Barrys Bay Triathlon

Cause I can't go on vacation and not do a race.

The Barrys Bay Triathlon is a small race with the tag line 'Challenging race in the beautiful Madawaska Highlands'. Seems to attract an accomplished field of competitors. Many of the competitors were wearing gear from iron man or 70.3 races, and all the conversations I listened in on seeamed to be about the next big race. Reviewing the results shows impressive results from the other female competitors. So basically I felt pretty intimidated.

The swim I knew was going to be bad, bad, bad. Lack of swimming due to my shoulder and my overall lack of swimming skill. Thus 18:34 for 750metres- 2:30/100m. The good was I didn't panic, just swam. The bad was I swam with a fellow wearing bright red boy shorts doing the breast stroke for all of it. Initially I thought I found somebody who would be good to draft off of but he wasn't wearing goggles so hence I settled for boy shorts.

The bike was a whole lot of hills. As in thank god for my granny gear. No bike computer to know how fast I screamed down the hills thank goodness cause I am sure it was in excess of 60km/hr. It was challenging but such a confidence buster to know that it wasn't that bad and I didn't have to walk even the 7%grade one. 1:12 for 32km. 26.5km/hr or in other words,  room for improvement.

Run was good- 8k in 37min. 4:40km off the bike which I am pleased with.

Overall good race experience. Small but I never felt completely alone out there. Good door prizes. Including the $10 git certificate to the local bakery which provided me with donuts.
My goal was under 2:10 and I was 2:08something. I was the 10th female out of 34. The  female winner beat me by 21minites, but her resume is pretty impressive. I wish i had won my age group cause then I would have gotten a pizza cutter shaped like a bicycle. But you can't win them all, well actually I have never won a triathlon.

Camera

Luke and I each have one of those new fangled iPhone and take them everywhere so we can text each other like we have our own language nobody understands. They fit rather handy in our pockets and we always have them with us for in-prompt photo opportunities. Some photos turn out and some don't. Because of the ever present iPhone/ cameras we forget to bring our real camera to places where it might come in handy like the RCMP musical ride or the airshow, where the iPhone just don't cut it.

I don't know what the solution is, I am just saying it is a problem.

In the attached photo Luke trespassed onto a construction zone for a photo opportunity. Ever is wearing is white and shinny soccer shoes which he invents excesses to wear. IE. 'i need to wear my soccer shoes for playing tennis'.

On another note, Ever took a tumble on his bike today and called himself a tough coconut, I think that's funny.



Pure Grit Trail Race

 

How do you know I have not been running much??

I actually run a race and I feel like a truck hit me.

Haven't been running much lately due to work/ heat/ and I have been spending a bit more time on my bike. Which BTW, just when I didn't think it could happen, it has. I have developed larger thigh muscles.

As this is my no pressure/ local races/ fun races year I didn't go to Niagara falls to run the 50k, I went to Sawmill Ski trails and ran a cross country race there.

I call it a cross country race as there is no single track. In my world double track is cross country. It was close though as my legs are all scratched up from raspberry bushes, which I like cause I think it makes me look tough.

The race was held on cross country ski trails as a benefit for a Nordic cross country team. Price was excellent at $20 or $50 per family!!! The race organizer has four kids.

The race was a single loop for the short course of 7.5. Double loop for the 15k. Course ended up being  short at 13.5kish total.

When I was in line at registration I saw the local very fastest girl. Soo whatever. I am local fast not provincial fast, which she is. She is also rather pleasant, so whatever.

Lined up and set off. Tried to stick with one guy I know I have beat before but he passed me as I was dumping large quantlies of water on myself at the only water station. Course was reasonable marked but due to the field being spread out so much I had doubts on a few occasions.  On the second loop I did not see a single person. In fact I asked the aid station if I was the last person left out. I think I run better on high mileage and basically fresh legs are not good for me soo I felt like i had multiple stress fractures the entire race.

Ran the first loop in 36min and very positive split it with  41min for the second. Which totally sucks. Around 1:18 total. I blame my split on the lack of anybody else on the course to push me. I should mention I was beat by 14min. We are the same age. I blame genetics)

I am happy I was the third female though the first lap and ended up being second female OA in the long course.  Which is great cause I got a $20 gift certificate. Free race!!! Homemade cookies and watermelon at the finish line. All good to me.

Math Of a Swim Pass

 

Last year I was very grateful to receive a leisure time grant from my employer. Basically, it gives you funds to allow you to participate in an activity not related to your job. For example salsa dance lessons, pottery class, creative writing correspondence course. etc. etc. I asked for and received funds sufficient to cover the cost of a yearly membership to the Hanover Pool.

