Training Log Archive: Bash

Browner, Storm, 'Bent and I went into Loree Forest with Scout, Contour, BazingaDog and AdventureDog. Only A-Dog is allowed to be off-leash all the time, which meant we took turns being towed down the trail. It was mostly a brisk hike but there were a few moments when I had to run as hard as I could!

The main Loree loop is well-packed and easy to manage without snowshoes. Some drifts in the open fields are really deep. The trees were coated with fluffy snow like a Christmas card - spectacular. We did a pretty good job of tiring the pooches out.

Turned off my Ambit by mistake during our ski, then started it up again.

'Bent and I went to Scenic Caves to ski just before it closed. We had the place almost to ourselves. After a day of snow squalls, the sun came out and lit up the forest. The trees were plastered with snow. It was gorgeous, chilly and so much fun.

Browner and I met Dee for some Snowshoe Raid training in Loree Forest using old maps. It was a cold day and we had to watch for frostbite in open areas but it couldn't have been a more beautiful winter wonderland.

Browner and I climbed up Mountain Springs while Dee climbed Switchback near her place.





We met Dee in the middle on the Bruce Trail.



We did some bushwhacking but mostly stayed on trails and followed the map to reacquaint ourselves with the area again after 3 years away. Dee was an excellent guide and - amazingly - did it all without her snowshoes, which broke before she met us. She had to head home partway through.

We were out for 4 hours, including time spent taking photos and looking at the map. We did a fair bit of running on the trails and hauled ourselves up a few steep hills using trees to help. It was great and by the time we were done, we were ravenous, thirsty and ready to lounge by the fireplace with dogs and hot drinks.

In case you fail to follow Super's AP log (your loss!), check out these great prices on Atlas Run and Atlas Race snowshoes. Very limited quantity left.
http://www.33-off.com/snow-shoes

Sunset snowshoe run with AdventureDog, mostly in Palgrave East. Where there's been traffic, the ground is rock hard after all the rain so it's lumpy from frozen footprints. Snowshoes were a good choice since it would have been easy to turn an ankle in regular shoes. Where there hasn't been traffic, the snow is soft enough to sink in. Nice to get out in the woods!

Hard Core Live with Caron - nice to have her back after some time away! 'Bent made a special guest appearance at tonight's classes. He's looking more toned already. :)

C3 yoga class

A French cyclist set a new 1-hour record today in the Masters age 105+ category. Just in case we thought we had any excuses! http://cyclingmagazine.ca/sections/news/105-year-o...

Too gusty to go into the forest so it was the treadmill for me - oh joy. We'll have more branches and logs to clean up after this week. Today's podcast was The Bugle.

I have a hard time believing my treadmill. I know it's easier to go faster with the "ground" moving underneath you so I guess I'll just enjoy the fantasy numbers. It is true that I never try to run this fast on the trails so maybe it's not quite as fake as it seems.

Boot Camp with a substitute instructor who didn't try as hard to kill us as Caron does. ;) I kind of missed that so I did a few things to increase the difficulty.

Year End Review, Part 1:
2016 Training Hours by Activity
Only really of interest to Future Me

Top Five (with 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 totals in brackets):

1) Running + Snowshoe Running - 250.5 hrs (188.5, 204.5, 153, 190, 138.5)
2) Strength + Yoga - 82 hrs (65, 65.5, 52, 36, 30)
3) Orienteering + Snowshoe Orienteering - 36.5 hrs (13, 57.5, 55, 66.5, 73.5)
4) Mountain Biking + Road Biking - 33.5 hrs (37.5, 34.5, 60, 77.5, 89)
5) XC Skiing (Classic, Skate, Roller) - 30 hrs (60, 38, 45.5, 55, 28)

Total Annual Training Hours = 495 hrs (494.5, 470, 557, 505, 612)

My big race was the 119 km Lavaredo Ultra Trail, hence lots of running and strength/yoga - by far the most hours ever for both of those activities. My total training hours were almost identical to last year - but I made sure I snowshoed long enough on New Year's Eve to log that extra half hour. ;)

I logged almost the same number of hours of Orienteering, Mountain Biking and Skiing. I would have liked to ski a LOT more but we didn't have much winter last year. I haven't done a 24-hr rogaine in a couple of years, which is why my orienteering hours used to be so much higher. I wish there were more of them! The drop in total training hours compared to earlier years is mostly because I didn't do any overnight or expedition AR. I would like to get back to doing more biking. I'm going to set a training goal this year and make it happen.

Feet, ankles, calves, hip flexors, balance with weights.

Albion Fat Bike Festival with demo bikes available - Sat. Jan. 14. Spectators just pay the usual entry fee to Albion Hills. Beer is available for purchase after 11:30 but the chili is only for racers. I'm planning to go early and try this sport out at last!
http://www.superflyracing.com/race-series/albion-f...

One of my plans for 2017 is to take a photo outdoors every day. So far, so good!

Super fun ski at Hockleycrest with 'Bent in advance of the rain. Trails were in great condition; I hope they survive the soggy weather coming in the next 36 hours. We stopped in briefly at Dave Moule's place to say Happy New Year and thanks for all his volunteer work to maintain this 14 km network for public skiing.