RACER DIARIES

Happy New Year!

2012-01-04T13:06:00.005-05:00

I began the big job of planning my winter calendar yesterday and 24 hours later, pieces continue to fall into place.

Big change this winter over last is that now when I go to spinning, I face the other direction! Being an instructor has really been a huge benefit so far, and I look forward to helping even more clients at RPM this winter by adding Thursday mornings (6am) as well as part-time instructing through the usual 12-week Base Camp I've been a student of the past five years. A graduation of sorts! Add all that to my regular Monday evening (6:15pm) class and there's plenty of opportunity for me to see you there, I hope!

2012 is also the first year I will be forgoing my gym membership which is fantastic. Instead, Grahame -- a colleague and fellow cyclist -- and I have discovered a mysterious "Room of Requirement" deep in the bowels of our office. It's fully stocked with free-weights, mats and the like and so 2012 will also be the year of the training partner!

Grahame and I are also 4 days into #teampushup ... on January 1, we did five pushups and have been adding one every day since. Last time I challenged myself like this I made it all the way to 60 ... who knows how far we'll get this time?! Join in if you want! Today we did eight.

Speaking of training partners, Nathania and I continue our thrice weekly early-morning runs ... although with the impending arrival of "Bean" we have taken to power-walking to keep the mom-to-be in action, safely. For the second half, she usually insists I do something difficult like climb a hill 9 nine times as we did this morning while she does the same at her own pace. Bean arrives only three short months from now!

For 2012, I am also hoping to add more yoga to the routine -- potentially even taking on Moksha's famous 30-Day Challenge. We'll see how it all fits in.

Supported by plenty of help from my trusted helpers -- Henry the Chiropractor and David the RMT -- I suspect 2012 will be one of my best winters yet.

Which brings me to the most important part of any training program: Goals. While I prefer to keep my specific training goals to myself (mainly because I haven't really thought about them yet, tsk tsk), here are my top five 'philosophical' goals:

1. Travel with the bike more

As much as I hate packing up the pieces and paying the extra cost of flying avec bike box, the amazing adventures I've had on distant soil have steeled me to make such travel a more frequent priority.

One trip is already on the books: Dad and I will be tackling the French Alps this August with Trek Travel so getting into good climbing form this winter will be really important to me.

With Gerhard in California, I hope to also take advantage of some SoCal riding when I do my winter visit.

And of course, widening the scope race-wise would also be cool. For example, I just got back from Mount Washington for some holiday skiing and was excited to learn that the BC Cup Mtb Champs will be held there this summer. Options!

2. Switch it up

2012 could be the year of the marathon. Or at least the half-marathon. And I mean on my FEET. I am allowing myself to succumb to peer pressure and will hopefully be adding the Goodlife Half Marathon to my schedule, May 6. Anyone else?

3. Stay on top of strength training

Skipping the weight room a few too many times last season made for a noticeable lack of power come race day. I think it is also partly to blame for frequent trips to see afore-mentioned Henry the Chiropractor. Room for improvement in this area, as always.

4. Keep it real

I do this because it's fun. I do this because I like it. I do this because it makes me feel good. Time to turn down the intensity a notch because I was definitely close to making my healthy hobby a stressful chore in 2011. In fact, I'd argue I was successful in that. So this season, worrying over results or missed workouts won't be on the agenda. As Matt P often reminds me: everything in moderation! Balance! And we'll get there either way and it's up to us if we want to stress the whole time or just relax knowing it will all work out. (I'm paraphrasing ... )

5. Socialize

Did I mention riding bikes is fun? In 2011 I found out it's even more fun when it's social. So this season (as you can already tell from my training plans) I am making it an official goal to get out more with the amazing people in our little mtb/cycling community.

Hope to see you on the trail -- skiing, running, or riding.

Happy New Year!

Ontario Cup Schedule: 2012

2011-11-23T10:07:00.002-05:00

Wow, with the summer and fall being totally occupied (excuse the word choice ...) by the Ontario election, I have to say that November -- and the winter training that traditionally starts with that month -- has really snuck up on me.

However! The Ontario Cycling Association newsletter included the schedule above, just to bring all us mtb racers back to reality, and the trainer.

A new Northern Ontario venue has appeared at the beginning of July which is very exciting indeed. I still sigh fondly over the good old days at Elliot Lake so hopefully the as-of-yet-unnamed Sudbury venue will be equally as memorable, and challenging.

Somehow I have missed the past two chances to try out Woodnewton, so maybe the third time's the charm.

And I see Duntroon is back on the schedule for provincials as well which is a welcome repeat since I didn't get to ride it in 2011, and everyone said it was epic.

Thanks to Chico Racing for providing what looks like another amazing slate of events! Mark your calendars!

Race Report: Singletrack Challenge

2011-10-17T12:55:00.003-04:00

What better way to spend a sunny, fall day than mountain biking for more than four hours in a row on a course that's 98% singletrack?

This was my first visit to the new-ish fall event held at Hardwood Hills. It was also my first time on a mountain bike -- or doing anything remotely resembling healthy physical activity -- since the 24-Hour back in August. The Ontario general election sucked up every ounce of oxygen between then and now so I was really not sure what to expect on race day.

Kind of added to the fun, to be honest.

So, surprise! Legs felt okay, handling was better than I expected even with the slick roots and mucky leaves but wow. Kids, don't let your cardio go. My chest felt like it was clamped in a vice.

Then I realized my under-layer was perhaps a little too constricting. It was a last minute addition and truth be told it was actually just a bandeau but I thought it would help keep my core warm. I don't recommend this. By the end of the second lap, "Radical", I was having a hard time feeling my feet -- not so radical. So I took a break trail-side and removed the offending garment and it felt SO GOOD, the relief almost made it worthwhile. (Reminds me of a quote I like to use: "So what's racing feel like?" "Like hitting yourself with a hammer non-stop for two hours" "Then why do you do it?" "Because it feels so good when you stop!").

Once that was sorted out, and blood could once again travel freely between my torso and the "engine room" (my legs), we were off for the final three loops. Sean Ruppel of Chico Racing fame was my riding buddy for the day and if he hadn't been there I probably would have quit, so thanks Sean. While I struggled with mountain-biking skills level 1, he was clearing tough climbs and obstacles on a single speed 29er while still having the time to leisurely chat with the other racers, answer texts, fix broken chains, remove dead-falls from the course and even at least three nature breaks. I felt like a shadow of my racing self. Sigh.

But I finished it! I think I was the 5th woman overall, and 2nd in my category which meant that for all my suffering I was duly awarded a snazzy plaque and I even snagged a doorprize as well -- a handy nacho bowl, chips and two kinds of delicious salsa which for sure I will be eating tonight for dinner because I am too tired and sore to even consider walking to the grocery store.

It will be a sad little meal in comparison to the post-race repast Adam Ruppel and his lovely wife Jen made for us over in Uxbridge last night. A boisterous dinner party of seven sharing Jen's most-amazing-ever short-ribs and other Thai cuisine was the perfect end to a great day of riding (even though the "racing" left something to be desired.) So thanks to them once again!

PS Next time you see Adam (aka Chico), ask him to tell you about his ghostly encounters. I'll be getting over those spooky tales for a few more nights to come.

Race Report: Hot August Nights

2011-08-29T05:54:00.000-04:00

Last weekend before the real race begins, so what better way to spend it than turning laps with the mountain bike crowd at the annual 24 Hours of Hot August Nights. As luck would have it, Randall had a few spots available on his 10-person team and they were open to ringers! I didn't really have the whole weekend to spend up there, but thanks to his generosity, I got to have my cake and eat it too.

After working a bit in the morning, I headed up to Albion in time to say hello, meet my new teammates and do some quick socializing. Even had the Shimano guys tune up my whip!

Quickly ran into Race Director Sean Ruppel who was looking for volunteers to help marshal the kids' race. Why not? So I helped the little ones make it around the course with much cheering and pointing the way. Not that they needed me -- Canadian Mtb legend and Olympian Seamus McGrath was leading the pack! The kids loved it and there were freezies and medals for everyone at the finish.

By then I was ready to turn a lap. The course was so so so fun. My favourite yet I think. I felt like PacMan out there, having an awesome ride, smooth and flowy even though I was seeing the course for the first time. Love rides like that -- straight to the racy place. Coming around the last corner, there were the "Tree Fairies" (so-named by Chico himself, Adam Ruppel) cheering me on. And they were there at the line with a beer -- it's a good recovery drink, you know. I didn't even have to walk my own bike back to the campsite. They did that for everyone which is what team work is really all about I think: being there to cheer, hand over a beer, and listen to the war stories on the way back. I am secretly hoping for an invite to future 24s with this crowd, as they clearly know what they're doing.

Later that night, they also let me share their dinner with them. they cheffed up some wild pacific salmon that had arrived by jet the day before. We had chantrelle mushrooms fried with a demi-glaze of red wine and who knows what else. Roasted potatoes with rosemary. Caeasar Salad. All this over campfire. Seriously?!

After dinner had digested a little, and I'd had a quick nap by the campfire I did a night lap for them to let the guys get a little more sleep in the hardest part of the race -- it is never that fun to drag yourself out of deep sleep in the middle of the night to go ride your bike as fast as you can. I finished just after 1am, and then called it a night, heading back to Toronto and in bed by 2:30am.

Wish I could have stayed but I had a spin class waiting for me at 9:15am. The TRCA Tree Fairies managed an awesome top 20 finish in the end.

Thanks Tree Fairies!! I had a wicked good time. Still glowing :)

France 2012: BOOKED

2011-08-27T13:12:00.006-04:00

There's always a reason to say no, but sometimes you just gotta say yes!

That's basically the reasoning behind our decision to book a "trip of a lifetime" with Trek Travel.

That's right, Dad and I are going to do a father-daughter cycling adventure for six days and five nights riding up and down the Classic Climbs of the Alps.

Every July, for Dad and I -- like most cycling fans -- France becomes Mecca and the scenery, bike-crazy culture and heroic feats-on-wheels captures our imagination. So we decided to go, ride where they ride, eat where they eat and best of all, roll how they roll!

Trek Travel is regarded as one of the leaders in bicycle tourism, providing eveyrthing you need for an amazing time, from route planning to accoms to just not having to worry about your bike. We don't even have to bring our own! They provide one! And not just any bike -- I'll be cruising around on a gorgeous Trek Madone 5.2 (the one I will likely be purchasing next anyway -- what a great chance to test-ride!). Our accommodations look beautiful (and they have "Palace" in the name, so that's a plus!), and we'll be based mostly at Lake Annecy which promises amazing culinary options, markets and even swimming post-ride.

At the end of the trip, our proverbial cycling belts will include deep notches for the Col du Marais, Col de la Forclaz, Col du Télégraphe and the Col du Galibier and of course the famous 21 switchbacks of Alpe D'Huez. We will have enjoyed the best of French wine, cheese and pastries, guilt free.

And best of all, we will have some great memories to share of that time we went to France.

Only 343 days to go.

Early Birds

2011-08-25T07:33:00.007-04:00

Earlier this summer I started running with Nat, an ironman athlete who lives around the corner from me. It's great to have someone waiting on the curb two or three times a week just to make sure I roll out of bed in the morning -- and by the way, so far neither of us has ever slept in so it's working!

This morning we weren't the only early birds! Nat's keen senses picked up on this fellow so I snapped a pic. We know it's a hawk, but not sure which kind. He was a bit too grey for me to guess "red tail".

Anyway, I've come to greatly enjoy our runs together for the conversation, company and of course the training. But today was our last time out for a bit because I'm about to start running a different kind of race.

If anyone's looking for me between now and election day on Oct 6, kindly leave a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.

The Ontario Way

2011-08-24T17:12:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note to see if anyone's watching a certain website close to my heart (and fingertips ...).

Check out theontarioway.ca for great stories about how Ontarians are working together to make our province a leader.

My First Running Race

2011-08-20T22:59:00.002-04:00

Chico Racing is branching out this year by adding a whole series of Ontario Cup Trail Running Races to the usual menu of off-road riding goodness. Next season I hope to do a few more of these, but for this season, I was happy to at least be able to tack the final stop — Woodnewton, near Uxbridge — onto my race schedule.

It was a different world. So here are some observations from a mountain biker turned runner.

1) Guy to girl ratio. Almost exactly opposite to mountain biking. So THIS is where the girls are! And I don't blame them. It was so much less hassle getting ready to get out the door for the running race than the bike race. No equipment to worry about and its seemingly neverending rabbit hole of adjustments and personal preferences. Plus all the trappings -- tools, fuel, bottles etc that all need to be prepped in advance before they're stuffed into pockets. Not to mention remembering to bring essentials like gloves, helmet and shoes. For the running race, I got dressed, drove to the venue and what I was wearing was what I was racing in. The most complicated part of kitting up was remembering to do a double knot on my shoe laces. Easy.

2) Pre Race fueling. Clearly, I have no idea how or what to eat before a running race. When Nat and I go out in the mornings, I hardly eat anything at all because it makes me feel icky. So I tried eating based on that, keeping it light (fruit, toast, coffee) but still with enough fuel not to bonk. But it was the wrong strategy as evidenced by the stabbing side stitches that dogged me for the entire 11km. Before a mountain bike race, I eat a bazillion calories consisting of a few regular staples and feel awesome and bonk-free. Bonk-free I accomplished. Feeling awesome? not so much. Hopefully I can figure this out because I feel like without a speed limiter like a cramp in my gut I could really get a move on.

3) Warm up ...? Before a mountain bike race, I spend about an hour spinning and throwing in some hard pieces/climbs to get the legs ready for the effort. I was a little taken aback at the casual attitude the other racers had leading up to the gun. No one seemed to be doing more than laps back and forth to the johnny-on-the-spot. Hmmm. This one I couldn't let go, so a fellow rider-turned-runner and I did a lap of the parking lot/registration area just to see how things were feeling. I felt like everyone was looking at us like we were nuts.

4) Attire. I wore what I always wear running: shorts, t-shirt, short-socks, shoes and sunglasses. But I usually run on the road. I started to feel out of place when I saw the fancy trail-running shoes some of the other competitors had on. There were compression tights in full effect, tall socks that went about halfway up the calf and some runners even wore thin versions of XC ski gators. I had the definite feeling that these runners knew something I didn't ... and quickly found out what. I'm sure they didn't have the same problems I did: No blisters on the bottoms of their toes from all the quick turns and elevation changes thanks to their special shoes; No burrs, seeds, pebbles and grass finding their way into their socks and contributing to said blisters; And no Poison fother-mucking Ivy on their ankles and calves thanks to their tall socks. Noted, trail runners. Noted.

5) Race Strategy. The act of actually running the race was of course different too. It was like mountainbiking but in slow motion. The start almost had me laughing out loud. I felt so ... slow! And without the bike I felt bouncy and disoriented. It's hard to explain, but it was funny. So I settled in to a pace I thought I could hold and then tried to figure out how it compared to the other racers'. I passed a girl, but since everything goes slower in running, getting away from her took a longer time than I expected. Likewise when she passed me back, I felt like the process took a loooong time and it kind of messed with my mental game a bit. There was always this breathing right on my tail, and so I was constantly on the gas trying to get some distance -- to my detriment in the end. The stupid side stitch wasn't having any of that. Maybe it would be less slow motion without that. Also going uphill I found almost easier and how annoying that in running, I was actually LOSING time on the descents! I think I need some work there because the climbs were definitely a place I was catching other racers. A shame to waste the gains once gravity is actually on my side!

6) Good vibrations. During a mountain bike race, I usually suffer for the entire two hours straight. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the suffering, and all those feelings you get when you find out what your body is capable of but one of the greatest things about racing is the part where you cross the finish! It's like the anecdote about the guy who keeps hitting himself with a hammer. "Why do you do that?!" they ask him, incredulously. "Because it feels so good when you stop," comes his reply. Okay, throw all that out the window for running. Holy smokes, stopping is the WORST! I had no idea how hard I'd pushed myself or how bad I was feeling until I wasn't running anymore and then all I wanted to do was throw up or sit down so the world would stop spinning. How can you go from feeling great, pushing up a hill or kicking it up for the last stretch and then two second later feel like you've been repeatedly punched in the gut!! I guess the key to running is don't stop!

Anyway, in the end I came 3rd place, which I think is none too shabby. I had a lot of fun and made some new friends over the weekend so that was a great bonus. Big thanks to Chico Racing for putting on awesome event after awesome event. Check out chicoracing.com for information on upcoming races or to check results.

King Weekly Series

2011-08-18T14:25:00.005-04:00

Post-race sunset over King

Last night I decided to pay a visit to Matt P's series up in King, at last. I WISH I had known about it sooner -- if you have never been, go. Amazing course (especially if you need to work on cornering as I quickly discovered is the case for me), great crowd, awesome draw prizes courtesy of Trek Store Toronto and Joyride 150 and a regular post-race outing at a nearby pub (so make sure you bring decent civilian garb).

Even got to meet Canadian "elite amateur" mtb legend Andrew Watson ... although he only managed a second place finish to Sean Ruppel's W. Elbowing notwithstanding.

Thanks Matt for putting on a great event. I hope I can squeeze in another visit to the flowy trails of King before the season's out. Four Wednesdays left if anyone wants to check it out!

Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce ...

2011-08-13T10:56:00.003-04:00

Ella!

Baby Eleanor "Ella" Claire Mombourquette arrived on July 26 at 6:35pm, weighing 8 pounds 15oz. Proud parents Kim and Bryan have been kept very busy with her robust feeding schedule and diaper changing needs. She likes celtic rock music and always wants to be a part of the action. Living in a house that is so musically inclined — and sharing a birthday with Mick Jagger — leads me to believe that she has got some pretty talented genes and we can look forward to many touching performances.

Then again, maybe she's a future champion mountain bike racer.

Who knows?!

Can't wait to get to know her, and spoil her (which is my right and responsibility since I am "the cool aunt")

Race Report: Ocup 6, Kelso

2011-08-07T18:10:00.004-04:00

Oh hiii.

Long time no posting, je sais, and I'm sorry about that. But today I had such a fun time at Kelso I am inspired to share a race report!

I haven't been to many races this year so the usual "race stuff" was not coming naturally to me. Hence, I spent all of yesterday preparing, slowly, so as not to forget anything. Even with all that careful preparation, somehow this morning I still managed to leave later than I should have. I arrived at the venue with barely enough time to register before hitting the road to warm up. Yikes!

The drive to Kelso involved torrential downpours so I was not sure what to expect. But the beauty about a weather "limiter" is that everyone has the same one so it is what it is (and it ain't what it ain't.) Luckily, the gods smiled on us and the sun came out just in time for our start. I think it was because I paid my dues riding a time trial in the pouring rain on Wednesday, but I digress.

