My Favorite Quotes

I have two favorite quotes that I wish to share. The first is "If you have built a castle in the sky, all is not lost because that is where it should be. Now go and build the foundation".
This quote touches on how I am feeling about training these days. I have new prosthetic legs and once I get going they working amazingly well. I fly when I run and bike. Its not the 'get going' part that I am referring to, its physically getting off the ground. What I mean is that I am missing the basics. How can I possibly get off or on my bike to go into the transition zone efficiently and effectively if I have not mastered how to stop? How can I run around a sharp corner, or down a hill if I have not learned how to slow down without stumbling or falling? These trouble spots might sound funny to many of you, but that is probably because you have two biological legs. I have no mental or neurological control over my mechanical limbs. I therefore am left to use gravity, posture, and strength from my other limbs to do the basics - stuff you should have learned as a kid. How often have you just turned on a new computerized gadget or mechanical toy and started playing around with it just to try and figure it out on your own before reading the instructions? No big deal, right? And what if that toy or gadget didn't come with instructions? What then? Well no big deal. My legs didn't come with an instruction manual so I figured I would just try them out! Wrong, wrong, wrong! When you start pushing yourself to run really fast just because you know you now can, well you have to be prepared to quickly drop into a safe combat PT role when you catch the toe of the new flex foot and start flying through the air. This is the time I usually say to myself, man I wish I was a kid again - at least I'd bounce. I can't tell you how often I have crashed on my bike. Its because I lack the basic skills. Sometimes in competitive sports you have to be nice to yourself and go back and re-master some of the basics. In my case its an annoyance, but it is a necessary evil. I can not expect to excel without having the a solid foundation upon which to build. I am now back on my wind trainer teaching myself the basics of how to clip in and out. As for the running, well I'm still flying through the air! I just decided to wear gloves and a knee pad (personal protective equipment).
The next quote of the day is from an old professor of mine from Graduate School. "Stop grading my paper and show me how to get an A'. For anyone in a leadership role, inspiration and motivation goes along way. Remember that respect is commanded and not demanded. That means lead by example; know the way, show the way, and go the way.
Have a great day folks.

MEECH LAKE SWIM with TECHNOSPORT

Meech Lake in the Gatineau's is amazing !! Did you know that our Prime
Minister has a cottage (aka summer home) on Meech Lake? It is perched up
quite high overlooking the lake and I am certain the views from there are
spectacular. I always know I'm driving in the right direction when I see
the spires from the PM's roof top.

I finally got some time in my wetsuit in open water. Blanchet Beach on
Meech Lake is awesome. There is a small island right in the middle of this
area making it a perfect and incredibly beautiful buoy to swim around. Its
about a 750m loop. Great place to practice open water swimming. I joined
Technosport for the day to check out the location and to get to know the
people and coaches. Great group of people. Excellent coaching support.
Many thanks Jim for all your help. Technosport has some really fast swimmers
in their cadre. It may take a while to learn to keep pace, but I think I'm
up for the challenge. When not doing open water swimming, the club swims
out of L'Universite d'Ottawa.

If you are looking for a great place to do an open water swim in a safe,
bacteria free lake, check out Blanchet Beach in Gatineau Park. If you are
looking for a great swim club or tri club, Technosport is highly
recommended. Good people and great certified coaches who are willing to
help you out. Check it out.

RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER - JUNE 2010

Hello everyone. Yes, I'm on the road again!

As part of team 'CF Injured Soldier Network', I will be cycling with fellow
soldiers 200km from Toronto to Niagara Falls in support of cancer research.

The Canadian Forces Injured Soldier Network (CF ISN) is a peer support
program that marries up like injured and ill soldiers with other soldiers in
recovery to share stories and experiences, and to provide support and
inspiration. I am the founder of that program.

One of the largest peer support groups within the CF ISN is the Cancer
Support Group. I was astonished by the number of friends and co-workers who
were either battling the disease, or had family affected by this terrible
disease. I met a fellow officer who shared his story with me about his
lovely wife who had just passed away and that he was left to raise to small
girls on his own. My heart sank. I knew he felt alone and I knew he could
use a kind word from other soldiers in the same situation. This is where
the CF ISN comes in. There is a bond between our band of brothers and
sisters that is unlike any other. We have a duty to support one another,
and that is just the way it is. So Mike, you are not alone. We are here to
support you and we hope to see you in Toronto !!

Should you wish to check out this ride go to www.conquercancer.ca

Hope to see you there.

Kim