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Thursday, September 1, 2011

45 in 45 Race Update - Unlucky 13th

Here’s the latest update, 17 races down….28 to go!   My body is aching, Advil needed….
 
 Everywhere we go, Jimmy seems to be there!


Here is the updated list, from June 26th till August 28th


1.Huntington Disease Run 10km (with Jefferson)
2.Peachbud 5km
2.5 Peachbud 1-mile Kids run (as Jefferson mascot)
3.Angus Glen Canada Day 5-miler
4.Pride Run 5km
5.Warrior Dash
6.Wine and Dine 1/2 Marathon Run
7.Downtown Dash 5km
8.Durham 1/4 Marathon
9.Muskoka Rocks 5km
10. Wilson Wet and Wild Sprint Tri
11. Coburg Duathlon
12. Acura 5km
13. Sunset Shuffle 6km
14. Mid Summer Night Run 15km
15. VR Pro 10km – Children of Merinden Mtn @ Erindale Park (with Jefferson)
16.Slainte Pub 5km
17. Element Racing Off Road Triathlon. (1000 M – 18km – 8km)

—————————————
What’s becoming the MOST fun now is the planning, looking ahead and seeing if there are any new or unique races ahead.  Like most athletes we have our bucket lists, so why not get some of these checked off along the way?

David looks to be running the Bupa Great Run in Scotland, as he heads across the pond to visit family.   He and Haile Gebreselaisse apparently.  When he mentioned the trip, of course we both start searching online for races he can attend.  It’s like a game within a game, who can get the most exotic races completed…..
“Sold Out” he says, at 50,000 runners it’s the World’s Largest Half-Marathon.


Some races are this much fun!


“Don’t worry” says I, nothing is Sold Out in my world, check the Media section and fill out an online request for starters.  David appears doubtful but he quickly learns the power of our brand.  Within 24hrs he has two numbers, one for both of us.  I guess I need that clone again.   That same day, I will be on my bike doing 160 kilometres at Centurion Canada (metric Grand Fondo).   Ask me how long my longest ride has  been to date??  My butt is starting to sweat just thinking about it.

I will wait till I get to 30 races completed before I worry about the last one, which will include a rather large cake and copious amounts of alcohol to wash it down.

First things first, let me plan the next busy month before I go online and search myself,  when I am in England and France for a 12 day holiday end of September (don’t tell Sarah I want to find a race somewhere).   The month of September will include a tough Adventure Race that my buddy Steve and I did not finish last year (Logs, Rocks and Steel)…..

http://www.mynextrace.com/2011/02/logs-rocks-and-steel-race-report-2010/

…..and my first Century Ride of the season (160 km’s), so alot of training days still ahead.  There may also be another 3-4 race weekend at some point, the most recent one (#’s 15-16-17) didn’t completely kill us.
Since my first Triathlon was such a disaster (race #10) I was hoping for a better result at the Coburg Triathlon last weekend.  I’ve done this Olympic Distance race before and although the swim (1500 m) can be rough and wavy, and the bike is super hilly (neither of these disciplines have been prepared for btw), what the heck it looks good on the resume.   My biggest concern was the long swim and what would the water temperature be like (see race #10)!    

My wetsuit is still broken (zipper) from last summer, many attempts and phone calls to fix it went un-resolved, so I check-in two days before the race and the water is a balmy 22 or 23 (celsius).  Break out the bubbles baby, it’s bath-like.

Race morning we arrive (staff person, dog) late as usual and some friends ask me as I arrive at Transition One do I have my wet suit with me?

….Oh Oh

Race Announcer Steve Fleck shouts another reminder, good news the race is delayed but bad news the water is TWELVE degrees and wet suits are mandatory, plus you might want to double up on swim caps!   Crap!  I gambled and lost, but REALLY don’t want to downgrade to the Duathlon, the Acura 10-miler scheduled tomorrow morning is lots of running.  I quickly cruise over to a retailer on-site (who will remain nameless) and figure I will buy one.

$245 and I could be the (stupid) owner of a new wetsuit, which I am thinking I may only wear once the rest of the year.  The announcer updates everyone that Fog is also still really bad and the Triathlon may actually get cancelled, so now I could really be stupid buying this wetsuit.  But I am also really stubborn, and pick one off the rack and dig into my pockets for the $$$$.

Crap again….I only brought a little cash and my Amex card.

“___________________”, do you take Amex?”

“No (in a very harsh and sarcastic tone that befits the individual who has already bankrupt 2 running stores in less than 10 years).

“No?” I repeat, “what about I give you the $60 cash I have and pay the rest on Monday”. (The guy knows me, we used to race against each other and it’s not like his pockets are over-flowing with money)…..

“Yeah right, what if I can sell all these wetsuits to other athletes here today”?  (Fat chance even though a small crowd of desperate looking triathletes have moved over to this booth and are trying on wetsuits as well).

“You won’t sell me a wet suit then?” I ask, again, shocked but not completely surprised (we have a history together and no we didn’t share running shoes).

Bah Humbug!


Long story short, I ended up doing my first Duathlon in years, a 10km run, super-hilly 40km bike followed by a 5km run.  Boring running mind you…..at least the chocolate milk afterwards went down smoothly.




Sunset Shuffle – 30th anniversary

Now this was fun….and unique….and my first time racing this odd distance and even odder race.  Odds are one of these words is not grammatically correct, how odd is that?

Beer always makes for a super post race!


I negotiated brilliantly on this one, traded some sunglasses for me and David  race entries, which were only $25.  It was like a Time Warp here with old runners (lots of miles under their legs),  hand timing, trophies given to 1st and 2nd, no finisher’s medal or tech shirt,  Vintage Hot Dogs that tasted amazing when downed with beer.

But that wasn’t the story folks, we took the canoe over!  David, Jefferson and myself, from Cherry Beach just a km or so paddle.  I have always wanted to do a race on the island and travel this way, so David went along despite the very high, choppy waters we faced.

David and Peter at Cherry Beach, navigating choppy waves over to the Island


Sean dropped off us and shot some video here, then Miki met us @ the race and took some more, for posterity!   4 beers and 4 hot dogs later, a new P.B. for both of us….darkness settles and the four of us head back to the mainland.   Our bikes were dropped off ahead by Sean, so technically this was a quadrathalon for David and I.  We figure a total of 20km for me adding the boat portion, run and bike home, maybe 30 for David.

If you have never canoed or kayaked across the Lake, at night, when the city lights shine brightly ahead of you, then you aren’t a Torontonian!   Of course, it’s risky and somewhat dangerous if you are not careful, we had life jackets, tow rope, bailer and cell phones in case of trouble.  The Water Police weren’t impressed with my Blackberry App Torch Light serving as our main source of light, but that’s their problem!   (what is the fine anyway)…..our intern from Japan, Miki, squealed a few times when Jefferson moved suddenly in the canoe and we almost tipped, key word “almost”, with my new Playbook on hand I was not about to let $600 go wasted on the bottom of the Lake!

We’ll let the video tell the rest of the story, stay tuned!


Peter
aka Jefferson Mascot

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

45 in 45 - Updates (Race #10 completed)

The first milestone race in the pursuit of 45 races completed in my 45th year, I hope the next ones aren’t so crappy!

How can I get mad at him for a broken doggie bag?
This was easily the most stressful race (start) yet, and it could have been the worst one too, my first venture across the border, dog, tent, bike and broken wetsuit in tow, invited by a potential client to check out his new race property.   It was actually supposed to be an “easy” weekend, a short 5km run Saturday then the rest of the time, R and R in Niagara (drink wine, cycle, drink more wine, eat, sleep, more wine).  etc.     But I messed up my schedule and the 5km was a week later, so of course I scramble to find something else to keep this streak going, get as many races under my belt before (pick any) age, injury, boredom or worse slows me down.   Sarah was anxious and eager to put her wine tasting skills to the test, so when I found this neat little triathlon organized by a great guy (Dan Horan, pictured here), I figured why not?

Now the sales part.


Happier times before the race.....

“Oh, honey, why don’t we drive Friday after work instead of Saturday morning (at 5:00 am, that would never fly for a nite owl like her).  We can stay in the falls and act like honeymooners, then you can sleep in, go for a run and I will do this short little race (600 metre swim, 20 mile bike and 5km trail run).
Well, I at least I kept my part of the bargain!  (the honeymoon part),  after a hectic 60 minutes trying to find a hotel room of adequate stature, pet friendly, a low floor to lug our bikes in…. no easy task at 9pm on a Friday evening in high tourist season.

