The Adventure Runs of Jeff Hunt

e2e Marathon - June 12, 2011

2011-06-28T20:29:00.000-07:00

My training for this marathon was minimal. Although my speed was good going in, my distance - or lack thereof - was definitely a concern. I had done 2x 37k training runs, but my weekly mileage had never surpassed 60k, sand I had never run more than 4x per week. Therefore, I had no idea what to expect, but my goal was to break 3h, and with that, I thought there may even be a chance of the win if (and only if) the field was super weak.
At the start line, it appeared that the field was indeed weak. There were a few guys who looked serious, but I knew I could only control my race, and so that is what I had to focus on.
The race began, and a young guy with a mullet hammered out to the front. A couple guys behind me joked and laughed at him, thinking that this guy was in for the longest day of his life. I took hold of 2nd place and there was another guy or two that followed me.
By the 3k mark, the young guy was actually now WAY in front, and one guy passed me to put me in 3rd. Again, I was pacing myself well. The only problem was the fact that there were NO KILOMETRE MARKERS. So, while I felt my pace was good, there was actually no definitive way of telling. I hit the beach section and was surprised to feel how soft it was. My previous race here (4 years ago), I remember the beach being rock hard.
The next part of the run was a little mentally difficult. The road was windy, with undulating hills, and it just went on and on. To make matters worse, the road was open, and I was almost hit by a bus at one point.
I was fortunate enough to have my parents in a support vehicle for the duration of the race. They were able to tell me the gap I had on the runner behind me, and also the distance ahead on the #2 guy.
I hit the Long Beach section in good time. While I knew I was tiring, I was not losing any ground on the person in front of me, and I was told I had a 4 minute gap on the guy behind me. So I was in a good space. At the end of this section, there is a fairly large hill which I managed nicely. I was doing well, but also knew that I was ~25k mark only, and I was probably more tired than normal, and I was sweating WAY MORE than normal. I called my parents for much fluid at this time. I drank loads between km 25-32k, because I knew if I didn't, I'd be screwed.
I was very surprised to see that I was catching the guy in front of me, and I eventually passed him ~km 28. I didn't know if he was struggling or whether it was my steady pace, but at any rate I was in 2nd place.
For a brief moment, I thought about the win and asked my parents where he was. To my chagrin, they told me the young 'mullet-man' was miles and miles ahead. Huh - who'd have thunk that from the start line? Not me, and not anyone.
So I felt motivated to stay in 2nd, and the only way of doing that was to stay focused and keep the kilometres consistent. My body was fatiguing, and around km 32 I was now into survival mode. I could feel my body not far away from cramping, so I did my best with nutrition and mental fortitude to hang in there.
At around km 35, I was struggling quite a bit, and knowing that there were some significant hills coming up, I knew it would be a battle in these final kilometres. I was told that there was a guy behind me only around 2 minutes and that he was catching up. Because of my body, I decided to walk up the two difficult hills ~km 37, and that is where I was passed. I was pissed off, but I knew that power hiking up these hills was the smartest thing for me. After the second hill, I bounced back with revenge and was trailing this guy as we headed now into the village of Ucluelet. I was only 2-3 seconds behind him.
As we came to the final hill, I was still struggling with my form and my mind was racing. I had the decision to stay jogging up this hill with this guy, and try and pass him in the final 1-2 km, or do what I actually did do, and power hike up it. I thought I could power hike up it and then hammer the final kilometer, using my speed to beat him. At the top of the hill, this guy was likely around 20 seconds in front of me, but I felt the adrenaline kick in and I felt like I had a kick in me. The only problem was, I didn't know exactly how much further the course was, and a race official actually told me at this point I had 5k to go. But I knew that couldn't be right. I knew Ucluelet well enough to know that there was not even 5k of distance left on the Island here. I decided to make my move. I rounded a street corner and uped the ante. To my complete surprise, the guy in front of me also did the exact same thing. I was now in full spring mode, and although I was catching this guy, there was too much distance to make up. I crossed the finish line in 3rd place, 11 seconds behind 2nd. Mullet-man would win it 25 minutes infront of us.
My finishing time was 3:12:17. Although I did not win, and I did not break the 3h mark, I felt my effort was solid. Considering my minimal training, I had to be proud of my pacing and my fighting spirit. This course is not a PB course, and considering the overall elevation loss/gain and the bending highway throughout, it feels way more like a 44k run.
My time did in fact qualify me to Boston. It also was a 11 minute PB (for what that is worth).
I still feel like a have a 2:5x:xx marathon in me, but I actually detest road events compared to trail events, so I will at some point, go for the sub 3h marathon, but not this year...that's for sure.
So there is my 2011 update. Speed is good. A PB in the 1/2 and the full so far.
Still dealing with Achilles Tendonosis. I am now at 38 months with this. It isn't preventing me from running, but it is a pain that is not going away. I have no idea what to do with this, and have literally tried everything. I am considering taking some time off to figure this thing out. I am actually going in for an x-ray tomorrow to see if I have a stress fracture. If negative, I may be going in for a bone scan. At any rate, I am mystified on how to get rid of this thing, and until I figure it out, all my dreams of an epic trail run this summer are on hold. I will NOT be running the JdF this year. Sad, but true. Hopefully the trail is still there in 2012.

Oak Bay 1/2 Marathon - May 15, 2011

2011-06-28T20:11:00.000-07:00

I felt good going into this race, but also went in with little expectations. The Island Series had taught me that no matter how well my training was going, race day can yield different results. I also had begun some longer distance training (up to ~28k) in preparation for a summer marathon, so I knew covering the distance should be manageable.
The race started well, and the rain was coming down hard. I tried to begin slightly slow, and settle into a steady pace. I was excited that around the 3k mark, Chris Callendar jumped out of the spectators and ran with me. I actually had forgotten my watch for the race, so it was awesome having Chris telling me my split times, which were consistently ~4 min/k. Chris paced me to the 11k mark, and then rejoined me around the 13k mark. He would stay with me until ~km 20, and was totally encouraging. I knew my pace was decent, and I was pretty impressed with myself how well I held it together. I was even able to pick off about 3 guys in the 2nd half of the race. I don't think I slowed down at all.
My racing flats did the trick, and I hammered this 1/2 in a time of 1:23:12. It was a new PB for me, and I was so excited that I performed at this level. This, to me, seemed way more consistent with the training I had been putting in. 16th overall, 4th in my age group. Super excited about this one.

Racing and Training Update 2011

2011-06-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Well, and so it goes that actually continuing my blog in 2011 didn't really happen. There were just way too many higher priority things in my life that took up the time. Therefore, I will try and provided a brief snapshot of my year thus far.
The year started off with me racing in 6 of the Island Series races. My goal in 2011 was to focus more on the mid-distance stuff, and leave the long stuff out for a while.
The results (which spanned January through to April) went as follows:
Pioneer 8k - 29:52
Cobble Hill 10k - 38:36
Hatley Castle 8k - 31:38
Bazan Bay 5k - 18:17
Merville 15k - 58:12
Sooke 10k - 38:33
While my times were good and fairly consistent, I was slightly disappointed that I was unable to PB at any of the distances. I was consistently ~45 seconds slower in all the races.
I felt great about my races at Hatley Castle & Merville, but the others felt a little sluggish. I say this because I felt that my training was pretty damn good, especially at the TNWs where I was kicking derriere for most of the season.
However, I did accomplish my goal to do well in the standings, and I was pretty excited to come 3rd in my age group, 38th overall - good enough to win a free t-shirt :).
Next year, it would be nice to perform as I did in 2010, but I think sleep and stress have a direct corrolation with my performance.

Gunner Shaw 10k - Nov. 27, 2010

2010-12-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Preamble

After the Juan de Fuca Trail in late August, I intentionally decided to continue training, but with reduced mileage. The goal was to give my body a break from some of the longer stuff, but at the same time, stay in shape so I would be ready to perform well at some of the upcoming shorter distance events.

The reality was that my new teaching portfolio was demanding come September. I had little time to run, with the exception being the TNW and running with my school cross-country team. As a result of being stressed at work, my motivation to run was sucked away from me, and I struggled to maintain my fitness.

To counteract this, I signed up for 3 upcoming races, thus putting the pressure on me to get in racing condition. By October, I was back into things with my speed, and I was ready to debut my new racing flats at the GoodLife Fitness 8k. I was poised for an 8k PB, but when the time came to race that weekend, I injured my back two days before and was forced to cheer Janelle from the sidelines. The injury wasn't bad though, and I was running again solidly by the following weekend.

I decided to pass on other events in the fall like the Shawnigan 1/2 and the Jericho XC Challenge, and focus on the Thetis Lake 20k Solo Relay Run. Once again, I was in good shape but sickness that weekend would force me not to race...once again.

Although I was frustrated by the lack of racing, I knew my training was solid, yet minimal, and I kept things going for much of November. In November, high school XC ended, giving me more focus and time for myself to really concentrate on the upcoming Gunner Shaw 10k race.

Good news. This time I wasn't injured, I wasn't sick, and I was ready to race.

Race Day

I arrived to the race in good time, and was definitely exited to get my competitive vibe back in me. Having not raced this event before, I didn't know exactly what to expect in terms of the conditions and the course, but I could imagine what was out there. This race is notorious for mud and wetness, but this year, it was the packed snow and ice that caused concern from the runners. We received about 15 cms. of snow a week prior, and the trail had a pretty good pack on it. After a good warm-up, I decided at the last minute to go with my YakTrax to race. I had seen Shane Ruljancich wearing his, so I thought I'd be in good company. With 15 minutes to go before race time, I tempoed back to my car and switched shoes. I arrived back just in time for the start of the race, but my heart rate was elevated somewhat from this last minute decision.

The race began and I attempted to not start too fast. I felt like I did this, and was happy with the start. The shoes seemed to be not too bad on the early paved portion of the race, and when I hit the muddy/icy trails I was very happy with my decision. I was extremely surprised to see just how fast everyone was around me. I thought that I would be much faster on the trails than the people around me, but the reality was that I was working hard just to maintain my standing. I was in a nice group of runners (including some of my training group), but as soon as the big uphills came, I really had trouble getting up them. This was atypical for me, and I was slowly being dropped my the pack around me. Gary Duncan surged ahead, as did Irvin Tang, and finally Chris Callendar. I was fine with this, hoping that my second-wind would kick in, and hoping that my shoe decision would give me some kind of advantage out there. My pace did not pick up however, and a few other people passed me as we made our way to the final hills. As I approached the final set of hills, I struggled to complete them, but was relieved to see I did not get passed by a couple of runners on my tail. However right at the top of the hill, I was passed by Mark Ritchie, and as the finish line approached, it looked like I was destined to finish right behind him. However, I felt a finishing kick inside my bones, so I decided to kick it along the beach/water and I did well to pass him.

My time was 40:35...good enough for 37th Place overall.

I was pleased with my overall effort, but was not really pleased to be destroyed my my training group (when I had beaten them all consistently in training). However, it was my first race in ~4 months, so in that regard, it was good to get one under my belt. My decision to wear the YakTrax was a stupid one. I was tired at the start line in my haste to get them on, and looking down at the finish, I only had 1 YakTrax on...and it had slipped. So really, I was running this race in a really old pair of trail shoes with little traction, and the course was on mud/ice. Hopefully next time, I would live up - a little more - to my potential.

Juan de Fuca 47k Epic Trail Run - Aug. 29, 2010

2010-08-30T12:28:00.000-07:00

I went into this run thinking I was in pretty good shape. After being injured in the late Spring, I fast-tracked into a hefty endurance training program, specifically for this trail run.
In all, 12 runners would show up on the day. 7 from the mainland, and 5 from the Island. This number was somewhat disappointing when you consider the initial e-mail interest in the early summer. It looked like there would be in excess of 30 runners. However, having others around was not really why I was here this day.
The day began early as usual. I was up at around 4 am, and I already had all my gear ready to go. I wasn't overly impressed with my 4 hours of sleep the night before, but when I had a family wedding up in Duncan, what else can you do?
I drove my dad's blue truck out to the China Beach Trailhead, and it wasn't too long before people began arriving. Most of the group left at around 7:45 am. They had chose the traditional South to North option of doing the trail,but I had opted for something different this year. I would be going North to South, and as luck would have it, I would also be doing it solo.
On the drive up to Botanical Beach, we saw bears on the side of the road about 10k along, so that got my West Coast vibes flowing inside of me. I dropped my co-pilot, Jeremy Lawrence, off at Sombrio (he was doing a 25k option run back to China Beach) and then continued up to Botanical. From Sombrio on, the road has been newly paved, and it is nice. Far nicer than the roller-coaster road it used to be.
I parked the vehicle, got my parking stub, and began my run at the 47k marker right at 8:30 am. This was it. This was what I had been training for all summer. This day. And here I was.
The first kilometre was rather simple - a downhill rocky road to sea level. From here the trail cuts South and is more or less flat. I rocked out the first 2k in 9 minutes and I thought to myself that if I could just maintain this pace for the next 45k, I'd have the course record. Haha. Things don't work that way.
After the first 2k, the trail takes on more of a JdF flavour. Hills, stairs roots and scenery. This part of the trail resembles the WCT in appearance. However, I was feeling great in the early going and did extremely well to cover the first 7k in 45 mins, and the first 10k in 1:02. At this point, I remember that Sean Chester last year did the final 10k in 1 hour going the opposite way, so I was happy that I was going fast, but not overly fast.
Soon thereafter, I saw a hiker coming the other way who flagged me down. He told me that up ahead in 1.5k, there was a large wasp nest on the trail. I asked him if there was any way around the nest, but he said no. He said he got stung.
Deep down I have always had a fear of bees. Snakes and spiders, no problem. But bees, I am scared of them. Maybe it is the fact that I know I cannot really outrun a bee.
So continue on, keeping my eyes open widely in case the man didn't know how far 1.5k really is. And then I see another group of hikers approaching. I stop. They tell me that their entire group was stung multiple times, and the lady in their group was stung 8 times. She said they were angry.
So now I am petrified. I got them to describe exactly where the nest was, and within a couple minutes of running, I hear buzzing sounds, and I totally panic. I scream backwards on the trail 20 ft and look up at the trail ahead. I am cold and have goosebumps of fear. I look up and see a small swarm right in the middle of the trail. Looking left of the trail, I see a 10 foot wall of salal. On the other side, a steep cliff. There is no option here but to go through it. My worst fear is about to be realized. So after a couple minutes, I decide on the Usain Bolt approach. I am going to hammer over this thing so fast that I will be stung the least amount of times. So off I go, and I went hard.
I get about 4 feet away from the swarm and then leap over the thing, planting my left foot at the base of the salal wall for extra propulsion. With my eyes shut, I leap over the nest and cannot believe my good fortune. I didn't get stung.
My heartrate is high and the adrenaline is going. But I guide my body back into the rhythm of the trail, and before I knew it I was leaving the trail for the top end of Sombrio Beach. 17k down, 30k to go. And I'm actually feeling great.
Although normally the beach is a welcome relief from the trail, I was anticipating a better time on Sombrio. Although the tide was out, the boulders were slippery, so it forced me to slow right down and travel slowly. I wanted to use the slow pace to refuel, but the footing was so dodgy that it was quite some time before I was able to take in my gels and s-caps. I also had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at the South end of Sombrio, and I also was so buddy with my nutrition that I missed the trailhead off the beach for a second.
So back onto the trail I go, knowing that I will stop in just a few minutes at Sombrio Waterfall. I have this landmark pegged as a refueling station, and it did its job well this day. A full stop to load up the Hydropack and dunk my head, and then a few words of encouragement to myself and once again I am off.
Wasp nest aside, the going had been very good so far. But I knew there was trouble ahead. This next section of the trail past Sombrio is bad running, and I knew this new Southerly direction (uphill) it was only gonna be worse.
Yes it was bad, but I faired very well. I coped with the technical part leading up to the old road, and I was able to run the 1k uphill stretch of the road in its entirety. I was pretty bagged at the apex of the climb, but it was certainly fun to travel down this time (rather than up) towards the Loss Creek suspension bridge. I was pretty beat up by the time I hit km 23, but I was super excited to make it to the half way part of the trail without seeing anyone else from the JdF Epic Run. Shortly after though, I saw Ian coming toward me, and I stopped briefly to warm him of the wasp nest at 33.6k. He then told me that he had been stung, as there were two wasp nests around 12 and 13k. Great. I said goodbye, and then saw his running mate Nico shortly behind. It wasn't long before I found the short cut path that led to the ocean, and I opted to get off the trail and get onto the beach. The trail had beat me up enough.
This was, in hind sight, a bad move. The tide was much higher than I anticipated, and the short cut proved to be no time-saver. The sea arch that I would normally go through was now in the ocean, and I was forced to scale some rocks and do a 8 foot leap down off the rocks onto the beach. The beach was soft, but I did get to the top end of Chin Beach without injury.
Chin Beach was slightly better than Sombrio in the sense that I did manage to jog part of it. At the South end, I saw the 6 members of the running group from Vancouver. They were amazed and excited to see me and they took my photo. They asked what kind of pace I was on and I said 6:15. I knew at the half way point I was at 2:55ish (PB pace), but I also knew the chance of me getting an even split was near nil. I felt good, but I was feeling drained, and the worst part of the trail was about to hit me hard in the face.
I left the beach and for a moment I forgot what the trail ahead was like. What is was like was bad. Really bad. Not very runnable, and large elevation gains and drops. I tried my damnedest to cope with the power hiking/run down the switchbacks routine, but simply put, this part of the trail killed me. I felt drained of energy earlier, and this sucked every ounce of energy out of my legs. My hydration was good, my salt was good (I wasn't cramping), but my legs were like Jello. I slowed down with each kilometre, and by the time I hit 14k I was barely jogging.
And then I remembered what Ian had told me. There were more wasp nests ahead. Two lady hikers were coming my way, so I stopped to ask them if they had seen any wasp nests. No they said. Whew. I was relieved. It couldn't be that bad, but I should keep my guard up for the next few kilometres.
I never saw any nests over the next few kilometres. My pace did pick up over that section, likely out of fear, but I was in pretty bad shape when I hit Bear Beach at the 9k point. Normally Bear Beach is a beach I would consider running. But not today. For one thing, the tide was way up, so the rocks I usually go on were submerged. I was forced high up onto the sand and it was just as well, because I was struggling now. Beach Beach is a long stretch of beach, but when you are walking it in the sand and exhausted, it seems even longer.
I was hoping that the beach would revive me. I used the walk to refuel, and I prayed that the Calories would hit me sooner than later. But as I left the beach for what should be a pretty easy section of the trail, I was in the same sad state I was when I entered Bear Beach.
I now had all of 8k to go. And I couldn't run at all. I was that tired. Normally 8k would be a snap, but I knew I was in some trouble, and I knew I was on my own, so I had to take it easy. After all, it is the JdF Trail and most people spend 1 day to hike to Bear Beach.
So I walked. And boy did the kilometres go slow. I wasn't paying attention to the clock, but it took a long time to see the kilometre posts. Every once in a while, I attempted to run a flat section, but my effort was for nought. My head was down, my hands were on my thighs and I was doing my best to finish in one piece. I was bonking and bonking bad. There were some of the longest kilometres of my life.
At kilometre 3, I decided to sit down, as my stomach was a bit queasy and I was in rough shape. I took my final gel and finished off my water. Still no cramping, but zero energy to move the jello legs. It was only 2-3 minutes before I began again, and I was relieved to get to Mystic Beach shortly after.
Mystic Beach was full of people. And the people seemed to give me some energy, at least, for the time being. I got back on the trail again after the brief beach walk and climbed up the massive staircase back into the canopy of the West Coast Rainforest. The route was slightly uphill here, but I felt obligated to attempt another run. This time, I held form and was able to shuffle through the last stretch and through all the hikers/walkers. I made it to the end without stopping and clocked my time at 6:19.
I was happy to be done. This trail is bloody tough, no matter how many times I've done it, or how many different ways I go. It was a tale of two stories for me this day. The first half was incredible, the second half was dismal. Again, I now am in search of answers.
I feel that I had the fitness to continue my pace that I established early on. It was a similar pace to that of last year, but I was beaten by the trail. My hydration was good, my salt intake was good, my Caloric intake or glycogen reserve let me down.
Do not go to a wedding the night before a big ultra. You will lose energy.
Get more sleep. 4 hours per night is not sufficient.
Last year was a pretty good run when I did it in 6:01. This run sucked, and I still got 6:19. So now I am 100% confident that I can do 5:4x if all goes well.
I am keen to redeem myself from this day, and I think I may give it another go in a couple of weeks. My fitness is there, and there is room in the racing calendar for it. I should be able to do these distance events and finish on a way better note than this. I hate finishing a run and feeling sour, like the trail beat me. And today, without a doubt, it pounded me.
Results will come, but I need to focus on consistency/pace/energy throughout the distance.

A Man of Legendary Stature

2010-08-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

Ultrarunning is not always glamorous. 1 poo stop, 5 pee breaks, and a nosebleed were highlights for my 40k training run yesterday. Ah yes, and a breakfast of Maltodextrin and Salt, taken in 45 minute intervals. The breakfast of champions.
However, at the end of it, it was perhaps the best training runs of 2010 for me. The 40k route took me from Kemp Lake out in Sooke to Leechtown and back. This would be the first time I would run this section of the Galloping Goose Trail, and it is, without doubt, the most scenic part of the trail. The nosebleed came 3 hours into my 3:33 run, and I was fortunate to have Kleenex on hand to plug one nostril while still on the go.
So it was a good one for me. No cramping on a 40k run is a rare event for me. I even managed to run all the uphills, which I think is pretty impressive, when you consider a couple of those uphills I took on in the last 5 km.
I've now only got one final important training run left. I am planning on doing a 90' hill workout this Thursday at Mt. Doug, just to get a bit more quad endurance in me.

The last 4 weeks have been solid though.
4 weeks ago - 4 hours (28k) on the JdF with Sean Chester.
3 weeks ago - 80' (13k) bail out run.
2 weeks ago - 37k to E/B and back.
1 week ago - 40k to Leechtown and back from Kemp Lk.

JdF Trail in 2 weeks. I have decided to go for it, and decided to try the North to South option this year. Looking forward to it.

Now, on to the real reason I am making this post.

Last Thursday, I had the privilege to speak with Gary Robbins over the phone. Although I have never met him before irl, I feel that he and I have much in common, as we share many of the same passions. He is arguably Canada's best ultrarunner at the moment, and 2 weeks ago he set the 75k West Coast Trail Speed Record with a clocking of 10:05. Anyone who truly knows me knows that I am passionate about the WCT, almost to the point of obsession. I was hoping for a WCT Run this year in 2010, but with my injury earlier this year, it never happened. I still have dreams at night of a WCT attempt in 2011.
Although I am not a reporter, I did conduct a small interview with my idol, and I have included this below. The words down below are not exact quotes from Gary or myself, but I was taking notes, so you can get the gist of what we are discussing....

: Before I begin with the questions I have for you, I just got to congratulate you on setting the WCT Speed Record.

: Thanks, it is finally great to chat with you.

: And also, when you did the double (WCT/JdF) back in 2007 in just under 24 hours, most people thought this kind of goal was unattainable. I would like to thank you for being such a great role model and making the impossible seem possible. Although you may not know it, there are many runners young and old new to ultrarunning that look up to you as 'the guy' in the sport.

: Thanks, I think you have me blushing now. It is humbling to know that others are inspired by me.

: Concerning the WCT, I know you left just shortly after 5:30 am at the North Trailhead. Was light an issue at all?

: Yes, a little. For that time of the day, I really should have left about 15 minutes later, but I had pre-arranged when to meet the Nitnat Ferry guy - between 9 and 9:10 am - so I had to get to that point on time.

: When you got to the beach after the first 12k, were you able to use low tide and run in the ocean on the sandstone shelf at all?

: Not really. There were a couple times I went into the ocean, but it was dangerous down there. The terrain was sketchy and the larger rocks were terribly slippery. It was just dangerous, so I was forced onto the beach and the sand for much of it.

: So now you motor along to Km 22 where you encounter the first cable car crossing at the Klanawa River. Knowing how difficult these crossing are on your upper body, and how many Calories it takes, would you consider swimming across the river instead?

: Out of the 5 cable cars, I only took 2. And yes, the cable cars are pretty brutal, but I would definitely not swim across. There is too much to be lost if your body temperature gets too low, or your gear gets wet or something. While it may be slightly slower, it is just safer to use the cable cars.

: So now you bomb along until Tsusiat at Km 26. Did you find the next section after - from Km. 26 to Km. 33 nasty at all?

: It is a very technical stretch.

: Was the Nitnat guy there for you on time this time around?

: Thankfully, yes. I had phoned him ahead of time, and he was happy to show up earlier than scheduled for me. I gave him a twenty and I was on my way.

: Were the boardwalks slippery at all for you, or were they pretty dry?

: They were pretty good. I know there is usually a heavy mist in the mornings - even on a hot summer day - so they can be pretty bad. I'd say 90% of them were totally runnable. I can't even imagine attempting to run this trail when it is wet. I would never have come close to the record had the weather been different.

: You make it half way, to Monique's Restaurant. Did you stop there at all?

: Yes, it was a short stop though. I ate my trail mix, I filled up my water, and that was pretty much it.

: You now motor along to the Walbran River at Km 53 along the beach. How was that section, and did you manage to ford the river?

: The beach was a little slow going I have to say. Some of it was not very runnable, so it tried my patience on more than one occasion. The river (Walbran) was very high, and I decided not to chance it, so I went up to the trail and did the cable car...reluctantly.

: Along the final 20k or so, there are a few places where you may have thought about taking the beach instead of the trail. Were you able to fast-track along the beach?

: No. It was trail all the way out from the Walbran. I know there are places where the beach may be good, but the tides were not ideal, and the rocks along the beach had already proven to be very slippery. It would have been chancy to take that option.

: One of the most difficult parts of the trail is the final 10k. I know the final 5k for you was really bad, in terms of nutrition, but how did you find the km 65-70 section. You know, the loggy section.

: It is difficult for sure. Very technical, very slow.

: Your GPS showed at the end of the run that the trail was actually 80k, and not 75k. Where was the extra distance on the trail?

: The first kilometre was longish (1.2?), maybe due to the recent storms that the trail had endured. But after that, the kilometre marker were dead accurate for much of the way, until the last 10-15k. The last 5k was more like 8k.

: Was finding water on the trail a problem?

: No.

: Were you disappointed with your 10:08 finish?

: No. I came to set the record, and I did that. Yes I could have been faster, and yes I could have done a few little things differently. However, record set, mission accomplished.

: You have eluded to the fact that running the trail in the other direction may be easier.

: I am 100% convinced that running South to North is easier. Getting that nasty part out of the way when you are fresh has to pay off in the end. Logistics would be easier as well.

: Was your nutrition plan any different than when you do other races (ie. Western States), seeing that this trail is so damn technical?

: No. I use the same nutrition plan wherever I go. I struggled to fuel properly on the trail, and it was my own fault, and I paid dearly for it in the end. I have never bonked so bad in my life. I am used to refueling on the uphills, but because of the terrain, I couldn't really afford to take my eyes off the trail. Then on the flats, I wanted to run them to make up time and speed. The 80k over-distance and my inability to fuel properly (more gels) toward the end caused my bonking. I typically do 3 gels every 2 hours, 2-4 salt caps per hour and real food sporadically whenever I can. I pretty much budget on taking in 300 cal/hr.

: Finally, you know that you were capable of running the trail in 9:30 if everything was perfect. Do you think that the trail can be done sub 9...by you, or by anyone?

: Well, the conditions would have to be ideal. I think it might be possible, but the stars would need to be aligned. You would need 2-3 elite guys who are pushing one another the entire way, and perhaps not all of them even finish. The weather would have to be perfect, and the route would have to be the quickest. I think it could be done, but perhaps not for a very long time.

Training Update - Aug. 3, 2010

2010-08-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Things have been going pretty well on the training front. I managed to keep up running while on family vacation, and at the same time, get in a couple of longer runs. Since returning to Victoria, I was back on form in the TNW speed sessions, which is a good sign.
For my long runs, I did Gowland-Tod to Glen Lake (28k) three weekends ago. The next weekend I had the opportunity to do a portion of the JdF, where I ran with Sean Chester and completed 28k in 4 hours. And then this past weekend, I bailed on a 36k training run attempt and turned it into a 13k run. I was ok with this, as there is still time for me to get in a few longer ones.
The next two weekends will be critical for me. If I can basically nail two more long (3 hr. ~36-40k) training runs, I should be where I want for the JdF Trail Run on Aug. 29th.
I am still unsure if I will run the distance of the trail, or whether I will save myself for the following weekend at the CR 50k. A decision probably will not be made which race will be my "A" race until the day before the JdF. If I'm feeling good though, it will be hard to hold me back!
In other news, Gary Robbins does a speed attempt of the 75k WCT tomorrow. This is big news in my world. It is what I have dreamed about for the past 3 years, and needless to say, I am jealous beyond belief. However, I admire Gary to the nth degree, and I am really hoping he has a good showing and crushed the record. I think he will do it. Go Gary, Go!
I still have not ruled out of attempting it again myself, possibly next year.

