Yesterday was definitely the highlight of the camp so far. 12×300 on the grass field at Nike running behind Galen Rupp and Dathan Ritzenhein while the coaches filmed. It was pretty cool hopping into a workout with those guys and getting feedback from Alberto.

Kara Goucher was also there doing a workout, pretty neat to watch her run too. We also saw Adam Goucher and Alan Webb pool running while we were swimming. There are FAST runners everywhere here!

It’s been a great learning experience so far. Only a few more days to soak it all up!

Are coming to Toronto!

Toronto to host 2015 Pan Am Games…

Nothing too crazy on day 1. We started the day with a quick meet and greet with Alberto at Nike, then we hopped into a strength session with some of the guys from The Oregon Project. After that we did a quick swim in the Lance Armstrong pool and then headed back to the hotel for a rest. We finished the day with an easy run on the Nike campus trails.

Coach Phil has a few photos up on his blog.

This morning will be the first real test as we’re meeting up with the group for some hill reps…should be fun!

It might seem a little early to be writing those words. Most triathletes are either just getting back in to training or still enjoying a little rest during their off-season.

Our group is still in the process of building back up for next season but we’ve decided to head down to Portland, Oregon tomorrow for a 10-day training camp.

Portland might seem like an odd choice to do a training camp…it’s probably one of the only places where it rains more than here at this time of year! But when amazing opportunities come around you gotta take advantage of them. Thanks to the combined efforts of Simon, Nike, and TriCan we’ll be meeting up with world-renowned runner and now coach Alberto Salazar and his group of athletes…guys like Dathan Ritzenhein, Alan Webb, Galen Rupp, The Gouchers, and many others. Should make for an incredible experience!

The focus of the camp will obviously be on running. We’ll be learning as much as we possibly can. Our goal is to take our running to the next level and who better to learn from than the world’s best!

Be sure to check out the blogs of Simon, Lauren, Andrew, and myself for updates and pictures over the next 10 days!

Tomorrow I’ll be spending the day with 7Systems at Frontrunners Victoria. We’ll have a booth set-up from 10-5. Come down to see us and you can sample 7Ssytems for FREE!

I’ve been taking 7Sytems for about 10 months and have noticed a significant difference in my recovery and overall energy throughout the day. I would strongly recommend it to anyone looking for that extra edge on their competition!

Come see us tomorrow and find out why 7Systems is the choice supplement of Olympic Champion Simon Whitfield, Olympians Lauren Groves, Erinne Willock, and Malcolm Howard, Ironman Champion Jasper Blake and many other notable endurance athletes.

Training for next year doesn’t officially start until next Monday, but Coach Phil sent out a schedule for our last week of active recovery. For the past two weeks I haven’t been doing too much. Some easy swims and runs, a couple rides, and quite a bit of relaxing. It was a nice rest both mentally and physically.

Whenever I have a break and I’m not training a lot I get bored pretty fast so this time I had a good distraction as Kelly and I just moved into our new condo. Between packing, unpacking, and getting settled in I was able to keep busy for a few days. We’re really enjoying our new place. There are loads of running trails all around us. I’m discovering new routes every time I go out. The riding out here is great too.

I’m ready to get the fall training underway. The focus will definitely be on running which I’m looking forward to. I’ll be racing a few cross country meets in the next couple months so that should be fun. We also have some other really neat plans for the next training block that I am very excited about…more on that later.

I’ve been enjoying some time off the last few days. It’s been nice to relax a bit. I’m not too sure how much longer it will last though. I find it a lot easier to take a break after I’ve had a very successful race or season. You feel satisfied and deserving of a rest. Although I took many positives out of this past season and had some good results, I finished it hungrier for much more!

I’m in a good position right now, not too far from where I want/need to be. I’m very excited to get back to training. We’ll be doing some solid work this fall. I have a feeling I’ll be going through a few pairs of shoes…

Here’s a link to an article from my hometown paper in Oakville: Oakville Beaver Article

Yesterday I raced the World Championship Series Grand Final on the Gold Coast in Australia. The weather here has been awesome all week, 25 and sunny everyday, and yesterday was no exception. Perfect weather for racing.

I had a great start and was able to get some clean water out to the first turn. It was pretty rough rounding the buoys with so many guys bunched together. The second lap was a lot less rough and I was able to swim pretty well, exiting the water only 10 seconds behind the leader.

A group of about 30 guys formed almost immediately on the bike. Another group of about 20 guys caught us at about half way. There were a bunch of different attacks throughout the ride with 2 small breakaways getting away late in the bike. The first group got about a minute and the second group, with Paul Tichelaar, got about 40 seconds. I was well positioned throughout the ride, staying near the front of the group and out of trouble. It was a bit chaotic entering transition with so many guys trying to get to the front.

I was able to get out well and felt pretty good running. Everyone started insanely fast! I tried to be conservative for the first lap thinking guys would blow up. I felt better each lap, picking up a few guys, but there were no real explosions like I anticipated. I felt like I was moving well, there were just so many other guys running well too.

I crossed the finish line in 25th place. Not the result I was looking for but I can’t be too disappointed. I’ve spent the last 3 years working really hard on my swimming and I’m very pleased with where it’s at. I’ve been a front pack swimmer basically the entire year. I feel like I am finally in a position where I can focus on my running now, something I’ve wanted to do for a while. I’m really looking forward to taking my running to the next level!

Mark Bates just posted some great pictures from the race last weekend.

You can check’em out here.

Photo: Digital Wonders Photography and Design Inc.