Most accommodations are situated along the coastlines of this 45-kilometre-long, 22-kilometre-wide Island. I stayed at the Canadian-owned Southern Palms Beach Club & Resort Hotel on the south side. The property has 500 metres of soft-sand beach perfect for those early morning walks or jogs before an in-house breakfast buffet. Accommodation can also include a meal package but the fresh muffins and tea at 4 p.m.is free for all guests. This location is special for water enthusiasts because of a small section of shoreline that’s perfect for learning how to surf or bodysurf, while further down the beach the water is calmer—ideal for smaller children and water bathing.

Of course, the food was a highlight with fresh fish in abundance.The use of spices and local garnishes created dishes that were always unique and delicious. The cocktails before and after meals featured their hallmark industry-quality rum. There seemed to be no limits in drink creativity. Barbados is a foodie’s paradise. Some of the amazing restaurants include Cocktail Kitchen, which was walkable from our hotel and was in the heart of the best night life on the Island. My favourite restaurant was Champers, located right on the seashore with a diverse selection to meet every dietary need and preference from main courses to amazing desserts.

Staying a week on this most-southern island in the Caribbean just isn’t enough. The many tours offered are highly recommended, educating visitors on the island’s history. Tourism, sugar cane and rum are the main industries which translate into a safe, friendly visit with lots of great night life and amazing desserts. My favourite tours were the Harrison Caves, which included the Monkey Zipline and the Gully Challenge Obstacle course. Near Harrison Caves, a must see is The Hunt Gardens, which features over 84 species of plants and flowers. Labelled as the most enchanting place on earth, this small footprint is a snapshot of Mother Nature’s most colourful vegetation. The Mount Gay Rum factory (EST 1703) is the second oldest producing factory of rum in the world. This two-hour tour covers all aspects of making rum using the naturally distilled water and locally grown sugar cane and one-of-a kind local yeast. The tour also provides rum tasting and education on how to evaluate and describe the characteristics of a world class rum, which is useful when impressing your friends while sipping the most popular XO Triple Cask Blend variety. Best to purchase a few bottles at the gift shop to bring home. Make sure to wear proper footwear (not sandals) for the tour!

If you would like to see and learn about the entire island in a day, Jungle Tours will guide you around the perimeter of the island for a six-hour trip, stopping at the major tourist attractions. This rugged adventure first heads northeast to the cooler Atlantic coast where some of the best Caribbean surfing can be found. Although not a tour stop, but worthy of a visit, the Zemi Cafe features one of the highest points on the island from which to view the rugged Atlantic Ocean while enjoying some local cuisine. The tour heads inland again, stopping at some of the most historic locations the island has to offer. And finally turns south after a quick drive down Rihanna Drive, past the famous Barbadian singer, songwriter and actress’s childhood home. The tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly for this half-day tour.

One of the most popular Friday night destinations for great market food and entertainment is the Oistins Bay Gardens Entertainment Stage. I was fortunate to witness some local Michael Jackson impersonators and street performers. The food was fresh and delicious from Pat’s Place, a local vendor, and the atmosphere brings out the festive party animal. The locals love to entertain and promote their culture through the arts and cuisine. Make sure to visit Oistins Bay Gardens on the weekends.

If you are looking for a romantic evening lunch or dinner on the seashore look no further than La Cabane. Local delicacies and the lapping of gentle waves make this location memorable. Their fish tacos and caramel banana dessert were spectacular. In the daytime the beach was pristine and calm and earned my vote for the nicest place to spend a beach afternoon with safe swimming (lifeguards nearby).

With so much that Barbados offers, it’s easy to plan an island adventure followed by amazing food each day. The swim festival schedule accommodates the tourist and sun worshipper in everyone as well as providing the opportunity to participate in a world-class event. In 2024 the swim festival is scheduled for November 6-10. Both WestJet and Air Canada fly to Bridgetown typically connecting through Toronto. Again, the festival cannot be more perfectly planned for Canadians looking to test themselves in open-water swimming and get a last dash of sun and hot weather! 

