Canadian Mountain Running Championships Race Report

Pre-Race
This adventure began on Friday morning, when Dave and I loaded up our '78 VW camper van, affectionately known as "Roy" (short for Hemorrhoid because he's a pain in the ass) and headed for the city. Not long into our journey, we hit a wicked rainstorm that lasted most of our drive. A trip that normally takes about five hours ended up being closer to seven thanks to relentless headwinds along the Hope-Princeton Hwy and traffic delays in Vancouver.

With just a few minutes to spare, we finally arrived at MEC in North Vancouver for package pickup. We then headed to the nearest pub for a bite and beverage and strategized where to spend the night. Without good options for camping in Vancouver, we opted to find a quiet back road to park the van for the evening. After some driving around, we found an overgrown service road with some thick shrubberies to conceal Roy. Exhausted, we called it a night.

Race Day
After a surprisingly good sleep, I awoke around 5:30 am to the sound of raindrops on our rooftop. We drove down to a nice little picnic area for a breakfast of oatmeal and tea and just hung out for a bit as we had time to kill. I went for a little jog to test out my knee that had been bothering me earlier in the week to the point of not being about to run more than three steps. Fortunately, whatever was tweaked only lasted a day and hasn't bothered me since.

At about 8:00, Dave dropped me off at the starting area and I got in a 20 minute warm-up and then organized my race gear and chatted with some of the other participants and spectators to pass the time until the 9:00 start. Even though it was the Canadian Championships, mountain running is something of a niche sport (especially amongst women) so there was not a large field and the atmosphere was quite relaxed.

The 5 Peaks trail running group hosted the event, which took place at Cypress Mountain in North Vancouver. The championships alternate uphill and uphill/downhill years and this year was an uphill year with a total elevation gain of 1100 metres over the 11 km course. Being a horrible downhill runner, I was excited about an all uphill race. (Weird thing to get excited over, I know.)

A short, steep climb off the start set the tone for the course that had a lot of technical, single-track sections made more challenging due to the recent - and ongoing - rainfall. Somehow I managed to navigate the wet rocks, roots and other obstacles without breaking a bone or twisting an ankle and maneuver myself into fourth position and that's where I stayed for most of the race and also how I finished. (Full results here.)

Three very fit and fast American girls took the top placings, but I was top Canadian woman so I will now have the opportunity to compete at the World Mountain Running Championships in Italy this fall. I consider myself a fairly average person in all respects so the chance to represent my country at an international event is something I never thought possible and feels more like a dream.

Thanks to my parents and Kristen and Bill for being there for me at the finish line (even if it was the wrong one!) and to Ryne for the many, many, many vomit-inducing hill repeats I've done over the past few months to prepare for the race. And, of course, to my favourite Double Ds: Dave and Dora - you make me happy.

Me and dirty Dora with my lovely friend Kristen (who rocked the Sport course finishing 3rd in her age group!). That's Roy in the background. 

I would also like to congratulate Team Canada for placing first in the men's team competition and second in the women's for the NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association) championships that were a part of this same event.

For more info about this race and mountain running in general, check out the websites below. Let's get more women running mountains!

Canadian Trail & Mountain Running Association
World Mountain Running Association

Have you seen my bejesus?

I had it scared out of me on Saturday's long run and haven't seen it since. Here's the story: 3k into my 40k out-and-back run along the Twisp River Trail, I was set upon by a freakishly large and aggressive bird of prey that obviously had a nest nearby and took issue with my proximity to it. For over a kilometre (one very long kilometre I might add), I was dive bombed by this evil feathered foe with a piercing cry and razor sharp talons.

I used a large stick (and my own hysterical shrieks) to fend off its attacks and it wasn't until I was a ways down the trail and out of the harm's way that I realized that the palm of my hand was a bloody mess due to my death grip on the stick which had several sharp barbs on it. Oh well, better a few sliced fingers than a full on scalping!

