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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.

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Have mic, will travel. Fitspeek 125: Steve Fleck

Having been in almost every aspect of multisport (including being a 9 hr. Ironman guy), Steve Fleck knowns a thing or two about triathlon. He’s been an advocate of endurance sports for years.

On Fitspeek 125 we talk with “Ontario Steve” about his experiences behind the announcer’s microphone and what makes him uniquely qualified to do what he does.

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Peter Filice: Digs deep into the psyche of multisport athletes

On Fitspeek 121 our guest is University of Victoria Master’s student Peter Filice. He is doing research for his thesis and his topic is “How Covid-19 is influencing the minds of triathletes.” With the death of the 2020 racing season, did it mean we were destined to become lovers of Netflix or guzzlers of endless IPA? Peter is going to touch on that in our interview.

Also, with only days until Christmas, we know that there are at least 4 or 5 of you out there who have yet to begin your shopping. For those well-meaning but tardy Santas out there, we have some excellent suggestions, courtesy of Roy McBeth.

Abbotsford Triathlon Coach, Mikey Ross rounds out the program. On this week’s Top Five List, Mikey gives some timely pointers on how to take care of your treadmill and your pave cave, so it can last longer and provide a great training environment. Here it all now. You know the drill. Press that button!

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Fitspeek 118: Marie Lashley & The Santa Shuffle

Yes! It’s that time of year again. We are only days away from the annual Abbotsford Santa Shuffle. For 13 years, the main organizer has been Marie Lashley. In the podcast, we chat about the event, as well as how she has been coping with Covid.

Like many running events this year, it has gone virtual. However to make things easier for you to decide where to run it, Kevin and Marie discuss some possible route options. You have a full week to complete your race which means you do have a bit of time to get one or two running buddies together, practice safe social distancing, and help out the Salvation Army.

Spend 15 minutes catching up with a Fraser Valley Christmas tradition by pressing play here.

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Thanksgiving With Fitspeek: Program 113

Program 113 is fresh from the audio oven and a day early to spend with you as you toil on the trainer or travel to Thanksgiving dinner, wherever that may be. One of the folks who has a lot to be thankful for is our guest, Roy McBeth. After suffering kidney disease, he was given a healthy kidney and a new lease on his very successful athletic life.

In part two of our interview with Roy we examine how he has been dealing with Covid, we take a look at his strengths & weaknesses as an athlete, and we get in touch with his inner pachyderm. Also on the show, just in time for that big orgy of calories called Thanksgiving dinner, we serve up a heaping helping of our Fit Tip of the Week. Our topic? How NOT to blimp out this long weekend! Hear it now by pressing play below.

https://www.fitspeek.com/trijoythe-spirit-of-multisport/
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/www-fitspeek-com/id1212068476

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Opinion Piece for a Summer Morning: Carpe Aestes

Chris found victory over the wall on that sunny Saturday morning.

Sorry VR racing, it’s not you, it’s me. Well, it’s really the weather.

Here I am, it’s 7 in the morning, and the Okanagan sun has already been blazing for over an hour. It’s Sunday and I’m working on my second cup of dark roast, pondering the possibilities of the day.

No races on the schedule. No pressure. No expectations.

I’m really liking it!

Yesterday was a great day of riding with a friend and an impromptu 2 K swim in the lake, just because it felt so good. And boy, did it ever.

No pace clock. No lane ropes. No stroke correction.

Just the stern chiding of a female mallard, if I got too close.

In his last edition of Triathlon Magazine Canada, editor Kevin McKinnon queried, “can there be triathletes, without triathlons.” I don’t know. Over the past eight glorious weeks of this all too short Canadian summer, all I know is that if the sun is out, be damned if I am going to be in a basement or gymnasium doing some prescribed torture session, however well-intentioned it may be. (I have to say that because I am a coach and this is what I do).

All of that writing, just to get to the main point. During the sun-drenched days, weeks, and months that we have been enjoying up here in the Great White North, doing a virtual reality race has zero appeal. Doing a VR event when it’s sunny and 25 out would be the same as choosing Velveeta over a big slab of Gouda.

Having been in this sport for 30 summers, I find it liberating NOT to be tied to the orthodoxy of a training schedule that traditionally ends up in tears and shattered dreams that is the run segment of an Ironman.

And I STILL feel like a triathlete.

Once the leaves turn to red and the skies to grey, that whole VR world might seem like the greener side of the fence. But that’s not today.