Rev3 Quassy Olympic Distance Triathlon

I am about a week late getting this blog entry done.  The end of a school year can be hectic with exams, grading and meetings.  We have 3 days left until summer break.  Not bragging here, just grateful for the chance to unwind from what has been a very rough spring.  April is a month I don't ever want to repeat again.  I've dealt with the lowest of lows with the death of Tim, one of the students in my advisee group, to starting the Boston Marathon only to be stopped 3/4 of a mile from the finish line.  I had planned on writing a blog post about the Marathon, but in the end, deciding on passing on that.  I wrote a lot about the race on my facebook page and felt in the end, writing a dedicated blog post to the race was not what I wanted to do.  

For those of you that have followed my triathlon journey will remember that I raced the Rev 3 Quassy Olympic triathlon last year where I experienced my first ever, DNF.  I asked to be removed from the water during the swim because I was having a real hard time breathing.  I soon found out I was having an allergic reaction to the high amount of pollen that was on the water than morning.  Needless to say, I NEEDED to get back to this race and make amends.  I would soon find out, that my friend David Laskey was not exaggerating when he told me this bike and run course would be TOUGH.

Leading up this race on June 1st the weather was HOT.  I had been concerned about not getting any open water swim done prior to the race, if only to be prepared for the cooler water temps at the beginning of the year.  I drove up on Friday with plans to get into the water prior to checking my bike into transition.  I would kill two birds, dealing both with the water temps and of course, the pollen issue from last year.    On my way to check-in and get my timing chip, I saw a friendly face in Kelly Williamson chatting with another athlete.  Kelly is a pro I connected with online about 18 months ago.  She has been a terrific source of advice and support.  She blogs about her races in a honest manner, pulling no punches when it comes to being constructively critical on her own performance.  We had a quick chat and Kelly introduced me to her fellow pro triathlete, Heather Wurtele.  Heather immediately said, "I know about you from facebook.".  Heather is a fellow Canadian and we hit it off right away.  She was waiting to do an interview with the Rev 3 folks, so I didn't want to take too much of her time.  Her and her husband Trevor are both pro triathletes and travel around a lot of North America in a motor home to races.

The water was absolutely fine on both accounts.  I had been diligently taking my allergy meds and had my inhaler with me as well.  I took a swim in my ORCA speed suit and the low 70's water temp was totally fine.  

Right at BIKE IN and BIKE OUT.

I was also able to connect with Courtney Ronner, from NYC.  She is good friends with a lot of my TriLife friends and we had met last year when I did the NYC triathlon.  We had been staying connected through facebook and twitter.  I checking in my bike and to my delight I realized I earned a spot at the end of a row in transition.  A coveted spot for any triathlete as it affords you a little more space in transition.  I was able to also connect with Eric Opdyke, the race director.  He also ran in Boston and passed me during the race, asking if I would be at Quassy and I said, I would.  It meant a lot to me to prove to him I could do this race, as it was he who drove me to the med tent last year after I had been pulled from the pond.  I felt totally dejected at that point.  I was also able to meet up with Eric Wynn, an amazing photographer.  He would be racing the Olympic and shooting a lot of the 1/2 Rev the next day along with David Laskey who would be shooting both days.  I also met up with Rachel and Ben Berry who now live in upstate NY.  Rachel would be racing in the Olympic race as well.  Ben was preparing with a large cycling event back in NY state on Sunday.

Bike checked in at end of a row!!!!!

After getting all checked in I decided to head to see Leticia and her family in Monroe, CT.  They graciously hosted me again this year.  I was eager to get their earlier this year and spend some time with her, Pedro and their two beautiful boys.   We spent a relaxing evening together, Pedro helped my get my tri-tats on and I went to bed around 10pm or so.  I would set the alarm for about 4AM in order to eat, pack the car and get the race site around 5:15AM or so.  Breakfast consisted of a banana, sportsdrink, apple sauce and a bagel with Nutella.

Race morning, ready to go!  It was already HOT.

The drive to the race (25 min) was uneventful and with the sun coming up already, I would not need my headlamp in order to get my gear.  Checking ahead of time, they had some handi-capped parking available right beside transition.  Arrival and prep went pretty easy and I was able to walk around a bit well prior to the race.  Saw lots of familiar faces and realized quickly it was going to be a HOT one with little wind.

I dressed for the swim using my sleeveless ORCA vest along with the wetsuit pants I have.  The two piece system seems to work well for me.  Hoping it will be warm enough when I race the Cohasset triathlon at the end of June.  I was set to go off with the 3rd wave at 7:10AM.  I was able to get a little practice swim in prior to the anthem.  And felt ready to go.

Prior to the start I set up in the back of the pack, hoping the water wasn't going to be churning up too much. Off we went at the horn and my day was starting.  The course is a simply rectangular path making two right hand turns at the buoys for a total distance of 1500m.

I was passed by at least two large packs of swimmers during the swim but managed to stay on course pretty well.  The back leg was hard to sight as we swam right into the rising sun.  I did my best to follow the swimmers passing me as I made pretty good time, completing the swim in 45:12.  I was hoping or 42 or 43 minutes, but being the first tri of the season, I was pretty happy.  The next most amazing part for me was my T1 time, as I was able to get out onto the bike in a little over a minute, at 1:06.

After ANOTHER big hill.  (Photo: David Laskey)

Now came to true test.  This would end up being the toughest Olympic bike course I have ever completed.  There were some challenging hills, some amazing downhills (40mph+), and virtually no flat segments.  There was two particularly steep ascents.  On one I lost my chain, but managed to stay upright and then get my chain back on real quick.  The climb around mile 11 of the bike was particularly difficult.  As I got to it, I noticed people getting off and walking.  I have been able to stay on my bike and every race and did not want to start walking today.  I was in my lowest gear making progress, when a real sense of struggle came over me and I thought, "what's the big deal, get off your bike and walk.".  Then a louder voice said "NO!!!".   Then this is what I PICTURED IN MY MIND, so vividly at the top of the hill.  K.A. was at the top of the hill, laughing at me and saying I could not do it.  He was calling me some awful things. I choose not to use his name, but he is the blogger who wrote some awful things about me completing the NYC triathlon back in 2011.

I could see him laughing and I refused to let him beat me.  I kept going and did not get off of my bike.  When  I crested the top of the hill, I simply looked to my right where I PICTURED HIM standing, and I said, "Fuck you!"  Sorry to anyone who that might offend, but I don't want you to lose the effect of what I had been feeling at this point.

The rest of the bike course remained a challenge, but I managed to complete it in a total time of 2:14:06.  That is well more than 35 minutes slower than my best 25 mile bike ride.  The heat and hills were really taking a toll on me.  I managed to keep drinking and had two gels on the bike, so my nutrition was going well.  My time in T2 was remarkably slower than T1, at 2:57.

