I've just moved back home after 6 weeks of house-sitting with my wife at her parents house. It was nice to have the extra space after 3 years in a cramped apartment. We were taking care of their poodle. Poodles were definately not my favorite dog breed 6 weeks ago, but Blue changed me a bit. Now the poodle is right up there with a Great Dane. Blue is smart, well behaved, doesn't shed and is really fit. I took him on a couple of long runs (and lots of early morning runs) and he had no trouble keeping up with me for 15-20km. He was great company and never complained. I still don't really want a dog, but when Lindsay makes me get one, it might be a poodle. He had an uncanny knack for taking a dump close to a garbage can so I didn't have to carry it very far after cleaning up after him. Smart boy. He was pretty gay though (poodles are kind of gay to begin with, but he took it to a new level)...too much leg humping (mine) and butt sniffing (not mine - other dogs).
I'm going in for laser eye surgery next weekend. I'm pretty excited. I just finished my last box of contact lenses and wanted new glasses after 4 years. Faced with the cost of both I decided to save the $500 and put it towards surgery ($3000). I won't be able to train for a week after (not that I have been) and won't be able to swim for 2 weeks. I will start training after that though. I'm a little scared of the Ironman distance (especially the marathon) so I want to start getting ready for it a long way out.
I did a VO2max test yesterday as part of a research study. I hit 68 (whatever the units are) at 450W. Not quite my best (74.5), but not too far off. I was pretty happy considering how lazy I have been. I am 2-3 kilos over race weight so that is a chunk of the difference from my best test. I think my threshold was around 330W.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
2010 Plans
I've decided to make a fairly big triathlon carreer change recently. I am going to race Ironman Canada as my focus next season and I won't be doing any more ITU racing.
My race schedule will look like:
April - St. Albert 10 miler
May - Vancouver Marathon
May/June - Alberta Bike/Run Races
July - Great White North Triathlon - Stony Plain, AB
August - Ironman 70.3 Calgary
August - Ironman Canada
November - Ironman 70.3 Clearwater World Championships
I'm excited about something new. I'm going to start training in the next couple of weeks.
Cheers,
Paul
My race schedule will look like:
April - St. Albert 10 miler
May - Vancouver Marathon
May/June - Alberta Bike/Run Races
July - Great White North Triathlon - Stony Plain, AB
August - Ironman 70.3 Calgary
August - Ironman Canada
November - Ironman 70.3 Clearwater World Championships
I'm excited about something new. I'm going to start training in the next couple of weeks.
Cheers,
Paul
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Meb Keflezighi Stripped of His 2009 ING New York City Marathon Victory
NEW YORK—Officials from New York Road Runners stripped American Meb Keflezighi of his 2009 ING New York City Marathon victory Wednesday after a blood sample taken from his fetlock was found to contain high levels of performance-enhancing horse.
"Meb's fellow competitors voiced their doubts about him immediately after the event," NYRR president Mary Wittenberg said. "In addition to his remarkable speed, unusual race-day height, and distinctive 'clip-clop' gait, Keflezighi's frequent nickering caused the other runners to speculate that he may have been using a horse in some fashion."
Added Wittenberg, "Also, just before the start, he lifted up his tail and loudly deposited a 9-inch-high pile of steaming fecal matter on the pavement, an unusual occurrence even in the world of long-distance running."
Keflezighi finished the race in 48 minutes and 12 seconds, easily setting a new world record and defeating his nearest competitor by one hour and 20 minutes.
Course workers, spectators, and event sponsors have all presented damaging evidence pointing toward Keflezighi's use of equine enhancements. Volunteers working refreshment tables during the race said Keflezighi took water only twice—at miles nine and 17—consuming roughly 10 gallons each time, and was the only professional runner in the men's event to request an oat, carrot, and sugar lump station. In addition, a spokesman for Nike told reporters the company provided Keflezighi with six shoes for the marathon, four of which required special construction before being nailed onto his feet.
Hundreds of people who watched the race have also come forward with photographs showing Keflezighi mounted atop what experts now believe to be a 2-to-4-year-old chestnut-brown thoroughbred.
