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
:)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
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! :)
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! :)
Monday, October 10, 2011
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.
:)
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.
:)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
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! :) ...
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! :) ...
Friday, August 19, 2011
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!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
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....
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.
So that was it for are camping trip this year. We had lots of fun and plan on doing it again next year. ....
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
: )
Monday, August 8, 2011
Update soon
I'll Update soon, been busy, busy, busy. Was on vacation last week and did the Barrie tri on Sunday. I'll have my story's soon with pics when I get some time. :)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Tuesday Time Trial, On Wednesday?
This year the Barrie Tri Club decided to hold the Tuesday Time trials on Wednesday's? not a big problem, but I'm not happy with it being changed as it changes my training schedule over the summer months that I have been doing for years, but if it accommodates others training schedules to benefit themselves, who am I to complain? ;) ....
Anyhoo! This is the first week I have been able to go to the TT which started about a month ago now. This course is a three loop 20km course on some nice roads and one moderate hill to climb over both ways for a total of six climbs over the duration of the 20km course, and my results are less then great this time averaging just under 33kph on this windy day...... OK mind you it was windy and I did do a 20km ride and a swim earlier in the day before heading off for the time trial this Wed. Hopefully next week I will have better results.
Now I have to get myself ready for my next race this Sunday up in Gravenhurst. I will be doing the Tri a Tri again as the sprint race was already sold out, so maybe I have another chance to place on top of the podium ? :)
:)
Anyhoo! This is the first week I have been able to go to the TT which started about a month ago now. This course is a three loop 20km course on some nice roads and one moderate hill to climb over both ways for a total of six climbs over the duration of the 20km course, and my results are less then great this time averaging just under 33kph on this windy day...... OK mind you it was windy and I did do a 20km ride and a swim earlier in the day before heading off for the time trial this Wed. Hopefully next week I will have better results.
Now I have to get myself ready for my next race this Sunday up in Gravenhurst. I will be doing the Tri a Tri again as the sprint race was already sold out, so maybe I have another chance to place on top of the podium ? :)
:)
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