Lake Ontario here I come! July 28-30 2013 i will attempt to swim 52k across lake Ontario Swim for life, from Niagara on the lake to Toronto and my training has started!!
I am in need of your support and am raising funds for Royal Victoria Hospital Cancer center with My swim for life campaign, which is dedicated to my mother, a three time cancer survivor!
To donate click here Swim for life or click on the RVH picture on the right.
you can follow me and my training on my Lake Ontario Swim for life Web page here Follow my lake Ontario swim or click on the blog list on the right that says Lake Ontario swim for life.
New years Day Polar bear swim!
We had 10 people run into the icy cold lake with Fire department support and
divers and over 50 spectators including the Barrie Examiner and CTV news
covering us! I am overwhelmed with the support for my cause!!
Thanks you
everyone!
Check out the youtube video link below from CTV Barrie New
broadcast...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vVNtqGFdRo&feature=youtube_gdata
And
a few pic's the Barrie Examiner newspaper took....
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2013/01/02/man-and-pals-take-a-chilly-swim-for-a-cause
:)
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Extra Extra read all about it!
http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2012/12/28/mans-polar-bear-dip-helping-him-raise-money-for-cancer-care-and-lake-ontario-swim
Photo and link above from The Barrie Examiner who did an interview with me for my 2013 New Years day Polar bear swim fund raiser to raise funds for my Lake Ontario swim July 28 2013
Photo and link above from The Barrie Examiner who did an interview with me for my 2013 New Years day Polar bear swim fund raiser to raise funds for my Lake Ontario swim July 28 2013
Monday, December 24, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Mom on the mend
It's been 9 weeks now and my mom is finally going home this Sunday after being in the hospital for 4 weeks and 5 weeks in a convalescent hospital while she heals from her broken humorous which was broken in two places after falling on steps back in September.
She is looking healthy and strong now, but still can't lift her arm more then 10 degrees, mostly because for the first 6 weeks she had her arm immobilized as the doctors wanted her bones to heal completely because of the nature of the break in her humorous before starting any type of physio. She will continue with physio at home with a home care worker which will be sent daily to her home while she continues to recover.
As for my son who over the last nine weeks has been living at my moms house, house sitting and looking after my moms cat and living the life of a bachelor, which he has been enjoying immensely, will be coming back home to his old room.....
Life is getting back to normal!
:)
She is looking healthy and strong now, but still can't lift her arm more then 10 degrees, mostly because for the first 6 weeks she had her arm immobilized as the doctors wanted her bones to heal completely because of the nature of the break in her humorous before starting any type of physio. She will continue with physio at home with a home care worker which will be sent daily to her home while she continues to recover.
As for my son who over the last nine weeks has been living at my moms house, house sitting and looking after my moms cat and living the life of a bachelor, which he has been enjoying immensely, will be coming back home to his old room.....
Life is getting back to normal!
:)
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
13 hours in Emerge with mom
13 hours in Emerge until my mom got a room......
Finally my mom is all comfy in a room in the Hospital.
Oh but wait?!! lets start from the beginning. Last Friday my mom 75 years young, fell going to try her first fitness class in her life at the community center in her retirement community where she lives. Well before getting to class, actually walking up the stairs to class, she fell on the steps and broke her humours in two places...OK your all caught up.
Yep, my mom fell again and with her broken arm and weaken state she couldn't get up! .....
Last night after Joanne was playing phone tag with my sister in-law about mom not answering the phone, Joanne and Melissa my daughter went to check on my mom in the evening about 7-8pm and found my mom laying on the kitchen floor bloodied and not able to get up after losing her balance while trying to make a cup of tea after the health nurse left in the morning, and yes the kettle was still plugged in! fortunately it didn't burn the house down with mom.
Joanne called 911 and went to the hospital having Melissa drop her off knowing she will be there a while, so Melissa came home.
When I got home from work last night after 1 am, I found a note saying my mom was in hospital. I check with Victoria as she was still up, what happened? All she knew as she was at work and was texting with Joanne was that mom went to the hospital and she was waiting for a call from Joanne to pick her up! So I told Victoria I'll go check instead.
