Dirge Rhetoric

Surgery, Skiing and all that.

2012-01-29T20:29:00.001-08:00

Second surgery is a few days away. February 2nd. After that I can look to the future with optimism at least in regards to running. It is difficult to do that knowing there is another surgery; haven't been able to see past it. Thy will be done and all that. Then I can trespass against everyone (as a runner going past your "private property - keep out" sign).

I can run a bit now. Today I was on the treadmonster for about 15 minutes. At the gym with Amber. Nice when the teens get past that,"Dads are so awkward in public" thing.

Skiid this weekend with Tyson. We were at Powder King, which is located two hours north of Prince George. The mountain lived up to its name - snowed the whole time. Funny, there was no signs whatsoever for the whole two hours indicating how far Powder King is away. In fact the only sign is a wooden one, just off the highway, where you need to turn to go up the mountain.

Here is the short video:

Woot.

Sarah Burke

2012-01-20T09:56:00.001-08:00

Ok for the masses out there curious to know how my left heel is faring in regards to my surgery September 27th. Well, I don`t know.

I ran for 25 minutes in my basement two days ago and that seemed fine, but the next day there was some pain for sure in the specific area where I had surgery, enough so that I was limping. I do not know what that means, but I do know that I did want to be running again by now.

Next surgery is February 2nd. Let`s see what happens to the right foot.

There has been much ado about Sarah Burke passing away. She was the great freestyle skier that had a fall in a training run and died a few days later surrounded by family. She was 29. Too young, too good and too enthusiastic about life. Too bad. Seriously.

You can contribute to a fund in her name - see the link at www.athleticsillustrated.com. The hospital bills from Utah (yes she is Canadian) piled up.

She transcended all sports.

Brett Gotcher Interview

2012-01-18T08:24:00.000-08:00

Below is an interview I did with Brett Gotcher shortly after his US Olympic Trials Marathon in Houston, Texas.

He is in a funky spot, 5th - which for a 2:10:36 marathoner is not a great spot, but considering that the field was stacked, he stacked up alright on race day. I think he was seeded fourth.

Apparently only the fourth place finisher gets to be the team alternate. I find this odd considering the prevalence of injury in the sport of marathon running. One would think that all runners who better the IAAF qualifying standards would be candidates to be alternates.

Let's say Ritz - the fourth place finisher - races the 10,000m distance and qualifies for the Olympic Games. Let's say he ends up saying that regardless of who may not be able to run on race day he does not want to run the marathon. Let's just say that happens. Why wouldn't Gotcher be permitted to suit up? He has run as fast as 2:10:36 and has a 2:11:06 under his belt now too.

Why not?

http://athleticsillustrated.com/uncategorized/2547/

Brett Gotcher raced the US Olympic Marathon Trials Saturday, January 14th in Houston, Texas. He finished in a near personal best time of 2:11:06, 30 seconds off of his debut result that he achieved at the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon, 2:10:36 – the fourth fastest American marathon debut.

The 2012 Trials was one of the deepest US marathon races to date with 81 finishers bettering the 2:30 threshold, 50 going sub-2:20, 21 bettering the sub-2:15 mark and four who ran sub-2:10. Those four were Meb Keflezighi – the oldest Trials champion at age 36, he ran a personal best time of 2:09:08, Ryan Hall 2:09:30, who is the American record holder with his 2:04:58, Abdi Abdiriham 2:09:47 and Dathan Ritzenhein 2:09:55. Ritzenhein will become the American alternate should one of the three who ran faster are unable to compete. Gotcher finished 5th overall.

He trains in Flagstaff, Arizona with Coach Greg McMillan at adidas-McMillanElite.

Personal bests:

10,000m – 28:09:21

20k – 58:57

Half Marathon – 1:02:09

Marathon - 2:10:36

The interview.

Christopher Kelsall: Congratulations on your 2:11:06 at the US Olympic Trials in Houston, Saturday. Not a personal best, but close and a return to form after a tough result following your stellar marathon debut of 2:10:36 at the 2009 Chevron Houston Marathon. Was that the primary goal, to return to form?

Brett Gotcher: Thanks! My main goal out there was to compete. That’s what the Olympic Trials are all about. I went in with a race plan that I thought would give me a good shot and I tried to execute as best as could. I don’t think I ever really lost form, I just had a bad day last year and finished the race. I’ve been building upon that first marathon and knew that if I had a great day I could beat a lot of people.

Week straight from the depths of hell.

2012-01-16T20:18:00.001-08:00

Hell hath no fury. After sleep-driving across one end of the lower mainland to the other, then down the Saanich Peninsula on four different highways's shoulders and across multiple lanes at speeds in excess of 120kms-per-hour, I am lucky to be alive and so are many other people, birds, cats and dogs.

The virus I had was so powerful (read previous post), I slept 23 hours straight, got up, had a slice of bread and a glass of OJ and went back to sleep. Got up and down for two more days, mostly down. Ate a full meal four days later.

Seven days later I am 80% back to what I know as normal.

BUT. Meanwhile this was going on, I had a sebaceous gland infection, which it turns out had a rare virus. I am on antibiotics.

So I hobbled into the medical clinic to announce that I was bitten by a rabid spider. The Dr. who ended up seeing me said, "no, that is an infection, perhaps from an ingrown hair." She subsequently sliced it open, stabbed it with with a needle, stuffed a drain in it and said, "return tomorrow for more of the same."

I did.

She shortened the drain-wick, fiddled around some more getting puss out and announced, "come back tomorrow and the next day."

Done and done.

It is clean, clear and I am nearly done that evil bottle of antibiotics (that which prevents me from imbibing in said fine stouts and lagers).

Now I am ready to resume where I left off and spin, run-in-the-basement and do my physio for my surgically-enhanced heel.

The other day I got an email from the surgeon: We are on schedule for surgery number two. Work okayed it, let's go.

Once I have this surgery, I believe my outlook will change, as I will be on the other side of this episode.

I spat hell out.

Check out Dylan Wykes being a man of Action.

I am lucky to be alive.

2012-01-11T14:34:00.000-08:00

Monday morning at 5:30 AM is ugly enough if you are me and are conditioned to getting up at 7:30 or 8:00 and on weekends 9:00 or on occasion even 10:00 - although I feel guilty on those days and make sure I get up before 10:00 on the following weekend at least once.

But this Monday at 5:30 AM, I hadn't even managed to get to sleep. I was savagely attacked by some sort of virus in the night. I laid there 3/4 awake (I like fractions, like you like fractions). Yes 1/4 asleep and in-and-out of sleep. I could feel my whole body tense up as I visualized all sorts of hallucinations like me fighting bald lions, taking slap shots that went 300 miles per hour through the head of the goalie and buying groceries for the wiener eating contest. Contestants were massive beluga people. My buggy was full, the net was full of brains and the den was stuffed with nothing but mane hair. I ate the whole pride. Stupid lions should not have tried to sneak up on me and my rats.

I was destined for Gibsons, so I was staying in the hotel in Horsehoe Bay, so to be there for the early ferry, so at 5:30 AM wake-up time is perfect.

I then drove to Tsawassen ferry terminal, overwhelmed by fatigue. I was weaving in and out of traffic, falling asleep at the wheel on three different highways.

I get to the ferry terminal and sleep until staff had to wake me. Then staff had to wake me to get off the ferry. Then I weaved down the Pat Bay Hwy towards home. I then sauntered (leaving everything in the truck) and fell into bed and slept for 23 hours.

I am only now 1/2 coherent and lucky to be alive.

Conversations

2012-01-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

Never underestimate the beast that lies within a man's heart.

Here are two recent conversations that I may or may not have had. Even if I just wrote, "may have had," the statement does not commit me to have had them, but I probably had them. Consider that a definite probably. Or as some people say nowadays, "prolly". Thanks Twitter.

I woke up in the morning, which was great. Nothing worse than waking up in the afternoon.

"What in God's name are you doing sleeping in the afternoon?"

[much rustling].

"I was not sleeping-in-the-afternoon, I was planking."

"You were sleeping, I heard your snore."

"It was very good planking, that accidentally led to sleeping-in-the-afternoon."

"Right. Well don't go back to planking, we have things to do around here."

"Right now, I am in the push-up, position. If you see me looking like I am in the fetal position, I am not sleeping, nor planking, but stretching the glute, I have to be very still and warm for this."

________________________________________________

At the medical clinic:

"Hi there, what seems to be the problem?"

"Hi. I have reason to believe I may have been bitten by a rabid spider."

"I am no entomologist, but they are fast, some of them, those pesky rapid spiders."

"No, not rapid, but rabid. I believe I was bitten by a rabid spider."

"Oh, ok well so it was hungry and found you, yes?"

"No, not raved, but rapid..no...I mean rabid, you know grrrrr...like that."

"Rabbit-spider? Really? Are you sure you are ok?"

"Ha..ha...ha...ha...no...no....no...no...ha...ha...not a rabbit-spider, but a rabid spider, I believe I was bitten by a rabbit spide....no...rabid. Like, has rabies."

"Like I say, I am no entomologist, but I don't think spiders get rabies, sir, but take a number and sit down, we will call you when your number is up."

Mumbles to self: "This proves my number is up."

Sarcasm with a rabid smirk: "I was bitten by a rapid, rabid rabbit-spider who was raved. Say that ten times, rapidly"

____________________________________________________

Recently the Harper government decided to announce that the majority of people in Canada want a pipeline to go to the west coast through pristine rain forest that is home to hundreds of assholes.

I am in favour of the Conservative government 90% of the time, but I have to admit that this sounds like a made up piece of bullshit. If you survey all Albertans - who often have a complete and blatant disregard for their own land for the sake of oil - they will say, "run the pipeline to the coast, run it through people's houses if you want. Yeah and ship through the rough seas from a sensitive eco-system."

So yeah, the majority favour it.

If you survey British Columbians, especially the ones not living in Surrey, Richmond and East Vancouver, you will find that there is an equal and opposite reaction. They will say, "find another way or better yet, stop extrapolating oil."

So no, the majority would not favour it.

The population of British Columbia is higher than Alberta, by over 1 million people (some of them assholes too). The vast majority are voters. Think about that for a second, there Harps.

"Dude, why do you hate the separatists so much?"

"I don't hate them, I don't love them, I mean who would? I say if you want to separate, go ahead. Tell you what, I will organize the 10000 backhoes and we will get that Holmes on Homes guy and dig along the border, so they separate anyway, like physically."

"So that will do it?"

"Great wall was built, this we can do."

"What about the pipeline from Alberta to the BC coast, what are your thoughts on that."

"Build it, run it through the f*%& native reserves if you have to, give them a royalty and some flu-laden blankets."

"Ugh."

______________________________________________

Sweden won the IIHF World Junior Championships against Russia, first time in 31 years. Congratulations to them. I always cheered for Sweden as a back-up to Canada. I always cheered for Finland too, mostly because they are a bit of an underdog, not by much, but just enough to usually miss the medals. Russia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, USA - nah. Never cheered for them. I never thought it was for political reasons, but in an indirect way it is for political reasons - or shades and shadows of political reasons and regimes.

For example, the USA don't love hockey like we love hockey, except for in Minnesota and perhaps another pocket or two, like Wisconsin and Dead Horse, Alaska. So maybe it is not political with them. But it is sorta shadowy-political with the rest.

Growing up with the notions that the former communist Czechoslovakia and Russia, I always disliked them simply because I could not understand a government like that. Plus I thought the Russians were clones. They all looked alike. And the Czechs have some weird characters.

The Slovaks were part of the old communist Czechoslovakia, so throw out that baby with the Czech bath water. Label them all the same, what the heck. Finland, I always like Finland and Sweden's peace-keeping nature.

Even though I visualized bombing the crap out of some red uniform-wearing commies hiding out in bunkers hidden in the Urals.

Ah such as nature (of the beast).

Never underestimate the beast the lies within a man's heart.

And another all-time favourite, "fear the man who has nothing to lose."

Ok, so my dis-favour of the US's hockey team is about politics. Just saying.

That fine line. It has been crossed.

2012-01-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

There is a fine line between being a person of character and being a complete idiot.

Some things that drive me nuts include (even though I am a small "C" conservative) the NHL, namely Colin Campbell, fining hothead coaches like John Torterella. He ain't no Cinderella, no wall flower and no shrinking violet. He is a loudmouthed, sarcastic, don't suffer no fools, egomaniac. And although I probably would have very much enjoyed skating very slowly up to him and reaching out a hand and punching him in the face if I was in the NHL, I feel he brings much needed character to the league - and here the league has this gift handed to them, you know, a loudmouthed, sarcastic, don't suffer no fools egomaniac and they fine him $30,000 for being himself. Tough being yourself these days I guess. Step back from the line, John.

He is guilty, according to the league, of criticising the refereeing at the NHL's annual outdoor game, the Winter Classic. The only classic thing about the Philadelphia-NY Rangers game was John Tortorella (as Don Cherry calls him: Tortellini) and his comments. Meanwhile the NHL in some cities is fringe. In Philly and the Big Apple it is not so fringe, it is popular, that hockey. But places like Phoenix, Dallas, the republic of Florida and New Mexico, the NHL is suffering. New Mexico has a team, right? I heard Toronto did too or do they? I know they are jealous that Winnipeg got a team and now want one too.

Anyway, the NHL making the league bland is going to ruin one of the attractions of the game. That drives me nuts. For no other reason than I know if I was coaching, I would have by now said much worse things about much worse people in the league like Colin Campbell. ...Like that.

