This past Wednesday, I was feeling a bit rundown - which was the story for much of the week. However, I really wanted to get a good run in that day before the stretch of rain put a damper on the rest of the week.
I settled on a stretch of road in Caledon Hills that has a gradual climb up the Niagara Escarpment. Each crossroad was three kilometres apart. It was perfect where measuring approximate distances were concerned.
After parking at the lot for the Caledon Trailway and getting myself together, I headed out on the road and headed northbound. The starting was a little choppy and pretty much reflected how I was feeling at the time. I stayed the course and decided to stick to my plan and keep moving - even if it meant walking. Once I got into the groove, it was clear sailing ahead. I knew I was on target and would complete this run. The nicest thing about having the crossroads three kilometres apart is knowing that each segment can be focused on - three kilometres at a time. There is a boost that you get when you see a stop sign and the next crossroad up ahead. It is also a real treat when you cross the road and meet a warning sign reminding you of the steep hills for 3km.
When I got to the halfway point, I was quite pleased with my progress on the way there. After grabbing a gel and a drink, I turned around and headed back the way I came. I was blown away by how much elevation was gained on the way out. The photo below shows this quite well. It was quite evident that it was quite significant because of the fact that I was practically flying down the hill at a steady clip with no desire to stop.
I got back to my car just as the sun was setting. I was feeling quite satisfied with this workout. My approximate distance was roughly 17km (due to the fact that the parking lot was roughly 500m from an intersection). I contacted Lorene to let her know that I would not be swimming that night. There was no problem because I received a message shortly after indicating that the pool was closed due to fouling. As a result, I decided to put some petrol in my car and drive straight home.
I have decided that this one would definitely be a year round keeper. Once a week, weather and timing permitted. I will have to work on getting some high quality lights and reflectors so that there would not be any issues with doing this run in the fall and winter when the days are shorter. This is important, especially in rural areas where there is very little lighting on the roads. The hills also present a challenge where visibility is concerned. The goal is to see and be seen. Oh well, we shall see...
I settled on a stretch of road in Caledon Hills that has a gradual climb up the Niagara Escarpment. Each crossroad was three kilometres apart. It was perfect where measuring approximate distances were concerned.
After parking at the lot for the Caledon Trailway and getting myself together, I headed out on the road and headed northbound. The starting was a little choppy and pretty much reflected how I was feeling at the time. I stayed the course and decided to stick to my plan and keep moving - even if it meant walking. Once I got into the groove, it was clear sailing ahead. I knew I was on target and would complete this run. The nicest thing about having the crossroads three kilometres apart is knowing that each segment can be focused on - three kilometres at a time. There is a boost that you get when you see a stop sign and the next crossroad up ahead. It is also a real treat when you cross the road and meet a warning sign reminding you of the steep hills for 3km.
When I got to the halfway point, I was quite pleased with my progress on the way there. After grabbing a gel and a drink, I turned around and headed back the way I came. I was blown away by how much elevation was gained on the way out. The photo below shows this quite well. It was quite evident that it was quite significant because of the fact that I was practically flying down the hill at a steady clip with no desire to stop.
I got back to my car just as the sun was setting. I was feeling quite satisfied with this workout. My approximate distance was roughly 17km (due to the fact that the parking lot was roughly 500m from an intersection). I contacted Lorene to let her know that I would not be swimming that night. There was no problem because I received a message shortly after indicating that the pool was closed due to fouling. As a result, I decided to put some petrol in my car and drive straight home.
I have decided that this one would definitely be a year round keeper. Once a week, weather and timing permitted. I will have to work on getting some high quality lights and reflectors so that there would not be any issues with doing this run in the fall and winter when the days are shorter. This is important, especially in rural areas where there is very little lighting on the roads. The hills also present a challenge where visibility is concerned. The goal is to see and be seen. Oh well, we shall see...
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