A SLOW run.  (Photo: Wynn Photography)

This would end up being a very slow run as well.  At 1:47.13, it was almost 30 minutes slower than my best 6.2 mile run.  The heat was oppressive as I ran from side to side of the road trying to stay out of the direct sun.  My back as also starting to give some problems, more specifically, my legs were tingling a lot.  I had to stop a few times in order to stretch out my lower back.  The first two miles were particularly slow as well as the last mile, which was a long uphill leading to the final two-tenths of a mile back to the park.  The water stations were fully stocked, with lots of friendly people having fruit, water, Gatorade and lots of ice.  Dumping cups of it down the back of my tri-top helped with the lower back discomfort.  Finish time of 4:48:50 giving me 1st place in the para-triathlete division.  Being the only para-triathlete, all I needed to do was finish and I would win.  Well, I've always said, I am faster than everyone who stayed home today.

Coolest finisher medals ever!

Knowing there are at least 2 other LP triathletes has really helped me focus to start this season.  Raul Mico is in Valencia, Spain and Ryan Gambrell lives in the San Diego area.  They are both a lot younger than me, so for now, I have 4 seasons of experience in my corner.   I'm just so happy to know there are other LPs out there who are passionate about this sport as well.  Post-race I was wandering around the Rev3 tent (spending the $25 gift card I received along with the medals and other swag) and ran into one of my great online friends, Jen Small, a REV3 Team triathlete.  She was preparing to race in the 1/2 race on Sunday.  It was great to see her and wish her luck ahead of her big day.

Where's the food!!!!

Rev3 produced a terrific re-cap vido from the weekend.  I managed to make the video around the 2:35 mark in the vido. 

Age Group Video Recap

BOSTON 2013. Almost here......................

Mile Markers for Boston 2013

I plan on focusing my mental energy on race day to 27 different people or groups of people for each mile (and final 0.2 of a mile) of the Boston Marathon.

MOST of these people are POSITIVE influences in my life.  The people who have supported, encouraged, and followed my journey these last 5 years of my life. 

A couple of these people could have been NEGATIVE influences if I let that happen.   I will think about how they have come into my life and what I did to turn that energy around and use it to make me stronger.  You can’t spend your life letting people come into your life and let them affect you by something they said, or did to you. 

I would have to say that there are PLENTY more than 27 individuals, so though many will be specific people, some will be groups of people.   I wished I had thought about this list 27 days prior to the race, but it’s certainly better late than never.  And of course, if you didn't get named, please know, if at any time you wished me well and sent me an encouraging message, I appreciated it all from the bottom of my heart.

1. SUE. My partner, my rock, my love.  I am absolutely sure I would not be this healthy and alive today if it had not been for you.
2. Team Hoyt.  Watching the video of the two of you finishing the Ironman World Championships gave me the push to complete my first triathlon in 2009.  Also include Kathy, Bryan and Todd in here as well.
3.  Pingree School.  I don't think I could be working each day in a more supportive environment.  All of you at the school have helped and encouraged me.  Pingree parents (e.g. Trish C) have been supportive as well.  Thanks for allowing me work with such AMAZING kids each and every day.
4.  Former students from Norwood, ON, Canada  (Lisa, Antine, Lana, Karen, et al).  There are plenty more of you around as well.  I love keeping in touch with all of you as you raise your respective families.  Thanks for keeping in touch.
5. Mom.  I came into your life when I was 2 weeks old.  I am the man I am today all because of you.  Thanks for choosing me and loving me.
6. Kelly (blogger).  You could have brought me down, but I did not allow it.  It's too bad people in this world still think it's OK to dehumanize people of short stature.  When my body starts to hurt on April 15th, I will think of CRUSHING your spirit.
7. Jim Logan.  I would never have RUN if it was not for you.  "Walk if you must" is what you said. Look at me know!  This world lost a special man when you left us far too early.
8.  Leslie Battle.  We did a couple of races together and have both transformed our bodies these last few years.  I love your honest and direct view of life.  Never stop being YOU!
9. Peggy Curran Grimes and Sandi Stephenson.  Two of my closest online triathlon friends.  We have never met in person and yet I know I can count on encouragement from the both of you almost every day.  Of course, there are countless more online friends through facebook and twitter.  I thank ALL OF YOU!
10. Comprehensive Racing.  Nancy Thomson introduced me to this great group of triathletes.  I kept going after my first race because of the encouragement I got from Kurt, Jen, Patrick, Kosmo and the rest of a SUPER team.
11. Salem, MA, especially the people at the SALEM YMCA.  Bill, Chop, John, Rich, Charity, et all.  The Y is a great place to be and workout in an environment where we are there just doing our best to be healthiest.
12. Countless Triathlon Race directors.  It all started with the Mill City Triathlon.  You could have tried to deny me the change to race based upon your pre-conceived ideas of what a triathlete should look like.  You allowed me to race and that's what got me started.  Thanks Wendy, Mark, Kat, John K, et al.
13. CAF and Achilles International.  What a terrific group of athletes, guides and supporters.  You all understand how important it is for physically challenged athletes to have the same opportunites as able-bodied athletes.
14. My siblings (Bonnie, Wendy, Sharon, and Ed.  You helped me become the man I am today.  Because of my sisters I learned to respect and view women as equals.  Because of Eddy I learned to stand up for myself and not let bullies push me around.
15. Katie Lynch.  I never met you but learned through countless others that you were strong-willed and head strong.  I only hope I have half the will and drive that you displayed each and every day of your life. As an LP, you led the way to make sure there were opportunities for people with physical challenges to take part in physical activities and sports.
16. Jim Hutton at NSS.  My 9th grade P.E. teacher.  You treated me like all other 9th grade boys.  I was never allowed to take it easy in class.  All you ever cared about was that young people gave 100%.  Because of you I learned to never give up.  "DO OR DO NOT, THERE IS NO TRY!"
17. Gus Ryder.  You coached Marilyn Bell, the first person to swim across Lake Ontario.  I was lucky enough to learn how to swim at your pool in Mimico, Toronto.  
18. Marilyn Fennell.  My kindergarten and 1st grade teacher.  We are still friends to this day and both you and Fred are Owen's honorary grand-parents.  You made sure I was permitted to attend public school in 1970.  
19. My nephews and nieces; Dawn, Cheryl, Sara, Julie, Tara, Megan, Mike, Mark, and Shane.  I love each one of you with all my heart and loved watching each of you become amazing people.
20. Ken Skier and Ben Berry.  Both of you have an online presence always viewing life from the positive.  You run (race) to live and live to run (race) in perfect harmony.  I hope we have many more races together.
21. Bruce and Nathalie Casey (in-laws).  Along with Tim and David, you helped Sue become the beautiful woman I married almost 18 years ago.  
22. Other LP friends and their families.  Way too many to list them here.  Don't let others set your limits!  EVER!!
23. PARA-PROMOTIONS.  Jan Ditchfield.  Your VISION of how the world should view para-athletes will be life-changing for MANY.
24. My birth parents and their families. You made the decision 47 years ago to allow a beautiful woman and her family to raise me as their own.  Thank-you for loving me as well.  
25. Camera cars.  Taking pics of me because you think I'm "funny looking"?  GROW UP!  You only make me stronger.
26. Kelly Williamson, Simon Whitfield, Chrissy Wellington and other Pro triathletes.  Many of you have encouraged and helped me along the way.  What a GREAT SPORT!!
27. OWEN.  (Really 26.2) My son, my buddy, my greatest achievement ever.   You make me so proud each and every day.   I love you with all my heart
28. Almost forgot one more group.  Friends from St Peters prayed for me after injury and have always been there for me. God bless you!

