Well it’s one day before race day. I slept in a bit this morning to try to get just a bit more sleep before tonight. The weather is changing and it is forecast to be in the low 70’s tomorrow. That is about 20 degrees lower than usual and should make for perfect conditions for the Ironman. In fact, on Sunday morning it may only be in the low 50’s. I’ll take a sweatshirt for the long wait in the swim line.
Yesterday I went for a 45 minute ride along River Road and back, just to make sure everything is ok on the bike and to keep the legs loose. Later we went to the welcome dinner, afterwards was the athletes meeting and before the dinner I went to a LifeSports seminar at the Kentucky Convention Center. It was very good and I
picked up a lot of good tips for a successful race.
I walked my bike over to the check in just after noon when it opened, It was very well organized with each athlete arriving with their bike is paired up with a volunteer who walks you to your rack, helps get everything set up and makes sure your transition bags get to the right spot. The volunteers are awesome here. As soon they are finished with one athlete, they line back up to help another one.
Our hotel is providing an early Ironman breakfast tomorrow morning with bagels, cereals and bananas, etc. I don’t think I’ve forgotten anything, we’ll see if all of a sudden something comes to mind this afternoon. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon with my feet up, watching TV. Will go back over to check the bike just before 5pm to make sure the tires survived the afternoon in the heat.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Record sized field set to compete in third annual event
Sunday's Ford Ironman Louisville event could feature the largest field in Ironman history with almost 3,000 athletes registered from 20 countries for the third annual event here in Kentucky. In addition to the huge age group field, a competitive pro field is also set to take part, headed by defending champions Max Longree and Mariska Kramer-Postma, but both will face competitive fields including a number of Ironman champions.
Australian Luke McKenzie, a two-time Ironman champion already in 2009 (Malaysia and Japan), arrives here in Louisville as the man most likely to take the crown away from Longree, but South Africa's Raynard Tissink with five Ironman titles on his resume, also arrives as another favorite. Added to the competitive list of male pros is two-time Ford Ironman Wisconsin Dave Harju.
Kramer-Postma will face multiple-Ironman champions Nina Kraft, Fernanda Keller and Lisbeth Kristensen as she tries to defend her title. Kraft was a runner-up here in Louisville two years ago, while Kristensen finished third here last year, just eight months after the birth of her daughter, Astrid. Keller is trying to continue a 21-year streak of qualifying for the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona.
Australian Luke McKenzie, a two-time Ironman champion already in 2009 (Malaysia and Japan), arrives here in Louisville as the man most likely to take the crown away from Longree, but South Africa's Raynard Tissink with five Ironman titles on his resume, also arrives as another favorite. Added to the competitive list of male pros is two-time Ford Ironman Wisconsin Dave Harju.
Kramer-Postma will face multiple-Ironman champions Nina Kraft, Fernanda Keller and Lisbeth Kristensen as she tries to defend her title. Kraft was a runner-up here in Louisville two years ago, while Kristensen finished third here last year, just eight months after the birth of her daughter, Astrid. Keller is trying to continue a 21-year streak of qualifying for the Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona.
We're Here!
We arrived safe and sound in Louisville at about 4:30p yesterday. We left the house at 6:15a and had a great drive, no problems with the exception of a couple minutes stopped at a minor accident on 75 just south of Dayton. We checked into the Residence Inn in downtown Louisville and we are really impressed with our suite which includes a full kitchen. After checking in, unpacking and settling in, we headed off for the big Wally to stock up on groceries, we were too tired to cook so we had a great dinner at TGIF’s on 4th Street Live.
I was up early this morning to take advantage of the great breakfast buffet they have here. Make your own waffles, fresh oj and even BACON! After I headed off to the Galt House hotel with Mom where she was volunteering in athlete registration. I was one of the first in line and was weighed in (145.6lbs) given my wristband, designating me as an athlete, signed all the waivers! And was given all the usual stuff, transition bags, helmet and bike numbers, bib numbers, swim cap and another nifty Ironman knapsack.
