Longest Training Run.... 44 km!!

My training for Golden Ultra has come a long way...it has come all the way to this run!!  For the next 4 weeks, the runs get shorter and yes, nerves get tighter!!!

This run was the master of all training runs....  44 kilometers. It would be my longest run ever for distance and time.  The plan was to attack Babcock Mountain near Tumbler Ridge BC.  The trail for the Emperors Challenge is only 20 kilometers, so we would have to run it twice, then complete an additional 4 km.

The night before, I was focused on nutrition and hydration. I estimated that the run would be 6 hours plus, so I wanted to pack more rather than less.  I boiled three portions of potatoes and partially filled multiple water bottles and put them in the freezer for the night.  I filled a shaker with my post run mix, 45 grams of protien powder, a scoop of BCAA's and a scoop of Glutamine.  After my run, I just had to add a couple ice cubes and a cup of orange juice then enjoys the post run deliciousness!!! Then I filled my bag with other snacks for the ride home.

The last, and possibly most important step of the evening was to set my alarm for 5:15AM.  I was meeting 3 other ladies at 6 AM at the westside Tim Hortons and didnt want to keep them waiting!!!

Even though I had good intentions and made a good plan, my body had other plans.  I COULDN'T GO TO SLEEP!!!  At 1:15 AM I was still wide awake, so I got out of bed and ate a banana.  That seemed to do the trick.  When my alarm went off, I rolled out of bed at the crack of 5:40....WHAT???

Luckily, I had everything laid out the night before and left a list on the counter of everything I had to get out of the freezer and fridge!!  I raced around the house, getting everything together, scarffed some breakfast, then sprinted across the yard to the truck.
The cool morning air, woke up my still half sleeping body.

When I arrived at Tim's at 6:01, I had a message from the ladies that they were running late, and would be there by 6:15!!!  Ha HA, I would not be the one holding up the show!!!  I grabbed a quick coffee and bagel for extra sustenance, then we hit the road.

Just over 2 hrs later we reached Core Lodge, the start point of our run. The BRISK wind added an additional chill to the +7° mountain air.  And after a quick discussion, we dicided to start the run from Boulder Gardens, about 3 km up the road, so we would spend less time exposed to the wind.

This seemed like a good idea at the time, but really, I think it was just a stalling tactic....  But a great idea, none the less!!!

When we finaly started down the trail I was appointed to set the pace. This was quite a relief to me as both Christine and Michelle are ALWAYS in front of me in run group and I was afraid I may have a hard time keeping up to them on this long run.  Luckily, the trail was single file for the first few kilometers and I was able to beat them back with my poles when they tried to pass!!!  (Not really, but I was planning on it if they tried to pass me.)

The first few kilometers are a gradual ascent but we ran for the first while. As we got higher, the trees got shorter and the wind picked up more. Soon I could tell the wind was going to be an issue, but I didnt want to be the one to change plans now!!  Since two of the ladies had never run the course we decided that we had to run the full course at least once.  So we continued on into the wind, closing in on the summit.

We stopped behind the last large rocky outcrop just before we broke out into the open wind-swept summit. We added a few layers of clothes, took a few pictures and selfies then headed for the summit. The headwind was so strong even MY hair was blowing straight back!!!  Even though it was pretty much level ground or slighly downhill, running into the wind proved to be a challenge.

After looking over the summit, we all voted in favor or dropping off the ridge to the left early and hit the trail a few hundred yard up the small valley.

The mossy valley floor was quite a change from the sharp rocks we had been running on for the past hour. My feet thanked me. Just before we intersected the trail, we stopped behind a small knoll, ate, took some more pictures and admired the views of the summit.

Back on the trail, we were back in the wind. It was nothing but a fight to keep going. Running along the south ridge, the wind was now blowing behind us, and the trail was more downhill.  Soon we were back on the road, and running the 5 kilometers back to Core Lodge.  There was a pickup there which marked the finish line for us, so we circled around it then retraced our path, back up the road to the truck.