"Come to think of it, he was moving at a pace that didn't seem human," spectator Mark Rolland said. "And when the marathon was over, the American flag they tried to drape around him didn't even come close to fitting around his body."
"Last year he was just this small guy, but when he showed up to the starting line this year, his neck and head were noticeably thicker," said David Willey, editor in chief of Runner's World magazine. "He looked like he had put on at least a half ton of muscle."
The NYRR's Wittenberg said during a postrace press conference that if the evidence proves conclusively that Keflezighi used a horse to improve his speed and endurance, it would not only have a severe impact on his career, but could cast doubt on the whole culture of long-distance running.
"It may seem hard to believe this could happen, especially at this level," said Dr. Raymond Prentiss, a medical adviser for USA Track & Field. "But people are so eager to believe in man's ability to push the boundaries of achievement that they blind themselves to a competitor who looks a little too strong, runs a mile a few minutes faster, and stands a few hands taller than the competition."
"In Keflezighi's case, we ignored what his rapidly improving times, flowing mane, and shapely withers were trying to tell us until it was too late," Prentiss added. "The fact that he was spending an hour after each event currycombing should have been a major tip-off."
As of press time, Keflezighi is cooperating with the sanctioning bodies and has returned the $170,000 he was awarded for the victory. He has also surrendered his racing singlet and shorts, saddle, saddle blanket, and bridle for further inspection and testing by technical personnel. Officials with the World Marathon Majors series said that Keflezighi will likely be banned from future races, including Boston, Chicago, the 2010 Belmont Stakes, and Berlin.
In light of the discovery, marathon officials are taking a closer look at many of the entrants in this year's race, including British runner Paula Radcliffe, a former winner who placed a tearful fourth in the women's event after fracturing her cannon bone and had to be put down mere minutes after finishing.
"Meb's fellow competitors voiced their doubts about him immediately after the event," NYRR president Mary Wittenberg said. "In addition to his remarkable speed, unusual race-day height, and distinctive 'clip-clop' gait, Keflezighi's frequent nickering caused the other runners to speculate that he may have been using a horse in some fashion."
Added Wittenberg, "Also, just before the start, he lifted up his tail and loudly deposited a 9-inch-high pile of steaming fecal matter on the pavement, an unusual occurrence even in the world of long-distance running."
Keflezighi finished the race in 48 minutes and 12 seconds, easily setting a new world record and defeating his nearest competitor by one hour and 20 minutes.
Course workers, spectators, and event sponsors have all presented damaging evidence pointing toward Keflezighi's use of equine enhancements. Volunteers working refreshment tables during the race said Keflezighi took water only twice—at miles nine and 17—consuming roughly 10 gallons each time, and was the only professional runner in the men's event to request an oat, carrot, and sugar lump station. In addition, a spokesman for Nike told reporters the company provided Keflezighi with six shoes for the marathon, four of which required special construction before being nailed onto his feet.
Hundreds of people who watched the race have also come forward with photographs showing Keflezighi mounted atop what experts now believe to be a 2-to-4-year-old chestnut-brown thoroughbred.
"Come to think of it, he was moving at a pace that didn't seem human," spectator Mark Rolland said. "And when the marathon was over, the American flag they tried to drape around him didn't even come close to fitting around his body."
"Last year he was just this small guy, but when he showed up to the starting line this year, his neck and head were noticeably thicker," said David Willey, editor in chief of Runner's World magazine. "He looked like he had put on at least a half ton of muscle."
The NYRR's Wittenberg said during a postrace press conference that if the evidence proves conclusively that Keflezighi used a horse to improve his speed and endurance, it would not only have a severe impact on his career, but could cast doubt on the whole culture of long-distance running.
"It may seem hard to believe this could happen, especially at this level," said Dr. Raymond Prentiss, a medical adviser for USA Track & Field. "But people are so eager to believe in man's ability to push the boundaries of achievement that they blind themselves to a competitor who looks a little too strong, runs a mile a few minutes faster, and stands a few hands taller than the competition."
"In Keflezighi's case, we ignored what his rapidly improving times, flowing mane, and shapely withers were trying to tell us until it was too late," Prentiss added. "The fact that he was spending an hour after each event currycombing should have been a major tip-off."
