On March 9th, the PICC line (catheter for my IV) was removed and without wasting one minute, we packed the Outback, pointed it south and drove to Florida! All up, I spent 5 weeks on IV antibiotics and now I was free!

I have so much to write and I will write but for now, I want everyone to know that I feel so much better and I am so happy to free and alive. I am feeling amazing swimming, biking and running and our training camp in Clermont was fantastic – great athletes – and my days are happily full of big deep healthy breathes. I feel like myself again! More later!

We left Canada on Tuesday and we arrived in Manila on Thursday about 24 hours later. It was the quickest arrival, custom clearing, picking up bags that we have ever done – we touched down at 4:40 a.m. and we were out the door by 5:10 a.m. with a little necklace of flowers around our necks as our first taste of Filipino hospitality. Moments later, we were having tea with our host – Fred Uytengsu – the brainchild of the Cobra Philippines 70.3 event. We had a full day planned – first breakfast with Fred and his wife Kerri and then off to swim at the Polo Tri Club then visiting a museum and lunch with more of our host athletes from the Polo Tri Team and then a little water run to get my legs functioning after the big trip, dinner, a massage and then bed! Now, keep in mind, that 6 a.m. Manila time is 6 p.m. Ontario time and so if you do the math…lunch at 1 p.m. was like 1 a.m. and my eyes were a little heavy!! The sushi kept me very awake but I certainly was struggling to stay awake by 3 p.m. But I did manage a 60 minute water run and some fun pool time with Fred and Kerri’s daughter, Kayla. Dinner was a huge struggle so you can just imagine how much I slept during the 8 p.m. massage! When I got off of the massage table at 9 p.m., I told Dave that I think she forgot my left leg and my quads! Nope – they still had the slippery residue of massage oil – which means that I must have been fast asleep.

Friday morning came quickly because Dave and I were wide awake at 2 a.m. but managed to stay horizontal until 4 a.m. By 6 a.m., we were spinning through the village on our bikes with Andy, another talented Polo Tri Team member. Then I was off to do a killer treadmill workout with Kerri at Gold’s Gym. I was one great big puddle by the end of the session and I was quite a sight to the poor staff. I think they thought I was from another planet because they wanted to do a photograph with the entire staff before I left. Meanwhile, Cameron Brown – 8-time IM New Zealand Champion arrived and now our team was complete – Lance, Dave, Cam and myself. After a quick recovery hour and then off for a swim, it was time to prepare for the start of our first camp with the Polo Tri Club. We kicked it off with a little chat – I did a bit of a motivational slide show and then Lance laid out the weekend and spoke about race preparation. A beautiful dinner capped off our official day one!

The camp continued on Saturday with an instructional bike ride on a loop on a closed road in a nearby park – cycling in Manila is a challenge but the Polo Team makes it happen by either having rides with escort drivers or riding on this closed loop every weekday morning from 5:30-7:30 a.m. On the weekend, we received  special permission to use the road from 7:30 – 10:30 a.m.  It was the perfect loop for the athletes to gain technical insight on cornering and bike handling from Lance and Dave and to practise high cadence and big gear work with Cam and me. We finished off with a set of hard bike intervals and once again, we were all reduced to little puddles of sweat! The heat here is unlike anything I have ever experienced – on average it is about 34 degrees Celsius each day but apparently the ‘feel’ temp is more like 45 degrees Celsius!

On the drive home from the ride, we stopped by a United States World War II memorial cemetery. There were thousands of little white crosses paying tribute to the soldiers and there was a beautiful display of names carved into the walls of the building.

On the drive home from the ride, we stopped by a United States World War II memorial cemetery. There were thousands of little white crosses paying tribute to the soldiers and there was a beautiful display of names carved into the walls of the building. There is a lot of history here in Philippines and we are definitely learning something new each day. We finished off the day with a swim session and discussion and then dinner and a social.

Our final day was a run focus day back at the Polo Tri Club. It was another hot one but we taught some great running technique tips and did a tough session on their 1 km gravel running track. I did a quick session on water running which offered some relief from all of our sweating during the run session. Brunch, photos and question and answer ended our camp but the camp atmosphere will continue at the race site since every single member of the Polo Tri Team is racing in the 70.3.

Cam and I finished up the day with a 3 hour trainer ride which was the hottest I have ever felt in my life!  I just kept telling myself that taper starts on Monday and we pushed through and got it done.

And now the authentic adventure began. The next day, we woke up at 4 a.m. for our 6:15 a.m. domestic flight to the race site. Following with the supreme efficiency of life here, the driver took our bags first, checked us in and then we followed about 45 minutes later. We met him there, he took us through all the security lines with our baggage tags and boarding passes in hand and off we went to Naga – a 40 minute flight. When we landed, we were treated to an incredible welcome There was a live band and dancers waiting. We thought this was just the normal greeting for arriving passengers but then we saw that they were holding a banner saying “Welcome to Naga – David Cracknell, Cameron Brown, Lance Watson, Lisa Bentley” – it was amazing!  We were greeted by our new hosts here – Marife and Joseph – and they had someone fetch our luggage while we took the van to the race hotel at Cam Sur.

We had breakfast at Cam Sur and had a little swim and then we boarded a helicopter!  The Governor was sending us to a remote island for 2 days – “to unwind”!  Yes, we had been working pretty hard as coaches and athletes while in Manila – but we hardly needed an escape to an uninhabited island!  Ok, so adventure number one was the helicopter ride – unbelievable! The views were amazing!  Our pilot was Canadian – how crazy is that? He came to Philippines for an adventure and the Governor hired him to fly for him.  It was a 30 min ride to the island of Caramoan. We were the only ones there – you cannot run or bike here – the beach is about 200-300 meters long but I am not about to run back and forth for an hour!  The resort on Caramoan is not even open. The Governor owns it and he brought staff in to take care of us while we were there. There was about 10 staff taking care of us!  We each had a little hut facing the water!  It was very beautiful. There was no internet and no television. It is totally remote!  Each day, they would bring our food in by boat from the nearby island of Gota, about 5 minutes away.

Survivor is being filmed on the islands surrounding Caramoan.  So here is how it works. The challenges that the survivor contestants do are on the different islands around here and their camps are on other islands. So on our first day, we took the boat to go hike to see some caves and when we arrived, we saw the obstacle course which is used in the immunity challenges on Survivor!  On Tuesday, we took a boat  to Gota to do a run (more on that later) and when we were done they told us we had to leave because the Survivor competitors were coming to do some challenges. The filming crew is staying on Gota.  Later, we went for another boat ride and we saw one of the camps set up with the team flag and we stopped at another island where Dave and Cam hiked up to a filming tower and found another challenge set up!  So that is how remote it is here – they host Survivor for several different broadcasts. I think they have filmed the French version and now they are filming the Serbian one.  Those overhead shots they show of the islands are really true – that is exactly what it looks like! Lush, tropical, dangerous, untouched and remote!