MARATHON MAN

As soon as the dust settled about the NYC Marathon being canceled I set out to quickly find another 26.2 race within driving distance of home.  I figured I had done all the preparation needed to complete my first marathon and I wanted to do all I could to prove to myself whether or not I could complete the distance I had trained for.  I quickly found there was a race less than 90 minutes away in Plymouth, MA.  It was a first year race called the Myles Standish Marathon.  Most of the course would be run in the state forest.  A big difference from running through the streets of the 5 boroughs of NYC.  The race fee was a "steal" at only $50 with the added bonus that any NYC Marathon refugees would have half their race fees send to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

The race stated there was a 6 hour cut-off and since that was my target time, I reached out to the race director if finishing after the cut-off time meant a DNF or simply that there would be reduced support on the race course.  The race director Anne-Marie got back to me quickly to assure me I would not be pulled off the course and if anything, some of the volunteers might be released after that time.  I have started to use a FUEL BELT and knew I would be able to carry what I needed for the later stages of the race.  I immediately registered and then had to decide how best to prepare for the race after just completing a 2 week taper for NYC.

When I reached out to Anne-Marie I thought it best I send along links for the two stories about me leading up to the NYC Marathon.

New York Magazine


Boston Herald

Anne-Marie got back to me and asked if I felt it would be okay for her to reach out to some media contacts leading up the race.  As most people who know me are aware, I am not bashful at all about spreading the word.  I quickly heard that Fox News Boston was interested in doing a LIVE interview on the morning news program on the Friday morning prior to the race.  Pingree was gracious enough to allow me to travel down to Dedham for the interview.  The link to the interview is below.

Fox News Story

Sue and I discussed the best way to try and travel down to the race as Sue and Owen were both hoping to come and watch me at different points on the course. I certainly was not expecting them to come down for the entire day while at the same time I was not wanting to have to drive myself home after the race either.

I knew that a fellow triathlete I know, Donna Furse, who races with QT2 lives in Manchester and was doing the race as well.  I reached out and asked and she said she would be happy to have the company to drive down to the race.  Donna also let me in on some additional info.  It seems the race organizers had decided to allow people to start an hour early (at 7pm) if they were worried about making the 6 hour cut-off.  I went so far as to ask people online about whether or not I should start early.  I would say it turned out to be about a 60-40 split in favor of starting early.  I could think of many reasons to take the extra hour and in the end I decided to do so.  In the end, there are about 8 or 9 of us who started at 7AM.

Leading up to my prep for the race, I ended up deciding to do a mini ramp-up with a 10 mile run the week before the race and then keep all the other runs to between 4-6 miles.  The week prior to the race I decided to take part in the R11A 5K.  This honored Rich Angelo who was a member of the Fitwerx triathlon team who died unexpectantly during the swim portion of the USA Triathlon National Championships in Burlington, VT.  Rich was a dear friend of a number of triathletes I know in the area and he was also a beloved father, brother and son to a loving area family.

The race went better than expected as it was a very hilly course and I was able to average 12:07min/mile over the 2.8 mile (a wee bit short) course.  I stuck around for the award ceremony and then headed home to finish up about 7 miles on my own.

As race day approached I was trying to figure out the terrain of the course.  The elevation was described as "some rolling hills" and there were also two spots of running on packed dirt roads.  The weather was looking like clear skies but coolish temps.

Getting ready

On the bus!

Donna arrived like clockwork at 4:35AM as she stated she would.  I had got up about 45 min earlier and had my usual pre-race fruit and protein smoothie.  The temp outside was, 28 degrees, but luckily there was no wind at all.  The ride down there was fast but maybe it only seemed that way because Donna was such a great person to chat with.  We learned a lot about each other's families etc and of course a lot of why both of us race.  I always find when I get to know people, we are usually more alike than different.

We arrived at the drop-off spot a little before 6AM and waited for the shuttle (yellow school) bus to take us to the race start.  It was starting to feel a little weird that so much of the race was going to be in a state park yet it would be ending in a strip mall.

When we got to the start line I was rushed to get ready and head to the starting line.  I had decided to run in shorts but keep the compression sleeves in my calves.  I wore three t-shirts and a long sleeved shirt as well.  I ended up with a visor (instead of a toque) and no gloves.  The temp in the park as still in the high 20's but the sun was coming up and there was no wind.  I was certain once I got moving all would be fine.

At the 7AM start!  

We got a couple of pics of the early starters and by the time we assembled it was 7:08AM.  We lined up and then WE WERE OFF! I started feeling a bit emotional at this point thinking back to when I started all of this racing back in 2009.  Prior to my first triathlon, I had never ran more than once around a track.  Four of the runners started off quickly and I would never see them again.  There were 3 or 4 runners behind me, but most importantly, I was not feeling rushed.  I quickly got into my 3min/1min run to walk routine and all was feeling well.  I had remembered to take a blast of my inhaler prior to the start and so breathing was going quite well.

I also decided to run without music.  So much of my recent training was done listening to my body, especially my breathing, and I felt it would really work out better that way.  Without much of a crowd to worry about it did seem lonely AT TIMES, but since I trained that way, I was used to it.  The only real fans were at water stops and at the marathon relay transfer areas.

Except for miles 5 to 6 and then 7 to 8, most of course consisted of rolling hills.  The course was a lot hillier than I had expected, according to the description online and the mapymyrun site. With my GPS and google maps it turned out there was close to 1000ft of climbing and descending.  When I checked a few sites regarding the NYC Marathon, that race has about 800ft of climbing (mostly on the bridges).

I did not start getting passed by the 8AM runners until just before mile 8.  That ended up being a little later than I had expected.  For the first 8 miles I was averaging 13:10 min/mile, which was faster than planned, but all seemed real good at this point.  Once I started getting passed I knew that would mean a steady stream of runners would be passing me the rest of the morning.  I would certainly enjoy being cheered, but cheering them on as well.

I got my first glimpse of Sue and Owen between mile 10 and 11.  At that point, all was going according to plan.  My pace was good and temps at that time were warming up, but I was not HOT at all.  I got a nice hug and kiss from both of them and kept on going.

Once I reached 13.1 miles (1/2 marathon distance) my watch read 2:53:39, and all was well.  I had a 6 or so minute buffer built up at this point and could start to ease up a bit. The climbing at this point was pretty consistent.

Feeling OK! (Capstone Photo)

Things started to change after mile 15 and I started to feel like the climbing was getting harder.  I figured immediately after the race,   I had not trained well enough and I probably had just not been ready for the distance but when I checked out my GPS watch, my hopes had been confirmed.

The climbing was NOT IN MY HEAD.  Through the first 14 miles or so we had been averaging about 30 or  so feet of climbing per mile.  Mile 16 was 60 feet of climb with 70 of descent,.  Mile 17 had 60 feet of descent.

My knees, quads, and hamstrings were starting to get sore, not tight, just sore.  Again, I saw Sue and Owen between miles 17 and 18 and at this point I had calculated I would probably not make my 6 hour goal.  I took off my long sleeve shirt and gave it to Sue and continued on.

