Yet a few more pics

Monday, July 31, 2006

Below are a few more photos from warmups, the womens elite race and the awards.  I don't have any of our race, although some people are sending some, so I should be able to post a few more later (with credits to the photographers of course). 

Time to be packing up soon.  More thoughts etc. during travelling.  I'm taking a bus this aft to the Port au Basque ferry to Nova Scotia, where the plan is to rent a car in Sydney, drive to Halifax and take the plane from there tomorrow.

Patrick

 

Grant

Lucy Smith, heading out on second run

 

Nicole Vogler and an unidentified Aussie coming in off the bike

 

Catriona Morrison, Lucy Smith, Laura Giordana (Italy) on podium

 

Leon Griffen (Aus), gold, Juergen Dereere (Belgium), silver, Rob Woestenborghs (Belg), bronze

Rough day

Sunday, July 30, 2006

Well, it's all over but the cryin'.  First the bad news: Graham unfortunately crashed on the bike after a great first run, where he was just back of the lead group of about 8 guys.  He explained that after the first hill, he caught on with a second group, which eventually caught the front group, when a French guy crossed his wheel on the descent and took Graham out.  Graham got back up but blew after that and wasn't able to hang on with the next couple of groups that came up, and pulled out. Likely he was in shock from the crash and couldn't get  moving after. So, he's pretty bummed out at the moment, understandably. 

As for the rest of the elite men, Kevin Smith was the only finisher.  I was so flat on the first run, and every hill felt like I was running in sand.  In my familiar position at the end, I think I was in over 35mins for the first 10k, and knew I would probably be lapped on the bike. I was so far back on the run, that they had put the cones up already by the run to bike transition after Badih went through. I had no strength at all.  To save me some self-respect, I did manage to find a modicum of strength on the bike, catching up to Badih, who had trouble hanging on to me on the bike, and then to David Gillam.  But we were so far back, and the front pack was moving so fast - David and I kept going until we were pulled by the race officials at 3.5 laps.  We weren't actually lapped at that point, but would have been soon afterward.  So, the the four of us were out, leaving just Kevin to hang in, just barely to finish.  I don't know times yet. 

On the bright side, Lucy Smith was second, Kirsten Sweetland was also second in the junior women's and we had third in junior race too.

Chris van Beurden was 5th in the U23, Patrick Nesbitt hung in to finish in 9th in U23.  Grant Burwash, Victor Alexi, Charles (?), U23s all finished (they all started with the elite racers, but the rule was that they weren't to be lapped out like the elites).

Some of the age-groupers had good races, though the bike course didn't include the steep part of the hill.

As for what comes next for me, well, I don't think there's much point in trying to train for Worlds again. - after three tries, it's obviously out of my league.  Switzerland 2003 was my best race where I finished with some reasonable strength, but since then it's been downhill all the way. I may still do the Sri Chinmoy Du next weekend for the heck of it, but after that I'll see what I want to do. 

Some more photos to follow.

A few more pics

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Here are a few more from today's soggy age-group racing action, below.

The four of us went for easy runs today at varying times and, aside from watching some of the action this morning, we have laid pretty low, mostly watching bike racing on cycling.tv and sitting around the apartment.  We have no TV here, but there is a communal room with one, and we saw some of the coverage of last week's ITU race here in Corner Brook.  Astounding how fast Whitfield (and others) went on what is quite a hard course - there is no flat on it. 

Graham is running extremely well, posting a 14.23 at a 5km race here in town on Tuesday.  He was third to two other duathletes, a Russian, in 14.08 and an American in 14.15(?).  Also knowing how well Graham has been riding lately, Graham has a realistic top-10 finish tomorrow, and of course secretly we hope for higher.   As for the others, Chris van Beurden is a strong contender in the U23 as is Grant Burwash.  We actually have a strong team here, and with Lucy being a strong medal hope, we could see a breakthrough in overall results. 

Runners passing through transition zone

 

Wheel change zone

 

 

Runners coming just past gravel section

 

 

 

Riders approaching turnaround

Heading back down the hill

 

Start of the men 20-24 race

 

South Africans celebrate their national anthem

 

Canadians warming up (?)

A few pics

I think I've managed to figure out how to reduce the picture size before posting them.  Here are a few from the past two days.

Elite and U23 team - left to right (men) - Badih Schoeri, David Gillam, Patrick Nesbit, Grant Burwash, Chris van Beurden, moi, Kevin Smith - (women) - Sheri (?) and Jennifer Sauks, Graham Cocksedge is to my right, blocked - Lucy Smith is missing

Junior team - names uncertain

Age-group and elite combined, Pam Fralick, team manager in foreground

Elite, Jnr, U23 pre-race meeting; sideshot of Graham

Brazillian team descending hill after opening ceremonies yesterday

Opening ceremonies - performance by Off Broadway

Scene from opening ceremonies.  Flag of Newfoundland nearest to Canadian flag; South African flag in distance and another I can't quite identify - possibly the French flag.

Parade of Nations

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Late night entry: it's midnight here, but because I managed 10 hours of sleep last night, I'm not that sleepy yet.  Hopefully I will be soon.  Today I rode the bike course loop with Chris van Beurden (U23 competitor) and a bit more out along one of the scenic roads that heads west from Corner Brook along the river side - a nice hilly road. Graham and Patrick went for runs/rides at varying times during the day.

The country here is rugged, and reminscent of the foothills of Alberta, or places in BC.  There are mountains here, but they are not high mountains, and it is more that Corner Brook is nestled in a river valley and, if you ascend from the valley, the surrounding area is not mountainous, but rolling.  It is beautiful country. 

Although Corner Brook is a city of a mere 20,000, it seems larger because of the well established infrastructure and the character of the city. It has an older feel to it, although it is not as old as St Johns, I understand.  The people are incredibly friendly, and there is a warmth to their welcome I haven't experienced in many places I've been.  Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that it is a small city, and much of the community is well aware of the recent International Triathlon here, and the upcoming duathlon World Championships and the people seem to be looking at the temporary influx of duathletes with great admiration. 

The Parade of Nations this evening, which occurred after the evening meal for all competitors, took place in the Pepsi arena, and while it seemed an odd venue for a "Parade", it turned out to be a cozy experience, especially with the performances by a local theatre/singing group called Off Broadway (photos to be coming when I figure out (!) how I can email them to Pano, who has offered to crop them for me).  The introductions by the various city/Provincial officials and the International Triathlon Union (which also governs duathlon) were inspiring, since it is apparent that the entire city and Province are supporting the event. 

Corner Brook has a long history of supporting international and national class events and, as much effort as has been expended by the city, it is apparent that a significant gulf exists between the effort made here, and the effort made by Triathlon Canada to publicize the event and support the Canadian competitors.  Frankly, with the Worlds in Canada, TriCanada has blown an opportunity to expose the sport of duathlon to the public in Canada.  This week in Corner Brook, Canada, duathlon is an enormous event - but for Triathlon Canada it is a mere spec of dust on the multi-sport landscape - at least so it seems to me.  This is a harsh criticism, and I am not afraid to say it - that is my perception, and I would love to be shown that it is otherwise.  Perhaps when it is over and done, Tri Canada will step back and says "wow, Corner Brook did an amazing job in putting on a weeklong festival of international events - too bad we couldn't have made the experience more special for our competitors and for the Canadian public generally." 

