Larry's Blog Pages

November 29, 2009

Wintercross 5k XC Race Report

What a flash back the Wintercross 5k race was this weekend in Guelph. I had not competed in a XC running race since my high school days and I definitely had a blast reliving those days. There are so many unique characteristics of these events that make it much different than your usual road running race, the grass/dirt trails, spikes on the shoes, the commonly cooler weather and the team atmosphere. A nice change from my routine on the pavement or treadmill.


I started my morning off arriving much earlier than required as I thought it was a 9am start. My race, the first of the day, actually was not scheduled until 9:45am so I had lots of time to prepare and even had a chance to walk the 2.5k loop to grab a visual of the great course.

I would say half the trail was covering the dirt service road (with some mulch fill) and the other half along the short, matted down grass paths of the Guelph Arboretum. There were some smaller, yet steep, hills to negotiate along the loop but it was relatively flat with the biggest test coming right at the end of the loop or finish, depending on which lap you were completing.

After doing the full inspection, I picked a place out of the wind to get changed into my gear. When I took out my spikes, I realized the tiny studs that came with the shoes were a little on the short side. I promptly went over to the vendor tents and, thankfully, the first place I went to had a large assortment for sale so I made the switch. By the time I had put on my running gear and stretched, it was about 20 minutes to gun time.

I decided to head over to the course to warm up where I could feel how sore and tight my lower quads were from the intervals on Thursday. When I went through Thursday’s workout, I figured this may be the case but I wanted to keep my training schedule on track and just use the 5k race as part of the tune up for my next goal.

As race time approached, there was a huge gathering on the very wide starting line. The event was announced as a sell out capped at 200 runners and everyone seemed to want a piece of the chalk. Along the line, large teams of school aged kids were already marking their spot and ready to have run. I did not want to be a fun wrecker by pushing them back so I grabbed a place along side of the eager little racers and toed the line.

By the time we were sent off, several other older racers had bunched up beside me so it was a tight start. On the gun, I needed to get out to the front to avoid the crowds once we were to funnel onto the trail about 150 metres from the start. With the speed of the youngsters, this was not an easy task but I managed to get up into the top 20 or so in time for the narrowing of the course.

We were out very quick as a group. I would love to tell you exactly how fast I was going but I had a brain cramp earlier in the morning and totally forgot my watches. Luckily, I knew Tyler Lord was racing the 5k (from reading his blog) so my plan (as of the car ride to the race) was to follow him as closely as possible. He is a very smart athlete with his pacing and has always hit the finish line before me. If I was able to stay near him I should run a respectable race.

Around 200 metres into the run Tyler pulled up beside me so I had my rabbit. We had a lot of younger athletes still out in front of us but I did not worry as I was sure many would burn out down the trail. There are very few runners under 20 years of age that are patient enough to run 5k races at an even pace as they tend to go out too fast and fade towards the end. I know this all too well from my own experiences back when I was a teen.

Cruising along, I continued to mark my pacer, staying just a few metres back as we made our way around the slightly rolling loop. My legs were not quite as fresh as I would have liked but I was hanging in there. At the end of the first lap we had the burner of a climb that wound through the start area. This took a little more out of me than expected so I started to fear I was going too quick. My competitive spirit had to take over now as there were so many runners that would have passed me if I was to let off the gas.

Thankfully, it was just over 2k to the end when everything started to really hurt. With my training efforts, I knew I would make it but I wanted to defend my current position. As Tyler made his way past a few more athletes, I was also able to make the same move and before I knew it I was getting very near the final climb and I was still only a few spots back of my fellow multisport athlete.

Finally, I could see the dreaded 150 metre climb up the grassy hill to the tape. I was hoping to just cruise at my current pace up the slope to finish under control but I suddenly heard some chasers making a move on my right. I was not about to give up my spot in the last couple hundred metres so I threw on the jets and started to pull away from the attack. During this sprint I was able to grab one more spot of my own as I hit the line in a clock time of 18:03.

That was good enough for 10th spot overall and 2nd in the 30-39 Age Group (the overall winner was in my AG!). It was also a PB for an actual 5k distance race so I was very happy to see some more progress even at this point in the season.

November 26, 2009

Rolling with the Mill

Today I had my most feared running workout planned but I had to wait until later in the night due to other committments. Most of the time hitting the road would not be a big deal but I do not like running the track in the dark for some reason, plus it was cold. Instead of venturing into the near freezing night, I headed to the gym to use the treadmill to complete my 5 x 2k workout.

The one aspect that make this tougher on the mill is the darn imperial measurements on the machine. I had to revisit math class before I went just to make sure I picked the proper MPH rate to hit my target of 3:30/km pace.

After completing my homework assignment, I figured that I would (and I may be wrong) have to run at 10.7 MPH for 7 minutes to get a 2km interval at the pace I needed. I don't usually crank up the machine that high so I made it work tonight.

I started off with a 15 minute warmup run with a touch of slope before ramping up the speed for my first interval. I opted to take the slope out of the speed portion of my run as I have only done this workout a few times before (on the track) with very little success.

Thankfully, I made it through all 5 reps (with 90 second breaks between 2k bursts). I was tired by the end of the workout and was very happy to see the last one hit the 7 minute mark that is for sure.

I realize this is totally different than the actual track so I am not getting super excited about finishing this workout at that speed I but I did leave the gym with a great sense of satisfaction knowing I did not give up or modify the workout to a lower speed when the time seemed to stand still during the final intervals.

Today's Music Pick - 11/26/09

Not sure if anyone is reading these but I might as well make it three days in a row...

I said I would go a little harder today so let's bring in Chicago - Punk band, Rise Against. These guys are gaining a lot of momentum these days and with their success they will soon be considered more rock than punk, i.e. Green Day.

Start off with "Savior" and "Audience of One" (AKA the "Ran Away" song) to get the legs pumping fast. If you want to slow things down a little with these boys try "Swing Life Away" and "Hero of War" (a really powerful, politacally charged anthem).

As you can see I figured out the old video linking so I hope it works. Enjoy!





Shaq - Going way above the call of fame....

It is not too often that I will say great things about Shaq but he really showed his soft side in this gesture...

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP)—Basketball star Shaquille O’Neal paid for the funeral of a 5-year-old North Carolina girl after being moved by national news coverage of the case of Shaniya Davis, who police say was kidnapped and killed.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player was touched by the stories he saw and got in touch with the family to see what he could do to help, a spokeswoman for O’Neal said Thursday.

More than 2,000 people attended the girl’s funeral Sunday. Her body was found Nov. 16 beside a rural road.

Her mother, Antionette Davis, who had reported the child missing six days earlier, is charged with human trafficking and child abuse involving prostitution. Mario McNeill is charged with murder, rape and kidnapping in the case.

“I was sitting at home watching it on the news and the story brought a tear to my eye,” O’Neal told The Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper.

