Stop hitting yourself: My Bazan Bay 5k

March 7, 2010 — Posted in races, training

This morning I ran the Bazan Bay 5km, which is part of the Frontrunners Island Race Series. This is an great race series for people of all fitness levels. It was a cooler, overcast morning—perfect race temperature.

I created some unnecessary expectations for myself (expectation leads to anxiety which leads to sleeplessness to quasi-panic attacks—my mind is a wonderful thing) going into this race, which contributed to me running far more poorly than I hoped to. UPDATE: Turns out I am/was also physically sick (fever/flu), so this wasn’t just psychosomatic.

I feel that my training has been going well, especially since I’ve seen faster times in training than I saw at today’s race. But enough coulda/shoulda/woulda . . .

Today’s Bazan Bay 5k was a great race that resulted in many people from the local elite community laying down some awesome times. I love the sense of camaraderie surrounding these well-organized races and I see many familiar faces when I show up to events like this. I’m lucky to live on this island.

To end, every race is also a learning opportunity. I have a number of take aways and learnings from this race and I look forward to my next go. The triathlon season is around the corner, so I need to work on reattaining the pre-race calmness I had developed by the end of last season. In regards to knocking out a 5k time that I’m proud of, I might hop over to Vancouver for the Dave Reed Spring Classic 5km at the end of the month, depending on how crazy school gets.

Full results for the race are here.

Thanks for reading! Thanks also to Noa and Kamal for cheering me on (and up), as well as to my teammates Derek and Nick for laying down strong times.

Ok Go: This too Shall Pass

March 2, 2010 — Posted in creative

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In the age of autotune, digital enhancement, and photoshop, here’s a piece of more material creative genius. Enjoy.

This video was too awesome not to post. Plus, the band is awesome too. By the by, the technical name for what is going on in this video is a Rube Goldberg machine.

New goodies: Sole’s Sports Flips!

February 25, 2010 — Posted in review

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I just got these Sole Men’s Flips as part of a box of awesome goodies (much needed socks, as well as appeal and footbeds) from Sole. I’ve worn Sole’s sandals since last summer and I’ve been very happy with them. In fact, I used to hate thong-style sandals (flip flops) and I swore that I’d never wear them. Sole’s Sport’s Flips changed my mind. They rock.

First off, they come my size (men’s 13), which is uncommon. Next, they actually grip and hold my foot (they aren’t sloppy), so they are comfortable to walk in. I often wear them when recovering after runs. Plus, they look good. If you’re looking for a quality pair of sandals, be sure to try on a pair of Sole’s.

I could go on, but suffice it to say that Sole makes great products and they are an awesome sponsor. I am fortunate to have their support (pun intended).

These same sandals were reviewed by The New York Times last year (link here) and deemed “the most supportive sandal in the test.”

Oh yeah . . . Here’s a little random joy for you. I just started listening to of Montreal again. Why did I ever stop? If you can ever catch them live, do so. They are a wild bunch and they put on a great show.

Also, here’s a video from Sled Island 2008, where I saw José González. I remember the utter magic of experiencing this song mere feet from stage. I was beside one of my best friends and felt so lifted. Even this video recalls those emotions. Enjoy.

Mexico, School, Skateboarding South America

February 23, 2010 — Posted in thought

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Just a quick update. I’m back in Canada after spending a week in Puerto Vallarta celebrating my grandfather’s upcoming 90th birthday! I had a pretty laid back week relaxing on the beach in Mexico, but I still managed to get some training in (mostly treadmill runs and ocean swims). One of the highlights of the trip was swimming out into the ocean solo, which is admittedly dangerous. Still, I found those swims energized me and gave me a sense of joy and appreciation for life.

School is picking up (thesis proposal, end of terms papers, presentations, etc.), so I have to focus these next couple months to make sure that I stay on top of things. I’m excited about where my life is at, but the time in Mexico made me very aware of just how busy I keep.

