Shelagh's Brush

 It's officially spring..

Things are even starting to turn green, or at least less brown!

..so let me tell you I was not at all in the mood for this:

NOT FUNNY

I mean, it's partially my own fault - I'd been ruing not having the chance to run in some new winter kit that had recently been delivered, so all of a sudden I was given ample opportunity. It snowed on Tuesday evening's run (above), and then hammered me with snow flurries as I ran up to the bank and back on Wednesday afternoon to make some work deposits.

..while wearing the new kit, which worked quite well.
(Ridge Merino's Crowley Tights & Convict Hoodie)

I mean, it's no surprise to anyone that we'd get a bit of snow in April; we were due one more dump, and I'd rather have it out of the way now than waiting til May (like last year). It just feels like a shock when it's been so lovely out, considering I've been out on my paddleboard twice already. 

..and the new growth poking its way through the drab brown landscape of a melted winter.

At least it was fairly pleasant for the weekend, so I could enjoy my run down to the market (on the trail above), and do some exploring of a trail that Tank and I have actually been chasing (in on-and-off fashion) for years now.

It turns out that doing it in daylight - and not in a howling snowstorm - is easier.

Who would've thought?

We even got out for a romp on our mountain bikes on Sunday for the first time in ages.

It turns out I remember how to ride over mud and roots and rocks!

Rollin' along the river

We're definitely not the ones getting the worst of the wintry blast, either - while out on our ride, we saw more than a dozen turtles out taking advantage of the sunshine and mild air!

Some of which appeared to be having a difficult time playing leapfrog
(not pictured: you'll have to get your turtle porn elsewhere)

Really I'm just bitter because it's not enough snow to snowshoe run on (or cross-country ski), and while it's been chilly there have still been bugs out. That's NOT FAIR; it should either be cold, or buggy. NEVER BOTH AT ONCE.

Of course, if I'd do more running and less "using a fallen tree as a balance beam", they might not bother me so much..

I am definitely still enjoying the sun being out much later in the day.

Even though I still seem to see it set quite frequently while running.

..I'm just dreaming of the hot summer days when I can spend hours on the water without worrying about hypothermia if I happen to fall off my paddleboard.

If I had to pick a place to die, though..

I know the warmth - and really, the unbearable heat and humidity - are coming. I'll just have to be patient, but I sure hope Sheila doesn't have any more tricks in store for us.

Right where I want to be

I've spent some time whingeing over the course of this year about how much running I've been putting in, trying to whip my arse into some kind of reasonable shape to attempt a 12-hour ultra. I've complained to Tanker that I haven't had time for golf, canoeing, a leisurely afternoon motorcycle ride, or just sitting around the fire in the backyard in ages.

The waaambulance is on its way!

Last Saturday was pretty typical: rolled out of bed around 9am, then hopped on my mountain bike to ride the Grand Trunk Trail down to the Cambridge Farmers' Market.

Morning commute

We grabbed coffee from Roy's Roast at the market, picked up 80% of our groceries for the week from the awesome market vendors, then stopped by Tiny Cakes to pick up something delicious for a post-run treat. Back up to the house for brunch, we had some errands to run and then it was off to Puslinch Tract so I could get in a couple of hours of trail running while Tanker went for a hike.

It was gorgeous, despite the wind and the rain that fell for half an hour or so in the middle (and soaked my phone, requiring a couple of hours in a bag of minute rice to break it out of a boot cycle).

So much greener than the last time I was here (back in May)

Found the funhouse!
These trails criss-cross a valley - almost a mountain bike halfpipe

Lots of rocky, rooty bits in the hardwoods

I finished up just before sunset, then we headed home and Tanker fired up the barbecue to grill some chicken thighs while I made pasta using the fresh peas, mushrooms, and the homemade pesto I'd created out of a bunch of incredibly fragrant fresh basil that we'd picked up at the market that morning.

The only thing that was really different than most other Saturdays was my own perception. I realized that it might not have left us time to hit the driving range or get our canoe out, but I'd enjoyed almost every single minute of my day. From the stunningly blue skies overhead as I pedaled down to the market to the joy of discovering a bit of trail I'd never explored before at Puslinch, every element of the day added something wonderful to my existence.

It might not be for everyone, but I wouldn't really have it any other way. For me, it was a perfect day.

Especially since I got to share it with the one I love the most.

I don't know how he puts up with me.

I'm incredibly happy to be able to pursue my hobbies - sweaty and otherwise - without any impediments apart from time, and so grateful that my biggest complaint is essentially that there aren't enough hours in the day for all of the different kinds of fun I have available to me. How lucky can a girl get?

Wishing you all a weekend filled with joy in your endeavours!

