Decembers Totals In Training Schedule

So here are my TiTs for the month......lol ...Bawahahaha hee hee ha! I couldn't resist. : )

A lot of missed days due to Holidays and unexpected circumstances, My Swim was a little off target but I did manage to run 44 miles for the month.

I can safely say I won't be doing anymore training this year.....I hope the start of the new year brings everyone health and Happiness

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Rest Day and Diets

Ahhhh...nothing like a good old rest day from training!!...WHAT!....I hardly trained this week and gained most of my weight back from my starting weight!

True, I weighed myself on Friday and I'm still at 235lbs ??? WHAT IS GOING ON?

Starting the new year after all my partying, I am starting a real diet! up until now, I've only watched what I eat while training, eating what I want and maybe more then I need, but the weight was coming off, but to slow. So starting the new year I'm going on my certified guaranteed weight loss plan with my 4S diet. On the 4S diet I can lose up to 5 lbs of fat per week!! no shit! I did this diet that I created for both my Ironmans, both times losing over 30-35 lbs in 8 weeks, along with a ton of exercise, and no booze!! the main weight gainer for me.

WHAT IS THE 4S DIET?...

The 4S diet is no secret, it stands for Shake,Soup, Sandwich and Salad diet. .....It's very easy to stay on and quite filling so you don't get hungry through out the day.

You start with a breakfast protein shake of Protein whey powder, vanilla flavor because I like vanilla,mixed into 1 1/2 cups of milk in a blender, mix in a couple of heaping table spoons of yogurt, or one whole small container yogurt cup, (what every kind you like) and all kinds of fruit of your choice. ( my wife and kids go berry picking every summer and we always have a freezer full of fresh frozen strawberries, Blueberries, and raspberries.) so I use some of each plus a nice banana in my mix. Blend and drink, but not the whole thing, I just have one tall glass which is enough energy to keep you going all day, but because I am training I save half for after my training.

After my morning session of training when I get home I will drink the rest of my shake that I left in the fridge.

My next meal will be dinner usually around 5pm, that is when I grab one of my ready made frozen soup out of the freezer,( if I'm back to work I'll have it packed in my lunch box which is really a small cooler with a sandwich) of either my beef vegetable, or home made chicken noodle. 6 mins in the micro wave and it's ready to eat. While it's heating I will also have my sandwich of tuna or cold cuts, usually ham, turkey, chicken, bologna with a slice of real cheese on 12 grain bread to eat with my soup.

That's 3 of the S's what about the 4th, Salad!! Well I make a huge mixed salad with romaine carrots, tomato's, broccoli, and what ever I can find in the fridge and mix together and put in a tupper ware with a little salad dressing, or other times I will make or buy pre made salads at the store like a 3 bean salad, or what ever. I usually eat my salad after my dinner, but am to full to eat it all so I save the rest for later in the evening for a snack.

So there you have it my 4S diet starting in the new year to get my weight down faster.

This diet is tried and true, but you have to put in allot of hours training to make it work.

As far as my training goes? Starting this new year in Jan. I will be bumping my running and biking up by at least double. We will see how the weight comes off and if all goes well with my foot, I should be ready to race Disney in may at around 200lbs or less. : )

anaerobic or aerobic?

I went for my swim 20x100 at an anaerobic pace. I just can't get my head into doing anything long, and with all the inactivity I have done over the last 2 weeks I figured I better get the old ticker pumping hard.....which brings me to my old gym teacher??

I saw my old high school gym teacher who had the heart attack 3 weeks ago, and he is doing great! He is back at the pool swimming with a new heart!...well not a transplant or anything like that? He had 4 stints put in his heart to open and keep open his ventricles. He was telling me one was blocked 98% and another was 95%. He is lucky to be alive, and I'm glad for that! : ) .. The doctors gave him the OK to continue on his normal daily activities including swimming but build up slowly. He was also saying how he feels over all better then ever. ( i guess so now his heart is pumping more efficiently though unblocked arteries?)

His wife told me he was so grateful to everyone including me for our help, he is buying one of those portable defibrillators for the city to be placed at our lifeguard house at the beach. very cool. : )

Back to training

After a good six day lay off from my training, I am back at it. I really felt sluggish and slow today, but I did manage to get in my 1hour run, weights, biking and a quick swim.

Christmas Training

My training this weeks has been broken up and inconsistent, but that's ok because it's the holiday season. It is hard to train consistently when your mind is on good old Saint Nick, with to many thinks to do and not enough time.

Today I went to the gym to put in an extra workout, because tomorrow we will be going to my moms for a Christmas gathering with my side of the family.