I want to highlight this video by Paul Kent—a professional longboarder—who I know through my brother Ross (also a longboarder). Paul recently skated across Peru and Bolivia and this video captures some of the wildness of his trip. He’s about to skate across Morocco as part of Long Treks on Skate Decks. Longboarding is a developing sport that I am a big supporter of. Paul is a serious endurance athlete who will challenge the way you think about longboarding. Enjoy the video and check out his site.

Support Your Supporters

February 7, 2010 — Posted in thought, training

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Leif Baradoy and Laura Weston Baradoy Only on the surface does triathlon appear to be an individual sport. Meeting one’s full potential does not happen in a social, emotional, or financial vacuum. Investigate your favourite athlete who competes in an individual sport and you are likely to find that person training with a coach and a group. Moreover, you will discover that the athlete is empowered to perform at a high level because of a support network made up of family, friends, and sponsors. Individual sport is a misnomer.

Suffice it to say that Laura is my biggest supporter. I do what I can to keep it that way.

I spent some of today watching the Superbowl with Nick, Kamal, Tyler, and Jairus. As we spoke about ways to continue developing as athletes, the topic of relationships came up. I heard a few horror stories of athletes whose partners pressured them to diminish their training or quit sport altogether. Ouch! Nevertheless, I wonder if athletes create problems for themselves when they become monomaniacal about their time and training.

Conflicts between my partnership to Laura and succeeding at the sport I love occur very infrequently, but when they inevitably do, I am faced with an opportunity to choose the person that I want to be. There are times when being in a relationship means that I choose to put training second.

Skipping training can make me feel guilty and grumpy, and I don’t like that. However, when I let my selfishness go and put my relationship first, it is always the better choice. I keep my priorities straight so that Laura knows she isn’t competing for my time and attention against a mistress named Triathlon.

By making sure I support my biggest supporter, there is a huge payoff: I’m free to train a ridiculous amount of hours each week with wholehearted support from my spouse. Give up an hour every once-and-awhile to have full support throughout the year. (Of course, relationships aren’t about equations, but if they were, this is a good one.)

To close, I wonder how many athletes think that success means sacrificing everything for sport, including relationships? I mean, the Olympics are coming up next week and part of the view popular view of these athletes (who represent nation-states) includes notions of the complete dedication of the athlete to pursue success at almost any cost (except cheating).

This idea of the single-mindedness of the athlete runs up against another odd assumption we have of Olympians, namely, that they are moral figures who embody their nations values. I mean, to a large degree, people think of Olympic athletes as not just physically superior but also morally advanced. Something about the Olympics conjures up ideas of super-humans, like Hercules or the Nephilim.

Thoughts?

Leif Baradoy and Laura Weston Baradoy

This is the trail (?)

January 25, 2010 — Posted in training

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Because I live a few blocks away from Mt. Douglas Park, I frequently exercise Luthor there. Rain. Shine. Mist. Night (with headlamp). Day. Whatever. He and I love hitting the hill and the mucky trails. I’m glad to have a fast (and relatively well behaved dog) who I can train with.

Noa, my coach, scheduled me for a short, light run today (I swam this morning), so I headed to Mt. Doug and pretty much followed the dog’s lead. I had a tremendous amount of fun going off some of the more main trails and getting lost with Luthor. I took the camera along for this run to share some photos.

I love getting muddy and running around the park. This sort of thing compliments the mental activity that grad school requires. I get a great deal of joy from this element of my triathlon training, so I count myself lucky (again) to be here in Victoria.

See more photos of this run here.

Praire Inn Pioneer 8km Road Race 2010

January 10, 2010 — Posted in races, training

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(insert photo of Leif suffering and sweating here)
I just finished running the Prairie Inn Pioneer 8K, which is part of the Frontrunners Island Race Series. I’m very pleased about my results for this race, which had a strong field because it was the BC Provincial Championships for the 8km road race.

