Saying No

Sometimes it is better to say No than it is to say Yes.  More often than not, it is also much harder to say No than to say Yes.  This isn't the simple No we are talking about.  It is the hard No.  It is the No  that forfeits the immediate gain.  It is the No that puts others first and yourself second.  This No does not seem convenient nor does it seem better, but this is only an illusion.  In reality, this No is liberating and full of hope...it is better than saying yes.  This is the No that we need to have the courage to say.

What can this No look like?  It can take its form in many places.  Saying No to a race that conflicts with a family event.  Saying No to a phone call during dinner.  Saying No to a lucrative job offer that will conflict with your family responsibilities.  You take a hit when you say No to these things.  You miss out on that race, you miss out on that phone call, you miss out on that job.

And why do you say No?  Has someone told you this is just the way it is and this is the decision that you must make?  Are you too lazy to contemplate these decisions and just default to saying No?  Saying No with either of these mindsets forfeits all the benefit of saying No in the first place.  You must know why you are saying No.  I will say No to the race because this is an important family event and racing would become a self centered logistical nightmare.  I will say No to picking up the phone during dinner because I value the time to develop true authentic relationships.  I will say No to the lucrative job offer, because time with my family is more important than money.

The important thing to realize is that you are saying No to something good.  The race is good, the phone call is good, the job is good.  But the thing with something good is that it is only something good.  Something good is not the best.  Choosing to settle with good will tie you up so when something truly amazing comes along, you won't have the freedom to say Yes.

Good is good, but it is not the best.  Saying No to the good (and knowing why) puts you at an immediate loss, but in time, something better will come along...something better than the original.

Sometimes you must say the hard No to the good to leave yourself open for the best.


    


  

Removing an Aluminum Seatpost From a Steel Framed Bicycle: The Hardest DIY Repair You Will Ever Do!

This is a bike repair situation that you will hopefully never find yourself in...removing an aluminum or alloy seatpost from an old steel framed bicycle.  The steel and aluminum form a chemical bond over time (that cannot be loosened with penetrating oil), which makes the removal or adjustment of the seatpost nearly impossible.  Somehow, I have found myself in this situation twice, and both times I have needed to put in a huge amount of effort to remove the post.  Mostly as a result of my pure determination, I am 2/2 for getting these posts out, so I wanted to share what I found to be effective, and what was a waste of time.  I'll start with the least extreme approaches first (which in some cases may be enough) and finish with the most extreme (when there is no hope left, you try this).

Start With These: Not Extreme Approaches

Twisting With the Seat

The simplest approach is just to loosen the seat post binder bolt, and then twist the post using the seat.  You will likely have to twist very hard, so temporarily installing an older seat is advisable.  Don't be surprised if the post doesn't move.

Use a screwdriver to open the seatpost collar more

Using a Vice  

To get more leverage, you can put the top of the post in a vice.  This will give you a lot more leverage on the post, and can be very effective.  Unfortunately in my experience, the top of the post has just separated from the tube section of the post, making twisting impossible.

Using a Pipe Wrench

At this point, it becomes very difficult to salvage the old post.  Using a pipe wrench directly on the tube section of the post will give you a lot of leverage, but it will likely wreck the post.  This will be the last thing you can try to remove the post before having to move on the more extreme measures.  Hopefully for you, it moves...watch a successful removal with this method HERE  

When All Else Has Failed: The Most Extreme Approaches

Hacksaw Blade Trick

In both of my aluminum seatpost removal experiences, I have needed to use this approach.  Once you have decided to pursue this method of removal, there is no going back...you're all in.  

The first thing you need to do is cut the post horizontally (about an inch from the top of the seat tube) to allow you access into the hollow opening of the seatpost.

At this point, you now need to start cutting vertical groves in the seatpost.  The aim is to make 2 vertical cuts 90 degrees apart down the length of the post.  A few notes on this approach.  Making the vertical cuts takes a lot of time and patience.  You need a good hacksaw blade and you need to make sure you cut all the way through the post.

It should look like this

Once these cuts are complete, you should then be able to remove a quarter section of the post (I usually try hitting it with a screwdriver to break it free).  Pliers or vice grips can then be used to first squeeze (crush), and then remove the remaining three quarters of the post.