Sidney 5k - July 1, 2010

2010-07-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

I didn't make the decision to race in this local 5k race until the day before, and as we all know, 5k is not really my distance. However, I have been feeling great in the past couple weeks with my running, and I thought I would use this race to gauge where I was at with my speed.
I had run hard on the Tuesday night previous, so I did have a little concern that I could still be fatigued from that workout, but I was still ready and itching to race.
The field for this race was around 200 runners, and there were a handful of elites, but definitely not quite the field of a typical running race. Looking around, I figured I would fall somewhere in the top 10, but placing was not really what I was after today. I had run this race course in the Spring, and done pretty well to finish with a clocking of 17:42. I also know that on a good day, I could nail a 17:30 on this course. So here we go...
I arrived to the race in good time, and after registering at the table, proceeded to get in a good warm-up. I then positioned myself at the start line, and then soon enough, we were off.
Two fastees took off to the front, and I positioned myself in the second grouping. By about 0.5k, Kevin Searle had pulled ahead of our little pack, and by the 1k marker, I was comfortably in 4th place. I was horrified to see my split time of 3:24. This was bad news for sure - I need to hit between 3:35 and 3:40 to maximize my finishing time. Knowing that I was going too fast, I dialed it back quite a bit over the next kilometre and I let a few guys (including Gary Duncan) go by me. My next split was 3:46, and I was not feeling great about my pacing today. I managed to hold onto my 10k race pace for the next 1.5k, and I kept a 3:40 pace throughout. I was now in a spot in the race where it looked like nobody in front of me was going to be caught by me, and now my efforts were just going to be holding off any stand from behind.
I knew this was not my best race, but when Claire Morgan passed me around the 3.5k mark, I was pretty pissed off. I was initially surprised to see her so far up in the race, but there was a voice inside me that said, "Damned if I am going to be passed by you." It was not the fact that she was a woman, I have no issues with being beaten by women. In fact, I don't mind at all running behind women. However, deep down, I know I am stronger than Claire, so I was going to do my best to stay with her.
In spite of my competitive drive, I struggled to keep up with her. She was flying, and I seemed to be fading. At the 4k mark, she was a good 5 seconds infront of me, and I considered making a move. However, I didn't as I felt that I didn't have a 3 minute+ kick inside of me. I decided to wait to the end...if there was still a chance.
As we rounded the final 500m, I kicked it in and pulled even with Claire on the inside. She sped up, and now it became a battle of determination and guts. I could hear her coach, Paul O'Callahan, barking her to keep up with me, but now it was me who had taken the final stretch by the horns. I drove my elbows and lengthened my stride just to get ahead, and I now could see the finish line and the clock. Paul continued his orders at Claire and yapped out, "Stay with Jeff!", but it was me who used this motivation.
I came over the line right on 18:00, which was good enough for 9th overall.
While this may sound like a good time to the average person, it was kind of a crappy race for me. I went in thinking I was capable of 17:30, and in fact, Gary Duncan (who came 4th) did that time. I still feel that I am as strong as he is, so it still seems that I am not quite translating my training into performance. However, all things considered, it was a decent time, and does provide me with a baseline for where to go.
Lesson learned however...I heard someone say once that for every second you go too fast in the first kilometre of a road race, you will lose 2 seconds with your final result. My first kilometre was 11 seconds out of my range, and in the end, my result was 18 seconds slower than what I did in the Spring. Perhaps if my first kilometre was just a little slower, I would have a new 5k PB. Who knows? I still feel like I race like a novice. More experience is required for sure.
I am not sure what race will be next for me, but there are now many, many races on my radar, and it looks like it could be a very busy August/September for me.
I look forward to continuing my training, pushing myself to the limit, and performing at races to the best of my ability.

Duncan 8k and Training Update - June, 2010

2010-06-25T14:35:00.000-07:00

Duncan 8k
I ran the Duncan 8k about 3 weeks ago and had a great race. The field was very small, but I took it upon myself to see what I could do, post-injury. Early speed sessions indicated that I was pretty much back to normal, but only a true race would be able to confirm these thoughts.
I took the lead early, and geared up for the long Lakes Rd. incline. It is about 1k of fairly steep uphill, but I knew once I was a the top, there would be time for recovery. As was the norm, Gary Duncan was also in the race, but I led early, and furthered the lead up the hill. By the top of the hill, I was in the clear.
I didn't want to let go of the pace, so I kept rolling along the farm/paved section at the top. I was feeling good, and I had no intentions of slowing down. This was the first race I ever had the lead on, and damn it felt good. I don't race how small the field was.
As I now entered the trail section of the course, I knew I was now in my element. I blew through the trails and then headed back up York Rd. (5k). I felt fatigued going up this short, but steep pitch, but again, I knew this was the final uphill bit, so I just had to bear down.
I hadn't run the course before, but had driven most of it. As I neared the 6k mark, I took a wrong turn very briefly, but my peripheral vision caught sight of a cone and I was again on the correct path. I now relaxed down Timberline downhill to the grass parkway finale. This was not easy, as the ground was soft here, and there was not much rebound from the ground here. This section seemed like a lengthy one, but soon enough I left the trail and headed to the final stretch.
I flew down the final driveway section and crossed the finish line in 30:15. My first win.
30:15 might sound like an average time to some, but I remind them that this course is hilly and also changes terrain significantly. My Pioneer 8k time earlier in the year was around 40 seconds faster, and I'd say that I ran at least as fast on this course, all things considered.
While there is no prize money for this event, nor were there ribbons, or medals, this race did much for my confidence. I now know I am back.

Training Update
Since the Duncan 8k, I have been training hard. My speed is definitely as fast as it has ever been, and I am training back to 4 times per week. Last weekend, I got my distance run up to 20k, so I know my distance is nowhere where it normally is, but I am in a good place now to start adding mileage. Last TNW session, I dropped two young fastees in Mt. Doug Park, and they simply couldn't keep up with me. I know I am no Shane Ruljancich, but I am making it my duty to put in the kind of effort he used to, and establish me as being the front runner.
So, as good things are happening now, I am starting to think about upcoming events. Everyone seems to be asking me what is next for me, and to them I have no answer. I have just wanted to get back into shape, and I know I am finally there.
While the JdF Trail looms at the end of August, I have no other solid commitments, other than training. However, in all honesty, I am ready to get back at 'er.
I have been thinking about the Esquimalt 8k, and also the Half Monty 25k in July. I hope I can get into September healthy, and if that happens, I would not rule out the CR 56k in September, or the GLW 50k.
Long term, I am thinking about going after a sub 3 hr marathon maybe in 2011. I know it is too early to think about 2011, but after missing so much this year, so much seems to beckon.
I am thankful that things are going well, and that options are opening. Hopefully there will be some racing news in the near future.

Back at 'er - May 31, 2010

2010-05-31T14:05:00.000-07:00

So you know something is up when I don't do a blog post for so long, Typically, I write a blog posting when I am really emotionally up.
The back injury that I had never really seemed to go away. The past couple of months were filled with continuous waves of hope, then depression.
After 5 trips to the chiropractor to straighten my back out, I then went to the physio to get some rehab exercises to strengthen me up, and to get rid of my low back pain. 5 trips later, I still was not running. Frustrating. It was the first time I had traction done, and that was cool, but the lack of improvement was not cool.
I learned that my back injury was a strained facet joint ligament. I did not hurt my back running; it seemed that some of the furniture moving I did over spring break did it. However, the Comox 1/2 Marathon did hurt it more, and is likely the reason why this injury lingered on for so long.
So 2 months of no running. Water running and spin biking was the diet for a while. And core exercises - thanks to the physio. I actually stayed in reasonable shape for most of the time, but the last few weeks I could feel myself losing my fitness.
Now, my back is about 95%. It basically just took time. More time than anyone would have guessed, but as long as I am back operating as normal eventually, it doesn't matter to me too much. I missed 4 key running events (Sooke 10k, TC 10k, E/B 50k, and the Oak Bay 1/2 Marathon). I did spend time at the latter 3 either volunteering, or cheering on my family who was participating.
I have now been running for the past 3 weeks. I rejoined my PIH running group 3 Tuesdays ago, and I was pretty impressed with how quickly I rebounded. The past 2 weeks at the TNW, I have been literally at the front, so it appears that my speed did not suffer too much from the injury. However, my distance is nowhere near where it was, and I would struggle to complete 20k right now. I did do a 16k training run yesterday (and actually hit 40k in 3 days of running last week), but it certainly was not easy.
So, there we go. I am back.
This weekend, I am taking part in the Duncan 8k - a new event, but one I am looking forward to immensely.

Injured Again? wtf!

2010-04-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Well, after taking some Vitamin I and PBing at the Comox 1/2, the injured back has continued to be injured. Over the past 3.5 weeks of the back injury, I have seen Dr. Cindy Berna 5 times now, and my back has pretty much been realigned.
It has been an extremely frustrating time for me. I feel fine...until I try running. And this recent injury could not have happened at a worse time for me. I am currently registered for 3 upcoming races: the E/B 50k, the TC 10k, and the Sooke 10k. It is peak running season, and I will be dropping out of all 3 of these races.
Dropping out of the Sooke 10k is a killer for me mentally. I have worked my ass off over the past few months getting my speed up and nailing PBs at every distance. I am currently sitting 2nd in my age class and 25th overall in the Island Series, and all of that will be lost when I do not race this weekend.
Emotionally, the past few weeks have been difficult. And the fact that my back is in a constant 'achy-pain' feeling does not help the matter.
However, with every challenge comes an opportunity to strengthen up and rise up to that challenge. I have been staying in shape by doing some deep water running sessions in the pool, as well as some spin biking. No, it is not running, but hell, it is something. I still feel that if I can work hard in this brief non-running phase, I should be able to come back and fit in right where I was.
On a good note, it appears for the time being that my Achilles problem has cleared up. This is what non-running will do with chronic injuries. I am thinking that 3 more weeks of focused stretching, exercise and rehab will put me on a path to being where I was by the middle of May.
At this point, I am not sure what 2010 will bring. I have some ideas of potential biggish events for the summer and for the fall, but again, not sure.
I am awaiting a reply email from Bob Wall, and his ideas could change everything for me in 2010.
Again, I am thinking 3 more weeks of this, and then we will see my return.

Comox 1/2 Marathon: March 21, 2010

2010-03-23T12:42:00.001-07:00

I was feeling pretty good leading up to race weekend. My sleeps had been great, which was a nice change from the norm. I was still on the edge of fighting off some kind of cold, but I was on the way to recovery for sure, and all it really was was just a minor lingering nighttime cough.
I had spend the previous weekend installing laminate floor into our TV room, and ended up with a bit of a sore back from the whole ordeal of moving furniture around. I actually went to Dr. Cindy Berna, my chiropractor, on Thursday to realign my back, as I knew it was off kilter somewhat from whatever I was doing on Wednesday.
I woke up on race morning with a sore back. It wasn't too bad, but I was feeling like today was going to be a great race day for me in spite of it. I got my gear ready, had a giant bowl of cereal, and then rendezvoused with my running clan to carpool up to the race.
Our first stop was a pee break at Mill Bay, and when I tried to get out of my seat in the back of the minivan, my back throbbed with pain. I have no idea where this came from exactly. To make a long story short, when we got to the race my back was in terrible shape, and I was in noticeable pain. I still thought that I could just 'run it out', and after multiple attempts, the pain was barely manageable. Each step compressed my back and shot jolts of pain around my low back, on the right side. I now decided that the only way out of this mess was to take an Ibuprofen, and just pray that it did some kind of magic. I am not exaggerating when I say that I actually thought of not starting the race due to the pain.
So, I began my hunt for some Vitamin I, as I do not carry any with me for any kind of short runs. I do always have a couple in my Nathan Hydropack, but I didn't expect needing any. After much ordeal, I was lucky enough to have Shane and Sonja (fellow Harriers) give me an Ibuprofen. I went to the water fountain and popped one pill down - the time was 13 minutes to start.
My only hope was now that the Ibuprofen would take effect almost immediately. It did not, of course, and a few strides in before the race only confirmed how much pain I was in. I did start the race however, and I fully expected to drop out before the 1k marker.
I lined up behind training mate, Gary Duncan and just hoped to follow him until (a) the magic of the Ibuprofen kicked in, or (b) I dropped out.
The race began, and I followed Gary as best as I could, in spite of the pain I was in. I was a little surprised I could keep up to him in spite of the pain. And it was painful. I was a little slower than I probably should have been, but I my legs were turning over and I was running.
Then, at the 3 minute mark, something remarkable happened and I felt a quick wave of energy go from my head down to my heels. As this wave of energy passed through my body, the pain left my body. I took a few strides of pain free running and actually spoke out loud and said, "What the hell?!"
The first kilometer passed by in 3:45, and I actually felt like I had a chance of finishing this race, as long as the pain was gone. Either the magic of the Ibuprofen or the indestructible feeling you get from racing had aided me, and done so at a pretty damn good time.
I still felt like it would be a slow race for me, as much of my early energy had gone into the stress of the back pain situation and trying to figure out what I was going to do. I basically just needed to relax a bit and start to enjoy things. Finishing the race would be a small miracle this day, and now I thought it was possible.
The next couple kilometres went by in relatively slow fashion, but I actually was still maintaining a sub 4 minute pace per kilometre. I knew that if I could do that, then my chances of finishing the day without a totally embarrassing time would be good.
I had to finish this race. I needed this race for my Island Series points, and I was determined to have the required 5 races in to qualify. I also was really hoping for a good day. With my last 2 races (Orcas Island 50k & Bazan Bay 5k) kind of falling apart, I wanted this one so bad.
Gary extended a bit of a lead over me in the first 5k but he wasn't more than about 30 seconds in front of me. I figured that as long as I kept him in sight, I would do reasonable.
The hills at kilometre 6-9 didn't phase me too much, as I knew what to expect this year. Last year these hills were surprising to me and took the wind out of my sails completely.
I was satisfied with my 10k time of 39:58 when I passed the marker. I thought to myself, now all I need to do is maintain what I've done, or better, and I'll have a good day. The only problem with this is that I literally have never negative-splitted a course before. Could this be the day?
The wind at the turn-around spot was pretty nasty, but again, I was just looking to hold my pace against the odds. I then headed past the 11k marker and toward the last big hill on the course. I knew once I climbed this hill, I would be on a slow downhill for the next 3 kilometres.
I climbed the hill well, and then angled my body forward to embrace the downhill. I felt pretty good here, as did the group of 3 runners around me. I actually had been trading spots with a Campbell River runner, named Bryan Crerar, for much of the race. He and I seemed to be on the exact same pace. I made it down the hills alright down to the 15k marker, and I was still very slightly below a 4 min/km pace - I think I had about 30 seconds to spare. Bryan meanwhile started to fade over the last kilometre, and he was definitely tired.
The only problem now is that I felt like I was starting to tire. This part of the course is basically flat, but because the prior few k's had been a slow downhill, it gives the feeling that I was now on a slow uphill. I also felt my calves getting tight, and the last thing I needed were calf cramps.
Fortunately, there was an aid station coming up, and I did stop briefly to take a mouthful of Gatorade and a cup of water that went on my head. I hadn't planned on stopping at any of the aid stations, but I had to finish.
With basically 3k to go, I could feel some excitement rush through my bones. I still happened to be slightly under PB pace. Gary Duncan was still visible, and he now seemed to be almost within striking distance. Another runner just behind Gary was also suffering, and over the next kilometre, I was able to reel him in. The final 2k of the race are pretty easy. It is just a boring, flat run along a farm or two. I just had to keep my energy alive for just a tiny bit longer.
At the 20k mark, I knew I was in good shape. Don't get me wrong, I was suffering, and I was definitely pushing my pace to the max. I knew that the final kilometre here could very well determine whether or not I land a PB. My final kilometre had to be fast, and fortunately, it was a slow downhill to a flat finish. I tried to summon my adrenaline glands to activate, and I was able to make a final push to the finish line. I crossed the line at 1:23:36, which would be good for 25th overall and 2nd in my age group. It would be a 41 second PB for me, on a day that I was pretty certain that I was not even going to be able to make it through 1 kilometre. The result was superb, and although I do think I have the potential to run a high 1:22:xx on a good day and on the right course, this result was excellent (Gary did finish 30 seconds infront of me). What went from being a miserable day, turned into something magical for me.
After the race, I took full advantage of the post-race smorgasbord. I also waited with my Harriers group for the awards ceremony and then took the long drive back home. As I sat around, my back was in complete pain again, and when I got home, I realized that my upper body was a good 2 inches bent to the left. I was hoping that a trip to the chiropractor would fix all that. As I write this, it is now 3 days after the race. 2 chiropractor appointments later, my back is still not 100%. It is better, and I am far more mobile than I was, but this back thing seems to be fairly serious. The timing could not be much worse, as I am supposed to be peaking this week and next for the upcoming E/B 50k race in early May. With some luck, I will be running again, pain-free. No more moving heavy furniture for me for a while.

Bazan Bay 5k: March 6th, 2010

2010-03-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

I was keen to see what kind of a 5k time I could land, seeing as my speed has been much improved, and the Bazan Bay 5k course was apparently PB material. The week leading up to the 5k, I was actually in pretty miserable shape in terms of my health. Although I wouldn't classify myself as being sick, I was definitely fighting off being sick and was not 100%. Adding to this was the fact that I hadn't been sleeping very well at all. Typically I was getting to bed at around 10:30 pm, and then up at 4 am for good. I was feeling very stressed about my coaching job, as my Badminton Team was heading for the Provincials, and I was not only coaching but organizing the entire event. And although you may think, "it is only badminton," when you consider that I was the only person organizing the 16 teams of 16 people who were coming here for a top-level tournament for 3 days, it all added up to a fair bit of stress for me. In the end however, the tournament went well, both from my own team's performance (5th) and also from an organizational standpoint. I barely stayed healthy though, and for the second time in my life, I lost my voice for the better part of 3 days.
I only managed 2 days of running in the week prior to the 5k, but on race day, I was still feeling like I had the speed and the drive inside me.
I positioned myself on the start line, and once again, it was apparent that track athletes and triathletes filled the top portion of the field. It was also cool for me to see Simon Whitfield in the race as well.
As the race began, the pace was fierce, and I did my best to find my 5k pace. Only problem was, I really had no clue of what a proper 5k race pace was. I knew it was faster than my 10k pace, so all I did was gear it up a notch form that. I felt pretty good through 1k and was content with my position in the race. Simon Pearson was slightly ahead of me and Gary Duncan was slightly behind me, so I must have been where I should have been. At the 1k split, I was horrified to see my time of 3:15. I immediately thought of taking it back a little, but I still felt good, and thought it was only a 5k race, so I held the blistering pace. At this point, I was not really passing anyone but was simply holding my own and following master runner Lucy Smith. I thought about passing her before the 2k mark, but held off the urge, knowing that the pace was definitely more that what I - the Gordon Head ultrarunner - was used to. At the 2k split, I was at 6:44 and Lucy started to pull away from me. I remember wondering at this point why the hell I had chosen to wear a singlet. I was not warm, and by the time I was, the race would be over. My arms were actually numb, and I couldn't feel anything from my shoulders down. Dumb ass. I really only wore the singlet because it was lighter than the t-shirt, and I figured it would make 2 valuable seconds difference.
I now saw the top runners coming back at me (Simon Whitfield leading the way) and I knew that the turn around was coming up. My pace was slower along this stretch, and I now realized that my start was way too fast for me. No surprise. My race plan was to run "balls out", and hopefully hold it for 5k. I think my 3k split was around 11:00, and I had now rounded the turn-around and was trying to stride it out home. The race course was, in fact, perfect. Flat and boring. Perfect PB material. Basically this was like a glorified track event. And I don't do track.
I continued to struggle somewhat between 3 and 4k, but once I hit 4k I could hear Gary Duncan breathing on my back. I was determined not to let him beat me. If I was beat by him, then today really was not my best. I stayed ahead of him for the next 500m, only to have him and another master pass me. I then cushioned myself behind them, and then passed them both with 200m to go. The intent was to stay infront of them for good, but as we rounded the last corner, both of them surged by me, and I didn't have any gas left in the tank to keep up with them.
I crossed the finish line at 17:43. It was good for 52nd overall, 9th in my age group, and a PB for me at the 5k distance. Although these were all good things, it was a pretty poor run for me. The pacing was poor throughout, and I felt not very motivated on the flat course. I should have been able to go low 17's on this course if all was well, but today was just a mediocre day.
Next up for me is the Comox 1/2 Marathon on March 21. Hopefully it will be a good day.

Orcas Island 50k, Feb. 3rd, 2010

2010-02-19T04:24:00.000-08:00

Preamble

I was feeling great heading into this race. My confidence was high, after nailing PBs in the 8k and 10k just a few weeks prior. And although I know a couple of road races mean nothing when it comes to a distance trail event, I was feeling really good with my training and felt like I might be able to pull off a top 10 finish at this race.

This race would be my first big ultra (and, I know, it really wasn't that big). But it was a destination event for our PIH group coming over from Victoria. The group was excited, and we certainly had some great runners coming over for this one.

The training for this race started in mid-December, pretty much after my family returned from Hawaii. I spent quite a few chilly mornings getting in my long runs. One such training run I will remember for quite some time will be the Cowichan TCT training run I did with my brother-in-law, Jason. It was a dark, frosty December morning, and the temperature was -1. My Camelbak froze, and I had to work hard not to freeze myself. Ah, that was a good one for sure.

I had peaked my training at 40k, and did so 3 weeks prior to Orcas. I think my final 4 weeks went something like this: 36k, 37k, 40k, 35k. My weekly mileage hit 80k+ at its peak for 3 weeks. Although most ultra guys would say that this is about 1/2 of what weekly mileage you require, it was alot for me, and all things considered, I was feeling pretty good. I had even thrown in a couple 90 minute Mt. Doug Gutbuster sessions into my training, just to get the hills and mud in. So bottom line: I was feeling good, and felt that I did everything I could to be prepared for this one.

The trip down

I was lucky enough to get a ride from my father-in-law early Friday morning to our group rendezvous point at the PIH Headquarters. My running friends were there, and after a brief wait, we piled into the club van (aka "Harrier Carrier") and set off for the Tsawassen ferry. I spent much of the time on the ferry loading up in the buffet. I knew that after this meal, there likely wouldn't be much opportunity to really pile in the Calories. So I did.

After arriving on the mainland, we drove toward the boarder, and we were pleased to only have about a 5 minute wait heading across. While this was great news, our other car - the car carrying the rest of our running group - was asked to pull over. The problem was that Carlos Castillo did not have a Canadian Passport...only his British one. They eventually did get through, but it took about an hour. One hour for us to hang around a Subway Restaurant and visit.

Eventually we were off, and after a brief stopover in Bellingham to pick up a few organic groceries, we made our way to the Anacortes-Orcas Ferry terminal.

Things were now getting exciting. There were piles of cars loaded with runners in the ferry lineup. In fact, the car right in front of us had a licence plate from Utah that said "I Run Far", and a bumper sticker that said "Western States 100 Miler". And when the guys stepped out of their car, I could tell that they didn't just buy this for show. They had earned it. They looked professional. Top to bottom in Montrail gear.

The ferry trip over to Orcas Island was memorable. The ferry had the heat cranked up to 40 degrees, and after spending a solid 45 minutes attempting to complete an impossible cat puzzle that I am sure was missing most of the pieces, the cards came out and we all partook in a classic game of "Asshole".

We finally arrived on Orcas Island and then drove around to where I would be staying. I was amazed at how long it took to get from one end of the island to the other. It was only 11 miles, but it sure did feel like forever. At this point, I was ready to be at my destination. And finally, we found the lodge, and my group dropped me off (the rest of my PIH group had rented a house, and I had opted for the lodge).

I quickly scanned around and asked the guys in the lodge if I was actually in the right place, and they confirmed it. My immediate impression was that things looked a little disorganized. I couldn't get into my cot right away, as the organizers were still figuring out who was going to sleep where. But eventually, I was assigned a cot, and I also had first dibs on picking out a race shirt.

I found my cabin, and peeked inside to see what kind of accommodation $40 would get you for 2 nights in these parts. Well, let's just say it wasn't the Howard Johnson. It actually was Camp Thunderbird all over again, except in my cabin there were 7 bunks (14 people). Things were going to be very cozy, as it was pretty tight in there. I was just hoping that nobody was going to snore. That would not be good.

Soon after, Jason arrived (and this was the reason I was staying at the lodge) with his group. I was in the middle of making Kraft Dinner using the camp's kitchen. I remember carrying out my heaping dish of KD right past all these ultra runners to sit down next Jason to wolf it down. I was a little embarrassed, as my dinner probably cost me all of about 89 cents. I am pretty sure no other big ultra dudes were eating KD that night. A few of the other runners gave me a look like "Is that really Kraft Dinner? What are you, like 8 years old?"

Anwyays, I took comfort in the fact that my body was used to eating this crap, and while one may laugh at me for eating such crap, I have learned that ,"If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Bottom line: it works for me.

Jason and i must have spent the next hour watching a small film that the organizers had put on for entertainment. The film was about some Greek runner in the 80's, who actually was the founder of ultrarunning. It was very interesting, and in watching it, it confirmed to me what I already knew: that ultrarunners are mentally unstable. This Greek guy was a total nut.

Jason and I went back to the cabin and got to sleep around 9pm. Surprisingly, most of the other 12 people in our cabin were also in bed by then. We all knew we had a big, bold day ahead of us.

The race

Warming up for a long race like this is really just a matter of trying to stay loose. Mentally I tried to check myself into the fact that I would be out there for the better part of 6 hours. The weather for the day looked perfect - no rain, and not cold.

I assembled myself onto the start line in about the second row. I originally was hoping for a top 10 finish from this race, but after seeing the sponsored elites in the first row, I changed my mind and just went out there, trying to have a strong race. I didn't see Jason, but I put myself beside Rafael Albert (we have a history together) on the start line.

The race began, and as expected, the fastees zoomed ahead, and I tried to ensure that I found what was a comfortable pace. I did just that, and figured that I was in about 15th place. The course was fantastic in the initial going. It was singletrack. Not too muddy, and not too challenging, but there were hills for sure. In fact as the first few kilometers whittled away, we went down some significant switchbacks, only to have a large powerhike to get back up them. I was passed by a couple of guys, and I also passed a couple runners myself. The race was early, but I was feeling superb.

At around the 10k mark, there was a very large hill that we had to powerhike up. It took a few minutes to get up it, and it gave me a chance to look back down the switchbacks and see who was behind me. I could hear a guy behind me chatting away about his recent experience at the 100m Hawaii HURT event, so I knew there were people close by. I was relieved to see the top of the hill arrive, and now the trail gave way to a more open fireroad. Slow downhill was the theme for the next few kilometers. I was surprised to see how fast people actually ran in a 50k. I checked my watch shortly after, and it was right on 1 hour. I began my recovery walk: took 1 S-Cap, 1 Gel and plenty of water. Just like training. One guy sped by me and asked if I was alright and I said yes. I guess he thought I was in trouble, but I was actually just fine. I just happened to have my mobile aid station on my back. I was pretty disappointed to have a pack of about 6 guys pass me though.

I took to my pace again, and the trail continued on the open fireroad for quite sometime. As we got closer to the lodge, the trail diverted back onto singletrack and followed a river. Again, the trail was rolling here, and I actually recall that there was next to no flat on this course.

I could see the paved road on the left, and I knew that we were close to the first aid station. I had caught up to the pack of 6 guys now, and was right behind them as we ran across the grassy field toward check point #1. We were now 16k in. The cool thing for me is that in coming to this check-in, there is a small out-and-back, so you can see exactly who is infront of you. I ran toward the aid station, and a girl read my number outloud, and I did an immediate 180 turn and carried on. Everyone else in the pack of 6 had stopped for supplies, but my thinking was that I didn't need an aid station, I had it on my back.
Because of my quick turn around, I now found myself in 8th place. I can say this with confidence, as I was counting the people that had done the turn around already. Still no sign of Rafael or Jason, but I figured they were hot on my heels. As I carried up the singletrack, I followed the signs and now went left. As I did that I heard Jason's voice say, "Go Jeff, yeah!" I was pretty much out of breath, and didn't really have time to stop and ask him how his race was going, so I carried on.

Once again, I still felt great at this point. I was now in a good place in the race, and all I had to do was continue a comfortable pace.

The course now took a devious turn to the right, following some powerlines. I say devious, as the trail went pretty much straight up. Memories of the Kusam Klimb came over me, but I was up to the task, and held my own on the steep slopes. I actually was reeling a guy in with my powerhiking, but I had heard from people before the race that this hill was a killer. And killer it was. It continued up and up, and if you could imagine a bulldozer making a path straight up under powerlines, uprooting stumps and broom bushes...well that is what it looked like. Because it was so open here, I actually could see way, way up infront of me and catch sight of another runner way up ahead.

I battled through and was right on the heels of the #7 runner when something awful happened. I felt my left calf cramp up. I was shocked and actually laughed in disgust. I checked my watch, and it read 1:45. I stopped and took 2 S-Caps, 1 Gel and plenty of water. I then carried on (at a slower rate) hoping that this was, in fact, nothing. The cramping didn't subside unfortunately, and not only did I lose sight of the #7 runner, but I was passed by the #8 runner. This was not good.

As I kept climbing up the hill, the calf eventually began to work itself out, and I was beginning to get hope that I would be alright, after having taken my 'emergency' cramping supplies. And just as I was feeling good again, the other calf started to cramp. Oh shit. This was not good. I took more water and walk-ran my way, and eventually got to the top of the mountain. Both calves were in trouble now, but I was very hopeful as I saw the top. I knew that once the climbing had ended, I would be using different muscles than my calves, giving them a much needed break.

I arrived at the top, and was pleased to see that the trail went back to singletrack. The trail was spectacular here, and it was wooded (it reminded me of the JdF). There were a group of 25k runners here coming up, and we were obviously going the other way than them, so it was a little tough to share the trail, but we did it. Most of the 25k runners cheered for me as I sped along.

My body was once again on form, and I caught up to the #8 runner. The windy downhill was good for my body. At least I thought it was until...my left hamstring started to cramp. Oh shit. I took another gel, another S-Cap and more water, and I knew now I was in serious trouble once again. I carried on but went on with a slower pace. A couple guys passed me, but I was more concerned now about staying in the race, than cracking a top 10 finish. I still had hope that the dark times would come to an end, and that my body would bounce back. I was now around 2:30 for elapsed time.