By the numbers:

Cost of the membership (Was cheaper - this is 2012 rate)- $298

Times attended Lane Swim- 51.

Times attended Pool Boot Camp- 1

Times attended with kids-At least twice a month- 24

Cost of each visit- $3.92

The other option available is a 20 punch pass which works out to $4 per visit. As I will have more free time with the kids in school I do see myself using the pool more. Surprisingly not in the summer as I do like open water-as long as I have somebody to swim with. Also the summer hours are poor for lane swim. So I might hold off in purchasing another pass until September.

Redemption

In 2008, on a blistering hot day, after being awake all night with a fussy baby, I ran a 10k in Southampton.
It did not go well 52 something... I think it may have been a personal worse. It has always been nagging at me, but it had never worked out to repeat. This year I had actually asked for the day off work as I did want to try again. However, up until last night at 11pm it had looked like I would not be able to do it thanks to the weather and a inconveniently located soccer tournament of Luke's.

The details are boring of how it happened, but I was on the start line at 10am. Crowd felt smallish- not sure what the number were as compared to other years. For most of the out and back with a loop I was on my own. Would have had somebody to work with or at least block the wind. Definitely cool and wet. Good thing I i am rather fond of racing in poor conditions.
I am hazy on my time. My garmins view is screwed up cause I fiddled with it and I am yet to fix it. Basically I was just keeping an eye on my pace- trying to keep it around 4:45k's. The start was downhill so it was 3:30 for a bit- a windy section was 5:15 soo i thought my time was around 45-46min. When trying to figure you why the results were so wrong I found my official time as 44:36. Sooo whatever.

The race course must be different than 2008. At that time it was a definite out and back. This year there was a 1k loop to the 10k course....which seemed to cause a bit of upset, as in some people didn't do it. Top two males apparently didn't do it. Opps.
Other issue was how overwhelmy wrong the awards ceremony was....which at the end of the day is a risk when participating in community races. Those timing companies usually guarantee resonantly  accurate results. Volunteers with a clip board- not so much. If they had simply posted the results anywhere  prior it would have been obviously wrong. For the 10k- both OA female and male winners were wrong.

Anyways, i am short a bronze metal for my AG- fourth OA. The prize was socks or a hat for placement, but really do I need anther metal or hat?? Could use some socks though.

My First Love

While riding today i was reflecting on how much I love to cycle. One might think with as much running I do, that would be my first love. In reality, as a kid/ teenager I would never just go for a run, but from the time I could ride a two wheeler, my bike was an extension of my body.
It was my transportation, it was a way to fill time, and I had some pretty good BMX moves. Even now, MTN biking isn't really difficult as I have inherently good bicycle skills. I didn't go for distance as I rarely went for more than 10k at a time as a teenager. As a kid it was just endless loops of the feed lot I lived on. Which BTW, thanks to google I see is around 6oometres. I recall developing massive callous on my palms of my hands every spring. And as I sit here I realise why I can't handle hills on the bike, there was no hills in the corner of Elderslie township where I lived.

Fear

I recently had a patient who had been in a rather dramatic bicycle accident. I was his nurse during the final stages of the convalescence period in hospital. At this point he had had time to reflect upon the accident. This accident had left him with a broken hip, so reasonably severe. As I had also had a bike accident as of late we had a good time commiserating about our injuries. I shared how my helmet had a crack from such a pathetic accident so I asked how his had made out.

And... he wasn't wearing one. Apparently, he doesn't prescribe to the 'fear mentality' of wearing helmets. He feels motorists are actually safer around people who are not wearing helmets. He feels they do more harm than good in an accident...personally I didn't agree with his argument against helmets but the conversation evolved into a discussion on fear, and paranoia that causes us to build walls, forgo trust,  and prevent community.  As he was in his 60's he personally lamented the fall of hitchhiking. I shared now some might feel I am naive but I feel most people are basically good, how I have no fear encountering strangers on the trail while running alone.

Thus, i was disheartened to read of something as simple the fear of a bike being stolen in Hanover. A bike lock wasn't good enough. They felt the tire had to removed as well. This is not a $500 bike, nor even a $100 bike. Sure it is important to them but worth the trouble of removing the wheel? I call that fear.


The picture is of the Bruce Trail near Owen Sound.

....and I hit a tree.

So I was just riding along, minding my own business, not really paying attention..and that was the problem, I wasn't paying attention...and hit a tree.

