IcantbelieveJanuaryisalmostover!!!
Seems like only last week we were celebrating Christmas and New Year's... and suddenly it's the end of January! It might partly have something to do with being sick (second time in two months!!), this time with sinus/chest cold-- it really knocked me out for a good week, with lingering after effects for another week and a half. But feeling much better now.
So what have I been up to, you ask? Went snowboarding twice in very, very cold weather on the first and the third-- fun times. Have been doing a lot of hot yoga, and running. Haven't been spinning, because the spin trainer was seizing up on me, so I took it in for warranty, and it wasn't resolved until yesterday (more in another post...) Went swimming once, then again today (finally!). And I was asked to take over as one of the pacers for my running group-- which I agreed to do, but it's changed my runs.
Don't get me wrong, I love to help people. But we don't really have a solid "pace group" really established, as there are two clinics that have overlapped-- one is doing the Hypo Half on February 12, the other the Big Run in April. So my old pace group is sort of the "veterans", most have done more than once clinic, or have been running forever. Our long runs have been 18km the last two weekends, and we're scheduled to do 20km this weekend. On the other hand, the new group is doing 9km long run on Sunday. It will sort itself out in a week or two, I'm just more concerned with how spread out everyone is-- there are three or four of the people in the new clinic that could probably form a bit more of a pacegroup, but they all seem to run just slightly different speeds on different days...
Why am I worried about this?
Because to me, the best things about these clinics is the group. Let's face it, although we have talks once a week about gear, or physiology, or technique, or race strategy, or goal setting... it's not like you're running with a coach. You don't really get any direct feedback on your stride, or technique, you get a workout plan, and people to help you get through the workouts. I want to make sure that everybody in the clinic has someone to run with, no matter their pace!
On the other hand, maybe some people in the group like to run alone... but then, why would they sign up for a group?
What do you think? Are you a solo runner? Do you run in a group? If you run with a group, do you like to chat, or prefer to just run, or listen to your music?
***
This week's training:
1 hr Hot Yoga on Monday
4.5 km Tempo run on Tuesday (26:40)
4.5 km Steady run on Wednesday (26:30) (I know, steady is supposed to be slower than tempo... )
1500m in the pool this morning - 5x100 w/u, 500m main set, 5x100m cooldown
Showing posts with label Training Hours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Training Hours. Show all posts
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Three Things Thursday (or Strawberry Beer is A Great Dessert)
Sometimes it's hard to post without repeating my DW Haute Runner... we do pretty much everything together!
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS COPIOUS FOOD REFERENCES!! IT STARTS WITH POSTRUN PIZZA AND BEER AND ENDS WITH A RESTAURANT REVIEW...
1. Wednesday Hills - The weather outside was frightful, the fire was so delightful (sorry Keith, like I told you this morning, I'm not Christmas-ed out yet)... but we still went running. Hills, no less. The plan called for 7 repeats, family requested our presence for pizza and beer, and since pizza and beer only help you run faster as a post-run reward, we ran early. As much as I thought postrun pizza and beer would motivate me,the cold my poor layering choices and the lack of competition running buddies made it a tough slog.
2. I SWAM again today!!! Since getting rear-ended at the beginning of November, I've been in a whiplash-induced swimbattical. I haven't been too happy about that. But I asked Dr. Dan last week, and he said go for it, so I WENT TO THE POOL THIS MORNING! Nothing crazy, just decided to do a bit of a pyramid to build up some mileage: 100m, 200m, 300m, 400m, 500m, cooldown, all nice and easy, about a minute rest in between. The f200m set, or maybe the 300m was actually the most difficult! After that, I worked out enough of yesterday's snow shoveling to get back into my rhythm. And, I got to chat with Keith.
3. FANTASTIC dinner tonight. In my books, the perfect meal involves great friends, great wine, and great food, bonus if the food is local/ organic/ or both, but fresh and skillfully prepared is a must. Good service (attentive, but not overbearing) is also a bonus. We have some great friends in town from San Francisco, and we went to Farm with them and a mutual friend from here in Calgary. Amazing charcuterie, great cheeses (the owner also owns Calgary's premier fine cheese store) and the menu is an haute-cuisine take on rustic home cooking. Fine ingredients and refined touches to simple, right-sized dishes, everything obviously made in-house, from scratch. After the shared charcuterie selection, I had what could be described as a perfectly-dressed house salad with canola seeds on it (very nice touch), and a braised wild boar shoulder with carmelized cabbage that was perfectly seasoned and melt-in-your-mouth tender. The berry crumble and a taste of strawberry beer finished me off though! Highly recommended for any foodie-- bit on the pricey side, but worth it.
PS In case you were wondering, pizza and beer hard apple cider is not good postrun food. But we had to let our friends properly thank us for the move.
PPS "Pizza and beer" - the phrase always reminds me of Econ 101... for some reason, every supply-and-demand example was pizza and beer. Which was always confusing to me, because there's rarely just one slice of 'za, and beer comes in sixpacks. Whatever.
PPPS I thought I'd posted about the rear-ender, but I guess I didn't. We got hit at a red light coming home from running, and have been in chiro/ massage/ physio for the past two months. And I was told NOT to swim. :(
PPPPS I realize that the past few posts make me sound like a hedonist/ alcoholic/ foodie, but I swear I usually eat pretty well, and I don't actually drink that often... I'm usually pretty good.... besides, it's the holiday season. (enough justification for you?)
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS COPIOUS FOOD REFERENCES!! IT STARTS WITH POSTRUN PIZZA AND BEER AND ENDS WITH A RESTAURANT REVIEW...
1. Wednesday Hills - The weather outside was frightful, the fire was so delightful (sorry Keith, like I told you this morning, I'm not Christmas-ed out yet)... but we still went running. Hills, no less. The plan called for 7 repeats, family requested our presence for pizza and beer, and since pizza and beer only help you run faster as a post-run reward, we ran early. As much as I thought postrun pizza and beer would motivate me,
 |
| Not us, but we were there! |
PS In case you were wondering, pizza and
PPS "Pizza and beer" - the phrase always reminds me of Econ 101... for some reason, every supply-and-demand example was pizza and beer. Which was always confusing to me, because there's rarely just one slice of 'za, and beer comes in sixpacks. Whatever.
PPPS I thought I'd posted about the rear-ender, but I guess I didn't. We got hit at a red light coming home from running, and have been in chiro/ massage/ physio for the past two months. And I was told NOT to swim. :(
PPPPS I realize that the past few posts make me sound like a hedonist/ alcoholic/ foodie, but I swear I usually eat pretty well, and I don't actually drink that often... I'm usually pretty good.... besides, it's the holiday season. (enough justification for you?)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
16km and A Bottle of Scotch
Today, we skipped the boxing day shopping and ran 16km in beautiful weather (ranged from -5C to 5C). Our run club group was the only one to have people show up, even though we met at 10am instead of the usual 8:30am, and our instructor told me that I was the only reason she showed up, because I insisted that I would be there when I talked to her on wednesday!
There were certain parties who, at about midnight last night, thought I might not make it out in the morning...
When I was in my teens, my grandpa got a 25 year old bottle of scotch for his birthday. It was standing on the bar, next to a box lined with crush velvet and gold leaf...
"What's the big deal? I mean, I understand that it's old, but so what? What difference does it make?"
To answer my question, my grandpa pulls out two glasses, pours a little splash of the good stuff into one and asks me to taste it. I still remember the burn! Then, he reaches under the bar and pulls out some J&B scotch whiskey, and poured another splash into the second glass. I immediately asked to taste the good stuff again!
