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	<title>Leif Baradoy</title>
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	<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com</link>
	<description>Swim. Bike. Run. Criticize.</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:14:46 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>On my way to Budapest</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/on-my-way-to-budapest/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/on-my-way-to-budapest/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:14:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thought]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1152</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last year, when I raced as an age-grouper, I qualified for the ITU Age Group Triathlon World Championship in Budapest, Hungary. Racing as an elite at the 2010 Canadian Nationals took a lot of my mental focus for the past few months. Budapest seemed like a pending to-do item on the horizon. Now, I&#8217;m less [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/swim-school-team-race/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Swim, School, Team, Race'>Swim, School, Team, Race</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/pre-race-post/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Pre-race post'>Pre-race post</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/summerside-tri-09/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Lake Summerside Triathlon 2009 (goal!)'>Lake Summerside Triathlon 2009 (goal!)</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Last year, when I raced as an age-grouper, I qualified for the <a href="http://budapest.triathlon.org/en/">ITU Age Group Triathlon World Championship</a> in Budapest, Hungary. Racing as an elite at the <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/events/event/2010_kelowna_itu_triathlon_premium_pan_american_cup/">2010 Canadian Nationals</a> took a lot of my mental focus for the past few months. Budapest seemed like a pending to-do item on the horizon. Now, I&#8217;m less than a week from heading overseas and less than two weeks from racing. It feels surreal.</p>
<p>I recently had a great chat with a few of the NTC guys who encouraged me to prepare for a very competitive race. I am really happy with my effort and Canadian ranking from Kelowna, but that race taught me a new level of suffering. Perfect. Correspondently, my recovery after the race was longer and slower than any other race of this season. It took over a week for me to return to normal and start delivering proper times and efforts in my training sessions! I am preparing for this race and I will be ready to excel on Sept. 12th.</p>
<p>After, I turn around and come back home immediately to jump back into grad school. Sadly, this Euro trip won&#8217;t be a vacation.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/swim-school-team-race/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Swim, School, Team, Race'>Swim, School, Team, Race</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/pre-race-post/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Pre-race post'>Pre-race post</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/summerside-tri-09/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Lake Summerside Triathlon 2009 (goal!)'>Lake Summerside Triathlon 2009 (goal!)</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>2010 Canadian National Championships</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/nationals_2010/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/nationals_2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2010 21:05:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thought]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1127</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This past weekend I raced as an elite male in the 2010 Canadian National Championships for Olympic distance triathlon. Overall, I am pleased with my effort at this very competitive race. Like many Canadian triathletes, Nationals was one of my &#8220;A&#8221; races, or focus races, for this year. This race had some great athletes in [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report'>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/on-my-way-to-budapest/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: On my way to Budapest'>On my way to Budapest</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQKIQw2YNI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/aMYcxwb4HKQ/s512/DSC01454.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy warming up for the elite race with Sable Water Optics at Canadian National Championships" title="Leif Baradoy getting ready for the elite race" width="330"/>This past weekend I raced as an elite male in the <strong>2010 Canadian National Championships</strong> for Olympic distance triathlon. </p>
<p>Overall, I am pleased with my effort at this very competitive race. Like many Canadian triathletes, Nationals was one of my &#8220;A&#8221; races, or focus races, for this year.</p>
<p>This race had some great athletes in attendance&mdash;World Champions, Olympic medalists, Olympians . . . The 2010 Kelowna Apple Triathlon saw a record number of elite men and a stacked start-list, including <a href="http://simonwhitfield.com/">Simon Whitfield</a>, <a href="http://kylejones.ca/">Kyle Jones</a>, and <a href="http://andyrussell.blogspot.com/">Andrew Russell</a>.</p>
<p>For the 2010 Canadian National Championships, I am the 19th fastest Canadian in the Olympic distance and I placed 37th overall (out of 64 elite men). Obviously, I have a great deal of room to improve but I am encouraged by this race (full results <a href="http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2010/multi/KAT2010EliteM.html">here</a>). Thanks to my coach <a href="http://ptperformancetraining.com/blog">Noa Deutsch</a>, I&#8217;ve come a long way in a single year while being a full-time graduate student (and working here and there)!</p>
<p>Like so many other athletes, I aimed to have my best race of the season in Kelowna. All my training and other races served to lead up to this race. I have one more race this year&mdash;ITU Age Group Triathlon World Championship in Budapest, Hungary&mdash;which will further improve upon my Kelowna race.</p>
<p>But let me share how Nationals went.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQKI8PLLFI/AAAAAAAAAtU/C7rk7tY0cuU/s800/DSC01458.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy lining up before the horn at Canadian National Championships" title="lining up" width="350"/>The elite men&#8217;s race started at 2pm. I got on race site around 10am, so I had ample time to watch some of the age-groupers finish and see the elite women race. All part of the plan. As usual, I had planned the days leading up to the race and the entire race day in a spreadsheet, which I followed&mdash;my own goofy way of staying sane (even though a few of my training mates made snide comments about my tri-geekness).</p>
<p>I was a little nervy before the race, but nothing significant. I&#8217;ve gotten used to that feeling. The hardest part was waiting. Once I began my run warm up, body-marking, bike checking, etc. I felt calm.</p>