This approach worked for me in my first seatpost removal, but proved ineffective in my second (the post was really long and the blade couldn't reach the bottom).   I then had to move to the most extreme method of removal..chemically dissolving the post.

Chemically Dissolving the Post (Using LYE)

This really is the last resort.  If this doesn't work for you, then your post is never coming out.

Start by removing as many (if not all) of the components from the frame, and put protective covering on the paint (unless you are planning on re-painting too).  You then need to put some kind of a plug at the bottom of the seat tube so the chemical will not just run out the bottom bracket.

So, to start things off, you first need to get yourself some 100% lye crystals.  Most stores don't carry them, and online purchasing can be tricky, but I was able to locate them at Home Hardware (Link to product here).

Be very careful with this stuff

The way this works is that the lye will dissolve the aluminum (the seatpost), but will not damage the steel (the frame).  

So here is where it gets a bit dangerous.  Lye is very toxic stuff, and the chemical reaction it makes is also very toxic.  It is recommended that you wear chemical proof gloves and a respirator at all times.  If any gets on your skin, go rinse it off right away.

To start the process, dissolve some of the lye crystals in water (maybe around 2:1 water to crystals ratio).  You are now ready to start dissolving the post.  

Carefully fill the seat tube with the lye and water solution (if sealed well, it will fill quite fast).  As soon as the solution hits the aluminum, it should start making a hissing noise.  Soon after, white gas (actually Hydrogen gas) will start coming out of the tube.  The liquid inside the tube will probably start bubbling soon after.

Now, you just need to let the lye do its work.  The post will start bubbling and hissing quite violently, and you will see the aluminum bubbling out as a grey goo.  Let the post bubble away for maybe 30-60 minutes and then go back and top up the tube with fresh lye/water.

After a couple hours of this, the post should be ready to remove.  I literally took a pair of pliers and pulled it out like a tissue out of the box...it was that easy.

Right is before, left is after

So, there ends my adventure for removing this seatpost.  As I said at the beginning of this seatpost (oh wait blog post), hopefully you never actually have to do this....but if you do, I'm hoping this was of help.

Barrelman Half Iron Triathlon: 4:23:44, 8'th OA, 1'st 20-24 AG

The Barrelman Triathlon was my last race of the 2015 season, and it feels great to be done.  It's been a fun and successful year, and I had a solid race in Niagara to finish off the season.

The week before Barrelman, I was in Chicago cheering on my girlfriend Catalina Maass (yes she has a blog now...click her name to check it out!!), as she competed in the AG world sprint championships.  She did exceptionally well, and her, and her family, were also very encouraging for me heading into my race.  Focusing on her race and also touring around the city was perfect for keeping me relaxed heading into the half iron.

After a long drive back from Chicago on Friday, I headed to Niagara on Saturday afternoon.  We stayed over, and I got to the race feeling fresh.
I found out in the race briefing that I would not be able to start with the pro wave.  Instead, I would be leaving one minute behind them in my AG wave.

Barrelman race start at the Welland Flatwater Centre (Anthony Gallaccio)

Swim

Since all of the pro swimmers would be one minute ahead of me at the start, I was hoping for a fast AG swimmer to help me bridge the gap.  The gun went off, and after only a few strokes, I could see I was the fastest one in the wave.  I just focused on good stroke and steady breathing, and I came out of the water with a decent time.   I was the first AG athlete out of the water, and I had even passed a large group of pros during the swim (swim exit video below)

Bike

The ride began with us riding away from Niagara and there was a decent tailwind.  There were still a few pros ahead of me who I was able to see and chase down on the bike.  At around 30km into the course, we headed back towards Niagara, and were met by a pretty strong headwind.  Unlike my last half (where I overcooked it on the bike), I wanted to ride steady and get off the bike feeling good.  I was passed by a few cyclists (one of which was the eventual winner), but I let them go and stuck to my pace.

Starting off the bike

I usually don't have much more to say about the bike, but in this race, there were a couple unique, and unfortunate twists.
One, was that the race leader Alex Vanderlinden had a bad crash into a police car when he missed a turn.  His bike was totally wrecked and he went flying.  Fortunately, he is ok.

