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Bryan Kelly – Trainer Extraordinaire!

Bryan Kelly is the Owner of SMBS Personal Training and Wellness Studio, located in Hamilton, Ontario.

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Bryan Kelly to ask him about his role as a Personal Trainer. Bryan has been instrumental in working with our team and with our team members individually to help build strength not just for our sport, but for every day life. 

What are your qualifications? 

Although the industry is not regulated, I am a Certified Personal Trainer. In order to remain certified, I need to complete credits through continuing education on a yearly basis. I am also a Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor, Certified Nutrition and Wellness Coach, and a Pilates Instructor. 

How long have you been in the fitness industry? 

I was certified in July of 2003 but have been in the industry 20+ years. 

Is there anything unique about training women with breast cancer? Any specific challenges? 

The short answer is that clients always come with challenges and it’s my job to adapt to these challenges. Even prior to being involved with Knot a Breast, I had clients that had battled cancer. Knot a Breast clients taught me more about breast cancer than I ever knew. Out of that, I’ve come to realize that scar tissue can be a huge issue and one of the largest challenges that these women face. I’ve realized the importance of how it all plays a role and how hard it is to deal with. As well, I’ve heard that it’s not something that is really dealt with enough after surgery. 

You recently had an opportunity to paddle a dragonboat. Did it change anything with regard to workouts for your KAB clients? 

I always knew that dragonboat paddling was one-sided but once I paddled, I better understood it and felt it – the “awkwardness” of the motion strengthened what I was originally thinking and helped me to stay the course with the KAB members. 

There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding around diet and nutrition. What advice would you give to those looking for this information? 

The most important thing I believe is that there needs to be a good balance – no diets, no trends, no cutting things out. There is no easy fix. Common sense and consistency is so important. A large part of working out is mental. You need to balance your approach. No over doing the good or the bad stuff!

With regard to diet and exercise, what does a typical day look like for you? 

I’ve had to revisit my diet and nutrition needs over the years due to changes in my own body. Breakfast is a smoothie with a type of greens, a combination of different sources of starches, proteins and fats to try to get as much nutrition from as many sources as I’m able to for myself. Then a snack with again a different type of green veggie with hummus, a variety of nuts, and usually a small piece of cheese. Lunch is a protein, starch and salad. And dinner changes daily (with an 8 year old more pizza then I care to admit). Depending on the goals that I set for myself and what I’m trying to achieve, I workout 4-6 days a week, mostly resistance based training. 

Do you have any success stories you can share with us? 

Honestly working as a trainer for over 20 year there has been quite a few. I’ve had people come in with an injury or have pain that affects their quality of life on a daily basis. After working with them for a while, they say that they no longer think about that pain. I love hearing that working with me has impacted a positive change to live a better quality of life. 

Your current business model is 100% remote. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this? 

Prior to the pandemic, I was doing remote training for about 15 years with select clients. So switching to 100% remote was not a big deal for me. The challenging part was getting clients to understand that they can work out in their own home with little to no equipment and still get a quality workout. I believe I have been able to deliver safe and effective programs to my clients and classes online.

What is the biggest challenge you face right now? 

It’s what a lot of small business owners face I guess – advertising and getting the message out that I can help people achieve their goals and help them feel better. 

What is the best thing about your job? 

Helping people to realize they can achieve their goals. 

What do you do for fun? 

My favourite thing is spending time with my wife, Juliette, and my son, Max. It doesn’t even matter what we’re doing, as long as we’re spending time together. 

What is something people would be surprised to know about you? 

Maybe some people don’t really know that I’m an introvert! I never was really comfortable speaking in front of a group, but when it comes to fitness and nutrition it’s not really a problem. I guess it is just where I am comfortable. 

If you were doing what your 10 year-old self wanted to do, what would your career be? 

