Training Log Archive: Browner

Canoe Trip with Kathie and Scout:

Three of us headed up to Algonquin for our annual girls trip and went in through Shall Lake access point late Friday night. We arrived just in time to cross one lake at the put-in at Crotch Lake and nabbed a beach site with western exposure to watch the sunset. Scout was a little nervous to be away from Storm and Contour but stuck to me like a glove and we had her off leash in no time. She was a dream dog all weekend and earned a new nickname as the "furry furnace" following some chilly evenings.

Saturday we headed west towards Booth Lake where we stayed for 2 nights. I wanted to move sites on Sunday but we were somewhat wind-bound and it would have been a lot of trouble to cross the lake for a better sheltered site and so we just had a quiet day of forced relaxation with an unrelenting breeze. As it turns out, we found an atv trail that went north from our site and we made a little 5km running route from it and a nearby portage.

We filled our day reading, doing a beach photo shoot with Scout (photos to come), hole digging competition to find a cool spot for our wine and a crossfit chipper.

This was exactly what I needed before preparing to head off for RIG.

C • Canoe Dog 2

4 x hill repeats of 14 side road

4 hill repeats

Team Training with Storm, DD11 and Vince - Fanshawe Reservoir in London

Today was our only day for training together, so we decided to try out the paddle to confirm who should paddle with who; and also to bike.

Vince led us for 42km of trails around Fanshawe Reservoir on some of the Vulture Bait Trails and more technical, twisty off-shoots. I had a fall early into the ride and hit my knee hard on a rock (#@$%@). It wasn't too bad and I was able to keep going. The day was super hot and dusty and so it was a good call to be in the woods and the whole area was surprisingly fun for riding!

Quick transition to paddle and out we went onto the algae filled Fanshawe Reservoir. The water quality was so poor so that falling in, swimming or even cleaning our muddy legs off was not an option. We went with Storm and I versus DD11 and Vince. Our pace seemed evenly matched off the bat and so we just did a triangle course around some buoys and returned into wind.

More beer in the sun and time to sort out logistics for the race. All we have to do now is pack and head out in 2 weeks!

Team Training for RIG with Storm and DD11 (sans Vince):

After work we met up at our place for an evening bike run combo. We started with a ride up through Kelso and into north of Halton Forest, where we hid our bikes in the bush and set off for a short trek in the dark.

Trek around the quarry with a tad bit of bushwhacking, search for missing shoe, mission impossible diversion to avoid active quarry trucks, quick stop to look at a golden moon and heat lightening, and run back up 6th line.

Cycle home on roads, followed by pizza and beer.

C • Training with Pizza and Beer Afterward 3

Core and Kettlebells

4x hills with Storm

4 x hill repeats

Run up the escarpment .

Bash, Bent and Yumi agreed to take me out for an easy ride in Halton Forest, but it didn't quite turn out that way....I took a wrong turn from some double track into an advanced single track and Bent ended up looking a doohicky from his bike and had to hobble out to the road on this own.

I'll have to print off a map of that place from HAFTA for next time I try to go in there without DD11 as a guide.

Still fun, especially the coffee afterwards!

C • Doohickey 6

Bruce Peninsula Multisport Race:

Paddle (16k)-Bike(32k)-Run(16K)-BIke-(30)-Run(6k)

I forgot just how beautiful the Wiarton area is - the whole race course was very scenic. 99 km is a long way to go solo but I had a great time out there anyway widdling away at each segment. The distances were good for me, just long enough to make me only slightly sick of a leg before we got to switch to something else.

There was a great turnout and everyone looked happy with their races. I thought it was super fun racing in the pouring rain for times, especially failing miserably at steering the kayak in the rollers and finding a random cooler of ice cold gatorade near the end of the first run, and finishing just in time for the sun to come out.

I hope they can modify the course to have less poison ivy next year. My fingers are crossed that I have scrubbed it all of my body and gear.

C • You forgot to mention... 7

Run from home into Kelso for a bit. There was a gaggle of roadies stopped at the top of 14 sideroad who cheered me on as I finished the climb. Roadies aren't so bad!

Kayak on Belmont Lake.

Course scouting wih Storm. Tough ATV but super dry!

Course Scouting with Storm.

4 x hill repeats at Kelso with Storm

4 x hill repeats up gravel road at Kelso.

4 x hill repeats of 14 Sideroad

4 x hill repeats of 14 Sideroad

Ugh, need a rest day!!!

Storm and I drove out to Guelph Lake with a kayak and a bike. I paddled the perimeter of the lake for 10km while Storm ran. I then rode home. Another fun day!

Ride home solo from Guelph Lake. I took 2nd line south and found it was super quiet, freshly paved and very beautiful. I got close to the Lavender Farm but didn't have time to pop in. Maybe next time - they had Lavender Icecream! The best part was beating Storm home by 5 minutes!