Does Physical Stress Hurt Work Performance?
Endurance Training Experiments In Rotorua, New Zealand
Is all stress created equal? It’s a thought that swirled around with me during the first stop of the World Tour in New Zealand several months ago. There’s a theory that one’s body and mind tap into the same stress management reservoir. In other words, work all day on a really cerebral and demanding project; and a person’s body will struggle to step out and put a huge workout down (performing at a baseline best). Vice versa for doing a huge session on the mountain bike and then trying to spend a rigorous day tapping keys on the ol’ laptop.
“Endure” has sparked an idea that I had to explore
Endure a book by Alex Hutchinson has kept me up a bit past my bedtime exploring this concept. Hutchinson refers to the legendary Tim Noakes and a study he did that found that people who were exposed to either a series of computer based challenges or a watched a dull documentary then both performed a ride to failure type of test on a spin bike had some confirming results.
Relieving some mental stress while following EWS Rotorua.
People that did the challenges prior to exercising noted that they experienced fatigue sooner and the perceived effort was harder than those that watched the boring movie. Both groups had the same heart rates and cycling durations. Rotorua, the land of working hard and playing hard was the perfect place for an experiment of my own.
The bright minds making Crankworx Rotorua happen.
During Crankworx Rotorua I put in big days and vast amounts of screentime. I’m periodically checking on projects from the moment I wake up until the final highlights and recaps go out sometimes as late as midnight. It’s exciting, cerebral and you guessed it: taxing on the brain - perfect for the first variable of this experiment.
Pausing to celebrate the festival on Slopestyle Day.
Now, for the body stress portion. A few weeks prior to stepping off the plane in Rotorua I had completed my first 50k Nordic Ski Race. I was fit and fresh from a week’s recovery. Ready to play outside. For my gear I had a wetsuit, mountain bike and trail runners at my disposal. Game on.
To test the theory I wanted to see which workouts would serve me best. What workouts could I do that danced on the line of achieving fitness goals and arriving sharp each day to work. I put a plan in place to test out shorter workouts before heading to big days at the venue, then doing the inverse: Two days of long workouts before working on some post-event projects.
Light Swim w/ Long Intervals
Hard Group Ride
Running with Short Bursts of Power
Running Slowly Without Structure
Light Swim with Long Intervals
10 x 75 meters at 85% of max pace - 50 meters rest between intervals
There are plenty of lakes to swim in around Rotorua. It’s dreamy. The one nearest to our little Airbn’b is Blue Lake aka Lake Rotuiti. There are two great buoy lines to sight off of. It might be a small detail but I feel more comfortable in the open water when I have smaller targets to swim towards rather than just aiming for the horizon. For this day of the festival, I took a solid 10-15 minutes at a relaxed pace to warm up and a 5-8 minute cool down. My body was feeling the fatigue. Shortening the duration from a typical hour but still working up to some harder efforts was the goal.
Verdict: Easing into the workout gave me the time and space I needed to switch gears and apply physical stress. The first long interval felt like I was dragging an anchor but after the recovery interval I felt sharp and ready to attack the day. This workout was a winner!
Hard Group Ride
2x 85% of Max Climbs, 1x Technical Descent Race Pace, 1x False Flat Time Trail, Cool Down
I set out for a sunrise ride with a few other strong riders on the team. We did a 400 Meter climb through slightly technical trail (“As You Do”, one of the best climbs in the area) at 85% of max then recovered for several minutes at the top. We rolled into a technical race pace decent on “K2” a gorgeous open descent with flow, tech and expansive views of the forest. From the valley floor we time trialed at max effort on a false flat through some non-tech flow trails like “Sweet and Sour” and “Dragon’s Tail”. For one final punch we did another 85% of max climb (up “Lion’s Tail” then a recovery decent to 80-90 cadence on the flats that lead home.
Verdict: This was a tough workout but pushing the pace energized me. To adhere to the high output I left most of my energy on the trail. Although this was a time efficient way to get a great workout in, my energy dipped around 3PM making my thoughts a bit cloudy and caffeine requirements shot up big time. This one might be best left for outside of festival time.
Ali taking a minute to enjoy the jungles of Rotorua
Running Slowly Without Structure
I’ve had my eye on running the Tarawera Trail since my first hike on it several years ago. It’s the perfect terrain for long distance running and the reward of finishing on a beach fed by natural hot springs isn’t too shabby either. Luckily, I have some amazing friends on the Tour that are always game for giving adventures a go. This run was a 15k point to point effort with no structure or intervals. We mostly ran at conversation pace over 2 hours and 20 minutes with an elevation gain of 740 meters. A water taxi picked us up at the end point so we didn’t have to save our legs for the return. Genius move, Totally Tarawera.
Verdict: While this was a highlight of my stay in Rotorua, the workout unsurprisingly doesn’t lend itself to productive afternoon thinking. Even-though the effort felt relaxed, I felt exhausted and in need of a snooze when I sat down at my keyboard later in the day. This one’s best left for days when not much mental brainpower is required post-workout.
Running with Short Bursts of Power:
Longer Trail Run session on the undulating green bike trails with 14 x 20 second sprint intervals with 45 second recovery.
My dear friend Ali and her pal from University joined me on a breathtaking run near Blue Lake. We set out on a rolling flat shoreline trail at a conversation pace and then opened up our strides once we hit the trails that skirted Green Lake. Pushing the pace at 20 second intervals we bounced through the red volcanic flow trails and returned along the other alternate side of Blue Lake. This is the second “long” session that I followed up with some project work back at my laptop.
Verdict: Although this wasn’t a long session in the traditional sense, the compound fatigue from previous days was noticeably accumulating. The continuous intervals of this workout left me feeling a bit more drained in the cool down phase but once I was showered, re-fueled (and re-caffinated) I felt calm, sharp and happily settled into an afternoon of work. This one’s a winner!
Although the outcomes of these “experiments” are purely qualitative and based on “feel”, it was a fun way to deliver a hot serving of some of my favourite workouts and the spectacular venues around Rotorua. If you’re curious and want to learn more about how stress affects our bodies mentally and physically these are a few cool articles:
Training Peaks Blog - Training Stress Vs Life Stress
NPR Health - Can Too Much Training Tax Athletes Brains?
