Training Log Archive: BashIn the 28 days ending Feb 28, 2019:
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Thursday Feb 28, 2019 #
1 PM
XC Skiing - Classic (Ungroomed) 1:02:40 [2] 5.95 km (5.7 kph) +102m
slept:7.5
AdventureDog and I went out for a ski around Palgrave West on a bluebird day after yesterday's snowstorm. Conditions were slow in 20 cm of new powder, and the glide portion of my skis iced up in some of the sunny areas. (I must need new glide wax.) It's only been a few days since we had pouring rain and slush, and the new snow is sitting on top of that layer.
I'd been afraid that my hip issue might be a problem with classic skiing but it felt fine. The remaining mild pain is fading fast. I'm still curious to find out what it was but things seem OK.
There may be more than a thousand infested ash trees in Palgrave West. They're everywhere. :(
In spite of the snail's pace and the occasional need to remove my skis for de-icing, it was a fantastic day in the woods!
I'd been afraid that my hip issue might be a problem with classic skiing but it felt fine. The remaining mild pain is fading fast. I'm still curious to find out what it was but things seem OK.
There may be more than a thousand infested ash trees in Palgrave West. They're everywhere. :(
In spite of the snail's pace and the occasional need to remove my skis for de-icing, it was a fantastic day in the woods!
Wednesday Feb 27, 2019 #
2 PM
Snowshoeing hills (Bushwhacking) 1:50:05 [2] 6.62 km (16:38 / km) +416m 12:39 / km
slept:6.75 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
Finally - a wintry day with 15-20 cm of fluffy snow floating down with virtually no wind. A perfect storm! I had to get out in the forest but I wasn't sure if my hip was ready for skiing. There was so much snow that skiing would have been super slow anyway. So beautiful!
I climbed hills at every opportunity and did some steep, scrambling ascents and descents. I grabbed an 8 cm tree trunk to stop myself from sliding too fast downhill and knocked the tree over. Oops - good thing I wasn't going up since I would have pulled it onto me.
I bushwhacked into areas where we rarely go. A couple of times, I was just wandering until I saw something I recognized. I could take a compass on these snowshoe outings in Palgrave West but that would feel less magical.
The infested ash trees have become buffets for pileated woodpeckers, who are leaving piles of shredded bark at the bottom of each tree. Most of the ash trees survived the big wind storm on the weekend so I guess they haven't died yet.
I'm optimistic about the weird injury that happened while strength training two days ago. Unlike yesterday, there was virtually no pain in my rear quad when I took long strides or went down steep slopes. I wouldn't try a reverse lunge yet but I went partway into a lunge, and it just felt like severe DOMS, not like a torn muscle (which is what it felt like after it happened).
There is some pain at the back right upper edge of my pelvis. This fits my latest guess that I had an internal snapping hip, which can happen when the iliopsoas tendon passes over bony structures. In many people, it's a regular thing and relatively benign. I can't see Dr. Thumbs-of-Death until Monday but whatever happened, the impact was mild and is definitely fading. Fingers crossed.
I climbed hills at every opportunity and did some steep, scrambling ascents and descents. I grabbed an 8 cm tree trunk to stop myself from sliding too fast downhill and knocked the tree over. Oops - good thing I wasn't going up since I would have pulled it onto me.
I bushwhacked into areas where we rarely go. A couple of times, I was just wandering until I saw something I recognized. I could take a compass on these snowshoe outings in Palgrave West but that would feel less magical.
The infested ash trees have become buffets for pileated woodpeckers, who are leaving piles of shredded bark at the bottom of each tree. Most of the ash trees survived the big wind storm on the weekend so I guess they haven't died yet.
I'm optimistic about the weird injury that happened while strength training two days ago. Unlike yesterday, there was virtually no pain in my rear quad when I took long strides or went down steep slopes. I wouldn't try a reverse lunge yet but I went partway into a lunge, and it just felt like severe DOMS, not like a torn muscle (which is what it felt like after it happened).
There is some pain at the back right upper edge of my pelvis. This fits my latest guess that I had an internal snapping hip, which can happen when the iliopsoas tendon passes over bony structures. In many people, it's a regular thing and relatively benign. I can't see Dr. Thumbs-of-Death until Monday but whatever happened, the impact was mild and is definitely fading. Fingers crossed.
6 PM
Running (Treadmill) 45:00 [3] 6.06 km (7:26 / km)
Since the snowshoeing felt good, I added a short treadmill run. It felt OK. It was just a treadmill run - yawn.
Tuesday Feb 26, 2019 #
Note
'Bent and I went to the theatre in the big city last night. Most of the Schitt's Creek cast members were there for a fun evening.
The "Rosebud Motel" is near us, just outside Hockley village. The rest of the "town of Schitt's Creek" is in Goodwood, northeast of Toronto. Last night's audience ranged from millennials to Grandmas, including Dan Levy's Nana.
One of the reasons I like this show is that it includes a gay couple who kiss, hug and have occasional dating issues - never "gay dating issues". They are supported by family and community members who are happy that David and Patrick make each other happy. There is no pseudo-heroic "acceptance" of their relationship. Based on the reactions of last night's 3,100 audience members, this may be the most popular aspect of the show. Apparently, they are constantly hearing that they've made a difference in someone's family life. Awesome. :)
The "Rosebud Motel" is near us, just outside Hockley village. The rest of the "town of Schitt's Creek" is in Goodwood, northeast of Toronto. Last night's audience ranged from millennials to Grandmas, including Dan Levy's Nana.
One of the reasons I like this show is that it includes a gay couple who kiss, hug and have occasional dating issues - never "gay dating issues". They are supported by family and community members who are happy that David and Patrick make each other happy. There is no pseudo-heroic "acceptance" of their relationship. Based on the reactions of last night's 3,100 audience members, this may be the most popular aspect of the show. Apparently, they are constantly hearing that they've made a difference in someone's family life. Awesome. :)
9 AM
Strength & Mobility (Foothab) 10:00 [1]
4 PM
Snowshoeing (Bushwhacking) 1:19:42 [2] 5.07 km (15:43 / km) +249m 12:37 / km
slept:6.5 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
Snowshoeing around Palgrave West with AdventureDog, mostly bushwhacking with lots of hills. Beautiful, sunny, snowy day!
I didn't feel pain unless I got into a position like a reverse lunge with the right leg, e.g. when I came down a steep hill with a longer stride. I could also feel a twinge if I took an over-long stride on flat ground - also like a lunge. There may have been an occasional right lower back twinge at the top of the pelvis, suggesting that another muscle/ligament may have been involved yesterday but that sometimes happens from too much sitting with a laptop so it may not be related. Any pain was extremely mild - just a reminder that something weird happened to that leg. I was underdressed and had to jog a couple of minutes to warm up - no issue with that.
