The Hill...

My morning started off as all my Tuesday mornings do...with a swim. It went quite well actually. Legs were thinking, 'thank you for not running or biking!'. Then I had to do 500 m of kicking. Nuts! It was a sloooow go, but I got the job done.

My calves decided to protest. They slowly got tighter. To the point that when I was standing at the pool end I could feel the toes on my right foot start to pull and curl under...in a rather ackward way. YEOW!! I started hopping and trying to work them out. Just as I did so my left arch cramped and pulled. SON OF A... Massage, massage, massage. It was painful, and yet I still laughed cause it was all rather ridiculous.

My legs weren't too bad during the day, as long as I was seated. As soon as I stood up they simply said 'Ah, no'. I kind of had to give myself a wee push up off my desk. Once I got walking though it was all good! And no, I did not walk further than one flight of stairs today.

While I was in the elevator I decided it might be a good time to stretch my calves. I put my toes up against the wall and pushed. Then I wondered...hmmm...I wonder if we have cameras in here. Considering I have an electronic pass that I need to use to go up or down the elevator and in all the doors on the various floors, I figured it was a good chance there was. So now I'm left wondering - does anyone view these tapes and are they going to think I'm humping the elevator wall?? Hmmm.

Earlier in the day I was chatting with Keith and mentioned my legs were pissed at me. Then I told him of my workout tonight. His response, in typical Keith manner "And you're going to tackle Cochrane hill???? You think your legs are pissed now??? All aboard, the Susi pain train, leaving track one, for the boundaries of hurl territory, with a stopover in feeling really bad and tired." That seriously cracked me up...needless to say it was what I was thinking as I made my first ascent.

The legs were indeed less than pleased at the fact that I was tackling the Hill. I, on the other hand didn't really mind, afterall, I only had to do two of them. It looked like I might, just might, be able to get my workout done sans rain. Admittedly, it was a slooow climb. I saw others out there though - a few others were coming down from Glen Eagles - it must be hill night!

My legs were screaming on the first climb. I'm an endurance girl though, it takes time for these quadzillas to warm up. I have a feeling my legs would be screaming on the first hill even if I hadn't had some huge training the last few days.

Finally I made it to the top. Yay! I turned around and started zipping down the Hill. It was then that I realized it was raining. To the point where I couldn't really see and was wondering if my brakes would work. I then started analyzing the merits of disc brakes, haha. I was glad I was wearing sunglass, otherwise I would have been zooming down with my eyes closed - I was being pelted so with raindrops.

When I got to the bottom I thought, "Should I do a second climb? Would I do a second climb? Could I do a second climb?" It took me a millisecond to say 'Damn rights sista!' So I turned around and started back up the hill.

Just when I started a van slowed down and a very sweet woman yelled out 'Do you need a ride??' I think I saw a UCTC jacket in there actually. I thanked her and said no, I was fine. I thought that was truly awesome that she asked though!

The rain was coming down quite heavily now. I was just a wee bit further up the hill when this dude came out from the Glen Eagles exit. He was one of the group also climbing. We looked at each other and exchanged these devilish smiles like 'Oh ya, we are triathletes, we ride hill in rain, grunt, grunt'. And up I went...

I felt much better on this climb. Told ya it takes me a while to get warmed up! As I was climbing I had the Rocky theme song going through my head. No, not the dorky 'Eye of the Tiger'. Rather the other one, the instrumental one they play when he runs up all those stairs. It was awesome. I was feeling pretty great and almost at the top when something caught my eye. Something didn't seem quite right about my shifter...I looked down at my cogs. Oh. Well. Look at that. I am not in my top gear, but one down!

OH YA BABY! I AM SHE-RA!!! (Cue thunder and lightening sounds.) I can't believe I climbed the damn hill and had one easier gear I could have been in! Typical.

Finally I was at the top. I had debated which route to take down. Option one, right back down the Hill. If I lose my breaks I can just go swooooshing down the road and hope that the first set of lights I hit are green. Eventually I will slow down. Option two, ride down Glen Eagles, which has some flat spots; however, it also has a lot of corners that I'd have to manage, and if my brakes failed - I shoot off a cliff. Option number one it would be!

As I started my descent I realized I was very, very cold. In order to distract myself I started singing. Bohemian Rhapsody to be precise. This didn't quite take my attention away from the fact that I was freezing and now had soakers for shoes. How exactly did I get that much water in my shoes?!

I then developed a new song 'My toes are f'in cold...my toes are f'in cold. My toes are f'in, f'in, f'in, f'in, f'in cold. I climbed the hill twice, ain't that nice. My toes are f'in cold!' This was repeated several times, with f'in being song in full form I should add. I then started on 'My shins are f'in cold' etc etc. It was a jaunty tune that I was quite enjoying. I really didn't mind being out in the rain. It gave me energy and I felt connected to the Universe. A very cool feeling to those who strive for it.

I made it home safe and sound and even climbed the hill back to the house. By then I couldn't feel my toes...or my complaining quads. Huh. Now that I think about it...maybe that's why the second climb didn't hurt as much?!

Peace out my friends.