Average Adventure Addict

Ok, ok, I’m evil when it comes to updating these days!! Every time I’ve gone to write something, of course, something else comes up and the computer is the last to receive my attention! My schedule has been ridiculously jammed packed with 2 jobs, real estate transactions and 2 very demanding dogs (lol) and I’m amazed at how time has flown. As I look back on the previous half of 2009, I thought I would be a bit disappointed because I haven’t completed even half of the events on my ‘To Do List,’ but in reality, I’m not.

I’m looking forward to salvaging at least a a few races this season, the MOMAR being a definate, but hopefully the RR GutBuster and maybe even a beginner’s XC race. I do have a confession tho, when given the opportunity I’ve spent A LOT of my free time on my dirtbike! I LOVE IT! Kitt just got back from a 5 day dirt bike trip all over BC and maybe (if I practice REALLY hard and don’t kill myself..) we can do something like that next year! Anyways, Kitt and I have really disciplined ourselves to training daily for the last few weeks and it’s nice to have that grounding to your day. I always feel so much better after training, tired and sore, but mentally relaxed. If I miss a day I usually get kinda grumpy and beat up on myself mentally, but I’m getting better at rolling with my crazy schedule and just dealing with it.

A big CONGRATS to my sometimes racing partner and female athletic idol, Margo DOWNEY for coming in 1st in her catagory at Test of Metal and kicking butt in a time of 4 hrs 9 min. And this is a training day for her big race, Trans Rockies 2009. Killer job Margo!! I can’t wait to see how she does.

Well, the deadline for the MdS deposit came last night, and went without Kitt and I plunking down $400 US to secure our spots for 2010. My feelings are bittersweet. On one hand, it would be so incredibly cool to be part of such an amazing race, and on the other hand, with entrance fees, gear and transportation exceeding $15,000 CDN, we just couldn’t justify it with everything else we have going on in our lives. We also had a very hard time finding sponsors, maybe it’s this recession everyone talks about.

It’s been quite a saga too: my initial partner was my sister, who went down with a knee injury, and then Kitt became my team mate. He too went down with a knee injury at work and still can’t run more than about 20 minutes 5 months later. Was it me? Am I cursed? I think it’s safe to say that despite my enthusiasm, this race was not meant for me in 2010!

My work schedule has also started to interfere with my racing plans, and I was really disappointed to miss out on the first GutBuster of the season up Mt Tzouhalem. Congrats goes to Marion for skunking Sean, but they both would have beaten me anyways!!

All that being said, not a whole lot will change in terms of my training, just going to really ease into the mileage now and start to bump up the intensity as we come into summer. I need another long term athletic goal to ground me, maybe the Trans Rockies ultra in 2010? It’s definately closer and cheaper fees! Now back to work to keep us in trail runners and bike tubes!!

The last 2 weeks has been absolutely insane! People at my work have been dropping like flies so I’ve been working lots of extra shifts, volunteering, got myself a second job and had my 27th birthday! Whew! This will just be a 5 line post so I can say I will sit down tomorrow night and let you know what has happened in more detail. Til then hope everyone is making good use of the sunshine!!

4 more days til my first race of 2009 (feels so late this year! I missed having the Gutbusters start at the beginning of April!) I am proud to say that I’ve actually gotten on my bike for a 2nd time this year and feel woefully unprepared for the ’significant climbing’ advertised in the racer info package for Suburban Rush! I kept saying I wanted to cross train on my bike more, but 2 things kept happening all the time: my legs kept adapting to the mileage (and stayed relatively injury free) and it kept raining!! I’m not really a pansy, I just seem to chill more easily when I’m riding.

Right now it’s just all packing, re-reading the race info package, highlighting the crap out of it, bike maintenance and laundry! It’s times like now I sit back and laugh at myself and my totally OCD tendancies: I have printed off 6 or 7 sets of the waivers and forms and stored them in all different places in case we lose the ones we have already filled out, and I have enough gear to outfit myself, Margo and another team of 2! Just in case something happens of course! I’ve never been to Port Moody and don’t generally like driving in Vancouver as it is, so I’m pre-programming the race start and bike drop off locations into our Garmin 60CSX GPS so come race morning I will panic slightly less about making everywhere we need to be on time! Margo and I are going over Friday night and coming back Saturday after the race, then it will be early to bed for me and early to rise for the TC 10km. And after that, you might ask? I plan on eating a TON of Ebizo sushi, watching a movie and drinking a Strongbow!

