Plans for training for my 2016 Camino

I'm walking the Camino this summer and fall. I'll be turning 70 while I am there, so I am giving careful thought to my training in preparation for about 4 weeks of walking, and 2 weeks of 18 hour days, caring for pilgrims at Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal.

The largest part of my training is the walks that I lead here in Toronto. I have been leading 3 hikes a week for several years, and I'll continue to do that while I am in Toronto.
On Mondays, we walk for about 4 hours with a break for coffee - about 15 km.
On Tuesdays, we walk for an hour or so, then have coffee, and walk home - roughly 6 or 7 kms.
On Fridays, my goal is 20 kms. Sometimes we go further, especially if we walk home after lunch. Sometimes it is shorter.
That adds up to roughly 43 kms on training walks.
I walk about the same amount over the week, doing my errands. I walk to pick up my grandson, to pick up my email at the library, to church on Sunday and back again, food shopping.....I walk almost everywhere I go.
My goal is 100 kms per week, and I have averaged that over the last 18 months.


Miguel Cura did this caricature of me and put it on his blog. He walked the Camino with his dad, and trained a few times with us. See his Camino at miguelcura.com

I also attend a 90 minute Iyengar yoga class each week, and have been doing this for the past 12 years. It has helped my stamina, strength and balance, and I enjoy it (mostly).

I wear a backpack wherever I go, and it usually weighs in at about 10 pounds, so that is part of the training too. When I start to practice with my Camino backpack, I hardly notice a difference.

I am thinking of walking to my cottage this spring as part of my training. It is about 120 kms, and most of it can be done on trails. I have friends along the way, so I can possibly stay at various homes, maybe taking 5 days to walk it. So far, I have no definite plans, just the possibility, but it is a fun idea.

All this walking makes me a happy woman!

I read about the Camino, follow blogs, and help to organize our twice yearly meetings about the Camino. Yes, and I dream the Camino!

Don Valley for the adventurous

Looking up at the trestle

Don't try this one if you have vertigo, or a fear of heights. But if you like to do one thing that scares you every day (Thanks, Eleanor) this may be the walk for you.

Start at the pedestrian bridge over the Don Valley Parkway, between Riverdale Park East and West. Go down the steps from the middle of the bridge and walk north for a few hundred meters. Don't follow the path over the river: instead, continue north for a few meters, and on the left you will find a hole cut in the chain link fence. Walk through the hole and climb up the embankment to the railroad tracks. Turn right, and follow the tracks.

According to this article, the track has been closed since 2007.
 http://torontoist.com/2010/09/don_rail_branch_stays_gold/

The pictures are by Rudy Limeback, and appear in his post  http://rudy.ca/six-ravines-and-an-abandoned-rail-line.html

As you head north, the track follows the side of the Don Valley Parkway. First you cross a trestle bridge, which had a shelter constructed on it, when we walked it recently. One of the challenges is the growth of weeds in the bed of the tracks. Another challenge is the rubble on the tracks under the Bloor Viaduct, where they are doing construction.

But the biggest challenge occurs after about 30 minutes: you arrive at the south end of a 335 meter bridge which crosses several lanes of traffic leaving the Don Valley Parkway, the Don River, an active railway and finally, the east parking lot at the Brickworks. This is what the bridge looks like from the north end looking south, the way you came.

Cross the bridge to the other side. Here you have a choice.

You can continue along the tracks for a few hundred meters, looking for a trail that goes up the bank on the left. Climb it and you come to the paved trail along the lip of the bowl of the Brickworks. Walk left, and the path will take you down to the Brickworks, worth a visit to the market there, or have a coffee at Cafe Belong.

If you wish to carry on, follow the rail track until you can see an overpass ahead. Watch on your right for a trail that goes off, down the ravine, and ends at Bayview. Turn right and walk on the shoulder of Bayview, south until you come to the intersecion of Pottery Road. Cross at the lights on the north side. Walk along Pottery Road a few hundred meters, and after you cross the bridge over the Don River, there is a pedestrian crossing to the south side of Pottery Road. Cross, turn left and walk under the underpass to the entrance to Todmorden Mills. Follow the signs to the Wildflower Preserve, and walk to the south end of the Preserve. There is a trail that goes up the hill, to your left. If you return to the parking lot, you have gone too far. Follow the path up the hill, and arrive between 2 apartment buildings on Broadview, just south of Pottery Road.

