Month: July 2026

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Fitspeek 240: Tri 2 Survive update with Adam Vitkay

A few months ago, Mission triathlete Adam Vitkay joined us on Fitspeek to talk about his endurance journey. Since then, he’s been busy.

He’s completed his first marathon, lined up for several more triathlons, and continued to push himself in the sport. But his next challenge is a bit more impressive.

August 22, Adam will take on Tri 2 Survive—a one-day endurance challenge consisting of a 5 km swim, a 200 km bike and a 45 km run.

That’s 250 kilometres of swimming, cycling and running in a single day.

This isn’t simply about seeing what his body can do. Cancer research has played an important role in his life he’s turning his endurance challenge into something that can help others facing the same fight.

Adam has set a fundraising goal of $5,000 for cancer research, and he’s looking for people to help him get there.

He’s also looking for some company on the course—particularly for the 45 km run, which will come late in the day after 5 km in the water and 200 km on the bike. If you’ve ever wanted to experience what it’s like to be part of an epic endurance challenge without actually having to swim 5 km and bike 200 km first, this might be your chance.

Join Adam for part—or all—of the run, cheer him on, or simply make a donation to support the cause.

In our latest Fitspeek conversation, Adam talks about how his endurance journey has progressed since we last spoke, his first marathon, his recent triathlons, and why he’s taking on this enormous challenge for something much bigger than himself.

If you’d like to support Adam, donate to his fundraising campaign, or find out how you can join him for the run, you’ll find all the information and the fundraising link on the Fitspeek podcast page.

One athlete. One very long day. One important cause.

Let’s help Adam get to that $5,000 goal. Here’s our conversation.

Here’s the link to contribute some dough. Email me at fitspeek@gmail.com if you’d like to participate on-course.

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Fitspeek 239: The Airdrie Advantage. Sophia Howell + Jordan Bryden.

Two athletes. One hometown but at very different points in the triathlon journey.

In Episode 239, we welcome Airdrie, Alberta’s Jordan Bryden and Sophia Howell for a conversation about what it really takes to race at the highest level.

Jordan has done almost everything the sport has to offer—from chasing the Olympic dream to becoming an Ultraman World Champion, race director, photographer and endurance sports entrepreneur. Sophia is living that dream right now, travelling the world in Team Canada colours and taking on the best athletes on the WTCS circuit.

Together they pull back the curtain on elite triathlon. What does it actually cost to compete on the world stage? What financial, social, and physical sacrifices are required? How has the pathway to the top changed over the past two decades? And what can age-group athletes learn from two Canadians who have competed against the world’s best?

Jordan shares the lessons he wishes he’d known earlier in his career, while Sophia offers an honest look at life as one of Canada’s rising international stars.

It’s a candid conversation about ambition, sacrifice, and the realities of elite sport—told through the experiences of two athletes whose journeys began in the same Alberta community but have unfolded in very different ways. Listen to it by pressing play below.

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Canada’s Top 5 Triathletes for June

What better day than Canada Day to celebrate some outstanding Canadian performances? June delivered world-class racing, breakthrough moments, and one result that deserves far more attention than it received. Here are Fitspeek’s Top 5 Canadian triathletes for the month.

1.

Tyler Mislawchuk Last month’s number five is this month’s number one — and it’s not hard to see why. It comes down to performance, consistency, and a bit of outright domination. Earlier in the season, he helped Canada snag a bronze in the mixed relay at the World Cup stop in China. June pushed things even further: Mislawchuk grabbed another win, this time at the WTS race in Huatulco, Mexico. He’s sitting 16th in the World Triathlon rankings and has a packed July ahead — Hamburg first, then back on home soil for Edmonton the following week.

2.

Paula Findlay Perhaps the biggest surprise with our list for May was Paula Findlay wasn’t on it — after all, she only managed a DNF at Oceanside 70.3 and second at 70.3 Chattanooga. Things are back to normal now with an inevitable win. The deed was done at the North American 70.3 Championships in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania, when she took control on the bike and never looked back, winning by more than three minutes. Perhaps even more exciting than this win (her 4th North American title) is her debut at the Ironman distance later this month at Lake Placid.

3.

Nicolas Gilbert

You may not know his name yet, but you probably should. The Quebec native delivered one of the most dominant performances by a Canadian this season, winning Challenge Québec in 7:51:10 — an astonishing 28 minutes ahead of second place. Even more impressive, it was his full-distance debut after quietly building a solid résumé at the 70.3 distance. And he did it just one week after breaking four hours at IRONMAN 70.3 Mont‑Tremblant. And he did it while working full time as an auditor for the province of Quebec. If June had a performance that made everyone take notice, this was it.

4.

Beatrice Filion just 19 and hailing from St‑Jean‑sur‑Richelieu, Québec, announced herself in a big way with a silver medal at the Americas Triathlon Cup Montréal — her first international podium. She stopped the clock in 58:47, only three seconds behind American Annie Fuller, racing with the poise of someone far more seasoned. And how did she celebrate the biggest result of her young career? By grabbing her medal, heading straight out of the venue, and making it to her sister’s wedding. A breakout performance, a family dash, and a new Canadian talent officially on the rise.

5. Charles Paquet

Only the second athlete to carry over on the list from last month, Charles Paquet continues to prove that his breakthrough season is no fluke. After earning the first WTCS podium of his career earlier this year, the Quebecer backed it up with a fifth‑place finish at WTCS Alghero, remaining in the hunt with the world’s best until the closing stages of the run. He followed that with another solid performance at WTCS Quiberon, cementing his status as Canada’s top male on the World Triathlon Championship Series circuit. At this point, top‑five finishes are becoming the expectation, not the exception.