TRIATHLON 5150 NEW WTC EVENT COMING SOON

Recently a new triathlon event was unveiled by the WTC. Beginning in 2011 there will be a series of Olympic distance events taking place in the United States, and three international events as well.

The new events will be the standard distance of 1.5K swim, 40K bike, and 10K run. Or a combined total of 51,500 meters. So I would assume this is where the name 5150 originated.

The most intriguing part is that there will be no drafting allowed and in many ways I think this will create a much more level playing field for those who may be a bit slower in the swim but excellent cyclists.

This of course would be of more interest to the pros who will be able to compete for one million dollar in prize money at the U.S. Championships in Des Moines in September, 2011.

Here is the list of races that are currently on the calendar with more in Europe and Asia to be added at a later date.

2011 5150 Series (United States)

March 13 Miami International Triathlon (Miami, Fla.)

May 1 St. Anthony’s Triathlon (St. Petersburg, Fla.)

May 15 5150 New Orleans (New Orleans, La.)

May 22 Memphis in May Triathlon (Tunica, Miss.)

June 19 Washington D.C. Triathlon (Washington, D.C.)

June 25 5150 Provo (Provo, Utah)

July 10 Boulder Peak Triathlon (Boulder, Colo.)

August 7 Nautica New York City Triathlon (New York, N.Y.)

September 4 Hy-Vee Triathlon/5150 U.S. Championship (Des Moines, Iowa)

September 11 5150 Lake Lanier (Gainesville, Ga.)

October 2 5150 Lake Las Vegas (Henderson, Nev.)

October 23 5150 Galveston (Galveston, Texas)


November 12 5150 Clearwater/5150 Series Finale (Clearwater, Fla.)



2011 5150 Series (International)

June 5 5150 Frankfurt (Frankfurt, Germany)
June 12 5150 Klagenfurt (Klagenfurt, Austria)
July 9 5150 Zurich (Zurich, Switzerland)

This is a great opportunity for those who want to be part of a sanctioned WTC event but are not quite ready for the Ironman or Ironman 70.3 distance.

INAUGURAL BANFF TRIATHLON IN THE BOOKS

It was wet and cold through-out most of the day as around 600 triathletes took part in the Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons that began in Two-Jack Lake and ended on Banff Avenue in the middle of town.

Steve King was doing the race announcing for the Banff 2010 Subaru International Triathlon and there was plenty of support from family, friends, tourists, and locals to cheer the triathletes home.

I didn't get to stay for all of the race because I had a book signing scheduled in Calgary Saturday afternoon, but was there long enough to take about 60 pictures and put them on a page on my Ironstruck.ca website.

Just go to my site and click "Banff 2010 images" on the home-page navbar and it will take you to the pictures.

That about wraps it up for the local triathlon season for this year and the next big event will be back in Banff when Melissa's road-race takes place in about two weeks.

The next Ironman race in the world is tomorrow in Madison Wisconsin. I have also built a page for that race on my website and you will find that on my ironstruck.ca navbar as well.

BANFF INTERNATIONAL TRIATHLON 2010

The Banff Subaru International Triathlon of 2010 is the inaugural event of what could become a destination race for triathletes from all over the world.

One would be hard pressed to find a triathlon in a more idyllic setting.

As with most inaugural races there may be a few growing pains, but that's normal with any new triathlon with organizers, volunteers, and a town who are putting on the race for the very first time.

I plan on hitting the road for Banff right after work on Friday and hope to be there by around 2 p.m.

I'm scheduled to do  a book signing at the Spirit Indigo Book Store in Cascade mall for around 5 hours. If you are planning on being in town, come by and say hello and give me your take on the new Banff race.

I'm going to stay over-night in Canmore and hang out around Central Park in  Banff for a little while on Saturday morning. Hopefully long enough to catch some of the early finishers coming it.

I  can't stay all day because I have a book-signing planned for 1 p.m. at Coles Bookstore in Market Mall back in Calgary. So needless to say, it will be a busy weekend.

Best of luck to all those who are entered in the race on Saturday. I hope the weather is great and the water warm.