At that time, I guess it would have been a veterinarian. When I was young boy in grade school, I spoke with my teacher about my love for animals and always having pets growing up. I thought caring for animals as a veterinarian would be great, but as I grew up I realized I would have a hard time seeing very sick animals I could not help, or seeing them die or needing to put them to sleep.  

Thanks to Bryan for taking the time to speak with us!

When asked about their experiences with Bryan, team members offered this:

“When Covid hit and gyms closed, my long time personal trainer, who had trained me and supported me through two Dragon Boat and one Outrigger World Championship, decided it might be a good time to retire. Great for her, but what about me? I wasn’t sure that I wanted to compete internationally anymore, but I knew that I wanted to maintain the strength and fitness that I did have and wasn’t sure I could do it on my own. Not long after that I joined KAB and, through the Metabolic sessions he conducted for the team during the off-season, I met Bryan Kelly. After realizing that working out on my own wasn’t cutting it, I decided to reach out to Bryan to chat about personal training. Great decision. Bryan listens to his clients and works with them to ensure that they get what they want from their workouts. He’s caring, compassionate, and a lot of fun. And, while I can’t say that I always look forward to my session with him, I’m always happy that I made the effort when they’re done. I have  made gains in strength, but, probably more important, I have seen significant improvement in my functional fitness. We on KAB are very fortunate to have him as a resource and a support.” Sue H

“Since 2016, Bryan has provided personal training to me. His programs are customized for his clients based on their goals, strengths, weaknesses, injuries, health issues, eating habits and much more. For me, knowing we were preparing for IBCPC in Florence, Italy, I was focused on strength training and building endurance, and Bryan got me there!

Bryan is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about his training programs. He keeps me focused, energized, and motivated by changing up my program every few weeks ( he knows I get bored) and is dedicated to all his clients to make it happen. And if Bryan asks, “do you think you have more set in you”…you say YES (you won’t have a choice anyway)!” Jo-Anne R.

Bryan Kelly has a studio in Hamilton but also trains his clients remotely. He is able to tailor a workout to his client’s personal needs. In addition, he is an expert in nutrition and can educate his clients on how to make food work for them and their lifestyle.

Bryan can be reached at: 

Email – bryan@smbstrainingstudio.com

Mobile – 905.746.4433

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Knot A Breast Stays Strong During Pandemic

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Knot A Breast breast cancer survivor dragon boat team (KAB) has been very busy this winter, both in skills training and in improving our fitness levels. “Zoom” has really been a game-changer for our team during these long months of Covid restrictions! This fabulous platform has allowed us to keep training together the last two years. Tuesday and Thursday evenings we meet online for Live classes led by amazing trainers that range from barbell classes to tabata and yoga. We also get to virtually visit with our “snowbird” teammates who join in to exercise and share their warm weather adventures! Coach Kathy Levy is always in attendance, giving feedback, correcting posture and encouraging the team to keep pushing hard!

“Zoom” has really been a game-changer for our team during these long months of Covid restrictions!

Sundays have meant training at Welland International Flatwater Centre where we practice our technique in the tank and do circuit training in the gym. The flowing water in the tank provides an amazing opportunity to simulate paddling during the long winter!

Our team stays engaged via our private Facebook group page. This winter we focused on challenges to improve our mental health and focus on building healthy habits, like getting outside more and enjoying better sleep. We share recipes, milestones, jokes and encouragement with our team this way.

KAB has definitely been impacted by Covid. We have many new members that have yet to race despite being with our team the last two years! We also have a crew of national champions (Regina, 2019) that have been chomping at the bit to finally get to that international race they earned a berth at!

Knot A Breast is looking forward to getting back on the water to get both our new paddlers ready to race in the Hamilton Dragon Boat Festival, and our performance crew prepared to head to Sarasota in July to compete at the Club Crew World Championships!
However, beyond the races we have to look forward to this season, KAB is really looking forward to Saturday morning practices at Macassa Bay and being Together Again!

