Off He Goes

Being Here

2010-02-21T12:37:00.000-08:00

I'm back! I've been moved to blog by the absolutely unreal celebratory energy flowing through this great city and country. Every day I am more amazed by the spirit and emotion spreading like wildfire from downtown Vancouver all the way across this country. It truly is a BEAUTIFUL thing!

The picture above was taken during a celebration of the 7th (of 8) goal Canada scored against Norway in the opening game of the hockey tournament. Every goal, every gold, is celebrated with equal vigour to the one before it. That day, I belted out Oh Canada 6 different times, each rendition raising the hair on the back of my neck and sending chills throughout my body.

I've been working right in the thick of the sea of Red and White at the HUGE celebration site at LiveCity Yaletown. 10,000 people gather each and every night to hear some great Canadian and International entertainment and to celebrate the accomplishments of our great athletes. Did I mention...it's a BEAUTIFUL thing!

Today, I head into "work" (this 2 week gig is a secondment from my regular job in the Community Centre) just in time to watch Canada take on the US in the biggest game of the tournament thus far...never have I looked so forward to punching the clock and getting started.

First a short ride and a run...yes I am still racing triathlon! On that note, I'm healthy and looking forward to my first year duking it out with the fast kids in the Pro ranks!

Stay tuned for more on that and more on the last week of these great Games!

Ready?

2009-08-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

My training log says I'm not ready.

Fuck the training log, BRING IT!

WE RIDE!

2009-06-21T14:17:00.001-07:00

WE RIDE! was the war cry of Clan Young, adopted as they defended the Scottish border country from England. My Dad toasted the passing of his father in July of 2007 with these two words, it was a powerful moment for me to see my Dad so proud of his name, his family and his heritage. A few short days after the passing of his father, Dad underwent tests that confirmed his lungs were filled with hundreds of BB sized tumours.

That was a hard week for all of us and while everyone tried to think positive thoughts - it was pretty clear that we were gonna be in for a tough year. Today is the first Father's Day that I haven't been able to pick up the phone and call or drive over for a visit and that sucks. This weekend with great thoughts and memories running through my head I thought of those two words and decided to bring those memories with me as I rode solo from through the mountains to the ocean and back. If I can't raise hell along the border in Scotland on horseback, I can swing a leg over the bike and pound the pedals for 5 hours wishing I was!

I noticed myself at times passing several minutes with funny memories like the time he asked my permission to sing the "obscene version" of Mony Mony at my wedding (the answer was a resounding HELL YEAH!), or the night around the campfire that a flaming marshmellow was flung out of the fire and into his hair.

Interspersed with the fun memories were some tougher memories from this past year. Exactly one year ago this weekend I took part in the 1st ever Ride to Conquer Cancer. Dad was SUPER pumped to meet me at the finish line in Niagara Falls but we got a call the night before and he was to sick to make it.

Today I've been lucky to have a few hours with my thoughts, remembering the peaceful smile and wave he gave E and I as we left his hospital bed for the last time. Father's Day will always be a tough one but it's been cool to reflect and reminisce - I'm gonna go ahead and say that it has been a Happy Father's Day!

This is me "running"...

2009-06-08T18:06:00.000-07:00

It wasn't pretty and I'm feeling REALLY banged up today but I did a little (21km) jog yesterday for the first time in about 6 weeks! After a very controlled yet solid swim and bike I put the runners on and gave 'er a go.

Despite some rather poor turnover and serious over-striding - thanks for noticing Mark!, not too mention the lack of specific fitness - I survived and managed to salvage an 8th place finish amongst a strong pro field.

The Good:

I feel like the swim and bike are "there." I was pretty conservative for most of the first two legs in anticipation of less than optimal run prep. This race was a good confidence builder in that it shows I can hang with the big boys.

I also snuck in a little suffering lesson - you learn a lot when you suffer. That run yesterday had me suffering...but I got through it. I'll remember that in 12 weeks.

The Bad:

I feel like I could have been fighting for a podium spot. I was totally in the mix at the front of this race and prior to this setback I was running well (enough) to be able to stay up there. Similar to 2 weeks ago when I dropped out of the Oliver Olympic with a 4+ minute lead - it sucks to have to have to say: "would've, could've, should've." At some point it will be nice to just do it.

The Ugly:

C'mon this is the Okanagan Valley, nothing's ugly here! I can't wait for IMC!

Game ON!

2009-06-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Oliver Half this weekend...and I can run!
We'll see how the aqua jogging and ellipticaling translate to real live, ground pounding running. Nothing like a 21.1km test after a little swim/bike warm-up.

I'll just be glad to get through this healthy and focus on the next 12 weeks of prep for Ironman Canada!

Cheers, ian

I guess the answer is...injured

2009-05-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm still struggling with this yet to be diagnosed hip injury. I've been pretty bummed about it as my prep for the season was STELLAR. I was running better than ever and finally felt like a complete triathlete.

I was pumped to finally kick off the season with a solid result this coming weekend in Oliver. Today I made the decision (along with my PT) to hold off on any running until I get the results from a bone scan. I'm swimming and biking well so I'm still gonna head to the Okanagan and race - I'm just leaving my runners at home and handing in my chip in T2.

I'll get the results on June 4, 2 days before the Oliver Half. If it's just a soft tissue injury - I can make the decision to run based on how I'm functioning at that point. It may get ugly late in Half Mary but I'll be glad to be pounding the pavement!

On another note, I was shocked and saddened to read about the passing of professional cyclist and triathlete Steve Larsen. It definately snapped me out of feeling sorry for myself and made me appreciate the ability to get out there and enjoy moving my body everyday...even if it is aqua jogging!

Be well, IY

"Are you hurt or are you injured?"

2009-04-29T14:24:00.000-07:00

For the past couple of weeks, it's been hurt. Little "hurts" come and go when you're training. Right now I've got some pain and inflammation in my right hip flexor/adductors that I've been able to manage over the past few weeks with ice, advil and some ART. Today I woke up and it felt worse than it has in a while. Running was/is going sooooo well and I really hate to miss sessions but I pulled the shoot on today's run until I get the above question answered - hopefully tomorrow!