My pace at this time was slowing to close to 15 min/mile. And then I hit mile 19 with 85 feet of ascent.  Now I know, these GPS devices can be inaccurate.  But my watch was confirming what my body was feeling.

And then, I hit the WALL around mile 20.  Nutrition did not seem like a concern but something inside of my body was telling me to give up the running and simply walk the remaining 6+ miles.  That voice lasted for about 2 minutes.  And then I remembered, Katie Lynch, Jim Logan, the Hoyts, Sue and Owen and all those insensitive knobs who yelled things out of their car windows as I trained,  And I started to run again.  My lungs could not handle to 3 to 1 run to walk,  so I started to follow the electrical poles.  I would walk to a pole and then run between 2 or 3 of them and then walk to the next one.  That worked for most of the rest of the race.  The two stretches of dirt road on the course were not easy either.  I was doing my best to avoid the small potholes, so a lot along those roads was shuffling instead of running.


We exited the park just before mile 25 and I knew this quest would soon be over.  As I neared the finish chute I could here people yelling, "He's coming!".  I turned the corner into the small parking lot at the strip mall where were to finish, which was so different from the miles and miles in the park.

Sue and Owen were there and I crossed the line running as much as I could.  A big hug for both Sue and Owen and all I could do was look at Sue and start crying.  All I remember saying to her was, "That was SO HARD!".

At the Finish!  26.2 miles DONE.

My finish time was 6:20:07.  When I think about that, I finished less than a minute per mile slower than I had hoped for.  My goal was 13:44 per mile and I ended up with 14:18 per mile.  When I think about how much hillier that course turned out to be, I was totally satisfied with my finish.  It only took me less than 48 hours to starting thinking, when is the next one.

What a support crew!  Owen's sign says, "My Dad Just Did a Marathon"

Funny thing, 4 days later I would travel back to Andover to race in the Feaster Five again.  There would be more than 10,000 runners here and I ended up RUNNING the 5K and finished in 41:53.  Very close to my average 5K time.  Nothing beats running with Joan Benoit, Bill Rodgers, and the Hoyts.

Start of the Feaster Five

Look over on the right hand side.  Just 4 days post-marathon

NYC Marathon 2012. Well, almost.

As many know by now, the race itself was cancelled due to the terrible aftermath of "Hurricane Sandy".  There are arguments flying back and forth online about whether or not the race should have happened.  Also, there has been concern expressed about why the marathon was cancelled, yet 3 NBA games and an NFL game were able to go on in the area.

The argument can go back and forth for days, but deep down I know.  It was right to cancel the race.  The problem was the fact that they waited so long to do so.

Anyway, I want to share a letter I read to the school community where I teach.

Good morning.

This past week has been a whirl-wind of emotion for me from great highs to very low lows.  After the hurricane last week I was ready for the NYC Marathon to be canceled.  I had come to the conclusion that it was out of my control and I would be wasting energy worrying about it.  I would continue to train as planned and wait to see what happened.  It was obvious there was some terrible destruction in the NYC area, but the Mayor seemed positive that the race would go on as planned.   As the week came to a close, the Mayor announced that the race would actually go on.

I heard from a number of runners, that they would not race as they felt it would be disrespectful to the families who lost loved-ones or had their homes damaged or destroyed. Though I agreed I also heard the message that this race might be a rallying point for the city as it had been after 9/11.  The only difference was in 2001, the race was 7 weeks after the terrorist attacks, and this year the marathon would take place less than a week after the storm.  I considered the options and felt like I should go and race.  I had trained a long time for this and had numerous people supporting me along the way and I did not want to let them down.

My race jersey.

As we travelled down to NYC on Friday it got clearer with each mile past Hartford, how devastating this storm was.  Most gas stations along HWY 91 were closed either with no power or they were out of gas.  Trees were down all over the place and work crews were out cleaning up.  We were listening to the radio and receiving text messages (my wife was driving as I was reading them) that there were long lines for gas and no subways running.  All of the radio shows were saying the same thing, why was the marathon going on?  Bodies were still being recovered on Staten Island.  We arrived in NYC around 4:30pm, more than 2 hours later than expected as there was a long line to go over the bridge into Manhatten from the Bronx.  They were restricting cars to 3 occupants or more.  We parked the car, got our rooms and then at 5:30pm I got a text that the race had been canceled.

My immediate response was that of frustration and anger.  Why had I come all the way down here only to have the race canceled?  Was this a ploy by the mayor to get all 40,000 runners in town, cancel the race, and then at least have us there to spend our money.  I don’t know the answer, but I did know, it was the correct call.  Only much easier to take if it had been made 3 days before.  Many more runners sacrificed more than I did with canceled flights and then re-booking them.  There were athletes from South Aftrica, Australia, India, all over.

Me and Kat (Pres. of the NYC Chapter of Achilles Int)

But what had I lost, but some money for gas and a hotel stay.  Taking the time to realize, 1,000’s of people had no power, flooded homes, and 42 dead in NY alone.  I was only denied my first chance at running a marathon.  I got up early on Saturday morning and ran with some of my teammates from Achilles International and then had a chance to speak to some fund-raisers at a luncheon for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

I will have many more chances to race where some people’s lives are turned upside down by the loss of a loved one or their home. 

Take the time to be thankful for what you have and when a bump comes along in the road, it often helps to take the time to realize, there are often people a lot worse off than you are.

Mile 24 banner still in place.  I'll be back!

As an addendum, I just found out that there is a marathon in Plymouth, MA on November 18th.  I signed up last night.  So much for an off-season.  I am also racing in the Rich Angelo 5K this weekend to honor a fallen triathlete and father.  December 5th is the Jolly Jaunt 5K in Danvers, MA that raises money for the local Special Olympics.

NSS Reunion

I had a weekend away from Sue and Owen in Toronto.  There was a dedication ceremony at my old high school, Northern Secondary School.  There had been a campaign and a brand new turf field was put in and they had a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the field.  The field had been named CLARKE PULFORD FIELD back when the school celebrated it's 75 anniversary.  Mr. Pulford was there to help cut the ribbon along with some other key people involved in getting the new field project done.  

Former Red Knight Football players from the 80's along with Coach Pulford

Me along with Jim Hutton.

Both Jim Hutton, my 9th grade phys ed and math teacher along with Dale Callendar, were integral people involved in getting this 7? year project complete.  They were directly involved in fund raising and in helping to secure outside donations and pledges from both corporate and government entities.

As I wrote on my facebook page, Jim Hutton was one of the main reasons I became a teacher.  His goal in life had always been to help young people become responsible for their actions.  He taught me to be self-disciplined and for that, I am eternally grateful.

I got to spend some key time with some great friends from NSS.  In no particular order, they are, Ottilie, Graeme, Wade, Chris, Toby, Jan, Stephanie, Bill, Warren, John, Ainsworth, Alex, Dave, Peter, Ford, and Nata.  I am really sorry if there are some names I left out.  It really was a whirlwind tour. There some former teachers as well, some of whom I had MAJOR crushes on back in the day.  To save their embarrassment, I won't included their names, but suffice it to say, they taught me Chemistry and English in the grade 12 and 13 respectively.

