Monday ride home from work

Not to bad for a Monday night! Had a fun ride home from work, not an overly taxing ride because its all down hill, average speed of almost 30 km per hour says it all!

I really wanted to say that today was the most stress free ride I've had in a while, just for the fact that I didn't almost get run over a couple hundred times. The general motoring public was ok!

I was on some pretty heavily travelled roads but that doesn't bother me, se people really don't like it but that's still ok too. I really take my section of road and have a very strong attitude about my section of road, and when riding with confidence I think helps the drivers of the cars feel confident also. If a driver sees a nervous rider looking around and wobbling around they to get nervous which creates two nervous people and a all around bad situation !

So just remember to ride positive ad safe and aware of all the surrounding situations that can cause harm!

Bit of good news

My infected to is feeling much better, still has some pain but is feeling much better.

Defiantly need a plan for this coming month, it's gonna be a tough one, every weekend from now till the 3rd week of September is booked.

Going to take a few more days of running off to give this pesky toe some time to heal. The problem with an auto-immune disease is it leaves your immune system at risk of attack when a virus or infection sets in, I was quick enough with this one to get into the docs for antibiotics.

Lucky

My toe feels better I'm sure it was due to my quick response with the antibiotics, last night I soaked it late and was able to drain the infection out, it's not red anymore and I can almost walk on it.

Thinking of only elliptical now until Muskoka but not sure yet, I have to cover the shop at work next week so I have to be early at work so no early gym sessions.

Hoping to be able to ride on Saturday, I won't be going long but anything will be good. We have the annual guys weekend coming up next weekend so I want to be off the antibiotics by then so I can have a cold one lol !

Have a good day 

Another speed bump

I have an infection in my big toe, not sure what its from but it sure hurts real bad, went to the doctors last night and he put me on antibiotics right away.

Hoping it works because Muskoka is 6 weeks away.

Granfondo Ottawa done

So my first cycling event is finished and let me tell you, if this is any indication of how an event of this style is put together I won't be doing one anytime soon.

I'm trying to keep the negative stuff out of my life but road cycling is dangerous if not done Properly.That's where triathlons are much safer on the cycling part of the event, there is no chance of wrong turns or getting lost, there is first aid on the triathlons with radio communications, the intersections have police at them closing them off, this race had very few of anything. This weekend at the granfondo Ottawa it was chaos, I didn't see any officials starting the race no announcer starting or giving any direction, people were just aimlessly doing this event in any fashion they pleased, at one point I was with about 30 riders on the side of a busy road trying to figure out where to go!

And road cyclists trying to draft with no training in drafting have no business being that close to others, our team of triathletes did some drafting but we ride together every weekend and know how each other rides, we tried to stay away from people, the groups who were riding properly were good to ride with but still very dangerous when someone new just pops into their group.

We saw one good crash on the side of the road that was a direct result of bad road riding ! To many people going to fast to close together! I'm very surprised no one got killed with the total disregard for road safety. Now we were instructed to follow the rules of the road on the riders memos and through emails and on Facebook but no formal speech was given with course rules.

One of my friends was in a group of riders when they were stopped and warned by police about the cyclists and their dangerous riding tactics which make it difficult for the rest of the cycling world to ride safely and without harassment.

The post race meal was terrible they had sausages that were cold and dried out with no condiments, with cold pasta that would make my Italian friends cringe, I'm glad the hotel was cheap but the Brook street hotel was very nice !

Our friend that put this whole weekend together did a great job at planning it out which is what made it a huge success for our group! It was magnificently organized, with a group of that size the weekend just skipped along perfect ! My family had one of our greatest vacations so far ! Thanks Fran!!!!

The ride itself was spectacular being able to experience such beautiful country side like the Ottawa valley was great ! My time was 27.9 average my fastest time ever on a long ride !

We received nice bike jerseys from this ride but the rest of the swag wasn't to good, there was also a problem with something to do with the timed sections of the race, they didn't have them due to debris on the road but I find that hard to believe I think something else went wrong and they blamed it on the weather.

All and all a sub par event due to the lack of organization from the race director, but a great weekend had buy team drinkle thanks to our teams organizer and her amazing planning skills !

