Forgive me, Runners...

Forgive me, runners, for I have rested.

It's been over two weeks since my last run and I cannot deny the joy it has brought me. Only three days  since I started considering running again, and already I have registered for the Squamish 50k. This event will undoubtedly be well organized, over spectacular terrain and among beautiful people. Just registering has seemingly lit that proverbial fire I needed to get excited about running again. 

This picture from last years hellish (I say that fondly) 50 mil'r, is another reason to get running in Squamish on August 10th. There's nothing like hearing your kid shout your name as you plod by in an ultra-haze, whilst shoveling god knows what down your throat. 

 

Totally Gunned

I've been waiting for these couple of "do-nothing" weeks for awhile now and it's every bit as dreamy as finding cash in your ski jacket from the previous season. Since last Saturday's Gunner Shaw, I haven't even run to get out of oncoming traffic. It feels fabulous and my energy is definitely springing back. I was a bit in the closet about the fact that I was putting some training effort into Gunner Shaw this year but I worked hard for close to seven weeks. With a whack of mile and two mile repeats at "this-sucks" pace, it seemed I had to be benefiting. That was until the third week when I realized I wasn't seeing any improvements and that my track times were actually getting slower and my niggly injuries weren't exiting this thing I pretend is a temple. Even worse, I started dreading every run. Even the short, easy 40 minute lunch runs were as unappealing as Killian-style white Exo on a hog. Running in the Santa Monica Hills over my birthday was even tough to get into. If it weren't for the novelty of a new locale, I'd have been happier sipping coffee and watching the very special crew at Venice Beach.

A beautiful Saturday morning heading back down from Topenga State Park near Santa Monica

After a couple days off, I thought I might surprise myself and run well at this years Gunner Shaw. That morning though, I awoke feeling the same dread toward running that I had in the days before. As usual, the event was excellent. On a super fun course with beach, mud, the return of the giant puddle and what I refer to as "unleapable duck shit leap", this event was a blast. As for me, I ran the two 5k loops in just over 41 minutes and was completely and utterly GUNNED!

Thanks Jan Heuninck for the great action shot. You've given me the illusion of speed which I had little of that day.

Other than the cinnamon bun I actually drove all the way over the Lion's Gate for, knowing that this was my last run for a couple weeks was the only thing bringing a smile to my face at the finish line that morning. I don't plan to run again for about two more weeks but I'm looking forward to some more weight work with Marx Conditioning and a couple more Cyclocross races in the Bellingham area. As Monika (Marx) says, "It's time to recharge".

X Border Clash

The first of my #'s in this series.

First lap in and I can't believe I'm in 5th place. I started right at the front but strongly questioned whether or not I could hold a spot up there. All I knew was that it would be crucial to be in a small but spaced out group of talented riders on the first approach to the "flyover" or else it'd be pile up city. Out of the curvy trees in 8th place and I could see it was going to be a clear approach so I generated some momentum, hit the transition and up I went to push the front of the bike over the top edge and glide smoothly down the other side. 

A couple "km" on the grass, across some energy sucking sand and into the single track and pump track section. Coming out of the first lap, I was in fifth place and feeling terrific. This was going to hurt but was going to be a good day. Over the course of the next two laps, I whittled away at the field and brought myself into third place. First place was about 15 seconds out front of me, but heading into the pump session on the last lap I was right on the wheel of second place, who was wearing pink socks. Pink Socks guy could spin on the pavement too, so had I to get across the skinny and out of the sand pit before he did to have a chance. I did it! Over the last hump and onto the asphalt toward the finish line. Pink socks hammers by me. "What the hell?", I said to him. "Is there another lap? I thought the last one was beer lap?" It was. The finish line is just ahead", he says.  CRAP! And I chase him into the chute for third place by a tires length. 

As my buddy Bob Welbourne said afterward though, "I'll never do that again". He's right. I learned a good lesson here, as I have with each of my races this year. Being new to the sport is great. It's an exhilarating sport. It gets the lungs burning and creates a perma-grin at the same time.

Yesterday's event in particular was right up my alley. Loads of tight corners, a skinny 2x6 over sand, a good size flyover that initially provoked some anxiety in me, and a brilliant single track section that ended on a loopy, little pump track.  Thanks for a terrific event Cascade Cross. I'm hoping to be at the Thriller Cross in December and the Chiller Cross in January. Check out the course below.

