How was Toronto?

Long drive to Toronto last Sat. night.

Confession: I've been dreading this drive since the accident. Just the thought of it stressed me out. Every time I've been in the vicinity of where I lost control of my car going somewhere else, I've searched in vain for "the site", never finding it. I don't remember where I had my accident. I can't find that open area between the two sides of the highway where I travelled so quickly into another collision or that guard rail that "saved" my life. In fact, there are hardly any guard rails.

But I did it. I drove the distance, and back, sometimes clutching my steering wheel really tightly from anxiety, but I overcame a huge hurdle. Driving still scares the heebie-jeebies out of me, especially when I get drivers like the one that cut me off on the 401 in Toronto by crossing over three lanes in one fell swoop and ignoring that I was in his blind spot.

I have become hyper-aware of bad dangerous drivers. Defensive driving, I suppose. It's incredible even the number of drivers that go through stop signs ...

Here's my past week's training:

Saturday
- nada

Sunday
- After only four hours sleep, I cycled 118km over way too many hills. Just outside Scarborough, there's an awful lot of them. I was quite happy to do all of them on the way "out". On the way back was another matter ... into the wind. This has been my longest cycle, but I am still sooooo behind in mileage.
- My friend MetalBoy told me that I would have to "do the miles" if I had any hope of finishing the Ironman. Because of the accident, I have two less months of miles. Sigh.
- Exhausted when I went to bed at the same time as the kiddies.

Monday
- Got up early to get to the pool, but not early enough. I misread the schedule. Drat. Only 20 - 25 min. to swim. Got in a slow 900 m.
- Torrential rain. Thunder and lightning. I made myself go out and run after I got back from my swim. I whimpered to my kids before leaving and sought out encouragement kisses and hugs.
- 15 min. warm-up. 5 x 8 min. just-under-race-pace with 2 min. recovery (fast walking). Finished with 20 min. cool down. Total time = 1 h 25 min.
- Went to Canada's Wonderland in the afternoon and got there when it was still raining. Waited 15 min. in the car for the thunder and lightning and torrential rain to subside. Never had to wait again that day for any of the rides. Great day for an amusement park!
- The kiddies and I met up with friends for supper. We could have fallen asleep in our plates. What a big day!

Tuesday
- Up before 7am. Absolutely gorgeous day outside, not too warm, sunny. I had planned to cycle a bit in the afternoon. Nada. Never found a spare moment what with my mother's doctor's appointment in the morning and visiting friends and family all day long. Getting around in Toronto sure is long! Everything is so far away!
- Again, I crawled into bed at the same time as the kids. These earlier nights have been good for me though I wish I could sleep in with the kids but alas, I have to train.

Wednesday
- This time, I planned the pool a bit better. Difficult thing about the "fast" lane at this particular pool is that it is slower than the medium lane back here in Montreal. Lots of Chinese retirees.
- Still got in 200 m warm-up followed by 10 x 300 m slow swimming concentrating on pushing and pulling. Total = 3200 m. Not too shoddy.
- Followed this by a cycle in the pissing rain. 68 km. Wasn't supposed to be but I got lost for 10 km before I figured it out, then had to double back.
- Caught the film "Cars" with the kiddies. Not bad. I was so tired during the film, I think I snoozed off for 10 min.

- So glad to spend a relaxing evening at home, well until I had to go out and meet Justin Poy, a man whom I had written a magazine article about.
- Justin's raised several millions for charity, has seen way more adversity than the average Joe, and remains incredibly chipper and positive about life. He presently has a cast on his leg from having broken it badly, having also had a cast on his other leg earlier this year from torn tendons. More incredibly, he is awaiting his third kidney transplant and for the past five years, has had to hook himself up to a dialysis machine 4 or 5 times a week. Incredible man.

Thursday
- I cheated with training today. Had laundry and packing to do and I also decided to sleep in with the kiddies. Never good to do a long drive on a lack of sleep.
- Cycled for 45 min. then changed shoes for a run. Got kisses from the kiddies again for encouragement. Went for a run in the blazing heat and humidity. 29C with humidex making it 34C. Sunshine. Hardly any shade. Ugh. Was supposed to run 1 h 50 min. Finished with 1 h 05 min. and blamed it on dyslexia. That was long enough, and besides, my mum was waiting for us to go out for dim sum for lunch.
- It seemed like a longer drive home than the previous times ... argh ... tired ...

Fun week in Toronto. Would have been more fun if I had gotten in some much needed R&R.

Friday
- Nada again. Busy with the kiddies until their return to their father's then just some much-needed hanging out with a good friend. I had a lot on my mind.