"Heaven Help Me!"

If I ever have to compete in an Ironman on a day like today it would be an adventure. I know that just the other day I told you the hotter the better, but when you couple that with strong winds it just kinda sucks.  Into the wind I suffered big time,  and with the wind I sweat like a pig.  The humidex reached 37 and the winds were 20 km/hr with periods of much higher.  

I managed to get my 160 kms in but it was not pretty...or at least not compared to my record setting effort of 2 weeks ago.  I drank a total of 5 litres of water and consumed 1500 calories and still came back almost 5 pounds lighter.  I was however proud of my 5 km run right afterwards as it was really, really hard.  In the end I averaged 30.4 kms/hr, and then ran the 5 kms in 24 minutes.

I'm okay with that, but now I'm tired!

(bike 160, run 5)

"You may get real tired watching me, but I'm not going to quit."---Harrison Ford

Love

Peter

"Stymied"

After running a  bunch of errands I headed to my little conservation area with anticipation.  When I pulled up I was dismayed to see that the water seemed to have a very distinct, and unhealthy looking green tint to it.   I dismissed it as my imagination as I couldn't imagine it had changed so much in the two weeks since I was there last.  Probably it was just the angle of the sun or the time of day or something.

I parked my car and proceeded to squeeze into my wetsuit, but just before I made a final decision I went back down to the shore and spoke to a gentleman who was just landing his canoe.  He seemed very knowledgeable about the area and insured me that the water was always this colour.  He believed it was entirly safe to swim in, even though he admitted that it would perhaps not taste that good.

So back to my car to finish zipping up and to get my goggles.  Upon arriving back at the launch area the man was still there putting his canoe away.  He sheepishly pointed out a brand new warning sign nailed to a post.  The London Middlesex health unit was apparently not in agreement with his advice.  They strongly warned against swimming due to high bacteria counts, namely e-coli!

While the sign was very obvious I probably would not have seen it since I am a chronic sign avoider.  Thank goodness for the gentleman.

So back home for some lunch and off I go to Port Stanley to try Lake Erie.  The water was decidedly different colour here and I dove in with confidence.  Well not quite confidence because with an off shore wind there was quite a chop. Sure enough it was impossible for swimming.  The only safe way to swim is along the shore line so as to avoid any boats and all I did was get nauseous.

But I refuse to get stressed.  I will figure something else out.  After all it's only the stupid swim.

I will focus on having a good bike and run tomorrow,  as that is much more important anyway.

(aborted open water swim)


"Sometimes God calms the storm.  At other times, he calms the sailor.  And sometimes he makes us swim."---Anon  


Love
Peter

"Incongruous"

That's my word of the day.  I was pretty sure I knew what it meant when it came to mind this morning, but of course I had to look it up to confirm.  I just about had it right, thinking it was a word indicating an apparent contradiction.  What the experts say is

1) out of keeping or place
2) not harmonious in character
3) inconsistent

I feel a little incongruent.  I am so grateful for the way things played out from a timing perspective related to my training and my firing, but I also think that it is the reason I feel a little out of place right now.  I am also sure that it will all work itself out once this Ironman is over and I can move on to the next chapter of my life, whatever that may be.  As fulfilling as the training and racing is I know that I need more purpose in my life as well.  Right or wrong, working for a living fulfilled that internal need, and I look forward to whatever it may look like in the future.

Menwhile I still intend on giving this thing all I got for the next 2 months (a little less actually) and being able to say I gave it my best shot.  I am also very committed to talking Roo into doing one, and I can just imagine how much fun it would be to coach someone else through the process.

And perhaps you were wondering what may have brought the post title to mind in the first place.  See if this seems to fit the definition, as I tell you that witnessing this was the exact trigger that popped the word into my brain.

I was in the waiting room at the doctors office looking out the 3rd floor window.  There was a  middle aged mennonite lady standing beside her van.  She was in full costume including the compulsory black head scarf, and dark patterned dress to below her knees.  She was sipping her Tim Hortons coffee which in itself I found a bit inconsistnent,  but then I almost fell through the window when she raised her other arm to her mouth and took a long, deep, drag on her cigarette!!  She even held it between thumb and firefinger like a joint, and used one of her other fingers to flick the ashes.  Incongruous!!

Still a bit sluggish with training today but I continue to climb back up.  Tomorrow is long swim day and  I will return to the conservation area to swim outside.  And of course the most important workout is long ride saturday.  From here on in they are more important than anything else

(run intervals 5 X 600,  upper body weights)

....and todays quote has absolutely no relevance to the blog other than the fact that it includes the word incongruous, but I found it an amazing collection of words.  I wish I could write like this.  Unless your name is Cory you may have to read it a few times.  I know I did.

"Upon the clothes behind the tenement, 
That hang like ghosts suspended from the lines, 
Linking each flat, but to each indifferent, 
Incongruous and strange the moonlight shines."---Claude McKay



Love
Peter

"Hangin In"

I'm feeling a little bit more energetic today but still forced myself to take it easy.  I think I slept more soundly last night then I ever have since my illness.  I just wish I could last a bit longer in the morning but hunger generally has me up by 6 oclock.

I'm also a bit tired of blogging but whenever I consider giving it up for a while I am reminded of the connection it helps me maintain with some of my family, and I really value that.  So please hang in there with me and I promise to do so as well.

.And my social commentary of the day comes to you in the form of a question.

How come it takes only one guy to pick up my garbage at the road, but it takes 2 people to deliver my mail?

(swim 1000 metres, ride 37 kms)

"Hunger knows no friend but its feeder.'---Aristophanes

Love
Peter

"Whoops!"

