Huntsville - Fate is a funny thing. It can’t be controlled. It can’t be predicted. It’s invisible and can’t be heard. It moves around us like a ghost, affecting all of us all the time. Sometimes we dread it; most of the time we pray for it to smile on us. Such is life; therefore, such is triathlon. It is, what it is!

Some would consider what happened to the STC’s Ann Lyddon in the Muskoka sprint triathlon on Saturday, July 24^th to be robbery. Others, would say it was just fate in the form of human error that corrected an imbalance in the scales of justice. In the end, it really doesn’t matter what your perspective is. The bottom line is - right or wrong - Lyddon had one of the best performances of her multisport career determined by fate. On that day, in this case, fate was the difference between a realized goal and the disappointment of believing you under achieved.

The STC sent four triathletes to Muskoka for the annual and legendary Subaru Series race weekend on Saturday, July 24^th and Sunday, July 25^th. All four club members performed brilliantly in their own fashion. All four club members succeed beyond their expectations. It was a great day for the STC!

Click Here For The Whole Muskoka Story!

Bala - The Saugeen Triathlon Club’s Dan Gieruszak headed to beautiful Bala Falls in the heart of the Muskokas last Sunday, July 18^th to take on the MSC Series’ sprint triathlon. This stop in the MSC Series features a 750 meter swim, 30 kilometer bike and a seven kilometer run.

On a hot, sunny summer day, Gieruszak used the race to improve on his last outing at the Guelph Lake I sprint triathlon. He took his performance to next level as he reduced his swim time by three minutes to 21:21, increased his bike speed by 2.5 KPH to 30.1 KPH, and reduced his run time by 40 second per kilometer. His transition times improved by not wearing a wetsuit in the swim.

Gieruszak’s improved was verified when he stopped the clock at 2:11:44. That time allowed him to claim 10^th spot out of 13 in the men’s 55 to 59 age group, and 215 place out of 383 overall.

JE

Fergus - One of the more popular races in the Subaru Series, Belwood Lake offers a a flat, fast run and rolling, fast bike, in addition to the longest sprint triathlon swim in the series. On Sunday, July 18^th, the Saugeen Triathlon Club sent nine athletes to start line of the sprint triathlon and sprint duathlon, coming away with three podium finishes and six top ten placings. With a one kilometer swim, 30 kilometer bike and seven kilometer run, the Belwood Lake sprint triathlon is no walk in the park.

Once again, STC veteran triathlete Graeme Magor led the club’s way to victory, claiming 1^st place out of 21 in the men’s 55 to 59 age group. He stopped the clock at 1:40:34, and finished in 44^th place out of 399 overall. Magor’s impressive age group win included the fastest bike time in his age group at 36.4 KPH, the 2^nd fastest swim time in his age group at 17:49 at a 1:47 per 100 meters pace, and the 2^nd fastest run time in his age group at 31:29 using a 4:30 per kilometer pace.

Finally beginning to show her 2009 form, the STC’s Ann Lyddon grabbed 3rd place out of 21 in the women’s 45 to 49 age group. After  recording the fastest bike ride in her age group at 33.6 KPH, she crossed the finish line at 1:51:44 to place 121^st overall.

Not to be left out on the podium, the STC’s running speedster Bevin Stevenson rocked the sprint duathlon by grabbing 4^th place out of 113 overall with a time of 1:27:04 as he ate up the three kilometer run, 30 kilometer bike and seven kilometer run.  Competing in the men’s 30 to 39 age group, he booked the fastest overall first run with a time of 6:23 at a 2:18 per kilometer pace and the fastest overall second run with a time of 25:10 at a 3:36 per kilometer pace.

In his very first duathlon, the STC’s Dave Benninger pounded out an awesome first duathlon finish stopping the clock at 2:00:09 to claim 19^th place in the men’s 40 to 49 age group, and 87^th place overall. Veteran duathlete and rookie STC member Doug Wiseman was up to his usual performance as finished in 6^th place out of 11 in the men’s 50 to 59 age group, and 43^rd overall.

STC veteran and multisport athlete Anne McCutcheon made the right choice at Belwood Lake as she passed on the sprint duathlon to tackle the swim, bike, run of the sprint triathlon. It was an excellent decision, as she powered her way to 6^th spot out of 23 in the women’s 30 to 34 age group, and 184^th place overall. She used the fourth fastest run time in her age group at 32:15 with a pace of 4:37 per kilometer to stop the clock at 1:59:18.

STC rookie Allison Nolan had a great race as she booked a time of 2:23:16. That perfromance allowed her to take 17^th place in the women’s 45 to 49 age group, and 350^th overall.  While the STC’s Janice Nicholls took part in the sprint triathlon relay, having fun with three of her friends.