(As an aside, I have not been the biggest fan of birds since I was trodden upon as a toddler at a petting zoo by a goose with a mean streak who wanted the bread crust wedged between my chubby little fingers and would stop at nothing to get it. I also feel like I have been pooped on by birds more than the average person and while I know that it is supposed to signify good fortune in many cultures, it's hard to feel lucky when you're covered in shit!)

Needless to say, my out-and-back turned into an out-and-almost-back-and-then-backtrack-and-bushwhack to the road. There was no way I was facing that bird again!

After my run, I determined with the help of my friend Google and an old bird book that we have sitting around that my nemesis was likely the Northern Goshawk, which according to one source "will attack any perceived threat too near its nest, including people. It chases and catches prey in high-speed, aerial pursuits and will even crash through brush to chase its quarry on foot."

I guess I should be glad it didn't come down to a foot race between me and the angry accipiter. Although perhaps I would have fared better if it had.

Scorched Sole 50k Race Report

I am happy to say that even after all my moaning and excuses in my last post, I was able to pull up my compression socks and put together a solid race at the Scorched Sole 50k ultra in Kelowna. It was a beautiful and challenging three lap course weaving up, down and around Knox Mountain. With breathtaking views (figuratively) and breathtaking climbs (literally), this course had a little bit of everything. There were a few short technical sections and some cruise-y single-track trails that I particularly enjoyed as you could really open up and give 'er.

It was along one of these fast rolling switchbacks about 10k in that I caught my toe on a tree root and took a tumble. I wasn't hurt but the thick layer of dirt and blood smeared along the left side of my body must have looked nasty as I got a lot of concerned looks and comments from people along the course. I wasn't there to look pretty so I just carried on and the wonderful first aid girl (sorry I didn't get your name) cleaned me up at the finish.

With 25k (one lap) and 50mi (five laps) events also going on, there was some overlap between the races, which was kind of nice. The course was never crowded, but there were enough runners out there to keep it interesting. I ran the first two laps with the two lead men. Both were really nice guys and I enjoyed their company and conversation. (Thanks Loic and Adam!)

For the final lap, I decided to go hard and see what my legs had left in them. I pulled ahead of the guys to take the overall lead, which of course further propelled me to push the pace to see if I could hold on to it. I managed to and finished in a time of 5:15. (I'm hoping that Ryne will forgive me for not exactly following his advice. I think his exact words were: "Don't go bonkers this weekend at Scorched Sole".) Well, I might have gone a little bonkers but I haven't been feeling super fit post-Elk/Beaver so I needed a little confidence boost.

Other than some serious humidity, the weather was perfect - cool, with a slight breeze and only a few drops of rain. Not long after I finished, though, the rain clouds rolled in and released a torrential downpour. I have huge respect for all the racers and volunteers still on the course at this point because it was pretty miserable. Because of the abrupt and unpleasant change in the weather, I didn't stick around too long at the finish, but I did get to see Mel Bos take the overall win in the 50mi race. Yay, Mel!

Even with a slightly shredded thigh and elbow, it was a fantastic day! The race directors created a wicked course and all the volunteers, spectators and racers that I met were absolutely super.

I can probably stop posting this as it hardly ever changes, but here it is again...

What I had on me:
Brooks Cascadias
Injinji toesocks
New Balance split short
Random technical t-shirt
Brooks cap
Nathan hydration pack

What I had in me:
Oatmeal with almonds and chia seeds and a cup of black tea (for breakfast)
1 bottle Gu Brew (before the start)
1 Gu gel (before the start)
4 Gu gels diluted in a flask
10 Clif bloks
Chips and Coke (from the aid station)

Next up, the Canadian Mountain Running Championships at Cypress Mountain in North Vancouver. Yee haw!

Where Does the Time Go?

The past five weeks since the Elk/Beaver Ultra (see race report) have passed by in a manic blur of activity that has been fun and exciting at times and trying and stressful at others. Life has been anything but routine so it's with a sigh of relief that things have returned to "normal" this week. Without going into too much detail, we have been to Spain and Edmonton, had visits from my parents and in-laws, bought a new house, been trying to sell our home and in between all that tried to fit in some work and workouts.

