As a swimmer there aren't many things to smell in relation to your sport. Your suit smells like chlorine, your towel may smell like soap after a shower and your skin may stink of chlorine despite showers and lotion. So, let me amend that statement: pretty much everything, including you, smells like chlorine. Sometimes if things aren't hung up to dry properly, things can get kind of "mildewy," but after one stinky swimsuit, I was quite conscious about hanging things out to dry. It is not surprising then, that I was shocked when my running shoes and socks started stinking something fierce. I think I've written about this shock before, but I was reminded of it this morning when I went to pull my socks out of my runners from yesterday's trip to the gym.
Originally, I was under the impression that socks and shoes got really smelly from running outside and the shoes getting wet and then having to dry over and over again. Living in Scotland, I decided that I'd live with this, since my shoes were definitely going to get wet multiple times a week and then have to dry. My understanding of how your shoes became stinky was quite wrong.
Of course I understood that shoes get stinky from your feet sweating in them, but I thought the extra stinkiness came from the wet/dry process. I was very incorrect in this assumption.
The shoes that live in my gym bag have never been used outdoors. I have done that specifically so that they have a longer life and so that they won't get as stinky as my "outside" shoes. Perhaps I was on to something with extending their life, but I sure wasn't spot on with the not smelling part. The socks that I pulled out of the shoes this morning smelled so horribly, I threw them directly into the washing machine. I wasn't about to put those foul things into my hamper in my room to have them stink up my regular clothes or my bedroom.
Admittedly, I probably should have removed them from the shoes last night, but I was so hungry and sleepy that I forgot. I will never make that mistake again. I had balled the sweaty socks up after my workout and stuffed them into the shoes in order to keep them from stinking up my bag. In doing so, I think I inadvertently trapped the smell in and made it worse.
Now, after all of that, you are probably wondering why on earth I would dedicate a whole post to my stinky socks. Do I not have anything more significant to write about?
I actually had a post planned about the Paralympics coming to a close tonight and how inspiring these Games were for me in my own quest for a coveted spot on the Canadian team in 2016, but the intensity of the stench from my socks was so profound that I thought it was necessary to share it with all of you. Besides, this whole training thing is what it is and I am going to share everything with you, whether it is glamorous or not. Smelly socks are definitely not glamorous, but they certainly are a part of this training thing, as I had discovered and was so aggressively reminded of this morning.
So, lesson of the day: your shoes are going to stink no matter what you do, but leaving your smelly socks rolled up in them over night does not improve the situation. So, to all you newbie, or would be runners, out there, from this newbie...air out your socks!
Showing posts with label 2016. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2016. Show all posts
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Friday, August 31, 2012
Flippers
Yesterday I hopped in the pool for a workout. It felt so good to be moving through the water. Swimming has always felt so powerful for me, unlike running, which I usually feel like a lumbering oaf. I think I've improved in running, but swimming is still where I feel at home.
My workout consisted of 1.5 kilometres, which makes me laugh because my warm-ups used to be about that long when I was competing in swimming. It felt good with a lot of kick and some "pull," which in swimming lingo means arms only swimming. I borrowed a kick board from the lifeguard and the majority of my workout became kicking. I don't know why, but kicking has always been my strong suit and I've always enjoyed it the most. maybe it's because I can hear my feet and feel how fast I'm going all at once? Either way, it's funny to see how one can fall back into old habits. I'll have to make an effort next time to focus on full stroke swimming and more pull because that is what will get me through the triathlon. My legs will need to be good to go for the bike and the run.
The one thing that did change was how often I breathed. When I used to compete, it was really easy for me to breathe every second stroke which is not conducive to going fast. This is probably why I was a sprinter because I could just keep my head down and breathe when I got to the wall. When I raced the fifty metres, I tried to breathe as little as possible and often got to the wall only breathing maybe three times. My every second stroke breathing habit was probably one of my biggest faults and coaches of all varieties tried to change it. I continued to be a one sided breather, but eventually managed to breathe every four strokes for the most part.
Since getting back into the water, it's been really easy to slip back into my over breathing. However, yesterday I forgot my cap and every time I turned my head to breathe, water sloshed into my ear. This was a very uncomfortable sensation and it forced me to breathe every four strokes instead of every two. Wy didn't we try this before? :) When I start training for the triathlon at a more competitive level, I'm going to leave my cap at home in order to force myself to have a more effective breathing pattern. That way, when I get my butt on that 2016 Paralympic team, I will have disposed of one of my bad habits that could potentially have made me less competitive.
Speaking of the Paralympics: have you been watching? I have to admit, I'm pretty riveted. I have little moments where I wish so badly I was there. This morning I looked up the heats for the women's S11-the classification I used to swim in-qualifying times and was shocked to see that I wouldn't have had to swim a personal best time to qualify. The slowest woman swims about a 1 minute .28 second 100 metre freestyle and I used to swim faster than that in practice. Of course the current world record holder from Italy goes a 1.08 with a few mila seconds added on to that, so I may have been out of the medal race, but I could have qualified. Also, who knows how much I could have improved. Maybe I would have been closer to that gold medal position. That said, hindsight's 20/20 and I hated the 100 free anyway. Plus, I retired for a reason. No point in thinking what could have been. I have new and exciting things to focus on...right?
I've talked to a few other retired athletes that I know and they are having a hard time too. Apparently, even one athlete who retired in 2004 is finding these Games particularly difficult. I think it's because London is doing such a great job with the Games. The atmosphere is just fantastic. For me, being so close makes it harder too.
Regardless of whether I could have qualified or not, I retired and that is that. I have four years to get ready for 2016 and these Games is great fuel for that fire.
My workout consisted of 1.5 kilometres, which makes me laugh because my warm-ups used to be about that long when I was competing in swimming. It felt good with a lot of kick and some "pull," which in swimming lingo means arms only swimming. I borrowed a kick board from the lifeguard and the majority of my workout became kicking. I don't know why, but kicking has always been my strong suit and I've always enjoyed it the most. maybe it's because I can hear my feet and feel how fast I'm going all at once? Either way, it's funny to see how one can fall back into old habits. I'll have to make an effort next time to focus on full stroke swimming and more pull because that is what will get me through the triathlon. My legs will need to be good to go for the bike and the run.
The one thing that did change was how often I breathed. When I used to compete, it was really easy for me to breathe every second stroke which is not conducive to going fast. This is probably why I was a sprinter because I could just keep my head down and breathe when I got to the wall. When I raced the fifty metres, I tried to breathe as little as possible and often got to the wall only breathing maybe three times. My every second stroke breathing habit was probably one of my biggest faults and coaches of all varieties tried to change it. I continued to be a one sided breather, but eventually managed to breathe every four strokes for the most part.
Since getting back into the water, it's been really easy to slip back into my over breathing. However, yesterday I forgot my cap and every time I turned my head to breathe, water sloshed into my ear. This was a very uncomfortable sensation and it forced me to breathe every four strokes instead of every two. Wy didn't we try this before? :) When I start training for the triathlon at a more competitive level, I'm going to leave my cap at home in order to force myself to have a more effective breathing pattern. That way, when I get my butt on that 2016 Paralympic team, I will have disposed of one of my bad habits that could potentially have made me less competitive.
Speaking of the Paralympics: have you been watching? I have to admit, I'm pretty riveted. I have little moments where I wish so badly I was there. This morning I looked up the heats for the women's S11-the classification I used to swim in-qualifying times and was shocked to see that I wouldn't have had to swim a personal best time to qualify. The slowest woman swims about a 1 minute .28 second 100 metre freestyle and I used to swim faster than that in practice. Of course the current world record holder from Italy goes a 1.08 with a few mila seconds added on to that, so I may have been out of the medal race, but I could have qualified. Also, who knows how much I could have improved. Maybe I would have been closer to that gold medal position. That said, hindsight's 20/20 and I hated the 100 free anyway. Plus, I retired for a reason. No point in thinking what could have been. I have new and exciting things to focus on...right?
I've talked to a few other retired athletes that I know and they are having a hard time too. Apparently, even one athlete who retired in 2004 is finding these Games particularly difficult. I think it's because London is doing such a great job with the Games. The atmosphere is just fantastic. For me, being so close makes it harder too.