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Knot a Breast: Finish! A Fundraising Success

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During the 2020-21 season, the world COVID-19 pandemic suspended dragon boating, and many of Knot A Breast’s fund-raising activities. We are very grateful to KAB team member and amateur artist, Norma Moores, who turned to art as an alternative activity and then turned her artwork into an opportunity to raise funds for our team. 

Norma created the original watercolour painting “Knot A Breast: Finish!” based on a race at the Canadian National Dragon Boat Championships in Regina SK in 2019. It captures the front of two dragon boats as they near the end of the race. It depicts the surge of the boats as the drummer and coach, Kathy Levy, calls for power from the 20 paddlers to finish the race. The drummer has the best view of the team’s position in the race; while all other paddlers ‘focus in the boat’. Norma claims that she chose this composition because she did not want to paint 44 arms!

Print of “Knot A Breast: Finish!”


The painting was printed at Centre3 (https://centre3.com/) in their fine art digital studio in Hamilton on Espon 100% cotton cold press paper. The prints were matted and framed at Corby Custom Framing (https://www.corbyframing.ca/) in Carlisle. 

Twenty-eight prints were sold to Knot A Breast Breast Cancer Survivor, Lively Dragon, Welland Warlocks, and Sisters in Sync dragon boat team members along with some to family and friends. $833.54 was donated to Knot A Breast through this fund-raiser including $140 from Milka Vujnovic without a purchase.

KAB member Milka Vujnovic and Don Corby picking up the prints after framing from Corby Custom Framing


The artist, Norma Moores, has been dragon boating since 2011 and joined KAB in 2018. She participated in the 2019 Canadian National Dragon Boat Championships, Regina SK, where Knot A Breast won gold in the Breast Cancer Survivor Category. Norma started watercolour painting in her teens in Nova Scotia, then took courses at the Dundas Valley School of Art before developing a career in engineering and raising a family. In 2020 she returned to painting, and thoroughly enjoys learning from each unique painting she creates.

Norma would like to acknowledge the support of the following individuals:

  • Jo-Anne Rogerson for appreciating the artwork and encouraging Norma to make her first ever artists prints.
  • Milka Vujnovic for moving ahead with the framing part of the fundraiser, delivery, pick-up, sorting and distribution.
  • Alex at Centre3 who ensured that the artist prints were top quality.
  • Don at Corby Custom Framing who was pleasant, efficient and generous in framing the prints.
  • Don Wood for taking the original picture that captured this moment.

And to those who bought a print, thank-you for supporting Knot A Breast. We hope you feel the power of “Team” every time you look at it!

KAB members Rebecca Walker (left) and Carrie Brooks-Joiner (right) receiving their prints with artist, Norma Moores (middle)

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How I Became a “Pre-Pro-Newbie”: Reflections from a Dragon Boat Paddler In a Pandemic

By: Anne Cahill, KAB member

My story begins when I was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia CML in June of 2016. I had just started a daily oral chemotherapy when I received the dreaded “call back” after my regular mammogram and was diagnosed with Breast Cancer as well. I had a lumpectomy and luckily did not require a separate chemotherapy.  I weighed the pros and cons with respect to my ongoing CML treatment and “opted out” of the standard course of radiation.  At that point I decided that the medical team had done their job and it was now My job to get moving, get in shape and show cancer who was Boss!

I had heard about the Knot A Breast breast cancer survivor dragon boat team and their accomplishments but was hesitant to reach out. I called Geri, the new membership co-ordinator, and got some information about the team and how to join but didn’t follow through. I just wasn’t confident that I could do it! Even though I had been athletic in my younger years and loved playing sports, I was intimidated to try a new sport that I had no background in.  Was I too old to learn a new sport? Was I too physically-depleted from cancer treatment to join this team?

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Introducing Knot A Breast’s New Logo

By Norma Moores and Carrie Brooks-Joiner, KAB members

The Knot A Breast breast cancer survivor dragon boat team was formed in 1998. The team is now 23 years old and has been represented by a logo of a cute dragon head with a pink ribbon around its neck and Knot A Breast spelled out below it in a rope-like font. This logo was created by Hamilton artist, Conrad Furey, married to coach Kathy Levy’s cousin.

