Monday, July 17, 2006

Friday’s work-outs, July 14/06

Coach Steve wrote: “Drive to Meaford, Ride for a couple of hours to flush legs out if you have time”. Our MacGuffin that weekend was my firm’s managing director’s annual “farm day” at his “farm” on the Niagara Escarpment on the lip of the Beaver Valley. Scott had specifically asked me if I was coming—and in an earlier year, to my surprise, had asked me why I hadn’t attended!—so I felt we should go.

But I couldn’t drive to Grey County without thinking about cycling in that hilly country with its beautiful worlds. So I did some Web work and found a bed and breakfast for us. We drove up to Meaford, ’way, ’way too late by my tastes, but I unloaded my bike out of the van, and headed out for a quick ride.

I rode straight up St Vincent Township 7th Line. I had hoped I’d crest a shorebluff and look out over Nottawasaga Bay, but I had no such luck. The public road ends abruptly at the Meaford Tank Range. Still it was a good ride with some serious long hills; and I had fun riding down hill (more or less) back to the b.&b. As I approached Riverside, I saw a cyclist. Who, I wondered, would be out at this hour (about 7 p.m.)? Well, it was Mona! She’d unloaded her Specialized hybrid, and was doing a ride. She asked me, “Where can I ride that’s flat?” I had to chuckle: “We picked the wrong county for that!”

Including my ride with Mona, I did 20.4 miles in 1 h 36 min.

But the most important of the day, maybe, was my 20-minute chat with Coach Steve. Some comments that his clients, at this stage, are often learning how to fit the work-outs in. Some technical discussion on how to do things. He told me that hip-flexor exercises are the most important exercises in his programme.

And some talk of pools. Settlement House is close, but its hours are growing increasingly limited, and its lanes full. I need to find another pool; and it might be worthwhile getting to a pool that’s open all the time, even if it’s less convenient physically.

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