• Nationals in Kelowna went well. Going in I wanted to be top 15 and thought with a great performance could possibly hit the top 10. Ended up 15th in what turned out to be a very competitive race.

• Last weekend I raced in the BC Time Trial Championships. Hit my goal of averaging 40 km/h in a 40 km bike time trial averaging 40.7 km/h. It was good enough for 7th place in Cat 4. Left me satisfied for hitting my goal but wanting a better overall placing
• Had planned on racing the Vancouver Tri today but didn't as my hip has been hampering my running the past week or so. Instead, I braved the rain for a ride out to Horseshoe Bay with stops in Stanley Park on the way out and way back to cheer on Jeff, Facundo, Martina and George (doing his first tri I think).
• So instead of running I've managed to get in a couple extra bike rides in preparation for the Whistler Gran Fondo next weekend: a nice little bike race from Downtown Vancouver to Whistler (120 km). Haven't done a 100 km ride since the spring so we'll see how I hold up.
• The Gran Fondo will be the unofficial end of the summer race season. With it comes the start of the fall run season. After having to sit it out last year with my stress fracture I'm really looking forward to getting some solid running in this fall. Already got my training planned out so now I just need to make sure my hip heals in the next couple weeks so I can hit the ground running.

On that subject, I think this song may become my mantra...

Until then a song I love about growing up and taking chances.

Swing in this tree
Oh I am bounce around so well
Branch to branch,
limb to limb you see
All in a day's dream
I'm stuck
Like the other monkeys here
I am a humble monkey
Sitting up in here again

But then came the day
I climbed out of these safe limbs
Ventured away
Walking tall, head high up and singing
I went to the city
Car horns, corners and the gritty
Now I am the proudest monkey you've ever seen
Monkey see, monkey do

Then comes the day
Staring at myself I turn to question me
I wonder do I want the simple, simple life that I once lived in well
Oh things were quiet then
In a way they were the better days
But now I am the proudest monkey you've ever seen
Monkey see, monkey do

What running should look like.

OK, I need to throw my two cents in on this "historic" moment. I don't want to repeat that which has been said by pundit after analyst after historian. So I'll try to keep it personal and simple.

Yesterday brought to light two things for me.

One, I understand the power of democracy better today. Someone on CNN last night brought up the point of how confusing the US political system must be to an outsider. How could a country elect Barack Obama when only 4 years ago they put his antithisis, George Bush, in the White House? Democracy. That is how.

While obviously democracy has its pitfalls, don't underestimate how amazing such a complete shift in rule is. For centuries around the world, and today still in many countries, it took or takes an uprising in which thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, would have to die for their belief in change. Yesterday, a country simply got together and decided to go in a different direction. George Bush will simply step aside and let Obama take over.

An aside: What must Bush be feeling? Not just the country but the enitre world took to the streets to celebrate the changing of the guard. That's got to be at least a little shot to his ego.

Second, today I understand why so many had said we didn't have politicians who inspired us anymore. For so long I've heard about politicians like Trudeau and Kennedy but lived with leaders like Chretien and Clinton. Great leaders no doubt but hardly inspirational. Obama makes me understand why people speak so whistfully about Kennedy or Trudeau. Watch his speech on Tuesday and try not to be inspired...

And now back to our regular triathlon programming.

It's the off season so there is less to talk about when it comes to training and racing (although there will still be some racing and plenty of training) and more musings about general goings-on.

Today's ramblings: Camping and VIFF

Camping

Got to spend three days last week in Garabaldi Park (Whistler area) by Lake Cheakamus with students from my school. While camping with 15 grade 8's is not an ideal situation, it was still an enjoyable foray into the wildernss. My tent sat no less than 10 feet from the lake so this was the view I had each morning.

I would have been happy to stay the weekend (as long as the students left).

VIFF

The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) started this weekend which is always a highlight of the fall for me. Saw two movies on Saturday, both of which were terrific. Orz Boys was a Taiwanese film about two kids who find themselves trapped between wanting to be grown-ups while acting like kids. Religulous was a comedy/documentary with Bill Maher on how rediculous and sometimes dangerous religion can be.

I've got tickets to three more for sure . In the couple of years I've been going I've never been dissapointed by a film so take a chance, pick a film that sounds like it might interest you and go.

• One week until Nationals also means one week until the triathlon races at the Olympics (Sunday night for the women, Monday night for the men). Simon seems poised to win another medal but is going to be hard pressed to repeat his gold medal performance from Sydney against competition like Gomez and Docherty. But he may have a secret weapon with support like this.
• A quick kudos to CBC for their online coverage of the Olympics. In the past two days I've watched sports that I've never had a chance to see like weightlifting and fencing and, just as importantly, used their website to actually learn what was going on and appreciate them. More than any of that though, it also allows those who are involved in and passionate about their sport to watch their events from start to finish instead of just getting a 10 second clip about how Canadians did in the event. Knowing I get to watch the triathlon races uninterrupted is awesome. If you haven't already, go check it out.
• On an Olympic note, the men's eight rowing team was supposed to start their redemption tour but weather delayed their first heat until tonight. If you don't know their story, here's a good primer with a video for those adverse to reading (you know who you are). Knowing Ben (you know you've made it when you have a wikipedia page) from university when he was not as dedicated an athlete as he is now (I'll spare him the specifics) I'll be watching all the way through and cheering them on. My favourite quote from them: "We train this hard so that on a bad day we can still win gold. That's the bottom line."
• More Olympics. I mentioned Kyle Shewfelt's battle to compete at the Olympics last week and while he didn't make it to the gymnastics final there was a moment worth mentioning. On his first go at the vault in qualifying he "nailed" the Shewfelt (yes, he has a move named after him already). But it was the look on his face immediately afterwards that caught me (I'll post a video if I can eventually find it). It was one of an athlete who had done everything he possibly could to prepare and performed exactly as he hoped, no matter what score the judges gave him. As he said afterwards, "That was perfection. That was beautiful."
• One last Olympic comment. Michael Phelps is a freak. The only way he doesn't win 8 golds is if one of his teammates lets him down on one of the relays.

