Peter's Team Diabetes Triathlon (and formerly Marathon) Blog

Scotsweb

2011-01-06T14:41:00.002-04:00

Not running/triathlon related.

As part of a contest to win a kilt, I am posting the following link to a web-based clothing company called Scotsweb. If, like me, you are interested in things Scottish, you will find them at:

http://www.scotweb.co.uk

A Milestone

2010-10-13T14:34:00.002-03:00

Tomorrow is a milestone birthday for me - the BIG FIVE OH.

Rather than being bothered by it, I can honestly say that I am feeling enthusiastic about turning 50. I have so much to be thankful for:

> a marriage to a beautiful, intelligent, caring, supportive (and long suffering!) woman that has lasted for over 25 years
> two wonderful kids
> fantastic family and friends
> a great job and first-rate colleagues
> the good fortune to have travelled from coast to coast to coast in the best country in the world - Canada
> the opportunity to have visited innumerable interesting places around the world including: Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, Holland, Belgium and the United States
> the means to indulge (some of) my excentricities such as triathlon, bagpipes/kilts and bluegrass music
> the blessing to live in a great small city (Fredericton) in an amazing province (New Brunswick)
> an incredible mother who raised three boys, largely on her own, and who at 74 continues to work full-time as a nurse in a substance abuse rehab program
> a father who died far too young but who in his 48 years on earth modelled just what it means to be a husband, a father, a professional and a caring, contributing member of society.

As I reach this milestone, I've decided to suspend new posts to this blog. Who knows, I may decide to reactivate it at some point so I'm not closing it down. It's not that I'm giving up on running, triathlon or Team Diabetes. Far from it. I've just found that Facebook and some of the on-line Forums that I participate in (such as www.beginnertriathlete.com) are how I stay in contact with folks. If there are any blog readers who would like to connect via FB please let me know. I will be checking into this site from time-to-time as well so feel free to leave a message and I will (eventually) read it.

Race Report

2010-09-21T10:38:00.002-03:00

In early spring I decided that the “Lobsterman” olympic distance triathlon would be my major goal race for the 2010 season. I chose it for several reasons. First, it was at a good time of year (September) so that I would have all spring and summer to train for it which was important since I had never done an oly distance event before. Second, it was in a great location (Freeport, ME) which was within reasonable driving distance of Fredericton. Third, it would make for a great weekend because Freeport (plus nearby Kittery and also Bangor) is known as a shopping mecca for New Brunswickers, meaning that it would be easy to convince my wife (also known as Mrs FBP) to accompany me. Finally, Triathlete magazine had done a very positive review of the race and it had been voted the most scenic course in the United States.
While Lobsterman was to be my main goal, I had plans to do several other “sprint” distance events over the course of the summer as well – Shediac, Sackville, PEI and Fredericton were all possible. Turns out though that every race weekend I had other commitments that prevented participation. So, it turned out that Lobsterman would be my only race of the year.

It took me a while but I finally registered for the race in late August. I was really concerned that I would not be ready to do the distances required – 1500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run – and so rather than commit myself I waffled. After being firmly nudged by my on-line tri friends in the “Left Right Repeat” mentorship group, I finally completed the online registration. They say that you’re not committed until you’ve put money on the line and that is so true. Once I had spent almost $200 for the race and after-party (more to follow on that topic!) I realized that things were VERY serious.

Unfortunately, turned out Mrs FBP was unable to travel with me, for two reasons. First, she has recently had foot surgery and standing for any length of time continues to be hard. Second, we have a brand new 12-week old puppy which needed to be looked after. So, our husband-wife getaway weekend became a father-son bonding weekend.

DS (Dear Son, aka Chris) and I hopped in the car on Friday morning and headed south on I-95. Weather was lovely and the scenery in northern Maine was wonderful. We arrived in Freeport just after noon and headed straight to the headquarters of catalogue giant LL Bean. Freeport is ground zero for LL Bean and so in a series of stores they stock every imaginable piece of outdoor oriented gear (and more) that one could imagine. Freeport also contains a host of other outlet stores (Nike, Adidas, Polo, Nine West, Brooks Brothers, etc.) so we spent a couple of hours walking about and doing some shopping.

With a bit of time on our hands until the race registration opened, I decided to drive down to the race site and get a sense of what things would be like on race day. Glad I did because I initially got lost finding my way there. If that had happened at 6 a.m. on race morning I would have been frantic. Got to the site and the park operator was nice enough to let us in within paying the usual $2/person entry fee. The site was a beehive of activity already and so I had a very good “feel” for what it would be like. Afterwrads we took a short drive along the bike/run course and I noticed that the reviews were right – it was VERY hilly.
From there it was back to Freeport to pick up my race kit. That process was incredibly quick and well organized. As I was leaving the registration area I stopped to chat with a young man who was representing an injury rehab provider (chiropractic I believe). When he asked where we were from and I told him he laughed and called his wife over (she was also working at the booth) because she was from ... Fredericton. They met in college, he from NY, she from NB and so they settled in ME. Although I don’t know them, here family lives one block from where I do!

From Freeport we headed further south to Portland where we checked into our hotel and then went out for supper. I was already super nervous so had trouble eating the spaghetti that I ordered. Chris had no such trouble with his HUGE order of clams and fries. Suffice to say, even with a tough economy, portion sizes in the US of A don’t seem to be suffering!

As always happens the night before a race I started to obsess about my gear, the weather, failure, etc. I barely slept a wink and finally around 4:30 a.m. I got up and started to get ready. Woke Chris up at 5:30 (just like when he was little and we were going to hockey goalie practise), we loaded the car and headed for the race. The thermometer registered a frosty 6c !! Water temp was expected to be only 61F so now I was worrying about frostbite.

I was sure we would be amongst the first to arrive but not so. There were lots of people already there. We parked and I went to pick up my timing chip and get “body marked”. This is the process of having a complete stranger write in indelible marker your race number (I was 319) on your upper arm and lower thigh and then your age (as of December 31st) on your calf. I was so nervous that when she asked for the left arm and right thigh, I offered her the wrong arm. Sheesh, not a great start! From there it was into the transition area where I set up my bike on the rack, laid out my helmet, sunglasses, bike shoes and socks, food needs, running shoes, etc. Then it was back to the car to get warm, obsess a bit, walk around to calm my nerves, chat with other participants, re-check the transition area, back to the car, etc., etc.
Race start was 9:00 so around 8:30 I got into my wetsuit and headed down to the water for a look. There were lots of people already in getting acclimatized so in I went. WOW. 61F is c-c-c-c-cold. When I finally put my face in I thought my heart was going to stop. Not sure if I got used to it or simply had numbness set in but either way I was ready. We were called out of the water, they welcomed us, played both Oh Canada and the Star Spangled Banner – I sang along to both – and we got our briefing on the USAT (USA Triathlon) rules. Then before I knew it they were calling swim wave 1 (men 34 and under) into the water and off they went.

I was in wave 3 (men 45+) so we started 6 minutes behind the first wave (not to worry they adjust your time at the end). I managed to find some relatively open water and avoided the washing machine effect that sometimes happens in mass starts with people going every which way. I don’t recall anyone interfering with me and I didn’t interfere with anyone else.

The swim course was a sort of diamond pattern with a leg out to the first buoy then a left turn and a long second leg parallel to the shore and then another left turn to head in. I found sighting the buoys relatively easy and felt like I swam in a fairly direct line. The final leg I could feel a bit of pull from the ebbing tide (ebbing not effing!) but nothing too severe. We came out of the water about 100m down the shore from where we entered, passed through a giant inflatable “Muscle Milk” arch and then ran up the embankment, across the grass and gravel road and into the transition area (T1). As I came out of the water I looked at my watch and it indicated 31 minutes – 4 minutes better than my hoped for pace. Great start. Looked up and saw Chris standing on the bank and waved at him – we all look the same in wetsuits and swim caps – to make sure that he knew his old man hadn’t drowned. He was snapping pics of me and yelled out some words of encouragement.

I had made sure to count the number of racks between the opening and where my bike was located so that I could find it more easily. It was on the 7th rack but of course I forgot to count as I entered. Stopped, looked back, counted and then kept going and found Sebastian (my bike). Tried to peel off my wetsuit but just as I did I got a HUGE cramp in my right calf. Panic. Fall over. Try to work out the cramp. Good. Peel off the rest of the wetsuit and realize, Holy Crap, my hands are frozen. For the life of me I couldn’t seem to get my thumbs to work so that I could get my socks onto my soaking wet feet. Finally happened, on with my helmet and sunglasses. Quick drink of water to get rid of the salt taste in my mouth (fortunately the water was calm and so I had no ingested nearly as much of the Atlantic Ocean as I had thought I might) and then grabbed a granola bar to sustain me for the first part of the ride. Damn. Cold fingers trying to open a sticky granola bar wrapper is a recipe for disaster. Took me forever and I was trying to be careful not to litter because you can be penalized for this. Finally was able to open it, stuffed it into my face and started to run through the transition area with my bike to get to the mount line.
Headed out along the short stretch of dirt road that led from the park to the main road and passed Chris again. Gave him a thumbs up and off I went. The start of the bike course was about a mile and a half of net uphill grade. Not exactly what one would hope for but then again, it would mean a nice long downhill to finish so that consoled me somewhat. Initially I was really cold – sopping wet shorts and shirt from being in the water, wind effect plus the start was pretty well all through a shaded are. Soon enough though I was warmed up, dried off and settled into a nice pace. I had expected to average 25 kph over the 40k course and early on I was in the 27-28 kph range. This is slow by comparison to most cyclists but in light of the very challenging terrain – I don’t think there was a flat stretch of road the whole way – I was a little concerned that I was pushing too hard.

