Clearwater 70.3 World Champs Race Report.

After Muskoka my season was done.  I thought.  Then I got an e-mail from Ryan saying that he had been offered a spot in Clearwater.  Do I want to go?  Why the hell not!  

I can honestly say that I did not train a ton between Muskoka and Clearwater.  The reputation of the 70.3 world champs being a fast/flat course allowed me to take it a little easier.  A few long rides, a few long runs.  Basically no quality swimming.  Still felt OK heading down.

Drove down to Chatham on Wednesday night.  Got there hung out with Mindy and Ryan for a bit and hit the sack as we had a real early (2:45) wake up call to head to Detroit airport for our 6:00am flight.  Made it.  

We landed in Clearwater and caught our shuttle to the Chart House Suites (very geneoursely donated by Matt Miller and the Cdifferent foundation.  Huge windows looking out on the harbour, and the record breaking cold weather!  Florida is supposed to be warm.  Not 59 degrees.  We had news that it would warm up for the weekend so we shrugged it off.

Meeting up with Matt and Aaron, we caught a ride down to the expo area.  We picked up Ryan's tandem (now named Big Flaming Al, long story. . . ) and registered.  This was the first hints of what was too come.  Everybody seemed real interested in the tandem, and what we were doing.  

Did a trip around the expo.  Stopped and talked to the Blais's (of whom Ryan does a lot of fundraising for) and a few other booths.  After this (and posing for a number of pics with interested people!) we rode the bike back to the hotel.  

That night was the banquet.  For the World Champs they situated the whole shindig on the beach.  Which normally would have been great, but it was fricking freezing.  We shivered through dinner (which IS better in the VIP section!) and listened to the presentation.   Of which, Ryan was talked about.  This was the first encounter of hanging out with many of the tri elite!  Lots of pros everywhere.  It was cool!

We then gladly headed home for some sleep. 

The next day we took out the bike for an easy spin to make sure all was well then got ready for the press junkit.  This was surreal.  First stop was the NBC interview where upon entering the hilton we met Kevin Mckinnon who was very nice, and hung out for a bit until we were hearded into the interview area.  Also Greg Welch stopped by and said hi too.

Ryan went through the interview like and old pro.  He is very well spoken, and I believe presented himself really well.  The interview took 15-20min.  We were then handed a transponder to mount on Ryan's belt so that they could find us during the race, and film us on the go.  It was then directly into the the photographer for some pics.  Some of just Ryan, and some of both of us and the bike.

Once that was out of the way we wandered back to the expo (had more picture's taken) and stopped at the K-swiss booth.  Ryan talked with the main dude, and might have hooked himself up with a bit of a sponsorship.

From here we rushed over to the pro press conference where Ryan was to be introduced to the press.  He sat on a panel with passed champions Terrenzo Bezzone and Joanna Zeiger among others.  That was kinda cool to see.  We were then sent into the VIP area at the finishing line to have lunch with these guys.  Nothing like sharing a sandwhich with giants like Terrenzo, and Matty Reid.  It was really kind of surreal to be hanging out with these people in this sort of relaxed setting.   They were all really nice, and great to meet.  

After that it was time to head home and try and process what happened that day and maybe get some dinner.  Matt took all of us to a hotel for dinner of pasta, and garlic (it seemed).  Then to bed to try and sleep before we had to wake up and race!

Race Morning.

We got up around 4am.  Ate some breakfast and got ready.  Caught a ride down to transition with Aaron's manager.  This is where it really got surreal.  Walking into transition we were greated and identified over the loudspeaker.  Immediately Ryan was interviewed by the MC and the camera's were on us.  They filmed us for a while when we were getting ready.  Things seemed good and we decided to head down to the swim start.  The swim had been moved off of the gulf to the inland bays due to the remnants of hurricane IDA.  The swell was high, and there was a bit of a rip.  

We were scheduled to start in the pro women's wave which went off first.  The men went 8min. later.  This was also interesting.  Hanging on the start line with these guys is interesting.  There was a definite buzz among the pro's and an intensity.  Terrenzo stopped beside us for a bit and joked around.  

The start.  

