Hornby Island - Photo Post

Hornby was awesome.  

I took about a million photos ... so I'll let them do most of the talking.  

Family + Island + Beaches + Bikes = Great Holiday

Not much time to write or read these days as I am over-the-top busy - returning from holiday and getting ready to leave for Nationals (triathlon) in Kelowna this Sunday.

Enjoy the pictures...  CLICK TO ENLARGE for a closer look.

Cheers!  

I love a van/bike shot! Starbucks stop on the way out of town...

The van is awesome for family trips like this.

Don't worry we didn't drive like this.... Viggo 'drove' during ferry line-ups.

Dinner on the first night... Bert and I made Beer Chicken (one of about 3 or 4 things I know how to make!)

A pair of Beer Chickens ready to be BBQed.... they were tasty.

Aia on the 'Trail-Along' behind me... I got some great workouts pulling her everywhere behind me. We even got a bit crazy on the trails which was a blast....  Next year she'll be traveling under her own steam I'm sure.

Hornby Cycle Chic... Very fashionable Sacha and Mel on the way to the bakery or the winery - I can't remember.

Bert won a geodesic dome in a poker game.... we assembled it and had dinner inside once or twice. Who else can say they won a geodesic dome in a poker game?

One of my favourite shots from the trip. Remember being a kid and just throwing rocks at things all day??? Mattias and Finlay.

This is a color shot but seems black and white... I liked it.

Aia and Daisy. I left the shot tilted... thought it was kind of cool that way...

Dinner on the beach with friends.... it's pretty awesome to ride a bike to a dinner/bbq - I would like that kind of lifestyle at home.

Aia in full flight... she's getting faster these days! I would like to look that light on my feet in a photo!

Mattias and Finlay. Don't remember what this game is called but you draw a circle with a cross in the middle then the kids play tag running only on the lines. They get good and tired... it's awesome!

Sacha and her mom with Viggo. This beach was right outside our cabin - we got lucky with a waterfront location this year.

Aia - always perfectly turned out in white skirt with pink bow for a walk on the beach.

Mel with Daisy on her shoulders.

Mattias made some real breakthroughs in his riding on this trip - he was generally attacking the trails - accelerating out of the saddle and riding with a lot more confidence - it was super fun. No trail shots - it was hard enough to keep up!

Gary (father-in-law) and I (not pictured) on the road above Olsen's Farm (possibly the nicest real estate anywhere...). We circumnavigated the island a couple of times during the trip.

Photos of bikes work for me....  it's becoming an affliction.  I love them.  These two were behind Habit (a coffee shop in Victoria)...

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Update

Cycling:  In the last week I have been back on the bike for a couple of easy rides to see if I can resume training...  the swelling in my leg has subsided and appears to be 100% gone now.  I am ramping up the work level but still not going 100% because there is no sense in shocking it and risking a recurrence.  The annoying aspect is that the doctors never fully figured it out so I am nervous it will come right back as I resume....  Oh well, time will tell...

Running:  I have been able to resume running as well.  I am taking it even slower in that department as it represents the biggest test of my skin and leg.  If something will go wrong it is usually when I am running.  So far it has been fine, but I have been using the treadmill (softer) and going in short bursts of 10mins or less.  It feels fine and soon I will "go for it" a bit more...  I am thinking of doing a short "race" with Sacha this weekend - it's tradition (once a year) and should be a good (but not too hard) test for my leg.

Swimming:  I continue to get out in the ocean three times a week at least.  It has been my saving grace during this period.  We now regularly get 6-8 people out at B.Bay.  For info click HERE.  I have totally found my love for swimming.  Today we had a strong current making us work extra hard.  I would love to know more about the currents and tides at B.Bay - they seem utterly random to me...  

Overall:  I would say that my upper body could use a rest...  with all the swimming,  and workouts that avoided leg strain, it has seen a lot of work over the last while.  I think my fitness is ok mostly due to the swimming, but there is going to be a definite effort involved in recovering some lost speed and power on the bike and it has been AGES since I ran properly.  These will come back with time but I need to be patient...

The logos are from the Olympic pictograms from 1968 Mexico City Olympics.  

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The Look

Any fan of the Tour will remember (or have heard about) "The Look".  Back in the US Postal days (2001 to be precise) when Lance and Jan would battle it out every year...

"The Look"*, when Lance took a probing glance into Jan's glasses just before dropping him like a bad habit on the slopes of L'Alpe d'Huez, is probably my favourite Tour moment ever.