For more information on the Barbados Open Water Festival visit: www.barbadosopenwaterfestival.com

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It is important to be consistent in training particularly with a weekly routine. Each day of the program and its scheduling has a purpose so stick with it. You may find the overall fatigue running the half-marathon pace similar to the back end of a marathon, so be prepared for the same. In the last six weeks several sessions in each discipline will be beyond the race distance; that is normal. On race day expect the unexpected and celebrate your health and fitness by racing in the moment. The race is a means to challenge yourself physically and mentally. 

Coach’s Tips 

• No need to swim fast but rather safely with confidence. Open water practice is a must. 
• Practice your nutrition in training so that you can ingest fuel and hydrate on the bike ride. 
• Break up the race into these segments: swim start, end of swim, transition 1, first 10 km on bike, halfway on bike, transition 2, first 5 km into the run, halfway into the run, final 5 km. 
• Accept poor sleep the night before the event. It won’t affect your performance. 
• Review your training the night before the race to build mental confidence and focus on execution. 
• Prioritize training in this order: long bike rides, long runs, simulated brick workouts, simulated triathlons, a few open water swims ideally with others.  
• For more important information on training, you can check out my paper: Training Principles and Issues for Ultra-endurance Athletes (Current Sports Medicine Report, 2005). 

Legend 

FTP – Functional Training Power or 30 min time trial effort 
TT – Time trial triathlon position 
WU – Warm-up 
CD – Cool down 
R – Rest 
MP – Marathon pace 
HMP – Half-marathon pace

Download a PDF of the training Plan 12 Weeks to a Successful 70.3

You may also like: 16 Weeks to Your Best Marathon Time

Read This Story in Our 2023 Running Issue
Featuring Rory Linkletter, Canadian long-distance runner. Add to your bucket list with the top Destination Marathons Around the World. Train for 10 km right up to a marathon – plus a 70.3 program. Increase your strength and work your core with Canada’s Top Fitness Trainers. Enjoy plant-based, post-run breakfasts and so much more.

As an elite athlete and master endurance coach, I stay current with scientific research and applied learning. Much of this attention is driven by my athletic performance goals which included my first World IRONMAN 70.3 Championships on Sept. 17 in St. George, Utah. When preparing for a World Championships, I create a training program that has all the proven methods to maximize performance gains and recovery. The final six-eight weeks is what makes the difference. I don’t waste my time or money on market-driven tools that have no validity or reliability. Furthermore, I keep my training, nutrition and recovery simple. The results of detailed planning and meticulous execution resulted in my first IRONMAN 70.3 World title at age 53 — a title earned riding a 15-year-old triathlon bike and without carbon plated shoes. My point is that your health and training trumps any equipment purchase or technology. Don’t get too caught up in the shiny bells and whistles and grand promises. 

Looking back on my career in triathlon, my ultimate goal was to win a world title. Growing up as a soccer player, running and eventually cycling developed quickly. But swimming was a challenge. When I step back and try to identify the key principles that have allowed me to pursue maximal performance, the following come to mind.

Athletes need a low level of baseline stress to maximize recovery and training loads. Losing a job or going through divorce will affect your performance.

Consistency in training is the next most important principle to develop superior endurance performance.

Beside time constraints, structural and soft tissue health can be a major limiter to remaining consistent. Regular tissue care, as basic as stretching and sport massage is critical. 

Rest must not only allow the peripheral tissue to adapt, but promote recovery of central systems such as hormones and cellular processes.

Age and aging will always play a role in the amount or type of training load. Pay attention to how well your body is recovering and adapt your training accordingly.

Wearable tools and body data should be considered, but never used exclusively to determine training load. Mood and motivation work best to identify general fatigue. Even tracking heart rate variability has flaws. 

Diet supports the training energy requirement and more importantly, recovery. But it does not need to be complicated, nor overly restrictive or expensive. Paying hundreds of dollars a month for supplements simply is not necessary. A general understanding of training adaptation is beneficial to remain positive and motivated through the mindless grind of daily routines.

The older the athlete is, the more important proper recovery practices are (stretching, water therapy, protein intake, fascial release, skeletal adjustments, etc). Video is a great tool to assess technique in all sports, helping to identify your limitations.

Despite three decades that have come and gone for me and IMPACT, the fundamentals of training, nutrition and recovery have stood the test of time. There are no magic pills to take. It’s about having a plan that fits you and sticking to it. Once you’ve put in the hard work, try implementing my training tips to reach your true performance potential.