This walk is great in the spring, when the wildflowers are out, beautiful in summer, when the weeds are in blossom, and spectacular in the fall when the trees have turned. But the trestle isn't a good idea when the rails might be wet, or when there is a wind. Otherwise, Buen Camino!

Corktown Common

You could almost believe you were in the country - if you didn't notice the tremendous amount of building that is going on in the background. Corktown Common is a multi-use urban greenspace located in the West Donlands. When construction is completed, there will be a venue for the Pan Am Games, housing for George Brown students and a new YMCA.
Meanwhile, it is a great destination for our group, as it takes about 25 minutes down the Don trail to get there.





Here is an overview taken a few months ago, looking south, though you cannot really see the Lake, which is another 10 minutes down the trail.





 Here is a link to an article about the opening.
http://www.reminetwork.com/articles/waterfront-toronto-opens-corktown-common/

Choices for coffee after the walk include Balzac's, in the Distillery District - another 10 minutes away, though it will be closer when they reopen Front street and Cherry Street, both closed during construction.
Meanwhile, we walk though Percy Park, which I think is the smallest park in Toronto. Here is a link to an interesting article about it.
http://deconstructedcity.blogspot.ca/2010/11/picturesque-percy-park-pleasantly.html

Another nearby coffee shop is Merchants of Green Coffee, on Davies street, just north of Queen.
http://merchantsofgreencoffee.com/
Merchants is a favourite destination when Jasper(the dog) accompanies us, as he is welcome here.

Happy Hiking

Riverdale Parks and Rosedale Valley Road

Most of my one hour hikes start close to home - on the pedestrian bridge over the Don Valley Parkway.



We cross the bridge, and if we are lucky, the gate to Riverdale Farm
http://www.yelp.ca/biz/riverdale-farm-toronto
 is open.
We saw these sheep as we passed by.



In order to get access to the Rosedale Valley Road, we crossed through Wellesley Park.


 

 Down the stairs, then up the Rosedale Valley Road, with St James Cemetery http://www.stjamescemetery.ca on our left.
Part way up the ascent, we crossed the road and took a steep climb back up the hill, arriving beside the Castle Frank Subway station.
West on Dale Ave, checking out the pedestrian bridge across the Rosedale Valley Road - closed until further notice!


Let's hope it is repaired or rebuilt soon.

We went south on Sherbourne, then had coffee and some gluten free brownies at the Timothy's on the corner.

Home again, down Parliament, back through Riverdale Farm.

This is one of my favourite short hikes: beautiful scenery, maximun green and minimum exhaust fumes, and good cardio opportunities.

Good Hiking!

Exploring Toronto, one walk at a time

Todmorden Mills was the destination of our walk today. On Mondays and Tuesdays we walk for about an hour, then have coffee. There are many routes that we can take, starting at the pedestrian bridge over the Don Valley Parkway, but today's walk was one of the best.


We walked up the Don path to Todmorden Mills, and stopped in at the Art gallery there - they were hanging a new show.

The Wildflower Garden at Todmorden is a short loop, but the foliage was beautiful.

http://www.hopscotch.ca/tmwp/preserve/index.html - the link for the wildflower garden.

Todmorden Mills is a historic site, run by the city of Toronto. This is the link
http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=d5ed2271635af310VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

There is also a theatre there, called the Papermill theare.
 http://www.blogto.com/theatre/2008/08/the_papermill_theatre_at_todmorden_mills/.
 The theatre shows performances by the East Side Players
www.eastsideplayers.ca

After wandering the site, we started up the hill to Broadview - not by our usual route up Pottery Road, but through the woods and up the hillside, exiting the woods behind 1000 Broadview. I had wanted to check out that path for months, and Anne and Julie were game to explore.

We walked down Broadview, beside the City Adult Learning Center, through more woods, and crossed Broadview to the Riverdale Perk for a cup of coffee.
https://www.facebook.com/riverdaleperkcafe
It is a favourite cafe - local, quiet, and comfortable, summer or winter.

One of the best 10 km walks we have taken!

More on Training

I have upped my walking and am trying to walk further each day.
Here is what I was doing on Friday - thanks Julie for the picture, including the finger!
 
We walked about 20 km, and it was all gorgeous.

Saturday I had a pot-luck lunch near Avenue Road and Lawrence, so I walked up - about 10 kms.

