Training Log Archive: Harps

Was hoping for a 12K loop with intervals but the heavens opened up and I don't want to risk a cold for a bit longer workout so I just did the short loop.

Nice fall day for a ride. Cruised most of it until I hit Rattlesnake and 6th Line climbs which I forced myself to ride in the saddle. A third chainring would have been appreciated.

Event: Frontier Adventure Challenge - Fall Classic
 

FAC champs race with Leanimal and Goose. Since Leanimal took the lead navigation for this one I figured I would get a better sleep but a soloist in our room with sleep apnea roomate kept us and MBR awake most of the night with the loudest snoring I have ever heard. After a few winks up at 4:30am for the bike drop-off, coffee and race start.
The paddle was a partial out and back - about 6K to a CP in a bay on western Lake Rosseau then back SE to another small bay in L.Rosseau. Ended up third into the first few paddle CP's, behind Benoit and his draftee Frenchie. Passed them into the first paddle/bike TA on the last portage.
On the bikes we were joined for most of the ride with Benoit who missed team racing and snuck in some draft opportunities. Once we hit the ATV trails he dropped us and we settled into some pretty nice riding until Goose flatted his tubeless. The short delay adding a tube saw Kenetic passing us and placing us third into the bike/trek TA.
The trek had 5 CP's all about 700-900m apart in sometimes trivial locations (high point of land, Y-jcn of unmarked trails...). Ugh... We decided to be conservative and just take bearings directly, not wanting to risk going off bearing since there were little handrails/catch features and the CP's were in the corner of our only topo map. Lee pace counted while Angus and I held the bearing. Other than losing 5 minutes on the wrong exit trail from a CP, we nailed every checkpoint, However, we knew that bushwhacking could lose us some speed with the numerous trails should some teams go that route instead. Our fears were realized when we entered the TA again in 4th, dropping a spot and behind Adrenaline Rush, Kenetic and soloist KURA. Eff.
Back on the bikes for the final ride we pushed on hoping to catch a glimpse of another team ahead to provide the carrot. Unfortunately we could not make up much ground on the lead teams and finished 4th overall, 1st co-ed. Was great to win co-ed but I know we were all hoping for the overall win. Leanimals navigation was bang on and we moved well as a team. Pleasure was all mine racing with the two! It was nice to have less nav duties too... I actually was able to eat during the race ;)

A few thoughts on the race...

Positives:
Location - muskoka in sept - beauty fall colours; new course location (last 2 years covered much of the same course)
MTB - with all the rain the trails were advertised as being a sloppy mess so I was prepping for the worst (and another huge AR-related bike repair bill) but in actuality other than a few short sections almost all of it was rideable. It was a mix of grassy ATV, open cdn shield (like torrence barrens) and rocky snowmobile stuff.
Host site - awesome awards dinner, great to have everyone staying in the same location, community feel. compared to $200+/night at the 4* marriot the last few years $30/night/pp in a cabin was pretty good deal (provided you can sleep with snoring roomies).
Negatives:
Duration - billed as 12 hours but winners in 6???? There was plenty of time for a real trek.
Layout - the one bike advanced CP was maybe 2-2.5 hours into the course and enroute to the next CP. In my opinion it would NOT have taken a team longer to get the adv CP versus not getting it. If you are trying to have teams finish together why wasn't the advanced section near the end?
Trek - way way way too short, 2 trivial locations unidentifiable on a topo map (needle in a haystack), CP's were on the edge of the only map provided so if you overshot several of them, you were off your map.

Overall still a very fun race!

C • Great job! Glad you got to ... 1

Felt like crap.

Quick ride over to Hilton, slippery as sh*t in there, I was dreaming of how sticky those Barrens probably are. Took it easy for most of the ride until I saw "the scooter beer guy" - a local I see daily going by our road in his motorized bicycle to and from the Cville Beer Store. Apparently it was time for his everyday fix so I raced him from Campbellville to my house. Barely beat him... His bike must max out at 33km/hr I'd guess, unless he was taking it easy on me.

C • max speed 1

Still sweating out the Muskoka Cream Ales.

Quick loop around the trail in Torrance Barrens while Amy nursed. Very sluggish for some reason...

C • Mmmm 6

Finished off our trip up north with a nice family hike around TB.

Early morning run with Phatty and 'Bent in Torrance Barrens.

Epic swimming throwdown v The Phats, about 15m free, 15m breast within the docks. There was almost a concussion, some half moons but Phatty walked away with the win. Pretty sure I won the Jacknife diving competition though.

C • CONTROVERSY ALERT! It was ... 1

Almost had to log the ceilidh dancing. Was pretty tough stuff, had a good sweat on.

Great day for a beautiful wedding and weekend.

C • I did! 3

Out to ride some of the LR&S course from Camp PineCrest while attending PhattyJr and 2-min's wedding. Had a few route-finding problems, esp. near km 9 but eventually found my way. Ran into Leanimal where she was heading out to where I came, so I continued on only to run into Bash and 'Bent where we joined forces for a little while before Bash's chain exploded. The Barrens area is phenominal mountain biking, very Moab-esque without any hills, lots of open Canadian Shield, numerous lines, drops, etc. Picked up the pace on the road home since I was already running late.

Cooler temps, great running weather. Speed finally returning, just in time for the off-season. PB for this interval route I think.

C • And you plan to shut it dow... 1

Burlington. Shock to the system.

Had to pick up the bike from Speed River so went up to ride Guelph Lake. Haven't been there in many years; not technical or hilly, mostly twisty pine stuff.

Great day for a ride. Moffat->Arkell->Eden Mills->Rockwood loop.

Nice paddle with Kirkou on the Grand. Afterwards chili/bacon dogs & fries at LA Dogs in da 'bridge. I held off on the ice cream due to a run planned after. Looking forward to trying out their shakes next time.

Down to Crawford Lake tract, Bruce trail out, doubletrack back. Could feel the effects of the greasy lunch early in the run, cramps, slow going... but once settled in the fat just burned low and slow and kept me going in the late in the run.

Event: GUATS Logs Rocks and Steel
 

Halton Hilly ride.

Carlisle/Mountsberg loop +. Gave the rollers and escarpment climb a bit more kick than usual. Cedar Springs Rd finally back open, I get my nice sheltered rides back.

Medium Bruce trail loop. Great day for a run now that the heat has subsided and no bugs. Lots of day hikers, I hope I remembered to wear deodorant today :)

Kilbride, Carlisle, Mountsberg, Moffat.

Tried to beat the heat unsuccessfully - what the eff is up with this humidity?!?! - was planning to to intervals but had no kick and the heat was too intense for me.

Family road trip to visit Dee and Logie in Craigleith. Bill paddled his kayak while I tested out Dee's Cobra Eliminator as I am pondering a much overdue upgrade to my big slow beast of a sea kayak. Very stable surfski on a rare dead calm Georgian Bay. Followed up by delicious food and drinks.

Kelso summit challenge(?) on one muggy day. Appleby, Steeles, 14th SR, Bell School, Appleby/Rattlesnake. Took it somewhat easy on the climbs although tough to keep it too easy on Bell and Rattlesnake. Clocked the latter at 4:05, 20s slower than last time which is about what I expected.

So hazy out you could barely see Milton 5K east of Kelso summit (normally you can see Toronto 50K away!).