Kennedy Zoo Loop - 42 km

Last week I totally wimped out. It was cold and rainy and I just couldn't bring myself to go out. I figure I'm allowed one wimp out, that was it... no more. On Sunday I threw a fundraising kick-off party which was good fun. I made some thematic treats.

Cookies! Cupcakes!

This week we gathered at Kennedy subway station and there were a lot of us.

Gathering at Kennedy

We started off fairly well staggered but I think that most of the motorists out on Eglinton weren't very happy to see us. I've often thought that motorists don't know what to do with a cyclist (give space, signal your turn...). Then again, there are a number of cyclists who do our cause no favours by ignoring traffic rules. Most of us behaved ourselves and we got on fairly well. I tried to take picture of the pack of us slower folk moving along Eglinton but I don't know if you can see very well.

Look, cyclists in the distance

It's amazing how last week was so cold and this week was so warm. I took my jacket but decided to leave it in the car. I didn't need it at all. I was smart in that I remembered to apply sunscreen. I'm glad I did. I'm certainly more freckled but at least I'm not sunburnt. The route itself was fairly unspectacular and urban. The bit around the Rouge Valley had pretty potential but spring really hasn't progressed very far and everything is still quite brown. I was amazed by how much garbage and litter was hanging around, the Rouge could have done with some community clean up efforts.

Snow and biking

The first training ride is rapidly approaching. I've been trying to get myself ready but it is somewhat discouraging to be greeted by scenes such as these.

and

While the snow has melted somewhat from those snaps I'm still doing all my riding inside on the trainer. Its a great gadget but it's not the same as riding outside. I'm using one of my bike packs to hold the remotes (gotta do something whilst riding) and the phone (because you know it's going to ring the second you're doing something where it's inconvenient to get to the phone).

The first training ride is April 5, so let's hope that it doesn't snow any more.

126 km - Finch to Keswick

"A challenging route all the way to the shores of Lake Simcoe. This ride is essential training – if you can do this one, we know you'll be able to get to Montreal. On these long rides, it's more important than ever to keep your cadence high, especially on hills, so always shift down to an easy gear to save your legs and reduce stress on your knees."

Is it possible for a ride to be uphill both ways? Today for me the answer seemed to be "yes". The good news is I did it and I'm starting to feel like I actually might make it to Montreal. The way out was lovely, quiet country roads not impossibly hilly but a number of slow and steady climbs. The weather was lovely but there was a bit of a headwind. For the past few training rides, the work has always been on the way out, getting home has been super easy. Not so today. I rode with Jessica today and we enjoyed reassuring each other that the homeward trip would be great. After all, we'd just be retracing our steps and weren't we generally heading up? Ha ha I guess we failed to notice those nice sections where we coasted down towards Lake Simcoe. So in the end, the route lived up to its description of being challenging.


In spite of being a challenging and long ride, todays training ride was lovely. The break spot was right next to the lake and there were lovely big trees to rest under. This ride I also got a taste of the wonders of the Road Safety Crew. I was riding up Leslie street and this mini-van passed with someone waving a pom-pom out the window. 'Who drives around with pom-poms in their car?' I wondered. Road Safety of course. They would park their mini-van at various spots along the route and cheer their guts out. It was great and so encouraging. Todd from Road Safety did a bbq at the break (incidentally, Todd and Lynn (of Wellness) have been real heroes at many of the training rides providing water and encouragement. I've come to love the sight of all bright yellow cars, as Todd's car is a very visible little yellow car).

Excitement for departure is building. I really need to work on sorting out what to pack this week. One exciting addition to my packing will be my team t-shirt. All riders are divided up into teams. I'm on the Gears of Joy, here's our logo .



Well this has been a long post and though I probably could prattle on a good deal longer, I've got important reading to do.

117 km - Kipling Subway to Cambellville

"This route around the area outside of Milton provides awesome views of the Niagara Escarpment and the surrounding countryside, with winding roads alongside beautiful streams. The break spot, Bruce Trail Eatery, is a popular stop for the local club cyclists."

Earlier this week I spent a few days in Haliburton with my family (including my sister's four children). Bryn came too and we had a nice ride with my father and brother-in-law. We attempted a trail but I found it too sandy and gravely for my taste. My brother-in-law and I abandoned the trail after a time and enjoyed riding along some north country roads (okay, it wasn't that far north). We got rained on but all in all it was a great little 40 km jaunt.

