Training Log Archive: Bash

Lost Person Magnet again today: On a Toronto sidewalk full of fashionable people who clearly live there - which I clearly don't - a stranger approached me for directions to the Novotel. Maybe my compass was hanging out of my purse?

Hockley Provincial Park route starting with the three side trails. I caught up on news from Dee, Mrs. Gally and Aud for the first 5.5 km, then sent them ahead so I could run at my own pace. That's twice as long as I'd thought I would last before waving the white flag so it's all good. I'm happy if I break 2 hrs on this loop but I missed by 18 seconds today. I'll blame the mud!

I took a break at the top of the loop to help a lost hiker. Does anyone else on AP feel like a magnet for lost people? I sometimes wonder if my forehead is engraved: "Just ask me how to get there!" It's understandable when I meet someone in the woods but last week a shopper blocked me at the top of an escalator in Sears to ask the way to the main mall rather than asking an employee. I didn't mind but I had to wonder: why me? And yesterday in Caledon East, I spent a long time with a lovely elderly lady who had tried to drive to Lakeshore and Parklawn in Toronto and ended up 40 km north before she realized something was amiss. She needed simple directions that didn't involve any 400-series highways, which was a challenge worthy of any navigation race I have done! I didn't want her to feel bad; I imagined my Mom in a similar situation. (Although my 84-year-old Mom would have whipped out her smartphone and used Google Maps, or else she would have programmed the GPS in her car. Then she would text me if she had any concerns. Techno-Mom!)

Reel Paddling Festival in Waterloo with Funderstorm, Browner, STORM, DD11 and Charlotte. First time I've made it to this one and there were some great stories!

AdventureDog and I went for a sunny run around Palgrave East. The trails were 85% bare or lightly snow-covered, and 15% glare ice. There wasn't much mud because it got cold again last night. The trail was uneven with frozen footprints and bike tracks so it was a challenge for the ankles.

The lower inside part of my right knee got tweaked when I fell at Hockley on Sunday, and I could still feel it today. At the time, I was more worried about my hip since I'd fallen hard on it twice in three days but it seems fine. Note to self: Try to stay upright.

Bluebird day for a long run in Hockley Provincial Park with Browner, Yumi and AdventureDog. For our first round, we did the three Bruce Side Trails then ran back on the main Bruce Trail. Then we went out backwards, taking the main Bruce out and returning via the two southern side trails. (Our track is missing 1.8 km where I paused my Ambit but I've adjusted the data.)

The sun was shining, the temperature was perfect and the trail conditions were... a little bit of everything! On our first loop, there was a light layer of snow over frozen ground, hard snow or occasional ice. It was pretty good footing although I fell a couple of times on hidden ice, even with spiked shoes. Ironically, I'd suggested that it would be a great route to practise running with poles, which the others did. After all my skiing and TRX over the past week, I decided to leave my poles at home to work my legs harder and boy, did I miss them! When we went out for our 2nd loop, there was a lot more goopy mud than snow.

While we were running, STORM and 'Bent did a Hockley Loop with Scout and Contour, then politely waited at the Black Birch while the ladies slogged through the slow mud and arrived late to brunch - oops. Fun day, great company and yummy post-run meal!