Nationals

I have for the past number of years participated in masters swimming championships, either Provincial or National or both.
This year I went to Nationals in Montreal. 
I initially was disappointed with my swims, particularly lack of personal bests (PBs), only 1 over the weekend.  I thought since I've been spending way more hours swimming than other years, PB's would be falling easily... I felt a shake in my confidence for my big event for the year (the Lake swim) from my performance, and even shed a few tears when I mentioned it to Dave, my coach/BMSC coach. 
But Dave reassured me that pool sprint racing is not what I am training for and continuing training for my Lake swim in the week up to Nationals meant I wasn't tapered either... my team-mates were also there for me, helping reassure me!
And finally on the last event, the 1500 free, I took 8 seconds off my previous best time (from 2005) in very easy fashion.  This was a very comfortable race/pace, which I could have continued for longer... 
I also met Lake Ontario swim crossers Colleen Shields (who will be my SSO swim master) and Kim Lumsden...
Always a good time with BMSC on away trips!  My memorable moments include:

• the laughable poorly organized/run meet
• taking the subway with Lynn and our guide Art
• our “quick” zip home to hang up wet stuff resulting in getting lost before the social (especially since Jenn Strang was with us and the social was for her to get an award)
• Dave Bilton's Saturday evening tour with John Arbon of Old Montreal
• taking pictures with the underwater camera
• watching Denyse complete her 1^st 200 fly
• playing on the restaurant floor with Andrew and a St Hubert cardboard car
• having my flight home cancelled til the next morning

Bill's 3rd Ironman - St. George, Utah

We all headed to sunny St. George, Utah the 1st week of May, for vacation and so Bill could do what is considered one of the toughest Ironman in North America...

This was going to be Dahlia's 1st flights, and I think she did rather well.  We had a long full travel day on the way there, with a 4:40am start and 3 flights, we had to pull over and sleep on the side of the road on our drive from Vegas.  Dahlia got a couple cute looks as we walked through the airport pulling her cute little travel bag and she would occasionally say "this is so exciting"... In Calgary airport she loved the "fossils" in the floor and the flying dinosaurs models hanging from the ceiling, which she called "flap-asauros" and in Vancover they had an indoor playground where she made some friends.

Our condo was quite nice (other than the defunct pull-out couch and inability to get on the free-internet and the after hours pool key which didn't work (getting me locked in the pool area one morning))  The pools were very nice and our new underwater camera got a lot of use!  Dahlia loved the pool, we had to drag her out, guess it runs in the family.

Bill had lots to do to get ready and it was a pretty busy few days, pre-ironman.  One day we went out to Sand Hallow Reservoir; it was just beautiful!  Bill did a practice swim, while Cadence suntanned and Dahlia enjoyed throwing rocks into the water.  When Bill finished, I got my turn for my 1st open water swim of the year.  This was such a great treat!!!  The water was about 60F and the triathletes gave me a few odd looks as I went in "naked" (in open-water terms, naked means without a wetsuit)  Bill said after I got in one lady said to her friend "she (me) must be from San Fran" - like that's the only place they get open water nuts (although I guess there are a few extra there)... anyways the water temp really was perfect for a little swim, I enjoyed it so much I forgot to write it down in my training log, as it was just too nice to think of it as a workout. 

We also drove the bike course one day, it was very scenic! and when we were down in the canyon a fighter jet appear above the red rocks, did some twirls and as fast as anything disappeared over the other side, almost touching the red rocks, it was kind of neat.  We drove up the Veyo "wall" and I was thinking (to myself) "this is going to be a tough Ironman" and was glad it wasn't me.  At the top of Veyo, we stop at the Veyo pie shop and got some yummy treats before we headed back into town  (Note: Bill had to do the Veyo wall twice on the bike as it was part of the loop).

Ironman Day, early morning I took Bill to the shuttle bus, walked with him to the mid-way bag drop off, then gave him my big good luck hug and kiss.  I told him he had everything he needed to get this done and he got on the bus,,, and we started our adventure of trying to follow his progress.  I went back to the condo and woke the girls and we drove to another location to catch our shuttle bus out to the swim.  I was quite impressed with the organization and the number of people out to watch the swim (everyone needed to take a shuttle to the swim as they were not allowing cars in)... the view was lovely and we spotted Bill starting off on the bike and he saw us and gave us a big smile.  We had to wait awhile until we could catch the bus back, so Dahlia again wanted to go down to the waters edge and throw rocks.  Particularly cute was the fact that since it was such an early start I had just left her in her pjs...