Yesterday, when Graham and I went down to pick up his race uniform,  we talked with the managers about my stated intention to wear a uniform from a previous year... I'll talk more on this subject after the race is over...

In any event, there is certainly a richness here to the musical traditions - which is legendary of course, and I wholeheartedly was looking forward to experiencing some of it.  I have not been disappointed, and the degree to which the musical tradition permeates the culture and outlook of the people here, is palpable, at least so it seems to me - I can sense it in every Newfoundlander smile.  I am beginning to see why it is said that Newfoundlanders pine for their home should they ever be away from it for long, despite the Province's history as a relatively poor one.

So, to bed, and photos to follow sometime soon!

Halifax airport

Well, this is highly convenient.  The Halifax airport has a free wireless internet connection and I just bumped in Lucy Smith (also competing at the du worlds, and is one of Canada's hopes for a high placing) who was using it. I would take a photo and post it to prove my location, but it's really just a featureless part of the airport, and why waste valuable trainharder.com memory resources with bunyanesque (a new word I'm incorporating into my vocab) digital photos when it's entirely unncessary? Besides I doubt if anyone needs pictorial proof of this! I also bumped into Patrick Nesbitt, who flew in from Vancouver this morning, and will be making his last leg tomorrow morning and will be making the Halifax airport his home for the night.

Flights were uneventful, aside from the gentlemen to my left on the flight from Vic to Toronto, who was eating peanuts, which I'm allergic to. Generally I can tolerate the odor for a while before I begin exhibiting any allergic symptoms, so I tried to see how long I could endure the discomfiting odor and was leaning to my right toward the guy who was sniffing and apparently sick.  When I started sneezing, though, I realized I'd better say something, after which the understanding gentleman immediately put the peanuts away.  After popping into the washroom and returning, I asked him if he managed to sneak a few while I was away. 

I also bumped into big Dave de Pasquale flying out of Vic to a work engagement near Thunderbay.  Being somewhat connected to the pulp & paper/ lumber industry, he's particularly unhappy with the federal govt's signing of the softward lumber agreement, which grants the US veto power on proposed changes to the agreement.  Although I myself do not know the exact terms of the agreement, it seems, such unilateral power would on its face be good reason for all Canadians to be, in principle, oppposed to the current agreement.  In any event, because I haven't closely examined the issues, it is irresponsible of me to say anything more about it here.  

So the last leg of the flight takes place in a few minutes - Halifax to Deer Lake, the nearest airport to Corner Brook.   Boarding time in a few minutes...

The things we need

Monday, July 24, 2006

Unfortunately, in spite of advice from Pano about how to fix le grande photos in my previous post, what software I have doesn't seem to reduce them without cropping them into near nothingness first.  So, making my photo shots more petite is a problem I may well not have solved before I return.  I can crop some to make them a bit smaller, which will help, but all indications are that I'll be sucking dry the memory capacity of trainharder.com before I return! Actually I may not post the photos until I get back from Newfie Land and Halifax, but I'll see.

Packed the following absolute necessities: 1) razors - several, primarily for leg shaving and to                                                                      feed my vanity
                                                             2) underwear - as many as possible, because without                                                                  them travelling becomes uncomfortable...

That's about it for necessities!  The rest is merely superficial!  I could leave without my bike, my running shoes, my contact lenses, but who needs them! Pah! But if I leave without the aforementioned necessities, well then there's no point in leaving at all!

___________________

He who steels my purse, steels trash
T'is something, nothing...
But he who robs from me my good name
Steals that which not enriches him,
But makes me poor indeed

-- Shakespeare's Iago

Trackfest

Sunday, July 23, 2006

I've finally decided to buy a digital camera, largely in order to capture some images at the upcoming Worlds in Corner Brook next weekend.  The age-groupers go on Saturday, and I should be able to get some shots of them, as well as to get some shots of the womens elite and the under-23 Championships.  Hopefully I can pass on my camera to someone while Graham and I et al are in the elite men's race.  The camera has about 10-15 mins of video capability as well, so hopefully I can capture a few minutes in video as well.

To test my camera, I popped down to Trackfest at the Velodrome on Saturday.  Below are a few images of the C group points and Keiren races (missed B races) and the A group points race.  There were numerous events throughout the day, and I have not enumerated the results here.

[It looks like the uploads are awfully big - maybe Pano can tell me how to fix that...]

However, for a few highlights I note that Don Gilmour won the A group points while Bob Cameron took second as the two broke away from the group of nine that started.  In the C group a 12 year old boy raced along with the oldest rider in the group, near 80 years old I heard and the two are apparently very evenly matched.  A woman from Vancouver, whose name escapes me won the C race.

Ryan Arbuckle, a junior, made a separate attempt to qualify officially for the junior worlds in the individual pursuit.  Apparently he didn't quite make the time standard. 

In one of the photos below, the Kilt Man, Matt Barclay (I think his first name is Matt, National team track rider), leads out the Keirin race, which consists of motorbike leadout for a few laps, afterwhich the bike pulls off and all the riders go nuts...

Adam Lawrence, riding his first track race (I understand) crashed after the finish of the one lap B group "Chariot Race", which is a one lap sprint.  Apparently Adam, being unaccustomed to the fixed-gear track bike, attempted to stop pedalling and jammed the pedal causing him to flip over.  Word was that he broke his collarbone.  If you happen to see this, Adam, get well soon!  My camera didn't turn on quickly enough to get a good shot of him being carted off on the stretcher (being the bloodthirsty opportunist that I am), but I include a shot of the ambulance into which he was cooling off before they took him to the hospital!

As for me, I did an easy 20k around the lakes yesterday with a few strides at the end, bumping into Don E, who did a total of 34k.  Feeling like I've been fighting something the last couple of days, I decided to miss a going away party for Dylan Snowden and Daniel and Maria Gonsalves, which would have been fun I'm sure.  However, being so close to the Worlds next Sunday, I'm better off getting as much rest as possible, especially if I'm at all under the weather.

Today, despite questioning how much I should do, I joined the Burnside group for the usual Lands End ride - most of which was easy, but Chuck ("the Hammer") and I did some two-up tempo off the front along Lands End.  I felt quite good and it was good to push hard for a few kms.   After everyone else peeled off I rode the last part around the waterfront with Joe Ciello, here from Australia visiting his parents.  A few years ago, Joe was a National level 400m hurdler, and was training for the Kuala Lampur Commonwealth Games qualifiers before tearing a quad muscle.  With triple citizenship (Canadian, Aussie, and Italian), he's now completing a PhD in engineering management, and is hanging out in Victoria until September.   The ride was over three hours in the end, but it feels like it was about the right sort of effort before next weekend.

