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May 24, 2010
OTC Plucks the Early Bird
The club was out in full force with 24 members taking
part in the first tri of the year. A beautiful day full of
personal firsts, personal bests, and a few medals too!
Check out our gang in action. Post
your short race report and you will be in the draw for a free meal at
The Table Vegetarian Restaurant.
Good Luck on Race Weekend
All the best to the runners and thank you to
the volunteers!
Simon, Meet Simon
Congrats to Simon Gollish who won the draw
for the Simon W's place card from the 2008
World Championships.
Some Fresh Air: Rent then Buy
Just a couple weeks till our first open water clinic and Fresh Air has
you covered, literally. Rent your suit then buy it if you like it
and the rental cost is deducted from the cost of the suit!
Making a Difference
We salute Shannon and Ben who have been busy helping to organize the
Spring Sprint, a fundraiser for the
Brain Tumor Foundation.
February 16, 2010
Online Training
Plans
For those that are looking ahead and planning their
training, don't forget about the OTC training plans
located in the resource section of the website. All
of the basic information is there. We've recently
updated them to include some extra guidance for
those in the TTP.
Holiday Week
A reminder that there will be no TTP classes for the
week of Monday, March 15 through Sunday, March 21.
This is our annual March break.
Swim Meet:
Remember to book the evening of Sunday, March 21st.
The club will be holding it's first member Swim Meet
for all levels. And, it's free!
Coming Soon:
Details on Lake Placid camp, OTC gear, and our 4th
annual Curling Social.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
February 9, 2010
Helping Haiti: Thanks to all of the
OTC'ers that joined the running club in January!
You came through and now the OTC will pitch in an
extra $600. This brings the total contribution
to Doctors Without Borders to over $3800.
Hasta La Vista, Pedro!
Coach/Ironman/Doctor Pedro is moving to
Waterloo this weekend to start up his new job with
RIM. On behalf of the whole club, thank you
for all of your contributions as a member and coach!
We look forward to seeing you again soon, maybe at a
starting line somewhere.
Bike Fits: A
quick reminder to TTP'ers to add your name to the
bike fit calendar on the board near the microwave.
Bike fits will take place in class during the last
week's of Feb, March and April.
Join ORC on Facebook:
The OTC doesn't really need FB but the
Ottawa
Running Club is making full use. Join us
on FB and enjoy our regular running tips.
Classes on Monday:
A reminder that our classes are on as usual
on holiday Monday's including Feb. 15th.
As Seen on Message Board:
workout music, Clif Bar sale, Winterman
relay teams, Karen in the news.....
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
February 1, 2010
First Triathlon of the Year
Good luck to everyone competing in the Winterlude
tri this coming weekend. Let's see a roll call on
the message board and we look forward to some race
reports as well.
Cookie Report
Hannah would like to say a huge "Thank you!" to
everyone who supported her little fundraiser last
week. She raised over $100 which means a total of
(with matching from parents, aunts, grandma's, and
government) $1000!!!
Clean Shoes
A seasonal reminder to please leave any outdoor
shoes in the hallway. That includes you, Cast Iron
people! I know it's tricky since you run before
class sometimes but you need to clean those shoes in
the hallway sink if they are to come into the
studio. Thanks for your understanding. On the
subject of cleaning, there are a bunch of lost and
found water bottles by the kitchen window. Please
take one!
Bike Fits
We've posted the bike fit schedule on the bulletin
board near the microwave in the studio. If you're in
the TTP and would like a bike fit (it's part of the
program), book your spot by writing your name on the
schedule. There are three spots in each class in the
last week of Feb, March and April. You would bring
your bike in and Geordie will spend 20-30 minutes
checking the fit. He may: 1) make tweaks on the
spot, 2) recommend you change/add a component to
improve comfort, 3) say eveything looks great or, in
a very small number of cases, refer you to Mile 9
for a full physiotherapy bike fit.
Canterbury Closure: A reminder that the Canterbury
pool is closed for annual maintenance so no swims
till February 20th.
Winterman Relays: Why not get a relay team together
either in your class or via the message board. It's
a great event! Check Somersault.ca for details.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
January 25, 2010
Look In The Mirror
What is your goal? What do you want out of your time
training with the club? While other people will
notice the difference on our outside, that is not
the reason. It is the inside and how we feel about
ourselves.
Program Info
If you are wondering about no swim days or the TTP
week off, just revisit the program page of the
website and find your program and the details will
be there.
Training Questions?
Your best opportunity is to ask your coach in person
when you see them each week. You can also post them
on the message board and have Geordie or the other
coaches chime in as well.
Treat Week in the TTP
It is highly recommended that TTP'rs bring a loonie
with them this week. If all goes to plan, a
six-year-old cookie salesman will be visiting the
studio at 8pm (in pj's!) to raise money for Haiti.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
January 25, 2010
Helping Haiti
As reported over the weekend, all run club funds raised over the next few weeks
will be donated to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees to assist in
there work in Haiti. Here now are the details:
"Become a better runner. Become a faster runner. And
support our cause."
The Ottawa Running club was born back in 2007 out of a desire for OTC members to
join with the community in group running courses. Since then, the club has
raised nearly $15000 to support the good work being done in our community, in
particular, that done by Sole Responsibility. Every cent of the club membership
fee goes directly to charity work since the club is purely volunteer-run.
Starting this Sunday we will have a Learn to Run 5k (led by Geordie), 10k Build
(led by Jen/Suzanne), and a Half Marathon Course (led by Tara/Tom). In addition,
there will be a free seminar for run club members at 4pm on Sunday all about run
technique, training and injury avoidance. For more on the club, including info
on the Tuesday Tempo runs, visit
OttawaRunningClub.com. If you have
questions about the club, please post them on the message board at that site (no
password required).
A Special Offer to OTC Members
Some running now goes a long way in preparing the body for a successful, injury
free season ahead. For that reason, we want to encourage our members to join the
run club. For the first 20 OTC members that join the run club starting now, the
OTC will pay half of the $60 annual membership fee. If you decide to pay the
full $60 donation, then the club will still pitch in $30 to boost your
contribution to $90.
Other News:
Successful Seminar: We forgot to report last week that our tri seminar on the
10th raised over $500 for the Ottawa Riverkeeper!
Coaching Questions? Post them on the message board so all coaches can chime in
and all members can learn.
Hello from Marty: We had word from Marty in Leon, Nicaragua. Life is good, he
says!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
January 11, 2010
Now Is the Time!
These first few weeks of the year are critical for
setting you up for success. You need to discipline
yourself to establish or re-establish the behaviours
that will help you reach your goals. Think hard and
strategize to overcome obstacles. Talk to the
important individuals in your life and ask for their
support. Remember, all you have to do is get to the
workout. Our great coaches and fantastic members
will take over from there to deliver the fitness and
fun.
Ottawa Running Club
Now is the time to slowly build your running base so
you can avoid injury and set those personal bests
this summer. The ORC is starting up on Jan. 24th
with a new set of progressions including Learn to
Run 5k (with Geordie), a 10k Build and a
Half-Marathon group. Next week OTC members will
again be offered a special price for joining so
watch next Monday's newsletter! Learn more about the
club at http://www.ottawarunningclub.com
Event Calendar
We have a great new event calendar up in the studio
that features all of the local runs and tris plus
special OTC events. 2010 sees the addition of some
new stuff including the OTC Swim Meet in March and
the OTC Aquathon (swim/run) in August. To view or
download your own copy, visit the News and Events
page of the club website. If you're in the studio,
write your name on the calendar beside any event
that you might be signed up for.
Word is.....Cynthia successfully completed her Goofy
on the weekend! Congrats!
December 21, 2009
Happy Holidays from the OTC!
Christmas Success!
Thanks to everyone that came out to our 4th annual
Christmas Party on
Saturday! We had over 40 happy revellers, countless
draw prize
winners, and proud pool champs (Brenda and Glen) who
took home a awe-
inspiring trophy :) My thanks as well, on behalf of
the local
community, as the club added another $100+ to the
Carleton Tavern's
Christmas meal program.
Speaking of Charities
This was a fantastic year for the OTC in so many
ways. Our long term
goal is to, some year, be able to donate the
equivalent of 10% of all
revenues to charity. Thanks to the generosity of
our members, in time
and money, in 2009 we took another big step up.
Last year we donated
over 6% to organizations such as the Ottawa
Riverkeeper, Sole
Responsibility, Ottawa Kids Tri and the Carelton's
Christmas dinner
program. Thank you, everyone!
Registration continues for one hour spin and
muscular classes at
OttawaFit.com. Plus, we still have weekend spots
available in the TTP
- tell your friends!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
December 14, 2009
New Member Night Tonight!
Don't forget, if you're a new member of our TTP
please meet with us at
the studio (1226a Wellington) tonight from 7pm to
8pm. It's our
chance to meet you and answer your questions as well
as get a head
start on the TTP by fitting you to the bike. The
more new members
that can come tonight, the faster the fun starts on
week one!
OTC Christmas Party - Saturday
Come join us at the Carleton Tavern to celebrate the
season, watch the
Hawaii Ironman broadcast, and crown the club pool
champion. The party
runs from 4pm till 6pm this Saturday and there will
be some fun draw
prizes as well! The Tavern is located at the corner
of Parkdale and
Armstrong.
Heart Rate Monitors
These little devices are mandatory for Cast Iron and
Comp classes and
recommended for the Rec groups. Our friends at
Fresh Air Experience
have a bunch in stock and club members get a 10%
discount. 'Coded'
monitors are recommended though non-coded have
worked fine for many.
'Coded' means your chest strap will only communicate
with your watch,
eliminating cross-talk from other units.
*Sawmill Swim*
A final additional tweak to the Sawmill Swim times.
Now, all three
swims (Jan. 3, 10, 17) will be held at 8:30pm at
Canterbury.
In Case You Missed It:
- Krista's inspirational story was featured on A
Channel recently.
Click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6spW2QhkvnI
- Julie and Suzie both ran Boston qualifying times
in their very first
marathons, breaking all the rules!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
December 7, 2009
New Member Night
Monday, December 14th will be our New Member Night
at the studio. We'll be there to further
introduce you to the club, answer your questions
and, most importantly, fit you to the studio bikes.
The session will run from 7pm till 8pm at the
studio, 1226a Wellington. No rsvp, just show
up.
Hawaii Pool Party - Saturday, Dec. 19
Ok, just to be clear on this, the pool involved in
the party is of the felt and 8-ball type! We'll
have the Hawaii Ironman on tv, great food and
drinks, and awesome draw prizes. Don't miss it. It
will be at the Carelton Tavern on Parkdale from 4pm
to 6pm.
Last Week of Programs
All studio programs wrap up this week including
yoga, mse, core, spins and the Giro, which hammers
it's way into Milano! Have a great last class and
consider celebrating with your classmates and a
beverage after class!
Ottawa Fit's One Hour Classes
Registration will be opening soon for the classes
that will take place in our new Studio B and C
starting in January. The OF team will have some
music spins on Monday and Wednesday evening plus
Tuesday morning, along with some mse on Wed. night.
These will be Ottawa Fit programs, not OTC, so
registration, once open, will be direct with the
Ottawa
Fit team. Details later this week.
Swim Wear Selling Out: I heard the men's jammers are
almost gone and the women's OTC suits are moving
quickly too. Thanks for supporting Fresh Air!
The OTC 'Tuke': After teasing them at a few classes
last week, I'll be
poping in to the studio between classes this week
with the tukes. They are $20 each. If you're
not in a studio class and would like one, come to
the studio at 7pm Mon through Thursday. I'll bring
any extras to the party on the 19th.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 30, 2009
Ottawa Fit is Expanding!
First off, what is Ottawa Fit? It is a cooperative
of service
providers that share a common space, the studio, and
serve the
community's health and wellness. It started with
the OTC and has
since added Personal Fitness Training (Brenda, Paul,
Marni),
Physiotherapy (Heidi, Simone) and, most recently,
Sports Nutrition
(Lucy). With the OTC booking out the studio every
evening we realized
we needed more space so, starting in January, we
will have Studio's B
and C, right next door! This expansion will not
only allow the team
to provide their services in the evenings but will
also enable Ottawa
Fit to provide it's very own one hour music spin and
fitness classes.
Yes, we have a second set of bikes - Revmasters, of
course! We'd love
to hear what your interests are so please post on
the message board.
Any type of class, any time of day - we're
listening.
And there's more! Let me catch my breath before I
hyperventilate....
OTC Swim Wear at Fresh Air
The club has combined with Fresh Air Experience
(1291 Wellington) to
produce custom suits by Suguoi! These are high
quality one piece for
women and jammers for men, all in club colours and
featuring the OTC
logo. Because of our sponsorship agreement with
Fresh Air, these
suits are a great value as well. They are on the
rack and anyone can
buy them, including non-OTC, so we don't expect them
to last for
long. Besides, you know your suit is getting a
little too thin
anyway :) Fresh Air also has great Speedo fins and
other swim
accessories.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 23, 2009
Welcome to Our New Members!
We've had a number of new members join the club for
the 2010 TTP so I wanted to give a shout out to them
and say, on behalf of us all, welcome aboard! Watch
our newsletter next week for info on the New Member
Night we'll hold preceding the start of the TTP.
This is a chance for me to meet you all, give you
further details on the club and even get you fit up
on the bikes.
Hawaii Pool Party - December 19th
Our annual IM party moves a little later into the
calendar this year to truly take on a Christmas
theme as well. NBC calls the shots and this year's
broadcast of the Hawaii Ironman, and hence our
party, is on Saturday, December 19 from 4:30 to
6pm. We'll start up at 4pm as I'm hoping to
introduce a wee pool tournament as a side show. Did
I mention the draw prizes!?
