The 2023 Summer Death Race was a unique experience, shared with some excellent, quality people. Read more for a recap of some race highlights, what I learned from the race, and some important “thank you’s”!
Is Coach JP Crazy? Maybe A *Little* Bit...LOL
What I Learned While Climbing WAY Too Many Stairs Last Weekend
I went into last weekend's Step Up For Cardiac Health event with zero expectations. I was just there to put in my best effort and support a good, local cause. To end up finishing as the first place male and second place overall was honestly quite a shock.
I can't remember the last time I was first place at anything. I honestly don't know that I've EVER been first place before. Maybe sometime in grade school at a Sports Day event...? Nope- just remembered. Raina and I won first place in the Boys & Girls Club Car Rally back in 2002, I think.
Anyway, here are a few things I learned along the way…
2019 Spartan Race Whistler Sprint / Super Recap & Photos
On September 14 & 15, 2019, The BTG Spartan Team took to the course at the Spartan Race Whistler Sprint and Super, with a total of 16 athletes competing across three different categories / distances.
(All of our photos from the weekend can be found on our Obstacle Course Racing Gallery page)
Read on for more info on how the team did!
Spartan Race Sun Peaks Beast 2015 - The Hardest Thing I've Ever Done
Let's not sugar coat it - nothing I have ever experienced or could even have conceptualized in my mind can compare. This was easily the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
Having never done anything like this before, we thought a 4-1/2 to 5 hour estimate to complete the 21+ km course with 34 obstacles was feasible. 7-1/2 hours later, the four of us (myself, Coach Julia, and brothers Scott and Dillon) were about as broken as we've ever been.
The obstacles were no big deal, really - but the terrain! Oh, the terrain! Did I mention the terrain?
Great job Raina! Abbotsford Triathlon 2015
Great job by Raina on her return to sprint triathlon competition. For those of you who didn't know, Raina was out of commission and barely able to walk back in late January of this year with a herniated disc, and wasn't sure that she'd ever be able to run again at all, never mind get back to her favourite event, sprint triathlons.
Through great work by physio Chris Zwicker at CBI Sport & Spine Railway, and Raina's determination to get better, she came back to run a 5K at the Run for Water in May, and compete in today's Abbotsford Triathlon.
Raina was the 4th woman out of the water (swim time 15:07), 8th coming off the bike (bike time 46:39), and 12th at the finish (run time 31:54) with an overall time of 1:33:40. She was 4th in her age group.
Awesome performance, particularly considering where she was just seven months ago, barely able to walk to the end of our driveway and back - we're super proud of her!
UPDATE 2020-07-24: Copied this over from the old blog for posterity. My super-wifey continues to be super awesome five years down the road. ;)