Alex's bike post crash (from his blog post)

The other was that I noticed some really bad drafting among some of the pros.  There was some very clear drafting violations going on with a group of four pro riders, but there were no officials present on the second half of the course to give penalties.  I was pretty upset as I watched this group pull ahead out of sight and put time on me.  I beat them all in the end, but still...

Run

I got off the bike feeling a lot better than I did in Welland.  I had a nice bounce in my stride and ran the first 10km loop of the run in 40min and was gaining time on those ahead.

Running hard

Sometime during the second loop though, my pace started to slow and I started to fade.  I kept my legs moving and crossed the line in 8'th.

Crossing the line with nothing left

Overall

I'm happy and satisfied with my race at the Barrelman.  I finished the race with a decent time, I didn't go off course (like Kingston) or have a fall (like Wasaga).  I came off the bike feeling much better than I did in Welland, and ran pretty well.  My legs just don't seem to have energy to stand after the race though.

I literally couldn't stand

The half iron distance is still new for me and I definitely have a lot to learn.  I know I made a few nutritional mistakes during this race, but I'm looking forward to improving in the future!

I won a bottle of Niagara wine and a Timex watch!

A big thanks goes to the whole team at Multisport Canada for putting on such an amazing race and for their fantastic support all year long!
Big thanks also to my sponsors eload (for keeping me fueled for this long race) and Nineteen (for their help with keeping me swimming fast).
And of course, HUGE thanks to my family, friends, and coaches, (and all my amazing blog readers) for your support, guidance, and encouragement.  Couldn't do it without you guys!!

Thanks for a GREAT year!!!

Nice shot running by the falls

Wasaga Beach Olympic Triathlon: 3'rd OA: 2:04:28

It was a tough race in Wasaga this weekend, and it was probably one of my toughest, if not the toughest race of the season.  The race wasn't mentally as difficult as my race in Welland or even as physically difficult, but it was very hard nonetheless.

The Bolton triathletes

Raffi and I before the race

I have raced Wasaga a lot in the past, and this was the first time in a while we actually got to swim (instead of the race being converted to Duathlon).  I was kinda hoping for a wavy swim (just for the experience), and I definitely got my wish.  The waves were huge, making sighting and swimming straight incredibly difficult.  My main goal was to avoid swallowing any water and to stay as relaxed as possible.  I was pretty far back from Alex after the swim.

Finally out of the water

Running up to T1

I came out of the water with Jackson, and I managed to stick with his pace.  He is a strong cyclist, and I was on my limit trying to stay with him.  We caught up to Alex after maybe 20km and put a decent size gap on him.  I was hoping to maybe get bike bonus points by coming into T2 first, but Jack had the same idea, and he was 13 seconds ahead of me into T2.

Here's where the race went sideways.  I tossed my bike on the rack, put on my running shoes, and took off after Jack.  Unfortunately, within my first few strides, I stepped on a wetsuit, which slid out underneath my foot.  Next thing I knew, I was lying on my back on the pavement.  It was kind of a surreal experience.  I knew I was hurting, but I also knew Jack was running away from me.  I got up quickly and ran after him, but after about 400m, I had to stop...my left hip was really hurting and I could hardly move without pain.

My best running form of the race

Alex caught me soon after, and yelled out a bit of encouragement.  I knew I had to try and finish, so I ran at whatever pace I could muster.  I settled into this limp run of sorts, and just gutted it out...I crossed the line third.

At least I finished

I'm glad I could finish and get a decent result for the club championship to support Mettle Multisport.   I'm still hurting today, and have some nice cuts and bruises (I'm not putting a picture of my bruised behind on the internet for you though).  Hopefully It heals up quick, and I'll be good to go for Barrelman.

My friend Raffi was also racing, and also had a crash...except he fell on the bike.  Coincidently, we both landed hard on our left sides.  Vicky was also there as our official photographer, but she ended up taking on a larger role as she took care of us injured triathletes.

