Happy Holidays

Wishing everyone a happy and safe holidays....Merry Christmas.

Follow me here   On my journey for conquer lake Ont.

See my 2011 polar bear dip

** HERE **

.......and keep updated on my Journey

Josef's Journey Continues.....

 My posting here will be sporadic until I finish my new journey to swim across lake Ontario
You can follow me on my new web page Josef's journey continues, where I will be posting my weekly adventures and training  from now on until my Lake Ontario swim in Aug 2013 Here ...http://josefsjourneyswimacrosslakeontario.blogspot.com/


:)

The New Journey Starts.

Hey everyone, my new Journey starts! I will be swimming 52km across lake Ontario in Aug 2013. NO small feat! just lots of swimming! I will need all the help I can get to achieve this journey with your donations for my cause. I've already started swimming more then "less is more" ...My swim is dedicated to Mother who is fighting cancer, so I am also trying to raise up to $10,000 as my net goal to be donated to RVH cancer treatment center in Barrie on the completion of my swim.

Please spread the word and my link to your friends to check out my new web page  http://josefsjourneyswimacrosslakeontario.blogspot.com/  to follow me on my journey and maybe make a donation. Donations can be made either by my donate Pay pal link on my web page, or to me in person when you see me, or just e-mail me at ironjosef@hotmail.com for details how to donate to me direct. Thanks in advance.
 
http://josefsjourneyswimacrosslakeontario.blogspot.com/

Lake Ontario Marathon Swim

I have some good and bad news!

The good news is I am finally going to tell you what my big event is!

The bad news is I had to postpone from doing my event this summer 2012 to the summer of 2013

My challenge is that I will be swimming a marathon swim 52km across Lake Ontario from St Catherine's to Toronto in 2013 I originally wanted to do it this coming summer of 2012 but since found out that there is so much more to organizing this kind of challenge to become a sanctioned swim, with the most difficult part being finding boats and equipment and need to raise funds to meet this challenge....the easy part in all this is the swimming! ;) ...If anyone is interested in sponsoring me or wants to donate to my cause contact me directly at ironjosef@hotmail.com  to find out how you can donate.

You can check out my new web page and follow my journey here...http://josefsjourneyswimacrosslakeontario.blogspot.com/


.

First volunteer

I had a good meeting today with my friend Jeff and just hooked my first volunteer for my big event! Jeff is the race director to a few half marathon races in the area including the Barrie Half marathon and the Base Borden Half which I did last month and will be a great asset to my event! Woo Hoo!

This works well for me as he has experience and connections to help me go through the right avenues to find sponsors and donations! as well as local media connection to get my event out to the public. With him on board I shouldn't have problems getting the support I need with more volunteers and getting donation to help me with the event and specially help my charity.

It won't be long before I launch my event!

:)

Still working out...

I'm still working out details with my event and web page before I release it to the friends and public. I want to make sure I do thing right! :)

I'm looking forward to tomorrow! Tomorrow (Sunday 20Th) is the Ironman Arizona race. It's hard to believe it's been a year since I did IMAZ last year. I wish the best to all who are racing tomorrow and I'll be cheering you all in as I stay glued to the computer watching ironman.com live feed all day! good luck to all.

My training continues though only swimming this week, even though my bike is set up in my living room,( I brought it back in from the garage because it was getting to cold to ride out there, and as you know I hate cold!) But I just can't seem to get motivated to ride it, I hate riding the bike trainer, but if I want to keep my base riding up I'm going to have to do some before I take it down in the basement to make way for Christmas and our Christmas tree which we set up in our living room.

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get out and run with the running room club, if I can get up in time? 7am is way to early for me to get up on a Sunday to run at 8am I only plan on a short 5-7k run and I should be back in time to watch the start of IMAZ, thankfully AZ is 3 hours behind us and the race won't start until 10am our time.



:)

Started new web page for...?

It was a good weekend. Saturday our tri club had a year end social at the Locker room, which is a sports bar and one of our clubs sponsors. There was a big turn out of members and spouses. It almost was a little to crowded with the amount of people, but it was fun to see and talk to everyone about their tri plans for next year, including me where I hinted on my big charity event but didn't disclose any details, hee hee heh....

This weekend I created and started my new web page for my charity event which I will release and post my new web page when I get all the details finished, so hang on!

In the mean time, time to get back to training, swimming today. woo hoo! ;)

Base Borden Half Marathon

You couldn't ask for a better Fall day for a half marathon. The morning air was crisp and clear, Sunny and not a cloud in site, around 4C with a high temp forecast for 14C.