We headed off strong behind the women.  We wanted to make sure we stayed out of the way as much as possible.  Things were going well for the first 300m.  Then all of the sudden out of the pack in front of us came a buoy.  It was about the size of a head so i didn't see it coming through the other swimmers infront of us.  Before I could do anything Ryan had swam to the opposite side as me and the tether got caught on the buoy.  I took a few seconds to try and unhook us, but it was no use so I slipped the tether off and had Ryan pull it through.  Then I put the tether back on and we were off to the races.  Unfortunately we lost the group we were behind which meant no draft for us.  Having feet to follow really helps Ryan swim straighter.  

We managed to make it to the home stretch before the male pros came flying by us.  Most of them cleared us before we hit the swim exit.  We stayed to the right so as not to get in there way.  Out of the swim we headed to transition and the volunteers helped us remove our wetsuits.  Ryan got a little tangled in the tether so it took a little bit to get going, but not a big deal.  I believe our swim split was in the 33min. range.

Got changed, and picked up the bike.  Once again the camera's were on us.  We got on the bike and started out to the causeway.  We were rolling along nicely.  There was no one around us.  Either direction.  It stayed that way most of the bike.  The course was flat and fast.  Clipping along we passed Aaron and Matt on the out and back section.  They were hanging on behind the front pack.  It was impressive to see them there.  They are rockstars!

On our way back we started to see the AG guys coming.  Definetely saw the fabled drafting packs of clearwater.  But we won't get into that.  

Headed out over one of the causeways was pretty weird.  3 lanes and two wide shoulders all shut down for us.  There were no other cyclist's either so we were all alone on this massive highways.  It was odd.  Funnily I was looking around and on the bay I could see dolphins.  I said "hey dolphins!"  Ryan replied with "Keep your eyes on the road".  I came back with " there are 5 empty lanes here.  You could steer the bike and not hit a bloody thing, so relax!"   It was fun!

The 20km or so were tough because the bike is extremely tough on the posterior.  Not much give in the frame so it is a little harsh of a ride.  Feeling good though.  We held a real steady pace throughout and set ourselves up for a good run.  The bike was a blazing 2:16 split at 40.2 kph.

A relatively quick transition and we were on the run.  The crowds were fantastic.  Cheering us every step of the way.  We must've had our pictures taken a thousand times.  

The first loop of the run was uneventful.  We had a goal pace and tried to stick to it.  Ryan has a tendancy to head out fast, and I tried to hold him back a bit so that we could have a steady run.  At the end of the first loop the camera's caught us and followed in front of us for a while.  Try and look tough, try and look tough.  That was our mantra while on film!  Coming into the turn around the announcer was calling us on and the crowds once again went wild.  That was just a taste of what was too come.  

The course headed out over a causeway, and in through the residential neighbourhoods.  It was neat on the first lap when the pro men flew by us.  We could see that Raelert had a big lead and was looking strong.  It was really cool to watch Matt Reed fly by.  He is a beast! 

The second lap got tougher.  Much of the course was on concrete and that took it's toll on my knees and both of our bodies.  We held a steady pace but it was hurting.  Ryan had a goal of coming in under 4:45.  We weren't sure if we were going to get there or not.  We pushed hard at the end at it looked like we would succeed.  Coming into the finishing chute was awesome.  There were a ton of people there and they were going nuts.  It was a wall of sound.  They were cheering so loudly for us it gave me goosebumps.  Still do thinking about it.  What an experience.  

Got to the line, and we both did a blazeman role.  4:43.  Fast!  Ryan came in second which was fantastic.

Camera's were flashing.  Bob Blais was there to great us which was nice.  Made our way through the throngs and collapsed on the grass for a bit.

That night we went to the awards banquet.  This was again held on the beach.  Much warmer though.  Ryan (and I) were brought on stage for his award.  A great end to an awesome experience.

Thanks to Matt Miller and Cdifferent for helping us to get down to the event.  Thanks to the WTC for the invitation.  Thanks to Ryan for letting me tag along! :>>

I look forward to guiding Ryan again next year.  Placid here we come!

Article by Kevin Mckinnon about Ryan Van Praet

from www.ironman.com

Ironmanlife: Ryan's Back

Kevin Mackinnon previews Ryan Van Praet's race at the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3

Published Friday, November 6, 2009

If you ever needed proof that there is no justice in the world, here's proof. Last year, for the first time in six Ironman races, Ryan Van Praet wasn't able to get to the finish line as he wore race number 179 in Kona. Because people like Ryan Van Praet don't let one day of physical problems get in the way of changing the world, though, the world is right again because Ryan Van Praet is now stronger, faster and even more determined after that experience. He continues to tirelessly raise money for ALS research in Canada, awareness for the Blazeman foundation everywhere and will pass you like you're parked if you slow down for a millisecond at next week's Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3.

