Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Plan B

HAHAHAHA. That's my body laughing at me for declaring that I'm going to start training. It was going well until Wednesday when I tripped on a stick and set back my hamstring. Tripping on a stick is very common when trail running, and usually isn't a big deal, but obviously I was still vulnerable. Since then when I try to run I've been compensating, which is leaving my back and legs feeling sore and out of whack. When I get back to where I was a few weeks ago, I'm going to have to be more careful and stick to easier trails.

Plan B is to get my butt to the gym to cross train. I so despise the elliptical, but its now officially desperate times.

HAHAHAHA. That's me laughing. Oh wait, not funny.

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Update: I made friends with the new ellipticals at our new gym. It was good.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Furry Fury

A wise friend of mine pointed out that whenever we become passionate about an issue, we can usually count on, in the same moment, becoming a hypocrite. Most issues have layers of complexity and shades of gray, and the people examining them have their own biases, temperaments, priorities, backgrounds, and even ignorances. Nothing is simple, and we all have equal right to our views and resulting choices. I'll defend anyone's right to that even when I emphatically disagree with them. We're all on our own journey.

Usually when I rant about something, I eventually remember of all that and my rant fizzles out before I ever get around to typing it. I can count on one hand the issues that, for me, would get out of my own head, past that filter, and wind up here as a rant. But all winter I've been seeing students (on the campus where I work) with Canada Goose jackets. Are all these kids really going off to polar expeditions or climbing Everest over their holidays, which is about the level of cold these coats were designed for? Can they really justify the need for a fur ruff to keep their faces from freezing in southern Ontario? No, they are walking to and from class draped in coyote in the name of nothing more than having a trendy, expensive status symbol. An unnecessary, wasteful, insulting, offensive and disrespectful status symbol. And call me a hypocrite in my own down jacket if you like - I'll be the first to agree that I have blood on my hands just like we all do - but it still really pisses me off.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Welcome Back to Winter

My friend Deb is in town, visiting from Taiwan, and we spent a few days north of here at a cottage and doing some trail running. On snow! What a concept! Deb has always loved snow, and I miss snow with all the ice we currently have, so we both had a great time playing on the trails.



The pretty view from the cottage. This is the Mississippi River, not to be confused with The Mississippi River.



Trails at Wheeler's Pancake House, in MacDonalds Corners (near Perth).









Deb made this snow angel!













All the maple tubing made for lots of limbo fun!



This guy is staring down a cat.






We also saw sheep, lots of woodpeckers (including two really big ones), and a red fox on the way out.







Deb, this is what The WHEEEE Monster looks like!!












First time on snowshoes!!

























The feast after. When we were done, half that bottle of mapley, slurpy goodness was gone.

What a perfect winter day. Thanks, D!!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Heron Run




Yesterday, EJ, Derrick and I did a very fun run to check out the heron nests and beaver lodge. We added on two other trails, to get in 72'. That's the most I have done without snowshoes in a long time. Got in about 4.5 hours for the week, which felt good.













Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Yellow Light

It's been five months. I'm going to start training. Through January I've sprinkled back elements of training (doubles, longer runs, higher weeks, even yoga) padded with lots of recovery, and everything has held up. I've had some acupuncture, which is helping my hamstring. I feel in a better place than I did a month ago, so I'm taking that as a 'proceed, with caution'. It's a birthday present to myself, I turn 39 today. That's not nearly as exciting as turning 13, which Heather just did. Happy Birthday, Heather!

A voice in the back of my mind has been telling me to run a 100 the year I turn 40. I get emotional thinking about it, which is a sign I really want to.

Training, yes! Bring it OOOOOOOONNNNNNNN. Can you say, Sick of Myself??? I can. As my Dad says, 'Sometimes you're so far down you think it's up!'

Yesterday we took Siku for a very fun run on a friend's property where we were able to go out on a giant pond. It was frozen smooth and has a clump of trees with 10 heron nests overlooking a big beaver lodge. Very cool. Our backyard is flooded into a decent pond too. Derrick Orr has been shooting pucks for the dogs a lot. Neeka, Mali and Siku are really into it.

La Sportiva has announced their 2010 Running Team and associate sponsors in this release.