I won't be training for two days - none tomorrow, and flying all day on Tuesday.  Wednesday I'll do some sort of easy run, with some short tempo intervals of some kind on Thursday and a ride with a few short accelerations.  Nothing on Friday, and some sort of really easy ride on Saturday prior to the race on Sunday.
________________________



[[image:trackfest_july_22_2006_001_copy.jpg:Adam's in there somewhere:center:0]][[image:trackfest_july_22_2006_001_copy.jpg:C group Chariot Race:center:0]]

Warmth to be missed

Friday, July 21, 2006

I could live in this heat almost all year 'round, and more and more I realize how much I am much more suited to a warmer climate. There is a vague sense of anxiety knowing how short lived this wonderful warmth will last.  So, as much as I enjoy it now,  I could relax that much more knowing it would await me day in and day out for months on end...Even so, I'm not complaining - life in Victoria generally doesn't get much more comfortable.

I did an easy ride of about 1hr 20 minutes, joined for part of the way by Luca S, recently back from Brazil.  I have been wondering if I may be fighting a very mild cold, but I seem to be ok at the moment.  I will have to be very careful over the weekend.  I leave on Tuesday for Newfoundland, where I'll be sharing a college "apartment" with Graham, Patrick N., and Chris van Beurdan.  I'm quite looking forward to it, and I hope it's as warm over there as it here now!

Later I joined Leann for a bite and saw the results of some rather extreme pruning she'd done to the mock orange tree in her back yard: what once was large is now very small...

On a sad note, I learned today that multi-sport athlete Jason Lapierre died as a result of being hit by a car on a highway near Calgary.  Very shocking to hear, and I remember Jason especially for his encouraging words to me after the BC Provincial duathlon in Penticton a couple of years ago.  Although I did not know him well, of the few times I did exchange words with him, he struck me as a positive, very warm and approachable fellow; handsome and popular among the women, not to mention a strong tri/duathlete.

_________________

The spider's enmity

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Today was a short run of about 40 minutes, at an easy pace.  I tested my new slightly beefier Saucony's, and at first they seemed like they weren't going to suit my feet, but I think I'm just not used to running in shoes with extra cushioning.  By the end, they started to feel like they were ok, although I still like the Fast-Twitches better. 

After several days of autumn-like weather, today became summery again and perhaps somewhat more humid than we're accustomed to in Victoria.  In the evening heat, a few flying insects have found themselves weak and wilting on my carpet.  I noticed a very slow moving wasp, disoriented as it wandered despondently, almost drunkenly among the carpet threads.  So I picked it up by the wings and chucked it gently onto my balcony, where it found enough energy to fly away. 

Soon after I saw a floundering fly and, though I was momentarily tempted to squash it, I decided to set it free as well.  A fly that is buzzing around and being a nuisance won't stand a chance - but one that is weak and easy to set free - in that case I'll help it out.  I'm certainly no saint when it comes to insects, as I do my best to eliminate silverfish when I see them, but I think I would put a floundering one outside (actually I'm not sure about that - I really dislike silverfish!)

I once did an experiment with a silverfish to see how long it could survive underwater.  It may sound cruel, but I was genuinely curious!  I put one in a glass of water and put a spoon or something to hold it under water without squishing it.  However, the experiment turned out to be far from cruel, since I discovered that they are 100 percent amphibious and it was happily breathing away underwater like a true fish. A very interesting and hardy species!  I certainly have a lot of respect for them, although they are still not welcome in my home!

Ah, bed beckons...
____________

Kill the fly and feel the spider's enmity

   - from "Proverbs of Heaven and Hell", by William Blake

What the woman said

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Certainly an amazing day in the Tour de France today. It was one of the more exciting and interesting stages I've ever seen (not that I've seen all that much racing on TV). As much as I do not want to see another American win the race this year, it was actually sad to see how badly Landis was decimated in today's stage. But at least it shows ordinary human weakness - everyone has bad days - and it makes Armstrong's seven year domination of the Tour all that much more incredible, and, frankly, questionable.  The way the Tour has been shaken up this year day in and day out leaves me to speculate that more riders are abstaining from the drugs because the risks of taking them are now higher than ever.  No one rider is able to sustain top form all the way through the race, as is more likely possible when souped up on their special kind of Wheaties. 

Even so, given all the scandals over the years, it is more and more obvious that so many of the riders are on them, and we can be fairly certain that, despite the crackdown before the start, many in this year's race are either still using them during the race or did use them extensively in preparation for the race and others in the season.

In any event, my own personal struggle at the moment is to avoid eating too much, since I haven't done any training since Sunday.  I seem to be managing it, just barely.  And while I have not weighed myself since my last fright a few weeks ago, I am fairly sure I've pared down a bit since then.  And  to my credit, when I was in Safeway today, I sat down at a blood pressure machine near the pharmacy, and saw my heartrate at 48 after wandering around - a good sign that I'm recovering well. 

_________________

What the woman said

Descending through the outskirts of a small village, the name of which he failed to note as he passed the sign marking its presence, the gypsy cyclist plummeted down a corkscrew road at speeds that frightened even him, an experienced cyclist.  Crouched low, his outside leg straight and foot pressed hard on the pedal, inside knee toward the ground; around the last turn, carrying his speed onto a level stretch, he whisked onto a bridge over a river, catching as he passed only a glimpse of white water below.

Across the bridge, decelerating, a hot wind enwrapping him, he free-wheeled onto a flat gravel-covered road and, in the mid-morning summer sun, churning dust behind him, he passed flat-roofed houses of yellow and red clay, surrounded by desert shrubs and cactus trees. 

Unexpectedly, he found himself nearly immediately in town central, so it appeared, where he slowed to a stop, dismounted and plunged, bicycle in tow, into a throng of fruit and vegetable vendors and makers of beads and necklaces, crafts and paintings, and myriad fine trinkets. 

He was hungry.  He’d been riding since the first twittering of the birds and hints of morning light; he thought to get an early start that morning.  His objective became the apple stand, tended by a frail, white-haired, darkly tanned woman. 

Two teenage boys, with arms full of fruit, jostling one another and chuckling, moved away from the stand, allowing the gypsy cyclist sufficient room for his depleted body and his bicycle to approach directly the lip of the apple stand.  He reached for an apple.

“It’s you!” said the short, frail, tanned woman with a shock of white hair.

The cyclist paused and looked to the woman.

“I saw you in my dream last night!” she exclaimed.

“Oh, well, that’s interesting,” said the cyclist, grabbing an apple in his sweaty hand.

“In it, you were the grandson of my friend, Heidi," she said.  "But he only looked marginally like you, but I know that it was you.”  She studied his face with large brown eyes surrounded by a network of wrinkles which, to the gypsy, seemed like lines marked in desert sand, blown to ripples by millennia of incessant winds.

“Heidi," she continued, "was a teacher at a high-school, her son Joe is a doctor. But Joe doesn’t have a son.  He has always wanted one, but his wife died tragically and they never had children.  But in the dream, you were his son!  I feel I know you!”

“Yes, but of course you know nothing about me,” he said, too fatigued and hungry to volunteer any information about himself to this strange woman.

She was not deterred by his lack of enthusiasm.  “No, but it doesn’t matter.  You are a familiar face, and I feel as though I do.  I could hug you, you are an old friend!”

“But I don’t know you at all.”

“Oh, well then, welcome to my web!”

“Your web? Are you a spider?” He asked, smiling.