Another thing (although this does not drive me nuts - I just find it mildly amusing) have you seen Obama lately? That President down there in the US, the one, the now failing (and always failing) Michelle Bachmann addresses as "Hussein" simply because the name sounds evil. I mean why else would she say his name as Hussein Obama? No one else ever does. She's creepy. But have you seen him lately? I think the other Michelle, his wife, is living off of him. I don't mean financially either. He is getting smaller and smaller all the time. Plus I think he is getting more Irish. Perhaps he should name himself O'Bama! Hussein O'Bama. Sounds creepy. Maybe I crosseth said line, eh?

I wonder if she is sucking the life out of him? Could she be a vampire? Oh that doesn't make any sense. I watch the movies. Vampires are young, good-looking white people.

Maybe she is actually white? Bachmann would know. She also is a loud-mouth, sarcastic, don't suffer no fools, ego-maniacal character. Of course she's paying the ultimate price...but who cares? I don't.

There is a fine line between being a character and being a complete idiot. Michelle Bachmann is a complete idiot.

Ok, so I crossed. But Bachmann drove me nuts; listening to her opening her gaping pie hole.

Yelp.

I know I know I know....get to the recovery from retro-calcaneal bursitis already, right? Well nothing new to report, just read the previous post; same thing.

Hey check out www.athleticsillustrated.com. I have Stefano Baldini's training leading up to the Athens Olympic Games Marathon, where he won Gold. I also have a new and entertaining interview with Keith Livingstone, author of the best-selling book Healthy Intelligent Training and some other stuff.

Woot.

Tip: Look both ways before crossing the line.

Recovery process

2011-12-30T20:48:00.000-08:00

Still working on the whole recovery thing. Yeah that long, slow slog through the healing and dealing with the pain that holds me back.

Ok so the surgery was September 27th. The cast came off one week later. Then the walking cast was chucked two weeks later and if you read my previous posts you can get a sense of the timeline from there on.

Progress has stalled a bit. I mean when I wake up, I feel 100%, half-way through the day, if I haven't exercised, I am about 50% and by supper I am limping. And that is the way it has been for sometime....

I have been able to run on my forefoot or toes almost for about 15 minutes in my daughter's dance studio downstairs, which is 23 feet by 11 feet. I use the ballet bar for stretching and the mirrored wall for keeping an eye on my squats etc.

I found that my hips must be off-line. I noticed today that upon a deep squat my left glute is lower than my right. This is interesting. I have had some major issues with my right leg for about six months. For example, when running (before surgery), my leg would almost fail, like as if there is major nerve damage. It was scary. I also feel a myriad of other issues, like groin pull, sciatica, IT band syndrome and weakness....I thought I would tackle it after my two surgeries and healing was done, but by gum, now that I see the issue - which makes it tangible I guess - I want to tackle it now.

I have done some really hard stretching too....probably nothing to impress a yogi or anyone, but enough to make me wobble for my first few steps afterwards.

I need to fix me. Project 2012: Fix me.

Meanwhile, I continue to recover from retro-calcaneal bursitis, slowly, but surely.

Have you read my interview with Clifford Childs? He is the UVic Vikes Team Captain and helped pace the Vikes men's team to a Canada West CIS Cross Country Title and a third place finish nationally: http://athleticsillustrated.com/interviews/clifford-childs/

Progress Report # 10 billion.

2011-12-12T12:18:00.000-08:00

Progress is coming along nicely. Yesterday, I felt as though perhaps I was ready to go ahead and run for awhile. At least more than I have been doing, which has been a few dozen metres here and there to and from the vehicle and wee bit on the treadmill. Today not so much, for no obvious reason.

The physio now has me doing box jumps, heel drops, squats and walking around on my toes and then walking around on my heels. All of this is very counter-intuitive.

In fact any runner can vouch for the fact that if we sense pain, we equate that to oncoming injury, so we back off and fix the issue before it becomes serious.

With post-surgery, I am having trouble getting my head around the idea that any pain I may feel when jumping off boxes or semi-violently dropping my heels below a stair is working towards recovery. In fact, the pain = oncoming injury is so stuck in my psyche that when I walk, I have to consciously force myself to walk normal....the brain-neuro-muscular relationship is in a quarreling match right now.

Hey check out my latest interview with Simon Bairu and Dr. Jim Denison at: "Like" the fan page, "follow" on twitter and subscribe to the RSS feed, when you get there. Please. Thanks.

There is over 100 articles on the site now!!

Progress Report

2011-11-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Three weeks after previous post and I can walk with limp, but the ankle area is getting stronger, so the limp is disappearing.

While walking around the house or jumping out of a moving vehicle - no - hang on....jumping out of a vehicle to say drop a letter in the mail box or whatever or run across the driveway is fine and dangly. So little jaunts to answer the phone or knock on the door are fine too. In fact, I ran 2 x 5:00 min on a dreadmill. Sloppy and slow, but I could do it. Yay. This week the progress has been more rapid than the previous three weeks, where I felt as though not much was changing.

Next Surgery date is February 2nd. Although I prefer NOW, there is a positive spin on the Feb 2nd date. If I want to ski, roller blade, run, cycle etc, I can start to do this and get a little fitter. The date of February 2nd isn't all that bad. Just four to five weeks later than hoped. My projected ETA of running daily sometime in the summer is still on.

Check out my new site: www.athleticsillustrated.com

I was perusing Go Daddy dot com, looking for a domain name for a site to house my many articles and interviews that are scattered around the internet and in some print publications. I came across www.athleticsillustrated.ca www.athleticsillustrated.com and .net and .blog.

Sort of an auspicious name for a shit kicker from Victoria, like me. But what the heck.

Check out my latest interview with Geoff Martinson, Canadian 1500m specialist, looking to qualify for the 2012 London Olympic Games, by running a 3:35 time. Tough row, to hoe!

"like" the site facebook (where else?) and "Follow" on Twitter too! And thanks!!

More Recovery

2011-11-06T22:11:00.000-08:00

I have been castless again, all weekend, 100% of the time.

Went for a 2.5 km walk to a Starbucks, along the sandy beach at Gyro Park and up and down Ten Mile Point hill, out-and-back, so 5k. Limping all the way except in the sand.

I limp because I half fear doing a full-on normal step and follow-through and partially because I can feel tightness and a little pain also partly because of weakness from wearing said cast, which caused atrophy of area muscles.

But tonight, I accidentally ran 6 steps and it didn't hurt. The fight or flight response mechanism kicked in. The wife was saying, as I was heading out the door, "don't take the bimmer because there is only so much gas left, take the truck." I was thinking, 'take the bimmer', because of the heated seats and it sits in the garage, warm. After all it is only like 5 degrees out.

So I yelled, "I am taking the bimmer," hit the garage door-open button and ran for the truck, laughing all the way. I was laughing because she would have to get up off the cozy couch while all bundled in a warm blanket and half asleep to peer out the window, to witness the crime.

I laughed all the way to the destination. I laughed myself hoarse.

Then I stopped laughing and realized I ran out of the garage and did not feel any pain at the surgery site (in my flip flops).

Progress.

Progress

2011-11-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Short report:

Surgery date: September 27th
Plaster cast off/walking cast on: October 4th
Walking inside without cast: October 15th - give or take.
Walking without cast in and out: October 27th

I put the cast back on when I made a work road trip, so that I can get around faster. I take it off at night while at the hotel, dining etc.

I had the walking cast off for four straight days - 100% of the time.

Recently I have been standing on my toes with both feet and lowering and going up and down gently. I can put about 50% of my weight on the heeling heal. This is great because about ten days or so ago, I could feel sharp pain with even introducing weight on the foot immediately.

All good news.

I can moving quickly on stairs up and down, but flat is still a limp.

There is no power in the toe-off or the landing - due to no movement when in cast.

Dirge Rhetoric

2011-10-27T08:59:00.001-07:00

This blog is named "Dirge Rhetoric". I think the order of the words are backwards; Backwords. Wordsback. It could also be named: Pandora's Blog.

"Rhetoric Dirge" seems more correct-like, but even so, I have never laid witness to the two words being used together, in any context. I have also not looked for usage anywhere. I simply - when putting this blog up years ago - wanted to have license to say whatever I want about whatever I choose, whether it be political, on religion, sports, about the current weather in my backyard or on any subject. I thought this way, probably because as a distance runner, I really don't have the acumen to be writing about my training. Like who cares about a 37-minute 10k/83-minute half-marathon/3:04-marathon runner, these times represent my fulcrum of mediocrity.

I even trained at an aggressive level, for a soft age-grouper. I think for about three years I ran about 70-miles-per-week or 113-kms-per-week on an average. Actually, the average probably computes to something in the low-60-miles-per-week-range counting the tapers, sick weeks, life-getting-in-the-way weeks and minor injuries. May even average to high 50-miles-per-week over that three year span. Quite frankly, I have never done the math. I do know that during my more serious attempts at training, on any given day, I could tell you what I had run each of the previous several weeks within a centremetre of that distance. When training for a marathon and while training for my first and only complete-and-properly done Lydiard cycle, I did then, average something over 70-miles-per-week and with several weeks of 80, 90 and a couple of 100 mile weeks. I only ever ran two 100 miles week in my life, oddly, they were run back-to-back, 103 and 101 miles.

As I wait, recovering from surgery and waiting for the second surgery, I feel as though I am so far away from running, that it doesn't seem possible. I do visualize (usually as I start to fall asleep at night) me running gradually, carefully and in a well-calculated fashion more and more miles per week until I hit the 100 mile range and climb over and hold that volume for 16 weeks in a row. Never mind where I will find the time, finding the time also seems impossible from my perspective however, I know now, that then, any amount was possible and at that time, I was coaching soccer and operated a few learn-to-run-clinics, coached individuals, work full-time, as always and the kids were younger, so more dependent then....so it is doable....

There is a guy who I ran with for a while who is no longer in my circle of influence, but he certainly was then. He used to tell me bits of wisdom, casually. One of my favourites isn't even his story, but the fact he said them at the right time allows me the licence to refer to him when I say it, something to the effect: "From the Pandora's Box came many terrible things, but remember the final thing to come from the Pandora's Box was hope".

In perspective: Ok it is not like I was run over by a truck, lit on fire, dropped from a tall building and re-lived the final days of Christ and am therefore clinging to hope in a hospital bed with a mangled and charred body. So the whole Pandora's-last-thing-to-come-from-the-box-was-hope-story might be a little heavy for my situation, granted. I will say though a day like today, with the sun up, a rogue foggy cloud hanging over the tree and rooftops in Broadmead with the fresh, post-rain air lingering, it makes me want to bolt from the door and escape to the woods in my gear.

So there is hope, which breeds anticipation, which will breed expectation and the fulcrum of which will tip to glorious tramps through the thick and cool rain forest of spruce and cedar and at their feet will linger, solal and ferns - all wet and decorated in a rainbow of green mosses.

A Few Articles Worth Reading

2011-10-25T23:05:00.001-07:00

Zola Budd - A short and sweet read

Reed Athletics Fund - A nice gesture, by a great guy - giving back

Adam Campbell - Ultra, Mountain and Mulit-Sport guy who is a lawyer and married to one of Canada's top Olympic distance triathletes

Update.

2011-10-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

I know you are hanging on desperately wanting to know how my progress is coming along after having surgery to correct Retrocalcaneal Bursitis. This, so I can get the other foot operated on and then commence my serious training, which should take me back to being a mediocre age-group runner. (A-goal: take down my stunning 37:12 10k pb).

This is exciting. I like mediocrity, Pat Sajack, waffles with not quite enough syrup on them, like when they stick to the gums and go down slow. I like sunny days that get me just warm enough, then a breeze and a cloud make me reconsider. I like gray clothes (no I don't) flannel, ever-so-slight hangovers, so I can be reminded that four was two more than the two that I should be having the night before. Just hungover enough to make the autumn leaves skittering along the pavement seem loud, as they pass by and swirl in front of me.

Ok enough of that. Anyway, for two straight days I have not worn my walking cast. This is weeks early. Although I am gentle how I plant the foot and toe off, I am 100% without the walking cast. Well, if I am going to walk somewhere serious, then I will put it on, but around the house, out to the truck and about - no problemo, amigos.

I am very excited about this, as the sooner I get foot number two sliced open and dealt with, the sooner I can start running, slowly...gradually...carefully...

My goal for this week: NOTHING. Just gently not rock the recovery boat. Easy does it. [touching wood], no dramatic changes to my routine. Get up carefully, no kicking the crap out of things. I am going to make sure that nothing happens to restrict the fantastic progress I am making. YOU will hear me SCREAM, otherwise.

I think in a couple more weeks, I will be given physiotherapy exercises to do. I will be like a red ant general in the ant army, working myself to the extreme to recover.

The Latest

2011-10-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

Ok not much has happened this past week. As earlier written in previous posts, I had my plaster cast removed a week earlier than originally scheduled. I dropped the crutches completely two days later. I keep the walking cast on 100% of the time, except in shower and a few minutes after that to stand and maybe very carefully walk around barefoot. No push off and no forefoot landing - I walk as if I have the cast on still. Partly out of fear of having an intense feeling pull or something. And partly because of not knowing what the limit for effort is - so I err on the side of caution.

Looks like the stictches dissolved or close to it, but I think because there was some itchy feeling back there, in the night, I may have scratched it. So in the morning, I removed an old bandage and I was bleeding a little...oh well.

Nothing really interesting to report. And that is ok I think.

Stoked.

2011-10-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

Went to the hospital today a week early to a cast clinic that the surgeon was having, people lined like a Somali refugee camp.

"Two hour wait time, Mr Rhetric."

"Great, see you in two hours."

Came back, got in, in 5 minutes, remove cast (ok - kewl), x-rays from several angles.