I got passed quite a bit – mostly by women from the later swim waves – but this was to be expected. Offered words of encouragement to them as they went by and got a few in return. One woman complimented me on my Team Diabetes jersey and matching bike (also tricked out with Team Diabetes markings). I passed a few people myself – mostly people who were doing the team relay event. Saw a few mechanical breakdowns along the way but not many, a bit of a surprise given that some of the roads were a tad on the rough side which usually plays havoc with skinny bike tires.

Before I knew it the bike leg was coming to a close and I arrived back into the park to head for the bike-run transition, known as T2. Looked at my GPS watch and it indicated I had averaged over 26kph so I had once again outperformed my best case estimate.

T2 went much more smoothly than had T1 – off with the bike gear, on with my running shoes, a handful of Sunkist fruit snacks and off I went for the 10k run. Saw Chris again as I was leaving the park and gave him a double thumbs up and smile. I realized that the worst that would happen now was that I would have to walk the 10k but one way or another I was going to be able to finish my first oly.

As I was leaving the park gate there was a woman standing there cheering on every participant by number and saying something unique to each one. I recall she said to me, “Come on 319, stretch out those long legs, you can do it”. I really took that comment to heart and tried to get into a better running posture and gait. The first part of the run was basically uphill (since it was along the same route as the bike had been). Tough way to start but once again, looked forward to the downhill finish. My training had always been based on a 9-1 system (9 minutes run, 1 minute walk) but since there were to be water stations every mile, instead of a time system I decided I would walk through the water stations and this would be roughly the right intervals. Turned out to be a great decision because my pace was almost bang on 10:00per mile.

In the first mile or so I ended up passing a gentleman who was in his late 60’s and we chatted for a minute. Me - “How are you doing?” Him - “Great” Me - “Are you having fun?” Him – “Couldn’t imagine anything better on a Saturday morning”. I was thinking to myself, “I hope I am still doing triathlon when I am your age”. A few minutes later I ended up beside a young lady who was wearing a lobster hat and so I had to ask, “Why”. Turns out she had seen a kid wearing it before the race, asked if she could wear it on the run, the kid agreed and they had managed to connect at T2 to complete the hat exchange. I lost count of how many people commented to her on the hat during the 3 or so miles we ran together. As we were running/gasping/talking she asked me how I got into triathlon and I responded that it was probably a mid-life crisis. As for her, she was a state-ranked high school swimmer in California who also did x-country and while at university decided to give cycling a try – and that turned into giving tri a try.

By the time we reached the turnaround on the run the two of us had caught up to a young man who was roughly our pace. I started to talk with him – he was a varsity hockey player at a college in Maine. I was in front of him for a while and so he obviously saw the marking on my calf prompting him to say, “I hope I am still doing triathlon when I am your age”. At a moment like that you can be either upset or proud. I chose the latter ...

I found the stretch from around 4.5 miles to 6 miles to be particularly tough but I kept checking my watch and I didn’t seem to be losing a lot of time to my target pace. I expected to be able to average 9.5 to 9.7 kph meaning I would finish the 10k in somewhere around 1:05. I was on track to beat or exceed that time so I keep plodding along. One thought I remember having was, how do people who compete at the Half Ironman and Full Ironman distance do it?

As I finally entered the park the same lady who was cheering as I left was there cheering people arriving. Same routine – a specific comment for every runner. In my case, “Hey 319, looking strong, keep going you’re almost there.” I passed Chris, he was cheering and I made my way around the park road to the finishing chute. As I crossed the line Chris was there taking another picture and he congratulated me on finishing. I hugged him, started to cry and gasp for breath, overcome with emotion. You see it was as a result of his diagnosis with type 1 diabetes in 2000 that I first started running (something I previously hated to do) with a goal of raising $$ for the Canadian Diabetes Association through their Team Diabetes marathon program. From marathon-ing came my interest in triathlon and so who better to have waiting for me at the finish line?

After I regained my composure (and my breath) we both went back to the final section and cheered for people who were coming in after me. I also bumped into the lady who had been cheering at the front gate and told her she was the best fan ever. We ended up having a nice long conversation – she had done the race previously, was injured but came to cheer on her friends, etc. Also bumped into the gentleman in his 60’s who I had passed on the run and we congratulated each other on finishing.

The post-race lobster bake was fantastic. Beautiful fresh maine lobster, melted butter, steamed clams, corn on the cob and baked potato. All for $25 per person! There was live music and free beer for participants. I couldn’t be bothered to stand in line for the beer so consoled myself with Gatorade.

After all was said and done we retrieved my gear and packed up the car to leave. Just as we were doing so, the final participant was heading out to start her run. The lady was Molly Hayes from Bozeman Montana and she is legendary because she is SEVENTY-EIGHT years old. Imagine. I checked her results on line and while she finished last, she did the course in under 5 hours and only 3 minutes behind the person in front of her – man less than half her age. UN-BE-LIEVABLE!!

All-in-all this was a fantastic experience. Can’t wait to do it again in the future!!

Taper-ing

2010-09-14T08:35:00.002-03:00

Started taper-ing on the weekend. Saturday morning I did a short (20k) ride and Sunday a 6k run. Last night I did a comfortable 750m swim after work. I haven't told anyone but I have a couple of little nagging aches - a bit of a pain in the lower left side of my back and what feels like a very slight sprain in my left ankle. I've decided that the best thing to do right now is rest so no more swimming or running until the big day. I do need to make a slight adjustment to my biclycle seat so will try to do that tomorrow evening and then go for a test ride.

A New Addition

2010-09-12T17:54:00.000-03:00

Meet our new family member - Samantha - an 11 week old Cockapoo

Confidence

2010-09-06T20:53:00.002-03:00

I've had a very good weekend of preparation and am feeling a lot more confident about my upcoming Olympic distance triathlon. Friday night I did 1500m swim in 34 minutes and then on Sunday I did a 50k ride @ 26 kph and then hopped off and did a 7k run at 6:00 minutes per kilometer. One more week of training then a week of "taper" and then it's show time!

Now This Is Hot!!

2010-09-01T13:45:00.002-03:00

We are in the midst of a record breaking heat wave combined with extreme humidity. Making it tough to stick with my training but the looming race date is motivation to keep going. Monday I got in a 40 minute run and yesterday a 30 minute run. Then last night I went to the pool and did 1400m - a 1000m time trial and 4 x 100m intervals. My 1000m time was approximately 24 minutes so I am starting to feel a bit more confident that I can do the Lobsterman 1500m in under 40 minutes. Tonight I plan to get out on my bike, even if it is for only a modest ride.

Ironman and Ironwoman

2010-08-30T08:43:00.003-03:00

Yesterday while I was lolly-gagging around as a course marshal, two of the people in my on-line mentorship group were competing in the Ironman Louisville race. Well done to Amy and Billy. I marvel at your determination and accomplishment!!

As I was reflecting last night on what I had seen at the Fredericton 1/2 Iron, perhaps the single greatest impression was that every participant - from the leader to "tail end Charlie" - was having to dig down deep into their reservoir of grit and desire in order to finish the race. The day was very warm and even the fastest runners were taking the time to walk through the water station, taking on fluids, pausing for the sponges, etc. It made me realize that next month when I am at Lobsterman, I don't need to worry about what people will think if I am last out of the water or slow on the bike or walking more than most. What matters is that I am there and competing.

Happy To Help

2010-08-29T21:16:00.002-03:00

Today I volunteered at the Fredericton 1/2 Iron and Olympic Distance Triathlon. It was really great to be able to "pay it forward" - for all those who will be volunteering at my own future races - and to "pay it back" - to the volunteers from my past races.

It was a great event and I had a primo job - traffic control and bike course marshal at the turnaround point.

Well done to everyone who competed!!

WonWithOne

2010-08-27T13:45:00.003-03:00

The Canadian Council of the Blind has a great new program called WonWithOne being coordinated by Jan D., someone I met through the Blind Guys Tri Team and the Joe's Team Triathlon event. Check out the website at: http://wonwithone.com/

Back At It

2010-08-24T12:34:00.002-03:00

Two glorious weeks in PEI are now over and so its back to reality. Got in a number of good rides, runs and swims whilst on the Island. Saw Alex Bain, PEI's famous RunMan, in the Gold Cup Trot 5K. I was feeling guilty sitting in a lawnchair on the side of the road drinking a Tim's coffee and munching on a blueberry fritter as we waited for the parade to start.

I am now committed for the 2010 Lobsterman Triathlon. I completed the online registration and paid my entry fee today. Lord help me!!

Vay-Kay

2010-08-06T11:05:00.002-03:00

Well faithful readers, as of tonight I am on VACATION for 2 weeks. Yabba Dabba Doo!!

Heading to Prince Edward Island - "the heart of the world, set in the crossroads of the sea" per Anne of Green Gables - where I hope to get in several good long rides, runs and swims. Of course, there will also be lots of rest, relaxation, seafood, family visits, etc.

Ciao !!

Always Sore

2010-08-03T09:17:00.002-03:00

Judging by the fact that I almost always seem to be tired and sore, I guess my training program is having an effect! Last week I got in 3x pool workouts, 2x runs and 1x bike ride. Then on the weekend I did a 50k bike (Saturday) and a 10k run (Sunday).

