I WISH...

Nicaragua...Wouldn't you love to be there right now...Yes, it really does look like that on Little Corn Island. Rain rain go away...

I WISH I HAD a permanent helmet cam sometimes as I frequently find myself without camera in the most photographic moments. Like yesterday, for example, when Lene, Shelly and I were out biking Twister between Nymph Falls and Stotan Falls and we got all westcoast -hippie and shimmied up a wildlife tree covered in moss and snails to snag a goldmine of Oyster Mushrooms...quite an image:)

I can't believe it has been over a week since I last blogged! Life has been busy and full of adventure. I have been getting the ELM Summer Program calendar all lined up and working on posters and brochures to spread the good word. Registration is NOW open for our July and August programs and you can find all of the dirty details on the ELM Website:: http://www.elmhealth.com/upcomingevents.html#JULY. Summer Bootcamp, Baby Bootcamp, Adventure Running and Yoga-Fit, Half Marathon Training, Orienteering, MOMAR 101, and Womens Only Hiking!

Last week was a great week of training and playing once again. Where did I leave off...

Monday: 60 minute Trail Run at Nymph Falls with the Women's Off-Road Clinic...Bootcamp at Sandwick Park.

Tuesday: Bike to Work (thought it was bike to work week:)

Weds: Bike Cumberland- Perseverance Trail Race Scouting Session with Lene, Terry and Shelly. We are changing up the route this year as Timberwest went ahead and logged the 'Bucket' portion of our 2007 course. Things happen for a reason and we have the makings of a spectacular 2008 course!! Amazing view points...steep singletrack...fun fun fun trails which will be new to many...Managed to introduce a knife edged rock to my bum and tailbone while scrambling down an embankment full of blast rock. The meeting left me with a beautiful colour show which is a rich shade of blackberry over a week later.

Thursday: Adventure Run Comox Lake Dam...Tomato Creek!

Friday: Bike

Saturday: Kusam http://www.kusamklimb.ca/ Training Run 25km? 2hours 50 minutes with 1:15climbing...45 downhill road and the rest along the river trail flats- See Map below...Following this great run with chilled our legs in the Puntledge River at the Dam...best way to stop inflammation if you can handle the cold:) I couldn't make myself go above the knee even though Elaine and John were swimming!!! Foreshadowing Sunday...

Sunday: 3.5hour BIG bike ride from Nymph up to Forbidden...then it was all downhill starting with Screamin Demon for 2.5 hours of XC and some ugly DH bike dragging...don't get me started. By the end of the ride I was feeling the Saturday workout and ready for a hot shower and feast...

NOTE: Danger on Forbidden Plateau Road...after just leaving the parking lot at Nymph Falls one of our guys got his calf ripped open by a dog on the road. 2nd driveway on the right, young black lab shepherd cross with a red collar on...didn't look the least bit aggressive! Didn't growl or bark and just bit Terry's leg as he went past slowly. 2.5inch gash meant an end to his ride and a trip to emerg for stiches. Yikes. Watch out for the biggest hazard there is out there for bikers and runners...dogs who have been raised by poor owners!

I had some SORE lateral quads on Sunday morning! My shins and calves felt fantastic (thanks to the cold soak) but my quads were sore to the touch for the first time in a long time. The downhill road run and lack of cold water bravery were the culprits. But, now the microdamage is done and my body has rebuilt to be even stronger...to handle the punishment of Kusam (3 weeks away...)

And now...it is already Thursday and the week has been going much the same as the last...with the continuation of grey raining back to school weather.

Tomorrow I am off to Vic for a b-day celebration with my sister who also shares the same b-day:) We are having a 1988 retro b-day party at Beacon hill park on Saturday with tightrolled jeans, hypercolour and teased bangs as the dress code. The music and food will also take us back to the 80s as we lipsync to M.J. and eat Nerds...check out the top 100 songs of 1988 for a blast from the past::http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1988.htm

Sunday I plan to run the Gutbuster Half marathon or 8km in Nanaimo...legs and post-party condition dependant.

Have a great rest of your week!!

S