Come by for a visit and see some of my new pages at .........www.ironstruck.ca

Lake Chapparal Triathlon 2010 Images

Despite the cloudy skies and rain showers the 2010 Lake Chapparal Triathlon was another resounding success and as usual there were some very inspiring performances from many people who are fairly new to the sport. It bodes well for the sport of triathlon in Calgary in coming years.

I hope you enjoy these random pictures I took during the event and thanks to those who took the time to purchase a pair of Ironstruck socks, a cool  t-shirt, or one of my triathlon books.

As usual it was great to talk triathlon with so many people at yet another book signing. The next stop is a 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. book signing at Coles Market Mall next Saturday August 15.

After that it will be time to get things organized for the annual Ironstruck journey to the Kelowna Apple tri expo during race weekend followed closely by book signings on Main Street  in Penticton in front of the used Book Shop beside Tim Horton's during Ironman week.

Come by and say hello if you plan on being there. If you are racing, rumor has it that Ironstruck socks have special powers that will propel you to the finish line.

2010 Ironman Calgary70.3 images

Rose from tri it

 It was a wet and cloudy beginning to the 2010 Ironman Calgary70.3 event, but by the time most of the athletes were in the run the weather had settled down.

 Unfortunately, this was the day the mosquitoes decided to spring into action and many athletes were virtually swarmed out on the bike course if they had to stop for a flat or any other reason. The secret was to keep moving and then the pests were not that much of a factor.

As usual there was great fan support as there was for the inaugural race. Other than the weather the race itself went off very well and the finishers I talked to seemed to like the changes to the run course.

can you write?

I write for many article sites on the internet. It helps me to continue to hone my writing skills.

I was told by a very accomplished writer many years ago that "writing requires daily practice and just like training for an athletic event, a writer should write for at least an hour or so every day".

It makes sense, because every time I write about triathlon or anything for that matter, my articles are often checked by others or by spell check and it all helps me become better at what I love to do.

Most of the time I write for free to my own website or blog or to ezine sites with the only payment being a link to my website. However the other day I came across a site that will pay for well written articles........

"ON ANY SUBJECT"

Wow! A great opportunity to be compensated for sharing what I know.

If you are interested in writing, do yourself a favor and visit this site and see what you think...

Write and earn at Fortitude

Ironman Canada a Month Away

It sure does have a way of sneaking up on you. I remember when I was entered in IMC year after year and how the days would drag by. This was especially true once the Christmas season was over.

Maybe it's because in Calgary we often get our worst weather in February and March and it seemed like Spring would never come and we would never be getting outside on our bikes.

Once summer arrived it was always a different story. June and July seemed to go by in about a week.

Then it was August 1st and the taper was on for the big race. Actually one of my favorite experiences from those ten runs at IMC was my ritual of leaving town about 4 a.m.

I would be hitting Rogers Pass just after dawn and often it was just me and the truckers out on #1.

I always stopped at Three Valley Gap for breakfast. I always sat at the same table by the window so I could keep an eye on my bike. Well, you know how attached we can get to our bikes.

Sicamous, Mara Lake, Grindrod and down to Vernon and Kelowna.

As soon as I got within 50 miles of Penticton I would begin to spot obvious Ironmen who were out on the road hammering on their bikes and burning themselves out in preparation for the big race.

Go figure.

Actually, I can't really talk, because when I was new to the sport I did the same thing. It took a lot of years to figure out that I should be resting and not getting all beat up and dehydrated just days before one of the toughest races in the world.

I had my trip down to a science. Taking into account my stop for breakfast, I would get to Penticton about 1 p.m. or so, just in time to check in at my motel.

You simply are not going to believe this, but in the late 1980's I usually had a fully equipped kitchenette on Lakeshore for about 40 bucks a night.

Now a kitchenette with a knife, one bent spoon and a cracked plate is about $180 plus tax down on Lakeshore.

I know because I inquired just two months ago when I stopped in Penticton on the way back home from the Vancouver Marathon expo where I had a booth.

I talked to the guy at the Black Forest and he said they were $180 and they didn't believe in gouging for Ironman.

If that's the case, it does not bode well for what the others on the strip are charging during Ironman week.