She laughed.  “No not a spider! Just a woman with many friends!  Some come and go, some are near, and some are far – even on the other side of the world!  But I am eighty years old, and my friends are clustered here in this town.” She waved her hands around. “And dotted around the world.  You are not the first that I have met, who I learned of first in a dream.  But of those, we have stayed in touch, and does it matter whether I really knew them before, or if the dream was only a dream?  I don’t think so.  I know them now! So then, welcome to my web!” She laughed again. 

“But I don’t necessarily wish to be a part of your web,”  he said. His deliberate use of the word "necessarily" betrayed childhood days when he spurned the invitations of peers to join their games, wishing only that they would have asked him one more time.

Again she laughed, heartily.  “You know I have heard that before!  But long before you and I exchanged words, we were a part of each others’ webs.  You know that, don’t you? Now that we have met, we are closer for it, but there was never any doubt of it before.”

“Hmm, perhaps," he replied skeptically. "But I’m starving.  I’ll take an apple, and then I’m on my way, ok?”

“Absolutely!  I would not come between a young man and his hunger!  That one is on me.  You may have it.  I know you will not forget what I have told you – I know that for a fact.  No one ever does.  And for that, you may have an apple of mine for free.”

“Thank you.  I do appreciate that.”  He was about to turn away, when his skepticism wielded momentary cruelty and he thought to test her, if only for a moment to ridicule her silently and walk away with the minor triumph of having revealed the fallacies of her thinking. “I have friends who own a sizeable apple grove in BC.  Do you know any apple growers in BC?”

“Dear,” she replied.  “I have many friends, but I do not know everyone personally! That is a long way from here!  I am sure I do not know them by name.  You will meet many people who will say they have met me before.  Perhaps when you see your friends again, you can ask them if they know me.  I am an old woman and have seen many things, been in many places, and met many people - just as many old women have! I am not unusual that way, but it is true! Besides, it does not matter -- I have seen you in my dreams, as I have seen many, and that is a fact.”

“What is your name?” He took a bite from the apple and, as the sugar coursed through his veins, he could feel his crueller sentiments fading, and though he had said nothing obvious to harm her, he thought himself mildly despicable for his indignations before such an old and frail woman.

“I would tell you, but I am certain that it isn’t important.  Ask around; people will tell you they know me only as the apple woman who has met them in her dreams.”

“Why so mysterious?" he asked, genuinely curious.  There was nothing to despise in genuine curiosity.  "Why not tell me your name?”

“Five years ago, I would have told you.  But at eighty, I can be mysterious!” She laughed again.  “What can they do to an old woman?”

The gypsy cyclist laughed and turned away. “Thanks again for the apple!”

Riding away from the market throngs, and back toward the outskirts of the village, the gypsy cyclist thought about the woman’s web: how that web must continuously shift and flow.  If lines could be drawn from her to each of her friends, many nearby, and some far away -- and the distances expanded or diminished with every movement made during their daily routines wherever in the world they may be -- then what a dynamic and amorphous shape it must take.  There are patterns in such networks, he thought, patterns to their shifting shapes and laws that govern their every intertwined move and flow.  And every web is connected, and every dream that woman has of real or imagined connections is utterly true: we are all a part of her web, and she a part of ours.

He continued on into the afternoon sun.

Saved energy - the roots of virtue?

Monday, July 17, 2006

So, no training today, although I did do my usual walk to and from work and home for lunch and back, which obviously isn't training and not ordinarily worth mentioning, but some might consider it a fair amount of walking in a day, as it is about a 15min walk one way, and about one km or perhaps a shade over.  About three days a week I walk home for lunch, and a couple of days I have lunch downtown.

I picked up a package at the post office containing a book I recently ordered online, The Origins of Virtue, by Matt Ridley.  Joanne Fox, a multi-sport competitor and professor of bioinformatics at UBC, was kind enough to recommend the book, which examines the evolutionary value of human altruism and cooperation.  Having just begun the book, it is non-technical and accessible to a general audience, and I am eager to read more and to gain further insight into how principles of altruism in the context of evolution may be applicable to bicycle pelotons and my general theory that cooperation and altruism have a basis in reduced system energy dissipation.  Again, difficult to show, but the beauty of a peloton is that it is so immediately accessible to study, and exhibits basic dissipative properties (ie. energy saved by drafting) coupled with a variety of game-theory-type cooperative strategies.  I see the peloton as a basis and analog for studying so much about basic complex-system principles, in terms of the purely physical as well as the biological and sociological.

It still amazes me how little there has been done on the subject and yet we've been exposed to the shifting shapes of bicycle pelotons via the Tour de France on TV for three weeks a year for several years now.  Granted, as much as I've tried, I don't have anything actually published on the topic either, albeit we are very close and, with a bit more effort, it will happen -- I just have not given it my full attention lately.  Nonetheless, I am still surprised others have not beaten me to it.

Triathlon of Compassion relay

Sunday, July 16, 2006

As a precursor to the day, my night was filled with odd, almost nightmarish dreams.  I very rarely get nightmares, but in one last night some strange woman was standing on my chest and I could barely breathe.  I wonder if I was having a bit of an asthma attack during the night - but of course only I would blame it on some strange woman in my dream!  Regardless, I always like it when my dreams are vivid and last the whole night long, even if they end up on the wonky side.

The Triathlon of Compassion was great fun, where I completed the ride and the run legs - they were shorter than I originally thought - a 19k bike, and a 5k run.  This turned out to be ok, since I went in tired and, while I could have finished a longer course, it would have meant interminable agonies on some as yet unexplored spectrum of pain.

Sammy did the swim, and in our heat, the last of the day, he was third out of the water, less than 30seconds behind Marcello Rosadini, a young guy from Mexico training with Pac Sport, and Elspeth McGregor, another young speed demon triathlete.  On the hand-slap tag, it was a long run out of transition, onto the bike and then immediately up a steep hill.  I passed Elspeth on the hill, and closed the gap to Marcello in the first 3km.

After that, however, Marcello and I stayed near each other for the remainder, although it didn't help me that I went off the course on two corners (a very circuitous course and though it was well marshalled, when Hugh goes hard, all the blood gets sucked from his brain into his legs and he has a tendency toward brain-freeze; when that happens he doesn't follow directions well, and "left" gets interpreted as "straight through" or other variations on that theme.  Give him a straight out-and-back and he's ok, but throw a few lefts and rights in there, and he becomes a rat in a labyrinth, stopping and starting and sniffing for the best way out).

On the last loop, just toward the finish, Bob C came ripping by on the bike, having closed the time gap between his swimmer and Sammy (and Marcello and Elspeth).  We think Bob closed nearly a minute on us.  While I had nicely lined up Graham C for their team, there was a glitch in the communication link, and they ended up with a friend of theirs from Edmonton doing the run, a fairly inexperienced runner.  Even so, it seemed like it took forever for me to pass him after the bike to run transition, and I was getting worried he was going to hold me off to win the relay. 

The run of two loops was up and down hills that had my legs screaming for mommy the whole way, and I never felt like I could really get good turnover.   In the end I stayed close to Marcello, who was roughly 10 seconds ahead at the finish.  We won the relay, but the Fort Street Cycle team was less than a minute back in the end., with Bob's team ending in 3rd or possibly 4th, I think.