I've got a great ART practitioner (Dr. Jenn Turner at Moveo Sport and Rehabilitation Centre) who also happens to be a great friend from my university days and one helluva triathlete! I've been seeing her for the past couple of weeks and she's kept me going.

My internet diagnosis has had me freaking out about it - could it be a stress fracture...a torn labrum? My voice of reason: Dr. JT thinks it's muscular and is confident she can fix it! As I said, she's great and I trust her. I mean if she's good enough to be Svein Tuft's personal fixer-upper, she's good enough for me!

'till next time.
IY

OK, Let's keep this thing going...

2009-04-15T11:18:00.000-07:00

It's been a while!

Initially I didn't have anything to write about, I enjoyed living life, I swam, biked and ran a bunch but I didn't feel like writing about it. Eventually I started to feel like blogging was a bit self indulgent and really, who cares about what I was doing athletically?

Now, as I'm getting close to toeing the line for the 2009 season I guess I'm hoping that someone (hopefully more!) cares.

I'm pretty motivated, not just for this year but the years to come. Competitively, I'm looking at this season as both a measuring stick and a stepping stone. If it goes well, maybe I'll look at racing "pro" (the quotations mean I'm keeping my day job!).

In any case I will not be satisfied with mediocrity. In my constant drive to be better I may be looking to expand my support team by way of sponsorships, training opportunities, etc. - I think keeping a blog (and having people read it) offers a nice platform to help facilitate those relationships so here I am!!

At worst, my Mom will be happy to keep up to date with my FTP, CTL, and HTFUs. At best a few more will be watching as I race at the pointy end on the West Coast!

Life is good!

2008-09-30T09:48:00.001-07:00

Things on the west coast are starting to come together! I have just accepted a job with the City of Vancouver running the fitness and sports programming and managing a community fitness centre in the west end. It sounds like a great opportunity both now and into the future...I'll be glad to get back to work!

I'm also making some contacts within the tri scene and have already started working with a couple of clients, hopefully more to come!

I took the picture above while riding on Sunday, I'm really enjoying finding my way around by bike, the riding around here is great. There's a little more traffic than I'm used to but the scenery is beautiful and I can ride hills, mountains or flats depending on which direction I head.

The sun's still shining in Van City and so far I (we) love it! The true test will come over the next few (8) months when the rainy winter rolls around, right now though life is good!

Cheers, IY

RACING!!

2008-09-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

After a summer in which I encountered many life experiences/stressors I finally got a chance to pin a number on this past weekend!

I lined up for the first BC Cup Cyclocross race of the year in Delta on Saturday in the Men's B category. Cross is a bit more relaxed regarding categories and I had thought about racing with the A's but considering 1) I am out of shape and 2) this was my first real CX race I decided to race with the Killa B's!

I went out for a pre ride and quickly found this course to be much more like a mountain bike course than a typical 'cross course. After a nice open grassy section with 2 sets of barriers and a couple of switchbacks we were into some pretty gnarly single track (for a cross bike) with big roots, rocks and logs and lots of tight turns. This was followed by a short, open climb and then we were back into some more swoopy hard pack single track before hitting the meadow again.

Tire pressure is always a hot topic at a 'cross race and today would be no different. I'm still running clinchers (waiting for the tubulars in the mail!) so ran about 45psi in both front and rear tires.

Turns out I probably was running too low for that type of terrain and after a good start and what I thought was a pretty clean ride through the rocky bits, I got a pinch flat going into the second single track section on the first lap while in the lead.

I shouldered my bike, tried to keep out the way and jogged to the start finish area. Not wanting to waste the day I asked an official for a start with the "A" race, assuring him that if I was embarrassing myself or endangering the other racers, I would withdraw to fight another day.

The nice man let me race and I was actually doing OK for the first :40 minutes or so, riding in the top 10, suffering like a dog and loving every minute of it!

The last :20 minutes were a bit ugly and my legs couldn't keep up with my heart. My core and arms were getting pretty worked too but all that will come as my fitness gets better.

Cyclocross is probably the best type of racing for me right now. After a few months with too much on my mind it was nice to clear that all away and just GO! I enjoyed the nerves prior to the start and the numbness in my body as the fatigue took over and the satisfaction of crossing the line (without embarrassing myslef!)

In the end, the official told me I rode well and that I should stay with the A's for the rest of the season...guess I'd better get out for some intervals!

Back in the saddle,
IY

Update time

2008-08-26T08:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've been able to sit down at a computer for an extended period of time, thus the lack of updates.

E and I arrived in Van safe and sound and were just getting settled in when I got a phone call to come back to Ontario as my Dad had taken a bad turn and things weren't looking good. We knew it was coming but I'm the type who doesn't deal with these things until it's absolutely neccessary.

I arrived to find my Dad a VERY sick yet peaceful man, he seemed ready to give up his fight; it looked like it may be hours or at the most a couple of days. Never underestimate a strong (or stubborn) heart and soul, here we are a week later and while very weak, he is still alert and relatively comfortable. He will spend the rest of his days in palliative care but at this point no one really knows how long it will be.

At Dad's request, we are heading back to Vancouver in a couple of days-it doesn't yet feel like home but it will. It's a great city and we can't wait to explore it. I've also got a shiny new cyclocross bike (see above) that I can't wait to make less shiny in the rain and muck of the Wet Coast!

Cheers, Ian

Quick Update from Swift Current, SK

2008-08-06T20:08:00.000-07:00

With Uncle Neil providing a great Canadian soundtrack, we've almost made our way through the Prairies. Tomorrow we'll hit the Rocky Mountains and from there it's all down hill to Van City.
The trip has been good, Ontario was BIG, the North Shore of Lake Superior was BEAUTIFUL and the Prairies have been...OK :0)

Some other quick updates for those concerned: the house is SOLD, the dogs have been great and E and I are enjoying ourselves! Oh yeah, and I turned the big 3-0 today!

Will check back in from our new home on the West Coast!