Coach Cal’s Training Tips to Be Your Best

• After high-stress run sessions, active recovery such as deep-water running or an easy 30-minute ride are the best methods to reduce excessive inflammation and promote recovery (much better than compression leg boots).
• Regular exposure to natural altitude is superior to any altitude chamber or device.
• Less is better when designing intensive training sessions.
• Midday naps make all the difference when training two-three times per day.
• My personal super foods are eggs, avocados, and salads.
• Listen to your intuition during a training session. Stop or back off before a mishap.
• Never sacrifice your health for fitness gains.
• Trust your fitness, even when under high anxiety of a race.

Photography by FinisherPix

Read This Story in Our 30th Anniversary Digital Edition
Celebrate 30 years of Canada’s best health and fitness publication!
Explore future trends in health, fitness and food in this special 30th anniversary edition. Find our favourite tech and kitchen must-haves, then work out with two of IMPACT Magazine’s Canada’s Top Fitness Trainers before making one of our delicious plant-based recipes – all inside this issue!

Below is a 12 week program with guidelines to follow. There are a number of important aspects to consider beyond the training program which are necessary to achieve a half-Ironman goal. These are outlined in my paper, Training Principles and Issues for Ultra-endurance Athletes, published in Current Sports Medicine Reports 2005.

Important principles to understand:

• Consistency in training is most important with a weekly routine. Each day of the program and its scheduling has a purpose. Stick with it.
• Within the last 6 weeks, several sessions in each discipline should be over distance (beyond the race distance.)
• No need to swim fast but rather safely with confidence – but below the cut off time! Open water practise is a must.
• The longest event is the bike which serves as the means to ingest fuel and hydrate. Practise this in training.
• The half marathon running pace and overall fatigue will be similar to the back end of a marathon.
• Break up the race into these segments: Swim Start, End of Swim, Transition 1, First 10K on bike, Half-Way on Bike, Transition 2, First 5K into the Run, Half-way into the Run, Final 5K.
• Accept poor sleep the night before the event. It won’t affect your performance.
• Review your training the night before the race to build mental confidence and focus on execution.
• Proper fuelling and hydration management can make or break your experience and success rate. You must practise in training.
• Key training in priority order: Long Bikes, Long Runs, Simulated BRICK, Simulated Triathlons, a few Open Water swims ideally with others
• On race day, expect the unexpected and celebrate your health and fitness by racing in the moment. The race is a means to challenge yourself physically and mentally.

Download printable 12 week IRONMAN 70.3 training plan.

ÖTILLÖ, meaning island-to-island, involves 150 teams of two from countries around the world who swim between and run across 26 islands off the coast of Sweden. Running in a special wetsuit and swimming in aquatic running shoes, paddles on their hands and a pull buoy between their legs, athletes cover 65 km of trails and 10 km of open-water swimming in the Baltic Sea by day’s end. To make it even more challenging, rules state that partners must always be within 10 metres of each other and often teams will tether together, particularly in the swim legs.

This race, created back in 2002, is the longest of all SwimRuns on the World Circuit, and is the Holy Grail of the SwimRun world with teams needing to qualify or be accepted based on athletic achievement. Upon further investigation, I discovered that only six different Canadians had ever finished! The fastest all-Canadian team completed this race in just over 11 hours and 30 minutes.

For the last 15 years of my life, I scheduled the same goals and wanted the same outcome. I had won eight World Triathlon Titles and countless National titles. This is a sport I understand and love. I’m good at it and repeat the same hard work and preparation year after year.

Competing in ÖTILLÖ would put me way outside my comfort zone resulting in sleepless nights and anxiety. Not only was the race intimidating, but my partner, Myron Tetreault, was a superior ultra-runner, who had recently placed top 10 at a 100-miletrail-running race at Zion Canyon. My last ultra-endurance challenge was IRONMAN Hawaii back in 1999, but what created the most anxiety was my fear of long, open water swims with no land nearby.

Over the last six weeks before ÖTILLÖ, I was averaging nearly 18 km of swimming and 80 km of running per week. Not only did we need to be in top condition, but we needed to tolerate 12-14 °C water and slippery rock entries and exits. Thankfully, we had Upper Kananaskis Lakes in the heart of the Canadian Rockies to expose us to a perfect training environment, similar to the race location.