At the awards, when Sammy and I went to accept our prize, Sammy was handed two waterbottles.  Sammy took them in his hands, but hesitated, holding them out questioningly, as if to say "these aren't running shoes! Where are the running shoes?"  Meanwhile I was looking at the announcer, puzzled, as if to say "shouldn't we at least be getting three waterbottles?" I was going to wait until after we returned to our spots on the grass to figure out how we would divide up the third bottle between us, but it seemed like there should have been one for each leg of the race.  The announcer looked at us both and said, "sorry guys, you only get two."  Oh well - and it's all good fun, all for a good cause, and we're not in it for the prizes at the end.

Later I zipped into Frontrunners and have finally acquired a couple of new pairs of much needed shoes.  One pair is a Saucony, slightly beefier than the Fast-twitch (which I also got).  I've been recycling old Fast-twitches for all my runs lately, and I'm overdue for some new ones.  I might take the new Saucs for a short test run before the evening is out.   Then I bumped into Joey and Mar at London Drugs, enjoying their afternoon wandering about.

So, the next week is an easy week.  May throw in a couple of longish, easy runs/rides toward the weekend with no intensity - and then the following week leading to Worlds on the 29th, a couple of short hard workouts leading up to the race.  I should be about as ready as I can be given the limitations of my body.  Looking forward to some rest this week.

Various and sundry (again)

Saturday, July 15, 2006

On Friday after work, I got out to the Lakes for a 6km warmup, then 1 x 2km (6:14), 2 x 3mins and 2 x 1 min intervals, and three 100m strides.  Total about 14km. I can tell the base fitness is very good and, although I've trained fairly hard this week, there is enough base to be able to hammer out another hard workout.  Later I helped Leann with a lesson in basic bike maintenance as she is doing her first small bike trip with some friends this weekend.

Today, I did an easy 40mins on the bike before my shift at Fort St Cycles, as I was volunteering at the registration table for the Triathlon of Compassion tomorrow.  I'll be doing the bike and run parts of a relay race - Sammy will be doing the swim.  I suspect we will not have the fastest relay team, as I think I talked Graham into running for Bob C's team - haven't heard whether he committed to it, but I'll find out tomorrow.   I then went for another 40 minute ride after my shift with a single two-minute threshold effort, before meeting Elisabeth for a walk through the Moss St. Paint in. 

_____________

Gypsy's day after the market

The words of the old woman at the village market lingered.  The gypsy cyclist could clearly hear her words again as he rode out of the village side-by-side with a stranger, an older man with shoulder length white hair, helmetless, as they departed simultaneouslyonto a quiet side road of rolling hills, slicing between open plains

The man knew the woman well.

“She says things --” explained the man. “She says things in a way that you can't help but remember them.”

“Is it true,” asked the gypsy, “that she has so many friends around the world?”

“Yes, but don't we all?”  The older man was strong on the pedals, but his bobbing style signaled wasted energy, and he sat slightly sideways on the saddle, indicating perhaps a hip or spinal injury once.  His accent seemed Scandinavian.

“Sure, most do," replied the gypsy cyclist.  "At least by my age - or yours I supppose. But I doubt really that we keep in touch with many of them. Was she just full of herself?”

“She's eighty years old!" exclaimed the man. "Who do you know at eighty who is full of themselves?”

“How old are you?” asked the gypsy. “Maybe you are!”

“Eighty, or full of myself?”

“Both!”

“Look sonny," said the man. "You asked me about the old woman. I will tell you honestly that she is well known in the community. She was a town councillor, and married to the mayor and worked as a nurse for many years...”

“So what?" retorted the gypsy cyclist.  "What's the population of your town? Three hundred people? And what is the nearest town? Some other one 100 miles from here, also population three hundred?”

The man looked away, rolled his eyes, and paused before turning to face the gypsy.  “Let me guess,” said the man. “You are not married? You have an abrasive way about you that I'm certain no woman could tolerate for longer than your first two nights of passion. I just met you, but you make me want to drop behind and watch your ass disappear in the sunset.  Or if I were younger, I would sprint away from you and expect not to be chased.”

The gypsy seemed surprised by the response, and drew a breath before replying. “You are right," he said. "I'm not married. But that is only because my wife died three years ago. I could be abrasive – yes -- my closest friends told me so.  But so was she for different things, and we complemented each other that way. Do you know what I mean? We were married for twenty years.”

The man looked down. “I'm sorry,” he said, looking back into the gypsy's eyes. “It is easy to jump to conclusions about people. I apologize for that... But if you let me finish... The woman was the wife of the mayor of Nairobi - that was in the 1940's, not here in this town. She grew up in Pretoria, South Africa. Her father was a lieutenant in the Boer War, and is related to English royalty. She has many friends, it is true. But, yes, she is eighty, and she tells everyone she meets at her apple stand that she has seen them in her dreams and has dreamt of meeting them...”

“So she is full of it!” said the gypsy cyclist.

“Well, in that way, maybe. But there is not one person who doesn't remember her for those words. I bet you will always remember her.”

“What is her name?" asked the gypsy cyclist.  "When I asked her, she said it didn't matter what her name was.”

“Helena Harrison, " replied the man. "Now, knowing her name, does it change anything?”

“No. Not really..." The gypsy cyclist paused.  "What strange people you are here!” he said.

Fright night

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Well, so much for the transition from rain clouds to sunnier, warmer whether today.  I think the transition I was forecasting went the other way: rainy, cool and cloudy - to rainier, cooler and cloudier.  Oh well, what can you do? Shoe dwelling can be so onerous sometimes!  But! when the shoe-keepers allow, which is rare, I do try to get out every now and again...

So, I did get on the bike for a bit over 2.5 hours, catching up to Andrew Morgan for a short way along the Goose, exchanging pleasantries, while making my way to Metchosin to carry on my ride.  By the time I hit Latoria Rd, however, the rain began and made mincemeat out of my ride, which, aside from the frostbite on my arms, I was enjoying up until then.

I continued thataway (yes, thataway) for a while, before turning around and making my way back with rain chasing me the whole way, while behind me, wherever I was ten minutes previously, I could see blue sky opening up.  I thought to turn around and go back the other way again, back toward the blue sky, but I really didn't want to tempt fate and have the rain chase me back that way too. 

So I just had to grin and bear it, turn the other cheek, and put on a brave face.  Of course, by the time I returned home, my lips, cheeks, and face generally were all covered in mudspots, typical of any day in December or January.  I gave myself a fright when I looked in the mirror while aiming for the shower.

Definitely needed

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

First things first: a fantastic cloud shaped like an enormous boomerang, rippled in shades of purples and burgundies, lingers high up in the sky toward the western horizon, while smaller dark clouds like handfuls of cotton candy seem to be chased quickly away, barely above the trees.  These two disparate types of cloud suggest a present instability: a transition between the rain clouds of today and, I hope, a sunnier and warmer day tomorrow.
__________

Feeling rather like a "presenteeist" (one who shows and is present at work but is largely unproductive, something akin to an absenteeist) and woozy most of the day at work, the first thing I did when I arrived home from work was to flip on my second viewing of the Tour today and await the overwhelming sensation of sleep, which did not take long.

