5 Peaks Prep & June Wardrobe List

You gotta love race organizers with a sense of humour. The 5 Peaks people are hilarious. Just read their pre-race email about tomorrow's event in the Southern Ontario series. My favourite line was, "Unattended children will be tattooed and taught to swear in foreign languages." I liked it so much I had to reply email them to let them know.

I am really looking forward to tomorrow's run at Rattlesnake Point, despite having felt rather winded running uphill this past Monday night on a local trail. I am just going to blame that on not enough sleep or something. Onward and upward! The weather looks like it will co-operate, and hopefully I just didn't jinx the forecast by writing that. What is great about this run is it mixes trail running with a little rock climbing. To me, that's a nice break from the cardio, and gives one a chance to actually use one's upper body strength that one has been honing over the past year for no other reason except to have upper body strength. OK and to look a little better in a sleeveless top. Loosey goosey 40-something underarm flesh be gone!

This might be a good spot to quote Jerry Seinfeld. I happened upon his old book in my eclectic collection the other day, Sein Language, and started flipping pages (it's addictive, that book). I found a great jibe about going to the gym which relates to my upper body strength comment above:

"In modern society, you really don't have to be physically strong to do anything. The only reason that you're getting in shape is so you can get through the workout. So we're working out, so that we'll be in shape, for when we have to do our exercises. That's comedy." (Jerry Seinfeld, 1993)

So, I guess those of us who exercise regularly should thank all of these run organizers for giving us more reasons to get in shape. They provide a goal for us to reach, and we don't need to worry about being televised or evaluated by judges! We can rely on ourselves to kick our own asses and improve our own PBs (Personal Bests)

Also remembered to carb-load last night and even went to bed early, since I probably won't sleep tonight, as I lay awake trying to remember the best way to wrap my perpetually stiff and wimpy ankle, and which colour wrap matches my outfit. (Some friends would actually think I care about that...). It's noon on Friday right now and I haven't even thought about what I am going to wear tomorrow. With this freakish June weather we've been having it's hard to say what the ideal running outfit would be. Perhaps I should write a list of ideas right here, as it could be useful for others who are running the trail tomorrow, or for that matter, just going anywhere in Southern Ontario that involves being outside.

What to Wear if You are Heading Outside in Southern Ontario 

This June 8-9 Weekend Based on This Past Week's Weather:

1. Shorts, or maybe not. Maybe pants.
2. A short-sleeved t-shirt. Or maybe a long-sleeved one.
3. A sun hat, but pack a toque just in case.
4. Sandals, unless your feet get cold easily, then runners, with warmish socks.
5. At least bring a lightweight sweater or hoodie. Down-filled is good too.
6. A wind-breaker. It would be good if it was water-proof too, with about a -10C insulation factor.
7. Gloves or mitts. Seriously. It's only June.
8. Not to wear, but maybe pack a blanket.
9. And bring rubber boots, just in case. And extra socks.
10. Again not to wear, but bring water, or maybe a thermos of hot tea/coffee/chocolate/toddy.

If I think of anything else I'll add it later. Gotta practise wrapping the ankle now. I am determined to break out of the bottom 10 tomorrow! Or at least break my PB and finish fifth from last instead of fourth.