Van Praet, like his hero, Jon “Blazeman” Blais, who wore race number 179 when he finished the Ford Ironman World Championship in 2005, is a walking inspiration story. Born with a disease called retinitis pigmentosa, he's going blind. Last year's Kona event was the last he was able to do without a guide. The 29-year-old from Chatham, Ontario has grown up with the knowledge that he would likely lose his sight by the time he reaches his 30s.

This is a guy who grew up exploring the world in a way that most of us never will. His parents, especially his father, Adelard, never hesitated to let him try anything and everything.

“He treated me like any other boy, let me fall, and pick myself up, try things most thought he shouldn't let me try because I could hurt myself, or get embarrassed or embarrass him,” says Van Praet. “He didn't care, he knew that to succeed I needed to grow up to be more determined than any other person I was around ... and I have done that. I get all my strength from what taught me, from how he raised me. He gave me inclusion, he gave me courage, he gave me pride, now it's my turn to try and give back.”

Hold that “give back” thought for a second. Oh, and hold that “more determined than any other person I was around” thought, too.

Around the same time that Jon Blais was given the death-sentence that is an ALS diagnosis, Adelard Van Praet got the same news. That's why, watching the coverage of the Ford Ironman World Championship in 2005 was so poignant for Van Praet. Here was a guy finishing the Ironman with a disease that was going to kill him. If he could do that, then Ryan Van Praet could step up and give something back, too.

Since then he's lost his father to ALS, but he continues to raise thousands of dollars for the ALS research in Canada. He’s completed five Ironmans. He was named the Ford Everyday Hero at Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid in 2007. He organizes a huge spin-a-thon to raise money for the Blazeman Foundation every winter.

So what happens when someone like Ryan Van Praet can't get to the finish line of Kona? First he's humbled by his hero.

“After my experience in Kona last year and how it blew me to smithereens in my sixth Ironman (when you think you'd have most things figured out), it gave me the utmost sense of awe at what Jon accomplished while dying in 2005,” Van Praet wrote to me earlier this year.

The humility lasted for, I'm guessing, about a day. Then someone like Ryan Van Praet gets his butt in gear and starts training. And racing. Earlier this year, with his guide Syd Trefiak, he screamed through a hilly 70.3 distance race in 5:11. Then he was the second visually impaired athlete at the prestigious NYC triathlon. He's determined to continue the trend that athletes like Aaron Schiedies and Charlie Plaskon have started: don't feel sorry for these guys when they're out on the course - you better try to stay ahead of them because they're racing you right to the line.

“I hope desperately to get back to Kona to tackle the only race that has beaten me thus far,” Van Praet wrote in an e-mail last month. “As you know, my personality is a bit stubborn and I need to prove to myself that Kona is doable.”

A bit stubborn? Sure, you can try that, Ryan. All I can say is that I'm thrilled to hear that I'll see you next week in Clearwater. I'm looking forward to watching you and Syd fly through that course. I'm also looking forward to seeing you back in Kona some day. I can't see any way that you'll let anything stop that from happening.

Clearwater 70.3

Ryan got an invitation to compete in Clearwater this november.  So I am tagging along (or I guess technically leading along :P) to help him out.  Aaron Schiddes is going to be racing as well (stupid fast blind guy).  He is kind of our only real competition.  A little out of our league, but something to aim for!

The coolest thing about this is that we are going to be starting out in the pro wave!  How cool is that!  We will be last, but who cares.  We will be hanging out with the best of the best.

So, the training needs to start again, but it is definetely worth it!

Say hi if you see us down there.  Blind dude tied to me.  

Muskoka 70.3

Winding down the summer with a major race is always fun.  Especially an Ironman sanctioned event, because you really feel like you are involved in something big.  Especially with big name pros attending.   Muskoka 70.3 lived up to this.

I decided to camp on the saturday night as opposed to getting a hotel room.  Not only did this save me from having to book months in advance, it also saved me a bunch of cash.  $30 for the night.  Nice!