Before the race, I felt that I should attempt to run an average of at least 3:30min/km, faster than I’ve ever run in a race (other than this supersprint tri). I managed to beat that goal. You can find results here, but the synopsis is that I ran 8km in 27:36 and placed thirtieth overall. This is the fastest pace I’ve ever sustained over a +5km distance, so I’m pleased by my achievement. While I still have a good way to go, this result encourages me to keep training to strive for even quicker times (which would meet a couple of my 2010 goals).

Not to say that this was an easy race. I sweated more than I have in months! I took a few risks and suffered through the race because of them. I went out fast with the lead runners and ran the first kilometer in under three minutes. Around the 2.5km mark, a large gap formed between the group I was running with and the next pack up. It seemed no one in the group wanted to bridge the gap (perhaps they were saving their energy for later). Anyway, for better or worse, I picked up my pace and caught the next group. The assuredly cost me some energy, but the experiment was worth it.

The Prairie Inn 8km race was well organized and a great deal of fun. I recommend this race to anyone looking for a fun road race that is well-attended by some of BC’s best athletes. This event was attended by some of the top triathletes and runners in Canada. Moreover, it was a gorgeous day to run. It was about 6C and misty. Perfect.

I learned a few things at the race:

Draft when possible. There were a few sections that I was out totally alone and I could feel the breeze pushing against me. I had to work just a little harder on the run; I could feel a significant difference from running with a pack of people. I think I could have been more strategic with sticking with a group of runners.
Pay attention to form. I need to work on being more mindful of my form and cadence when I race. Lack of mindfulness of my body results in less efficient racing and slower speeds. There were a number of times when I had to refocus on form.
Sprint at the end. I think I could have pushed harder the last 200m. Admittedly, hindsight always has me imagining that I’m super human and able to push harder than I did. Nevertheless, I slowed the last leg of the race and I could have made a few more seconds up if I had kept pushing.

Many thanks to PT Performance Training for helping me get to this speed and to Sole for equipping me with some custom footbeds for my Zoot race shoes.

I’m looking forward to the next race on January 24th: 10km at Cobble Hill.

Stewart Mountain 10 Mile

December 27, 2009 — Posted in races

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This post is late in coming, but nevertheless I wanted to report briefly on the Stewart Mountain 10 Mile race. I loved this race and look forward to improving on my time next year. I got wet, muddy, and I ran up a small (200m) mountain trail. I’m very glad that I followed the advice of a number of people and signed up for this event. Trail running is awesome. I’m not necessarily great at it, but this type of running makes me feel like a kid running through the forest. Cross-country running still feels like work (aka pain), however it gives me great joy to run through puddles and creeks, jump over fallen trees, and run up steep mossy embankments. Also, it seems that I do well on courses with terrain and serious ascents and descents.

I did injure myself at this race. I decided to follow someone through an icy puddle instead of going around the obstacle. I saw the guy infront of me go down, but I was already committed to the puddle. Despite being cautious, I managed a pretty serious fall (lots of blood and some new scars!). Another runner kindly helped me up and the adrenaline gave me enough of a kick to catch up with the pack I was with before the fall.

This race took place right toward the end of semester, so I’m not sure if it was the best use of my time. Again, I really enjoyed myself. Better planning around my workload would make events like this easier to accomodate. At this race, I managed to run 10 miles in 1:09:32 and place third overall. The top two guys were over three minutes faster than me, so I’ve got a long way to go before being able to run with the lead pack.

And so my worlds collide

December 16, 2009 — Posted in thought

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Just a quick post—I am in essay writing/all nighter mode so I can’t waste time. I simply wanted to note the enfolding of two of my worlds: academics and triathlon.

The current issue (Autumn 2009) of Canadian Literature: A Quarterly of Criticism and Review features an academic article by Suzanne Zelazo entitled:
Sport as Living Language: bpNichol and the Bodily Poetics of the Elite Triathlete.