Yours’ truly hit the beach in a triathlon for the first time since my bike crash a few week earlier. Mostly healed with loads of new skin, and a shoulder finally ready to be tested in the water, I produced a reasonable result. With my body ready to test, my gear was an unexpected culperate on this occasion as a bulge developed on my rear tire. The bulge wouldn’t allow my wheel to turn smoothly, producing a bike ride that felt like I was towing a concrete block behind me. In the end, I mitigated a crappy bike ride on which I was only able to generate a speed of 29 KPH on a course I usually hit the mid-30’s with a strong run to earn 10^th place out of 31 in the men’s 50 to 54 age group, and 174^th place overall with a time of 1:58:17.

JE

The Wilder’s lake Triples workout planned for Sat. evening at 5p.m. has been postponed until Sunday evening when club members are invited to join SURGE members at 6:30p.m. for this great workout! Do a little rain dance and we will see you there tomorrow!

Coach Magor

Kincardine - After a winter and spring that was filled with trips to the doctors and missed training, tons of frustration and disappointment, growing self-doubt and failing goals, and pain - loads of pain, the Saugeen Triathlon Club’s Ann Lyddon would be the first to tell you that she only wants to have a little, pain-free, fun racing. To her, winning is not the goal of her 2010 race preparations. Just getting to the start line this season has been a major accomplishment for her. Beating back health issues, a battle that she is finally appearing to win, has been her main focus. Racing, even just for fun, for this determined and competitive age group triathlete, has been a challenge on most days.

On Saturday, July 10^th at the 10^th Anniversary Edition of The Kincardine Women’s Triathlon, Lyddon was among 350 other women just out to have a little fun. Including her, the Saugeen Triathlon Club had 16 of the club’s best female multisport athletes in the triathlon and duathlon. Lyddon’s only goal was to finish without getting sick. She just wanted to feel good and have fun.

Click Here To Find Out How The STC’s Ladies Stormed Kincardine!

Coach Magor has created the following schedule of workouts which include open water swimming as well as swim to bike or swim/bike/run “triples” workouts.  Members are invited to come out at any time during the time frame indicated and join the workout & get instruction in any one of the three disciplines of triathlon.  If you are newer to triathlon, this is a great workout to attend to get personalized instruction in the area you are most concerned with in training for triathlons. If you need directions or more information just contact MSFIT@xplornet.com

Wilder’s Lake Summer Schedule

Saturday July 24 @ 5-6:30p.m.  Wilder’s Lake - Triples workout (bring transition gear, bikes, helmets and running gear as well as swim gear for this short and quick triples practice!)

Friday July 30 @ 5-6p.m.  Open water swimming drills and training

Monday Aug. 9th @ 6-7:30p.m. Open Water Swim + transitions to bike workout

Monday Aug. 16th @6:45-8p.m.  Triples training OR Open water swim only (you choice)

Saturday Aug. 21st @9a.m.-10a.m. Open water swim

Friday Aug. 27th @5:30-6:30p.m. Open Water Swim

Thursday Sept. 2nd @5-6p.m.  Open Water Swim

Saturday Sept. 11 @9a.m.-10a.m. Open water swim

Annan - With the Week 9 Owen Sound Cycling Club Time Trial on June 16^th rained out, Week 10 on June 23^rd went off without any interruption from Mother Nature. Week 9 had been scheduled for Walter’s Falls with two distances; a 15 kilometer TT and a 30 kilometer TT, both on rolling fast courses. While Week 10 at Shallow Lake, which offered a 10 kilometer TT and a 15 kilometer TT on flat, fast courses, was a go, no STC racers were in the field.

It was Week 11 on June 30^th at Hepworth before any STC members punched the clock. The Spring Creek course at Hepworth offers two distances; a 10 kilometer TT and 17.3 kilometer TT. With no members in the 10 kilometer race, it was up to the STC’s Sandra MacDonald the pedal STC pride in the long TT. She booked a time of 35:28 at an average speed of 29.27 KPH to record a 16^th place finish overall, and 5^th place among women in the TT.

MacDonald was at it again as the lone STC member racing Week 12 on July 7^th at Annan. With a 10 kilometer TT and a 19 kilometer TT, Annan offers a rolling and hilly course. MacDonald choose the short course, and stopped the clock 18:55 at an average speed of 31.17 KPH to finish in 3^rd spot overall and 2^nd among women.

JE

Peterborough - The hot temperature for the Subaru Series stop in Peterborough on Sunday, July 4^th wasn’t the only thing burning up the multisport courses at this jewel on the Trent, as the STC claimed five out of a possible six podium finishes. The STC’s 2009 Male Masters Triathlete Of The Year, Graeme Magor, led the way for club.