Sunday I walked to church and back. Here is our website - our church is newly renovated, and a very exciting place to be. That walk was about 10 km all together too.
 http://beachunitedchurch.com/

On Wednesday I walked along Bloor street to Davenport to visit Monarch Vintage - a clothing store run by a high school friend of Aislinn's. Hilary recognized me as I walked in the door - I hadn't seen her for at least 15 years. Check it out at
 https://www.facebook.com/MonarchVintage.
 I'll be going through my closets and donating to her - and I won't have stuff in my closets that I don't wear - a win-win. And another 15 kms.

Today our walking group went down the Don Trail to Corktown Commons. The security guard there gave us a tour of the facilities - it must be a lonely job.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corktown_Common

We resumed walking, and because Jasper ( the dog) was with us, we had coffee at Merchants of Green Coffee - a dog friendly ( and people friendly) coffee shop.
http://merchantsofgreencoffee.com/.
But that wasn't enough for some of us, so we walked the Portlands, and were home in time for lunchafter walking about 14 kms.

Tomorrow is the walking group, with a visit to the Distillery (likely)  and a visit to the waterfront and Cherry Beach tacked on for more distance.
Wednesday, I am walking back to Monarch Vintage, then an appointment at Yonge and St Clair. I likely won't walk home.
Thursday, the Waterfront Trail ( on streets, not the beach) from home to Rosetta McClain park and back to the church for choir practice.
Friday, from home up the Don Trail to Nostalgia coffee shop at O'Connor and St Clair, then lunch at Camino Bistro and home along the Danforth.

I think I'll be ready for the Camino!

Wandering this fall

Since I plan to walk the Camino once again in the Spring of 2014 with my friend Wendy, I need to step up the training. I now lead walk 3 days a week. Monday and Tuesday are usually in the neighbourhood, for about an hour, and Friday is a day-long walk with pilgrims - about the length of my definition of a short day on the Camino - about 4 and a half hours of walking, ending with a lunch somewhere on the route.

On the shorter walks, I have explored Corktown Common, the Distillery, Cherry Beach, the new Rouge Park, the Necropolis, Craigleith Gardens, Chorley Park, the Brickworks, the abandoned CPR rail route up the Don Valley, Governor's Bridge and Rosedale. On all but one of these hikes, I have had friends with me.

On the longer walks with Pilgrims Practice/Progress, we have walked the Eastern Beaches, Grenadier Pond in High Park and the Humber River, the waterfront to High Park, the Toronto Islands, and the Don Valley trail to Edwards Gardens. This week we return to the Humber and walk north from Bloor.

This is a picture taken by Julie, of our walk near Wilkett Creek.

Toronto is so beautiful, and provides so many opportunities to get away from the bustle and the pavement, and so many challenges and adventures in preparation for the pilgrimage.

Ultreia! 

Bridgebuilding

Friday walk  with Pilgrims Progress


Let's build a bridge!

This Friday, May 3, we are looking for adventure on Toronto Island. Meet at 9 am,  9:10 at the bridge, and bring a  fork and a pot luck item to share for lunch. Email me for details, if you need them. Only one more Friday walk, then we move to Thursday. Last walk of the season is June 20.

This pilgrim spent some time in Leon yesterday pondering why he and the other walkers he met were doing the Camino. No definitive answers, but very thought provoking.

http://pgstheway.com/2013/04/30/day-20-rest-reflection-2/

Buen Camino!
Darlene

Pilgrims' Practice

I have decided to rename the Friday group for hikers, as we will only be walking for 3 more Fridays, then switch  to Thursdays. So from now on the group will be called "Pilgrims' Practice".
 I like the alliteration, and the reference to the Canadian Company of Pilgrims.

Angela has set up her blog and is leaving at the end of the month. Here is her blog address.

http://angelalarsen.blogspot.ca/2013/04/camino-club.html





This is a photo she took on our Pilgrims' Practice last Friday in Cedarvale Park - I know her photos of the Camino will be amazing and I am looking forward to following along with her adventures.
The website for her other photos is www.angelalarsen.ca

Mike has been walking with us since January, but usually he is seated on a bike, which is how he did the Camino. He is part of a yahoo group for cyclists on the camino. Here is the link.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Santiago_Bicicleta/

Here is one more blog for you, in case you were wondering what there is to do in Santiago.
Johnnie Walker, who moved to Santiago from England, blogs regularly on the Camino - he works at the Pilgrims office, and his latest post is Ten things to do in Santiago.

http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.ca/

Enjoy!