Yesterday we had a chance to do something completely different - we went "tubing" on the Nashwaak river. Floating down the stream "merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily" meant that for the 4 1/2 hours life really WAS a dream!

A Great Week (and weekend)

2010-07-26T08:27:00.004-03:00

Last week proved to be a very good week training wise. I got in 3 pool sessions, 2 runs and a 45k bike ride. Trying hard to improve my swimming using a plan I found on the web called "Zero to 1650 in Six Weeks". Also, my last couple of runs have felt much more comfortable than previously.

This weekend was the annual NB Highland Games here in Fredericton. Went ot the Friday eveing kickoff concert plus spent the full day there on Saturday, proudly wearing my kilt. Sunday morning I wore the kilt to church and got lots of nice compliments (plus a good bit of teasing!).

IMHO, the highlight of any Highland event - Games, Tattoos, etc. - is the Massed Band. I love to hear the Drum Major call out, "Massed Bands, by the Centre, Quick March", which is usually followed by 2 bars (8 beats) of drums and then the pipes playing Scotland The Brave.

Here is the massed band from the NB Highland Games:

Think Pink

2010-07-19T10:17:00.003-03:00

Today is a BBQ fundraiser for the UNB "rUNBuddies" team which raises money for the Breast Cancer Run For The Cure and yours truly is a "celebrity cook". Clearly, they have VERY low standards for celebrity status!

The Week That Was

2010-07-19T08:33:00.003-03:00

Last week was a bit "hit and miss" insofar as training was concerned. Activities associated with my paid gig as an HR manager precluded me from getting to the pool on Tuesday and for a run on Wednesday. Nevertheless, I did get out for a good ride on Thursday plus I swam a 750m "time trial" to see how I would make out. I finished in just under 18 minutes.

Saturday I was out for a 35k ride and took the following picture of the scenic St. John river valley. I feel so fortunate to live in this city (Fredericton) and province (New Brunswick).

TRI-ing to train

2010-07-12T08:40:00.002-03:00

In spite of the heat and humidity I've been trying to get in some training. Thursday I did a 500m swim session and Friday I ran 5k at lunch. Saturday was spent completing the work in the flower beds that Lisa and Jill had worked like dogs to do on Friday. Man, what a difference it has made to the exterior of our home!! Early on Sunday I got in a good 40k ride along the scenic St. John river. I was pleased to have averaged 26kph for the ride.

Today is a rest day and then tomorrow I MUST get a run and/or swim in.

Stinkin' Hot !!

2010-07-07T08:26:00.002-03:00

We are in the midst of a typical Fredericton heat/humidity wave. My schedule called for a 5k run yesterday evening but I didn't summon the courage to go out and do it and now I'm feeling guilty! I did do a 600m swim yesterday and will probably head to the pool again today plus a ride tonight.

25th Anniversary

2010-07-05T13:14:00.002-03:00

Today marks my 25th wedding anniversary. Actual celebration took place on Saturday at our cottage in PEI with lots of family and friends. Two of the highlights (for me) of the day:

1. opening the "time capsule" that we were given on our 1st anniversary to be opened 24 years later; and

2. wearing for the first time my kilt

I'll leave you readers to guess which of these two events was a highlite for my wife Jill and which was met with groans and embarassment ...

Mike the Tyke

2010-06-29T15:45:00.002-03:00

Had an email from my buddy Mike (a.k.a Mike the Tyke), a friend for more than 35 years, a faithful reader of my blog and a generous supporter in my fundraising "back in the day". Glad to know Mike that you happened upon my recent blog updates and best wishes in your training for the New York City marathon. You are going to LOVE it !!!!

Decent few days of training on the weekend - a short "brick" workout on Saturday (30kilometer ride immediately followed by a 10 minute run and then a 6k run on Sunday. Did a 500m swim yesterday and plan to do a 5-6k run tonight after work.

Off to the cottage in PEI tomorrow for the Canada Day long weekend and our 25th wedding anniversary celebration (taking place on Saturday). Hope to get in 1 or 2 open water swim sessions in my wetsuit plus a couple of run sessions.

Oh, and make sure you check back in here next week for some pictures. I'll be showing off a new ensemble that honours my family heritage. 'Nuff said for now ...

A Decent Week

2010-06-25T12:15:00.002-03:00

Another decent week of training. I got in all of my scheduled pool sessions and both of my scheduled run sessions. Unfortunately, my Wednesday ride was wiped out due to bad weather. This weekend I am going to attempt for the first time this year, a "brick" (ride followed immediately by a run) on Saturday and will do a longer run on Sunday.

Weekend

2010-06-21T09:51:00.003-03:00

Got both my scheduled workouts in this weekend. Did a 40k ride on Saturday morning and then a 6.5k run on Sunday afternoon. The ride was longer than the schedule called for while the run was a bit shorter. Oh well, at least I was out there.

Recovery Week

2010-06-18T12:48:00.002-03:00

This has been a bit of a recovery week after the Ride weekend. Monday was a rest day (although I walked several miles around Toronto it seemed), Tuesday I did a 500m swim, Wednesday I skipped the scheduled bike ride and yesterday (Thursday) I did a 500m swim at lunch and a 5k run in the evening. Long ride planned for Saturday and a 7 or 8k run on Sunday.

Some Pics

2010-06-15T12:05:00.002-03:00

Sadly I didn't have a camera with me for the ride but I will try and post pics as I find or receive them.

This is what the start looked like:

A typical pit stop:

We saw this fellow several times along the route:

2010 RTCC Ride Report

2010-06-15T09:32:00.001-03:00

It’s two days now since the end of the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer. What a weekend it was!

Flew up to Toronto on Friday morning. Bit of a panic at the airport when the security screeners would not let me on with my bicycle tool used to attach pedals, adjust seat, etc. Totally ridiculous. To date I have never heard of a terrorism threat associated with a person attempting to disassemble an airplane in flight from the inside out, using nothing but allen wrenches. Since I had no checked baggage, I was forced to leave the tool with a gate agent who kindly held it until my return on Monday.

Once in Toronto I headed straight for my friend Myra’s house and got her tandem, a lovely Cannondale, adjusted to fit me as best as we could. Shortly thereafter the bike was picked up by our support team from the Blind Guys Tri Team and transported down to the start location.

Saturday morning I was up at 5 a.m., caught a cab at 5:30 and was at Myra’s before 6 a.m. to rendez-vous with our wonderful friend Jan who was driving us (and our overnight baggage) to the start. We ended up in a massive traffic jam as we approached the Canadian National Exhibition grounds where the event was to start from. Eventually though we got through the gates and met up with the other team members, our bike, etc.

The ride got under way just after 8 am amongst much fanfare. There were some speeches, music, a big jumbotron, the announcement that more than $16 million had been raised and lots of cheering well-wishers. It was quite spectacular to look ahead and see over 4000 riders stretched out in front of us as far as the eye could see. Even the Tour de France couldn’t rival the sight!

It took well over an hour before the group dispersed to any great degree so the riding was very slow and frustrating for the first while. We saw a very serious accident in the first hour – rumour was that the cyclist had been hit by a car. Paramedics were on the scene, the rider was on the pavement covered in blood, lots of police around, etc. We also saw a lot of mechanical issues in those first few miles but there was no shortage of help around so most of the flatted tires and fouled derailleurs were being fixed quickly and the riders able to get right back into the event. I spoke to a woman who had her rim bent and a spectator took her and the bike to his nearby bike shop, sold her a new rim, changed out the tire/tube and got her back in a matter of minutes.

As the day progressed we cycled through the west end of Toronto. Traffic control was provided by a combination of the Toronto Police and a huge number of motorcyclists from local clubs. They did a fantastic job.

Every 25 kilometers there was a pit stop established with porta-potties, food, water, Gatorade, medical attention, bike mechanics, music, etc. Because it wasn’t a race, it was really nice to be able to get off the bike, stretch the legs, take in some nutrition, adjust clothing layers, etc. It was also a chance to chat with other riders, etc.

On Day One we rode about 75km before the lunch break. I found this a little long because we had started so early in the morning but the upside was that it meant there was only about 35km to go after lunch to the finish.

Day One ended with a massive downhill – the steepest and longest hill I have ever descended – and a massive uphill – the steepest and longest hill I have ever climbed. A lot of people were dismounting and walking but Myra and I put it into the lowest gear and pushed it all the way to the top. One thing to know about tandems is that they are very heavy so they fly downhill but are a monster to push uphill. Also, with a blind back seat partner you can’t stand on the pedals like you might when on a single bike. So you just have to push your butt down into the seat and grind it up the slope.

When we got to the top of the hill (the Niagara Escarpment for those familiar with Canadian geography) we had another 10k or so of flat pedaling to get to the finish. During that last stretch the thunderstorms that had been forecast all day but that had held off decided to wait no more. The heavens opened up and we were instantly drowning. No stopping though. We continued to push and finally crossed the line around 3:00 p.m.

The finish was set up at Mohawk College in Hamilton. There was a big fenced in area with security to rack our bike overnight. There was also a big festival tent with music, some refreshments, etc. Some were opting to camp on site (all set up and provided by the ride organizers including meals, showers, etc.) but our group had reserved a local hotel. We loaded into a truck and off we went. Boy did the shower ever feel great. Our group went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant and by 10:00 I was sound asleep.