I went to hospital, found Joanne and mom in acute emerge area then sat with Joanne and my mom who was laying in a bed dosing off and on while on an IV morphine drip.
My mom had already been in x-ray and had blood and urine work done by the time i got there and we had to wait to get x-rays and test results back so the Doctor could decide to admit her, which he did when he got around to us, at around 5am.
Joanne and I went home after that, caught a few hours sleep, then went to moms house to pick up some things she wanted and got back to the hospital around 1pm to find her all comfy and looking better in her room that she got into just before we arrived.
While we were there the Doctor came in and talked to mom while doing an exam and to gather some info about what happened and said mom will be here a few days to recover. We stayed a while longer then finally left mom to rest.
Finally my mom is all comfy in a room in the Hospital.
Oh but wait?!! lets start from the beginning. Last Friday my mom 75 years young, fell going to try her first fitness class in her life at the community center in her retirement community where she lives. Well before getting to class, actually walking up the stairs to class, she fell on the steps and broke her humours in two places...OK your all caught up.
Yep, my mom fell again and with her broken arm and weaken state she couldn't get up! .....
Last night after Joanne was playing phone tag with my sister in-law about mom not answering the phone, Joanne and Melissa my daughter went to check on my mom in the evening about 7-8pm and found my mom laying on the kitchen floor bloodied and not able to get up after losing her balance while trying to make a cup of tea after the health nurse left in the morning, and yes the kettle was still plugged in! fortunately it didn't burn the house down with mom.
Joanne called 911 and went to the hospital having Melissa drop her off knowing she will be there a while, so Melissa came home.
When I got home from work last night after 1 am, I found a note saying my mom was in hospital. I check with Victoria as she was still up, what happened? All she knew as she was at work and was texting with Joanne was that mom went to the hospital and she was waiting for a call from Joanne to pick her up! So I told Victoria I'll go check instead.
I went to hospital, found Joanne and mom in acute emerge area then sat with Joanne and my mom who was laying in a bed dosing off and on while on an IV morphine drip.
My mom had already been in x-ray and had blood and urine work done by the time i got there and we had to wait to get x-rays and test results back so the Doctor could decide to admit her, which he did when he got around to us, at around 5am.
Joanne and I went home after that, caught a few hours sleep, then went to moms house to pick up some things she wanted and got back to the hospital around 1pm to find her all comfy and looking better in her room that she got into just before we arrived.
While we were there the Doctor came in and talked to mom while doing an exam and to gather some info about what happened and said mom will be here a few days to recover. We stayed a while longer then finally left mom to rest.
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Vindicated myself sort of?
So with my disappointment with Saturdays bike performance, Sunday I went out on my bike and rode to Wasaga beach again for another 90kms. I have to say it was a whole lot hotter, in the 90'sF with high humidex. Just the way I like it! But boy it was hot! I only took two bottles with me, one was my energy drink the other was just water, usually it's enough to get me there and back on a normal out and back like the day before, but as hot as it was I drank both bottles by the time I got to Wasaga beach. It's a good thing there is a public washroom and was able to refill both bottles up with fresh cold water.
I managed to ride the 90km in 3:12hrs two minutes faster then Saturday, but with still pain in my hip/hamstring and butt. But at least I finished up with my180km ride in total, sort of vindicating myself.
Yesterday I went for a recover swim at Centennial beach and was amazed at how much warmer the water was compared to Saturday! It had to be at least 10F warmer, I was even able to swim without my wetsuit. It's amazing how with wind direction, how much difference it makes with the water temp in the Bay.
Now it's time for me to get ready for the Barrie half marathon this coming Sunday. I really don't know if i will be able to run it? Or even put on a suffer-fest of a walk/run 3 hour attempt? I will decide on Sunday morning if I do it. Hopefully with my next visit to the chiropractor on Wednesday will help my hip enough to run.
