Training Log Archive: nicki

Killer aweome group ride with Critical Speed today. Alititude, big mountain climbs, lots of hammering...

Started in Banff, did the Tunnel Mountain road and then out to the Minnewanka loop. I lost the lead 3 guys pretty early on but held with the rest of the fellas for that first part. Then we took the 1A parkway all the way to Lake Louise for our first 'aid station' break. I was feeling tired and worried about my bike fitness, but we'd been moving faster than I normally ride alone and was just warming up and getting into the nicki-zone. We then rode the 14km uphill to Morraine lake and I found my legs on the climb. Sweet downhill and then back along the parkway. I settled into a 60km timetrial and rode the whole section alone, just a little bit behind the lead riders. Then finished off the day with a killer climb up to Mt Norquay. I was 6th to the top and felt strong to the end. A lot of self-talk required though!!

Awesome day!

Oh boy, am I tired from yesterday. I made a gallant effort at swimming today but it was fairly pitiful. Was going to go riding around on my mtb to do errands this afternoon but I think I need to rest up if I have any chance at surviving tomorrow's epic road bike.

500 m swim
500 m pull
100 m kick

5 x 200 m swim @ 4:00.....was barely holding 3:15

100 m kick
200 m pull

EPIC mountain/trail run with Miles today. Absolutely spectacular and we set a record time to beat - 8hours 15 minutes.

Ran 8km gradually uphill to the Glasgow approach drainage. Slogged uphill on a steep scree slope to bag Mt Glasgow. Most of the elevation gain was had here - I think it is like 1400 m up or something like that. Signed the register and noted that we were only the second party for the year. Then negotiated the tricky descent down the sharp slabby ridge (we weren't running this bit) until we reached the nicer saddle and ran up to the begin of the Mt Cornwall approach. Slogged up to summit (another 300 m gain) and nancied around on the runnable ridge taking some awesome pictures to send into Trail Runner magazine. Back down the other side of Cornwell running happily on the wide ridge until things got technical again on the climb to Outlaw Peak. We took a 5 minute snack break here and inhaled a bagal before finishing off the climb to the summit (200 m gain). We then slid down the extremely steep scree slope to the next saddle point and began the final slug up Banded Peak (about 350 m gain). 4 mountains in one day!!!! We then ran all the way down off Banded and down the drainage valley on a sweet animal trail which dumped us out on the Little Elbow/Big Elbow bike trail and all that was left was a 16km run back to the car. Of course, it was finished off with a mandatory "swim" in the frigid creek, a good chow down in the sun, and then smoothies in Bragg on the way home. Can a day be any better than that?

I think I completely foutou-ed my already temperamental ankle but it was worth it.

C • Hey crazy woman... 2

Commute to and from the pool

300 m swim
200 m pull
100 m kick

6 x {100 m fast, 50 m easy}
100 m swim

12 x 25 m drill
200 m pull
200 m swim

5 x Edworthy hill repeats with Bev.

Recovery spin right after the hill repeats

5km Open water provincial swim championships. Had an awesome race. Wasn't sure how I'd do in such cold water (20 degrees) without a wetsuit and I've never swum continuous for that long. It was unbelievably enjoyable because I was really able to settle into a nice zone. Sighting was pretty accurate too. A really good mental boost for my ITU race next month, which now seems short at only 4 km!!!

C • Did you win? 5

A short, but super sweet ride out on the lower/upper Springbank road loop. A rare gorgeous evening in Calgary. Nice to spin out the legs from Saturday's mountain run and this morning's swim.

Easy spin indoors on the trainer.