The abstract follows:

This article traces the emergence of a link between the embodied aesthetics of sport and avant garde poetry. By teasing out the specifics and nuances of the sport of triathlon, its tripartite nature is offered as a paradigm for a new biopoetical triumvirate of performance: that of sport, gender, and poetics. Through inscribing the permutations of identity construction as perpetual becoming, both sport and art create opportunities for experimenting with new ways of being and experiencing the world. By developing a critical understanding of sensation and perception, this paper broadens hegemonic notions of conception and abstraction, creating an apposite lens for expanding the field of performance theory.

I’ll let you know my thoughts on the article once I get my hands on it.

COMING SOON: Post on the Mt. Stewart 10 Mile XC race. Mud, blood, and good times!

Il Corridore (The Runner)

November 9, 2009 — Posted in training

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Lately, I’ve gotten quite busy with school and a major scholarship grant, so my training has slipped. While I’m swimming ~4km twice a week (hopefully more soon!), the running and biking side of things is lacking. I’ve got an itch to get more focused and start putting in some miles. I have many excuses for my lack of training. I have no excuses for my lack of training. The difference between these two statements separates the active and the athlete.

Recently, Adam Campbell posted this video on his blog. I wanted to share it here, simply because I found this trailer about Marco Olmo so inspiring. Marco Olmo is a world-champion long distance runner in his early 60s. He won Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc twice. I don’t mean he’s an age-group champion, he was the world champion for two-years in a row, outracing men half his age. When he did not podium in 2008, he didn’t make excuses about his age.

This video reminds me why I push myself to excel. Excuses are choices. My choice is made and I won’t revisit it. Time to get back into things.

Royal Victoria Half Marathon: Report & Review

October 11, 2009 — Posted in races, review

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Today, I ran in the Royal Victoria Half Marathon. The course is gorgeous (mostly along the ocean) and the event is extremely well run—from package pickup to clothing dropoff to timing chip return, this is a stellar race. The race is also motivating because there are so many spectators; Victoria knows how to host a race. I encourage you to consider running this race in 2010!

My goal for this half marathon was to run it in under 1:20. If you’ve been tracking me on dailymile.com or Garmin Connect then you know that I’ve not been too diligent training lately. I’m letting myself rest, relax, and find a life rhythm here in Victoria. I will renew my focus on training again in the next couple months, ramping up in November and then getting focused in January 2010.

Today, I placed 34th overall (which includes the elite runners). 1639 people in total participated in the 1/2 marathon. Next year, I hope to run a <1:17. Also, I placed 9th in my agegroup (men 25-29). Results are here.

I did a few things different at this race. I only had fruit for breakfast and then I ate a Snickers bar right before the race (at the advice of Amy Golumbia, a world class mountain runner & nutritionist). I don’t think skipping a heavy breakfast hurt me at all, but I think I’ll pass on the Snickers next time, even if it does work for other people.

Because Laura joined me for this race (she ran the 8km. Way to go!), I got out of the house a little later than anticipated; my warmup before the race had to be cut short. After dropping my clothes at the change tent, I made my way to the starting chute, right near the front.

I was feeling pretty strong over the first 5-6km and then settled into things until around the 13km mark. I passed a number of people in the first 13km. I started feeling fairly heavy around 13-14km and got passed by someone. I decided that I’d try to have a Hammer Gel to get some calories in me. At the next aid station, I grabbed a Gatorade instead of a water, which was a risk. I’ve read never to mix gels and energy drinks, so, until today, I never had. My risk turned into a mistake (an unnecessary one). Although I was struggling before, I suddenly became extremely and painfully bloated. It seemed that all my energy was just sucked right from me. My pace dropped significantly and I was passed by three people that I’d been holding off.

Things got worse, so I decided to slow down to walk a little bit (for about 20-30 seconds) on km17. I was listening to some pro athletes commentate on the Ironman yesterday, and one of them was saying that sometimes stopping briefly can help you regroup and get back in the athletic groove. Essentially, I realized that top level athletes let themselves stop and this freed me to do the same.