I ran a steady 5k in 30min and did some weights and stretching.

It looks like the next few day will be a bust on training, and more focusing on carbo loading. I think the only training I'll be getting will be some sets of 12oz arm curls. hee hee hee.

T'is the season!!..... : )

Happy holidays........

Are you ready for X-mas?

I did a quick swim, then decided it was time to do my x-mas shopping. I only have to get something for my wife because she buys all the gifts for the family, (it's her thing)

Boy are the malls crowded! after circling the parking lot a couple of time I finally found a parking spot, damn near took me 5 mins to find a parking spot! that's not usual for me, usually i can drive into the mall and park right away by the entrance, but at least my parking spot was still at the entrance to the mall, and no I don't use the handicapped parking spots? although I should! : )

I walked to the first store and put down my money, and there! DONE! All my shopping for x-mas is finished!! ..boy was that tiring. hee hee......What was it??.....can't say, because my wife reads the crap I write in this blog.

Falalalalaaaaa la laaa la laaaaa.

Kids, cars, and kinetics, and common sense.

This has been a long week! Melissa got home safe and sound after her exam, but not without a little drama.

Melissa called me up from school and says to me, Daddy, the car won't start! I say, WTF!!!........( no, I don't talk like that to my baby.) I asked her what the car was doing? how does it sound? so I have her try to turn it over so I can hear over the phone. Ok it's trying to turn over I say. so while I'm trying to think of what to do? I say to her, lady! your going to have to get it toed! she said, I haven't any money? I say, well neither do I? what am I suppose to do? I tell her she will just have to stay up there until the weekend when her mother and I can drive up to bring her home, and so I can look at the car and maybe get it started. She says she can't because they close the residents down and kick everyone out. I say Huh? how can they do that? not all kids go home? Melissa says, those kids have to request to stay. I say well then request to stay!! She says it has to be in writing in advance. I say Oh.

So now I'm thinking hard at what to do? what it could be? Melissa said it was fine driving up, and she just parked it and hasn't touched it until now when she was getting ready to come home.

After thinking what to do? I tell her to push the accelerator with her foot all the way down to the floor and hold it there, then try starting the car, the car was turning over but not starting. Fine I said, let it sit a min. At that time I make a mental link with the car over the phone and in my mind i use my mental ability's and tell the car to start. My eyes get glazed over as my thoughts and kinetic energy is transferred over the phone to the car! Saying in my mind, start!..start!!...START!!!!....

When I was done, I tell my baby, ok try the car again. Melissa squeals! IT STARTED!! I said good! hurry home and drive safe. ......God I'm Good!! : )


Saw My Orthopedic Doctor Weds......

Wednesday I had my appointment to see my surgeon. Well there is good and bad news. the good news is the surgeon thinks with the next step I should get good enough to be pain free. What's the next step I ask? He wants me to get shock wave therapy for my foot. I said great! he said it's going to hurt, I said great?!?! So he give me a referral slip to the sports medicine place and says see me in 3 months. I asked about work? he said do you have a desk job? i said no? he said I'll see you in 3 months.

I left the hospital to go to the clinic to set up an appointment for the shock wave therapy. When I get there, I ask will there be a long wait to get in? the manager said no, I can get you in this Friday. I said great! She then said that'll be $800 please. I said WTF! whatchu talking about willis? She said the treatment is $800 paid up front, I said well this treatment is for my foot since I opted out of getting surgery my medical plan should cover it? she said no OHIP doesn't cover it, but if you have medical from work it should cover it....but you need to pay Up front.. I said I haven't got that kind of money to pay up front! I don't even have a credit card to pay with either? what am I going to do? She said check with your medical plan to see if they cover it.

I went home and called work to find out, they said yes, I am covered for Physio Therapy, but on a per visit basis and it is unlimited, I said will you pay the $800 if I front the money some how? the lady said we will pay for each visit to the PT when you send in the receipt, but not the treatment. I said to her, you will pay for the doctor? but not my treatment? She said I guess so? So I say, boy is this ever stupid!!...

So now it looks like I won't be getting my treatment because I can't afford to pay for it, and when work asks why I can't go back? I'll just tell them because INS won't pay for my treatment, because they would rather pay my wage to stay home infinitely then pay for my treatment?!? Duh!

All I can do now is sit this out, collect my cheque every month, until Ins decides to come to there senses to help me out to pay for my treatment, so I can get back to work.


For now I'm going swimming.

Break in Training?

I don't think I'll be able to keep up my scheduled training for this week.

