100 posts down - 113 kilometers to go

It's my 100th post here, and I'll pass 15,000 views today - you folks never cease to astonish me with your love for the tales of my stupid exploits! Thanks to all of you for reading, whether it's just one post or all of my drivelings.

I should have plenty of new material to blither and moan about next week, as the time of reckoning is at hand: this very Sunday will see me and 450 other spandex-clad weirdos line up at the start of this year's big dance, the Welland Half Iron! It's bound to be a stacked field, as it is the 2013 Ontario Provincial Long Course Championship and a qualifier for the 2014 Long Distance World Championship.

That's right - I'm going to be waaaaaaaay out of my league. 

At least I have no illusions about placing well - I'm only racing myself and the clock, and trying to enjoy the experience along the way. I went 6:25:56 on the same course in 2011 with a sacroiliac joint injury that made the bike portion an absolute torturefest; each turn of the crank was like a knife stabbing me in the lower back. This has got to be better than that, right?

OWIE!

Of course, there is the minor detail that I've put in less than 150km on my tri bike this year, and my cycle training overall has been a bit lacking in the last couple of months. I put together a decent block recently, culminating in the 100k Tour de Grand two weeks prior to race day, but I have no illusions about feeling great when I step off the bike on Sunday. My only hope will be to take it conservatively to save my legs for the run, since I know I'm in pretty decent shape to cover 21.1km. 

It'll do.

Really, I need to let go of all the worries. I'm not quite at the weight I'd have liked to be, but I'm within a pound or so and that's a lot better than I could say at the beginning of June. I actually went for a run through Preston on Tuesday night in the outfit pictured above, which tells me I'm pretty comfortable with where I am right now - it's a bit of a leap of faith for me to bare my midriff when running through town, but fortunately no negative comments received. Body composition is ok. Swimming is the best it's ever been. Running is in good shape. I've been quite disciplined about tapering. The bike? Well, it's a (mostly) flat course so all I really have to do is keep turning pedals and admire the pretty scenery, while saying a small prayer that my neck holds out.

And that I don't melt.

While it would definitely be nice to improve on my 2011 time, moving myself through a 2km swim, 90k bike and 21.1km run is enough of a challenge even without a clock involved, especially with the predictions of high heat and humidity for race day - I'm still too gravitationally challenged to perform well in hot weather, and I've had no real chance to acclimatize as it hasn't felt much like summer yet. Whether or not I'm able to PR it isn't the point, though - the privilege of pushing my body for 6+ hours over 113km (70.3 miles), being surrounded by like-minded athletes and wonderful volunteers, the views of water lilies in the old canal and Lake Erie's shores on the bike, the smiles and high fives on the run course; those are what I'll truly take away from this event.

And then I'll go jump in the canal before eating everything in sight.

"Just deliver the pizza here"

See you at the finish line!

Cambridge Classic Mile - Friday, June 14th, 2013

How can something so short hurt so much?

We arrived at Galt Collegiate Institute at 6:30pm, just as the Diva Mile was taking place - good thing the organizer let me take part in the Social Media Mile at 7pm instead! I'd eaten lunch fairly early, with nothing but sips of water since 3:30pm, so my system was pretty clear as I headed out for a quick warm up run with 25mins to go. I did some high knees and butt kicks to get things moving, then ran easy for a few minutes while throwing in a couple of tempo-pace surges and some 20m strides to open up my legs. I was really nervy - what in the heck had I got myself into here?

Back to GCI with 15mins to go, I decided I needed every advantage I could get, so downed a Hammer Espresso gel in hopes the 50mg of caffeine would give me some sort of turbo boost. I met up with some of the other Social Media Mile participants, discovered that a lot of people I knew were either there to spectate or were involved in the event itself, and tried to stay loose with some leg swings and bouncing around.

Under starter's orders.

With very little fanfare, we were called to the track a bare few minutes past 7pm after the completion of the Emergency Services Mile. I noted that the crushed clay was essentially like a soft gravel, and wondered how much energy it was going to suck out of my stride. We lined up in no particular order (though the fastest among us gravitated toward the inside), were given some basic instructions about running through the second line to finish (as a mile is 9.34 metres longer than 4 laps of the 400m track), and got ready for the gun. Never having run from a crouch before I wasn't going to try it here - my worst case scenario was falling on my face, and I didn't feel like doing anything that might encourage that.

On your mark - get set - GO!

As I looked down at my leading knee and its background of red clay, I felt a wave of unreality wash over me. Was this happening? In anticipation of the agony that was to come, I was actually pushed into the first of the 5 stages of grief. Until that starter's pistol rang out, I found myself in denial that I was actually going to attempt something this stupid.

Lap 1 - Anger

Off like the devil himself was chasing me, I quickly saw the jackrabbits of the group start to pull away from me as I pumped my arms and tried to drive my knees. I pushed onward, passing one of my fellow racers on the inside just after the first curve. By 150m I was death whistling and thinking to myself that I was probably closer to the pace of the 200m repeats I'd done on Tuesday than to anything I could expect to maintain for the full mile. My worst fears were confirmed as I came through the starting line seeing 1:33.xx on the clock - I had gone out at just over a 6-minute-mile speed and couldn't possibly hope to hang on like that.