Regardless of whether I could have qualified or not, I retired and that is that. I have four years to get ready for 2016 and these Games is great fuel for that fire.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Potential
With my training becoming more of a consistent thing, there seems to be more pieces slowly coming together. The pieces may not fit, but at least the opportunity to examine them and decide for myself is there. A lot of it has stemmed from starting running with Laura. Unbeknownst to her, she has opened a whole lot of doors for me and I am truly grateful to her. When I thanked her she replied,
"you still have to run on your own two legs."
I laughed, but I really don't think she understands the full weight of what she's done for me. Because of her, I may have found a small pool of runners willing to run with me from time to time.
When Mr. K and I moved to our new flat, we not only moved closer to Laura but also to a different gym. She encouraged us to join this gym and after some discussion, we decided to do it. So far, I have really enjoyed my time at this particular gym and it's been because of this that I've met more runners.
The UK wide shop called the Sweat Shop organises community running programs and there just happens to be one associated with the gym we've joined. Laura spoke to the manager and he said it would be no problem for me to come along to the runs. They run Sunday, and Tuesdays and after attending my first run on Tuesday, I've found two other volunteers who are interested in guiding for me. There have been others who have put up their hands as well, which is very encouraging.
Laura usually only runs with the group on Tuesdays so having someone, or a few someones, there on Sundays would be great. I am supposed to run with one of the new volunteers tomorrow to see how she likes it and if we are a good match.
Laura and I are going to continue running on Tuesdays with her guiding me but as a part of the running group. We will also do my long runs on Wednesday evenings just on the trails by my flat; just the two of us. She and I chatted this past Wednesday about a workout schedule and this week will be the first week I'm implementing it. I really hope with my new plan and potential guide runners, I can really get things moving even more than they already are. Exciting times.
On top of all of this very exciting stuff, I've finally heard back from Triathlon Canada. I contacted them almost two years ago with no results. Para triathlon had not really taken a hold in Canada only two years ago, but with London 2012 approaching for Paralympians and triathlon being added to the 2016 line up, Triathlon Canada is starting to develop a Para-triathlon team. Originally, I had been in touch with the UK team, but no one was very interested in helping me go anywhere with triathlon. I suspect that it may be because I'm not from the UK and they'd be training me to compete against them. I hadn't entirely decided who'd I compete for, but if Triathlon Canada wants to take me on and support me, then I would compete for them.
The person I am supposed to talk to about my situation is currently on vacation, but hopefully I'll hear from him soon. The guy who responded to my enquiry, said that I was the type of athlete they were looking for and so, (hopefully again), something will come of all of this.
I also spoke to an acquaintance about potentially running the London marathon together. She ran it last year, but injured herself at mile ten. She finished the race, but she's hoping to better her time since she finished in over six hours. I've applied to raise funds for the Guide Dog organisation in the UK, whereas, she's applied for a general ballot with no fundraising pressures. We both kind of thought that if one of us gets a ballot, we may be able to work something out where we run together.
Again, more "hoping" and "potential," but I like this kind of "hoping" and "potential." A lot of good things could come of all of these things.
"you still have to run on your own two legs."
I laughed, but I really don't think she understands the full weight of what she's done for me. Because of her, I may have found a small pool of runners willing to run with me from time to time.
When Mr. K and I moved to our new flat, we not only moved closer to Laura but also to a different gym. She encouraged us to join this gym and after some discussion, we decided to do it. So far, I have really enjoyed my time at this particular gym and it's been because of this that I've met more runners.
The UK wide shop called the Sweat Shop organises community running programs and there just happens to be one associated with the gym we've joined. Laura spoke to the manager and he said it would be no problem for me to come along to the runs. They run Sunday, and Tuesdays and after attending my first run on Tuesday, I've found two other volunteers who are interested in guiding for me. There have been others who have put up their hands as well, which is very encouraging.
Laura usually only runs with the group on Tuesdays so having someone, or a few someones, there on Sundays would be great. I am supposed to run with one of the new volunteers tomorrow to see how she likes it and if we are a good match.
Laura and I are going to continue running on Tuesdays with her guiding me but as a part of the running group. We will also do my long runs on Wednesday evenings just on the trails by my flat; just the two of us. She and I chatted this past Wednesday about a workout schedule and this week will be the first week I'm implementing it. I really hope with my new plan and potential guide runners, I can really get things moving even more than they already are. Exciting times.
On top of all of this very exciting stuff, I've finally heard back from Triathlon Canada. I contacted them almost two years ago with no results. Para triathlon had not really taken a hold in Canada only two years ago, but with London 2012 approaching for Paralympians and triathlon being added to the 2016 line up, Triathlon Canada is starting to develop a Para-triathlon team. Originally, I had been in touch with the UK team, but no one was very interested in helping me go anywhere with triathlon. I suspect that it may be because I'm not from the UK and they'd be training me to compete against them. I hadn't entirely decided who'd I compete for, but if Triathlon Canada wants to take me on and support me, then I would compete for them.
The person I am supposed to talk to about my situation is currently on vacation, but hopefully I'll hear from him soon. The guy who responded to my enquiry, said that I was the type of athlete they were looking for and so, (hopefully again), something will come of all of this.
I also spoke to an acquaintance about potentially running the London marathon together. She ran it last year, but injured herself at mile ten. She finished the race, but she's hoping to better her time since she finished in over six hours. I've applied to raise funds for the Guide Dog organisation in the UK, whereas, she's applied for a general ballot with no fundraising pressures. We both kind of thought that if one of us gets a ballot, we may be able to work something out where we run together.
Again, more "hoping" and "potential," but I like this kind of "hoping" and "potential." A lot of good things could come of all of these things.
Monday, July 9, 2012
A Glimmer of Hope
As everyone who reads this blog regularly knows, finding sighted guides has been the greatest challenge for me as a blind athlete. Originally, I had wanted to compete in a triathlon and eventually attempt to make the 2016 Paralympic Games, but finding guides who are the same sex and who do all legs of the race has been quite difficult. So, I had made a few changes, deciding that finding a guide for just one sport, as opposed to three, would be easier. I'm not saying it was easier, but I may have made a small break through. In disability sport, every baby step is celebrated and so I am just excited to have made the progress that I have.
The website
Jogging Buddy
and the RNIB have partnered up to assist blind and visually impaired runners find guides. When new members create profiles, they are asked if they are blind or visually impaired or if they would be willing to be a guide runner. Because of this program, I may have made contact with two potential guide runners.
The first person I got a response from is a guy who lives in England, but he is very excited to guide and is willing to be a guide for races. We've already discussed some races to compete in and we're supposed to have a phone chat tomorrow evening. Sure, it's not ideal with him living so far away, but he's willing to travel for races and to help with a workout plan and that is a good start.
The other person is a woman who is actually quite local to me. Mr. K and I are going to be moving this upcoming weekend and our move brings us even closer to her. She and I had a little coffee date on Friday and then went for a short 2 K run to get an idea of whether or not we fit and to see if she liked it. We didn't use a tether, just draped my forearm over hers in order to learn how each other's body movements felt, but I think we did really well considering we had just met and she had never guided a blind person walking before, never mind running.
She is quite a bit taller than me, but I actually think that is good. Our stride is quite similar and we hardly broke step with one another. Her verbal cues were good as well. Once, she had to jump over a puddle, but I did not and she warned me well enough in advanced that she just hopped over, I kept running and then our feet fell back in sync.
We chatted the whole time we ran and I found her body movements really easy to follow. When she was going uphill, she leaned forward and I could feel the power from her legs pushing her up the hill. When going down, her weight shifted backwards and her stride lengthened, which I could feel without her saying anything. I was surprised at how well we worked together despite only having met an hour before.
After the run, I wasn't sure how she felt about it so I told her to think about it and to contact me when she had made a decision. We agreed that if she wanted to guide, we could make a schedule at the beginning of every week and go from there. Due to her working schedule, we can run together only once or twice a week, but that is definitely better than nothing
Needless to say, I was very excited when I received a text from her last night asking me if I wanted to run Wednesday evening. She's even going to pick me up. That last bit was every bit as surprising as the first. Here was a woman that I spent just over an hour talking with and then just under another hour running with and she already knows how to make things easier for me and she doesn't mind.
So, I think that if all goes well on Wednesday, I'll have a part time guide runner who is local to me. How very exciting.
I've always believed in the saying, "good things come to those who wait," but, to be honest, my faith had begun to waiver a bit. It definitely has been restored.
