MELLISA'S ROAD RACE ANOTHER SELL-OUT!!

Another Melissa's Road Race just a few months away and once again the race is sold out. People just love Melissa's and I have many fond memories of the 10k course.


I took this picture yesterday, (July 21, 2009)and the race start and finish for the Melissa races is just to the left. Actually, I took the picture from the bridge that is on the run course and takes the runners into the downtown area and the "big hill" on the 10k course.

Back in the days when I was running around the 38 minute mark for the 10k distance, I knew it was only a matter of time and passing years before I would struggle to stay under 40 minutes.

Melissa's was the first 10k race where I went over the 40 minute mark. For several years I could maintain around the 38:30 mark and then go to Melissa's in the Fall and be back over the 40 minute mark.

No matter how hard I tried, that big hill early in the race would scrub off too much time and I could never make up the lost time over the rest of the course. I would be 40:20 or 40:15 or 40:32 or whatever, but never, ever did I run sub 40 on Melissa's 10k course. I think that's great in many respects, because just trying always kept me at the top of my game going into the winter.

It's important to have personal challenges to keep us motivated and Melissa's will always be special to me because of that. Just the fact that I was inspired to always go as fast as possible in any given year to try and break the 40 minute barrier at Melissa's almost always kept me on top of whatever age-group I was in.

I had the pleasure of meeting Deb(the heart and soul of Melissa's) over the past few days while working in beautiful Banff and I'm glad to report that IRONSTRUCK will have a spot in the Melissa's race expo and I will once again get to be part of Melissa's Road Race, although it will be from a different vantage point.

A BIG THANK YOU TO DEB. IT'S WHEN I MET DEB THAT I REALIZED WHY MELISSA'S IS A MUCH LOVED EVENT ON THE ALBERTA RUN CALENDAR AND WHY IT SELLS OUT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. HER SPARKLING PERSONALITY IS SPREAD THROUGH-OUT THE ENTIRE MELISSA'S WEEKEND AND NOW I KNOW THE SECRET.

Hope to meet some of you if you plan on being among the thousands who will be taking part in Melissa's 2009 edition the last Saturday in September. Come by the Ironstruck table and maybe I can convince you to take a shot at your very first Triathlon OR your very first Ironman.

Get your very own signed copy of Ironstruck or if you like you can download a copy right now at "MINDSET TRIATHLON" where both of my Ironstuck books have broken into the top ten of the several thousand titles they have on-site.

A BIG THANK YOU ALSO TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SUPPORTED IRONSTRUCK BOOKS ONE AND TWO AND ARE PUSHING IT TO THE TOP OF THE BEST-SELLER LIST ON MINDSET. VISIT MINDSET TRIATHLON AND HAVE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF AT THE GREAT SELECTION OF DOWNLOAD BOOKS THEY HAVE AVAILABLE.

TRIATHLETES DIET TIP-- LOSE EXCESS WEIGHT AND INCREASE ENDURANCE. INCLUDE COCONUT OIL IN YOUR DIET.

After including coconut oil as a regular part of diet, I soon realized it's benefits when it greatly enhanced my training and improved my Ironman performance and recovery.

It was almost by chance that I happened upon coconut oil and it's use as a diet supplement. I was surfing the net one day and came across an article on the subject and like many other intriguing diet ideas I've stumbled upon in the past, decided to give this interesting oil a try.

I've always believed that I had no business writing about any diet unless I had tried it myself. To my way of thinking that's the only way to pass on relevant, honest information to readers. As a result I've tried a variety of different diets and supplements over the years and this is one of them. To be quite honest, I was just blown away by the results I experienced when I incorporated coconut oil into my triathlon training diet.


First a bit of science behind the coconut diet:

Coconut oil is comprised of fatty acids called "medium chain triglycerides" or MCT'S. In nature, coconut oil has the largest concentration of these MCT'S outside of human breast milk. Vegetable oils, on the other hand, are made up primarily of "long chain fatty acids" or LCT'S. For quite some time now scientific literature has claimed that LCT'S tend to produce fat in the body, while MCT'S promote what is called "thermogenesis". Thermogenesis increases the body's metabolism, producing energy.