Lap 1: 1:33.xx - 3:52.5/km or 6:14/mile pace

Lap 2 - Bargaining

I needed to ease up a bit, but without really letting off the gas pedal - I figured I was in decent shape for my stretch goal of sub-8 if I could just keep things together. It was getting really bloody hard, though - I was feeling blown and was only a quarter of the way done! I've never done more than 800s on a track before (and even that only twice); it's tough to keep pushing yourself through multiple laps when the end just seems so far away. That's one of the reasons I prefer to do all my long runs as a single loop, or better yet a point-to-point - even an out-and-back can be psychologically tough when you realise how far you still have to go. I came through the line seeing 3:33.xx on the clock - I'd slowed by 27sec through my 2nd lap.

Lap 2: 2:00.xx - 5:00/km or 8:02.8/mile pace.
Halfway: 3:33.xx - 4:26.2/km or 7:08.5/mile pace.

Lap 3 - Depression

Given my rate of pace decay, it was looking much less likely that I'd make the sub-8 stretch goal, and even my forearms were starting to burn from the lactic acid buildup. There were a whole pack of Masters men along the home stretch of the track, and while they were actually respectfully cheering all of us on, I felt like they were watching me with scorn as I suffered so horribly while plodding along at such a pedestrian pace. My gait - never elegant at the best of times - had deteriorated into some sort of spastic thrashing of limbs as I fought gravity and air resistance to make some headway. I still had one runner 25m or so ahead of me, and I was chasing him down with all my might, but the clock told the tale as I came through the start line for the penultimate time; I was moving even slower.

Lap 3: 2:06.xx - 5:15/km or 8:26.9/mile pace. I run 10ks faster than this.
3/4 split: 5:39.xx - 4:42.5/km or 7:34.6/mile pace.

Lap 4 - Acceptance

Knowing this was the last time I had to try to boot my chubby butt 'round this torture device known as a track, I threw everything I had into it. My breath wheezed and shrieked in my throat, my legs screamed and my heart tried to tear itself out of my chest as I gained inch by hard-fought inch against the runner just ahead of me. As we came through the final curve I tried to judge the distance remaining, then gaped as he found an extra gear and sped away from me! I was completely powerless to answer his move, but mustered every last ounce of effort in me to come through the line as strong as I could.

Still fighting.

I blasted through the timing arch feeling as though I was going to drop dead on the spot, trying to rein in my legs to keep them under me as I slowed to trot, then a walk. I had made rather a poor showing in my heat, but had nevertheless utterly destroyed my expectations for my final time! I'd even managed to regain some of my lost speed for the final loop 'round the track.

Lap 4: 1:45.xx - 4:22.5/km or 7:02.4/mile pace

Official time: 7:23.96 or 4:36/km.

7/9 in the Social Media Mile

Full results here.

I definitely got left in the dust by my rabbit (James Harris), but while I may not have set the world on fire I certainly managed to outdo my expectations. It is both amusing and incredible that Mr. Will Spaetzel was able to so accurately predict my mile time - he's certainly deserving of the prize pack from my little contest, and a worthy competitor himself! Speaking of prognostication, it would appear that my mile time is pretty well in line with what I should have expected - not only did the McMillan Running Calculator predict a 7:21 mile (which is more or less in line with my time when adjusted for the clay track), but it gives the following predictions for other distances:

25:41 is my 5k PR, set in April 2010. I managed to best that 10k time by just over a minute at the Mudpuppy Chase in 2012, and was 42 seconds faster on a net downhill course for the Mississauga Half Marathon just over a month ago. I'm not quick, but I seem to be pretty consistent! It's worth noting that none of those races left me feeling half as ragged as that one single, solitary mile on the track, though - my throat felt like I'd drunk a pint of paint thinner, my arms and shoulders were sore, and later on my chest and ribs began to ache. Of course, that might have something to do with the deep-fetched coughing that took hold of me as soon as I finished - it's been more than 3 years since I quit smoking, but you'd never have known it in the 20mins after I came off the clay! I swear I coughed up tar I inhaled back in my teens..

Ed Whitlock kicking ass at 82 years old.
Photo courtesy of Peter Grinbergs

None of that kept us from staying for the rest of the evening's events, though. We cheered on friends and celebrities alike in the Master men's race directly after mine, thrilled to watch Ed Whitlock set a North American record by running the mile in 7:01. Yes, that's right - an 82 year old man beat my mile time by 23 seconds - almost 6 seconds per lap. This puts rather a kink in my plans to hold out and dominate the women's 75-79 age group.

Nate Brannen showing us how an Olympian kicks it.
Photo credit Peter Grinbergs

We smiled as Canadian Olympian Eric Gillis ran with the top finishers in the elementary and middle school races, marveled at the speed and grace of the collegiate men and women as they tore up the track, and roared with the crowd as Nate Brannen made his valiant attempt to break 4 minutes. While he may have just missed his goal, it was an incredible treat to be a part of an event that showcased running at its highest levels. Whether trying your first mile, setting a PR or simply coming to watch some incredibly talented athletes perform, the Cambridge Classic Mile is an event that holds something for everyone with an interest in running or track.