Every year at Christmas, my dad usually buys a decent bottle of scotch-- we enjoy a few glasses, and the bottle lasts for most of the year (if not longer). Last year, I decided to continue the tradition at our house. There's still some scotch left in the bottle of Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban I bought last Christmas-- I've thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so, that I thought this year I'd buy the same brand, but for a few dollars more I sprung for a slightly better rated version, the Nectar d'Or.
The three of us finished the bottle. Yep, it was that good.
Considering how much I drank, I was shocked at how good I felt on the run! I managed a 5:55 min/km pace, finishing in 1:35... my calves are a little sore, but otherwise feeling exceptionally not hungover!
There were certain parties who, at about midnight last night, thought I might not make it out in the morning...
When I was in my teens, my grandpa got a 25 year old bottle of scotch for his birthday. It was standing on the bar, next to a box lined with crush velvet and gold leaf...
"What's the big deal? I mean, I understand that it's old, but so what? What difference does it make?"
To answer my question, my grandpa pulls out two glasses, pours a little splash of the good stuff into one and asks me to taste it. I still remember the burn! Then, he reaches under the bar and pulls out some J&B scotch whiskey, and poured another splash into the second glass. I immediately asked to taste the good stuff again!
Every year at Christmas, my dad usually buys a decent bottle of scotch-- we enjoy a few glasses, and the bottle lasts for most of the year (if not longer). Last year, I decided to continue the tradition at our house. There's still some scotch left in the bottle of Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban I bought last Christmas-- I've thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so, that I thought this year I'd buy the same brand, but for a few dollars more I sprung for a slightly better rated version, the Nectar d'Or.
 |
| Me, dad, and brother enjoying a glass of fine scotch |
Considering how much I drank, I was shocked at how good I felt on the run! I managed a 5:55 min/km pace, finishing in 1:35... my calves are a little sore, but otherwise feeling exceptionally not hungover!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
FAR Trail Run - Epic Weekend
What a weekend. 11 guys who have all been known to enjoy a drink (or ten) for a weekend away without chaperones... I'm a little surprised we didn't get in more trouble than we did. Beers were shotgunned, golf was played, a phone was lost (then found), someone got run over by a golf cart, shots of hard liquor were consumed, steaks and pizza were devoured, and someone may or may not have jumped a fence to hot tub at 3am. Aside from cameras of strangers we met in the bars in downtown Fernie, there were approximately 5 photos taken the whole weekend, three of which are of a golf ball buried halfway into a green.
And somehow despite all this, Dr. Dan and I managed to run 8km Saturday morning. On the mountain. Without puking. The wonderful restorative powers of fresh mountain air.
Friday, June 18, 2010
5k Friday, and Fernie Golf!
It was great to run without getting soaked this morning! All week, it's been so drizzly and rainy- combine that with the fact that I've been a little under the weather, and I wasn't too keen on running much this week. But, I did manage to make this my third run of the week... not bad!
Taking Monday and Wednesday off does mean that I have to run both Saturday and Sunday-- which should be interesting, seeing as how I'll be hungover both days. A bunch of us are heading up to Fernie this weekend for a bachelor party, and although golf is the plan, I know that we'll be downing a few tonight and Saturday night, too. Exercise is the best hangover cure-- that's my mantra for this weekend, anyway!
The reason that I have to run on the weekend (aside from the Race For Pace 10k in two weeks and the 70.3 in six) is that I made a deal with N that if I workout 5 days a week, I can get aero bars in advance of the 70.3. "How do I know that you're actually going to run this weekend?' she asks. I explain that she can just look at my Garmin data. "You'll just take it with you on the golf cart!" So trusting.
Taking Monday and Wednesday off does mean that I have to run both Saturday and Sunday-- which should be interesting, seeing as how I'll be hungover both days. A bunch of us are heading up to Fernie this weekend for a bachelor party, and although golf is the plan, I know that we'll be downing a few tonight and Saturday night, too. Exercise is the best hangover cure-- that's my mantra for this weekend, anyway!
The reason that I have to run on the weekend (aside from the Race For Pace 10k in two weeks and the 70.3 in six) is that I made a deal with N that if I workout 5 days a week, I can get aero bars in advance of the 70.3. "How do I know that you're actually going to run this weekend?' she asks. I explain that she can just look at my Garmin data. "You'll just take it with you on the golf cart!" So trusting.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Long Overdue Update - Volcano, Bricks, Yardwork and a Comedy Show
Haven't really felt up to posting much lately, and pressures with work and all have cut into the training a bit. But there's quite a bit of news, so here goes.
A while back, I posted about our trip to Europe-- we're supposed to be just getting home now, but we were supposed to leave the day after that volcano erupted in Iceland, shutting down air traffic over Europe for the better part of a week. It took most of the day to sort out the flights and hotels, but we re-booked for the end of May instead. Originally, we were to fly into Paris, spend 5 nights, then a few nights in Lyon, on to Arles (in Provence), then Barcelona for 5 nights and home from there. Because of the change in dates, we couldn't get flights home from Barcelona, so we've had to cut out Lyon and make an extra leg to Madrid. We'll rack up a few more miles this way, but we get to see another great city (albeit for only a day and a half). Luckily, it's not going to cost us any more than the price of a few train reservations--which are only a fraction of the actual ticket.
In other news, we went to the Laugh Shop on Saturday for my sister-in law's birthday. Haven't been since it was Yuk Yuks-- I didn't even realize they'd changed their name! Normally, it's a great deal, ticket's aren't too expensive, and they'll serve you mini-jugs of highballs at a decent price too. The mini-jugs were still a good deal, but the tickets were double the price because Tom Green was the headliner. He was pretty funny at times, but other times he would go on these rants-- mostly about how much he hated the celebrity culture, Hollywood in general. Mostly because the crowd wanted it, he'd fall back to some of his famous movie lines. But most of us hadn't seen any of his movies!
Nicole and I have been taking advantage of the basement setup these past two weeks, doing brick workouts together on Sundays. Pop in a Real Rides disc, and go-- today, I got on the bike first, and rode Richter's Pass for just over an hour. I get the feeling that our wind trainer doesn't have quite enough resistance, but oh well. After the bike, I ran for 30 minutes on the treadmill, while Nicole got on the bike. Felt good.
We've also been running through the community quite a bit-- unfortunately, we're not really connected to any other pathways, and Sage Hill is pretty small, so we've run every single road-- in fact, it's hard not to overlap on a single run! Things change so quickly with all the new houses being built, that it's entertaining just to run or walk through the neighborhood (watch out for dumpsters and building materials!)
I've been spending a lot of time on the backyard. The plan is to build a deck, then finish the fence, prep the flower and shrub beds, plant some trees, and sod. I think that some of the shrubs and such will have to wait for next year, but hopefully we'll have a yard we can use by the summer. I've been doing quite a bit of digging in the garden and beds, getting rid of some of the clay, so that there's more room for good soil. The neighbors think I'm crazy for doing all that digging, but being outside in the yard has been a great way to meet them!
A while back, I posted about our trip to Europe-- we're supposed to be just getting home now, but we were supposed to leave the day after that volcano erupted in Iceland, shutting down air traffic over Europe for the better part of a week. It took most of the day to sort out the flights and hotels, but we re-booked for the end of May instead. Originally, we were to fly into Paris, spend 5 nights, then a few nights in Lyon, on to Arles (in Provence), then Barcelona for 5 nights and home from there. Because of the change in dates, we couldn't get flights home from Barcelona, so we've had to cut out Lyon and make an extra leg to Madrid. We'll rack up a few more miles this way, but we get to see another great city (albeit for only a day and a half). Luckily, it's not going to cost us any more than the price of a few train reservations--which are only a fraction of the actual ticket.
