With all the extra time on our hands with this silly NHL lockout, I recently had the time to sit down with our favourite official Canucks Tweetup host Chris Palliser to talk about his participation in the Team Diabetes 2012 Cayman Islands Marathon. And I’m pretty sure he tells you how to win radio contests the easy way.

Chris Golden: What inspired you to join Team Diabetes to run in the 2012 Cayman Islands Marathon? Has diabetes affected you or someone you know?

Chris Palliser: Team Diabetes approached the Beat 94.5 in December of 2011 and an email was sent out to the on-air staff saying “anyone interested in running a marathon for Team Diabetes?” I replied to say “I am interested,” and a meeting was set up where the fine folks at the Canadian Diabetes Association said “Thanks for running this marathon!” So I guess I committed without knowing it. Ha ha!

The reason for my initial reply – if I’m going to run a marathon, I might as well do it for something that has affected my family greatly. My Mother, Sister, Cousin and Grandmother are all diabetic, so needless to say… I was running a marathon!

CG: Wow! That’s quite the commitment Chris. Have you ever run in a marathon before? I’d find it intimidating!

CP: Ha ha, NO!! In fact when I signed on, the longest I’d ever run was the 2nd leg of the 4×100 relay in grade 6, so yes the thought was intimidating! I did have the option to run a half marathon but I’m a “go big or go home” kind of guy. It’s all mind over matter right?

CG: Mind over matter, huh? Not sure J.J. and I would agree that’s how you go about running a marathon if we hadn’t been working on it for years. Are there other Team Diabetes events for those scared of a marathon like us?

CP: YES! As I mentioned in the previous question you have the option to run a half marathon. Another option is to run a TEAM full marathon where you can get yourself and 3 buddies together to each essentially run a 10km race – a FULL marathon! They make it available to all people because at the end of the day it’s about raising money for the Canadian Diabetes Association.

CG: So if we were to put together Team CHB, we could have Matt & Caylie run 99% of the race and the rest of us cover the last 1%. Definitely doable. Do you have to be an athlete to join Team Diabetes? A few of us writers here are more virtual athletes.

CP: NO! Again it’s all about raising money for the Canadian Diabetes Association… in fact quite a few of the runners are diabetics so not only do they have to work harder then everyone to maintain their sugar levels and insulin shots, they still put in the effort to run the race. I have met people of all shapes and sizes that will be running with me in the Cayman Islands. If you can fundraise, you can be a member of Team Diabetes. There are people that walk and do half marathons!

CG: Walk, eh? Walking is like blogging, right? If one of our readers wanted to join Team Diabetes, what advice could you give them?

CP: DO IT! I’m not done my run yet, but I can already tell that it will be one of my proudest moments… not only because I am doing my part to raise money for a cause so close to my family, but I’ll (a non runner) have done a marathon!! The people you meet along the way are incredible and if you sign up with Team Diabetes, you can travel all over the world for free!! That’s how it works. You sign up and pick a run locally or internationally (there is one in Reykjavik, Iceland!) and each run has a different fundraising total

CG: How has fundraising towards your goal gone? Is there anything our readers can do to help?

CP: I will admit fundraising is tough, but thanks to some incredible people in my life such as my wife Heather, my family and friends, it is coming along nicely! I am at approximately $5100 of my $6600 goal, so a bit to go (CG: Chris reached his goal late last week, but is still looking to grow the amount in the name of Team Diabetes.) – stay tuned for a fundraiser event in the near future! Oh… and if any of your loyal readers are in the mood to donate, just head to my Team Diabetes donation page. THANK YOU all in advance!

CG: We also understand you’re a Big Brother. Could you tell us more about that?

CP: Yes I am and have been for 2 years now. Much like Team Diabetes, it is VERY rewarding. It’s amazing what giving back can do for a person’s morale!

When I started in radio in Fort McMurray, I got involved with their in-school mentoring program, where all you had to do was swing by a school once a week over lunch break and hangout with a “little” – the commitment was less but you were still helping. Then after a couple of moves I ended up here in Vancouver and with my shift at the time, I had a lot of spare time so I looked into becoming a full on Big Brother and haven’t looked back since. Not only is it as I said incredibly rewarding, but you get to be a kid again! I play laser tag at least once a month, go swimming, go karting, bike riding, rock climbing, and OF COURSE I’m helping a “little brother” who doesn’t have a stable male role model in his life. It’s AWESOME! Everybody wins!

CG: That’s fantastic! Finally, with us being a Canucks blog and you being a big fan yourself, let’s talk hockey – what’s it going to take to solve the lockout?

CP: The Lockout is a joke… it all comes down to the mighty dollar, but I guess that’s the way the world works isn’t it. This thing will continue until the season is in danger of being cancelled. Why until then? Because, again it all comes back to money. Both sides want more and nobody gets ANY if the season gets cancelled, so it just a waiting game… who will bend first. I, as a radio announcer in Vancouver, will not try to predict when it will end, and quite honestly I don’t think anybody can. Well maybe the great one. Yeah, let’s go with him! January hockey will be back baby!

Until then, Texas hold-em anyone?

CG: You’re a poker fan? Pretty sure Luongo might take you up on the hold-em! Back on point though, when the players get back on to NHL ice, what do you see the Canucks needing to do to win Lord Stanley’s cup?

CP: Sort the Luongo thing out… quick! It doesn’t do any business any good to have something as large as that up in the air. That would be like having a person who knows they’re getting fired putting the McChicken sauce in the McChicken – is it really McChicken sauce? (CG: Why couldn’t you have told this to me BEFORE lunch?) In order to win they ALL need to be on the same page and want the same thing. I love the guy but if I’m Luongo I don’t want Schneider to do better than me, despite what he keeps saying in the press. Ha ha! So sort Bobby Lu out… oh and Kassian too! I’m still not sure that was a good move. And of course put the Sedins in karate lessons just before playoffs start. That’s good for a kids confidence and self defence right?

CG: You know I used to like McChicken sandwiches Chris. You’re a cruel, cruel man. If I knew karate, you’d be in for it. Anything else you care to share? For instance, the inside edge on winning those radio contests?

CP: Ha ha ha! Be caller 9? Or be caller 94 weekdays at 8:10am and you and a friend are going to Mexico! Cheap plug I know but it’s an amazing contest! The Beat 94.5 is filling a plane of Beat listeners for a party in Mexico and they’re footing the bill! Most importantly though, keep your radio tuned to The Beat 94.5 all the time or AT LEAST between 10am-2pm Monday to Friday for my show! Thanks in advance for listening! Again…sorry for the cheap plug but you opened the door!

CG: That’s okay, we’re shameless here at Canucks Hockey Blog too. Do you have any favourites out there yourself? *hint hint*

CP: Ha ha! I love reading Canucks Hockey Blog and you, my friend, are by far my favourite blogger.

CG: Of course I am. We all know you’re a huge fan of Top Gun and let’s be honest, who out there can talk hockey and Top Gun at the same time? Am I right or what?

CP: …

CG: Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me! Thanks again Chris for your time!

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