I didn't feel pain unless I got into a position like a reverse lunge with the right leg, e.g. when I came down a steep hill with a longer stride. I could also feel a twinge if I took an over-long stride on flat ground - also like a lunge. There may have been an occasional right lower back twinge at the top of the pelvis, suggesting that another muscle/ligament may have been involved yesterday but that sometimes happens from too much sitting with a laptop so it may not be related. Any pain was extremely mild - just a reminder that something weird happened to that leg. I was underdressed and had to jog a couple of minutes to warm up - no issue with that.
Monday Feb 25, 2019 #
3 PM
Strength & Mobility 15:30
slept:7.0
Had to stop reverse lunges when it felt like I'd been hit in the right hip flexor (not sure of the anatomy yet) with a lacrosse ball. I looked all around to see what object had hit me, then realized to my horror that the feeling must have come from my own body. Thinking about it more, it felt/sounded like a big elastic had snapped. I'll need to google this because it can't be good. So far, I haven't found any movement I can't do other than reverse lunges. It's a bit painful but not too much - yet.
Sunday Feb 24, 2019 #
5 PM
Strength & Mobility 15:00
slept:6.0
Foothab, balance, mountain legs and squats.
'Bent and I got to the Outdoor Adventure Show in the rain, found a parking space this time, and saw a bunch of familiar faces at booths and in the crowd as we collected maps, chocolate and trip ideas. Then we hunkered down at home as the high winds roared in with blizzard conditions that closed a number of Ontario roads. It's going to be messy in the forest with fallen trees and branches. It sounds like the wind will be strong enough that we can't go in there tomorrow either.
'Bent and I got to the Outdoor Adventure Show in the rain, found a parking space this time, and saw a bunch of familiar faces at booths and in the crowd as we collected maps, chocolate and trip ideas. Then we hunkered down at home as the high winds roared in with blizzard conditions that closed a number of Ontario roads. It's going to be messy in the forest with fallen trees and branches. It sounds like the wind will be strong enough that we can't go in there tomorrow either.
Saturday Feb 23, 2019 #
10 AM
Orienteering race 1:01:44 [5] 7.69 km (8:02 / km) +162m 7:16 / km
slept:7.5 shoes: Salomon Snowcross1 2nd pair
O Cup #5 UKR Gators chapter
Heart Lake Conservation Area, Brampton
Spectacular, sunny day for what will probably be my final O Cup race of this season. The UKR Gators chapter hosted us at Heart Lake - a fun, varied park where I haven't orienteered since 2006. (It was the venue for the inaugural Caledon Navigators event, Thomass Caledon.)
Klepperton, DD11 and Harps had put together a fun course - intentionally longer than usual - with 11 mandatory, numbered controls and 7 "dog bones". The dog bones were pairs of controls that had to be visited in sequence (in either direction) with no other controls in between. We could skip a number of dog bones equal to our handicap, which meant I only needed to visit two dog bones. They could be done at any time as we worked our way around the rest of the course. I liked that the dog bone controls and lines were marked in blue so they stood out from the mandatory part of the course.
The dog bones didn't add enough distance to achieve the target O Cup handicap distance ratios so it would have been a great race for speedy zero handicappers (men aged 21-34) but I'm not sure any of them were there. Sometimes races are biased *against* zero handicappers so it usually averages out over the season.
The trails were icy enough that I wished I'd worn my Kahtoolas instead of just spiked shoes. (DD11, I should have made that call when you mentioned conditions were slipperier today than they had been.) I ran along the snowy edges and took things more slowly when it got dicey. Off-trail, there was enough snow to slow us down so the trails were still a better bet. I did a paved road run through a subdivision between #5 and #6 for a change of pace. It allowed me to pick up dog bone B-A on the way. My other dog bone was H-G on the way to #1.
I'm not sure of my result - probably 5th-10th overall, 1st woman. It was a hard effort - a welcome change from my moderate ultrarun training. I find it hard to push that hard when I'm just running so yay for orienteering!
Doug had cooked up some delicious chili with fresh bread and brown rice. Such a treat to get a hot lunch before heading out. It was great to chat with friends afterward. As recommended by DD11, I went to the Butter and Cup cafe for a latte. I *need* to be familiar with the best cafes in Caledon so this was important research. Then, because I'd bought a ticket to the Outdoor Adventure Show online, I drove down to the International Centre but after driving around for a frustrating 15 minutes, I couldn't find a parking spot so I left. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow morning if the predicted 100 kph winds haven't started yet.
Huge thanks to Klepperton, DD11, Harps and Doug for a terrific race. I won't be doing anything too taxing for the rest of the day. :)
In the school gym we used as our race HQ, there was a post-race survey on the wall. Great stuff. ;)
Heart Lake Conservation Area, Brampton
Spectacular, sunny day for what will probably be my final O Cup race of this season. The UKR Gators chapter hosted us at Heart Lake - a fun, varied park where I haven't orienteered since 2006. (It was the venue for the inaugural Caledon Navigators event, Thomass Caledon.)
Klepperton, DD11 and Harps had put together a fun course - intentionally longer than usual - with 11 mandatory, numbered controls and 7 "dog bones". The dog bones were pairs of controls that had to be visited in sequence (in either direction) with no other controls in between. We could skip a number of dog bones equal to our handicap, which meant I only needed to visit two dog bones. They could be done at any time as we worked our way around the rest of the course. I liked that the dog bone controls and lines were marked in blue so they stood out from the mandatory part of the course.
The dog bones didn't add enough distance to achieve the target O Cup handicap distance ratios so it would have been a great race for speedy zero handicappers (men aged 21-34) but I'm not sure any of them were there. Sometimes races are biased *against* zero handicappers so it usually averages out over the season.
The trails were icy enough that I wished I'd worn my Kahtoolas instead of just spiked shoes. (DD11, I should have made that call when you mentioned conditions were slipperier today than they had been.) I ran along the snowy edges and took things more slowly when it got dicey. Off-trail, there was enough snow to slow us down so the trails were still a better bet. I did a paved road run through a subdivision between #5 and #6 for a change of pace. It allowed me to pick up dog bone B-A on the way. My other dog bone was H-G on the way to #1.
I'm not sure of my result - probably 5th-10th overall, 1st woman. It was a hard effort - a welcome change from my moderate ultrarun training. I find it hard to push that hard when I'm just running so yay for orienteering!