As I ambled along, my other hamstring started to go. This was very bad news indeed. I wouldn't classify these cramps as 'deadly' cramps, but they were of a serious nature. I walk-ran for a bit, and didn't care that I was being passed by a handful of people. I needed my body to recover, and recover quickly from this nightmare. As the downhill ended, the trail arrived to the edge of a lake and we took a left turn. I was now in a full-fledged walk-run program here, in an effort to simply survive. I grinded my body around the lake trail and caught sight of Des Bazzett ahead of me. He was in my club, but did the early start. As I jogged by him, he said ,"You look great, you're like in 12th place!" I turned to him and said, "Thanks, but my body isn't doing too well." I continued on around the lake trail, and then I was very surprised to see the front two 50k runners zoom toward me. One of them looked at me, waved, and said, "Good job!"

I assume that by seeing them means that there must have been another out-and-back. In actuality, these two top guys were actually lost and had taken a wrong turn. Nevertheless, these guys certainly looked stronger than me. My cramps were coming and going every minute now, and the walk-run was turning into more of a walk. I succumbed to my body and simply walked now...hoping, praying for something positive to happen.

After walking for quite sometime and getting passed by another 2 guys, I finally reached the end of the lake. There was a yellow sign that said "50k first time left, second time right." Perhaps this is where those two top guys went wrong? (we had passed this sign about 12k in) Anyways, I walked to the right. My 4 muscles were cramping badly now and my walk resembled that of a penguin. I was now at the 3 hour mark - 30k in. I walked on for two minutes now considering of actually dropping out of the race. I had just passed a point where I could take an early exit back to the lodge. The cramping was not subsiding and I still had around 20k to go. Of which, I knew there was a significant uphill about to hit me. Thoughts danced through my head. I then finally made up my mind. I was done.

In some ways this was an easy decision, but in other ways it was the hardest decision ever. I had never dropped out of any race. I knew that if I had to finish this race by walking the last 20k, I probably could manage. There was also the slimmest of possibilities that my body would somehow have a miraculous turnaround. And what of my family, and what of my running friends? How would they react to my dropping out? By giving up, I was admitting failure. I hated that thought beyond belief.

However, my body was simply not responding this day. I had tried everything to change the circumstances, and it was not happening. My family and friends would have to understand. Yes, I could walk/stagger the last 20k, but what would be the point of that? 50k races are not supposed to be done this way anyways. I decided that although the trail had beaten me this day, I would leave the race on my own terms, and perhaps be back another year to get my revenge.

So, I took the left turn at the yellow sign and headed back for the lodge. This would be my walk of shame. I had about 3k of walking to the lodge, and wouldn't you know it, the cramping stopped not too far after I passed by that yellow sign.

About 20 minutes later, I was at the lodge and I reported to the finish line to let them know of my DNF. I kinda expected to see a couple others who had done the same, but when the volunteers wrote my name down on a separate piece of paper, I was smart enough to understand that I was the only one thus far.

I headed into the lodge and found my running friends (who had done the 25k). They were all surprised to see me, but were extremely supportive. I did get my own pickings at the food table, and I did get the first shower back at my cabin. After my shower, I grabbed a beer from my back, and used the time to come to terms with everything that went down.

After my shower, I went to the finish line to watch the 50k runners come in. It was, after all, a spectacular day weather-wise.

The Aftermath

Perhaps the hardest thing about my decision to drop out was seeing everyone else finish, and the smiles on their faces when they did so. In fact, when the 12th place runner finished, I could not help but blurt out, "I was right behind that guy the whole way!" Damn, that was hard.

I watched both Rafael Albert and Jason Oliver finish, and I went over to congratulate them both. They both had a good day, and they definitely showed me up, proving that "slow and steady wins the race."

When I got back home, I was thrilled that my family was totally supportive. I wasn't exactly sure how Janelle would react to my DNF, but her reaction was golden. She said, "I suppose you'll just have to go back next year and do it again."

As great as this was, I spend the next couple of weeks really thinking about things. From the ferry ride home that day, the DNF result and the failure had put me into depression and put severe doubt in my mind.

Was I built for long-distance events?

Did I really have enough time to train properly for these events?

Was it unrealistic to think that I could run a strong 50k for the entire duration?

Should I just concentrate on shorter-distance events?

Will I continue to fail at this kind of distance?

And the biggest question of all: "Why did I cramp that day?"

These questions still plague my mind. I still don't really have a concrete answer for that final question. I know I am capable of great things, but I am pretty certain that I don't really have the time to put into training for these things. Sure, I have determination beyond belief, but it is pretty unrealistic to think that 80k of mileage per week at the peak of my training is adequate for 50k events.

So now what?

I am signed up for a few shorter road-races coming up, and I will focus on those. As for the long stuff, and all my 2010 epic plans, I am on hold until I get my confidence back. For the time being, I have lost this confidence, and I have lost quite a bit of my will and desire to attack these long distances.

Cobble Hill 10k - Jan. 24th, 2010

2010-01-25T10:21:00.001-08:00

Preamble:
I had no idea what to expect this race day. The past two weeks have been intense for me, with a weekly mileage of 80k+ for both weeks. This for me is about as high as I have been before. With the training for ultra distance, it has been a bit of a crapshoot to perform well on the short-distance road events at the same time.
On Thursday, I headed out early for my weekly long run, with the plan to cover 40k. I headed to E/B, attempting to do 4 loops. This was supposed to be my peak distance run leading up to the Orcas Island 50k, which is now only 2 weeks away. The first 3 loops went well, but at 33k I felt my knee tweak so I stopped immediately. It was in fact nothing, but I felt being cautious in this circumstance was wise. I did jog 2k of it back, so I covered 35k.
The next day, I felt exhausted after yet another crappy night of sleep. I took Friday and Saturday completely off, in hopes that I could land a PB at the Cobble Hill 10k.

Race Report:
I arrived to the race in good time, and was satisfied with my warm-up. I put myself in the second row and was lined up behind the Westshore Frontrunner Boys, and beside training partner, Gary Duncan (the guy left in the photo). The race started, and I picked my place in the pack. The pack eventually dispersed somewhat over the first kilometre, and I was at 3:30 on my first split. So far, so good.
I had heard very little about this course. I had heard from some of the talk last year that the course was fairly flat (and fast), with some rolling hills. I also heard in the warm-up from someone that there is a little bit of a hill at the 2k marker. At this point in the race, there was a downhill that took us to the 2k marker. I tried to not go crazy down the hill, as it appeared that there was a 180 degree turn-around right at the bottom. I pivoted around the turn-around and posted another fast kilometer. Now I began the uphill, and I tried to take it in stride. I could have gone crazy here, really making a move, but there was no point in that so early in the race. I just held my own pace and eventually got back up to the top of the hill and cruised again along the flat. At the 3k mark, I was right on 11:00.
The course then appeared flat for the next 2k. During this time, I didn't feel especially enthusiastic, and a few runners past me. I began to feel a bit sluggish and felt my body trying to reside in a half-marathon training pace, rather than a 10k speed event. I kept trying to keep myself engaged mentally and kept trying to remind myself that I was racing here. Eventually, I meandered my way to the 5k marker, and I was very disappointed to get there in 18:50.
I knew now that I was going to have to work hard to get under 39:00 for the run. It was a bit weird though. I still was ahead of a few fast guys for sure, but it seemed that we were all going slow. Was the course marked long today or were a bunch of people, like me, having an off-day? It didn't make sense. Although my time didn't seem very good, I knew my effort was decent enough. And at the 6k loop back, the leaders were not really that far infront of me.
I completed the loop around and searched for a 6k marker, but didn't see one. At around 6.5k, I was pleased to see the course do a slight downhill, and I was hoping I could take advantage of it. I still felt strong, and I did my best to speed up, and recover at the same time. At this point, I was passed by Simon Pearson (the guy right in the photo), and he turned to me and urged me to stay with him. I think it was friendly trash-talk, but I really couldn't hear what he was saying. All I know is that I made it my goal to stay with him as best I could.
And I did. While he was infront, I wasn't planning on letting him go. I took advantage of the downhill distance and kept Simon around 10m infront of me, letting him drive my motivation and adrenaline up. At the 8k marker, I was right on 30:00 and it looked like I could have a good finishing time, provided I could stay strong and provided there were no surprises in the course. The last 1.5k was a slow downhill/flat, but surely this good fortune could not last. I actually tricked myself into thinking that I may have an outside shot of doing 2 final 3:30 kilometres for a 37:00 finish. Ya, right.
The course then took a left turn and went into a forested section. We were still on pavement, but the road went rolling down then up, then down again. I felt like I was still hammering along, and before I knew it, I was at the 9k marker. I didn't even think to check my watch. Simon was still only about 10 seconds infront, and I now had thoughts of closing that gap. I felt like a had a last push in me, but I didn't want to make a charge too soon. I knew there must be racers fairly close behind me, even though I couldn't hear anything. The last kilometre was not downhill anymore, and in fact, it had parts of being slightly uphill. This fact took away my desire to charge after Simon, and besides, it appeared as though he was now speeding up to the finish.
As I rounded the last bend, I could see the finish line in the distance and I added a little extra drive to my arms and a little extra knee lift to accelerate me to the finish. I crossed the finish line in 37:18.
This time would be a PB for me. It was a solid race for me, and for one of the first times ever, I actually ran faster in the 2nd half of a race (negative split). 1st half- 18:50, 2nd half - 18:28. I would finish 6th in my age category, and take 32nd place overall in a field of just under 600 runners. This would be a PB of 1:38 (my previous best was a TC 10k run in 2007 of 38:56).
I was definitely pleased with how the race unfolded. I think that there were parts where I could have gone slightly faster, but realistically, I don't think I could have gone a whole lot faster on this course on this day. With nailing a time of 37:18, it makes me think that if (a) I ran in the Vancouver Sun Run and (b) ran in racing flats and (c) didn't do ultra training at the same time that I actually am capable of running 36:xx. Pretty crazy thought.
Now, I look ahead. I am in the taper phase of my ultra training. Orcas is just less than 2 weeks away, and I hope that I have done enough long-distance training to survive the distance. I will go into that event with no expectation of time, or placement. I am just wanting to enjoy the race, stay strong throughout, and survive the distance. Should be fun.

Pioneer 8k - Jan. 10th, 2010

2010-01-11T09:46:00.001-08:00

It was surprising to me how excited and nervous I was for this race. My first main goal of 2010 is nailing a decent Orcas Island 50k event, so I initially treated this 8k road race as just a short tempo run in my overall schedule. However, as the race grew closer, I started to think that I had the ability to really nail a solid road race time.

My speed improvement at the TNWs, coupled with the fact that my fall season was one of serious improvement made me think that this day would be a PB day. But the hard part for me was knowing to what degree my improvement was, and what kind of splits I should have for an 8k. In one sense, if I started too fast or hung with the wrong runners, my race could be an ugly one. On the other hand, if I went too slow for the first bit, making up the time could be very hard, especially when you consider that I have never really negative-splitted any kind of race.

The day before the race, I came up with 3 finishing times. My A time for this race would be to go sub 29, my B time was to get 29:30, and my C time was anything that was 30:00+. I was fully expecting a PB on the day, and anything less than that would have been very disappointing.

I arrived to the race in good time, and I was especially excited to have Janelle and Teagan there cheering for me. I was really excited to see just how excited Teagan got...for a race that didn't really involve her at all. What a wicked family.

After pinning on my race number, I took to the roads for an adequate warm-up. It was then to the start line, and I wedged my way into the mass of runners. In all, nearly 800 runners would participate. And not just any runners. The cream of the crop was at this race, and it looked like I'd need a sub 29 to crack the top 50 in the field.

The race began, and I was simply just lucky not to fall down. Feet were flying everywhere, and I took to the left edge, where there was a tiny bit of room. I quickly found my stride however, and settled into a relaxed pace. A whole pile of runners were infront of me, but I was firm in my belief not to start to fast - especially when you consider that the first kilometre is mostly a slow downhill. As the race went on, the runners spread out somewhat, and as I rounded the first bend, I saw Janelle and Teagan cheering for me wildly. My 1k split was 3:15. Soon thereafter, I could hear the footsteps of Gary Duncan behind me, and I was pretty determined to stay with him - or ahead of him - for this race. Looking at his recent results on this race, he has been a consistent low 29:00 guy, so I knew I should be around him. The course flattens out for another 1.5k, before you round the Brentwood Bay intersection and start up a long, slow uphill. I was comfortable on the flat, and was at the 2k mark at 6:55. On the uphill, I held my ground as nobody passed me, but at the same time, I passed nobody else. People all around me were now in their groove, and there were a few with the same groove as me.

After the uphill, the course turns right for a long, slow downhill that I'm sure some runners take full advantage of. At this point, I was determined to hold some kind of a pace, as this is the section of the race 2 years ago where I slowed right down. However, not to be this year. My pace was maintained and I was quickly approaching the half way split. I saw my coach, Bob Reid, at the clock and he announced my 4k half-way split time of 14:30. It didn't take me any more than a second to figure I was on a 29 minute pace. Awesome race so far, and I felt good.

The course then goes on a slow up for about 200m, and for the first time, I felt my pace slow down a little. I told myself just to push myself over the bump, and then I could relax on the down after. I did just that. My 5k split was 18:12...and I was thrilled. I just did my best 5k time ever. Only problem was: there was still 3k to go.

What I remember of the 5k to 6k stretch is that it was a bit of a struggle for me. The course is basically flat here, but I knew my pace had slowed a little, and I fully expected a runner of two to go by me. At the same time, the front runners were now coming back the other way on the opposite side of the road, and I caught myself a couple of times spectating, and losing the focus on my own run. I didn't happen to record my 6k split, but I knew it wasn't stellar. At the 6k turn-around, I found a bit of adrenaline in my body and upped my pace. Perhaps it was the fact that I knew there was only 2k to go. Perhaps I knew I wanted to post a really good time. Perhaps it was because I didn't want to be beaten by Gary Duncan.

Just after the 6k mark, in spite of my upping my tempo, I was passed by two runners, one of whom I recognized as Kevin Searle. He was a great runner, and to finish with him would be an accomplishment in itself. I stayed with the two runners, and figured I maybe able to get them on the home stretch. As we rounded the last corner just after the 7k mark, I wanted to push hard for the finish line (and I did have it in me), but I resisted the temptation. I still thought a burst at this point was too early. I still could see a slow hill infront of me for the next 500m, so I just sat behind these two guys. I now could see the finish line up to the right, and for those of you who do not know the course, the finish is on a pretty big 100m gravel hill. I rounded the corner and prayed that I had enough gas to take over these two guys. Just as I was about to gun passed them, one of them - Jerry Loeb - beat me to the punch and hammered ahead. I sat back and watched him kick, and in that moment of sitting back, it now put me out of reach of catching him (and Kevin for that matter). As for my final hill, it wasn't terribly pretty, but I did survive without getting passed. I crossed the finish line at 29:38.

The time was a good one. It was a new PB for me. It wasn't the A standard time I wanted, but it was close enough to my B standard. I beat Gary Duncan by about 15 seconds, and many other solid runners. Overall I finished in 62nd spot, but that actually doesn't mean that much when you consider that the field was stacked.

I figured I could have been 10-15 seconds faster this day. If I could have been a little more focused at a couple of key points in the race, then it could have happened. As for getting sub 29, this would require far more work in shorter distance training. However, I am an ultra guy, and I prefer the long stuff. When you consider that I had done a 37k training run just 72 hours before this event, perhaps my 8k time was really good. Who knows? All I know is that I ran my ass off, and recorded a 5k & 8k PB.

Now, my distance training continues. I have 2 more full weeks of training ahead in preparation for the Orcas Island 50k. Staying healthy and getting in some quality sessions is vital at this point in the training schedule.

I am signed up for the Cobble Hill 10k race in 2 weeks, so this will be my next event. I may be lined up for another big PB that race, but perhaps not: I will be doing a 40k training run 3 days before that race. These conflicts have been unavoidable...as I am determined to perform at both the short and the long distance stuff.

10k Memorial Run - Jan. 1, 2010

2010-01-04T14:18:00.000-08:00

This was a low-key club event that took place on New Year's Day. It is a cool run in the sense that it is a predicted run. How it works is that the clock starts at 60 minutes and then counts down to 0. You can leave from the start line whenever you want, and the closest person to 0 wins. Cool idea. Anyone can win.
And as it turns out, there was a real mix of talent. Everyone from the Kenyans to the barmaid showed up. 70 runners in total.
I left at 42:30. I planned on just taking this as a 45 minute recovery run (as I ran 34k the day before), but also figured it would be a little bit faster seeing as people around me were actually racing.
I hung out with Gary Duncan most of the way, and then with 2k to go, I sped ahead wanting to separate myself from him. I figured there was no point in actually finishing with someone...we should really all be spaced out a little bit. However, around the 9k mark, it was evident that everyone had done a great job estimating as there were now heaps of runners on the trail.
In the end, I was pleased to finish in 41:45 (which was 45 seconds too fast). I figured from about the half-way mark that I was on a slightly faster than predicted race, but I also figured winning the race (just by the numbers) was damn near impossible.
I had a great time, and the club did an excellent job of the event. The event started off by the runners standing around the memorial PIH bench, and giving a moment of silence to those standout club members of the past. It was an excellent tribute.
This 10k run was the end of a high mileage week for me, with 3 of the training days being headlamp runs. It would be an 83.5k week for me...one of my highest ever. Hopefully I can put together another solid 2 weeks of training and then the bulk of training for the upcoming Orcas Island 50k will be done.
Things seem to be really good right now with the speed and distance both reaching new heights.
Next weekend begins the Island Series 2010, at the Pioneer 8k.
As I have posted before, anything less than a sub 30 minute (PB) for me would be disappointing.
My expectations are very high for 2010.

Honolulu Marathon - Dec. 13th, 2009

2009-12-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a week in Waikiki with the family. Had an awesome time.

The flight on Dec. 12th to Hawaii was decent enough, and although it was difficult managing the 3 kids, we made it (thanks to my unbelievable wife).

We arrived at U.S. Customs at the Honolulu Airport and the agent there looked me up and down and said, "You here for the marathon?"

I said, "What marathon?"

"The Honolulu Marathon tomorrow morning," he replied.

I looked over to Janelle and there was no doubt that she recognized the twinkle in my eye. I dare not say a word.

Janelle then said, "You can go in it if you want to."

I quickly said, "I'm not sure."

The agent then spoke up: "You should enter. You could probably win it."

I asked him if he knew how many people we in it.

"Around 23,000 people," he answered.

I chuckled and said "Yea, right" under my breath.

So I spent the better part of the first afternoon trying to weight out the pros and cons of literally throwing myself into a major marathon the next morning.

Going through my head was the twist of fate. Was it fate that we happened to show up on marathon weekend? Was this a race that I really was supposed to be in? What are the chances that I will ever have this opportunity again? Even though my distance isn't where it could be, I probably could pull off a 26 mile run. But what about the heat? Even at the ridiculous 5 am start, the temperature will still be 22-23 degrees. And what about the $130 entry fee? What was I going to do? Would I regret not taking on this golden opportunity thrown at me?

These were just some of the questions racing through my head. However, as the day went along, I let common sense take over.

The bottom line is that while I am in great shape, I am not in marathon condition. This race would likely impair me for a good 2 weeks, and then my training for the upcoming Orcas 50k would be severely impacted. The entry fee was very steep. Too steep to enter on a whim. And yes, the heat was bad. And I know I suck running in the heat. Was I ever going to have another chance at this particular race? Perhaps. I wouldn't rule that out. Was I going to regret the decision not to run. No way. And besides, I have my own goals for the upcoming year...and this race was never part of my master plan.

So I went to bed feeling great, knowing that I had made the right decision.

And when I woke up at 6 am, I peered out the window to see a river of people slogging down Waikiki Bld. While alot of me wanted to be there, more of me was happy that I was not.

The rest of the vacation was great. Some awesome family time spent at the beach, Honolulu Zoo, Dole Pineapple Train, Bishop's Museum, Diamond Head, shopping, etc.

I did manage to squeeze in 3 runs while I was there (Monday, Wednesday, Friday): 7k tempo, 11k (7k steady with 8 x 500m intervals), and then a final 10k tempo up the volcano.

All the runs were difficult. The heat was not too bad, but like I said earlier, I am not a heat-type runner. Also, I found it near impossible to stay hydrated there.

Now I gear up for the meat of my training schedule. I have some catch-up work to be done. I have a 30k training run scheduled for today, and it will be difficult. This will be quite a distance jump for me, so the importance of this run is huge. If I can nail a good week now, I should be back on track with things.

2009 Reflection and 2010 Goals

2009-11-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

Year in Review
I make this blog post as this is really the end of the season for me. In December, the season starts up again, where I will be ramping up my mileage and distance in preparation for races early in the New Year. 2009 was an emotional year. The year started off with me being depressed with my knee injury and my running future was very uncertain. However, by the end of 2009, I was racing faster than ever and setting PBs all over the place.
What a year.
2009 would be a year where two things would become my staple: the Sunday long runs and the Tuesday Night Workouts (TNW). Early Sunday mornings - without fail - became the standard time to do the long run, and if I had to, I was dedicated enough to wake up extremely early to get it done. One Sunday in the Summer I did my 3 hour run from 4am to 7am. Not because I wanted to, but because that was the only time I could fit it in. With having a family and a job, finding time for running is difficult, and you have to know that getting in the mileage will not be on any set routine. I was proud of my Sunday mornings this year, and hope that this established trend continues into 2010.
The TNWs also became routined. I was a genuine Prairie Inn Harrier this year, and committed to 90% of the workouts. I went whenever I could, and feel that my speed and my fitness really benefited from these. From now on, I bleed red and black. I loved the TNW and loved what benefits it brought to me. Thank you to my training partners Shane, Gary, Garth, Buddy, Andrew for pushing me to new heights this year.
2009 was also a year of accomplishment. No, I still have not found that elusive 1st place podium that I desire, but I did finish in 2nd...and on more than one occasion. I know that my time will eventually come. However, 2009 would be the year that the 40k Nootka Trail was completed. This would be the final coastal Vancouver Island Trail completion for me. Now I can officially say that Bob Wall and I were the first people ever to have run the 4 major coastal trails of Vancover Island - and that, cannot ever be taken away from us.
2009 would also end up being a year that I would "break out". I didn't know it was happening at the time, but all of a sudden in late August/early September, I was suddenly faster. I don't know how and I don't know why, but the change was noticeable. And not just by me, but also by my training partners. Now, some people out there will certainly ask me "what exactly did you do to get faster?", and for this, I don't have a clear cut answers, but I do have some theories.
See my earlier blog posting on these ideas.
The fall of 2009 was especially impressive for me. The performances went as follows:
Aug. 22nd - 47k JdF Trail Run - Time: 6:01 (24 minute improvement from 2008). 4th place. Sept. 19th - 56k GLW Race - Time: 4:47:55 (24 minute improvement from 2008). 2nd place.
Nov. 1st - Shawnigan 1/2 Marathon - Time: 1:24:17 (Personal Best). 3rd place.
Nov. 11th - 20k Thetis Relay - Time: 1:15:55. 2nd place solo runner.

2010 Goals
I have some lofty goals for the upcoming season. I am running well right now, so my expectations of what I can accomplish has also increased. I am also hoping to complete a few standard 50k ultras, and also one 2010 epic trail run. I have signed up for some events already next year and here are my goals:

5k - sub 18
8k - sub 29:30
10k - sub 38
Half - sub 1:24
Full - sub 3 hours
50k - sub 4 hours

Now, off-season training continues for another 2 weeks, and then I start ramping things up for the racing season in January.

Off-Season Training - Nov. 20, 2009

2009-11-20T13:31:00.000-08:00

So, I am taking 5 weeks off right now to focus on strength and rehab. My achilles is my main focus for this off-season, as I need to get it back to 100% before January arrives. It hasn't been killing me over the past few months, but it has been nagging.
I also can help but think of where I was last year at this time, and I was injured with my knee. It has been so great to finish the year off so strong...and I want to remain that way, running fast and enjoying the sport.
Therefore, I thought that over this off-season period, I would do lots of core and strengthening exercises, as I kinda did last year. I still am committing myself to running 2 times per week: the TNW interval training and a Sunday morning 20-26k long slow run.
With the mileage drop, and doing some achilles-rehab specific movements I am hopeful that things will get better in the short term.
The idea is to take this off-season program to about mid-December, and then ramp everything back up to my usual 4 days of training, in preparation for the Orcas Island 50k, in early February.

This is the way my off-season program has gone thus far:

Sunday - 13k - Goose Loop (set training PB time)
Tuesday - TNW
Thursday - 30 min Spin Class
Friday - 35 min Spin Class
Sunday (planned) - 20k easy run.

Everyday throughout, 20 minutes of core/strengthening work. The main exercise is the slow double leg calf raise, e-drop to an achilles bounce x 30.

Thetis Lake 20k Relay - Nov. 11, 2009

2009-11-14T18:53:00.001-08:00

Something can be learned from every race, and today was an example of just that. Since the Shawnigan 1/2, I hadn't done a whole pile of mileage leading up to this race. With only 10 days inbetween the two events, I figured just to cool it off a bit and to rely on my base training to get me through this run.
I felt pretty good on the day, but as was the case before, I arrive to the race only 10 minutes before the race start. There are advantages and disadvantages of carpooling!
I quickly ran up to the tent and did the official 'check-in'. I then said a quick hello to a couple fellow running club members, and began the truncated warm-up. Rumours were swirling that the lake loop was not 5k, as advertised, and people had been saying that it was more like 4.5k in distance. In any event, the distance is fairly irrelevant, as in cross-country racing, it is more about placement rather that time. I had chose to run the full 20k solo this year. Most runners were teamed up in 4's and were doing the usual 4 x 5k relay. I did know of a couple of fast guys who were also doing the solo mission, so it was up to me now to run a consistent race.
The race began and I was close to the front of the pack, heading up the paved hill. A few slim tri guys hammered out ahead, and I found my position nicely behind two running partners, Shane Ruljancich and Chris Callendar. The pace was comfortable along the mucky trails. It was easy to get caught up going way too fast when most of the guys are doing only 5k, but I felt good in the early going. At the 1k point, I observed Shane's coach, Paul O'Callahan, warning him not to go too fast. I was there too, so I heard it as well. Shortly thereafter, my shoe lace came undone. I thought to myself ,"I am such an idiot". Shane joked with me and said that some day he would show me how to tie my shoes the right way. Chris told me to stop and tie my shoe. So against much resistance, I stopped and tied my shoe up. A couple of young guys passed me, but I just wanted to get my shoe done up, and done well. The only thing worse that having your shoe lace come undone after 1k in a race, is to have it come undone a second time.
The pit stop was quick, and I think it only was about a 20 second stop. I then found my pace again and carried on. I noticed a short while on that Chris and Shane were not that far ahead. I maintained things and eventually got back to the rear of Chris once again. The trails were still mucky, and the hills were undulating. It was near perfect cross-country conditions.
As I passed Chris at the 3k mark, he applauded my early effort and commented that I looked strong. He was right, I did feel strong. Shane now was still within eyeshot, but I had no intention of catching him. He is quite the speedster, and in another league to me.
At this point in the course, I was surprised to find quite so many nasty hills. I had run the course, but years and years ago. In total, I think I have run at Thetis Lake Park only 4 times, and never in this particular area. So three nasty uphills hit me unexpectedly, and it took quite alot outta me to finish them without walking. I did not anticipate needing such determination so early in the race. "Only 3 more times up these hills," I told my myself. :)
The good news was that I survived the hills quite well the first round, and now I opened up the legs on the downhill and caught a runner infront of me. Now rounding the final corner, I could hear the eager crowd cheering for the leaders way out in front. Along the final straight section, which was sandy beach, I could see Shane only about 10 seconds infront. I checked my watch and it was just above 17 minutes.
My goal time for the 5k loop was 20 minutes (and this 4 min/km pace was very ambitious over 20k of hill/trail distance). Since this was 4.5k, I figured 18 minutes would be fast. So, 17 minutes was actually too fast, and as I rounded lap #1, my heartrate was crazy high. This would have been an excellent 5k loop for me...only problem: 3 laps to go.
My time so far was nothing short of phenomenal. But things could not have been a whole lot worse at this point. Crappy warm-up, started way too fast, shoe lace undone, unexpected hills and now a heart rate and breathing rate that was through the roof. The only way I was going to finish this thing, let alone do well, was to now use my brain.
So I consciously decided to slow down and calm myself down. I figured even if I could do a 20 minute loop here on lap #2, that I could still set myself up for a decent time and placement. I really needed to recover here. And that is exactly what I did.
I spent the next 3k (the easier half of the course) basically recovering into a comfortable pace. My heart rate was down and I was now relaxed for the very first time. I took the hills in stride and survived them quite well actually. Lap #2 would elapse in 20 minutes, a much slower time than the first loop, but the difference was that I was relaxed and felt that I had at least another 2 loops in me.
Lap #3 began the way the last lap did, with a few relay runners hammering by me initially, only to have me catch them again by the 3k point. I was side-by-side with a relay runner who wore a "Westwood Lake Team" shirt, but I eventually caught him just before the hills. The hills once again were difficult, but again, they were not going to stop me. I passed a couple people who were now walking up the hills - these people must be people who I was now lapping.
I picked up the pace again for the final stretch and hit the beach section on stride. To my pleasant surprise, my wife, Janelle, and my son, Griffin, were there cheering me on enthusiastically. I rounded the finishing bend and headed out for my final loop. Loop #3 was also close to 20 minutes.
With only 1 loop to go, I picked up the pace slightly for the first stretch. The first bit was easier, so I figured I had to make my pace count on the easier section. I knew Shane was miles ahead of me (and he was doing the solo), but I didn't know if any other solo guys were infront. The nature of this particular event (and all the divisions within it) is that it is incredibly difficult to know where everyone is at any given point. I did figure however, that I was in 2nd or 3rd, and that there could have easily been a person or two fairly close behind.
I had a pretty good energy for the final loop and once again, the hills would not beat me. I got to the top of them and now I knew that nobody was going to pass me from here on the final 1k. I could hear the cheering of the finish well ahead, and I picked up my pace to be a part of the celebration. Up ahead I saw a young guy going with a fairly good pace, and I made it my goal to beat him. So I dropped the hammer. Not known for a finishing kick, I kicked it as best as I could and took the guy by surprise. He responded with a sprint of his own and now it was all out for the finish line. I didn't know if this guy was running solo or not, but I wasn't gonna take any chances. We equalled stride for stride now and both crossed the finish line at the exact same time: 1:15:55.
The finishing time was well below my goal time of 1:20. However, the course was also shorter by about 2k. I would end up finishing in 2nd place in the solo division (5 minutes behind Shane), and I am very satisfied with that placing. In fact, there were no solo runners behind me by minutes. Overall it was a tie for 14th place out of 149 teams.
Full results are here.
I had many things go wrong for me initially, but as always, I battled on and did not give up, and I am pleased with my final lap time of 19 minutes. I used my running smarts to adjust to things that occurred at the end of the first lap and I benefited from that.
However, I have learned not to start too fast (yes, I have said that before so maybe I haven't learned!) and also not to be caught up by the relay nature of things.
This is my final event of 2009, and now begins the much anticipated off-season training schedule and Achilles recovery plan. Details to follow in the weeks ahead.

