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PTO Canadian Open on Pause for 2023

PTO Canadian Open on Pause for 2023

Deal with race adversity by flipping the script, and what are the best carbs for fueling?

Matthew Sharpe
January 31, 2023

Good morning everyone!

Hope you all had a great weekend. My dog, Reggie, and I spent most of our Saturday driving from Boulder, Colorado, to Phoenix, Arizona. The blowing snow and wind had me white-knuckling the steering wheel and it was tense times for this Pacific Northwesterner. But as we descended into New Mexico, the bright sun cracked through the thick clouds, and it was smooth sailing for the rest of the journey. Now I'm stoked for a month of warm weather, and hopefully a nice little fitness boost!

In this edition we've got:

A breakdown of the PTO Canadian Open news 🔨
A guide of the best carbs for fueling your workouts 🍭
Plus: Part II of our interview with performance psychologist, Alex Auerbach 💪

Thank you for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, Canadian Olympic triathlete, current long course racer, and now, a newsletter writer.

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ONE BIG THING

PTO Canadian Open Put On Pause for 2023

PTO

What is it: As announced by the team at Do North Events on their Instagram page, the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) Canadian Open will not be held in 2023.

According to Do North Events, the event will unable to be held due to circumstances outside of their control.
Triathlon Magazine Canada has also reported that critical funding for the event was not provided by the City of Edmonton.

Why it matters: After an extensive, and widely successful history of hosting major triathlon events, this will be the first year, pandemic notwithstanding, since 2014 that Edmonton will not host triathletes at the storied Hawrelak Park.

On its Instagram post, Do North stated they are committed to working with the PTO and government partners to return the event to Edmonton in 2024.
In the meantime, Do North will host other events including the Canadian Cycling Championships, a 3x3 Basketball tournament, and a volleyball tournament.

Tempo's take: This is really unfortunate news for PTO athletes and fans of the sport. After having raced in Edmonton for most of the past eight years, including last year's Canadian Open, I can certainly speak to the world-class quality of the events that the Do North team puts on.

The bike course for last year's PTO Canadian Open was hilly and technical, which made for compelling race dynamics including a couple of trips to cramp city, myself included! 😂
Do North may also be hosting a triathlon test event at a unique and new race venue this summer 🤫

NEWS

👶 Yo yo yo! (we're pregnant): Professional triathletes, Lara Gruden and Sam Long recently announced that they are expecting. Looks like another edition to the incredible recent class of tri babies! [Sam Long and Lara Gruden - Instagram]

🐉 Wales woes: A date change to the busy summer holiday season has been described as "totally unacceptable" by locals ahead of the 2023 edition of Ironman Wales. An emergency meeting will be held on February 7th at the Regency Hall in Saundersfoot to discuss concerns people may have. [Western Telegraph]

🏁 Omanman: This Saturday, February 4th, the capital of Oman will play host to the 5th edition of Ironman 70.3 Muscat. The race organizers hope the event will help raise the profile of Triathlon in the country and bolster Oman's hopes of becoming a global hotspot for sports tourism. [Muscat Daily]

🌟 Paratri goes Hollywood: Great news for paratriathlon as it has been confirmed in the Games program for the 2028 Los Angles Paralympics. After debuting at Rio 2016, para-triathlon has only grown in its presence with each Olympic programme. Could we see a para-mixed relay at L.A. 2028?

EXPERT ANALYSIS

Dealing With Adversity? Flip the Script. Part II of Our Interview With Performance Psychologist Alex Auerbach

Dr. Alex Auerbach is a high-performance psychologist and executive coach who currently works with the NBA’s Toronto Raptors. He has worked with NCAA Division 1 Football programs and has consulted with professional, collegiate, and Olympic athletes.

In your experience, what seems to be the best way for athletes who are dealing with adversity like a long-term injury?

For long-term adversity, the best ways I’ve found to manage is:

Keep a healthy perspective;
Try to find other ways to fill yourself up with energy; and
Always stay focused and grounded in the progress you’re making.

What about situational adversity, like losing critical nutrition on the bike or getting punched in the swim and having your goggles break?

For short-term adversity, it’s all about,

Staying connected to the short-term goal;
Consciously choosing to increase your effort; and
Seeing adversity as a challenge.

These three steps tilt us toward what psychologists call a “clutch state,” which is what we need in these tougher times.

Check out the full interview with Dr. Auerbach and learn,

How to deal with pre-race nerves,
Dr. Auerbach's thoughts on flow state and performance, and
How to bust through a performance plateau!

Read the full interview.

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FAVOURITES

🍩 Carb confusion: Fast carb? Slow carb? No carb? Personally, I'm pro-carb. But it really can be confusing what type of carb you need for different fueling demands in racing and training. This infographic from sports scientist Asker Jeukendrop does a great job of listing different carbs based on how quickly they will fuel your performance! [Asker Jeukendrop - Instagram]

🦘 Fast Filipinos: The 2023 edition of the FilOZ (Filipinos in Australia) Triathlon Club's Happy Triathlon was a resounding success with over 120 athletes participating in the event. The goal of the event is to encourage more Aussies, and in particular Filipino ex-pats, to participate in triathlons to benefit their physical and mental health. [SBS Filipino]

🙏 Thinking of you, John: We're sending our best to Connecticut triathlete and race organizer John Bysiewicz in his recovery from a devastating hit and run while he was cycling. A good Samaritan noticed John's bike bag on the road, and after locating John, they called 911 which most certainly saved his life. [Eyewitness News 3]

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EXCLUSIVE TEMPO INTERVIEWS

Scott Tindal on eating properly for Ironman training.
How Samantha Kingsford balances XTERRA and long-course.
Always stay present: An interview with triathlete Martín Ulloa.

COMMUNITY QUESTION

Do you have a burning question about triathlon or Ironman? Want to share a racing tip? Let us know and it could be featured in the newsletter.

Are you racing this weekend? Or any epic training sessions? We'd love to hear about them. Send us your photos or a race recap, and we will feature them in next Tuesday's edition!