Triathlete - Triathletes Suffer Better, Unless Their Stressed
What are your thoughts on stress? Leave me a comment!
Finding My Why On The Road
Looking back on some of the beauty and humour of training for an off-road triathlon and Ironman 703. while traveling with the Crankworx World Tour.
It was the eve of Whistler’s Ironman Canada event but I wasn’t dealing with pre-race butterflies or preparation stress. Rather, I was more concerned with if we’d brought enough food for an evening picnic. Lingering with a few friends after dinner the topic switched to triathlon. “Think of all those people that put their heart and soul into training and have a mechanical or can’t finish their race."
"What a waste," a friend said.
Another countered that it can’t be about the race day outcome. Think about all the experiences along the way. He was so right on so many levels. To celebrate the process, here are a few things I’ll cherish from my first season training for both an off-road triathlon and Ironman 70.3 while traveling with the Crankworx World Tour.
1. Watching The World Wake Up and Fall Asleep During Training
Most people that train in open water quickly discover the incredible privilege of pausing to watch the early morning pastels light up the sky while swimming. It still gets me in Whistler's Alta lake, every time.
But on the road, a few more things tickled me. First, on stop one of the World Tour aka Crankworx Rotorua, one of the broadcast days ran long and a big training run was in my plan. Armed with a super bright bike light and a few podcasts I explored the trails of the Whakarewarewa Forest at night.
The air was warm and Rotorua's lights flickered in a reflection of a few dimly light stars. But it was all thriller, no filler once I hit the trails. Wallabies, bunnies, birds and possum-like critters rustled and scurried.
I nearly jumped out of my skin three or four times.
Mid-run I found myself in area lined with tall sprinklers. 250 meters into the rows of sprinklers I read a sign that said something along the lines of "warning refuse sprinklers". Horrified at the thought of getting in the line of fire of poop spray I lunged into a sprint and set a PR back the way I came. But I survived, with a few funny stories and ticked the workout complete at the end of the night.
The Innsbruck city streets leading to nearby mountain bike trails
On Stop two of the World Tour in Innsbruck, Austria I set out for a mountain bike ride at first light to make sure I was back in time for our team meeting. Rolling through the city streets, I encountered throngs of club-goers leaving bars. Couples kissing, bottles breaking and general debauchery was the vibe. It was hilarious. After checking out a good portion of the famed Arzler Alm Trail I retraced my route back to the hotel. Only about an hour's difference and joggers, commuters, and street sweepers replaced the partiers. Zero evidence of the previous night's party. It was as if they were never there. A hysterical and bizarre changing of the guard.
Views of Innsbruck from the trails
2. Becoming a Terrain Reading Ninja
Ok, I have to admit this one is still a work in progress. But while on tour, there's always a time crunch on triathlon training. There isn't much room for navigational errors out on the mountain bike or running trails. My dilemma, I love seeing new places and working out over a full loop or out and back track. At each stop, I spliced together the Strava segment explorer, Sunnto Heat Maps and TrailForks to do my best to make training more fun. To tick all the boxes and bag all the views.
Days before kicking off Crankworx Innsbruck we had a chance to trail run to this spectacular view in Leogang, Austria.
On the third stop of the World Tour in Les Gets, France I found a mint trail in the bike park to do hill climb intervals. Taking into account elevation gain, type of terrain and length of trail I worked out that I could make it to the top as I clocked in my final set.
Enjoying the views from the top of Les Gets Bike Park
The views from the summit are stunning. As a treat, I picked what looked like a gentle blue trail to motor my short travel cross-country mountain bike down. I quickly realized that this mellow intermediate flow trail featured a number of gap jumps and proceeded to comically smash into the upside of one of the landings. Stans from my tubeless tire sprayed like a cinco de mayo sparkler all over me and the trail. My arm and ego sustained a bit of a bruise, but I was injury free. I often wonder if half of the adventures I set out on would have been achieved if I didn't have a goal race and training in the works.
3. Anxiety or Stress?
Elevated heart rate, hard work and discomfort. They're both characteristics of Anxiety and Stress. I've confused them so many times. What started out as a huge roadblock in my training became an innate connection with my body. I think back to the times I overheated on my trainer in the winter and gave up on my workout or felt like my heart was going to beat out of my chest on an interval outside. There was something instinctual telling me to back off or else I might self destruct.
Winter training on my snow covered balcony.
When I unpacked the concept I realized I wasn't going to self combust. If I needed rest, it was going to have to come from more sleep, better fuelling and recovery. Not from quitting when things got tough. When I eased off and pushed through challenging workouts I felt indescribably stronger than ever before. There wasn't a moment but rather a collection of times in Rotorua, Innsbruck, Whistler and Les Gets that I recognized the anxiety and converted it into good stress.
The result of harnessing good stress on a Blackcomb Mountain Trail Run with Liz
4. Endorphins as Treats
Lastly, the time spent playing outside of structured training is now a sacred reward. Bike Park laps in Innsbruck, Yoga in Rotorua and hiking in Les Gets filled up my cup of stoke. Each activity, served as beautiful rechargers for my body and mind. These unstructured adventures kept me sharp and beaming with gratitude.
I can't wait to build on these moments, feelings and learnings for 2019. What wonderful and wild way to see the world. Are you training while traveling? Leave a favourite story in the comments.
Te Iringa Track Bike Packing
Bike Packing in New Zealand on the Te Iringa Track.
In March, I wrapped up my first festival on the Crankworx World Tour. Nothing short of blood, stoke and tears went into marketing our first stop: Crankworx Rotorua. The event took place on the North Island of New Zealand. In a little slice of mountain bike heaven. The air oscillates between the honey-soaked smell of tropical flowers and pungent, volcanic sulfur. Rotorua is an absolute trip.
As expected there were long days that blurred into longer nights. Fleeting moments of freedom for training bookended with notifications, phone calls, text messages and emails - all marked "urgent".
The Crankworx Rotorua Crew of 2018 - Photo by: Clint Trahan
I can’t claim ignorance or cry out for sympathy. Everyone warned me about the magnified pressure of event time and I'm sure that zero friends want to hear about the tough time I had in tropical New Zealand during a cold Whistler winter.
So here's a brief synopsis. The energy put in converted to exponential wins, the event rocked and our team is a blast to work with.
