Countdown to Chuckanut

One week to Chuckanut, and fully recovered from my last weekend run, I had a great weekend lined up of some good training and some full on relaxation. I had a good solid run on Saturday morning with the Prairie Inn Harriers and then found myself doing odds and ends the rest of the day. You know, all those things that you continually put off until you just have a good full day to take care of it. So, I finally put up what I've been wanting to put up for a long time... my sweat ass, family size (ok, Mexican family size), tight weaved monster of a hammock! Yes Gary, it even fits me! :)

Ok, so I wasn't going to spend all weekend with my old friend. I woke up on Sunday prepared for a good road ride and headed out the door nice and early to hook up with the group. This was only my second real group ride ever but I think I'm already getting addicted. Ten minutes out my door and I knew that I was dressed way too warm. I dressed exactly as I did the week previous (yes, I did 75km on the bike the next day after my long run to work out the legs), but the weather had definitely changed for the better. Man, spring has sprung in Victoria. I turned around, headed back home and took off some layers before I headed out again. I ended up getting my time mixed up a bit (as we justed changed the clocks forward) but still managed to hook up with the group. During the last ride, I bailed out (as most people do) once I got close to my home (we ride right by it). But this time, I wanted to put in a longer ride which meant continuing with the nice seaside route, finishing in downtown Victoria, and taking a nice and easy 15km spin home. Well, I've always considered myself a decent biker but for the first time, it really hit home today that I still have a ways to go. The ride picked up near the end - especially when we hit the hills - and right at the 100 km mark of my ride, I just started to die, couldn't hang on, and was dropped! What hurts even more is that we were within 5km of finishing in downtown! Man, it's a pretty bad feeling when that group pulls away and there is just nothing you can do to hang on. Definitely good motivation to improve. Mind you, this was only my second group road ride ever, I haven't been training on the bike much (nothing over 40 kms at a time), and was riding in the end with some very good riders including a two time olympian and mtn bike world champion. Ok, I'll stop looking for excuses... :)

In the end, it was a 125 km ride with the last ride home being torturous. I didn't bonk as I was good and fuelled; my legs just decided that they were done and that was that.

Then came Mr. Hammock.


Then came, "I can't lie around here all day, I've got to get out of here". Soon, I was geared up again - this time with my runners - for an easy 16km run around Elk/Beaver Lake to work the legs out. It's amazing how you can feel beat but really the best thing you can do is get out for awhile (easy of course) and when you get back, you feel so much better. It was a great finish to an already sweet day.

Hope your enjoying this weather as well or if you're back East and experiencing the record snowfalls, I hope the X-country skiing is still bringing a smile to your face!

TNO