The start was good ... great, even. Despite being a little flustered over my late arrival, I got myself together and was calm and collected on the line. At "Go", I found myself a spot in the tight pack as we went up the start hill, down the other side and then ended up in a single file as we began the BIG climb. Oh Kelso ... how you hurt us so. For those who aren't familiar, the BIG climb goes from the bottom to the top of the Niagara Escarpment. Parts are in the shade, but most are exposed to the sun. It is steep, long, and hot. And yet somehow I felt GOOD!

I made a move early in the climb and by the second part of this three-parter, I was sitting comfortably third wheel and our group was pulling away from the pack. That is, until I confused my lock-outs with my shifters, mis-shifted and sucked my chain on into the wrong side of the rings -- thank you oxygen-debt. I was too "dumb" to figure out what to do so I tried a couple things then let my heart rate come down to "thinking" and "seeing" levels. By this point, the entire women's field was past me, and the next category was rallying up too. Oh no!

Trying not to panic, I sorted myself out and began my race again, this time with a lot of fire in my belly. I actually wonder if it wasn't a sort of blessing -- although I'd gladly take that time back, thanks! Racing from behind, I was definitely "in the hunt" which is a great way to be. The first lap seemed to fly by and I gobbled up a couple girls. The second was more of the same. My final mark was Erica on the hill, and then it was one final time around. side note: huge thanks to Sean Ruppel for his colour commentary at the top of the hill. For the record, I do NOT have a drinking problem in case you happened to be within earshot.

Anyway, happy to report that besides a recurring chain-suck issue, the race was very "clean" despite slippery conditions from the earlier deluge. I'm super happy to have rode well -- and safely -- and to come home feeling stoked on a job well done.

Here are the results. My time was 2:07:08.84 and the next fastest was Laura at 2:04:22.60 ... that means that even with the stops I had to make (maybe 2-3 minutes total?), I don't think my time suffered all that much. So 6th place, and that's all me, baby!

Ontario.ca/Progress

2011-07-25T13:36:00.003-04:00

I owe this blog a massive update -- but for not, here is a massive picture of all the great things Ontarians are accomplishing together! Get the whole story at ontario.ca/progress. Hope everyone's having a wonderful summer!

Raw "Cheese"cake

2011-06-12T21:56:00.006-04:00

This weekend my new roommate arrived and to welcome her, I made a cake! This cake is actually healthy for you, full of good fats, proteins and nutrients from living macadamia nuts and cashews, dates, lemons, berries, coconut oil and honey.

I'm super happy with how well it turned out, and it's so easy I'm sure I'll be making it pretty regularly -- I'm dying to know how it goes with every kind of berry.

To get the recipe, visit www.priscillalevac.com. Her photos are way prettier than mine too, but I'm still pretty proud of my creation!

Step 1: Macadamia/coconut/date crust processed in the Vita Mix and pressed into a pie plate
Step 2: Processing the "cheese"
Step 3: Firming up in the freezer
Step 4: Added the sauce, pureed in the Vita Mix (raspberry!) and it's ready to serve.

Musselmans Lake

2011-06-11T23:42:00.002-04:00

Worlds collided this morning when some of us from the office decided to spend some extracurricular quality time together sur velo! Let me tell you, it sure beats golf!

Four of us parked at a perfectly suited lot full of others enjoying some early morning cycling at Victoria Square. Then off we went for some rolling hills around Aurora. I recognized part of the course from 2007 (?) Ontario Cup road provincials by Magna but otherwise it was a totally new route for me.

The best part was the loop around Mussleman's, and just that makes it worth the trip.

Thanks to Jamison, Grahame and Sean for an awesome ride! And special thanks to Sean for the data below (since I screwed up my own by forgetting to hit go again after a nature break ... classic).

Can't wait for our next outing!!

Life Lately

2011-06-09T10:24:00.010-04:00

It's been awhile since I posted last so this could end up getting a little lengthy. a LOT has been going on.

Bikes and Training

Ocup 4 is this Sunday?

I think I said earlier I would race, but it turns out I'm not sure it would be a good idea. Albion has snuck up on me and I don't think I'm ready to get back in the saddle. It's been pretty much the craziest month of my life, and bike riding hasn't really been in the picture. It got pushed off my very full plate.

So although I have the few hours required for the race, that doesn't change the fact that I haven't had time to prepare leading up to it. So you girls will have to have fun without me ... bummer because I wanted to see the new bits of Albion on the track. Maybe I'll just go up for the preride and socializing. :)

Speaking of training though, I'm excited for a new addition to my routines: a regular run twice a week with my friend and neighbour Nathania. She's an IronMan and has my utmost respect -- I just do what she tells me and so far it's been tremendous. I hope she's enjoying our runs as much as I am.

Gerhard has left the building

I think the thing taking up most of the room on my very full plate is Gerhard's recent departure.

Figures you finally find Mr. Right, and then he picks up and moves to California. My broken heart aside, I'm so happy for him and his exciting new job as Managing Editor at TransWorld SNOWboarding. It's the biggest snowboarding magazine in the world so when they came knocking, G had to answer. (There's a little more about that story a couple posts ago.)

For me, this has meant an all-consuming process of administrivia, grieving, organizing, and of course making the most of our last few weeks together. It's been the best of times and the worst of times.

Last week (wow, was it only last week?) we had an amazing farewell tour with the amazing people we're fortunate to call our friends, delicious food, and free-flowing libations at places like Le Papillon, C'est What, that place with the nose on Queen E that serves awesome Italian food, Murph's and then the final farewell for G and about 40 friends showing the love at the Rhino. Sounds like G will be seeing a ton of us on his doorstep, looking for a free place to stay in SoCal.

Congratulations Sasha and Linsey!

To close G's time in Toronto, Sasha and Linsey were kind enough to throw us an amazing party in Aurora on his last night. They got married in a ceremony featuring one of the best vocalists I've ever heard, before getting the party started at the Manor. It was such an amazing time with the people I've known and loved the longest I almost forgot G was leaving the very next morning.

We danced the night away, and even cued up "A Whole New World" (thank you iPhone/iTunes) for Sasha and Linsey to dance to. Which they did phenomenally well! I almost think they were expecting our little surprise! They even sang the words to each other while the wedding guests stood in a circle around them making for a very memorable moment -- even with all the Sasha-esque girlie drinks that were made available fogging things up.

Disney music has a special place in our hearts -- we used to sing at the top of our lungs while picking berries at the farm where we all worked. We'd bust it out whenever we were in the car together and sing along. And although Linsey is the newest part of our social circle, she too has an Aladdin connection since she played the part of Jasmine in her school's musical back in the day. Obviously they were meant to be and the song was perfect on so many levels.

That dance was my favourite of many magical moments that night and I'm super happy for them. Congratulations Sasha and Linsey!!

Goodbyes and Sad Pandas

All too soon, the night was over and the dreaded moment arrived. We made our way to the airport and didn't even bother trying to make small talk. I wanted to cling on for as long as I could so I parked the van and followed G through his check-in, held him up so we could have breakfast (which neither of us felt much like eating) and then tried to hold it together while I watched him disappear into the security line.

And that began a long day of difficulties, which I decided to take out on the grocery store and nap time. By the time I felt fit for human company again, Bruce arrived to cheer me up. We got some pho, caught a movie and it seems life does in fact go on. But I'm not going to pretend like everything's okay. I do my best, but the "sneak attacks" keep ambushing me at the most inopportune moments. For example this morning on the subway when "Set Fire to the Third Bar" played on my iPod. Remind me to thank Snow Patrol for writing all that down for me.

New Roommate

In the life-goes-on spirit, I'm excited to welcome my new fantastic roommate on Saturday so I've been busy getting the place ready for her and our new arrangements. Basically it's been a great excuse to get rid of stuff, and finally get around to proper spring cleaning.

I'm excited about her coming and I think I'm going to make a raw cheesecake from Priscilla's website to start things off on a sweet note. She and I share similar values when it comes to the foods we eat so I'm looking forward to smartening up when it comes to my diet since it sounds like we're going to try to team up in the meals/food department.

Tonight, I made tabouleh salad for a work party tomorrow, a cucumber-mango salad which I sampled and think is pretty much the best salad in the world and I also finished up a raw curried corn chowder (also found on Priscilla's website) I made the other night.

Best Salad in the World:
1 mango chopped into cubes, 1 cucumber peeled/chopped same size, 3 green onions chopped, handful of cilantro chopped, juice from a lime, 2 tbsp of grated fresh ginger, salt to taste. Throw it all in a bowl, let it rest a couple hours then serve with chicken or pork or add in a cup of cooked quinoa to make it its own dish.

The Office

The last thing on my plate is of course work. I count myself pretty fortunate to work where I do, doing what I love with people I can't imagine life without.

This summer especially. With the election coming this fall, our whole team is pulling as hard as we can to deliver the only party with a positive plan for Ontario's future -- the only party I'd trust with my soon-to-be-here niece's future -- back into government. See what I mean:

My projects are pretty large and time consuming (hence, training has been a little dicey) and while they are my number one focus right now, they are also serving as an excellent distraction from all the other stuff going on.

Also, I'm back on the coffee train. Which is also why I'm up at 12:30am on a weeknight, writing novels for the internet.

So with that, I bid you goodnight, adieu, and thanks for reading.

Pennsylvania Long Weekend

2011-05-30T16:13:00.007-04:00

Did a different kind of riding on the long weekend just outside of Pittsburgh, PA.

We headed down Friday afternoon narrowly escaping a gnarly looking storm cloud in the rearview. Crossed without incident at Lewiston and rolled on into New York. Driving is much nicer in the US in many regards: people know the passing lane is for passing for example. And the scenery between here and Pennsylvania was just beautiful.

We arrived at G's aunt and uncle's place and they have three beautiful horses (well, two horses and a pony technically). They were amazingly generous, hospitable hosts and we all -- me, Gerhard, G's brother Adlar and Adlar's girlfriend Eva -- were treated to an amazing weekend full of culinary adventures, relaxing, libations and of course, riding!

Dorcus was our mount of choice -- she is a retired harness-race horse, and at 15 she is just at the beginning of her golden years, chilling at the farm. Boomer, their other retiree is about the same age, but he still has some crazy eyes going on revealing a little too much spirit for the saddle (at least for us).

But Dorcus treated us all to many tranquil laps of the paddock. Girlish ideas about wanting an equine friend of my own came back in a rush. Maybe one day, after I win the lottery.

Next, Belle gave us a turn. She's a Welsh pony, beautiful, but bratty. Apparently this is the case for almost all ponies which is kind of funny because they're the toughest to handle, but kids prefer them because they're a little shorter. I guess some trade-offs are okay to make. Welsh ponies were used as pack animals in the mines back in the day. But Belle's working days are over too ... unless you count kids' birthday parties.

Anyway, amazing meal after amazing meal including Pennsylvania delicacies like beef jerky had me gain about 7 pounds by the time we left. I thought I'd bring a bike, but decided against. Bittersweet really -- on the one hand, the roads there would be amazing for road riding. On the other hand, their twisting hilly nature would make it difficult for cars and bikes to get along together safely. Still -- the Tran-Sylvania Mountain Bike Stage Race is now looking like a major bucket list item. SO GREEN.

Huge thanks to our hosts for the weekend, it was definitely one we won't forget -- good times!

The Return to California

2011-05-26T18:36:00.007-04:00

I loved California when I was there with Matt P and Pete G back in January. But I had no idea how big a role the region was about to play in life-as-I-know-it when I visited then.

Because this is the internet, and no one has an attention span longer than 2 seconds, I'll get straight to the point. Gerhard has accepted a new job at the biggest snowboard magazine in the biz: Transworld.

Transworld is based in Carlsbad, CA about half an hour north of San Diego, right on the coast. Don't ask me why snowboarding magazines always seem to be published in the most un-snowboarding of places (Toronto, as another example ... no offense Blue Mountain).

And so here we are, riding the rollercoaster of life in the fast lane, trying to figure out what happens next. Because California is a loooong way from Toronto on pretty much every level.

So how did this all happen? Well let me just brag and say it wasn't like Gerhard was looking for a new job. This job came looking for HIM. And if you follow his articles with Snowboard Canada, you'll know why. Or maybe they just saw this: http://bit.ly/ftXswe

Anyway, one thing led to another, and that led to a job-interview in Carlsbad. A quick trip, but I decided I needed to be there to try and make more sense of all this impending change. Maybe palm trees and ocean breeze would be the spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.

And it was.

I travelled via Vancouver where a former colleague and her boyfriend were kind enough to put me up for the night. That lined me up for an early flight to L.A. the next morning.

When I landed, I was immediately hyped. I went to pick up the economy car I'd reserved from the rental company, and let them up-sell me to a red convertible. It seemed like the obvious thing to do. Then I booted down the interstate blaring the pop-tunes, and letting my new cut and colour fly around in the wind.

I got to the hotel first, so I had the tedious honour of waiting for G. In the mean time, I got a sandwich and a drink from a place up the road and made like ten friends who all had great advice on what to do and where to eat for our little stay. I got back to the hotel and finally Gerhard arrived. We spent the rest of the afternoon booting around in my whip, checking things out and imaginging what life could be like there.

We thought the actual interview the next morning would be over in time for lunch and surfing, but it turned out to be an all-day appointment. So I had nothing left to do but take myself shopping! I also checked out the flower fields which are famous in the area and took myself out to lunch at the "Naked Cafe" before poking my head in some neighbourhood bike shops.

To celebrate the success of both our days, we headed to San Diego to try some fish tacos one of my sandwich-friends recommended. We drove by a rollercoaster and stopped for some spontaneous thrills and poetic symbolism.

It was a great trip. But is it real life? For one of us, starting June 6 it sure is.

Gerhard has been beavering away to get his documents in order for a move to the States. Lucky for him he doesn't have to "immigrate" in the formal sense because he is a dual citizen. But chasing down passports and social security numbers plus trying to squeeze the most out of his last weeks with healthcare have kept him busy.

I have been working on finding a roommate and fussing over Gerhard's to-do list. We're having a going-away party for G next Thursday by the way if you'd like to bid him farewell (and ingratiate yourself to him so you have a place to stay if you ever want to go to SoCal.)

So that's been the overwhelmingly heavy, scary, exciting, happy, confusing, sad, proud news around here.

Early-Season Break

2011-05-25T12:08:00.002-04:00

So that was a first ... I skipped a race the other day because I didn't feel like it. AND I'd already paid too. I think I'm slipping.

But guess what! I'm skipping the next one too. I have a friend's wedding the night before and while I'm sure I could make it work [by either not drinking, or just racing hung over] on the other hand, why bother? For the glory of finishing mid- to back-of-the pack? For the dust and heat Hardwood usually delivers (except that year it SNOWED)? For two days of driving back and forth up the 400 (not to mention Sunday night traffic)?

Nope.

That flame has flickered.

For now, I've got a whole flock of ducks to get in a row that have nothing to do with racing, so that's the update from here ... in case you were wondering why there hasn't been much activity on Racer Diaries lately.

I'll be back in good form and spirits for Albion. Til then, stay tuned for non-racing/riding updates from our recent adventures in San Diego, Pittsburgh and Toronto.

Coming soon!

Mother's Day Weekend

2011-05-09T07:28:00.002-04:00

This weekend started off with a surprise trip to Charleston Lake. Couldn't have worked out better. My mom texted me around noon on her way East via Toronto wondering if I'd like to join her. Already, I'd been mulling over the idea of going home for Mother's Day weekend, but was a little daunted by traveling alone.

So this was perfect! After work, we packed up my bike and drove out to Charleston, joining my aunt and uncle, and of course my grandpa who lives in the area was around as well. Always great to get a chance to visit with family!

Saturday, after an amazing sleep in the quietest, darkest place to catch some z's in Ontario (seriously -- the sleeping there is worth the three hour drive, every time), I woke up and got myself organized for a quick little skills ride to check out the riding in the back of the house my mom grew up in.

The woods and fields back there were sporting a spring carpeting of trilliums. There are some great farm roads and lots of rocky features to practice riding up and down. Very enjoyable appetizer before heading back to the house for lunch.

After lunch, I headed back out again, planning on just spending some time on miles and endurance. Since I had the mountainbike for a whip, that meant I could be free to explore some roads I travel less often (in Leeds/Grenville, sometimes the pavement stops abruptly and turns into gravel, so a road bike is best used on trusted routes only).

The second installment of the day's training turned into an unexpected epic ride*.

*rides are billed "epic" if they include one or more of the following features: long hours/miles, water crossings, 2+ hours climbing, muddy conditions, above-average danger, long hike-a-bike sections, questionable directions. Feel free to add criteria in the comments

I meandered around, letting my iphone maps app guide the way. However, I can't believe what passes for a "road" on that thing. Before long, I found myself leaving the pavement, riding some gravel, and then that too gave way to what can only be described as double track.

Also, here's a law of nature I discovered the hard way: if there is a puddle covering the 'road' of questionable depth and integrity, then FOR SURE, the sides of it will be lined with hawthornes. Luckily, this was only a problem for a few "crossings" because it didn't take long for me to lose my balance and fall in, thus negating the need for caution on future water traps.

And so I continued. The ride also included snarling packs of dogs keen on taking a bite out of my ankles (two packs of four, actually) and I'm fairly certain that at some point around hour 2, the black flies hatched, making stopping impossible.

Even with all the unexpected obstacles/hazards, it was a great day on the bike. I got home safely and treated both bike and rider to a good hose down, and then for a recovery drink, white wine spritzer with some of my favourite ladies: my mom and my aunt.

Needless to say, I slept well that night, no thanks to the Canucks however.

The next morning, we all had breakfast together again and packed up our things to head into Gananoque for a Mother's Day lunch with Grampa. I had some training I still wanted to do, but with my bike shoes still wet from the day before, it was a great excuse to head out for a run. Absolutely perfect weather for it too.

So I headed out ahead of my mom, and she picked me up in Lansdowne after a personal best on my ten k time. I think I have her to thank for that actually, because about half way through, she pulled up and said I'd better run faster or we'd be late for lunch. And when you're dealing with Hortons, you don't want to be late for lunch!!

We picked up my grampa, and then dined at the Champagne Bay Grill which was super yummy and a spot I'm sure we'll go back to in the future.

Perfect weekend! Thanks mom, and Happy Mother's Day! Glad I got to spend it with you.

Race Report: Ocup 1

2011-05-02T08:59:00.003-04:00

Glad that's over with. The first race of the season is always a bit of an exercise in blunders and nerves. Case in point, guess who forgot to pick up race gels until just before leaving for the venue!!

