Brett Ruskin excels at the biking portion of triathlons ( Photo: Christopher King )
The Charlatan’s Erin Walkinshaw spoke with Brett Ruskin, a fourth-year Carleton student, after his third Ottawa Riverkeeper triathlon on June 13.
The Charlatan (TC): Can you talk to me about your experience at the Ottawa Riverkeeper triathlon this year?
Brett Ruskin (BR): This triathlon was probably the strongest one I’ve done yet, both in how I placed in it and how I physically felt.
I placed 24th overall out of 200 and I came fourth in my age group. I also had the 12th fastest bike time. I felt my legs turned over really well coming off the bike segment into the run and it felt really good.
It was a great way to start the season.
TC: What would you say was your biggest challenge for the day?
BR: The swim was tough. When you’re training for a triathlon, you’re always trying to juggle three things at once and sometimes you have a tendency to drop one of them.
Last year, my running was bad, so I joined a Running Room clinic. I had a good run at the triathlon, and biking is always my strongest, but I swam a bit slower than I wanted to.
I made up the difference on the biking segment though.
TC: I heard you shaved your legs for the big race. How many razor blades did you have to go through?
BR: It took a full three razor blades.
It’s funny, the triathlon took me an hour and 19 minutes and shaving my legs took an hour and 20. It was an experience.
TC: How did you first get involved in triathlons?
BR: It was a dare. (He laughs)
One summer someone was saying they were going to do a triathlon and they were like “come on, you can do it,” as all good or bad ideas start.
So I tried it and placed first in my age group.
TC: During the school year, how do find balancing training with a job and school?
BR: I think that if you ask any busy person how they do it, they’ll say the busier you are, the better you are at managing your time and I think that goes for just about anything.
TC: What is your training schedule like?
BR: What I’m training for now is a half Ironman in Ottawa on Sept. 5 which consists of a 1,900 metre swim, 90 kilometre bike, and 21.1 kilometre run.
Right now I run five days a week, teach spinning twice a week and go for bike rides three times a week. I’m only swimming about two or three times a week right now though and I need to get that up to about five.
TC: Where do you draw your motivation from?
BR: It’s both internal and external.
It’s really fun having people cheering on the sidelines, but then there’s the internal challenge of how far you can go and testing the limits of the human body.
TC: What other challenges are you looking into for the future?
BR: In two years, I want to try to do a full Ironman in the States.
Next year though, I’ll probably do more half Ironmans. There is one in Muskoka, Ont., and one in Calgary, so I hope to do one or both of those next year. If I can place well in those then I may be able to qualify for the half Ironman championships in Clearwater, Fla.
TC: What is one quality you possess that you think helps you compete in triathlons?
BR: I think the fine line between stubbornness and determination is a good quality I have.
TC: Is there anything else you want people to know about triathlons?
BR: I always recommend that people try them, especially if you already do two of the three sports. . . . People should go out and try it. They might surprise themselves with what they are able to accomplish.