Living in Ottawa has its perks, one of them is having the most gorgeous scenery as you traverse down the Canal. It is magnificent. Being a student at the University of Ottawa, I am a 2 minute walk from campus to the beautifully maintained bike paths which run alongside the Canal. I love the ability that I can change on campus into my bike or running gear and within 2 minutes be able to run long distances. Today was one of those days.
On Sundays, the National Capital Commission (NCC) opens up the parkways in Ottawa and Gatineau Parks for cyclists. I love that not only do I have the opportunity to bike across gorgeous landscapes, I do not have to contend with any other traffic besides cyclists, rollerbladers, and the occasional runner. If you live in the Ottawa area and wish to take advantage of these parkways on Sunday mornings from 9am-1pm, visit Alcatel-Lucent Sunday Bikedays for more information!
I got up at 7am, had breakfast which consisted of 2 pieces of toast with lots of peanut butter and one cup of coffee. At around 8:30 I packed up my bike, cleats, and helmet and made my way downtown for a gorgeous bike ride along the canal. I set aside 2 hours for my bike ride. My legs were sore in the morning from the previous days long-slow distance run, but I decided to tough it out because I knew what I would be missing. I parked on King Edward and made my venture across the Ottawa U campus towards Colonel By Drive. At 9 am, the parkway is filled with cycling enthusiasts, from people in training to couples who enjoy riding leisurely. In addition, everyone on the parkway is friendly. People pay attention and you do not have to worry about going to fast or too slow. Its a dream ride where you can just be yourself.
I managed to complete 4 loops in total of the open section of the parkway. The open course is fun with slight hills and some windy parts because after all, you are near a body of water. I always have a lot of fun on the parkway because I find people who are training as well and we race 'unofficially.' Essentially it starts with one guy passing the other, catching up, and its a sprint for 7 km. The rest becomes history.
After my 2 hours of biking, I am now sitting in the Bridgehead on Slater Street enjoying a dark roast coffee and feeling my legs throbbing. Good thing this week coming I taper for my 10km run on Saturday, which I hope to finish under 40 minutes. I can rest and rejuvenate the feeling in my legs the next few days, cut back on my training, and get ready for race day.
FURTHERMORE, if you would like to see my training log, simply click on the TrainingPeaks.com link located on the right of the page. I plan on doing a review about this online training log, one that surely will not disappoint.
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