This has been common knowledge in the animal feed business for years. It you feed animals vegetable oil, they gain weight and produce more fatty meat. If you feed them coconut oil, they will be very lean. Tests on rats published in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" concluded that MCT rats gained 15% less weight than rats fed LCT'S. The conclusion:

MCT diets result in decreased body fat related to increased metabolic rate and thermogenesis. Similar tests were conducted on humans at Vanderbilt University in 1989 with the same basic results.

Regardless of scientific study result, I prefer to try these things on my own and see the results first hand.

Over twenty years of competition and numerous diets, the LEAST I ever weighed was 150-151 pounds. This was my competition weight. If I were to weigh myself on any given race morning, my weight would be in this range, give or take a pound. That all changed when I included coconut oil in my diet.

I weighed myself on the first day of the diet as I always did when I tried something new, and wouldn't step on a scale again for one month. I live by this rule when trying something different in my diet. My start weight was as usual, 151 lbs.

I added 5 tablespoons of coconut oil per day to my meals. Usually when you buy coconut oil it will be solidified. I just leave mine at room temperature and in few days the whole container is liquefied. I don't store it in the fridge because it will solidify again. If it is solid, its easy enough to melt down into liquid form if you're in a hurry.

I added it to my oatmeal in the morning, to my pasta, and used it in smoothies. I always use olive oil in my salads and started adding 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to every salad. It's an amazingly versatile product. You can easily come up with your own cooking uses for it.

When you use it in food its not an unpleasant taste and most of the time you won't even know its there. Combine it with your food anyway you like, but aim for at least 5 tablespoons a day and stick with it. Like any diet, there's really not much point even starting unless you're committed to it.

Well, I did this for exactly one month. Then I stepped back on the scale. WOW! 142 pounds!

I was 10 pounds lower than I had been over the past 20 years! I "could not" believe it. Remember that for the month I used coconut oil, I was in full Ironman training. Any diet you ever try should be done in conjunction with a fitness regimen. So I believe this is an ideal addition to any Ironman's diet. Or ANY physically active person's diet for that matter.

A few things I noticed:

Along with losing weight, my energy level increased.

Even though I lost 10 pounds, I seemed to have the same amount of over-all strength. This is crucial to an athlete. What makes some athletes so amazing is their strength to weight ratio. In other words, you can be a 120 pound woman, but be very strong for that weight. Take it a step further and imagine the consequences if you become 110 lbs and don't lose any strength and have increased energy.


Imagine yourself running a marathon carrying a 10 pound bag of potatoes on your back. Now imagine running the same marathon without the bag of potatoes and more energy.

A perfect example of what I mean by strength to weight ratio is Lance Armstrong.

When he was fighting cancer he lost tons of weight of course, but when he won that battle and became healthy, he never did gain back all of the weight that he originally had. Yet, he became stronger. In other words, his strength to weight ratio changed big time. It seems that his body chemistry changed for the better.

When I watched him climb those endless mountain passes in the Tour, it was just amazing how strong he was and how high his energy and endurance levels were.

Of course we can't all be the exceptional athlete Lance was at his peak, but I truly believe that incorporating coconut oil into ones diet can have a profound effect on any athlete's training and racing results, and can also help any person burn off excess fat as long as they are active on a regular basis while they are using coconut oil in their daily diet.

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TRIATHLON TRAINING WITH A HEART-RATE MONITOR

A heart-rate monitor can be an excellent training tool in helping you prepare for your triathlon. In a nutshell, following a heart rate monitor program teaches your body to work more efficiently. A heart monitor teaches you to be aerobic as opposed to anaerobic.

AEROBIC-Workouts where you are burning fat as your source of energy. A heart-rate monitor helps you accomplish this.


ANAEROBIC-Workouts where you burn carbs as your source of energy. Proper use of a heart-rate monitor will keep you aerobic and prevent this from happening.