Nutrition Workshop
Coach Lucy will be holding a workshop on how to
boost your immune system on November 29th. The cost
is only $20. Full details on Lucy's nutrition page
at OttawaFit.com
Rumour Mill
I heard there was some bearded maniac in the room
next to the studio today, knocking down a wall and
pulling up carpet. He was muttering something about
an Ottawa Fit 'Studio B'....one hour spin
classes.....new set of bikes....blah, blah. Of
course, maybe I was just hearing things. I'll see
if I can learn more by next week.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 17, 2009
Beat the Bugs!
On Sunday the 29th, Coach Lucy will be giving a
nutrition workshop on how to use nutritional
practices to boost your immune system. As a 2x
Olympian and certified Sports Nutritionist, Lucy
knows a thing or two on the subject! Besides
learning, it's a great chance to get to know one of
our new coaches. More info and online registration
at http://www.ottawafit.com
Coach Dave Rocks Clearwater
Our man tore apart the course last Saturday at the
70.3 World Championships in Florida. Dave's
sparkling 1:31 half marathon powered him to an
overall time of 4:31 and a 30th place finish out of
190 in his age group.
Sunday Fun Run
A bunch of us from the ORC are getting together for
a no frills 5k, 10k and half marathon on Sunday. It
will take place on wide, well packed trails in the
west end. If you want to learn the details, add your
name to the mailing list today at http://www.ottawarunningclub.com.
You don't have to be an ORC member to take part -
it's just a bunch of friends going for a run in the
woods!
Hawaii Ironman Party
Our annual IM party moves a little later into the
calendar this year to truly take on a Christmas
theme as well. NBC calls the shots and this year's
broadcast of the Hawaii Ironman, and hence our
party, is on Saturday, December 19 from 4:30 to 6pm.
We'll start up at 4pm as I'm hoping to introduce a
wee pool tournament as a side show. The venue will,
of course, be the Carleton Tavern.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 10, 2009
Lots of great stuff this week!
TTP Registration: This week is for all OTC members.
On Friday you may share the link with any family and
friends that might be interested. Next Monday it's
open season - the general public's chance to grab
the remaining spots.
Good Luck Dave: Coach Dave is off to the 70.3 World
Championships in Clearwater this coming weekend. He
is particularly excited about the pending hurricane!
Neal Grows a 'stache: Coach Neal is dedicating his
upper lip to raising funds for Prostate Cancer
Canada. Track the progress and support him at
http://ca.movember.com/mospace/95223/
Boost Your Immune System: On Sunday, November 29th,
the newest member of our team, Sports Nutritionist
Lucy Wainwright, will be giving a workshop that will
help you understand the role of nutrition in
maintaining the immune system. Visit her page at
http://www.ottawafit.com
Did you PB/PF this Season?: I've done some basic
updates to the 'Results' page on the website. If you
acheived a personal best or personal first this
season and it's not noted on the page, please let me
know and I'll add it.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 26, 2009
Karen Smyers
Wow - what at weekend! My thanks to everyone that
attended the talk on Saturday and especially to our
amazing coaching team for their great efforts during
the weekend's clinic. I could go on forever about
Karen and how wonderful it was to work with her but
I'm going to leave it to the talk attendees and the
coaches - please share your thoughts and impressions
of Karen on the message board.
For a short interview I did with Karen click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DMEB4C14qc
To see our photo album, click here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/geordiem/sets/72157622541901597/
(There is a link to slide show at top right of page)
2010: What are Your Goals?
Maybe your goal is to finish a super sprint
triathlon. Maybe you want to qualify for the world
championships. Maybe your goal is to exercise three
times per week consistently. This is the time of
year to start looking ahead and making a plan.
Don't be wishy-washy - be remarkable! Set goals
that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic
and time-framed. 2010 is going to be a year that
you look back on with pride, and it starts NOW.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 19, 2009
Karen Smyers: This Saturday!
T-shirt sales have closed but it's not too late to
come for the inspirational talk by this incredible
women. The talk commences at the Carleton Tavern at
the corner of Parkdale and Armstrong. Come early! We
will be allowing entry, space permitting, with a fee
of $20 at the door, all of which goes to support The
Carleton Tavern's Christmas Dinner in support of the
less fortunate.
Weekend Clinic Spots
We have a couple spots open for our weekend coaching
clinic with Karen. This would be suitable for the
intermediate to advanced triathlete in terms of
experience. Email Geordie for details.
Krista's Story: One of our longest standing members,
Krista, is featured in the official magazine of the
Cancer Foundation. Read about her incredible journey
by visiting the Resource section.
Personal Training: Do you know any senior snow birds
that are preparing to take off down south? If they
want to get in better shape before they go, suggest
they contact Coach Paul at
http://www.ottawafit.com. He's a snowbird too!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 13, 2009
Unlimited Drop-in's to Fall Spin Classes
The club is very happy to introduce drop-in's to the
fall programs in the same manner that we use them in
the TTP. You can show up to any spin class and, if
there is a bike free, join the group. Upon
arriving, tell the coach you are a drop-in. The
coach will watch the numbers and let you know when
and if you can set up a bike. Bring running shoes
in case your first pedal choice is not available.
Questions? Please post them on the message board.
Anniversary Reminder
Still spots available for Karen Smyer's talk on
Saturday, October 24th. Click here to book your
chair:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/zclinic_two.htm
Cold, Rainy. Time for Florida!
We're looking into running a training camp near
Orlando over the March 15-22 break this winter. It
would feature group training, with some coaching, in
the mornings then the afternoon for other fun.
There are no further details yet - we just want to
measure interest. Please, no emails on this - go to
the message board (password: green) to discuss and
post your interest.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 5, 2009
5th Anniversary Celebration
I hope you can join us for an inspirational talk by
an amazing women - Saturday, October 24th. Seating
is limited and will be opened to non-members soon so
make sure to reserve your spot and get your limited
edition OTC 5th Anniversary shirt. Click here for
details:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/zclinic_one.htm
In case you missed the anniversary video or would
like to see it on a new website, Simon gave the club
a nice surprise present by posting it on his blog.
Scroll down to the 2nd video:
http://simonwhitfield.blogspot.com/
Bon Voyage, Bill
What do you say to a member of the club that is
about to head off to serve in Afghanistan? Bill,
we're proud of you and hope you have a safe and
productive adventure.
Congratulations Iain!
Once the result page came back online it became
clear that Iain logged the most improved 5k in
Almonte and so is the winner of a $100 OTC credit.
He was only 4 seconds behind our club champ,
Stephan, but it was good for a 1:14 improvement on
his 5k personal best - WOW!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
September 28, 2009
Peri's Run
What a fantastic time we had in Almonte yesterday -
nothing like a small town race! Close to $9000 was
raised to help an amazing hometown girl head off to
the Winter Olympics. Congrats to our 2009 Club 5k
champions: Naomi and Stephane (who beat Iain by only
a few seconds). Lots of PB's from the other members
as well. I was hoping
to be able to report who won the other prize as most
improved but the result page is down right now.
Stay tuned.
Swims Start Saturday
Our new swim season starts up this weekend. We're
excited about another year of steady improvement for
everyone.
New Members
A reminder to our new members to please ensure you
have completed the membership form and waiver before
your first class.
Holiday Policy
As is always the case, our studio classes are on for
the upcoming holiday Monday. The Sawmill swim will
also be held on Thanksgiving Sunday. Our thinking:
these are the days we need exercise the most!
Special Offer: Swim Goggles
Sable goggles are among the best on the market and
now you can get them at a discount: 10% off for OTC
PLUS free shipping. Thanks to Sereena for
coordinating our order.
Special anniversary message coming Thursday!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
September 14, 2009
OTC 5k Championship - This Sunday
Prizes for OTC Members: Three $100 OTC program
credits for future
registration. Plus bragging rights for 12 months!
* Top Female
* Top Male
* Most Improved: To whomever betters their personal
best by the greatest percentage. Personal best must
be published online (ie Sportstats)
Register today at
http://www.runalmonte.ca (All proceeds go to
support a young local Olympian.)
Check out the message board for a ride share thread.
Weddings Galore!
Lots of congratulations to share. Jen and Eric were
married this past weekend on the family farm in
southern Ontario. Kate and Rob are getting married
this coming Saturday in a local park. And, Coach
Caroline and Tom are tying the knot one week
Sunday! I like to think of marriage as the ultimate
transition so I'll share the same tips, at least for
the guys: be smooth and intentional, and keep
breathing deeply :) And speaking of weddings, our
home page shot is of Coach Graeme and Danielle on
the beach in Oahu three weeks ago.
Congratulations!
Way to Go Michele and Dean
Dean, our visually impaired member, conquered the
Last Chance Sprint Tri yesterday along side his
super pilot, Michele. A great accomplishment for
both - Dean's fastest sprint tri, and Michele's
first full race as pilot (guiding in the pool, front
seat on the tandem, and guiding on the run). We're
very proud of you! Congrats as well to everyone
that raced in the Army Run - huge growth this year.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
September 14, 2009
Spin Classes Start Tonight!
A couple big reminders to everyone:
1. We now have a policy that all riders need to
bring TWO towels to class, one for the body and one
for the bike.
2. It's important to arrive 15 minutes early to your
classes, especially if you haven't been fit to the
bike yet so that class can start on time.
Yoga Spots
We still have room in the 9am and 1015am yoga
classes that start this coming Saturday. Time to
stretch out and try something different!
Congrats to Montreal and Muskoka Competitors
Huge numbers of members racing this past weekend in
various distances in Montreal and at the 70.3 in
Muskoka. A quick look shows some fantastic
performances. I'll try to send out some detailed
info on this later today.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
September 8, 2009
Congratulations Canadians!
It was a crazy, beautiful day on Saturday at
Mooney's Bay with 1200 competitors and countless
OTC'rs. A huge congrats to everyone that took part!
I haven't analysed all the results yet but it was
easy to see that Lou and Garrett had good days. Lou
won the half iron du and Garrett was 6th overall in
the half iron tri. Well done boys!
A Big Weekend Ahead
The OTC will have two large contingents on the road
this weekend with the major events, Muskoka 70.3 and
Montreal Esprit. Good luck to everyone! Let's do a
roll call on the message board. I know the Montreal
folk were planning for a post race rib lunch. Let's
get that set up on the message board as well.
OTC 5k Championship - September 27th
We will crown two club champions, one male, one
female for the first time this year. On top of that
is the opportunity to smash your own personal
records and help support a local Olympian at the
same time. Don't miss the race - register now at
AlmonteRun.ca
Half Marathon Course
The Ottawa Running Club, a charity club powered by
the OTC, will be starting a half marathon course
this Sunday. For full details check
OttawaRunningClub.com. We'll also have a Learn to
Run 5k course coached by Geordie, so if you know
anyone interested in starting running, let them
know.
Photo Albums
Thanks to Brenda we have had more race photos than
ever this year. Check the photo album for lots of
summer action.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
September 3, 2009
Welcome to Our New Members
Fall registration is well underway with a few spots
left in various classes. I'm excited to let you
know that we have quite a few new members joining
the club this fall. If you don't run into them in
the studio this fall, you'll see some new faces come
TTP time!
Ottawa Running Club
If you're looking to crack a new PB in the Half
Marathon this fall then come out for our running
club. We've renamed it the Ottawa Running Club but
it's the same as before with all proceeds going to
Sole Responsibility. We have a Learn to Run 5k
course (coached by me), and a Half Marathon group
starting up on September 13th. If you're not a
member yet, visit OttawaRunningClub.com for details.
Good Luck Canadians
It will be a HUGE day at Mooney's on Saturday with
over 1000 competitors. I've retired from announcing
the event after 4 years, so I look forward to be out
there cheering you on!
And now.....the big news.....
It's Draw Time! (2 months worth!)
We give a $20 gift certificate to a randomly chosen
race report from the message board each month. Our
winners: for July, Suzanne Blackwell and, for
August, Rachel Heft!
And Somersault gives us one free entry for each 10
club members that
enter their events. Here are the lucky winners:
- From Carleton Place, where we had 13 entrants:
Morgan Dow
- From the Nat Cap, where 28 OTC'rs flew the
colours: Matt Gallant and Sylvie Lavoie
- And from Brockville, where many were traumatized
by seeing my retro gear: Me! (just kidding) It's
Christina Patterson
*Winners need to email me in the next week to
arrange for pick up of their prizes.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
August 25, 2009
Registration Now On
Don't miss out - grab your spot in our swim or
dryland program. Registration opens to new club
members on Monday at which time most remaining spots
will be taken.
Join the OTC Info Team at The Canadian
Again this year, the OTC will be organizing an info
table to help answer the many questions that arise
on race morning. I'm looking for a coordinator and
six to eight volunteers; email me if you're
interested in giving a little back by volunteering
at this great event.
OTC Track Championship
We had a fantastic first meet on Sunday and everyone
had a blast. Not only that but everyone also set at
least an age group club record let alone personal
bests. Morgan, Suzie and Steph in particular, have
set some marks that will be a challenge to break.
Watch for the results to be added to the website
soon.
Digest
Take Care in the Heat: Summer's not over yet so
continue to take care in the heat by watching your
fluid, nutrition and skin safety
Cornwall Tri: Congrats to Shannon who was first
women and 8th overall in Sunday's sprint tri!
