Please Check-out http://www.tenillehoogland.com/  and let me know what you think!

I have also begun a new site that will evolve into my full-time occupation in a few years – TriWholeHealth.  I am excited to be working and advising a few athletes already and strengthening my experience with further education at Simon Fraser University.  If you are interested in learning more please contact me at:

hooglandt@gmail.com

Thanks for continuing to follow my journey and sharing with me yours!

I was super excited about this race. My friends from Ottawa came down to be sherpas, it was on the east coast in the fall and it was a race that suited me – rolling. On all fronts I was not disappointed. Jamie and Ryan were in constant competition with who was the better sherpa – who could direct the route better, who fetched ice cream to go with the apple pie, who took gear bags at the start or who offered cloths off their backs so I could stay warm. Who wouldn’t love these guys? Ryan (Solefit) gently reminded me of the early days when I went to visit him for running advice and orthodics (which I am still wearing!) when I asked what racing flats were. Yes I was THAT green.

While doing my warm-up on Saturday I swear that I saw the film location for Dirty Dancing – a favorite adolescent movie of mine (Nobody puts Jamie – I mean Baby – in a corner). The fall colours were amazing and the air had that smoky crispness to it. I’ll admit it made me want to curl up with a good book, pumpkin latte and eat apple pie. Although apple pie was the secret weapon of the weekend there was no curling up!

THE RACE

This is a very logistically challenging half ironman. Two transitions and a finishing line/expo. The swim is in a glass like “pond”, the water a mere 64F(i.e., cold). The shape of the swim course was interesting leaving the leads to navigate the best line from buoy to buoy. The women started with the guys which was brilliant for me. I hoped to get in with the front pack but sadly by the time I sorted through the guys, I had slipped back. I ended up leading the chase pack. No drafting in this one.

The bike started with a 4 mile descent. It included a 9% grade down and although cold was super fun. The Shiv is a seriously solid machine that handles really well so there was no braking as I tucked my head down with my jaw almost sitting on my elbow pads to get more aero.  The course mellows out and it is actually hard to really sense whether you are on false flats or descents at times. It rolls gently throughout but is kept interesting with sharp get-out-of-the-saddle ascents,tuck in descents and twisty turns through park lands. The roads in some parts were a little bumpy (actually washed out too) but again the carbon frame just seemed to absorb those and I kept rolling along happily. Coming to T2 I had no idea where I was in the race. I knew I was ahead but did not have a sense of how much. Apparently 8-9 minutes. I never for a moment took it easy which is likely why I got the course record.

The run I thought was supposed to be easy and relatively flat. As I ran up long hills and pounded down others I kept thinking that it was going to be the last. It was supposed to flatten out. It never did. The volunteers were awesome – some in pink tutus and a huge guy in a bright florescent pink wig. My focus was to keep a steady pace until the turn-around when I would finally see where I was at in the race. I did not see the first girl for 3-4ish minutes (i.e., 7-8 minute lead). I figured that this was a pretty good cushion but did not back off too much. I didn’t press hard either because there was no need to dig a deeper hole . I have another race in two weeks and want to get back to training. In those last miles when I actually thought walking would be nice, athletes just starting their run cheered me in yelling ‘first woman’. There was no way that I couldn’t smile and finish strong. This race was unlike any other win. I could savor each of those final steps. The great thing is that I look forward to the first ones back out in training. My job. Best job in the world.

THE DETAILS:

Nutrition:

1 Specialized fuelselage water bottle (water in a bike)

1 GU recovery drink sports drink

4 Gels (peanut butter, mint chocolate and espresso love)

3 Island Nector Roctane gels in flask on run, water every station.

Bike:

My amazing Shiv of course.

Wheels: Tubular 404 and 808

Tire psi: 100 (perfect for the road conditions)

What I wore:

Nineteen Wetsuit

Thanks to Ryan Cain’s suggestion (learnt from Jordan Rapp) -put a polyethylene sheet down my Nike top which broke the wind and kept me a bit warmer. So SMART!