Upon returning to the city, my motivation for this week's training ride was extremely low. This whole journey has been amazing, I've gone further than I ever thought I could but all the same, it would be nice to have one truly slothful weekend. Throwing off the temptations of a gratuitous pyjamas day and an invite to see the new Harry Potter movie, I made my way to Kipling station on Sunday morning. I am so glad that I did. The day was perfect, sunny but not too hot. The route was interesting and as promised very scenic. My only complaint would be the killer hills. I'm still not a very strong hill climber and if I don't manage to get into the right gear I'm "pooched". I confess I walked a few hills this ride. I started out with a group of four women which was great, we encouraged each other as we went along but I think we were all looking forward to the break.


At the lunch stop I chatted with a couple who were enjoying an ice cream. They were impressed that we'd cycled all the way from Kipling station. As a bonus they told me how to sneak into the restaurant's washroom without having to buy something (helpful people are everywhere). Refreshed, our group of four set out with another woman we met at the break stop. I'm not sure what it was (Sam credits her grilled cheese sandwich and deserves snaps for overcoming the aches and pains of back-to-back training rides) but I felt really great after the break. Three of us moved off and it felt as though we flew home. I'm not sure if it was my peanut butter sandwich or having watched the Tour de France (I think lots of other cyclists were thinking Tour this Sunday, I saw a few team jerseys out there on the road) but the ride back was simply fantastic. We left the hills behind us and enjoyed the flat terrain. As I approached the 100k mark I still felt like I had gas in my tank. Amazing. All in all I was on the road for six hours (including three breaks).

Next week is the last (and longest) training ride before departure. I've heard its challenging.

102 km - Kipling Subway to Terra Cotta

"This route has breathtaking landscapes, passing through beautiful farmlands, nurseries bursting with flowers and strawberry fields. The adorable Terra Cotta Country Store serves up lunch – and yummy ice cream!"


Departure for the rally is just a few weeks away (July 29) so training is getting challenging. I found this training ride really challenging. I'm not sure what it was, it wasn't as hilly as last week's ride but there were some hills that defeated me (had to walk). Perhaps it was the heat of the day, but other days have been hot. I drank lots and was so grateful for the sweeps who watered us along the way. Maybe it was just me; anyway if someone had offered me a ride home at 70km, I would have said 'yes'. I was so glad when another rider came along and stayed with me for the last 40km. He was very encouraging and just talking to another human helped distract me from all the little aches and tiredness.

This training ride was for me a real demonstration of how incredibly nice people can be (yes, in Toronto). To start, I had a flat tire about 45 seconds into the training ride. I picked up a great ugly piece of glass in my rear wheel. It efficiently sliced right through the tire and inner tube, the tire was flat within seconds. Bah! An inauspicious beginning. For the record I can change my own tires but if someone really wants to do it for me, I'll not say 'no' (unless they clearly don't know what they're doing). At the beginning of the ride, I wasn't sure who the sweeps were, so when this guy got out of his car and started to help me with the tire, I just figured he was one of the sweeps. He wasn't. He was just some random guy who felt the need to change my tire. The sweeps (Mike and Wade of Team Big Cog) were very helpful providing a floor pump (it has a lot more oomph and a pressure gauge so that you can get the tire up to the correct pressure). As it ended up, Mike and Wade were very busy with lots of other mechanical problems and crashes. Repaired and back on the road, for me and my bike the rest of the ride was fairly uneventful although I did notice a lot more broken glass on the road.

The second impressive act of kindness really took place in Mississauga but we were very close to the Toronto border. Mike and Wade had set up to provide water in the last 10 km of the ride which was amazing because I was almost totally out. But, being one of the last riders, they didn't have a lot of supplies left. A woman overheard us divvying up the water, went to her car and pulled out bottles of water for all of us. So kind! Fully watered I was able to make the last few kilometres. Needless to say there was a lot of napping once I got home. Today I'm feeling a lot less twingy than I did last weekend so that is encouraging.

103 km - Finch to Holland Canal

"The way there is a little hilly but the Kettleby Bakery provides some respite and the Holland Marsh is as flat as the prairies. Lance Armstrong's teammate, Canadian Michael Barry, used to time trial on West Canal Bank Road and now you can ride it too."

