Wake up Call

Peaking out the window on Saturday morning and seeing a few inches of snow in downtown Vancouver made me think we were back home in Sault Ste. Marie, but actually they are getting +10 degree weather and we are getting all the cold. I know that the meteorologist are talking about La Ninia this year, which makes it a great year for skiing, but not so good for trail running and cycling to work everyday in record breaking temperatures of minus 19 with the wind chill.

Saturday morning Lindsey and I ventured off to do our regular trail run, despite the negative 5 degree temp and the 6"s of snow in the mountains. Obviously with all this white stuff we had to stop and take a few pictures.

Panorama Ridge

One of the last beautiful days before the fall rain sets in, Lindsey and I decided to take the day and try our hands on a round trip 30 km hike up to Panorama Ridge. I didn't really ask, I more or less told her that this is what we were doing. 8 hrs later we were happy to be back at the car and driving to a friends place for a pasta dinner. Amazing end to an amzing day. Here are a few pictures to give you an idea of how beautiful it really was. It trully doesn't get much better than this.



Climbing to Panorama Ridge



Panorama Ridge



Garibaldi Lake from Panorama Ridge



Black Tusk in the distance while Lindsey tries to eat lunch with gloves on



Close up of Black Tusk



Garibaldi Lake with the mountain range int he Background

Been Too Long

So, I've been feeling under the weather for the last week and a bit, and if anyone knows me, I don't do well with sick. I am a little bit of a suck, it's mainly because I'm not out doing my normal stuff, running, working out, but this time I am still biking to work every day which is at least keeping me sane. So the plan was and I think still is to start my training next week, hopefully if all goes well and I'm feeling better, well starting to now, finally. But I have been missing my trail runs that is for sure.

The last real run was my race at 5 peaks, and by the way I convinced my wife to finally race a trail race, and she did amazing, hopefully she will embrase this first race and run a few more along the way. I was actually hoping for some pictures on the 5 peaks web site to post but nothing worth posting.

Now is the time to start the long process of training for that 50 miller that I'm hoping to do in the spring, it will be tough, with hunting season in full swing and skiing season just around the corner, and also Linds and I looking for our firts house to purchase, possibly in North Van, keeping my figures crossed we find something worth while. I will have to pick my running days very carefully for the next 6 months, but it wouldn't be a chanlange if I had all the time in the world to spend training.

So, I will try and start posting my weekly runs and mileage to keep everyone in the loop, hopfully Linds and I will find a few races to do along the way to keep things interesting, that is if she decides to train with me. Doesn't really matter though, she already runs 3 days a week without even a scheduled race in her future so I'm sure she can handle just about anything I throw at her ;)

Update

Well, here is an update for everyone, I thought I had it, which I found out I didn't. I emailed the 5 Peaks organizer about my placing and realized, or more like was told, that they only look at the top 4 races for overall points series, weather you race 4 or 5 races which of course I raced 5 races, but the organizer did send me the regulations to review, as I'm sure she was wondering why I was emailing her about my result... Didn't I mention I was competitive??? I think just a little bit...

Well I guess I better give props to the 3rd place finisher..even though he did only run 3 races......

3 Tom Craik North Vancouver BC 34 11 14 9

and in the end I did finish 4th, based on the 5 peaks race rules and regulations.... Rules, they are definitely over rated......

Like I said before.......

Next Year!!!!!

5 Peak series, CHECK!!!!!

1 Scott Meacham Vancouver BC 48 10 11 12 12 13
2 Oliver Utting Burnaby BC 45 15 15 15
3 Richard Liddiard Vancouver BC 36 7 9 4 9 7

Well here we are folks, final overall points series winners for the 30-39 age group of the Salomon 5 Peaks Series. I do have to clarify a few things, they (Champion Chip Timming) actually placed me in 4th place, but after further review after I got home I noticed the numbers just didn't make sense, after a little more investigation, with my calculator, not just once but a few times, I calculated out my score to be 36 and not the 32 that they posted. So, if you see the points totals and my name is in 4th place and my overall points are 32, do what I did, pull out those math skills and find out for yourself.

OK enough about that, some people would say I'm competitive, then there's my wife who thinks I'm a little over the top competitive, which after this episode I have a hard time not agreeing with her....

I was another hard race at the Buntzen Lake reservoir, an amazing lake and the scenery was spectacular, what i got to see of it while I was trying to keep my heart from jumping out of my mouth. Lots of long climbs, "LOTS" of long climbs, the course did get a last minute change due to high water levels, and from speaking to a lot of competitors they say it was a good thing that it was changed. Not to sure that benefited my race.

It was a very fast course, me, not being a fast runner, I prefer long downhills that I can take advantage of, as this is where I gain ground on racers, that didn't seem to happen in this race. Lots of ups and lots of downs but the downs were quick and gradual. But all in all it was a great race, the 15 KM course kicked my ass up and down those hill for 1 hour and 20 minutes, and the end couldn't come any sooner than it did.

It was a beautiful day here in Vancouver, sun finally popped out, temperature was perfect and the trails were amazing, could have been a little muddier, but they were in good shape. I don't think I have to wait to long for the mud, it'll be here sooner than I know it.

