Training Log Archive: BashIn the 7 days ending Jul 8, 2012:
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Sunday Jul 8, 2012 #
11 AM
Paddling 13:54 1.96 km (8.5 kph) +2m
The Popik kids got up first thing to go fishing. FB was up a little later due to some over-hydration issues.
We all took turns testing Will's Cobra Viper racing kayak and our Epic V8 surf ski. There isn't a lot of difference in speed; the V8 is likely a little faster. The big difference is stability. I've never had any trouble with tippy kayaks but it took me three tries to get into the Viper! Will has perfected the entry now. He's going to be tough to beat in that boat!
My time logged was for two 1 km loops around the island, the first one in the V8 and the second one in the Viper. There was some water sloshing around in the Viper due to my problems at the beach so this may not count as a valid comparison of the two boats.
We all practised dumping the surfski and getting back into it. No problem. Nobody dumped the surfski for real; everyone - including 10-year-old Jacob - was able to paddle it right away.
For those interested in saving money, FB discovered that he can paddle pretty quickly without a boat!
We all took turns testing Will's Cobra Viper racing kayak and our Epic V8 surf ski. There isn't a lot of difference in speed; the V8 is likely a little faster. The big difference is stability. I've never had any trouble with tippy kayaks but it took me three tries to get into the Viper! Will has perfected the entry now. He's going to be tough to beat in that boat!
My time logged was for two 1 km loops around the island, the first one in the V8 and the second one in the Viper. There was some water sloshing around in the Viper due to my problems at the beach so this may not count as a valid comparison of the two boats.
We all practised dumping the surfski and getting back into it. No problem. Nobody dumped the surfski for real; everyone - including 10-year-old Jacob - was able to paddle it right away.
For those interested in saving money, FB discovered that he can paddle pretty quickly without a boat!
1 PM
Other 1 [0] 0.0 km +9m null / km
Will gave us all a motorboat ride around Go Home Lake. I wanted to see where we went so I downloaded my Garmin here. :)
3 PM
Paddling 50:00 6.28 km (7.5 kph) +4m
'Bent and I paddled back to Potter's Landing. He soloed the whitewater canoe with all our luggage while I paddled the surfski. I paddled at an easy pace most of the time but did a few pick-ups for fun. In today's conditions, it seemed that I could paddle 9.X kph without going too crazy, and if I pushed, I could paddle 10.X kph. This is better than our fastest kayak but it's nothing in Frankenjack's world!
I had to deduct some time from the Garmin download to cover the time I spent waiting for 'Bent, who was actually making good time - for a guy soloing a loaded whitewater canoe on a windy day.
This cottager has a quicker way to get back to his car.
I had to deduct some time from the Garmin download to cover the time I spent waiting for 'Bent, who was actually making good time - for a guy soloing a loaded whitewater canoe on a windy day.
This cottager has a quicker way to get back to his car.
Saturday Jul 7, 2012 #
10 AM
Paddling (Kayak) 49:49 [2] 6.01 km (7.2 kph) +5m
FB, 'Bent and I paddled our whitewater canoe and new Epic V8 surfski over to FB's cottage on Go Home Lake while Will ferried our luggage, food and drink. I started in the V8 then 'Bent switched into it for the short paddle after the portage. Other than some nervousness about the rudder near shore, I immediately felt comfortable in the V8. Even as a new surfski paddler, I'd probably be OK in it in any type of wind or flatwater waves where I'd feel comfortable in an open canoe. In bigger chop, I'd still be happier in an enclosed kayak but maybe that would change over time. It's easy to maintain a good speed - a little faster than any boat we own, at least for me - but it's not an order of magnitude faster (not that we expected it to be).
This was an easy chatty paddle over to FB's cottage which he had described as "not fancy". It turns out that FB and I have had very different experiences with "not fancy" accommodation. I was anticipating an outhouse and a few bunk beds under a leaky roof - not a hot shower, wi-fi, two fridges and a more tastefully decorated interior than our house.
It is perfectly situated for AR-style exploration and is equipped with some great toys including my favourite, the floating rock climbing wall where you climb up and slide into the lake.
This was an easy chatty paddle over to FB's cottage which he had described as "not fancy". It turns out that FB and I have had very different experiences with "not fancy" accommodation. I was anticipating an outhouse and a few bunk beds under a leaky roof - not a hot shower, wi-fi, two fridges and a more tastefully decorated interior than our house.
It is perfectly situated for AR-style exploration and is equipped with some great toys including my favourite, the floating rock climbing wall where you climb up and slide into the lake.
1 PM
Paddling (Canoe and Kayak) 5:50:00 [2] 35.03 km (6.0 kph) +63m
Mike, Sandra, Jacob and Michael Popik were the other guests at the cottage this weekend, with FB and Will as our terrific hosts. The Popik kids are keen fishermen, and Will took them under his wing, taking them fishing at sunset and showing them how to fillet a fish. It was delicious!