When the mountain stages start, generally I tend to watch the Tour twice a day, whether I need it or not; sometimes three, if I can catch a few minutes of the late showing too.  This is why I pay for cable TV: I barely watch a lick of television all year long until Le Tour begins, when I can make up for lost time in a serious way.  And if I start to go into withdrawals between showings, I can catch updates on the webcast versions on cycling.tv.

After a half hour nap, I awoke and discovered sufficient energy to turn off the Tour.   Besides, Americans Bob Roll ("Toor day Fraince") and Al Trautwig comment on the evening version and, although they try very hard, there is a vast gulf between their commentary and the excitement Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen can generate on the live versions in the morning. 

So I then drove to the Lakes for 10k of easy running with a 4 x 150m strides in the parking lot to finish up.  Bumped into Charles Nelson as he was finishing his run and exchanged a few pleasantries.  My legs felt a bit heavy, but I'm glad I went for an easy run rather than doing nothing, which I had also considered.

______________

"I insist on bathing once a month, whether I need it or not."

       - Queen Elizabeth I

Tough Tuesday (TT)

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

So I've now got one of my favourite very hard workouts over with.  I say "over with" since, as much as I was looking forward to it in recent days, I found myself dreading it when the work day was over and I was feeling rather drained.  My car insurance expired yesterday and I deliberately decided not to renew it today in order to force myself to ride out to do the Sidney time trial (TT) rather than drive out, which I had considered doing.

A nice tailwind accompanied me out to Sidney, where I sought to sign-on first so I could be the first rider off. I wished to get it over with asap and launch into my mile repeats afterward without it getting too late.   The Sidney Velo Cycling Club has been putting this race on since the beginning of time, though this year it has been fraught with problems, since the RCMP were demanding riders stop at one of the corners, despite years of official permits for riders to go through the stop sign.  The dispute has finally been resolved, and the corners are now coned off, forcing riders to slow a bit, but at least they do not need to stop altogether. 

After sign on starting at 6:30, first rider is off at 7:00pm.  I think there were 18 riders registered, leaving from a standing start (volunteer holds bikes while riders clip into their pedals) at one minute intervals - no drafting allowed.  Course is 18km, basically flat, though there is a long gradual uphill on the highway side of the course and a couple of other short gradual climbs.  Course record is held by Roland Green in 21 minutes-high, and I think Ryder Hesjedal (who now rides for the Discovery Team) has the next fastest time in 22 something.  My best time is 23:49, which identical time I did twice several years ago when I was focussing solely on cycling.  Last year I did a 24.40something and was happy with that, and so my goal today was to go sub-25.  Top triathletes can generally do mid-24s on the course (I think Simon W did about 24.30 last year).

Conditions were cool, with spotty rain and a bit windy on the highway stretch, but not too bad.  I felt fairly good, and came through in 24:57, so I hit my target - just barely.  I didn't use my Zipp wheels, using standard training wheels and a regular road helmet, although I did have my aero-bars on.  I didn't see what the other times were, but I believe there were at least two guys who likely will have been a bit faster on the day.

So, after learning my time, I locked up my bike and threw on the running shoes and headed up road along the Sidney 5km race route for a few minutes of jogging before beginning 3 X 5mins at 5km race pace, with 5 min rests between.  The first one was brutally hard, but I felt like I was moving quickly and was able to really stretch the legs out.  The second one felt marginally better, but it was very difficult.  The third seemed to go by quickly, but I think I was moving a tad slower on it.  I finished up with 2 x 1 min strides, for about 12km in total. 

I then made my way back to my bike, and rode home from there, arriving home finally at about 9:30.  After eating, I now feel very tired, and despite a desire to write something of some esoteric interest or another, my energy levels rapidly diminish and will have to leave more interesting prose for another day!  Overall, I was happy with my effort today.

A note about last Saturday: I neglected to say that in addition to the track intervals in the morning, I met up later with Cliff for 2.5 hrs on the bike - we did some paceline work at just sub-tempo pace, but mostly just easy riding.
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"We plan to do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."
   
    John F. Kennedy

Weekend wrap-up

Monday, July 10, 2006

On Saturday I made it down to the Oak Bay track for a workout with the RB group.  I had actually forgotten they were meeting there at the time, and it was coincidental that I had finished my 7km warmup just when they were starting theirs, so I joined in with the group consisting of Jon Brown, David Jackson, Paul O'Callahan, Ased Said, Rui Battista, Arturo Huerta, Chris (?) Nancy Baxendale and Buddy Bhandar.  We did another 5km warmup and then the workout.   There were a number of different options, as each of us had a slightly different workout in mind.  Arturo, Nancy, Buddy and I did 8 X600 with 2min between and 4 mins between sets, while Rui did 400's, Chris did a bit of a mixture, Ased did 800's; Jon, David and Paul did 1000's and a six to finish, I think.

Arturo and I did our six's between 1:48 and 1:51, with the last one at 1:46 as we latched on to the fastee train for the last 200 as they passed us.  Total distance on the day about 22km.

On Sunday the plan was originally to get up earlier than I did before picking up Simon from the ferry at 9:40. Nonetheless, I did manage to get an hour in on the bike with 3x5min (approx) at threshold, and one hard jaunt up Mt. Tolmie before returning home.  Afterward the day was spent showing my English cousin around Victoria, discussing the vagaries of corporate culture and various ways of reconciling science with religion; with a stop in at the Irish Times for a peek at the second half of the World Cup final, and then a drive up to Nanaimo to visit Harold and company and Simon's friend Daniel and his mother, Auriel, from Cardiff.   Since Auriel was returning from the Nanaimo airport to Cardiff the next day, I gave her a lift back to her hotel, while Simon continued on with Daniel for their 4 days of canoeing this week; after which I continued on, accompanied by a skyful of moon all the way home.

Today I zipped out for about 11km, mostly easy, with 4 strides of about 300m each.  At first my legs felt crappy, but they felt quite good on the strides. Tomorrow the plan is to do the Sidney TT, with mile repeats afterward.   I may end up driving out to do it, since if I ride out and back it will be quite late in the evening before I return home.

The Indian Life?

Friday, July 7, 2006

Yesterday was a short easy run today with Roger - about 8km with 2 x 150m strides to finish up.  Roger is considering running the Victoria Half this October.  My legs did not feel great, but could have been worse.  Achilles is still sore and I'm a tiny bit worried about it, but I've had it in this state before and it always seems to recover.

The plan was to do no training today, although I did get down to the gym for a short warmup on the exercise bike and some stretching, sit-ups etc. 

Work the last two days consisted of attending a training session on "process mapping", which I found to be quite engaging and fun.  I still have an outstanding job offer from the BC Ambulance Authority for a TA there, but MCFD is seeking approval to extend my TA as well - so, when we receive approval, assuming it comes, I will likely turn down the BCAS offer. 