Doug had cooked up some delicious chili with fresh bread and brown rice. Such a treat to get a hot lunch before heading out. It was great to chat with friends afterward. As recommended by DD11, I went to the Butter and Cup cafe for a latte. I *need* to be familiar with the best cafes in Caledon so this was important research. Then, because I'd bought a ticket to the Outdoor Adventure Show online, I drove down to the International Centre but after driving around for a frustrating 15 minutes, I couldn't find a parking spot so I left. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow morning if the predicted 100 kph winds haven't started yet.
Huge thanks to Klepperton, DD11, Harps and Doug for a terrific race. I won't be doing anything too taxing for the rest of the day. :)
In the school gym we used as our race HQ, there was a post-race survey on the wall. Great stuff. ;)
Friday Feb 22, 2019 #
11 AM
Snowshoeing (Trail & Bushwhacking) 1:14:45 [2] 5.51 km (13:34 / km) +148m 11:57 / km
slept:5.5 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
Snowshoe tour out the back door to the "New Trails" in Palgrave West with 'Bent and the pooches. It's neither "New" (we first explored it more than 15 years ago) nor "Trails" (mostly bushwhacking). The trees are younger and healthier than some other parts of Palgrave West. With all the dying ash trees along our regular trails, we wanted to revisit this area since it would be safer on a windy day. We went through some sections of forest we had never seen before, which is really cool after living on this block of land for 20+ years. I probably ran 1.5 km but we mostly hiked through snow with a light crust from Wednesday night's freezing rain. Dog stops are included.
Thursday Feb 21, 2019 #
7 PM
Strength & Mobility 20:00 [3]
slept:7.0
Hard Core Live with Caron. 'Bent kindly joined me.
8 PM
Power Yoga 45:00 [1]
C3 Yoga with 'Bent making faces on the next mat over.
I had more training plans but our construction project problems took up most of the day. :(
I had more training plans but our construction project problems took up most of the day. :(
Wednesday Feb 20, 2019 #
5 PM
XC Skiing - Classic (Ungroomed) 1:06:03 [3] 8.62 km (7.8 kph) +153m
slept:7.0
It's been so nice to be able to ski out the door on good snow lately! The weather radar showed freezing rain on its way with rain behind it so I went for a ski around Palgrave West before the conditions changed. There was some fast skiing in 'Bent's commute tracks and some trail breaking in fluffy snow on the south side. Fun skiing!
The mood of the forest was completely different from yesterday - grey, dreary and misty like a Vancouver forest in winter. I finished half an hour after sunset, just as it was starting to feel spooky.
The mood of the forest was completely different from yesterday - grey, dreary and misty like a Vancouver forest in winter. I finished half an hour after sunset, just as it was starting to feel spooky.
6 PM
Strength & Mobility 30:00
Legs, feet, abductors, etc.
Tuesday Feb 19, 2019 #
Note
I still haven't figured out all my training goals for 2019 but one of them is to log something every day. 50 days in, and there are no blank days so far! Until mid-January, my goal was to log some strength, mobility or yoga every day but my good intentions were foiled when I totally forgot on the eve of the Dontgetlost Snowshoe Raid.
Today was a minor triumph. Many days last year were marred with bad news and/or stress from various sources, and it crushed my motivation to train. Today was like old times - and not in a good way. After the final straw - a depressing 45-minute phone call with the contractor managing our bungled deck project - there's no question that last fall I would have given up and poured a glass of wine. But I reluctantly dragged my butt out the door just before dark, and I'm proud of myself.
Today was a minor triumph. Many days last year were marred with bad news and/or stress from various sources, and it crushed my motivation to train. Today was like old times - and not in a good way. After the final straw - a depressing 45-minute phone call with the contractor managing our bungled deck project - there's no question that last fall I would have given up and poured a glass of wine. But I reluctantly dragged my butt out the door just before dark, and I'm proud of myself.
4 PM
Snowshoe Running (Bushwhacking) 1:17:52 [3] 5.29 km (14:43 / km) +302m 11:27 / km
slept:5.0 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
A sunset snowshoe "run" around Palgrave West that was mostly *not* running due to steep hills and gnarly bushwhacking. I ran flats and downhills that weren't covered in tangled thorns or fallen logs. AdventureDog was in Extreme-Alert-For-Wildlife mode and I had to keep calling him back, which isn't typical. He frightened a flock of wild turkeys roosting in some dead trees, and when they took off all aflutter, I heard branches crack above me - yikes! I ran but nothing big fell down.
I was walking in 'Bent's snowshoe tracks from yesterday because I wondered if his Garmin had over-estimated the elevation gain. He recorded 320 m of climb in 5.66 km, which seems like a lot for Caledon. Turns out my Ambit data wasn't as different as I'd expected. I expect Garmin distance to be a little longer on twisty routes because they use a different algorithm to identify errors. I just looked back and remembered that he turned off his watch accidentally for a few hundred meters and estimated what he had missed, so there really isn't much difference.
Beautiful evening!
I was walking in 'Bent's snowshoe tracks from yesterday because I wondered if his Garmin had over-estimated the elevation gain. He recorded 320 m of climb in 5.66 km, which seems like a lot for Caledon. Turns out my Ambit data wasn't as different as I'd expected. I expect Garmin distance to be a little longer on twisty routes because they use a different algorithm to identify errors. I just looked back and remembered that he turned off his watch accidentally for a few hundred meters and estimated what he had missed, so there really isn't much difference.
Beautiful evening!
Monday Feb 18, 2019 #
11 AM
XC Skiing - Classic (Ungroomed) 1:02:54 [3] 7.61 km (7.3 kph) +150m
slept:7.25
'Bent, the pooches and I went for a Family Day ski around Palgrave West. Since BazingaDog can't be trusted off-leash, 'Bent was skijoring behind him. This is how they commute to the dental office at this time of year so they are an experienced team.
AdventureDog did his part by taunting BazingaDog and setting the pace. I chased after them all and managed to get some photos and video when B-Dog finally got tired and slowed down. It was another bluebird winter day. What a nice long weekend!
AdventureDog did his part by taunting BazingaDog and setting the pace. I chased after them all and managed to get some photos and video when B-Dog finally got tired and slowed down. It was another bluebird winter day. What a nice long weekend!
5 PM
Running (Treadmill) 1:00:00 [3] 8.21 km (7:18 / km)
I hated to do this instead of playing outdoors some more but I'm only 8 weeks away from my first ultra in a year. I figured the treadmill would keep my injured ankle as happy as possible.