In other news, we went to the Laugh Shop on Saturday for my sister-in law's birthday. Haven't been since it was Yuk Yuks-- I didn't even realize they'd changed their name! Normally, it's a great deal, ticket's aren't too expensive, and they'll serve you mini-jugs of highballs at a decent price too. The mini-jugs were still a good deal, but the tickets were double the price because Tom Green was the headliner. He was pretty funny at times, but other times he would go on these rants-- mostly about how much he hated the celebrity culture, Hollywood in general. Mostly because the crowd wanted it, he'd fall back to some of his famous movie lines. But most of us hadn't seen any of his movies!
Nicole and I have been taking advantage of the basement setup these past two weeks, doing brick workouts together on Sundays. Pop in a Real Rides disc, and go-- today, I got on the bike first, and rode Richter's Pass for just over an hour. I get the feeling that our wind trainer doesn't have quite enough resistance, but oh well. After the bike, I ran for 30 minutes on the treadmill, while Nicole got on the bike. Felt good.
We've also been running through the community quite a bit-- unfortunately, we're not really connected to any other pathways, and Sage Hill is pretty small, so we've run every single road-- in fact, it's hard not to overlap on a single run! Things change so quickly with all the new houses being built, that it's entertaining just to run or walk through the neighborhood (watch out for dumpsters and building materials!)
I've been spending a lot of time on the backyard. The plan is to build a deck, then finish the fence, prep the flower and shrub beds, plant some trees, and sod. I think that some of the shrubs and such will have to wait for next year, but hopefully we'll have a yard we can use by the summer. I've been doing quite a bit of digging in the garden and beds, getting rid of some of the clay, so that there's more room for good soil. The neighbors think I'm crazy for doing all that digging, but being outside in the yard has been a great way to meet them!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Remembering What to Pack
Well, we made it through week 1 of UCTC 2010. Don't tell coach, but it was easier than I expected. Don't get me wrong-- I'm very sore today (Thursdays are a bike/swim brick, 2 hours of training), but the toughest part of the week was remembering what I need in my Tri bag.
Tuesday, I forgot to bring a towel and shampoo-- as I grabbed my fins and paddles, I had a nagging suspicion that I was forgetting something, but I was imagining myself in the pool: goggles, cap, trunks, fins and paddles... okay, I'm good. Well, my gear closet is now stocked with a few towels, and my travel kit stashed in my bag.
Had to skip Wednesday's workout because Mom and Dad needed some help with their rental property-- they're cleaning it up, doing a few minor touchups, and we had a little reunion with a friend we haven't seen in about three years. Had to meet her Aussie fiance (great guy), and they asked me to be an usher at their wedding this summer!
It's been massively busy at work this week, but at least I'm in Calgary, and I have so much more energy. Next week I'm off to Medicine Hat and Lethbridge to visit clients, but probably just for Monday and Tuesday night. I'll just have to run on my own, I guess! No more trips to the US this year, hopefully.
Today's an off day, but the plan for the weekend is to go for a longish run tomorrow, then do a bike/run brick on Sunday. I was all ready to do Super Sunday with UCTC, but it was canceled this week due to a swim meet -- and there's something going on at the track, too.
Tuesday: 2100 m
Thursday: 2500m, got some great tips from Coach Tony (better roll without crossing over, more streamlined legs!)
... And I'm sure you've seen this, but I love this list of reasons to do Ironman!
Tuesday, I forgot to bring a towel and shampoo-- as I grabbed my fins and paddles, I had a nagging suspicion that I was forgetting something, but I was imagining myself in the pool: goggles, cap, trunks, fins and paddles... okay, I'm good. Well, my gear closet is now stocked with a few towels, and my travel kit stashed in my bag.
Had to skip Wednesday's workout because Mom and Dad needed some help with their rental property-- they're cleaning it up, doing a few minor touchups, and we had a little reunion with a friend we haven't seen in about three years. Had to meet her Aussie fiance (great guy), and they asked me to be an usher at their wedding this summer!
It's been massively busy at work this week, but at least I'm in Calgary, and I have so much more energy. Next week I'm off to Medicine Hat and Lethbridge to visit clients, but probably just for Monday and Tuesday night. I'll just have to run on my own, I guess! No more trips to the US this year, hopefully.
Today's an off day, but the plan for the weekend is to go for a longish run tomorrow, then do a bike/run brick on Sunday. I was all ready to do Super Sunday with UCTC, but it was canceled this week due to a swim meet -- and there's something going on at the track, too.
Tuesday: 2100 m
Thursday: 2500m, got some great tips from Coach Tony (better roll without crossing over, more streamlined legs!)
... And I'm sure you've seen this, but I love this list of reasons to do Ironman!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Garmin Forerunner 310xt Review - Part 2 (or DVD fail)
The DVD fail part is the DVD player didn't work when I tried to run my new Real Rides DVD. :( Pretty sure it's the DVD player (a hand-me-down), but haven't tried it on the other player because it's been on the fritz too. Told ya, nothing lasts for me!
I've been using my Garmin plenty lately, and as promised, here's more on how it performs spinning. Not that it makes much of a difference, but for this "test", I went for an hour rather than the 20-30 minutes I have been.
Pros
I'm really liking the fact that I can set up what data shows in the main screen. Even better, I can set up Bike 1, Bike 2, Bike 3, etc., with different screen profiles. I especially like the HR Zone. For me though, like with the running features, the ability to easily track and store my workouts on Garmin Connect is by far my favorite feature.
Cons
Sometimes I'm a little forgetful. I forgot to turn off the GPS, and ended up somehow gaining 300m in elevation and almost a kilometer in distance. Not really the end of the world, since I just need to remember to turn it off, but kind of funny, and it does make me wonder if that's right?
My Setup
The Garmin is just strapped to my handlebars with the wrist strap; it tends to fall down a little, as does the iPod that's just in an armband-- but hey, it's not like it has to be aero!
The third little gadget is my cadence/speed computer. Got it at mec for a few dollars, and it's got both sensors (cadence and speed) on the rear chainstay so it works when I'm spinning as well as on the road. Like I mentioned in Part 1, I don't have the Garmin cadence meter.
You can't really see what's on the screen in the above photos, but I've set up the "Bike 1" with elapsed time, time of day, heart rate and HR zone. There's a lot of different data fields available - especially if you also have the cadence sensor and a wireless power meter. (I haven't dropped the coin on that yet... need to get the tri bike first!)
For this ride, the plan was to warm up for about 10 minutes, then go for 80-85 rpm cadence. About twenty minutes in, the plan changed to include going for 20+ km/h - normally not too difficult on the highway, but tough on the one-setting magnetic trainer. I think I did pretty good, but it doesn't track on the Garmin! I think I'm convincing myself I need that cadence sensor...
Cooldown was about 5 minutes on the bike, another 5 on the treadmill, and about 10 minutes of stretching and ab work.
Check out the "map" of this workout. Kind of comical.
I've been using my Garmin plenty lately, and as promised, here's more on how it performs spinning. Not that it makes much of a difference, but for this "test", I went for an hour rather than the 20-30 minutes I have been.
Pros
I'm really liking the fact that I can set up what data shows in the main screen. Even better, I can set up Bike 1, Bike 2, Bike 3, etc., with different screen profiles. I especially like the HR Zone. For me though, like with the running features, the ability to easily track and store my workouts on Garmin Connect is by far my favorite feature.
Cons
Sometimes I'm a little forgetful. I forgot to turn off the GPS, and ended up somehow gaining 300m in elevation and almost a kilometer in distance. Not really the end of the world, since I just need to remember to turn it off, but kind of funny, and it does make me wonder if that's right?