FB had some AR-style exploration planned for Mike, Will, 'Bent and me. We would take two canoes and paddle south on Go Home Lake, then paddle the Musquash River into Musquash Channel on Georgian Bay. We'd keep north, following Freddy Channel west out to Georgian Bay, then we'd make the call on whether conditions were suitable for open canoes to paddle 5K north to Bushby Inlet, which leads into Go Home River and back to the lake. It was the perfect adventure race training session. It involved canoes, kayak paddles, a long distance, rocky portages with overweight canoes, maps, no previous reconnaissance and a little uncertainty. It also involved high fashion, for which adventure racers are well known.
I'd brought our middle canoe seat, and 'Bent and I requested that Will paddle in our canoe so we could spend the day being regaled with stories about FB that he would never tell us himself. :) Will and I took turns in the bow and middle seats, and we all took shifts with canoe and kayak paddles.
The westerners are justifiably proud of their mountains but we Ontarians love our lakes. I've had the experience of living in other countries and provinces for brief periods, and this is what I missed most, other than family and friends. It's hard to express how I felt without sounding corny but our lakes and rivers are part of who I am, and I know many of you feel the same way about the area where you live.
Although it would be fair to say that paddling Ontario's lakes can be a spiritual experience, we were surprised to find an open air church on Freddy Channel near Cognashene. In good weather, it would be a heck of a place for a wedding. There is even an indoor place for the clergy to stand, complete with a sound system - and there's probably room for the bride and groom in there too. There was a service on Sunday at 11 a.m. and it would have been interesting to see how many people come and whether they sit on the rocks or stay in their boats at the dock. There are two pulpits aimed in different directions so either is possible. The sign says that Cognashene Community Church was established in 1906 so we're assuming there was a building at one time, maybe for loggers working in the area.
Will was hilarious as he talked to us about the area. He's doing Wilderness Traverse this year and is eager for hints so a lot of his stories went along the lines of, "We were biking this snowmobile trail over here, and Barb you know the bridge that has the big drop-off..." or "It's a short portage to this lake, and Barb will agree that the falls in there are beautiful."
We made it out to Georgian Bay, and even in an area protected by a few islands, it was clear that a 5K upwind canoe paddle on the open bay was going to be slow and a little nervewracking. So we paddled around Aberdeen Island before heading back the way we came. I love the wild, windswept, "Group of Seven" feeling of Georgian Bay. We've done a fair bit of kayak camping there but some day I want to splurge and rent a cottage on an outer island where we can take our kayaks, swimsuits and stacks of books to read.
The evening light made the paddle home even more beautiful. We were going upstream toward the rapids we had to portage but it wasn't too hard.
'Bent and FB feel most at home with canoes on their heads, and the rest of us didn't want to take that away from them. Luckily, they don't whine (much).
Great day and wonderful to sit out at the big table on the bug-free deck of the "not fancy" cottage enjoying our BBQ dinner and beer as the sun set. (Which was around the same time that we all reached for a 2nd drink instead of pulling out our headlamps for the night trek we'd talked about doing after the FDFs went to bed. Oh well... :) )
FB had some AR-style exploration planned for Mike, Will, 'Bent and me. We would take two canoes and paddle south on Go Home Lake, then paddle the Musquash River into Musquash Channel on Georgian Bay. We'd keep north, following Freddy Channel west out to Georgian Bay, then we'd make the call on whether conditions were suitable for open canoes to paddle 5K north to Bushby Inlet, which leads into Go Home River and back to the lake. It was the perfect adventure race training session. It involved canoes, kayak paddles, a long distance, rocky portages with overweight canoes, maps, no previous reconnaissance and a little uncertainty. It also involved high fashion, for which adventure racers are well known.
I'd brought our middle canoe seat, and 'Bent and I requested that Will paddle in our canoe so we could spend the day being regaled with stories about FB that he would never tell us himself. :) Will and I took turns in the bow and middle seats, and we all took shifts with canoe and kayak paddles.
The westerners are justifiably proud of their mountains but we Ontarians love our lakes. I've had the experience of living in other countries and provinces for brief periods, and this is what I missed most, other than family and friends. It's hard to express how I felt without sounding corny but our lakes and rivers are part of who I am, and I know many of you feel the same way about the area where you live.
Although it would be fair to say that paddling Ontario's lakes can be a spiritual experience, we were surprised to find an open air church on Freddy Channel near Cognashene. In good weather, it would be a heck of a place for a wedding. There is even an indoor place for the clergy to stand, complete with a sound system - and there's probably room for the bride and groom in there too. There was a service on Sunday at 11 a.m. and it would have been interesting to see how many people come and whether they sit on the rocks or stay in their boats at the dock. There are two pulpits aimed in different directions so either is possible. The sign says that Cognashene Community Church was established in 1906 so we're assuming there was a building at one time, maybe for loggers working in the area.