Timberman: More great results - Sindy and Jon
travelled to New Hampshire for this half-iron. Both
crushed their personal bests and placed in the top
20%.
Good Luck in Penticton: Sereena and Nik are off to
Penticton this week for Sunday's Ironman Canada. We
all wish them a great race!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
August 17, 2009
Swim Registration for returnees is now on!
OTC Track Championship
This is your chance to set either a personal record
or an OTC club record on the track. This Sunday at
9am we'll be meeting at the Terry Fox facility for
our track meet. After a good warm up we'll be going
through the following races with a good recovery
between each: 1500m, 800m, 400m, 200m. The only
cost is the $4 entry fee to the track.
Congrats to Brockville Racers
We had a great group out at the Brockville races
yesterday. Well done to everyone! I haven't had a
chance to analyse the results yet but there were
certainly some sparkling performances and some
cutting edge fashion.
Open Water Swim Change
Due to a festival at Britannia this weekend, we are
moving the open water swim to Saturday at 8am at
Mooney's Bay main beach.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
August 11, 2009
Fall Registration
The semi-annual rush for OTC program spots is about
to begin. Our programs sell out every year so don't
miss out:
August 17: Swim registration for those that took
part in the program last year
August 24: Swim registration for all other OTC
members
Dryland registration (Tour de France, Music Spins,
Yoga, Core...details TBA) for all OTC members
August 31: Swim and Dryland registration for new
members
OTC Track Championship
This is going to be a blast! It's not really
possible to have club records when it comes to
triathlon due to the many variables involved. Not so
with track! We'll be running the following standard
distances: 1500m, 800m, 400m, and 200m. This meet
will establish our first set of club records -
overall, gender and age group. To give you enough
time to recover between races we'll even have some
fun throwing events!
Digest
Race Reports: Our draw for a meal at The Table will
take place next week so get your July race reports
online
Good Luck: We'll have a fair size contingent in
Brockville this Saturday and the day is looking
great.
OTC 5k Championship: Online registration is now open
for the Run for Peri, our first annual 5k
championship race. Visit http://www.runalmonte.ca
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
August 4, 2009
Congrats to NCT and Kingston Competitors!
We had 30 at the National Capital Tri and another 5
in Kingston this past weekend. To say our peeps lit
the place up is an understatement! Among the
highlights
- Garrett went 17 minutes faster than last year in
the Olympic Tri, good for 4th overall
- Tom's swim pace improved one whole minute per 100m
since last year, and he had energy to spare!
- Louise cracked a much deserved sprint personal
best by one minute
- Shannon won her age group in the Kingston sprint,
1st out of a 23 competitors
- Other personal best performances were turned in by
Scott, Caroline D, Caroline E, Iain, Andrew, Tara,
Julie, Aaron, Mike, Brian, Sylvie, and Kristina.
OTC Track Championship
Our first annual track championship, AKA the
Personal Best Buster, is coming soon so get out to
those track workouts to get ready. This intermediate
goal will not only give you some times to be proud
of, but will result big speed to carry into our
final tri's and the fall running season. The only
charge is the $4 facility access fee. We'll be
running the following standard distances: 1500, 800,
400 and 200. Details and schedule are TBA. We'll be
tracking your PB's as well as establishing a full
set of club records by age group. I'll need a couple
volunteers to help with timing if you'd like to help
out.
Digest:
- There are now a set of Keo pedals on one bike in
the studio.
- Check out the message board for information on
Pedal for the Planet
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
July 27, 2009
Placid is Rocked
Congrats to our seven newly minted and re-minted
Ironman triathletes who all overcame the test in
Lake Placid yesterday: Dave, Eric, Ian, Steve,
Pedro, Peter and Alex. To see their results and pass
on your congratulations visit the message board.
Mussels Were Flexed
It was a blast to see all of the OTC members and
friends down at the Musselman in NY State 8 days
ago. I hope you all had as much fun as I did
announcing. Let's see those race reports on the
message board!
Game On - The TTP is BACK!
After a week off the TTP is back to work this week
in our home stretch of getting you fitter than ever
before this summer. Lots of holiday stories to share
as well, I'm sure!
*Open Water Swim Change*
Due to high number of members racing in the National
Capital Tri on Saturday, our open water swim and
ride will again be combined this weekend on Sunday.
As we did last month, the swim will take place on
Sunday at 8am at Britannia. The group ride will be a
Carp loop departing Britannia beach at 9:15am.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
July 14, 2009
Two Dates to Circle:
*OTC Track Meet: Sunday, August 23. It's your
chance to shatter
personal bests and chase fellow club members in 200,
400, 800 and 1500
at the Terry Fox track.
*OTC 5k Championship: Sunday, September 27. It's
time to really crank
one out on a fast course in Almonte and establish
new bests and a new
club champ!
Congratulations Racers!
We had 13 at Carleton Place and two more at Lac
Leamy this past
weekend. Here's the cool thing: every single one of
our members set a
personal best, either their fastest time at the
distance or their
first time at the distance! Once again, proof
positive that fun/hard
work pays off!
No Studio Classes Next Week
A reminder that there are no TTP classes next week
as it is our annual
summer week off.
Good Luck to Candidates for title of 'Musselman' and
'Ironman'
There will be a good sized contingent of OTCers
heading down to the
Musselman in Geneva, NY this weekend and I'll be
there to greet them
as announcer at the finish line. And, since there
will be no
newsletter next week, we send our very best of karma
out to our brave
crew that are heading into the waters of Mirror Lake
for Ironman USA
on Sunday the 26th.
OttawaFit Now has Physiotherapy
I'm very pleased to announce that Heidi McClintock
of Mile Nine
Physiotherapy is now based at our studio. Once her
clients are
healthy we're hoping they join the club so they can
stay that way!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
July 6, 2009
Training Pays Off
Four of our trackies were running in the Bushtukah
Canada Day 5k and all four turned in personal best
performances!
- Chris: 22:00 (pb by 4 min.)
- Alec 21:06 (pb by 3min.)
- Kristina 35:00 (pb by 1:30)
- and last but certainly not least, Lou, who's pb
18:10 was good for 10th place overall!
OTC Swarms Meech Lake
An amazing day on Saturday at the Mike Collingwood
Triathlon. The club had 10 relay teams and another
10 individuals competing. Thank you to everyone for
supporting this important event. Mike was an
amazing individual and there is no better way to
remember him. Highlighting the day was a
second place finish by OTC Lane 1 (Dave, Nic, Steph).
If only they'd known first place had finished only 2
seconds faster! Other great days include: Sereena (PB
by 3:30), Suzy (PB by 1:30), Kathleen (PB by 11:00)
Who's Racing in Carleton Place?: Roll call on the
message board.
Photos Online: I've added the Placid and Meech
albums to the website.
Sydenham: Suzanne had a solid day at the first ever
Sydenham race yesterday. Watch for her race report.
Peterborough: We also had some athletes, including
Brenda, racing Peterborough. Looking forward to
hearing about it!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 29, 2009
Good Luck!
We'll have a big group of runners our at the
Bushtukah Canada Day races this week. Plus, I think
we'll have set a record for the number of OTC'rs at
the Meech Lake Tri. Go hard and have a blast,
everyone!
*Changes* to Open Water Swim and Group Ride - this
week only
Since most athletes will be at Meech on Saturday,
we're moving the open water swim to Sunday this week
(same time: 8am, same place: Britannia). The group
ride will then depart from Britannia Beach on Sunday
at 9:15am instead of the usual time and spot. This
presents a fantastic opportunity for members to get
in a swim-bike workout. Riders must have an
OAT membership.
Race Roll Calls
Whenever there is a big race, we'll have a 'Roll
Call' thread on the message board. This is an
opportunity to post to let everyone know you're
racing and see who else will be at the event.
Impressive Swim Times
As we finish up our swim season, there have been
more fantastic swim times coming from our 100m test
sets, with many swimmers now flirting with that no
longer elusive 1:30 mark, while others shave
enormous time off their previous bests. Here are
some notables: Ian -5 seconds, Suzy - 7 seconds,
Neil -4 seconds, Blythe -16 seconds.
Congratulations everyone!
OTC Extra
June 25, 2009
Last Day of Kindergarten
Hannah is enjoying her last day of Kindergarten
today. That means in the fall she'll be in full
days at school and, I guess, I can't really call
myself a 'house-dad' anymore. Thanks to everyone in
the club that have made it possible for me to be at
home with my daughter for the last five incredible
years.
Open Water Swims
We start up on Saturday morning at 8am at Britannia
Beach. Click here for the meeting location:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/resources/map_Britannia.htm
If you are part of the OTC pool swim program, you
are invited to take part at no additional charge.
Other OTC members are invited to take part with the
fee being only $60. Please bring cash to the beach.
Free Tri Seminar on Sunday
I'm hosting a training seminar on Sunday and not
many have registered for it for some reason, I guess
the weather. Anyway, if any member would like to
attend for free, just let me know by email.
Non-members can register on the website.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 22, 2009
Lake Placid Camp
Congrats and thanks to everyone that participated in
this weekend's training camp in Lake Placid. Watch
for photos coming soon and check the message board
for some of the highlights.
Open Water Swim Clinic Saturday
We'll be kicking off our Saturday open water swims
with a clinic this week. Everyone from the swim
program is invited to participate and there will be
a few spots available for other members so you can
email me if interested. Meeting spot at 8am is the
windsurfing beach at Britannia which is located
further up river or west of the main public beach.
Canada Day: No Classes at 6pm or 8pm on Wednesday,
July 1st. Please drop in to other classes during
this week.
Bushtukah Canada 5k and 10k
This is your great chance to test your flat out
running speed. It's a fast course and wonderful
event. Visit Bushtukah.com and click on events for
details.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 15, 2009
Race Report Draw Winner
Each month we'll draw from those who post race
reports on the message board and the winner receives
a $20 gift certificate to The Table Vegetarian
Restaurant. May's winner is.......Tara Fairhead!
Email me so we can connect for delivery and, bon
appetite!
Free Somersault Entry Winner: Early Bird
Thanks to Terry and the team at Somersault, the OTC
receives one free entry for every 10 race entrants
at each triathlon. I do a random draw from the
entrants, so you have a 1 in 10 chance of winning!
The club had 17 entrants on the day so we have one
free entry to draw for. The winner is.......Catheleen
Cziszler! Email me for details, Catheleen.
Meech Relays
Get your teams together - the big day is coming July
4th! Remember, three OTC hats for best team name (ie
'The OTC ________'). It's a 1200m swim, 23.5k hilly
ride, then 6.4k run. There's something there for
everyone in a relay team.
No Formal Sunday Ride This Week
As all of the club's certified coaches will be in
Lake Placid this weekend, we cannot put on an
official club ride. That said, I'm sure there will
be many members keen to head out for a spin so feel
free to show up at 8am to meet up for a member-led
ride.
Saturday Open Water Swims - Starts June 27
Anyone in our swim program is invited to join this
program at no extra charge. Other members may join
for a small fee of $50. Email me for details.
Spots are limited.
Wednesday 7am Open Water Swims
I would like to explore interest in development of a
Wednesday 7am member-led open water swim. Discuss
on the message board. Groups could meet
simultaneously at different locations across the
city (ie Britannia, Mooney's, Petrie).
OTC Post Race Special
June 15, 2009
We had almost 60 members racing this weekend between
the Riverkeeper and Muskoka. Among them were
countless first triathlons or first at a distance,
along with first open water swims - well done to
everyone. After a quick look at the results,
here are some of the highlights:
At the Riverkeeper.....
Ian Baxter - 35 seconds per km faster on the run
this year
Stephen Hazell - 22 seconds per 100 faster this year
helping him to win his age group!
Julie Drury - a scintillating 4:28/km pace on the
Sprint run
Robin Middleton - placed 6th out of 17 in her very
first triathlon, the Sprint
Rachel - a personal best 2:11 pace in the swim
Marty V. - just learned to lane swim this winter and
turned in a 1:27 Sprint
Pierre LeBrun - a full 1 minute faster per 100m in
the swim in one year!
Fred Gagnon - 7 minutes faster in the Olympic Du
than last year
Ian Waugh - turns in a 29 minute 1.5k swim, 2'
faster than last year but I bet he's liking the 3'
faster 10k (44:00) even more!
Sindy Dobson - turns in a 2:52 in her first Olympic
tri, good for 2nd in her age group
At Muskoka.....
Dave Harding - Improves by 7 seconds per 100m in the
swim then adds a faster run for a 3 minute
improvement over 2008
Brenda Ross - Scorches to a 4:09 pace in the first
run of the day
Eric Biklo - Swims a full 6 minutes faster in the 2k
swim
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 1, 2009
Congratulations Trackies
It was great to hear about all of the Race Weekend
personal bests set
by participants in our track program. Keep up the
good work!
Transition Practice This Sunday
Preceding our ride this week we'll be doing a
session on
transitions. We'll show you some tips to help you
sail through what
many refer to as the fourth sport in triathlon. 8am
Sunday at our
Tunney's meeting spot.
OTC-only Sale at Fresh Air on Sunday
From 10am till 11am, Fresh Air Experience on
Wellington is inviting
OTC members and their friends to cash in on some
great specials and
discounts on top of the 10% we already get.
Race Report Draws
Get your Early Bird and Race Weekend race reports on
the message board
and you have a chance at a $20 gift certificate to
The Table
Vegetarian Restaurant. If you have had trouble
accessing the message
board with IE, try Firefox as it seems to work for
all users.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 25, 2009
Race Weekend
A huge congrats to everyone that ran on the
weekend. Some had firsts,
some had bests, some learned valuable lessons and
everyone enjoyed a
great effort. Want to run faster - get out to the
track workouts.
