Can't train if I've got two feet on ice!

I had a super fun time last night curling with my Meetin' group. I couldn't resist the offer of a free curling lesson given by a professional teacher, followed by a trial game. It's funny ... curling has been the butt of many a joke as long as I have known, and like bowling, it seems to occupy a lot of sports broadcasting time on Sunday afternoons.

I had to find out why.

I can easily say, after having a hilarious time and bruising my knee, that I have a new-found respect for this sport that requires flexibility, speed, strength, strategy and pinpoint precision. Who would have ever thought? Nope, it ain't so easy folks.

Me as skip, strategizing

JC had a super fun time as well!

Would I ever curl again? You bet ya! I'd just make sure to wear thermal socks next time ... brrr. Oh yes ... my team, The Terminators, won easy!

So no swimming last night, just a quick 28 min. jaunt around the neighbourhood before heading out, enough to get the blood flowing in the legs.

Earlier this evening, I did manage to slip in an 11k run. My legs felt heavy though from yesterday's many lunges as we learnt how to deliver the rock.

What did I do since my last post? Oh, my memory is failing me in my old age ... Thursday, a fast 750 m swim since JC's vegetarian lasagne and friends in from England beckoned me and Friday? Hmm, a short 30 min. run before the kids came home, then 55 minutes of cycling as we watched "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air".

I gotta get more organized with this training. A little over five months of training time left ...

Good thing is that the snow is finally melting outside and I am planning to take my mountain bike outside this week until the city has a chance to clean the debris off the street. Ain't no way I'm gonna subject Freida, my road bike to that kind of torture. Anyway, the knobby tires on my mountain bike are much better suited to handle the cracks and potholes in our Montreal streets created by an all too wicked winter.

Playing catch up ...

Been a crazy busy week this week what with the first fund-raiser of Operation Triumph last night, Soul Travel, From Auckland to Montreal. Here's a pic from the fantastic photo exposition narrated by Jonathan Clark, the photographer:


To read the blog about last night, click here.

Needless to say, what with friends in from out of town, all the prep necessary for the show, and some long rehearsals for the play I'm in, Import/Export, I did not manage to fit in any training ... where did the time go?

So today, I am finally playing catch up and tidying up my home and taking care of paperwork and other little things. Gonna swim and bike tonight ... well, that's what I have planned ... but I also have friends in from overseas ... hmm ... and my friend is making his infamous veggie lasagne.

Big black boxes

This has been my week so far ... Let's start with outside my door ...

Wait ... there's a much better way to sum this up. Here's a clip by a friend of mine:

A week after the "big" snowfall, the city is still engulfed in snow and only part of my street has been cleared ... sigh ... But at least someone loves me!

Last Sunday, I courageously ran through the snow so I could get to the pool. That was quite the feat! Short swim of 1000 m followed by the run back home. The 7 km run total through that slippery snow was enough.

The rest of the week passed in a blur. I've either been in a big black box or in front of a big black box every day this week. Rehearsal for the play Import/Export at the Hexagram space at Concordia University and the final crunch period before the launch of my charity team website.

Yes, we are now L-I-V-E !!

Now we are gearing up for our first event, Soul Travel, a photo journey through the eyes of Jonathan Clark.

Check it out here for more details! ('cause there is no way you can read the small print above).

Finally squeezed in some more training Friday. Just 1250 m but that's better than today (which was nada). I met a kinesiology student who is doing a work term at the YMCA where I swim. She's a champion long distance swimmer (i.e. 5 km). She told me that she can swim 25 m in 12-13 strokes. I swim it in about 17-18 strokes. She's only 5' tall. I'm 5'4".

It's all about technique, she told me.

8-day headache ... ARGH!!!

It's been a difficult week. Traveled to Toronto to see my mom and help her out. Ran a short 6.25 km in the neighbourhood on Sunday. I seem to remember running in the neighbourhood as more exciting when I was a teenager.

Back to Montreal mid-week, and I STILL couldn't shake this headache that I've had since Saturday, even after physio and massage. Sigh. Totally not up to training. The headache has zapped all my energy.

Slipped in a 1300 m swim Friday afternoon followed by a short 5 km jaunt later that evening on the snowy slushy slippery sidewalks of my neighbourhood. Felt good to run. Felt less good when I almost wiped out on the corner of the street.

Today, the snow has been falling since this afternoon. It snowed last night too and it'll continue snowing throughout the night. I opened my door just a little while ago and the snow has already accumulated 2 feet deep and filled my big recycling box that had recently been emptied. Being snowed in today has made me me feel ... L-A-Z-Y ... alternately talking on the phone and catching up with friends, watching episodes of Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and even a short nap.

But perhaps this extra rest has been good for something ... good news is that my headache is finally gone, after 8 days and loads of medication! Time to celebrate with some cycling and a movie!