Internal Mono(b)log

.. that I never train without, ever, is my RoadID.

I have 3 of them: dog-tags, elite and slim. In fact, my 3 dogs each have one with their names and our contact info on them.

I’ve never needed my RoadID but knowing I have it with me and that it can speak for me if I cannot gives me great peace of mind, especially because so much of my training is done in remote areas and solo.

I want to share the love. Like this post on Facebook, Retweet it, and/or comment below for 1 entry each. Email me at “rick -at- internalmonoblog.com” and let me know how many entries you’ve earned. I’ll pick 3 winners from all the entries on July 1 and send you a coupon code for a RoadID of your very own.

Good luck!

Well it appears that my efforts to “go big” for the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Ride for Heart this year fell pretty flat.  Currently sitting at $2500 of my $10,000 goal and I’m as tired of asking for donations as you are of hearing me ask.

This is my final, last ditch, surrendering call for any straggling donations.  Thanks to all who helped raise what I did.  I doubt I’ll do the ride again, at least for a few years.. I just hate the fundraising part.  Click below if you can free-up a few bucks for the cause.

This week the City of Toronto is planning to aerial spray for gypsy moths.  Thought they say the spray is safe for humans, we’ve all heard that before.

Aerial sprays will begin on Thursday morning between 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. in seven Etobicoke areas including Humber Valley Golf Course, Valecrest Road and North Drive, Royal York Road and the Kingsway, Thorncrest Road, Herne Hill, Princess Margaret Boulevard, Kipling Avenue and The Kingsway and Edenbridge Drive.

The second spray will take place on Friday morning at Moore Park, Cherry Beach Park, Toronto Island Park and Tam O’Shanter Golf course.

Two aerial sprays planned to combat European Gypsy Moth

Please spread the word and everyone train safe out there!

Well today I’d hoped to do a 3:45 marathon, with a stretch goal of a 3:40. I was 1:50 at 21k so definitely in line for my goals. Unfortunately, somewhere around 25k I stepped into a pothole and rolled my ankle.

It didn’t seem damaged so I ran on, but by 30k my entire right side was seizing-up: ITB was super tight, glute-med, ankle (of course) and my pace was terrible. It took a lot of effort to just run a 6:00/km, forget the 5:15’s and faster I had been running.

I pulled the plug. There was no point in finishing for the sake of finishing and the risk of doing collateral damage to myself was too high. The 2 km walk back to the finish line and the subsequent 4k walk home seemed to take an eternity.

Definitely feeling defeated and deflated but I’ll have a shower, ice my sore spots for a while, maybe have a nap, and hop back on the horse tomorrow.

I know every day can’t be a good day, but BLAH! 😛

Hey Folks!  Slightly off-topic and I promise not to bore you with many of these, but..

In early June I’ll be riding again in the Heart and Stroke foundation’s Ride for Heart.  It’s a fund raising event that annually raises over $1m for heart disease research and education. Last year I set my fundraising goal at $5k and together with your help surpassed it!  This year I doubled that goal to $10k but haven’t even crossed the 25% mark yet.

Please anything you can afford is welcome: it all helps get closer to the goal. Of course, it’s also tax deductible and you will receive a tax receipt for your donation.

Here’s the donation link.  Please be generous and think about this when giving: 1 in 4 will suffer a heart-disease related malady in their lives.  1 in 4 means you, or someone in your immediate family or closest friends.   The statistics are too high to ignore, but together we can make a difference!

Thanks!

1st the race is relocated from Nevada with its’ challenging bike course to Tempe, AZ with a promised flat and fast out and back bike route in the desert…

But no.  It’s no so…

We’re 15 days from the event, and yet another disappointment about this race:

To Our Leadman Tri Marquee Athletes and Supporters | Life Time Fitness – Leadman Tri.

4 LOOPS?!  Come on! Really?!  If I wanted to race a crit I’d have signed up for it.

If I weren’t so financially committed to the event (air, accommodations, entry, etc), at this point, I’d just walk away.

After the Nevada version of this race in 2012 it was listed as a race to not miss in 2013.  The on-site organization, festivities, post-race nutrition and pretty much everything else about this race had best make up for the crap-show so far.

