"Rain, Rain Go Away"

Well actually today it was probably a good thing.  I swam this morning and did my stretching and felt so good that I thought a little bike ride was in order.  By the time I got all kitted up and ready to roll, it had started to drizzle and it hasn't really stopped since.  That indeed may be a good thing as perhaps an easy day is called for.  So I settled for going to the gym to do my leg weights.

Over the last couple of months I have noticed a strange contradiction.  Whenever I look back to  2009 and compare my training and racing results then to now, it seems like I was faster back then.  And yet I "feel" faster and stronger now.   I'm not sure what to make of it?

I am very confident that I can at least match the 09 success but on the surface at least, the facts would seem to suggest the opposite.  For example, the marathon I was so pumped about yesterday was more than 6 minutes slower than the one I ran in 2009 at about the same point in my training....hmmmm???

The only thing I can suggest is that I am working harder and more consistently than last time, which could perhaps leave me more tired, and yet hopefully more fit over the long run.

Or maybe I'm just getting old and delusional?  Who knows?  Who Cares?

(swim 1000 metres, leg weights)

"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."---Carl sagan

Love

Peter

"Sunshine and Horseshit"

The sunshine was compliments of the creator, (not a cloud in the sky) and the horseshit compliments of the mennonites of Waterloo County.

What a perfect day for a perfect workout!  It was a bit cool for the start (just above freezing) but I determined to go sleeveless anyway.  It was also cool to arrive at the start line just 2 minutes before the gun went off.

Only 100 runners in the marathon which made me very happy.  That way there was not too much interfering with the mennonites and their buggies on their way to church.

As planned I simply monitored my heart rate, and very effectively kept it under 140 for the first 30 kms.  After that I stopped looking and ran based on intensity.

I probably told you that the furthest I have previously gone was 35 kms, and so when I arrived at that point still feeling totally in control I knew it would be a successful day.

In terms of running a negative split (second half faster) it was the best marathon I have ever ran.  My second half was 4 minutes quicker   This was slightly aided by the wind direction which was brisk at times. and thankfully at my back for the last 14 kms, but still quite a success.

My final finish times was 3:33:08 which is about 5:03/km.  Considering I rested for only 2 days prior I am totally thrilled with that result.

The goal for the day was to have a tough, long workout that contributed to my fitness, without causing me any down time.  Mission accomplished.  Right back at it tomorrow.

My Ironman shoes stood the test of 42.2 kms and I am now convinced that I need to make at least a temporary change of footwear.  The Ironman shoes are for racing only as they are much lighter and would definitely result in injury if I ran in them every day....so I bought some new Sauconys after the race.

The course itself was right down my alley.  Almost exclusively rural there was even a section on gravel, and of course there was the covered bridge.  I was a little disappointed that the floor was paved over top of the timbers, but still a cool thing.  The course was also extremely well marked, and well marshalled, for such a small race.  I'm pretty sure I want to do it again next year!

I felt like an athlete today.  I finished 3rd out of 17 in my age group, and the best part was passing another old guy 2 kms from the finish.  I only learned afterward that he was in my age group.  I was never passed all day.

(run 42.2 kms,  3:33:08)

"I will charge thee nothing but the promise that thee will help the next man thee finds in trouble"---Mennonite proverb

Love
Peter

"In a Parking Lot"

On the outskirts of Waterloo not 5 minutes from the race.  I have my race kit already so that means all I have to do in the morning is dress, have my breakfast and head to the start line.  I'm a little nervous since the furthest I have run in almost 3 years is 35 kms and the marathon is of course 42.2.  I have finally decided on a strategy though.  Basically I will approach it exactly the way I would a training run, and that means simply to keep my heart rate under 140 for at least 2 hours.  If I run the second half faster than the first I will consider the day a success.

I have the absolute coolest race number I've ever had.  Another advantage to these samll races.  I am wearing bib # 7 !!!   Is that mighty or what?

Oh and in case you were worrying that I was sleeping on the pavement in the parking lot I am pleased to tell you that I am in the RV, and that Jon is with me.  Life is good!

I gotta go now cause I am using my phone for an Internet connection and that uses data faster than Kylie wraps Roo around her middle finger!  (love you more dear!)

( Madilynn's roof repairs, 6 hours)

A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts, who can punish himself into exhausting pace, and then at the end, punish himself even more."...Steve Prefontaine

Love

Peter

"It's the Weekend!"

I'm so excited!  Got new batteries in the RV to keep me warm at nights, and a new coffee maker to help me get started in the mornings.  Tomorrow morning I head out to pick up son Jon and then we're going visiting in Guelph.  I have a great niece by the name of Madilynn who said she wants to get to know me better.

Then it's off to Waterloo tomorrow evening where we will try to find a Walmart parking lot or some other such welcoming space (I hope) and then on Sunday morning it's marathon time.

I still have no idea as to strategy for the race and will probably just play it by ear.  I haven't run that far in almost 3 years so I need to be very careful.

And as  I still have a little packing to do I will sign off for now.  It's the weekend!!

(no workout today)

"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless."---Bill Watterson

Love

Peter

"Well Hello"

And what shall we talk about today?
I had a pretty good day!
What about you?
I feel like I'm right on the edge but I really don't want it any other way.
It could however sound like whining when I express how that feels.
Cause my feet do hurt, and my back is sore, and my eyes are still messed up.
But it is almost all consciously self inflicted.
I'm also hungry all the time, and edgy a lot of the time.
That is perhaps mostly psychological but still self inflicted.
I followed up yesterdays bike ride with a hard swim, my leg weights and a brisk run.
Which now leaves me feeling very tired....but good tired...not whiney tired!...yup...self inflicted!