Kristin and her team at the water table had a great
experience
supporting the runners and, from all reports, had
quite a workout
themselves!
Outdoor Rides Move to Sunday
With race weekend behind us, we now move our club
bike rides to Sunday
mornings at 8am. We had a great ride under sunny
skies this past
weekend with three groups enjoying our Richmond ride
after invaluable
practice fixing a flat.
Shoes: A quick reminder that you only have another
week to bring in
your retired trainers to the studio or any
Bridgehead. Cameroon needs
them.
Message Board: I'm aware that some are having
problems accessing the
message board. They upgraded it last week and are
working out the
bugs.
Jersey's and Tanks: Email me if you'd like one of
the extra uniform
items.
Fresh Air Sale: OTC-only sale on Sunday June 7 from
10am till 11am.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 18, 2009
Are You Fit Enough? The TTP is carefully designed
to make you fitter than you've ever been before. If
you want to be fitter - don't miss it!
Balance Your Training Load
As we up the intensity make sure to listen to your
body. Some athletes can do consecutive hard
workouts and be fine while others may accumulate
excessive fatigue. If your body won't produce the
workload you think it should on any given day, it's
likely time for a few days extra rest.
Track Change
A reminder that the 615pm Thursday track workout
will be at Notre Dame High this week due to a track
meet at the Terry Fox track. Tuesday night's track
workout remains unchanged.
Bike Maintenance Skills this Saturday
We'll be covering the basics of bike maintenance
this Saturday before the group ride. Make sure you
have your tire levers, extra tube, and pump with you
as we'll be practicing fixing flats.
One Day Clinic
I'm doing a one day clinic on June 6 aimed mostly at
non-members. While we cover all the same
topics across the range of our different OTC
sessions, this is also a chance for members to get
all the info in one, focused day. Details on the
website.
OTC Cycling Jersey's and Tank Tops
You've seen them around and are kicking yourself for
not ordering one. Well, I ordered extras! Details
next week.
OTC Only Sale at Fresh Air Experience
Sunday, June 7 from 10am to 11am. Great discounts
for OTC members!
Congrats to Early Birds - Good luck Runners!
We had a great contingent out on Saturday and had
plenty of fast times and fun times! Watch for the
OTC out in full force at Race Weekend, including our
water tables at the Museum of Civilization.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 11, 2009
First Group Ride
It was a fantastic start to our group riding season
on Saturday! A great drill session, lots of pace
groups and even a late shower to cool us off and
clean us up!
Bring Out Yer Shoes
The box is in position in the studio so it's time to
dig through the closet and bring in your retired
trainers. We're looking for shoes that have done
their running miles but have plenty of life in them.
Please tie them together and add a twoonie in the
water bottle to help with shipping. The OTC is a
major sponsor of Sole Responsibility.
For details visit
http://www.soleresponsibility.org
Mooney's Track Group
We're on the track at Mooney's this week then on May
21 there is another meet so we'll be moving the
workout to Notre Dame H.S. (on Broadview, near 417
and Carling) for that day.
Good Luck Early Birds: The first tri of the season
goes off on Saturday and I know a number of OTC'rs
will be there. Good luck, have fun, and go like
stink!
Lake Placid Camp: Just over a month till our sold
out camp. A note to those attending: As of June 1
you will require a passport to cross the border.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 4, 2009
Track Workouts Starting
Don't forget: Tuesday's from 6:15pm to 7:15pm at
Notre Dame or Thursday's same time at the Terry Fox
Track. This is your chance to break out of that
'same ole pace' and become a better, strong runner.
This program is free to TTP participants and only
$50 for other club members. If you know a
non-member that would like to join, have them email
me.
Saturday's Ride: Time Change - Now 9am
To accommodate the Canterbury swimmers, the time of
the rides on Saturday's in May is moved to 9am.
Check the ride page on the website for further
details. We'll have groups for all levels. I will
personally be leading the < 22km/h group of Sprint
riders. Preceding the ride this week we'll be
having a fun and effective skills session.
Click here for full details and
a link to OAT where you can get your membership.
Join the Water Table Team
We're going to have a blast at this year's
marathon! Thanks for Kristin, we have a water table
at the Museum of Civilization. Come and do a shift
somewhere between 6am and noon, and join the party!
Email Kristin:
kgoff@primus.ca
Sole Responsibility Shoe Collection
The 2009 Campaign is on! Bring in your retired
trainers to the studio and we'll send them to
Africa. We're looking for shoes that are still in
great shape but have done their running miles.
Please tie your shoes together and add a twoonie (in
the water bottle) to help with shipping.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
April 27, 2009
Tank and Jersey Update
As I will be very busy doing bike fits this week, I
have decided to hold on to the uni's and give them
out in classes next week instead. If you are
competing this weekend and would like your jersey,
please email me and I'll arrange to connect.
Outdoor Ride Program
Our Sunday ride program is starting up Saturday, May
9th. This is your chance to come out for group ride
with members and develop your skills and fitness.
Riders will be divided by distance and pace so there
will be a group for everyone and each group will
have a leader, usually one of the OTC coaching
team. For full details, click here:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/programs/outdoor_rides.htm
Track Workouts Begin Next Week
Track workouts are just like a session in the
swimming pool: work on technique, work on fitness,
OTC camaraderie, and a coach there to help guide and
correct you at every step. And, just like our
swims, there
is something for athletes of every level. Tuesday's
from 6:15pm to 7:15pm at Notre Dame High and
Thursday's from 6:15pm to 7:15pm at the Terry Fox
Track. This program is free to participants in the
TTP. Other members may join by emailing me.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
April 20, 2009
Two FANTASTIC ideas have been brought forth by
members, and I am in full support. These will
become annual events, no doubt!
1. The OTC (and friends!) will have their own water
table for this year's National Capital Marathon!
This will be an awesome chance to cheer on and
entertain the runners while also having a blast
ourselves. We need at least 25 people and
preferably more. We'll need to start at 6:30 a.m.
for setup. Finish time depends on what location we
get, but we should be finished no later than noon.
If you are not running on Sunday, it's a great way
to support those who are and participate in an
amazing event. Don't miss being part of the team!
Email Kristin Goff at
kgoff@primus.ca (with your full name, preferred
email address for contact and phone number.
Where did I leave
that devil costume?
2. Our first club ride is scheduled for Sunday, May
3rd. Ah, yes, but so is the CN Cycle for CHEO
(formerly Tour Nortel). What do you all think of
delaying the start of our club rides till the 10th
and supporting this event instead? Let's discuss on
the message board:
http://triottawa.proboards.com
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
April 13, 2009
Classes on Tonight
Classes are on in the studio as usual tonight. I
hope to see you there to work off that chocolate!
Tri Seminar on April 26
Tell your friends that might be interested in
triathlon, that we'll be having another of our
popular seminars at the end of the month.
Details are on the website. The cost is $30 and all
money goes to Ottawa Kids Tri, a local non-profit.
Track Workouts
Nothing will improve your running like our track
workouts - and their FUN too! We'll work on running
form, pacing, and conditioning on Tuesday's at Notre
Dame and Thursday's at the Terry Fox track, starting
the first week of May. Every runner will run at the
proper prescribed pace from them as an individual so
it works for EVERYONE.
This is part of the TTP program.
Group Rides
Our rides start on May 3rd. We'll work on bike
handling, braking, cornering, climbing, everything!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
April 6, 2009
Curling
A fantastic turn out to our third annual curling
social at the Granite on Sunday! We had 24 members
show up and have a blast trying to figure out the
physics of the crazy sport. Some even turned it
into a Du by staying around after for beers.
Group Riding Clinic - May 2nd
Our Sunday rides will be starting up in less than a
month. Each of the first three rides will be
preceded by an orientation session on the important
topics of: group riding, bike handling, bike
maintenance, and more. Rides will start from
Tunney's Pasture at 9am. Start times for Gatineau
Park rides will be earlier in late May. These
Sunday rides will take the place of the endurance
ride for most members. More details in the weeks to
come.
Track Training
Also starting up in the first week of May will be
our all important track workouts. The Track
workouts will be the key speed run of the week and
is the perfect way for runners of all levels to
improve their strength and technique under the
coach's eye. There will be two per week to choose
from: Tuesday's at Notre Dame High (near Carling and
the 417) from 6:15pm to 7:15pm, and on Thursday's at
the Terry Fox Track at Mooney's Bay, also from
6:15pm to 7:15pm. More details to come.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
March 30, 2009
Lake Placid Training Camp
Our June 19-21 camp is now opening for registration.
See newsletter for details. Members only.
Curling Details
For those that are coming curling on Sunday. Bring
the following: clean indoor only running shoes, $5,
a sense of humour, yourself to the Granite Curling
Club at 2026 Scott St., near Churchill, starting at
1:20pm and curling till 3:30. RSVP on message board.
Members only.
New Swim Video
Thanks to our demo-girl, Caroline, we have a new
video in our resource section. Over the course of
it's four minutes you will see the key drills we use
in our OTC swim workouts along with a commentary
explaining what's happening. Check it out in:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/resources.htm
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
March 23, 2009
Curling Social
A quick reminder to RSVP on the message board for
this fun event on Sunday, April 5th. Only $5 for 2
hours of what we will loosely refer to as 'curling'
:)
Lake Placid Weekend
Planning is well underway for our June 19-21
training weekend in Lake Placid, NY. I can't wait
to announce the full details later this week -
you're going to love our accommodation! To register
your interest in advance, visit the special thread
on the message board. All spots will certainly sell
out like last year and we are open to the option
of adding additional accommodation. If you have any
questions about camp, please hold off till the
announcement later this week.
Training Log Upgrades Now Live!
After some hard work by many we have some great
upgrades to the training log including: retroactive
logging of workouts, password look up, TTP and OTC
as activity options, text box for 'other' activity
options, ability to export to a spreadsheet, and
more. Thank you to everyone that shared their ideas
to help make this log such a
fantastic tool for our members.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
March 16, 2009
March Break Week
All TTP classes are resting this week except Tuesday
8pm which started a week later in January. They will
move ahead this week and then be on the same timing
as the rest of us starting next week. Again, the
swim schedule and Cast Iron remain unchanged and
move ahead as per usual this week.
Curling Social
This is your big chance to have your annual or first
day of curling. Come and prove exactly how Canadian
you are. If you aren't Canadian, I understand a day
of curling earns you honourary citizenship, at least
within the walls of the curling club - sort of like
political asylum. Anyway, RSVP on the message board
then bring $5 on the day. The day: Sunday, April 5th
from 1:30pm to 3:30pm.
Spring Clinics
We'll have our spring clinics coming in early May.
This is your opportunity to learn about bike
maintenance, group riding and more. All clinics are
free to OTC members. Plus, May will see the start of
our new, expanded group ride program and track
workouts! Stay tuned for details in early April.
Cover Photo: Gad makes a housecall (in OTC shirt, of
course) via dug out canoe while on a medical mission
in the depth of Guyana.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
March 9, 2009
OTC Curling Challenge
Our third annual curling social is coming up on
Sunday, April 5th, from 1:30 to 3:30pm at the
Granite Curling Club on Scott St. This is a
frighteningly recreational outing, perfect for those
that have never or rarely curl. On the other hand,
if you are curling gurus we encourage you to come
out as well to give us some tips! It's only $5 a
head. Please RSVP on the message board curling
thread:
http://triottawa.proboards61.com/index.cgi
March Bike Fits: This month's bike fits will be done
on the week of 23rd to 28th.
Reminder: Clean indoor-only shoes in the studio,
please.
March Break: A reminder that there are no TTP
classes (except Cast Iron) next week, March 16-20.
OAT Memberships
We are in the process of planning our spring/summer
coached rides. Just a quick reminder that in
order to take part in this program, for insurance
purposes, you must be a member of the Ontario
Association of Triathletes, the sports provincial
governing body. You will be required to bring your
OAT card to each ride. The membership is $50 and
includes an annual subscription to Triathlon
Magazine Canada. To register online click here:
https://www.triathlonontario.com/hm/membership.php
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
March 2, 2009
Holiday Week
My apologies to the Monday night gang as I mis-informed
them last week. Just to clarify for everyone: the
week in which there will be no TTP classes is the
week of March 16 to 20. Cast Iron will continue
unaffected as their day off was this past Saturday.
Swims continue unaffected as well.
Jersey and Tank Order
The deadline is Wednesday to get your jersey and
tank order in. Of course, if you prefer to go to a
shop and pay more money for a shirt that is not
nearly as stylin' then that is your perogative ;)
Otherwise, click here for details:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/resources/merch_jersey.htm
Coaching Course
The OTC had a full dozen coaches and members at the
triathlon coaching course this weekend. A fun and
educational time was had by all! I am very excited
to see the talent and depth of our coaching staff
continue to grow.
Training Log
Two pieces of news here for you. First, I'll be
meeting on Wednesday with our developer to discuss
upgrades to the log; I'll keep you posted on that.
Secondly, I'll be starting to visit your training
logs soon, likely next week so watch for some
comments from me that may help you along your way.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
February 23, 2009
Can You Feel It?
Every week the work load is increasing and every
week your body is becoming stronger and fitter.
Just imagine how fit you'll be by the time we start
taking some of our training outside!
Get Your Gear
Watch your inbox later this week when we announce
details for our annual order for OTC Tri Tanks and
our NEW OTC Cycling Jersey. Great gear at great
prices!