Great weekend

Granfondo done now to set the sights on Muskoka 70.3, with the season half over its a little sad that another one has come and gone bit another is rolling along faster than you think !

Had a really fast ride yesterday also ! Amazing at almost 28 km average on a 100 km ride I changed up my eating a bit and drank a lot more so we will see if it worked !

Today's Granfondo Ride

This is the morning of the Granfondo ride, although its not a race I plan on an exciting experience. I call it a ride because the large storms we had yesterday they can't guarantee clean roads for the race portion of the timed sections, now unless you sweep you could never guarantee that but I guess that's a valid concern! 

So far it's a fantastic weekend with friends and family, more to follow !

Granfondo Ottawa

So we are loading up team Drinkle for yet another crazy adventure !

100km (training ride) granfondo Ottawa, with a bunch of triathlete friends!

Should be a fun weekend!

Little things learned

Everyday I learn new things about triathlon, things that are so simple you would think it should be just common knowledge. Finding Nemo is a kids movie that I was fortunate enough to have watched hundreds of times because my kids loved it, Dorie was a little blue fish and she said when she gets upset she says "just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming swimming swimming that's what we do we swim swim" 

So what I'm trying to say is just keep moving, one of my veteran triathlon friend is a very smart athlete, when she is on her bike she just keeps peddling not hard  but not slow either and she blows my doors off ! That's my new plan ! Just keep moving !  

Good training today

This weeks goal is hydrate ! I've had a small cramp in my right leg on and off for a week now hoping it goes away, I'm going to hammer the water this week to get ready for the granfondo Saturday In Ottawa.

Today's training went good, I was back to normal from Saturdays catastrophic event ! I decided today to go back the same route that took me out Saturday and killed it ! The enniskillen hill had nothing on me today!

Tomorrows goal "hydrate" and dismiss negative people ! 

Simple plan

This was a dramatic weekend, non stop, hard work and disappointment. Friday was a standard Friday filled to the brim with fun filled work day, yes fun lol I don't know how else to explain it !!!

Friday evening I had thoughts of my atv trip with my life long buds from when we were kids (it's hard to keep people in your life for twenty five years ! I went to the local atv store and got the parts to get my bike ready for the trip to pine falls near Sudbury in two weeks, a well needed break from the real world !

Saturday was the disappointment, my 100 km ride turned ugly mostly was hitting the wall and not enough sleep, I think the problem is my 100 km rides have been so easy and regular that I took the distance for granted, something I shouldn't do. After 60 I was toast and the friends that were riding with me were kind enough to nurse me back but ill tell you it was sure ugly.

That wasn't the way I wanted my last training ride before the granfondo this coming weekend but ill get passed it! This will be a totally different experience riding with a pack of roadies who love to draft and us triathletes that are programmed not to draft it should be interesting.

At least the family will have a nice weekend away at a nice hotel with a pool to sit around and soak in, a well deserved break for them also. 

A little under 8 weeks for Muskoka to roll around time to turn up the heat on the triathlon training, it's been almost a month after Syracuse so better start to hammer triathlon training! I've decided that I will lay off the running after Muskoka until my ankle recovers so its in good shape for ironman training next season.

Hotel is booked for next summers ironman distance race now it's time to put the plan together.

One more week

My mini training vacation ends next week when we finish the granfondo Ottawa

It's only a quick 100 km but should be fun, more of a holiday.

Lounging and having a couple cold ones is what it's going be about !

New triathletes

I just love to see new triathletes training and learning, they have big goals and dreams you can see it in their eyes. Tonight I was coaching in the kayak and when I say coaching (with my limited experience) I think I did ok, there was two brand new athletes, one who I have been coaching since she started in may and the other one who just started last week.

Both are eager to train and I think one is more hard-core than the other but both will succeed. I've helped both along the way and in turn they help me ! They don't quite know it but they are helping by giving me the chance to coach them.

I have a good idea on how to plan a season, I have limited knowledge in swimming but enough to help a new triathlete, and running I know the basics but I'm not good at running. I hope these new athletes stick with triathlon, it would be a great accomplishment for them and myself !!!

