Walk: Mon. Aug. 31 @ Loblaws

We missed you guys! The brave few who showed up for 16K at 7:30 had a great walk with barely a speck of rain.

Hope to see the Toronto Island Half crew out this evening for 10K. This week is our longest set of walks in this training schedule.

Next week, two things are happening. On Sept. 11th, many of us will be volunteering for the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. A reminder of the details from Michelle:

Our shifts run from 10 am to 5 pm at the Direct Energy Centre in the CNE grounds. Some snacks and drinks will be available, but bringing lunch is a good idea as there aren't many spots to buy food. We'll be setting up tables, putting up signs, etc. So dress accordingly, and maybe bring work gloves.

If you are interested in car-pooling, reply to this email. Lots of parking at the CNE, but it isn't free.

On Sept. 13th, the Island halfers are in taper and it's the Terry Fox Run/Walk. Perfect timing for a walk on Toronto Island, to preview our route and raise money for a good cause. The run/walk starts from the Rectory Café at 10 am, and requires a donation of about $20 (or you can raise donations from friends and family). Let me know if you are interested by replying to this email.

Walk: Sat. Aug. 29 @ Tim's

Happy Birthday, Eileen and Charlotte, our birthday duo for today. And a final godspeed to Trish. Hope it's a bowl of cherries for you all -- with clear skies and plain (plane?) sailing.

Unfortunately, those raincloud icons persist on Saturday's weather forecast. Therefore, we'll postpone our Island outing for another date.

The rain isn't predicted to be heavy (only 5 mm, spread across the morning), not enough to rain out our walks, but enough to put a picnic in the Rectory garden out of the question. Please come for 16K at 7:30 – or less at 8 am.

Walk: Wed. Aug. 26 @ Shoppers

This is the week we prepare to bid bon voyage to our girl Trish. I don't know if she'll be coming out for a walk on Wednesday... perhaps she'll need to stretch her legs before that long plane trip? Our schedule calls for 10K, but there are plenty of other turnarounds. Our route map is at this link.

Today's big plaudit goes to Susan, who spent one of the hottest weeks of Summer 2009 hiking the Bruce Trail, including two, back-to-back 25K solo walks -- for a distance of about 160K over seven days. Wow and wow-wow-wow. Not only is that "you go, girl" but you have gone, girl!

About Saturday: Looks like there might be two groups, one at Tim's at 7:30 or 8 am (Dawn, Charlotte & Cynthia, state your preference), and one for the Islands (Helen, Bob, Susan, Lynne, Alexis -- and Debbie, unless it's raining).

Questions: How do the other islanders feel about heading over, if the raincloud icon continues to hover over Saturday's forecast? If we do choose to go, do we want to catch the 8 am ferry instead, to better time our walk for a 11 am brunch? Your thoughts?

Walk: Mon. Aug. 24 @ Loblaws

Hot, sweaty, proudly beribboned, relieved to have encountered no heavenly zigzags and happy to be at the finish line -- that's us after the Midsummer Night's 15K Walk last night.

Missing from the picture are our amazing Rainer, who finished 9th walker overall and first in his age category, and Arlene, another zippy age-category winner. Hooray, Shore Things! You can search for our results posted on the SportsStats Canada site.

An idea to float out for Saturday: We've been trying to hook up for a walk with our fellow group from midtown the Toronto Power Walkers. This Saturday, they will be walking on Toronto Island, finishing with brunch at The Rectory. We are invited to join them. Their plan is to catch the 7:30 am ferry to Ward's Island, and then set out on our various distances from there (ours will be 16K -- or whatever you choose). If you are interested, please let me know asap so we can determine our numbers and times for brunch.

Monday's walk is 8K, and the weather looks good for it. Hope to see you there.

Walks: Week of Aug. 17 to 22

One last summer omnibus post, then I'll be back to thrice-weekly postings -- unless you prefer to only receive one post per week. Sign in with your preference.