Diesel at the top fuel drag strip

The day is finally at hand - the Cambridge Classic Mile is this evening, and I'll be running the Social Media Mile at 7pm before Nate Brannen crowns off the evening by attempting to break the 4 minute mile on the crushed clay track at Galt Collegiate Institute at 8:20pm.

What a place to race!
Photo source: Mississauga Track

My own aspirations are rather more humble. While the McMillan Running Calculator claims I should be capable of a 7:21 mile based on my 1:58:12 at the Mississauga Half Marathon in early May, it also assumes that I've trained appropriately for the distance and am fairly well rested.

None of these assumptions are valid.

Not having done a lick of speedwork since the one interval workout back on May 2nd, I decided it was time to head back to the track on Tuesday to see if I could whip my legs up into something quicker than my usual shambling trot. I warmed up by running along the Linear Trail to the oval at Preston High School, inhaling the lovely scent of the phlox growing along the river.

This gorgeous view is 5mins from my house.

There was a soccer game going on in the field between the track and the trail, and another going on in the field within the oval of the track itself. Oh joy, and audience to witness my suffering! I soldiered on regardless, and laid down the following:

800 w/400 recovery: 4:06.24

800 w/400 recovery: 4:11.25

400 w/400 recovery: 2:07.50

400 w/400 recovery: 2:07.84

200 w/200 recovery: 0:58.25

200 w/200 recovery: 0:58:38

This haggard photo brought to you by speedwork.

I clearly completely blew myself on the first 800, because I still have no clue of how to pace intervals. The goal was to run each one a little faster than the last, and in this respect we can file this under "abject failure". I'm going to use the excuse that my legs were still tired from the 100k Tour de Grand from two days before, which represented the last day of a 17.25hr training week. Yeah, we'll go with that.

In any case, it casts pretty serious doubt on my ability to finish this ridiculous venture in 8mins or less - while those final 200's would do it, I don't like my odds on stringing 8 of them together in a row with no rest in between. It would be nice to think I could take less than 200% of the time an Olympian does to sprint a mile, but the reality is that I'm trained for distance and not top-end speed. Hell, I'm not even very competitive at longer distance, but I can keep on chugging along at my stately pace for hours on end. This mile experiment is just that - a test to see how hard I can push myself. 

Plus oldschool dirt track racing for a buck a lap!
Photo credit Will Spaetzel

For the sheer silliness of the whole thing, I'm going to offer a little contest - leave a comment here on the blog with your estimate for my final mile time, and whoever comes the closest will receive a small prize pack with some goodies from Cambridge. Open to anyone near or far, domestic or international, athlete or champion at keeping couches from floating away. I've given you the best information I have to make your educated guess, so have at it! 

Bonus points if you correctly guess which lap I barf on!

If you're in the Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge area, come on down to GCI any time from 5pm to 8:20pm this evening to watch some incredible racing. The schedule kicks off with the wee ones - Grade 5 and under - with the intensity ratcheting up through the heats. You'll see elementary school runners, high school speedsters, Masters athletes, up-and-coming collegiate racers, and even some courageous Emergency Services members turning themselves inside out against the clock in what must truly stand as one of the most classic distances in the world of running. Even if you can't come down beforehand, let's try to fill the stands by the time the elite women set out to scorch the clay at 8:10pm, and raise a thunderous cheer as the Olympians test their mettle in the men's elite race at 8:20pm.

Just try not to laugh too hard at me, ok?

 

Cambridge Tour de Grand 100k - June 9th, 2013

This would be the longest ride of the year so far for both Tanker and I, so of course I decided to ride it on nubbies instead of slicks (because that worked out so well last year) and throw down 3.5hrs of training the day before, including a tough 19km trail run. It would be ok, though, since I had Darth Misfit riding with me.

Tanker assures me it makes your bike faster.

We were up before 7 to scarf down a couple of waffles and some back bacon, hit Tim Hortons for a couple of Café Mochas, and get parked just in time for the first wave of the 100k to leave at 8:30. I think we've actually been on time for the start once out of the 4 times we've done the Tour de Grand, so why break with tradition? We pulled the bikes off the rack, loaded our jersey pockets and completely failed to apply sunblock - hadn't even managed to bring it with us.

Fashionably late.

We pedaled over to the start area at Duncan McIntosh Arena, mixed in with some other 100k riders, and actually ended up having to wait a few minutes as there were enough people ahead of us they split us into two waves. Since it isn't a race (there's no clock involved), we were more than happy to take another minute or two to wake up - the morning had warmed up from a cool, foggy 9c to a sunny 17 or so, and we were totally comfortable in just base layer, jerseys and shorts. I set up Endomondo with the Blackberry in its Fonbag, stuffed it in my pocket and off we rolled to check out the revamped "front side" 60k that would bring us back to the arena for lunch.