An interesting discussion with a friend about what motivates us to train or race -- or to do anything for that matter -- leads to me to some thoughts about the following question: is there anything that we truly do for only ourselves? Is there anything we do that does not entail some consideration of how it fits into our social framework?   Here I am not thinking of actions which fulfill basic survival needs, such as eating or drinking water.  I am referring to things that we aspire to accomplish: short or long time goals objectives; those objectives which go beyond basic survival.  Examples are training to run a race, racing itself; buying material things like a property or a car; creating a work of art or music; receiving an education, obtaining a job and "moving up the career ladder", acquiring wealth, or choosing to live the life of a monk or a hermit in solitude.

When Siddhartha left his family on a solitary journey and, we are taught, found enlightenment in the forest, why did he need to come back and pass on what he learned?  Why was he not content to live his days out in his own personal state of peace and enlightenment? This last question is related to the others because we are led to believe that if we learn to "live in the moment" or become "enlightened" we will be freed of our attachments and our desires; that if we are truly comfortable being alone with ourselves, we no longer desire to impress or to please others; that we do the things we do solely for ourselves. 

Indeed, we have all heard our parents or mentors say "do things for yourself, don't do them to please anyone or because they want you to do them - do them because you want to do them."

But, subject to further thinking and being persuaded otherwise, I believe that Siddhartha deluded himself: he could not have been free of attachments if he needed to come back and teach others of his findings...

...more later...

_________

"There is no more to be told about Dasa's life, for all the rest took place in a realm beyond pictures and stories.  He never again left the forest." 

    The Indian Life, by Hermann Hesse

The Collective Benefit

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

Another day with no training, though I managed a few sit-ups/push-ups and some stretching/massage at home while watching Tour coverage.  Still some inflammation in the legs, though they do not feel sore, aside from the achilles which is definitely tender.  Through the balcony glass I see some high thin clouds rolling in and the temperature gradually seems to be dropping as the days pass, although it isn't quite autumn yet, I am sure. 

Earlier, I was listening to a webcast interview of E.O. Wilson, a scientist famous for his study of the social insects, and ants in particular.  His discussion related to the simple rules that underly the complex social structures that ant colonies comprise.   At a basic level, as I understand it, complex ant social structure arises from two simple underlying occurrences: allometric growth, or different rates of growth for different parts of the body as individual ants grow from the larval stage into workers, soldiers, etc; secondly, pheremone communication that establish pathways for other ants to follow.  Allometric growth leads to types of ants that end up performing different functions within the group, and natural selection has weeded out the types of ants that perform functions which contribute to group survival.  Different ant functions lead to complex interactions among the group which, in conjunction with chemical pathway communications, leads to highly complex social structures. 

Identifying the simple rules that underly complex behaviour is the essence of complexity theory.  What was most interesting to me was Wilson's short discussion on how the latest theories of altruism are moving from concepts of individual benefit to group benefits (I'm no doubt oversimplying).  But what struck me was (yet again!) how there are analogs for this notion in bicycle pelotons.  In the context of evolutionary biology, Wikipedia says:
   
        "altruism refers to behavior by an individual that increases the fitness of another individual             while decreasing the fitness of the actor"

As EO Wilson says, this notion is changing.  In bicycle pelotons (a la the Tour de France), riders at the front of the peloton expend more energy than riders within the peloton, who save energy by drafting.  In terms of team strategy this may well be done deliberately to benefit individual riders, such as team leaders, at the expense of the riders at the front.  But collectively what occurs is the increased fitness, or optimization of resources, of the entire group which proceeds faster and farther on reduced individual energy output.  This is not done deliberately to benefit the group, but the end result is a net benefit for everyone.

This also applies in my next favourite case of penguin huddles: rate of heat dissipation is reduced by penguins sharing time exposed to the cold. Again, not deliberate altruism, but a net collective benefit occurs by short term sacrifices by some for the benefit of others. 

I surmise this "drafting principle", as I call it, applies in many situations where altruistic behaviour appears to occur.  Ultimately, there is a net energy savings for the social collective when apparently invidual sacrifices are made for the purpose of assisting others.  It would be a complicated analysis, it seems, to set out exactly how altruistic behaviour results in net energy savings for the group, if it can be shown at all, but given that recent theory involves analysis of the collective benefits of altruism, it seems there are principles applicable to complicated social systems that we can learn by studying the behaviour of simpler systems such as pelotons and other flock/swarm phenomena.

Two week training plan

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

With no training today, a nap after work seemed about as much as I had any energy for!  I note some inflammation in my legs generally today, and I have well-timed a couple of days off.  I wonder how stiff I'll be when I try to resume on Thursday. 

Plan is roughly as follow for next two weeks: today, Wednesday off completely; likely an easy day this Thurs, with Friday off, and a few shorter intervals Saturday, a ride later with a few short intervals as well; something harder early Sunday morning before cousin Simon from England arrives for a day before he is off for some canoeing with his friend Dan.

Next week: Monday easy run in the morning, easy ride after work; Tuesday I'll ride out to do the Sidney TT (18km) with 4 running mile repeats afterward, ride home (this is a key workout, and I can hardly wait for it -  last year I was flying about two weeks after doing this workout, after roughly the same amount of racing earlier in the season); something easy Wed; Thurs: long easy run in morning with some surges, long easy ride after work with some surges; Friday off, a few short intervals Saturday and a longer ride, and the Esquimalt Tri relay on Sunday (Sammy swims, I do bike and run again).  The relay is training only, and I don't intend to taper for it.

Not sure yet what happens after that, but the two weeks following will be mostly easy, with two or three shorter intensity sessions leading to the 29th.

Today I booked my plane ticket for the trip to CornerBrook, but haven't decided yet where I want to return from.  May be Halifax, as Roger may be there at that time, or if not it may still be fun to take a trip there first before returning home.  Alternatively, I'll fly out of St. Johns - I am longing to spend some time at least one sing-along pub belting out some Maritime/Irish folk tunes - apparently such pubs exist in abundance there, but they also exist in Halifax...

spontaneous combustion (sort of)

Monday, July 3, 2006

In keeping with my "spontaneity" theme this weekend, I found myself on the road this morning to Port Renfrew for a run out there. Port Renfrew is located about 85km west of Victoria around the southern point of Vancouver Island.

All my training sessions this week have been alone, and I was beginning to crave some training company.  So originally my plan was to do a run very early in the morning so I could meet up with the Burnside group ride at 9:30.  However, when 06:00 rolled around, I realized I needed the sleep more than I needed to be up early for a run.  So I slept some more and awoke around 7:30, ogled le Tour and, shortly thereafter, knowing I was going to miss the Burnside ride, hopped in the car for what was then, an unknown destination.

A destination a little nearer to town was my first thought, but when I found myself on the road to Sooke, I realized I'd never been right into Port Renfrew before.  I've done the Sooke-Port Renfrew-Sooke bike race a few times, but the course turnaround is near the base of the long descent into Port Renfrew about 1km or so before the actual village itself. 

So merrily I drove to Port Renfrew, enduring the convoy of vehicles stacked up behind the driver of some white car insisting on keeping the speed between 50 and 60km/hr between Jordan River and Pt Renfrew.  Nice and safe, but the bike race practically goes that fast.  Passed JR it was also clouding over, much to my chagrin. 