I just closed my eyes for a few minutes at 8:30 and he next thing I knew it was 1:30 am!  And I had forgotten to post a blog entry.  I figured by then it may as well wait for morning.  Thank goodness for back dating.


I am very, very tired.  Probably too tired!  It may mean a day or two completely off.


(run 20.66 kms)


"I forgot!"....any and/or all of my children

Love
Peter

"Coming Down Day"

It was as inevitable as the sun coming up.  And yet no matter how often it happens it still catches me a little bit by surprise.  I actually think that part of it is physical.  Somehow when your body is in recovery mode it steals every little bit of energy you have for anything else including positive thoughts.

Right now I just want to get this Ironman over with so that I can get on with life.  The colder weather today didn't help my mood either as I am definitely of the "hotter the better" school.

Experience also tells me it will pass and I'm sure after my workout tomorrow I'll be right back in the groove.  I did only half a days work today with some swim drills and my leg weights.  The good news is that although tired, I have no leg soreness...no problem doing my weights.

I still expect tomorrows long run to be a bit challenging but I will just take it as slow as possible and cut it short if it seems like the best thing to do.

I'm pretty sure I actually finished 3rd yesterday since I got the free picture coupon that comes with a top 3 finish.  The results don't show it but I believe the guy ahead of me got a penalty for drafting on the bike.  They handed out a lot of them yesterday.  It just amazes me why people do this, and yet some can not seem to resist the temptation.  Like the nuns told me in grade school, when you cheat, you are only cheating yourself.  I thought they were full oif shit then, but I have come to realize the simple truth of it.

(swim drills, leg weights)


"And there's nothing short a' dying
That's half as lonesome as the sound
Of the sleeping city sidewalk
And Sunday morning coming down."---Kris Kristofferson

Love

Peter

"Chuckle"

Who says you can't live forever?

Well okay I suppose it's true but that's not gonna stop me from wringing out every moment I can.

I never had so much fun in my life as I had today!

The plan of course was to have a tough workout while being just a bit tired from yesterdays race.  I figured that the appropriate result would be a finish time under 5:30

However, while I had a very strong resolve to relax and have fun, I was just a wee bit nervous about the run.

I knew that the swim would be my usual slow but steady,  and I knew that I would have no problem with the bike.  But running 21.1 kms after that still seems like a bit of work.

Sure enough the first 2 events went exactly as expected with the bike being just a wee bit better then I anticipated.  But it is a very flat course and the wind was not a serious factor today.

Before I tell you about the run I want to tell you about my previous Half Ironman results.

My first was in 1994 and I finished in 5:19:59.
My second was in 1996 and I finished in 5:16:xx
My third was 3 years ago and was 5 kms short on the bike.  Extrapolated out to the full distance my time was 5:27:xx

I was absolutely amazed by how I felt when I got off my bike.  My legs were deader yesterday after the 30 km ride than they were today after 90.  And that never changed.  I felt like I was running down hill all the time.

Today, at 56 years old I set a personal best at the distance.  I was 8 minutes faster than when I was 40 years old.  My final official time was 5:08:33!!!!

I finished 4th in my age group out of 19.
I was 115th overall out of 402.
I had the fastest run time in my age group by several minutes, and the 43rd fastest run time overall!!!!  Smokin!!!  That last statistic is the one that makes me chuckle, and chuckle, and chuckle, and grin.  Because the run indicates your overall endurance level, and for me it is proof positive that the training is working!
And the beauty of the whole day...only the last 3 kms was hard...and not really hard...I ran faster!!

Oh and I almost forgot about my idiot moment of the day. I misread the cops signal at one of the intersections and turned right when I was supposed to go straight through.  It probably cost me about 30 seconds.

I do need to concede that todays course was the fastest (flattest), of the 4 events but I also never did a race the day before so I think the comparison is valid.  If you're one of those people that likes numbers, here is the offical timekeepers page for the race

Who says you can't live forever??

These 3 guys are gonna give it a shot.  Man I love my brothers!  Picture courtesy of Teresa.

(Swim 1.93 kms, ride 90 kms, run 21.1 kms)

....and from the all time master of the chuckle...

"If by chance some day you're not feeling well and you should remember some silly thing I've said or done and it brings back a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart, then my purpose as your clown has been fulfilled."---Red Skelton

Love

Peter

"Day One"

Things generally went according to plan.  The only concern I have is that maybe I should have tried to go a bit slower.  I tried to be super conscious of the fact that I have to do 3 times the distance tomorrow, but it is still hard to go slower than you know you can, especially when people pass you.

Because of the time trial start you had the advantage of knowing that everyone who passed you was older than you, and had started after you!

I felt better when I realized that it is also true that everyone I passed was younger than me, and had started out before me.

I finished the 750 metre swim, 30 km ride, and 7.5 km run in a time of 1:45:10 which was actually 3 minutes faster than I was in Woodstock over the same distance.  This course is a bit easier.

I finished 3rd out of 8 in my age group, and about 75th out of 350 overall.

It was a special day for me as Old John and Grampa Kyle joined me and I am happy to tell you that they both set personal best times at this distance.

(swim 750, bike 30, run 7.5)

"Even if I don'twant to slow down, I'm slowing down."---Eli Wallach

"Because running fast is more fun than running slow."---Frank Shorter

Love

Peter

"OMG!"

Like so many exclamation words and/or acronyms this one is used so frequently as to lose any real power.  Then every once in a while a situation comes along that merits it.  I had such a situation this evening.