I also got a very quick visit in with Bonnie and her family and along with my mom.  I arrived there on Sunday afternoon and then flew home this evening.  I was actually able to fly home on Porter Airlines for free using the tickets I won from the Toronto Triathlon Festival.

This morning I was able to get up and have my longest training run in preparation for the NYC Marathon which is in 4 weeks.  I did a 13.1 mile run through Orangeville this morning leaving my sister's house just prior to 7AM.  I completed the run in 3:02 and what really struck me was that my last 13.1 RACE was completed in 3:05.  This run goes along way in boosting my confidence as I prepare to race the marathon.  Deep down inside, I KNOW I WILL BE READY in November 4th.  Lookout, NYC, here I come!!!

 

Pumpkinman 1/2 Iron Triathlon

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

Harriet Tubman

Not enough races live up to all the hype you here.  With social media, it sometimes only takes a small circle of people to falsely boost up the ratings of a race.  You hear it's the BEST one for scenery, race support, swag, etc, and yet it sometimes just does not deliver.  Well,  I was finally able to take part in the Pumpkinman Triathlon Festival up in Berwick, ME.  Kat Donatello and her husband Jeff put an amazing event.  The "Festival" consists of a sprint race on the Saturday and then the 1/2 Iron race on the Sunday.  They were the first to bring a 1/2 Iron distance race to Maine 5 years ago.  It did not disappoint!  Hands down, the BEST VOLUNTEERS of any race I have ever done.  I know it's only been 20 races now over 4 years, but no other race touches this one for the PEOPLE involved.

 I had decided to head up there early Saturday morning so I could help out at the sprint race.  I wanted to see this TREMENDOUS hill they all talk about that you take to get to transition from the swim.  It's actually such a big hill, they award a prize to the athlete who can get up the hill the fastest.  I arrived at about 4:45AM and was asked by Tracy (volunteer coordinator) to help with parking and then move my way up to transition. It took a long time for the sun to come up and once it did I was able to take a look at this massive hill, and it was no exaggeration.

Meeting up with Kosmo (Dave) and Nancy

One HUGE bonus for me to was to finally get a chance to meet Bob and Mary-Ann Blais.  The are the parents of Jon Blais, the "BLAZEMAN WARRIOR POET".  Jon acquired ALS in 2005 and prior to that had been a teacher and triathlete.  He refused  to simply die from this terrible disease.  In 2005 he entered and completed the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.  He succumbed to the disease in 2007 but his memory lives on today in 100's of Blazeman Warriors who compete in triathlons to raise money for ALS research, all the while rolling across the finish line to bring awareness to this disease and celebrate his life.  I watched this VIDEO  after I had started competing in triathlons in 2009.  It not take too long before I contacted Bob and Mary-Ann Blais in order to explain how connected I felt to Jon even though we had never met.  We immediately struck up a friendship and this would be our first chance to meet.  I saw them prior to the start of the sprint and we had a chance for a nice long chat.  They of course were as gracious and giving as I had expected.  The Blazeman Foundation can be found HERE for anyone interested in becoming involved in a very worthwhile cause.

Once the race started I spent my time in transition helping to direct athletes in and out.  I loved the ambiance of the race and was really enjoying cheering everyone on.  I was able to see a number of great friends race, for example; Kyle Burnell, Vinny and Marty Miserandino, Brendan Reen, Nancy Thompson, and David Boyle.

I stayed for most of the race, pretty much until the last bike was in.  I made sure to check in with friends and then made my way of site to find some lunch and then check into the my hotel.  I was going to find a local place to eat and then I remembered that there is a TIM HORTON'S in Biddeford, ME.  I checked the GPS and it was only about 25 minutes away.  ROAD TRIP!!!!  Nothing beats a taste of home when you are far way from it.   A nice light lunch and then I made my way to Sanford, ME, to the Super 8 Hotel I booked.  The hotel was about 20 minutes away from the race site.  It was SO CLEAN and QUIET.  For under $80 it was a pretty good deal.

I stayed for most of the race, pretty much until the last bike was in.  I made sure to check in with friends and then made my way of site to find some lunch and then check into the my hotel.  I was going to find a local place to eat and then I remembered that there is a TIM HORTON'S in Biddeford, ME.  I checked the GPS and it was only about 25 minutes away.  ROAD TRIP!!!!  Nothing beats a taste of home when you are far way from it.   A nice light lunch and then I made my way to Sanford, ME, to the Super 8 Hotel I booked.  The hotel was about 20 minutes away from the race site.  It was SO CLEAN and QUIET.  For under $80 it was a pretty good deal.

 

Meeting up with Mary-Ann and Bob Blais

I returned to the race site for package pick-up and the hopes of a short swim, bike and run.  The chance to swim did not happen as there was a wedding on site and they understandably didn't want us ruining the pictures running around in wet suits.  I did have a short ride after meeting up again with the Blaises.  We chatted a lot more about Jon and about my day tomorrow.  I explained to them I expected to finish between 8 to 8.5 hours.  My previous 1/2 Ironman time was 8:59, but I was convinced I had done a lot more work in preparation, especially running off the bike, otherwise known as a BRICK workout.
On the way back to my hotel I stopped at a local Italian take-out place and then returned to my room to eat and pack for the morning.

I set the alarm for 4AM and after packing layed on the bed expecting to lay awake for a while but for some reason I was real calm and relaxed.  I drifted off to sleep around 10pm and had a very good night's sleep, which again is not common prior to a race.  This might have something to do with a request I had made of friends prior to the race.  I asked for some prayer help prior to this race.  All I simply requested was that people ask God to keep me safe.  Competing for more than 8 hours non-stop is not an easy task.  If I was confident I was in His hands I could concentrate in racing.

I woke up at 4AM and quickly checked the weather.  We had had some severe rain late in the night but it looked like the rain had stopped.  The sky was overcast, but it looked like there would be no rain for the race.  I had my protein smoothie, banana, yogurt, and some PB&J sandwiches.  I packed up the car with my gear and bike and made my way to the race site.

Parking at the site was not a problem.  I got up near transition, got body-marked and then racked my bike.  It was still a while before sunrise so I simply walked around a bit prior to laying out my gear.  Once it got lighter out, I set up my area and then chatted a bit more with other athletes.  The neatest thing happened when an athlete approached me to ask, "Are you the Titan!".  Well, that just made my day.  I am now one month into an agreement with Para Promotions.  They are a company that is establishing themselves to represent elite level para-triathletes.  The company president, Jan Ditchfield is a triathlete herself who has worked numerous races guiding visually impaired triathletes.  She lives in Ottawa, ON and I first met her last summer when I raced in Peterborough, ON.  We raced together again at the New York City Triathlon and she contacted me after the race about forming this partnership.  They have set-up both a facebook Fanpage and also a webpage.  This athlete said he was a friend of Carolyn Gaynor (we raced together in NYC as well) and had seen her tweeting about the fan page.  VERY COOL!!