:)
I managed to ride the 90km in 3:12hrs two minutes faster then Saturday, but with still pain in my hip/hamstring and butt. But at least I finished up with my180km ride in total, sort of vindicating myself.
Yesterday I went for a recover swim at Centennial beach and was amazed at how much warmer the water was compared to Saturday! It had to be at least 10F warmer, I was even able to swim without my wetsuit. It's amazing how with wind direction, how much difference it makes with the water temp in the Bay.
Now it's time for me to get ready for the Barrie half marathon this coming Sunday. I really don't know if i will be able to run it? Or even put on a suffer-fest of a walk/run 3 hour attempt? I will decide on Sunday morning if I do it. Hopefully with my next visit to the chiropractor on Wednesday will help my hip enough to run.
:)
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Barrie Ironman challenge is a bust
I feel guilty for not being able to finish what I started today. But I learned allot about what i can and can't do!
My plan was to raise money for my charity RVH cancer center by attempting a full ironman distance challenge of a 3.8k swim 180k bike and 42k run or until my hip/hamstring gave out which i knew it would. I was hoping to get some donations? But that wouldn't matter either way, as when I set out to do this challenge, I did it for myself.
I got up at 6am to give me plenty of time to get ready for my 8am swim start by fueling up with fresh brewed coffee, bananas and stroopwafels, and then do my business, then get my gear together and so on.
I left my house for the beach at 7:30am. When I got to the beach the water was calm with a slight fog wefting over the lake at spots. I unpacked my gear and sat for a few minutes on the picnic table by the beach and looked out over the water psyching myself up for the swim which would be cold. I put on my wetsuit and walked to the water with my scuba gloves to keep my fingers warm, goggles and swim cap in hand. I filled my swim cap up with the lake water and snapped it over my head, Damn! that's cold! I grabbed my second swim cap and did the same putting it on. I put my scuba gloves and goggles on, then walked into the water. My toes went instantly numb! Shit this water is freezing!! allot colder then my last swim on Wednesday. I estimate the water temperature was around 52F or just over 11C I said to myself, this is going to hurt!
I walked in deeper and my wetsuit was keeping me warm but my toes were just numb! I then dunked down....Bowahawahawaaa I yelled, THAT IS FRIGGING COLD!
I was having second thought of doing my swim now. I then tried a few strokes to see if I can get used to the water? Five stokes in I pull my head up because my face was numb. I said to myself, no way! I have nothing to prove? I don't want to die!
I stood up and looked around, then in disappointment I walked out of the water to go back to my gear. As I stood by my gear looking out at the water I said Shit! I can't do this! I looked around some more and said, I have to do this! I said, a little cold water shouldn't stop me? I'm about extreme! Not a pussy who says things and then doesn't do them.
I walked back into the water and dunked in. I started my watch and started to swim! ten strokes in I pull my face out again and i said, NO, I can't it's too cold.
I stopped my watch and started walking back, but while I walked back with numb toes, I started thinking of the one year I was registered for Coeur D'alene Ironman in 2007 and had to pull out because of my torn PF... and I thought of my friends who did that race, where the water was just as cold. Most of them didn't start the race because of the cold water and the others who did start, finished the swim, but didn't finish the race.
Well I drew strength from that thought Saying I'm not a whoose and started my watch up again and started to swim. I jumped up again and yelled in my thoughts, come on!! ....I stopped my watch and walked back to my start. I then dug in deep and said, I have to do this!
I reset and started my watch for the third time and off I went! Stubborn and determined I forged on, my face and toes numb with pain, I said to myself the pain will go as I warm up from swimming. I stuck to the shore line in case I had a panic attack or worse heart attack! not that it would help if I did. lol
My arms were tingling as I took each stroke in the icy water,( I'm wearing a sleeveless wetsuit) thank god I had the wherewithal to use my scuba gloves, although they were by no means toasty but kept enough of the cold from my fingers from becoming numb.
I kept going along the shore thinking will I pass out from the cold? how will I know if I'm getting hypodermic? when should I stop? I started getting anxious, but keep my cool and kept on swimming.
