225 Days.

Today after the Races they had a Potluck dinner for the crew. As I got there they were cracking beers and celebrating a great year. I walked in and the first thing someone does is crack a beer and hand it to me. I stood there and I looked at it for a second and I walked up to the guy and said Thanks but No thanks. 

He looked at me and said "You don't drink?"I explained to him that I am 225 days sober and that I have had a hard time and as tempted as I am I would have to decline. He told me to go grab a (soda) pop and I declined that too. I told him water for me thanks. Again he questioned why I don't drink pop and I told him I'm 2 years no pop. 

As we were sitting eating he looked across the table and said to me, “Man you are a beast, I just heard that you are running something crazy next week.” I told him about my race and my goals in the near future and he was in shock. He then understood why I was saying no to pop and the junk food.

Today I feel good that I was able to say No and enjoy myself with everyone drinking. Now to focus on next weekend, My Race. Night everyone. 

Hypocrite

As I sit here enjoying my coffee I can't help but think about that word. What does the word mean? Well we all use it. We are all one. We can't deny it. 

hypocrite

[hip-uh-krit]

noun

1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.

2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

Why am I writing about this? Last night my sister posted via my nephews Facebook that she was in control and was sick of these kids sending him messages about drugs. Should kids do drugs? No. I agree with that. There was so many comments about how everyone was so sad and disappointed at him for his choices. Which I am also. But I never once said I was sad or mad or anything. 

So why am I mad about it? Because my family have all and most still do smoke pot, shit some have done harder shit too. I know I have and I learnt from it. You can't tell a kid not to do drugs when that's all the parents do. It's like telling that kid not to smoke cigarettes and light one up as you're telling them not to do it. You think because you hide in your room or smoke it out side in the backyard it makes it better? No kids still see, smell and know what it is. 

My kids know what hell I went through and as much as I'd love to smoke pot to help with my Tourette Syndrome I don't. And of I did I wouldn't hide out in my house and stink the place out. I'd got do it on a walk in the woods. Kids are kids but when they are seeing parents smoke they just want to be like them.  

Stop the hate and become a role model. 

Volunteers: A whole new respect.

In my 34 years on this earth I have had the pleasure to volunteer in allot of places. I helped out as a young teen at the humane society working with pets, as I got older I helped out with the Metis Youth and learned leadership skills. As I got older those skills helped me get some great jobs, but my heart was always wanting to help somehow. I always found a way to volunteer a few hours when ever I could. The food bank, snowsuit drive, my kids school, the Clean up day or the YMCA, what ever it was I always gave it my all.

Yesterday as I was helping out at a water station that it hit me. I love to volunteer and if it wasn't for volunteers the amazing things in the world that we take for granted would probably never get done. We don't realize how many hard working people there are working behind the scenes who are there because they love what they do and do it for fun. Some people don't really think that Stress is fun but when you are there and see the smiles on the faces of the people that are receiving whatever it is that they are provided it is amazing. Wither it be reading to a child at the sick kids hospital, helping out at the local soup kitchen or like me, handing out water it is amazing to see the gratefulness in it all.

Last month I had a few of my children out handing out water to the runners at the local triathlon, and the runners "who are racing each other" would stop and thank my kids or coming out and making their days. It was amazing to see this and it really made me appreciate what we were doing. When I ran my 10 km race I didn't really think abut it. When I ran my half I thought "these guys are just insane to stand out here for hours to had out water." and yesterday I stood in heavy rain to had out water and realized yes we are crazy.

In closing I love to run races and since moving to Brockville I am run more races but I have helped out allot more and I love it. I want to say Thank You for all of the volunteers who take time away from their families, friends, and life to make every event a success. You all rock.

Catching Corvettes.

While out riding this afternoon I was climbing a overpass and had a man in a Corvette honk and than pass me. It bugged me allot and after being honked at a few times this summer, I finally had enough and I felt I should give him a piece of my mind.

Maybe it was the adrenaline, my Tourette's or my wanting to say I caught a Corvette but I set out to catch him. On the down slope I kicked it into high gear and almost had him at a red light. He got a green and a car got between us before I could catch him. He had a corner and I pushed hard and then the light turned green. When I approached the next set of lights and knew that the next set was red.

He gets half way down the road before he was stopped by traffic and I pulled into the other lane and apple bed and asked him why he deemed it necessary to honk at me and pass close by? He said that he honked to "let you know I was passing" I told him that is the worst idea to do. He asked why? I said

"You honk at a cyclist scare them or catch them off guard and they look back hit a pothole and fall, where are they going to end up? Under your car and than you're on the book for damages or death. If you want to let a cyclist know you're passing them, give them 3' and pass in the other lane."

He apologized and followed me for another 2 blocks and passed me and waved and yelled sorry again. Wasn't an asshole cyclist and followed the rules but was happy that he wasn't a hot head driver either. Please know that when you are out driving and you see a cyclist to give them enough room (3 feet in more provinces/states) for you to safely pass. 

Thank You from Cyclists who follows the rules.