Anyway, now that's all worked out of the system. So next race will be better. Mansfield was not too kind to me yesterday in terms of results, but I felt decent enough (although a little flat in the legs by the second half) and it was a privelege to line up with some of Canada's best. Emily Batty even showed up -- one of a few riders helping to make our category the most stacked it's been in a long time.

We also said "Bienvenue" to team Quebec who decided to join us for some early season fun. Those girls know a thing or two about going fast on bikes, for sure.

The course started with a wall of a climb which was probably the most nervy part of my day. I knew it would be fast up that road, and success would be determined greatly by how well girls could stay together with their hearts pounding from rest to red line in less than 200m.

The singletrack at Mansfield is thankfully forgiving, because any tighter and I don't know if my oxygen-indebted brain could have navigated the handling after that climb.

The course also featured a few really fun downhills. A couple wide open, and a couple technical singletrack descents. It was good times for the full suspension, but for the rest of the day, I kept the rear pretty well locked out. This is now my new favourite thing. I can't afford to keep more than one mountain bike in my quiver, but with the new remotes from Shimano/Fox I'm laughing -- it's like two for the price of one. Or even more helpful: two bikes in one so I can now really customize my rig from lap to lap.

So the race went -- short course and fast laps so it was over before I knew it. I also tried racing with coca cola for the first time. Worth repeating I think, although it did kind of make me thirsty so some more honing in training before I get the hang of that.

The best part of the first race of the season is seeing everyone in the mountain bike community after a long winter. You can't go anywhere without stopping to chat for a few minutes. It's awesome seeing everyone and their new bikes, too.

Cherry on top? Although the forecasat said rain, it didn't do anything of the kind until we were halfway done the drive home.

Here are the results: http://www.ontariocycling.org/web_pages/results/20110502-043028-11oca11.html#rrCatSEF

Katherine Cove

2011-05-01T09:55:00.002-04:00

This month's Ontario Outdoor desktop calendar is dear to my heart!! Stoked to be looking at it for the next 31 days!

Katherine Cove is on Lake Superior and perfectly positioned to serve as a lunch stop on the long drive to Kama Bay, where our family has been summering (and springing and falling) for my entire life and back a couple generations.

It's got a sandy beach in the cove, amazing views of the lake and big Canadian Shield rocks to climb over and get your blood flowing before getting back into the car for the second half.

I've spent many an afternoon at this beautiful Ontario spot -- it's worth pulling in off Hwy 17 should you ever find yourself on your way to the North Shore.

View Larger Map

Mansfield Ontario Cup #1 2011

2011-04-29T18:01:00.003-04:00

The Weekend is here and that means it's time to switch gears to race mode! Mansfield is always one of my favourite stops on the Ontario Cup circuit -- I think mainly because it's the first one, and it's exciting to see how all the long hours of training over the winter translate onto the first dirt track of the season.

Preride tomorrow, racing Sunday, and for now, I'm off for a nice spin to make sure the bike is tickety-boo -- which I'm sure it is thanks to the amazing support from Sweet Pete's!

Have a good weekend all!

(PS - Wasn't the Royal Wedding just amazing?? Unapologetic monarchist, right here.)

Paris to Ancaster 2011 ...

2011-04-19T10:48:00.004-04:00

So as I vowed after last year's P2A, I did NOT sign up, I did NOT make the long drive, I did NOT let them scratch my bike in the rental vans, I did NOT spend $60 on a race that bores me to tears and takes all day doing it ...

I did NOT race the P2A.

And wow, was I ever glad I didn't when I looked out the window at the SNOW and RAIN coming down. From the comfort of my couch and a Grey's Anatomy marathon, a race course was far down the list of places I'd rather be ... just below the dentist and the office-on-a-weekend.

I did however go out for a run with the Skinny Bitches. We did 9km to prep them for their first-ever 10km at the Sporting Life thing coming up. Go girls go!

First race of the season coming up in about 12 days -- Mansfield. Stoked on it, but I hope the spring kicks in soon. I remember years where Mansfield was shorts/jersey weather ... and years when it rained and snowed. Fingers crossed.

But before Mansfield we have the Easter long weekend. I plan on turning it into a bit of a long miles training camp before tapering into Ocup 1. Not sure where I'll be yet, but I know I won't be in BC as originally planned, which is a sad thing indeed. Sigh.

Other than that it's work work work!

In other news, huge congrats to Emily Batty for her Sea Otter win -- looks very good on her.

And even though it's not the funnest race, Congratulations to all who toughed it out, especially this year, at the Paris to Ancaster.

Spinning 2.0

2011-04-11T14:49:00.004-04:00

Gone are my days as a spinning client, and begun are my days as a spinning INSTRUCTOR

I'm super excited Mike at RPM Spinning + Gravity Studio has invited me to join the ranks of his talented staff and so far things are off to a great start (by that I mean no one's walked out yet :)).

If you're looking for a good work-out, come see me on Mondays at 6:15pm chez RPM.

Call/email via the info below to reserve a bike and we'll see you there! Tonight: Hills, inspired by the Mugu State Park ride we did in California.

This week, I'm also leading the 6am class on Tuesday and Thursday, in case you're more of an early bird.

Happy riding, indoor or out!

RPM Spinning + Gravity Studio
2109 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario
416-761-9717
info@rpmstudio.ca

Commuting Begins!

2011-04-07T12:20:00.004-04:00

First commute of 2011 complete! So much nicer than riding the TTC. I admit I rode my race rig though, which is something I would like to avoid this year.

But how could I resist my shiny new bike (AND new shoes!!)

Tonight, I'll take the Long Way Home to make it legit training thus not in violation of my do-not-ride-the-race-bike-as-a-commuter-bike resolution.

PS -- Come tax return time, I'm totally going to pick up a new bike. One with a basket. And a bike lock. Gears optional. It's going to be awesome.

April: Bikes!

2011-04-05T11:37:00.005-04:00

Loving this month's Ontario Outdoor desktop calendar photo selection. Fitting too, since April is the first month of 2011 I did NOT purchase a metropass ... c'mon good weather!

Fire in your new shoes!

2011-04-05T10:22:00.007-04:00

Haven't posted a Race Track in a while, but today this one is fitting. Finally test drove my new shoes: Giro's Sica (and yes, they were on fire -- their maiden voyage was a 29 minute time trial this morning, ugh).

Overall I'm super pleased with them. I'm always a bit daunted by cleat positioning (which is why it's taken me so long to try them out) but I think I actually got it right on the first try. Perfect amount of space in the toe box, complemented with the perfect amount of support on the sides and under my arches. That's extra good news at the moment because for some reason, my arches have been giving me trouble lately in both cycling and running shoes. They're noticeably light, and carbon soles were the cherry on top -- I didn't really know if it would make that much difference, but yep, that's firmness you can feel.

Sweet Pete's is now carrying Giro shoes (which I believe are a fairly new addition to the cycling-shoe market) so check out a pair for yourself if you're looking. They are priced remarkably fair (unlike Sidi's *ahem*) so you get a lot of bang for your buck. Looking forward to getting these puppies dirty!

Ride Shake Down 2011

2011-04-04T14:04:00.007-04:00

Took a little vacation with Gerhard while he was reporting on the 2011 Ride Shake Down in Mont Saint Sauveur, QC. We didn't go far, and we weren't gone for long, but it was definitely a departure. Although I live adjacent to snowboarding almost all the time, thanks to G's line of work, I don't often visit that strange and colourful land. But when I do, it's always an excellent time.

The weekend began with the Friday night Rail Jam where Jeremy Cloutier won $5000 for his efforts (see photo to the left, taken by SBC Sr. photo Oli Croteau). I don't speak Snowboarder unfortunately, so if you want to know what tricks he pulled out of his hat, I strongly recommend visiting snowboardcanada.com. They speak snowboarder fluently. Anyway, Jeremy is apparently a big deal, but to me he's that guy I lent my sleeping bag to and drove all over town when he and his crew came to Toronto. He was nice, polite and hilarious, so watching him win the competition was good times.

After G finished his interviews, we headed to our hotel, stopping at St. Hubert (when in Quebec ...) along the way for some nourishment. It's like Swiss Chalet only better. Our hotel reminded me of the resort in Dirty Dancing. I could totally picture people meeting up at the gazebo for salsa lessons in the in summertime. Plus, they had a breakfast buffet which is up there on my list of 'favourite dining experiences'.

Saturday was supposed to be a crappy day, but the gods smiled on the Shake Down and it turned into the nicest circumstances for spring skiing I've ever encountered. It was hoody and sunglasses weather. G and I ripped around on the soft snow, then baked on the chair-lift before calling it quits in time to get a poutine lunch, washed down with a pitcher of sangria, just for us. We watched some of the semi-finals of the "Main Event" set for that evening, then the circus act of skateboarders trying to ride the snowboarder rails, and before we knew it, it was time to be reporters again. (Well G was the reporter, I was just the annoying sidekick trying to figure out the difference between 50/50s and 5-0s.)

The snowboarders hucked themselves off this huge jump before checking their speed just enough to shred the rails on the bottom half of the course all night and for spectators, it never really got old. The organizers set the course up for maximum benefit to the cheering crowds so everything was happening across the hill, giving us the best view.

At the end, a big fireworks display kept us entertained while we waited to find out which flipsytwistyjumpyspin was the best of the night. It was the Shake Down's 10th anniversary afterall, and let me tell you, it was quite the birthday party (Croteau photo, a gauche).

In the end Seb Toots took the win, a local kid now $15,000 richer. He's also kind of a big deal, but I've never lent him a sleeping bag.

Saturday was party night! The official party was looking like it was going to be Montreal's answer to a night on the Jersey Shore, so we skipped that. Instead, we hit up an awesome little hole-in-the-wall bar called the Bulldozer with the Ride guys. I was still in Snowboarder Land, but we'd now travelled to its capital city: Boys Being Boys. I'll leave out the details, because I definitely heard some stories I would not repeat to my mother.

Really though, snowboarders I feel are an often misunderstood bunch of dudes (and sometimes gals, but not at the Shake Down). Once you get through the cool-guy veneer, you'll almost always find thoughtful, considerate, globally-, open-minded characters with a flair for Good Living.

Long drive home including a stop at Schwartz's (of course) and that makes a rad weekend. I'd like to thank my sponsors, @gerhardgross and @snowboardcanada for another amazing time. Peace.

For Reference: Anatomy of a Rational Discussion

2011-03-23T11:05:00.001-04:00

Came across this today and had to share. Guilty!

Look Ma! No poles!

2011-03-21T11:02:00.004-04:00

Spring ski season is in full swing, and there's still lots of fun to be had at Blue Mountain, as confirmed yesterday by G and I on my inaugural shred.

It went way better than I expected, and I managed to survive the chair lift, the one-footed pushing business, linking turns, riding in a straight line AND even a cat track leading to a BLUE SQUARE. It was a big day.

Admittedly, I started out slow. Very slow. But my patient coach/boyfriend helped me figure out how to link up my turns without falling on my arse every time. By my third run, I'd improved so much I could actually feel the wind on my face! Wow! I'm not breaking any speed records yet, but I already can't wait to get back out there and keep going.

Huge thanks to G and SBC for being such amazing enablers. It's so much fun to be "new" at something again!

Now I just need to learn how to snowboard ...

2011-03-17T09:40:00.002-04:00

G brought home these beauties for me last night and I couldn't be more stoked!

Hopefully we'll get to get in a couple more turns before the snow's all gone for 2011. However, adding to their allure, these boots are actually from the future! Model year 2012 -- so maybe it's okay if I don't get to ride them til next season.

2011-03-17T08:01:00.001-04:00

There is a bike ride in my very near future ...

2011-03-16T16:26:00.001-04:00

New look!

2011-03-15T14:52:00.004-04:00

Updated the aesthetics around here to match the spring in the air. I didn't take the header-photo -- the original is from victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com -- but I have spotted crocuses and other new sprouts of my own. It's a sure sign of Spring. So amazing to wake up to sunshine and birds singing again.

C'mon Spring! Keep on coming. I don't want to have to buy an April metropass! :)

The Pineapple Project - Potting!

2011-03-14T10:29:00.005-04:00

Welcome back to the Pineapple Project!!

A lot of progress over the past few weeks. One of our babies is growing at a much faster rate than the other, but I'm confident both will hit their stride. But for now, it's clear one at least has outgrown its cup.

As you can see with Pineapple B, (should we name them?), roots have begun, but they're a little bit stubborn.

On the other hand, over here in Pineapple A's cup, things are moving along like gangbusters. I hoped that we would be able to move these two along at the same pace, but I realize now that's silly. Afterall, we're all different -- we all grow at our own rate.

So the next step is to pot Pineapple A while Pineapple B has been moved to a sunnier spot by the window to help him get the vitamins he needs.

We got an 8" porous clay pot for their first home. I broke an old pot to get a pottery shard to cover the hole in the bottom, and then put a two inch layer of "stones". Actually, I used styrofoam packing-chips since they are cheaper, easier to find in the winter, and do the same thing. Then, I mixed some perlite and cactus potting soil, so that 1/3 of the mix contained perlite. Perlite helps lighten the soil.

Next, I dug a nice little hole for the Pineapple's humungous root system and then patted down the soil around him so he is nice and snug in his new home. I watered him, and I've been watering him enough to keep the soil moist at all times. so far that's meant every day! Have to be careful not to overwater though.

Hopefully in a few weeks, the roots will have grabbed on and we'll start to see some new leaves and such.

For now, we're keeping an eye on Pineapple B, and soon we hope to have them both in their new homes. Thanks for checking in!

My New Race Shoes

2011-03-11T08:48:00.001-05:00

Picked these up from the shop last night ... can't wait to test them out! Hurry up spring!!

A Hill In Spain

2011-03-10T10:37:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Rick for sending this amazing clip. Seriously, this video has everything. Even a bit with a dog (everybody loves a bit with a dog ...).

A Hill in Spain from chris akrigg on Vimeo.

How Dinosaurs Became Extinct

2011-03-09T13:56:00.000-05:00

Gladwell and the Bike Show

2011-03-08T09:36:00.007-05:00

Bike Show weekend has come and gone. Highlights included helping ladies learn more about WSD, chilling with the Sweet Pete's gang, getting to visit with Kona-Matt, a great socializing event including free beer (where WERE you?!) at the new "B-Side" store which is so beautiful -- go! And then to close it all off, an unexpected dinner invitation chez Chico's urban pied-de-terre. I have a lot of great times to thank Chico Racing for, and it was awesome to add another to the list.

Anyway, I am reading Malcolm Gladwell's Blink at the moment, and came across an interesting section that might explain why actually SELLING A BIKE wasn't featured on the highlights reel.

Time and time again, I would explain the difference between hydro-forming and carbon. I would talk about how Trek has shortened up their top tubes and set the steer tube a little taller while Giant has opted for a slightly longer option. We'd go over fit and specs, and talk about why 105 is a great groupo to get started. We'd chat and laugh, she'd smile at me and eagerly bring over her friends or husband to see the two-wheeled object of her affection. And then the inevitable, abrupt, "okay-thanks-bye".

I chalked it up to it being my first time in a saleperson situation -- i must be missing the necessary skills to seal the deal. But talking to others at the show, I found out the phenomenon is actually quite common.

Gladwell might have the answer!

He talks about an experiment conducted by researcher Sheena Iyengar involving a tasting booth offering exotic jams in an upscale grocery store. Sometimes she offered six different kinds for sampling, sometimes 24.

You might think that the more choices you offer a consumer, the better chance you have of hitting their wants/needs on the head, thus sampling leads to buying. But it turns out the opposite was true. Gladwell reports, "thirty percent of those who stopped by the six-choice booth ended up buying some jam, while only 3 percent of those who stopped by the bigger booth bought anything."

In fairness, jam is a snap decision, whereas buying a bike is something you nerd out on for a fair number of hours of screen time, scouring the internet for reviews (or maybe that's just me). But I still think there's something there. It's hard to buy a bike at the bike show because there are so many choices. And it's not like jam, where you could just relax and buy every flavour without much financial recourse. Chances are you can only choose ONE bike. Gladwell goes on to say, "If you are given too many choices, if you are forced to consider much more than your unconscious is comfortable with, you get paralyzed."

So that's my academic excuse for why I was unable to seal the deal at the bike show. On the bright side, I met a lot of ladies interested in picking up cycling, and that's a good thing! Hopefully they'll remember our pretty Sweet Pete's booth and visit us when they're ready.

Sweet Pete's B-Side Spring Kick Off Party -- You're Invited!

2011-03-01T09:55:00.000-05:00

Raw Food Rap, Yo

2011-02-26T17:53:00.006-05:00

This explains Raw Food better than I ever could - and in a RAP no less. Check it out. Sergei Boutenko who is the ... uh ... talent in this number is Victoria Boutenko's son.

She writes about Sergei and the rest of her family's experience and life and death motivation to start on raw food. It's the book I recommend you pick up first if you have any interest in raw food at all, whether it's to lose weight, stay healthy or have more energy. It's called 12 Steps to Raw Food.

Acrobag

2011-02-25T09:42:00.006-05:00

Family Day was a few days ago now but the short week has kept work piled high and I haven't had time to tell you about ... *drumroll please* ... the ACROBAG.

We went up to Beaver Valley Ski Club as guests of a prominent member who shall remain nameless and as luck would have it, Acrobag was there as well, and open to the public.

All day as we rode the chairlifts, we could see all kinds of people -- young, old, ski racers, snowboard kids, their parents and coaches -- lined up to tuck full speed into a ten foot tombstone jump, launching themselves way high into the air and executing tricks from back flips, to big spins to just straight airs.

And the best part -- landing softly every time on a 50x50 inflated cloud.

THAT is the beauty of the acrobag. It takes the fear out of air time. Natch, I had to try it. I mustered the courage to hit it twice before I decided I'd better cut out of the line before delusions of grandeur had me attempting stuff I had no business attempting -- acrobag or not.

Moral of the story: if you are on the slopes and you see one of these bad boys, get in line!! You can't go wrong

PS: here's another good use of the acrobag ...

Holy Guacamole

2011-02-20T13:51:00.003-05:00

I'm eating this.

If you want some, here's how to make your own:

You'll need:

3 perfectly ripe avocados*
1-2 chopped tomatoes
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (or more/less, whatever suits your tastes)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (see cilantro notes ...)
splash of olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

Directions:

Get the avocado meat out of its skin and mash it all up in a medium sized bowl. You can do this with a fork -- no need for fancy tools.

