Friday 31 August 2012

Thursday 30 August 2012

My last brick of the season

I'm happy I finished off my training on a good note !
I decided to try out my compression socks tonight and what a world of difference on my foot pain!
It was history !!! So I researched peroneal tendonitis on the Internet (lol) and what does it say ?
Compression socks !! So I have 2 more runs before ironman I will give it a try then decide of its going to be used in the race ! Also after consulting with coach Paul on the whole thing !
So my day off tomorrow then a 66 km ride Saturday 10 km Sunday off Monday and then a couple short ones after that !
Have a great night

Wednesday 29 August 2012

The day is near

I don't know if it's excitement or nervousness but it's something !
I will be glad to see it over though !
Lots of hours training, thinking and planning and it all comes down to one day !
That's quite a risk !! I don't want to get sick or hurt I'm walking around on egg shells plus with the drugs I'm on i can pick up a virus just like that so I'm extra careful. No touching people washing my hands, eating at home ! Every precaution must be taken ! I will go over my bike with a fine tooth comb next week while I'm off to make sure it's ready !
Rest rest rest
Have a great night !

Tuesday 28 August 2012

Almost time !

I'm wondering if I will be able to keep my pace low and not get caught up in the race !!
I have put lots of time into going slow but it's mostly due to my fatigue ! How will I react with a fully rested tapered body ? I can't wait to give it a try ! My bike/run today was ok, the bike was a bit tough but the run was good ! My pace is getting faster and faster and running is getting fun !
I excited about my up coming September training plan and I can't wait to see what my taper week will include !


Have a great night !

Monday 27 August 2012

The day after ironman Canada

So I have had a day to try to imagine what my two friends are going threw!
In my eyes they are amazing athletes to even attempt such a task ! The years and months of training they have done is an iron task itself !
The race I think is the reward for all the hard work and there is so many different factors at hand when it happens !
Hydration, nutrition, sleep, temperature, what mood your in, injuries, state of mind, wind, mechanicals, rain, the day before, the week before, many many things all depend on the stars to line up!
I've been asked if I'm ready and I and I say yes I'm ready but will I do everything right? That is yet to be decided ! The only time I can guarantee I'll cross the finish line is the second I'm close enough to see it and even then it will be not certain until I cross !
So I'm going to try to have a solid game plan for hydration, nutrition, rest, sleep, and mechanical and just go out and do the work !
Everyone else will have completed their end of the bargain !
My coach did his part by getting me ready my family took the brunt of the grumpy tired triathlete and pushed and pulled and ignored all my funny crappy moods ! My friends always gave a listening ear when I talked endlessly about my sport !
My triathlete friends kept me on course and offered advice and encouragement when times got tough!
I have a few friends I trained with regularly that were a big part in gettin me where I am today !
So today coach paul told me in an email it's getting close to race day and I have to be careful and keep myself in a bubble so that's my goal this week and next !
Safe easy training no injuries do my taper and rip the race course up in two weeks !!!
Have a great night!

Sunday 26 August 2012

The Ironman gods are hard to get along with sometimes

My two friends in the ironman Canada race today unfortunately were unable to finish :( both these amazing athletes are very dear to my heart ! John who is a seasoned veteran always shares his vast knowledge of how a big man has to behave to be a triathlete although it took me a while to understand along with Susan they persisted on telling me to slow down and pace myself and this last month I have done that and found a really nice groove !
But unfortunately John was unable to finish :( the only thing I know about right now is that he is in the med tent susan is keeping me posted!
The other amazing athlete is Karen last year I trained alot with Karen and got to know her very well and was always there to answer all my newbie questions !
Unfortunately she was unable to make the bike cut off :( she missed it by 4.5 seconds :(
From reading my coaches blog she is physically fine but very disappointed !
I'm very upset also knowing the time and effort these amazing athletes put into their training !
So all my big training is done I finished my big ride of 110 km this weekend and my longest run was last weekend of 24 km but u had an 18 km run this weekend I just flew through and I'm very happy about that !
So begins my taper I don't know what to expect I've been in high gear doing big mileage and lots of training hours and I know I have lots to do around the house but I need to rest, I start holidays on Friday so that means I'll be home all day for the week leading up to my big day! I will probably go stir crazy lol !
Another issue I'm having is what I'm going to do once I go back to civilian life with my next years races unsure and a goal so far away I think I will emotionally be disturbed with the lack of drive ! I hope it doesn't get the best of me !
I'm also a little nervous about hitting the pool again I've always had troubles in the pool with my form it really aggravates my shoulders so I will really have to look at my form a little more this winter !
I'm trying very hard to stay awake to hear from Susan on johns condition but my busy weekend is getting the best of me !
I will set my alarm to check for a message from Susan