This trip report for my Outdoor Stories blog actually unfolds two hours south on the Te Iringa trail near Lake Taupo.
Lake Taupo was the staging point for our transition into wilderness adventure mode.
Dan and I, still hyped up on the adrenaline from event mode, found balance in counterbalance. A challenging bike packing trip two days after Crankworx Rotorua wrapped up in the wilderness of Kaimanawa Forest Park.
The Ingredients.
Our Bikes
Fresh off the ridiculously good riding in the Whakarewarewa Forest, we had our Yeti SB6 and SB5 in tow. Talented climbers for our bike packing adventures and absolute weapons for the descents.
A quick glamour shot before hittin' the Te Iringa Track
Packs
My 60L backpacking bag was heavy and awkward. I’ve taken it on a few bike packing trips now (check out St. James Cycle Trail or Kirwans Hut) and I’m ready to retire it but it did the job.
Dan brought a 32L bag from Osprey and raves about the size and weight distribution, it's called the Escapist. In an ideal world we’d get the weight off our back and onto the frame of our bikes but the type of trails and bikes we ride makes that option a bit challenging. Traveling with previously tested gear and not spending the extra cash for the win!
essentials
Sleeping bags
Pump / repair kit
Spare tubes
Phone (for photos, no signal out here)
Snacks: homemade gels, nuts/seeds, fruit, nut butter packets.
Dinner, Lunch & Breakfast: instant quinoa, hard cheese, flavored tuna packets, broccoli salad, avocado, tea bags.
Kindle (totally unnecessary)
Rain jackets
Pants, spare socks and shirt for hanging in the hut
Collapsible, silicone kettle, cups and sporks (kick-ass wedding gift)
Lighter
Headlamps
Stove and gas
First-aid kit
Bug spray, sunscreen, face wipes, toothbrush/paste
Stuff-sacks for food, garbage and clothes
The Journey.
We found a bit of information online about the trail on a Pinkbike post from 2015, some TrailForks logs from 2017 and a couple of local websites like NZByBike and RideNZ.co. But there wasn’t anything recently posted online. We considered the trip an exercise in blind faith and an excuse for pure adventure as the Rotorua locals we questioned didn’t know much about the trail either.
We quickly confirmed from what we did know that the Te Iringa Track is a hike-a-bike right out of the gate.
Up, up and away.
We pushed for about an hour and a half to a grassy clearing in the forest that made for a perfect lunch spot. The clearing was a former hut site and served as an awesome trail marker. It would be the start of the decent when we returned the following day. But for today we still had a bit more climbing to do. This time it was from our saddles.
Perfect lunch spot and a break from the climb.
As we traveled the ridge line and down into the river valley, the Te Iringa wove across rivers,
around moss,
across a sketchy swing bridge,
through bogs,
and over a tough mudder-worthy load of deadfall.
Nearly six hours and 20.3km from the car park we arrived in a meadow of tall grass. The gurgle of nearby Tikitiki river grew to into rapids as we rode quietly in and out of trees. We were exhausted. I wanted to pull over for food or to drum up energy from somewhere but we rode on hope, hope that we could rest our weary bodies soon. According to the elevation profile on our map, it was just around the corner (a bajillion corners ago).
But then, like a desert oasis, the Oamaru Hut appeared in the distance. Warm and welcoming, a beacon of relief: no more riding for the day. We had arrived.
Excited but mostly dog-tired. I have a terrible poker face.
Our Oamaru Hut Home.
What do you do when you arrive at an incredibly well maintained shelter and discover that you have it to yourselves? Cook a feast and sprawl out like kings. The 12 bunk, three room hut boasted a fireplace and huge windows. A real stunner of a retreat. As the sun slipped behind the mountains of beech forest and old growth, we curled up in our sleeping bags listening to the crickets and sipping tea by a roaring fire. I brought my kindle to unwind but never turned it on. Between a mild stress headache (aftershocks of event time I suppose) and blissful exhaustion, I dozed off before the moon could make a full appearance.
Good Morning.
We rose with the sun, as one does when sleeping in the wild in direct sunlight. But the birds and bugs were already humming, stinging and chirping. We were in good company. I have a theory that the return day of bike packing trips always feel like a victory lap. A reward for the previous day’s hard work. Unfortunately, the Te Iringa Track is the exception that broke my (rather unscientific) theory. Our ride (and hike-a-bike) climbed 671 meters in elevation. That’s actually 100+ meters more than the previous day and took us a little over an hour extra to return. Foiled.
The Te Iringa Obstacle challenge in full affect.
So, Why?
The final descent, that’s why! Just like Crankworx Rotorua, the fruits of our hard work paid off in spades. Spades in the form of a huge, gravity-fed rush down from the ridge line of Mt Te Iringa. The return was so much black diamond, techie fun that our cheeks hurt from smiling. Tight turns, small drops and rooty rock sections.
That's the face of a very stoked mountain biker.
Heavy backpack be damned, I let that bike flow, no brakes. We knew that once we reached the lunch spot from our previous day’s journey that it was on. We railed down 340+ metres of sustained downhill for over 20 minutes. All the hours of climbing, slogging heavy packs and carrying our bikes worth it.
Getting lost in the sweet mix of loam and roots.
Ready to Ride It?
Explore our route to the Oamaru Hut and the return back on Strava. Then you can flip through my Instagram post to watch the video journey out and back too.
Good Idea.
At this point I'm hooked. I can't wait for our next overnight bike packing trip. Taking on a physical challenge that matched the mental endurance spent on the festival a week prior had it's highs and lows.
The upside is the that sights and sounds of the forest made for a tranquil place to unpack the week’s events. I found the challenging terrain on the Te Iringa helped me clear my mind and sweat out the absurd amount of caffeine and peanut butter from the week prior (yeah, I said peanut butter).
Forest Bathing.
However, when we peeled ourselves from our bikes at the end of our journey we needed a solid couple of days of chill. My advice, build a buffer into all bike packing trips, especially the Te Iringa, given with the huge amount of pushing, pedalling and carrying we did. Until next time!
Three Pieces Of Advice That Keep Me Training Through The Winter
Digging deep for triathlon training inspiration when Whistler serves us stormy weather and cold spells.
This time last year I was training in short sleeves and sunscreen on the South Island of New Zealand. We had just wrapped up my longest trail run to date on the Nydia Track. My husband and I were fortunate enough to have two, back to back summer seasons. It was heavenly.