I was up early on Sunday morning and waiting in the hotel lobby when Myra arrived at 6:30. We had a quick breakfast then caught a cab for the short trip back to Mohawk College. We got the bike out of security and we were on the road before 7:30. The first 5 to 10 kms were spent getting the muscles limbered up but we quickly settled into a nice rhythm. On the flats we were able to average around 20 kph. For day two the lunch stop was at the 50 km mark so we were there around 10:30. The weather hadn’t been great to that point so we were wearing jackets but it started to improve so we were able to pack the coats away.

On Day One pretty well everyone chose to ride in the Ride To Conquer Cancer jersey that we had been given as part of our registration. It was a lovely yellow/black/grey shirt with the skyline of Toronto in a swath across the front and various sponsor logos. Since almost everyone was also wearing black cycling shorts, we looked like a massive swarm of bumblebees. For Day Two, many changed into “team” jerseys. Our jerseys were “Team Joe” in honor of our group’s founder, Joe Findley. He was diagnosed with cancer about 4 years ago and ever since has been fighting the disease and to raise money. In three years team Joe has raised more than $3 million. Joe has done the ride in previous years but is currently receiving treatment so was unable. Nevertheless he still made it out for the weekend and came to dinner with us on Saturday night. His son Mike rode in the event as well.

After over 200km of riding we finally pulled into Niagara Falls. As we came down the final chute there was a huge crowd of supporters cheering and holding signs. There was a big jumbotron over the finish line and an announcer calling out the names of finishers. I did manage to hear Myra’s name being announced. Once we crossed the line we made our way to the Joe’s Team support truck and got our bike loaded for the return trip to Toronto. Then we joined the big party and enjoyed some food, a couple of Steam Whistle Brewery beers, admired the view of the Niagara River rapids and of course the Falls.

The final part of the event was the bus shuttle back to Toronto which was super comfortable. It took Myra about 30 seconds to fall asleep in the row in front of me. I had a wonderful young (female) seatmate who had done the ride with her parents and we chatted the whole way back to the CNE grounds. From the CNE Myra and I hopped onto a streetcar and about three stops later we parted company – she to head home and me to head off to the downtown hostel where I was spending the night.

Over the course of the two days we interacted with a lot of other riders. There were very few tandems in the event so many who passed us wanted to ask what it was like or they made a joke about the back seat person not pedaling or something like that. Many wanted to know how we decided who would be in front and Myra would coyly answer she liked the back because she tended to close her eyes when we went downhill.

On the ride we met a lot of folks who were overcoming huge challenges of their own. There was an elderly gentleman riding a three-wheeler that had a little electric motor to assist with the big hills. We passed a young women whose left leg had been amputated at the groin level. She was riding a 3-wheel road bike with a very sophisticated looking tripod extending off the back of an otherwise normal frame. I lost count of the number of people who were riding with photos of loved ones attached to their bike or to their jerseys. We also met one of Myra’s friends, Bill, who is 83 and blind. He was on a tandem with his cardiologist as his partner. You can imagine the jokes we shared about that!

All-in-all this was an amazing experience for so many reasons. First and foremost because of my friend and co-participant Myra – 67 years old, blind, and a cancer survivor. She holds a PhD in developmental psychology, is a fund-raising superstar and so fun to be around. It was also amazing to be around so many people who are so dedicated to the fight against cancer and who demonstrated their commitment by raising over $16 million dollars and then going out and pedaling 220 kilometers! And of course, to have a chance to do an endurance event like this, so well supported was truly a blessing.

Ride To Conquer Cancer

2010-06-14T19:40:00.004-03:00

What an epic adventure !!!

We started here

Two days and 220 kilometers later we finished here

Joe's Team

2010-06-10T12:58:00.000-03:00

Here's a bit about the Joe's Team triathlon that Myra nad I did last year.

Ride To Conquer Cancer

2010-06-10T11:07:00.002-03:00

I am participating as part of the Blind Guy's Tri Team, a subset of the "Joe's Team" group in this weekend's Ride To Conquer Cancer. You will see Joe - Joe Findley - in this video wearing our distinctive Joe's Team cycling jersey. Please consider donating.

Blog Title Change

2010-06-10T10:44:00.002-03:00

Attentive readers will notice that I have changed the title of my blog to better reflect what I am currently writing about.

Adapting

2010-06-10T10:26:00.002-03:00

One of the things that I am finding with my tri training plan is that I need to be very adaptable. For example, I can't do the bike sessions on days when it is pouring (due to safety) and my only real opportunity to swim is during lunch when I am on campus. With the running plans that I've followed in the past it was so much easier because it wasn't weather or location dependent.

Week 2 update:

Monday - rest day
Tuesday - 5k run (evening)
Wednesday - 300m swim (lunch), 20k bike (evening)

Today (Thursday) I plan to do 500m swim at lunch. Remainer of this week is devoted to the Ride to Conquer Cancer so 100k (Toronto-Hamilton) on Saturday and 100k (Hamilton - Niagara Falls) on Sunday.

Wish me luck!!

Weekend Update

2010-06-07T09:35:00.003-03:00

Managed to end Week 1 of training with three decent workouts. Weather forecast had been for rain most of the weekend (and they were right!) so I got out on the bike Friday after work. Not sure how far I rode, I think it was around 35k. Saturday morning I did a 5k run and Sunday afternoon a 4k run.

Today is a scheduled rest day.

To Donate

2010-06-04T15:07:00.002-03:00

My tandem bike partner, Myra Rodrigues, is looking for help in reaching her fundraising goal for the Ride To Conquer Cancer. If any readers are so inclined, you can donate on line through this link.

All money raised is going to the Princess Margaret Hospital cancer research facility in Toronto, one of the world's top cancer research units.

Goat's Milk Soap

2010-06-04T13:18:00.004-03:00

When reading a fellow runner's blog - Alex, the iRunman - I learned about a funky business in Prince Edward Island, the Great Canadian Soap Co. They make soap from goat's milk. Can't wait to visit when next I'm on the Island!

How Stunned Am I ??

2010-06-04T13:11:00.002-03:00

As mentioned in one of yesterday's posts, this marks Week 1 of my 16 week plan to prepare for an Olympic distance triathlon. Months ago I printed off some training plans, picked the one that I liked (and thought I could follow reasonably faithfully) and marked the start date on my calendar. So far so good.

When Monday arrived I turned to the training plan, read what was expected for week 1 and followed the instructions. Only yesterday did I realize that I was following a different plan than intended. The one I've used this week is a 10 week plan instead of 16 weeks.

On the upside, at least I dodn't wait until 10 weeks prior to start a 16 week program!

Did a 300m swim workout at lunch and will be running 4k after work.

BTW - thanks to Elvis and Jypsey for leaving comments!!

My Oly Time Goal

2010-06-03T15:49:00.002-03:00

Based on my past performances in Sprint distance events, I am aiming for a finish time of 3:45 for the Lobsterman.

Ride To Conquer Cancer

2010-06-03T14:54:00.003-03:00

In addition to the Lobsterman Triathlon, I am also preparing for Ride To Conquer Cancer which I am participating in as guide for my wonderful friend Myra. Myra is blind so I will be the "Captain" and she the "Stoker" on a tandem road bike as we pedal 200km over 2 days from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Here's a picture of the bike - a beautiful white Cannondale - sitting in the transition zone at teh triathlon Myra and I did last year.

Back Training and Blogging

2010-06-03T14:45:00.002-03:00

I realize that it is highly unlikely that there is anyone out there in "cyberspace" still interested in reading my blog but I've decided that I will try to get back into the habit of updating it for no other reason than it helps me to feel slightly more "accountable" insofar as my training is concerned.

So, with that preamble, I can report that I am now in Week 1 of a 16 week training plan to get ready for my first ever Olympic distance traithlon. My target race is the Lobsterman Triathlon in Freeport (Maine) on September 17th. The distances for an "Oly" are twice as far (1.5k swim, 40k bike, 10k run) as the distances in a Sprint race (750m/20k/5k).

So far this week I have done:

Monday - 50k bike
Tuesday - 300m swim, 5k run
Wednesday - 20k bike

Riding In PEI

2009-08-25T08:01:00.002-03:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did some great biking while in PEI. Here is a picture from one of those rides:

Last Two Posts

2009-08-24T13:09:00.001-03:00

I was reading a friend's blog and noted that he was able to send updates from his iPhone. I just checked and turns out my BlackBerry can do the same - text or images. COOL!

IMG00011-20090627-1931.jpg

2009-08-24T13:06:00.000-03:00

Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.

Test

2009-08-24T13:03:00.001-03:00

Sent wirelessly from my BlackBerry device on the Bell network.
Envoyé sans fil par mon terminal mobile BlackBerry sur le réseau de Bell.

Update

2009-08-24T11:29:00.002-03:00

I've now been back from my vacation for over a week so time to get a new post here on the blog. First, thanks to my wife for the finish line picture of me at the Rockwood Triathlon. I posted it on my Facebook page and got a couple of ego-boosting comments from friends!!

Had a lovely 2 weeks of vacation in PEI. I got in a number of decent 5-7k runs and several great bike rides. Best of the bunch was a 55k group ride that I did one evening with the local cycling club. I managed to keep up with them for two-thirds of the way but then I "fell off the back" and was on my own. Fortunately, a nice chap slowed down and pedalled with me to the end. It's a huge help when you are riding with others because of the aerodynamics.

