Guh haad an dun: Jamaica at the London 2012 Olympics

Jamaican Olympic Team 2012

"Guh haad an dun".  That's the motto of the Jamaican Olympic Team for the 2012 Olympic Games currently under way in London. "Give it everything you've got"  or "Don't leave anything at the table".  I think you get the drift...


"100% Jamaican".  Sally often asks me if I'm Jamaican or Canadian.  My answer, "It depends..." gets me in trouble every time.  The nice thing is that I can be both.  "It depends...".


"100% Jamaican by Association".  Ahhh...now that's more like it.  I've never met a person who hasn't become intoxicated by Jamaica once they have met a Jamaican or been to Jamaica. 'Intoxication' may not be the politically correct word but that's what happens the moment you get off the plane.


These and other sayings were produced to support and promote Team Jamaica at the 2012 London Olympic Games. With apologies to the drama in the pool surrounding Michael Phelps searlier this week, the overarching story of the London 2012 Olympic games is Jamaica!  In particular the anticipation building toward the Track and Field events starting Friday.  In the Men's 100M Sprint events over August 4 and 5 it's basically Jamaica vs Jamaica vs Jamaica. This will be "Must See TV" even if you're not a hard-core sprinting fan.  And so you don't miss any of the action, here's the ultimate viewing and online guide:  Ready for the Olympics.


For the first time in a long time Sally and I caught the entire Olympic Opening Ceremony last Friday.  A few things stood out:  James Bond and the Queen (she does have a sense of humour after all), Mr. Bean on the keyboard (ROFL), the Arctic Monkeys doing a Beatles cover (Ballsy) and Paul McCartney closing the show with Hey Jude (he still has it).  In addition I love these images from London 2012  including Reggae Marathon Race Director stylin':  Favourites from London 2012.


Get the Red Stripe and Jerk Chicken ready for the weekend. "Guh haad an dun".

Until next time...

ThatRunninGuy

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Follow me on Facebook at Run for Heart.  Races for 2012: Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 14, Reggae Marathon, December 1 

Running topless in the dark

Approaching the 2 mile aid station at last December's Reggae Marathon 10K, there I was getting overheated again.  Wrong top!  That presented an interesting conundrum.  Keep my top on and suffer or remove my T shirt, run topless and stay cool.  And although I see myself as a finely tuned long distance runner, the harsh reality is that I'm a middle-aged, tending toward pear-shaped runner.  What to do, what to do?


After I passed the aid station I decided that darkness would indeed be my friend that morning.  I removed my top!  Let me remind you though, we start the Reggae Marathon in total darkness at 5:15 am.  With the sunrise shortly after 6 am I was motivated to keep my pace up so that I would not scare too many kids at that early hour.


From then on I enjoyed a number of benefits of running topless in Negril at Reggae Marathon.  First was the immediate cooling effect of the early pre-dawn breeze.  No uncomfortable heat build up to slow me down. Nice. Then, when I grabbed water at the aid stations, I got to squeeze the refreshing cold water from the plastic pouches over my head and shoulders. Really nice!

" Hey good looking...Keep it up"

But I got a really, really nice surprise...shock actually...from running topless. As I approached the 4 mile mark I heard a shout-out:  "Hey good looking...great pace...keep it up". I almost jumped out of my Pumas!  "Who me?"  Was she shouting at me?  Never in a million years...OK, in 30 years of running...has that ever happened.  For a lovely long moment I savored the complement...until I realized she was a course marshal and was shouting encouragement to all the runners.  Nevertheless, it was enough motivation to pick up the pace.  With grin from ear to ear I headed for the finish feeling strong.


Modesty did get the better of me as I closed in on the finish however.  I did put my top back on for the finish line photo.  With finish line photos, multiple smartphone cameras and official photographers, the thought of me running topless shared on Facebook forever was too much.


I was inspired to share this story because I heard about a 'bare' 5 k on the beach race from a friend recently.  That race takes place in broad daylight.  Male and female runners participate.  They run in running shoes...and nothing else.  That's right, 'butt naked'.  I know that's how athletes in the original Olympics competed and the 'uniforms' they wear today leave little room for modesty (Check out these uniforms from the Jamaican Olympic Team).  


And yes, I know what you're thinking. If he ran topless in Negril, shaved his head for the Reggae Runners Half Marathon Challenge can full 'starkers' be far away?  

Until next time...

