My American Thanksgiving

My body weight is getting out of hand and I better step up the training soon. Until then maybe one more feast to join my American friends.

Visions of my next Triathlon

I'll be busting out these moves at my next triathlon.
And since I'll be on a Tri Bike and on the aerobars, wouldn't that be more impressive?

Goodbye Pat Burns

The last time the Toronto Maple Leafs were good and worth watching and cheering for, Pat Burns was the coach.

I'll never forget those years. The team played with the same passion that Burns exhibited. I had the great fortune of meeting him and during those boom years and he was friendly, courteous, and welcoming. Not like the grizzly, intense, mean looking guy behind the Leaf bench.

Unfortunately, Pat Burns lost his battle with lung cancer today at the age of 58.

Leaf fans will always be thankful, and are thoughts and prayers are with his family.

Pat Burns (April 4, 1952 – November 19, 2010)

Some great articles about Pat.

http://www.thestar.com/article/894172--dimanno-pat-burns-a-man-s-man-with-a-tender-heart

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/hockey/2010/11/19/16229576.html

http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20101119/mtl_burns_reax_101119/20101119/?hub=MontrealHome

An excellent video. I had my own version yesterday except not in song, just me letting some kids have it - in my own special kind of way.

Enjoy!

Description from YouTube:

On November 11, 1999 Terry Kelly was in a drug store in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. At 10:55 AM an announcement came over the stores PA asking customers who would still be on the premises at 11:00 AM to give two minutes of silence in respect to the veterans who have sacrificed so much for us.

Terry was impressed with the stores leadership role in adopting the Legions two minutes of silence initiative. He felt that the stores contribution of educating the public to the importance of remembering was commendable.

When eleven o'clock arrived on that day, an announcement was again made asking for the two minutes of silence to commence. All customers, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his young child, showed their respect.

Terry's anger towards the father for trying to engage the stores clerk in conversation and for setting a bad example for his child was channeled into a beautiful piece of work called, A Pittance of Time. Terry later recorded A Pittance of Time and included it on his full-length music CD, The Power of the Dream.

Thank You to the Royal Canadian Legion Todmorden Branch #10 and Woodbine Height Branch #2 for their participation in the Video.

Please visit www.terry-kelly.com

Lest We Forget

The Great Haile Retires

Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

2 Videos for my Triathlete Pals

Check out these 2 great videos that address Triathletes swimming at Masters Swim Clubs.

Holy cr.......Chrissy

This guy should be on Dancing with the Stars

The folks at Challenge Roth posted today that they will not have a warm up swim prior to the race. Instead they will have everyone do this warm up dance.
It looks fun! 2000 plus people doing this will be interesting.

Macca talks about his big win

Great video of one of my Fave Athletes winning again

Missing post from MySportShooter last Monday (Oct. 4)

This wasn't posted on MySportshooter last week and I didn't want it going to waste so here it is.

Roger’s World – Monday October 4, 2010
Short and sweet

This is going to be one of those nutty weeks for me so I’ve got to make this a quick one.

Moments after writing this, I’ve got to pack for a 3 day overnight trip to Muskoka where I have to pleasure of supervising a large group of Grade 9’s. I’ll need a vacation after that.

And if that wasn’t enough, the Ironman World Championships take place this coming Saturday, so I’ll be busy prepping and reporting for my favourite sporting event of the year. You can read my pre-race and post-race articles here at Triathlon Magazine Canada’s website.

Finally, my Run For the Toad 50 km a few days ago didn’t go quite as planned. I pulled the plug after 30 km when the trails got so muddy from the cold rains that wouldn’t stop. I was just slipping and sliding all over the place. I could no longer run a good portion of the course (took me 23 minutes to go 2 km at one point) so I spared my wife and myself the agony of spending another 4+ hrs in the cold and called it a day. Sometimes you have to pick your battles and this time run/walking/sliding another 20 km to finish 50 km was not worth it to me. The Run for the Toad folks put on an incredible race though and I am sure I’ll be back.

Be safe and happy training,
Roger

Macca pre-Kona 2010

Get a Retul Fit

I got a Retul Bike Fit back in June (Tri and Road bike), and by far it was the best bike fit I've ever had.

I am riding faster and totally comfy. This means I can stay aero all day!

Where to go?

Ian MacLean at IMFIT.ca

I've had regular bike fits with Ian in the past and but once he added Retul to his services I had to give it a try to see what it was all about. It truly takes bike fitting to a new level.

You can throw down big money on any bike but if it doesn't fit it wont make a difference - but you sure will look nice as your fellow racers pass you by in comfort or later in the run.

Seriously, a bike fit is the first thing you should get done. I suggest to consult with Ian first, he can get your measurements and suggest what bike to get, and then return to get the full fit. It is money well spent and you will not regret it.

Check out IMFIT.ca and the video below which shows some "average" guy getting a Retul fit - not with Ian though. But you will get the idea.

Simon x 2

Thanks to Nike kicking off their efforts to step up the promotion of running at the high school crosscountry and track level, I got a chance to attend a really cool XC Coaching Clinic last night.