All in all it was the most spectacular ride I have ever done.  The sun was shining on us.  The leaves were turning yellow.  Everywhere we turned the views were breathtaking (or maybe that was the altitude).  There were moments of uggh like when I passed a horse stable and considered that it may be better if I climbed to the top on a horse instead.  There were moments of “thank-goodness for GU” like when I pulled out the Espresso Love with 2xcaffeine – brilliant boost.  My own little bliss balls were genius for the long hall.  Mostly though I was thankful for Jared and Melissa who were willing to wait at times for me, who kept me going up and up and were truly the inspiration for the day.

You know in the movie Love Actually where the first scene is of people coming into the reception hall of an airport and people are jumping up, running and embracing their loved one? Well my reception was like that. My friend Carrie from my University days was there with a huge smile, running and happy to see me even though it was WAY past our bed time (11:30pm). I had arrived home to my best friends. Muskoka 70.3 doubled as a well over due not your typical “girls weekend”.

The Race from Two Perspectives: My Friends and Mine

All you get to see of a race like this is the start, transitions and the finish so you have to have a plan. The start line was packed with people trying to see their loved ones. Little hard to know who is who – they all look the same with wetsuits, different coloured caps and funny goggles. With a little pushing and maneuvering we made it to the best viewing spot. We waved, took pictures were nervous and excited!

With the exception of veering a little to left of the course at one section my swim was awesome. I actually had a thought before the race that my swim was really not where it should be. I have been doing a lot of open water ‘look at the pretty mountains as the sun comes up’ workouts because I simply love it. What I potentially lacked was the killer workouts where I hang onto the wall gasping for air. We started with the guys which I like as it seems they are more interested in forward movement than girls. There are arms swinging and kicking but they lack the desire to maul, push, hold onto, or grab peoples feet. I also knew there had to be one that I could draft. My swim start to finish was beautiful rhythm drafting from the mid-point to the end.

When we saw Tenille come out of the water it was a quick cheer then a full out sprint up the very long hill to transition. It was brutal and our quads were burning but adrenaline got us up. Just in time we saw her run and jump on her bike with a smile on her face. From there, after a deep breath, we had 2.5 hours to go back to the hotel, run, shower and get back to transition for the bike to run…

The bike was cold, beautiful, hard and interesting. The first 45 minutes you are on back country roads that are anything but flat. You go through gorgeous deciduous forest, along the lake and in and out of small towns where people are cheering loudly and the fire truck signals the siren when you pass. Then it is onto a main road where speed and rhythm is the name of the game. The sun was finally warming things up so I could stop wondering if my hands were going to fall off. Rachel Joyce (Britain) and Michelle Vesterby (Denmark) along with two guys caught me half way through and from then on it was the five of us. I found that there was a lot of potential too close for my comfort riding (i.e., drafting) happening as the speed was inconsistent. It was like in a crit race where in the back of the pack it is like an elastic band -speed up and slow down. It was annoying and so, although not the smartest thing likely in terms of energy conservation, I led most of the way. At least then I knew I was within my own power abilities and not worried about others drafting. If it was happening I did not know. (It ended up that a guy did get a penalty.)

It was awesome seeing Tenille onto the run. She and Rachel were within seconds of each other. It all was rather fast. Once that happened we decided we were very hungry. We went to the Deerhurst patio restaurant, sat in the sun overlooking the lake and thought, Tenille should be here. She was running though…

One of the biggest changes for me since starting to coach myself is that I know that I am prepared for the distance from an aerobic strength perspective. Even though I have not been able to put in more than 8 miles running since my crash and am VERY conservative with speed work given my history of injury, I have lots of time on my feet and hiking is my secret training weapon. So although it was a very tough run course I was ticking off kilometers. I also thought (wrongly) that the road back was net decline. The path we took that paralleled the highway was turny, up and down and all around. It felt like it would never end. Then as a grand finale “this is how Muskoka rolls” there was one last hill to transition and the finishing chute. When I finally saw transition I don’t think I ever ran so fast with the crowd and my friends cheering loudly. It was so awesome.