Recovery

Race season is over, and I'm slowly getting my legs back under me.

I waited a full week to run after Horror Hill, which included being beaten up in the most helpful and kind ways by an ultra-badass massage therapist. I did a lot of rehab exercises for my stupid posterior chain (which is causing the knee pain by messing with my IT band), and hoped for the best as I set out on a trail with Tanker the Wonder Sherpa chasing me through some light rain and darkness.

Because why do anything the easy way?

It went poorly. My knee hurt after 20mins, and I was in pretty poor shape even walking the rest of the evening.

We did have a wonderful ride on the Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail on Sunday. It was chilly but sunny, and despite almost all the leaves having fallen, the trail is always beautiful.

Can't complain about this in November

Or really any other time of year.

I took Monday off to do some yoga, trying to treat the injury as an opportunity to do some other things that I seldom have time for. Tuesday, though, I braved the rain and darkness once more...and returned triumphant!

HAPPYDANCE!

I'm still not strong enough to run back-to-back days, and had some soreness at the end of a 26min run (in 48kph/30mph winds that were gusting to 73kph/45mph and sideways rain) last night, but the knee was ok again this morning from the very moment I awoke. It seems that it's responding to the barrage of exercises, stretching and foam rolling I'm throwing at it, so I have high hopes of carefree runs through the woods before the snow flies.

It's not too much to ask, is it?

Of course, I do need to get the leaves raked, too. Amazing how much stuff gets pushed to the side when racing is afoot!

Mine Over Matter Full Off-Road Triathlon Relay - June 27th, 2015

What a bloody gong show.

Somehow I got it into my head that start time for this race was 9am. We arrived at 7:30 with plenty of time to pick up kit and get Tanker situated in transition before suddenly hearing that the transition area would be closing at 7:50am.

Erhm, what?

Yeah, so 8am start. Not 9am. Whoops.

By the time I had our kit and got Tanker's number plate on his bike, I had all of 10mins to change (inside my Chawel) into my bathing suit and get at least my lower half stuffed into my wetsuit (which they'd just announced would be legal, contrary to expectations) before we had to vacate transition. With no time to hit a portajohn, that was the only thing getting vacated.

I rubberized myself as best I could, wandered down to the swim exit, and plunged in to flail my way through the water over to the starting area. My total "warm up" was about 50m, and my suit was in need of adjustment.

CO-OPERATE DAMMIT

I waited with the other pink-capped women while the men's wave went off, thankful that at least the water was warm - a pleasant change from Woodstock! I was also grateful that Tanker and I were just doing this race for giggles; between my ongoing hamstring injury, Tank's shaken confidence on the bike and the ridiculous rush due to my start time SNAFU, performance was not the word of the day.

Idiocy, as usual, was.

At 8:03am the horn sounded and I plunged forth to see if I could at least make it through the damn swim without drowning or having to kick on my back (because that was humiliating at Woodstock).

Move it!

I actually felt ok as I headed for the first turn buoy - my arms were turning over and I wasn't feeling gassed or sore. Probably would have been better if we'd managed more than 5-6hrs of sleep per night all week, but it was a little late for that know.

Hey, I'm doing it!

There was only one problem: despite being able to sight the buoy without issue, I was having no luck actually keeping myself on course toward it. I kept drifting off to my left, and my corrections seemed ineffective at best.

The red line is not the fast line.

I must have swum at least an extra 50m just due to my inability to move in a straight line. The advantage was that I had plenty of clear water around me to do my own thing - the disadvantage was that I had a lot of catching up to do.

I did eventually manage to get my navigation under control, right about the time I hit the first turn buoy. I actually felt pretty good as I stroked my way through the rest of the course and commenced passing people. I did in fact swim the whole thing as I'd hoped, and felt fairly strong.

Unfortunately, it would later turn out that I should have started in the first wave. So, apart from my own rather pathetic lack of skill in the water leading to a slow time of 22:30 (at 2:15/100m), we ended up with an additional 3 minutes being tacked onto team ill advised racing inc.'s swim result.

I wasn't much faster running into transition, either.

1,000m swim: 25:30 @ 2:32/100m
8/9 relay teams

So yeah, I only beat one person out of the water - the guy who'd never swum in open water before, and who was wearing a shorty jet ski wetsuit...backwards. Fortunately, Tanker was ready and rarin' to go shred the bike course!

T1: 00:52

Passing a random chick leaving the mount line

Laser-like focus

Through the first loop

Looking strong

Not that you'd know it from the photos, but I heard from Tanker later that he found the bike course quite a challenge. Apart from the joy of having to ride up the Niagara Escarpment (repeatedly), the nature of the trails themselves were plenty to keep him on his toes...and occasionally off his bike, either to walk something that was just too sketchy looking or picking himself up from something it might've been better to walk.