Got my walking cast a week early and was told I could begin walking based on feel (add heel lifts).

Saw x-rays - bulbous growth removed. One major correction on what I thought got done. Bursa sac goes away, it isn't taken off.

Leg muscle has atrophied a surprising amount.

I am so stoked.

Yeah. Not that it will make a massive dent in my time back to running, but back to work a little earlier and crutches may be put away earlier too.

Wicked.

Dear Diary

2011-10-05T10:04:00.000-07:00

OK.

This recovering business is as boring as a Michael Bolton ballad. No. A Michael Bolton ballad is grating and this isn't boring because I have so much to do; most of it self-inflicted. But the heel surgery has provided no drama as of yet, therefore read-on at your own risk, sucker.

Celebrate with Celebrex or have wicked faux-nightmare

Finished the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory prescription drugs (NSAIDs) branded Celebrex and still nothing: no pain. This surgeon is either highly skilled, like a fine-tuned ballet dancer at the prime of his career and brandishing a scalpo or two (and freshly cleansed hands) or he didn't do anything and this is (as earlier reported) a diabolical mind f&*k of the highest order. Up there with something Hannibal Lectar or Willy Pickton would dream up.

Ok I am not complaining. It is great that there is no pain associated with this surgery. Yes, this is good.

But what's a boy to write about?

Dear Diary,

Today I woke up and shrink-wrapped my toe-to-knee plaster cast with shrink-wrap, wrap, thrice; so to make sure. And went both directions, which are: "back-and-forth" and "up-and-down". Ok that may be four directions, but you get the picture.

Took a shower. It went well, but I nearly impaled my probiscus on the edge-rail of the shower door, whilst slip-sliding around in the hot shower.

Coffee

To get the internal plumbing up to speed, I have had a pot of coffee everyday, since having not had coffee everyday for a stretch of 4 days, after not having, not having coffee on almost any single day in about 30 years. It worked. (Read again if it passed you by).

I am having another pot today, but ran out of milk, so I have had that almond breeze, vanilla flavoured unsweetened added to my coffee instead. The calcium content is about the same as milk. Add to that the TUMS I have been eating and regular dietary consumption of calcium and my finger nails are so hard, I cut my supper up with my thumb nail, then speared the carrots and flung them across the room, they stuck to the wall and slid down very slowly. Powerful stuff.

Dreams

I have had a few weird dreams. Like when I accidently double-dosed on the Celebrex. That night I managed to twist my face into the pillow (while sleeping) which caused funny breathing noises - my dream-state mind heard that as the sound of docile-yet-killer, rubbery and fast-growing frogs that did weird things like clinging to the clothesline while you walked under, while almost smiling at you, like a dolphin almost appears to be smiling.

After mass unsuccessful efforts to cull the frogs, by accident it was discovered that water kills these frogs, so we were getting ahead of the game, culling them and all, but then we realized - in slump-shoulder and defeated angst - that the very first frog (being fast growing and all) was now the size of a small planet....I woke with a sense of relief, but then started laughing to myself at the 3:00 am.

No more double-dosing of Celebrex, lesson learned.

In 1 week today, I move to a walking cast. I am half-way to the walking cast. YES.

If you read this, you will now be 10% of a full IQ point more stupid than before you started reading it. Your loss.

Surgery, Cast, Crutches, NSAIDs - Progress Report

2011-10-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Odd. So on the 27th of September - as reported here earlier in tell-all and highly, thought-provoking drama - I had surgery on my left heel. It is retrocalcaneal bursitis surgery. It's all the rage these days, it's so "retro".

I would like to provide gory details of my immense pain and exquisite suffering as I know this will please you to no end. However, there has been no pain whatsoever. I know...I know...so sorry about that. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop, or in this case, other cast, literally and figuratively, as I am to get the other left foot operated on in the same fashion:

- Knock the bastard out.
- Roll limp bastard on to his face from stretcher to gurney.
("limp" because I was gassed, not because I am limp or anything).
- Bruise rib in process (laugh our asses off doing it).
- Slice open heel, a vertical slice, beside the achilles tendon.
- Cut out both bursa sacks. Yes there are two.
- Slip bursa sacks into the lasagna of bitchy and negative R.N. (whatshername).
- Shave heel bone down, so to make sure there is no spur there to irritate new bursas when they grow in.
- Sew up bastard's cut.
- Roll him back over (slap him a couple times for fun).
- When he awakens feed him jello and be overly sweet to him.
- Get him the hell out as fast as possible.

So just to recap, as I am sure you already forgot:

No pain whatsoever.

In fact, I wonder if he actually operated or this is some mad diabolical mind f&*k. I mean, here I am hobbling around the house with my crutches, missing baths and showers, (as I have to sponge bath - cloths only, no sponges, cause I hate sponges and all they stand for). And I am taking NSAIDs to keep swelling down.

If I remove the cast and find no stitches, I will be pissed.

Anyway, to be honest, there is nothing worthwhile to post, as you have read in this completely worthless bit of drivel already.

Please continue to go about your day and forget you just wasted 3 minutes of your precious life (which I am not giving back).

Day of surgery - (to bore you is to love you)

2011-09-27T22:12:00.000-07:00

So no problem. I am on pain killers and with crutches I navigated the stairs several times. Only wiped out once.

So I am laying there in the hall near the Situation Room, listening to electronic crickets (beeping monitors) - me on the gurney, the song Bring in the Clowns goes through my mind. I got a fist full of pills in me, the pretty gown is on (bum was out - the fresh air on it is cooling); this must be Transvivania. Surgeon marks my foot and I had already repeated who I am 1723 times. I also completed subsequent paperwork as part of the process to get on THAT gurney. I AM HERE, IN POLE POSITION, Doc says, "if you are running 90 minutes to two hours are you sure you want to do this? I can't guarantee that you will run as much as you used to (7 to 10-times per week), no one can (guarantee that)."

Crickets.....actually beeping monitors....(in my mind: "Trevor O'Brien is training at an elite level, Bruce Deacon has come around nicely, they have both had this same surgery") I say, "well so is it getting better on its own?" He shakes his head. "well I am here drugged up; let's do this".

I am now laying in the O.R. and a nurse asks me questions in that faux-friendly tone and not listening. I know what this is, something is about to hurt and she is distracting me. So I allow the distraction and talk to the ceiling.

Nothing really hurt, but there was a prick (Long story - bad dude) and a cooling sensation all up my arm. Great, they are cryogenically freezing me and I am supposed to have tendon work done.

A few minutes before this the surgeon said, "ok, I will be decompressing the tendon".

I never heard him say this before. So there I am answering the distraction questions about what I do for a living and I think: 'I am going to play too'.

So I say to the room, "the doc is supposed to remove two bursa sacks and shave the bone down, yet he just said the phrase, 'decompressing the tendon', so is he removing the two bursas and shaving down the bone"?

Crickets....or beeping monitors...

All of a sudden the anesthesiologist, two RN's and a wee Asian lady all start chattering to me at once that the surgeon knows everything and was just using the fancy term. "EVERYTHING IS OK".

Beautiful. That got them listening. So I begin to tell them that I ruuuuu...that's the last thing I remember...good gas.

Home now:

So far I have been mostly biding my time between sleeping and thinking that I got so much to do...

No problem, I got a fist full of pills and a wicked pair of crutches.

Ummmmm.

2011-09-24T15:40:00.000-07:00

I may kill this blog or I may keep it. I have retrocalcaneal bursitis surgery Tuesday and I know the mass, masses out there that hang onto every word I write are clinging to their desks, white-knuckled and bared-teethed pining to know...to at least get some morsel of information from me that is somewhat coherent. Oops. I mean about the surgery.

Crickets, it's a symphony out there. I am the conductor of the royal cricket harmonic symphony.

Tweet tweet tweet tweet....tweet...tweet.

I guess if I feel compelled I will take my time to grace your presence with my spew that will describe in epic details the surgery, the post-surgery symphony and the one man standing ovation.

That is, I hope I get up.

Now if and when I kill this blog, please feel free to check out a new site I am putting together. It is called, Athletics Illustrated - An auspicious name for this cricketeer.

Now click out of my blog and stop wasting your time. Go check out Flotrack.org and the new logo.

My recent blog post sucked.

2011-09-08T18:56:00.001-07:00

My recent blog post sucked. I sucked. It is incomplete, not connected together and not satirical or metaphorical enough, not anything enough. Nor will this post be any of that.

"Blog" is a license to write freely, even poorly, at one's leisure. I should write better though, as an aspiring writer, journalist, columnist-guy. I just like to splat and to not think on ocassion. Just like when I speak. You know how that is, right? When you would like to just speak sometimes and not have to worry that the person you are speaking with is going to judge every word you say and throw every word you say back at you and use it against you or reference it later when making a point. I hate having to say, "no no, I was just talking randomly, please don't quote me".

Words are like a weapon to some people.

Anyway, I have surgery scheduled for September 27th. It will take 2 to 3 months to heal enough from it to get surgery to my other foot, then 2 to 3 months to commence running in a very slow and gradual build back from nothing to something.

I dread September 27th through to February ____ when I run again and what the heck, I dread February ____ to June ___ as I work my way back into shape.

I am going to make you dread it too, by documenting the very gruesome and horrid fine details of everything to do with the surgery and post-surgery suffering.

When I am fit again, I will make you suffer even more by writing a very extroverted and obnoxiously bravado-laden string of blather - randomly written (randomly said)of my return.

Blog Bless,

Chris.

It's Been Awhile.

2011-08-21T22:17:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile.

Anytime I say those three words, (it's been awhile) or type them, that song goes through my head. You know that song.

Then it gets stuck in my head...

It's been a while
Since I could hold my head up high
and it's been a while
Since I first saw you
It's been a while
since I could stand on my own two feet again
and it's been a while
since I could call you
But everything I can't remember as f***ed up as it may seem
the consequences that I've rendered
I've stretched myself beyond my means

Yes it gets stuck in my head and every time I hear the lyrics I think about how hard he must have tried to sound like he can write poetry or a lyric with meaning. I mean its ok and it works, but he must have backspaced over 'consequences that I've rendered' several times between checking the thesaurus and the mirror before settling on that line. The final three lines of that verse are nicely vague, he comes off thoughtful. Whatever.

It's been a while
since I could say that I wasn't addicted and

Why is it that every musician aside from Ted Nugent must claim to have trashed their bodies with drugs? Being a no-cause martyr still makes the fat and saggy musician or thin and pasty singer a hero because he/she recovered? Not! If so, your hero worshiping ways needs a paradigm shift.

The song resembles a faux-art version of the Great American Disease; Obesity. I don't know if Obesity is the problem. I think the self-loathing and reckless, plastic-bourgieos me me me generation is the problem. It manifests itself by way of hyper-self indulgence. Get over yourselves! I mean eating Crispy Creme burgers wrapped in bacon and cheese and chased with a litre of pop, which is 60% sugar or more is asking for trouble. ....well the mindset that you are capable of ordering one of these is the trouble.

That came out of left field, where the obese are ordering deep fried mars bars and kegs of coke.

Anyway, it's been a while since I last blogged.

With writing for Flotrack and Canadian Running Magazine and making the Prairie Inn Post Newsletter and running The Q's Victoria Track Series, I have forgotten all about blogging.

The series has one more meet, then it is done, save for the silent auction and awards night the next evening at the Sticky Wicket Pub. Then it is all over. Save for making the videos of the races...ok...then it's all over for 2011.

Then I pop out a Prairie Inn Post Newsletter. Then I get back on the weekly submission to Flotrack. Summers I back off a bit, partly because summer web traffic is lighter and now because of the series.

I forgot to mention I coach and advise other runners. This doesn't take up too much time, as there are so many coaches in Victoria, I am near the bottom of the heap when it comes to thinking about who to hire. This is ok as there are some solid coaches in Victoria. Of course there are some that have no idea what the hell they are talking about. I don't care how fast they have run - not everyone is a coach.

Anyway, My May surgery date got moved to September 5th and moved again to September 17th. That will be retrocalcaneal bursitus surgery of the left foot, the right foot will happen two to three months later - then the healing begins.

I should be starting to test out running in January or February, but not fit until summer. I lost that urgency a while ago. You know that feeling when you are fit and you miss a workout and panic? Or have a down week and you think your fitness has slid? I don't have that. I long for that state again.

It's been awhile
Since I could hold my heart rate high
And it's been awhile
Since I first raced you
It'll be a while
'Til I can run on my own two feet again

Ok enough said....

...Well I still like the song

Khadevis Robinson on Gary Reed - Victoria Track Classic

2011-07-06T23:24:00.000-07:00

Khadevis Robinson on Gary Reed and priorities

Watch more videos on Flotrack

The Q's Victoria Track Series Videos

2011-06-03T00:07:00.001-07:00

Winnipeg. Gets NHL Franchise. Atlanta Thrasher

2011-05-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts from my little mind.

The Winnipeg Jets brand I believe and I could be wrong, has been retained by thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhe NHL fohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifr 15 years. If they own it. Then like hell they would sell it for a reasonable price to True North Sports. The Winnipeg fans have lusted for their NHL hockey this whole time, displaying their love for their team by buying Jets merchandise.

If this is so, then the NHL has made money hand over fist on the Jet's brand.

And again, if this is so, I suspect True North will not be able to name the team the Winnipeg Jets despite the fact that the fans want that name again. I see a hefty price tag for the purchase of that brand by True North from the NHL. Of course I could be wrong and the new owners may somehow be entitled, but I doubt it, like I doubt Tim Thomas will skate away from the goal to let the Canucks score at their free will.