First off I must tell you that I could easily get away without telling this embarrassing story as no one witnessed it, but somehow I simply could not deny you the pleasure of having a laugh at my expense....my wife at least is gonna say "OH MY GOD!"

Here I am sitting in the RV in Welland Ontario, preparing for my big Triathlon weekend.  I have a great parking spot right by the race site and I'm just getting everything organized and ready, such that I can kick the behinds of Old John and Grampa Brett tomorrow.

I've assembled my bike and checked out the transition area and just before packing it in I decide to move the RV over about 3 feet because I didn't quite like the way it was sitting.  I think I have it just right and so I kill the ignition and step outside to confirm.

What sight hits me as soon as I open the door?

My brand new freaking bike laying on the grass!  Someone tried to steal it just in the minute I was inside!!

No wait!  Why would they have only gone about 5 feet and then dropped it if they had the courage to give it a shot in the first place?

And then the realization hit me!!

"OH MY GOD!"

No one was trying to steal it......

I had leaned my bike against the side of the RV and somehow forgot it was there when I went inside to move the thing over!!

Fortunately I was parked right at the edge of the lot such that the bike fell on the grass.

Fortunately I was moving 3 feet away from the side it was leaning against.

"OMG"

(no workout)

"Fortune, seeing that she could not make fools wise, has made them lucky."---Michel de Montaigne

Love

Peter

"Hey Mikey"

Look what I got!!!!

And I know what y'all are thinking.  Another pair of shoes?  Does he have a problem or what?

But these are an exception because I got a really good deal, and they are actually a gift for a very special person who I take great "pride" in knowing.  He can come and pick them up any time.

(no workout)

"Wow!  Three pairs of shoes!  Someone has a fetish"---Marge Simpson

Love
Peter

"Flat"

Listless.

Lackadaisical.

Lethargic.

Languid.

Not sure what's going on but I'm probably just over trained.

Lousy little bike ride today, and I gave up on my transition run by the time I got to the end of the driveway.

Relax!

Deep breath!

Keep it in perspective!

Tomorrow I go back to the triathlon shop to put my bike on the computrainer.  They are going to show me how to use the trainer more effectively to improve my cycling technique.  It's all about pedalling in circles.  Should be interesting at least.

(swim drills, ride 37 kms)

"Jump into the middle of things, get your hands dirty, fall flat on your face, and then reach for the stars."---Ben Stein

Love

Peter

"No Wind in the Sails"

I think my body got the message from my brain.  It's almost as if my decision to make this a recovery week was quickly accepted.  I am out of gas!

I knew even on Sunday when I ran the trails that I was extremely tired, and then my bike ride yesterday was also kind of weak.

Today I went for a "short" long run of 15 kms and managed 12 before I started walking.

I think it's probably all good, or at least I'm gonna try to accept it as confirmation that recovery weeks are a good thing.

I have decided that I will do my usual Wednesday thing minus the weights, and then that will be it for the week, other than perhaps a bit of swimming.

Of course it scares the hell out of me from a fitness perspective, and believe it or not I also worry about eating too much!

Man I'm a nut!

(run 12 kms)

"A fanatic is a nut who has something to believe in."---Dean Koontz

Love

Peter

"Brothers"

I spent a terrific afternoon with Old John.  We talked bicycles and running shoes.  I did the talking and he did the listening.  It was a damn fine day!

Oh, and while I think that both of us in our maturity have come to the realization that we don't know everything, I'm also pretty sure that between the two of us we do!!

(easy bike ride, 50 kms)

"One can read, the other can write.  Between the two of them they are unstoppable"---Anon

Love
Peter

"Ten Weeks til D-Day

And as long as I don't read any of the books I think I'm on track.  Gotta trust ones-self.
Six more weeks weight training.
Five more really long rides.
Two more tuneup races, both next weekend.

This is gonna be my toughest week yet because it is a recovery week.  That means everything needs to be shorter and easier.  Also I am going to try to take Thursday and Friday off completely in order to be able to keep up with Old John and Grampa Kyle on Saturday in Welland.

I'm still basking in the glow of yesterdays ride but I can tell that I rode pretty hard.  The timing for a break could not be more perfect.

(swim drills, trail run)

"Trust in dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity."---Khalin Gibran

Love

Peter

"Flashback"

It was October 15, 2008.  I had just bought my new Qunitana Roo bike and taken it out for it's first serious ride.  I was elated with the results.  I rode 50 kms in a time of 1 hr, 33 mins, which amounts to an average speed of 32.1 kms/hr.

Fast forward to today.  I had been out a few times with my Argon 18 but on both those occasions I was still tweaking things.  You will recall that I was nervous about today's first serious test.

I rode 160 kms in a time of 4 hrs, 50 minutes for an average speed of 33 kms/hr!!!!!

When Claudette asked me how it went I was almost afraid to say it out loud for fear that it wouldn't be real any more.  But I went back and looked at my speedometer, and sure enough it still said the same thing.

I am very surprised, and extremely happy.   While I know I was motivated today and that would have been a factor, it is also quite clear that all the motivation in the world would not have gotten me close to that on my old bike.

I can still do some minor adjustments to improve my comfort but they will be minor.  Overall my position is good on the bike and while I will probably never say that I 'like' a saddle, this one is as close as I've ever gotten.  It is definitely gonna stay with me through the race

As mentioned I wore all me other race gear, and everything is good to go.

I also did a little run afterwards which turned into a jog/walk session after 3 kms but it's all good.  I still managed to get around the block.

It was a damn fine day my friends!

(ride 160 kms, run/jog/walk 7.3 kms)


"I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark."---Muhammad Ali

Love

Peter

"No Turns"

Well one actually and a few small bends!

