Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Longest Day 10k

June 17, 2011

35th Overall, 8th Female, 6th Female 16-39

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Whistler Adult Sprint Tri

May 28, 2011

3rd Overall, 1st Female, 1st Female 35-39

First Tri in over 2 years. Led the swim and stayed out in front to about 50 m into the run. First out on the bike meant I cleared the bears off the course for the others. Love Whistler!




Mother's Day 5k - #11 BC Timex Road Running Series

May 8, 2011

44th Overall, 12th Female, 3rd Female 35-39

Dave Reed Classic 5k - #8 BC Timex Road Running Series

March 26, 2011

BC 5k Championships

95th Overall, 25th Female, 1st Female 35-39

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Thanks Ladies

I train with an incredible group of people but it's a small group of women that really push me (not counting my coaches who get paid to ride my butt). I train with a bunch of women spanning three decades in age. We're all high performance, hugely dedicated athletes and we all bring something different to the table.

The 20something is energetic and fearless, the 30something is a workhorse but she's put in her time and is a little more cautious, a little more relaxed, and the 40something is experienced and wise and is the mother of our little group.

We push each other during training, celebrate each others victories and offer perspective, sympathy and hugs when we're feeling beaten and discouraged.

I don't need a therapist because I have these women in my life. 4 hour long bike rides provide a lot of opportunity for group therapy. All of it free.

Sunday, April 12, 2009

But Can You Get Up?

Chris joined me for a 2-hour easy ride on Friday afternoon. We rode to Iona (Iona Beach Regional Park by the airport) and back via the Cypress Street Bike Route and Arthur Laing Bridge. Getting on the bridge from airport side is a little tricky. With the bike route closed as a result of the Canada Line construction, cyclists are left with two choices for getting on the bridge. One involves crossing two on/off ramps and the other involves a fast left turn and a ramp crossing. The left turn is fast because the intersection is huge and the green light is so short. Having had problems with the two on/off ramps the last time, I chose taking the left turn.

The light turned green, we started moving into the intersection, and the light turned yellow - we're only 1/4 through our turn! - we kept moving. At this point, I have my eye on a car opposite us that is waiting to turn right but that is rolling forward. Chris, who is behind me, is watching the same car. Chris yelled something to me about the car and, as a precaution, I straightend up my front wheel out of the path of the moving car. Chris, who is riding with one hand because he's fussing with his shirt, couldn't turn his wheel in time and hit me. Chris crashed onto the road behind me and in front of all the cars waiting to go our way.

Except for some stiffness and some bruises Chris is fine. He blames me for the accident but I think there's more to it than just moi. The important thing is we've learned from it. We won't repeat our mistakes that lead to Friday's accident. But we'll make other ones. That's the way it goes. We all fall down sometimes.

The million dollar question is "can you get up"?

(Note: After the accident, we saw cyclists using the closed bike route to get up onto the bridge deck. The route has re-opened.)

Running Scared

We're now running scared. Our fear can be spin doctored as being "aware" and "street smart" but, really, it's plain old fear.

The murder of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry, a woman of 53, a mother and an ardent runner, has shattered a family, a neigbourhood, and a city of walkers and runners. Wendy was killed while running in Pacific Spirit Park on the afternoon of April 3rd. Pacific Spirit Park is a forest with a large and well maintained trail system that attracts walkers, dog walkers, runners and cyclists year round.

My husband and I walk or run with our dog in the park a lot - more than once a week when we can. I have logged endless hours of training in and around the park as have most of my training partners. We have trained in the park together. We have all trained there alone. But not anymore. Now, we're running scared.

And, frankly, it sucks.