A late summer trip to Edmonton will
be anything but a time of rest and relaxation for Squamish resident
Marko Toijanen.
The house-framing specialist is heading to Alberta’s provincial capital to compete in not one, but two different triathlon championship events just two days apart.
Toijanen will be on Team Canada for the International Triathlon Union’s Grand Final World Sprint and Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships, and takes on the world’s best in the sprint on Friday (Aug. 29) and Olympic distance on Monday (Sept. 1).
He qualified for Edmonton after a first place finish in his age group at the Point Grey Triathlon last year and said he’s excited for the challenge that awaits.
“I was super excited to qualify and just ecstatic I won the chance to go,” he said. “It’s going to be tough competition because these are the best guys in the world, but it’s a huge thrill to be on the team.”
Triathlon is nothing new for Toijanen. He started with the sport at the age of 13.
“I started racing in 1991 as a young teen and raced throughout the ’90s,” he said. “I loved the training and thrill of racing and still do today.”
He stepped away from the sport for a while, but returned to action a few years back with considerable success. Toijanen said his sixth overall showing at July’s Peach Classic Triathlon in Penticton was a highlight, but he’s also had strong showings at the 2013 Subaru Vancouver Triathlon (eighth), 2013 and 2014 Squamish Triathlon (16th) and he won the Slavo Lehockey Memorial Trophy in 2013 for the top local time in the Squamish Days 10 kilometre run.
In June he traveled to San Francisco to participate in the Escape From Alcatraz triathlon, but Toijanen has also taken on some of the region’s top bike races with finishes in the Nimby Fifty, Orecrusher, JABR and Test of Metal in recent years. He said he’s most comfortable in the swim, and his training has helped him hone the bike and run.
“I train one to two hours a day, but because I have a family, a young daughter and run a business, I have to make sure to fit in high quality training when I can and really make it count,” he said.
The sprint event at Edmonton sees Toijanen swim 750 metres, bike 19.7 km and run five kilometres, with the Olympic event consisting of a 1.5 km swim, 38.8 bike and 10 km run. He said it should be a challenge to do both, but he’s looking forward to it.
“I think I have a better chance in the sprint, but I’m gunning to do well in both,” he said. “It makes it more difficult because of how close they are together, but my focus will be on the sprint because it’s first and anything that’s left of me will be poured into the Olympic distance.”
He said recovery would include rest, nutrition and keeping his legs elevated to help speed up the process. Toijanen said his wife Amanda and daughter Maia aren’t making the trip, but he knows he has their support.
“Maia is my No. 1 cheerleader and my wife is very understanding when it comes to this sport,” he said. “She lets me fit in all the training and it just wouldn’t be possible without her.”
Toijanen, who is a co-owner of the Dog Star Construction group, has resided in Squamish for 10 years and said local companies like Corsa Cycles help support him, and that groups like the Squamish Titans helped get him back into the sport.
“The Titans are a great way for anyone to start,” he said. “They really help with swimming and they have a great group
of coaches.”
The Squamish Chief for details on how Toijanen fares in Edmonton.