I don’t have many goals for Rush aside from having fun at a new race in a new venue and trying very hard to stay on Margo’s tail!! She told me the other night that she thinks she’s the fittest she has ever been and little alarm bells started to go off in my head. Uh oh… Margo is already my athletic idol: master of all sports, wickedly fast and most of all, has the BEST team attitude ever! My goals: to hang on!! I’ve been keeping a close eye on the weather forecast and praying for sun, or at least no rain, whichever is easiest!

The TC 10km will just be mileage trying to flush out my legs with my friends from work. Last year’s TC was my first running race ever and aside from the long lines at the porta-potties (nervous starter!) I had so much fun! I didn’t trip on anyone or get passed by a child in a jogging chariot so it was a great success! The people on my office team have been great, everyone training and getting ready. There are 14 of us and almost an equal number of runners and run/walkers. And you can’t beat our team name: Really Cool Motivated People. Yup, and we even have a wicked logo! (thanks Christy!) Maybe this race tshirt will be my special occasions bike cloth!

Monday was a rest day and both Kitt and I were off work so we loaded up the dirtbikes and headed to the Quarry in Shawnigan Lake. I love the Quarry and when we lived in Shawnigan, logged hundreds of hours exploring it. With the trails being so familiar it was a good place to try my bike on single track for the first time. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!! I dumped the bike 3 times and managed to burn 4 twoonie sized holes on the inside of my pants (fortunately escaped without burning my leg!!) but I learned a ton by trial and error and Kitt’s great coaching and was able to get in a good groove by the end. I think dirtbiking will go a long way to helping my mountain biking skills: picking lines, balance, etc.. but it seems so much easier on a dirtbike because you don’t have use your legs for propulsion, just your right wrist!

Saturday April 11th – unscheduled day off
Sunday April 12th – 60 min hilly run
Monday April 13th – 20 min easy jog and total body weights
Tuesday April 14th – unscheduled day off
Wednesday April 15th – 40 min hilly run w/ 4 sets sprints
Thursday April 16th – 20 min run up Observatory
Friday April 17th – REST
Saturday April 18th – 40 min hard hill ride
Sunday April 19th – 70 min run w/ fartleks round Elk Lake
Monday April 20th – REST
Tuesday April 21st – 70 min LSD

Big thanks to Liz McArthur for our first interview!

http://www.cfax1070.com/newsstory.php?newsId=8679

We are still approaching various charities as our initial charity, World Vision, told us that they would rather have us sponsor a child ($30 month) than try and raise $10,000+ for them. Weird, I guess some charities just work differently.

It’s amazing what the weather can do to our moods, and in turn, our motivation. The last week’s weather has been so brilliant and I’m so thankful I was healthy and had the opportunities to get outside! My office has a group (rather a large group too – way to go guys!) running the TC 10km, and on Wednesday and Thursday, a small group of us met at Thetis Lake for an easy trail run (Nikki and Don – you’re awesome!). Both days were sublime, it was so quiet and peaceful running through the trees, chatting to my friends. It was tough going thru the mud in sections, lots of hills, but each time I finished and got back into the car I felt rested and rejuvenated. Brilliant way to finish your run!! I feel healthy, balanced and happy.

The countdown is on for Suburban Rush and TC 10km (2 weeks to go!), and based on the way I’ve been feeling in training this last week, I want to make sure the season openers are my best effort. I’m also getting really excited about the Gutbusters too! I’m so pleased to see my training take over, especially when it comes to hills: my form is good, I’m moving smoothly and I finally have the quads and calves to light a bit of a fire going up! Rosheen will still always dust me on the hills, but at least I’m not so far behind anymore!

On Tuesday I got my birthday/wedding anniversary/xmas present from Kitt for the next 3 years early! I brand new dirt bike!!!! I’ve never ridden a motorcycle before and now I get to learn on my own! I was soooooo stoked. For the last year I have been listening to Kitt, Sergei and Marc’s stories about the great trails and camping trips, and to be honest, I was getting jealous. 2 hours later in a Camosun College parking lot and I was able to shift into 3rd and zip over the speed bumps with a HUGE smile on my face. So addictive (mind you I say that because I’ve been fortunate enough to not lay the bike down yet!) Yet another reason to countdown til the trails dry out!

