And the award goes to?

Depending on what you consider as the 7^th day in the week your week might be over or might not.  I view Sunday as the 7^th day thus one more day in this training week. Although I missed a yoga session and a weight session this week was much better mentally and physically then the last two.  My training calendar has a total of eleven activities and providing I complete my 28K run tomorrow I’ll have crossed off nine.  This equates to give or take 12 hours of training.  Generally running is not a priority in winter unless you have an early long distance Triathlon or are training for some crazy run.  In my case it’s a crazy run. Around the Bay is a 30K run in Hamilton.  It’s billed as the oldest organized race in North America and one of those races you just gotta do. 

Finishing this race represents the end of three years of ankle trouble that have prevented me from running.  Physically and mentally I need this race to prove to myself I can run the 21K distance for the half Ironman.  I’ll be honest now that I have hit that goal it is hard to get my butt out there but then I think about a future goal.  This distance is only 12K from the distance in a full Ironman.  The ankle issue has brought me to my first award nominee for the best supporting actor or doctor in this case.  I started to see Jason in the fall of 2011 on the advice of members of the best supporting cast.  He found my ankle was locked and would not easily rotate. It actually rotates now and feels almost the same as the other side.  In this crazy world of triathlon it seems we all have a few pains and aches and Dr. Jason and I are addressing others.  I can not believe after three years I’m putting distance on the ankle. 

Dr. Jason was recommended by Elaine and Kelly who are part of my best supporting cast.  In addition to these gals the cast includes Lisa, Susan, Christine, Jeff and Tara.  Lisa, Elaine, Susan, Kelly and Christine are experienced triathletes who share their wisdom and love of the sport with a newbie.  Jeff and Tara like me are 2011 tri-babies.  We met each other through the Durham Tri Club and encourage each other, sign up for similar races, express our concerns and just support each other as much as we can.  It is awesome when I show up at bike or swim and this group of people are smiling and getting ready for whatever Paul has planned for us.

Paul is the best director. The Webster’s defines a director as one that supervises the production of a show usually with the responsibility for action, lighting, music and rehearsals so all the real important stuff.  Paul puts together our training schedule, encourages us to do better, pushes us, watches for us as the curtain closes on a race, listens to our challenges etc.  He provides us the tools to ensure we are strong enough to reach the finish line.  Without Paul I would not be writing this blog but that thought is for another day.

In my world of Oscars I have two Supporting Actors and the other goes to Ron.  Ron is an inspiration.  Several years’ back Ron had heart by-pass and decided it was time to get in shape.  Now many people get in shape by going to the gym or walking however Ron decided triathlon would return him to vim and vigor.  That number on a triathlete’s leg indicates age so I peeked and Ron is seventy-some years old.  Ron also encouraged me to see Paul about private swim classes but that is a thought for another day.

 

Best Actor goes to my husband, Barry.  I rehash every training session and race with him.  I don’t know how much he listens but he lets me go on and on about it.  Of course I go over every small detail there is to know.  He keeps me calm before a race, gets me to a race on time (even though I freak on him because I think we will be late), makes my coffee in the morning, keeps my car full of gas and keeps me sane.  

This leaves the best picture which won’t happen until September when Tara, Jeff and I have a snapshot of each of us crossing the finish line and for me hitting the fundraising goal. 

The problem with award shows is they highlight only the past year. I’m sure as I continue to write I’ll mention those who have helped and are helping along the way.

To my new readers from Gate 3:16 Outreach.  A warm welcome and thank you for making me feel so welcome this past Tuesday. 

Balance

Balance

(n): physical equilibrium; mental and emotional steadiness

(v): to bring to harmony or proportion; to arrange so that one set of elements exactly equals the other

I had intended to write about “who” today but decided a prose on balance should be the topic.

All of us, no matter what we do with our lives, are always seeking the holy grail of balance.  All of us are on a teeter-totter trying to balance family, work, health, nutrition and training.  Often that teeter-totter rocks more to one side than another and it some cases we are sitting on the ground. Doesn’t it seem when one wave rocks the boat a few more come along just for fun?

The past two weeks have been physically and mentally challenging.  I’ll blame the change of gravity from the full moon on the 7^th for missing a couple of days of training that week.  (That’s for you Dad if you are reading) For some reason I was physically and mentally exhausted and missed checking off four of my check marks on the training calendar but I did make it to Saturday spin.  As you know out of the three disciplines I love to cycle the most. The joy of training returned and I thought I was back on track for my 24K run on Sunday.   Next wave the huge blister on the bottom of my foot.   I was angry at myself because I did not wear the proper socks and did not put tri-glide on the bottom of my feet for my Thursday night 10K run.   Had to stop after 12K.

This week started with the teeter-totter being a little more balanced and then work interfered.  How many of us would like to win the lottery so we can retire?  I know it’s the busy time of year in my work life thus a few added hours resulted in missing a few check marks on my training calendar.  The next wave was bad news from home as an unexpected death in my extended family occurred.  My heart and prayers go out to them. 

Today saw me back in spin class and as a result my mind is focused and I’m feeling more balanced.  It was a small class today but we knew Coach Paul was thinking of us, from the Sunny South, when Clint confirmed today’s class was a repeat of Oatmeal.  The goal of the oatmeal ride is to have the participants’ legs feeling like oatmeal when we get off the bikes two hours later.  The class involves lots of long steady rides in the lower gears thus it is like going up a long hill for the whole class.  I wonder if Coach Paul was trying to give us a taste of the hill he mentioned in his blog the other day.  If we can’t join him at the training camp he’ll give us a similar feeling to it.  Tomorrow is a 26K run and hoping the snow lets up so I can see the sidewalks while running.  I don’t want to tumble like my friend Lisa last week.  She’s fine but I hear the roll, jump up and immediately running again was a sight to see.  For some reason it makes me think of stop, drop and roll but in this case maybe it should be drop, roll and stop.  Too bad Susan wasn’t quick enough with the camera.