Saturday was my first 100 km+ ride. I confess the 100 km concept was a bit scary but I knew that I could do it. The weather was absolutely perfect. It wasn't too hot and there was a cool breeze. This breeze did become a bit of a headwind in places but I'm finding that headwinds like hills are to be accepted and endured. Speaking of hills, there were a goodly number on the way out but as promised, the marsh was nice and flat. The way home wasn't too hilly either.

I was really tired on Saturday evening and felt some more muscle twinges on Sunday than I usually do. I'm not sure if the muscles were complaining at the 100 km or at the slight adjustments I made to Bryn last week. I went to Cycle Therapy and had a proper fitting which hopefully will fix a couple of little problems I've been having. Bryn is in the shop this week for a major fixing and pre-ride tuning.

Distance (according to my slightly inaccurate computer): 107 km
Av Speed: 20.2 km/h
Max Speed: 54 km/h (I don't really believe this number)
Ride Time: 5:09:45

Notes on the commute

I've finally got my bike computer to work. I think its reasonably accurate although I did have to do some math to get it set up (so take all numbers with a grain of salt).

Total distance: 27.34 km
Average Speed: 20 km/h
Max Speed: 41 km/h
Ride time: 1 hour 22 minutes (but I think the computer stops when I do [like at red lights] so it actually took a bit longer to get to work)

Not bad considering I have to ride fairly slowly through a few residential areas. It'll be interesting to see if the numbers are similar on the way home.

In other news, tomorrow is my first 100km ride. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to do it, it'll just take me a really long time.

87 km - Kennedy Subway to Musselman Lake

"A rewarding ride out to Cedar Beach on the shores of beautiful Musselman Lake. The route meanders through the charming little town of Unionville on the way back to Toronto."

This week I did Sunday's training ride because I had the pleasure of spending Saturday celebrating my nephew's 6th birthday (in case you've been counting, I'm up to three nephews. I also have a niece but her birthday isn't until October).
The theme was turtles so auntie was asked to ice the cake to look like a turtle (my sister had done all the hard work of baking the cakes). It was a quick job and perhaps not my best work but my nephew and his friends were impressed (kid cake tip: anything with candy on it is impressive to small fry).



Back to the training ride: Sunday was beautiful and sunny. Heading out to Musselman Lake there was a significant headwind. I was riding along thinking that even though I was heading downhill, it was taking a great deal of effort (too much cake?). Thankfully someone came up behind me and mentioned he was finding the wind a challenge. Someone at the break compared the ride out to riding through quicksand so I didn't feel so bad about my very slow progress. By the time I got to the break I was ready to stop and have a rest.


Cedar Beach at the lake was very pleasant. There were lots of folk enjoying the sun and beach. I was assured by my fellow riders that the way back would be much easier. I left the break hoping for the best.

The way back was fantastic, it was primarily downhill and had a tailwind. It felt like I flew part of the way back. As promised Unionville was cute and charming.


Although it was quite hot, I didn't find the heat too bad (I drank lots of water and sports drink) until I got closer to Toronto. As I got back into the city it felt like the heat was coming up from the ground. By the time I got back to Kennedy subway station I was very glad to be finished but proud that I'd survive 87 km. I'm beginning to believe that I can do 100 km.

To update you on the commuting. I rode twice to work last week and it went really well.

Under the weather but over the moon

I wasn't feeling my perky best this week. As a result I decided not to do the Saturday training ride. Today (Sunday) I was feeling a lot better so I did a shorter ride (only 60 km) as a dry run to work and home again. The ride was reasonably nice and not too arduous but I need to tweak my route a tad. I did have to stop and consult my map on a few occasions but I find it so much easier to get back on track in Toronto than out on the training rides. I'm going to attempt the commute tomorrow.

On a really happy note, I've attained my fundraising goal. All thanks to you! The rally requires that riders raise a minimum of $2000. When I started this process in March, I never thought I'd get to $2000, but if you take a look at the thermometer on the right there, you'll see that your generosity has pushed my total above $2000. If you haven't donated yet and are thinking about it, don't worry, they'll still accept your money even though I've reached my goal :)

72 km - Finch Subway to Aurora

"Explore the lovely countryside in the vicinity of the charming town of Aurora. Some hills but mostly gently rolling terrain."I am quickly learning that when the route description says "gently rolling" it means hilly. I was very anxious about this ride and did find it a challenge. But I did it. By the time I was getting worried about how long the route was, I was already on my way back to the start (the benefits of riding a loop). The heat was fairly extreme but I suppose that its good to get used to riding in heat (the rally is after all July 29-August 3). I drank all of my liquids (two water bottles) and refilled both once. By the end of the ride you could have stuck me in a farmer's field and used me as a salt lick; although I doubt the animals would have enjoyed that as I was also slathered in sunscreen.

