2640 Parkdale Boulevard NW
Calgary, Alberta T2N 3S6
(403) 270-7776
Mon - Fr: 10am - 6pm
Sat: 10am - 5pm
Sun: Closed
Calgary, Alberta T2N 3S6
(403) 270-7776
Mon - Fr: 10am - 6pm
Sat: 10am - 5pm
Sun: Closed
Pre-Race Triathlon Tips Part 2
Welcome to the New Tri-It.ca
Books to Tri
H20 Audio Review
Chinook Half Ironman Race Report Part 2
Welcome to the Pool
Welcome To The Pool:
You just walked onto the pool deck for the first time in a long time…or maybe ever. So now what do you do?
First thing to do when on a pool deck is to locate some key features. Note where the lifeguards are and ask them which lanes are available for public swimming. Find a lane that is specified for your speed, or appears to have other athletes of similar speed swimming there. Next, grab any pool toys you are going to use. This can include a kick board, pull buoy and other gear you may have, including fins, paddles and a swimmers snorkel.
When you are ready to swim, make sure your swimsuit is adjusted properly; guys tie up your speedo (yes the tight ones, you are doing laps not sitting in a hot tub), and women make sure your suit is adjusted and not worn out. As you put your goggles and swim cap on, observe the swimming pattern of the lane. Pool etiquette is to swim circles around the black line, meaning you head down on one side, and return on the other side. When you are ready to jump in, alert the swimmers in your lane that you are going to join them and confirm which direction they are swimming. Try not to disturb the other swimmers by quickly talking to them when they stop at the wall. If a swimmer isn’t stopping, jump in the lane so they see you, and then follow their swim direction.
When you are swimming, always be aware and courteous of the other swimmers. If you need to pass, tap the other swimmer on the feet and pass on their outside, or pass them at the wall when they are stopped. If you are kicking, doing drills, or other slower forms of swimming, it is courteous to allow a faster swimmer to go ahead if you are at the wall at the same time.
To make significant improvements in the water and prepare you for your race, it is important for athletes to spend at least 2x/week in the water. If an athlete is swimming twice per week, I would recommend one day focused on drills and aerobic swimming, and another day on just aerobic swimming. In February, make your second day a speed/aerobic day. If you are swimming 3x/week, I would recommend one day focused on drills and aerobic, one day aerobic and one day speed. The key to learning how to swim is becoming relaxed in the water. Be aware, relax and most importantly, enjoy yourself.
Grant Burwash
Pro Triathlete
Triathlon Coach and private instructor at Talisman Centre
grantburwash.com
You just walked onto the pool deck for the first time in a long time…or maybe ever. So now what do you do?
First thing to do when on a pool deck is to locate some key features. Note where the lifeguards are and ask them which lanes are available for public swimming. Find a lane that is specified for your speed, or appears to have other athletes of similar speed swimming there. Next, grab any pool toys you are going to use. This can include a kick board, pull buoy and other gear you may have, including fins, paddles and a swimmers snorkel.
When you are ready to swim, make sure your swimsuit is adjusted properly; guys tie up your speedo (yes the tight ones, you are doing laps not sitting in a hot tub), and women make sure your suit is adjusted and not worn out. As you put your goggles and swim cap on, observe the swimming pattern of the lane. Pool etiquette is to swim circles around the black line, meaning you head down on one side, and return on the other side. When you are ready to jump in, alert the swimmers in your lane that you are going to join them and confirm which direction they are swimming. Try not to disturb the other swimmers by quickly talking to them when they stop at the wall. If a swimmer isn’t stopping, jump in the lane so they see you, and then follow their swim direction.
When you are swimming, always be aware and courteous of the other swimmers. If you need to pass, tap the other swimmer on the feet and pass on their outside, or pass them at the wall when they are stopped. If you are kicking, doing drills, or other slower forms of swimming, it is courteous to allow a faster swimmer to go ahead if you are at the wall at the same time.
To make significant improvements in the water and prepare you for your race, it is important for athletes to spend at least 2x/week in the water. If an athlete is swimming twice per week, I would recommend one day focused on drills and aerobic swimming, and another day on just aerobic swimming. In February, make your second day a speed/aerobic day. If you are swimming 3x/week, I would recommend one day focused on drills and aerobic, one day aerobic and one day speed. The key to learning how to swim is becoming relaxed in the water. Be aware, relax and most importantly, enjoy yourself.
