Novack’s Uniform Solutions New Website

We are pleased to announce the launch of a brand new website for Novack’s Uniform Solutions featuring a full online catalogue. Click here to take a look.

Transforming historic Novack’s to continue to serve London

 LONDON, Ont. – Paul and Sandi Caplan, owners of historic Novack’s family business, announced today with staff, family, friends and loyal customers that their business is transforming. For the last 15 years, in addition to operating the retail and travel tour business, Novack’s has had a thriving uniform business, providing specialized uniforms for a wide range of industries and public safety personnel. During this time Novack’s has grown into a market leader in branded public safety apparel. The market is changing and Novack’s must continue to change and adapt. Novack’s will continue to be open for business transitioning out of the “in store” retail division and refocusing on its Uniform manufacturing and distribution business (Novack’s Uniform Group), Online retail (www.AvidNomad.com) and Avid Traveller Tour divisions. The family will proudly continue to own the Novack’s building located at 211 King Street and look forward to this iconic landmark continuing to be a vibrant location in London’s core.

Novack’s first opened in 1939 as a music and luggage store. Through the years the business evolution has included a focus on military surplus goods, workwear, a wide variety of outdoor outfitters products, books and adventure travel. Novack’s has been successful in building a loyal customer following and providing business leadership and generous support for the London community. Novack’s, after 73 years, carries a client base close to their hearts, treasures those relationships and views those past loyalties as one of the greatest hurdles in reaching the decision they announce today. “We have had a great run. We are grateful to our customers, staff and community and look forward to continuing to take an active role in the positive changes that are taking place in downtown London,” Says Paul Caplan, Owner and CEO of Novacks. “We have cherished the opportunity to operate what some consider to be our iconic retail business, but as the market changes, we must consider the future and now is the time to refocus. This decision has been both difficult and exciting. It is the right decision for the business and for us personally”

When informed , Janette Macdonald of Downtown London said “Novack’s has been a mainstay in the core for as long as most Londoners can remember and is a destination for travellers from all over the country. While we will miss the outfitting store, we are proud to welcome a very successful international Uniform Operation and look forward to seeing its growing success. We are delighted that the Caplans have chosen Downtown for the next phase of their business when they could easily have chosen an industrial park.”

On Thursday November 22, 2012, 11:00 AM the London community is invited to a complete retail liquidation of all 2.3 million dollars of brand name inventory. Enjoy the full Novack’s retail shopping experience, including the fully functional Russian Periscope that has a complete 360 degree view of downtown London.

We asked on Facebook and the Twitterverse for some ideas, and added some of our own. Can you think of any we have missed?

• Candles & Matches
• Flashlight (and batteries)
• Solar / Wind- Up Radio
• First Aid Kit
• Paracord / Paracord Bracelet
• Thermal Blanket
• Non-perishable food
• 2L of Water per person
• Whistle / Signal
• Duct tape
• Small fuel stove / Camp stove
• Multi-tool (Swiss Army Knife, Leatherman, etc.)
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper (never would have thought of this on my own!)
• Change of clothes
• Sleeping bags
• Water purification tables (Aquatabs)
• and of course a Backpack / Duffle bag to hold it all!

Check out our growing collection of emergency survival items in our online store and check back often as we’ll be adding to it with any of your suggestions!

        Once at Mount St. Louis Moonstone, I headed off to some signs stating to “Remember to Sign Your Death Waiver”.  Registration went very smoothly as we were handed a race kit with our bib, pins and bracelets for bag check and post race refreshments.  This is also where they put your race number on your arm and forehead with permanent marker.  It was pretty funny to watch and the lady said my big forehead sure helped.

        The starting line are was like a coral.  You had to leap a small wooden fence, about 6 feet high.  I say small because they sure got bigger later on in the adventure.  After about 15 minutes of ranting and dancing via a “Rapper/DJ”, who also had a unique way of delivering the rules and focus of the event in an inspiring way, we were off.  Climbing a long hill, about 3/4 of a km long of rocks, the adventure was on.  At the top, we found a 20 x 50 area of mud and barb wire.  This would be a good indication of the day.  This was followed up by more running, an ice bath called Arctic Enema and 1 of 5 climbs up the mountain.

        15 kms more, mud baths, mud climbs, 30 feet of monkey bars, a jump to water 30 feet below, climbing through culverts into water, log carrying and being electrically shocked several times at two locations, it was great to be greeted what looked like thousand of cheering family and friends.  The was called an adventure and not a race, so no time was supplied.  It would not make sense to supply a time as you were asked to help others and in some cases, had to wait at some of the obstacles.  Although flights were sent out every 20 minutes, you would find yourself passing those who started up to an 1.5 hours before my flight.

