I am not a Traitor!!!!

For those who are getting suspicious of my time running don't worry I am still a biker at heart.

I have been enjoying the runs and I am conducting a bit of an experiment on myself as well. I am adding running Tuesday and Thursday morning to increase the volume a bit but work on my tempo and threshold as well. the workouts are about an hour long and filled with kilometer repeats. Mike got an eye opener today with the "tempo" experiment but i am sure he will be kicking ass next week. He responses well to training and is an excellent runner.

Alana, Mike, Roy (the dog) and I early morning at the track.

Fall What Evers

I finally have running legs!!!! i have been waiting for my legs to stop trying to turn circles as I bound down the road. More like a deer crossing open pasture then a Kenyian at Boston. I can now run 1 hour without dying and feeling like i am going to snap tendons and ligaments in my hamstrings and hips.

i ran with Gerry and Mike, form the old adventure race days. Fantastic, fun, funny. Rumor has it we're putting the team back together. It's a sign from Gad!

Bike polo on Sunday. 5 degrees and Jack was even wearing shorts. Crazy.



Indoor cycling classes start next week for the focus changes a bit but I am still looking forward to some variety of the weekends.

Razors Edge

Last weekend I finally dusted off the MTB and could not say "no" to Kate any more. She has been more persistent in trying to go riding. I had to clean the drive train, put on the rear shock, change front tires, and ignore the seized back hub. What?? Yep the last time I rode a mtb bike was the TransRockies Aug 14th. Almost 2 months off.

Don't worry I rode in France and have been on my cx bike but not a lot.

We got a late start, which you do on a long weekend. Hit the Bowness pastry shop, and then the road. Kate and Alana could not decide where to go but I have been very interested in the new trials developing around Exshaw.

Razors Edge branches off Jewel above the Quaite junction. We had planned on a long ride but after the slow start and coffees we decided on Quaite to jewel to Razor.

The trial is rough to start but soon turn into joyous mountain biking. Real mountain biking. Tough drops, tough ups, of camber. All good.

The wind was vicious at the top and so strong that it made it near impossible to ride down. it would just grab your front tire and you would ride off the trial. Like you were a remote control rider with a bad operator.








It's Steeper than it looks, Nice work Alana






The wind was so strong and gusty that we had to walk down the open rock face sections. A little disappointing but I will be back to do this again. probably in the morning.



Look out Toby here comes Kate

Fat and Sassy Season

Once a year I sit back, eat, drink and put training on the back burner. I call it Fat and Sassy season. I have taken a lot of ribbing when I say Fat, the sassy part people get and is usually porportional to the number of Guinness i have had. In the time between after the TR to 4 weeks later i had put on 12 pounds. Yep that is 3 pounds a week. You know you are indulging then.

Last weekend was I spent 4 days in Ontario with long time friends re-acquainting, laughing, eating, drinking. The only exercise coming from 2 dips in a very cold lake, one intentional, one not! and climbing up a forest fire watch tower to view the beautiful fall colors in the trees.

Up late, sleep in, bacon for breakfast, happy hour at 4pm. Wow not the same guy from mid summer.

Is it a bad thing? Do I regret it? NO!

It is my sanity check. for 10 months of the year I focus on getting in and maintaining my race form. It encompasses my whole life, from what i eat to what time I go to bed. It is a 10 month mental interval and as with any interval you need a rest period. Each fall is my rest period.

i have started to train again. I will keep the amount and type of food in check now. I will, however, still have a beer. Not 12 but a few social beers over the winter keep me sane and allow me to hang with my friends in a different way. So, let's have a beer. But the best beer is the one you deserve so let's ride first!!!