"Blood is just pain leaving the body"

 Actually, it was more of a sting...(I didn't want to run in the mud but I guess I ran to close to some thorn bushes).


October 22 we had a race at Jericho Beach in Vancouver, where I ended up like this
<---------------
The race plan was to do a workout on the course that we will run for Canadian XC Nationals.  I wasn't allowed to win so I had to make it interesting somehow.


...and this is the picture I sent to Alex's phone when it happened.

                 ------------------------->

...he didn't like that too much!
  (But it sure was funny!)

I leave you with quotes from Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Black Knight: "Tis but a scratch!"
               "What! Just a flesh wound"
Arthur: "What are you going to do? Bleed on me?"

2 X 2 X-Country

Within triathlon there are 3 transitions.
Within life there are many more!

Recently, I have transitioned from triathlon race season to cross country running season and focused swim work with Trinity Western University.  We have had 2 weekend races (6 km) already: Sept 17 Sundodger in Seattle, WA and Sept 24 Whistler Spirit Run in Whistler, B.C. of course!

2nd place and 2nd place! (2 X 2)
Not to forget that my new teammate Fiona Benson and I ran like a team side-by-side for both races (2 X 2)
I suppose I've got a little extra in the tank for the final kick.

Thank you Ron Voth for your ap-PARENT-ly good photographs!

21:59 and 23:01 (dependent on course differences and our 'goal' for each race)
Read about it:
http://www.valleyroyals.org/
http://twu.ca/athletics/cc-track/

The Vancouver Sun's ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Saturday, September 10, 2011 The Vancouver Sun awards Alison Jackson as one of their Athletes of the Week for placing 2^nd at Multisport Canada’s 10^th Annual Stanley Park Triathlon!

Early morning on Monday, September 5^th, Vancouver held MSC’s 10^th Annual Stanley Park Triathlon.

Action Jackson’s Top 5 Points of the Day:

1. SUNSHINE!!!!

2. Alison races, for the second time, against an ‘elite’ Colleen Latham and battles on the run course to pass her for second place overall and a 39:12 10K.

3. I was blessed enough to have my husband ALEX on his 23^rd BIRTHDAY cheer me on the whole way!

4. Two of our good couple-friends joined us post-race to bike the seawall (which was coasting for me :))

5. And yes, I did get a scoop of one of the 218 flavours on site at La Casa gelato in Vancouver!

Full Results at resultscanada.com

Spartan article on TWU Spartan Athlete website

Honeymoon Hike replaces Apple Triathlon

The Master Plan

August 13^th:

• GET MARRIED

August 14^th:

•  :)

August 15^th-18^th:

• SWIM & BIKE & RUN: total 6-7hrs
• Swim at Jasper activity pool and Banff Fairmont hotel 50m pool
• One road cycle
• Early morning and/or late afternoon runs
• Cross-training: Mtn Biking and Hiking

August 19^th:

• AQUATHON: 2.5K run-1K swim-2.5K run (in association with Apple Triathlon)

August 20^th:

• RACE PREP: 30min run drills & 1:15 quick interval course cycle; pick up race package and check-in bike at transition
• Eat well and sleep well

August 21^st:

• 5:00 Transition Opens
• 9:35 Race Start

The Real Deal

August 13^th:

• GOT MARRIED!!!

August 14^th:

•         :) :) :)

August 15^th-18^th:

• Swam at Jasper activity pool (1:20); no road cycle; 3x runs
• Mountain Biked (one fun afternoon)
• Hiked Cascade Mountain in Banff: 3,000m; hiked an extra 5K loop (why? Too eager at the start); 1hr later we are on the right trail; 5hrs later Alex’s legs have died but we want to summit (the mountain); 6hrs we got to the top (no tears); 8.5 hrs later we are at the bottom and I have to drive because the mountain destroyed my husband’s legs; 16hrs later we wake up and each step is painful for both of us

August 19^th:

• AQUATHON: Yes, I still want to race it...but I will just use it as a warm-up (it is a really casual race)...but I am too competitive and I win...then Alex and I continue to shuffle around like old people.
• ICE BATH

August 20^th:

• RACE PREP: 30min run drills & 25min ride my bike to transition; pick up race package (that they didn’t have for me) and check-in bike at transition
• Both sets of parents and arrive and we eat bison and makes a new plan

August 21^st:

• 5:00 Transition Opens
• 6:00 Alison wakes up
• 6:15 Alison still does her run drills
• 7:00 Alison has breakfast
• 8:00 Alex has breakfast and we repack the car
• 9:35 Race Start
• 9:40 Alison and Alex cheer on the Women 20-24
• 11:20 Alison and Alex meet their parents at the beach for family time and a swim in the Okanagan Lake 

I am very happy with the decision not to race.  I really wanted to race, but with a good pair of legs.  I don't need to race just to know I can finish.  I want to race to do well.  Looking at the results I should have been close to the overall podium if not on it.  Looking at the Elite Women results I have raced and beaten two of the women that competed which is very interesting...!

Cascade Mountain

Lake Chaparral Win

First off: Multisport Canada (MSC) has for 13 years put on an exceptional race at Lake Chaparral with a great course.  In fact the entire triathlon race series that MSC put on are well run, have great prizes and a good turnout.  They improve upon event managing every year, and have chosen excellent venues that offer different challenges from race course to race course throughout the summer.  

     This was my third year at Lake Chaparral and I look forward to racing the course every year.  The course is set up around Lake Chaparral, a lake community in South Calgary.  The lake is clean and made for swimming in and the cycling hill this year wasn’t as steep as I remembered it.