As of press time, Keflezighi is cooperating with the sanctioning bodies and has returned the $170,000 he was awarded for the victory. He has also surrendered his racing singlet and shorts, saddle, saddle blanket, and bridle for further inspection and testing by technical personnel. Officials with the World Marathon Majors series said that Keflezighi will likely be banned from future races, including Boston, Chicago, the 2010 Belmont Stakes, and Berlin.
In light of the discovery, marathon officials are taking a closer look at many of the entrants in this year's race, including British runner Paula Radcliffe, a former winner who placed a tearful fourth in the women's event after fracturing her cannon bone and had to be put down mere minutes after finishing.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Race Report - World Championship Grand Final
The Grand Final is the last of 8 events in the World Championship Series. There are more points and more prize money on the line than at the other world championship series events. The world champion is crowned based on points accumulated throughout the series. The beautiful Gold Coast of Australia was host to this event. The weather all week has been perfect for racing (and for vacation); 25 degrees and sunny with a nice ocean breeze.
After missing 2 months of training to injury earlier in the year I felt like I was just getting fit again in time for this race. I haven’t been quite as good as last year in the swim or run, but I have been cycling very well.
The swim got off to a really rough start. Then it continued to be rough in the middle and the got even rougher towards the end. I have never been so beat up in a swim. Every couple of strokes somebody would pull on my shoulder, kick me in the face, or swim over top of me. Other than pulling on shoulders, I’m sure I was giving out as good as I was getting. As I came to the end of the first lap I was sure I was close to last place but as we ran around the buoy on the beach I could see I was in about 15th place. My second lap didn’t go so well and I ended the swim in 30th place, but only 15 seconds behind first place. The whole group was bunched up.
The bike started out quite fast with the whole field in one long line. After half a lap the group of 50 men bunched up just rolled along at a good pace. Coming to the end of the second lap I positioned myself to sprint for the $500 prime and won it. I tried to continue for a breakaway but was reeled back in. I went with another breakaway attempt immediately after but we were reeled back in after one really hard lap. I sat in the group for a few laps to recover while a 2 man breakaway got off the front and gained a 45 second advantage. On the 6th lap Matt Reed (USA) and I just rolled off the front through a corner and got away from the large bunch. We worked really well together and in only 1.5 laps gained a 40 second advantage and nearly caught the 2 men on the front.
I flew out of transition onto the run and felt exceptional. I knew I had to run really fast if I had any hope of holding on to a top 10 finish. My turnover was really high and I nearly closed the 10 second gap to Bruno Pais (Portugal) by the first kilometer. By the second kilometer I hit a bad patch and dropped of the pace a little. I was in second place until the 4th kilometer when Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Javier Gomez (Spain), and Jan Frodeno (Germany) (the podium finishers) came past me. At 5km a 10 man group came by me and I couldn’t lift the pace to stay with them. Throughout the run I was up and down, going well for a few minutes and then slowing down for a few. A couple more runners passed me over then next 4km. With 1000m to go I heard I was in 21st place running shoulder to shoulder with Clark Ellis (NZL). I decided I wanted a top 20 finish and so started to kick to the finish with 500m to go. I crossed the line in 20th, pretty satisfied with my day.
The ITU season is now over. I am happy with how it finished up when I consider what a rocky start it got off to. In June it was starting to look like I might miss the whole year to injury. I was in three breakaways in three World Championship Series races with two 20th place finishes and an 11th. My final world ranking is 35th. The sport has changed again this year and the guys are running faster than ever. Alistair Brownlee ran a legitimate 29:05 off the bike and the top 10 guys were under 30 minutes for the 10km. I’m going to have to go back to the drawing board and come up with a good plan if I hope to be competitive next season.
Thanks for reading,
Paul TichelaarTuesday, September 8, 2009
Aus Pictures
This guy looks fast.
Phil took this great picture of a Koala on the run today
Kangaroo sighting on the run today
Also spotted on the run today...
My roomate in Aus, Outback Jones! Nice picture Kyle (sorry)!
I just edged out Kathy in the photo finish...
Phil took this great picture of a Koala on the run today
Kangaroo sighting on the run today
Also spotted on the run today...
My roomate in Aus, Outback Jones! Nice picture Kyle (sorry)!Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
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