Yoga Change
There is a change in one of the holiday dates for
the yoga program. There will now BE a class on
March 8th. The second holiday date will be April
26, on which day there will not be a class.
This Week in the OTC
February 16, 2009
Bike Fits
One of the many great features of the TTP is the
opportunity to have the fit of your bike checked by
our head coach. Geordie will put you on the bike
trainer, do some measurements and discuss with you
your comfort level. In some cases, he'll do minor
adjustments, in others he will make recommendations
towards next steps. The process will take about 20
minutes for each person. We will be carrying these
out in the final weeks of February, March and April
with approximately 4 individuals per class. It is
fully expected that some will opt out of
this service for various reasons so feel free to do
so.
Seminar Success
Our Triathlon Training Seminar was a huge success
yesterday. A keen crowd with lots of great
questions made it an easy day for me. The best
news: we raised over $700 for the Ottawa
Riverkeeper.
Workout Info
This week we begin adding an overview of the week's
workouts to the newsletter. This will help those
that may want to repeat the workout on their own or
make it up should they have to miss the class.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
February 10, 2009
Program Planning
Last week's TTP talks on Program Planning motivated
me to add a new feature to our resources. Near the
training log sign in, you'll find a link to 'How to
Build a Training Plan'. This is a simple step by
step guide to help you make a great personalized
plan. It includes links to sample endurance and
tempo workouts. Check it
out: Once you've built your plan, I will
have the chance to visit your log and give you
feedback on it.
Training Log Beta
Our beta testing phase for the new training log ends
on Feb. 27 so post your ideas and feedback on the
message board. We've had some great ideas and I look
forward to the first set of upgrades being unveiled
in early March.
Seminar This Sunday: A reminder that the Training
Seminar is this Sunday. For those of you not in the
TTP, this is an excellent opportunity to learn.
Email me to register. Details on the home page.
This Week in the OTC: I'm going to make some small
changes to this newsletter next week. Firstly, it
will come out on Monday and, secondly, I will
include a summary of the week's TTP and OTC swim
workouts. It's February - time to start putting a
higher priority on your fitness. This will help you
start your week with this in mind. Put the workouts
on your calendar and let nothing get in the way!
Cover Shot: Fred does the Du in Montreal!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
February 3, 2009
Training Log
We want to get you to your goals, whatever they may
be. In order to help, we need to know what they
are! If you're in the TTP, make sure to register
for the training log and add your goals. If the
rest of the log doesn't interest you, then don't
worry about it - maybe you'll start to use it
later. If you have any feedback whatsoever about
the log and its role in the TTP please post on the
message board. Already, we've had some great
suggestions.
Triathlon Seminar on Sunday, February 15
This is a fun, informative session covering all
aspects of triathlon training and every cent of the
$30 registration fee goes directly to the Ottawa
Riverkeeper, a local charity. If you're in the TTP,
there is some repetition but you still may benefit
from hearing it all at once. For members not in the
TTP or your friends who aren't members,
this is a great opportunity to learn.
OTC Donation to Sole Responsibility: Thanks to
everyone who registered for the run club with their
$30 donation. As promised, the club has matched
your money so another $600 is on its way to SR.
Swim Progression: A reminder that our current
training phase features fins and paddles much more.
If you have your own, please bring them to the
workouts.
TTP Drop Ins: Don't forget that all registrants are
permitted unlimited drop-in's to TTP classes. There
are bikes free - let's fill them! This means you
can workout as many times a week as you like.
Cover Shot: Malcolm and Alison grace our home page,
pictured on the podium at Alpe d'Huez, France.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
January 20, 2009
Run Club
This is your chance to become the best runner you
can be. The SR Run Club starts up this Sunday and,
right now, the club will pay half of your
registration fee. For only $30 you get an annual
membership, allowing you to take part in the club's
programs through 2009. For full details on the club
visit
http://www.soleresponsibility.org
TTP News
It's a big week for us next week as we introduce our
online training log starting Monday. It will take
some learning by all parties, but we know this tool
is going to be a critical link in helping you to
reach your goals. Also next week, Geordie will be
visiting all classes to help introduce participants
to the VASA and PowerCranks; two more tools that
will help make you a better triathlete.
New Coach
We're all excited that another members of the club
is becoming a coach. Sereena Trottier, who many of
you know, will be bringing her skills and passion to
the coaching team and soon taking over the Monday
6pm class.
Yoga Weeks Off
We built two weeks off into our winter/spring yoga
schedule and now I have the dates for you. There
will be no classes on Feb. 1 and March 8. Happy
holidays, Joanne!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
January 6, 2009
TTP Reminders
- Mat: Don't forget to bring a yoga mat for the
first 16 weeks
- Pedals: We have SPD, Look Delta, and baskets for
running shoes. We are working on introducing Look
Keo as soon we can develop an adaptor to allow a
basket to be added to the Keo pedal.
- New Class: A new Rec class has been added which
will start next week: Tuesday's 8pm with Chris Kelly
(TriCan trained). If this timing works out better
for you and you would like to look into possibly
shifting, please let me know.
Canterbury Swim Time
A reminder that the Canterbury swims for the winter
will run from 8:45am to 9:45am. A chance to sleep
in! Plant swimmers, you're back at it starting
tonight!
Carpooling
A reminder to please visit the message board to
offer and seek rides to classes while the bus strike
is on. Some of our members really depend on the bus
so we need to work together to get them to the
classes!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
January 2, 2009
It's going to be an
incredible year for the OTC so let's get on with it!
Yoga
We still have spots available in our Sunday morning
yoga. This is a fantastic compliment to tri
training, especially for those doing the longer
distances. Visit the club homepage for a link to
online registration
Start Up Dates
Visit the homepage of the website for the start
dates of all programs.
Heart Rate Monitors
See the December 2nd newsletter in the News and
Events section of the website for tips.
How TTP Drop-in's Work:
- TTP participants are permitted unlimited drop-in's
to classes.
- I will post attendance on the message board to
show you the trends. This is the only information I
can give you on the chances there will be a bike
free. Please do not email me asking if I think there
will be a spot.
- It is first-come, first-served. Drop-in's will
wait to the side until five minutes into the class.
If a bike remains unused, they may
take it.
- If you know you'll be late for your planned class,
email me to give me a heads up.
- We have not, as yet, had to develop a policy
regarding a cut-off time for late comers. We will do
so if and when it is deemed to be
required.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
December 16, 2008
It has been another incredible year for the OTC,
with more growth in our programs, our membership and
our coaching team. There were too many personal
firsts and personal bests to list but more important
to
me, as I think back, are simply all the great times
we had training together.
While most of the gang will be back in 2009 some
will not and to them I say a special thank you and
good luck. To our new members, everyone in the OTC
extends the warmest of welcomes. This coming year
is going
to be a very special one and we are so glad that you
have joined us for the adventure.
Thank you all for sharing your journey with the
club. To you and your family I extend the very best
this holiday season.
Sincerely,
Geordie
2009 Start Dates:
TTP: All classes commence the week of Monday,
January 5th.
Sawmill: The only day off is December 28th. We're
back at it on Sunday the 4th.
Plant: First classes back are Tuesday, January 6th
and Thursday, January 8th.
Canterbury: First class back is Saturday, January
10th. Remember, swims for the winter will be from
7:45am till 8:45am.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
December 10, 2008
Ironman Christmas Party This Saturday
Don't forget! The broadcast runs from 2:30pm till
4pm and there will be plenty of great draw prizes.
The Carleton Tavern is located at the corner of
Parkdale and Armstrong, just north of the Parkdale
Market.
Yoga in the New Year
Well, our first attempt at using the poll function
on the message board didn't really work out despite
all efforts to figure it out. So, if you are
interested in registering for the Sunday yoga class
(9am or 10:15am) starting in the New Year, please
email me. If you are interested in doing a lunch or
early morning yoga class let me know that as well.
Sole Responsibility Run Club
In 2007, the club started up a run club to support
Sole Responsibility, a grass roots non-profit that
sends used running shoes to those in need overseas.
Since we began, over $4000 has been raised to help
the organization. We are looking to expand and
start up groups in other areas of the city so if you
might be interested in becoming a Group Coordinator,
let me know. We'll train you and take care of all
of the registrations. All you have to do is talk a
little and run. Email me if you'd like to join our
team. For those interested in registering, watch
for news next week.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
December 2, 2008
December Swim Tips
With both the Plant and Canterbury pools closed for
annual maintenance this month, we have a lot of
swimmers in dry dock. Caroline and I hope that you
all manage to get into the pool for some workouts in
this time and would like give you some guidelines.
You have a couple options, really: a) Simply do some
long, aerobic swims, focusing on different aspects
of your stroke each length, and always swimming well
and focused. b) Do a workout similar in format to
our club swims: 10' warm up, 10' kick (rocker, on
back, on stomach), 10' drill (side swim, one arm),
20' set (100's, rest to recovery, PE 6/7), 5' cool
down.
Heart Rate Monitors
This year we've made the use of HRM's mandatory in
the Comp and Cast Iron classes. As you do your
shopping, or place it on your list for Santa, here
is some info to keep in mind:
- We have a 10% discount at Bushtukah and Fresh Air
Experience (new members: give me another week to get
them an updated list)
- Cross talk is when your watch picks up the HR
signal from some else's transmiter (chest strap).
This can happen when someone else has a non-coded
HRM within 4 feet of you. A coded HRM means it only
picks up the signal from your transmiter. You have
to decide whether you want to pay more for coded or
run the risk of some cross talk. As an example of
prices, a Polar FS2 (non-coded) is only $55 for
members at Fresh Air while an F6 (the first level of
coded HRM) is $100. As far as the other functions
and features, this is totally up to you.
Swim Re-start: We're back at the Plant on Jan. 6
(Tues), Jan 8 (Thu) and at Canterbury on Jan 10
(Sat.).
Hawaii Ironman Christmas Party: Saturday, December
13th
New Member Meet: A reminder that any member that is
new to the studio is invited to join us on Sunday,
December 14th from 4pm to 5pm. The first half hour
will be spent fitting members to bikes (please bring
running shoes). Then we'll have an intro talk and
Q+A.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 25, 2008
Welcome New Members!
Thank you to everyone for continuing to support the
club - our TTP is again a sell out for 2009! A huge
welcome to some new members that managed to grab
some spots in the program. Watch this newsletter
next week for info on our 'New Member Night' in
December; a chance to visit the studio and ask some
questions.
Hawaii Ironman Christmas Party - Saturday, December
13
The club will be hosting it's 4th annual Ironman
Party at 2:30pm on the date above - don't miss it!
We'll have a TON of great draw prizes along with
ample opportunities to chat and partake in local
delicacies (beer, poutine etc). The Carleton Tavern
is located a short walk from the studio, at the
corner of Armstrong and Parkdale (just north of the
Parkdale Market).
Yoga in the New Year - Have Your Say!
Joanne and I are exploring an expansion to our yoga
offerings. Visit the message board to have your say
in our poll.
Pool Closures
A reminder that both Plant and Canterbury will be
closed for their annual maintenance during the month
of December. For a list of exact dates missed
please visit the Programs section of the club
website and
navigate to your swim class. I'll include some
December tips for those swimmers in next week's
newsletter.
Photo Album Update: I've added the pix from our
weekend with Sam and Cliff.
Videos: For a video of my interview with our famous
couple and a huge resource of other tri-related
videos, visit our TriathlonCoach.ca YouTube page.
I've added a link in the Resource page.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 18, 2008
The Clinic
What a great weekend! We had a fantastic clinic on
Saturday with Sam McGlone and Cliff English sharing
plenty of trade secrets with our group of OTC
members. One of my favourite quotes was from Sam's
talk on race day psychology. When analyzing your
self-talk in the face of adversity, she said to ask
yourself 'what would you say to your best friend'.
Her point being, we sometimes beat ourselves up and
say things to ourselves that we would never say to
others. Thanks to everyone that supported the
event!
The Nostradamus 5k
We had close to 20 members out on Sunday for our
prediction run. After a Sam and Cliff led the
warm-up the runners were off on the 5 loop course.
Due in part to the great warm-up, almost all of the
runners came in well under their estimates, and more
than a few had personal bests. Steph took the crown
though finishing only 20 seconds faster than his
estimate. Gwyn came in second with.... AARGH, I
forget who was third - sorry! My thanks for
Bushtukah and Fresh Air for the great prizes which
included jackets, hats and more. Also thanks to
Suzanne and Sereena for being our volunteer timing
team!
Check out the photo album!
Yoga,
We're looking at continuing and even expanding our
yoga in the new year. Please visit the message
board to have you say in our poll.
Picture of the Week: Neil reaches the finish of
Ironman Canada last August with a little help from
his daughter.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 11, 2008
Nostradamus 5k - New Time: 9am
This Sunday is our annual 5k at Tunney's Pasture.
I'm moving the race to 9am so meet up at the Brooke
Claxton Building (see map) between 8:30am and 8:45.
Remember, it's a prediction run so no pacing devices
allowed! Sam and Cliff will be there to cheer you
on as well. Since this is a no-frills/guerilla
event so we need to watch the numbers. OTC members
can bring only one friend or family each.
Map:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/resources/TunneyClaxton.JPG
Sam and Cliff Clinic Saturday
Only four more sleeps for the excited group of
members and friends who get to spend Saturday with
Sam McGlone and Cliff English at the studio. The
two of them are all ready to go and excited to meet
you all! I'll be sending out updated info tomorrow.
TTP for Friends and Family
If you have a family member or friend that is not
yet a member of the club, this Thursday is their
chance. Have them contact me to register and they
will get in a few days before the rest of the
general public.