The 13,000 season ticket sales target - I think is as it is stated - is a target, not a non-negotiable condition of sale. The league owners, the board of Governors will vote to let the team in, in a few weeks time. A famous lawyer once said, never ask a question you don't already know the answer to. Gary Bettman, that little, tiny bobble-headed gnome of a league commissionaire must know full well the outcome of that vote already. I cannot see him saying in July, "lets move the circus act to Hamilton, Ontario now, to see what they make of the Hamilton Jets possibility, you know how I hate to move teams".

So it is up to the Board, not the fans however, the fans have to buy, because the ownership is into a business venture here. I call 300 consecutive sellouts from day 1.

NHL stars may not want to play for the Winnipeg team. Winnipeg is a small city for an NHL-level team and the fan pressure will be excruciating, as they love hockey there as much as the Canucks or Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oiler fans do. Also, it is a very cold city in the winter. Calgary seems warm in comparison. So to ice a winning team, might be difficult and cold venture. In this case, they may have to play the trap (as you do when you have no talent), which is boring as hell (hell freezes over finally).

No one will want to watch that hellish game on TV. The team, as all teams do will need TV revenue.

I am however, excited about Winnipeg having a team though. I hope they do well at the box office, TV and on the ice.

One interesting conundrum. Victoria, BC which had an ECHL team and is now getting a WHL team - so low-pro versus top of the world Junior, could have had the team (I suspect) that is being displaced by the Winnipeg NHL franchise, The Manitoba Moose, the farm team to the NHL Vancouver Canucks - the greatest team on earth as we speak. An AHL franchise in Victoria as the farm team for the Canucks would have been perfect. Too bad (sorta) that the Victoria ownership (RG Properties) pulled the trigger so fast.

Oh well WHL hockey is the best junior hockey in the world and is modeled after the NHL. Mind you the AHL is the second best league in the world and is also modeled after the NHL.

Now onto the Stanley Cup Final tomorrow night. COME ON VANCOUVER CANUCKS.

The Q's Victoria Track Series - 4 x 800m CDN Record

2011-05-19T22:26:00.001-07:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

www.victoriatrackseries.ca/

The Q's Victoria Track Series - 4 x 800m CDN Record

2011-05-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

www.victoriatrackseries.ca/

The Q's Victoria Track Series - 800m Men's Elite

2011-05-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

Men's 800m Elite race during the 1st meet of the 2011 Q's Victoria Track Series.

TC10k Video - 2011

2011-05-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

Fartlek and Low Things in West Auckland - Part 7

2011-04-27T22:09:00.000-07:00

© Copyright – 2011 – Christopher Kelsall

Colin Livingstone is a European based writer and illustrator who was a competitive distance runner in New Zealand, representing Auckland in national competition over road and cross-country from the 1970’s to the early 1990’s. He relished fast ‘bush running’ on the wild hilly trails of Auckland’s west coast, long before the days that mountain running was an official sport.

He coaches British and Welsh champion, Tim Davies, a three-time winner of the annual Snowdon International Mountain Race, and top performer at the European and World level. Tim went from being 15th in Britain to 5th in the world within three years of this progressive endurance conditioning.

Colin's twin brother, Keith Livingstone, was a national-level runner in New Zealand and Australia, winning Wellington and Auckland titles,with top performances on road, track and cross country. He ran 44.37 for 15k on the road in 1983, and won the final of the Budget 10k road race series in 1984. Keith is the author of the best-selling book on the Arthur Lydiard method of training, Healthy Intelligent Training, which was written with the serious middle distance athlete in mind and to modernize Lydiard's method to today's language (brother Colin provided the illustrations).

In 1990 Keith helped his current coaching colleague John Meagher to a debut marathon time of 2 hours 16 minutes, and later to a Melbourne Marathon victory, and three titles in the World Masters Games. Their “HIT Squad” currently boasts three nationally ranked senior 1500m runners.

Colin and Keith grew up a stones throw from the legendary Arthur Lydiard and in the same neighbourhood of many of his great athletes. Keith is now a coach and chiropractor in Australia, while Colin resides in Great Britain.

Recently I have had the occasion to discuss with both Colin and Keith the subjects of athletics and training principles that guided them during their years as competitive runners for New Zealand and Australia. The following is part 7 of the 7-part series of interviews.

You can read part 6 here.

Chris: Keith, in keeping with the title of this series of interviews, 'Fartlek and Low Thing in West Auckland', can I press upon you for more information on the creative forms of fartlek that you engaged in?

Keith: Sure. One time we went in Dom Marziano’s car, and I jumped over the fence into a Hell’s Angels house replete with barbed wire. It was opposite the Fairfield Paperworks. I think it was my friend Pete Renner who ran 1500m internationally, plus me, Howie, Dom, and Shane Reardon.

It get funnier, so read the rest here.

Fartlek & Low Things in West Auckland

2011-04-26T10:17:00.001-07:00

Fartlek and Low Thing in West Auckland's title, spoofs the legendary, self-proclaimed Dr. of Gonzo (journalism), Hunter S. Thompson and his tale, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - a savage journey to the heart of the American dream.

The series contains enough humour, to make you want to read the whole thing - all 7 parts. I hope so anyway. Want to learn some nuggets about Kiwi running lore, during the second Golden era of New Zealand athletics? If you can handle tales of vomiting drunk athletes, toilet destruction by explosives, egging and impersonating the police and Kiwi running lore, you may be interested in this series.

It was a labour of love (well serious 'like' anyway)

Writing this series is easy in a sense as Colin Livingstone, being a natural story teller, shares (if you read the whole series, you will see this trend) stories, by taking the time to write them out fully. He is a writer and illustrator, so working with him and Keith Livingstone, his brother, who authored his own book, makes writing this series easy, sorta.

The key is to take their individual tales and our actual conversations as well as our bits of interview work and blend it into a format that makes sense and provides flow, so you can read along without getting completely confused.

It's like a jigsaw.

The timelines are askew, the stories that are in the interviews are re-told as they really are or in several cases, told by someone else (by the time I have my hands on it). For example, the exchange with the Maori Gas Station attendant happened, but actually ended at: "that must be a f&$%#n' big omelette". I inserted something that Colin actually did say as narrative to end the conversation before walking out with all those dozens of eggs. Colin never discussed the elite athlete with the attendant.

No story's truth has been touched.

It's easy writing this because these guys talk primarily in the first person, are writers and don't mind if I add a line in that never existed. I might add a line to sew together to two pieces of dialogue that otherwise had no connection.

Saying this, I had my work cut out for me in Part 7. I worked on Part 7 and all of it - each piece - are from completely separate conversations over email and shared Google docs. I have one email thread with 100 messages, and approximately 100 other email messages. Some of the literate, some a vomit of disconnected words from an interloper (...read the interviews to see who are the interlopers).

I enjoy doing this because I laugh the whole time. It's not work, when you love what you do....

Read part 6 here. Each entry has a link to a previous entry, so you can read the whole series, but as each interview (call them that) is 3 to 5000 words strong, you may want to take your time reading.

The key is, you will laugh a lot and learn a little about Kiwi running lore. Hopefully it motivates you to run as much as necessary to achieve some serious good times - within your own ability of course.

Sooke River 10k - GoPro Camera - Bike Cam.

2011-04-22T12:25:00.000-07:00

Not the best video ever made, but you work with what you got, right?

Mo Farah - Interview

2011-04-12T09:01:00.000-07:00

Mo Farah is Great Britain’s most prolific male distance runner. He currently own 6 national distance records which range from 3000m indoors to the half-marathon. His 5000m best is also a European record (12:57).

Farah won his first major title at the European Junior Championships in 2001. In the 5000m, he came sixth in the 2007 World Athletics Championships. In cross-country, in December 2006 he became European champion in Italy. He took gold in the 3000m in both the 2009 and 2011 European Indoor Championships, in Turin and Paris respectively.

He recently won the New York City Half Marathon, in a brilliant debut, beating Gebre Gebremariam by two seconds in a sprint finish, finishing in 60:23.

"It was a great race," Farah said. "Me and Galen (Rupp) worked together but it came down to a sprint finish. The crowd made a big difference and it was really exciting. We knew Gebremariam had a big finish so we worked hard, but we still could not get rid of him. I felt all right with 400m to go and just went for it."

Farah recently moved his family from Great Britain to the United States, to train with Alberto Salazar’s group in Portland Oregon.

The interview

Christopher Kelsall: Mo, how has the transition gone, moving to Oregon and to the new group with Alberto Salazar?

Mo Farah: It's gone really well. So far, so good! My family and I have settled in nicely and the group have welcomed us in.

CK: Was the move to Oregon specifically or solely about a move up in distance to the marathon?

Read the rest here.

Win a Seat - earn the Right to Speak (debate)

2011-04-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

Green Party candidate Elizabeth May, first win a seat - at least one - then you May have earned the right to debate.

Stop complaining that you are not allowed to speak. If people wanted to hear you speak, they would vote for you.

They haven't.

Now I am all for democracy, but I am not all for breaking common sense guidelines - I hasten to call them "rules", but rather ...well...like I said, common sense guidelines.

You are free to make some noise and campaign, erect your signs, which by the way use wood for their support (bad environmental move, isn't it? Wasting wood like that?)

Listen you crazy, goatee-wearing, left-slanted crybaby, go out there like Boris Yeltsin and stand on top of cars yelling at people to vote for you. I saw you the other day at the corner of Quadra and McKenzie. Your hippie supporters, all 5 of them, garnered no honks from passing motorists.

You should stand on the corner of Pandora and Blanshard, they might vote for you, those downtown campers on crack.

Not to say I wouldn't vote for you if I was a hippie, but doing that is just tossing my vote in the garbage. I like Harper best. He is a small "c" Conservative and a mid "c" capitalist and capital "C" Canada has the best economy in the world or close to it.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Good luck in 2015.

Me fightin' 'n stuff

2011-04-06T14:14:00.001-07:00

Me back in the day, with the mullett...

Fartlek and Low Things in West Auckland - Part 5

2011-04-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

Part 5! It is here! I can't believe - time flyded, it did, it did.

Forget the Federal election like you already are. Forget the chasm between the last few games of the National Hockey League's regular season, before the real season starts - forget that. Forget the new season, summer is more exciting...

...remember to read this interview and the last few interview, parts 1, 2, 3, 4 & now 5.

...Gonzo-style interview.

I resemble that work, I hope.

Ignatieff is incompetent.

Fartlek and Low Things in West Auckland - Part 4

2011-03-28T23:18:00.003-07:00

Madness: http://www.flotrack.org/article/5756-Fartlek-Low-Things-in-West-Auckland-Part-4

Fartlek and Low Things in West Auckland - Part 4

2011-03-28T23:18:00.001-07:00

Madness: http://www.flotrack.org/article/5756-Fartlek-Low-Things-in-West-Auckland-Part-4

My QR Code, try it.

2011-03-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

Fartlek & Low Things in West Auckland - Part 3

2011-03-21T22:31:00.001-07:00

Exploding toilets (not by accident, ass-i-dent).

Have you read parts 1 and 2? Don't worry, you don't have to read them in order, but you have to read them.

Like Jackass, but without the sheer stupidity or better yet, with good, old-fashioned running advices for all those who don't want to end up a poofter:

http://www.flotrack.org/article/5723-Fartlek-Low-Things-in-West-Auckland-Part-3

Part 2 Fartlek and Low Things in West Auckland

2011-03-15T00:32:00.000-07:00

This stuff is nuts: http://www.flotrack.org/article/5693-Fartlek-Low-Things-in-West-Auckland-Part-2

Fartlek & Low Things in West Auckland

2011-03-08T08:57:00.000-08:00

Here is a funny, but informative interview I did with a couple of ex-pat Kiwis who were solid runners and are now into their careers whilst still coaching with success.

I have interviewed Keith Livingstone before for the release of his book, Healthy Intelligent Training, which is a modernization of the Arthur Lydiard method of training. I also reviewed his book, later.

His brother, Colin, is a writer and together both are very funny. So on Keith's suggestion I started interviewing Colin, then Keith joined in anyway - they are twins.

Keith lives in Australia and Colin in England and for those of you who may not know, I am in western Canada PST time zone, same as Seattle/Frisco/LA time zone. So in the morning Colin was answering questions as it was 8 or 9 hours later for him and in the evening for me, Keith was answering questions. So I think each time, each of us opened up the interview, there was a raw, rats nest of entertainment to sift through. This is still going on.

So the interview that is now up, is part 1 of 3...or more. This is an entertaining read, but believe it or not very tame compared to the other content I have to work with.

Enjoy

Sarah McLachlan - Acoustic 1991

2011-02-21T00:51:00.000-08:00

I shot this in A&BSound on 8mm - 20 years later (the other day) I tranferred it to digital...'bout time.

Blogging again

2011-02-17T23:11:00.000-08:00

Blogging again.

Well I was blogging all along actually. I was blogging or writing news and updates on the news section of The Q's Victoria Track Series website all this time. Couple that with the fact that, I am simply not running and am waiting for a surgery date - which I now have - I have had little reason to blog.

Reason to live:

So first off, I have a surgery date for the more injured heel, the left. That date is March 31st. So what happens when they cut me up and sew me back together (lumpty-dumpty) I wear a hard cast for 2 weeks. I get an air cast after that for sometime.

Now I am in a funny predicament

I had a type of treatment (not to be named here - technical reason) 5 times, that has what one specialist says is a 50% chance of working. Done. Now I am supposed to wait up to 6 weeks to judge whether this treatment worked. Well as it turns out, 6 weeks almost to the day, is the day of the surgery, March 31st.

So oddly enough, I need to run to see if I am positively effected by the treatment.

