I am writing this at 3:00 am because I can't sleep. The coffee is on and I'm going to get some work done before swim practice starts at 6:00am. We are trying to fit 4 weeks worth of work into 2 weeks and it looks like we might make it but not without a few sleepless nights. These trips always create a little stress before and after them. That's one of the down sides of working for yourself and working alone. The upside is I only have myself to answer to.
Training is sort of hit and miss for both of us. Tammy has been fighting a mild cold and we are both fighting for motivati0n. I realized this weekend that I didn't have a bike travel box to get my bike to Kona because I lent it to a friend that went to the short course world championships in Australia. We were not planning on going to Hawaii. Thankfully I hang out with triathletes and my friend Adam stepped up and lent me his box as well as a skin suit to swim in so I don't have to buy one.
Today our plan is to do our bike workout on our indoor trainer in the room between the clinic and the house. Its super small and we'll set-up a heater and cook the room as hot as possible. We've done these before and it can simulate some of the heat we will experience in Kona.
We leave Wednesday for the mainland and onto a Thursday 6:00am flight out of Vancouver and arrive in Kona at 11:45am on Thursday. Our plan is to run in the energy lab as soon as we get there. Can't wait!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
In Memory of the O.G.
Danny was the name given to him when he was picked up as a stray on the streets of Richmond. He was old, tired, weak, skinny, dirty and very weary of people. When he came to us he had already been cleaned up but his Spirit was clearly broken. We were told he had maybe a few weeks to live because he was so fragile. He would shake as he stood and a strong wind would have blown him over. We gave him food, shelter, a warm soft bed, and whatever love he would accept. We nicknamed him The Old Guy or O.G. for short.
O.G. was not the most affectionate dog in the world but eventually his trust of us developed and when his strength and confidence came he would show us appreciation in his own way. When we first got him, he was weary and would run from us but over time he would run to us. We delighted in seeing the first time he would do a play-stance, playfully nip at his leash while getting ready for a walk, greet and lick our hands upon returning home, and hearing his 'woo-woo' when he was happy. He made us laugh when he acted like a 'wild horse' when playing (which led to our other nickname: "Horsey!"). It was evident he had been kept in a small cement pad because his instinct was to relieve himself where he ate, which is not normal for any animal, and he would only relieve himself on the cement pad out back. Slowly this habit changed and so did his Spirit. He became part of our pack. He fit like a square peg in a round hole. He disrupted pretty much everything in pretty much every way, but it made us laugh and stirred up the chemistry in an entertaining way as he wedged his way in. He grew to love us, and we grew to love him. At times, he acted so puppy-like that we were convinced he was not as old as they said and were preparing ourselves to have him with us for over a year. Although his Spirit healed and kept him going for a lot longer than anyone would have guessed...it was 7 months...not enough!
Yesterday Sept 18,2009 the O.G went to sleep forever. It was, and is, harder than we thought it would be because we got to be good pack mates. Near the end, his disabilities progressed quick and he had put his best days behind him. We knew this was coming so he got nothing but spoiled in his last days. We let him eat off the coffee table, which is forbidden, and it drove our other dog crazy. We also fed him prime buffalo steak and hamburger cooked just for him. We took him to his 1 mile trail loop in Royal Roads that he loved to walk off leash, which we named 'The O.G. Trail'. He couldn't make it around but we let him sniff around and spend some time in his FAVORITE place.
He will be missed!!
If it wasn't for Big Heart Rescue, Danny would never have gotten another chance to enjoy life. Most other rescues would have put him down the day they found him because the costs are so high and his chance of coming back would have been slim. Big Hearts put a lot of money into Danny (they paid for all the bills including the numerous vet bills). We did the fostering. They are funded by Donation and with volunteer Fosters. It was because of them that Danny got to spend the rest of his days learning to be part of a family...to love and be loved. He often kicked his back legs in his sleep as though he were running in his dreams. Run free, sweet boy, run free....
O.G. was not the most affectionate dog in the world but eventually his trust of us developed and when his strength and confidence came he would show us appreciation in his own way. When we first got him, he was weary and would run from us but over time he would run to us. We delighted in seeing the first time he would do a play-stance, playfully nip at his leash while getting ready for a walk, greet and lick our hands upon returning home, and hearing his 'woo-woo' when he was happy. He made us laugh when he acted like a 'wild horse' when playing (which led to our other nickname: "Horsey!"). It was evident he had been kept in a small cement pad because his instinct was to relieve himself where he ate, which is not normal for any animal, and he would only relieve himself on the cement pad out back. Slowly this habit changed and so did his Spirit. He became part of our pack. He fit like a square peg in a round hole. He disrupted pretty much everything in pretty much every way, but it made us laugh and stirred up the chemistry in an entertaining way as he wedged his way in. He grew to love us, and we grew to love him. At times, he acted so puppy-like that we were convinced he was not as old as they said and were preparing ourselves to have him with us for over a year. Although his Spirit healed and kept him going for a lot longer than anyone would have guessed...it was 7 months...not enough!