        This was an experience I will never forget.  The sense of accomplishment was much different than any road races or triathlon I have ever competed.  You had created a bond and camaraderie with many people for very short periods of time.  The even it all about supporting the www.woundedwarriors.caprogram, therefore, nobody was left behinds.  People were always willing to lend a hand up a cargo net, or across the ditches of mud mile.

        I am proud to say that I completed every obstacle without help, covered the entire course and made many friends and traded some contact information with some really cool people.  Some responses to questions I have received several times the past few days: “the hardest part was climbing the mountain several times, the incline burned every muscle in your legs, no matter which technique you tried”, “the 200 foot slide down the hill on a plastic water slide was a blast” and ‘” I feel pretty good, no injuries and will do it again next year”.

Amateur video of me on the Everest obstacle can be found at http://youtu.be/SUDGM4IoCMc

There are lots of pictures on the Tough Mudder FB page that will help you understand some of my blog above.

        Thanks to my wife and family for supporting me in the training and the day away from the family.  Thanks to http://www.kpepphotography.com/ for capturing the images of my training, too many to share, but full of memories.  Thanks to Alex Gasson at Adrenaline Training Centres for the gruelling weekly workouts.  And a really big THANKS to all the staff at Novack’s.  The equipment supplied really held up and the shoes in my mind gave me a huge advantage because of the grip in the mud and water, their ability to dry fast and stay comfortable all day, and being black and orange made me look faster than I am.

Thanks for reading and if you have any questions about my training, the equipment or the event, please ask me on twitter @FCRR_RD or email me at forestcityroadraces@mail.com

The sledge hammer.  Another non traditional workout tool that has provided so many options in terms of various drills.  I have hit a tire in 4 different patterns, used it to lift with one arm at a time (each time increasing the distance with my hand from the head of hammer, making it harder to control stability), swinging it in back and forth motions and around my head for core work, and tossing it.  Who knew a $15 piece of wood and iron would be a great gym apparatus.

Plans for the last week and a half before race day.  Try to get in 3 good long runs, 10-12 k’s, 5 workouts in the yard with the tire, sledge hammer, balance beam ( 2”x 6” x 12’ ), 2 sessions of hill climbs and 1k sprints, lots of eating clean,  pool time, and some good nights of sleep.

I received my start time for the race.  I had requested 10:30 a.m. on the 18th, hoping to beat the heat and still giving me time to get to the race site that morning.  Unfortunately I will be heading up the mountain at 12:30 p.m. on the Saturday, so training the past 8 weeks in the heat will probably come into play.  Quick calculations of entries for the race, looks like there are about 20,000 people over the two days.  Did an interview yesterday with my local newspaper, the Dorchester Signpost, thanks to them for the support

Off for a run (Go Canada Go!).

I have had a few people asking about tire flipping and what I mean by that.  It is not as fancy as it sounds.  A tractor tire that I flip over and over again.  Back and forth as fast, but controlled as I can.  Total body workout.  The picture was taken with a motion sensor cam we strap to a tree to catch images of wildlife at night behind our house.  The tire also takes a beating or maybe I do.  The sledge hammer is 10 lbs. and starts out under control but creates a real burn after 8-9 hard swings and get really sloppy during my third set.  I am really enjoying the different types of drills that I am experiencing as part of my training.

      Q: I’m hoping to purchase a fine bottle of Scotch whisky at the Duty Free shop in Glasgow on my way home from Scotland. My flight has me transferring airplanes in both Heathrow and Toronto before returning home to London, Ontario.  I’ve been told I need to have a “security tamper evident bag”  when travelling by air. What is that?Buying 

      A:  It is a clear plastic bag designed to stow liquids, aerosols and gels (LAGS) purchased by airline passengers at duty free shops in selected airports. Time was, before 9/11, when one could travel without having to pass through security let alone having to have all your bags screened. After 9/11, one needed to pass through some form of security screening but could purchase duty free liquids (alcohol, perfumes etc) outside of the screening areas and bring them on board. That is until a failed attempt by terrorists to blow up aircraft using a combination of liquid chemicals. As a result liquids, including bottled water, were no longer allowed on board. Duty free shoppes around the world lost enormous business. Responding to complaints by airport tenants who operated these shops, the duty free stores were relocated to being inside the security area. That left one problem. If you were transferring between aircraft at different airports and needed to go through security screening areas again, your duty free purchase would be confiscated. That problem too was solved with the advent of these clear plastic bags that could be sealed by the retailer with a telltale sign of having been tampered with or opened. Security screening agents then could check for these telltale signs and allow them through if seen to be untampered with.

