Innisfail triathlete Joe Svehla has been busy preparing for the upcoming World Triathlon Championships in Mexico this September.
“I've been training seven days a week since last September,” said Svehla. “I trained all winter and focused mainly on swimming.”
In addition, he worked on his running and biking skills by using a turbo trainer for bike training and a treadmill for running.
Svehla, 49, said he feels ready for the big event and has made good progress in the past few months. However, he has had to slow down running for the time being.
“It's coming along but in the last month I got an injury to my hip. I haven't been able to run for a month,” explained Svehla. “But it's getting better. I've been able to keep swimming and stay on my bike.”
Triathlon racing season begins in early May and finishes in late September or early October, Svehla noted. The World Triathlon Championships runs Sept. 11 to 18 in Cozumel, Mexico.
This July is another big event he may compete in – the Canadian Triathlon Championships in Ottawa.
“If I place in the top 10 at the Canadian championships in Ottawa, I qualify for the 2017 World Championships in Holland,” said Svehla. “I'm focusing right now on the big event in September – the world championships -- and if I can get to Ottawa that would be fantastic,” he added, noting that work, family commitments and time constraints will be factors in his decision.
“It's been a lot of hours. I'm training day and night,” he added. “I train every day before work and three times a week I train after work and extra hours on the weekend.”
Svehla will be competing in the sprint distance (triathlon) on Sept. 16 and standard distance on Sept. 18.
In addition to time, dedication and hard work, Svehla has also prepared himself mentally for the challenge ahead.
“Your body starts to respond to the training. You can feel the power and the endurance which helps you with your confidence,” he said, noting the three short months of training he had prior to last year's world triathlon event in Edmonton.
“Between now and the worlds in Mexico I've trained another full year, so I'll have 15 months of training behind me for the 2016 World Triathlon Championships,” said Svehla. “I've come a long way.”
Joe Svehla
"Your body starts to respond to the training. You can feel the power and the endurance which helps you with your confidence."