Knot A Breast’s original logo by Conrad Furey

Conrad was born in Newfoundland in 1954 and settled in Hamilton in 1974. He passed away from colon cancer in 2008. Conrad was very fond of Knot A Breast. One of his paintings depicts a dragon boat team and hangs on the ground floor in the Medical Arts Building at 1 Young Street, Hamilton. He created the original logo after talking to the entire original team.

Example of Conrad Furey’s art, Medical Arts Building, 1 Young Street, Hamilton
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Stories from 2018 IBCPC Festival: The Celebration

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By Marla Iyer and Kristen Winkworth, KAB Members

I remember it was Sunday at the 2018 International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) Festival in Florence, Italy. And it was stinking hot. The port-a-potties were marginally better than they had been the day before. I won’t go into detail… you get the picture.

Knot A Breast Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team had two races on the last day of the Festival at which 128 teams with over 3,000 people from 28 countries participated. Somehow, by the skin of our teeth, we managed to nose ahead and win this international participatory event!!

Kristen and I were flying home early Monday morning so we had already checked out of the hotel and had brought all our luggage with us to the venue. KAB member, Anna Candelori, had organized a celebratory dinner (win or lose, we raced our best) for after the races. There was no time to taxi back to the hotel so we all piled into the rented bus and drove into downtown Florence for dinner. We were famished. Ristorante Pizzeria was very quaint (as they all are in Italy!). We had a room to ourselves in the basement. I remember it was blessedly air conditioned… and I don’t even like air conditioning! But it was hot. And we had raced all day.  We were still wearing our race clothes. Again, you get the picture.

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Stories from 2018 IBCPC Festival: A Spectator’s Perspective

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By Jacqueline Draper, KAB Supporter

“As we begin to pry ourselves loose from old self-concepts, we find that our new emerging self may enjoy all sorts of bizarre adventures.”

Julie Cameron

Standing upon the banks of the Arno River, watching the kaleidoscope of paddlers in colourful team shirts slicing the water in tandem to the dragon boat drums, are the spectators of this world event. There are 128 Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Teams with over 3000 participants from 28 countries in the 2018 International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) Festival, Florence, Italy. These teams represent countries from around the world with athletes who have rigorously trained to achieve a spot on the majestic dragon boat. All the toned, muscular arms paddle in synchronization as they coalesce for a global cause while competing under a flag that distinguishes their country. The fierce determination of the athletes and pulsating excitement of the competition encompasses the banks of the Arno River adorned with hundreds of team tents that comprise the athletes’ village in Cascine Park.

The City of Florence is filled with tourists, team supporters, merchants, and local citizens who have lined the streets to honour the dragon boat participants. The colourful team tents are filled with athletes who globally represent breast cancer survivors; each participant has their own personal story. Areas of Florence are adorned in pink in honour of these survivors and a celebratory Pink Parade of Nations kicks off the event along the Ponte Vecchio Bridge. The Arno River is filled with dragon boats representing the global nature of breast cancer honouring all those lost to the disease and all who have survived. It is Sunday, July 8th, 2018, second race day of the IBCPC Festival. Upon the banks of the Arno River are the supportive spectators. I am in the midst of this exuberant crowd and it is from this vantage point and narrative view that I provide my perspective of watching the final races on this memorable day. 

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Stories from 2018 IBCPC Festival: A Racer’s Perspective

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By Jo-Anne Rogerson and Kim Short, KAB Members

“Your team becomes your family, the paddle becomes your best friend, the boat becomes your home and racing becomes your life.”

Paddlechica

This quote from the Paddlechica resonated with Knot A Breast Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team as we prepared to participate in the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) Festival in Florence, Italy in 2018. So many considerations. Training, fundraising, travel, time away from work and family. Would we be ready? Could we perform as we had in the two previous IBCPC festivals, placing first at these participatory races?