The break was in Snowball. I think our group overwhelmed the shop owner, he didn't seem too pleased when I presented him with yet another $20 for one doughnut (chocolate coconut, sorry I ate it before taking a picture but some people tell me I take far too many pictures of food). He was willing to refill my water bottle which was very nice of him.
The air quality wasn't very good for this ride. The only benefit of smog I can think of is that the haze obscures the view of more hills in the distance.

Training ride 6 - Finch to Lake Wilcox 50 km

"A ride to the pretty little Lake Wilcox in the Richmond Hill area. Features a break at Grandma's Bakery, a popular stop for the cyclists of the infamous local "Donut Ride"."

Today was pretty well perfect for a ride. It was sunny but not too hot or windy. The route was basically a big square. We rode north up Bayview into Richmond Hill across King Street and down Dufferin. I find that Toronto is fairly predictable in terms of terrain. Generally if you're going north, you're going to be heading uphill. Richmond Hill was no different. The climb to the lake was fairly gentle but steadily upwards. Here's a photo taken from the top of a particularly long climb.

Thankfully there wasn't much climbing after this one (before the break). It wasn't too long after this hill that we arrived at Lake Wilcox and the break at Gramma's Oven Bakery. The route description said this place was popular with cyclists but I didn't realize it would be that popular. The place was hopping with spandex and the click of clipless pedal shoes. I bought a yummy poppy seed danish but saved it until the end of the ride. I nibbled my Clif bar on the way down Dufferin.

Although the route home was basically downhill, there were a few uphill sections. Thank heavens for coasting.

Next week I won't be doing the official training ride because I'll be helping out with Doors Open Toronto at the City of Toronto Archives. Frankly I'm a bit nervous from here on in. I know I can do 50 km, I've done it before but more than 50 km is new for me. The next training ride I'll do is 72 km. YIKES! I'll let you know how it goes.

Training ride 5 - Kennedy - Rouge Valley 49 km

Humble apologies for being so late with this update. It is encouraging to know how many people actually read my blog, I've heard from a number of you this week!

Here's the bike rally website`s blurb about last Saturday's ride: "This route takes you through the scenic Rouge Park by the lake, over a footbridge crossing the Rouge River and then along the valley and around the Metro Zoo."

I think this was my favourite ride so far. It didn't take too horribly long to get out of the busier part of the city. The route was quite pretty and there were good stretches without street lights or stop signs. There were more hills than I would have liked but I managed them reasonably well. I find that if I get all tense about the hill, I have a harder time but when I concentrate on keeping my feet moving and relax, I do alright. It also helps to hum a happy tune, fortunately I had the great Caribbean Medley stuck in my brain from Laurie`s recent UofT Gospel Choir concert (if you ever get a chance to see the UofT Gospel Choir in action you won`t be sorry; they`re amazing!).

The best part of this ride was that I didn`t get lost once! I was concerned because the route was quite twisty and there were a goodly numbers of turns to watch out for. I think it also helped that I had other riders in sight most of the time (although its never a good idea to follow blindly, I learned that a couple of weeks ago). This week`s photos were taken where we crossed the footbridge crossing the Rouge River.

I`ll try to do better this weekend with my update.

Cheers!

Training ride 4 - Kipling to Meadowvale - 46 km

This training ride started from Kipling subway station and covered some of the same ground as the ride to Port Credit. The most scenic part of the ride was along Old Derry Rd into Meadowvale. After crossing the Credit river we cycled into Meadowvale. It was pretty with its historic homes (or at least historic styled houses) and details like the post boxes being housed in a gazebo. Otherwise the ride was through lovely Mississauga which featured subdivisions and industrial parks... In order to keep the ride interesting I tried counting the number of garage sale signs but gave up somewhere around six. Garage sale season is definitely in full swing. The road kill season is also in full swing. The count this ride: 1 raccoon (maybe it was two), 1 skunk (smelly), 2 squirrels, 2 unidentified.

