conquercancer-blog

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I stopped off during today's training ride and recorded this short video blog.

Remember, if you haven't sponsored me yet, go to http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/scottcoates to make a donation.

Any donations are appreciated. $10, $20, $40, whatever you can spare for this important cause.

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When it's not snowing it's windy!

So, the weather has NOT been cooperating with my training schedule at all. In the past week I've had to run in the rain (twice), had to call off my ride yesterday because I almost got blown off my bike by wind gusts, and now, it's like Oz out there!

Hopefully I'll get a short run in this afternoon if the wind settles down a bit.

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Why I'm riding, #3

Getting in shape is fun! Since I started training for the ride I've lost almost twenty pounds and increased my physical fitness and overall stamina by leaps and bounds.

I'm fitting into all kinds of clothes that I wasn't previously, and looking pretty good in them too (if I may say so myself).

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Took on a short (16.8K) training ride yesterday from James Garden Park to the Humber Bay at Lakeshore.

The ride itself was a bit disjointed (riders with mechanical trouble, our group got split up, that sort of thing) but the route was spectacular! Who knew Toronto had so much green space?!

Click the picture of Khalil and me to check out the route map.

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Great weekend!

Had a great training weekend! I ran 7K on Friday, then cycled 50K on Saturday and another 62K on Sunday with the riders from All The Right Gears bike shop.

Good bunch of skilled cyclists in that team. Met a lot of cool people and I think I might be back a few more times this season.

So that's two more off my to-do list: first 60K and first back-to-back 50Ks.

After all that work I think I might take a rest day tomorrow. Maybe some light weights after work but that's it. I need to rest the muscles and restore protein.

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50K? Check!

Today I can cross off this week's training goal: I did my first 50K of the season.

And, assuming the weather holds (and it looks like it's going to) I'll do another 50 tomorrow to check that off my list 2 weeks early.

Obviously training is going well. In addition to the cycling and running I've been paying a lot of attention to my diet. I'm trying to eat like an athlete: Carbs before and during rides, and high on proteins in my rest periods. And it's really working! I'm down about 20 pounds since January, and it seems like every time I try to get dressed, another slim-fit top or pair of pants is suddenly roomy on me.

That's not a bad side-effect at all!

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Training Schedule

Today is day # 78 of my training. There are nine weekends remaining until the ride, 64 days in total.

To that end I thought I'd publish the milestones portion of my training schedule. This is by no means my entire training plan, but these are my goals:

By April 9/10 (nine weekends to go): complete a 50K ride.

By April 23/24 (seven weekends to go): complete a 60K ride.

By May 7/8 (five weekends to go): complete two back-to-back 50K rides (gotta learn how to handle riding on tender muscles).

By 21/22 (three weekends to go): complete an 80K ride.

Also, at mo particular deadline:

Ride in poor weather (rain) at least once.

Change several tires on the road.

Ride the escarpment at least five times, three of which must be on the Wilson street access (the access used during the ride).

It's a tough schedule, but entirely possible.

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Several of us at work have started a running club. Three times a week we run a 5K circuit around the neighborhood to train for the ride. It's not a bad run too, it's got a noticeable incline to it at the mid-point. You can really work up a sweat if you keep your pace up.

I post all my results and routes on my Runkeeper page.

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Training by the numbers.

74 - days in training.

35 - fitness activities logged.

244 - total KMs run, cycled, spinned and/or walked.

16,378 - calories burned.

16 - pounds lost.

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The bike is DONE! I picked it up from the shop last week and it is ready for the season. Last year I bought a Giant OCR 3 (with all stock parts) and have been collecting parts over the winter to upgrade it as best as I can afford. It turns out, the only thing I'm keeping is the frame. The new bike consists of:

Giant OCR 3 Aluminum/composite frame & fork. Selle Italia Gel Flow saddle. Felt carbon seat post. Ekko carbon fibre ergo handlebars and stem wrapped in Lizard Skin. Look Keo 2 Max carbon pedals. Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 group set. Rolf Vector Pro aluminum wheels with Specialized Mondo Pro 2 tires. Dual Tacx water bottle cages with Camelbak podium chill bottles.

