One thing that is distinctly Canadian (in case my American Blogger friends haven't picked up on it yet) is that we Canadians LOVE to complain about the weather. It is a topic of conversation at the convenience store, grocery store, nail salon, hair dresser, etc. If you are experiencing a moment of awkward silence with someone, just bring up the weather, and you will have an instant universal fluid conversation. Trying to lighten the mood? How about that wind last night? Or talk about how the rainfall saves you from watering your lawn or drives you to water your driveway instead. (sad but also true)
We also take our fowl/unusual weather personally, like it is a deliberate attack on us Canucks!
We b&tch and complain in the winter about the snow. We complain about the cold as though it shocks us that it snows and gets cold for us Northern folk. I know, I know, we live up North, yada.... yada, but can you believe that snow storm, that ice? That frickin' ice?!! In the fall, we complain about raking the leaves and the end of summer. In the spring its the rain and the occasional bought of cold, and the summer, its the heat. There is no pleasing when it comes to the weather.
This past July has been no exception. It has been unseasonably cool and rainy (Ottawa, Ontario received a record 234mm of rain so far this July). Everywhere you go in Ontario you will hear snippets of conversations such as"where's summer" "its bad enough that we had such a cold winter, and now this..."
Myself. Silently cheering. Yes! 20oC is the perrfectt training weather, and I don't mind running in the rain, I find it rather refreshing.
However now that I have seen the weather forecast for Saturday (Olympic tri day). I have a MAJOR beef with Mother N....
27oC/81F with a humidex of 33oC/91F. Full on Sun.
WTH?!! I know for some of you Southern folk, this may be no biggie. But to a gal with Canadian genes, this is like putting me in a freakin' oven. I am not acclimatized to this at all!! We have had only one day about 30oC this summer (which is unusual).
Can you see the salute Mother Nature?!!!
Effin weather!
I guess I am Canadian through and through. Grumble. grumble.
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I really had to juggle things this week and my biking and running mileage will be lower to accommodate Saturday's race, but I eager to get more "tri" experience.
Training for this week
Monday
20K -Fly Gurlz
Tuesday
-8 miles with 10 x100 m stride
Wednesday
- rest
Thursday
-Nacho time trial
am - 1K swim
pm - 3K run, 16.2 K bike
2 miles recovery
Friday
3 mile recovery run
Saturday
-race
1500m swim/40K bike/10K run
Sunday
20 mile run or 60K/10 mile bike or some combination of the two
Totals
Swim -2.5K
Bike - 80 -120K
Run - 31 -41 miles (broad range I know)
I am leaving Sun open- it will really depend on how I feel after the race, but I would really like to get a 20 miler in early in the training with a goal of getting three in.
Hope you are having a good week! Thanks for reading!
23 comments:
I am not sure that is distinctly Canadian - might be just be human! I have been bitching about the heat for a couple of weeks now (it's 88 now! It was 106 yesterday! This is NOT RIGHT! I live the Pacific NW! DAMMIT!) Ahem....and did complain about our big snow last December.
It's so hard to train in this heat, especially for us delicate northern flowers! Good luck getting through it!
I am laughing out louad and nodding my head at this post. SOOO true.
Like you, I was NOT complaining when it was 20C. I would really like some 20C right now!
Here's hoping for some relief at your race on Saturday.
You should really try training in Texas right now! I start at 5:30 in the morning and it's already in the 80s! We've had over 40 days this summer over 100 - yuck. Please send some cool air (when you get it) down here.
LOL. yep, the 20's were great, i think that's what makes fall my favorite season. Hope the weather forecast changes in your favor for sat!!
I never really cared about the weather until I started all this running. Now I hold all the weather forecasters personally responsible when I have to run in hot humid weather.
80 degrees with a feel of 91 degrees in humidity. That's nothing ! *wink*
Oy oy oy !
We just went from tolerable weather to heat and humidity. It's miserable...I feel your pain.
That's so funny, I have noticed about the Canadian habit of NOTICING the weather but it seems like the statements usually involve the cold and rain!
Good luck on your race and tri experience, have fun!
It has been really crazy weather this summer, eh? I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things cool down in the Pacific NW in the next bit. I don't want to race in 30 deg weather!
Good luck this weekend!!!
Remember I did a trail marathon with 8,000 feet of climb in 96 degree weather? Suck it up Girl!
(And pray the weather man is wrong?) ;)
I know I will sound like grandpa walking miles in knee-high snow uphill both ways to go to school but a few years ago, the Ottawa marathon (in May!) was run on a cloudless day with a 29 degree high, so it could be worse! At least you had a few (not a lot, I know!) opportunities to train in the heat already.
And how come you run in miles if you are Canadian?!?
pshh that's cool weather! Haha, just kidding. Humidity is the worst!
haha. i think everyone complains about the weather... though let's be real, how many "perfect" days are there. most of the time we're gonna train when it's hotter/colder, wetter/drier than we'd prefer. sigh. if it really bothers you, you can just quit. ;)
jk. like that's an option!
good luck this weekend! hope the weather is gorgeous for you, and not too hot of course. :)
wow quite the week!!!!! 20 mile run?!?! are you eye-ing any marathons? and i laughed at "grumble grumble" haha :)
When I lived in MN, conversation was very similar; you could always count on the weather to provide plenty of topics for discussion. Here in FL, we have so little variation, the only time we talk about it is when there's a hurricane.
I agree with your assessment that the weather is a favorite conversation punching bag. In my own way I have really tried to stop harping on the weather simply because I cannot change it. It's just gotten to the point that I can't listen to the constant complaining without getting irritated. Then again, I wasn't born in Canada...
LOL!
Have a great race this weekend, do what you can with the heat and humidity and have a big smile on your face when you cross the finish line. Good luck girlie!
Haha. Great workouts.. our weather has sucked too! I can't wait for fall!
I have heard of this cool July weather and was very excited. And then my family arrives in Canada and it's hot and humid and sunny!! What is up with that?!?! Where is the cool summer weather that I was longing for? Sigh...
HAVE A GREAT RACE!!!
Ug, that sounds sweaty warm. Drink plenty of fluids and good luck!
YUCK i complain about the weather when its that warm too, especially for a race!! hope it went well!
Weather always sucks for running here in TO with the exception of about 2 weeks in the spring and fall.
I think in Minnesota we must be half-Canadian, because we are the same way! We've been having a cool summer too and it has been great for running.
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