Joanne and I arrived at the military base, Base Borden in Angus, where the half marathon was being run, with proceeds from the race were to benefit our service men and woman and families. The base is about a 30min drive west of Barrie.

Joanne was doing the 10k run and I was doing the half marathon. When we got to the registration area we met up with friends from the running room and my tri club who were doing the race. We chit chatted with whom ever and taking pictures until the start of the half marathon. The half stated at 10am and the 5k and 10k that Joanne was running started at 10:30am.

The announcements finished and my race was ready to start so kissed Joanne for luck in her race which had about 600 participants and I lined up with all 280 Participants who registered for the half marathon.

And off we go! I knew I had to go slow and steady as I didn't do any run training for this race, mainly because my knees hurt to much to run. So Off I go! My plan was to do run 5 min and walk 1 min. As the group and I got our rhythm going I met up with one of my Tri club members Dr Tracy Teasdale who was running basically at my speed, so I asked her what her plan was for the race? She said slow and steady, I said just like me! So I told her I was doing 5 and 1's and she said OK sounds good to me, as she told me she hadn't done a lot of run prep for this race either, so we paced each other chit chatting along the way.

For the first 4km we didn't stop for our 1 min walks, because we were feeling good and going slow enough not to tire. After the 4k mark I said it's time for a min walk break and from then on we did 5 and 1's without fail. We reach the 10k mark with a time of 1:12, we were on pace for a 2:30 half!

But not long after that fatigue set in but we kept the pace going, we reach the 15k mark or so, my knees were holding up, sore but manageable, I had them wrapped to brace them. But at this point my left ankle was starting to hurt as were were running on a loose gravel section of the run for the last few k's and I don't like running on trails or gravel as I have what I call glass ankles! To tell you the truth I know my pains are just a result of not running enough so I suck it up and continue on!

So as we reached the 15k mark along came another Tracy. Tracy Maclean pulled up with us going just a smidge faster then us, and we chit chatted with her for a little while and that is when I said to Dr Tracy, don't let me hold you up, your feeling strong and I'm tiring and hurting and I'm going to keep my pace, so you should go ahead with Tracy Maclean who is a steady and strong runner.

So off she went with the other Tracy slowly pulling away from me while I kept my 5 and 1's going at a slower pace. But I caught up to them again as they had a long walk break while I kept my 5 and 1's lol, I pulled along side of them and started walking with them for my min break and when I started up they started running to and pulled ahead slowly again.

I then saw a pot O potty and decided this is a good time for a pee break, I did my business and when I got back on the gravel road I could still see the two Tracy's. I knew I wouldn't catch them now as I was limping more and walking more. I had no energy left in my legs, I needed food! I was hoping the next aid station had banana's or something but all they had was diluted G-aid and water, matter of fact non of the aid stations had food?? this is a first for me in all the races I've done? and I was getting weak in my legs, you know, that wobbly feeling and I didn't bring any gels or nothing with me!

Well I kept going, more walking then running, but kept pushing forward! 19k passed I hit the next ais station where a friend was volunteering Cindy Marcelli, she started chanting GO JOE GO! and all the volunteers started Chanting along with her! It made me feel good and I smiled, but I wasn't running,. I walked through the aid station grabbing a G-aid and water and kept moving forward walking, then I started back up trying to run a little only to fall back to walking, My legs were wobbly and I needed food!

I pushed on and on run 20 feet and walk some on and on. 20k passed and I knew the end was near! I kept going 20 foot run and walk, I needed food!

I finally reached the last 200m to take a right turn in and another 100 meters to the finish, One of my friends Joanne Merkley was there before the turn and was shouting to me your almost there and took a couple of pictures of me sloggin along, but I still managed to smile!

I take the turn and run 10 feet and walk! I hear the cheers of the people at the finish cheering me on to run in the last bit, but I said to myself the heck with it I'm walking in to which I finish with a time of 2:51 and was handed a nice medal which resembled dog tag like what the military wear for ID.

Now wheres the food! as I look around I see Joanne and greet her, I asked how she did in her 10 K, she said I should of did the half I felt great! and she did do great finishing mid pack in her age group with a 1:11! I then asked her where the food was, she said there was non, just some oranges and water, she said there is pizza at the tent but you have to pay for it. What?? That sucks! So we mingled a bit with some friends then went home where I wanted to grab some food but was feeling sick form not eating? I laid down and had a nap and felt better after, then made me a bacon and eggs breakfast. :)


Me...
Me with some of my Tri club friends...
Joanne with some of her running friends..
Joann and I withsome friends..
The finisher medal...

