UNIVERSAL AND ACCESSIBLE MY ASS!

I am fed up with the health care system! If I am having this much trouble getting to see a doctor I can only imagine what homeless people/immigrants go through! This is impossible and I am about ready to give up!

Here's my situation. With a four month wait-time to see my family doctor I decided I would follow up with my gynaecologist. They wouldn't book me an appointment (even for follow up to my previous visit) without a new referral from my family doctor). When explained about the wait time they told me to go to a walk in clinic. Fed up with that non-sense I decided to take matters into my own hands and go see a Naturopathic Doctor and hopefully get tested/assessed for anemia and a gluten intolerance. $300 later I have a very thorough health assessment, no actual "test" done, some chinese herbs and a recommendation to get blood work done at a walk-in clinic (CBC and ferritin levels). So I went to the walk-in clinic today and they wouldn't take me because I have a PEI health care. "We can't risk it" is what their reason was.

What's a girl to do!?

5K RUN FOR THE RIDE
SUNDAY APRIL 18th

The run/walk is only days away and I'm getting really pumped for it, being my first time organizing a running event and all!

I've got some great sponsors on board as well!

Curbside Cycle, MyNextRace.Com, and The Running Room have all donated door prizes, goodies and such.
I'm still working on securing someone to donate food too.

So if you haven't signed up yet I'd suggest doing so now! And inviting all your friends to do the same!

Sunday April 18th @ 10am (registration and check-in beginning on-site at 8:30am)
Cost: $30 (all proceeds going towards The Ride to Conquer Cancer, benefiting The Princess Margaret Hospital)
Sign up: http://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=5462

Hope to see you there!!!!

NEW YEAR STATE OF MIND

Let's hear it for 2009! woot!

Here's the best of the best and the worst of the worst: (in the opinion of pdawg)

READS:
The best book I read all year was Yann Martel's Life of Pi.
The worst news article I read all year was...that article stating cyclist are polluting Toronto's air by breathing too hard...I was going to link it for you, but couldn't find it anywhere on the net...does anyone remember this article released shortly after that courier was killed on Bloor st?

TRAVEL:
In 2009 I've been lucky enough to travel to the following places: PEI, NS, BC, NY, AC.
PEI twice...once in snowy January with the boy for some holiday festivities and again for Mrs Carrie & Mr Neil's wedding. I can't complain about an opportunity to return to my homeland of potatoes and red soil.
NS was also visited twice...again in snowy January for NYE festivities with my lovely Liz and a return to Acadia University for Mrs Liz & Mr Nick's wedding festivities. Ohh the memories of meal hall, residence, orchard and the axe relived...
Penticton, BC was revisited for Ironman # 2. Every time I visit BC I love it even more. My particular favorite part is the crystal clear beach water beside the mountains that I swam in every day I was there. Beautiful. Oh, and the peaches and wine of the Okanagan Valley! My 3rd Ironman is planned for Canada again, but I think after 2010 I would like to go somewhere a little more tropical. Cozumel perhaps?
Atlantic City! Can't go wrong with a free trip and stay at the Trump Marina! Worked my magic on the roulette table winning 70$ and shopped til we dropped in the outlets. Only complaint was the lack of vegetarian food in the entire city!?
New York. For my 3rd trip to the big apple, this trip was more focused on family thanksgiving festivities and less big lights. I highly recommend flying rather than driving for the next trip. 14 hour car drives are so much fun.

MOVIES:
Best movie of 2009: Avatar
Worst movie of 2009: Dare I say...Twillight...Although I really cannot accurately label this as such having not watched the movie, so lets say worst movie I watched in entirety: Ghosts of girlfriends past. Sorry Jen Garner.

TELEVISION:
Best show of 2009: Dexter. OMG what a season finale, even if it made me upset! :(
Grey's Anatomy is still watched religiously as well.
Worst show of 2009 (that I'm guilty of watching on occasion): Paris Hilton's new BFF.