Once you've got them smoothed out, throw in the remaining ingredients, add tortillas and you're done.

Keep it Raw:
Instead of chips, consider enjoying it on fresh romaine boats to keep it living (and to avoid the stomach upset that sometimes comes with too many corn chips).

Also, sometimes when I'm feeling the guac craving, I throw the ingredients in with some greens (spinach is good) and call it guacamole salad. Really it's the cilantro that makes it sing. (Just chop the avocado instead of mashing it ... yeah I know you knew that.)

*Avocados almost NEVER come ready to go from the store. Leave them in your fruit bowl, ideally besides some bananas or apples (for their ripening off-gases) for a couple days and then put them in the fridge to keep them until you need them. But don't wait too long because there's nothing sadder than a rotten avocado when you thought you were about to enjoy some guacamole ...

DailyMile Meet Up!

2011-02-19T12:52:00.006-05:00

You may have noticed the widgets on my side bar, or the occasional tweet or facebook update concerning DailyMile. If this is the first you've heard of it, basically it's an online training log with social media layered over top. Well today, my dailymile "friends" and I thought we'd meet up offline and in-person. 9am, Distillery District running about 8km down Cherry Street and across the waterfront to Leslie, then back along Commissioners. It's a familiar route for speedwork on the bike, but on foot it seemed all new again.

I'm all for workouts in groups. But I've never been on a group run before so I was kind of nervous. I shouldn't have been -- everyone was amazingly friendly, and to my surprise, I was able to keep a pretty great pace (at least according to the voice in my ear buds ... I think he was saying 5:11 or 5:13 most of the time). I was even running at the FRONT of the pack. Woo hoo!

The one downer was that the weather was kind of unfriendly with its wind and snow. Especially compared to yesterday's random tropical interruption. But once we got started it really wasn't that bad. That will make me think twice the next time I say "it's too cold to go out".

Afterwards, we continued our socializing at Fig's on Queen for brunch. I had my first waffle in ages and learned that my fellow dailymilers included IT whizzes (i learned so much about my iPhone it was embarrassing), fashion designers, english majors and ex-navy seals. It was a great morning on all counts.

Thanks everyone for an awesome time!

Happy Birthday G!

2011-02-18T16:11:00.003-05:00

Looking forward to dinner with my Birthday Boy at Lai Wah Heen tonight. It's going to be a geographically-influenced gastronomic adventure. Even with exciting menu items like swallow's nest, pork belly, jellyfish and shark fins I'm just not sure I can say no to my favourite Chinese Food dishes. Num num. By the way, I thought I was against Shark Fin Soup, but sharks have been jerks lately, so maybe I'll have some just for spite. (I'm being totally facecious; I'm still very much against Shark Fin Soup).

Anyway, a birthday party is a great start to Family Day Weekend! Hope everyone has a good one! tgiLWf

PS: did you know G shares a birthday with John Travolta, Yoko Ono and John Hughes? Pretty much mandatory that we watch 16 Candles at some point this weekend, I think.

The Pineapple Project

2011-02-17T15:13:00.004-05:00

G and I are in the pineapple business!

After a conversation ages ago along the lines of "wait a minute ... where do pineapples come from?" we did some googling and found out that pineapples come from a type of plant called a "bromeliad" and in fact, the bromeliad that produces pineapples is the only bromeliad that produces any fruit at all. Even that's a stretch though because pinapple is actually a bunch of pulpy flowers all squished together in a helix that adheres to the fibonnacci sequence making it truly a "golden" (and delicious) snack.

So pictured above is step one.

You just twist the top off of a quality pineapple from your grocery store, cut off any excess fruit and remove the lower leaves from the stalk so that about an inch is exposed. Drop it into a glass of water, change for fresh H20 every few days, and in about three weeks, new roots should form!

Stay tuned and I'll update you on our next step: potting!

PS - ignore the Moet in the pic. That has nothing to do with pineapples.

Retirement 2.0

2011-02-17T11:56:00.002-05:00

Lance Armstrong retired [again] this week. There's lots out on the wires to help you relive his most glorious triumphs, cringe-worthy crashes and inspirational activism.

Here's a recap his 2009-2011 team Radioshack did to tribute the man and legend.

Demand Media Video -- powered by livestrong.com

The Art of Flight

2011-02-16T13:20:00.006-05:00

Red Bull is totally raising the bar with their new movie coming September 2011. I'm only a snowboarder by proxy, so most of these trailers don't do much to turn my head. But this one has my noggin spinning exorcist style.

Still not interested in drinking Red Bull though ...

Wiarton Willie's Winter Wind-Down

2011-02-15T14:03:00.005-05:00

I love that gopher. If this week's forecast is any indication, that rodent is on to something. I predict outdoor riding in my [near] future!

Put to the test

2011-02-10T23:22:00.005-05:00

Big night in Base Camp spinning group! 20 minute test night. Glad to put another one of those behind me! The hardest part of a fitness test such as this is the anticipation. All day I was dreading those few sufferable minutes and it's never the hell we think it's going to be.

Tonight though I think I was saved because with less than an hour before class I got an email asking if I would step in as instructor!! Daffyd our regular leader was delayed at the office. So even though I've never led a spinning class before I agreed to help out. In comparison to the unknown territory of "Spin Instructor", a 20 minute test all of a sudden seemd like small potatoes.

It's funny because although I write speeches for a living, public speaking is so not one of my favourite things. And in spinning class, riding bikes is only half of it. You also have to be someone your spinners can rely on to talk enough that the time doesn't drag on, but at the same time, you can't talk too much.

Then there's music selection.

Then there's actually making the music thingy play.

And not to mention everybody is looking at you while you sweat.

Anyway, I made it through it all, and actually enjoyed it too, so maybe there's an oppotunity there that I hadn't thought of before.

Much respect to our regular instructor Daffyd who makes all that look easy. I'll think twice before I chirp about time keeping or ask him to repeat the workout (again) from now on. Perspective!

I'm kind of bonking at this point, so I think that means the test went well. Although I don't think it's doing much for this blog post. So I'll cut this off here, and take my tired body to bed, satisfied with both the evening's performances.

May The Force Be With You

2011-02-09T11:30:00.003-05:00

"Your motivation today," said the email containing this image.

After a late night and hectic morning, this was my response. ;)

Tick tock

2011-02-05T23:12:00.002-05:00

The girl downstairs is having a party.

I have spinning in less than 8 hours.

The music is loud, the doors are slamming, and voices are raised.

We're doing a 20 minute time trial test.

Please let them go to the bar soon.

10 New Reasons To Get Out Of Bed: The Morning Workout

2011-01-27T16:16:00.008-05:00

Whether you're an athlete or just trying to get fit, actually getting to your workout is sometimes the hardest part.

I mean, it doesn't take that many neurons to run in place on a treadmill for a bit. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure out a basic set of core exercises. And it's not mentally strenuous to ride the trainer. Okay, maybe that one's a stretch, but hear me out.

Once you've arrived at the gym, or your living room, or got your shoes on for a run around the block(s), the rest is, in my opinion, comparatively easy. In the words of a sports company that will go unnamed, once you're there, you "Just Do It".

So sitting here, scheduling February's menu for fitness and fun and juggling an increasingly busy calendar at the office, I'm seeing more and more benefits to THE MORNING WORKOUT.

Many readers will scoff at the concept. Getting out of bed early (a chore on its own) in order to accomplish the chore of working out simply isn't an option for most. But I'd like to dedicate this blog post to changing your mind. Here are 10 reasons why training in the morning is where it's at.

You are literally putting yourself first. And that's good livin'

You eliminate the nagging feeling that there's still a workout to do after a long day at the office

Half the workout is done before your brain is entirely switched on, so that's like free hours/miles right there!

You have the evening to do whatever you want. Like another workout! Or get a pedicure, go to dinner with actual other people, join a book club (or just read facebook, whatever.)

You can have bacon with your breakfast and enjoy it, guilt free

Sunrise is pretty. You can check it out!

You only have to have ONE shower a day ... So you could say that working out in the morning is actually good for the ENVIRONMENT as well as your health!

You'll get to benefit from the natural high and energy boost working-out gives you all day long, instead of wasting it trying to get your stimulated brain to sleep if you workout in the evening

At the gym, there's not as many people waiting for the equipment or classes

You get to go ahead and feel dedicated or "hard core". It's great for the ego :) Plus, you probably aren't doing anything else so you don't have to free up space in your day-planner.

True, when that alarm goes off in the 4s or 5s, sometimes it's easy to just lob a closed-fist over to the snooze button. So here are some ideas on how to help with "the hard part" -- getting out of bed.

1.) Get a sunrise clock. I stole one from my dad who doesn't need it now that he's retired and can work out whenever he wants. The concept is basically a natural-ish light gradually turns on beside your head that simulates the sun and stimulates your body's natural wake-up mechanisms. It makes wakey-time a hundred times easier for me (but I recommend pairing with an audible alarm just to be safe).

2.) New equipment. Sometimes I can trick myself into wanting to get up just by promising myself I get to wear that new pair of shorts, head band or use that new medicine ball. Oddly effective.

3.) Treats! Just as with new stuff, I respond well to food-motivation. A nice cup of tea WHILE on the trainer. A smoothie for the train ride to the gym. Whatever works.

4.) Consistency. It's actually WAY healthier for your body to get up at the same time every day, weekend or weekday. Our systems like consistency and patterns. So even though it hurts at first, rest assured that your body will make the transition to "morning person" happily and it won't take that long.

5.) A new playlist or TV viewing. I'm totally willing to make that extra push out of bed if I know I've got a sick new track loaded on the iPod or the latest Desperate Housewives episode to watch.

Remember training is all about you. So put yourself first, enjoy your you-time (extra so since YOU are likely the only person around at 5am) and I hope this post doesn't cause all of you to run to the gym tomorrow because I don't have time to wait in lines ;)

Happy training,

Put Your Back Into It

2011-01-25T00:05:00.005-05:00

"You can do it, put your back into it." Heard that song on the radio about once a day as we rip around on the PCH between trailheads down here. How fitting then that our last day of riding featured the famous Backbone Trail. Put your back into it, indeed.

Judging by the trail sign, the Backbone Trail is like the Californian version of the Bruce Trail. It connects all kinds of camp grounds, hiking trails and trail suitable for riding horses and bikes. And it's mad awesome singletrack.

After the serious business of pre-ride fueling (like, serious. I thought I ate a lot until I shared a table with Peter Glassford ...) we all drove south towards Thousand Oaks. PG had to get the car to the garage for its oil change so he dropped Matt P and me off at the Backbone Trailhead at the top of Decker Road. The drive up was insane. Crazy tight corners, steep incline and a little motion sickness for good measure. And guess what! Later, we'd get to ride DOWN it.

The coolest thing about California is that every day has been my new favourite day. Today was no exception. At times it felt like we were ripping back through Albion. And then the next corner would include a view of green fields, ranches, and the ocean below and you'd know you weren't in Kansas, Toto.

We followed the Backbone until we made a wrong turn and ended up at the top of a long fire-road climb -- Zuma Ridge Trail. Matt P did a great job of not worrying me that we were a little off course, and we picked out a climb across the valley that we figured would take us where we needed to go. So down we went. The terrain was loose and the corners tight so after a couple tips from Matt, I got some quality time practising transfering my braking and weighting the bike properly into and out of the corners. At the bottom of all that, we crossed a creek precariously balancing on cleats and rocks while shouldering bikes and that meant the ride had just become "epic", at least by my standards.

And then the climb. The climb made the ride epic by anyone's standards.

It was so long, and steep and exposed. My backbone was complaining like the dickens, but I made it, and I did it smiling. A couple more wrong turns and we made it back on track.

We rode out and back on a couple Malibu sections of the Backbone before looping back to the section that brought us back to the car. The only bummer was the horse. Of course, we could hear it clip clopping just up the trail on some of the flowiest single track of the day. That meant there would be no ripping it up because horses and bikes and singletrack do NOT go together well. So we cautiously approached and caught up. The rider turned the horse around so it was facing Matt P and I thought it was going to paw him into the ground the way it was stomping its feet and tossing its head. It had already freaked itself out by the stream in the trail in the other direction, so by now I'm guessing it was feeling a little cornered. Don't worry, we got by. And so did the horse.

We finished the ride with the sun in our eyes, and I was so sad that there would be no more Californian singletrack for me. But wait! There was still one more death-defying descent, this time on pavement. With guardrails. Apparently Decker road is somewhat of a measuring stick for the guys down here and it didn't take long for Matt P to disappear into one of the bends. I decided that I didn't need to measure up ... I just needed to get down. Safely.

And of course, after all that we had coffee. Waiting at home for me was my coveted can't-get-it-in-Canada Cherry Coke and dinner. I am now sitting on the couch, watching Ghostbusters, digesting a big meal and thinking about heading to bed soon. Tomorrow is going to be a long day. Back to Toronto, back to the cold, back to reality, back to work.

Romero Canyon

2011-01-23T23:22:00.005-05:00

The day began with the usual homemade breakfast buffet. I had quinoa with blueberries and maple syrup, chicken, green smoothie and sweet potato. Then Matt P and I hopped in the car for the drive up the PCH towards Santa Barbara, checking out the surfers ripping on the way. Peter's mtb was still in the shop, so he was off to ride the Gibraltor climb on a solo five hour road bike mission (which ended up taking him even less than five hours despite a mad headwind).

Matt and I parked in the foothills and then started up the Romero Canyon climb. It was Sunday, so there were lots of folks hiking. I guess there's some animosity between hikers and bikers around here -- apparently the riders are a little aggressive? I dunno, we didn't see many other riders, but I did notice that sometimes when I said hello to those on foot, I was slow to get a response (if at all). Also apparently you're supposed to have a turkey-bell attached to your saddle so they can hear you coming ... whoops.

Anyway, the pitch was great for our day's work. We were able to keep a pretty steady pace all the way up, interrupted only a couple times, most notably by a rock slide that resulted in a little hike-a-bike. The other stops were all photography related. We met a nice local who told Matt about yet more mtb trails in the area and she explained that actually January is the best time to come to Cali because this is the time they're at their greenest tree-wise (before everything gets crispy in the summer sun) and the mountain biking is the best for climate and vegetation. Good to know!

At the top, we took in another amazing view and then it was back to scary-ass single track descending. Not as terrifying as yesterday, but still death-defying in a few places. Some of the trail was eroding off the sides in an odd mixture of shale, dirt and what seemed like wood chips. It was slippery regardless. That was the top half. The bottom half of the descent featured some amazing rock gardens, stream crossings and tacky dirt. So awesome. I was able to get back some confidence and clear some stuff I was unsure of. Always a good feeling.

Back at the car all too soon, we changed and then headed down to Santa Barbara to meet up with Peter for coffee, shopping and dinner. The drive into town through Montecito and then the outskirts of SB was eye-opening. Apparently the median price for a home in Montecito is about $2.8 million. And you can easily see why. Every estate has perfectly manicured landscaping featuring cacti and palms with colourful blooms. The houses were beautiful with that red clay roofing I love. Amazing drive, full of day dreaming.

In SB, we had coffee at the Santa Barbara Roasting Co, a local favourite for good reason. That set us up perfectly to walk up State Street. Peter got a sick new blazer and I found a couple sparklies between coffees, window shopping and people watching. We checked out the Arbor snow shop, this cool bike shop, and had Indian for dinner. Then it was back home to Oxnard and bed to get ready for the last day of riding: Backbone Trail. Santa Barbara is officially on my "come back again" list.

Ojai, Pronounced Oh-high

2011-01-23T11:01:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we rode into un-charted territory. Peter had rode the trails of Ojai before so he sent us in the right direction, but for Matt P (and of course, me) we were going mostly by sight and Garmin. From where we parked the car, it was clear that the day was going to feature climbing. I had no idea what I was in for.

The sun and the amazing scenery were the spoonful of sugar that helped the medicine go down (or up, rather?). Past the lemon orchards, and the beaufiful homes up the streets of Ojai until we arrived at the trail head. Saw some deer making their way through one of the gated estates. Then it was singletrack time. Up and up and up and up. Three hours of up. 1,379m of up. Matt P had to dangle the In N Out burger just to get me up the final reaches.

And then Down!!! The open roads at the top of the exposed, wind-swept peak got us started. Literally the first time we'd coasted in hours. It felt awesome. I almost wept with relief. I was holding on over the loose gravel, waiting for my legs to get the shakes out when my right hand was unexpectedly flush with my grip, brake lever completely unresponsive. Wow, 1300 metres up ... the highest we could be ... and this is when my rear brake fails. Just in time for the longest descent of my life.

I tried not to panic and I gingerly made my way down to where Matt was waiting using just the front brake. "so you'll never guess what ..." I said. I didn't know what was wrong with it, let alone how to begin to fix it. I was starting to envision a loooong walk down. But Matt saved the day! the pivot on the lever had become loose and the part was STILL ON THE BIKE. A miracle. So we put it back together and thanked our lucky stars.

I was extra thankful once we found the singletrack we planned to descend on. It was not a trail you could do with one brake. It was terrifying with two. It was narrow. Off-camber. Rough and loose. And the sides gave way to 1000 ft+ sheer drops. I felt like a REAL mountain biker. My inner-voice saying "don't look down, don't look down, don't look down" on repeat.

Matt and I stopped periodically to rest our hands and arms and the brake pads. Also to "regroup" as Matt said. He meant literally, make sure we were still together. But I began taking "regroup" as regaining my wits so we could continue to the next dizzying switch back. It seemed to take forever to lose the elevation we'd gained, but finally, the trail began to widen, and the edges filled in with trees, and bushes. And we could finally let go of the brakes.

We coasted back into Ojai past some of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen. Even more beautiful because of what we'd just experienced in their back yards. A pair of riders on horseback completed the picture.

We parked at the "Park and Ride" which I think is actually meant for transit but suited us fine. There was a skate park there as well and it was suiting them fine as well. I saw kids there who looked like they'd just learned to walk, skating the quarter pipe. It was amazing. Ah, California.

We packed up and it was off to In N Out. I thought In N Out was just another burger place, but I was actually pretty impressed to find out that their fries are all hand cut and fried in the store. And they're gluten free. The buns are made to their order and they're preservative free. And the beef is never frozen. The menu is super simple: burger and fries. And they even had Dr. Pepper on tap. Anyone who's done a long ride will tell you, it doesn't matter what you put in your mouth at the end, it's going to be awesome. But I think In N Out stands alone. I hope we go back.

And so ended another amazing day in California. I'm not much fun in the evenings, so we sat around, ate and ate and ate, chatted, did some reading in the New Yorker before I was down for the count at 9pm.

