AFTER 8 HILL AND CORE REPEATS
COMMERCE COURT INVASION AUG.26-2007

THE HAPPY COUPLE - LINDSAY AND DAVID

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Don't allow anyone to tell you what you can and cannot do. Be tough, be stubborn, love yourself, and find friends who believe in you. Recognize your victories."

Joan Benoit Samuelson

Needless to say as you can see by the pictures, it has been a busy and exhausting week -- a good one though but certainly energy draining.

Starting with the clinics -- we did 8X Hill and core repeats and as you can see by the picture of Oliver at the top -- everyone was cooked by the time we finished -- at Rosedale one of the girls brought Popsicles on ice for everyone which was great and another has written a song specific to the A TEAM, which we call ourselves, and this song will be our pre-race celebration!!

The big event for the week was my son's wedding on Saturday and that was an awesome event -- a beautiful couple as you can see by the photo. Off to Cuba for the honeymoon where I am sure they will enjoy themselves.

Ended the week with the Commerce Court Invasion and our long training walk along the Lakeshore -- was a beautiful walk -- 3 different distances - 10, 16 and I took the Marathon group for 29.5k --- another great event --- next one at Rosedale in late September . I was a little disappointed at the turnout with about 35 in attendance but considering it being the second last weekend of the summer it really wasn't that bad.......A great effort by all.

Now, a quick 3 k this morning and 10k on the bike and then off to work

Have a great week everyone

2004 Olympic trials

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sales. Explore. Dream. Discover."

- Mark Twain

Just a quick post this morning -- between my Oakville group and doing a second workout when I got home from work yesterday I got my distance in - 28.4k. Off to the gym this morning for a great X training workout -- an easy 10k on the bike to warm up and then into endurance circuits -- 5 core and leg machines back to back with no rest and then 20 minutes hard on the stairmaster -- this X 3 reps -- a one minute rest between each circuit -- the core etc were Leg presses(15 reps with 320lbs/330lbs/340lbs); obliques with 60 lbs X15 on each side; ab crunches with 110lbsX 15 reps; back presses with 160lbsX 15 reps and flys with 140lbs X15 reps. Ended up with 8.5k on the stairmaster in 60 minutes so I was quite happy with the workout -- I may be getting back in the grove.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I always wanted to be somebody... If I've made it, it's half because I was game to take a wicked amount of punishment along the way and half because there were an awful lot of people who cared enough to help me."

-Althea Gibson

Back again after a few hectic days when I just really did not make the time to update my blog --- BUT, it has been a pretty fair week when it is all said and done -- disappointments few, and accomplishments many -- I guess that sums up a good week.......Shouldn't get too concerned about some off days anyway, as my dad always used to say "son, as long as you wake up on the right side of the grass, it is a good day -- just some are better than others.
Great workouts with the clinics this week..... Hill and stair repeats X7 -- Oakville had some Mexican 150's thrown in as well -- and of course the 7 repeats of the core exercises as well -- longer plank sessions as well as TRI-crunches this time -- they are awesome -- I still feel them myself today.
Missed Rosedale today as I had to work again -- where I reported for work today is 14k from my home so after I finished 10hrs at work I had a great tempo workout on the way home.
I successfully increase my weekly mileage by 15% this week - so now I am back to where I want to be when I feel I maximize my training - in the 80-85km per week range which also hits my calorie goal of 10,000 per week including that burned in my Xtraining.
Looking forward to 29k with the Oakville group tomorrow.


Next Saturday is my son David's wedding and the next day is the Commerce Court Invasion which we have organized to bring in walkers from all over the Greater Toronto Area to take part in a huge training walk in downtown Toronto and on the Lakeshore

THAT WILL BE AN AWESOME WEEKEND!!!!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Excellence is not something attained & put in a trophy case. It is not sought after, achieved, and, thereafter, a steady state. It is a momentary phenomenon, a rare conjunction of body, mind & spirit at one's peak. Should I come to that peak, I cannot stay there. Like Sisyphus, I must start each day at the bottom & work back up to the top. And then beyond that peak to another & yet another."

- Dr. George Sheehan

What else can I say but "AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH"

Oakville Clinic -- trying Sarah's Racewalking technique

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Pain. Love it, hate it, get angry at it. Breath it with every breath, feel it with every step and use it. It lets you know you are still alive, more alive than most people will be in their whole lives."

- Strauss

Today the plan was simply to have either a rest day or just a relaxing recovery walk --- instead, I went out early this morning and got into it quickly after a brief warmup and before I knew it I had done a 15.1k tempo workout and dare I say it I did what I now call 7&3's -- I went hard walking for 7 minutes and then ran for 3 minutes -- I am hoping this will help my endurance and overall speed particularly for Japan --- I found a couple of interesting things doing this -- each subsequent walking interval I was faster and because of the running I had to focus more on my breathing when I was walking to make sure I was getting enough oxygen in for the next run -- hence, my breathing for the walking was better, deeper, pushing the diaphragm and therefore I had more oxygen for my walking intervals -- I guess that is why I was faster each time -- I will never be a runner but it sure helps my cardio as a cross trainer.

