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Grave L Considerations
Canadian Triathletes on Gravel Bikes Spending Money
And we just heard of a brand new wave
We heard it’s heading for an early grave
We’ll have to wait and see if there’s anything we can save .
Chances are if you are old enough to know the title of this song, there’s a bike manufacturer wanting to increase your bike count by one. You certainly have a triathlon bike, probably have a road bike, might even have a mountain bike, and then, there was that thing that you bought when you were going to get into cyclo-cross. You have more bikes than time to ride them all. But now it’s time for one more; the gravel bike..
More versatile than a Swiss Army Knife and more practical than a Kia Soul, the gravel bike couples a swift and soft ride along with a go almost everywhere capability. Sort of like a super-hybrid. That is, if you remember that jack of no trades machine.
Before you plunk down that six-thousand dollar bill for the bike, ten thousand for the extra garage space, and twenty more for that imminent divorce lawyer (for obvious reasons) why not take the little spare time that you do have to critically evaluate whether or not you should go down this plush but pricey path. Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself.
- How frequently do you ride inside? I’ll bet if you are like most working post-Covid Canadians, your indoor riding time has likely increased a lot. Is it 30%? Is it 70%. Of course the inverse of that, is your outdoor riding time which for most in the Great White North is curtailed with somewhere between two and four months of winter. Although some Crazy Canucks do ride year-round, is a gravel bike going to be the best choice for those trips to check your trap lines or travelling to the curling rink? And for those of us who are less mechanically inclined, remember how long it takes you to change a tire in the comfort of your own garage. Now imagine the exciting possibilities of doing it in minus 20 with fingerless mitts. Is that a polar bear you hear?
- Of the time you spend riding outdoors, consider the style of riding you do most of the time, as a triathlete. You are likely going to invest the majority of your precious outdoor time on the aerobars, of the bike that you will be competing on as a triathlete.
- For sake of argument, let’s say you are the “lottery winner” who has enough time to ride your tri bike enough so you can spend extra time on a gravel bike. Another factor to consider is where you live? If your answer is an acreage near the Rockies or Laurentians, or a prairie cottage, you can wheel out the door and gravel to your heart’s desire but if you are like many Canadians living on a suburban island surrounded by a sea of pavement, 7-11’s, and F-150s, your riding environment is much more hostile. How far will you need to ride, to enjoy the capabilities of a gravel bike? Yes, gravel bikes are keenly adept at dealing with the vagaries of urban riding, they can go safely and reliably from your house to the mall to the trails to the road without skipping a beat. Then again, so can your dusty old mountain bike, just more slowly and you ain’t racing. So why IS that mountain bike dusty and not muddy and covered in moose scat from the hundreds of kilometres in our Canadian wilderness? Which leads to my final question for you.
- Are you REALLY one of those “adventure” people that are seen in the gravel bike ads? Male or female. Trim and toned. Confident and capable looking to a fault. Capable of reading topographic maps, tea leaves, or whatever it is that those people do when they think they are lost (or really are) and just want to get home. One of the selling points for many gravel bikes is the capability to carry the accoutrements for overnight expeditions but if you are uncomfortable charting your own path and prefer the certainty of a four-lane and a Hilton to the adventure of a goat trail and a bivy sack, you have some serious questions to ask yourself before whipping out that credit card.
Without question, gravel bikes are practical and versatile, kind of like the ideal partner for a long-term, no-fuss relationship, but when the bed is already full of attractive and willing (albeit finicky and one-dimensional) lovers and you only have so much time (and energy) to invest in your velo trysts, careful considerations must be made.
By the way, the song was The Kid is Hot Tonight by Loverboy.
Sorry VR racing, it’s not you, it’s me. Well, it’s really the weather.
Here I am, it’s 7 in the morning, and the Okanagan sun has already been blazing for over an hour. It’s Sunday and I’m working on my second cup of dark roast, pondering the possibilities of the day.
No races on the schedule. No pressure. No expectations.
I’m really liking it!
Yesterday was a great day of riding with a friend and an impromptu 2 K swim in the lake, just because it felt so good. And boy, did it ever.
No pace clock. No lane ropes. No stroke correction.
Just the stern chiding of a female mallard, if I got too close.
In his last edition of Triathlon Magazine Canada, editor Kevin McKinnon queried, “can there be triathletes, without triathlons.” I don’t know. Over the past eight glorious weeks of this all too short Canadian summer, all I know is that if the sun is out, be damned if I am going to be in a basement or gymnasium doing some prescribed torture session, however well-intentioned it may be. (I have to say that because I am a coach and this is what I do).
All of that writing, just to get to the main point. During the sun-drenched days, weeks, and months that we have been enjoying up here in the Great White North, doing a virtual reality race has zero appeal. Doing a VR event when it’s sunny and 25 out would be the same as choosing Velveeta over a big slab of Gouda.
Having been in this sport for 30 summers, I find it liberating NOT to be tied to the orthodoxy of a training schedule that traditionally ends up in tears and shattered dreams that is the run segment of an Ironman.
And I STILL feel like a triathlete.
Once the leaves turn to red and the skies to grey, that whole VR world might seem like the greener side of the fence. But that’s not today.