I've put a few more feelers out with other organisations and will continue to do so because the more guides I have, the better. So even though this has been a long process, I think persistence has won out here. There is still a lot of work to do, but each small victory moves me one step closer to my end goal of running a marathon.
The website
Jogging Buddy
and the RNIB have partnered up to assist blind and visually impaired runners find guides. When new members create profiles, they are asked if they are blind or visually impaired or if they would be willing to be a guide runner. Because of this program, I may have made contact with two potential guide runners.
The first person I got a response from is a guy who lives in England, but he is very excited to guide and is willing to be a guide for races. We've already discussed some races to compete in and we're supposed to have a phone chat tomorrow evening. Sure, it's not ideal with him living so far away, but he's willing to travel for races and to help with a workout plan and that is a good start.
The other person is a woman who is actually quite local to me. Mr. K and I are going to be moving this upcoming weekend and our move brings us even closer to her. She and I had a little coffee date on Friday and then went for a short 2 K run to get an idea of whether or not we fit and to see if she liked it. We didn't use a tether, just draped my forearm over hers in order to learn how each other's body movements felt, but I think we did really well considering we had just met and she had never guided a blind person walking before, never mind running.
She is quite a bit taller than me, but I actually think that is good. Our stride is quite similar and we hardly broke step with one another. Her verbal cues were good as well. Once, she had to jump over a puddle, but I did not and she warned me well enough in advanced that she just hopped over, I kept running and then our feet fell back in sync.
We chatted the whole time we ran and I found her body movements really easy to follow. When she was going uphill, she leaned forward and I could feel the power from her legs pushing her up the hill. When going down, her weight shifted backwards and her stride lengthened, which I could feel without her saying anything. I was surprised at how well we worked together despite only having met an hour before.
After the run, I wasn't sure how she felt about it so I told her to think about it and to contact me when she had made a decision. We agreed that if she wanted to guide, we could make a schedule at the beginning of every week and go from there. Due to her working schedule, we can run together only once or twice a week, but that is definitely better than nothing
Needless to say, I was very excited when I received a text from her last night asking me if I wanted to run Wednesday evening. She's even going to pick me up. That last bit was every bit as surprising as the first. Here was a woman that I spent just over an hour talking with and then just under another hour running with and she already knows how to make things easier for me and she doesn't mind.
So, I think that if all goes well on Wednesday, I'll have a part time guide runner who is local to me. How very exciting.
I've always believed in the saying, "good things come to those who wait," but, to be honest, my faith had begun to waiver a bit. It definitely has been restored.
I've put a few more feelers out with other organisations and will continue to do so because the more guides I have, the better. So even though this has been a long process, I think persistence has won out here. There is still a lot of work to do, but each small victory moves me one step closer to my end goal of running a marathon.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Ever Present Paralympic Sport Politics
With the 2012 Paralympic games just 71 days away, I've been doing a lot of reading on the different sports that will be present this go around. Just for interest sake I looked at the swimming events available for totally blind women and was slightly irritated to see that six races were being offered. I wasn't irritated at the London Games, in fact quite the opposite. I was irritated with Beijing because they chose to get rid of all but two races for totally blind women, which meant just 8 months out I had to start training for events that weren't my original races. I even had to change strokes. I'm glad to see though, that the Games seem to have expanded again.
After that I looked up the events offered to totally blind women on the track and was again irritated. It would appear that totally blind women can only run sprint distances. There isn't even a marathon offered to this specific disability. There are three marathon classifications for men, while there is only one for women and that is for female wheelchair users. You'd think that in 2012 we'd be a little more advanced than that.
Then, of course, I moved on to the triathlon, as it is still my goal one day to run one, and was confronted with a low vision American athlete suing the governing bodies of triathlon for the rule they implemented 2 years ago. The rule stated that all visually impaired athletes had to wear blacked out goggles during the run portion of the race. It was said to even the playing field because there were totally blind athletes and low vision athletes racing against one another. Usually, these athletes are broken up into 3 categories based on their vision loss, but since there apparently aren't enough blind/visually impaired athletes to break us up into 3 categories, they have thrown everyone together.
There are a lot of issues with forcing a low vision athlete to wear blacked out goggles, and I am certainly not debating that, but what concerns me is the articles being published about this lawsuit. The reasons being given, or at least the ones that the media is focusing on, make it sound like totally blind athletes are dangerous to themselves and others on the race course. The athlete suing gave examples of him trying to train in goggles and falling into a ditch and running head first into a pole. It makes me wonder what his guide was doing to allow him to do this. Not to mention, were they using a ten foot tether? I don't know the specifics, so I will attempt to keep my comments to myself, but using illustrations such as those makes it sound like all totally blind people run themselves into poles and ditches. He also used the example of him running into a volunteer at a water station during a race and again, this could be problematic for totally blind athletes who have fought so hard to have the right to run races with sighted athletes. We don't all run into volunteers.
I don't think this is what this particular athlete is trying to convey, but that is the message coming out in the media. I'm not saying don't stand up for your rights, but the distinctions between a totally blind athlete and a partially sighted athlete really need to be made in order to protect the rights of the totally blind athlete.
So, here are some of the reasons why blindfolding a partially sighted athlete is a problem. (And I am sure I'll leave something out because I am totally blind, not partially sighted, and therefore don't know what all of the issues a low vision athlete faces).
First of all, it's the principle of the matter. Why are you disabling someone further and if you are going to force the athlete to wear blacked out goggles on one leg of the race, why aren't they forced to wear them during the whole race? I am not by any means suggesting that this should be done! It just doesn't make sense. People who know nothing about blind/visually impaired sport are making these decisions. Blind athletes have offered to sit on these committees in order to assist with decision making, but they have been denied. Who would know better about blind/visually impaired sport than blind/visually impaired athletes?
Another problem is taking someone who is used to seeing a certain way and expecting them to not see at all. That is the unsafe part. This athlete ran into a volunteer, pole and ditch because he is not used to being blind. People don't realise how much just a little bit of sight can make a huge difference and that is the reasoning behind blindfolding these athletes, but it is also a good reason not to. It is dangerous for them because they don't know how to be totally blind, and, I think, that is the point this athlete and his lawyer are trying to make, but the media has missed that essential point. Let's just hope the general public doesn't get a hold of this and misunderstands it because if they do, it could mean a lot of trouble for totally blind athletes. Races will start refusing entry to totally blind athletes and blind triathletes will be back where they were only five years ago; having nowhere to race because people think they are dangerous.
After that I looked up the events offered to totally blind women on the track and was again irritated. It would appear that totally blind women can only run sprint distances. There isn't even a marathon offered to this specific disability. There are three marathon classifications for men, while there is only one for women and that is for female wheelchair users. You'd think that in 2012 we'd be a little more advanced than that.
Then, of course, I moved on to the triathlon, as it is still my goal one day to run one, and was confronted with a low vision American athlete suing the governing bodies of triathlon for the rule they implemented 2 years ago. The rule stated that all visually impaired athletes had to wear blacked out goggles during the run portion of the race. It was said to even the playing field because there were totally blind athletes and low vision athletes racing against one another. Usually, these athletes are broken up into 3 categories based on their vision loss, but since there apparently aren't enough blind/visually impaired athletes to break us up into 3 categories, they have thrown everyone together.
There are a lot of issues with forcing a low vision athlete to wear blacked out goggles, and I am certainly not debating that, but what concerns me is the articles being published about this lawsuit. The reasons being given, or at least the ones that the media is focusing on, make it sound like totally blind athletes are dangerous to themselves and others on the race course. The athlete suing gave examples of him trying to train in goggles and falling into a ditch and running head first into a pole. It makes me wonder what his guide was doing to allow him to do this. Not to mention, were they using a ten foot tether? I don't know the specifics, so I will attempt to keep my comments to myself, but using illustrations such as those makes it sound like all totally blind people run themselves into poles and ditches. He also used the example of him running into a volunteer at a water station during a race and again, this could be problematic for totally blind athletes who have fought so hard to have the right to run races with sighted athletes. We don't all run into volunteers.
I don't think this is what this particular athlete is trying to convey, but that is the message coming out in the media. I'm not saying don't stand up for your rights, but the distinctions between a totally blind athlete and a partially sighted athlete really need to be made in order to protect the rights of the totally blind athlete.
So, here are some of the reasons why blindfolding a partially sighted athlete is a problem. (And I am sure I'll leave something out because I am totally blind, not partially sighted, and therefore don't know what all of the issues a low vision athlete faces).
