Training Log Archive: Bash

'Bent and I attended a semi-formal fundraiser gala for the National Wildlife Centre - a little outside our comfort zone and we didn't know a soul, but it ended up being a good evening. It was at the exclusive Devil's Pulpit Golf Club, which is not normally open to ordinary folks like us.

NWC is hoping to build a wildlife rehabilitation hospital near us in Palgrave. That would be such a cool volunteering opportunity!

We chatted with the founder, a veterinarian, and she said they treat all kinds of animals but they see quite a few bears and porcupines. I had no idea there were people bringing porcupines to veterinarians. I thought I was an animal lover but clearly I have a long way to go.

One of the speakers works exclusively with bears, mostly with cubs because humans have a tendency to run over mama bears or shoot them if they appear curious. He is clearly frustrated by this. He says every bear has a different personality and in his experience, the biggest bears are the biggest chickens. Good!

I've extended earlybird entry fees for Star Tracks until Monday night because I haven't had time to promote tonight's deadline properly. After that, it's going to cost you five more loonies so sign up now!

We hope most of our past category winners will return to defend their titles - Wokitoki, Dee, Coach LD, Timato, Wilberto, Arthurd, etc.

We are equally interested in the hotly contested Family category, which went to the Leek family (Eva and Julianne) last year in a commanding victory over the Kosters and Gallaghers. Rumour has it that we might see a Family Feud this year with the Gallaghers taking on the Gallaghers!

I hit 100% of my Running goal for 2016 today, which can only mean I didn't plan my goals very well! In related news, it seems highly unlikely that I'll hit my training goal of 550 hrs in 2016. Maybe instead of training for sport, I should work on my math skills.

Rainy run around the Palgrave West trails. It's been 8 days since my last run and my body must enjoy rest because I felt energetic.

It's always a balancing act around Wilderness Traverse time because on one hand, I usually lose a week of training due to race work but on the other hand, my immune system takes a hit from the long hours so it can be smart to avoid training anyway since it might be the "final straw" stressor that makes me sick. (Which has happened after half the races.)

I seem to have dodged the bullet this time, partly because I've just been sitting around eating buttertarts and working on my laptop, and partly because I had top notch support from volunteers at WT this year, especially our HQ and media team and our roving drivers. Although I had the usual DeLorme text conversations with racers lost in the abyss, there were no emergencies and there were always volunteers willing to pick up racers who had to stop.

It was our largest WT by far - 47 teams compared to our previous maximum of 40 - so I'd expected a stressful night. Luckily, the course design made it difficult to drop out of the race during the dangerous "witching hours", as I call them. By the time it was easy for most teams to drop out, the sun had risen and they just had to do a short or long bike ride to get an official finish, which most of them did. Awesome. :)

Another free class with Caron before the fitness studio officially opens. It felt great to get back into it. Nice that 'Bent and BGY were there too!

I could feel my sore muscles from TRX last night. I'd expected my upper body to hurt because there was so much pull-up type stuff where I had to haul my body weight up with my puny toothpick arms. I almost never do that. But actually, I feel more sore in my hamstrings, glutes and adductors - some of the muscles I train most often. Perhaps it's because I actually *have* muscles in my legs so there is something to feel the pain.

First class at Caron's new Personal Best Fitness Studio in Mono Mills (Airport Rd. and Hwy 9). All classes are free in their first week to give people a chance to try the place out. Great to see Hingo and his daughter Lara there. It's going to be nice to have classes just 10 minutes from home by car or about 11 km by trail through Glen Haffy. There are going to be Computrainer sessions too, similar to what we used to do in Milton. Maybe we can arrange an AR training + dinner evening some time! This was my first time trying TRX and I expect my arms will be sore tomorrow.

Feeling almost normal again!

Thanks to FB for inviting me to join the group at his cottage!