My Setup
 |  |  |
The Garmin is just strapped to my handlebars with the wrist strap; it tends to fall down a little, as does the iPod that's just in an armband-- but hey, it's not like it has to be aero!
The third little gadget is my cadence/speed computer. Got it at mec for a few dollars, and it's got both sensors (cadence and speed) on the rear chainstay so it works when I'm spinning as well as on the road. Like I mentioned in Part 1, I don't have the Garmin cadence meter.
You can't really see what's on the screen in the above photos, but I've set up the "Bike 1" with elapsed time, time of day, heart rate and HR zone. There's a lot of different data fields available - especially if you also have the cadence sensor and a wireless power meter. (I haven't dropped the coin on that yet... need to get the tri bike first!)
For this ride, the plan was to warm up for about 10 minutes, then go for 80-85 rpm cadence. About twenty minutes in, the plan changed to include going for 20+ km/h - normally not too difficult on the highway, but tough on the one-setting magnetic trainer. I think I did pretty good, but it doesn't track on the Garmin! I think I'm convincing myself I need that cadence sensor...
Cooldown was about 5 minutes on the bike, another 5 on the treadmill, and about 10 minutes of stretching and ab work.
Check out the "map" of this workout. Kind of comical.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Techno Spin and New Treadmill
When I spin at home, I haven't really been following a specific program, other than "ride for 30 minutes" (which, I know, isn't long enough). So usually what I do is put the iPod on shuffle, and go with what the music tells me.
I have a wide variety of music on that thing, but for some reason today's main feature was techno/ electronica. I usually skip the stuff (which is allowed), but today it just worked-- got me in a rhythm at about 80-85 rpm. I even shifted down a little for more resistance.
As great as the steady bass is for cadence/tempo, gotta have some rock to really grind and push. "Cherub Rock" by Smashing Pumpkins came on, and I really started to crank! It came on at the perfect time, around 25 minutes in for a strong finish.
Cooldown was a 5 minute slow spin, then 5 minutes on Nicole's new treadmill! (Plus about 7 mins ab work, 10 mins stretch)
Yep, Santa came yesterday. Thankfully, I was able to get some help getting it downstairs before she got home from work. I was even able to put it together, and make up an excuse to bring her downstairs.
Santa wants us both to get moving, apparently.
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Techno Spin
7
I have a wide variety of music on that thing, but for some reason today's main feature was techno/ electronica. I usually skip the stuff (which is allowed), but today it just worked-- got me in a rhythm at about 80-85 rpm. I even shifted down a little for more resistance.
As great as the steady bass is for cadence/tempo, gotta have some rock to really grind and push. "Cherub Rock" by Smashing Pumpkins came on, and I really started to crank! It came on at the perfect time, around 25 minutes in for a strong finish.
Cooldown was a 5 minute slow spin, then 5 minutes on Nicole's new treadmill! (Plus about 7 mins ab work, 10 mins stretch)
Yep, Santa came yesterday. Thankfully, I was able to get some help getting it downstairs before she got home from work. I was even able to put it together, and make up an excuse to bring her downstairs.
Santa wants us both to get moving, apparently.
Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Techno Spin
7
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Century of Pain!
Okay, maybe that's a bit melodramatic for a title. But I did ride over 100 km on the weekend for the first time. (What's that you say? A century is 100 miles? Aw crap, I really suck.)
Well, it did hurt. A lot. As in lying on the side of the road wimpering kind of hurt. As in good thing I didn't have my cellphone or I would have called for a ride and been disappointed with myself kind of hurt.
The day started innocently enough with the weekly Saturday long ride. The rules are show up, and be totally self-sufficient, and the starting point alternates. This week's meeting place was at the church near the intersection of Rocky Ridge Road and Crowchild Trail. I was almost late, but made it to meet up with six others. My plan was to ride to Cochrane for some ice cream, and tackle the big hill.
I slapped on some sunscreen, did a quick gear check, and we were off. I got a little ahead from the start, so I waited at the lights, and kind of led the pack for a little while, until three stronger riders blew by me. They were keeping a pace that I preferred, so I hopped on the end of the line. I took a few turns "pulling" at the front of the group, and we made quick time to Retreat Road, the top of the Cochrane hill.
At this point, one rider peeled off-- she had other plans later in the day. The other three were nowhere in sight, and I was feeling good, so when Gary told me they were planning to go all the way to the Ghost Reservoir for the start of the Calgary 70.3 course, I jumped at the chance.
After a fun cruise down the hill through Gleneagles (off the main highway, less traffic and a lower speed limit), we all took turns at the front, chugging slightly uphill and into that ever-present west wind. At the Ghost, I still felt great, had another Larabar, and bought some water.
The next leg of the trip was where the wheels fell off. Back on the highway to Cochrane, we were making great time (averaging almost 40kph)-- that is, until we turned lfet off the main highway onto the loop of the 70.3 course. The road got much, much rougher, hillier, and pot-holier. 20kph was a challenge, and by the time we made it to the high point, I was fading. A right turn made for an easy cruise, and another right turn put us onto some gloriously smooth pavement, that looked like it was mostly downhill. I hoped it would be all downhill.
On a bike, gravity seems to be perversely reversed: "What goes up, must come down" becomes "What goes down must come up"! In the foothills, rarely is there such a thing as a steady downslope- it's all rolling hills! By the second rolling hill (which, because we're on a "secondary highway" is actually pretty steep), I was whimpering and barely moving. In my bottom gear way too soon, dropped like a ton of bricks, head down and feeling sorry for myself. My riding partners kept waiting for me, I think just to make sure I hadn't passed out!
The ride back to the main highway seemed like an eternity. The smallest uphill was agonizing! My legs felt empty- like there was no energy, none of the usual power there. They weren't cramping, but rather they felt like thousands of tiny daggers tearing into the deep tissue of my thighs, and they just flat out refused to go. I started to regret not having a more substantial breakfast, and not grabbing a couple of gels on my way out the door.
By the time we rolled back into Cochrane, we were at about 3.5 hours of riding, about 4 hours trip time. I told Gary and Heather to go on ahead, I'd need to take a long break and probably a sandwich before tackling the monster hill. I have to say, for near-strangers, they were great to ride with, and almost seemed reluctant to leave me. But I'm sure they recognized that I needed a break. We stopped at the gas station, and as they refilled water and gatorade, I stayed outside watching the bikes. Right next to the payphone.
Even as I was telling them I'd take a break, then tackle the hill, I kept glancing at the payphone. I started daydreaming about making that call. I reasoned that my parents only live a few minutes away, my bike would fit in either vehicle...I'll have to go to the bank and get cash, then buy something to get change...Maybe I'll go have a sandwich first. Maybe my legs will stop screaming at me, and I'll regain feeling in my butt if I sit down on something other than my saddle. I'll probably regret it if I don't make it back unter my own power. But my legs! They've never hurt this much! Sandwich, then maybe ice cream, more water and gatorade, and then if I still feel crappy, I can make the call...
..."You've got everything you need to fix a flat?"
"Wha...? Oh, yeah, and then some."
"Okay, well, we're off then. Bye!"
It's amazing how quickly a footlong sub will disappear! Add some chips for salt (apparently it helps with cramps-- at least, that's how I justified it in my mind). Ice cream was a no-go, just because the lineup was out the door, but I was starting to feel better.
After about 45 minutes, I felt that I could probably make it. I started slowly up the hill, taking the Gleneagles route, and feeling okay. The legs weren't complaining quite as loudly. Until about halfway up, where I stopped, stretched, and kept going. Stretching did nothing. There's a point on the hill where there's no houses, just grassland between the golf course neighborhood and the houses on top of the hill. At that last intersection, there's a bit of lawn, and it just looked too inviting to my now screaming legs to pass up. I laid there for about 20 minutes, hoping the pain would subside enough to get up the hill. It wasn't.