Now that I'm back into the normal work routine I need to get back onto a training schedule. Still trying to decide whether I will sign up for the Colby Triathlon at the end of September. It'd be an expensive weekend but fun to get to the States both for the race and to do some shopping.

Rockwood Triathlon By The Bay

2009-07-27T08:44:00.002-03:00

A successful race!!

All went well at the triathlon. I finished a respectable 46th out of the 63 sprint distance competitors. My swim felt much better than at my first triathlon - I think my time was about 2:00 better for the 750m distance. The bike portion was TOUGH - a very hilly course and 26km versus the usual 20km. Can't really compare the time to my first tri but I felt good throughout, even though I haven't ridden a lot of hills. The run was around 3:00 better than last year on a more difficult course.

All in all I am really pleased - can't wait to do my next one !!

Lance

2009-07-22T08:23:00.003-03:00

There are certain people who become so famous that they can be referred to by only one name. For me, one of those people is "Lance" - Lance Armstrong. He is truly a remarkable athlete - 7 time Tour de France winner, sub 3-hour marathoner, etc. - but what he has done through his LIVESTRONG foundation is truly remarkable.

For the past couple of weeks I have been following Lance's blog. He is in one of the most gruelling athletic events on earth and yet every day he finds time to make some short videos, post some words, etc. In today's video message he offered support to a Montrealer with cancer and to the group of 5 riders in Ottawa who were victims of a hit and run.

You can watch the video here:

EDITED - since I can't figure out how to stop the video from automatically launching when you open my blog page, I've deleted it from the site.

Rockwood Triathlon By The Bay

2009-07-20T09:37:00.002-03:00

I've decided to enter the sprint distance (750/20/5) event at the "Rockwood Triathlon By the Bay". Takes place on Sunday morning in Saint John. This should be a good test of my fitness level and will help to determine whether I should aim to do an olympic distance (1500/40/10) event in September.

Finally getting some decent weather. Got out for a nice 30k bike ride yesterday. Today is a swim at noon and then a short run tonight.

Race Report

2009-07-13T13:10:00.002-03:00

Here's a little more of the story from the race ...

I flew up to Toronto from Fredericton and spent a couple of days visiting with my buddy Dave P. We have been friends for more than 25 years now and throughout my adventures in running, triathlon and fundraising he has been one of my most vocal and generous supporters. We had a great time hanging out, did a nice 5k run at his local Running Room and he spent mucho time trying to indoctrinate me into his world of wholistic nutrition. Some of it has actually taken with me. (PS to Dave - I am still Diet Coke free - 5 1/2 days and counting!)

Early Friday morning I picked up my race partner Myra and another of the blind participants (Rozzina) and we headed 2 hours north to lake country - the Muskoka region. What a magnificent part of the country. Gorgeous lakes, beautiful rock outcroppings, forests, etc. Found our way to the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind) summer camp on Lake Joseph (aka Lake Jo). Great facility that was to be home base for the race and where we from the Blind Guys Tri Team would be staying. Both Myra and Rozzina have stayed at the camp in previous years but it was the first time for me to be there.

After lunch we headed to a spot where we could do a practise swim. The water was beautiful - clear and cold but perfect since we were wearing tri wetsuits. I think we did about 400-500 meters in practise and all went well. After the swim it was time to check into the camp and then we went for a practise bike ride on Myra's Cannondale tandem. It is a really great set of wheels.

By early evening the camp was a beehive of activity as the race crew got everything set up - timimg mats, transition areas, etc. Once they were ready we got our race packs (great swag - a couple of tech tees, a water bottle, some product giveaways, etc.) and then we racked our bike. Had a great race briefing, then a Blind Guys Tri Team meeting, a late dinner and finally off to bed.

The race itself is called the "Joe's Team Triathlon". It is the brainchild of Joe Finlay, a cottager on Lake Jo who was diagnosed with cancer several years ago. He started the race as a fundraiser for the Princess Margaret Hospital Cancer Research Unit. In only a couple of years the race has become huge - raising $1 million this year alone. $1 million!!! Amazing!!! The race is in fact the biggest charity fundraising triathlon in the country. There were over 400 participants in total, rounghly 300 in the sprint triathlon as individuals and then some relay teams and some duathlon (bike/run) individuals and relay teams. And because of where it takes place (Canada's rich and famous cottage in the Muskoka's) there are lots of very well to do individuals involved. For example, Paul Coffey, multiple Stanley Cup winner and Hall of Famer took part.

Weather forecast was quite ominous all week and sure enough at 5 a.m. on race day the thunder, lightening and rain were intense. We had been told that the rule was that in case of inclement weather race would be delayed until at least 20 minutes had passed since any audible thunder or visible lightening. My biggest worry was that they would outright cancel and that the trip would have been in vain. Happily, by 7 a.m. the rain let up and there was no more thunder/lightening. So, I got our gear laid out in the transition area, covered it with a plastic garbage bag just in case and then had some breakfast - coffee, bagels, fruit, etc. Then it was into our wetsuits and down to the water.

Race started right on time at 9:05. Myra and I were in the 5th of 6 waves (determined by participant age) so by the time we started it was almost 9:30. Not to worry though because it was all based on chip timing so the delay in the start is deducted from your overall time.

The first leg of the swim was proceeding fine but then Myra started to experience a racing heart beat. It's a condition that she sometimes gets and so she wasn't panicked. We just had to stop, tread water and wait for her pulse to slow. When it did we set off, rounding the first marker on a decent pace. Roughly halfway along the second leg of the swim Myra started to experience some dizziness. She felt like she was spinning in place. Wish I could've taped the confused conversation we had as I tried to understand what she was telling me about how she was feeling. Eventually I understood though and reassured her that we could rest as long as needed and if necessary there were lots of safety people on the water. She was determined though to finish and so after a minute or two of rest she was ready to set off again. The rest of the swim was uneventful.

Leaving the water we walked up to T1, stripped off the wetsuits, into our bike helmets and shoes, long walk to the mount line and then off we went. Lots of cheers from spectators who were all about. Great course marshalling and of course police at the key road intersections. Thank you volunteers for making it possible for us to race in safety!!!

The bike section was great. Since we were amongst (but not) the last out of the water, there were lots of people out front of us to pass. I kept telling Myra that we would be the hunters and the others wouldn't even know we were out to get them. I would tell her when we had another "target" ahead and then when we would pass them I would say, "There, another victim". I think we passed more than a dozen people on the 20k ride. In fact, our bike split was faster than 20% of the competitors. Not bad, eh?

The bike course was a 20k course (ie. 10k out and 10k back). We arrived back at T2, changed into running gear and then headed out on the course. Most of the field was finishing and so as we passed we cheered for them and they cheered for us. The course was 2.5k out and 2.5k back so we got to see everyone at least once, including the people who were behind us in the race. I really like this because I think it makes for a much more "supportive" environment.

As we approached the finish the race announcer called out our names and we crossed in what has become our trademark style - smiling, holding hands and both arms up in the air as if we had won an Olympic medal.

After a shower, late lunch and a brief snooze it was time for the after-party. It was a wonderful event - steak BBQ, live band (Canadian rock stars Blue Rodeo led by Jim Cuddy who also took part in the tri), etc. Unfortunately, we had to be on the road by 6 a.m. so that I could get my flight home so I packed it in early but the music, dancing and partying went on till God knows when.

Return trip went well with only one exception. When we arrived home at Myra's place she was locked out of her house. Her husband is physically disabled and has a brain injury as a result of a fall off a ladder a decade ago but she managed to wake him and he came downstairs to unlock the deadbolt. Somehow he ended up falling in the hallway and usually he can't get up on his own. I had to watch through the mail slot in the door as Myra tried to coax him with her voice up to his feet. It was absolutely agonizing to see the pain that this man was experiencing but the determination was remarkable and he managed to get upright without me having to break in through a window or call 9-1-1.

Notwithstanding this last little incident, this was a truly fantastic experience for me and I am so grateful to Myra for inviting me to be her guide. While I'm looking forward to doing some individual races over the rest of the summer and fall, I am hopeful that I'll have future opportunities to serve as a guide as well. Try it - you'll like it!!!!

The Results

2009-07-13T08:54:00.003-03:00

Swam 750 meters, Biked 20 kilometers, Ran 5 kilometers. Here's what the official race results site shows:

Finished 258 (of 268)
Name Myra R.
Time 2:19:51
Division F65+
Place 1/1
Swim Place 260
Swim Time 31:06
T1 5:44
Bike Place 221
Bike Time 49:54
T2 4:11
Run Place 263
Run Time 48:57

These are the statistics, but as is often the case, the statistics don't begin to tell the full story. You see, Myra is blind, she is 66+ years old and this was her first ever triathlon. Competing right alongside sighted athletes, some of whom were ONE-QUARTER her age, Myra accomplished something that most mortals would never even attempt. Let me put a couple of the facts into persepctive:

On the bike leg, Myra was faster than 48 other competitors.

In spite of being blind, Myra had faster transition times than roughly one-fifth of the other competitors.

Myra power-walked the 5k mere months after having had knee surgery

Notwithstanding that she was the oldest female competitor in the field, Myra did not finish last in any of the legs - swim, bike or run - and was not the slowest in either of the transitions (swim to bike; bike to run).

So, what's your excuse for not being physically active?

Volunteering

2009-07-06T18:52:00.002-03:00

Had a chance yesterday to volunteer at our local triathlon. Last year I competed but this year because of the Joe's Team/Blind Guys Triathlon upcoming I decided to not take part. Instead, I helped with race registration and as a course marshal. It was a great way to repay all the volunteers from previous races that I participated in and to pay it forward for the volunteers at future events in which I will take part.