Magor powered his way through the two kilometer swim, 90 kilometer bike and 21.1 kilometer run of the ½ Ironman in a time of 5:18:20 to grab 4^th place out of 21 in the men’s 55 to 59 age group, and 114^th out of 453 overall. Following him across the finish line was Peter Smith, as the only two STC entrants in the ½ Ironman posted great efforts. A multiple Ironman, Smith stopped the clock at 7:13:53 to place 16^th out of 21 in the men’s 55 to 59 age group, and 386^th overall.

In only his second sprint triathlon of the season, hot on the come-back trail, STC Ironman James Schmidt mastered the 750 meter swim, 20 kilometer bike, and five kilometer run in a time of 1:17:28 to finish in 5^th place out of 34 in the men’s 50 to 54 age group, and 88^th out of 449 overall.

Originally scheduled to do the ½ Ironman, the STC’s Ann Lyddon made a last minute decision based on health and readiness to switch to the sprint triathlon. That decision and a very strong performance vaulted her to the podium in the women’s 45 to 49 age group as she claimed 2^nd spot out of 31 in her age group, and 133^rd overall.

In the sprint duathlon, the STC produced two excellent performances. Jamie Graham continued his positive progression, despite a shoulder injury which has kept him from triathlon, as he conquered the two kilometer run, 20 kilometer bike and five kilometer run in a time of 1:17:24. That gritty effort allowed him to place 14^th out of 26 in the men’s 30 to 39 age group, and 51^st out of 117 overall.

A day after a cautious effort at the Glammis Gallop, and a week after a serious bike crash in Muskoka, yours’ truly took on the sprint duathlon. Like Lyddon, I’d originally been entered in the ½ Ironman. Unable to rotate my shoulder fully, therefore unable to swim, I was forced to enter the sprint duathlon if I wanted to race. When the dust settled, I had placed 2^nd in the men’s 50 to 59 age group, 23^rd overall, stopping the clock at 1:10:28.

JE

Vineland Station - A growing number of Saugeen Triathlon Club multisport athletes are producing excellent race results in the Subaru Series’ overall points throught their three race series. In the Subaru Series, competing athletes are awarded points for a top 15 finish in their age groups. The higher the finish, and the more frequent the top 15 age group finishes, in each race in triathlon and duathlon, the more points the athlete is awarded.

The competitive Subaru Series, which is has most events sold out at their races, features three overall points series; The Ontario Duathlon Series (ODS), The Ontario Sprint Series (OSS), and The Ontario Triathlon Series (OTS).  With three of the Subaru Series’ nine events in the books, the STC has a number of members posting outstanding results and grabbing positions in their respective overall series points standing, with a few claiming positions in all three series. They include members Doug Wiseman, Jennifer Emberley and yours’ truly.

After four races in the ODS, the STC’s Doug Wiseman is dominating the men’s 55 to 59 age group in first place in this duathlon series with 237.5 points.  Sandra MacDonald is sitting in fourth place in the women’s 25 to 29 age group with 120 points. Kathy Ditner is in 34^th spot in the women’s 40 to 44 age group with 25 points. Jacqui Wong has 70 points in the women’s 40 to 44 age group for 15^th place. Jennifer Emberley is in 27^th position with 30 points in the women’s 25 to 29 age group. While, Jamie Graham sits in 28^th spot with 45 points in the men’s 35 to 39 age group. Lastly, yours’ truly is in 15^th place with 75 points in the men’s 50 to 54 age group.

After three races in the OSS, yours’ truly has a lock on 2^nd spot in the men’s 50 to 54 age group with 120 points in this sprint triathlon series. James Schmidt is sitting in 18^th place in the men’s 50 to 54 age group with 50 points. Doug Wiseman is in 26^th place with 25 points in the men’s 55 to 59 age group. Jennifer Emberley has 20 points in 34^th spot in the women’s 25 to 29 age group. Kristi McCracken is in 28^th place with 30 points in the women’s 30 to 34 age group. While, Anne McCutcheon has 15 points and 36^th place in the women’s 30 to 34 age group. Lastly, Lynda Magor has 80 points in the women’s 45 to 49 age group, good for 5^th place in the series.

After four races in the OTS, once again, yours’ truly has second spot in the men’s 50 to 54 age group with 187.5 points in this triathlon series. Ann Lyddon, after a slow start, is finally beginning to find her form. She holds down 12^th position in the women’s 45 to 49 age group with 67.5 points. Doug Wiseman has 25 points and 26^th place in the men’s 55 to 59 age group. While, Peter Smith is in 27^th place with 22.5 points in the men’s 55 to 59 age group. Lastly, Jennifer Emberley is in 32^nd spot in the women’s 25 to 29 age group with 20 points.

JE

Durham - The regular Friday Run Workout in Durham on Friday, July 16th is postponed. The regular Friday Run Workout in Durham will continue as scheduled on Friday, July 23rd at the usual time of 6:30 PM at the usual location which is the Durham Fitness Centre. Check under the Formal Training Tab for all the details.

JE