That is the sound of me and Andrew, my 2 ride pilot this past week, figuring out some tricks and ideas for tandem riding. My wife and i had an initial shaky ride, as the bike is too big for her. However, Andrew came home for a bit from Vancouver and volunteered to get out for a couple rides with me. Nothing major but we did two rides of 55 and 56km...avg bout 32kph, not land speed, but gave us time to figure some stuff out. The videos are from last night after our second ride, Mindy took the camera as i wanted to show the start, and how "smooth" we've gotten it to. Starting is definatley the hardest part of the tandem game i've found so far, but Andrew and i after a shaky first 1k of the first ride, got some ideas worked out.
What i am saying in the first video, is that we both clip our left foot in, and on the 1-2-3-Go, we both give a good solid push with that left leg, while giving a general body lean forward (it is all about gaining as much forward momentum to start the lumbering beast up)....
Once you are on your seat, you one legged pedal for a few strokes, then coast and clip in. The KEY to success, we found was making sure you gear down low enough at stops...this allows you to get a few good and quick one legged pedal strokes in, to gain that intial momentum. We learned that hard way with some big wobbles, if Andrew didn't gear down far enough; and my left leg did not like trying to overcome that much initial torque.
The second video is just when we turned around, i wanted to us it to gauge my positioning....which i found isn't bad for the seat, but the handlebar reach is an issue(as it is on all non-custom tandems)...so that is a work in progress, in order to keep my hands from falling asleep and back from hurting...would be open to suggestions.
Anyhow, am off to Niagara on the Lake on friday to meet up with Syd, my new buddy and pilot for Peterborough 1/2 Ironman in 1.5 weeks (yup jumping right in), and for the New York City triathlon at the end of July. Syd has been following me story, and stepped right up and volunteered to help; this dude is seriously fast--9:49 at IM FLA last year... He and his wife came to visit us a few weeks back, and they are both very very nice people who i hope Mindy and i can forge a long lasting friendship with.
A couple short notes:
1) Syd is the founder of www.canadiantriathletes.com and a member of Team Running Free, he has gotten me a sponsorship with them today... So i get some sweet discounts on running/tri gear, and get to promote a Running/Tri store that "gets" us hacker-athletes out there...well ok, i'm just a hacker i guess..far from a speeddemon
2) We SOLD our house, after 7 months of trying (just making sure thier home inspection goes well, but if that is the case, the house is sold)..and we are moving to some new digs within the city, something brighter, w/ a garage, and bit more BLIND friendly perhaps..
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
My new ride...a bit sad...but very thankful
So most of you have been reading the saga of my new "career", having to race tandem in triathlon from now on, due to the fact....well.....i just can't see well anymore..and it's not going to get any better.
So, after about 7 weeks of waiting and being as patient as i could (sometimes not that patient)....last night we brought my baby home:) hehe... pics to follow..
The BIKE:
Frame: Griffen Vulcan --Metal Matrix (4 types of metal)
Fork: Carbon
Wheels: Velocity Deep V rims w/ shimano hubs and 40 spoke front/rear
Cranks: FSA tandem cransket (triple) 172.5 front, 175 rear
Drivetrain: SRAM Force 10 speed front and reaer derailleur
SRAM bar end shifters
Brakes: Shimano
Base Bars: Easton aluminum
Aero bars: Easton Aluminum
Seats: 2 Selle Itailia
Seatposts: 2 Easton Aluminum
Tires: Michelin Lithion 700x25c
Brake levers: Tektro
Stoker stem: Co-Motion max-adjust chromoly
Front stem: 90mm Cane creek (i think)
Heat set: Cane creek (i think)....didn't double check these two..
Haven't weighed it yet, but am guessing aroudn 30lbs..which for a tandem is LIGHT
Why sad you may ask? Well, seeing my old ride and my new ride together, it makes me sad to know what i used to be able to do, and won't get to do ever again..so i'm left with the memories of my awesome Cervelo and i....flying across the roads:)
Thankful? for sure...agian, i always try to keep a positive attitude...i must admit recently it's been a bit tough...but i always realized that even though my world is changing..i'm still able to do what i love to do. Yes with a bit more difficulty and planning and expense and inconvience and frustration...but still am able to do it.
I jsut read an article about a professional triathlete (Xterra--which is off road triathlon)...who was hit with a cancer that required the removal of her glute... Hence she can no longer compete AT ALL. Very sad.. So i try very very hard not to have those days when i feel sad bout my new situation...becasuse in all actuality i am still VERY lucky and blessed. We all are in our own way..
SO, enjoy the pics...these will be more...but this gives you a good look.
So, after about 7 weeks of waiting and being as patient as i could (sometimes not that patient)....last night we brought my baby home:) hehe... pics to follow..
