Ready to run

Ottawa Race Weekend (Photo: Robbie on Flickr)

After a quiet winter I am back… and ready to run.

Run!? Yes, you read that right I am switching the bike shoes for running shoes, but only temporarily.

You see I have never had much love for running. In fact I have spent most of my life avoiding it all together, including when I was 5 years-old and my mom put me in soccer for a summer (I quickly took refuge in goal).

But over the past few months my view has changed. After a colleague told me he had taken up running during a Christmas visit to Victoria, I seriously started thinking about taking on the challenge of running the 10km during Ottawa Race Weekend.

I have enjoyed this great event from the sidelines the last few years and every time left feeling motivated to give it a shot. Unfortunately, as many of us have discovered, that motivation disappears quickly. This time however I put my money on the table and signed up. I also committed to Run for a Reason in support the Ottawa Hospital Foundation.

Over the past few weeks I have trained. Thankfully it has gone better than expected, and just a few days ago I managed to run 7km. I feel ready for the run on Saturday night, and look forward to the rush that comes with crossing the finish line.

No doubt I would never have done this had a I not taken in part in Ride the Rideau. As I have wrote before, Ride the Rideau allowed me to prove to myself I could commit to a physical challenge and complete it. And for that reason (and because I still enjoy it) I will happily get back on my bike in a few weeks and start training for Ride the Rideau 2013.

Not a complete washout

Well, fair to say last Saturday didn’t turn out as I had planned. I certainly knew rain was going to be a part of Ride the Rideau 2012, but the  severity of the thunderstorms was certainly a surprise. Thankfully there were no serious injuries and organizers in my opinion did the right thing by calling the event off soon after it had started.

I made it to Pit Stop #1 (about 14km in) before the storm rolled in, while my colleagues managed to shoot by me and get to the 34km mark.

Clearly I, like many others, were disappointed, but I certainly wouldn’t say Saturday was a complete washout (pun intended). Although I didn’t get to cycle very far, I did have the chance to catch up with many familiar faces, including the always inspiring Irwin Waldman, and meet some new riders who are already planning for next year.

I also had the chance to spend some time with all my team mates. Due to conflicting schedules during the summer it has been hard to get us all in one place at one time, so it was a nice treat to be able to recap the abbreviated morning ride, have a nice lunch, and perhaps celebrate someone’s 31st birthday!

Brits on Bikes 2012… aren’t we a fine looking crew?

And finally, it was great to see the smiles on so many riders faces when it was announced, even in a very subdued fashion, that the event had raised over $1.7 million for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital. A fantastic number, and one that keeps Ride the Rideau Eastern Ontario’s most successful single-day cancer fundraiser.

Back to my team, I am very proud to say we raised over $12,000 – putting our two-year total at more than $20,000. A huge achievement, and one that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our colleagues, families, friends, and corporate sponsors Aviva Canada, and Clyde & Co Canada (Thanks folks!)

But despite those great numbers our job isn’t done yet. Like many teams we have committed ourselves to finishing the 100km ride. We hope to do it in a few weeks. I feel we owe it to those who sponsored us, supported our fundraising, and those who our fundraising will support. As I told myself over and over again on Saturday – I don’t raise money to bike, I bike to raise money.

tk

Bike a back road

View from my handlebars

In an effort to keep my legs fresh for next week’s ride I took a short hour-long journey on my bike this afternoon. Although it was only 20km, I have to say it was one of the most relaxing bike trips I have taken all year.

You can see the route here, but essentially I took Highway 148 up to Terry Fox Road north of Aylmer and then turned onto Cook and then down Klock back to my house. While not a long trip it was a great example of how cycling can be a relaxing activity and especially enjoyable when you don’t have a set route in mind.

Today I took any road I wanted, including a couple dirt roads, and just cycled until I was ready to head home. A nice break from my normal treks and a good chance to enjoy less travelled roads in my neighbourhood I would likely never take with  my car.

tk

The $2,500 evening

Friday night was a very good night for our Brits on Bikes team.