Melissa took my car this morning to go back up to school for her last exam tomorrow, and will come back home tomorrow night, so I have no way of getting to the pool today for my swim, and tomorrow I can't get to the gym for my run, and Wed, I have my orthopedic surgeons appointment at the hospital at 10:30am and I don't know how long I'll be there? so that day is shot! I could do my workouts in the evening using my wife's car to get around? But do I really need to work out?

Maybe I'll make this a rest week, I have been doing my scheduled workouts for 6 weeks straight without a break! Not that I need a break, because my schedule, although has me training every day, isn't all that intense, so I don't really need a week of rest with my Saturday rest days being more then enough for me at this time.

But! the problem with taking this week off is? next week will be X-Mas week, and it's going to screwed up my training to!

Oh well, I'll do what I can, it is the Holiday season after all. As long as I don't over eat, I should be ok with a break in training.

To Much Snow

I've had enough of Snow and it isn't even officially winter yet! All of Southern Ontario got hit with tons of snow yesterday with the biggest snowstorm of the year!

We got hit with around 25cm snow, or about a foot, I think more. Today we will be getting more snow squalls and expect another 10-15cm or 4-6 inches.

THAT'S ENOUGH!! I DON'T WANT ANY MORE! I HAVE NO PLACE TO SHOVEL IT ANY MORE!!


Yesterday afternoon couldn't drive up the road

This morning at 7am after shoveling the driveway.

December Second Week Training Totals

This weeks training totals for Dec week two.
Bottom totals are total for the whole month to date.

My run is coming along. Today I did my long run (for me) as a steady tempo run at 5.5mi/hr for the full hour. heart rate stayed steady at 140bpm the whole time, so my fitness is getting stronger. My legs felt strong and didn't get tired, but my foot was numb after the first 15 min as usual but not painful. I felt so good at the 60 min mark that I was almost temped to continue on longer at that pace, but decided to stick with my training plan of only one hour runs.

After I finished my warm down I went on to do some stretching, then did 30min on the spin bike. I didn't feel like swimming today, so I changed and went home to shovel the driveway.

And shovel I did!! It hasn't stopped snowing all day from this storm!......[[waving fist to the sky!]]

:)

Rest and X-Mas Trek

Ahhh! ......Saturday, rest day! ..NO Training!! Yippy!! ...... :-)

It's my anniversary today. Joanne and I were married 28 years ago today. It was a bright sunny warm day in Toronto, the temperature was a balmy 50F for our wedding, with a snow storm brewing for the next day.

Today 28 years later it is freezing cold, with the temp this morning at 8F -16c with a snow storm brewing for tomorrow....coincidence???

I left a bouquet of flowers in a vase and placed them on the kitchen table with a card for Joanne this morning. We both decided no presents for each other, but I bought her flowers anyways. Joanne said I'll get my present later tonight. Hmmm? I wonder what that could be? :-)

We then got ourselves ready for our trek to the tree farm to cut our own X-Mas tree.

My daughters Melissa and Victoria came along with us, my son didn't want to come this time.

We were meeting up with our friends Steve and Denice at there place. Every year we get together with them for this outing as a tradition. (they are from St Vincent in the Caribbean, and moved up here 13 years ago) We became quick friends with them when they moved up to Barrie, as a result of Victoria and there daughter Krissy connecting and becoming best friends.

Anyways we got to the farm and it was Freezing out!! .....It's one of the coldest days we have gone out for our tree over the years, Brrrrrrrr.

We all decide to make this a quick tree cutting trip and get back home as fast as we could.

Here are some pictures of our day.

The perfect tree.....

Have you hugged a tree lately?

Timber!!!!

Trimming off the excess....

Victoria got pushed down.....

Dragging the tree back.....

Getting the tree wrapped in the twiney machiney thingy...

Heading back to the car.

Some shots from inside the X-Mass Store....

Joanne wanted to buy this Angle, but for $70 buck??? I don't think so.

Some of the X-Mas trinkets they were selling

Feeling strong.

Today's swim was strong. I put in a straight 2000m freestyle swim, I didn't check the time but it was solid. When I came up for air, one of the other swimmers in the other lane said to me, " your swimming is improving" I said thanks! it's feeling strong!

I have to agree with the other swimmer! all the time I have been putting in, my swimming is getting better!! the key here is? Better!! ......My stroke is good , my form is good, and it's getting easier!....and in time as I lose more weight I will get even faster!!

Then I did some 100's mixing up 2 x 100 leg kicks, 2 x100 breast, and 6 x 100 freestyle using the pull buoy.

Total swim today!.... "3000m " ....the most I've done to date.

