Larry's Blog Pages

November 19, 2012

Glad you found me again...

Hi folks,

Sorry about the confusion - if my last blogspot address misdirected you but I figured it was finally time for a change. I had created the original URL back when I started out with a sponsor that I am no longer working with. They are a great business but since I moved to Mississauga, a number of years ago, I tend to visit other stores closer to home.

So, I decided today was the day and changed the blog address to reflect a more generic description of me. I am sure it looked silly to potential sponsors by promoting my blog with an old sponsor in my blog address. I have been thinking about a change for a while now but was not sure how much of a mess it would create.

Apparently, there will be a little updating to do as I have now lost my blog lists for friends I was following. I know this is a big reason many people come here (to see if there is any new info on other blogs on my blog list) so often so I will work to get these updated ASAP.

Also, my link on other blog pages will not work any longer so if you want to keep my link fresh you will have to update on your site as well. Sorry!

Let me know if you see anything else out of whack so I can fix those issues as well...

Talk soon,
Larry

November 13, 2012

The days go by...

Although, there is not too exciting to blog about, I still would like to keep things fresh so I hope the weekly updates do not bore too much.

Today, I was checking race sites to see if the MCC had confirmed the date for this year's Chilly Willy. To my surprise the event came up as cancelled on www.mynextrace.com so I emailed the organizers. They quickly responded that the event would be a MCC members only run this year so the public cannot participate. This is a shame as I have enjoyed this event on a number of occasions and was looking forward to an 8k race in a few weeks. I guess it is back to the drawing board.

In run training news, I had another great week with several solo runs and a few excellent group runs. On Friday I joined Robbie T for a spirited double looper on the Egg Nog Jog course. Not an easy course at training speeds and even tougher when we decided to drop the pace for much of the run. On Sunday, I managed to get out with the Falcons as we visited the Caledon Hills around Inglewood. I was feeling good and made sure to attack the hills as hard as I could just to push the legs. This was another solid workout for the week in which I posted close to 100k so things are looking very good these days.

To start this week, I was able to zoom down to Oakville after work and get a run in with Kevin Smith and his TOC Oakville group. With many of the TOC racing in Kingston the previous day, the group was small and the pace was fun. It was a good setting to chat and see what the running club can offer for 2013 as I look to push this part of my game to a new level. I have been on the fence with Kevin's crew for a few years now as the schedule has usually conflicted with mine but I think I can make it work this season so I look forward to working with someone that has kicked my butt for many years on the duathlon scene.

Unfortunately, I do not have any news on the sponsorship side. This is good and bad. Good in that I did not hear any rejections. Bad in that rejections at this time usually puts other requests at risk as many teams have already been selected so adding a request to their inbox will surely not be considered this late in the game. In some instances I did send out several applications to "like" companies but with some categories, I really would like to go with the brands I currently use and trust. Hopefully, a few positive responses come in soon and the whole effort will not be a wasted use of time.

Lastly, it is time to hop back on the bike asap. I have been reluctant coming back from the crash and now I have created a routine without riding. With the chill back in the air today it looks like the trainer will be back in business so i better get things set up and stop making excuses. I really need to get back up to speed on this beast as I was clipping along pretty well around the end of June thanks to rides with Kurzawinski Coach and his crew. This fall and winter, though, I will need to spend a lot more time on the TT bike to make sure I am ready to nail the duathlons next spring.

So, that was my week. Anyone have any exciting news they would like to pass along?
Happy training!
Larry

November 5, 2012

Paying Interest on Borrowed Time...

So the past few weeks have not gone as planned. It happens and seems to be common around this time of year with Halloween and a number of birthdays in the family. All these fall/winter holidays and celebrations make it very hard for a sweet tooth to stay in shape.

Add the rash of injuries (including a rolled ankle last weekend on the trails) I have juggled this season and this fall has not developed the way I pictured a few months ago. Being able to race only a couple times since my rib injury (July 5th) has been tough, checking the stat sites each weekend to see how my times may have matched up against those racing away.

After procrastinating through a lazy weekend, in terms of training, I woke up today and put on a positive face and decided to shape up. First order of business - pull on some cold weather gear and get my butt out the door for a short gallop around the local trails. With that accomplished it was time to squash the poor eating habits and pass by the candy bags collected by the kids last week. Next on the to do list - find a race and get signed up!

During a visit to my buddy Kane's place yesterday, he dropped the news that Egg Nog Jog in Terra Cotta appeared to be sold out already. Damn, I was hoping to register soon if my ankle and foot held up over the next week. This is the other part about being injured, it is hard to commit to races. I hate tossing money away on registration fees and not showing for the event. With my current luck, I would get paid up for the race and then not be able to hit the start line on December 9th.

So now I will hunt around for another race (probably the MCC Chilly Willy 8k in late November) and make the Boxing Day 10 Miler a short-term goal race (if it is not sold out!) to see how I am progressing through the off season.

Lunch Time Run with Co-Worker Gearing Up for Company Triathlon (Jan 2013-Hawaii)


On the sponsorship front, I have a few leads on the go, which is really nice to know. I don't want to get too excited as it is very early but I hope something comes through for 2013! As we all know, soliciting sponsors is tough work and is a commitment in its own. That being said, I did have one bad experience last week that was disappointing to say the least. I was going to go public with the experience but decided it would be best to leave all bridges in place and just hope they learn from their communication error.

In the new world of social media, companies must make sure they have all the lines of communication represented by knowledgeable staff with consistent messaging. It is too often that the online staff replying to Facebook and twitter do not have the correct information and this leads to communication mix ups. With so many competitors in the market, you cannot afford to drop the ball and open the door to the competition.

Anyway, that is the past and it is time to get back to business, again. It is amazing how motivating my Sunday www.sportstats.ca and www.chiptimeresults.com viewing can be. Seeing friends and the competition posting awesome results every weekend gets me ready to tackle the new week.

Hopefully, you are feeling as inspired as I am today!
Larry 

On a huge thank you note... Kano (or Kane as he was referred to above) hooked me up large with some nutrition on the weekend. The man is all class and one of the most unselfish people I know. The sad part is that he, and his household, are moving back to Oz in the new year after a few years in Canada. Let's hope his move back home brings him some some good luck for his future in triathlon. Can't wait to see him rocking Kona in a few years!