So you can see why I was happy to see this the other day...

That, my friends, is "The Look"...  give the kid a few years (and some cranks maybe) and he'll be dishing out pain to a peloton somewhere...

*I have heard the interview where Lance swears he wasn't looking at Jan....  whatever....  I think he looked at him.

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Speed Syndicate Takes 3rd Place!

Team Speed Syndicate - 3rd Place - left to right: MJ, Jeremy, Justine

Race Highlights...

Start:  Hop, hop, hop, hop, flop - swim.  That's how a beach start goes when you have one leg.  Then you work for 150-200metres to pass everyone that beat you to the water.

Sighting:  Paddleboarders had yellow shirts.  Swim buoys were yellow.  Got confusing for a minute but got it sorted sooner than many around me.

End of Lap 1:  Swim till fingers touch...  get up on one leg - hop/wobble through water, around the beach buoy, back in and swim.  Heart rate goes WAY up - hopping in sand = hard work.  See Caroline Greenwood and exchange a nice midswim "Hey!"

Lap 2:  Smooth.  Caroline swam the entire second lap about 4 ft off my starboard/stern.  Very polite, never drafting.  

Swim Exit:  Approaching the end I started to hope Caroline might help me out of the water and up to my crutches.  Sure enough, as soon as we hit land she popped up and said, "Do you want a hand?"  I grabbed a shoulder and hopped up to the crutches with her help.  Thanked her and told her to get going...  THAT is going to be a lot of good karma for her.  THANKS CAROLINE!!!

Time:  34:56 - a couple minutes slower than anticipated... speaking with everyone after it was a common theme - maybe there was a current, or the course was longer than 1.9km...  whatever.  Anyway, I was 6/18 in the relays and would have placed 56/212 in the overall.  Not bad with all the hopping around and whatnot....  I'll take it.

Transition:  The crutches were a STUPID decision.  I thought I could crutch up the beach faster than putting on my leg and running.  Uh... no.  Not on tired arms, uphill, deep sand...  it was a b!&#$.  Oh well, at least I tried it and know for next time.

The rest of the race:  I didn't trouble my teammates for race reports but I can tell you they both performed admirably.  Jeremy on the bike and Justine running us to a podium position (3rd).

All in all I have to say relays are pretty fun - the camaraderie of competing with a team is different from the normal triathlon experience.  I think more people should take advantage of the relay option as a way to get involved in the sport...  or to still enjoy the competition with an injury (like I did...)

Congrats to everyone who raced!  Lots had great performances out there.

Thanks to Jeremy and Justine - the Speed Syndicate will have to reunite one day!

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Tour de France Pool

OK, everyone... As if the TdF wasn't exciting enough, Meyrick Jones Racing and HP Multisport have combined to kick it up a notch!

Tour de France Pool 2009

To ENTER:

1. Answer the 15 questions below in an EMAIL. They are mostly multiple choice... easy peasy...

2. Send the e-mail to me at the address below:

meyrick(at)meyrickjonesracing.com

3. Lay your smack talk down in the comments section below if you wish....

4. Watch the Tour and enjoy!

5. Winner is the respondent with the most points after the final stage on the Champs-Élysées.

The PRIZE:

Grand Prize - All expenses paid trip to the 2010 Tour! Damn recession...

Still Awesome Prize - Bragging Rights.

Spoils of Victory - The winner will also receive a soon to be prestigious (and highly sought after) custom "TdF Pool 2009 Winner" image to display on blogs or websites - if you don't have a blog you can print it and put it on your refrigerator. Your friends will all be jealous!

Local Prize - For (Vancouver) participants or those willing to visit us here - James and I have also put a sushi lunch on the line. If you want in you are welcome to join us - winner eats free! (And I eat a lot....)

Without further ado...

The Questions

1. Predict Lance Armstrong's final placing in this year's two individual TTs. Add the numbers together. What is the sum?

(1 point)

A. 2-3

B. 4-5

C. 6-7

D. 8+

2. Will Lance end up ahead of Contador in the GC? (1 point)

A. Ahead

B. Behind

3. How many stages will Cavendish win? (1 point)

A. 0-1

B. 2-3

C. 4-5

D. 5+

4. What will the winning team's avg. speed be in the Team TT in km/h?

(TTT Stage details are HERE)

-Within 1 km/h = 5 points

-Within 2 km/h = 3 points

-Within 3 km/h = 2 points

-Within 4 km/h = 1 point

-off by >4 km/h = deduct a point

50.34 km/h (Best guess was Bree Wee - 50 km/h. Most entertaining guess? 72 km/h.)