Tonight 30min on the bike. ............Right now I'm baking a cake for tomorrow, a rainbow bits cake with cherry, raspberry, blueberry jam center, iced with french vanilla & rainbow bits icing.

Tomorrow will be my wife's and my 28th wedding anniversary........... Good thing it's my rest day! ......I'll need some extra energy tomorrow night, if you know what I mean! [wink] [ wink]


[GAK!].....28 years?!?!!!!......hard to believe? ...... specially when I'm only 29?? hee hee hee.

Second day Cut short, and feeling light headed

NO, my training wasn't cut short!? I went for a hair cut and lost about 5lbs. I was getting tired of long hair, and it kept getting in my way while I swim. (No I don't use a swim cap while I swim, it squeezes my head to much! and I don't like the squeezed head feeling!! ) ... I couldn't believe the amount of hair that was cut off? It had to be at least 4 inches off the top, and the back was so long it looked like I was sporting a red neck mullet!! Not that there is anything wrong with a red neck mullet? But I don't want to look like no red neck with a mullet!! just saying? :) ....

Now it's nice and short, a great wash and wear look! a real babe magnet look! GQ like! So now I have to wear a hat so I don't get attacked!! HA! as if?

After I got the hair cut, I went to the gym for my run. The first thing one of the older regular guys says to me? ..."i didn't recognize you ? you got your hair cut!" ..... Well duh! if you didn't recognize me? how did you know it was me? hee hee hee...

I signed up my mill and started my weights and core work for the next 15 min. Today I ran what I call one and ones, you probably know them better as 9 and 1's where you run 9 min and walk 1 min? Well I like to have round numbers so I run to the 1 mile mark and walk 1 min, which basically works out to the same but with my OCD if I'm not at the mile mark I have to keep going, so instead of 9 and 1's, it 1 and 1's. Its just me? hee hee.

That went well, except my foot and knees were killing me today, I forgot to take some pain meds before I went out today. So I toughed through it anyways. Another hour running in the bank!

I did my stretching after my run, then went down to the pool. Guess what the first thing the life guard said???....yep! .."Ha ha! you got your ears lowered!! " So much for the babe magnet GQ look??? ... Grrrrr, so juvenile!!!....something like I would have said?!? hee hee... Doh! .....

I swum my 500m and called it a day. :)

Swim Cut Short OR Maybe I'll Teach?

This morning I was all ready and eager to get in a solid + 2000m swim.

I get to the pool, chat up the women lifeguards as usual before jumping in the water starting out on my swim. Today I thought I would do a straight 1000m free at race pace to see what kind of time I can pull off. So off I go, but not without the challenge of yet another session of water aerobics white water chop! and also having 3 other slower women in my lane that I had to lap every other length, but they were cool about it by stopping to let me by.

I finish my 1000m in a decent time that I'm happy with at this point in my training. It wasn't fast but not to slow either. What was it you ask? Well don't forget I'm still carrying a ton of weight but I did it in BLBLBLBLB min!.... hee hee hee! ...Ok! it was 17 and change min.

As I stopped at the wall the life guard was standing in front of me and says to me; "you know you only can swim until 10am this morning? there is a high school swim meet in the pool today" ...It was 9:50am at the time. So I say oh! ok, no problem.
So my swim was cut short!!

So I start chatted to the lifeguard, and asked when the new pool opens? so I can start doing some diving on the new boards! ( I miss diving and can't wait to get back into it!) It's been over 15 years since I've been on a board, although I'm not sure if I'll be able to dive normally anyways because of my foot? but I will give it a try!

As I said it's been 15 years without diving, but over those 15 years I still did a lot of trampoline! I have one in my yard that I have been bouncing and doing my flips and tricks on forever I even taught my kids some of the basics, but they never realy had the interest that I had with it. I have had a trampoline since I bought my first one when I was 16 when I got serious about my diving.

When I moved up here in Barrie 15 years ago I was hoping to continue my diving club and instruction up here but there were no diving boards around and the closest pool was to far to drive to, so I stopped diving and teaching. But since I had a trampoline I kept up a little with that over the years. It's like riding a bike when I jump on it. I still can do most of my flips and twists, but over the years and with the extra weight I carry, it is a little more difficult. hee hee ...huh!?...

Now Barrie has built it's third Rec center for the city and this time they put in a one meter and a three meter board. woo hoo! ( the last rec center? the pool I swim in now, was suppose to have boards put in, but was canceled at the last min because of cost cuts)...

As I said I'm excited about it, but I also learned that they won't be allowing the general public to use the 3 m board during public swims, only during diving lessons that the city will run.... Well as far as I know they don't have any instructors to teach diving in Barrie? let alone 3m diving?.....