Yesterday Sept 18,2009 the O.G went to sleep forever. It was, and is, harder than we thought it would be because we got to be good pack mates. Near the end, his disabilities progressed quick and he had put his best days behind him. We knew this was coming so he got nothing but spoiled in his last days. We let him eat off the coffee table, which is forbidden, and it drove our other dog crazy. We also fed him prime buffalo steak and hamburger cooked just for him. We took him to his 1 mile trail loop in Royal Roads that he loved to walk off leash, which we named 'The O.G. Trail'. He couldn't make it around but we let him sniff around and spend some time in his FAVORITE place.
He will be missed!!
If it wasn't for Big Heart Rescue, Danny would never have gotten another chance to enjoy life. Most other rescues would have put him down the day they found him because the costs are so high and his chance of coming back would have been slim. Big Hearts put a lot of money into Danny (they paid for all the bills including the numerous vet bills). We did the fostering. They are funded by Donation and with volunteer Fosters. It was because of them that Danny got to spend the rest of his days learning to be part of a family...to love and be loved. He often kicked his back legs in his sleep as though he were running in his dreams. Run free, sweet boy, run free....
Friday, September 18, 2009
Motor pacing
Steve Lund offered to motor pace Tammy and I on one of our workouts. Steve has a motor bike that he has rigged with cruise control for a steady pace and a roll bar over the back wheel. The roll bar is so if you get too close and hit the back end of the bike it has a roller that spins. I don't think Tammy was in any danger of hitting the roll bar judging by the distance she is from the back of the motor bike. Usually the rider behind the motor bike is almost touching the bar but for Tammy this was probably as close as she was going to get. Although she swears she got closer. Steve was kind enough to motor pace me for the last 1/2 of my negative split ride. It started out controlled but I think the cruise control was broken and it didn't help that we finished up a very hilly section of Metchosin road. The eggs I had for breakfast were on their way up. I managed to keep them down but not before tasting them for a second time. It's like having two breakfasts.mmmmmm.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Ironman History.
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http://humanpoweredracer.blogspot.com/
This is Mike Neill's blog. He is already in Kona preparing for Ironman Kona along with many others. The video in his latest entry is AMAZING. The people who won are amazing and still around coaching and commentating races. But the guys at the end, Rick and Dick Hoyt, are still racing today! They are legends in the Ironman world. Here is a link to there website for a little inspiration. http://www.teamhoyt.com/
http://humanpoweredracer.blogspot.com/
This is Mike Neill's blog. He is already in Kona preparing for Ironman Kona along with many others. The video in his latest entry is AMAZING. The people who won are amazing and still around coaching and commentating races. But the guys at the end, Rick and Dick Hoyt, are still racing today! They are legends in the Ironman world. Here is a link to there website for a little inspiration. http://www.teamhoyt.com/
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Blog entry about Hawaii from two athletes in Kona
*
http://www.fyzz.ca/our-blog
Click on this link and read their blog. These are two very cool triathletes that formerly lived in Victoria. They now live wherever they want in an RV. They are in Hawaii right now so that Heather can prepare for the world championships and her husband Trevor is training with her. I read their blog and instantly got butterflies in my stomach. I am much like Trevor with my fear of the water, as rational or irrational as it is. We are staying in the Captain Cook area that they swam at.
Tammy and I are going to have to keep our expectations realistic considering all these athletes are already in Kona preparing for the race on Oct. 10. We are arriving 9-10 days in advance, and we hope that is enough time to get our bodies somewhat ready for the oven we are going to be racing in.
In a way, I wish we could have prepared for this race as a peak race but on the other hand we also don't have any pressure for any time goals. We have to go with a humble respect for the race and try not to end up in the hospital. Much better athletes than us have been destroyed by this race.
Can't wait!!!!
Aloha
http://www.fyzz.ca/our-blog
Click on this link and read their blog. These are two very cool triathletes that formerly lived in Victoria. They now live wherever they want in an RV. They are in Hawaii right now so that Heather can prepare for the world championships and her husband Trevor is training with her. I read their blog and instantly got butterflies in my stomach. I am much like Trevor with my fear of the water, as rational or irrational as it is. We are staying in the Captain Cook area that they swam at.
Tammy and I are going to have to keep our expectations realistic considering all these athletes are already in Kona preparing for the race on Oct. 10. We are arriving 9-10 days in advance, and we hope that is enough time to get our bodies somewhat ready for the oven we are going to be racing in.
In a way, I wish we could have prepared for this race as a peak race but on the other hand we also don't have any pressure for any time goals. We have to go with a humble respect for the race and try not to end up in the hospital. Much better athletes than us have been destroyed by this race.
Can't wait!!!!
Aloha
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