Happy Halloween

Hope everyone is having a great time tricking and treating. Pumpkin carving will commence at our house very soon I'm sure (just waiting for the head pumpkin-carver to get out of bed ...)

Sadly, this is the second Halloween in a row that I've been too sick to do much about. After encouraging signs (read: advanced fooling myself) that I was on the mend, a wedding on Friday night -- with its late night, dancing, chatting and libations -- put me right back to square one with a throat so sore I couldn't speak. Don't worry, once again I won't be touching/contaminating any candy meant for children.

The other thing I was looking forward to this weekend was training. But I had to cancel two glorious road rides and an orientation class at this kettle bell gym down the street called "Ironkore" where "buns of steel are no match for balls of iron". I know the crossfitters get a lot out of their their kettle bell training so I was interested in checking it out. They are very focused on getting their clients off on the right foot with proper technique so you have to take classes before you work your way up to an "open gym membership". It sounds like an awesome workout and you don't even have to wear shoes, which I like. Guess I'll have to take a raincheque. So far, winter training is off to a great start. hrm.

I DID manage to sign up for a gym membership though. I'm officially a Goodlifer now. A colleague of mine at work used to be an aquafit instructor there. When I told her I joined up she welcomed me to "the cult". Cult comment notwithstanding, I like it already and I haven't even done a workout. Their rates are lower than Extreme (my last gym -- not recommended), I can cancel at any time for 99 bucks, OR for five bucks I can put my membership on hold for six months. No enrolment fee, pus, they have a pool and they gave me a sweet bag. OH, and I don't have to start actually paying until January. It all sounds too good to be true to me as well so I'll let you know when it becomes clear which part of all the fine print I didn't understand correctly.

Also aiming to get started on yoga again. There's a Moksha just down at Bloor and Jane and they have a special introductory offer -- $40 for all the yoga you can do in a month. So November/December will have four weeks of intense yoga to a) get my money's worth and b) kick start my return to stretching and flexibility.

Apparently, there's a new yoga place in Port Elgin as well which I'm excited to try out. They've got hot classes, unheated classes, and a couple different yoga disciplines. Even a class called "yoga for regular guys" which is great, because one thing Port Elgin has in abundance is "regular guys". Anyway, it's great to know there's a place in Port for when I go home -- especially because my sister is getting into it as well so I'll have someone to go with.

All in all I'm very excited about all the things going on for winter training ... I can't wait until I can actually start DOING them.

Signing off from the couch, with tea,
KL

OMG, really?

For cying out loud, I think I have strep. Again.

This will be the third time in a year. Not normal.

All the telltale signs are there ... ambushed by swollen glands. Polka dots visible by flashflight. Itchy ears. Overall feeling of uneasiness and dizziness. Headache.

To top it off, I just finished reading Francis Raymond's book, as I mentioned earlier, and he basically says antibiotics are the devil and makes a pretty good case for that statement. I remember reading his words and thinking "that's it. Never again." I didn't think I'd be called out so soon though.

My doctor isn't available to see me until Wednesday so I'm now on a mission to gargle with salt water as much as humanly possible. Add to that green tea, lemons and honey and hopefully I can avoid a course of the dreaded antibiotics.

Although I'm worried about what she's going to say about three throat infections in the space of a year. Tonsillectomy, me no likey.

Update

If I'm not careful, it's going to be a whole month gone by before I check in here again. So here's a quick note to say hello, and provide an overview of what's been going on in the "off-season".

1) Vacation!!

G and I packed up and headed out on a helluva deal to the Mayan Riviera. No hurricanes, fantastic weather and sunburn free. We tried to relax, but we're just too antsy in our pantsy (it's what I like about us!) and ended up doing all kinds of fun activities, mainly in the ocean with the fishies and the rays and the turtles. I even got out for a dive and saw a pair of enormous barracudas! However, despite the sea life being the most memorable part of our trip, we don't have an underwater camera so I can't share :( Our above-water camera did capture some great memories for us though and you can see those on facebook.

2) Bikes

I still can't decide. Lord help me. I want to have the guts to go with the 29er, but I've never even sat on one before so I'm having difficulty feeling confident pulling the trigger on that one when the other choice is a bike I know I will love. Sweet Pete's has a FS 29er demo in the shop now, so maybe after riding that one it will make more sense to me. I rode one on the streets the other day (also FS) and I was so intimidated walking up to it my resolve was totally shaken. you can fit a whole 26 inch wheel INSIDE a 29er!! It feels like getting on a horse! What to do??

3) Training

... has begun!! Much more motivated this year and much more on track. Look out!! I leave the bike at home except for commuting and weekend rides this time of year, so running is the name of the game. Monday's run was so nice -- sunset burning the edges of the clouds, temperature just right, spotted some wildlife (fox!) and was even on par with last year's pacing. I did wipe out though, which was embarrassing, but thankfully not a disaster or anything.