By the way, I could have had a room at that same Black Forest Motes for about 55 bucks the day I stopped by in May. All the rooms were empty. I probably could have talked him down to 1984 prices.

So if it's $55 in May and $180 on Ironman week where does the "we don't believe in gouging for Ironman" come into play?

If you like camping, there are a fair number of campsites around Penticton. I stayed at one two years ago on Skaha Lake. It was great. I payed for a tent site and put all my stuff in the tent and slept in my Honda Element. It was $35 a night.

Of course I wasn't racing and was in town for book signings. I really think you have to get excellent sleep on Ironman week if you are entered and a real bed is the only way to go.


I just read that "KINDLE" outsold hard copy books last month for the first time.

In the event that you would like a less expensive option for my three triathlon books they can be found at Kobo.com in Kindle format.

Ironstruck(book 1) is selling for $8.50 as is "Triathlete In Transition(for the new triathlete) and Ironstruck (book2 Q+A book) is about $9.50 as it's over 100 pages longer.

If you want to hold the actual book in your hand you can find the two Ironstruck books on Amazon and Lulu.com. Triathlete In Transition for the beginner triathlete is on Lulu only(or on Kobo as a download)

Sylvan Lake Half Triathlon Cancelled

The Sylvan Lake Half has been canceled for apparent issues with road closures resulting in problems with the logistics of the event.

It's unfortunate for all those who have been training for this race.

I would imagine this will create a bit of an influx in entries in the Ironman Calgary70.3 if it in fact is not already full.

I just pulled this from their site (Thursday evening 07/22/10) so it seems it is not too late to register for this great race.



Viterra Ironman 70.3 Calgary
August 1, 2010
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
http://www.ironmancalgary.com
Registration Status:
Accepting Applications


Another race to consider is the upcoming race in Banff this Fall. It will most likely become one of those destination races that will one day fill very quickly.



Subaru Banff Triathlon
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Banff, Alberta, Canada


ENTRY FEES Until August 31st September 1-8
Individual Olympic $125 $150
2 person Team Relay Olympic $145 $175
3 person Team Relay Olympic $165 $195
Individual Sprint $95 $110
2 person Team Relay Sprint $115 $130
3 person Team Relay Sprint $135 $150

* Online registration will close at midnight on September 8th, 2010,
or sooner when the race limit of 750 is reached.

http://www.eventsonline.ca/events/subaru_banff_tri/(copy and paste)


Whatever events you decide to take in, best of luck.




If you are in Kelowna for the Apple Tri or in Penticton for Ironman Canada the following weekend, drop by and say hello. I will be doing book signings at the event in Kelowna and on Main Street in Penticton(by Tim Horton's) during Ironman week.

