Race News (6)
Forecast for Ironman Canada 2011 is relatively hot. Not hot if you are from Central America, but, certainly hot if you are from Canada or Northern States.
What can you do on race day to mitigate the effect of the heat on your day?
1. HYDRATE - this is number 1. I guarantee, more than half the field will struggle with some level of dehydration in a hot race (30C+ or 90F+). It is simply from not knowing and not pushing high water intake that they are simply not used to doing. Smaller bodies need at least 1000ml per hour while larger bodies and higher sweat rates will require 1500-2000ml per hour. Remember though, this is when it gets hot. You must take in less water early on (say first hour of the bike), if clouds roll in and it gets cool AND certainly when the sun goes down. If you are in a dry climate like Ironman Canada, don't wait till you see sweat because you may never see it due to its quick evaporation.
2. Superficial Watering - does help but not nearly as much as proper hydration. Keeping your head and torso wet are a great way to feel some cooling. As the water evaporates, it takes heat with it.
3. Ice - for the run, many athletes like sticking ice down there pants or in their bra tops. This comes down to personal preference. And, you have to watch you don't get a lot of water running into your shoes. Because, you want them to stay relatively dry for the run. For this reason, we don't recommend running in puddles or under sprinklers. It is much better to splash water on your head, torso and back. That keeps most of the water on you and out of your shoes.
4. A visor or hat - again this is personal preference. But, both will keep the radiant (sun) heat off your face which is important to prevent you from feeling the heat. Visor people like splashing water on their heads. Hat people often like putting ice under their hat.
5. Salt - we can't mention hydration with mentioning salt. Sodium really helps you absorb water throughout the day and prevents a massive loss of sodium which can impair performance. Sodium needs are very individual. We recommend 400-1000mg per hour once it heats up. For some people, they even need more. Some need very less. If you are unfamiliar with salt intake and drinking a lot of water, it is a good idea to get your salt from electrolyte drinks or from pretzels (suck the salt off, or chew them). Pretzels have very few calories, so still get your fuel from other sources. Salt pills are another source. If you use them, try to find some with 100mg or more of salt per capsule. You don't really need any other electrolyte or mineral on race day unless you know one of them really does help you (for example, some people like taking magnesium). Sodium is by far the most important.
6. Mental advantage - Keep in mind, that everyone suffers in the heat. Those that welcome the challenge and face it will do much better. Those afraid of it or dread it will suffer and slow down right after their first step. It is your choice, that is, which attitude do you want to race with. Since other people are racing against you, the heat is actually to your advantage. With the right attitude, it will not effect you nearly as much.
Factor 9 is very proud of these athletes who will be starting Ironman Canada this Sunday (August 28).
| Name | Bib # | Age Group |
| Kristi Thomas | 95 | 25-29 |
| Wade Carlson | 126 | 25-29 |
| Joanne Lawson | 129 | 50-54 |
| Brian Macdonald | 1153 | 40-44 |
| Duncan Selwood | 1148 | 40-44 |
| Simon Craig | 1317 | 40-44 |
The vast majority of our athletes are just like and the person next to you. Sure, some grew up playing sports and some may have even done endurance sports growing up. Some are just starting to exercise regularly. Others have been exercising for a few years. Some do it as a way to seek out a challenge. Some do it to socialize. Others do it to race and compare themselves to a benchmark. They all do it to feel better and be healthier. In others words, to get more out of life and enjoy the movements are bodies were built to do.
Every type of race is a challenge. The shorter the race, the faster people go thus making it harder. In longer races, the actual distance becomes the challenge. When I started, I wondered if I could even finish an Olympic distance race. Looking back, that seems kinda silly now but I did not know any better at the time. Now, I see people of all body types and many of fitness levels finish Ironman, let alone Olympic distance races.
This time of year is when many of our athletes step up to do a Half Ironman. This is a 4+ hour race for everyone. That is a big jump from any high school sports we may or may not have played so it is a significant achievement.
Congrats to these athletes who finished the Oliver Half on June 5th:
Joanne Lawson (her first)
Linda Bouley (her first)
Kristi Thomas (her first and a 2nd place finish in her age group)
Matthew Jackson (who is gearing up now for Calgary 70.3)
Neil Pearson (congrats on a huge PB at the distance)
And, congrats to Duncan Selwood (12th in his age group) and Wade Carlson (10th overall) for both PBing at the Subaru Victoria Half Ironman.
As I mentioned, shorter distances can be as challenging if you choose to push yourself to go faster. As you can imagine, going faster but shorter can hurt more than going longer and slower.