So I started walking. Shuffling. Hobbling up the hill, pushing my bike. Half steps, really, and even those hurt. Twenty, twenty-five minutes later, I was only a few hundred metres further, but there was a bit of a respite- a dip in the hill. I got on the bike, got up as much steam as I could muster, and willed myself up the final pitch to the highway. I made it! I wanted to yell and scream!
From there, the road is generally downhill, and the morning's headwind was now a glorious tailwind, ushering me home. As much as my legs hurt, as powerless as they were, I still did 40 the whole way back to my car. The lone car in the parking lot.
Since my parents live nearby, I headed to their place for an icebath and a hot shower. After 6 hours on the road, nothing is better.
I'm glad I didn't call for a ride. I'm proud of myself for making it, and glad that I did it. I've never, ever pushed myself and hit that kind of a wall. Oh sure, when I was playing team sports, coaches always pushed us to max cardio, but I've never had muscles just tell me to stop. I've done very long hikes where I've been sore the next day, I've done runs that really hurt, I've had races that hurt... but nothing compares to that. But now I know my limits. I know how important nutrition and fuel are. I know what to prepare for, and that I can get through it.
Maybe it's a little masochistic to say so, but I can't wait for the next time.
Well, it did hurt. A lot. As in lying on the side of the road wimpering kind of hurt. As in good thing I didn't have my cellphone or I would have called for a ride and been disappointed with myself kind of hurt.
The day started innocently enough with the weekly Saturday long ride. The rules are show up, and be totally self-sufficient, and the starting point alternates. This week's meeting place was at the church near the intersection of Rocky Ridge Road and Crowchild Trail. I was almost late, but made it to meet up with six others. My plan was to ride to Cochrane for some ice cream, and tackle the big hill.
I slapped on some sunscreen, did a quick gear check, and we were off. I got a little ahead from the start, so I waited at the lights, and kind of led the pack for a little while, until three stronger riders blew by me. They were keeping a pace that I preferred, so I hopped on the end of the line. I took a few turns "pulling" at the front of the group, and we made quick time to Retreat Road, the top of the Cochrane hill.
At this point, one rider peeled off-- she had other plans later in the day. The other three were nowhere in sight, and I was feeling good, so when Gary told me they were planning to go all the way to the Ghost Reservoir for the start of the Calgary 70.3 course, I jumped at the chance.
After a fun cruise down the hill through Gleneagles (off the main highway, less traffic and a lower speed limit), we all took turns at the front, chugging slightly uphill and into that ever-present west wind. At the Ghost, I still felt great, had another Larabar, and bought some water.
The next leg of the trip was where the wheels fell off. Back on the highway to Cochrane, we were making great time (averaging almost 40kph)-- that is, until we turned lfet off the main highway onto the loop of the 70.3 course. The road got much, much rougher, hillier, and pot-holier. 20kph was a challenge, and by the time we made it to the high point, I was fading. A right turn made for an easy cruise, and another right turn put us onto some gloriously smooth pavement, that looked like it was mostly downhill. I hoped it would be all downhill.
On a bike, gravity seems to be perversely reversed: "What goes up, must come down" becomes "What goes down must come up"! In the foothills, rarely is there such a thing as a steady downslope- it's all rolling hills! By the second rolling hill (which, because we're on a "secondary highway" is actually pretty steep), I was whimpering and barely moving. In my bottom gear way too soon, dropped like a ton of bricks, head down and feeling sorry for myself. My riding partners kept waiting for me, I think just to make sure I hadn't passed out!
The ride back to the main highway seemed like an eternity. The smallest uphill was agonizing! My legs felt empty- like there was no energy, none of the usual power there. They weren't cramping, but rather they felt like thousands of tiny daggers tearing into the deep tissue of my thighs, and they just flat out refused to go. I started to regret not having a more substantial breakfast, and not grabbing a couple of gels on my way out the door.
By the time we rolled back into Cochrane, we were at about 3.5 hours of riding, about 4 hours trip time. I told Gary and Heather to go on ahead, I'd need to take a long break and probably a sandwich before tackling the monster hill. I have to say, for near-strangers, they were great to ride with, and almost seemed reluctant to leave me. But I'm sure they recognized that I needed a break. We stopped at the gas station, and as they refilled water and gatorade, I stayed outside watching the bikes. Right next to the payphone.
Even as I was telling them I'd take a break, then tackle the hill, I kept glancing at the payphone. I started daydreaming about making that call. I reasoned that my parents only live a few minutes away, my bike would fit in either vehicle...I'll have to go to the bank and get cash, then buy something to get change...Maybe I'll go have a sandwich first. Maybe my legs will stop screaming at me, and I'll regain feeling in my butt if I sit down on something other than my saddle. I'll probably regret it if I don't make it back unter my own power. But my legs! They've never hurt this much! Sandwich, then maybe ice cream, more water and gatorade, and then if I still feel crappy, I can make the call...
..."You've got everything you need to fix a flat?"
"Wha...? Oh, yeah, and then some."
"Okay, well, we're off then. Bye!"
It's amazing how quickly a footlong sub will disappear! Add some chips for salt (apparently it helps with cramps-- at least, that's how I justified it in my mind). Ice cream was a no-go, just because the lineup was out the door, but I was starting to feel better.
After about 45 minutes, I felt that I could probably make it. I started slowly up the hill, taking the Gleneagles route, and feeling okay. The legs weren't complaining quite as loudly. Until about halfway up, where I stopped, stretched, and kept going. Stretching did nothing. There's a point on the hill where there's no houses, just grassland between the golf course neighborhood and the houses on top of the hill. At that last intersection, there's a bit of lawn, and it just looked too inviting to my now screaming legs to pass up. I laid there for about 20 minutes, hoping the pain would subside enough to get up the hill. It wasn't.
So I started walking. Shuffling. Hobbling up the hill, pushing my bike. Half steps, really, and even those hurt. Twenty, twenty-five minutes later, I was only a few hundred metres further, but there was a bit of a respite- a dip in the hill. I got on the bike, got up as much steam as I could muster, and willed myself up the final pitch to the highway. I made it! I wanted to yell and scream!
From there, the road is generally downhill, and the morning's headwind was now a glorious tailwind, ushering me home. As much as my legs hurt, as powerless as they were, I still did 40 the whole way back to my car. The lone car in the parking lot.
Since my parents live nearby, I headed to their place for an icebath and a hot shower. After 6 hours on the road, nothing is better.
I'm glad I didn't call for a ride. I'm proud of myself for making it, and glad that I did it. I've never, ever pushed myself and hit that kind of a wall. Oh sure, when I was playing team sports, coaches always pushed us to max cardio, but I've never had muscles just tell me to stop. I've done very long hikes where I've been sore the next day, I've done runs that really hurt, I've had races that hurt... but nothing compares to that. But now I know my limits. I know how important nutrition and fuel are. I know what to prepare for, and that I can get through it.
Maybe it's a little masochistic to say so, but I can't wait for the next time.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Badlands Bike Ride
For the past few years, my parents, brothers, and our significant others have had an annual "Family Adventure". Last year, we went to Waterton Lakes National Park. The year before that, we went whitewater rafting near Longview. This year, we went to Drumheller for the weekend.
Saturday was really hot, even in the morning. Four of us went running-- we just kind of explored the neighborhood we were staying in, and tried to run as much in the shade and near the river as we could. It was a pretty good run- a few fartleks mixed in, some slower stuff, and some time closer to race pace. Roughly 42 minutes.
