Snowed in...

Who knew it snowed in November in Vancouver?

A rather shocking and disturbing occurrence considering we pride ourselves on our ability to avoid most elements that affect the rest of Canada in the winter and summer... We don't get 40 degrees with mosquitos the size of sparrows and we don't have snow in November...

I sound like I'm complaining. Really I am just making a statement that we are in an unusual weather situation here. This prompted the cancellation of my bike fitting on Sunday.

I was, however, able to complete my biomechanical assessment on Saturday in Squamish. Michael and I were both in line for a workout that I hadn't counted on. The physio's name was Marilyn Hellier. She works out of Whistler and Squamish.

I discovered a few things about my muscle structure... Number one, I have weak glutes. I never thought of myself as having weak glutes before. But I do. As a result, my hamstrings are quite tight all the time (not a shock) and I am also experiencing knee pain when I bike for long stretches of time (i.e. 3hrs plus). So she gave us some exercises and workouts to address these areas of concerns. This was Saturday, and I am still sore on Monday from just one of these sessions... And I'm supposed to do this 4 days per week!?!?

What does it take to get good? The real question is what will it take for ME to get good? To break through? I have hit a barrier in that I still cannot break the 3 hr marathon mark. I haven't been training hard enough to get there, mind you. So, I have both a mental and a physical block right now. It's a knowledge that I have, within me, the means to accomplish anything I set my mind to, but I hit these mental barriers that prevent me from taking those next, necessary steps required to break into that new level of performance.

Now I've really done it. I acknowledge that performance is largely a mental exercise, but not just on race day... It happens throughout the year. I read an article recently describing the difference between "JV and Varsity" level athletes. JV athletes, in an Ironman world, are those who seek to finish and, when they do so, are happy just to keep finishing, occasionally get a little faster, but just happy to continue. And this is an area I want to be in too, but I ALSO want to see what "Varsity" would be like....

What would it be like to be amongst the elite?

What would I need to do?

I can tell you, taking a year off every 2 years, or even 3 months off, isn't what it takes. One has to be willing to put the time in and, when putting the time in, to work hard. The secret really isn't a secret... It's just plain hard work. Sometimes it's painful, sometimes it is enjoyable. You always work to create the environment to make the work as pleasurable as possible, but really, it's still hard work that gets you to the top of your profession, or sport.

Which is why these exercises are so important. The discipline to spend the next 6 weeks working on this biomechanical aspect is all about reaching the next level. Trust the protocol of the professionals. If they require this dedication, I require no less...

Emma Snowsill, possibly the greatest triathlon story of the year out of Australia, has said that she respects and admires what her body is able to accomplish, and that's what drives her... to keep pushing and seeing how far her body will take her. She's done pretty well with this approach, having basically run the table on all the WTU triathlon circuit races this year.

I have noticed now that my swimming technique is improving. Having upped my swimming to a full 3x/week and focusing exclusively on technique rather than volume, I have really been working on creating a fluid and efficient stroke. And, for the first time on Saturday, the stroke actually felt fluid and not at all like I was "working" on it... It just seemed natural... Who knew that practice might start to pay off?

Gear... check!

Slowly but surely I am accumulating my gear for the year and getting my setups taken care of. I have finished month #3 of my bike installments, and I'm heading out later to look at some bike shoes. I want to start practicing with them on my Cervelo during the winter on the trainer.

I've opted to add a couple of "essentials" to the plan right away. Having purchased the Cervelo in September I have not yet had it properly fitted, so I am heading over to Larry Zimich this weekend to do so. As a result, I figure it's time to get a new pair of bike shoes. I've had the same ratty old ones for 5 years now and they have holes in them. Coming from a running shoe environment I know that this is just asking for long-term trouble, but I have been reluctant as I've found that bike shoes are even more expensive than running shoes.

I also have the opportunity to go for a biomechanical assessment on my running this weekend. I had been reluctant at first but now I think it would be very beneficial as I now can spend the time building up my biomechanical issues through the winter.

I'm also on the lookout for experimenting with new sports drinks. I have tried the e-load for a couple of years but now I want to take a look and see what else is out there. I also want to find a proper recovery drink as the Running Room isn't carrying the Powerbar Protein Drink anymore.

No winter races for me...

I decided to forego the usual race lineup this winter. The Fall Classic 10k, First Half Half Marathon, and a possible winter marathon were all on my radar as possibilities as I head into next year.

I have determined, instead, to keep it simple and plan on 3 races for the upcoming year. The March UBC Triathlon is the first on the horizon. I plan on doing the Olympic Distance. It's usually a race that has pretty nasty weather associated with it, but I also view it as a bit of a benchmark to the season ahead, and a way to get the idea of "race readiness" in my thoughts early. Plus, it's relatively harmless as an Olympic distance race and I can begin to practice my transitions, etc.
After that, it's the Oliver Half Ironman in June. This will be the main measuring stick for the summer's Ironman preparation. Getting the Half Ironman in early (2 months + prior to Ironman) allows me to make any adjustments I need to and also gives me another indicator of where I am heading into August.

Two prime concerns for the 2007 season have become time and money. I plan on taking courses in 2007 which is going to tax both resources to the maximum, so I plan on being quite frugal. They say the busier you are, the more you get accomplished as you tend to have to plan your life more rigidly... I hope this is the case...