<p>At my last ITU race in Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, I failed to bring a wetsuit to warm up in and froze in chilly winds before the race. The weather was intermittently wet and cold at Kelowna so I&#8217;m glad I had a wetsuit, which kept me warm right until the race start.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQKJUAxTRI/AAAAAAAAAtY/8H9tKYteYyU/s720/DSC01478.JPG" alt="The horn sounds at the 2010 Canadian National Triathlon Championships" title="And there they go" width="510"/><br />
The horn sounded. The race began in earnest. I had a solid swim and managed to get on a few people&#8217;s hips and feet for a large portion of the first lap. I felt fairly comfortable holding solid form. The water was a little choppy, but not too bad. Throughout most of the swim, I had people around me. I have a lesson to take away from the swim: I think I held a slightly less aggressive pace than I was capable of simply because I was in with other back-pack swimmers. I am certain I could have pushed myself more but got comfortable because there were other people around me (the logic: &#8220;I can&#8217;t be swimming that poorly, because there are others around me&#8221;). Nevertheless, I still had a very good swim. I suspect one of my best of the year.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQKKQfDzLI/AAAAAAAAAtc/nsjPGf5RXBc/s912/DSC01510.JPG" alt="Coming out of the first swim loop at the 2010 Canadian National Triathlon Championships" title="Leif Baradoy dolphin diving" width="510"/></p>
<p>After the 23:55 swim and T1, I was in 50th place. I knew I was way back but I didn&#8217;t let it bother me. The bike is where I planned to let my inner monster out. Headed out on my first of six loops, Matt Sharpe (who placed first in the Junoir National elite race the day previous) said &#8220;go catch those guys.&#8221; I smiled.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQKKtHLX1I/AAAAAAAAAtg/uQfXYYxW7OE/s720/DSC01529.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy Argon 18 Gallium Pro 2010 Canadian National Triathlon Championships" title="Leif Baradoy coming out of T1 on his 2010 Gallium Pro" width="380"/>I caught up with a pack of about seven guys right at the bottom of Knox Hill (see A. Russell&#8217;s post on this make-or-break climb <a href="http://andyrussell.blogspot.com/2009/08/4-minutes.html">here</a>). I stuck with them on the way up and for the first loop. There were few guys doing pulls and a few guys just riding the draft. By the time I was on the second lap, I made a move to drop them. Should have done so sooner.</p>
<p>I was alone for most of lap two until midway through lap 5. I had a strong bike and I find it interesting to see that my fastest lap was a lap I did solo (lap 3). I am very happy with my bike fitness, particularly because I did so much work alone and my bike time was only <strong>one minute</strong> more than the lead draft pack. I pulled a lot of guys on the bike but also dropped most of them. It wasn&#8217;t until the very end of lap five that two Canadian guys from QC caught up to me and we worked together. The hill was definitely a point of weakness for me. Being 6&#8217;3 and weighing in around 195 makes climbing hard! Still, the Knox Hill isn&#8217;t easy for anyone, so I can&#8217;t claim any disadvantage.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQMvkTrIaI/AAAAAAAAAts/pWsI28wMdek/s800/DSC01563.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy Argon 18 Gallium Pro 2010 Canadian National Triathlon Championships" title="Leif Baradoy on his 2010 Gallium Pro" width="510"/></p>
<p>I loved the bike and I felt great. Six loops seemed short, even though the distance was actually more than 40km (I think it was 41.3km, if my memory serves). The Argon 18 Gallium Pro made a huge difference for this race and I want to thank <a href="http://www.speedtheory.ca/cgy/">SpeedTheory Calgary</a> for helping me out with it.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQNkFOsn_I/AAAAAAAAAuI/6W-NWRPYPLg/s640/IMG_0687.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy Argon 18 Gallium Pro 2010" title="Leif Baradoy's 2010 Gallium Pro" width="510"/></p>
<h2>The Run</h2>
<p>I had a lousy T2 as I struggled to get my shoes on. Then the run was on. I went into this race with a different approach to visualization. Instead of visualizing the positive, I gave myself over to suffering and pain. I visualized hurt and pushing through pain to achieve and maintain speeds that properly reflect my fitness and training. I have trained to hurt and hold on and this race would be a test of my threshold. I gave a lot on the bike and I needed to keep pushing for the run.<br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQMwQo9pQI/AAAAAAAAAtw/bTe_BRVAW0s/s720/DSC01564.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy begins the run" title="Leif Baradoy begins the run" width="510"/></p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQMx3SNVWI/AAAAAAAAAt4/dS4NM6jzjrM/s512/DSC01637.jpg" alt="Leif Baradoy finishing the run" title="Leif Baradoy on the final loop of the run" width="330"/>I held a reasonable pace for the run (3:33/km). I know I can do better, but after a great bike that is what I had in me. Of course, hindsight always makes me doubt whether I pushed hard enough, but I have to take the run for what it was. I took a lot of energy from all the people cheering me on. I cramped up on laps two and three (left calf and stomach), but pushed through and didn&#8217;t slow. I managed to catch a couple people, although one guy who came off the bike with me out ran me and another guy from a back pack also caught me.</p>
<p>I kicked things up for the final 400m meters and I thought I was going to fall over. I left it all on the course.</p>
<p>So, I managed to move from 50th out of the water to 37th by the finish. I will continue to work on all aspects of my racing. Improvements in the swim will result in significant gains in my overall placing. And, of course, non-draft legal races will also play to my advantage. I&#8217;m looking forward to my final race for 2010 and preparing for the 2011 season.</p>
<p>I have come a long way since starting triathlon in June 2008. I&#8217;ve made some huge leaps forward in the past year. While part of me would certainly like to achieve a higher ranking, I need to remember that I can&#8217;t rush this process and I can&#8217;t fake the years of work it takes to excel in this sport. This is my first year racing as an elite! Not bad for anyone, especially someone pushing thirty with only two years of sport in his background.  I feel that I am on track as a high performance athlete and I feel confident about where I&#8217;m going in the sport that I love. I will keep putting in the hours, working with my great coach, learning and suffering. Even better results will come. And I will know that I&#8217;ve earned them.</p>
<p>For the record, here are my times:<br />
<strong>Swim</strong>: 23:55 (56th out of water)<br />
<strong>Bike</strong>: 1:04:57 (19th fastest bike split and only 1 minute off lead pack time)<br />
<strong>Run</strong>: 35:21 (36th fastest run)<br />
<strong>Total Time</strong>: 2:06:15 (19th fastest Canadian and 37th overall)</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/THQNjm90HzI/AAAAAAAAAuE/AUkblXszLM4/s720/DSC01645.JPG" alt="Leif Baradoy Post-race. Post-coffee. Post-beer (one). Post-pre-supper-sushi. Still able to walk and smile." title="Post-race. Post-coffee. Post-beer (one). Post-pre-supper-sushi. Still able to walk and smile." width="510"/></p>
<p>Full results for the 2010 Men&#8217;s Elite National Championship can be found <a href="http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2010/multi/KAT2010EliteM.html">here</a>.<br />