Prior to the race there was a very moving ceremony where some of Jon Blais's ashes were scattered in the lake. Just like the previous night, a sense of relaxed calm came over me as I thought about Jon and then about the day I was about to have.  I was determined to smile more and take in the entire day.  I was SO READY to have an amazing race.

A moment of silence prior to the race in memory of Jon "Blazeman" Blais (by D. Laskey)

Me and Jules Gorman.  Peace! (photo by D. Laskey)

I was in the 2^nd wave which went off a minute after the pros left.  The course is a two course totally a distance of 1.2 miles.  It was a counter-clockwise course which I prefer since I breathe to my left side.  Off we went, and the first lap went just fine.  I got clobbered a bit prior to the first buoy when the wave behind us caught up to me.  A couple of swimmers got close, but no big deal.  Sighting the buoys went well and managed to keep pretty close to a straight line cornering each buoy as you are supposed to.  I finished the first loop in 30 minutes and the second in 29 minutes, for a total of 59 minutes on the swim.  Out of the water I came, and now in front of was THE HILL!!!  I took off my cap and goggles and simply kept a good pace getting up the hill.  Wet-suit top off as I entered transition and started to run to my bike.

As I quickly got ready for the ride, transition went pretty well.  I got out and got on the bike quickly.  I thought it was a bit too cloudy to wear my sunglasses so I kept them in my helmet.  The first few miles of the bike were VERY ROUGH but after a couple of miles, things started to smooth out somewhat.  The ride consisted of a loop that was done twice with 2 different bottle exchanges.  What that meant is we essentially had 4 chances to change bottles on a 56 mile course.  

Taking a corner. (photo by D. Connolly)

Since I cannot reach my bottle cage without getting off of my bike, this was terrific.  I exchanged 3 times out of 4 getting water once and Gatorade twice.  Except for the initial and final couple of miles the course was very smooth with very few concerns or technical corners.  Where the turns were, they had ample marshals and police out to help.  

On one particular hairpin turn there was plenty of warning to slow down and watch out!  A HUGE bonus on the ride was the sight of good friend of mine from high school days named Dianne.  Here and her partner live in Maine, very close to the race sight.  She came to cheer me on and take some pics.  I actually saw her at least 3 different times on the bike and the once on the run.

Cruising! (Photo by Dianne Connolly)

I was very happy to make it into T2 and realize I was not the last bike in.  I took my time getting ready for the run, taking a puff of my inhaler and 2 Advil with some gel and watered-down Gatorade.  Here’s where I was to find out if all of my BRICK training was worth it.  Well, unlike the Patriot Triathlon last year, I was able to start running and keep running.    Just as I left transition, I heard a familiar voice call out “DAD!” and then one yelling, “JOHN”.  Sue and Owen made it there in time to see me out on the run.  I turned around and waved but had to keep running !!!

So much "easier" this time.  (by D. Connolly)

My pace stayed pretty consistent for the entire 13.1 miles.  This course was an out-and back that we had to do twice, so except for my final turn-around, I saw lots of people and we cheered each other on.  The best part of this was the ability to see the best feature of the PUMPKINMAN, and that’s the volunteers.  We passed most of the aid stations 4 times, since this was a double out and back.  They cheered just as loudly each time, and in fact, got louder!   There was a young family at the top of the big hill giving out cold, wet sponges.  The kids were amazing as they were almost fighting over who could whom the sponges.  The asked me the second time I came by what my name was.  The next two times going by, I could here them yelling, “JOHN…… you’re doing GREAT.”  I made the mom chuckle, when she yelled each time, “YOU ROCK THE HOUSE!”, to which I replied, “I DON’T WANT TO ROB YOUR HOUSE!”.  At the turn-around they had an OASIS set up with music, food, water, sponges, etc.  It was great to see them and get a real boost.  On my second time up, when I realized I was the last runner, as I neared the top, Jeff (Kat’s husband) drove up to tell me, they were keeping the course open for me and everyone was waiting at the OASIS to cheer me on and of course also at the FINISH line.  I got up there and said thanks again and again, and then started the final run down the hill.

A lot of time to be alone between the groups of great volunteers.
(by D. Connolly)

As I passed the “sponge” family, I of course thanked them as well, and kept going.  It was a real surprise as I neared the last water stop to see a number of the volunteers from the run course had come down to cheer me in to the finish.  I had done the math a while back and realized I had not made the 8:00:00 cut-off or even the 8:15:00 mark, but I had a real chance of making it in under 8:30:00.  The final hill was kind of deceptive and I ended up walking most of it.  

Entering the finish chute.  (by D. Connolly)

I entered the grounds and ran towards the finish chute.  As I entered the chute I had to be careful as it was a steep downhill on grass.  If I was not careful I might end up falling and rolling down.  I could heard Andy Schachat announcing my name and in fact he was even playing some of John Williams’s Olympic music to boot.   I had already made up my mind to roll across the line in honor of Jon Blais, but that was only cemented when I saw both Bob and Mary-Ann Blais waiting at the finish line along with Sue and Owen and then Kat and Kyle holding up the finishing line tape.

Rolling for the Blazeman. (by M. Blais)

All of what I’m doing now is centering on preparing for my first full marathon.  On November 4^th I travel to NYC to compete in the ING New York City Marathon.  That is 26.2 miles in the city that never sleeps.  Again, when I started all of this 3 years ago, I would have never imagined a full marathon would be in my future.

I ended up finishing in 8:30:02.  I was SO HAPPY with this time.  I took almost 30 minutes off my time from Patriot on what I feel was a harder course.  My run time of 3:22 was only 16 minutes slower than my last stand-alone ½ marathon.  I know I can’t complain about that.  I’ve had doubts but really think a 140.6 is not out of the question.

With the Blais family, Sue, and Owen (K. Donatello)

Homeward Bound to the Toronto Triathlon Festival

This post would have been finished days ago, but I have been distracted a lot by the Olympic Games in London.  Catching a lot of the sports online during the day and then also watching some of the tape-delayed events on TV in the evening.

I've now been racing triathlon for 4 seasons.  I have raced in other states and even in Canada last year, but nothing could beat racing in your hometown.  Months ago, when I read a tweet about the Toronto Triathlon Festival, I decided pretty quickly that this race would have to be on my race schedule.  As we were already heading home to Toronto just 2 weeks prior to this race for my nieces wedding, this would have to be a trip I did on my own.  I was impressed by the race organizers as they already had a PC (physically challenged) category set up.  The reason I mention this is that when I decide to do a race, I often have to ask about a PC category.  Most race directors will oblige and add the category, but it's a shame that I have to ask.  I feel if a race is sanctioned by the USAT or any other governing group, a PC category should be mandatory.  It often makes me laugh that they have a category for heavier racers (CLYDESDALE and ATHENA) which is something with which most people have control, but not for something like a physical challenge, which is certainly nothing I did to myself.  Now I know, some people are generally bigger than others, but many Clydesdales can lose enough weight in order to be racing alongside all the other triathletes.  I'm sure I might get some flack for this comment, but it's the way I feel.