Shawnigan Lake 1/2 Marathon - Nov. 1, 2009

2009-11-02T12:22:00.000-08:00

Pre-Run
The training since the Great Lake Walk has been going great. My Tuesday Night Training sessions have been noticeably faster over the past few months, and I am now close to the top of my training group. I was also reassured a couple weeks ago in training when I was able to complete my usual Oak Bay 13k loop 2-3 minutes faster than my PB, and also another time when I was able to hold a 4 min/km pace for a 28 k training run. To sum it up, I am faster.
So the big question is why and how did I get faster? And to this, I haven't got a firm answer, but I have a few insights.
#1 - Intensity. I put 110% into my training sessions and have been doing so for quite some time. I think my training partners can tell that I am an "all-business" type of athlete.
#2 - Physiology. I firmly believe that finally my body is changing into a runners build, both inside and out. It takes some time to develop physiologically and in time, benefits can be seen. I think I am seeing some of those benefits now.
#3 - Forefoot strike. I have been trying to get away from heel-striking my way through runs, and changing it more to a forefoot strike. I have had a few shorter training runs, where I am strictly focusing on the strike.
So, all these factors led me to believe that this would be a good race for me. However, as good as my training had been up to the race week, the final week was downright awful. With coaching so much in the past couple of weeks and with my family members (1 by 1) getting sick, I simply haven't had the time to get my runs in. Last weekend, I did a 2 hour treadmill run instead of my usual long-slow Sunday run. The week leading up to Sunday's race, I was working on 7k of mileage for the week. However, I still felt confident that the base training was all in there.

Run Day
I got up at the usual time and got my gear all ready and walked 2k to the carpool rendezvous point. I carpooled up to the race with fellow run club members Gary Duncan, Claire Morgan, Julie Van Veelan, John Catterall, and 2 other new faces. Time was tight and we got to the race with only 15 minutes to spare. I jogged up to the registration desk and pinned my number on as quickly as possible, then headed down to the start line (which was another 600m away). As I got in a last minute warm-up, I scoped out who was in the race. Looked like a few fastees, but mostly a recreational field.
The race then started abruptly, with no apparent count down. I pulled out ahead and stuck to the right side of the pavement. For the next 7k, the course followed W. Shawnigan Road, which is known for its undulating hills. In a span of seconds, Hugh Trenchard sped ahead and took his pace. He was not to be denied this day, as he was the lone elite in the race. However, I was in second and another runner (Frontrunners guy by the name of James Sandquist) was right behind me. This would be the placings for the first 5k. And in those first 5k, I ran well. I seemed to gain a bit of distance on James going up the hills, but would lose the distance back on the downhills. I also didn't see any kilometre markers until the 5k sign, so I had no idea of exactly what my early pace was, but I did know it was a fairly strong pace. At the 5k sign, I was reassured of my gut-feeling when I saw my watch hit 19:00. At about that point, the course went downhill for a while and that is when James went ahead. I had no intention of going with him, as I was comfortable where my pace was. I joked in my head and told myself that 3rd place is pretty awesome anyways. I could head nobody behind me and it seemed that by the 7k mark, Hugh Trenchard was minutes out in front and James was now barely in sight.
At 7k, the course then headed right onto trail. The trail would be similar to the gravel parts of the Galloping Goose Trail, and I welcomed the change in terrain. However, just as I was thinking how nice it was to be on the gravel, it also occurred to me that the same kind of pace would be hard to hold on a softer surface. It was a little wet out as well, and there was a little 'slip-back' factor with the toe push part of the stride.
Hugh Trenchard then came running towards me. I guess this was an out-and-back part of the trail and I was supposed to stick to the side. So I did. James was not all that far behind Hugh, and it surprised me how much ground James had opened up on me. I finally hit the 8k turn-around and sped back the other way to follow the leaders. At that time, I was completely surprised to see Gary Duncan who was only about 20 seconds behind me. My focus had been on the two guys infront of me and I totally forgot that there were others in pursuit on my tail. I did my best to find a comfortable pace on the trail, and at the same time, not let the pursuers catch me.
At the 10k mark, I was bang on 39:00. My pace on the trail was right on a 4 min/km pace, which is where I wanted it to be. However, as good as this was for me, I figured Gary was probably slightly faster than that, and I did expect him to be passing me soon.
At the half-way mark, I was at 41:20. I knew at this point that posting a wicked time was definitely possible, just provided I could hold the tempo down. At this pace, a 2 minute PB would be in the cards.
Until km 15, I maintained a 4 min/km pace on the trail and with each step, I was becoming less of a fan of the trail. I felt that my energy was sagging somewhat and I just told myself that 6k was not really that far to go (less that 1/2 an hour of more running). At km 16, there is another turn-around spot and once again, I saw both Hugh and James, who were still well ahead in the 1-2 position (Hugh was exactly 1km ahead of me when I hit the 16k mark).
At this point, I know I slowed down somewhat. I was tired of the trail, and was fully expecting someone to be right on my tail. However, as I completed the next turn-around, Gary was behind me, but was no more closer than he was before. I knew that if I could put in a good kilometre here, I would be hard to catch on the final stretch. Gary too, was quite a ways up on 5th place. I thought to myself, the worst I will do today is 4th.
I finally made it to the 17k mark and got back onto the pavement. Thank God. The pavement felt so good on my feet, and I then put my road shoes to good use. I felt awesome now and put in a couple solid 3:50 kilometres. Tangenting was good in this stretch and I pissed off a car or two by cutting across the road. I checked out my watch and estimated my final time now as being low 1:23's. But, apparently things would not be quite so easy...
At the 19k mark, I was not surprised to see the course go uphill. I knew that the finish line was at the back of Shawnigan Lake School, and this meant that it was at the top of a hill. What I didn't know however, it exactly at what elevation I was right now at the 19k marker.
Well, the course went up for quite a ways. It went up and then rounded a corner and went ever more up. Wow. What a crazy finish to a race I thought. While I was dreading the uphill that I was on, I figured that Gary, nor anyone else would be able to catch me going uphill. (I know I am a pretty decent climber).
At the 20k mark, the course flattened out a bit, but only for about 100m before the uphills came again. Again, I could not believe who designed this nasty finish for a race. I rounded a couple more corners and hammered into the finish at 1:24:17.
Well, I did do it. I set a PB (by over 1/2 a minute) on a pretty nasty course. I finished in 3rd place overall, 1st in my age-division and finally beat Gary Duncan on a road race. All good things.
I am definitely running fast these days and this was a breakthrough performance for me.

Next up for me is to solo the Thetis Relay. 20k of muddy trails with a million runners all over it. I think if all goes well I could do it in 1:20. Hopefully I will stay healthy and strong until then.
After that race, it will be some time off to recover my Achilles which has been bothering me significantly over the last little while. I want to start 2010 off on the same note as this last race.

http://www.racedaytiming.ca/shawnigan2009.html

Training Update - Oct. 5th

2009-10-05T10:04:00.001-07:00

Well, since the Great Lake Walk Race in September, things have been going very well for me. My recovery from that race was superb. I felt great the next day...and, I was able to train 3 days later at the PIH Club workout full tilt, and even my coach told me to "slow down and go easy".

Achilles
Recently, my weekly mileage has decreased, which has been intentional, and also has been very positive. I have been experiencing achilles issues on my right side for the past 4 months, but not severely. I have been waking up in the mornings with a tightness and slight pain in that area, but it has not impaired my running at all. Over the past few months, I have tried icing and stretching, but nothing seemed to calm the achilles down. It hasn't been getting any better, but it certainly hasn't been getting any worse either.
Last week, I was given some advanced stretching information from Eric Findlay, who apparently, had the same problem a couple of years ago. My co-worker, Ritch Primrose (fitness guru), also confirmed that the technique is tried, tested, and true. So now, I am doing some eccentric loading on my achilles several times a day, and fingers crossed, the last two days have been much better on the achilles. Hopefully in time, things will get back to normal there.

Fitness
Over the summer, I mentioned in an earlier blog post that my fitness and speed seemed to be at another level. I have maintained that level, and feel as fast as I ever have. The last two PIH workouts have been awesome for me. Last week, I was paired off with Shane Ruljancich (a 33 min/10 k guy) in the "Parloff Relay", and kinda kept up to him. Additionally, a few of my recent training runs have been very strong, and I am feeling like right now I am on fire. It feels great.

Enjoyment
With no set big race coming up, I have had the freedom of choosing distances and training runs that are a little more exciting than ones from the past. I have been dying to do some more elaborate training runs in Mt. Doug, and I have really enjoyed it. I consider Mt. Doug: my backyard playground. I also have done a couple 10 Mile Point loops in training, and again, it was great to get out to some of my older routes. I feel motivated right now to get out to those trails and do some cross-country races.

Upcoming Events
Well...this is my off-season, and keeping the mileage down and resting my endurance body is vital. However, I plan on training just as hard, but just with less weekly mileage. This should put me in good form for those races that have distances that are 20k or less.
I did sign up for the upcoming PIH Thetis Relay on November 11th, which I plan to solo the 20k distance on. I also think that I will do the Shawnigan 1/2 on November 1st, if i can work out some transportation issues. After that, my year may be pretty quiet on the racing front.
Things are good right now...I'm just trying to focus on staying healthy and strong.

The Ultimate Athlete: Opinion

2009-09-30T15:15:00.000-07:00

In 2010, there is a reality-type event where there is going to be a "Search for the Ultimate Athlete." The event will take place in June of 2010 and will span over the Columbia Gorge, Portland, Mt-Hood, and the Oregon Coast. The event that will feature 24 different athletes competing across 20 different disciplines over the course of a week. The winner of this contest will win $100,000.

Recently, I was asked to share my opinion on what it takes to be the "Ultimate Athlete." At first, I thought I was being contacted to participate in this upcoming reality-type event, but alas, I was actually just asked to share my opinion on the matter. Damn, $100,000 sounded pretty good to me. Think of all the Power Gels I could buy with that.

Since this is an opinion post, and many people may be reading this who are not familiar with me, I'll provide you with a very brief bio. I do believe that my knowledge on the matter and my opinion on the subject actually has some substance and weight behind it, and didn't want readers to think I was just blowing hot air on the subject.

I grew up playing team sports. Eventually after participating and being exposed to many different types of sports, I began to specialize in one: field hockey. Yes, men do play field hockey, and no we don't wear skirts. I played field hockey for the better part of 20 years, where I eventually went on to captain the local university team (the UVIC Vikes). In my time, I also went to the Junior National Championships. Although I never went on beyond this level, a few of my teammates stayed with the game and made it to the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

After getting married in my late 20's, and then having children in my early 30's I grew tired of the game and somehow found myself running in my spare time to stay in shape. Over a couple of years, I gave into my competitive nature and began running competitively, both in road running and in trail running. I then specialized once again, and am now fully engaged in distance trail endurance events.

So, now back to this event competition and my opinion...

Ask any teenager about who they think is the best athlete and expect a wide-range of answers. Names like Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Roger Federer, Brett Favre and Wayne Gretzky would no doubt come up. Media-crazed teenagers. Those with a bit more knowledge on the amateur side of sports may throw out names like Michael Phelps, Simon Whitfield or Kenesia Bekele. However, I would hazard a guess and suggest that putting Tiger Woods on a windsurfer and expecting him to perform would simply not happen. Or, stick Lebron James in a collegiate-level water polo match and watch him rise to the challenge? I think not.

Individual versus Team Sports
I have always believed that the best athlete in the world is one who is diverse. One who can be put in a water polo game and compete, one who can downhill ski well, and one who would be put in a new sport and immediate pick it up and make an impact.
There are two different types of sports: those that are individually-based, and those that are team based. In my humble opinion, the best athletes in the world should be able to do both, and not only that, do all the sports very well. Individual sports are very easy to judge: run the fastest, lift the most, or last the longest. However, how exactly does one judge an individual participating in a team-based sport? No, I do not think it is impossible, but I do think it is very hard and can only be done by the experienced, trained eye. Soccer coaches picking rep. teams have done this criteria-based judging for years, so yes, it can be done. In PE class, games like speedball and endball are purposely designed to highlight team skills such as space, communication, off-ball movement, support and position. The best athlete in the world should have these team skills build into him or her.
I do not know, but I would guess that the 20 disciplines that are in competition with this "Ultimate Athlete" are all individually-based. Tangible results, easy to tabulate. If this is the case, I would say that this is too bad. Realistically, I would hope that there would be some team-based games that focus completely on those team skills (space, support, etc.). I encourage the organizers to phone me ahead of time to organize some endball for this competition next year (my rate is only $5,000).

Who is going to win
I do not know who is going to win this "Ultimate Athlete" event, but I think I know exactly the type of person who would be great at it. Obviously, if you had someone who had experience in all 20 disciplines they would have a supreme advantage over others who do not. Therefore, actual experience with all the disciplines is critical. I am not by any means saying that they need to be at an elite level at the 20 disciplines, but they would need to be competent at all. Furthermore, if someone is to be very good at all 20 disciplines, I would expect this "Ultimate Athlete" to be quite committed to athletics and the outdoors. In other words, I would not expect them to have a family, or even a job really. The ultimate athlete would be someone who pretty much just does this kind of thing for a living. And again, I would expect someone who is good at all 20 disciplines would also not be 19 years old. The "Ultimate Athlete" would have to have the wealth of experience, but also not be tied down with too many blue-collar duties...like a family.

What type of sport will win
So if it is strictly an individual-based competition, the athlete must have (besides experience) a supreme level of personal fitness. The five guiding area of fitness are: flexibility, muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance and body composition.
Clearly, if 20 disciplines are happening in 7 days, then the "Ultimate Athlete" would have to be more that just skilled and experienced. They would have to be able to compete throughout these 7 days at a high level. This means knowing what the need for their preparation (nutrition/hydration), competition, and also recovery (nutrition/hydration). I have a huge interest in the area of recovery and believe that the "Ultimate Athlete" would have to know a thing or two about it. Cardio and endurance would also be vital.
In the Olympics, a multi-sport event was created decades ago to find the ultimate athlete. It was called the decathlon (men) or heptathlon (women). Athletes have to be able to run, jump and throw and get points based on their results. Top athletes in these events are good at all disciplines, but specialize in a few. Same thing can be said about another multi-sport event: the triathlon. Athletes have to be really good at swimming, biking and running, but the top athletes in the world, at some point, were elite specialists in at least one area. Adventure racing is another multi-sport event where athletes are put to the test of kayaking, canoeing, orienteering, running, swimming, biking, skiing, or whatever. Nowadays, they really have thought of it all. There are some supreme adventure racers out there that are not household names. But they are wicked athletes.

In summary, the "Ultimate Athlete" will have/be...

between the ages of 20-39
no family tie-ups (ie. kids)
a decent amount of experience in all 20 disciplines.
specialist (ie. elite) in a few of the disciplines.
great knowledge of outdoors (knowledge of Oregon is a bonus).
been doing this kind of thing for most of their life.
great level of fitness, especially cardio and endurance.
previous experience in multi-sport type events (such as adventure racing, triathlon, etc.)

56k Great Lake Ultramarathon - Sept. 19, 2009

2009-09-20T14:43:00.001-07:00

Pre-Run
Leading up to this run, I was a little uncertain of what exactly would transpire on race day. Since this race was only 4 weeks after running the Juan de Fuca Trail, I had little time to really recover from that race and gear up for this one. However, I was banking on my previous long races to be all the training I needed to get my through this one.
I felt that my levels of hydration and nutrition were great heading into race day. The logistical planning pieces were also coming into shape nicely. The only real concern I had was overracing, as this was my 3rd ultra in 7 weeks.
After staying at my parents place in Duncan the night before, I was thrilled that I got such a good sleep the night before the run (6 hours). I went to bed a 9 am and was up at 3:30 am. My gear was all prepared from the night before, and I was now driving to Lake Cowichan in the darkness to my rendezvous point.
I arrived in good time and met with Elaine and Andy Galbraith who kindly offered to take me up to the start in Youbou. Elaine was running the event, but Andy was just dropping her off as he had to work that day. The finish line in Lake Cowichan is 8 km away from the starting point in Youbou, so most people take a bus shuttle before the run. The only problem is that the shuttle leaves at 3:30 am, about 1.5 hours before the start of this race. Last year I got chilled to the bone waiting around for the start.
On the way up to Youbou, we spotted an elk as we entered Youbou. It was pretty cool. Last year, I also saw elk actually on the race course...so now we are 2/2 with this.
As we parked the car, I thanked Elaine and Andy for the ride and quickly made my way up to the main rec. hall where all the runners and walkers gathered before the race.
Being the competitive person I am, I quickly scanned the hall for elite runners. With the exception of Campbell River's Rob Fontaine, I saw nobody else. It appeared as if there were a couple of social runners, but nobody that I could really recognize. To my surprise, Mark and Shawn Nelson were not there, even though I was supposed to be meeting them at the start line to discuss potential adventures for 2010.
At the start line, I did spot a couple of other runners: Rob Smith of Victoria and Allan Crawshaw of Sidney. Allan did beat me last year in this race, so it was time to get serious and now it was showtime.

The Run
After participating in the annual ritual of signing the National Anthem, the organizers said "Go!" and we abruptly left the parking lot and were now off down the dark road. At this point, the course was paved, but this only lasted for about a kilometre or so. Everyone had headlamps on, and shortly after the start, those lights were the only thing we had to see. The conditions were great, but extremely dark. It had rained the night before, which made the upcoming dusty logging road not so dusty. It was cool and pretty perfect for a distance run.
Rob Fontaine and I easily took to the front and established a comfortable pace. Having run this course last year, I had a race plan in mind and the main plan was to learn from my mistakes of last year. Starting out slow and keeping the scheduled nutrition would be key if I were to have a good day.
The pavement ended and the gravel logging road would be the theme for the next while. Unlike last year, the road was not graded, so although the road was firmer, it also was a pothole-fest. I have never thought of a gravel logging road being technical running, but this certainly was. Once wrong step, and the ankle could go. I was definitely thankful for having such a bright light.
Rob and I spent the better part of the first run getting acquainted. We knew each other a little bit (mainly through our mutual friend Bob Wall), but these are intimate times. Not much else to do really except get to know each other. We didn't talk a great deal, but just enough to know that we both planned on finishing 1,2. Rob had his Garmin watch going, so he was able to tell me the distance travelled. This was a pretty handy tool for me, as the course was unmarked, and I only just ever run with the stopwatch.
At 10k, Rob informed me that we were doing 46 mins/10k. This was perfect for me, as this is my typical endurance pace and I again felt that I wasn't being pushed by running with Rob. He, too, could have gone much faster at this point, but there is great danger in a long distance race if you start out too fast.
At the aid stations, Rob would stop and fuel up...and I kept going. Unlike last year, I was running with my Nathan Hydropack this time around. I figured it was safe to run with it, even though it made my 6 lbs. heavier. It was loaded with my Carbo-Pro and gels, and I had grown quite comfortable over the course of the year of running with it. I stuck to my nutrition plan early and things were going great early on.
Close to the 20k aid station (which we did in another 46 mins.), I joked around with Rob and asked him if he brushed his teeth that morning.
He asked, "Why?"
I replied, "Well, you wanna look good for the photo at the end when you win."
He then said, "Yea, I'll probably have bits of sticky, gold gel packages stuck in my teeth."
I then informed Rob that if he wanted to pick up the pace he could. I told him that I would be slowing down over the next 10k to save my energy for the hills which lie much further ahead. He agreed that slowing down was smart, but then as I slowed down to fuel myself, he surged ahead.
I was totally fine that he went ahead, and in fact, I was happy that he would not be pushing my pace this day. Slowly I could see him extend his lead over the next few kilometres until he was out of sight. The course remained the same, except after the 20k aid station, the potholes were far and few between. The only difference was that the flat course was no longer flat. Slow, rolling hills set in and my pace laboured slightly.
I was still feeling alright at the 28k (midway) point in the race. I think I was around my time from last year, but without kilometre markers, it was difficult to tell. I was generally just going on feel.
As I approached the 33k aid station (Station #5), I could hear and see a little commotion up ahead. Bloody hell. It was Rob Fontaine, and he didn't look pleased. I ran by the aid station and joined Rob who just started his run again. Rob chucked a half-eaten orange peel at the garbage can and he was pissed off. Apparently, the aid station , which was also a "drop-bag" spot, had lost Rob's drop bag. I assume Rob had dropped some sort of nutritional aid, and now Rob was without it. Rob swore under his breath and then sped ahead yet again and opened up a good lead over the next few kilometres.
It wasn't long before I decided to start walking up some of the uphills. I would guess it was around kilometre 36 that this decision had been made. I was still feeling reasonable (although the legs were a little heavy), but I really had intentions of finishing this race strong. I did not want the last 8k to be a walk-fest like it was the year before.
With the hill walking, I had a little bit of concern that runners could be catching me. So occasionally, along the long straight stretches, I glanced behind me and thankfully saw nobody. This was reassuring. This was about the point in my race last year where I was passed by a couple of guys (like last year's winner, Jason Wellard) when I was doing the exact same thing.
I walk-ran a decent pace uphill to the 40k aid station (Aid Station #8). I was especially keen to get to this aid station, as my mom was actually in charge of it. It appeared as if she was surprised to see me. She immediately told me that Rob was 7 minutes in front of me. I chuckled and told her that I was going for 2nd place now, and that catching Rob simply wasn't gonna happen. I stopped briefly to get a couple of photos (for the blog of course!), and to take in some electrolyte mix, and then I ran off.
The uphill continued. This is definitely the toughest part of the course. It is essentially a 3k slow uphill that just drains all your energy. However, I battled through it and made my way to the top. My left hamstring at this point was flaring up slightly, and both calves were tightening up.
However, the toughest part of the course was now behind me and I got to the marathon marker (the only distance marker I saw) at 3:30. All things considered, this was a great time. And best of all, I was not shattered. Not yet, at least.
What goes up, must come down and the next few kilometres, thankfully, went downhill. The change of pitch was a welcome reprieve for my body, both physically and mentally. I didn't go fast, but I did run a decent pace down to the next aid station at 44k.
I saw the sign at the aid station that said 12k to go, and I was relieved to see that the gravel road was no more, and it was now pavement from here to the finish.
I ran for about a kilometre or so, until I had to stop and walk again. My legs were pretty wrecked, and pushing the running at this point would only cramp me up. My feet also hurt. The trail shoes were definitely too firm on the pavement. So for the duration, it was essentially a run for 2 minutes and walk for 20 seconds. Yes, it was a walk-run to the finish line, but it was certainly far less walking than last year. At times, I glanced over my shoulder to see if other runners were going to catch me, but again, there was nobody in my rear-view mirror.
Eventually I came to a slow uphill that had a sign that said "3k to go". I had been checking my watch frequently over the past few kilometres, in an effort to estimate my finishing time. It did look like I could finish sub 5 hours, which would be a nice barrier to break.
After the slow uphill, I rounded the bend and saw yet another aid station ahead. This for sure, must have been the last aid station. At the station, another sign said "2k to go". What! This was totally weird (but in a good way). I must have only run 200m tops from the last sign. Either this aid station really wasn't 2k to go, or someone who had no idea what they were doing was putting these distance markers up.
After another few minutes, I saw the "1k to go" sign. Hilarious. This sign was probably more like 600m from the last one, but still nowhere near a kilometre. But, at this point in the race, I'll take it. No complaining from my end. I knew for sure now that a sub 5 finish was in the books.
I went down around a bend and then began to walk uphill. As I walked, I thought....wait a minute...this is the final hill! I remembered this final hill from last year so clearly all of a sudden. I got a surge of adrenaline and ran uphill, over the crest, and then hammered to the finish. Spectators were now cheering and clapping. This "1k to go" was seriously like 150m to the finish!

I crossed the line in 4:47:55. Good enough for 2nd place. It wasn't a great race, but it definitely was good. I am very pleased that it was a 24 minute improvement from my time in 2008. I know I could do this event in 4:30, but whatever, it really doesn't matter.
I saw Rob Fontaine ahead and went over to shake his hand. Rob did win, but he experienced a difficult last 12k and finished only 7 minutes in front of me.

Now, my racing season is basically over. 5 ultras done in 2009, and all of them went very well. I will likely do a couple more low-key events in the fall of 2009, but I will be taking a small break with the endurance training for a couple of months.

2009 has really been a great year for me. I now begin my thoughts on what epic adventures may lie ahead for me in 2010.

47k Juan de Fuca Trail Run - August 22, 2009

2009-08-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

Pre-Run

I hate to start this blog entry with excuses, but all the indicators leading up to this day were telling me that this day was going to be a rough one. In fact, I had serious doubts that I would be able to finish the distance this time.

Since the Nootka Trail Run 2 weeks ago, my body has had deep fatigue, and my running has been extremely sluggish. The last two run group workouts, I have pulled out, simply because my legs couldn't hang on. This is not like me at all. Dropping out usually for me is never an option.

Coupled with this fatigue was the fact that my family went on a family trip to Vancouver 2 days before the run. While that may sound all fluffy and nice, it was totally draining. The first day there, we spent just over 3 hours at PlayLand. 3 kids (5,3,1) for 3 hours at PlayLand. The second day, was spent at ScienceWorld, and was pretty much the same crazy agenda. Also Cooper has been teething, so the sleeps have been very poor. 3,4,5 hours of sleep became the norm. Vancouver would prove to be no different to this pattern.

On the ferry ride back to the Island, I met Annie, Simon and Bob, who were doing the run the next day. I spent most of the ferry ride filling them in on the details of the run. Meeting new people - and almost always, there are awesome people - is always one of the highlights of running.

About the only thing I had done well, I felt, was my nutrition. I thought that if my body could just get rested up, I would have the fuel to carry me through the trail.

That night though, I went to bed anxious as hell for a run that should have been filled with excitement.

Run Day

Early Saturday morning, I grabbed all my gear and went to pick up Carlos. He and I then zipped out to the Thetis rendezvous spot, where we then waited and met most of the runners that day. The idea was that we would then carpool from this location, but as it turned out, most people had already figured out their respective rides and all the cars were already full. So, we all just bombed out to China Beach, which would be the starting point of our run.

I was amazed that we had 21 runners there that morning. I was excited to see my partner-in-crime, Bob Wall and his family in the parking lot. Also there was last year's course record-maker, Shawn Nelson.

After figuring out the transport logistics and gearing up, we all set off at 7:33 am that morning.

I actually felt good that morning, and my legs seemed alright. I decided on the car ride out that I would attempt to go at my usual fast pace, and just see how things went, knowing that there was a strong possibility that at 30k I would bonk.

As it turns out, I led the pace for the first little bit. I was feeling great, and my feet longed to be hitting such a wicked trail. The mud didn't seem to bad, and the trail was in excellent condition. Even though it was a little wet, the dry summer had made the trail drier than I had ever seen the trail before. Some of the new runners in our group remarked at how wet the trail was, but it actually was dry, relative to previous years. After all, this was the JdF Trail...it is permanently wet in most places.

Shawn Nelson joined me for the first bit with the early pace. He was keen this year to not only break the course record, but he also was saying he though he was capable of 5:30 this year. He, no doubt, was in the best shape of his life, but a goal time of 5:30 was a tall order for anyone. However, time would only tell if this could be done.

As we hit the Mystic Beach at Km 2, I had my head up along the beach section trying to eye the trailhead again. It was here that in two previous runs I would get momentarily lost. But not this year. I could see the sign (which was located right behind a rock), leading us back onto the trail. So Shawn and I blasted up the hill back into the rainforest.

By now, another runner was keen to join our tandem. Shane Ruljancich, perhaps the Island's best climber, was now with us at the front. I had spent some time running with him during our Hurricane Ridge Run, and I was not surprised to see him up with the keeners. However, he was, by no means, a long distance guy, and I was interested to see just how long he could last on a 47k run.

So the run continued for the next few kilometres in the forest. Salal, sometimes higher than my head, surrounded the trail in places. Cedar and fir trees composed the rest of the forest. It really is spectacular, the beauty that our world has. On a couple of occasions, both Shawn and Shane commented on how fast the pace was. I didn't really notice.

Around Kilometer 5, I stopped to take a pee and Shawn and Shane passed me. It was then that I noticed yet another runner who was just behind. Sean Chester caught up to me and we ran together for a little bit. I didn't know Sean, but his reputation preceded this first meeting. He was a track champ, specializing in the 3000m, 5000m and the 10,000m distances. He had run for UVIC just recently, and done very well from what I had heard. Like Shane, he is an incredibly talented runner, but would this long run just be too much for him? I knew that he had completed a 50k race on a flat surface a couple years back, so I suppose he could pull it off. Again, time would only tell.

