Coming back from injury sucks...

This season started out in dramatic fashion for me as I won my first trail race and then two weeks later set a PB (personal best) in a 10k road race. The PB was more remarkable considering I did 15k the day before and 10k before and after my race.

All of this was done with an injured calf (injury sustained during trail race) that is still giving me trouble. Perhaps the best recovery was not doing a 40k weekend with a race included. My bad. I have been hesitant to run long and hard lately because I keep having recurring pain in my calf. I have only been running 2 days a week and it is driving me crazy. I hope to get out for a longer run this weekend to test out the leg. It is finally starting to feel better.

I am a naturally restless person and with working being very busy and stressful running is one of my salvations. This has been hard with a broken calf.

So I hope to be back running soon and positing some amazing stories.

An outside type of weekend

When the weather gets good I feel obligated to get outside and chase the sunshine.

This weekend was filled with numerous outdoor pursuits all geared towards chasing the sun and feeling good. I started the weekend off with a nice 10k trail run in my local playground. It was only my second run in the two weeks since my big win in the Seymour 10k trail race. I have been nursing a strained calf muscle back to health. The run felt good and my calf is 80% healthy.

The lake at the top of our hike. Not my picture though, I forgot my camera.

Capilano River. Where I spent my Saturday.

Saturday was one the most gorgeous blue-bird sky days that only Vancouver can get. After my run I went downtown and picked up my race package for the Sun Run on Sunday (today) and then met a friend and proceeded to go hiking and sun chasing for 5 hours in the rainforest.

Then we walked along the West Vancouver seawall and caught the sunset and watched people fish for crab. Amazing!

Today was the real test of how my calf muscle was doing. I ran the Sun Run today. This is a massive 60,000 person event held in Vancouver. This would be my second year running it. I planned to run slow to make sure my calf could handle the strain. I also hate running on cement and this is my only road race of the year.

As soon as the gun sounded, I hauled ass out of the start to gain space and but soon I quickly settled down in a nice relaxed pace. I figured I would finish in 45:00 and that it wold be leisurely but I looked at my watch for the first time at 3km and I realized I was going faster than I planned. I said fuck it and decided to maintain that pace and make this race my own. After 10 gruelling kilometres of pounding pavement I crossed the line in 40:34 which is fast for an ultra marathon man such as myself. My fastest time is 39:37, so I was not quite there. But not bad for being dehydrated, overdressed and having already ran 10k to the race that morning.

The race was fun and it was good running it with my buddy Travis. He also put up a blistering time after shooting out of the starting gates super fast.

So, my weekend was filled with time spent outdoors and that to me is a perfect weekend. But now I have to get to work and begin marking my students tests.

Race Day

I'm going to work so that it's a pure guts race at the end, and if it is, I am the only one who can win it.
- Steve Prefontaine

My entire strategy for the race was to go out fast and not stop until I fell down. I did just that.

Luckily, I fell down after the finish line. This race was a guts race and came down to who had it on the final big climb. Luckily I gutted it out and managed to pull out a win.

It was my first trail race of the season and it was a pretty good one. I managed to take first place overall in the 10k event. Not bad for someone who is used to running 50k races and is nursing a calf strain. The race was a series of gravel trails, bridges, skipper rocks, stairs and a punishing climb at the end. Every a good trail race should be. It had been raining for the past week and the puddles were everywhere. We all got muddy and I had way to much fun jumping in as many puddles as I could find.

My race number today.

Right off the gun, I jumped to the front and for the first 200 metres got into a nice fast pace that I knew I could hold. Suddenly, this runner blows by me and set an unmanageable pace. I did not play into his game and I kept up my pace. I was soon joined by another runner and we both kept a steady pace while keeping the front runner in our sights. I knew that if I tried to join the front runner I would die very quickly. By the 3.5km mark we managed to overtake the front runner and at the same time the three of us separated from the rest of the pack. It was going to be a three man race for the finish.

At 4k we laboured up the hill rising from Lynn Valley and crossed the finish line in 20 minutes, not bad for the first 5km. I knew that the race would come down to whoever was going to be the strongest on the final climb of the day. I led for the majority of the second lap and my strategy was to continuously increase my speed on the flats and rolling hills to try and wear my opponents down. I felt great and knew I had lots in the gas tank to fly up that final hill. When we hit the final hill with 1k to go and there were two of us out front. I blew by my bearded opponent on the climb and managed to increase my speed in the final kilometre for the win.

I crossed the finish line and immediatley felt like passing out. Which is a good feeling. It was a guts race and the fastest trail race I have ever done. My right calf felt numb which was bothersome but other than that I felt much better than expected.

A massage and some food afterwords made my leg and mind feel much better. This race was a good way to start off the season and will help with my speed work during 50k events. I do not know if i will do many more 10k races. The speed is exhausting and I don't really get to enjoy the experience before it is finished.

Now I can take a week to recover before stepping up my training for my May 12 race in Oregon.

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. 

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.