Today ... The wind is howling, so I'm a little nervous about the ride. I think we're planning to head out to Santa Barbara.

My California Trip

2011-01-22T11:06:00.003-05:00

Flying into L.A. past the Hollywood sign and into green fields with flowers and palm trees was especially surreal after having just been in Calgary where it was 20 below and snowing. LAX looked like an enormous intimidating airport but somehow I met my ride, Matt P, and it was off to lunch -- typical LA I thought: a salad as big as your head (so awesome after nothing but bits and bites for 8 hours). Then we drove up the coastal highway towards Oxnard passing the mansions of Malibu, strawberry fields, and of course the Pacific. I pinched myself more than once.

The house is amazing, a short walk to the beach with a rooftop patio. I've got a king-size bed and my own bathroom and the last two times I've fallen into it, I've had deep, replenishing sleep, which I'm gonna need because today we're adding another four hours of riding to the three we did yesterday + two hours of surfing.

OMG Surfing. I booked a lesson with the Silver Strand Surf School and never looked back. Because Matt P and Peter both wanted to come, we got a "semi-private" rate of $75 bucks for two hours and all the required equipment. Totally worth it. Our instructor Chris explained the basics on the shore and before we knew it, we were catching totally tubular waves dude. Much to my surprise and GLEE, I caught my very first one and surfed almost all the way back into shore. I was so excited ... until I realized I'd then have to paddle all the way back out to where they were breaking on the sand bar. Paddling. Is. Hard. All of us consider ourselves fine athletes and all of us were drawing on our deepest reserves. Today my chest is so sore it feels like I had open heart surgery. But nothing compares to the feeling of the waves picking up the back of the board, then one two three hard strokes before you jump up and ride it til it finishes gently enough that you can just sit back down on the board. Then paddle back out there. All of us rocked it and the stoke was high on the drive back.

The riding was equally exciting. Matt P and I headed down to Mugu State Park for three hours of fun. We climbed two mountains, rallied a few amazing descents, and delivered a necessary shock to my system. I bonked, but I think mainly the problem was my body was a little confused as to how we went from snow to shorts in such a short period of time. I'm optimistic today will be a little more measured.

Peter's bike is in the shop after he hucked it off some sweet jumps, so he's doing a group ride on the road today. Hopefully he gets it back in time for the three of us to check out the Back Bone Trail together before I have to leave. For now, it's just me and Matt P. Today: http://venturacountytrails.org/TrailMaps/OjaiGridley/Map_NordhoffRidge2D.pdf

Looks like something I'll need some fuel for, so it's breakfast time. Later skaters.

iPod

2011-01-12T16:34:00.002-05:00

Some great training tracks out there lately -- added these to high rotation from what's new and some from what's old:

1.) Hello - Martin Solveig Ft. Dragonette

2.) Stereo Love - Edward Maya and Mia Martina

3.) We Speak No Americano - Yolanda Be Cool and Dcup

4.) Teenage Dream - Katy Perry (Kascade club remix)

5.) Bulletproof - La Roux

6.) Fire In Your New Shoes - Kaskade Ft. Dragonette

7.) Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine

8.) With Every Heartbeat - Kleerup Ft. Robyn

9.) Broke My Eyes - Donkeyboy

10.) Stuttering - Fefe Dobson

California, Girl!

2011-01-12T11:45:00.004-05:00

Exciting news for 2011 training!!

I'm taking some time to check out Matt P and Peter Glassford's California operation.

So next week, I'll be winging down to LAX before catching a ride up to their house "30 seconds from the beach" just north of the City of Angels in a place called "Oxnard".

Then it'll be four days of mountain biking, eating [fresh local strawberries], recovering, listening to Katy Perry and reading "Gidget".

I don't know how much of a "base miles" benefit I'll get over such a short trip, but making friends with my new bike and giving myself the gift of riding in a new place with people who know where to go will be pretty much the best thing ever.

Stoked!

Spinning Begins!

2011-01-11T18:09:00.001-05:00

With the new year comes new resolve to get back into the training routine. So far so good! Our first spinning class of the 12-week base camp was a baptism by fire. Basically, we introduced ourselves to new and old campers, and then got straight to the burning business of an 8 minute stress test ... times two. This is my fourth year at camp, and the fifth year it's run. Time really flies Except for those 8 minutes I mentioned ... they creep by.

The test is a Coach Carmichael (That's Lance's longtime coach for those who don't recognize the name) adapted method that seems to do a decent job of pinning down early season heart rate zones without having to do the potentially damaging work the regular test would do to an early season physique. (You've can't just dive into a twenty minute time trial before stretching your capillaries to support the pumping blood, limbering up the muscles and developing the cardiovascular efficiency required.)

At first I thought my scores were kind of a disappointment. Somehow in my head I had last year's scores about 10bpm higher (indicating better cardio-vascular health this time last year, thus, more ground to make up for this year). But "in my head" is exactly where that belonged. The data shows I'm actually the same, if not better off. Hurray! The mind can play funny tricks when you're burning up your matches. As Daffyd put it, "doubt and self-loathing are a part of cycling!"

I was surprised at how pumped I was actually for a Sunday morning class that began at 7am. I was all smiles and ready for intense work ... eager to unleash some hurt on that spin bike. Looking forward to a great winter of training.

Over the five years that camp has run, it's changed up a bit and become more and more useful for people like me who are trying to juggle "real life" with my "hobby". So our spinning sessions are two hard rides a week I don't have to coach, cajole or cry about by myself. That means that most of my solo-responsibilities include things that aren't hard to convince myself of, like some strength sessions or mindless movie-watching: a euphemism for "riding the trainer". There's strength in numbers, people. I'm a cycle-holic, and RPM is my support group.

In sum, basically this blog post is to say, I'm motivated, feeling good, and pray to God the feeling lasts.

Afterall, it's only January!

RPM in the news!

2011-01-06T16:33:00.004-05:00

This is my winter bike -- I always sit here at spin class: front row, window. Good stuff.

The Star has done an article on my FAVOURITE spin Gym, RPM. I've been going to RPM regularly each winter for about four years now. I credit their 12-week base training camp as the one thing that really gets me to my next level every race season.

The author's one bit of criticism comes in response to the gym's lack of shower facilities --"It may seem like a minor hitch, but it’s a major deterrent for an otherwise stellar studio. It means people can’t catch a class on their way to work or anywhere else, because there’s no place to freshen up," she says.

To Paola I say, if you feel like you can go to work, or anywhere else right after class, you didn't do it right ;)

I added my own two cents to her summary below in a different colour for more ... er ... colour than Paola provides as well.

Click on my left nav bars for gravity and spinning class schedules. Also, it's not mentioned in the article but personal [strength] training and testing are also available for those looking for a little more than just beginner services.

Hope to see you there!

Here's the full article:

Gym Rat: This spin gym will leave you drenched in sweat
January 6, 2011
Paola Loriggio

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

RPM Spinning + Gravity Studio
2109 Bloor St. W., rpmstudio.ca

Reserve your spot by calling: 416-761-9717

The class: Spin and Gravity. Gravity Machines use your own body weight to get a good strength work out. Classes are led by an instructor and go for an hour.
Time: 6:15 p.m. Tuesdays, one hour long Check my left nav for a link to full class schedules.
Cost: Six points (new members pay $20 for 20 points) There are also a number of training "camps" -- boot camps, Ride to Conquer Cancer camps and of course the one I love, 12-week base training camp. You pay up front and you're free to make up any missed classes during the period of your camp.
Instructor: Kelley Fitzpatrick, cheerful and friendly but no-nonsense during the tough bits. Each instructor makes the class their own. Nothing off the shelf for these guys.

Music: Mostly trance and electronica Totally depends on the instructor and never be shy to "veto" a track! (In camp, Daffyd welcomes guest play lists -- just set it up on your ipod and plug it in -- but veto rules apply)
Volume: Background level during warm-up and cool-down, bar level in the middle
Intensity: You won’t be able to talk, but you can always scale down the resistance on the bike.
Amenities: No showers. Change rooms are basic stalls. To reach them, you have to cross through the Gravity room. Cubbies take the place of lockers. Everyone in the Gravity room will be working and focusing so hard they won't even notice you.
Ambience: Simple and spartan. The bikes take centre stage, so there isn’t much room to linger. Who goes there: Cycling buffs and triathletes and people looking to start riding for a charity ride or to lose weight or for fun.
Who it’s for: Cyclists training for a race or people who like to feel like they are or people who want to meet like-minded people and maybe even go riding outside together once the snow stops
Grade: B+ (points lost for lack of amenities) A+++++

When my former running buddy — now an Ironman competitor — recommended spin classes at RPM, I knew they’d be tough.

The studio, which runs only spin and Gravity Training System classes — the latter incorporates a “glideboard” on rails — is across the street from the High Park branch of the Running Room, making it a prime destination for triathletes.

I’m no triathlete, but I do bike. Mostly for transportation, though I’ll argue that lugging a heavy bike stuck in first gear across the city counts as exercise.

And, yes, I’ve also done the odd spin class, but never at a specialty gym.

It makes a difference, in the same way that bread from an artisanal bakery is different from the stuff you get at the grocery store. When your entire business revolves around one product, it had better be good.

RPM knows its audience. These are serious workouts built around real training drills.

The class I took was a pyramid drill, a type of interval training that slowly builds to a peak before gradually easing back down.

We did five sets of intervals that included a “fast flat,” a “seated climb,” a “standing climb” and a “standing run.”

For the first set, each interval lasted 30 seconds. For the second, they were a minute. Then the third, at 90 seconds. Then back to 60, then to 30. The whole thing was peppered with 30-second “attacks,” basically all-out sprints out of the saddle.

After the first set, the class fell into a focused silence. The hypnotic electronica soundtrack — not usually my cup of tea — actually helped, lulling us into a kind of trance.

Even the instructor, who kicked off the class with a hilarious story involving Scotch and a sippy cup, got quiet. She called out the intervals and reminded everyone to drink water, with minimal chit-chat.

I was relieved. In my eyes, there’s nothing worse during a gruelling workout than an overly enthusiastic cheerleader constantly telling you you’re “doing great” or you’re “almost there.”

“I like to work hard, whether I’m teaching or taking a class,” Kelley Fitzpatrick says in a post-class interview.

The pyramid “is definitely one of my go-to classes,” and one of the most popular with regulars, Fitzpatrick says, adding she’s known for hills more than speed.

With roughly a decade of experience teaching spin, Fitzpatrick has an arsenal of workouts to draw on for her classes.

She puts a lot of effort into keeping them fresh, getting feedback from customers at the studio as well as from spin enthusiasts online. So far, no one’s complained they were too easy, she says with a laugh.

Still, since there’s usually a few beginners in each class, Fitzpatrick is adamant that everyone stick to their own pace. (I stopped adding resistance halfway through the class.)

Even though its core audience is super fit, RPM is a fairly beginner-friendly gym. Classes are drop-in, with a significant discount for new clients. Staff members are friendly and helpful, and no one seems to care if you’re not wearing a race jersey.

But one thing boggles the mind: why would a gym that prides itself on challenging, sweat-busting workouts not have any showers? (Apparently most customers come from the Bloor West Village neighbourhood and go home to shower.)

It may seem like a minor hitch, but it’s a major deterrent for an otherwise stellar studio. It means people can’t catch a class on their way to work or anywhere else, because there’s no place to freshen up.

So yes, the product itself is great. Too bad the lack of amenities means I won’t be able to enjoy it very often.

Paola Loriggio is a journalist in Toronto. She owns more workout clothes that real ones. Gym Rat runs twice a month.

2010 Results

2010-12-31T13:26:00.000-05:00

5th — Paris to Ancaster

8th — Ontario Cup #1, Mansfield

8th — Ontario Cup #2, Albion Hills

11th/21st — Ontario/Canada Cup #3, Hardwood Hills

8th — Ontario Cup #5, Buckwallow

8th — Ontario Cup #6, Kelso

1st — Ontario Marathon Mountainbike Championships

2nd — Paul's Dirty Enduro (100km)

1st — Duke's Epic 8 Hour, 4 person mixed

Open Letter To Don Cherry, by Duncan at Curbside Cycle

2010-12-13T14:49:00.009-05:00

Thanks to mom for forwarding this wonderful reading material written by Duncan at Curbside Cycle -- a commuter-friendly shop in Toronto's Annex.

I'm glad someone said it (and so well, too!) because although I ride bikes, and I'm political (a left-wing kook actually), I don't really like to see the two tangled up together.

Even MACLEANS has picked up the cause ...

I look forward to Don's response ... hoping he takes them up on their very kind offer.

OPEN LETTER TO DON CHERRY

Dear Don Cherry,

We at Curbside Cycle are hoping you will lend an ear, an eye and an open mind.

Long ago American diplomats to China used to judge the prosperity of that country by the amount of cars on the road. Today, any city driver knows that the original ideals of autonomy and freedom that fueled the automotive industry have been replaced with frustration, rage, and gridlock. Prosperity can mean many things, and as drivers sit angrily in their vehicles haltingly crawling through the city streets, quality of life can feel less than prosperous.

You don’t know us, but we are an independent business – the independent business that introduced Toronto to the ultimate object of real prosperity, the Dutch bicycle, which transports its riders with dignity and swish of fashionable flair that looks fantastic with a snappy suit.

Judging by your eclectic wardrobe, by this time, your ears should be perked. We’re probably the people that gave urban Toronto that image of the left-wing latte-sipping bicyclist. Our bicycles are probably not best suited to the suburbanite bicycle hobbyist that voted Ford into power; you see, for us bikes just aren’t political. Like a bed or toaster oven they are so embedded into our lifestyle, they become part of the background.

We aren’t using them to crusade, we are using them to take kids to school, to get to work (happy and refreshed instead of angry), get groceries, and explore this fantastic city of ours.

Mr.Cherry, the fact is that if you live downtown, bicycles are simply the best way to get around. They reduce car congestion, helping those who must drive do so faster and easier. Bicycles make a great deal of fiscal sense, keeping the population fit and healthy and reducing costs all over the map.

The stereotypes you are parroting have changed. Yes, many people who want a change ride a bicycle (you can call them left-wing pinkos but they are fighting for a cause, just as you do in your work with children’s charities), but many other cyclists simply do so because IT MAKES SENSE. They are as politically attached to their bicycles as they are to their toaster ovens. They have Bay Street jobs, watch hockey and some even voted for Rob Ford.

People ride because cars can no longer keep their promise of freedom and autonomy, the bicycle can. You see, we don’t like the gravy train anymore than those folks in “Ford country”, but you may be surprised by how many Ford supporters ride around each day by bicycle. In other words, the stereotype isn’t particularly helpful and certainly doesn’t unify a city in desperate need of a diverse transportation solution.

So we’d like to take a little egg off your face and allow you to (literally) do a bit of backpedalling. We’d like to give you a bicycle. In a blushing shade of ironic pink, this bike will be customized to your own remarkable style. The bike will be a Pashley from the United Kingdom, a company that has been producing real city bikes for 80 years, and the details will be custom painted by Noah Rosen of Velocolour. We’re asking the city to choose their favorite Don Cherry pattern (below) whether it be be a Plaid, a floral, or what-have-you.

And we’d like you to come by, pick it up in person, and go for a latte with us.

Oh, and you can invite your friend Rob, too.

Kind regards,
Curbside Cycle

--> The inspiration for fender paint-job choices (I'm pretty sure plaid is the winner!)

For the Die-Hards ...

2010-12-13T10:45:00.000-05:00

New Bike!

2010-12-08T16:56:00.009-05:00

As you know, I've been struggling (that doesn't even sound like a strong enough word ...) with the decision of what bike to race in 2011 and last night, the process came to a peaceful conclusion.

Against almost all the advice I got, I'll be taking home the Trek Top Fuel 9.8 WSD.

I chose it for six reasons:

1.) It's the bike that started it all ... i.e. my first instinct. Always a good idea to go with your first instinct.

2.) Even though countless members of the riding community (and some even outside) weighed-in in favour of the Superfly, I found myself lookng for more and more opinions. If I'm honest with myself, that tells me I was just trying to get someone to say what I really wanted to hear.

3.) It's the more flexible of the two -- I know I'll be stoked to race it in Ontario, but that it will also hold up to courses in Quebec and trail-riding in BC.

4.) I already know how to fit it properly and I'll be able to continue working on being a better rider without having to play catch-up with myself as I learn the handling quirks of the 29er (and after riding one, I can tell you it would probably be a slow process for me.)

5.) The dual lock-out and corresponding controls for 2011 are badass. Not to mention the other new features for 2011.

6.) It's already in the shop, and the ETA on the Superfly hasn't even been set. I've heard tales of them not arriving until July and I can't risk waiting that long.

In the end, I think the decision was so difficult because the bikes are so totally, and utterly different. The hardtail 29er is for sure faster in the open. I had that thing buzzing its tires faster than my road bike it seemed with even less effort. But -- when it came time to navigate a tight corner while moving slowly, I was feeling very unstable thanks to a higher bottom bracket and a weird -- I don't know how to describe it, but try this -- "pit" at about the 45 degree angle mark. At that point, it felt like the front wheel was about to flip over on itself and I'm told when you're descending it's quite the quirk to get used to. Single track is already one of my limiters so I see no reason to make it harder on myself. As far as open vs singletrack riding, I think the Fuel is pretty much the opposite. Maybe it all equals out in the end ...?

I AM bummed I won't get to race the new SRAM X0 2 x 10. That looks pretty sweet. And racing a hardtail would have been a new and I'm sure rewarding experience as well -- especially one Gary Fisher is claiming to be its lightest ever, 26 or 29. If for some reason the Top Fuel wasn't available, I'd just as gladly take home the Superfly.

I don't want to finish on a note contemplating what could have been, so let me just quote an old friend. He said, [paraphrased] "If you're strong, fit and a good rider, it doesn't really matter what bike you're on."

That said, I am super stoked on my new baby. I already know we'll get along great because her predecessor was such a great match for me and my riding. It's got the new "Mountain Carbon" which promises to be stronger than just plain old carbon fibre. I already mentioned the dual lock outs, but internal cable routing is another perk I should add.

Oh, and it's purple! Yay!

I want to thank everyone who shared their thoughts and advice -- although it might not look like it, you definitely helped me arrive at my decision. And I especially want to thank Sweet Pete's for all your continued support!! Couldn't do it without you guys. *love*

CHICO 2011

2010-12-06T15:36:00.003-05:00

Ontario Cup sked arrived in my inbox today! Hurray for putting in the missing pieces in my calendar. If you're planning a wedding, cottage weekend or road trip, could you please work around these dates? ;) Just kidding.