Music

2009-07-03T15:39:00.001-03:00

Click on this video and turn the sound up on your computer. What a tremendous musical performance!!

Tough Training

2009-07-03T15:26:00.002-03:00

It seems like it has been raining forever. I'm hoping that the webbed feet I am probably developing will help during the swim portion of future races ...

Last weekend was spent at the cottage in PEI. Managed to get in an open water swim although it was pretty tough due to waves and wind. No question that ocean swimming is a lot tougher than the pool or a lake. Also got in a run on the weekend and I've had a couple more this week. Today I was in the pool trying to focus on technique rather than endurance.

Sunday is the Duncan Hadley triathlon here in Fredericton. It was my first ever triathlon last year but because of the race next week with the "Blind Guys Tri Team" I won't be participating this year. I have offered myself up as a volunteer though - payback you might say for all the great volunteers at the races I've been to over the years.

Busy Weekend

2009-06-22T17:04:00.003-03:00

Lots to report from the weekend that was. First, and most important, was the graduation ceremony on Friday night for Chris from Leo Hayes High School.

Saturday found Jill and I standing in the rain, getting eaten by mosquitos, watching Stephanie compete in the Callendar Hall horse show. Here is a pic of her in one of the Hunter Over Fences class. She had a great show receiving 3 ribbons in flat classes on her leased horse, Jade.

Sunday was Father's Day. Did 5k to start the day then a nice brunch and in the afternoon a practice swim at Killarney Lake.

Swim Training

2009-06-18T14:14:00.004-03:00

Had a good day of swim training ysterday. At lunchtime I did a 750m timed swim which took me 22 minutes. I used only breaststroke since that is what I will be doing when I am guiding for the Blind Guys Tri Team.

Then, last night I went to Killarney Lake and went for my first open-water swim of the season. It was a beautiful warm evening. The lake was chilly but I was wearing the triathlon wetsuit that I bought last fall so, no problem.

NRR - Chris' Prom

2009-06-17T10:14:00.003-03:00

Last night was Grade 12 Graduation Prom for Chris.

Chris and his buddy Anthony with their (borrowed) ride

Chris, Anthony and their dates Carrie and Emily

Chris and Carrie

Weekend Training

2009-06-15T08:53:00.001-03:00

Had a decent weekend of training. Biked on saturday and ran yesterday. Plan is for a pool swim today at lunch and if the weather is decent, I may try an Open water Swim at the lake tonight.

Videos

2009-06-12T14:23:00.002-03:00

Hope you watch and enjoy the two videos that I have just posted. Just to clarify, the name of the race is the "Joe's Team Triathlon". The name of the group that I am participating with is the "Blind Guys Tri Team". Clear as mud?

Video

2009-06-12T14:03:00.001-03:00

Video

2009-06-12T13:58:00.002-03:00

Joe's Team Triathlon

2009-06-11T10:16:00.002-03:00

The Joe's Team Triathlon that I am doing in July as a guide for a blind athlete is a fundraiser for the Princess Margaret Cancer Research Center in Toronto. I was surprised to find out hat it is one of the top 5 in the world.

Thanks to all who have sponsored me for this event. If there are any who stumble upon this blog site who would like to make a donation, click HERE.

My Cousin Mike

2009-06-10T10:57:00.003-03:00

As part of my fundraising effort for the Blind Guys Tri Team I have sent emails to family and friends asking them to make a donation. This is the humorous response that I got from my cousin Mike in Ottawa:

I will be pleased to contribute to the Bi-Guys Tryin' Team 750 mile swim to benefit Princess Margaret, Girl Guides and 400 other visually impaired athletes over 66 years of age with the runs. I hope I've got that right. Sounds like a worthy cause.

What a character!!

2009-06-09T05:57:00.002-03:00

Was on the road for work yesterday so used it as my "rest" day. Today my objective is to get in a 30 minute swim. Looking forward to the UNB 25-year service awards tonight. My department is responsible for organizing it and so I have been asked to offer the grace before dinner. Congratulations to all the faculty and staff being honoured!!

For the triathlon that Iam guiding Myra in, I am required to raise a minimum of $500 for cancer research. Thanks to the folks who have made contributions so far - mom, my brother Bill, my friends Shawn and Tracy and my colleagues in the UNB HR department. As of this morning I am half way to the goal.

Back 'n Bloggin'

2009-06-07T15:37:00.002-03:00

In case there is even a single soul out there in cyberspace who is still looking in on this blog, I'm going to try and restart things.

Here are my latest two goals:

1. I will be guiding my blind friend, Myra, in the "Joe's Team Triathlon" on July 11th in Ontario.

2. I will train for and complete the Lobsterman Triathlon (Olympic distance) in Freeport Maine in September.

This weekend marked the official start of my training for goal #2. Did a nice 45 minute bike ride yesterday and a nice 30 minute run today.

February IM Update

2009-02-07T09:27:00.001-04:00

So far I have done:

Swim - 2k
Bike - 40k
Run - 9 k

Ironman February

2009-02-02T13:05:00.002-04:00

The mentoring group that I am part of at beginnertriathlete.com has designated February as an "Ironman" challenge. The goal is to complete the official Ironman Triathlon distances in each event - 3.9 km swimming, 180k biking and 42.2 km running - over the course of the month.

So far:

Feb 1 - 5 km running
Feb 2 - 500m swimming

New Car

2009-01-26T18:27:00.003-04:00

Last week we took the plunge and bought a new car to replace our 15 year old minivan that had died its final death over the Christmas holidays. It's a Mazda 3 sedan, 5-speed manual in "Cooper Red Mica" with black interior. As their advertising slogan says, "Zoom, Zoom, Zoom".

Happy 18th

2009-01-15T20:15:00.001-04:00

Happy 18th Birthday to my son Chris !!

Zero to 1650

2009-01-15T20:08:00.002-04:00

Last year I came across a swim training plan called "Zero to 1650 In Six Weeks" Tofday I tried the Week 1 workout: 4 x 100m (12 breaths rest between), 4 x 50m (8 breaths), 4 x 25m (4 breaths). In total then I swam 700m. Felt not too bad.

Reviving A Past-time

2009-01-11T13:41:00.002-04:00

I recently re-started a small aquarium that we had purchased for Chris back in 2003 when he went into the hospital to be started on his insulin pump. My dad used to love having an aquarium so I think of him a lot as I'm looking at it.

So far so good - only one fish has died out of the 4 I began with - and I've been able to add a few more to the original group. I'm up to 10 fish in the 10 gallon tank. Hard to take good pictures of an aquarium but here are some that are decent:

Weekend Training

2009-01-11T13:38:00.002-04:00

This qualifies as the first weekend in a long time about which I can boast that I actually "trained" rather than "thought about training". Saturday I did a good 30 minute spin session (while watching "Hell's Kitchen" on the Food Network!) and today I dod a 5k run in less-than-optimal weather conditions - cold, windy and snowing. I'm proud of myself for getting out there.

The First Day Is The Toughest

2009-01-08T13:11:00.004-04:00

It's been ages since I last dragged by sorry butt to the pool to practise my swimming. Enough procrastination - I did it today at lunchtime. While I wish that I looked like this:

I know that I probably looked more like this:

Oh well ...

Happy New Year

2009-01-01T16:24:00.003-04:00

Jill and I started the year off right by doing the 5k Resolution Run this morning. The temperature was -16c with a windchill of nearly -30c. Here are some pics:

Spinervals

2008-12-29T21:25:00.002-04:00

Along with my funky new bike trainer I also received a Spinervals DVD. I used it today and what a great workout !! I give Spinervals "Two Thumbs Up".

Xmas Gift

2008-12-27T18:18:00.003-04:00

What a great Christmas we had. It was just the four of us this year but we sure had a wonderful day. I was given an AWESOME gift - abike trainer so that I can get some riding in during the long winter months. Here I am giving it a try:

The Night Before Christmas - Canadian Soldier Style

2008-12-12T15:13:00.002-04:00

The Night Before Christmas

T'was the night before Christmas,
He lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house,
Made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney,
With presents to give,
And to see just who,
In this home did live.

I looked all about,
A strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents,
Not even a tree.

No stocking by the mantle,
Just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures,
Of far distant lands.

With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought,
Came through my mind.

For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,
Once I could see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor,
In this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured,
A Canadian soldier.

Was this the hero,
Of whom I'd just read?,
Curled up on a poncho,
The floor for a bed?

I realized the families,
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers,
Who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world,
The children would play,
And grownups would celebrate,
A bright Christmas Day.

They all enjoyed freedom,
Each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.

I couldn't help wonder,
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas Eve,
In a land far from home.

The very thought brought
A tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees,
And started to cry.

The soldier awakened,
And I heard a rough voice,
'Santa, don't cry.
This life is my choice.

I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
My life is my God,
My country, my corps.'

The soldier rolled over,
And drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours,
So silent and still,
And we both shivered,
From the cold night's chill.

I didn't want to leave,
On that cold, dark night,
This guardian of honor,
So willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over,
With a voice, soft and pure,
Whispered, 'Carry on Santa,
It's Christmas Day, all is secure.'

One look at my watch,
And I knew he was right,
'Merry Christmas my friend,
And to all a good night.'