We all wanted to be at different places at the finish. One just at the start to transition, one at mid-finish chute and one at the finish line. Watching the people was inspirational, awesome and so much fun. It was also exhausting and nerve wracking. A brilliant day.

Holli is going to do her first sprint triathlon next spring, Carrie is going to try swimming for her run cross-training in the winter and Carolyn is going to stick with sports with small and medium sized balls (Baseball and Volleyball).I can’t thank my friends enough for making this weekend so brilliant. I am so very lucky to share what I love with people who love me. The best part of it is that I get to keep going!  The season has only just begun!

It is not always about the training.  Sometimes it is just about the juice dripping sweetness of a freshly picked peach.

“Experience is not what happens to you, it is what you do with what happens.”

I thought this was brilliant as I am back on my feet after the crash.  I am running, dreaming of the next thing, excited about all that is ahead.   The crash confused me as I got stuck on the why and what am I supposed to learn?  Perhaps it does not matter why or what but how I took it on and where I am going to go because of it.   I have a tendency to really investigate myself when an obstacle occurs or am presented with a challenge.   I think I am going to put a lot more energy into investigating and understanding when all is going right because as the expression goes – experience is what you do with what happens.  This is in all that happens.  Have joy, share joy.  I have a lot to spread around.

The question is who is accountable when an athlete is unable to perform to their potential at the biggest and most prestigious race of their life. Of course there is no easy answer but perhaps the answer lays somewhere between two other questions: 1) How does the national federation develop, support and retain athletes so they are able to perform on the start line; and 2) How does the athlete learn to be the best they can be without breaking down?

Triathlon Canada: Performance based funding and the Development model

The National team selection process of Canada is often envied among athletes and coaches because it is clear. To make the team you have to perform at World Cups. To get to World Cups you make a run standard, make a swim standard, race an ITU event in the past year and you qualify. There is no bike standard. Overall performance at ITU Continental events are not considered if you do not have the standards.

One potential breakdown in this system is the funding model. Sport Canada funding is tied to podium finishes. Federations compete for scarce resources and become the have and have not sports. No podium = no money.  This means that funding for a sport can become dependent on performances of single athletes (e.g., Simon Whitfield and Paula Findlay) in smaller sport events.  While the Canadian junior development program I believe is on the right track, the federation still pushes juniors up too fast and maintains emphasis among elite on potential podium finishes rather than experience, skill and fitness development and the athletes themselves. One may question then whether it is possible to have an athlete-centred model and have funding tied to podiums.  Performance is only ever the outcome of the process. If podiums is the most important measure this will more often than not supersede smart athlete-based decisions and potential for out of the box thinking and experience* .

Leading up to London 2012, there were many races in 2010 and 2011 where Canada had no one on the ITU World Cup start line. National team members were constantly injured and other elites were not given opportunities despite strong results.  In frustration with the federation some women changed citizenship (e.g., Alicia Kaye) racing for another country and others decided to “go long”. The talent was there but not the support. Without other athletes meeting standards to race, points not being earned for Olympic spots the emphasis and pressure remained on the chosen few.  Canada had no one else. Paula did hold the weight of Triathlon Canada on the women’s side. It crushed her.

Athlete’s Development

In development of an elite triathlete overall fitness is king. One can swim fast, run fast but not be able to deliver on a result. Doing three sports and the speed work required for Olympic distance racing takes an enormous fitness and strength base to stay injury free. Base is developed over years not one season. Performance can be found in one season but if not adequate time has been spent in strength and base work, the athlete will only last that one season. On the Canadian women side the past two Olympics have witnessed issues with this.**

Most elite athletes, myself included, start with the premise that they will do whatever it takes. I began with the goal to make London 2012 and after suffering injury after injury had to give it over. I remember constantly pushing through pain thinking this is what it takes. The niggles in my feet, pain in my hip, tightness in my hamstring became normal until they stopped me entirely. By that time it was often too late. I always came back with more fight and determination that my body will not let me down. The problem is that I was letting my body down. Ronnie Schildknecht, 7 time Ironman Champion finally got through to me when he said, Tenille you will never be the best athlete you can be if the plan is more important to you than listening to the plan your body has. Zane, my previous coach, believed this too but my goals, beliefs of what I had to do constantly got in the way. I kept pushing and pushing. Time changed this and maybe repeating the same mistake over and over and being tired of the same result.

