In the space of 4 hours 2 friends forwarded this Nike ad to me and another blogger I read posted it on his site.... it's awesome. Enjoy!
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Open Water Swimming - Batchelor Bay
*
Kevin, Debbie and I hit the water at 6:15 this morning for an open water workout...... It was totally awesome. Sunny and calm with no boat traffic at all.
We went just short of an hour and covered 2.12 miles. I mapped it out on MapMyTri which is an awesome tool by the way....
The highlight was stopping at the beacon (approx. 2/3 of the way through) to see a bald eagle on top tearing into a fish... The massive bird dined there for a minute or so before taking off with the fish in its talons.... so cool. I should start swimming with my camera!
By the way, we are going to be swimming at Batchelor Bay on Wednesday mornings around 6am for the rest of the summer if anyone would like to join.... Send me an email (through the side bar on this blog) or leave a comment.
Here are a few shots from the morning....
Kevin and Debbie
Yours truly
*The black and white shot at the top of the post is from a photographer called "Waste no time" you can see more of his cool black and whites HERE
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Breaking News!
We have a new rider in the family....
Mattias was out practicing his riding tonight with Sacha, her parents and her brother. He graduated to "two-wheeler" status (which means he can ride without training wheels...)
I got there after dryland training and was able to catch a few photos and celebrate with him. He wants to do the Yaletown Grand Prix next year - he saw the kids race when we were there and he's pumped!
Aia is learning to ride as well and she is showing a lot of promise... By the way, our kids don't always ride in pajamas and rubber boots... they insisted and we know which battles to fight!
My in-laws - Gary and Anne-Marie with Mattias and Aia
Fitness testing was pretty good tonight... We ended up doing the "Beep Test" (I don't know if that is the real name) instead of the 3000m run. The beep test was popular with PE teachers when I was a little kid.... A boom box emits a beep in shortening time increments, with every beep you have to run 20 metres, back and forth.... I got to level 10 (which is something like 50 back and forths.) The hardest part was stopping and changing directions... almost gave myself a blister because I did every turn planting my right foot... I think with better turning technique I could go another level or two. (My current training doesn't involve a lot of stop/start direction changes...... I am going to have to change that!)
Push-Ups - you had to keep up to a very fast cadence as dictated by Tony's ghetto-blaster (sweet word I haven't used in a while) as soon as you are off the pace you are out.... Result: 44
Sit-Ups - Same deal, fast cadence with the boom box.... Result: 79
Burpees - Same again... Result: 34 (if I remember correctly...)
The beep test and the sit-ups were my best events.... the burpees were very tough - I have a hard time with that range of motion on the left leg.
Tony addressing the group to be tested - mostly folks from the Nordic Racers Club
Other Nordic Racers club members....
That vein on my forehead can get a little out of control when I am working hard....
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Countdown to STP!
STP is getting close now... I can feel my excitement level rising. If you have a hard time getting excited about events in life I have a recommendation - custom jerseys.
I know, it may seem excessive if you are just trying to get excited about going to work or going to the gym, but I can attest to their effectiveness... I picked up our custom jerseys today and they are sweet! I immediately became 3x as excited about STP.
The old 'into the bathroom mirror, headless horseman, grasp your own butt' shot.... I tried in vain to reverse this image (and paste a head on it) before uploading so that it wouldn't read backwards, but couldn't make it happen.
Atac Sportswear in Langley sponsored us by providing these jerseys on super-short notice so that we would look coordinated and suitably 'pro' while tearing up the tarmac between Seattle and Portland. I enjoyed working with them and look forward to placing a big order in the future once Momentum gets rolling.
I also picked up Brian's race package today, closing a long and painful chapter of this STP adventure. I almost wrote that it was a "pain in the ass" but then it occurred to me that I should save that phrase for the ride report where it may find a FAR more appropriate usage.
I guess it's true that nothing good ever comes easily, and particularly so in the case of a late registration to STP! A huge thanks to Dave Herder, an I.F. customer, for hooking us up.