Next I tried to figure out where to go to watch the bike, I picked a location, put it in the GPS but got re-routed because of road closures for the race and ended up at a decent location anyway, there was a little playground park area (with some shade - it was getting hot!, oh the poor athletes), Dahlia played and we could see the bikes go by and then we saw a runner; we ended up at a part of the course which was both the bike and the run, sweet!  We had to leave the shade to go closer when we thought we could expect Bill... let me tell you this is one of the hardest parts about being an Ironman spectator, waiting, worrying how he is, wondering if you missed him, etc.  Well we saw him on the bike, he looked reasonably relaxed and then we waited for him to come by again running... I should say that where we were was at the top of a long slow hill (they were going down on the bike and up on the run)... so when he went by "running", I felt my heart sink as he said he didn't want to run; this was pretty much the beginning of the marathon, not so good, especially when I had heard this is one of the hardest IM runs out there, I had seen the elevation chart too!...  But we cheered him on as best we could, and Cadence and I held in the tears welling up until he had past... 

Next we headed into downtown St. George, they have this quaint town square, which today was packed with excitement!  They had a little splash pad area, and Dahlia had a blast!  Using my best estimate, we eventually pulled Dahlia and went to try and catch Bill go by on the 1st loop of the run; we waited, Dahlia got impatient to go back to the water area, I eventually left Cadence there to watch for him (trust me, there would be no other place Cadence would go, she watches so intently for her dad!  I know how hard it is for her as she worries through these races) and I took Dahlia back to the splash pad... I gave up only about 15 minutes too early.  Cadence said that Bill said he was feeling better, and I finally felt some relief as well...

After a bit, we made our way to the nearby finish area, they had stands set up and we found a spot.  Dahlia enjoyed cheering, we heard her yell what sounded like "do it dad" & "get it done"... At one point she sat down and had an apple and next time I looked at her she was sitting there a sleep, in all the noise, it was adorable.  So the rest of the wait, I held her asleep in my arms, and then Cadence saw him, we were screaming, but he didn't see us...so then we had to scramble and make sure we found him coming out the other side of the finishing chute,,,
WOW that was a hard, hot, hilly (hilly is a kind word) and not to mention the hard part training for an event at this time of year in Canada... and Bill plugged away and got it done!  I think I know how bad he wanted to quit when he started the run,,, but he held in, later we found out he had an upset stomach too!  I am so proud of him and my iron-cheering kids, I can't even express it properly!  Way to go Billy!!!

Next day, (mother's day) Bill spent pretty quietly.  The girls and I went shopping to give him some peace so he could relax and plus cause we like shopping...hee

Before heading back home we managed to get in a trip to Zion National Park, and am glad we did.  It was quite fantastic.  Dahlia enjoyed roaming around, although she wouldn't stop for pictures, so opposite from Cadence who loves the camera... Even with the downpour we got caught in at the end of the hike, I'm so glad Bill felt up to doing the trip.

Here is Bill's summary of the race:

So I had a crazy idea of squeezing in an early season race before my focus turned to helping my wife Melanie train for her Lake O Crossing.  Now I’ll tell you that my choice was Ironman St. George Utah.  This race was quickly labeled as one of the toughest on the circuit due to the possibility of a cold swim, a tough bike and a very punishing run.

The hardest part of any Ironman is the training and this one is no different, perhaps a little more grueling is that this one is done throughout the winter.  So a time of year that should be used to rest the body and mind was full of unusually long training weeks. 

In the fall I joined the HAC masters swimming group.  Having a coach and being in the pool with other swimmers was great to keep me focused.  Coach Carrie corrected my chicken wing stroke and tried her hardest to make me kick.

My training time on the bike was 99% on the trainer just spinning way.  Right after my first time riding the St. George course on the Computrainer I knew it was going to be something “special”.  The longest rides I could manage on the trainer were just over 4 hours… yes it gets very boring.

I thought the hardest part of training for this event would be running in the snow and cold!  But I ended up enjoying getting outside and braving the elements… “makes you tough” was my motto.  The best was my long runs with the Oakville running group on the Around the Bay route and JC bagels to warm up afterwards.

After a long day of travel, we final arrived at our accommodations; the city of St George is beautiful and the locals seemed very friendly and excited about the race.  Even with all the logistics of 2 transitions, the registration process and getting set up for race day was a breeze. 

Race day started early with catching a shuttle to the swim start.  Last minute bike checks, nutrition set-up and getting all greased up with sun screen; all of this is done before the sun comes up.  Once the sun breaks the horizon the panic sets in; all athletes head to the start corral at the same time.  The start is just seconds away…

The Swim: 1:12:24 (PB)

After the gun goes off, I’m waiting for the washer-machine to hit me, but instead I get open water right off the bat.  Many athletes seemed afraid of the 62C “cold water” and lingered on the shoreline until the start, but it wasn’t that bad (for a LOSTie anyways).  Cool and crisp, it was very easy to settle into a great rhythm and just follow the fastest feet I could hold onto. 