Interactive Endomondo map available here.

We had agreed that we'd just be taking it easy today, as Tanker has been taking his usual "be well rested" approach to training (ie: not doing any) and I had gone rather far in the opposite direction. I had switched out the 35mm Kenda Small Block 8 nubbies on Tanker's bike for a pair of near-slick Vittoria Zaffiros, so we were basically using rolling resistance as the great equalizer - he'd come sailing past me on the downhills, saying "here comes my ass!" (momentum = mass x velocity, and he's bigger than me), then I'd out-climb him as the road turned up. Mostly. Ok, way more in the second half.

The day got warmer and sunnier as we pedaled along, enjoying the ride down to St. George and only mildly confused by some of the sights along the way, like the guy riding a tri bike wearing baggies, or the gentleman who elected to ride at least 60km in jean shorts. The route change from Cheese Factory Road to Branchton Road seemed to give us better pavement and fewer cars, and for once we actually managed to hit the light green on Blue Lake Road. There was an unscheduled "natural break" on East River Road, as Tanker was apparently experiencing some discomfort, but we were having a great morning and rolling along smoothly. We made it nearly to the Wrigley Road aid station at 36km when Tanker spoke up from behind me, saying his rear tire was nearly flat. Bugger.

The devil on my shoulder.

Of course I hadn't managed to change the spare tube in his saddlebag, so he was carrying a 700x35-43 for his Small Block 8's instead of a narrow tube for his slicks. I only had a 700x28-32 tube for my 32mm nubbies in my Race Strap II, so I asked if he thought he could make it to the aid station (we both had patch kits, but what a pain!). Fortunately it worked out ok, and we were able to get a fresh tube from the on-course support tent that Braun's had set up at the rest stop. A couple of other gents were having much worse days (one was having shifting issues and another needed something tightened), so we let the tech help them while I replaced the tube. I noticed while doing so that there was some fatigue cracking in the sidewalls of the tire, but I could only hope it would hold for the rest of the ride.

We munched some snacks - half a banana, an orange slice and some gluten free cookies from my jersey pocket for me, and a couple of aid station Voortman cookies for Tanker - then refilled our bottles with water and pedaled off again. My legs weren't very happy with the long stop to change out tubes, but they eventually stopped complaining (mostly) as we rolled up Dumfries Road on our way to the big red barn. 

He's still there!

Tanker's rear wheel was holding air without issue and it was only 14km to the barn - formally known as the Terry Black Rest Stop - so we merely paused long enough to check in on Foursquare and headed down Blair Road back to Duncan McIntosh Arena for lunch. I forgot to un-pause Endomondo until we had already been moving for a bit, so that's why the map looks like we teleported. Off the bikes at about 11:45am with 62km done.

Once again, most of the food was off-limits for me, but I happily noshed on a chocolate chip Larabar and more cookies from my pockets (melty as they may have been), demolished another half a banana and some orange slices, and gratefully accepted the sample-size cranberry Taste of Nature bar from the lunch line. I had some lettuce and cucumber with some mustard as a makeshift salad as well (all provided as toppings for the sandwiches everyone else was eating), but with no forks it was a bit of a messy affair. We chatted with some folks from the Hub, browsed some of the vendors, filled our water bottles again and adjusted our personal hydration levels (consternation at finding a toilet paperless portajohn), and finally got moving again around 1:30pm.

Don't try this at home!

We only made it about 5km, sweating in the sunshine and admiring the daisies along Clyde Road, before coming to an abrupt and heart-stopping halt at the side of the road - I'd heard the distinctive tinkle of something metal detaching from my bike and bouncing off the ground, followed by more catastrophic-sounding noises and Tanker yelling at me to whoa (like I needed telling!). It turns out that some of the frost-heaved sections had taken their toll, and all the bumping around finally resulted in my Race II Awesome Strap releasing its contents all over my rear wheel. Tanker kindly picked up my patch kit, tire levers (the first metallic sound) and CO2 inflator (the second metallic sound) while I gaped at my spare tube laying on the rear cassette. Had the tube caught in the rear wheel, I might have spent another fun afternoon in emergency rooms and fracture clinics, but fortunately everything worked out fine. I rolled everything back up and strapped it back under the saddle with extra caution, and away we went once more.

We had no more issues, but due to our multiple stops and long lunch we didn't arrive at the Clyde Park rest stop until almost 2:15pm. Fortunately there were still two volunteers there, along with more cookies for Tanker, a whole banana for me (plus the last of the GF cookies from my jersey pocket), and a refill of water for our bottles. We actually passed 4 riders on the way in, and they arrived shortly after us, much to the surprise of the aid station volunteers - they had been packing up, as a police officer had come through and told them there were no more cyclists coming! Tanker was in much better shape arriving than he had been last year, but we still enjoyed the shady reprieve from the hot sun. The other riders were rather the worse for wear; the gent was definitely walking a bit funny and said he desperately needed to sit on something that wasn't a bicycle saddle, and the ladies kept repeating "just 20km more to go" like a meditative mantra. All of them were heartily sick of climbing, and I reassured them that once they got back into Cambridge it was almost all downhill. I may have neglected to mention that there are several rolling hills in between, as well as a couple of nasty little grades in town. 

