Training Log Archive: Funderstormin

Storm the Trent with Alisha, Amber, and Stephania. It was fun to return to the same location as last year, as we knew what to expect, and especially lovely to be able to stay on site this year

Everything about the day felt a bit smoother than the year before. There weren't the same restrictions about being onsite before the race, so we had more time to register, put gear where it was supposed to be, and get organized for the start of the race. After a failed attempt last year to put two canoes on top of each on a portage cart, we learned our lesson and used the cart for one canoe loaded with all of our gear while the other canoe was portaged separately. We left ourselves more time for the portage so it didn't feel so rushed, and managed to start during our assigned window.

The paddle went smoothly, and the portage back up, while definitely more challenging, went about as good as it could. We headed out on bikes and enjoyed the short warm-up to the first trek.

The theme for the rest of the day is that I loved all the bike sections, but the treks felt like a bit of a slog, in part because there wasn't any navigation where strategy might trump physical fitness. We did all of the optional CPs, but the last one especially up to the lookout wasn't super fun, even though it was a beautiful day (the beer was calling by then). I really enjoyed the new trail sections on the bike that we didn't do last year, and the drier conditions! Knowing the bike course also meant that seeing the endless hills wasn't as mentally challenging as the year before. So all in all, the whole day went smoothly without any disasters or challenges. Our transitions were efficient but calm, and we all finished feeling tired but happy!

We enjoyed a post-race happy hour back at the camboose, had dinner, and hung out with friends around the solo stove in the beer tent. A wonderful finish to a great day out!

C • Congratulations! :) 2

Stephania and I went for an exploratory ride to see if we could find simpy and so that I could give her a sense of where we'd be going on Saturday. We were only successful with the first one once we got back to base camp, but it was nice to stretch the legs after a long drive.

The only downside to my whirlwind weekend adventure was not being able to find in activities for a few days. My Monday started very early and ended with an overnight flight home, so I used the 90 minutes I had between arriving home and needing to get ready to work to nap instead of exercise.

I guess I'll be well rested for this weekend!

Another beautiful day in Vancouver, but I had to be at my hotel by mid-afternoon, which didn't allow enough time to really head out of town again. So I got to try my hand at a new activity, and successfully piloted Greg's 34 ft boat through the channels around downtown Vancouver without crashing into anything. It was a super fun and unique experience!