Registered for My First Half Marathon: The Vancouver First Half

So I just registered for my first half marathon. On February 11, 2018, I will run the Vancouver First Half Half Marathon. I am super pumped to do it. And I have exactly 3 months to train for it.

I think the course is a perfect first half marathon for me as well. As a Richmondite, hills are relatively unheard of on my runs. The Vancouver First Half course is also relatively flat. More info on the course map is available HERE.

I think the training will be relatively straightforward, because I am already comfortable running 10-15 km on a semi-regular basis. So I need to increase my comfortable distance by about 25%. Doable.

But what I would really like to do is complete the half in under 2 hours. That means I can run about 5:40 / km. What I would ideally like to do is complete the half in 1:45 (average 5:00 / km). But that may be a little ambitious.

In any case, I am looking forward to the challenge. And, at 36 years old, I'll be pushing my body farther than I have ever done before in my life. Better late than never!

Becoming a Two Wheel Gear Brand Ambassador

When I truly believe in something, I naturally become an advocate for it. Whether it's a company, a product, a place, or an experience that aligns with my values, I love to tell others about it.

I also have a strong moral compass, high ethical standards, and a keen attention to quality so in our current consumer-focused market of discount products, cheap knockoffs, and mega cheap superstores, I find it harder and harder to come across well-made, brilliantly designed products from ethical, reputable companies.

Two Wheel Gear is one of the companies that rises above the rest for me. Their products are well made, brilliantly designed, and align directly with my values.

I am a business professional working downtown Vancouver and I am a strong advocate for the bicycle commuting culture. As a bicycle commuter, I find a lot of the bicycle gear targeted at business professionals is targeted at those that live and work downtown and, therefore, have a short (less than 5 km) ride to work. Therefore, they assume that you can wear your work clothes while you ride. In my case, I live in the suburb of Richmond and work downtown Vancouver. My commute is over 20 km each way so wearing a dress shirt and pants on my bicycle is out of the question.

Two Wheel Gear develops bicycle gear specifically for the business professional but with the longer bicycle commutes of many North American cities in mind. But in addition to simply designing and selling great products, they are an active part of local bicycle-friendly events and campaigns.

So, when I got my first Two Wheel Gear bag in 2015 (The Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier, a suit bag that fits on your bike like any other pannier), I talked about it a lot to anyone that would listen, whether it was in the locker room, to my friends, on Twitter or Facebook, or on this blog (click HERE for my review of the The Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier). I became a vocal advocate for the company and their products.

It didn't take long before Reid Hemsing (President & CEO of Two Wheel Gear) noticed and reached out. Ever since that first email interaction, we've kept in fairly regular contact either through social media, email, or even the odd text message. In 2016, Reid asked me to review his latest product, the Pannier Backpack Convertible. Similar to The Classic 2.0, the bag was a great design and really well made. So again, I talked about the bag a lot. More details on that bag in my review HERE.

Which brings us to this year. In the spring, Reid asked if I would be willing to be a Two Wheel Gear Ambassador. And, of course, I agreed. In June, Reid and a couple of his team members joined me on my commute home with their cameras in tow. A short interview and a couple weeks later, I was featured in a Commuter Profile on the Two Wheel Gear blog (click HERE to view it).

I am incredibly honoured to be an Ambassador for Two Wheel Gear. This is a company that sees a future that I want to live in. They develop products that feel like they are made specifically for my lifestyle. They are well made and represent great, innovative design. And they look great too. And
Reid recently mentioned a couple of his ideas for new products that they are working on for next year and I am excited to see them. I can't wait to see what's next for this company.


Here are links to my reviews of all Two Wheel Gear products:
- The Classic 2.0 Garment Pannier
- Pannier Backpack Convertible (original)
- Convertible Bike Briefcase
- Pannier Backpack Convertible PLUS+