Training Log Archive: 'Bent

How to be a road biker
http://youtu.be/TEhySzO14ik

Foothab, kneehab, last part of the Link workout (Lots of different dumbell squats etc) and some cable press, pull-ups (up to 10 now) and cable shoulder press.

2-dog ski in the warmer part of the day. Just warm enough that Bulletdog was OK to gamely trot along for this time out.

Nice crisp commute. Wind chill warning and too cold for dogs, but I was toasty most of the time. Skied up to get a load of logs, dumped most of them at the bottom of the big snowdrift hill and floundered my way up through chest-deep snow with only 6 logs on the toboggan.

Bah- great snow out there but hazardous winds, so had to drive.

C • really? 7

Foothab, kneehab and 2/3 of a Link workout.

Great outing with Bash and Greg. We started at Albion, did a full red loop, then up through Reddington and most of the Palgrave red loop, then over to re-do some of yesterday's route.

Perfect conditions for this- full on real winter!!

We still haven't skied-out the area fully yet.
Route from Bash's log here:

http://ar.attackpoint.org/sessiondata.jsp?sessioni...

After the car shuttle I took the dogs out for a rocket around the local trails.

Out for a first small lap with Bulletdog, then a really nice tour of the 'hood with Bash. Saw Mr.Porkie having lunch too.

I harnessed up BZ dog and we hauled a huge load of logs out of the bush. Dropped half off before the steep uphill but even with snowshoes and the hauling hound it was a struggle to get over a big snowdrift. Split and stacked them too.

Out with the big guy for a great ski around the 'hood. He was hauling well for the first part, and we even found his missing boot.
Wind picked up and we headed home, but he was out of gas for the last bit. Snoring in front of the fire now.

C • It was actually noticeably warmer today 2

Ski in with the big guy. Despite his humiliation at wearing a coat and sled-dog booties he had a good romp, only losing one bootie.

C • Did you find it again? 2

Warm enough Bazingadog didn't need his humiliating boots. We had a great ski back. I love my commute!

Oh oh, Caron was wearing the dreaded orange. 30 reps of everything.
Luckily she skipped my despised leg lift stuff.

Lots of balance, little rest. Left calf was sore, and had to bail on one pose that hurt my bad knee.

Wow, -32C when I took the dogs out to pee in the AM. They were hopping on 3 legs and eager to get back inside.

Had a great ski to work though. Wish I'd gone longer.

C • Crazy 6

Quick foothab, kneehab, cable press and pull-ups before skiing.

Night commute home- Pure winter awesomeness.

Whew, nice brisk conditions for a ski to work. -25c is too cold for the dogs, but I loved it and did extra on the way home.

Nice ski in and back with Bazingadog. Great wintery conditions, -15 and powder snow!

C • GRR 2

2:30.00
Some hauling wood, but mostly attacking a massive mountain of ice by our driveway. Couldn't dent it with a snowshovel or a garden spade, so I used my smaller axe chipping a passage through the clear ice, chopping out chunks that I could break with a spade. Sheesh - I need a new axe handle now!

Snowshoe Raid with Hammer as team 2 1/2 Meniscuses.
Different format this year- starting at the base of Blue Mtn, with a run up Mtn Springs Trail then off to Loree for the bulk for the race, with a second map to pick up there after 90 min and a bus ride back. Less road running and more orienteering in hilly terrain = more Hammer friendly.

Hammer made good use of my trekking poles for the big climb up Mtn Springs. Once in Loree, the Master Strategist had a plan to drop the high-pointers in the Northeast on the first map, hoping there would be more on the second map there to combine.
We met HarpsLogie and GallyStorm part way through the first map and ran with them for a bit, but were pleased to run on our own for much of it. We had to drop 2 controls on the first map, but found 2 controls from the second map by luck.

After returning to the hub and grabbing the second map we'd indeed left lots of high-pointers up in the NE, but could get all but one in an efficient loop. Once again- alone, and breaking trail a bit even late in the game, with no idea of our standings. Hammer debated going for a 40 pointer that he estimated would make us 3 minutes late, so a possible 10 point gain after penalty, but decided to keep it safe.

Turns out we were 10 points behind overall winners Batkins, and tied with HarpsLogie but they were ahead on time. 1st Masters.

Great to race with Hammer, who had a nasty knee this week but maintains a sharp brain. Like the new format!

C • Congrats Bent! 14

Foothab, light kneehab, workout 3 with some sets of chin-ups.

Commute with the big guy. We did a bit extra to break foot trail on one section next to ski tracks.Trails are frozen harder, and it's still ankle-testing in spots. Best not run tomorrow and save the ankles for SSR.

Woo hoo, viva la France x2!

C • bon courage! 16

Foothab, kneehab and workout 2.

Commute with Bulletdog. First km was a bit soft, then it was rutted concrete snow and ice the rest of the way. Bulletdog was brisk on the way out, but the return trip was a stop-and-sniff. Also hauled another load of logs out of the bush.