When endurance is paramount, teaching your body to conserve carbs is ideal for a very simple reason.

Your body doesn't store a lot of carbs. So during your race, if that's all you burn, you use up your glycogen stores too quickly. Glycogen, simply put, is stored carbs. Trust me on this--In a physically demanding event like an Ironman Triathlon or a triathlon of any distance for that matter, once you use up your glycogen stores, you will hit the proverbial wall almost without warning.

A heart monitor will guide you in staying in your prime burning range. There is a reliable formula for finding your maximum aerobic heart rate. The idea is to NOT go over this heart rate in the early months of your training. If you are in poor shape to start with, you will be training at a very slow pace at first. If the program is done properly, you will find that eventually you will be able to train at a faster pace and still stay below your max. Also, by staying out of the anaerobic zone, your recoveries from training will be much faster and less painful. Better still, your chances of being injured will be diminished.
I have trained with a heart rate monitor for years and have had great success. I would highly recommend giving it a try.

If you decide to, here is how to figure out your max. aerobic heart rate:
The key number is 180. Subtract your age(no cheating).

When you begin, if your physical fitness really sucks(and don't worry, we'll change that)take off ten more beats.

If you have trained a few days a week for several years, don't change the number.

If you have trained like an all-star for a few years and are in really good shape to start, add five beats.

If you are almost set to retire(over 60), add five beats.

If you are still in your teens, add five beats.

Now that you have that magic number. Your maximum aerobic heart rate, strap on that monitor and away you go. I would suggest using the monitor in the run and bike portions of your Ironman Triathlon training. It doesn't work that well in the pool, because you basically have to stop to check your monitor. Its pretty difficult to track while you're swimming.

Use it on all your runs for sure and always start out running slowly for 10 or 15 minutes, then let your heart-rate get to within 20-25 beats below your max. If you are in really poor shape, it will seem very slow to you. THAT'S OK! Be patient. It will improve. Over the weeks you will teach your body to burn fat and like magic you will start running faster without going over your max. Here is how to do a test so you can actually see your progress. Do your initial test the first few days you start heart-rate monitor training.

Find somewhere(a track etc.)where you can run an exact measured mile. Warm up for 15 minutes and stay 20-25 beats below your max. After your warm-up, pick up speed so that when you hit the start line for your mile, you are right on your maximum aerobic heart-rate.

Begin your stop watch when you hit the start line. Stay in a very tight range for the whole mile. For example, if your max. rate is 130, stay between 125 and 135 through the whole test. The idea is to average 130--your max. rate. Stop your timer right at the end of the mile. Record that time.

In one month--not before--do the exact test again. If you have trained on a regular basis (4-5 times a week)and used the monitor properly you WILL see an improvement.

FOR EXAMPLE: If your first test resulted in a mile time of 9 min 40 seconds and your second test had a time of 9 min 15 seconds, then CONGATULATIONS! You are teaching your body to burn fat. YOU ARE BECOMING AN AEROBIC MACHINE! YOU ARE BECOMING FITTER! You are training at the very same heart-rate as when you started, but are able run faster without any added stress.

Do the test every month(not every week). Your mile time will continue to drop and your fitness level will improve as well if you train on a regular basis. After 4 months or so when you have developed a sound aerobic base, you will be able to start adding some anaerobic work-outs. This is an indication that you come a long way. GOOD FOR YOU!

As far as what brand of heart-rate monitor you want, I've always gone with Polar and have never had a problem. They are reliable and come in a wide variety of models. For instance, you can buy just the basic heart-monitor that has just one function. It shows your heart-rate at any given moment once its turned on. These can be purchased for well under $100 dollars.

On the other end of the spectrum, you can purchase heart monitors that will interface with your computer. Normally I find just the basic heart monitor is good enough for me. However one day I borrowed my coaches high end monitor(over $1000)and wore it during a marathon. Every kilometer I hit a button that stored my heart rate and running time at that point. After the race the coach downloaded the info into his computer and it was really quite amazing.