A reminder that registration is open now to all OTC
members. Click here:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/form.htm
Digest:
Bushtukah's Fall Friends sale is on this Sunday
starting at 5pm and you're invited. For full
details, visit the message board.
Swimmers: If you are looking for a simple workout
for a second swim each week, repeat the drills and
swim from the previous class.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
November 5, 2008
Reach Your Goals
TTP registration has been going very well so thank
you to everyone who is coming back for another great
year of training in 2009! I am so excited about the
coming year as it signals a major evolution in the
philosophy of the club. While we will always be
about fun and fitness, our new key theme will be
guiding you to your goals. Whether your goal is
lowering your cholesterol, lowering your Ironman
time, or anything in between, developments like our
training log and online coaching will help us to set
you on the right track and keep you there.
Don't forget, returnees only have till Sunday to
secure their spot. With the way things are going,
the TTP will likely be your last registration chance
to be part of the OTC's incredible year in 2009.
Don't miss out! Registration opens Monday for all
other OTC members so watch your email.
Nostradamus 5k
A reminder that our prediction run will be taking
place on Sunday, November 16th at 9:30am. Not only
is it a great chance for a personal best at the
distance, but there are prizes for the three
individuals who most closely estimate their time. No
pacing gadgets allowed!
Swim Video
Our base and technique phase is progressing very
well with HUGE improvements being seen by many
swimmers. At the same time, our aerobic fitness is
building with our advanced swimmers hitting 2000m
most workouts, despite the drilling. We'll be
bringing our video camera out soon but until then
check out the two great swim videos in our resource
section to see how it's done. http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/resources.htm
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 27, 2008
TTP Registration
Registration opens Monday for those that
participated in our 32 week program last
season,including Cast Iron. We would love to see you
back and benefiting from the fantastic new features
of the TTP like the free online coaching. You will
have one week in which to secure your spot for 2009
before registration is opened to all other OTC
members. Last season's participants will receive an
email message on Monday morning with a link to
online registration. At that time, you will be able
to rebook your spot in the same class as last year.
If you would like to change to a different time then
email me on Monday. We are very excited about 2009 -
I hope you'll be along for the ride!
The Nostradamus 5k
We didn't hold our annual fall no-frills 5k last
year but it's back and better than ever in 2008! On
the morning of Sunday, November 16th we'll be
holding our informal race on the scorchingly fast
boulevard loop. Each time you turn the roundabout,
Sam McGlone and Cliff English will be there to cheer
you on. The winner of the race, and recipient of
countless riches, will be the runner to most
accurately predict their finish time and run without
the use of any pacing devices, other than brain
power. Book the day and watch for more details. This
event is for OTC members only.
Hawaii Ironman Party: While you have your daytimer
out, make that Blackberry, reserve the afternoon of
December 13. We'll be meeting up at the Carleton
Tavern to watch this year's broadcast of the Hawaii
Ironman World Championship.
Picture of the Week: Each week, we'll be changing
the main photo on the home page of the website. This
week's star: Maamoun!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 20, 2008
The New TTP
I'm very excited to introduce to you the further
evolution of our core program, now called the
Triathlon Training Program (TTP). We've slowly been
developing it over that last four years and now the
development reaches to near it's peak with the
program adding such great features as an online
training log, coached outdoor rides and
more. Registration opens on November 3rd so have a
careful read through the details and get yourself
ready. Click here for full details:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/programs.htm
Sam McGlone and Cliff English
With less than a month till our special one day
clinic, I thought I'd let you have a glance at our
tentative lineup. Sessions will include: program
planning and how to adjust your plan, technical talk
for all three sports, peak performance mindset, and
active bike and run sessions. This stuff is gold in
the hands of individuals like Sam and
Cliff. With a handful of spots left, I'll be
opening it to non- members early tomorrow morning.
If you'd like a spot, email me today!
Deals at Fresh Air
Steph wanted me to pass the message along that they
have some great deals on bikes at Fresh Air
Experience right now. Some prices are cut to under
$1000 which means no PST.
Ottawa
Triathlon Club News
October 7, 2008
Holiday Schedule
All classes are on as scheduled except the
Canterbury swim which is not being held this
Saturday.
Our Very Special Visitors
We announced this week that the club will be holding
a one day clinic on November 15 with
some very special
guests! Registration
will open next week for non-members, if there are
any spots left.
Groovy Swim Caps
Swimmers received a small surprise present at the
first sessions this week: a stylin' OTC swim cap.
Watch for them at a pool near you!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
October 2, 2008
A couple announcements this week and a couple more
next week.
Click here
to see today's special news.
Swim Schedule
Canterbury and Sawmill swims start this weekend.
Plant starts next Tuesday and Thursday.
Ottawa
Triathlon Club News
September 16, 2008
Welcome New Members
On behalf of everyone in the club I'd like to
welcome our many new members who joined the club
this fall! A quick reminder to please submit your
waiver and membership form before your first class.
Draw Winners
Now that life is settling down a little, here are
the draw winners from August:
Race Report - We do a random draw from those that
posted race reports on the message board and the
winner receives a $20 gift certificate from The
Table Vegetarian Restaurant located beside the
studio. Our winner, for her report from the National
Capital Tri is....Rachel Heft! Gift certs will be in
the studio for you.
Free Somersault Entries - For every 10 club members
that enter a Somersault event, we get one free entry
to give away. With 26 entered at The Canadian,
that's two free entries. Now, they can't be carried
over to next year so it means using them either this
Sunday or at the Fall Colours. Our winners
are......Jennifer Moher and Christina Patterson!
Email me for details.
Congratulations Racers
High fives all around for our racers from this past
weekend. The OTC had 10 in Montreal and another 10
at the Muskoka 70.3. The latter was an incredibly
challenging day with a hilly course and torrential
rains. Watch the message board for some great race
reports.
Saturday Swim
The club is very pleased to welcome Caroline
Corriveau to our coaching team. Caroline will be on
deck for the new Saturday morning swim group at the
Canterbury Pool. She helped to make this session
happen in more ways than one so thank you, Caroline!
There are still a few spots left in this class so
email me if you would like in.
Exciting News
Coming soon......
Ottawa
Triathlon Club News
September 10, 2008
Good Luck Racers!
This is the last big weekend* of the tri season and
we'll have a number of members racing the 70.3 in
Muskoka and at the Montreal Triathlon Festival.
Good luck to everyone - weather looks fantastic!
Don't let all the peripherals on race day let you
lose focus on this simple fact: A triathlon is
really a very simple matter of going for a swim,
then a bike ride, then a jog. (*A quick reminder
that there still is the Last Chance Tri on the 21st)
What Now?
So the tri season is ending and you're wondering
where to go from here. Our programming stays away
from a triathlon focus but helps to keep you
active. Maybe it's time to do some hiking or
ballroom dancing. Whatever you choose to do, aim to
simply stay physically active. This will keep you
healthy in mind, body and spirit . While keeping
fit, don't start 'training' now for next tri season;
give your mind a break and aim on some other goals
like some run races or
perhaps a black belt ;)
Additional Classes Added
*Daytime Classes at OttawaFit: Our personal training
team will be running there own set of fitness
classes in the studio this fall. If you live or
work in the neighbourhood, consider doing their
morning or lunchtime classes. For full details on
their classes and personal training services visit
http://www.ottawafit.com
*New Tour de France Class: I've added a class to
Thursday's at 6pm. If you are already
registered in another class and would like to
switch, please let me know.
*New Swim Class: I've also added another swim -
Saturday's from 7:15am
to 8:15am at Canterbury, coached by Caroline. Same
thing here - if you are already registered in
another swim and would like to switch, please let me
know.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
September 5, 2008
Thank You
Firstly, we'd like to thank and congratulate
everyone that took part in our 2008 Base and Race
program which reached the finish line last week.
There were countless personal bests this season but
more importantly we all got extremely fit and had
some fun doing it! Thanks also goes out to all
of our Britannia Beach open water swimmers. The
water was incredibly flat this year wasn't it?!
I'll see if I can do something about that next
season ;)
Registration
My next thanks is to everyone that has registered
for fall programs. Our current schedule is
full though we are looking at adding additional
classes so watch this newsletter for info on that.
Thank you again for supporting the club - the
coaching team is gearing up for a great fall! A
special shout out to the many new members that will
be along for the swim and ride as well.
Congrats to all Canadians
We had countless participants and volunteers out
last weekend for The Canadian. A job well done to
everyone. We'll perform our free entry draw next
week from entrants. Also congrats to Ted who more
than survived the sweltering heat of Louisville to
add the title of Ironman
to his resume!
OTC Seminar
A reminder that there will be a triathlon training
seminar on September 21st from 3pm to 6pm at the
Wellington St. studio. Every cent of the $30
registration fee will go directly to the Ottawa
Riverkeeper. Covering all aspects of training for
the sport, this fun and interactive session will
include PowerPoint, video and active demonstrations.
Click here for details and to register:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/manatees/programs/seminar.htm
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
August 25, 2008
Swim
Now's your chance to snag a spot in the club's swim
program. Registration is now open to all OTC
members. Check the details on the site then email
me your top two choices. If you have already
emailed me, no need to do so again as you have done
so early enough.
Yoga, Music Spins, Tour de France
Registration is now open to all club members for our
fun, anything-but-
triathlon fall programs. Yogi's should know
that there is a chance the class may be moved to
Sunday morning. This would enable us to continue to
run it through the winter and perhaps year round.
Le Tour is a blast; this year simulating the 2005
Tour de France with all the sprints, hills, and
intrigue. If music is your thing, we've got a
a couple classic Music Spin classes for you as
well. Blast the tunes and spin the pedals!
Get Well for Claudine
Our longest serving coach, Claudine Simard had an
accident just over a week ago and broke her leg. If
you would like to send her best wishes please log on
to the message board where I have started a 'Get
Well' thread.
Good Luck Everyone
We'll have many athletes participating in The
Canadian this coming weekend; I look forward to
seeing you all at the finish line. And what about
Ted! He's traveling to the deep south for Ironman
Louisville. Have a blast - we can't wait to hear
all about it.
Ottawa
Triathlon Club News
August 22, 2008
Swim Registration
A reminder to those looking to return to the swim
program again this
year: email me NOW to book your spot! We have a lot
of club members
looking to join the program when registration opens
for them on
Monday. There are limited spots for new
participants so, if you are
among those looking to get one, make sure to email
me early on Monday
- set an alarm!
Tour de France, Music Spins, Yoga
OTC member registration for all of our fall dryland
programs opens on
Monday as well. Have a look at the info on the
website and contact me
early to get your preference.
New Members Registration
Remaining spots in all of our programs will be made
available to new
members starting September 1st. If you have a
friend that is
interested, please make sure they mention you in
their email to me.
Even in the OTC, it's who you know!
Canadian Iron Party
You've see in on TV, the drama of the iron distance
finish line. This time, be part of it. In fact, BE
IT! Next Saturday (Aug. 30),
Ontario's only Iron Distance race will take place as
part of our huge day at The Canadian. From 7:30pm
till 10:30pm we'll have a live band at the finish
line and lots of excitement provided by the brave
soles that are in the final miles of a courageous,
12 hour plus day. Be there to party and cheer them
in!
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
August 11, 2008
Olympic Party Monday 18th
The count down is on to the two Olympic triathlons!
Don't forget that Kate and Rob are hosting a party
to cheer on Simon, Colin and
Paul in the men's race on Monday the 18th. It will
be located in the downstairs room at the Prescott
(379 Preston Street) which is
complete with big screen TV's. The room is available
from 7pm till midnight with overflow upstairs. The
actual event broadcast is at
10pm. No RSVP required. There will be a
pay-as-you-wish donation box for the Multiple
Sclerosis Society in honour of Kate and
Simon's uncle. The Monday 8-10pm Race Training class
will skip the run in order to make it in time for
the broadcast.
Swim Registration Starts Monday
Don't miss out on your chance to join the gang for
awesome swim workouts this coming swim season. We're
adding video analysis,
more training tools like the freestyle snorkel, and
more volume options (advanced swimmers can expect to
swim 1500m plus). All of
this along with ongoing observation and correction
by the coach (me!). Registration for those that took
part last year opens on
Monday the 18th then for other OTC members on the
25th. New members can register for any remaining
spots on September 1st.
National Capital Triathlon Draw
We had 24 in the event so that means two free
Somersault entries for event this season.
Congratulations to........ Jenn Johnston and
Kristin Goff! I'll be contacting you.....
July Race Report Draw
And the winner of the July race report prize of $20
worth of delicious and nutritious food at The Table
Vegetarian Restaurant (just a couple doors from the
studio) is.......Heather McLeod for her report on
the 2.9k Charity Swim. Congrats and bon appetit!
Please come by the studio on Monday or Wednesday to
pick up the certificates.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
July 28, 2008
OTC is on Holidays Next Week
A reminder that next week is our annual summer break
so there are no
classes in the studio and no open water swim. It's
back to business
as usual on Monday, August 11th.
Hard Work Pays Off
I wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate
everyone in our Race
Training. The testing on the G-Force is showing
major improvements
for riders in their power and fitness. Heart rate
is down, wattage is
up - just what we like to see!
OTC Hats are Back
I have more hats! The first bunch sold out quickly
so don't delay if
you want one of our great running hats. Coaches
will be selling them
in the studio at each class this week and I'll have
some at the open
water swim as well. $20 each.
Fresh Air Special Order
If you have recently placed a special order with
Charlotte at Fresh
Air Experience, please give her a call, she
misplaced our contact
info!