The BIKE:
Frame: Griffen Vulcan --Metal Matrix (4 types of metal)
Fork: Carbon
Wheels: Velocity Deep V rims w/ shimano hubs and 40 spoke front/rear
Cranks: FSA tandem cransket (triple) 172.5 front, 175 rear
Drivetrain: SRAM Force 10 speed front and reaer derailleur
SRAM bar end shifters
Brakes: Shimano
Base Bars: Easton aluminum
Aero bars: Easton Aluminum
Seats: 2 Selle Itailia
Seatposts: 2 Easton Aluminum
Tires: Michelin Lithion 700x25c
Brake levers: Tektro
Stoker stem: Co-Motion max-adjust chromoly
Front stem: 90mm Cane creek (i think)
Heat set: Cane creek (i think)....didn't double check these two..
Haven't weighed it yet, but am guessing aroudn 30lbs..which for a tandem is LIGHT
Why sad you may ask? Well, seeing my old ride and my new ride together, it makes me sad to know what i used to be able to do, and won't get to do ever again..so i'm left with the memories of my awesome Cervelo and i....flying across the roads:)
Thankful? for sure...agian, i always try to keep a positive attitude...i must admit recently it's been a bit tough...but i always realized that even though my world is changing..i'm still able to do what i love to do. Yes with a bit more difficulty and planning and expense and inconvience and frustration...but still am able to do it.
I jsut read an article about a professional triathlete (Xterra--which is off road triathlon)...who was hit with a cancer that required the removal of her glute... Hence she can no longer compete AT ALL. Very sad.. So i try very very hard not to have those days when i feel sad bout my new situation...becasuse in all actuality i am still VERY lucky and blessed. We all are in our own way..
SO, enjoy the pics...these will be more...but this gives you a good look.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Kindness of strangers!
Well, it has been a little while since my last post and i thought i'd just give you a few updates on how things are going. I guess the first update is the good and bad situations i'm having with support from others. As you will see, i am getting lots of support, but from unlikely places, and the support i thought i would be getting from familiar faces is not happening.
In my saga to try and get this bike together, i've been having many conversations with people (strangers and not) about my transition into paratriathlon, learning to race tandem, learning to ride the tandem bike (whenever it finally gets built) etc. What i am finding is, for the most part, the individuals who are complete strangers to me, either by facebook, my association with Team Blazeman, CDF (see below) or even a great guy out in Vancouver and fellow paratriathlete; these people are providing me with as much if not more support emotionally then my local circle of friends. DO NOT get me wrong, i have a handful of very understanding people around me who "get it", but many who do not, and are almost saying (without saying it) that i'm somehow faking or milking the system or whining and asking for things i don't need. What i've come to realize is that people will be people and that unfortunatley have a hard time putting themselves in the shoes of others. My wife's theory is that since they can't SEE my vision deteriorating, they just assume i've woke up one morning and said "you know what, racing by myself isn't fun, or i don't get enough special treatment, so i think i'm gonna quit that and go race as a para-athlete"... It sorta makes sense, i guess. What they DON"T see is the amount of stress i am under simply to go outside for a run and not step in a hole, or how i'm still dealing with a damaged back after a bike crash at 20mph last August, when i hit a monster crack in the road that anybody else would have saw a mile away--a crash that was my lucky escape from severe injury, and my realization that my days of independant riding was over. However i choose not to bore them with these stories, as they have busy lives....so onward we go.
Back to the original message in this post--support from strangers who have agreed to help me find sponsors, guide me through a race, give me information that is desperatly needed.
SO, i would like to use the rest of this article to thank the sponsors that i do have and hope that i can get many more like them.
The first is the C Different Foundation, which i am a member of. This is a group of blind and visually impaired triathletes who are close-knit and all strive to show the world that blind/visually impaired athletes aren't blind to what is around them, they just SEE the world a little DIFFERENT then everyone else; which isn't necessarily a bad thing, in fact it can lead to a more enhanced life. CDF has thus far provided me with much moral support, and information on what i need to obtain and do in order to race tandem. This info is very hard to get, and can only come from people with first hand experience. CDF are those people, that are fantastic support, and are also the ones who hooked me up with Griffen (bike compnay) to get a great deal on my new frame. Thanks CDF!
The second sponsor i would like to thank is a bit more of an "arm's length" group...they reside way out in California and have been so generious to provide me with $1000 in grant money to help with the large costs incurred this year. The Challenged Athletes Foundation is a foundation that provides financial support to athletes with all types of "challenges" in all types of sports. Some of the best para-athletes have been supported by the CAF in their racing, training, travelling, etc. Without CAF, many athletes would have NO chance to get out and compete, so support them, as they do great work! Thanks CAF!
This past week i received a third sponsorship from Rudy Project--these great folks gave me a 3 year sponsorship which entitles me to STEEP discounts on their sunglasses and helmets. Rudy makes some of the most technologically advanced eyewear for athletes out there, an
d at a fraction of the price of their competitors. As we speak i have a new helmet and kick butt pair of sunglasses on the way--i will share pics later. THANKS RUDY PROJECT!