I’m very glad I did. I managed to regroup and come back with a pace that I hadn’t had since ~km15. I managed to catch a few of the people who passed me when I started walking.

The last 1600m of the race was excruciating for me. I had hoped to give a final and full push in the last mile, but all I could do was hold it together. With less than 200m to the finish line, I had someone sprint past me. I worked to stay with them, but my body didn’t seem to have the go that I needed.

I think more mental commitment might have allowed me to hold the sprinter off, but I was hurting pretty bad in this race, so I feel okay about my time.

I wore my Garmin today so I could track my heart rate. Check out the map of the race, my km splits, and heartrate HERE.

Also, I want to thank SOLE for providing me with custom moldable footbeds and performance socks. They worked perfectly and allowed me to focus on my race, rather than worrying about the comfort of my feet.

Crowie at Kona 2009

October 11, 2009 — Posted in tips

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Yesterday, I spent a good portion of my day watching the 2009 Ironman World Championships, which took place in Kona. Craig Alexander won the race, defending his title. Meanwhile, I got next to no homework done.

Crowie, as he is known, is an inspiring athlete because of his humble attitude, work ethic, commitment to family, and ability to excel in races. In this quote from the press conference following yesterday’s race, he speaks to his motivation to achieve his best in the face of a difficult race.

I’ve highlighted the parts I find particularly inspiring.

There were a lot of bad patches out there today. Last year to win was exciting, but this year was more rewarding. This year I had to work at it. I had to fight for every second.

I felt good for the first 45 minutes of the bike. There were so many good riders in that group at the front of the bike. I struggled, I got dropped off the back two or three times on the way up to Hawi.

The important thing for me was to have a good defence of my title today. I didn’t know I was going to win today. I have so much respect for this race and the guys out here.

Chris (Lieto) – I think he’s the best bike rider in the sport. I think his 2:04 in Boise, I think that was the best bike ride I’ve ever seen. I think I took the momentum away when I passed him, but he tried to take it back when I went by him.

Getting off the bike today, I really wanted to get in a rhythm and make short term goals. Andreas dropped me a few times. Then we ran together out to the energy lab.

Today for my special needs bag – they handed mine to Andreas and he handed it over to me – it was a great show of sportsmanship.

I don’t think I attacked (when I pulled away from Andreas in the Energy Lab). I found a rhythm. The Energy Lab was the best part of my marathon today. I didn’t feel like I had that same rhythm. Today I felt like I had to work for every second. I felt a bit more comfortable – felt my heart rate go down a bit. I remember reading Tim DeBoom’s story about relaxing to the top of the Energy Lab and then turning things on from there.

You have a moment where you think things aren’t going to plan. I always come back to doing your own race. What I was thinking was that if I could bridge back up, we could definitely make some in-roads on the rest of the guys.

My main goal was to give a worthy title defence.

I certainly feel an obligation to the people in my family. You want to race well to give something back. I try to draw on that. I think this race is mental. You draw on what you can. You need to take inspiration from what you can. For me it’s my family, my wife. All the things she does to support us and my career. If they didn’t travel with me, I wouldn’t come.

Worked a little bit with Chris Carmichael, one of the coaches who works with Chris Carmichael. I definitely outsourced – the second you think you know everything is when you get in trouble. I talked a lot with Dave (Scott) and Greg Welch.

Dave’s been awesome – he’s good for a laugh and gives good advice. He called me last year to tell me the things he thought were bad about my race and the one thing he thought was good.

Please note that the Canadian Olympic Champion Simon Whitfield posted this quote on his blog earlier, I wanted to share it here.

I have immense respect for Crowie’s attitude. He exemplifies a mature attitude that is, sadly, not common to all world class athletes. I think part of the thing that helped to get me hooked on the sport of triathlon is the genuine and authentic people I met at races. Sportmanship matters as much as performance. Because I don’t believe that good physical performance makes you (or requires you to become) a better moral person, I want to celebrate humility when I see.