Race morning, Jefferson and I head out on another adventure, probably the 200th race we have attended together now.  Grab some Tim Horton’s, sweet talk the border guard (remove the MyNextRace magnets from the side panels of course).  He actually asked me why I was going across the border to do this “trathlon” thing anyway.  I asked him would he not drive across our border to go fishing?  (that was risky).  He looked like a fisherman.  Glad once again he did not open the van doors, we’ve been here before kids, several times trying to cross for the Boston Marathon when we have a van STOCKED with our Team Canada brunch items.



The drive was really pretty, Wilson, NY is on the shores of Lake Ontario, very close to the Niagara on the Lake side (Canada), but the drive through downtown Niagara Falls, NY is brutal.  It feels like the world abandoned these poor people, Detroit, Flint Michigan would be nicer….of course we are late, it takes longer than expected to get to the race venue, so we arrive at approx. 8:35 am, for a 9:00 am race start and I have a tent and table to set up, a dog, registration to take care of.  Oh, and when Jefferson finally did his morning business, naturally to make things more interesting the bag breaks and 2 of my fingers are covered in $%#$.

Thanks a lot, the “dog gift bag” from the Best Western lets me down……crap.  Literally and figuratively.   I hear the race announcer saying, “all triathletes down to the water for race instructions”.  Oh, and I forgot my bike helmet too, one more item to worry about, plus the wetsuit is broken but I wonder how bad is the water anyway, it’s been a hot month?  After I hurredly meet Dan the Race Director, get my entry, bodymarkings, set up tent, table, brochures, bring bike and stuff into transition, find friendly spectator cyclist and trade helmet for free sunglasses, throw tennis ball a few times to give dog some exercise.  Did I mention I also went to the washroom, did my business and cleaned the hands with anti-bacterial soap (for those reading and wondering, when did that happen)?


Anyway, none of this really matters except the fact that I did barely make it to the water in time for the last wave start, which was funny as my grey swim cap should have put me in the first wave.  I tried to explain to the registration lady (my time does not matter).  I walked over to the swim exit to put my sandals, shirt and race bib down on the ground (which I forgot to leave in transition in all the haste).  Then I jogged along the beach back over to the swim start and the spectators started yelling at me, thinking I was the first swimmer in Wave One out of the water (“this way, this way they yelled).   Looking back this was pretty funny, I could have skipped the swim altogether and been first out on the bike!


Finally, my race starts, 9:15 I think.  I am a very fast swimmer (in a pool),  but it’s 62 degrees btw, freak’in cold even for a Canadian.    I am sure the surfers and scuba divers on hand were eying me closely, thinking to themselves, this guy in the grey swim cap started in wave One…… ”hhmm, when is this guy going under”.   I seriously wanted to quit and turn around after 15 metres in, my balls FROZE and my brain CRAMPED.   I stopped and looked back at the warm, sandy shore, then thought what would Dan think of me now.  Here I am an Ironman Finisher and I can’t even stomach some cold water and 600 metres.  I plunge back in.  The last wave is always a gas as the real newbies, many first timers in open water, start panicking and freaking out, so no matter how bad of a swimmer you are, someone is behind you.  I actually passed some swimmers in the wave (4 minutes) ahead of us, that was a surprise.  Mark Spitz look out, Phelps II is coming….not.


I did survive the swim, my BALLS thawed and I made it to Transition One,  jumped on my Cervelo sans socks and bike shorts (I brought bike shorts liner instead of my tri-shorts by accident, so as I type this blog 4 days later I still have welts on my inner thighs from riding an hour in wet running shorts).  Go ahead, keep laughing…..my pain and discomfort were hidden by the scenic, NY State scenery, countryside and all the mtn bikes I passed!    That’s about the only good thing starting at the back of a triathlon, no one passes you all day.  In fact, you can feel rock-star’ish” especially on the run, passing folks left, right and centre.  The trail run 5km was awesome, even though I left my running shoes in the back of the van and had to climb the transition barricades to quickly grab them from my car, which fortunately was 20 yards away.   I made every mistake it would seem, including trying to clean dog #$@# on race morning.   The end finally came, and downing two frosty cold Red Bulls at the finish didn’t hurt.


Wiped out in Niagara on the Lake.

They helped ease the sting of the icy cold stare Sarah gave me 2hrs later when I picked her up at Starbucks by the falls, and was too tired all weekend to do much else…..

Race #10 down…, “how many more races in this stupid 45 and 45 to go again”?
—————————————————–



Race #1 – Huntington Disease 10km Run – June 26th
Race #2 – Tim Horton’s Peach Bud 5km (2 days later)
Race #3 – Canada Day 5-miler (2 days later)
Race #4 – Gay Pride Run 5km (4th race in 6 days)
Race #5 – Warrior Dash 5km Obstacle Course
Race #6 – Dowtown Dash 5km – July 14th (rode bike 50+ km’s first)
Race #7  – Run, Wine and Dine Half-Marathon (whine is a better word, for 45 minutes)
Race #8 – Durham 1/4 Marathon
Race #9 – Muskoka Rocks 5km
Race #10 – Wilson Wet and Wild Sprint Triathlon (USA)
————————————————————————————————————————————

Peter Donato
aka Jefferson Mascot

For those who care, here were my Triathlon splits…..

132   Peter Donato             1:57:36   (Total Time and place overall out of 227 athletes)
TM45-49    10/16   (age group placing)
185   (swim rank out of 227 swimmers)
16:27   (swim time adjusted as per starting in last wave)
2:45      (transition #1 – from swim to bike)
131    1:10: (bike time and rank overall)
17.0    (average speed on bike, mph)
2:30   (transition #2, bike to run)
54  (run ranking)
25:o6  (5km trail run time)

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

45 in 45 - Race Progress Update (Warrior Dash)

I promised a separate entry for this wild and woolly affair last weekend, but my next two races (#6 and #7) were pretty interesting in their own right, so let’s get straight to the Mud, Sweat and Beers immediately.  If you haven’t heard of Warrior Dash and you are someone who races even just occasionally, then sleeping under a rock must also be a hobby of yours.   What do you get when you combine a gorgeous summer day, 15,000 people (10, 000 finishers), Live Music and a Beer Garden with a 5km obstacle course at a Southern Ontario Resort?  (if you have to even think about this for more than a nanosecond, please stop reading)!

What a Party!

I have been hearing about this “Warrior Dash” for some time, and it’s clearly struck a nerve among the Generation Active set, starting stateside 4 years ago when it was launched.  Thanks to some clever social media marketing, the organizers out of Chicago (Red Frog Events) hit the proverbial Home Run on their first attempt in Canada.  The event was capped at an ambitious 12,000 athletes (I use this term loosely people) and well over a month before lift off the event hung a SOLD OUT sign on their website.   Like a stone gathering speed down a hill, this was THE race of conversation all spring at our booth.  With a very busy day already planned, I decided I just could not miss spending the day here, but was I really interested in actually entering the race and getting down and dirty?

After....note the stickers, amazing...still there.....

Not really to be fair, but then I have been there, done that (including a Mud Run years ago), and I have found my clothes, shoes and socks before beyond recognition.  One Adventure Race called Logs, Rocks and Steel was a 6hr affair and my buddy Steve and I didn’t even finish!   We were knee and waist deep in one place on the water slogging our canoe through a swamp, it was truly disgusting.   Another 2-day Adventure Race many years ago was a 10hr day that included a complete change of clothes mid-stream, the mud was so thick it took weeks before my bike was clean again.  Another 24hr Mtn Bike race where I completed 4 laps included a 2am affair where my lights gave out on me, so 2x I went end-over end on the handlebars in the middle of a forest.  My contacts were changed for glasses after I was rudely awoken at 1:45 am (“Peter, wake up, your leg is coming up”).   I had grass and dirt somehow wedged in my glasses, between the frames and lense.  How the $#^% did that happen???

I also completed a 160km Bike Ride for Charity, 145 of these km’s in the pouring rain.   That was a long day.  And an Ironman Triathlon in a desert (Arizona).

So, when I heard that Warrior Dash was ONLY 5km, I wasn’t about to rush madly and commit myself to the race, afterall, I do attend a lot of these and don’t even try to compete or complete then all.  But, with this stupid competition now almost a month completed, 45 races in 45 days, my weekends usually had to include at least one race to keep pace:

Race #1 – Huntington Disease 10km Run – June 28th
Race #2 – Tim Horton’s Peach Bud 5km (2 days later)
Race #3 – Canada Day 5-miler (2 days later)
Race #4 – Gay Pride Run 5km (4th race in 6 days)
Race #5 – Warrior Dash 5km Obstacle Course
Race #6 – Dowtown Dash 5km – July 14th (rode bike 50+ km’s first)
Race #7  – Run, Wine and Dine Half-Marathon (whine is a better word, for 45 minutes)


Well, I don’t need to say much more, the pictures speak volumes.   It was both tougher than I expected (due to the heat and hilly course, plus at 3pm I was up since 5:30 and on my feet all day) and more fun than I expected.  The atmosphere made for good times and fond memories, the obstacles weren’t that challenging.  In fact, a few more sprinkled in the beginning would have been fun.  The post-event shower by firemen, in a slopfest of a cesspool filled with bananas, shirts, shoes (probably 8,000 people were cleaned up here before we were) was unique, to say the least.

