"Mennonite Country"

That's where my bike ride took me today. Right through the heart of it. I was having such a good time that I actually looked around a bit . Having grown up not too far from the north end of Waterloo none of the scenes were a surprise to me, but all the same they made me think. About horses and bonnets candles and other simple things. Those people have some strange ideas but generally I have always found the mennonites of that area to be gentle, simple people and what else is there really eh?

Anyway, today was race day and I truly had lots of fun despite the fact that I was woefully unprepared. I had a flat even before I got started and that caused a little stress. Then I lost both my tire levers while riding becasue I had not repacked them properly and so if I had another flat on the course I would have been royally screwed. Then I realized that I had no straw for my aero bottle and was fortunate to have another spare bottle. I was smart enough however to bring the most important performance enhancer with me.


Here he is!





It was one of those days in which you wake up in the morning and wonder how stupid you are to be doing this shit, and then come home at the end of the day knowing why you're that stupid. It's because recovering my health is important enought to me because of this kid alone, never mind all the other good reasons. Thanks Colb for coming with me today. And thanks as always to my beautiful wife for her support, and for pumping up my tire!


Next Sunday it will be my turn to support Colby, as he will be doing his first ever triathlon at the local Y. I will of course give you a full race report.


So to my race today. I was quite happy with my effort. I knew going in that I was quite tired and so I tried to stay within myself. My first 4 km run was just under 17 minutes and the final one just under 18, but I was totally delighted with my bike ride....30 kms at 34.1 kms/hr!! To put this in perspective, I did this same race 10 years ago and my bike pace was identical. I finished 89th overall out of 4 hundered and some, and 7th in my age group out of 37. I'm truly satisfied especially because those mennonites really like hills. There was not a flat spot on the course and I loved it. Here's the official stats if you care to have a look. http://www.sportstats.ca/display-results.php?lang=eng&racecode=44350


I wish to dedicate day 243 to Menno Simons who was - - guess what?-- the founder of the mennonite movement some 500 or so years ago.


“I am beginning to learn that it is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."---Laura Ingalls Wilder


love
peter