Repost from SPARTAN ATHLETICS

CROSS COUNTRY
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2012
AGE GROUP WORLD TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPARTANS JACKSON TO COMPETE AT AGE GROUP WORLD TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIPS

LANGLEY, British Columbia – Alison Jackson is a machine.

When she’s not on the trails with the Trinity Western cross country team, she’s in the pool with the Spartans swim team. When she’s not in the pool, she’s on the road with her cycling team.  When she’s not on her bike, she’s in class. When she’s not in class, she’s in the library studying. And when she’s not studying, well she’s probably laughing and smiling somewhere and giving someone a big hug.

Sleeping and eating? Well that finds a place somewhere in between.

Jackson is a triathlete, but not just any triathlete. On Monday, Oct. 22 at 8:30 a.m. local time, Jackson, who hails from Vermilion, Alta., will be competing in the 2012 Age Group Olympic Distance World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand. And she has her sights set on podium finish.

“I’m aiming for a top-three finish overall,” said the 23-year-old Jackson, who arrived at Trinity Western in January 2010. “I think for my age category (20-24), I’m looking to win it. It’s a little bit ambiguous because I don’t know how to compare it, but I think it’s doable.”

Last summer, Jackson qualified for the Age Group World Championships – a competition that is just below the elite level race and one that doesn’t allow cyclists to draft – by winning the Alberta provincial championship in Canmore, Alta. and since then, she has continued to take great strides forward in her triathlon success, as she’s trained competed with the Spartans track and field, cross country and swim teams. And the ultra-organized Jackson has done so all the while without a dedicated triathlon coach.

“She really deserves the credit for coordinating all her workouts and training without a specific triathlon coach,” said Spartans track and field and cross country coach Laurier Primeau. “She has always been very talented, but now she is working smarter and she’s learning how to taper volumes and peak at the right times. And her efforts have proven fruitful as her lone crossing country result this year saw her finish second in the Western Washington Classic (with a time of 21:42 over six kilometres).”

Following her first full season with the Spartans cross country, track and field and swim teams last year – highlighted by a 31st place finish at the Canadian Senior Cross Country Championships and an eighth place finish in the 3000m at the Canada West Championships – Jackson started gearing up for her first ever Age Group World Triathlon Championships.

And, in the process, she continued to climb the triathlon ladder, earning herself the opportunity to race at the elite level on two separate occasions. This year, she raced in the Kelowna ITU Triathlon Premium Pan American Cup at the Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon, where she finished 13th in a time of 2:20:21.  Then, most recently, she competed in the Buffalo ITU Triathlon Pan American Cup at the Nickel City Triathlon in a field that included Bermudian Olympian Fiora Duffy. Unfortunately, she was lapped after mechanical issues and, once lapped, she was forced to withdraw.

But despite the result in Buffalo, the very fact she was racing in the elite category proved she’s most certainly on the right path.

“Every year it has gotten more and more,” Jackson said. “Last year, I was thinking all I wanted to do was race elite and finishes races. But then I’m already there doing that. So my new goal is to get a top 10 finish in an elite race and then we’ll see after that.”

But for now, Jackson is focusing on New Zealand. And with that, not only comes a chance to race but also an opportunity to continue her work with Athletes in Action.

With a group of Canadians, Jackson will, as the international coordinator, help make AIA visible for both Canadian triathletes and those from other countries, which will include hosting small events throughout the time they are in New Zealand.

For Jackson, that opportunity along with the possible opportunity to win a race of this magnitude has her grinning, in typical fashion, from ear to ear.

And if this machine keeps ticking like it has since she came to the Langley campus, her time in New Zealand could well be just another step in an athletic career that is just starting to break out.

Click here for more information on the World Championships.

-TW-

Last Updated: 2012-10-19
Author: Mark Janzen
Email: Mark.Janzen@twu.ca

 

https://twu.ca/athletics/cc-track/news-release/2012-13/2012-10-19-jackson-new-zealand.html

Day Six - What Happened in Between?

Wednesday - Saturday
    
Triathlon Training: how to handle the gusty wind
    and Chaplaincy Training: how to provide 'pastoral' care to athletes
        and Registration: placing stickers and getting the swim cap
             and Team Dinners/Parade/Maple-leaf-bearing :)

Ian, Pam, Marie, Alison, Angela :)

Picture with the wide-eyed Mauri girl

Me on a NZ volcano!  Mount Eden

AIA Chaplaincy course with Roola and Ross

Sunday

Momma and Papa Farkash arrive (YAY!!!) and Lonnie and Alicia arrive (YIPPEE!!)
     and
Try New Zealand Church?  Sure!  (They fed us and wished us well in the races)


Monday... yeah that's race day :)

'NEW' Zealand - Day One

Hey!

We are settled into our hotel :)

I slept 8 HRS straight on the plane - a 14hr flight! (CrrrrAzy!)  We left 8:00pm on Sunday, October 14, to arrive 6:00am October 16.  Sigh...what happened to Lonnie's birthday????  Anyway, that sleep produced in me a good enough attitude to ride the course with Team Canada in the morning, AND swim the course with the team in the afternoon.

