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| My goal for 2011 - The finish line |
I just want to say thanks for coming by and taking a look at my blog. I decided to start one for those interested in following my journey to Ironman Canada. And for myself, so I can look back an see where I was in the passing weeks of my training.
I am sure there are many points that I could say where the "Start" to my road to Ironman, but i'll focus on One that sticks out for me :-)
It started with a bike. A Blue, carbon fiber road bike to be percise... It was November of 2008 and I had just signed up for the "2009 Ride to Conquer Cancer." I had done so in memory of my Aunt Kathy who in 2006 lost her long battle with Brain cancer. I thought what better way to honor a loved one lost to this horrible disease.
So what do you do when you commite yourself to riding 200km's in 2 days when you have never riden more than 10km in your life? Start training :-) I bought a bike trainer, started swimming at the Gretzky centre, and started running on a treadmill at the gym. Seems easy enough right? Wrong. I hated the bike trainer. I sucked at swimming (Could not even swim 150 meters without stopping). And I could run (I say run, but it was more a jog) for about 5mins.
So as horrible as I was at everything, I kept trying. I never gave up. Because for the first time I felt like that had a reason to keep going. No more half starts and full stops. It was on one way or the other... So over the coming months my results improved. I was able to spend more and more time on the bike trainer. I could swim 500 meters without stopping. And I was able to not only run, but stay on the treadmill for 30mins+. Things were starting to look up :-)
As the summer approched and my fitness improved, my brother-in-law asked if I wanted to run a 10km race in Toronto and/or do a Triathlon with him? I thought "Why not, i'm pretty much in the best shape of my life." So I signed up for the 'Sporting Life 10km' and 2 sprint triathlons. .. Up first, the 'Sporting 10km.' Results: 41min:38seconds. Not bad for my first 10km race :-) So then comes 2 triathlons within a month. And after that I was hooked. It was in love.
A few weeks later I was riding across the finish line of the 'Ride to Conquer Cancer' in Niagara falls. My mom was there waiting for me. And the look on her face said it all. She was happy. She was happy for my success. She was happy for the cause. She was happy because I was happy :-)... Fastforward through the summer, 5 triathlons and a half marathon later; 2009 and My first 'season' came to an end. And it Was love, because here I am. And at the time, Ironman was not even a seed in my brain yet. Or was it?
First Month totals:
Swimming: 17hrs= 26,600 meters (26.6km)
Indoor bike trainer: 21.5hrs= Translate this onto the road, at a avg. speed of 30km/h x 21.5= 645km's
Running: Just over 13hrs= 130km
Other: (i.e gym, yoga, ext.) 4hrs
total hours: 55.5 (Think of craming in another work week plus into you month)