1. Mansfield, May 1

2. Woodnewton, May 15

3. Hardwood Hills (Canada Cup/Ontario Cup), June 5*

4. Albion, June 12

5. Buckwallow, July 10

6. Kelso, Aug 7

7. CHAMPS: Highlands Nordic, Sept 11

*Technically, this is a Pulse Racing event, but it's included if you pay Chico for the series up front

Business and Pleasure! Cycling Camp in Colorado!

2010-12-02T20:18:00.002-05:00

If you're like me, a camp that combines the business of training with the pleasure of gravity assisted sliding sports (skiing or snowboarding) is exactly the kind of thing you'd want to see under the Christmas tree.

Aldo and Renee are trusted coaches of mine from seasons past (they also run a camp in Alabama that I've been known to frequent). Not only do they have a wealth of solid, tried and tested cycling knowledge to share with you, they know exactly what the cyclist-in-training is looking for: good food (and lots of it), good routes/rides that help you accomplish your training goals, and comfy cozy accomodations.

They've got all that in spades. Plus, their newest camp in Colorado also happens to be very close to a ski hill, which brings all new meaning to the term "active recovery!!"

Hope you get the chance to train with them!

DANGER in the Don.

2010-11-26T15:01:00.004-05:00

I can't even believe this, it's so evil.

Someone has purposefully sabotaged bridges in the Don Valley in order to hurt riders doing their thing. If you, like me, enjoy the skinnies, beware. I hope the person(s) responsible are caught and for their sake, I hope they're caught by the authorities, if you know what I mean.

Canadian Cyclist has more information. From their story:

"Bridge was cut partially through in Four places and appeared undamaged from
above. The fall from this Bridge is Nine to 16 Ft, depending on which side you
fell from!!!"

I ♥ @StevePeat

2010-11-26T11:41:00.005-05:00

This morning I checked the email I reserve for "junk" like pharmaceutical marvels, mail-order university degrees and social media updates to find something I considered definitely NOT junk.

My heart raced as I scanned the subject line: StevePeat is now following you on Twitter.

Holy. Shit.

Steve Peat. "Peaty". World Champion. People's Champion. And consistently my favourite part in mountain bike videos that get me through every winter on the lonely trainer. (I can't tell you how it warms my heart to spin along with him at the start of his part in "Seasons".)

I immediately rushed to my twitter profile to see for myself as I began mentally composing what I might tweet to @StevePeat!

That's when the truth of the notification landed with a thud.

Turns out, it wasn't @StevePeat following me. It was @StevePeatDH and I was so excited, I saw what I wanted to see, skipping over those last two crucial letters. I stared at my screen as the realization sunk in. (philosophical sidebar: does someone who has a fastest-man-in-the-world jersey hanging in his closet really follow anyone?)

The silver lining is, although I'm still a total stranger to the greatest downhiller in the world (and I'm not sure him following me on twitter would change that fact all that much ...), he DID put out an app for iphone/ipad/ipod touch. Rad. It's always good news when the sport gets more positive exposure because that means maybe more people will get out there and try it (and then become addicts like the rest of us).

To close, may I suggest that if you're on twitter on this lovely Friday, you #ff @StevePeatDH and of course the man himself, @StevePeat.

More snow ...

2010-11-25T16:03:00.002-05:00

[scattered flurries] from felt soul media on Vimeo.

Saw this today on a blog featured on the right nav. Everybody loves a bit with a dog!

New Look!

2010-11-22T11:10:00.004-05:00

In honour of all the blogs, tweets and facebook posts I've seen welcoming the snowy season, I've decided to take the green, summery theme you've grown to know and love and replace with the more timely theme of winter, mountains and thoughts of skiing/riding (the other kind) that it provokes.

Hope you like the new background, colours and header photo. The photo is a view of Seagrams, in Whistler back country. G took it last season and I love it.

[Gross Photo]

The Headwinds of Lakeshore Boulevard

2010-11-12T09:42:00.005-05:00

Just when you think you're a superstar, you turn around and realize you've been riding with a tailwind. Ah, that sinking feeling.

But the croissants were worth it. Mission Accomplished.

Inspect Her Gadget

2010-11-09T19:01:00.005-05:00

So I have a new toy ... and I've filled it up with all kinds of wonderful things. Now it seems like everytime I do a workout I've got some anonymous internet-types (and a few people I actually know) to tell! And in a variety of different mediums!

My boss was kind enough to bring in his "Nike+" gizmos so I can connect with all the runners out there. That fits into my iPod but also spurred me to look up the Nike+ app for iPhone and I found out it does all kinds of neat things ... apparently even Lance Armstrong has been known to show up on your workout (well .. in your earphones) to encourage you before cueing up the next "power song". What?! I'm ready to hit the pavement just to see what Lance says!

Then there's this "iFitness" thing I downloaded that shows you different workouts for the limb/core area of your choice with just one tap of the finger. But you can also log your daily weight and it tells you all about your BMI (which means nothing to me but apparently I'm "normal" anyway).

I also log on to "Daily Mile" (which you can access via the donut on the left nav) to share some workouts and spy on the other runners and cyclists in my life (or at least the five of them also on Daily Mile).

Then there's Garmin connect that goes with my other favourite gadget, my Edge 705.

With all these options for posting, I can see how you might wonder when I'll actually have time to do the training I'll report on.

Sometimes, and I'm sure all of us who spend long hours getting ready for the next season know what I'm talking about ... sometimes you just need a new toy to trick yourself into getting the work done. It's still early for fooling myself, but there's lots of time yet for more apps, more gear, perhaps a new sport and all the other accoutrements of life as an "endor-fiend"*.

*See Gerhard's feature, "Science of the Stoke" in the tech issue of Snowboard Canada to find out more about endor-fiends ... a great subject for a later blog!!

5x7

2010-11-04T16:16:00.007-04:00

... Check!

Let the snow fly so the Sunday night missions to Blue can commence!

Anybody else have their pass? Early Bird prices have been extended to Nov 7. Still a couple days left.

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T09:59:00.010-04:00

Hope everyone is having a great time tricking and treating. Pumpkin carving will commence at our house very soon I'm sure (just waiting for the head pumpkin-carver to get out of bed ...)

Sadly, this is the second Halloween in a row that I've been too sick to do much about. After encouraging signs (read: advanced fooling myself) that I was on the mend, a wedding on Friday night -- with its late night, dancing, chatting and libations -- put me right back to square one with a throat so sore I couldn't speak. Don't worry, once again I won't be touching/contaminating any candy meant for children.

The other thing I was looking forward to this weekend was training. But I had to cancel two glorious road rides and an orientation class at this kettle bell gym down the street called "Ironkore" where "buns of steel are no match for balls of iron". I know the crossfitters get a lot out of their their kettle bell training so I was interested in checking it out. They are very focused on getting their clients off on the right foot with proper technique so you have to take classes before you work your way up to an "open gym membership". It sounds like an awesome workout and you don't even have to wear shoes, which I like. Guess I'll have to take a raincheque. So far, winter training is off to a great start. hrm.

I DID manage to sign up for a gym membership though. I'm officially a Goodlifer now. A colleague of mine at work used to be an aquafit instructor there. When I told her I joined up she welcomed me to "the cult". Cult comment notwithstanding, I like it already and I haven't even done a workout. Their rates are lower than Extreme (my last gym -- not recommended), I can cancel at any time for 99 bucks, OR for five bucks I can put my membership on hold for six months. No enrolment fee, pus, they have a pool and they gave me a sweet bag. OH, and I don't have to start actually paying until January. It all sounds too good to be true to me as well so I'll let you know when it becomes clear which part of all the fine print I didn't understand correctly.

Also aiming to get started on yoga again. There's a Moksha just down at Bloor and Jane and they have a special introductory offer -- $40 for all the yoga you can do in a month. So November/December will have four weeks of intense yoga to a) get my money's worth and b) kick start my return to stretching and flexibility.

Apparently, there's a new yoga place in Port Elgin as well which I'm excited to try out. They've got hot classes, unheated classes, and a couple different yoga disciplines. Even a class called "yoga for regular guys" which is great, because one thing Port Elgin has in abundance is "regular guys". Anyway, it's great to know there's a place in Port for when I go home -- especially because my sister is getting into it as well so I'll have someone to go with.

All in all I'm very excited about all the things going on for winter training ... I can't wait until I can actually start DOING them.

Signing off from the couch, with tea,
KL

OMG, really?

2010-10-25T18:32:00.003-04:00

For cying out loud, I think I have strep. Again.

This will be the third time in a year. Not normal.

All the telltale signs are there ... ambushed by swollen glands. Polka dots visible by flashflight. Itchy ears. Overall feeling of uneasiness and dizziness. Headache.

To top it off, I just finished reading Francis Raymond's book, as I mentioned earlier, and he basically says antibiotics are the devil and makes a pretty good case for that statement. I remember reading his words and thinking "that's it. Never again." I didn't think I'd be called out so soon though.

My doctor isn't available to see me until Wednesday so I'm now on a mission to gargle with salt water as much as humanly possible. Add to that green tea, lemons and honey and hopefully I can avoid a course of the dreaded antibiotics.

Although I'm worried about what she's going to say about three throat infections in the space of a year. Tonsillectomy, me no likey.

Update

2010-10-20T10:17:00.003-04:00

If I'm not careful, it's going to be a whole month gone by before I check in here again. So here's a quick note to say hello, and provide an overview of what's been going on in the "off-season".

1) Vacation!!

G and I packed up and headed out on a helluva deal to the Mayan Riviera. No hurricanes, fantastic weather and sunburn free. We tried to relax, but we're just too antsy in our pantsy (it's what I like about us!) and ended up doing all kinds of fun activities, mainly in the ocean with the fishies and the rays and the turtles. I even got out for a dive and saw a pair of enormous barracudas! However, despite the sea life being the most memorable part of our trip, we don't have an underwater camera so I can't share :( Our above-water camera did capture some great memories for us though and you can see those on facebook.

2) Bikes

I still can't decide. Lord help me. I want to have the guts to go with the 29er, but I've never even sat on one before so I'm having difficulty feeling confident pulling the trigger on that one when the other choice is a bike I know I will love. Sweet Pete's has a FS 29er demo in the shop now, so maybe after riding that one it will make more sense to me. I rode one on the streets the other day (also FS) and I was so intimidated walking up to it my resolve was totally shaken. you can fit a whole 26 inch wheel INSIDE a 29er!! It feels like getting on a horse! What to do??

3) Training

... has begun!! Much more motivated this year and much more on track. Look out!! I leave the bike at home except for commuting and weekend rides this time of year, so running is the name of the game. Monday's run was so nice -- sunset burning the edges of the clouds, temperature just right, spotted some wildlife (fox!) and was even on par with last year's pacing. I did wipe out though, which was embarrassing, but thankfully not a disaster or anything.

4) Work

Full speed ahead! Check out ontario.ca/progress to read about our last year. We just had our big Liberal AGM this past weekend and we are good to go for the year leading up to the election. The Premier made a speech that got me choked up no less than four times and I truly wish for every Ontarian to see it too.

Premier McGuinty Keynote Speech - OLP AGM Saturday, October 16, 2010 from Ontario Liberal Party on Vimeo.

5) Reading

I just finished a pile of books (thank you vacation and rainy TTC days!) and would recommend all of them:

Never Be Sick Again, by Raymond Francis.
This one looks at "getting sick" from the perspective of your cells. I know it sounds like dry material, but it has really changed the way I do my grocery shopping, how I feel about those mini-trampolines our parents had in their basements, and even where I leave my blackberry when I go to sleep. Raymond Francis is a researcher with degrees from MIT so it isn't some hippy dippy trippy malarky. Urge everyone to check it out.

Room, by Emma Donoghue
This novel was our book club pick and I read it way too fast on the beach in Mexico -- couldn't put it down. It's written from the perspective of a five year old who lives with his mother in Room. For him, Room is the world. For her, Room is the prison "Old Nick" has kept them in for seven years. It was an amazing story of what a mother can do to protect her son and raises lots of thought provoking questions I can't wait to discuss with the girls!

Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
I picked this off the shelf because it was skinny. I found out that despite it being skinny, it wasn't always light. In the back the author says that when she finished writing it, she was homesick for "the pink house" and its inhabitants, a sisterhood of love. now that I'm finished reading it I'm with sue. It's one of those books you make friends with. I haven't seen the movie yet, but i'm eager to see what they do with it.

I think that's all I've got for an update ... hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather and riding.

Anyone looking for road riding buddies, please think of me!

Cheers,
KL

Decisions, decisions ...

2010-09-30T22:41:00.003-04:00

In order to make the winter shipping date I've got to decide which bike I'm going to race next year, and fast.

Should I go for the bike I KNOW will be awesome (since it's the one I've been on the past two seasons but with a fancier new suit)?

Or should I dabble in the unknown world of hard tails with 29-inch wheels?

They cost the same coincidentally. Comments welcome -- i really need help with this one! Vote on the right.

And thanks for your help!

Parting is such sweet sorrow ...

2010-09-28T22:24:00.005-04:00

It all seems so sudden.

Just a few days ago, we were frolicking in the late season conditions of Hardwood Hills. and now, an empty space on the rack where you used to rest.

Dear bike, how I miss you already.

I remember the first day we met. It was at the shop, and the boys wouldn't let me take you home because you looked too good in the window.

Our first ride, and how fast we bonded.

Our first time off-roading, which was also my first time ever riding in BC. Together we conquered some of Squamish's most amazing singletrack, including the Test of Metal.

It was with you that I first attempted the Tremblant Canada Cup ... which was also my first race in Quebec.

On your back, I had my best season ever with all kinds of podiums, PBs, and just amazing rides.

And lately, we've just managed a great three for three podiums for the end of 2010, including a 100km ride I wasn't even sure I could do -- but we did it, together.

I wouldn't be the rider I am today without you.

We've spent so much time together, playing, working, hanging out. It's hard to imagine a replacement. Will it be as good? Are the best races yet to come?

I hope you'll be happy in your new home. And at the same time I feel like a loser for suggesting you'd even know the difference.

Afterall ... you're just a bike.

Right?

Race Report: Fall Epic 8

2010-09-28T22:01:00.004-04:00

The last of a string of late races, the Fall Epic 8 certainly lived up to its name. Rain makes any ride "epic" in my book. And rain it did.

Our team was four strong, with Tim, and the Kiwis, Bryant and Carlene rounding us out. We agreed that we'd signed up for this thing to have fun, but were quickly in the lead and found out that in fact, winning is fun. So we ended up with a bit more focus than we'd originally set out for, which I think was just as well since that's the sort of juice you need to get through 6-8 hours of constant drizzle.

I got the first go-round, and had a grand ol time slip sliding around on the roots. By the second lap, I'd figured out a little more of the course and conditions and hooked up much better. My third and fourth might as well have been dry because I was comfy as could be.

8 hour courses are so fun -- nothing to dread, all flow, lots of single track and rad people to share the trails with. In the end we were able to hold onto gold, putting an extra lap into second place. Nice end to the season.

Thanks Don Rats, and Kiwis!! We done good, and it was great hanging out with everyone for the day. Isn't that the best part of 8 hours?

Also, huge congrats to Matt Spak for his win and former teammate Evan Sharpe for his silver in the solo category. I can't imagine going around in circles for 8 hours, but on a fun course like that, maybe it's not out of the realm of possibility. Y'all got me thinking ...

And to Martin, (fellow Sweet Pete's racer) and his team *chapeau* for your fine podium result as well!

Holy crap, DOUBLE RAINBOW!!!!!
A nice parting gift from mother nature.

Race Report: Paul's Dirty Enduro

2010-09-20T15:37:00.006-04:00

Another first! No, not first place ... first time trying out another one of the great fall mountain bike events Ontario has to offer. Many of you were kind enough to pledge my 100km singletrack race adventure and let me tell you, your donations went to a great cause, a great race, run by a great bunch of volunteers.

We got to Ganaraska just as the sun was peeking out over the horizon. It was a long day in every sense of the word. At the start, I don't think I was totally awake yet. At "go" I had that "oh yeah, there's a race today" thought that usually means I'd be coaxing heavier-than-usual legs through the first few minutes.

Kind of like the marathon last week, after about 20km, I considered myself "in it". But by then, Queen Heather had already put about 5 minutes into me. Hmmm. I decided that since pacing would obviously be the main challenge of the day I'd just concentrate on holding onto second.

The First 40 Kilometres

... were not my favourite. We were using trails shared by dirt bikes which meant that every climb had basically one line: up the middle of a ditch just a little wider than your pedals. So that meant any slip and you were digging your foot into the side. And slipping was hard to avoid since most of the dirt would be better described as wet sand. With mud puddles. I was glad to put those behind me.

Enter Gavin

Another challenge was riding alone in the woods. With so much terrain, and so few riders, there was very little to keep the mind on track. I was day dreaming non-stop. Musing over the porcupine quills I saw scattered on the trail. Scaring up grouse. Freaking out over the complete carpeting of poison ivy on the forest floor. And then a friendly guy came up behind me and we decided to ride together for both our sakes. All of a sudden a whole hour was down but since we were chatting the whole time, it felt like a few minutes, and our average speed had increased. Awesome. Huge thanks to Gavin, otherwise, I don't know if I would have gone out for the second 60km loop.

The Pit Stop

As you've probably gathered, the course was made up of a 40km loop and a 60km loop. Between the loops, we rode right by the car so I had a chance to make a pit stop, change bottles, take off layers, neutralize poison ivy, eat and then get back on the trail. Of course, my timing was impeccable, and I ended up setting out right behind the racers starting the 60km distance. That meant a huge field was between us and the rest of the 100km riders. Oh no. Gavin and I worked together to pass as many as possible on the open sections, opting to hurt a little now to save a little waiting later in the singletrack. It was going great, we were having a good time and moving at a good clip despite the many "slow-trains" we rode as we worked our way through the field. And then ...

Garmin Fail

... I looked down. And my Garmin was GONE. In a race this long, that little gadget was keeping great company monitoring the passing kilometres and tracking our average speed. Not to mention, I'd only had it returned the night before (thanks Sweet Pete's!) after the LAST time it jumped off my handlebars. That incident resulted in a replacement unit. The one that was now presumably lying in the dirt somewhere. Design flaw? I think so. In a flash decision I told Gavin the fun was over for me, I'd have to turn around. I knew I wouldn't be able to find peace about a [expensive] lost tool unless I'd done all I could to try to find it, so I turned around to ride upstream in a river of riders. Before long, I got to a marshal and stopped to ask her if anyone had turned it in. She said she hadn't had one yet. I was in the middle of making sure it was alright with her to continue into tighter terrain against the grain to try and find it when ...