Run in the mud

I am back. I know, it seemed like it would never happen. Although, just because I have have not been writing does not mean I have been sitting on the couch eating potato chips and drinking soda pops. I have been engrossed with skiing up at Whistler as well as running along the seawall and trails of the North Shore. I also tried yoga for the first time ever. Meh!

I thought that I would make my triumphant return to the blog with a quick blurb about my amazing trail run this morning. Today was a particularly nasty day (see rain, cold, wind, mud) and not the best environment for a run up a muddy trail. But this is the kind of weather I thrive in, gross. I still hold on to the belief that winter does not truly exist in Vancouver. If my feet are not numb while wearing flip flops, then it is not winter.

My run today existed during my first block spare at school, where I teach Social Studies and History. I chose to do a hill work-out as it is shorter an necessary for my upcoming races. I picked a trail that had a lovely 1km hill, perfect for repeats.

Just a little bit of mud on the shirt. 

The trail was muddy, wet and oh so much fun. With each step I was getting basted with mud and that just made it truly enjoyable. The trail started out with a gradual incline, and then, once over a wooden bridge, I climbed a series of steep switchbacks to a flat section where I was able gain some speed to propel me up a steep rocky gully the drains the energy form the legs. The top flattened out before the final 60 m push to the end. It is a good trail to work on your climbing legs, especially for going fast. The downhill is also fast with only one tricky section through the switch backs.

I did several repeats up the hill before turning around and heading back to the school to teach. I ended the workout with a wet walk through the halls back to my classroom. I was pulling off the classic look, red flip flops, sweat pants and a hoody. Oh so classy Mr. Pedersen.

I'm back and will make sure that I keep you all informed of my training progress and my many adventures.

%@&! Happens

%@&! Happens and we all must deal with it. I just dealt with some lately and while it initially breaks us down, it allows us to reflect and discover who we really are. 

I recently drove back to Vancouver after three wonderful weeks in Calgary. It was great being back home, that really is where my heart belongs. But for now I am living in Vancouver, a place I also love. But it is a big adjustment now that I am no longer at UBC. Vancouver this year will be much different than last year. I have to find some work to complement my teaching and focus on my training for ultra marathons.

I stopped by Takkakaw Falls on the drive back to Vancouver. It is good to get out of
the car and stretch the legs.

My shit occurred around missing a job posting, a job that would have been great and I would have had a really good chance of getting. But oh well, it wasn't meant to be. The person who got the job is very deserving and will make an excellent run at it. Hopefully success follows her.

I learned that I need to check the job posting website everyday. My bad. This incident and some very powerful talks with my parents and friends allowed me to reflect on all the other positive accomplishments and paths in my life. I have much more going for me than many people and I am lucky for that. For instance, a big part of my life is trail running and my focus for this year, along with teaching is running ultra-marathons. So, I can really focus on that this year. I also recently. took a canoe guiding course and will be doing some guiding this year around Vancouver. So that is another fantastic aspect of my life. Also, I plan on travelling extensively next year, to Patagonia and perhaps even the Himalayas.

So, one door slammed in my face, shit happens and I was devestated. But I realize that I am not a one dimensional person. I am going to focus on my other dimensions and have some amazing adventures. 

I learned how to use the big canoes. I can now guide people in them.

So I am going to end this post with optimism and I know Vancouver will be great this year, I just have to get used to it. I did manage to get a 35km trail run in today (Sunday) so that was great. I am starting to explore the trails on the north shore and have enjoyed getting lost while finding my way.

Blood, flies and the Rockwall

This run took place on the same day As Jack Layton's funeral. I came home and watched it, very emotional. Layton loved the environment so instead of staying home to watch it live, I went and and enjoyed the wilderness. You were and always will be an inspiration Jack Layton. I even wore my orange flip flops to honour you yesterday.

As I arrived at Floe Lake my ankle was bleeding and my legs were screaming for mercy. I had just run 10k straight up, from the parking lot to Floe Lake in Kootenay Park, British Columbia. I don't start off runs well as it takes me time to get my legs under me and my body operating at full capacity. To start a run with 10k of climbing, that was pure hell. I cut my ankle on some rocks on the ascent and my foot was drenched in blood. Even running in the mountains can cause harm to a person's body. With all that said, it was worth it and I got to enjoy the beauties of Floe Lake. 

Crossing this beauty before starting the climb to Floe Lake

An alpine meadow on the way up to Floe Lake

Floe Lake

I am still bringing my body back from an IT Band injury, so my climbing legs have not yet returned. So on the way up I was not setting a very good pace and it hurt my pride to have to take the breaks. Then I realized that the only good thing about doing all this climbing is that the entire second half of the 30k run would be downhill or on moderately rolling terrain. I would really be able to fly then.

At the top of Nema Pass. All downhill now.

After the stop at Floe Lake to absorb the scenery, contemplate this crazy adventure and take some pictures, I hit the trail and started to climb again, this time 2.5k to the top of Nema Pass. My high point on the day. I fared better on this climb as I had some energy after my tiny break, but it was still a pathetic pace I set. I will have to do a lot of climbing and hill running in the next three weeks before my ultra marathon in September.

