I've got more spring in my step..

..than the weather does. It's bloody well snowing again!

But, it was a glorious (if chilly) week, starting all the way back on Good Friday.

Tanker and I had a bit of brunch, then headed out for a hike on the Grand Valley Trail through Dryden Tract. It was muddy and messy and icy in places, but also sunny with a few green hints of what is to come.

Behold the majestic Tanker, still sporting his winter plumage.

We got home from our wander with enough time to hit up Core for some evening bouldering - the first time we'd been back (or done a dedicated bouldering session) since early February. I was pleased that some of the skills I'd been building on the high ropes had me climbing more aggressively even without a harness, managing to pull off some moves I'd read about and seen in videos but never before achieved.

I actually did a Gaston! And kept myself in place hanging from a pair of roof jugs when my feet slipped off the holds!

I also engaged in some shenanigans for Good Friday that were far more difficult to achieve than I'd expected when I had the bad idea..

It's ok - if I fall I'll rise again in 3 days.

Climbing is hard enough as it is - doing so backwards is almost impossible. It's also incredibly tough to make yourself let go of a hold in order to turn around while on the wall. This was the best I could do out of a few tries in a couple of different places. 

If you're angry about my cheeky poke at Catholicism, don't worry - I was repaid for my heathenism by tearing my hands to shreds.

Flappers everywhere..

Saturday morning dawned cold but beautifully sunny again, and I looked forward to trying something I hadn't done in a very long time. Unfortunately, by the time I was able to get out (after a rather-too-heavy brunch of eggs benedict, plus getting our grocery shopping out of the way) I ended up racing the sunset and trying not to blow away or become mired in mud on my first real trail run since I jiggered my ankle almost 7 weeks prior. 

There was singletrack, and climbing, and mud.

Fortunately it went pretty well - I was able to get a little more than 10km in, and even got to check out the new boardwalk!

Yes, I brought a pole along. I didn't know if I might end up needing a cane..

I was feeling so good the next day I even got to go for an Easter trot along the Applewood Trail in Mississauga before spending the afternoon with my Mum. It was chilly once again, but the wind (while still over 30kph) was much less intimidating and the sunshine was glorious.

It's only a paved pathway, but it does run through the lovely Applewood Hills Greenbelt

Lovely Etobicoke Creek was running high - it actually washed over the path in one spot!

I went appropriately dressed for the occasion.

"You're the weirdest looking bunny I've ever seen"

My ankle even let me take advantage of a really beautiful afternoon - the nicest I think it's been since that incredible 16c day at the end of February - on Monday for a lunch run, but was feeling rather tired and sore so I gave it Tuesday off.

Apparently the weather has decided it will try to thwart my attempts at running real trails, as Wednesday brought a whole new meaning to the word "windy".

A HUNDRED AND FOUR KILOMETERS PER HOUR

I was lucky to have a point-to-point as it was mostly a cross- or tailwind - the couple of blocks I had to run into the gale nearly stopped me dead in my tracks! But I finally made it down into the shelter of the Cooksville Creek valley, and back to my Wednesday happy place.

Heavy flow from the rain the night before.

Happy girl!

I got another run in last night, too, which actually brings me to a respectable distance for the past week, having run 5 out of the last 7 days.

Long way from the top of the leaderboard, but not bad for a semi-cripple!

It seems like I may actually get to enjoy the best of the spring season on the trails, assuming it ever arrives - the snow today is certainly most unwelcome, and the weather isn't really supposed to improve in the next week. I'm clinging to this image of my Mum's lovely crocuses as a sign that new life really is happening around me.

Even with the skiff of snow around them..

Hopefully the weather is just holding out until I'm strong enough to put in back-to-back trail runs on the weekends - I can't wait to frolic through the green woods again!