Trail running the Nydia Track with friends in New Zealand
Fast forward to now. My sessions happen under Whistler's winter skies or (if I must) indoors. I endure the wax and wane of downpours, fluffy snow flakes and enjoy the occasional clear day. Today the temperature hovers around a balmy -5C but that's life during the winter months in a Northern Hemisphere rainforest. To be honest, I love it.
Playing hide and seek on a powder day.
Unsurprisingly, training for summer-oriented races through winter is a challenge. To be ready for my 2018 race season of off and on-road triathlons I've added a new layer of structure into my life. It involves a change to my entire diet, sleep schedule and that of my husband's to support my goals (yeah, he's a Saint).
My Training Peaks log captures all the action from week to week.
To add to the challenge, my coach and I are trying to find the happy medium of including unstructured winter activities, work stress, social life and an increasing training load. Even the soundest of dedication is occasionally shaken by the idea of endlessly staring at a wall on a spin bike, cutting a day on the mountain short or running in the dark.
Headlamp selfie.
Luckily, I've had some incredible advice from some pretty cool people. Some advice that has rocked my entire approach to winter training.
Yeah, that good.
Here are three things I've been using to dig deep:
1. Recently turned pro-triathlete, Steph Corker said in an interview that weather does not define if she trains. It only dictates what she wears. These words play in my head on repeat when it's dark and raining - but the job has to get done. I can't use weather as an excuse to keep me from getting sessions done. It's perfect Canadian inspiration!
You can listen to the entire podcast that she's featured in, here.
2. My husband gave me some invaluable training advice very early in our relationship. Put all of your gear/clothing on and then decide what comes next. You'll feel too ridiculous walking around the house with a helmet or running vest on to bail on a session. It's genius. I can attribute endless successfully completed mountain biking and swimming sessions to this sole piece of advice over the years.
What an incredible birthday gift! A spin trainer to put my race bike on. Many thanks to my Whistler girl tribe and stellar husband.
3. "Enjoy the process." My entire network of supporters from my coach, Kristian, to my family to blogs and podcasts all stress this as one of the most important rules of training. If I don't commit to taking in a deep breath and smiling when I catch the alpenglow bouncing around the Whistler valley at sunrise or embrace my inner warrior when I'm crunching through snowy trails in the dark - what's the point?
Yaktrax Pros paired with my Salomon Speedcross Trail Runners: The oh-so-stylish winter trail running set up.
It's challenging to distill all of the great pieces of advice and gear that bulldoze the excuses. There's always a compelling case to stay cozy in bed at 5 AM but when I look around at all the support I have, triathlon feels much more like a team sport. At the risk of sounding a tad sappy, the people around me are what keep me inspired to keep going.
Good luck in your winter training, go forth and achieve warrior status.
Here are a couple of resources for more details:
- Winter Triathlon Hacks
- Liv Cycling Blog's 6 Motivational Tips from Professional Triathlete Radka Vodickova
- Triathlete Mag's Plow Through: Cold-Weather Workouts
- Well Fit's Winter Motivation: Say Good Bye To The Blues
- Top 5 Jedi Mind Tricks for Motivation
Any other tips? Leave them in the comments below.
What Fuels Motivation?
Tales From a Weekend of Trail Racing & our Whistler Off-Road Ironman.
It's that time of the season where some of us peak for races, a few unlucky athletes supernova into injury and many head straight for pre-winter hibernation. In this quieter period of training I find that it's a cool time to re-discover purpose and look at the bigger picture: Why do I race? Why do I train? Beyond physical benefits, what do I gain mentally?
Reflection mid-trail run on Whistler's Skywalk trail.
As luck would have it this year, in a delightful crescendo, a weekend of racing helped me connect the dots and answer these bigger questions in early September. The weekend's itinerary was a 10K high-alpine trail race (North Face Valley to Peak) on Sept 2nd followed by the equivalent of an Off-Road Ironman on Sept 4th.
A mixture of training and the weekend's events helped me discover that my reasons for doing what I do stem from my four key elements of:
- Mental health
- Community & Belonging
- New Experiences
- Pushing limits
Each resonates with me deeply.
From the starting line of this year's Valley to Peak straight through to the finish line high-fives of Our Tri Specific Off-Road Ironman, I had plenty of time to think about this one.
Mental Health
All smiles at the start of the Valley To Peak - Photo: Clint Trahan
I train to be strong. I want to be strong to be competitive. I want to be competitive to achieve my personal best. At my core, health and fitness contributes to feeling accomplished and ultimate day to day sanity. The start of the weekend was a perfect example of flexing my mental health muscle. I signed up last minute for the 10k Valley to Peak race. The run certainly hurt more than anticipated. Many sections required straight up power hiking and scrambling. Not your average running race! But there were several occasions when glacial vistas popped into sight. My mind would instantly clear and a rush of endorphins would burst through my system. Absolutely beautiful.
The trail run course was almost entirely singletrack so I knew that I would have to sprint out of the gate to land myself in a position on the trail that was slightly faster than my race pace. That way, I don't have to worry about passing people if I'm feeling strong. Once the course cleared Harmony Lake we began to take on the punchy climbs that trail running on Whistler Mountain is notoriously known for. I felt some panic on a few of the climbs but realized that I just needed to drop down to a shuffle or power walk.
Pro Tip: A few of my ultra-runner friends suggest putting my hands on my thighs and leaning into the mountain as I power up steep terrain - totally works.
Although I was passed a few times, I felt accomplished at the finish line. I left everything on the course. Mentally, this was a great tune-up for the upcoming huge effort. I even managed a pretty solid victory.
2nd Place! Photo: Clint Trahan
Being in the alpine, taking advantage of Whistler's trails, balances me. I notice a dip in my mood when I'm not able to train leading up to races. According to a recent Outside Magazine Article about the positive effects of exercise on brain health, being active can heighten senses and enhance your ability to perform cognitive tasks. Interestingly, exercise can actually re-structure your brain. There's quite a bit of cool research behind it from university professors Richard Maddock and Tom Bullock.
Community & Belonging
After some quality rest and relaxation in the sunshine. My body post-Valley to Peak race was starting to feel ready for the main event: Kristian Manietta's Off-Road Ironman.
