Epic camping weekend!

Fish. Rain. Hail. Rain. Frogs. More rain. Canoes. And yet more rain.

If I told you that you could go camping with your friends, their wives and kids numbering twenty-four in all, and you'd have to drive over four hours to get there including an hour deep into Algonquin Park, AND it would rain every day AND you'd go fishing for your kids, who would throw one line in the water then give it all up to catch frogs, how'd you like to take that trip?

Epic. Camping. Weekend.

We didn't see anything exciting like this - at least not while we were there. I was told however that the early arrivers (night before) did have one trample through the campsite "next door". That seems to really be the "wildlife" spot, and not in a "go clubbing until 2 a.m." wildlife spot. Last year we were informed that the rangers had set up a bear trap on that very spot in hopes of catching and moving a pesky black bear. The bear never returned, but apparently Junior the Moose came back to say hello this year again.

I had plans for some open-water swimming and a trail run while up in the park. The rain and the temperature scotched those plans - it rained steadily, including hailstones (!!) on the first day and was eight degrees C (47F) when I woke up the next day. Couldn't convince anyone to canoe out and "ride shotgun" on the lake in the rain. Made for a great euchre tournament, however.

Fishing is not really my thing but I did catch the only thing anyone caught - a clam! I've never heard of anyone hooking a clam before.

All in all, not exactly the weekend you would draw up in the planning stage, but memorable nonetheless.

Peace.

Peterborough race report '09....

Or, some things you just can't explain.

I can't explain this result. Rather than breaking it down by sport I'll just throw it down on the board and try to figure it out afterward.

Total - 4:56:05, 81st overall (of 459)

Swim 36:36 (35/63 ag) @ 1:50/100m

Bike 2:36:00 (20/63 ag) @ 32.7 km/h

Run 1:40:35 (18/63 ag) @ 4:47 km/h

I really have no explanation for this time. I understood at the start that the run course was going to be officially shorter than 90km due to roadwork (THAT wasn't in the pre-race newsletter!) but a reputable source of mine had it on his computer at 88km, so it wasn't that much shorter - "official" race distance listed it at 85 km.

Due to the training I had put in before this day (that is to say, not much) I really thought I'd be well over 5:30, in the area of the 5:45 range. My only goal was to keep it reined in and to get through the day alive. I think keeping the power output controlled on the day was a big factor - I didn't try to gun it at any time, just kept it even and consistent. The temperature on the day was also cool and the mega wind that was threatened never really materialized.

Not sure what I was doing licking the fingers?

I knew something was up after the first lap of the swim - PBO is two 1km laps - when I came out of the water in 17:37. I was shooting for a 20-minute 1km and had "seeded" myself in that pack. I remember thinking that time was ridiculous and also that I felt great - relaxed, not over-exerted or anything. Coming out of the water 2-3 minutes ahead of where I thought I would be was to be an omen for the rest of the day.

Heading out, almost missed the cameras...went by too soon!

The bike course, with the exception of one monster 3km climb at the 28km mark (and really, who needs that partway through the day?!?) actually seemed easier to me than the original course. The traditional course had a lot more rolling sections that really interrupted the overall flow. Also I'm sure that keeping the climbs under control and spinning up the hills rather than mashing had a lot to do with it this year. I also managed to finish the ride with dropping my chain like a moron or launching any bottles.

I did learn a couple of things on the run. #1 - the race, that is to say the work, really starts at 16km on the run. At that point I was trying to keep moving, and to stop thinking about the second thing I learned, which was: #2 - I can run about 16km sockless with no problems. After that I have one blister per km to prove that I still need to work on that, and that I'll never be running a sockless marathon.

A big shout-out to my peeps: Tyler, Darren, Cliff, Francisco and Stephen, who also kicked it at PBO on Sunday and again to Francisco who's heading on to Lake Placid in less than two weeks.

After the race Team Ironhead went directly into vacation mode, driving four hours from PBO to the beach house for a well-deserved va-cay. Once again, thanks to the team, who made the day possible. Oi!

Peace.