Actually I think we are all living right on the edge in one way or other.  I believe the trick is to live on an edge of your own design.  Not the edge determined by a job that's killing you, or a harmful addiction that's killing you, or a dysfunctional family life that you wish would kill you, or any one of the other myriad of seemingly unavoidable situations life throws at us.  Believe me I've tried all of them and that's why I'm feeling pretty good about being on the edge my way.  I choose to be here!  What edge are you living on?

Oh and thanks Cory.  It's good to be home again!

(swim 1500 metres, leg weights, run 7.3 kms)

"If you're not living on the edge you're taking up too much space"---Anon

Love
Peter

"My Ass is Sore"

Also I've been disowned by my big sister, and yesterdays post mysteriously disappeared this morning. I know when it happened, but not how.  Obviously there was no point in trying to reconstruct it.  As you can tell by the comments of those few who read it before it disappeared, it was not worth posting in the first place.

But I don't really care.  I rode my bicycle for 3 hours and 18 minutes today and now Cory is gonna have to take me back, but not until she begs.  And when she does come begging I'm also gonna tell her that she don't know nothing about no running shoes!

And to Old John...if Cory's sarcasm does not convince you that it is really her then I don't know what will.  Also little brother please know that June 25th is coming up very quickly and if I hear even one little comment before, during, or after that day that sounds even remotely like whining please know that I will never let you live it down.

And of course my ass is sore because in that 3 hours and change, I rode 100 kms.  Finally we had a decent riding day and I actually felt pretty decent.

(ride 100 kms 3:18)

"I don't want people to kiss my ass, I just want to get to a point where they can't kick it."---Michael J Fox

Love

Peter

"Getting De-magna-tized"

This post disappeared when I tried to edit the title.  C'est la vie!

(swim 1500 metres)

Love
Peter

"Feeling Tired and Strong"

Sounds like a contradiction I know, but it best describes how I feel
Sorry about the blog recently.
Right now I'm just hanging on to it.
Maybe it will come back?
Believe it or not I am busy from morning til night.
Last night I peed the bed!
Wonder what that means?
 Just woke up in time to avoid a major leak!
Good swim this morning.
Great run in the trails as well.
Only way to get out of this freakin wind.
Marathon coming!
Haven't run more than 35 kms so far!
Back always tired in the evenings.
Wonder what that means?
Fifth metatarsal on both feet sore!
Wonder what that means?

(swim 1500 metres, trail run 6 kms, upper body weights)


"All parts of the human body get tired eventually - except the tongue."---Konrad Adenaeur

"He who conquers others is strong; He who conquers himself is mighty."---Lao Tzu

"A good deed is like peeing in your pants.  Everyone knows you did it, but only you can feel its warmth."---Anon

Love

Peter

"Sunday"

Didn't go to church but I went to the pool and the weight room.  But I passed the church with all the people in it, which got me wondering who had it right, them or me?  Of course my first inclination was to get on my high horse but not for very long.  My conclusion?  If it works for them, then they got it right.  If it works for me then I got it right.  Everyone's a winner!

(swim 1500 metres, leg weights, 45 min computrainer ride)


"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way."---C S Lewis

Love

Peter

"A Little Tougher Today"

But still okay.  I had planned on 35 as a bare minimum with the hope of 38 but ended up cutting it off at 30.  I could just not face that cold wind for one more turn around the block.  It never got over 6 degrees even though I waited until the afternoon to run, and the wind chill made it more like zero.  I am totally fine with my decision.  It also finalizes my strategy for next weeks marathon.  Clearly it needs to be a fun long run with beer afterwards.  I briefly toyed with the idea of making a race out of it, but todays effort just reminded me that unless I rest before hand, that I may only hurt myself in the long run.  And the one thing I do not have any worries about anymore is my running fitness.  My speed today was  fine at just over 5 min k's, and absolutely no residual muscle soreness.  Just another day at the office.

And a special note for my dear sister Elly today.  You always know how to cut to the chase especially when it comes to me.  Thank you as always for your candid feedback.  And yes overall I am very fit and healthy, and grateful for it.  I suppose that when I look at pictures of myself I see only the aging, the radiation scars, the hunched shoulders, and the Rooyakkers/Scheepers ears.  And yes I also know that is all irrelevant and I will continue to work on my insecurities.  I would say however that one of my undeniable weaknesses is a lack of flexibility.  Certainly this shortcoming leaves me always on the edge of injury.  Beyond that it also leaves me with a problem when you tell me to "go fuck myself"....no flexibly!  Love you more!!!

(run 30 mms 2:33)

This ain't fun. But you watch me, I'll get it done."---Jackie Robinson

Love

Peter

"Cookies"

All cookies are 5 calories per gram!  At 454 grams per pound that would mean I could eat about a pound of cookies every day.  Of course that's all I would be able to eat, and even then I would gain weight and lose muscle cause of all the fat calories.  Plus you can easily eat one pound of cookies in about 10 minutes so it would make for a very long day.

All I was doing was trying to find a nice, not too hurtful snack that I could have with a glass of milk before bedtime, but there just ain't no such thing that.  After all you can only eat so many bananas in a day!

Long run day tomorrow.  Wish me luck!

Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap."---Barbara Jordan

Love

Peter

"New Gear"

I was so freaking tired this morning that I chose to not go to the pool.  Instead I would make it a new triathlon gear tryout day, with a short bike followed immediately by a short run.

First my new Zoot suit.  Although I'm not very excited to look at pictures of myself wearing it, it was very comfortable to wear.

I did find that the legs rode up a bit while riding but nothing that caused me any discomfort.  Just an unusual feeling, because they are so different than my cycling shorts.  Like cycling shorts they have a bit of padding, but much less since you have to run in this thing as well.  I found the comfort level on the saddle acceptable however.

During the run the entire suit was perfect.  The measure of good running gear is when you can forget you are wearing anything....no rubbing, no flapping, no constriction anywhere.  By the way, I bought the suit on e-bay,  or is that "off" e-bay, and paid about 60% of the retail price!!

And then there was my new Ironman shoes.  I had tried these on in the store but you just don't know for sure about a new pair of shoes until you have spent at least a half hour in them.

They were remarkable.  I could not be happier.  Extremely light but with enough support for racing, and yet lots of toe freedom.  Back in the box they go for race days only!  I tried desperately to buy these locally but the retailer could not get me this colour.  So back to e-bay and again, I paid just over half what I would have paid at the local triathlon store.

So I did a nice easy bike around the block (18 kms) with the intent of following it up with about a 5k jog.  I ended up doing the 7.3 km block and was surprisingly quick....must be the gear eh?

Special thanks go out to Cory today for her advice on yesterdays post.  It made me laugh, and for sure I'm gonna start using some variation of her idea.

(bike 18 kms, run 7.3 kms, upper body weights)


I have one speed, I have one gear: go!"---Charlie Sheen

My boss told me to get my butt in gear. I told him I was shiftless."---Jay London.

Love

Peter

"Fried"

How do people with a job do this?  I'm not even sure how I did it myself last time around, especially considering that I was still travelling at the time.  I can not help but think that the consistency that I can apply to my efforts since my new found freedom will pay off.  I'm sure I made some fitness gains today based on the way I feel right now.  I am exhausted.  Swim this morning, followed immediately by my leg weights which I now do at the gym (better equipment), and then right after lunch a nice refreshing ride around the block (70 kms).    The weather was indeed a "wee" bit better, in that at least the sun was shining the entire trip.  I finished up the day at the pool again since it was parent/child day at swim lessons.  Somehow I got volun"told" that I was the lucky parent.  Apparently Mom and Roo don't do swimming!  Actually I really enjoyed it, and I think the kids did too.  I got to swim to the bottom of the pool, jump off the diving board, and swing on the rope.  Oh....and swim lengths!!!  Woohoo....

Speaking of new found freedom, along with that comes those awkward moments where people ask you what you "do".  And of course they don't mean what you "do" for fun, or what you "do" at home or what you "do" in the bathroom.   I'm still working my way through that.  I am determined that I am not gonna use the retirement, or even semi-retirement words, and yet I don't want to have to explain to anyone.  I'm thinking of telling people I'm a professional triathlete.  Ha ha.  I'm interested if you got any ideas.

(swim 1500 metres, ride 70kms 2:22:24, weights)

"Middle age is when work is a lot less fun and fun is a lot more work."---Anon


Love
Peter

"Enough Already!"

"Ten degrees is simply not enough, especially when combined with above average winds.  Despite my resolve I managed only 50 kms, and 4 hours later my fingers and toes are still numb.  Tomorrow looks a wee bit better, and if that turns out  to be the case then I will break my pattern and ride 2 days in a row.  Maybe I'm just being a pussy but it is damn hard to go out and ride for several hours when you are so uncomfortable.

On the positive side I can tell you that despite the cold only my fingers and toes went numb.  My latest saddle feels pretty firm under my ass but gradually I am hardening to it.  And I can be patient as long as I'm not losing the feeling in my important parts.  The very unusual thing about this seat is that it actually feels better in the aero position then when I sit up.  Unusual but good.

I am managing to get to the pool almost every day now and it seems like it's going okay.  I will tell you one little hope I have for my Ironman, and that is to be out on my bike by 1 hour, 20 minutes.  Last time around it was almost 1:30.  If I swim the same speed as I know I can in the pool then I will be able to do that.  The thing is, that I am not faster now then I was then, so I'm gonna have to depend on staying focused and not let the other maniacs slow me down.  Because I am not a strong swimmer I have traditionally headed into the water near the back of the pack, but I'm thinking I need to try changing that.  I will experiment during the year at my short races, but I want to try moving up a bit for the start, and letting others figure out how to get around me.  That way you know that even if someone jostles you it should only be momentarily as presumably they are faster than you, and should move by you.  It occurs to me that the last thing you want to do would be to head out with those that are slower or even the same speed as you.  As I write this down and think it through it seems to make so much sense.  Which begs the question I suppose as to why it has taken me almost 20 years of triathlon to figure it out??

It also occurs to me that I need to practice this in the pool by starting out my workouts (after a warmup), with a little more speed and then settling into a rhythm.  I need to build confidence that I can do this without getting myself in early trouble.

Anyway, that's it for now. If you have influence on the weather gods I could use a little help for tomorrow.  They are suggesting maybe 14 degrees and 15 km/hr SE winds.  I could live with that but just a few degrees warmer would be good.  I do at least like the wind direction, if indeed that plays out as they predict.