The Bike: 6:55:37

Out of the fresh waters into what is an already warm morning; the ride starts with a route back into St George 35 miles approx. There are3 longer climbs in this section but this early in the ride and the amazing scenery you hardly notice them.  A very steep downhill to the loop, this is where the fun begins, the loop is 40 miles approx.  The loop consisted of rolling hills, good climbs and some very mean climbs with the occasional downhill to rest.  The breathtaking vistas make the climbing very rewarding. Even a couple low flying military jets flew over.  I have never ridden anything like that descent back into town before; 8% descents on the aero bars over 70 kph = Amazing!  Then do the loop all over again, second time around not so much fun. 

The Run: 5:53:26    

Right out of T2 the run is a beast.  A gradual climb to a steep long climb to more climbing, some downhills, steep downhills, more climbing … no joke this run would be hard on a bike.  And just like the bike course it was a 2 loop run so you do it all twice!  On the second loop just past the turnaround on top of the bluffs you can hear all the commotion of the finish line.  Something about the sound of Mike Reilly calling finishers down the shoot spurred me on; it got me to the finish!  To see my girls anxiously waiting for me, that was climax of my journey. 

This race was a real test for me, with temperatures well over 90F and no shade until late in the run.   At one point, I wasn’t even sure I would finish the bike.  And the run began with whatever virus I had earlier in the week.  From porta-potty to porta-potty, I kept plugging away until my body would let me function.  At some point in the second lap of the run though it became fun again, knowing you will finish has that affect.  What a great way to spend a day!  Will I do this race again? …certainly hope so!

Earth Day Apr 22 & everyday

10 Actions to help the environment everyday:

1. Shop smart - buy what you need (not what you want); consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed; buy used items
2. Simple savers - replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs; use water-saver faucets/shower heads; weatherstrip windows and doors
3. Transportation alternatives - walk or cycle (does the body good too), car-pool and use public transportation; when driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure
4. Food choices - choose local and organic foods that are in season and support local food producers; choose items with less packaging; use a compost for food waste
5. Washing and drying - wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry
6. Heating and cooling - use a programmable thermostat; for summer air conditioning set at 24C or 25C; for winter heating set at 19C or 20C
7. Close to home - work and play as close to home as possible
8. Bathroom basics - take short showers (instead of baths); close water taps while brushing teeth
9. Careful cleaning - choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products; make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water
10. Don't discard - donate, reuse and recycle items; take harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers

- source Earth Day Canada website: http://www.earthday.ca/

Whirlpool of a life

Whirlpool: going around in a whirling motion!  being sucked under!
I know I do it to myself, so I shouldn't complain.  And honestly, I would way rather be busy than bored!
But I do need to thank some people for helping me out, so I can do (nearly) everything I need/want to do.
A couple HAC folk have/are helping me out by getting Cadence to & from some sessions for this and last weekends (3 day) swim meets.  Thanks Kim, Denise, Lisa!  [I hate to miss seeing Cadence race, but as long as I see some(?); and I timed it perfectly, so Dahlia and I got to watch her 100 Free last Saturday; and then on Sunday at both meets I was/will be officiating, so I'll see those races at least.]
My sister in law Terri, is a lifesaver!  Coming through again for me this Saturday.  Saturday looks like a circus:  Bill is doing a 30k trail race in Pickering; Cadence's meet starts at 11:30 in Brantford, with the relay being in the evening at finals.  The Novice kids I coach have a meet in Oakville at 3pm.  And then I have a stag & doe in Milton in the evening.  So I planned to take Cadence to Brantford (with Dahlia) and watch her individual race, leave Cadence there with Lisa (coach/swim parent) to bring home after finals; zip home with Dahlia (hope Bill's back, so I could zip to Oakville, then straight from Oakville to Milton.  Terri said I could drop Dahlia off at her place if Bill wasn't back before I needed to leave...Sounded like a plan!... Then...
I got an email asking if I wanted to be a guest instructor for a spin-a-thon for kids (see: link for Spin for kids on facebook) with Lee Hart from 11-noon on, you guessed it, Saturday!  So now Terri is watching Dahlia so I can add this to my Saturday; like a said, Terri is a lifesaver!  As a guest instructor I will get introduced as someone trying to swim across Lake Ontario, so as well as helping the fundraiser, it will be raising some awareness for my swim - win win!  I will also mention that I swam with Lee Hart back when we were young and then he swam BMSC for a little while.  I see him at various triathlons. And back when I was looking for enough pool time to do longer swims he told me about the Y that has (at least 1 lane of) lap swimming basically all day on the weekends.  This has been instrumental for my training.
Well I'm still staying a float, thanks to some help!  It's greatly appreciated.
Melanie xoxo

Lows (not that low) and highs (I sure can't complain)

Last weekend I was a little sad to be on the sidelines.  Many of my friends were in Ottawa at the Provincial Masters Swimming Championship or running in the Around the Bay.  I was watching people run by and checking result (stocking as Cadence calls it), missing the internal race excitement.
I also felt sad about a tough decision I made, to drop out of the ITU world championship long distance triathlon next November in Nevada.  I had been working on making a budget for my swim (ouch) and the cost of Nevada isn't cheap either; plus with the concentration on swimming until mid August, getting myself prepared for Nevada's distance would be tight; but more than that I wouldn't be at a level to perform the way I'd like; it's not a "just finish" type race...

