Still Fit To Fight

Day 7 - Climbing the Great Wall

2011-09-11T07:47:00.000-04:00

Well this site was as spectacular as ever. It was a touch anti-climatic in that it took an hour to drive to Metianyu but we only spent about 30 mins climbing the wall. It was quite crowded so moving up and down the stones was a bit problematic. I did not have any trouble walking or climbing but I had to watch where I was stepping. Lots of people stared.

The views of the countryside were phenomenal from the wall. Given the thickness of the wall's construction and the terrain of the countryside, I almost felt as if the Emperor's that had built the wall were a bit paranoid. Seriously...what invading army would plan an invasion thru the mountains with the equipment they would undoubtedly need to overtake the Forbidden City (the ultimate prize)? Just does not make sense. I am thinking that there were a few Generals with enormous egos that posted anyone they did not like to these remote areas. There is nothing around this wall for miles and miles. Complete isolation. Even food would have been hard to come by. Life on the wall would have lacked serious quality of life.

The luncheon afterwards was excellent. It was one of the best meals we have had all week. Many thanks to Ming Hua Chung our tour guide.

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Location:China

Day 6 - Post Race

2011-09-10T07:47:00.000-04:00

We had a great post-race meal at a local restaurant called Auspicious. It was very very good authentic Chinese fair. We ordered about 10 different dishes and shared them amongst the team. YUMMY!!

Many thanks to Grant for breaking open his 12 yr old bottle of Rye that he picked up in the duty free shop. It did wonders for my hip flexors who were still slightly annoyed with me for putting them thru that grueling 20km bike on race day. They are fine this morning thankfully. My entire body feels fine.

I remain a. Little disappointed this morning but I have come to realize that there are just some things beyond my control. I gave it my best shot.

Lessons learned:
1. Get my bike adapted to include climbing gears. I have no ability to stand up so i need the extra

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Location:China

Day 5 - Race Day

2011-09-09T07:46:00.000-04:00

I placed fourth!

This was the most demanding course I have ever raced. My training went well all summer but on the day, my training fell short of what I needed to climb the 8-10% grades over 500-800m of climbing and times that by 10 over the course of 23 km.

It was an amazing race. Well done China! I am glad I came and conquered the course but at the end of the day I did not have the proper equipment to climb these grades as an above the knee amputee. I should have changed out my front derailleur to a triple...just like all the other AK amputees. We need the granny gear to climb so I was taken on the hills and had no legs left for the run. It's unfortunate but nothing I can do about it now. My bike coach had thought that there was no grade over 2% and I took that info at face value. In hindsight, I should have done my own calculations.

Swim was ok but I was a bit off my rhythm. Got slammed at the start by the guys again. Oh well.

The run was ok but I had no legs left! Brutal run but I made it. I was never so happy to see the finish line.

Great experience and lots of lessons learned.

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Location:China

Day 4

2011-09-07T07:46:00.000-04:00

Ok it's the day before the race and I definitely have race jitters. Curtis is just as nervous as I am. As my handler he has to follow strict rules and could inadvertently disqualify me. So his fears are just as real as mine; he too has to perform on the day

Not much more to say except that I missed the team photo and opening ceremonies as I had to have my rear derailleur cable completely replaced. Yes mechanical issues have reared their ugly head. Our job is to stay calm and simply go with the flow

Many thanks to the Chinese ITU mechanics who did an amazing job repairing my bike

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Location:China

Day 3

2011-09-06T07:46:00.000-04:00

Well it was an interesting day today. I spent most of the morning searching for a bike mechanic. I found the TriCan bike designate, Jay, who was able to get my rear derailler working again. I guess I should have protected and stabilized it better in my bike box given that the journey alone was bound to cause shifting inside the bike box. I also regret not getting my bike tuned up again right before we left Canada. I figured that I just had it tuned up before London UK four weeks ago, so did I really need to? WRONG WRONG WRONG! I should have kept to my normal race routine and had my bike tuned up. Even though we are deemed Elite we do not have access to the Canada elite support staff. Otherwise I would have had my bike repaired yesterday without issues.

While Jay was able to get my bike up and running, it's not finely tuned. Jay is a formula race car driver with a big heart and great tools. I am truly grateful for his help but I don't have confidence in my bike. So I am going to have to try and ride the Papa Hill tomorrow. Hopefully that part of the course won't be closed off.

