What a super fun run!

… Lorne’s story about our awesome trail run today is here!

Don’t forget about the contest.

Here is my run report from today, that Lorne didn’t already cover:

I left the house, in an absolute downpour. I had packed my, er… pack, full of GU gels, 2 liters of NUUN (a first for me) and all manners of things that my gut feeling told me to take.

In the pack was:

• Wilderness first aid kit (I added crazy glue and ‘splinter outs’)
• Trail map
• Emergency mylar blanket
• Swiss army knife
• toilet paper
• water purification tablets
• Bear spray
• Bear bells
• 2 extra shirts
• Extra underwear
• Extra shorts
• camera
• phone
• headlamp
• whistle
• 4 GU gels
• 1 GU Chomps (I ate these and LOVED them!)
• 2 Liters of Lemon Lime NUUN water

I wore the following items

• Running ginch
• Running tights
• Running shorts
• Long sleeve compression shirt
• Running Jacket
• Garmin 305
• Running touque (hat)
• Running gloves
• Injinji Socks
• Vibram Five Finger KSO’s

Lorne had a very small backpack and carried the following in it (best guess)

• Small bottle of water
• First aid kit
• Girl Guide(scout) cookies

He was wearing

• Dew rag
• Smart wool shirt
• Polar fleece shirt
• cotton capri pant
• Garmin 405
• Vibram Five Finger Sprints

Yep, I'm a keener/ run nerd. Oh well, I figured if I thought of everything, I would need nothing. And it was true, the run was very smooth as far as that stuff goes. My gear had to be worth at least 1 minute per km, don’t you think?

We started at 1524m / 5000’ above sea level at the trail head and in less than 4km we were at 1783m / 5848’. I felt all of it. I ran when I could and hiked the rest. I think I was moving faster hiking as it was STEEP! Lorne asked me a couple of questions about my pace in races and stuff, and I told him my records. I think he was a little worried I was going to huff my way to stop and he would have to carry me out. I had no illusions about my breathing, especially at the start of a run and ESPECIALLY at a vertical run, but when you meet a guy for the first time and the first thing you tell him is “I suck for the first couple kms” doesn’t instil a lot of confidence. So I didn’t say anything. (it’s true by the way. It takes me awhile in any run to get my breathing and rhythm under control)

The Summit

We spent a LOT of time snapping pictures and taking in the scenery. That will be my excuse for the 9 minute /km pace for this run.

Did I mention is was snowing. HARD!

We had some really slippery spots on some of the downhills, but neither of us took a digger, but there were some ‘whoa’ moments.

Here I had to climb up this rock face and make my way over a bears den that only had the cubs in it and a red wing . then I had to pull Lorne up with a branch that I chewed off a nearby tree. I created an ice pick from a old shoe I found on the trail , as we then had to traverse a 12’ wide crevasse in the glacier. Once we got over that we made a zip line from the dental floss I had in my backpack and we zipped over the top of the mountain to where we could climb up the fire warden tower so we could send out some smoke signals to let the crew know when to pick us up in a week when we get off this island. Once we found the turtles lair, we buried the coins in the coconut shells and hid them in the huts. I had to stop to get some food in me, but all we had were some tent caterpillars, but they were supposed to be there to keep us warm for the night. They tasted better at home. We woke up after hearing the elephants and jeeps, so we had to get moving again. The helicopter was across the meadow about 500 yds and we made a break for it. There were arrows everywhere and I got grazed in the ass with a poisoned tip. Lorne said he wouldn’t suck the poison out, but he was carrying his shopvac, so that was ok. By the time we ran past the helicopter, the car was there and we sped off. Margie was in there and gave us our next assignment. She handed me the envelope, I took out the letter and it melted before I could read it. Margie was pissed. Oh well, I think we know what we are supposed to to. Don’t you?

So after all that, I decided it was time to get into my groove and start huffing my way down the trail. We had an amazing time, but Lorne had to get to the old tyme fair back in Cochrane. The final couple clicks passed by in about 6min/km and I was feeling super. I had no idea at the start and during the steep hills how I was going to react to this new fun-ness, but I realized I had some gas left in the tank, so that was good.

Here is the unedited videos I took today out there. Fun stuff indeed!

My favourite shot that Lorne took is this one.  I love this… Lorne, send me the full quality version of this.

My feet are pretty sore. Just normal ‘new activity’ sore. I’ll let you know tomorrow how they are doing.

Here are a bunch of other awesomeness shots!

There was a new bridge just to my right… LOL

Fine form Lorne, fine form!

Hang on dude, I'm chewing this branch off as fast as I can!

 

Gratuitous VFF shot!

Apparently, Lorne is taking me to the top of Yamnuska Mountain on Sunday, then I have a 10k race on Monday! Fun.

Barefoot mileage since June 29th : 123km

VFF mileage since July 7th : 37.8km (12 on trails)

Shoe mileage since SOBF (start of barefoot): 5km (25:30 5k race PR on July 1st)

running product makers!! Please sponsor me!