This is where i come in! I have been thinking of resuming my diving instruction career. I do have the connections and know who to contact, but I'm not so sure on the time? ( I work evening shift and most programs are in the evenings ) And if I do start teaching again I will also want to start up a Diving club too! So if I can work out a deal with the city for pool time for a club, I would be willing to teach and run their dive program maybe on the weekends.

Sounds like a plan. But what about Triathlon?

I think there will always be tri's in my future? But all I can say at the moment is; I'm doing the best I can to train for my up coming races including IMLP/08, But! if my foot doesn't get better?!?!? It's good to know there might be something of interest for me to fall back into. ..... Hmmmmm???? :)

It's in the stars! With more star gazing!!

After yesterday's encounter with my comet, I read about this?.

Best Meteor Shower of 2007 Peaks Dec. 13

"What could be the best meteor display of the year will reach its peak on the night of Dec.13-14"
"The Geminid Meteors are usually the most satisfying of all the annual showers"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20071207/sc_space/bestmeteorshowerof2007peaksdec13


My Run and swim today;

I ran and swam. hee hee hee, I'm a funny guy!

Today I did running hill repeats. Yes! it can be done on the treadmill very easily. and it really builds the endurance by getting the old heart rate up into the red zone.

I started out with a steady 5.5mi/hr run for the first 30 min,, a nice easy pace for me with my heart rate around 140- 145bpm. I then brought the speed down to my 3.5mi/hr (walking speed for a me) then set the incline up to 3.0 . then I would walk 1 min on the incline then hit the interval button to bring me up to 5.5mi/hr and I would run on that incline for 2 min and then back to walking at 3.5 for 1 min. I did this for the next 30 min.
For a total run of 1hr on the mill.

This being the first time doing hill repeats since starting up my training? I didn't want to push it to hard, so I am starting at a easy uphill of 3.0 for the next little while before increasing the incline to a higher level, keeping in mind I will keep my speed at 5.5mi/hr as my max run speed doing hills in the future. ( no need to kill myself, I'm not working out to do the Olympics? I'm just training for a decent time at Ironman at Lake Placid. )

Then as usual I went down to the pool for a easy 500m cool down and fun swim.

I didn't do weight today.

That's it for today! Time to make dinner.......

Don't forget to look up!.....look waaaay up! and you might see some shooting stars!.......and don't forget to make a wish on it!. :-)

Seeing Stars

I just spotted a comet!! .... I was sitting in my hot tub on this cold crisp night watching tv, with no wind and the steam rising straight up off the tub, I look up to the clear night sky during a commercial break on the tv gazing up at the stars.

As I looked up, I spot this cluster of brightness right above me. (My eyes being as bad as they are) I try focusing in to see what it is? but I can't, so I knock on the living room window above and behind me to get my wife's attention. She comes to the window and asks; "What do you want" ...I say; " pass me the binoculars through the widow" but the window screen won't slide over because it's frozen in, so she brings them around to the back door for me.

I quickly grab them soaking wet with my feet freezing to the ice on the ground and jump back into the hot tub.

I then focus in on the cluster of brightness and what do I see?? It's a frigging comet!! I think??

I heard a few weeks ago about some anomaly in the sky that was visible to the naked eye, but for got about it. Does it ever look cool!!

I tell my wife to come out an see!! she looks and says cool!! but as she was passing the binoculars to my daughter to look a shooting start comes zipping across the sky right at the bright blob cluster hitting the heart of it like a bulls eye before fading off. Again cool!! I'm not making this up!

If you look up into the clear sky facing west look up to 11 o'clock ( 7;30 - 8pm my time tomorrow or later tonight it will be farther down the horizon ) it looks like a blob of brightness. If you have binoculars or better yet telescope check it out.:D

Since I'm the first to see it in the night sky I get to name it right!!

I think I'll call it? .... Josef's comet!! hee hee hee!

Dang ! ! just found out someone saw it before me it's call the 17/P holmes... Geeez!

http://www.nightskyhunter.com/Sky%20Events%20Now.html check it out.

Ruff swim

My swim this morning was pretty ruff, the aqua fitness class was in the pool, jumping up and down making all kinds of waves.....bada baaa! arrr arrr! ....actually it was a huge class today, very few were under 300lbs..bada ba ching! arr arr! I got a million of them!! hee hee!

Seriously, there were about 45 women in the class today and really churning up the water, which is all good for them getting in there exercises, and good for me too! it simulates a real open water swim for me, kinda?

