Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

Purple Col short loop with Slice, Steve, Peter and Jeff (the guy who has done the XC tracksetting around Chateau Lake Louise for years).
We knew it would get warm today and increase the avy hazard. The crux was the approach to Purple Col which has a southeast-facing rock slope above it; we would want to get past this early. Started skiing a little before 9:00 (had met at 7:30) and followed the existing track to a good bridge across the river. Then aimed for the gentle drainage to the south but ended up just a little high so we were in the trees a little too long while it would have been open below us, allowing easier travel; we nailed the start of this better last year.
Started the approach to Purple Col at 10:15. The snow was still dry and we used an existing track that did a nice job of staying on the left side so that anything coming off the right wall would have to climb to reach us. Made it up over the col with the skis on. Down Purple, the skiing wasn’t great but okay, still had some fun turns. The original plan was Purple and Hero and out, with an option to exit early just after Purple if it got too warm or things didn’t look good. Had a look at the route up to Hero col. It stays up on a bit of a ridge with a low point to the left to protect you from anything sliding from the wall further left. Then down Hero’s would be north facing. I was okay with this plan but not everyone was and the skiing would probably only be as good as Purple, so I was okay to go back early. Had a run down through the trees to get to the drainage where people access the Hero’s loop, and used this for our exit. Done by about noon.
Still had the cough early in the day but it keeps getting better.
With a lot more warming this coming week, it feels like the end of skiing but we will probably get another cooling and maybe a little reset of new snow on top. We will see how well any new snow sticks to the melt-freeze crust.

Surprise Pass with Peter, Carbon, Woody and Melissa.
Met at 7:30, skiing before 9:00.
About 4 hours total including stops, transitions, spreading out and regrouping.
Such a beautiful tour and a fun adventure, it was new for the girls and they really liked it.
Parked in the lower parking lot so that you don’t have to climb back up to the car after.
No wind at Saddleback Pass, really nice. I might have been interested in trying a lap on Saddle, but we wanted to get to the top of Surprise Pass before noon due to the forecasted warm day and the climb being south facing. Caught a group of three at the saddle, chatted and passed them. Wrapping around the southwest shoulder of Fairview Mountain (the most exposed spot we wanted to get through before it got too sunny or warm), we got this done nice and early. Then, as we were going one at a time and doing a downhill traverse on the last crux slope, one of the three from the other group skied across just above me to pass me..... WTF? And when I looked back to see if the rest of her group was coming or was waiting their turn, I saw that she was on her own.WTF? Showing that she was as fast as us, and leaving her group behind?
Dropped down further and left to move away from the wall on the right and travel on top of the rise in the drainage. Then up to the foot of Surprise Pass where we took off the skis and boot packed up (the skinning was a little tricky as the surface snow was shearing off, and there were already good steps punched in). Woody and Melissa hadn’t bootpacked before, so this was cool and fun.
Down the other side there were some tracks and a thin layer of soft snow on top of a layer that it would slide out on. Folks managed to get down okay. I found some snow on the left that provided for some fun turns and called people over. A long run, people were a little tired at the bottom.
Skied the last section out on the tracks. At the bottom we saw some ice climbers on Louise Falls, the falls were in really good shape. A beautiful day with views of the Chateau and the resort as we skied across the lake. Didn’t put skins on and it worked out fine to pole or skate across the flat lake with its wide trail from all the walkers. Lots of tourists out checking out paradise... where we live ;). Met Peter’s buddy Jeff who works at the Chateau and grooms the xc trails.
Cookies back at the car, baked by Melissa. Changed boots and went back to the Alpine Social bar at the Chateau for a fun drink (spiced pineapple homemade soda) and hang out.
Still had the cough (still!) at the beginning of the day, but did feel a little healthier when I woke up this morning than other days.

Still have the cough but the lungs felt less rattly this morning, after running yesterday. Maybe the deep breathing helped?

Coughed a bunch during the warm up but when it gets hard, I am too busy breathing and only cough when the intensity eases up.
Survived, hit the target watts, and the lungs felt like they may have benefited from the deep breathing.

20 min progressive warm up

Lactate clearance set:
2X
5x (1 min MAP, 30 sec easy)
5 min @ FTP

12.5 min easy

2x
10 min of 15 sec spinning up to and holding MAP, 15sec easy
5x 1 min MAP, 1 min easy

10 min cool down

Wow, light this morning. This was my race weight for Western States but I think right now I’m dehydrated from my cold... been peeing a lot and should be hydrating a lot more to thin and loosen the junk in my lungs.

Wow, I can’t remember the last time I ran, I’ve been too busy skiing all the time or recovering from colds. The first 10 minutes sucked but it went okay. It was a bit of a test to see if the lungs hurt at the time, if something felt bad after, or if it helped spark some recovery.
Beautifully warm out, running in just a long sleeved shirt. Really fun to be out in the woods behind our house with Carbon, I haven’t done much with her lately because I’ve been away skiing so much.

C • Carbon 9