At Kilometre 9, the trail once again gave way to another beach section, appropriately named Bear Beach. The rocks on Bear Beach made it next to impossible to run, but we attempted to keep moving, even though our running stride was less than picture perfect. The front two guys were still not too far ahead. I could see them about 45 seconds infront, and Sean Chester raced ahead to join them. That left me on my own, and I could see nobody behind me in my rear-view mirror.

As we hit the trail again at the end of Bear Beach, I was now on my own. The trail now in this section gets very hilly, and power hiking up the slopes is the norm. The quads sure taking a beating pressing up the hills, only to hammer back on them on the sharp downhills.

The Juan de Fuca Trail is best summed up by the description of going up a steep hill, getting to the top, then going down a steep hill on the other side, then crossing a river, and then repeating that pattern 50 times. That is the trail, and that is what this section was certainly all about.

I was mentally fine with being on my own for this run. You kinda always hope to run with someone (especially when there were 21 of us!), but I knew the trail well enough and I really was at peace out there.

I was surprised then at around Kilometre 12, to see Sean Chester waiting for me around a corner. He had just taken a pee, and he had decided to let the other two top dogs go. His tactic was smart, as getting out too fast on such a long trail would only come to haunt him in the end. Him waiting for me was a sign that he wanted someone to run with this day, and that someone was me. It was now at this point that I got a really good chance to look at this guy. He looked a bit out of sorts, really. He was wearing racing flats, split shorts, a lumberjack shirt and carrying a 1.5L plastic pop bottle that he dropped regularly. He complained that his long hair was in his face, and at times, made it hard too see. However, as odd as this pairing was, he and I were committed for the long haul together.

It is always nice to get to know new people on these runs. Over the course of the trail, I would say I got to know him. Besides, let's face it, there isn't really a whole lot to do with someone for hours on end, except get to know them.

Sean and I made steady progress over this hilly section. It certainly was wet at times, and by this point, my ankles were caked in mud. Things though, were going well for me. I felt good and was keen to show this new guy around my neighborhood. I think this was also one of the reasons Sean wanted to run with me. I know the JdF Trail very well, having run it 4 times before, and he wanted to make sure no wrong turn were taken along the way.

At Kilometre 21, we finally made it to the next section of beach. Sean and I stopped briefly to grab a gel and we were both relieved to get that monotonous section of trail over. It's wasn't easy, but we were now close to the half way point of our run. I think we were about 2 hours into the run now. Now, I knew, would be the real test for my body. Was my body recovered fully from the Nootka Trail, completed only 2 weeks ago? Could I keep this pace?

Chin Beach is not a whole lot different than Bear Beach. Not much of it is run-worth, but Sean and I did our best to make haste on the rocks and gravel beaches. By now there was no sight of the leaders infront of us, and no doubt, they were likely a good 10-15 minutes now ahead. However, I really didn't care. In fact, I thought to myself, if there are any bears on the trail, those two fastees will scare them off the trail!

At the end of Chin Beach, I saw the trailhead marker on an outstretched rock. I pointed this out to Sean, and then told him I knew of a short cut. He was game, and I then told him the story of my last outing on the trail. Last year at this very point (I was running with Shawn Nelson), we missed the trail marker and continued on the beach by accident. As it turns out, we sneaked out nicely ahead by about 100m, and as a result, avoided one (maybe two?) of the headland climbs. I assumed that Shawn (and Shane) likely did the same thing this year as well, and I noticed two sets of footprints going the same direction on the beach along the shortcut.

Well, the shortcut worked perfectly. It can only be done at low tide, but it took us under a sea arch and around a point to a small trickling river. We then climbed onto the edge of this river where we rejoined the JdF Trail. The shortcut worked perfectly, and we were back on track.

More hills, more mud, more roots. The JdF truly is a battle and we were now about to have our mental game tested to the nth degree. At Kilometer 25, I could see the Loss Creek Bridge ahead, and I told Sean to prepare himself for something quite remarkable. On the bridge, it was an awesome feeling. This suspension bridge is a huge one, and passes 100-150 feet above the canyon. Waterfalls can be seen, and it was awesome to see Sean get excited about this. Probably this bridge and the sea arch we saw earlier are the two highlights of the trail for me. Truly awesome.

The only bad news about the suspension bridge is what follows it. And what follows it is the biggest climb on the trail. The next section went up, then up, then even further up.

We made it however, and took a small break at the top to gel up and rehydrate. My body now was beginning to diminish a little. My legs were a little heavy and my calves were a little tight. I actually got a small cramp in my left abductor muscle (one of those damn stabilizers) just after Chin Beach, but it had since gone away. So, I stuck to my game plan of taking one gel and S-Cap every hour and grabbing a drink of water whenever I could ontop of that.

Sean was out of water, but I alerted him to the fact that a refilling station, in the form of the Sombrio Waterfall was only about 2 kilometres away.

So we made short work of the next section - which is the only flat, fast section - and we could now see Sombrio Beach and the Sombrio Waterfall way in the distance. But as nice as the flat section was, it certainly didn't last for very long, and now we were scrambling around a rocky coastal trail which had sections of mud and roots that grinded the pace right down to nothing. Slippery, muddy stairs also paved the way around Sombrio Point, and finally we made it to the waterfall.

Here, we made a full-fledged stop and I refilled my Nathan Hydropack. More gels, more S-Caps. Sean filled his pop bottle and was chatting to a couple that was sitting upstream. The young couple was taking to Sean with great interest, and the young guy, was claiming that he wanted to run the distance of the trail. He was asking Sean about his marathon time and this guy was telling us just how good and tough he was. In hindsight, this guy was likely just talking trying to impress his girlfriend about how much of a man he was.

I urged Sean to get moving again, and we were on our way, heading toward Sombrio Beach. We eventually made it and we happy once again to be on a beach section, even though running it was nothing short of impossible.

As we got onto the beach, I saw a shelter that had a stereo, speakers and an amp. It appeared that some party, or band had been there. As we staggered along the beach, I saw a familiar face wave at me from the side. It was Steve Murenbeeld (aka Merm). He asked us how things were going and offered us a free beer. I could see a sparkle in Sean's eye, and perhaps a hint of drool. He then looked at me and with hesitation, reluctantly declined. This was for the best. There was no cause for celebration, as we only just were passed the half way point. 2 hours and 40 minutes. The leaders were 10 minutes infront.

As we ran again, we found a small, flat rock path that was etched into Sombrio Beach. This was the only mechanism for moving along what was simply crappy terrain.

I was then surprised to see yet another familiar face calling out to us from ahead. It was my running coach, Bob Reid. He was telling us to get inland where there was apparently a nice trail. Well, a nice flat trail sounded a hell of a lot better than the beach, so we gambled and went off the beach. In my previous runs, I had never gone this way before. But, it was hugely successful, and we found a flat piece of awesome trail that took us 600m to the top end of Sombrio.

At the top end, we were forced once again onto the beach, but the bypass trail had likely made us some time for Sean and I.

We were now moving along slippery rocks, just trying to keep from falling. Running wasn't happening along this stretch and we just simply tried to keep moving and gaining some ground. It seemed to take a long time before we finally found the trailhead once again. We were very pleased to get off the beach, and this would be the end of the beach running for us this day. With a quick motivation and mental check, we hit the muddy trail once again at Kilometre 30.

This next section of the trail, for me, is the toughest. Not a whole lot is runnable, and it just seems to beat you up. My body was beginning to resist a little and I could feel things diminishing somewhat. I had bombed out before twice on this section of the trail, and I was going to do everything in my power to not let this happen again.

On the other hand, Sean was now leading and seemed to be as strong as ever. His lead pulled me through the difficult times on this stretch and we eventually made it up to Payzant at Kilometre 37. I can't tell you why this last section is so tough. It seems to come at a time when your body is pretty much obliterated. And as tough as it always seems to be, the one thing I knew this time, is that I had never done it so well.

So now with only 10k to go, we were now on the home stretch. I could just tell that Sean was feeling strong and he had been checking over his shoulder to see if I was with him for the past couple of k's.

I told Sean that it was time. It was time for him to leave me and finish strong. I was lagging and he had a finishing kick inside of him. We checked our watches and we knew that it was possible for him to finish under 6 hours if he went hard. I lumbered ahead and then eventually at Kilometre 38, Sean zipped by and was out of sight in no time.

The final stretch for me was a test of how well I could hang on. The trail in this section now becomes flatter, but the boardwalks that were along the trail (and there are many in this section) were as slippery as ice. I had to be careful not to fall down. My body was cramping in many different muscles now, but it wasn't too bad. I had experienced far worse.

I was hanging on nicely now, and even though my stride was short and my range of motion was a bare minimum, I was covering ground.

With only 3k to go, I checked my watch. Running time was 5:39. I quickly did the math: I had 3k to go and 21 minutes to do it. 7 minutes per kilometre seemed easy enough, so I decided to go for it. A sub 6 time for me would be ridiculous.

The next kilometre went fast, but not fast enough. I covered it in 9 minutes, so now I had to do the last 2k in 12 minutes. But, I knew the last 2k were pretty easy. I still had a chance.

Kilometre 46 went by in 6 minutes. I had done well, and I thought I could do it.

I was now on the finishing road up to the parking lot and I had 6 minutes to get to the top.

But, I couldn't quite do it. The ground was easy enough to run upon, but the uphill at this point was not easily run. I tried desperately to run up it, but met alot of resistance.

I made it to the finish at 6:01.

It was a heck of a day for me. I had come off a 2 week taper after Nootka and nailed my best run on the JdF Trail. A 24 minute improvement from that of last year. And, I didn't feel horrible at the end. I was extremely proud of myself. In any other year, this would be a major course record.

However, as good as my day was, some people out there also had epic runs.

Shawn Nelson ran strong throughout and finished in 5:28.

Shane Ruljancich ran strong for most of it, but bombed out in the last 10k to finish at 5:51.

Sean Chester hammered his last 10k after leaving me and finished in 5:43.

Full results can be viewed here.

In the end, all 21 runners survived and had a great time out there on the trail. Some went fast, and some just tried to survive the distance.

So, now I leave the JdF behind me. Mission accomplished.

Next race is 4 weeks away, where I will do the 56k Great Lake Walk.

40k Nootka Trail Run - Aug. 8th, 2009

2009-08-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

The Nootka Trail Run was a run that was actually intended for last year. However, logistically and financially it simply did not happen in time for me last summer. Once again, my buddy Bob Wall would be joining me for this epic adventure.
So for over a year I have been planning, training, and gearing up for this one special day. This day would mark the conclusion of the "West Coast Conquest". Completing this run, would make Bob and I the only people to have run the 4 major coastal trails of Vancouver Island (JdF, WCT, NCT, and Nootka). Unlike the other trails, there is not much information on the Nootka Trail really out there. A good map was difficult to find, but eventually one was found and once again, I took the liberty of studying the map and the guidebook thoroughly in preparation for the big day.
A few days before the run, there was some concern as to the state of Gold River. The town was on evacuation standby, as a forest fire was within 2k of the city and withing 400m of the city's powerlines.

Friday (Pre-Run)
The day before the run, my parents picked me up just after lunch and we zipped up to Campbell River to pick up Bob. Bob and his wife, Tammy, picked out a pasta joint where we all had dinner. After loading up on a chipotle-blue cheese-bison pasta, we hit the open road and made our way towards Gold River.
As we rounded Buttle Lake, we kept our eyes peeled for any signs of the forest fire. Coming this far, we didn't want to be stopped short of our upcoming run. About 5k away from the city, we smelled smoke and could see the hillside in smoke. It did not seem that bad, and in no time at all, we were at our hotel in Gold River.
We checked into our hotel, and made a group decision to take the 13k drive to the port of Gold River, which would be where we were catching the floatplane at 6:30 am the next morning. It was an easy drive and there was not much to see at the dock, except for an active mill and a few Air Nootka floatplanes in the water.
On our way back however, something caught my eye. I could see our hotel from a distance and it really looked like the top of the hotel was on fire. Smoke was bellowing up behind our hotel, and it was shocking how close this fire was to our hotel.
Our hotel was full that night. Full of firefighters. Their gear was all hanging from the railings outside the hotel, and it really hit home that this town was in trouble.
In the hotel room, Bob and I got all our gear sorted out. We spent a while figuring out exactly what would go in our bag (we called it "The Finishing Bag") that would be there with my parents at the finish.
It was about then that I heard Bob say, "Oh Sh!t!".
I said, "What?"
He said, "I forgot my shorts."
I said, "Are you serious?"
After getting over the initial shock of having no shorts, Bob now recollected himself and decided he would go in style for the run. He was going to run in his boxer shorts.
I took a few digs at him immediately and I told him that I'd make sure that the people back at home would soon know how an ex-national level runner could make such a stupid mistake.
We then went to bed, and in no time at all, it was race day.

Saturday (Run Day)
We met Brad from Air Nootka at 6:25 am and we boarded the small Beaver floatplane. For my parents, it was an opportunity to sightsee Nootka Sound from an aerial viewpoint, something that they had wanted to do for years. For Bob and myself, it was time to mentally prepare for the endurance event that lay ahead.
The plane trip was nothing short of phenomenal. Although the weather was foggy and drizzly, the plane flew very low to the ground and we could see just how scenic this area truly was. The plane trip took us completely up the distance of the Nootka Trail, so we got to see it before we had to run it. At the top end of the trail, the plane took a sharp right turn and then started it's decent. The only problem now I could see is that the plane was descending into a forest, rather than water. However, at the last minute the trees disappeared and we descended into a place called Starfish Lagoon. I had never landed in a floatplane before, so I was expecting a hard landing. However, it was as soft as anything, and after landing, pilot Brad turned off the engine and we coasted up to the shore. As we did this, I looked into the water and now realised why it was called Starfish Lagoon. It was brilliant seeing all the hundreds of different Starfish and Batstars under the coasting plane.
Bob and I then thanked the pilot, said goodbye to my parents, then hopped into the knee-deep ocean water and began our run at the flagging tape that marked the beginning of the trail.
And I do not know why, but I expected the trail to be fairly well travelled initially. I imagined something like a gentle chip trail guiding us in the first couple of kilometres from Starfish Lagoon down to Third Beach. However, the opposite happened.
The trail was rugged and gnarly. There was lots of blowdown logs to cross, foliage to forage through and roots galore. Flagging tape guided us a short ways down a river, but I was surprised to see us come out to Third Beach in 10 minutes.
Third Beach was beautiful. Open sand and beautiful marine coastline marked what is the Nootka Trail. We kept the ocean now to our right and skirted along the shore, not needing the high tide headland trail. The tides worked perfectly here. The tide was out and would be that way for much of the run. The planning had paid off.
However, it was not long before the beach ended and we were forced into the trail. This for me was unexpected. The map I studied so carefully showed coastline running here, and for a good, long while were battled through the gnarly trail. And it wasn't easy. We did our best to get in a few running strides here and there, but we were mostly just speed hiking now through the coastal rainforest. Cedar Trees, 10 foot salal, mud and roots seemed to be the theme.
I led the pace with Bob trailing behind. I kept the pace firm, but around one corner, I smashed the side of my Nathan Hydropak into a skinny tree. The tree ripped at one of my pouches, and I was now forced to carry my gels in my short pockets.
Soon enough, we were now back on the beach. The tide was way out now, and Bob and I found the marine shelf perfect for running on. Perfect, except for the fact that it was damn slippery and one false step into a tiny tidepool could mean the end of the journey.
Algae of all kinds coated the shelf and rocks. Some of them were just fine for running on, while others (the brown shiny one) may the surface just like ice...and we had to reduce our pace accordingly.
I was feeling good at this point. The weather was ideal for running, and we were certainly covering some ground. Where the shelf became too slippery or too rocky, we headed up to the beach for some running. It was not always possible to run the beach, but we did our damndest to keep moving. It was also hard to tell exactly where we were on the trail. It was so easy to tell with a map and also by air, but now on the ground, it all just looked like endless beach running. And it kinda was.
The nutrition plan was consistent with all my long runs: stop every hour, take an S-Cap and a Gel, and take sips of my diluted Carbo-Pro Water along the way. Bob had a similar plan as well, except he preferred to eat Cliff Bars along the way instead of going with all gels.
We eventually hit a hard packed beach and saw a landmark, you could not miss: Calvin Falls. We knew now that we were about half way through our journey. After a few token photos, we ran on, following the footprints of three bears in the sand.
The sight of bear prints in the sand did not scare or, nor surprise us. The prints were going the same way as we were, and provided that we just kept our heads up, we would be fine.
We carried along at the standard pace, and the scenery was now getting a little monotonous with seeing ocean on our right, beach on our left, and the combination of rocks and shelf infront of us. At one point, we thought we saw a sealion in the distance, but alas, as we got closer, it was just a rock that looked exactly like a sealion. A marine mirage. Later we would hear that this corner was actually Bajo Point, just past the half way point.
Occasionally, we would cross a small river along the way, but we found it really difficult to relate where we were in conjunction with the map. However, we eventually got to a bay that had two rustic native dwellings on it (with solar panels!), so we knew that we were at Beano Creek. This was the final stretch of beach running, and the inland trail lay only about 1k ahead.
Shortly after Beano Creek though, something then happened I will remember for the rest of my life. As we were running the shelf, I planted my left foot on a rock that can only be described as a 45 degree skateboard ramp. The ramp dropped on the other side. As I planted, I completely slipped on that foot (and my entire weight was on that foot), and I went down. And went down hard. As I fell, I got my hands down to cushion my fall and pretty much got my face drenched in saltwater. I felt an acute pain in my leg and Bob asked me if I was ok. I told him that I needed a minute and I was now clutching my leg. Bob asked me if I was hurt and I said I thought my leg was hurt. I then took a look at my hands briefly only to see them covered in blood. I took about 2 minutes to put direct pressure on my leg. Without a first aid kit, direct pressure was about the only strategy I had to stop the bleeding.
Bob and I now took a look at my leg and it was a small puncture wound that went deep all the way into my tibia. Apparently it now appeared that my leg smashed against the skateboard ramp that had a barnacle placed on it.
While my leg was the main concern, I was also bleeding outta both palms. Bracing my fall meant driving my hands into a couple of the local periwinkles. My left hand wasn't bad at all, but my right hand had a deep cut on it. Cool. More blood.
It was only sheer luck that I decided to wear a long-sleeve running shirt that day. Now, Bob was using the edge of a mussel shell to cut open my shirt along the seam. The plan worked, and we now had a bandage that I tied tightly to my leg.
I got up and tried walking.
I could walk. There certainly was pain from my leg, but it wasn't too too bad.
After a minute, I tried jogging and I could do it. At this point, I had regained hope that I was going to finish the trail. For a moment there lying on the shelf, I had my doubts.
We now followed bear prints again in the sand that took us to the inland trail marker.
The trail was again similar to the previous inland trails. There was maybe a little more runnable terrain now, but there was certainly enough blowdown to keep us from getting a good pace on. Also did I mention ropes? Well there were around 12 of them in this section, and you needed most of them going up and down the scramble sections.
My leg only hurt when I had to jump down (and this was fairly often), and my right hand would not stop bleeding. This run required your hands to navigate through the trail. I was relieved that in about an hour, my right hand finally settled down and stopped bleeding.
The rest of the Nootka Trail now was sections of hilly trail and small pocket beaches. I think I counted about 8 pocket beaches in total.
We got excited when we saw a sign that said Maquinna Point, because we thought we must be close to the end. However, as is the case in many long runs, the end is always a little further than one would always like. So on we slogged.
In fact, as the trail got on, my leg became a non-issue. I was feeling great physically, and my body was showing little sign of fatigue and no sign of cramping. I still led, and bob now looked like he was lagging a little behind me. Perhaps it was because I knew the end was near, but I was actually ready to hammer the last little stretch of trail.
We passed a few hikers at this point, and I assumed that they were hiking their way out to the ferry. This only encouraged me more.
But as the trail popped out of the woods, we were now at the edge of a river, and Bob and I questioned if we had taken a wrong turn somewhere. The trail was not completely obvious to us which way to go. We backtracked slightly and tried to follow some footprints, but it didn't help us much.
We decided that we had to cross the river, and it was deep. At the deepest point, it came up to my hips, but we did make it across. Now across the river, we followed some footprints up to a trail that now went inland. We followed this trail for quite some time now, and came to a saltwater lagoon. The trail now, was nowhere to be seen and we had no idea where we were.
Bob was tempted to bushwhack through the forest in the obvious direction, but I was the voice of reason, and led the way back to where we crossed the river.
We now took the direction of the beach and before too long, we saw footprints again headed the same way as us. Shortly thereafter, we could see people ahead in the distance and a lighthouse way in behind them.
We passed the people, ignoring the strange looks we were given, and found an old ATV/Quad Trail that seemed to be going the right direction. We saw more people now, and we were definitely on the home stretch. I could now see an old church now at the end of the road and my parents were up there, now excited to see us.
We finished the trail in 5:40. With the exception of the viscous fall I took, it was an extremely strong run for me. Now, the dream was complete. The 4 major coastal trails had been completed.
We took the ceremonial finishing photo, then got on some warm clothes and refuelled with some bagels and Powerade.
The ride home on the UChuck III boat was relaxing and scenic, but also very slow. At this point, I was keen to just get home and rest. And eventually, I did just that.
The nootka Trail was 40k in distance. I'd say it was 3/4 beach running and 1/4 trail running. The trail sections resembled the North Coast Trail more than anything else (ie. hard), while the beach sections were more like the West Coast Trail (ie. manageable).
Now with this trail complete, it only begs the question: What is next?

Esquimalt 8k and Mt. Doug Gutbuster 6k - July 26, 2009

2009-07-29T08:49:00.000-07:00

I signed up for these two races about 3 weeks ago, and mainly signed up for the two of them to see if it was, in fact, possible to complete the double. The Esquimalt 8k started at 9 am on one side of town, while the Mt. Doug Gutbuster started at 9 am on the other side of town. Always looking for an adventure wherever I can find it, I seized the chance to register for both.
As great as my summer training has gone thus far, the week leading up to this race Sunday would be nothing short of awful. The Monday evening following the Hurricane Ridge run I came down with a chill and fever. For the next two days, I was on a diet of Tylenol trying to get my fever down, and needless to say, running did not happen. On Wednesday I went to the doctor who confirmed my suspicion: bladder infection.
I was put on antibiotics for the next 7 days and I was hopeful that things would improve quickly. And for the most part, they did. I tried running the next day (Thursday) out of guilt more than anything else, but the run lacked the usual quality. I also found that my heartrate was much higher during the small 6k training jaunt, so I knew I was, by no means, out of the woods yet.
Two more days passed without running. My back was still sore from the bladder infection, but my fever had subsided. I was definitely ready to run, I just had no idea now if I was 100% or just how fast I would go.

Race #1 - Esquimalt 8k
Race Sunday was a gorgeous day. The weather forecast was hot; highs would eventually reach 30. Staying hydrated was difficult in these conditions. Janelle and I drove out to Esquimalt and I began my warm-up. During the warm-up I saw a few fast runners, but no famous faces were seen. I knew what I was capable of, and I had run the course before last year, so there definitely was the potential here for a PB.
The race began with a false start. Dave Milne had by accident hit the wrong button on his megaphone and all the runners were forced to go back a few meters to the start. It was quite humorous really. When the race began for real, I positioned myself near the front of the pack and after the first kilometer I was in about 9th place with my split 3:37. Perfect.
Kilometer 2 and 3 would also be right on pace and I was right beside one of my training partners, Mike Janes. The big hills in the course were now over, so it was just time for my to put my foot on cruise control.
Easier said than done. After kilometer 3, I struggled to continue my pace. The heat was intense, my heartrate was again much higher than it should have been, and my feet were now dragging. The rest of the race would be a struggle. I lost my mental edge as well, and was simply distracted and found myself thinking of external factors and of my sickness rather than my own performance. I over the next few k's, I was slowly passed by a handful of runners. At one point, I considered pulling out of the race, but the reality was that the only fast way back to my car was to finish this horrid race.
With about 1/2 a k to go, I saw two runners just infront of me that I thought I could catch. I got a second wind and surged ahead of them and sprinted to the finish. I would finish in 31:39, good enough for 14th place.
Now although this result may sound decent enough, it was well below my potential. My result last year in this race was 31:23, and I know I am way faster than I was last year. Whether it was the sickness, the heat, or simply just a bad race, I didn't get the result I wanted. I figure that I should be hovering around 30:00 in this race. In summary, a mediocre race and result.
I did a cool-down jog with Janelle to the car, and then we were off to Mt. Doug for Race #2.

Race #2 - Mt. Doug Gutbuster 6k Short-Course
While the Esquimalt race was hot, things were only going to get hotter for the second race. I had finished the first race in enough time, and I figured that there was definitely enough time to get to the second race. The only bad new is that I forgot my waterbottle at home. With little hydration, Janelle and I arrived at the Mt. Doug start line at 9:59 am. Perfect. The race had not begun yet and I got my gear on that I had pre-laid out the night before. Different shirt, different shoes, and I was ready to go.
I overheard someone say, "He's here!" and apparently the race directors (Mark and Nick) were actually delaying the start of the race, waiting for my arrival. Wow...what tretment. The reality was that when I signed up to do the double, I figured there would be a handful of others who would do the same thing.
On the start line I felt in good shape. Of course, this is easy to say because I hadn't run up the mountain yet. There were some real hot-shot runners there, as expected, but I knew that few of them, if any, would be opting for the 6k option. I mentally made it my goal just to get up the mountain as strong as possible. I knew that once I got to the top, that going down to the finish would be a breeze. So here we go.
The race began and the fastees all jockied for a good position at the front. As for me, I was mainly just concerned about staying close to this pack. I did just this, and I entered the single track trail just behind mainstay Gary Duncan. I actually was running well up the trail, and managed the first section to the road without walking. I was still within eye shot of Gary, so I knew my race was decent thus far. However, the climb was about to get difficult. The Irvine Climb at the top is a true test of your climbing skills. It comes at a time when you gotta be tired, and sections of it are certainly steep. However, I have run up its entirety in training for sure, but with difficutly. It wasn't long before my power hiking skills came to the forefront. People around me did the same and a couple poeple passed me, but I also passed a couple myself. I was pleased to get to the upper parking lot in good form, and I rounded left where the short course goes. At the summit, I could see two runners only abour 10 seconds infrnt of me and I suspected one more fastee infront of them. However, as we bagan our decent down the sandhill, I could see no such fast runner up ahead. This gave me great optimism that I had a solid chance of winning this race, provided I could make the most of the flat sections below.
I decided to decent cautiously behind these two guys. I could have gone crazy and flew by them, but in doing this, I would be running unsafely down the sharp decent, and the last thing I needed this day was an injury. So I drafted behind these two guys and bided my time, knowing that I probably had them on the Norn Trail below. After all, I would consider the Norn Trail to be my favourite of all time, so I really now thought I had these guys in my back pocket.
When we hit the Norn Trail however, these two guys showed that they could run downhill. In fact, they were quite a bit faster than me and it took me a conisderable distance for me to catch them back up. The guy immediately in fornt of me reached for his waterbottle, and I took no hesitation in passing him. I then thundered ahead to the road crossing with the leader only a few seconds in front of me. Chris Callendar was there cheering for me and he told me that I had this one. And for the moment, I thought I did. I gave Chris the thumbs up and entered into the final single track. As I did this though, my right calf cramped unexpectedly and I was forced to walk to stop the cramping. I was passed once again, and my heart sank. Perhaps I got too cocky this time. Perhaps I could still muster a 3rd place finish if I could shake this cramp off. After about 15 seconds of walking, I tried running again and my cramp was gone.
I accelerated through the Norn Trail and I hammered into 2nd place yet again. I kept the pace going, and was curious to see just how far the leader was. I could see him way up ahead, and it appeared like I was gaining on him. I used my home-court advantage to get close to this guy, and I was now probably 5 seconds behind him as we left the Norn Trail onto the final pavement section.
The downhill again seemed to be this guy's forte and I made up no ground coming down to the lower parking lot. His strides were long, and he showed no sign of weakness to my threat from behind. As I crossed the finish line in 27:00, I was only 5 seconds off the leader.
It was a great race for me (2nd place), all things conisdered. Had I been 100% and only running this one event this day, I would easily have been 30 seconds to a minute faster. The climb in particular could have been stronger for me, and the sandhill down also was a little slow. However, I did underestimate the other runners infront of me and I really did think I had them. Overconfidence can kill you, and this race it did.
I visited with Chris Callender after the race and jogged home just in time to see Jason Louttit win the Long Course Option. In total, the day would be a total of 17k of distance. Some road, some trail, some hills and alot of heat.
With one final long training run this coming week, I should be in excellent shape for the Nootka Trail in 10 days.

Hurricane Ridge - July 18, 2009

2009-07-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

I was pretty excited that my running club, PIH, had decided to organize a 1 day trip across the U.S. boarder to explore what Olympic National Park had to offer. Hurricane Ridge is about 5000 ft. in elevation and most of our run would be in the alpine. This opportunity was simply too good to pass up.

In addition, there were some real high-flyers signed up for the training session, and I always have the desire to keep pushing myself to the next level, and that is best done by surrounding yourself with elites.

At the same time, this would be my first social running club event, so I also saw a big opportunity for me to meet others in PIH and really get to know them.

The schedule that was sent to us pre-event from Bob Reid indicated that we would be looking at around 3 hours of running. Perfect. I therefore was going to use this time to get in my usual Sunday long run..just in a different environment than the usual.

The day started early at 3:50 am, and I grabbed a quick bowl of cereal and jumped on my bike. I actually had left more than enough time, so I took my time getting to Bob Reid's place for the shuttle rendezvous. Julie Van, Jason Louttit and Gary Duncan would join me in the shuttle and we were off at 4:45 am. The mood was light and the excitement was building.