For the second year in a row we held a charity Quiz Night to raise funds for Ride The Rideau, and once again our teams came through to raise some serious money (see title above) to support world-class cancer research in Ottawa.

While most of the teams were made up of friends, contacts, and co-workers I was happy to include a team from the Ottawa Hospital Foundation again this year. I really think it says a lot about the people who run the Foundation that they are willing to take their personal time to support these events – especially a week out from a huge Foundation event.

Ottawa Hospital Team “Sweet and Sour” during Brits on Bikes Quiz Night 2012

The Quiz Night really has become a high point of our Ride the Rideau fundraising. Coming only a week before the ride, I think it really helps boost our team’s spirit after a long summer of training and fundraising. It is also great to see so many people come together to support a cause our team and workplace cares so much about. Besides paying the $25 entry fee I am pretty sure everyone in the room also bought either a raffle ticket, a cake pop, or just dropped a couple bucks into the donation jar. I have said it before and I will say it again – Ottawa is a very generous city.

Finally, a huge thanks to those who really make this event happen –  Quiz Master Allan, my co-workers who volunteered to work the bar, security, the set up / tear down crew, and everyone else who donated their time and energy to help make our Quiz Night a success. Also a big thanks to the Chateau Laurier, D’Arcy McGees, The Scottish and Irish Store, and the National Arts Centre for donating raffle prizes.

Now it is our turn to live up to the other end of the deal. Our donors donated, the Foundation staff have plotted the route and organized the training events – now we need to cycle. Six more sleeps and ass hits the seat for 100km. Get ready Merrickville the Brits are coming!

tk

The life of an extra

FYI… that is me on the right

Being an actor has never been at the top of my bucket list, but then again neither was biking 100km until a few years ago.

With that in mind, I ventured off to the Ottawa Experimental Farm today after work to help film 2013’s Ride the Rideau promo video (Yes, that is 2013. And I know these foundation folk are ahead of the curve!)

Despite my initial fears about appearing on-camera in spandex, the experience was pretty fun (I am reserving complete judgement until I see my butt on camera). Not to give away the whole plot but my scene involves about 20 cyclists joining a group of four riders as they make their way up the road… or down the Rideau.

Now having found myself behind a camera a time or two I can say video shoots often go on… and on… AND on. Thankfully our group were true pros and managed to nail it after three takes. An impressive feat in my opnion.

Perhaps that acting career is just down the road after all…

PS – Next up: 75km ride on Sunday! Don’t forget to sponsor me… the ride is only 19 days away 🙂

FUNdraising

Fundraising isn’t easy. It doesn’t matter if you are trying to raise $10 or $10,000, asking people to part with their hard-earned dollars can feel like a challenge. That is why I have learned it is important to make it fun – for both the donor and you.

Today was our 2nd annual Ride The Rideau BBQ at work. A great example of how combining pleasure (ex. food) and fundraising can be a success.

For my co-workers today’s BBQ was a chance to leave their desks for a few minutes, grab some good food (I hope!) and take a break with colleagues old and new. For our team it was a chance to  raise some money for a great cause, catch up with colleagues, and build some team spirit. A real win-win!

A big thank you to everyone who helped us out (especially my co-worker who baked a chocolate cake from scratch to sell for dessert). In the end we raised over $200.

Who knows, we might just have to try another lunchtime BBQ before September 8th.

Now I just need to cycle off that cake!

tk

Half way to one hundred

This morning I joined my first Ride The Rideau group ride of the year. Unfortunately I missed the 25km ride at the end of June as I was away on vacation, but I think today’s ride made up for it.

Not surprisingly the weather was very warm, but thankfully overcast. Not having the sun beating on your back always makes things a bit easier.

