Sep 092011
When all is said and done, it was a great day at the races. I’m very happy with my swim, put in a good effort on the bike (only 4 girls passed me – I know, I know, no girls should be passing me, but this is good for me!), and felt great on the run. Results are still coming, but if you don’t see my official time right away (there were some timing chip issues, see below for more details) I finished right after an Australian named Bird. Just a few things to fine tune to make things run more smoothly on race day. It was a a comedy of errors to say the least.
1) Set your alarm clock properly. Yes, it was straight out of a Seinfeld episode – I mixed up the am/pm on my alarm on race day. Knowing how much I love tv, you would think I would have had this one covered … but no. Good thing we were getting random phone calls every hour or so, so I was able to get out of the room and over to the race site on time.
2) Remember to pick up your timing chip. We are down on the pontoon, ready to hop in the water when I hear, “Cleary! Where’s your timing chip?” In all the excitement leading up to the race, this girl COMPLETELY FORGOT to pick up her timing chip. Good one Shan. I told the official it was all part of my plan to throw the other girls off their game.
3) Listen for the start gun/horn/whatever it may be. There were about 7 of us at the end who heard “Hands on the side.” The rest of the group heard “START.” No worries, I still got up to the quasi-front of the group and was the first Canadian out of the water.
4) Remember where you rack your bike. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t have my bright pink Hawaii towel that I bring to every race or if I was just so excited to get off my bike and out running, but I completely lost my bearings when I came into transition and for the life of me couldn’t find where my bike was supposed to be racked!
5) Make sure your shoelaces don’t come untied. ”I thought you were using speed-laces?” Some of you might ask. That was the plan, but I must have bought the wrong brand or something – they didn’t stay tight enough. So the night last night I made an executive decision to run with the regular laces and just tie them extra fast. Well, during my “extra fast shoe-tie” I must have forgot to double knot my left shoe. I am feeling great after the first run loop, look down and realize that if I don’t re-tie that shoe now, it is highly likely that I will trip on the lace and fall flat on my face. One of the Canadian’s behind me said I must have lost about 15-20 seconds – again, good one Shan.
Even though I made some rookie mistakes (and I mean really rookie mistakes – but I bet it made you smile), all in all, it was a ton of fun to be out racing today. Was so cool hearing “Go Canaada!” out on the course – the support from the other Age Groupers and their entourages was great. Can’t wait to get back training – and I thought I would want a break!
Thanks again to everyone who made this dream possible – definitely an experience of a lifetime that will not be forgotten.
Sep 092011
Only one more sleep until race day! It all still seems a bit surreal, but I’m at the point right now where I just want to race!
Last night we attended the Opening Ceremonies and Athlete’s Parade. A very cool experience and something that is not typical of World’s, so I was told. After going through a security check we were put on buses taking us to the Changping Stadium. We didn’t get dropped off directly at the stadium, but rather several blocks away. Yes, the Athletes Parade was us, walking down a traffic lane that had been blocked off, through downtown Changping. And the streets were packed with people waving and cheering as we walked to the stadium. The Opening Ceremonies were taken as seriously as if it were the Olympics – flag raising, speeches … we even had live entertainment, first a Chinese pop band and then some “refreshing soft rock” while we ate our pasta dinner. We were also provided with a “Special Food” package which had some interesting items. Our team manager made a joke earlier in the afternoon in regards to the large amounts of security at the hotel and race venue, “Beijing hosted the Olympics and they now treat every other event the same way.” Fine by me, it was fun being a celebrity for a couple of hours.
I’ve had a chance to get in the water twice now. Feeling pretty good and definitely one of the most beautiful places I have ever swam. Almost had a heart attack as I was getting out of the water the first day – massive weeds for the last 50 metres of the swim!!! They put the weeds at the back of Thetis Lake that Bristine and I complained about many years ago to shame. And not only were they big weeds, but when I put my foot down it just sank right into the mushy sand … I was sure a snake was going to wrap itself around my ankle! Luckily, they moved the exit of the swim slightly so we by-pass the weeds. Thank god.
My bike is racked and I have a pretty good idea (the best it’s going to get anyways!) of how the transition area will be working tomorrow. Only two things I was a teensy bit disappointed about; 1) We don’t get to dive off the pontoon for the swim, we have to start in the water holding on to the side of it (I think everyone else was ecstatic about this news, but I was really looking forward to it!) and 2) We don’t get the cool stamped numbers. Instead, I have a massive “E” that covers my entire right calf (for those of you who have been to a few of my races you know how I feel about my numbers being written by someone with tidy handwriting). Oh well, just more incentive to get faster and maybe one day race as an Elite … first it was the name on the bathing suit … now it’s diving off the pontoon and stamped numbers … the things that motivate me, I tell ya.