Twenty kilometers completed!!!

We refilled our water packs and replentished our food supplies, then continued back up the road to complete the mountain circuit again.  This time backwards.   The uphill road portion seemed to never end, and at this stage of the run, it was more of a power hike than a run.

Once we were back on the single track, we were now facing the back sides of the trail markers. The fronts were painted bright orange from the race the week before, but the back sides were weathered gray, the same color as the rocks so we actually had to pay attention to not miss the trail in the rocky sections. But running the course backwards was full of views and terrain which seemed new to us.

Near the summit, we spotted the heard of resident sheep. They seemed to laugh at us as they ran up over the near verticle ridge and out of sight.

When we reached the small valley near the top, we chose to run cross country down the valley rather than face the wind at the summit again, even though we would be running down wind this time.  This was one of the most spectacular portions of the run.  The mossy valley bottom was bright green and covered with small flowers.  It seemed like we were running in a dream....then the mossy valley floor quickly turned into a boulder pile!!

Rocks the size of small cars were piled on top of each other and our run turned into more of a rock scramble; but we were not about to be out done by the goats watching us from the ridge behind us.

From there we hit the main trail and headed down the last 10 kilometers to the truck.  The final kilometers seemed to NEVER end, but we still had 6 more to go....

After a quick snack at the truck and a water refill, we headed down the road for the last time.  Christine set the pace and was dead set that we stay consistent all the way to the parking lot at the bottom.

Once again, we circled the truck that symbolized the turnaround point. This time, the driver had just finished loading his quad and was sitting inside. He seemed quit startled, when two sweat soaked people in colorful running gear started to circle his vehicle. He was probably just as relieved as we were, when we headed back down the road.

To make up the final 6 km, we headed to Babcock Falls. The short single track was littered with tree roots and rocks that were slippery from the recent rain shower.  We started to second guess our choice of trail but soon arrived at the bottom of the falls.

The cool mist from the falls was very refreshing even though we were both soaked with sweat from the previous 6 hours of running and chilled from the rain.  Wading into the water, the cold mountain water seemed to rejuvenate our weary feet...but it soon also caused them to go numb!!!  So after some more selfies, we started the climb back up and out of the creek valley to the road above.

After reaching the road, we STILL had nearly 4 kilometers to go to reach our target!!!  Luckily it was all up hill back to our truck so we power walked most of the way rather than ran.  In the few level portions we ran, but fatigue and the cold water seemed to have caused my legs to stiffen up...they didnt want to run any more!!!

Christine kept on setting the pace, up the long steady incline; past our truck one more time!!  FINALLY, my watch indicated we had gone far enough!!!

I had FINALLY completed an ULTRA marathon distance run!!!  There were definitly some high fives and there may have been a tear, or two, mixed with sweat roll down my cheek....  It was such an accomplished feeling!!  I HAD DONE IT!!!!  I had to reflect on the people who had helped me get to this point: coach Krista for constantly cheering me on and all the rest of the run team for running with me and constantly pushing me and showing me this WAS possible!!  

I felt ready for Golden....the long run is only 16 km longer than this run, and I know I can do it!!!  But there are still 4 more weeks of training, and Im sure there are many more things I will learn before race day.

Training Run Preparation...How Important Is It??

It all depend on how serious you are about your training run and what your expectations are for the run.  Really, a training run, especially a long one, will somewhat resemble the race that is in your near future. If you want the race to be a success, you need to prepare for it properly. Training runs should be no different.

The longer the run, the more thought and preparation you should put into it!!  Tomorrow is my 38 km LSD run. This is roughly 60% of the distance that I am planning on racing.

From my limited experience, any run over 20 or 25 kilometers has many factors that can jump out of the bushes, slap you in the face and turn your enjoyable run into a living nightmare!!!  Not packing enough food, a change in the weather, running out of water....the list goes on and on.  But with a little preparation, many of these factors can be eliminated.