I was joined on our 42.92km journey by three of my Brits on Bikes teamates – Clive, Geraldine, and Nathan. Like a good team we all managed to stick together and in the end I think it really helped make the ride enjoyable… and perhaps a little faster.

Brits on Bikes takes a photo break 3/4 of the way through today’s ride.

Once again this year, the group rides are led by the great folks at Tommy and Levfebvre. Unlike last year’s 50km group ride, the ridemasters decided to take us west to Kanata instead of east to Orleans. I must say I liked the changed. Nothing against Orleans or the Rockcliffe Parkway, but biking  through Andrew Haydon Park and then along Corkstown Road was a great way to spend a Sunday morning (outside of one rather steep hill).

I am happy to report the entire team made it to the end in about 2 1/2 hours. Next up is the 75km ride later in August.

Here is the map of the trip thanks to a pretty neat iPhone app I have been using call MapMyRide.

tk

Biking to my desk

It has been a little while since I last posted, but to be fair things have been busy. Between promoting flash dances, darting around Toronto with a British circus trio, and just being a dad to a 15 month-old I haven’t had much time.

That being said, I have found the motivation and time to do something I didn’t do last year when I was training for Ride the Rideau – bike to work.

May is Bike to Work month, so I was proud of myself for finding two Fridays where I could cycle in to my desk. Thankfully both were sunny and fairly warm. I must say it feels good to start the day off with a morning cycle, and even better to clear your head with some fresh air on the way home. As evidenced by the large number of cyclist out on the trails each weekday, biking to work seems very popular in this city. But it does come with its pains.

Working on Elgin Street I have no option but to venture through downtown traffic. Simply put this part of the journey isn’t fun. The bike lanes on Laurier do help, but trying to figure out one way streets and turning lanes is almost enough for me to dump the bike and flag down a cab. To be honest I don’t know how to fix it, so I am not necessarily complaining, but I do think (and hope) it will get easier the more times I bike in, which I look forward to doing a number of times this summer.

tk

London calling

The last few months have been pretty busy for me. Besides coming to grips with the fact my son can now crawl, I spent two weeks in October visiting London, England for work.

A must-do for me on this visit was a tour of the site of next summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games. After doing a bit of research my wife and I booked an Olympic walking tour with London’s famous Blue Badge guides which set off from the Bromley-by-the-Bow Underground station in East London.

Historically an industrial part of the city, East London isn’t an area most tourists would seek out, but with the Olympics coming to the neighbourhood things are changing.

As expected the area is still very much under construction, but the main buildings, including the Olympic Stadium, are done.

The stadium is an impressive structure. With 80,000 seats (to be converted to 25,000 after the Games) it really is the crown jewel of the site, and a great example of how major infrastructure can be build with the environment in mind.

A great example of this is the signature white ring beam which surrounds the Olympic Stadium. During the tour I was surprised to learn it is actually reclaimed pipe from a failed gas project. In total the stadium is projected to include 42 percent recycled content.

If you plan a trip to London before next summer (or even after) I highly recommend you make time to visit the site. The organizing committee has done a great job of actually making the site fairly accessible to the public during construction. The ViewTube, as it is dubbed, sits to the south west of the Olympic Stadium and gives a great view of this magnificent structure…. and a perfect spot to take a photo in your Ride the Rideau jersey!

Trevor

PS – I see Ride the Rideau 2012 has already launched!

10 Thoughts on Ride the Rideau

It has taken me a few days to sit down and write this, but don’t worry it isn’t due to a sore posterior. If fact five days later I feel pretty good.

So, with that in mind here are 10 thoughts on last weekend’s ride:

Start: I was happy to see the ride’s start at Lansdowne Park moved from the Coliseum Building to Aberdeen Pavilion.  It is such a beautiful space.

With over 715 riders, I must say the starting line was a bit crowded. I have to wonder if a delayed start might work better. Things really didn’t clear up until we reached Hog’s Back.

