Posted by: Karen | February 3, 2012

Did I Say That Out Loud?

On the last day of 2011, in a rush of New Year’s resolutionism, I said this out loud on the blog:

The fitness plan for the first quarter of 2012 involves bike commuting 2-3 times a week, running 3 times per week, and a casual, relaxing swim each weekend. I’ll run on at least 2 of the non-bike weekdays, and again on the weekend. I’m aiming for a minimum of 30 minutes for each weeknight run.

Then for the first three weeks of January I didn’t actually follow the plan. I did run on two really really really cold weeknights (-27C & -20C respectively), but I didn’t try biking to work that week.I did manage 2 bike commutes per week for the other weeks, but the week night runs are not happening as much as I’d like to report, and the weather’s been nice enough to get out more.

I am happy to have done nine bike commutes in January. I’ve never done that. Twice since Christmas I’ve done hospital hill repeats with the CRR 10k group. I also ran two more trail races in my CRR XC race streak. I should count my runs again. I used to do that.

It’s not like I have to do this. I am still able to eat and breathe and work and play and no one has openly shunned me (that I know of) for exercising less than I said I would.

But I do get to do this, right? I’m not injured or ill. I can make the time and afford the gear. I live in a place where I’m free and it’s safe to play outside, on my own and with others. I am privileged to have the health and resources to do this – why waste it? It’s FUN when I actually get out there and I like feeling fit. No one is holding me back but me.

So let’s try to follow the plan a little better in February, eh?

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Posted in Bike, Cold, Commuting, Life in General, Running, XC Races | Tags: , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Karen | December 30, 2011

For the Record

This post is just because I need to say it out loud. It happened, and more will happen, especially if I blog it.

In 2010 I set my first benchmark of 108 bike commutes in one year. I began in late March, thinking I would just do it a couple of times a week, but fell in love with it and soon worked up to 5 times a week. My boss challenged me to see if I could make 100 rides for the year, a “century”, and though I thought it was a stretch, I rose to the challenge and surpassed it.

In November of 2010 I hung up my bike due to snow and cold and didn’t get back on it for 5 very long months. I really missed my bike commutes!

This year (2011) I tallied 116 bike commutes. I didn’t begin riding again until almost the end of April, as spring was very late in coming and I was afraid to ride on ice. This fall I dreaded the coming of winter and decided I would attempt winter riding. I bought lobster mitts and bike lights and studded tires. It’s working so far, and I look forward to setting new benchmarks, like how many bike commutes I’ll do in January, February, and March.

I haven’t been riding 5 days a week this winter, and don’t aspire to, as I’d like to save some energy for running on non-bike days. In the summer I was fine to bike commute AND run on the same day, but winter commuting takes a bit more time and effort, and my running needs help.

The fitness plan for the first quarter of 2012 involves bike commuting 2-3 times a week, running 3 times per week, and a casual, relaxing swim each weekend. I’ll run on at least 2 of the non-bike weekdays, and again on the weekend. I’m aiming for a minimum of 30 minutes for each weeknight run.

It will be a challenge to plan the workouts around the weather:  I won’t bike commute in fresh deep snow or temps cold enough to take feeling out of my toes.  I just bought some new winter boots and received a neoprene face mask, so we’ll see how cold I’ll go.

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Posted by: Karen | December 1, 2011

Traction

For my geeky friends who like big words, traction is described as “..a physical process in which a tangential force is transmitted across an interface between two bodies through dry friction or an intervening fluid film resulting in motion, stoppage or the transmission of power”

In other words, Traction is:

  1. the adhesive friction of a body on some surface, as a wheel on a rail or a tire on a road.
  2. the action of drawing a body, vehicle, train, or the like, along a surface.
  3. the deliberate and prolonged pulling of a muscle, organ, or the like, as by weights, to correct dislocation, relieve pressure, etc.
  4. the act of drawing or pulling.
  5. the state of being drawn.

This word has been on my mind a lot lately. Mostly, I have thought of it in terms of 1. and 2., in that if I manage 1. “the adhesive friction of a body on some surface” well, I’m way more successful at 2. “the action of drawing (my body) along a surface”.