My french intern, my cousin, my clients Sean and Matt from Chico Racing, we all had fun indeed, my cousin bought a Warrior Dash mug even!   Definitely a new “to do” event for any endurance athlete’s list, and guys, if you are single…..well, just imagine what the venue was like with 65% of the attendees female, most had to clean up, strip and get semi-naked for the mud to come off.

Caesar would have been envious, thrills for the people and good times all around.


PD
aka Jefferson Mascot
World Record Holder

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

45 and 45 - Progress Report

Well this is going to be a rather long year I suspect…if the first 5 races are any indication, and I will spend more money on race entries in the next year than the last 9 combined!
You can read more on how this started here……

http://www.mynextrace.com/2011/05/45-and-45/

It was innocent enough, fairly straightforward, not that difficult when you consider how many races I actually attend in person in a given year.   I even found some company from the get go, a runner who not only heard about my intentions but as a recently turned 41 year old, she became an inspiration.   “It’s not just me who is crazy……”

The first few races were not exactly text book preparation, race #1 was a 10km on a Sunday morning not far from home, but I was late on arrival and barely made it through registration, hurredly pinning my race bib and snapping a photo (here).    Thankfully Jefferson was completely distracted and stopped to sniff a million times, so my finish time won’t really matter, in fact it was so rushed they didn’t get my race entry processed fast enough!  Plenty of time to fix this later…..

My 45th birthday was June 21st, so this was on the 26th, two days later I was at a big client race and again, worked too hard with our tent, display and 200 free sunglass giveaways, so the 5km actually started while I was rushing to the line.  My time was okay considering I didn’t get my pre-race “dump” (20:47), which for me is more important than even a fast pair of flats.  Pardon the straightforward truth of this!  

Fours days hence, 2 more races were knocked down, the 3rd a 5-miler on a golf course that again took place in a hurry….literally I was pinning my bib to my shirt and bounding out of the clubhouse like Tiger when I see the first wave of runners zooming by.  At least with chip timing I was able to join a slower wave and weave my way through a pack of runners on a windy, hilly course.  I’ve played far better rounds here!   (38:00) …and could have hit some balls along the way and not hurt my time!

Finally, race #4 was a decent effort, slight improvement on the 5km (20:11) although it did nothing to help our MyNextRace team at the annual Pride Run, first time I can recall where i didn’t count in the standings.   At least it wasn’t too rushed and we had fun post-race – guess which picture here is from that event???    lol    I actually ran 2x this evening, the warm up with a few hundred kids was entertaining as I donned the jefferson mascot outfit and stumbled along in the heat for 1km, very difficult with all these little kids around me, but the stricter than Scottish rules for this year-long contest forbid anything less than 5km from counting….but we`ll see who logs the most `miles`in all these races!

I will post a seperate entry for race #5, it requires some thought, a crazy day at my first Warrior Dash.  My body is hanging on, I have to make a regular point to stretch more, visit the chiro and improve my diet a little, getting under 20:00 for 5km is the first goal, then under 40:00 for the 10km and eventually breaking 1:30 for a half which will be a first for a long, long time.  Along the way I plan on mixing it up with some cycling races, adventure races and a couple of triathlons.  Maybe another run in fur too....

My overall pace is good, 2-3 more races should be completed in the next 5 days, so well ahead of pace…..at least it`s not 100 races like Katherine TRYJANKOWSKI from Buffalo, poor thing, she finished number 31 at the Peach Bud, a third of her way finished after 6 months….yikes….and you thought I was weird…..

Peter

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Why did you miss that race?

I am just now sending a notice back to the lovely town of Corfu, New York, population 920 (seriously), look it up, I did:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corfu,_New_York


I was driving back from Boston for the 11th or 12th straight year, we just wrapped up our 10th anniversary Boston Tea Party - Team Canada Brunch.  Eager to get home,  grab the dog, speeding ticket ensued....rats.   So it's a few months later I make sure to mail my strange parking notice back to this Court Office, consider me quilty as charged and tell me what I owe Uncle Sam kind sirs.  I used to ignore these tickets in my wayward youth (18- until a few months ago), but learned a valuable lesson from a buddy, David, who was turned away en route to the Boston Marathon in 2003 (Rallying the Country):

http://bostonteaparty.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=86


Imagine all the silly excuses for missing a race? Here is what David will have to say 25 years from now..."son, your dad did indeed qualify for the Boston Marathon, but an unpaid parking ticket meant I had to miss the occasion"....wambly Pop....

How about Bike Rash? (me, summer of 2008, pre Ironman training)...hard and uncomfortable lesson here let me tell you.  (also known as Butt Rash).  I spent more on Penaten baby cream than those quintuplet parents..

Getting lost on the way to a race (somewhere in rural Florida, December 2005, Swamp Land Half Marathon I believe).....my friend and I drove the same loop 3x then realized we were never going to make that starting line on time, turns out we didn't miss much afterall, crap small-time race....saved us $40

Summer Cottage race was cancelled without notifying the participants beforehand (Darren and I, Orillia, 1997 or thereabouts, we wasted a fine Saturday evening of drinking the nite before).

Stayed in bed due to (insert weather problems here)...Cold, Snowy, Ice Storm, Heat Wave.  2002 Spring Run Off in High Park, how bad was it?   The Elite Kenyans never left the VIP tent that morning.....

Injuries?  Too common.

Missed Flights (my two friends from Streetsville at Pearson Airport as I boarded the plane for Run Barbados, stand by no luck, one was a Dr.)   Weird, pony up the dough cheapo....

How about Jail?   Tough to make the starting line when you're behind bars, I actually know a runner who missed a race for this, crazy stuff.....

Misread the race application.......easy to do in the 1980's and 1990's before websites existted.   I was at a race one Sunday morning, London Ontario in fact, Springbank Park Road Races.  In the parking lot as I unloaded the car, I see a guy running along wearing the shirt of the upcoming Toronto Marathon I knew of.   "Guess you won't be  attending that race this year?"....I ask, knowing that the race was this very same morning, 225 km's away....

"Oh yeah, I registered and look forward to next weekend".

Silly.


I am certain someone, somewhere missed an event by leaving behind crucial equipment, like a bike helmet, a bike....running shoes possibly?   Happened to me but fortunately I was able to borrow a friend's running shorts at the 11th hour, felt weird the whole time....

I almost missed a race because I decided to experiment with adding caffeine to my diet....2 large Kenyan Blend coffees pre-race, not smart, upset stomach for 10km's....should have mailed it in, stubbornly went ahead and paid the price at the half-way point.  Nothing worse than being 5km away from the start line of a 10km run and you can't exactly stop.


How about you?  Anything weird and wonderful to share?



Peter
peter@mynextrace.com

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Dream Race Contest!

Yes that's right folks, imagine you could go anywhere and participate in that ultimate fantasy for endurance athletes.....well someone from our community is going to WIN this summer.

We're (finally) re-launching our website this summer and we figured why not create a stir.....a frenzy....get everyone all hot and bothered!   Oh wait, that's another web-site for another day....

The idea just arrived in my over-worked brain the other day, as our MyNextRace team was entered in one of my favourite races, the all-day Moraine for Life Adventure Relay.   Paddling, mountain biking, trail running, spending the day outside.   Bliss.....and I remembered an amazing list of races on my "to do" list, inspired by the surroundings, sweat and comraderie of friends:


  • Comrades Marathon - South Africa Ultra (down)
  • BC Bike Race - an epic 7-day mtn bike adventure
  • Paris, Berlin and London Marathons (to complete the set)
  • Alpe Duez - ask any frenchmen or roadie, they'll know....
  • Trans Alp -  ditto if it's a hard core Euro mtn biker
  • Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon - yikes
  • Antarctica Marathon - must meet Penguins before I die
  • any race on a beach in Australia - there must be one.....
  • Beer Mile - in Germany of course....
  • the Amazing Race (with my sister, we would fight all the way through)
  • the Vermont Adventure Race over three days, killer distances.....
  • Tour d'Afrique - I need time away from the world one day.....
  • Madoc Marathon - look it up, you won't believe it!
  • Ironman Hawaii - the original
  • Laugaveguer Ultra 50km  (Iceland)
  • Midnite Run in Central Park, NYCity, New Years's Eve

And on and on.....