By the time I got to the end of the first length of 12, I was feeling better and swimming good. My toes were numb but not hurting as was my face and my arm were warming up from the active swimming but still tingling. I then decided I was ok to swim out to the outer buoys to swim back and forth along the buoy line.
As I swam, I hit icy water stretches and then just cold water stretches if that makes sense? either way it was cold but the warmer cold water felt better! lol
I finished my first lap and swam around the buoy before stopping to have a look and decide if I can go on. OK I said, lets go!
I was swimming smooth and went back and forth, end to end of the buoys. after my 3rd lap of 2100m I looked at my watch and was surprised with my time of 37min. I kept on going.
Now I'm thinking again, am I getting hypothermia? how will I know? what if I pass out and no one is here to see me? Fuck that! I kept on going!
I finally rounded the fith length to start my 6th length out, which would only be three quarters of the length and back then back to the beach for a total of 3900m approx.
As I hit the beach I stopped my watch and posted a time of 1:14:12 Not bad I said. I started to take my wetsuit off and I couldn't get my balance, I felt real wobbly and having the hardest time pulling my wetsuit off my feet falling back into the water. lol
Finally I pulled it off and walked back to my gear and dried off. I grabbed my stuff and went back to my car to drive home....Whew! a little hypothymic but the swim is done!
When I got home I stuffed my face with a banana, then grabbed my stroopwafles and headed to my hot tub to warm up before heading out on my bike.
Ahhhhhhh, I was shivering but the hot water felt good. My toes were tingling but the good kind, with warmth. lol I need to get my body temp up as I felt hyperthimic, as I know the first sign of hyperthermia is rapid shivering. lol I felt better after about five min and got out, dried off and put my bike gear on. I grabbed my bike helmet, yes! helmet! lol Glasses and gloves, wore my windbreaker golf shirt over my sleeveless race shirt because the temp outside was still in the low 60F and of course my bike shoes.
Off I go! The weather was threatening as they were calling for T-storms so it was overcast with partial clear skies. The temp was nice, being cool and humid. perfect for riding in the mid 60F but I still prefer 80F which it will be tomorrow. Good thing I warmed up in the hot tub! I don't think I would have warmed up on the bike if I went straight out after my swim!
My ride was going smooth, I was drinking my premixed energy drink. I had two bottles for the first loop and two bottles back home in the fridge for the second round trip, plus water in my aero bottle on my bars. For solid food I had gummy's which pack a good sum of cals as well as gives something in my stomach to digest so I don't get that hollow stomach feeling, I hate that!
All worked well, I got to Wasaga beach for the turn around and started back home. I felt strong but my hip/ hamstring was starting to hurt. As many know, I've been nursing this problem for 6 months now and have been getting ART done on my hamstring and hip, which is helping but I'm not there yet, although I though I could be? ...In any case I forged on.
The weather was turning out beautiful! the temperature was getting warmer and humid which I like but now I'm going in what seems to be a wind or uphill? my cadence was slowing down, my hip was hurting more and losing power on the peddle, so would get out of the saddle more often to stretch.
Now I'm feeling like I riding with my brakes rubbing and saying to myself what is going on? I look back and my rear tire seems low? Shit! I hope I don't have a slow leak or flat! I ride on for a few more km then I stop to check the pressure with my thumb and it seem low, but no deflating. I realize then I didn't pump up my tires before I left and since there was little wind on the way out to Wasaga I didn't notice, but now on the way back with more uphill and a little more wind I'm noticing, specially since I'm losing power in my left leg because my hip is hurting.
I finally make it back to finish the first loop of 82k, but since I knew I wasn't going to be able to do the second loop I continued on up to Anne and down to Carson Rd and then back to my house to make up the distance of 90km.
I reached my house 90.01km in 3:13hrs averaging 28kph. ....but my hip was to sore to continue on.
So what went wrong? ...I'll tell you,.... nothing went wrong! It was a perfect day to try to do this Ironman challenge, but I'm was just not physically able to at this time because of my hip pain.
