Don't answer the door in your Underwear

So I can officially announce today that Profile Design will be one of my sponsors for 09. There is no question they are the leading brand when it comes to bike parts and I can't wait to start using them.
Well the snow just hasn't seemed to stop and also everyday there seems to be some to shovel. I think it's going to be a great year for skiing and I think it's safe to say we're going to have a white Christmas. We have most of our shopping done now and only a couple of small things left to get which is good because usually I don't mind going to the mall but not now when it takes 20minutes just to find a parking spot and you can barely move in stores.
Last night the real estate agent who sold us our house came by with a house warming gift that she said she has had in her car for months now. She handed me a nice picture frame and a gift certificate for Home Sense and I didn't open the gift certificate right away and just said thank you. After she left Lea opened it and it was for $150!! We will definitely be able to get something nice with that.
This weekend is my swim meet in Guelph and we are leaving tomorrow after work. I am swimming six races starting Friday morning and have two each day. There will be $125 prize for each race this weekend so hopefully I have been swimming enough and can get enough to at least cover the cost of the trip.
On Monday night I was downstairs and I had just had a shower and all I had on were my boxers and someone knocked at the door and I yelled for them to come it and they didn't so I went up and I figured it would just be just someone I know so I open the door and it was a police officer. I was a little embarrassed at that point and wondering what he was doing here. Well it turned out that he was just letting us know that Lea has to be in court in a couple of weeks for her accident back in August because the girl who hit her was charged with careless driving and is fighting the charge.
So if I have internet in the hotel room on the weekend I'll post how the meet is going otherwise it will have to wait till I get home.

Christmas is coming

Well about 23 sleeps and Santa will be here now. It seems like November just flew by and we're into December now. Lea and I were in North Bay overnight this weekend as I was coaching at the swim meet. The kids awesome and everyone had lots of fun and it was great as always to see Mark and Bonnie.
Saturday before we left I did a run with Jack early and then I had a quick shower and we were on the road. Sunday when we got back Lea and I went skiing with Jack and his family for about an hour and then I ran home from the ski trails. Yesterday I did some core, weights and tried spinning for a bit by my legs were feeling it so after only about 30minutes of spinning I decided to his the pool and give the legs a break for the rest of the day. Today will be another swim trying to get ready for my swim meet next weekend and then a brick workout.
I found out today from my doctor that my stomach problems that I had been having were being caused by an ulcer. This is already my tired one but it had been also 4 years since my last one and they aren't fun. So I'm on some medication for it and hopefully it will go away sooner than later.
Tomorrow we will be installing a carpet runner than we bought for our stairs going down into the basement. It will look really nice to finish the stairs off and it will also help to make them not slippery so when I come in the house and try and walk downstairs with my bike shoes on I wont end up on my back like I already have once.
All this snow we've got so far has been pretty crazy...it looks like we could be in for a long winter as it's barely stopped snowing for two weeks now. Hopefully everyone is driving safe and taking their time as we adjust to the conditions.

Ironman...?

So Jack is a really close friend of mine and the guy who got me started in triathlons but hasn't done any for awhile and keeps talking about wanting to do another Ironman but Amanda his wife didn't want him doing another one because the training took too much time. So on Tuesday I'm over for supper and I'm teasing Jack that he should sign up for an Ironman next year and we both started getting the look from Amanada....so then on Wednesday I see Jack and he hands me this piece of paper and I open it and it's a receipt for entry into Ironman next August and Amanada signed him up without him even knowing. I think this is so exciting and I can't wait to start training with him and now he can come out with Drew and I sometimes also.
On a not so good note, I was at my Fire Fighting practice last night and one of the guys who is involved on with the Naughton Ski Trails where I do my cross country skiing told me that earlier this week someone broke into their garage and stole their trail groomer. It's about 15thousand to replace and they need one or else they can't keep the trails open. I don't understand though how someone can just drive away with one of those and nobody see that! It's really unfortunate that these things happen because it affects so many people.
Lea's birthday was good yesterday and she enjoyed her presents that I gave her and tonight a few friends are coming over for supper.
So far everyone that I've given a copy of my sponsorship package to really likes it and I even think a few companies are going to give me some money for next year so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

26 Years Old!

Well the snow is definetely here and it looks like it's here to stay. Lastnight was my first time this year getting out and doing some cross country skiing. Jack and I did about an hour together at the Naughton Trails. Last year I got out skiing a little bit but this winter I want try and get out even more because it's a good way of doing some cross training and still getting in a good workout. The rest of my training is still going good and I'm swimming everyday now trying to get ready for the swim meet in a couple of weeks. This weekend I have to go to North Bay to coach at a swim meet on Sunday with the younger kids.
Thursday is Lea's birthday and she is turing 26! Going to have a few people over on Friday night for supper which should be fun. Anyways I'm just at work right now and I kind of have to get going so I will write more later when I get the chance.

