Variety

One thing I quickly learned about triathlon training: It opens your eyes to a whole litany of athletic possibilities.

I'm an inveterate reader. Any time I take an interest in something, even at the pre-hobby stage, I bury myself in books, magazines, Web sites, etc. I picked up The Complete Idiot's Guide to Triathlon Training (click on the link to the left; you know you want to). Get Out There magazine I got at the bike show. I've since picked up Triathlete, Trail Running and Canadian Running's Trail Special.

Aside from a triathlon, I'd like to do some running, a 10k maybe. Canada Running Series has a 10 or 5k at the Metro Zoo in October; after the Island, that would make my two favourite Toronto landmarks. But the next weekend is the Run Ajax half-marathon and 5k, a Running Room trail run in the town where I grew up. Trail running has a particular appeal to me. Easier on the joints, a little more pastoral than street running.

Then, I don't know why, I became obsessed with cross-country skiing. This makes no sense. I hate winter about as much as I hate cold water (oops ... there's a problem). I've been waiting for summer for ages, and it's around the corner. Hell, it was 21 degrees today. Why the fixation with cross-country skiing?

I've never actually been nordic skiing. But a couple of maybe four years ago, when I lived up in North York, there was a yard sale. By Toronto standards, I was in the middle of nowhere, so I had to walk half an hour to Yonge and Sheppard when I needed something other than groceries. I think it was a screwdriver I was after; whatever. I passed this yard sale on the way out and promised myself I'd check it out on the way back.

It was abandoned by the time I got back, with a few leftover items propped up against a tree with a sign that said "Free." Among those items was a cross-country ski set -- skis, boot and poles. If the shoes fit, I told myself, I'll take 'em. They were a size 43 -- to this day, the best fitting footwear I have. So I took the kit.

Quality stuff, too. Salomon boots. Fischer skis. The poles I don't trust, but whatever. Is it old? The skis boast: "Fischer XC Skis: 6x Gold, Lake Placid". So at least I know it's no more than, what is that, 30 years old? However old, this is the year they get a workout. If, or course, it snows. But there's no point thinking about that now. It'll be upon us soon enough.