Training Log Archive: 'Bent

Wed AM ride with Bash, Goose and Leanimal, but we pulled the plug in the pouring rain after the third thunderstorm. Time approx.

Watching the Giro- a crazy uphill twisty finish through a 1000 year old fort, and the mtn time trial.

C • Paddling Erg 7

I rode the new route to work with the Bulletdog. On the way back BD rolled in something hideous, so we did an extra loop over the hill to the pond to try and swim some of it off.

C • It's not even spring time, ... 8

New route home via the river for dog-dunking is a bit longer than the way there.

Workout #3 + shoulders

Out for a nice ride in Palgrave with Bash. I took a bit of a wipeout when I hit a log-end hidden in the thick greenery and whacked my left arm pretty well but it seems OK.

Run in Terra Cotta with Bash, Slowrunner, Vents, Goose, Hingo and Rocky.
Goose was short on time so we did a fast first bit out and back, then I joined the others for the rest of the run as the Goose migrated back to Bolton.
Mix of 2 and 3 with some 4 in the first part with Goose.

Hingo, Bash and I headed off to the Shed for Iced Mochas while S,V and R continued on valiantly.

C • whew! 3

Nice day, so I spun down to the drier North Albion trails. I had great climbing legs today! Back to Palgrave and the Red Dog singletrack, with stops for raspberries.

I met the TRCA dude working on the trail, and managed to get him to review the map with me. Result- they will be putting in some link trails to allow access to the South trails (and allow my commute). Woo-hoo!

Some easy reverse curls and shoulder stuff watching the Tour.

Ran to work with Bulletdog through the *new Western gate* on the Palgrave-Reddington border.
On the way home the sky looked dicey, but cleared right up so I checked out the Eastern gate and did a little work to clear the path to it.

Finally, some good news after months of hurling my bike over the fence.

Easy spin watching the Tour, until the tape cut out.

Workout #2 while watching the Tour on the last Alp stage.

Poured all night and this AM, so I was *forced* to watch the rest of the Alp D'Huez stage. Level 3 while the Tour was on, level 4 during the inane commercials.

Watching 90% commercials before the first big climb of the day on the Tour. I'm so-o-o sick of Bowflex or ShamWow commercials!

C • sham-why? 8

Bulletdog and I ran to work in the cool but humid AM, with some nice fast bits in there. I did some extra speed work on the rail trail and Palgrave EQ centre as so many trails are closed on Palgrave Cons., but had to back off as Bulletdog was actually lagging!

Easier jog home.

Portaging the boat out due to windy conditions. I just had my whitewater boat and a medium pack, while the mighty Goose had a heavier boat stuffed with paddles, lifejackets and a pack, and just trotted along as the boat on my head weathervaned me along behind him.

C • Are you guys still up near ... 4

Medium spin watching the TDF, with some hard intervals thrown in.

Reverse curls and all the shoulder exercises + concentration curls and tri extn while watching the Tour.

Nice quick-paced run with Goose- out along the beach at The Pinery, and back along trails.

Nice evening paddle on a funny sit-on kayak with Coach LD along the shore to Ipperwash and back.

(2.5 hrs) Orienteering practice near Goose and LD's cottage, with Goose, Bash, and the Gosling & Bardocuculis Girl (Can you tell we played Balderdash?).

Very interesting Carolinian forest, and some seriously steep dunes.

Hard AM ride while watching the tour. Stooopid forecast for thunderstorms, so no bike to work.

Warmup on the erg.

Workout #1 watching the Tour. I'm getting feeble, doing more paddle trainer and less weights.
Oh well, probably better for AR.

Note- drove to work, as we have a Geothermal guy coming in for a consult who is terrified of any dogs, so I chauffeured both pooches to work.

C • Scary Beasts 1

Feeling sluggish this AM, but the legs were quick on the way home. Bulletdog and I detoured a bit to check out some more of the closures, and met Big G on the way home.

Thumbs of Death feels my sore elbows are due to my Brachialis getting sand kicked in their faces, so I did sets of reverse curls and other misc dumbell stuff watching the Tour.

Easy spin for the legs while watching TDF.

RockstAR with Bash. - See Bash's log for details.
Interesting race format put on by STORM and Hark, of ESAR fame.
It would be a marked bike course, followed by a rogaine-style paddle and hike section. Not a big turnout, perhaps due to mid-summer conflicts, or the new format? We'd heard that Beowulf was gunning for us, and we'd actually been thinking of this as a fun day out, but now it was game on ;)

Bash is in her element planning a route in this situation, and had it dialed perfectly, with points/km for all the various route options. I cleverly stayed clear at this time, setting up the boat and bikes.