Today I just did sets of easy 100's free on 1:45's after the first 500 free warm up, I felt kinda tired today, must have been all the penguin ribs I ate last night weighing me down. :)

2000m Total swim.

Time for some Coffee.....then 30 min on the bike.

Josef Style Penguin Ribs Winter BBQ

Up in the nord country we BBQ all year round eh! Not like the sissy mans who wait for summer eh!

.....See how Nord People BBQ? No coat eh!

Yum! almost done.......

.....The final product, Makes you hungry? eh!

Come on up and get some, if you like Nord country Josef Style BBQ Penguin Ribs , eh!

Hmmm let me check...

Yep! more snow!!! Grrrrr! I hate snow!.......

I'm back from my workout and the run went well, only a little stiffness in the knees and the foot is about the same, (sore to start, numbs out and then the pain lessens )

This time I ran a solid 50min, starting a 5.5mi/hr, after 2 miles i went up to 6.5mi/hr for the next mile and then back down to 5.5 until I stopped at 50 min to walk out the last 10 min. My legs felt great, not tired, and my breathing was good. I checked my heart rate at the end of the 3rd mile after running at 6.5mi/hr and it was steady at 170bpm, then again at the 50 min mark while running at 5.5 mi/hr and it was 160bpm. Another good run in the bank!

I went down to the pool after my cool down stretching for my easy swim and put in 500m.

Now the Christmas music is blasting in the house. (Josh Groban's new X-mas CD Noel ) while my wife is doing some x-mass baking. Yep! my wife is baking?? the smoke alarm just went off, and the house is now full of smoke!! hmpf hee hee hee.

I'll be cooking up a few racks of Penguin ribs on the BBQ later for dinner........Falalalalaaaa la laa la laaaaaaa!! :)

Back to training

I took the advise of an old wise man, and didn't train yesterday being my rest day to make up for missing my Friday's scheduled day. ( the old wise man being me hee hee. :) )...that and being lazy!

Today I will pick it up, and continue on my scheduled training for Sunday's, which is a light weight and core work out, run on the mill and a fun swim. I might even throw in a 30 min bike spin.


Here is my training totals for December week one.

To do? or not to do?

I didn't do any of my scheduled training yesterday. Instead I had to go up to North Bay to pick my oldest daughter Melissa From Nippissing University to bring her home for x-mass. She had her second last exam for this semester and her next exam is on the 18th. So she's came home to be with us and she will drive back up on her own on the 17th to do her last exam before her official x-mass break. It's good to have her home. :-)

So today I debating whether to do any training, as it is my scheduled rest day? What do you think?

I think I will probably end up at the gym anyway, but maybe not! who knows? it's to early yet!...I need coffee first! then I will decide. hee hee hee.

Btw, they closed down the down town core around the fire scene for the rest of the weekend, until they clean up the rubble from the burnt building.

Barrie is on Fire!!

Late last night around 11:30pm at the five corners in the heart of mid down town Barrie, there was an explosion in the kitchen of a thai restaurant which was the main floor of this old landmark building built in the 19th century at the corner of Bayfield St. and Dunlop St.

The corner building burned to the ground overnight as firefighters battled to confine the fire, which also housed tenants up above, several other business's and upper rooming houses were destroyed in the neighbouring buildings being gutted by fire. Nobody was hurt and no casualties. When I got there this morning at 9am, the fire fighters were still dousing water over the building to contain hot spots and flair ups. this is the second major fire in the down town area this year. The other fire during the summer was across the street and down the block, and the third major fire down town was on the opposite corner here at the five points since I've lived here in Barrie over the last 15 years.

Here are some pictures I took this morning at the five points down town Barrie.

This is what I saw as I came around the corner of Dunlop St.(main street) and Toronto St. as I made my way around the block to get the shots up above.

This is a shot around the corner from the fire looking down Toronto street towards the lake with the spirit catcher in the background. also to the left of the picture on the corner is where the other major fire was over the summer.

Day's come with ups and downs

I got in my run, my foot wasn't to bad as long as I stay in my orthotics. After my weight and core work I did another straight run for 45min, this time at 6miles/hr then stepped it down to 5mi/hr for 10 min and walked out the rest, for a total of just over an 1hr on the mill.

I went down to the pool to go for my cool down fun swim and as I got to the locker room I hear a commotion, I quickly go to the showers where the commotion is and there laying on the shower floor having a heart attack is my old high school PHE teacher Bob Wilson who I have talked about before on Mile 141. He was in v-fib, (he was known to have a heart condition, at least I knew about it?) and was taking meds for his heart. At the time I got there, their were 3 lifeguards working on him including the director of pool operations who teaches the first aid and CPR classes in Barrie. They had one of those portable de-fibulator attached to him and were preforming CPR. This was the first time I have seen how those potable de-fibs work in action, very cool to see, it takes all the guess work out of resuscitation. and now I know how great they work, as in my first aid classes I've taken, we were shown how to use it without really having it on and working.

