Yip Yip

"Yip Yip"
 These were the words I would say to my first dog Ryly-May, a Groenendael Belgian Shepard. As I said them, I was preparing myself for a race that would throw my legs into overdrive trying to keep up with her. As I grew older it became a common saying throughout our walks/runs.  I would surprise her and try and get three steps ahead before she knew it was a race. We raced against each other until she passed away 3 years ago, in the end I started to win a little bit more, but she could still hold me off most days.
 This was the point where I started to enjoy running, I realized it was the one solid means of tiring out my highly active shepard. At the same time, we grew to be great friends throughout our running adventures and races.

In January, my wife and I decided to get another Groenendael, he's 3 months now, and starting to get his legs beneath him. This morning, we were out on the trail. Jax just hit 3 months, he's growing by the minute. We walked the same 4km route every morning, he enjoys sniffing and running through the trees. Not yet old enough to run far, but we have had a few 100m dash's. We hit the forest leading to our main path back home, surrounded by high trees and a rocky path ahead I yelled "Yip Yip!" I started bursting ahead, within 10 seconds I thought I'd lost him and was about to slow down, as I saw him to my left about to pass me, it was as if Ryly-May was there racing, I pushed again for another 10 seconds and slowed.

What a great sense of nostalgia, and bonding in such a short time, awesome.


Enjoy the outdoors!

D

A Debate Between 2 legends

Thought you'd enjoy this one, a debate on the Olympic Triathalon between Simon Whitefield and Lance Armstrong, no need for their bios.

@firstoffthebike:
@lancearmstrong a non drafting Olympics would be a huge game changer.. we're in!

@lancearmstrong:
@firstoffthebike current set up is "a shampoo, blow dry, and 10k foot race"

@simonwhitefield:
Disappointed 2read @lancearmstrong comments that those of us working so hard towards our Olympic Tri dreams are participating in 'a joke'.

@lancearmstrong:
@simonwhitfield excuse me? when did i say it was a joke? is a draft legal tri "the race of truth"? NO. i certainly never called it a joke.

@simonwhitefield:
@lancearmstrong I interpret "shampoo, blow dry &10k run" as 'joke', we work bloody hard & we love our sport, a sport you helped build.

@lancearmstrong:
@simonwhitfield ok, well, sorry you took it that way. not bagging you or your peers. just feel as if drafting ought NEVER be allowed.

@simonwhitefield:
@lancearmstrong I think u underestimate what it means when u disregard it, a lot of us looked up 2yu Go train w/@Jgomeznoya #crazyhardworker

@lancearmstrong:
Dear @simonwhitfield. We're gonna have to 'agree to disagree' on this one which is cool by me. Oly dist races have changed over the years ..which i clearly missed and i haven't spent the time understanding the "whys". Will now.

@simonwhitefield:
yes, agreed2disagree @lancearmstrong we love our sport, all aspects & young athletes need to appreciate its history. Best of luck in Hawaii.

My Monday April 16th, 2012 in Boston: 26.2 Miles

Boston didn't go as planned, but it is certainly a race I'll never forget. They say you never like your first Boston, but I learned a lot again, so I'm in partial on that one. 

I came into the race over-hydrated. It's something I'm not completely familiar with, but the night previous, I went outside my game plan and tried some extra hydration with Gatorade in preparation for Boston's forecasted heat warning. 

I was up at 5am to get ready for the race. I was off to Boston Common by 6:30 and on a bus to Hopkington by 7:30am. 

The race started at 10am, I'd been quite tired all morning, even at the start of the gun. At 6km in I didn't feel right, just tired physically. I decided to keep pressing it as much as possible, but at the time 42km felt impossible, which is unusual until the 30k area.I'd never really had this happen on a run before, this early into it. By this point in training 20km should be a breeze. 

By 13km I had to pull over for fear of passing out. It felt like I was at 35km, I waited there with a volunteer soldier who could see that something was wrong,  I drank some water for 15-20 minutes in complete confusion of what was up with my body. I was advised at this point, to maybe call it a day, I couldn't do that, it was Boston. I guess whenever there is a discrepancy in your game plan you decide to quit for your health or just finish. 

At 20km, I was done, I had nothing left. I started to think a lot about my Gatorade hydration the night before and my chemical levels in my muscles, salt content, etc. I was running at my speed walk pace with pain. I was disillusioned by my race so far, I had never experienced this. I decided no matter how I did it, I had to just finish, just keeping going enough to finish, this was the only option at this point, that or DNF.  

Through the remaining 22km I did everything to stay focused. I would stare at the ground for a couple of minutes, I'd watch the fans on the side, I'd count the beats to the song, I'd tell myself I could stop at the next water station, it was pure torture, until that FINISH LINE. 

I saw some of my family with 10km left, I stopped and hugged them all, they said "go" I looked at them with a saddened look on my face, as I staggered away. I'd never felt like I might not finish. It was a crushing feeling to know I could go at anytime and be stretchered away. I continued the last kilometres through the loud supportive crowd of Boston College, it was nice, but not as nice as usual, because it wasn't helping my spirits, or the cooling me from the burning heat on my body. 

