Training Log Archive: Funderstormin

There is a body of water that I often drive over and thought was pretty contained but when I was looking at Google maps the other day I realized it was part of the Speed River, so I took my kayak out to check it out.

Had a really lovely paddle from Blackbridge Rd. in Cambridge where I put in to the edge of the Hespeler Mill Pond and back. The river was very active with wildlife, the scariest of which was the gigantic carp that I kept disturbing with my paddle and would make so much ruckus I was sure they were going to jump out of the water and into my boat and it felt like I was a horror movie! These suckers were huge and apparently it was spawning season. They looked like mini-sharks as they swam away with the tops of their backs out of the water. I may have nightmares about this.

Once I got back to the bridge, I tried to go up the river a bit further in the other direction but it was too shallow to make it worth it.

With Mrs. Tiny from Ariss to West Montrose and back along the Kissing Bridge rail trail. I find rail trail riding mentally tough because it is usually so flat and straight and boring, but there is likely to be some in SCAR this weekend which is why I suggested it!

We had a lovely ride and then had a campfire in the Tiny's backyard to cap off a great start to the weekend!

Very frustrated and sad to admit that Daniel is back. Yes, that fun-loving mother fu$%^& that plagued me for so long has decided he missed me and has returned. I have this theory that there is only one Achilles injury between all of us and it just jumps from person to person. Hermes hosted him over the winter but he decided he'd rather spend race season with me! Little bugger.

Kidding aside, my achilles has felt great for the past year or so up to and including Born to Run, but started bugging me after that. At first I thought it was from wearing and running in my sandals too much, but after a few weeks of weird symptoms I think I might have picked something up in CA that is wreaking havoc on my system a bit. My joints and back have all been quite sore and my chiropractor reminded me this week that I've never complained about both achilles at the same time. So something is a bit off and I am hopeful that Daniel's recent return is more related to a general inflammatory response all over my body, then the specific injury. I am going to the doctor on Monday for some bloodwork and hopefully antiobiotics, and in the meantime, have been researching and trying to incorporate more anti-inflammatory foods into my diet.

C • So sorry to hear about Dani... 1

Lunch time RPM.

Epic fail on the X-League course at Chicopee. I'd been wanting to try one of these races and was excited that there was one so close right after ARK.

My confidence was high after navigating with the kids during their adventure run, and having spent the past four weeks at Chicopee, I was sure the course would be a breeze. Ha!

The first four green controls were easy to locate, but after I checked back in and went back out, everything fell apart. There were two high point controls that had to be done in order so I decided to focus on those. The first one took a bit longer to find than expected and then I couldn't align my map with the ski hills to make it all make sense and find the second half of the sequence. I eventually did, but it was all a bit of a disaster! Thought about getting one more on my way back but decided to throw in the towel given how things had gone. I should have my compass taken away! :-)

Despite my lack of success, this was a very fun event and I hope they do more in the area! Chicopee is my favourite ARK location too because there is so much variety.

Headed out on my hardtail from my campsite in Elora to do some exploring. Went out Middlebrook Rd., around through Elora, then came across an intriguing sign that said "Cottontail Road Trail" so followed it for a bit, then made a bunch of right turns until I ended back out on the road that went into the park. I find road riding super boring but love exploring new places!