Grant Burwash
Pro Triathlete
Triathlon Coach and private instructor at Talisman Centre
grantburwash.com
TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature Arrives
The Freak is now available at our online store! Click here to buy one now.
December 6, 2011
By Kevin Mackinnon for Triathlon Canada
Triathletes looking for a wetsuit that has it all will want to check out TYR’s Hurricane Freak of Nature. The wetsuit is packaged in a TYR branded steel briefcase with a custom Freak of Nature swim cap, a wetsuit care kit, and a member card with an individualized access code. Freak of Nature customers will be able to register at tyr.com/limitswillfall for exclusive benefits and contests. Our review model just arrived - and our editor, Kevin Mackinnon shares the experience of opening it up for the first time with you here. Here in Canada you can pick up a Freak of Nature at Tri It Multisport.
“Freak†customers will also be eligible to win a slot in the Ironman U.S. Championship. To enter the contest, Freak of Nature owners must first register their wetsuit at tyr.com/limitswillfall, where they will be prompted to write a caption for a photo. Captions will be judged on originality, humor, and the spirit of triathlon. For more information on the official rules of the TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature Ironman New York 2012 Contest, click here.
According to a release from TYR, “Top triathletes around the world are already praising the benefits of the TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature. Andy Potts, who was first out of the water at the 2010 and 2011 Ironman World Championships, calls the Freak of Nature’s expanded ROM zones “otherworldly effectiveâ€, while 4x Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington has said it is “far and away the most amazing wetsuit I have ever had the privilege to swim in.†Racing in the Freak of Nature for the first time, TYR’s Amanda Stevens was first out of the water at 2011 Ironman Arizona.â€
In addition to Wellington and Potts, other key athletes that will race in TYR’s Hurricane Freak of Nature wetsuit include reigning 2011 Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander, 2010 Ironman World Champion Mirinda Carfrae, and Ironman Champions Julie Dibens and TJ Tollakson.
We feature the TYR Freak of Nature in our “What’s New†section of our January 2012 issue, and will do a full review of the new suit in our 2012 March Buyer’s Guide.
The Freak is now available at our online store! Click here to buy one now.
December 6, 2011
By Kevin Mackinnon for Triathlon Canada
Triathletes looking for a wetsuit that has it all will want to check out TYR’s Hurricane Freak of Nature. The wetsuit is packaged in a TYR branded steel briefcase with a custom Freak of Nature swim cap, a wetsuit care kit, and a member card with an individualized access code. Freak of Nature customers will be able to register at tyr.com/limitswillfall for exclusive benefits and contests. Our review model just arrived - and our editor, Kevin Mackinnon shares the experience of opening it up for the first time with you here. Here in Canada you can pick up a Freak of Nature at Tri It Multisport.
“Freak†customers will also be eligible to win a slot in the Ironman U.S. Championship. To enter the contest, Freak of Nature owners must first register their wetsuit at tyr.com/limitswillfall, where they will be prompted to write a caption for a photo. Captions will be judged on originality, humor, and the spirit of triathlon. For more information on the official rules of the TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature Ironman New York 2012 Contest, click here.
According to a release from TYR, “Top triathletes around the world are already praising the benefits of the TYR Hurricane Freak of Nature. Andy Potts, who was first out of the water at the 2010 and 2011 Ironman World Championships, calls the Freak of Nature’s expanded ROM zones “otherworldly effectiveâ€, while 4x Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington has said it is “far and away the most amazing wetsuit I have ever had the privilege to swim in.†Racing in the Freak of Nature for the first time, TYR’s Amanda Stevens was first out of the water at 2011 Ironman Arizona.â€
In addition to Wellington and Potts, other key athletes that will race in TYR’s Hurricane Freak of Nature wetsuit include reigning 2011 Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander, 2010 Ironman World Champion Mirinda Carfrae, and Ironman Champions Julie Dibens and TJ Tollakson.
We feature the TYR Freak of Nature in our “What’s New†section of our January 2012 issue, and will do a full review of the new suit in our 2012 March Buyer’s Guide.
The Freak is now available at our online store! Click here to buy one now.
Lean into it by Professional Triathlete and Coach Sara Gross
Sara is one of Canada's top Ironman competitors.On top of this she is a Triathlon coach with Mercury Rising. Tri It is proud to have worked with Sara for many years. If your looking for more info on her, check out the following websites
www.mercuryrisingtriathlon.com or www.saragross.ca
Lean into It
By Sara Gross
Fast running is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, almost.