(swim 1500 metres, ride 50 kms)

"When I was a child

I caught a fleeting glimpse

Out of the corner of my eye

I turned to look but it was gone

I can not put my finger on it now

The child is grown

The dream is gone

I have become....comfortably numb"---Roger Waters (Pink Floyd)

....and this my friends is one of those brilliant ones...don't you agree?  An inspiring thought expressed in just a few little words.

"The secret of my influence has always been that it remained secret."---Salvador Dali

Love
Peter

"Always Too Much, But Never Enough"

Too much pain, not enough gain.

Too much dieting, not enough loss.

Too much work, not enough time.

Too much salad, not enough ice cream.

Too much weight training, not enough muscle.

Too much wind/rain/sleet, not enough sunshine.

Too much thinking, not enough doing.

Too much water, not enough beer.

I'm tired.  Just like I'm supposed to be.  All is well I think?  I could use a little cooperation from the weather over the next couple of weeks.  If I could get 2 or 3 longer bike rides in before my marathon it would help my confidence a great deal.  Tomorrow I ride regardless of what the weather does, and right now it doesn't look too friendly.

Weather didn't bother Canadian Joshua Cassidy today as he won the wheelchair division of the Boston marathon in a world record time of 1:18:25.  In comparison, the winning runners time was 10 minutes slower than last year.  I did the math and discovered that Cassidy pushed his wheelchair at an average speed of 32.3 kms/hr over the 42.2 kms!!  That's a good ride for me on my bike.  And they call him handicapped?

(swim 1000 metres, run 11 kms, weights)

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction."---John F Kennedy

I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else."---Winston Churchill

Love

Peter

"Oh Them Poor People"

To have spent 200 bucks to get an entry into the Boston Marathon and then have them practically beg you not to do the race....or at the very least to slow down by several minutes per mile.

Yup!  Tomorrow's the famous race and the temperature in Boston is gonna be 30 degrees celsius!  For the first time ever they are offering a weather related deferral to next years race, allowing you to enter  in 2013 without qualifying.  Sounds like a reasonable idea eh?  But wait!  The deferral does not mean that you defer your payment.  On the contrary, they expect you to pay your 200 bucks for both years, even though you will only be racing once.  And they do have a bit of a conundrum, which I  suppose is why they have to beg.  Of course they do not want the headache of people dying all over their race course, but if they let people defer without paying twice that would leave them with a serious money problem this year, and a serious overcrowding problem next year.

Oh well.  I don't really give a shit about their problems, I am only interested in the welfare of my friends who are running in the race.  Personally I can not see the attraction of crowding along the roads of Massachusetts with 27000....yup....27000 other nuts just to freaking near kill your self.  You can do that much closer to home and without the 27000 others.  By the way.  Did I tell you that in light of the recent return of my mojo that I have decided to do my marathon in 2 weeks.  The distance is exactly the same as the one in Boston but there will be at the most 150 runners.  My entry fee was 55 bucks, and I'm gonna take my motorhome so I can drink beer right after the race.  If you want to come watch me, or just come and drink beer with me let me know.  Details to follow.

But I know that little races aren't for everybody and I suppose I can accept the mystique associated with this very famous international sporting event.  And indeed I have 2 good friends who will be there tomorrow.  One of them is Grampa Kyle and I am hoping to follow him on line.  They don't have instructions on their home page yet as to how to do that but I'm pretty sure they will by morning.  Here is the link in case anyone out there cares to check up on Brett, or anyone else that you may know.

As to training today it was business as usual.  Of course I'm a wee bit tired from yesterdays run but I would say even less than normal.  I swam and did my leg weights this morning, and had a nice little bike ride this afternoon, all with no problems.  I'm still amazed by the difference between now and just 2 weeks ago.  Now that I have mentally committed to the marathon I will plan my training for the next 2 weeks, and then after the marathon it will change significantly.  My long bike rides will kick in with a vengeance, and the long runs will ease off.  It will also mean the start of combination bike/run workouts twice a week.  I can't wait.

(swim 1500 metres,  ride 43 kms, weights)

"If you are losing faith in human nature, go out and watch a marathon."---Kathrine Switzer

Love
Peter

"Message from Claudette Roo-o-yakkers"

When I go on my long runs or rides I use my phone to listen to music, and also to monitor my run.  The little application I use tells me how far I've gone, how fast I'm going, and just about anything else you may want to know.  The phone talks this info over your headphones via an electronic voice as often as you want to hear it.  The other cool feature of this app is that Claudette can send me messages via a text to talk function, and she can follow my progress on her computer. Unfortunately the computer can't quite get the pronunciation of Rooyakkers right and hence the fact that at exactly 30 kms I got the "message from Claudette Roo-o-yakkers" announcement.  The message itself however was brief, clear, and absolutely-freakin perfect.  It said simply,

"you got your mojo back-keep on keeping on"

I mean it was perfect.  Especially the timing.  It was but a few seconds before her message that I was thinking the very same thing. I AM BACK!!!  When I heard her message i knew the last 5 kms would be a breeze.

I am back with a vengeance!  I knew 5 minutes into my run that things were gonna start clicking again.  I was nervous before I headed out because I needed to feel good today to confirm that last weeks improvement was not an isolated case.  So I started out slow, but continued to get faster and faster, such that the last 5 kms of my 35 was my fastest.  There was never, ever any doubt in my mind, no unusual pain in my legs, or spikes in my heart rate.  At 25 kms I had that Forrest Gump feeling, and even though I knew it would pass it is a magical feeling to experience....the feeling that you could continue to run all day.  Sure enough by 30 kms my heart rate was creeping up, but all it meant by that time was that I had to start working a bit.  And there is a decided difference between feeling like your working hard, and feeling like you're dying.