We started out on typical AR biking, muddy and rocky ATV trails. My legs felt great. Bash was being "cautious" (bombing down the hills on her new bike) but still managed to fall fully into the muck when she slid off the edge into of a deep puddle. A quick zip on dirt roads and a bit of pavement into Bark Lake for a TA after about 90 minutes.
And what a TA! We had individual setup areas with our own chairs, they provided a main area with bug spray, cold drinks, chips, cookies, sandwiches, etc. Pity we were just in and out, changing into bug-resistant long pants and sleeves and throwing in some more bladders.

We hit the paddle about 8 minutes behind Beowulf and Hunger.
Off to 41, which gave us a little bobble, then we got an unusual floating CP.
I threw on the boat and ran the 1km portage, where we met up with 3 other teams just launching. The paddle trainer, strong bow paddler and quick boat seem to be working, as we left them all quickly. Next we had 3 running CPs at the extreme North end, where we saw Hunger, then back on the boat, run the portage again, and back down Bark lake for some CPs on the West side.

There was a rule that you had to check in to the TA once before 7PM, which meant some doubling back, then off to 3 more CPs via paddle and run in some heavy bushwhacking and deerflies. Back to the TA, a quick sprint portage to the swamp to slosh over to one more CP which Bash had the misfortune of punching, then portage back and a run to a final CP. We'd miscounted the pace a bit, and overshot, but managed to get it and make it back in time.

Tuns out that nobody cleaned the course, and nobody took the same route- a sign of a perfect course design- well done, Sean and Vin!

Our buddies Hunger (Padre, The Gazelle and JB) won with 1020 points of a possible 1130. We had 960, which gave us second overall and first co-ed, just 30 points ahead of the ferocious but gracious Beowulf. Bash was rock-solid on the route plan and nav, of course.

Again, a very interesting and well designed race, and a new level of service for the racers, which would work for entry level or hard core teams. All the CPs were well placed, and the maps very good. Logistics were flawless too, as we expect from STORM and the Flatfoot duo.

Great Wed AM ride around Albion with Bash, Ms LD, The Padre and The Gazelle. Conditions are perfect, and my legs felt really strong today after an easy weekend. A few crashes and tech problems amongst the non 'bent crowd.

We saw a herd of deer that were totally unimpressed with us, and a turkey that didn't like the Gazelle at all. I also saw 3 more deer on the way to work.

Quickie commute without dogs after some emergency bike tuneup work for LeAnimal.

Commute home. Surprise- the trail from our house is now signed "closed" and barricaded. Oy vey.

Early morning spin while watching part of Stage 3 TDF. Amazing elaborate hay-bale sculpture folks made in the field near the 45km to go mark.

Early morning paddling while watching a bit of Stage 2 TDF- trying to keep to my "must be on trainer while watching" rule.

Warm up, then 2 on, 2 off for my run before it gets too stinkin' hot later today. Still arrived at work pretty bagged.

Slow jog home on a smog day with Bulletdog.

Note- 5 more trails are signed "closed for regeneration" and barricaded with logs, including a section I sweated buckets to clear on Monday. My commute will be tough- either the twisty singletrack, or a short easy route with seas of poison ivy.

More paddling to the TDF while dinner was on the solar cooker.

Out with Bash's Photo assignment. We went various places that she needed to shoot, and the dedicated Bash tested out her new X-alp shoes by wading into the river for a key photo. Some road, trail, rail trail etc on a lazy hot sunday.

First half of workout #1. Still feeling lazy today so I pulled the plug.

Run to work with Bulletdog, + more trail clearing.
On the way home we got the rest of the trail-hacking done, more or less.
Thick dense meter-high grass is tough!

It looks like they're starting to close the Palgrave trails. I noted signs and piles of logs on part of the singletrack, and some white Xs on the entrance to other trails, including the one I just cleared :(

C • Rats 6

Time for the annual trail work workouts. Ran to work with some tools, and stopped to hack at chest-high weeds, nettles, thistles and thick grass on the trail. I ditched the tools in a useful spot for the return home.

I'd planned more trail work, but Bash had an emergency- an attempt to grill polenta and scallop brochettes a la Crash, and she had an early meeting, so Captain Cuisine was required ASAP.

I ran home at race pace (PB even with a heavy pack) but Bash had already managed the BBQ.

Maybe level 5? No HRM.

Note- still not running with Bulletdog. She's been favouring her post-surgical leg since our run Tuesday, so we've given her time off. Maybe we can run in tomorrow at an easy pace.

C • emergency 3

Albion ride with Bash and Goose. Bash left me in the dust again in the singletrack on her new bike.

Nice cool AM run around Palgrave East with Bash and Bulletdog.