Sunday Feb 17, 2019 #
10 AM
Orienteering race 32:59 [4] 3.96 km (8:19 / km) +105m 7:21 / km
slept:6.5 shoes: Salomon Snowcross1 2nd pair
O Cup #4 Ukrainian Club
Bendor and Graves Tract, East Gwillimbury
This was the closest orienteering event to Veinbuster's house in a long time so I talked him into trying his first O race. It was actually quite easy after I offered a solution to the old "I don't have a compass" problem.
Eugene and Igor had planned an interesting course with an O Cup box *and* an O Cup circle, which was a new one! It looked like a Venn diagram but the controls that fell into both "boxes" had to be visited twice if you wanted to count them in each box.
The main trails were hard-packed from local hikers so the running was fast. There wasn't much soft snow on top of the dense lower layer so it was pretty quick to move through the woods off-trail too. In a few steeper places, I managed to hit the ice layer, which added to the adventure.
I felt like I was running pretty well. I'd taped my gimpy ankle within an inch of its life although I never felt the tape kick into action. Most of the time my ankle is not inclined to get sprained, luckily. I've had some weird heel and arch pain since last weekend but I've been really fortunate that it hasn't been worse because it felt serious when it happened.
I was happy with my nav. I could have moved with more confidence from #3 to #4 but I'm happy with my route even though I walked too much of it. I left the trail a little early before #5 thinking it would be farther in the woods because my brain has trouble getting used to 1:5,000. Otherwise, I don't think I would change anything.
I surprised Eugene, who wasn't watching the finish yet, so that was nice! The SI software was confused by the controls that some people visited twice so the results will need manual adjustments but it looks like I won. :)
Thanks, Eugene and Igor! We came home with a bottle of wine and two nice crystal glasses.
Bendor and Graves Tract, East Gwillimbury
This was the closest orienteering event to Veinbuster's house in a long time so I talked him into trying his first O race. It was actually quite easy after I offered a solution to the old "I don't have a compass" problem.
Eugene and Igor had planned an interesting course with an O Cup box *and* an O Cup circle, which was a new one! It looked like a Venn diagram but the controls that fell into both "boxes" had to be visited twice if you wanted to count them in each box.
The main trails were hard-packed from local hikers so the running was fast. There wasn't much soft snow on top of the dense lower layer so it was pretty quick to move through the woods off-trail too. In a few steeper places, I managed to hit the ice layer, which added to the adventure.
I felt like I was running pretty well. I'd taped my gimpy ankle within an inch of its life although I never felt the tape kick into action. Most of the time my ankle is not inclined to get sprained, luckily. I've had some weird heel and arch pain since last weekend but I've been really fortunate that it hasn't been worse because it felt serious when it happened.
I was happy with my nav. I could have moved with more confidence from #3 to #4 but I'm happy with my route even though I walked too much of it. I left the trail a little early before #5 thinking it would be farther in the woods because my brain has trouble getting used to 1:5,000. Otherwise, I don't think I would change anything.
I surprised Eugene, who wasn't watching the finish yet, so that was nice! The SI software was confused by the controls that some people visited twice so the results will need manual adjustments but it looks like I won. :)
Thanks, Eugene and Igor! We came home with a bottle of wine and two nice crystal glasses.
11 AM
Orienteering 56:21 [2] 3.19 km (17:40 / km) +96m 15:21 / km
shoes: Salomon Snowcross1 2nd pair
I need to be better about cooling down after races so I headed back into the woods to look for Veinbuster. I thought it would be fun to shadow him and be available for consultation if needed. He had one control left in the first box when I found him so we continued from there. As a male, he has to do two more controls per box than I do, which is rough for a first-timer. (The Orienteering Ontario board has been discussing ways to handle O Cup handicaps better.) He did well and finished his full course. He was aiming for last place but there were still two racers out in the woods when we left. Best of all, he says he would do it again!
Saturday Feb 16, 2019 #
1 PM
XC Skiing - Classic (Mostly ungroomed) 2:44:37 [3] 20.23 km (7.4 kph) +369m
slept:8.0
'Bent and I went on an Expotition (as Winnie the Pooh would say) this afternoon. We skied over to Palgrave East and around the Reddington golf course, then bushwhacked around their fence (sshhh!!) to access the Caledon Trailway that leads to Albion Hills Conservation Area. I didn't carry food or water to ensure I'd have an excuse to stop for hot apple cider at the chalet.
There were lots of people out on the Albion Hills trails for Family Day Weekend, and it was nice to see so many skis on the racks outside the chalet. It did mean we had to be cautious on downhills and politely weave around a few people but that's OK.
On the way back, we left the golf course across the road from Wheelie Woods so we could ski home through Palgrave West in the warm evening light. There aren't many better ways to spend an afternoon. :)
There were lots of people out on the Albion Hills trails for Family Day Weekend, and it was nice to see so many skis on the racks outside the chalet. It did mean we had to be cautious on downhills and politely weave around a few people but that's OK.
On the way back, we left the golf course across the road from Wheelie Woods so we could ski home through Palgrave West in the warm evening light. There aren't many better ways to spend an afternoon. :)
Friday Feb 15, 2019 #
Note
Thoughts and prayers to American friends as they deal with their National Emergency. I would have thought the emergency would be gun violence or climate change but hey, what do I know?
12 PM
XC Skiing - Classic 1:23:42 [3] 11.1 km (8.0 kph) +264m
slept:8.0
'Bent and I went to the Hockleycrest trails near Orangeville for the first time this winter. They're in great shape after the storm this week! They were rolled a couple of days ago, and some were track set although they had drifted in by today. After our visit, there are tracks almost everywhere.
These trails are maintained by dedicated Bruce Trail volunteer Dave Moule who buys gas for the groomer himself. So if you go, don't forget the tiny donation box tucked behind the sign at the parking lot (5 Sideroad near the Tai Chi Centre). https://hockleycrest.blogspot.com/
These trails are maintained by dedicated Bruce Trail volunteer Dave Moule who buys gas for the groomer himself. So if you go, don't forget the tiny donation box tucked behind the sign at the parking lot (5 Sideroad near the Tai Chi Centre). https://hockleycrest.blogspot.com/
Thursday Feb 14, 2019 #
Note
Today I won Adventure Enablers' Valentine's Day contest on Facebook, which means I get a small discount on one of their races. They were looking for adventure race sayings that could be printed on candy hearts, e.g. "I always have lube", "I can do it for 24 hours" or "Talk navigation to me". The entry with the most "likes" would win.