If you want to run faster, improve your technique. Here’s an easy choice: You could spend many sweaty, painful hours at the track or on the treadmill shaving a few seconds off your one-kilometre repeats, or you could learn the skill of running well with a few drills and a good mental strategy and make the same (or even bigger) gains in less time and with less pain.
In recent years, the technical aspects of running and gait analysis have become hot topics, and a range of methods on “how to run better†have been packaged and sold under a variety of names. Seminars, books, and even shoes are designed to help you run more efficiently. There is a good reason why so many people are passionate about helping us run better: because it works! Simply, if you run more efficiently, you run faster. And it does not have to be complicated.
Use “Free†Energy
There are two forms of “free†energy. The first uses gravity by leaning forward as you run. In order to do this properly, you need to land on your fore- or mid-foot (not your heel) and keep a nice fast leg turnover as you run. This way, your centre of gravity will be slightly in front of your landing point on every step. You will gain momentum and feel like you are falling or tumbling forward. You may also find that you are not fit enough to keep up with how fast your body wants to move.
Second, free energy is stored in your muscles and tendons and released if your contact time with the ground is short. There is a growing consensus that elastic recoil can provide up to thirty per cent of the energy for propulsion. Your muscles store impact energy that is then used during the contraction phase as you push off the ground. In order to unleash the full potential of this free energy, you will need to keep your contact time with the ground low, moving in quick, short steps.
In practice, most of the athletes I coach have been able to pick up this economical way of running with a few simple drills. One girl described her running style as being “like Phoebe from Friends†(and, frankly, she was right), and within a short time she started to look like an elite runner.
The first drill is simply to stand and focus on your arm swing. Your arms should be loose and feel relaxed while you run and should not cross the centreline of your body as they swing. They should swing from about your beltline to your breastbone. The next step is to make sure that you are landing on your fore- or mid-foot, and not sticking your heel out like a brake. The easiest way to learn this skill is by running on the spot. Run on the spot as often as you can to reprogram your brain as it learns the new style. The third drill is simply to stand and lean forward into a fifty-metre stride. Recruit your core and lean forward into a run. Let yourself feel that gravity is pulling you forward and that all your legs have to do is keep up. A stride is just a twenty- to thirty-second interval in which you run quickly and smoothly. The last step is to put all three drills together. Start by standing and swinging your arms in a relaxed manner, then begin to run on the spot. After running on the spot for a few seconds, lean forward and let gravity take you into a full run stride. And voila! You can do it.
Helping Your Body Adapt to the Changes
Anyone who has thought about changing their run technique has probably also heard about some athlete who got injured during the process. If you change the impact forces on your legs, you will put extra stress on certain areas that are not properly adapted or ready to handle these forces. The most common complaint is calf soreness. You will need to help your body make the correct adaptations.
You should be stretching thoroughly after every run. If not, do not expect to change your run style and “get away with it.†You will need to stretch your calves, hamstrings, and glutes especially, but also your hip adductors, abductors, and flexors. You will also need to strengthen some key areas such as your feet and ankles, calves, hip abductors, especially gluteus medius. Check out strengthening exercises on-line or ask a physiotherapist or your coach. Massage therapy has endless benefits for athletes, and if you are going to change your run technique, you will need a good massage therapist with experience to help find any tight spots that you may not have noticed yourself. Equally, self-massage can work wonders. You can use your own thumbs to find pressure points in your calves and release them by pressing on painful areas for thirty seconds. Also, a rolling pin works well for quads, calves, and ITB (most triathletes are familiar with ITB-related pain), or lie on a tennis ball to massage tight glutes. Use ice to control any extra inflammation. If you run mostly on pavement, take an occasional ice bath, the colder the better, for fifteen minutes followed by a warm bath or shower. You will feel like you have new legs.
Teaching Your Mind to Adapt to the Changes
Almost all of the athletes I coach have been able to change their running form and run more efficiently. They can run like a superstar for fifty metres, but being able to do that for five, ten or 42.2 kilometres is another story.
You will need to find some mental cues to help make the changes permanent. By this I mean, find things that you can tell yourself in order to get your body to move the way you want it to. Thinking to yourself “land mid-foot†or “lean forward†may not produce the results you want.
