Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Mike the Tyke
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 ...
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 ...
Friday, June 25, 2010
A Decent Week
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.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Weekend
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.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Recovery Week
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.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Some Pics
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:
This is what the start looked like:
A typical pit stop:
We saw this fellow several times along the route:
2010 RTCC Ride Report
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.
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.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Ride To Conquer Cancer
What an epic adventure !!!
We started here
Two days and 220 kilometers later we finished here
We started here
Two days and 220 kilometers later we finished here
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Joe's Team
Here's a bit about the Joe's Team triathlon that Myra nad I did last year.
Ride To Conquer Cancer
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
Attentive readers will notice that I have changed the title of my blog to better reflect what I am currently writing about.
Adapting
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!!
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!!
Monday, June 07, 2010
Weekend Update
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.
Today is a scheduled rest day.
Friday, June 04, 2010
To Donate
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.
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
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 ??
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!!
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!!
Thursday, June 03, 2010
My Oly Time Goal
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
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
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
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
