Hey folks, I realize there has been lots of talk about 101 distance races on this forum. John Salt from Multisport Canada puts on an excellent 101 distance event in Calabogie Ontario, just 45 min drive west from Ottawa (OK, from the west end…). The race takes place next weekend:
I pestered John for some time to add an Aquabike to this event. I did a 2K-90K aquabike at the Carleton Place Half Ironman (20 min from Ottawa…www.somersault.ca), the weekend before Ironman LP. It was an awesome race and the best part was that on Monday I had no soreness and was feeling fresh by Tuesday. Here is my race report:
Anyway, I enjoyed the Aquabike format and I’ve been encouraging a variety of race directors to add this racing option …there is no incremental cost to them (I think) as the infrastructure is set.
Anyway, John has added an Aquabike to his event, but unfortunately for me, it is the same day as the soccer tournament for the 10 year old kids team that I coach, so I cannot make it. But regardless, if you are racing Ironman Wisconsin or a fall Ironman, give the full soloman or the aquabike a shot.
For those who were thinking about doing the Halifax 101, here is your option. Best part is that you can race on Saturday and then hang out in Ottawa on Sunday in the Nation’s Capital and be a tourist
My current plan is to ride from home on Sunday to the sprint tri, do the sprint tri and ride home…or ride over on Saturday evening…might be the more sane option, but then I would have a backpack full of tri stuff and sleeping gear!
Well I will be in Fort Williams in Quebec that weekend.
I will endup doing 2 Aquabikes that weekend though (130 KM ride one way + swimming in the Ottawa River…)
OK, I will see you at the sprint…I’ll have the Kuota Kalibur all set up and ready to go by next weekend! The frame has arrived…just waiting for the box with the components!
Yeah, another new bike. I just wanted to ride a bit slacker than what is offered in the QR line. If you are in the “steeper is better camp” the QR is your bike…but I like riding around 2 degrees slacker than what is possible in the QR line, and rather than mess around with adaptors and such and put the bike weight distribution where it is not meant to be, I am passing on my Lucero to my good friend Jean Lacroix who is in the “I can’t get my bike steep enough camp”. After some searching, I honed in on the Kalibur, thanks to Paul Thomas and Patrice Lemieux and Kuota North America. Hopefully the maiden flight will be at the 1000 Islands Olympic tri this coming Sunday.
Back to the topic at hand. I checked out all the routes from home to Calabogie and I am looking at 90-100K one way avoiding highways…so in the interest of sanity, I will only ride one way…either to the race or after the race back home. With a 9 am start and departure from home at 5:15 am, I should be able to make it just in time for my wave start :-). Then I will get one of the boys to give me a lift back to Kanata so I have some legs for the Canadian Half Iron the following weekend…I love this place…there are races every weekend!
Thanks for the bump man…guess I’ll finally get to meet you again after all these years (last time was Muskoka about 6yrs ago I think) next weekend. Always nice to meet legends of the sport.