Why be negative

Dealing with the pressure and everyday problems can pile up on a person, dealing with negative people day in and day out is hard to take but I've been working on my skills of not letting negative energy in my life !

I think it also helps me on my long training days, it's like a mosquito flying around your head just before he bites you, just use your positive thoughts and don't let negativity in. 

When I was in Syracuse the bad feelings were close by, I wanted to give up but I had enough strength to fight them off and push forward, I owe a huge thanks to my Durham Region Triathlon Club friends for their support !

Grit I think is the word my friend Susan uses, that little bit of push you need to rise above your pain and fears, keep it close to you and use it often it will come in handy when you need it most!

This is one of my Syracuse pictures when I was near ready to through in the towel, those white things in my hand are sponges trying to keep my temperature down!

Plans

That's one thing I love about triathlon is planning ! Almost everything is planned a year in advance, with the club we have some great ideas planned for next year that's going to blow the socks off our already impressed members !

The mighty DRTC ship is sailing full speed ahead ! 

Commitment

Doing the training is just a small piece of this puzzle, mental toughness and nutrition can put an end to your day and it has to be practiced each training session I still need more work in this section but its coming nicley!

132.8 km ride this weekend !!!!

Very happy with the outcome 

132 km

What a great day with my longest bike ride yet ! 132 km, a big thanks to my friends who pulled me along ! 

What do I do when I can't sleep ?

I sit up and get wound up by reading ironman stories and finding quotes I memorize when times get tough, maybe that's how I made it through Syracuse 70.3 ironman.

Every day that goes past I realize there is going to be way more to this than training, the mental toughness seems to be large for this, I will bring it when it's time ! 

In the words of the great Muhammad Ali: "Success is not achieved by winning all the time. Real success comes when we rise after we fall. Some mountains are higher than others. Some roads steeper than the next. There are hardships and setbacks but you cannot let them stop you. Even on the steepest road you must not turn back".

Ironman dreams

Closer and closer it gets the more excited its getting more than a year away and I'm already excited! I know the real work won't start till the new year but in my world it started 2 years ago when I decided to get into triathlon.

My goal has always been the ironman but like was suggested to me when I started it should be a gradual start into the world of long distance triathlon. I have a couple of good friends that always keep tabs on me, encouraging me to pace and take it easy, always encouraging me along the way and I have to thank them so much for all their knowledge that I'm bringing to my ironman goal !

They always say pace, train consistent, fuel your body properly and have fun ! Also there is no way I could do this without the DRTC and all its great people that I've learned from.

I spent some time today planning things out and it's shaping up to be an awesome next year ! 

Hang on tight it's about to get fun  

Still resting

I think this is my last rest day, my body is coming back to normal again and wanting to train! I can always tell when I start to get jealous that others are training while I'm not.

I have my 4th infusion of remicade tomorrow in the afternoon and I'm hoping to get some planning done, at least one days worth anyway. I still haven't decided if I'm going to train tomorrow quite yet but I do have to clean my bike and put my new rear tire on after I had it trued up on Tuesday.

I will likely just sleep tomorrow evening to get through the remicade feeling then get up early Friday and start my day, Saturday will be a 1500 m swim and a 120 km bike ride out to port hope.

Time to get back on track! 

Lesson learned

So after my disappointing finish time in Syracuse a lot of things have crossed my mind, should I not register for mont Tremblant ? That's my first question and I've come up with an answer !! Yes I still want to sign up, although I know I'm too fat right now with the right planning I will get on top of this.

Had a talk with Erin and she is on board with my goals (was never a doubt) I know I couldn't finish without her ! My kids are already triathlon veterans, they are only young and know what it takes to complete long distance triathlons, plus they like the trips. That is my main step in completing my first triathlon. 

The training I already know will be hard but I do have the guts to complete it, as for work I can't really say how it will effect me but it shouldn't be too negative,

So bottom line what did I learn from Syracuse ? I learned how to bring myself back from a miserable race in a terrible state and cross the line! I was near ready to tap out, ready to through in the towel but I marched on though the hard times and finished the race. 

That's what I need to take into the ironman !

Happy Canada day

Drtc at Whitby waterfront