Anyway, after I registered the race director contacted me and suggested I do a write-up about my racing experience in order to be considered for TRIATHLETE of the MONTH leading up to the race.  I did a write-up and was quickly told I had been selected for the month of MARCH.  What was most impressive to me was a newsletter came out with the announcement of my selection along with Simon Whitfield.  Most triathletes and Canadians will know him as the flag bearer for the 2012 Canadian Olympic team.  I will be getting up on Aug 7th at 5AM in order to watch him race for Canada in London.  Before I left for Toronto, I printed out a copy of the newsletter in order ask Simon to sign it.  Kinda cool with a pic of my family and I on one side, and Simon on the other!  I was awarded a return flight with Porter Airlines for being selected.  I plan on using the ticket to fly home in the fall for a special function at NSS, my high school in Toronto.  

TTF Newsletter

I am still in touch with my kindergarten teacher, Marilyn Fennell.  Her and her husband, Freddie, live in downtown Toronto.  Their place is not far from the race venue down at Ontario Place.  The arranged for me to stay in a guest apartment in the building for the weekend.  This would certainly make getting to the race site a lot easier, as I needed to be there both Friday and Saturday, prior to the race on Sunday.  As I would be traveling down alone, I didn't want to spend all day Friday driving (more than 500 miles), so I arranged to stay overnight at a hotel in Utica, NY on Thursday night and then make the rest of the way to Toronto early Friday morning.

The drive down on both Thursday and Friday were without incident, unless you include the border crossing at Lewiston, NY.  There were 12 lanes to chose from, and I of course, chose the slowest line.   I thought I must have the one real detailed customs agent.  Well, when I got up to the booth, I found out, that was not the case.  The agent asked me citizen, purpose of visit, etc.   When I mentioned I was going to race in a triathlon, she asked me all about it.  I then realize, I got the "CHATTY CATHY" customs agent.  It sure did not make the ride any easier.

I got into Toronto in the early afternoon and made my way along the Gardiner Expressway.  I was now driving on the same highway that would be closed on Sunday for the race.  I had an awesome view of the both the CN Tower and Rogers' Centre (formerly the Skydome).

Part of the bike course along the Gardiner

 I arrived at Fred and Marilyn's and unpacked my gear.  I was planning on leaving my bike in the care and then assembling it and riding it on Saturday afternoon.  My plan was to get down to the Westin hotel to check in and register for the "Fun Run".  I had connected online with Travis McKenzie from Nine17sports who were the event management team for the race and I was eager to meet him.

I arrived in time for the run which I thought was a 5K and ended up being about a 1K, which made me really happy.  The run was a little PR  event by the TTF and Porter Airlines in preparation for the race.  It was simply a run around the boardwalk near the hotel and took me about 7:40 or so.

After the Porter Airlines "Fun Run" photo by Flashmobs

I was really excited about what I was going to do next.  I have been in touch through Facebook with a couple of my old high school buddies and we were planning a little get together for Friday night.  We were set to meet up at a little bar down in Korea town (Bathurst and Bloor) called the Victory Cafe.   When I showed up and looked around I found my buddies, Toby, Jan, and Wade.  Chris (who organized the get-together) showed up a little later.  It was a simple evening of catching up, some beers (carbo loading?)  and lots of old stories about high school days.  The group of guys actually see each other a lot, a long with quite a few others.

Toby, Jan, me, and Wade

I am one of the few who actually moved quite a bit away from the Toronto area.  We hung around for quite a while, headed a popular Toronto landmark called Grossmans' Tavern looking for some live music.  Our timing was not great, as the band had just started their break.  I hung out for a while but really felt the need to get some rest.  I said good-night and then headed back to where I was staying.

Saturday morning was relaxed I met Fred and Marilyn for some breakfast and then made my way over to the pool with Marilyn for a swim.   It was nice to stretch out a bit and I think I only did about 1000 yards or so.

Prior to heading to the race briefing I thought it would be a good idea to get my bike out and take if for a little ride.  I got out and was planning on a real short ride, but bring back in my old stomping grounds, I decided to ride up to my old highschool, NSS, to check out the new turf field they had installed.  Alum, Dale Callender and former phys ed teacher, Jim Hutton were the driving force behind getting the money and donations together to get build this field to honor, former high school football coach, Clarke Pulford.  The ride was nice as I headed up to Mt. Pleasant and Eglinton.  Riding back down, I wanted to see how fast I could get riding down Yonge St.  Being a Saturday afternoon, I thought the traffic was not too bad.  The cruise down Yonge St was quite cool

After the ride I got ready to head back down to the Westin for packet pick-up and my race briefing. 
For a new race, there were not a lot of glitches.  I found my race number and then went into the room for the briefing.  At the end of the briefing by both Steve Fleck and Travis McKenzie, they opened the floor to questions.  Once those were handled, we went to get our packets, timing chips, etc.  This was one place where there was a little confusion.  The 100+ of us in the room were all allowed through a single door to then wait in lines.  The system they had was a bit chaotic and of course rewarded people who were great at cutting lines.  Living for more than a few years in the U.S. has given me some experience with this.  The nice and mostly Canadian crowd, patiently waited in some lines that seemed not to move.  I simply went to the last line and found out it moved pretty well.  I got my material and then looked around the Expo.  The Expos are quite neat, but I rarely find anything worth getting.

I walked around a while and then made my way back up to the St. Clair and Yonge area.  I was going to try and meet up with another old friend from the neighborhood where I grew up.  This was Michael Crooks, whose older sister, Charmaine Crooks, ran for Canada at numerous Commenwealth and Olympic games.  She is currently a member of the IOC.  Things did not work out meeting up with Michael.  I don't know if it was cell-phone problems, but we never seemed to connect that afternoon.  I found a nice restaurant to try and have a late lunch/early dinner.  When I asked at the Starbucks, they suggested I try and small pub called The Fox and the Fiddle.  I managed to get a nice salad and plate of pasta and the cost did not really break the bank.

I sat there for a while and then made my way back to the apartment.  After dropping off my race materials, I dropped in on Fred and Marilyn for a bit before turning in for the night.  I put my feet up for a while and watched a bit of TV prior to packing my race bag.  I thought it would be smart to get all the gear I did not need packed in my car.  After that, I set out my food for the morning and then turned in.

Transition was not to open until 5:15AM, so I woke at 4AM and then proceeded to get dressed and eat.  I had no way to mix a smoothie, so I had a large chocolate light, Muscle Milk along with a banana and bagel.  This would be my coolest race morning ride as I basically rode straight down Yonge St to the Lakeshore and then over to Ontario Place.  There was plenty of parking near transition.

I found a spot and then took my bike out of the car along with my ORCA race-bag.  It was a short walk to transition where I quickly found my bike rack.  As a para-triathlete, they gave us a special area right next to the pros.  Both Simon Whitfield and Paula Findlay would also be racing, but only in the sprint distance as a final training exercise before heading off to London.

Ted and me.

I had plenty of time to set-up and while doing so, I was admiring the views of the Toronto skyline.  I was able to meet up with my high school friend Ted Katsoris.  He is also triathlete and we have been in touch over the last few years after we connected on, yes here it is again, facebook.  When Simon and Paula showed up I tried to wait for a chance to chat with Simon for a second.  When I walked over to him, he extended his hand and said, "Hi John, how are you?"  Now of course, you might say, well, isn't that how decent people are supposed to great each other.  I was freaked out, that he knew my name.  Now we had been in touch on twitter and facebook, but only in passing, so I was impressed he knew my name.

