Laguna beach
beautiful coast
Mexican border again
The Sponge
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Penticton to San Diego
Ironman Canada was great to watch. The locals put on a gutsy show & Jordan Rapp grasped the glory & had a hell of a performance. He's a BAMF! Viewing the race as a spectator sure gave me some internal hunger for the future. This sport is definitely a longterm lifestyle for me & I am excited to keep training at a higher level.
On August 31st Jon & I left on our Journey to bike ride from Penticton to San Diego. It was a heck of a journey to say the least. biking through Washington, Oregon & California was epic. To look back on 3300km of bike riding in under a month is quite substantial. I haven't been able to completely reflect on the overall trip however It shows me that I really enjoy riding my bike. I aspire to join a cycling team in 2010 regardless of starting in Cat5 or Cat4 at the beginning whatever it takes im okay with. I learned that mentally I can persuade my body to do unbelievable things in terms of physical activity. Some days were 4 hours long & other days were 7 hours long. Distances each day ranged from our shortest being 65km to longest days being 170km. Consecutive bike riding for almost a month straight did something to my body & mind. It allowed me to realize that my performance can still be high when my entire being is completely fatigued & mentally drained. At certain times throughout the trip I stepped outside myself mentally. It was as if I was on the bike riding it with the proper balance, however didn't have my usual wits. My typical body awareness & sensations of feeling the bike while I ride were absent. It was unreal to reflect on afterwards. I was in a certain zone mentally that allowed me to almost stop time & just watch myself ride the bike. The feeling makes me uncomfortable looking back because I haven't harnessed it properly. I believe that this is the feeling that will help an athlete overcome any obstacle in a performance event if it is harnessed properly. This was the greatest event of the entire trip because It gives me a tast of feeling that zone. I had glimpses of it in the Wasa triathlon but not the entire race. I strive to think about this feeling & try to psychologically allow my mind to pull this sensation out when I need it.
The scenery was beautiful going down the Oregon coast. Being near the ocean almost 80% of the bikeride was amazing. The redwood forest was quite surreal & almost like it wasn't reality. I felt like I was in a movie biking through a mystical forest. California was awesome to see. San francisco was incredibly trendy & the San fran bridge was very neat to see. Fairfax, Santa Barbara, Laguna beach, San Diego were all beautiful places to bike ride through. The required pace we were going didn't allow us to thorougly enjoy this amazing scenery to it's fullest but we definitely got glimpses of the beauty Cali has to offer. Bodega bay was also a neat surfing lifestyle atmosphere & an incredibly laid back environment. As we got further south the affluence of the state was very noticeable. Luxury vehicles, unbelievable property & breathtaking scenery was the norm. Very well dressed people trying to stay fit & recreationally active was the impression from the state. It is a very attractive state to be in but there was no doubt it was a high end monetary lifestyle that was only possible if your financial status was not an issue. Once we reached the border & celebrated our victory we packed up our bike boxes & prepared for our first NFL game where the Chargers faced the Miami Dolphins which was great to see. 67,000 people & a way smaller field than in CFL made for a packed facility of patriotic fans that gave the building an incredible buzz. The regular season game intensity was comparable to a stanley cup playoff buzz at the saddledome watching the flames. It was a wicked treat made possible from papa bear that arranged the tickets through ebay & had them waiting at our hotel. Thanks papa.
Now back to Calgary & great to be home. Writing in a journal every night has given me the ability to reprioritize myself & set in place some new goals for the future.
Most importantly I am attempting to start up a professional cleaning business & hope to have it operational at the beginning of 2010. The foundation blocks are being laid & the necessary meetings are taking place to set things up. Time To Shine Cleaning Services will be the name of the business I hope to make successful. A great reputation & high standard of excellence is what I will consistently strive for. I will make a continuous endeavour to allow my customers the ability to provide a critical feedback system that will only help potentially grow this company into a strong industry leader.
I also strive to keep riding my bike & potentially join an amateur cycling team in 2010. Balancing the two of these very important goals will be difficult but am excited to find manageable equilibrium.
