tri2conquer

RIP Kahshe 1994-2011

2011-06-04T07:18:00.007-04:00

We had our hearts broken yesterday when our beautiful cat Kahshe left us. She drifted away peacefully and gracefully in Michelle's arms after bravely battling lung cancer.

Our lives were positively enriched by her prescence as much more than just a pet. She was family.

Such a beautiful and unique little kitty, full of personality and yes, quite a bit of mischief and attitude. All the things we love about her.

She was such an adorable, happy cat. Always finding ways to make us smile. She was always happiest while slinking around the cottage, ferreting out little moles, or just getting good and covered in pine sap.

Right up to the end, she was still rolling over to get a tummy rub, or sniffing our faces (as is her customary greeting) and kissing with her whiskers followed by a little lick on your forehead.

We will fondly remember these things, and many more as the days ahead pass by.

We spent the evening together as a family, remembering, talking, looking at pictures, and even laughing as we found ways to be happy while we mourn our loss.

Kahshe joins her other furry relatives now who have passed before her, and wow, is there going to be a ruckus up there!! Have fun girly!

"Our animals shepherd us through certain eras of our lives. When we are ready to turn the corner and make it on our own.....they let us go."

Epic Impact Day - How Can You Help??

2011-01-22T00:22:00.024-05:00

Dear Family and Friends,
I have some exciting news. I am going to be part of something big, and you can too.

This coming June, I’ll be cycling 320 kilometres from Toronto to Niagara Falls in the 4th annual Ride To Conquer Cancer. An epic cycling event that raises much needed funds that will directly impact the lives of those battling cancer, their families, and those yet to be diagnosed.

Here’s an even more exciting part of this: On February 9, 2011, The Ride to Conquer Cancer is rallying all forces for Epic Impact Day—one amazing day to play a profound role in the quest to conquer cancer. Thousands of cyclists across Canada will be uniting for this one sole purpose.

The goal is for each and every cyclist participating in the 2011 Ride To Conquer Cancer to have at least ONE person help them with a donation towards the Ride. Whether it be $10, $20, $50 or more. ANY AMOUNT (and I do mean ANY amount) is greatly appreciated and will be put to use immediately.

So, how can you help? It’s simple. Please support me on February 9, by making a generous tax deductible donation towards my Ride fundraising goal! Together we’ll prove that there IS strength in numbers and that the sum total of the smallest efforts can have a profound impact on the lives of those battling cancer, their families, and those yet to be diagnosed.

Funds raised will be put to immediate use by The Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret, providing breakthrough research, innovative treatments and critical services to those in need right here in Ontario. The research and breakthroughs they provide will improve the lives of everyone affected by cancer worldwide.

Visit the link provided below and click the green "DONATE" button at the top of the page or call 877-699-BIKE (2453) and a super friendly member of the Ride staff will help you.

Click here to visit my personal page.

My Participant ID: 557511-0

Thank you in advance for your generosity! I hope you’ll do your part to support me in this life-saving journey and give from the heart on Epic Impact Day, February 9!

Let's make cancer history!
Sincerely,

Scott Burns
(tri2conquer)

If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR?px=1509138&pg=personal&fr_id=1361&fl=en_US&et=9qkfivCZPHg9PLr2N2fHRA..&s_tafId=251784

To learn more about The Enbridge Ride to Conquer Cancer benefiting The Campbell Family Institute at The Princess Margaret, please visit www.conquercancer.ca.

Lets Make Cancer History

2011-01-22T00:17:00.006-05:00

The 2011 Ride To Conquer Cancer!

Yes, I am going to try to do my part to conquer cancer. This amazing ride has been such a BIG part of what I do, and I want to continue to try to fight this disease.

If you have been a past supporter of me and this ride, I would like to ask if you could help us out once again.

It's not easy. It's not easy to ride 200 km or even 320 km as some riders will do. It's not easy to train for those distances. It's not always easy to give of your time. And it's not always easy to give of your hard earned money. I know that. I really do.

It's also not easy to be told you have cancer, to have to go through the surgeries and treatments and all the side effects that those bring. And it's not easy for the family members of those affected either.

This ride is BIG. It's BIG because so many people come together to raise awareness and financial support to fight a disease that kills more people than AIDS, malaria and TB combined. It's BIG because it's going to take some BIG effort to beat this thing.

It's BIG because so many people give from the heart.

2 in 5 people will have to hear the dreaded words "you have cancer". We can do something about this. Can you please help me in this quest. Together, you and I CAN and WILL make a difference. I truly believe this.

I'm cycling for them, for hope.

Thank you in advance for all your help, love and support.

I can't do this without you.
Scott

tri2conquer

The Final Inspection

2010-11-11T20:30:00.002-05:00

THE FINAL INSPECTION - AUTHOR UNKNOWN

The Soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass..

Step forward now, Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?'
The soldier squared his shoulders and said,
No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.

I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny,
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime,
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times I shook with fear..
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place,
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears

If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne,
Where the saints had often trod.
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.

Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell.'

WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, ONLY BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!
God Bless Our Military

Plantar Faciitis, Heel issues- My new challenge to conquer!

2010-07-28T09:18:00.003-04:00

Well, once again, true to name (tri2conquer) I have a new challenge to conquer (and I haven't even conquered the last "new" challenge from two posts ago).

So, here's the deal. I reported back a while on Twitter about my plantar faciitis. I had been experiencing PF for some time (8 months??) without having done hardly any running. Couldn't figure that out. Discussed with a few doctors and instructors at school. I tweeted about it and we shared some ideas back and forth amongst my amazing Twitter pals. How could I have chronic PF with having done virtually no running. Didn't make sense.

So I started digging deeper for answers now. I found that lukewarm epsom salt foot baths helped a little. Stretching my calves helped a bit sometimes, but not others. Hmmmm?
As I've documented before, I am a student. And lately the schedule has its ebb and flow of stressful crazy times followed by more calm and less challenging periods. Back in the spring, I was in full on stress mode with some courses ending and all the exams that ensued. My heel condition got worse at this time.
Since I was so busy, stressed, tired, etc I was still not running so how could it get worse? Since I was just surviving from day to day and trying to just make it through each week to see the weekend so I could at least catch my breath a little, I really dropped the ball on my nutrition. I was eating considerably more take out or restaurant style food, drinking way too much coffee, and partaking in red wine far too frequently. You likely know about my love of red wine. Heck, my bike is named Malbec!! I don't drink to get drunk. In fact I hate getting drunk. I don't like to lose control of my thoughts and clarity. But during this last few months, I was drinking a glass or two (sometimes 3) on far too many days of the week and those days started to increase. That is a lot for me.