My enjoyment of hurtling myself across the earth depends heavily on trusting lots of launches and landings. It’s a blast to throw myself forward, but I know that if I land too far off balance at the wrong velocity, I could lose my ability to do it again. It could be painful. I really don’t want to think about applying definition 3. to myself.

Plus, slipping a lot tires me out, eh? I’m 45. I don’t have as much energy to waste as I used to have.

Hobnails in Trail Shoes

Last weekend a friend installed some hobnails in my trail shoes. I have enjoyed using Yaktrax for years, but sometimes I forget to bring them along. Sometimes they slide around on my shoe and collect mud. I have borrowed spikes, but they offered less overall support than my trail shoes. Now I have the best of both options! I relished a wonderful run through the woods and marveled at how well a handful of metal bits improved my footing and confidence on dirt, snow and ice.

Studded Bike Tires

A couple of weekends ago I bought some studded bike tires. After consulting with some bike buddies off and online, I bought a Snow Stud from Mountain Equipment Co-op for my back wheel and a Marathon Winter tire for my front wheel from Bike Bike, the latter of which kindly installed them both for me. I’ve used the tires on five wintery bike commutes so far (including #112 today) and am looking forward to many more! I’m getting used to the staticky, zingy sound of the metal hitting pavement, and I like being able to stop and steer on ice.

Today’s ride was my most challenging winter ride so far. During yesterday’s blizzard I worked from home with a kiddo who was under the weather. Today there was still a good amount of snow on the ground, but I patiently muddled through in low gear on the way in. It was a workout, but that’s one of the reasons I do it, right? The way home was much better, as a Chinook blew in and melted much of the snow.

The State of Being Drawn

I don’t think I’ve gone totally crazy on winter bike commuting. I don’t expect to bike commute 5 days a week all winter long. As a winter runner, I have certain cut-off limits. I don’t run very far when it’s below -20C, for instance, though for a XC race I push that limit. I suspect that my cycling cut-off temps will be warmer than my running ones. I will still take the bus to work this winter, but it will be less than I did last winter.

The challenge of a streak of XC races easily drew me into trail running. Counting my bike commutes is inspiring me to keep bike commuting, even in the winter. I like this word, this state, this feeling of progressing along.

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Posted in About Me, Bike, Calgary, Cold, Commuting, First, Gravity, Life in General, Running | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by: Karen | November 12, 2011

More Counting

Many athletes track their efforts on spreadsheets or websites, but lately I’m only counting two things; my bike commutes and my Grand Prix XC series racing streak. There are 10 per year in the series and so far I’m up to 65 in a row.

Crossing the Elbow River

River Park Classic, photo courtesy of Dawn Henry (Pink Chick), Calgary Roadrunners. My legs are crossing the Elbow River, but my eyes are taking me up the opposing bank and ridge.

The River Park Classic in September was graced with rain during registration, but the sun came out just before we started. I felt really steady throughout the entire 8k course. Not fast, not overly tired, just steady. I loved the creek crossings and the final, downhill finish through a beautifully-treed slope is always a blast. I brought tomato fennel soup to share after the race.

Confederation Park 4k 2011 Creek Crossing

Confederation Park 3x4k, photo courtesy of Dawn Henry, Pink Chick

We enjoyed crisp fall conditions for the Confederation Park 3x4k relay in October. Usually I allow myself to walk on the biggest hill, but this year I kept a running stride throughout the whole course. It wasn’t my fastest time, but it ranked up there. Again, I felt steady and strong. I brought tomato fennel soup to share after this race, too.

Edworthy 8k 2011 down I go

Edworthy 8k, photo courtesy of Kathy Taerum, Calgary Roadrunners. 1st lap descent.

Last weekend we had fresh snow just before the Edworthy Park race. I had forgotten my Yaktrax, so was more cautious than I wanted to be on the first loop. It’s a double-loop course, so I was more confident on the second round of it. In the last quarter of the race Carla and Davie caught up and kept me company to the finish. This time I brought Lemony Lentil soup to share afterwards.