Cheers, IY

Buy Me!!!!

2008-07-24T06:45:00.001-07:00

1 Man, 1 Bike

2008-07-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

It's a sad and empty day in the Young household today. For the first time in a long time I own only one bike!

I'm trying to simplify this move as much as possible so I've unloaded a lot of the extras. A bunch of little parts that have been sitting in my tool box, some extra wheels and rims - all gone. My cyclocross and single speed MTB - gone. My road bike (as of last night) - gone.

I'm not sure how much space we'll have in Van but rest assured, once we get there and figure out where we're gonna put our stuff the collection will begin again. Until then, the Seduza is the only arrow in my quiver, lucky for me it's the deadliest one!

The Anti Race Report - Riding to Conquer Cancer

2008-06-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Some numbers:
2850 riders
211km ridden
$14, 000, 000 towards conquering cancer in our lifetime.

Thanks to the donations of a great group of friends, family, and even strangers I was privileged to clip in this weekend and ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls with ~2850 cyclists.

To sum it up, it was a pretty special weekend to spend on two wheels. This was the first charity ride I've ever participated in. I picked a good one - it turns out this was BY FAR the most successful fundraising ride ever held in Canada!

Usually I spend my time on the bike thinking about the next interval, the next training session or the next race. My goal for this ride was to simply enjoy the people, their stories and their celebrations. The commitment to ride 200+km over two days is huge for many, couple that with the commitment to raise a minimum of $2500 each and it became quite clear how important it was for people to be involved in the event. I thought about my Dad and how his illness makes this important for me. The $14 million we raised won't help him but he has provided me with a close personal connection to cancer and in his honour I asked people to donate to the cause.

I was able to gather more than enough to ensure my spot on the start line in Toronto and I'm glad to say I accomplished my goal! I enjoyed the ride, didn't worry about pace, power or perceived exertion and was challenged spiritually if not physically.

Again, thanks to all who contributed your hard earned $$ to the ride, I thought of you often throughout the ride and was humbled by your generosity. Thanks to my dad for my "story" and thanks to Steve Bauer (Canadian cycling legend) for stringing our front group out at 55kph with 10km to go....just to give us hammer heads a chance to throw down, that was pretty cool too!!

Making excuses

2008-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

Mike E just recently posted that blogs were for making excuses, it's funny because it's true. That being said, here goes my excuse filled Muskoka race report!

After spending a week in Vancouver scouting apartments, meeting with prospective employers and getting familiar with our new city I lined up Sunday morning to race the Muskoka Long Course Triathlon (2km/55km/15km)

I flew into YYZ Saturday night around 8:00 and drove straight to the race site, arriving around 11:00. This race hasn't been on my mind as much as it has in previous years and as such I failed to book a hotel room, I decided to bunk up in my car for the night right outside of transition.

I woke up at dawn after a long night feeling OK but not yet in the "racy" state of mind that usually gets me up and at 'em. Upon seeing the familiar faces of the competition, drinking some coffee and a little warm-up things came around and the competitve sensations started to surface.

I got off to a solid start on the swim, distanced myself from the rest of my wave to make sure no one got on my feet then put 'er in cruise control and kept it steady. The swim felt OK actually, it's amazing how a deep background coupled with a great wetsuit can make up for a lack of fitness in the swim!

Onto the bike and the plan was to ease into the ride and see how percieved exertion lined up with my power. The first 15km were uncomfortable. I hadn't been on a bike in over 1.5 weeks and had only been on my TT bike twice since Triple-T. I finally settled in and started to feel more in tune with the bike. This lasted 10km until I downshifted (possibly too hard) on a hill and messed up my front derailleur. I still don't know exactly what happened but when I tried to shift back into the big ring, the teeth of the ring were blocked by the back end of the derailleur cage. I got off, tried to fix it then realized I'd lose more time mokeying with it than I would by riding the rest of the way in my small ring. So off I went, I spent the much of the remaining 30km spinning at 110-120rpms or coasting. I mentally checked out a bit and at that point decided to finish the bike as best I could and mail the run in as an easy training day.

I was glad to get off the bike and get my running shoes on. Any thoughts of mailing it in were replaced with the flow of those competitive juices. Just going through transition it felt like a race all of a sudden. Again, the plan was to start out easy. I wanted to get through some of the steeper hills in town and get out onto the longer stretches of road before picking things up and that's just what I did. I ran very well (for me) for 10km. A lack of training crept up on me with 2km to go but at that point you just HTFU and get across the line.

So yeah, there are a few excuses in there. I was jet-lagged, my bike broke, I'm not as fit as I had hoped. Blah, blah, blah!!! Everyone deals with their own set backs in their preparation and execution. If they haven't they will and if they have it'll happen again.

At one point in the race I was feeling exceptionally sorry for myself, I was upset because I wasn't able to ride or run as fast as I had hoped. Then I thought about my Dad, it was Father's Day and he is spending it laying on the couch sick and weak as chemotherapy drugs course through his body. All of a sudden my excuses seemed very insignificant and I decided that the faster I finished the faster I'd be able to hit the road and visit my Dad. I knew he'd ask me how the race went and I wanted to be able to tell him the truth: that I gave it my best shot on the day.

This triathlon season hasn't been what I had hoped. The good news is that it has been my choice. I'm not sick or injured, I'm just busy. I'm moving to a beautiful part of the country on a great adventure with E. Ironman will still be there next year and I'll be ready. In the mean time I'll keep plugging away at the shorter stuff and I'll try not to make excuses.

Cheers, IY

Triple - T...what a way to spend a weekend!

2008-05-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, I certainly underestimated how hard it would be to do 4 triathlons in 3 days.

I knew it would be a tough weekend but I had no comprehension of how I would feel waking up on Sunday morning with another 5 hours of givin 'er in the swim, bike and run staring me square in the face. To sum it up, I felt like crap.

The thing is, training for Ironman, I've done weekends where my volume has been significantly higher than that of Triple - T, I guess doing it at race pace makes a difference - actually it makes a HUGE difference.