Scott McDermott had a great day at the Wasa Olympic Distance race as a prep for his assault on Ultraman Canada. And congrats to Lisa Spalding who placed at the Summerland Man of Steel Triathlon.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan media briefing on October 21, 2010
City of Penticton to host inaugural mass-participation cycling event
October 20, 2010: Penticton, BC– Set for Sunday, July 10, 2011, centered out of beautiful Penticton, British Columbia, the Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan will welcome cyclists from British Columbia and around the world on a challenging ride that features the best terrain, views and hospitality that the Okanagan has to offer. Media are invited to attend an announcement by cycling star Axel Merckx (axelmerckx.com), and the Mayor of Penticton, His Worship Dan Ashton at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre (front lobby) on Thursday, October 21st at 10:30 a.m.
Organizers from 2011 Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan, and Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton will give a brief presentation about the event, with a Q&A session to follow. Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan participants will enjoy and be challenged by a course featuring roughly 150 kilometres of riding, and nearly 1,300 metres of climbing.
Who:
Axel Merckx – Belgian National Champion, Olympic Bronze Medalist and founder of the Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan
Jonathan Wornell – Event Director, Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan
His Worship – Penticton Mayor Dan Ashton
When: Thursday, October 21, 2010, 10:30 a.m.
Where:Penticton Trade and Convention Centre (main lobby)
273 Power Street
(250) 490-2460
Media Contacts:
Jonathan Wornell (604) 836-9993 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
You did it! A finish is always something you can be very proud of. Now you have stories to share for years to come. It was a very good day for Factor 9 athletes. We are really proud to say that all of them completed the race. Here is the brief recap:
Pro Result
Janelle Morrison (9:48) - Good swim and bike that got her three minutes off of third place. Unfortunately the lack of run training due to a foot injury hampered her usual strong run. On sore legs she still ran a 3:21 and placed 8th overall. Most of us wish we could do that with 45 minutes of running in 5 weeks. You will see some more articles on how we did what we could given the fact that she could not run after she tore a tendon in her foot.
Age Grouper Results
Wade Carlson (9:57) - Got the monkey off his back. After a couple of rough Ironman last year, he was able to put them behind him and stayed patient all day. That patience paid off with a sub 10hr clocking which was good enough for 7th position in his age group.
Jen Annett (10:16) - Continued her string of strong Ironman Canada finishes. In contention all day for the overall age group win, she ended up with 3rd overall and 2nd in her age group. A really solid swim and bike and a much stronger marathon this season. The extra work and determination she put in to her running paid off.
Simon Craig - Went 10:32 in his first Ironman in his first season of doing triathlons. A tremendous result for a guy would could hardly swim last fall and had little running experience. You can expect big things from him with another year of training under him.
Brian Schroeder (10:38) - Is a monster and not only had a great race but also a great season. A flat tire and a sore hip flexor were not enough to keep him from winning his age group. Congrats!
Scott McDermott (11:22) - Had a really big time improvement over his previous finishes. His new nutrition plan is working much better although there is still some learning and tweaking left to do (isn't there always though?). A sub 11 is well within reach and I think he can really taste it now. We believe it will happen.
Jason Oliver (12:32) - Another one of our first time finishers. A very good ultra runner turned triathlete this past season. A great swim, solid ride and a run with some ups and downs put him across the finish line. His father recently passed away and we are certain he watched the entire race and is a very proud dad today.
Matthew Jackson (12:44) - A first time Ironman finisher as well. He was cool and calculated all day. Matthew took up the Ironman journey two years ago. He had done zero bike training and very little swimming before he started. He shows what you can do if you lay out a plan, follow the plan and emphasize consistency. He has shown steady improvement month after month which led to a very strong finish.
Michelle Jamieson (15:01) - A comeback season for Michelle after a few years away from the sport. Now a busy realtor in Penticton and an Ironman finisher!
Jacquie Bird and Karen Lannon (16:25) - Will have quite the tale to tell. Both were involved in an early season training bike-car accident that put Karen in the hospital for days with a bad concussion. Karen is still recovering but decided to race to help Jacquie finish. Jacquie was lucky to escape the bike crash without major injury but struggled with training injuries throughout the season. She persevered though and they threw down on Sunday. Both finished well within the cutoff time. HUGE DAY for both of them! Congrats.
We are very proud to announce these athletes will be starting Ironman Canada this Sunday. The pro race starts at 6:45am and the age group race starts at 7:00am.
| Name | Bib # | Age Group |
| Janelle Morrison | 2 | WPRO |
| Scott McDermott | 41 | 40-44 |
| Simon Craig | 42 | 40-44 |
| Karen Lannon | 69 | 50-54 |
| Wade Carlson | 71 | 25-29 |
| Matthew Jackson | 76 | 50-54 |
| Jason Oliver | 84 | 25-29 |
| Brian Schroeder | 88 | 55-59 |
| Jacqueline Bird | 111 | 60-64 |
| Jen Annett | 124 | 25-29 |
| Michelle Jamieson | 129 | 50-54 |
