Training Log Archive: Bash

Whoops - almost forgot to include the actual run!

The Spring Scavenger Hunt has a Hometown Highlights challenge where we're supposed to tour the sights of our home town. After some thought, I realized that I don't feel that kind of connection with any town. If I had to pick a home town, I'd say Brantford, where I lived until my 18th birthday and visited my parents for several decades after that. But it's not my town anymore and I never ran when I lived there. I could have run around the hamlet of Palgrave, which is 5 km away, but it wouldn't feel like a tour of home.

So I ran out our back door and visited the highlights of the forest that feels most like home.

Years ago, the listing agent for our house drew a diagram showing how our property backs onto conservation land. She was wrong and we only found out on the day we closed the deal. We need to run through the property of our wonderful neighbours, F&M. Thank goodness they allow us to do that. This trail is 30 seconds from our front door.



Their trail leads about 800 m to Thinker's Hill, which overlooks the Caledon hills to the west.



Fourteen years ago, a different neighbour started a 70-acre bush fire while burning garbage during a fire ban. The landscape around Thinker's Hill used to be very different - mature managed forest.



Here's what's left of the tree I found burning on our property two days after the major fire. I'd been going around with all my hydration bladders, putting out little fires. I thought I could put this one out, then realized it was much more than I could handle. The fire department sent a couple of guys to look, then headed back and got a whole crew!



Palgrave Forest is where we usually run, bike, hike, XC ski and snowshoe. 'Bent commutes to work through the forest.



Over the years, a fun mountain bike trail network has been built. It became very popular during last spring's pandemic shutdown when most other single track trails in Central Ontario were closed to riding.



It's maybe a little *too* popular now. This was mid-afternoon on a Wednesday in a parking lot that's inconvenient to access at this time of year.



It has also become very popular with fat bikers, to the point that it's not that great for XC skiing anymore. But fat biking is fun and things change.

And it's a great place to see friends like Slowrunner, who was at her 200th mile of the 267 mile Badwater virtual race.



Spring has sprung!



The Toronto & Region Conservation Authority manages thousands of acres of land in watersheds in this part of Ontario. We are near the headwaters of the Humber River in an area with many wetlands.



Frogs!



The Emerald Ash Borer has caused a lot of damage in some parts of Palgrave Forest - mostly in Palgrave West near our place.



The ice is never safe on Palgrave Pond! :)



The Great Pine Ridge Trail has become a bit of a bust. Nobody is quite sure where it goes anymore. Its legacy is that Palgrave Forest allows horses on most trails.



Duffy's Lane is closed north of the Palgrave Forest parking lot from Nov. 15 to April 15 each year. It's great because it adds a nice, hilly gravel road to our trail network.



On the way back, I ran The Covid Crusher single track that 'Bent built on our back hill when he was bored during last spring's pandemic shutdown.



We need to do some spring cleaning of our fire pit but you're welcome to come over for a distanced beer. Or a cookie. Or whatever. We don't see many humans so we're very flexible.



And that's the tour of my home "town"!

Upper body weights

A couple of Caron’s 10 Minutes 2 Zen videos. Dog owners often get company on the mat while they’re doing yoga, and today was no exception. It was, however, the first time that a dog has vomited on my mat while I’m in the middle of a deep stretch. Namaste.

The CMTR Spring Scavenger Hunt "Attitude of Gratitude" badge - a run to Palgrave village to give a friend a puzzle that I've finished. We had to focus on the positive while running and think of at least 10 things we're grateful for.

Of course I'm grateful for 'Bent, our health, my late parents, my brothers, good friends, our dogs, outdoor activities, a roof over our heads, a forest behind our house, and so much more. Most people in the Scavenger Hunt have very similar lists but this was supposed to be a challenge so I wanted a few more:

- In 2020, I learned that craft beer could be couriered right to our front door.
- Thanks to social distancing, only 'Bent knows if I've vacuumed the house or shaved my legs.
- How lucky are we that the Internet was invented before Covid-19?
- Coffee. Obviously.
- In a time of pandemic-related shortages, my longtime habit of buying way too much outdoor gear and clothing now looks like a brilliant strategy.
- I'm old enough to buy my own chocolate Easter Bunnies so I had three this year.
- 'Bent loves to cook. I do not.
- I finished my taxes a week earlier than usual so I have more time to spend outside.
- Both of us, my brothers and all the staff in 'Bent's dental office have been vaccinated with our first dose.

Rowing + Leg strength

Rodney Yee Power Yoga for Flexibility + extra lower back/hip stretches

'Bent and I rode over to Palgrave East for our first single track ride of the season. The trails are in great shape, especially the single track. There are a few low-lying sections of double track that were soft so we had to skirt them. Lots of riders and hikers were in the woods so we didn't ride too long. We took a break for a nice, long chat with Goose's sister and her partner and then another one with our neighbours. We finished with the trail that 'Bent built on our property last spring - The Covid Crusher.

Ministry of Silly Walks challenge for the Spring Scavenger Hunt. I was required to include at least 150 m of Monty Python-style Silly Walks, which was a better warm-up than I'd expected. In the spirit of the Stay-at-Home order, I stayed entirely on our property and looked for signs of spring with the help of a little bushwhacking.

Bloodroot



One of several beautiful tamaracks that became lunch for a porcupine. :(



Kale is so determined that even a harsh winter can't kill it.

Aerobics. Yes, that's right. Aerobics.

Caron, Jill and I did the All Out 80s challenge in the CMTR Spring Scavenger Hunt. I know Hammer would have enjoyed this one.

We warmed up with an aerobics routine. Caron taught aerobics in the 80s so it was more authentic than our outfits.



Turn your sound up, lol!



We looked up some old photos to plan our outfits. I may have purchased a fluorescent orange bathing suit that I can use for future costume parties. It is completely unsuitable for actual bathing.



I wore long johns and arm warmers on my legs instead of neon-coloured tights and leg warmers.

I don't usually wear makeup but you gotta do what you gotta do. I picked up the last blue eyeshadow from Zehrs yesterday, and I hear they covered their cosmetics afterward because they're non-essential and can't be sold during the stay-at-home order.



After our warm-up, we ran an out-and-back from Caron and Jill's places to the rail trail past Albion Hills. We waved at hikers and stopped for a few photos.