First of all, it's the principle of the matter. Why are you disabling someone further and if you are going to force the athlete to wear blacked out goggles on one leg of the race, why aren't they forced to wear them during the whole race? I am not by any means suggesting that this should be done! It just doesn't make sense. People who know nothing about blind/visually impaired sport are making these decisions. Blind athletes have offered to sit on these committees in order to assist with decision making, but they have been denied. Who would know better about blind/visually impaired sport than blind/visually impaired athletes?
Another problem is taking someone who is used to seeing a certain way and expecting them to not see at all. That is the unsafe part. This athlete ran into a volunteer, pole and ditch because he is not used to being blind. People don't realise how much just a little bit of sight can make a huge difference and that is the reasoning behind blindfolding these athletes, but it is also a good reason not to. It is dangerous for them because they don't know how to be totally blind, and, I think, that is the point this athlete and his lawyer are trying to make, but the media has missed that essential point. Let's just hope the general public doesn't get a hold of this and misunderstands it because if they do, it could mean a lot of trouble for totally blind athletes. Races will start refusing entry to totally blind athletes and blind triathletes will be back where they were only five years ago; having nowhere to race because people think they are dangerous.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A Great Opportunity
A little while back I posted that I had been welcomed to the ranks of Won With One, a national triathlon team dedicated to blind and visually impaired athletes; regardless of fitness levels. Won With One welcomes Canadian blind and visually impaired triathletes, whether the person wants to improve his/her fitness or he/she has dreams of representing Canada in 2016. Have I mentioned I have an inkling to go to the 2016 Games? ;)
One of the goals of Won With One is to break down barriers to sport for blind and visually impaired individuals and make fitness a more realistic endeavor. Jan Ditchfield, the Executive Director has been working tirelessly with others to put together a series of workshops directed at furthering blind and Visually impaired people's participation, not only in sport, but life in general. I think these workshops are a great opportunity for anyone who is looking to become involved or who is involved in sport with blind and visually impaired athletes. Of course, these workshops are incredibly beneficial to athletes themselves and I intend on listening to the workshop on triathlon guiding via Skype. Obviously I don't guide myself-that would be very bad-but knowing how to direct my guides will definitely be beneficial to my training and racing in the future. Below you will find the details about all six workshops and information about registration. You can decide how many workshops you attend, or you may pay a flat rate to attend all six.
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One of the goals of Won With One is to break down barriers to sport for blind and visually impaired individuals and make fitness a more realistic endeavor. Jan Ditchfield, the Executive Director has been working tirelessly with others to put together a series of workshops directed at furthering blind and Visually impaired people's participation, not only in sport, but life in general. I think these workshops are a great opportunity for anyone who is looking to become involved or who is involved in sport with blind and visually impaired athletes. Of course, these workshops are incredibly beneficial to athletes themselves and I intend on listening to the workshop on triathlon guiding via Skype. Obviously I don't guide myself-that would be very bad-but knowing how to direct my guides will definitely be beneficial to my training and racing in the future. Below you will find the details about all six workshops and information about registration. You can decide how many workshops you attend, or you may pay a flat rate to attend all six.
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Won with One is proud to host our dynamic learning series Eye on You; taking place over six weeks and focusing on proactive solutions and educational resources from leaders in the blind/visually impaired community in Canada. All proceeds from this series will go to assist Won with One’s charitable program for blind and visually impaired triathletes.
Cost: $15 per workshop OR $75 for the series (6)
Location: Ottawa City Hall
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:30pm
Dates: See below per workshop
**Please note Skype participation is now available for people who do not reside in Ottawa
Workshop Topics:
#1 - From the Couch to Well-being
Thursday, February 2nd
Ottawa City Hall, Honeywell Room
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.**
Fitness expert, Wendall Hughes has designed an innovative and fully accessible exercise program for B/VI persons introducing them to simple exercise routines that can be done in the home. This workshop will be focused on providing resources and information to persons who are new to living active lifestyles, with tips, tools and support that will aid in developing healthier lifestyles.
Thursday, February 2nd
Ottawa City Hall, Honeywell Room
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.**
Fitness expert, Wendall Hughes has designed an innovative and fully accessible exercise program for B/VI persons introducing them to simple exercise routines that can be done in the home. This workshop will be focused on providing resources and information to persons who are new to living active lifestyles, with tips, tools and support that will aid in developing healthier lifestyles.
#2 - Your Life. Your Voice.
Thursday, February 9th
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall, Colonel By Room
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
Leaders in Human Rights in Canada will present in this exciting workshop on self-advocacy. Focusing on how to make your voice heard, understanding your rights and working within challenging systems. This topic will be directly focused on providing the B/VI community with resources, ideas and an understanding of the laws in Canada which are designed to protect the rights of all persons living with disabilities.
Thursday, February 9th
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall, Colonel By Room
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
Leaders in Human Rights in Canada will present in this exciting workshop on self-advocacy. Focusing on how to make your voice heard, understanding your rights and working within challenging systems. This topic will be directly focused on providing the B/VI community with resources, ideas and an understanding of the laws in Canada which are designed to protect the rights of all persons living with disabilities.
#3 - Equality in Employment
Thursday, February 16th
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall, Honeywell Room
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
This dynamic round table discussion will focus on resume writing tips, interview preparation, how to turn a volunteer role into a permanent position, as well as overcoming barriers which stand in the way of employment as a B/VI person. With a panel of knowledgeable and experienced leaders in employment, this topic will aid in taking the right steps in your career search.
Thursday, February 16th
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall, Honeywell Room
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
This dynamic round table discussion will focus on resume writing tips, interview preparation, how to turn a volunteer role into a permanent position, as well as overcoming barriers which stand in the way of employment as a B/VI person. With a panel of knowledgeable and experienced leaders in employment, this topic will aid in taking the right steps in your career search.
#4 - Your Financial Future 101
Thursday, February 23rd
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall, Colonel By Room
To register click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
Ryan Ricci, an Investment Fund Advisor with Desjardins Financial Security Investments Inc., will assist with his wealth of knowledge on how to prepare for your financial future with a workshop that has been designed for the blind/visually impaired community. Dealing with financial preparations from beginning to end, RDSP contributions and the importance of preparing for your tomorrow; this topic will bring real answers to real questions about financial security and independence.
Thursday, February 23rd
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall, Colonel By Room
To register click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
Ryan Ricci, an Investment Fund Advisor with Desjardins Financial Security Investments Inc., will assist with his wealth of knowledge on how to prepare for your financial future with a workshop that has been designed for the blind/visually impaired community. Dealing with financial preparations from beginning to end, RDSP contributions and the importance of preparing for your tomorrow; this topic will bring real answers to real questions about financial security and independence.
#5 - The 20/200 Project
Thursday, March 1st
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall
To register click here.
***Please note that registration for this event is capped at 12 participants.
From accessible mobile technology to independence; Co-Founders of The 20/200 Project, Chris Maley and Jan Ditchfield, will lead a workshop exploring how accessible mobile technology will lead to independence. With hands-on applications and teaching aids, this powerful and innovative workshop will provide participants with an understanding of the power of mobile devices and how they can be used in work, life and play.
Thursday, March 1st
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall
To register click here.
***Please note that registration for this event is capped at 12 participants.
From accessible mobile technology to independence; Co-Founders of The 20/200 Project, Chris Maley and Jan Ditchfield, will lead a workshop exploring how accessible mobile technology will lead to independence. With hands-on applications and teaching aids, this powerful and innovative workshop will provide participants with an understanding of the power of mobile devices and how they can be used in work, life and play.
#6 - From the Tether to the T-Zone
Thursday, March 8th
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
Rick Hellard of Zone3sports and Jan Ditchfield, Executive Director of Won with One, will host this hands-on learning opportunity for guides and race directors. Covering everything from Guiding 101 practices to assisting race directors in making their events blind friendly, this workshop will focus on educating the sighted community on accessibility needs and equality for B/VI athletes on and off the race course.
To register for the complete series (6) click here.
Thursday, March 8th
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Ottawa City Hall
To register for this workshop click here.
**Please note that registration for this event is capped at 30 participants.
Rick Hellard of Zone3sports and Jan Ditchfield, Executive Director of Won with One, will host this hands-on learning opportunity for guides and race directors. Covering everything from Guiding 101 practices to assisting race directors in making their events blind friendly, this workshop will focus on educating the sighted community on accessibility needs and equality for B/VI athletes on and off the race course.