I hope this blog gets you thinking, and it could be that you just want to finish something straightforward, like your first 5 or 10km run, but maybe in an exotic locale...Iceland has a 5km too!

I am lucky, blessed even, to have been in Boston for the 100th, and run a half-marathon in Reijkavik, the 10km in Quebec City, the Miami Half-Marathon, the Rome Marathon with my father and eight cousins watching, Sea to Summit Adventure Race, the Wall Street 5km (before 911), Run for the Toad 25km, Logs, Rocks and Steel Adventure Race (we didn't even finish).  Ironman Arizona.....Cabot Trail and Jasper Banff Relay Races.....on and on....

Start dreaming, and send in those ideas....

--------------------------------------------------------------

Contest Details:

Over the next 30 days submit your entry to http://www.facebook.com/mynextrace

Entry's can include photos, text, video etc. The more creative you are the better!

-Must be 18 or over
-Contest winner will receive flight, accommodations, race entry PLUS MyNextRace racing swag
-Top 3 finalists will be contacted
-Trip must be valued at $10,000.00 or less

Tips on how to increase chances:
-Submit race videos and photos to our facebook page
-Have your Facebook friends ‘like’ your entry
 



Peter
aka Jefferson
World Record Holder

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

45 and 45

Thanks to Bruce from Barrie (I believe)...for the credit on this post, and maybe a few more. 

I always encounter interesting athletes at our booth on race day, over the years in so many venues, cities and situations.  Some I would rather not be reintroduced to!   Recently, at the Mercedes 10km Run where they actually give out a free, kick-ass car for a year's use, a guy stops at the table to ask this question.

Guy:   "How many of these races on your table give out medals?"

Me:  "You only want to attend a race that gives a medal"?

Guy: "I need to find 40 races that give out a medal at the finish line, in the next year"

Me:  (under my breath....so that's what the sport has come to, a medal or nothing...loser...)

Me: "Hhmmm, let's have a look, that's the first time I've had this request before".   We comb the 6-foot table covered with over 50 races and events, like we're digging for something valuable like Gold.

Me: "How about Clevelend next weekend, there are 3 races here, all with medals"

Guy:  (he actually, excitedly grabs the Cleveland Marathon, 1/2 and 10km race entry postcard, has he ever been to Cleveland?)


A few minutes later, another satisfied customer walks away from MyNextRace.com.   But he got me thinking, why does he want these medals, as I wonder where my 200+ medals must be, a box somewhere I gather.  So in the crowd I go find him, curiosity killed this cat.

tap on shoulder


Me:  "Aahh, me again, may I ask why you wanted only races that gave out medals at the finish line?"

Guy:  "I turn 40 this year and want to do 40 races."

Me: "That sounds logical"


Seriously though...very interesting....something to ponder, which I did all day....yeah, Sunday's should be like that!

I turn 45 myself in a month, how many races have I already run this year, maybe it's not such a bad idea afterall.  Medals however aren't necessary for me, just the race bib would do fine, plus I expect to get in better shape and win a few hard-earned age group medals myself.  My best year ever was probably 25 races, and I really did "race" alot of those, whereas now it would be just to finish I imagine. 

Here is where I stand in 2011

  • Miami Half-Marathon, as me. 
  • Gasparilla (Tampa) Half-Marathon as Jefferson (that should count as 2 races shouldn't it)? 
  • Achilles Toronto St. Patrick's Day 5km (as Jefferson, but it was slow, cold and easy in all the fur).  
  • Spring Run Off 8km in High Park
  • Sporting Life 10km
  • 5 races and counting, but four months in already, crap.  I was just @ two this weekend and decided not to run either of them!

At this pace I stand little chance, however, there are so many races in our local calender alone, my head starts to spin, I love this idea!   At least one weekend a month I would be able to do 3-4 races as there are many evening selections available, and, some mornings it's quite possible to run a 5km at 8 am and another within an hours drive at 10 am.  Plus, how about all the Master's Track events like 1500's and such, those are mid-week and easy to finish.  (now I am already cheating the system)......

Now who is nuts here or what......

Back at the office, I mention this to David, the company (present) fastest runner and avid toer of the line. (that means he likes to race folks).  "My birthday is 8 days apart from yours".

Game On.

Now we have to decide on a starting point, rules and regulations (does a charity bike ride count, if it's 3-4 days of solid riding, or how about multiple stages in a relay race where you have a definitive, start-finish point and it's clocked) and finally, prizes!   Do we start at our respective birthdays, moving forward 12 months, or do we start on the first day of this calender year (January 1st), and count races within the calender year?

Any suggestions?

Anyone reading this turning 50, or 60???

(:



PD
peter@mynextrace.com
aka Jefferson Mascot

Monday, May 2, 2011

Remembering Danny

I was just finishing my latest post this morning (blog), trying to get started again on regular contributions to the running and endurance athlete community.

Then my staff asked me if I heard the news.   "Danny Kassap is dead".   I didn't believe it at first, he was just @ our MyNextRace booth yesterday morning after the Sporting Life 10km, something he always does whether racing or not.   As per the Danny I have known for many years, he was smiling and showing off another girlfriend to me.   "Hey Peter, check out my friend, she's Italian like you""!   Always that smile, care-free and innocent, with a twist of mischevious laughter.  Danny should have been in a Crest toothpaste commercial.  Or, if they remake the Prefontaine movie with an African twist, Danny Kassap would have the leading role all sewn up.

But now the smile is gone, so how best do we remember a fellow running friend?


I remember many years ago when he was introduced to the local running scene, the kid from the Con
go with an incredible story, and even more incredible lungs.  Escaping persecution and poverty, the scar on his body to show a life far different that any of us could imagine.  Those skinny, powerful, fast legs.   We would hear about his race workouts, or small track meet results he posted with no taper, and high mileage stories. Wispering as if we couldn't believe what we heard.  My friend and first known Danny Kassap agent, Jamie Black, was a member of the University of Toronto Track Club who always found time to help an elite athlete with his or her marketing needs.  I was pretty fast myself in those days and found myself a few times running with Danny, like I really belonged in his company.

Once on a long run one Sunday morning, in the winter, we were plodding along on yet another 20-mile long run, and Danny was loping about with us to get the miles in.  Dammit if he never looked tired...bored in fact, and always smiling, encouraging us to "keep moving" or "run faster", laughing while he said this but not laughing at us, with us, like only Danny could get away with.

Jamie was always recruiting me to help Danny find some races to win much-needed prize money.  In those early days (2002 - 2005) his citenzenship did not allow for him to leave Canada, so we would pitch in to drive him to a race, no matter how small.   He worked at a fish and chip store for some time, cleaning floors, a hard worker and eager to please.  He would even call me sometimes, and though my company was small and fledgling, I would tell him to come over and stuff race kits, and pay him whatever I could, including in "swag"  (energy bars, samples, Juice Plus+).  He was always grateful, that was his style, but if he sold anything I gave him it didn't matter.

Danny would smoke the local competition and pick up pocket money, or if he won a reasonable prize like a watch or running shoes some of us would buy them from him!   (not much of a discount either, his negotiation skills were impressive).   A friend of mine who wished to remain anonymous even arranged for me to drive Danny in August, 2005 to Quebec City late one summer, so he could enter the big 1/2 marathon, his gas, hotel and expenses were covered.  Upon arriving, his entourage of girls became apparent to me, of course he had "fans" in every city, especially after racking up all his victories.

"Ah, Danny, let's focus on the race this weekend, afterall, we are here to win, remember?"

"Don't worry Peter, don't worry (laughing, smiling), I willl win, you'll see".... as he wanders off, chest out, enjoying the Rock Star status that befits Canada's top endurance athlete.   We shared a room that first nite (Friday), I never saw him come back to the room naturally.   Of course he won Sunday, a blistering 1:05 on a rolling course, ho hum another day at the office.  Racing came naturally to him, as he seemed to relish the opportunity to compete against the few peers that were available, usually some other Kenyans who hung around the north-eastern road racing circuit.

We even contacted many Race Directors who were always looking for an angle or way to get their race in the news, so a few agreed to pay Danny (or, put up prize money once knowing he would win),  assuming as well that their course record was about to be demolished.   "After he runs, you'll be able to show runners that you had running royalty at your race!  Mississauga Half-Marathon, 2004 (1:04:14), Muskoka Rocks 10km 2006  (31:30),  Angus Glen Half-Marathon, 2006 (1:06:41), Alfie Shrubb 8km  2008 (24:39).....and on and on.   Go and look up these races yourself, the course records are outstanding, mind-boggling in some instances.  Go Danny Go.