I discovered a great place for open water swimming today.  Well I didn't really discover it because someone showed it to me, but the bottom line is that now I know.  It is a nice 25 minute, country drive away.

It is a small man made lake fed by several little creeks, and called Sharon Creek conversation area.

It is long and skinny and almost exactly 1500 metres long.  While you can't quite see in a straight line from end to end, the jog in the middle is so minor as to be irrelevant.

At some point it struck me that I was having quite a nice time, even though I was way slower than the two guys I was with.  With that came the realization that it is not swimming that gives me anxiety, but the stupid pool.  The pool with the lane ropes, and the turns, and the aquafit, and the ever present clock looming over your shoulder.

I could just relax, focus on my technique, and get my mileage in.  I got lots of good advice from the triathlon guy as to how to improve my stroke including dry land drills, and I am hoping that the combination of that, and more open water swimming will make me a little faster.

Game on!

Big day tomorrow.  The first serious test of my new bike.  The plan calls for 160 kms, followed by a 7 km run, and I am particularly nervous about my saddle.  I will wear all the gear I plan on using on race day including my new shoes, and my funny helmet.  I think I will stay a little closer to home this time just in case I get in trouble.  I have to get going at a decent time as they promise fairly warm conditions as the day wears on.  Fortunately they are also predicting reasonably light winds.  Update tomorrow.

Oh and I have been assured by people that know that red is the fastest colour.  My new racing shoes for your viewing pleasure.

The cycling shoes are heat molded to my feet and the running shoes weigh 7.5 ozs each, compared to 12 ozs for my every day shoes.  Oh, and in case you were wondering the last  new "race" shoes I bought are so comfortable that I now wear them for my interval and transition runs.

(swim, 3000 metres open water)

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."---Charles Spurgeon

Love

"There But For the Grace...."

I remember clearly my first ever encounter with a street panhandler.  It was in Calgary Alberta and I was a naive 17 year old farm kind out to see the world.  Some guy on the street gave me a sob story about needing bus fare to get home and I in my ignorance took his words at face value.  Ten minutes later I seen him with a bunch of friends living it up in a restaurant down the  street.

I learned my lesson quickly and I learned it well.  I don't think I gave a penny to a bum for the next 35 years.

Then in the year 2004 I had a chance to spend significant time in Mexico and learned a whole lot more about what a few coins can mean to some people.  I remember my first experiences there as well and my attitude originally was the same as after my Calgary experience.  But the Mexicans softened me up over time and within months I was looking forward to the kids at the corner store in the morning who would needlessly clean your windows whether you liked it or not.  I looked forward to the old gentlemen in the Walmart parking lot who needlessly directed you in and out of your parking spot.   I looked forward to the 10 year old kid who needlessly helped bag your groceries. I suppose I started looking forward to opportunities to share something with someone who clearly did not have the advantages I had in life.

I remember one of the last days of my tour in Mexico and I had accumulated probably 10 bucks in change in my vehicle.  It was such a spectacular feeling to unload the entire 10 bucks on 2 little kids one morning.  And to make it even better I refused to let them clean my windows!

There is a guy who now seems to frequent a busy corner in London with his hat in hand and a little sign that says "a little help please".  Even if it means that I interrupt traffic I always find a buck or two to give him.  The man has only one leg and I am so immeasurably grateful that but for the grace of god.....

I no longer believe that it is wrong to give money to someone who asks for it.  You can call them bums, beggars, street people, whatever you want.  I would bet dollars to doughnuts that not a one of them has had the good fortune I have had.  I have had the opportunity for good education, for good employment, good health, good family, good friends etc.  And I have two good legs to take me where I want to go.  This fancy new bicycle wouldn't mean so much to me if I had to walk in that mans "shoe"!

(upper body weights, run intervals)

"If you haven't got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble."---Bob Hope

Love
Peter

"It's Wednesday"

And that's all I know for sure!

Other than that it was another great training day.  The bike felt very, very good.

(swim 1500 metres, leg weights, ride 35 kms, run 7.3kms)


"I hear, I know.
I see, I remember.
I do, I understand."
Love
Peter

"Cast Iron Legs"

Just like those old bathtubs!

I would prefer titanium or perhaps some aluminum alloy but it is what it is.  My legs are not very flexible and they don't have a high strength to weigh ratio but they are at least durable.

Along of course with cardiovascular fitness, the key ingredient to something like an Ironman is muscular endurance.  Quite simply the ability of  slow twitch muscle fiber to flex repeatedly over a long period of time.  That's why it was so disconcerting back when I was doing the hyperbaric treatment and running out of legs way too early.

Today's run was a very positive indicator that this key ingredient is coming together.  I was very nervous going in to the run because I knew I had been working hard and just a few weeks ago in similar hot conditions I kinda fell apart.

Not today though.  I was indeed quite tired but as the kms passed away there was no noticeable fatigue in my legs.  My overall body was of course feeling the effects of many hard days but my legs did not suffer at all.  Even at the end when I was really starting to slow down it was still just a matter of overall training fatigue.  If there was any value in it I could have kept going after my 30 kms.

Actually as opposed to having value, going further would have been counter productive.  Tomorrow is my busiest day of the week and those workouts are important as well.

I continue to mess with my bike and I can't wait to get it out again tomorrow to see how my tweaking is going.

I think that despite all my hard work however that I'm gonna go to hell.  I only did one set of my upper body weights tonite.  I'm claiming that I'm too tired but inside I know it was a sin.  I'm gonna have to go to confession!  Do they still do that?  Bless me father for I have sinned and all that?