My goal was to have a fast start in the water...and to win.  I really had to race smart this weekend because of the slow training week before it.  My body has been stressed out a little bit I think and my legs have been super heavy and really tight.  The week before I spent my training times stretching, rolling and swimming with a band and pull buoy (and...I tried to sleep a lot more too!).  By the time the weekend came I was feeling pretty good but not 100%.  The night before and on race morning I spent extra time in Lake Chaparral to get really comfortable with the open water.

I came third out of the water but the real battle was out on the cycling course.  1^st lap: I watched and waited, gauging #1’s strength.   2^nd lap: I challenged the lead and we rotated through the #1 and #2 spots.  3^rd lap:  I beat her on the hill again.  4^th lap: Held the #1 spot.

 My thoughts on the run were focused on chasing down the lead bicyclist and staying ahead of the ghost footprints behind me.  Still, my legs were tired and I only pushed enough to pull off the win and a 42:28 10K.

Top 5 Moments of the Weekend:

1.       A Sunny Day!

2.       My Cheer team: Alex, Pa Farkash, my Auntie Linda and loud cousin Jason with his beautiful wife Kirsten and children Teyah, Jamieson, and Logan

3.       Overall win and ca$h prize

4.       The announcer kept announcing that I was getting married next week

5.       I realize I am getting married next weekend!

Full Results: http://www.resultscanada.com/results2011/2011_MSC_Lake_Chaparral_Triathlon/2011_Lake_Chaparral_Triathlon_Olympic_Overall.txt

On the Team!

Thu, Jul 14, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Dear Alison

I am pleased to inform you that after reviewing the registrations you have received a spot on the 2012 Age Group Triathlon team.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Julie

Julie Keown
Office Manager
Triathlon Canada

Edmonton ITU

Just one week later and another race (with just a squeak of rest in between)!

The day before prep was almost discouraging because of all the rain and cold...but I just went through a cold and rainy Abbotsford winter of training so no complaints here!! (Just from the cheer team I brought, haha)  So I checked out the 'steep hill' on the bike route and (haha) the things that we Albertans call hills), it was a good course though and the short 10K lap was a nice figure-eight type of loop which kept it interesting.

Sunday morning was still wet and FULL OF MOSQUITOES!  We were only allowed a small dip in the water before the race began which was too bad because I wanted to get a good feel of the water and swim before the race.  Each age group of athletes were escorted to the water's edge by bagpipes (that is how important we are)!

Fiance Alex said I had a very hesitant swim start - like I just let the girls go because they were faster - which is really too bad because I swam the whole race on my own!  No feet to tickle :(  I came 10th out of the water but that is more than 4minutes behind the lead girls!

Transitions were fast, and my cycle faster!  I really am good at hills (that little steep one and the long gradual one).  Each lap I could tell that I was gaining on the girls in front.  I had my eye on Racheal Edwards from Saskatoon, SK, (who beat me in the Saskatoon Sprint earlier this year) and just before coming into transition I passed her.  She (and another girl) beat me out of T2 but I came up and passed them right away and continued to pull away during the 3 lap run.

The run course was flat and fast.  Again, at each turn around I could see four or five women in front of me and pushed to catch and pass.  I wasn't sure if I was going to get all of them...and I guess I didn't because I came in second overall.  Marcy Edgecumbe from Sherwood Park, AB, beat me by just 44 sec in the end (and it was all in the swim!) (Note for Brian: We've got some work to do!).

2:13:31
2nd Female Overall
1st Female 20-24
Fastest Female Bike AND Run Time for the day
...and Another Qualifying Spot for Worlds...so I think we'll go!
Swim   24:27  1:38/100m
Bike  1:09:19  34.6 kph
Run     39:45   3:59/Km
Full Results at resultscanada.com

News Articles on the Big Win!

4 other authors write about me!

Rocky Mountain Outlook - Justin Brisbane
TWU Athletics - Mark Janzen
And in our two local papers!!
Vermilion Voice - Catherin Lee
Vermilion Standard - Francois Biber

Alberta Champion

I had my very first overall win on the weekend at the Canmore Triathlon hosted by Tony Smith for SmithEvents. This overall win dubs me the 2011 Alberta Olympic Champion not only in my Age Cateogory 20-24, but also over ALL the woman racers!

Race day was beautiful and my cheer team was, as always, very enthusiastic spreading themselves about the race course. Mom Farkash, Mom Jackson, Pa Farkash (volunteering, woot woot!), Pa Jackson, and Sister Nicole. Canmore's Three Sisters Parkway and Nordic Centre posed a challenging up & down course for all the athletes. On my practice ride I knew that whoever was going to win this thing would have to be a strong cyclist and runner on these hills. Good thing I love hills (just check with Nigel, Chris, Geoff from Phoenix Velo)!

I held onto feet most of the swim, although I was a bit sloppy in the water I made it out alright. During the bike I felt good. I was really able to push the pace both on the ups & the downs. T2 was fast for me (I just got quick tie elastic laces). I past an 'O' woman right away on the run and then just ran and ran and ran...despite the hot spot blisters I could feel building on the bottoms of both my feet.

My 'team' warned me I was first...but I was skeptical so I kept my eyes locked on whoever (male or female) was ahead and made efforts to catch and pass.

Then I finished.

And I won!

1st Overall Female 2:20:46.9
(4th including the men)!
with the fastest female bike and run time for the day
Full results at http://www.smithevents.ca/Race_Results.html