Training Log Archive: Bash

I made the foolish mistake of trying online grocery purchase and pickup in the midst of a pandemic. It seemed like a good idea at the time - mostly for non-perishable items from 'Bent's list, which can take me a long time to collect from different aisles. "Where are the hemp hearts in this store?"

As of 5 days ago, the first available time slot was today from 2-3 pm. Because it poured rain this morning, I planned to bring home the groceries and work out afterward. But there was a delay and I spent all afternoon waiting for them to notify me that I should drive 20 minutes to the store. Around 6 pm, they phoned to say that they'll email me tomorrow morning to assign a new pickup time. So... it was a bad idea. And no exercise got done.

Coach LD has set up a couple of orienteering courses in the Humber Valley in Bolton. Although we're trying to stay very close to home almost all the time, we know Coach LD always does a great job. I don't think it will be long before we're subject to outdoor activity restrictions like the ones that have been imposed in UK and some European countries where Covid 19 is more widespread. So it was nice to get out in a different forest while we still can.

We were looking for yellow caution tape. There were clues on the tape - letters, numbers and words. This control had been vandalized so we had to text Coach LD to find out the clue.



It was lots of fun! We went to some places we'd never visited in the Humber Valley, and we got really muddy, which was great.



I wore Hokas to switch things up on my injured foot, as per Baloney's good advice. They were comfortable on the trails but they aren't designed for steep, muddy slopes so that made things extra adventurous at times.



We had just planned to hike but we had a little trouble finding #10, then we realized we would have to run to get back to our car and drive home in time for online Zoom Beers with Timato and K-Way.

On the way back, we met Gunda picking up garbage and also looking for controls. She was the only other person we saw in the valley.



Coach LD met us at our car with a finisher gift of homemade soup - yum! Then we went back to try more of our Half Hours on Earth craft beer while catching up on the news from Kitchener. A fun, socially distant day!

AdventureDog and I did a brisk loop through Palgrave West. Most of the ice is gone now, replaced by goopy mud, so I won’t need spikes next time.

Then I drove to our CSA farm for a pandemic-style food pickup. I’d put our CSA bushel basket in the back of the car, and Sarah filled it with our food while I stayed in the car. She was using gloves, hand sanitizer and a scarf over her mouth, and we were advised to wash everything when we got home. I had a nice, distant conversation with Jim and Sarah. Actual human beings that I know! In person! Who knew that would ever be so exciting?

Today was also a much better day, as the government announced a 75% wage subsidy program in addition to the $2,000/month CERB program announced earlier in the week. We crunched the numbers and figured that between the two programs, we should be able to keep all six of ‘Bent’s staff employed and receiving a reasonable salary for the 6-month period we are estimating the office will be closed, without the business going into too much debt. (We hope we’re wrong about the timing but...) ‘Bent’s office has been closed for 2 weeks and he’s kept paying everyone rather than laying them off with the hope that something like this would be offered. One nice thing about this is that employers can be part of the solution, rather than just the government. Phew. I cried.

Another walk-run combo on the treadmill - 1 min running to 2 mins walking with a little cheating at the end. My heel remains a bit sore but these sessions don't seem to make it worse the way my trail run did. I could really use some trail running right now. :(

Things got real today as 'Bent gathered up most of the masks and gloves in his dental office and loaded them up to donate to Headwaters hospital tomorrow - a twilight zone scenario we never could have imagined a month ago. We think it's going to be a very long haul and this seals the deal. It's unlikely he'll be able to order more protective equipment for a long time.

Yesterday's 30-minute treadmill walk-run didn't aggravate my sore heel so apparently Dr. Bell's plan is worth following. I will try another walk-run tomorrow but my big adventure will be a trip to a grocery store.

For a couple of people with negative income, 'Bent and I have been very busy with work lately.

This was the kind of treadmill session Dr. Bell made me do when I was recovering from my last heel injury - 1 minute running and 2 minutes walking. I think he actually said 3 minutes walking at first - oops. Anyway, I'll see whether I'm limping in the morning. So far it's not too bad. The best thing I watched while run/walking was Randy Rainbow singing about social distancing.

C3 is emailing a suggested daily home workout to its members. After running, I did one of Caron's short core strength videos and some foothab and balance.

Also part of the prescribed workout: Caron's lower body stretch video.

Busy day as we continue to sort out details of the closure of 'Bent's dental practice. Patients will continue to get toothaches and employees will still have mortgages so it's not simple.

Frankenjack (from a family with two physicians) and his wife Rockstara (a nurse) shared a video made by a local family physician on avoiding contamination from groceries. I haven't been this careful but I guess it's time.



He also has a video about how to deal with mail and packages. He says to assume it's all contaminated. On the same topic, my accountant mentioned today that their firm is putting all mail and packages aside for 72 hours before opening.

So just in case life wasn't complicated enough right now, there's more.