It actually did a graph of my whole race. Showing and recording the rise and fall of my heart rate during the race. He could tell by looking at the graph every time I slowed down at a water station. These high end models have many, many functions and if money is no object they can be very interesting to have. However, the basic model is all you really need to teach your body to burn fat and improve your conditioning while staying injury free.

Should you decide to use a heart rate monitor in your training, I feel sure you will improve your chances of achieving all your goals on race day.

CALGARY IRONMAN CANADA PARTICIPATION LIST FOR PENTICTON 2009

WOW!!

Calgary has once again topped the country in entries into the Ironman Canada Triathlon in Penticton. It says so much about this city. We have a great infrastructure that is perfect for pursuing a triathlon career. We have great facilities like Talisman, the Eau Claire Y, the University of Calgary, and Mount Royal College that support triathlon programs.

We have excellent coaches in this city and we have one of the most extensive bike path systems in the world. We also have Tri it.....one of the most complete triathlon retail outlets in the country.

But most of all, Calgary is full of people who work hard and play hard and are not afraid to extend their personal boundaries and test their limits on so many levels.

This is something that started years ago. I remember when I went to Ironman Hawaii in 1984 that there were around 15 entries from Calgary... Pretty amazing when you consider there were only around 60 Canadians in that race.

Here is the official list of the Calgarians entered in Ironman Canada in Penticton 2009.

261 CALGARIANS ARE ENTERED IN IRONMAN CANADA 2009
177 FROM VANCOUVER.
75 FROM VICTORIA
87 FROM EDMONTON
12 FROM THE BANFF/CANMORE AREA