I think it's smart of me not to attempt to go one and do the full 180km or to run after, which I couldn't if I wanted to, and didn't.
Although I do think the cold water did zap a little strength out of me, but once I warmed up, drank and feed, I was fine. I feel had a good performance and I know I could have gone on if not for the hip pain. There is no reason for me to suffer or do harm to myself ? I'm not out to prove anything? I just wanted to challenge myself which I did and learned allot.
Maybe next time I will get er' done! ...it just wasn't to be today. Now it's time for beer!
:)
My plan was to raise money for my charity RVH cancer center by attempting a full ironman distance challenge of a 3.8k swim 180k bike and 42k run or until my hip/hamstring gave out which i knew it would. I was hoping to get some donations? But that wouldn't matter either way, as when I set out to do this challenge, I did it for myself.
I got up at 6am to give me plenty of time to get ready for my 8am swim start by fueling up with fresh brewed coffee, bananas and stroopwafels, and then do my business, then get my gear together and so on.
I left my house for the beach at 7:30am. When I got to the beach the water was calm with a slight fog wefting over the lake at spots. I unpacked my gear and sat for a few minutes on the picnic table by the beach and looked out over the water psyching myself up for the swim which would be cold. I put on my wetsuit and walked to the water with my scuba gloves to keep my fingers warm, goggles and swim cap in hand. I filled my swim cap up with the lake water and snapped it over my head, Damn! that's cold! I grabbed my second swim cap and did the same putting it on. I put my scuba gloves and goggles on, then walked into the water. My toes went instantly numb! Shit this water is freezing!! allot colder then my last swim on Wednesday. I estimate the water temperature was around 52F or just over 11C I said to myself, this is going to hurt!
I walked in deeper and my wetsuit was keeping me warm but my toes were just numb! I then dunked down....Bowahawahawaaa I yelled, THAT IS FRIGGING COLD!
I was having second thought of doing my swim now. I then tried a few strokes to see if I can get used to the water? Five stokes in I pull my head up because my face was numb. I said to myself, no way! I have nothing to prove? I don't want to die!
I stood up and looked around, then in disappointment I walked out of the water to go back to my gear. As I stood by my gear looking out at the water I said Shit! I can't do this! I looked around some more and said, I have to do this! I said, a little cold water shouldn't stop me? I'm about extreme! Not a pussy who says things and then doesn't do them.
I walked back into the water and dunked in. I started my watch and started to swim! ten strokes in I pull my face out again and i said, NO, I can't it's too cold.
I stopped my watch and started walking back, but while I walked back with numb toes, I started thinking of the one year I was registered for Coeur D'alene Ironman in 2007 and had to pull out because of my torn PF... and I thought of my friends who did that race, where the water was just as cold. Most of them didn't start the race because of the cold water and the others who did start, finished the swim, but didn't finish the race.
Well I drew strength from that thought Saying I'm not a whoose and started my watch up again and started to swim. I jumped up again and yelled in my thoughts, come on!! ....I stopped my watch and walked back to my start. I then dug in deep and said, I have to do this!
I reset and started my watch for the third time and off I went! Stubborn and determined I forged on, my face and toes numb with pain, I said to myself the pain will go as I warm up from swimming. I stuck to the shore line in case I had a panic attack or worse heart attack! not that it would help if I did. lol
My arms were tingling as I took each stroke in the icy water,( I'm wearing a sleeveless wetsuit) thank god I had the wherewithal to use my scuba gloves, although they were by no means toasty but kept enough of the cold from my fingers from becoming numb.
I kept going along the shore thinking will I pass out from the cold? how will I know if I'm getting hypodermic? when should I stop? I started getting anxious, but keep my cool and kept on swimming.
By the time I got to the end of the first length of 12, I was feeling better and swimming good. My toes were numb but not hurting as was my face and my arm were warming up from the active swimming but still tingling. I then decided I was ok to swim out to the outer buoys to swim back and forth along the buoy line.