BorderClash2012-1

Huge Kudos and thanks to my bro-in-law, Mike Tunnah for kicking ass and taking 10th place and for pushing me to get on the cyclocross bad wagon in the first place. As well to the Lazy Trail Runner, Duncan Coo,  your fourth place Master this past Saturday. I likely wouldn't have tried CX without you boys.

Baker Lake 50

*Mount Baker - Southern Aspect from Start/Finish Area

Lately I've been staring at our local mountains in awe. Likely because the air is crystal clear and the sun is low making them extra vibrant and spectacular. On a day free of valley smog, I've always felt this way about Mount Baker and often wondered about the terrain just beyond it. 

My late, half-assed, registration into the Baker Lake 50 answered that question this past Saturday and has left me wanting more. The race route took racers up the south side of Baker Lake to the mouth of the Baker River through thousands of ups and downs and twists and turns. The elevation gained and lost was unassuming until the return trip home. Every little hill became a fight after 40k and the red-shirted Portlander in front of me was the carrot I needed to get it done. We pretty much ran the entire race together.

Race start was 8am so I rose from the tent to sip my smoothie, nibble a bagel avec Pocket Fuel and light a coffee fire in my ass under lantern-lit cold and darkness. It was uncomfortably perfect. Being a self supported race, I packed two Salomon Advanced Skin bags. One was for the first 25km and the other for the drop zone and route back. In hindsight, a work of genius. 

In a bit of a daydream we wandered through the camp site discussing the day ahead. We had about 10 minutes to lay down our drop bags, yak with fellow racers and get moving... so we thought. The moment my drop bag hit the back of the pick up, I heard the RD shout, "GO!". A quick, "What the f#*k?" came out of mouth and off I went in last place.

*That's me third from the right in last place leaving the start line at 7:56am

Quickly I snaked my way up toward the dam crossing to immediately slow and stare at the ass end of Mount Baker. I hadn't seen it the night before because we arrived in the dark. After a quick look, my good friend Graem and I started making our way through the pack where we eventually hit what we'd come for: SINGLE TRACK HEAVEN. 

*Heading west along Baker lake back to the finish.

Not being able to help it, I let my legs roll immediately and left my rookie friend in the dust. He had never run anything this long before and I figured he was being smart and settling into a comfortable position. I was anything but comfortable by the time an hour had gone by. My right hip flexor started yelling at me and the toes on that foot went to sleep with the occasional lightning-type pain shooting through them. Being in the middle of nowhere, my only choice was to continue to the turn around and drop out. I've never dropped from a race in my life and I had a little over an hour to come to terms with it. Permanent damage wasn't worth it. A gorgeous landscape in all new terrain and I was wallowing in self-pity. Things couldn't have gotten worse...until they did. My "first time ultra runner" buddy, Graem, comes on to me like a train, yaks me up a bit and plays on through. Again, "what the f#*k!?". I was already into my 50k pace and I knew I was doing it right so I let him go. "Rookie mistake", I kept reminding myself. I ran about 100 meters behind him and two others to the turn around at which point I dropped my Advanced Skin pack, saddled up another and was gone. He later said he looked up from his own transition mess and I had disappeared.

My foot and hip flexors hadn't gotten any worse by this time, I think because I focused hard on my technique immediately after being run over by my buddy. I made sure to shorten my strides, stand tall and really engage my glutes to be as efficient as possible and avoid loading my hip flexors. With things being no worse, I had no choice but to continue my race. Now I was running scared though and I fought the entire way back to avoid another mental beating by Graem. Having left the turn around with a great runner from Portland named Todd was a blessing. We pushed and towed until about 48km at which point the wheels came off my bus and I entered survival mode.

Todd took 5th place by about 1 minute and I settled for a, not too shabby, 6th place in a time of 4 hours and 40 minutes. Graem had made a mistake in running by me early on and finished in 5:32. Nonetheless, a damn brilliant time for a first timer.

Again my Speed Cross III's treated me right as did my Fast Wing Hoody and Advanced Skin packs. My splits were 2:19 and 2:21. Unfortunately the first 3/4's of my return trip was a touch too fast and I paid for it with a 2 minute positive split. Super proud of my overall time though. A perfect way to end my season.