I've had some questions about how heavy Bryn is, so here's a photo of me hoisting her over my head to prove how light she is. Note that this was after finishing the ride but I did take off all the luggage (like my water bottles and rack bag).

Laurie joined me for a training ride for the first time. It was a good one to start with as the route was pretty flat and the day was beautiful. Note to self for next time...more sunscreen! Here's a photo of our post ride triumph and no we didn't coordinate our shirts on purpose.

Training ride 3 - Kennedy Zoo Loop - 42km

Today was grey and chilly with the threat of rain. I decided to wear my new shorts to give them a try. While parts of me were glad that I did, my legs were a bit cold by the end of the ride.

We started out from Kennedy station and wound our way past the zoo. I wasn't sure if it was me, but other riders agreed that there was a definite whiff of zoo as we passed. I've been up this way in a car in the past and I'm always amazed how you can be in the city one moment, and then suddenly its the countryside. There were all sorts of interesting features in today's route including several sets of train tracks and two metal bridges. There were also goodly number of hills, but I managed them.

After some time in Rouge Park we were back in civilization and I confess that I found the last leg of the route a bit dull, somehow strip malls and minivans aren't as charming as rivers and country churches.

Training ride 2 - Kipling to Port Credit - 39 km

I didn't get lost this time! Okay, let me qualify, I didn't get lost on the ride; I got a bit lost trying to find the parking lot before the ride even started so it doesn't count.

This second training ride seemed a lot easier than the first ride. Perhaps that's because it was a lot warmer and there weren't any monster hills. We rode along Lakeshore Blvd West out of Toronto and into Mississauga. The route was quite pleasant once we left the more urban part of Toronto's west end. Port Credit was quite charming and there was a nice view at the break. The route wound up Mississauga Road past some very grand homes. I appreciated the blooming scilla and the lovely smell of cedar. The day was beautiful but I really need to start being diligent about wearing my sunscreen.

I took this ride pretty slowly. I think I can and should try to pick up my pace a bit so I'll give that a shot at next week's ride. Hopefully by then I'll get my bike computer working properly. Last week I forgot the receiver, this week it didn't seem to want to work (I think the sensor got a bit knocked around in the loading and unloading from the car).

Training ride 1 - Finch - McCowan Ave 34 km

Slow and steady, that was my motto for today. Here I am all bright and keen to set out.

Today was the first training ride. I was pretty nervous not having spent much time on the bike yet this season. I did go out for a short ride last Saturday and it was snowing (chilly). Before today`s ride, I spent a lot of time looking at the map because frankly I don`t often cycle north of... well, St. Clair really. Despite my swotting up efforts I still managed to make a wrong turn. Lesson learnt: sometimes there`s a good reason you`re all alone... Thankfully I didn`t go too far before realizing my mistake. Back on track, I eventually made it to the end but I did have to walk up the hill on Cummer (the top half of the hill). I really need to practice my hill climbing. I was so SLOW on the hills. I do fine on the flat parts (downhill is also good). Hopefully it won`t be too hilly between here and Montreal.


Ah the sweet triumph! I need a nap.

Quick update

Where did the weekend go? Poof, it's Wednesday. Needless to say we didn't make it out on the weekend. SIGH. But on a bright note the training round-up is back on track this week.

Cardio: 90 mins
Strength: 40 mins
Bike training: 30 mins @ 90-100 rpm

I didn't think I'd be able to sustain a high cadence on the bike but I did. Woo hoo.

Signs of spring

I was really hoping to take Bryn out for her first outing this weekend but snow that fell on Friday discouraged me. It has been bright and sunny since then but still a bit cold and I'm choosing to stay inside. I was happily watching some crocus emerging in the front garden but then they were covered over with snow again. SIGH. Today they're poking up again.

Yesterday on the way home from the gym I was feeling a little glum about spring and a certain impatience for the warm weather to come so I bought myself a bunch of tulips. So pretty. They've opened up nicely.

This week's training round up is less impressive than last week's but such is life.

Training round up:

Cardio: 85 minutes
Yoga: 90 minutes
Watching the St. Patrick's day parade: too long & chilly but silly fun!

In Training

Here's last week's training round-up.

Yoga: 90 mins
Strength: 20 mins
Cardio: 85 mins
Cycling training (indoors): 60 mins

It may not look like much but the plan is to build momentum slowly so as not to burn out before departure.