Vacation time!

I made the most of my first day back in Vancouver in two weeks. I had to, it was sunny and the forecast is not looking pleasant for the week.

I walked along the river in the morning to get groceries and look for a blender. After failing in the latter I went back home, watched Californication while eating breakfast and then took to the trails for a 22 km run through the forest. The long run gave me plenty of time to contemplate my vacation.

For the last two weeks I split my time between Calgary and Montreal. The former being where I grew up and the other a place I had never visited. Calgary was great as I visited with family and old friends. I went running numerous times along the river valley and even got in a long run with my friend Morgan. My friend Brodie and i contemplated buying cross bows but unfortunately they were a little pricey. Whenever I go home it feels like I never left. My family and I settle into a routine and everything goes smoothly and is very relaxing.

Montreal was anything but routine but was equally as relaxing. I flew in with a nasty case of food poisoning and after a mile high puke, my first impressions of the city were of their lovely washrooms. Which are nice and thank goodness quite clean. I spent the rest of the Saturday sleeping and drinking ginger ale.

The best bagels in the world, the only thing I could keep down on Sunday. 

The rest of the week was spent running on Mont Royal, exploring the numerous cafes, drinking holes, bagel places and bookstores of the city. I discovered there are as many hipsters in Montreal as in Vancouver. The city has a great vibe and I can't wait to visit again. I don't think I got to bed before 3 am any night but somehow always woke up refreshed in the morning. 

People in Montreal love to protest. This one was about tuition.

I did several runs on the "mountain"and it was a mixture of steep trails, gravel paths, stunning viewpoints and muddy creeks. I had fun exploring and getting very dirty. I was blessed with +26 weather and I even got a little bit of a tan. I mainly ran to keep the base up and only did one really strong tempo run. 

The necessary self-portrait. This one in the Old Port of Montreal.

Luckily, I got back to Vancouver and was able to do my long run today. I went up and played on the Baden Powell trail above North Vancouver. In 22k I climbed 1000m and kept up my race pace. Not exactly a slow long run but I felt like going fast and so I did. I was very happy about the run and now I ramp up my training as my first ultra marathon of the season approaches on May 12. I need to work on my climbing.

I am ending the weekend and recovering from my run with some delicious chocolate milk and a some homemade flat crust pizza. Ground beef, peppers, green onions and four cheeses on top. Homemade pizza is the perfect food. 

I found the snow

It's like wearing nothing at all…

Nothing at all…Stupid sexy Flanders!

A couple of my runs in the last two weeks have had a purpose other than training — to test what it is like wearing nothing at all…nothing at all.

Before you let your imaginations wander too far, I am not talking about running nudie styles. Rather, I am tailing about running with my new hydration pack, the Salomon Advanced Skin S-Lab 5. This post details my first impressions of the pack. I have taken it on two runs thus far, and this is what I think.

Not flattering, but you can see the pack. Yah self-portrait.

I updated my trail running hydration system due to an extreme annoyance with bouncing backpacks, uncomfortable belts and heavy handhelds.

I hummed and hawed about this packs for months after seeing it used during my first Ultra Marathon back in September. I believed you had to order them online until a Salomon store opened up in Vancouver. I visited the store, tried the pack, left, visited again, tried the pack, left and finally after weeks (and much annoyance to the staff) I purchased said pack.

The first test was a rainy 20k jaunt around the Stanley Park seawall and then back to the North Shore via downtown. I did not do any adjustments on the pack except take the add-ons off. 

The view from the Lion's Gate Bridge.

The pack fit like a glove and I hardly noticed it. It hugged my body and I was free to move in ways my old hydration pack never allowed me to do — without swinging around on my back. The only complaint was the crinkling noise caused by the insulated sleeve for the bladder. Luckily, I can remove this. You do notice the water sloshing around a little bit when running, but not as much as conventional hydration backpacks. Which is a very nice plus. I'm sure adjusting the pack will help with this. If you want to know the specifics of the packs, components, and such check out the Salomon website.

Today, I took the pack out on a 12k trail run around the Capilano trail circuit.  The workout of the day was an "Out and Back". I ran 6 km through the trails and then turned around and raced my 6k time back. It is an amazing work out and provides some motivation for the second half of the run. You can do it with any distance. I like to do it on longer runs with 10k out and a 10k back. Exhausting.

 

This time I played with the pack, adjusted it to my liking and removed the insulated sleeve. The pack performed magically, felt snugger on my back, less sloshing and no annoying crinkling noise. It allowed me to dance around roots and rocks and not worry about the pack moving around. I need all my concentration to keep from tripping. It fits on you just like a vest, tight and unmovable. There were times in which I forgot I was wearing a pack at all. 

My only complaints is the lack of a hose hook on the shoulder strap and the annoying crinkling of the bladder sleeve (removable). I have found a way to tuck the hose under the chord, which works very well. I also will have to play with the chest straps to ensure the extra strap is removed, as they are quite long. 

Overall a solid pack and I will be switching to it full time. I love it and we will have many adventures together. So, if you like to run with a feeling of wearing nothing at all then this is the pack for you.

Flight of the Frenchies

Walking on Water (Liquid Mountaineering)