Tomorrow: 100 Holes for Haiti

Tomorrow is a golf event at the Beverly Golf and Country Club supporting Stella House Orphanage in Haiti and Hopital Albert Schweitzer, Haiti.  This will be our 9th golf event supporting these two very worthy and needy causes.  Thank you in advance to sponsor(s) who make it possible to help raise 41 Haitian children and treat some of the most severely malnourished children in Haiti.  It is a marathon day of golf at a beautiful golf course and for two beautiful causes!

Today: Police Association in Hamilton

Today, my good friend Andrew Moore and I will be making a presentation on Mission Possible Colombia and the Prison Ministry at Bellavista Jail, Medellin, Colombia to 60 police officers at the Police Association Building.  I am really looking forward to it. 

SPECTATOR ARTICLE

So, the article in the Spectator newspaper didn't appear on Saturday, September 10th.  It appeared today, Tuesday, September 13th and what an honour!  Here's the link to the online news article:  http://www.thespec.com/localprofile/article/593244--mystery-or-miracle.

Saturday, Sept. 10 Spectator Article

This week I had the opportunity to be interviewed by our local newspaper regarding Mission Possible Colombia.  Please check out The Hamilton Spectator tomorrow.

Bike, Run, Finish

Mary Booth going by us at the base of the mountain.

Esther is next - only about 10km left before the run.

I give Art a hand at the 5km point in the run - still 21km to go!!!!

Myself, Dan Horne & Gord

Julie is getting a hug from Beth Kennedy at the 5km point.

Esther at the 5km run - she has had some issues along the way and may walk the marathon but she will finish.

Art looking pretty good after the Ironman which he finished in just over 14 and a half hour.

From Esther Pauls' Perspective

I just thought I've give you a bit of an idea of how yesterday went from my perspective.  It will give you a sense of how inspirational Art is to have finished enthusiastic, strong and happy.

Blessings, Esther Pauls.

We started the day fresh and excited; the forecast was for a high of 32 and sunny. It's hot here this week, but it's a dry heat, which is a bit deceptive because it means that the moisture wicks away from your skin more quickly, and you don't quite realize how much fluid you're losing. My wonderful friends Roger Barker, Mary Booth, Julie Menzies, and Art Duerksen, were also doing the Ironman with me. It was Mary, Julie, and Art's first. Penticton is on the edge of Lake Okanagan, which is nestled in low-lying mountains in British Columbia. It is truly beautiful country, and we're so thankful to be able to do this. It also means cycling and running up and down mountain passes. We all did beautifully in the 4k swim at 7 am; we were relieved and excited to have that over with so we could get onto the bikes for the 180k ride. Some of the 2800 other people tackling the Ironman with us were incredibly inspirational. The first-place winner was almost killed last year when he was in a collision with a hit-and-run-driver and had his jugular artery almost severed. Another gentleman who is a high-injury paraplegic, paralized from just below the ribcage down did the swim, pulled himself up the beach to a special bicycle, and did all the distances. Another pair of men, one blind, and the other a leg amputee, swam, rode and ran together. They swam with a tether between them, rode a tandem bike, and ran side by side. Back to our journey! The heat was incredible; when we passed through the mountains, the thermostat was reading 40C. Sadly, someone, for the second year in a row, threw tacks on the road at the beginning of the bike course. Dozens of riders had flats at the very beginning, including Mary. On my climb past Yellow Lake, (picture a 12k climb about the steepness of Sydenham hill for those of you who know Dundas), 150k into the bike ride, as I began the ascent, my chain came off, and I stopped to fix it. At this point, I passed two water stations that had run out of water, and I was beginning to be sick. I got back onto the bike to ride the hill, and apparently passed out mid-ride. It was a gentle fall, but I ended up having to walk my bike up the hill. I was unable to eat or drink anything after that, and I still had a marathon distance to go on foot after the bike ride! Luckily everyone was so encouraging and inspirational that I knew I was going to make it. Back on the bike, I collected myself and rode through to the end. Then into my running shoes...my times were still good so I knew I could walk the marathon if I needed to. I walked most of it, but was able to run it in! My heartfelt thanks to Pat Ward, Leanne Gosse, Sharon Truszkowski, Char Roberts, and Melanie Booth. By the end, I knew I was in a bit of trouble. The love of my life, Gord, was waiting at the finish line, which was good, because I promptly passed out as soon as I crossed. On to the medic tent, and then I got to ride in an ambulance to the hospital. Nothing a couple of litres of IV fluid and some anti-nausea medication wouldn't fix. By 3 am, after starting out at 7am the day before, I was happily curled up in bed back at the hotel with Gord. What a wonderful life! THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL MY FRIENDS, SUPPORTERS, AND FAMILY FOR HELPING ME TO DO THE THINGS I LOVE!