Santa Parade/Raptors Game/New Bike

So things have settled down now that my trip has come and gone. I've been getting some good base workouts in with some longer runs and bikes inside on the treadmill and on the trainer. I've started doing a little bit of strenght training as well which I think will help with my cycling and I've even started going to a few classes like yoga. My swimming is going great, I'm getting in my swim everyday now getting ready for my swim meet in Guelph. It will be fun again to get up on the blocks and race.
This past weekend we were really bust first going with my Aunt Bon and Jenn to watch Jordon play hockey here in town. It was great to see him play and he scored a goal and was named MVP of the game! After that we went out for lunch and then it was time for Lea and I and Jesse and Sarah to get ready for the Santa Clause parade. We actually had a lot of fun the whole night and I was so surprised at how many people came out. After the parade Jesse and Sarah came over for the night as we had to get up early to catch the bus to Toronto in morning. Sunday the four of us went to Toronto to watch the Raptors game. It was my first time seeing a professional game like that and we had all had fun. I even caught a little ball that they were tossing into the crowed and brought it home for Daisy to play with.
Last week was also exciting because I finally got my new bike that I ordered exactly a year ago! It's a Blue T-17 and it looks awesome, although I don't think I'm going to get the chance to get out and ride it now as the snow is already here. I also sold my race wheels to Drew as Blackwell gave me a Pro Deal on a new set that I also got last week. I can't wait for next year to try out all my new goodies. And congrates to Drew for an awesome Ironman two weeks ago in Las Vegas on one of the hardest courses there is and his 3rd Ironman this year.
Not too much going on this week other than work and training like also. This weekend is our x-mas staff party on Saturday night. Friday we got free tickets to the wolves game so Lea and I will be going to see that on Friday. Not much else new, that time of the year and just trying to stay healthy now. Looking forward to the x-mas season and hopefully seeing everyone!

More pics

San Fran Pics

Recouvering...Mentally

So San Francisco has come and gone and I guess the good thing is I'm still here and still kicking. The didn't go as planned and it's something I'm going to have to accept and deal with. In 15 years of swimming and about 30 triathlons over the past three years I can't say I've ever had a race quite like this one.
After our swim warm up we were all put in a holding tank where we waited for about 10minutes. It was quite cold, the water temperature was only 58 degrees and it was the only day that we were there was wasn't sunny and there was a fine mist coming down. It was really one of my first races where I had no idea what to expect. The top 5 guys get an introduction and their World Ranking and just returning from the Olympics in Beijing...I think at that moment I was like OMG what am I getting myself into. They moved us down onto the starting dock and it was going to be the first time that I do a dive entry in a triathlon. I think I was so used to at the start of the swim being able to swim without anyone right on top of you...well not the case with time. There was 37 other guys who were all bigger than me and seemed just as fast! I was able to pull up a little big from the group but knew there was someone on my right and a bunch of guys right on my feet. I lead the first 500m and then someone came up beside me and tried going around. We swam side by side for the rest of the first lap and then going around the buoy he cut inside of me and he did a breast stroke kick I guess to get around it and I took it in my side. It took the wind out of me for a second and he pulled away and two other guys tried going around me. Now I was back in about fourth or fifth and not where I wanted to be. I swam really hard and passed a couple of them pack but the first place guy had a good 10-15m lead on everyone else. The rest of the second lap I swam in second with a guy right beside me. I got out on the pontoon dock and right away felt sick. I exited the water with about 6-7 guys within about 5seconds behind me and then there was about a 20-30second gap before the next group. Everything though just seemed to go down hill even more as I got out of the water. Running to my bike I got the top part of my wetsuit off but as I got to my bike I struggled getting it the rest of the way off(I knew I shouldn't of used my new wetsuit for the first time at this race). The group of guys that I came out with had taken off. I stumbled getting onto my bike as the toe of my shoe got caught on the ground. I tried catching that lead group through the first half of the lap but they were all working together and I just couldn't. The rush of getting out of transition now I think had worn off and I could feel my stomach and it wasn't happy. I think from getting kick I felt sick and the next group of about 10 guys went flying by me and I pushed hard to catch one of there wheels but I was only able to stay there for a few minutes . I biked the rest of the first lab and half of the second lap by myself and after feeling part of my breakfast coming up I made one of the hardest decisions to pull out.
I've never been faced with that decision before and it was really hard to handle. I got my stuff back in transition and after a minute of whipping the tears away I went to catch a cab and get out of there. I was very upset at myself and had very mixed feelings. I had that split second of not wanting to do this anymore and then I turned my anger to how am I going to come back from this. The next morning I got up early and went for a 75minute run on the treadmill in the hotel and killed myself....the whole time planning on how to come back strong and what I'm going to do over the next little while. I had told myself before the race that if I had a good race I was going to take a week or so off and do nothing but I'm not doing that now and I'm right back into it. I'm going to be training harder than ever this winter and hopefully get a running partner to push me on at least one of my run every week. I'm going to be doing a big swimming phase over the next little while also as I will be going to a swim meet in December where I can win some money. Also this winter one of my goals is to beat my 1500m personal best time that I swam when I was 15 years old and at the time was good enough to rank me number one in Canada. I can close when I swam for the university a couple years ago and only missed it but less than 2 seconds but this year I'm going to prove it to myself that I can still do it and I'm getting faster.
I got a lot of good pictures from San Francisco and will post those later and will talk about the fun I had while visiting San Francisco like going to Alcatraz!! That was sooo cool!