One of the Tribe

On a few recommendations i decided to sink some time into this book.... and Man is it Great!!! Not that i consider myself a runner (still haven't cracked 20km ... ever!!) but i do enjoy heading out for a run in the off season... and so far this year i haven't been able to last for longer than 20min without having serious knee pain.... partly because i'm old, and partly i'm thinking (in accordance with this book) that i have the wrong shoes and form.... so i got our for a snowy run today on the way to and from the gym, running in the new Ultrarunner, minimalistic style... short steps, no heel strike, easy and relaxed, lean forward... sort of along the line of POSE running.... might have to be my next read.... i don't plan on joining the Tarahumarah for a 100-miler any time soon, but i was able to hand 2x30min running with little knee pain.... hmmmmm.... maybe Nike WAS wrong all those years ago.... Read the book... you'll love it...

Just when I had given up hope...

So it's the middle of February.... just passed Valentine's Day... and i've given up hope for the winter weather... as much as i enjoy the dry roads for my rides, i would much rather be skiing, snowshoeing, shovelling and playing in the Canadian Winter... Spent an afternoon playing baseball with the kids on the road.... Winter activity? How often can you wash your car by hand in the middle of February? but of course before i got the chance to create this post, it snowed yesterday!!!!? Not really snow, just enough to actually ski in decent conditions... Damn Global Warming... i feel sorry for the Polar Bears....

Back on the Radar

So Barnes... where you been lately? well.. spent a lovely 10th Anniversary up in the Muskoka's with my lovely wife... who would have thought that i would last this long? bad news is that we (she) left the camera in the robe pocket and it has either been washed or re-owned by Red Leaves... still recommend location though.... been riding nice winter roads... although they are often slushy considering this winter SUCKS!!! drank too much tea before this ride... but enjoyed being a boy.... spending lots of time in the Training Dungeon... some people have a Man Cave... i have a Training Dungeon... got 2.5hr ride in on probably the coldest and snowyest (is that a word?) day ... ended up with good legs and a Ice-Eyebrow.... now that we have upgraded to a better camera... hopefully the pics will flow more consistently...

At least 1 good thing....

as i build the hours i'm starting to change the legs over to running legs also... enjoyed the whole body workout of long run... but knees are still limiting my distances.... got out for a nice ride in Durham forest.... the only thing i'm enjoying about the lack of snow is riding in the forest... and the tracks show that i'm not the only idiot with this idea.... the nice ride turned to rain... cold rain... and the destruction of the little snow that exists... Happy 2012.... cold, wet, tired, annoyed and in need of a bike clean after my January 1st ride...

and so it begins...

it's time to start it up again... spent a few weeks off the bike, followed by a couple weeks just exercising (which might be riding, running or playing with kids...) but it's time to make it official... current choices for training - 1- winter bike (in the slush, rain and far too warm weather)....

- 2 - sitting on the trainer watching World Junior Hockey.....

- 3 - hopefull with the snowshoes and skis.... my fingers are crossed....

also looking into a couple options for Strength this year.... but i just need to start getting some hours.... Christmas treats went straight to my butt!!!

Payin' the bills...

so i felt Eye-talian for a day.... got the call from Steve "Rango" Heck to hang Christmas lights on the tower construction cranes downtown.... not afraid of heights and had a ton of fun enjoying the view from above and playing on Grown Up Sized Monkey Bars... even tried to Look Eye-talian to blend in...

dancing on the Boom above Yonge street.... not really THAT high... the boom was about 100ft above the 5th floor which was about 15oft above ground level...

steve was like a kid on christmas morning when the crane operator (who was running the other crane) walked steve through how to raise and lower the boom to make our job easier....

the highlight of the day was the group of Girls Gone Wild who came out to dance on the balcony of the Delta Chelsea across the road in their bra and undies!!!! Yes... worked ceased very quickly by everyone on the site

view from the ground back up at the Luffer crane... we were on the tip hanging lights with zap-straps... oops... i dropped my roll of e-tape...

'Mo No Mo...

so i wimped out... couldn't handle the 'Mo any longer.... but i did figure out a positive use for it.... during Hot Yoga Down Dawg.... it keeps the sweat from running UP your nose!!!! next year i will have to go back with the Trucker and keep it trimmed shorter... i only lasted 2.5 weeks with the Manly-ness oozing from my lip...

Most people said that i looked 10 years older with the 'stache.... and at my age, people were starting to order flowers for my funeral....

Not sure i look any BETTER shaved clean, but at least the kids will let me kiss them again....