<p><a href="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/nationals_2010/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report'>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/on-my-way-to-budapest/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: On my way to Budapest'>On my way to Budapest</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Sri: Fatigue, Focus, Acceptance (race report 2010)</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/the-sri-2010/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/the-sri-2010/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 02 Aug 2010 04:50:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1104</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Earlier today, I raced the Self-Transcendence Triathlon &#038; Duathlon, Canada&#8217;s oldest triathlon! What an honour. The last few weeks I&#8217;ve felt fatigued with the training I&#8217;ve been doing. Noa, my excellent coach, has been pushing me just hard enough&#8212;enough that I hurt bad but not enough to break me and my spirit (that angle/demon who [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-shawnigan-lake-tri/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon'>Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report'>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYVQPmOdpI/AAAAAAAAAsg/V-dT-l7Zzms/s640/DSC01371.jpg" alt="Still smiling!" title="Leif Baradoy loads his bike into the car after finishing the 2010 Sri Tri" width="320"/>Earlier today, I raced the <a href="http://www.victoriatriathlon.com/">Self-Transcendence Triathlon &#038; Duathlon</a>, Canada&#8217;s oldest triathlon! What an honour.</p>
<p>The last few weeks I&#8217;ve felt fatigued with the training I&#8217;ve been doing. <a href="http://ptperformancetraining.com/blog/">Noa</a>, my excellent coach, has been pushing me just hard enough&mdash;enough that I hurt bad but not enough to break me and my spirit (that angle/demon who lives inside my body/mind). Today&#8217;s race functioned as a important laboratory to test out how I race under less than optimal conditions. At least that is how I approached it. No race is perfect, but testing my performance and mental focus coming out of a few challenging training weeks added extra complications and excitements.</p>
<p>I learned a few valuable lessons from this race and built some additional confidence for my next race: <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/events/event/2010_kelowna_itu_triathlon_premium_pan_american_cup/">Canadian National Championships</a> in Kelowna August 22. I placed fourth overall. Here&#8217;s the details:</p>
<p>I awoke early, ate a small breakfast, and headed to race site, imagining that transition was first-come-first-to-select-the-most-awesome-spot-on-the-racks. Ahh. The well organized race crew had designated spots! I took a little nap in the car once getting marked and setup. Then all the normal pre-race stuff: warm-up run, bartering with gods and demons to favour me, sudden atheistic moments of doubt in gods and demons (and self), warm up swim, chatting with other racers . . . the usual.</p>
<p>This was a no-wetsuit swim. The water was warm but the air was cool. <a href="http://www.teamgillmer.com/apps/blog/">Luke</a>, an athlete from Oz, stood shivering, wanting the race to begin. I had a solid swim in what I believe to be a full 1500m course; my time was 22:04, which is a PB by over a minute since last race. Looks like swimming 6-7 days per week has some payoff, although I still have many minutes to shave off. Good thing this won&#8217;t be my last race or my last season!</p>
<p>I felt comfortable on the swim, not nearly as panicked as other races. I didn&#8217;t have the energy to flail wildly. I just swam the best I could with the energy that I had. I want to give a shoutout to <a href="http://www.sablewateroptics.com/goggles/rs101.php">Sable Water Optics</a>, an amazing supporter who provided me with a few sets of goggles for this season (<em>thank you</em>). They make the best goggles on the market. As usual, the goggles didn&#8217;t fog and helped me sight buoys without difficulty. I felt that I kept on course and didn&#8217;t swim too much extra distance due to poor sighting. </p>
<p>I came tenth out of the water and almost four minutes back from the leaders. Well, better than coming out 5 minutes back, I figured, as I hopped on my bike.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYUi23AohI/AAAAAAAAAr4/RZuRhGDuyD4/s1024/DSC01339.JPG" alt="Aero helmet!" title="Leif Baradoy dismounts at the 2010 Sri Tri" width="380"/>I felt like utter crap on the bike the whole time. I felt like a slug. My legs hurt. I couldn&#8217;t climb. I was sure that I was going to be passed by half the field. I even wore my fancy aero helmet, which they tell me is uber-aero (but might just be a joke to make suckers look like sperm). Sadly, no magic jets in the helmet. I just suffered on and tried to do my best. </p>
<p>There were a lot of duathletes on the course, so I wasn&#8217;t really sure if I was actually making progress when passing people. Nevertheless, by 20km in I caught a couple of the faster swimmers. The last 20km was a series of different attacks (while always repsecting the draftzone rules!) between me and three other guys. I am sure that I was sending off vibes of weakness. My legs were saying &#8220;no more! leave us alone.&#8221;</p>
<p>Anyway, I took my feet out of my shoes way too early, which cost me the lead I gained off a final attack about 2km from T2 with still a few hills to go. My poor decision. I accept the resultant consequence. Nevertheless, I managed to have the <strong>fastest bike split of the day</strong>, which is pretty cool, given that I still am riding a entry level, too-large-for-me, aluminum bike. Looks like training is paying off. <em>Bad races still can yield reasonable results</em>!</p>
<p>I had a solid dismount, but my T2 wasn&#8217;t great as I had trouble slipping my shoes on. Three guys went out about 10-15 seconds ahead of me. My legs didn&#8217;t want to run. My mind knew that I should be able to outrun the guys infront of me, but the body needed some convincing.</p>
<p>We ran around Elk Lake, which has a few winding forest trails, so it is easy to lose sight of people infront. I first committed to getting my legs under me and holding pace. Pretty much the entire time I wanted to stop/slow down/walk/give up. I managed to close a gap within the first 3km, but I was hurting and the other guys knew it. Damn heavy breathing! By 7km, two of the three guys who went out infront of me managed to pull ahead by about 12 and 20 seconds. However, I kept pushing and became motivated to just finish the race. I think I actually picked up my pace just to get the pain finished with! Anyway, I managed to close a 12 second gap and pass one athlete with about 1km left.</p>