My 38 km run tomorrow will take me longer than 4.5 hours to complete, which means it will probably be the longest run I have ever done, even though it is shorter in distance than my longest run.  Ever since I bought my Osprey hydration pack, I have been packing it with all the gear I need for race day.  Yes, it usually weighs about 8 lbs, but the Golden Ultra requires all competitors to carry bear spray, warm hat, gloves, jacket, and space blanket.

But anyone who as been in the woods for 4.5 hrs knows that toilet paper is a luxury when the need arises.  Anyone who has run for any lenght of time knows that when runs get really bad, TP is really what you want the most!! (Yes, there was a pun there).  I have also added matches and salt tabs, and of course there is food.

I have never run much over 4.5 hrs but I do know hunger can really throw a wrench in your training run. I have trained all summer with dates and have it down to a pattern that works for me. Two dates every 15 minutes.

I started that pattern when I was road running. I ran 12/1 intervals and drank water every 12 min, and ate two dates every other interval.  This kept me on a hydration schedule as well as a nutrition plan.  I gradually worked up to this to see how my body would react to so many dates.  Suprisingly, I have never had any problem, but like a wise man (my brother) once told me "Never trust a fart after 30 km...."
(Steve has always wanted a "moment" on my blog...there it was Steve!!)  

I have also started training with boiled potatoes at 2 hr intervals. (See blog from last week.)  Since tomorrows run will be 4 hrs plus, I have two rations of potatoes.

I have also changed the hose on my hydration pack.  This one is roughy 6 feet long and helps me ration my water. I may remove it later once I am better trained, but this allows me to ration my water supply. With the hose on the outside of the pack, the temperature of the water in the hose is usually different from the water in the bladder.  This allows me to take the same amount of water every 12 min.  By doing this, I dont over drink or under drink and I know exactly how long (time) that my water will last.  Obviously, on hotter days, I consume more water, but I just plan for less time before I run out.

The Osprey, Duro 6 pack comes standard with a 1.5 liter water bladder.  Drinking my normal amount at my 12 min intervals it lasts me exactly 2 hrs. If the time between my water drops will be longer than 2 hrs, I pack an extra 500 ml bottle.  Yes, this makes my pack heavier, but this is TRAINING!!!  On race day, if I dont need the extra water (which I probably wont) my pack will be lighter than what I have been training with.

This also bring another element into preparing for your training run. Plan your run around your water drops.  Tomorrow, I will do one leg north of my truck for 2 hrs.  Once back at the truck, I will refill my pack, eat my potatoe ration, then head south for another 2.5 hr loop. Yes, I will be packing an extra 500 ml of water on this whole run, because I sure dont want to run out of water at km 32 at 9:30 tomorrow night.  That will be a mood killer for sure!!!

There is also the preperation that starts the day before the long run.  I have my breakfast and lunch planned and I have already made my chicken and rice that I will eat tomorrow afternoon at work, 1.5 hrs before my run starts.

When all the preperation ends, and I strike out on the run, there is always SOMETHING that I seem to have forgotten, usually it is anti-chafe or my headband...one time it was my watch, but with a little fore-thought and preperation the suprises become less and less. And when race day finally arrives, my gear is all ready and I can just focus on the race!!!

The Emperor's Challenge.....challenge!!

This weekend was my second running of the Emperors Challenge. Last year, I didnt really train at all for it and it was my first time running hills or off pavement. With a finish time of 2:35, I was excited to see what I could do this year!!!

With only 6 weeks of training left until the Golden Ultra Marathon, hills and trails are almost a daily occurence for me.  Earlier in the week, I completed my long slow run of 32 kilometers, so the 20 km Emperor's Challenge seemed like a relatively easy training run....but I was hoping to beat my time from 2016.  I calculated a 2:15 finish time was possible.

We arrive at the camping area near the start finish line about 5:30 on Friday evening. My plan was to run the course at an easy pace in the evening, so after setting up the trailer, I took the truck up the road that made up the final 5 kilometers of the race course.  It was steep and littered with fist sized sharp mountain rock...it didnt really seem like a good time for a training run.  So I opted for a shorter run and asked Cheri to meet me with the truck where the trail came onto the road. This was, after all, a training run and I didnt really want to do a road run down hill....