Will was hilarious as he talked to us about the area. He's doing Wilderness Traverse this year and is eager for hints so a lot of his stories went along the lines of, "We were biking this snowmobile trail over here, and Barb you know the bridge that has the big drop-off..." or "It's a short portage to this lake, and Barb will agree that the falls in there are beautiful."
We made it out to Georgian Bay, and even in an area protected by a few islands, it was clear that a 5K upwind canoe paddle on the open bay was going to be slow and a little nervewracking. So we paddled around Aberdeen Island before heading back the way we came. I love the wild, windswept, "Group of Seven" feeling of Georgian Bay. We've done a fair bit of kayak camping there but some day I want to splurge and rent a cottage on an outer island where we can take our kayaks, swimsuits and stacks of books to read.
The evening light made the paddle home even more beautiful. We were going upstream toward the rapids we had to portage but it wasn't too hard.
'Bent and FB feel most at home with canoes on their heads, and the rest of us didn't want to take that away from them. Luckily, they don't whine (much).
Great day and wonderful to sit out at the big table on the bug-free deck of the "not fancy" cottage enjoying our BBQ dinner and beer as the sun set. (Which was around the same time that we all reached for a 2nd drink instead of pulling out our headlamps for the night trek we'd talked about doing after the FDFs went to bed. Oh well... :) )
Friday Jul 6, 2012 #
Note
Some days the Tour de France is heartbreaking. It's before midnight so I have to stick to my spoiler rule. If you're a cycling fan and you've already seen the stage, you might find this interview with Chris Horner interesting. I love the way he speaks from his heart in interviews. This gave me some idea of what it must feel like to be racing on a day like today.
http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/bicyclingbc/?t...
And here's an honest-sounding interview with Allan Peiper, Garmin's Director of Competition.
http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/bicyclingbc/?t...
http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/bicyclingbc/?t...
And here's an honest-sounding interview with Allan Peiper, Garmin's Director of Competition.
http://www.steephill.tv/players/720/bicyclingbc/?t...
Thursday Jul 5, 2012 #
Road Biking 41:55 [2] 16.31 km (23.3 kph)
After changing Princess' tire, I had to go for a short ride to see if I got it right. I did the Patterson Sideroad roller coaster out and back between Hwy 50 and Airport Rd. The good news: the tire worked. The bad news: I still don't like riding on pothole-pocked pavement with trucks and horse trailers whizzing by. 'Bent and I are doing the Centurion 50K at Horseshoe next weekend after buying an entry at a silent auction; this explains my sudden (and temporary) burst of interest in road biking.
Wednesday Jul 4, 2012 #
Note
In today's Tour de France, the commentators made scathing remarks about the 38 seconds it took for a mechanic to change a cyclist's back wheel on the road. I was watching this in the middle of a 30-minute tire change as I got Princess off the trainer and ready for the road. Damn, those princess tires are tight! Ended up with only a few small injuries to my hands. 'Bent kept giving me sideways glances and offering to help but I only wanted hints because if I can't do it myself, I'll end up taking a cab home from a road ride one day. Luckily, Princess has never put me to the test outside of the basement.
Guess I can cross "Bike Mechanic in the Tour" off my list of potential careers.
Guess I can cross "Bike Mechanic in the Tour" off my list of potential careers.
12 PM
Running (Trail) 2:11:48 15.48 km (8:31 / km) +526m 7:17 / km
shoes: Salomon Speedcross 3 - Purple
Our course testing up north was postponed, and today's forecast was 34C with a humidex of 40C. I'll translate that in honour of our American friends celebrating the 4th of July... The combined temperature + humidity felt like 104F.
In other words, it was a perfect day for a run at high noon! The Death Race is exactly one month from today so it's time to focus on heat acclimation. It's also time to work on race-specific things so I wore my 12L Salomon Skin Pack (bigger than I usually need) and ran with my lightweight poles that I'll be using on a couple of the steeper sections of the Death Race. I've already tested nutrition, hydration and electrolyte pills but today I also tried filling my Salomon soft flask with slightly concentrated eLoad.
I ran the Bruce Trail heading north from 5th Line Adjala just off Airport Rd. The trail leads into the Hockley Valley, and the terrain along the way has lots of climbs and descents, including a route from top to bottom of an old ski area, mostly through the trees, with a spectacular view to the north. The forest was tolerably hot but any time I came out into the open, it was like an oven. Shortly after the trail joined the Hockley Loop, I came out on 2nd Line. Rather than continuing on the loop, I climbed to the rim of the valley on 2nd Line, which is a quiet lane. Then I ran down to the bottom of the valley to pound my quads, then back up to the top and halfway down to get back on the Bruce Trail for the trip back. I ran some of the uphills on the way out but eventually I was walking the uphills as if I were in a 50-mile race.