To compare it to the Around the Bay race makes it seem even more fantastic.  I ran the last 15 kms today at the same pace as I ran the first 15 in Hamilton....after which I nearly freakin died.

So I am very content right now.  I am not suffering even the slightest from my efforts and after a bit of a sleep in tomorrow I will be right back at it.  Game on!!

I find the whole thing quite amazing really.  The doctor can continue to tell me that it was not his chamber, but I am sure he is wrong.  Perhaps it is something unique in my physiology that resulted in the effect it had on me, but the loss, and then return of my mojo is too coincidental with the treatments for it not be the culprit.

(35 km run, 2:59:59)  WOOHOO!!!

"Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was going somewhere, I was running!"---Forrest Gump

Love

Peter

"Shut The Fuck Up ,&, Not a Wonder I Got Better"

I had 2 great titles for my post today, and as you can see I couldn't decide which one to use.  But fear not, I will deal with them separately.

First off, on getting better.  I went to the clinic today for my regular checkup.  It goes like this.

Open wide.
Say aaaah.
Tongue left.
Tongue right.
Deep breath.
Say eeeeh.  (while he tries to yank your tongue out)
Okay.  You're good.  See you in 6 months.

Okay but I had one question for him first.  Having kept up via the Internet as to the medical communities attitude towards HPV related head and neck cancers, I am aware of 2 things.  First off, that they can now differentiate between this type of cancer and the previously more common types caused by alcohol and tobacco, and secondly that they now know they can treat them differently.  Quite frankly it seems that the fact that HPV is such an aggressive type, also means that treatment is more effective.  So I asked him if in light of this, had they changed the protocol.  He told me not yet but that they were studying it, and get this.....they believe that they will be able to lower the radiation dosage, and eliminate the chemotherapy!!!!  Probably within a couple of years.  Wow!!!  Not a wonder I got better!

Do I have any regrets that if they knew more at the time I would not be so beat up now.  Absolutely not!  Think about it.  The radiation prevents me from eating potato chips, and the chemo prevents me from hearing my wife.  (just kiddin babe)  Life is good.

But the 'shut up' part of todays inspiration actually came before my checkup, in actual fact on the way to the hospital.  And it was directed at me!  I came out of the pool this morning after 120 lengths (3kms), bemoaning how long it took me.  And then I realized that just last night I wrote a whole freakin post on just this topic, a post that Elly liked no less, and here I was doing the same stupid thing.  So I said to myself.

"Just shut the fuck up!   Do the workouts that you know you need to do, stop timing every one of them, and shut the fuck up!  It will all work out or it won't.  No one freakin cares that you would like to have been 2 1/2 minutes faster.  Shut the fuck up"  Okay.  Thanks!

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.  Long run day.  Talk to you then.

(swim 3000 metres, 57:25)

"Never miss a chance to shut up."---Will Rogers

"If a person feels he can't communicate, the least he can do is shut up about it"---Tom Lehrer

Love

Peter

"Learning"

Different people learn in different ways.  I learn best by experimenting, which although effective over time, can be a slow process.  I'm pretty sure that if I balanced it out by using more proven techniques, and more expert advice, that I would progress quicker.  I don't know if it is inherited stubbornness, or just the satisfaction I get from figuring something out on my own, but I am reluctant to take the path well travelled.

Either way, the problem with my current undertaking is that the fruits (or lack thereof) of my experimentation take an entire year to be borne out.  With the complexity of Ironman training you could theoretically spend your entire year working your butt off, and not see any improved results.  


That's kind of the worry state I'm in now.  I feel like I'm working hard, and certainly I feel fit, and yet most of my workouts are no faster, or perhaps even slower than in 2009.  This however is not necessarily a negative indicator.  If I'm working harder and more consistently, then it stands to reason that my workouts may well be slower.  I have to resist the tendency to measure my fitness based on my training.  The temptation of course is to take it easy for a week or so just too see how I feel, but unless I am overtrained this would be counterproductive.  I need every day I can get between now and Penticton.

Today was a perfect example of my challenges.  I rode for 2 1/2 hours in half decent conditions and although it seems like the uphills are significantly easier than even last year, my speed was still under 30 kms/hr.  Perhaps the improved hill riding is simply due to my weight loss, or perhaps my lack of speed is simply due to the fact that I did a tough leg workout at the gym yesterday.   Or maybe I'm getting old??   Hmmm??

I suppose I will just try to trust my instincts, and although my training is not near as structured as a coach would call for, generally I believe I am doing most of the right things.  And If it doesn't make me any faster then so be it.  I can always do it again eh?

(ride 72.5 kms, 2:27:51)

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education."---Albert Einstein

"It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know."---Henry David Thoreau

"All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."---Ralph Waldo Emerson"

"There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes"---Richard Buckminster Fuller

Love
Peter

"Left It Too Late"

Been trying to salvage 8 years of data from our main family computer before it completely explodes.  Believe it or not I'm focusing on the tax files before the pictures of my grandchildren.  After all, I remember all the good things and forget all the bad!!

So what I meant is not that I left the computer til it was too late (although almost), I left my post too late and now my back hurts and is telling me to go to bed.

