Canadian Death Race

Begin forwarded message:

From: Mark S
Date: January 23, 2009 9:13:01 AM EST (CA)
To: Ben Kaplan, Myles M
Cc: Chris Shulgan
Subject: RE: DR2009

C’mon, now. Let me just say a couple of things about the death race. First, it is awesome. Second, it is hard. I don’t mean to sound lame but I think the second time was harder than the first, I was shaking before beginning my leg of the race because I knew what to expect. The fear of the known was greater than the unknown. When I reached the summit of Grande Mt. in shorts and a long sleeve shirt in 0 degree weather at the beginning of August and began slushing through snow with freezing rain the size of gumballs pelting my face (hands too cold to access my gels for a little oomph) I couldn’t stop asking myself why I was doing this for a second time. Sometime running long distances is more about the little goals than the ultimate, like making it to that bend in the road 100 metres ahead and then the boulder 50 metres beyond that…if marathons are a test then this is the final exam. In my final 100 metres, which has the slope of your basement floor, I was trying to figure out how I was going to pull myself across the finish line because I really thought I was going to collapse and ultimately I did but fortunately had made it past the finish line. Did I mention that Johnny K saw a family of bears on his leg?

The thing about death race is that it’s not just the weekend you need to commit to, it’s really months of hard work and two months of ridiculously time-consuming punishment. A few words of advice, if you’re going to do it you need to commit or it’s just not worth doing it. Committing means marathon-style training with a day of hills and a day of yassos in your routine. I’ll be happy to coach you guys from a distance but this year a combination of factors is going to keep me from doing it. It sounds like you’re assembling a team with the right amount of brawn, stupidity and dedication to make this a success but unfortunately I’ll have to catch you in another year.

On 1/22/09 3:41 PM, "Christopher Shulgan" wrote:

Boys...

A couple notes / updates / thoughts on DR 2009

Charitable component
--As Johnny K suggested, incorporating a public service element and using this as an opportunity to fight colon cancer will make everyone feel nice about themselves. So far as I am concerned, colon cancer it is. Start the cleansing! Er, I mean training.

Actual peeps
--You will notice from the email CC: fields a couple of new names up there. Ben Kaplan is a features writer for Toronto's National Post newspaper and Myles M. is a photo editor for a mag up here and both are down to do the race as well as just generally being stellar individuals. Just stellar. This means we have more than enough people to fill one team and probably can do two teams. Witness the following arithmetic:

Currently committed to doing the race are the following names: Brad, Johnny K, Chris Shulgan, Mark H., Ben Kaplan and Myles.

Maybes: Mark S. Mike D., Lucy, Rich

Let's all work on making those maybes into affirmatives. I have called Richie a couple of times over the last couple of days. He may be hibernating. Any word from Lucy? She sounds amazing.

So far as my brother goes I have committed to giving him Indian wrist burns until he agrees to run. He is too good a runner not to have aboard the team.

Brad I am hereby assigning you to do the same thing to Mike D.

That makes the biggest wild card Rich. Please devote some time to thinking about whether anyone knows a possible 10th runner if Richie is not able to run this year because of his stress fracture injury.

Basically, at some point we will have to figure out whether we have 10 firmly committed, then determine how to divvy up teams (US v. Canada?), (Bankers v. Decent People?), (Vets v. First-Timers?). If we do have two separate teams then I'll try to work out a way to secure additional accommodation.

Oh, one more thing: Johnny K already has booked his flights -- his info is below, he's flying in on Thursday, July 30, and then flying out on Sunday, Aug. 2. Johnny also has a van booked. Let's all try to book flights that get us in at similar times.

To sum up, your homework is:
--work on Mark S. Mike D., Lucy and Rich to commit to the race
--failing any of above, find additional people to have two full teams committed
--think about creative ways to raise money for our trip and the fight against colon cancer
--train, train, train

In other words, things are progressing, this will be mind-blowing fun, I'm excited.

Best,
Chris

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I declare a total and complete fan of all the races, I like bike races like the Tour de France, I also love the Rally, I think the best thing a person can do to improve their health and quality of life is to practice exercises, and for me the best way is competing with someone else, has always proven that human beings in times of pressure is more skilled and enterprising. Thank you very much.

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