Santa Shuffle 5K

2008-12-08T11:39:00.004-04:00

On Saturday the 4th annual Santa Shuffle 5k (in support of teh Salvation Army) was held in Fredericton. This is the 3rd time I've participated but it wasn't a typical race for me. That's because it was "graduation day" for my Learn To Run class. Although the group numbers diminished slightly over the course of the 10 weeks - injury, relocation and other life issues - a total of 9 participants "toed the start line" for their first ever race.

I am really proud of each one of them for their dedication and determination. Every one of them finished upright and smiling which was our ultimate goal. Here are a few pictures:

Blogger Idol

2008-11-27T16:40:00.003-04:00

My friend Mike alerted me to the Running Blog Idol contest that iRun magazine has initiated. I've sent in an entry so who knows, I may become a (barely) famous blogger yet!

Still Running!!

2008-11-24T10:53:00.003-04:00

It's been a very busy couple of weeks due to work related travel but I've managed to get in a decent number of runs - mostly around 5k.

Two weeks ago I was in Toronto and so I was running in the city core - yuch. Last week I was at a training program north of Montreal and so I was running on gorgeous wilderness trails in the Laurentians - fantastic!

If you ever have the chance, I highly recommend La Sapiniere in the small town of Val-David. Not only was it great for running but in summer the hiking and biking would be amazing and in winter the cross-country skiing would be just as great. Also nearby are numerous ski/snowboard hills.

25 Years

2008-11-13T12:41:00.002-04:00

Today marks 25 years since my father passed away from complications during treatment for leukemia. He was a dedicated runner and so I am, in a sense, simply carrying on the family tradition.

Lest We Forget

2008-11-09T07:32:00.007-04:00

We sometimes forget that our nation's sacrifice in Afghanistan, while small by comparison to the sacrifice in WWI and WWII, is no less significant. Here are the the names of those who have paid the supreme price:

1. Sergeant Marc D. Léger
2. Corporal Ainsworth Dyer
3. Private Richard Green
4. Private Nathan Smith
5. Sergeant Robert Alan Short
6. Corporal Robbie Christopher Beerenfenger
7. Corporal Jamie Brendan Murphy
8. Private Braun Scott Woodfield
9. Master Corporal Timothy Wilson
10. Corporal Paul Davis
11. Private Robert Costall
12. Corporal Matthew Dinning
13. Lieutenant William Turner
14. Bombardier Myles Mansell
15. Corporal Randy Payne
16. Captain Nichola Goddard
17. Corporal Anthony Boneca
18. Corporal Francisco Gomez
19. Corporal Jason Patrick Warren
20. Corporal Christopher Jonathan Reid
21. Sergeant Vaughn Ingram
22. Corporal Bryce Jeffrey Keller
23. Private Kevin Dallaire
24. Master Corporal Raymond Arndt
26. Corporal Andrew James Eykelenboom
27. Corporal David Braun
28. Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish
29. Warrant Officer Richard Francis Nolan
30. Private William Jonathon James Cushley
31. Sergeant Shane Stachnik
32. Private Mark Anthony Graham
33. Private David Byers
34. Corporal Shane Keating
35. Corporal Keith Morley
36. Corporal Glen Arnold
37. Private Josh Klukie
38. Sergeant Craig Paul Gillam
39. Corporal Robert Thomas James Mitchell
40. Trooper Mark Andrew Wilson
41. Sergeant Darcy Tedford
42. Private Blake Williamson
43. Chief Warrant Officer Robert Girouard
44. Corporal Albert Storm
46. Sergeant Donald Lucas
47. Corporal Aaron E. Williams
48. Corporal Brent Poland
49. Private David Robert Greenslade
50. Private Kevin Vincent Kennedy
51. Corporal Christopher Paul Stannix
52. Master Corporal Allan Stewart
53. Trooper Patrick James Pentland
54. Master Corporal Anthony Klumpenhouwer
55. Corporal Matthew McCully
56. Master Corporal Darryl Jason Priede
57. Trooper Darryl Caswell
58. Sergeant Christos Karigiannis
59. Corporal Stephen Frederick Bouzane
60. Private Joel Vincent Wiebe
61. Captain Matthew Johnathan Dawe
62. Corporal Jordan Anderson
63. Corporal Cole Bartsch
64. Private Lane Watkins
65. Captain Jefferson Clifford Francis
66. Master Corporal Colin Bason
67. Private Simon Longtin
68. Master Warrant Officer Mario Mercier
69. Master Corporal Christian Duchesne
70. Major Raymond Ruckpaul
71. Corporal Nathan Hornburg
72. Corporal Nicolas Raymond Beauchamp
73. Private Michel Levesque
74. Gunner Jonathan Dion
75. Warrant Officer Hani Massouh
76. Corporal Eric Labbé
77. Trooper Richard Renaud
78. Corporal Etienne Gonthier
79. Trooper Michael Yuki Hayakaze
80. Bombardier Jérémie Ouellet
81. Sergeant Jason Boyes
82. Private Terry John Street
83. Corporal Michael Starker
84. Captain Richard Leary
85. Captain Jonathan Snyder
86. Corporal Brendan Anthony Downey
87. Private Colin William Wilmot
88. Corporal James (Jim) Hayward Arnal
89. Master Corporal Joshua (Josh) Brian Roberts
90. Master Corporal Erin Doyle
91. Sergeant Shawn Allan Eades
92. Corporal Dustin Roy Robert Joseph Wasden
93. Sapper Stephan John Stock
94. Corporal Andrew Paul Grenon
95. Corporal Michael James Alexander Seggie
96. Private Chadwick James Horn
97. Sergeant Prescott (Scott) Shipway

New Gear

2008-11-08T20:37:00.003-04:00

I have finally done it ... bought a wetsuit that is. When I was in Toronto last week I made a point of getting out to a GREAT store called Enduro Sport where they had their rental wetsuits on sale. I purchased a Nineteen Pipeline full sleeve in great condition so I have no excuse now for not racing more next season.

Blind Guys Tri Team

2008-11-03T08:44:00.003-04:00

Here's a video about the Blind Guys Tri Team that I have joined. I am really looking forward to participating with Myra Rodrigues who is truly an inspiration. Make sure your computer's speakers are on - sound starts a few seconds into the video.

Cycling In November

2008-11-03T08:16:00.002-04:00

I believe that this is the first year that I've managed to continue my commuting by bicycle all the way into November. It was a little frosty this morning - temp was 5 or 6 below zero (celcius) when I left home but I was well bundled up. Only area that is a problem to keep warm are my toes. It's also pretty dark when I set out on my ride but I had lots of lights and reflectors to make sure I was safe.

Canadian Athletes Now Fund

2008-10-27T13:20:00.002-03:00

Yesterday as I was driving home from PEI there was an interview playing on CBC with two Olympic athletes who had benefitted from the Canadian Athletes Now Fund. I was really taken with what they had to say so today I went online and made a small donation. The thing that I am most impressed about insofar as this fund is concerned is that it is non-governmental and all the donations go directly through to support our athletes for basic necessities such as food or medical expenses.

If you can afford to make a small donation, I would really encourage you to do so.

Cottage Closing

2008-10-27T09:10:00.003-03:00

I was over to PEI this weekend to close up the cottage for the season. It's always bittersweet. Sad to realize that another year has gone by. Nice to think back on the memories of the summer.

The weather was lovely so I got out for 5k runs on both Saturday and Sunday. I realized that its the first time I've run back-to-back 5k's in a long time. I'd better get back into the habit!!

It was also great to spend the weekend with Stephanie. I got to see her ride Razzie for the first time out at Windemere Farms. Beautiful horse and Margaret, its owner, is very generous to Steph.

Updates to Site

2008-10-14T16:17:00.002-03:00

One of the things that I rarely seem to get around to is updating links on this site but I just did a couple - added links to two events that I will be participating in and added a link to "Big Tone"'s blog.

Giving Thanks

2008-10-14T08:33:00.004-03:00

Enjoyed a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. Daughter home from university. Son played football for his high school team. Turkey and all the trimmings. A 5.5k run on a gorgeous afternoon. There was a lot to be thankful for!

The Dawn of A New Week

2008-10-06T08:49:00.003-03:00

Well, I feel like I'm finally getting over my cold after 10 days of misery. How do I know? Because I felt energetic enough to ride my bike to work this morning, despite the temperature being just 4c. Don't worry Murf - I was well bundled up !!

Yesterday was the annual Run For The Cure event which raises money for breast cancer research. There was a HUGE crowd of runners, walkers, wheelers, etc. I ran the 5k (not sure though if the distance was exact) in 26:33. More that a quarter of a million dollars was raised. I'm particularly proud of the UNB team - the rUNBuddies who raised over $25k thanks to the leadership and hard work of Niki Cassidy (who happens to be my administrative assistant!).

Here's a picture of teh start. I can just be seen in the second row (I'm searing a white L/S shirt and black pants) between the two fellows in red who are at the front

... oops

2008-09-29T16:08:00.002-03:00

It's been a long time since I posted on this blog. How do I know? Because my Aunt called yesterday to ask, "How come it's been so long since you wrote on your blog?"

While it has been a busy month, that's no excuse.

My Learn To Run class is nearing the end of Week 2 and so far so good. I have 18 participants which is a great number for this type of class.

A week ago Sunday I did the Terry Fox 5k run here in Fredericton. I think of my Dad (who died of leukemia) every day but especially on Terry Fox run days. Also think of my step-dad Les who died of liver cancer.