Recharding: Enjoying Alta lake between race days.
With a day's rest we were back at it, racing a new beast of an adventure just before sunrise. One of my closest friends and training buddies, Liz agreed to take on this big challenge with me. We agreed that neither of us felt comfortable "competing" but that we'd love to act like a team, staying within sight of each other all day. Some athletes (I'm certainly guilty of this from time to time) get caught up in the excitement, drop the plan to "stick-together" and go for it.
But when I rounded the second buoy of that 4K swim, there was Liz, treading water waiting for me! It was a pretty cool moment. From then on we managed to swim within a few feet of each other, pausing together when we needed a break for the rest of the swim. I love this girl!
Finishing our 4km swim in Alta Lake with smiles!
Here's a great little article about the power of community:
New Experiences
This is my official ode to YOLO. I'm all about collecting experiences, who isn't? Riding Lord of The Squirrels had been on my list for ages so it was incredible to see if for the first time in perfect weather. Liz and I even managed a dip in one of the alpine lakes. An excellent mid-challenge reset. Big lesson learned here, I neglected to bring my gloves and miss-timed my nutrition a bit. Had this been an actual race, there would have been some disappointment but luckily Liz and I kept each other accountable for fueling and rest. Solid plan for pacing.
Liz and I connecting Lord of The Squirrels with Happy Hour on the mountain bike leg of our Whistler Off-Road Ironman
PUSHING LIMITS
We hit transition from mountain bike to trail run expecting a solid heckle from the already finished, seasoned Ironmen/women. To our surprise we had cheers and applause. But no amount of warm welcomes could initially spur us into the run leg. I sat down with a snack and contemplated calling it a day. My body ached, my hands were raw and my mind was dull from the acute focus I had given to our Lord of the Squirrels descent. After we refueled, digested encouragement and changed into trail run gear we decided to push on. I found a brilliant, short essay on InnerVoice.Life that put limit pushing into perspective:
You know the feeling?
Kristian stuffed our trail running vests with snacks, water and a headlamp and sent us on our way. Liz and I zombie walked out of transition. But our legs were moving - so our bodies followed.
This is the defining moment, each step was a step further than I thought I could do. It wasn't pretty but we fed off of each others strength.
Now we were jogging.
When the sun began to drop below the edges of the valley, we knew we were running out of time and had to cut the trail run short. Mid-way up Blackcomb's Ascent Trail we shared a hug and an exhausted high-five - we were coming home! "It was as if our bodies were moving independently of our brains. I felt completely detached from myself.
After 53 minutes we made it to our glorious finish line at the HandleBar. We collapsed into food and drinks - the sensation of acomplishment was intoxicating. Awaiting us were these super rad trophies:
Whistler Off-Road Ironman success! How cool is this?
Even though we didn't complete the first annual Whistler Off-Road Ironman course I felt a surge of pride, a desire to tackle it again and quite frankly, straight up JOY. This weekend couldn't have been a better distillation of my athletic values. This is why I put myself through the paces. Through training sessions, early starts, stiffness and big race days. The best part, our community, coach, fellow competitors and partners are true catalysts in bringing us together. Each season it's worth celebrating all of these reasons to train and compete.
Why do you race?
Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Squamish Off-Road Triathlon Race Report
In July 2017, I raced the Squamish Triathlon's first off-road event. Here is my race report and some on course thoughts.
In May, Canada welcomed us with open arms after our wild 6 month adventure across New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia. Shortly after touchdown we experienced a whole new chaos: Getting ready for our wedding and reintegrating into Whistler life. To add a little structure into my day-to-day, I decided to pick up an entry for a new off-road triathlon in Squamish, BC. I felt a bit rusty getting back into the swing of swim-bike-run training, especially with so little time until race day. But hey, I love a good challenge. Here's a little recap of the race:
Alice Lake Swim Start
Swim
All smiles coming out of the water
Athletes don't choose Alice Lake for the water clarity. But, despite the water having quite the muddy hue, it's typically the warmest lake in the area. As for me, I had an awesome swim. The course presented some interesting challenges, however. For example, some of the buoys were difficult to sight against and the docks near the start/finish bottle necked the swim a bit.
But gripes aside, no real complaints from this girl. Why? This was a breakthrough swim for me! I managed to stay with the pack, steering straight for most of the lap. As an admittedly average swimmer (I'm working on it - Thanks Kristian!) this was an absolutely stellar feeling. To track my distance and visualize the data after the race I regularly swim (bike and run) with a Suunto Ambit GPS watch. It's a pretty sweet tool that I've come to rely on heavily to track progress. I have it set to sync to other platforms including Strava and Training Peaks right after my sessions. Below was my effort synced over to Strava:
A quick transition onto the mountain bike course and I immediately noticed the power difference between a sprint and championship distance. This round, the sprint had my lungs at a consistent burn. Plus, my heartbeat reverberated into my throat at every gradient increase. Type 2 fun at it's finest. I didn't change the set-up of my Yeti SB5 other than locking out the rear shock and adding a faster rolling tire on the back. Friends at Arbutus Routes helped me out with a race tune and the bike performed exceptionally well. If you're curious about how my bike's set up, check out the post I recently did on the Tales From The Trails Blog. For hydration I wore my little EVOC Stage 3L. I stuck to plain water and kept an emergency gel for the back end of the course. I found I didn't need much fuel - total bonus of the short course! Below is my bike effort on Strava:
A woman a few seconds in front of me through the swim to bike transition was sporting a number on her calf that indicated she was in my age group. I locked in on her and chased heavily in pursuit. We started on a wide-open fire road climb shifted into a mostly flat flow trail that gradually dropped off into another flat(ish) rooty and technical section. We then climbed on vibrant singletrack back towards transition. Such a lush forest! Just as I had accepted that she would be too tough the catch, the elusive leader pulled off onto the championship course loop. A photographer shouted at me "first female". I was already riding on a wave of stoke about my mid-pack swim but this was just unreal.
Lush forest of the Alice Lake area.
Screaming out of transition I turned up onto the "Loop The Lakes" trail and into the green room. I may have been moving too fast to truly appreciate the gorgeous surroundings on the bike leg but on the run it hit me, that tunnel of tropical green plants was incredible. This area has to be one of my favourite stretches of trail on the planet.
