race4ms

Report from Pippa Blake

admin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:09:44 +0000

This post comes with a great big thank you to everybody that has supported the RACE4MS Team. The funds raised so far are $100,000 (one hundred thousand dollars). WOW – isn’t that amazing? – and there is still money coming in!

Every member of the Team completed this year’s gruelling Ironman. They battled heat, wind and smoke to get to the Finish Line on Sunday. It was truly a momentous achievement and very moving and inspirational to watch.

It is difficult to adequately thank everybody for all for their help with this astonishing fund raising venture in a mere news post but I want you to know about RACE4MS Team’s success in the race and beyond.

love Pippa

WE DID IT!!!!

kristina — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:33:08 +0000

We were up for the challenge and we did it in style!!!

On Sunday August 30th, Team Race4MS swam, biked and ran 226 kilometers at Ironman Canada to raise over $100,000 for Multiple Sclerosis.

More details to come after the celebrations end!!!

Follow Team Race4MS at Ironman Canada

kristina — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:24:31 +0000

Follow Team Race 4MS this Sunday (Aug 30th) as they swim 3.8K, bike 180K and run 42.2K at Ironman Canada to help in the fight to endMS.

Tune into www.ironmanlive.com to get race updates and follow each team member as they move through BC’s beautiful Okanagan Valley. Hopefully we will see Jasper run his way to another Ironman Canada victory in 2009!!

Team members racing at Ironman Canada are:
Jasper Blake (Victoria, BC)
Geoff Badger (Calgary, AB)
David Collombin (Salt Spring Island, BC)
Susan Schulze (Penticton, BC)
Steve Meehan (Toronto, ON)

Kentucky Bound Ironman

kristina — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 23:13:40 +0000

Chris MacMillan, Kentucky Bound Ironman, will be sporting Race4MS team gear as he swims 3.8K, bikes 180K and runs 42.2K on August 30th in at Ironman Louisville for his sister Barb who lives with Multiple Sclerosis. This is his third year doing the event and his long-term goal is to race “five Ironman in five years, raising a total of $50,000 toward finally ending MS! My ultimate goal is even more special than raising $50,000 – I want Barb to line up next to me at the start line so we can do this event together”.

Please visit his site at http://kentuckyboundironman.blogspot.com/ to learn more about Chris as he races to end Multiple Sclerosis in Kentucky.

$75,000 and counting!!!

kristina — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:06:32 +0000

Team Race4MS has just surpassed the $75,000 mark in their quest to raise funds and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. With just a week to go to Ironman Canada, please help us to reach our goal of $100,000. To support our campaign to endMS, please click here.

Steve Meehan – Run Fat Boy Run!

kristina — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 20:59:50 +0000

Run Fat Boy Run

$40,000 and Counting!

kristina — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 23:06:39 +0000

Team Race4MS has just surpassed the $40,000 mark in their quest to raise funds and awareness for Multiple Sclerosis. With a month to go to Ironman Canada the sky is the limited as to how much funds can be raised!! To support our campaign to endMS, please click here.

13:46 – First Person with MS crosses line in an Ironman

kristina — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 22:41:33 +0000

Below is a note from Jenny Hopkins – the first person with MS to cross the line at an Ironman. At Ironman Lake Placid she finished in 13 hours and 46 minutes – extremely impressive! It is amazing what is possible when you dream big!!

Dear Supporters,

I had a dream to cross the finish line at Ironman Lake Placid while raising money for the MS Society of Canada’s End MS Campaign.

My original fundraising goal was $5,000. However, due to the extra ordinary generosity of 178 donors, including you, the final tally is $10,795 (and counting). I am so thankful to you all.

Last Sunday at 7am, I felt the strength of all your good wishes and support as I heard the starting pistol and plunged into the water to begin the race. Thirteen hours and forty-six minutes later, I experienced both the relief and sheer exhilaration of achieving my long held dream – to cross the finish line.

Many thought that my dream was not possible and there were times when I wondered myself. However, the desire to fight this disabling disease and to possibly bring hope and encouragement to others quelled my misgivings.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for helping me make my dream a reality.

Best wishes,

Jenny

Women living with MS competes in Ironman Lake Placid

kristina — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:02:17 +0000

Jenny Hopkins is racing Ironman Lake Placid this weekend – July 26th, 2009 – and hopes to be the first person living with MS to finish an Ironman. It will also make her the second women living with Myasthenia Gravis to complete the gruelling 3.8K swim, 180K bike and 42.2K run. She truly is an INSPIRATION!!

Not only is she racing the Ironman, she is raising money for Multiple Sclerosis – please visit her site at http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=636663&langPref=en-CA to learn more about Jenny and also make a donation to her campaign.

You can follow her progress on Sunday at www.ironmanusa.com/ or www.ironmanlive.com.

Best of Luck Jenny – we know you will make it!!!

General Nutrition For Ironman

jasperblake — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 03:59:16 +0000

There has been alot of interest regarding nutrition for Ironman so here are some simple thoughts and ideas. Please remember that everyone is different and these are general guidelines. Also remember that it is extremely important to try out everything beforehand in training. Your long bike and run days are ideal opportunities to practice exactly how you are going to race. Practice, practice, practice so your body knows what to expect.
The key really is consuming enough for your own body type and size. I go on a simple rule of about 1.5-2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour. So, I am 60kg which means about 90g of carbs per hour. This equates to a bottle of sport drink and about 11/3 gels per hour. It’s very simple math and the carbs can be attained in pretty much any way you are most comfortable with, this is why it’s important to try it in training first. You can use gels or bars or liquid only.

Fluid I consume 1-1.25 liters per hour depending on the temperature and I am usually drinking sport drink in Gleukos or from the aid stations. Remember that this accounts for some of your carbohydrate intake. I also take some water at every aid station just to have a bit of a top up. I would suggest 1-1.5 liters for sure

Sodium is another factor to consider and you can get it in a variety of product. Salt Stick brand is really good. you need 500-1000mg per hour when you get over 4 hours and this can be consumed in pill form that you carry or you can dissolve it in the liquid in your bottles.

Remember that there are aid stations very regularly so don’t panic, you will never be long without food or drink, but also remember that you can overdo it. The body can only process so much at one time so you have to go in with a plan.

Pace your food intake. I drink every 5 minutes and eat every 15 minutes so i never have to dump huge quantities of sugar into my stomach at once…..little bits at at time the whole day is the best way to do it.

Know what is on the course and practice with that. I choose Gleukos as my main drink when I have the choice but at most Ironman races including Canada, Gatorade is the primary sponsor so get used to it. PowerBar products will also be on course as well as cookies, bannanas and cola of some sort on the run.

Liquids are more easily digested than solids but also very important to remember that caloric and carbohydrate needs are met through liquids so factor those into your calculations.

Start out with your own bottles and two should be enough on your bike. Remember that liquid weighs alot and IM Canada is hilly!

On the run you can wear a fuel belt with your own nutrition but there are aid stations every mile.

Practice, practice, practice!