As I swam, I hit icy water stretches and then just cold water stretches if that makes sense? either way it was cold but the warmer cold water felt better! lol
I finished my first lap and swam around the buoy before stopping to have a look and decide if I can go on. OK I said, lets go!
I was swimming smooth and went back and forth, end to end of the buoys. after my 3rd lap of 2100m I looked at my watch and was surprised with my time of 37min. I kept on going.
Now I'm thinking again, am I getting hypothermia? how will I know? what if I pass out and no one is here to see me? Fuck that! I kept on going!
I finally rounded the fith length to start my 6th length out, which would only be three quarters of the length and back then back to the beach for a total of 3900m approx.
As I hit the beach I stopped my watch and posted a time of 1:14:12 Not bad I said. I started to take my wetsuit off and I couldn't get my balance, I felt real wobbly and having the hardest time pulling my wetsuit off my feet falling back into the water. lol
Finally I pulled it off and walked back to my gear and dried off. I grabbed my stuff and went back to my car to drive home....Whew! a little hypothymic but the swim is done!
When I got home I stuffed my face with a banana, then grabbed my stroopwafles and headed to my hot tub to warm up before heading out on my bike.
Ahhhhhhh, I was shivering but the hot water felt good. My toes were tingling but the good kind, with warmth. lol I need to get my body temp up as I felt hyperthimic, as I know the first sign of hyperthermia is rapid shivering. lol I felt better after about five min and got out, dried off and put my bike gear on. I grabbed my bike helmet, yes! helmet! lol Glasses and gloves, wore my windbreaker golf shirt over my sleeveless race shirt because the temp outside was still in the low 60F and of course my bike shoes.
Off I go! The weather was threatening as they were calling for T-storms so it was overcast with partial clear skies. The temp was nice, being cool and humid. perfect for riding in the mid 60F but I still prefer 80F which it will be tomorrow. Good thing I warmed up in the hot tub! I don't think I would have warmed up on the bike if I went straight out after my swim!
My ride was going smooth, I was drinking my premixed energy drink. I had two bottles for the first loop and two bottles back home in the fridge for the second round trip, plus water in my aero bottle on my bars. For solid food I had gummy's which pack a good sum of cals as well as gives something in my stomach to digest so I don't get that hollow stomach feeling, I hate that!
All worked well, I got to Wasaga beach for the turn around and started back home. I felt strong but my hip/ hamstring was starting to hurt. As many know, I've been nursing this problem for 6 months now and have been getting ART done on my hamstring and hip, which is helping but I'm not there yet, although I though I could be? ...In any case I forged on.
The weather was turning out beautiful! the temperature was getting warmer and humid which I like but now I'm going in what seems to be a wind or uphill? my cadence was slowing down, my hip was hurting more and losing power on the peddle, so would get out of the saddle more often to stretch.
Now I'm feeling like I riding with my brakes rubbing and saying to myself what is going on? I look back and my rear tire seems low? Shit! I hope I don't have a slow leak or flat! I ride on for a few more km then I stop to check the pressure with my thumb and it seem low, but no deflating. I realize then I didn't pump up my tires before I left and since there was little wind on the way out to Wasaga I didn't notice, but now on the way back with more uphill and a little more wind I'm noticing, specially since I'm losing power in my left leg because my hip is hurting.
I finally make it back to finish the first loop of 82k, but since I knew I wasn't going to be able to do the second loop I continued on up to Anne and down to Carson Rd and then back to my house to make up the distance of 90km.
I reached my house 90.01km in 3:13hrs averaging 28kph. ....but my hip was to sore to continue on.
So what went wrong? ...I'll tell you,.... nothing went wrong! It was a perfect day to try to do this Ironman challenge, but I'm was just not physically able to at this time because of my hip pain.
I think it's smart of me not to attempt to go one and do the full 180km or to run after, which I couldn't if I wanted to, and didn't.