<p><del datetime="2010-08-02T04:08:44+00:00">Then I finished in unchallenged glory</del>. But nothing comes easy. With about 300m to go, the guy I passed followed his coach&#8217;s direction and just started sprinting to the finish. I looked back and thought that he wouldn&#8217;t catch me in time. I picked up the pace, but not to a sprint. I looked back again. Whoah, he&#8217;s fast. I picked up the pace more. Looked back. Fu fu fu fu, I better get moving!  Check out the photos.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYUtGMgePI/AAAAAAAAAsA/3S-ZY2puHAg/s1024/DSC01346.JPG" alt="Finish line at Sri Tri 2010" title="Leif Baradoy sprinting to the finish" width="520"/><br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYUycWKggI/AAAAAAAAAsE/RHHEAEg1zdU/s1024/DSC01347.JPG" alt="Finish line at Sri Tri 2010" title="Leif Baradoy sprinting to the finish" width="520"/><br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYU8pm6AdI/AAAAAAAAAsM/4a9yyaPaX18/s1024/DSC01348.JPG" alt="Finish line at Sri Tri 2010" title="Leif Baradoy sprinting to the finish" width="520"/><br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYU3_QhM8I/AAAAAAAAAsI/Tggdu2lO4QI/s1024/DSC01349.JPG" alt="Finish line at Sri Tri 2010" title="Leif Baradoy sprinting to the finish" width="520"/><br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYVCRH8HcI/AAAAAAAAAsU/Ix4jqvf8lOA/s1024/DSC01350.JPG" alt="Finish line at Sri Tri 2010" title="Leif Baradoy sprinting to the finish" width="520"/><br />
<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TFYVHYNAp2I/AAAAAAAAAsY/qRx8cxLiAUs/s1024/DSC01351.JPG" alt="Finish line at Sri Tri 2010" title="Leif Baradoy sprinting to the finish" width="520"/></p>
<p>Scotty had a good run and an impressive sprint finish. I just managed to cross the line before him, although our timing chips register the same time. My lesson: sprint like hell and don&#8217;t give people the chance or thought that they can catch you in that last stretch of the race. If you give people hope, they will create an opportunity, and that might come to fruition!</p>
<p>I was not happy when I finished. I feel capable of more, especially on the bike and run. This race was a struggle for me. Staying on my feet was an accomplishment.</p>
<p>When I finished, I told my coach that I didn&#8217;t feel worthy of wearing my ITU race suit today, but reflecting on the race I take that comment back. Because I didn&#8217;t stop running, because I had a solid bike split despite feeling horrible, because I had a solid run split when my mind was making a strong legal/moral/ethical/religious/ case for walking, because I could sprint to the finish, I feel that I can hold my head high as someone who races at the ITU Continental Cup level. I have earned my way to racing at that level because of commitment and attitude. Given the context, I don&#8217;t need to be ashamed of not meeting my potential at this race. I toughed it out and I managed to <strong>finish fourth overall</strong>. I am looking forward to seeing how I perform (no matter how I feel) for my &#8220;A&#8221; races at Kelowna and Budapest.</p>
<p>I should mention here that <strong>Matt Sharpe</strong> won the race handily today! This was his first time racing an Olympic distance race. He had an amazing swim and run (I don&#8217;t know his bike time). My congratulations go out to him. It is so cool to race with such strong, young, &#8220;development&#8221; athletes (development means that he&#8217;s only going to get faster!). Matt finished 4 minutes ahead of me. He also swam almost 4 min. faster than me. Oh yeah, he also ran a 33:41 for the 10km. Well done and inspiring, Matt!</p>
<p><strong>Full results for the 31st Annual Self Transcendence Triathlon/Duathlon can be found <a href="http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2010/multi/SelfTransTri2010Overall.html">here</a>.</strong></p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-shawnigan-lake-tri/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon'>Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report'>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<title>My other life: Moving into the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/moving-into-the-csrs/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/moving-into-the-csrs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:44:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[thought]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1082</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[How many lives do you live? I&#8217;m not talking reincarnation, but about the different roles that one individual can have. As you may know, I am a graduate student as well as triathlete. Push the mind. Push the body. Rest, refuel, repeat. Training is going great and I have some great triathlon related news to [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/tolerance-a-difficult-virtue/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Tolerance: A Difficult Virtue'>Tolerance: A Difficult Virtue</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/interview-on-ckxu-part-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Interview on CKXU: Part II'>Interview on CKXU: Part II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/goals-for-2008/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Goals for 2008'>Goals for 2008</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0660.jpg" alt="CSRS UVic" title="CSRS Fellow List" width="250"/>How many lives do you live? I&#8217;m not talking reincarnation, but about the different roles that one individual can have. As you may know, I am a graduate student as well as triathlete. Push the mind. Push the body. Rest, refuel, repeat.</p>
<p>Training is going great and I have some great triathlon related news to share soon, but today I want to write about my other life. I am in my second year of the University of Victoria&#8217;s Masters of Arts program in English Literature with a special concentration in Cultural, Social, and Political Thought. I am pleased to announce that the <a href="http://csrs.uvic.ca/">Centre for Studies in Religion and Society</a> (CSRS) offered me an opportunity to participate in their scholarly community as a graduate student fellow.</p>
<p>I have accepted, of course. As a graduate student fellow at the CSRS, I will receive some funding, scholastic opportunities, and my own, private office. I&#8217;m particularly excited about having some private work space so that I can better separate home time from work time. Blurring the boundary between work and home may appear attractive and convenient, but over time it takes a significant mental toll.</p>
<p>I am particularly lucky because very few MA students get full-size, private offices, especially offices with calming garden views.</p>
<p>The CSRS is a community of academics dedicated to the scholarly study of religion in relation to all aspects of human society, from law and politics to family and culture to history, the sciences and the arts. They have no affiliation with any religion and no religious agenda and are equally interested in Eastern, Western, ancient and contemporary religions.</p>
<p>During my time at the centre, I will work on my thesis&mdash;investigating how, before and during World War Two, Walter Benjamin, H.D., and T. S. Eliot reposition different religious traditions to mobilized a concept of hope in a seemingly apocalyptic time&mdash;participate in daily scholarly discussion, and deliver a public lecture on my thesis topic.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0670.jpg" alt="CSRS UVic Office of Leif Baradoy" title="CSRS Office of Leif Baradoy at UVic" width="450"/>
<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0671.jpg" alt="CSRS UVic Office of Leif Baradoy" title="CSRS Office of Leif Baradoy at UVic" width="450"/>