This weekend upcoming is the Run For The Cure which raises money for breast cancer research. I'll be there either to spectate or participate.

Exciting news - I have been asked by my friend Myra to be her guide in a triathlon next summer. The triathlon is in Parry Sound, Ontario in July. More details will be posted as they become available.

On Track

2008-09-04T00:48:00.002-03:00

Pleased to report that I've managed to stay on track with training, despite it being he busy "return to school" week. Tuesday I was in the pool, which is now reopened after a 2 week scheduled maintenance closure. Wednesday night I was at the Running Room for the weekly run club session and did a 5k route. Lots of new faces which was great to see - the more the merrier!!

Updating My Blog

2008-08-30T09:26:00.002-03:00

It's been a long time since I made any changes to the links that I have set up in this blog. Over the next few days I hope to refresh it a bit by eliminating some of the "old" out-of-date stuff and adding some newer up-to-date info. For example, I've added a link to the "Beginner Triathlete" web forum that I have found to be very helpful. More changes to come in the days ahead.

Hectic Week

2008-08-29T14:21:00.002-03:00

Just checking the blog and realize that I haven't posted all week. I've been a little lethargic where training is concerned. I did get out for a nice run on Wednesday after work but that's about the sum total. Took the day off work today to get some chores done around the house. Of course, it's raining so won't be able to do the primary task but still nice to be off. Plan is for a run and a ride this long weekend.

Weekend Ride

2008-08-25T16:30:00.002-03:00

On Sunday morning I went for my longest ever bike ride. My route was almost 50km and took me along the north side of the Saint John river all the way to the Mactaquac Dam and Headpond and then back along the south side of the river via the old Trans-Canada Highway.

While 50k isn't huge by cycling standards (Tour de France riders will do 150 - 200 km some days) it was a big accomplishment for me. This is especially true because there were a couple of SERIOUS hills along the route.

Here is a picture of the Mactaquac Dam which is used to create hydro-electric power. You can see the headpond that was created on the upriver side of dam. It's now used for boating and there is a nice provincial park that includes a golf course, camping, marina, etc.

Lunchtime Running

2008-08-21T13:08:00.002-03:00

I was out today at lunch for a 30 minute run and it occurred to me that it's been a long time since I did any noon hour running. Guess it's because I was concentrating on getting to the pool. At any rate, it was a gorgeous day and so it was really nice to be out there alongside the gorgeous Saint John river.

Outdoor Swim

2008-08-20T14:04:00.002-03:00

The UNB pool is closed for a couple weeks of maintenance so a friend suggested I try the new outdoor pool that the City of Fredericton had built this year. Although it was chilly, it was a nice change to be swimming in the great outdoors. Here's a look at the facility:

Getting Going

2008-08-18T10:34:00.002-03:00

It's been over a month since my last blog post but today I am rededicating myself to regularly updating this site.

Since my inaugural triathlon I havn't been able to compete in any more events but I have kept at the swimming, biking and running. Hopefully I'll be able to find a triathlon to compete in before the end of this season and I'm already thinking about stepping up to the next distance level (Olympic distance) in 2009.

Just over two weeks ago I had a proper "fitting" of my bicycle and man, what a difference it has made. I bought the bike at a Local Bike Shop (LBS) here in Fredericton called The Radical Edge and as part of their tremendous customer service they did the fitting at no cost. While in PEI for the past two weeks I got in several long rides including a 40k one and the comfort level was vastly improved over what it would have been a couple months ago!

At this point I am in the market for a triathlon wetsuit (I borrowed one for my first event) which will complete my equipment needs. I have a line on a used one but am waiting to hear back by email from the seller.

Hard to believe that summer is so quickly coming to a close. Already time to look at Fall plans. I have signed on to lead another group at my local Running Room store but the clinic doesn;t start until later in October. The group will be a Learn To Run group (last time I led a 10k group) so it'll be folks brand new to the sport. I hope I can get them enthusiastic about running but mostly I want them to be enthusiastic about "active living".

Race Report

2008-07-08T07:42:00.005-03:00

Got to the race site early (7:00) and got a prime spot for my bike and got all my transition gear set up.

Rumour amongst the early birds in transition was no wetsuits - yikes I'm not a very confident swimmer - but I had steeled myself for the possibility since at the newbie's briefing yesterday they had warned us that the lake would probably be too warm to allow wetsuits.

After worrying about not being able to wear it I headed off to registration and body marking. Sign at registration clarified that wetsuits were not allowed for Oly but were optional for Sprint. Big sigh of relief!!

Met up with Mrs FBP and the FBP kidlets around 8:30 and we walked to the beach to watch the Oly start. The buoys were WAY further than I had expected. GULP. Then it was time for me to get into my suit and do a warm up (actually a cool down) swim.

The Sprint main group started at 10 and the "safe start" group that I was in (which was almost as large as the main Sprint start), started 5 minutes later. First 100m was crazy - arms and legs everywhere. Soon enough though we were strung out enough that I was in clear water. I stayed on course pretty well but there were people going every which way. One lady swam at 90 degrees across me. I gently grabbed her ankle and tried to get her facing the right way.

Exited the swim at 18:30 which was right on my target. Only real issue in the swim was that my goggles didn't seal properly due to the sunscreen I had on. Kept having to tread water and empty them. Otherwise, I was pretty proud of myself as I exited the water. Found out later that a lady who exited before me stepped on a fishing hook. The paramedics got it out and she finished the race!

Long run up to T1. Got my goggles and cap off then the top of my wet suit. Into T1, to my bike and then got out of the bottom half of the wetsuit. A bit of a struggle to get it off the leg that the chip was on. Into my shoes, on with the helmet and glasses and out to mount.

The first loop of the bike course was busy because of the Oly's (and Duathletes) being already out. Got passed by some VERY fast tri vets with all the aero gear but seemed to be holding my own with the other "regular" bikers. I was fast on the downhills and passed lots of people.

Ended up leapfrogging through much of the bike course with a lady who would pass me on the uphills while I would pass her on the downhills. We ended up at T2 at exactly the same time. My total time to T2 exit was roughly 1:10. Still right on my target times. Out of T2 my legs felt surprisingly good. In retrospect I think I could have pushed a bit more on the bike but I didn't want to risk trouble on the run.

Off I went to do my 3 loops of a 1.8k path.

It was very busy but no problem finding running space. Course was shaded for 2/3 of the loop which was great because temps were now getting pretty intense. One section of the trail went across a wide open stretch of beach. Could notice the temp go up at least 10c in that section. I believe I ran around 11 minutes per lap. Took a 1 minute walk break at the water station that was located at the start/finish of the loop. Big finish kick up a little incline and crossed the line with a big smile on my face in just under 1:44 total time. My goal had been 1:45.

Could not have asked for a better experience for a first triathlon. I'll be back for more.

PS. This is a really a great event. Kids of Steel yesterday. Oly, Sprint, Duathlon, Team Sprint, Canadian Forces Challenge - something for everyone. Unbelievable door prizes too - 2 bike trainers, a Trek Hybrid (won by one of the Juniors), HRM's, bike computers, etc. Sadly, yours truly came up empty this year but maybe next ...

Mission Accomplished!!

2008-07-07T21:28:00.003-03:00

Finished my first triathlon on Sunday. What a great feeling !! I really feel a sense of accomplishment from having challenged myself and then doing what was necessary to meet that challenge. I finished in a total time of 1 hour, 44 minutes - just under my goal of 1:45.

I'll write more later but for the moment here's a picture that says it all:

Finally Friday

2008-07-04T09:53:00.002-03:00

Yabba dabba doo !! Today is the last work day before race weekend.

Got out last night for my third Open Water Swim session and it felt very good. I'm really glad that I've had the chance to practice at the race site and become familiar and comfortable with the surroundings. I think it will be a real help come race day on Sunday.

If you're interested, click HERE to see information on the race.

I just looked and there are roughly 170 total entires so far with the largest proportion (70) of those being in the Sprint distance event that I am doing. The more the merrier!!

Tragedy

2008-07-02T10:14:00.003-03:00

Very sad news from Manitoba. Two gentleman who were cycling across the country to raise $$ for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation were killed when hit by a vehicle.

Details available HERE

Overdue Update

2008-07-02T10:08:00.002-03:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. I'm sure this has been a tremendous disappointment to my legions of faithful readers. Then again, maybe not.

Preparations continue for my first sprint distance triathlon. It's now only 4 days away so at this point "the hay is in the barn". In other words, nothing that I can do this week about my physical preparations so just need to get mentally prepared and look after all the small details. There sure are a lot of them when you consider all teh things necessary for swimming AND biking AND running.

I've been to the lake twice to practise Open Water Swimming in my borrowed wetsuit and I've practised the swim to bike and bike to run transitions a bit. Plan is to get to the lake once more either today or tomorrow after work plus I'll do one more short run and a short ride.

Race day is Sunday July 6th.

Triathlon Mentorship

2008-06-07T20:18:00.002-03:00

Earlier this year I joined an on-line mentorship group at Beginner Triathlete website. The mentor is Bryan, from Texas. The "mentees" include me, Marianne (Boston), Juanita (Alabama), Leston (Utah) and Dan (Michigan). We've become a really great mutual-support society over the past few months. Funny how people met on-line can become friends so quickly and easily. Today one of our members, Marianne, was doing her first Olympic distance triathlon. All day I've been dying to know how she did. ust checked and she posted a quick note to say she had a great race. Now I can't to wait to read her full race report.