Nanaimo Training Day

Dec 4 - 2010

One thing I miss about living up at the Icefield in a staff accom was having friends around all the time, and training partners anywhere you look.  Want to hit a hike up?  5 people ready to go with you.  Need motivation for a 10k?  A buddy is pushing you out the door.  Living in a big city when you have to drive 30 minutes for 10k is a big big difference.

We were out on the island again this weekend and I had the chance to meet up with Josh (nailed IM Canada in 2009) to get a swim in together and some swimming tips.  Hit up Timmys drive thru for a quick coffee as I left the hotel at 745 and up to the Nanaimo Aquatic Centre.  Beautiful facility here, 50m pool so nice!  We were swimming just after 8 and he was off like a cannon.  For a big guy more built for rugby I don't know how he swims so fast.  Our first 500m was my race pace pretty much.  We ended up getting over 2000m in by the end, felt awesome to be rolling back to the hotel free breakfast already having got a good workout in!


After watching a very mediocre Santa Clause Parade (there were multiple Santa's in this, which should prove traumatic for some kids, am I wrong?).  Even had the opportunity to watch a true redneck driving his John Deere down main street stroking a mounted deer head with duct tape on its nose, how did this 'float' get approved?  Or did he just happen to drive up and join in?  Baffling.

Met up with Josh again around 2 for a trail run around Westwood Lake.  Its a 6k loop around.  As he got there I let him in on the news that we were doing a 12k double loop, impressed he was.  Kept a good pace and of course lots of bs'ing along the run but saw about 12 seconds of sun the entire time as it had just ducked behind the ridgeline.  Frozen 'mid section' yet again!  Hit up his inlaws place for a shower to thaw out then out for some good eats and unfortunately, back to the mainland.

Westwood Lake - some serious climbing at one end

Solid day!

Opening Day Mt. Washington

December 3rd, 2010


Slightly tape delayed, sorry.

The first snowboarding since Apr 09 in Hokkaido, Japan.  Gave it a pass in 2010 what with no patience for overpriced underperforming nearby hills and having no job upon return to Canada. 










Opening day, but Coach was on the IR so just wife and I.  Got morning passes for $48 ($55 after HST) each, good til 1230pm. By the time we'd geared up, walked up the far parking lot, got tix.. we were boarding by 930. We went right down a nice powdery run, bad idea by me though as it was a little over her comfort level, and took us 1/2 hour of wasted time to get down. Deep breaths....

Took eagle express up to the top, some good runs but had to get some groomers in so I didnt get divorced before the fact. This meant over an hour of opening day powder disappeared before our eyes as the other riders thrashed it to bits. NOTHING like Japan when youd have the chance to find stashes all day long.  A few runs on the other side, then back again. Took off solo for a few tree runs but even in there it was carved out, any powder that was around felt pretty heavy and had to have a good run of speed to get through it. Cant really complain though as if its this good on opening day, this mountain must be awesome mid season.  O called it at noon with an injured ankle so I did a run more then went into the tech shop to get my bindings worked on. Somehow in my move/shipment my bolts/washers/plates went missing so the bindings shifted left right on each turn. They added a set of washers to make it work, then a nylon threaded lockbolt on my right toe which had been coming loose for years. $20 down but bindings good and ready!

Down to Cumberland for some homemade pizza slices, good kohi, then drove down to Nanaimo for an awesome night of good food and a Shane Philip concert (and got to meet the dude himself before he went on stage!)

Trail Run - Seal Bay Comox

December 2nd, 2010

4 day weekend! Out of bed at 445am, 630ferry to Nanaimo, then driving up to Campbell River.  A few Serious Coffee trips then drove down to Comox to go for a trail run near Seal Bay.

Ran these trails with Josh in July, beauty trails mostly singletrack, hard to figure out where you are but we managed to more or less run the 7k loop. Bit of sun peakin through, felt good!

Off to Courtenay serious coffee for a bit more work then catch up with Josh and Crystal, before over to the Riva's house for some unreal curry, lots of sports, and a fair snifter of Captain. Great day. Love the island.

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.