I haven't run in 5 or 6 months. I ran a few days ago, 5k, then I ran today 6.5k. I am so out of shape it is comical. I will run as soon as the stiffness goes away, whenever that may be.

Funny, I would run 6.5k if I was recovering from a 20 to 40k day or an 80k weekend. Now I run 6.5k to make sure I haven't gone too far.

I notice that my resting heart rate is about 50, where when I was in shape it was resting at 37 to 39. Now I started cycling and you'd think I would maintain a little aerobic fitness, but I did not. As I have always said, cycling and running do little for each other, they just are not the same. The muscle-specific mitochondria are...wait for it....muscle specific, we do not run with our cycling muscles. We do not cycle with our running muscles. Two different sports and if a cyclist tells you otherwise, they are simply hoping that cycling helps one's running - hope and a beard and my aunt could be my uncle. My aunt turning into my uncle is more likely than me or you becoming run-fit when not running.

Happy running.

Oh - broken record here - if you want to know the secret to becoming fit as a runner. Run. Run a lot. Do it wisely, but run a ton. That's the secret.

National Track League

2011-02-17T22:41:00.000-08:00

This is cool:

National Track League for Canada! Thanks to Douglas Bruce Clement and Athletics Canada it is starting this next summer (2011) and offers a domestic and international prize purse of $300, 000.

This series includes the Harry Jerome Track Classic and the Victoria Track Classic as well as events in Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Halifax.

The purpose is to encourage competition for up and coming youth and to have Olympians slated to run in the 2012 London Olympics compete at home.

Skiing - cycling is off and on...Running is off of course

2011-01-15T10:08:00.000-08:00

Skiing at Mt Seymour Jan 12th.

Merry Christmas.

2010-12-16T15:59:00.000-08:00

Hi.

Dear Blog:

I keep forgetting you. My bad.

Feel free to check out the Q's Victoria Track Series website for all the latest, I keep spending my time there. And check out Flotrack.org, where I have had weekly articles, mostly interviews going up...ah...weekly.

Pick up the latest copy of Canadian Running Magazine I have a couple articles in the January issue.

If you are a coach, athlete, both or aspiring to be, check out go2lydiard.com - just launched. For coaches there is an introductory offer for $26.2 to run the program for awhile.

IS IT EVER COOL. It doesn't replace a coach, but confirms what you already know or helps you make decisions on pacing of workouts and what have you. It is interactive, intuitive and a very useful tool.

I will be back soon - ah - famous last words.

Merry Christmas, there I said it.

The Q's Victoria Track Series

2010-11-24T12:07:00.000-08:00

The Q's Victoria Track Series is coming along nicely.

Facelift to the site with a photo of a track as a wrap - I think that looks cool.

Registration is now online. Yay.

Recently added photos - I guess I should go back in and add comments to the photos, but you can click on any photo and it will take you to the flickr gallery they are housed at.

In Bloom Floral Boutique on Quadra now the Official Florists of the Q's Victoria Track Series.

Added a Wednesday Night to the schedule - as all meets during 2010 were Saturdays. Added a UVic - Centennial Stadium meet - which is added to the Pacific Canada Series. This is actually big news.

Added Women's Only 4-Part Clinic series to the Q's Victoria Track Series. Hosted and taught by the legendary, Lucy Smith.

Join us on facebook.

More to come.

Boo.

2010-11-18T14:26:00.000-08:00

Saw surgeon. I think I freaked him out with impatient behavior.

He told me it could be 6 months before getting surgery. He only does one foot at a time. This could be a year at least.

Wow.

I may completely lose desire to run over the next year. I wonder if it is even worth it.

Boo.

Kyle Boorsma

2010-11-17T23:19:00.001-08:00

Guelph, Ontario’s Kyle Boorsma is the 2011 Canadian Inter-university Sport (CIS) Cross-Country Champion. Boorsma led his team, the Guelph Gryphons to their 5th consecutive national cross-country title on Saturday, November 13, 2011 at the Club de golf de Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Coached by Dave Scott-Thomas both the women’s and men’s teams won Saturday. The women won their 6th consecutive national cross-country title.

Running in his final CIS cross-country race, Boorsma earned his first individual championship after winning back-to-back silver medals in 2008 and 2009. Teammate Alex Genest was second. Gryphons finished 1, 2, 4 & 6th overall. If that wasn’t enough Boorsma also won Athlete of the Year honours.

The Interview

Read on

Ricardo, 2 Sleeps, Carol James.

2010-11-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

I have been very sporadic as a blogging blogger, like I need to tell you. But who cares?

I am now 2 sleeps away from seeing the surgeon, then maybe we will know something. Maybe we wont, but maybe we will and right now whatever we know (2 sleeps from now) is likely to be more than we know now. Well what could I possibly know now? I know that everything I know to do with this so-called injury are based on assumptions - upon a lot of research by someone who knows not what he is talking about (me).

Enough of that, gibberish.

Carol James and Journalism gone awry - not necessarily related (but could be!):

This morning I was driving to work and instead of enjoying the modern rock of the Zone at 91.3 or the broader range of rock from 100.3 the Q! I decided to switch to 90.5 CBC. Sometimes I listen to them to hear if the on-air personalities have learned to move their mouths away from the sensitive microphones. So far, I assume (because I don't know) that no listener has complained about how their lips make a lot of smacking noises and picks up their potentially dangerous and likely hot heavy breathing.

They - the on-air personalities - do this thing that must be a prerequisite to joining the CBC, they put their mouths right up to the microphone, close enough so that they can lick it if they feel the urge. Then, when it is time to open their mouths, they take a big inward breath, creating a hot air vacuum, with their lips pursed, then aggravatingly speak, like as if they got a mouthful of gobstoppers or just drank a massive sip of Orange Pekoe tea, creating the aforementioned lip-smacking lips-glued together sounds. They do this with an air of intellectual pomposity like as if the sound is the 27th letter of the alphabet.

How irritating, especially when I have the volume cranked, so as to be able to hear it over the blasting heater in the truck.

So I tune-in, in the middle of what sounded like good investigative journalism on their part. It was about how in the construction business all builders must pay dues to fund this quality control mechanism called, New Home Warranty. It's an insurance thing.

They interviewed insurers, insurees, uninsurables, constructors (rate payers) victims of New Home Warranty bureaucracy and others - all who lip smack and breath what sounds like hot coffee breath into the microphone.

I enjoyed the piece except for the mouth noises. I also found the information informative. I did not realize that once you repair - at your own expense - the foundational (hidden) issues created by a math-deficient or time-deficient builder, which causes the math deficiency anyway, you can not recoup your otherwise warrantee-able house repair costs, SUCKA!

Also, it was mentioned several times that because the funding of the company New Home Warranty comes from those rate payers: Construction Companies, you are not likely going to see successful retribution. Why bite the hand that feeds you?

KEY QUOTE:

"I have a better warranty on my toaster, than I do on the most expensive purchase I will make in my life, my new home."

Smack.

Then the CBC did something that made me laugh all the way to work. They did a serious piece and interview that could have come across as satire. The Onion and all their creativity, could have written this story without being satirical and no one would be the wiser.

RICARDO the Rooster.

A Rooster in Central Saanich named Ricardo resides at an Agricultural Land Reserve(d) (ALR) private farm, which is apparently too small according to the geniuses in Central Saanich. Clearly the rural council sitters haven't been to Bankok lately.

So the CBC radio spent as much air time (AS EVER) interviewing the Mayor of Central Saanich about her potential new bylaw that will allow Ricardo and all Rooster-kind the opportunity to not only live on smaller-sized properties, but there can be several more roosters on said property now too. Ok perhaps someone did go to Bankok (and should have stayed) recently.

An Agricultural Land Reserve Committee (of some sort) for Central Saanich put forth this recommendation to council.

So what I gather is, Mayor of Central Saanich did not even see this opportunity to win over the whopping potential 8 voters for her next campaign.

This lady is in the running for the Carol James Imposter Award presented to those who miss great opportunity. James herself was trumped on the whole HST debacle by former disgraced Premier of this very province, Bill VanderScam.

Bill doesn't lip smack the microphone. He's an urban cowboy. He is a sleek opportunist. I am beginning to like him a little. Not for the principles, but for his style.

James not so much (EVER).

Central Saanich Mayor: Learn how to speak into a microphone, you lip smacker.

And by the way Ricardo Chicken is very hen-pecked by a jabbering, whining, bitching hen oddly (and I am not making this up) named: Carol James Chicken.

Anyway, 2 more sleeps to my appointment with the surgeon. If he doesn't see fit to book surgery, I am going to recite the Rooster story to him first person and relate it to the James failure - THAT I know.

Nic Bideau - Flotrack Interview

2010-10-18T21:07:00.002-07:00

Nic Bideau is the Director of the Melbourne International Track Club located in Melbourne, Australia. He coaches many athletes and is best known for coaching Cathy Freeman to 400m Olympic Gold during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games as well as working with Craig Mottram to 5000m Silver during the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and to Bronze during the 2005 Helsinki World Track and Field Championships 5000m.

Bideau is married to one of Ireland’s greatest ever athletes Sonia O’Sullivan, who competed mainly in middle distance track and the 5000m event to great success. She also raced well in cross-country however, she ran fast times over a great range of distances from 800m to the marathon.

Bideau currently splits his time between England and Australia coaching and working with athletes in various capacities from both countries.

He is educated in journalism and physical education from Victoria College.

As an athlete he competed well in the middle distances at school and has recorded a 69-minute half-marathon. When he decided that he was not quite talented enough to be an international level runner, he turned his attention towards coaching others.

The interview

Christopher Kelsall: Has becoming a father made you softer? You have a reputation to uphold.

read more

Cycling?

2010-10-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

Ok.

Nothing new to report on the running front. I see the surgeon about whether or not I deserve surgery on November 18. Until then and probably for awhile after then, I am in limbo. Limbo sounds like a dance. You know, the ramba, the congo, the cha cha.

I bought a bike and all the things you could want to get with a bike, except a bell. Well that really goes without saying, because you don't want a bell nor do I. So I am riding a Louis Garneau 52cm road bike with 105 rear derailluer and the step down on the rest of the bike. BUT NO SORA. From what I understand SORA sucks and I didn't like the positioning of the gears.

So I am happy with this bike and the package. I bought it at Cycles West in Millstream, although Simon the owner is moving the shop Dec 1 to Burnside near Tillicum. He lives that way and I live in or bordering Royal Oak, so perfect.

I road 3 times in 3 days, well over 7 hours total. This is a lot consider my accumulated time in the saddle over the last 7 years maybe less than that - on a mountain bike no less.

I haven't figured out the computer yet, so I don't know how fast I was going, but a person I was riding with said she got up to 63kms per hour on one downhill and I passed her pretty hard - guessing close to 70. But that matters not, as my average speed is probably pathetic as days 2 and I was sore and tired and sorer and tireder respectively.

Can't wait to run again, but this cycling thing is a decent diversion.

Kris Swanson Flotrack Interview

2010-10-04T22:46:00.000-07:00

Kris Swanson Flotrack Interview.

Another humble endurance diplomat, he talks of IAAF World Mountain Running Championships, Good Life Fitness Victoria Marathon (the half)....The Emperor's Challenge...

Enjoy!

Bear

2010-09-30T22:56:00.001-07:00

Solinsky, Bairu, Houlihan, Flotrack, Born to Run

2010-09-25T16:25:00.000-07:00

Ok still nothing to report. Still waiting for consultation with surgeon.

Here are a few recent articles I wrote:

Shayla Houlihan Flotrack Interview.

Born to Run book review

Bruce Deacon Interview

Chris Solinsky Interview

Simon Bairu Interview

In a Void - blackhole - a vortex - SUCKED up into it.

2010-08-27T00:09:00.000-07:00

Caught, stuck
a funky spot
Heels hurt
with daggers
jabbed deep into the heels
and deeper into the ego
very caught, I am
Stuck in this spot

Between now
and then, when
I am healed from
this, I don't have a
lot to report and
less to say

Instead of visualizing tomorrow, next week, next month, the rest of a program, immersed deep into training, I am thinking of two years down the road, with a big, blank spaces before then. What should I visualize? A cast coming off? That's good, but I don't have the cast yet.

It is hard to dream, my little dreams because they all have a start date and a best before date then a start date again. Currently, I am hoping the start date is early, but I will take any start date - post surgery, providing I am starting on the road back to normal.

I pray to run again. I guess I am a lifetime runner, becuase I just want to run. But saying that, I am young enough to experience lifetime personal bests, still. Time is of the essence.

Race times
surgery time
life clock time
timing for work
timing for play (seriously)
timing is everything
when you have only time
as an obstacle.

Chris Solinsky by Chris Kelsall on Flotrack

2010-07-27T00:23:00.001-07:00

Runner's World Daily - Racing News, talk about my Chris Solinsky interview on Flotrack:

http://racingnews.runnersworld.com/2010/07/july-27-chris-solinsky-quite-the-athlete-zersenay-tadese-triumphs-in-italy-ryan-hall-world-traveler-whats-molly-huddles-secret-anna-pierce-runner-of-no-fixed-hair-color.html

Here's the Thing: What is old is new again.

2010-07-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

Crap.

I have this new blog-thing - different from the old blog-thing and I don't know if I like the way it works. I lost everything I have ever linked on the old blog-thing, unless of course, I can get it back through some sort of retrieval-thing.

I like black. The blog-thing is a black blog-thing. I liked my old blackblogthing too. Black is good, it's a good thing.

I was going to make the new one white, but what happens with a blog of white, is the sudden need to write well. I don't write well except under extreme duress. I respond to the duress-thing.

