Training Log Archive: coach ld

While we were up at Goose's brother's cottage on Cedar Point he and I went for a good swim from the cottage up the shore to a neighbourhood dock/beach. It was a grey and rainy afternoon with a southwest wind which meant it was pretty choppy with some whitecaps but the waves were mostly behind us pushing us along a bit. Goose had a wetsuit but he let me use his pullbuoy. We ran back on the road. Then he repeated it but I was feeling chilly and a bit seasick so I just swam a bit more.

Nice run on the Humber trail this morning with Goose. Felt great and it was a lovely cool morning.

Good long stretch, planks, abs, push ups etc. Then I wasted the rest of the day emailing, phoning, waiting for news about my lost luggage. Nothing. Poor Goose. He was so looking forward to Reblochon:(

Had to get up early to get a ride with Phatty to the Geneva airport. I did manage to sneak in a short bike to the lake and one last swim in gorgeous pre-dawn light from behind the mountains. Then it was a day of sitting and waiting, sitting on planes, waiting 2 hours for my bag, and not getting it. And it's going to stink when I do because there's almost 3 kilos of Reblochon and other French cheeses in it!

Early uphill ride to Sur-le-Bois and a bit beyond past the weather station. Beautiful morning again, spectacular panoramic view from the village down to the valley. Slow up, fast down. Then Wee, E , Leanimal and I went to a very cool water park outside of town. It was an impressive compound of several pools including one with a lot of bubbles, a current pool that carried us along, and several slides of varying lengths, pitches some windy some straight. It was kid-heaven! And pretty good for adults too:)
And then... the family took me out for a "surprise" this evening. I was sent running off the edge of a cliff called Planfait , attached to a complete stranger with a parapente on his back. The wind caught the thin sheet of nylon attached by thin strings and lifted us up then we gently floated for while, while I hooted and said "wow!" over and over. I got to "steer" for a while and then my guide said we'd do some acrobatics and we spun wildly for a few seconds until I said I thought I might throw up. We caught a gust and flew a bit longer before slowly drifting downward to land in a field right where the car was. All just ahead of a thunderstorm that rumbled behind us. Amazing!

C • Pictures! 6

Up early and it was yet another spectacular summer morning - clear blue sky, sun rising behind Mt. Veyrier . The lake trail was quiet. I rode just past the sailing/kayak club to a conservation-type area, locked the bike and ran on a trail to the lake then along it in the woods for a few km. It was very nice and I came out at a pretty beach. So I jumped in and swam 1/2 km then ran another km and jumped in and swam about 800m. Got out and ran back on the trail to another spot where I jumped in again and swam another 1/2 km or so. in gorgeous clear blue-green water. Then ran back to the bike and rode home:). Just in time for a trip to the beach with GG, E, Wee and Leanimal. It was great day to be by and in the water. A perfect summer day at the beach, with kids, a nice breeze, and cool clear water. I swam another 1/2 km there.
Wee and I biked down to the lake again this evening for a dip too.

Lakeshore conservation area trail.

Swim-run. Fun.

I had agreed to drive to Geneva airport to pick up Phatty and Leanimal this afternoon - with help. Phatty had asked an American friend who had to pick up his family at the airport at about the same time if I could follow him. But I had to get to his house first. Given my recent efforts a trying to read road signs here I decided Id try biking, when there was very little traffic, to find the place so that I could stop and look for the not-very-obvious street names at the roundabouts. It's impossible in a car. I did pretty well on the bike and did find the place:). Then I biked on the lake trail. It was lovely as always. Pretty hard not to smile when the sun rises up over the peaks, illuminating the mist on the mountains, and warming the pretty garden plots, while hot air balloons drift lazily up, up, up and the lake shimmers turquoise blue below. Magical as Hermes would say.

C • Magical 1

Nice evening swim at the Petit Port as the sun was setting behind the mountains, after a welcome-home dinner for Leanimal and Phatty. Their kids were very happy to have them back.

C • The Heroes are Home! 2