September 15, 2005

Alicia Kaye at the Worlds in Japan

Ramsey Tour

1. Alicia Kaye at the Worlds
2. Other Weekend Results - 29th Annual Ramsey Tour and the Wasaga Beach TRIs
3. In Defense of the Sensation Seekers - by Steve Matusch
4. Timisoara, Romania to Bucharest - Sheila Bikes the Orient Express
5. Upcoming Events - The Terry Fox Run this Sunday
6. Running Room Run Club Update
7. Track North News - by Dick Moss 969-2101
8. Ytri News - by Mike Coughlin - "Discomfort Zone Triathlon Team" + Ytri News

Alicia Kaye at the Worlds

Alicia traveled to Gamagori Japan and competed in the Worlds "Under 23 Olympic Distance Triathlon on September 10, 2005. She came 19th overall out of a very deep field. You can check her results Here .

Congratulations Alicia. We are very proud of your excellent accomplishment. Now the Olympics!

Read Alicia's account of her experience:

Sep 9, 2005  Konnichiwa from Japan

Well I have arrived in Japan and where I am is nothing like I ever imagined Japan would be. First of all, everything is perfect here. Everything is spotless and clean. I am staying in a Japanese hotel and I am definitely sleeping on a wicker floor and thank god I brought a therma rest. I am across the street from free internet access and a grocery store, so I really can't complain, but boy is everything ever expensive. I just took a 3min cab ride and it was 10US. YIKES!

ALSO, I wanted you all to know that all the people on the national team had heard about the Alicia 5 Kaye and couldn't believe that you guys did it for me. I told them how FitFriends, Sudbury Rocks and the Running Room as well as my amazing friends up in Sudbury are the only reason that I am here. It really leaves a warm feeling in my heart as I prepare for this race. I have tears in my eyes right now, sorry guys, getting mushy on you, just thinking about it. I am so lucky to have people like you in my life. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

I hope everyone is healthy and happy...I will be in touch with updates.

Ja mata, Alicia xo

Sep 10 2005 Hello Donna, Lise and everyone you would like to share this info with!

Race day went fairly well! I am sure you have seen the results and I look forward to telling you more about the race. 19th in the world is ALRIGHT WITH ME! my goal was top 20 because I knew it was going to be a very rich field.

I didn't have the swim I needed to have, I just wasn't feeling myself in the water and unfortunately picked a bad line for the swim. I should have gone right and went to the middle and ended up getting clobbered in the water. It was an extremely physical swim. People ended up with black eyes, no cap and goggles...the whole works.

I just missed a pack on the bike, soloed to catch the next group then attacked again and dropped 4 girls so we were a pack of 5. It was INSANELY hot,...It was like tobago hot. I wore a white hat and sunglasses, lots of sunscreen and absolutely douced myself every aid station. I had a fairly solid run 42min, so I am happy with it.

I am flying home today and I will be home on jeeezzz, let me think about this...monday very late.

I will be in the store some time this week to say hi.

Thanks again for helping me have this amazing experience! Alicia xo

 

Other Weekend Results

29th Annual Sudbury Masters Ramsey Tour, Sep. 11, 2005

Click Here for Results                          Click Here for Photos

On a super hot day a record number of people took part in the Sudbury Masters 29th Annual Ramsey Tour. The event is comprised of a 5km and a very challenging half marathon around Ramsey Lake. 113 individuals toed the line for the shorter event and 72 participants finished the 1/2. An extra water station was added this time out and was welcomed by all as the heat made conditions in the 1/2 a bit grueling - especially for us normal paced folks. The marshaling and course support was excellent though and definitely helped the less experienced through the event.

Kyle Caverson was the overall Male winner in the 5km event (17:30) and Donna Mae Robbins from North Bay was the overall female winner (18:50)

Mike Hay took top Male honours in the 1/2 (1:19:18) and Line Guillemette took the Female crown (1:38:14).

Congratulations to all participants!

Thank you and a pat on the back to the organizers Jesse Winters and Louis Moustgaard, the sponsors and all you volunteers. We're coming back next year for certain!

Please read Steve Waytowich's event experience below

My First Half Marathon - Attack of the Rabbits, by Steven Waytowich

On Sunday September 11, 2005 I ran my first half marathon. Now, run is a
subjective term, but I will use run for this story. I did not approach this
without training and I would like to thank Mike C. for all his help. Six
weeks ago, with Tri season winding down, I approached Mike to talk about
doing a half. I knew the date and I had a reasonable base going into it.
Leading up to this race, I increased my long runs from one hour and ten
minutes up to 1 hour 50 minutes. I had not had any problems or injuries and
did my last long run at a comfortable 6 minute pace. I would drink a 1.5
litre bottle of water and had lots of energy after. I never felt that I was
over my head at all. I had not quite run the full distance, but at my
pacing, I was darn close. I thought adrenaline and the cheering crowds
would get me through. Now, all of my running is fit around a schedule that
has a wife, two kids and a full time job to work around which usually means
you can see me at 6 am or 9 pm cruising New Sudbury.

Race day. I awoke early and excited. Nervous, yet curiously calm. I tried
to eat, but it was like sawdust. I only managed a Banana and a yogurt (I
know, believe me, I know) along with 1.5 litres of water. A quick set of
goodbyes and I was off to the race. All was going well. We herded down to
the line and waited as Jesse gave the final instructions. A little
stretching and calming and we were off. Now, my goal going in was this: 6
minute km average for the first 10km and turn it on if I felt good from
there.

