Things Heat up for RMC Running
By: Dick Seyah
It was a cool morning this past 24th of July. However, things quickly heated up for three members of the RMCC varsity running team.
Richard Hayes (Right), Eric Henderson (Left) , and Jordan Vadala (C) decided to put their training to the test by competing in a community running event near the town of Saint-jean-sur-Richelieu. Richard and Jordan chose to compete in a 10k distance run, where as Eric opted for the faster 5k race.
The race was held close to where the members of the team have been training for the past two months. CFLRS language school, the mega, where they have been on french training since the beginning of June.
Among their fellow OCdt’s and NCdt’s, the team members spend six hours a day working toward improving there second language skills. Outside of those hours, however, they use a portion of there free time to train. This training is cleary paying off as all three members proved very competitive in there chosen events.
Eric Henderson had a speedy time of 16:57 for his 5k, placing him fifth in his age group. In the 10k, Richard Hayes was tenth overall with a time of 34:18, and Jordan Vadala, who recently healed from a leg injury, ran a solid time of 40:20.
The runners could not have asked for better conditions on race day. It was sunny and hot but not overly so. The course was a relatively flat 2.5k loop around a small lake in a community park. The race was well attended by over 200 runners.
These three runners, as well as the rest of the RMCC running team, look forward to their upcoming cross-country season beginning this September along with the next school year.
Have a nice run!
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RMCC Well Represented in China at FISU
The 2011 World Universiade (FISU) Games in Shenzhen, China will be held from August 12 to 23, 2011. RMC has four representatives attending as part of the Canadian contingent.
Darren Cates, RMC DAth, is attending the event as the Transportation Manager for the Team Canada. As part of the Mission Staff, he left for China on Thursday 4 August and will be back in the office as of Monday 29 August.
Steve Leknois is an assistant coach with the men’s volleyball team. He’s been working with the team throughout the summer, as they train in Gatineau, QC and have also taken part in an exhibition tour in Slovenia in July. Team Canada plays its first match on 13 August against Switzerland.
Joel Ridley and OCdt Jason Song are attending as part of the Canadian TKD team. They leave for China on Thursday 11 August and will also be back on the grounds at RMC as of Monday 29 August. TKD competitions in China will take place between 20-23 August.
Up-to-date details: http://english.cis-sic.ca/universiade/summer/2011/index
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Mission Accomplished for RMC’S OP NIJMEGEN Team
By OCdt 25515 Kim Archibald
The International Four Days March held in Nijmegen, a city found in the eastern parts of the Netherlands, is a gruelling challenge. For those military personnel participating, the challenge is comprised of 40 km distance marching each of the four days while carrying over 20 lbs of weight in a pack. Your Royal Military College Nijmegen team of ten Officer Cadets and team leader Lt (N) Nicholas Buxton successfully completed this feat on Friday July 22nd , 2011. However, before crossing the finish line, the team had other priorities during the ten day trip.
Upon their arrival in Nijmegen, Saturday July 16th, the team was surprised by the camp itself because of the many marchers and nations represented. Over 6000 military marchers had come to participate and more than 30 nations were represented by both teams and individuals. Our team briefly explored the camp, discovering the International Beer Tent, where all teams would come to finish their march and earn a beer for that day’s success.
The following morning the entire Canadian Contingent for Nijmegen travelled to Vimy Ridge to partake in a memorial parade honouring those soldiers who gave their lives in France during the First World War. The parade was led by the contingent commander, Brigadier-General Madower, with many blessings and prayers shared by our contingent padre. The monument stands on the highest point of Vimy Ridge overlooking the beauty of the French countryside making for spectacular photographs. Also during our trip to Vimy Ridge, the contingent was given a tour of the battlefield surrounding the memorial. The contingent briefly experienced what the lives of those soldiers of World War One must have been like as we walked through tunnelling systems, trenches, saw the contorted grounds resulting from landmines, and walked among the hundreds of graves, some of which remain unnamed. The tour guides were very informative and friendly, detailing the stories of our comrades’ past with a great deal of knowledge. Amongst the tour guides was our own 24810 OCdt Mélanie Rouillard-Lamy, a gifted history student who was chosen for this very unique OJT.
