The biggest problem I have with living in Calgary is the cold weather. Don't get me wrong, I love to snowboard, and I love the crisp, clean edge the air gets. But my training has always suffered in the winter. It's just too easy to have an excuse. My excuses lately have mostly been "It's too cold, I don't have the right gear" and "It's dark out already"
But, I did manage to get out yesterday-- a nice, sunny day. But I'm finding the air so dry, it's aggravating my asthma, so I have to be even more careful about taking my medication.
As for gear, I think I'll be taking water more often, even on short runs. This month's Runners' World featured an article about running in cold weather, and suggested breathing through the nose is more important so you don't dry out as quickly. My nose is constantly plugged, so a bandana over the mouth might be the way to go...
I'm also thinking about getting another pair of tights that are more suited to cold weather. I'm looking at CW-X Insulator Stabilyx (partly, I admit, because they have cool print ads), or I might just go for the Running Room brand gear.
No matter what it takes, I have to keep running, even if it's only once a week. I'm not a huge fan of track running, though I could do that at the Shawnessy Y if it came down to it... but there's no way I'll be running on a treadmill-- they always seem to jump and skip and catch when I run on any treadmill.
I've taken the bike in for a last tuneup for the winter, before it goes into storage, but I'm thinking it would be great to have a spin trainer like one of these, or this one. I just don't know if I could convince my lovely wife to let me keep the bike in the spare bedroom, or spend the money on the trainer.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
9 Miles Through Leaf Piles
We've been very lucky to have amazing weather in September and into the first week of October. Better than August, actually. Today was a perfect day for a run... even if I did wear some of my cool weather gear.
So it also great that I had a couple of running buddies--Kim and Dr. Dan invited me to join them on a 9-miler as part of Kim's training program. Given that I didn't actually run last week (made it to the gym lots, but have been pretty light on the running), 15k was a little ambitious, but having them to talk to really helped! That, and we walked a little.
The route was the same as the last 15k I did, but the best part was that once we got out of Fish Creek Park, all the poplar leaves on the ground made for some fun crunching and swooshing. It wasn't great for our stride techniques, but Dan and I had a blast kicking leaves around.
So it also great that I had a couple of running buddies--Kim and Dr. Dan invited me to join them on a 9-miler as part of Kim's training program. Given that I didn't actually run last week (made it to the gym lots, but have been pretty light on the running), 15k was a little ambitious, but having them to talk to really helped! That, and we walked a little.
The route was the same as the last 15k I did, but the best part was that once we got out of Fish Creek Park, all the poplar leaves on the ground made for some fun crunching and swooshing. It wasn't great for our stride techniques, but Dan and I had a blast kicking leaves around.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Goals Update, and A Close Encounter of the Moose Kind
Well, I'm getting there. I'm down to 232lbs, with almost three months left until Christmas. With all the meetings and running around I've had to do lately I really haven't had much time to actually run-- a little ironic, no?
But, I have been making it to the gym early in the mornings. That's probably been my one saving grace; I've managed to go two or three times a week for the last three weeks.
And it's been so long since I've posted, there have been a few other adventures. On September 20-21st, we went to Waterton with the whole family: my parents, my two brothers, and the girls. (It's crazy now to think that what used to always be the five of us is now eight! Well, "officially" six... no pressure, guys) The plan for Saturday was for the boys to go hiking while the girls went horseback riding for a few hours. It wasn't until Friday night that I found out that the only options for the hike were 20km or 5km. Ideal would have been about 10...
It was a great hike, though I'll spare you most of the details. The weather was perfect, the company was great, and the views were amazing. Dad and Daniel did the West Coast Trail two years ago, Chad hikes and backpacks regularly, and I have done some pretty long hiking days myself, but we'd never done anything that long all together, the four of us.
We are all usually pretty quiet guys (except me, apparently?), but we all had a lot of catching up to do, and all knew that the best way to keep bears away is to talk loudly, so we were. Apparenly moose aren't as smart as bears-- Daniel almost bumped noses with a female trying to avoid an amorous bull moose using the trail. She almost immediately took off, crashing through the bush uphill, while we slowly backed away downhill and behind a tree. A fake charge and several tense minutes later, the bull decided to take the "easy" route down the hill and around us. "Hey buddy, she went THAT way!"
I've run into a bear before, and it was not nearly as scary as staring down that moose. That stupid, stupid, rutting moose. I'd rather deal with a predictable, intelligent, wary bear, than a stupid moose with a one-track mind.
Pictures to follow... once I get them from Chad.
But, I have been making it to the gym early in the mornings. That's probably been my one saving grace; I've managed to go two or three times a week for the last three weeks.
And it's been so long since I've posted, there have been a few other adventures. On September 20-21st, we went to Waterton with the whole family: my parents, my two brothers, and the girls. (It's crazy now to think that what used to always be the five of us is now eight! Well, "officially" six... no pressure, guys) The plan for Saturday was for the boys to go hiking while the girls went horseback riding for a few hours. It wasn't until Friday night that I found out that the only options for the hike were 20km or 5km. Ideal would have been about 10...
It was a great hike, though I'll spare you most of the details. The weather was perfect, the company was great, and the views were amazing. Dad and Daniel did the West Coast Trail two years ago, Chad hikes and backpacks regularly, and I have done some pretty long hiking days myself, but we'd never done anything that long all together, the four of us.
We are all usually pretty quiet guys (except me, apparently?), but we all had a lot of catching up to do, and all knew that the best way to keep bears away is to talk loudly, so we were. Apparenly moose aren't as smart as bears-- Daniel almost bumped noses with a female trying to avoid an amorous bull moose using the trail. She almost immediately took off, crashing through the bush uphill, while we slowly backed away downhill and behind a tree. A fake charge and several tense minutes later, the bull decided to take the "easy" route down the hill and around us. "Hey buddy, she went THAT way!"
I've run into a bear before, and it was not nearly as scary as staring down that moose. That stupid, stupid, rutting moose. I'd rather deal with a predictable, intelligent, wary bear, than a stupid moose with a one-track mind.
Pictures to follow... once I get them from Chad.
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