More Squamish trail porn...
While I may have been leading off the bike, a new podium contender blew past me as if I was standing still on the trail run. We were just about to hit the biggest climb of the course. I pushed hard to chase her but she slipped away. Trying to close the gap I opened up my stride at the top and resumed chase mode. After corkscrewing around the undulating downhill of the course I ultimately discovered I wasn't strong enough to catch her. But I held strong, beating out the surprise appearance of the third place finisher. Number three had silently caught up and crossed the line only an arm's length or two behind me. Such a thrill. For the gear on this section I kept my hydration pack on and switched into my new trail running shoes: the Speedcross 4 - they're ideal for my foot profile and mega grippy. I carried over the emergency gel and cracked into it about 2k into the trail run. I tried not to leave anything on the course but it's tough to operate in a constant state of red line. When I finished the run portion I couldn't help but feel like I wanted to keep going. Probably my best indication that my optimal distance is longer. Below is my run effort on Strava:
The sprint distance finishes so much earlier than the championship. I actually had time to spectate. There were so many people out there racing their own race, going after individual achievements. It actually gave me the feeling of a communal bond with our local endurance athlete community. The inspiration and emotion is contageous.
(On the Left) Dear friend, Liz Francis and I at the finish line.
Before any results were posted I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. I couldn't dedicate as much time to training as I have in the past, so many of my efforts were gentle mileage. A mindful style of balanced training. There's something beautiful about going slow to race your heart out in a competitive setting.
Results:
Motatapu Race Report
I signed up for the XTERRA Motatapu as a goal race to train for in my first “Double Summer”, back to back summer seasons. What seemed impossible, soon became a beautiful part of the journey.
Months ago, when I first arrived in New Zealand, I signed up for the XTERRA Motatapu as a goal race to train for in my first “Double Summer” (back to back summer seasons). I Imagined quiet hours of intervals in Christchurch, hammering out the work needed to get me to the start line. But when our plans to stay in Christchurch changed, I was faced with the challenge of training while traveling around New Zealand. What seemed impossible, soon became a beautiful part of the journey.
The crisp start of the openwater swim at sunrise.
Swim (2k):
I swam in beautiful lakes, oceans and dozens of pools, it’s a very cool way to train. Check out my other post about making the most of swim training on the road here.
Race Day: The swim is my biggest struggle. The gun went off, we stampeded into the water and I hammered through my first hundred meters. Panic set in strong. I either wasn’t as prepared as I thought I was or these racers were really fast. Either way, that was a slow, zig-zagged effort.
Hitting the Motatapu Trail
Mountain Bike (47k):
Of all disciplines I felt really strong on the bike. We bagged huge days in the last few months. From bike packing the Saint James Trail to the point to point Wakamarina, to Rotorua heaven, my legs felt strong. My only note for the coming season, I need to put more structure into training on the bike. Yep, Intervals…
Race Day: The Motatapu trail itself is closed to the public outside of the race, so I rode the 47k blind. Watching others do a fair bit of blind racing lately, (Kate, Shane, Shaun and Marissa - You have my utmost respect) this was by far the most fun part of the race. The terrain was fairly consistent, gorgeous and fast rolling. A serious highlight was the challenge of the river crossings. We did dozens of them. Some up to 50 meters long, some fork stanchions deep. Because my swim was so mediocre, I left everything out on the trail trying to gain back time on the bike. I passed so many people that I rode the last few kilometres on sheer adrenaline.
Crossing the finish line with a bonus photobomb to my left.
Trail Run (15k):
Training for the trail run, just as with the other disciplines, was difficult. In traditional training most sessions are some form of interval work but travel requires creativity. I turned most hikes into runs with scenic exploring missions.
Race Day: Shortly after I made the switch over to my trail runners, I rounded the corner out of transition, hit Tobin’s Track climb and suddenly felt awful. Legs were dead, totally out of gas. A few women passed me. There goes podium and here comes the dark moments of my race. Should I go on? Could I go on? I started to walk. I weighed my options as I slogged up the steep track. Pulling up the feeling of my first DNF, from a bike race last year, I decided to keep going - even if I had to walk the whole thing. I hated the idea of not finishing a race. From walk, to slow jog to decent pace, I tackled the full 15k. The views were just as stunning as the bike and the trail was significantly more challenging. On more than one occasion I used rope or railing to traverse the trail, scaled ladder-like climbs and of course sloshed through a second lap of deep river crossings.
Tears of joy. Finsihed!
Finish:
Sunburnt, soaked from river crossings and totally exhausted, I ran the last 1/2 kilometre with my dear friend Shaun (Frysie), nearly in tears of joy to be so close to finishing. He peeled out then Marissa and my partner Dan met me with open arms on the other side of the finish arches. What a stupendous support crew. The Motatapu was an incredible experience and has me hungry to try more like it in the future!
Biking the Mekong Delta: Cycle Touring From Vietnam to Cambodia
From the moment we started riding through Ho Chi Minh's (Saigon) wild busy streets, we knew we had to absolutely send it straight into the cycle touring deep-end to enjoy Vietnam by bike. Our route took us through the Mekong Delta and we pieced it together on the fly. Here are the thoughts, maps and logistics of our trip.
From the moment we landed in Ho Chi Minh, we discovered that Vietnam operates on various levels of chaos. Three days later we set out for the Mekong Delta. Armed with bits of information from various blogs and tour sites (most of which were out of date, unfortunately), we were officially on our first cycle touring trip together. We had high hopes for seeking out the quieter side of the country in the Mekong Delta. In retrospect, there were a few fleeting moments of tranquility but the Delta is a buzzing place in itself. The major roads were loud, dusty and full of giant trucks so we used the "Walking" option on Google Maps and added in small towns for lunch breaks.
Here's an approximate map of our route to the coast:
leg 1 - Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho
Out of the big city and into the countryside. The smog quickly cleared and the tangled streams of scooters and trucks loosened. After turning off of the main highway we faced our newest challenge, cycling in the direct sun and humidity. It was tough in the blaring mid-morning heat but we found shelter in roadside coffee stops and street markets. The traffic was thick once more when we arrived in what was once the quiet gate to the Mekong Delta: My Tho. We stayed in a basic Airbnb called "Kim's Place". Nothing to write home about when it comes to the actual apartment but the host and her friend were unbelievably kind. They provided us with loads of fresh water, fruit and even took us out to dinner!