IRONMAN CANADA 2010 CALGARY ENTRANTS

ABDULLA JAMILA W40-44
AITKEN KEVIN M45-49
ANDERSON LANCE M55-59
ANDRICHUK NICOLAS M18-24
ANG CAROLINE W35-39
APPELT TONIA W30-34
ARCHER EDWARD M50-54
ARTUS RICK M45-49
BADYK BERNIE M50-54
BAKER NATHAN M25-29
BALL KELSEY W30-34
BANDAS DARRYL M45-49
BANTLE GARY M45-49
BARKER DON M50-54
BARKER PAUL M40-44
BARKER DAN M50-54
BEATTIE TARA W40-44
BELIVEAU JEAN GUY M40-44
BERQUIST GARY M25-29
BERRETH DARREN M45-49
BICHSEL GEORGE M65-69
BILTON DALE M30-34
BLOMMAERT SCOTT M35-39
BOTTERILL CAROLIN W40-44
BOUCHER PAUL M40-44
BOUDREAU DAVID M45-49
BOYD SUZANNE W35-39
BROWN RENA W30-34
CALDWELL BRAD M35-39
CALDWELL IAN M45-49
CALVER SCOTT M40-44
CAMPBELL RONALD M35-39
CAMPBELL NIGEL M30-34
CARTMELL M50-54
CHONG RAY M35-39
CHUGG KAREN W55-59
CLEMENT JIM M50-54
COCHRANE TED M35-39
CONAGHAN MITCH M45-49
COOPER NATALIE W30-34
CRAWFORD MIKE M35-39
CRAWFORD CATHY W25-29
DARRAH MARK M30-34
DAVIS COLIN M35-39
DE LUCA MICHAEL M35-39
DEANE DEBRA W55-59
DEL CASTILHO BRIAN M60-64
DOBLER STEVE M45-49
DODDS LAURA W25-29
DONAGHY CONALL M30-34
DONEGAN KEVIN M35-39
DOWNES WENDY W45-49
DUBOIS DWAYNE M40-44
DUKELOW SEAN M35-39
DYSON TED M45-49
ENICK KERRY M50-54
FAY ALLAN M50-54
FILEWYCH LORNE M35-39
FORMAN SIMON M35-39
FRANK KELLY W30-34
FRANKOW JOCELYN W45-49
GANGL MARK M30-34
GAULIN MYLES M50-54
GIUFFRE ANTHONY M35-39
GLEESON NIALL M30-34
GOMEZ EDUARDO M35-39
GOYETCHE MARIEKA W35-39
GOYETCHE DANIEL M45-49
HAN ALFRED M35-39
HARRIS MURRAY M40-44
HAZLETT RACHEL W30-34
HERLE NEIL M35-39
HIRST DARREN M30-34
HOFFART DEREK M30-34
HOUSTON TODD M35-39
HOWEY JOHN M30-34
HUFFMAN GINA W45-49
INFUSIINO PATTY W45-49
JACKSON JERRY M50-54
JEANS KATHRYN W40-44
JENSEN ROBERT M55-59
JOHANSEN KAREN W45-49
JOHNSON ALLY W35-39
JOHNSTON EVAN M30-34
KAINZ CAROLINE W45-49
KAO JAMES M35-39
KATELNIKOFF TREVOR M35-39
KEELAN PATRICK M50-54
KEILEY PETER M40-44
KELLER ALAN M35-39
KETO LEANA W30-34
KING ANGE W50-54
KOLBA DENNIS M55-59
KOTUK HENRY M55-59
KOVIC BRENDA W45-49
KUJAWA LUCIA-ANN W45-49
KUJAWA THOMAS M45-49
KULAWIK MIKE M35-39
LABHARDT MAX M50-54
LACHAPPELLE MORI M50-54
LAMARSH SHAWNA W35-39
LANDYMORE PATRICK M45-49
LANES KEVIN M40-44
LAVIGNE ELISE W60-64
LEIGHTON RICHARD M50-54
LEISHMAN TRACY W30-34
LENNOX ROB M30-34
LLEWELLYN WAYNE M50-54
LLEWELLYN CHARLIE W50-54
LODHAR CURTIS M35-39
LOGATOC MICHAEL M35-39
MACINTOSH PATRICIA W45-49
MADIGAN JULIAN M35-39
MAH PAUL M45-49