I took a tour of the expo to check out all the various vendors and then walked back to the hotel. A couple of days ago I noticed a slight wobble in my rear wheel. Every time I walk by my bike I wiggle the top of the wheel to see if it’s still there. I decided it wasn’t going away and I better do something about it. The bike tech area didn’t seem too busy at the expo yet so I grabbed the bike and headed back. I showed them the problem and they assured me that I could race on it, no problem. But they offered to fix it and said it would only take half an hour. It turned out to be an axle adjustment and they did a great job. They are top notch and I can’t even guess how many bikes they will fix over the course of the next couple of days!
It is hot and humid here, I went for a short run this afternoon and was dripping wet when I got back. However, they are calling for a cold wave to come in and Sunday should only be in the 70’s. That will make for great conditions, 30 degrees cooler than the last couple of years. We spent a couple of hours at the mall this afternoon, the Girls have to get some shopping done!
Early to bed tonight and maybe a practice swim in the morning. I’ll try to get some pics posted tomorrow.
Things you (even I) might not know about the Ironman.
They make a lot of money, drink a lot of water, and need a lot of volunteer help. Here are some of the more interesting facts about Ironman Louisville:
• Average yearly HH income for Ironman entrant: $161,000 (ha, ha, ha :) )
• Estimated value of bicycles in transition area: $2.5 million
• 5 men are attempting Ironman Louisville who are ages 70 - 76
• Water - supplied by Louisville Water Company:
Bike Course: 42,240 bottles (24 oz) That's 14 per athlete
Run Course: 37,000 bottles (34 oz) That's 12 per athlete
Finish Line: 9,000 bottles (500ml)
• Police: 825 different police shifts for the race, just in Louisville, not counting Oldham County.
Total Volunteers: 2,900
Including:
1. 60 for body marking 55 in kayaks on swim course
2. 100 other swim monitors
3. 30 assisting with gearbags
4. 60 in changing tents
5. 75 per bike course aid station
6. 30 motorcycle volunteers
7. 100 bike "catchers" in transition area
8. 50 per aid station on run course
9. 100 at finish line
10. 5 vans on the bike course picking up non-finishers
Norton Healthcare Inc. will provide medical services for the Ironman, they will supply over 100 physicians, nurses and other health care professionals to treat injuries and medical emergencies and they have donated over $50,000 in medical supplies to treat an estimated 500 participants during the event. Typical medical conditions treated during the Ironman are dehydration, nausea, exhaustion, vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal and muscle cramping, according to the release. The main medical area will be located inside the Kentucky International Convention Center, 220 S. Fourth St.
HOW ABOUT THAT!
I was up early this morning to take advantage of the great breakfast buffet they have here. Make your own waffles, fresh oj and even BACON! After I headed off to the Galt House hotel with Mom where she was volunteering in athlete registration. I was one of the first in line and was weighed in (145.6lbs) given my wristband, designating me as an athlete, signed all the waivers! And was given all the usual stuff, transition bags, helmet and bike numbers, bib numbers, swim cap and another nifty Ironman knapsack.
I took a tour of the expo to check out all the various vendors and then walked back to the hotel. A couple of days ago I noticed a slight wobble in my rear wheel. Every time I walk by my bike I wiggle the top of the wheel to see if it’s still there. I decided it wasn’t going away and I better do something about it. The bike tech area didn’t seem too busy at the expo yet so I grabbed the bike and headed back. I showed them the problem and they assured me that I could race on it, no problem. But they offered to fix it and said it would only take half an hour. It turned out to be an axle adjustment and they did a great job. They are top notch and I can’t even guess how many bikes they will fix over the course of the next couple of days!
It is hot and humid here, I went for a short run this afternoon and was dripping wet when I got back. However, they are calling for a cold wave to come in and Sunday should only be in the 70’s. That will make for great conditions, 30 degrees cooler than the last couple of years. We spent a couple of hours at the mall this afternoon, the Girls have to get some shopping done!
Early to bed tonight and maybe a practice swim in the morning. I’ll try to get some pics posted tomorrow.
Things you (even I) might not know about the Ironman.