Me along with Canada's flag-bearer in the Opening Ceremonies

He did joke with me and asked why I had a chair in transition.  I mentioned it was part of being a para-triathlete, where he then responded, "Well, if I am out of the water first, I'm stealing your chair!"  Well of course, he was out of the water before me, but my chair was still there after my swim.  I asked Simon to sign the newsletter and he graciously obliged.  I also had a chance to wish Paula good luck in the Olympics as well. I then finished up in transition and made my way to the swim start.

The USAT has a rule where pare-triathletes generally go into the swim in the first wave, but in Canada we are put in the last wave.  The swim was an in the water start after a jump in off a small dock.  I was the only male in the last 2 waves and when the announcer mentioned the fact that he wanted all ladies in the water for the last wave, I could not resist, and called out, "What about me?"  Steve Findlay was on the mic and of course, he quickly had a giggle and apologized, and said, "All the ladies and JOHN in the water please."

Heading towards T1 (by Mike Cheliak)

The swim was in a sheltered marina area right off of Ontario Place.  The course had lots of turns as we mostly followed the perimeter of the basin until we came back towards the boats.  With the sun shining it was difficult to swim back towards the east.  Being in the last wave and starting near the back, I figured I would see very few swimmers.  Well, that was not totally the case.  I saw he same woman for most of the swim and even passed a few of the struggling athletes who were swimming on their backs.  There were some steps out of the water that were easy to climb and there was even someone there to offer a hand if it was needed.  For the 1.5KM swim my time was 0:44:04 (489/501 overall).

It was a short run in to transition and to my bike.  A quick look around and I noticed there were still a number of bikes remaining, so at that point I realized I was not the last out of the water.  Transition was pretty quick at 1:59, but right after the timing mat was a large hill we needed to walk our bikes up that would take us to a bridge over Lakeshore Dr.  Once on the bike this course was what I was most waiting for.  I would be hard to race and at the same time enjoy the view of the city where I was born, but I did my best.  We got to ride through the Exhibiton (CNE) grounds (past the famous "FOOD BUILDING" ) and except for one marshall not really doing her job, the course was well marked.  Once out of the grounds we made our way onto the Gardiner Expressway.  Not a lot of cities allow road (even better, highway) closures, but we had both the eastbound Gardiner and northbound DVP closed to traffic for this race.  We ride all the way past the CN Tower, Rogers' Center (formerly the Skydome) through the downtown core out east towards the DVP.  The ramp onto the DVP was an awesome downhill where I was able to reach in excess of 35mph.  I wondered how I would fare getting up the ramp on my way back.  Once onto the DVP it is a ride on some pretty smooth roads up to Eglinton Avenue where we had a sharp turnaround.  I was passed by a few bikes on my ride, and in turn passed others as well.  At the turn around I got off my bike to re-fill my aero bottle.  With my short arms, I can't reach the bottle cage and need to stop riding to re-fill.  The ride back down to the city was breath-taking and FAST.

That hill I worried about back onto the Gardiner really was not that bad.  I was able to ride up at a good pace and head back westbound.  Once at the CNE we needed to ride about another 2 miles or so to then turn around and head back east again towards the CNE.  There was a very sharp right up a ramp back into the CNE.  Once on the grounds I noticed the first riders from the Sprint race heading out for their ride.  We started at 8AM and their race had a 9:30AM start.  Once across the timing pad, my time for the ride was 1:40:32 (492/501).  Not my fastest 40KM race time, but a very good time for me none the less.

Another quick transition time and I was out for the run.  The course was an out and back along a path called the Martin Goodman Trail that follows westbound along Lakeshore Drive.  We had to deal with the general public all along the path and that included plenty of cyclists and roller bladers.   There was not a lot of shade along the run, and the sun was shining without any cloud cover.  I did not make the same mistake about ADVIL this time and took 2 right out of transition with a gel and some water.  My back held on for the entire run and I simply tried my best to pace myself as there were light posts all along the path.  I kept up pretty well, running between 3 or 4 of them and then walking between 2.  I did that for most of the way to the turn around.  And then did my best to run a bit more on the way back.  The highlight certainly had to be running by Sunnyside Pool, which is now named in memory of Gus Ryder.  He was my first swimming teacher when I was a young child.  He also coached Marilyn Bell, who was the first PERSON to swim across Lake Ontario.   I wondered then, what he would think seeing me race that day, as back then when I did learn to swim with him, I was doing it in a class with other so-called disabled children.

One thing I wish that race volunteers who take it upon themselves to yell out how far you have to go, did so with some accuracy.  At least two different volunteers yelled out how far we had to go and they were way off.  One said, "2.5KM to go" when actually we had more than 4KM to go.  Also, they did have markers along the path marking the distance, but "someone" thought it would be funny to switch a lot of them around. For example, I passed the 4KM marker, followed by the 6KM then the 5KM.  Also, at one point, the distance between the 7KM and 8KM markers, was less than 1/2 a KM.  No worries, I tried my best to pay attention to my own body and GPS watch.  My buddy Wade showed up on his bike to cheer me on with about 4KM to go.  He asked if I wanted him to stay with me, and I kindly (I think?), said "No thanks".

Crossing the finish line.

As we entered Coronation Park, I could hear the music and the crowds of spectators and athletes who had already finished, grew larger.  I noticed a familiar face with Marilyn about 100m from the finish and then my buddy Toby as well, cheering me on.  I turned the final bend and headed to the finish.  As I crossed the line, I checked my watch and, with the mess up from the swim, I was unsure if I had finished under 4:00:00.  I would find out later in the day, after checking online, my time for the run was 1:31:00 flat, and as I had hoped, my overall time was 3:59:48.  I think this is my 4th race finishing during the 59th minute.  Certainly two great things to take away from the race, both my bike and run were substantially faster than NYC, which I completed two weeks prior.  I know they are different courses, but it still feels good to go faster over equal distances.

Finishline Video

CITY-TV News Story about the TTF

CITY-TV news was at the finish line and I was interviewed by them and was excited to be able to watch the news later at my sister's home with my mother watching as well.

Stacey meeting me after the race!

One of my former students, Stacey, made it down to the city to meet me at the finish, and that certainly meant so much to me.  Along with Marilyn and my high school buddies; Wade, Toby, and Chris it was great having some friendly faces to see and the finish line.

After the race I headed back to the apartment to clean up and say "Thanks" to Fred and Marilyn for their hospitality.  I drove up to Orangeville to see Bonnie, Gord, Mark, Kelly, Haydyn, and of course, my mom.  We had a nice dinner and of course, I took a relaxing dip in the pool.

The only bad part about this trip would be the LONG ride home on Monday.  I left Bonnie's at about 8AM and don't think I got back to Salem until about 10PM or so.  It was a difficulty trip, but I really wanted to be home with Sue and Owen.  I know I've said this before, but Sue does SO MUCH to help support me in what I'm doing and the time she spends at home with Owen means so much to me.