After a quick snack and confirmation from my local support team (Jim, Cheri and Zanne) that I was a little bit crazy to do this, I headed for the hills...literally.

The trail was much better than I remembered from 2016.  But since I was training, I made sure to stop and eat some berries and enjoy the spectacular views!!

At the top, I was greeted by a heard of mountain goats...I was glad to see I wasnt the only one on the trail!!  A little farther down the ridge, I bumped into Billy the goat, and since it is nearly hunting season, I had to put a stalk on him even though it took me off course. I crept within about 30 yards of him, but then my thumping heart and heavy breathing must have spooked him. He disappeared over the rocky cliff, and I continued on the trail...training again....

When I reached the truck after roughly 15 km and just over 2 hrs of running, I was slightly suprised by how long it took.  But I chocked it up the my sight seeing and the goat trails I took. Tomorrow, would be all business!!!

Saturday morning dawned smokey!!  Over night, the wind had changed directions and heavy smoke blanketed the valley.

Race day rituals are always followed:  breakfast, RPR (I learned that one from Zanne. Ask me later if you dont know.), a quick walk to warm up my legs, a generous anti-chafe treatment, another PRP, selfies....and we were ready to go!!!

Race start lines are always fun!!  Seeing people that I have seen since last year and of course sizing up the competition....  That is always a ritual of mine too. I soon spotted a couple people who looked much faster than I, so I opted to start the race a few rows back from the front...ok, it was the middle of the pack!!

With a bang, we were off.  The cloud of dust we stirred up would have made a heard of elephants jelous.  But soon the croud thinned and I fell into an easy pace. Soon I realized I was running with two of my friends from Fort St John....all three of us "Phil's"!!  Even though we were less than a kilometer into the race, it was definitly time for a selfie!!!

We even got photo bombed by another kid....he looks like a "Phil" too....so I didnt photoshop him out....

From there, the grind started.  I seemed to be sticking to my pace, but it wasnt without a lot of pushing and heavy breathing.  Most of the race, I ran on my own.  I made light converstion with some of the runners, but I couldnt seem to find anyone to pace me faster. So I just plugged on.

Luckily, the course was fresh in my mind from the evening before, and the thick smoke blocked most of the views....and my throat.  Air seemed to be is short supply but there was an ample supply of smoke!!

A couple kilometers past the summit, I saw a warning sign that the photographer was just ahead.  Since the pacer that I was currently following was wearing a purple tutu (seriously, she was...) I slowed to a walk so I wouldnt be caught in the same picture as her.

Once she was clear of the "photo zone", I picked up my stride, smiled and ran into "the zone"....  As I heard the camera clicking, my right hand pole slipped between two clingy rocks!!!  My photogenic "cheese!!!" face turned to more of a "buuuurger" face, and I wished the purple tutu was in front of me to hide my stumble.

Luckily, not only was he a great photographer, he can also take multiple pictures in quick succession....I had my "cheese" face back on in time for one good picture anyway!!!

The run down seemed to take FOREVER!!!  I looked at my watch and saw I was already over the 2 hr mark, and I still had over 5 km to go.  There was no way I was going to make my 2:15 target time!!!

I tried to figure out where I had gone wrong... I had eaten well, slept good, and felt pretty much amazing!!  While running down the final kilometers of road, picking my way through the loose rocks, and kicking the odd one in disgust, the problem finally came to mind!!

Last year, I had trained very little prior to the race. My body was still well conditioned, but also well rested. A quick check on my watch and I realized that I had already run over 90 km this week and I had run three days in a row....  This was supposed to be training, not an opportunity to set a new personal best!!!

The final kilometers were much more enjoyable now that I was just training for the bigger picture!!!  My body was keeping on, and I was going to DO THIS!!!