Race day was surreal. A nervous stomach and tons of self-doubt plagued me. Thankfully, the Baltic Sea was still, there was no wind and not a cloud in the sky. Experienced athletes cautioned us that the first six hours were merely the warm up, taking us to the edge of the Pig Swim, a 1.4 km open-water, exposed swim and my biggest fear. A strobe light at our exit point aided in our navigation. Surprisingly on entry to the swim, I felt strength and courage. I took the lead position allowing Myron to draft. Having Myron directly behind me created a sense of safety and I swam hard.

We made short work of this nasty swim and focussed more on the last 40 per cent of the race which had less swimming and more running. One of the running segments was close to 20 km long alternating between paved road, gravel and trail surfaces. This run segment was the crux of the race. Teams that were having a good day would run this segment in two hours, while those that struggled would take nearly four and risk not making the cut-off at one of many check points.

Our secret goal was to break 10 hours, but we knew that to reach this goal we’d have to do everything perfectly. Myron was brilliant in creating a pace chart at all check points to meet this dream goal. Surprisingly, we nailed each sub-goal and ran and swam past many teams in the final two hours with time splits equal to the top teams. We crossed the finish line in a time of 9:56:28, smashing the Canadian record.

Today, I see the endurance world in a different way – a view that opens the door to new and more challenging opportunities to keep pushing my personal boundaries and prodding me to explore what Mother Nature has to offer. The sport of SwimRun offers a new spark to an endurance-driven personality with the added bonus of sharing that experience with a partner.

For visual coverage of the race, check out the fabulous footage on YouTube’s ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship 2018 – The Struggle.

1. Slow Down!

With cold air and running surfaces that are far from ideal, allow yourself to run slow, breathe easy and stay warm. Additional clothing increases body mass and frictional resistance making your efforts to run a certain pace greater. Be kind and accept a slower pace.

2. Cold temperature

Running increases the mechanical ground forces that are transmitted through frozen footwear.  Runners often complain of sore knees and hips after their first run in colder weather. Some of this soreness and residual body ache is caused by different impact and vibrational forces. To avoid discomfort, run shorter durations at a slow pace. If your typical long run is ninety minutes, best to reduce that duration by twenty-five per cent. Runs longer than two hours when the weather is cold are not recommended. But a longer snowshoes workout to build durations and minimize risk of injury is suitable.

3. Multi-layers

A wicking layer, a warm layer and a wind layer. Use mitts over light gloves to protect your hands. Use longer and thicker socks in running shoes that fit you well. Cover exposed skin when temperatures drop below -15C. Monitor the wind chill, too. Use goggles and a facemask or balaclava. Men should make sure they wear wind-resistant undergarments and/or pants!

4. Shoes

Soft-tread shoes and winter non-slip shoe covers with steel studs. These choices will reduce slipping and allow for a slightly longer stride length. Be mindful to strike the ground with your mid-foot (not heel), allowing for the greatest tread contact. This change will likely slow your pace and even stimulate a higher cadence to reach your normal run speeds.

5. Hydratation

On runs greater than 90 minutes hydrate continuously. With additional clothing that likely increases sweat rate, dehydration can occur quickly. Ideally your pace should be slow enough to minimize perspiration. A water bottle waist belt works well, but must be worn underneath the wind layer to prevent freezing.

6. Indoor Training

Do your hard running and intervals on an indoor track or inside on the treadmill. Frequent speed intervals build cardiorespiratory fitness, maintain neurological coordination at higher speeds and challenges the body to handle higher ground forces.

7. Travel

Book a destination race in a warm place to enjoy all your hard work in the cold and offer yourself an earned break from freezing temperatures.

Snowshoe running is a fitness building fun time that will fatigue all the major muscle groups while being outside in the sunshine

Your calves, quadriceps, gluteals, lower back, abdominal and all the muscles stabilizing your pelvis are developed beyond your wildest dreams without stepping into the gym. Your cardiovascular fitness reaches a new level of endurance and power. If that is not enough, you can gain enough altitude to feel like you are climbing Mount Everest (high altitude exercise builds superior fitness).