(swim 1000 metres, run 10 kms...track)

"How did it get so late so soon?
Its night before its afternoon.
December is here before its June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?"---Dr Seuss

Love

Peter

"Nasty"

It's tough to get motivated in this crap!  I knew we would pay for those weirdly warm days we had at the first of March.  I need to get going on my bike but holy crap!!  I didn't want to but I headed out for a little trip and encountered just about every kind of weather there is, that is not associated with summer.  The toughest part was the hail!

I guess if you want to call yourself an Ironman you gotta expect to be able to tough it out eh.

The good news is that I am able to get to the pool every day now, and it don't rain there!

(swim 1500 metres, ride 42 kms)

"Discipline is not a nasty word."---Pat Riley

Love

Peter

"Here's What The Doctor Says"

I sent a note to the hyperbaric doctor after my improved long run on Saturday.  Here is his response

Hey Peter,
Great to hear from you, and great to hear that you're back on track.
I'm still not buying the free radical theory....although it is a great theory, and I too am a proponent of antioxidants.  However, it is important to understand the source of the free radicals.  As you probably know, oxygen is bound to itself "O2 = 2 oxygens".  We get radicals when the oxygen is single, and it looks for something to bind to.  Where this occurs is in the electron transport chain, when we are making energy, so as you train and make/use more energy, you develop more free radicals.  When you are lying in a chamber - with or without oxygen, your body isn't doing more than your base metabolic rate, and hence not a lot of oxygen is required to make energy, and in turn not a lot of free radical generation.
I think that there are a lot of confounding variables that we'll never sort out as to why you bonked, and why you feel better now....but that doesn't matter.  You feel better, we've protected your extraction site, and you're healthy!
I look forward to another update on your next run!

Keep in touch!

All the Best,
  -Jay-


I can't argue with him because I don't have the technical expertise or knowledge to do so.  I know that that doesn't normally stop me, but I'm trying to grow out of that habit.  I do know that in my mind, if it's not the free radical issue then it is something else to do with the treatments.  I still think that's what it was however, especially since, as Claudette pointed out, I eat very little fresh fruits and vegetables, which are the very best source of antioxidants. Based on this she also convinced me to go out and buy supplements in the form of Vitamins C and E as well as fish oil capsules. I will start taking them regularly as a prophylactic measure if nothing else.  And maybe I already told you that my Ironman books agree with Roo.


Anyway, I continue to feel pretty decent.  I was very happy with my swim this morning.  It was not very fast but it was practically effortless.  I needed that just to reduce my overall worries by one more issue.  With the run issue also hopefully behind me I can now focus on getting my bike mileage up where it needs to be.


(swim 2000 metres, run 7.3 kms)

"A woman tells her doctor, 'I've got a bad back.' The doctor says, 'It's old age.' The woman says, 'I want a second opinion.' The doctor says: 'Okay - you're ugly as well."---Tommy Cooper

Love

Peter

"On Miracles And Mysteries"

Yesterday I told you that my run was somewhat short of a miracle.  Today I'm not so sure.  I had actually forgotten how it feels to not be hurting.  Every time I got up during the night for the bathroom, and again when I finally dragged myself up for breakfast, I expected to start my limp!  Nope!  No limp!  I feel totally normal, if a little more tired than I would like.  I find it very fascinating actually.

You may recall several weeks ago that within my fears I also looked forward to solving the mystery of it all.  I know that I am a study of one, a mere anecdote if you will, but I am convinced that extended hyperbaric therapy has a major negative effect on physical endurance.  I fully expect my system to rebound even more in the coming days.

You may perhaps have heard stories about professional athletes attesting to the opposite, but let me explain.  Those guys are talking about something called "mild" hyperbarics, a process that uses oxygen at about 25% (normal is 21% I think) and at pressures 3 to 4 psi higher than normal atmospheric pressure.  Compare this to 100% oxygen at 2 1/2 atmospheres or 22 psi higher than normal!   And as far as I can see there is absolutely no scientific data to support their claims of improved recovery.

Anyway, I feel a little vindicated, but more importantly I feel like I have a new start.  I'm gonna need it, as I can not believe how quickly time has passed.  Just over 4 months left and I truly am behind now.

One big decision I need to make is whether to run the Waterloo marathon that I signed up for at the end of this month.  I know that the gurus would tell me to forget about it, it will only be counterproductive at this point, but I can't quite let it go yet.  I think next saturday will probably be decision day, as I will try to go at least 33 kms.  How I feel after that will give me the answers.  I had my heart set on running over the kissing bridge in West Montrose; the only remaining covered bridge in Ontario.

That's it for today.  I had also forgotten just how tiring this Ironman training can get.

(swim 1500 metres, ride 42 kms)


"Everything is a miracle. It is a miracle that one does not dissolve in one's bath like a lump of sugar."---Pablo Picasso

"I am a mystery to myself."---Angelina Grimke

Love

Peter

"Endurance Running"

Will running 28 kms ever get easy?  I don't freaking think so and why the hell should it?!  It's not something most people consider doing on any given Saturday.

I can tell you this however.  Everything is relative, and running 28 kms today was significantly easier than running 25 last week, 30 the week before, 23 the week before that, and a horrible 18 way back on Mar 10th.  And before you ask, my pace was the same or better then each of those efforts.

Like I said it was still tough, and when I had a decision to make which way to turn, with the other direction meaning 31 kms,  I took the easy road....or maybe it was the smart road?