After summiting Nema Pass, I began the descent and before I got even 80 metres from the summit I saw a group of ladies heading up the scree slope. As I was getting closer one of them yelled, "It's a runner." I found this amusing, they must have either witnessed too many runners and had some kind of experience or were so shocked someone would run these trails that they were simply calling out. Or they just wanted to make sure that everybody knew somebody was coming down the path. Most likely the third one, but I still found the way she stated it it quite funny.

The descent down to Nema Falls was quite uneventful. I quickened my pace to make up for my slow ascent and caught my time per/km up to a respectable pace. If I can maintain that pace for another 20km I will set a respectable time for my first ultra.

The descent trail took me through forests and along creeks and I was constantly attacked by huge flies and monstrous bushes the entire way. I only passed a couple hikers on the way down, as they were slogging up to Nema Pass. I did not envy them and their massive packs.

After 30k I was glad to see the parking lot and the wonderful falls. It was a great run and taught me what I need to work on before my race in three weeks. I headed back to Calgary and watched the fireworks competition at night. It was a great day of adventure and mental and physical exercise.

The river at the end of the run

Moose "Brokeback" Mountain

This post will be particularly interesting for those of you that have seen the award winning film Brokeback Mountain. Today, I ran to the summit of Moose Mountain, the mountain used in the film.

Moose Mountain. I would soon be up at the high point (peak on left)

I wish I had a horse to take me to the top as it was a lot of elevation gain in only 6km. The trail started out with a nice descent for a km, which I knew would be hell on the way back, before rising steeply and consistently for the next 6km. After the descent, the trail followed a well trodden fire road before opening into a beautiful alpine meadow before you traverse the ridge of Moose Mountain. Looking at the peak from down below was intimidating and psyches you out. Just knowing that you have to climb that within the half hour leaves a sinking feeling in your stomach. Mostly, because you know that pain that is coming. 

There was little break in the climb until you reach the summit and the forest fire lookout. For me, it was pure hell and happiness. I had done only a little climbing since my knee injury so this was a good baptism by fire. I have never done a run this hard in my life. usually when I do hills I get some rest time between sets, but this was one hard slog to the very top. My legs burned the whole way up and even though I thought of giving up and heading down, I said "Shut up Body, Shut Up Legs" and pushed onward. I was rewarded with amazing views of the mountains, the foothills and the prairies of Alberta. It really is the best place to be in the entire world. Alberta you are awesome.

Me, on top of Moose Mountain. The view behind me is my reward for completing the gruelling climb.

I have a race coming up in the middle of September so I need all the distance and elevation training I can get. This race will be my very first ultra-marathon so I am nervous and excited at the same time. More of that to come later though.

I retuned to Calgary exhausted but extremely happy. I definitely deserved those beers I had later on at a Kensington Pub. Well deserved indeed.

Back on the trails

It's Saturday, time for another adventure in the mountains. This time I am visiting Ribbon Creek in Kananaskis country. We have a trail running date. I arrive at the trailhead around 10:00, it is already quite full with folks getting outdoors for some natural TLC. I load up my bag, gear up, take a pre-adventure dump in the loveliest smelling outhouse in Kananaskis and then head to the start of the trail.

Ribbon Lake Parking Lot. It is great to see so many cars.

Just driving to Kananaskis makes my heart skip, I just love being out in the Rocky Mountains, undertaking as much adventure as I can handle.

The first portion of my run is fairly easy as it is a rolling trail up to Ribbon Falls (11km in). I am currently coming back from an IT Band injury and my feet are not quite accustomed to trail running after the long lay-off. So for the first 10 k my feet are screaming as they are pounded, step after step into the alpine trail.

After Ribbon Falls the Trail began to get steep and then crossed some shale before leading right to a rock face. The only way up was to climb some chains bolted into the side of the mountain.

Once above the rock face, it is a short uphill run to Ribbon Lake and beyond. I round the lake and end up going through the trees before emerging in a beautiful alpine meadow. Running through this meadow brings me to another steep, muddy section of trail and finally the high point of my day, the junction that leads to Guinn Pass or Buller Pass. Now it is time to go down.

One the way down, I am stuck at the chains as a large group is moving quite slowly down said chains. Despite a seemingly inconvenient roadblock, I find it rather fortunate as I am able to take a little break, eat some food and air out my feet. Wonderful.

The rest of the way down my legs feel amazing. I am much stronger now that I have been running for a couple of hours. I fly by the people heading up to the falls and chains and I get to answer a couple questions from a wonderful lady about where I have been. She is amazed that I made it all the way to the junction.

I get off the trail and head to the stream to cool off. Sitting down in the water is exhilarating as it punished my legs with icy cold, alpine water. It instantly makes me feel great and I get to reflect on the run while wincing in pain. I know it is a good adventure when I need to cool off my legs off in a stream.