They make a lot of money, drink a lot of water, and need a lot of volunteer help. Here are some of the more interesting facts about Ironman Louisville:
• Average yearly HH income for Ironman entrant: $161,000 (ha, ha, ha :) )
• Estimated value of bicycles in transition area: $2.5 million
• 5 men are attempting Ironman Louisville who are ages 70 - 76
• Water - supplied by Louisville Water Company:
Bike Course: 42,240 bottles (24 oz) That's 14 per athlete
Run Course: 37,000 bottles (34 oz) That's 12 per athlete
Finish Line: 9,000 bottles (500ml)
• Police: 825 different police shifts for the race, just in Louisville, not counting Oldham County.
Total Volunteers: 2,900
Including:
1. 60 for body marking 55 in kayaks on swim course
2. 100 other swim monitors
3. 30 assisting with gearbags
4. 60 in changing tents
5. 75 per bike course aid station
6. 30 motorcycle volunteers
7. 100 bike "catchers" in transition area
8. 50 per aid station on run course
9. 100 at finish line
10. 5 vans on the bike course picking up non-finishers
Norton Healthcare Inc. will provide medical services for the Ironman, they will supply over 100 physicians, nurses and other health care professionals to treat injuries and medical emergencies and they have donated over $50,000 in medical supplies to treat an estimated 500 participants during the event. Typical medical conditions treated during the Ironman are dehydration, nausea, exhaustion, vomiting, dizziness, and abdominal and muscle cramping, according to the release. The main medical area will be located inside the Kentucky International Convention Center, 220 S. Fourth St.
HOW ABOUT THAT!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Ironman Louisville, One Goal
This is my big race for the year, the race that I’ve spent 48 weeks and roughly 500 hours training for. In 2007 I finished in 13:02, no doubt I could have found 2 minutes over 13 hours to save and get in in the 12’s, however it was 13:02. My swim was ok, where it should have been based on my ability at the time, my bike was ok, about 7:00, longer than I had ridden 180k before, but it included several stops to pee. My run was the high point in 2007, 4:20 for the marathon and I passed a ton of people and was good for 20th in my age group.
In 2008 my swim was about the same, I dropped close to 30mins off my bike time, mostly by not stopping to pee, but my run suffered when blisters appeared about 10miles into the run, caused by not stopping to pee. So I saved 30mins on the bike and took 45mins longer on the run and finished in 13:15.
What about this year? One goal…Finish in under 13 hours. That’s it, one goal, no good , better, and best times and maybe’s and what if’s. Just one goal finish in under 13hrs.
In 2008 my swim was about the same, I dropped close to 30mins off my bike time, mostly by not stopping to pee, but my run suffered when blisters appeared about 10miles into the run, caused by not stopping to pee. So I saved 30mins on the bike and took 45mins longer on the run and finished in 13:15.
What about this year? One goal…Finish in under 13 hours. That’s it, one goal, no good , better, and best times and maybe’s and what if’s. Just one goal finish in under 13hrs.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
We are sooooo close to a cure!
Led by Dr. Jacques Galipeau, researchers at the Jewish General Hospital Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and the McGill University in Montreal, in an experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis , managed to completely reverse the auto-immune disorder in mice.
"We took normal B-cells from mice, and sprinkled GIFT15 on them and when we gave them back intravenously to mice ill with multiple sclerosis, the disease went away." He said there were no significant side-effects in the mice, and the treatment was fully effective with a single dose. That's what we did in mice, and that's what we believe we could do in people. It would be very easy to take the next step; it's just a question of finding the financial resources and partnerships to make this a reality."
"We took normal B-cells from mice, and sprinkled GIFT15 on them and when we gave them back intravenously to mice ill with multiple sclerosis, the disease went away." He said there were no significant side-effects in the mice, and the treatment was fully effective with a single dose. That's what we did in mice, and that's what we believe we could do in people. It would be very easy to take the next step; it's just a question of finding the financial resources and partnerships to make this a reality."
Multiple Sclerosis Successfully Reversed In Mice: New Immune-suppressing Treatment Forces The Disease Into Remission
Dr. Jacques Galipeau of the Jewish General Hospital Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and McGill University. (Credit: Claudio Calligaris/McGill University)
ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — A new experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) completely reverses the devastating autoimmune disorder in mice, and might work exactly the same way in humans, say researchers at the Jewish General Hospital Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and McGill University in Montreal.