Corey Breece, of Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, which handled the service, declined to tell the Fayetteville Observer newspaper how much it cost but added that a child’s funeral “averages around $4,500.”

A man who answered the phone at the funeral home Thursday told the AP that only the owner could comment and that he was away.

Shaniya Davis’ father, Bradley Lockhart, and his family had set up a trust fund in memory of Shaniya to help raise money to pay for the funeral. Lockhart was not available to talk Thursday, said a man who answered the phone at his home.

O’Neal is recovering from a shoulder injury that has sidelined him for six straight games since getting hurt Nov. 12 against Miami.

November 25, 2009

Sugar Craving and Music

With a possible 5k XC race this weekend, my body is not cooperating and my sugar tooth is taking over. I have been putting in some decent fall hours on the bike and runs but all my crazy cravings are killing my attempted weight freeze. Last year, I entered the spring season 10 to 15 pounds above the ideal zone for me and it took a good portion of May and June to get things down to an effective racing weight. I really wanted to avoid the yo-yo effect this off-season but my silly binge eating is beating me once again.

On to a more uplifting message...

So far my music reco's have not really shown my true love of Canadian Music. I would estimate 80% of the music I own comes from Canadian Artists and I would proudly tell my friends to support the great talent our country has produced in the last few decades.

With that in mind, my top pick comes from GTA band, Metric. They have produced a number of great, up beat tracks but from their Myspace page (a great place to test the music before making the investment), I would point you toward "Gimme Sympathy". Once you dig into their catalogue check out "Poster of a Girl", "Dead Disco", "Combat Baby", etc., etc. Emily's vocals on the recordings are super energetic.

 http://www.myspace.com/metric


As a bonus, check out Stars, an amazing melodic band from Montreal.

www.myspace.com/stars

"Take me to the Riot" and the "Night Starts Here" are two awesome tracks suitable for the cool down of your workout.

The bands I have focused on so far may indicate a soft side to my music appreciation so I better show off my heavier side the next time out. Maybe some Alexisonfire, Finger Eleven, Nine Inch Nails, Tool, etc. for some gems that are perfect body movers but not as main stream.

November 24, 2009

Today's Music Pick - 11/24/09

Can you tell it is the off season? Wanted to write something tonight as I settle down before bed after my nightly run.

I found this fun, bubbly band a little while back on Myspace.com when I was looking for some new stuff that is not over played on our local radio stations. I would say their music is best suited for those nice, easy runs when you are bouncing along with a big smile on your face.

Faded Paper Figures, an Indie Electronica band from California, were featured on Grey's Anatomy a few times this TV season so they have the potential for big things. Catch them before they get big!

 http://www.myspace.com/fadedpaperfigures

If you have some time, take a moment to listen to the free music streaming on the link above. My two fav's are Metropolis and Logos, so far...

November 23, 2009

More Amazing November Weather

I know my fellow Ontario residents and I were complaining all summer that we did not receive the nice, seasonal warmth we expected. Thankfully, Mother Nature has paid back our region with some incredible fall weather that has all the outdoor lovers extremely happy.

Once again, we had much milder than usual conditions this weekend which was perfect for a few long rides (as per my distance scale!) that I was able to put in as my family headed out for the weekend. I would have loved to join them but my hockey gig ran both Sat and Sun so I had to stay home.

With a little more free time available, I tried to get some of the Falcons out for a Saturday AM ride but most of them are involved with the indoor sessions with Coach Rob so I ended up pulling myself out of bed nice and early to get a head start on the day. I suited up and headed north on the bike, towards Terra Cotta. I have not put many miles on the bike since the triathlon in September so I tried to keep things comfortable to allow myself to enjoy the hills and weather.

The first half of the ride was uphill and slightly into the wind. A solid workout to the half marker, at the Inglewood General Store, so I did not feel too guilty taking a quick break to down one of their amazing butter tarts.

After that brief snack it was back in the saddle and up the hill along the north side of the Caledon Golf Course. I made this climb count as I knew the rest of the ride would be smooth sailing, mainly down the escarpement with an added bonus of the tail wind. It was very fun to fly home without too much effort.

The next morning (after attending the Leafs' game Saturday night, doing some DD duties for my old hockey buddies after the game, waking up to do some more chores around the house, etc), I had the pleasure of joining Tyler, Brian and Glenn on a great ride through Halton. I had received a message during the Leafs game from Tyler to see if I was up for a tour and I could not turn down the opportunity.

We met at Dundas and 6th Line in Oakville and followed a route he had planned for us that covered a lot of territory to the west of Milton. It was a solid mix of opening and closing flats with some nice tester hills in the middle.

Being a guest, I just wanted to follow along and let them dictate the pace although, as we were cruising down the busier roads where we could not ride in pairs, I felt a little bad not taking too many pulls. It may have been for the best as I am still getting use to riding with others and tend to kill the pace. Tyler is a horse on the bike so he did a very fine job putting us through a solid 80k fall workout. Thanks for letting me tag along fellas!!!

After getting off the bike, it was back to work and by the time I got home that night, I was exhausted and could not find the energy for a run. With the prospects of getting up for work in the morning, I decided it was best to get some rest.

I hope everyone else was able to put in some extra time in the fantastic outdoor conditions. It is now time to get ready for a 5k XC race this weekend. It is the opener for the Canadian XC Championship geared to those not quite up to racing against the nations top runners. They should be cool to watch after my run though! Mr Whitfield is confirmed to test his legs against Bairu and Coolsaet and gang. Should be fun.

Thanks for reading!
Larry

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

As with most athletes, I love my music. I don't listen to it on the bike or when I run but it has to be on at the gym or when I hit the trainer at home.

I recently found this song and had to share it. It is the Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Heads Will Roll.

The video is nothing hot but the electronica tune from this alt rock band gets me going.

Link to the You Tube video for the song!

November 18, 2009

Fall Update...

With the busy season behind most of us, it is sometimes tough to keep the blog fresh. Nothing too exciting (except my little guy's 1st birthday!) these days but I will throw down as few bullet points...

-A couple great race reports to read from Clearwater from Bruce Bird (4 parts) and Syd Trefiak. Click their names to visit their sites!

-Took a week and a half off after the marathon. Now my left knee has been acting up since tweaking it on the downhill portion of the marathon. Trying to get ready, and faster, for Guelph 5k XC (Nov 28) and Egg Nog Jog (Dec 13) but have to be very careful.

-Set up my first massage appointment since switching jobs. My legs need a good treatment session. Had a nice sports clinic downtown TO but it is much too far to visit now that I work in Meadowvale.

-Had a little spell in the pool last Thursday and had to leave practice half way through. Second time I have not been very clear in that pool. Not sure what happened but was dizzy and nauseous for most of the night when I got home. Felt 100% the next morning. Been back in the water at another pool twice this week and felt fine (even broke 1:40 for 100m for my first time during one of the intervals, wahoo!). Hope it is not the pool in Brampton that is giving me issues as that is my big session with Hans and FMCT.

