Ironman Canada Underpants Run 2009

The Underpants Run at Ironman Canada was once again a great success to the benefit of Bikes for Kids. Due to an outstanding number of participants in this year’s run, we were
able to raise the highest amount in a single year in the ten year history of the event!

Thanks to all who purchased 2009 souvenir underwear and made generous contributions.
A very special thank you to Mike Bock (Chinook Half Triathlon in Calgary) for his support and incredible donation of $1000.00.

Last year’s recipients of bikes are still training hard with our Olympic development team in Calgary and we hope to be able to inspire more kids in the sports of triathlon and cycling with this year’s proceeds.

Many thanks again this year to Roch Frey and Paul Huddle for kick-starting the run with their stirring rendition of The Underpants Motto and for their willingness to lead a scantily clad group of exhibitionists through the downtown core of Penticton!

As always, Steve Brown and the staff of Peach City Runners came through with their volunteer efforts, underpant purchase & sales, and their never ending enthusiastic support.

Thanks again to all those who participated and we hope to see you in 2010!

Cal Kellett
Bikes for Kids

Bikes for Kids & The Under Pants Run

The Under Pants Run at Ironman Canada is not just a way for athlete and various exhibitionists to show their styling new undies to the world, it also serves to raise money for Bikes for Kids.

For the past two years our charity ‘Bikes for Kids’ has used proceeds from the annual Underpants Run, an event in which participants run a few kilometres in nothing but their underwear, to help rising triathletes and cyclists by presenting them with professional-quality bikes. Recipients are chosen based on passion, talent and financial need.

Bikes for Kids sells sponsored under pants and takes donations at this once a year, fun for the whole family event, to raise money to give these kids new bikes.

This year two Calgary Olympic Oval cyclists were presented with top of the line Specialized, Allez bikes as part of an initiative aimed at helping promising young Canadian athletes obtain the sporting equipment they can’t afford.

Bikes for kids would like to thank all our sponsors Peach City Runners & Nordic Ski in Penticton, BC, Real Rides in Calgary, Alberta, Multisports.com in San Diago, California TCR Sports Lab in Calgary, Alberta, Ironfuel.com and specially Barry Ma from Specialized and the always great staff at Bow Cycle and Sports in Calgary, Alberta

If you are participating at Ironman Canada this year or just spectating, please join us Friday August 28 2009 8:00 am for the annual Under Pants Run. All are welcome.

It’s a lot of fun and a great cause.

See you there.

Cal Kellett

BikesforKids.ca

The Journey

It is a long way from birth to death
but a short time in between.

James Kelly

Man time flys. Seems like last week I started my annual spring return to fitness. Not that I get a lot out of shape but I like to take some time after the season to just do as little as possible fitness wise. For me, five or six weeks with no workout agenda is just fine. Problem is as I age those few weeks go by faster and faster. So the year follows and before I know, it's over. Can I look back on that particular year and say I accomplished all I wanted too? Maybe, but probably not. Here's the thing. As I grow older I am not looking back at what I did or didn't do but look forward to what new things I can do. It is just that I am more aware of how quickly I am using up the time. I guess that's why those few weeks of down time feel so good.
Maybe that's what they mean by, take time to smell the roses. Who ever they are I'm liking them more and more as the years go by.

The Heart of the Matter

It's not the sticks or the stone, but the heart that makes the home.

James Kelly

I find it harder and harder to tri. Some days my heart just isn't in it. The crazy part is that if I force myself to get out there, I always feel better for it.

There have been a couple of times during an Ironman event when I have run with athletes whose abilities far outweigh mine. The only reason we ran together on those days is that their day was falling apart and mine had stayed somewhat in tact.

One pulled out of the race at about two km. His reason, it just wasn't his day and he didn't feel like going on. I had run with this person for the first two km and I came to realize that he was embarrassed at his performance. Not because he hadn't tried as hard as he possibly could, but at what his peers would say after, if he finished with a big number on the board. He had the heart, but let his head and what others thought take away his finish.

The other I came across at about the thirty km point and as I shuffled past her I offered some small encouragement. "Good work" I huffed. "Oh, I'm having a bad day" she said. "You're doing OK" I threw over my shoulder. "Not when you're a pro" she countered. "You gonna finish?" I asked. "Well, I know my sponsors don't want me to have a bad time on my record, but I don't want to have a DNF on my mind, so yea, however long it takes, I'm going to finish."

I liked that attitude a lot. No matter what her head told her, it was overruled by the heart.

I watched Lisa Bentley cross the line in Hawaii this year, bringing a young man's dream of crossing a finish line with her.

Follow your heart, even if it leads you over the finish a little slower than you had hoped.

Patience

There is no struggle so great that it cannot be overcome with a kind word.

James Kelly

Why is it so hard some days to just live? You know the kind of day I'm talking about? Maybe you're a little short on cash, maybe the job didn't go so well today, maybe your car is old or at least older than the guy's next door. Maybe it's a day you realize how old you really are. I guess we are all looking for the fast track to our dreams. I don't know what the big hurry is. I'm still trying to figure out what my dream may be.

I blame computers in part. Everybody has to have a faster one. You barely get a new one when a better one is available. All that really means is that you're gonna be calling the help desk a lot faster because you can't figure out why your new computer isn't working. There are those days when you're not feeling quite yourself and you don't accomplish a damn thing. You look back on that day and say, man that was a waste.

If anything, triathlon teaches patience. On those race days when you are really struggling, do you look at it as a waste or another lesson learned? You have to find a way to learn a lesson on those bad days during your regular life. Focus on something other than what is causing you grief and be patient. You never know, while you're looking the other way, you just might discover your dream.

Where Do You Stand

Running can take you further than just down the road.

James Kelley

The air is crisp and clean. The sun is just coming up and the birds let you know that you are infringing on their time of day. Even the water around your feet has a quiet calm about it. You breathe deep and feel the strength and power of this moment in time.

Now, take a look around. Do you see anyone fighting? Do you see anyone exchanging angry words? Do you care if the person you are standing beside is from somewhere other than your country? Do you care what colour their skin is? Do you care if they can even speak your language? Male or female? As a matter of fact, the guy who zipped up your wetsuit couldn't speak your language, but he knew what you needed.

In this brief moment, at the start of every Ironman, the world comes together. One single body headed in the same direction. Not just athletes, just people. It is no wonder that with such single-minded purpose so many cross the finish line on that day.

What could happen if the entire world really stood together on some selected morning, people of every continent, of every colour, of every creed, all facing in the same direction. Whatever that direction may be, imagine what would come of that.

It Just Looks Easy

If the road ahead is filled with stones, make them stepping stones.

James Kelly

Well, just got back from Hawaii. I have to say that standing and watching an Ironman is an effort in itself and for all those who come out and support the athletes all day, good on ya. Ironman 2007 was a hot one and full of surprises. I also realized what great athletes these people are. I know from experience that in heat like that I would have been hard pressed to do more than walk. Actually, I was having a hard time just walking around to different view points to watch the race.

The pros looked so smooth and effortless, even though I know by their finish times, they were moving.

Standing on Alii Drive later in the day, it was amazing to see how many people looked like they were loving it, even though you could see they were struggling a bit. As the darkness fell their big white smiles glowed in the dark as brightly as their glow sticks and the finish area was full of great emotion.

Thanks for reinspiring me.