The Victoria Track Classic took place the other day and I must say, what a kick-ass performance by Diane Cummins. Oh sure she has run faster, but she meant to move up in distance to the 1500 - instead she ran the 800 - probably for one of those under-distance races as required-things - you know to go anaerobic and glycolitic etc. But alas - totally surprising herself - she qualified for the Commonwealth Games in the 800m. A distance she PWND at a few years ago.

Here's the thing:

What is old is new again.

Odd.

2010-07-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Odd.

I made another appointment with my GP to take my 3rd and final cortisone shot for the 7th of July. I did this as I could feel my left heel bursa again.

Then the problem sort of stopped making me notice it.

So this week, if I keep doing what I am doing, will run my biggest week of running in several months.

Odd.

I have run a 21k and a 23k run this week, both were good. The only problems I had during the runs were the insoles slipping through the hole I made in the back - so that the bursa is not irritated by the back of the shoe. Now that is irritating!

I have wheel-barrowed 8.25 tonnes of river rock from my front yard to my back yard. I can now put a death-grip on a garter snake. I am gonna name that snake, Ache Ess Tee and strangle that FUGGER, my morning coffee just went up and so did my weekly gas fill-up, what next - tax the blog?

What did I do?

2010-06-27T20:55:00.000-07:00

Check out the results and soon check out the videos from the Q's Victoria Track Series meet # 4.

There were some nice performances, for instance Ian Hallam (15:29 5000m) had a very solid race, Lemlem Ogbasilassie nearly ran a personal best with her 2:04 800m, Maurice Tarrant succeeded in accomplishing yet another Canadian age-group record, this time in the 1500m distance and Frontrunner's Westshore store owner and former University of Victoria Vike, Nick Walker ran all three races. Also, Kenyan, Willy Langat ran an excellent 1500m event winning over UVic's Matt Pietersen, Jerry Ziak and Nick Walker with a finish line spring effort that showed the whites of his eyes from 100m away.

Fun event.

I had good help, from the Chris Loran with title sponsor, 100.3 the Q!, David Jackson for his MC work and tear down help, The Mustard Seed Food Bank for registration.

Now I await photos from Hicham El Amari.

Did I even do anything? Oh yeah!! Video - now I edit.

Father's Day

2010-06-22T23:19:00.000-07:00

I am one lucky father, with two awesome kids.

The best.

Two best kids.

:o)

Proceed.

2010-06-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

Indoor soccer today. Again.

With a warm up run, spinning, stretching, then 1:40:00 of indoor soccer, followed by more stretching; I am doing those alactic sprints, strides and drills-like exercises, while remaining aerobic. I can go pretty fast for 50 feet and never go anaerobic.

I wouldn't call this exercise good on the bursitis however, the running is good in terms of getting a good push off - perhaps breaking up potential scar tissue?? Don't know. But so far there seems to be no problems doing this.

Got an appointment for August with specialist. Lets see what comes from that.

Get the official Q's Victoria Track Series Tee Shirt - they are kewl and proceeds go to the Mustard Seed Food Bank. Let's make some proceeds, eh!

The Q's Victoria Track Series - Tee Shirt - Mustard Seed Food Bank.

2010-06-17T15:54:00.000-07:00

Running everyday brings back the desire to run everyday, because when you run everyday for awhile, a day off feels like blasphemy of the gift given from the all mighty whomever that is out there.

Bad voodoo not running, so I have started the running everyday and hopefully will move into regular doubles soon.

Now mind you, today I did spinning for 20 minutes to warm up the legs so I could stretch them hard - quazi-yoga and 20 minutes on the heavy bag.

Tonight I will run.

Last night I got in 60 minutes of movement, with about 50 minutes of it being running, then the other ten walking and jumping in 5 foot high grass and scotch broom looking for a trail, with SeaChest.

I think I can make this week up to 70 miles (113kms) if I want to however, I think I will aim for 62 miles to 65 miles - so just over 100kms.

With 1:40:00 of indoor soccer and three all-out recovery runs - I mean all out as in no holds barred slow. Ha ha. I think this is doable. Then next week I am away for a few days, so will consider that either an opportunity to run more miles or an inconvenience in my weekly plan. Depends if I see a lot of bears where I am going.

Buy shirts to benefit the Mustard Seed Food bank.

Bizzy.

2010-06-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Not much to report, but I need to update the blog's features and be more or less inconsistant with my consistancy on here.

I ran 50 miles last week, which is a start. Each week is a 'start'.

How refreshing.

This week, I am going to attempt 60 - 64 miles or 100k.

Freshly starting tonight, which isn't the beginning of the week, but is the beginning of the running week for me, this week, as I was in an intense training course yesterday - Monday.

The Track Series seems to be moving along, but we need more old people. More people my age and older and much older. If you are reading this and are old or much older, then come on out and race. IF you are not a runner, consult your weejee board first.

Latest interview with a top-level Canadian runner, Eric Gillis here, just uploaded.

Cortisine Happiness.

2010-06-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Check out Marilyn and Katherine's Mindful Strides Site - for good running form.

Check out Keith Mills's blog.

Check out The Q's Victoria Track Series.

Check out Flotrack.

I am still riding that uber-delicious wave of cortisone happiness. Nothing hurts, so I run. However, the cortisone is bound to wear off and then me and my bursas are back to square one, uno-squaro, amigo. When that happens, I need to know the cause and the cure.

So I am anticipating an appointment with specialist Dr. Wish me luck.

Am running 45 - 50 miles per week, which isn't enough, but it is enough to keep me satisfied for the interim, somewhat fit and keeping the weight at bay.

Go to Chemainus Shuffle and race it, Tuesday the 15th.

A plog boast

2010-06-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

It has bean a can of willys since eyelash boasted on the plog, but here it is, it is what it is - a plog boast.

Eye yam just getting into my dark caw fee (what a crow pays to yak). (don't worry if you read slowly, you will get it). I am startling to wake up now....a bit...[more sips]....my scrambled brains are in order, but the bathroom, while it was being cleaned, was out of odour. I waited with waited breath....baited wreaths.

Ugh.

[sip]....ahhhhh.

[Cranial synapsis-like nueron explosion ensues....nuero-transmitters sputter and fire and cause smoke damage.....]

Ok I ran last night: 55 minutes steady. It is interesting that I am slowly starting to feel strong again, where I can get in some runs of distance with good, strong and even pacing.

I am sure when the cortisone wears off, I will be back to square one and two and three. However, until it does wear off, running feels good. Hopefully, in the interim, I can suss out the cause of the bursitis for sure, then take action.

So I have run about 40 - 55 miles per week, with the odd day off here and there. I know, low mileage, but it takes time to come back. The key here is that I have run several 12 to 18 milers at strong paces - so there is some general aerobic fitness.

Check out Keith Mills's new blog about getting fast - good for him!
Check out The Q's Victoria Track Series videos.

Today's run will be an easy nooner. Tomorrow same thing. Friday maybe indoor soccer again. Saturday 6 miles at AT pace - so hard and Sunday - by feel - 20 miles - fingers crossed.

Terrific

2010-05-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

Had a terrific run Sunday, totally unexpected, totally great.

26k? just ran very strong, with this accidental workout:

35 minute warm up - fix shoe.
20 minutes at marathon effort - fix shoe.
15 minutes at half marathon effort - fix shoe.
10 minutes at 10k effort - fix shoe.
10 minutes at varying faster paces - fix shoe.
25 minutes warm down towards home.

1 - 2 minutes to fix shoe each time.

Guess I am not ready to fix shoe.

She's Killing You.

2010-05-24T23:02:00.000-07:00

I miss you, man
I like your girlfriend
and everything
but your friends and I agree
that no matter how great she is
we miss you, as you were, soldier
and everything about you.

We miss you the way you were
the laughs, the camping, your humour
you were funny without her
did she confiscate your jokes, personality
and your will to be an individual
your composure, your cool?
She's killing me
all your friends agree
she killing you.

Writing, Running, Managing, Working, Coaching

2010-05-21T15:13:00.000-07:00

I am not a very good writer, technically speaking, but I can emote in words, so tells a friend of mine, who can write technically so well that she is of all things a technical writer, writing manuals and help files; I'll take that.

I am not a very good runner, in comparison to the people I often associate with. I do understand training principles and try to learn something new everyday, even if I argue with someone about it first. I know enough that I trained myself to manage a whole string of personal bests when no one else could, for 5 years.

Managing or creating and making a race series happen, is like standing in a wet gale, hanging on to a wet kleenex tissue. I like the wind, but only metaphorically. I like the calm after the storm and the examining the remnants of said tissue or whats left of it caked up my sleeve to my arm.

I work, therefore I am and therefore I can pay the bills.

My coaching took a little break after coaching 3 people in a row who ran into reasons to stop trying. It was a perfect storm for the anti-coach. One ran into a life problem - a serious life problem, I understand, but we did make it through most of the aerobic phase with a much improved runner. Number 2 gave up, probably because (lesson learned) I was encumbering that person with too much information and wrote out a very aggressive far-ahead of ourselves schedule....it would have worked well, but I was thinking out loud too much. I am a better coach for it. The 3rd person I helped through the anaerobic phase only and this person has pb's left, right, centre, and left again.

Moving forward, I am writing more, I hope I am getting better, otherwise why bother? I am hopefully on the right path my my injury. The race series is going well enough. I hope it grows, first years (year one) are always interesting for anything: honeymoon-ish and new, yet everything including expectations need to be tempered. As for coaching, I can't wait to get a serious (coming up) project to coach.

Last week I ran a meager 50 miles, but most in a while.
Mostly easy-medium and steady paces, nothing fast.
The cortisone injected into the heels is wearing off - so now goes the physio exercises a fellow runner shared with me that I should do, that no Dr. have managed to bother helping me (or him) with.

Nothing to Report.

2010-05-06T12:09:00.000-07:00

In my efforts to start running daily again, followed by actual training, I have been met with extree things to do. So I have had some stretches of running 3 or 4 days in a row and one of the efforts being strong and fairly long. Today, after a few days off I ran 22k at a steady pace.

Now I was hoping to make May the month where I start to running daily and build the cardiac efficiency needed to run sub AT and AT semi-long runs, I think I will have to wait for another couple weeks yet. If I can run say 10 - 12 times in the next 14 - 16 days, then I can start planning a daily schedule, with three long runs per-week and a fartlek workout.

Regardless of whatever I am up to, I will not race until the fall at the earliest, so it's all about getting strong again, for now.

I am putting on this track series, the series site is: www.victoriatrackseries.ca - Meet # 1 was pretty solid - a little cool and very windy, but we still had a good time and I shot lots of video. Those are fun to do. Check out the site and videos, etc.

Vanderzalm and HST

2010-04-18T00:15:00.001-07:00

After doing some research, video watching and reading the Provincial Government's site on HST, as well as Ontario's site on HST and reading Vanderzalm's site on HST.

So far, I have no reason to protest the HST.

I think Vanderzalm might be full of shit.

What do you know? Got any feedback? Not just the usual BS rhetoric about it "being bad", what fact do you know about HST for sure? Are you a CMA, CGA, CA? Are you a tax analyst, financial analyst, policy analyst, risk management analyst? Poly Sci major? A lawyer? Do you actually have an inkling? Let me know, I would like to know more.

Well the good news and the bad news.

2010-04-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

The good news is that I have run an 80min, 90min and 2:02:00 runs in 8 days, plus shorter runs. With no apparent repercussions. Excuse me while I touch some wood ........ok...done.

There is no bad news.

I had heard from Jerry Ziak that aggressive heel drops on the stairs, many times and consistently seems to do the trick. He had 5 years of the same issue and was ready for surgery or giving up 6 months ago. Recently he said, "for the first time in 5 years, I can wear my shoes without holes in the backs".

So guess who stands on the precipice of anything and everything and drops the heels hard! Two days ago, I think I did like 200 each foot by end of day.

I am still taking the odd day off, but will stop doing that soon too - hopefully.

...ciao! - I am going to do some more heel drops right now.

Blog, Tweet. Key-words: Glib, immature, dingbat.

2010-03-25T19:21:00.000-07:00

To the dingbat who suggested that my behavior was 'immature', let me remind you, you dingbat, that that word is commonly utilized by immature people (people yet to mature) to position themselves in a faux-mature position: to appear mature, while smacking their lips and throwing their long main of hair back, as to suggest, 'I am believing that I sound and appear mature' (yet come across completely insecure). Not ready for the real world.

A more appropriate way to describe my behavior would be: 'naturally exhibiting a trace of anger - an honest display of discontent'.

F*&K! HONESTY... WOOT! Never heard the word until now.

OK, dingbat?

Look, my instincts are still intact. I can smell a rat even dressed up as a semi-mature and highly glib, but poor excuse for an arm-trophy.

----------------------------------------------------

I could Tweet right here, right now and being doing the right thing. I am not kidding you. Yes this is a blog, but I could Tweet and Twitter my brains out here and be utilizing this utility the way it was originally intended to be used. Sure skip the rules on verb usage. Please. Thanks. But remember, I am blogging, but only in the modern parlance of blogoscopic myopia.

The Blog:

When Blogs were first invented, by Al Gore, they were intended to be one-line status updates for people who were on the go (and the come) to let followers know, what they were up to on the way to a Bourbon pow-wow on a Friday night or a golf meeting on hump day. Lord knows we need more meetings on golf courses on hump day.