It was a long weekend and if I wasn't still so tired it could be a long report, I'll keep it brief:

Friday - cold, short, rainy, I tasted blood, 1 race down.

Saturday am - cold, bike was HILLY, rode with Gordo, got dropped like a bag 'o hammers by Gordo on the run, all in all, it was a pretty decent race for me.

Saturday pm - Bike was HILLY, saw a guy waving a HUGE confederate flag yelling "I'm gonna get you", got off the bike into my wetsuit, proceeded to almost drown due to cramps in legs (no joke), barely made it to the run course, hobbled for 2 miles before my legs learned to move again, finished tired and sore, never want to do a Bike, Swim, Run format again...until the next time I do TTT

Sunday am - woke up and felt awful, forced down some breakfast, sulked all the way to transition, started anyway and started to feel OK, bike was HILLY, rode with Gordo again, got a flat tire, started the run well, weekend + sub-par fitness took it's toll around mile 7, shuffled home, FINISHED!

So yeah, it was a hard weekend but it was different and fun (with the exception of a few choice miles on the run Saturday and Sunday). I drove down with Mike C from Sudbury and Dave B from Parry Sound, they raced as a team - which I would definately do if I were to enter TTT again. Fefe posted on slowtwitch that she had some openings in her cabin, so we took her up on it and ended up having a great time with lots of laughs. That's really what TTT (and all triathlon, really) is about - everyone is in this craziness together so you just go out and do it, hopefully with a smile on your face and some words of encouragement for your fellow TTT'ers....or you could be a grump like me and walk around like the picture above.

Next up is Muskoka, should be a cake walk compared to this!

King of the Hill, Donkey of the Peleton

2008-05-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I had a pretty interesting day at the Niagara Classic road race yesterday. I raced Cat. 3 again, our race was 7 loops of 12.3km - each lap finishing up a legendary bump in the road called Saylor's Hill a 400m or so power climb at around 12% grade.

The first lap I hung around in the first 1/3 of the pack until the "climb" where I moved up to the front. I wanted to see who was strong so I pushed the pace over the top and stayed on the gas for a while. Looking around, it looked like there were about 10 guys who had the horsepower to get into a selection should something occur - these were the guys to watch.

So I stayed near the front for a while and attacked a few times trying to get something to stick but the boys couldn't/didn't want to get organized. After the 3rd time up Saylor's and a few more attacks (my NP for the 1st hour was 358W) I attacked and somehow got away alone. That was not my plan...after I got about :10 I dialed it back to about 80% and figured that a few guys would try to bridge and that would be it. Well no one came and when I looked back and my gap had grown to around :30 so I decided to try to make a go from there. I kept on the gas and extended my gap to 2:00 over the course of the next couple laps. Approaching the 6th time up the climb however it was as if all of a sudden the effort of the past 2 hours had just made itself known to my legs. I lost ~:50 seconds to the pack on that 400m stretch of road and still had 12km to ride...this was gonna be ugly. Long story short, ove the course of those 12km, I went from 1:10 in front to off the back.

Despite an embarassingly anti-climactic end to my race, I did end up taking the "King of the Mountain/Hill" prize which covered my entry fee, I was the most active and aggressive and really the only one that seemed concerned with making the race interesting. I know I'm not going to win in a 400m sprint up a 12% grade, but I do know that I can grind these dudes down on the flats, rollers and headwinds so that's where I tried to win....oh well! Onto the Triple-T this weekend where hopefully those hours spent off the front yesterday will be put to good use sandwiched between a swim and a run...over and over and over again!

Go West, Young Man!

2008-05-14T09:16:00.000-07:00

In a few short months, this is where we are going to be living, working and playing! EWY has accepted a wicked gig with the Vancouver 2010 Olympic organizing committee so we're taking the big step and moving across the country.

Lots still up in the air (ie. a job for me, a place to live that will allow our two pooches, you know just the small details!) but we are very excited for the change of scenery and to finally live together full time.

On a training front, I'm trying to squeeze the workouts in amongst work, getting our house on the market and job hunting but I feel like I'm hitting the main sessions pretty well and skipping the filler aka swimming ;)

The big or actually the first test will be in a little over a week at the DeSoto American Triple-T. It's a stage race consisting of 4 races in 3 days, culminating with a Half Ironman in what is rumoured to be VERY tough terrain on Sunday morning. Looks to be some good AG talent in the mix so it'll be fun to see how I stack up...or if I survive.

I've also got one more bike race this weekend in basically my backyard. The Niagra Classic hosted by the local cycling club runs Sunday. The weather forecast is calling for 30km/h winds and rain, should be epic!

Anyway, that's the BIG news for this update!

Oh, and I don't really know who reads this so if you're someone close to us who is offended to find out that we're moving across the country by reading my blog I'm sorry but you should call us more often...Mom

On the box

2008-04-14T09:01:00.000-07:00

I came close to the "W" yesterday but settled for 2nd in the Cat. 3 race (aka " 2nd tallest midget in the circus") at the first Ontario Cup road race of the season. First time ever in a bike race on the podium - they made us raise hands like that...weird!

Anyway for those of you dying to find out how it played out...there was a break of 4 dudes 1:45 up the road with one lap to go. In the first few km of the last lap it looked like the break had disintegrated as a couple of guys were coming back - we had heard there was still one guy holding the gap.

In any case, the front of the race was still 1:45 up and no one seemed overly concerned with catching him for the win so I attacked into a stiff headwind with 15km to go and had a couple of guys follow me. I let them take a couple of turns and it became obvious that they weren't going to be able to help my cause a great deal so I punched it again up a sharp little hill and in doing so ended up alone for the chase with a :30-:45 gap on the bunch.

After about 8km of rolling hills I could finally get a good idea of where the lead was and that I was closing on him. With just over 4km to go we made a final right hand turn and I timed the gap at :40. We had a nice tailwind on this last stretch so deep down I knew it would be next to impossible to close the gap - everyone is good in a tailwind! But I put 'er in the "11" anyway, put my head down and suffered to the line...down :21. I ran out of real estate but kudos to the dude who held on after dangling out front for a good while. Despite (or maybe because of) his pink, purple and blue pastel coloured cycling kit - he toughed it out for the top step.