In no time at all, we were at the meeting point downtown where 4 shuttle vans and 36 runners assembled. We organized ourselves into the designated shuttles, and then we headed for the ferry lineup. Now at the Coho Ferry terminal, all we could do now is just wait for all of us to present the officials with our passports and load the boat. A couple people from our group had some I.D. issues, but everything was sorted out and we still had 36 of us on the ferry.

The Coho Ferry is an old, slow boat that has little to offer in terms of services. This vessel makes B.C. Ferries look like Princess Cruiselines. However, I ate a couple of bagels along the way and spent my time at the front of the boat getting to know some of my fellow running friends.

At 6:45 am, Bob Reid had everyone sit down at the front of the boat where he showed us the maps and the options for our run. I had already decided that I would be running as far and as long as possible. That is, after all, my forte.

We disembarked and shuttled our way through Port Angeles to a grocery store to pick up some last-minute items. We then followed the signs to Deer Park in Olympic National Park. The drive was an ascent through a dust-ridden logging road. The dust was as thick as pea-soup. However, it was all worthwhile, as we eventually got to the Deer Park parking lot, which would be the start of our run.

After some last minute gear-checking and a few token group photos, the run now began. The scenery was remarkable, and the trail was well defined. The initial part of the trail was a decent through the spruce trees. Occasionally we would pass meadows filled with wildflowers. We were cautioned to be aware that we were running now at altitude. Strange things happen to people at altitude, and it certainly is more taxing on your physiology under these conditions. However, I felt nothing and carried on as normal, as if this was just a typical trail run back in Victoria.

The trail then began to climb. And climb. And climb. The steepness was not too bad, but I decided to conserve my energy somewhat by power-hiking up some of the ascents. In the early going, there were just a few people in front of me, but in due course, the runners all found their different paces and I was close to the front. Not that it was a race by any means, but I did want to surround myself with people who would push me somewhat.For a little while, it was just Shane Ruljancich and Chris Kelsall infront of me, but shortly after, national trail runner Jason Louttit blew by all of us on his way to doing his own extended route. As we left the treeline up into the alpine, I was in a pack of guys who are all very strong runners: Shane Ruljancich, Gary Duncan, Garth Campbell, Chris Kelsall. In fact, if you were to look at all of our best 10k times, I am slower than these guys by a good two minutes. That is significantly slower. But trail running seems to be different for me. I don't know why, but it just is.

I religiously kept the nutrition going along the run. With gels, S-Caps and my Nathan hydropack, I wasn't going to let anything bring me down this day. After taking the gel, I got a second wind and began to push the pace a little. Shane joined me and it was now just he and I for the rest of the way. I was thrilled to be able to keep up with him. He is as solid as they come in terms of trail runners. Shane had raced the 1/2 Monty race (25k) the day before, so he was definitely going at an easier pace than normal. However, we both were feeling great at this point.
I cannot put in words how stunningly beautiful this area is. It actually made the running hard somewhat, because I was wanting to keep my head up to admire the surroundings, but at the same time, one wrong step on the trail could bring you down. About an hour in, we saw an orange marmot. At least, I think that is what it is. I'll have to google it and find out for sure.

Shortly after, Shane and I could see the parking lot at Obstruction Point. Shane said, "Wow, we are only 5 minutes away." However, although we could see the parking lot, it actually still was a long way off. The last section was running on broken bits of shale. The side of the mountain we were running on was steep. You certainly would not want your feet to stray from the trail at all. Then we saw Jason Louttit on his way back. He actually wasn't that far infront of us really.

We arrived at Obstruction point after 77 minutes. Shane and I then looked at the map to see what our options were at this point. We definitely wanted to do more, so we decided an out-and-back down to the lakes would be the best idea.

We were just about to head off when we saw the rest of the fastee troop arrive. We high-fived them all as they finished, but I was ency to keep going. After all, it was my original goal to run for 3 hours today, so there was no time to sit around and socialize. I told Shane I was going to keep going, and he promptly joined me as we headed up the next ridge trail. The other fastees followed, but Shane and I kept the pace strong. The trail went up and over a ridge, and then we descended very sharply for a few k's. In fact, I began to get some concern that the final stretch for us would be torture, as it would be nearly straight up.

We passed a few hikers along the way, and then we could see the lake in the distance. And just when I wasn't paying my full attention to the trail, I went down. I didn't lift my foot quite high enough to get over a rock, and I was simply lucky that I fell in a soft spot next to some wildflowers. Talk about stopping to smell the roses. At the same time, my calf began to cramp at I hit the ground. This was a sure sign that the rest of the run was going to be a struggle.

I brushed myself off, and we got to a river. It looked like the trail now was flatter up ahead, but I told Shane that we should probably turn around, in so that we made it back to the parking lot in time. He agreed, and we now started the long run up the mountain.

Ok, we didn't run. It was nearly impossible to run this ascent. Shane said he thinks he could do it if he was fresh, but we certainly were anything but fresh at the moment. So, we powerhiked up and up and up. Being such a good climber, Shane dropped me and my pace slowed down as I struggled with my cramping calves.

I persevered on however, and soon I could see the other fastee group power hiking back way up the mountain. I eventually made some ground up, and eventually caught a couple of them by the top of the mountain. Shane was gone, and he was likely in the parking lot by now. Once at the top, I was able to jog down to the finish at the parking lot.

The group then got back into their respective shuttles, drove to Port Angeles, had some food, and then took the ferry home. The last part of my journey was to get my bike again at Bob's house and bike home. I definitely wasn't looking forward to that.

In total, it was 2:38 of running in the alpine. For the most part, it was a strong run for me. I hope that this kind of training run makes me stronger in the weeks ahead, when it really counts on the Nootka Trail and the Juan de Fuca Trail. I would highly recommend every trail runner to take advantage of the Hurricane Ridge should the opportunity arise. In the years to come, I hope that I will be able to bring my family up here for some quality backcountry hiking and camping. It simply is stunning.

There is a small video that was taken during the run, and the video can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqbXcv8rDqo

Preview of the Nootka Trail

2009-07-05T09:45:00.001-07:00

This summer, I have planned two major events for August.
First, the 40k Nootka Trail will be run on August 8th and shortly thereafter, the 47k Juan de Fuca Trail on August 22nd.
The Nootka Trail, as far as I know has never been run before by anyone. Not because it is impossible, or overwhelmingly difficult, but it is simply off the beaten path. With the only access to and from the trail being either floatplane or boat, the logistics and cost are a definite factor. However, after a year of figuring things out, everything (plane, boat, hotel, tides, etc.) is now a go for Saturday, August 8th.
So now the easiest part remains: run the trail!
I will be running the trail with my usual partner-in-crime, Bob Wall. He and I partnered up last year for the North Coast Trail and Juan de Fuca Trail Runs, and also in 2007 when we did the famed West Coast Trail run. It only made sense to complete the final coastal trail together.
Interestingly enough, once this trail has been completed by us, for the first time ever, it will be possible to get an actual running time from Port Hardy to Port Renfrew along the West Coat of the Island. Not that this time will be of importance to anyone, bu it will be a cool fact that we have conjured up.
In the next month, I plan on studying the Nootka Trail so that every detail in known to me ahead of time. I have a small guidebook that contains a map and some details of the trail. I know that the trail is almost exclusively coastal, and not your typical wooded environment. I also know that the trail should best be taken on at low tide, in so that one can take advantage of the flat sandstone shelves that lie in the water.
Ironically enough, one of my school outdoor experience trips did the Nootka Trail in late May. Although I did not go, I gave some instructions to the school chaperons to bring back a full verbal report on the trail. I also was hoping that a few students would take some photos of the trail. I'd like to thank grade 10 student Helen Ip for these photos of the trail. Some were taken from an aerial viewpoint from the floatplane prior to them hiking the trail, and some were actually taken on the trail.
I am hoping that gaining as much info before running the trail will help me greatly when August 8th arrives.

Training Update - Achilles and Underwear

2009-06-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

The training was light for the 2 weeks following the 63k Great Walk Event, but I felt the recovery was appropriate.
The training this last week has been great. I did my first long run - 26k - since the Great Walk, and it went smoothly. It wasn't totally simple, but it went just fine. I also have totally kicked ass the last two Tuesday sessions with the Harriers, and really felt that yesterday at the Tuesday Night Workout I really stepped it up a notch or two. In fact, I would say that I was speed training as fast as I have ever gone in my life. I can consistently keep up with the guys that run a 37 min 10k race, so hopefully one day in the next year or so, I'll finally put up a good 10k race time.

Achilles:
In the recovery phase after the Great Walk, I have experienced a slight Achilles tendon issue on the left side. It doesn't seem to hurt when I run, but it is sore and tight when I wake up in the mornings. For the last week, I have been icing it a little and stretching it lots, and it definitely seems much better. I anticipate this problem to be a minor thing that will disappear in the next couple of weeks. I believe, and this is complete speculation, that I injured my Achilles from racing 63k, when my weekly training leading up to it was only ever 60k. Upping the mileage too much on any given run can drastically increase the change for Achilles tendinitis. Going from 38k in a training run to 63k in a race is definitely upping the mileage.

Underwear:
I had a very interesting conversation with Myke after the Great Walk Event. I think the conversation went something like this:

Jeff: "Jesus, I can't believe how saturated my underwear is with sweat after that race."
Myke: "Dude, you wear underwear when you run?"
Jeff: "Yes, why?"
Myke: "Nobody wears underwear when they run."
Jeff: "Really? What do they wear?"
Myke: "Nothing."
Jeff: "What about support for your package while you run"
Myke" Running shorts have mesh lining dude."
Jeff: "Oh."

And with that, I did my last long run - 26k - riding the mesh. And, you know what, it didn't feel any different. I think from now on, I'll be sacrificing the potential fallout for less weight. Less weight on long runs can be key.

Next blog post will be in a week to update people on my next run event.
I'll have some aerial photos of the endeavour as well.

63.5k Great Walk and Ultramarathon - June 6, 2009

2009-06-07T12:59:00.000-07:00

Step #1 - Make a game plan.

Step #2 - Execute.

The 63.5k Great Walk and Ultramarathon is a race that stretches from Gold River to Thasis along the "Tree to Sea" Highway. The highway, as it turned out, was about 40% paved and 60% gravel. Along the route, one will be witness to amazing waterfalls, lakes, trees and multiple clearcuts.
This was one of my big races for 2009. With the distance being 63.5k, it would be my second longest run ever. Races like this require careful planning and ample training if one is to be successful in even finishing it in one piece.
My partner in crime for this event was my buddy Myke LaBelle. At 22 years old, he has huge potential in the world of ultrarunning as his speed, distance and training are all impressive.
As great as it was to have him along for the ride, I knew that my experience was superior to his. We both knew somehow that if we could find a way to work together using all of our strengths, it would be a good race for both of us.
It was a Friday afternoon, and I had just finished work. I picked up Myke shortly thereafter and we were on our way. We made it to Boston Pizza in Campbell River by 5:30 pm and looking at the menu, we took about 10 seconds to decide our pasta choices. Dinner was over quickly, and we were now on the road once again and in pursuit of a quick ride through Strathcona Park to Gold River.
In Gold River, we followed the signs to the Great Walk registration and sign-in, and picked up our packages. The organizers were great and it appeared that they had a pretty good drop-bag system in place. However, Myke and I both stuck to our original plan to carry our Nathan Hydrapaks with us along the race. I simply had to have the safety of my hydration with me over a course of this length.
We decided that while it was still light out, we would go for a drive along the course and check out what the terrain was like. More specifically, we were interested in checking out the first 13k of the road, which was supposed to be somewhat of a brutal climb.
The road looked to be in good condition. It had been recently graded and also watered or oiled to keep the dust down. The hills on the road however were a different story. They were fairly significant.
After that drive, Myke and I made a race plan. We decided we would walk all the uphills of the first 13k and run the flat sections only. This strategy, we felt, was paramount in our success if we were to last and be strong for the entire 63.5k distance.
We returned back to the parking lot and the next little while was spent getting our gear all set up, and also our sleeping arrangements. The plan was to sleep in the back of the car, as there was little point in getting a hotel room when we had to be on the start line shuttle bus by 2:30 am. The last time I had slept in my car was probably when I was 22 years old.
We got to bed around 10 pm and I spent the entire night spooning the wheelwell. Oh the joys of running. It wasn't a great sleep, but I figure I got probably 3 hours. This would be more than many people who just decided to make it an all-nighter.
Race morning was a dark one and both Myke and I were thankful for having brought our headlamps. We got our gear and headed for the 2:45 am shuttle to the start line. Why the shuttles left so early for a 4 am start time I'll never know.
At the start line, we spent the next hour chatting with the few people we knew there. It wasn't too cold, thankfully, and the conditions looked to be perfect. Myke and I joked about doing some formal warm-up like a couple sets of A, B, C's or 5 minutes of continuous burpees, but we were simply happy that the race started right on time.
Myke let out a few boyish screams as the race began. As we approached the first hill, the game plan now began. We simply stopped, walked and watched a few hooligans run by us up the hill. That pretty much was the plan over the first 13k. Everytime even a little hill came our way, we speed-walked up it. We also stuck to a regime of slowing down every 1/2 hour for nutrition and hydration. I was doing 1 gel and 1 S-Cap every hour, while Myke was gelling up every 1/2 hour. While I thought that was alot, he told me that the winner of last year's Hardrock Event in the States went through 80 gels. Unbelievable.
The first two guys to pass us meant business. One looked younger and one looked older, but they certainly ran out of sight pretty quickly. We could see their light ahead of us disappear into the darkness pretty quickly. Although it was certainly tempting to keep the leaders in sight, I was content with our plan, and still thought that in the end, we would be catching people. A wise ultrarunner once told me, "It's not how well you run the first 10k, but rather, how well you run the last 10k of an ultra."
Around the 6k point, we were passed by a female runner, who looked like she had done these types of races a few times before. She smiled and turned to us and asked us what time we were expecting to get. Myke told her "5 hours" and inside I was fairly shocked. I then thought while Myke may be making that time, I certainly am just looking for a slow and steady race. I hadn't even really thought about a specific time. Myke certainly had. The female runner ran by us and continued a steady pace up the climb. She was running, and we were mainly walking. Shortly thereafter, I thought it was now light enough to put our headlamps away.
By the top of the first climb (13k - 1300 ft.), we reached Aid Station #2 and Myke and I were ready for the second part of our plan. My watch read 1:40. He asked me if I felt tired at all, and I said no. It actually just felt like a decent warm-up so far. Myke felt the same way and he was now like a caged bull ready to be released from his cage.
At the Aid Station, Myke asked the volunteers how far the leaders were infront and they told us "20 minutes." I could tell Myke was not pleased by this news, but he tore off after them. I followed. I figure at this point, we were in about 8th and 9th place.
The fact of the matter is that it would have been stupid for the two of us to run together, and we knew it. If we did run together, I would be pushed at a higher pace that what would be comfortable to me, and although I could probably hang with him for quite sometime, I know I would suffer severely for the last 20k or so. If he were to slow down and hang out with me at my pace, it would just be uncomfortable and frustrating for him. The pacing in these things is so important, as ultra runners want to ensure that they stay in their own personal efficiency zone. So off we finally went on our own separate paces.
It didn't take long for Myke to disappear from my sights. The course was now mostly flat or downhill and he was clearly making the most of his young legs on the downhills. I immediately passed two small groups, and now I knew I was in 5th place. I was now going at a pretty good clip. I knew that I had to use my long stride down the downhills to make up any ground on those leaders. Myke and I had joked about possibly finishing 1,2 in this race, but that would certainly be nearly impossible with those leaders so far ahead, and showing no signs of weakness.
As nice as it sounds to tell people they were many downhills in this race, some of the downhills were barely runnable. Many of the hills were preceded by those road signs that warn motorists of the steep grade (16%, 18%, 19%). In addition to this, many of the steep hills were paved in an effort to make winter driving on those steep hills less formidable. All this meant that for someone of my position, I really had to be cautious on those steep downhills. I certainly could not run the risk of reinjuring my knee. That really would be the end.
At around the 18k part of the course, dense fog crept in and it was a pretty cool feeling. Literally. The small fog droplets on the face felt so good. And then, I saw someone infront of me through the fog. It was the female runner, and it looked that she too was not a big fan of the steep downhills. She was even going slower than me on them. I spent the next 5k or so flip-flopping with her. I would pass her on the flat or down, and then she would pass me on the uphills. I continued to conserve my energy by walking up every uphill, while she continued to run up them slowly.
However, I would eventually drop her, and now I was once again on my own. Running in the middle of nowhere.
Shortly thereafter, I saw a road sign that said "Thasis 40". Wow I thought. Only 1 marathon to go. This was definitely a long distance for me.
I didn't see a whole lot for quite sometime in the race (20-30k). The odd aid station would be a welcome sight in what was a pretty non-eventful section. Nobody seemed to be around me in the race at the moment.
That was until a pick-up truck drove by me and stopped ahead of me. The lady waited until I ran up and then she said that I had to be careful because there was a very large black bear just off the side of the road just ahead. Great.
Briefly I considered stopping, but felt I should plough along and just make alot of noise. I clapped and sang out loud for the next 100m or so, with no apparent bear sighting. And although it is always so cool to see a bear, you really do not want to see one when your only defense mechanism is to squirt a gel at it.
So now I was approaching Aid Station #6. I had now gone just slightly more that 1/2 way. This was a major checkpoint and you have to stop and get your race number punched here to earn the coveted race shirt at the end of the race. Because I was totally curious, I asked where Myke was in the race right now. They told me he was in 3rd place, but right behind the leaders. I was excited for Myke. For me though, I had succumbed to the fact that I likely wouldn't be seeing any of them until the finish line, and I was totally fine with this. My goal was to remain steady and race my own race here.
Once again, the next 10k or so was relatively uneventful for me. No bear sightings, no other runner sightings. My pace remained steady and the only joy I really had was asking each of the Aid Stations where in fact Myke was. Aid Station #7 had told me that Myke was now in 2nd place, and then Aid Station #8 told me Myke was now in the lead. God I was happy for the guy.
But it wasn't over yet - there was still around 20k to go.
I was feeling reasonable for this point in the race. Sure, my legs felt heavy, and I had fought off a couple very slight cramp tweaks in my legs, but now the volunteers at the aid station that there was a big uphill about to come.
Big uphill was right. I took on the powerhike in fine form, and thought as long as everyone else is walking through this section, nobody will be passing me. I took the odd glance around my shoulder and still there was still nobody in my rearview mirror.
I now made it to the next aid station at the top of the hill. I felt like crap now. As good as the powerhike was, it must have sucked all my energy out. 50k down, 13k to go. I reminded myself how close I was to the finish - it really wasn't that far, was it? I actually thought I could probably just walk it in from here and still finish top 10, and under 7 hours.
The next 6k was flat, but proved to be a real struggle. I still felt like crap and was now even walk-running, with the emphasis on the walk. I was certain I would be passed now, as I think I saw a slug pass me. However, as luck would have it, nobody did pass me and the gel/S-Cap combination seemed to kick in right as some downhills appeared on the course. Perfect.
I definitely could run these downhills, and my energy was temporarily back to normal.
I checked my watch again at the next aid station, and I now had a new motivation in place. I figured out that I could get under 6 hours if I was able to hold off any major cramping episodes. But this would not be easy. My body was pretty wrecked.
The next aid station informed me that Myke was now well ahead and that unless he completely fell flat on his face, that he was going to win. Awesome. Totally awesome.
And, I am proud to say, I ended this race in decent form. The last few k's were pretty good. I ran the majority of the last 4k, and I knew now that I had 4th place under wraps. My time was also going to be close, but I think I had it.
As I rounded the bend into Thais, I knew I had the finish now as the last adrenaline rush kicked in. I rounded the bend by the fire station and then heard a big fire truck sound it's siren. People who lined the streets were clapping and cheering for me. One lady rang a cow bell. What an awesome feeling. I now saw the finish line and heard Myke cheering for me. I had this thing.
I crossed the line at 5:55, and in 4th place. Myke would have a superb day as well and take the win in a time of 5:13.

Myke's win aside, I was extremely pleased with my performance. I thought the game plan of walking most of the first 13k worked out absolutely perfectly for both he and I.
This was the second longest distance run I had ever done. My training mileage never went above 60k per week, and I still pulled it off.
I ran when I could run, I walked when I thought I should walk, and I fought off several near cramping episodes. I ran a strong physical and mental race. If someone told me that the two of us would finish both under 6 hours, I would have been ecstatic. And now I am.

Oak Bay 1/2 Marathon - May 24th, 2009

2009-05-25T11:38:00.000-07:00

After recently posting that I would not be doing any more races until June, I somehow managed to rework my schedule to fit in this race.

The Oak Bay 1/2 is a fantastic course that starts and begins in Oak Bay, and does and out and back loop along Beach Drive in the Uplands. I was sad a few weeks earlier when I thought I would not be able to fit this run in, especially since it is hosted by my sponsor Peninsula Runners, however things sometime work out for a reason.

I was feeling pretty good with my running the week leading up to the event, but hurt my back the day before the race quite drastically. I was out in Sooke helping my family build a rock wall, and I felt my back twinge when I picked up the very first 66 pound bag of concrete. My back that night was sore and I actually could not really bend over to touch my toes. It hurt to sit up and sit down. At this point, I could only hope that my back would somehow be 100% by the next morning.

The night would be a good one, and I think I actually got 7 hours sleep (this is more than the norm!). However, upon waking up, my back was in no better shape than the night before. I tried to stretch things out, but all I could do was to take a couple Ibuprofen and hope that that would fix things.

I headed to the race in ample time and was blown away to see the setup for the event. There was an awesome start/finish line setup and there were many big runners at the race (the prize money seems to get them out).

I took a light warm-up and quickly realised after about 3 steps that things were going to be really difficult. My back gave me painful jabs with every compression on the road. I was now thinking of maybe not even starting the race. However, as the warm-up progressed I felt slightly better and decided to start the race and just see how things would play out.

The race began with the usual fanfare and I was content to be in the secondary pack behind the leaders. The back pain immediately dissipated and I was, all of a sudden, in this race. The first k went by in 3:30 and I was in a group of familiar faces. Catrin Jones was once again in this race and I knew that she was a consistent 1:24 runner, so I made it my goal to hang onto her. The next couple of k's would go by nicely, and I was actually feeling great. I almost couldn't believe my luck that I was pulling this thing off.

I caught up to race director Dave Milne and chugged alongside him for a k until her said to me, "You are not going to believe this Jeff, but I've gotta stop and take a piss!" I was actually feeling the same thing and was hoping to make it to a regulation bathroom stop, but I thought it would be just as easy to stop and provide some garden hydration to some lucky Oak Bay resident. Dave said, "Here!" and he ducked off into a cedar hedge. I followed his lead and found a nice corner just a few metres ahead. After a good 45 second stop, my bladder was now ready for the next 17k.

I quickly found a zone soon thereafter. I held onto a solid pace and it felt like a comfortable one. I was still on a sub 4 min/km pace, so this was setting me up very well if that pace could ever be held.

At the 10k marker, I was at 39:02. I was now right behind PIH member and master runner, Nancy Baxendale. She was a solid runner and I had always dreamed of one day beating her. The good fortune continued and I was able to pass Nancy at the 12k marker. Catrin Jones was still ahead of me by about 30 seconds, and I thought I had a pretty good chance of catching her as well. My pace was consistent and I was in good standing as I came up to the big hill at the 15k mark. The hill up to the golf course yielded nothing however, as I made no ground on Catrin and lost nothing to anyone else.

I was now really on the final stretch and with the final 4k being flat, I was just hoping to not lose ground. I had started on an ambitious pace, and held it so far, and it appeared as if I was right on a new record time.

Kilometre 10 and 20 would come and go with not much problem and I felt alright. I was wishing at this point I had a bit more energy to hammer out the final kilometre, but there was not too much more high-octane gas in the tank. I did make the final hill though without too much difficulty and began to pick up my legs for the final chute finish.

The final clocking was 1:24:52. This was an unbelievable time considering I almost didn't start the race. In a perfect combination of the adrenaline and the Ibuprofen kicking in at the right time, my back pain seemed to not matter for the race.

The time would be 1 second off my PR.
I finished 18th overall out of 621 runners.
I finished 3rd in my age group.

Shortly after the race, I would meet my family and do the Kids Crazy Kilometre with Teagan and Griffin. The event was perfect, and it was simply an awesome morning for me.

As I write this, the day after, my back hurts again. I think I need to see someone to see if it is muscular, SI joint alignment, or disc issues. With any luck, I will be good to go again in a day or two...I've gotta be good for my next race in 2 weeks.

Update: So I went to the chiropractor and my back was severely out of whack. Things are feeling much better now after a serious adjustment. The pain has subsided tremendously. Thank you chiro Cindy Berna!

Upcoming Races

2009-05-15T18:35:00.000-07:00

So, the training has been going reasonably well since the 50k race. I have had some time (during the recovery) to firm up my races for this year. The events I have signed up for are consistent with my goals I set at the beginning of the year. I was mainly using the 50k race earlier this month as a test to see if I was up to snuff for a full year of ultra events. Check.
So now the summer will unfold as follows - all these events are confirmed:

June - Great Walk - 63k
July - Hurricane Ridge Tour (PIH)
August - Nootka Trail - 40k
August - JdF Trail - 47k
September - Great Lake Walk - 56k

Over and out. Time to continue to train!

Elk/Beaver 50k Ultra - May. 2nd, 2009

2009-05-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

I was pretty excited for this race, as I was considering this to be one of my "A" races this year. The training has been going very well this year so far, and I was hopeful that a 4 hour goal could be achieved.

However, as well as the training went leading up to this race, I came down with a nasty chest cold and cough for the taper portion of my training. Therefore, other than one 20k night run, there was next to no running in the last two weeks before the race. I kept telling myself that this wouldn't really matter, as the endurance base had already been built.

Race day came, and I was happy with the sleep I got leading up to the race. I was also content with my diet and hydration, so I was as prepared as I could have been.

I arrived to the race in good time and spent my warm-up time getting familiar with some of the formalities of the race. I learned that the picnic area at Beaver Lake was used by the runners to line-up all the gels and drinks that would be consumed over the next few hours or so. So I lined mine up next to Rob Mackay and Don Peterson's.

It was nice to see a few familiar faces at the race. I am always in awe of how friendly and supportive the running community always seems to be. It truly is quite rare to see anyone who exhibits any sort of negative behaviour. After some small chat, we lined up loosely for the start.

The race began and unlike most of the shorter distances, there was no vieing for position, and there was no hammering off the start line. Instead, people seemed to break off into pairs and chat along the way. In these races, it is imperative to find the correct pace. For me, finding this pace can be difficult. I have learned that my body loves to sit back into a 42-43 minute per 10k pace. This is not good when you are running shorter, faster races, because if I lose focus, I slow down. It is also not good for ultra events, because if I lose focus, I tend to speed up - especially early on.

My goal pace was to hit 46-47 minutes per 10k loop of the lakes. I latched onto Matthias Schoek from the start because I knew he was attempting to do 45 minute loops. Things were comfortable early and we hit the 5k marker right on 23 minutes. So far so good.

The weather was ideal. No wind, no rain, no sun, overcast skies. But I did begin to sweat a little after about 5k or so, and I suspect this was because I was used to running in slightly cooler weather (or I was still a little bit sick).

After the 5k mark, Matthias seemed to kick it up a gear and I let him go. I was not going to be a fool and push myself in the least this early in the race. I had done this before in distance events, only to pay the stiff price in the end. At about the 6k mark, I now had caught up to Keith Wakelin and I ran with him for the remainder of the first 10k loop. I got to know him quite well in those 4k, and I was very satisfied when my first loop ended in 46 minutes.

I found my gear and grabbed a quick gel and a swig before I headed out for my 2nd loop. Keith was taking more time than I was, so now I was flying solo in the race. I could see Matthias ahead of me by a minute or two and I could also see Rob Mackay - the 50M leader just ahead of me. The goal now on this 2nd loop was just to replicate the first loop over again in 46-47 minutes. While the pace was consistent, my body was giving me signs that a bathroom break was needed. So at the 15 mark, I stopped briefly to ensure that a comfortable race was going to be had. I also forgot that I should be taking an S-Cap every hour, so again, I stopped at the 5k water station to get this done. The 2nd loop would be comfortable and the time would be almost exactly that of my first. I was now at the 20k point, and feeling fine.

I stopped again briefly at my gear and headed out for loop #3. As I began this loop, I saw Rob Mackay still just ahead of me. I decided at this point to go after a quicker lap time. I thought if I could get to the 30k marker with a 45 minute loop here, I could bank some valuable time for the miserable 5th loop.

And the plan nearly worked. I kept Rob in my sights and at the Hamsterly Beach section, I could see Matthias only about 2 minutes ahead. I felt good and thought I could reel him in a bit. At the 25k point of the race, I was still doing great and I started to tell myself to start counting down the kilometres. Things continued great until about the 29k mark when I started to feel a slight tightening of my right hipflexor and both calves. This feeling came as no surprise, as one enters these races to have a battle with adversity. The 3rd loop ended fine though, and my lap time was again, almost identical to that of the first two (even though I felt I was going faster).

The fourth loop now began and right away, I knew this lap was going to be slower. My body was getting tired and muscles were now beginning to get heavy. I was alright with this. Things had gone very well so far, and I was now making it my goal to get through this loop without cramping. I took an extra S-Cap at the rowing boathouse in an effort to stop any tightening. It didn't really work, but I was still trodding along decently. By the straight-section along the back of the lake, I could hardly see Rob Mackay and I would guess he was now about 1k ahead of me. I survived the loop without cramping, and I was now at 40k. The lap time would reflect what was going on, and it took me 50 minutes. And although things seemed to be going South, there really was much to be positive about here.