Subaru Ironman Canada 2009 Participants
261 records found in "CITY" that contain "CALGARY":
BIB NUMBER LAST NAME FIRST NAME AGE SEX CLASSIFICATION DIVISION CITY ST/PROV COUNTRY COUNTRY REP OCCUPATION
NA AHLAN JASON 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR
NA AITKEN KEVIN 44 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA ALLEN KRISTIE 34 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN CFA
NA ALMON RENA 31 F ATH W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN SALES
NA ANG CAROLINE 36 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN APPLICATIONS CONSULTANT
NA ATTRILL ERIN 40 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN SELF EMPLOYED
NA AUGUSTINI CARMEN 67 M AGE M65-69 CALGARY AB CAN CAN ELEC ENGR
NA BADGER GEOFF 40 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA BAKER JASON 42 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AL CAN
NA BANDAS DARRYL 45 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN ELECTRICIAN
NA BARGHSHOON DAN 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA BARK DETLEF 44 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN SWITZERLAND REGISTERED NURSE
NA BERGERON MICHAEL 49 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA BETHELL DAVE 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN NEW ZEALAND ENGINEER
NA BLANCHETTE KRISTY 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN TEACHER
NA BOCK MIKE 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN GERMANY BIKINI INSPECTOR
NA BODNARCHUK LES 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA BOSSHART JON 64 M AGE M60-64 CALGARY AB CAN
NA BOUCHER MARIANNE 37 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN MOM AND WIFE
NA BOUDREAU DAVID 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA BRASS SCOTT 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA MODEL
NA BROWN MARLEY 39 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN MOM
NA BURFORD NICHOLAS 39 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA CAIRNS DUNCAN 40 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA CHALKLEY ADAM 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA CHOW YVONNE 38 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN TEACHER
NA CHOW MICHELLE 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN CAN
NA CLARK ANDREW 28 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN TEACHER
NA CLEMENTS RYAN 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN SOCIAL WORKER
NA CONNELL NATASHA 37 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN REGISTERED NURSE
NA COOZE MICHELLE 35 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA COPELAND KEVIN 44 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
NA CRAWFORD CATHY (CATHERINE) 27 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA CRAWFORD MIKE 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA CROSSON VERNA 55 F AGE W55-59 CALGARY AB CAN
NA CUMMINGS KENNETH 45 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA CURRY SCOTT 34 M PRO MPRO CALGARY AB CAN CHIROPRACTOR
NA DARRAH MARK 30 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN LANDMAN
NA DAVIES IAN 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN COST REDUCTION GURU
NA DAVIS COLIN 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN ATHLETIC THERAPIST
NA DE LUCA MICHAEL 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN HYDROGEOLOGIST
NA DEANE DARREL 33 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA DEERHAWKE PHOENIX 31 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN COUNSELLOR
NA DOBLER MICHELLE 43 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN MOTHER OF TWO
NA DOBLER STEVE 46 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA DOERGES GREG 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA DONAHUE CHRIS 31 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA DOODY PATTI 56 F AGE W55-59 CALGARY AB CAN
NA DUBORD MARC 51 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA
NA DUMBA KEVIN 44 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA DUMONCEAU KENNETH 43 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN FITNESS TECHNICIAN
NA DUMONT STEPHANIE 39 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN SPORTS PHYSIOTHERAPIST
NA DURHAM SARAH 26 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN GEOLOGIST
NA DUTTON TIM 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN ACCOUNTANT
NA EBERLE AL 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA EDISON CHRISTOPHER 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
NA EDMONDS MICHAEL 51 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA EDWARDS LAUREL 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA EKLUND DARREN 39 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN LAND SURVEYOR
NA ENICK KERRY 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA ERHART JAMES 60 M AGE M60-64 CALGARY AB CAN PHARMACEUTICAL SALES
NA EWENSON MICHAEL 35 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA EZETA GUILLERMO 49 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT
NA FITZPATRICK MICHAEL 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN SWASHBUCKLER
NA FLEWITT JACQUELINE 33 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA FOLLETT GORD 54 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
NA FORMAN SIMON 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA FORMAZ-PRESTON ANN 26 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA GARDINER ANDREA 48 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN RETIRED FLIGHT ATTENDANT
NA GIECK KELVIN 32 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA GILLIS SHEILA 35 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN REGISTERED NURSE
NA GIUFFRE ANTHONY 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA GLADNEY PERRY 45 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN LOVER
NA GUEBERT BRENDA 46 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HADLINGTON GREG 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HAGER JILL 43 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN BRAZEN HUSSY
NA HAGER DAVE 46 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN ALCOHOLIC
NA HANNA TREVOR 40 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN HOTEL MANAGER
NA HAZLETT RACHEL 29 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HEALY MIKE 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HECHT JOHN 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN ACCOUNTANT
NA HENDERSON YOGI 47 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HENDRICK JASON 28 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN WIGGLE PICKER
NA HERASYMIUK MARK 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN ANALYST
NA HERLE NEIL 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HILES CAROLYN 50 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AS CAN PHYSIOTHERAPIST