-Had a fun run with the Falcons on Sunday to tour the Egg Nog Jog course. Man, this is a tough course and will require some strategic pace changes to hit my secret goal!

-Had a fantastic email from Jeremy at Running Free sent to me the other day. My application for team status has been submitted so I will cross my fingers. I really missed their support last season, but that was my (silly) choice.

Last, but not least...

Don't forget to visit the websites of our local pros. They have all kinds of great articles and tips throughout their postings. I know it has helped me since I started to follow along. Follow the links below to visit their sites...

Tyler Lord

Jen Coombs

James Loaring




Well, that is it for this post. I hope everyone is staying motivated and healthy!

Larry

November 14, 2009

70.3 World Championships - Canadian Results!

OK - a little bit to explain here until I find some better stats pages. Had to separate men from women as the sort would only show top 100 and we had 138 Canadians in the field when sorted by Country.

Rank is the Canadian Rank by gender. Position shows your place after each element with the third number being your overall place. The Pros and the Age Groupers were separated but men and women were all combined in those categories. Example, Brent McMahon was our top athlete and finished 25th Pro Male and Jason Sandquist was our top Amateur Male and was 25th out of all Non-Pro triathletes. Hopefully, I can find a way to sort later that will not take too long to get the Age Group rankings. I know, for example, Bruce Bird finished 11th in the 40-44 Age Group for men but his totals are broken down by overall amateur, therefore, 104th among amateurs.