So, then.... riders registered, hotels booked, trucks and transport arranged, jerseys in hand, training completed.... I figure I am one huge tube of chamois cream away from being ready!
Tonight I am off to dryland training - where we will be doing our fitness tests for Cross Country Canada. The test involves a combination of exercises - timed push-ups, sit-ups and burpees as well as a 3000 metre run (I think). I don't think I will be 100% fresh because of all the riding I have been doing, and the workout Rob and I did yesterday at I.F. - but I intend to throw down with all my might. Should make for a tiring evening....
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Sunday, July 6, 2008
City Chase CBC - Episode II
The second episode of City Chase will air on Monday July 7th at 8:30 on CBC.
To catch Mark and I in action put your TV on '3' and don't touch the dial.
For the record: Mark and I were quite pleased with the first episode. We felt we were portrayed well and didn't make fools of ourselves. Even my wipeout off the fence seemed minor, which I was pleased about. Also, they played my field goal 3 times so I can't complain!
To watch the first episode online click HERE and then click VANCOUVER just below the header...
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STP Training, Canadian Armed Forces and raunchy porta-potties...
I hope you all had a great weekend. Mine was very enjoyable - so much so that I never got a moment to sit down and blog.
I have a few topics to cover with this post so buckle up and we'll get started.
STP - Red Tape
OK, I came up with that cool idea to ride STP with Brian on his tandem. It was (and still is) very exciting for me because of the new experience it offered and the chance to see how a blind athlete competes.
The problem was that STP was sold out. All 9,500 spots. I tried to pull a string with the organizers (charity aspect of the ride etc.) - no luck. I tried to buy a spot on the online notice board - no luck (and I almost got banned for offering a premium!)
It took until late last week to actually get Brian registered to ride in STP and then it was only luck that a friend of a friend dropped out. This caused me to shelve the "launch" aspect I had been hoping for regarding Momentum... no matter though. There are all kinds of great opportunities and the next one will be right around the corner I am sure.
In the meantime my plan is to document the ride and write an article or two for submission to news outlets and magazines... why not get my hands dirty in the freelance writing field?
STP - Training
Brian finally came back from traveling all over racing his bike. He qualified for Beijing at Nationals in Quebec so his focus has been on more important things than STP (if you can believe it!)
We got out for a good ride on Wednesday last week. I rode out to Burnaby on my bike, then we jumped on the tandem and went out for 90 minutes along the Barnett Hwy. through Port Moody and around Coquitlam.
The tandem required a bit of getting used to... it's handling and braking are pretty slow. It's acceleration is a bit slow too, but it's top end is out of this world... Once it gets going there's not much that slows it down.
Apart from one awkward moment involving a cement truck I think I did an admirable job piloting for the first time. Brian was impressed, though he added "... but I wouldn't race with you yet" whatever that means...
Seattle
Sacha and I (and Viggo) slipped away for a quick overnight break in Seattle. We left Mattias and Aia with Sacha's parents and headed out early on Friday morning. July 4th is an interesting day down in the U.S.A. They are so patriotic... I can't decide whether to love it or hate it... I think I love it. Ultimately, I wish we Canadians had a little more pride in who we are at times. We don't need to take it to the extreme that the yankees do - that's a given - but on Canada Day you could barely tell anything was going on here.
This is a cake Sacha and I found at a QFC store in Seattle. The world needs more cakes made to look like hamburgers and fries... I particularly enjoyed the "ketchup". Happy Independence Day!
Canadian Armed Forces
I'm joining. Well sort of... I have been invited to come out to Ottawa in September to conduct a running clinic for wounded soldiers. I can't tell you how proud I am that this opportunity has landed in my lap. The Armed Forces are putting on a 5km, 10km, and Half Marathon in September and it will be the first time running/competing for many new amputees and recovering soldiers. The clinic will be a part of the festivities for the weekend.
I hope I will be able to stay in the barracks with the troops and experience the soldier life for a few days and be able to offer some motivation, inspiration and knowledge that will help these men and women get back at it.