NA HILL STEVEN 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN PROJECT MANAGER
NA HLADY MARK 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN SEMI RETIRED
NA HOFFMAN MATTHEW 39 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HOOGENBOOM SHANE 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR
NA HORNBY LARRY 25 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN STUDENT
NA HOWARD MICHAEL 43 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA HOWEY JOHN 31 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN UNIFORM SALES
NA IFFLA JACQUELYN 26 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN RESPIRATORY THERAPIST - STUDENT
NA INFUSINO PATTY 44 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN REGISTERED NURSE
NA IWABUCHI HIROSHI 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN ACCOUNTANT
NA JACKMAN CARLA 34 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN RM DARKSIDER
NA JACKMAN DAVID 39 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN DOG PSYCHOLOGIST
NA JACKSON JERRY 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN FINANCIAL GUY
NA JACKSON TONY 35 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA JENSEN ROBERT 54 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA JONES KIM 43 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA JORDAN JACQUELINE 38 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN SOCIAL WORKER
NA KAINZ CAROLINE 48 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN ETERNAL OPTIMIST
NA KARASCH HEATHER 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN PEDIATRIC RN
NA KATELNIKOFF TREVOR 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN DUTCH OVEN MANUFACTURER
NA KATELNIKOFF TK 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA KEEVEL JAMES 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY CA CAN
NA KEILLOR LYLE 58 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN SALES
NA KENNEDY SHAWN 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA KENNEDY CHRIS 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA KIRK GORDON 55 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN RETIRED HR GUY
NA KIRKER JILL 53 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA KOHLSMITH BRAD 30 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA KOVIC BRENDA 48 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA L WANDA 49 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN ACCOUNTANT
NA LAMONTAGNE ELAN 35 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN CAN EDUCATOR
NA LANES KEVIN 39 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA LANGEVIN EMILIE 26 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA LEISHMAN ROB 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN SAFETY CODES OFFICER
NA LEONARD CAROLYN 41 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER
NA LESTER ANDREW 31 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN PHYSIOTHERAPIST
NA LITCHFIELD FRED 54 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN FACILITY OPERATOR
NA LLEWELLYN WAYNE 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN MUSICIAN - GUITARIST
NA LLEWELLYN CHARLIE 51 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA LOUGH CHRISTOPHER 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA LOVEKIN DAVE 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY, AB AB CAN
NA LOWRY JOHN 42 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN BUSINESS OWNER
NA LUSSIER TRACY 46 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN TRADER
NA MACDONALD MEGAN 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN TEACHER
NA MACDONALD RICHARD 31 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA MACGREGOR DAVID 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN DAVID'S DAD
NA MACPHERSON MURRAY 57 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN MASTER ELECTRICIAN
NA MALCOLM TODD 39 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN TRIATHLON COACH / DAD
NA MALKINSON TERRANCE 61 M AGE M60-64 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN JOURNALIST
NA MANNING ROSS 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MANSELL JENNIFER 34 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MARCOTTE KYLE 32 M PRO MPRO CALGARY ALBERTA CAN FUEL CELL GURU
NA MARTIN TROY 32 M CLY M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN SOCK TESTER
NA MASKELL DAVE 55 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN GRAPHIC DESIGNER
NA MASTALIC MUHAREM 43 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MCCLURE ROBERT 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MCCURDY JANE 28 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MCLAUGHLIN KYLE 33 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN MD
NA MCLEAN BYRON 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN PETROLEUM LANDMAN
NA MCLEAN DEBBIE 48 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN LANDMAN
NA MCLELLAN LOCHLIN 44 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN ACCOUNTANT
NA MCQUEEN STEVE 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN AUDITOR
NA MCQUILLIN TRACY 35 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN SALES
NA MERCER SCOTT 32 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN SAP GEEK
NA METCALF MARK 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN BONELESS CHICKEN FARMER
NA MILLER RANDY 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MILLOY HOPE 38 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MILOT MICHELLE 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN MANAGER/FITNESS INSTRUCTOR
NA MITTON KYLE 27 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA MORIN MARC 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NA MORRISON JANELLE 32 F PRO WPRO CALGARY AB CAN PROFESSIONAL TRIATHLETE/TEACHER
NA MOTT ROB 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MUIRHEAD CLARE 26 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MUNRO SUSAN 50 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA
NA MURPHY KELLY 45 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA MURPHY LORETTA 49 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA MYERS DUANE 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN RECRATION MANAGER
NA NAPHIN MARK 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA IRON CHEF
NA NIGH GREG 54 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN SPOUSE NEGLECTER
NA NITSCHKE BOB 29 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA NITSCHKE GARRY 58 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN FATHER OF 2 IM SONS AND 2 IM DAUGHTERS
NA OLAFSON DOUG 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA OOI JENNIFER PHAIK CHEN 32 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN ENGINEER
NA ORMISTON RACHELLE 36 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN EDUCATION
NA OSEEN TREVOR 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN FINANCE