Anyway.   It was a good day but it's 10:30 pm and that means I'm a half hour late for bed.  Love you all.

(run 30 kms, upper body weights)


"Jogging is very beneficial. It's good for your legs and your feet. It's also very good for the ground. If makes it feel needed."---Charles M Schulz

Love

Peter

"I Love it When it Rains"

After my bike ride that is!

The new baby went out for her first serious test ride today and lived up to expectations. For the first half hour I was a bit tentative and I actually stopped and made a few adjustments, but it continued to feel better as the ride wore on.   I still have more tweaking to do but I'm getting close.  The back end feels good and I even think the saddle may stand a chance.  I had a bit of numbness but nothing drastic, and very little soreness in my sit bones.

The tweaking that needs to still happen is in the front, with adjustments of the arm pads and the aero extensions.  I also will continue to experiment with the rotation of the shifter buttons.  I know from experience that it is important to try to get it just right, and also know you have to do a bit at a time.  I made a few changes tonite already.  I will ride again on wednesday and then probably make a few more.  Then the real test will be on the weekend.  I am due to go 160 kms!

The electronics shifting is some kind of dream come true.  You can shift often and from any position, standing, sitting, or in the aero bars.  Amazing how good this feels, especially on the hills.

I do believe that this bike will help me ride faster, but I think a good part of that is simply my position on the bike.  I just feel more powerful with the way it is set up.  Game on!

(swim drills, leg weights, ride 50 kms, 1:33:59)

"It is no use to grumble and complain; It's just as cheap and easy to rejoice; When God sorts out the weather and sends rain - Why, rain's my choice."---James Whitcomb Riley


....and although this one is nor relevant to today's post I came across it when looking for 'rain' stuff and needed to share it....sorry if I get tedious on this topic


"It always seemed to me a bit pointless to disapprove of homosexuality. It's like disapproving of rain."---Francis Maude


Love
Peter

"Tired But Not Sore"

And that's the way it's supposed to be.  I went to the pool in the morning and as I promised the coach guy I didn't just swim but rather worked on the drills he gave me.  I am learning some very interesting stuff.  Perhaps you will recall previous assertions I made to the effect that I would never be able to stay horizontal in the water just because of my body composition, primarily bone density and muscle mass related.  I now believe that was all bullshit!

Here's how I know.  He gave me a side kick drill to do in which I extend my lower arm out front and put the other one tight to my side.  Much to my surprise I can do it and remain horizontal.  Of course my head is below the water but I can even manage to rotate and take a breath and then keep on going.

Here's the kicker (no pun intended).  I can only do it on one side!!!!!  Once I switch over to the other side my legs sink like a rock.  I find this very intriguing and it confirms for me the theory that it is all about balance in the water....not about buoyancy. 

The other drill he gave me was to hang horizontally in the water in the deep end while kicking, and then look down to see what your feet and legs are doing.  The freestyle kick is supposed to start at your hips and have little to no bend at the knee, and furthermore the total span of your kick should not be more than shoulder width.  If I don't totally focus I start to immediately soccer kick  and my feet come about 3 feet apart.  Even more strangely, my one leg is much worse than the other.  This is so ingrained in my muscle memory that I can't even feel myself doing it.  Only when I actually watch can I make it stop.  Amazing!!

I look forward to exploring these things more and it sends a message of hope to me that maybe I can indeed get better.  I know it is a long road so it may not help me much for August, but I intend on working on it anyway.

After swimming I went to the trails where I started walking after about 2 minutes.  I had no idea of how drained I really was until I started out, and I briefly considered just getting back in the truck and heading home.  I knew that if I did the loop it was gonna involve a lot of walking. They say that every workout should have a purpose and initially I couldn't come up with a good one for today.  But I can rationalize anything and this is what I came up with.

Doing anything that involves exposure to nature is good for one's mental health.
The uneven terrain of the trails helps to strengthen knees and ankles.
The effort required to maintain balance while dodging roots and puddles is very good for your core muscles.
....and lastly....
Getting a little run in helps deal reduce the withdrawal anxiety I feel due to my addiction.

I would say I ended up running about 3/4 of the 6 kms.  All is good.

When I got home I spent some more time messing around with my bike including about 15 kms of test riding.  It is still not just exactly the way I want it but good enough for the first serious outing tomorrow.  i will probably do 50 kms with the main focus being not on speed but rather on comfort.  Wish me well!

(swim drills easy, trail run easy, 15 km bike test)


"No man drowns if he perseveres in praying to God, and can swim."---Anon


Love
Peter

"Tough One Today"

I'm not sure why but I'm not gonna over analyze it.  I suppose they will all be tough from here on in.  I complicated today's workout by doing my tongue exercises, and I'm pretty sure that took a lot out of me.  I especially found that pushing it all the the way into my right cheek (the one on my head) and then down as far as I could was the most stressful.

It was actually a pretty good day for a ride with not too much wind.  It just seemed like a long trip.  I did the same route as last week and although I felt pretty good until the 70 km turnaround my ass was quite sore.  At about 90 kms I suddenly had a feeling that I can only describe as slumping.  I seriously considered getting off and laying in the ditch for a while.  I think what kept me going was the fear that I would not be able to restart once I quit.  Sure enough I recovered and managed to maintain a decent pace home.  I was actually 25 minutes faster than last week which is quite a lot even considering the difference in wind conditions.

One of the problems with this particular route is that it is quite flat.  While that usually makes for fast times it also means that you can never really relax.  No downhills to rest and no uphills to stand up.  Like I said my ass was quite sore which results in shuffling around all the time and generally riding inefficiently.