We passed dozens of fruit orchards on our way out of the busy city and into My Tho.
leg 2 - my tho to Tra Vinh
Headed for Ben Tre, we crossed our first major bridge and faced some more loud traffic. We discovered that adding smaller towns into our google maps plan was our golden ticket to peace and jungle. We managed to move most of our travel from roads to sidewalk-width paths through what I'm guessing is suburban Mekong Delta. Lots of stray dogs, smiling children and thatched roofs. Very cool! When we arrived in Tra Vinh we tracked down an average budget hotel near downtown called the Gia Hoa. The property had a safe place for our bikes, cold showers and A/C: enough for us!
Leg 2 took us through some obscure back roads. Exploring the true Mekong.
Leg 3 tra vinh to Soc Trang
We did quite a bit of island hopping today. The ferries here are basic barges that are constantly running to keep traffic moving. We're officially in the heart of the Delta with very little, if any, English spoken. We're starting to get used to the constant look of shock and amazement from the locals as we ride by. Apparently it's both strange and hilarious that two "Westerners" would be traveling by bike rather than scooter through this region. A fun, if not tricky new element of our journey was the introduction of small bridges. They are all shapes and sizes, some are quite steep! I've written more about them in my blog post specifically about Cycle Touring in Vietnam.
One of the more rider friendly bridges between Trah Vinh and Soc Trang
Leg 4 Soc Trang to Vi Than
Soc Trang was by far our most favourite stop in the Mekong Delta. It's a provincial capital with many Communist symbols. We took a rest and working day here as the hotel was great and the vegetarian options, plentiful. The hotel was called the Khách Sạn Khánh Hưng. We couldn't find much if anything about this town but it was worth the gamble. Pretty much full luxury compared to anything up to this point.
We even managed a sunset visit to a local pagoda, famous for it's resident fruit bats. After a day of recovery we set out for Vi Than. The roads leaving town were charming, lined with bougainvillea and palm trees. Such a peaceful treat. The mood changed when we discovered that Google's delightful walking directions took us on a path that was yet to be built or under serious construction. After quite a bit of bike lugging and careful shuffling we made it back to a busy main road. From there it was a race to beat the heat as we rode from smoothie stand to market to smoothie stand trying to stay cool in 40+ degree heat.
Pagoda in Soc Trang, home to a protected population of bats.
leg 5 - Vi Thanh to Rach Gia
The Lotus Hotel in Vi Thanh was terribly underwhelming after the oasis of luxury in Soc Trang. But again, we were thrilled to be out of the heat and into cold showers so we couldn't complain (too much). But as the sun came up, once more we set out on our bikes for the next big mission. Today we were pushing hard to get to the coast. About 40k from our finish point we happened to meet a friendly young family that invited us into their home for lunch. We had one of those heart-warming, wonderful memory-generating afternoons that neither Dan or I will ever forget.
Vi and her family cooked up the Mekong Delta specialty: sour soup with fresh fish.
Leg 6:
In the coastal town of Rach Gia we stayed in the Palace Hotel which was close to the ferry and a great place to regroup after a serious amount of cycling. We took a lightning fast ferry boat called the Superdong (yes, I’m serious) out to Phu Quoc island. The ride from the ferry was sweltering and tough but on the other end, a little slice of paradise: Bamboo Cottages.
Relaxin'
Change in scenery
The freshies
Leg 7:
After a few days of rest and much needed time in the shade, we set out for Ha Tien, a brightly coloured town on the mainland. We stayed near the market and once again found more tasty vegetarian places near by our hotel, Khách Sạn Hải Phượng.
From Ha Tien we cycled along the border, our final leg in Vietnam, to Chao Doc. It was a fairly straight road for the entire 97 k which played with our minds a bit.
The final leg - Chao doc to phnom phen
To ease border crossings and maximize our time in each country we opted to join a tourist boat up to Phnom Penh. Luckily when we arrived, exhausted in Chao Doc the evening before, the staff of the khách sạn Trung nguyễn hotel spoke excellent English. We we're fed, booked on a boat and sleeping before 8PM. The next morning, thinking our boat would be more of a utility-style transport, we we’re presently surprised to see the Mekong Delta from a different (comfortable) perspective with a light meal service and friendly german tourists. Icing on the Mekong Delta cake.
South East Asia by Bike - Seven Things to Love or Leave Behind in Vietnam
On our first cycle touring trip, a couple of things left a profound impression on us. We now have hundreds of memories of Vietnam. Some we love and some better left in the Mekong Delta. Here are the top seven:
On our first cycle touring trip, a couple of things left a profound impression on us. We now have hundreds of memories of Vietnam. Some we love and some better left in the Mekong Delta. Here are the top seven:
LOVE: Unbelievable Generosity.
Although we knew only a few phrases in Vietnamese, the locals were both curious and kind whenever we chatted with them. On one occasion a young woman and her family invited us into their house for lunch. Google Translate and wild hand gestures being our only form of communication, it was so incredibly special:
Dan posing with our new friends, the children of a kind family that invited us in to their home for lunch.
DIDN'T LOVE: The Excessive Plastic.
There is a serious problem with the amount of plastic in the region. Garbage clusters around houses, riverbanks and markets. It’s sobering. It's hard not to feel like we were contributing to the problem. Because of the lack of clean drinking water we started off buying water bottles, sealed with plastic at all of our meals. What we soon discovered is most restaurants and street food vendors use water from giant water dispensers. Bringing our bike bottles everywhere helped cut down on our waste big time.
Not everything in Vietnam is Instagram-Perfect.
LOVE: The overwhelming smell of tropical flowers.
Plumeria, Bougainvillea and Jasmine to name a few.
MIXED LOVE: Sketchy bridges.
Taking our bikes on Google’s “Walking Routes” meant weaving our way through jungle, on sidewalk-width paths of concrete, dirt or stones. While I can’t complain about the cycle touring equivalent of singletrack, some bridges rivalled that of Vancouver’s North Shore. Throw in some fairly murky water and the chance of crocodiles and you better believe I pedalled my heart out to reach the other side of every nutty bridge in our path.
DIDN'T LOVE: Traffic.