There was a fork in the road, go left or go right, made the decision a split second too late and I'm not sure if it was me or my bike that hit the tree. End result was falling directly backwards off my bike onto my right shoulder.
I recall just lying on the ground. Eventually i took off my helmet to get more comfortable assessing the damage. Trying to decide if it was bad enough to skip my planned run. Cause I couldn't stop crying and whimpering I decided to call it day. Problem was I couldn't move my right arm, oh and was dangling a bit, and it was rather distracting due to somebody who would not stop moaning.
Thankfully I wasn't far from the car and I was able to get my bike on the rack using my left arm and a few curse words.
I was sure something was dislocated or fractured, mostly due to the fact my right shoulder was dangling...but here's the thing.. once I was at the hospital i relaxed enough and 'things' just settled back into their proper location.
Fast forward 12days and I remain very stiff. I do have complete ROM with pain and limited strength. Have had a massage which helped alot. Waiting for a physio appointment- six weeks wait. Ultra sound shows something nonspecific could be something new or something chronic.
I can do my ADLS except dealing with my bra- thankfully my personal attendant deals with that. What I can't do is swim. One arm swimming is so stupid and I mostly look like i am drowning so I don't see the point.

At one point in my crash I must have hit my head cause i found a crack in my helmet.This is a good thing cause I had decided I hated my helmet but I really didn't need a new one. Now I needed a new helmet. Spent a ridiculous amount but it matches both bikes and it whispers to me to go super fast.

The photo is the offending tree- the missing bark is from my crash. The blue paint is my efforts to increase the markings at Allan park for my trail group. Ever helped- thus the lower paint mark.

Sponsored Athlete!!

I am proud to say that I am now honoured to be a sponsored athlete of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. It is quite simple really, while running I make an effort to pick up empty liquor bottles/cans and in turn The Beer Store gives me 10cents a item. For my spring efforts I received $8.80.

Thanks to my exhaustive research I have noted that the residents of Bruce/ Grey  County seem to have a fondness for drinking Busch Lager on back country roads and throwing the bottles out windows into ditches.

The photo above represents a single hour long run on the Mary Rutherford Road. 

Read, Watch, Listen

 

Read

Recently read two great books about persons who live with an Autism spectrum disorder. Carly's Voice. A teen in Toronto who after years of intensive therapy makes a break through and starts communicating with those around her.  Also, The Journal of Best Practices. About how a relationship can change and grow once somebody starts to try- regardless of how that simply isn't them and never will be.

Watch

Thanks to Netfix, night shift and my non functioning brain, and our lack of TV , I can get slightly obsessed with television series. I go through all available ones and then stop. I simply can't  just watch a show on a weekly basis. I would rather wait until there is a whole series or at least a season to watch at a time. Might be something about my generation and the need for instant gratification... or is that Maya's?? Anyways, I am currently on series one of Glee. I kinda want be Sue Sylvester. I am serious. This is my excuse for why I refuse to be involved with other people's children, and why I maybe would not make a nice coach, and maybe why people think I push hard.

Listen

As a child I spent endless hours hold up in the back of my parents car getting lung cancer while my father smoked and listening to country music while  they embarked on a Sunday drive somewhere so we could have a picnic-  my mothers obsession. My father also had a minor obsession with movies involving the transportation industry, as in transport trucking. Thus, quite often while flipping the radio I pause at country and western stations and listen to old 'favorites'. Yep, I spent .99cents on Convoy.  I am not really a good person who doesn't steal music, couldn't find it for free anywhere.




My Issues with the Hanover Pool/ First World Problems

The inequality in the lane swim times.

The pool is available for lane swim six days a week in the morning. (Or as I like to call it the time when only crazy people are awake.) (On another note I also say that a key to a happy marriage is both parties are either morning or night people. The two should not mix) Oh yah my point- Noon lane swim is five days a week, and night lane swim is three nights a week. To review:

6am- 6xweekly

12pm- 5x weekly

8pm- 3x weekly

I would like to point out that there is also a senior swim four times weekly. For parents of children who work there is only one option. Night swims, but it is only offered  three times weekly. In the winter if I have a choice I will chose a swim over a run cause it is cold and this is Canada.

The lack of leadership exhibited by the lifeguards during lane swim.
During lane swim there are three options slow/ leisure, medium continuous, and fast continuous. At night all swimmers are very courteous and aware of where one belongs and if you are in the wrong lane people realise it and  move as not to disrupt others. People make a careful assessment prior to entering lane as not upset the flow of the lane. The focus is everybody having the best possible lane swim workout.
Lane swims at noon are a whole other kettle of fish. Old ladies who do a eight minute 100metre are suddenly considered medium continues. (They are moving continuous to be fair.) They are offended if offered the suggestion that they can't keep up with a lane. The former minister who flaps her arm and hits people cause she can't stay in her lane. People who don't get the hint you are on their toes and will not let you pass. And my personal favorite; people who enter the fast lane only to do two laps and leave. I make no assessment on the morning swim as I have never been there- possibly never will.