This recently got me thinking: maybe it's gout! I mean, the conditions are perfect - too much salty food, high in protein and too much fat. More frequent alcohol consumption. And with gout, it usually comes on with a systemic condition. Well, how much more systemic can my school stress and lack of sleep be? Pair all of this with the ridiculous amount of coffee I was drinking just to get through the days and now I can see how my body was getting far too acidic. And all that coffee was leaching nutrients from my body, esp my bones. It was also getting to my stomach. This seemed to be unfolding rather neatly in my mind. I may have found the answer to my heel issues. Gout it must be!!

So I tried to adjust my nutrition plan to remove some inflammatory foods. Still the pain persisted mainly at the medial heel. By chance, I checked my blood pressure and Whoa! Stop the presses! Now here's another twist to add in: I was 150/100. What? I mean I am always just at low end normal. Usually around 115/70 and sometimes a little lower. I checked again, and now of course I'm freaking: it's 160/110. What the hell???? I was using a new BP cuff that I got for school. And I was hoping it was not functioning properly because this was scaring the crap out of me. So, I immmediately went to my doctor. I got in almost right away and had her check my BP with my cuff and with her unit in her office. Mine now read 170/110!! Holy shit, major panic attack coming on! She checked with her unit and I was 150/85. Whew. Ok, immediately felt better. But how the heck can I still be up at 150 systolic pressure? Of course: everything I just finished telling you about: too much coffee, not enough exercise, too much crap food, too much wine, too much stress.

This really freaked me out. I immediately took steps to reduce this BP and fast. I was not going to be hypertensive. No way, uh-uh! I cut out nearly all salt from my diet for a week. (there is so much salt in all our foods, you cannot eliminate it completely, but I cut way back). This meant I have a new friend for breakfast and snack time: Plain rice cakes with almond butter. mmmm. Amazing. And absolutely no salt. The roasted almond butter I use has zero salt. Just almonds. I also love oatmeal and this has no salt either, so it's a great choice.
I started making everything I ate from my own kitchen. Huge increase in fresh fruit and veggies, less red meat, I use no salt seasonings, homemade vinaigrettes for my salads (which I eat for 2 meals a day - with fish or chicken tossed in it). I went from 6 or 7 cups of coffee per day, down to 1 or maybe 2. No wine! I have been on the wagon (yes, no Malbec for me) for 2 weeks. And, I'm drinking several liters of water per day.
In one week, my BP was back to where it should be: 110-120 over 70-80. Great range to be in. I felt relieved, and with the quality of food I was now eating again, I felt physically better. Much better.

So, with this crisis now being conquered, I was re-focusing on my heel issue again. Since I was eating so much better, less inflammatory foods, more greens and fruits and lots more water I was expecting my heel to improve. And it did. A little. But not much and some days it would be just as sore as ever.
I have been getting chiropractic adjustments all along as well and these help a bit, but nothing lasting. So what gives?

Time for an xray.

I had a series of xray taken the other day and just got the results:
good news is, I don't have to worry about gout. Especially since my diet is now much improved (okay, I've cheated a little lately by making some of the worlds most dangerous cookies!!!)
But, the news was still not good. Maybe not THE worst news, but bad news all the same. I have a heel spur. This is a bony protrusion extending out from my heel towards the arch of my foot. It is painful and continues to cause local inflammation. This is pretty bad and I am disheartened. Really disappointed. I am a triathlete. That means I have to run to do my sport. I love running. REALLY love running. But I cannot run more than 100 meters without a lot of heel pain. And it's all because of this pointy little bony point that my body decided to grow as a response to the plantar faciitis I had. I also had many other structural (bone and muscle) imbalances that I have been getting corrected. These imbalances have caused me to apply over 15 kgs more weight on my left foot (while standing) than on my right. That's over 30 lbs while standing. Now exponentially increase that pressure while running with the pounding that running produces, and my entire left leg has been getting traumatized for who knows how long. I would guess at least a few years. This also explains the left ITB and knee issues, left SI joint issues, and hypertonic left erectors and other paraspinal muscles in my back. I was way off balance with weight distribution.

So it's no wonder I developed plantar faciitis. My left foot was getting pounded and the fascia couldn't cope. The tight fascia places stress on the attachment points (which are the calcaneous or heel bone, and the heads of the metatarsals or the bones that lead to each of your toes). Since there are 5 metatarsals, this stress is distributed across a wider area, so the more common site for pain or inflammation is the calcaneal attachments. This is where my issues are, and this is why my calcaneous has grown more bone. It's referred to as Wolff's Law. The bones will grow and remodel to become more dense according to the stresses placed upon them.
Most of the bony protrusions on your body are made this way. There aren't all there at birth, but as you grow and move and the muscles pull on the bones more and more, the little outgrowths and bumps and points develop from the stress.

So, I am now faced with yet another challenge. I am looking into therapies and treatments for heel spurs. I have to find a way to run again. Not running has really made me unhappy at times. I have only run about 7 times since January 1st. 7!! That's it. It's driving me crazy and it's going to keep me crazy until I can get past this pain in my heel.

I am also very worried that since I am still trying to get to the etiological cause of it all, that this may take a very long time, or be permanent. That has me pretty bummed out. Atually a little scared.
Think about it: what if you could not run again?? Yeah, exactly. That's how I feel.

I'm going to be a bull with this one. I will not settle for not running again. I love to run. I absolutely love triathlon. I was doing so well too. Everything was coming together for me so well and I was improving all the time. I started just a few years ago doing my first try-a-tri. Won my category first time out. Moved up to sprints and kept improving. Did my first Olympic distance last fall and had a blast. Best swim, bike speed in a race ever. And the run was good.

It can't be over at 44 yrs old. It just can't be.

I guess there's some good info here for some people too. Western medicine would have had me take lots of drugs for the pain and inflammation of my ITB and heel issues. But they never look to the root cause.
Alternative medicine (Chiropractic) combined with Massage Therapy always looks to treat the person as a whole person, and find the root cause of the problem. Not just treat the symptoms and leave the root cause still there to resurface.
Had I gone to see a chirpractor earlier in my life and been assessed as I have been more recently, I may have been able to either avoid this, or have less severe issues going on. Perhaps a good heads up to any of you who are reading this. Just because you don't hurt, doesn't mean there isn't something potentially wrong. That's not to say everyone needs to run out in a panic and get checked. Just take the time to book in an assessment, like you would a yearly physical from your physician.

A good thorough physical assessment from your chirpractor with xrays can really be a good thing. Compliment your chiro with massage. In Ontario and British Columbia (I can't speak for other areas as I am not sure what they learn), massage therapists are trained to assess orthopedic issues, neurological issues, muscular pathologies. They are not allowed by law to "diagnose" them, but are allowed to make a "clinical impression" and create a treatment plan based on that clinical assessment. You could then go to a chiropractor to have it confirmed.

