Topsy Turvy World
Well yesterday’s workout was rather tough, actually. There’s something about Starbuck’s coffee, far more than others’, which zaps me; so I took down an iced Venti before my hill repeats. Let’s just say it had a galvanizing effect. Something like that. Something electrical and monolithic. Zap!
The workout asked for 4×4min Hill Repeats at threshold, and then 2×12min Tempo on the way home. One can accomplish this up at UVic quite easily. I can do a 4min hill repeat on a “Long Tolmie,” which is where I start on Cedar Hill X Rd at Shelbourne, ascend through that weird intersection at Richmond, staying to the left, hammer over the top and through the flat bit before going up again toward Mt. Tolmie park, turn right into the park, and go up that terraced climb to the top. It’s actually not even four minutes when one is going a bloc, as the French say — but it is close enough to satisfy my coach’s demands (which were to keep the entire workout under two hours, and to take the climb seated. If I were permitted to stand, I would have used Mt. Doug perhaps, just past the fire hydrant).
So far so good, I get my first done, only starting at Richmond, and am well short of 4 minutes, so as I’m scooting back down the hill, I hit the stop sign, come to a quick stop, and am just about to cross Cedar Hill when this twit, turning left, almost clips me as I’m standing still at the stop sign. I don’t know, I can’t suffer fools very well lately, least of all those that almost kill or maim me, so I shot off after him up the hill, thinking that I would easily catch up to him because he’d stop at the top for the view. Well, he didn’t, he took a right turn 1/2 way up the hill and down a road that led to some residences. To make a long story short, he stopped, I pulled alongside and there began a long stare-down, as between a mongoose and viper. He was an older man, perhaps in his late 50’s, but big, in a tank top, with a gym bag next to him.
“Yes?” he said in a German accent. I just continued to stare at him, “Killchain” by Bolt Thrower roaring on my iPod. “I guess I cut zat corner a little close.” I said “yup” and turned around and left. He yelled a couple of things I couldn’t hear but I felt well, he’s like one of those dogs that yap when you’re well away, but turn tail when actually confronted. It put some strength into the rest of my repeats. I really felt strong yesterday, despite a bad sleep; I’d hit that ‘wall’ at the end of Tolmie up to the parking lot, get out of the saddle, and hammer it; it felt as if I could tear the cleats right out of the pedals. It’s nice because I haven’t felt that way in some time.
I especially enjoyed the tempo work that came right after. You can do flats in Victoria, but you have to pick your courses carefully. I find the only one that works for me is close to the university. I go along Cedar Hill X from Henderson to Cadboro Bay, take a right (usually blowing that stop sign which used to be a yield sign) onto Cadboro Bay, then hammer past the golf course all the way to Lansdowne, take another right, keep my momentum until Henderson, right, then straight back to Cedar Hill X for another right — a nice 4-cornered course that is almost flat. I love the little 2% grades you hit on it actually; you can upshift (downshift? I never know the correct term, put it into a smaller rear sprocket for harder pedalling), get out of the saddle, and roar up them.
My coach has yet to comment on the data I provided. I’m very curious to hear what he says. I had a nice session with Lynn mid-afternoon and then went to the pet store. I thought it might be nice to have something to co-habitate with. Perhaps not a cat, since my place is too small; but, for some reason, I was thinking of a snake. I wondered if it would eat live prey! I found the snakes that were being sold were called ‘corn snakes’ and they are quite beautiful, taking a wide array of colours. The ones the store were prohibitively expensive, so I went home and found some affordable ones on usedvictoria.com The lady is selling them off next week so I will perhaps buy one then. I have decided to name it ‘Death Force of a Thousand Hydras” or “D-Foth” for short.
I also bought a small stash of “healthy” food yesterday and succeeded in not eating any rubbish from the bulk sections, which was a bit of a victory. All went well until an old friend and I had a bit of a falling out over the phone. It was a long time coming, as he had been practicing this sort of contrarian habit with me — a kind of ‘tough love’ that just got really annoying eventually. So instead of get mad I accused him of pedantry and then started laughing. It was somewhat mean of me and I think he got mad. I only think so because he didn’t say as much; he just hung up. There will be absolution via the internet, I’m sure; he has been a friend since 1984 or 85. Little fracas don’t tend to last long when you’ve had that kind of longevity.
It’s a shame as I had just resolved to pursue school with full vigour rather than anything else. Yesterday the details of my fellowship came in the mail, provided I can finish all my requirements by January. Having failed the language test already, I would have to challenge it again in November rather than take French 300 or German 390, since both of them end in April. Hmm, lots of pressure beginning in September. Not looking forward to it, but am looking forward to crashing (or even gracefully vaulting) that final hurdle so I can wave that M.A. around delightedly.