As usual, thanks to my sponsors Multisport Canada, eLoad nutrition, and Nineteen wetsuits.  Big thanks to all my coaches, friends, and family as well for their support.  Also a big congratulations to all the Mettle athletes!
The season is almost done.  Time to get healed up and ready for Barrelman!

Toronto Island Sprint Triathlon: 59:30, 2nd OA

The triathlon season is quickly coming to a close, so it was nice to be out racing close to home this weekend for a race on Toronto Island.  I have been training and racing hard this year and have stayed injury free, but as is expected with a triathlon season, fatigue does start to catch up with you.  After my last race in Kingston (where I was DQ'd), I was feeling pretty tired and unmotivated to train, so I decided to scrap any plans for hard training, and took a couple weeks of light/no training.  This resulted in a lot of spare time, and gave me a chance to catch up on some of my other summer projects.

My last post showed the rusty razor...here's the after as well

So lets talk about the race.  I headed to the island with my girlfriend Catalina and my good friends Raffi and Vicky (Catalina and Raffi also raced the sprint).  It was fun taking the ferry over to the race, but it did leave us a bit tight for time.  I got to the start line on time, but only got in about a 1 minute swim warmup.

CN tower shot

Swim

The water wasn't too cold, and I had no problems swimming up at the front of the race.  Myself and fellow MSC ambassador team member Mikael Staer Nathan led the swim, and the pace was pretty chill.  We exited the swim with a couple other racers, and since the timing mat was up near transistion (which was a few hundred meters away), I ran hard to lead across the mat and pick up the points for the fastest swim.

Warming up in Nineteen Frequency

Looking...determined?

Bike

The bike course was very flat, and consisted of two laps back and forth across the island.  The ride did nothing to separate Mikael and I, and just put the two of us in a comfortable position up in front. 

Looking aero and fast

Run

I had a bit of an issue getting my race belt on in transition...the bib got stuck in my bike wheel and pulled off one of the cord locks holding it in place.  This small delay allowed Mikael to get out of T2 first, and with a fast acceleration, he pulled ahead.  I chased hard, and ran pretty well, but I couldn't catch him, and crossed the line in second.

Running in for 2'nd

Man-hugging it out

Overall

I was pretty happy with this race.  I find I enjoy the races a lot more when there is strong competition and there is a heated battle for the win.  I was feeling a lot better as well...my time off training helped a lot, and I'm now feeling good going into the home stretch of the season.

Catalina and Raffi also had strong races.  Catalina came first in her AG and Raffi put together a solid performance for his first race of the year.  My dad and brother also raced on the island this weekend, but in the tri-a-tri on Saturday.  My dad came first in his AG, and my brother came 2'nd OA!!!  Its great to see everyone racing well and having fun!!  Vicky was also excellent as photographer/cheerleader, and my mom was great as she woke up early to make me breakfast before the race.

As usual, a big thanks for Multisport Canada for putting on a great event.  Setting up a race on the island is logistically quite challenging, but it was run very smoothly.
A big thanks also goes to eLoad for their continued support in keeping me fuelled in racing and training.  Thanks also to Nineteen Wetsuits for their support and for keeping me swimming well in the open water!

The season is almost over, but I'll be racing at Barrelman to finish out the season.  Its a great late season half, and should be a nice way to end the summer.  Worth checking out!

MSC Kingston Long Course Triathlon-DQ

I'm going to start this blog post talking about razors.  I like razors...especially sharp ones.  My particular favourite is my straight razor...not only is it super sharp, but it leaves my face baby smooth (and aero for race day).
This weekend I was in Kingston for the long course triathlon.  During my time in the city, I stopped by the flea market and actually found an old straight razor.  This particular razor was dull and covered in rust, but I saw the potential for it to be awesome... it was high quality metal with bone scales...definitely a winner.

My newest razor for the collection

Now you may wonder why I wanted to talk about a rusty old razor to start this post.  One of the reasons is because the race in Kingston didn't really go so well.  I kinda had this thing where I missed a turn, and then got DQ right before the finish line.  Lets just say a sign for a turn on the bike was very small and unclear (with no other indicators given that this was a turn), and both myself and race leader Jordan Monnink missed the turn.  Off course=DQ for the 2 race leaders.
I did pretty much finish the race (save the 100m at the end), and for the time I was racing, I was feeling great.