5. Who will win the polka dot jersey for King of the Mountains? (1 point)

Franco Pellizotti

6. How many riders will be banned, fired for suspicion, or otherwise ejected due to doping related issues? (1 point)

A. 0-2 (0 I think....)

B. 2-4

C. 4-6

D. 6+

7. Which team will finish the tour with the most riders? (1 point)

A. AG2R

B. Agritubel

C. Astana

D. BBox Bouyges Telecom (despite almost losing the whole team in the TTT)

E. Caisse D'Epargne

F. Cervelo Test Team

G. Cofidis

H. Euskaltel - Euskadis

I. Francais Des Jeux

J. Garmin Slipstream

K. Lampre - N.G.C.

L. Liquigas

M. Quick Step

N. Rabobank

O. Silence-Lotto

P. Skil-Shimano

Q. Columbia - High Road

R. Team Katusha

S. Milram

T. Saxo Bank

8. What will the average speed be in km/h for the Mt. Ventoux stage be?

-within 1 km/h = 5 points

-within 3 km/h = 3 points

-within 4 km/h = 1 point

-off by 4+ = deduct a point

35.9 km/h (Best guess was Kevin - 36 km/h)

9. What will the margin of victory be in the GC? (The margin in minutes and seconds between winner and runner-up.)

(1 point)

A. 0-1 minute

B. 1:01 - 2:10

C. 2:11 - 3:20

D. 3:21 - 4:30 (It was 4:11)

E. 4:30 - 5:40

F. 5:41 +

10. Who will win the GC? (1 point)

Alberto Contador

11. Who will win the Green Jersey? (1 point)

Thor Hushovd

12. Which OLN broadcaster will win the competition they have each year to predict winners? (1 point)

A. Paul Sherwen

B. Al Trautwig

C. Phil Ligget

D. Bob Roll

Craig Hummer... Knew I should have looked up his name before posting....

13. Will it rain during any of the TTs? There are 3... (1 point)

A. YES

B. NO

14. Who will end up being the team leader for Astana? (1 point)

A. Armstrong

B. Contador

C. Leipheimer

D. Popovych

E. It's over and people are still wondering

15. What is the second longest stage of this year's tour? (1 point)

Stage 12 - Tonnerre -> Vittel

16. Do you want to enter the Sushi Lunch Sweepstakes? i.e. you are willing to eat sushi with James and I on a "local winner eats free basis". (0 points)

A. YES

B. NO

C. NO, because I am sure Meyrick will win and I know how much sushi he eats....

Good Luck!

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Yaletown Grand Prix 2009 - Photos

The Yaletown Grand Prix is one of the few remaining bike races in the lower mainland - sponsorship dollars are hard to come by these days... It's a real shame because I have always felt that these events offer an amazing amount of entertainment value for a $0 ticket. Perhaps therein lies the problem?

Anyway, I was down in Yaletown today to watch a few friends race and to have some fun with my camera. In case you weren't aware, sports photography, and photography generally, is a hobby that is near and dear to my heart.

LOOKING FOR YOUR PHOTOS?

I have a Picasa Album with almost 200 shots. There are a few from the Men's Cat 3 race, lots from the Master's Race and lots from the men's and women's Pro/1/2 races. I took lots of a couple of friends - don't think that it is a man-crush (though I would like to be able to ride like that...) but there are lots of shots of other riders.

If you find one of yourself, please help.... yourself (that sounded like Austin Powers...) BUT, do me the favour of leaving a comment here (link is at the bottom of this post) and putting a photo credit and blog link if you post it elsewhere.

Something like:

Photo Credit: Meyrick Jones

www.meyrickjonesracing.com

VISIT THE ALBUM, FIND YOUR PHOTO HERE:

Yaletown Grand Prix

Here were a couple of my favourites:

My buddy Allan Prazsky winning the Master's Race by riding away with 8 or 9 laps to go... He dominated - just like last year.

The Pro/Cat 1 and 2 Men's Field

Unidentified Rider... Anyone know his name? (Rob Britton - Thanks to Steve Engh for the ID)

Alison Testroete - Women's Champion

The photo I liked so much I posted it twice: Will Routley and Nic Hamilton destroying the field by lapping all but one rider... on their way to a 1, 2 finish.

