Skip to main content

Osoyoos Training Weekend

We started our trip to Osoyoos, BC late on Friday evening.  Leaving Vancouver after 6pm on the Friday of a long weekend is not a recipe for success.  The traffic was terrible, it quickly started to rain then got dark.  After a knuckle biting drive we arrived in Osoyoos at midnight, unpacked in less than half an hour and went to bed.  

The SAA group had agreed to meet at 8:30am on Saturday for a ride into Oliver BC and back then up Richter Pass.  Many of the members are doing Challenge Penticton or The Desert Half Ironman and wanted to practice.  The morning stated out overcast and quickly turned into a torrential downpour as we grouped to start the ride.  Of course, we went out anyway.  

View from Hwy 97 at the #6 Road Turn


Ellen thrilled she drove from Merritt BC at 4am for this

Kevin, still in good spirits but very cold a the school in Oliver BC

Me, wet and kinda' smiling?

Tammi, Leslie, Ellen and me waiting to make sure everyone 
gets across the cattle guard safely

Shortly after this last photo, Kevin became so cold he had to be picked up in our SAG wagon to warm up.  None of us had brought the proper clothing for rain or cold.  We all expected hot and dry.  Sorry we brought Vancouver to the Interior.  Most of us rode about 50kms and called it quits.  A couple of die hards went 80kms.  

Post ride recovery trying to get warm in the sun.
Of course, as soon as we finish the ride and clean up...the sun comes out!


Later that afternoon, a group of us headed to Tuc el Nuit Lake in Oliver for a swim.  By this time, it was HOT and DRY so the swim was great.  The water was much warmer than Sandy Hollow in Utah.  Sorry, no photos of the swim.
Back at the condo on Saturday night, 
you would never know the weather was so bad in the morning.


On Sunday, a group of us wanted redemption.  We headed out on the Desert Half Ironman bike course.  Up Richter Pass, over The Rollers, out to the start of the Out and Back then back to Osoyoos the same way.  The weather was hot and dry causing a few sunburns.  No hypothermia out on the ride that day.  The wind was in full effect BOTH WAYS!  Believe it!

Stopping at the top of Richter Pass

Stopping at the end of the Out and Back

Regroup for the ride back to Osoyoos

Grabbing a snack before hitting the headwind 

By the time we all got back to Osoyoos we were spent.  After a shower and a few minutes  of rest, we all met up for a potluck.  Pretty sure we all ate 3x as much as we needed to refuel but that is what training is all about!

Monday morning, Tim and I went for a one hour run then packed the car for the trip home.  

Post Weekend Recovery Time.  
Doesn't everyone deserve a little chocolate milk in a wine glass sometimes.  


 Happy Training!

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

April Fools 1/2 Marathon Plus 15km cool down

After my minor breakdown at work on Friday, I set off on Saturday for Sechelt.  I have run the April Fool's Half Marathon two times and this was my third time.  It never fails to be hilly and hard.   Sunday morning I started off at in Gibsons ready to run to Mission Point Park.  I took it very conservatively knowing that I would be adding another 15kms on at the end of the 'race'.   I crossed the finish line, collected my medal, filled my water bottles, ate a  piece of bagel and a bite of banana and kept running west.   I do not recommend running your longest run before a marathon in Sechelt if you are not used to hills.  That place is full of 12-15% grades both up and down. At the end of the day, I ran from 9:17am - 2pm with a few quick breaks to refill bottles, eat gels and take few rocks out of my shoes.   After a shower and some real food, I was back on the ferry to North Vancouver.  Reward:  Whit...
1 comment
Read more

Fully Cooked

With one week of high volume running before my marathon on April 28th, I am feeling fully cooked. After a rest day on Monday, I switched up my track workout day and my trainer ride day.  We secured tickets to the second to last Canucks home game on Tuesday night so I couldn't do my track workout.   I did my trainer ride in the morning on Tuesday and my track workout on Wednesday. Instead of going solo at the track last night I created a workout in Garmin and downloaded it to my Garmin 920XT.   10 min warm up 8 x 1 mile with 90 seconds rest 10 min cool down Let me tell you, this workout completely exhausted me.  I came home after the run, showered and ate but I felt so drained.  After a bit of rest on the sofa, I was able to feel better and went straight to bed.   Today I skipped my 6am swim in favour of an extra hour of sleep.   My mantra for the week is 'just one more week'.  Just one more week of heavy volume ...
Post a Comment
Read more