By Jasper Blake
May 15, 2007 -- 2006 Ironman Canada Champion Jasper Blake is contributing to Triathletemag.com monthly as he prepares for the 2007 season, where he hopes to add another Ironman title to his resume and to tackle the inaugural Subaru Victoria International Half Iron on May 26th, (www.Lifesport.ca) and Subaru Vancouver International Half Iron September 16th (www.LifeSport.ca). Jasper loans his insights as a full time elite athlete on training the big miles, with a keen eye for the lighter side of triathlon.
Victoria can be wet. This winter it was very, very, very wet! I think I did one long ride without getting wet and I will admit that mentally it got very tough. The first thing I do every morning is open the front door and stand on the front porch to check the conditions. I usually wave my arms up and down to feel the air so I know what to wear. This year I rarely had to proceed with this routine because I have my standard rain outfit. A quick glance out the window was usually all I needed to prepare for the day.
I don’t mind riding in the rain. I don’t mind it at all if I have my winter bike and it is kitted out with fenders. The rain rarely gets you that wet; it’s usually the spray from the tires that does the soaking. There is nothing quite like a continual spray from your back wheel soaking your nether regions to make things fun.
We have a rule here – if you show up for a group ride without fenders and it is raining you must stay in the back. There is nothing worse than being behind some dude who has no fenders – water, dirt and debris spraying up into your face and soaking you to the bone.
So sometimes even I need a break from the magic of Victoria. There is a place not far from here that I frequently visit. It’s the home of Ironman Canada and one of the most epic training venues on the planet, Penticton BC. I have been coming here for the past couple of years for training blocks. Penticton is in the desert and as such has very favorable conditions especially at this time of year. I find myself here for the last big build before Ironman Couer d’Alene and one final push before the Shawnigan Lake race.
We are piling on the miles this week and so far it’s been good. I’ve learned that progress only happens when you keep redefining what you think is possible. A-year-ago I would never have imagined I could have handled the volume we have been putting in over the past 10 days. Perhaps a-year-ago I may not have been able to handle it.
Andrew has taught me several things, one being that old school is a good thing and maybe those guys back in the 80’s were on to something. They had a formula that is still hard to beat, all you need to do is dig up the winning times from Hawaii and realize that not much has changed over the past 20 years, the guys and gals went fast back then and they did it with a “no bullshit” attitude. Some of them made it and some of them burned up but at least they were checking the realm of possibility.
Penticton offers an opportunity to climb and climb and climb. There are climbs here that have been compared to Alpe d’Huez. There is hot sun that brings searing temperatures and there are two awesome lakes to swim in, one currently inhabited by Canada’s version of the Loch Ness Monster.
Penticton is a sleepy town in the winter but in the spring and summer it comes alive with the sound of music. There are wine festivals, Elvis conventions, Harley Davidson gatherings and yes, Ironman Canada. Penticton is in a swing month at the moment, which means the buzz is starting to get louder and young teenage hipsters are starting to cruise the strip in their tricked out rides.
In a few more days camp will be over and it will be back to Victoria where the weather should be on the up swing and my tulips should be springing to life in the back garden. Yes, you heard me correctly, tulips. We can step outside if you have a problem with that.
Jasper’s Partners Include:
Gleukos- www.gleukos.com
Adidas- www.adidas.com
Orbea- www.orbea.com
Shimano- www.shimano.com
7Systems- www.7systems.ca
Rudy Project- www.rudyproject.com
Computrainer- www.computrainer.com