Includes

  • North Shore Finishers at IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship
  • Naniamo Meet Results
  • Upcoming Meets
  • Training Schedule
  • Million Metre Challenge Update

North Shore Finishers at IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship

Teresa and Colleen Finish as Damir and Stewart watch.

Four Harry Jerome masters swimmers (Colleen, Damir, Stewart and Teresa) finished the Ironman (IM) 70.3 World Championship at St. George Utah on October 28 and 29, 2022. When Colleen told me about this, we decided that it would make an interesting story for this newsletter. I asked each of the participants about how they prepared and qualified for the event. I was blown away by their stories.

Damir’s Story

Damir told me back in June that he was trying to make up for all the races that he missed during the pandemic.  He had a very busy summer and fall planned. In the summer he went to Germany for six weeks and completed two IM 140.6s. His goal was to train once and compete twice. In retrospect, he conceded that it didn’t work that well sandwiched between 5 weeks of vacationing. He qualified for the IM 70.3 world championship at Victoria with Teresa and Stewart.

Stewart’s Story

Stewart has been doing triathlons for 13 years. This year his goal was to qualify for the IM 70.3 World Championship. He budgeted his time for each discipline, estimated the time needed to qualify for one of the six available qualifying spots at the Victoria IM 70.3 in May. He qualified but not exactly as he planned. The rest is history! He said that it was amazing to be racing with 6500 other triathletes and to do it with other people he regularly sees at Harry Jerome.

Colleen’s Story

Colleen qualified for the IM 70.3 by placing 2nd in the Indian Wells IM 70.3 in December 2021. Colleen has been a solo swimmer at Harry Jerome two to three times a week this year. She says that “In the month and a half before the Worlds, my two key sessions turned out to be the Whistler Grand Fondo – racing a fast 120km to mimic the 90km bike portion of the IM 70.3. Following that, pushing the pace in the DTES 10km Road Race to just try to remember how to suffer on my feet again.” In September, she coached a cycling trip to Croatia where she contracted COVID on the way home. Her training in the lead up to the St. George  IM 70.3 was limited. At the event, she had a good result finishing 15 out of 210 in her age group. She says that “Having support out there from fellow masters swimmers and friends Damir and Stuart, as well as knowing, Teresa was out there on course somewhere as well made it that much more energized.  The community at North Shore Masters is super supportive and non-judgmental as well as fast and well coached.  It truly makes me a better athlete.”

Teresa’s Story

Teresa is the energizer bunny of the group. She sent me her story from a river boat on the Nile. She got back from the middle east one day and showed up for practice the next day at Harry Jerome. She started her year off with the Victoria IM 70.3 like Stewart and Damir. Between Victoria and St. George, she participated in triathlons in Montreal, Penticton, Toronto, Edmonton, Slovakia. She followed up St. George with events in Abu Dhabi, a trip to the World Cup in Qatar and 10 days in Egypt. Wow!

Naniamo Meet Results

Paul Frost, David Barnum and I had a great time at the Nanaimo Meet hanging out with the HYAC Team. This meet had the feel of a pre-pandemic event from the Nanaimo volunteers who picked us up at the ferry terminal to the Chili cook off at the end. We set two club records and I was able to finish a 200 backstroke to get a result all 18 short course events in 2022.

Upcoming Meets

Here is the link to the 2022/2023 MSABC Meet Schedule. The next meet is in Victoria on January 21st 2023. The meet package is here. Entry Deadline in January 15, 2023. This will likely be the only Long Course meet in BC this season. If you are registered with Swimming Canada, you only need to pay the meet fees, transportation and lodging for Swimming Canada sanctioned meets until next September.

Training Schedule

The latest Training Schedule is at https://northshoremasters.ca/training-schedule/.

There is a Christmas Day swim at Delbrook  from 12:30 to 1:45 pm. Registration is mandatory. Bring your own fins, if you have them.

Million Metre Challenge Update

North Shore Masters Million Metre challengers have amassed 2.97 million metres collectively this year so far and are in the top spot in Canada. We are hoping to reach 3 million by December 31.

Have a Happy Holiday Season and a Fly New Year!