RANK -- NAME -- POSITION -- AGE/CAT -- SWIM -- BIKE -- RUN -- TOTAL
1 -- MCMAHON, BRENT -- 4/13/25 -- 29/PRO -- 0:21:49 -- 1:59:52 -- 1:19:44 -- 3:44:52
2 -- RUSSELL, ANDREW -- 7/22/28 -- 27/PRO -- 0:21:54 -- 2:01:13 -- 1:19:20 -- 3:45:57
3 -- SYMONDS, JEFF -- 38/30/33 -- 24/PRO -- 0:22:34 -- 2:02:55 -- 1:16:58 -- 3:46:57
4 -- POULSEN, BRENT -- 45/42/37 -- 27/PRO -- 0:22:55 -- 2:03:02 -- 1:17:42 -- 3:47:41
5 -- MARCOTTE, KYLE -- 58/53/53 -- 32/PRO -- 0:24:15 -- 2:10:00 -- 1:22:41 -- 4:02:16
6 -- SANDQUIST, JASON -- 224/94/25 -- 40/I -- 0:29:14 -- 2:09:41 -- 1:21:06 -- 4:05:18
7 -- ALLAIRE, PATRICK -- 205/102/45 -- 31/I -- 0:29:00 -- 2:10:22 -- 1:24:03 -- 4:08:17
8 -- BIRD, BRUCE -- 386/26/104 -- 41/I -- 0:30:46 -- 2:05:01 -- 1:33:00 -- 4:13:30
9 -- HILTON, BRAD -- 243/89/142 -- 37/I -- 0:29:26 -- 2:09:06 -- 1:32:44 -- 4:16:35
10 -- BRICHIERI-COLOMBI, ANTHONY -- 71/140/146 -- 31/I -- 0:26:55 -- 2:13:33 -- 1:31:33 -- 4:16:51
11 -- PEAKER, BRIAN -- 478/254/175 -- 50/I -- 0:31:32 -- 2:12:26 -- 1:29:54 -- 4:18:50
12 -- BIERNACKI, TONY -- 511/126/176 -- 44/I -- 0:31:51 -- 2:08:06 -- 1:33:07 -- 4:18:51
13 -- WALKER, ROD -- 530/248/180 -- 41/I -- 0:32:05 -- 2:11:26 -- 1:29:52 -- 4:18:59
14 -- KRETZ, PATRICE -- 276/247/211 -- 49/I -- 0:29:43 -- 2:13:38 -- 1:31:32 -- 4:20:45
15 -- WOOLSTENCROFT, FRANK -- 1051/400/224 -- 31/I -- 0:37:13 -- 2:09:15 -- 1:27:17 -- 4:21:15
16 -- COCHRANE, TED -- 248/292/231 -- 36/I -- 0:29:29 -- 2:14:12 -- 1:30:37 -- 4:21:52
17 -- CROLL, BRYCE -- 332/429/289 -- 26/I -- 0:30:15 -- 2:17:29 -- 1:31:19 -- 4:24:33
18 -- ROTH, JAIMIE -- 305/327/340 -- 50/I -- 0:30:02 -- 2:15:20 -- 1:36:05 -- 4:27:18
19 -- ST-ONGE, FRANCOIS -- 510/388/349 -- 40/I -- 0:31:51 -- 2:14:33 -- 1:34:07 -- 4:27:41
20 -- AMES, PETER -- 565/428/405 -- 46/I -- 0:32:21 -- 2:15:08 -- 1:36:48 -- 4:30:14
21 -- DANDURAND, YVES -- 663/425/409 -- 50/I -- 0:33:08 -- 2:12:25 -- 1:35:41 -- 4:30:24
22 -- LABELLE, JEAN SEBASTIEN -- 818/322/410 -- 34/I -- 0:34:23 -- 2:10:57 -- 1:39:13 -- 4:30:26
23 -- MAIER, TOM -- 542/463/426 -- 44/I -- 0:32:13 -- 2:15:52 -- 1:32:26 -- 4:31:07
24 -- HARDING, DAVID -- 454/687/434 -- 48/I -- 0:31:21 -- 2:23:26 -- 1:31:41 -- 4:31:42
25 -- SCHELLENBERG, RYAN -- 421/489/449 -- 30/I -- 0:31:05 -- 2:18:36 -- 1:37:22 -- 4:32:25
26 -- FRIESEN, LES -- 606/622/452 -- 28/I -- 0:32:40 -- 2:20:46 -- 1:33:24 -- 4:32:41
27 -- LEVESQUE, RAYMOND -- 917/486/465 -- 58/I -- 0:35:22 -- 2:14:06 -- 1:37:22 -- 4:32:59
28 -- TSAI, MING-CHANG -- 434/206/469 -- 37/I -- 0:31:13 -- 2:11:33 -- 1:45:58 -- 4:33:12
29 -- JAMER, DOUGLAS -- 802/654/471 -- 29/I -- 0:34:16 -- 2:18:14 -- 1:34:08 -- 4:33:21
30 -- MERCER, SCOTT -- 1063/753/475 -- 32/I -- 0:37:21 -- 2:18:03 -- 1:30:44 -- 4:33:37
31 -- LEBLANC, ROBERT -- 881/699/477 -- 45/I -- 0:35:00 -- 2:19:11 -- 1:33:11 -- 4:33:47
32 -- SAVARD, MARTIN -- 475/470/513 -- 35/I -- 0:31:29 -- 2:17:01 -- 1:39:43 -- 4:35:20
33 -- KOZAK, BRIAN -- 976/504/529 -- 45/I -- 0:36:07 -- 2:13:20 -- 1:36:08 -- 4:35:53
34 -- SHORTER, MARK -- 753/737/550 -- 53/I -- 0:33:49 -- 2:21:06 -- 1:33:36 -- 4:36:45
35 -- PAYNE, BRYAN -- 908/758/573 -- 44/I -- 0:35:16 -- 2:21:02 -- 1:34:44 -- 4:37:50
36 -- MCMULLEN, MARK -- 610/660/601 -- 41/I -- 0:32:41 -- 2:21:10 -- 1:39:43 -- 4:39:13
37 -- PAPPS, AARON -- 452/476/634 -- 35/I -- 0:31:20 -- 2:17:16 -- 1:45:17 -- 4:40:34
38 -- MORRIS, BRADLEY -- 649/438/636 -- 41/I -- 0:33:01 -- 2:15:24 -- 1:46:04 -- 4:40:39
39 -- HADDOW, NICHOLAS -- 571/848/642 -- 24/I -- 0:32:24 -- 2:28:39 -- 1:33:23 -- 4:40:47
40 -- MCCLEERY, SHAWN -- 821/867/667 -- 48/I -- 0:34:25 -- 2:25:57 -- 1:35:08 -- 4:42:48
41 -- WICKS, SHANNON -- 204/405/682 -- 34/I -- 0:29:00 -- 2:17:32 -- 1:49:54 -- 4:43:27
42 -- VAN PRAET, RYAN -- 4/3/4 -- 30/C -- 0:33:44 -- 2:16:39 -- 1:43:43 -- 4:43:52
43 -- HLADY, MARK -- 365/567/688 -- 50/I -- 0:30:35 -- 2:20:00 -- 1:45:08 -- 4:43:59
44 -- WELSH, ROBERT -- 1112/776/694 -- 42/I -- 0:38:20 -- 2:18:57 -- 1:38:22 -- 4:44:31
45 -- GRAHAM, RANDY -- 855/638/720 -- 45/I -- 0:34:41 -- 2:18:45 -- 1:44:12 -- 4:46:03
46 -- LOUGH, CHRISTOPHER -- 186/624/734 -- 53/I -- 0:28:35 -- 2:23:37 -- 1:47:38 -- 4:47:04
47 -- BARNES, HARRY -- 933/899/737 -- 63/I -- 0:35:33 -- 2:25:55 -- 1:38:29 -- 4:47:09
48 -- PATRY, MIKE -- 220/295/741 -- 47/I -- 0:29:11 -- 2:15:33 -- 1:56:30 -- 4:47:25
49 -- SMITH, DAN -- 924/426/791 -- 46/I -- 0:35:28 -- 2:12:26 -- 1:56:00 -- 4:49:58
50 -- MACKENZIE, DOUG -- 436/497/811 -- 52/I -- 0:31:13 -- 2:17:50 -- 1:55:11 -- 4:51:49
51 -- CHOW, JASON -- 1200/625/813 -- 35/I -- 0:40:42 -- 2:12:52 -- 1:52:56 -- 4:51:59
52 -- LAURIN, DANIEL -- 867/610/924 -- 37/I -- 0:34:51 -- 2:17:08 -- 2:02:23 -- 5:01:03
53 -- FRY, JAMES -- 314/946/936 -- 68/I -- 0:30:05 -- 2:33:30 -- 1:51:29 -- 5:02:15
54 -- DRAKER, DWIGHT -- 851/1084/941 -- 45/I -- 0:34:39 -- 2:38:45 -- 1:41:44 -- 5:02:31
55 -- KOSTIC, MILOS -- 1151/978/942 -- 68/I -- 0:39:12 -- 2:22:50 -- 1:47:59 -- 5:02:37
56 -- HETHERINGTON, JOHN -- 905/983/996 -- 61/I -- 0:35:13 -- 2:29:49 -- 1:55:34 -- 5:08:12
57 -- BRYCE, AUBREY -- 1244/647/1005 -- 61/I -- 0:43:01 -- 2:08:47 -- 2:08:02 -- 5:08:48
58 -- HERN, DOUG -- 928/942/1026 -- 56/I -- 0:35:30 -- 2:25:56 -- 2:00:45 -- 5:12:06
59 -- AHLAN, JASON -- 981/971/1029 -- 34/I -- 0:36:11 -- 2:29:26 -- 2:00:23 -- 5:12:12
60 -- VIEIRA, ABILIO -- 1042/1141/1055 -- 51/I -- 0:37:07 -- 2:41:50 -- 1:48:29 -- 5:15:10
61 -- MCLEAN, BYRON -- 1144/1151/1067 -- 48/I -- 0:39:05 -- 2:40:07 -- 1:48:53 -- 5:17:10
62 -- DESRUISSEAUX, CARL -- 395/1206/1068 -- 35/I -- 0:30:51 -- 2:59:37 -- 1:41:45 -- 5:17:16
63 -- JONES, CRAIG -- 614/955/1081 -- 35/I -- 0:32:44 -- 2:26:48 -- 2:07:42 -- 5:19:21
64 -- GARCIA, JOSEPH -- 1253/1198/1090 -- 65/I -- 0:43:59 -- 2:43:39 -- 1:44:54 -- 5:21:07
65 -- MCPHAIL, ROB -- 1018/1144/1092 -- 55/I -- 0:36:44 -- 2:41:12 -- 1:53:09 -- 5:21:48
66 -- KOTUK, HENRY -- 667/990/1105 -- 55/I -- 0:33:10 -- 2:32:43 -- 2:10:33 -- 5:24:41
67 -- CAMERON, JEFFERY -- 1138/1056/1120 -- 30/I -- 0:38:57 -- 2:31:15 -- 2:06:28 -- 5:27:33
68 -- STANTON, PETE -- 1225/952/1184 -- 63/I -- 0:41:37 -- 2:21:06 -- 2:32:47 -- 5:45:24
69 -- PEET, ROBBY -- 1022/1283/1189 -- 35/I -- 0:36:47 -- 3:30:20 -- 1:34:48 -- 5:47:59
70 -- WATTS, DAVE -- 1211/1121/1197 -- 71/I -- 0:41:13 -- 2:33:22 -- 2:26:36 -- 5:52:13
71 -- MILLICAN, GLENN -- 1282/1255/1228 -- 46/I -- 0:47:03 -- 2:53:03 -- 2:14:26 -- 6:04:30
72 -- CURTIS, JOHN -- 1241/1247/1234 -- 64/I -- 0:42:31 -- 2:54:08 -- 2:21:23 -- 6:07:45
73 -- AMYOT, DOMINIQUE -- 1302/1295/1292 -- 71/I -- 0:53:39 -- 3:33:10 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
74 -- SEEDHOUSE, ERIK -- 108/--/-- -- 45/I -- 0:27:31 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
75 -- BOUCHER, JEAN -- --/--/-- -- 42/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
76 -- HAMMILL, JOHNNY -- --/--/-- -- 27/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
77 -- HERBST, MARK -- --/--/-- -- 53/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
78 -- MARTENS, DARREL -- --/--/-- -- 41/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
79 -- SIMPSON, MICHAEL -- --/--/-- -- 26/PRO -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
80 -- TREFIAK, SYDNEY -- --/--/-- -- 32/G -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
81 -- VAN KOOTEN, CHRIS -- --/--/-- -- 28/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
82 -- WERNER, RALPH -- --/--/-- -- 46/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00