The run was more significant for what did not happen, than what did.  I kept waiting for it but the normal running pain in my legs refused to deteriorate into the crippling, cramping, just shoot me, pain I had learned to expect by 20 kms, and to top that off, my heart rate finally crept just over 140, and stayed there!

The real test was still to come however, and when I got home I bent over and untied my shoe laces!   Yah!  That was the test!  Previously I had to resort to asking for help, and/or just forcing them off with the laces still done up.

It is now some 5 hours after my run and my legs feel exactly like they're supposed to after a long run; tired but with minimal sorriness.  Again, to make comparisons, I could barely walk last week.

So what does this mean?  Well yesterday I wished for some positive indication that things would be different post hyperbaric, and I can conclude that I received that.  I would also say that though it is not a miracle by any means, it has had a major impact on my confidence level.

So was the chamber the problem, and more specifically the issue of free radicals?  My instinct tells me yes, very much so, but I am gonna leave this conclusion for one more week.  Interestingly enough as I went back and studied my technical Ironman books, the experts are all serious advocates of taking antioxidant supplements to counteract this problem.....that's without the hyperbaric therapy.

Of course my arthritic left hip is sore as hell, as well as my right achilles, but I need those problems to have something to complain about.

And you know what?  Life has its ups and downs and I am reminded once again how we need tough times to make the good times more good!  Right now I feel "more good"  Game on!!

Happy Easter tomorrow!  That's the day that Jesus (hey zeus) rose from the dead.  And I tell you with all the sincerity that I can muster, that if believing this makes you a better person, and in turn the world a better place, then please go on believing it.  That after all should be the litmus test of all religious dogma should it not?

(run 28 kms 2:30)

"To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence."---Mark Twain

Love
Peter

"Nervous"

Tomorrow will be day 4 post hyperbaric, and my first re-try at a longer run.  I don't expect miracles but I do hope for at least a small indication of improvement.  I will go out with the intent of doing 20k only, and If I get that old hurting feelin by then I will stop immediately.  If I decide to keep going it will be 1 km at a time,  and re-evaluate after every one.  The most important thing is that I do not go so long that it hampers my workouts in the coming days.  If the rate of improvement is similar to that of my eyes than I will have to be very patient.  My eyesight has not shown any indication of returning to normal, and in fact he told me it may take 3 to 4 weeks.

And speaking of my eyesight does it not seem like a strong indicator as to the powerful impact the chamber must have on all your physiological systems? Apparently it actually forces change in the shape of your eyes! While I can't literally confirm that, I sure can confirm the results.  I am unable to read street signs,  or the menu board at the fast food drive-in.  While the street signs may not be that important, thank God I always order the same thing at Arbys.

It looks like the weather should be pretty decent tomorrow.  Perhaps a bit windy but I can cope with that. Wish me luck my friends.  Well actually I won't need that. After all....it's all mental!

(swim 1000 metres, ride 24kms)

I'm nervous as a whore in church."---LaWanda Page

Love
Peter

"Gotta Be Careful Now"

My enthusiasm to get the ball rolling again is very high.  I need to be patient.  I will not make up for lost time overnite.  And my poor beat up right foot is hurting in 3 different places.  One of these days it's gonna just give up.  Of course my foot could be all in my head??

I can tell that it will take a while to adjust to my new travel free/work free life.  I'm a bit antsy during the day.  I think I will be fine once I get into a routine of some kind.  I want to swim at least 5 days a week from now on and that will normally be my first workout of the day. Weights also need to happen 4 times a week, and that I will generally reserve for just before bed.  That leaves me with the decision whether to head right into my primary workout immediately after swimming, and then work on my task list for the rest of the day, or vice versa.  I'll experiment and see what works best.

I got in a little cross training today as I needed to dig out a broken off fence post.  It was quite a challenge as it  was concreted in.  Fortunately I had some professional assistants.

For now that's all I got.  No school tomorrow so maybe I'll be able to sleep in???  Not very likely.  I'll get too hungry by 6:30 am!

(swim 1500 metres, run 7.3kms)


"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."---Mark Twain

...and I like this one...

"Be careful what you pretend to be because you are what you pretend to be."---Kurt Vonnegut

Love

Peter

"It's All Mental"

So after quietly listening to me whine for a month Old John pops his head out of the weeds just long enough to tell me that it's all in my head!  That may offend a lesser man but I have been abused by 3 older sisters all my life, and as such the peanut gallery stuff from a little brother, wise as he may be, is nothing more than water off the proverbial ducks back.

Besides, I happen to agree with him.  It's all mental!  While environmental conditions that effect the body are certainly  a consideration, the fact remains that the body is not the decision maker.  You may find it interesting that Doctor Jays last comment to me after my final hyperbaric visit was a reference to my personality, and had I considered that my problems were perhaps associated with the stress of travelling,  and the anxiety I felt wasting away in his giant test tube??  While I'm still pretty sure that there is, or was something more afoot, I can still decide how to cope with whatever it is.  It's all mental!

So for better or for worse I will put my best foot forward and get on with this.  I feel like I've basically lost 6 weeks of training but it is certainly not too late to recover.  That's if I'm strong enough mentally anyway.
I got a good start today with an effort in each discipline.  It is just so cool to have the time required.

Also today the mail lady brought me a little present to get me off on the right foot...pun intended.

