Swim Club Entry, Time to be Humbled 3/28

Recognizing that if I'm going to have a shot in hell at completing the swim leg of Ironman Canada this summer, I had better get some better form on the swim.  Bad technique just means you'll work as hard or harder than others but you won't go anywhere.

I joined up with the Hub City Tri Club, hoping to meet a few people and get out on some training rides with them through the spring and summer.  The club has set up a swim coach for a 12 week set, Mondays and Wednesdays at 6am.  Waking up at 5 can only get easier....

Today was tough, and so so humbling.  I stumbled around at 5am, in the darkness drove out of the garage and over to the NAC.  The swim coach is John, seems like a good guy.  The group appears to be an uber fit assembly of very fast swimmers.  I went in the slower lane and got absolutely worked.  Today ended up being about 1600m, with the coach giving me plenty of tips out of the water. 

I am a human anchor.

Yellow Point Ride - Brick Run 3/26

Always good times to learn new routes around you.  Had a nice ride out on Cedar Road then to Yellow Point.  O and I stopped and enjoyed the beach for a bit before carrying on.  This was her first road ride in awhile but she still did great.  Some funny (one could say, rednecky) signs out this way "No Trespassing, is it worth your life?".

Got back to the house then headed out for an easy 5k run.

Westwood Lake Runs - 3/19

Westwood Lake is this amazing little oasis right on the edge of the city and nudged up against the base of Mt.Benson.  I remember 6 years ago running this when on a trip back from Japan I was visiting Josh here and he took me out for a lap followed by some runs out in Colliery.  I clearly remember how very "Vancouver Island" it felt when visiting the lake back in '05 on that trip with the huge trees and vegetation everywhere.

Today I drove the quick ten minutes to Westwood lake and planned on running 5k out back (10) then another 4k to round out to 14k. Ended up just doing 2 laps of the 6k lake loop, followed by a 1k out and back to equal 14 instead. Added the final lake loop km hill climb to the long run which hurt like fuk but has to be good for me somehow.

Stopped at 6k and 12k for quick water and part of a bar. Ran this one just keeping hte heart rate down and ran for time (goal was over 1h20).

Lake Loop 1 36:50
Lake Loop 2 35:22

How good is it to be able to drive 10 minutes in zero traffic and be at the lake??

The NAC

One of the big drawing points to moving to Nanaimo was definitely the pool, and I'm not even a swimmer.  Having that nice long 50m pool to do lengths in is amazing, and it's not warm (and yellowish) like a kiddy pool that so many have to swim in!  I heard that back in the day there was quite a resistance in Nanaimo to build a pool that big saying that no one would use it. 

From what I've seen there's a very large group of fit, happy, and active individuals who would argue that, and that's just at first glance.  Build the facilities, parks, soccer pitches, baseball diamonds, tracks, hockey arenas, TRAILS, and you'll stand a much better chance at a very healthy community as well as kids who will enjoy the outdoors more than a PS3.

March 5 - Colliery Dam

Settling into Nanaimo, awesome to have a few days to unpack for the first time in EIGHT years.  Since I left for Japan in 2003 I haven't ever been in one spot to unpack fully.  I'm pulling out boxes of stuff I forgot I even had.  Makes you realize how much you really don't need.

Out for a beauty run on the Parkway Trail, so close to home and goes on for 18km one way to the north end of the city.  It reminded me of my old stomping grounds in Sapporo, the Shiroishi Cycling Road.  Though that pathway can never be matched this one is pretty good. 

We got out for a nice hour or so bike ride up the pathway too, checked out Colliery Dam Park.  Looking forward to finding more and more trails...

The Busy Period is Almost Over

March 2nd, 2011

I won't lie, it's been a shit show for about 6 weeks from the time I left for Vegas for my stag in late January, to now in early March.  Managed to sell a condo, go to Vegas, quit my job, start my new job, move out of condo the day before leaving to our wedding in Dominican Republic, spend a week on the beach (sounds great, was great, but also lots of 'gistics when bringing alot of people along), return and 2 days later have a large Chinese banquet, 2 days later get Uhaul, pack up life for second time, try to move but ferry is shut down due to winds for most of the day, eventually move to Vancouver Island (like a dream), start a *new* job, and settle into my first ever home.  Whirlwind!



Feeling really positive these days though, so many great changes happening in life and loving  the steps forward.  It's time to really dig down and get training harder for Ironman Canada now, no more 'going through the motions'.

Back from the Beach, and Married!

What an awesome week away with my fiance-now-wife and our families and friends.  There is nothing like having good people together and I can't thank everyone enough who made the effort to come down. 

Training-wise, I managed to get in a couple treadmill runs and an outdoor run with my brother and Sly Bri.  The outdoor run was an hour before I got married (nerves?), just to lace them up on my wedding day!  We ventured out the gated community of the resort and were followed by a black suburban, pretty sure it was just hotel security but who knows.  Had to turn back partway through a shanty town when a stray dog decided to chase three very pasty dudes.  Back in time to barely shower, get ready for the wedding, and walk over to the ceremony, I'd have it no other way!