While that was going on, they didn't know who the patient was and as I got there and saw it was my friend/ teacher Bob Wilson, I immediately told one of the lifeguards standing by taking down information it was Bob Wilson. I also told the lifeguard his wife is in the other change room and that Bob had a heart condition and was taking meds for it.

While in v-fib one guy was doing the Cpr on Bob, the other guy gave mouth to mouth when needed, all the while the de-fib machine takes the vitals telling each person to go on or stop, Bob was still breathing on his own off and on at times but unconscious, After about 5-8 min of working on him and zapping him a couple of times to get his heart back in rhythm they finally got a reactive pulse with him breathing on his own but still unconscious. The paramedics arrives just as they got Bobs vitals and the paramedics took over to take him to the hospital.

I then went out with the lifeguard who earlier got hold of Mrs Wilson to talk to her,( who I also knew, as she was a PHE teacher at my wife's high school to, it's a small world and have been friends with.) The first thing she asked me was? was bob gone? I calmed her down and told her everything is under control, that they got his vitals back and has a pulse and the paramedics are here taking care of him, getting him ready to go to the hospital. She asked me if I knew his locker as she needs his wallet and car keys. I told her I knew where his locker was and I need to find his key. At that time I went back to check how Bob was doing in the showers and to look for his locker key which were in swim pants hanging on a hook. I took all his clothing and stuff and packed it into his sport bag along with his coat which had his wallet and key in and gave it to Mrs Wilson's Daughter who was outside the locker waiting.

I think and hope Bob will make it, things look promising as the lifeguards got to him fast and the fact that our Rec Center has those portable de-fib machines may have saved his life today!!.... I also have to commend the efforts of the lifeguards today in doing a great job in Reviving Bob. Well done!.

I'm going to Disney World

Yes, it's true! I just signed up for the Disney 70.3 race last night and I'm going to Disney world!!

As luck will have it I got a call from my good friend and new sponsor( who wishes to remain anonymous) last night who said, "Joe your going to enter the Disney 70.3 race before it closes out"..... hee hee hee.....who would of thunk it, me getting a sponsor to enter the race with a place to stay, it couldn't have come at a better time!

I was thinking of doing "The Gulf coast tri" In Panama City Beach in May, as it is cheap to enter with cheap hotel rates for an early 1/2 Ironman in the spring to get me ready for IMLP in July, GCT doesn't close out fast, so I was waiting to enter in the new year if I could afford to.

I would have liked to enter and do The "Disney 70.3" race, as a lot of my mile 141 friends are entered, but it is more expensive to enter and to go down for because of high cost of hotels being at Walt Disney world and it is destined to have entrees close out in the next few days, and I don't have the cash or plastic right now to enter, so it was out of the question.

But here you have it! I'm in for the big Disney race and all I have to worry about is driving down. I'm so excited!! It's going to be so cool because all of my friends from mile 141 (Including my good friend and sponsor) are doing the race to, and I'll be able to meet up with them in May.

The only down side is "IF" I'm able to race because of my foot? my friend said no worries, just come down and have a good time, if you have to walk out the race, WALK. If you can't do the race, it's all good. ....What a good friend!!

My daughter Victoria is also excited because she has always wanted to go to Disney (what kid doesn't) and she asked if she could come along? I said sure! save your money because it will be expensive to see Mickey! She said how much? I said at least $300 She said no problem!( she has a part time job and makes/has more money then me) Then she asked can I bring a friend? I said, we will see. :-)

Ok, all that's left is my left foot? COME ON FOOT, HEAL SO I CAN RACE!!...


Werrrrrre off to see the Wizar........ Opps! wrong song.


How does that Disney song go?.... :-)


Ok, time to check my lottery tickets! Then off to the gym to see if I can do some running.

Whats Cooking

Another bright and sunny day here today with the snow making machine well to the west of us today. We got lucky last night and didn't get the squalls called for as the wind Gods had them going straight off of Georgian Bay, with the edge of the streamer skimming the outer edge of Barrie, it is very ominous seeing the big grayish black clouds stretching North and South across the sky in the horizon, knowing that if the wind changes a bit to the east we could be getting the dumping of snow. But it didn't happen, so I'm happy!

This morning was very cold brrrrr, I had to get another bucket of warm water to pour over my windshield to defrost it before I could leave to go to the pool for my swim.

