Tri2Win takes on the Classics

Never to be confused with the Canadian National Cross Country Ski Team's Ivan Babikov (left) or Devon Kershaw (right) I nevertheless continue to train for the upcoming 12k Colpoy's Loppet in Wiarton January 25 and Deep River's 15k Silver Spoon on February 7. Both are classic races. Today, following 15 cm of powder snow being meticulously groomed by Ross Martin of the Mono Nordic Ski Club in Orangeville, I did 6 loops of 1.5k each, persevering until the start of 'Don's Downer' - a steep uphill for cardio heroes only - where I took the Kid's Cutoff and returned to the viaduct over the pond. The Toko Red wax on my Peltonen skating skis gripped like a Tim Horton bearhug and flew like a puck slapped by superstar Cory Hodgson of the Canadian Juniors, the glide allowing at least some recovery between the constant demands of the course.

My target in both events is simple: Do better than last year. Considering I missed the wax in both races by a factor of 9, and was either entertaining or recovering from a cold, this humble target should be achievable.

Should conditions remain powdery, I will continue to warm up on Win Nordic, the 750m track which winds around our property, proceeding past Sebbie's Rink, through the still-weedy garden, by the frozen compost and under the maple tree, the crucial branch draped with a red bow as a warning to, "Keep your head down, dude!"

Like all of you, there's too much on the plate this early into the new year - purchasing a new truck for PTM Courier, upgrading the Pine Rock Cottage Vacations website and continuing to winterize the cottage in order to fill it with clients. And like you, I'll muddle thru with varying degrees of success in all these endeavours.

Happy 2009!