On Tuesday, Cam and I were taken by boat to do our run on Gota. We had a chaperone – of course – who followed on a motor bike. It was the most spectacular run I have ever done in my life because I saw the raw and pure life of an island in Philippines. We ran by pigs and water buffalos and little dogs. We saw the most beautiful little school children walking to school yelling ‘hi’ and putting out there hands for a high-5!  Picture the happiest little children with big smiles on their faces – that is what I got to see – they were so beautiful!  We saw their schools and their homes – they were all little huts – no running water, no electricity, no video games, no Wii – but everyone looked happy!  We saw children climbing up the sides of a bridge – so high up – like monkeys. We saw a man riding a bike with about a dozen fish freshly caught swinging from his handlebars. We saw the shops – not like we see at home – little huts that are barely standing – but there was life there – it was a busy little town!  Two people even yelled “Ironman” as we ran!  Keep in mind – there are no televisions here and these people maybe will never see another pair of white people in their lives again – and certainly not two people crazy enough to be running and sweating on purpose. One little boy even  ran with us for about 100 meters – and he stayed ahead of us!  It was legendary!

After breakfast, we went for a boat ride to visit some of the other islands. On our way back, we jumped out of the boat and swam to our beach. It took about 40 minutes but we were all scared. I was scared of jelly fish – I saw so many as I was swimming and I didn’t want to get stung. So I hopped onto Cam Brown’s feet as we swam and stayed as close as I could. I was terrified!  Days later, we would see scenes from Survivor (French version) and we saw the island that we swam from and one of the islands we swam to en route to Caramoan!

On Wednesday, we snuck in one more run on Gota and that way Lance and Dave were both able to come and share in our experience and take some pictures! The helicopter picked us up after the run and by 10 a.m., we were back in Cam Sur at the race site!

On Monday, when we left, there was only a slight hint of the approaching race but by Wednesday when we returned, the venue had really taken shape and looked amazing. The food, VIP, sponsor and finish line tents were all up and look awesome. The run from swim to swim was already carpeted (yes we swim 1200 m in one lake and then 700 meters in another one). There were shuttles from one hotel to another. There were meals so that the athletes did not have to leave the race venue searching for food. There are donut, hamburger and hot dog kiosks already set up for quick snacks. There is a welcoming committee at the lobby and posters listing the events for the day.  Yes, this event is the utmost in professionalism! There were little signs draped overhead across the streets welcoming us to town. It is so special to feel welcomed when we are far from home.  There were welcome bags for each athlete when they checked in with a towel and little booklets with the facts about Naga (the surrounding town) and the race course. These are the little details that are so nice for athletes to have.

We managed to get out for a bike ride at 11 a.m. with a driver following us for safety. It was a very nice ride – the people in the villages were waving and very excited to see us. The turnaround is at the ocean and we will all have to be careful not to jump in the ocean to cool off down there – it will be tempting.  When we got back from our ride, we had a beautiful lunch served by Melos – the race organizers have brought in the staff and food from a restaurant in Manila to ensure that the athletes are well fed. Pretty amazing.  Princess Galura – Princess is her first name – has been our key contact here in Cam Sur and she has taken care of us with a big open heart.

Thursday was the start of the next Lifesport Training Camp. Dave and I snuck in a quick bike ride at 5:30 a.m. to try to avoid some of the local traffic and then we were off to our first camp session. I did a motivational slide show again for our new group of athletes and gave them some mental ammunition for their big race day. I went for a pool swim while the group ran and then we had some nice relaxation time, dinner with the training camp athletes and a massage.

Friday was the first day Cam and I did not organize to do any training together and there I was, out running on the run course and when I stopped to loosen my laces and Cam came by. It has been so fantastic having Cameron as my training partner for the past week. Together, we are the “Killer B’s” – get it – Brown and Bentley!!!  That was our nickname on Tri Dubai. The run course is very similar to our special run in Gota and that will be my personal motivation for success. I know that my heart will be filled with such happy thoughts and with that sort of fuel, I will run at my best!

Once the training was done, our day was a reunion day with our new friends from the Polo Tri Club. They are such a special group of people and we feel like adopted members of the team!

At lunch, we met the Governor of Cam Sur – Governor L Ray. His name is everywhere in Cam Sur and he is an incredibly dynamic man. He loves sport and he has resurrected Cam Sur from being the poorest province in Philippines to being the 10^th richest in just 4 years!  He supports Ironman triathlon 100%. He has had roads paved and re-paved. He has had the man-made lakes pristine. He has shut the roads for our race so that we can cycle traffic free! He is so proud of Cam Sur and he has extended every ounce of hospitality to all of us visitors – more than any human could possibly absorb!

We followed lunch with a television interview and then a press conference. Just before the welcome party, I found the race organizing committee celebrating a Catholic Mass upstairs in one of the little meeting rooms. I joined them for this special mass and now I have so many wonderful blessings for a terrific race experience.

The welcome party was spectacular. There was an opening dance performance which seemed just like Cirque du Soleil.

And now, today, is Saturday – the day before our big celebration race day!!  My health has been pretty good for a few days. I finished my last dose of antibiotics on Monday and life was good until yesterday when my cough developed once again. My compressor that allows me to do my breathing therapy is not working – I used a voltage adaptor but for some reason, it will not work so I have been 10 days without my saline solution therapy. Fingers crossed that I will finally be able to race moderately healthy for the first time this year!!!

Dave is racing as well, although I am encouraging him to ‘participate’ and not to race. He has the talent to go quite hard and fast but his fitness is a little bit behind and I fear that he will end up hurting himself and not enjoying the day at all.

This has been the most amazing life experience we have had. Our hearts are so full right now of so much kindness and love and we are so much richer for all of the new friends that we can now call family!

For more photos click on the photo below or go to the gallery page!

St. Croix had been a great event for me. If you forget about the minutes I lost with the cycling shoe incident, my riding was excellent and I had out biked many of the athletes who would be racing in Florida. And I had finally had a great fast run after 2 years of injury. Needless to say, with a bit of fairy dust sprinkled in my direction, I just might have the magical race I had been visualizing.

All of my pre-race preparation went off without a hitch. There was a bit of creaking from my bottom bracket but I wasn’t concerned. Dave had taken care of it and when I checked in my bike the day before the race, it seemed like it was 100%. My bike shoes looked intact, my body was intact and my mind was 100% focused on racing at my best.

At 6:23 a.m., the canon sounded the beginning of our race. The first 5 minutes was so tough. It is almost dark when the race starts, so there is no swim warm up allowed. Instead of actual in water preparation, I spent time practising my stroke and swimming with my bands on the beach and visualizing my Phelps-like freestyle! That said, without doing a few sprints to get your heart rate ready to hit 160 beats, those first few hundred meters are a gasp fest! I settled in on some feet ahead of me, but the feet I really wanted – Jo Lawn in the green cap – were ahead by a few body lengths. I tried everything to catch that cap but I could not. I exited the water with Magali and we were both about 30 – 45 seconds behind Jo Lawn and Amy Marsh. About 3 minutes up the road were the leaders, Leanda Cave and Nina Kraft.