Well there wasn't much time to dwell, things started hopping for my swim.  The Tri Club of Burlington (TCOB) was hosting a fit fair TriFairbrochure.pdf this Saturday, and I was involved in helping with Burlington Masters Swim Club (BMSC)'s www.bmsc.ca/ swim skills workshop, and through this connection I enquired about putting a flier about my swim into the "fit kit" they were distributing to all participants.  They agreed.  Now I just had to make some fliers.  

Thankfully, UPS in Westdale Village (Hamilton) http://www.theupsstorelocal.ca/20-Hamilton/index.html sponsored me for my printing!  This was an amazing contribution.  Also upon TCoB president's suggestion I approached Team Aquatics Supplies (TAS) https://www.team-aquatic.com/store/ about putting up a "poster" at their booth at the expo.  They said they'd be honoured (so sweet!)  So I designed a poster and UPS printed it up for me too.  I pushed it a little further and TAS will be providing me with some caps and a swimsuit with TAS logo for the swim,,, pretty cool!

As a topper, Tom had a picture of me from after Louisville Ironman at his Wedgie http://www.mywedgie.com/ booth.

And finally, I did my weekend 10k swim on Sunday instead, and when the pain started to creep into my shoulder at 7.5 k, I focused on my body position (as Dave was stressing at the swim session) and was able to feel good right through to the end!!

Here's the link to the poster: Poster pdf

Destinations

Is it where you go, or how you get there, that really matters?

I have my own little destination debate going on, regarding my Lake Ontario swim crossing: Destination Oakville or Toronto.
The "traditional" swim is into Toronto.  Legend, Marilyn Bell, the 1st to swim across Lake Ontario, swam to Toronto in 1954, and this finishing point is now named Marilyn Bell Park (MBP).  In the last few years, Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) to MBP have been the typical route.  But oddly enough, if the argument is to follow in Marilyn Bell's footsteps (or armstrokes) the starting point would actually need to be Youngstown, NY.
Marilyn Bell is pretty amazing, and swimming into MBP would be pretty cool!, so why change tradition?
Answer: Oakville. Swimming in Lake Ontario in Oakville is where the idea for my Lake Onatrio crossing was born.  It is where I fell in love with Lake Ontario.  It is also closer to home and where the Lake Ontario Swim Team (LOST) base is so it has a home team advantage feeling to it.  I will love looking up and seeing the old familiar lighthouse, and hopefully lots of team-mates and friends!
Coincidentally, Port Dalhousie to Oakville measures in at 42.2k, "marathon" distance.  Now I just have to swim in a perfectly straight line - lol. 
The neat thing about open water swimming, there is the traditional swim (like the English Channel - from Dover to Calais) and there is finding a new challenge/adventure/swim.  Most swimmers do both types, one is no higher prestige than the other in the world of marathon swimming, just different.
Well, it was determined a long time ago that I'm different, and maybe even a non-traditionalist...
So, I'm 99% distination Oakville.
And the FUN will be in the "getting there".

World Water Day - March 22

Yesterday was world water day, which aims to highlight the importance of freshwater and the sustainable management of freshwater resources. 
In appreciation, I went for a swim (naturally). 
Then in the evening I watched Big River Man about Martin Strel, who has swum in some of the most dangerous and dirty waters of the world, raising awareness for clean water!
This guy is funny!, crazy! and not your typical endurance athlete!  And the movie, was better than I thought, even non-swimmers would like it.
Happy World Water Day!  Appreciate, celebrate, conserve, & respect!

Update

Well it has been awhile,,, I've been pretty busy...

Training update:

After Cadence's regional meet, I got sick.  I was out of the water for over 2 weeks.  I'm back, but I feel that I lost some of the advancement I had been making, but that's life, and I keep plugging away.  In fact last week was an increase in the number of meters for the week  upto 28k.  I got a good longish swim (over 2 hours) in mid week, thanks to Hamilton Aquatic Club letting me have a lane in with the Provincial group (after I finish assistant coaching) directly followed by lap swim; and doing about a 10k swim on Saturday with Christine, who is also planning to swim Lake Ontario.  I took Sunday off because my arms felt supper heavy; looking forward to 10k getting easier, and then doing them back to back, Saturday/Sunday (well not exactly looking forward to doing them back to back, but being able to).