THE WEEK IN REVIEW:
Friday April 3rd – easy 30min (5km)
Saturday April 4th – easy 45min (7km)
Sunday April 5th – long run 2hr15min (20km)
Monday April 6th – hills 60min (8km) sprints on bike 45min (legs: cooked)
Tuesday April 7th – REST
Wednesday April 8th – hilly trail run 70 min (10km)
Thursday April 9th – easy trail run 25min, hilly trail run 60min (10km total)
Friday April 10th – easy 30min (5km)

WEEKLY TOTAL: 8hr 20min – 65km

After a particularly hectic week at work for both Kitt and I, we decided to go away for the weekend. We weren’t sure where we were headed, just AWAY! At the last minute we decided on Tofino and loaded the dogs, camping equipment and turned off our cell phones and started driving. Friday night we camped out (in the deserted campsite = brilliant) at Toquart Bay. It was pretty comical to see both Kitt and I in sleeping bags, plus 2 70lb dogs all ‘cozy’ under the canopy of our tacoma pickup! I think we all woke up every 2 hours and had to shuffle around! In the morning it was so wonderfully quiet, the tide was out and the dogs were in the water… Needless to say this became the theme of the day (dogs in the water!) and it was pretty obvious we should find a hotel for our next 2 nights.

We got all packed up, had an amazing breakfast wrap at Breakers (downtown Tofino) and started to explore. I had never been to Tofino before, just Ucluelet for a MOMAR back in 2005, so it was super fun to explore and just wander. Next thing you know, we checked into the Wikinnish Inn and collapsed out on our porch. The Inn is actually a great place to escape to if you have pets. They were so welcoming to Panda and Guinness! As we were unloading our stuff, the staff put 2 large dog sized beds and 2 baskets of bowls, treats and tennis balls into the room. There was even a tennis ball thrower that saw a LOT of use! And an outside dog wash station too!

I went out for a short 45 min run on the low tide beach before our dinner reservations (the hotel restaurant overlooks the ocean – couldn’t wait!!) and enjoyed the sun and new locale. Dinner at the restaurant was something else – ABSOLUTELY MIND BLOWING! For the next 2 and a half hours we sat at the window overlooking the rocks (and listened to an american woman at the table behind us ask the server if the hotel hired local people to climb on the rocks for entertainment… O boy…) watched the sun go down and sampled 6 succulent courses. Wow. At 830 the restaurant actually turned off all the lights for Earth Hour and put out candles, which I thought was pretty cool of them! 9pm rolled around and I rolled into bed, just couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore.

Sunday we got up very lazily, grabbed 2 of the SWEET beach cruisers from the front desk and rode into downtown Tofino for breakfast. It was a freezing cold ride made more bearable by hot tea at the other end! We took the dogs out for a killer long hike on the beach at super low tide and watched the surfers (WAY too cold for me! Drysuit or nothing!) The rest of the day was spent leisurely reading, drinking tea and enjoying complete relaxation. Dinner was funny, we both weren’t hungry but decided to go into town to check out the night life at a few places anyways. We ended up smack in front of the fire at Shelter having the most amazing salad EVER! In the 3 days we had one of the most relaxing times ever and consistantly the best food ever. That’s not to say it didn’t cost us an arm and a leg, but it was sooooooooo worth it! All fresh and very very local, it was a culinary masterpiece of a weekend!

Monday, sadly, we came home. Granted, we didn’t actually make it home till nearly 11pm, but I missed having a fireplace in the bedroom and a porch with an ocean view! We took our sweet time coming back down the island, stopped in to a few friends places and generally tried to enjoy coming back to reality. It was the perfect little re-charge after a seriously stressful week!

For the next week I’m gonna be taking it a little easier, trying to keep from making the transition from being a ‘little sick’ to ‘really sick’ as race time approaches. If all goes well, next week and the week after I’ll really ramp it up, then coast into a quick taper and race time!