Got up there saturday early in the afternoon.  Plenty of time to get acclimated and set up.  Parked at the airport and rode my bike in.  Dropped it in transition and headed in to register.  With that out of the way I took a stroll through the expo and headed down to the swim start.  A bit of a hike!  The swim out is a good jog uphill into transition.  Wasn't looking forward to that!  The swim looked fun, and I was excited to get in the water on sunday.  That is, until I drove the course!

Headed out on the bike course before dinner.  What a beauty!  Probably the nicest bike courses I have ever ridden.  However, it is very very challenging.  Would love to ride that course without having to worry about running after!

Then I decided to drive the run.  Ugh.  Uphill to the turnaround!  Now that would be a challenge.

Headed into town for some prerace spaghetti and meatballs, then back to the tent for some sleep.

Up early, at 5:30.  Packed up, and headed to timmies for a coffee.  Had breakfast and parked at the airport again.  Took the shuttle to the site (this worked very well).

Got all set up nice and quickly and just milled around.  Watched the pros get set up for a while, and exchanged words of encouragement with a few of them.  Time to get the wetsuit on.

Headed down to the start.  Feet were a bit sore from the walk down, but was excited to start.  

The put us into pens ala a bike race start.  We were the 4th off.  The pro's were on the home stretch by the time we started.  Got a good spot on the front and hammered it when the gun went off.   Had a good start to the first buoy and a good draft as well.  After the first turn I was in good shape, then I felt my watch come most of the way off.  The velcro strap came loose.  Had to stop to take it off.  Shoved it down the front of my wetsuit.  This sucked because I lost the strong group that I was with.  Started up after a few secs.  Had to readjust the the position of the watch shortly after.  Probably lost 20secs to this.  Kinda annoying.  Managed to catch some more feet, but we hit a bunch of traffic down the back stretch of the swim.  It started to get a bit hairy.  We were dodging back and forth avoiding the previous wave.  They were spread everywhere.  Over the last 10min. of the swim I was feeling fantastic.  I started to push a bit more and gained a few spots.  Pushed hard to get some clear water coming into the swim exit to avoid traffic in the stairs and at the strippers.  I was out in just over 30min.  Was hoping to go sub 30, but the watch debacle and traffic stopped this.  

Got stripped really quickly with some helpful volunteers and started the trudge up to T1.  Got a quick transition and headed out on the course.  Some vigorous cheering from Canadian pro Tara Norton (headed to Savageman last weekend so wasn't racing here.) which was helpful.

Onto the bike.  I had shattered my quads training with the XC team a week previous, and never really let them heal properly so that coupled with a sore butt from driving made me feel a bit nervous about the hilly course to come.  Legs weren't feeling great, but I was managing a decent pace none the less.  It wasn't until we hit 35 that I started to feel strong.  The first leg of the course was mostly uphill until the turn off of the shared road section.  The actual scenery was fantastic, along with the roads.  Some super curvy stuff.  It was a load of fun to hammer through.  I made up a fair amount of places by being really aggressive on the turns and hills.  It was a lot of fun.

Ended up passing a bunch of people from the previous wave, and didn't lose many spots in my own.  I was feeling really good and was moving well, until I hit the turn onto brunel.  It was weird, immediately as we hit the head wind there, all of the juice went out of my legs.  I knew that I had screwed up my nutrition.  Took a gu and ate the rest of a peanut butter sandwhich I had started earlier and backed a little off of the effort.  This is a really tough section of the course and I suffered a little.  After about 20min. my legs started to feel good again.  I upped the pace a bit, but remained conservative.  Finished the bike feeling relatively good.  That being said, I couldn't imagine running that course at that point!  The bike was a little long (94km) so the 2:43 split was good enough for me.   

Into T2 with a really fast transition.  Got into my distance crushing pace (which is admittedly a bit slower than I hoped to be running).  Basically just pick an effort level I know I can maintain over that distance.  It was slow, but I didn't want to blow up on the way out.  Now, I didn't drive the entire course.  Basically up to the turn around and then I went for dinner, so I didn't check out the path on the way back.  Not a mistake, but mentally I prepared for it to be similar to the out section in topography.  It wasn't!

Felt OK the whole way out.  Packing in the GU's on schedule and just ticking off the kms.  The hills were tough, but I really just focused on the few meters infront of me, and didn't worry about what was to come.  Made it to the turn around without draining the tank.  Now I wanted to push a bit on the way down.  