I took a big step up in my running ability when I changed the way I thought about my relationship to the ground. Previously, I had been focusing on “landing,†but this had the effect of making my foot strike down heavily with a long contact time. One day I realized that the ground is not just for landing but is the surface I use to propel myself forward. When I started thinking about the ground in terms of push-off instead of landing, it shortened my contact time, thus releasing the “free†energy from elastic recoil.
Recently, I was running with an athlete who felt she was overusing her quads while running. Despite months of trying, she still had a tendency to stick her heel out in front of her as she ran. Then she suddenly started running correctly. I asked her what she was thinking, and she said she started focusing on pushing the ground out behind her. Other great examples: imagine yourself running on a giant turning globe, or imagine that you are running on a hot plate. Use your camera or phone to take photos or videos of yourself so that you know when you are doing it correctly. Find the mental cues that help you get it right.
www.mercuryrisingtriathlon.com or www.saragross.ca
Lean into It
By Sara Gross
Fast running is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, almost.
If you want to run faster, improve your technique. Here’s an easy choice: You could spend many sweaty, painful hours at the track or on the treadmill shaving a few seconds off your one-kilometre repeats, or you could learn the skill of running well with a few drills and a good mental strategy and make the same (or even bigger) gains in less time and with less pain.
In recent years, the technical aspects of running and gait analysis have become hot topics, and a range of methods on “how to run better†have been packaged and sold under a variety of names. Seminars, books, and even shoes are designed to help you run more efficiently. There is a good reason why so many people are passionate about helping us run better: because it works! Simply, if you run more efficiently, you run faster. And it does not have to be complicated.
Use “Free†Energy
There are two forms of “free†energy. The first uses gravity by leaning forward as you run. In order to do this properly, you need to land on your fore- or mid-foot (not your heel) and keep a nice fast leg turnover as you run. This way, your centre of gravity will be slightly in front of your landing point on every step. You will gain momentum and feel like you are falling or tumbling forward. You may also find that you are not fit enough to keep up with how fast your body wants to move.
Second, free energy is stored in your muscles and tendons and released if your contact time with the ground is short. There is a growing consensus that elastic recoil can provide up to thirty per cent of the energy for propulsion. Your muscles store impact energy that is then used during the contraction phase as you push off the ground. In order to unleash the full potential of this free energy, you will need to keep your contact time with the ground low, moving in quick, short steps.
In practice, most of the athletes I coach have been able to pick up this economical way of running with a few simple drills. One girl described her running style as being “like Phoebe from Friends†(and, frankly, she was right), and within a short time she started to look like an elite runner.
The first drill is simply to stand and focus on your arm swing. Your arms should be loose and feel relaxed while you run and should not cross the centreline of your body as they swing. They should swing from about your beltline to your breastbone. The next step is to make sure that you are landing on your fore- or mid-foot, and not sticking your heel out like a brake. The easiest way to learn this skill is by running on the spot. Run on the spot as often as you can to reprogram your brain as it learns the new style. The third drill is simply to stand and lean forward into a fifty-metre stride. Recruit your core and lean forward into a run. Let yourself feel that gravity is pulling you forward and that all your legs have to do is keep up. A stride is just a twenty- to thirty-second interval in which you run quickly and smoothly. The last step is to put all three drills together. Start by standing and swinging your arms in a relaxed manner, then begin to run on the spot. After running on the spot for a few seconds, lean forward and let gravity take you into a full run stride. And voila! You can do it.
Helping Your Body Adapt to the Changes
Anyone who has thought about changing their run technique has probably also heard about some athlete who got injured during the process. If you change the impact forces on your legs, you will put extra stress on certain areas that are not properly adapted or ready to handle these forces. The most common complaint is calf soreness. You will need to help your body make the correct adaptations.
You should be stretching thoroughly after every run. If not, do not expect to change your run style and “get away with it.†You will need to stretch your calves, hamstrings, and glutes especially, but also your hip adductors, abductors, and flexors. You will also need to strengthen some key areas such as your feet and ankles, calves, hip abductors, especially gluteus medius. Check out strengthening exercises on-line or ask a physiotherapist or your coach. Massage therapy has endless benefits for athletes, and if you are going to change your run technique, you will need a good massage therapist with experience to help find any tight spots that you may not have noticed yourself. Equally, self-massage can work wonders. You can use your own thumbs to find pressure points in your calves and release them by pressing on painful areas for thirty seconds. Also, a rolling pin works well for quads, calves, and ITB (most triathletes are familiar with ITB-related pain), or lie on a tennis ball to massage tight glutes. Use ice to control any extra inflammation. If you run mostly on pavement, take an occasional ice bath, the colder the better, for fifteen minutes followed by a warm bath or shower. You will feel like you have new legs.