I got onto my bike pretty quick and hit over 350 watts trying to keep Magali in sight but the gap grew on the many turns out of Fort Wilderness. On the open road on World Drive, I could still see the women up the road and I was catching them, but once Magali caught them, they were able to work together and they were out of sight. This was certainly tough for me to watch. I keep thinking that I am not suited to flat courses, but that isn’t the case. The trouble is that athletes can get together and gain an advantage by working together on flat courses, where as hilly rides make that impossible. When I rode up the Beast in St. Croix (16-21% grade – about 6 minutes of climbing), I dropped all the women who were riding with me. But on a flat course, there is no Beast and so athletes can stick together and make it tough for someone riding alone to catch them!! Rats! Regardless, 20 years of racing has taught me never to give into discouragement and to never, ever give up. I continued to ride hard and my wattage was over 200 watts and my average speed was hitting the 38-39 kph mark for much of the ride.

I loved the ride and I rode as aggressively as I could. I could see no one – not another women – not a man – not a draft marshal – no one – but I continued to pound the pedals, hydrate and take care of my nutrition as I prepared to run the women down.

Meanwhile, I was losing quite a bit of time to the women in the pack ahead of me. The pack, which now included 4 women, got off their bikes about 8 minutes ahead of me. Those were a long 8 minutes for poor Dave to watch. You see, my creaking frame was actually cracked along the bottom bracket! Unknown to me, Dave had returned to the transition area the night before the race and had applied epoxy to my frame to mend the break. So when Dave saw these women, some of whom I had out biked 2 weeks prior in St. Croix, get off their bikes so far ahead of me, he thought that my bike had busted and I was lying in a heap of carbon on the road! Not only was Dave just happy to see me when I rolled in, he was relieved to see me! I didn’t even listen to the time deficit – I just ran as hard as I could.

I stayed positive, happy and totally engaged in running fast. Regardless of the outcome, this is a workout and a step towards being a fast racing machine in the next few months. I ran down a few women but I couldn’t put any time into Jo or Magali or Leanda, the race leader, who was way up the road and having the race of her life. I made up quite a bit of ground on Nina and Amy but I ran out of road and finished in 6th place. One of the best things about this run was that I felt fast, my energy was great, my attitude was positive and my heel was absolutely 100%.

I finished the race feeling great and feeling pretty fresh despite racing every single minute of it at my very best pace. That is success. In the meantime, I will build on my swim, bike and run speed in preparation for the REV3TRI event in Connecticut on June 7th and then the Subaru Muskoka Chase on June 14th.

In the meantime, I have savored yet another day in sport – a day well spent celebrating fitness, health and friends! Thanks for your support.

Lisa Bentley

11 Time Ironman Champion, Lisa Bentley!

Lisa Bentley is one of the most charismatic and openly accessible pros on the professional triathlon circuit. A former high school cross country runner and a budding triathlon analyst for various networks, Lisa has managed to position herself as one of triathlon’s “cross over” success stories as she has achieved great wins on the course as well as succeeded in giving motivational speeches, brought great awareness to the sport among kids and families while battling cystic fibrosis. We were thrilled to get time with Lisa this month and wanted to share this interview.

The REV3 race is getting more and more packed with the top talent in the world — in fact, after Clearwater and Kona, I don’t think any other race will feature so many Ironman champions and top talent. How does that kind of a lineup motivate you and/or change your preparation?

It is very exciting. I love to race and to race against great competitors and REV3 will provide that. I definitely plan to be in good shape for the event. The organizers have put a big effort into creating a competitive environment and a great professional event with good exposure and prize money and the athletes need to come out and perform at their best.

Unlike so many other triathletes who consume a carbohydrate laden diet (although this is changing everyday), you have been a strong advocate of the 40%/30%/30% carbohydrate, protein and fat regimen of the Zone diet. Tell us about your experience moving to this nutrition pattern and what were the biggest changes you felt.
It happened by accident really. I went to the dentist and had a bunch of cavities and I couldn’t figure out why. I went to my chiropractor/ART specialist, Dr. Mark Scapaticci, and he said that I ate too much sugar since I ate so many carbs. He challenged me that I could not stop eating bread and simple sugars. I took up the challenge! That was in 2003 and I could count the number of times I have had bread or bread products. I started to eat gluten free and organic and I just tried to eat protein and carbohydrates at every meal. I never eat pasta for dinner. I might have some brown rice pasta or Zone pasta as a side, but the majority of my meal is salad, veggies and a protein source of chicken, tuna, wild salmon or cottage cheese. I am still not a big fat eater, but I do not fear eating healthy fat like almonds or adding some organic olive oil to a stir fry. The biggest change was that my health improved – I wasn’t catching as many colds. And I was able to get a bit leaner which ultimately made me faster. I had my best racing seasons after 2003 and I like to think it was new diet.

How has your reliance on the Zone diet changed your "in race" nutrition choices?
I am still a big Power Bar Performance bar and Protein bar eater – that has not changed. I eat Powerbars before and during my workouts – they are fast and easy energy and they are complete nutrition (with protein and fat but lots of carbs to fuel my training which is important). I try to eat whole foods at other times though. I have had so much success with eating PowerBars for racing and training that I will never change this. Racing and training requires carbs and fast energy and that is provided by PowerBar. The difference is that I am a better fat burner now and I don’t require the same number of calories. I still eat my PowerBar on the bike and Power Gels on the run but I don’t fall into the same deficits that are inevitable when training and racing for long hours. And now, I take about 8000 mg of Eico/Pro Zone fish oil every day with a 4 ounces of Sea Health antioxidant drink. That helps reduce the inflammation from my training and helps me recover faster and means that I don’t have to take anti-inflammatories anymore.

You are infamous for your incredibly high run cadence, even in the last few miles of a Ironman–how did you train yourself to run so efficiently and is your styled modeled after the "pose" method?

I don’t even know what the pose method is?? My running has just evolved from running and from trying to run faster. Running hills and running on the Treadmill have helped me with cadence but I never set out to increase my cadence. But I do encourage others to try to run at 90 cadence or over and I try to teach them how to do that. I find that the higher cadence means that my foot is on the ground for less time and that reduces the impact on my muscles. That in turn translates into faster recovery times for me from training and racing Ironman.

When you think back over your years of triathlon, what racing experience has had the single biggest impact in the way you train?
Racing Kona changed the way I trained. I knew that to race well there, I had to go to Hawaii about 4-5 weeks pre race in order to acclimatize and train on the course. I was sweating out way too much salt in that race and I could not take in enough sodium to replace it and it was leading to some major cramping. I knew that if I could really acclimatize then I could train my body to sweat out less salt and be more efficient. I love the heat, so it wasn’t a matter of getting used to the suffering – it was all about helping my body chemistry adjust. Salt loss is one of the side effects of Cystic Fibrosis. Once I started to spend weeks pre race in Kona, my racing really reached a new level.