My running has been as wildly inconsistent as the weather this month, and my recent sleeping and eating habits leave much to be desired. Instead of taking the time to prepare quality food, I've been relying on a pot of coffee to fuel me throughout the day and a glass (or two) of wine to relax at night. No wonder I feel like crap and have been suffering through my runs.

Why I signed up for the Scorched Sole 50km ultra this weekend, I don't know. I've had a few good days of proper training, nutrition and sleep but I still don't feel very fit right now. Hopefully, I can pull it together for the race. I'll let you know next week how it went in my post-race report.

Elk/Beaver Ultra Race Report

My goal for the Elk/Beaver Ultra in Victoria, BC was to qualify for the Canadian National Trail Running Team. To do so, I would need to run 50 miles (80 kms) in under 7 hours - or 1:40 faster than my previous best 50 mile time. Say what!?

If you don't feel like reading this whole race report, then I'll sum it up in three words: I did it!

Going into this race, I was feeling really good about my training and fitness. Since January, I have been working with Ryne Melcher whose ass-kicking workouts have put me in the best shape of my life and I have also had a couple of strong recent race results which have boosted my confidence.

Having lived in Victoria, I was familiar with the course and knew it would be fast because it was so flat. The race is named after the two pretty lakes that it winds around and I had plenty of time to admire the scenery as it was an 8 lap course with just a short(ish) out and back section at the beginning. I also knew that the race was very low-key so nerves were not an issue.

Now, I am famous for getting lost. I can't read a map to save my life and I don't follow directions very well but being a lap course, I figured that wouldn't be an issue. Wrong! Because this is an IAU bronze label  race, the distance had to be precise which meant instead of doing 80 km even, we were supposed to do 80.44 or something like that. So the 8 or 9 of us doing the 50-miler headed out from the start to do this little out and back with instructions to turn around a couple hundred of meters down the trail at the orange pylon. Can't miss that, right? Well you can if someone has thrown it in the lake! The few of us at the front were starting to get concerned when we were already at 800 meters and there was no sign of the pylon. Then Carlos, the race director, ran up behind us yelling "Stop! Turn around!" We had missed the turn around point and inadvertently added about 1.5 km to our day. Five minutes into the race and I was already off course. Seriously??

Anyway, we were soon back on track and laughing about it. I ran the first lap with a super friendly and cheery (especially considering it was 6am!) girl named Jude Ultra. She had similar time goals for the race so we decided to work together. Unfortunately, Jude ended up having something flare up in the first few laps and had to withdraw. I ran the rest of the race alone and would have loved some company. Maybe I wouldn't have slacked off so much in the last few laps if I had had someone pushing me. Oh well.

My wonderful husband Dave provided excellent race support - sandwiches, chips, Coke, bladder refills. A girl could get used to this. I'm sure it was a very boring day for him but it was nice to see him every lap (even if he didn't wear a costume as one of our friends had suggested). It helped break up the monotony. I have never listened to music during a race, but I decided that since this was a closed course it would be safe and might provide a welcome distraction after 4-5 laps. At the halfway point, I dropped my Nathan hydration pack with Dave to refill and grabbed it on the next lap along with my MP3 player. I was digging the tunes until I realized that the same 10 songs kept looping for some reason. I haven't used it much and didn't want to waste time playing with the settings so I listened to the same 10 songs for the next 3 hours. Awesome...

I haven't bothered to figure out my exact lap times - I think they were somewhere between 48-53 minutes - but my finish time was 6:46, which made me top woman and first overall. (Keep in mind that only 5 people finished the race!). I was about 5 minutes off the course record set by Denise McHale in 2009 so that's pretty cool. We figured that if some bonehead hadn't moved the pylon and messed up the out and back section, I probably would have finished 8 minutes faster and got the course record, but I'm not too fussed about it. It gives me something to aim for next time! (Ryne thinks that 6:46 may be in the top ten 50-mile times by Canadian women ever so I'm quite stoked about that.)