In terms of training, slogged through a 90 minute ride on the trainer yesterday but found a little something at the pool in the afternoon (thanks to a tip about my breathing from Alan) so that made me feel a little better despite being tired. Combo bike-run session at the track today and then a rest day before some final preparations next week.

Then driving home, going past the same intersection, I saw they had begun putting up fencing around the beach start area and grandstands had gone up (yeah, I'm in an event where they need to put up grandstands). Heart starts racing again.

Four more days of work, driving past twice a day, I might wear myself out with excitement.

So tonight starts mental preparation. If there is one thing I learnt from years of golf (some of it competitive) it's that what you bring to competition mentally can be just as important as what you bring physically. If you can't see yourself doing something in your own mind, chances are you wont be able to do it in real life.

Most of what I learnt about mental prepartion in sports comes from the book Golf Is Not A Game Of Perfect by Bob Rotella. While it focuses mostly on golf, the lessons are applicable to any sport as, in my opinion, there is no more difficult sport when it comes to mental focus than golf (you try refocusing 70-80 times over 4-5 hours enough to repeat a motion so precisely that you can judge the flight of a ball down to a couple of feet while the memory of the terrible shot you just hit probably because your swing was off plane by half a degree is hanging over you).

As an example, when putting, I never thought about how I was going to make my stroke. Instead I would stand over a putt until I could see the ball rolling down the line I had chosen and going into the hole in my mind. As soon as I could see the ball in the hole I turned my head to the ball and hit it. Nothing but that image of the ball rolling into the hole was in my mind when I hit it. At least on a good day.

Obviously there were days when my mind wasn't in it and just couldn't do it. And then there were others when my visualization was so strong, I swear I could actually see the ball rolling before I even hit it. No big surprise but those were the days I putted the best, when my mind was so focused I couldn't imagine anything but making the putt.

So for 15 or so minutes each night this week, I'll do my best to get my mind in shape for Saturday. Put some quiet music on and sit with my eyes closed thinking about the race. Seeing myself standing at the start line, feeling the cold water but still swimming strong, picturing flying up the hill to Prospect Point, finding an extra gear on the run and, most importantly, visualizing myself looking at my watch, crossing the finish line under my goal time. Because if I can't see myself doing in my head, what chance do I have doing it on Saturday.

And the time on my watch reads 2:09.

• 5 weeks until World Championships (June 7). Nerves haven't really kicked in yet but the realization that most of the work is done and it's just a matter of seeing what I can do now has set in.
• Bought a new car. 2005 Honda Element. It's my tri-mobile. Perfect for hauling gear around in. My bike fits in the back so perfectly that it's like it was built for it. Naturally, I'm very proud of my new baby. Haven't named her yet. Suggestions?
• Got the official word that I will be back at Mulgrave next year teaching. A huge relief, not just because I know I have a job, but also because I doubt I could find an employer and co-workers who would support me in my crazy pursuit like they do. Thanks guys.
• Training is going well. Got through 3 weeks of 12+ hours and am going into a recovery week feeling like I could keep pushing for the first time. But now is not the time for that (see point #1). Details...
  • Set a PB by three minutes on our 16 km bike time trial course a week and a half ago doing it in 25:03.
  • Been plodding along in the pool. Feel way stronger in the pool but haven't seen it on the stopwatch....yet. It's coming.
  • Running has been focused on moving pace work to longer distances which has had its ups and downs. However, feeling confident that in 5 weeks I'll be able to pull out a sub 38 minute 10 km at Worlds.
• Two races in the next two weeks. This Sunday is Cultus Lake (brrrr) and the holiday Monday after is the North Shore Sprint.
• The North Shore Sprint will feature a couple of young aspiring triathletes from Mulgrave who I've been coaching as part of an inaugural Triathlon Club. We'll see if I have any talents in the coaching department.

OK, enough for now. I'm in a writing mood and with a little extra time this week you might see some general ramblings about ideas, issues, and people that are on my mind. Until then...

R

Wednesday morning was some bike/run pieces at the track but it was the Wednesday night bike that . Felt great climbing the Spanish Banks hill and even managed to set a PB on my second run up (4:19, take that M).

Thursday morning's swim was a strange one as I stuggled to hit my pace in the first two 200's but got stronger as I kept going and was having no problem going under pace in the last four.

Our evening LETC run was just a little pace work to get ready for the weekend race in Sooke so 8 x 400 m at pace (3:45/km). Felt like an easy run most of the way which makes me think I might have something extra in the tank for the weekend. Guess I'll just have to wait and see.

Finally, found this article yesterday morning.

Ladies Love a Team Player

Makes me reconsider my switch from hockey and baseball to triathlon. Enjoy and I'll update after the race on Sunday.