You have been a great advocate for fitness and the value of a healthy lifestyle–especially with those affected by your disease, Cystic Fibrosis. How have you had to alter your nutrition and/or training to compete with this condition?
I have to eat healthy so that I don’t catch a cold because when I catch a cold, it always goes to my lungs and then I get a chest infection. The bacteria that my lungs grow – called pseudomonas – is a very bad bacteria and it requires some very strong antibiotics to fight. So that is the vicious cycle that I get into when I get sick. I train with chest infections – if I didn’t, I would never train or race. That is my reality. The difference is that I back off on the intensity so my body still gets a workout but it won’t be a real high intensity workout. So I suppose my training may suffer during these periods but you just have to do what you can with what you have and I am blessed to be as healthy as I am. It is very important to keep moving when I get sick or when others with CF get sick because the exercise helps to clear the lungs. I do have to take salt pills to deal with the high salt loss that I encounter – that is one of the side effects of CF and it is actually how it is diagnosed.

You’ve been training under the Lifesport banner for some time now. What have been the biggest obstacles in your training that they’ve been able to help you overcome?
I started to work with Lance Watson well before there was Lifesport. Lance helped me with my mental game and taught me how to race at my best every single time whatever my ‘best’ happened to be. He has supported me through so much – training, racing, training and racing disappointments, life’s highs and lows, injuries, appendix rupturing, broken ribs – there is no question that he has been a life coach. And as a good coach, he has taught me to take a bit more ownership over my training so that he doesn’t have to guide me as much anymore – but that said, he guides me when I need it and plays a big role in my career. He is that one person that I can talk to about pretty much anything and he is that impartial person that every athlete needs to bounce things off of. He is a great sounding board and is truly a ‘life coach’.

If there were 3 things you could change about the sport of triathlon, what would they be and why?
– Both drafting and non drafting time trial triathlon events in the Olympics (and Ironman)
– Pros start separately – men and women by 30 minutes – completely separate the races
– Athletes wear a tracking system so that drafting isn’t a judgement call but a factual call – or – that draft marshalls would just pull over the entire pack of athletes who are drafting and start them 30 sec apart one by one

How does the sheer dominance of someone like Chrissie Wellington effect the women’s field? I imagine, at times, you’ve got to feel like a male PGA pro golfer going up against Tiger Woods!
She is amazing and it is fun to watch someone go so fast and so effortlessly. I wish I was in the prime of my career so I could have a go at racing her.

You’ve battled some very tough foot injuries over the past 1-2 years. What did those injuries teach you about your training or how you had to potentially change it?

It is a chronic injury caused from too many miles. But I wouldn’t change anything. Our careers are finite and I have loved every single race. If this injury had happened in my 20′s, i would have had surgery and bounced back and raced hard. But when you suffer a huge injury in your late 30′s, there is no time to take a year off and get healthy. So i have had to be resourceful with my therapies and I have chosen to race in some pain. But I am happy to say that I am running painfree right now (I don’t know for how long though??). I will likely never go back to my big volume running days – I will keep my runs shorter and faster and less frequent. I want to run painfree and fast. When I train for a marathon now, my long run will be no more than 2 hrs whereas many years ago, i would do multiple 3 hr runs and back those up with a second run in the evening. The antibiotics that I have to take for the chest infections I get with CF – it is called Cipro – has been proven to cause Achilles tendon rupture and damage. I have raced while taking cipro several times, so the doctors believe that that has contributed signifigantly to my chronic Achilles tendon issues. Racing a marathon on Cipro can’t be good for your Achilles!! Now, when I go on Cipro (now that I know that), I don’t run hard – just easy. And I try to avoid Cipro at all costs. I have had to take it once this year in February.

Lisa Bentley:
Born: November 28, 1968
Age: 40
First Triathlon: Royal LePage King City Triathlon in 1989
Turned Pro: 1992. Resigned from teaching to become a full time professional athlete in 1999.

Lives: Ontario, CA

Career at a glance:

• 5 Time Ironman Australia Champion
• 3 Time Ironman Canada Champion
• 2 Time Ironman New Zealand Champion
• 3rd place, Ironman World Championships, 2006

Lisa, it is an honor to get this opportunity to interview you. You are one of the freshest personalities in the sport and are always there with a great attitude and quick smile. Thanks so much for your time.

Interview by Max Wunderle
www.gotrimax.com/TriMaxBentley.htm

It is always a whirlwind when you get  home from a 3-month training camp.  I have been home for almost 1 month and I am finally getting back into the swing of things.  Gone are the days of running in shorts and cycling outside in a jersey – I just finished cycling on my Computrainer for 3 hours of gruelling intervals and time trials and then running in a winter hat, mitts and tights – this weather is probably warm for most Canadians, but for me, I was quite thankful for my hat and mitts today!!!  But the great things about being at home are that I am back running on my 1 mile loop so I can time all of my efforts, I get to wear all of my awesome spring and winter Saucony training gear, I get to enjoy my DVDs while I gut through my many hours on my Cervelo and Computrainer, I get to swim with the Dorado swim team and get my butt kicked routinely by 12 year olds!  Oh, the joys of being home!!

I raced in the New Orleans 70.3 a few weeks ago.  I did this race because I ‘could’ but not because I was ready to race.  Once again, I took a huge break from running this winter.  Prior to New Orleans, I ran for 4 weeks in the past 4 months – that was about 16 runs in total.  So I was not completely run fit but I was run hungry and race hungry. And I was swim fit and bike fit.  And so, I made my way to New Orleans eager to see what 16 runs in 4 months could do! 

First, I must say that racing and visiting New Orleans was a very educational experience.  To be in a community that was ravaged by such destruction was incredibly humbling.  The race director, Bill Burke, did a wonderful job closing down the entire bike course.  And staging the finish line in Jackson Square right in downtown New Orleans was truly spectacular!  I applaud the race organization and the community for welcoming a bunch of lycra clad athletes to play ‘triathlon’ in their city.

I arrived in New Orleans on Friday night and hurried to figure out the logistics of the event – finding and driving the bike and run courses, locating the transition areas and swim start and finish area, finding a bike mechanic to fix a ‘travel induced’ braking issue with my bike, locating the registration, my hotel, groceries and places to eat!  Whew – I was exhausted before the gun even went off.  I was very excited about racing and that was evident by my sleepless Friday night and my 2-hour sleep on Saturday night!  Honestly, the racing part is simple – the waiting and the organizational stuff – the thinking part – well, that is the worst!!

