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.