We spent the rest of Sunday at the Royal Tyrell Museum - and even did a "Dino Site" interpretive walk. I found a fossilized tooth! We all found some petrified wood, and chunks of fossil bone. Don't worry, it was part of the tour, and no one kept anything, it all went to the guide. That night, we went to Rosebud for their famous dinner theatre--what a buffet-- and saw a great rendition of "Man of LaMancha".
Although I heard mention of getting up early to avoid the heat, our planned bike ride on Sunday didn't start until about 10:30 - which was just fine, because it wasn't as hot. Our little peloton was made up of myself, Nicole, my dad, brother Chad and his girlfriend Laura. We rode through town on a nice bike trail along the river, east towards Rosedale and East Coulee. The highway had decent shoulders, and the traffic we did see was very generous, usually changing lanes one the two lane highway to give us lots of room.
For a while, I was a little worried about dad, as he was the only one without a roadbike and clipless pedals (as we were leaving, he was singing "one of these things is not like the other...") but he held his own, and we made time. I'd have to get the exact distances from the people with the cycling computers, but I think it was about 16 km to the Hoo Doos. I've seen countless pictures of them, and they're smaller than I thought they'd be!
We had a little bit of a headwind on the way back, but we made it back to the Newcastle Inn in about the same amount of time (roughly 50 minutes each way).
*****
I found out that my company is doing a "200 minute challenge" where you submit the number of minutes you exercise every 2 weeks, and you're supposed to shoot for 200 minutes every 2 weeks... I work remotely, so any chance to connect is great. I guess I've already hit my total for this week! (Not that that will stop me from training every day this week!)
Vulcan Tinman on Saturday! I'm excited!!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Running, Sunshine, Basketball and Karaoke
Finally had some nice weather! Until today, the weather in Ohio has been kinda nasty; cold and rain. (At least it's not snow!) After staying up late last night to watch the Flames beat Chicago (!!!), I made an early-morning decision to forgo the early run, and go in the evening. I'm sure glad I did-- it was absolutely gorgeous out!! I'm writing this at 1:30am, and it's still +14 C. Unfortunately, along with the sun came the bugs... mmm.... extra protein. I gagged pretty hard on one that stuck in my throat though. Not good.
40 minutes, distance 8km
I had every intention of stretching... until I saw the basketball game. Let me just say, it is not wise to attempt to play basketball in running shoes. I didn't get hurt, or break my shoes, but there were moments.
After basketball, one of my work buddies and I drove to an outlet mall (all the Americans we were hanging out with thought we were crazy-- but they take the outlet malls for granted, unlike us Canadians), then made it back in time for Karaoke. It was a bit of a long evening, but I won't go into any details here.
Tomorrow (or today, I guess), it's back on a plane at 4, and hopefully there won't be any delays, and I'll be home at a reasonable time. I'm spending half my time hoping for no delays, and the other half hoping the snow is gone when I get home!
40 minutes, distance 8km
I had every intention of stretching... until I saw the basketball game. Let me just say, it is not wise to attempt to play basketball in running shoes. I didn't get hurt, or break my shoes, but there were moments.
After basketball, one of my work buddies and I drove to an outlet mall (all the Americans we were hanging out with thought we were crazy-- but they take the outlet malls for granted, unlike us Canadians), then made it back in time for Karaoke. It was a bit of a long evening, but I won't go into any details here.
Tomorrow (or today, I guess), it's back on a plane at 4, and hopefully there won't be any delays, and I'll be home at a reasonable time. I'm spending half my time hoping for no delays, and the other half hoping the snow is gone when I get home!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
2 Beautiful Mornings in Vancouver
Was in Vancouver for meetings the past two days, and brought my running gear-- just in case. I figured that there would be quite a lot of working and drinking (a bunch of sales guys getting together always is), but I thought I should at least try to get one run in.
I got in Monday night, and after meeting most of my team for the first time, we go for dinner and drinks. It wasn't a late night, nor a particularly crazy one, but drinks were had... nonetheless, I set my alarm early. I went to bed excited to run-- we were staying on Howe street, 2 blocks from False Creek, and I knew it would be a great day, and a beautiful time to run. That, combined with the fact that I had been stressing out all week about presenting my first sales plan (!) made it hard for me to sleep.
I woke before my alarm, got geared up, and out the door around 6:40-- blue skies, the sun still low on the horizon, the air crisp and fresh, perfect for a run. The concierge pointed the way, and I had no trouble finding the pathway, headed right. It was oddly familiar (I spent two summers living in the Lower Mainland, and spent a little bit of time downtown-- 8 and 9 years ago!) but still exotic, unusual, and a great adventure.
Past Granville Island, onto English Bay, I ended up at Second Beach. Did you know they have a new tide pool there? It's a manmade swimming pool that draws in oceanwater in the summer! All the way, there are beautiful parks, with huge trees, green grass (in April!) and lots of trendy little cafes, restaurants, marinas, and apartments. It was such a refreshing and wonderful run, I knew I'd be out the next day, too.
After another late night, this morning's run was equally spectacular. Rather than turn right onto the path, I went left. Much of the same, but more urban- new condos going up, quaint houseboats, more marinas, BC Place, and eventually, the Science Center.
It was a busy few days, most of it spent inside the hotel conference room. The food, drink, and (most importantly) the company were amazing in the evenings, and I learned a lot at the meetings, but the real highlight of my trip were those two brief morning runs.
I got in Monday night, and after meeting most of my team for the first time, we go for dinner and drinks. It wasn't a late night, nor a particularly crazy one, but drinks were had... nonetheless, I set my alarm early. I went to bed excited to run-- we were staying on Howe street, 2 blocks from False Creek, and I knew it would be a great day, and a beautiful time to run. That, combined with the fact that I had been stressing out all week about presenting my first sales plan (!) made it hard for me to sleep.
I woke before my alarm, got geared up, and out the door around 6:40-- blue skies, the sun still low on the horizon, the air crisp and fresh, perfect for a run. The concierge pointed the way, and I had no trouble finding the pathway, headed right. It was oddly familiar (I spent two summers living in the Lower Mainland, and spent a little bit of time downtown-- 8 and 9 years ago!) but still exotic, unusual, and a great adventure.
Past Granville Island, onto English Bay, I ended up at Second Beach. Did you know they have a new tide pool there? It's a manmade swimming pool that draws in oceanwater in the summer! All the way, there are beautiful parks, with huge trees, green grass (in April!) and lots of trendy little cafes, restaurants, marinas, and apartments. It was such a refreshing and wonderful run, I knew I'd be out the next day, too.
After another late night, this morning's run was equally spectacular. Rather than turn right onto the path, I went left. Much of the same, but more urban- new condos going up, quaint houseboats, more marinas, BC Place, and eventually, the Science Center.
It was a busy few days, most of it spent inside the hotel conference room. The food, drink, and (most importantly) the company were amazing in the evenings, and I learned a lot at the meetings, but the real highlight of my trip were those two brief morning runs.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
YMCA - Private Club?
Since when is the YMCA a members-only club? What happened to the community focus? I mean, it's a nice facility and all, but come on. It looked like only three or four lanes of eight to ten were actually being used.
Good news, it's not a Calgary YMCA that has taken this approach. More good news, I found another place to swim not far away (I'd done my research on the internet). Bad news, only two lanes open, and for only another half an hour, by the time I got there!! Okay, can't complain too much, not like the lanes were full or anything.
