Team ENERGi

Me after Guelph Lake 2011

Jamie, who had shown me the value of experience, introduced me to Jeff Beech and Studio ENERGi in 2010. If I could give one piece of advice to a triathlete, new or seasoned, it would be "get a coach". I can't explain how much easier it is to train with and be part of a team. Not only is the training better, you also have new friends and family who you can learn from and talk to about your experiences and racing dreams.


Team ENERGi is the triathlon team I train with based out of Waterloo and coached by Jeff Beech (JMFB is what we call him, I'll let you figure out the meaning). The team has opened so many doors for me that I can't even imagine where I'd be without them. Having a coach gave my workouts structure and purpose and the results were pretty amazing.


In June 2010 I went with the team to Eagleman 70.3 in Cambridge, Maryland, USA. I had also conveniently ordered new SRAM s60/s80 race wheels and picked them up at Eagleman so I could get free shipping...bonus. I cheered at the sidelines while 8 of my teammates raced in the 110 degree heat. Convinced once again that I could do this, I signed up for the Muskoka Ironman 70.3 in September. That gave me a few months to get in the distance training and learn how to race for twice as long as any race I'd ever finished. 

Team ENERGi taking advantage of the Eagleman Race Expo

After Eagleman, Jamie and I heard from a friend that the ITU Long Course Triathlon National Championships were going to be held in Magog, Quebec in July and it was only 90 bucks to enter. What the hell...it's only 90 bucks... 


So July came by and it was already race eve in Magog. I didn't sleep a wink. What if I get dehydrated? What if I get a flat? What if the swim is non-wetsuit? On and on and on. In the morning I double checked everything in transition 100 times until I literally had to go to the swim start or I'd miss it. I finished the 2.325km/90km/21.1km swim/bike/run in just over 5 hours, but the master Jamie still beat me. I couldn't figure out how he could be so strong. After the race we stayed for awards and we both made it on the podium - more importantly, this meant we had qualified for the 2011 World Championships in Las Vegas! I couldn't believe it.

Clearwater 70.3 bike, 2010

September finally arrived and I was back to where it all began. The Muskoka course was intimidating, but I knew what to expect. Everything went smooth and eventually I was only a 21.2km run from the finish. It was cold and raining but I felt good and pushed on. 5km from the finish I started to feel empty, not a good feeling when you still have over 20 minutes to go. The rest was agonizing and when I crossed the line I could only think about getting warm. This had been the most difficult event I had faced and another learning experience. Despite the pain, I managed to finish in 5h:02min and top 2 in my age-group. Again I had qualified for the World Championships. This time it was the 2010 70.3 Championships Clearwater Florida. I need to thank my coach for this day, because he sponsored my entry to Clearwater so I could go and race with the other 8 teammates who had also qualified, including himself. 
Thank you.

Team ENERGi Representing Canada in Vegas, 2011

To date I have competed in 2 half Iron distance races, 4 Olympic races, 4 Sprint races, 2 ITU Long Course Races, 3 half Marathons, and 2 World Championships. If you had asked me when I started triathlon what I thought I would do in the next 2 years, I could never have imagined having a resume like this. Without Jamie, Jeff Beech, and Team ENERGi, none of this would have been possible.

I almost forgot to mention, the key to success is a pre-race viewing of 'Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby'. A tradition started by Coach Jeffie that inspires us to "go fast!"

In the Beginning

I've just signed up for my first Ironman...what have I done!

Let's start with some background... 

I'm a 23-year-old triathlete living in Waterloo, Ontario and I started triathlon in July 2008 after watching a friend complete the Muskoka Long Course Triathlon in Huntsville. How hard could this be?

I got my first bike, a Trek Equinox 5 for $999, and started pedaling. I also went into the pool for the very first time, and it was the pool that made me realize how much work I had to do. I couldn't swim more than two lengths of the 25 yard pool without stopping - how the hell was I going to finish 60 lengths in one go!? As for the run, I hated running. I thought biking would be good enough training for the run.

September 2008, Wasaga Beach HSBC Olympic Triathlon. In short I had a 36+ minute swim, a 1h:14minute-ish bike, and a 55+min 10K. The biggest rush I've ever felt in my life was crossing that finish line, you really can't describe it. I've done many races since but none really compare to the first. 

The race that started it all, Muskoka Long Course. All winter I was in the pool 2 or 3 nights a week (10-11:30pm lane swim) while starting 2nd year of my Engineering Undergrad at UW. Once spring rounded, I got back on the bike and attempted to add running to my training. June 2009 I started with a 28 minute head start on the person who inspired me. My girlfriend's father raced the year before and finished top in his age group. He also acted as my triathlon guru for the year answering every question I had about racing and training. My goal for this race was to not let him pass me. Everything looked good until a familiar blue and red jersey ran by me with 2 km to go. I need to get faster!

Muskoka Bike, 2009