As soon as the canon fired, all remnants of my sleep deprivation were gone.  I had a great swim and lead the second pack of swimmers out from Lake Ponchatrain. Exiting with me were Kate Major, Heather Gollnick, Linsey Corbin and some other speedsters.  In one way, it was great to get to ride with so many women, but it made the ride very challenging since we have a 10 meter drafting rule and we only get 25 seconds to move through that zone and complete a pass of another athlete.  That may sound like a lot of time but we are all riding around the same speed and for me to go from 35 km/hr to 36 km/h to complete a pass requires so much energy.  When I was trying to pass another woman, I would see my watts jump up to about 280 watts.  That is huge for me!  By the time I got past the athlete, I was so tired, that my watts would drop to 150!!  My normal time trialling watts is around 200 watts. Oh yes, it is fun to have women to ride with, but  it was tough work!  I did have a great ride though in spite of losing 2 bottles of my electrolyte drink and my salt pills on a huge bump at 5 km into the ride. I finished the bike in the general area of Kate Major and Heather Gollnick – both great riders – but I had lots of fast women still ahead of me that needed to be caught.   

I started the run about 20 seconds behind Kate thanks to her blistering transition and I gradually bridged that gap and moved passed her into 7th place.  I felt pretty good running and I was careful with my nutrition since my lack of run training meant that I was likely not as efficient with my calorie burning and I might need an extra Power Gel (I usually take 2 Power Gels) on this half marathon.  Kate caught back up to me at around mile 3 and then we ran the next 7 miles together exchanging the lead.  Kate has placed 3rd in Hawaii several times so I was quite pleased to be running with her given my lack of run preparation. 

At about mile 9, I had already taken in my 2 Power Gels and I knew that I would need one more.  Kate was gradually gapping me and I got pretty desperate for some calories.  I usually carry all of my nutrition with me even though the aid stations stock Power Gels.  But when I yelled for a Power Gel at an upcoming aid station, they didn’t have any!!!  Uggh – I guess not all the aid stations have Gels!!  That is lesson number one that I give to any athlete that I coach – always carry your own nutrition – don’t give that control away!  And here I failed to ‘practise what I preach!’  Finally at either mile 10 or mile 11, I got a Power Gel and I felt a great surge of energy.  I ran as hard as I could to the finish line but I just couldn’t catch Kate or any other women for that matter!  I ended up running 1:29 for the half marathon which is about 5-8 minutes off of my usual pacing but not too bad considering that I am in the re-building phase of my run training. 

The best thing about this race and this season so far is that my heel is pain-free which it has not been in over 5 years!  And I am finally back to running in my favorite racing flats – the Saucony Fastwitch – which I have not been healthy enough to run in for 2 years!  These are small victories but victories none the less!!

When I returned home, I did a day long photo shoot with one of my new sponsors – Hydropool  Hot Tubs and Swim Spas (www.hydropoolhottubs.com).  They are launching a brand new swim spa equipped with wide stream swim nozzles that project a non-turbulent water current allowing swimmers to swim and do other aquatic exercises against the resistance of the current right at home!  It was a long day (which began with a 3 hour computrainer bike session first) but a great day!  The Hydropool team is passionate about their latest aquatrainer and I am so proud to be able to work with them!!!

This weekend, I will be representing Saucony at the Oakville Running Company meeting people and promoting Saucony!!!  So stop by if you are in the neighborhood this Saturday around noon!

My next race will either be the St. Croix 70.3 or Florida 70.3.  Our dog, Brunswick, has been ‘less than 100%’ for the past 3 months and I am not sure if I can leave her for 5 days while I go to St. Croix.  We are working on making her as comfortable as possible but there have been many sleepless nights and lots of tears.  She is not suffering – we are making sure of that – some days are fantastic and she is chasing squirrels and licking dishes in the dishwasher and other days she is lethargic.  But I will be racing at least one of these two events.  If I don’t race St. Croix, then I will race the Sporting Life 10 km run in downtown Toronto.

And lastly, in terms of my health, I am still doing my inhalation therapy to get rid of that nasty pseudomonas bacteria.  It is quite time consuming – 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening but I have just bought a car adaptor so that I can do it while I drive or while I am a passenger.  I have always been a great multi-tasker.  One side effect is that the breathing burns calories and makes me very hyper and so I have lost 5 lbs since February 23rd when I started the treatment!  Now before everyone signs up for this therapy in an effort to lose that last 5 lbs, I must now take that calorie burning into account when I am training and racing.  It is all one great big life balance, isn’t it? 

In the meantime, training is going well – I am pretty tired from all of my training sessions – my running is progressing nicely – when I finished my 3 hr computrainer interval ride today, I got off and ran hard for 15 min and then did 5 x 1 km repeat – ‘just for fun’. 

I will be updating my website with a similar note to this one and with some photos if you are interested.

Take care and thank you for your continued support!

Lisa Bentley
www.lisabentley.com

I had hoped to race in Pucon but I wasn’t quite ready and I have been itching to race. I am finally injury-free so I wanted to get racing and New Orleans was available!

You’ve suffered some disappointments these past couple of years due to a running injury. Can you tell us about it and how it’s healed? Since running is usually your weapon of choice, was this a mental/emotional blow to you?

This running injury was huge but it is just part of our sport. Yes, it was a big emotional blow but when you race professionally and race often, it is expected. I have raced 33 Ironmans – I loved every single one of them – but racing that hard and that much takes its toll and the toll was a chronic heel injury. As elite athletes, injury is part of our job description. I actually have had a healthy, injury-free career aside from the past few years and given the difficulty of our sport, that is a huge compliment to my therapists and doctors who have dealt with me day to day throughout my 20 year career! I have only had to skip one race (Hawaii Ironman 2001) due to injury. My heel is really quite good now. I have taken a lot of time off from running and I can now finally run in my normal Saucony running shoes (the Hurricane) instead of modified versions. I will never likely go back to the crazy number of running days I used to run, but I will run shorter, sharper and more efficient sessions and take that speed through to the marathon.

This past winter, you spent several weeks training in Clermont. While there, you swam under the guidance of Sara McLarty (an ITU star and very strong swimmer). Did you learn anything new from her expertise that you can carry with you into this season? And how did you decide to use Clermont as your winter base?

It was great swimming with Sara and the master’s team. It is a great training environment and good for my speed. I have been training in Clermont since 2003 for a few months each winter. The National Training Center is a fantastic training base. The outdoor pool is absolutely gorgeous and I can swim any time of day – a luxury that I do not enjoy at home in Caledon, Ontario. The cycling is amazing – quiet, hilly country roads. I do most of my running on a 10-mile clay trail which is my little oasis. And the weather is brilliant. The sun is always shining and so even on a chilly morning, it is still warm enough to swim, bike and run. Years ago, I used to train in Australia and that was wonderful but now, I have too many ties to home and I need to be closer in case I need to go back. I am also not willing to give up my ‘life’ to train – so I bring the dogs to Florida and my husband Dave can travel easily back and forth to Canada to do his work. Basically, I needed a training venue that I could drive to (so that I could bring the dogs), but be able to fly back and forth as needed. Clermont is all of that. And now, I have made such wonderful friends there – it is like a second home for me.