Snowshoeing is extremely easy to perform, requires minimal equipment and is an absolute blast. No waxing, no wind chill created by moving fast, just simple adventurism on your own two feet.

I have been incorporating alpine snowshoeing into my training periodization since 1992 with huge benefits. It not only replaces freezing three hour runs (my training groups only run two hours maximum in the cold), but adds variety and adventure to any program. I maintain much of my cycling strength by snowshoeing twice a month for 3-6 hours.

After several outings, I will wear ankle weights and load my backpack with water weight to increase the training stimulus. There is no need to move fast. Socialize and visualize climbing one of the Seven Summits. No cars to worry about, just enjoying clean air and nature’s silence. Slow and steady is the game.

The muscle strength and endurance I have gained from snowshoeing has allowed me to trail run steeper hills in the spring with great fitness and resilient tissue strength, particularly in the calf-Achilles complex.

Most of all, snowshoeing has cured me of a nagging IT band injury that impeded my peak potential during triathlon and mountain biking season.

In terms of equipment, snowshoes have come a long way since the wooden frames. Aluminum or carbon fibre frames are now the standard. They are hassle free and well made with great boot bindings.

A good pair of hiking boots and winter clothing that can be layered against the elements are necessary, as are great mitts, a hat and neck warmer, along with sunglasses and ski goggles.

A small backpack will carry a first-aid kit, sunscreen, headlamp, foot and hand warmers, and store your extra clothing, repair parts, food and fluids. If you are snowshoeing in extreme terrain, make sure to pack avalanche equipment, too.

The final piece of equipment is adjustable length hiking poles with large snow baskets. These poles add four points of contact with the snow for safety and help develop upper body strength when climbing steep slopes. They are also used to keep your balance when descending steep deep snow slopes (almost telemark style).

If you can do this type of alpine snowshoeing two to three times per month this winter, your fitness level will shine when the riding and running season begins.

Your Path to Snowshoe Fitness

Pray for snow, then …

• Start with flat terrain, such as a golf course. It’s as easy as walking until you encounter deep snow, which requires more hip flexor strength and balance.
• Once you have mastered flat terrain, enter the vertical gain phase. Find a nice hill close to home. March up and down several times and add a full backpack as your confidence and fitness builds. Start with an hour then build to 2-3 hours.
• Graduate to bigger hills and even mountains, if you have them nearby. Some ski hills permit snowshoers, but check the rules before you head out.
• If backcountry and tranquility is more to your liking, revisit your favourite mountain bike trails you rode last summer, or seek out some fresh powder terrain.

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To place well in triathlon, all three disciplines need to be developed with a focus on technique and conditioning to improve economy at race effort. This development takes thousands of hours of purposeful training.

In 1985, I did my first triathlon, breaststroking most of the swim. After nine years in the sport, I made the Canadian age-group triathlon team. Five years later I was winning my age group at nationals. Five years after that, I won my first world triathlon title and now, at age 48, I have six world titles, two world silvers and am ranked No.1 in the World in 70.3 distance for my age group.

The bottom line, greatness does not come overnight, but can be reached by most ordinary athletes willing to follow these 10 triathlon triathlon training principles.