So, I now have something new to conquer. Like I already didn't have enough. ha ha.
Thanks for letting me share this with you. I said on Twitter that I would share what I find so that it may perhaps help someone else.
I am pretty disappointed, but will try to keep my chin up and find a way to run again. If you read my post (2 posts ago) you know I put a lot into things that I want or need to do. This will be no different.

Until next time, have a run for me!!! Be safe, and tri2conquer something in your life today!

The Knots Prayer

2010-07-04T21:23:00.004-04:00

I just received this via an email. I thought it was very purposeful and so true so I have added it here.
So many times in life we allow people or events to hold us back from becoming what we truly can be. We hold back due to fear, self confidence (or lack thereof). We allow ourselves to remain less than we truly are.
We are all good enough.
Hope you like it.

Dear God:
Please untie the knots
that are in my mind, my heart and my life.
Remove the have nots, the can nots and the do nots
that I have in my mind

Erase the will nots,
may nots,
might nots that may find a home in my heart.

Release me from the could nots
would nots and
should nots that obstruct my life.

And most of all,
Dear God,
I ask that you remove from my mind
my heart and my life all of the "am nots"
that I have allowed to hold me back,
especially the thought
that I am not good enough.
Amen

Author known to God

Change of plans

2010-06-06T13:29:00.007-04:00

Hey, it's been a while since my last post. And a lot has happened since then too. Namely school.
I am taking a short break from studying to write this post before I get back at it. I am currently sitting in my basement relaxing with a coffee and reflecting on what I started when I initiated the Tri2Conquer blog. My absence from blogging has been brought about by my school work demands and inability to dedicate the time to it.
Some of you may be able to relate to this post in some way. Perhaps the conditions are not exactly the same as yours, but maybe you can relate. There is also an important aspect of what I am going to share that I hope everyone can recognize in their own lives.
In November I posted a retrospective of my 2009 triathlon season, looking at what I did, how I did it, and what I could do to get better/stronger/healthier. I had some great insights and ideas for starting the new year and had a great list of races and events to focus on. I was ready to head into a new year full of promise and expectations for a brilliant training season that would culminate in an improved competition season. But, there has been a change of plans. A big change for me (and my family). I still have all those feelings and plans for improving my training and fitness, but for now, triathlon training has to take a back seat for a bit. And that has been hard on me. REALLY hard. And now I am trying to deal with that change.
For those who know me, I don't usually do things half baked. I'm all in or nothing at all. When I set out to do something, I set out to be the best I can be. Not because I am an ultra competitive person (at least not competitive with others), but because I just want to be the best "ME" I can be. I don't podium at races. I'm not at that level. But I try to move up the ranks all the time by challenging myself. I feed off of those athletes around me and take that inspiration to be a better athlete myself. I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform, no matter what I am doing (yes, I am a Virgo). So taking a break from my usual amount of training has been difficult because I love it so much.
Certainly, being a great husband and father is at the top of my list. Everything I do, and I mean everything, in some way reflects back to my devotion to my family. Even my training. I try to be the most fit and healthy I can be so that I am able to enjoy time (hopefully maximizing my lifespan) with my family. I also try to instill the discipline and willpower it takes to train and stay fit to my children (being a good role model and hopefully inspiring them to some degree). I hope my kids will want to live full active and healthy lives as well, and I also hope this leads them to make good decisions. Yes, being a family man is at the top, but my training is another large dimension of who I am. It has defined me for the last several years.
So when I wrote that blog post in November with all my ambition and excitement, I was just at the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I had yet to fully experience what going back to school was going to mean and what this college program had in store for me.

It's been one hell of a tough grind going through this Massage Therapy program. The courses are amazing and I've learned so much in such a relatively short period of time, but it is tough. I would recommend this to anyone who wished to become a health care professional, anyone who wishes to help others achieve optimum health and fitness. But I would also caution them on what to expect.
I knew it was going to be tough and that I would basically have "no life" for the two years of this program. And boy was I right.

I fully expected it to be difficult. I fully expected to be busy. And I fully expected to be stressed out for extended periods of time. And with all of those expectations I am still surprised just how demanding it has been. I am just over 7 months into a 2 year program. (and those 2 years are almost continuous). I got 1 week off at Christmas 2009, I'll get 2 weeks between years one and two in September, and I'll get another week off at Christmas this year. That's it. No other breaks. It is a condensed, accelerated program and that is adding another dimension to the experience. The amount of reading, review and studying for what seems to be a continuous stream of tests and exams has been tough.

I recently went through a period of apathy. It started just prior to the May holiday weekend. I had reached a saturation point in my ability to take in information. I had reached my threshold for my ability to study. When I started that long weekend in May I had great ambitions to use that time away from school to do lots of review and studying. But then I began to spend some much needed time with my family and also getting around to doing all that much needed outdoor yard work with my wife. It was just so nice to NOT be doing school work. I spent long days with my wife working on our gardens, landscaping, cleaning the house and garage. We had nice dinners and of course I sampled some really nice Malbec. I got in a good long ride on my bike. And when the weekend ended, I hadn't opened a book. It was fantastic. But while I felt refreshed and happy with the quality family time I had experienced, I felt like I lowered my guard a little. We have learned about the body's response to stress: the General Adaptation Syndrome. You find a way to fight the stress and cope under tough conditions. Then you continue to maintain that high level of attention and intensity even after the main stressor has subsided. Then, at some point you hit the Exhaustion Stage. You can no longer continue at the torrid pace you have set without experiencing some sort of negative and possibly lasting effects. Your body and mind just say "enough. I need to rest".
I think that May long weekend made my body realize that it needed some time away from being a top student (remember, I stated how I put so much into everything I do? School is no different). So for the next couple of weeks I was battling to stay on top of my work with poor results. I just could not bring myself to come home and open my books. To make things tougher, I have sporadically been on Twitter and seeing how all the amazing athletes I follow have been training and who are now racing. The weather has been amazing and I would normally be getting ready to compete in my first races very shortly myself. It was exciting to see them so happy about their training, but I was very envious that I was not putting in the same time and effort like I used to do. The demands of school and the seemingly relentless flow of tests mean I have not been training anywhere near where I would have been.
Perhaps these feelings of disappointment are justified. I have also thought that maybe I can ease off a little and still get good grades. Maybe it's due to an unjustified fear of not performing at my self-imposed high standards. Being a good student is important to me. Being the best Massage Therapist I can be is my goal. I am not interested in just getting by. I don't believe that is what my clients will be looking for in an RMT either. I am pretty certain they don't want to be treated by someone who put out only enough effort to just pass his program and Board registration exams. Not when they are coming to me for a part of their overall health care. For brief periods (usually just a couple of days or so at at time) we would have a lighter workload at school and so I would say "OK, now I am going to restart my training" and even Tweet about it and post it on Daily Mile. Then we'd get hit hard and have to prep for tests and I'd be glued to my books again. This is what I am now dealing with.