That's a Fonbag stuffed in my jersey, but I'm still happy to see you.

We set off for the final leg of the tour, first turning away from town to head out Gore Road and then enjoying the smooth roll up Wellington County Road 35 to Paddock Corners. Turning West onto the crappy, patchy pavement on Concession 2 we groaned a bit at the short, choppy hills and looked longingly into the cool shade of the hardwoods at Puslinch Tract. I asked Tank if he wanted to go jump in the pond, but he said he'd rather just get back to the arena, as I'd promised to take him to Cafe 13 Main Street Grill after the ride for a beer and one of their in-house smoked meat sandwiches. I wasn't going to push the matter.

We actually encountered another young lady riding by herself in a TdG jersey on Concession 2, so of course I ended up playing chase and started to leave Tanker behind a bit. I put it together that I was dropping Tanker on the climbs and eased up a bit, but we both passed the girl before hitting the junction with Lake Road and finally getting some smooth, flat road to lead us up to the climb to Townline. With a huff and a puff, we were back in town, showing 94.8km on my cycle computer. Looking around, it became apparent as we waited for the traffic light to change that we had seriously ditched the solo rider - she was nowhere to be seen!

It's too bad we had the wind in our faces as we pedaled across Can-Amera Parkway; it's a great bit of road to ride, but we were tired and sunburned and ready to be done. The last bit always seems to play tricks with me, as it seems like you spend 15mins or more being "almost there". We found the strips of graded pavement on Elgin that we'd been warned about at the beginning, dodged a wee girl on a tiny pink bike, an elderly gentleman in a mobility scooter and a little boy who couldn't make up his mind which side of the path  he wanted to be on as we ducked through the rabbit hole, then tackled the last leg-busting hill before the long descent through the residential neighbourhoods around Duncan McIntosh Arena. I was actually able to point out to Tanker the spot not even 3km from the finish where I nearly bonked last year after not eating anything for 2hrs, then just like that we were gliding into the driveway at Churchill Park and bumping over the grass of the sports fields to the car.

100k done and still smiling!

Our final total for the day was 106.3km per my cycle computer in a total time of 4 hours 20 minutes exactly. When we did the 100k in 2011, we both had slick tires and were only able to average 23.6kph (for 100.4km by my computer), so this year's 24.5kph average on a hotter day definitely shows some improvement - I guess the Darth Misfit decal really worked! We may not be the quickest out there, but both of us thoroughly enjoyed the day, and I'm incredibly proud of how well Tanker hung in this year for a strong finish. We also gave a big round of applause to the tired crew we'd met at Clyde as they rolled in about 10mins behind us, completely exhausted but triumphant nonetheless! With bikes back safely on the rack we scuttled off to Cafe 13 for a well-earned sammich and tasty cold beverage, then home to unpack and slather some aloe on our deeply sunburned arms and legs. 

It was really only about 24c, but in that sun..

If you own a bicycle and live anywhere in Kitchener-Waterloo, you owe it to yourself to come out and try the Cambridge Tour de Grand - there are routes of anywhere from 10km up to 160km, with the 10k, 15k and 20k all being on wide, flat rail trail that is extremely beginner- and small child-friendly. You'll get a tech shirt if you sign up early, a free lunch, and a great experience with fellow cyclists! The longer routes provide a challenge for those who are more comfortable in the saddle or looking to push their limits while marvelling at the beauty Grand River country has to offer.

Noone says you have to go for a run afterward. You'd have to be some kind of idiot to do that, wouldn't you?

WTF?

I got into a conversation today that stemmed from Reid Coolsaet's broken collarbone, acquired while out mountain biking with chums. An ultrarunner friend of mine cited this as evidence that he was right not to cross-train, even recreationally, as it might keep him from running.

I had to call him out.

I'm not paid to be an athlete. As much as I may question the idea when I'm halfway through the run at the end of a tri, I actually do this stuff for fun; it's a hobby, and really nothing more. When it comes to hobbies, I have quite a lot even beyond the various permutations of swim/bike/run - motorcycling, snowboarding, paddling, sailing, cross-country skiing, hiking/backpacking, golf, camping, climbing, tobogganing, snowshoeing, hockey, rollerblading, volleyball, basketball, hell even darts and billiards. I like to hit the dirt and the velodrome on the bike, and have been known to enter the occasional cyclocross race or other thing that puts me in way over my head.

Though not always out of my depth..

Yes, there's an increased risk of injury when taking part in some of these things. My father was killed in a motorcycle crash last year, and I myself gave a dramatic demonstration of what happens when mountain biking goes awry. 

Broken sucks.

I could just as easily drown in a paddling accident, fall off a cliff while climbing, or have a dart ricochet and hit me in the head (I'm not very good). I do, however, refuse to stop doing any of these things! I've pretty well proven that even a broken wrist won't stop me from doing what I love, and most of the injuries I've sustained in the last few years have actually been a result of training for triathlon (hello, over-use injuries!)...but the real issue here is that there are so many other things I love apart from triathlon.

