Shopping

I am getting a little tired of this activity. Some of the things I am trying out are not working out, especially the mitts, so I keep going back to exchange them. I am more than thankful for the very cold temperatures we are having, it allows me to test things out in actual bad conditions. Even stuff that always worked out for me before (my running gear, which I have fairly well fine-tuned, since I run outside all winter) has to be re-tested, as up on the mountain, we will be going much slower, and what works great for an hour of high aerobic output won't on an 8 hour trek where I won't always be able to change out of wet clothes and will never be able to duck into a heated place. I probably should have gotten everything I need earlier though. Now my favourite store (Mountain Equipment Coop) is out of mountaineering socks and the mitts I want, category 4 sunglasses (you can't wear regular sunglasses on a mountain that high without risking altitude blindness), and it seems there is always something I've forgotten, whether camp suds or electrolyte pills. Can't wait to be able to say it's all done! I am aiming for Friday.

The 6-month workout.

So today I got the perfect, 6-month training regimen to be fit and ready for Aconcagua. It is unfortunately a little late to work up to it, and I am feeling a little jittery! I am not overly worried about my cardio and basic endurance as I am a regular runner, but I certainly am not doing enough strength training, according to this, and have not yet done any stair training nor walking about with my heavy pack. This I definitely need to remedy, even if only to calm my nerves!! That's what I get for making rash, last minute decisions!

On a more positive note, it did finally get cold enough last night, -27 with the wind, and I felt good inside my comfy cocoon, warm. The only problems seem to be my nose and feet. I'll simply sleep with my feet in base camp slippers, and maybe also with my balaclava to avoid getting my nose frozen off. I don't seem to be very good at breathing inside the bag itself.

Heureusement, par contre, j'ai eu l'occasion de montrer le plan d'entraînement à Pierre, notre entraîneur. Après avoir fait augmenter mon niveau d'anxiété de 3 crans en disant que cela semblait un excellent plan, il me l'a remis à la normale en disant simplement que de toute manière, ce que nous faisions est encore plus difficile que cela, et que je n'avais pas d'inquiétude à avoir. Pierre a le don de me calmer, c'est remarquable!

18 days to go...

Testing equipment

The snow is falling softly on the city of Montreal tonight. Unfortunately though, it won't get cold enough. I am waiting for at least -15 and preferably -20 C to test out my new sleeping bag, rated -30 C. I did this already a couple of nights ago, but it was only -10 C, and predictably, I was toasty warm. I had to wedge myself between the garbage can and recycling box out on the balcony, and I guess I might have perplexed the neighbours if they saw me. Not that they would mind too much, this is a pretty liberal part of town.
I feel a little restless in relation to my equipment, especially as the other person I know who is planning to do this (in a different group from mine) already has his bag fully packed! And we only leave in 3 weeks. I pretty much have everything I need for camping, but have never encountered the colds and winds we will likely be facing, at least not together, so I bought a few new items of clothing, especially socks and mitts, and am testing away. I look forward to a 3-day cross-country ski trip next week that will allow me to do this in realistic conditions.
Just checked the weather again. It's -5 C, definitely not cold enough. Guess I will sleep in my bed tonight.