Update on other crossing details:

• My friend and BMSC team mate, Fiona Lowden has agreed to be my Lake Ontario Crossing manager.  She is awesome and has already been working on finding boats.

• I went to a Lake Ontario Waterkeepers (LOW) party and met my contact Allie.  LOW is a registered charity working to restore and maintain the ability to swim, drink and fish in Lake Ontario. Their goal to protect Lake Ontario’s natural resources, is dear to my heart, as I love swimming in the Lake! My giving page is almost ready to start raising funds for the LOW work, so we can all benefit and appreciate our Great Lake!

• I've been working on the site and I made up a logo too.  I hope to have shirts made up that will have the logo on the front and the Helping put the Great back into the Lake on the back with a list of major supporters/sponsors.

Update on a few other things in my life:

• I took Cadence and 2 of her friends to the indoor waterpark.  It was a blast!
• Cadence has been moved up to the Junior group for swimming.  Only a slight adjustment to our schedule (including a mid-week morning practice), and I am proud of her for the move up!
• Dahlia is almost completely potty trained - yeah!
• My overtime requirement at work has begun, so I am going to be a walking zombie for the next 2 months...
• Bill is getting close to his next Ironman race, his training is going good!  Looking forward to going to Utah and watching him kicking butt on what looks to be a very tough course!

being a parent of a swimmer

This weekend, I saw what an amazing racer my 11 year old daughter, Cadence can be!
It started with the 800 free on the 1st day of the Regional swimming championships.  I was nervous waiting for her heat.  I just wanted her to start the meet off with a swim she would be happy with.  Some of swimming's lessons are hard.  Her friend Sarah had recently been working very hard to try and break a club record, but fell short.  Cadence, herself, at the last meet won a few events but was disappointed because they weren't personal bests.  The clock doesn't lie, it tells if you've made a PB, won the event, made a qualifying time.  But it doesn't tell you if you've done you're best on that day, with how you're feeling or how well rested you are.   And it doesn't tell you to get back up and try again if you don't get the time you want; a swimmer needs to find this in themselves, and learn some hard LIFE lessons along the way.
So competing can be hard for a swimmer and for a parent of a swimmer.  It's hard to watch your child be disappointed and hard on themselves, but to excel, you do have to be somewhat hard on yourself; being disappointed means you care about how you perform, it is what makes you strive to perform your best!
And when your child performs well, it can be so joyous to watch... 
Cadence raced the 800 free, she took 29 seconds off her time.  Her split at the 400 was also a PB.  She got her provincial time.  She won the event.  And she came from over a body length behind in the last 25 to win the heat.  I know some pretty good athletes and have seen some good races.  This was one of them.  Reminding me of my good friend Colleen, a real competitor, who I have also seen focus on the person ahead and 'hunt' them down.  It was amazing, Cadence was already going way faster then she ever had for an 800, and yet she had the energy and drive to dig even deeper to catch the other girl and get the win.
Cadence was ecstatic with her swim, doing a fist pump and turning to me with a huge smile.  She got out of the pool ran to her team mates and her coach for high 5's.
Well Cadence's reaction was well worth the tears from other disappointments along the way.  As a parent, I try to be a shoulder to cry on and a listener.  I also try and help her find a positive side, in order for her to pick herself up and race again... but it can be dramatic at times!  I tell myself, and believe that these lessons will help my daughter in the long run, in life in general. 
But sharing in the glory/the high more than makes up for the lows!! And she set herself up for an excellent meet:
800 Free 1st 10:57.1 PB (Provincial time)
200 Free 3rd 2:30.28 PB (Provincial time)
50 Free 2nd 31.90 PB
200 IM 5th 3:02.59 PB
100 Free 2nd 1:09.37 PB
100 Back 14th 1:26.50
400 Free 2nd 5:18.86 PB (Provincial time)
50 Free - lead off leg on relay 31.62 PB (Provincial time)
Also checking the power rankings, these swims rank her in her age group in the top 50 in Canada in 100, 200, 400 & 800 Free; and top 30 in Ontario in 50, 100, 200, 400 & 800 Free.  WOW!
Congrats my girl on a great meet!!
Love you always, no matter how fast, win or lose.