I actually had one of the best swims of my life like this.

There are great benefits to supplementing your sport of choice with other activities, as you'll work more muscles in different patterns - that can help prevent injuries and keep you training and improving, rather than having you sidelined because of a stress fracture or tendinitis. Humans were made to move in lots of different ways! The biggest benefit, though, can be psychological. In the past, I've let single activities start to dominate my life - when something is fun, you want to do it all the time! But eventually I always end up unhappy, because living life through a single medium eventually gets dull. I know people who define themselves by one hobby, and as long as they're happy that's great for them, but a one-dimensional life simply doesn't satisfy me.

Even one dimension that's actually 3 sports.

If you, as a recreational athlete, ever find yourself wishing you could do something - be it entering a dance competition, trying kiteboarding, throwing down in a competitive eating contest or just going for a spin through the woods with some pals - and figure you can't because it might interfere with your sport of choice, perhaps it's time to examine your priorities. You could be hurt in a car accident, get hit by a meteorite, or even just do something as mundane as slip and fall in the shower, too.

I'm not saying you have to throw caution completely to the wind..

We're only given a certain amount of time on this plane of existence, and I am completely convinced that our purpose is to have as much fun as possible during that time. So please, if you're shying away from what could be an amazing experience out of some sort of ill-conceived sense of duty to your sport of choice, you owe it to yourself to really think about the place of that sport in your life. If you're an elite or professional with a real shot at making yourself a name in your athletic pursuits then this may not apply (but note that even Reid Coolsaet will go out mountain biking with his buddies!), but if you're paying your own entry fees and racing for the pure joy of competition, why should you feel obligated to trade one kind of fun for another?

You'd miss out on moments like this.

I was definitely slower racing Lakeside with a cast last year than I would have been otherwise, but I guarantee you I had just as much fun as I would have unbroken - maybe even more, since I had no expectations and could just enjoy the day as it came. I got right back on the bike that broke me, as shown in the photos above from the Tour de King 50k raced just 5 weeks after I broke my wrist. Had the injury been something like a broken leg instead, I could still swim and paddle!

Probably not all kinds of paddling, though.

So the next time you get the opportunity, go on and try something just for the sheer hell of it - give anyone that tries to remind you of your athletic "obligations" a big ol' "Where's The Fun?", and tell them I said it's all right.  You never know if this new thing might become your next favourite hobby! Just don't let it consume your life, ok? There's always something new to experience.

Go get 'em tiger!

Heels & Wheels 5k - June 2nd, 2013

This one was just for fun, and for a great cause!

www.biaww.com

Since it wasn't a priority event, prep wasn't exactly conducive to performance: a little over 4 hours of training on Saturday, a spectacular Wagyu burger and asparagus from the charcoal grill around midnight, and nowhere near enough sleep. Might as well go big.

Thumbs up if you're carrying training fatigue!

Had planned to cycle up to Bingemans for the race, but it rained hard enough to wake me up at 06:30 and was still extremely wet and threatening when I got out of bed at 07:45. The forecast called for continued rain showers and nasty, gusting winds all day, so I wussed out accordingly - I had visions of getting soaked on the way up and rapidly turning into a shivering wreck before the race even started. I munched back a wee bowl of cereal just to get a few calories into me, then hopped in the car with Tanker instead. We didn't have any rain on the way up (of course!), but I did get to drink my pre-race Café Mocha in the comfort of the car.

We got up to Bingemans before 09:00 and I picked up my race kit while Tanker checked in for his volunteer duties. After goggling at the massive amount of swag we were given - t-shirt, a great re-usable tote bag with external organizer pockets, flashlights, a first aid kit, a band-aid dispenser, a manicure set, a couple of pens and a super nice flip-top steel water bottle - I said hello to Jan, the friend of mine that helped organize the event and found Dave Foster, the friend whom I'd be pacing through his first race.

I needed to find a washroom, which took some time as all but the furthest set of doors to Marshall Hall were locked. I did eventually find a way in to relieve myself and fortunately did not have to line up, but I was still much later getting out for a warm-up run than I'd hoped. Since the course was fully marked out I figured I could scout the whole thing so I would know what to expect and could warn Dave about anything tricky, but having done a 10 miler with some hills the day before I knew I wouldn't be moving fast. I didn't manage to get going until 09:30, leaving me just 50mins until the horn - I'd read somewhere the 5k would start at 10:20.

A nice mix of surfaces and sights.

The sun had come out and it felt very warm as I tried to loosen my legs up, grateful for the shade of the trees in the campground sections as I dodged between the puddles. The smell of bacon cooking among the trailers in the first campground loop was nearly enough to lure me off course, and I felt awful about disillusioning the kind folks on their trailer porch who went absolutely mad cheering and clapping for me...until I told them that the race hadn't started yet. I wound my way out to the aid station near the 2.5k marker, and asked where the turn-around was - a young lady told me I'd find it at the top of the hill, which Jan had described as "moderately nasty". I believe we may have different definitions of "moderate".