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Posted by: Karen | November 11, 2011

A hundred and five

So far in 2011 I’ve made it to 105 bike commutes this year. Considering I didn’t begin commuting by bike this year until the last week of April, that’s pretty good.

I have gotten so used to cycling to work that on the nights before I have to use other transportation I put a sticky note on my helmet reminding me not to bike.

I have sometimes used Calgary’s park n’ bike lots to avoid downtown parking fees and still make it to late day appointments while still getting in a commute.

A couple of times I’ve ridden to running club events. Bonus fun!

Last Friday, on ride 103, it snowed. I do not yet possess studded winter tires for my bike, but it was just a little bit of snow, so I rode in it. I have borrowed neoprene booties for my feet, and ski gloves for my hands, so I was warm enough on the way in. The morning snow was pretty and made everything quiet on the ride in. It was lovely. Throughout the day, however, it continued to snow and cars packed the snow into ice on the quiet residential streets I take home. Getting home on slippery streets was a challenge, but I went slowly and I made it.

I learned two things from that icy ride:

  1. Slow and steady is fine, but it doesn’t keep me as warm as riding merrily along.
  2. If I’m to tackle winter riding I really should have better gear (studded tires, warmer attire).

I’m a trail runner who runs all winter; when it gets slippery I add more traction. Does my comfort level stretch far enough to studded tires on streets and bike paths? I’m not sure my budget does. We’ll see about that.

This week I took a few days off from the bike. Monday was still cold and I wasn’t sure the ice had gone yet. Tuesday I had an appointment with my kiddo’s teacher and then her swimming to follow, so resorted to a mix of the C-train and the car. Wednesday I just didn’t feel like layering up for -5C. By Wednesday night I was elated to see that not only had most of the ice gone, but Thursday and Friday’s weather looked lovely again.

Bike commutes 104 and 105 (Thursday and Friday) were AWESOME. I took extra time to go the long scenic route 3 out of the 4 rides. I rode in the dark both ways. It felt really, really good to hurtle my body through space again.

Last winter my bike hung on the wall for 5 months while I missed riding all winter. My budget can handle studded tires and some warm mitts, right?

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Posted by: Karen | September 26, 2011

A Couple of Commutes

I love my bike commute. It’s more than a workout, or a way to get to work. It’s a fun slice of fresh air I get to inhale twice a day, and it’s never the same ride twice. Most of them are uneventful for the most part, but today’s rides offer a couple of stories I’ll share.

Blinking Sheep Dog

This morning it was dark when I headed out, so I lit myself up like a Christmas tree. I have two blinking red lights on the back of my bike, in addition to the blinking one on the back of my headlamp. I have a white light on my handle bars as well as the white front of my headlamp. All lights were flashing as I headed onto a path in a small dark park in the first quarter of my route. I was concentrating on climbing the second of three roller-coastery knolls when I heard VERY LOUD BARKING approaching me quickly from behind.

The barking startled me so much out of my morning peace that I shrieked as I came to a full stop. I don’t shriek. I’m not a shrieker, but I did this time! I looked around to see a young border collie challenging me. Ohhhh, I wasn’t prey, I was a blinking sheep.

Silly pup, it wouldn’t leave. I looked around for its owner and eventually spied him puffing around the other knoll I’d just flown over. He was calling, but doggie still didn’t want to let me go. With a little patience I cajoled the collie to me for a chin scratch to make friends. Once it was convinced I was human and friendly, I sent it back to its human and carried on my merry, adrenaline-enhanced commute.

Touch Down Free

Today was gorgeous, and on beautiful days when I have nothing immediately pressing after work I take the long, scenic route along the NE path home. Several parts of the NE path have been under construction this summer and last, but today I rode home entirely on paved paths, with very minimal street riding at either end. The new River Walk is lovely, and open all the way east of Centre Street. I still had to detour around the Fox Hollow golf course south of 16 Avenue, but at least it’s paved. The brand new wider paths around the power installation at 41st Avenue stretched all the way north to Goddard Avenue. Yay!

The traffic lights downtown at the beginning of my commute worked in my favour, so I didn’t face another car-crossing until the bus barns. That light also sent me through, and with no traffic on Goddard I was just about home free. No-touch-down commutes are rare, but paths help.