At the pool I swam a 1000m straight set, then did 10x100's on 1:35 with the first 25 of the 100 doing breast and the next 75 hard straight with 15 sec between set. total swim, another 2000m in the bank.

When I got home I had more coffee and made my breakfast, then started to bake up a batch of my world famous Chocolate Orange, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies. Yum! I had a container of my cookie dough in the fridge that I made a couple of weeks ago that I forgot about, so seemed like a good thing to do. Last night I spent time making one of my own formula power bars which make for a great snack or breakfast or for training. Yesterdays batch was a mix of oatmeal, bran flakes, raisins, almonds, cranberries and a few other things cooked up over the stove. again Yum!

Since my run yesterday my foot has been hurting, I can't put any pressure on my foot walking bare foot. I'm ok while in my shoes with the orthotics but still have pain. I might have to ease up on my running this week, and maybe not run at all. I will see how it feels tomorrow before my scheduled run.

Boy am I tired and sore.

Well the snow squalls have stopped for the moment, and the sun is out, but don't fret! we are expecting another 10-30 cm from squall action later tonight. I had to dig a doggy path to Ambers Dog house after I finished shoveling the front drive.

First thing I did this morning when I got up was have my morning coffee, then I had to head out and shovel the end of the driveway, because the plow came by while I was having my coffee this morning. Uuughh!!

Yesterday I shoveled my driveway 4 times, and my back and foot is aching! My back from all the snow shoveling and throwing, and my foot from standing in my boots while shoveling without my othotic insert. You see, I can't stand or walk any distance without my orthotic on now, I can barely walk bare footed anymore. I have my orthotics in my running shoes because I have to wear them all the time now, indoors and out as part of my recovery that my surgeon prescribed, but I didn't want to take them out of my shoes to put in my boots to shovel as I only have the one pair, and I'm to lazy to make the effort to take them out of my shoes to put in my boot only to put them back in my shoe after. So i had to suffer a bit to shovel and I'm paying for it now.

I went to the gym after I finished shoveling and did some weights before my scheduled run, not that I had to after all the lifting and throwing of all that snow I did! but I did anyway. I always start with my sit ups before moving on to the weight machines to work on my discipline specific muscle groups, as well as throwing in some extra bench pressing to pump up the arms a bit for the Lady's. [wink] [wink] hee hee...

I then went on the treadmill and did a steady LSD run ( for me) at 5.5miles/hr for 45min and walked out the last 15min climbing at an incline of 2 at 4miles/hr. For a total of 1 hr running today.

Boy am I tired and sore. But another good day and run in the bank.

Now it's time to fire up the BBQ and throw some Penguin steak on the grill for a good protein dinner to fuel up for the next snowfall so I'll have some energy to shovel.

Snow Squalls in Barrie, You got to love it...NOT!

This morning after yesterdays storm dumping a ton of snow on us, then changing over in the evening to rain for a few hour, then back to snow as the temp dropped back down below freezing.


My dog Amber was having a tough time getting through the snow in the back yard to go potty.






Now We are getting hit with snow squalls which is forecast to dump up to 2feet of snow over the next day and a half.

<--this is what it looks like now.

It was crazy getting out to my car this morning to go for my swim. There was like a inch thick of ice over the car, so I started up my car to warm up, and I went back in the house to get a bucket of hot water to pour over the windshield to melt the ice. I ended up going back and forth about 6 times to refill the bucket with hot water to melt off all the ice before I could get going to the pool.

I finally got to the pool and did my 2000m swim, actually 2100m, I felt a little stiff and tired at the start, but after a few lenghts I loosened up. It was another good swim in the bank.

Now I have to do some shoveling to rid some of the snow off the driveway before it gets to deep... day's like today, it is common to shovel the drive 2 and 3 times in a day during the winter months when we get snow squalls, but not so early in the season!....

I HATE SNOW SQUALLS.....AND I HATE SNOW!!!....... Unless I'm skiing on the ski hills! :-)
<--4 foot high banks and it's only Dec 3. [[GAK!]]

Probably by tomorrow it will be up to my head high. Ughhh!

My Nov training totals

Here is my condensed Nov training log.

If you notice my emphasis was on swimming and moderate running. My plan is to change my running from mileage to time for Dec based on my schedule I have posted on the side of my blog. I will still record my run distances in my log, but they will be irrelevant in the next months run training as time running will be my focus for some good base. As you can see I drifted from my biking, but I will get on track with that in Dec and will have a more rounded and steady workload for all three disciplines. My swim challenge is on again for Dec so my goal will again be 24km for the month and more if I can.