The cheers from the finish line always bring even the most tired runner in. And I even managed to get in a bit of a sprint, just for Cheri who was encouraging me the final few meters!!!

32 Kilometer Solo Trail Run

After training most of the summer with the running club, I had to get into the right mindset just to prepair for this long of a solo run. It was a Monday evening after a long weekend of camping, and trying to eat healthy.  Not to mention, my last attempt at a long run (30 km) ended after just 20 km when a lack of proper nutrition and sleep caused nausea and dizziness. And the two ladies I was running with refused to pack me out if I bonked completely.

This time, I felt much more prepared!!  Even though, we had camped all weekend, I was getting solid sleep at night and we at good healthy meals.

I was also armed with a new nutrition plan for my run!!!  Someone in run group mentioned eating boiled potatoes while running, so I figured, "Why not?? Lets give it a try."

Cheri had a small bag of baby potatoes left over from camping so I quartered and boiled them in chicken broth with a generous amount of salt. When they were cooked, but still firm, I rinsed them in cold water and popped them in the freezer for about 15 min to cool them off quickly!!  This was all prepared about 5PM on Monday, and my run was supposed to start at 6 so there was no time to waste!!  I boiled 2 cups of potatoes, planning on taking 1 cup on the "maiden voyage".

When they were chilled, I put a 1 cup portion in a small bag and carefully placed them in my pack....I wanted boiled potatoes, not mashed potatoes!!!

Mental preperation once again set in, as I I drove the 20 min to the trailhead on the correction line.  My target time to finish the 32 km run was 4 hours and 15 min, but who knew what I might run into (literally) throughout the evening.  Thirty two kilometers is a lot of trail to plan out and I knew it would be getting fairly dark by 10; so I didnt have a lot of time to spare, nor did I have a headlamp in my pack....


Water stashing is also an important element of any long run. Sucking the last sip of water out of your hydration pack is a HUGE mental blow when you are not near your planned refill station.

I left the truck with 1.5 liters of water in two bottles and headed south about a kilometer to a fork in the trail, that I planned on passing at least twice during the run.  I carefully placed them in the shade of a tree, out of sight from any other hikers who might decide it was worth the 10 cents to take the bottles to recycling.  That would be then end of the run for sure!!

Heading back north, there was a long straight stretch of road....BORING, but it allowed me to find my stride and settle into an easy 6:45 pace.  At the end of the road, I cut into the woods.  The wide trail, that I had only run once or twice before, soon turned into a single track!!

For some reason, while running single track, my pace always increases.  The ups and downs as the trail traversed the small creek valley made for fun running.  Because most of the run was flat, I left my running poles at home. So it took extra focus running up and down the short hills. As the shadows slowly lengthened, the roots and stumps on the trail seemed to grow taller!!!

About 2 hrs into my run I emerged from the trail and back onto the dump road.  My hydration pack usually lasts 2 hrs, so I was trying to ration what I knew were my precious last drops until I reached the truck  which was about 2 kilometers ahead.

As I crossed the correctio line just before the truck, I ran out of water.  Perfect timing!!!  I partially filled my hydration pack, the decided it was time to test out the potatoes.  Even though I had been eating my steady ration of 2 dates every 24 minutes, I had been running for roughly 2 hrs, and my body was definitly starting to "talk" to me.

When I finished refilling with water, I pulled my potatoes from my pack. To my satisfaction, they were still boiled and not mashed!!!  I did an extended walk interval to my water stash and tested the potatoes....

They were like eating the best Angel McNuggets you have ever put in your mouth!!  They were smooth and salty, and not the least bit hard to eat with minimal water!!! My mind wandered from my weary legs to my very happy stomach, and I smiled.   Even though they were simply delicious, I was concerned they might cause me to bloat so I saved about a quarter of the 1 cup portion for later in my run.

 I refilled my pack with the water I had stored under the tree and continued down the paved trail. The wide path looped around the Dunes golf course and I continued on to Hwy 40.  At the 24 km mark, I turned around and headed back towards the Dune, then enjoyed the last of my potatoe snack.