I guess what this all boils down to is: BALANCE. Before last November, I had everything pretty much in balance. Then, when I started school things went a little sideways. I realized I couldn't do it all, so some things had to be put on hold. I had to focus on being husband, father and now student. Time was at a premium and training just wasn't going to fit in the same way I had wanted it to. As well as a long list of other things like yard work, small chores around the house and the multitude of tasks of daily living . This is where my wife comes in. She has been the most amazing, caring, supportive wife and mother. She continually tells me not to worry about anything but my school work. She keeps our home running and I owe everything to her. She organizes the kids schedules, chauffers them around, walks the dog, cooks dinners just to name a few things. She is so supportive of me. All she wants is for me to be happy and do well. She has seen me suffer through the long hours of careers in the recent past, as well as the crazy shift work of many years ago. So by getting me through this next year and a half of school, I can soon enjoy a new career that will provide for our family and it will be something that I can enjoy more than previous careers. What an impact that will make on our family. That is the end goal.

She is the best thing to ever happened to me. And I do know it and appreciate her for that.

So, like my first post in October 2009 when I said "Life is Challenging", and I set out to use this blog to describe how I try to conquer things in my life: here is a glimpse of something I am trying to conquer.

I am currently in the midst of another series of tests and final exams for courses before I begin some new ones. I am also happy to report that I have regained some of that desire and passion to continue and do well with my studies. I guess I have recovered somewhat from my burnout. I think that I was able to do that in part by giving myself permission to take a break, but to also not dwell on how much training I am missing (the mental game). This is a long program I am in, but in relative terms it is not that bad. So I will aim to hit the training in my familiar fashion again when I am done. In the mean time, it will just have to suffice with working out here and there and staying fit and healthy. Family comes first, and since this school work leads to a career that impacts family, then school comes next. Triathlon will always be there, and I plan to enjoy it for many years to come.
But the single most important reason for me being able to do this is the love, understanding and support of my wife and kids. It is so clear to me that you cannot do it all yourself. Being able to be open and honest with each other while keeping the 'big picture' in view is paramount. I am trying very hard to maintain balance when it is so easy to get caught up in the complexities of life and school. This is the real lesson for me. The key learning from all of this: Working TOGETHER for the common goal.

Life is full of ups and downs, ebbs and flows, give and take, plan and adjust. I'm making adjustments, and I will tri2conquer this new challenge before moving on to the next. I am going to end here. I will post this, then go and make a snack for my daughter and I (my wife is out doing the shopping and my youngest is at a birthday party). After my daughter and I eat, I will study some more before I get ready for dinner with my family and a nice glass of wine (Alegoria Malbec recommended by @runnrgrl - mmmm mmmm good). Then I will sit with my wife and we'll chat a bit. Perhaps watch a movie or just do nothing at all.

I hope you can tri2conquer something today, but don't try to do it all yourself. Think of what the big picture looks like and make a plan to get yourself into that picture. You may need to change your route along the way, but keep things in balance, in perspective. Lean on each other a little bit.

There is someone on Twitter who has this nifty little quote on their bio: "It's only a hill, get over it!"

I love that. With a little push from a friend/partner, we can all get over that next hill.

Until next time. Be healthy, Be safe.

Making A Difference, Taking A Stand!

2010-03-15T20:18:00.014-04:00

IT'S TIME TO TAKE A STAND! WILL YOU STAND WITH ME?

3 months! That is all that stands between me and the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer. This is the single biggest event I will participate in. Both in scope and scale. Never mind the fact that there will be 3500 cyclists riding from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Never mind that they will be challenging themselves to complete either a 200 kilometer route or a 320 kilometer route. Never mind the logistical nightmare of all the support crew and behind-the-scenes people needed to pull this off. Never mind that it goes rain or shine. And never mind the fact that I've done virtually no serious training to prepare for this years ride.

I could go on with numbers and data. But just remember 2 in 5. Because that is the number of people who this year will hear the diagnosis "you have cancer". An estimated 170,000+ people in Canada alone. Scary. Sobering. And I feel that it doesn't have to be that way.

So, today, March 15,2010 I am officially taking a stand to do my part to stop this disease in its tracks. I don't want to hear about it anymore. I want to make a difference! I will tri 2 conquer!!

I have kicked off my annual campaign to try to raise much needed financial support for this monumentous event. The funds raised will go to the Campbell Family Cancer Research Institute at the Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the top 5 cancer institutions in the world. I want to know what it's like to turn the tide and see the decline in numbers of people affected by cancer each year. And I want to see that in my lifetime.

I have the ability to make change. I have the ability to inspire others. I have the ability, desire and obligation to do what I can to make the survivors list longer. I use the word "obligation" because I am healthy. And by being healthy I feel I should use my talent and passion for cycling for a greater cause.
It's not always easy to prepare for something like this, and it's not always convenient to train. There are so many things that can get in the way: family, work, school. But, then I think of those who are fighting the much bigger battles and the fact that they'd love to trade places with me. Yeah, I have an obligation to do more than I do.

Thanks to the amazing people at the Ride To Conquer Cancer, I have my own web page for connecting to people and allowing them to donate securely and easily. It's really simple to do and I've added the links here to this post. Follow along in the weeks to come to see how WE are doing. Your support will push me on to do even more. Generosity breeds abundance.

I am asking anyone who reads this post to consider joining me by taking a stand against cancer and helping to make a difference in the lives of so many. No matter the amount of the contribution, know that it helps. There is a motto for Ride to Conquer Cancer. It's: "Strength In Numbers". This is so true. Just a little help from many people can make a beautiful difference in the lives of those who really need it. They are ALL my reason for riding.

This journey started a few years ago when my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. It continues today!

We rode 210 km in 2008 and raised $14 Million

We rode 210 km in 2009 and raised $14.5 Million

I have registered for the 2010 Ride to Conquer Cancer and........

I AM GOING TO RIDE 320 KM!! ( yep, 200 MILES!! A Double "CENTURY")

I need help in this quest. Together, you and I CAN and WILL make a difference. I truly believe this. I'd like to repeat something I put in an earlier post:

WHY DO WE RIDE?
Because our sweat is nothing compared to their tears
Because our challenge is nothing compared to their fight
Because we are all on one journey, with one destination, one goal:
To conquer cancer in our lifetime!