4) Work

Full speed ahead! Check out ontario.ca/progress to read about our last year. We just had our big Liberal AGM this past weekend and we are good to go for the year leading up to the election. The Premier made a speech that got me choked up no less than four times and I truly wish for every Ontarian to see it too.

Premier McGuinty Keynote Speech - OLP AGM Saturday, October 16, 2010 from Ontario Liberal Party on Vimeo.

5) Reading

I just finished a pile of books (thank you vacation and rainy TTC days!) and would recommend all of them:

Never Be Sick Again, by Raymond Francis.
This one looks at "getting sick" from the perspective of your cells. I know it sounds like dry material, but it has really changed the way I do my grocery shopping, how I feel about those mini-trampolines our parents had in their basements, and even where I leave my blackberry when I go to sleep. Raymond Francis is a researcher with degrees from MIT so it isn't some hippy dippy trippy malarky. Urge everyone to check it out.

Room, by Emma Donoghue
This novel was our book club pick and I read it way too fast on the beach in Mexico -- couldn't put it down. It's written from the perspective of a five year old who lives with his mother in Room. For him, Room is the world. For her, Room is the prison "Old Nick" has kept them in for seven years. It was an amazing story of what a mother can do to protect her son and raises lots of thought provoking questions I can't wait to discuss with the girls!

Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
I picked this off the shelf because it was skinny. I found out that despite it being skinny, it wasn't always light. In the back the author says that when she finished writing it, she was homesick for "the pink house" and its inhabitants, a sisterhood of love. now that I'm finished reading it I'm with sue. It's one of those books you make friends with. I haven't seen the movie yet, but i'm eager to see what they do with it.


I think that's all I've got for an update ... hope everyone is enjoying the fall weather and riding.

Anyone looking for road riding buddies, please think of me!

Cheers,
KL

Decisions, decisions ...

In order to make the winter shipping date I've got to decide which bike I'm going to race next year, and fast.

Should I go for the bike I KNOW will be awesome (since it's the one I've been on the past two seasons but with a fancier new suit)?


Or should I dabble in the unknown world of hard tails with 29-inch wheels?


They cost the same coincidentally. Comments welcome -- i really need help with this one! Vote on the right.

And thanks for your help!

Parting is such sweet sorrow ...

It all seems so sudden.

Just a few days ago, we were frolicking in the late season conditions of Hardwood Hills. and now, an empty space on the rack where you used to rest.

Dear bike, how I miss you already.

I remember the first day we met. It was at the shop, and the boys wouldn't let me take you home because you looked too good in the window.

Our first ride, and how fast we bonded.

Our first time off-roading, which was also my first time ever riding in BC. Together we conquered some of Squamish's most amazing singletrack, including the Test of Metal.

It was with you that I first attempted the Tremblant Canada Cup ... which was also my first race in Quebec.

On your back, I had my best season ever with all kinds of podiums, PBs, and just amazing rides.

And lately, we've just managed a great three for three podiums for the end of 2010, including a 100km ride I wasn't even sure I could do -- but we did it, together.

I wouldn't be the rider I am today without you.

We've spent so much time together, playing, working, hanging out. It's hard to imagine a replacement. Will it be as good? Are the best races yet to come?

I hope you'll be happy in your new home. And at the same time I feel like a loser for suggesting you'd even know the difference.

Afterall ... you're just a bike.

Right?

Race Report: Fall Epic 8

The last of a string of late races, the Fall Epic 8 certainly lived up to its name. Rain makes any ride "epic" in my book. And rain it did.

Our team was four strong, with Tim, and the Kiwis, Bryant and Carlene rounding us out. We agreed that we'd signed up for this thing to have fun, but were quickly in the lead and found out that in fact, winning is fun. So we ended up with a bit more focus than we'd originally set out for, which I think was just as well since that's the sort of juice you need to get through 6-8 hours of constant drizzle.

I got the first go-round, and had a grand ol time slip sliding around on the roots. By the second lap, I'd figured out a little more of the course and conditions and hooked up much better. My third and fourth might as well have been dry because I was comfy as could be.

8 hour courses are so fun -- nothing to dread, all flow, lots of single track and rad people to share the trails with. In the end we were able to hold onto gold, putting an extra lap into second place. Nice end to the season.

Thanks Don Rats, and Kiwis!! We done good, and it was great hanging out with everyone for the day. Isn't that the best part of 8 hours?

Also, huge congrats to Matt Spak for his win and former teammate Evan Sharpe for his silver in the solo category. I can't imagine going around in circles for 8 hours, but on a fun course like that, maybe it's not out of the realm of possibility. Y'all got me thinking ...

And to Martin, (fellow Sweet Pete's racer) and his team *chapeau* for your fine podium result as well!

Holy crap, DOUBLE RAINBOW!!!!!
A nice parting gift from mother nature.