1. 1. Consistency in Training is Critical. Day after day, month after month and year after year — if you want to get faster in triathlon, regular training is necessary. Do the work! To improve, you will rarely have more than two days away from training. Be creative and mix it up. If you find yourself getting sick or injured frequently, that is a sign your training stress is too high or too frequent for your lifestyle Your nutrition might not be adequate.
   2. You can’t buy greatness. I still race on my 12-year-old triathlon bike. Get good equipment (buy used), take care of it and spend your money on the factors that will promote consistency, progress and good health (nutrition and rest). The limiter in your training progression is health — avoiding small injuries that impair your ability to be consistent. A training program that systematically challenges the body to be structurally resilient is imperative.
   3. Discover which distance and variation is best for you. Some athletes prefer longer distances, while others do much better in shorter races. You may want to explore off-road triathlon that requires more aerobic power and skill. Sometimes it takes a decade to discover your favourite distance or style. After that, it’s time focus on getting faster.
   4. Swim a lot. Even though the swim is the smallest percentage of your race (17% in Olympic distance and 10% in long course), it should be the one discipline you train most frequently. Swimming can aid in recovery and overall health, but to race fast, you need to swim 4-6 times per week and accumulate 10-12K per week. I suggest 4 times per week with a mid-week double on one day as you build toward your goal race. Variable training (different strokes, interval durations and intensity) is also important. If all your races are in a wetsuit, train with floatation pants.
   5. Train on your race bike. About 4-6 weeks out from your first road triathlon, start riding your triathlon or time trial bike (using triathlon bars). Do not make the mistake that you can train on a mountain bike or road bike and smoothly transition to riding fast on your triathlon bike. Ride your triathlon bike at least once a week throughout the year.
   6. Keep your body mass within 5 per cent of your race weight. Do not let your body morph into a soft hibernating butterball. Stay true to a maximum weight gain and regulate your eating patterns and choices to your training program. Do not justify binge eating because you had an epic training session. Focus on protein and essential oils to minimize inflammation and enhance recovery.
   7. Surround yourself with great athletes who are willing to include you in training. Learning how to train, what to expect during and after training sessions and how to deal with setbacks is all part of the journey. Great clubs, coaches and teammates will provide the environment of personal greatness.
   8. Simulate a triathlon or enter a low-key practice race before your season begins to prepare you for the heightened anxiety of competition. Create a transition bag that has all your gear and necessities. You will discover items that are needed or need to be replaced. Don’t let your first important race of the season turn into a practice session because you were unprepared.
   9. Train hard and listen to your body. Great rid of headphones and electronics! Develop that internal feel for a sustainable effort. Knowing what is too hard comes with experience. To this day, I have never raced with a power meter and rarely race with a heart rate monitor (not even in 70.3 events). When I race XTERRA triathlon, I do not even wear a sport watch. Trust how you feel rather than relying on numbers. Ask yourself if you can go harder relative to the duration and course dynamics. Racing fast comes from the heart, with the added cognitive guidance for fuel and hydration.
   10. Do workouts that are more uncomfortable than your race. It is OK to explore aggressive levels of pace and eventually tire in training. Bonk once or twice in a training session. Go for it once in a while. Explore your limits. But don’t do this more than once per week in a given discipline. And always rest when your body needs it. Pick your battles, know when to ease up and enjoy being fit!

1. 1. Layer your clothing with a wicking base layer, warmth layer and wind layer. Use mitts and light gloves to protect your hands. Use longer and thicker socks in running shoes that fit you well. Cover exposed skin when temperatures drop below -15C. Watch the wind chill, too. Use goggles and a facemask or balaclava. Men should make sure they wear wind resistant undergarments and/or pants!
   2. Running in cold temperatures increases the mechanical ground forces that are transmitted through frozen footwear. Often, runners complain of sore knees and hips after their first run in colder weather. Vibrational forces cause some of this soreness and residual body ache. To avoid too much discomfort, slow down and run less. If your typical long run is 90 minutes, best to reduce that by 25 per cent. I rarely prescribe runs longer than two hours when the weather is cold. But I do advocate longer snowshoes to build durations and minimize risk of injury. Make sure your calves and achilles are conditioned for snowshoe running or hiking.
   3. Slow Down! With cold air and running surfaces that are far from ideal, allow yourself to run slow, breathe easy and stay warm. With all the additional clothing that increases body mass and frictional resistance, your effort to run a certain pace is greater. Accept a slower pace.
   4. Hydrate continuously on runs greater than 90 minutes. With additional clothing that likely increases sweat rate, dehydration can occur quickly. Ideally your pace should be slow enough to minimize perspiration. A water bottle waist belt works well, but should be worn under the wind layer to prevent freezing.
   5. Wear soft tread shoes and try non-slip shoe covers that have steel studs. These choices will reduce slipping and allow for a slightly longer stride length. Be mindful to strike the ground with your midfoot and not your heel, allowing for the greatest tread contact. This change will likely slow your pace and even stimulate a higher cadence to reach your normal run speeds.
   6. Do your hard running and intervals on an indoor track or on the treadmill. Frequent speed intervals build cardiorespiratory fitness, maintain neurological co-ordination at higher speeds and challenges the body to handle higher ground forces.
   7. And after you’ve put in all that hard work… book a destination race somewhere warm to enjoy your efforts!