Some of my favorite motivational quotes:

• Pain is temporary, quiting is forever (Lance Armstrong)
• Nothing worth doing is easy.
• Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way. (Dr. Seuss)
• The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary
• Falling down is part of LIFE...Getting back up is LIVING...
• There is no such thing as failure, only new learning experiences
• courage is in the effort, not the result
• Goals are delicious – they feed our spirit, but there’s something even more that we discover as we reach for them: that journey is more incredible then the destination.
• ” The purpose of life is a life of purpose” – Robert Byrne
• You don't have to win to be a champion; you just have to race knowing you've done everything possible to achieve your dream (Dick Jochums)
• It's 1000 times better to die fighting than to live in fear (Dick Jochums)
• Those who strive, those who leave nothing on the table, those who will take the risk, will all be winners....Life is truly sweeter for those who truly live it (Dick Jochums)
• You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.(Christopher Columbus)
• Winners have simply formed the habit of doing things losers don’t like to do.
• Pain is weakness leaving the body. 
• Live the life you have imagined
• Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer.
• To unpathed waters, undreamed shores. (William Shakepeare)
• Life is an occasion, rise to it (Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium)
• Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.
• The virtue lies in the struggle, not in the prize.
• Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference (Winston Churchill)
• Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential (Winston Churchill)
• Dream as if you'll live forever.  Live as if you'll die today. (James Dean)
• Reach for the moon and at the very least you'll end up amongst the stars

It's in the press!

It's in the press (Hamilton Spectator): http://www.thespec.com/feature/article/476120--busy-mom-trains-for-52-km-swim-across-lake

So exciting!  Thanks BMSC for setting up the article!

So I was hoping to blog once a week, but I have fallen behind already... I will try to get back on pace!

The article has already had some positive results:
-the photographer is interested in joining BMSC, and
-I got a call from an interested person/user of Melaleuca products which are used by other marathon swimmers, which she suggested I check out for my nutrition for the swim...
-plus various other encouraging/supportive messages, Thanks!

Yeah!  I'm feeling good in the water and enjoying training...
xo Melanie

Lake Ontario swim crossing

So what to do next???  Planning the upcoming year's events is always fun.  And 2011 is going to be big! Extreme!  I'm planning on a Lake Ontario swim crossing this summer.  It's 52km from Niagara On The Lake to Toronto.  I will be without a wetsuit.  I am not allowed to touch the boat or another pacer, and can not draft off a pacer.  I will be swimming probably for 18 to 24 hours.  So part of the swim will be at night, an extra challenge.  I will need to practice and figure out my nutrition plan, eating and swimming will be tricky!   Completion is far from guaranteed, there are lots of elements in open water swimming which are out of my control!

Why?  Because I want to push the limits; because I love Lake Ontario and could probably just shout it from a mountain top, but this seems more appropriate.  I started training in Lake Ontario with the Lake Ontario Swim Team (LOST) when I was training for Ironman Louisville and in doing so, I discovered a "Great" Lake right in my own back-yard.  I want to help other people discover it and help keep it "Great"!

A couple "Great" things are in motion for the swim now:

ü      I've got my Burlington Masters Swim Club (BMSC) coach, Dave Judd, to agree to coach me on the swim.  I've been swimming with Dave for approx 7 years now.  He has a great eye for technique and has already started working on my freestyle specifically for open water and the distance.  He also knows me pretty well, what gets me going and knows when I need to rest.  Having him on a boat will definitely be an advantage.

ü      I recently have been in contact with Lake Ontario Waterkeeper & Swim, Drink, Fish Music and they agree that we should be able to collaborate to help support each other.  This is quite exciting! And I look forward to being able to support Lake Ontario conservation on this adventure.

ü      I also have had a couple BMSC members approach me about the boat requirements as they may have some leads on boats.  The organization of the swim is another big challenge.  Solo Swims Ontario (SSO) will sanction the swim and sets the rules and regulations including boat requirements as well as providing an official who oversees the swim.

ü      And finally, BMSC has organized an interview with the Spectator, which will start getting the word out about the swim, Lake Ontario and BMSC as well.

So it’s in writing now!  WOW!
To steal & slightly alter a quote from Gold in the Water by P.H. Mullen:
To make this is going to be so sweet, to fail will be disappointing. Either way, it is going to be painful, but the experience of a lifetime, and life will go on. But those who strive, those who leave nothing on the table, those who will take the risk, will all be winners.  Life is truly sweeter for those who truly live it. The world belongs, and will always belong, to the people who participate. Don't stand on the outside, take a risk, you might fail, but you will understand the beauty of each breath of life. So don’t feel sorry for those who fail, feel sorry for the majority that never participate. They’ll just never understand, let alone feel, all that life can and should be.

Polar Bear Dip

On New Year's Day, I took part in the polar bear dip in Lake Ontario (Oakville).  It was a very good day for my 1st polar bear dip with air temperatures of approx 10C and water temperatures of 2C.  It was cold, but not deadly.  Lots of friends out from BMSC and LOST.  I'll do this again I'm sure.