This is the day!!  Art slept well and seems anxious to go.  Gord, Beth and I saw Art & Esther at the beach at 6am.  We have got a good spot to see them start.  It is very emotional, someone is singing the national anthem.  There is a sea of swimmers, beautiful boats and colorful kayaks.  There they go, Art and Esther swim the 4km in just about one and a half hour which is very good.  Now for the bike portion.....which could take up to 7 hours, wow!!!

This is the best I can do for now, I am still learning how to post things on his blog.  His loving wife  Elaine

PENTICTON IRONMAN FOR COLOMBIA

Catching up on my blogging and updating everyone in advance of the big day on Sunday!  
It's been an intense few days, but we're settling in and feeling organized.  Arrived in beautiful Penticton mid-day on Thursday; checked in at the Ironman Expo, lots of excitement, familiar faces and new faces.  Profound sense of purpose and camaraderie here.  Have a fantastic support crew here, including my lovely wife Elaine.  First-time Ironman athletes who have trained alongside me are pals Mary Booth and Julie Menzies.  
You can follow our progress on Sunday on the Subaru Ironman Canada website:
Penticton Ironman: Follow an athlete
Got up yesterday morning to a beautiful day; weather is hot here, but little humidity.  Forecast for Sunday is 32C!  We're planning ahead and hydrating, hydrating, hydrating.  Hit the Expo; invested in an emergency tire-repair kit.  Ready for everything.  Donned the wetsuits and took a short (500m), slow swim in Lake Okanagan to get a feel for the swim course.  Water is perfect.  

Pat Ward, me, my wife Elaine, and Esther Pauls.

After a bite to eat, drove into the mountains to Yellow Lake to test out cycling legs on the 12k climb we'll encounter at about kilometer 160 of the Ironman. 

Friends in deed Gord and Esther Pauls and Pat Ward.

I have my work cut out for me!

On to a very short run to test the grade.  Conclusion:  it's steep.

...followed by a cooling dip in Yellow Lake.

Back to town for dinner, and an evening view of Lake Okanagan.

The 4k swim portion of the Ironman is out to the far point

and looping back.

Friday evening we rounded up friends and met at the Penticton Ironman Street Festival; live music, delicious food, excitement and anticipation.

A twirling dervish enjoying the music.

Elaine and I.

More posts to follow: the Ironman is tomorrow!

Leaving on a jet plane...tomorrow

Well, I am leaving for Penticton tomorrow.  The Ironman race is this Sunday, August 28th.  Please keep me in your prayers and thoughts.  This is the biggest physical goal I've ever tried to accomplish yet. 

Books for Starfish Kids in Haiti

Joy and Hope of Haiti volunteer group has a really good friend with a connection to the French School Board in Hamilton.  We have been blessed with  new surplused French books that can be used with the curriculum that is taught in the Starfish Kids Schools - actually 90 boxes of books!   We are hoping the French books will find their way to Haiti before the winter sets in and when the books get to Haiti, they will definitely be appreciated.  Today, I am involved with moving these boxes from Georges Vanier high school to our famous "Apple Barn" storage area.  We cannot do any of this kind of thing without an army of volunteers so thank you to all who made this happen!