Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

15.8

C • Sleep 6

Prospector trail in Exshaw with Annie, Jenna, JC, Nathan, Vince, Nico, Burgess and John.
Cold at the beginning but the bigger suffering was the wicked pace that Nathan seemed to set easily while we all worked super hard to stay with him. Pretty gaspy stuff. My legs were tired and sore from last night's hill repeat run and sprints, so that made this a sufferfest for a good part of the beginning of the ride, pretty much all of the ascent (but always a suffering in a good way).
A great gang to ride with. The rest of us were pretty well matched for pace, the one or two faster guys weren't fussed, and the group would stop and regroup, and socialize, then go again. Also, the folks that knew the trail really well, especially its technical features, would stop well in advance to give you a heads up about what was coming up and how you might want to ride it. Rode the high wooden structure with the skinny just before the descent ramp at its end. Not technically too tough but if you tried to put a foot down you'd just get a lot of air and then a long fall to the ground. Just kept riding and all went okay but it was a bit exhilarating.
Trail was completely dry, perfect conditions, I'm loving having great mountain biking in November! By the time we finally have to stop mountain biking, the cross country skiing will be good.

15.2

Warm up (about a 5 minute or so jog from CNC parking lot to beginning of Spray Lakes road... Could use more warm up. Then about 4 strides / accelerations).

Hill repeats
8 X 3 minutes on, 3 minutes easy jogging back down toward the start. Kept them steady, getting into zone 4 but not killing myself too badly.
8 X 20 secs on, 40 secs jogging back down. By about the third one, the legs seemed to be turning over really quickly and the speed felt good.

Cool down jog back down to CNC parking lot.

Then out to The Wood for drinks and food and socializing. Good stuff.

16.4

Warm-up including spin-ups and leg openers

6 x

2 min E4
30 sec E1
2 min E3
1 min E1
2 min E4
90 sec E1
1 min Map/AnP
2 min E1

Cool-down

Felt good through the whole class, was holding the watts solidly in middle of the zone or above. Sometimes switched the E4s between spinning high in a smaller gear or spinning lower in a bigger gear.

17.4
Lots of eating this weekend and not enough exercise to burn it off, but a fun weekend :)

Carbon wasn't feeling well so it was just Myka and I, and I was looking to be back quickly for an errand before shops closed, but still wanted to get some decent distance. Set a pretty swift pace even before we were warmed up. I was feeling it, but whenver I would look back for Myka, she was there.
Stayed low on the Horseshoe trails and ran some different stuff, fun and pretty. Rather than climbing off the start, it took us down a little which we would have to pay for later. Reached what looked like the drainage where you cross to the G8 trail (it was, we were right) and then went straight up hill for a couple of minutes, it was sick. Managed to jog the whole thing but was pretty maxed out. Through some pretty forest and then linked up with our usual way back. Got home quickly but every shop we hit was closed.
And no kids came by last night which made for an uninterrupted night of watching a movie but now we are left with 100 chocolate bars...

C • Run 2

16.9

A run/hike (mostly a hike but still good E2 work and made decent time) up Sulphur Mountain with a group from Canmore Trail Culture in costume. Sulphur was attacked by Vikings, Tinkerbell, a pair of giant breasts, Batman and Robin, a pimp, a gorilla, Cleopatra, a lone domino, and more.
Checked out the new station and interactive visitor centre they built up there for about $45 million. Impressive, definitely makes it more of a destination, and the new four storey (!) building provides better views over the town and surroundings than ever before. Will head back for dinner in the fancy new restaurant.
Unfortunately the already expensive $30 gondola tickets will now go to $45 or $50.

16.2
Big sushi feed last night with Myka, Amik and Carbon. Then drove around to see the northern lights. Had a few minutes of good viewing near Lake Minnewanka. The Big Dipper's scoop was full of light.

C • Night Sky 1

Randy Savage and Quebexican with Carbon, Annie, Violet and Jenna.
Great trail! I've wanted to check out Randy Savage for a long time but part of it has been shut down (it runs through a wildlife corridor that you can't have a bike trail in but they can build condos and house there soon...).
Rode and pushed what will be the Highline extension that avoids this area. Very cool trail, some good climbing and technical descending. It was extra exciting with everything being a little greasy.
Great to be getting good riding in so late in the season. It was chilly but still did okay even though I wasn't bundled up.
Can't wait to go back and ride Randy Savage again when it is a little drier and the Highline Extension is more worked in. So great to keep discovering more trails here!
Followed up with a big feed of snacks and ginger beer at Annie's.