Teaching Your Mind to Adapt to the Changes
Almost all of the athletes I coach have been able to change their running form and run more efficiently. They can run like a superstar for fifty metres, but being able to do that for five, ten or 42.2 kilometres is another story.
You will need to find some mental cues to help make the changes permanent. By this I mean, find things that you can tell yourself in order to get your body to move the way you want it to. Thinking to yourself “land mid-foot†or “lean forward†may not produce the results you want.
I took a big step up in my running ability when I changed the way I thought about my relationship to the ground. Previously, I had been focusing on “landing,†but this had the effect of making my foot strike down heavily with a long contact time. One day I realized that the ground is not just for landing but is the surface I use to propel myself forward. When I started thinking about the ground in terms of push-off instead of landing, it shortened my contact time, thus releasing the “free†energy from elastic recoil.
Recently, I was running with an athlete who felt she was overusing her quads while running. Despite months of trying, she still had a tendency to stick her heel out in front of her as she ran. Then she suddenly started running correctly. I asked her what she was thinking, and she said she started focusing on pushing the ground out behind her. Other great examples: imagine yourself running on a giant turning globe, or imagine that you are running on a hot plate. Use your camera or phone to take photos or videos of yourself so that you know when you are doing it correctly. Find the mental cues that help you get it right.
Coach Todd Malcolm Interviews Pro Triathlete Janelle Morrison !!
Coach Todd is one of Calgarys top Triathlon coaches. He is the owner of No Limits coaching.
Read his awesome interview with Pro triathlete Janelle Morrison, Almost one year after her accident. Enjoy
If you do not know who Janelle Morrison is, please click on the following link. She has an amazing tale to tell.
http://www.asecondchancefilm.ca/
Below is an interview I had today with Janelle. Enjoy!
COACH TODD: Janelle thanks for taking the time to do this brief interview. We are now in November and are approaching one year since your accident (Nov 21, 2010). I still remember reading Jordan’s (Jordan Bryden) facebook post saying what happened. We were all in shock.
Can you believe it has been almost a year already?
JANELLE MORRISON:Yes and no. So much has happened and changed in 2011 so it is hard to believe that it could all take place in the span of just one year. At the same time, I knew that I would be where I am today within a year’s time. I didn’t know how this would happen or what would all be involved, but I knew that in one year this is where I would be. So to anyone who thinks that visualization and belief is ‘hocus pocus’ I really encourage you to check again
COACH TODD: Just this past week I was at Kelly Brothers productions and Rob showed me some footage of you on the treadmill and I have to say wow you looked amazing. He also showed me some footage of you in the pool and your stroke is looking great.
JANELLE MORRISON: Thanks! There has been no shortage of work…especially in the pool the last 6 months or so! A work in progress!
COACH TODD: How is your fitness level right now?
JANELLE MORRISON:Honestly? It is better than it has ever been for the swim and bike. I have only been able to start building the run back since late September/early October after having surgery to get the plates/screws removed from my ankle. So to be fair, I have only been working on it for a couple of weeks now. But every single day my body remembers. It’s a remarkable thing to ‘see’ and ‘feel’ firsthand. I am extremely pleased with the progress. Nothing has changed. I will run like I did before, but I dare say it may just be faster because I want it even more than I ever did before.
All in all though, Paulo Sousa’s training program is tough, no frills, but supremely effective. I am working harder than I ever have and it’s paying off.
COACH TODD: To give people an idea what would you swim a 1500 in, bike 40 Km and run 10 Km?
JANELLE MORRISON:Hmmmm. I’ll let the actual results speak for themselves so I won’t give actual numbers, but I also know that people are super interested…so I’ll give you some hints
Last week I just did a timed 1500 at ‘cruise’ pace. I only timed it out of curiosity. It was nearly 3 minutes faster than any other 1500 I have ever done in a race situation.
As for the bike, I haven’t done a 40 km. TT but given my current wattage I am holding for 20-30 minute efforts, I am confident that this will be significantly faster as well. I will also be racing on a FELT DA3 with 650 wheels and a 48 cm. frame. There is a lot to be said about a bike that fits you not only properly…but perfectly.