When people come to the ER it is not decided amongst themselves who gets to been cared for first, a professional looks at each individual situation and decides the severity of illness and who needs to be seen in order of priority. Likewise, lane swim is like the ER. The lifeguards are professionals who can assess quickly who needs to be assigned to which lane. They can make quick decisions and move people based on who is there.   My question is why don't they??

PYP

PYP- Pick your Poison... and for me it was patience.

This was a training run. A practice in pacing and eating and logistics.
50k in four 12.5k loops. Very similar to the four 20k loops at sulphur.

Had a good time just moving along for the first three loops, except for a parachute on my back reminding me by its sure presence to slow down and not race. By the fourth loop I was soo ready to go. Not sure what the splits are as this point. But I ran most of what I had walked on the other loops. Finished with the sure knowledge I could have done another lap and that I can race it faster. The course had changed over last year. Somebody described it as tough but fair and I can certainly agree. In the entire race there was over 5000metres vertical gain. Only two really tough uphill sections though. Only one section of mud and a small river crossing made for a good day. Stayed mostly on top of eating. Only one episode of nausea but it resolved with time and a ginger candy. Had handful of chips, handful of m&m's, two gels, two energy bars, and a sandwich. If I had been racing it most certainly would have been more.  
One amazing upset that didn't happen was feet blisters. I always get blisters in races regardless of types shoes and socks Wore toe socks and at this point I want to buy stock.

Very happy to have beat somebody who has beaten me several times... even if he got me to the finish.

Next comes a 2-3  longer days, and I think I am good for Sulphur. Just waiting for the post race amnesia to set in prior to signing up.
Work today, and aside from the weariness and chafing- which is nothing new. Feel pretty good. Will be running tomorrow. 
Pictures...I am wearing green and am seen in two. http://www.flickr.com/photos/vertical-pierre/6979554762/in/photostream

Spring

As in what happened to ours??

A cure for bad language.....

Is a new sewing machine!!!!

My Kenmore went to the parts department as its ability to actually do the work as a sewing machine has come to an end. Thus today at a local- as in really the only store I had two choices and picked this one.
I am yet to use it as my Thursday night combo of run/swim/ sauna/drink and randomly surf the Internet comes first.

Luke is excited I will fix his pants.... oh funny story. When I left Luke for three months and went to Churchill his pants all fell apart. When I returned he complained to me about this turn of event... never once realising that he could have just bought new pants ....all by himself. Another interesting fact, Luke had never bought himself underwear. Oh how I love him.

Impressions

When I was a teenager I seemed to care a lot about about what other people thought, thank goodness I have out grown that stage. One of my many irrational fears was that while being alone with my niece and nephew out in public I would be mistaken for their mother. It would have  meant I was a teen mother. It would have meant I had  sexual relations with a man of whom I had  not been joined in marriage, it would have meant I was a female of loosened petticoats.... hence I was reluctant to be alone with those darling children in public and be left to face the shame of others.

Move it forward college age level years and....

Somebody at work was saying that any adult she sees riding a beater bike in town is automatically assumed to have received a DUI and is basically on the lowest rungs of the socially acceptable ladder.

Guess I should just hand in my productive member of society card now eh.

Danger

 

There is a saying in our family...

All cars want to kill you.

A simple way of expressing the sure danger that is an automobile to a cyclist- especially a cyclist that is the height of a bumper. My kids do not get it. They simply are not afraid. They do not see see the danger and I really do not know what it will take for them to fear cars.

I think I developed my fear growing up on a large farming operation, where large farm machinery by all means got the right of way. I was always on my own and didn't have another cyclist to mimic so I developed a healthy view of the rules of the road.

On the other hand, my kids have always rode in town. They mimic Luke and I who to them are fearless in traffic. People see Little Ever popping wheelies and give him a wide berth. When they fall on the ground crowds of people rush to their aid. So basically they think they are the centre of the universe.

Thus, I now see my job as a parent to make them realise they are but a speck. They need to realise that when they go down on a curb onto the road, crying needs to come second to.... GET OFF THE ROAD.

I am not the mean parent who will not  give my child comfort. I am yelling at them to get up off the road NOW cause I really don't care about the scraped elbows and the bruised knees. I am trying to prevent a car that didn't see them from hitting them.

I am trying to save a life.

