May: A "Challenging" Month

I pulled off a personal best 5K at lunch today ... running ... and am now sitting here wondering where the heck that came from. It's my first run in my second week on Nike Women's Half Marathon program, which I started with no particular half marathon in mind, but for which I will be ready sometime in July. So that's challenge one: maintaining a regular running schedule because, turns out, I enjoy it.

So every day I'm up running around at the crack of dawn, and as luck would have it, the new neighbourhood features rec trails almost as close to home as the Humber trails were to the old apartment. Meanwhile, while running I can't help but notice all the bits of mountain bike trail I recognize, which means in theory, every time I ride my mtb home from work, I could add in a Don Loop + Taylor Creek and probably accomplish 50% of the ride off-road. Wow! More investigation required, possibly tonight.

Challenge two: push ups. I'm helping out with a girls' soccer team -- the Wildcats! -- and they are the stars of my Saturday mornings. At 12-13 years old, they are just a great group of young ladies and I'm glad to be "part of the team" for the next six weeks. To keep them in touch with their training between Saturdays, I've issued the "Push Up Challenge" and today, we're up to 19! We started at one, and we add one every day. On our last session, we'll reach our goal of 50. I like to lead by example, so I'm determined to share the glory with my young champions.

For the next seven weeks I'm also "Living My Moksha" through the local hot yoga studio and their healthy challenge. Every week we focus on one of the "seven pillars" -- this week is "Be Healthy", so the challenge is to practice yoga every day, and also to cut out processed foods from our diets and our cupboards. So far so good (she said, on day two.)

And my spin class has embraced the famous cycling workout, 30/30s, aiming to complete an entire class's worth of the agonizing intervals. That challenge is nearing its conclusion, with the big day coming on Monday, so wish them luck, or better yet, join us! It will be my first class teaching at RPM's brand new location! Double exciting!!

That leaves only one more challenge, but since it's still under consideration, I'll just go ahead and leave you hanging.  Stay tuned!

Race Report: Fall Epic 8

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.

Glorious Morning Ride!

Thanks to Randall for the great ride this morning. Only sorry if you have as many bug bites as me! I take full responsibility, since I was the piano tied to your ankles this morning.

I was having "one of those rides." Things were going great for our first leg -- a rocket mission across the Ridge, completed in a cool 18 minutes without even trying. Finally, I'd found the rythym I'd misplaced at the Canada Cup. Needed a ride like that. Randall even commented, "I was just thinking you could teach a clinic on flow!" Now that's what I like to hear!

But then we rolled into the Upper Don, covering such favourites as Catalyst, Rim Job and a newly cut trail called "Aerodrome" — thanks to its running behind what used to be an airplane hangar from the 1920s, or so I was told — before cutting back into the valley for new singletrack. Randall and I have agreed to rename the trail "Bent Hangar" so that it retains its aviation roots, but also carries a mountain biking connotation. Respectfully submitted.

Bent Hangar has got a lot of potential, but it was about this time that the full extent of my klutziness caught up with me and I was riding like a mess. This was poor timing since the trail is still very new, and not exactly "smoothed out" yet. I was catching body parts on protruding sticks, washing out my wheels, and once, I even did a summersault, careening into one of the ravines. No major damage but I was definitely getting frustrated. The cure for riding like crap? Have a snack. Once my gel kicked in, I was back on track (and on trail).

We finished our Upper Don Loop, exiting the way we came in and although I was feeling better, I was still feeling a little shell-shocked, so we grabbed the Fast Track back to the Trailhead.

A few nips of smoothie before heading to the office and I call that a dandy morning. Thanks again Randall for the get-out-of-bed-ridiculously-early incentive.

If you would also like to start your day off right, let Randall or I know and we'll be sure to include you on the next week's communications. We usually try to meet on either Tuesday or Wednesday mornings, 6:45am at the trailhead.

Let me tell you, it feels good to roll into work at 8:30 and already have a 2+ hour workout under your belt.

Stop, Drop and Roll!

Photo cred: Monk. Don Ride, Fall 2007

The other day, I was rolling along with a friend for some tempo riding before heading into the office. It was a perfect morning. The trails were bathed in sunlight poking through the new lush green leaves that seemed to have arrived overnight. Work had been so busy I'd had precious few moments to get out on the bike so I was really reveling in these few stolen hours.

It's amazing how fast everything can change.

After riding The Ridge, we (or rather, I) decided we should go over to Training Loop. Randall was more interested in riding the Upper Don, hitting such favourites as Party Atmosphere and Catalyst, but some of those trails are just too technical to get the steady work in that I felt I needed. So I convinced him to follow me to Training Loop. Should have listened to Randall.

Training Loop was not dry. I ended up back in the mud, and back in the bad memories of Albion Pits. Maybe that's what had me distracted? Because the next thing I knew, I was falling off the top of an oft'-rode ladder bridge four feet off the ground.

It's funny how things go slow motion in times like these. I felt like time froze as I dangled off-balance somewhere between riding-out and falling-off. It seemed an eternity to reach the brick-strewn dirt below. All I was thinking over and over was "omigawd, collarbones!" I remember actually having time to think it through, and decide the best way to avoid breaking a clavical would be to tuck and roll.

In the end, my collarbones were intact, but I'd cleverly used my knee to break my fall. A busted clavical will put you out for 6 weeks. My knee is better today. So although it is still very brightly coloured, cost me a race, a day of work and a bit of spirit, I'm now back in the saddle. I'm hungry, haven't lost much fitness, and just registered for my very first race in Quebec.

So we'll see how it does this weekend at the Tremblant Canada Cup.

But before I close up this long overdue posting, I'd like to take a moment to thank the folks that keep me rolling.

First, there's Nancy Laythorpe, RMT. She offers her services via housecall as well as at a clinic in the Beaches and will do up a proper receipt for insurance claims (if you are covered through your work). My favourite is a massage with lavendar oils, then I float off to bed. You'll have the deepest, most rejuvenating sleep ever, then wake up energized with all the miles stripped off and good as new. Try it yourself! She's at 416.525.6827 or nlaythorpe@hotmail.com

And then there's Dr. Henry Candelaria who I first met at the Toronto Athletic Club. He has recently opened his own clinic on College Street in the heart of Little Italy. He is a chiropractor but also certified in accupuncture, ART and is just generally a pretty knowledgeable guy in my estimation. You can follow him on his blog as well for helpful everyday tips on good muscular/skeletal health.

So happy trails, and remember: rubber side down.