Here are the Canadian Women results! Magali was 3rd overall Pro Female! Unfortunately, the position is mixed in with the men for both the pro and amateur women so it is very tough to tell how each of these awesome triathletes finished for the gender. From a quick search Cathy Yndestad was second in her Age Group for a silver medal performance. I am sure we had many more podiums so I hope to get a better sort ASAP.


RANK -- NAME -- POSITION -- AGE/CAT -- SWIM -- BIKE -- RUN -- TOTAL
1 -- TISSEYRE, MAGALI -- 70/67/57 -- 28/PRO -- 0:25:34 -- 2:15:17 -- 1:20:31 -- 4:05:27
2 -- YNDESTAD, CATHY -- 66/360/275 -- 31/I -- 0:26:48 -- 2:20:29 -- 1:32:16 -- 4:24:02
3 -- ROLLINSON, AYESHA -- 66/84/73 -- 32/PRO -- 0:25:28 -- 2:28:29 -- 1:25:44 -- 4:24:42
4 -- MAZER, SAMANTHA -- 300/511/333 -- 24/I -- 0:29:59 -- 2:20:38 -- 1:31:28 -- 4:26:48
5 -- KEEFE, LAURA -- 574/645/442 -- 36/I -- 0:32:26 -- 2:20:36 -- 1:32:54 -- 4:32:06
6 -- BAILEY, MARGIE -- 597/755/489 -- 37/I -- 0:32:34 -- 2:23:42 -- 1:31:08 -- 4:34:17
7 -- NIELSEN, JANET -- 227/515/512 -- 26/I -- 0:29:17 -- 2:21:28 -- 1:39:54 -- 4:35:20
8 -- WARR, PATTI -- 570/597/617 -- 47/I -- 0:32:23 -- 2:19:31 -- 1:42:03 -- 4:39:40
9 -- ANDERSON, ANGIE -- 536/478/625 -- 42/I -- 0:32:10 -- 2:17:35 -- 1:45:08 -- 4:40:07
10 -- DEHAAN, CHANDRA -- 377/558/643 -- 28/I -- 0:30:42 -- 2:20:13 -- 1:43:39 -- 4:40:51
11 -- BRIDGES, KRISTEN -- 987/713/645 -- 35/I -- 0:36:20 -- 2:18:36 -- 1:39:49 -- 4:41:06
12 -- BURKE, SARAH -- 55/703/661 -- 31/I -- 0:26:40 -- 2:28:01 -- 1:40:39 -- 4:42:06
13 -- REICHERT, JULIA -- 447/995/691 -- 22/I -- 0:31:17 -- 2:35:48 -- 1:30:21 -- 4:44:15
14 -- NICOL, JENNIFER -- 749/780/740 -- 35/I -- 0:33:45 -- 2:23:39 -- 1:43:44 -- 4:47:21
15 -- SEIFFERT, ELIZABETH -- 699/747/742 -- 46/I -- 0:33:20 -- 2:23:24 -- 1:44:54 -- 4:47:32
16 -- MCLEAN, KIMBERLY -- 782/807/759 -- 33/I -- 0:34:03 -- 2:24:56 -- 1:43:53 -- 4:48:33
17 -- WILEY, SARAH -- 632/841/788 -- 44/I -- 0:32:54 -- 2:26:37 -- 1:43:24 -- 4:49:54
18 -- SWENY, ANDREA -- 139/763/800 -- 25/I -- 0:28:01 -- 2:29:04 -- 1:47:48 -- 4:50:53
19 -- KENWELL, CARLEY -- 381/866/824 -- 25/I -- 0:30:44 -- 2:30:03 -- 1:45:01 -- 4:52:42
20 -- TINDALE-FOX, CARMEL -- 432/883/830 -- 48/I -- 0:31:12 -- 2:30:06 -- 1:44:59 -- 4:53:03
21 -- HOUGHTON, CARRIE -- 762/967/834 -- 34/I -- 0:33:54 -- 2:31:43 -- 1:41:26 -- 4:53:22
22 -- LIDSTONE, PENNY -- 515/802/836 -- 33/I -- 0:31:54 -- 2:26:33 -- 1:49:03 -- 4:53:35
23 -- CHAMBERLAIN, ELIZABETH -- 646/826/837 -- 41/I -- 0:33:00 -- 2:26:54 -- 1:48:01 -- 4:53:36
24 -- NELSON, KIM -- 518/689/850 -- 38/I -- 0:31:57 -- 2:21:30 -- 1:52:28 -- 4:54:36
25 -- CARLYLE, MARIANNE -- 294/728/863 -- 47/I -- 0:29:54 -- 2:25:32 -- 1:53:15 -- 4:55:31
26 -- ROSS, LAURIE -- 385/835/871 -- 47/I -- 0:30:45 -- 2:28:45 -- 1:50:23 -- 4:56:22
27 -- TURCOTTE, ISABELLE -- 895/770/875 -- 35/I -- 0:35:07 -- 2:22:32 -- 1:52:50 -- 4:56:52
28 -- BRODEUR, FANNY -- 773/1024/899 -- 31/I -- 0:34:00 -- 2:34:37 -- 1:43:46 -- 4:58:46
29 -- JOHNSON, LAUREL -- 535/959/918 -- 43/I -- 0:32:09 -- 2:32:26 -- 1:48:58 -- 5:00:26
30 -- CHOW, MICHELLE -- 431/761/940 -- 30/I -- 0:31:11 -- 2:25:29 -- 1:58:42 -- 5:02:28
31 -- CAUNT, CHARLOTTE -- 94/815/945 -- 24/I -- 0:27:23 -- 2:32:00 -- 1:56:28 -- 5:03:03
32 -- THOMPSON, ASHLEY -- 1103/1146/954 -- 26/I -- 0:38:06 -- 2:42:17 -- 1:37:36 -- 5:03:52
33 -- KIRKER, JILL -- 878/1014/956 -- 53/I -- 0:34:58 -- 2:31:15 -- 1:48:39 -- 5:04:11
34 -- VAN VLACK, DAWN -- 1067/997/964 -- 41/I -- 0:37:23 -- 2:29:04 -- 1:51:00 -- 5:04:53
35 -- LOMAX, BRENDA -- 1099/1053/967 -- 46/I -- 0:38:02 -- 2:31:52 -- 1:45:54 -- 5:05:01
36 -- BALL, MICHELLE -- 977/878/975 -- 40/I -- 0:36:09 -- 2:24:20 -- 1:54:30 -- 5:05:57
37 -- LOUNT-PRETRE, TINA -- 1024/1005/1008 -- 42/I -- 0:36:48 -- 2:30:22 -- 1:55:22 -- 5:09:10
38 -- GOODACRE, MARY -- 1114/1112/1042 -- 59/I -- 0:38:23 -- 2:37:10 -- 1:51:10 -- 5:14:13
39 -- RUSSELL, NOREEN -- 1003/1061/1080 -- 46/I -- 0:36:29 -- 2:33:27 -- 1:59:47 -- 5:19:16
40 -- HELLE, JANICE -- 1083/1106/1091 -- 53/I -- 0:37:45 -- 2:37:01 -- 1:58:43 -- 5:21:11
41 -- DUBORD, MONIQUE -- 1162/894/1107 -- 44/I -- 0:39:22 -- 2:21:47 -- 2:16:55 -- 5:25:16
42 -- ROSS, DENISE -- 1251/1196/1116 -- 55/I -- 0:43:33 -- 2:42:45 -- 1:51:40 -- 5:27:04
43 -- LINDER, BRIDGET -- 1093/1203/1131 -- 29/I -- 0:37:56 -- 2:51:13 -- 1:55:30 -- 5:31:28
44 -- NICKERSON, CINDY -- 1180/1182/1150 -- 53/I -- 0:39:45 -- 2:43:41 -- 2:02:46 -- 5:36:10
45 -- MCGONIGAL, LOUISE -- 1227/1081/1157 -- 66/I -- 0:41:44 -- 2:29:40 -- 2:17:02 -- 5:38:00
46 -- WALSH, BRENDA -- 1279/1216/1164 -- 54/I -- 0:46:23 -- 2:44:42 -- 2:01:51 -- 5:39:59
47 -- MACKINNON, KATHRYN -- 1111/1245/1191 -- 44/I -- 0:38:19 -- 2:56:09 -- 2:04:05 -- 5:49:32
48 -- JACOBS, THEA -- 1273/1264/1219 -- 53/I -- 0:45:57 -- 2:55:43 -- 2:09:11 -- 6:01:10
49 -- MACDONALD, CAROL -- 1205/1240/1229 -- 60/I -- 0:40:45 -- 2:53:37 -- 2:20:50 -- 6:06:05
50 -- MCLEAN, DEBBIE -- 1195/1263/1243 -- 48/I -- 0:40:24 -- 3:02:58 -- 2:20:46 -- 6:14:18
51 -- DEE, CAROL -- 1277/1273/1259 -- 58/I -- 0:46:22 -- 3:02:20 -- 2:27:08 -- 6:27:21
52 -- BAKER, KRISTIN -- --/--/-- -- 29/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
53 -- FABIAN, KIMBERLY -- --/--/-- -- 37/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
54 -- GRUNDMAN, BONNIE -- --/--/-- -- 50/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
55 -- PETCH, SUSAN -- --/--/-- -- 61/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00
56 -- SALOMON, TANYA -- --/--/-- -- 37/I -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00 -- 0:00:00