Chinese security is starting to tighten up. I just got a note slipped under my door ordering me (well instructing) to attend a security screening at 1520 h. Oddly enough I will be at a TriCan meeting at the same time so I won't be able to make the timing. The note also states that the bus I am supposed take leaves the hotel 2 hours before the event! Sitting in a stadium for 2 hours and then participate in a 2-3 hour opening ceremony and pasta party, the evening of my race, is not that appealing. Security is so tight that I probably won't be able to leave at a decent time to return back to the hotel for a good night sleep. I guess I will have to make the call tomorrow as to whether or not I will participate in the opening ceremonies. It's too bad but such is the life of a racer. I came to race and represent Canada. It's a matter of priorities

I am feeling good today. I had a good run. My pace was a bit fast but that is ok. A case of pre-race jitters. I ran with Charles, our 74 yr old age grouper. He is in great shape and is racing sprint distance on Sunday. It's a definite must see for me. His lovely wife June volunteered to help as a Handler. A very nice couple. I am hoping that I can use Charlie as my aid at the bike dismount but I have to wait until tomorrow for a ruling from the ITU. The ITU might simply assign a delegate of their choice. Regardless of who helps me as long as I know who the person is and that they know how to help me, I will be fine.

It's started to rain this evening. I am hoping that the weather system will pass us by this evening and that it will be dry tomorrow. Here's hoping that for once, I will race with good weather. I have participated in only three international races in short paratriathlon career. Each and every time it has poured rain...and not just a sprinkle here and there. It was an all out assault. One can only dream for good weather.

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Location:China

Day 2

2011-09-05T07:44:00.000-04:00

Up at 0545h this morning and gulped down a refreshing smoothie with bananas and mango. I added a protein supplement so it filled me up quite nicely before the morning bike ride around the race course.

We headed out for our group ride at around 0615h. We are only 2 kms from the race site, which is awesome.

Despite what my coach told me, the profile of this bike course has several grades over 8 percent. On the first hill my chain fell off and I crashed. This will teach me to ignore the sound of a twing coming from my rear shifter before I head out onto a ride. Bad bad bad. I managed to pick my butt up off the pavement and put my chain back on. I got back on my bike and just gutted it out all the way up the hill. A little zig and zag and before you know it I was at the top of this bugger of a hill. I finished the loop and then headed back to the hotel. YES I will find the bike mechanic today so that when I head out tomorrow, my bike is in good working order.

Once off the bike we took an hour break and then headed to breakfast. Since I had a smoothie I really was not hungry. I did have a tasty coffee.

About 30 mins later we were at the pool. Before long I was experiencing a Charlie horse in my good leg!! What else could go wrong! I guess that crash on the bike did a little damage as I am now achey all over. Damn!!!

So now I am sitting in my room snacking on some noodles and 7up. Think I will stretch and then have a nap. No sightseeing for me this afternoon.

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Location:China

Day 1

2011-09-04T07:43:00.000-04:00

Well hello everyone! First full day in the country and we have just learned that there is no access to Google or WI-Fi in this hotel. We are not certain if you can only access WI-Fi in Beijing. So my blog entries will be delayed.

The country is very beautiful. We are north of Beijing in a place called Changping. Nice area but the road system is under construction so it seems. Made the drive out here more like off-roading.

We have a decent room but it's not a double bed. It's two single beds. Smoke stains on the carpet so we wear our shoes all the time. Great ac though and nice linens. Beds are very hard. If you had a bad back you would be in heaven.

We will be out on the bike tomorrow and again in the pool. I hope to be able to do some running on site. The run route is all on top of a padded surface that is much like a track surface. This means that it is soft and will be much easier to run on.

Food is good just different. I will be carbo loading with rice. Not much in the way of sweets though but we got some amazing fruit at the local WalMart. Yes you heard me correctly. This place was huge and had everything you could think of including BEER. It was kind of like an LCBO inside the store. Curtis and Grant (another amputee Cdn racer) were checking out the scotch for after the race.

Curtis is running around in his underpants to keep cool. It's very very hot and humid here.

Got good news from the ITU today. I am going to be permitted to have someone at the bike dismount much to my relief. Just means that I won't need to find a safe crash zone to get off my bike. Yeah!!!! Also will be able to get red swim cap for swim exit. There is an assumption that all amputees can hop. In Canada the rehab centers discourage hopping since I broke my only good ankle because it has limited flexion. All to say that I am very glad that I asked the question in the first place.

That is all my news. Feeling ok and positive about the race. After the bike familiarization I will have a better feel for the race. I will post again tomorrow.

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Location:China

Road to China

2011-09-03T12:53:00.001-04:00

We are now underway. First leg of the trip is complete! Vancouver is beautiful as per usual. Flying over the Rockies was majestic. Not a cloud in the sky so that you could see the tops of the mountains as clear as day. Curtis and I are somewhat tired but we should be able to recover with a latte at the Maple Leaf lounge.