Ouch.

The turn-around is actually at the end of a small, flat out-and-back section at the top of the hill, almost exactly at the 3k mark. This puts you well past the halfway point with nothing but a couple of gradual rises to deal with on the way to the finish, so it's actually a pretty nice profile from a psychological standpoint - "all downhill from here" mentality can really help if you're hurting in the last mile. Back into the trees to do the second campground loop in reverse, then around the big parking lot and across the boardwalk past the big fountain to the finish. My legs had finally decided to show up, and I completed the course in about 30:50, having been thanked by some of the volunteers along the way for pre-running it to make sure there would be no issues.

Foster and I ready for the start.

Of course, I'd managed to freak Tanker and Foster out by my absence - it turns out the start was moved up to 10:10am, so I had cut it pretty close and Tanker had been trying furiously to get me on the phone (which I left behind). I would've liked to have hit the washroom once more, but didn't want to impose any more pre-race stress on anyone, so I lined up with Dave at the start while a girl from Goodlife Fitness took the participants through a dynamic warm-up. There was a bit of a malfunction with the air horn to start the race, but with a hollered "3-2-1 GO!" we all set off from the line just as the rain started to fall.

Great turnout for a new event on a day with iffy weather!

The idea was to lead Dave out conservatively, but everyone is full of enthusiasm at the start of a race and he took off pretty quickly out of the gates. The first section was flat and smoothly paved, taking us through a large parking lot on the way to the first campground loop. Many of the runners were unhappy about the rain, but I mentioned that the cooling it provided might just prove quite welcome.

Foster running while I do my best T-Rex impersonation.

Turning into the campground for a mild downhill on some potholed and gravel-strewn pavement, we quickly came upon a little boy who took a tumble and fell hard on his elbow. Being a dad of two small boys himself, Dave stopped to see if the wee lad was ok, and stayed with him for the few seconds until his father showed up pushing a stroller before we set off again. The rain eased up as we ran, but the skies remained pretty threatening.

Out through the big parking lot and a long driveway, then back into the trees in the second campground loop - this appeared to be tent sites rather than trailers, and was virtually empty of campers. Despite the stop to try to stem a little man's tears, we were through the 2k mark in 11:46 at a pace of 5:53/km and Foster seemed to be hanging in quite well. I was having to push a bit to keep up! He developed a bit of a side stitch, but seemed to get over it quickly with the aid of a little trick I told him; a sharp breath out when landing on the foot that's on the same side as the stitch. Not foolproof, but stitches suck enough that any bit of relief is welcome.

So fast we're blurry - yeah!

As we emerged from the woods once more, we hit the aid station and Dave grabbed a cup of water, considerately dodging off to pop it in the nearby dumpster when he was done - makes me feel like quite the slob for just chucking mine when I'm finished with them, though admittedly I have put in my time volunteering at aid stations and picking up all the cups, gel packets and other rubbish dropped by racers. I warned Foster that we were just hitting the one big hill on the course, and that he'd want to pace himself up this one; focus on driving the knees forward and up, and shorten up the stride. He did an admirable job, making it most of the way up before needing to ease up a bit to get his breathing under control. I had him try the "breathe in for 2 steps, breathe out for 4 steps" pattern, but he said he nearly lost his upper plate in the attempt - I had to admit I'd never tried it with dentures!

We crested the winding hill, hit the turn-around, then headed back down again. I let Dave know that we'd be turning into the wind again once we came off the hill and welcomed him to tuck in behind me if he wanted - drafting in a running race isn't worth a whole lot, but there were some pretty stiff gusts coming in and it could certainly save a bit of effort. We bypassed the aid station and did our reverse loop of the tent camping area, hitting the 4k mark at about 24:45. I told Foster that he totally had this, and was 6 minutes or less away from finishing.

That guy there? He's pretty awesome!

It was pretty clear that the hill had taken it's toll on my friend, as most of his training so far had been flat and he'd only just worked himself up to 4k the weekend before, but he hung in like a trooper as we ran around the parking lot one last time and came past the fountain and pond. The sun even started to peek out as we  finally caught sight of the finish line and picked it up for a final sprint - looking at the clock I told Dave he could bring it in under 31mins, and he took off like a shot, leaving me to open my stride up to full length so as not to be left behind! 

Look at him go!

We came through the finish line at 30:53 by my watch, at an average pace of 6:11/km overall. An admirable accomplishment for a first race, especially on a course that certainly wasn't conducive to fast running. To make things even more special for Dave, his wife Amanda and sons Braeden & Gareth were waiting for him at the finish line, and the whole family went out to do the 1k walk together.

The rain, of course, had to return just in time for the 1k participants to head out - I was feeling pretty pleased with my decision not to ride to the event, especially as the wind quickly sent me scurrying for the car and a change of clothes. The Foster family left soon after completing their walk to get the boys out of the weather, but Tanker and I hung around to hear Jan speak about his recovery from the brain injury he sustained in September of 2011 and the challenges he faces on a daily basis.

You can read about his story here.