I'm cycling 320 km for them, for hope.

My name is Scott Burns, and I want to conquer cancer!! Join me?

Click here to visit my personal page.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address (cut and paste the following into your URL address bar):
http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Toronto2010?px=1509138&pg=personal&fr_id=1311&fl=en_US&et=EVYFUP_0FO-TP-KeT0ckiQ..&s_tafId=220473

BITE ME, I'm running!

2010-01-03T14:50:00.005-05:00

I have to say, I like the way this new year of 2010 has started off. Just 3 days into it and I've already completed two really nice workouts. I accepted a challenge on New Years day from Twitter pal @kelowngurl to ride 100 km on my trainer. She put it out there for all to see and try. I was feeling a little icky due to a sinus infection, but tried to conquer the ride. I ended up getting 50km done before I was out of juice. But I'm happy with that. That was a good ride at this point of the off-season and my legs feel great for it. @kelownagurl and a few others managed to get the 100km done which I think is awesome. 100km on a trainer is pretty boring, so to have the mental strength to stick with it is really great.

Yesterday was a non training day, but today, I just felt like getting out there and shaking my thing a bit. I have been inspired by so many folks that I follow on Twitter who just keep rocking out these awesome workouts. And the distances! Man! I truly hope to be able to extend my distances like they have. So, last night before I went to bed I thought to myself, you can't do that by sitting around all day. Sunday will be a run day! Now, sometime between having that thought and getting out of bed this morning Mother Nature decided to dump some fresh snow here. And if that wasn't enough, she added -13C (8F) temps that feel like -24C (-11F) with the windchill. The winds are 37km/hr with gusts at 50km/hr. But I as armed! Armed with determination and inspiration to get out there and further my fitness. I tend to complain about the weather at this time of year. I love living in Canada, particularly Ontario, but sometimes the weather gets to you during the winter. However today I was not letting that interfere with my plans. So, I did my usual rigorous stretching routine, added on my multiple layers of performance clothing and set out.

Some of my neighbours were out shovelling some nature when I slogged by. I got some strange looks. It was cold and nasty and I WAS LOVING IT!! I was thinking "BITE ME" if you think I'm crazy. I'm going to run, and feel like the Tarahumara while doing it. My feet were turning over nice and quick with a light touch before pushing off again. The snow was deep at places - small drifts over my ankles, some drifts almost to my knees. It really made the pace tough to hold. I was literally adding resistance training to my run. But it was fun. Mother Nature, you can bite me too!! I have been focusing on keeping my turnover high, and my stride a little shorter as I run a little more forefoot than in the past. With my posture tall and erect I can keep my feet under me and keep them quicker than stretching out too far with long loping strides. It feels good to make these changes. With the snow drifts today, it only forced me to keep my feet under my body more as the resistance of the snow made the recovery part of each stride a bit of work. With the added resistance of the snow and wind gusts, it was virtually impossible to keep my heart rate in zone 2. So, I just thought, screw it. I'll keep going, forget about HR and just run for runnings sake. I never felt the cold. My multiple layers (including my head) kept me totally comfortable. My new New Balance shoes were amazing also. My toes were completely warm and dry when I finished. And that is where the best part happened for me - the finish. I have been concerend with ITB issues since my first 1/2 marathon in Nov. Today I ran my longest distance since that 1/2 mary by completing 6 km in 42 minutes with not so much as a twinge in my left knee. I don't care about the time or pace, I got 6km done without pain or tightness. Mother Nature tried to mess with me there, but I was likely smiling like a fool the whole time as I enjoyed shakin my thing for the entire run. So that was good.

But here's the best part I mentioned: I jokingly said to my oldest daughter after my run "I'm such a good role model for you". She asked what I meant. So I told her "because I try to show you all these athletic things and how to stay fit and healthy". She said "that's because you are a good daddy".

Some things just make your heart melt.

Yeah, I like how this year is starting alright. I like it a lot!!

I hope you can tri 2 conquer something today!

Looking back to look ahead

2009-11-12T21:06:00.005-05:00

It's here! The off season. A time to rest a little, time to recover from any injuries, and catch your breath after a busy season of training. More importantly for me however, it is the time to reflect. A time to look back at the season just ended to analyze how it went. What went well, what did not. Try to identify things in my training and races that I want to keep, and those that I want to improve on. Perhaps, figure out those things that I just want to throw right out!

My pre-season started a little slow this year. A relatively new job and a couple of training injuries had me only around 65% completion on my training plan. Ewww! My hips were tight due to a little imbalance. Additionally, I developed a minor case of plantar faciitis. So, I sought out a lot of help: massage, chiropractic, and even saw a chiropodist. Eventually all these things settled down and began to behave normally. Then, due to the nature of the business and the current economic state I left my position as Director of Operations for a solar panel manufacturer. This was a mutually agreed upon departure. The company was in start up mode and basically the revenue just wasn't there at the time to sustain a full compliment of staff. They are doing much better as of late and I wish them all the best. It was just a good time for me to try something other than manufacturing after 25 years in that sector.
So, with injuries basically healed and more time available, my training really picked up.

The Ride To Conquer Cancer went just the way I had hoped - 210km over two days, great weather and lots of money raised for my main charitable cause. Plus, I just felt good, strong on my bike. This was important since I would have my first triathlon just 4 weeks later.
That first tri was the Gravenhurst Sprint (750m/20km/5km). This is a fun race. You are taken out into the bay at Sagamo Park by a very very old steamship from days gone by. Once out at the start buoys you jump in, gather at the buoys and are started off with the sound of the steamships horn. From there it's just a straight swim back to shore. Really unique, really fun. I had a very good day in Gravenhurst. My swim was pretty good for a first race (19:17), my bike was very strong (39:46 - 30.2 km/hr) and I had a good run (26:52 - 5:23/km pace). I was happy to get that race done, and felt great afterward. The only thing that could have helped was a little harder pace in the swim, together with a little more upper body (particularly shoulder) strength. I feel my shoulders are a little weak and get fatigued too easily. This leads to lazy arms and improper form which only drains energy and slows my pace. (So, note to self, more upper body training and a lot more swimming). The legs and HR were fine. So now we have a benchmark for the rest of the season.