Wednesday March 25th – 45 min tempo run
Thursday March 26th – off sick
Friday March 27th – Rest day (but still sick)
Saturday March 28th – 45 min run on Chesterman Beach, Tofino
Sunday March 29th – 60 min road ride, 60 min beach run
Monday March 30th – Rest day
Tuesday March 31st – 45 min hills
Wednesday April 1st – 45 min tempo run

Life is going exceptionally well lately. 2 races on the horizon within the next month (Suburban Rush and TC10km) and I’m really looking forward to both. Having my favorite people to be active with around now also helps a ton! Rosheen is taking me on faster and longer runs (at the time my legs and lungs burn in agony but I am seeing myself becoming more consistant!) and Danielle is getting me out of bed in the grey light of morning for some nice easy runs with the dogs. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was on Saturday, sunny and warm! Kitt and I got out for my first single track ride of the year and aside some early frustration on a very minor technical section, it was a killer great time!

Saturday March 14th – easy 25 min run
Sunday March 15th – 50 min w/ intervals
Monday March 16th – REST day!
Tuesday March 17th – 80 min hilly run on King George Terrace
Wednesday March 18th – 40 min tempo run
Thursday March 19th – 20 min stair sprints & weights
Friday March 20th – 35 min walk (sooooo sore)
Saturday March 21st – 2hr mtn bike ride Partridge Hills (even more sore)
Sunday March 22nd – 40 min flat slow run
Monday March 23rd – REST day!
Tuesday March 24th – 50 min hilly tempo run

I’m not a huge fan of the snow or cold, but in comparison to some places I have lived, Victoria is the bee’s knees! Sadly, I have nothing much to report for the last 2 weeks, aside from the usual training and working. 4 weeks till my first trail race of the season (RR Gutbuster) and 6 weeks till my first AR of 2009 (Suburban Rush). Kitt just had his MRI on Wednesday so we’ll find out hopefully on Monday or Tuesday what kind of damage has been done. Our website, www.stringeradventures.com is nearing completion. If you visit it let us know what you think!

I was pretty happy with my workouts this week. If I had followed how I felt I would have stayed in bed for the snow days! But as it was, Rosheen and I slogged thru the fluffy white stuff from Cook street village to Spinnaker’s Pub and it ended up being one of my favorite runs to date this year! My tempo run on Wednesday night surprised me the most: as I was running to meet everyone I felt awful, drained and tired and nearly called it off 5 min from the house. I intended to stay at the very back of the pack and take it easy, but somehow I subconsciously convinced my legs and lungs to lead from the front of the pack for the whole run. I shocked myself, but went on to sleep soundly that night!

Week in review:
Saturday March 7th – Rest
Sunday March 8th – easy 30 min run
Monday March 9th – 8km over 45 min w/ Rosheen along the waterfront
Tuesday March 10th – 45 min run w/ 10 min speedwork (bloody cold!)
Wednesday March 11th – 8km tempo run (38 min but 60 in total run)
Thursday March 12th – Rest
Friday March 13th – 30 min easy run

Yesterday started like any other normal day does: wake up, realize I’m late meeting Rosheen for a run and rushing to get dressed before I am really and truly late! We had planned to do a lap of Elk Lake, and as I was flying out the door I managed to catch a glimpse of a pair of very sad brown eyes in the hallway. *Sigh* I grabbed an old towel and Guinness and went up to Rosheen’s car, cap in hand, asking if Guinness could join us.

The 3 of us arrived to an overflowing parking lot and it was on again, just like old times. It was great running with Rosheen again, I’ve missed her while she was away at school, and it feels just like old times now. We were chatting and running, the km’s were passing and no one was noticing, and Guinness was happy off leash and sniffing everything that moved and didnt move. At around the 6km mark, just where the trail turned to pavement for a few hundred meters with grass on either side, disaster struck. Guinness had stopped to sniff a pile of horse manure and fallen behind. Rosheen and I were chatting away and I called Guinness over my shoulder to come join up again. We kept on chatting and all of a sudden Rosheen disappeared. I stopped. Rosheen and Guinness lay in a pile on the ground! What the heck?!?! Guinness (who is 70lbs and can reach some impressive top speeds) had tried to oblige me by racing back to us at mach 3 speeds, but instead of passing on either side of us where there was a large grassy area and tons of room, he must have tried to squeeze in between us and hit Rosheen instead. I was speechless! Poor Rosheen was bloody, bruised and winded but still smiling (I don’t know HOW she does it!) and even concerned about Guinness! Missing skin on her elbows and palms of her hands, we started off again with Guinness on a leash. I felt bad for the rest of the day!

Tuesday 24th – unscheduled day off
Wednesday 25th – 8 km group run w/ tempo
Thursday 26th – 6+km
Friday 27th – rest
Saturday 28th – 10 km