This was a fantastic event that I hope will become a fixture in the KW racing season, and I was delighted to be able to raise some funds to support the good works of the Brain Injury Association of Waterloo Wellington - thank you to those who were kind enough to sponsor myself and other participants! I'd also like to offer my congratulations to Jan for staging such a well-organized and fun day, to Jan's son who took 2nd overall in the 5k (at age 13!), and to Dave Foster for competing in his first race! Thanks for letting me experience a bit of the excitement that comes with your first time, and I was very happy to hear you're considering racing again - I guess I can't have been too annoying out there!

You're going there anyway.

We all have commitments in life that limit our available hours to train. While I have fairly standard office hours (9am-5pm Monday to Friday), our commute eats up another 15 hours per week because we have 70km of  the busiest highway in the world between our house and places of work - we leave the house just after 7am and the earliest we get home is about 6:15pm. Wednesdays we tend to get home even later, as we go visit my Mum after work.

Running isn't a huge problem - it's the most time-efficient of the three triathlon disciplines, and can be done anywhere at just about any time. I'm lucky to have worked out a swimming schedule that lets me get a good workout in four times per week, plus any open water swimming I may do. Cycling, however, tends to demand the most time in order to get in a decent session. While I do make a lot of use of my indoor trainer over the winter, when the weather is nicer I try to stay off the hamster wheel as much as possible. In order to get in a few extra miles in the saddle, I've taken to using commuting time as extra training.

A wicking golf shirt, tri shorts and a wrap skirt  make a comfortable cycling outfit and presentable office wear.

Now, I'm not hardcore enough to cycle to work - the absolute shortest distance I could ride without risking arrest and certain death by cycling down the 401 is about 80km, and I simply don't have 3 hours to spend each way. Since Tanker and I both go to work in one car I could always just cycle home, but even that is a bit much for a weeknight for me, knowing that I'll have at least a short run to do and dinner to make when I get home. Maybe someday, but not now.

However, shorter trips are totally in reach for most of us. Tanker and I go to the farmers' market every Saturday morning - it's only about a 21km round trip, but it's a great way to start the day! Since we live on top of a big hill, hauling our week's worth of groceries on our backs in messenger bags makes great supergravity training. When the days get longer (because there's no route that's lit by street lights) I ride my bike the 20-25km round trip to the pool on Saturday evenings, which practically makes it a swim-bike brick at the end - I do wuss out if it will be a chilly evening, though, since I'm more likely to get chilled riding home with wet hair and gear that's still damp from the ride out. We also have brunch with friends in Guelph once a month, and using the bike for the 50km round trip can both burn off some of the calories from a big breakfast and discourage overeating - there are some good-sized hills in between that could very well result in you seeing those pancakes, eggs & bacon a second time! We may or may not have learned a lesson about that after using our bikes to ride to and from the Downtown Kitchener Ribfest & Craft Beer Show.

My latest addition is actually a way to sneak in some extra training on the Wednesdays when we go visit Mum. It's generally close to 9pm by the time we get home, and all I can typically manage at that point is a 30-40min run, dinner and bed. The past few weeks (when it hasn't been thunderstorming), I've been bringing a bike in with me in the car, then dropping the car off with Tanker when I go see him at his 3 o'clock break. I could drop the car with him first thing in the morning and ride the 2km from his warehouse to my office, but I haven't been sufficiently wide awake to do so yet. Instead, when I leave work for the day I hop on the bike and pedal my way toward my childhood home - the direct route is 11km, but I add on a loop that makes it just over 15km total. This takes about 35mins, and because of rush hour traffic I usually beat Tanker getting there...but I get to sneak in a bit of training, and see some lovely sights along the way.

They added a pretty water feature at the rec centre down the road from Mum's house!

It's not a challenging ride - mostly downhill with a couple of gentle climbs - but every little bit of time pushing pedals counts. I have some wicking material golf shirts that I wear to the office anyway, and I can either change out cycling shorts for regular apparel or hide them under a skirt - it's not hard to throw my cycling shoes, helmet, gloves and a water bottle in a small bag to bring with me, and my bikes fit pretty easily in the car without even removing the front wheel as long as we drop the rear seats. It's a great way to unwind after a stressful day at work, too! I wouldn't recommend trying to do the bulk of your training this way - you still need those multi-hour treks in the saddle if you're racing long course and the hammerfests to build strength and speed - but easy rides have their place as well, if only for active recovery. If I ride to Mum's place, the market and the pool, that's at least another 55km per week - how much would your cycling improve from another 220km per month?

If you don't have a similar journey to make on a regular basis, why not think about turning a short trip into training? You can run or cycle to the market to pick up ingredients for dinner, over to the bank to make that deposit, or even just park a few kilometers away from the office and bike or run to and from your car. You can fill in the blanks in your training log, save on fuel costs, and even do your little part to reduce emissions and impact on the environment! You may even find time to explore that path you've eyed from your car or try a different route that cuts a few minutes off your daily drive.

Come ride with me!

Do you have a creative way to get your training done when things get hectic? Let me know in the comments!