<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0672.jpg" alt="CSRS UVic Office of Leif Baradoy" title="CSRS Office of Leif Baradoy at UVic" width="450"/></p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/tolerance-a-difficult-virtue/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Tolerance: A Difficult Virtue'>Tolerance: A Difficult Virtue</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/interview-on-ckxu-part-ii/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Interview on CKXU: Part II'>Interview on CKXU: Part II</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/goals-for-2008/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Goals for 2008'>Goals for 2008</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>If</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/if/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/if/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:04:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[creative]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thought]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=977</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Over a year ago, after much thought, I arranged my first tattoo. In case the photos included with this post are unclear, the tattoo is located on my left forearm. I am frequently asked what the design is and what it means. Usually, I respond to inquirers by asking what they interpret from the design, [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/can-you-respect-a-missionary/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Can You Respect a Missionary?'>Can You Respect a Missionary?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/vows/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Vows'>Vows</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/twitter-poets-start/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Twitter Poets: Start'>Twitter Poets: Start</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/If-in-the-wild.jpg" alt="" title="If in the wild . . ."/><br />
Over a year ago, after much thought, I arranged my first tattoo. In case the photos included with this post are unclear, the tattoo is located on my left forearm.</p>
<p>I am frequently asked what the design is and what it means. Usually, I respond to inquirers by asking what they interpret from the design, then I offer a fairly short answer. If they express further interest, then the conversation continues. Most people are happy with a short explanation.</p>
<p>Similar to queries about a thesis, most people don&#8217;t want to know the finer details about the various interpretive levels of this tattoo. Fair enough.  That said, if you are interested in how deep the rabbit hole goes, despite your hatred for The Matrix trilogy, them read on! </p>
<p>First though, the quick answer I give people is that the tattoo signifies the word (world?) <em>if</em>. This mark reminds me of all the actualized choices and possibilities which have served to bring about the current moment, in which I choose the next &#8220;if.&#8221;  This clean explanation emphasizes my ability to act (or not) as a responsible, ethical being-in-the-world.  </p>
<p>I am quick to add that the design signifies many other concepts—likely because I am a quintessential student of the humanities.</p>
<p>I find many people are simply pleased to know that</p>
<ul>
<li> I&#8217;ve (seemingly) thought long and hard about the tattoo
<li> it has a meaning, which on-the-face-of-it does not seem too juvenile or dated
</ul>
<p>However, in this blog post, I attempt to offer a more honest parseing of the design. Forgive me, but my own thoughts on this matter have yet to complete so I can&#8217;t promise an all-encompassing and consistent explication of the square design inked onto my arm. An aphorism is all I offer. </p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/if2-1024x881.jpg" alt="" title="if (Leif Baradoy's tattoo)" width="100"/>I wanted my tattoo to have strong, hard modenist lines and to work like of Rorschach ink test for others. I didn&#8217;t want something immediately recognizable or simple. Under-determined meaning allows me to learn a little about other people through their explanations. More, a somewhat abstracted design permits the tattoo to grow with me, since I can find new meanings and interpretations to focus on as I go forward on the wave-tossed journey of life. </p>
<p>I designed the tattoo to be a perfect square with equal space between each block of ink. Clean, strong lines, symmetry, perfect. But the design was imprinted on my flesh. The result: only a memory symmetry.  Skin contorts, contours, blemishes, and stretches the design—it breaks parallel and perpendicular angles. Plans and implementation frequently differ (defer). The tattoo reminds me of something my friend <a href="http://uend.org">Jay</a> calls the perfectly imperfect—imperfection not as failure but as an unavoidable element of life. The interplay between the design, medium, and canvas admits a vivacious play more compelling than the abstract perfection concieved in the design. </p>
<p>(&#8220;How typical,&#8221; one might counter. <em>le petite bourgeois</em>. Yes yes. Keep reading to further nuance your accusation.)</p>
<p>The location of the tattoo means that viewers may see it from a variety of different angles—deciding for themselves which way is up before imagining meaning(s). The arm is frequently in motion, so the tattoo itself invites a hermenuetic leap of faith and, insodoing, makes some people aware that they have indeed followed one of many potential interpretive trajectories. Like so many pieces of art, this tattoo raises as least as many questions as answers. Yet, I have read that the task of philosophy is not to answer questions, but to make sure the proper sort of questions are being formulated and asked. </p>
<p><img align="center" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/all-if.jpg" alt="" title="Leif Baradoy's tattoo" width="431"/></p>
<p>So . . . Shall I enumerate meanings? <em>Equal sign, crossroads, broken letters, my own name hidden within, exclaimation marks, if, the period, a Norwegian flag, if i anagram, x and y axis, the seen and unseen (or charted/uncharted), the arrow, an x, greater than sign, less than sign, moving towards a centre, moving away from an origin, even a cross (that divisive sign of chaos and suffering).</em></p>
<p>No. You would tire and disbelieve—curse dialectics. Frustrated, you might return to apt accusations or, more cynically, cease to read altogether.   </p>
<p>So, I return to this notion of choice and responsibility—if and if i, a crossroad. Why does the summary of that ethical being-in-the-world get trotted out as an explanation? Am I fashioning myself as some sort of hero (&#8220;we don&#8217;t need another hero&#8221;)? I am likely guilty on all charges, but this tattoo has another strong overture. It confronts me with the horror that the notion choice itself is not certain. Not only do arguments ranging from pure biological or material determinism to ideas of teleology or divine foreknowledge trouble the notion of choice, but a great deal of thought has further complicated any presumptions about coming to ethical decisions. We cannot know all ends, and good intentions often inaugurate (rather than cover) a multitude of sins.</p>
<p>Part of the <em>if</em> of my tattoo is that I opt to live my life as if I do have choice, as if I am capable of authentic ethical and responsible acts. To say it more clearly, the if allows me to escape paralysis (cynicism) and go to work, knowing that the result of my action won&#8217;t be made clear until later and that right work doesn&#8217;t guarantee right outcome. Good work allows for the possibility of good outcomes. I opt to be judged then by the actions of my life, rather than my inactions. </p>
<p>In this way, I am authentic even as I pretend my way through life. So, while striving towards ideals that might not even exist, I balance the particularity of my choices with the potential of a universal good. </p>