For some of us, pictured above at the scene of the grime, this week is the lead-up to the Midsummer Night's 15K on Saturday evening. Note that there's no kit pickup at the start line this year. Be sure to pick up your numbers and chips before the race.

For others, it's a fall-back week in the Toronto Island Women's Half schedule. And for others, it's just a chance to get out and stretch your limbs. Whatever you're training for, I hope the predicted zigzags from on high don't mess up your schedule.

Here's what it calls for this week:

Monday from Loblaws: 8K Here's a route.

Wednesday from Shoppers: 8K And here's a route.

Saturday from Tim's: 12K (Boardwalk route, turnaround at the far end of Lynndale)

Stay cool, and stay safe.

Walks: August 12 & 15

It was a fine "house cooling" for Trish. Now we all have to continue to live up to the motto above: Live well; Laugh often; Love much. And I should probably add: wipe the table before you take the picture.

This is another summer omnibus post for this week's remaining two walks.

Wednesday is one of our long weeknight walks: 10K. The eastern margin is Gledhill, the western is Pape, and it's the route that goes south of Danforth. A route is posted at this link. (Bob & I can't make it, as we're picking our daughter up from the airport that night. Therefore, I'll be walking early on Thursday morning, weather permitting. Let me know if you'd like to join me.)

It's the set-up for a 16K walk this Saturday. The turnaround for the boardwalk route is Kingsbury at Lakeside. A route is posted at this link.

This schedule is for the Toronto Island Women's Half on September 19th, for which eight Shore Things are registered. You can still sign up at the earlybird rate of $55 if you do it before September 9th, which is fast approaching.

For the KW Walking Classic 10K on September 27th, the deadline before the price increase is even closer, September 1st. Ten members of our group are signed up so far. Hope you'll consider joining us to support this walkers-only race. Race organizer Susan Lewis (who is a long-distance member of the Shore Things) has arranged for us to have a later checkout at the Waterloo Hotel, which is just a short walk from the start. Some of us have rooms there, so it looks like this will be our race hotel.

Walk: August 10 @ Loblaws (plus beer and/or i'scream)

Monday is special. Not only because I know how excited you always are to do 8K. But mostly because we're invited to finish the evening with beer and/or ice cream in Trish's back yard.

It will be the last time Trish can have people over before she moves this week. And it might be our last chance to send her off in style before she departs for England at the end of the month. Hope to see lots of you out. BYOW (bring your own whatever).

After the walk, we'll likely be at Trish's 8:30ish. Check your Shore Things directory for address and phone number. If you've misplaced yours, reply to this email and I'll send you another.

Walks: August 5th & 8th

Hope you all had a safe and sunny Simcoe Day, wherever you were. Did you know that one thing we should be thankful for about John Graves Simcoe is that he helped abolish slavery in Upper Canada, long before it was abolished elsewhere in the British Empire. Click on his name above to get to the Wikipedia article.

Folks, this is another omnibus reminder about our two walks this week.

On Wednesday, we walk 8K from Shoppers. That would be our circuit to Pape.

On Saturday, it's 13K. That would be a walk to the lighthouse, if anyone is up for it. Yesterday, we followed the new trail along the Spit for our 6K from Tim's -- it was quite breezy, close to the lake and sweetly perfumed with honeyclover. We nabbed a passing birder to snap our group shot.

A reminder about the upcoming Midsummer Night's 15K. There are fewer than 150 spaces left in the 15K event, according to the website, so please book now if you're considering it. Bob & I plan to be back for it.

I'm also putting out feelers for the Dublin Marathon in 2010. I'd set 2010 as my target year to do a full marathon in honour of my mum, and I've always wanted to see Dublin. It's Breda's home town, so she has begun to find out accommodation info for us. The marathon is walker friendly, with an 8-hour finishing time. I regret there is no half marathon option on the day (theirs happens the month before), however I hope that some of you might consider joining me.