Next on the agenda was the Bracebridge Tri (750m/20km/5km). This day marked my wife's first triathlon!! Woo Hoo. I was so excited for this one. Another awesome Muskoka area race site. My swim was much better this time (16:33), a little stronger than Gravenhurst. My bike was not bad (40:27 - 29.7 km/hr), but the hills were a tough spot for me. Just didn't seem to get into a good climbing rhythm on them and as a result didn't feel smooth cresting the hills. This translated into a loss of power and speed at parts of the bike and thus the drop in avg speed and the slower split compared to Gravenhurst. (Note to self: work on hill climbing). As a result of the energy expenditure on the hills, my run suffered a bit (26:08 - 5:14/km). I still had a good split for the run and an improvement on the benchmark Gravenhurst, but it was going at top speed to get it. I could not have pushed any more. (Note to self, work on bike hills and get more endurance and speed into the legs through running)
And - work on hills I did. I had several really good, really tough hill climbing workouts over the next little while. Boy, they are tough when you find one of those hills that has you off the saddle and standing on the pedals just to make it to the top. But you sure do build strength. I also did many sets of hill repeats on less steep climbs too.
My third race of the season was in Orillia. This was a little longer distance race in prep for my first Olympic distance later on. (Orillia was 750m/33km/7km). I had an absolutely fantastic race. The swim started off with a bit of chop in the bay (a little windy that day) and I felt like I was getting rocked around a bit. I needed to sight on the swim buoys at one point for about 20 seconds to get the seasick feeling to subside. Once that passed, I was fine for the balance. I felt really strong. By this point in my season, my swimming was really improving. I was doing 2600-2800m in my workouts and my speed was improving. I really felt that I had addressed one of my earlier issues from Gravenhurst so that felt really good. (My swim split was 16:42 - so comparible to Bracebridge. Had I not felt sea sick and slowed I would have likely beat the Bracebridge time) Not much I can do about that. I had a great bike (1:04:27 - 30.7km/hr). I improved my average speed from the last two races and felt very good on the hills this time. My run was by far my best race run yet (35:24 - 5:04/km). I was flying and it was effortless. Just one of those days when it all came together. Perhaps it was my mental approach to this race. I went into it planning to use it as a good training day since my Olympic distance tri was my big "A" race this season. Well, I must have been relaxed and I was certainly more fit at this point in the season. I was very happy with my results.

This brings me to the main focus for my season. My stated goal from back in the winter. Wasaga Beach Olympic distance tri (1.5km/40km/10km). The day could not have started any better. Clear skies, virtually no wind, 73F water, and no waves/chop. This race is held in Georgian Bay, and can get very rough. I did the Sprint distance last year and the swim had to be moved into the Nottawasaga River due to the 3 foot breakers in the bay. So I was very happy and relieved when the conditions were good.
My swim was my strongest swim thus far (31:33 - which equates to a approx 15:46 per 750 meters. Substantially faster pace than my first three races). I just knew when I exited the water that I'd feel good. The bike is a really nice looping course, not a lot of elevation change, but enough to keep it interesting. I played leap frog with one cyclist for most of the race, this kept us both pushing and pulling each other. That was fun. I ended the bike very strong (1:12:39 - 33 km/hr) with a nice speed increase over all three former races. And then, to finish it all off with a 10km run. The sun was nice and hot and I made sure to hit all the water stations as well as take a few gels, evenly spaced. I felt decent for the first 3 km, then tried to pick up the pace and responded well. The next 5 km were quite good. But, for the last two km, I just started to lose my legs. My pace dropped off a little and I finished with what I feel is decent time in my first Olympic race (1:00:54). I was pretty much done at the finish line, but not to the point of dropping. I felt good. I felt like I had done what I came to do and was very happy to have completed my first olympic distance race. It's good to know you can challenge yourself to go the extra distance, raise that bar a little.

Just after completing the Wasaga race, my wife managed to convince me to join her on her 2nd half marathon on Nov 1. The Angus Glen Half (mentioned in previous post). This would be my first half marathon, and as already documented, it did not go too well even though I did manage to finish. I am very happy and proud however to have completed two (actually 3) brand new firsts: My first olympic distance triathlon, my first half marathon, and doing a tri with my wife for the first time. Very exciting and very fulfilling to have met all of these goals.

Through analysis of my races I targeted certain needs in order to improve. I managed to address some of these during the season, and now that I am in the off season, I will again address all these things in order to start of 2010 races much stronger.

1. Due to the most urgent and critical (my ITBS issue and some foot pain that seems to be caused by my arch dropping) I will be actively seeking some ART, laser therapy, massage, and lots of stretching for my entire body.
I will also be seeking advice on my gait and degree of pronation, and will research new shoes and possibly orthotic inserts for them to get out of this ITBS and arch problem. I want to do longer distance events over the course of time and my current issues won't allow this.

2. Develop strength through resistance training (whole body with focus on core and upper body). My legs have really grown in muscularity this season with all the training so I am not as concerened with their development, but just the same, I'll work them.

3. I've tapered off all distances now, but I will begin to ramp up my swim distances again in order to start the season with the endurance and strength that I ended with. (that's the plan anyway)

4. Absolutely work hill routines into my bike program. This will be crucial to conquering those hills and still having something left for the rest of the bike and then the run. Also, I plan on participating in the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer again next June and have registered to do the double century (200 miles - 320 km). Woo hoo. Should be awesome.

Well, there is my look back in order to plan for the future. I think I have identified 4 really key things in my training that will help me to start next season ready, stronger, faster and more able to take on my planned events. I guess you'll have to check this blog next year to see if I was successful. That's the cool thing. You want to and hope to do well, but you just never know what will transpire over the course of a season to affect your plans. Injuries, life changes that interfere with training or races etc. But, at least in looking back and analysing the data you can make a plan and set yourself up for success.
Until next time, tri2conquer something in your life. And have fun doing it!!

Just a bad day at the office

2009-11-09T20:39:00.006-05:00

This is certainly a little late in coming. Two weekends ago, on November 1st I completed my first 1/2 marathon - the Angus Glen Half. It was a bitter-sweet experience. I was so happy to be running a 1/2 marathon and to also be doing so with my wife. The day started well. Sunshine, cool but not too cold. No wind. And I was so relaxed. I mean, absolutely no pre race nerves. I was cool as a cucumber. I was thrilled to be doing this, but as it turns out, my ITB's were not so thrilled about it. Particularly my left one. It decided enough was enough around the 14km mark and the symptoms began to reveal themselves (tight knee, pain on the lateral side just near the fibular head, lack of hinging at the knee). Damn, I thought, there goes my first 1/2 (and it was supposed to be the last race of the year for me). I wanted to finish strong. I wanted to FINISH. I tried to think of ways to block out the pain. I began to play games in my head to focus on other things. Inevitably, a hill would pop up and make my knee scream a little more bringing my focus back sharply. I was having such a great day up until that point. My running felt effortless. My fitness was exactly where I had wanted it to be. I executed on my training plan during this past summer and I knew in my heart that I am currently in the best shape of my life and totally ready to complete 21 kms. I just turned 44 in September and NOW I am in my best shape. I sometimes think, why did I wait so long to get this fit, to find triathlon as a sport and all three disciplines as separate sports.