To register for the complete series (6) click here.
We look froward to having you join us and for more information, please email us atwonwithone@gmail.com. Full information for this series can be found online athttp://wonwithone.blogspot.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Gearing Up For 2012
As 2011 comes to a close I look back on the last two months and know that I have a lot to be thankful for. I also know that I have a lot to look forward to in 2012 as well.
It was just two months ago that I finally managed to make my three year dream of training for a triathlon come true. My training isn't as consistent as I'd like it to be, but that is a goal for 2012. I am grateful for the progress I have made in such a short period of time: if someone had told me that I would run in my first 5 K race in just over a month of beginning this journey, I wouldn't have believed them, but it happened.
I am grateful to the trainers at the gym where I am currently training. their patience and helpfulness go a long way. One trainer in particular is wonderful; leaving me to do my own thing, but giving me advice and assistance when I ask for it. He's great about reading me my heart rate during workouts and checking in with me and encouraging where needed. His interest and assistance is sincere and I really apreciate that.
I am grateful to my husband, friends and family for going along with me on this crazy ride. A lot of my friends were there when I was competing for Canada as a swimmer and have been great about making sure I eat enough. My husband, although a bit resistant at first, has been very supportive in coming to the gym with me and being understanding of the time I spend training, stretching and eating. My parents have been and always will be supportive of most of my crazy schemes and for that I love them and am very grateful. Without the support of these key people in my life, training for the 2016 Paralympic Games would not even be an option.
As for 2012, I have a few goals laid out, one of them being implementing a more consistent training regiment. Consistency is the key to success in any arena and I think getting in more frequent swims and bike rides will make a huge difference.
The biggest goal for 2012 is to actually compete in my first triathlon and in order to do that I need to follow through on the aforementioned goal. I must also get time out on a tandem bike. Another goal, which will make my competing goal more of a reality, is to find an actual training plan to follow. Thus far I have been, if you will pardon the pun, fumbling in the dark; using my swimming knowledge and hoping for the best. In order to be a successful triathlete, a solid training plan must be utilized.
So, it is with all of these goals in mind that I welcome 2012 and say good-bye to 2011. Thank you to the people who have made the last two months possible and to those who will make the years to come possible as well.
It was just two months ago that I finally managed to make my three year dream of training for a triathlon come true. My training isn't as consistent as I'd like it to be, but that is a goal for 2012. I am grateful for the progress I have made in such a short period of time: if someone had told me that I would run in my first 5 K race in just over a month of beginning this journey, I wouldn't have believed them, but it happened.
I am grateful to the trainers at the gym where I am currently training. their patience and helpfulness go a long way. One trainer in particular is wonderful; leaving me to do my own thing, but giving me advice and assistance when I ask for it. He's great about reading me my heart rate during workouts and checking in with me and encouraging where needed. His interest and assistance is sincere and I really apreciate that.
I am grateful to my husband, friends and family for going along with me on this crazy ride. A lot of my friends were there when I was competing for Canada as a swimmer and have been great about making sure I eat enough. My husband, although a bit resistant at first, has been very supportive in coming to the gym with me and being understanding of the time I spend training, stretching and eating. My parents have been and always will be supportive of most of my crazy schemes and for that I love them and am very grateful. Without the support of these key people in my life, training for the 2016 Paralympic Games would not even be an option.
As for 2012, I have a few goals laid out, one of them being implementing a more consistent training regiment. Consistency is the key to success in any arena and I think getting in more frequent swims and bike rides will make a huge difference.
The biggest goal for 2012 is to actually compete in my first triathlon and in order to do that I need to follow through on the aforementioned goal. I must also get time out on a tandem bike. Another goal, which will make my competing goal more of a reality, is to find an actual training plan to follow. Thus far I have been, if you will pardon the pun, fumbling in the dark; using my swimming knowledge and hoping for the best. In order to be a successful triathlete, a solid training plan must be utilized.
So, it is with all of these goals in mind that I welcome 2012 and say good-bye to 2011. Thank you to the people who have made the last two months possible and to those who will make the years to come possible as well.
Friday, December 23, 2011
ZZZZZZZZ: Or the Lack Thereof
What happens when your body decides that it only needs to sleep for three hours? What do you do when you are awake five hours before the alarm goes off and six hours to your workout? You blog, of course.
I'm not entirely sure what's going on with my sleeping schedule, but I can't sleep for the life of me. I'm usually a good sleeper-I know I'm lucky that way-but for some reason, this last week I can't sleep. Maybe I'm too excited about Santa coming.
Quite often, people who are totally blind, or only have a bit of light perception, have difficulties sleeping. The inability to process light confuses the chemicals in the brain and they are either not produced or too much is produced. Hence, causing sleeping pattern issues. Normally, I do not have these sort of difficulties and even though I've tried to turn my schedule around, I keep popping awake around 3 or 4 AM for no reason; regardless of when I went to bed.
Seriously though, not sleeping definitely impacts your workout, but that can't stop me today. I have today and tomorrow to get through to finish out this week's practices and I am going to do it. I had scheduled to practice transitions for the first time today. I really want to get my body used to going from the bike into a run because apparently, your legs can feel "cooked" after cycling. The sooner I learn to push through that, the better. I'm not sure if that will stay on today's agenda as I'd like to do that when I'm feeling really good, but then again, why not do it tired? Races will happen whether you've slept or not, and if it's your first race of the season or your first race ever, sleep is highly unlikely due to excitement. So, I suppose practicing transitions on about only three hours of sleep may be beneficial in the long run.
If I can do these things tired then imagine how well I'll do with a good night's sleep?
This all sounds a bit crazy, but training needs to happen when you want to reach the level that I do. Sure, you shouldn't over do it, but you also need to push and I think today may be a "push through it" kind of day. That's okay. As that old saying goes:
"Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Or, as a coach used to say to me quite often when training for team Canada:
"suck it up buttercup."
I will be sucking it up. :)
I'm not entirely sure what's going on with my sleeping schedule, but I can't sleep for the life of me. I'm usually a good sleeper-I know I'm lucky that way-but for some reason, this last week I can't sleep. Maybe I'm too excited about Santa coming.
Quite often, people who are totally blind, or only have a bit of light perception, have difficulties sleeping. The inability to process light confuses the chemicals in the brain and they are either not produced or too much is produced. Hence, causing sleeping pattern issues. Normally, I do not have these sort of difficulties and even though I've tried to turn my schedule around, I keep popping awake around 3 or 4 AM for no reason; regardless of when I went to bed.
Seriously though, not sleeping definitely impacts your workout, but that can't stop me today. I have today and tomorrow to get through to finish out this week's practices and I am going to do it. I had scheduled to practice transitions for the first time today. I really want to get my body used to going from the bike into a run because apparently, your legs can feel "cooked" after cycling. The sooner I learn to push through that, the better. I'm not sure if that will stay on today's agenda as I'd like to do that when I'm feeling really good, but then again, why not do it tired? Races will happen whether you've slept or not, and if it's your first race of the season or your first race ever, sleep is highly unlikely due to excitement. So, I suppose practicing transitions on about only three hours of sleep may be beneficial in the long run.
If I can do these things tired then imagine how well I'll do with a good night's sleep?
This all sounds a bit crazy, but training needs to happen when you want to reach the level that I do. Sure, you shouldn't over do it, but you also need to push and I think today may be a "push through it" kind of day. That's okay. As that old saying goes:
"Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."
Or, as a coach used to say to me quite often when training for team Canada:
"suck it up buttercup."
I will be sucking it up. :)
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
It's Official
Becoming a triathlete has been something I have had in the works for just under three years now. I'm not even sure I'd call myself a triathlete just yet as I haven't even raced. Perhaps the best way to word it is that I am training for a triathlon. It's been in the last seven months or so that things have really started to come together for me. There is still a lot of ground work to be laid, not only with regards to fitness, but also in logistics as training as a totally blind athlete. However, there has been a person who has played a key role in my success up until this point and I am happy to say that she and her crew have welcomed me into their ranks.