I only know Paula as an acquaintance. I don’t know her training or how she approaches triathlon. I have a feeling it is with a tremendous amount of focus, determination and fight. She perhaps felt an incredible sense of urgency to get back after her injury, pushing harder than an “easy effort”. Constantly testing, hoping, and wishing to be where she was in 2011 when she led the world in the sport.

Did she get in her own way? Only she can determine this but if history is correct, most athletes have to go through tremendous learning to be the best in the world. It never is a straight path. You just hope that the people that are there guiding you aren’t basing their job, the whole sport program, their own success to make it straight. It simply won’t work.

* While I argue that podiums should not be the emphasis for funding I understand that it is an important measure.  My question is to what cost does this come.  Check out my blog from May 26, 2011.

**Lauren Campbell was ranked 7^th in the World in 2006. The following years she struggled with injury leading up to the 2008 Olympics and crashed at the games. Kirsten Sweetland won the Junior World Championships in 2006, podiumed at a World Cup in 2007 and was pushed to perform at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She did not make it to that start line and has been managing injuries since. Paula Findlay after dominating 2011 with numerous wins she has been injured throughout 2012.

When we look at current triathlon superstars there is always something in common. They have made mistakes, been injured, come back, kept going, believing and loving what they do. This has all taken tremendous time and learning.

Nicola Spirig – 21 years doing triathlon (2012 Olympic Champion)

Mirinda Carfrae – 13 years doing triathlon (2010 Ironman World Champion)

Melissa Hauschildt – 16 years of elite level running before starting triathlon in 2010 (2011 World 70.3 Champion)

Simon Whitfeild – 27 years since his first ever triathlon.  That is holy smokes phenomenal! (2000 Olympic Champion and still going strong in 2012)

Paula Findlay – Swimmer growing up but first competitive triathlon season in 2006 – SEVEN years

So should Paula have been on the start line? Was it pressure, injury, poor training or lack of tools to overcome mental hurdles? When do you pull out? I think only the athlete themselves can answer this honestly and it is often not easy.

Pulling out of Boulder 70.3

Three days ago I crashed on my bike while reviewing the Boulder 70.3 course. I had swum and run in the morning so got on my bike by noon. Afternoons in Boulder often have thunder, rain and high winds so I knew to get out quick and be back by early afternoon. Unfortunately for me I didn’t get back soon enough. While riding my bike got swept out from under me by a gale-force wind. There was nothing I could have done to avoid it. I broke my helmet in two and fell very hard on my right side. Since then I have been to the chiropractor to get aligned, seen a sports doc, been icing, taking ibuprofen and smearing more Hylands Arnica gel on my bruised and battered body than I have in a year. I hoped I would be ok to race but I am not.

In the past I would have raced. I would have fought through the pain and thought I had to do it. It is not the Olympics but to me one last attempt at qualifying for Worlds 70.3 this year. But after enough experience to understand what it is like to race injured I will not go there. So I have to wait, let my body heal and be ready with a full heart to race the next one. August 19 Steelhead 70.3. I will be hungry.

My best wishes to Paula Findlay as she recovers from all she has gone through.  Life awaits her with new perspective.  She will seize it with a fight and vigor she has shown thus far.

Geography lesson: Courtenay BC (my Canada home) is in the middle of Vancouver Island. To get there you can take a ferry from Tsawwasssen to Swartz Bay (Victoria) or Duke Point (Nanaimo). To get to Hornby Island (where my mom lives) you leave on a ferry from Buckley Bay to Denman, ride across the island in record time to catch the next ferry from Gravelly Bay to Shingle Spit. Hornby is blessed with white sand beaches, Helliwell Provincial Park where my favorite arbutus trees hang off the cliffs and Mt. Geoffrey, a mountain bike/trail running mecca.