I have enjoyed running since my grade 6 year when I joined the school cross country team. It was amazing. We'd be at school an hour and a half before the other students so that we could get our run done. It just felt right. Then, several years later I really took an interest in cycling. I used an old steel frame bike for the longest time. Eventually, once I was working and earning some money I bought my first decent bike. Aluminum frame and better grouppo than the previous ride. This bike stayed with me for several years and became a great training aid and escape. I started to ride to work each day. Then go on longer rides to see neighbourhoods I've never seen. Being on a bike allowed that in a way that running didn't. It allowed for speed. I now had two sports to enjoy. But, I never took it to the level I now enjoy. Perhaps subconsciously approaching middle age made me think that it's more of a 'now or never' thing. I don't know. I don't consciously worry about my age or getting older. Hell, I'm probably feel younger than many my age. One thing is for certain however, I did consciously want to be fit for my family so that I could manage the day to day things in life and still have something left for them. I also wanted to be a role model for my girls and show them that a healthy fit lifestyle was good. So, a few years back I really started to focus on being a better me (physically, mentally - and the two are absolutely linked!)

I knew the things I wanted to do. I saw runners, cyclists and triathletes out doing their training. I watched races and just wondered how the hell they did that? It was so cool. I just had to try (or tri?). Training one's self is prety good, but you can really get mired in "safe" zones or plateaus without the benefit of good training science. So I enlisted the help of Endurance Lab in Toronto. This is run by Adam Johnston, a kinesiologist, certified triathlon and swim coach. He set me up with one of his coaches, Ironman Pro Tereza Macel. Tereza put together my training plans and I trusted her completely with this. She knows what she's doing (after all, this year after some great results in various races in Europe and Asia, she won Ironman Lake Placid, Ironman Canada, and placed 4th in Kona - not too shabby). Tereza had me completely ready to take on my 4 triathlons, my Ride to Conquer Cancer, and the Angus Glen Half Marathon two weekends ago. I had completed training runs ranging from 8 km to 20 km in distance without issue, until a few weeks before Angus Glen. I was supposed to complete a 23km long run for the week. At about 15.5 km my left ITB started to flare up. My left knee tightened and I could run no further. Uh Oh! I was now worried about race day at this point since I know from experience and speaking to other runners about the difficulties in recovering from ITBS (Iliotibial Band Syndrome). (One Twitter friend triADAMlete has some good info on this www.ironadam.com). The following couple of weeks went pretty good, mostly shorter runs (8 to 12 km) and no ITB issues. I worked very hard to recover the legs. I bought a foam roller, a massage stick, an ITB strap and used them extensively along with stretching. I iced and got massage as well. I was hopeful that on Nov 1st I'd be able to go start to finish and feel good.

My wife and I started the race together, and I told her that I'd likely start to pull away after a while (at 10 or 12 km) in order to follow the race plan that Tereza had set for me. She was fine with this, but she was having a good day and stayed right with me. She looked great. By 14 km, I was slowing due to my knee pain and she slowed with me. I told her to keep going and finish strong at her race pace. She wanted to stay with me but I really wanted her to keep going and have a good day. So she did just that. I shortened my stride a little, and slowed my pace a little and that kept my knee pain quite manageable actually. I did this sort of shuffle step-light jog to complete the last 7km. I was now in HR zone 1, but I didn't care. I was just focused on finishing this race. I watched my wife slowly disappear up the road ahead. Then I started to get passed by people who I had passed around the 3km mark. Then the final straw - the 2:15 pace bunny went by me. Dang! My goal heading into the day was to finish sub 2 hours and I was even thinking of something like 1:50 for a target (wishing, hoping). Now I was going to be behind the 2:15 bunny! Oh well, what can you do? After the initial disappointment, I decided it was just not going to be my day, but I would finish no matter what.

I continued with my shuffle thinking only of the finish line and getting some food. Yeah, I was getting hungry. I took 2 gels and drank at every water station, but I was getting hungry now. At 19km, I was joined by a lady who was having ankle pain. I never got her name, but she said she has had this ankle issue before and was just trying to finish. I told her I was in the same boat. She told me I was her target from a long way back telling me she thought I looked fit and she just tried to keep me in sight to pace her along. That felt really good. Now, we were helping each other keep our spirits up and get to the finish line. (I just love the spirit of the other athletes I meet at events. So honest, so caring) As we approached the final turn into the Angus Glen Golf Club (about 500 meters from the finish) my wife was there waiting to run me in. She already had her finisher's medal around her neck - it looked great on her!! We made the last stretch together, my knee now starting to hurt just a little more. I think that was because I picked up the pace to cross the line in the way that I had envisioned. I gave a tiny push and crossed the timing mats. Done!! My first 1/2 marathon. Now I got my medal. I am proud of it.

As my coach has said in the past when things didn't go as planned "it was just a bad day at the office". That's all you can do. No sense in beating it to death. No sense in getting all down. It didn't turn out the way I wanted, but I did finish. And, like I said, I know I have the fitness to do a 1/2 strong. That's just a confidence that comes from knowing your own body and knowing your own fitness level. And that was good enough for me. My time? 2:17. This race was my wife's 2nd half marathon. She did her first one back in the spring in 2:06. She did Angus Glen in 2:03. I probably held her back a bit when I started to have knee issues and told her that a sub 2 hour half is totally hers! She did great, and looked so fresh at the end. I'm proud of her.

For me, well, I now have a new goal to tri2conquer!
Be well. Train smart. Have fun!