Base Borden half marathon

John Welsh, one of our Barrie tri club members as well as one of our clubs sponsor with his company Georgian Automotive group is also title sponsor of a local Half marathon race being held at Base Borden ( a local military base) This coming Sunday.
http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=6770&contentId=20929&vrindex=0

Being the company sponsor of the Base Borden Half marathon, he had some free entry's to give away for the race and asked our Barrie tri club members if anyone wanted to race? So I asked for my wife and I and got in, and a few of other people from the club got a free entry's to.

So Joanne is registered for the 10k, she doesn't feel she is ready for a half at this point even though she runs 3 times a week?..she has no confidence in he ability's. And I am registered for the half mary.

I haven't run much of late, matter of fact I ran 5k last Sunday as my longest and only run in the last month! lol, but with my less is more training with my regular swimming and biking, my fitness level is good. And unlike my wife I have total confidence in my ability's, although I might be slow, I will finish strong.


Thanks John! much appreciated

:)

Master of recycled construction and some luck!

I didn't mention in my last posting how much it cost me for my hot tub reno and motor fix.

Well let me tell you when I took on my reno job of my hot tub I did it totally without buying any new materials and I didn't know weather I would be able to get my motor fixed? as I didn't have the funds to do so. But as luck will have it, and I usually have luck on my side, albeit usually with struggles, as nothing come easy for me, but in the end with my luck I usually prevail.

So I took my chance and started the tear down and took my motor to the repair shop, where I was told would cost around $150 to a max of $200 but as it turned out they couldn't fix my motor and had to replace it with a new motor, and ended up costing me a whole lot more, with the price of $250 for the new motor plus labor and taxes totaling just under $500.00 in the end.

So as I tore down the old deck, I saved all the good wood I could reuse for my rebuild, and if I couldn't finish the job of my rebuild, my plan was to do as much as I can and get my hot tub up and running when the motor was fixed and finished the rest when I could afford to next year?

But As I started rebuilding the new frame/ retaining wall with my recycled good pieces of wood, mostly 2x6's to frame, my neighbour started working on his deck which he tore down last year and saved his old frame and decking boards and he decided not to use it. Instead he decided to buy new materials to rebiuld his deck.

So as luck will have it! he saw I was building and he asked me if i wanted to use his old lumber rather than taking it out to the dump....I said yes of course, He told me I could have all the 1x6 pressure treated deck boards and he will keep his 2x6's, I said that would be great and will work out perfect for my plans!!

I told you I was lucky.

So I re-used all my good 2x6's for my frame work and I used my neighbors 1x6 pressure treated deck boards for my retaining wall and top deck with no cost to me.

The total cost to do my whole hot tub reno was .....
Unexpectedly $479. for the motor fix and $10-$15 for deck screws! and a little hard labor! :)

Hot tub up and running...Finally!

As promised I documented my hot tub reno with pictures. ..Click on pictures for bigger view. :)

My cat watching a chipmonk eating on my hot tub, Which has nothing to do with my reno, but I thought i was cute!

The start of my hot tub reno, I tore up the top deck and retaining walls
ready to dig after most of the tear up done
Digging away!
Break for camera.
All dug out and tilting up hot tub to level the ground under it
Starting to frame retaining walls and deck frame.
More framing
inside shot of retaining wall frame.
Overhead shot of frame work.
Another angle of framing
Decking all done.
Another angle, but how do I get to the motor?
Ah! removable door tops.
Me wiring up my motor before dropping it down and connecting it to the tub after I got my motor back from repair shop, which only took 4 weeks and $500.00!! I was not happy with that! and at the same time filling the tub with water.


Motor all wired in and connected and running, listen to it purrrr!

turned on the heater and by the time I got home from work it was up to temp, of 101F and had a nice soak! Aaaaaaa.

:)

October Already!

I know you all have been eagerly anticipating my next blog entree! ;)

I haven't been really training much, taking a break, and only getting out on my bike a few times and swimming a few times and no running as my knees have been to sore, probably from lack of running?... it's a vicious circle!! lol

Not much else has been happening since the Barrie half last month, except for my renovation of my hot tub outside which I have been working on for the last four weeks and is finished, but I have also been eagerly anticipating getting my hot tub motor back from the repair shop that I have waiting on for three weeks now and didn't want to post my story or any pics of my Reno until it was up and running again. ( which should have been two weeks ago?)