<p>Towards the end of <em>First as Tragedy, Then as Farce</em>, Žižek relays the Hopi saying &#8220;We are the ones we are waiting for.&#8221; While Žižek turns this phrase into a call for Marxist revolutionary action, I internalize the wisdom otherly.    </p>
<p>To finish on a lighter note, the tattoo has a functional purpose. Laura can attest to my too frequent failure to distinguish left from right. Many times while driving, Laura directs me to turn left and I confidently take the next right. Now, I have a tattoo on my left arm with all sorts of Ls designed into it. Left now means turning the direction of my tattoo arm. No more wrong turns! Yet, I still make them, now without excuse.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/can-you-respect-a-missionary/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Can You Respect a Missionary?'>Can You Respect a Missionary?</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/vows/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Vows'>Vows</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/twitter-poets-start/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Twitter Poets: Start'>Twitter Poets: Start</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/if/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<title>Strong run at Vancouver Half</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/strong-run-vancouver/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/strong-run-vancouver/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:24:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1061</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After travelling from Victoria to Calgary to Montreal to Calgary to Vernon to Vancouver, I raced at the Subaru Vancouver International Triathlon as part of a relay team in the half iron distance. Tyler Duncan took care of the swim and the bike (clocking the 6th fastest bike time). After that, I had the pleasure [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/my-first-half-marathon/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: My First Half Marathon'>My First Half Marathon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report'>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/royal-victoria-2009/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Royal Victoria Half Marathon: Report &#038; Review'>Royal Victoria Half Marathon: Report &#038; Review</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-07-at-12.21.53-PM.png" alt="Leif Baradoy running strong" title="Race face on and loving life" width="300"/>After travelling from Victoria to Calgary to <a href="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/">Montreal</a> to Calgary to Vernon to Vancouver, I raced at the <a href="http://triseries.ca/vancouver/index.php">Subaru Vancouver International Triathlon</a> as part of a relay team in the half iron distance. <a href="http://tylerdunc.blogspot.com/">Tyler Duncan </a> took care of the swim and the bike (clocking the 6th fastest bike time). After that, I had the pleasure of running 20km to finish off the race.</p>
<p>I am very pleased with my run time: 1:11:12. I wish that the race was a proper 21.1km so that I could have officially set a new personal record at the half marathon distance, but given my pace and the way I was feeling I imagine I would have come in around 1:14:45, which would have been nearly 8 minutes off my <a href="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/royal-victoria-2009/">Royal Victoria Half marathon time</a> (1:22:27). Not too bad. Clearly training has been paying off.</p>
<p>I felt strong throughout the run and found myself wishing I had signed up for the entire race. I am eager to try my hand at the half iron distance, but I&#8217;m not rushing anything. The opportunity to race ITU is amazing&mdash;I count myself lucky to race at the international level. ITU racing helps me get my speed up and prepares me to eventually face off against super-fast guys like <a href="Jeff Symonds">Jeff Symonds</a>, <a href="http://stevofiveo.blogspot.com/">Steven Kilshaw</a>, <a href="http://wurtele.wordpress.com/">Trevor Wurtele</a> (to name only a few who were at the Van. race).</p>
<p>My pace for the run was solid. I had good mental focus, listened to my body, and fueled/hydrated properly. This race reminded me that I love what I do and that I have a capacity for racing. I am in my element. I was also encouraged to see my commitment to training continue to pay off in the race setting.</p>
<p>Shout out and thanks to <a href="http://www.yoursole.com/">SOLE</a>, whose lightweight custom moldable footbeds and sports socks keep my feet healthy in training and racing.</p>
<p>Overall results for the Subaru Vancouver International Triathlon are here: <a href="http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2010/multi/VancouverHalf2010.html">individual</a> and <a href="http://www.raceheadquarters.com/results/2010/multi/VancouverHalf2010R.html">relay</a>.</p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/my-first-half-marathon/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: My First Half Marathon'>My First Half Marathon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report'>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/royal-victoria-2009/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Royal Victoria Half Marathon: Report &#038; Review'>Royal Victoria Half Marathon: Report &#038; Review</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Coteau Du Lac 2010 Race Report</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/coteau-du-lac-2010-race-report/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:38:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1052</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My first ITU race was completed. Despite a small technical problem, I felt that the race reflects honestly my current fitness and abilities. I have some areas that clearly need significant improvement, but I also have confidence that I am in the right place in my triathlon experience. First, I want to thank the race [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-shawnigan-lake-tri/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon'>Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wasa-lake-2010-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Wasa Lake 2010 Report'>Wasa Lake 2010 Report</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>My first ITU race was completed. Despite a small technical problem, I felt that the race reflects honestly my current fitness and abilities. I have some areas that clearly need significant improvement, but I also have confidence that I am in the right place in my triathlon experience.</p>
<p>First, I want to thank the race organizers for not only providing me a place to sleep (along with a bunch of other athletes), but also for feeding (and overfeeding) us. Travelling to races has many costs and complimentary lodging and meals was a major help. Shout out to <a href="http://thereisabird.blogspot.com/">Jon Bird</a>, my roommate from Calgary, who had a strong race. I really enjoyed geeking out with him about triathlon (training, mental approach to racing, &#8220;balance,&#8221; and commitment to our choice to compete at this level).</p>