My entry was: "Slow down - we all have to finish together."
I'm not telling my Mom about this, lol!
My entry was: "Slow down - we all have to finish together."
I'm not telling my Mom about this, lol!
12 PM
Note
Unlogged treasure hunt, gently shovelling snow in the area where 'Bent thinks he dropped all his keys. Ugh.
2 PM
XC Skiing - Classic 1:22:37 [3] 10.67 km (7.7 kph) +183m
High resistance skiing at Albion Hills! I thought I'd get out to enjoy pristine conditions before the Family Day Weekend crowds but a lot of skiers had been out already. I had my waxless backcountry skis to break trail but there wasn't much of that so it was like wearing boat anchors. Good training though! Some of the trails had been track set while others had just been skied in. The warming snow was a bit sticky but the snowy forest was beautiful.
9 PM
Note
slept:6.5
A Day with Damian Warner, Canadian Decathlon record holder. I'm posting it here because it's cool to see what an Olympian does in winter to get ready for 10 different summer events. Also, Coach LD's brother is Damian's head coach and appears in the video. Something is wrong with the music though.
10 PM
Note
The Colorado trail runner who killed a mountain lion with his bare hands agreed to an interview. Yikes, yikes, yikes!!!
https://www.kunc.org/post/meet-colorado-man-who-ki...
And there's a video interview too.
https://www.kunc.org/post/meet-colorado-man-who-ki...
And there's a video interview too.
Wednesday Feb 13, 2019 #
4 PM
Snowshoeing (Off-trail) 1:09:28 [2] 4.01 km (17:18 / km) +204m 13:48 / km
slept:7.25 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
After the wind died down, AdventureDog and I went snowshoeing in the fluffy powder from the storm. I wore heavy plastic MSR snowshoes for extra stability for my injured foot. If I were really being careful, I wouldn't have been bushwhacking; some of it was really messy. It was still way more fun than snowshoeing on trail. I purposely climbed as many little hills as I could. I *think* A-Dog is a little tired now.
6 PM
Strength & Mobility 30:00
Miscellaneous - mostly legs and feet.
Tuesday Feb 12, 2019 #
Strength & Mobility 10:00 [1]
slept:7.75 (injured)
Foothab during the winter storm. I was able to do the basic stretching and balance exercises that hurt too much yesterday so things are improving more quickly than expected. I don't even think I'm limping anymore!
Monday Feb 11, 2019 #
Strength & Mobility 10:00 [3]
slept:8.75 (injured)
A short session of foot-friendly strength training. Turns out my injured foot is too inflamed for single leg deadlifts but everything else I tried was OK. My usual foothab basics - soleus stretches and 1-legged, eyes-closed balance poses - would hurt too much right now. As a runner, I'm pathetically optimistic but it seems like this may be a shorter term injury than it felt like when it happened yesterday.
Sunday Feb 10, 2019 #
10 AM
Orienteering race 2:25:40 14.03 km (10:23 / km) +402m 9:05 / km
slept:4.0 (injured) shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
Stars W.A.R.
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Browner and I teamed up and had a blast in an area that is seldom used for orienteering. It was super icy on and off the trails so we both rocked our Kahtoola Microspikes.
There were some detailed rules and bonuses for the opening Matrix where we had the chance to split up for 4 of the 6 controls. Without going into all the details, we got all 240 points. Maximum for the course was 970 pts so this was significant.
From there, we did a loop to the north and east of the map. Things went well until I sprained my left ankle badly shortly before 153. It felt major but I was able to run on it again (painfully) after a few minutes so I can't have torn it as badly as I did in September. It is now really sore along the underside of the medial ankle bone, limiting my ability to flex my foot. It could have been worse.
That aside, we made good time and found most controls where we expected them. We lost 2.5 minutes to a brain fart at 143 but that was our only moment of confusion. Browner was more detail oriented with compass bearings while I mostly used features and rough compass. There were times when one technique worked better than the other so it was super helpful to have both approaches.
We finished with 750 points but I'd guessed incorrectly that the Masters category would be better for us today than Female. Turns out there were a lot of speedy masters men - and Barbara Steele too! When it comes to race categories, I often have to choose between being old or being a woman. Rogaines are better since you get a ranking in every category you're in.
Congrats to Bob and Jack on clearing the course and taking the overall victory. Chad and Greg were 2nd and also cleared the course. Jacquie and Milla were the Female champions, Tarno and Trav won Masters, and Heidi and Alin won Coed. Great job, everyone! There's always a strong field at Stars W.A.R.
Thanks to Nick and all the Stars volunteers. The post-race lunch was yummy and it was a really fun day!
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Browner and I teamed up and had a blast in an area that is seldom used for orienteering. It was super icy on and off the trails so we both rocked our Kahtoola Microspikes.
There were some detailed rules and bonuses for the opening Matrix where we had the chance to split up for 4 of the 6 controls. Without going into all the details, we got all 240 points. Maximum for the course was 970 pts so this was significant.
From there, we did a loop to the north and east of the map. Things went well until I sprained my left ankle badly shortly before 153. It felt major but I was able to run on it again (painfully) after a few minutes so I can't have torn it as badly as I did in September. It is now really sore along the underside of the medial ankle bone, limiting my ability to flex my foot. It could have been worse.
That aside, we made good time and found most controls where we expected them. We lost 2.5 minutes to a brain fart at 143 but that was our only moment of confusion. Browner was more detail oriented with compass bearings while I mostly used features and rough compass. There were times when one technique worked better than the other so it was super helpful to have both approaches.
We finished with 750 points but I'd guessed incorrectly that the Masters category would be better for us today than Female. Turns out there were a lot of speedy masters men - and Barbara Steele too! When it comes to race categories, I often have to choose between being old or being a woman. Rogaines are better since you get a ranking in every category you're in.
Congrats to Bob and Jack on clearing the course and taking the overall victory. Chad and Greg were 2nd and also cleared the course. Jacquie and Milla were the Female champions, Tarno and Trav won Masters, and Heidi and Alin won Coed. Great job, everyone! There's always a strong field at Stars W.A.R.
Thanks to Nick and all the Stars volunteers. The post-race lunch was yummy and it was a really fun day!
Saturday Feb 9, 2019 #
Strength & Mobility 10:00 [1]
slept:7.5
Back in Caledon, where there was a major explosion while I was away. (Different part of Caledon.)
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/02/07/natural-gas...
Tomorrow is the Stars Winter Adventure Race (Stars W.A.R.) so I just did foothab basics, which I neglected at Tree Hugger ABC.