By now, the sun was sinking lower into the horizon and the temperature started to drop.  The cooler air seemed to invigorate me as I hit the home stretch.  I started to calculate the final  distance back to the truck and I could tell I was still going to be about 5 km short of my target.

After completing the loop, I refilled my water pack for the last time from my water bottles and headed into the thick spruce forest onto the single track.

By my calculation, I had to run out to km 30, then run back to my truck, which should be at the 32 km mark.  While runnig through the tall pines and spruce, every shadow seemd to be a bear, but none of them moved as I ran past.  There is nothing like darkness to improve your pace!!!  At the turnaround point on the Canfor Rd, I felt like I was on the final leg of my run. Little did I know there were a few "legs" left.

Heading back into thw woods for the final time, it was now nearly pitch black.  In the fading light, I spoted what I though was a large toad on the sandy road.  Upon closer inspection it apeared to be a very large "deposit" from an animal that fed mostly on berries...I quickened my pace!!!

I could see the full moon starting to rise through the trees and I remembered how a full moon tends to bring out the "crazies".  Well, I was still out here, so it MUST be true!!!  Suddenly, I could hear a rustling in the trees and it seemed to be keeping pace with me.  The racket intensified as two rodents emerged from the grass and sped on ahead of me, up the trail and into the darkness!!  It was confirmed, even the squirrels were a bit psycho tonight!!!

With my heart racing I glanced at my watch...I WAS AT 32.12 KM!!!!  Somehow, I had misjudged my distance!!!!  I was still well over a kilometer from the truck!!!

Not to look like an over-achiever, I stopped my watch but continued running down the dark path.  I did not want Coach Krista to see my time and pace and think I was more fot than I really was!!  There is nothing like darkness, crazies, and noises in the woods to motivate a sole runner to new personal best!!!

Once I was back on the paved trail, I walked the last kilometer back to the truck.  The cool down gave my mind a chance to deflect on my accomplishments of the night.  Not only had I completed my 32 km run, I completed it in just under 4 hours and 8 minutes.  Well below my target time!!!

(Sorry for the longer post....on a longer run, there is just more to write about!!!  Just wait until day to of the Golden Ultra when I run 60 km!!!)  😀

Double Header Weekend!!!

 Saturday morning, about 10 of us headed south to Grande Cache..... Grande Mountain was calling our name....or or number!!!  As we started the 5 km hike up the mountain, Christina and I soon found ourselves hiking together, competing for 3rd place!!!  Or at least I was...maybe she didnt know it!!!

We did stop a couple times to enjoy the view and take a couple pics.

When we reached the summit, Krista and the elite athletes were there, cheering us on!!!  The summit was in site, but Krista made us run the final distance!!!

 The view from the top was spectacular, but after a few pictures, Krista was herding us down the mountain. This proved to be the more challenging part of the run; loose rocks, shale and dusty sections added the the fun!!

 At the bottom, ironically beside a graveyard, we waited for the rest of the crew to arrive.  It turned to somewhat of a yard sale as we all compared trail wounds - jammed ankle, blown out shorts (yes, it really was as bad as it sounds), but unfortunately, there were no missing toe nails from the virgin trail runners....

 Sunday was day two!!!  Not suprisingly, the crew seemed to have fewer participants.... but the few foolish were committed to the run.

Johnsons trail started as more of a mud bog, but it was a good test of my new shoes!!!  After slogging through, or jumping over, multiple mud holes we made it to the top of the Smokey River valley.  The view was spectaular, but the muggy weather soon had me slowing down. Shari barked orders at me to take salt tabs, which hurridly complied with. 

For the first time, the salt tabs actully did seem to make a difference. They didnt make the run any easier, but I sure did feel better!!!  The 14 km loop ended back by the bridge and after a quick round of high fives, the running weekend was complete!!!  

Well, almost....there were still some tales to tell of toe nails that had gone missing....but really didnt; and there were new friends to share the picture of the weekends escapades....all in the name of getting in shape to master our goals!!!