Penticton has always been a hotbed of triathlon & triathletes, There’s been Tom Evans, Jeff Symonds, Barb Scatchard, and Kevin Cutjar. The latest to be ripping up the triathlon scene from that city is Jen Annett. Last year, she came placed second female overall at Ironman Canada and third at Ironman Frankfort.
Now with Covid 19 cancelling all races, including the Ironman return to Penticton, what’s a pro to do? Well, for Jen it means being even more of a supermom to her son Nixon, doing some less structured training sessions, and enjoying the great outdoors.
In Fitspeek 108 we speak with Jen about her emotional introduction to the sport, her emotional end to her race in Kona last year, and everything in between. Hear the interview now, along with the latest edition of Mikey’s Top Five List by pressing play below.
We are glad to have Craig back on the podcast. He’s the guy from Burnaby who not only did the Paris-Brest-Paris 1200 KM cycling event, he also did his very first Ironman just 20 days before.
Of course like any athlete, he has had challenges just making it to the starting line. But have you been shot while riding your bike? He has and tells us about that dark night in the Fraser Canyon.
Also in the interview we find out how Craig got into multisport racing and what he has been doing to stay fit and safe during this whole Covid-19 thing. Hear it now by pressing play below.
Fitspeek is brought to you by Tri*Joy} The Spirit of Multisport. We are your local multisport coaching connection. Wanna get fitter or faster? E-mail us for a free Zoom consultation & goal-setting session.
kknnheinze@yahoo.com
If you are spending some time on the road this Canada Day why not take Fitspeek along with you. This week’s feature interview is with one of those rare people in our country who actually makes a living from triathlon.
Calgary’s Angie Woodhead is the owner and race director for Dynamic Race Events. Of course with Covid 19 this year, there isn’t any racing going on so how does she deal with the financial hit that she has been dealt? You’ll find out in our interview!
We also chat about how she became the race director as well as how those tough decisions to cancel the races this year were made.
And because summer is here, in our Fit Tip of the Week, I have some sound advice on how to handle those warm weather runs that you’ll be doing. Rounding out the show is Mikey’s Top 5 List. The ATC head coach will be sharing some of his favourite pre and post race foods. Hear it all now by pressing play below.
Helping you get to the finish line of your fastest, or first event is Tri*Joy } The Spirit of Multisport. E-mail us for a free Zoom consultation and goal-setting session to get on the road to fun and fitness. kknnheinze@yahoo.com
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Fitspeek 105: Kevin Mackinnon
Like many folks who get into triathlon, Hamilton’s Kevin Mackinnon was introduced to triathlon after a running injury. That was in 1985 and he has never looked back.
Since then, Kevin has been at the right place at the right time, so much in fact that he’s been able to earn his living immersed in a sport he loves. After a successful career as an athlete, he went to journalism school and has traveled the world working as a writer, photographer, and as a race announcer.
In our conversation with the guy who is also the editor at Triathlon Magazine Canada, we talk about his experiences as both a racer and a writer. We also delve into how the Covid-19 crisis has impacted the magazine.
Later in the show Abbotsford Triathlon Coach Mikey Ross offers up some well-earned wisdom and perspective on an extra special edition of The Top Five List. Hear it all now by pressing that play button below.
Fitspeek is brought to you by Tri*Joy} The Spirit of Multisport, reminding you to wash your hands, phone your mom, and practice social distancing. We’re your local multisport coaching company serving the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. kknnheinze@yahoo.com
Fitspeek had to change the name of our Covid-19 interview series because of this guy. He’s a guy who has been to the Olympics twice, has won numerous 70.3 and Ironman distances races, and yes rode on his rollers (in the aerobars) for more than three hours.
Not only is he one of Canada’s most successful triathletes across all distances, he is also an inspirational guy and a heck of a story teller.
In Fitspeek 104, we feature our interview with Brent McMahon. Brent tells us about his long-term coaching relationship with Triathlon Hall of Famer, coach Lance Watson of Lifesport. Wow – 20 years!
Also in the podcast, we find out about how a guy who earns his living in triathlon can still keep things going, now that there are no more races (for a while anyway). And if you are looking for some motivation while you Rouvey or Zwift away, Brent’s ideas on how to keep things fresh and interesting in these most unusual times will quench your brain’s thirst.
Open the tap now by pressing that play button right below.
We’re ready when you are. Loyal and local. To take your first steps on the road to awesomeness e-mail kknnheinze@yahoo.com.
Fitspeek presents a quick update on what the Abbotsford Triathlon Club members are up to. In the absence of “in the flesh” racing for the near future, the club, lead by organizer Chris Osberg, are offering you a chance to race in a virtual duathlon race series. The first event is coming up this weekend and ATC’s Chris & Coach Mikey Zoomed by to fill in the details.
Being the owner of a successful construction company has got to put limits on a person’s training time but that hasn’t slowed down Abbotsford’s Russ Esau a bit. Not only is he a virtual shoo-in for the podium at any triathlon or running event in the 50-54 age group, he also can capture the overall.
In Fitspeek 102, we introduce you to the Abbotsford fast-man who speaks softly and carries lethal foot-speed. At the very competitive Pacific First Half-Marathon he won his age group with an other worldly 1:14:03
In the program we delve into his background in sports before running and try to find out his secrets for being such a fast runner and cyclist (not so much a swimmer). Listening hint: Due to the producer’s poor microphone placement, you may have to turn up the treble on this one. My apologies.
