Katimavik woman set for 20th Duathlon, 57-year-old holds world record for finishes

Posted Feb 16, 2012 By Jessica Cunha

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EMC Sports - Jane Armstrong is preparing to compete in her 20th Duathlon World Championship with Team Canada this September.

The world record holder for number of consecutive finishes in the run-bike-run competitions has begun training for the event, which will take place in Nancy, France.

"I just kept doing it year after year," said Armstrong. "I'm passionate about it. Being on the Canadian national team, there's so much pride involved."

The 57-year-old Katimavik woman almost didn't become the record holder after a foot injury sidelined her for a number of months in 2008.

A pep talk from friend and mentor Mike McCarthy, who was the previous world record holder for Team USA, kept her on track.

"He said, 'Jane you can't quit now. There are people waiting quietly for you to fail,'" Armstrong said. "That motivated me to keep going."

She competed in the championship race in Italy that year taking the record title, which was "bittersweet," she said.

"I took over the lead from a friend...a supporter," said Armstrong. "I didn't want to be in that position. I respect the other athletes.

"It was emotional."

However, she plans to keep competing for as long as possible.

"As long as I have my health and my motivation," said Armstrong, who runs her own coaching business, Personal Excellence. "As long as I can keep the passion alive for duathlons I will keep competing.

"I'm competitive by nature but that's not the only reason I race, it's the journey."

MEMORABLE

Armstrong's journey has been filled with ups and downs - she has participated in over 300 races and more than 100 duathlon competitions.

The memory that stands out the most for her was the 2010 world duathlon championship in Edinburgh, Scotland. On her way to compete overseas, her mother passed away.

"It was the most memorable and the most meaningful," said Armstrong. "It was a very challenging year in my personal life."

With Scottish roots, her mother had been excited Armstrong would compete in Scotland.

So a daughter set out to race for her mother.

"Even though I was grieving her loss I smiled throughout the race and dug deep," said Armstrong.

Her motto for that race was "embrace life."

Her worst memory is from the 2003 world duathlon in Switzerland.

A chilly day, weather forecast had called for the weather to warm up significantly so many of the competitors showed up in shorts and racing tanks. Instead, it began to rain, which turned to a "torrential downpour" and the temperatures plummeted.

Armstrong suffered hypothermia, losing the feeling in her hands and legs, and was unsure if she would be able to finish.

"I remember being on the bike and seeing that my legs were shaking," she said. "I lost the feeling in my hands ... I didn't know how I was going to run, I couldn't feel my legs.

"That was a tough one for me to turn around."

However, after taking the first handful of strides, she warmed up enough to complete the duathlon.

As soon as she crossed the finish line Armstrong beelined it to the medical tent, where she found out around one third of the women competing had dropped out.

MIND TRICKS

She said positive thinking is one of the most important tactics for any athlete to master.

"The mental side is huge," said Armstrong. "You can't excel ... if you don't have mental skills.

"It's important to acknowledge mini goals. The body listens to the directives of the mind."

During the championships in Switzerland, Armstrong said all she could think about was curling up on the side of the road with a blanket and a bowl of hot soup.

"That's so unlike me," she said. She managed to turn her thinking to more positive thoughts and was able to complete the race because of them.

"You can't control your competition ... you can't control the weather," she said. "All you can control is your own performance."

Her livingroom is set up for winter training, with posters from duathlon competitions from around the world lining the walls.

Her treadmill is up against the wall, facing a television. Her racing bike is beside the sliding doors to her backyard, bolted to a motor and CompuTrainer, which is hooked up to her laptop to monitor her heart rate, power, speed and cadence. A workout mat is on the floor.

All this helps her to keep fit and in shape during the winter months, when outside training can be difficult.

Armstrong's regime includes biking, running and yoga three times a week plus weight training, building in difficulty, length and intensity.

In May, she beings racing in local events.

Armstrong credits her support team, chiropractor, mechanic, teammates and the athletes she coaches for keeping her motivated.

"I couldn't do this without them," she said. "There's a real camaraderie, that's what I love about it."

Her personal philosophy: "Do the best you can with what you have," something she said she tries to apply to every aspect of her life.

"That takes a lot of the pressure off," she said. "It's working with what you have."




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