I'm probably dreaming but my new bike is set up differently than my old one and I'm hoping that it helps with this problem.  I am too stretched out right now which doesn't allow my arms to carry enough of my weight.  If I do pull myself back in the aero bars now the pads are under my forearms instead of my elbows, and the result of this is that my muscles are supporting me instead of my skeleton.  They say that fit is everything so I'm looking forward to getting some miles on my new machine.  The first serious ride will be on Monday.

My post ride run was tough as well, but I managed to hang on for 5 kms which is absolutely sufficient.  I walked the other 2.3 kms of the block and that felt really good as well.

And my social comment for today comes in the form of a question.  If you have a religious belief that homosexuality is a sin how do you rationalize individuals born hermaphroditic?  Who are they allowed to have sex with?  Everyone?  No one? Or maybe just themselves?  For me that very question proves how ludicrous it is to believe that god is gonna get you for having sex with the wrong person. After all....who is responsible for the person born with 2 sets of genitals....the devil I suppose?

I'll have to ask one of them but maybe the "holier than thou's" believe that the hermaphrodite should have been aborted?????  Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

(ride 140 kms, run 5 kms)


...and funny how today's quote sounds like it's from the bible...


"All the world old is queer save thee and me, and even thou art a little queer."---Robert Owen

Love

Peter

"Big Sigh of Relief"

All is well!

Worrying by yourself is a lonely thing.  I have been quietly doing so for the last month and finally broke down and told Claudette yesterday.  I know I have complained several times about mouth sores, and while that is indeed the norm that I live with, I was getting a little scared.  While they come and go depending on several things including my diet, my oral hygiene, and my sleep patterns, there has been one spot that has become persistent and more painful than usual.  To compound my fears the spot is very close to the site of my original primary tumor.

Day after day I considered calling one doctor or another to get it diagnosed.  I don't know what held me back other than perhaps fear.  Regardless, telling Claudette seemed to break through my procrastination and I called the clinic immediately.  They were fantastic!

I got to talk to a triage nurse right away and after hearing my story she promised to see what she could do to get me in.  By days end I had a return call, and an appointment for today at 1:30.

I love Dr Hammond.  He is the prototypical old school doctor with a formal fairly style, but over the years Roo and I have worn him down.  His first question for me?  "How's your Ironman training going?"

Ya gotta love it.  I told him that training was going fine and that I didn't need anything interfering with it.  After hearing me out, and after much poking, and prodding and feeling around he decreed me 'cancer free'!!

Woohoo!

Now the only other concern was the dreaded osteoradionecrosis.  Remember that?  That's the thing I travelled to Hamilton for 6 weeks in an attempt to avoid.

So off to the cancer dentist for x-rays and another examination.  After more poking and prodding Dr Lederhof decreed me ORN free!!

Woohoo!

So what it it?  This may amaze you but as soon as he described it I knew he was right.

Tight tendons!

Yup.  The tendons that attach my tongue to the side of my mouth are tight as a bowstring on both sides, with the left one being the worst.  This is of course another radiation holdover.  But it all makes sense to me because of how the pain spikes in response to certain movements of my tongue.  He did offer the suggestion that partially cutting the tendon may bring some relief.  I need to think about that but  the very earliest that could happen would be after Aug 26th.  I can't imagine that it would feel very good for the first while and could impact my ability to eat well.

Anyway what a great sense of relief I feel right now.  Like I said it is tough worrying alone, but I also didn't want to worry others.  That's probably stupid but you have come to expect that from me anyway so no harm done.

You know what's really funny.  In all my quiet worrying my greatest fear was not one of getting cancer again and dying.  My greatest fear was of getting cancer again and having it interfere with my training.  I had even rehearsed the scenario in my mind in which I would have to make a decision whether to undergo treatment right away, or take a chance and wait til after Ironman.  Thankfully I am not faced with that dilemma.

Game on!

And in closing I think it's funny that I as I age my sphincters are getting looser, while my tendons are getting tighter.  And while no one answered my sphincter question I think in the case of tendons I know they won't stretch much, but I also know that the muscles they are attached to can indeed by exercised and lengthened.  I'm gotta add my tongue to my workout routine!

Tomorrow is long ride day and it will be on my old bike.  While the new girl is about ready to go I need to tweak it and prove out the saddle and the overall setup on shorter rides first.  Next week for sure.

Life is good!

(swim, drills only)

"For fast-acting relief try slowing down."---Lily Tomlin

Love

Peter

"Odds And Ends"

I noticed that for an animal that's supposed to be clever there are a lot of dead raccoons on the road!

I learned from the swim guy today that I have tons of opportunity....I am horrible!

I have a new pair of cycling shoes that are heat moldable.  You're supposed to put them in the oven at 150 degrees Fahrenheit.  My oven refuses to go below 170!!

I find it hard to do my weights or write my blog after 9 pm, and yet I invariably leave it til then.

I never know when to use commas.

To have grandchildren is to truly know the meaning of the expression; to love someone more than life itself.

Having nice things is nice....but they bring their own kinds of problems.

I have even less of an idea as to when to use semi colons.

I'm starting to learn what happens to your sphincters as you age, especially the one around your urethra.  But it makes me wonder.  Since it's a muscle can you exercise it and make it stronger?  Cory?

My bike is in the kitchen....but only because there's not enough room in the bedroom

I like ice cream.

There are not enough hours in the day to do the things I want to do....and what a great feeling that is!