Syracuse 70.3

Going into this race, I had such a poor feeling.  The weekend prior was Bill's Ironman race in Wisconsin.  The kids and I had gone with him to cheer him on.  It of course was a long day for Bill, but also for us.  Being a spectator is not easy... I was actually sore from standing so long and holding Dahlia up so much.  Plus the travel and feeling that my taper was too long, my expectations weren't as high as I had hoped for my last big race of the year. 

But the unease went away once I was racing and I really enjoyed the swim and the bike.  There was a good hill soon after the bike started, and there on the hill were Cadence and Bill all dressed up with masks and wigs, hooting and hollering... Cadence screamed "Go Mom Go" and a few riders around me were laughing and someone said "Better get going mom"  The bike was through foothills in fog and drizzle.  Up hill in the beginning and then fairly fast, it was nice to just watch my average speed getting faster as the km clicked by.  One final riser before the bike finish, and Cadence and Bill were cheering again, I seemed to soak up their energy.  Then I put down my best 1/2 ironman run of the season.  I prefer an out and back run, so that you get to see more competitors and it wasn't nearly as scenic as the bike, but I enjoyed all the chalk messages on the road.

Unfortunately one of the downsides to this inaugural race was that Bill and Cadence couldn't get out of the park where transition was, to come to the finish.  The logistics of the site also caused a traffic jam before the race started, so that they actually delayed the race start.  A couple little quirks that way, but otherwise a nice race.

I ended up doing my fastest 1/2 ironman time at 5:30 and was 17th in my age group.  Just goes to show what the mind can do.  Wonder if my lousy feeling prior to the race was just nerves or how I managed to ignore them and get the job done? But glad it worked

My NYC swim

My NYC swim…well it’s not Manhattan Island! But it was Governor’s Island, a 2 mile swim around the Island, 1 of the events in the NYC swim series.  It’s a long way to go for a 2 mile swim, but I thought it would be a neat thing to do and see New York City for the 1st time too, so I signed up.  

Originally I was hoping to convince some of my BMSC swim mates to join me, but it didn’t pan out.  So it changed to a family “girls” trip and 3 generations of Price girls descended on NYC on the Canadian Civic long weekend…  

After settling into our hotel, we meandered our way down to the ferry terminal to see where the registration would be the next morning.  The water looked pretty rough that evening, and we saw a warning sign about eating the fish and eels in the water… EELS! I was starting to get a bit nervous…

5:20am came pretty early; we all got up and walked down to the ferry terminal for registration.  (New York City streets were quiet! – weird!) I took my sleeveless wetsuit, I think as a security blanket.  At  registration they asked if I was going to wear it, as she flipped through the list to find my name, I saw only “no” wetsuit replies for everyone who had already registered, so I said “no” too… Cadence, I think was nervous, and went and asked the water temperature, and was told 74F.  So I was confident I could manage it in that respect.  Cadence and mom then left (with the wetsuit), to go back to the hotel for a little more rest and breakfast…

I’m a little shy, especially when I don’t know anybody.  So, I wore my Canada shirt, to maybe draw some conversation and it worked.  “Are you really from Canada?” “Did you come just for the race?”… I met some nice people!

A NYC water taxi took us just off the shore of Governor’s Island, and we jumped off.    We then swam to 2 buoys and when everyone was off the boats the race started.  I found a nice rhythm, some open water and just relaxed.  The salt water wasn’t an issue; the temperature was fine.  There was a walking path along the Island and there were people walking around with the swimmers; that was really nice!  Around the 1st turn and breathing to the right side was Lady Liberty just across the way… how cool!!  The water was a little rougher at the end of the Island where we turned to come back up the other side, but not to panic; Lake O has thrown worse our way…

The most difficult part of the swim, I would say, was the sighting, the Island was not straight!  There were docks to navigate around too; and finally a bridge to swim under and up to the finishing stairs.  What already?  It was over before I knew it!  46:45.
The winner was done in 37:32.  Wow!  I was 61st overall (out of 209 finishers – the race was sold out at capacity of 250 – how wild is that!)  They don’t sort the results, but I figure I was 16th female.  Pretty respectable!  (And I know I could go harder, next time…)

Apparently I had a black beard when I emerged from the water, but I got a hose down, found mom and Cadence, got my snacks, and sat on the grass, in the sun, on Governor’s Island in NYC, very content & happy!  It was a lot of fun!!  