This bike racing is fun, always new lessons to be learned. It's keeping me busy and fit while we wait for the ice to thaw on the lakes and the start of the real season of racing!

I'm a triathlete again!!

2008-04-11T10:55:00.001-07:00

Let's keep it that way!

I've run twice since Wednesday without pain or inflammation in my tibialis posterior tendon so I hope that injury is behind me. I'll have to be careful over the next few weeks to ramp up the mileage wisely but I think I should be good to go!

Other good news is the result of a CP20 test that I did last night. A CP20 is basically 20 minutes as hard as you can go. We'll use these numbers to measure improvement in bike fitness throughout the year and make sure we're heading in the right direction...so far, so good, I seem to be on track with the bike anyway.

I guess I should also talk about swimming (gotta keep out front of my boys Mikey and J-Mo for part of the race anyway) It's going well - I'm never going to set any PB's in training or racing considering I did those when I was swimming 9-10 workouts a week, but I feel good in the H2O. I swim, on average 3 times/week and I try to do some quality in every session. I don't need the real easy technique work or the junk miles in the pool...get in, do the work and get out and hopefully we'll see more of the swim primes like the picture above from St. Croix - man I'm gonna miss kicking Chris McCormack and Craig Alexander's ass this year...in the swim ;)

Cheers, Ian

Put on your Game Face!

2008-04-07T16:48:00.000-07:00

OK, maybe I need to work on my game face (I'm the dork sitting 3rd wheel, smiling like an idiot as these other dudes look to be digging into their suitcases of courage). This picture was taken a few laps into the Niagara Classic last spring at the top of the infamous Saylor's Hill...a few more times up and I assure you the poop-eating grin was wiped away!

In any case my competitive season for 2008 is under way, so I put this up to remind me how much I love to race!

I'm still not running - hopefully this week - so I'm spending some solid time in the saddle. I'm also doing a bit of bike racing to keep things interesting and get the competitive juices flowing.

It started this past weekend with a cool race called the Tour of Pelham. The course was a good excuse to get the cyclocross bike out for a spin: a mix of paved road, dirt road, single track, un-improved farm paths and rutted-out mud chutes. As Coach KP said "sounds very 'Belgian'!" While it was no Ronde van Vlaanderen at only 35km in length - it did hurt and it was FUN!

A teammate from my new road/CX team got away very early in the race so I covered moves and made sure his solo breakaway was secure. Once the race was established, I took off from our chase group of 6 on a tough stretch of soft cordouroy gravel road and TT'd home for 2nd place.

This weekend I'm back on skinny tires with 2 road races. I'll race Cat. 3 and hope for atleast a hard workout on what are two pretty tough courses. I'm feeling strong on the bike but the funny thing about road racing is that doesn't always mean you'll do well...unless you're REALLY strong...we'll see!

I'll keep you posted after this weekend, in the mean time, wish me luck with my first run in 3.5 weeks on Wednesday!

2 Weeks, no running...

2008-03-26T06:23:00.000-07:00

and no end in sight. :(
I've got a nasty case of posterior tib. tendonitis and have really no idea how it got so bad so quickly.
My mileage was reasonable, stride was feeling fluid and light but all of a sudden I can't walk let alone run.
We think it may have been a longish run on a hard surface with bits of ice and snow scattered around that really triggered it (thus the subtle message to winter above).

I tried to manage it and run easy for a couple of days but two weeks ago I had to walk/limp home 5km...I haven't even thought about running a step since then.
It is still pretty inflamed and I often can't walk properly but I'm hoping with another week or two I'll see some progress.
I'll keep you posted (both of you), in the mean time I'll hammer the bike and try to keep some semblance of running form by taking part in possibly the most embarrassing activity for a former swimmer - AQUA JOGGING!!

The Ride to Conquer Cancer...Half Way!

2008-03-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

For one weekend in June, I plan to finally ride my bike for someone other than myself. I ride my bike pretty much every day, I always do it for me. Whether it's training, racing or commuting, I ride because I take pleasure in it, I get something positive out of it physically and mentally.

My Dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer this past August.
I found out about the Ride to Conquer Cancer in the Fall and decided to enter and ride for my Dad. 200km of riding in a weekend isn't much for me (actually I'll probably hafta put in some extra miles and a run after Day 1) but by entering I committed to raising at least $2500 for the Princess Margaret Hospital's Cancer Institute, that's my challenge.

In addition to the usual training updates and the odd rant, I'm gonna start to post about my progress in the fundraising department as well. I've been inspired by the donations thus far and I know those who have donated are eager to track my progress.

Thanks to the generous support of friends and family (and friends of friends and family!!) I am more than half way to my goal. It truly shows that reach and impact of this disease - it is personal to so many people.

Until June 21, 2008 I'm going to keep working. Riding will continue to be something I do for me but I constantly keep in mind my Dad's fight. For that reason I'll keep pestering folks in the fundraising department. If you'd like to help, click on the link:
www.conquercancer.ca/goto/ianyoung

50cm!!!

2008-03-07T09:56:00.000-08:00

For all you math majors...that's half a meter...I'm not sure how many feet that is in American, likely close to 2. In any case, we're supposed to get hammered once again with a huge snowfall tonight and tomorrow.
So the SCCC group jams that I usually count on for long, hard miles in the saddle are yet again replaced with mind (and taint) numbing sessions on the trainer.

Apart from winter's refusal to make way for spring, the training is going OK. A 20 minute critical power test on the trainer shoes my FTP to be in the neighborhood of 325W. I'm pretty confident that an outdoor test will yield higher numbers but I'm content with where we're starting out the 2008 campaign

Running frequency is up to 6/week and my stride feels like it's coming together. Still most runs are easy-steady around 4:20-4:30 pace but they feel good and they feel easy.

Swimming is still a bit of an issue with some rib problems but I'm getting a few easy swims in every week and getting some feel. The swim fitness will come pretty quick assuming everything else is firing!