I will be writing much more about this when I have more details.
And today...
Great ride out to Steveston today with Kevin, Sam, and Krista. Lots of laughs... I almost puked (not exaggerating - I dry-heaved three times) when waves of odour from this porta-potty engulfed me....
I thought I was a safe distance away. Kevin and Sam actually went INTO the porta-potty without hurling which gives me a new respect for them.
On the way back we joined Cal Lindberg (I.F. customer) for a bit - he is training for Ironman Canada and I enjoyed hearing about his training while we picked our way across town.
At the top of the hill at UBC. Sam on the left and Kevin on the right.
Krista. Shown facing the camera... a photographic departure from my signature "back of the head" style of shot.
Me. Self-Portrait.
Kevin and I post ride. Check out my jaunty head-band (click to enlarge a bit)... it's to keep sweat out of the eyes (and because I only needed one excuse to wear a sweet head band....)
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Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Canada Day Kids' Run, Yaletown Grand Prix
You gotta love a statutory holiday. Happy Birthday Canada! 141 years old today (not sure how that number was arrived at and haven't bothered to check on Wikipedia).
We Joneses decided to mark the auspicious occasion of Canada's 141st with a family day. In the absence of any strong opinions from the others, I steered us toward a sport-filled day - since these are the type I enjoy the most.
We began with the HBC Run for Canada - Kids Run at Coal Harbour. Mattias had so much fun in Golden Ears that he was eager to race again... and Aia made her race debut this morning. We met up with Mark Vaughan and his kids, Kayley and Taylor, to do the event together.
Aia, Kayley and Mattias relaxing pre-race
This event was really great! It was a fundraiser for the Olympic and Paralympic Teams going to Beijing and there were TONS of olympic athletes out as well as the ever popular Quatchi, Sumi and Miga (the mascots). The athletes all wore gold shirts with their names and their sports on them - made it easy to chat with them and get the kids interested.
The kids with Quatchi, Sumi and Miga
Pre-race stretch
More pre-race hanging out...
The race was 1km and Mattias was pumped - I needed to temper his expectations (to win) a bit as there were many older kids in the race. Anyway, Sacha and I observed him putting on a wicked burst at about the 600m mark and passing a handful of older kids.... it was so awesome! He is having a lot of fun with running and racing - so I am going to keep lining them up for him.
Aia's debut was dramatic. She decided to run last minute and was slightly unprepared (wearing a dress, and her cute (but not running) shoes.) Given that the race was only 1km, and it is completely fine to walk, we decided to register her and go for it. Anyway, she had a small "wipeout" in the first 300 metres which caused her to have to dig especially deep for 700 metres to finish. I distracted her with tales of my own race disasters (which she seemed to enjoy), but she was gutting it out with some difficulty. I asked her many times if she wanted to stop and she said "No!" every time. The last hundred metres or so were completed in my arms - no matter, she was awesome!
This race was so cool, Mattias ran a lot of it with Annamay Pierse (2008 Olympic Team - Swimming). How cool is that?!
Mattias and Annamay Pierse
There were also great t-shirts and awesome medals - and these things go a LONG way with kids. All in all, a great event and one that we will try to do with the kids every year.
After the run we headed over to Yaletown where we spent some quality time at the playground, Mattias and Aia played with their good buddy Finlay, while Sacha and I hung out with Mel, Fin's mom.
Then it was on to the Yaletown Grand Prix - as I have mentioned before I LOVE watching bike races. This was a criterium in the streets of Yaletown. We watched several races and left on a high-note when my friend Allan Prazsky took home all three cash primes AND the win in a dominating performance in the Masters Race. Mattias' comment was, "Wow! Allan Pracksky is a good biker!" and that is very true.... Congrats Allan!
As if that wasn't enough, we were forced by a major traffic "incident" to remain over town for several hours which we spent picnicking at a park in Kits.... By then the kids were completely wiped out and we headed for home.
Awesome Canada Day! Looking forward to Canada's 142nd b-day....
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