Training Log Archive: Bash

Snowshoe in crusty Kolapore conditions with 'Bent and the pooches. Lots of trail breaking.

Dee, Amber, Shannon M. and I parked at the bottom of 12th Sideroad just west of Grey Rd 21. It's the extension of 6th St. in Collingwood, and locals call it by that name instead, which forces me to pause and translate as if they're speaking a foreign language. Read the map, people! ;)

The road is only cleared partway up, then it's snow-covered and very popular with winter hikers. We chatted and hiked uphill at a good pace. Since I'm from a lockdown region, I tried extra hard to stay behind them or farther away. When we hit the snow/ice, the others put on Microspikes. I carried mine with me but my Snowcross were just barely good enough.

We turned south onto the trail into Castle Glen, went down near the lake, then took the beautiful trail along the creek.













Then we climbed back up to 12th Sideroad on the Bruce Trail before running back down. Near the bottom, we met new Cwood resident Scott Ford heading up along with Mr. & Mrs. Gally and Nosnhoj and Nicole. This is one of the things I love about being in this area.



Amber and I decided to earn our Scavenger Hunt Snowman badge at the end of the run. Unfortunately, conditions were much less wintry at the base of the hill. We had to slosh through a big puddle to get to a rock-hard patch of snow by the road. We built two small snow-people two meters apart and had a few very funny looks from passing motorists. 5 challenges out of 20 down - right on schedule!

Lumberjacking - cleaning up pieces of trees felled by FB over the past week and hauling them through calf-deep snow to a firewood pile. Logged @50%.

Alberta's new campaign and mascot

'Bent and I did an easy ski with the dogs behind the chalet as a way to stay out of the contractors' way for a little while. Poor BazingaDog tore a nail and left bloodstains in the snow. :(

We had to meet the electrician at 9 a.m. but after that, we tried to find things to keep us out of the house for most of the day. Our Covid risk is higher than the contractors' risk. Also, I'm sure it isn't helpful to have the homeowners roaming around while you're trying to work. Mr. Gally, Logie and FB are doing a great job and we're excited about the changes underway. You're all invited to see them in about a year upon presentation of your vaccination certificate. :)

15 minutes of fame: I'm literally the poster child for the "Average Runner" for the Québec Megatrail race. I did the 50-miler there in 2019. Lol!

My local friend Jill - twin sister of Caron, our longtime yoga/core instructor - signed up for the CMTR Winter Scavenger Hunt after I mentioned it on Facebook. I suggested that we do the Frozen challenge together today. There were no instructions other than the title and a minimum 30-minute session. She proposed that we do a Disney-style version. I was cast as Elsa. She was Anna.



We met at her place where her husband took Official Pre-Run Photos.





Then we went out for an easy run through her subdivision, through the hamlet of Palgrave, along the rail trail and up Duffy's Lane and back to her house. I blasted "Let It Go" from my phone several times.







Jill is accustomed to dressing up but not as a princess. She is a recently retired aerospace engineer and Commander of a large helicopter squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force.



We chose this route on purpose thinking that we'd encounter lots of people but it was fairly quiet. We waved at cars and people and discovered that for most folks, two mature princesses in running shoes just aren't that surprising in a weird year like 2020. There were a few huge double takes though, which was fun.





It was a nice break in a busy day. Jill and I will have to team up for a few more challenges. Btw there is a plan to set up an international Attackpoint/orienteer Relay day, probably in early January. Sorry Timato, I should have told you sooner.