Then we were off to be “regular” tourists…

Mooseman 70.3 (1/2 ironman) in New Hampshire

Here’s a little summary of the Mooseman 70.3 (1/2 ironman) race in New Hampshire, that Bill and I did on the weekend…

We arrived at the park Saturday afternoon, had a fantastic little swim in the lake, temp was perfect without a wetsuit, so I was hoping to go “naked” in the race… but at the race meeting they said they were expecting rain and for the air temp to drop below the water temp,,,which it did!  It was raining & chilly before the race started, so I wore the wetsuit.  I was in the very last wave, not the greatest, but oh well.  Swim wasn’t as enjoyable as day before, but it was okay,,,9^th in age group,,, Bill’s swim time was just over a minute behind my time, which is great for him and his swim result was his best of the 3 disciplines too!  I have to watch my back apparently!  He is definitely converted to a triathlete now!!  Oh yeah, it was my 1st experience at the strippers too (haha – getting someone to help strip the wetsuit off) The rest of the race was extremely challenging,,,the bike had wicked long climbs (some steep parts too) and winding scary descents.  With the pouring rain all day, I was beyond my comfort level on the descents, they were twisty, they were dangerous, they put a speed limit on some of them (radar), and with my lack of bike handling this year (1^st time my tri-bike has seen the road this season),,,so needless to say I went slowly and cautiously,,,which was okay, saved the legs abit probably,,,the rain continued for the hilly run, but I felt okay, and managed to keep the legs moving in my soggy shoes…the volunteers and spectators were awesome, very energetic, especially considering the weather they were enduring…  The finish was great, the announcer told people to put their hands together for Melanie Price of Hamilton Ontario, and it got quite loud…(oddly enough I don’t remember any noise at end of ironman, so I really soaked (play on words there) the finish in here!) 

The next challenge was the walk with all the soaking wet gear back to the car!!!

Oh yeah, one other odd thing happened to me during the race, I got a red card for drafting…opps…I can’t believe it!  I guess I was, but I really wasn’t consciously doing it.  I had my head sort of down for one of the hills and had caught up to this guy, the ground had flattened out, but I hadn’t made my move to pass or settled back in time… So I sat 4 minutes in the penalty box,,,with some very nice New Hampshire folk, and we talked about Tom’s Wedgie and other things, so I guess it wasn’t that bad…

Results aren’t quite where we want to be,,,but it was an early season race after a hard winter (physically and mentally) for us, so we’ll call it a good hard training day and more experience and fun J …All in all it was a very nice location, a very challenging race, and a very nice time away for Bill and I!!!

2009 Review

2009 - The year my eldest daughter, Cadence turned 10; and my youngest daughter, Dahlia turned 2. One would almost expect I’d have zero life for myself this year. Especially when you consider how much time Cadence spends at the pool; with the move up to the Provincial Group this September she now swims all 5 weeknights. Cadence swam her way to 2 bronze medals in the Regional Championships; one in the 200 Free short course and the other in 50 Free long course. Cadence received the HAC (swim club) sportsmanship award, making me especially proud. At the school track meet she came 3rd in the 300m dash! She also did 2 kids triathlons and had lots of fun. During the summer, Cadence spent 2 weeks at camp and swam an open water 3 mile race. She started in grade 5 this year and is doing well. She will be taller than me soon and faster in the pool too.
Dahlia started at daycare this year and switched into a big bed. She is developing a good vocabulary, although she says “No” about 100 times a day. She loves to run but thankfully also loves to sit and read books.
To try and keep up with the kids, Bill and I had our most intense training year. The amounts are crazy: in 2009, I swam 352k, ran 1,375k, and cycled 3,804k. I did my first 30k run in the cold rain at Around the Bay, and did my first marathon (42.2k) on a hilly course in Waterloo. I went to Ottawa for the Masters Provincial Swimming Championships, which was a blast. And at the National meet I made it through my 1st 400m individual medley. My triathlon races started getting longer. In the Muskoka long course race I had my 1st flat during a race. And finally all the training finished with Bill and I completing our 1st Ironman triathlon in Louisville, Kentucky. Bill’s successful completion of the race is even more impressive because this was the 1st year he had ever done any distance triathlon (it only took me over 10 years of sprints, before I got up the nerve). I got my 1st tattoo, to signify becoming an Ironman and Cadence also wrote a beautiful article about our family which was published in Canadian Triathlon Magazine.
We went to French Lick, Indiana for vacation, which was very nice and relaxing. Although, with it being the week before the race, I didn’t even have 1 beer! Between the kids and training, somehow, I still managed to do some socializing with my fantastic friends! Beer Fest and Clayton Christmas are becoming traditions, we had a great time again! We had a fun night in Toronto dancing to great music with GFS folk. The Kents hosted the 1st LOST season opener party. Corinne hosted a summer BBQ and tonight, closes out the year. There were regular Thursday pub nites too. With my girl-friends, there were millions of laughs. We went to circus school, where I swung on the trapeze and climbed the silks; and we had a weekend in Collingwood, where we did the high ropes and 2 zip-lines…weeeee. And Chiki hosted Rock Band night,,,I'd give myself a 2 out of 10!
All and all, I think the numbers speak for themselves and when you add it up, 2009 was another super year!!