So Port Renfrew itself was cold, overcast and windy.  Why am I here when I can be running in the sun somewhere near Victoria, I thought?  But there is an endearing quality to the town: a sense of isolation exposed to the harshest elements of the pacific ocean, an array of rivers and inlets and at least one swan on the riverside!  That environment is salted with an international flavour, as the presence of tourists hiking the West Coast trail and Botanical Beach was noticeable. 

Parking at the roadside near the riverside, my run took me on roads all through the area, including a run up the road to Botanical Beach, around the Botanical Beach loop, back out and then to a road aside a river tributary, onto the road to the West Coast trailhead, and back.  Along the road to Botanical Beach a truck with some women cheered me on as I ran; then when I saw them again at the Beach loop they said they were proud of me! (yay! that really made my day!).

I managed to do 2 x 10min tempo intervals, and 2 X 200 to finish up about 25km of running, and returned home to the Victoria sunshine. This evening I did a one hour easy spin on the bike with Roger.

To summarize the last week: about 155km of running and two easy rides in the last 7 days, with only one day of rest between the week and a race last Sunday.  It is time to take a couple of days off, though, and I can then set into some hard work for a couple of weeks. 

All week I have felt very good, and I am becoming convinced that some sort of speed work to finish up every run is ideal (unless it's a track session to begin with).   I think the speedwork at the end of each of my sessions this week helped to loosen my legs up and leave them nicely primed for the run the next day.

A pristine lake

Sunday, July 2, 2006

Yesterday, after indulging in Tour de France and England/Portugal soccer television coverage (does life get any better?), I ventured out for two loops of Elk/Beaver Lakes on Saturday and 10 X 200 m strides afterward (total about 23-24km); a one hour easy spin on the bike later in the afternoon; later still, a walk down with Lana, a neighbour, to see some of the folk fest and the fireworks. 

Today, originally uncertain where exactly I wanted to do another longish run, I made my way out toward Shawnigan Lake and, rather than proceeding all the way into Shawnigan Lk, I turned left up the new paved subdivision road about 3km down the road toward the lake.  Parking on a stretch of gravel road, I began my run from there, first going to the end of the gravel road about a km away, and then back along the the new subdivision road to the top, a very steep 3km of climbing.  At first my legs felt tight, but they loosened up as I went.

Having been up that way a couple of times on the bike,  I knew there was a logging road that branched off from the paved road, so I made that my objective for the day.  At the end of the paved road I was greeted by a spectacular panoramic view that included Shawnigan Lake to the north-west far below; through the trees to the south, the Olympic Mountains across the Juan de Fuca Straight; to the east, Finlayson Arm - the inlet between the Malahat Mt and Mt. Finlayson.  

There I saw a car parked, and a man sitting inside.  He and I nodded greetings as I continued on my way onto the logging road.  The road snaked around, up and down, branched off a couple of times; it was dusty and, in parts, soft red dirt; in others, covered in by shale stones, sharp and not conducive to easy running.   At one point I startled a deer which pranced across my path about 10m in front of me, while I passed through its cloud of dust.

At that point I considered what other wildlife I could encounter, and ummm... was that fresh bear dung I just saw?  It was nice and moist looking and it's been awfully warm for the last few days...

I tried to recall what the best plans of action are when you see menacing bears or cougars: do you stare them in the eyes and back away slowly? Or does staring them in the eyes make them more aggressive? I couldn't remember, but I considered what stones and sticks I could use to defend myself if necessary...

Fortunately, I sensed no more indications of any manacing wildlife nearby, but as I continued on I saw two backhoes, a rusty old gas truck, and more fantastic vistas.  As I passed branching trails, I tried to keep track, repeating or modifying as necessary: "on the return, pass two on your left; take one left then one right and Bob's your uncle."

After an hour of running along the splendid rolling scenery, through the hot morning, the odor of dried pine needles and the semi-desert warmth, I decided I should return, despite the urge to explore further and bring myself closer to the ever approaching Olympic Mountains. If I kept onward I would end up at the oceanside, possibly near Sooke, I surmised.

On the way back I made only one wrong turn, and realized my error without spending too much extra time in the withering heat.  Soon, passing the rusted out gas truck, I saw another path between some shady trees which seemed to beckon me onto it.  Drawn to the excursion, to my amazement, there I saw a small lake, perhaps a hundred acres in size. It was serenely still and I thought to wander onto an old makeshift pier I saw and sit awhile before returning to civilization. 

The "pier" was a few planks nailed precariously at a slant on an old log projecting from the shore; it was far from safe, so I didn't go to the end of it.  But I ventured about half-way, sat down and absorbed the sounds of only stripe-winged dragon flies as they flitted about the entire length of the lake with the sun reflecting off their wings, sometimes colliding mid-air; of birds, and the rustling of trees occasionally stirred by the wind.  The edge of the lake was lined with lily pads, and a small school of perhaps ten fish, each about six inches long, seemingly aware of my presence, drifted nearby in clear waters.  Near the fish, for the first time I observed the thick green stalks of lily plants and saw how they rose up from the lake bed, their bases curving into the soil like the feet of an antique armchair.

When there are no planes overhead, cars nearby, or any people for miles around, and you are sitting on a log with your legs outstretched and you see fish drift nearby, you wonder about the life of such fish: they will know that the water is warmer on some days than others; they will sense that the surface of the water ripples in the winds, and they will know that sometimes there is more light, and sometimes it is dark, and they will know where the bits of food are that they eat.  And that is all they will know.  It is a simple life, living in a pristine lake. 

After sitting for nearly twenty minutes, I observed the oddest thing beneath the surface of the water.  At first I thought it was another fish, but it had four appendages and a very long tail.  A tadpole?  But it was far too long - perhaps eight inches long.  It must have been some kind of salamander, but I didn't know they were amphibious.  It lounged beneath the surface, occasionally batting its legs or curling into a ball before stretching out again. 

Becoming rather aware of my thirst, I made my way back.  Returning to the paved road, I stopped to chat briefly with the man, who was still there with his car.

"You must be in great shape," he said. "I'm not supposed to let anyone past here, but when I saw you running, I thought 'if anyone runs up here, they deserve to go on through'.  I didn't even record it." 

I thanked him for that and, seeing the crest on his shirt and the sign on his car, indicating the name of a security company, I noted that I didn't realize he was security when I passed by.  "Well, we just started yesterday," he said. "The company is afraid of yahoos setting fire to the equipment in there.  At Benson lake, a bunch of kids burned out some heavy machinery overnight once," he explained. 

I asked what he would do, though, if a bunch of rowdies came up. "I don't even have a radio phone," he said.  "If they really want in, I'll be closing the door and hitting the gas pedal.  I'm eighty years old, too old for that kind of crap. "  He explained to me the area is to be subdivided into 30 acre lots and developed. 

We chatted a bit more until my thirst became urgent. "If I had a beer, I'd offer you one," he said before I bounded off.  As much I dislike the taste of beer, in my state at the time the thought of one actually sounded pretty darn good.  Before returning finally to the car, I managed 4 X 400 (approx) at race pace to finish up.  I'm guessing a total of 25-27km on the day for about 2.5 hours of actual run time.