Why did I chose this race?
After finishing Gravenhurst’s triathlon, I was ready to do another race the following week but I noticed that my body was not ready. I needed to recover. My mind was ready but my body was not. I listened to my body and did not register to any weekend race (specifically Subaru’s Guelph Triathlon). Instead, I did one gigantic 20km run and then did nothing else for the remainder of the week. I always ride my bike but I do that religiously to think, clear my mind, and keep myself sane from life’s stress. The gym workout was also toned down to recover faster. Although I do admit I train a lot, when I train for triathlon, I tend to increase that level and it becomes much more intense. That week passed and I was thinking of my next race, Rose City Olympic Triathlon.
I have never been to Welland Ontario and this was another excuse to drive to a new area I have never been to. Welland is a cool city close to Niagara Falls Ontario and the swim is on the canal. That’s pretty cool to me. This was my next triathlon. I registered and did the absolute minimal training for this race. I was still in recovery mode. I did notice that this was a flat race and my main goal was to average 35kph on the triathlon bike. The goal was to go full gas and see my potential with the new bike. My other goal was to swim 1.9 km and survive. The last big swim was Gravenhurst’s 1.5km swim. This was to test my endurance for my upcoming Ironman in Muskoka. The swim distance is the same. The bike ride was also 55km and the run was 15km. This was a perfect race to see how fit I was for Ironman Muskoka 70.3’s distance. What can I tell you in a nutshell? I’m doing ok but my running needs to be improved.
Before The Race
I am 90km away from Welland. I went to sleep and woke up late. I drove to Welland from Hamilton and had less than 20 minutes to prepare for the race. Luckily since I’ve done a couple of triathlons I know how to prepare and I had enough time to jump in the pool and warm up. Luckily, the parking is right beside the start which was also very beneficial. I was also a bit frightened since it was raining and I despise cycling in the rain due to the dangers of crashing. It then stopped raining and the race was about to begin.
The Swim
Swim Completed: 2km 42 minutes
I started on the 4th wave. This swim is a big rectangle. I passed several swimmers and to my surprise there were people drafting me. I kept seeing people ahead and I would push harder to catch up to them and try and get some draft but instead of staying behind the person, I would keep passing people and doing the same thing. Rinse and repeat. Towards the end, my sister mentioned there were many people swimming behind me. That was pretty cool. I did not feel sore but getting out of the pool I felt delirious. This indication shows how much I should really start doing open water swimming and brick workouts.
The Ride
Ride Completed: 56km in 2 hours 26 minutes (32.8kph)
This ride was intense. I wanted to test my limits. The first 3km you cannot go too fast since you’re not on the flat roads and it’s mostly gravel and bad roads. You’re riding one small path at one point and not roads. There’s also some train tracks but there are volunteers giving you a warning to slow down. After that, it’s smooth sailing. I was on the tribars more than anything and I was passing everyone, it was awesome. I did notice I was moving my bum around a lot to use more leg power showing that I need to be re-adjusted for the the best performance if I want to go faster. There were two highlights during this portion of the race. First, I was passed by someone so fast that I could not catch up to him. All I heard was his carbon wheels and he was smoking everyone else ahead. I really wish I remembered his race number. Second, a young woman kept catching up to me with an aero helmet and a modern triathlon bike. She was strong. This girl pushed my limits. I pushed harder and never saw her again but she definitely lapped me on the run. I also thought this was a 30km race but it was 55km.
The Run
Run Completed: 15 km in 1 hour 26 minutes
This run was torture. I was bleeding from being barefoot in my shoes, it got very hot that I could feel the heat affecting my performance, and the hardcore ride crushed my run. I had a sore bum from the ride. It eventually went away but it sucked. The good news? I did not stop. I only stopped when I needed to drink the electrolytes. I have not mastered drinking and running like the pros. I stop, chug, and go. For now. Although I was not happy with the run I did ok. I can improve that’s what is great about doing these short races.
Conclusion
Am I IRONMAN ready?
Firstly, this race was awesome. Secondly, I am almost ironman ready and I love this sport so much. It gives me drive to to better in all aspects of my life. The consistency, discipline, and determination that you can do it as long as you start it and work on it. I placed 90 out of 243. Would I do this race again? I’m not sure. It felt very easy since it was very flat and I like the challenge of climbing hills. Although the heat killed me. I believe I prefer some challenging climbs because that’s what cycling is all about. The roadie in me is still there.