Well, there was a lot of down, but the legs started to get heavy around 15km.  Just in time to hit the path.  Very pretty, but it had a bunch of short punchy hills.  Now my legs really didn't have an issue with running easily on flats or downhills, but those short hard efforts really took a toll.  I was running out of steam quickly.  It was also very hard to judge where you were, and how much longer you needed to be on this path.  Mentally, I was in a rough spot.  

Eventually that section ended, and I was on the the relief of the open road.  I was also very sure of what the roads were like on the way in.  So I knew what to expect.  Not easy, some big hills, but I knew about them so they didn't seem too bad.  Cruised the last few km relatively well and circled around transition to the finish line.  Came across at 5:02 which was close to my goal finish time.  Kinda weird since I haven't finished over 5hrs in a while.  The 1:44 run split was definetly slow, but I can't imagine going any faster.

I love the race and the venue.  Everything was organized and ran very well.  The challenge of the course was awesome.  Huntsville is beautiful.   Thanks to all of the supportive locals and awesome volunteers.  

So now, it is a few weeks off, then starting to prep for Clearwater (not alone, but with Ryan)  Should be fun!   

New York City US paratriathlon Championships

Last Sunday I found myself wetsuited up sitting on a pontoon strapped to Ryan, getting ready to jump into the Hudson River. I can honestly say I never thought I would swim in the Hudson. It is a combination of murky and a little salty. Cleaner than I was expecting.

Now the major benefit of swimming in the hudson is that there is a lot of current.

The few days before the start were hectic. We drove down on friday and got in late after sitting in traffic trying to get on the island. We were tired and the nerves were a little frayed from the New York traffic.

Saturday was registration day. We sat through the PC briefing and went and got our kits. We were staying at the official hotel which was probably 4km from transition. This was a bit tough as we had a long tandem bike. We were not confident enough to ride in NYC traffic so we had to walk down to transition. Because of the location of the transition zone noone was allowed to stop their cars and drop off their stuff. A large hastle for us. As a result this took us the majority of the day. We got back in time for dinner and took a bus tour in the evening.

Sunday morning was early. Transition closed at 5:45 when the pro's started. We managed to get there with just enough time to finish setting up. We were racked next to Aaron Scheidies. The world's fastest paratriathlete. He has a similar visual condition to Ryan so they are natural competitors. He is a super cool kid. I suggest googleing him to see what he is about.

There was over a 1500m walk to the swim start. The para triathletes were situated in the pro tent which is cool. Just simplifies things.

We got the call to head to the pontoon. We ended up sitting there for a while as they were leaving a gap before the second group of racers went.

We were given a 30sec warning and were told to jump in and grap a rope. The current was super strong. The gun sounded and we were off. We knew that we would be amongst the faster swimmers in this wave so we pushed from the start. The swim is a straight shot downstream so sighting is a none issue. We were alone pretty much the whole time. Out of the water in around 17:00. That demonstrates the powerr of the current.

The bike starts out with a short downhill serction with two sharp rights followed by a steep hill up to the expressway. This was super technical for a tandem but we managed it well. We were now free to fly. I haf decided that I was going to bury myself on the bike as I knew that is where I could help the most. We caught up to the wave infront of us pretty much right away. We were flyinh by these slower cyclists. It was quite busy out there. It was a neat bike course as the closed the expressway on the west coast for us to race on. It was a hilly course, but fast. I was hoarse by the end from constantly yelling "on your left".

Into T2 I was a little torched from the effort. We changed quickly and climbed the hill out of the transition area. Ryan was pushing hard at this point. It took my body a while to come around. I actually felt pretty crappy for the whole run. It took a lot more effort this time to stay on Ryans shoulder.

The run through Central Park was cool(actually very very humid) this played havoc with my digestion. We continued to pass a ton of people. Only one person caught us from the wave that started after us. Ryan was flying, and I was surviving. I was going to bury myself before I slowed him down. We got to the finshing chute (which was crowded) and crossed the line in 2:18,second in his category. We acheived all of his goals so this was a very successful outing.

It was a fun race to do, but I won't do it again. Logostically it is too hard.

I would like to thanks Ryan and Mindy for giving me the opportunity to race in NYC with Ryan. It is a really neat experience, and I look forward to what the future holds!

Ryan's Peterborough Report (from swimbikerunryan.blogspot.com)

Mission Accomplished--"Hey isn't that cheating?"