I have been reading Dave McGovern's Marathon Walking book this weekend -- it is interesting that he says we need to prioritize our other than walking training - he says if you are doing other things to supplement you walking training that you should do them in this order -1)Stretching 2)CORE 3)X train and 4)weight training.

If anyone from my clinics reads this -- now you know I am not the only evil one who stresses core......

The book is a great read ---interesting that Boston allows 50 racewalkers per year by invitation only - you must have a certified time fo uner 5 hours to qualify for an invitation.- HMMMMMM!!

This is what it is supposed to look like - AWESOME

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Scars heal...glory fades..and all we're left with are the memories made. Pain hurts, but only for a minute, yeah life is short, so go on and live it"

- Megan Rose Leighliter

I am finding it much more difficult to keep up with this blog these days -- I think it is because I have had some difficult days emotionally lately and now chose not to let that interfere with this site as I wanted it to be a positive and motivational account rather that seeing the downside - so forgive me if I let it slide every once in awhile for a few days.

Thursdays workout in Oakville was indeed awesome -- my friend Sarah (aka cdnracewalker) gave us a talk on Racewalking, and a demo outside that everyone just loved particularly when they could try it out themselves....It is always good for them to hear from another person the same premise I have been preaching as well.....Sarah stayed for the workout which was basically 3X repeats of Hill up, straight 150m speed interval, down and up stairs, 150m speed interval and downhill followed by core work(planksX4, crunchesX10 ---X2)---did it all three times and It was a great workout -- everyone seemed to enjoy it -- especially when it was done.

Friday I did a pretty intense Xtraining workout -- 15k bike, strength circuits(5 machines - back, lats, chest, leg press, obliques), each circuit followed by 15 minutes on the stairclimber -- this was done 3X ---- I love that workout and have felt in my best race shape when I did that religiously so tomorrow morning I will do it again.

Yesterday, had to miss the Rosedale clinic due to work but got in 6.5k tempo later on and just did 26k this morning -- 14k with the Oakville group and another 12 when I got home. Now off to work..

I think I have battled the demons and have found the reserve I need to get ready for Port Perry in September and Suwa Ko in October......Now that pleases me...

Steve -- if you read this I cant leave messages on your new site!! Can you send me your email address again please as I somehow misplace it....Cheers

Suwa Ko - Nagano Prefecture - Japan

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"There is the truth about the marathon and very few of you have written the truth. Even if I explain to you, you'll never understand it, you're outside of it."

Douglas Wakiihuri speaking to journalists

As you can tell from the picture my mental focus has certainly become the Half Marthon in Japan on October 28th - booked the flights and hotel this week and my step - son has registered to run the race as well -- what a psychological boost that is for me. My training away from clinics has become more creative and intense and will remain so until the race.

I was reading in Dave McGovern's book "Marathon Walking" that less than .1% of the population of North America will attempt a marathon let alone finish it.....I guess that puts us if famed and elite company for sure.

I can not believe it has been over a week since I have made an entry in this blog - it has been a hectic week...20k with my Rosedale group on Saturday, 24.5 with my Oakville group on Sunday and my own training Monday and Tuesday, back to work Tuesday and Clinics Wednesday and Thursday nights --- just a little over the edge.....Clinic nights have been Hill + core repeats X6 and tonight I have devised a rather devilish workout combining hills, stairs, Mexican 200's and core repeats -- all X3................short in time, long in intensity. And with Sarah, my Racewalker friend, as our guest speaker I am sure the motivation will be high for the workout...

I am spending some time considering my options and where to take all of this I have learned -- the plan is slowly taking shape and I hope to unveil it all in the near future - stay tuned

David's first Pay Per View

Recovery at Goat Island - New York State Park

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"The body does not want you to do this. As you run, it tells you to stop but the mind must be strong. You always go too far for your body. You must handle the pain with strategy...It is not age; it is not diet. It is the will to succeed."

Jacqueline Gareau

In the process now of regrouping and trying to pick back up from feeling beaten up physically and mentally. Yesterday, spent the day at Goat Island in Niagara Falls New York - wasn't planning to do any walking but ended up doing a very easy 6k - experienced something I have never felt after a race previously - hamstring and calf cramping after I had driven for about an hour - agonizing - seems better today but we will see when we do out Hill and Core training x5 at Rosedale tonight - extremely hot and humid today - makes Sunday's race weather look like a cold front.

Spent some time in the late afternoon with my son and his fiance - for those of you who didn't know - he is a professional mixed martial arts fighter - the picture above is from his first Pay Per View fight. He also teaches Brazilain Jiu Jitsu and last year won the Canadian Championship - am I a proud papa - YUP!! He is getting married this month to a great girl as well -- awesome!!

Special Kudos go out to my friend Steve in California who completed the San Francisco half marathon on Sunday - inspite of his lung problems he was still well under 3hrs - Awesome Job Steve -- you have helped me refocus on what is important - just being there and enjoying the moment!! That's what it is all about -- Thank you