MAH LOIS W50-54
MALKINSON TERRANCE M60-64
MANNING ROSS M50-54
MARCOTTE KYLE MPRO
MARSELLE EDWIN M40-44
MARSHALL JAMIE M35-39
MARTIN RONALD M45-49
MCCALLUM SCOTT M45-49
MCCLURE ROBERT M50-54
MCFARLANE GORD M50-54
MCLAUGHLIN CARRIE W30-34
MCLEAN KATIE W45-49
MEDVESZEK JODI W35-39
MICHAUD MARILYNN W60-64
MILLOY KENT M40-44
MILOT MICHELLE W30-34
MIRON JENNY W30-34
MITTON KYLE M25-29
MOORE RICK M45-49
MURPHY LOTETTA W50-54
NAPHIN MARK M35-39
NAVIKENAS MARKUS M35-39
NIGH GREG M55-59
NITSCHE DAVE M40-44
NITSCHKE GARRY M55-59
OBERLIN THERESA W45-49
OSTROM JOHN M50-54
OTTO MICHAEL M35-39
PADDINGTON COLIN M35-39
PAGE ROBERT M50-54
PAWELCZAK ROSARIO W30-34
PERKINS WAYNE M60-64
PERRY KIMBERLEY W40-44
PERRY HILARY W18-24
PEVERETT MARK M35-39
PHELPS DAN M30-34
PHILLIPS BRENT M35-39
POFFENROTH PAUL M70-74
POISSON EVAN M40-44
POPE MARSHALL M45-49
POULIN MARIE-SOPHIEW35-39
POWELL GREG M30-34
POWELL MARK M30-34
PRINGLE TODD M40-44
PRITCHARD KENDALL W40-44
PRITCHARD BOB M50-54
PRITCHARD JANET W45-49
PROCKIW ANNA W25-29
PROUDFOOT GERARD M45-49
RAMSDEN-WOOD ASHLEYW30-34
RANKIN JAY M50-54
RAOUX DAREN M35-39
RATHJE KELLY W40-44
REID ERIN W35-39
REISIG ROBERT M50-54
ROBBINS IAN M50-54
ROBUTKA SUSAN W45-49
SALMON KATHY W40-44
SALMON ROSS M50-54
SARANTIS ARI M40-44
SAWA BRAD M30-34
SCHNEIDER JAMES M45-49
SEASONS BRENDA W50-54
SERRAO MICHAEL M30-34
SHEPPY BOBBIE W50-54
SHERMAN GRAHAM M30-34
SHERMAN TRACEY W30-34
SHIPLEY SCOTT M45-49
SHOWLER ART M55-59
SILVA ANTONIO M40-44
SIMPSON KEVIN M45-49
SINGLETON DARREN M35-39
SLATER MARSHALL M40-44
SOLOMCHUK LISA W30-34
SOUCHEREAU CARL M45-49
SPAKOWSKI PETER M40-44
SPREEMAN LANA W55-59
ST.ARNAUD TINA W35-39
STEININGER NOLA W45-49
STEVENSON GREG M40-44
STIEFENHOFER KARIN W45-49
STOTTS GARTH M25-29
STRAKA BARBARA W40-44
SULTANIAN ERIC M30-34
SUNDERJI FAIZEL M35-39
SUTHERLAND LINDA W50-54
TARDIF ANDRE M45-49
TILLOTSON MIKE M40-44
TORRANCE KATHERINE W45-49
TRAYNOR TED M60-64
TUETY BEN M35-39
VANDYK JACK M35-39
WAGNER DOUG M55-59
WAKELIN JAMES M30-34
WALDHUBER MICHAEL M30-34
WALLACE ROB M50-54
WALSH KEVIN M45-49
WENINGER MARLO W35-39
WENINGER MIKE M35-39
WETHERUP MICHAEL M50-54
WETHERUP SYLVIA WPRO
WHEELER MARIE W45-49
WHITE JOHN M35-39
WIEBE COLIN M45-49
WILLIAMS JUSTIN M30-34
WING TAMMY W40-44
WOZNEY PAUL M35-39
YOUNG WAYNE M35-39
ZAHARA RYAN M30-34
ZAHAVICH JEFFERY M25-29
ZAMONSKY TANYA W35-39
ZUBIATE ROSSANA W50-54
ZWARYCH KELLY M40-44