Yes, I’m pretty unhappy.

… and if you believe that, then I have a bridge to sell you and some prime real estate in Florida. 🙂

WTC just announced that they’re expanding the Age Group Ranking system that they were trailing in the EU in 2011 and 2012, to the rest of the world in 2013.

From the announcement:

You may race as much as you’d like in 2013, but only the top three (3) race performances are scored. You can improve your ranking by improving on your race performance. (For example, if you have a strong performance in one IRONMAN race and two good performances in IRONMAN 70.3 events, you may choose to race another IRONMAN 70.3, improve your finish time and improve your rank.

The AGR recognizes age group athletes in three different categories: IRONMAN, IRONMAN 70.3 and a combination of both race distances. The AGR is not connected to KPR (Kona Points Ranking) in any way.

The AGR allows IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 athletes the opportunity to see how their race performances compare to other competitors in their age group throughout the calendar year. Rankings will be updated weekly.

Last weekend I had the opportunity via Klout and Cadillac to have a Cadillac ATS for a 3 day test drive.  I know it’s off topic a bit for my blog, but I really wanted to share my experience with this car.

2013 Cadillac ATS (Photo credit: Automotive Rhythms)

So let me start by saying, a Luxury Sport Sedan is not in my snack-bracket.  In fact, living in the city, a 15 minute walk from work and close to all my amenities, I would have a hard time justifying a car at all.  Autoshare, Zipcar and Car2go supplemented with traditional rentals works just fine for me and is more cost effective.  All that said, IF I were in the market for a luxury sport sedan, the ATS would be atop my list.  Does the Cadillac name hold the “name appeal” of Audi, Porsch, BMW, or Mercedes?  Well no, not today, but with offerings like the ATS this may change.

I’ve driven quite a few performance cars, though none as recent as a 2013, and I have to say, I’ve never driven anything that impressed me as much as the ATS.  I had the 2.0L turbo with winter tires on (actually) wintery roads in Toronto.  I had the opportunity to drive the car on messy side-streets as well as clear and dry highway.  The car easily has the pickup and handling characteristics of a mid-series BMW.  Even aggressively accelerating onto the highway it was smooth and effortless.  Really though, the things that impressed me with the ATS were all the electronics systems and systemic integration.

Frankly, the ATS is a geek’s wet dream.

Things I loved about the car, in no particular order:

• configurable HEADS-UP-DISPLAY (HUD) projected on the windshield for the driver – OMG yes!  I wish it was bigger and used more of the windshield to display more stuff but even as it is it’s amazing and so convenient

• 360 degree monitoring and alerting (blind spot, parking, being-tailgated, etc)
• lane-drift warning (if it detects road lines and you start crossing without signalling it alerts you)
• a haptic alarm in the driver’s seat (yes your seat vibrates when warning conditions are active – SO COOL!)
• adaptive cruise control (cruise up behind someone who is travelling slower than you and the cruise control slows you to keep a safe distance)
• dynamic driver’s console and center console, further the center console is all touch activated (no mechanical switches)
• heated seats AND STEERING WHEEL
• strong voice recognition that better understands informal speech

Would I buy one?  No, it really doesn’t suit my needs (if I could justify a car at all, it’d be a SUV, Jeep, or pickup to support transporting bikes and race/training gear).  Would I give away/sell one if I were to win it or be given one?  NOT A CHANCE! 🙂

Thanks Klout and Cadillac! That was a lot of fun.

Adhara, my husky, recently had to undergo a myelogram, CT scan and subsequent back surgery on a herniated disc. She’s recovering at the veterinary emergency clinic now (hurray) but the bill is estimated between $6k and $9k. There was no question that we’d do what we could for her, but now our credit cards are smoking and we’re pretty much tapped out. If you can chip-in towards my little-girl’s expenses we’d really appreciate it.

You may remember the review that I did of the BK-1 a few months ago.  They’re a bluetooth-based multi-rider communication system that’s pretty sweet.  If you haven’t read my review you should check it out over here.

Anyhow. Cardo is stepping into the “Big Leagues” with a recent announcement.  Check this out:

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