Saturday 25 August 2012

So far sunny

The race day is finally on the 14 day forecast ! I guess I can officially start freeking out now !
Had a nice ride yesterday but a frustrating one ! Very hot and just couldn't get going but I made it ! The last long ride of the year !

Thursday 23 August 2012

Very emotional day

So today I had my fastest 10 km EVER I ran 10 km in 1 hour 10 minutes and felt great ! I have noticed my peroneal tendon in my left foot is pulling a little bit but no pain as of yet!
I had such a good run I just can't believe it I had my hands up in the air the whole way down my street cheering myself into the driveway !! I'm sure my neighbors thought I was nuts lol
The bad news Is that this year is going to be the last ironman Canada race which is very upsetting to me !
I wanted this to be my first ironman race but it will never be!! This race is very important to the people in my club and I would have loved to follow in their footsteps and made that my ironman but it will have to be another one!

Wednesday 22 August 2012

Lots of tired triathletes

Tonight's swim brought tired athletes to the shores of lake simcoe for the final Wednesday night swim ! Some athletes have recently finished their A race some are completing it this weekend and some in two weeks but you can bet that most will be done in three weeks !
For some there will be rest ! Which I'm going to take for the month of September and for others unstructured training I think I will ease back into it in the month of october maybe 5 days a week till December then go to six I don't want to end up resenting this sport by not having a life for the full year !
I'm still going to hold tough on the no hockey idea because it's a huge chance to get Hurt ! Something I don't really need !
Next years races are starting to get planned ! So it's shaping up to be a fun next season !

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Hard to complete

Tonight's training was difficult ! Intact I wasn't able to complete it !
I did my 30 km bike and I was 4 km into my 6 km run and had to through in the towel !
I bought a new pair of shoes yesterday but it wasn't from them I think it was from the lack of sleep last night ! But none the less I didn't finish which probably means nothing, it was only two km but the mental part that I wasn't even able to walk it out will be a difficult one to handle !
I have one more brick this week and two next week then taper starts ! Thank god !
I'm starting to get a little nervous about the race now !!! I'm not really sure what I'm nervous about but I'm just nervous!
My pre race plan so far is as follows !
Subject to change of course after I talk with my coach !
I will swim the swim in my cruse mod which means I will find a pair of feet of equal or just a little faster then myself and will put it in cruse control oh ya I forgot for breakfast on race day it's waffles coffee and maybe a bacon sandwich ! Followed just before the swim by Gatorade pre game shot !
As soon as I exit the water I will hit a gel ! I'm not sure if I will carry it in my wetsuit or hit it first thing at my bike I will ask coach !
Once on the bike for the first 25 or so km I will ride at about 60% then after i hit between the 35 and 45 km I will shift it into high Gear eating a gel evey 20 minutes and drinking my Gatorade with heed in it every 10 minutes At about the 30 km mark I will eat my first quarter of my peanut butter sandwich then a quarter every 30 km after that leaving me with one quarter to eat after the first 45 minutes on my run, I will continue eating gels every 20 to 30 minutes as the Gatorade will be mostly gone because in only bringing one in my hop pouch on the run and the water will come from the aid station !
My run will consist of running for the first km then as I move threw the km I will decide If a run walk will be needed! I'd like to run the whole thing in under 3 hours with the bike at 3.5 and the swim at 45 so 10 mins for transition that makes 740 plus 5 mins for the run up so say 7:45 I will be happy within!
Have a great night !