Race Report: Paul's Dirty Enduro

Another first! No, not first place ... first time trying out another one of the great fall mountain bike events Ontario has to offer. Many of you were kind enough to pledge my 100km singletrack race adventure and let me tell you, your donations went to a great cause, a great race, run by a great bunch of volunteers.

We got to Ganaraska just as the sun was peeking out over the horizon. It was a long day in every sense of the word. At the start, I don't think I was totally awake yet. At "go" I had that "oh yeah, there's a race today" thought that usually means I'd be coaxing heavier-than-usual legs through the first few minutes.

Kind of like the marathon last week, after about 20km, I considered myself "in it". But by then, Queen Heather had already put about 5 minutes into me. Hmmm. I decided that since pacing would obviously be the main challenge of the day I'd just concentrate on holding onto second.

The First 40 Kilometres

... were not my favourite. We were using trails shared by dirt bikes which meant that every climb had basically one line: up the middle of a ditch just a little wider than your pedals. So that meant any slip and you were digging your foot into the side. And slipping was hard to avoid since most of the dirt would be better described as wet sand. With mud puddles. I was glad to put those behind me.

Enter Gavin

Another challenge was riding alone in the woods. With so much terrain, and so few riders, there was very little to keep the mind on track. I was day dreaming non-stop. Musing over the porcupine quills I saw scattered on the trail. Scaring up grouse. Freaking out over the complete carpeting of poison ivy on the forest floor. And then a friendly guy came up behind me and we decided to ride together for both our sakes. All of a sudden a whole hour was down but since we were chatting the whole time, it felt like a few minutes, and our average speed had increased. Awesome. Huge thanks to Gavin, otherwise, I don't know if I would have gone out for the second 60km loop.

The Pit Stop

As you've probably gathered, the course was made up of a 40km loop and a 60km loop. Between the loops, we rode right by the car so I had a chance to make a pit stop, change bottles, take off layers, neutralize poison ivy, eat and then get back on the trail. Of course, my timing was impeccable, and I ended up setting out right behind the racers starting the 60km distance. That meant a huge field was between us and the rest of the 100km riders. Oh no. Gavin and I worked together to pass as many as possible on the open sections, opting to hurt a little now to save a little waiting later in the singletrack. It was going great, we were having a good time and moving at a good clip despite the many "slow-trains" we rode as we worked our way through the field. And then ...

Garmin Fail

... I looked down. And my Garmin was GONE. In a race this long, that little gadget was keeping great company monitoring the passing kilometres and tracking our average speed. Not to mention, I'd only had it returned the night before (thanks Sweet Pete's!) after the LAST time it jumped off my handlebars. That incident resulted in a replacement unit. The one that was now presumably lying in the dirt somewhere. Design flaw? I think so. In a flash decision I told Gavin the fun was over for me, I'd have to turn around. I knew I wouldn't be able to find peace about a [expensive] lost tool unless I'd done all I could to try to find it, so I turned around to ride upstream in a river of riders. Before long, I got to a marshal and stopped to ask her if anyone had turned it in. She said she hadn't had one yet. I was in the middle of making sure it was alright with her to continue into tighter terrain against the grain to try and find it when ...

Garmin Guardian Angel

... a young man, I think from Mountainview Cycling Club (or else a similar blue and white kit) stopped and said, "Are you looking for this?" and pulled my Garmin out of his jersey pocket. Holy shit. The odds are staggering and thank goodness for him!! I made him stop long enough for me to give him a big hug before turning him loose on the singletrack once again. As for the Garmin, I replaced it in my jersey pocket, NOT the stem mount. Huge thank you to you, whoever you are.

Where'd you come from?

After the Garmin incident, things started going downhill -- figuratively speaking. Literally speaking, they were still going very much UPhill. I knew I was losing speed, but I was confident I could keep 'er going enough to hold my position while keeping suffering to a minimum. So at check points, I let myself get off the bike and enjoy some orange wedges and bananas. I chatted with the volunteers and other racers and then moved on. This was great for a couple rest stations, but then seemingly out of nowhere (but actually out of my own lax riding), third place was on my wheel, then cheerily calling a pass and wishing me a good ride. Wha ...?! How did I let this happen?

So I paced her for a bit to get an idea of what kind of effort I'd need to put her behind me before unleashing an Ocup-Style final 30km. This was actually hugely enjoyable (ha -- read "painful") because the second loop was much more flowy than the first, with way better dirt too. Riding fast is always fun, and it was nice to know I had deeper fitness than I'd thought. Mental strength on the other hand ...

Well it was also very nice to see the finish line, let me tell you.

Results

I ended up in second, as planned and took home a neat little pottery plaque and a medicine ball for my efforts. We all enjoyed an awesome chili lunch and a good sit in the grass chatting with riding buddies and new friends we'd met while neutralizing poison ivy with a garden hose.

Huge thanks to the volunteers who put out a massive effort to make such a great event run so smoothly. And heck, they even ordered up good weather. Would I do it again? Hmmm ... ask me when my body stops aching. ;)