The IBCPC is an ‘international organization whose mandate is to encourage the establishment of breast cancer dragon boat teams, within the framework of participation and inclusiveness.’ That does not preclude some teams from participating with the intent to perform their very best and competitively race down the course. We proudly wore the Canadian flag on our new uniforms and we came to compete in the biggest breast cancer survivors’ dragon boat festival that had ever taken place in the history of the sport.

We committed to months of intense training, indoors during the winter and outdoors in the spring, training camp in Sarasota FL, including drills and race preparation. Add in an endless number of sit-ups, pushups and cardio workouts, members of Knot A Breast were ready to compete at the IBCPC Participatory Dragon Boat Festival in Florence, Italy.

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Stories from 2018 IBCPC Festival: The Sandy Smith Global Finale

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By Kristen Winkworth, KAB Member

I joined the Knot A Breast Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team in the summer of 2017, just after I finished my treatments and I had one more surgery to go that August. The team asked me if I would be interested in joining them the following summer in Florence, Italy for the International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) Festival. My husband, Jim, and I discussed it for about 5 minutes. We decided that it would be an amazing opportunity for me to travel with the team and support our teammates as they raced.

At the beginning of 2018, I was nominated by our Knot A Breast executive to represent KAB as a Canadian paddler in the Sandy Smith Global Finale at the IBCPC Festival. I’ll be honest, when I was given this news, I cried and was filled with emotion. I was extremely honoured and very excited to be given this opportunity — especially as a ‘newbie’ —to participate in this important finale. I didn’t expect this.

I did my research ahead of time, because I wanted to know about Sandy Smith. I learned that she was an important woman and as I read more about her life, it further impacted my participation in this event. I read that the Sandy Smith Global Finale is an important tradition at all IBCPC festivals. The finale represents the global nature of breast cancer and it honours Sandy for the extensive work that she did to help new teams in the early years.

It was the most incredible experience! I was in a boat with teammates from around the world and this was truly amazing! There was a language barrier for many of us, but that didn’t matter. We sat in the boat, we smiled, chatted, laughed, hugged and cried together. We had an instant bond and we understood each other’s mixed emotions. There were women from Denmark, Argentina, Germany, Australia, U.S.A. and Canada in our boat. My seat-mate was from Australia and we spent time chatting and getting to know each other, and exchanged emails.

  • Kristin Winkworth (left) with Carrie Brooks-Joiner at the Opening Ceremony for the 2018 IBCBP Festival, Florence, Italy
  • Kristin Winkworth (left) and her seatmate from Australia in the
    Sandy Smith Global Finale

When Sandy’s husband and children spoke prior to the race, I felt a connection to them, having lost my own mother to breast cancer. I could hear in their voices how proud they were of their mom, just as I was of mine. As we paddled, I was paddling in memory of Sandy, a special women who was instrumental in helping to start dragon boat teams for breast cancer survivors in a variety of countries.

After the race, we remained in the boats for the Flower Ceremony, which was very emotional too. Hundreds of gerbera daisies with fuchsia petals were released into the river. The stemmed daisies adorned the river water representing all individuals lost to breast cancer, remembered and revered by those who witness this heart-moving event. The camaraderie of so many people from different countries coming together, all with a connection to each other was priceless. This was the beginning of healing for me in my journey, and it was the beginning of when I started to live my life again — living in the present moment and appreciating the simple things in life. I was able to finally let go of the emotional toll that had consumed my life since my diagnosis, throughout my surgeries and treatments while re-living my Mom’s journey. KAB has played an important role in this turning point in my life as well—helping me to see that there is life beyond breast cancer and that cancer doesn’t define me.

