Shitshows, Snow, and a Swim

November 16th, 2010


Vancouver's been dumped on with a healthy amount of snow, no way to compare it to the snow-walls of Hokkaido, but enough to turn the roads into an official 'idiots on ice' competition.  I started to drive to work then once getting logjammed I cut back and headed home to work there instead, 1 hr driving to get back where I started!  Traffic absolutely crushes my soul, stuck and taking 30 minutes to cover a distance that should take 7, I was rocking my head back and forth like a captive polar bear. 

Rare to see snow from my place like this

Worked from home for the morning, put the 'cross tires on my jake, then souped up the caad9-4 for a ride in to work, no driving for this cowboy. Rode the long way, deer lake, Burnaby lake, lougheed, rochester. Almost got clipped by a redneck in a pickup. Instead of 10k it took 16k, but more fun.

Worked/printed for an hour or so then left at 4 since it was getting dark. Rode home the shortest and steepest way, up holmes again. that pitch is insane. Got home in pretty good time, my legs actually feel pretty good on the bike these days, im going to keep up the trainer all winter.  Good 26k of riding had me pretty rejuvenated after the morning.

Flashback to Sapporo - snow walls banking the sidewalk

Quick change at home after the ride then off to Bonsor Pool (my favourite pool, Chimo, is closed for 3 weeks of maintenance).


This pool is pretty ghetto. But dead at this time, a pleasant surprise! I did what Coach Heavy told me to do, a few 100m sets pushing hard with only 30s break in between. After the first 3 I could feel my heart pounding.

Did a long 1000m set in the middle which felt pretty good and steady, about 2:30's per 100m.
Midway through lifeguard tells me to go in a large rectangle for the wide middle lane, zero logic to that since there were only 2 people in the entire double lane. She suggested I use the single lane then, I pointed out the girl doing breaststroke barely moving in there and how I'd have to pass her. Not sure she appreciated my words, but I was polite as possible.  I think lane etiquette is lacking here.

After the 1000, 30s rest then 3x100 before a 300m cool down. Short hot tub rest for the shoulder, then up to the cardio room to get a run in, which didnt happen, because every guido and chawchie and his dog were there. Canadian gyms are ridiculous, chip n pepper shirts, tap out workout tops, grunting, puffin the chest, makes me miss the comedians at konami. Dont miss seeing the same guys at konami blowdrying their ass* however.


*-true story

Mini Brick

November 13th, 2010

Set the CAAD9 up on the trainer last night as the rains were due to come, looked gross out anyways so decided on the spin workout. Still missing my precious HR strap so just went by cadence, time, and perceived effort. Set up the iphone handlebar mount and watched IM 2007, 65 minutes sweat at least 1ltr. Jumped off, out of cycling shoes and superman like change into running clothes to head out for a good paced 7k.  One thing I hate (HATE) about condo life is waiting for the elevator on move-in day, sometimes 5-10 minutes which feels a lot longer when you have just jumped off the trainer and want to get running.  I decided to run down 30 flights of stairs instead of waiting then had to wait for the forerunner to grab its signal outside amongst the big buildings... ahhh cities.  I managed to hold 5 minute k's on the run, felt decent and then off to the weekly hockey game.

November 6th, 2010

Out for the long group ride with the tri club.  I don't know many people who ride in the lower mainland (personally), and a lot of other friends are baby'd up so the bikes are set to rust mode.  The tri club though hasn't been the most welcoming place in the world, partly because I joined right after Ironman Canada, and I'm guessing a lot of members were done the season and ready to relax.  


A bit of a scramble at 630am to find stuff, continually losing things since re-organizing the house, need space!

Only 3 riders out today. Prez just finished IM canada, then IM hawaii, he's a beast. C's done 3 IM's. Ive done a sprint. Intimidating! Held on to their wheels but my legs are so cooked from running down the Grind. Just to touch my quad or calve is painful. I needed a decent workout though so decided I could probably bike. I cant walk right yet, definitely no running, but bike was possible. See the map later to tell where we went, but it was a good 54k ride anyways on a chilly day. Frozen nuts and frozen feet. Drank HEED, 4 scoops for 2 hours, felt no hunger and felt good after. More hydration though next time.