One of the best lessons learned from London was the value of executive class lowest fares. It's not first class but it is certainly a welcome step up to fully reclinable seats. We flew economy to London and ended up in seats that did not recline. Both of us ended up with back spasms, jimmy legs and for me the added phantom pain. We promised each other that if we were ever flying overseas again, we would splurge for the moderately higher airfare just to have the luxury of stretching out. We also decided that a good sleep would help with acclimatization. Beijing is 12 hours ahead of us (from Ottawa).

I am feeling good right now. No race jitters. I am in 'determined' mode. This won't be a tough race but rather a good race where you have to give it everything you got.

Curtis is reading a paper right now sipping a decaf espresso that was supposed to be a decaf latte! Damn machines!!

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Pre-flight Training

2011-09-02T22:27:00.001-04:00

Did a "mini-sprint" triathlon in reverse today. Started with a 3k run, followed by a hilly 10k bike and ended with a 400m swim. Felt pretty good afterwards. Goal was to focus on transition and technique in all of the disciplines. Overall it was a great day.
Bike is packed, suitcases are just about done (waiting for a bit of laundry), and I am chillin' with a brew. Flight is at 0 dark buffalo tomorrow morning, so off to bed soon!!

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Road to China - Training Day

2011-08-31T20:57:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone. Three days until I step on the plane and head to Beijing.

My race is not until 9 Sep 11. It is too early to begin my race taper so I must continue my training as per normal with built-in taper recovery. What I must avoid is lactic acid build-up the day before I get onto the plan. One of the most important lessons I learned from working with Hugh Conlin (hi Hugh…aka Master YODA) is how to train while in taper mode. Taper does not mean that you stop training. Tapering is simply focusing your effort, reconfirming your cues, and focusing on race execution.

So today, I began with a morning swim at my favourite watering hole. This place is so peaceful and so welcoming that I take a moment every time I get into the water, to thank the spirit of this pond. I had a great swim this morning. I came away with two 'race' observations however that I will have to address in tomorrow's training. Tune in for tomorrow's post.

I also met two lovely ladies today at the pond. Both gave me some much needed encouragement and support for my upcoming race. Thank you Pauline and thank you Joan!!

I was off to bike training soon after I got home from my swim. I don't think that I have ever worked so hard on hills - small and large. China is going to be hilly but truthfully these are 2% grade hills. For someone with two legs, these are not the kinds of grades that are worth consideration. But for someone with one leg even these low grades take training. I am predominantly a one-legged rider and without a knee on my residual limb side, I ride with 60-65% effort on my good side, and 35-40% effort on my prosthetic side. The ideal ratio is 50/50. I have trained very hard to get that ideal 50/50 ratio, but this is the best ratio I have achieved five years post amputation. Lessons learned from today is that with the added effort I need to drink at the 10km mark and perhaps take in a GU chomp or two (electrolyte upload).

MAJOR LESSON LEARNED FROM LAST WEEK: Having a late waffle or pancake breakfast with fresh fruit around 11:30am yields a phenominal ride at 3:30pm.

Tomorrow is another day of swim training, run training, and bike transition training.

Its going to be a great day !!

Talk to you tomorrow.

Kimberly

Acclimitization

2011-08-30T22:38:00.000-04:00

It's a very hard process. Physically, I am adapting fine - mentally, I'm finding it tough. Will stay strong!!

IPC Athletics World Championships: Women's 100m T42

2011-02-26T13:29:00.000-05:00

Hey!! I'm Desperate And Need To Win A Computrainer!!!

2011-01-30T20:11:00.000-05:00

Well what can I say, 'I love it!!'. Here's what I wrote into the Racermate (http://www.computrainer.com) WANTED: DESPERATE ATHLETE Contest:

My name is Kimberly Fawcett and I am an officer in the Canadian Forces (http://www.kimberlyfawcett.me). I lost my right leg while on duty five years ago. I started triathlon as part of rehabilitation and love it. I have progressed to the point where I know I'll make the Canadian Paralympic Paratriathlon Team (I medalled at the Worlds in 2008 & 2010), but need your help to get to the top of the podium. I have used a CompuTrainer several times and immediately noticed improvement in my pedal stroke and found that I can actually generate power with my prosthetic leg!!!

I had the privilege of trying out this piece of kit a couple of times and knew that I had stumbled onto something really good. For the first time in my life I was able to visually see how much power my residual limb can actually generate on the bike through the SpinScan Pedal Analysis feature. I am of course, an above-the-knee amputee - well actually a through-the-knee amputee. Because I have my full quad and hamstring, with the CompuTrainer's help, I have re-learned to use these muscle groups.

One benefit of being a traumatic amputee is that I have muscle, ligament and tendon memory. I know how my leg should work and how to fire the muscles. With the CompuTrainer's help, I awoke my sleeping nerves and muscle memory as I learned to climb. This came to me as a complete shock to be honest. I think in my mind I always thought my leg muscles were working, but I really couldn't see any results to confirm it. Using the SpinScan, I can actually see my progress. I can also help train my brain to learn the signals from my muscles when they fire. These associations are critical as they help me in my everyday activities, like walking and running.