Jan Ditchfield is dedicated to furthering blind and visually impaired people's participation in physical activity; more specifically, triathlon. It was when I was put in contact with her back in May, that things really started falling into place. Jan has been a mover and a shaker for me and a catalyst in getting my triathlon career actually in gear. I've been able to follow her lead and suggestions and have had the success in making triathlon related contacts thanks to the ground work she laid. Without these contacts, my dreams of one day competing in a triathlon would not be possible.
Won With One
is a team of visually impaired and totally blind athletes striving to compete in triathlon, whether for personal gain or with aspirations of reaching the 2016 Paralympic Games. The group is currently working on obtaining "non-profit" status and relies heavily on donations to operate. Won With One, with the help of many sponsors and donors, provides its athletes with tandem bikes, guides and various other things needed in order to compete. The group is based in Ottawa Canada, but reaches nationally, and now I suppose, internationally; considering I am in Scotland. I am incredibly grateful to Jan Ditchfield and to Won With One for taking me on, despite the distance, and can't wait to start racing with them in 2012. I think it's going to be a very exciting year and even more so now that I am a member of Won With One.
Jan Ditchfield is dedicated to furthering blind and visually impaired people's participation in physical activity; more specifically, triathlon. It was when I was put in contact with her back in May, that things really started falling into place. Jan has been a mover and a shaker for me and a catalyst in getting my triathlon career actually in gear. I've been able to follow her lead and suggestions and have had the success in making triathlon related contacts thanks to the ground work she laid. Without these contacts, my dreams of one day competing in a triathlon would not be possible.
Won With One
is a team of visually impaired and totally blind athletes striving to compete in triathlon, whether for personal gain or with aspirations of reaching the 2016 Paralympic Games. The group is currently working on obtaining "non-profit" status and relies heavily on donations to operate. Won With One, with the help of many sponsors and donors, provides its athletes with tandem bikes, guides and various other things needed in order to compete. The group is based in Ottawa Canada, but reaches nationally, and now I suppose, internationally; considering I am in Scotland. I am incredibly grateful to Jan Ditchfield and to Won With One for taking me on, despite the distance, and can't wait to start racing with them in 2012. I think it's going to be a very exciting year and even more so now that I am a member of Won With One.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Redemption!
After my difficult run Wednesday, I was a bit worried to see what would happen the next time I laced my runners up. Originally on Friday, Emily and I were supposed to complete an 8 K run outside, but life's circumstances got in the way and I just went back to the gym to pound it out on the treadmill. Emily was not able to come with me, but my husband signed up for the gym and he came along. Even though we weren't necessarily doing the same thing, it was nice to know that someone else was there with me.
I started my workout with a five minute brisk walk. I didn't want to risk my calves cramping again. I bumped the treadmill up and ran for a good 2 kilometres at about 9 kilometres an hour before I realised the cramping in my calves had been caused by running faster than I'm ready to. I completed 2 K in less than 14 minutes and even though I was starting to hurt pretty badly, I was proud of myself. I didn't want to stop though and so just turned the speed down to about 8.5 and I was able to carry on to the five K mark with hardly any problems. When the treadmill beeped at me and slowed itself down, indicating my warm down period, I was shocked. I felt as if I could have kept running. This in and of itself also surprised me. That was the first time I've actually felt that way. As I've mentioned before, I am not a runner, but I feel as though with training I could become one; at least enough of one to complete the running leg of the triathlon successfully. I always thought running would be a struggle and to get to a point where it actually felt good and as if I could keep going was extremely gratifying.
On the walk home I began thinking about how I had felt and realised that I was ready to kick my running training up a notch. I had finally reached a level where I could actually maintain some kind of running at a half way decent pace; at least half way decent for a beginner. In order to improve even more, I needed a plan; I needed workouts that would push me without fatiguing me so much that I landed on the couch for a few days with seized muscles. Upon arriving home, I browsed the internet for running workouts that would be beneficial to triathlon training. I was overwhelmed at the number of articles published for that purpose and was having difficulty discerning between articles that were actually good quality workouts and ones that were not beneficial.
As a retired swimmer, I can usually look at a water workout and understand its purpose. From there, I can make an educated decision of whether or not I should use it. My knowledge of running is so limited that I was not able to pick a regiment for the next couple of weeks that would get me to where I want to be in three to four weeks. With that in mind, I made three appointments with the gym to discuss running sessions with a personal trainer and also emailed a friend who is currently training for the 2012 Paralympic Games scheduled to be held in London. He is a long distance runner and I hoped that he could at least point me in the right direction.
When his response came back, I was pleasantly surprised to see that he had not only given me some useful information, but had also given me some workouts for the next three weeks. They all seem doable and although I may have to do some tweaking with some of the lengthier runs, as I am not sure I can run for 70 minutes straight yet, I was, and am incredibly grateful for the guidance.
On top of all this, I also found out, from a Canadian athlete currently training for triathlon, that "the powers that be" have decided that Para (athletes with disabilities) will compete in sprint triathlons as opposed to Olympic distance events. This means that the distances for all three legs of the race are reduced by half; 750 metres for the swim, 20 kilometres for the bike and 5 kilometres for the run. Personally, I'd still like to complete an Olympic distance triathlon-1.5 K swim, 40 K bike and 10 K run-but knowing that I am now training seriously for a Sprint triathlon changes things a bit.
Today I head to the gym, armed with new running workouts thanks to a friend and a new perspective on what I need to accomplish to reach the Paralympic Games in 2016. As I have said a million times before and will probably keep saying, I have a lot of work to do still, but things are moving right along. Besides, if I ever feel that I do not have any more work to do then I should probably stop training for a triathlon. The point of competitive sport is to always strive for improvement and if I feel there isn't any more room for improvement, then I am probably ready to retire.
I started my workout with a five minute brisk walk. I didn't want to risk my calves cramping again. I bumped the treadmill up and ran for a good 2 kilometres at about 9 kilometres an hour before I realised the cramping in my calves had been caused by running faster than I'm ready to. I completed 2 K in less than 14 minutes and even though I was starting to hurt pretty badly, I was proud of myself. I didn't want to stop though and so just turned the speed down to about 8.5 and I was able to carry on to the five K mark with hardly any problems. When the treadmill beeped at me and slowed itself down, indicating my warm down period, I was shocked. I felt as if I could have kept running. This in and of itself also surprised me. That was the first time I've actually felt that way. As I've mentioned before, I am not a runner, but I feel as though with training I could become one; at least enough of one to complete the running leg of the triathlon successfully. I always thought running would be a struggle and to get to a point where it actually felt good and as if I could keep going was extremely gratifying.
On the walk home I began thinking about how I had felt and realised that I was ready to kick my running training up a notch. I had finally reached a level where I could actually maintain some kind of running at a half way decent pace; at least half way decent for a beginner. In order to improve even more, I needed a plan; I needed workouts that would push me without fatiguing me so much that I landed on the couch for a few days with seized muscles. Upon arriving home, I browsed the internet for running workouts that would be beneficial to triathlon training. I was overwhelmed at the number of articles published for that purpose and was having difficulty discerning between articles that were actually good quality workouts and ones that were not beneficial.
As a retired swimmer, I can usually look at a water workout and understand its purpose. From there, I can make an educated decision of whether or not I should use it. My knowledge of running is so limited that I was not able to pick a regiment for the next couple of weeks that would get me to where I want to be in three to four weeks. With that in mind, I made three appointments with the gym to discuss running sessions with a personal trainer and also emailed a friend who is currently training for the 2012 Paralympic Games scheduled to be held in London. He is a long distance runner and I hoped that he could at least point me in the right direction.
When his response came back, I was pleasantly surprised to see that he had not only given me some useful information, but had also given me some workouts for the next three weeks. They all seem doable and although I may have to do some tweaking with some of the lengthier runs, as I am not sure I can run for 70 minutes straight yet, I was, and am incredibly grateful for the guidance.
On top of all this, I also found out, from a Canadian athlete currently training for triathlon, that "the powers that be" have decided that Para (athletes with disabilities) will compete in sprint triathlons as opposed to Olympic distance events. This means that the distances for all three legs of the race are reduced by half; 750 metres for the swim, 20 kilometres for the bike and 5 kilometres for the run. Personally, I'd still like to complete an Olympic distance triathlon-1.5 K swim, 40 K bike and 10 K run-but knowing that I am now training seriously for a Sprint triathlon changes things a bit.