So in the mean time enjoy this short 3 min video I made of my fish from work ( they are Platys) which spawned some offspring in the last 3 weeks! :) ...

Barrie Half Iron Distance Challenge August 13, 2011

Instead of writing my report on the Barrie Half Iron Distance challenge, I made a video clip in pictures instead...Like they say a picture is worth a thousand words!...Who are "They" lol Enjoy!

Vacation Killbear Park Camping trip 2011

It's been a busy few weeks and I have been procrastinating writing up my journey, so now I have a bit of time I'm finally putting something up on my blog.

The family and I went on vacation to Killbear provincial park camping. Joanne Melissa and I went up Thursday morning to set up camp and Victoria would meet us up there later after work.

Just arriving at our campsite and getting out the gear...

Melissa and Joanne setting things up in our kitchen tent..
Setting up the tent....

The tent on our camp site....

After we set up camp we went out to the water to get do some swimming and sunning and walking along the rocks.

Melissa cooling off at the beach...

Walking along the rocks along shore...

Joanne spotted a rat snake swimming along the rocks....

He didn't like me getting so close...

Me trying to get some pictures of the snake making it irritated at me following it. lol..

Melissa watching the snake from a safe distance...

A nice pose for Daddy....

Me and Melissa...

Sunset shots....

After our walk and watching the sun set, we went back to camp to have dinner and sit around the fire waiting on Victoria to show up.

Back at our site for dinner and fire...

Melissa roasting marshmellows...

Victoria finally shows up...with axe in hand! lol..

Next morning having coffee around the smoldering campfire before heading out to the lake to walk the rocks to the diving cliffs...Victoria was pouting because she wanted to go to the lake sooner then later. lol...

Me, the lean mean Iron Machine..Bawahahaha!

Melissa and Victoria on the rocks in the water ...

Group shot...

The diving cliffs, Victoria and Melissa jumping off the lower level, I dove from the higher level to the left and Joanne missed getting a shot.

Me coming in after my one dive checking out my cut hand. I did a front 1 1/2,and forgot the water level was low ( every year the water gets lower and lower) and my hands hit the bottom hard cutting them on some rocks on the bottom and bruising and spraining my right thumb. lol
On the up side went I came up from my dive I hear one of the kids yell out to his friends " did you see that guy dive!! ...which I have to admit I had a good top and entree, thus hitting bottom fast" lol

Victoria and Joanne cooking their dinner, veggie hot dogs!

Girls reading and me chilling around the campfire before heading out for another late afternoon swim and then sunset..

Walking the rock again waiting on the sunset...

It gets windy here and some trees grow sideways, always good for a photo...

Clowning around faces...

A much better shot...

Nice! lol..

Sunset shots never get old...

Friday night after the sunset we went back to camp, roasted some smores, hot dogs marshmallow and just plain chilled around the campfire. after going to bed, around 2 am I got up to go to the washroom and noticed my beer cooler lid was off, I have learned and everyone is told at the campsite to pack away all food over night or when leaving your site during the day as bears are known to roam around looking for food. anyway, I also noticed our kitchen tent was knocked down a bit and I didn't think anything of it, as I figured it was just some raccoons and went off to the washroom and back to bed. In the morning our neighbour on the next site asked us if we saw or heard the bear in our kitchen tent? What!! Joanne said she heard something and like me when I got up, we just thought it was a raccoon? The guy said no it was a bear! He said it first started going around his site( he is in a motor home) and he watched it go over to our site and then back to his site before taking off! I told the guy I always pack our food in the car but left my beer cooler out and all my beer was still there, so I guess the bear don't drink beer? lol Anyway we thought it was cool.

Then my son arrived with his girlfriend for the last night of camping and Joanne and I started packing to go home because I had the Barrie tri to race the next day. so My son Chris and girlfriend Megan, Victoria and Melissa stayed one more night on there own. where they told us after when they got home Sunday after noon that they had another visitor that night while they were around the campfire, it was a raccoon this time that stole a piece of tinfoil from their garbage and took off, I think it was after tinfoil they used for the smores they roasted on the fire and I guess the raccoon had a sweet tooth! lol

Chris and Megan arrived while Joanne and I were packing to go home for my race the next day at the Barrie Tri..

So that was it for are camping trip this year. We had lots of fun and plan on doing it again next year. ....

Next up?... My Barrie tri report, then Barrie half Ironman challenge report and Barrie half marathon report! ...Told you I was busy! lol

: )