November 13, 2009

Clearwater 70.3 World Championships




For my friends and teammates - Bruce, Syd, Ryan and Bill. I am so excited to see how your races go this weekend. My best wishes go out to you for an amazing day of racing. Race fast and race safe!

For all the other Canadian triathletes in the field - Good Luck! I will be cheering from my computer!

November 11, 2009

2010 Sponsorships - As an Age Grouper is it worth looking?

For the past few years, I have tried to become faster in the multisport game, sometimes with the addition of better equipment/gear. Each fall I have put plans in place to, hopefully, solidify some help for the following season. As an age group athlete in Canada, it appears there is very little interest from suppliers and shops (except Running Free) to help us reduce the expenses we incur on a yearly basis.

Over the course of this three year period, I have purchased several bikes, wheels, shoes, electronics, etc. but have had to settle with used products or lower quality products to stay within my multisport budget.

This off-season, as I look to improve my triathlon bike, I wonder if it is worth placing more sponsorship requests to the bike manufacturers and shops or should I concentrate my time looking on ebay and other web sites for a used ride that will not blow up my pocket book?

I have had very poor responses from the Mississauga area bike shops in the past and most manufacturers put their support in certain shops carrying their products. With most shops in my area having little to do with multisport athletes, it makes a very tough task to obtain assistance.

I hope some of my readers have something to share on this topic. Maybe some tips on creating a proposal that may lead to help from that elusive supplier or shop.

Or you can just tell me to stop my dreaming and be happy with what I have (just in case my wife decides to add her two cents in a comment, HAHA)!

2009 RESULTS PAGE

Event -------------- Distance ---- Chip Time -- Overall -- Age Group

Around the Bay -------- 30k --------- 2:05:20 ---- 90th ----- 14th
(1st time I have run this, a little over weight, missed sub 2 goal)

Beat Recession #1 ----- 5k Trail ---- 0:20:19 ---- 4th ------ 2nd
(a very tough course with drastic climbs, over weight)

Victoria's SP Du ------ 4/30/4 ------ 1:19:17 ---- 17th ----- 2nd
(had a great race, 2 min draft penalty cost me the 11th spot!)

Milton SP Du ---------- 2/30/7.5 ---- 1:30:59 ---- 4th ------ 3rd
(helmet blew off bike so I had 1 extra minute added to T1 to find it)

Muskoka LC Du --------- 3/55/15 ----- 2:49:54 ---- 1st ------ 1st
(1st duathlon victory ever!)

Guelph Lakes 1 OLY Du - 5/40/10 ----- 2:03:56 ---- 1st ------ 1st
(getting closer to sub 2 hour Olympic du, PB at distance!)

Gravenhurst OLY Du ---- 10/40/5 ----- 2:03:27 ---- 6th ------ 2nd
(Provincial Du Championships, bested my PB for distance on tough course)

Niagara SP Du --------- 2.5/25/7 ---- 1:18:59 ---- 1st ------ 1st
(great race, led from T1 to finish, bike split was solid)

Guelph Lakes 2 SP Du -- 2/30/7 ------ 1:23:30 ---- 2nd ------ 2nd
(had a very good race, David Frake was winner!)

Lakeside 2 SP Tri ----- 600/20/4 ---- 1:03:03 ---- 6th ------ 3rd
(1st official triathlon with wet suit, had top bike split!)

Hamilton Marathon ----- 42.2k ------- 2:54:41 ---- 16th ----- 3rd
(PB for marathon and sub 3 hour goal met!)