Although you suffer from Cystic Fibrosis, you’ve still enjoyed an extremely successful tri career! How do you manage this disease? Has it ever affected you on race day, or is it more a matter of keeping it under control on a day-to-day basis?

In the past, it has only affected me when I get sick and so I am very careful to eat well, sleep well and stay healthy. Yes, it has affected me on race day – I was very ill when I raced the 2004 Hawaii Ironman – I was on some very strong antibiotics that week and then for another 3 weeks after the race. I am usually require a treatment of antibiotics about 3 times per year and and so it does have impact on my training and racing. Ironically, the antibiotic that I take to control the kind of bacteria that my lungs grow – pseudomonas – is a terrible (yet wonderful) antibiotic called Ciprofloxcin. This antibiotic causes Achilles tendon rupture and so it has definitely contributed to my Achilles tendon issues and this chronic heel injury. But, I am extremely blessed to have been able to race as a professionally and balance my health. I always say that you have to be the best you can be with what you have and who you are.

Recently, CF has had a bigger role in my life. For the past year, I have tried not to take that nasty antibiotic – Cipro – in hopes that my heel wouldn’t get any worse. But in the interim, my lungs have gotten a bit less healthy and I suffered a few more infections last year and unfortunately that made for a tough day at Subaru Ironman Canada and Subaru Ironman Muskoka 70.3. As it turns out, I now have to inhale an antibiotic called Tobramycin for 20 minutes twice per day with a nebulizer and a compressor. I will only have to do this until my tests show that I am pseudomonas free!! I am hoping that will be in May or June. Again, I am so thankful that the doctors at St. Mike’s Hospital are so thorough and take such good care of their patients!

You’ve also enjoyed being on the other side of the camera at some of the biggest events, including Kona last year, as a commentator for Canadian media. How have you enjoyed this experience? Have you learned anything from watching a race unfold, as opposed to being part of the action?

I love doing the television commentary for triathlon – any kind of triathlon – ITU and Ironman. It is fun to watch the athletes perform and as an athlete, I have a huge appreciation for what they are feeling and like to think that I can offer an empathetic interview as well as a celebratory one after the race is over! Having watched the races unfold, I can see that what we do is pretty amazing.

I see you’re on the start list for the Rev 3 Triathlon, a new race being held this June in CT, and boasts none other than Heather Gollnick as its marketing director. It also has a pro start list that’s deeper than many IM races! What attracted you to this event?

Naturally, I want to support Heather and her venture. But more importantly, this race is treating professional athletes like professionals with a great prize purse and great media. That is so important and athletes need to reward race organizers for doing that by attending those events.

Before it was disbanded, you were a member of Tri Dubai, a team of some of the best triathletes in the world. Do you still keep in touch with your former team mates? Did it make a difference for you racing as part of this team, versus racing on your own?

Yes, I do keep in touch with our athletes and our organizers and managers, Franko Vatterott and Tony DeBoom. I loved being part of this team – it is such an individual sport but we were truly a team in that we shared our knowledge, cheered for each other and shared in the victory. We all were top ten in Kona in 2006 – that was amazing for us as team. Dave and I keep in close touch with Franko and we are always thinking up new strategies to develop the ‘super team’ concept for triathlon.

As a multiple winner and native Canadian, IM Canada is obviously very special to you! But it’s been argued that racing an IM that late in the season can hurt your performance when it comes time to race Kona. What’s your take on this theory?

Personally, I rebound pretty quickly from Ironman and racing an Ironman with a proper taper and recovery, is actually easier than just training through to Kona! The only tough part is getting oneself up mentally for two events so close to each other. I usually bounce back from IMC stronger and go faster in Kona.

You’re known as a very healthy eater. What tips can you share for eating healthy food when you’re traveling to a race? Do you have any go-to restaurants in certain places, where you know you’ll get a healthy meal? And do you have any sinful treats that you eat occasionally?

When I am traveling, I bring the necessities with me – my organic cereal, some organic brown rice cakes, a few tins of tuna for quick protein, some almonds, Power Bars and Power Bar Protein Bars and some tea bags!! When I arrive at a race, I go to a grocery store and stock up on fruit and cottage cheese and then I am set. I have protein and carbs and fat right in my hotel room! If I travel to a race with Dave, then we’ll just look for a restaurant that can satisfy both of us. Generally, I cannot eat enough at a restaurant so I have to supplement later. I do not eat pasta or other simple carbohydrates so it does make eating out a challenge. PF Changs is a favorite – they serve brown rice and veggies and wild salmon which is pretty much my ideal meal!

Sinful treats to me probably aren’t sinful to anyone else! I love chocolate ice cream and I will have a scoop every night. But Dave will laugh his head off and tell you that it is Soy ice cream and it doesn’t count. I don’t normally eat bread but sometimes after a race, if I feel like have a big sandwich on homemade bread, then I will have it. Something ‘naughty’ for me is something prepared or processed. Generally, I don’t eat processed foods except for Power Bars but they have to be processed so they are easy to digest during training.

What’s the rest of your season look like besides the races mentioned above? Will we see you in Kona this year?

I will race in St. Croix and Florida 70.3 in May and then Rev3Tri and Subaru Muskoka Chase in June. I had not planned to race an Ironman this year but I cannot believe how good my heel feel so you never know. And if I do, then it will be in June or July. If not, then I will continue to race the 70.3 circuit. I would really love to race the New York City Marathon or the Boston Marathon competitively, so those goals are always in the back of my mind.

-by Betsy Delcour
www.xtri.com

While in Clermont, we had some visitors. First, my dear friend Jody drove down with me in December and she stayed for a week of fun training. Then, our friends, Emma and Dalton, from Regina came down for a mini-training camp. Mom and Dad were next and then my sister, Teresa and Doug and Shelley from Regina. Then all of us went on the cruise (www.cruisetorun.com) while mom and dad looked after Brunswick and Madison. The cruise was amazing for the 3rd year in a row. But when we returned, we returned to a very sick Brunswick, my dad who had had a fall and I subsequently added my own fever and chest infection to the mix. It was like a great big reality check within 2 hours of landing back in Orlando. The following day was spent at the vet ordering up every possible test for Brunswick, on the phone with a great physical therapist booking an appointment for my dad and with me in and out of bed not admitting that I was sick but seeing my temperature reading 102 degrees!! Yes, life was a challenge for a few days, but Brunswick became more comfortable after a few days on pills, Dad’s mobility improved with therapy and I started another round of antibiotics – the nasty, heel injuring Ciprofloxin – but I started to feel better too.

Within a week, our athletes came down for a training camp. It was a great week and even more wonderful to see the benefits of their training efforts. We did some awesome running hill intervals focusing on proper running form, biking hill intervals reinforcing technique, gearing and strength, biking tempo intervals, a long ride, a long run, runs off the bike and lots of swim instruction and swim sessions. After 7 days, they were all quite happy to return home for a rest!