TRAINING:
Best part was finishing Ironman # 2 with my Dad and achieving a new 10K and 1/2 marathon PB. My yearly totals for the swim bike run are as follows:

2009
Swim: 136km
Bike: 2472km
Run: 830.5km

2008
Swim: 114 Km
Bike: 2143 Km
Run: 1214 Km

I was slightly shocked to see my run totals way down this year, even with 3 marathons, but since I've run a couple of PBs this year, I guess less really is more!
On the bicycle side of things, Cervelo has been getting lots of mileage. I got new Zipp Tubulars and upgraded my cassette. I sold dinosaur for way more than she was worth and poor little Leader was stolen. That was a sad day. Then I bought a red supercycle for $30 off craigslist and now that the snow has hit Toronto, it takes shelter on my balcony. The new gym in the basement of my apt is now my second home.

I was inspired by Steve in a Speedo's Blog and will include a little race report.

Marathons: 2 (3 if you include the ironman)
1/2 Marathons: 1
30K: 1
10K: 2
5K: 1
Triathlons: 5 total (1 Ironman, 1 Half Ironman, 1 Sprint, 2 Indoor Tris)

That's what I can remember right now...

Big goals for 2010 are Ride to Conquer Cancer (which I desperately need your donations for), Ironman Canada and an attempt to improve my sprint/Olympic times and qualify for Worlds.

MUSIC:

LIKE EATING GLASS

Just a typical day in my life...
Before my 5:30am breakfast, I managed to smear toothpaste through my hair (something I'm sure my older brother will find amusing) and burned my belly with my flat iron. ouchy.
I looked outside to find a blizzard going on in what used to be a snow free Toronto. Having no subway tokens because the scroogy mcscroogy TTC dude would only issue me paper tokens (don't want me stocking up before the price increase!) I had to empty out my piggy bank and come up with $2.75 (in nickels and dimes) to pay for the subway (my stop doesn't have a worker on duty - ever; so you have to pay with either a monthly pass or coin tokens).
Arrive at work approx 0635 and frantically run around trying to keep track of the 6 different patients I was assigned for 13 hours, making only a few medication/patient errors along the way. On the upside there were free cookies and cider at work today! But thennnn I ate cookies until my belly hurt :(
Get to the gym around 8:25pm, an hour late for my spin class, so I did 30 mins of spinning/running on my own (to try and burn off all those cookies).
Annd I'm losing my voice because I've come down with yet another cold - I believe this is # 4 or 5 for this year - an all time new record for me. I never used to get sick....I'm not sure if its nursing with it's strange hours, lack of sleep, caring for sick people day in and day out ect or triathlon with it's long hours and could-be-better nutrition. Either way, I'm sure my body wouldn't mind a few extra hours of sleep and a handful of vitamins. mmmmzzzzzz.
Tomorrow will be better. Taking a sick day :)

MISSING BICYCLE REPORT

My commuter bike was stolen last night. Over 3 years living in TO and my first bike theft. I am sad. It especially sucked having to walk home from work this morning after my night shift :S

Although I'm sure it's a lost cause, but if you happen to see a yellow/black Leader with large smooth tires and grip shift keep me posted.

It's just me and Cervelo until I can get another commuter bike.

OK, my faithful readers, yes all two of you, I would like to direct you to my latest blog. Check it out for exciting updates on my adventures training and fundraising for the Ride to Conquer Cancer

Here's the link. Read it. Comment on it. Join it. Donate to it. Whatever you like. :)

P-Dawg Rides to Conquer Cancer

YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES AND HOPE THAT THIS IS JUST IMAGINATION, GIRL!
BUT ALL THE WHILE YOU HEAR THE CREATURE CREEPING UP BEHIND



This halloween, the creature creeping up behind Paula Radcliffe is...WALDO! Halloween was fun as I ran circles around the party searching for my Waldo. Halloween Haunt at Wonderland was even awesomer! Behemoth. Drop Zone. Zombies. Haunted Houses. Sppppooooktacular. Definitely making Halloween Haunt closing night an annual event.