Training Log Archive: phatty

Early AM redcord

First run in too long. Managed to convince Goose to go up the HVT after his bedtime. It was %^&'n hot out and I think we both felt like hurling afterward.

Leanimal and I got out for a rare bike ride together. She put the screws to me on the first hill out of Burlington but I think I redeemed myself on the following dozen or so thereafter. We climbed the Appleby Line switchback in honour of Teams Running Free and Tree Huggers as they've been racing in the mountains for the past 4 days....our hill climbs were pretty much the same thing we reckoned.

C • Your Hill Climbs 5

Biked back to Burlington from Ancaster after cheering Leeanimal on at her 25k trail race. Just kind of followed the compass to make a scenic route back.

Biked home from work...in the rain...doah! Had to give the bird to one a$%^le when he made a pass, driving directly at me and dodging back into his lane just in front me. Prick.

Has anyone ever been ticketed by a police officer for obscuring their rear licence plate with a bike rack? We just got a rear mounted Thule bike rack (don't trust the overhead ones and jamming the bike(s) inside the car likely won't get us any 'parents of the year' prizes with a 5 month old in tow now) and I got pulled over on the 407 by a guy who clearly thought that I was trying to pull a fast one...as soon as he saw my transponder, I could tell his change in demeanour. In any case, he explained that it's a $110 fine for obscuring your plate. Fair enough but how are rear bike racks legally sold if this is truly the case. I politely asked the guy throughout our conversation what he would suggest and he said something along the lines of 'I don't know...just figure it out'. Huh? Hardly helpful.

In Europe, they sell rear mounted racks with spots to put an extra licence plate. I'll be very interested to hear what the MTO says when I ask for a 3rd plate for my bike rack.

C • 407 6

Long day to and from Montreal but managed to find the energy to get on the red cord.

Found some great trails in a Simcoe County Forest tract close to home base which meant for very little ashphalt overall. Not sure if the snowmobile trails were on private property of not so I just assumed they were in play. Super nice out 3rd day in a row.

Grabbed the sea kayak and went for a Lake Couchiching tour hitting all of the hot spots - 3 bays north, the spot we got married, cormorant island, and Chief's Island. Very calm waters.

No car and had to get to Orillia this AM...so I biked. Best weather day of 2011 in my books. Sit bones and low back are pretty sore but I am happily surprised at how my legs felt throughout.

C • Happy Birthday! 1

Ran up river toward the hanging valley at the end of the glacier. Did a little rock hopping for a while to test out the ankles a little which was fun. Good to get out after a long day.

Snuck in a run after meetings and before dinner.

Staving off the need to sleep, I got to Chamonix, grabbed my gear and started climbing the Mont Blanc side of the valley. I hit the snow line after a while and had a loose plan to take a circular route back down. However, it got pretty deep, very rocky, and steep so I played it safe and did a 180. Views up at 2,200m were clouded in but every now and then the jagged peaks were visible. Epic landscape here.

C • Intensity 5

It took a lot of mental effort to get out of the comfortable and DRY car and into the pouring rain up at Palgrave CA for Goose and I. Misery loves company, though. After a spin in Palgrave East we headed for Glen Haffy CA. We did the circle in there on the south side and then made our return through Palgrave West. Soaked and gassed, I was happy to be done. Too bad about not getting in our planned ride but this was a great consolation.

AM ride into work. One dingaling decided to pass a line of traffic on a country road with a solid yellow line...right toward me. I expressed my displeasure with his unwise decision with an appropriate gesture to which I may have received a similar one in kind. Ahhhh GTA commuting...lovin' it.

Ride back to car.

PhilthyPhil joined Goose and I for a run around Bolton's east end trails. Slightly more raw of a tour than would be on the HVT. It would be sweet to map the Bolton Camp area for orienteering someday...

C • philthy philly v? I thought... 2

Well, about 1/2 trail, 1/2 road...and that's the best I guess I can expect while working in industrial Markham...

C • Shoes? 4

HVT sections 1 through 3 and back with Goose. Legs, knees, and ankles still pretty gassed from the E2C.

C • Gassed 3

Goose, Leanimal, and I went for a spin on MTBs around Caledon. Of course, they had to stop at the Grackle for tea and crumpets, ruining our training cred for the day. Legs didn't quite have it today but finished well.

Redcord upper body with Goose as the Canucks fought the Preds.

Burned home a little early so as to get a ride in before Leanimal went out for hot yoga. Off to Kleinburg and back in the stiff wind. Stopped to help likely the largest turtle I'd ever seen as he was in the middle of the right lane and not going anywhere fast. He didn't seem to appreciate me trying to push him off the road with a stick and lashed out a few times. So, instead, I turned him over, hoped for sun tomorrow, and left him for dead. Oh well.





Yeah right...

I almost feel bad calling this running given that I was going so damn slow but I was still pretty gassed from the weekend. Leanimal and Goose dragged me out into the cold rain...ugh, had enough of that on Sunday AM in the wilds of Nova Scotia.