Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

RMCC Rubber Mallet ride
Haven't been to one of these group rides in a long time and was missing the road bike a little after so much good riding in France.
I came to get worked a little... Mission accomplished.
The group always rolls out in a double paceline at a fast pace (fast for me, I guess they don't find it so fast) and does about 40-45 km/hr down the Legacy Trail pathway to Banff. It's not a very wide path for squeezing a double paceline into one lane, and I don't ride in a double paceline often. It usually takes whatever I've got just to keep up with the group. Did a good turn at the front but then yoyo'ed off the back after that as I tried to hang on.
Given the possible thunderstorms, we chose to not ride too far from town and the workout became a climbing interval up Mount Norquay. Three options were given: one group would start the climb now; one group would ride an extra 6 minutes and then try to chase up the mountain; one more group would ride 8 extra minutes before starting the climb. I went in the first group because I felt like I was the only one getting dropped on the ride from Canmore to Banff, so I didn't need any extra challenge against these faster folk. The first group already got away and pacelined to the foot of the mountain, so I was already starting from the back on my own. My hope was that the legs would still remember all the climbing from France, and they did. Started at the back, set a strong pace (and often questioned whether I had gone out too hard, but it was just right) and passed everyone before the top. A few times, I wasn't sure if I could hold the pace I had set, and I couldn't tell when the last switchback would finally arrive, but after you pass someone you have to "make it work" for fear of looking like you totally went out too hard too soon. A wicked climb, I don't think I could have done it any faster; I wish I was on Strava or something so I could see what my time was (not that I would get a top ranking versus current KOM holders like Levi Leipheimer for that section or other fast local riders, but I'd be happy with my time). On the way back, got hit with a mix of rain, wind, and hail, but fortunately not until we were down off the mountain.
Stopped to put on my rain jacket (it is SO nice) and lost the rest of the pack. Rode back on my own and met up with Shane who had dropped back for me and one other guy. Shane and I pulled ahead and I passed the other guy just before I noticed I was going into the s-bend with the sudden short steep descent. This put me in a non-ideal position to set up the turn and I did my own "Geraint Thomas time trial millisecond wheel lock-up" as I came into the S way too hot at a bad angle and was staring at the gravel off the edge of the trail. Fortunately my tired brain still thought of "look where you want to go", got off the brakes, and it worked out but it was spicy and might have looked a little intense to the guy I just put the passing move on.
The quads and knees are feeling the climb the next day. All good :)
Now I need to work on my power on the flat sections, and put on some weight,... or start chasing polka dots.

** Recently new asphalt on the Norquay climb. Nice **

C • Sounds intense 2

Mount Carnarvon with Slice, Silver Fox, Adam and Laura.
A really cool scramble adventure on a really cool mountain. Loved it. Good route finding and some fun hands-on-rock sections.
Hiking trail for the first 4 or 5 km from Emerald Lake parking lot toward Hamilton Lake but didn't follow the trail the full 5.5 km to the lake. We picked up the drainage that is southeast of Hamilton Lake and followed that (although you can take the trail to the lake and then continue from there) (water running down the drainage that allowed for refilling). At this point a couple of horseflies found us and hung with us for the day; apparently it is usually more windy higher up than it was today (calm at the summit). Headed up slopes that were a mix of short vegetation and rock until higher up it changed to all rock and the helmets went on. Followed some cairns here and there but there were also multiple lines, each with their own cairns. Keep looking left and there are often benches that traverse around the more technical ascent lines. A few false summits but we knew to expect those so it wasn't bad. Some bits got into some grade 5 climbing but nothing too sketchy, just some hands-on scrambling, nothing you need a rope for; if it is, just keep looking around and there should be a better option. On the very last bit to the real summit, you could walk around on the far right (nice to remember for coming down, rather than down climbing). You can see so much in so many directions from the summit, so cool. Unfortunately it was a bit hazy from some forest fires, but still enjoyable. No need for an axe today, no snow on the route.
Headed back down along the ridge. This worked for a little while but at one point we had to backtrack and take an earlier option to the descender's right. Went in turns in order to reduce the risk of sending loose rocks down on each other. Looking for extra adventure, we descended a drainage directly to Hamilton Lake. Based on what we could see from the top, it looked like it would go and the topo maps didn't show any hints of sudden steep bits/cliffs (but we know what can hide between contour lines) so we committed even though we knew there was a possibility we might have to climb all the way back out if it didn't work. Again, did some sections one at a time to minimize rockfall hazard. The whole drainage worked quite nicely and only a couple of sections needed just a little zigzag traverse to get through easily.
Before I even reached the lake, I could see that Silver Fox had already stripped down and plunged in. We all went for a swim, it was refreshing (snow on the edge). Ran down the trail from the lake to the parking lot. Only saw one other pair on Carnarvon and one pair at Hamilton Lake. When we arrived at the parking lot, it was a zoo of people circling and looking for a spot. A good reminder that the Parks and Canmore may get nuts in the summer, but you only have to work for about 4 minutes to get away from it all and be alone in the wilderness :)
Grabbed beers and chips and headed to the shore of Emerald Lake where some of us checked out the warm water. Could be a good spot for an open water swim...

C • Scrambling 3

20.5
Improvement on the cold. Not completely kicked but getting there.

Dirtbags intervals
A "pick a card" workout that one of the members built. Intervals were random, based on the latest card that was drawn. Scientific basis was questionable; I wonder if that is why Adam Campbell left halfway through.

Warm up run from the boat launch up to the new climbing trail to the Nordic Centre.
5 min hard uphill
Then a series of: (I'm probably not remembering this correctly)
2x (30 sec uphill, 1 min down)
3x (30 sec downhill hard, recover)
3 x 10 sec uphill
3 x 12 sec uphill on a steeper uphill
3 x (1 min hard, 1 min easy) on flat
5 min hard run back toward town.

Then some photos with the Spirit of Canmore canoe and Happy Birthday singing to Myka, followed by drinks and poutine on the patio at the Wood.

14.4
I think I'm turning the corner on what started as a sinus infection a day or two before the Rockwall run and then started to drain to my lungs a little. Not feeling better but I think it's not going to get worse. Skipped the Trail Culture run last night so that I wouldn't drive it deeper into the lungs, which also allowed me to check out the documentary film Colonization Road they showed at Arts Place, followed by an informative and warm question and discussion session led by two people from local native groups. One is a dancer who meets with governments around the world to discuss native issues. The other is a very well-spoken professor from Mount Royal University. An interesting night with humour mixed in to keep things from getting so heavy that the conversation would die down. This is the first in a series they are having.