His legendary racing reached mass awareness at the 2004 ScotiaBank Toronto Waterfront Marathon, where Danny's career took off.   It's a memory I will always cherish.  We all knew that Danny was special, and if he would just listen to his coaches his training would pay off with some wins.    "Scotia" was gaining in popularity with the big international races, and the field of Elite men contained some bona fide road racing stars from around the world.  I was hanging around the finish line area on race morning, when Jamie excitedly told me that Danny was hanging with the lead pack after the 1/2 way point.

"Let's go out there and give him some support" was Jamie's breathless advice, like we were going to have an impact on his outcome by cheering on the sidelines.

"I have my bike here, why don't I race out there to see how he is doing"?

"Brilliant".

So off I go, like a madman, who cares about my tent and booth, Danny's in the lead pack!

I get out to the beaches, where the race turns around and heads back into the city.  The lead pack has whittled to 3 runners, with no one in sight for 4th place.   It's a duel in the sun as the temperature rises with each passing kilometre, game faces are on each of three runners, Joseph Kahugu, defending champ Joseph Nderitu and Danny, whose smile is no where to be seen at this point.  This is serious business, running for glory and $24,000 in first place prize money, a king's ransom for a fish and chips floor cleaner.   The course between 30-37 km's allows for a cyclist to zoom along the sidewalks, but I remember to put my Media / VIP pass around my neck, so the police officers let me ride among the official vehicles and motorcyclists.

"Danny, you're in third place, hang in there!" ...I scream, my legs pumping fast just to keep up with these runners, chasing down first place overall.   It seems surreal at the moment, and I call in to the finish line with the on-course updates, which Jamie passes along to Kevin the finish line announcer.  It's clearly a home-town advantage, Danny can surely hear the crowds at the finish line all cheering him on.  "C'mon Danny, this is it, you can WIN this, don't look back, keep turning those legs."

The pack returns along Lakeshore, and at Coxwell Avenue past the 37km mark Danny makes his move.  It's amazing, he just punishes the next mile and puts a 10-second gap on 2nd and third place.  I almost fell off my bike, trying to keep up and text the finish line.   "Holy cow, he's in the lead!"   I can just imagine Jamie reacting by running around the finish line area, telling everyone in sight the news.

Now we reach the 4km mark to go, 38km, and I need to keep Danny's spirit up as he is appearing to now pay the price for his surge.   "Peter, how far to go, how long for the finish?" ..asks Danny, the sweat pouring off his brow, victory is in sight but the chase pack has not gotten away.  "Just 3km's left - a small white lie - pretend you are @ the U of T track, and it's a 3000 metre race, almost there...less than 9 minutes of running.

2 kilometres later...."Peter, where's the finish line...(:

We had a laugh about this many months and many times later, the gap had actually widened, and Danny would win by over 3 minutes, his surge at 37 kilometres actually did the job.    At 40km the race was over.  But I didn't want Danny to know, he was on an Olympic qualifying pace, who knows if he would get his papers sorted out in time....

The next year was special, Danny was able to take advantage of new sponsors, quit his job and focus on running.  I even attended his wedding at Scarborough City Hall, first time for me in this type of venue.  The party after was interesting, Danny kept smiling, saying to me, "I beat you".   To the altar that is, yes Danny, even at a wedding it's all about winning.




PD
peter@mynextrace.com


-------------

ed note - The U of T Track team has started a fund for Danny's funeral costs, please donate here:

http://dannykassapmemorial.com/

streak ends! Sporting Life 10km

HA!

Not much of a streak....I renewed my excitement in Boston while spectating, and started a daily commitment to exercise, mostly running for now.  I even put a note in my blackberry calender to remind myself, EVERY DAY, to do something for 45 minutes.  Seemed so easy at the time, just 45 minutes....

I even did a 90-minute Yoga class last week, for the first time in 3 years!   It was torture folks, I always have amazing respect for these limber souls who don't seem to have anything "tight" in their muscles like I do.  My amazing 3-day running streak ended Thursday with a rather bad case of "something" down there (think George Brett circa 1980), luckily it only lasted a few days and it was over the Easter Weekend.  It was worth it though!  I Spent over 7 hours on an old, steel chair at a poker game celebrating my father's 75th birthday, with a bunch of his friends.  Won over $300 on the evening, got to bed at 4 am so my workout would have been pretty bad the next day in any case!

I did manage a rather un-impressive track workout with my 8-year old niece who shot to sudden stardom after her first-ever cross country race (3rd place among 65 girls).  Just before the Sunday family dinner we went to the local high school track, crushed gravel, old time stuff.  That was a day after the Yoga class and a  very slow 15km bike ride with Jefferson and Sarah.

I squeezed a few more runs in with Jefferson including a brisker than normal 9km run after a running talk with the beaches running club.   This was in cotton underwear, track pants and a short sleeve cotton shirt, more old time running!   I ran my first "fast" race since the mascot record run @ the Scotia Marathon last fall, a sub 42:00 10km at Sporting Life, one of the best races in Canada and although an asterisk goes beside your finish time (it's all downhill), it is a great venue for really pushing it all the way.  (which I have not been able to motivate myself to do much the last few years).

Today I am stiff, sore and paying the price for yesterday's run, I managed to actually warm up for the first time @ this event in many years, running from the 1km mark up to start, and doing a little bit of stretching.  The first km was 4minutes, and with a few stops to chat briefly with friends and walk through water stations, it was a pretty good effort.  But, straight to our booth and the madness that ensues for the next 2 hours d 36oes not allow for any cool down, so the next 36hrs will be interesting.

Might need that epsom salt bath or hot tub soon, and definitely a trip to the chiropractor!

Can't wait to see how long I can keep this up!   Now it's time to vote, don't forget yourself if you live in Canada and are reading this, good luck to good friend Peter Fonseca and former 2:11 marathoner, who runs his 3rd campaign but first in Federal Politics.   H faces the Liberal Party equivalent of the Titanic, all bets are off as voters abandon the red ship across the country....



PD
peter@mynextrace.com

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Fitness For Ever - Tips and Motivation cont'd

So I just returned from another Boston Marathon, #15 for me now.  I think.  5 running, 10 "working", but I am getting tired of being a spectator.   So I decided, next year, 2012, when I turn 45, I need to be at that starting line again.

Which I have to earn (qualify).  

That's the hard part.  It would be easy to accept a free entry which we have access to, but I would never do that, I have too much respect for the race.  Running as a mascot has been suggested, but maybe Jefferson will also qualify one day!   I do have the advantage of qualifying well after the field fills up, as I may need a very late 2011 marathon, or even 2012 like Miami to get fit in time.

The easy part is that I have been there before, and think now I can make do with less mileage than before, which was usually 50-60 miles a week with tonnes of track, speed and tempo work.  This time, I am going to mix it up, cross train, use some races for speedwork and see what happens.  Jefferson (the real dog) will be along my side all the way, the best training partner available!   It's been years since I did any quality training, but I do know that the body "remembers" all the past trainings, mileage and like a piggy bank saves this up for future reference.  Since my last serious racing (spring 2008) I do have an ironman (fall 2008) under my belt and two World Records!  (running in fur, albeit slow, still counts as training in my book).....(:

For 5 consecutive years, I sat in the Media Room at Boston, and enjoyed watching the race unfold, occasionally writing, eating alot(!)...hob-knobbing with Running Royalty.   Bordin, Pippig, Clayton, Rodgers, it's been easy to stay motivated, but translating that into fitness something else.

Last weekend, attending the Champions Breakfast, I met Ron Hill, 1970's winner and reigning "streaker" record-holder (no days missed running since 1964).*   I decided that I would re-start my own fitness streak, knowing full well that if 21 days passes and you can maintain a consistent pattern then it may very well become a new habit.  Changing my diet will be key (too much sweet, salt, alcohol and caffeine to name just four), and, getting up earlier to get this out of the way before my days take over.

So as I write this, it's 3 days successful.....lol

Tip #1 in a series of these tips, create a plan.  As Katherine Switzer would say.  So, here's my plan.   Every day, no matter what, I will do at least 45 minutes of exercise, mostly running for now, but soon cycling will easily be added.  I need to stretch more and work out these aging creaks and cracks, so 15 minutes daily will be started too.  Watch out, Yoga may follow.....yikes...

Tomorrow we'll get to the goals.

Regards,



Peter D.
aka Jefferson the Mascot
Guinness Book World Record Holder

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Slow and Steady

Fitness Tip #417.

If you missed the first 416, check your shoelaces, drink lots of water and eat more fruits and vegetables.