While we were getting our bikes set up in transition the Para-Triathletes were racing. Talk about inspiring. Incredible athletes and just the the thing you need to get you excited for your own race.
Send me quick thoughts for tomorrow morning – I’m in the water at 6:45am (that’s 3:45pm your time I think 
)!!
)!!Sep 072011
I made it safely to Beijing and it has been non-stop since I’ve arrived. So far so great – I love it here! Everyone has been very friendly (I just had some of the military/security people at the hotel ask for a picture – too funny!) and I have no complaints – love the people, love the food, and the places I have been so far have been beautiful.
Day 1 had us out for a team ride first thing in the morning. We were able to check out a good portion of the bike course and were just heading back to our hotel when we are stopped at a barricade for about 45 minutes. It ended up becoming a bit of a scene, voices were raised (a bit embarrassing actually – and wearing your team Canada jerseys – really people???) and the police ended up coming and taking pictures! Finally we were told to “follow the black car” and to get back to the hotel. We cheated death several times, riding through the city of Changping – going through red lights at major intersections, dodging other bikes, pedestrians and cars – I will never be scared riding in Vancouver again! I think the sketchiest part of it all was that I was doing all of this on a bike I had put together myself. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I did it. I actually put my bike together. A big thanks to Stephen and Shaun at the Bike Gallery for being so patient with me Saturday morning and walking me through everything before I left. My roommate Jill, who is no newcomer to Worlds (this is her 5th) was also a huge help.
I made friends with the Fort McMurray crew out on the team run and later that morning 7 of us made the trek out to Beijing. Our first stop was a street market where we ate dumplings and meat on sticks (yes Gloria, I did that for you). We then made our way over to the Forbidden City where we spent a few hours exploring. Mel, unfortunately we weren’t able to go into the buildings/rooms like we could in Europe so I wasn’t able to get any “in the scene” pictures … and besides, I don’t have the eye for that kind of thing anyways – it would have just been me holding a basket 
I did get lots of pictures of the moat for you though. Our feet needed a break so we braved the transit system, which was actually easier than the skytrain back home, and made our way towards the Silk Market where I learned that I’m really not very good at bartering.
Today we went out for another team ride and didn’t have any better luck than yesterday. More barricades had us doing extra back and forth and I probably did more biking today than I have in the last couple of weeks! Team swim this afternoon and then opening ceremonies tonight! I’ve finally figured out internet access so I will keep the updates coming.
Aug 312011
“Passport, check … camera, check … traveller’s cheques, check” … no, I’m not actually taking traveller’s cheques, but for my fellow Friends fans (I know who you are:)) will know what I’m talking about. Needless to say, this week has been filled with getting final details (like a Chinese Visa) taken care of before I leave.
Only 5 more sleeps and I will be on a plane to Beijing to compete in my first international triathlon at the World Age Group Championships! The last couple of months have flown by – jam packed with training, racing, work … and more training, racing and work.
I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been so supportive this past year leading up to Beijing. My training buddies Hoz, Tav, Ron, Linda, Greg and Tara, thanks for keeping me company on countless rides and runs, pushing me to my limits, and just for being awesome and understanding what it’s all about …. Coach Mike at Peak Centre, you’ve kept me on track with my training program and listened to my over-analysis of ridiculous details too many times for me to even count … G-Wong, Jacs, and Loraine, thanks for taking me for pizza when I need a break and making sure I keep laughing (“Are you from Ireland?”) … Thanks to all my friends who have seen so little of me this summer and for understanding when I can’t make it out … Elliot, Cathy and Frank, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the extra push to seek out sponsorship … Stuart, Della, Meredith and Marcela, thank you for the flexibility that you have given me with my work schedule … Thanks to F.A. Pasacreta & Associates Inc and Whistler Water for being my first sponsors … Thanks to Jess and April for setting up this website … My wonderful Aunties, thank you so much for your contributions and the extra love you are sending my way … Aleksi and Mel, even though you’re both so far away, I know you’re two of my biggest fans (I’ll let you two fight it out ) – thanks for always listening and giving me perspective … Mom, Dad and Brendan, thanks for all of the early mornings, weekends spent at the pool, and countless other sacrifices you have made over the years to get me to where I am today and to let me follow my dreams.
Now if this were an Oscar speech, the orchestra would be playing and I would have been ushered off-stage ages ago! My next few posts will be much more entertaining (promise!) as I keep you updated on my Beijing adventure.
That’s all for now …