MS is an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune response attacks the central nervous system, almost as if the body had become allergic to itself, leading to progressive physical and cognitive disability.
The new treatment, appropriately named GIFT15, puts MS into remission by suppressing the immune response. This means it might also be effective against other autoimmune disorders like Crohn's disease, lupus and arthritis, the researchers said, and could theoretically also control immune responses in organ transplant patients. Moreover, unlike earlier immune-supppressing therapies which rely on chemical pharamaceuticals, this approach is a personalized form of cellular therapy which utilizes the body's own cells to suppress immunity in a much more targeted way.
GIFT15 was discovered by a team led by Dr. Jacques Galipeau of the JGH Lady Davis Institute and McGill's Faculty of Medicine. The results were published August 9 in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine.
GIFT15 is composed of two proteins, GSM-CSF and interleukin-15, fused together artificially in the lab. Under normal circumstances, the individual proteins usually act to stimulate the immune system, but in their fused form, the equation reverses itself.
"You know those mythical animals that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion? They're called chimeras. In a lyrical sense, that's what we've created," said Galipeau, a world-renowned expert in cell regeneration affiliated with the Segal Cancer Centre at the Jewish General and McGill's Centre for Translational Research. "GIFT15 is a new protein hormone composed of two distinct proteins, and when they're stuck together they lead to a completely unexpected biological effect."
This effect, explained Galipeau, converts B-cells -- a common form of white blood cell normally involved in immune response -- into powerful immune-suppressive cells. Unlike their better-known cousins, T-cells, naturally-occurring immune-suppressing B-cells are almost unknown in nature and the notion of using them to control immunity is very new.
"GIFT15 can take your normal, run-of-the-mill B-cells and convert them -- in a Superman or Jekyll -Hyde sort of way -- into these super-powerful B-regulatory cells," Galipeau explained. "We can do that in a petri dish. We took normal B-cells from mice, and sprinkled GIFT15 on them, which led to this Jekyll and Hyde effect.
"And when we gave them back intravenously to mice ill with multiple sclerosis, the disease went away."
MS must be caught in its earliest stages, Galipeau cautioned, and clinical studies are needed to test the treatment's efficacy and safety in humans. No significant side-effects showed up in the mice, he said, and the treatment was fully effective with a single dose.
"It's easy to collect B-cells from a patient," he added. "It's just like donating blood. We purify them in the lab, treat them with GIFT15 in a petri dish, and give them back to the patient. That's what we did in mice, and that's what we believe we could do in people. It would be very easy to take the next step, it's just a question of finding the financial resources and partnerships to make this a reality."
ScienceDaily (Aug. 12, 2009) — A new experimental treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS) completely reverses the devastating autoimmune disorder in mice, and might work exactly the same way in humans, say researchers at the Jewish General Hospital Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research and McGill University in Montreal.
MS is an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune response attacks the central nervous system, almost as if the body had become allergic to itself, leading to progressive physical and cognitive disability.
The new treatment, appropriately named GIFT15, puts MS into remission by suppressing the immune response. This means it might also be effective against other autoimmune disorders like Crohn's disease, lupus and arthritis, the researchers said, and could theoretically also control immune responses in organ transplant patients. Moreover, unlike earlier immune-supppressing therapies which rely on chemical pharamaceuticals, this approach is a personalized form of cellular therapy which utilizes the body's own cells to suppress immunity in a much more targeted way.
GIFT15 was discovered by a team led by Dr. Jacques Galipeau of the JGH Lady Davis Institute and McGill's Faculty of Medicine. The results were published August 9 in the prestigious journal Nature Medicine.
GIFT15 is composed of two proteins, GSM-CSF and interleukin-15, fused together artificially in the lab. Under normal circumstances, the individual proteins usually act to stimulate the immune system, but in their fused form, the equation reverses itself.