Today I head to the gym, armed with new running workouts thanks to a friend and a new perspective on what I need to accomplish to reach the Paralympic Games in 2016. As I have said a million times before and will probably keep saying, I have a lot of work to do still, but things are moving right along. Besides, if I ever feel that I do not have any more work to do then I should probably stop training for a triathlon. The point of competitive sport is to always strive for improvement and if I feel there isn't any more room for improvement, then I am probably ready to retire.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
A Small Panic Moment
Up until now I have purposely stayed away from any kind of results posting the times of visually impaired women competing in triathlon around the world. Today curiosity got the best of me and I looked: I wish I hadn't. Okay, part of me wishes I hadn't. The times are fast; really fast. Maybe to someone who has been in the triathlon world for a while, they wouldn't seem fast, but to my newbie eyes the times seem very fast.
I don't know what I expected. Of course the times should be fast; the times I looked at were from the 2011 GE World Championships held in Beijing. The winner, who was from Great Britain, finished the race in just under an hour and 25 minutes, with the second place woman not far behind her. All of the results were broken down into the legs of the race and what shocked me the most was how fast the swim times were. Even as a retired swimmer, I'm not sure I will ever be able to swim that fast, but on the other hand, if I want to compete for medals, I'm going to have to. I could be completely off, but judging by how fast the swim times were, I have a sneaking suspicion that all of the women were visually impaired (or low vision) as opposed to totally blind. Any amount of vision gives an athlete an advantage, no matter how small it may seem.
There are many types of visual impairment, but the easiest way to explain it is someone who has low vision, legally blind (there are varying degrees of this), and totally blind, meaning completely blind. Athletes who have a bit of vision have a slight advantage in that they can learn technique much easier and properly, which improves race times. This makes a low vision athlete's potential for faster times much more likely. There are other advantages to being low vision as opposed to totally blind, but this learning of technique is one of the most important factors.
The problem is that there aren't enough totally blind or visually impaired athletes competing in triathlon to make two separate races. In other sports, such as swimming, where there are enough totally blind or visually impaired athletes, athletes compete against other athletes with similar visual capabilities; leveling the playing field to some degree.
Knowing all of this and reading those times, made part of me wonder what I was doing. If the playing field is not level, how can I possibly contend for medals in 2016?
The other part of me, the part I usually listen to, doesn't care. That part sees it as a challenge and revels in it. Besides, if every totally blind athlete backed down just because the races weren't entirely designed with optimal fairness in mind, then there would be no totally blind athletes at all. If no one embraces the challenge things will not change and Para triathlon will never grow. Perhaps I won't make my mark by bringing home loads of gold medals, perhaps I will, but the important thing is to make changes where they can be made in order to better the Paralympic Games experience for all athletes. If that means being one of the only totally blind athletes who brings up the rear, but the rear at the Paralympics nonetheless, then so be it. If I can make this process a bit easier for someone else,that will be worth a million medals. Of course I strive for gold, but sometimes you have to find smaller, just as important goals along the way. Plus, 2016 is still five years away; a lot can happen between now and then.
I don't know what I expected. Of course the times should be fast; the times I looked at were from the 2011 GE World Championships held in Beijing. The winner, who was from Great Britain, finished the race in just under an hour and 25 minutes, with the second place woman not far behind her. All of the results were broken down into the legs of the race and what shocked me the most was how fast the swim times were. Even as a retired swimmer, I'm not sure I will ever be able to swim that fast, but on the other hand, if I want to compete for medals, I'm going to have to. I could be completely off, but judging by how fast the swim times were, I have a sneaking suspicion that all of the women were visually impaired (or low vision) as opposed to totally blind. Any amount of vision gives an athlete an advantage, no matter how small it may seem.
There are many types of visual impairment, but the easiest way to explain it is someone who has low vision, legally blind (there are varying degrees of this), and totally blind, meaning completely blind. Athletes who have a bit of vision have a slight advantage in that they can learn technique much easier and properly, which improves race times. This makes a low vision athlete's potential for faster times much more likely. There are other advantages to being low vision as opposed to totally blind, but this learning of technique is one of the most important factors.
The problem is that there aren't enough totally blind or visually impaired athletes competing in triathlon to make two separate races. In other sports, such as swimming, where there are enough totally blind or visually impaired athletes, athletes compete against other athletes with similar visual capabilities; leveling the playing field to some degree.
Knowing all of this and reading those times, made part of me wonder what I was doing. If the playing field is not level, how can I possibly contend for medals in 2016?
The other part of me, the part I usually listen to, doesn't care. That part sees it as a challenge and revels in it. Besides, if every totally blind athlete backed down just because the races weren't entirely designed with optimal fairness in mind, then there would be no totally blind athletes at all. If no one embraces the challenge things will not change and Para triathlon will never grow. Perhaps I won't make my mark by bringing home loads of gold medals, perhaps I will, but the important thing is to make changes where they can be made in order to better the Paralympic Games experience for all athletes. If that means being one of the only totally blind athletes who brings up the rear, but the rear at the Paralympics nonetheless, then so be it. If I can make this process a bit easier for someone else,that will be worth a million medals. Of course I strive for gold, but sometimes you have to find smaller, just as important goals along the way. Plus, 2016 is still five years away; a lot can happen between now and then.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Training For a Cause
Last night was my second swimming session with the Edinburgh Road Club and Emily's first. The practice went fairly well for me, but was a bit much for Emily. She left the pool feeling a bit frustrated, but after we chatted on the way home, she felt a bit better in realising that it technically was only her fourth swim practice since we started training for a triathlon just over a month ago. I told her that I was really impressed by her willingness to learn and pointed out that she had improved quite a bit even in the few, short, swimming practices we have had. Not to mention, the person coaching last night probably was not entirely aware of our situation and may not have handled the situation in the most elegant of fashions. Our discussion got us talking about our purpose in completing a triathlon and we revisited a topic we have talked at length about before.
There are so many reasons you train for something like a triathlon. Some people do it for his/her own health and make life changing strides. Others do it for the competition and the enjoyment of being involved in competitive sport. Still others do it for a cause, such as raising funds/awareness for Cancer research or reducing your carbon footprint. Emily and I both agree that we are doing this for all of the reasons above.
We are training as hard as we are to improve our own quality of life. Being physically fit and healthy leads to longer life and improved moods. We both also love competing and with our ultimate goal being the 2016 Paralympic Games, I think we are doing the right thing. We both also feel strongly about certain social issues, one of them being accessibility for people with disabilities, and so we have decided that we want to also support a cause while we train. It's another way to motivate ourselves and give back to the community that supports us in our daily lives.
The organisation we have chosen to raise funds/awareness for is one of the many guide dog organisations. I will not go into great detail right now about this particular organisation as I haven't discussed the entire idea with the fundraising committee, but guide dogs are something that are near and dear to both of our hearts. Not to mention, guide dogs are the reason I am able to do the many things I do in this world, safely and independently; including getting to and from practices and training sessions.
I have a telephone meeting with this organisation this afternoon and as soon as I know the details of our campaign or, more importantly, if they agree to our fundraising idea, I will divulge more information. I sincerely hope that this is something Emily and I can do because, as I mentioned above, guide dogs have played and are an important part of my life and I would be honoured to give back to a cause that has impacted my life in such a huge way. Besides, Emily and I are both huge dog people, what better way to get involved with dogs than to help raise funds/awareness for a guide dog organisation?
Anyway, I must get on the phone: my meeting starts soon.
Wish me luck. :)
There are so many reasons you train for something like a triathlon. Some people do it for his/her own health and make life changing strides. Others do it for the competition and the enjoyment of being involved in competitive sport. Still others do it for a cause, such as raising funds/awareness for Cancer research or reducing your carbon footprint. Emily and I both agree that we are doing this for all of the reasons above.
We are training as hard as we are to improve our own quality of life. Being physically fit and healthy leads to longer life and improved moods. We both also love competing and with our ultimate goal being the 2016 Paralympic Games, I think we are doing the right thing. We both also feel strongly about certain social issues, one of them being accessibility for people with disabilities, and so we have decided that we want to also support a cause while we train. It's another way to motivate ourselves and give back to the community that supports us in our daily lives.
The organisation we have chosen to raise funds/awareness for is one of the many guide dog organisations. I will not go into great detail right now about this particular organisation as I haven't discussed the entire idea with the fundraising committee, but guide dogs are something that are near and dear to both of our hearts. Not to mention, guide dogs are the reason I am able to do the many things I do in this world, safely and independently; including getting to and from practices and training sessions.