Since I have not yet incorporated speed work or ‘long’ runs into my run training yet I cannot say for sure. Right now in the early stages it is all about getting the body to adapt to running again. So most of my runs are at a Zone 2 pace just to get the miles in, sometimes twice a day. These run are done comfortably at 7:00-6:45 minute/mile pace. As I mentioned in my blog…when you factor in a few more months of training, speed work, long runs, and the fact that I am ridiculously motivated…I’ll leave the math up to your readers!!
COACH TODD:People always say things happen for a reason. Since the accident what are your thoughts on this?
JANELLE MORRISON:I could write a book on this but I’ll try to summarize! I had a tremendous amount of bad luck in 2010 and the moment the accident happened to me it was like all the good luck I had been ‘saving’ came into overdrive. It was truly miraculous.
It actually brings me back to the teaching days. When I taught grades 4/5 I was passionate about instilling a ‘never give up attitude’ in my students. I spoke to them about this all the time. My motto was, “If you fall down 7 times – stand up 8.†Although I don’t miss the supremely busy days of teaching, I still missed this aspect of the job when I became a full-time athlete. And now, I feel like I have been given the opportunity to project this ‘never give up attitude’ on a much larger scale. I have been given a podium in which to share it. I am living the dream for sure, but I have also learned that you don’t achieve your dreams on your own. No one does something alone. This is a way to give back. To share in a way that was once not possible.
I was recently asked by someone in Kona who was also in a bike accident and was actually paralyzed on one side for a time (but now racing again at a very high level)….if I could go back in time if I would erase the accident. This was profound to me. I had never been asked this. But what was even more profound to me was how quickly I answered it. I said NO, that I would not erase the accident. You may be asking why, so I will try to explain it. I have been given the opportunity to learn more about myself than I ever could have imagined, and as well, about other people. An accident like this tests you and those around you. Those who stick by you are those who you want in your life. To know this is a gift.
COACH TODD:I was at Ironman Canada this year and during the prerace dinner we watched a video on how Jordan Rapp was hit by a car, left for dead, saved and then trained and eventually won IMC. It is simply an amazing story. As I watched the video I looked at Rob and said next year that will be your video of Janelle up there. As many know, a documentary is being made about you called A Second Chance.
How is being the star of your own movie?
JANELLE MORRISON:It has actually been extremely therapeutic. Rob has had me do video diaries documenting my daily life happenings and it was great to look back on some of the clips with a bird’s eye view in a sense. I am also honored that the film is being made to begin with. It has been a part in keeping me motivated during the tough times this year and has allowed me to have the podium I mentioned previously to be put across for all to see and hear. Rob is a very talented film maker and he is super amazing to work with. His belief in me, even in the early stages after my accident was and continues to be, so important. He decided to put the energy and work into filming my recovery and comeback when no one knew how it was going to turn out. I asked people early on to simply BELIEVE. And he did that. Just another bit of motivation for me to do what it is that I am setting out to do. To show Rob that he made the right choice. There is no pressure when I say that, it is just something else, among a long line of things that I am supremely motivated by.
COACH TODD:Some people know that we raced Hawaii Ironman in 2008 and we had our 1st swim in the ocean together. That was an awesome day. I love those yellow fishes.
JANELLE MORRISON:Heheheh. As long as those yellow fishes remain yellow fishes and not sharks. I fully agree!!
COACH TODD:I recently saw a picture of you sitting on the Kailua Kona seawall staring at the Ironman start. What were you thinking?
JANELLE MORRISON:That day was a whirlwind. I was actually just thinking I was glad to sit down in a ‘quieter’ spot to get away from it all for a few minutes!! But if I think about what I was really thinking, beneath the fatigue of it all, I was thinking that I belonged out there and that it wasn’t going to be long. Not long at all.
COACH TODD:Many would like to know what will be your 1st race? A running race, sprint, Olympic or other? Do you know what race will be first?
JANELLE MORRISON:I have yet to confirm all of this with Paulo, so I don’t want to put it out there until he and I have hashed it all out. I will be joining the squad in Las Cruces at the first squad camp in January building the final doses of fitness, endurance, and speed to compete for paychecks at the professional level which has always been the goal. I will be announcing my first triathlon, which will be a Stateside 70.3 in the spring of 2012, in the near future. Keep a watch out!