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5 Toes Each

Good News First:

I rode with three recent amputees this morning.  Linda, from GF Strong Rehab Centre, organized a ride and asked/invited me to join the group (which included a wife and a sister as well.) 

I met the guys last week - when I visited the rehab ward.  They are all still in physio three times a week learning how to use their legs.  It was pretty awesome to get out with them (in the rain) and ride.  Some had only ridden once or twice since losing a leg...  maybe on the awesome Specialized bike the Bike Gallery donated last year...

We went 20km - it was a wet, rolling course with not a single car - perfect for our group.

I am pumped to see cycling as a standard part of rehab now and even more pumped to help out.  We had a blast!

The Bad News:

I treated this morning's ride like a test - I was hoping for a miracle.  

I can still ride the bike - but with the slightest hill or speed increase my leg begins to scream at me.  It feels like I am poking a wound (and I am...)  

The doctor's orders the other day were - "you can do anything that doesn't cause pain" because pain is indicative of further damage and irritation.

So, with that I decided to bid adieu to the last shred of hope that I might have a miraculous recovery and be ready to fly and race next week.  In fact the problem area continues to get worse...

Mental Status:

The decision had been pretty much made for a few days in my mind.  I was pretty bummed about it.  Today's ride provided a bit of perspective for me...

I thought back to my first attempts on the bike after losing my leg.  I remembered how happy I was just to be there, spinning the pedals.  The feeling of reclaiming lost territory.  It made it harder to be disappointed about an injury and missing a few 'important' races.

I kept thinking about my new favourite mantra:

Focus on what you CAN DO, and DO IT.

So I turned the page and began looking forward...

More photos:

Linda was my physio back in 1995 - she has worked non-stop with amputees for over 15 years.  She is one of the more incredible people you will meet.  Amazingly dedicated and talented at her job.

My bike, loaded up and needing a wash.  

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Making Lemonade

I spent a good chunk of the weekend on my butt resting the leg.  It seems odd to 'rest' an unidentified swelling that is pretty much invisible to anyone who isn't familiar with the geography of my leg.

It can be a frustrating process that's for sure...  when something this minor becomes so major simply because you have to put it inside a prosthesis.  On the other hand it is no different from an injury anybody might get - it keeps you from doing what you want to do.

The trick, if there is one, is to find the things you CAN do and DO THEM.  All while trying to repair, rest, and recover from whatever the problem is.  So that is what I have been trying to do.

Progress:  X-ray - done.  Ultrasound - booked (July 25th what a joke...) and re-booked with begging (next Thursday).  Blood test - done.  Results of any of them - not yet.  On two different drugs - one an anti-inflammatory the other an anti-biotic.  Amazing how you can go from very healthy to all of that in a few days...

Training:  Kevin and I hit up Batchelor Bay at 6 yesterday morning.  We did the usual loop and enjoyed the warm water temps.  Usually it takes me 30-45 seconds to get comfortable in the cold water around this time of year, but right now it is instant comfort.  

You can see it is now around 16° or 17°c (62°F) which is a LOT better than the 9° (48°F) a few months ago.

ALSO, I am flying in the new wetsuit!  Looking back I should have realized that my old suit was 1. too big and 2. had two or three too many holes (that's a disastrous combo for speed.)

Innovative Fitness:  I have continued going to my sessions at Innovative.  I learnt a long time ago that I can't stop everything when I have a leg problem.  I just adapt and do what I can.  It's at times like this that I AM SO LUCKY to have the coaches at IF on my side.

On Friday Jeff Iwanaka devised a dastardly core session - all the hardest core exercises back-to-back-to-back for most of the hour.  It left me tired and happy and my leg untouched.

Yesterday, Dylan worked me over with bands, cables, swiss balls, posture etc.  

Riding:  I tried out the leg on a quick 1 hour ride at 5:45 this morning. Kevin and I ran the bikes out along Marine Drive to the industrial part of North Van and back...  we took it pretty easy but worked occasionally.

It felt ok-ish... on hills and out of the saddle I can definitely feel pain but it's relatively fine when I just spin. I am now waiting to see exactly how much I will have to pay for the effort in the way of swelling.  It's encouraging I guess - though TTs and track events are all about pushing HARD start to finish.

Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I am doing what I can when I can.  It's not easy right now but then again, who ever said it was gonna be easy?

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