"Hey, isn't that cheating?"

"No fair..."

"Oh man, 4 legs, you guys look great.."

"Hey, that's drafting..."

All of the above were utterances during my first paratriathlon last Sunday in Peterborough. ALL were said in joking fashion and great supportive manner, by fellow athletes. All were said on the bike as we rolled, seemingly "cheatinginly easy" past them up and down the steep rollers of the Peterborough 1/2 Ironman. A 2 km swim, followed by a 85 km bike ride (which is supposed to be 90), followed by a hilly 21.1km half marathon run. This was my 5th half Ironman of my career, my third time back to Peterborough, but my first paratriathlon--a new beginning.

Today i want to give you a brief (hopefully) recap of the days events; last week i gave you a taste of what the mood surrounding the event was like. The fact that i was a beginner, for the second time... As mentioned this was my third time back to this race, but standing race morning on the shore with 500 other athletes, tethered to my guide Syd...this felt much different. All pre-race buildup and preparation was much the same as any other race i've done, but as i said, standing tethered with our 4 foot bungee cord between us--Syd and I were embarking on something very new to both of us. Syd standing 2 inches taller then me, is a imposing figure, and made me feel that he gave the air of "stay out of our way" to the rest of the gang. This was comforting, heading into the water which was the most stressful for me. Swimming is not usually stressful, i love the beat and bang and push and shove of an open water swim; but not this day when i was very worried that i would snag somebody in our line, injure, drown or in a mild case just REALLY tick them off. Therefore the 2km swim i must admit was the most stressful swim i have ever done in my entire life, far trumping any Ironman mass start with 4 times as many people. My stress and fears were unfounded though, as we never snagged a single person, Syd was a perfect body guard as he is an amazing swimmer, and we managed out effort in a slow and uncomfortable 38:45. Uncomfortable because i can swim a good bit faster, and Syd must've been taking a nap, as this was far below his pace...but safety was the key.

Through transition and onto the bike---we had ridden the previous week together, and i trusted Syd had a handle literally and figuratively on the bike situation, so i was relieved and comforted to get out in my element (the bike) even if it was on the back of our Griffen tandem rocket!
Rolling smoothly and to much crowd support, out of T1, dressed in our matching Rudy Project helmets and matching TEAM RUNNING FREE uniforms (an awesome running store in the GTA that become my newest sponsor, and has been sponsoring Syd and his wife for a while).. Syd and i settled into a easy pace. Our goal was to take it slow until halfway then drop the hammer. We kept a methodical pace until the halfway point, passing everyone in sight (see above for comments recieved along the way). To my surprise the support was amazing, and truth be told i did feel guilty passing people with such ease, as this would not happen quite so smoothly if i were riding on my own. However, we rolled past a couple hundred people and made our way to the pointy end of the field. By half way, we were both feeling ok, but our "undersides" and my lower back, were both feeling the harshness that is a tandem bike ride. You feel ever bump, and every vibration--and we are riding probably the nicest tandem bike ever made! On that way back, we found ourselves quite alone...the leaders were ahead, but most others were behind, and we just rolled along, more in silence due to our upped effort. We were both relieved to get off the bike at the end, giving our bodies a break from the slightly uncomfortable ride. 2:29:00 later, with an average of 34 km/h, we arrived to a fairly empty T2.

Not having been totally trained for this event, and suffering a bit of an injury, my goal was to run as much of the half marathon as possible, and just see how it went. I really didn't have any specific time goals for the whole day, so it was just a matter of plugging away. During the first very shady section, Syd ran in front of me (where the pictures were taken), and i followed along like a good little puppy dog:) When out onto the open road, we ran side by side, Syd pointing out any road flaws, pylons, etc. This will take some more practice, but really all went well. I am pleased to say i managed to run the entire 21km (only impressive due to the fact the hills were killing me)...it is so hard running hills when you don't run them around here. We pushed harder the last 4-6 km, i was suffering, and Syd was cruising. He lives and trains on those hills, so this was simple for him. Pushing really hard the last 2km, we turned into the park, Syd and i grabbed hands, turned the final corner to the finish where Syd raised our hands in victory, saw the clock read 5:11:xx (which was my second fastest half Ironman ever), i dropped, rolled for ALS....and that was that.