November 6, 2009

Kevin Mackinnon previews Ryan Van Praet's race at the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3

This is a story by Kevin MacKinnon from Ironman.com. Ryan is a Chatham, Ontario triathlete with a great story of determination and desire. His guide is a good friend of mine, and my coach, Syd Trefiak and they are getting in their final preps for the 70.3 World Championships.

Please read Ryan's story below...

RYAN'S IRONMAN.COM ARTICLE!



LARRY

What to do Next???

Well, I must admit the marathon took a little more out of me than I expected. I knew I was going to be sore for a few days so physically I am where I anticipated. Mentally, I am ready for a break and it may be a little longer than just a few days.

I had planned to run the Ontario XC Championships with the Masters group but there were too many other commitments and I would be rushed around to make the race and then rushed to get to work after. Not an ideal race to be pre-occupied with other thoughts. After the Ontario's, was hoping to run in Guelph at the Nationals XC race at the end of November. This may also have been a poor idea based on work, costs and the post marathon rest.

The race itself is not a huge wallet crunch but the thought of paying the Ontario Masters association the membership fee for the full year to race in one or two events doesn't make sense. I contacted the association to see if the membership went for a full 12 months but, unfortunately, it is strictly January to December of the year you pay. This is because they have to pay into other associations on the members behalf so they all just keep things on a calendar basis. I totally understand and have no beef about this since they communicated this up front. I only found out about Ontario Masters a month or so ago (living in my own little world, i guess) so I could not have paid any earlier to take advantage of more races under their watch. I will be a member in 2010 for sure.

This all being said, I still would love to race at least one XC event this season and thankfully, there is a citizens 5k XC event held the same day as the Canadian Championships on the same track. It is earlier in the morning and you do not need the Masters membership for this, so it fits my needs pretty well.

After that, the Falcons have a few events they frequent in the winter. These include the Terra Cotta Egg Nog Jog and the Boxing Day 10 Miler. Hopefully, these will help me keep the weight down over the course of the holidays and set me up for a solid start to 2010.

Talk soon,
Larry

November 4, 2009

Road 2 Hope Marathon Race Report

Race morning was dark and a little chilly when I parked at Confederation Park in Hamilton. I seemed to be an early arrival so I made my way through the kit pick up very quickly and headed back to my car to get down to the essentials. I did not want to lug too much along on the shuttle. The bus ride went very smooth and I was at the starting line over an hour before the race. This was staged at a high school on the south-east end of the city and the gymnasium made excellent place to stay warm during the pre-race routine of stretching, fueling, etc.

As the minutes ticked away, I decided to check my stuff and go out for a warm up run. Along the way, I ran into a gang of Falcons assembled outside the school. They had taken the time to make the trip to lead the cheering for us and capture the day in photos. This support was a very nice gesture that I know I really appreciated along the course from these great fans. Thanks All!!!!!

When I got out to the street for a jog, I ran into fellow blogger, Tyler Lord, who was also getting in some pre-race work before hitting the line. He looked super prepared and focused for his first marathon experience. We wished each other luck and then finished up our warm ups around 10 minutes before the expected horn. I was also hoping to find some of the other guys from FMCT who had plans to run around the same time for this race.

Just as I reached the starting line, I finally ran into Brian, Marko and Richard from the club. I knew these guys (except Brian who was running the half) were aiming for a time pretty close to my goal so I wanted to get up to the front of the crowd with them. When the start was declared, we all headed along the outside of the parking lot for a lap of the school lot before heading out to the main road. I knew right away that my legs were feeling fresh but I wanted to be patient during the first few kilometres and not bolt out with the front runners, as per my usual tactic.

When we reached the first km marker, we were just under 4:00 which was a little fast but not too bad considering the excitement of the race. Marko had already pushed out with a faster group at this point and Richard was running to my right side on the edge of the pavement. It seemed like it would be easy to run as a team but with everyone having unique styles, it seldom works out this way once the event starts.

For much of the first 15k, we headed along very flat, country side roads that were nice and quiet (except for some corners where there were some very helpful fans!). There was a slight wind hitting us face on at this point but it wasn’t a huge factor. I was running around a 4:06 average pace with a small group of athletes during this stretch. There was not much communication between us so it appeared everyone was happy going about their business alone. I, on the other hand, was interested in saving some energy, even if it was the smallest of effort in the light wind.

With this in mind, I tucked in to draft for a short period among the others around me. I held this for a few km’s and then, when I felt an extra boost, I headed forward to see if anyone was ready for some team work. Nobody followed along so I put in a quick surge to catch up to the next small group of two runners about 50 metres ahead. One of them was aiming for 2:53 (I had heard him mention this at the start when another person had asked about pacing) and was a very efficient runner, holding his spot on the centre yellow line. The other was over to his right wing doing his own thing so they were not exactly going about it together.

My fear was that 2:53 was much too quick for me but the pace they were currently hitting was not too taxing so I stayed close. Up the road, I could see Marko’s Falcon jersey among a group around 750 metres but I did not think it would be very wise to try to catch him solo. For some reason I did not feel confident looking back so I was not sure if Richard was still in reach. I think I was afraid of breaking my rhythm by twisting to look.

Thanks to the pre-race announcements, I knew that we would turn just after the 15k marker and have the wind to our backs. By this time, I was trailing the 2:53 “Pace Bunny” by a few metres and we had lost the other member of our group. It was around this spot that my confidence was growing and, to be honest, I seemed to zone out for a while before reaching the downhill stretch waiting after the half way point. I really do not remember too much about the next half an hour other than a flag pointing in our direction at a public prayer building (not sure which religion) that confirmed the hardest part was over.

When it was time to hit the parkway, around the 22k mark, I was slowly catching up to Marko who seemed to be favouring his sides. Once again, paying attention during the pre-race instructions paid off as I remembered that the water station entering the 6k long run on the Red Hill Valley Parkway was the only one until we came off the expressway. I was not really thirsty but knew I would need a little bit of energy during our speedy decent so I reached out for a drink and carried on where I received a visit from Shanta, who was riding along keeping all the Falcons’ spirits up. I told her that I was feeling great and pointed out Marko ahead. She rode up to talk to him and then came back to say he felt OK but she suggested I catch up to keep him company before she headed back to check on the others.

I then looped around the twisting entrance ramp to the expressway, amazed by the view from this height of the road. This part of the run was pretty neat as we had the rule of the entire eastbound lanes leading through the valley. It was a dramatic downhill section where I was making up roughly ten seconds per kilometre on my previous splits. It was a little tempting to go faster but I knew that may lead to some sort of disaster as some of my muscles are not use to the constant pounding of downhill running.

As we flattened out before our exit, I reached Marko and asked him how he felt. He mentioned that things were not staying down. This leads to many problems and I knew he was going to have a hard time keeping his pace. I felt really bad leaving him behind but he was very thoughtful and offered up his gels knowing I was clipping along on my goal time. I was already well stocked and did not want to leave him empty just in case he recovered a little down the road.