I feel slightly less wussy about my spotty history with the bike course here after hearing Tank say afterward that he'd "never been so terrified while having so much fun."

Dogged determination

I hung out in transition, having changed into my running kit under my Chawel and thrown on a sweater to try to keep from freezing on the cool, windy, overcast morning.

Waiting game

I chatted a bit with a volunteer patrolling the transition area, slammed back a tin of mango nectar, and engaged in a long and elaborate series of dynamic stretches in an attempt to loosen up my legs and stop my teeth from chattering.

Bikes and racks

Trying to judge the time Tank would be back from playing in the dirt based on his first loop, I took a caffeinated gel at about 9:40am in anticipation of the run to come. I wished I could run over to the portajohns as I needed to pee (I'd been staying well hydrated while I waited and shivered), but I couldn't risk not being there when Tank got back. When it passed 10am and the trickle of mountain bikes coming into transition all but dried up I started to get a bit concerned, but just before 10 past my sweetheart was charging hard toward the dismount line.

Rockin' and rollin'

21km bike: 1:43:17 @ 12.2kph

9/9 relay teams

Ripping toward our rack.

A quick kiss and a swap of the chip strap from his ankle to mine, then I was on my way.

T2: 00:48

Hoping like hell my hamstrings hold together.

From the run exit, I was directed down a mowed pathway through the long grass between the parking area and the pond. This brought me out to the quarry driveway; the giant, paved hill that represents the start of the bike course. With no volunteers around and the only other runner I could see ditched behind me (having passed him as I ran across the grass), I wasn't sure if I was headed in the right direction. I'd looked at the new maps on the website, but every other year the run had started with a slog up the double track hill on the north side of the race site that the bike course now took down to transition. Was I running the wrong damn way?

Aroo?

I decided there was nothing else for it - I'd just keep on trucking, and if someone told me I was in the wrong place, I'd deal with that when it happened.

I felt surprisingly strong on the climb up to the trails, and finally found some peace of mind as I passed an aid station without the volunteers yelling "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" - they just kindly offered me water or sport drink, both of which I declined before darting into the forest.

It was a bit eerie not being able to see another soul during a race, but I thoroughly enjoyed the run regardless. The new course, I came to figure out, is the first 7.8km loop of the bike leg - the run around the pond afterward brings it up to the new distance of 9.8km (which the timing company lists as 9.5k for some reason). While being technical enough to keep your attention on foot, the whole thing is supremely runnable. I danced over roots and rocks, thinking that Sulphur Springs was excellent training for these trails, and just delighting in being surrounded by forest with nothing but the soughing wind as company. I felt fitter than I expected, and my injured leg was quietly getting on with its job even after I stepped wrong on something or other and rolled my right ankle a bit. Pure trail bliss.

Though it may not look like it here..

I grabbed a cup of water from the second aid station, having a sip and dumping the rest on my chest for cooling, figuring I must be about halfway through the run course by now. I had no way of knowing for sure, as the kilometers weren't marked and I wasn't even wearing my watch - I'd ditched it when Tanker was on his way into transition as knowing the time wouldn't have any impact on my ability to run. Fortunately my injury didn't seem to be a limiting factor, and I was able to push fairly hard...as plainly evidenced by the death whistle starting up no more than 6k in as I strained up a root-strewn climb.

I finally found another competitor on course just before I came out of the woods again, passing him as he walked and reassuring him there was a big downhill coming. Of course, I'd forgotten the short climb on the doubletrack that comes before the long, pounding descent. I saw a girl on her way up it as I puffed life a freight train on my way to the top, and decided to zero in on her as a rabbit.

Down, down, down the other side, back to quarry level again. I grabbed another cup of water from the last aid station near transition, having one more sip to wet my mouth and dumping the rest down my back. It wasn't terribly warm out, but I'd sweat while running in a meat locker, so it was welcome. As I pounded my way around the pond I passed my rabbit, plus two other competitors ahead of me - advantage of being a relay runner and having fresher legs. My damaged hamstrings were starting to talk now, but I knew I was only minutes away from being done - this was no time to let up!

Rounding the end of the pond and coming face to face with a blast of wind, I kept pushing hard as I came through the final turn and into the finish chute with damn near nothing left in me.

At least my leg was still smiling!

9.5km run: 58:47 @ 6:11/km

9/9 relay teams

Definitely not going to be tapped for the Olympic team at any point soon, though if the race organizers are correct about the distance being 9.8km I actually managed a 6:00/km pace through hilly and technical terrain. Even if it was only 9.5km, that's almost twice as far as I've run at one time since this idiot injury happened, and I think made for a pretty decent showing for an out-of-shape semi-cripple.