NA OSEEN SUSAN 35 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN FITNESS
NA PACHAL BRAD 49 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN PROJECT MANAGER
NA PADDINGTON COLIN 35 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PAGALILAUAN TESSA 42 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PAGE ROBERT 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN MAC'S DAD
NA PAPPS AARON 35 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PARANS EDWARD 55 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA REFINERY MAINTENANCE
NA PASCOE MIKE 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN CAN COACH
NA PATRICK TARA 37 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PEARCE SARAH 31 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN PHYSIOTHERAPIST
NA PENNER DARRYL 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PERRY MARION 54 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PERRY DAVID 57 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PERRY AUDREY 23 F AGE W18-24 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PINEDA LEO 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PLEWES JANICE 38 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA PLEWES CAMERON 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA POFFENROTH PAUL 72 M AGE M70-74 CALGARY AB CAN
NA POPP MICHAEL 29 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN RECRUITER
NA POULIN MARIE-SOPHIE 36 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA PRITCHARD BOB 52 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN
NA PRITCHARD JANET 48 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN MOTHER
NA QUICK DEBORAH 45 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA RANKIN JAY 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN PE TEACHER
NA REED DEBBIE 35 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA RICKER BRIAN 45 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA RIEGER CHAD 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN PHARMACIST
NA ROBBINS BARRY 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN DRIVER
NA ROBERTSON-LITTLE KATHY 42 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN NURSE/MASSAGE THERAPIST
NA ROBINSON TARA 41 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY SK CAN
NA ROONEY ERIN 27 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN BIOLOGIST
NA ROSS SARA 23 F AGE W18-24 CALGARY AB CAN STUDENT
NA ROSS LARRY 50 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA ROUSE BONNIE 39 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN COMPUTER SERVICES
NA ROYDS SPENCER 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN PROJECT MANAGER
NA SALMON ROSS 49 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SCHMIDT MAYO 52 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SCOTT JENNIFER 36 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN LANDMAN
NA SEASONS BRENDA 49 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SEEFRIED BRENT 29 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN RESPIRATORY THERAPIST
NA SERPICO ROSE 43 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SERUP SHEILA 50 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN MANAGER
NA SHERMAN GRAHAM 32 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN
NA SHIPLEY SCOTT 44 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN RESTAURANT OWNER
NA SHOWLER ART 55 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN INSIDE SALES
NA SINGLETON DARREN 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN GEOLOGIST
NA SKEITH RICK 56 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SLATER MARSHALL 43 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SMEKAL BLANKA 30 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SMITH DARRYL 57 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY AB CAN TRI GUY
NA SNELSON KERRY 34 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SOLOMCHUK LISA 31 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SOOST JENN 32 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN STYLIST
NA SPAKOWSKI PETER 40 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SPREEMAN LANA 54 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN MASSAGE THERAPIST
NA STANTE KELLIE 29 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN
NA STEEN BARBARA 53 F AGE W50-54 CALGARY AB CAN
NA STEWART MICHELLE 39 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN
NA STRINGER DAVID 32 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA SUDERMAN ANDREW 24 M AGE M18-24 CALGARY AB CAN SEA CAPTAIN. ARRR!!
NA SUNDERJI FAIZEL 36 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA BUSINESS OWNER
NA SUTHERLAND FRANCIS 53 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AL CAN SURGEON
NA TAYLOR STEVE 46 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AL CAN AEROSMITH FRONT MAN
NA TAYLOR BARRY 52 M AGE M50-54 CALGARY AB CAN CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT
NA THOMSON VALESKA 49 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN SCHEDULER
NA TOPOROWSKY DAVE 49 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA VETTER CHRISTINE 40 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA WAGNER DOUG 57 M AGE M55-59 CALGARY ALBERTA CAN
NA WAKELIN JAMES 33 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN PROFESSIONAL INTERNET SURFER
NA WALKER JENNIFER 32 F AGE W30-34 CALGARY AB CAN REGISTERED NURSE
NA WALTERS JON 47 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN REAL ESTATE CONSULTANT
NA WARKENTIN SHARI 49 F AGE W45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA WASMANN CHRIS 29 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN TEACHER
NA WEINKAUF DAVID 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN
NA WESENBERG ANNA 28 F AGE W25-29 CALGARY AB CAN MEDICAL RESIDENT
NA WHITE PAUL 38 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN PHOTOGRAPHER
NA WHITE JOHN 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN FOOT MODEL
NA WHITTLE MIKE 29 M AGE M25-29 CALGARY AB CAN SALES REP
NA WIENS STAN 45 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN PASTOR
NA WIKJORD ERIC 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA WILKINGS GEOFF 37 M AGE M35-39 CALGARY AB CAN UNITED KINGDOM & CANADA
NA WILLCOCKS SCOTT 48 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN MANAGER
NA WILLIAMS JUSTIN 33 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN CANADA STRUCTURAL ENGINEER
NA WILSON JOHN 34 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN SNEEZE MONKEY
NA WILSON LANNY 46 M AGE M45-49 CALGARY AB CAN
NA WING TAMMY 40 F AGE W40-44 CALGARY AB CAN MARKETING
NA YOUNG MIKE 33 M AGE M30-34 CALGARY AB CAN
NA YUZDEPSKI LYLE 40 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN LAWYER
NA ZAMONSKY ROESCH TANYA 37 F AGE W35-39 CALGARY AB CAN PIANO TEACHER
NA ZWARYCH KELLY 41 M AGE M40-44 CALGARY AB CAN