Love my bike! BSP did a wicked job tuning it up. 

The Route

Final Grouse Grind of the Year

November 3rd, 2010

The final grouse grind of the season, whether I want to or not.  With the snow forecast to come soon Metro Vancouver put up the warning stating the Grind will close on this day.  It's somewhat comical that they can officially close a trail, when there's still a side trail to get around the gate.  It is nature, after all.

Working from home in the morning, decided to sneak out for part of the afternoon, drop the road bikes off for a tuneup at BSP downtown, then hit the grind and back home by 3 before rushhour.  That was the plan.  Didnt work out that way.

Nightmare traffic, seriously 29k took an hour and a half. Got to the Grind, sent a duffel up the gondola with dry clothes, and hit the trail. Noontime taco sitting heavy. Hit the 1/4 in perfect stride, hit the 1/2 even better, a PB in the sights? Not exactly sure at the time what my PB was...

3/4 hurt a little, 4/4 more so. No heart rate monitor strap still so just going balls out and hoping I dont blow an aorta. Got to the top and struggled to swipe the card, why buy the timer if it doesnt work?? The GrindTimer card may be a great fundraiser for Childrens Hospital, dont get me wrong, but it works like dogshit.   Stopped my watch at 44:23, which I'd see was 2 seconds off a seasons best! Pumped! Cant complain about that.

Pick up my duffel after a dripping dry off overlooking Van, look over and theres a massive line, guest services blames it on hikers,  I told her no chance, the trails dead today, this is just poor by the grind yet again. Running the old gondola, huge lineup. 40mins long. She tells me itll get shorter. I buy an overpriced coffee and stale cookie and enjoy the sun outside for half hour. go inside, the lineups 1/3 longer and going up the stairs now. 

The lineup to get back down

What followed was a DOWN hike on grouse.  I can't stand lineups, especially when I may fester for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, but I was torn after forking out $130 for a Grouse gondola season pass + timer card, a guy wants to get good value.  That said, I was so sick of lame excuses I decided to just hike it down.  I had already changed into jeans and dry clothes, since my run up had soaked my shorts and T right through.  My legs were cooked too.  I looked at it as I was lucky to maximize today's workout though, as well as throwing a middle finger up against grouses "no down hiking" policy.

The down took about the same time, 43 minutes give or take, but my legs were toast (and would be for 4 days afterward).

Got down, grabbed a smoothie, and hit the highway just in time for rush hour. Thank Grouse, see you again, never.

Swimming in the Piss Pool

November 1st, 2010

Back in the pool. Big sign out front stating that its closed for annual maintenance nov.15-dec9.  Awesome.

Get inside, swipe my card, and see a sign saying the special olympics are using the pool from 5-630, entire pool closed.

Bust into the pool with 20 minutes of normal lengths to get in as fast as I could, 100m semi warm up. 100m medium pace. Then 2 sets of back to back 200m's which went good. Used a pull buoy most of today. Finished 2nd 200 as the pool was being inundated with the team.

Only option was the piss warm kiddy pool to do lengths in, they put a rope up for me but I still continually kept hitting toys and floating mats, plus the water was warm, or at least the kiddies warmed it up for me. 400m there (20m pool also), and the entire time a large old man did mini pushups up against the wall IN THE LANE. 

Glad to get the workout done at least, then upstairs to the weight room.

Deep Cove

October 31st, 2010


It felt awesome to get a long ride in again today after the 'reset' week of doing hardly anything except run for the washroom.

Snuck out of the house by 10am, arm and leg warmers on, it was COLD outside, maybe 6 degrees? Rode across burnaby to sussex, then the sea to river bike route, lots of hills, so many hills, makes me realize and appreciate (and miss of course) how pancake flat sapporo is.