Blossom Time

Well it isn't even May and the blossom tree is just about done..but not before the annual photo. 

Traditions

Maya did a unit on family traditions at school. Thus we had to have big discussion on what ours were growing up....it was rather a short discussion. I'm not big sameness- I like change. However, one tradition remains. My mothers enthusiasm for holidays and her making of the traditional Easter bunny cake.

Basically it is a boxed cake and canned icing decorated with candy, but she really enjoys making it and labours over the exact placing of the candy. At family gatherings there was always great fuss over the reveal of decorated cake.

My Easter offering was Cinnamon buns. I have wanted to make them for years... but had never gotten around to it. Quite simple- however time consuming with the endless rounds of dough rising.  I didn't use the glaze that goes this the recipe. I made one up with orange juice.

34 on 34

 

For my annual run my age in kilometres.. I actually felt quit guilty.. perhaps I should be running it in miles.... but that didn't happen.

I ran from east to west around Owen Sound on the Bruce Trail. From the Sydenham Forest East to Jones falls. This was a reasonable selection to do except I have done around Harrison Park/ Inglis Falls countless times so the enthusiasm dripped quite low there. I saw exactly two other hikers, which is rather alot for a spring day. Awkward how the one gentleman caught me singing Single ladies. 

 

The route was surprising in the fact there were not alot of dramatic uphills- a few minor blips that I had to remind myself to hike. I mainly did my walking on the rocky- unrunable sections. I did manage to twist my ankle, the same one, twice and took a couple of falls.

 

Notice the birthday wrickles - of which Maya reminds me of on a daily basis. Due to her dislike of them I am sure she has a strong future in cosmetic surgery.

This section was really cool- in fact I wish I had more time just to explore around the trail. Really cool how the trail was directed between two rock faces- I think at km 77 of the Sydenham club.

 

This is on the east rocks where I realised I was making horrible time taking pictures and doing a ton of walking on rocks. Also, spring has felt sooo long this year. There has been such a long pause between snow on the ground and trees budding. Last year on my birthday the only trail I could do was exposed trail as the Bruce trail was still completely covered. However it was a slightly warmer day last year. When I finished this year I was cold- and come to think of it I was wearing more layers this year. Part of the problem is I now run with a pack and the sweat/ wetness just accumulates on my back which in turn makes me colder.

 

This is on the West Rocks on Owen Sound. The escarpment sits above West Hill High School. It is again another section that needs further exploring. Tons of cool flat sections which are a local party hangout. This area local ripe for animal sacrifice- thus warranted a picture.

 

You know at the bottom of the escarpment you see rocks on the ground and think they had to have fallen sometime. Always slightly worry that in cases like this my weight will be the straw that broke the camels back.

Good training day. I learned I need to wear easy up and down shorts for peeing vs. compression shorts, and I best take in food frequent small quantities and chocolate milk during perhaps isn't a good idea.

I still want to get a 50k in and maybe a eight hour day on my feet sometime before the 50miler. I should let my ankle heal as well.

Bruce Trail Tuesday

Ahead of my potential attempt to run 80k at Sulphur Springs at the end of May, I was thinking perhaps I should do some training. Parked here and ran for a while out then came back. Did take a short cut route on the way back as the main trail took soo much time. In the end I spent three hours on my feet. Not going to say how many km cause I still don't understand how time on your feet is equal to km. You still need to run 80k in the end of the day. As a hint... 3k in 30min. Ouch!

This area is is in the general vicinity of Kolpole Uplands which I have spent a bit of time running and biking at previously.  Nothing like looking up and going "oh no I am going to have to get up there, on that cliff."

 

I have always wanted a lawn jockey- instead we have gargoyles on our porch cause Luke says NO. The first time I saw this fellow last year I think I screamed. Today, it was like seeing a old friend.

 

 

This is the medcalfe crevice side trail. It was funny as the sign said some climbing required. Like it was nothing.

 

You can't tell with this photo but in the centre is a skunk... on the trail. Thus, i ventured of the trail and didn't follow the white blazes as instructed but in this case I think I was justified.

 

Some times you see odd things on the trail.. like a random shoe. I call it trail magic. IN the past I have fown neglected and forgotten  sweaters and made them mine.

Wearing my Montrail shoes which I LOVE. Except the end of my toes are getting bruised. I want the local running store to carry the brand but the owner has said he has no room.

 

My borrowed pack. I am trying to buy a particular one but there is no Canadian distribution apparently... and then today I got the great idea to have it shipped to Kathie then when I go to actually buy it.. it is out of stock. I am losing my patience, I just want that one. :(