That same evening the RMC team was selected to participate in the Nijmegen Opening Ceremonies. We were marched into the Nijmegen Stadium found in the town, and witnessed a glorious show. There was beautiful music as well as stunning theatrics and acrobatics. The stands in the stadium were nearly filled which only gave us a glimpse of the support for this enormous event and the military presence in Nijmegen. Following the opening ceremonies, the team took the time to go into the town and experience some of the rich Dutch culture. It did not take us long to realize how much of a celebration this event was for the local population. The streets were buzzing with people and there were open bars in the streets with bands playing music on large stages. One local explained to us how each night more and more people would come to celebrate the success of the marchers and everyone held high regards and respect for military marchers especially.
The next day was merely for preparation and the passing of information. The team was informed of how the march would be conducted, and when our breaks would be. The British Contingent graciously took the Canadians under their care at the breaks, providing bananas and water for the short breaks and hot meals for the lunch break.
The first two days of the marches had been no surprise physically, but it had been a challenge mentally. The entire contingent was woken up at 3:00 a.m. in order to prepare their feet, eat breakfast and be formed up to march off at 5:00. During the marches, we would walk with both local civilians and other military teams from various countries. At the end of the day, the team was required to enter the International beer tent and conduct a small performance to celebrate that day’s successful march. This had been so different from our regular training routine, however we were able to adjust quickly and power through the first day. During that first day’s march, the team also noticed the presence of the public. Many people came out to watch, encourage, or provide drinks and snacks to marchers as we passed them by. There had also been those who set up sound systems to play motivational music to keep us determined. At the end of the first two days, all members of the team felt confident that the task of successfully finishing the march felt like no problem.
On the third day everyone in the contingent was feeling the painful repercussions of marching 80 km in the past two days. However, on this day we had a goal to meet. The entire contingent was to be at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery no later than noon in order to participate, a location which contains the graves of 2,300 Canadians killed while fighting for the liberation of the Netherlands during World War Two. Our team had to march at a fairly fast pace to get there on time, and as a result, many members were in pain. Yet the purpose for our presence at the cemetery surpassed the pain as we marched proudly and honoured those fallen soldiers by means of a memorial parade. Many watched as our contingent, who had just marched over 100 km in the past two and a half days, stood respectfully at attention for these brave men who had fought for us. The little amount of pain we were feeling could never amount to their sacrifices. After the parade, the contingent took to the roads again to finish their last 10 km of the day and to head back to camp. The weather had been fair and sunny since we had begun our marches not two days before, but the end of the third day’s march was met with a downpour. Truly it was a test of our training and determination.
The last day was the most amazing experience, but also the most difficult. By this day, the team was in pain with many sore from the marching, blisters on the feet, and various other injuries. However, that was the day we had been working for the past three two months. The order was given to the contingent to arrive at a fourth rest stop before the Victory March down the Via Gladiola. The Victory March is a mere 5 km stretch before the finish line, but its significance is portrayed through the people of Nijmegen. Our experience was remarkable when marching the Victory March. Thousands upon thousands of people came out to cheer the entire Canadian Contingent on, giving us high fives or flowers, and even marching with us a bit to encourage us. As we passed through the town, the team realized just how much this event meant to the people of Nijmegen, and the population of the Netherlands in total. Each day of this experience we savoured and we would recommend any military member to rise to the challenge because the rewards are worth the fight.
After our successful completion of the Four Days March, the team headed to Amsterdam to celebrate. We experienced a mix of culture during our short stay and wished it didn’t have to end so quickly. Not a week before were we just arriving, nervous about the feat ahead of us. Now we have returned to Canada to tell you, the readers, and any who will listen, about our experiences in the Netherlands at the International Four Days March of Nijmegen.
Once again the team would like to express its deepest gratitude to the RMC Club Foundation as well as the Michelle Mendes Memorial Fund, the family of Michelle including her parents Ron and Diane Knight and husband Vic Mendes. Without their support both financially and spiritually, the team could not have achieved the success that they did throughout their training and overseas. Thank you for your support.