Stabilty? Yet?

57 miles in 6 days over 10 runs. Some level of consistency going on.

A strike by Toronto city outside workers is creating lots of summertime havoc in the area. Summer has started both officially and atmospherically as we are finally breaking 80's for daytime highs.

The local outdoor community pool has been undergoing renovations for the last two years. The work began two years ago with a hired contracting group, which dismantled the the changerooms and storage area for renovation, took the money, dissolved the company and left a hideous looking parts trailer on the grounds. A hot summer goes by with no relief for most of the locals, and a new group is brought in to finish the job. This goes on last summer with the pool remaining closed while a new pool heating system, handicapped accessibility ramp, revamped buildings and a kiddie splash area are all put into place. The pool was filled, open for two days, the closed and drained when the outside workers strike began on Monday.

Accessibility to Toronto Islands is impaired as ferry service is halted. Garbage collection is stopped, and finally...worst of all...the local race schedules are in jeopardy as many are held in city maintained parks, and the outside workers strike has put the kabosh on that. My real concern now is whether the water fountains in the park will be running. I assume the washrooms will be locked up but surely they could have left the taps on.

Luckily we just had garbage collection at our homestead so we have maybe a bit more leaway than others may have had (garbage collection alternates with recycle pickup on alternate weeks so garbage bins fill for 2 weeks before being emptied). The picketers are blocking access to the transfer stations, which normally stay open by management staff even during strikes, which is causing more problems. In the past pickets couldn't be set up at the transfer stations for legal reasons.

Now, all of that sounds pretty nasty for a hot summer. To cap things off, we narrowly averted a strike by the LCBO which controls the booze outlets (brew drinkers, don't panic! This doesn't affect The Beer Store!).

At any rate, my schedule has settled down a bit and I've managed to get daily doubles in on weekdays. I'm keeping it light with 4-5 milers every morning and at noon. If I can discipline myself to a proper bedtime I should be able to get 7 each morning which gives me a potential 60 weekday miles, plus weekend runs.

With luck, the strike will end after I've accumulated a good quantity of mileage and I can return to the local park race series with intentions of holding no prisoners.

Hello Summer

Are you out there?

Not here, not yet. Good running conditions if you like it cool.

My log's in tatters (or taters? I dunno). Work has been keeping me busy the last week and cold windy conditions (and a ton of yard work to do) kept me home on long run Sunday. Last night I was still awake at 2 as my daughter was up late getting some school work finished, which left me cutting ZZZzzzssss.... until I had to get up.

Anyway, I did manage 5 this afternoon, a measily 2 yesterday morning and none in the afternoon. If I can squeeze in a couple this evening I will but not much hope for that. I just need to bed it early tonight and force my eyes open in the AM.

I know the plan, I know the schedule, like that back of my hand. And, as always, implementing the sucker is being a beotch. 4-5 easy Monday AM, 4-5 easy Noon. 5-6 up-paced Tues morning, 4-5 easy at noon. Wednesday hills or intervals, 4-5 easy at noon. Thursday mid long, another 4 easy at noon. Friday 4-6 easy AM, 4-6 easy at noon. Saturday trail or tempo. Sunday long.

It's not hard, it's manageable. It's just finding the bloody time, not just for the run itself but the time away from that to be prepped for it, like getting to the sack at 10ish, clearing my morning work by noon.

Even now the phone rings, I have to close up and head to the beach for my daughter's soccer game. That'll push dinner to later and then by the time dinner's settled down the tubes it'll be bedtime.

I'll get this moving yet. It's got to start in the evening, bed on time, up with the early alarm. I'd love to have the full hour in the AM, which would bring me to ~7 miles each morning, and tack on at least 4 at noon. Even that would be a sealed 11 a day through the week and then the weekend work.

Le's go dude...get 'er done.