Wednesday 10 April 2013

Moist

Not sure what is going on with the weather here. Raining most of yesterday and today with 'Ice Storms' forecasted for tonight and tomorrow?!

Unbelievably today was the first time this year that we have run and got seriously drenched in the rain. One of those runs where you spend the first 15 minutes tip-toeing around puddles then you eventually think 'sod it' and just plough through them without caring. Felt like nearly every run I have ever done in Scotland!! Since my come back from illness, running is the one thing that is a bit of struggle to get going again. I consider it to be my best discipline which doesn't help but we are getting there slowly.

The weather here couldn't be more of a contrast to that which fellow Athelite member Derek is currently experiencing in the Sahara Desert as he moves on past the half way point of the Marathon Des Sables. With blistered feet since day one, today is a DOUBLE marathon day in the sand and heat. It is very difficult for us to comprehend what that might feel like but no one has more motivation & drive than our Derek so I am pretty sure he will get through it.






Video Swim Analysis Clinics, Aurora, Toronto

We have released some new dates for Video Swim Analysis Clinics.

These are April 28th, May 12th and May 26th.

All sessions take place at St Andrews College Pool in Aurora on Sunday afternoons from 1.00 - 3.00pm.

For more details and to book your slot go to the website at www.athelite.net/swim-analysis

Monday 8 April 2013

Has Spring Sprung?

I just sat down to write a blog about Spring and what a lovely morning it was. Unfortunately the rain has simultaneously started hammering on the window so it looks like Spring has Sprung a leak already.

Nevertheless - I have strung together four rides outdoors in four days which is something. (Fridays ride was actually on the trainer, in the garden, wearing a thermal jacket, but I am counting it as 'outdoors'). On Saturday we went to ride with the Newmarket Eagles. Unfortunately it was so cold that only 1 other person turned up but we had a great ride through Holland Marshes. It may have been cold but I still seemed to get a sunburnt nose!!

I am starting to feel a bit of the old 'magic?' returning to my body after my time out. I am not allowed to do any intervals swimming, biking or running, but the pace and endurance is slowly rising again. According to Training Peaks my fitness is currently back down at the level that is was at Christmas which is a bit disheartening but with the whole of the Summer ahead we are remaining positive. Ironman Mont Tremblant kindly emailed this morning to let me know that the race is 131 days away so that will keep me focused for the time being.


Tuesday 2 April 2013

A word from the Immigrants....

Unbelievably it is 6 months today since we collapsed out of the plane from Scotland and landed on Canadian soil.
The time has flown by and it has certainly been a bit of a roller-coaster since we left Glasgow last October.
It was a pretty emotional departure from the UK and we were both shattered, exhausted and sad to be leaving our friends. Fortunately it does feel like people are not too far away through the medium of Facebook and Skype and we have a lot of exciting visits scheduled from our pale, wind swept Clan over the next few months.
Although we arrived in October we deliberately waited to get the business going properly until January this year. We are so grateful to all the wonderful people we have met since we got started who have had the faith to use our services, even though they didn't have the foggiest idea who we were!!
Since January we have getting busy. We set ourselves up in our base at Bayview Physio in Aurora where we have our Retul Bike Fitting Studio. It is also from here that we have been running Indoor Spin Classes through the winter. We have been busy coaching triathlon clients in both the Uk and in Canada, running regular Video Swim Analysis Clinics, Swim Stroke Correction Clinics & now the Sunday Squad Swims are a regular feature too. Not bad so far and lots more to come!!
We have also managed to endure our first Canadian winter (our cold weather gear arrived off the boat just in time). The thing we are very excited about is swimming, biking & running outside through the summer in the hopefully gorgeous weather. This will be one of the biggest differences for us as Scotlands summer generally only lasts for a week, and even then you only know it is summer because the rain is warmer.
Although the original Athelite Triathlon Shop no longer exists in the Uk it is great to see Athelite Triathlon Club still going strong under the watchful eye of  a new committee and we watch proudly from a distance as they take on their new challenges this year.

Anyway, enough of this as it is starting to sound like the Queens Christmas Speech.

So thank you everyone again for all your support so far, from both sides of the pond and...

Bring on the next 6 months!!!

Monday 1 April 2013

The Big Outdoors

I hope you are all having a nice Easter long weekend - it was a mixed bag of weather here to contend with. As Genevieve knocked out a second mighty big training week, I managed something a little more gentle as I ease myself carefully back into training following my enforced time out.

I ticked over quite well through the week managing 3 steady swims and 3 slow runs (which were all very uncomfortable), but the highlight was actually finally riding outdoors for the first time this year (Woohoo High Five!!). As forecasted the sun shone on Saturday & the temperatures rose from the minuses up to a dizzy 12 degrees in the afternoon. A small bunch of us had a nice 2 hour ride around Musselman Lake, which was still completely frozen over with people walking their dogs on it (this still catches me by surprise!). So nice to sit outside the coffee shop afterwards in the sun. Sunday was colder & windier but we headed out again for 2hrs 30. This extra 30 mins was a bit much for me - I clearly have a 2 hour limit of endurance for the time being until I am more recovered.



Cold, gusty, snowy conditions for today & the next couple of days. The word on the street is that that is the last of the cold weather though & the back end of the week looks more favorable. BRING IT ON!! (gently).