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2019/02/07/natural-gas...
Tomorrow is the Stars Winter Adventure Race (Stars W.A.R.) so I just did foothab basics, which I neglected at Tree Hugger ABC.
Friday Feb 8, 2019 #
Strength & Mobility 30:00 [3]
slept:6.25
I planned to drive home from Tree Hugger ABC but there were snow squalls, accidents and road closures, and I didn't have any urgent reason to leave. I went to the fitness centre and did 2 km of rowing on the Concept 2 machine plus some strength training.
'Bent will get home from Guatemala in the wee hours of Sunday morning. He has just emerged from the jungle and returned to the land of wifi. He says it was a great week, and the team saw 375+ patients.
'Bent will get home from Guatemala in the wee hours of Sunday morning. He has just emerged from the jungle and returned to the land of wifi. He says it was a great week, and the team saw 375+ patients.
Thursday Feb 7, 2019 #
1 PM
XC Skiing - Classic (Groomed Trail) 1:01:01 [3] 10.05 km (9.9 kph) +168m
slept:8.0
Short ski at Scenic Caves in fast conditions, even on waxless classics. It had been drizzling lightly and there were barely any cars in the parking lot. Such a foggy, mysterious day!
My Ambit has no faith in me; it says I need 46 hours of recovery after this.
Then I went to Bob, Hermes and Hank's place for a wonderful dinner followed by dessert and conversation with Goose, Frankenjack and Tara.
My Ambit has no faith in me; it says I need 46 hours of recovery after this.
Then I went to Bob, Hermes and Hank's place for a wonderful dinner followed by dessert and conversation with Goose, Frankenjack and Tara.
Wednesday Feb 6, 2019 #
3 PM
Running (Trail) 46:23 [3] 4.54 km (10:13 / km) +222m 8:13 / km
slept:6.5 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
If I lived near Blue Mountain all the time, this might be my "Meh, I don't feel like doing much but can't waste that big hill" run. AdventureDog and I parked at the base of the Switchback trail but chose to go up the adjacent Lover's Loop trail when we saw this mess. A-Dog was unimpressed.
All that rock hard ice resulted from the melt early this week but it didn't help that we had freezing drizzle on and off today. The top of the mountain was hidden in fog and the trees on the hillside were frosted.
We ran Enchanted Forest and the Bruce Trail on top, then came back down Lover's Loop. It wasn't quite as bad as Switchback but there was plenty of ice hidden under a skiff of snow and it was so steep in places that even Kahtoola Microspikes weren't enough. I did some bushwhacking beside the trail and lots of tree hugging!
All that rock hard ice resulted from the melt early this week but it didn't help that we had freezing drizzle on and off today. The top of the mountain was hidden in fog and the trees on the hillside were frosted.
We ran Enchanted Forest and the Bruce Trail on top, then came back down Lover's Loop. It wasn't quite as bad as Switchback but there was plenty of ice hidden under a skiff of snow and it was so steep in places that even Kahtoola Microspikes weren't enough. I did some bushwhacking beside the trail and lots of tree hugging!
5 PM
Strength & Mobility 20:00 [3]
Then I went to the condo fitness room that is a 30 second walk from Tree Hugger ABC. I should go there more often. Apparently the treadmill broke today so things should be even more quiet than usual. I had the place to myself for some full body strength.
Tuesday Feb 5, 2019 #
12 PM
Running (Trail) 2:10:26 [3] 11.79 km (11:04 / km) +504m 9:07 / km
slept:6.75 shoes: Salomon XR Crossmax CS pink/gr
After yesterday's spring weather, rain and wind, the ski trails were closed at both Highlands Nordic and Scenic Caves today. Scenic Caves said that branches had fallen and water was pooling. Highlands said they'd "determined it wasn't safe to be on the trails today". It's a lot colder today so some of yesterday's water has turned into ice.
I think I'm still fatigued from Sunday. Apparently, skate skiing hilly trails for 2+ hours requires more cardio fitness than I have. I took my Kahtoolas and went to the Beaver Valley for a relatively short (distance wise) Bruce Trail run. I'd never seen Eugenia Falls before so even though the trails are in terrible shape and winter has abandoned us, I had something to look forward to!
In the first 5 meters, I broke through ice into frigid, ankle deep water. Refreshing!
From the start to Eugenia Falls was a mix of glare ice, rocks and deep, frozen footprints - really slow going. The trail got close to some big drop-offs so the Kahtoolas earned their keep once again.
The falls were pretty. I didn't meet anyone else in the conservation area.
I continued downhill on the Bruce Trail to Lower Valley Road, then retraced my steps. When I got back to the van, I felt more energetic (must have been the maple syrup snack) so I kept going the other way on the Bruce Trail toward Campbell's Hill. In this direction, I was running in soft, wet, ankle-deep snow. Obviously, I had to run to the bottom of Campbell's Hill and march back up. It's icy but a few vehicles use it in winter. Then back to the van.
Many parts of Ontario could get freezing rain tomorrow and Thursday. Boo.
I think I'm still fatigued from Sunday. Apparently, skate skiing hilly trails for 2+ hours requires more cardio fitness than I have. I took my Kahtoolas and went to the Beaver Valley for a relatively short (distance wise) Bruce Trail run. I'd never seen Eugenia Falls before so even though the trails are in terrible shape and winter has abandoned us, I had something to look forward to!
In the first 5 meters, I broke through ice into frigid, ankle deep water. Refreshing!
From the start to Eugenia Falls was a mix of glare ice, rocks and deep, frozen footprints - really slow going. The trail got close to some big drop-offs so the Kahtoolas earned their keep once again.
The falls were pretty. I didn't meet anyone else in the conservation area.
I continued downhill on the Bruce Trail to Lower Valley Road, then retraced my steps. When I got back to the van, I felt more energetic (must have been the maple syrup snack) so I kept going the other way on the Bruce Trail toward Campbell's Hill. In this direction, I was running in soft, wet, ankle-deep snow. Obviously, I had to run to the bottom of Campbell's Hill and march back up. It's icy but a few vehicles use it in winter. Then back to the van.
Many parts of Ontario could get freezing rain tomorrow and Thursday. Boo.
Monday Feb 4, 2019 #
1 PM
Trekking (Trail and Off-Trail) 2:13:25 8.86 km (15:04 / km) +405m 12:16 / km
slept:8.0 shoes: Salomon Snowcross1 2nd pair
It's incredible how quickly we went from the snowy polar vortex to slush and patches of bare ground. I'd been hoping the deep freeze would continue during my week up north. The only silver lining is that 'Bent isn't missing as much winter during his dental mission as he thought he would.