Now lets bring this together...razors and triathlon.  Razor cuts are not a good thing (especially on such a handsome face).  But shaving with a straight blade has its risks, and cuts are going to happen.  Similar situation with triathlon.  Getting a DQ is not a good thing.  However nothing is ever certain in racing, and almost anything can happen on race day.
This weekend, it was a missed turn.  Was I fully to blame?  Definitely debatable.  Does it change the fact that I cut the course?  Nope.

 I'm not going to say I wasn't upset with my DQ...I was definitely not happy.  Kinda like when I cut my face in shaving...upset and not happy.  But shaving cuts aren't going to stop me from straight razoring...in fact they just make me strive to get better (and buy more razors).  Similarly DQ's aren't going to stop me from racing, and I can only aim to improve.  As is the situation in both, you initially say some not nice words, but then re-assess why something went wrong.  Although nothing is a guarantee, hopefully the next time, you go in a bit wiser and walk away unscathed.

I finished the race, but they didn't count my time

2 race leaders and 2 DQ's

A big thanks to Multisport Canada for their support and for adopting this race into their schedule.  Although I wasn't happy with course signage, I know next year they are going to make sure that turn is clear.
Continued thanks to my family for their support (and cheers this weekend).  Also thanks to my sponsors eLoad nutrition for keeping me hydrated on a hot day, and to Nineteen Wetsuits for keeping me comfortable in choppy water.





          

Gravenhurst Olympic Distance Triathlon: 1'st OA, 1:59:39

I was out racing in Gravenhurst this past weekend, where I raced the Olympic triathlon on Saturday, and my girlfriend Catalina was racing the sprint triathlon on Sunday.  I had been doing a lot of training heading into the race and I was feeling quite tired the week leading up.  I wasn't sure how I was going to feel for the race, but with Catalina and her whole family cheering me on, I put together a solid race.

Pre Race

Gravenhurst is a unique race in that the swim starts in the middle of the lake.  In order to get to the race start, you get to ride on one of the two steamships, the Segwun, or Wenonah II.  Both are classic coal burning steamers, and it makes the race all that much more exciting.

Swim

The swim was quite simple, but did present a different set of challenges.  The course had a small sideways section that you had to swim before making a left turn and heading back to shore.  After the left turn, it was a straight line all the way back to shore.  Simple enough, but everyone who has swum in open water knows it can be pretty difficult to swim straight.  I made sure to sight frequently and managed to be the first one out of the water.  It was a long run up to transition, but I had a huge crowd cheering me on, so it didn't seem so bad.

Swimming fast in Nineteen Frequency

Bike

Due to construction on the old Gravenhurst course, Multisport Canada arranged a new course in the opposite direction.  The course was and out and back with rolling hills, which made for a pretty speedy ride.  There was a bit more traffic than on other courses, but there was a decent shoulder for most parts, which helped keep things safe (I did have a nice police escort the whole way).  I rode into T2 with a pretty comfortable lead.

My only bike picture...too fast for the cameras;)

Run

I already knew I had a big enough lead to take the win, so there wasn't a real need to bury myself on the course.  The course was very hilly and was rumoured to be 400-500m long, so it didn't really allow for blistering fast times.  I ran hard, but steady, and made sure to take in the scenery and enjoy the race.  I came into the finish with everyone cheering me on, and I crossed the line just under the 2 hour mark to pick up my second win in a row.

Post Race Interview

Post race

I stayed over Saturday night with Catalina and her family so I could cheer on my lady in her race Sunday morning.  She had a fantastic race, and was the first women to cross the finish line. Two other women in later waves had faster times, so she finished third overall (1'st AG).  Talk about a power couple!

A big thanks goes out to Multisport Canada for putting on a great race, and to eLoad nutrition for keeping me hydrated on a hot humid day.
I'm also happy to announce I'm joining up with Nineteen Wetsuits as a sponsor.  Its great to have another local company on board supporting me, and I have been very happy in their suits for years!
Also a big thanks to the entire Maass family (and relatives) for their support over the weekend, and to my family who was cheering me on from back home.