Some pictures & possibly video of the trip are coming shortly
On August 31st Jon & I left on our Journey to bike ride from Penticton to San Diego. It was a heck of a journey to say the least. biking through Washington, Oregon & California was epic. To look back on 3300km of bike riding in under a month is quite substantial. I haven't been able to completely reflect on the overall trip however It shows me that I really enjoy riding my bike. I aspire to join a cycling team in 2010 regardless of starting in Cat5 or Cat4 at the beginning whatever it takes im okay with. I learned that mentally I can persuade my body to do unbelievable things in terms of physical activity. Some days were 4 hours long & other days were 7 hours long. Distances each day ranged from our shortest being 65km to longest days being 170km. Consecutive bike riding for almost a month straight did something to my body & mind. It allowed me to realize that my performance can still be high when my entire being is completely fatigued & mentally drained. At certain times throughout the trip I stepped outside myself mentally. It was as if I was on the bike riding it with the proper balance, however didn't have my usual wits. My typical body awareness & sensations of feeling the bike while I ride were absent. It was unreal to reflect on afterwards. I was in a certain zone mentally that allowed me to almost stop time & just watch myself ride the bike. The feeling makes me uncomfortable looking back because I haven't harnessed it properly. I believe that this is the feeling that will help an athlete overcome any obstacle in a performance event if it is harnessed properly. This was the greatest event of the entire trip because It gives me a tast of feeling that zone. I had glimpses of it in the Wasa triathlon but not the entire race. I strive to think about this feeling & try to psychologically allow my mind to pull this sensation out when I need it.
The scenery was beautiful going down the Oregon coast. Being near the ocean almost 80% of the bikeride was amazing. The redwood forest was quite surreal & almost like it wasn't reality. I felt like I was in a movie biking through a mystical forest. California was awesome to see. San francisco was incredibly trendy & the San fran bridge was very neat to see. Fairfax, Santa Barbara, Laguna beach, San Diego were all beautiful places to bike ride through. The required pace we were going didn't allow us to thorougly enjoy this amazing scenery to it's fullest but we definitely got glimpses of the beauty Cali has to offer. Bodega bay was also a neat surfing lifestyle atmosphere & an incredibly laid back environment. As we got further south the affluence of the state was very noticeable. Luxury vehicles, unbelievable property & breathtaking scenery was the norm. Very well dressed people trying to stay fit & recreationally active was the impression from the state. It is a very attractive state to be in but there was no doubt it was a high end monetary lifestyle that was only possible if your financial status was not an issue. Once we reached the border & celebrated our victory we packed up our bike boxes & prepared for our first NFL game where the Chargers faced the Miami Dolphins which was great to see. 67,000 people & a way smaller field than in CFL made for a packed facility of patriotic fans that gave the building an incredible buzz. The regular season game intensity was comparable to a stanley cup playoff buzz at the saddledome watching the flames. It was a wicked treat made possible from papa bear that arranged the tickets through ebay & had them waiting at our hotel. Thanks papa.
Now back to Calgary & great to be home. Writing in a journal every night has given me the ability to reprioritize myself & set in place some new goals for the future.
Most importantly I am attempting to start up a professional cleaning business & hope to have it operational at the beginning of 2010. The foundation blocks are being laid & the necessary meetings are taking place to set things up. Time To Shine Cleaning Services will be the name of the business I hope to make successful. A great reputation & high standard of excellence is what I will consistently strive for. I will make a continuous endeavour to allow my customers the ability to provide a critical feedback system that will only help potentially grow this company into a strong industry leader.
I also strive to keep riding my bike & potentially join an amateur cycling team in 2010. Balancing the two of these very important goals will be difficult but am excited to find manageable equilibrium.
Some pictures & possibly video of the trip are coming shortly
Kelowna Nationals & Calgary 70.3
I would have to say that these 2 races to end the season weren't what I had anticipated however I was able to grow from the experiences.