"You know those mythical animals that have the head of an eagle and the body of a lion? They're called chimeras. In a lyrical sense, that's what we've created," said Galipeau, a world-renowned expert in cell regeneration affiliated with the Segal Cancer Centre at the Jewish General and McGill's Centre for Translational Research. "GIFT15 is a new protein hormone composed of two distinct proteins, and when they're stuck together they lead to a completely unexpected biological effect."
This effect, explained Galipeau, converts B-cells -- a common form of white blood cell normally involved in immune response -- into powerful immune-suppressive cells. Unlike their better-known cousins, T-cells, naturally-occurring immune-suppressing B-cells are almost unknown in nature and the notion of using them to control immunity is very new.
"GIFT15 can take your normal, run-of-the-mill B-cells and convert them -- in a Superman or Jekyll -Hyde sort of way -- into these super-powerful B-regulatory cells," Galipeau explained. "We can do that in a petri dish. We took normal B-cells from mice, and sprinkled GIFT15 on them, which led to this Jekyll and Hyde effect.
"And when we gave them back intravenously to mice ill with multiple sclerosis, the disease went away."
MS must be caught in its earliest stages, Galipeau cautioned, and clinical studies are needed to test the treatment's efficacy and safety in humans. No significant side-effects showed up in the mice, he said, and the treatment was fully effective with a single dose.
"It's easy to collect B-cells from a patient," he added. "It's just like donating blood. We purify them in the lab, treat them with GIFT15 in a petri dish, and give them back to the patient. That's what we did in mice, and that's what we believe we could do in people. It would be very easy to take the next step, it's just a question of finding the financial resources and partnerships to make this a reality."
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Taper Time
I did a 6 mile run in the heat yesterday and I really feel that I’ve started to come around in the heat. I was able to maintain a steady 9:30/mile pace and a 145’ish heart rate. How that will translate into a 26.1 mile run after the bike ride in Louisville, only time will tell. Last night I went for a 1:20 bike ride with Nick up to Stouffville and back, it was still hot and we worked out hard on the way up and enjoyed the long downhill all the way back to Markham.
The bike feels great after Coach Rick tuned it up after my long ride on Saturday. Rick replaced the tires and tubes with some fresh rubber, replaced the chain and checked over the bike from top to bottom. I still need to replace my broken Hydro Tail with something. I may wait until I get to Louisville and get an XLAB.
With a little over 10 days until Ironman Louisville there is nothing I can do to make myself any faster and as I’m reminded by Coach Rick, I can mess up my Ironman by training too much during this time, so I am authorized to sit around on the couch...and not feel guilty. I find myself thinking "If I go out and smack myself for 13 more miles I'll be even more ready." No! It’s better to go into an IM 10% under trained than 1% over trained, so I’ll be good and resist the temptation to test my fitness, just one more time! Tonite, maybe an easy swim of 2kms.
The bike feels great after Coach Rick tuned it up after my long ride on Saturday. Rick replaced the tires and tubes with some fresh rubber, replaced the chain and checked over the bike from top to bottom. I still need to replace my broken Hydro Tail with something. I may wait until I get to Louisville and get an XLAB.
With a little over 10 days until Ironman Louisville there is nothing I can do to make myself any faster and as I’m reminded by Coach Rick, I can mess up my Ironman by training too much during this time, so I am authorized to sit around on the couch...and not feel guilty. I find myself thinking "If I go out and smack myself for 13 more miles I'll be even more ready." No! It’s better to go into an IM 10% under trained than 1% over trained, so I’ll be good and resist the temptation to test my fitness, just one more time! Tonite, maybe an easy swim of 2kms.
Monday, August 17, 2009
A Hot Weekend, Finally
Well hot and humid weather has finally arrived in southern Ontario and not a minute too soon! I really need this kind of weather to acclimatize to the conditions in Louisville. I did a 120k ride on Saturday followed by a 5 mile run. Nick and I left Markham at 10am so I was guaranteed to be in the mid day heat. We rode together up to Zephyr where Nick turned around as his Monaco 70.3 schedule called only for a 3hr ride and I continued on up to Udora and made the turn for home. It was hot. Once home I headed out for a run and ended up doing 5mi at about 9:30/mile pace.