The CompuTrainer is a great piece of equipment, but it comes at a fairly large upfront cost. If I win this contest, it will put me in good stead for success at my planned ITU races in London, Edmonton and the World Championships in Beijing. Keep your fingers crossed for me!!!

Post-Race Day

2010-12-18T20:57:00.003-05:00

Its the day after my first track and field meet. I'm not certain how I feel about the experience. There were lots of young faces and plenty of anxious parents sizing up the competition on behalf of their sons and daughters regardless of whether their child wanted to know anything about the competition.

I watched one father and mother approach a young girl just to find out how old she was. The young girl was from Montreal and she was 9 yrs old. She ran in the heat just ahead of me. Both she and her older brother are naturally talented runners. I wish I took the time to ask her her name. She was quite nervous, but she ran a great race. She beat a few older girls which raised eyebrows. That's why this father and mother who perched beside me on the stands looking like vultures at the ready, wanted to find out if this talented 9 yrs old was their daughter's competition. I wanted to say something to the parents but I just sat there and kept my mouth shut. Not my place to say anything. These are the kinds of people I detest being around. The parents that lack any respect for the competition or the sport.

A day later, I am still wondering what lessons learned I can take away? I learned that their is no margin for error in a sprint distance race. It is fundamentally critical that you execute the game plan from the moment the Race Officals says, 'on your mark'. In fact, I am more apt to believe that the execution of the game plan begins in practice. You have to be able to practice your game plan in order to perfect it. Come race day, the execution of the game plan is essentially second nature. The difference between first and second is purely the mind game. If you believe you will
win the race, you will. If you can execute your game plan to perfection the result is inevitable. She who can execute a flawless plan is triumphant.

So what next? Well, I have to build a race game plan that I can practice every time I go to the track. Simply running down the track and trying to go faster each and every time is not enough. I will also have to rethink my Plan B. I am learning invaluable running skills but I also need to
translate that into a fast 5km race. I also have to determine if I am even talented enough to be doing sprints. I like endurance events and I'm just not convinced that I have the fast twitch muscles necessary to become a 'speedster'. What I have decided to do is set milestones. If I am unable to achieve two successive milestones, then I will revisit my commitment to track and field - to the sprint distance race. At the same time that I set milestones for my sprinting, I will set milestones for my 5km race. I think I already know the outcome but this means that I am situating my estimate to a certain degree, and that is not good thing.

I have decided to keep an open mind, build milestones and focusing on achieving those milestones head on. Its going to be a tough 4th quarter but I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Lets wait and see.

Training with Yoda

2010-12-17T09:31:00.002-05:00

When you have one of the top National Sprinting coaches in Canada taking interest in your running, you know you have struck pay-dirt !!

Three short weeks after placing third at the World Paratrithlon championships, I met Hugh Conlin. With my trusty coach Helen Cooper by my side, Hugh asked if I would be interested in trying sprints - the 100m and the 200m. I was a little shocked at the offer. I even asked him, "are you certain I am talented enough to do sprints?" He just laughed and told me not to worry about it. Two short weeks later and I am starting my first ever sprinting session with this amazing person I have now dubbed YODA. I have learned so much about good running technique in such a short time - it was awesome. Sprinting is incredibly technical, completely powerful, and absolutely frightening all rolled up into one. I was hooked. Sprinting is not for the faint of heart, and it takes the courage of a lion to step into a starting block.

Its been 5 weeks since I started training with YODA. This Saturday, I am going to do my first race. I'm stoked. I am going to have a great race and an even greater day.

To my good friend Helen (aka Obi-Wan Kenobi), thank you for believing in me, for taking a chance on me, and for allowing me to achieve amazing things on the track and out on the triathlon race course. Together we will change the world one race at a time!!

Oprah's Superwoman

2010-10-27T21:43:00.000-04:00

Kim Got The Bronze!!!

2010-09-11T05:09:00.001-04:00

I've got a soaking wet, slightly disappointed, but overall content Kimberly upstairs here in the hotel. She had a great race, but just couldn't run as hard as she wanted to - the mind was there, but the leg(s) couold only do so much. Once I look after the care and feeding of my little triathlete, I'll write more!!

Day 5 in Budapest

2010-09-10T08:09:00.001-04:00

Quiet day in Budapest. Lots of race prep. Getting ready to head down to the transition area to drop off Kim's bike - it's rainy, so we are going to get wet!! Got some nice emails from CF members (including the CDS - thanks sir!!) Kim seems pretty calm and ready to race, so all is good!!