*Thanks to Solana Leigh (Klassen) and Hubby Photographer for the pictures.

A Two'fer Weekend

It's been awhile since I had a loaded weekend like this past one...let alone one this great. Not only was the weather brilliant, but the events were even better.

As usual, 5 Peaks put together an amazing show at Buntzen Lake on Saturday. It was amazing to run the Diez Vista trail again too. This trail really seems to suit my strengths in climbing and technical, rocky, rooty dancing. My time of an hour 30 was good enough for 11th overall.

Sunday too was outstanding. Over the past few years I've been sidelining Cyclocross races and thinking I'd love to try it. This year I got on it. Of course I was nervous as most people are with new things. I had no idea what I was doing, but saddled up and got in line to start 40 minutes of lung seering craziness. Vanier Park CX, put on by West Coast Racing, was a super fun, albeit dry, course. It was windy and fast with a few short steep hills and barriers. Thank god for warm up laps so I knew the lines to ride.

Here are a few pics from Vanier, thanks to Sam Gilchrist.

Jumping the barriers after a crap dismount

Jumping the barriers

Remount

Next weekend I'm off to Concrete, Washington for my final Ultra of the year, Baker Lake 50k. The weather is promising with higher than normal fall temperatures.

P.S. Thanks to Salomon West Vancouver for my new riding kit. You absolutely must get in there and try'em on.

The Place to be on September 21st

Meet Your Maker 50 & Relay

Meet Your Maker, a 50 mile ultra through the stunning landscape of Whistler, and the dreamchild of 5 Peaks' Kathryn Stanton, came to fruition this last weekend. And with outstanding success I might add. The 5 Peaks team put together one of the most amazing race experiences I've ever been part of. They must know god as well because the weather was absolutely perfect.

Having run the Squamish 50 a few weeks back I regretfully vowed not to run 50 miles again for awhile and so registered with a Salomon Flight Crew Team to do the  Meet Your Maker relay. As many of you know, the relay experience is super fun as you jump from leg to leg and see who can catch up or who will be caught. It's tense at times, but you can feel the camaraderie deepening throughout the event; Great for our Flight Crew Teams as we only really catch up once a year.

It's not often I am able to run in the alpine of Whistler mountain or any alpine for that matter so I requested an alpine leg. Munny, our illustrious leader, gave me legs four and five. Leg four is like no other trail run in the world. I received the relay beacon, sprinted 75 meters, and sat down inside Whistler's Peak to Peak gondola for 12 minutes. Our team was in 7th place and I knew I had some work to do and so didn't really enjoy the anxiety filled ride from Blackcomb to Whistler. Upon touch down at the south end, I flashed out of the tiny red cabin to run straight down hill for almost eight kilometers to Creekside. The run was uneventful other than a short pee break half way down Franz's until and a super dancy section of single track just prior to the end. It wasn't until I ran through the aid station and began leg five that I realized how messed up my legs were going to be after this was over. With a filled water bottle, I turned back up the hill and headed into the trees again toward the Cheakamus River. This leg was mostly old skid road until reaching the river itself. At this point you enter single track heaven and burn it down and down and down until finally reaching the exchange at Function Junction. Sore legs and all, I nailed the fastest time of the day on that section and the second fastest downhill time on my previous leg.

The relay beacon into Munny's sweaty, little hands and I was done. I put my hands on my knees, took a couple of breaths and looked up to see Munny had completely vanished down the road. My performance brought us into 5th place and Munny's  performances, one of which was a bit mysterious, got us another two places for a third overall finish and 1st team of males.

Your winning team (Me, Munny Munro, Ashley)

It was an amazing event and as has been quoted several times in the last week, I can't wait to Meet My Maker next year. With teary and proud eyes, Kathryn and her team were able to announce that this event is a certainty for next year on September 1st.

Thanks to Salomon for a terrific weekend. Great people. Great food. And a whole lot of laughs.

Congratulations to our Flight Crew Captain, Phil Villeneuve, for a well earned second place in the 50 miler. Four days later and my legs are finally coming around. I can't imagine yours have been any better.