Garmin Guardian Angel

... a young man, I think from Mountainview Cycling Club (or else a similar blue and white kit) stopped and said, "Are you looking for this?" and pulled my Garmin out of his jersey pocket. Holy shit. The odds are staggering and thank goodness for him!! I made him stop long enough for me to give him a big hug before turning him loose on the singletrack once again. As for the Garmin, I replaced it in my jersey pocket, NOT the stem mount. Huge thank you to you, whoever you are.

Where'd you come from?

After the Garmin incident, things started going downhill -- figuratively speaking. Literally speaking, they were still going very much UPhill. I knew I was losing speed, but I was confident I could keep 'er going enough to hold my position while keeping suffering to a minimum. So at check points, I let myself get off the bike and enjoy some orange wedges and bananas. I chatted with the volunteers and other racers and then moved on. This was great for a couple rest stations, but then seemingly out of nowhere (but actually out of my own lax riding), third place was on my wheel, then cheerily calling a pass and wishing me a good ride. Wha ...?! How did I let this happen?

So I paced her for a bit to get an idea of what kind of effort I'd need to put her behind me before unleashing an Ocup-Style final 30km. This was actually hugely enjoyable (ha -- read "painful") because the second loop was much more flowy than the first, with way better dirt too. Riding fast is always fun, and it was nice to know I had deeper fitness than I'd thought. Mental strength on the other hand ...

Well it was also very nice to see the finish line, let me tell you.

Results

I ended up in second, as planned and took home a neat little pottery plaque and a medicine ball for my efforts. We all enjoyed an awesome chili lunch and a good sit in the grass chatting with riding buddies and new friends we'd met while neutralizing poison ivy with a garden hose.

Huge thanks to the volunteers who put out a massive effort to make such a great event run so smoothly. And heck, they even ordered up good weather. Would I do it again? Hmmm ... ask me when my body stops aching. ;)

Dear Garmin ...

2010-09-20T15:13:00.005-04:00

An Open Letter to the Fine Folks making GPS Products at Garmin

First of all, let me say I love my Garmin Edge 705. We've been running, walking, riding, skiing, hiking and even driving together since last Christmas.

However, it didn't take long for one major design flaw to show its face. The stem mount.

It's just not very good.

In fact, one day "just riding along" my beloved Garmin managed to jump off its mount while we were completing a workout on the asphalt. The impact was enough to kill my baby. Luckily, I was able to get a replacement just in time for a 100km mountain bike race over some of Ontario's most demanding terrain.

Excited to finally have my Garmin back, especially for an event where geographical information is so helpful, I set out eagerly watching the kilometres tick closer and closer to that big 100. Around kilometre 50, I looked down and my heart nearly stopped. It was gone.

Once again, with next to no help from me (that is to say, I hadn't crashed or knocked it with any of my limbs) it had jumped ship. Crestfallen, I knew given the high monetary value of the gadget that I would have no choice but to give my best shot to finding it, even at the cost of the race.

Miraculously, thanks to a friendly fellow-rider (and Garmin user, coincidentally) my Garmin and I were reunited and I was able to complete the race with only a little bit of time lost.

So Garmin, in my opinion, something needs to be done.

I hope future models come with a stronger, more effective mount. But for all of us already using and enjoying our Edge 705s, could I suggest, or ask over the existence of some sort of leash system?

Until this problem is solved, I guess I'll be zip-tying mine to my stem, over the exisiting mount. I got the idea from a rumour I heard about your own pro road team. Hmmm ...

Thank you for an otherwise great product -- I hope this letter helps to make it even better.

Sincerely,

Kristen Lake

PS - if you agree, add your thoughts to the comments below.

Garmin's stem mount: Does this look reliable to you?

Race Report: Ontario XC Marathon Championships, Mansfield

2010-09-13T12:17:00.006-04:00

From left: Celine Foreht, Kristen Lake, Tanya Hanham

After a bit of a lack-lustre Ocup season, I've decided to regroup and throw my hat in for a few fall races. So far, I'm liking the results!!

Yesterday was the first of three races on my Renaissance tour. Substance Projects hosted the Ontario Marathon Mountain Bike Championships at Mansfield. The weather forecast was calling for rain, and I didn't even care. If it rained, it would just be more epic. But -- it only rained enough overnight to make the dirt absolutely perfect. PERFECT!! Perfect, I tell you.

At 74km, the race would officially be the longest of my career. I wasn't sure how I'd feel but I couldn't help thinking back to last year's Winter Wow in which I bonked like I've never bonked, and that was only 40km. Could I do another 34 after that? Time would tell!

Jerome and I carpooled up and in the car I was not exactly energetic. Thank goodness he was driving, because I could barely keep my eyes open. Warm-up wasn't much more inspiring. So, not surprisingly, I didn't have the greatest start. Off the line, I settled in and tried to stay with Celine, who'd pulled ahead. I was doing okay at it too, but then I made my first mistake -- mis-steering on a descent, causing me to hit a tree, stop and consequently lose all my momentum for a long straight away. I waved so-long to Celine, and then two more ladies.

This scenario replayed about 10 times I think: catch up with the girls, make a silly error, fall behind again. Handling wasn't there, and fitness was taking its time to show up! I rode with Tanya (the Vegan Vagabonde) for a little while, and she actually helped me to cheer up. I got my head back into it, gapped her, and then found myself very much alone in the woods. Without being able to see the girls ahead or behind (or any riders for that matter ... hmmm) I found some focus and finally started to ride the way I wanted to. My legs decided to join the party and I settled into a great rhythm. And then, when what to my wondering eyes should appear, but Dan on the moto, and about 5 riders near. They were stopped by the way. Never a good sign.

Turns out, somehow seven of us managed to independently make the same wrong turn. None of us was the wiser, as there were arrows the entire time. Dan, the race organizer suspects someone in the woods moved them. So, while we thought we'd passed the "first" check point, in fact, it was the last. Dan was kind enough to put us back in at the 20km mark, since that seemed to be what the consensus of the bike computers indicated. Unfortunately, there was no way to know if the rest of the women's field were now ahead or behind us. Frustrated, I found all NEW focus.

The first bit of fun after we were dropped back on course was a gnarly rutted descent made of wet sand. Riders could disappear into the rut it was so big. So it was crucial to stay on the off-camber banks. Somehow, I bumped and jumped my way down ahead of everyone else. Only to have to stop for a giant stick stuck in my derailleur at the bottom, and once again, I was waving so-long to the women. Something snapped in my head. There was no way I was wasting my entry fee and all that work now. With lots of race left, I put my head down and thought of only one thing: catch those girls.

After the descent, there was the famous Simcoe County Forest rutted out sandy CLIMB, a regular feature on Winter WOW race courses. (What goes down, must go up? Is that how it goes?) Riders were getting de-biked all around me but I wasn't having it. That climb would pay. I beat on it like a crazed chimp (how's that for imagery?) and managed to expell all my frustration by the top. Then it was go time.

The rest of the race was a completely different story from the bumbling, clutzy first 20km. I was feeling Racy. At one point, I noticed a climb, which caused me to notice that I hadn't been noticing the [plentiful] climbs -- always a good sign. I had the legs I wanted, the headspace I wanted, and sometimes it felt like an hour would go by before I had to touch the brakes -- just totally perfect, tacky Mansfield flowy singletrack. I rode with some dudes and then left them behind. Found some new riders up the course, then motored on by them. I felt powerful for once! Unstoppable!!

And then I felt really really bad. Just like that. It was after the final checkpoint, so I knew the end was near but my garmin is in the shop, so I had no tools for timing or distance. There were also no reference points marked on the course -- I hadn't even seen a course map. I suspected at one point that we'd made it back to Mansfield Outdoors Centre Property because I spotted a "Happy Trail" trail sign. I took it as a sign of hope. After the first cracks in the veneer, the crumbling started in earnest. Trees and shrubs looked like animals, or shady characters. You know it's getting into rough territory when you start talking yourself through stuff. And really rough when you start talking to god. Like, "God? Can you hear me? Please let this be the last section of single track?"

At one point, I saw a logging road I thought I recognized (I don't know HOW, beacuse I had no idea where I was and they were all starting to look the same at this point) and I thought I would just take it to the end and call it quits. Crazy talk of an exhausted madwoman.

Anyway, things were rough, but I was still moving, still coaxing race gel and fluids into my upset tummy, still racing, but still not sure what my position was. Was I ahead? Was Celine right behind me about to take a pass? It was enough to keep the fires burning. I conquered a silly little descent that hasn't been on a race course for me in a few years which I could never ride before, got stoked and then found myself passing the main Chalet! I was shredding the final straight away!! Surely within a couple pedal strokes, the finish would be visible! I would be done!! I would be victorious!! but mostly, I would be DONE!! And then ... the arrows seemed to be pointing right. Not straight. Right. Back into the woods. Back into more singletrack. Nooooooo!!! I didn't want to believe it, but my bike was making the turn and I had no choice but to follow along (although I did spare some headspace to contemplate a DNF a few hundred metres from the end).

You thought that was bad? It gets worse. What was waiting for us around that right turn? Only the biggest, steepest climb of the day. What. The. Fudge. Heartbroken, I dropped my gearing into the granny and started my grind. I could see more of what lay ahead by now, and saw that the top wasn't actually the top -- it now appeared there was a second part to this monster. I couldn't take it. I walked. Eventually, I made it to the top, and as my heart pounded in my ears, my arms, neck, legs, back and hands ached like they've never ached, I rode the final descent and grassy straight away to the line.

I even remembered to put my hand up (just in case I'd won, which I still wasn't sure of).

Turns out, I was number one. Congrats to all who finished the race!! It was a tough, tough day. But in just a few hours, I found my happy, racy place again. A great way to go into winter training.

Post-race BBQ

Next up? Paul's Dirty Enduro. And to cap off the season, I joined a team for the Fall 8 up at Hardwood. A visit to Mansfield, Ganaraska and Hardwood before packing up mountain bikes for the winter is an awesome way to spend the fall. Can't wait.

$100 for 100km

2010-09-08T20:28:00.009-04:00

Paul's Dirty Enduro -- It's officially on my calendar. 100km of singletrack for me, 100 dollars raised for others.

I think it's the 15th time this race has been run, but it's my first time to line up. Here's hoping I can even ride all 100km of singletrack ... in a row.

But if the going gets tough, there are plenty of inspiring things to pull me through. First of all, Paul's story, and the love and support he still inspires today.

Paul was a young man who loved to ride bikes -- mainly in the Ganaraska Forest where this race is being held. According to his friends, he'd gather up fellow-riders and rip the trails all day long. He'd always say, "Let's do 100km!" but they never actually did.

He passed away by taking his own life in 1996. This event is run by his friends and family who come together year after year in his memory. They raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association, put on a full day of activities and from all accounts, everyone has a good ol' time.

If you want to read more about Paul, his sister wrote a beautiful article in the Globe and Mail you should check out. I posted it below as well.

As for the race, I'm told it's 100km, mainly singletraick, never the same trail twice. I hear there's poison ivy, and its winners are worshipped like royalty. And I'm also looking forward to a promised hot lunch (which will probably be a cold dinner by the time I actually [literally] crawl over the finish line.)

If you want to show your support I'm trying to raise $100 for the event. I gave myself a head start with $20. Link to my fundraising page, follow the directions and be sure to print your tax receipt.

Then wish me luck on the 18th! Oh, and if someone could come and drive me home, that would be awesome ;)
KL

By Mary Lou Archibald
Globe and Mail
Friday, Mar. 12, 2010

My brother’s life is a dirty and exhausting endurance race that never ends, despite the fact he committed suicide 14 years ago today.

Every September since Paul died in 1996 at the age of 34, family, friends, mountain-biking enthusiasts and greenhorns have gathered in the Ganaraska Forest near Peterborough, Ont. We honour Paul’s life, sustain his passion for racing and the Ganaraska trails, and talk about the mystery and heartache of knowing that someone you can’t live without thought you would be better off without them.

On the one hand, Paul Rush was a rough-and-tumble mountain biker who could always be counted on to pull ahead in the home stretch during 24-hour relays with his biking buddies. He was a humble and hard-working cyclist, the strong and often silent type with broad shoulders, solid legs and a heart that could climb the steepest hills without missing a beat.

Paul loved to ride the trails, the more offbeat and rugged the better. His dream was to do a 100-kilometre endurance race, not to prove he was better or stronger or faster than anyone, but because it was a new challenge and adventure. It was inevitable that the Dirty Enduro race that started because of him includes a 100-kilometre trail that winds in one big loop with a new view at each twist and turn, which is exactly the way Paul would have wanted it.

On the other hand, Paul was a real character with an offbeat sense of humour. He had twinkling Irish eyes that reflected his appreciation for a good time with family and friends. Women loved Paul, not just for his charm and good looks but also for his sensitivity and vulnerability.

He had four older sisters who loved to spoil him, and a couple of girlfriends who probably would have married him in a flash if only he had popped the question. Yet he remained the eternal bachelor. I questioned this many times, and he always told me he was afraid of getting married and having kids because he might screw it up. I should have known this was a sign of his insecurities, but he always said it with a chuckle and such casual flair that I thought he was pulling my leg.

Paul was a big tease with everyone, especially kids. Nieces, nephews and friends’ children could not wait for him to shower them with attention. Young ones and even too-cool tweens would sidle up to the friendly giant, knowing that when the moment was right he would scoop them up and twirl them, bench press them with his big “muskles” or cart them around the block on the back of his bike.
His love and affection were unconditional and unencumbered. You could be yourself with Paul, and no matter how shy or quiet you were, you always knew he had no expectations. And he made a mean pizza from scratch, turning the kitchen into a cheesy disaster area, but the results were mouthwatering and the cleanup with Paul always fun.

Unfortunately, Paul was also a man who lived with the “black dog” of depression for years, a dark secret we live to regret.

Paul was raised in an era when boys were taught to deal with their anger or frustration by scrapping, or shutting up. Going to the doctor was for pregnant women and old people. And talking about it was something you were only allowed to do in the church confessional, to ask forgiveness for feeling this way when you should be grateful you have a roof over your head and food on the table.

So when Paul had thoughts of suicide, and even attempted it unsuccessfully, as we later discovered, he sucked it up because that was what real men did. When he told us that stray dogs were chasing him during his solitary bike rides, little did we know the animals that were really haunting him were in his mind.
Paul lost his job, and he told us it was because his boss was a jerk. He probably was, but what we didn’t see was that Paul’s anxiety, in the days before employee mental health was a sincere consideration, led to behaviour that was typically dealt with by pushing the difficult worker out the door.

In the end, it was not the stray dogs or the tough terrain that took Paul’s life, but his own desperate desire to end his pain.

So every year we gather, and what started with a few close family members and friends and a pot of chili 14 years ago has become a big event with hundreds of riders and volunteers, and more than $17,000 in donations. The funds are used to raise awareness about suicide, especially among young people.

The cause has become a potential source of healing instead of pain. Family and friends would much rather see Paul leading the pack in the 100-kilometre race year after year. Instead, we gather annually to watch others continue the race, and it is a bittersweet ride. Whether they participate for the thrill, or to honour someone who suffers from mental illness or tragically took their own life, the participants at Paul’s Dirty Enduro continue his life journey on his behalf.

Mary Lou Archibald lives in Brantford, Ont.

You Belong With Us.

2010-09-07T17:00:00.003-04:00

Haha, best ad ever. Last time I had on a bridesmaid dress I had similar tan lines and 9 stitches in my shin (for a tea-length frock ...)

These are my people!

Found it on the report IMBA and Sacred Rides put together on women in mountain biking. Check it out: http://www.sacredrides.com/womenmtb/

PS: WANT! WANT WANT WANT! http://sacredrides.com/tours/mexico/yogamtb/

Canadian on the box!

2010-09-06T17:57:00.002-04:00

Nice to see our own Steve Smith up on the podium for the men's DH World Champs at Mont St Anne. Many respectable finishes for our riders, wish I had been there in person to cheer everyone on!

I think I owe this thing a bit more of an update than that but it's still the holidays, so that's all for now. More later ;)

The Buzz on The Fuzz

2010-08-27T11:18:00.005-04:00

Received a helpful email today from the Toronto Cyclists Union on how to avoid traffic tickets on your bike ... Read on to save some dough (and stay safe while not contributing to cyclists' bad reputation in this city)!

Fellow Cyclists,

Please note that Toronto Police are now regularly paying closer attention to the behaviors of cyclists on the road, and giving tickets for infractions. Several people have noted getting ticketed this week in particular.

This is not all bad news of course. With this increased attention comes a greater awareness of the negative impacts that some driver behaviours / driving infractions have on the cycling population, along with increased ticketing for these actions. Although we don’t like to discuss it much, there are many drivers and cyclists that drive and ride recklessly and are sometimes deserving of fines – though unpopular, penalties are proven to be an effective tool to help motivate behavior change.

That said, many feel that an $85 fine for not having a bell is unreasonable, in particular when your voice can be more effective in many cases… Unreasonable or not, it’s the law and you can avoid this particular fine by spending a mere $5 on a bell and 5 minutes installing it. Besides, the sound of bike bells is so lovely, the more the merrier!

Please take a moment to consider your cycling habits (good and bad) and remember that cyclists, as per the Highway Traffic Act, must follow the same rules of the road as other vehicles, and are subject to many of the same fines. Cyclists are required by law to have front and rear lights after dusk and before dawn, to have reflective tape on the front and back of their bike frame, to signal direction & lane changes, etc...

Some fines that apply to cyclists:

- Disobey stop sign or fail to stop $85
- Fail to signal for stop or turn $85
- Cyclist riding in or along crosswalk (this included X-walks, and pedestrian crossings at intersections) $85
- Red light, fail to stop $260 - plus 5 costs plus $60 victim surcharge = $ 325
- Red light: proceed before green $260
- Fail to stop on right for emergency vehicle $400
- Careless driving $400 - plus 5 costs plus $90 victim surcharge = $500

Additional cycling related infractions for which you can be fined can be viewed at this excellent City of Toronto site. Please note however that although the fines for Running a red light, and Careless driving have recently been increased, these changes are not yet reflected on the City of Toronto site.

Demerit Points
One very common misconception/error made by Police is that demerit points apply to cyclists.

Demerit Points DO NOT apply for cycling infractions

Please note that in response to the confusion around whether or not Demerit Points apply to cyclist, the yellow infraction tickets have recently been modified to show clearly that the fine is for a cycling related infraction.