Thank God for Bees!!!

I must confess, I have a few run to catch up on but todays run was too good (or bad) to not share, right away!!!

Todays run was supposed to be 30 km of easy trail running. It seemed like an easy enough assignment, but if you arent prepared for the run, even such a simple task as putting on your compressions socks can be a challenge!!!  Note to self:  Put Vaseline on your feet BEFORE you put on your socks....

The run started uneventfull enough. There we some concerns voiced from the ladies about my lack of knowledge of they complicated trail system in Evergreen Park; but I assured them that I knew where we we going....which was true for the most part.

On the section of single track at the bottom of Shari's Hill, we had to slow our blistering pace (which I was setting) to climb over a large fallen tree which has been there most of the summer. I climbed over it uneventfully enough and Christina followed suit.  Bringing up the back of the pack, Lisa was doing a fine job keeping up with us. She was midstride in clearing the tree when she loudly exclaimed that she had just been poked or stung in the "sitting part of her body"...(those are my words, not hers).

She quickly assesed herself as still fit to run so we continued deeper into the woods towards the creek. After some hesitation a couple wrong turns, we emerged from the creek trail and back onto the power line.

I an effort to prevent extended periods of backtracking, we opted to turn right and continue to the creek in another portion of the park. As the trail dipped down a steep muddy embankment, I could hear comments of how this was supposed to be an "easy" 30 km run, so when we reached the dead end trail at a creek crossing, I lead the pack upstream on an overgrown trail to find a trail with a more gradual incline.

After a short distance, this trail too dead-ended at a sharp bend in the creek.  The only option was to return and go back up the slippery slope. I guess if I would have been a real gentleman, I would have offered the ladies my poles, but we did discuss bring poles earlier in the day and they just chose not too....

As we reached the mid-point in the run, my fuel tank was already on empty....all the salt tabs and dates in the world, couldnt seem to bring me around. I was used to running in the heat, and I was hydrated, but my night time road trip to Edmonton and four hours of sleep seemed to have left me lacking.  This was a first time experiencing this for me...I was light headed and I didnt have any witty comebacks when I was harrassed by Lisa about my eggs benedict run.  (See earlier blog.)

A short distance down the trail, one of my fellow runners directed my attention off the trail as we passed a large dead spruce tree.  The sharp brittle branches we lurking over the trail and angrily harpooned the side of my head as I shuffled past...focusing only on staying upright long enough to finish the race.  This farther added to the spinning and whirring in my head!!!

It was then that the tables turned...  Christina broke out in this funky 80's dance move, right in the middle of the trail. I stopped and watched in amazement, thinking that I had reached that point and finaly bonked!!

I was awakened from my state of delerium when she started screaming/singing to the dance moves.... "BEES!!!"

It turned out to only be onebee, but a well placed sting in her ankle soon started to swell.

At this point, I could see the fear in Lisa's eyes. They had already discussed how they would pin my location when I went down and text it to all my friends so the could send me cards and notes of condolences, but she (or we) were not prepared to deal with anaphylactic shock!!!  The best option was to cut the run short and get home while were we all still somewhat able!!!

A quick calculation, indicated that we would be back at the parking lot at the 20 km mark.  We took a moment and congratulated ourselves for running nearly  a half marathon and still concidering it a failed run, the retraced our steps and started the 5 km jaunt back.

At the old fallen log, Lisa was smart and was leading the pack, with the two handicapped runners bringing up the back.  But the bees had other plans and were waiting for Lisa again.... but this time, three of them attacked together....in the same general area as before!!!

A quick self examination determined that she would still be able to complete the run, but not without an added level of discomfort in her gait. But not supprisingly, it didnt seem to slow her pace. She fearlessly lead us out of the woods and back to the parked cars.

An extended loop in the parking lot was required to get my watch to finish at the correct 20.00 target.  After a few pictures and high fives, we congratulated each other for finishing a challenging run, and still finishing like the tough trail runners that we are.