For 5 Peaks racing I guess I'll have to wait till next year for my next one. So for now, I'll spend some time hunting, and training for my first 50 miller. That even scares me just typing it, training officially start in 2 weeks and it will be a long 14 weeks of it. I will keep everyone up to speed with my progress and what I'm up to with life.

Pictures to come....

To Never Getting Lost

Went for a great trail run yesterday, started out to be just a normal run in the North Shore mountains, specifically Mt. Fromme, for those not familiar with Mt. Fromme lets say Grouse Mountain. It was a cool summer, I should say fall morning, with a crispness in the air, blue skies as far as you could see. It wasn't the best start to my run, my watch bleeping low battery which would completely die 10 minutes into the run, my I-Pod battery light in the red, hoping that it would last what was supposed to be a 1 hour 30 min easy run on the Baden Powell, 45 min out and 45 min back....so I thought...

45 minutes into my run, I hit Mountain Highway Road, the main road that mountain bikers climb to get to all the gnarly trails Mt. Fromme has to offer. Only a few days ago I was thinking that I'd like to climb this specific hill at some point in the near future and always having the mentality, no better time than the present, I was off for a climb not knowing how long it would take and hoping that it would get me to the Gondola at the top of the grind, this being my back up plan if the hill took longer than anticipated which would take me back down to where I was parked.

Originally thinking that this hill would take about 45 minutes to run up, 45 minutes in and still climbing, legs were starting to get a little tired by this point. My 1 hour and 30 minute run went by and I was still running, I was starting to wonder if I should turn around at this point as I wasn't sure how much further the Gondola would be, but also knowing if I did turn around it would be another 1:30 back to the car, which would make my run a total of 3 hrs, this wasn't planed as I haven't ran any long distances since my last 5 peaks race 2 weeks ago. So I kept on going, hoping to get to that Gondola, 1 hr later coming to fork in the road, deciding to take the high road, thinking the Gondola had to be nearby, at this point the mist has set in so thick you could see no more than 100 feet, which really buggered things up for me. If it wasn't for this mist I would have been able to see were the Gondola was and would not have second guessed my original decision eventually turning around and heading back to the fork and taking the low road, ending up at a dead end after 20 min of downhill. Now wondering what I should do next, looking up the hill thinking that I need to go back to were I started from, I see an older gentlemen running down the hill straight at me, so I decided to wait. 5 minutes later he finally arrives and I ask him, were did you come from, he said, the Gondola, I said, perfect just were I was going, he clarified the direction then noted that he would be running down a trail back to the Baden Powell Trail to the Grouse parking lot if I was keen to join him. Thinking it would be at least another 20 up to the Gondola and being it 2 + hours into my run already, remeber my watch was dead, I decided to take the offer and run downhill back to what I was hoping is my car, also knowing I wouldn't be getting lost with someone that was familiar with the area. It was my first time in these parts. He explained the trail in detail as we ran off, stopping to show me where a fighter jet had crashed in the mountain side many years ago, with the turbine still intacked and a memorial laid out explaining who the fighter pilot was and how he became stuck on Mt. Fromme. A little while later we finally popped out on the Baden Powell, a familiar sight, and happy to see I wasn't to far from the parking lot.

The I-Pod lasted the entire run, 2 hours and 45 min, thankfully, it was the only thing giving me any idea of how long I'd been running for. If it wasn't for Tim, the nice gentlemen that bailed me out, "sort of", I never get lost, I might still be on top of Mt. Fromme running circles looking for that Gondola, or it could have been a really really long run back to the car.

I have to admit my legs are a little sore today, and biking to work took longer than normal, as my ride home will be the same I'm sure....

Can't wait to do it all over again next weekend....

Pictures say a thousand words

A little taste of the race course at the Whistler 5 Peaks



Lucky with the weather (they were calling for rain) a little chilly but perfect racing temperature



Beautiful scenery in the hardest race I've ever raced in, not able to enjoy it until after the race



Finishing that last few hundred feet of climbing, with a total of 1000 feet of elevation gain at one time, these last 100 feet felt like 10 times more



Feeling that I had a good race, but I wouldn't find out for 24 hrs how well I actually did



Start Finish line at 6100 feet

Whistler 5 Peaks

Final----Place
Place----in Sex----Place in Division----Bib No.-Chip Time----KM Pace

33/224---29/124----8/42--Male--30-39----7098-----1:14:48------7:04

Overall Race Results

Full race report coming soon

5 Peaks Race pics

Nothing left in the tank....


James thinking that he beat me, but was actually part of the first group that started putting him 1 min behind my finish time.


Mt. Baker in the distance from the starting line.

Race Report

The third of five, Solomon 5 Peaks races is over and it was a tough one, the hardest to date, Mt. Seymour Ski Hill was very unforgiving on a beautiful summer morning.