A total of 228 Calgarians are entered in this years edition of Ironman Canada. Once again that is more entries than any city in the country.



Many triathletes who are taking on the Ironman triathlon have benefited from my two books.


"Ironstruck...The Ironman Triathlon Journey" and "Ironstruck? 500 Ironman Triathlon Questions and Answers"

If this is your first Ironman, both of these books are great to read as the big race gets nearer. They are excellent books to read the week before and even the day before your Ironman.

These "are not" training books, but have tons of inspiration, motivation and common sense tips that I learned over a 25 year career that will help you through your Ironman and give you a better chance of reaching the finish line.

IRONMAN CALGARY 70.3 NEWBIE CATEGORY

The Calary 70.3 Ironman has a great new Category for 2010. It's called the Newbie Category. Many people have requested this category for those who are just starting out and are not quite comfortable swimming in the open water with so many people and the mass swim start.


The new category is for Ironman 70.3 Virgins and is open to all ages. Entries in this new class will be in the last wave start. There will be lots of support from the many enthusiastic volunteers as well as technical support where needed.


The cut-times will be the same as all the other wave starts and participants in this new category will not be eligible for age-group awards and cannot qualify for Clearwater.

The whole idea is to be able to relax and finish the 70.3 distance.

This is a great idea and it gives these new triathletes an invaluable opportunity to take part in this great event.

STONEY PLAIN WEATHER FOR GREAT WHITE NORTH TRIATHLON

It's always a crap-shoot when it comes to what the weather will be like for the Stoney Plain Great White North Triathlon.

However, it looks pretty good so far for this years edition of the race. The July 4th weather calls for clouds with showers and a high of 19.

This can be good or bad depending how you de-code the forecast. The temperature of around 19 at least means there will not be a heat wave to deal with.

On the other hand, "chances of showers" can mean just about anything up in Stoney Plain. It could mean some nice cool sprinkly showers of rain that will be ideal for cooling you off.

Or.....it could mean a wind of 50k with driving rain.I guess there is no way of knowing until race day arrives.

Hopefully it turns out to be a great day as far as the weather goes.

Knowing Wade however, he might be just as happy to see a little diverse weather to spice up the challenge and the race.

Best of luck to all those who are going after a spot in Ironman Canada.

When you get to Penticton, be sure to come by and say hello as I will be doing Ironstruck book-signings by Tim Horton's on Main Street during Ironman week.


Stoney Plain forecast for Saturday July 3rd and race-day Sunday July 4th.

Saturday night
Clearing near midnight. Low 8.

Sunday
Cloudy with 40 percent chance of showers. High 19.

IRONMAN CALGARY 70.3

There is lots of anticipation in the Calgary triathlon community as the second edition of the Ironman Calgary 70.3 triathlon is just one month away.

If last year was any indication this years race should be a great experience for all involved. This is especially true considering how well the inaugural event was organized.

It was a great day in 2009 and if there were any bugs at all in any parts of the course it's certain they well be eliminated for this year and make the 2010 edition even better than the inaugural event.

It will be interesting to see how many triathletes are using this race as a qualifier for the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Florida.

Best of luck for all those entered in Ironman Calgary 70.3 2010.

Ironman Canada Countdown

We are getting very close to the "two months to go mark" for Ironman Canada.

What that really means is that there is basically only about 5 weeks or so left(as of this posting-June 15-to add some distance to your training workouts.

Of course that only applies if you plan on tapering for a full four weeks going into the race.

I hope you are because one of the most important elements to your build-up for the big race is without a doubt "lots of rest".

It took me a lot of difficult Ironman races to figure this out. Most likely in my first 9 or so Ironman races I left my best effort on the bike out on the training course somewhere.

I could never seem to figure out why the bike was so hard on race day, yet so much easier on one of those 100 mile training rides.

I think it is safe to say that most novice Ironmen go into their race over-trained and tired and make it far more difficult on themselves than necessary.

Our bodies just don't recover in a week or ten days after pushing it through training month after month.

Taper for four weeks by cutting back on your training every week until race day and you will most likely be giving yourself the best opportunity to have a successful day out on the Ironman Canada course.

A BUSY SEASON

It's been a pretty busy time for Ironstruck this Spring and as a result I have not been able to keep up with my blog.

Just keeping up and adding new info to my ironstruck.ca website is a challenge and has priority when I do have time to write.

Was at the Vancouver Marathon Expo, The Woody's RV Marathon Expo and the Calgary expo all in about 4 weeks and will be doing a book signing at Market Mall On Sunday May 6.

It was really great being back in Vancouver, the place where I grew up. It is certainly a city that has come of age and I can see why people fall in love with it. I met many very cool people out they during my stay.

The Kenyan runners are pretty amazing they won the men's and women's side in Vancouver despite cold, wet conditions that were not really much to their liking. Or as the men's winner said "it was cold and lonely at the front and I didn't think I would even break 220.

He actually went a pedestrian 2:16(for him anyway). Rumor has it that he has gone in 2:11.