And as they returned home, I also went home for a few days for a visit to the CF clinic to start my new breathing therapy and some new antibiotics. This was a stressful visit but I am so grateful for the opportunity to get healthy. It was a good reminder for me to take care of my own health first. In fact, I am doing my breathing therapy right now as I type this!!

That brings us to March and the big highlight was my return to running. I love running and the Orange Grove Trail in Clermont is my favorite run. It is a 10 mile loop on clay, sandy roads. Over the past 7 years, I have done so much running on this trail – sometimes two and half loops at a time. But this year, I just wanted to run one loop – that was my goal. And gratefully, I was able to run a few loops of the trail by the end of March.

Needless to say, my training camp was fantastic. I figure that I rode about 6000 km and swam 300 km. I water ran countless deep water laps and I ran fewer miles than I would have liked but I ran more pain free miles than I have run before. I also got to see the Celtics play the Orlando Magic, I saw the Blue Jays play a spring training game at Wide World of Sports, I got to visit Hollywood Studios at Disney World, spend time with my dear friends Risa and Rob and their three children, celebrate mass with my favorite priest (aside from Fr. Tony in Australia), Fr. Gregory, have lots of great meals at PF Changs, have wonderful slush-free, mud-free walks with Brunswick and Madison, spend quality time with my mom and dad and made new friends in and around the National Training Center.

We drove home starting at 4 a.m. on March 28th. It literally rained 2 or 3 times over the past 3 months and wouldn’t you know it, we pulled out of our neighborhood and it started to rain and thunder. As we drove, the temperature kept dropping – it was 25 degrees Celsius in Clermont, then 18 degrees Celsius in Charlotte, North Carolina and from there, it dropped 8 degrees in 30 minutes! After about 15 hours of driving, the rain drops started to get bigger and the temperature was now around 3 degrees Celsius. The rain drops became snowflakes and we were officially in a snowstorm when we hit Erie, PA. We were just 3 hours from home, but we couldn’t see the road and our poor little Cervelo bikes were covered in snow. So off we went to La Quinta – a dog friendly hotel – and the 4 of us camped out and waited for the snow to stop!!! The next morning, we set out for home but not before negotiating the ice covered roads for the first 20 minutes. There were cars and trucks in the ditch but our Subaru stayed grounded and 3 hours later, our snow covered car pulled into our driveway. It was the only car in Ontario covered in snow. The funny thing was to tell people that we had come from Florida!!!

Within a few hours, we were all settled at home! Madison was settled on the brown leather couch happier than ever, Brunswick had taken her position outside on the deck, I resumed my training on my Computrainer, the local indoor pool and on my usual running routes and Dave had settled down to his Plasma television and the latest on TSN.

And then, within 4 days, I was off to New Orleans for my first race of the season! More on that later!

Lisa Bentley
www.lisabentley.com

I left for Clermont after Christmas. We were meant to drive altogether – Dave, me, Madison and Brunswick – but the surgeon who fixed Dave’s back said that the back surgery would be null and void if Dave attempted a 20 hour drive to Florida. So, I drove to Florida with my dear friend, Jody and Dave flew down. Jody and I were great driving buddies – we didn’t turn on the radio once – we just chatted and laughed the whole drive down. The first day was our Ironman day – 17 hours of driving – we stopped near Macon, Georgia. And by 1 p.m. on the following day, we were swimming at the National Training Center under the blue skies of Clermont.

Dave is feeling 100% now that he is in the warmth and sun. His back felt amazing right after the surgery but then took a bad turn and was feeling terrible over the last two weeks of December. We were all worried that he had aggravated the surgical site beyond just a little tweak. But as soon as he arrived in Clermont, he felt better. It is so much easier to move around when there isn’t ice and snow everywhere! Within the first week, he was swimming every day. One week later, he rode his new Cervelo road bike (which is very proud to show every single person who visits!) and felt so good. Usually the winter escape to Clermont is for my off season training base work but this year, it appears that it has been the saving grace for Dave’s health. He is a new person!

My training has been going very well. I am swimming with the NTC Masters Group coached by Sara McLarty. Some mornings, we have almost 30 swimmers. I have been doing a lot of fantastic cycling and I am back running now after a running injury sidelined me for a bit. I chose to not race Pucon 70.3 – it was tough for me to miss because I love it so much, but I really want to have a pain free 2009 and I wasn’t ready to race in January. Then I thought I would race Florida’s Great Escape Triathlon in February but I had (and still have) a brutal chest infection which even kept me in bed with a fever for a few days! In fact, I have to go home to Toronto for a day next week to visit the CF Clinic. I have to begin a new inhalation system (Tobi) to fight some nasty pseudomonas that has been breeding in my lungs since last August!

And keeping with the health theme, Brunswick has been to the vet four times in last 6 weeks. It is always a worry bringing an 11 year old dog to the vet, but thankfully, we have found a great one down here. Her latest woe is an injured disc in her neck compressing a nerve – like father (Dave’s back) – like daughter (Brunswick)! She is a worry especially because we love her so much. Meanwhile, Madison is 12.5 years old and she never needs the vet! Give her a piece of cardboard to carry on her walks and she is a happy camper!

More later about the Cruise to Run trip!! Stay tuned!

Lisa Bentley
www.lisabentley.com

I guess it took a few months, but I have finally found my stride! Now that my long run is only 90 minutes long and all of my other runs are speed work, my heel feels better than ever and I put together a very solid swim, bike and run to win the Austin 70.3 at the beginning of October.

We had heard such great things about Austin and since Austin is home to football’s University of Texas Longhorns, this was a must-do race according my sport nut husband! The people of Austin were most accommodating and hospitable. We made the pilgrimage to Jack and Adams Bike Shop and we saw why it is the choice of many athletes. Jack was brilliant and he and his staff ensured my Cervelo was lightning fast!

The non-wetsuit swim was a bit short – thank goodness – because I had the worst swim of my season missing everyone’s feet in the first 100 meters. I must have been looking for the Longhorn because I was all alone desperately trying to swim as fast as possible. But, my bike ride felt amazing. It was a great course for me – rolling hills and windy – so I rode hard and found some the strength that had been lacking in Muskoka. It was now 6 weeks post Subaru Ironman Canada and my legs were much fresher than in Muskoka and that was a welcomed relief. I managed to only loose 3 minutes to the fast cycling Michellie Jones and Tereza Macel – two athletes who usually gap me by much larger margins.

I started the run about 6 minutes or so behind Tereza and Pip Taylor but I felt like magic. The Ironman fatigue was out of my legs and my painful heel was fully functional and relatively pain-free as I charged into first place at mile 10 of the half marathon. I managed the day’s fastest run and won the race by about 3 minutes over Pip Taylor.

It was a fantastic race day festival with a games for the children, a live Longhorn for photos and a big screen TV showing live football for Dave!