End of Day 4 in Budapest

2010-09-09T13:59:00.001-04:00

Well, it was a long and busy day here in Budapest. Got up early for a team breakfast, followed by a trip (for Kim) down to the race site for registration. I headed into Pest to recce out the other spots we would be visiting today. We linked up for the Paratriathlete Briefing at 1330 and went to the Team Canada Meet and Greet at a local sports bar (owned by an expat Canadian and, supposedly, Wayne Gretzky). This was followed by the Team Canada photo. While the rest of the team headed out for the opening ceremonies, we headed over to the Hotel Intercontinental to get Kim classified. So, according to the experts, Kim is actually missing her right leg above the knee - can you see the sarcasm at all? Anyway, she has officially been classified and can qualify for medals now.

We will head down to the race site again tomorrow, to check out the newly-set up transition area and to drop Kim's bike off. After that, it is all race prep, all of the time...

I think I will go and drink a tasty beer now...

From The Canadian Press: Triathlon guides Canadian athlete Kimberly Fawcett-Smith through tragedy

2010-09-08T19:51:00.003-04:00

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/breakingnews/triathlon-guides-canadian-athlete-kimberly-fawcett-smith-through-tragedy-102463004.html
Triathlon helped Kimberly Fawcett-Smith recover from losing her son, her leg and much of her military career in one terrible accident. The Air Force captain was preparing to leave for Afghanistan on Feb. 21, 2006. Her husband Maj. Curtis Smith was preparing to potentially deploy to the Congo.
Fawcett-Smith was taking their infant son Keiran from CFB Kingston to his grandmother's home in the city, where he would be cared for in his parents' absence. An accident occurred on the icy road ahead of her car. Fearing further collisions, Fawcett-Smith exited her vehicle and climbed an embankment near the highway. She was holding Keiran, not yet 10 months old, when they were both struck by another vehicle.
"This guy lost control of his vehicle. He was travelling way too fast," Fawcett-Smith says.
Keiran was killed and Fawcett-Smith lost her right leg up to her hip.
"It was the button to my combat pants that got caught in the grille of the vehicle and that's what caused the injury and the amputation of my leg," the 40-year-old from Ottawa recalls in a recent interview.
She had participated in short triathlons and was training for a marathon at the time of the accident. Throwing herself into the world of endurance racing, with the mountainous physical and mental challenges that entailed without a leg, helped her cope with her grief.
Her dedication has also led Fawcett-Smith to the elite level of her sport. On Saturday, Fawcett-Smith will compete for Canada at the world paratriathlon championship in Budapest, Hungary.
"My recovery success is 90 per cent attributable to triathlon and the rest to a great husband and wonderful family support," Fawcett-Smith says. "I have always used physical fitness as a mechanism to help deal with stress."
Fawcett-Smith had to learn to swim, bike and run again, all the while searching for prosthetic legs that were technical enough to allow her to race at a high level.
"I needed the thrill of the fight," she says. "I like being challenged and I needed to be able to say 'I conquered it and I won.' Triathlon is what did it for me, the three toughest things I've ever had to do without a leg."
In Budapest, she'll be joined in the sprint distance, which is a 750-metre swim, 20-kilometre bike and 5k run, by Jody Barber of Smithers, B.C., also a nordic skier in this year's Paralympics, Pierre Ouelett of Ancienne-Lorette, Que., Darren Smith of Victoria, Charles Moreau of Trois-Rivieres, Que., Grant Darby of Hamilton, Lorene Hatelt of Brampton, Ont., and Calgary's Kim Wedgerfield.
Canada's paratriathlon team is training in Budapest this week in preparation for Saturday's race.
"I'm hoping to win. That's been my goal since Day 1," Fawcett-Smith says. "I'll have a good day, but I'm asking for a great race for myself. I know it's in there somewhere. I just need to unleash it."
Fawcett-Smith will race in the AK category for above-knee amputees. She was third at the world championships two years ago in Vancouver. She wasn't able to race last year in Australia because she was anemic and the country was on H1N1 alert.
The world paratriathlon championship coincides with the Grand Final of the International Triathon Union's world championship series in Budapest. The seven-race series determines the men's and women's world champions.
Three-time Olympian Simon Whitfield of Victoria and Kyle Jones of Oakville, Ont., compete in the men's elite race Saturday. Edmonton's Paula Findlay, currently eighth in the women's standings, is the lone Canadian in the women's elite event Sunday.
Kirsten Sweetland and Jeff Philipps of Victoria and Andrew Yorke of Caledon, Ont., are Canada's entries in the world under-23 championships Saturday.
Alison Hooper, Matt Sharpe and Christine Ridfenour of Victoria, Alexander Hinton of Kingston, Ont., Joanna Brown of Carp, Ont., and Cole Stewart of Langley, B.C., comprise the Canadian team for the world junior championship Sunday.
Saturday is the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that sent Fawcett-Smith to Afghanistan multiple times during her military career.
Her brother, Warrant Officer Scott Fawcett, is currently serving there on his second tour. Fawcett-Smith races with a yellow ribbon tied to her bike handlebars as a reminder her brother still fights the same fight she did.
"I was deployed right after the attacks," she explains. "For me, going to race on that day has profound significance. I have a lot of reasons to race and that just adds fuel to the fire."
She also rides for Keiran, whom she calls her gift because he was born after two miscarriages.
"He's our little angel on my shoulder telling me 'Go mommy, go!' How could you not go faster?"
Fawcett-Smith says she was carrying out her military duty when she lost her son.
"Both my husband and I were on high-readiness units," she says. "We have a responsibility to find a place for our dependents to go to if we are deployed at the same time. I lost my son executing that duty.
"It's a little hard for me because in the action of doing my duty, I lost my son. He didn't get wiped out in Afghanistan, but he was killed right here at home."
Fawcett-Smith returned to Afganistan an amputee soldier in November 2008 to work with families of fallen soldiers there.
"My job was to basically try and help address the families' needs and concerns and answer questions and allow them to see the camp," she explains.
"I needed to prove to myself that I could still do the job. It was without question, the toughest task I've ever had to do in my entire life because I'm a grieving mother as well and I'm standing alongside grieving mothers. It had only been two years since I lost my own son."
She's now based in Ottawa at the Canadian Operational Support Command, but would like to return to Afghanistan if the right mission came along.
"The sad part of the military is once you lose a leg you are considered walking wounded," she says. "Basically promotions, the good jobs have been taken away from me. There's really nothing left for me to do over there.
"I went from a high-profile, high-performance job with JTF2, our elite special forces, to doing business planning. It's a little deflating because I didn't lose my brain, I lost my leg. I'm not the only amputee soldier to face that."
Through triathlon, however, Fawcett-Smith feels she's helping others in the military who have lost limbs. She completed her first Ironman — a 3.8-kilometre swim, 180k bike and a marathon run of 42.195 kilometres — this summer in Lake Placid, N.Y.
She's hoping paratriathlon is included at the 2012 Paralympics in London, even if it's a demonstration sport, and she wants to race in it.
"I keep doing triathlon as a way to demonstrate to other soldiers coming back that there's more than just rehab and more than just physio," she says.
Fawcett-Smith would like to become a paratriathlon coach, once she gets more racing experience under her belt.
"There's lots of thing I could do to help out youngsters and those suffering from traumatic limb loss and there's lots of them," she observes. "A lot more than I ever thought."