But I thought that general lane etiquette was stay to the right, except to pass? I felt really bad, because I joined a lane with one person who I thought was going about my pace... but he wasn't. I ended up passing him, then I guess he took that as me taking half the land and he'd take the other, so then he'd stay just to that half a lane. Thankfully, no actual collisions, but there was at least one very close call.
Help me out here, what is the etiquette? Maybe I shouldn't have passed him at all?
30 minutes ~1400 m (I wasn't counting) @ average 100 seconds/100m
Good news, it's not a Calgary YMCA that has taken this approach. More good news, I found another place to swim not far away (I'd done my research on the internet). Bad news, only two lanes open, and for only another half an hour, by the time I got there!! Okay, can't complain too much, not like the lanes were full or anything.
But I thought that general lane etiquette was stay to the right, except to pass? I felt really bad, because I joined a lane with one person who I thought was going about my pace... but he wasn't. I ended up passing him, then I guess he took that as me taking half the land and he'd take the other, so then he'd stay just to that half a lane. Thankfully, no actual collisions, but there was at least one very close call.
Help me out here, what is the etiquette? Maybe I shouldn't have passed him at all?
30 minutes ~1400 m (I wasn't counting) @ average 100 seconds/100m
Monday, February 23, 2009
Ohio Adventure
Time: 1hr 6 minutes
Distance: Somewhere north of 10k
Route: Random
A few thoughts:
Again, despite the neglect of the blog, I've been doing pretty well with the training. UCTC is awesome, very challenging-- both the workouts and getting to the workouts.
Haven't weighed myself recently, but I feel much fitter than a few months ago, and can go for longer already. Changed athsma meds, too, and refocused on taking them regularly, which has been a huge help.
I've got more to write about the plans for racing season, but I'll save that for another post.
Distance: Somewhere north of 10k
Route: Random
A few thoughts:
- Streetlights aren't that popular here. Porch lights, moreso; but they create just enough "light polution" to prevent one's eyes from adjusting to the dark. Step high!
- I love Calgary's snow-shoveling bylaw. People complain about it, but you sure appreciate it when you go somewhere that doesn't require residents to shovel their sidewalks. And maybe it's the hour that I'm running, but I don't see nearly as many people out on the streets here as I do back home. (This one's from my last trip down. Sidewalks were pretty clear this time, thanks to Mother Nature)
- I love getting lost. Not too lost, mind you. I like to think I have a pretty good sense of direction, and I love exploring neighborhoods. I love to study a map of a place, to get a feel for the landmarks, but once I get out onto the streets, I just weave my way around. Out-and-back if I'm feeling a little less confident, but generally try to make a random loop that will push me a little beyond my comfort zone. It tends to force me to go a little longer, and a little faster once I realize I'm on the home stretch.
- I need a headlamp. Badly.
- I miss my iPod, but not too much. It's missing right now-- I think I might know one or two more places to look but I'm a little worried.
Again, despite the neglect of the blog, I've been doing pretty well with the training. UCTC is awesome, very challenging-- both the workouts and getting to the workouts.
Haven't weighed myself recently, but I feel much fitter than a few months ago, and can go for longer already. Changed athsma meds, too, and refocused on taking them regularly, which has been a huge help.
I've got more to write about the plans for racing season, but I'll save that for another post.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Wall, or Why Does Running Hurt So Much Lately?
Got out for a run again last night-- it was great. Was going to go with Nicole, but had some stuff to take care of first, so she went ahead without me. It was great to get out and go my own pace, but man, was I sucking wind!
Obviously, I haven't been running hard enough lately. Sorry, hon, but I think I'm going to have to limit myself to one run per week, and do at least two other runs solo per week.
If there's any part of the Chaparral race that I was disappointed with, it was the run. Plus, my next race is going to be a 10k, and I want to be faster than last time. So, no more swimming until after thanksgiving-- from now until then, the focus is on the run, with cycling and strength training mixed in for variety.
Well, I guess I actually did pretty well last night, after the first 20 minutes or so. Did the Fish Creek Loop in reverse, and ran the hill twice-- I think that sort of flushed things out of my muscles and lungs.
8.2 km, 47 minutes
Obviously, I haven't been running hard enough lately. Sorry, hon, but I think I'm going to have to limit myself to one run per week, and do at least two other runs solo per week.
If there's any part of the Chaparral race that I was disappointed with, it was the run. Plus, my next race is going to be a 10k, and I want to be faster than last time. So, no more swimming until after thanksgiving-- from now until then, the focus is on the run, with cycling and strength training mixed in for variety.
Well, I guess I actually did pretty well last night, after the first 20 minutes or so. Did the Fish Creek Loop in reverse, and ran the hill twice-- I think that sort of flushed things out of my muscles and lungs.
8.2 km, 47 minutes
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Preview Brick
For the non-triathletes, a "brick" is a training session involving more than one of the three triathlon sports. Usually it's bike then run, because it is the more physically challenging transition--your legs tend to think they're still pedaling, making the first few minutes of the run an odd sensation.
It's also a good idea to practice the actual transitions... that is, get off the bike, rack the bike, remove the helmet, put on a hat, switch shoes if you need to, take some water, and go! This transition process (from bike to run) is usually referred to as T2, as in Transition 2. T1 is swim-bike.
So this is what we did yesterday. N wanted to check out the course for her race next weekend, so we made the drive all the way out to Strathmore, drove the bike course, checked out the transition area parking lot, and talked through the transitions. As with any sport, the mental aspect is very important, especially in the transitions. It's difficult to fully practice transitions because you can't really reproduce the transition area, so you have to rely on a lot of visualization, mental walkthroughs and imagination. The maps provided by most organizers help, but ultimately you also have to be prepared to be flexible. After all, you don't know exactly where your spot in the transition area will be until raceday.
As I've been taught, we talked about preparation--arriving early, laying everything out, thinking about each task in each transition, and performing them methodically, and in order. Being focused, not rushed.
***
Ride hilight:
"Riding your bike costs more than riding the C-Train!" (Tire tube: $5. Transit ticket: $2.50)
"Eating these energy gels is going to take some practice."
"You are NOT buying a 25$ cowbell!"
"Okay, I'll get the 20$ one then."
Total workout: 20k bike ~55mins (need to go a little faster for the race!), 3k run
It's also a good idea to practice the actual transitions... that is, get off the bike, rack the bike, remove the helmet, put on a hat, switch shoes if you need to, take some water, and go! This transition process (from bike to run) is usually referred to as T2, as in Transition 2. T1 is swim-bike.
So this is what we did yesterday. N wanted to check out the course for her race next weekend, so we made the drive all the way out to Strathmore, drove the bike course, checked out the transition area parking lot, and talked through the transitions. As with any sport, the mental aspect is very important, especially in the transitions. It's difficult to fully practice transitions because you can't really reproduce the transition area, so you have to rely on a lot of visualization, mental walkthroughs and imagination. The maps provided by most organizers help, but ultimately you also have to be prepared to be flexible. After all, you don't know exactly where your spot in the transition area will be until raceday.
As I've been taught, we talked about preparation--arriving early, laying everything out, thinking about each task in each transition, and performing them methodically, and in order. Being focused, not rushed.
***
Ride hilight:
"Riding your bike costs more than riding the C-Train!" (Tire tube: $5. Transit ticket: $2.50)
"Eating these energy gels is going to take some practice."
"You are NOT buying a 25$ cowbell!"
"Okay, I'll get the 20$ one then."
Total workout: 20k bike ~55mins (need to go a little faster for the race!), 3k run
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Long Ride
We did it! I'm so proud of N... that was one long, hilly ride. Longest I've ever done. 66 km!
The goal was to go out to Bragg Creek from Westhills, have lunch and ride back to the car. We gave ourselves about four hours, and it took us about three and a half, including lunch.