Even thought the bike course was short, it was still a fast enough race for me..i was very pleased with the effort and very thankful to Syd for his help. This guy lives and breathes triathlon (even more then I), and his presence and help that day really helped me out. Our next adventure is in two weeks in New York City, with an Olympic distance triathlin which happens to be the USA National Paraytriathlon Championships. This will give me a good idea of where i stand in terms of others in my category (as I was the only visually impaired athlete in Peterborough). I am looking forward to the new experience and the new tandem career. It isn't the same as going alone, but it is still suprisingly, familiarly, satisfying.
A huge congratulations to local fellow C-K athletes Jason Ramboer who absolutely hammered his first half Ironman in a 4:41 time, Brennan his brother in the half Duathlon, Helen Robertson of Chatham in a very respectable time, and Helen's daughter Helinka who also had a solid day.

So off to training i go, getting ready for the fast and furious NYC triathlon! Thanks to Running Free for the great gear, Rudy Project, Syd, my wife, Smith's Cycle, and everyone who's help got me to the starting line of my new career. And thanks CKDP for letting me tell my story, my hope for Sunday was to turn some heads, and get some people thinking.....No matter what your abilities, set that goal, and go for it, and NEVER underestimate somebody based on their age, sex, religion, disability or athletic ability; for as soon as you do this, is the time they will leave you in a cloud of dust.

Peterborough 1/2 as a guide.

I participated in the peterborough 1/2 IM this year as a guide for Ryan Van Praet a PC (physically challenged - blind) athlete from Chattam.

This was an exciting opportunity for me.  I have done many things in this sport of triathlon and nothing quite like this.  It was a true team effort.

Ryan has competed in triathlon for many years and has raced at all distance including a couple attempts at IM.  This was his first race as a PC athlete.  His vision has gotten to a point where he can't race by himself.

We had practiced on the tandem a few times, but we had yet to swim or run together.

The morning of peterborough we got set up in transition.  The OAT and subaru guys were excellent at helping us get set up in transition.  They had to make a whole new category for him to race in.  

The swim was going to be interesting as we were tethered together and it was a mass start.  We took a concervative line and waited for the majority of the field to go.  I think this was a bit of a mistake as we then had to pass a ton of slow swimmers.  This was difficult.  The swimmers in the middle/back of the pack have trouble swimming straight.  So I ended up acting as a bodyguard for most of the swim.  We probably took a few extra minutes because of this.  It ended up ok though.  It was an interesting practice.  I think in NYC we will be more aggressive.

We got out of the water and took our wetsuits off.  The run to transition is a little long so it was tough navigating our way there.  An easy transition and we were off on the bike.  Having a relatively slow swim, but both of us being good cyclists meant that we were moving quite a lot faster than the rest of the riders around us.  We were flying.  The tandem is an interesting experience.  You really need to learn how to communicate well.  I needed to vocalize everything, from bumps in the road, to turns, to when either of us wanted to coast.  

Things were feeling good on the tough bike course.  We were getting lots of interesting comments and stares as we flew by many cyclists.  

The biggest problem with the tandem is that it is a rough ride.  Your butt gets really sore.  We ended up coasting a lot on hills on the way back to try and relieve some pressure on our rears.  

We finished up the bike a lot closer to the front of the pack than we started.  We had passed atleast a hundred athletes.

T2 was a bit faster.  We headed out on the run.  It heads through the park and soccer fields.  This was a challenging section for Ryan as he can't see anything in low light.  I really had to let him know about every dip on the course.  Once we were onto the roads it was easier.  They are smoother and we were able to pick up the pace.  This was a challenging course for Ryan as he is from the flattest part of this province.  Peterborough is a hilly course on the bike and run.  I live in this terrain so it is second nature to me.  He did really well considering this.

We managed to pick a solid pace and hold it.  Ryan told me not to tell him splits or where we were on the run course.  This was fun, because I knew that we were way in front of our goal of going 5:30.  He didn't.  He thought we were on pace for the goal.  I said nothing until we hit the finishing straight when I told him the time.  Ryan did a roll accross the finish line in honour of his father who passed from ALS and in support of the Blazeman foundation which he is very active with.

We finished in 5:11.  This was a great time for us and way infront of our goal.  We were very conservative early on so this is a great confidence builder going into the PC champs in NYC.  

I had a blast, and am really looking forward to racing in New York and next year possibly at the Ironman distance.