Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

Station Flats -> Sulphur Springs ->Pneuma ->Moosepackers -> Ridgeback 4,3,2,1 with Big Dawg, Maz and Carbon. Was feeling good after a couple of days off so decided to push a decent pace up Sulphur Springs, although the rest of the gang reeled me in after not too long. Had waaaaaaay fewer issues with getting the wide bars through the narrow trees compared with my first ride on the new bike up Pneuma last year. Also, I think I had a bit better energy (and am maybe a little more used to the new bike) so I seemed to be riding most things well. Fun! The new bike is fantastic and still continues to amaze... I'm sure it was more challenging on the old bike to clean some of these climbs... I think the bigger contact patch of the 29er wheel helps, and maybe the easier rolling over any little obstacles on the climbs and switchbacks. Had trouble getting my flow near the top of the Special K junction, took about 3 tries to get on the bike and get going. Then rode all the top stuff with the challenging ribs of rock and loose steep sections. A fun rip down Moosepackers and all 4 Ridgebacks, great stuff! Still clipped trees with the handlebars two times for a bit of extra excitement.

Rear tire is slowing losing air, may need to replace the Stan's.
Rear end is feeling squirmy. Can't feel any play in the hub or bushings, and reset the rear shock pressure, but the back end still feels like it has a little too much squish and lateral play at times. Had topped up the rear tire pressure at the beginning of the ride and it still seemed good later in the ride. Feels like it started right after my weird tip over leading up to the Prairie View climb.

C • Ridgeback was certainly bui... 3

Took the neighbours and their new mountain bikes over to Tunnel Mountain, showed them some nice trails that aren't too deadly and gave them some pointers. Out on Spine and Coastline, around Moraine Loop, then back on Coastline and Spine. Trails were in great shape. Everyone had a fun time with no mishaps. A pretty easy spin for Carbon and I but there are still a few climbs that are tough no matter what.

Notes to self: Salomon Propulse size 8.5, switched Suunto to auto stop.

Group run with Canmore Trail Culture. Strides Running Store group from Calgary also joined us, and the Salomon rep came out with a bunch of demo shoes so it turned into a bit of an event.
Tried a pair of Salomon Propulse (size 8.5) and they worked great, fit so well that I forgot they weren't mine. Now I just need to find somewhere that carries them (no one near Calgary or Canmore does) and find a deal :)
Ran Montane trail all the way past Johnny's trail and down, and back along the skinny singletrack through the trees by meander for a long climb back up - I really like this route, got remember to hit it right in the future. I was hanging on to the back end of the fast group although they weren't going as fast as they could. This pace caught up with me a little, especially as the run seemed to keep opting for more distance at each junction. All good, love to get lots of exercise, even though we were also planning to meet up with Brent and Mel for an afternoon mountain bike ride too. Then ran into our friend Shelley Mattson who we haven't seen in about 10 years. I hung back to catch up and swap contact info while the rest of the group continued on to the lower bench. Finished off across the Douglas Fir Bench and back to the Cougar Creek trailhead to swap shoes. Then back home for what felt like a race transition: had maybe 30 minutes to grab a meal, change into bike clothes and load up the bike gear.
Beautiful day, already really warm at 9 am.

Got up to the Nordic Centre ealry and found a nice patch of shade to relax in, but soon Brent and Mel showed up early too. Darn ;). All four of us were looking forward to a rest when we got there, so we all hung out in the shade for a while.
There was a race going on that was usng the trails above the stadium, so Brent led us on some lower trails for a singletrack route to get us where we wanted to go. Get Out, Baby Beluga, Artistic Merit and EKG in the reverse direction of how we usually ride it. Up Matching Jerseys to the meadow so that we could show Mel the great new blue trail near Terminator. Everyone loved it. Back to the meadow and down the usual route of EKG below the meadow, Blue Coal Chutes, then took the Georgetown Interpretive trail because it would get Mel home to the kids sooner. Then reverse of our typical direction up Orchid, etc back to the Stadium.

15.9

Dirtbag Runners intervals, uphill 10 x 30 sec

15 min warm up, then did a couple of warm up runs up the hill, about 20 seconds each.
11 x 30 seconds hard and fast uphill, 2 minutes recovery.
10 minute cool down jog