weekly Spin Classes and much more.

We are enthusiastic, experienced and passionate about what we do and we work personally with our athletes using individualized, bespoke training programs to optimize your training and racing performance. Our clients range from first time Tri-a-Tri athletes to Long Distance Age Groupers, swimmers, runners and cyclists.

The most popular sessions that we run are our Video Swim Analysis Clinics. Head Swim Coach Colin was trained by Swim Smooth’s Paul Newsome in the Uk and our video clinics are based on the Swim Smooth protocol.

A Video Swim Analysis session is quite simply the best way to see and instantly understand what aspects of your stroke need to be corrected or developed. Being able to view yourself swimming from a range of different angles is an amazingly effective process. Paired with instant feedback & stoke correction guidance from knowledgeable Coaches is second to none.

By attending one of our Clinics you are taking an important step in analyzing what you need to do to improve your swimming, whilst learning the techniques you specifically need to develop your stroke.

Our Video Swim Analysis Clinics are suitable for anyone who can swim 400m freestyle continuously and feature the following;

• Small Personal Group (maximum 6 per session)
• Introductions & Warm up
• In depth videoing of your stroke above and below the water
• Poolside Review of Video analysis of your current swim stroke
• Feedback & stroke correction points
• Review and discussion of good (& bad) techniques
• Stroke correction and drill practice session (in pool)
• Take home copy of video analysis

Some of the benefits are;

• Instant visual feedback
• Enhanced efficiency through the water
• Better propulsion for less effort
• Reduced injury risk
• New drills, hints & tips to enhance your swim training
• Less fatigue – exit the swim leg feeling fresh & ready for the bike

We also run weekly Squad Swim Sessions which are a great follow up to the Video Analysis Session. Get all the benefits of attending a Squad Session with the added bonus of Stroke Correction Guidance throughout from experienced Coaches!!

Mention Recharge With Milk when you book your Video Swim Analysis session in March and get a FREE Squad Swim Session with us too.

All Swim Clinics are held at St Andrews College, Aurora, ON L4G 3H7

For more information and to book your place, go to Athelite.net

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 7^th, 2013 (Afternoon) /// DEPARTURE DAY: April 13^th, 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!

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)

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.