I was about 70% recovered from 3 weeks of being sick when Calgary 70.3 approached. My taper involved complete rest for a week straight with no real dialed in training before the race. The swim was slower than I expected as ghost lake had a larger current than most expected. Navigating around anchored boats made a quick swim a difficult task. I was about 33 minutes and then out of the water and onto the bike. I didn't push the swim to my usual ability as I wanted to be smooth at the beginning of the race & see how my sick body would respond to physical surges throughout the race. Onto the bike I immediately felt good with the exception of one hill that was a struggle for me. After the hill which was about 15km into the bike I felt great. I pushed the pace and laid the hammer down finishing a 94km bike ride in 2:35 minutes. However not without making another amateur mistake. I didnt research where the water stations were located & most importantly how many there were! It turned out there were only 2 & when I approached the last one I grabbed a bottle of water & only took a sip before tossing it near one of the volunteers. Thinking my hydration level was fine & expecting another aid station I was ignorant to think I should have filled up my water bottle with the 2nd aid station donation. I didn't & suffered the last 15km of the bike without proper hydration. This ended up being a major factor in the run. I left transition & felt great for the first 5km & then the wheels fell off. My heart rate wasn't abnnormally high however I started getting heart palpitations & fluttering which was a red flag in my mind. I began walking & running trying to get in a rhythym again. I walked to the 10km marker & had to pull out of the race which marks my first DNF. The doctors explained that my hearts ventrical pumps were prematurely firing which could have resulted from fatigue leading into the race as well as an unbalanced electrolyte level in my body that could impact the rhythym of my heart rate. Anyhow I learnt how to push my body even more while being ill.
Kelowna nationals I didn't really expect to race until I received a late race entry from the race director. I was excited & calm but in the end not mentally prepared for the race. The swim was the highlight finishing just over 22 minutes which is a personal best for me. I had a sidewall blowout on my back tire which was quite unusual. I pushed the sidewall back in & found someone with a small pump to assist me. This happened to take place on the large hill on the bike course. At first I thought I was going to be another DNF & for some reason was okay with that. Realizing that I was not prepared for the race I was almost thinking in my head thats what you get Jevon. I had too many mental pauses when the flat tire occurred & was definitely not at all hasty about fixing the situation. Once a spectator assisted me with my tire I pretty much coasted the remainder of the race. My intensity fell off the map & I lost the edge to go on the hunt for people ahead of me. It was another learning lesson to be prepared for races in the future. Not having my time trial bike, race wheels, race shoes, race helmet really shouldn't make a difference but it did. It's nice to race with this equipment because it really does make me feel that I can go faster but in the end it doesn't matter. This was the valuable lesson for me & in summary preparation is key.
I was about 70% recovered from 3 weeks of being sick when Calgary 70.3 approached. My taper involved complete rest for a week straight with no real dialed in training before the race. The swim was slower than I expected as ghost lake had a larger current than most expected. Navigating around anchored boats made a quick swim a difficult task. I was about 33 minutes and then out of the water and onto the bike. I didn't push the swim to my usual ability as I wanted to be smooth at the beginning of the race & see how my sick body would respond to physical surges throughout the race. Onto the bike I immediately felt good with the exception of one hill that was a struggle for me. After the hill which was about 15km into the bike I felt great. I pushed the pace and laid the hammer down finishing a 94km bike ride in 2:35 minutes. However not without making another amateur mistake. I didnt research where the water stations were located & most importantly how many there were! It turned out there were only 2 & when I approached the last one I grabbed a bottle of water & only took a sip before tossing it near one of the volunteers. Thinking my hydration level was fine & expecting another aid station I was ignorant to think I should have filled up my water bottle with the 2nd aid station donation. I didn't & suffered the last 15km of the bike without proper hydration. This ended up being a major factor in the run. I left transition & felt great for the first 5km & then the wheels fell off. My heart rate wasn't abnnormally high however I started getting heart palpitations & fluttering which was a red flag in my mind. I began walking & running trying to get in a rhythym again. I walked to the 10km marker & had to pull out of the race which marks my first DNF. The doctors explained that my hearts ventrical pumps were prematurely firing which could have resulted from fatigue leading into the race as well as an unbalanced electrolyte level in my body that could impact the rhythym of my heart rate. Anyhow I learnt how to push my body even more while being ill.