Now let's skip way ahead to more serious training advice.  My girlfriend was planning her new running career on a recent commute to her office.   She lives only a few kilometres from work, spoiled all winter with morning drives and fresh coffee.

Bootcamp starts March 1st honey!

With the eagerness of a 10 year old the day before school begins, she's discussing her training schedule and plans for conquering the sport of running.  "Rome wasn't built in a day, dear".   (or something like that).  So I explain.....

Success in sport takes time, unfortunately too many eager beavers (modern day, type A, hard working 30-40 somethings who demand fast results) get into sports like cycling, running and triathlons and expect immediate gratification.

Now don't get me wrong, very quickly someone can hack a few minutes off their 5 and 10 km run times (90 days).   In just a few seasons I have seen many long distance runners lop double-digit gains from their 26.2 mile journeys, with some dropping 30-45 minutes from their finish times.   Usually it's a weight issue combined with a super strong desire to brag a little more in the coffee shop.  By "weight" I mean those easy extra pounds that we all carry around with us, the first 10-15 that melt away after the routine of adding more miles each week, month after month. 

Some of us have ALOT more to give back..which is awesome of course.  The tricky part seems to be 3-4 years in, many hit the "fitness wall".  The game is over.  Complacency sets in.  Races are entered for "fun" and "scenery" as PB's are over.  It takes SO MUCH effort to shave 30 seconds now from a 10km, or a few minutes in a marathon, doesn't seem to be worth all the sweat, pain and dinners free from 2nd desserts.

Let me share with everyone a simple, proven, scientific fact that yours truly also went through years ago.

stay tuned.

Be hopeful....

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Logs Rocks and Steel Race Report (2010)

If you drop your Clif Bar and Eload Gel in the forest will anyone hear you scream?

(When you are starving 60 minutes later and discover them missing)?  (:

I am sitting exhausted and slightly drunk 7 hrs after finishing just 2/3 of an amazing Adventure Race today, the 3rd Annual Logs Rocks and Steel.  It takes place in beautiful (and, rugged) Haliburton, near Dorset, two hours NE of Toronto.  It's actually billed as an Off-Road Triathlon with a paddle in lieu of a swim.  "No navigation required" is how they advertise this, and McDonald's claims that they have healthy food on their menu too.



This is the canoe Steve and I had to haul over 9 portages, we hate you Bob!

I would rather have swam in a murky pond with tall weeds than go through that "paddle" again.  Or babysit 4 kids under 4.  But more about that later....let's talk about Bob Millar the Race Organizer and my friend Bill Wells first.

This unique race was actually created by a couple of extreme athletes, so I should have thought about that before I entered and then trained very little this summer.  Bob Millar and his team mates like Chiropractor Bill Wells race around the world in multi-day races such as this one, so it's kinda cool to race on their practice turf!  Google their names and put adventure race after, see what pops up.

I bumped into Bill when Steve and I checked in late the nite prior.  For those new here, Steve Jones is my Go-To Adventure Racing partner, now our 4th time racing together over the years.  He's a friend from the running club days, and really into hard core experiences such as ironman triathlons, extended canoe trips into the wilderness and commuting daily through Toronto traffic into Mississauga.  Finally, Steve also lives in Scarborough, where he grew up, so that says it all.

When he trains for his annual marathons, he drinks virtually no water and sport drink on his long runs, so I don't feel guilty when he refuses to drink from my camel back 90 minutes into our 2hr trail run today.  He's the perfect racing partner in these events, a seasoned pro, tough as nails.  Until I ask him to check his map and he asks "what map"?

But enough about the fittest 52 year old on the planet, back to Bill Wells!

P.D."How are you expecting to do tomorrow?.... I ask, a pretty natural thing to say on the eve of an epic day of racing, with someone who has stood on more than a few podiums.

B.W. "Well I was 2nd last year (by 5 minutes – despite getting lost for 18 minutes on the bike) so I am going for first place again.

P.D. "Wow, are you in better shape this year?"

B.W. "I finished 4th in 2 weeks ago in a half-ironman triathlon, but Jacob Van Dorp (last years Logs Rocks Steel winner) was , so he's fitter too".

(Sounds like Rocky 2 shaping up tomorrow in the forest)

Ed note - I too did a few training races to warm up for this, but somehow a 90 minute race at the recent Toronto Triathlon doesn’t seem quite enough!   Not to mention last nite instead of stretching, visualizing and loading up on a Power Smoothie I drank a few Coronas, ate an entire bag of Sun Chips and watched the U.S.Open till midnite.
B.W.  “Are you guys ready and fit for tomorrow (or something polite like that)?”

P.D.  “Oh yeah, but we’re not that serious, we even made sandwhiches”!  (famous last words, seriously)

Good luck Bill!


Race Morning

So Steve and I took off on the first leg, a 15km Trail Run followed by the paddle section of 16km, with "3" portages (advertised).  Within seconds my trusty sidekick is down, 100 yards into the run, I guess we should have found a coffee this morning.  Wearing his road running shoes wasn't a good idea either, but that's Steve.  Between his retro, minimalist clothing and gear (his mountain bike has pedals more suitable to a cruiser) and my skimpy 1999 run shorts with "Ride for Karen" cycling socks we kinda show up at the starting line unprepared.  That’s why we don’t do these every month.

To be fair it was raining and the majority of the run made a typical 5Peaks Trail Race look like a walk on the beach.  Logs, Rocks, Moss, Broken Twigs, Hidden Tree Roots, Slippery Canadian Shield and Steel would be a better race title.  In fact, we found racer #1’s bib on the ground, Jacob Van Dorp, who actually has his own web-site – www.vandorpracing.com.   Surely that cannot be a good sign when the fastest competitor loses his race bib due to the terrain….

Oh, and mud...swamps, bogs and a whole bunch of rain turned the 15km run into a 2hr struggle.  And it didn't help our cause when we were passed by a female solo racer.  Personally, I don't mind, since my Ironman 2 years ago I am at peace with my career.  She looked very fit and experienced and Steve was okay with this one.  However, a few km's later when the 2nd gal shuffles by straight out of a Running Room 1/2 marathon clinic,  wearing a new Lance Armstrong "Livestrong" cycling top no less, well that was too much for Steve.


I had been struggling as usual after 45 minutes with my tight Soas muscles, a long-ago tennis injury that resurfaced after 4-5 years of heavy volume running.   Combined with a lot of time sitting in a chair (working) and on a bike the last few years, it’s an unusual “injury” that is treatable with a lot of stretching and deep tissue manual active release therapy.

Who the heck has time for all that anymore!

So I have to stop and stretch a few times and take walking breaks, but Steve is chomping at the bit, and for someone who began racing in the late 1970’s with a 2:50 marathon p.b. he’s old school and has his breaking point.  Me?  The more women in tight shorts who pass me, the better vantage point in my opinion, Girl Power has my vote!

Steve is clearly not happy, he’s picked up the pace, he’s mumbling under his breath and his fists are clenched, precisely why I pick him for these zany adventures!   We’re also soaked, from head to toe.  The rain continues to fall, and even in the canopy of the forest we’re getting pelted from above,  while a river crossing and numerous puddles / swamps / bogs have soaked our feet many times over.

Finally we reach our canoe, 2hrs later, starved of course and eager to rest our legs.  As a rule in these events I carried a camel back with our First Aid supplies, emergency thermal blankets, whistles, emergency sport gels and 2-liter water supply.  I was smart and experienced enough to bring dozens of various sport bars, gels, liquid fuel options and other snacks to keep our tummies filled while we navigated through mother nature’s finest terrain.  I was stupid enough to leave everything in the car, back at the starting line!


“Steve, I can’t find ANY bars in here, we’re screwed!   All I have our these two e-load gels, what about you?”   My trusty team-mate nervously hands over a half-eaten bar, knowing full well it could be the last fuel we have as we embark on 16km’s of paddling and portaging.  What are team-mates for after all, I did provide breakfast at of fruit and stale, cold potaoes….

As we pull on our $110 swank, sporty life jackets from MEC, I see a Clif Bar and E-load Gel in the convenient pockets where you would smartly store this emergency food.  “Wait, I did bring something afterall, yippee”….as I unzip the pocket and show off my stash, like a proud 14-year old showing off a toad scooped out of a pond.  It was like I found an unclaimed lottery ticket worth a million dollars so valuable these 400 calories were.

Of course in my excitement putting them back I failed to zip up the pocket, some lucky hiker or wandering rodent will hopefully enjoy these trail offerings one day in the future.