Route: It was a beautiful ride on a beautiful day. You notice so much more when you take a journey on a bike than you do while driving in a car. For example, who really lives in those huge homes on River Road?

Driving through North Gower, Richmond and Merrickville made me realize I need to take the back roads more often. These are beautiful communities which have really done a great job of keeping their identity.

Sponsors: I don’t think I have ever seen a group of companies so excited about being part of an event. Clearly Nordion, Rogers, Boone Plumbing and Heating Supply, Merkley Supply, and Tommy and Lefebre are extremely passionate about this event. Not only did they financially support the event, but each had a team taking part. And it looked like they all had a member of senior management on their teams. Talk about biking what you preach!

Also, who knew baristas were also excellent cheers leaders? A shout out to Starbucks and their staff. They are great (and very loud) Ride the Rideau boosters.

(Courtesy: The Ottawa Hospital Foundation)

Cheer…I mean… inspiration stations and rest stops: Ride the Rideau takes care of their riders and the rest stops are the best evidence of that. They were well-stocked, well staffed, and well placed along the route. It seemed like whenever I physically needed a break a rest stop was just around the corner.

The inspiration stations were equally valuable when I needed an emotional pick-me-up. Having complete strangers come out and cheer you on is a great boost. Especially when you are biking the final kilometres.  Your body is getting sore and you think the finish line will never come.

The hardest part(s): As expect the route was definitely rider-friendly, but Mother Nature always throws a few curve balls at you. The section from North Gower to Richmond had to be the hardest due to a lovely head wind which made a subtle uphill section fairly challenging (at least to this cyclist).

That last 10km was no doubt the longest. By that point it felt like I was simply biking on a treadmill. It took me the same amount of time to the bike that final leg as it did for me to bike the first 20km.

The finish: Point blank it was the highlight of the day. Just thinking about crossing that line with everyone cheering and my wife and son there still gives me goose bumps. It was an amazing feeling and I am sure one shared by all the riders (especially those true amateurs like myself!).

My Team: Speaking of crossing the finish line… it was great to do it as a team. Brits on Bikes, as we dubbed ourselves, had pretty humble origins. After I hosted an info session last spring at work I would have been happy if just one person signed up… instead I found four brave… and very committed souls. Through all the early-morning training (mostly on Sundays) and fundraising we worked as a team, and in the end we thought it was important to cross the finish line as a team. A great moment.

The Foundation /Volunteers: An event this large could would never work without good organization and plenty of people willing to help out. Last year I volunteered, and it was very rewarding. Clearly dozens of people agree with me, and gave up their Saturday to help make sure us riders had a great day.

The staff at the Ottawa Hospital Foundation are also a great bunch (ok perhaps I am a bit bias). But really, they once again put on an amazing event and seemed to have every base covered. If there were problems I saw no evidence of them. True pros!

Oops, how did I forget that?: Just a word of advice. If you ever go for a 100km on a warm day in September (or any month for that matter) put on sun screen. That might sound like a Baz Luhrmann song, but it is true. My legs and arms are proof. Also, throw in some bike gloves and an extra padded seat.

Money raised: $1,829,544. It is a great number, isn’t it? An amazing achievement that further proves there is power in numbers. I also like the number $8,678.85. That is what Brits on Bikes finished with. Small compared to other teams, but I remind myself without it that first number would only be 1,820,865.15 and while that is a great number too… it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

One final thing, I am sure any cancer patient would gladly bike 100km everyday instead of being forced to worry about battling cancer. But as I have said before 100km on a bike is the least I can do. Now it is in the hands of the researchers and doctors to continue their amazing work. And hopefully someday my son or his children won’t have to worry about losing a friend, a grand-parent, a co-worker, or a neighbour to this horrible disease.

Thanks for reading this far. I do hope to update this space over the winter and if all goes well… Ready to Ride 2.0 will be back in 2012!

Take care,

Trevor