For the record, today marked my 76th bike commute of 2011. September has been absolutely lovely for riding this year – we’ll see what October holds.

 

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Posted by: Karen | July 16, 2011

Shoe-Sucking Muddy Fun

It was a delightfully warm day for the first ever running of the 5 Peaks Camrose race – hot but not too bad.

There were many vicious skeeters, but the repellent I’d sprayed on worked most of the way. Towards the end some mosquitoes landed but I chose to swat instead of stop to re-apply the stuff I carried in my belt.

The course was a rollercoaster which started out on mostly wide grassy XC ski trails, but around 2k we funneled onto dirt single-track.

I have run on muddy trails before, but this track had more slick spots than I’ve run in a long time. There were several unavoidable stretches of shoe-sucking, calf-splatting muddy fun.

I only wiped out once, at somewhere around 7k. I had been merrily splashing through most of the puddles directly in my path, but tried to land on a raised spot between two puddles and slipped. My feet went left and I splashed down right. It was a soft mucky landing, so I just quickly righted myself and was on my way again.

The views of Happy Valley were lovely and I enjoyed the company of Bridie, who returned my woohoos with gusto while we leap-frogged through the course.

I had heard there would be a creek crossing, but the race organizers bridged it when they learned the creek was a sewage channel. A handsome cowboy assisted me onto the makeshift bridge with about 2k to go.

I was quite done by the end. It took me 1:50 to finish, about 20 minutes longer than I’d estimated for the 12.5k. I don’t know how I’m going to run 29k at Moose Mountain next month, but I’d better wrap my brain around it soon. Next week I’m to run the Sundre 5 Peaks, about 14k.

Little Runner ran me in to the finish and Mom snapped pics of my approach and muddy legs. Thanks to the 5 Peaks crew and the Camrose running club for a great race!

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Posted by: Karen | May 5, 2011

Still Here

Just a quick note to say I’m still here, I just (obviously) haven’t been blogging lately. I owe the blog some race reports eventually, but here’s a quick catch-up summary, just for the record.

Running
Yes, I did complete my 60th XC Grand Prix race in a row at Nose Hill Park in February.  I also completed the rest of the season’s races, to bring my streak to 63 consecutive races. At 10 races per year that means I should be able to reach a total of 100 consecutive races in less than 4 years.  I think I can, I think I can…

I have a couple of trail races I’m training for later this year – the Moose Mountain 29k and the 5 Peaks Devon race. I might do a couple of other 5 Peaks races, like perhaps Sundre or Camrose, but I haven’t signed up yet. I might do a leg of the K-100 Relay too, as I believe I’m up for those kinds of distance this year.

Volunteering
I am also looking forward to volunteering at the Banff-Calgary Relay again in June. I’ve really enjoyed that in the past and it’s becoming a pleasant tradition.

New Pet
In other news, we adopted a cat from the Meow Foundation, and she’s settling in nicely. She’s kind of a diva in that she’s picky about her food and prefers fresh water from a dripping tap, but we are enjoying her playfulness and she even deigns to cuddle once in a while.

Knitting
My knitting is coming along very, very slowly, as I recently purchased an iPhone and the apps have been very distracting. I have managed to knit a pair of socks and two simple hats since January.

Bike Commuting
Now that spring is finally here, I’m back to bike commuting. I haven’t set any goals for the season (like last year’s 100, where I made it to 108), but I hope to achieve something similar. I have a snazzy new bright orange jacket, so I’m feeling extra-visible out there now. So far I have ridden in to work 3 days last week and tomorrow will be 3 days this week, for a total of 6 in 2011.

Tomorrow is Bike to Work day in Calgary, so I’m looking forward to seeing lots of bike commuters. I might even ride in early and enjoy some pancakes at Eau Claire before work.

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Posted in About Me, Bike, Calgary, Canadian Content, Commuting, K-100, Knitting, Life in General, Running, Volunteering, XC Races

Posted by: Karen | January 30, 2011

12 Mile Coulee 8k Race Report

Karen Karin & Davey

Photo courtesy of the Calgary Roadrunners - Thanks Kathy! Click the pic for more.