<p>Okay, the race. First, the startline for elite men was very large—nearly 80 men—violence on the swim was anticipated simply because there were so many bodies swimming in the fairly narrow, very weedy canal. Also, the men raced late in the day: 3:45pm, so that added an additional challenge to the pre-race routine, fuelling, and mental preparation. </p>
<p>It was a cool and windy when we lined up. I definitely should have warmed up in my wetsuit and kept it on until the last minute. I was shivering cold, which is a lousy way to start the race. </p>
<p>I had some trouble hearing the starter, but not so much that didn&#8217;t dive in when the race began.</p>
<p>I had an okay swim for where I am at—a PB in fact—but by no means is where I am at competitive. I am weak on the swim and I need to put more focus on that element of the sport. My 23:33 swim is not acceptable for ITU style racing. The lead pack comes out of the water nearly 5 minutes ahead of me, so I am pretty much out of race contention (getting with a draft pack) as soon as the race starts. I will be working closely with Noa to do what it takes to get my swim together. </p>
<p>So, I came out of the water second to last. My thought: I am going to do whatever I can to make up time on the bike in 40km (6 laps). Yep. Insane thought. Not sensical. Especially when I tried to shift into my big ring and my chain dropped.</p>
<p>I tried to spin and shift to get it to catch on the teeth, but no go.  I had to stop, get off my bike, and tug at the chain to get it into place. The last guy out of the water passed me. I cursed and swore that I would not be lapped by the lead pack (in ITU rules, if you get lapped on the bike, you get pulled from the race). I also swore to catch the guy who passed me.</p>
<p>Put simply: I worked hard on the bike, passed a few people, and caught up to a group of 3 guys, which permitted me to draft a bit (theoretically, maintain same speed  with less work). I would say that only one other guy in the group was a strong cyclists, one was okay, and one was struggling to stay in the draft (he pulled once and slowed us down when he did). So, the last two guys out of the water did a fair amount of pulling. Looking back, I wonder of I should have done more. </p>
<p>Importantly, I felt really comfortable navigating on the bike, taking corners fast, and riding close to other riders. This was my first race where I felt like I was in a draft pack that was working well enough to stick with. </p>
<p>I felt a little lack-luster beginning the run, but the fact that I survived the bike course (no lapping, no crashes) should be counted as an achievement. I definitely toughed it out on the bike and pushed myself. </p>
<p>Despite my work on the bike, I felt that I could PB the run. This didn&#8217;t happen, even though I felt strong on the run—chasing a few guys down. I am particularly happy with how motivated I was to push myself and reel in 3 guys on the final km of the race, including one mere meters from the finishline. Still, no PB for me on the run. Maybe too much work on the bike. Maybe too much or too little fuel/hydration. Maybe too much complacency and &#8220;pussification&#8221; to push myself to Hirt more and run faster. I think had a mix of all three.</p>
<p>It felt great to finish. It was an accomplishment, despite being way back in the field. I am so glad that I showed up and took advantage of the learning opportunity of this race experience. </p>
<p>I make no excuses for my performance. This is where I am at right now. I don&#8217;t plan to stay in this spot—it is just a weighstation on the way to the next destination. </p>
<p>I want to close by thanking all the people who cheered me on while I was suffering through the race. There were so many people from the Victoria tri community who provided real encouragement to me, even though I was far behind. </p>
<p>Lastly, my congratulations goes out to all the Canadian junior and senior elites (men and women!) who totally owned the podium at this race: <a href="http://trialsofmiles.wordpress.com/">Andrew Yorke</a>, Jeffrey Phillips, Paula Findlay<a href="http://www.paulafindlay.blogspot.com/">, Chantel Widley, <a href="http://kylacoates.blogspot.com/">Kyla Coates</a>. (not to mention the Juniors, who I&#8217;ll add later!)</p>
<p>You can find full results for the elite men&#8217;s division of the 2010 Coteau-du-Lac ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/results/results/2010_coteau-du-lac_itu_triathlon_pan_american_cup_/4801/">right here</a>. The long and the short of it is that I came 47th overall, with 55 men finishing the race and 10 men DNFing or DQed.</p>
<p>So, I&#8217;ve a long way to go. Up next: 1/2 marathon in Vancouver as part of a relay team at the Subaru Vancouver International Triathlon. </p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-shawnigan-lake-tri/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon'>Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wasa-lake-2010-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Wasa Lake 2010 Report'>Wasa Lake 2010 Report</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>5</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Wasa Lake 2010 Report</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wasa-lake-2010-report/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wasa-lake-2010-report/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jun 2010 22:12:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tips]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1033</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I competed in the Wasa Lake Tri this past Sunday. I raced well and achieved a couple of basic goals I set for myself for the year and for this race. I managed to place ninth overall in a competitive field (the prize money draws fast athletes). There were a number of athletes out from [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-shawnigan-lake-tri/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon'>Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/the-sri-2010/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Sri: Fatigue, Focus, Acceptance (race report 2010)'>The Sri: Fatigue, Focus, Acceptance (race report 2010)</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TBcHe-fXnbI/AAAAAAAAAq0/MjSBi3guxwI/s512/DSC00984.jpg" alt="Coming out of the water wearing Sable Water Optics. Awesome!" title="Coming out of the water with the women racers in the background" width="300"/>I competed in the <a href="http://www.rmevents.com/">Wasa Lake Tri</a> this past Sunday. I raced well and achieved a couple of basic goals I set for myself for the year and for this race. I managed to place ninth overall in a competitive field (the prize money draws fast athletes). There were a number of athletes out from Victoria, so I knew this was going to be a good field.</p>
<p>Just as importantly, the race reminded me that I love this sport. I love racing. I enjoy pushing myself to go faster and overcome pain.</p>
<p>The swim was pretty violent to start out. I&#8217;m pretty sure that some racers were making intentional contact with me (including digging fingernails into my ankle). I just kept swimming and tried to focus on my sighting and form. <a href="http://kamalrae.blogspot.com/">Kamal</a>&mdash;a friend and team mate&mdash;also got a little beat down by someone wearing the same brand suit as me. After the race Kamal asked me why I was beating on him. I denied any involvement. (seriously, I didn&#8217;t do it.)</p>
<p>My swim needs work and my swim time set me back fairly significantly. The top racers came out of the water nearly 6 min ahead of me . . . Time that I just couldn&#8217;t make up on the bike and run. My too small wetsuit also constricts my movement and doesn&#8217;t aid my race time. Lesson here: getting a &#8220;deal&#8221; on the wrong-sized equipment is just a waste of money. Alas.</p>