       Since you will have need to go through security screening once again at Heathrow and again after clearing customs in Toronto, and if as you suggest intend on purchasing your fine Scotch whisky in Glasgow, you will have need for these bags. Since June 1 2011, duty-free purchases from any EU nation packaged in a security tamper evident bag have been accepted for screening at all major Canadian airports. These tamper evident bags relate only to duty-free purchases.  You are still able to pack regulation size (100 millilitres/3ounces) LAGs in any unsealed clear plastic bag and put it in your carry-on for easy check point navigation.

       It’s a good thing your flight routing back to London, Ontario doesn’t have you flying through the United States. If your return flight from an EU nation involves a stop in the U.S., the tamper evident bag will not be accepted at screening check points in the U.S.  You would be well advised to put your duty free purchases in your checked bag after clearing customs in the U.S. Otherwise, you will likely have them confiscated.

       If that were the case, and you had to pack them into your checked baggage, that would then bring to mind your next problem. How to securely pack your fine Scotch whisky or bottle of fine wine in your luggage so that the bottle won’t break. Check out a product called the Vinnibag. VinniBag is a reusable travel bag with inflatable air chambers that protect and insulate wine bottles, other liquids, and fragile items. It’s designed to provide remarkable protection against impact and leakage, it’s easy to use, and it stores flat, rolled or folded when not in use. Travelling with wine, olive oil or just regular toiletries can be worrisome at any time,  awkward at best and disastrous at worst. But whether it’s in your checked suitcase or carry on luggage,  a checked  backpack or even a duffel bag, your Scotch whisky will arrive in good order, without worry inside the protective walls of the Vinnibag.

      Been swimming a few times this past week.  It’s nice to mix it up and use some of my triathlon skills.  The water  seems to be clean, although almost soup temp! Crossing back and forth is about 600 metres, so I have been doing about 1200 to 1800 metres so far.  No wet suit as I would heat up too much, although I miss the buoyancy that it provides.

      Found out that there are water stops and some food supplied on the course, so that is great to hear as it will cut down on excess weight.  People have been asking about how I have been managing my nutrition.  Nothing out of the ordinary to tell about.  I have three small kids, so we eat like everyone else.  I have noticed that my water intake has increased over the past few weeks.  Keeps me cool and hydrated.

      Since the event is held on a ski resort (the climb portion of the race is called “Everest”), hill repeats are very important.  I generally spend about 1/2 hr. going up and down, hard up the hill, light jog down.  Not sure how many reps I get in, as I stop to get a drink every 3-4 and/or move the next song on my pod.  Music has a good way of taking away the mental pain of the training.

      Some of the obstacles are “trainable”, like the Underwater Tunnels, Hangin Tough, Walk the Plank and Everest.  Very easily simulated, but for ones like Artic Enema, Boa Constrictor, Electroshock Therapy, I guess I will figure those out on race day.  Creating some of these obstacles to practice has been both time consuming and fun.  I am waiting for the paint to dry on a railing that I have welded to some stands to work on my balance ( on race day it will be about a 30 foot long 2 x 12 on its side suspended about soupy water).

      The Electroshock Therapy appears to be the last obstacle of the day.  It must make the free beer you receive when you cross the finish line taste better.  Something that makes the Tough Mudder races truly unique, and quite possibly insane.

My runs have been averaging around 10k, as I don’t think training for the full 17k is worth my time. If there is 23 obstacles in that distance, it will be a lot of short sprints, so that’s where I am going to focus on in the coming weeks. For upper body strength and core training I have continued to go to Adrenaline Training Centre. The hour I spend there each week is punishing to say the least. Working the bags, sprints and 15 minutes of core work are exhausting.

At home, we have a large tractor tire in the backyard. It has been rolled, flipped and beaten with a sledge hammer almost daily. Its amazing how fast your arms tire swinging a hammer around. We have also set up a series of string (not ready to crawl under barb wire yet like it will be in the race) for me to work with. Not sure what’s taking a worse beating, my elbows or the dead burnt grass. The path is starting to look more like a dirt trail now. Water parks and playgrounds have proven to be great places to test my agility and balance. Sprinting from benches, rocks, tires and climbers for 45 seconds intervals and then 30 second rests should help on many levels.

Check out http://toughmudder.com/events/toronto/ for a list of some of the obstacles that will be in play August 18. Special thanks to Kevin Pepper at http://www.kpepphotography.com for following me on a few training sessions and will also be on hand as media on race day.