At the end of my ride, about 1km from home I heard something hit the road behind me. I turned around and saw my Beaker Concepts rear carrier lying on the road. It had completely snapped off the back of my seat post. This is an aluminum device that attaches to my seat post and carries two water bottle cages, 2 co2 cartridges and an inflator. I guess that the aluminum developed a rip from all the road vibration and eventually it tore through and down it went. Good thing I was only around the corner from home.
With the forecasted humidex at 40 today, I’ll go for a 6 mile run at noon to really soak up some heat. I’ve also made the dreaded pre race switch to decaf coffee, yikes! I really miss the caffeine already.
At the end of my ride, about 1km from home I heard something hit the road behind me. I turned around and saw my Beaker Concepts rear carrier lying on the road. It had completely snapped off the back of my seat post. This is an aluminum device that attaches to my seat post and carries two water bottle cages, 2 co2 cartridges and an inflator. I guess that the aluminum developed a rip from all the road vibration and eventually it tore through and down it went. Good thing I was only around the corner from home.
With the forecasted humidex at 40 today, I’ll go for a 6 mile run at noon to really soak up some heat. I’ve also made the dreaded pre race switch to decaf coffee, yikes! I really miss the caffeine already.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Getting There
Last week was the ‘big week’ for me, the week of highest volume of training prior to the Louisville Ironman. I completed 10 hours of biking, 5 hours running and 2 hours swimming. This week will come in somewhere in the 12 hour range, with the last long brick (bike/run) workout on Saturday. After that it’s pretty much taper time to the 30th. I’m feeling good, I don’t feel any residual fatigue from the Lake Placid Ironman, not that I should with a 13:47 finish time, but I don’t feel any differently than if it was just another long training week with a very long brick.
I went for a 1 hour run at noon today, trying to get into the heat as much as possible to acclimatize for the hot conditions we’re bound to face in Louisville. We just haven’t had the heat and humidity here this summer to simulate the August weather in Kentucky. The forecast is for more of the same at least until Monday, so even though my workouts are getting shorter as the taper kicks in, I’ll do as much as I can during the hottest part of the day.
To all that have contributed to my MS fundraising, thank you, I really appreciate it. We are now at $4,310 and counting. At the pool last night I met up with some of my tri swim club peeps. One has a relative with MS and will be making a contribution and the other raised $800 last year for the MS Society after hearing a women with MS on the radio and realizing the value and potential of a healthy body.
I went for a 1 hour run at noon today, trying to get into the heat as much as possible to acclimatize for the hot conditions we’re bound to face in Louisville. We just haven’t had the heat and humidity here this summer to simulate the August weather in Kentucky. The forecast is for more of the same at least until Monday, so even though my workouts are getting shorter as the taper kicks in, I’ll do as much as I can during the hottest part of the day.
To all that have contributed to my MS fundraising, thank you, I really appreciate it. We are now at $4,310 and counting. At the pool last night I met up with some of my tri swim club peeps. One has a relative with MS and will be making a contribution and the other raised $800 last year for the MS Society after hearing a women with MS on the radio and realizing the value and potential of a healthy body.
Friday, August 7, 2009
I'm Free
Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God has chosen for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I've now found peace at the end of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;
Oh yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
Look for the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seems all to brief;
Don't lengthen your pain with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and peace to thee,
God wanted me now-He set me free.
Rest in Peace my beautiful brother, we miss you.
Holmes MacMillan 1963 - 2008
I'm following the path God has chosen for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call;
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
To laugh, to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way;
I've now found peace at the end of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joys.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;
Oh yes, these things, I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
Look for the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I savored much;
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seems all to brief;
Don't lengthen your pain with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and peace to thee,
God wanted me now-He set me free.
Rest in Peace my beautiful brother, we miss you.
Holmes MacMillan 1963 - 2008
Dynamic Waterloo Region duo conquer Lake Ontario, raise $56,000-plus for Multiple Sclerosis Society
As they swam across Lake Ontario for 15 hours together, two young Waterloo Region women were nervous about things floating on the water in the darkness. Jaime Doucet and Sarah Sine, both 18, thought of their families to motivate themselves to continue in the gruelling 52-kilometre relay swim.