I have decided on a second career.  There is a place in Guelph called the Winterborne Bicycle Institute.  In partnership with Conostoga College they offer an intensive 11 day course in professional bike mechanics.  I have already made inquiries and intend on taking the course asap after Ironman.  Oh, and I'll need a place to stay someone.

On most days I eat 4 bananas.

I love my sister Elly and think of her often.

Religion still scares me!  A few of the comments I have read today in response to this Bill 13 thing are just beyond my imagination.  The power of organized religion to brainwash otherwise logical people is to me  astounding.  I guess I have to remember that I once was afraid of going to Hell because of the very same thing.

I feel like the most blessed person in the whole world.  The universe truly is conspiring in my favour.

Claudette's  Mindfulness in the Mountains backpacking session has been confirmed, so we can now finalize our western Canada trip.  Woohoo!!  It's gonna be the voyage of  lifetime.

(run intervals, 7 X 600 metres, swim lesson, weights)


"Blessed are they who have nothing to say and who cannot be persuaded to say it."---James Lowell

Love 

Peter

"Ten Thousand Words"

(leg weights, ride 37 kms, run 4 kms)

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on."---Robert Frost

Love
Peter

"Another Good Day"

Any day that I learned something is a good day and today I learned 2 things.

But first off, my run.  Perhaps you recall that last week I settled for a very painful, very ugly 15 kms.  I am now an advocate of the recovery week philosophy that all the experts preach.  Why I need to learn these things the hard way I don't know, other than perhaps because I'm a Rooyakkers.  Anyway it clearly has made a difference as I feel right back on track.  Other than a bit of a breeze the weather was perfect and I ran 31 kms in total control.

Actually that would make 3 things I learned and fortunately it is not too late for me to take advantage of it.  I have already mentally scheduled 2 more recovery weeks before I start my taper at the end of July.

Hopefully I will learn something tomorrow as well, as it is my first swimming lesson at the tri shop.  I am very nervous about it because I don't want them guys to see just how bad I am, and on top of that they will be filming it.  The lesson takes place in an endless pool, something I have tried before with little success.  This pool however is a much better facility than the one I used before, so maybe it will be a better  experience.  After my swim I should be bringing my new toy home as well.

As to the 2 other things I learned today one of them was about food.  Since I hadn't tried it in a long time I thought I would have a go at a long time favorite meal, and sure enough it went down not too badly.  But of course like everything else I eat I had to know the nutritional value of it.  Sadly there are not too many peanut butter and banana sandwiches in my future.  I was shocked to see that 1 tbsp of peanut butter has 100 calories and 8 grams of fat!  I think each one of my 2 sandwiches had at least 4 tbsp's, and when you add the bread and the banana, my small lunch was about 1300 calories, and almost my entire allowable fat for the day.  I did the math and found out that the jar of p.b. had over 13000 calories and over 1000 grams of fat!

And the 3rd thing I learned today?  Chipmunks don't swim very well!  I fished this poor guy out of the pool this evening but unfortunately it was too late for mouth to mouth...

I suppose they are probably from the same family so it shouldn't really surprise me how much a chipmunk looks like a small rat when his pretty hair is all flattened out.  I still felt bad for him though.  Something our parents instiilled in us was a concern for suffering animals.

Anyway, that's it for today.  A good run and 3 things learned.  I should sleep well.

(run 31 kms, 2:42:45)

"A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way."---Mark Twain


Love
Peter

"I Don't Like Mondays"

Blaahh!

Tomorrow is tuesday which means long run day. Talk to you then.  Gotta go rest up.

(swim 1500 metres, leg weights, ride 30 kms)

The silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload"---Bob Geldof

Love

Peter

"On Bad Habits & Living Dangerously"

I'm sure you are sick and tired of hearing about my swimming trials and tribulations, but I had one more epiphany today that I want to share.  There is a well renowned swim coach who has made millions of dollars teaching people something he calls total immersion swimming.  It has apparently worked for many people but I am not included in that group.  I just couldn't get into his techniques.   One thing that he is not an advocate of is the myriad of swim aids that are available to help you learn.  Things like hand paddles, flippers and pull buoys.  He calls them them aquatic "crack".  While I think these things do indeed have a place in a well structured, coached environment, I think he hit the nail on the head with his addiction analogy.  Certainly you can quickly come dependant on them, and clearly that has happened to me.

While using pull buoys regularly, or swimming in my wetsuit has allowed me to build my endurance and my fitness it has done the opposite for my technique.  Swimming just 200 metres without a cheater leaves me winded and hanging on the edge of the pool.  Today I did my entire workout without any devices and it really drove the message home to me.  Thank freakin god that Sunday is my short swim today!

While you may think this would discourage me, I can tell you it has done the exact opposite.  Like I mentioned the other day, I am very comfortable in doing the distance now and so I'm gonna use my remaining time to focus on stroke improvement.  I'm not exactly sure of my specific strategy yet but I'm gonna figure something out.  Maybe the tri guy will be able to help.  I'll keep you posted.

And on living dangerously, the second half of my Sunday training is trails, and today they were extremely slick.  I didn't mind the mud, and I didn't even mind all the wet branches that hang down from the moisture,  making contact with them unavoidable.  I don't even mind falling because that's good for the soul as well, but I do mind getting hurt.  I took it really easy and still almost went down 5 or 6 times. But I didn't want to skip because trail running has such a relaxing effect on the body and the mind.  I survived!

You could probably tell that I felt pretty optimistic after my long workout yesterday and the timing could not be better.  Only twelve weeks to go!!  My workouts actually peak in 8 weeks at which time my taper begins.  I have thought long and hard about telling you my goal time but I'm afraid to do so.  I may still come out with it at some point.  Hopefully my Half Ironman in Welland in 3 weeks will give me the courage.  Meanwhile I have taken old Johns advice and am targeting to be in the top 10% of my age group.  Last time around I was in the 13th percentile.

