A Canadian Winter Triathlon: The Ottawa Winterlude Triathlon
Light reading on Canadian winter sports:
A Canadian Who Loves Winter
As a Canadian, I love the winters here in Canada in all its glory. There is nothing more majestic than the first snowfall of the season. It arrives with crisp grey clouds, cool temperatures and large snowflakes that flutter down towards Earth. Up here in Canada, we see a drastic change in the amount of sunlight that we have each day. Beginning on the fall solstice on September 22, we begin to lose daylight as the sun rises later and the sun sets earlier. By October, we can see a visible difference on a daily basis as our days get shorter and our nights grow longer. To survive a Canadian winter, one learns to love the outdoors and the sports associated with the cold weather. From street hockey to ice hockey, snowshoeing to dog sledding, skiing to skating, waterfall ice climbing to ice fishing, and everything in between, we take to the outdoors and enjoy the sun as much as possible. Without our outdoor winter sports, we would experience cabin fever – a craziness that sets in when one is “stuck” indoors for too long without a change of scenery and fresh air.
There are many sports that are very well known. Sports such as ice hockey, figure skating, speed skating, skiing, and freestyle snowboarding but have you heard about the winter triathlon? Unique to the Nation’s Capital of Ottawa, it is known as the Winterlude Triathlon.
The Traditional Triathlon
What is a triathlon? Traditionally, a triathlon is a multi-sport endurance event that consists of three segments. These segments are consecutive and require the athlete to swim, bicycle and run. The race is timed, and the timing includes the transition times as the athlete changes from one venue to the next.
For a general idea of the type of race that the athlete competes in are categorized as the following by the International Triathlon Union are: Sprint distance (750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run), Intermediate distance, commonly referred to as "Olympic distance" (1.5 km swim, 40 km ride, 10 km run), the Long Course (1.9 km swim, 90 km ride, 21.1 km run, such as the Half Ironman), and Ultra Distance (3.8 km swim, 180 km ride, and a marathon 42.2 km run).
In the world of fitness, a triathlon is one of the sports that demand the athletes to be in top shape to perform properly. Unlike most sports, a triathlon requires an athlete to be proficient in two out of three sports.
The Winter Triathlon
In a winter triathlon, it is common to have a combination of segments involving cross-country skiing, running and biking through snow. In Canada, our Winterlude Triathlon requires the athlete to ice skate, cross-country ski and run during one of the coldest months of winter: February. As it is challenging in the sense of temperature and terrain conditions, the skating segment for the 2012 Winterlude Triathlon will be 8 km, the cross-country skiing segment will be 5 km followed by a 5 km run through the snow.
The Ottawa Winterlude Triathlon
The Ottawa Winterlude Triathlon takes place on Dows Lake with ice skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway. The Rideau Canal is infamous for being the world’s largest outdoor skating rink with a total cleared path of 7.8 km (4.8 miles) and an equivalent surface area of 90 Olympic hockey rinks. The Rideau Canal, when not being used for the Triathlon, is a commonplace for gatherings of friends and families for recreational skating. Along the Canal are stations that sell cups of hot chocolate, beaver tails (an original Canadian treat and a “must try”) as well as stations that rent ice skates or ice sleds. There is always entertainment along the way from musicians to magicians to singing around bonfires. As a tradition, the Rideau Canal Skateway is opened in conjunction with the beginning of the Winterlude Festival. On February 5, 2010, the opening ceremonies will mark the 32nd Winterlude Festival and the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Rideau Canal Skateway.
Enjoy the Winter!
For a bit of fun and a twist on an outdoor sport, come and visit (either in person or virtually) the Ottawa Winterlude Triathlon.
Not only will you be witness to a winter triathlon, but you will also witness many more unique winter sports!
Written By: Beth H.
Copyright © 2010
For more information on the Ottawa Winterlude Festival and the Winterlude Triathlon:
- http://www.canadascapital.gc.ca/
Information for events and festivites and more while visiting Ottawa, Canada. - Winterlude Triathlon
This great event is one of the oldest Winterlude activities and exemplifies what winter in the Nation's Capital is all about-skating on the Rideau Canal, coupled with cross-country skiing and running. More detail on this website for registration!
Comments
I am a bad swimmer as a triathlete, but I can't imagine how bad your legs would burn doing cycling, running, and cross country skiing. That sounds a lot more painful,
Vince
www.tribikerun.com
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Winter season are really fun you have the chance to made snowballs, and of course, everybody can ski or snowboard.
Winter Triathlon are really challenging.
I enjoyed reading Hub, especially given that I grew up in Northern B.C. Have lived in the Lower Mainland all of my adult life and still miss the winters. I loved how the sky could be cloudless for days when the ground was buried in snow. On the endless rainy west coast days I use those "touchstones" to raise my spirits! When we do get snow everyone pours outside to enjoy it. If not for the few snowfalls neighbours would not see each other from October to April. Many people head for the mountains to get their "snow fix". I would love to see Ottawa in the winter - thanks for the window! Well Done!
I didn't know there are winter triathlons. I will have to read more about this subject.
When I was driving...I was stuck for a week in Blain Washington that is right on the Canadian border. I don't see how you folks can take it.
Sam Southerner
Great Hub
Good Article - It made me a little home sick; I miss the live hockey games, but I can watch a few on TV here
Great hub, Beth! Beautiful pictures and of course very fitting to what many are experiencing right now! Having lived through another "snowstorm" yesterday I appreciate this subject all the more...everything is a winter wonderland outside...breathtaking! However I will admit I am not such an avid winter lover as you and many of the Canadians...better you than me!!!! haha
Yeah, I agree with you about that. especially if that company is a girl like you. ;) :)
This is a great hub Beth. To be honest, I never realized how many great sporting events went on up in Canada, until I started following you. I guess that's one of the main reasons why I always liked your work because I always learn new and interesting things from you all the time.
Plus, the fact, I kind of have a crush on the writer of this hub. ;)
great post^^
Great Hub! But I have to agree with dohn121. I'm worn out just reading this! Good Work!
Well...It sure looks like great Country to run, ski, skate in...or whatever y'all do up in there in all that cold weather...:)....but it sure does look cold, too...at the same time!
Another good hub! :D
oh Beth, never thought about this and you did a good job friend, first time to know it, Thanks dear, Maita
Nice hub, Beth! I'm hoping you don't mean the traditional, honest-to-goodness, came-off-the-back-end-of-a-real-beaver, beaver. The Inuit kids I went to school with in the arctic thought it was quite a delicacy ;) You mean the pastry, right?
Winter Triathlon? I got exhausted and began sweating just thinking about it1 Great hub, Beth! You're gong to have to explain what a beaver tail is as I'm very interested to know! I lived in Plattsburgh, NY for four years and that was cold enough for me!
Thank you again!
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