<p>I was happy to get out of the water onto the bike. I mistakenly opted against using aero bars on this flat and fast non-draft-legal course. Likely cost me a few minutes. Still, I felt really good about my bike split.</p>
<p><img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Y8bF6yBc4tk/TBcHfGdKWfI/AAAAAAAAAq4/0EXZkvONncs/s400/DSC01032.jpg" alt="Starting the Wasa Lake Tri 201 run course" title="Starting the run at Wasa Lake tri!" width="200"/>I felt excited to make the run happen. I managed to pass a number of racers on the run, even though I now think that I could have pushed a little bit more in a few places. Still, I ran under 36min. I intend to improve this PB repeatedly before the end of season.</p>
<h3>My times</h3>
<p><strong>Swim and T1</strong>: 23:51 (24th out of the water)<br />
<strong>Bike and T2</strong>: 1:02:34 (15th fastest bike split)<br />
<strong>Run</strong>: 35:53 (5th fastest run)<br />
<strong>Total: 2:02:16</strong><br />
<em>For the Wasa Lake Triathlon 2010 results, click here <a href="http://www.winningtime.ca/10/10wasa/olyoall.txt">here</a></em></p>
<p>Up next, <a href="http://www.triathlon.org/events/event/2010_coteau-du-lac_itu_triathlon_pan_american_cup_/">ITU Continental Cup</a> in Coteau-du-Lac, QC!</p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-shawnigan-lake-tri/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon'>Race Report: 2010 Subaru Shawnigan Lake International Triathlon</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/the-sri-2010/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: The Sri: Fatigue, Focus, Acceptance (race report 2010)'>The Sri: Fatigue, Focus, Acceptance (race report 2010)</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Getting ready for Wasa Lake Tri 2010</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/getting-ready-for-wasa-tri/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/getting-ready-for-wasa-tri/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 12 Jun 2010 05:24:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[creative]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[races]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[thought]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1030</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I started making the trek from Victoria to Kimberley, BC last night with Tyler Duncan. Drive to Nanimo, ferry to North Van, sleep on cat hair couch, have allergic reaction/can&#8217;t sleep. Have good idea, which I write down. Read race materials. Return to couch. Sleep? Wake. Coffee. Add food = semi-human. Get driving through the [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/high-scorefree-sled/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: High Score/Free Sled'>High Score/Free Sled</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wasa-lake-2010-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Wasa Lake 2010 Report'>Wasa Lake 2010 Report</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I started making the trek from Victoria to Kimberley, BC last night with <a href="http://tylerdunc.blogspot.com/">Tyler Duncan</a>. Drive to Nanimo, ferry to North Van, sleep on cat hair couch, have allergic reaction/can&#8217;t sleep. Have good idea, which I write down. Read race materials. Return to couch. Sleep? Wake. Coffee. Add food = semi-human. Get driving through the city, driving through satellite cities, driving through farm land/valleys, gas warning light. Gas stop, snack, driving through mountains. Realization that not enough coffee has been consumed: stop. Coffee. Driving through devastated forests (pine beetles and forest fires), catching glimpses of many homes once surrounded by woods now surrounded by ash trees and dead wood. Think apocalyptically. Drive east. Tell stories, mostly true. Stop. Eat sushi. Drive east. One more coffee and a doughnut to boot (sorry coach!). Drive. Turn south. Pass the place where Laura and I honeymooned. Reminisce and enjoy. Drive. Stop. Arrive. Unpack. Supper. Tally up things forgotten. Add to tomorrow&#8217;s to-do list. Get ready to race.</p>
<p>Life is good. Wasa Olympic Triathlon in 34 hours.<br />
L</p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/high-scorefree-sled/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: High Score/Free Sled'>High Score/Free Sled</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/2010-ixtapa-race-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: 2010 Ixtapa Race Report'>2010 Ixtapa Race Report</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/wasa-lake-2010-report/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Wasa Lake 2010 Report'>Wasa Lake 2010 Report</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Ross the Boss: Golden</title>
		<link>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/ross-the-boss/</link>
		<comments>http://www.leifbaradoy.com/ross-the-boss/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:32:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Leif Baradoy</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[creative]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.leifbaradoy.com/?p=1025</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s another video from Ross &#8220;The Boss&#8221;—my downhill skateboarding brother who lives in Switzerland. This video was shot near Golden, BC, a few weeks ago. Sadly, because of travel plan changes in his schedule (due to the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland), I didn&#8217;t manage to see him while he was in Canada. Enjoy! Related [...]


Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/ok-go-this-too-shall-pass/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Ok Go: This too Shall Pass'>Ok Go: This too Shall Pass</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/biking-and-the-bear-necessities/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Biking and the Bear Necessities'>Biking and the Bear Necessities</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/political-music/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Political Music'>Political Music</a></li>
</ul>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here&#8217;s another video from Ross &#8220;The Boss&#8221;—my downhill skateboarding brother who lives in Switzerland. This video was shot near Golden, BC, a few weeks ago. Sadly, because of travel plan changes in his schedule (due to the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland), I didn&#8217;t manage to see him while he was in Canada.</p>
<p>Enjoy!<br />
<p><a href="http://www.leifbaradoy.com/ross-the-boss/"><em>Click here to view the embedded video.</em></a></p></p>


<p>Related posts:<ul><li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/ok-go-this-too-shall-pass/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Ok Go: This too Shall Pass'>Ok Go: This too Shall Pass</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/biking-and-the-bear-necessities/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Biking and the Bear Necessities'>Biking and the Bear Necessities</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.leifbaradoy.com/political-music/' rel='bookmark' title='Permanent Link: Political Music'>Political Music</a></li>
</ul></p>]]></content:encoded>
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