Monday 20 August 2012

IMMT

We have some new ironman finishers in this world!! Congrats to my friends who finished Ironman Mont Tremblant!
Great job everyone !

Sunday 19 August 2012

24 km on the books

Well I did it with some bad foot pain and and a shoe change half way !
That was a tough run ! I remember in the winter when I thought the training was going to be turned up a notch and it wasn't and I was a little disappointed well I wish I was at that point right now! I'm just so exhausted its hard to even think !
This was my last long run today next weeks long run has been cut back to 18 km which will be a walk in the park!
Next week will be my longest bike of 110 km but I can handle that!
Have a great night

Longest run of the season

24 km today !
Mentally not ready physically tired !
But I'm gonna go grind it out !
The only reason I'll stop is if I'm hurting bad ! I don't want to pull anything this close !

Saturday 18 August 2012

Thursday 16 August 2012

Bad day

Today was one of those bad days ! I made my whole bike but it was slow and I managed to get through 8.5 km of my 10 km run still on course to finish my run section of my 70.3 ironman in 3 hours !
I think I'm just exhausted ! But I was having a little foot pain that's also why I called it early ! No need to tear anything so close to race day !

Have a great day !

Here is a pic of my new rims !

Wednesday 15 August 2012

At the hospital

I arrived early to the women's college hospital in Toronto for my appointment because you never know how long it will take to find parking or to get to the hospital so I have always arrived early so I wasnt ever late!
I'm hoping to get taken off of the methotrexate today but I'm wondering if that will cause a problem so close to race day?
I will check with the doctor and see what he says!
I've spent the last few days wondering what it will be like in a position were I have no race planned ! I'm wondering how long it will take me to whined down from this crazy ride I've been on!
I've 90% decided that an ironman next year might be still out of reach but not out of the question !
My other option will be two half ironman and one long bike ride like the grand fondo
That will still be a busy summer but not as emotionally exhausting as an ironman !
I'm thinking of the New Hampshire 70.3 ironman then the muskoka 70.3 ironman again ! I'd like to do it with my brother-in-law I think he would do amazing at it!


Have a great day !

A post from a friend!

Long after the t-shirt has faded,
Long after the medals are put away,
Long after the resuls are forgotten,
The memories will last forever of knowing what you have achieved.
Good Luck to all the athletes from Durham Region racing this weekend at Ironman Mt Tremblant.

Tuesday 14 August 2012

Some people don't understand

I think over the last couple weeks things are starting to come together ! My body is feeling good my brain is feeling good my life is good,
There was a person I was talking to the other day that always knows someone that does triathlon ! Someone faster, better and in awesome shape and they said to me " I think you train to much ! You are taking it to the extreme "
I didn't say anything just nodded and smiled ! I didn't feel like arguing !
Triathlon is an amazing sport but if you don't show it respect and do your work it will take you down!
I hear things like " oh I can do the bike and the swim but the run I think I would have trouble with "!!!! Most people don't get that you swim 2 km and bike 94 then do a half marathon for a cool down !
I wish it was easier for the people to understand !!! But they don't !!!


Tomorrow I find out if I can get off methotrexate !!! Yayyyy
Have a good night !!

Monday 13 August 2012

22 km yesterday

What a great milestone in my training ! 22 km worth of running and I lived to tell about it !
I even cut the grass after and tried to fix an electrical problem in my house!
I was in a tiny amount of pain today but nothing like usual ! Just like a gentle type pain that felt like I ran 22 km !
Next Sunday is 24 km then it's all down hill from there! Taper taper taper! Then race day !
I'm having a little problem now with wondering how I'll fit back into mainstream again after the Race is over !
How will I adapt to life in the off season ? I won't know that question I guess till it happens !
I am a little worried though !

Have a great night!