Now as soon as those semi-gray, Armani suit-wearing, Rolex-flashing, hyper-ego-flaunting-executives discovered the monologing blogoscopic and myopic vehicle available to them as a tool to spread their almighty brilliance upon the common folk, blog began to do the Darwinian fandago (but very quickly). Execs began to include wonderful essays, photo montages, maps and other keys to instant intelligence on the happenings of the privelaged. Hence where we ended up: here, blogging too (cheese rolls downhill, in Gloster). Like sure, why should typing be reserved for the CEO, COO, CFO, CIA and the BFFs? The high and mighty traditionally wouldn't dare be caught typing, the typers where the dictate-tees, who took down what they were told by hand, then recreated the ego-maniacal brilliance on a Smith-Corona in pica font.

So today's status update is: I will, if I have to, take a dirt-nap. Try to stop me, with all your caffeine, Mr. Americano.

Never mind what any underlying message may be contained within my status update. I only wrote it, because I think 'dirt-nap' sounds very Pagan-like. See, I still have my instincts, dingbat.

60 minutes - little victories.

2010-03-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Last night went for a real run finally. Over a 9-day span I ran 3 times, very slow and short, just to see what reaction my bursitis would provide. As nothing seemed to happen, I decided that I should try a real run, of a real distance and a little faster. Tues Night Late Workout (TNLW) was the perfectly timed opportunity.

So with 3 months off completely from running, I ran those 3 times (one on a treadmill). So we took off Simon, Matt and I. I said, let me know when we hit 30:00 minutes, because then I need to turn around. And remind me when it is 30:01 and Matt said, "yeah because you can count it as your longest run this year and decade...little victories; pathetic as that is".

So we ran through to Viatec/Layritz Trails to Centennial Trail, flatter but with some small rollers. It was good to be out. I breathed heavier than ever, felt mildly obese and stiff, early - odd stuff.

When we got back Simon went to run again with Deb for their workout. Matt, who is celebrating the birth of his second kid any day now and I had a beer brewed in Belguim - a dark lager-like and porter-like mix, with a nice finish.

Today I am sore, like as if I ran a 1/2 marathon race, so not THAT sore, but I can feel the run in my legs, but the heels seem [touch wood] fine. Next step is another few runs at 40 - 60 minutes - flattish, not faster.

...little victories...yay.

My running come back.

2010-03-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

Ok I haven't blogged much about my running, because I haven't run much. For the billions of you have come to my blog seeking profound running secrets, sorry to let you down again, as I do every day. There is some ugly stuff in this blog, even the blog is ugly - for a reason. Remember, after all the horrible things that came out of the Pandora's box, the final thing was hope. I have hope, here's why:

After a year of running with heal bursitis and then taking 3 months completely off (which shocks me still, that I could do that) and a cortisone shot, I have run 3 times in 8 days. This pleases me to no end and provides hope. I mean I have so much hope, I can't help but fail. At least I will try. And in the end the process, as they say, will have its rewards.

What a load of crap.

Ok, anyway I have run 3 times with no repercussions, so am thinking to start adding a little more time to each run....must walk before I run, must crawl before I walk, must scream in the night for my bottle, before I wake for the day...all that.

The bursitis continues to appear ugly however, if pain is the guide, then I am seeing in the dark - I can run and have had no pain, yet.

100 mile weeks by summer.

Hope springs eternal (or something to that effect).

Robson & Granville after Canada US game.

2010-03-01T23:24:00.001-08:00

Oh Man.

2010-03-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

This Saturday I get to try running for the first time since mid-December. I am afraid of failure. Although the bursitis feels better now and the swelling is at a minimum, they are a little red still and a wee bit swollen. Technically, I have Friday as my first opportunity, but I want to save it for Saturday - for some reason unexplainable.

I fear I may have a flare-up and will be forced to go to the wooden Acme box of explosives, like Wiley Coyote - and that would be surgery, which I don't have the freakin' time and patience for.

I am getting used to not running now and I don't like that. It is a sign that tells me if it flares up, I might just give up and do something else with my time, going-forward.

Olympics are over and I felt like I ran a 110-mile week. Fatigued - post Olympic let-down.

What a high though.

All those naysayers and whiners and protesters look completely stupid today.

I bought a gas guzzling SUV...so there!

Back on stop-ic:

Yesterday, while walking around Vancouver - because the crowds were so massive, I decided that for the first time in three months (almost) like almost, as in Wiley Coyote almost catches the Road Runner and no matter how much we cheer for Wiley, hoping-against-hope he catches that otherwise mute ding-dong of a bird ('otherwise' - as in other than his beep-beep, he is mute). Wiley never does catch him. Warner Brothers would have had to name the show, The Wiley Coyote Show and his victims would be many (perhaps a human suffering from bursitis or post-Olympic let-down) and whats-more the show would have been completely canceled during the '80s, due to the epidemic known as Bored-At-Home-Mother-Maoism or 'political correctness'.

...oh and what I was delaying typing there, is the fact that I finally put my shoe fully over the back of my left foot and walked around and even ran across a couple of intersections. I don't think I had repercussions, as in: I don't think the Acme-Springboard-TnT-Box-Sprung-off-a-cliff-package ever went off, but we know it probably will go off after the Road Runner passes by and leaves us in his rooster tail of dust - standing their scratching our arses while BOOM it explodes in our faces.

I have proof that the shoe was clearly on the other foot as I ran into Mr. Mackay waiting between The Canada-Line and Translink rides - making our way to the ferries, to get back on the island after a fantastic Olympics. He saw the heel covered by shoe.

I hope I have better fate than Wiley.

Going-forward...well whatever...by see these linked site below? Feel free to visit and add the link to your site or blog and thank you in advance and feel free to register for the race or volunteer or sponsor or something.

www.victoriatrackseries.ca
www.victoriatrackseries.com

Victoria Track Series - website launch

2010-02-23T23:04:00.000-08:00

Victoria Track Series (www.victoriatrackseries.ca)

2010-02-20T00:18:00.000-08:00

Victoriatrackseries.ca

Ian Torrence

2010-02-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

© Copyright - Christopher Kelsall - 2010

McMillanRunning.com, has hired veteran ultra-runner Ian Torrence to head its new ultramarathon coaching division. The creation of the new ultramarathon division expands the offerings of McMillanRunning.com to include any distance beyond the marathon (most typically 50 kilometers, 50 miles, 100 kilometers, and 100 miles).

Torrence has more than 15 years of ultra experience under his belt. Since his ultra debut in 1994, he has, to date, finished 150 ultras, 22 of which were 100-mile races. In all, Torrence has won 49 ultramarathons. Some of his wins include the Massanutten Mountain Trail 100 Mile Run (twice) and the Superior Trail 100 Mile Run. He’s a two-time, top-ten finisher at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run.

One of the most impressive feats for Torrence was when he ran the fastest Grand Slam of Ultra-marathoning, which requires an athlete to race the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, Vermont 100 Mile, Leadville Trail 100 Mile, and the Wasatch Front 100 Mile in a single summer. Torrence also has eight top-ten finishes at USA Track & Field National Road & Trail Ultra-marathon Championships.

Ian took the time to talk to about his involvement with the very successful McMillan Running of Flagstaff, AZ.

Christopher Kelsall: I understand you grew up in Maryland. Was there an inspirational running environment in place for you?

Ian Torrence: Yes, I'm a Maryland boy. Gaithersburg, MD to be exact. Pretty much born and raised all the way through high school. Running is definitely a big thing back in the DC metropolitan area! I was a member of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club for a while and they usually have some sort of running event going on. Lots of members too. The ultra-running club back there, Virginia Happy Trails Running Club, was also an integral part of me becoming an ultra runner. It was at their races and from their members that I learned much of what I know about ultra-running.

Read the rest here.

Blah Blah Blah - an exciting update.

2010-02-17T10:23:00.000-08:00

Ok the Olympics are awesome, I always get excited for the Olympics. Since they are in Vancouver, I am twice as wired.

GO CANADA GO.

I had my cortisone shot. The doctor told me to run on it before getting the shot, after having tell me not to, so I didn't, but I did jump up and down a little - the bursa flared up, so BAM - injection.

So far, after day 5 or now during day 5 there is redness, as always, but zero pain and the swelling has gone down. The right bursa has receded on it's own - it was never as bad anyway.

Fingers are crossed.

I am enjoying the Olympics on TV.

Scattered writing. I will write something more interesting soon.

Track Series website should be up this week.
I should go for an easy run in a week or so.
Banner is finished for series - drying - it's huge.
Buying a truck today/tomorrow I think.
Watching Olympics of course...busy. As always.

Cortisone.

2010-02-10T13:24:00.000-08:00

Well last night, instead of running, I in-line skated with the running crew. We went 90-ish minutes as per the usual protocal and hilly. Hill and in-line skates are a hazard. I think I may have gotten up to 30km/per-hour on the downhills, which is highly dangerous, as one rock will have me smooching pavement faster than humanly possible otherwise.

All ended fine.

Go in to see the Dr. - the GP about that cortisone shot into the affected bursa. HE DECIDES TO TELL ME TO TRY RUNNING AGAIN FIRST.

I had asked him if I should run on it before this appointment, last time and he said no, no need.

BAH.

So he is in possession of my Kenalog-10 and I have to go for one or two easy runs, to make sure it is going to flare up.

I mean I cannot wait to run again. My gawd, the thing I want more than anything is to run and feel no pain whatsoever.

So here it goes, I get to run easy tonight and tomorrow. YAY and Ugh!

Jim Finlayson

2010-02-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

© Copyright – Christopher Kelsall - 2010

Jim Finlayson is a former Canadian Marathon champion, two-time competitor in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships and winner of the Royal Victoria Marathon. He competed for NCAA Division 1 University of Michigan before running for the University of Victoria and eventually owning the streets of Victoria, BC. He also owns the Kingston Beer Mile World Record, with his official performance - an astounding 5:09.

More here...click here...come on, click here, man!

or here

again

and yet Jim Finlayson again

Day Tripper, yeah.

2010-02-04T09:00:00.000-08:00

Zipped over to Vancouver for a day of meetings, zipped back. No exercise, unless you consider flipping pages in a newspaper, scrunched up in a seat made for someone less than 180 pounds (I'm 150 tops) and mousing over expandable display ads as activity.

I wonder how the flight crew deal with obese people or people who stand say 6' 7". There is no way an obese person will fit in one of these craft. Now that is something I wouldn't want to deal with - an awkward moment I am sure.

"Sorry Mam, you are not going to fit, please back out slowly - you will need to find alternative means of transportation."

I flew over in a Beechcraft 1900 with Pacific Coastal. You know the pilot is getting his chops when he makes all announcements, helps the ground crew with luggage and pilots us there and back - it is a dual-prop tube slipping through the stream. Probably less than 10 minutes of horizontal, the rest of the time was gaining elevation and losing elevation - such a short flight. Which is great, for just a few dollars more than the ferry and 1/4 of the time - Vancouver is right there. I did have a ride on the other side.

Exercising almost everyday except for days like yesterday.

In-line skating, Elipt-tickle, weights, heavy bag, Erg, Spinning etc.

Oh how I long to run. 5 sleeps to cortisone shot, then 21 sleeps of letting it do it's magic (better be a good magic trick).

'Nother update.

2010-01-31T16:03:00.000-08:00

Went psychling today. I cycled along with Ian while he ran - I was 90 minutes, not sure what he was, but prolly the same.

I hate psychling in lieu of running. I like psychling in addition to copious amounts of running.

Arms are sore from boxing - 6 rounds on the heavy bag, 6 rounds of shadow boxing and 3 rounds of speed bag.

I forgot those muscles are for boxing. I though they were for decoration.

10 sleeps to cortisone. Followed by 23 sleeps until running. It's been 6 weeks now.

Building a dance studio in the basement for Amber. 20.4 feet by 12.3 feet. Laid the floors, removed all the running memorbelia, wall 'o mirrors is up and ballet bar is up.

I can shadow box and shadow kick-box in there, in front of the mirror, woot.

I really really really want to run soon.

Christopher Kelsall's Progress Report.

2010-01-29T10:39:00.000-08:00

Cortisone injection scheduled for Feb 10, 2010.

Then:

3 weeks of hanging out watching the fruit flies hover over the browning and heavily scented banana corpse.

Then:

2 more days of hovering (and circling) banana love; to make sure 3 weeks was long enough.

Then:

Become misty-eyed and contemplative and dreamy.

Followed by:

The commencement of running.

-> Fingers crossed.

If it is a sunny day without pain, I may shed a tear or yell a whoop, to ruffle the down on the wintering geese, readying themselves for their sojourn north.

Gotcher-McMillan interview by Lets Run's RoJo

2010-01-27T23:12:00.000-08:00

http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/72655

Some interesting moments

Cortisone for Coleslaw

2010-01-26T11:56:00.000-08:00

I saw my Doctor today, regarding my idea for surgery on my left heel - I have Insertional Carcan-something Bursitis.

The title of the blog post will illicit, I am sure, no Google searches. Who in their right mind would Google: Cortisone for Coleslaw? Reads like a black market trade from hungry dealer. A wholesome hungry, almost an organic hungry - but a hungry dealer no less.

And of course few people know my nickname: Coleslaw (or could care less).

One would assume shady dealers would just indulge in McDees or other fast food foodstuffs. It just seems right. Can you imagine a vegan and lifetime athlete who happens to peddle cortisone in the black market? Aha! Here is our political jibe of the day: With our national health care program, there is little-to-no black market trade in cortisone. This is good, 'cause I don't want Ajax in my Bursa, I prefer full-on clean and pure Cortisone.

Imagine reading the headline, 'Victim shot dead was known to Police' and the story:

Victim who was shot while napping in the driver's seat of his 2011 Lincoln Navigator was known to area police. His identity is not being released pending notification of the next-of-skin however, authorities are saying the Lincoln Navigator was carrying a payload of 500 kilograms of black market Cortisone, all packaged under the brand, 'Kenalog - 10'. It is estimated that the Cortisone, Kenalog - 10 was headed for the streets with a net value of $50, 000, 000 CDN.