The crowd was telling me "only 1 loop to go - that is nothing", and they were right. I could do 1 loop easy, even if I had to walk. But, I had no intentions of walking it. I had done well so far. The clock was showing 3:10 and I was at 40k. If this were a marathon (and one could easily argue that 40k of the lakes is similar to a 42.2k marathon road course in terms of timing) I had just got a marathon PR.

I made it my goal just to get as far as I could without walking now. I told myself that even a slow jog is way faster than a walk. And with that positive thinking, I headed out for the final loop. And while I would love to finish this story telling everyone that I hammered the final loop in 45 minutes or less, the reality is a bit of a different ending.

I made it to the 43k point before I had to finally stop and adopt a walk/run agenda. My calves were cramping up pretty regularly and my IT bands had been giving me issues for about the last 10k or so. I was able to get through the next few k's by walking for 2 mins and then jogging for 2 mins. I was actually surprised that I still lapped a few people in this time.

However, just as I passed a lady at the 47 marker, my left hamstring cramped as hard as a rock and nearly took my body down to the ground. I stood still and held my leg, writhing in pain. The lady jogged by and asked if I was ok. I nodded painfully and she said, "Stretch it out. You got salt caps?" I nodded again and spent about 2 minutes escaping the cramp.

It is funny how I was so close, yet so far at this point. I focused on my breathing and began to walk for a minute. I then tried again to jog it on home, and it seemed to work if I focused on my breathing. It definitely wasn't pretty, but I was now again into a walk/run pattern. I actually caught back up to that lady I saw earlier at the 49k point, and at this point, I was determined to just ensure I ran the finish. As I hit the final stretch I could see my family cheering for me near the finish. I took my daughter's hand and ran the final 20m with her.

The race would end successfully in a time of 4:10:55. The last loop definitely was not pretty, but there was much to be proud of. When the results came out, I had finished in 5th place in the 50k race (and 2nd in my age group).

My lap times were as follows:

Lap #1 - 46:47

Lap #2 - 46:42

Lap #3 - 46:43

Lap #4 - 50:08

Lap #5 - 60:35

Total: 4:10:55

Now I spend some time recovering and contemplating my next race.

Training Update - Apr. 14

2009-04-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

The training has been going reasonably well. It has been a careful balance of managing family time with training time. I have been getting in the two critical workouts to my training schedule: the long run and the speed workout. The long runs have now peaked at 38k last weekend, and I have been kicking some ass in the Harriers TNW speed sessions. The other runs in the week have been somewhat lacklustre and I have struggled to find the time to get in the frequency. However, the long runs have been going very well, and I know I am capable of banging off a decent 50k race. I know that my mileage is nowhere where it should be for someone who is serious at these distances. I have barely cracked the 60k mark in my weekly training, which shocks everyone when I tell them. I know it should be basically double what I am putting in. However, with my knee still coming back off the injury and with the timing of everything, I am sure that things are where they should be...for now.
The ultimate question that remains is simply can I put it together on race day? I know I have the endurance, I know I have decent speed, I know I have enough ultra experience and knowledge about nutrition, but it can be quite a task to put all these things together when the time comes. However, I know I can do it....it certainly has been done before.
So now I start to think about estimated time. I have done a 48/48/48 at Elk/Beaver Lake recently. I can seem to maintain a 48 min./10 km pace, and that it with my Nathan Hydropack on my back. I am hoping that I may be even slightly faster than this on race day, and that should set me up for a 4 hour finish. Who really knows though? I am really just going to attempt to run a patient and efficient race. I am still haunted now and again of my last ultra at the Great Lake Walk where the last 1/3 of the race was nothing short of a disaster.
Provided race day goes well, I will then begin to consider some of the other ideas of running events for me this year. Fast downhills still pose some concern (my knee is still at 90%), but I am hoping that eventually this concern will disappear.
The next post I will make here will be after my race on May 2nd.

Comox Valley 1/2 Marathon - Mar. 22, 2009

2009-03-23T16:14:00.000-07:00

The anticipation for this event was large, seeing it was my first running race in just over 6 months. In fact, it brought back feelings similar to that of my very first race.
The day started early with a 7 am carpool up to Courtenay. I was excited to be sharing a ride with two master superstar runners, Gary Duncan and Brian Connan. I chatted off their ears on the way up, and I was as excited for this race as if I were a little boy at the playground.
On the way up, we eventually got to the topic of predicted times, and I reluctantly told them that I was just hoping to go sub 1:30 for this event. They were far more specific with their predicted times.
At the registration hall, it was awesome to see so many familiar faces. This was actually half of the reason I signed up for the race. I knew seeing the familiar faces and competing against my friends would provide me with the motivation to train even harder in the weeks that lie ahead. After all, this race for me was a 'tester' race. It was going to truly test the condition of my knee and truly test my fitness level. I had a pretty good idea of my fitness level, but until you test it under racing conditions, you never know for certain.
After the typical warm-up, I placed myself in about the 3rd row from the front. I wished my neighbors good luck, and then we were off.
And what a cool feeling it was to be racing. A feeling of exhilaration struck me immediately, and I said to myself, "I am racing again!".
The excited feeling then turned into a mental bewilderment of how my pacing was doing. Not having raced recently, and focusing on doing slower, longer training runs, made it difficult at best to know what my pace was. However, the 1k marker seemed to come quickly and I was satisfied with my 3:47. The next k was right around 4 minutes, and by this time, people were beginning to sort themselves out with their positioning in the race. I was happy with where I was and I ran side-by-side with Catrin Jones (a steady 1:25 half marathoner) until about km 7.
At around this time in the race, a slow but steady uphill climb seemed to be upon us. I had been pre-warmed by another fellow runner that there was a bit of a hill at this point, and that was totally fine by me. The more hills, the merrier. I hate flat road courses. Boring.
I had hoped that I would pick some people off going up the hill, but I resisted the temptation. This was a half marathon course after all, and a friendly burst so early on in the race could haunt me later in the race. I knew this, and just cruised along at the same pace. At the 10k mark, I was pleased to see that I was at 40:34. This was a decent time, and I was hopeful that the flat/downhill 2nd half of the course would better my pacing even further. However, I would find this somewhat difficult as my pace seemed to drop in the middle stage of the race. The pack that I was running with slowly dropped me. I was still feeling fine, but the fact of the matter is that my body will resort to my ultra pace (my training pace) if I lose my concentration.
I tried to make the most of the gentle downhills that lay in the next few kilometres ahead, but I was not going any faster than anybody else around me. Perhaps my lack of running any hills in the last 6 months is to blame for this lack of enthusiasm. However, I was still holding my own, and I was definitely hanging in there.
At the 15k mark, I was passed by fellow Harrier John Catterall and my watch showed 1:00:24. Not bad. I was still hammering out a 4 min./km. pace, and I was setting myself up for a good finish if I could hold it together.
I had hopes of completing the race at a 4 min./km. pace, but this dream was short-lived after km 15. The pavement flattened out, and the reality of having to maintain a downhill pace now on the flat was not very likely. Nevertheless, I still could see Andrew Green and his crew up ahead and catching them was not totally out of the question.
At around km 17, I was totally shocked when Matthias Shoek passed me. I had not seen him at all in the race, and now it seemed he was kicking his way to the finish line hard. He encouraged me to keep up with him, but he was on quite a kick, and I did not have the gas to follow him. I did however manage to catch back up to John Catterall, and I was looking good with 2k to go. It seemed to me at this point that I was not going to catch anyone infront of me (as they were around 30 sec. infront) and I knew there was nobody hot on my heels. I ran my best for the last 2k and finished strong.
The last stretch of the race was very cool. With nobody around me, the crowd had no choice but to cheer for me as I came in. It felt awesome. I crossed the line in a time of 1:25:51.
This time for me was simply superb. My expectation was just to get under 1:30, so this was quite something for me. I secretly thought I could have gone under 1:25, but until the race plays out, you just never know. Overall, I finished 42nd out of 540 runners. Considering this was my first race in 6 months, to come within 1 minute of my Personal Best, is simply awesome. I knew my training was going well, and this result now confirms some of my thinking and training. This result is also validation for me that (a) my knee is close to 100% (as there was no pain during or after the race) and (b) that all the hard work in the rehab stage was worth it. I worked hard during this time, and my quick recovery time was the reward.
After the race, I was forced to stick around for the awards ceremony. I have never actually done this, as I have always been eager to get home and help out with the family. Just before the awards, I found out that the top 10 in each age group win ribbons. I never knew of this, and I suspected maybe I had been winning ribbons in my races in past years. Hmm.
Sure enough, when my age group was called out, I took the stage to take 7th place in my age group. I was flattered. Upon return, I checked the results on the computer, and sure enough, I should have actually won 6 other ribbons for such races. Damn. Maybe I will stick around for the awards ceremonies from now on!
Back to training now, 6 weeks to go before my 50k race. Yeha!

Redemption Run - Mar. 15th

2009-03-15T20:24:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 5:30 am, as baby Cooper had decided that it was high time that the whole family wake up. I headed down to the kitchen and had a big bowl of Vector cereal. Shortly thereafter, I got my running clothes on and headed out the door, just after 6 am.
The plan was to do 30k, 3 loops of the lakes. This was a task I had planned on completing 2 weeks prior, but stomach flu reeked havoc on that idea. So, I was out to redeem myself and prove that I was capable.
As I parked the car in the parking lot, I looked around to put on my knee brace, only to realise that it was missing. Shit. Do I go back and get it, or do I just go without it? Screw it. I knew the day would come when I would be able to run without it, so I guess today was going to have to be that day.
I started at 6:17 am, and got the headlamp activated. Damn it was dark. Much darker than I imagined. The time change really made a difference at this point in the day.
The first 5k were actually tough, as I had some difficulty establishing a good mental rhythm. However, once I hit the open road along the back stretch of the lakes, I got into a groove and things became much easier. I did experience a small slip on some ice near the end of the final lap, but so far, the weather was flawless. Just a tiny bit of wind out there. No precip.
Lap 1 went by nicely in a time of 49 minutes. Considering I had a decent potty break in the middle of the lap, I was right on target. The light was also bright enough now to turn off the light and my hands were warm enough to lose the gloves.
Lap 2 began now, and still no sign of anyone out there. My car was still the only one on the lot. I now was feeling it, and uped the pace somewhat. For some reason, my body has always seemed to like the 12-16k distance, and this was no exception. Lap 2 would be 47 minutes, and I still felt great. I was leery though of what my final lap would bring.
I now began to see many people on the trail, and I managed to keep the pace alive. I was religious about taking a small water drink at the 5k marker, and then a S-Cap and gel at the 10k marker. This routine has become a staple of my running. It trains my body to use this nourishment and survive on it.
At about the 26k point, the wind really begun to whip up and it was definitely slowing me down, but I was certainly not going to let a bit of wind impair me from achieving my goal this day. The last kilometer, I put on a charge and crossed the end in fine form. The last lap would be 48 minutes. Great pacing throughout.
I came, I saw and I conquered. I redeemed myself from the crash and burn a couple of weeks prior. I did 30k, and it felt relatively harmless. My knee was a non-issue. It felt fine. No knee brace, no problem.
With the small breaks included it was 2:30 exactly. I wouldn't say the run was easy, but I am definitely on my way. This run capped off the best week of training to date so far in 2009.
I am excited about where I am with my running and I seem to be peaking at a good time. With the 50k race 7 weeks away, I am in a good place for sure.
Next weekend will be my first race in 6 months: the Comox Valley 1/2 Marathon. It should be exciting to race again, but I certainly have no expectation of setting a PB. I am just hoping to run a consistent race, and hopefully get under 1:30. We will see.

Go on you good thing

2009-02-25T18:38:00.001-08:00

So the month of February has been a little difficult for me. The running, however, has been going great. I have built up my long run to 28k now, and I am on schedule for my required training plan for the E/B 50k. The Tuesday interval workouts have also been great, and I have enjoyed these thoroughly. I have been following the Harriers for these, but if the scheduled workout is too "downhilly" I have chosen to play it safe and do my usual flat interval route the following day instead.
The reason why I saying that things have been difficult is that the frequency has not been great...at all. I have been running consistently 3 times per week only, and the base mileage barely cracking the 40k mark. This is surely nowhere near it needs to be.
It has been difficult balancing work, my role as the Provincial Badminton Commissioner, and being a good dad to 3 children. It is my hope that with the badminton coming to an abrupt end next weekend, that I will be able to have more time and focus for my training. I also have fallen off the wagon with my core training, and this will need to be there if I am to be at the top of my game this year. I rely on doing my training mostly at work (break times), but these 'windows of opportunity' have simply not been there.
My knee has been alright. It has never given me trouble when I run, but it has been sore from time to time after my runs. This has been a little concerning as of late. I fear that this year may be a year - again - where I cope with this knee thing until September. I may in fact need to take September/October/November off again to fix the knee. If it gets progressively worse over the year, then an MRI may be in the works as well. However, I am still hopeful that the knee will slowly get better over the next few weeks (as I have been told it is supposed to).
Time will only tell.
I still remain cautious, but am wanting to step up my training, so that I can compete at the level that I know I am able.
I am aiming for 4 times of running this week, and the usual core exercises, so hopefully it happens. I am certainly committed, I just need the time.

Back on the Racing Circuit

2009-02-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

After a solid month of training in January, I have now full optimism that I will be back to my old self very soon. Last week, I ran my usual Henderson intervals as fast as I have ever run them in my life. Last Harriers workout, I was right in with the top guys. My speed definitely looks good.
As for my distance, I am up to 22k - which is great so far. If someone told me at the end of December that I would be in this condition at the end of January, I would be very satisfied.
I am still just running 3 days per week, which is not nearly enough, but keeping my knee in top condition - which includes rest - is paramount. I hope to bump the frequency up in a couple of weeks.
In the last couple of days, I also entered my first race. The Elk/Beaver 50k race will definitely be the first "A" race of the year for me. I will likely sign up for the Comox Valley 1/2 Marathon as a good lead-up race as well. The Comox Race is on March 22nd, so that leaves me with 5 weks until my first race.
In that time, I will look to build my distance, maintain my speed, and get sronger for what should be a great year of running.

So far, so good

2009-01-21T11:16:00.000-08:00

So now at this point I have been training for 2 weeks.
Milage has been:
Week 1 - 16k
Week 2 - 24k
Week 3 - 32k
Slowly building, and feeling great.
I've also been to 2 TNWs with the Harriers and people (including myself) have been impressed with my return. I seem to still be pretty strong. I'm not totally where I was, but I am close.
I am now looking for events to sign up for, but may wait until March to actually start racing.

Back at 'er

2009-01-14T12:56:00.000-08:00

So, it is now mid-January and I am feeling that my knee has been good enough for some small runs. This past week, I completed three trial runs - 5k, 5k, and a 6k. For the last run, I wore a knee-brace and patella tendon band, and it seemed to be quite good. Then last Sunday in the early morning, I strapped on my knee brace once again, and a head-light for the first time and ran a steady 10k around the lakes. Yes it was slow - 47 minutes to be exact. But who cares? I ran 10k and it felt just fine. This run gave me the confirmation I needed to rejoin the Harriers for their Tuesday Night Workouts.
So last night I went to my first running club training in over 6 months. My old friends were there and it was great to see them again. The workout went just great. I took things a little easy, but still performed quite well. My plan was simple: go easy, get some benefit from the training, and don't injure yourself by pushing too much.
It is now the next day and my knee feels alright. It feels a little stiff, but there is no pain. I am hopeful that as long as I take things slowly in January, that I can make a return to my "old self" soon enough.
My motto right now is: "Take it easy and enjoy the fact that you can run. Good things come to those who wait..."

Running Event Planning - 2009

2008-12-22T18:28:00.000-08:00

My recent time off from running has given me much time to consider what I would like to accomplish in 2009 with my races. Obviously there will be much work early in the year to get my mileage and strength up. I will continue to focus on long-distance endurance events. In my opinion, trail is preferable to road. Having a baby boy 2 months ago, and now having a family of 5 will keep me grounded somewhat for the time being. One day, I foresee doing some 'destination' races, but as for now, I am content tackling the local events and the local trails.
In my list of races, the key races will be those long-distance races. I have 5 ultra planned, and that is both ambitious and exciting for a novice ultra runner.

The Nootka Trail will be done this year, finalling finishing the major coastal trails of the Island. I am pretty sure the time will not be as important as just completing it, and enjoying the experience.
The E/B 50k will be one where I attempt to run a consistent 50k distance without walking. This is always much easier said than done.
The 63k Great Walk will take the place of the Kusam Klimb this year. I will hopefully cruise out in front for the duration of the race with Myke Labelle.
Again, the JdF Trail will be done once again in August. I imagine not trying to be a record-setter this year, and hopefully I will be a bit more social this year with the group I run with.
After that, the rest of the year is slightly uncertain. The 56k Great Lake Walk begs me once again. I really hope that if it does happen, then it happens with a little less walking!

2009 Races:

Jan-Apr Island Series (I have no idea how many I will be able to do)
Mar Nootka Trail 35-40k
Apr TC 10k
Apr-July GutBuster Series (I have no idea how many I will be able to do)
May Elk/Beaver 50k
May Campbell River 56k or Oak Bay 1/2
June 6 Great Walk 63k
July 19 Full Monty 50k
July 26 Esquimalt 8k
Aug Juan de Fuca 47k (North to South)
Sept Great Lake Walk 56k
Oct Shawnigan Lake 1/2
Nov Bazett Farm XC
Dec Stewart Mountain XC 16k

All Systems Go - December 22, 2008

2008-12-22T17:16:00.000-08:00

While some days in life you may question how could your day possibly get any worse, there are days which counter this argument, and just end up being great days. Today was a great day.
After getting just over 30 cm of snow over the past 24 hours, Victoria residents were pretty much slowed down completely today.
This rare occurrence meant that the day would be a snow day. And, I love snow. Two things on the agenda now: playing outside with the kids, and shovelling the driveway. After spending much of the morning shovelling the driveway and the entire cul-de-sac, I went back to my door to find two bottles of wine there. The wine was a thank you gift from our neighbors for shovelling our shared road.
A thought came to me while working away. I thought that the snow might mean there would be some other people cancelling to see Dr. Jamie Grimes, and that I could take their spot. Originally, I had been booked for Jan. 5th for my final appointment, but I saw a real opportunity here to see the doctor that was very hard to get a hold of.
Sure enough, there was a time in the afternoon free, so I made the booking with much excitement.
At the appointment, I told him that my last appointment (with a fill-in substitute doctor) was not entirely successful. Dr. Grimes confessed that the fill-in doctor did not have much experience, and that he would Shockwave me for free today as compensation. This was very cool, as these treatments are ordinarily $200 a shot. Cool. The extra treatment could only benefit my recovery, and not harm it in any way.
He also told me that I could initiate running once again, starting in 2 weeks. He also told me that it would be around this time that I would start to notice some improvement with my knee. This was the great news I was really looking for from him. Awesome.

Injury Update - Dec. 3, 2008

2008-12-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

At this point the Shockwave Treatments are now completed. The treatments were painful, but hopefully they work. As I understand it, my knee has now been 'triggered' (at the bone and tendon level) to activate a response to stimulate healing.
The chiropractor, Jaime Grimes, has reassured me throughout saying that for my type of injury, I have a 93% chance of a full recovery. Now that the treatments are done, I have 4 weeks of recovery (ie. doing nothing) to let my knee heal. After these 4 weeks, I have a follow-up meeting with him, and pending a positive result, I will be running again on a fully recovered knee.
I expect things to work out. My knee has already showed signs of improvement. At this point, I just have to be cautious to not do too much.
I have Janaury 1st as a target date for my return to running. I hope to be training with the Harriers on January 6th. I hope to race again as early as February.
December will, no doubt, be a frustrating month for me. Waiting is often the hardest part. I have been told that I can remain active, but only in a non-impact way.
As a result, I have crafted a December program involving bike windgates, deep water running, and core workouts. Provided I can stick to this program, and not over-do it at the same time, I should stay in pretty decent shape.
My fingers are crossed that everything works out!

Major Setback - Nov.10, 2008

2008-11-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

After taking 6 weeks off from running, I decided to visit the physio just to check in on the status of my knee. It felt like the time off was no help, and my knee still had some pain and some weakness as I tried to do some light running this past week.
I saw Jaimie Grimes yesterday who dealt me some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that he was able to conclusively diagnose my problem. The other medical professionals I spoke to could not. In short, my left patella tendon has been slightly torn at the patella attachment. Every run or deep knee bend puts stress on the connection, thus irritating it, and causing pain. Leaving the problem and continuing to train on it hard could lead to further tearing, not to mention osteo-arthritis. Repairing a bone/tendon connection is not easy, to say the least. The area is not supplied very well by the circulatory system, so healing can often take months and/or years. In most cases, the injury never gets back to 100%.
Jaimie Grimes works at Synergy Health Management. The clinic is one of only a few places in the province that has Shockwave Therapy. For 3 treatments, they can guarantee (with a 93% certainty) that a full recovery will occur in bone/tendon connection injuries. Furthermore, these 3 treatments happen 7-10 days apart, so with any luck, I'll be training again by Jan. 1st. The downside is that the treatment plan is $600. So, if you got the bucks and want a quick fix, that is the way it goes. Needless to say, I signed up for the treatments rather quickly. I am trying not to focus on the negative stuff with the injury or the cost of the treatment, but that has been hard. I am trying to stay positive and hopeful that I will be another success story of Shockwave.
I have my first treatment on Friday.

Off-Season Training - Sept. 21 to Nov.4

2008-10-13T07:49:00.001-07:00

I decided at the end of the summer that the GLW would be the last run for me for a little while. The knee tendonitis I had experiencing was not improving, and I was strongly recommended by a physio to take some time off to strengthen.
I had considered doing this in 2007, but I was enjoying running too much to take any time off.
So, my off-season training started.
I consulted my sister and another physio to get a training program in place. The goal would be 'Stronger, not Bigger.'
I have been spending time developing strength in my core, and my legs. I am definitely getting stronger, but only time will tell if, and how it impacts my running. For the time being, I do not think that taking time off from running has impacted my knee issue. It still bugs me time to time, in spite of me not running. This one sure is a mystery.
Yesterday, was the Roaly Victoria Marathon. It absolutely killed me not to take part this year, but I firmly beleive that the training I am doing right now will help me long-term.
It sometimes can be harder standing on the sidelines watching, rather than participating. But, sometimes these things need to be done.
I am also using this off-time to ponder what events and adventures 2009 will hold.
As for now, it is my intention not to race until mid-December, at the Stewart Mountain 10 Miler.

56k Great Lake Walk and Ultramarathon - Sept. 20, 2008

2008-09-21T06:03:00.001-07:00

The weekend started with me finding Sheila's house. Sheila was a friend of my mum's, who just happened to live in Lake Cowichan. Sheila had also done the GLW twice before, so she was able to give me some knowledge of the course the evening before.

After greeting Sheila and her friend, Donna, the three of us drove to Youbou to sign-in and pick up our race packages. When we got there, it was evident that things were very well organized. After we got our packages, we drove back to Lake Cowichan and got to bed at 9 am.

I didn't have a great sleep - and how can you when you have to wake up at 3 am? After sorting out my gear, we bombed to the finishing line and caught a shuttle bus to the start line in Youbou. Riding the bus was fun, and everyone around me thought I was crazy to be wearing just my shortsleeve top and shorts. They were all bundled up.

After an agonizing 1 hour wait for everyone to arrive, we were all asked to stand on the start line and sing "Oh Canada". All of a sudden, it felt like we were at a hockey game. At the end of the song, someone over the megaphone yelled, "ready, set, go!" and then we were off.

From what I could tell, there appeared to be about 10 solid runners in the field. 4 of them I knew: Mark Nelson, Rafael Albert, Jackal, and last year's winner, Jason Wellard. As the race began, we all turned our lights on. It was pitch black. All the runners laughed at me having a hand-held flashlight. They all turned their fancy headlamps on. Mark and I headed out infront, expecting the others to join us. They didn't. And so the race began with Mark and I out ahead. This would be the first time ever for me. It appeared as if Rafael and Jason were happy cruising behind us.

Mark and I made good work on the dark logging road. The road had been freshly graded, which may have been great for the walkers, but made it a little too soft for the runners. My light was actually awesome, as it provided some great light. Mark's little headlamp barely shone at all. I realised he probable needed my company, just for my light. As Mark and I came up to the first aid station, I peeked behind us and there was not a sight of anyone behind us. The first aid station was decorated in Christmas lights, and they got excited to see us.

After a quick drink of water, we pushed ahead into the darkness. Not much after that, we entered a clearcut where we heard some animals on the slope. We joked that it may be a bear, but it was more likely just some deer. At the one hour mark, I was quite surprised to hear Mark say that we were at the 13k mark. We were flying along nicely, and it felt reasonably comfortable. I imagined hanging out with Mark for the first 20k, and then letting him go ahead on his crazy pace.

Then one of the craziest things happened in my running life. It sounded like a sudden rushing river upon us. The noise made Mark and I stop dead on the road. With the crashing of branches from the sides of the logging road, we realised that this was an animal making this noise. And then, we stood in awe as about 8 mature elk crossed about 20 feet infront of us. Judging from the noise to our periphery, it was apparent that these were part of a larger herd that had already made its way across the logging road. The last elk took its time crossing the road and stopped right in the middle and then stared at us. I didn't know whether to turn my light off or not. Instinctively, Mark and I backed up a step or two. And then, the elk sauntered off the road, and we continued on our running race.

I felt good with the pace that we were on. I was though, ready to lose my heavy flashlight. It took forever to get light out, and just when I thought about dropping my light, I could tell that we would be needing it up ahead as were went through some serious canopy. However, on the other side of the canopy, I did chuck my light on the ground, and it tuned out to be a great time to do so. (I had prearranged my walking partner, Sheila, to pick up my light when she got to that point.)

We now approached the 3rd checkout at the 20k mark. We checked our watches, and we still were making great time - and we were having a blast. However, I was encouraging Mark to go ahead on his own, as I knew that I was going to go at a slower pace. I also had to make a full stop at this aid station, to hydrate, to take a gel and to take an S-Cap. Mark insisted that we run together, but in a few minutes he was now moving ahead, and I was more than happy for the two of us. It was now time for me to run my own race, and I believed I was capable of doing just that.

At the 28k mark, we actually saw the first kilometre sign marker. This sign marked the half-way point. I was at 2:05, but my pace was certainly slowing with every kilometer. I was okay with this, as I expected to hit another wave of energy very soon. However, this was just positive thinking, as no such wave seemed to hit. My right hamstring was cramping, and when I stopped to pee, my urine was bright yellow. Great. Dehydrated. I needed water badly, and at the 33k aid station I drank 3 cups of water and took another S-Cap. I was hoping that in 15 minutes, the cramping would ease up. No such luck though. The calf would start cramping as well.

As I began the 7 kilometre, 100m climb in the race, I now opted to walk on the uphills. I needed the recovery time for my muscles to get charged back up. At the 35k mark, I would be passed by both Jason Wellard and Rafael Albert. Near 40k, at the top of the hill, another older runner would pass me. I knew that unless I found some energy soon and stopped the cramping, this would be a long finishing stretch. The hill finally ended at the 'Marathon Sign'. 42.2k down, and in a time of 3:40. This would be a crappy time. I was imagining being here by 3:30 at the latest, and I was in next to no shape to even be competing at this point. The only good news is that what goes up, must come down. I was hoping to loosen up on the downhill.

Even on the downhill, I had to stop and walk twice. My muscles were not cramping too badly, and I made it to the 44k aid station in good shape. More water, more gels. Just as ineffective. The good news is that I saw pavement. The rest of the race - the final 12k stretch was on pavement. Worst case scenario, I would walk the rest and hang my head at the end.

The pavement stretch was not much better. It was now a walk/run for me. 1 minute of jogging, 1 minute of walking. Repeat that 60 times, and that was the next 6k. I finally got to Mesachie Lake, and I only had 5 km to go. At this point, I could tell that I was going to finish between 5 and 6 hours. I was gonna do my damndest to make sure nobody else would pass me.

With 3 km to go, a car drove slowly by me and the guy said that there was a bear on the road ahead. He turned his car around and then drove right beside me for a minute. I peered over to the left and saw a large black bear just watching me. He wasn't going anywhere. Sadly enough, neither was I.

I managed the last few kilometers alright, and finished in a time of 5:12. I did hang onto my 5th place finish. I was really hoping for a sub 5 hour performance, but if you were to write a book on how not to do an ultra, this experience would be a highlight chapter. The first half was 2:05, the second half was 3:07. Simply dreadful. However, one must see the positives in all this mess, so here is what I take from this:

I ran around Lake Cowichan. 56k. It is one of the biggest lakes on the island, and I ran around it. I also could have given up many times along the way...and I didn't. I had a couple of amazing wildlife experiences. The elk experience was once in a lifetime. I will remember the first 20k, running with Mark. I will try and forget the rest. In hindsight, I should have taken my Hydropack on this run. I got dehydrated and could not recover. Lesson learned...the hard way.

Now, I am taking 6 weeks off from running. This will be the first period of time I have taken off. My left knee has had tendonitis for the past 6 months. I will spend the time to strength train, cycle, swim and come back even stronger.

I will also take the time to enjoy my family, as Janelle and I await #3 to arrive any day now.

Juan de Fuca 47k Trail Run - August 23, 2008

2008-07-30T08:07:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how news can spread. In the span of one month, a run between two friends turned into a massive group event. The event would be a day where 19 trail runners would storm the JdF trail, in some format. When people started signing on, it seemed like it was going to be another epic adventure. When all was said and done, it was not only another memorable adventure for all 19 runners, but it would also be the day where I had the race of my life.
The morning started as planned as Carlos came to pick me up at 6 am. After stopping to pick up Myke Labelle, we then drove to the Thetis Parking Lot to join the others. All the carpooling arrangements were made from that point, and by 8 am, we were at the China Beach Trailhead, our starting point. There, we picked up a few more from our contingent, and by 8:20 we began our trail run.
There were 9 people who were attempting to run the entire distance of the trail. Of those, it was evident that 6 were fast, experienced runners. The plan was for the 6 of us to run together, while the other 3 would form a steady-pace group. The other 10 people that day were doing shorter out-and-back distances or shorter one-way trips.