Sunday 12 August 2012

4 weeks to ironman 70.3

Getting excited
Yesterday was a crazy day ! We woke up early to go swim and got almost up to the lake and it was too dangerous to swim so coach called it which is always the safest thing to do ! Then I went back home to get my bike out or my 100 km ride and away I went! I was going to hit the enniskillen hill then take on the hills of mosport, but at the 16 th km I broke a spoke !!!!!
So I called Erin to come and get me then we went on our way to D'ornellas to get the repair done!
The bike mechanic advised me the wheel would be Ok to train on but he wouldn't race on it !
On the way home I messaged my frien to see how her ride was and they were pinned down in a small town about a half hour north in the cold and rain so I shot up to get them!!! They both have big races coming up and there was no sense for sickness or injury plus it extremely dangerous to ride in that type o weather!
When I got home I jumped back on my bike to finish my 100 km but the weather was still dicy, I completed 56 km of my ride and called it myself due to weather !
Home for pizza!!!!!

Now I'm off for a swim to Cobourg with John followed by a 22 km run walk which I'm going to run smart this time !

Have a great day !

Thursday 9 August 2012

One of my favorites

"Triathlon - It's not about finding your limits. It's about finding out what lies just beyond them."

Training totals

23 km swimming in the lake 591 km on the bike 90 km of running this month !
I would say thats a large amount of training !
I'm not sure what taper week will be like but I hope it's restful ! I took the whole week off work to rest and taper properly ! I'm going to get up early that week and train and just go back to bed and stay off my feet as much as possible ! Oh and eat ! And hydrate ! I want my race to be as perfect as I can the only thing i need to prepare is the unexpected ! So I will try to prepare for everything !

Another hard one

Tonight's training was brutal ! 22 km on the bike in the pouring rain then a 10 km run threw downtown Oshawa nasty !!!!

Wednesday 8 August 2012

Still fatigued

So today is Wednesday my dreaded methotrexate day, but it was better than most!
I'm hoping next Wednesday at my appointment with the doctor he will take me off it! It's almost to much !
So today I'm swimming along waiting for my energy to kick in and I just couldn't get going ! It felt like I had rocks tied to my feet and my arms wouldn't work! I swam over to coach Paul and he asked me what was wrong? I said I don't feel good !!! He said "what do you mean"?
Well I feel really fatigued, like I have two cement blocks tied to my legs he reassured me that that was normal after a big race and said just wait till you finish muskoka !
Oh great I said in my mind lol

Tuesday 7 August 2012

I need extra time !

Just need a little extra time thats all !

Here is a couple Kingston pictures

Monday 6 August 2012

The life IRONMAN

Since I haven't yet done an ironman I can only assume what it's like! But after my last race of a long course I know why only a select few attempt an ironman! And the reason I say attempt is even the people in my eyes who do the training they have already proved to me they are ironman quality !
The average pro that does no more than train every day and has no job or at least a minimal job I must admit is impressive but let me tell you an age grouper that works 50 to 60 hours a week and has a family and kids and other obligations is the true ironman !
Your friends and family all hear that you are training for an ironman but they don't really get it! They can't understand why you get up at 4 am they don't know why you train late into the evening they just don't understand!
180 km on a bike ? People just don't get it ! So you have to be patient with people until they get it!
I consider these races still not my a race !
My A race is going to be ironman Canada so all these races up to it will be training races !
I'm going to start my training journal tomorrow and never miss a day and will include my daily post with it to help me along the way !
Ironman is no joke and needs to be taken seriously or the ironman gods will eat you up!
I have a few friends who have completed ironman races and let me tell you they are awesome individuals in my eyes!



Kingston continued

I didn't think that my body would ever hurt so much I couldn't walk! But I can't even get up to make a coffee !
My day started yesterday very early about 430 am I woke up from a sub par sleep! And prepared my nutrition and filled up my water bottles, packed my bags and went outside to see a terrible wind storm with 3 to 4 foot swells on the lake and white caps, I knew the swim would be canceled but was still optimistic !
After waiting with coach Paul, Christine and our amazing team supporters coach Paul decided to tell us we better get our swim gear on just in case, we put our gear on and walked down to the swim start, with 5 minutes to start they called the swim !!!!
That gave us one hour to prepare for a duathlon, something I have never done before but spoke with coach Paul and he said I could do what ever race I felt comfortable with doing!
So being the bull headed man that I am I decided to do the long which was my longest run yet ! My reasoning was I would be able to feel what the muskoka 70.3 would feel like !
The first run I did was ok and comfortable, just like I've been training then off onto the most difficult bike I have ever done ! Wind, rain, heat, everything you can imagine but I finished it ! One thing that did go threw my mind was calling it a day after the bike ! I was wet, tired and uncomfortable, Susan and John also my coaches and family were there and I didn't want to let them down so I pressed on ! I was able to run up to the 9 th km then switched to a walk because this wasn't my a race I decided there was no sense in killing myself and getting injured in a training race !
I walked to the last km then ran it in down the shoot !
The race had some great volunteers but the directional signage wasn't the best !
Today is rest and stretch but I'm I'm huge pain!