I checked my pace after 1 km, 4:20 OOPS!! Rabbit alert.
After five km, a personal best!! Nice pacing you dolt!! Not a good plan to
PB your 5k when you are doing your first half.
At this point, I realized my black hat, top and shorts were definitely not
cooling me down.
At 7km, I wavered ever so slightly. It wasn't like a baseball bat hitting
me, more of a chisel effect. It had started and I knew it was going to be a
long day.
At the 10 km halfway point, I was on track for my set pace (1hour 2 minutes)
but I was already done and I knew it.
I was starting to falter badly and I couldn't figure out why. My pace
reduced to a walk/run strategy. Run half walk half.
Unlucky 13 came and went and so did the last reserves of my energy. I
needed something more than half a glass of Gatorade. So this is what a Bonk
is.

I burst into D&S Variety like a crazed maniac mumbling something along the
lines of "Sugar!! MUST HAVE SUGAR!! Pepsi good!!" Apparently a sweating,
shirtless stumbling incoherent Half Marathoner has a rather profound effect
on a cashier in a convenience store. After inhaling the Pepsi, I was able
to run again albeit a little slower. I made the bridge at Van horne and was
greeted by the cheering of the water station girls and I was finally
shirtless for them. I was cramping pretty good along the boardwalk and
resorted back to my walk run routine. A special thanks here to Dave Chisolm
and his two charges who walked/ran/coaxed me along for the last 4 km. I
made the line at 2hours 27min. 32 sec. Not nearly what I expected, but a
Personal Best anyway's. They are always PB's the first time out. I made a
lot of rookie/newbie mistakes and I learned more lessons than I care to
admit. This sport is all about the journey and just because my start was
rocky, it does not mean that I will stop the process.

See you on the roads,

Steven Waytowich

 

In Defense of the Sensation Seekers

by Steve Matusch

(in response to Mike Hay's excellent article about Training and Racing at your Best)

You know who we are; we exist in every sport, and we absolutely gravitate to anything "extreme". We come from nowhere and we jump in with both feet. Within a week we're training like mad. Within two weeks we have all the gear. Within three weeks we have a list of competitive goals. Within a year we've hit some of them. And then we get bored; we've reached our point of diminishing returns. We've often achieved some modicum of success - not usually near the top, but we're often at least moderately gifted, so we may have been noticed as having some potential. And then, as quickly as we came, we're gone. We don't peter out - we simply disappear, leaving a trail of low priced, good quality used gear in our wake.

We are the sensation seekers, the adrenalin junkies, the easily excited, and the even more easily distracted.

In triathlon and running, we're the people whom you've never seen before, but arrive at an Ironman event or the Boston marathon inside of a year. Some of us (not me) have brand new $5,000 bikes that we can't shift, and we know that you make fun of us for it. Some of us blow up with overtraining injuries within 3 months. Often we know more about current equipment and sport nutrition inside two months than do most of you true athletes, who have been diligently plugging at the sport for years. We're often enthusiastic well beyond our actual physical capabilities. And you just know that we've got a great big pile of running and triathlon books in our homes that we've read cover to cover 12 times at night while we're unable to sleep.

Yes, we are a bit irresponsible. We know that and to some degree we revel in that. But we like the fact that we can list seven different extreme sports that we've participated in. And what is wrong with that?

To those who dismiss us, I say that you don't understand the whole picture. We don't have a yearning drive to be the best in triathlon, running, karate, skydiving, hang-gliding, white-water kayaking, adventure racing or any other of the various sports that we've been part of. Our drive is just to be there, and to be the best we can while we're there. We don't want stay at your party. We want to show up, have a really good time for while, meet a whole bunch of great new folks, try out the beer funnel and move on. We really enjoy spending time with you and meeting all of you. For a year or several years we really want to be part of the culture of your sport, to talk about gear, to discuss training methodologies, to be part of the excitement of the events, the races and the trips.

And we're not usually selfish either. We want to make a genuine contribution while we're there. Often we bring energy, enthusiasm and "new blood" to a sport. We're usually willing to chip-in and help out in the organization of events. We're fresh cannon fodder for all the various coaches and clinicians out there who help guide us into and through your world. And when the day comes that we move along, sometimes we've made a bit of a mark on the local scene - hopefully in a positive way.

And please, please know that we have utmost respect for those people who are the true athletes. Don't mistake our genuine enthusiasm for arrogance. We know that real success in sport comes from persistence, diligence and consistency. We know that the sport belongs to those people who love to train, love the routine and who are there day-in and day-out for many years. And in some ways, for a short while, we wish that we were like you. We, at our best, are usually middling meteors passing through your sky, and you are the stars. We know that and we admire you for it, even if we know that we come from a different mold than you.

So don't be too hard on us, and don't dismiss us... We're very happy with who we are and are comfortable with our transitory and slightly reckless nature. Our passion is different then yours. Your passion is for your sport. Our passion is to witness, experience and be part of as many wonderful things as possible before our time is done. And we thank for allowing us to be part of your world for a while.

When we leave, know that we will politely close the door, tell everybody we meet about how much fun we had, and we will send others your way. Also know that someday, as we're sitting in a bed waiting for the ECG to go flat, we'll be thinking of you. Behind those 12 tubes and cables sticking out of our mouths and noses there will be a great big smile. Along with the dreams about our friends and family, we'll be reliving all of the great things we experienced - among them our first half marathon, marathon, Ironman, and whatever else we did in the time we had with all of you good folks. And our only regret will only be that we couldn't do it all over again.

By Steve Matusch - ex hang-glider, skydiver, private pilot, karateka, white-water kayaker, motorcycle enthusiast, Ironman Canada and Boston Marathon finisher.

Timisoara Romania to Bucharest

Sheila Bikes the Orient Express

July 31 - September 24, 2005

Click Here for Sheila's latest update

 

 

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