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Sunday, March 18, 2012

Transition Week

This was not an overly eventful week for any of us. Mark is transitioning into training for the outdoor season after coming off of his success at the CIS Championships. The first step of his transition: week off. It's a tough step indeed, but somebody has got to do it.

As for me (Reid), I am still nursing this rib injury that is healing more slowly than I would have hoped. But alas, I am making progress as I make the transition from sleeping in a seated position on the couch to sleeping in a bed like a normal person. Huzzah! It's all about little victories when it comes to rehabbing an injury.

Pat had a productive week as he figured out his javelin approach that he will use in his upcoming meet. And again, as always, he lifted some big weights with a new max bench of 300lbs. I know what you skeptics are thinking: there is no way I will believe that without video proof. Well eat your words and lay your eyes on this:



We all ended the week by enjoying some festivities of the "friendliest day of the year," which of course is Patty Arbour's birthday (Guinness). Happy birthday Patty!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

The Silver Lining

Mark had a busy week at the CIS Championships competing in the pentathlon, long jump and hurdles. Back in Ottawa we watched and cheered for Mark while trying to comprehend how they found such knowledgable and sophisticated commentators (*mild sarcasm*). In the pentathlon he lead through the first 4 events. Heading into the final event of the day, the 1000m, Mark had to run the fastest race of his life by 10 seconds to hold off Saskatchewan's Keegan Sharp. Leaving it all on the track Mark came out with a new 1000m personal best of 2:48.34 to earn a silver medal and a respectable 3811 points. Mark then had a night to recover for hurdle qualifications and long jump finals. Getting in some good practice for the outdoor decathlon, Mark came back strong on day 2 with hurdles and made the finals where he would score more team points placing 7th. He then turned around with a solid jump of 6.82 which would place him 6th. What a great team player! Mark will now enjoy a short lived recovery week before joining Reid and I with outdoor transition training.
-Check out Chen lining up for the 1000m, scary feeling right there.


Back in Ottawa Reid suffered a minor set back in his training when he miraculously landed straight on his head this wednesday during a pole vault session. Feeling substantial pain in his rib Reid had to go to the hospital and make sure everything was ok. Nothing was broken, but the pulled intercostal muscles are greatly affecting his mobility as even sitting up is an amusing challenge for him. We now know what Reid will look like when he is an 80 year old trying to race us down the hallway of the retirement home. This injury has lit a fire under Reid, motivating him to come back and train harder than ever. He is optimistic about things and already itching to make a return.

I have had a normal week of training with the coaches gone. I trained alone for the most part with Reid out with injury and the University team competing and taking their week off. Most of my week was spent following athletics with indoor championships in NCAA, CIS and IAAF. I may add, we have two new world records in the women's Pent and mens Heptathlon. Congrats to Natalia Dobrynska of Ukraine and Ashton Eaton from Oregon. I would also like to congratulate our University of Ottawa team on their most successful CIS meet ever with golds going to Sekou Kaba (60mh), Jen Perrault (1000m) and last but not least the men's 4x400 and 4x200 which was a new CIS record! Silver's to Chen (pent), Mikey Robertson (300m). Bronze goes to Jen Perrault in the 600m also. This wraps up our indoor season for the world of athletics and onto bigger things outdoors.
Stay tuned, until next time!

-CIS record 4x200 squad.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Leap year Indeed

After coming off a very competitive weekend at the OUA Championships in York, this week was a recovery and prep week for the CIS Championships next weekend with a final preparation meet today.  Pat singled in on the pole vault and had an extremely solid meet vaulting to a new PB of 4.12m.  This puts Pat in a great spot, as himself and Reid are on a slightly different training program gearing more for the outdoor season.  For Pat to be in this kind of condition after a hellish loading week sets him up looking good for his upcoming decathlon at the end of the month in Tucson.  He is excited and feels strong.



For myself I competed in the 60m Hurdles running a time of 8.37 coming out of it a little more bloodied than when I started. Notice the picture below of my knee taken on my saucy new phone - bye bye crackberry.  Next was an extremely painful and sickening 400m where I ran personal best opener of 50.07 along side fellow 4x400m relay team member Tolu Makinde.  Next it will be a couple more prep days and finally leave for Winnipeg on Wednesday to conclude the indoor season.  Hopefully with a bang!



Reid had a bit of a different focus, having to battle with midterms all week.  It's that time of year and thankfully for both of us it has ended, soon it will be finals time. Yikes!  He also decided to make his girlfriend a delicious birthday dinner last night which I got to cash in on today with lovely Pork Dumbling leftovers!
Pear and Blue Cheese Salad
Pork Dumplings with Hot Chile Glaze
Veal with Red Currant Onion Gravy
....and Jojo