Fall Programming
Watch the website in the coming weeks for details on
our fall
programming including swimming, Tour de France,
Music Spins and Yoga!
Ottawa
Triathlon Club News
July 21, 2008
Iron Man has nothing on these three!
Yesterday was Ironman USA in Lake Placid and three
of our troops braved stormy skies to make their Iron
dreams come true. I'm sure everyone in the club
joins me in congratulating Krista Shipman, Eric
Biklo and Steve Ross! We look forward to your race
reports on the message board when you find the
energy.
Saturday Swims at Meech Lake
Members have been swimming at Meech Lake on Saturday
mornings and would like to invite more to join in.
Those interested meet at the studio at 7:20 and then
car pool up to Blanchette, departing the studio at
7:30am at the latest. Swims of various lengths and
paces. This is a member-led workout and not an
official OTC program. Some members will also be
adding on a long run to the end of the swim.
Graham Beasley Winner
We had 14 members in Carleton Place for the tri a
week ago and that means one free entry for one of
those lucky participants. And the randomly drawn
winner is.......Ian Waugh! I'm guessing Ian could
make use of this since I believe he was to register
for next years Ironman USA earlier this morning.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
July 15, 2008
Congrats CP Racers
It was quite the day in Carleton Place on Sunday, I
guess. Check themessage board for tales of strong currents and
pouring rain.
Congratulations to all who faced up to the
challenge!
Musselman Report
I was away in the Finger Lakes this weekend,
announcing at theMusselman Triathlon, a weekend of races with over
1400 entered. I had
a great time at this community run event and
recommend it to anyone inthe future. It's exactly 4 hours away and features
a sprint, half-
iron, kids race and ITU Olympic distance race (along
with tons offactory outlet shops). The race was recently ranked
#4 in the US so
it's a great chance to experience a slightly
different raceexperience. That said, after meeting many great
people down there, I
am reminded as to how lucky we are to have SO many
races locally everysummer.
Time to Celebrate
Eric, Krista and Steve are in Lake Placid this week
to complete theirIronman journeys. We all wish them the very best of
luck. They have
put in a massive amount of time in preparation for
race day. Now thatit is here, it's time to enjoy the day and make some
life long
memories. Have fun!
Hats
I'll have the OTC running hats in the studio this
week, including theTuesday and Thursday classes. They are very popular
and going
quickly, so bring a $20 just in case. I'm sure you
won't bedisappointed.
Ottawa
Triathlon Club News
July 7, 2008
*Reminder: Open Water Swim is Tuesday 6:15pm this
week, not Thursday.
Are You Getting Faster?
There are two key workouts in each sport each week:
your endurance session and your tempo or speed
session. Fitting in a hard/intense bike session can
be challenging for many reasons such as heat,
traffic and safe roads. That's why we our
studio-based Race Training to get the hard work done
once a week, and have some fun doing it! This week
it's the Ironman 70.3 World Championships hill
profile and video. Next week, we're off to Ironman
Australia.
Meech Lake Tri
Congrats to everyone that participated on Saturday
in beautiful Gatineau Park. A fun time was had by
all and many great photos were taken. Check out the
photo album:
Click here
OTC Race Uniforms - Extras Available
A reminder to those that have yet to pick up their
race tanks that you can do so at the studio on
Monday's and Wednesday's from 6pm to 10pm. And now
the great news: I ordered some extras! I only have 7
so if you'd like one email right away - it's first
come, first served. I don't have the size list handy
but will make arrangements via email. The cost is
$60. To see the tank in action, check the photo
album above.
The OTC hat is here! A great, stylish, washable
running hat....white with OTC logo....only $20. I'll
have them in the studio and at the Open Water Swim.
Limited supply.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 30, 2008
Sunday Group Rides
Every Sunday OTC club members and their friends are
meeting for member-led rides. The group meets at 8am at the Tunney's
Pasture parking lotnear the junction of Parkdale and the Western
Parkway. Somerecommendations:- arrive with knowledge of typical average speed
when riding so you'llbe able to join up with a suitable group.- check our skills page
so you are ready to ride in a group:
Tuesday Group Runs
Every Tuesday, members are meeting at the studio at
6:30pm for amember-led run. The distance is typically on the
long side, 15 to
20k, however, the more that show up, the more chance
there will be agreater variety of distances.
Lake Placid Training Camp: We had a great time this
past weekend inPlacid. Check the message board for more and
click
here for some
pix:
Open Water Swims: The swims at Britannia start this
Thursday for thosein our swim program. I'll will be sending out a
separate email today
with full details.
Meech Lake Tri: We have a large group of individuals
and teams in thebig Meech Lake Tri this weekend. Good luck to
everyone!
Local Triathlon History: If you're interested in
seeing where it allstarted, I recently added a history page to
TriathlonOttawa.com:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~geordiem/triathlonottawa/history.htm
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 24, 2008
Lots of stuff for you today so
I'll keep it to digest form:
- No Race Training class on Tuesday, July 1st.
Participants areinvited to drop in on Monday (6 or 8pm), Wednesday
at 8pm or Thursday
at 6pm.- Riverkeeper Draw: We had 34 members in the event
so 3 freeSomersault entries were drawn for from the
entrants. Congrats to Ted,
Kathleen, and Alexa! Your passes will be coming
shortly.
- Club Rides and Runs: Starting in July, club
members will be meetingup for some member-led summer workouts - group rides
on Sunday's at
8am from Tunney's Pasture, and group long runs on
Tuesday's at 6:30pmfron the Studio. Details next week.
- Congratulations to those of you who completed in
Smiths Falls overthe weekend!
- Good luck to the 18 club members who are off on
the annual LakePlacid training weekend on Friday.
- Thank you to everyone who supported our Sole
Responsibility shoecollection. The club contributed 30 pairs of shoes
to the over 4000
that were collected. The container left Ottawa last
week on itsjourney to Rwanda.
- Open Water Swimming: Our Britannia swims start
Thursday, July 3rd at6:15pm at Britannia Beach. I'll be sending out a
separate email with
details early next week.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 16, 2008
Congrats to Racers!
We had 32 participants at the Riverkeeper on Saturday and another 3racing in Muskoka on Sunday - a busy weekend! Seems to me that
everyone walked away with positive race experiences ranging from asolid day to countless personal bests. Well done everyone! Let's see
those race reports on the message board. The photos from theRiverkeeper are in the photo album section of the website now - a
chance to see those stylin' race tanks in action!
Race Tank Pick Up
For those that didn't pick up their tank on Friday, here is the whenand where for this week. Please do pick them up this week:
Monday: studio 6pm to 10pm
Tuesday: my house 7pm to 9pm
Wednesday: studio 6pm to 10pm
Thursday: my house 7pm to 9pm
OTC at Meech Relays
Now is the time to get crackin' in forming your relay team for theMeech Relays on July 5th. Our goal is to have 10 teams from the
club. This race is in memory of Mike Collingwood, an amazing man whovolunteered countless hours to support us and our sport. Meet up at
class or on the message board. When registering, please add 'OTC' tothe start of your team name so we know who is from our club. (ie The
OTC Barracudas)
May Draw
Congratulations to Caroline Corriveau who wins our May draw for $20 atThe Table! Caroline posted her race report from the 10k she did in
May and won the randon draw from all race reporters. Get your Junerace reports online and you too could win!
Next Week: Big news on outdoor rides for all club members!
June 12, 2008
The Uniforms Will Arrive Tomorrow!
Guaranteed. Please plan to pick up yours at my home on Friday between5pm and 9pm. I'm at 181 Hinton, which is one block south of the
studio. Come off the 417 to go north on Parkdale, 200m after 417 turnwest/left on Tyndall, Hinton is second left, we are on the SE corner
of Tyndall and Hinton. Knock at the front door.
Good Luck Riverkeepers
Our first outdoor triathlon of the year is tomorrow at Britannia. Thevery best of luck to everyone involved! Stay relaxed, work hard, have
fun. You are going to look sooooo good in those uniforms!
Volunteer on Saturday
Terry is looking for experienced volunteers to help out at the bikemount and transition. If you're interested email him at
terry@somersault.ca. A great chance to give back.
First Video Now Online
I've uploaded the first interview from World's. 2004 Olympic ChampKate Allen had a terrible crash two months ago but bounced back on
Sunday to earn her spot in Beijing. She's quite an inspiration.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7WYm4kyDM0 I hope to have the photos
online soon as well along with other interviews.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
June 10, 2008
Thanks again to all of you for your great support to me through my adventurepreparing for and taking part in the World Championships.
Important Updates:
- The uni's were shipped from Vancouver on Friday so should arrivetoday hopefully. I'll keep you updated.
- I'll be updating the Lake Placid training group this week.
- Get your May race reports online to be included in the draw for $20at The Table. Draw this week.
- Start getting your Meech Lake Tri relay teams together. Whenregistering the team name please add OTC to the start of the name such
as "OTC Tri Maniacs".
- Pool swimming finishes at the end of June and open water starts onThursdays at 6:15pm (Britannia) the following week.
- For all of you who are represented in my inbox, please sit tight andI'll get back to you over the next few days.
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 27, 2008
Congratulations Runners
What an incredible weekend of races and results our members had. Along list of great times and personal bests is showing that your fun
and hard work is all paying off! Get your race reports on the messageboard and you'll be included in the monthly draw for $20 at The Table
Vegetarian Restaurant.
Substitutes
I'll will be away in Vancouver next week so Paul will be covering allof my Race Training classes (thanks Paul!). Rob will also be away in
Vancouver and though I'll be back to cover some of the classes therewill be a workout on the white board for those swimming at the Plant
on Thursday, June 5th. Same thing goes for Sawmill swimmers onSunday, June 8th. We'll be checking with the lifeguards to ensure you
all didn't just skip out and spend an hour in the hot tub; or in thecase of Sawmill, Montana's.
OttawaFit Classes
Paul and Brenda will be starting some daytime classes in the studiostarting next week: Spinning, Muscular Strength and Core. Check the
'Fitness Class' page at OttawaFit.com. OTC members pay only $6/hr soit's a great way to get in some extra workouts.Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 19, 2008
Summer Break
After surveying participants in our Race program, we've decided toleave the summer break week in it's originally scheduled spot of
August 4 - 8.
Congratulations Early Birds!
Our first triathlon event of the year took place under wonderfulweather conditions on Saturday. There was a large group from the OTC
there and later this week I'll be making the first free race entrydraw from their names. Somersault gives us one free entry for each 10
members entered in their triathlons. We draw the winners from thoseentered meaning you have a one in ten chance of winning!
Successful Shoe Collection
Thank you to everyone that donated shoes and a twoonie to SoleResponsibility both in the studio and at the Early Bird. Special
thanks to Jennifer and Erica who volunteered to man the shoecollection at Saturday's event.
Member Section
One of the decision's that has come out of our feedback sessions wasto make the member section password and user-name free. You're now
only a couple clicks away from the resources, making it a whole loteasier to access them. This also means that non-members can enjoy the
information as well!
Magazine Articles
I've had the opportunity to write a couple magazine articles recentlyand both are available online if you're interest in reading them.
Here are the links:
Ottawa Outdoors Electronic Version IRunNation.com
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
May 12, 2008
Hoodie's Are In!
I'll have them in the studio on Monday and Wednesday evenings between5:45pm and 10pm. Please come by to pick up yours if you were part of
the order.
Mega-Clinic
We had a great time on Saturday with our clinic. Thanks to everyonethat came out! We covered bike fit, bike skills, transition skills/practice, and
successfully completed countless tire changes!
Holidays
1. Classes are on as usual on holiday Monday.
2. It has been suggested that we move the week off from Race Trainingfrom August 4th to July 14th. This is because there are no local
races in the second half of July. It makes sense to me! (We have 17weeks between the start of RT and the end so always have one week
off. Registration is for the 16-week program.)
Feedback Form
We had our annual feedback session in the Base classes a couple weeksago and, as usual, it was tremendously helpful to the club - thank
you. I would like to extend this opportunity to all members via asubmission form on the website. Tell us what you would change if you
were running the club! It can be anonymous or not, it's up to you.Click this link: (members only)
Ottawa Triathlon Club News
April 30, 2008
Out With the Base....
Congratulations to everyone who this week is completing their 16 weekbase training. We have accomplished a lot: muscular system well
trained, soft and connective tissue prepared, power and strengthincreased, fat burning maximized, flexibility increased, lactate
tolerance increased, endurance through the roof, and many new friendsmade!
....In With the Race!
And now it's time to GO. Our rides will be 1:20 followed by a quicktransition to a 20 minute, variable paced, down and back transition
run. We'll finish off with some core and leg muscular strength work
and a stretch. Our workouts will take you to higher levels ofintensity to send your fitness and any race results to all time record
levels. Make sure to bring your outdoor running gear. If you arewearing shoes in the studio as well, again, please make then an indoor-
only pair.
Mugs Are Moving
I'll be selling the great OTC mug in classes this week. $10 for one,$15 for two. They're moving fast!
Sole Responsibility
Our shoe mountain is growing - thank you. We're also looking for avolunteer to man the SR collection point at the Early Bird tri. This
is an excellent opportunity for you if you may be new to triathlon andwant to see what it's all about! Email me.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
April 22, 2008
2008 Mega Clinic - Saturday, May 10
To celebrate the new season the OTC will be holding
it's outdoor Mega-Clinic on Saturday, May 10 from
9am till noon at Fisher Park (just up the street
from the studio). We'll be covering the following:
- Bike Maintenance: Adjusting the deraillurs and
brakes, cleaning the drive train, changing a tire.
