What could go wrong?

Indeed.

I continue to struggle with training motivation - I'm doing a better job at short/mid-length runs, not so good on my long runs.  I'm psyching myself out.

To that end, I had planned next weekend to go to Dirty Girls Trail Races to cheer on K (#illadvised) in her first 12 hour race and keep Tanker company as he wonder sherpa'd.  Joe is running the 24 hours and as it turns out Mel registered for the 6 hours and April for the 12.

So lots of people to cheer on!

Sunday is my niece's birthday at the cottage near Awenda Provincial Park, so I thought I would have to get up SUPER early, run for 5-6 hours, then go to her party and hopefully make it in time for cake.

...if only there were a way I could run on Saturday...

So I registered for the 6 hour race at Dirty Girls.  I'll hang out with Tanker when I'm done.

Of course, I haven't run further than 25k this year, and I did that about 2 months ago, at Sulphur.  This weekend's conditions look to be similar - 32C, feels like 41C - so I'm just going to take it easy, walk lots, and not fuss about distance.  It's an 8k trail loop.  Should be interesting, I've never done a timed race before.

Then I will go to the cottage Saturday night, rather than coming back to Toronto, do a nice normal-length run Sunday morning at Awenda and have lots of time to celebrate Elizabeth's birthday.

So what could go wrong?  After all, I have such solid training.  Well, my training is better than it was for Sulphur.  I'll be fine.

July 30-31st Toby has off, so I suggested we go backpacking.

What could go wrong?

Well, as we booked rather late, all the sites in Frontenac were taken - I didn't check Killarney as we aren't going up Friday night, and who wants to drive to Killarney the same day of a 2 day trip????  So Algonquin it was.

We're on the Western Uplands trail, third loop.  Going in at the Rain Lake access point.

To North Pincher Lake.  Approximately 20-21k on Saturday.  Toby is of course more than equal to that though he likes laid back trips...and Luc hasn't hiked that far in awhile.  21k with a geriatric 13 year old German Shepherd in forecasted 27C before humidity...what could go wrong?

Naw, we'll take breaks and be fine.

We may do a loop and go out the longer way on Sunday, for 24-25k.  We'll assess how the dogs and everyone feels once there and decide.

But I am really excited for it.  I think I'm starting to irritate Toby I'm so excited!

That Monday I head to Frontenac to run the perimeter (approx. 50k) - THAT should be a challenge.  What could go wrong?  LOL.  I may hike large swaths of that.  Oh well, it's all time on my feet.

While I've been psyching myself out of long runs Dirty Girls and Frontenac Perimeter are 'events' that I'm excited about, so I'm not concerned.

Dirty Girls will be a chance to assess Joe's fitness before Haliburton.  Should be interesting.