Muskoka Long Course by Klaus Fritzsche

Jun 26, 2009

I learned a couple of things at this race that I thought I would pass on. Here it is:

I am writing this report not because I am proud of or even satisfied with my recent result at the Muskoka Chase, but rather to pass on the things I learned - hopefully so that others may not repeat the mistakes I made.

I was invited to a wedding the day before the race so there was another layer of logistics that had to be dealt with. Clothes to wear to the wedding, clothes for afterwards plus all the usual gear for the race on Sunday. I was staying overnight in Muskoka at a friends house (thanks again, Brent) so my plan was to bring all my stuff to the wedding, and then make the 90 minute drive to Huntsville as soon as I could politely break away. All went well as I got into bed around midnight. At 4:00 am I sat bolt upright in bed with the realization that I had not packed my swim goggles. They were in my pool swim kit - not yet transferred over to my wet suit bag. Lesson One: double check your equipment - maybe even prepare a written check list.

Fortunately, I was able to get a replacement from Gail at Swim Sport as she had a booth on site - I was even able to find the exact goggles that fit me properly. I considered myself very lucky on that one.

The race started off well. The air was a little cool but the sun was out and the water was not as brisk as I was expecting. My swim time was actually 3 minutes better than last year so at least I know some aspects of all that practice in the pool are paying off! I knew I was in trouble however, after only a few minutes on the bike. My stomach started cramping and tightening up. My legs felt fine but I was very uncomfortable bent over the aero bars. By the time I got in off the bike my stomach felt like it had a rock in it. Nothing I would drink seemed to help. Things continued to go downhill during the run as I found myself walking every few kilometers. Every time I tried to run I would feel like throwing up. ( In retrospect, that probably would have helped!!). Anyway, I had lots of time to figure out my problem as my run time was dismal. Clearly what I had eaten in the last little while was interfering with my ability to bike and run. Lesson Two: Tim Hortons breakfast sandwiches are NOT the breakfast of champions! I'm pretty convinced that my heavy, doughy breakfast from Timmies took too long to clear my system, (the rich food from the wedding the night before likely didn't help either!), and pretty much worked against any high-energy drinks or gels I tried to take while on the course.

The real lesson here is to plan your race, think through your equipment and stick to your pre-race diet that works for you.

Klaus Fritzsche