THE PADDLE

The paddle / portage was breathtaking, as promised by the race organizers and testimonials from past participants.  Despite the cloud, rain, fog and inclement weather, we mixed our consistent strokes with expressions of “wow”, “look at that” and extended of silent stares of the beauty surrounding us.  Some of the small lakes were void of any human contact, and what few cottages we saw were cute, simple and a breath of fresh air from the many new, modern “cottages” I was used to seeing and sleeping in Muskoka. There were even some cool wall-like rock facings that were tempting to climb and jump below into the warm, inviting waters.  I found myself constantly dipping my hands through the water to enjoy the sensation of clean, bath-like water, but also do clean the mud from each portage!

We also enjoyed many “breath-taking” moments hauling this large, rather heavy canoe (compared to everyone else’s kayaks and rented canoes).  We won’t re-print what was said after our 6th portage, over a kilometer long, up and down slippery, narrow, rock-covered trails.  We felt more like movers carrying a Grand Piano on a winding staircase, with broken treads!  We were finally rewarded with a short, small paddle over lily pads, around displaced logs and clumps of mud sitting on the surface.  Crazy stuff! 

But the (pick one) “piece de resistance” was the swamp?  beaver dam pond?  Home of the Bog Monster?  we mucked through for 100 yards to reach yet another heavenly piece of land.  Imagine gingerly placing your foot outside the comfy confines of a canoe, and carefully placing it on what appears to be the surface.  The first step is fine, like Neil Armstrong’s nervous first step on the moon must have felt like. You breathe a sigh of relief.  The next step, WHOMP, your foot disappears and never touches the bottom, only your mid-section (called BALLS on a guy) stops your leg from ending up in China.  After you recover from the shock and wonder if something alive down there has been disturbed.  You pull your leg up so it can gasp at fresh air.  You can only hope that your stinking, wet sock has discouraged something living below this disgusting piece of earth is taken aback by the smell and isn’t ready to make a meal out of you just yet.

It’s at precisely this point that we wonder why we didn’t sleep in 6 hours ago.

Some of the paddling was truly spectacular!

Needless to say, Steve and I continue our conversation and wonder if quicksand really exists.  “Of course it does Steve, even here in Ontario”  (that will get him thinking the next time he visits Algonquin Park).  Even the solo female kayakers we had company with over the past hour were starting to lose their patience, in the water, out, in the water, out of the water, it seemed like more distance was spent carrying our boats and less actually in them.

We scarfed down our two emergency gels, and Steve finished his Gatorade bottles, but we were both running out of fuel as we scrambled and screamed our way through the last portage of almost 2 kilometres.  At least it was the flattest, and we were still in the company of one remaining solo kayaker from Newmarket, Melissa.  She was racing with us until dropping our sorry butts on this last land crossing.  Finally, Lake St. Nora, where the Frost Centre (and our race start line) was situated.  Soggy and half-worn, I decided now was a good time to check the map.  We were into a fierce wind now, an open lake with no protection.  Small white caps were showing themselves in the choppy waters.  We were out of fuel save for some water in my camelback, and Steve utters the line of the day.  “It’s not that bad out here!”  Almost as good as his bold, obvious statement a few miles earlier, “I guess we should hit the gym next year and lift some weights”.

God love my racing partner, but did I mention he was MAD as a HATTER?    Now the rain was coming down again.  Brutal.  The sun had yet to break through the clouds so the wet clothes from mile #2 on the run are still, yes, wet.  Our arms were pounding from all the heavy lifting we did over 9 portages at last count.  But there was a blessing ahead of us finally, and she was looking prettier than ever, our angel on the water.  Melissa was struggling too!  “Yes!”, we had to shout, we’re not alone in our misery out here….Indeed, our brave solo Kayaker was going backwards like we were, and appeared to be waiting for us to catch up.   “Steve, I believe she’s lost as well”

So we mosy on up beside her Kayak, and look at her dry, fresh map (of course women are organized) for some indication of where to head next.  “I think THAT is the Frost Centre over there” motions Melisaa, pointing thru the rain and foggy horizon.  “The red building straight ahead”.   Now what follows is probably the stupidest sentence in the history of adventure racing.  Ever.  Worldwide.  In history.  All time.  Stupidist, if that’s really a word.

“No, that’s not the Frost Centre, it’s much further THIS way” (opposite direction, further away from where we started, further away from the two other boats behind us who went THAT way 45 minutes ago).  “NO WAY is that the Frost Centre”.  Emphatically. 

Now please understand that the person (me) saying this has actually never seen the Frost Centre from the lake, or during daylight, or a picture in a magazine, tourism guide or from a plane above.  This same person (me) has actually never properly read an adventure racing map and is 0-5 in these types of events that require the study, analysis and execution of map reading.    This same person (me), however, actually sounds rather convinced and convinces our poor friend from Newmarket to listen to the idiot.

2 hours later, we found the Frost Centre.  And we were frosty, frozen and when we found out we missed the bike cut-off, someone on our team was Frosty Mad.


The Bike

There was no bike….lol


FINISH


So here we are, in my van, which I strategically parked close to the bike transition area, so we could change if needed quickly into our bike clothes, and more importantly we can access those two great sandwhiches I made!   Oh, and for the visibility of the logo.

Steve is still fuming.  We are officially DNF’ed, but I know we can sneak off and finish the bike portion, which is our strongest talent this summer.  I can tell he’s itching to get on his mountain bike.  “Buddy, just eat your sandwhich, I’ll turn up the heat, and we’ll get out there and finish this thing.”   I look over and Steve is shaking like a leaf.  We’ve been off the water for 20 minutes, the heat is full-on inside the van too.  “Ah, Steve, I think we’re done for the day……”

they REALLY were amazing sandwhiches....

We are parked 40 yards from the port-o-lets.  I look and see a familiar face getting into one.  “Look, it’s Bill Wells, he must be finished”.

I look at my watch….impossible.  But Bill’s body language and facial expression suggests he is finished the war in the forest (Rambo 6).  It isn’t very positive, .  I roll down the window, calling him over.  “Hey Bill, how was the race?”  He walks over, probably thinking those are good-looking sandwhiches.  His face is covered in mud, which tells the tale more than any words can.

“I didn’t win, I was 3rd, the run went fine but in my new Kayak all those portages meant lots of scratches….I wasn’t prepared to bust up my new boat today.

?

That sounds like a logical strategy to me.  We held back for fear of getting our socks really dirty.

Steve, pass me the corn chips.



Peter



p.s. Congrats to Jacob Van Dorp for winning his 3rd race of the season, adding titles at the Frontier Adventure Challenge, Rockstar and now Logs Rocks and Steel.  Up next, the Abu Dhabi Adventure Challenge.  Sounds tame….

Barb Campbell takes home first place among the women, she’s a three time North American Rogaining champ, Canadian Orienteering Champ (Steve, we follow her next time) and Ski Marathon champ.  Both winners get to represent Canada in New Zealand later this fall for yet another ridiculously long, wet/cold/hot adventure in the wilds….

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Raven Run Part 2

I can't believe this guy is sucking us in to run 8 miles, I can still feel the Corona in my belly.  It's pretty warm, it's now 4:45 and the group is antsy.

"We just ate, so maybe we can just take some pictures and join you tonite for the dinner"

Sarah nods approvingly, fear and shock would better describe her facial expression when I suggest maybe we should run then.   "It's only eight miles, and we can walk/run it".  

Raven:   "You can't attend the dinner if you're not in "the book".

Sarah:  "What book?"

Peter:  "There's  a book too?"

Sexy Canadian:  "Well it's actually a list, of every runner who has ran 8 miles with the Raven".

Canuck:  "C'mom, you have to run now, you are here, and you'll get a nickname too"

Sarah and Peter:   "A nickname"?

Raven:  "So are we running or what"....


(you get the jist of the conversation, as I mull over the possibility, and Sarah recovers from the reality that instead of another round of margaritas on a patio, after  an easy bike ride, she may have to run again, with the wrong bra no less)


Peter:   (to Sarah).   "We have to run, we may not be here tomorrow, or for another year in fact!"

Josh pipes in (my friend and exposure #1):   "You are running aren't you?"

Peter:  (to Raven)  "How fast do you guys go?"

Raven:  "After 35 years...trust me...it's not that fast"

Sexy Canadian:  "But you have to be back before Raven leaves the beach or you don't get on the list"

Sarah and Peter:   "Rats".   

Sarah:   "We just ate, and I am not dressed.  No way can I do this, especially after eating``

Peter:  ``Ì will go with you (famous last words, every runner has said this to a slower companion)....it will be fun, trust me (more famous last words).