Kelowna nationals I didn't really expect to race until I received a late race entry from the race director. I was excited & calm but in the end not mentally prepared for the race. The swim was the highlight finishing just over 22 minutes which is a personal best for me. I had a sidewall blowout on my back tire which was quite unusual. I pushed the sidewall back in & found someone with a small pump to assist me. This happened to take place on the large hill on the bike course. At first I thought I was going to be another DNF & for some reason was okay with that. Realizing that I was not prepared for the race I was almost thinking in my head thats what you get Jevon. I had too many mental pauses when the flat tire occurred & was definitely not at all hasty about fixing the situation. Once a spectator assisted me with my tire I pretty much coasted the remainder of the race. My intensity fell off the map & I lost the edge to go on the hunt for people ahead of me. It was another learning lesson to be prepared for races in the future. Not having my time trial bike, race wheels, race shoes, race helmet really shouldn't make a difference but it did. It's nice to race with this equipment because it really does make me feel that I can go faster but in the end it doesn't matter. This was the valuable lesson for me & in summary preparation is key.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Great White North Half Ironman
Well I'm back home & the body feels like it is almost recovered. Don't have much time from now until Calgary 70.3 but i'm excited to see what some tweeks here & there to my fitness will do to my performance come August 2nd.
All in all I am satisfied with the race. Since i've moulded myself to be incredibly hard willed with high expectations especially out of myself I felt a lot was left out on the race course.
The swim was a 2 lap course around hubbles lake just west of stony plain alberta. I felt really strong & controlled in the swim & was able to take the birdmans advice to make sure I draft with someone & made sure I was always near a hip or a set of shoulders to propel me forward. I exited the water just a little over 31 minutes which was a personal best for me.
Hopped onto the bike & out of transition required climbing a small hill with enough of an incline to keep my heartrate a little higher than I wanted out of the gate so I backed it off slightly. I felt strong & maintained for the first 30km & then some more inclines & rolling hills came along on the way to the genesis plant. I made the mistake of using too much carbo pro in my water bottle & didn't dilute it enough to avoid upcoming digestive problems a little later in the race. As the race progressed I felt the need to constantly adjust myself on the bike seat as some minor saddle sores were starting to become quite uncomfortable. I was struggling to generate similar power to my regular training rides & just felt flat. Then came the wind for the last 15km & I really struggled. Came off the bike around 2:35 which was another personal best for me. I have to keep going. I know I can do better but cmon Jevon your at a personal best keep it going. So I did. The run was an absolute struggle for me. This being my 2nd 1/2 ironman I thought I had an understanding & appreciation for the pain inflicted on the body for this type of event. I saw my girlfriend perched in the shade just off the run course after about 3km & she looked so relaxed I asked myself what the hell are you doing? Just go lay beside her.. Your not running anywhere close to your capability & it's just not your day. Just quit. I battled this the entire run course & it tested my mental fortitude beyond what I ever expected. I neve wanted to quit more in a race than this one.
I finished the day with a personal best under 5 hours for my second half ironman. I had a personal best on every leg of the event which I am very pleased with. I still feel there is more to be had in a half ironman event this year for me & I will have to now focus on racing with no regrets for the next one. That is all an athlete ever wants. A complete race. To know that they were able to throw everything they have on the table & not hold anything back.
Although I know it wasn't my best day, I pushed on & finished the race. As birdman would say "you banked that" now that feeling of suffering is embedded in your mind for the next race. These types of races I feel will give me the ability to turn feeling good on raceday, to feeling strong on raceday. The next time I feel flat, I will know that much more about my body & be able to push it to the next level. Maybe that's the preliminary step to the state of discovery.
Jevro
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