My left MCL is strained after yesterday's fall but it feels like a 1-week injury, not a 2-3 month injury. My left foot got wrenched too but it was already injured so it's just a setback, not something new.
I decided to avoid running and skiing today to give my MCL a rest so AdventureDog and I went for a hike instead. He always starts barking if he sees me put on my Ambit watch, and he starts barking again if I press a button. Annoying but interesting that he is so attuned to human cues. He also freaks out when my iPhone alarm goes off and when we turn off the TV with the remote. The late BulletDog leapt to her feet whenever she heard the "Windows shutdown" sound from 'Bent's computer.
We started from the Georgian Peaks parking lot. I don't know the forest trails in that area but I know the trails at the top of the mountain, and I figured we'd get there eventually. There were some nice views on the way up.
I think there must be an easier trail. Even with Kahtoolas, the ice, slush and mud had me clinging to saplings or sometimes moving up with hands and feet. I realized I wouldn't want to come down this trail so I would need to find another route. (It was steeper than the photo makes it look.) At times like this, I'm soooo grateful that I got into orienteering.
The Dontgetlost Snowshoe Raid maps show trails leading from Loree Forest partway down the escarpment but the map ends there. I did some bushwhacking and followed an indistinct trail to get to the top, where I met up with the main Bruce Trail. There was bare ground, knee-deep snow, ice and deep slush - crazy conditions.
Now that I was back in familiar territory, we followed some trails on the SSR map. I wanted to do some extra climbing since CCC is only 7 months away so I headed downhill for awhile then over to a control from this year's Raid. The flags are gone now, of course, so there was nothing to find in the woods. So I texted this photo to Bob and asked, "Which SSR control is AdventureDog getting close to?"
Not surprisingly, he's pretty good at that sort of thing. :) If anyone else wants to play, it would be helpful to know that I was facing west when I took the photo.
We went down Camperdown Road and followed the Georgian Trail back to the car. This wouldn't have seemed too long if we were running but it's a looooong walk back from the forest when you're just hiking. It was fine to do once though. I'll need to find a better way to get back down to Georgian Peaks.
My left MCL is strained after yesterday's fall but it feels like a 1-week injury, not a 2-3 month injury. My left foot got wrenched too but it was already injured so it's just a setback, not something new.
I decided to avoid running and skiing today to give my MCL a rest so AdventureDog and I went for a hike instead. He always starts barking if he sees me put on my Ambit watch, and he starts barking again if I press a button. Annoying but interesting that he is so attuned to human cues. He also freaks out when my iPhone alarm goes off and when we turn off the TV with the remote. The late BulletDog leapt to her feet whenever she heard the "Windows shutdown" sound from 'Bent's computer.
We started from the Georgian Peaks parking lot. I don't know the forest trails in that area but I know the trails at the top of the mountain, and I figured we'd get there eventually. There were some nice views on the way up.
I think there must be an easier trail. Even with Kahtoolas, the ice, slush and mud had me clinging to saplings or sometimes moving up with hands and feet. I realized I wouldn't want to come down this trail so I would need to find another route. (It was steeper than the photo makes it look.) At times like this, I'm soooo grateful that I got into orienteering.
The Dontgetlost Snowshoe Raid maps show trails leading from Loree Forest partway down the escarpment but the map ends there. I did some bushwhacking and followed an indistinct trail to get to the top, where I met up with the main Bruce Trail. There was bare ground, knee-deep snow, ice and deep slush - crazy conditions.
Now that I was back in familiar territory, we followed some trails on the SSR map. I wanted to do some extra climbing since CCC is only 7 months away so I headed downhill for awhile then over to a control from this year's Raid. The flags are gone now, of course, so there was nothing to find in the woods. So I texted this photo to Bob and asked, "Which SSR control is AdventureDog getting close to?"
Not surprisingly, he's pretty good at that sort of thing. :) If anyone else wants to play, it would be helpful to know that I was facing west when I took the photo.
We went down Camperdown Road and followed the Georgian Trail back to the car. This wouldn't have seemed too long if we were running but it's a looooong walk back from the forest when you're just hiking. It was fine to do once though. I'll need to find a better way to get back down to Georgian Peaks.
Sunday Feb 3, 2019 #
10 AM
XC Skiing - Skate (Ski-O) 2:14:26 [3] 17.9 km (8.0 kph) +318m
slept:6.0
Ski-O training Long course, hosted at Scenic Caves by Mark and Jacquie Tarnopolsky. After yesterday's long Sprint, we heard that today's Long course was only a little longer. Well, *that's* good news, we smiled, heaving deep sighs of relief. As it turns out, we heard wrong. After visiting the controls in numerical order (which course setters didn't have to do) and obeying all the one-way trail signs, today's course was just over twice as long as yesterday's!
It was a fun course design. There were a few route choices but mostly it was a matter of reading the one-way trail indicators very carefully. We often had to take roundabout routes to get to controls that weren't very far away.
I had a bad fall within the first 15 minutes. The temperature was above zero with some misty drizzle early on so the snow was soft. Coming down a hill, my skis got stuck in soft ruts that diverged, and I couldn't move them over. Ohshitohshitohshitohshitohshit! In hindsight, I should have lifted one ski and taken a hard fall on the other side. Instead, I had an awkward fall when my legs had wishboned past the point where my body could balance. There was a nasty yank all along my left inner leg with pain in my MCL and gimpy ankle. After I peeled myself off the snow, I was able to keep skiing but I could tell it would hurt later (it does), and I noticed some pain under my arch later in the ski.
Skate skiing is anaerobic for me, and this was my 3rd day in a row. I hit the wall after an hour and had to take some breaks on uphills. I felt dehydrated. I was exhausted at the finish and bought a large a drink before I handed in my SI card in another building. A skier in a Scenic Caves jacket said, "This was the hardest day for skate skiing in a long time." Oh, really? Maybe the soft, warm, wet snow was hard work for other people too! Hours later, I'm still feeling like I was hit by a truck.
I looked back in my log and realized that I've only ever done one longer skate ski session in my life. It was at Sovereign Lake, B.C. in Feb. 2006, and we were doing some ski-orienteering practice with a map that Marie-Catherine Bruno had given us. We'd had an excellent skate ski lesson with her two days earlier so our technique would have been much better that day. It's heartbreaking that someone with so much spirit, talent and joy is gone. :(
Amber, Browner and Funderstorm did most of today's course together on classic skis so we compared notes afterward before returning to Tree Hugger ABC for post-ski snacks.