Now, it's time to sit back and see what mother nature has in store for us...I swear this better be the last of it. Seriously, how full of shit was Al Gore this global warming thing? :)

Until next time, keep fit and have fun!

Whoa, it's been a while...but it's still winter

2008-02-26T12:45:00.000-08:00

And it's still fucking cold and gray and cold.
While it's not a big surprise to still be dressing in countless layers of clothing to go for a ride or run in late February, I always get pretty tired of it this time of year.
It doesn't help to read and hear about friends heading to Tucson or South Carolina for a couple of weeks of great training in nice weather.
And just when I'm on the brink of S.A.D. (look it up) I slip on some ice last Tuesday while running and I've done some damage to my ribs/intercostal muscles. I haven't gone for an X-ray yet, mainly because I don't think there's anything you can do for cracked/broken ribs anyway.
I've still been able to train, the riding feels fine, running hurts (but that didn't stop me from entering a 1/2 marathon on Sunday...bad decision that I'd rather not talk about!) and swimming hurts - just annoying, persistent pain but it effects my stride and stroke if I don't take it easy.

Until next time, I'll be toiling away on the trainer or trudging through slush and snow, longing for the days when I'm suffering like a dog in the heat and humidity that is hopefully around the corner.

"You must be dedicated...

2008-01-15T15:48:00.001-08:00

...to be running out in this cold weather" was a comment made to me today as I was out on a great little :50 run at lunch.
We've had a bout of warmer weather in my neck of the woods over the last week or so, today was the first day in about a week that was below 0*C (-1), I thought it was a great day to be out. Not like somedays when I really struggle to get outside, today was a no-brainer; probably about 10-12*C above my "treadmill temperature threshold."
I started to think about her comment and her perspective as I continued my run. This was just one little run on what I thought was a great day to be outside. From her tone of voice I gather she thought what I was doing was crazy, if it was up to me, I'd be out for a much longer run or a nice bike ride; different perspective. I (along with MANY other athletes) am not only willing to train despite a bit of snow in the air and a cool breeze, I enjoy it.
But she was right: "you must be dedicated." Today it was easy. I don't imagine I'll be racing that woman this summer, so doing something that she (and honestly most people) thought was crazy is no big deal. At some point between now and the 2008 triathlon season I'm gonna hafta do things that really do take dedication, things that my competition not to mention the lady on the street are unwilling to do.
Today I'm enjoying the easy, no-brainer days. I wanted to blog this so I'd remember that comment during the workouts that aren't so easy, the workouts that will hopefully set me apart.

Beautifully Ugly

2008-01-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

Probably best describes my first swim "workout" since October, I loved every second of it but I bet it was U-G-L-Y to watch.

After spending my formative years fixated on the black line, starting set after endless set 'on the top' I go through periods where the last thing I want to do is pull on my speedo and go for a dip.
I've tried to force myself back in but I always end up hating it. I've now learned to let it go a bit, that it's OK to not swim. If I don't feel like swimming I do something else, for the past 2-3 months I haven't felt like it, I also haven't stressed about it. Sure, it's a nice luxury to have as a strong swimming triathlete but today I felt like swimming so I swam.

It was good to be back, I sucked, but it was a good suck. The sound of the water rushing past my head and was calmingly familiar, I guess I'm still a swimmer after all....even though 2001 me would laugh his ass off at the pace times 2008 me is using.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-04T08:42:00.000-08:00

With the exception of a few 'ZEROES' over the past few weeks to do the holiday rounds, training has been rolling along OK. The volume is pretty low but I've been trying to get some quality/intensity in most days.
On the competition front (if you can call it competition), I ran my first beer mile just before X-mas and man did I under estimate the difficulty of that event! A beer mile consists of 4 beers, 4 laps of a 400m track, alternating beer/lap. I came out on top of our little group and finished in 7:40. We had about 6" of wet snow to run through so I think I can get close to 7:00 with a faster track. Regardless, it was a fun event, I think there's video footage floating around out there. I'll see if I can get my hands on it and post it here.

Keep fit and have fun,
Ian

The Grinch

2007-12-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

My lovely wife ladies and gentlemen. One of Elisabeth's co-workers photoshopped her into the Grinch for an office Christmas card...I thought it was funny so I blogged it.

SNOW!!!

2007-12-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we got nailed with a huge snow storm in the Niagara Peninsula. I'm not sure how much actually fell but I've spent about 2 hours over the last 24 shovelling snow, good core and upper body training I guess!

On Saturday however I had one of the best (most fun) rides I can remember. It was -10C when I left the house at 8:30 to meet a group of guys for a trail ride. A couple of us were on cross bikes but most were on their MTBs as we hit the snow covered single track we are so lucky to have in our "backyard." We spent 3 hours bombin' through a nice covering of ~10cm of powdered snow, up hills, down hills, over little creeks, through tight switchbacks...so much fun and much better than riding the trainer or rollers!

Saturday was perfect, the snow was deep enough so that my crappy cantilever brakes were useless and soft enough that I didn't care! Cold enough that you were happy to get off the roads and into the trails and even happier to dive into that large coffee at Tim Hortons post ride. Just a great winter ride.

Now we're up to our ears in what Elisabeth calls "a beautiful winter wonderland" and it isn't much good for anything (the shovelling workout notwithstanding) Back on the tready and trainer today...I guess I could use this weather as an excuse to get log some serious miles in the pool, we'll see ;)

Try to enjoy the snow and train safe, Ian

Time for some structure

2007-11-30T11:13:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow's December 1, for me that means time to put workouts down on paper, get in the habit of training everyday, (actually twice/day usually) and force myself to put some time in on the indoor trainer every so often.

I've enjoyed doing the unstructured work and I still feel fairly fit when I get out and start to push a bit but I'm actually looking forward to getting back into the routine. I like the feeling that I'm doing the right things to make me faster next season.
So the headstart on 2008 begins with a SCCC group ride tomorrow at 8am (forecast says sunny and -3 C...time to harden up!!!!)

See ya, Ian

A new venture...