Unfortunately, it is my last race of the season. I say ‘unfortunately’ because I am feeling so fit and healthy at last. My chest infection is gone and my heel feels so good. It was untimely to be sick for Subaru Ironman Canada and to be tired at Subaru Muskoka 70.3 but life is a test of character and integrity and I still feel very proud of my season. My goal was to race without anti-inflammatories and I managed to be kept healthy with Eico Pro Fish Oil which kept the inflammation at bay! I am keeping my eye on perhaps running a marathon in the next few months. For the past two years, I have had to run in modified shoes but for the last two weeks, I have been able to run in proper shoes for the first time! And this makes me excited to run!! The great news is that unlike the last two years, I have not smashed my heel beyond repair which means that my off season can involve strengthening and fun running and revitalization instead of daily physical therapy!

And so I finish 2008 with two victories – Rhode Island 70.3 and Austin 70.3 and top five finishes in all of my other events. This is the first year since 2000 that I have not won an Ironman event. And so I will celebrate my great consistency, my 11 Ironman wins to date and another two Ironman 70.3 victories in 2008. Here is to number 12 in 2009!

My first race in 2009 will be the Pucon 70.3 in Chile, South America. I have won that event 6 times in a row (2002-2007).

Happy off season!

Lisa Bentley
www.lisabentley.com

It has been a busy few weeks since Subaru Ironman Canada. First on the agenda was recovering in time to race at Subaru Muskoka 70.3. This was a bit more challenging than I expected since I was also recovering from a nasty chest infection which had been lingering since late July but by the time the race rolled along, I felt pretty good. Dave and I were involved with Trisport North and the running of Subaru Muskoka 70.3 so I had much more to do than just race. But I loved every single minute of it. Dave was in charge of the expo and merchandise and I helped him with a bit of that on Thursday and Friday pre race. On Friday evening, I was the MC for both of the welcome dinners. This was a bit highlight for me because I was so proud of the event which Mitch and Janet had produced and I was so proud to be involved with different bits and pieces of it. On Saturday, I had quite a few race and sponsor obligations which I again loved. From 11-12:15, Craig Alexander, Simon Lessing and myself did a televised Q and A in Huntsville. Then from 1-1:45, I did a PowerBar autograph signing and from 2-3, I did a Subaru autograph signing. It was fantastic being reunited with the athletes from our Subaru Muskoka Training Camps and meeting some new and old friends. As busy as it sounds, I truly did enjoy every role which I played on the weekend.

There was no waking up on race day morning – I never slept a wink – and trust me, that makes for a long race day!!! Years ago, when I would lay awake excited about a race, it did not seem to bother me but lately, after having not slept the night before Subaru IMC or Muskoka, I am thinking that it might just wear me out a little bit! And it is certainly not much fun!!

It was raining on race day. We had anticipated rain but I had truly hoped that we would all be able to tackle the twisty bike course on dry roads. I had a terrific swim and got off onto the challenging ride I being a bit more cautious than “Lisa the racer” would have liked to be. I felt quite good on the bike – I felt as if I chose my gears well and I climbed well – but I did lose a bit more time than usual given my ‘fear factor’ negotiating the blind corners at race speed. Off onto the run, I felt a bit sluggish at first but I soon found my stride and I built strongly over the 21 kilometers. By around 10 km, I felt fantastic and I had the spring in my step that should have had for at Subaru IMC. The run was very challenging but fun. Yes, I am probably the only athlete who loved the final 5 km on the golf course – I played it like a roller coaster and loved it. Over the last 1 km of the run, I caught and passed Cynthia who had beaten me a few months earlier at the Subaru Muskoka Chase. That was pretty nice but even nicer was the fact that I was racing, not surviving and that feeling was very sweet indeed. My 5th place finish certainly doesn’t sound stellar but I truly did love every minute – even my scary minutes and the tough minutes – and that to me is success! I remember saying to Mitch Fraser last year when we drove the bike course – “there is no way that I am racing on such a technical course – thank God I will be an organizer and not a racer” – but then, I just couldn’t miss racing on what is truly the greatest and toughest 70.3 course around. And how could I not race and only watch our athletes labor over our course! No way! The very best part besides racing and feeling like a racer was finishing in time to cheer and greet athletes at the finish line. Seeing the joy (and relief) in the eyes of the athletes was a race highlight for me.

Now the super excitement begins. The next morning, I left Muskoka at 4:30 a.m. en route to Toronto airport to catch a 9 a.m. flight to Cranbrooke, B.C. I had the honour of being the keynote speaker at Manulife’s Western Canada Sales Team Regional Conference on the Tuesday morning. It was a fantastic 2-day mini trip and I enjoyed sharing my “Be a Life Champion” story. Of course, I found the pool as soon as I arrived at 3 p.m. and I managed to do a water run and a swim session in the tiny hotel pool on both Monday and Tuesday. My body needs to be moved and I needed to get the “Muskoka” out of my legs! I was home on Tuesday night and on Wednesday, I did the television commentary for TSN’s Ironman Wisconsin with Vic Reuter. And yes, by Thursday, I was pretty much exhausted! But by Friday, I was back at my training preparation for my next upcoming race at the Austin 70.3 on October 5th. My heel is finally feeling the way it did back in June when I thought I could conquer the world and I have toyed with the idea of doing a winter Ironman. But, the reason my heel feels so good is because I am not running over 90 minutes. I am training 100% quality and no long miles and my heel loves it! So I will stay focused on the 70.3 for the short term.

The highlight of my week last week – although I must say the mountains of B.C. and the tiny little 18 seat plane from Calgary to Cranbrook was quite spectacular – was running the 1 mile kids run at the Kinetico Caledon Running Festival on Sunday. Mr. Bensen from Bensen Steel in Caledon paid for all the children’s t-shirts and associated fees so that each child could run for free! It was so wonderful seeing all of the beautiful children take off like 100 meter Olympians in the first 60 seconds and then work so hard over the next 10 minutes to cross the finish line. And the joy of their accomplishment was written all over their smiles. I got to run with my niece Brittany and then with my nephew Braedan and then I turned back and ran with as many children as I could. And then I found this delightful little red head girl who was so happy and I wanted to run with her all the way to the finish line. I have included a picture with this note. Sport is so important for children and I was so honored to have been invited to this festival.

Training has been a bit tough this week. I have been focusing on re-gaining my run speed and I am hoping it might sneak up on some of my competitors on Sunday in Texas. After racing the Austin 70.3 next Sunday, Dave and I will go to Hawaii for the Ironman World Championships. I will be there representing my sponsors at a variety of events and I will be doing some commentary for Subaru Triathlon Television and maybe a bit of work with Ironman Live.

And as for finishing 5th – well – I’d rather be racing a little bit unhealthy and finishing 5th, then not racing at all. Besides – my favorite little quote that I picked up about 20 years ago says it best – “Use what talents you possess. The forest would be a very quiet place if only the best birds sang!” I hope all of the children in the 1 mile fun run can be the best birds they can be with whatever talents they have!

Thank you for your cheers and support!

Lisa Bentley
www.lisabentley.com