Once in to north Vancouver on the dollarton it was smoother sailing, felt good. Rode to Deep Cove (one of the best places in lower mainland) and chilled for a coffee and whole wheat fruit scone at Honeys cafe.  Managed to spill my coveted coffee, my hands were so cold, thankfully got a refill. Chilled on the beach for 20mins then rode back towards the ironworkers bridge. GPS was paused this entire portion, piss off.



Riding on the bridge, which is pretty long and sensed someone behind me. Took a quick glance and was going to let whoever past. Its a fucktwat on a MOPED! He stops and looks away from me as if i never saw him. I made sure to take the entire SIDEWALK that he was riding on, and rode slowly. Tool.

Around this time did some map calculations and texting to realize I could meet my buddy from Sapporo, MEEF, downtown on his paid vacation, might not catch up for a long time. Ripped Dunsmuir bike lane a new one then climbed up to Robson, walked awhile to a timmys for a chill sesh/fend off homeless crack addict beggars.  Ahh the life in the big city.

Ride home from there took Dunsmuir, Adanac, Mosaic, Central Valley, then BC Parkway. Into the wind and hilly the whole way. Felt a mini bonk coming but the HEED drink was absolutely mint, the timmys coffee got my sugar up a bit and I felt it crash, sipped the heed, the water, and then an apple cinn hammer gel. Good stuff! Felt awesome and punched it out through central park to imperial and home.

max seed 55.3
avg cadence 69
max cad 120

Being "Cleansed"

I decided to kickstart myself by dropping a few of lb's to get things rolling.  It's discouraging when you workout regularly yet see no results, visually at least.  I've been taking Usana's healthpack of daily vitamins for a month or so, and chose to try their "Reset" program.  Never having tried a cleanse of any type before, only hearing the horror stories (and bathroom stories), I wasn't too keen...

DAY -1: Final day before I'm on a diet of shakes, bars, vitamins, and some fruit/veg.  I likely overdid it by eating a burg at McD's AND a slurpee after hockey.

Weigh-in 190lbs

DAY 1
Optimistic to start.  Lunch time its amazing the amount of smells you notice that you normally wouldn't.  Walked up for a coffee with just skim milk.  After work stomach rumbling.  Grumpy.  Cravings.
Ate spaghetti squash, which normally I never have or would, 3 servings of it, warm food so good.

Day 2
Coffee crisps in a bowl at work.  Choosing this cleanse on halloween week was a bad idea.
Went into mcds for a coffee, oh those smells.  Feeling grumpy and out of it.

Day 3
I read days 1 and 2 were the worst, so maybe it was psychological but I didnt feel as rough.  Still felt like the odd snack.  Ate more spaghetti squash.  Worked from home due to midterm, made 2 shakes with skim milk, bad idea.  Bloating.  Stunk entire house up.  Felt like I had a bit more energy and went for an hour bike ride on my mountain bike to the trails in central park.  Was concerned with a bonk out.

Day 4
Green peppers and avocado for lunch at work = amazing.  The shakes are making me think of vomit, craving warm food.  Coworkers all brought takeout sushi and good smelling Japanese food back, not happy.  Sipped french vanilla shake and plotted my saturday meals.  Feeling irritable today.  I notice my stomach never stops rumbling.  Also did a calorie count, the shakes offer about 270 cals, the bars about 150.  Add in some veg and fruit, I would estimate Im only intaking 12-1300 calories a day.  Well below normal!

Day 5
Last day, thank you.  Hungry every night when I go to bed, have to get in by 10 or the stomach rumblings get me.  Always rough stomach at night.  Around 11pm wife comes home and I can hear her make toast and a chocolate milk, oh the torture.  12 more hours..

Over!  Weigh-in 184lbs.

Conclusion?  Worth it to knock off a few pounds, but time will tell if they stay off as its always a smarter bet that lower weekly weight loss actually stays off.  I felt better stomach wise even with the rumbling, less bloating (without  milk) and less pains.  I am definitely happy to not have to take 12 types of multivitamins a day now, back down to a manageable 6.