It's brilliant here (kiwi talk)

We love meeting locals and borrowing their grocery savings card :)

I'll leave you with a picture of the day.

Cheers! (also kiwi talk)

Squeezing In A 6K before NZ

The Lake Padden race is a cross country race that we are fairly familiar with at TWU.  We have raced there three years in a row now and we keep getting faster!

Here is how it went: I had been researching ‘imagery techniques’ for my Sport Psychology class and put them to good use the night before the race: I played out several scenarios of the race in my mind – winning each one of course!  So I really felt totally mentally prepared.  Also, run training for NZ has been going really, really well.  In practice I look strong and I have been having good consistent times to prove it!   

Still to my surprise I won 2^nd place at today’s race :)

Next up New Zealand!  Here we go 10 DAYS!

Check out TWU’s Game Recap, Photos and Video Interviews on the race here.

DSQ – Not the Greatest Feeling

The short story is that my swim was slow (24:50) and the top two ladies were fast (20:10).  The bike course was short, 8 x 5K loops (8min laps); by the time I got out on the bike course the top ladies were working together really well and ready to start their second lap while I started my first.  ITU rules are if you get lapped on the bike you are DSQ.  Unlucky for me that on the start of my 3^rd lap my seat fell down (that’s a problem) and at the end of that lap the top two girls had overtaken me.  Even without the bike malfunction I don’t know how long I could have held them off.  I passed a few girls on the bike, but the next girl, Rakel, was keeping a steady distance in front of me.  By looking at the race stats, she caught a few Guatemala girls and probably pulled them to keep ahead.  Last year half the pack had been lapped!

After going for a cool down run I watched the rest of the race: really amazing racers out there.  Alex said that he was really proud of me for handling the DSQ like I did: not getting upset, but taking the DSQ as a motivator for hard and consistent training.  My sister nailed it when she said, “Ok, so now you know you have to work that much harder on the swim…I’m glad you got the experience though you had to figure that out somehow.”

Yes, there are a few things I learned about training and racing and a few more things Alex and I learned about traveling!

1) Never fly US Airways with a bike ($200 extra each way!)

2) Sign up for race courses that suit me (longer bike loops or hills)

3) Call very early to book a homestay (save $)

4) Make friends with locals (experience the area)

5) You don't have to park in the valet Park n' Fly (there are 2 lots)

Alex and I really did have a grrrREAT adventure!  Here are some pictures from Buffalo!

Military Ships

That's what I call 'Powered by Bison'

Our B&B hosts from Oma's Guest Haus hooking us up with VIP passes to their favorite Blues bar for live music from Ronnie Baker Brooks

Alex and I at Niagara Falls

Amazing family from Toronto came to watch the race...but hanging out afterwards made it worth it to come to the race :)  Thanks Auntie Annelies and Uncle Justin!

                                                           

Complete ITU results HERE.

A New Taste of Apple

I have competed 2 times before at the Kelowna Apple Triathlon, but this 3rd time was different because I raced at high noon.  Yes, because I was racing my very first elite race!

Here is how it went:

      - Dead last out of the water (25:00!! My Edmonton ITU swim time was 22:38 on dead legs…hmmm…we’ll have to figure that one out)

      - Alex said that got everyone in my family worried! (Hee hee, my family :)

      - I had been preparing myself this summer for a draft legal cycling race, but I still had to time trial the whole 40km!  I caught a few girls on the bike and excitedly initiated that we work together: so I powered on then when I got tired I looked for the switch but they were nowhere to be seen!  At least it helped me pick up the pace for those laps!

      - On my 2/4 laps on the run I got to run with the lead girl Ellen Pennock.  I let her go but really I should have hung on to her and let her lead me into a good run time.  I denied myself that privilege because while I was on 2/4 laps she was on 3/4, but that was a challenge my mind refused while my body would have been able to respond.

What did I learn:
- Elite racing is TOUGH!

- I love racing even when I do not win – even when I am last!

- I have an AMAZING Family that supports my racing – I think I had the BIGGEST cheer zone!

- I have got to get a good technical swim coach with a big EYE on me this year

- I have to pick up my knees when running and have quick steps

- Elite racers are fun to make friends with :)

- Say ‘Yes’ to the challenges presented on the run

Swim: 25:01

T1: 1:32

Bike: 1:14:10

T2: 0:30

Run: 39:10

TOTAL: 2:20:21

Complete Results Here

Bison BBQ Thank You Vermilion!

A big, big, big thank you to all those who came to our Bison on the Bun BBQ and Bake Sale in Vermilion on August 14th.  Everyone was so incredibly generous and amazing.

We sold lots of Bison Buns and I had some really great chats with those who came to hang out.  I was very blessed to see all these people who came out to our event in support of my athletic pursuits.

A BIG BIG thank you goes to my parents at Farkash Farms who donated all the bison meat and the Bison prizes.

With all of the money raised I was able to purchase a Bike Bag for travel, Draft-legal Areo Bars, and a new bike seat!!  Also, we are able to use some money to take me to USAT Nationals in Buffalo, NY this September 15!

Me in my bike bag! See if you really want to come to New Zealand with us you really CAN come in my suitcase!

So again, THANK YOU Vermilion!