Although I do think the cold water did zap a little strength out of me, but once I warmed up, drank and feed, I was fine. I feel had a good performance and I know I could have gone on if not for the hip pain. There is no reason for me to suffer or do harm to myself ? I'm not out to prove anything? I just wanted to challenge myself which I did and learned allot.
Maybe next time I will get er' done! ...it just wasn't to be today. Now it's time for beer!
:)
Friday, June 8, 2012
Ironman Barrie Challenge for support of my journey to Swim Lake O
I have been thinking of ways to raise money for my journey to swim Lake Ontario 2013 in support of RVH and came up with this personal challenge. Saturday June 9, 2013 I will be doing the first Barrie Ironman challenge.
So I am in taper mode today checking out the expo at 2 Hook court Barrie,(my house) fueling and resting for the first Barrie Ironman Distance challenge tomorrow here in Barrie, starting with a 3.8k swim at Centennial beach at 8am, then riding from my home at 9:30am to Wasaga beach and back twice with a third shorter 20k loop to make up a distance of 180km total before I set off on a 42k marathon on a 7k out and back loop 6 times starting Approx 4-4:30 from my house.
I am doing this challenge in support of my Josef's journey continues, A swim for life 52km lake Ontario swim 2013 next year for RVH Cancer patient care.
Please come by and give me a shout of encouragement during my Marathon run/walk/waddle/shlog which will start from my house at 2 Hook court Approx 4-4:30pm down to Livingstone, running along Livingstone to Anne St. then north to Carson Rd and back for 6 loops. I will be collecting donation at my house or on route, or you can make a donation on line on my link to the right of this blog.
Thank you and wish me luck!
http://www.active.com/donate/52kmlakeontswim
So I am in taper mode today checking out the expo at 2 Hook court Barrie,(my house) fueling and resting for the first Barrie Ironman Distance challenge tomorrow here in Barrie, starting with a 3.8k swim at Centennial beach at 8am, then riding from my home at 9:30am to Wasaga beach and back twice with a third shorter 20k loop to make up a distance of 180km total before I set off on a 42k marathon on a 7k out and back loop 6 times starting Approx 4-4:30 from my house.
I am doing this challenge in support of my Josef's journey continues, A swim for life 52km lake Ontario swim 2013 next year for RVH Cancer patient care.
Please come by and give me a shout of encouragement during my Marathon run/walk/waddle/shlog which will start from my house at 2 Hook court Approx 4-4:30pm down to Livingstone, running along Livingstone to Anne St. then north to Carson Rd and back for 6 loops. I will be collecting donation at my house or on route, or you can make a donation on line on my link to the right of this blog.
Thank you and wish me luck!
http://www.active.com/donate/52kmlakeontswim
Friday, May 25, 2012
Round the lake ride
This Saturday May 26th I'm getting ready to do my longest training ride of the year,....OK, OK,... ever! Besides my four Ironman's I have done, which the bike portion of the race is 180k I have never ridden this far in training. The most I have ridden in training for all my Ironman races was around 100k.
So where will I be riding? I'll be riding with a few friend around the perimeter of lake Simcoe starting in Barrie all the way around and back. --> Lake Simcoe route and I think we have one support vehicle who will carry extra water and food.
Why? A friend of mine Nathan Brooks is getting ready for a 24hr bike race and needs to get in some long rides, so he set up this ride with him for support and I and glad I can help him out. I don't know if I'll say the same after the ride!? lol
Wish me luck!
:)
So where will I be riding? I'll be riding with a few friend around the perimeter of lake Simcoe starting in Barrie all the way around and back. --> Lake Simcoe route and I think we have one support vehicle who will carry extra water and food.
Why? A friend of mine Nathan Brooks is getting ready for a 24hr bike race and needs to get in some long rides, so he set up this ride with him for support and I and glad I can help him out. I don't know if I'll say the same after the ride!? lol
Wish me luck!
:)
Monday, May 21, 2012
First open water swim
What a weekend! temps in the high 80'sF, it feels like Mid July!
Well I thought since it's feeling like summer why not go down to the lake for a swim.