And on Sunday morning, at the end of their journey, Sine’s blood sugar level dropped so badly that she had to be put on an intravenous tube pumping dextrose into her body after she climbed out of the water in Toronto.
For the last half-hour of the swim, “I could hardly push myself through the water anymore,” said Sine, a first-year University of Waterloo science student who lives in Mannheim.
“I was really confused how to get up the ladder,” when it was time to climb out of the water onto dry land and greet several hundred cheering supporters, she said.
Paramedics were there to help. She ate a cinnamon bun, but when that was no help, they tried an intravenous tube. Sine soon felt better, and said she would spend the rest of Sunday sleeping and eating pizza.
Both women have family members with multiple sclerosis. And as they pushed themselves through the water Saturday night and Sunday morning, they thought of those relatives to inspire them.
“My mom, my aunt, Jaime’s dad, they go through hardships like this every day. It’s a lot harder than some cold water,” Sine said in an interview Sunday after the swim.
“And once we hit the half-way mark, we said, ‘We’ve already gone this far, we can’t turn back!’” said Doucet, of New Hamburg, who just graduated from Waterloo-Oxford District Secondary School.
Sine and Doucet left Niagara-on-the-Lake at 9 p.m. Saturday night, and swam relay style. Each took an hour in the water, then an hour in the boat to rest and warm up.
“We didn’t really get to know the lake” ahead of time, she said. “We saw black things floating in the water, that ended up being seaweed. It kind of looked like jellyfish. We’re (wondering) – ‘WHAT is that?’ ”
In the darkness, your mind can play tricks on you too, she said.“I’d feel an itch on my leg, and I’d think, ‘Is that a leech or something?’”
As the swim drew to an end, with each woman having done nearly 26 kilometers, the water started feeling very cold. They changed places every 30 minutes, instead of every hour. And the very last half-hour, they swam together.
Their coach, Joni Maerten-Sanders, who was with them throughout the long ordeal, said she never doubted that they would both finish.“These girls are incredible,” she said.“They were swimming from the heart.”
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
'Lucky' cyclist recovers from lightning strike
A 44-year-old bicyclist struck by lightning in north-central Colorado while training for a triathlon is out of the hospital after temporarily losing her sight and motion in her arms.
Terri Menghini said she had finished 78 miles of a 100-mile bike ride Monday in Boulder when she saw a dark cloud overhead and lightning in the distance.Menghini said she was on the crest of the hill when lightning struck within 100 feet of her.
"There was one lightning bolt and within a minute, the second one got me," she said.
The mother of five says she lost consciousness and when she woke up, her vision went from blurry to black and she couldn't move her arms. She was taken to the Boulder Community Hospital and was released Tuesday.
Menghini, who is from St. Louis, Mo., but stays in Estes Park west of Boulder every summer, said all that's left from her close call is a bad road rash and a cracked helmet.
"I was just lucky. So I'm going to go buy a Powerball ticket now," Menghini said.
But she was disappointed when doctors said she couldn't compete in a half-triathlon Sunday. Doctors are monitoring her heartbeat, which was erratic when she was first admitted.
It looks like she'll be able to compete in the Ironman triathlon later this month.
"My training, I'm still going to do it," Menghini said. "I've been an athlete my whole life, and I'm not going to stop that."
Terri Menghini said she had finished 78 miles of a 100-mile bike ride Monday in Boulder when she saw a dark cloud overhead and lightning in the distance.Menghini said she was on the crest of the hill when lightning struck within 100 feet of her.
"There was one lightning bolt and within a minute, the second one got me," she said.
The mother of five says she lost consciousness and when she woke up, her vision went from blurry to black and she couldn't move her arms. She was taken to the Boulder Community Hospital and was released Tuesday.
Menghini, who is from St. Louis, Mo., but stays in Estes Park west of Boulder every summer, said all that's left from her close call is a bad road rash and a cracked helmet.
"I was just lucky. So I'm going to go buy a Powerball ticket now," Menghini said.