  • The Flower Ceremony remembering those lost to breast cancer
  • Time for reflection at the Flower Ceremony
  • Gerbera daisies floating in the Arno River, Florence, Italy after the Flower Ceremony

I am so grateful and I feel very honoured to have been part of this incredible experience! I will always treasure the special memories from the Sandy Smith Global Finale. For me, this was a very special role at the 2018 IBCPC Festival in Florence, Italy and I will always be grateful to Knot A Breast for giving me this opportunity. When I returned from Italy and my family and friends asked me about my experience, my first response was, “it’s about the people.” I wouldn’t trade this experience for the world!

Who was Sandy Smith?

Sandy Smith joined the first Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat Team, Abreast In A Boat, in Vancouver in its second year in 1997. Dr. Don McKenzie, who started the team for women with a history of breast cancer, recalls saying, “Well, if you want to look at how it’s supposed to be done on the water, have a look at Sandy Smith.”

As more Dragon Boat Breast Cancer Survivor Teams were springing up in Victoria and Montreal, and more women from around the world were reaching out about forming their own teams, Sandy enthusiastically stepped up to help them out. Sandy became the first Global Liaison, spreading the sport — and the message that breast cancer survivors can exercise — around the world.

In 2002, Sandy died from recurring breast cancer. In 2005, the first International Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat festival was held in Vancouver. Smith’s teammates came up with a plan to honour her with a special race: instead of pitting teams from around the world against each other, all the boats would be made up of paddlers from different teams and countries. The Sandy Smith Global Finale is held at all the international festivals, including the 2018 festival in Florence, Italy.
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Stories from 2018 IBCPC Festival: The Composite Team

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By Shida Asmaeil-Yari, KAB Member

When I think back to 2018 International Breast Cancer Paddlers’ Commission (IBCPC) Festival in Florence, Italy, I have fond memories while being there. Just being able to participate as a paddler was amazing. How many people can say that they paddled on the Arno River?

  • 2018 IBCPC Festival was held in beautiful Florence, Italy
  • The race course on the Arno River, Florence, Italy

I was on a ‘composite team’ with some of our Knot A Breast Breast Cancer Survivor Dragon Boat (KAB) teammates. The composite teams consist of members from more than one Breast Cancer Survivor dragon boat team that come together just to race at the festival, because they do not have enough members from one team going to make up a full 20 racers in a boat. I really didn’t know what to expect while paddling with another team.

At the first practice we were introduced to a team from a very small town in France, Cambrèsis Dragon Boat Team from Caudry. They didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak French. However, we somehow communicated. Since we as KAB had more experience, the women from France followed everything we did while racing. The French team was very grateful for having us in their boat.




  • The composite team pacers and engine room paddlers in the front half of the dragon boat



  • The composite team rocket paddlers in the stern of the dragon boat



  • Knot A Breast and Cambrèsis composite dragon boat team leading the race in Lane 3

We noticed during practice that this team was very new at dragon boating, but they had so much fun just paddling.  I have always been competitive and also think everyone on KAB has a competitive streak. I realized while paddling with this team to just have fun; winning isn’t important. Having said this, we did win one of our races and the smiles on the French team were priceless. The France paddlers were so ecstatic to win their first ever race. They kept saying, “We love Canada!” and they hugged us tight.

  • A jubulient composite Knot A Breast and Cambrèsis dragon boat team
    after winning their race
  • Proud Knot A Breast team members that raced on the composite team:
    (left to right) Karen Goldsmith, Sharon Hielema, Nancy Hindmarsh, Leslie Williams, Lynn Youngman, Penny Enos, Shida Asmaeil-Yari, Vera Fritz, and Anna Candelori

When we got off at the dock I saw our KAB coach, Kathy Levy, with a big smile on her face. She was so proud of us not because we won a race but for being so helpful to these women. I came to the realization how fortunate we are as KAB to have a coach like Kathy. She might work us harder, but it all pays off in the end. She has taught us no matter how many races we win to always be humble.

Knot A Breast and Cambrèsis composite dragon boat team winning in Lane 3
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