Training Log Archive: Bash

Running Strength - Sheldon Persad http://www.personalbest.ca/workouts-events-camps/m...

The snowstorm ended during the night, then Groundhog Day dawned cloudy. I don't think any groundhog saw his shadow in Caledon but apparently Wiarton Willie did, which means 6 more weeks of winter in Bruce County. No risk of running out of places to ski anytime soon!

'Bent and I did a lot of trail breaking on skis, including bushwhacking through rolling forest in snow that sometimes went up to our knees. Not fast but loads of fun. Amazingly, we met someone *else* bushwhacking on skis with two dogs bounding alongside. 'Bent knew him - Steve, the Wheelies' tenant.

Conditions are unbelievably good, and there's more snow in the forecast for Wednesday. I never say this but we don't really need any more snow - not that I'll complain if it comes. This weekend's Stars W.A.R. is going to be a blast!

A group of adventure racers descended on Sheldon Persad's Mini Day in Markham - Funderstorm, BugsinTeeth, WandAR, 'Bent and me. These are 90-minute running strength sessions that Sheldon (coach and co-owner of Personal Best with Barrie and Caron Shepley) puts on three times over the winter. 'Bent and I attended one last year and really enjoyed it. It's a fun mix of balance, agility, running drills, strength, stretching and a quick evaluation of running form flaws. Nice group of runners - lots of laughs. Great to have some friends there this year.

We will have to exchange some e-mails to try to list everything we did. Sheldon suggested doing something similar twice a week at home. I have no idea how to log it so I'm logging part of it as running drills and the rest as strength, with a little time deducted for water breaks, etc. No idea on distance but I'm trying to log distance with all my running this year so I picked a number.

In Sheldon's quick analysis of my running form, he noticed that my left arm doesn't move as much as my right arm, which felt obvious as soon as he mentioned it. Interesting because it's my left foot that is injured, and I've been favouring it. Given that arm and leg movements are related, that may be the cause. When we did a test, my left leg appeared to be dominant. That's interesting too because Dr. Bell said I'm mostly a left-footed runner, which seemed weird since I know I haven't been pushing off properly from the injured left foot. But that could be why that foot gets into trouble.

Afterward, we stopped by Running Free. (Actually, we went there before the session too but I had a nice chat with Billy Wells instead of looking around one of my favourite stores.) I decided to try on Hokas so I could run around the store and feel those thick soles I've heard so much about. No dice. Hokas don't fit my feet. I'm so used to being able to wear every type of Salomon shoe that it hadn't occurred to me that I might have a Salomon foot! Oh well, there are worse problems to have. :)

BulletDog and I went snowshoe running in Palgrave West a few hours into our Snowfall Warning. There's lots more to come, and then I'll want to go skiing. :)

The Bruce Side Trail was nicely runnable in most places - 5-10 cm of fluffy snow on top of packed snow. When we *weren't* on the main trail, we were breaking trail in dense powder ranging from ankle to knee deep. I tried to run as much as possible but some of it got quite anaerobic, even just walking. I'm still teetering on the edge of illness so I didn't want to push too hard.

We met 'Bent and BazingaDog skiing home from the office. Joyful greetings were exchanged by all.

Easy ski, breaking trail through Palgrave West. I left at sunset without a headlamp, much to 'Bent's chagrin. It worked, just barely, because of the reflection from the snow although the last part of forest was fairly dark. ('Bent helpfully texted me on the trail to point this out.) I had my iPhone flashlight just in case but it never got to that point.

Our neighbour's big searchlight was easy to see from a long distance - grrr. These are the same neighbours who started the 70-acre forest fire a few years ago by burning waste on an empty lot owned by someone else who wasn't happy about it. Some people may not be cut out for country living. If you need to install 4 bright streetlights along along a relatively short driveway, and you need to leave them on all night, and you don't care that they ruin the night sky for yourself and your neighbours, then maybe you'd be happier in a big city where seeing the night sky was never an option. But I digress... It was a lovely ski, and the snow was still falling gently. And our other neighbours are all fantastic.

Welcome to February - looks like the trend is continuing!

Day 3, this time only unpacking the new house, which is more fun. Mostly Intensity Level 3 with just a few Level 5 intervals. At this point, the condo is relatively functional - coffee maker, toaster, Internet, TV, a good selection of clothing, beds made up, shower supplies located, etc. It's going to be really nice eventually. Mom and Dad felt relaxed enough to go out to a community dinner tonight. The next stage involves a lot of decision making that I can't help with, so I came home. Stupid upper respiratory infection is still hinting that it might get worse. I need better sleep, and a lot more of it!

Sore throat this morning and felt like I was heading downhill fast. Luckily, things improved later although I wouldn't have pushed my luck by doing any cardio - not that there was any spare time at all. Another very full day of helping my parents with their move, this time at Level 6 intensity. :)

I've been helping my parents move to a house half the size, taking more than half their stuff. Level 5 intensity in more ways than one. :) I even got in some snow shovelling and ice chopping.

With wind chill, it was supposedly -30C or colder this afternoon. Definitely nippy but also beautiful and sunny. The mid-day wind was just gusty enough to keep me out of the woods so I stomped around our property on snowshoes to create a 1 km snowshoe running loop for windy days when we want to avoid the forest. I passed over most sections four times but there was lots of powder, and my tracks were drifting in already so it may not last.

Although the trail needed more stomping, I'm feeling blah today so I quit while it was still fun. I might be getting a cold or maybe my body is just reminding me of how important it is to sleep well, which I haven't been.

Snow squall and wind chill warnings again, although it's looking like Palgrave missed most of the excitement. I did a random run on gravel roads covered with loose or packed snow and the occasional patch of ice. I had decent traction but it was like running in sand at times. I still haven't found a perfect route with no blind hills with huge snowbanks but I'm guessing that Finnerty Sideroad and the north end of Duffy's Lane may be the safest bet for future runs - at least until I'm ready to test my foot with pure snow running.

Hard to estimate total sleep since I tossed and turned for much of the night when my brain refused to turn off. Amongst other things, Dad has started on a new drug trial for multiple myeloma, a blood cancer he's had for almost 10 years. I'll be helping my parents move this week so will get to spend a good amount of time with them.