It started out with a long gradual downhill on a section of gravel road then changing to pavement for the first km or so, finally disappearing into a winding single track trail system where I was starting to feel at home, switching back and forth through the single track circling lakes, up and down hills for about 4 km until I start to make my way back to the starting point/parking lot, it was a long climb, wishing that it would end soon as the temperature was starting to rise. Hitting the parking lot and keeping my legs moving, the hills didn't end there, you make your way up a rocky, steep trail, working your way to the top of the Brocton Chair lift, as your lungs are burning and legs pounding, hoping that it would stop, seeming never ending. Pushing through the pain thinking that I have to be hitting the top soon, snow appearing, must be a sign that there's some downhill coming soon. Knowing I always loose ground on the ascent I always try and push the pace on the downhills and this race was no different, surprising people as I blow by them, a fellow racer at the finish questioning how I'm able to go so quickly and make up so much ground, and also wondering what I'm doing carrying an extra kilo of weight in water while I race up and down these hills.

Running through the mud and rocks, catching up to some of the races that started in group one, 1 min ahead, realizing that I am having a good race. I try and push the pace just a little more knowing that the end is near. The last little uphill takes everything that I have, crossing the finish line in 26nd position overall trying not to throw up on the volunteer as he's cutting the timing chip off my shoe.

5 Peaks number 4, Whilster BC, see you in a 4 weeks.

As promised

A few pictures for viewing from the Weekend in Whistler

(the girls at the Rim Rock)


(the men)


(the Anderson's)

Finding time

Finding some time in my life is a challenge these days, work is very busy with my project well underway and the move to Richmond from Downtown, I miss downtown already but can focus much better on site in Richmond. The location is actually pretty good, with the Richmond Oval being my neighbour to the east the Fraser River to the north, and I still get to see the North Shore Mountains on a clear day, they are just a little farther than before, an extra 30 min bike ride. I can't be bothered sitting in my car at idle on my commute home, I would much rather enjoy the scenery of the Cypress Street Bike Path, with my legs propelling me, especially since summer is in full swing.

My life, the past few weeks;

A best friends wedding in Whistler, an amazing weekend with the reception being at the Rim Rock, the food is unbelievable. Starting with foygras, the main course being duck, amazing.... with a little bit of drinking involved... Not in the best of shape the next morning but that was expected....pictures to follow...

Still trying to fit in the required training for my upcoming races, along with a 30k run last Sunday, which I thought might be a little long, which proved correct while I was trying to make my way home... thank god for those snickers bars my wife gave me a few days before which I luckily decided to to save for my long run...

And here I am with the 3rd of 5, 5 Peaks races, this one being at Seymour mountain, hard to say how this one will turn out, my legs trying to get used to the 1 hr of daily cycling, finding it hard to transition from cycling to running as I found last night taking a small stroll around the neighbourhood, and struggling through my 30 min run.... tonight's mile repeats will tell the tale for what is to come this Saturdays race.....

Painfully Fun Race Report

The Seek the Peak race/fundraiser was an enjoyable race in a masochistic way. The Weather was perfect, a little cool to start but the body warmed up quickly as you found yourself winding through the trails along Capillano River, a beautiful trail and a first for me. I always find myself starting out to fast and hard, usually paying for a faster pace in the last KM's and was hoping to avoid that in this race. As it was a funny start, everyone standing around chatting and the announcer standing on the back of a truck 100 feet from the start line blowing a horn and yelling GO! GO! GO!, and finally we were off as everyone finally clued in to what was happening. As the trail was rolling up and down and finally a continuous upstream you pop out of the trail system at Cleveland Dam park and onto the long arduous run up Capillano Rd Hill to the start of the Grind. I felt OK at this point even though I'm still working on my uphill running, (keep the legs moving)is what I tell myself, better at running downhills. I tried pushing myself up the grind but didn't feel the greatest and still trying to take in fluids and gels to wake my legs up.... at the 3/4 mark my legs finally felt ok, thinking the uphill is over with at this point, so I thought/hoped, was I mistaken. At the top of the grind I found myself running along the fire road up to the top of the ski run, steeper and looser than expected, as guys and gals were blowing by me going downhill to the finish line, wishing I was in there shoes heading down hill instead of up. As I was trying to find the energy in my legs to make to the top, which I had no idea of it's location, it just seemed never ending. Finally turning the corner I could see the end of the hill. Running up the last little incline, happy to be done with the climbing and hoping to catch some of the cautious descenders as I let my legs do the running, a few sketchy sections with the loose rock and the very steep incline making it a difficult decent, trying to keep it together. Saying hello to the bears as I pass knowing that I am nearing the finish line I'm in good spirits, through the line and straight to the Powerade, water, fruit, candy stations to refuel as I was borderline muscle cramping. Happy with my overall time and meeting my wife in the chalet after her 2 time grind climb as she was waiting for me to finish. It was cold at the top, no sun and the clouds were low in the mountains, grabbing a quick coffee from Salt Spring Coffee after stuffing my face with all the other free food and beverages, one of my favorite parts of racing, and off to catch the next tram down before we cathc frostbite.

Thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors for a great race.

And obviously for a great cause for Breast Cancer Awareness.

See you next year

I've decided to run the Seek to Peak race on Sunday, I think I might be taking this new found love borderline addiction to Trail Running/Racing a little far as I am finding that my training is being put on the back burner since my time is being spent resting in preparation for racing.