Hornby is mostly known for the transient granola, hippy/yuppy, artist and summer sun seeker folk. When I pull up to the ferry in my fully decked out Specialized Shiv and wearing head-to-toe Specialized bike kit people notice. It was a real opportunity for me to educate people on triathlon. No I am not in the Olympics, yes I do triathlon, no I have not been to Kona or even done an ironman, yes I do this full-time and your right I don’t make very much money.

Because I had to do a lot of back and forth off of Hornby Island most days I trained it was me trying to catch ferries after an early morning swim at the Courtenay outdoor pool, Mt. Geoffrey trail run or visit with my dad in Qualicum Beach. As I always running late my rides were largely above threshold efforts. Unfortunately for me I waved every ferry off missing each by seconds or minutes. I suppose something to work toward. On other days my mom and I swam in the ocean and peered into the eyes of at least 30 seals hoping that they didn’t think we would be too fun to play with and I rode up island past Campbell River where I thought I saw a bear and had an eagle keep me company. My time culminated with a celebration of my mom turning 60. The day was spent running together, kayaking and of course eating and drinking wonderful yet very cheap wine.

And now I am arriving into Boulder ready to take on the next block of training and racing. I have a fulfilled tiredness that only family can bring. I am ready to find my own groove again, drink my micro-clustered water and get back to my own kitchen. Ahh Boulder -another place that has quickly become home.

The Race:

The swim has never been easier for me. There is a rope that you follow from buoy to buoy. There was a strong swimmer Teresa Nelson whom I drafted. For the first time ever I decided to just chill out and hold back. I kept thinking to myself – patience, your older, be smarter, it’s a long race and no need to burn matches too early. As we were nearing the beach I decided to pick up the pace a little and get out of the water first. Why not? I made it in easily and was out of the water with time to spare.

The bike was challenging, cold, wet and very slick. The terrain is rolling, through lush green forest, along small lakes and a few towns. It is stunning. I had a close call on one descent/turn and from there on I was super cautious. I did not need to take the road home with me. Mirinda rode awesome and caught me at mile 15. I kept her within sight for the next 38 miles. In the last few miles she pushed again pulling a little away from me, then I had to slow down so I didn’t eat a horse trailer and from there she put on another solid minute or so. For nutrition I ate 5 GU gels and decided to hydrate like never before. I drank so much that half way through the bike I had to pee. Unfortunately I am not one that can pee under pressure so knew that it was going to be a long 2 hours of holding it. I swear if I was drinking my Kangen micro-clustured 9.5 this would not have happened!

Coming into transition I had a smile on my face. My feet were completely numb which made it hard to run but my energy was still great. My sister and mom were out there cheering me on with everything they had. Before the race they asked me what their role should be. I told them that I wanted to know how far was the person ahead/behind me was. As I rounded one corner my sister yelled – you are 3 minutes ahead of third, then a minute later I saw my mom who yelled – you are 7 minutes ahead of third. I figured that I was in a good position with more than 3 minutes and less than 7. Excellent. It did not really matter of course. I was just doing my thing. When I ran past the mile 8 marker and still felt strong I realized it was the longest run I had in 6 weeks. I pushed a little harder at that point. For the first time ever I did a negative run split. No speed work, no long runs just a whole lot of hiking in the Boulder mountains with runs thrown in there. To me it does not get much better than that.

I still have lots of work to do. There always is. But I am on the right track.

Special thanks to my amazing home-stay hosts Sarah and Gary who not only welcomed me but my mom and sister too. We all had an incredible stay, ate amazing food and had great conversation and laughs.

The Details:

Swim Detailser Swim Leader | Division Rank: 1

Bike Detailsvision Rank: 2

Run Detailsnk: 2