Tristan Woodfine moves past Olympic snub, eyes Canadian marathon record in London
'Workouts have been great and the overall confidence is high,' says former triathlete
Tristan Woodfine believes a marathoner could have success running with a chip on their shoulder but hasn't given it much thought, despite his frustration leading up to the Tokyo Olympics.
In early June, Woodfine wasn't among the three men's marathoners selected to the Canadian team. While Trevor Hofbauer, Cam Levins and Ben Preisner had posted faster qualifying times, Woodfine's team argued Athletics Canada didn't present complete information on the runner's history or performance progression in announcing its decision.
It subsequently launched an appeal and contended AC's decision was partly based on use of race results outside of the Olympic qualifying window and from non-marathon events. In rejecting the appeal, Athletics Canada commissioner Frank Fowlie stated he saw "no bias or improper consideration or ignorance of information by the NTC [National Team Committee]."
"It was out of my control so you try not to dwell on it too much," said Woodfine, who returns to the London Marathon on Sunday as the lone elite Canadian runner after setting a personal-best and Olympic qualifying time of 2:10:51 at the event last Oct. 4.
"The ultimate goal [is] to become a world-class marathoner and compete at the highest level, and not being selected for Tokyo didn't really change that. It would have been a great experience but it's not the be-all and end-all."
Greg Kealey, Woodfine's coach, said Olympic team selection is difficult and while "disappointed" at the outcome, respected AC for being open and transparent during the process. After losing the appeal, he told Woodfine to do his talking on the course and put himself in a better position for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"We felt Tristan proved his fitness under extreme conditions in London and his consistent improvement over time was evidence of his ability to perform on-demand," Kealey told CBC Sports this week.
Brutal conditions
On a cool, rainy and windy day, Woodfine took two minutes 25 seconds off his PB to place 14th among 29 finishers over 42.2 kilometres.
In October 2019, Woodfine ran 2:13:16 to finish second to Hofbauer among Canadian men at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, a two-minute drop from his previous best of 2:15:19 just nine months earlier at the Houston Marathon.
Levins, on the other hand, has struggled to regain his 2018 form when he ran 2:09:25 at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon to beat Jerome Drayton's 43-year-old Canadian record that remains. Levins ran 2:15:01 the next year.
WATCH | Levins sets Canadian men's record in marathon debut:
Last year in London, he dropped out late in the race when his body didn't respond well to the weather. Seven months later, Levins went 2:10:14 in the rain in Austria to move ahead of Woodfine in Olympic qualifying.
"My opinion on performance on-demand is to be able to replicate something on a given day, not once," said Kealey, who founded the Ottawa-based Bytown Storm Triathlon Club in 2001 and remains a provincial coach with Triathlon Canada. "Even if [Woodfine] runs 2:10:30 [on Sunday] that's another personal best and he'll have been consistent over four years in improving his performance at the marathon distance."
Woodfine told CBC Sports many of his best workouts during the London build have occurred in the past month while training at altitude in St. Moritz, Switzerland and has the 28-year-old feeling Levins' Canadian mark is a realistic target.
"Last year [in London] the main goal was to come away with the Olympic standard, so I ran a bit more of a conservative race," said Woodfine, who grew up in Cobden, Ont., and now lives in the Ottawa Valley. "This year, there is really nothing for me to lose so we'll see what I've got.
I've seen a consistent improvement in his depth of fitness.— Coach Greg Kealey on Canadian marathoner Tristan Woodfine
"The biggest challenge in this block of training has been recovery and making sure I didn't peak too early or burn out before London. The workouts have been great and the overall confidence high."
Woodfine, who began training in March in the event he was Olympic-bound, is curious to see how six months of marathon preparation will translate in London since a typical build lasts 12 to 18 weeks.
He did more 40 km training runs compared to a year ago and more work around his race pace in the range of low three minutes per kilometre. Woodfine also increased his overall weekly mileage by as much as 60 km compared to his previous London build and his body has responded well.
"To sustain [an increased] workload at that intensity at altitude is a positive sign" said Kealey, who previously coached Woodfine as a triathlete. "I've seen a consistent improvement in his depth of fitness. We've tweaked a couple of things with his arm movements, so I think he's a lot more comfortable in his rhythm."
On Sunday, it's believed Woodfine will run in a small group, including a couple of pacers and 34-year-old British runner Jonny Mellor, who crossed the line just ahead of the Canadian in 13th last year in 2:10.38. It's expected Mellor will try to run at 2:07 pace.
"I'd rather have him running slightly off that pace but at a level that's going to challenge him," Kealey said of Woodfine. "I think Tristan will try to get on [Mellor's] heels and hold on for as long as he can."
Said Woodfine: "The field at the front end is absolutely ridiculous with 12 guys 2:05 or faster. I know I'm not quite there yet but the statement this year is to show I'm another step closer."
Sunday's elite race returns to its traditional tour of city streets after being contested in a "secure biosphere" or bubble last year in which participants ran 19 laps on a 2.15 km loop sealed off from the public around St. James' Park in central London due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Up to 50,000 runners are expected on the starting line in the mass race and another 50,000 around the world in the virtual event.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