It was a fun course design. There were a few route choices but mostly it was a matter of reading the one-way trail indicators very carefully. We often had to take roundabout routes to get to controls that weren't very far away.
I had a bad fall within the first 15 minutes. The temperature was above zero with some misty drizzle early on so the snow was soft. Coming down a hill, my skis got stuck in soft ruts that diverged, and I couldn't move them over. Ohshitohshitohshitohshitohshit! In hindsight, I should have lifted one ski and taken a hard fall on the other side. Instead, I had an awkward fall when my legs had wishboned past the point where my body could balance. There was a nasty yank all along my left inner leg with pain in my MCL and gimpy ankle. After I peeled myself off the snow, I was able to keep skiing but I could tell it would hurt later (it does), and I noticed some pain under my arch later in the ski.
Skate skiing is anaerobic for me, and this was my 3rd day in a row. I hit the wall after an hour and had to take some breaks on uphills. I felt dehydrated. I was exhausted at the finish and bought a large a drink before I handed in my SI card in another building. A skier in a Scenic Caves jacket said, "This was the hardest day for skate skiing in a long time." Oh, really? Maybe the soft, warm, wet snow was hard work for other people too! Hours later, I'm still feeling like I was hit by a truck.
I looked back in my log and realized that I've only ever done one longer skate ski session in my life. It was at Sovereign Lake, B.C. in Feb. 2006, and we were doing some ski-orienteering practice with a map that Marie-Catherine Bruno had given us. We'd had an excellent skate ski lesson with her two days earlier so our technique would have been much better that day. It's heartbreaking that someone with so much spirit, talent and joy is gone. :(
Amber, Browner and Funderstorm did most of today's course together on classic skis so we compared notes afterward before returning to Tree Hugger ABC for post-ski snacks.
Saturday Feb 2, 2019 #
10 AM
XC Skiing - Skate 1:35:22 8.88 km (5.6 kph) +254m
slept:6.25
Funderstorm and I met at Scenic Caves for the first day of Tarno's Ski-O training. He and Jacquie did an amazing job - 20 controls with SI timing and pre-printed maps for a free training day! Today was called a Sprint course so we might want to pack a lunch for tomorrow's Long course.
Funderstorm hadn't skied yet this year and was skiing classic. Since I need to work on my skate skiing, we decided to take our time, chat and do the course together without an SI card. It was loads of fun.
Conditions were great on the lower trails. It was extremely windy on top of the escarpment. Some trails were closed due to big snow drifts but of course they were still on our ski-O course. :) We had two controls in an open field on the Northwest Passage and that was just insane. I wanted to pull up my Buff to prevent frostbite but then my glasses iced up so I couldn't read the map. At one point I stopped skiing and held out my arms, letting the wind blow me along the trail. It felt like we were crossing Antarctica. In hindsight, we should have taken some video. Great morning.
Funderstorm hadn't skied yet this year and was skiing classic. Since I need to work on my skate skiing, we decided to take our time, chat and do the course together without an SI card. It was loads of fun.
Conditions were great on the lower trails. It was extremely windy on top of the escarpment. Some trails were closed due to big snow drifts but of course they were still on our ski-O course. :) We had two controls in an open field on the Northwest Passage and that was just insane. I wanted to pull up my Buff to prevent frostbite but then my glasses iced up so I couldn't read the map. At one point I stopped skiing and held out my arms, letting the wind blow me along the trail. It felt like we were crossing Antarctica. In hindsight, we should have taken some video. Great morning.
2 PM
Snowshoeing 1:27:36 5.36 km (16:21 / km) +279m 12:58 / km
After lunch, Funderstorm, AdventureDog and I went over to climb Lover's Loop beside the Switchback Trail. I love that trail in winter! On top, we followed the Enchanted Forest trail and dropped down to follow the river before climbing a ridge and descending a spur to pop out at the back of Alpine. The snow was puffy and perfect - a beautiful day to do this route.
Friday Feb 1, 2019 #
3 PM
XC Skiing - Skate 35:38 [4] 5.83 km (9.8 kph) +96m
slept:6.0
'Bent left for his volunteer dental mission last night. He and the other members of the Health Outreach team flew to Guatemala City today, traveling via Mexico City rather than landing in Trump's America, which - fortunately - is paying its air traffic controllers this week. The down side of Aeroméxico is that 'Bent's personal bag didn't arrive in Guatemala with its useful contents like underwear and specialized dental equipment. The bag should arrive tomorrow; luckily he doesn't do any dentistry until Monday. As for underwear, it would have been nice to have it a little sooner. (Yes, he should have brought it in his carry-on but it was stuffed with super-valuable-irreplaceable things.)
Last year when he went on his dental mission, I went on a mountain biking and trail running trip to Tucson with Browner, Dee and Mrs. Gally with special guest appearances by Cristina, Melissa and Lukas. This year I packed up the dogs and drove to Tree Hugger ABC in Collingwood. I'm telling myself it's going to be a training camp. Yes indeed, I will return home slimmer, fitter and more muscular with better endurance. At least that *might* have happened if I hadn't picked up so much delicious food and drink to keep my energy up.
By the time we arrived and got set up, I only had a little time to get out this afternoon. I went to Scenic Caves and started with the mandatory minimum 30-minute skate ski. It's been a few weeks since the last one so I was back to my Drunk Bambi impression. It didn't help that the snow was super squeaky cold, and my skis were waxed for around -5C. Anyway, my uncoordinated technique and slow skis burned some extra calories, which was a bonus.
Last year when he went on his dental mission, I went on a mountain biking and trail running trip to Tucson with Browner, Dee and Mrs. Gally with special guest appearances by Cristina, Melissa and Lukas. This year I packed up the dogs and drove to Tree Hugger ABC in Collingwood. I'm telling myself it's going to be a training camp. Yes indeed, I will return home slimmer, fitter and more muscular with better endurance. At least that *might* have happened if I hadn't picked up so much delicious food and drink to keep my energy up.
By the time we arrived and got set up, I only had a little time to get out this afternoon. I went to Scenic Caves and started with the mandatory minimum 30-minute skate ski. It's been a few weeks since the last one so I was back to my Drunk Bambi impression. It didn't help that the snow was super squeaky cold, and my skis were waxed for around -5C. Anyway, my uncoordinated technique and slow skis burned some extra calories, which was a bonus.
4 PM
XC Skiing - Classic 55:23 [3] 7.77 km (8.4 kph) +121m
Beautiful, frigid, peaceful, non-Bambi, late afternoon classic ski at Scenic Caves. :)