It felt colder than the real temperature of -10C/14F when we started. As we began the race one of my cohorts joked “4k or Bust!” My lips turned blue and my hands and feet felt like ice blocks during the first couple of km along the ridge in the light breeze, but I warmed up in the bottom of the coulee in the first loop on the way back. The footing on the ridge was variable, with big, irregular patches of hard and soft fresh snow over bumpy ice, but the hard-packed single track in the coulee was easier.

I was recovering from the flu earlier in the week and my stomach was still feeling iffy. I was hesitant to go for the full 8k, but I also realized that I still needed 3 more 8k distances to qualify for the Grand Prix, and there were only 4 races left in the season.  I hunkered down for the long haul and hung out with the friendly 50-69’ers. We went so slowly that we got lapped by two front-runners just before heading into our second lap. Oh well, on with it. 3/4ths of the way through our second lap a volunteer joked “Sorry, there is too much snow on the trail – you have to go back.” Oh ha ha! It’s a good thing we were too tired to dump him in a snow bank! I had no finishing sprint left at the end, and was very, very grateful to see the clock.

I was so tired and sweaty from the run that it was difficult changing into dry clothes at the hall afterward. It was worth it, though, to sit in warm fuzzies, with still rosy cheeks, eating and conversing with my buddies. I devoured a big bowl of Jenny’s Spicy Carrot Soup (my favourite), and finished up with a brownie and a nanaimo bar. Ah, bliss.

The race director sounded a little puzzled as he read off the results, like “hey what happened to the fast middle-aged women”, but Phillipa and I took full credit for 1st and 2nd places in our age group yesterday. Sometimes it’s just about who else shows up… or doesn’t. I would have kicked myself if I had chosen the 4k and then discovered I had missed placing (age groups only count in the 8k in this series), so I’m doubly glad I hung in there for the 8k.

That’s 59 CRR Grand Prix races in a row for me so far. I’m looking forward to #60, on February 12 at Nose Hill.

Knitting notes: While I forgot to bring my mug and bowl in the cool new bags I knitted for them (dang it), I did remember to bring a birthday present I knitted for Dawn (a pair of fingerless mitts). I think she likes them.

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Posted by: Karen | December 31, 2010

Knitting: Variations on a Spiral Tube Sock Pattern

I haven’t knit much lately, but the two items I have accomplished serve my running and cycling lifestyle, even if I’m not running or cycling much.  The New Year holds great potential, eh?

Project 1: Arm Warmers

Arm WarmersLate in the summer I knit myself a couple of arm warmers, in an adaptation of an easy spiral tube sock pattern my mom recommended. When I run or ride my bike I need to be able to adjust the layers I’m wearing on the fly. These arm warmers keep me warm when I’m starting out on cool mornings and are easily removable or just scrunch down on my wrists when I warm up out on the trails. They’re also BRIGHT, to make me more visible to motorists.

I used a spiral tube sock pattern, but adjusted the diameter to fit my upper arm, and instead of closing up the tube at one end I just straight-ribbed each end. The spiral rib is very forgiving and stretchy, yet it stays up on my arms. Next time I knit arm warmers I might add thumb holes.

Project 2: Bowl Cozy

Bowl CozyI won a ceramic soup bowl last year, for running 50 consecutive races in a local trail club series. It is a custom to bring our own bowls and mugs to races for soup afterwards, but I wanted to protect this special one as I transport it.

The spiral tube sock idea is so versatile for things like this! I cast on 60 stitches and ribbed knit 2 pearl 1 for about 6 cm. Then I started spiraling the knit 3 pearl 3 rib until I decided it was long enough to accommodate the bowl and a mug inside.

I reduced the stitches k2tog k1 p2tog p1. Then after a clear round of knitting and pearling I k2tog and p2tog until there were 10 stitches left, then finished it off like a hat or a mitt.

Next up: a mug cozy for my 2nd Place Age Group cup from the 2008-09 Grand Prix.

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Posted in Bike, Calgary, Canadian Content, Knitting, Running, XC Races

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