2010 Accenture USA Paratriathlon National Championships

2010-09-08T19:26:00.001-04:00

Day 3 in Budapest

2010-09-08T19:01:00.000-04:00

Hi All,

Overall, another good day. Did a bit of bike work with Kim this morning. I (2Legs) then went out for a 16k run (not entirely intentionally...) Went to the Race site and watched the Aquathon (Swim/Run competition). Had a good lunch, then a nap, then some mental skills training. Kim is now writing out her race plan for Saturday, while I am slaving away over this blog.

The race site is pretty nice. The only issue we are having right now is that the water temp is 14 friggin' Celcius - kinda chilly. This may stop the paras from going for a pre-race familiarization swim, as they tend to suffer in the water more than the average age-group athlete. I ran the bike/run course today - relatively flat, so it should be fast!!

Took lots of pictures, so they will be up as soon as I figure out how to upload them!!

End of Day 2 in Budapest

2010-09-07T19:35:00.004-04:00

Busy day!! As mentioned earlier, Kim went for a swim with the team. She got to meet some of the elite Team Canada athletes and had a good workout. Did some mental skills training later with the coaches, put together her bike and did some transition training. Had a nice meal at a swanky restaurant and am now thinking very hard about going to bed. Tomorrow will be a route recce of the bike course and some more mental skills training. As far as I'm concerned, Kim doesn't need any mental training...

Have a good one.

Here in Budapest!!!

2010-09-07T10:38:00.001-04:00

OK, we made it. Long flight but all right. Bit of an adventure to get downtown from the airport, but nothing too crazy. It is 0900 on Tuesday morning - Kim is off for a Team Canada swim with her para teammates. There are about 8 of them, along with 2 coaches. I am off to look for coffee - in my humble opinion, a more important mission than swimming...

Budapest is very nice. Lots of old buildings and tons of tourists. It is sunny outside and a bit cool. All of the triathletes are contemplating what they are going to wear on race day because of the coolness.

Our hotel is nice. Food is pretty good and cheap - paid the equivalent of $10 last night for a pizza and a 1/2 litre beer - most awesome, I must say!!