Thx to all my supporters without you I wouldn't be able to pull it off !

Kingston triathlon

I'm still in bed and my legs are to sore to get up the triathlon was changed to a du, and I will say one thing !!! It was hard to run before a bike !
I'm going back to sleep lol

Sunday 5 August 2012

Kingston long course ! Race smart not hard

All set for my longest race yet ! A little tired but I'll be ok !
I've raced and trained tired all summer!
I also have real nasty blisters on my lips from a bad sunburn I don't think will effect me but we will see! It won't make me quit but it will make me uncomfortable!
Lots of my tri buddies will be here racing today including some that are not racing and that means alot to me also I heard rumors that coach Paul and coach Christine were coming so I better be on my game!
Race smart not hard!

Saturday 4 August 2012

Just about ready to go!

Looks like bad weather do Kingston tomorrow !
I will try to have race day updates and photos with my daughter holding my phone !
Check it out tomorrow for current race photos and comments !

Friday 3 August 2012

Packing for Kingston

So the rest day went ok still a little busy but must get to sleep soon this is a key night for me ! If I get a good sleep in my own bed it won't be as bad tomorrow night in a strange bed !
The forecast has risk of thunder storms for the entire day I hope they don't cancel it ! At least we will have a duathlon if the water is to bad which will be even harder for me since my run sucks ! But I will give it my best !
I have my bike all cleaned up and ready to go !
I will be watching the weather closely also watching my right ankle it's starting to hurt a little !

Rest and relax

This is a new attempt before a race for me !
Im going to wash my bike, pack gear and some snacks just rest and relax!
Have a great day!

Thursday 2 August 2012

Sub par training week

This week has been a difficult one ! Sunday's long run kicked the crap out of me and I paid for it all week !
So far I haven't ran since Sunday but I'm ok with that lol
I have tomorrow off work to prepare for the Kingston race so inn going to make sure that I drink water all day rest and eat !

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Wow

I don't know how I will ever train for a full ironman, this half is killing me ! Wednesday is always hard due to the methotrexate but today was one of the better Wednesdays.
I had a good swim with my tri buddies at Jackson's point, I don't really like swimming there because of the weeds but I will deal with them because I might have to swim in the weeds in a race ! So it's best to be prepared for everything.
Being prepared for Sunday is going to be interesting ! The race is the Kingston long course !!! 2 km swim 56 km bike and a 15 km run ! Long enough to get my blood flowing !
I have been thinking over the last couple weeks how I should approach this race and I haven't come up with a firm answer yet but I'm leaning on the slowing down side of this one and racing in my heart rate zone I'm used to! I'm hoping to get a couple good night sleep over the next few days to maybe help my body on race day !
I'm going to swim at a steady pace, not one that I'm dead when I come out of the water but just a nice steady pace then once I get on the bike I'll just take it easy and cruise for the first 20 minutes or so, I'm hoping my body doesn't take long to switch over but you never know ! Then after it switches over I might light the fire for a little bit but try to conserve some for the run I know I'll finish there is no question but weather it's pretty or not that has yet to be seen !
I have many friends at this race ! Lots of Drtc buddies as well as my brother-in-law Garth !! The man that's responsible for getting me into this sport !
I'm very excited to race with him ! It's nice to have something in common with a family member! I was able to race with my sister-in-law Karen at the start of the season so this year has been a treat!
But I should get to bed and rest for this weekends race !!!!
Have a great night