The Big One

2009-10-20T12:12:00.004-04:00

Yeah, this is the BIG ONE. The main event for me. June 12-13 2010. I have many races and events that I like to participate in throughout the year, however, this one is the biggie. The Ride To Conquer Cancer is a 2 day cycling event that takes riders on an epic journey. A journey that is as much spiritual an it is physical. The funds raised in this ride benefit the Princess Margaret Hospital, one of the top 5 cancer sites in the world. These folks are doing awesome work and the funds help continued research, teaching and compassionate care.
I have participated in the RTCC since the inaugural ride in 2008. In that ride, 2850 cyclists left from the CNE grounds in Toronto and made their way to Niagara Falls travelling through the city streets before venturing off into rural farmland, country roads, and through the vineyards of the Niagara wine region.There was a stop over at the half way point in Hamilton where we camped out, ate immense quantities of food, drank some cold Steamwhistle beer and enjoyed the live band. That first year, my teammates and I raised $56,000 and the Ride brought in $14 Million! Yes, $14 million! It was absolutely amazing to see this event unfold from a riders perspective. There were such amazing acts of bravery and selfless giving throughout the event. It really amazes you to see how people can pull together and support such a worthy cause. Just as the slogan on our Ride cycling jerseys says "Strength in Numbers".
I was moved to take part in this event after seeing so many of the people in my life affected by cancer. Two aunts, my sister-in-law, a high school buddy, many colleagues and more. The reality sank even deeper for me when my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a scary thing to learn, and I felt that I really needed to step up to the plate and do something to battle this disease. The mantra of the Princess Margaret Hospital is to "Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime". I have taken the "conquer" part of that as my blog title. It means something to me. It reached me completely and I just simply "get it". I have always loved to ride. Some of my favourite memories as a youngster were being out on my bike. It's the feeling of freedom, the open road layed out before to discover and conquer. To go anywhere. The only limiting factor is your energy levels. I wasn't sure if I could ride the 210km that would be required during this event, but I knew that I sure wanted to try. After all, any difficulties I may encounter in trying to achieve this would pale in comparison to the fight that the cancer patients have to deal with. With that thought and the knowledge that I could actually make a difference in the lives of others, I set out to train. I rode, and I rode a lot. I stretched my distances out longer and longer, always keeping my sister and all the others in my forethoughts. Eventually, with several 80-110 km rides under my belt, I knew that I was physically ready for the challenge.
Of course, there was another challenge I had to face during this period. The fundraising. As a participant, you need to raise a minimum of $2500 in order to take part. Wow, I thought. How will I do this? But, never to turn down a challenge I started to make regular communications to my family, my friends, my colleagues, even to some folks I haven't seen in years. A very wise person once said to me: "Don't let not asking be the reason for not getting". I really took that to heart. What is the worst thing that can happen? They can say no. That's all. That's not so bad. It doesn't hurt. So, I asked everyone for their help. To join me, to be a part of something great and noble. I explained, "it's not for me. I don't see a dime of the money raised. It's all for the people we know and love who have fought or are fighting this disease. It's for the people who have lost their fight and are no longer with us. It's for them. I'll do the hard work on my bike if you can just contribute any amount at all." I must have reached people with my approach. Everyone was so generous. My minimum was $2500, my goal was $3500, I finished off at $4750!! I couldn't believe it, but I am so truly grateful for all the kindness and the words of encouragement that I recieved. We proved there is Strength in Numbers.
The Ride To Conquer Cancer really combined my passion for cycling and fitness with a much loftier goal, a more important cause. I allowed me to give. It allowed me to spread the word about this disease and raise some awareness along with much needed funds. I feel good about that. I share all the good karma with everyone who supported the event or provided kind encouragement along the way. There were many high fives and tears of joy when we reached the finish line at Niagara Falls. My family was there to greet me, and so was my sister. She is pictured with me on my Ride web page. I had her picture on my bike as I completed the trek. I showed it to her at the finish line. She is my big sister. She is my main reason for riding.
Once the Ride was over, I registered for the 2009 Ride. I had to. The route was the same, the fundraising was the same, the cause was the same. It was still there, needing to be conquered. It was a no-brainer for me. It was, however going to be a little more difficult since the economic downturn really hit hard just as I was trying to get my fundraising going. I know how this feels. I have been downsized in my career twice (outplaced). Times were rough. Still are, but at least things are coming around again. I perservered though, and kept plugging away and asking people to help, even with just a small donation of $10 or $20. In simple terms, most of us spend $2.00 a day or more on coffee or lattes. I was asking for pennies per day. And once again, people's hearts were large. I surpassed the $2500 minimum and raised $2700+. Amazing. Our team grew last year as well, and we brought in $72,000. The 2009Ride raised 14.5 Million! That's $28.5 Million in 2 years. Incredible.
So, this year, I didn't wait until the end of the Ride to register for the next one. I registered while at the half way camp. I also am adding a bit more challenge to it this year. I registered for the new 200 Mile route. That will be 320 km. 160 km each day. Awesome. I've been in touch with my team mates recently and everyone is gearing up and getting excited already, and it's still 8 months away!! They are great team mates. Really super personalities, and really supportive. They make the event so much fun for me, I can't say enough.
In 8 months, on June 12 and 13 I will try to conquer the 2010 Ride To Conquer Cancer. It is for all those people who are counting on the next scientific breakthrough, that next surgery, that new piece of equipment that will make their life and fight easier.

Why do we ride?
Because our sweat is nothing compared to their tears
Because our challenge is nothing compared to their fight
Because we are all on one journey, with one destination, one goal:
To conquer cancer in our lifetime!

You can learn more about the Ride To Conquer Cancer at www.conquercancer.ca and search for me there. I have a personal web page where you can see me, my team, and donate if you wish.

My sister is a cancer survivor, I want to make that happen for many more.

Get out there, tri2conquer.
Scott Burns
Burnzy

Life is challenging

2009-10-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

Welcome to my first blog post, and thank you for visiting me.
Every day in every city in every country in the world, each and every one of us tries to conquer something. It could be keeping the peace with your spouse/partner, teaching your children what's right or wrong, battling rush hour traffic on your commute to work. Perhaps you are fighting a cold, recovering from an injury, or you have a tough exam coming up at school. These are the smaller things. There are infinite other much larger challenges we can face: battling that mortgage, finding/keeping that job, battling cancer. There are endless obstacles and challenges thrown at us each and every day, and somehow we all have to find a way to conquer them and keep things rolling straight. It's the ebb and flow of daily life. Keeping it straight: easily said, not always easily done.
I guess the simplest approach is to try to break things down into little chunks to manage what you can in the easiest manner. This way we prioritize and differentiate between what is really important, and what might be more trivial and not worth as much effort. But in the end, handling the challenges, conquering them, is what makes us who we are. It defines us.
In the coming weeks, months, who knows maybe even years I'll try to update this blog with the different challenges and experiences I face. It will not all be about ways to overcome difficulties or hardship or even providing cousel - who the heck am I to tell you how to live/run your life. What I want to share are the ways I find to conquer a small portion of who I am: my training plans, my triathlons, cycling and running events, the injuries (hopefully few and far between) as well as some of the other factors I face while trying to reach my fitness goals. I'll also share some stories from the people I engage along the way. The people who make me stop and think; who inspire me; who teach me.
I have already been inspired by many new people I have connected to through my twitter posts. They have motivated me to start this blog in the hopes that I have something to share that is meaningful.
Thanks for tuning in, and I hope to have you back as I find my way and tri2conquer.
Burnzy