I have a telephone meeting with this organisation this afternoon and as soon as I know the details of our campaign or, more importantly, if they agree to our fundraising idea, I will divulge more information. I sincerely hope that this is something Emily and I can do because, as I mentioned above, guide dogs have played and are an important part of my life and I would be honoured to give back to a cause that has impacted my life in such a huge way. Besides, Emily and I are both huge dog people, what better way to get involved with dogs than to help raise funds/awareness for a guide dog organisation?
Anyway, I must get on the phone: my meeting starts soon.
Wish me luck. :)
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Swimming in Circles Again
When multiple swimmers are thrown in to a lane together, they are expected to swim up one lane rope and down the other. This clockwise or counter clockwise pattern keeps the swimmers from running into one another; it's kind of like driving on the correct side of the road. It's been three years since I've had to do this and last night I was thrown right in with the lane holding about five to six swimmers. I was a bit nervous at first because I was not entirely sure how excited sighted athletes would be about me being in the lane. With me swimming with them, it means watching for me when pushing off of the walls and also when I come in to stop and rest at a wall. It's not a whole lot of difference than watching for your fellow swimmers, but I can't see and so some of that responsibility falls away from me. However, I always try to be aware of the people around me. I feel for bubbles with my hands which is a good indication of someone kicking in front of you; bigger waves passing by your side could mean a swimmer passing you in the opposite direction; trailing the lane rope with my shoulder or touching it with my hand every once in a while keeps me in a straight line; and the lane rope sagging near the wall could let me know that swimmers have stopped and are waiting for new instructions. These are all little clues I picked up over the years of swimming competitively, but it is still a bit nerve wracking to jump into a lane of six swimmers who were all complete strangers. I did smack a few people in the back or shoulder when coming into the wall, but there really was no reason for me to be nervous.
The first lane I jumped in to was a slower pace lane and I had opted for the slower moving crowd as I was not sure how long I could actually maintain speedy swimming. My aerobic fitness-the fitness that lets you keep going and going-is not really as high as it used to be and I didn't want to hold anyone up or to miss sets because I couldn't keep up. After about ten to fifteen minutes of floundering in the first lane, I was moved over to a faster one. Every three strokes or so, I would catch someone's feet and once, when pushing off the wall, I swam right over a guy who was pushing off under water. I and the coaches quickly realised that that lane was not a good fit. So, I slid under the lane rope in to a faster lane.
The workout that ensued was great. It was incredibly exciting and I felt fantastic when I finished. That said, when we did the longer, faster sets-such as 300 metres at just below race pace-I felt my stroke falling apart and I started breathing way too often. Break down of stroke mechanics and over breathing are both indicative of fatiguing and lack of aerobic fitness. Also, I was not entirely sure what my "just below race pace" was as I haven't raced in a triathlon ever or in swimming for three years. With that in mind, I just pushed myself at about eighty percent effort and went for it. All things considered, I think I did pretty well. I kept the bubbles of the swimmer in front of me just at the end of my fingertips and I believe that knowing where she was motivated me to keep up the pace, despite the burning in my lungs and my arms turning into noodles. It is so refreshing to train with a team who are hard workers and incredibly helpful. Every time I came into the wall and everyone had stopped, the swimmer furthest out from the wall would tap my hand or arm to tell me to stop. This signal kept me from smacking people or completely running them over. Two women, who alternated swimming in front of me, would also let me know when they were pushing off. This verbal cue gave me the chance to count to five and then push off, which allowed me to have enough space between myself and the swimmer in front of me while keeping me on pace with everyone else. I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the openness with which I was accepted into the team. It's sad to say, but attitudinal barriers are sometimes the hardest barriers to deal with when you have a disability. The helpful attitudes and acceptance of me as an athlete made the whole experience that much more positive.
Emily was not able to attend due to a previous commitment and I was a bit worried about going without her. Emily is not only my guide when we are working out, but my eyes in the change rooms, bathrooms and also wen commuting to and from the training facilities. Eventually, I will be able to get to the training venues on my own, working cohesively with my guide dog Glacier, but since that was the first time I had been to that particular swim centre I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't be able to get to where I needed to go. One of the coaches, we'll call her L, was fabulous. She guided me on to the pool deck and basically forced others to take up her lead. I really think she will be a vital player in mine and Emily's success. L was the one who finally made the decision to move me over into the faster lane and also set the stage for people to be at ease with my disability: L didn't care and therefore no one else should.
Besides last night serving as a practice, it also was an assessment of my stroke and physical abilities at this stage. L put a water proof camera in the bottom of the pool so that she could analyze my stroke later and we had a good talk at the end of the session on how I felt during the sets. I told her quite honestly that it felt good, but that the longer, faster sets were a bit of a struggle; not anything I couldn't work through though.
All in all, I think training with the Edinburgh Road Club is going to be incredibly beneficial. Practicing with others always gives you some direction and also pushes you to work hard. If I had not been swimming behind that other swimmer, feeling the bubbles her feet made, I'm not sure I would have pushed myself so hard. It's that little bit of extra effort that will get Emily and I to our ultimate goal of competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
The first lane I jumped in to was a slower pace lane and I had opted for the slower moving crowd as I was not sure how long I could actually maintain speedy swimming. My aerobic fitness-the fitness that lets you keep going and going-is not really as high as it used to be and I didn't want to hold anyone up or to miss sets because I couldn't keep up. After about ten to fifteen minutes of floundering in the first lane, I was moved over to a faster one. Every three strokes or so, I would catch someone's feet and once, when pushing off the wall, I swam right over a guy who was pushing off under water. I and the coaches quickly realised that that lane was not a good fit. So, I slid under the lane rope in to a faster lane.
The workout that ensued was great. It was incredibly exciting and I felt fantastic when I finished. That said, when we did the longer, faster sets-such as 300 metres at just below race pace-I felt my stroke falling apart and I started breathing way too often. Break down of stroke mechanics and over breathing are both indicative of fatiguing and lack of aerobic fitness. Also, I was not entirely sure what my "just below race pace" was as I haven't raced in a triathlon ever or in swimming for three years. With that in mind, I just pushed myself at about eighty percent effort and went for it. All things considered, I think I did pretty well. I kept the bubbles of the swimmer in front of me just at the end of my fingertips and I believe that knowing where she was motivated me to keep up the pace, despite the burning in my lungs and my arms turning into noodles. It is so refreshing to train with a team who are hard workers and incredibly helpful. Every time I came into the wall and everyone had stopped, the swimmer furthest out from the wall would tap my hand or arm to tell me to stop. This signal kept me from smacking people or completely running them over. Two women, who alternated swimming in front of me, would also let me know when they were pushing off. This verbal cue gave me the chance to count to five and then push off, which allowed me to have enough space between myself and the swimmer in front of me while keeping me on pace with everyone else. I was pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the openness with which I was accepted into the team. It's sad to say, but attitudinal barriers are sometimes the hardest barriers to deal with when you have a disability. The helpful attitudes and acceptance of me as an athlete made the whole experience that much more positive.
Emily was not able to attend due to a previous commitment and I was a bit worried about going without her. Emily is not only my guide when we are working out, but my eyes in the change rooms, bathrooms and also wen commuting to and from the training facilities. Eventually, I will be able to get to the training venues on my own, working cohesively with my guide dog Glacier, but since that was the first time I had been to that particular swim centre I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't be able to get to where I needed to go. One of the coaches, we'll call her L, was fabulous. She guided me on to the pool deck and basically forced others to take up her lead. I really think she will be a vital player in mine and Emily's success. L was the one who finally made the decision to move me over into the faster lane and also set the stage for people to be at ease with my disability: L didn't care and therefore no one else should.
Besides last night serving as a practice, it also was an assessment of my stroke and physical abilities at this stage. L put a water proof camera in the bottom of the pool so that she could analyze my stroke later and we had a good talk at the end of the session on how I felt during the sets. I told her quite honestly that it felt good, but that the longer, faster sets were a bit of a struggle; not anything I couldn't work through though.
All in all, I think training with the Edinburgh Road Club is going to be incredibly beneficial. Practicing with others always gives you some direction and also pushes you to work hard. If I had not been swimming behind that other swimmer, feeling the bubbles her feet made, I'm not sure I would have pushed myself so hard. It's that little bit of extra effort that will get Emily and I to our ultimate goal of competing in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
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