Are they not freaking beautiful??  They are my new race shoes.  Bought em off e-bay after I couldn't buy them locally, and ended up saving 60 bucks, which more than made up for the wait.

(swim 1500 metres, ride 34 kms, run 7.3kms, weights)

"A desire to be in charge of our own lives, a need for control, is born in each of us. It is essential to our mental health, and our success, that we take control."---Robert Bennett

"Mental toughness is to physical as four is to one."---Bobby Knight

Love

Peter

"Free At Last"

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God in heaven, free at last.

While my little bit of freedom barely compares to the freedom of an entire race that MLK was talking about, today is still an important little moment in my life. Perhaps it was a good thing that I got fired right in the middle of this treatment schedule as it has heightened the anticipation even more. Tomorrow morning I will wake up and when I do my very first priority will be what kind of a workout I will do, as it will be each and every day after that. Once that has been determined I will fit the rest of my life around it. I have a million things that I need/want to do around here, and another million that Roo needs/wants me to do, but the beauty of it is that almost all of them can conform to my schedule. Of course there will be a little grandchildren stuff that will require some kind of commitment, but as you are aware that does not cause me much pain. 

I truly feel so incredibly lucky, and yet at the same time I am beginning to accept the idea that maybe I deserve it. I'm sure that many people looking at me from a distance may think I have had it all my way, but I'm comfortable that I've sweat enough sweat, and shed enough tears, to justify the freedom that this day has brought me.

When I got home I celebrated by eating 5 chocolate chunk cookies and drank 2 cups of coffee, for a total of 750 calories and 30 grams of fat! Unbelievable eh! One must be eternally vigilant.

I received a little keepsake form my friends at Hamilton General. I have to give them credit for trying to be thrifty about spending our tax dollars. Everyone gets their own little cubby there in which they store your, sheets, your gown, your mask, and your 2 bottles (drink and pee). This of course saves bucks on laundry etc. So here's my keepsake.



Of course while they save a couple of hundred dollars in detergent they make up for it by operating the chamber with it's expensive equipment and expensive space, for 6 hours of the freakin day! I waited for 6 months to get into this thing and with 2 tubes they can still only provide service to one new patient per week. Now they are talking about closing the unit because they lose money operating it. No shit!

Anyway, that's all the criticism I have of anyone or anything today. As Roos favourite bit of writing says, "with all it sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world". Game on!

No workout again today other than the cross training associated with eating the cookies.

Normally I let the quotes I find speak for themselves but this one I found so brilliant that I needed to tell you how it struck me.

"You have freedom when you're easy in your harness."---Robert Frost

I read this as meaning that freedom does not mean idleness. There is work to do, and we all have a responsibility to contribute. But if you're 'easy in your harness', you have probably chosen your own work, and you are content in doing it....that to mean is freedom.

Love
Peter

"Free Radicals"

"Sounds like a hippy band from the sixties!

It's also a scientific term for any molecule, or atom that has one or more unpaired electrons.  In biology free radicals serve many purposes but they can also be potentially harmful if they are too plentiful.   Apparently some of the muscle soreness you experience when working out is due to these free radicals.  That also is one of the reasons you hear so much about antioxidants, as they fight the negative effects of the free radicals.

Hyperbaric therapy is believed to cause an increase in oxygen centred free radicals. When I asked the doctor about this he conceded that that was probably the case, and went on to say that that's why they recommend you take a vitamin E supplement (an antioxidant) during the treatment.  What?  No one recommended as much to me!  Oh! Was all he said.

Anyway, he went on to say that despite the fact that HBOT may indeed impact the amount of free radicals in my body, that if I had anywhere near a normal diet, they should easily be offset.  He did acknowledge that every individual is unique and that while it would be quite a stretch that "maybe" it could be a factor in my case....but he doesn't think so!

He's also a pretty funny guy, or at least he thinks he is.  He knows that I never watch television and that out of sheer boredom I had broke down the last couple of weeks while in the chamber.  I always watch the discovery channel and there are some pretty stupid shows on there.  Part way through my treatment he picked up the phone and with a serious face said, "Do you suppose that there is any correlation with the crap you've been watching on TV and your reduced endurance."  Wise ass!!

We joked afterwards that the only way I could prove that it was his chamber and not the television that was causing my problems would be for me to continue to watch 2 hours of bad television shows every day, even after my treatments.   I think not!!

Anyway, the free radical thing is my latest theory and I'm gonna wishful think it into reality.  Tomorrow morning I see my family doctor to get his thoughts, and right after that I make my last trip  to Hamilton.

I will continue to do nothing again today and tomorrow, and return to action Wednesday.  I will try to ease back into it and for some reason I am confident it will go well.  It will be like a new start, and this time with plenty of time on my hands.  I will still go to the gym tonite just to sit in the hot tub and stretch.  I intend on making that a regular part of my routine going forward as well.

Wish me luck my friends!  Game on!

"I am trying to do two things: dare to be a radical and not a fool, which is a matter of no small difficulty."---James Garfield

"I never dared to be radical when young for fear it would make me conservative when old."---Robert Frost

Love
Peter

"Tired"

I spent almost an hour in the hot tub at the gym yesterday, just stretching and recovering from my run. Because of that my legs were not as sore today as after my recent long runs. The fatigue however is just as bad. I got out on my bike for a while but it was cold and damp and my effort was pretty weak. Tomorrow will be another day.

(ride 34 kms)


"Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment."---Dale Carnegie

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."---Vince Lombardi
Love

Peter