I have been chatting with many people who are getting very close to their big races of the season especially with IM CDA in Idaho later this month, Ironman Calgary 70.3, and Ironman Canada at the end of August.

Also chatting with many people online from other countries who are getting nervous about their pending Ironman races.

What I am noticing--much like most years at this time--is that so many people are doing way to much in the way of training as their races get closer.

To my way of thinking and through my own experiences of making this same critical mistake, people are not tapering soon enough and are simply not resting enough.

There is no doubt in my mind that people are still not grasping the important fact that rest if their greatest friend when it comes to Ironman or half Ironman preparation. There is really not much long distance you can do in the final four weeks that is going to in any way increase endurance.

Basically at that point, you are just using up valuable energy and have a good chance of going into your race over-trained and tired.

Often the novice Ironman does not notice the effects of that over-training until about half-way through the Ironman bike course and then it becomes a very long day.

this is a test to see if this will download

Another season

Hope everyone in Calgary is getting for a new tri season as we make our way into Spring.

Another amazing Calgary presence in Ironman Canada this year and it should be fun to take Ironstruck on the road again to Kelowna and Penticton.

The tri community can also look forward to the second annual Ironman Calgary70.3 taking place in early August.

Best of luck to everyone from Ironstruck.ca. The premier free website for triathletes of the world.

TIME FOR SERIOUS TRAINING

You can expect to see more spiffy looking tri-bikes on the highways and bi-ways around Calgary now that we are into April. For years it has unofficially been the month when Calgary triathletes begin to unhook their bikes from their wind-trainers and hit the dusty highway.

Of course there are always those who have been out there biking for a few months now whenever the weather turned mild for a few days.

I remember when I used to do that. I remember being 20k from my car and watching those ominous snow clouds coming from the mountains and heading right for me. Amazing how fast they can move and how soon you can find yourself slogging through fresh snow and freezing your ass off for 15k on your state-of-the-art tri bike.

It took a few years of frozen hands and toes to figure out there was really no advantage to those early season bike rides. You could get in great shape and just as far ahead on a good wind-trainer that you plunk down in front of your T.V. in the comfort of your own home.

As a matter of fact, one year I did about 90% or all my bike-training on a wind-trainer and was only about 10-15 off my usual Ironman bike time down in Couer D'Alene.

Best of luck to all those who are getting ready for some big triathlons coming up this year.

As usual, Calgary will be sending a HUGE contingent to Ironman Canada 2010. Also, it will be year two of the Calgary 70.3 Ironman and I'm sure that will be another amazingly successful event.

If you are looking for some inspiration and motivation for the coming tri season, be sure to Visit my Ironstruck book store and pick up one of my tri books. It you are in your first season as a triathlete, my latest book "Triathlete In Tranisiton" might be just the ticket.

The Vancouver Olympics and Inspiration

With only one day left in the Olympic Games in Vancouver it's time to start paying more attention to my blog and Ironstruck in general as the 2010 Triathlon season in North America looms on the horizon.

Any of you who have visited my Ironstruck.ca website or read my book
"Ironstruck...The Ironman Triathlon Journey" may recall how I defined being "Ironstruck" as that moment in your life when something you see or hear inspires you to take your life in a new more positive direction and discover the true ability you have within on so many levels.

It's pretty amazing how many of the Olympic athletes in Vancouver claim they were inspired by watching other athletes in previous Olympics to take up a sport for the first time.

You can bet there are a lot of kids out there who will also be "Ironstruck" by what they witnessed in Vancouver the past two weeks and will take up a sport of their own.

So if there is a family member, friend, or co-worker you know who could use a little inspiration to get them started on their own "triathlon journey" than do all you can to inspire them through your words or actions.

It can be very rewarding to be responsible for inspiring someone to change the course of their lives for the better.

Charity book-signing

The Ironstruck charity book-signing resulted in $500 being donated to Samaritan's Purse, so thank you to all of you who purchased one of my books and at the same time donated your money to the Haiti Relief effort and the people of Haiti.

Better still, all donations are being matched by the Federal Government, so this will become a $1000 donation, so thanks again.