Two things to look for on the ticket:

1. Near the top there is a 'Motor Vehicle Involved' box - the officer should put a check in the '[ ] N' box to indicate ‘No’.
2. Near the bottom is where a license plate number would be included - this should be left blank, and then in the license plate code box next to it, a 'C' should be marked to indicate Cyclist.

ID
It is advisable to provide ID when asked to do so by police. If you do not regularly carry ID on you, you can simply identify yourself, and provide your pertinent information, verbally – you are legally allowed to do this. Most officers will request a driver’s license because it helps them to know your level of understanding of the rules of the road.

Please note: If you know that you have made a mistake and are in contravention of the law, it is better to accept the ticket gracefully rather than lose your cool or fight with police. Even if you feel you have not done anything wrong, arguing with a police officer is rarely a good idea and can lead to more problems than it’s worth.

If you, or someone you know has been ticketed incorrectly, or been treated poorly by police when stopped for an infraction, please connect with ARC (Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists) http://www.respect.to/

Safe cycling,
Yvonne & the bike union team

Like.

2010-08-20T15:29:00.001-04:00

Kimbra, Settle Down

How can I resist??

2010-08-18T14:00:00.004-04:00

The 2011 Trek line up has arrived for your viewing pleasure. www.trekbikes.com has got all the beauties. Top of my wish list:

This is the Top Fuel 9.8 WSD. Chic lavendar paint job. New OCLV Mountain Carbon stands up to any log or rock you knock around in the line of duty. Cables run inside the always-striking Top Fuel frame.

My financial advisor would have a hissy fit but if there was ever a year to buy a bike, this is it. Resist I must ... le sigh.

Deep Summer Photo Challenge

2010-08-18T11:56:00.006-04:00

Thanks to the influence of the snowboarders in my life, the Deep Winter Photo Challenge is something I look forward to every year. And then I hear about the Deep Summer photo Challenge ... what?!

Competitors' slide shows are now starting to show up on the internet and you don't want to skip over these. I found the below from the Coastal Riders' blog, and it wasn't even one of the top 3! If you read their post, you'll see that Jordan Manley won the show. Looked him up and if I can just add an aside: if you're looking for gift ideas, I'll take any one of his prints. Especially this one:

Here's the slide show from runner-up "wild card"Adrian Marcoux:

Deep Summer Slide show from Dirt Tales on Vimeo.

Steven Lloyd's entry:

Deep summer photo comp whistler 2010 steve lloyd from steven lloyd on Vimeo.

Skipping The A Race. No Provincial Championships For Me.

2010-08-16T12:53:00.003-04:00

2010 has been an interesting season -- at times, I would say it's even been a struggle (and not the usual bike race type struggle).

2009 was undeniably the best season of my life. I did everything the way I wanted to. Good power work, religious spinning, cross training and a lengthy list of races (some even with podium finishes and cheques!)

This year, my priorities changed. To compete at this level requires a huge committment. It means that after work, training/racing and everything that goes with it takes up all the remaining oxygen. And in previous years, that was just fine with me.

This year, I wanted more. Not more from myself as an athlete; but more from myself as a friend, sister, girlfriend, daughter, earthling. I wanted to be able to raise a glass on a friday night with friends without having to say "no thanks, I'm training". I wanted to stay up late, spend weekends at cottages with no bikes, visit family in my home town and just spend the morning chatting over coffee, instead of jumping out of bed at the crack of dawn to get endurance miles in "before the day starts". I wanted to see the Olympics ... but I finally understood that I wouldn't be going as an athlete, and that was OKAY!!

So yes, 2010 has been a different sort of year.

And what better way to finish it off than by blowing off the Provincial Championships.

Sorry Chico, I'm sure it's a lovely course, and I was really looking forward to racing it. But something better came along. I think in the long run, memories of yet another "8th place finish" will pale in comparison to ones of campfires and all night euchre tournaments, fishing, hiking and dominoes by lantern-light with mom, dad and sis at our place on Kama Bay. We haven't all been together there in about 15 years.

So good luck to all the racers. Maybe see you for some of the non-ocup stuff in the fall. Otherwise, til 2011!

Guide to Dating Your Athlete

2010-08-16T12:45:00.003-04:00

I saw this on Spak's blog, who saw it on MTBR and I thought it was funny because it's true. Mostly. Just the other night my man tried to take a piece of pizza off my plate ... and he was never seen again.

A dating guide to understanding your triathlete (or runner or cyclist...)

"I am an outdoors type of person." Really means: I train in any type of weather. If its raining, snowing, 90 degrees w/100% humidity, or winds gusting at 30 mph. I don't want to hear any complaints because I will still train in it and you're just a big wuss for complaining about it.

"I enjoy riding my bike." Really means: With or w/o aero bars, alone or in a peloton, I don't care. If you can't do a spur of the moment 30 miler then you're not my type. I will let you draft, but if you can't hang and I drop you - I will see you later. I am a capable mechanic, but don't expect me to change your flats or tune your bike. You need to learn that on your own.

"I enjoy jogging." Really means: Lets run hills until we puke. I have just as many shoes as you only mine are better because they are functional and all look the same.

"I enjoy dining out." Really means: I enjoy eating out, in or anywhere else I can find food. Don't be shy because with the amount of food I eat, you can have that main entree instead of a salad and you will still look as though you eat like a rabbit in comparison. Don't get your limbs too close though as I may take a bite out of you. Most importantly don't expect any taste off my plate unless you can bring something to the party like more food. Eventually though if you're not burning 4,000+ calories a day your going to plump up and have a terrible complex due to watching me eat deserts and not gain any weight. Friends and family will eventually decide not to dine with us anymore due to my horrid table manners. Oh, and don't ask me any questions during breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon lunch, dinner or recovery dinner as it does not lend to efficient food intake.

"I enjoy quiet walks on the beach." Really means: Walks on the beach warming up into an 8 mile run and then plunging myself in the ocean for a 2 miler. If you get in my way you're going to find out what mass start is and let me assure you that you don't want to find out.

"I find fulfilment in charitable work." Really means: If I am not racing, I am volunteering or cheering on my buddies and I expect you to be there along side me as I stand out in 90 degree weather for 8 hours handing out sports drink to cyclists going 20 mph. Just stick the ol' arm out there and hope it doesn't get taken off.

"I enjoy sharing quiet moments together." Really means: It's taper time. Just back off because I am strategizing, trying to get into the zone and in a pissy mood because I am worried about my "A" race and can't workout.

"I am an active person." Really means: Aside from my 40 hour job, and the 8 mandatory hours of sleep a night. 10 hours a week are devoted to me during the off-season and 20 during race season leaving us 4 hours. 2 of which are spent inhaling food and you not talking to me, so lets make the best of the 2 hours we will spend together on average each day. If you are a licensed massage therapist or doctor this would make the most optimal use of our time together. Nutritionist is also acceptable, but I probably already know just as much as you.

"I enjoy road trips and vacations." Really means: You have your choice of British Columbia, Wisconsin, Idaho, Florida, California, Arizona, and New York, but don't expect to do much site seeing. But if I get enough support from you we might be able to include Hawaii in there.

"I enjoy site seeing." Really means: Lets grab a mountain bike and get our HR's up to 90%. There's plenty of time to look around on the descent as trees and bushes whiz by you at 40 mph.

"I like stimulating conversation." Really means: while we are running, we can talk about food. Then we can talk about how we decided what to wear on this run based on the temperature at start time versus the temperature at the time we expect to finish, how horribly out of shape we are, how many miles we did last week, and how many we will do this week and next week. Then we can talk about food.

"I enjoy relaxing soaks in the tub." Really Means: I'm going to stop on the way home and buy two bags of ice, throw them in the tub with some water, and sit in this torture chamber for 30 minutes.

"I'm interested in photography" Really Means: My camera is permanently perched a tripod in front of my trainer. I obsess over taking photos of my bike position and analyzing them to get the perfect set-up.

"I'm into in technology" Really Means: My HRM and bike computer are my best friends. Until you can give me some hard data that can improve my training, don't bother trying to buddy up to me. You could one day break into the top three if you recognize and feed my dependancy by buying me more gear.

Article courtesy of an anonymous Triathlete who is likely still single, from Toronto, and who completed rather well the Lake Placid Ironman in 2006. For a small fee we'll connect you to this handsome and successful individual...(works "downtown" Toronto in the "money business")

Race Report: Ocup #6, Kelso

2010-08-09T19:57:00.008-04:00

I had a good feeling about Kelso. Despite being laid low with strep leading up to the race, not to mention my general lacklustred-ness this season, I still had a warm little corner of my heart for this race. I followed Steve Neal's advice for the first week after recovering, and then had some great rides at the start of last week to shock ... errr, welcome ... my body back into some kind of shape. Top it all off with a totally zen preride on Wednesday and that would have been plenty for me. But to seal the deal, I had the support of not one, not two, but of SIX whole cheerleaders, just for me. Spoiled!!

Gerhard's parents happened to be in town the weekend of the race and being the good sports they are, were totally game to head out to Milton for race day. Gerhard and Adlar, his little bro, came too. And my parents made the trip from Port Elgin, so my stoke was all time.

Kelso can be an intimidating course, given the ginormous climb right off the bat. But having my squad lining the trail turned my usual strategy of survival into one of actual hunting and bike racing I haven't yet enjoyed this season. They'll have to come to all my races from now on, I think.

Anyway, with G's mom to help move things along in the morning, we got out right on schedule and I even had extra hands to load up all the stuff. Didn't even have to drive. Mellow. She kept asking me what she could do to help and the concept was so foreign to me I had a hard time coming up with an answer. And yet still, she seemed to know what to do. Awesome. We got to the venue, got sorted and then I left them to explore while I got ready.

At this time, I should also mention another contributor to my best race this season: Jerome! On Tuesday night, he was kind enough to give me a crash course on elite level tuning. We went over my bike inch by inch, component by component and lubed, tightened, trued and screwed every possible surface. My bike FINALLY felt like my bike when we were through, and I left with knowledge, a perfectly-squishy ride, and a shopping list. That's not to say the guys in the shop don't do a fantastic job, but they're very busy gentlemen, and haven't usually got 2.5 hours to spend on one bike. Which mine needed. Things were wrong with it I didn't even know could be wrong.

Speaking of the shop, my next thanks is to Owen and the guys for helping me complete and install said list at the shop. All new contact points: grips, saddle and cleats.

Back to race day: installing a new saddle is second only to changing tires for my least favourite bike-maintenance activity. I'm never sure of what I'm doing and it seems like I'm adjusting things forever after, even with careful measurements. It never feels the same. Anyway, with my old saddle bent (how'd THAT happen?) there was no getting around it. Although I suspect that this bent saddle business has a lot to do with why my shoulder pops out all the time. Hmmm. So better to have a saddle that's a bit too far forward or back than one that is literally hurting me. During the race I realized that I move around so much it probably doesn't make that much difference.

Anyway, warm up. Decide to second-guess saddle position. Twice. Back to the van for adjustments.

Get sorted.

Get start bottle from mom.

Get good luck kiss from G.

Get going!

Up we went. Our pack quickly turned into a single file train up the service road climb. The rest of the course was so open and fast that unless you put time into your competition on the climb, you probably wouldn't put much time into them at all. With that in mind, I was happy to be in the front half of our group. And then the girl in front of me stalled, my wheel hit hers, the girl behind me hit mine, and we all had our feet down while the front of the train steamed away.

Thus unseated, I ran for it. Oh my god how I hate to run from a sudden stop when my heart rate is red lined. On the bright side, this little slip made me angry, in a good way, and I put it into my pedals. The result was a pretty awesome little bike race between me and Erica Bota for the first two laps. Back and forth a bunch of times, then riding with each other in sight for sections, before I hit a wall on the third climb and couldn't close the gap. After Erica, I never saw another girl.

But I did see my cheerleaders!! Every lap they were in a different section, snapping pictures, and yelling really loud. Gerhard's dad has a booming voice, and he isn't shy. My mom stood out no matter what in her pretty blue outfit, so even as I came barreling out of the single track, and everything blurs except the trail in front of me, I could see her.

I'll just say one more time, support is so, so awesome. Every mountain bike racer will tell you hearing your name pulls out a little bit more from tired muscles and pumping heart.

So then I finished and stuff. Got a little air on the finishing stretch, collected chocolate milk and congratulated Erica before heading over to regroup with my "team". Congrats to Sue Stephens, the day's winner! The only mark on my day was the mark I left on my bike when I wobbly-kneed tried to dismount and clipped the top tube with my cleat. DOOOOHHHH. Alas. It's a mountain bike, I guess.

Oh, another little story: after the race Chico asked me "for a word". I was worried I was in trouble, and sure enough, someone had apparently suggested that a "female Sweet Pete's Elite rider caused a crash in some double track". Huh? I had no recollection of this run-in and relayed the story of the only time I had contact with another rider. It was when HE hit ME sliding out of a high speed turn. Neither of us went down, and he apologized when he passed me shortly after. Anyway, if there was another incident, and you were involved and are reading this, I assure you, I was not aware of it. I was pushing so hard I had that annoying loss of hearing that feels like there's water in your ear and all you can hear is your pulse and your breathing. So if there was some missed communication I'm sorry, and I'm sorry you crashed.

Besides that little question mark, I was in amazing spirits. I rode well, I rode my best, I had a great result (8th [for the fourth race out of five], collecting 6th place points thanks to two Kiwis from New Zealand's visiting national team ahead of me) and re-ignited the love of going fast on bikes from wherever it was flickering all season. Just in time for fall racing and a winter of getting back on track I'd say.

We closed the day with a proper meeting-of-the-families in Milton at an Irish Pub (that also served Mexican, Greek and Indian) complete with fishing stories.

As if the day wasn't good enough, mom sent us back to Toronto with fresh farm fare, and BAKING. Mmmmm, cracked wheat chocolate chip cookies and fresh zucchini bread. I'm a lucky girl.

Thanks to Mom, Dad, Gerhard, Adlar, Gerhard (G's dad), Christine, Jerome, Owen and the shop, and Steve Varga for feeding me.

Can't believe there's just one left!

2010-08-06T11:30:00.001-04:00

Max Heart Rate - For the Ladies

2010-08-05T10:14:00.005-04:00

I subscribe to the montly "Women's Cycling" newsletter and today it had this little gem:

If you are a lady, and use a heart rate monitor to gage your workouts, you might be working too hard!

I rely on testing to see what my maximum heart rate is but I can see now why I was justified in doing that -- the old forumla is WRONG!

Old forumla: 220 minus your age.

New forumla: 206 minus 88% of your age.

Using the new forumla, guess what! I got a number that actually makes a lot more sense compared to test results. So there ya go!

Original article printed in NYTimes

Rock Statues!

2010-08-03T11:51:00.005-04:00

A man I met way back in the winter time, Peter Riedel, has made the Toronto Star today! Remember this guy?

Peter relaxes/gets a little workout by finding rocks' natural balancing points and piling them up into interesting statues.

Today, he was the subject of intrigue as people tried to figure out who had put new rock statues in the Humber. I knew right away who it was! And apparently it's been confirmed. Cool.

Thank You, John Graves Simcoe!

2010-08-02T20:49:00.003-04:00

Great weekend with lots of riding and relaxing. Only complaint was that the sun only wanted to cooperate while I was on the bike ... so I'll have to take a rain cheque on the beach day I had planned I guess. Uh, no pun intended.

Hope everyone had a great long weekend! Thanks to Kim and Bryan for hosting G and I!

KL

Kelso

2010-07-29T12:14:00.005-04:00

Opened up my email today and saw the monthly Chico report. Clicked it and to my surprise, I saw ME! A nice reminder of last year's glorious season. I've decided to give Kelso a shot afterall, hopefully to train through for provincials two weeks later. So not really carrying a lot of expectation, but I am excited because it sounds like there will be a cheering section this time. Woo hoo! Plus, I love riding Kelso (except maybe that infamous service road climb).

After email, my next stop was Chicoracing.com to see if the course map is up -- and it is! Looks like a fun old time -- I relish any opportunity to go DOWN the Ugly Up instead of climbing it, so this course is definitely Kris-approved. Hope to get out for preride on Wednesday the 4th, if anyone cares to join.

Rehab

2010-07-26T14:10:00.003-04:00

So now that Strep in all its ugliness is behind me, it's time to get back to the business of bike racing. Such that it is. After a busy day in Niagara on Saturday, spent with Grampa, Aunt Mindy and Gerhard I got some time on Sunday to test out the ol' legs.

Since I didn't have much on the menu (just 90 minutes of endurance riding) I just rode the path of least resistance until a route formulated itself in my head. After a few right turns on reds, I found myself at the corner of Dufferin and Queen on a traffic-quiet Sunday morning. I decided to take my opportunity and tour Toronto's awesome downtown. Got a green on Queen and made my left.

Not two seconds later I was rewarded with an impaired woman, carrying a cat or something in a box with her pants about to fall down (as it was, almost a full butt cheek was visible above her jeans). Queen west = people watching at its finest. I continued, half wondering if I'd make it to the Jazz Festival in the beaches before the clock ran out.

After a few races with cabbies and punks on raleighs, I found myself on the border of the street fest in the Beach, but decided to head down the waterfront trail. And right into a marathon race of some kind! I cheered on some runners, then continued past the skate park.

Coincidentally, G was skating there at the time, but I didn't know that, so I missed the opportunity to see skater tricks. Drat. Thus deprived, I continued westwards on the Martin Goodman.

Around the CNE I met Maggie, an elderly Golden Retriever. She was suffering from heat-stroke, but her owner just accused her of being lazy. She was collapsed on the trail, with her mom yanking on her leash to try and tow her off the pavement. Naturally, I stopped and let Maggie have the rest of the my water. She looked thankful, but still thirsty. I hope her master figured things out for her, but I am satisfied I did all I could. Later, we accidentally shared spit when I took a swig from the dog slobbered bottle. They say dogs have the cleanest mouths, right?

Anyway, a couple people watching/racer cheering/dog-saving hours later, I was home with no other complications besides some slightly itchy ears. It's good to be back :)

Photo of the Day

2010-07-23T19:47:00.004-04:00

Emily Batty, Trek World Racing (and the rest of Ontario's top athletes) is back in Europe getting ready for the return of the World Cup Racing season at Champery, Switzerland. Fresh off defending her U23 Canadian National Championship jersey, I'm stoked to see her continued success. She is truly living the dream.

There's no doubt Emily is fast becoming Canada's mountain bike darling. Everyone you talk to will tell you that not only is she obviously talented and hardworking, but she's a gal you'd want as a friend (and I won't even mention her good-looks). Always positive, and always smiling. She's so sweet, she even farts rainbows. ;)