Good luck to everyone! And don't forget to look for Ironstruck while you are in Penticton. "Ironstuck", another piece of the equation when it comes to Calgarians embracing the Ironman.....

Ironman Calgary 70.3 and the Cold Swim Fears

I was in town for the CDA 2008 Ironman just over a year ago and a cold swim for the race was one of the biggest concerns I heard when I went down to the swim area where many of the entrants were getting in some last minute swimming.

You have to admit, this picture of Ghost Lake does not exactly shout out "COLD."

Over and over again in CDA I heard them talk about how cold the water was going to be and I could tell that it was a major concern for many of them.

There had been a lot of rain in that part of Idaho and often stormy weather will cause a thermal inversion in lakes and it appears that was the case this year. The same thing happened in Penticton back in the 1980's in a few of their earlier races and the water was "really" cold.



With Ironman Ironman Calgary 70.3 fast approaching the main topic of conversation is not the fact that Ironman world champion Craig Alexander will be head-lining the show, but rather how cold the water is going to be on race-day. As a matter of fact, it's reached epidemic proportions and that usually means that everybody is "wrong." Most likely the water will be no different than Ironman Canada in Penticton on any given year.

I can sympathize with triathletes who have concerns about the upcoming race because a cold water swim was one thing I feared most when it came to the Ironman. I spent all year trimming away as much body fat as possible and really paid for it if the swim happened to be a cold one. That was what prompted me to look into ways of overcoming the cold when it came to long open water swims.

It was actually the owner of a local vitamin store who educated me on the benefits of pantathenic acid. He told me how in the past it had been used by long distance open water swimmers to ward off the cold.

When I looked into it I discovered that swimmers who had crossed the frigid water of the English Channel had used pantathenic acid to help build a resistance to the cold.

Pantathenic acid is a vitamin and can be purchased at most vitamin and health food stores.

I used it myself in several colder Penticton Ironman races and have to say it made a noticeable difference and I never had a problem with cold water again. I would take 500 mg a day for one month up to and including the day of the race.

It is inexpensive and I never noticed any side effects of any kind. If it is something you might be interested in trying, I would suggest doing your own search on it and check it out for yourself. It's just a simple matter to Google it and you will find lots of information on it.



This is another picture of Ghost Lake and it's pretty much what freaked out triathletes think it will be like IM Calgary 70.3 race day. Of course with that vehicle parked out on the lake, that's most likely an exaggeration, as this is a winter shot. Besides, I've talked to a few athletes who have been out there getting used to the water in the last few weeks and by all reports, the water may be a little on the cold side, but not nearly as bad as most people fear.