But she was disappointed when doctors said she couldn't compete in a half-triathlon Sunday. Doctors are monitoring her heartbeat, which was erratic when she was first admitted.
It looks like she'll be able to compete in the Ironman triathlon later this month.
"My training, I'm still going to do it," Menghini said. "I've been an athlete my whole life, and I'm not going to stop that."
Monday, August 3, 2009
Recovery Week is Over
After last week’s Ironman Lake Placid, this has been a recovery week with short workouts of between 20 to 40 minutes, done a low intensity to allow the body to recover and flush out all the residual toxins and assorted other ‘bad’ stuff in the muscles. On the schedule for today was a 1:30 minute run, which was to include 6 x 1 mile hard effort repeats. After I was running and warmed up I made an executive decision and decided to turn it into a long run. I felt that I needed a decent long run under my belt before heading off to Louisville. I was running north on 10th Line and decided I would go right up to Stouffville Side Road, stop in for a Gatorade and run back down to Markham. My knee was somewhat painful up to mile 7, but I didn’t feel anything afterwards. It was a good run and I feel more confident about the run in Louisville. At least I know I’ll be able to run to mile 15 this time!
Here’s an interesting (and embarrassing) story for last week’s Adirondack Daily News
Fifty-five ambulance calls were made on Sunday during the Ironman competition — about double the amount of calls from last year.
Lee Foster of Saranac Lake, a volunteer driver of a safety and gear (SAG) vehicle during the race, said he aided 23 competitors in addition to the ambulance calls Sunday. One accident in particular stood out — it involved a cyclist colliding with the back of his vehicle and three others colliding with the back of the ambulance he called to the scene.
Tina M. Pippy, 41, a police officer from Ottawa, was pedaling on state Route 86 near Cobble Mountain Road toward Lake Placid when she collided with his SAG vehicle. Foster had parked the Chevrolet Suburban in a position to protect another woman who had recently fallen off her bike from severe stomach cramps. While Foster called an ambulance and administered care, Pippy collided with the back of the vehicle, Foster said.
Pippy suffered a broken arm and ribs, and cracked her helmet in the accident as well as breaking the left-side taillight of Foster’s vehicle, he said. She was treated at Adirondack Medical Center and released on Sunday, according to hospital spokesman Joe Riccio.
Foster called a second ambulance, which arrived and picked up Pippy. As it backed out of the scene, three more cyclists collided with the back of it, he said. None of them was injured.
Ironman emergency crew, by the numbers:
82 EMS volunteers
25 member medical team
24 ambulances
2 advanced life-support fly cars
1 Life Flight helicopter
55 ambulance calls made
Here’s an interesting (and embarrassing) story for last week’s Adirondack Daily News
Fifty-five ambulance calls were made on Sunday during the Ironman competition — about double the amount of calls from last year.
Lee Foster of Saranac Lake, a volunteer driver of a safety and gear (SAG) vehicle during the race, said he aided 23 competitors in addition to the ambulance calls Sunday. One accident in particular stood out — it involved a cyclist colliding with the back of his vehicle and three others colliding with the back of the ambulance he called to the scene.
Tina M. Pippy, 41, a police officer from Ottawa, was pedaling on state Route 86 near Cobble Mountain Road toward Lake Placid when she collided with his SAG vehicle. Foster had parked the Chevrolet Suburban in a position to protect another woman who had recently fallen off her bike from severe stomach cramps. While Foster called an ambulance and administered care, Pippy collided with the back of the vehicle, Foster said.
Pippy suffered a broken arm and ribs, and cracked her helmet in the accident as well as breaking the left-side taillight of Foster’s vehicle, he said. She was treated at Adirondack Medical Center and released on Sunday, according to hospital spokesman Joe Riccio.
Foster called a second ambulance, which arrived and picked up Pippy. As it backed out of the scene, three more cyclists collided with the back of it, he said. None of them was injured.
Ironman emergency crew, by the numbers:
82 EMS volunteers
25 member medical team
24 ambulances
2 advanced life-support fly cars
1 Life Flight helicopter
55 ambulance calls made
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