I'd stop at the rest stations and drink as much as I could get down without stomach pain, I'd hold a cup on my head and let it slowly saturate my face, back and chest. This was a small positive. Then the Sitco sign showed up, I kept my eyes locked on that sign that seemed over a kilometre away. I had to be about 3-4 km out from the finish, I just remained tapped in among the thousands of fans yelling around me. Eventually I reached the sign, and the finish of one of the hardest runs of my life. I passed my family and friends down the last kilometre stretch, by this point it didn't matter to see them, the pain and agony was all that mattered, I had to end it and the finish line was just ahead. With my last bit of energy I surged for the remaining 100 meters, and stumbled through the recovery lanes grabbing water and a package of food on the way. I turned down 3 people, who saw my white face and asked if I was okay, I just wanted my family, I wanted to be in my wife's arms. 

I stumbled another mile with a half wrapped recovery blanket around me, and my new Boston 2012 medal around my neck. Everything seemed slower around me, and a little cloudier. As I saw my wife I hugged her and teared up in her arms, I'd made it, I let go in that moment. I sat on the ground and fell in a daze with my friends and family surrounding me.  I'd be taken to the first-aid tent after that, where they'd take all my vitals. I wasn't in shape to leave for about 45 minutes. That's when my blood pressure came back, and the colour in my face.

That was a challenge I had not had. Between the heat, the hills, and my general hydration issues, I was defeated on Monday. I wasn't planning to go back to Boston, but after falling an hour from where I expected. I'll be back Boston, for some race revenge! (I tend to enjoy a little race revenge)

All and all, I am truly just glad to have finished, and to have the honor of wearing the jacket and the medal. I don't know how I'd feel had I not finished, or how I'd feel if I were one of the participants who collapsed less than a kilometre from the finish line. I am a lucky man.

Till next time! Enjoy the Outdoors, 

D

Marathon Week

I'm not the kind of guy to get excited before things. It usually takes me the night before or the day of to get excited, until I started racing.

I feel like the week before is similar to the race day itself. It's an equation of how you prepare, and how you ultimately play out that equation. The day of and the week of the race are for me, the most important for the race; because all of that training you've done to prepare can be flushed down the toilet from bad decision making.
I feel it's a combination of nutrition,routine, tapering, rest, and health,

Nurtition
The week of the race I eat one extra meal of carbs per day.
The day of the race, I stick with what I've been eating before Sunday LSD's. Oatmeal w/maple syrup. (I've switched what I've eaten, it ends up messing w/ my stomach during the race. Really terrible.)

Routine
The week of the race and the weeks prior, I've tried my gels to see how my stomach reacts, and worn my camo pack for a lot of runs. I use a camo-pack, only because I know I'll get the fuel I need, and it only gets lighter as you go.
Every race I lay out my breakfast, clothes and gels the night before. It's never failed me.

Tapering
Week of the race I'm careful to watch my pacing on my runs , fitting in some race pace, but caring more about rests than runs. The work has been done.
Morning of the race, I try and keep extremely loose, throwing some dynamic stretching in, and doing a bit of light jogging before hitting the start line. Today, I should feel terrific and ready to handle the world!

Rest
Week of the race, I'm trying to make sure I get hours. No exceptions. Especially the 2 nights prior to race day.
Race day, not sure. It's Boston, maybe I'll sleep, or look around. I'm just going to enjoy the view!

Health
I've come into races injured, and I'm miserable. The week before the race, now a days, I'm usually in good shape. But any tight muscles, I work em' out, and stretch a lot throughout the week.
Morning of, I'm keeping as healthy in terms of my race on that day. I have everything I need to keep me healthy. Food, warm clothes prior, Gatorade, sometimes a phone.


I can think of it all right now, because it's started! I can't wait. I'm ready.

Enjoy the outdoor adventures!
D

The Masters

I've rarely golfed in my life, it's actually quite sad to watch. Just watching the Master's gives me so much respect for the technique and precision required to succeed at this sport. Last time I golfed I stopped keeping score at hole 6. As a runner, I can relate to the sport, from a work ethic side of things.

In Light of the Playoffs

I hurt my achilles this winter, and was finding it arduous to train. So I grabbed my skates and headed down to the local rink to challenge some 15 year olds. Man! How often I underestimate them, quick, and they can really really stick handle. Needless to say, I got that running workout I was looking for in the 1.5 hours I was playing. I'll definitely be showing back up to the rink next year! Top Cheese.

Quickie

Sunday 26km to taper before Boston, only 20k next Sunday. I was really happy with my effort, between the slushy weather and being soaked; I managed a 1:26:30 half marathon w/ an average pace of 4:10. Solid feeling before the big Boston run. You need these runs as a runner.

Enjoy the outdoors!
D