We'll put together Kim's bike later this afternoon, then do a transition skills session. Tomorrow we'll go for a bike ride - you take your life into your hands biking on some of these roads, so I'll have to do a bit of a recce later.

More to follow later!!!

One Week Until Budapest

2010-09-04T19:41:00.002-04:00

This week had a few rough patches, but training has gone well. I am fit and I am so ready to race. I have been ready for over a month now and trying to stay mentally sharp has been a challenge. Run training this week was phenomenal - thank you Helen Cooper. Bike training was also good. We had some major winds to contend with this week - parts of Hurricane Earl, I think. Really challenged me to figure out how to handle my bike with race wheels. Its all good. So if there is any wind, I'm still going to burn up the course. Same same with swim training. I am very ready. Many thanks to Vicki Keith and Tom Anzai.

Mentally, I have had to re-read Terry Orlick, Pursuit of Excellence (some chapters more so than others) to help keep my brain in the zone. I find the 'waiting' for the race rather tiresome and my mind tends to stray away. When I do that…I tend to start picking apart my training in an effort to get the technique a bit stronger, or more fluid or whatever. What I did was in effect, start getting down on myself. NO NO NO…not a good thing to do. So, I had to go back read some of the passages that applied to me, and revamp. I am as ready for the race as I have ever been. Trust in my training, trust in my coaches, and trust in me !! I'm good. I can start to taper and just enjoy life.

Next week is Team Canada's inaugural paratriathlon training camp. The focus is mental skills training, and race course familiarization. I'm so thrilled by this opportunity. It will give me a chance to learn how to analyze the course and determine a race strategy. I have my own race mission (which I will execute flawlessly)…but having a strategy based on what the ground tells me, will help me tweak the execution. Always be flexible…this is what I have learned. If you have never seen the race site - I have never been to Budapest - you have to have a race mission that is flexible. If there are mountains to climb, or cobblestones to run over…the plan will change slightly !!

My bike is packed and my suitcase is 1/2 packed. I will finish up tomorrow by noon. Then its off to the airport for 1400h. Our flight does not leave until 1715h but I want to be early to permit the Transport Authority to inspect my bike box before I seal it up. That way, I can avoid having it re-inspected while in Frankfurt and my bike should arrive all in one piece.

I will try and blog everyday right up until we return home…to give everyone a play by play of how I am doing and feeling as we get closer to race day. How exciting. I'm so stoked !!

Update

2010-08-16T19:43:00.002-04:00

Hi everyone! Well a couple of good things have happened since my last post.
I had a great interview with Carolyn Waldo of CTV Sports. She's an amazing women and a true inspiration to me. Carolyn is helping me document my road to the World Paratriathlon Championships in Budapest, Hungary on September 11th. Please be sure to watch !!
I also had some promotional photography done by G.R. Martin photography. Julie and Guy are phenomenal photographers and I am so fortunate to be working with them. We did a running photo shoot up at Major's Hill Park. It took a few 100 snaps to get the right shot, but I believe we got it. Sunset and Parliament in the background. Can't wait to show them off.
Unfortunately I had a bad fall while running over the weekend. Road paint, wet weather conditions, and a running flex foot don't mix!! If they call it road rash when a bike slips off its wheels, wonder what I should call a slip off a prosthetic...a road wax? Was thinking that leg wax can remove hair on your leg just as effectively as the road will falling off your leg!! I am out for Nationals in Kelowna however. My running leg goes in for a tune up next week. I want to make certain its ready for Budapest and there are no surprises. Gotta go.

Race For Our Lives and Salvation

2010-07-29T20:01:00.002-04:00

From the Lake Placid News - http://www.lakeplacidnews.com/page/content.detail/id/502678/-Race-for-our-lives-and-salvation-.html?nav=5007

LAKE PLACID — Of the thousands of athletes who emerged from the turbulent Mirror Lake during the Lake Placid Ironman, most went by in a blur, disappearing from memory as soon as they hit the sandy beach.

But some were hard to forget. The images of the athletes rising from the water were powerful statements of perseverance and courage as they began a long day that included a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run.

It was inspiring to see blind triathlete Mark Griffin and his guide Scott Burkhardt rise from the water after the first lap, laughing and enjoying themselves as if they were on a casual swim.

It was encouraging to see another blind athlete, Patricia Walsh, holding onto her guide Caroline Gaynor as she made her way out of the water amid the thousands of swimmers.

And it was downright stunning to see Kimberly Fawcett of Ottawa come out of the water, with the help of two men, with only one leg.

Fawcett lost her leg when she was hit by car about two years ago. She lost her son in the same accident.

For her efforts, Fawcett, who served in Afghanistan for the Canadian military, received one of the loudest, if not the loudest, ovation of the morning as she hopped out of the water.