Next, was the climb up the exit ramp to the city streets where I started to recognize the familiar roads that made up the Around the Bay track I ran in the spring. I was still feeling strong and hitting my splits but I also knew, from ATB, that I had one more overpass to negotiate.

With less than 12k to go I could see the potential result in my calculations but was also aware that my legs would start to suffer at some point soon. I was still running very close to the pacer from way back in the race and we stayed side by side heading up to the last incline leading to the lakeshore road and trail. There were not many other marathon runners (lots of half marathon walkers) around us so I did not feel an urge to pass or hold my position which allowed me to remain patient.

Crossing the bridge, my natural hill climbing strength (for a recreational runner) left my running partner a few metres behind. I now started to head in the direction of the massive lift bridge that we would have to travel towards before switching back for the final 8 kilometres or so.

Halfway up this short section, we were split from the other walkers and runners as we had an additional kilometre up to our turnaround. Ahead of me, I could see only two other runners but I really was not too interested in pushing for their spots, although, I was slowly closing the gaps. I knew I was doing much better than expected and it was too late in the race to risk a burn out. By the time I reached the turnaround, I had caught the next spot and making ground on the person in front of him.

I ran a few more kilometres inching closer to another position but my pace was starting to buckle. The curl in my baby toe had rubbed a huge blister that was affecting my stride and this was throwing everything out of whack. I had 5.2km to go with enough buffer to reach the end in sub three hour fashion but my splits were deteriorating and I did not want to just finish after putting in so much effort earlier in the race. I mentally got back into running mode and pictured myself running around the block at home, thinking how short that 4k distance feels. With a little boost in spirits, I had caught up to the next fellow just as we were joined by the second overall female. She was trying to hold off third place and was hoping for a little pacing help from us.

This seemed to perk up the other runner and they started to pull away with only 2k to the finish. I truly did not know what overall place I was running so I did not let it bother me and I just pushed on thinking about the finish line. With approximately 1.5 km left, I saw Brian and Andrew from the club cheering me on and that brought on a nice surge in energy. The last part of the course took us around the back of the parking lot and into the park where I ended up catching the male runner. The second overall female was not too far ahead but I knew it would be very bad etiquette to make a sprint for that spot. As I approached the finish line, I caught site of the official race time and noticed that I was on the verge of breaking 2:55. I turned it up a notch just to make sure I did not miss this by a few seconds. Mission accomplished!

After the race, I wandered around on my tired legs looking for some liquids. I had walked right past the water piled up at the finishing chute and thought they had not supplied any to the runners. During this walk about, I ran into Tyler and congratulated him on an amazing effort on his part, 10th place overall.

I then found the water and headed back to my car to put on some warm, dry clothes before heading back to see the results. I was very happy to see my name in 16th spot overall, 3rd in my Age Group in a chip time of 2:54:41. This was well beyond my dream time!

Below, I listed a list of Falcons and friends that also competed with amazing results! Congrats to everyone on a great race!

Hamilton Marathon

10th -- Tyler L -- 2:51:38
16th -- Larry B -- 2:54:43
42nd -- Richard W -- 3:05:01
59th -- Mesfin K -- 3:10:04
97th -- Richard B -- 3:17:18
116th -- Marko D -- 3:20:29
132nd -- Brent P -- 3:23:20
136th -- Jara J -- 3:24:16
153rd -- Jim D -- 3:26:59
154th -- Bill V -- 3:26:59
172nd -- Kelly H -- 3:28:51
228th -- Dan H -- 3:34:02
239th -- Amanda H -- 3:35:07
437th -- James S -- 3:56:12
535th -- Wanda D -- 4:05:12
738th -- Dan M -- 4:49:52

Hamilton Half Marathon

45th -- Brian H -- 1:28:07
128th -- Kirsten D -- 1:37:55
216th -- Natalie W -- 1:44:24
464th -- Manish A -- 1:58:18

I would also like to quote Bill V for the support from those that turned up to cheer!

“Thank you to Andrew H, Angela N, Terri R, Nathalie L, Linda N, Nathalie B (and four footed cookie eating friend), Shanta O and Rick, for coming out and cheering us on. If I forgot anyone, I apologize but again thanks to all of you for your encouraging words.”

November 2, 2009

My Marathon Splits

Race Report almost done...

Here are the Garmin splits

KM Marker -- Split -- Running Time
1 KM -- 0:03:57 -- 0:03:57
2 KM -- 0:04:12 -- 0:08:09
3 KM -- 0:04:08 -- 0:12:17
4 KM -- 0:04:02 -- 0:16:19
5 KM -- 0:04:07 -- 0:20:26
6 KM -- 0:04:11 -- 0:24:37
7 KM -- 0:04:07 -- 0:28:44
8 KM -- 0:04:03 -- 0:32:47
9 KM -- 0:04:03 -- 0:36:50
10 KM -- 0:04:02 -- 0:40:52
11 KM -- 0:04:11 -- 0:45:03
12 KM -- 0:04:08 -- 0:49:11
13 KM -- 0:04:00 -- 0:53:11
14 KM -- 0:04:03 -- 0:57:14
15 KM -- 0:04:07 -- 1:01:21
16 KM -- 0:04:10 -- 1:05:31
17 KM -- 0:04:09 -- 1:09:40
18 KM -- 0:04:01 -- 1:13:41
19 KM -- 0:04:03 -- 1:17:44
20 KM -- 0:04:02 -- 1:21:46
21 KM -- 0:04:05 -- 1:25:51
22 KM -- 0:04:03 -- 1:29:54
23 KM -- 0:04:00 -- 1:33:54
24 KM -- 0:04:00 -- 1:37:54
25 KM -- 0:04:07 -- 1:42:01
26 KM -- 0:04:08 -- 1:46:09
27 KM -- 0:04:14 -- 1:50:23
28 KM -- 0:04:19 -- 1:54:42
29 KM -- 0:04:09 -- 1:58:51
30 KM -- 0:04:00 -- 2:02:51
31 KM -- 0:04:03 -- 2:06:54
32 KM -- 0:04:04 -- 2:10:58
33 KM -- 0:04:09 -- 2:15:07
34 KM -- 0:04:06 -- 2:19:13
35 KM -- 0:04:07 -- 2:23:20
36 KM -- 0:04:12 -- 2:27:32
37 KM -- 0:04:16 -- 2:31:48
38 KM -- 0:04:22 -- 2:36:10
39 KM -- 0:04:23 -- 2:40:33
40 KM -- 0:04:24 -- 2:44:57
41 KM -- 0:04:20 -- 2:49:17
42 KM -- 0:04:12 -- 2:53:29
42.2 KM -- 0:01:12 -- 2:54:41

TOTAL 2:54:41