A huge thanks to these three sponsors who have helped in this transition period and i look forward to representing them well.
Quick update on me---TROT TO THE BEACH 1/2 Marathon is this weekend, a beautiful and fun point to point 21.1km from Blenheim via backroads, trails, paths, to Erieau (for the folks reading in the C-K area). I've not been able to do this race in it's 6 year history i think...but i am pumped to give it a shot this year. Will keep you posted on that adventure! Anyone in the C-K area wanting to do it, come out this sunday to the Blenhiem arena and sign up.
AND-last but not least, you must keep saying "tandem bike, tandem bike...we keep hearing about this bike but have yet to see it ready to go or in action..." Well it is VERY close to being done, and by next weekend i hope to have the big green monster rolling through C-K.. I can't wait for the reactions!
Keep safe everyone, train hard and say a little prayer of thanks every time you step out the door for a workout, we are lucky folks who are fortune to get to do what we love.
In my saga to try and get this bike together, i've been having many conversations with people (strangers and not) about my transition into paratriathlon, learning to race tandem, learning to ride the tandem bike (whenever it finally gets built) etc. What i am finding is, for the most part, the individuals who are complete strangers to me, either by facebook, my association with Team Blazeman, CDF (see below) or even a great guy out in Vancouver and fellow paratriathlete; these people are providing me with as much if not more support emotionally then my local circle of friends. DO NOT get me wrong, i have a handful of very understanding people around me who "get it", but many who do not, and are almost saying (without saying it) that i'm somehow faking or milking the system or whining and asking for things i don't need. What i've come to realize is that people will be people and that unfortunatley have a hard time putting themselves in the shoes of others. My wife's theory is that since they can't SEE my vision deteriorating, they just assume i've woke up one morning and said "you know what, racing by myself isn't fun, or i don't get enough special treatment, so i think i'm gonna quit that and go race as a para-athlete"... It sorta makes sense, i guess. What they DON"T see is the amount of stress i am under simply to go outside for a run and not step in a hole, or how i'm still dealing with a damaged back after a bike crash at 20mph last August, when i hit a monster crack in the road that anybody else would have saw a mile away--a crash that was my lucky escape from severe injury, and my realization that my days of independant riding was over. However i choose not to bore them with these stories, as they have busy lives....so onward we go.
Back to the original message in this post--support from strangers who have agreed to help me find sponsors, guide me through a race, give me information that is desperatly needed.
SO, i would like to use the rest of this article to thank the sponsors that i do have and hope that i can get many more like them.
The first is the C Different Foundation, which i am a member of. This is a group of blind and visually impaired triathletes who are close-knit and all strive to show the world that blind/visually impaired athletes aren't blind to what is around them, they just SEE the world a little DIFFERENT then everyone else; which isn't necessarily a bad thing, in fact it can lead to a more enhanced life. CDF has thus far provided me with much moral support, and information on what i need to obtain and do in order to race tandem. This info is very hard to get, and can only come from people with first hand experience. CDF are those people, that are fantastic support, and are also the ones who hooked me up with Griffen (bike compnay) to get a great deal on my new frame. Thanks CDF!
The second sponsor i would like to thank is a bit more of an "arm's length" group...they reside way out in California and have been so generious to provide me with $1000 in grant money to help with the large costs incurred this year. The Challenged Athletes Foundation is a foundation that provides financial support to athletes with all types of "challenges" in all types of sports. Some of the best para-athletes have been supported by the CAF in their racing, training, travelling, etc. Without CAF, many athletes would have NO chance to get out and compete, so support them, as they do great work! Thanks CAF!
This past week i received a third sponsorship from Rudy Project--these great folks gave me a 3 year sponsorship which entitles me to STEEP discounts on their sunglasses and helmets. Rudy makes some of the most technologically advanced eyewear for athletes out there, an
d at a fraction of the price of their competitors. As we speak i have a new helmet and kick butt pair of sunglasses on the way--i will share pics later. THANKS RUDY PROJECT!A huge thanks to these three sponsors who have helped in this transition period and i look forward to representing them well.
Quick update on me---TROT TO THE BEACH 1/2 Marathon is this weekend, a beautiful and fun point to point 21.1km from Blenheim via backroads, trails, paths, to Erieau (for the folks reading in the C-K area). I've not been able to do this race in it's 6 year history i think...but i am pumped to give it a shot this year. Will keep you posted on that adventure! Anyone in the C-K area wanting to do it, come out this sunday to the Blenhiem arena and sign up.
AND-last but not least, you must keep saying "tandem bike, tandem bike...we keep hearing about this bike but have yet to see it ready to go or in action..." Well it is VERY close to being done, and by next weekend i hope to have the big green monster rolling through C-K.. I can't wait for the reactions!
Keep safe everyone, train hard and say a little prayer of thanks every time you step out the door for a workout, we are lucky folks who are fortune to get to do what we love.
Trot
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