Fawcett completed the swim with just her natural leg, then put on a prosthetic leg for the cycling and running segments.

It is these athletes who really give the event meaning and make it one that more people can relate to.

In general, Ironman is not something that most people would ever consider entering. The distances of the events are too extreme. Most people don’t have the time, inclination or desire to spend hours a day exercising with the focus of becoming an Ironman. There are other obligations that are much more pressing: work and family being the biggest.

But the event itself is a great metaphor for life and the hardships that many people experience and overcome. For some, it can be an experience that builds confidence and reaffirms one’s sense of self worth.

This idea isn’t necessarily brought home best by the professionals or elite athletes who blaze through the various courses.

The purpose of doing an Ironman is best understood by watching those who aren’t perfectly-sculpted athletes. It can be best seen in those who are average people. Those who are overweight. Those who are graying. Those who, like most of us, don’t appear perfect on the surface.

The meaning is brought home by people like Walsh, who lost her vision as a child, but now wakes up most days at 5 a.m. before work with the goal of bettering herself.

It’s brought home by 70-year-old Peter Hanna of Nova Scotia who refuses to listen to those who say he should slow down at his age.

And, of course, it is made obvious by Fawcett, who had the courage to push forward and overcome the physical and emotional pain of a lost leg and a lost child.

For some people, the grueling race is more than just the glory of being an Ironman. It’s about finding the courage to persevere in the face of life’s obstacles. It’s about finding the strength to save oneself, no matter what has life has thrown in one’s way.

I think Dan Callahan, an Ironman and pastor of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Toronto, said it best: “We run a race, and really, it’s a race for our lives and salvation.”

My Favorite Quotes

2009-08-14T19:54:00.003-04:00

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

2009-08-04T20:32:00.001-04:00

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

2009-08-02T22:44:00.001-04:00

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

Kim Running

2009-07-31T18:01:00.004-04:00

I wanted to see what I looked like running, so I had Curtis film me today. I'm working hard on improving my form. Here it is:

New Legs

2009-07-26T19:27:00.004-04:00

Here's me with my new legs!! I am so excited!!! I travelled down to an absolutely awesome clinic in Hicksville, NY called A Step Ahead Prosthetics. From left to right, I've got a bicycle leg, a daily use leg, my super fast running leg, a water leg and my yet to be completed dress leg. I cannot recommend this clinic enough - my mobility has improved a hundred-fold!!

Injured Soldier Visit

2008-10-28T20:46:00.001-04:00

Today our Away Team deployed to meet up with an injured soldier with 3 missing limbs. The Away Team is part of the CF Injured Soldier Network - a peer support program for injured and ill CF soldiers with moderate to severe physical injuries. I was anxious to meet this young man, but it was a good anxious. He is the kind of soldier that refuses to give up. He decided to defy adversity by living, despite all his injuries. I can't identify this soldier by name, as I must respect his privacy and give both him and his family time to heal.
Healing is a process that includes both the physical body and the emotional battery that follows all the trauma. Its amazing how resilient our bodies and minds are when faced with the task of surviving. Courage can never be defined by the loud roar of a cannon or lion, it is uniquely the quiet willingness to say, I will try again tomorrow. Remember this quote by good Corporal. For you there will be a tomorrow. You will succeed, and you will live to walk again. I did.

Intrepid Means Courageous & Brave

2008-10-27T20:04:00.000-04:00

I just returned from San Antonio, Texas where I had the privilege of touring the Centre for the Intrepid - a physical fitness facility for injured US soldiers. It's predominantly amputees, burn, and OSI patients. The centre is affiliated with the Brooke Army Medical Centre. The words bravery and courage come to mind when you say the word 'intrepid'. The Centre for the Intrepid is an amazing state-of-the-art facility that was specifically designed as the antithesis of a traditional medical rehabilitation centre. This is a truly refreshing place, and one that does not make me physically ill when I walk thru the front door. I was actually excited to be there and I really really wanted to climb the two-storey climbing tower. There was a boogie board with my name on it for the wave pool. Would have loved to try it. Not certain how I could balance on the board though with no knee - guess I would have to sit on my butt. There is no other program or facility in Canada that measures up to the Centre for the Intrepid. It's unfortunate that this facility and program are only available in the United States. Perhaps one day, I could do something to change that.

Never say never.

Signing off.

Oprah's Superwoman - 2 Oct 08

2008-10-27T20:02:00.000-04:00

Today I was on the Oprah Show. I was part of Oprah's photo montage of'superwomen - a collection of North American women who had overcome barriers, obstacles and adversities of some measure, and still managed to get ahead in life and do amazing things. Alicia Keys debut her new song entitled, 'Superwoman' while the photo montage splashed across the screen. This was an amazing experience, and one that I will remember for a lifetime.