Left ankle was a bit sore after.

Run in with a slightly tired BZ dog. Bash drove us home after I stayed late for IT issues and the wind came up.

Peak to Peak- Palgrave Canicross edition.

Out with the mighty Bazingadog on the running snowshoes, a fantastic tour covering hill and dale as bushwhacking is great on the snow layer. He had his Skijoring setup on. We climbed everything we could find, and the Megabeastie was a great help whenever we were following deer tracks. He wore out a bit after the first hour, and is curled up in bed in front of the fire now.

We also hauled a huge sled load of wood out of the bush, but had to drop half of it before the steep uphill where there's a deep hard snowdrift.

C • I think Megabeastie needs a wee kilt 8

Hauling, splitting and stacking some of the previous loads.

Foothab, kneehab, workout 1, kbs, some core, anything I could think of while watching it rain outside.

Great ski with Bash and Greg Y- map link: http://www.ar.attackpoint.org/sessiondata.jsp?sess...

Greg took us on a tour of the backcountry trails behind his place down to the Bruce, then I took us on a tour of the southern half near where I used to live.
Snow conditions were mostly fantastic, with some breakable crust and ice.
Even got a couple of Tele runs in. We skied all we could, before the big slush-fest forecast tomorrow.

Possibly my favourite activity of all, out with friends/family breaking trail and exploring untouched trails in the 'hood.
Only thing better would be to have a well behaved hound along.

C • Skinny tele? 2

Out with the Bazingadog to fetch my van. Snow was still not bad, but getting sticky. We spotted 3 deer but he just put the hammer down on the trail, thankfully not trying to take off into the bush with me attached.
Tracks in Palgrave are great right now- hopefully they survive.

Nice headlamp ski home in perfect conditions. The big guy was in a hauling mood too, rather than exhibiting "after you" manners.

For the new year, Caron threw in my most hated sequence of exercises. Gonna be so-o-o-re...

Progressive yoga. Not too bad, given that I've mainly been doing lumberjack work for strength.

Most of workout 3 and foot/kneehab

Great ski in with Bazingadog. Still deep snow out there- our tracks from Monday are gone, but we found some new ones.
Excellent conditions!! The big guy had a great romp, and is wiped out.

Ugh- Bullfrog van is pretty sick- transmission cooler somehow leaked into the rad, so it got full of transmission fluid and the tranny full of antifreeze.
At best I need a new rad and trans. flush, at worst a new transmission. Damn, I'd rather spend the $ on a Rohloff transmission for my 'bent.

C • Rohloff 4

Aargh- tons of snow out there just begging for a ski commute but howling winds forecast later just waiting to drop tree limbs on me. Also a severe wind chill, but I love that.

Woo Hoo, Bash offered me a ride home during the unsafe afternoon so I could ski to work.

Bazingadog and I broke trail - solid workout for both of us as he was chest-deep and we had to keep the pace up, even with leaving just at first light.
Love it!

C • agreed! 5

Nice run in Palgrave with Greg Y and the BARFs. Trails are pretty good- only one bad obstruction that requires a bushwhack.

Snow stopped falling, so I hooked up Bazingadog to the skijoring harness and headed out with Bash. It's still icy under the snow, so we had to stick to the Palgrave doubletrack only, but at least the lad is tired now.

Foot/kneehab.

We had planned to go skiing but the Bullfrog van was pooched yesterday. It wouldn't heat up inside but the engine overheated and we had to stop in Bolton just as it boiled over. Sadly I'm not man enough to really know how to fix automotive cooling systems myself. We had to go back with the Bashmobile and pick it up this morning. After topping up coolant we had to stop three times to let it cool off on the way back to Palgrave garage.

I got out with Bazingadog to run the Charlevoix trail, and move whatever deadfall I could. Some big stuff still frozen in there.

3.5 hours
Went out after lunch with Bulletdog to redeem my manhood by hand-sawing over a dozen trees across the trail into manageable chunks and muscling them out of the frozen ground. One was too big for me to move, but luckily Mike and his Fat bike came by, and he helped me haul it off.
He was wearing everything I suggested for Turbo up in Whitehorse- Wolvhammer boots, massive pogies, ski helmet with goggles...


I also hauled in 5 massive loads of logs from the bush. Serious cross-fit, Great to have such a solid workout with no gym!

C • Are those gloves attached t... 6

Nice run to work in a brisk -21c, and back with a stop to haul a load of wood in from the bush. Too cold for dogs.

Knee is a little sore.

Waterfalls of Hamilton.
Started out with good crowd, ran with Griz up the first K2, with Sudden up the second time, back down with Hammer, and on the roads with Katiemac.
Did all the waterfalls we could on public land.
Great group of runners, wonderful treats and company after.

Knee felt OK for the first time since Lookout and legs were good after 3 weeks of no running.
Thanks Traveloney for hosting us!