I knew the running boom is huge.

Anyway, my G.P says, "no to surgery at this point," in fact this minimalist Dr's jaw fell when I uttered the threat, "I'd like to go the next step and have a proctologist nail my hemmoriods to the cork board for darts practice....oh...that's not right. I did not say that, but that was the look he gave me or "YOU MEAN YOU WANT TO SEE A SURGEON"? Was what he was thinking with, "I MAY KILL YOU FIRST, ASSHOLE-PATIENT."

So after his sphincter relaxed and his iris's went back to normal circumference, he suggested a Cortisone shot. In fact, he said, "here is a prescription for the Cortisone - branded as Kenalog - 10 and bring it back, we will shoot you up.

This is only after he asked, "would you like to get THAT other sports doc to inject it, or would you prefer I did?" - his ego on the line....I sit and sweat considering my answer carefully.

I replied with my best clenched-teeth and steely-eyed impression of Jim Carrey impersonating Clint Eastwood, "well, do you have the balls to do it, Doc or am I going to have to do it myself"?

That's when he kicked me in the ass and handed me the paper containing his ethereal, eastern hemispheric philosophical rumination of the day (he has a daily-advice thing), it read:

Don't let the door hit you in the bursa sac on the way out.

Brett Gotcher

2010-01-23T01:52:00.000-08:00

(c) Copyright - 2010 - Christopher Kelsall

Brett Gotcher has gone from regular fast guy with Olympic dreams and a part time job to regular fast guy who is spending his post-marathon recovery time answering more questions about his training (in one week) than he has had to his entire life - maybe. And all he did was run a marathon. Mind you it was the fourth fastest debut marathon in US history, 2:10:36. Not too shabby for a surfer-dude from Aptos California.

Read the rest here

On the Wings of Mercury, by Lorraine Moller

2010-01-18T23:54:00.001-08:00

On the Wings of Mercury, by Lorraine Moller - wow - order one.

(C) Copyright - 2010 - Christopher Kelsall

On the Wings of Mercury - a self–penned autobiography by Lorraine Moller – a world-class middle and long distance runner - is one of the most riveting and highly emotional tell-all memoirs - a must-read.

Moller begins her witty stream of consciousness in self-deprecating style, where she describes her birth (she may have been the by-product of Vatican roulette) and how even then she forced people to run beyond their scope, in this case the family physician, who had to run just to make the delivery in time. Moller captures the reader’s attention immediately and never lets go.

The prologue starts with:

‘Legend tells of fire-breathing dragons that lurk in the bowels of the earth beneath Catalonia. What I sense this summer afternoon of 1992 in Barcelona as I survey the race course is that the road stretching between me and my dream is a steamy tar-pit of reptilian breath, threatening to suck the water out of my skin and desiccate my precious hope for gold’.

Keep reading

Progress Report.

2010-01-16T13:49:00.000-08:00

Running - not...yet.

Cycling and spinning a few times per-week.

In-line skating when the road is dry.

Weights, push-ups, crunches occasionally.

On the machine-thing that is like a running machine-thing, but there is no landing nor toeing-off going on, I work it to a frenzy, whipping my legs back and forth and working the arm-things back and forth, so-much-so that the machine-thing makes all sorts of extra noisies. I am going twice the pace as the next fastest person and my heart rate is 120 bpm. I feel like I have been sent down to the minors. 35:00 of that and I yawn, walking away.

I got 40:00 minutes of in-line skating on the Lochside Road today, heart rate at least got up to something respectable:

High 168
Average - 147

Still not the same, but better than cycling.

The heels? The right one feels 100% The left, un-irritated feels 90% BUT with a little bit of irritation flares up.

I can now walk perfectly normal, which feels odd - to walk without thinking about it.

Small progress.

Thumbs Up For Funding Sport.

2010-01-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

At this critical time for provincial budgeting going forward, the government of the day is tabling a 50% reduction in sport funding.

We need to say "NO" to that and to ask for the full $22 million, as per 2008/09 levels.

As the province stands to profit from the 2010 Winter Olympics (which is great), for some odd reason the provincial funding will drop - paradox!

Go here and give a thumbs up to funding.

Marathon - Hal Higdon

2010-01-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

We’ve all read John L. Parker Junior’s contribution to running culture, the quasi-fictional parable, Once a Runner – or inevitably you will. As far as running novels go, Parker set the benchmark with this story, so-much-so that the very long-awaited sequel, Again to Carthage, as good as it is, will forever exist in the shadow of the former Parker touchstone. Think in terms of Paul McCartney’s post-Beatle career, much longer and arguably more successful artistically-speaking than his career as one of the fab four, but the giant shadow looms and will forever cast its influence. Once a Runner is as significant to running culture as Sgt. Pepper is to popular music culture.

Marathon...

Read the rest here (not that long!)

Reporting in.

2010-01-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

Well there is not a lot to say really. Christmas was rocking, new years was epically funning at a party near us, close enough to walk home. 11 days off during the holidays have felt like an eternity - just been relaxing.

My injury does not appear to be getting better; my heel bursitis. I mean I can almost walk normal, but I can still see swelling and redness and if I point the toe for too long, I limp for awhile. Maybe I need surgery. It has been 3 weeks pretty much with zero running. I am ok about it 90% of the time, but here and there I will have this sudden desire to go for one of my 2 or 3 hour runs that I do, solo - all by my self, just me and my thoughts ...and I am so close to putting on those shoes....so close....it's heartbreaking to visualize a familiar trail and how I feel and not be able to do it. Well I can, but the heels wont get better if I don't....run...that's the crime - the knowing I could slip into my runners and just go for two hours or three hours. And the paradox is the day before my last day of running for now - I ran a 10k around Elk Beaver lakes in 41:30 and the effort was only strong. I could have raced that day and run my typical time a 37 or 38.

So here I sit losing fitness, able to run and trying to not.

I thought I would have cycled everyday since and lifted weights, roller-bladed and swam, but not - total nothing. I walked a dog for 30 - 40 minutes 4 times. I carried my 80 pound Sony 32" tube TV downstairs replaced by a light-as-a-feather 50" plazma.

The hockey and the movies have been simply awesome.

I give the rest period until there is zero visible signs of bursitis and zero physical feeling of bursitis and then take a few more days to make sure and then I will start running again.

I'd trade in the 50" TV and a non-running body part to be able to run 100 miles-per-week, happy. I am in jail.

Happy Hilladays

2009-12-23T15:32:00.000-08:00

Having hosted my rather small, ragtag group of miscreant running comrades from my house (the compound) for the better part of four years, most every Tuesday night, this time we set about choosing a Christmas lights route. “It should be,” offers Sean, “hilly, as per usual.” The route I chose indeed provided a healthy measure of hills as well as Christmas spirit.

Read on or be gone.

Running break - bah!

2009-12-21T09:16:00.000-08:00

A couple months ago, I started a 3-month break from running, my biggest break ever. I got 10 days into it and started running again. Two months later I am in no better a position today, than then. Yesterday I started the 3-month break all over again, this time, I think I will stick to it.

I can run and I can run fair quantities however, I cannot up the pace without needing 2 - 3 days off. I don't want to jog for the rest of my life. I want to race again. I find joy in competing against myself and perhaps a running comrade, who happens to be at whatever level of fitness I happen to be at.

The bursitis in the heels can be confusing. For instance Tuesday, I ran 90 minutes and felt good, we did hills and ran easy-medium-steady. The next day I could hardly walk. The next day, I was running again, in pain, but running - no problem.

Saturday at Elk-Beaver Lakes, I started the first km very slow, then picked up the pace. I wanted to run as fast as I could without racing or without any strain - go by feel and only look at the watch and heart rate monitor when I am done.

The first km I know was 6 minutes, but after that I ran 34:55 or so for 9k. This is great and terrible. I am quite fit, from doing long runs, running some good solid weeks and not compromising by aerobic limit, by not racing or doing speed work, so paradoxicley (is that a word?) I am as fit as ever, but needing to take a break from running.

The run felt good and there was no pain, but two days later, there is pain and I am limping. Sounds like a typical runner? Well I look around me and I have cut holes in the back of all my runners, carved the heel out of my dress shoes, I stink up the joint with copious amounts of apple cider vinegar and I am limping around. Sometimes I can hardly walk. This has got to stop.

I brought my gear for the Y and at lunch will be spinning and doing other things to make me feel like I am getting exercise.

Bah.

2009-12-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

Media Release

100.3 the Q! Signs on as Title Sponsor of the Victoria Track Series

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Radio Station, 100.3 the Q! - CKKQ FM have agreed to become the title sponsor of the Victoria Track Series for 2010 through 2012. The name of the Victoria Track Series, going-forward is: the Q!’s Victoria Track Series.

Brother radio station the Zone 91.3, CJZN FM provides a support role.

The Q!’s Victoria Track Series kicks off on Saturday May 1, 2010. This is an 8 meet series that will be run on an every-other-week schedule over the 16-week span of time until Saturday August 21, 2010.

Unique to this series is the fact that joggers and elite runners will have equal opportunity to compete at their own levels, on the same track, during the same meets, but in separate races. Runners may choose a selection of single races, or compete against themselves over a series for series points and standings.

Emphasis is on fun!

Christopher Kelsall, Series Director:

“I am absolutely thrilled to have the support and partnership of 100.3 the Q! and the Zone 91.3 for the inaugural Q!’s Victoria Track Series and their commitment for next three years. The Q!’s willingness to partner, speaks volumes of their community support that the Q! and the Q! staff have become well known for over the past 20-plus years”

“100.3 the Q! and the Zone 91.3 values align well with the Victoria Track Series. They speak to the audience that we need to reach and they support the Mustard Seed Food Bank, which is a very deserving cause to support. We are happy to help support the Mustard Seed Food Bank with the Q! and the Zone.”

Racing

Currently there are few opportunities for competitive national and international athletes to compete on the track, on Vancouver Island. Often athletes are forced to travel at their own expense to the mainland and various points throughout North America and in some cases Europe. Many of these athletes need to qualify for national or international competition or are looking to qualify for funding from Athletics Canada yet others are competing for US College scholarships.

This series will provide the opportunity for runners to compete over distances of 800m, 1500m, the Mile (1609m), 3000m and 5000m.

The support

The Q! will be on location providing music during each of the 8 meets, selected MC service, on-air promotions, commercials and additional support and sponsorship.

About the sponsors

CKKQ - FM - For over 20 years, 100.3 The Q! has delivered the best entertainment and has succeeded by surrounding that entertainment with great music.
With dedicated Q! listeners up-island, on the mainland, and through Washington state, The Q!'s relaxed, unpretentious attitude and live listener interaction - available 24 hours a day, seven days a week - has earned many a radio preset.

CJZN - FM - The Zone @ 91-3: Modern rock. Vancouver Island's only modern rock station, The Zone brings the likes of Beck, nine inch nails, and the Foo Fighters together with young upstarts like IllScarlett, and the Arctic Monkeys.
With its Full Frontal Forecasts and 91-Second News Updates, the island is equally balanced with intelligent, yet irreverent info from music-addicted airstaff seen chatting up listeners at concerts and clubs every night.

Contact:

Christopher Kelsall
Series Director,
Q!’s Victoria Track Series
christopherkelsall@gmail.com
www.trackseries.ca (soon)
250-812-7118

Wilt Chamberlain for 50, 000

2009-12-14T09:13:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine the next Cialis or Viagra commercial series: Wilt Chamberlain goes for 50, 000.

Remember the old claim of his, where Wilt the Stilt said he had been with 35, 000 women. Somehow he was a sort of hero, to make that claim. That might go over in the 1970s but of course in the new era it doesn't, yet there is more of that sort of thing going on nowadays. Seems like political correctness and censorship have the opposite effect from their intention. Put your finger on the mercury it slips away. Put your thumb on the people they move to their own free will.

Tiger Woods can't be a hero right now because he has fallen from the media darling spotlight, to the grim light of reality (when you do something stupid in public).

I wonder if Tiger is as stupid as he seems? Here he was representing all those companies and they paid him handsomely to do it. I am sure there must have been a professional conduct agreement read by his lawyer and signed by Tiger for each company, because they are dropping like flies.

1.) Is he THAT stupid?
2.) Perhaps he doesn't care as he is a billionaire.
3.) Is his need for sex and action that bad that he can't think logically?
4.) Is his ego that primitive?

Who is going to be the next hero?

Americans especially, like their celebrities. They have some sort of insatiable appetite for hanging onto their favourite celeb - kinda sad really. Look who has fallen from grace over the past few years:

- Michael Jackson
- Mike Tyson
- Tiger Woods
- OJ Simpson
- Barry Bonds
- Marion Jones

Perhaps half the problem is not that the Celebrity conducted themselves in a poor manner - although the above people have in the worst possible way. The other half of the problem may be the fact that these celebs are so hoisted.

Solution: Calm down on the worship.

If Tiger was smart he would have either not married that women he got tangled with or got a divorce if she was that nasty that he needed to cheat so much. I pick the former.

If he would have stayed single, he could have tried to take on Wilt Chamberlain's record and it would be ok. Or he could invite children over to his mansion to play paddy cake and drink red wine.

I say the next Cialis or Viagra commercial should really be Wilt taking a shot from the 3 point line in a darkened and empty gymnasium, scoring (at his old age) then turning to the camera and saying, "thanks to Viagra, I am going for 50, 000."

Only those brought up in the '60s and '70s will get it and that's all that matters.