COACH TODD:I have signed up for Ironman Canada 2012 and I am hoping that you will also race so that I can yell “Go Janelle†when you are on the other side of the road headed home. If you are able to race IMC you will have such a huge support group following you. Can you picture that day in your mind?
JANELLE MORRISON:I picture that day in my mind EVERY SINGLE DAY. I live for it. I cannot wait for our moment on the run course which we have discussed. Can’t wait
COACH TODD:One more question. We just finished Halloween. What is your favorite Halloween treat?
JANELLE MORRISON:Those little mini Aero bars are yummy. I’ve always liked the bubbles! Of course Reese Peanut Butter Cups are always awesome. And Coffee Crisps…wait and Kit Kats….on second thought…just sign me up for all of it.
COACH TODD:Thanks for taking the time out for this interview Janelle. We all wish you the best of luck. Go Janelle!
JANELLE MORRISON:An absolute pleasure it has been. Thanks, Todd
Read his awesome interview with Pro triathlete Janelle Morrison, Almost one year after her accident. Enjoy
If you do not know who Janelle Morrison is, please click on the following link. She has an amazing tale to tell.
http://www.asecondchancefilm.ca/
Below is an interview I had today with Janelle. Enjoy!
COACH TODD: Janelle thanks for taking the time to do this brief interview. We are now in November and are approaching one year since your accident (Nov 21, 2010). I still remember reading Jordan’s (Jordan Bryden) facebook post saying what happened. We were all in shock.
Can you believe it has been almost a year already?
JANELLE MORRISON:Yes and no. So much has happened and changed in 2011 so it is hard to believe that it could all take place in the span of just one year. At the same time, I knew that I would be where I am today within a year’s time. I didn’t know how this would happen or what would all be involved, but I knew that in one year this is where I would be. So to anyone who thinks that visualization and belief is ‘hocus pocus’ I really encourage you to check again
COACH TODD: Just this past week I was at Kelly Brothers productions and Rob showed me some footage of you on the treadmill and I have to say wow you looked amazing. He also showed me some footage of you in the pool and your stroke is looking great.
JANELLE MORRISON: Thanks! There has been no shortage of work…especially in the pool the last 6 months or so! A work in progress!
COACH TODD: How is your fitness level right now?
JANELLE MORRISON:Honestly? It is better than it has ever been for the swim and bike. I have only been able to start building the run back since late September/early October after having surgery to get the plates/screws removed from my ankle. So to be fair, I have only been working on it for a couple of weeks now. But every single day my body remembers. It’s a remarkable thing to ‘see’ and ‘feel’ firsthand. I am extremely pleased with the progress. Nothing has changed. I will run like I did before, but I dare say it may just be faster because I want it even more than I ever did before.
All in all though, Paulo Sousa’s training program is tough, no frills, but supremely effective. I am working harder than I ever have and it’s paying off.
COACH TODD: To give people an idea what would you swim a 1500 in, bike 40 Km and run 10 Km?
JANELLE MORRISON:Hmmmm. I’ll let the actual results speak for themselves so I won’t give actual numbers, but I also know that people are super interested…so I’ll give you some hints
Last week I just did a timed 1500 at ‘cruise’ pace. I only timed it out of curiosity. It was nearly 3 minutes faster than any other 1500 I have ever done in a race situation.
As for the bike, I haven’t done a 40 km. TT but given my current wattage I am holding for 20-30 minute efforts, I am confident that this will be significantly faster as well. I will also be racing on a FELT DA3 with 650 wheels and a 48 cm. frame. There is a lot to be said about a bike that fits you not only properly…but perfectly.
Since I have not yet incorporated speed work or ‘long’ runs into my run training yet I cannot say for sure. Right now in the early stages it is all about getting the body to adapt to running again. So most of my runs are at a Zone 2 pace just to get the miles in, sometimes twice a day. These run are done comfortably at 7:00-6:45 minute/mile pace. As I mentioned in my blog…when you factor in a few more months of training, speed work, long runs, and the fact that I am ridiculously motivated…I’ll leave the math up to your readers!!
COACH TODD:People always say things happen for a reason. Since the accident what are your thoughts on this?
JANELLE MORRISON:I could write a book on this but I’ll try to summarize! I had a tremendous amount of bad luck in 2010 and the moment the accident happened to me it was like all the good luck I had been ‘saving’ came into overdrive. It was truly miraculous.
