Rolf Devinci

Despite my nagging lower body injury I had another good day in nets today. It was a beautiful Spring like day and hard to drag myself inside to play hockey but I managed....lol(wink) The teams were relatively well matched heading into the first game and was close in score until we managed to build a 3 goal lead and eventual win with a 10-5 final score.We spotted the opposing squad a three goal lead in the second match but rallied to keep it close until near the end when we managed to grab the comeback win with 2 late markers to win 10-8. With 20 minutes remaining we once again gave the other squad a two goal lead before we stormed back with time expiring to tie the match at 3-3. I played steady all day and made several key saves in each game. Managed to get my blocker on the ball labeled for the top corner in the second game after we gave up a breakaway late in the match. Could have been a deciding goal for the other squad. My favorite save was a nice toe save on a one timer shot lat...

Under overcast skies with nice temps(4-8C)the club sent off five groups this morning. It was a great early season turnout with about about 25+ riders ranging in skills from the racers to the recreational riders. Road conditions were good and mostly dry but with the usual pothole issues always found on Nova Scotian roads during Spring. In general the route survived the winter fairly well with the exception of certain trouble spots. Once you managed to bypass these rough sections it was clear sailing. I left the shop with the third group on the road. Comprised of strong riders we had a steady group setting an easy-moderate tempo out to Fall River. Both M and R opted to bypass Windsor Junction and the Fall River hill so we met up with them at the consolidation at Sobeys after the usual diaspora caused by the steepest climb of the route.M is only recently back on the bike after the winter and R has a 20+ kilometer(marathon)training run on Sunday. As usual I fell off the pace once on the...

In the glass tonight is a 2006 Michel Torino Tannat. A wine from the Calchaqui Valley in Argentina 1700 meters above sea level it possesses "...profound colors,concentrated aromas and marked fruity flavors." The weather is looking prime for the Saturday club ride so I`m looking forward to cycling in the morning. That said a week ago Thursday I noticed I had developed a muscle strain in the lower ab/upper groin contributed to by running but brought on by ballhockey. Playing nets on Sunday feels OK but playing out on Thursday nights seems to aggravate the area.No doubt the sudden stop starting of gym hockey combined with the hard surface has resulted in a pretty sore groin. I only have three weeks of Sunday/Thursday hockey remaining so I will attempt to nurse myself through to the season`s conclusion. In the meantime I will back off my running and Swiss ball core work as both affect the strained area.Not exactly the best plan in terms of my duathlon training but alas.....cyc...

Having skipped Friday Night Wines due to the two hour conclusion of Battlestar Gallatica(BSG)I was feeling quite primed for the Saturday morning club ride. The sun was shining but it was cool with a 25kph NW wind. I left the shop with a slow group of riders who were all out on their first ride of the season but then veered off solo after they turned around to head back to the shop. I had a couple options; catch the fast group as they headed out/back from Laurie Park or just do a solo ride. I opted for the latter and cycled out to Fall River, did a couple hill repeats then headed back to Bedford. With the benefit of a tailwind on the return trip I worked on my position on the bike. It`s been a work in progress to develop a comfort level cycling in the drops so this was a perfect opportunity to do so. Sunday brought more sunshine and warmer temps.I really wanted to get back on the bike but am committed to hockey till mid April. It was hard to get motivated and my play showed it for the...

Saturday morning brought sunny skies but it was brisk with windchill temps around -17C. I had decided I was gonna ride come Hell or high water so off I went to the shop for the 10AM club ride. I was not planning on riding with the fast(winter)guys for my first ride of the year so I was hoping there would be a showing of some of the intermediate riders. If not I would have just gone our solo to scope out how well the pavement survived the winter. Recon the new potholes.....lol. Turned out both E and S arrived and said they were doing a more moderate ride out to Enfield. Sweet! Both are experienced, solid riders and good fellas. Perfect riding companions to shake off the rust of a long winter. We all left together in one group but it quickly became aparent that the tempo of the fast guys was akin to race pace. After my pull I noticed both E and S dropped back so I joined them rather than latch on the back of the paceline. We had a great ride out to Enfield with the benefits of a tail ...

Although Tuesday night is usually one of my recovery days the Spring like weather was too appealing to let pass so I opted to do a 4km run after work. It was interesting to see how it felt to get off the treadmill and how the body responded after a winter of gym work. The lungs felt well....at least I didn`t cough one up...which was a good sign.(wink)If anything it was my left foot and ankle that felt wonky and my lower back did stiffen somewhat during the run.All,no doubt,the result of running on undulating terrain as opposed to the smooth surface of a treadmill. I was happy with the run and the time of 22(ish)minutes considering it was a last minute decision and nothing more a shakedown jog.My running distances will remain short for 2009 as I use it for crosstraining purposes for my cycling and preparation for an occasional duathlon. Felt good to get outside and feel the warmth of the sun on my face. I put a temporary fender on my road bike so I`m ready to get back outside cyclin...

My apologies for missing my usual Friday Night Wine posting but I actually went out on a Friday Night. Barry held his annual customer appreciation night which is always a good time. Personally it is the unofficial start of my cycling season and a sign winter is winding down. It was a chance to get my race license application signed, club membership paid, mingle with folks I last saw in the Fall and get some good deals on gear. Another benefit was the chance to try a local microbrew - Garrison`s Tall Ship amber ale. Great beer and one that will definitely be found on the deck this summer. Delicious! Ball hockey went well again.I am continuing with my strong play in nets as of late and chalked two more wins up today.Wow.....not quite sure what I`m doing different but I was a bulwark in nets.If it is indeed my winter training, diet and conditioning program I`m hoping it translates as well to the bike this Spring. Having won the first game 10-6 we spotted the other squad a 4-0 lead in the ...

Having done an intense gym workout on Saturday where I completed core and weight training combined with treadmill intervals and a sixty minute spin class I indulged myself with a Guinness stout. I`ve been quite regimented in my diet these last couple months so rewarded myself with the visual pleasure of the Guinness "cascade" and the taste experience of a glass of the black gold.Delicious! I headed to ball hockey on Sunday quite confident in my game. After falling to the depths of goalie despair in January I have rebounded well and I am playing my best goal to date. I figure my decision to play Thursday nights has definitely helped - practice does make perfect- and my fitness has never been better. Today I was fortunate enough to inherit the stronger of the teams with a squad well rounded and strong in all aspects of the game. We won a close match 10-9 but quickly began to dominate the opposing team after winning the second match 10-7. Our team speed became the deciding fa...