So the group takes off, we`re at the back, and now there are 20 runners, Raven starts Roll Call and introduces the new people.  What a memory, and he mentions my World Record too (mascot marathon).  He also appreciates me and Commando in our barefeet, so he asks me what my nickname will be.  Apparently, he makes up alot of runner`s nicknames, but he senses my marketing savvyness and before long (8 seconds) I decide that Mascot is appropriate.   I could have gone with Promoter but Frankie Ruiz from the Miami Marathon has that name down.  (there are no duplicates on `the list`)

Raven remembers everyones nicknames, how long they have been running with him, and other tidbits to pass the first stretch south towards the pier.   We are also in the midst of special members today, Warrior most among them.  He was extremely overweight, out of shape and un-motivated two years earlier, living up north when he heard about Raven.  He shared with me that one day he decided, enough was enough, he wanted to change his lifestyle for the better.  He moved to Miami Beach, got fitter, started running 80 days ago and hasn`t missed a day!  This included the day prior, when he ran his first marathon AND ran 8 miles on the beach that afternoon.

No wonder his nickname is warrior!   He is going after the most auspicious Raven record of the lot, the most consecutive days running with the legend himself, which is actually owned by Poutine, a Canadian gal whom we met at dinner that evening.  Her streak ended un-ceremoniously at 151 days when she went back to Canada for the birthday of a relative (soft).   So now after less than a few miles, I start to have a fond and growing respect for what`s going on here.  Imagine the impact of this one individual, transforming his life and now inspiring others to do the same.  How the hell can I quit now!

Sarah and I though are quickly suffering from the heavy stomach, her sore legs and my aching body.  The main group sticks together and you quickly notice the stares and attention from late day sun worshippers collecting a few more rays of skin cancer.

There are many joggers and power-walkers, fast runners and certainly many have no idea of the history passing them by.   Speaking of passing, the lead group is already coming back the other way, and everyone encourages each other so it`s inspiring.   There are 4 routes I believe, this is south, north past the starting point, back to the pier, north again a little further than before, then all the way back to the pier a 3rd time (killer time now), then finally at the Lifeguard station.

Sarah and I are so far behind after a few miles, I worry that we`ll both miss the cut-off.  We`re as committed now as a couple of pigs at a slaughterhouse, so this could get ugly.  For the first time in a long time, I don`t want to finish a run and Sarah seems further behind mentally than I am.  I have quit very few races in my 16 years of running, but more than a handful of training runs have been bailed on.  This seems different, even on vacation and the day after a half-marathon (which I always take off btw).

Not only are the Raven runners supporting us, but I sense something regretful if I don`t finish today.   The sun is setting, and I start to selfishly think of myself.   ``Sarah can always run again tomorrow, and being a newbie may not care to miss out on making `the list`.   But I HAVE TO finish...so she lets me take off, as I proceed down to the water where the sand allows me to pick up the pace considerably, in my barefeet.  I am certain she`s toast, like some of the sun worshippers among us.

Pretty soon, I find my gears, and start whipping along the beach, catching up to the pack.  I am amazed at how nimble I soon feel, nothing quite like a change of scenery, on a soft surface, to dig up some long lost running inspiration.  I head back up the flat, hard, wide section of the beach, the first point of entry from the sidewalk.  There is a very large middle section, where the sunbathers, chairs and umbrellas fill in, then the hard-packed, jelly fish littered, cantered section adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean.  I have almost caught up to the group, passing Sarah once more and stopping to encourage her.   She`s doing okay, but I worry that she won`t make it before Raven finishes.  We`re almost done but she still has a ways to go.  Thankfully, Canuck has to finish his run by heading further north, so he joins her on the lonely, last section furthest north on today`s route.  (regulars are allowed to improvise their runs by running to the start, thus running back to homes and condos and still qualifying as a `run`with Raven``

I finally finish but not before passing Sarah one last time, as she heads south again for her last mile.  She`s ecstatic, which surprises me, and even refuses my water.  Ì have it! she exclaims, like she must mean the winning lottery ticket to last evenings`draw.   Or she found a 1000-year old Spanish Gold antique lying under the sand.

`My nickname`she cries, as if it was the answer to the Holy Grails resting place.  `Northen Dancer!   How appropriate I comment, you like to Salsa, grew up among horses in Kentucky and are also a Canadian.

Well how about that, we all need inspiration in many ways, shapes and forms and Sarah covered more ground today than she ever had as a `runner`.

Thank you Raven.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

The World's Most Unusual and Unique Running Club

 RavenRun
Miami, Florida
How would you like to know that you can show up, every day, at the same time and place and be guaranteed someone to run with, rain or shine?  And it was FREE!
Recently I was in Miami attending the Miami Marathon, Florida's fastest growing running festival.   Peter Donato finally ticked off another running conquest, running with South Beaches legendary streaker (consecutive days running with no days off), Robert "Raven" Kraft.  Some of you may have heard of this interesting personality, who recently celebrated 100,000 miles of a running streak lasting 35 years, and counting.   I actually heard about the Raven several years ago on my first visit to the Miami Marathon, which is now a client of our company.  A friend who had been to Toronto to work the Scotia Bank Marathon Race Expo invited me to "run with the Raven", but it sounded a bit bizarre.   Not knowing this person, and fearing he was kind of a freak, I passed on the invitation.
At the Miami Marathon Race Expo on the Friday, I bumped into a fellow runner from Canada who I had seen countless times at local GTA races.  He noticed Jefferson who was with me, tied to the Girl Guides table out front, smart place to sell cookies!  He's mentioning the Raven Run and will I be joining?   He tells me his nickname is the Sexy Canadian, and I can't disagree.  Solid tan, matching and fashionable clothes, cool demeanour about this fellow.  I dismiss the offer, again, not wanting to get sucked into anything unusual (!).   But now it's exposure number four, they say it takes six or seven often to make a decision.

During my 1/2 marathon run 2 days later, at mile three as we enter South Beach, I pass a familiar looking guy on the side of the road.  Dressed in black, shirt open, scraggly and greying hair.  He's cheering on the sidelines, and at the very moment I hear a woman shout out, "hey Raven thanks for cheering" and she passes me wearing a Raven Run t-shirt.  That wasn't what bothered me....it was not being able to catch up to her to read the back!    Now we had posted an article and photo on our site years earlier, so this "Raven" person now has a face, and he even looked familiar to someone I passed at the Expo on the Friday  (although I was in Mascot drag so who knows if he saw me).....(:
So there it is again, the Raven....
Monday morning arrives, me very much stiff, sore and barely coherent, tyypical post-race enjoying a mellow breakfast overflowing with eggs, toast and unlimited coffee.   The Sexy Canadian passes our table on the sidewalk.  Sarah is seated with me, girlfriend and casual runner who just finished a 45-minute run-walk along the beach.  Alot of miles for a newbie on vacation (foreshadowing here folks).   "Hey Sexy Canadian, over here...join us".   It's always great to mingle with fellow Canucks on the road, especially colourful characters like Dave is.  We exchange the usual post-run banter, etc.  How was your race, what's your "next race"...lol

"No running for me today, in addition to running the 1/2 marathon I also biked to/from the start line, and roller-bladed over an hour at the end of the day.   Severely exhausted I am, Sarah too.  "Why don't you join me today at 4pm for the Raven Run, then tonite at the Annual Awards Banquet."...enquires the Sexy Canadian.

What???

There's a run AND an Awards Banquet?  What and who is this guy?   Curiosity finally killed this cat.
Now we have to meet him at least.  Sarah and I decide to show up, finally (exposure number seven seals the deal) but JUST to meet him, take a picture, maybe attend the dinner.   I bring my roller blades and her bike, we're going to burn off the late lunch, margaritas and Coronas.  She has run already, and my legs are trashed.   As we wander to the Lifeguard station near 5th Street we have zero interest in actually running.  Maybe tomorrow.  It's 4:15, we're late and there is no sign of the guy.  Another girl wearing a shirt approaches us wandering the sidewalk (lost),  comforts us, we're not lost afterall.  "Oh he's coming, he is usually late anyway".  

We are now on the beach, beautiful sand, water, sun, near naked bodies splayed on the sand.  Not a bad choice for a daily run, even 13,000 days consecutively.  Pretty soon people show up from all directions, all shapes and sizes, and it's a real friendly, social gathering.   Typical run club outing, for starters.  10-12...15 people.  Something's happening here. Raven shows up too.  All in black....

Sexy Canadian is here.  Groundhog.  Canuck (from Toronto as well).  Warrior (massive, strong looking guy who also ran the marathon the day prior).    Seems like everyone has an alter ego.  Sarah and I get some pictures taken, then he pops the question.  "So, are you two running with us?".

"Ah, no, not really...."

And as they say, "the rest of the story" follows on post number two.