There is actually order in the madness of traffic in Vietnam. There's a system to navigating the sea of scooters, trucks and cruiser bikes in each town. Traffic may slow to a walking pace, but it almost never stops - it’s actually quite efficient. When we dive into the flow, our biking pace is often similar to scooters. It’s manageable, but requires ninja-like focus.
LOVE: Hello Tennis.
It appears that almost everyone in the Mekong Delta is astonished that we chose to ride bikes versus scooters through the region. As we passed rice paddies, freeways, cities and village streets, everyone shouts hello when they see us coming. It’s a cheerful welcome but sometimes a funny scenario plays out. When we return “hellos” back, most people pause unsure of what to do next then serve us up with another “hello”. Thus, “Hello Tennis” was born. On longer stretches of road, we might play 3 or 4 rounds before breaking into laughter on both sides.
Everyone loves a good game of Hello Tennis in the Mekong Delta
MIXED LOVE: The Meal Dance.
Ordering food is a bit of a luck of the draw. We look at Vietnamese menus and point to what we think might be veggies or fish. Even in the plentiful amount of vegan restaurants (which we adore), we’re never really sure what style dish we’re going to get. If you know me personally, you’ll know I’m pretty serious about my nutrition (check out my post about Gluten Free/Veggie Cooking in New Zealand), but here I have to be a bit more fluid with my choices. The reality is that nearly everything has been delicious, so as long as it’s pescatarian, I’m stoked. My favourite? The sour fish soup, a speciality of the Mekong region.
We're looking forward to more exotic beauty and excitement as we leave the Mekong Delta and into Cambodia.
Healthy Eating On New Zealand Adventures - Gluten Free & Pescatarian In The Wild
I thrive on a good challenge. Queue up: Eating fresh, nutrient-dense meals while training for an off-road triathlon and constantly traveling. I’ve been reading loads of articles, books, blog posts about sports nutrition for endurance athletes and hitting the supermarket isles across New Zealand, and this is what I found.
If you couldn’t tell from my previous posts, I thrive on a good challenge. So, how to eat fresh, nutrient-dense meals while training for an off-road triathlon and constantly traveling? But I’m determined to stay healthy to help my training pay off. I’ve been reading up on sports nutrition for endurance athletes and hitting the aisles of New Zealand supermarkets to uncover a few things to help keep me on track.
To start, here is some helpful reading:
- Anything by Mikki Williden - LCHF Eating (see my interview with her here )
- The Training Peaks - Nutrition Blog
- Eat & Run a book by Scott Jurek
- Anything by Rich Roll - He has a book, newsletter, blog and podcast
I can’t claim to be an expert but a few pillars of nutrition have stuck out and now I stick by them: Eat fewer carbohydrates on rest days, cut down on anything with sugar including most starches and continue not eating meat. Specialists have indicated that nutrition is almost as important as the training itself and while that's great in theory, it's tough in practice. After a few weeks traveling in New Zealand I was starting to get the hang of things. I knew what to shop for, what I could cook on overnight trips in the backcountry and take on long days on the trails. Here are my suggested packing lists and menu ideas:
Long Day on The Mountain Bike:
Dan out for a ride on our Welcome Rock Trip
Breakfast: If I have at least an hour between breakfast and the start of the ride I’ll scramble some eggs with green veggies, coffee and almond milk.
Every hour and 15 minutes: I’ll rotate between Pic’s Peanut Butter Slugs (nicely portioned packets for the trail), fruit (New Zealand has incredible produce) or raw nuts. Honey Stinger or Clif gels in an emergency or on race day only
Lunch: In a plastic bag, I’ll add two sliced hardboiled eggs, a handful of spinach or chopped kale, sliced carrot then mix in Tahini, salt and pepper. Don’t forget a small plastic fork!
After Ride: Within 15 minutes most endurance nutritionists insist that athletes replenish with plenty of water and protein. After our rides there is typically a bunch of faff, driving, showering etc.. so I pre-make a protein shake so I don’t feel rushed.
Mid-Downhill on our Nydia Track trail run
Long Trail Run:
Breakfast: I tend to get a nervous tummy on long trail runs so I’ll mix some protein powder in with greek yogurt and a handful of gluten-free granola as to not feel too full. I'd recommend New Zealand's locally made, Yum Granola and a protein powder from NuZest Clean Lean Protein from Health 2000.
Every hour: Popular and easy to find are the Smoosh Balls - with only five ingredients these are sweetened with dates and pack a punch when it’s tough to eat on the run. Again, Honey Stinger or Clif gels in an emergency or on a race day only.
Lunch: This is a tough meal to handle while running so I pack simple foods like hardboiled eggs, nuts and Sealord Tuna Packets (these are awesome but don’t forget a plastic fork)
After Run: This practice is the same as the long bike ride. Within 15 minutes I’ll have a protein shake on hand to refuel.
Mountain Bike Trips:
Here I am chasing Ali up the Old Ghost Road
Lunch(es): Hard boiled eggs, parmesan slices and an apple.
Dinner: Australian made Instant Quinoa, tomato soup packet or Indian curry paste, a handful of spinach (trust me, a little fresh food goes a long way) and a tuna packet.
Breakfast: Protein powder mixed with gluten-free porridge and a banana.
Overnight Kayaking Trips:
Kayaking Overnight Trip on Lake Manapouri
It was such an awesome surprise to discover all of the extra storage space kayaks have. Rather than worrying about the weight of heavy backpacks, we had room to add loads of fresh veggies and even a cutting board!
Breakfast: cut an egg carton down to size and pack enough eggs for a veggie scramble each morning. Courgette (zucchini), capsicum (bell peppers) and mushrooms seem to travel best. Don’t forget salt, pepper and a small baggie of coconut oil for cooking.
Lunch: hard boiled eggs, tuna packets, raw nuts and seeds, slices of hard cheese and fruit are great options.
Dinner: Leftover veggies from breakfast, tin of rinsed chic-peas or mixed beans and a nice pre-mixed baggie of spices or soy sauce.
Hopefully you'll find this useful if you're looking to spend time on a holiday or relocate to New Zealand. In our 4+ months doing regular trips and adventures, I did plenty of supermarket crawling. I found the best place to gather the food listed is in New World Market, Health 2000 and local bike shops. If this is the start of your journey - enjoy and let me know what you think in the comments.