While cycling this morning and enjoying Oatmeal I realized that I am very lucky.  Yes the balancing act can be a challenge and as an “A” personality I beat myself up over the lost training days however I am lucky that I have the opportunity to juggle all the things I do.  Not everyone is as lucky as their health and financial situations do not allow them to have the same opportunities as many of us do.  As coach says always do our best.  I feel like I did my best this week and that is all I can ever ask of myself.  It is not about how well we did in the race.  It is about the journey getting there that counts.  

To my friends who listened the last few weeks thank you.  I can’t say I’m 100% back on track but I am feeling the equilibrium is coming back.

How?

How did I get from there to here?

I grew up in a wee town outside of Ottawa called Blakeney and the closest town was four miles away and it was a wee bit bigger but still very small by GTA standards.  Everyone knew everyone in Almonte those days, our high school had 500 kids, if we were lucky, and either you were athletic or you weren't.   My perception was there was nowhere in between.  I have suffered the tribulations of flat feet all my life and sore knees as a child thus I was able to milk this and not participate in gym from grade 6.  My dogs did manage to get me out for walks when I was in my twenties.

I meet this fellow from Toronto who had a mission of going to the gym two or three nights a week.  He suggested I join the local gym, which I did, but never really went all that much.  Eventually after two and half years of long distance dating I moved to the GTA.  It was then I started going to see a trainer and now my good friend Dan.  Dan helped me loose 30 pounds, got me into shape and encouraged me to run a half marathon.  The problem is I was so focused on reaching my goal of running that 21K that I did not pay serious attention to the pain in my ankle.  Once the race was over I decided I had best see a doctor and he decided it had best be put into a cast for six weeks and then physio started.  It was never right after that and my running came to a stop.  Then my friend Dan suggested I start biking and try my hand at pushing my fitness level by biking in the charity event.  Once I got back onto a bike I fell in love with it again. 

As a kid I took my bike everywhere I even used it as a means to walk the dog.  Dad & Mom would allow me to ride it into Almonte when I was in public school. Always on the way home from school I would stop at my cousins for a cookie.  They had a huge farm (beef & dairy) and I swear their driveway was the same distance as going home but I would always pop in.  Eventually "Uncle" Bill would throw my trusty little white bike it the back of the truck and would drive me home.   My brother showed me how to loop the dog chain around the handlebars so it would steer straight.  Then I'd hook the dog up to it and he would pull me around the block - no need to walk when the dog would pull me. My dog, Brandy, was pulling me around the block still when he was 12 or 13 and I was 21 or 22.  I can not say how many miles I put on that bike my Grandparents bought me but it was lots. That little bike is now red and yes I still have it.  I think my love of cycling was just natural as my parents were avid cyclists and their summer holidays would be to cycle from one bed and breakfast to another.

The ankle is less of an issue now.  I have Elaine and Kelly to thank for this.  It was these girls who suggested that I seek out the assistance of Dr. Jason . He has many clients who are athletes and understands our craziness.  I'm currently training for the 30K Around the Bay and as of last Sunday was at 22K and no pain in my ankle.  100% the doing of Dr. Jason.

I would say it all started with a love story.  The fellow I mentioned above is now my husband and I fell in love with cycling again.

Why?

In the fall of 2010 I read about the Monster IronMotivation cycling class in the City of Oshawa's recreational magazine.  I joined with the intent of becoming a stronger cyclist.  My goal was to bike with the "big" guys in my charity event the Friend for Life Bike Rally.  During these "spin" classes my fellow cyclists, now my friends and teammates, asked what race are you doing next?  I soon discovered that next race meant triathlon. My goal was to become a stronger cyclist not to conquer my fear of swimming.  My dear friend, Ron, told me if I wanted to swim go see Coach Paul he'll cure you of the fear.  Then Giselle told me the story of her husband and how Paul helped him to conquer his fear of swimming.  So I thought why not.

Coach Paul and I had our first swim class together in November 2010.  In the first few classes it was all about becoming comfortable in the pool and not fearful.  Actually today over a year later its still about being relaxed and comfortable in the water. Eventually I began to swim and eventually I made it into the lake and eventually I did a try-a-tri.  Wow by June 2011 I was competing in Triathlons. My charity event was the last week of July. This ride is a journey as it is 600 Kilometers from Toronto to Montreal. An awesome experience.  My goal of becoming a stronger cyclist became reality and I was privileged to ride with a great bunch of cyclists for the week.   I knew I made it when Glen, a great cyclist and triathlete told me that was an awesome sprint on the fourth day.  After the bike rally I had two more triathlons and the season was over.  At the end of the season with my fellow newbies Jeff & Tara we decided to sign up for the 70.3 (1/2) Ironman in Muskoka.  It did not take long to realize I could not participate in the bike rally and train for my 2012 Triathlon season.  I have friends on the charity event who do but as a newbie its more important to focus on this new goal. 

One of the many things the bike rally taught me was there is a whole world of people outside of our family, friends and acquaintances who need help in some way or another.  I had been toying with the idea of using my countless number of hours of training, the numerous races and my A race as a fund raiser.  There are many organizations that can use our help but after much thought my husband & I decided Gate 3:16 would be the choice. 

Gate 3:16 is an outreach center helping low income and the homeless community in Oshawa. They provide breakfast, lunch, computer access, literacy skills, counseling services, meidcal services but most of all a place where people can come for a breath of hope, encouragement, and a listening ear. 

I hope you will consider jumping on my back and following me as I swim, bike and run to my goal of $5000.00 for my fund raiser Open the Gate 3:16.