CHARITY IRONSTRUCK SIGNING

Sometimes you just have to do something. What has happened in Haiti is almost incomprehensible. Basically, an entire nation has been totally destroyed. There are very few buildings even standing and there simply is "no" infrastructure left. No food, no water, no schools, no hospitals, no homes, and in many, many cases no mom or dad, no brother or sister, or maybe no family at all.

So many of us in the past, including myself, are quick to reason that there is little that we as individuals can do to help with a disaster of this magnitude. Sure, Canada and many of it's people pitch in to help right away. However, it seems like it's always the same people. There are many of us who do not know what to do or who to trust with our cash donation. Will it get to the desperate people we are seeing on the T.V. and in the newspaper?

I believe there are several fine charitable organizations that have their heart in the right place and are almost always the first at ground zero when disaster strikes. I believe Samaritan's Purse is one of those organizations.

If you happen to live in Calgary, come by Market Mall Coles bookstore on Saturday January 23rd between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and buy one of my triathlon books for yourself or someone you know. They retail at $21.95. For every single book sold I will donate the full value $22 to Samaritan's Purse. So if I can sell 20 books, I will donate $440. If I sell 50 books I will donate $1100.

Every single person who buys a book will be part of this effort.

The Calgary chapter of Samaritan's Purse will be filling thousands of bags with hygiene products for the people of Haiti. Soap, shampoo, shaving supplies, and toothpaste are just a some of the over one dozen products that will be in each bag. They are meant for families and will have a wide range of products.

Anyone who buys one of my books will be supporting this project and the people you are seeing on T.V. are the same people that will be receiving this package from Samaritan's Purse as fast as they can be packaged and shipped.

Samaritan's Purse has been in Haiti since day one. They have a barge full of tons and tons of heavy equipment and temporary shelters in the Gulf making it's way to Haiti. They are also putting water purification systems in place. Samaritan's Purse is in Haiti for the long term, as re-construction of Haiti will be a mammoth undertaking.

Come out and buy a book or if you live in a distant city do whatever you can to help the people of Haiti any way you can.

Do it in a big way, or do it in a small way, but just do something because ultimately, we all belong to the family of man and should help each other in the hour of need.

Another Tri Season

As the holiday season is over you can almost feel the on-rush of adrenaline in Calgary as the start of another tri racing season is in sight. Sure there have been races going on in other parts of the world with warmer climates, but the bikes have been parked and the wetsuits have been hanging in the closets in most of Canada for the past several months.

There are some burning questions about the coming year that I can't seem to get off my mind.

--Will Craig Alexander show up in Calgary in August and be part of Ironman Calgary 70.3. It seems that it's the least he can do for not showing up for the 2009 version.

--How big will the Ironman Canada field be this year and where will it all stop? I believe there were around 2600 starters in 2009.

--Will I ever be able to get through chapter one of book five?

--Will Ironstruck...The Ironman Triathlon Journey ever reach best seller status?


By the way, if you are looking for one of the best resources ever for triathlon and running books, be sure to visit Mindset Triathlon. You will save 30% by downloading books plus there are never any shipping charges to worry about. This is a great alternative for runners, beginner triathletes, or the novice Ironman. You will also find both of my Ironstruck books on Mindset. Currently both Ironstruck books are ranked in the top ten on the Mindset best-seller list.

Click on their banner and have a look at the great books that can get you off on the right foot as a new season begins.



MINDSET TRIATHLON: The ultimate online book resource center that will help you achieve your triathlon goals.

IRONMAN CALGARY 70.3---TIME TO ENTER

Another year is upon us and it's around this time that many triathletes start looking seriously toward the upcoming triathlon season. One thing I learned over the years is just how fast the eight months between New Year's and Ironman Canada can "FLY" by.

The entries to Iroman Calgary have been open for some time and this could well become a world "destination" race and will most likely be a race that will sell out every year. The fact that race organizers did such a great job in the inaugural event make this all the more likely. Even today I still run into people during book signings who say how much they enjoyed the spectacular point to point bike course.

It might be a good idea to think about signing up in the near future so you don't get left out.

Best of luck in all your upcoming training and racing in the New Year.