The #1 positive thing to say about this run was that it was very good Death Race training, and whenever I felt miserable, I reminded myself of that. I didn't have a bad time but it would be a stretch to call it "fun". Nothing hurt and I don't feel dehydrated or drained of energy now. The soft flask was a good addition to the hydration arsenal - really easy to drink from. I could use it for gels too. Today's podcasts: "This American Life" with some interesting stories about fathers, and "Ideas" about gender stereotyping.
In other words, it was a perfect day for a run at high noon! The Death Race is exactly one month from today so it's time to focus on heat acclimation. It's also time to work on race-specific things so I wore my 12L Salomon Skin Pack (bigger than I usually need) and ran with my lightweight poles that I'll be using on a couple of the steeper sections of the Death Race. I've already tested nutrition, hydration and electrolyte pills but today I also tried filling my Salomon soft flask with slightly concentrated eLoad.
I ran the Bruce Trail heading north from 5th Line Adjala just off Airport Rd. The trail leads into the Hockley Valley, and the terrain along the way has lots of climbs and descents, including a route from top to bottom of an old ski area, mostly through the trees, with a spectacular view to the north. The forest was tolerably hot but any time I came out into the open, it was like an oven. Shortly after the trail joined the Hockley Loop, I came out on 2nd Line. Rather than continuing on the loop, I climbed to the rim of the valley on 2nd Line, which is a quiet lane. Then I ran down to the bottom of the valley to pound my quads, then back up to the top and halfway down to get back on the Bruce Trail for the trip back. I ran some of the uphills on the way out but eventually I was walking the uphills as if I were in a 50-mile race.
The #1 positive thing to say about this run was that it was very good Death Race training, and whenever I felt miserable, I reminded myself of that. I didn't have a bad time but it would be a stretch to call it "fun". Nothing hurt and I don't feel dehydrated or drained of energy now. The soft flask was a good addition to the hydration arsenal - really easy to drink from. I could use it for gels too. Today's podcasts: "This American Life" with some interesting stories about fathers, and "Ideas" about gender stereotyping.
Tuesday Jul 3, 2012 #
Note
It's official. We've bought the Epic V8 Ultra surfski and will have it by the weekend. JayXC, I'm coming down to Hemlock Lake to race you!
P.S. Let's trade surfskis before the race.
Btw for people interested in surfskis, here's a comparison chart looking at speed vs. stability. (You have to scroll down to the Surfski Comparison Chart and click on it - I can't link directly.) The V8 isn't on the chart but it would be more stable and slower than the V10 Sport Ultra - although the difference isn't big, based on other user reviews. Note that moving up to the Ultra material increases speed a fair bit for a given surfski model. Also note that the paddler who maintains this chart sells Stellar surfskis, which receive good ratings here.
P.S. Let's trade surfskis before the race.
Btw for people interested in surfskis, here's a comparison chart looking at speed vs. stability. (You have to scroll down to the Surfski Comparison Chart and click on it - I can't link directly.) The V8 isn't on the chart but it would be more stable and slower than the V10 Sport Ultra - although the difference isn't big, based on other user reviews. Note that moving up to the Ultra material increases speed a fair bit for a given surfski model. Also note that the paddler who maintains this chart sells Stellar surfskis, which receive good ratings here.
Monday Jul 2, 2012 #
Strength & Mobility (Legs) 35:00 [2]
11 AM
Orienteering (Mixed) 1:05:00 [2] 8.07 km (8:03 / km) +1m 8:03 / km
Social paddle with Goose and Coach LD on Island Lake. Did 3K in our kayaks then switched to the Doughty whitewater canoe so they could test out the kayaks. It took a shoe horn to get Goose into my Eclipse but once he was all set up, he briefly took it up over 14 kph!
We went to The Shed for paninis and drinks on their back patio. To celebrate them getting their liquor licence on Saturday, I had a chilled white wine - mmm. It was nice to catch up with Mrs. Shedman. Apparently, The Shedman and 'Bent are both feeling some after-effects from yesterday's 3.5 hour run!
In spite of getting the summer off, school teachers never *really* take a holiday. Coach LD took time to teach the staff the correct spelling of "tomatoe" and "latte's". Goose... well, actually he *was* on holiday.
We went to The Shed for paninis and drinks on their back patio. To celebrate them getting their liquor licence on Saturday, I had a chilled white wine - mmm. It was nice to catch up with Mrs. Shedman. Apparently, The Shedman and 'Bent are both feeling some after-effects from yesterday's 3.5 hour run!
In spite of getting the summer off, school teachers never *really* take a holiday. Coach LD took time to teach the staff the correct spelling of "tomatoe" and "latte's". Goose... well, actually he *was* on holiday.