China Beach to Bear Beach (0k - 9k)
I nominated Bob Wall to lead the pace for our group. He had always been great in the past with leading a comfortable, yet pushing pace. The group agreed and Bob took the helm. It was shortly after that it seemed like Bob was trying to win an Olympic event, by absolutely gunning out the first couple of kilometers. By the time we hit Mystic Beach, I had to stop to take a pee, so I did so. After I did my duty, I looked out and saw the other 5 doing the same. It was then that Rafael Albert said, "I had to go pee earlier, but I was afraid to stop, in the fear that I would be dropped." I chuckled and said, "I was thinking the same thing." We then skipped along the beach section and found the trailhead after briefly missing it.
The next few kilometers was spent speeding through the West Coast Rainforest. It was important for us to run any sections we could, as there would certainly be sections later on in the trail that would be not runnable. I was not looking at my watch, but I know we were going as fast as ever, and all 6 of us were having a great time. Shawn Nelson (who had only done the trail once before, and it was a night run) remarked how much easier this trail in the light of day. Along this stretch, I saw my watch hit the 1 hour mark, and it was time to execute my plan. My plan was to take 1 gel and 1 S! Cap every hour, and to have my 2L Nathan HydroPack loaded with a combination of Gatorade and Carbo-Pro. So after taking my first gel and S! Cap, it wasn't too long before we descended down to Bear Beach at Km 8, and I was delighted to see the tide was out. By this point, Shawn had already asked me about our pace, in relation to the last time I had run it. He knew the last time I ran it was in 7:40, and he knew that a faster pace would push him at the course record (which is 7:15). In time, it would be evident that this course record would become the focus of Shawn's efforts.
It was also along this beach that I thought of my knee for a minute. For two months leading up to this day, I had been rehabbing my knee from some pretty bad tendonitis. I had actually done no hills at all in the previous 2 months of training, and it became my duty to ice it every night. My knee seemed 100%, but I did have some Vitamin I in my pack just in case.
Along Bear Beach, Shawn decided to keep jogging, so Rafael, Myke and myself followed, but I think Bob and Rob Mackay decided to conserve their energy somewhat by walking. In fact, I had never run along this beach in my previous two attempts as the running proved to be futile. At the end of this beach section, we found the trailhead again and began the climb.

Bear Beach to Sombrio Beach (9k - 27k)
This is the section of the trail that is called the 'Most Difficult'. The hills are steep and relentless, and there definitely was some mud. However, having done the trail a couple of times before I knew what to expect. After a short while through this section, it was now just Shawn and myself together, and the others decided to not push the pace like we were doing. I was concerned that the pace I was leading was too fast, but I always knew that if I were to run out of energy, that I would then have the option of just walking it in at the end, and have the other slower runners bring me home. This safety net gave me the insurance I needed to keep up with Shawn.
Shawn and I continued to make excellent progress over the bluffs, and we enjoyed our fast small descents when the opportunity arose on a fun downhill. He kept saying how much he loved the pace. In hindsight, I think we actually had fun in this difficult section. Somewhere along the way, around kilometre 16, Rafael had caught up to us and he joined our charge. He informed us that the other 3 fastees were quite some distance back, and I kept telling Shawn and Rafe that I didn't think we had seen the last of Bob Wall, as he is a true distance guy.
Around kilometre 18, I felt my quads for the first time show some signs of fatigue. No real surprise, as the hills in this section are fairly brutal. If it isn't the uphill pressing the quads, it is the downhill crushing them. Shortly after I would feel some very light cramping in both of my quads. I then asked Shawn how he was doing, and, as expected, he said, "Great, you?" I told him that I was feeling great but had some cramping in my quads. I assured him that I would be fine. Complete bullshit. I knew that if I was cramping at this point, with 1/2 of the trail ahead of me, that I was in big trouble.
At kilometre 20, we were ecstatic to descend and finally see the emergency shelter at Chin Beach, which meant that we had a nice beach section - a reprieve from all that hill crap, which was now behind us. The tide at Chin Beach did not look very good, it appeared to me like the tide was coming in, and the tide table I read said that we were supposed to be coming close to low tide. Anyways, after I stretched my quads, I had a PowerBar and some fluids and we walk/ran along the beach chatting for most of the way. The boulders at Chin Beach make it impossible for you to keep your run with your head up and actually enjoy the scenery. I suppose this is why Shawn, Rafe and I missed the trailhead. We ran up to a sea cave and then a sea arch, and then Shawn looked at me and said, "Are you sure this is the way?" The real answer was no, but I saw some footprints in the sand ahead and told him that if hikers came this way, then we are still fine. After wading up to our thighs in the ocean around a rock, and having to do a 7 foot jump off a rocky ledge, I knew that we had missed the trailhead. I urged the other 2 to continue and before too long, I saw some hikers up on the real trail above, and we clambered up a rock to rejoin the trail. Missing the trail actually cost us nothing. The way we went was a little slower, but I believe by going the way we did, that we avoided one of those climb and descents that makes the JdF trail so famous.
On the trail, my thighs now seemed just fine. Soon after we saw two female Harrier runners passing us the opposite way: Lara and Sonja. We high-fived them and continued. We climbed and descended until we got to the highlight of the trail: the Loss Creek Suspension Bridge. This bridge spans about 150 ft. over a canyon below, and I always am impressed at the beauty when I cross this bridge. It also symbolizes another thing: the largest and most difficult climb was just infront of us. I told Rafe and Shawn to prepare themselves for the incoming climb.
The climb was difficult, but we managed just fine. By the top, my quads were cramping pretty badly and I was shocked to go for a drink, only to find that I was out of fluids. This was not good at all. We were still a good 2-3 kilometers away from the Sombrio Waterfall (my intended refilling station), and my body was starting to deteriorate again.
I told the other two that I was hoping to make it to the waterfall without too much problem, but this was wishful thinking. At the top of the hill, there was a nice 1k running section (the only easy running part!), where Shawn opened up a lead on me. I told him that if Rafe and him wanted to go, that I would be fine on my own behind them. Shawn reassured me that I could do it. But it was not easy. After the trail went back to the hilly singletrack, I caught up to Rafe and Shawn again. This section of the trail was ugly: lots of mud, and lots of gnarly roots. I did manage to make it to Sombrio Waterfall though, and I told the boys that I was definitely making a full stop for a water refilling. I also had brought more Carbo-Pro/Gatorade mix, so I did my best to add it in. Rafe filled up his Camelbak as well, but Shawn, I could tell, was eager to get going. However, I didn't rush. I needed this stop. We were only 27k in, and it was looking like I was in trouble. Shortly after, we descended the stairs and make our way to the beach.

Sombrio Beach to Botanical Beach (27k - 47k)
The beach could not have come at a better time. The beach was not runnable, which forced us to walk. This gave my body a much needed recovery to absorb the water and I also took the time to chow down a chocolate protein bar. In the distance we saw Shawn's parents, and they were completely surprised to see we had arrived after 3:33 of running. They didn't expect us for at least another 45 minutes. No doubt, we had made superb time thus far. So fast, I was excited and concerned at the same time. Sombrio beach proved to be a struggle though. There was deep seaweed on the shore, and the rocks were very slippery. On a number of occasions, we slipped. We had to be very careful to not sprain an ankle. We did survive and I quickly looked back along the beach, looking for the other guys behind us. I didn't see them...and I was surprised at this. We found the trailhead with no problem, and began the grunt.
Now at the 30k mark, it would be easy to get excited and make a charge for the end, but if you know the trail at all, you would know that this is impossible. This section of the trail is simply nasty. Very little of it is runnable. And the mud. It is hilly, rooty, and very muddy. There are tons of little drops and climbs that just wear you down.
I knew coming into this section, I wasn't feeling particularly strong. My quads were not cramping anymore for the time being, but my experience told me that I still needed more recovery time, so I told myself that I was just going to walk the next few kilometers. I knew if I could get to Km 40 with any steam at all, I would still post a good time. I also figured that the other guys would catch me by then.
I battled through the mud and hills. I definitely was not going fast by any means, but I was covering ground, and my body was not deteriorating. I was challenged mentally to persevere, and this would be the very first time that I was now completely on my own on one of these adventures. Shawn and Rafe were long gone infront of me. I knew that, unless these guys bonked severely, they were going to beat the course record. I was not disappointed at all not to be with them; I was very proud that they were going strong, and I was glad to be part of their adventure this day. At the 33k mark, I saw some hikers and they laughed at me as I went by. I knew this would be my last chance to fill my Nathan Pack up, so I ensured that I had enough to get me through.
To my delight, I hit the old logging road at 35k with still some legs left. I had made it through the toughest section. I was not cramping. In my previous two runs of the JdF, I was completely in trouble with muscle problems at this point. Not today. I was doing ok. And then to my total surprise, I saw Rafe jump out of the bush. He smiled and said that he had some, "body issues to deal with." I asked him how he was doing, and for the first time, he didn't look great. He told me that he was struggling somewhat. Hey - been there, done that. He didn't feel like running, but I encouraged him to run the old logging road with me, because I knew that it didn't last long, and we ran together for the next 5 minutes. Rafe then disappeared behind me. I didn't intend on dropping him, but I figured now that we were only 10-11k to go, that he would find his way just fine. I also still figured Bob Wall and the others could not have been too far behind now at all. Rafe was a strong runner, and he would be fine.
Then it happened. Only once before had this ever happened before to me on a run (at the 2007 Oak Bay Half). Just when I thought I would get more fatigued and fade, I managed to find another level and pick up steam. I ran the running sections well, and power hiked up the tough bits. My body seemed to be in a happy place. I was in a groove, and I was picking up around each corner. I wished Bob Wall was here to see me now. I was flying. Or at least, it felt like it for the time being.
At the 40k mark, I was ecstatic. I only had 7k to go now, and much of it was easy boardwalk. My time also looked great. It was at this point that I realised just how good my time was. I figured that with a good push to the end, that I could actually break 7 hours.
So, I continued with the steady pace. At the 42k mark, a female hiker said to her partner, "Here comes another runner dear." Then she said to me, "Keep going, the other runner is only 5 minutes infront of you." What! I couldn't believe it. Could it be true that Shawn was that close to me? I pushed the tempo even more trying to catch him. I had visions that we could cross the finish line together. At the 43k mark, I saw two more hikers and I asked them, "How far infront is the other runner?" The guy replied, "Oh, about 10 minutes." I felt a little deflated. It was clear that either the first hiker didn't know how to tell time, or that Shawn was putting in a great finishing kick that those Frontrunner Westshore boys are known for.
A couple times on the boardwalks, I slipped and have my calves cramp on me slightly, so I knew that I was definitely fatigued. But, as you watch the last few kilometer marker go by, it certainly became encouraging. Finally I made it to the Botanical Trail road, and I saw a sign that said 1k to the parking lot. I rounded the corner and actually started running up the hill. I didn't make it very far, but I walk/ran the last uphill to the parking lot in disbelief at my time. I came to the parking lot and crossed at 6:25. I screamed in celebration. Carlos was there with his camera, and Shawn was there with his parents. They were all amazed at our achievement that day.
This was the run of my life. I ran fast. I ran smart. I was patient when I needed to be. I used my experience of myself and the trail to my benefit. I shattered the old course record of 7:15.

For the first time, I kicked ass on an ultra.

Results:

Shawn Nelson 6:15 (Course Record)

Jeff Hunt 6:25

Rafael Albert 6:33
Myke Labelle 7:48
Rob MacKay 7:48

Bob Wall 7:48

Geoff Palmer 8:10

Matthais Schoek 8:50
Don Peterson 8:50

Other runners:

Carlos Castillo (28k), Cynammin (28k), Cheryl and partner (14k). Out and backs.
Nico Verrier (30k) - China Beach to Sombrio. 6 hours (on a sprained ankle).
Shane, Garth, Sonja and Lara (30k) - Sombrio to China Beach.

Thanks:

Thanks to Nathan for getting me my Hydropack 2 days before the run. It was awesome.
Thanks to Carbo-Pro for helping me with the distance.
Thanks to Carlos, as always, for transporting everyone and cheering us on!

Esquimalt 8k - July 27th, 2008

2008-07-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

I have had tendinitis in my left knee for the last two months. I believe I sustained the injury from the North Coast Trail, and it hasn't gone away. The hope is always that these things just disappear, but alas, this injury has needed serious attention. Nevertheless, I have continued my training while doing some knee rehab at the same time. In all likelihood, I will need to take some time off from running in the fall to recondition myself.

Because my sponsorship allows me free entry into the Esquimalt 8k run, there was no way I was going to pass up taking on this race. The course is a hilly 8k race, that doesn't feature a tremendously deep field, but does have some star runners in it. Because the race also falls in the middle of the summer, some key runners do not take part, as they have summer plans.

My family came down with me, and I arrived in time to have a suitable warmup. Chris Callendar was there, and I warmed up with him. All my focus and attention was on my knee, but it seemed to be fine for the moment.
As the race began, I felt good, and felt loose. The knee, would give me no pain whatsoever during the race, just showing what adrenaline can really do. The course winded down a large hill, and I knew that for every hill that we went down, we had to come back up. I also had no idea what pace I was going, or what my splits were, as I had no watch on me. My plan was simply to follow Chris Callendar as best as I could. And, that I did very well for the first 3k. At about the 3k mark, Chris and a few others sped ahead as we entered into the DFO area. At 4k, Ming would pass me in an expected move. My pace was still good, and there were not too many people ahead of me in the race. I figured I was in about 20th place.
The course did not get any flatter. It basically went up, down, flat...then up, down, flat...etc. As I made my way towards the 7k mark, Ming was now way ahead, but I was gaining on Chris and another runner close to him.
I could hear my family cheering for me at this point, and at the same time, I caught Chris. I knew he was struggling, and I was prepared to take full advantage, having never beaten him before.
However, he would stick to me for the rest of the race, and in the end, he and I would finish strong and finish together with a time of 31:23. The result was 15th overall, and 4th in my age group.
I was thrilled with the result, and the fact that my knee was a non-issue on race day. Later that night, I would once again, be icing my knee though...

Kettle Valley Railroad: 16k Traning Run, July 4, 2008.

2008-07-05T18:54:00.000-07:00

I do not normally put anything other than race or event entries, however, this run would be a memorable one. While visiting with my sister in Penticton, she invited me to do a portion of the Kettle Valley Railroad. She is currently training for her cycling, so it was a great fit for her to be on the bike, and me to be in my runners.
After making our way up to Summerland, we then went inland until we were in the mountains. The area was extremely dry: only pine trees and grass seemed to grow. Dust and sand was the predominating feature on the ground.
After we got out of the car and my sister assembled her bike, we were off. The intent was to cover 20k, and I was of the mindset that the trail was going to be heavily-travelled, and similar to that of the Elk-Beaver Lake Trail.
Well, it didn't take me any time at all to figure out that this was no walk in the park. The ground was extremely soft, and for the most part was like running in 4-6 inches of sand. It felt very similar to some of my beach run adventures. Needless to say, this was going to be way harder than I thought.
We also could have picked better conditions. The temperature was 27 degrees, the humidity was 40 percent, and we began our trek at 1 pm. Rather dumb, in hindsight. However, I managed to spin my way to about 5 min kilometers for the first 3k. This took way too much energy. Ineffective to say the least.
My idea of having a support biker with me was also out of the picture. My sister was behind me considerably, and I figured she was saving her energy for some interval work that may lie ahead. I would soon find out that she was struggling worse than me, and she had by this point crashed twice.
At the 6k mark, my sister had now caught up, and the trail showed minor signs of improvement. We were travelling through Trout Creek Canyon, and it was a slow uphill the way out. At about this time, I decided that my 20k run would be a 16k run, by doing a 8k out-and-back.
At the 8k mark, I checked my watch: 41 minutes. I smiled, and then turned around to begin the second half.
The second half was much easier, now going downhill slightly. The heat was still an issue, but I stuck to the shade wherever possible.
Upon return, it was a 1:20 sand training run.
Afterward, I looked at this run in a positive way and chalk up two things for experience.
1. Provided you have great family support (and I do), being on vacation does not mean you have to stop training. You can train
anywhere.
2. This run gave me a little insight to how some of those hot, long ultras work. Low humidity, high heat, flat, dusty and sand all made this someone similar to ultras like the Scorched Sole, Death Race, etc. I am certainly impressed with anyone who finishes those events, regardless of their time.

Kusam Klimb - June 21, 2008

2008-06-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

(Thanks to Randy Duncan for the photos!)

After making all the pre-event arrangements, I picked up my buddy Myke Labelle at Peninsula Runners and then headed North, up the Island. Our next stop would be Mill Bay, where we picked up another friend, Buddy Bhander. Now that the car was full, we drove up to Campbell River, which is where we would stay that night.
Bob Wall was excited to see us when we arrived in Campbell River. I gave him the usual hug, and stared in awe of the guy who had run over 100k last weekend, in a cancer fundraiser. The first thing we did was to set up our tents. My tent went up easily, and Myke and I then watch Buddy set up his 9 person family tent. The tent was large enough for a regulation game of basketball inside.
Once we were setup, Bob made arrangements for us to go to dinner. At the Riptide Restaurant, we would be joined by two of Bob's running buddies: Rob Fontaine and Steve Spiers. We had an excellent dinner, and the banter kept us enthused throughout.
We then said our goodbyes, and Bob took us for a post dinner walk, nearby at Elk River. This is the site where Bob hosts the CR 50k trail challenge race. We had a beautiful walk, but then we all felt tired, so we drove back home, got our gear ready, and went to sleep.
My sleep was not a great one. I woke up at 4 am with a nosebleed, so I spent the next hour trying to resolve that. At 5 am, we all were up, and it was time to get a move on.
It was about a 1 hour drive to the race start in Sayward. There were already a ton of people there, and most of them looked like serious trail runners. Within a few minutes, I scoped out who was there for the race, and it was definitely apparent that it was going to be an elite field this year. Furthermore, the Frontrunners Westshore gang (Nick, Mark, Shawn and Josh) was there, so there would easily be 4 people who would beat me. It was around this point that my expectations had changed of possibly finishing top 5, to just wanting to finish top 20.
After we picked up our race numbers, it was pretty much time to start the race.
It was a 23k trail race. Most people had told me that your finishing time would be pretty much bang on your marathon time. I would make it my goal to finish sub 3 hours.
The race began with about 2 km of pavement. The usual suspects headed out infront, including Myke. However, as expected, the pavement did not last very long, and we made the turn onto Bill's Trail. The trail started out steep and I had been forwarded that the Klimb was difficult, steep and long. It was not very long before all the runners had adapted to a power hike, rather than a run. The trail begins pretty much at sea level, but over the next 1.5 hours, we would make our way up to 5000 ft. This was the hardest climb of my life, bar none. It was steep. Very steep. The steepness ranged from being able to power hike, to pretty much using all 4 limbs to scramble up the trail. After a while, it was apparent that there was just no end in sight to all this climbing. It went on, and on, and on. It went up, and up, and up. This trail would make the Grouse Grind look like child's play.
Up ahead, I could see the red shirt of Myke waiting for me. No doubt, he had struggled to keep up with the fastees at the front. He asked how I was doing, and I said "Ok". I also looked at him and said, "Isn't this insane?" I wasn't lying when I said I was doing fine. The heartrate was high, the sweat was pouring off me, but I was up to the challenge. Deep down, I knew I was a solid climber. Myke, on the other hand was struggling. He commented that he was having a difficult time mentally staying in it. I knew this experience oh too well, from my past adventures. After about 15 minutes or so, I left him behind and kept on going. I then found my way up to the next guy and climbed with him for a while. His name was Peter, and he was a master from Port McNeill. He had said that he had done the trail before, so I asked him if we were half way up yet. I was actually joking when I said this, as I figured we must be close to the clouds, and close to the top. He replied, in a serious tone, "Probably not quite half way yet." Oh my God, I thought.
I persevered on, and eventually the trail came up to a magnificent lookout. Peter stopped briefly to take it all in, and I passed him. Soon after, the trail showed signs of snow, and it wasn't long before the trail flattened out a tiny bit, and we were running again, completely on snow.
The trail came out to Keta Lake. The lake was frozen over, so the trail, now marked exclusively by pink flagging tape, went around the lake. As we got to the other side of the lake, I followed a set of footprints, as I had been doing much of the way now, but quickly realized that there was no pink flagging tape, and there was nobody around me, at all. I searched and searched for pink flagging tape, but when I did not find any, I actually went back along my footprints in an effort to ge the trail again. After about a minute, I noticed flagging tape at the top of a hill. I b-lined it and dug in my toes into the crunchy snow and made my way up the hill. I then saw Peter and another climber who I had passed much earlier now infront of me. Damn. I figure this mistake had cost me 2-3 minutes. This hike up the hill was to the summit. I passed one of the guys up to the summit, but Peter was now right infront of me. There were two yellow shirts at the summit, and these were the checkpoint guys. The guys said, "It's all downhill from here". Thank the lord. Now the fun could begin.
And what fun it was. The ascent was steep getting up here, and the decent would be no different. I looked down and saw ropes, lots of them. Peter went quickly down the course, and I followed him. At this point, my gloves were on and I was ready to use the ropes quickly and effectively. This however did not happen, as I stopped and stood amazed at what Peter just did infront of me. Peter was now acting like a human tobaggan, and he was using the ropes and his hands to guide him down the snowy hill. I tried to run down the hill, but fell, and in no time, I was now a human tobaggan as well. The marks in the snow would indicate that all the trail runners had slid down the hill, some clearly more effectively than others. Peter was going at a crazy rate for an older fellow. However, when Peter got off course and veered into a tree well, I took the opportunity and slid past him. The ropes didn't last long though, and before too long, I was running quickly in the crunchy snow, following the flagging tape as best as I could.
This is where I think I made excellent time. I was totally flying now, and Peter and the others were well behind me. I could hear a rushing creek on my left, and I had to make sure not to get too close to the icy river. At this point, I saw a red shirt ahead of me. This guy was walking, and it was Nick Walker. As I passed him, I asked if he was alright, and he said yes, but I had never seen Nick walk before, and I had actually never passed him in any race or training run.
I sped ahead and I saw another checkpoint at Raccoon Bridge. I stopped momentarily to have a drink of water and Gatorade, and then flew ahead on the slow downhill. The snow slowly gave way to a real trail, and I could tell now that we were now on an old logging road. The logging road had many, many river crossings on it, and I just did my best to blast through them. It wasn't too long before I saw another runner ahead of me. This guy was Shawn O'Toole, from Ladysmith and he was running at a great pace, but slowed down significantly at the river crossings. I caught him up, and the two of us ran together for much of the next few km.
After a while of cranking it out on the slow downhill, I saw another checkpoint, and I stopped again to get water and Gatorade. Shawn did as well. The checkpoint guys said that we were in 15th and 16th place. I was thrilled hearing this.
We continued on at a great pace, and it wasn't long before we both passed another guy. We didn't chat to this guy much, as we were busy trying to find our breath most of the time. We now had been running for 2:10, and I thought to myself it would all be over soon enough.
We then saw another guy walking ahead, and I was in disbelief to see it was Mark Nelson. When we got to him, he joined us in our jog, and he began to tell us how fatigued he was. The reality was, that all of us were tired now, and to continue running was bloody difficult. The trail was a slow downhill, which sounds easy enough, but every 50m or so, there was a natural river/drainage dip in the logging road, which pulverised the muscles every time we went over them. Mark then said "Stand aside!", and we ran on the side, and watched Nick Walker fly right by the pack of us. Clearly, Nick was just fine, and he had intentions of making up significant time on the last stretch of the course.
Shortly after, Shawn and I left Mark behind and we continued on ahead. I wasn't sure whether to try and pass Shawn or not, but my body was starting to cramp and I knew I was on my last legs. At the final river crossing, there was a ladder, and I sped past Shawn and took to the ladder first. On the other side of this river was the final checkpoint, and they said that we had 3.5k to go. Again, I could not believe it. I figured we must have been almost done.
As I passed the checkpoint, I heard the guys radio blaring that someone had finished and broken the course record. Later, I would find out that last year's champ, Shane, would repeat as champion, and do it in an amazing 2:23.
After a short last stretch of trail, the course hit pavement and I now was just hoping to bring it in. Shawn passed me, and I said "Good job buddy, I'm done". He replied and said "The race isn't over yet." But it was for me. As we made our way down the pavement, I turned my head and saw nobody coming from behind. This was good, as I could have been passed by a fast slug at this point. At the bottom of a hill, there was a sign saying 0.5 km to go, and I was thrilled. I figured we still had about 2k to go (judging from the last checkpoint call), so I momentarily considered hammering the last bit, in an attempt to catch Shawn. I decided not. Shawn would finish ahead of me by about 10 seconds, and I would finish in 2:50:41. I finished in 13th place (out of 320)!
I was ecstatic. This was the hardest race ever, and I had a great one. I had beat many solid trail runners, and had established myself as a genuine trail racer. Would I do it again next year? Only time will tell. Right now, I am as sore as I have ever been from any running adventure. I can tell that it will be many days before my body will be 100%. But, as the kids say, it's all good.

Chemainus 5k Twilight Shuffle - June 17, 2008

2008-06-22T09:37:00.000-07:00

I never would have entered myself in this race, had it not been for my running club, the Prairie Inn Harriers. When the club announced that they had rented a 15-seater van to drive to and from this event, it seemed like a great way to spend a Tuesday evening.
I caught the bus and headed to the back. I was a little surprised to see Chris Callendar (a running buddy of mine) on the bus, but clearly he had the same idea of taking the bus to the carpool location. The transportation worked out great, and in an hour, we were at the race.
I saw my mum there waiting for me, and I went over and gave her a hug. I was very excited that she would be here to cheer me on. Support is always great.
The first thing we had to do was to register. Normally, I register well ahead of time, but this race was not on my radar at all until the free ride came up. A 5k race is totally not my cup of tea either. In fact, this would be my first 5k race. It would also be the first time I would wear my Harrier singlet.
The registration was a complete gongshow. There was a massive line for registrations, and the two ladies at the front doing the sign-in were completely overwhelmed. It took 45 minutes to get my race number, and this allowed me a solid 10 minutes for warm up. Needless to say, the warm-up was not ideal.
I placed myself on the starting line. Everyone was ready to go, but it appeared as if nobody was in charge of actually starting us. From somewhere, I heard a "ready, set, go", and then we were all off. The fastees took off right away, and went at a pace I had never seen before. I let them go, and began to focus on my race.
The weather was good, but it was definitely windy. The course had some hills, but nothing too severe. They had advertised the race as being flat and fast, and I didn't really see either of these two things. The race went went in the initial stages. I seemed to be going at a steady pace, but I was surprised to see that there were no km markers, like in most races. There was no way to tell what pace you were really going at.
At the half way point, I looked at my watch and could not believe that the run would be over so quickly. I had never gone for a run this short. My body didn't know what to do.
On the way back to the start/finish area, I got passed by 3 people, including Nancy Fedoruk, and I was not impressed. After a minute or so, I passed them back, and then in the final stages of the race, I started up the big hill. Being a good climber, I knew that nobody would catch me. I did though, have my eyes set on catching one or two people ahead of me. One of them was Chris Callendar - a guy who was definitely faster than me, but boy would I love to beat him...just once.
Well, I didn't beat him, as he had the same thought in mind - but he did catch the people infront of him. I finished in a time of 18:18. This was a spectacular result for me, as I am not a short distance road guy. It was a placing of 31st position (out of 536). A new PB was a great feeling, but I am definitely not making the switch to being a short distance guy. No way.

Oak Bay Half Marathon - May 25, 2008

2008-06-22T09:12:00.000-07:00

After a great warm-up, I took the start line of the Oak Bay Half Marathon. The year prior, this was probably on of my best races, as I ran strong from beginning to end, and finished sub 1:25.

Therefore, in order to better that result, I would need a very special day. The night before, I had a dream that I ran extremely well, and posted a 1:23 clocking, so I actually went into this race feeling that it was possible.

As the race started, I felt loose and as always, I just wanted to make sure that I started conservatively. And I did. I let the relay guys speed ahead, and I nailed my first couple K's right where I needed to. It was about that time that Gary Duncan passed me, and this had just become a phenomanon that I was now expecting, as it happened every single time.

After the first 10k, I was right at 42 minutes. This was about a minute slower than what I wanted, but I still felt like I could get a second wind on the way back, and hammer it home for a new PB.

At the 12k mark, I passed my family, and it was totally exciting to see them holding a "Go Daddy Go" sign. This kept me inspired, or at least, for a while. As I rounded the turn-around, I could feel the jump in my legs seeping out. I knew unless that second wind came quickly, it was not going to be my day. For much of the way back to the finish line, I was alone in my running, which definitely did not help things. With nobody to push me, and with my legs starting to feel some residual fatigue from my training runs, it was not a superb finish. As I made my way up the last hill, I could see my watch read the finishing time I got last year. I was close, but not close enough. In the end, I finished with a time of 1:27:39. It was not a superb time, but it was definitely decent. When you consider that the North Coast Trail was done two weeks prior, it was a sound result. A 17th place finish was a fitting result for me.

The highlight for me this day, however, would come shortly after. We entered Teagan in the 1k Kids Krazy Kilometre, and she loved it. How proud I was to see her in her first race. She did well, and loved every second of it. I think her mum and dad were more excited than she was.

At the end of the race, all the kids got a finishing medal. Teagan would wear the medal solid for the next two weeks, and even to bed.