ThatRunninGuy

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Follow me on Facebook at Run for Heart.  Races for 2012: Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 14, Reggae Marathon, December 1 


Photo courtesy of Anthony Foster, Reggae Marathon

Orville Reddenbacher blew up my microwave...and other crazy S!

He didn't really but the damdest thing happened last night while using the microwave to pop a bag of his 'every kernel pops' microwave pop corn.  I followed the directions exactly but after 6 minutes of full-power popping, the microwave gave up the ghost and abruptly shut down.  It was done!  OK so maybe the fact that it was over 25 years old had a little something to do with it but jeez...

And no, not every kernel popped!

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I had a nightmare the other night.  I had a dream that I had forgotten how to run!  I know what you're thinking but it's been a crazy week.  Since I've been recuperating from this nagging right foot plantar injury again, I've been resting.  And that is a crazy thing for me to do.  Missing a day of running is 'rest';  a week??

My good friends Dan Cumming and Larry Savitch of course have had something to say about this.  Dan the seasoned runner was blunt with his question, "How old are you again?".  But I don't feel 54! When I catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror out in public I do wonder for a second who that grey haired guy is staring back at me.  And the 'love handles' have gotten a little more prominent.  But I sure don't think of myself as being 'mid-50's".  You know Sally is going to have something to say about this!

Larry has been more kind.  He's the 'young pup' in this triumvirate only in his 40's.  He's still working on personal best's in every race and I love hearing about his accomplishments.  He's a bit more empathetic and I appreciate that.

Then I woke up and went for a run.  Or was that still a dream?

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1st Annual Reggae Runners
Half Marathon Challenge

How did I ever get talked into shaving my head for the Reggae Runners Half Marathon Challenge?  Larry Savitch made me do it.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Now that the first annual event is safely behind me (yes I know it lives on forever on the Internet), we have our medals.  As I proudly noted before, this is my first 3rd place finish.  Podium!  That's sounds much better than 'came in 3rd in a 3 man race'.  Now on to Negril in December where if all goes well, Larry, Dan and I will celebrate in fine style on the beach after Reggae Marathon 2012. 

Until next time...

ThatRunninGuy

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Follow me on Facebook at Run for Heart.  Races for 2012: Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 14, Reggae Marathon, December 1 

Toronto Challenge: It was a good run!

Then again, when is a run ever bad?  Although I must confess the 3 1/2 hour disaster that I endured while training for my first Reggae Marathon was not pretty.  And the 3 hour recovery after I scared the crap out of myself and Sally made me promise never to do it again.

Last Sunday at the Toronto Challenge though was a good run.  Actually, make that a great run.  And it was for a good cause:  raising money for not-for-profit organizations improving the lives of seniors in our local community.  In my case, I ran for the Labdara Lithuanian Nursing Home in Etobicoke.  This is where my Mother-in-Law, Elizabeth spent her last year living peacefully and comfortably among friends and family.

I've been battling unsuccessfully a nagging right foot injury.  I know, I know, rest!  Stubborn (stupid?) through and through, I keep running so although I had rested for the week prior to the race, I was unsure how the injury would hold up during the race.  There I was though in downtown Toronto early Sunday morning determined to 'tough it out' and finish strong come hell or high water.

Although we live a little west of the downtown core, one of the things that struck me as I made my way to the start on Wellington Street near Metro Hall was the number people on the street.  And not just us runners and walkers.  Downtown Toronto has been the world's largest condo construction zone for quite a while now and it was great to see people out and about.  I appreciated their support along the entire route.

The run itself was a little anti-climactic.  A 5 km run up University Avenue to Wellesley then back down Bay Street before turning back onto Wellington for the finish at Metro Hall.  I pretty much went flat out with minimal race strategy:  mile 1 fast, mile 2 faster, mile 3 fastest!  I missed my target time by 2 minutes but achieved a personal best with a time of 26:30.  While that felt great, it felt even better knowing that I had run to help seniors at Labdara.

But I had an even more powerful experience.  My brother-in-law had been admitted to the hospital Saturday evening with a scary health scare.  As I crossed the finish line a wave of emotion crashed over me:  "I did this for you too".

Until next time...
ThatRunninGuy

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Follow me on Facebook at Run for Heart.  Races for 2012: Goodlife Fitness 1/2 Marathon, May 6, Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront 1/2 Marathon, October 14, Reggae Marathon, December 1