It actually brings me back to the teaching days. When I taught grades 4/5 I was passionate about instilling a ‘never give up attitude’ in my students. I spoke to them about this all the time. My motto was, “If you fall down 7 times – stand up 8.†Although I don’t miss the supremely busy days of teaching, I still missed this aspect of the job when I became a full-time athlete. And now, I feel like I have been given the opportunity to project this ‘never give up attitude’ on a much larger scale. I have been given a podium in which to share it. I am living the dream for sure, but I have also learned that you don’t achieve your dreams on your own. No one does something alone. This is a way to give back. To share in a way that was once not possible.
I was recently asked by someone in Kona who was also in a bike accident and was actually paralyzed on one side for a time (but now racing again at a very high level)….if I could go back in time if I would erase the accident. This was profound to me. I had never been asked this. But what was even more profound to me was how quickly I answered it. I said NO, that I would not erase the accident. You may be asking why, so I will try to explain it. I have been given the opportunity to learn more about myself than I ever could have imagined, and as well, about other people. An accident like this tests you and those around you. Those who stick by you are those who you want in your life. To know this is a gift.
COACH TODD:I was at Ironman Canada this year and during the prerace dinner we watched a video on how Jordan Rapp was hit by a car, left for dead, saved and then trained and eventually won IMC. It is simply an amazing story. As I watched the video I looked at Rob and said next year that will be your video of Janelle up there. As many know, a documentary is being made about you called A Second Chance.
How is being the star of your own movie?
JANELLE MORRISON:It has actually been extremely therapeutic. Rob has had me do video diaries documenting my daily life happenings and it was great to look back on some of the clips with a bird’s eye view in a sense. I am also honored that the film is being made to begin with. It has been a part in keeping me motivated during the tough times this year and has allowed me to have the podium I mentioned previously to be put across for all to see and hear. Rob is a very talented film maker and he is super amazing to work with. His belief in me, even in the early stages after my accident was and continues to be, so important. He decided to put the energy and work into filming my recovery and comeback when no one knew how it was going to turn out. I asked people early on to simply BELIEVE. And he did that. Just another bit of motivation for me to do what it is that I am setting out to do. To show Rob that he made the right choice. There is no pressure when I say that, it is just something else, among a long line of things that I am supremely motivated by.
COACH TODD:Some people know that we raced Hawaii Ironman in 2008 and we had our 1st swim in the ocean together. That was an awesome day. I love those yellow fishes.
JANELLE MORRISON:Heheheh. As long as those yellow fishes remain yellow fishes and not sharks. I fully agree!!
COACH TODD:I recently saw a picture of you sitting on the Kailua Kona seawall staring at the Ironman start. What were you thinking?
JANELLE MORRISON:That day was a whirlwind. I was actually just thinking I was glad to sit down in a ‘quieter’ spot to get away from it all for a few minutes!! But if I think about what I was really thinking, beneath the fatigue of it all, I was thinking that I belonged out there and that it wasn’t going to be long. Not long at all.
COACH TODD:Many would like to know what will be your 1st race? A running race, sprint, Olympic or other? Do you know what race will be first?
JANELLE MORRISON:I have yet to confirm all of this with Paulo, so I don’t want to put it out there until he and I have hashed it all out. I will be joining the squad in Las Cruces at the first squad camp in January building the final doses of fitness, endurance, and speed to compete for paychecks at the professional level which has always been the goal. I will be announcing my first triathlon, which will be a Stateside 70.3 in the spring of 2012, in the near future. Keep a watch out!
COACH TODD:I have signed up for Ironman Canada 2012 and I am hoping that you will also race so that I can yell “Go Janelle†when you are on the other side of the road headed home. If you are able to race IMC you will have such a huge support group following you. Can you picture that day in your mind?
JANELLE MORRISON:I picture that day in my mind EVERY SINGLE DAY. I live for it. I cannot wait for our moment on the run course which we have discussed. Can’t wait
COACH TODD:One more question. We just finished Halloween. What is your favorite Halloween treat?
JANELLE MORRISON:Those little mini Aero bars are yummy. I’ve always liked the bubbles! Of course Reese Peanut Butter Cups are always awesome. And Coffee Crisps…wait and Kit Kats….on second thought…just sign me up for all of it.
COACH TODD:Thanks for taking the time out for this interview Janelle. We all wish you the best of luck. Go Janelle!
JANELLE MORRISON:An absolute pleasure it has been. Thanks, Todd