At first I was going to go for a ride and do 30k easy ride, but when I grabbed my bike the rear tire was flat! and i don't have any spare tubes to change it out. This being a long weekend and a holiday Monday no stores are open, .....so much for my ride?
Well instead I took down my steel raleigh road bike hanging in the garage, filled the tires up and decided to go down to Centennial beach and see if I can swim yet?
As a rule Kempenfelt bay waters, which is part of Lake Simcoe the second biggest lake in Ontario takes until late June to warm up enough to swim, but being a mild winter and warm spring and now with the Hot weather this week I though I would give it a try.
I rode down to the beach and parked my bike along one of the trees at the beach and stripped down to my bathing suit I was wearing and put on my swim goggles from my back pack. I slowly walked into the water which felt cool but nice in this heat, and with no wetsuit on and just my speedo on I waded down to my mid section and dunked down to my shoulders and finally dunked my head!
The water temp was about 50F but on this hot day it felt refreshing! I sat there under the water to my neck to get used to the cold and after about 5 min I started out for my swim along the beach front at about 4 feet of depth so if I got to cold I could stand for safety. I tried to swim head down but the water being so cold gave me brain freeze, the same feeling you get when you eat ice cream to fast! EEK!
I swam for about 200m front crawl lifeguard style with head up and felt good. My body was adjusting but my skin was tingling with pins and needles from the cold water. By the time I turned to swim back I started getting used to the water and was swimming head down back to where I started and had enough and got out because I didn't want to get hypodermic. I then sunned myself on the beach a while to dry of and rode back home.
Who would have thought I would be swimming on the May 2-4 weekend and specially in Kempenfelt bay! I remember once when I was little, 8-9 years old, being up at my cousins cottage on the May 2-4 weekend and swimming there in this kind of hot weather, but it was a smaller lake and not as cold being a smaller shallower lake.
Man if felt good to swim in the lake! I hope the weather keep up and stay warm so I can continue and eventually swim longer in the lake.
:)
Well I thought since it's feeling like summer why not go down to the lake for a swim.
At first I was going to go for a ride and do 30k easy ride, but when I grabbed my bike the rear tire was flat! and i don't have any spare tubes to change it out. This being a long weekend and a holiday Monday no stores are open, .....so much for my ride?
Well instead I took down my steel raleigh road bike hanging in the garage, filled the tires up and decided to go down to Centennial beach and see if I can swim yet?
As a rule Kempenfelt bay waters, which is part of Lake Simcoe the second biggest lake in Ontario takes until late June to warm up enough to swim, but being a mild winter and warm spring and now with the Hot weather this week I though I would give it a try.
I rode down to the beach and parked my bike along one of the trees at the beach and stripped down to my bathing suit I was wearing and put on my swim goggles from my back pack. I slowly walked into the water which felt cool but nice in this heat, and with no wetsuit on and just my speedo on I waded down to my mid section and dunked down to my shoulders and finally dunked my head!
The water temp was about 50F but on this hot day it felt refreshing! I sat there under the water to my neck to get used to the cold and after about 5 min I started out for my swim along the beach front at about 4 feet of depth so if I got to cold I could stand for safety. I tried to swim head down but the water being so cold gave me brain freeze, the same feeling you get when you eat ice cream to fast! EEK!
I swam for about 200m front crawl lifeguard style with head up and felt good. My body was adjusting but my skin was tingling with pins and needles from the cold water. By the time I turned to swim back I started getting used to the water and was swimming head down back to where I started and had enough and got out because I didn't want to get hypodermic. I then sunned myself on the beach a while to dry of and rode back home.
Who would have thought I would be swimming on the May 2-4 weekend and specially in Kempenfelt bay! I remember once when I was little, 8-9 years old, being up at my cousins cottage on the May 2-4 weekend and swimming there in this kind of hot weather, but it was a smaller lake and not as cold being a smaller shallower lake.
Man if felt good to swim in the lake! I hope the weather keep up and stay warm so I can continue and eventually swim longer in the lake.
:)
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