Simon Bairu (Canadian National XC champion -- running the New York Marathon in 6 weeks) and his coach Jerry Schumacher spoke to us, and it was hosted by a special surprise guest - Simon Whitfield.

Check out this clip.

Climbing Carnage - enjoy!

Big Bang!

Our whole universe was in a hot dense state,
Then nearly fourteen billion years ago expansion started. Wait...
The Earth began to cool,
The autotrophs began to drool,
Neanderthals developed tools,
We built a wall (we built the pyramids),
Math, science, history, unraveling the mysteries,
That all started with the big bang!

"Since the dawn of man" is really not that long,
As every galaxy was formed in less time than it takes to sing this song.
A fraction of a second and the elements were made.
The bipeds stood up straight,
The dinosaurs all met their fate,
They tried to leap but they were late
And they all died (they froze their asses off)
The oceans and pangea
See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya
Set in motion by the same big bang!

It all started with the big BANG!

The new season starts tomorrow. Can't wait!

How chains are made?

A really cool look at how bike chains are made.

3 Flats....but IM #17 in the books

I was on my way to a 11:30ish Irondistance finish on Saturday but the 3 flat tires put an end to any thoughts of that goal time. I considered bailing but glad that I didn't. I think if you quit a race once (when you are physically able to continue) then it becomes easier to do so the next time. I don't want to start down that road.

Anyway, here's a brief report on my day.

Canadian Iron 226 - Ottawa (Sept. 4, 2010)

Swim - great for me 1:18:46. My right shoulder was messed up, and slowly made it's way back into its socket throughout the bike ride.

T1 - 8:00. Took wetsuit off at the beach, and made the long run to transition. Chilly conditions meant a bit more time in T1 to put on more gear.

Bike - On pace for 5:30-5:35, then had 3 flats (maybe if I carry less spares I'll have less flats? Hmm) - dreams of a PB was over. Rode the last tire on less than 20 psi (i checked later) for 11 km). Serious gale force winds almost blown off my bike at least half a dozen times. Suggestion to race organizers - mark the potholes! I snapped a piece of my aerobar off in addition to getting flat #1. I was not the only one as there were quite a few bottles at the side of the road at that spot. I really don't know how my wheels or fork didn't crack or how I avoided an "endo". That was not the only hole in the road either. Bike completed in 6:26:34. Below is a picture of me riding to the aid station on flat tire #1 (rear) hoping they had a real pump.



T2 - I looked at the time, and calculated that I could still bang out a better than 12:30 finish - even with my injured hamstring which was feeling quite decent. However, such an effort would have beaten me up for a finish time that would have meant not too much. So while my goal time was out of reach, I decided to wait for my buddy Ace and be his personal pace bunny to get him a PB - whether he liked it or not.

I chatted with Allan Chud (won his age group for the Iron 113) and Cindy Lewis (8th overall woman at Ironman Louisville last week) of Absolute Endurance for a while, then changed out in the open. Yes, public nudity! The change tents were blown apart with the crazy winds. Ace came in, I waited for him to change, then we headed out. I spent 19 minutes and 6 seconds in T2. Yeah baby!

Run - 5:35:35. Basically, I served as the "no walking" police, rather than a pacer. I'd allow walking through aid stations or to let heart rates to come down but that was it. The first 15-18 km was a struggle but once over that hurdle Ace was a machine. He got stronger and this is the way to do an Ironman run.



In the end, Ace ran a PB, and beat his previous Ironman time by over 90 minutes! That made my day and I'll always remember it. Especially when we approached the finish line and he refused to cross the line ahead of me. Being the classy guy that his is he said, "Either we finish together or you finish ahead of me." We were at a standstill a few metres from the finish and I am sure the spectators were wondering what was going on. Since he would not move an inch, I grabbed his arm and we crossed the line together. I am so glad I didn't quit because I would have missed this incredible experience and a memory to have for a lifetime. Ace - you rocked it today my friend. Prem - congrats on your finish too buddy.



Final time - 13:48:00

Final thoughts - Brutal conditions today. Many will say this is an "easy" course but I say no Ironman distance race is easy. You still have to cover the distance. Sure the potential for fast times is great with a flat course but this means you are pedaling the whole time, there is no time for rest or coasting down hills. This will take its toll during the run. In my experience these flat course also tend to have a lot wind (ie: today in Ottawa, last year too but not as bad as today, and at Ironman Arizona). A race course is as hard as you want to make it. Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other - sorry I could not resist the Jerry Springer reference.

PS: Major thanks to the best in-laws a guy can have. I truly hit the jackpot in that department. D & L - thanks for making the trip, and enduring the windy and chilly weather a little longer than expected. And I really didn't need a jacket out on the run, it was cold but we so called athletes don't feel the chill until we stop moving. Thanks for the concern though. BB - as usual you rule too!

See you at Lakeside or if you need a 2:15 (10 and 1) pace bunny at the Scotia Half, make sure to search me out.

Oh, and if you think my KFC thing is a joke, check out what I had for dinner last night.




Happy training and racing.
H

My favourite commerical