2007-11-16T06:45:00.000-08:00

I have decided to officially toss my hat in the ring of triathlon coaching. It seems like a lot of folks lately are leveraging their coaching business on their success on the race course rather than an actual understanding of exercise physiology and training principles. My priority above all else in this venture is to facilitate each athlete's goals by combining my education, experience and development philosophy with their hard work and desire to get faster. My active participation in triathlon will certainly influence my coaching but will not define it.

Coaching is not new for me, I've been actively coaching swimmers for years on both a full-time and part-time basis. I have been informally advising triathletes for the last couple of years; talking with a few of them it has become clear that this is something I am good at and should look into pursuing on a more formal basis.

So what am I all about? The name of my outfit: PresentTense Performance Training goes a long way in representing where I stand, let's start there! I think we often get a bit caught up in looking ahead; worrying about how fast we go, how we look and who we are in the future. The name reflects my belief that future performance begins in the present; do what you need to do today and reap the rewards "tomorrow."

I think the name also represents a certain level of fluidity and flexibility in the way in which I "plan the work and work the plan." I am an age-group triathlete, I work full-time. I have a wife, and two dogs that I enjoy spending time with. I have a house that needs to be fixed when it's broken. I understand that things come up in the life of a typical triathlete. I also understand that a certain level of physical stress (and the requisite rest) must be placed on an athlete in order for them to be faster. As a coach I will help my athletes balance that, in order to do that I need to be Present on a fairly regular basis. Present does not mean that I need to be at every workout (or even any workout) but it does mean that I need regular and comprehensive feedback in order to do my job.

If you're interested in more, shoot me an email at ian@presenttense.ca The website is still under development but I should have that up and running over the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for checking in!
Ian

Back at it...sort of

2007-11-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

OK, time to start "training" again. Two+ weeks of basically nothing except bike commuting and I'm starting to feel like working out. No schedule, power meter or heart rate monitor just yet though! For the month of November I'm simply going to try to lift and swim twice a week and fill the rest of the days with some non-structured riding on the road/CX bike.
I'm taking a break from running until December. Not that I don't want to run, I actually love running in the trails along the Niagara Escarpment this time of year. I was starting to have some issues in my lower left leg and foot leading into Kona so I'm taking an extended break from the pounding...I can't wait to put a solid run focus in over the winter!

Kona 2007

2007-10-29T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here's the race report that started this blogging business (yup, it's long...it's a long race)

Hey everyone I thought I’d jot down a few thoughts on our time in Kailua-Kona over the last couple of weeks. The Big Island and the Aloha spirit are amazing, I don’t usually buy into the touchy feely “energy of the land” stuff but I felt different here. Some of the newest land to poke through the surface of the ocean was my playground for a short time and I do not want to take that for granted. Besides, they grow some damn good coffee on the Kona coast, how can you not have respect for that.

Anyway, this is really more for my benefit than anyone else, I’ve never been much for journals but I wanted to get these ideas down before the memories fade. If it interests you and you have a couple hours, grab a cup of coffee and settle in, it’s long and a bit (OK a lot) out of my character! I had a special couple of weeks down there and writing this helps me put a little perspective on my preparation, race day and why I spend so much time and energy training. The day goes by very quickly, writing this helps me go back and spend a little time enjoying the gift and the opportunity that I feel is unique to this race and the island itself. If you ever wondered what goes on in my head or why I do this stuff, here’s a little glimpse!

In the week leading up to the race I took care of the pre-race running around, did a little training on the course and tried to keep from bugging Elisabeth too much!! Kona is a very interesting place in the week leading up to Ironman. Everyone looks amazingly fit, it is easy to get psyched out but I kept to my game plan of lying pretty low and resisted the urge to get in one last good session. I tried to swim everyday, just to keep moving and stave of the sluggish feeling. It was easy to get out there and swim, the water is crystal clear and warm plus they had an Iced-Espresso Bar on an outrigger canoe about 700m out from the beach…very cool! The beach also seems to be the place to “see and be seen,” everyone hangs out in there Speedos, flexing their abs and talking about how many miles a week they ride, always trying to out-do the guy (or girl) next to them. An interesting dynamic, I can see why this little slice of sand is known during Ironman week as “Dig Me Beach.”

So after a week of relaxation mixed with intermittent bouts of anticipation and nervousness I was ready to go on Saturday. I knew that I was fit, I was ready to actually race, to see how my preparation and mental strength measured up against the best in the world. I wanted to respect the distance and the conditions the island brings but I also wanted to respect the work I had put into having a strong performance and not leave anything out on the roads.

I slept well and woke up for a good breakfast and a strong cup of Kona coffee at 4:00am!
We walked to transition at 4:45 and I said my goodbyes to Elisabeth and Mom, the first of many lonely feelings crept in but I soon ran into a buddy that I’d met in St. Croix so that helped pass the time as we worked our way through body-marking and bag drop off.
Before I knew it, it was time to get in the water, I made my way down the steps at about 6:40, and scanned the sea wall for my small cheering section and found them with some prime seats right at the edge (I guess there is one benefit to coming down with me before 5am!) I swam over to say hi, it helped calm me a bit and I was very glad to see them again before the long day began.
The pros went off at 6:45am, 15 minutes before I and 1700 other very antsy tri-geeks were to get under way. I’ve swam a few strokes to warm-up before I realized that people were starting to queue up for the start. I wanted a spot on the front row near the middle so I swam back and took my place. The energy was amazing, you could feel that everyone wanted to nudge forward but we were being held in place by a line of paddle boarders. The announcer said we had 4 minutes, then 2 minutes, about 15 secs. Later the cannon went off. A bit of a surprise but I dove under a paddler who was in my way and didn’t receive any contact thanks to a strong opening 400m. I looked to my right and there were two guys about 15 feet beside me, I angled towards them a bit hoping to get some fast feet to drag off but the first guy surged before I got there and opened a gap on the guy he was with and myself. I thought about putting an effort in to close the gap but decided to avoid going anaerobic and settled into my own rhythm until the turnaround boat. I looked back and had a few guys on my feet so I surged a bit to see if I could get anyone to go, a couple of guys fell off the back and a couple stayed. I eased up again to let someone else pull, a guy moved around me, I got on his feet and rode them into transition. I had a very easy swim and came out in 52:31, I think I was the 4th or 5th age-grouper out of the water.