Bring your tools and get some hands on practice.
- Bike Fit: A look at the key positioning aspects to
riding both upright and on aerobars. If you have all
the tools required, we can make some adjustments on
the spot.
- Transitions: How to set up your transition spot
and use it properly for a quick and smooth
transition from swim to bike and bike to run. We'll
have some fun doing some actual transition practice
runs as well.
- Group Riding Skills: The key skills to remember
when riding in a group, followed by an optional
group ride.
So, book it in your daytimer. No RSVP required, just
show up! Members only.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
April 15, 2008
Drop-In's
To further assist registrants in our Base n' Race,
I'll be posting the week's attendance on the message
board each Friday. This info may be helpful in
deciding which class to drop into.
Sole Responsibility
As many of you know, I'm part of the team at SR, a
local grass-roots organization that sends used
running shoes to Africa. We'll have a collection bin
in the studio starting next week. We're looking for
your trainers that have lost their support or
cushioning but are otherwise in pretty good shape.
Please bring along a twoonie as well to help with
the cost of shipping.
SR Volunteers
We'll have bins at the Somersault events on May 3, 4
and at the Early Bird. If you are interested in
volunteering to man the collection spot, please
email me.
Speed Work with the Run Club
Now that my 10k group has built their endurance,
we'll be starting speed work this Sunday. If you'd
like to join the run club, please visit
OttawaFit.com
Other News:
Energy Bar Recipes: After a very successful
Energy Bar Pot Luck with the Cast Iron crew on
Saturday, I have posted all of the recipes in the
member section. Bon Appetit!
Last week for Hoody Orders: Members only
Race Uniforms: We've had almost 40 orders!
Thanks to everyone. Payment info to follow in the
next couple of days.
PowerBars at the Hasty Mart: Jacob and Satira
at the Hast Mart have been kind enough to bring in
some PB products to help keep us fuelled.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
April 7, 2008
OTC Race Shirts
Our order for race shirts will be submitted at the
end of this week and you do not want to miss out.
These colourful, high quality tanks will cost only
$55 + GST, which is the best deal you'll see
anywhere. Click below for details including sizing,
then email me your size by this Thursday. I am so
confident in the company, I will refund your money
if the shirt doesn't fit. Click here for details.
Hoodies
Also, a once a year thing not to miss out on and,
another great value. Our heavy hoodies are
attractive and multi-purpose (they work very well on
the curling rink, for example). Click here to order.
*Club clothing is available only to members and
their families.
Indoor Shoes
Spring is here and so it's time to remind everyone
that outdoor shoes are not allowed in the studio.
Please ensure the bottoms of your shoes, including
cycling shoes, are clean and free of debris that may
harm the drive trains and flooring.
Other news:
- I've added a recipe page to the member section. It
will grow but right now includes a basic smoothly
and homemade Gatorade.
- Our swim and triathlon seminars are filling
quickly. They are designed for those not in our swim
and base programs.
Click here for full details.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
March 25, 2008
Get Your OTC Hoodies!
The online order page for our popular OTC hoodies
has just been reopened for this, our annual order.
This high quality, navy hoody has the letters 'OTC'
on the chest in a 'collegiate' style. Besides being
great for general use, it is also an excellent
pullover for race mornings. The order page will stay
open for three weeks or until we have enough for the
minimum order. The cost is only $39.99. We only do
one order a year so don't miss out!
Curling - April 6th, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
I still have a few spots available for curling so
email me if you'd like to secure one. Cost is only
$10.
Great Deals on Bikes
I was chatting with Stefan at Fresh Air Experience
this morning. They have some great buys on bikes at
the moment including two of my favourite
recommendations for the new or recreational
triathlete: Giant OCR 2 and Norco CRD 2. Both are
priced just under $1000 which means you also don't
have to pay PST. Add to that the OTC's 5% discount
on bike purchases and you're rollin'! We also get
10% on regularly priced product (except ski
equipment). They are, however having a great sale on
ski equipment right now.
Visit their website for
details on the bikes.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
March 19, 2008
Curling Social
April 6th from 1:30 to 3:30 the club will be holding
a small curling social at the Granite on Scott St.
just a few minutes from the studio. Even a month ago
when I booked the rinks there were only two sheets
available so that means only 16 spots for curlers.
The cost for two hours of curling is only $10 and
this is aimed especially at those that have never
curled before though veterans are welcome as well.
If you would like to take part please email me.
Uniforms
We're still waiting on the fit kit from Sugoi but it
is expected soon. That would mean next week would be
fitting week. I hope to have the fit kit at the
studio for the 30 minute period preceding each base
class next week but wait for a confirmation on that.
Those interested would then come a little early to
try on the top and give me the correct size. The
price for the cycling jerseys has come in higher
than expected (close to $90) so it is questionable
as to whether we will go forward with them though,
if you are keen, show your interest on the message
board or in class and I may be convinced. Our
minimum number for either tri tank tops or cycling
jerseys is 24. The cost of the tops will be around
$55.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
March 3, 2008
Reminder: No classes in the studio
next week. Plant swims are on as
scheduled.
Sawmill Swimmers: We are swimming as usual this
Sunday but then have no swims on March 16 or 23.
March 30 we are at Canterbury from 5pm to 6pm. April
6 we are at Canterbury from 8pm to 9pm. April 13,
back at Sawmill for the regular 8pm swim.
Bike Fits: In my bike fit talks last week, I
mentioned the services ofMary Patterson. In response to a number of requests
here is her
website: http://www.bike2body.ca/
Stretch Clinic: I'm pleased to announce that Paula
Burchat's stretchclinic this Saturday afternoon in the studio is sold
out. Paula and
OttawaFit have raised another $400 for Sole
Responsibility.
Added to Member Section: I uploaded a basic
progression table to helpyou build your training plans. Next week I hope to
add updated
summaries of all the PowerPoint presentations so
watch for that.
Uniforms: Sit tight - we're waiting on finalized
artwork and a fit kitfrom Sugoi.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
February 27, 2008
The New OTC Race Uniform!
We are in the final design stages for our club tri
shirt and cycling top. They look great and the price
is right as well!
Click
here for more information and some pictures.
March Break Reminder
Remember, no classes in the studio from March 10
through 16. Plant swims are on as usual.
Sawmill Swims
A reminder that there will be no Sawmill swims on
March 16 and 23. On March 30 we will be at the
Canterbury Pool from 5pm to 6pm and then back at
Canterbury on April 6 from 8pm to 9pm. Please mark
your calendars!
Stretch Seminar: Details of Paula Burchat's March
8th stretch seminar are on the message board.
Lake Placid Training Weekend: Also on the message
board, some
proposed dates for a training weekend in Lake
Placid.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
February 20, 2008
Sawmill Swimmers
I've managed to grab us two additional swims at the
Canterbury Pool: March 30th from 5pm to 6pm and
April 6 from 8pm to 9pm. Please make a note on your
calendars. There will be no swim on March 16th or
23rd as per the previous schedule.
March Break Reminder
A quick reminder that there are no classes in the
studio during the week of March 10 through 16.
Training Plan Template Online
I've uploaded a training plan template to the member
section. It includes some guidance on planning and
recording and can be used as a form upon which to
plan your training.
Stretch Seminar March 8th
Leading ultra-marathoner and RMT, Paul Burchat will
be holding this event in the OttawaFit studio to
raise funds for charity. The cost will be around
$20. Visit the message board for full details and
registration info.
Other news:
- The club held a seminar on Sunday and raised $650
for the Ottawa Riverkeeper.
- The date is set for the Curling Social: Sunday,
April 6th from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Granite Rink on
Scott St. More details in March.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
February 5, 2008
MSE Videos Now Online
All of the videos covering the basic and advanced
muscular strength exercise routines are now online
with links in the member section of the website.
Upload limits required me to divide each routine
into four parts. I also had some issues with YouTube
so I used Google Video instead; no real difference.
Remember that mse is extremely beneficial to
everyone especially triathletes. If you can get one
or two 20-30 minute workouts in each week, you will
benefit in many ways. As far as volume goes, choose
a weight you can do 12 times but not 16 and one set
is sufficient unless time allows more.
Alternatively, those in the base and cast iron can
continue to do each exercise for one minute as in
class.
Curling Social
I'm working on booking a local curling rink for a
Sunday afternoon in April so stay tuned for more on
this. We did it a couple years ago and had a blast.
It's especially fun for everyone, usually the
majority, who have never curled before.
Sawmill Swimmers
I received a message this week that the pool will
now be closed on April 9th. They send their
apologies but said that repairs need to be made.
Participants can claim a credit for this swim next
time you register for a club program.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
January 29, 2008
Stretch and Weights Video
Watch the member section this week as I'll be adding
some additional videos covering our stretch and
weight training programs. We're talking big budget
productions here folks; sort of a cross between Star
Wars and Lord of the Rings.
Triathlon Seminar
I'm holding a triathlon training seminar in a few
weeks to raise funds for the Ottawa Riverkeeper. The
event will be held in the studio on Sunday, February
17 from 3pm to 6pm and covers all aspects of
training. It's aimed at those not in the base
training program as we cover almost all of the info
in the base discussions. If you or anyone you know
is interested, email me and I'll reserve a spot. All
of the $30 fee goes directly to O.R.
Run Club
This is your chance for another group workout and to
start getting ready for the upcoming spring run
events including Race Weekend. Our winter/spring
session of the Kitchissippi Times Running Club gets
underway this Sunday at 8:30am in the studio. We'll
have groups in distances ranging from 5k to the
marathon in the session that lasts 16 weeks. The
cost is $30, all of which goes to support Sole
Responsibility and the club is open to members and
non-members alike. Full details at
http://www.ottawafit.com
Cast Iron
This Saturday, Group B is in the studio from 8-10am
then running while Group A is meeting at 9am for the
50 minute run followed by the studio from 10-12.
Family Day: Monday Base classes will be on as
scheduled on February 18th.
Ottawa Triathlon Club
News
January 21, 2008
Zoom Photos
I know you're all filled with anticipation regarding
the unveiling of our Photos of the Year at the
studio. Unfortunately, a health situation has arisen
with one of the principles so, understandably, the
project will delay this till further notice.
Drop In's
I can report that in the first two weeks of classes,
there was not a single time that all bikes were
filled. So, remember, if you're registered in the
Base n' Race or Cast Iron, come drop in and get some
extra fun!
Eureka!
Thanks to Gwyn for the brilliant idea of writing
your bike fit numbers down on your water bottle
(Sharpie recommended). The fact that this
development negates my hard work in producing the
alphabetized spread sheet really doesn't affect
me.....much ;)
January 9, 2008
Drop In's
Our Base Training is underway this week and we're
getting everyone
orientated to the systems. I thought I'd reiterate a
few things about
drop in's.
- Those registered in the Base n' Race can do
unlimited drop in's.
Base Only registrants cannot.
- All of our classes are close to fully registered
- The chances of bikes being free in any given class
are unknown to
me.
- The CycleOps bike is not counted as an extra bike
open to drop in's
- Last year, there was not a single time that
someone dropped in and
didn't get a bike. That said, there will always be a
first.
- When dropping in, be ready to ride in shoes in
case your pedals
aren't available.
- Our class schedule includes: Monday 6pm and 8pm
(Geordie), Tuesday
6pm (Claudine), Wednesday 6pm and 8pm (Geordie),
Thursday 6pm (Brenda)
Online Workout Log
I was looking in to developing an online tracker for
the club then discovered this great free one. Check
it out at http://www.activetrainer.com
Run Club
Our run club gets going again on the first Sunday in
February. This group, that is open to non-OTC
members as well, gives us great group runs and
knowledge, and raises funds for Sole Responsibility.
Full details are available at http://www.ottawafit.com
January 3, 2008
Happy New Year!
I hope everyone had/is having a fantastic holiday.
As the club enters the new year almost every spot in
every program is full and the coaches are excited
about helping to guide you all to lots of fun,
fitness and personal bests. While continuing to keep
the fees low, we are going to keep increasing the
benefits of OTC membership. With new equipment in
the studio and on the pool deck and other exciting
plans, 2008 promises to be an exciting year for the
club. Thank you for being part of it!
First Swims
Sawmill: This Sunday, January 6th
Plant: Tuesday the 8th and Thursday the 10th
Base Training
It's time to get together with the gang to start
building up our endurance and overall fitness, and
find out what everyone has been up to over the last
while. We have continued to fine tune and improve
our curriculum and equipment, and we welcome three
tremendous coaches back: Koert Winkel, Claudine
Simard, and Brenda Ross. All three are certified
Triathlon Coaches and all three know how to have
fun!
What to Bring to BT
Other than the usual stuff, please bring along a
yoga mat.
Bring Some Music
With 64 hours of training from now through August,
we have a some room for additional songs on the
playlist. While the coaches may, at times, bring
their own mix, we also want to have a great database
of music available to them. I'd like to invite you
to bring a CD of music to donate. There are
conditions though!
1. Our members range in age from 20 to 65. If you
don't think your son/daughter or mother/father would
like to have it in the background for a workout.....
2. Upbeat but no head banging as our insurance
doesn't cover us for the associated neck injuries
and wall damage.
3. Most genres are welcome (see #2) including
classical, jazz, and acid pan flute.
4. Please, no gosh darn profanity in the lyrics. (ie
Barry Manilow is out)
5. Our studio is a Celine Dion free zone. We larv
her, we really do....just not during our spins.
6. All CDs will be vetted by our head DJ, MC
Stammer. Approved songs will be added to the
playlist.
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