It was pretty warm so I drank a lot and my nutrition wasn't too bad considering the difficulties I have eating during a race. I didn't throw up after this one so that's an improvement. A couple of toenails were sacrificed but that's pretty normal. Otherwise my body feels good and I'm looking forward to a couple of easy weeks before I start preparing for the next event, whatever that might be. I'm considering the Canadian Mountain Running Championships in July and then maybe the Squamish 50mi in August and the Bend Flagline 50km in September. There are so many fun events out there.

If you're looking for a casual and friendly ultra on a fast and scenic course, then I'd recommend the Elk/Beaver Ultra. Victoria is a wonderful place to spend a weekend (and there are lots of local microbreweries for post-race refreshments - if you're into that).

What I had on me:
Brooks Cascadias
Injinji toesocks
New Balance split short
Random technical t-shirt
Brooks cap
Nathan hydration pack

What I had in me:
2 packages of oatmeal with almonds and a cup of black tea (for breakfast)
1 Clif shot (just before the start)
4 Gu Vanilla gels diluted in a flask
2 Chocolate#9 gels diluted in a flask
9 Clif bloks
Half a PB and honey sandwich
Chips and Coke (from the aid station)

Nathan Performance Gear Facebook Promo

Today I won a QuickDraw Plus handheld bottle from Nathan Performance Gear as part of their spring hydration promotion on Facebook. To enter, just log on to their FB page and like the hydration tip of the day. It's that easy! There will be a Nathan product given away every day in May.

Once my bottle arrives and I have an chance to try it out, I will post a review on it. Until then, you can read about a few other products I've tested (including the Nathan Intensity Race Vest) on my Reviews page.

New 10k PR!

I've run a lot of 10k races over the years and usually finished in the 40-42 minute range. My prior PB was 40:29 at the 2005 Vancouver Sun Run and I'd always wanted to break 40 minutes. Well, I finally did on Sunday at the Interior Running Association's Oliver 10k with a time of 38:36 and I'm absolutely thrilled (which may be hard to tell because I'm pretty reserved, but trust me, I'm a happy girl).
Now I realize that my time isn't that impressive compared to many, but the fact that I hadn't been training for this race and had run 2 hours the day before and was still able to take nearly 2 minutes off my PB gives me hope that the hard work I've been doing is paying off.
The Oliver 10k is a flat, out-and-back course on an asphalt and gravel path alongside the scenic Okanagan River Channel. It lends itself to fast times and conditions on Sunday were nearly perfect with some sun and a nice gentle breeze. (I say that now - at the time I may have referred to it as "a wicked headwind" as we rounded the turnaround point.)
It was a fast start - ridiculously so on my part - as I had foolishly lined up at the very front of the pack and felt some pressure to go hard so as to not piss off faster runners who were behind me. The path is narrow with room for only 4-5 people abreast and there were about 160 participants so when I looked back, I saw a brightly coloured mob that would steamroll me if I didn't go hard or dive out of the way. I chose to go hard and when I saw my splits for the first couple of kms, I was fairly confident I was going to die. I thought there was no way I could maintain this pace and live. But somehow I did. I definitely slowed down a bit, but I managed to settle into a pace that was only mildly uncomfortable and stuck with it.

Somewhere in Egypt, there's a camel missing its toe!

I ran alone the entire race, which is probably for the best because I can't seem to have oxygen going to my legs and my brain at the same time so I'm not much of a conversationalist. I finished 9th overall and was the top woman so I received a lovely gift basket with Hester Creek wine, crackers, cheese, etc. Mmm...such a treat!
My next race is a 50-miler in May, which I am very excited about because it's in my old hometown of Victoria so I get to visit some dear friends that I haven't seen in awhile and also because if I post a good enough time there, I'll qualify for the national trail running team and that is one of my main goals this year.