(swim 1000 metres, trails 6 kms)

"The world is getting to be such a dangerous place, a man is lucky to get out of it alive."---W C Fields

It seems, in fact, as though the second half of a man's life is made up of nothing, but the habits he has accumulated during the first half."---Fyodor Dostoevsky

Love

Peter

"Testing Ones Resolve"

I am quite impressed by the accuracy with which the experts are able to predict the weather these days.  It seems the science has come a long way.  That's why I was not surprised to wake up to a cold, windy, cloudy morning.

While it's great to have advance warning of tough conditions it can also play on your mind a little.  When you know you have to get up in the morning and that you're gonna be out there for 5-6 hours it can be a bit daunting.  I was even starting to think about delaying til Sunday but things didn't look much more attractive then

So I was up and out by 9 am with long sleeves and gloves.  While it was indeed a bit chilly (10C), after I got my muscles warmed up I was okay.  I was awful glad for the gloves however.

On account of the very strong winds (30 kms/hr) I decided that I was just gonna stay close to home doing whatever loops that came to mind.  I did however start out on my favorite route which after the first 12 kms turns southwest and today was headed directly into the wind.

And that's when the head games began.

Maybe I would do the first 30 k into the wind and then head back and do loops.
Maybe I would turn at Shedden and head back home.
Maybe I would only need to do 120 kms today since it was such a brutal wind.
Maybe I would make a new decision with every 10 kms I got under my belt.

At some point I realized that any of these rationalizations could leave me with a shortened workout, which was not gonna be acceptable.  At 60 kms I knew that I was gonna go to 70 before I turned.  So unless I got a flat I was gonna get my 140 in, regardless of the suffering it would take.

Even with that decision made it was hard to stay positive.  Why do I want to do this to myself week after week all for the sake of one day of glory?  Because of the wind and the fact that it is a relatively flat route  I spent 3 solid hours in the aero bars.  The result of that was a very sore ass and very cramped shoulders.  A few hills would have been a godsend.

It sure felt great when I turned around and ran with  the wind.  Then I had only one more little tough spot at the end.  Often when we have a southwest wind it turns as the day wears on, more to the south.  Today was no exception which meant that the last 12 was gonna be hell....and it was.

But I made it in a very slow time of 5 hours.  Of that 5 hours, 3 of them were on the way out, and just 2 back!!

So I was a bit tired when I got back, but as part of my earlier excuse making I had already decided that my run would be a short one.  I headed out with the intent of maybe 4 kms.  But lo and behold I felt great right away!  I completed the original plan of 7.3 kms in a very nice time of 33:46.  Wow!

So I feel very content with my effort.  I think there were 2 factors at play today.  First and foremost was the bit of a break I forced myself into, and secondly I took great care to make sure I consumed lots of calories and that I got lots of electrolytes.

But most importantly I tested my resolve and passed!

One of the reasons I had justified the possibility of a shortened run was because I wanted to get to the tri shop in London before they closed at 4.  After a serious bout of courier madness my new baby arrived in London for the second time.  She's not ready to come home yet so I thought I would just go for a quick visit.  Here's a bit of a teaser for you.

(ride 140 kms, run 7.3)

There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."---Ella Wheeler Wilcox

"Resolve to perform what you ought; perform wihout fail what you resolve"---Benjamin Franklin

Love

Peter

"Who's Challenged?"

Friday is my long swim day with my wetsuit.  While I seem to be getting slower each successive week it also seems to be getting a little easier.  I think I mentioned that the triathlon shop has offered me a couple of sessions in their endless pool with accompanying coaching, and I think I'm gonna take them up on it.  The bottom line however is that after 3 weeks in a row at 3000 metres or over I at least have the confidence to swim the distance without any serious effort.

My local Y, as I suspect others do, offers employment opportunities to mentally challenged individuals.  There is one young man at our branch that brightens my day every time I see him.  He is probably in his early to mid twenties, always seems to be cheerful and while he manages to communicate quite well, he is very obviously limited.

I always engage him in conversation as it seems to stimulate him, but at the same time  I try hard not to talk down to him.  After all, I'm a moron and he decidedly is not.

How do I know?

I ran into him on the way out after my swim today.  As we walked together we chatted for a few minutes and as we approached the doors I commented on the fact that the rain was really coming down.  Without a moments hesitation he tilted his head in the direction of the wetsuit I had over my shoulder, and with a mischievous grin said. "You should put that back on".

It felt so good to laugh with him.  I'm supposed to be the witty one, and him the challenged one?  Where's his challenge I want to know?

It got me thinking about a long held belief that there is no such thing as smart people or dumb people.  We are all smart!  Some people are math smart, some are language smart, some are mechanical smart, and some are plant and/or animal smart. Some are emotional smart, some are funny smart, some are kind smart, and some are street smart.  Some are physics smart, some are athletic smart, some are electrical smart, and still others are psychology smart.  Some are broad based smart and others are focused smart.  etc, etc

Either way you slice it people are people, and although the mental skills of some are more obvious than others don't be fooled by what meets the eye or the ear.  After all, many people upon meeting me jump to the conclusion that I'm  a moron!  Anyone who takes the time to get to know me better quickly acknowledges me as an idiot....and unfortunately not  a savant.

(swim 3250 metres)

"An intelligence test sometimes shows a man how smart he would have been  not to have taken it"---Laurence J Peter

Love
Peter