It's time to bring sexy back to amateur road cycling.

I can't believe the ride is only 2 months away! It looks like the weather might break this weekend so I can get out and get a few real road kilometers in. Should be fun.

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Found this helpful little article on how to train for (and survive) a century.

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Why I'm riding #2

There are about 28 million Cancer survivors in the US alone today.

I truly believe we can double this number in coming years with research, treatments and improved early detection methods.

I truly believe we can eventually batter Cancer down and defeat it altogether some day.

I'm riding 200km from Toronto to Niagara Falls because I truly believe.

Please consider supporting me with a donation. Even just $20 or $30 gets me closer to my goal. Go to http://www.conquercancer.ca/goto/scottcoates to donate online.

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Why I'm riding, reason 1:

I have many reasons for committing to ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls over two days in June, (and over the next several weeks I'm going to talk about them all) but the number one reason is simply: "because I can".

Years ago I was considerably overweight. One day I resolved to sort myself out. It sounds simplistic I know, but that really was it. One day I didn't want to be winded by stairs anymore. I wanted to buy clothes I liked, and not have to buy what fit. So I found something deep inside me, a resolve to take control and change my life. And I did. A year or so later I had lost a little over 100 pounds and found myself at the top of the CN Tower -via the stairs. All 1,775 of them.

It was a very personal achievement for me, and the result was more than I once thought possible.

I've never had cancer, but I believe the struggle to survive; the determination and resolve required to beat it is not dissimilar.

Training is hard. I'm not a cyclist. I'm not even a particularly fit person. There are days in which I just don't want to train. I don't want to get on the bike, the stationary or the thought of bundling up to run through the cold, wet snow sounds about appealing as a triple root canal.

But then I think to myself, "people with cancer don't want to get Chemotherapy today" and I go on.

There are days where it's a struggle to finish. I may be behind on my target time or find myself tired and far from home with nothing to get me back but my own two feet.

But then I think "It must be a struggle just to live through the day sometimes when you're battling cancer" and I go on.

There are days where I want to eat -and I mean Eat with a capital E! I'd love to have cake after every meal or deep-fried everything, but I can't because it will affect my weight and in turn my stamina for the ride.

Then I think about people fighting cancer who can't keep down a meal because of the chemo, and I stay on track.

　

As simple as it sounds, that's one of the biggest reasons I'm riding; because I can.

　

The Ride to Conquer Cancer takes place June 11-12 2011 and I am in full training right now! It's not too early to show your support. Please consider supporting me in any amount possible. Visit my official participant page at www.conquercancer.ca/goto/scottcoates to sponsor me online (or download a mail-in form). Tax receipts are available with a qualified donation.

And don't forget about my GOLD SPONSORSHIP. For a minimum $50 donation you will receive a special place to post a message on my bike. It can be a tribute to someone you know affected by cancer, or it could simply be some words of encouragement to get me through the tough parts.

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Training run

Today I ran my first solo run, which also turned out to be a new personal best (longest run). I did 5.01K in 38' 42". Not bad at all.

Check out my route and stats:

http://runkeeper.com/user/scottcoates/activity/24742005

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Training run

I started going for lunch break runs with some teammates to kick start my training. We mapped out a simple course on the streets around the office and we run it 3 times a week.

Today we did 4.13K in 31:39. We're going to try to break the 30 minute barrier on Friday.

So far, it feels great. I love the energy boost I get in the afternoon and I can already feel the difference in my leg strength. It's good to use slightly different groups of muscles than when I cycle.

At this rate, I'm going to be ready for the ride for sure.

Check out my stats and route here: http://runkeeper.com/user/scottcoates/activity/24357552

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"What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it"

Alexander Graham Bell

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