Here's the map, courtesy of mapmyride.com
The goal was to go out to Bragg Creek from Westhills, have lunch and ride back to the car. We gave ourselves about four hours, and it took us about three and a half, including lunch.
Here's the map, courtesy of mapmyride.com
Monday, July 21, 2008
Busy Weekend: Commute by Bike, Open Minds 10k, and Fish Creek - Bankside Loop
The weekend started off with a lovely, sunny Friday morning, but of course because N had dropped me off at work with my bike to pedal home, Friday afternoon's weather was nasty. Around one o'clock, the sky turned dark... luckily it has cleared somewhat by the time I left at 4, and the ride proved very pleasant. I did manage to lose the path a few times (both accidentally and attempting shortcuts), but all things considered it was a great ride.
Since my office is just off Deerfoot and 16th Ave, I made my way across Deerfoot on the pedestrian overpass that lies halfway between 16th and 32nd. There's a rather nice path next to the CPR tracks along Deerfoot, and I was able to make better time than most of the vehicles on the Deerfoot, which was kind of gratifying. I followed that path all the way to Memorial, and picked up the Elbow River pathway at the Zoo, and followed it all the way to the Reservoir. I may have cut a few bends out of the river, but mostly stuck to the paths.
I made it home in about an hour an a half, including stops to look at the map. Not too bad, but I'm sure I can do better once I know the paths. N had ordered pizza, and I was sooo hungry (didn't bring enough food to work) that I ate about 3/4 of the thing! It's okay though, I had salad too. Then I passed out. Seriously-- I passed right out on the couch, woke up at 9:30 to go to bed. I must have been tired!
--
8:30 Saturday, we were at Edworthy Park for the Open Minds Run for the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta. N was there for the 5k (her first "real" race!), and I was there for the 10k.
I hadn't really given too much thought to my goal for the race, but so many people asked me before the race that I had to have a target. It's been a long time since I raced a 10k--I think the last one was the Forzani's Mothers' Day race, probably 10 years ago, when I was playing sports every day and running somewhat regularly. And would have weighed about 50-60 lbs less. I seemed to remember being somewhere between an hour and an hour ten. Plus, I've been running at about 5-6.5 minutes per km. So "under and hour" seemed to be a good goal.
Chip-timing is great, but you don't know what your time is until the next day. I was running without a watch or my Nike+iPod, and the large race clock over the finish was not working/ not in use. I knew that the race was supposed to start at 9, so when I got to the finish line, I asked N what time it was. 10:01. "I guess that's okay," I thought. "It's around an hour". I'd counted people at the turnaround, and figured I was about 25th overall, so that was something.
Well, yesterday I checked www.winningtime.ca -- good news! The race started at 9:10! My official time is 51:43... that's definitely a PR.
--
The plan Sunday was to go for a ride either at Eau Claire or Fish Creek Park around 2. I was a little hungover from 2 bachelor parties the night before, but I'm a strong advocate of exercise/fresh air as the best cure for a hangover, so I was actually looking forward to it. But we didn't go until after dinner, which was probably a good thing, it was so hot!
From our place, we rode east through Fish Creek, past the ranch, then north along the Bow. It's so beautiful through there! We rode past Bankview, to where Canyon Meadows Drive meets the park. We made it up the hill, then followed the "on-road-bike paths" through Queensland Downs, Bonavista Downs, past Lake Bonavista and home. It was a good ride, the hills being challenging but not impossible, and the weather just gorgeous.
Since my office is just off Deerfoot and 16th Ave, I made my way across Deerfoot on the pedestrian overpass that lies halfway between 16th and 32nd. There's a rather nice path next to the CPR tracks along Deerfoot, and I was able to make better time than most of the vehicles on the Deerfoot, which was kind of gratifying. I followed that path all the way to Memorial, and picked up the Elbow River pathway at the Zoo, and followed it all the way to the Reservoir. I may have cut a few bends out of the river, but mostly stuck to the paths.
I made it home in about an hour an a half, including stops to look at the map. Not too bad, but I'm sure I can do better once I know the paths. N had ordered pizza, and I was sooo hungry (didn't bring enough food to work) that I ate about 3/4 of the thing! It's okay though, I had salad too. Then I passed out. Seriously-- I passed right out on the couch, woke up at 9:30 to go to bed. I must have been tired!
--
8:30 Saturday, we were at Edworthy Park for the Open Minds Run for the Schizophrenia Society of Alberta. N was there for the 5k (her first "real" race!), and I was there for the 10k.
I hadn't really given too much thought to my goal for the race, but so many people asked me before the race that I had to have a target. It's been a long time since I raced a 10k--I think the last one was the Forzani's Mothers' Day race, probably 10 years ago, when I was playing sports every day and running somewhat regularly. And would have weighed about 50-60 lbs less. I seemed to remember being somewhere between an hour and an hour ten. Plus, I've been running at about 5-6.5 minutes per km. So "under and hour" seemed to be a good goal.
Chip-timing is great, but you don't know what your time is until the next day. I was running without a watch or my Nike+iPod, and the large race clock over the finish was not working/ not in use. I knew that the race was supposed to start at 9, so when I got to the finish line, I asked N what time it was. 10:01. "I guess that's okay," I thought. "It's around an hour". I'd counted people at the turnaround, and figured I was about 25th overall, so that was something.
Well, yesterday I checked www.winningtime.ca -- good news! The race started at 9:10! My official time is 51:43... that's definitely a PR.
--
The plan Sunday was to go for a ride either at Eau Claire or Fish Creek Park around 2. I was a little hungover from 2 bachelor parties the night before, but I'm a strong advocate of exercise/fresh air as the best cure for a hangover, so I was actually looking forward to it. But we didn't go until after dinner, which was probably a good thing, it was so hot!
From our place, we rode east through Fish Creek, past the ranch, then north along the Bow. It's so beautiful through there! We rode past Bankview, to where Canyon Meadows Drive meets the park. We made it up the hill, then followed the "on-road-bike paths" through Queensland Downs, Bonavista Downs, past Lake Bonavista and home. It was a good ride, the hills being challenging but not impossible, and the weather just gorgeous.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
20 minute Challenge
Well, it was more like 40 minutes. I'm not sure though, you'd have to ask N, or "the woman with no heartbeat". (The HRM she got for her birthday doesn't seem to work-- but it does tell time and has a nifty stopwatch feature.)
We got to the Running Room at Glenmore Landing just in time to scoop the last two hats. We both thought that it was a little odd that they advertised that you had to pre-register to get a hat, but we weren't asked for any confirmation...
After a little pep talk and a group photo, the crowd (100 people at least?) set out for the paths. I was glad I wasn't out there on my bike! People running on the left side of the yellow line were oddly shocked to be sworn at by oncoming cyclists...
People were going off in all directions, but we decided to head south towards Heritage Park and the Hospital. N didn't think so at the time, but she was keeping a pretty good pace, even though she was chatting with some of the girls from her clinic who were there. While she chatted, I ran ahead, thinking to do intervals by pushing ahead, turning around and running back to N, running with her for a bit, then repeat. But she was kind of keeping up, so I didn't have far to run back, the first time.
At about the hospital, I pushed ahead once again, deciding to go all the way to Glenmore trail, and thinking N would turn around just past the hospital, and I could catch up to her pretty quickly... but it wasn't until I was past Heritage Park again that I even saw her! I think she does run faster when I'm not around.
Total time: ~40mins
Distance: ~5k
Gotta take it easy before Saturday! The plan is to bike for an hour tonight, then swim tomorrow, but I really want to ride my bike home tomorrow too. I'll just take it easy on the way home.
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