I grabbed my gel flasks and salt pills, put them in my pockets and ran to my bike, a pretty smooth transition and I was off on the out & back loop through town. I rode this section pretty hard, and before I knew it I was turning out of town on the Queen K. highway for about 170km of hot, windy, rolling hills through the lava fields at the foot of Mauna Kea. I rode smooth and fast, just dialed into my desired power and kept it pretty consistent on the way out to the turnaround in a small village called Hawi. Hawi is at the top of a steady 13km grind up hill and into a stiff head wind, it’s nice to get to that turnaround and know you’ve got about 10 minutes of screaming downhill, it’s well earned at that point in the race. A few good cross wind gusts caught my attention so I had to be pretty aware of what I was doing at 70km/h. Throughout the ride I had been passing pro women, some who looked like they were having a tough day. Up to Hawi I started passing some pretty well established pro men. It was at the same time encouraging and worrisome. I questioned whether I was riding too hard but knew by my perceived exertion and my power meter/heart rate that I was within my abilities. On I went, keeping up with my nutrition/hydration/cooling/pacing strategy and before long I was riding up to the lead pack of pro women along with the huge media caravan. I passed them within a km or so and headed towards transition still in the top 10 of the age-group race and 42 overall, ride time was 4:59:00. I had a good ride, but it felt good to get off the bike and into my running shoes. I was determined to run a good marathon, I had the fitness and the confidence to run a good marathon. Elisabeth and Mom were at a corner about 2 miles from transition it was good to see them but once I was by, I knew it should be a while before I’d see them again. Apart from a few spots in town, this is a very lonely course, I realize now just how difficult it makes this race compared to Ironman events in other locations.

Another pretty smooth transition and I was off on the run, once again the crowd takes you beyond your realistic pace for a bit but I settled down after a mile or so and started to tick it over. I ran comfortably (as comfy as you can be after 6 hours of racing) taking in calories and water as best as I could and trying to keep cool. This was the “coolest” part of the course with a bit of shade but the sun was still beating incredibly hot off the smooth black pavement. At about 15km I was back in the heart of Kailua-Kona and heading up the toughest hill on the course. Seriously…it’s not right to put this hill at this point! I start chugging up the hill when I see two angels leaning out onto the road yelling nice things. I ran over and would have stopped for a quick hug and kiss but this hill was too tough to stop the momentum. I ran over and slapped both of their hands, probably mumbled something incoherent and kept running. At the top of the hill the race takes a left turn back onto the Queen K highway. This is where I started to get the feeling that things may go south.

At the aid station 15 miles into the marathon in the desolate (yet somehow still beautiful) lava fields I started walking. I grabbed as much cola, water and ice as I could carry and looked down the seemingly endless blacktop, at this point the enormity of this race became a reality. I looked ahead and saw nothing but heat waves radiating above the highway and surrounding rocky desert. Reflecting back to that point, the weakness in my mind, not the weakness in my legs forced me to walk. I was worried about blowing up before I was able to reach the next aid station only 1 mile up the road; I was worried about the loneliness and pain I would experience over the next 10 miles. Instead of focusing on running just one more step or running to the next hydro pole, I let the distance of the race intimidate me.
I walked a few more steps, poured some ice down the front of my shorts (that’ll wake you up!) and started to run again. This cycle continued for a while, sometimes I thought I was coming around and had good stretches where I was running OK and feeling strong mentally then I’d have some pretty bad cramping that would force me to stop.

Eventually I made it back into town and had to get down the big hill I ran up earlier, with quads feeling like tree trunks and cramps threatening to seize my hamstrings and calves I think it was harder going down than up! As I turned into town, I forgot about the previous 90 minutes and tried to enjoy my trip down Alii Drive towards the finish line. I scanned the crowd hoping to see Elisabeth and Mom, finally seeing Elisabeth reaching over the fence about 100m in front of the line. As big a smile as I could muster spread across my face and I ran up the ramp to stop the clock in 9:55:31.

So sub-10 on a typically tough day (the last two years were comparatively easy with cooler temps and lighter winds). It was 25 minutes faster than my first IM in Lake Placid last year but I had planned on going faster. A sub 3:30 marathon is a lot easier on paper and in training than on race day, especially in Kona. I had the fitness to run 26.2 miles at 7:30-8:00 pace off a ride like that. I simply was not strong enough mentally and let my focus slip too far down the road. So that’s why I’m going to keep up with this Ironman thing. I won’t race in Kona next year (unless I hit the lottery) but I may try Lake Placid again…or maybe not. I get a lot out of not only racing Ironman but from the preparation, it does take up a tremendous amount of time and energy though. Elisabeth has been amazing in her support of this crazy business. That is very important, and will remain the biggest consideration in keeping this up….maybe one day I’ll get her to “go long!” Regardless I’m a very lucky dude.

Oh yeah, we also had a very nice few days exploring the rest of this beautiful island. The Big Island has 12 of the earth’s 16 climatic zones. From the barren lava fields to lush rainforests, to snow on the top of Mauna Kea…what an amazing island. I always thought Hawai’i would be a bit cheesy and touristy, I’ve heard parts of some other islands are. Our trip was beautiful, as I said we’d go back every year if we could. (Yes, Elisabeth too!!)

Aloha and Mahola,
Ian

I started a blog....

2007-10-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Last week I wrote down a bunch of thoughts on my recent adventure at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawai'i.
It was more for my benefit but I shared it with some friends and family who I knew were interested in hearing about my day and the trip to the Big Island in general. I really enjoyed reflecting on the experience and getting my thoughts on "paper," a few folks said they really appreciated me sharing, some even claimed to enjoy reading it, said I should write more! So here we are, I've never really thought of myself as a "blogger" but stay tuned, we'll see where this goes....