Official time: 3:09:15 (should be 3:06:15)

9/9 relay teams

It's a good thing we just do this for fun, eh?

Team ill advised racing inc. - done with no major damage!

We really couldn't have timed the finish much better anyway. Within 5mins of my crossing the line, the first of the rain that had been threatening all morning began to fall, and in no time it was positively bucketing down!

Watering down my coffee, dammit!

It was a fun day of racing with my sweetheart, and I'm just glad we both finished intact with smiles on our faces. What more could you really ask for?

Trepidation

I kind of feel like I've been invited to watch a car accident tomorrow.

While I still struggle with that damn, niggling hamstring tendon issue, I have managed to run a bit lately. Mostly because I well and truly hate life when I'm not running, but also because I knew I'd have to run at least 8km of hilly, technical trail at Mine Over Matter. Tanker and I had signed up to do this as a relay this year, partly because his interest was piqued by doing another off-road tri together (which hasn't happened since the Belwood Fat Tire Try-a-Tri we did all the way back in 2010), and partly because he wanted to check out the bike course that broke me.

The race has evolved since then, going from a tiny little event with under 100 people the first time I did it in 2011 (when I finished successfully) to a 300+ strong qualifier for the Xterra World Championships. To make things even more interesting, both the bike and run courses have changed since I went back to reclaim a bit of dignity last year.

The bike course is now a short 1st loop of 7.8km and longer 2nd loop of 13.2km, so Tanker will be riding 21km instead of the 2 x 9km loops of prior years. No problem - he's totally going to rock it, having got his bit of mountain bike teething trouble out of the way last weekend.

This washed out riverstone is neither easy to ride nor friendly to elbows.

I, however, am facing three very real problems.

1) The swim. It looks like it won't be wetsuit legal due to the temperature of the water, and after my utterly hapless swim at Woodstock 3 weeks ago (in spite of the extra flotation provided by my full-sleeve wetsuit), I'll be lucky if the water safety crew doesn't have to fish my sorry arse out of the pond.

Prognostication

2) Temperature. The high for Saturday is supposed to be 17c/63f, and I'm going to emerge from the pond soaking wet with probably at least 90mins to hang around and freeze while Tanker goes forth and rips up the bike course like it owes him money.

GIVE'ER BABY!

3) The run. Even assuming I'm not a solid block of ice by the time Tanker returns triumphantly from shredding the gnar, I'm going to have to limp my damaged carcass through almost 10km of terrain almost purpose-built to worsen the particular injury I'm trying to fight through. I can't even rely on my reconnaissance from prior years, as the route has changed for 2015 while increasing from 8.64 kilometers to 9.8k. The only thing I know for sure is I'll still have to do the lung-bursting scamper up the side of the quarry to reach the trails, try not to trip over the multitudinous roots and rocks while I'm up there, and endeavour to save something after the quad-destroying descent back to the quarry floor for the final loop around the pond.

All this while I haven't run more than 5km since I hurt myself on May 30th, clocking just under 37km total for the month of June so far - just a smidge less than the 200+k/month I'd averaged from January to May. 

At least I'm well tapered?

Easteria

Quickie today because I have to do ALL THE THINGS. I'm sure they call it "Good Friday" because you're just so bloody happy it won't be as busy as Thursday was, trying to cram in everything you need to get done before the whole world (seemingly) shuts down this evening.

I got to ride my bike at lunch yesterday, and again after work. It was bloody magical, despite not being quite as warm as I'd like to have believed (and dressed for). I went exploring through parks, found the Cooksville Creek Trail, bumped around in the woods a little, and generally enjoyed the hell out of myself in the gorgeous spring sunshine.

Eastgate park

McKechnie Woods

Cooksville Creek

Recently completed Burnhamthorpe Trail bridge

Queensway bikeway

My 3rd trip over Cooksville Creek

Now that there's daylight after work again, I can investigate a route that I started hazily planning last fall that connects pieces of trail through Mississauga so I can mostly ride off-road down to my Mum's place on Wednesdays. Not only will it be safer than navigating the insanity of suburban rush hour traffic, I'm much happier rolling through the scenery of parks and trees than inhaling exhaust and the smell of overheating brake pads.

There is the possibility we might go camping this weekend, but the weather doesn't seem terribly amenable. We'll just take it as it comes and see what we want to do. Hopefully there will be more trails, 'cause there hasn't been anywhere near enough of them in the past few months.

WHEEEEEE

Hope you all have a safe & happy Easter - you can have my chocolate, 'cause I'm still trying to budge this winter insulation!