Earth day run

While it wasn't really planned, D and I headed out for another training session. My long Sunday runs have become a something we do together. While I loved the Trabwholay trail we journeyed last week, I thought we should take advantage of these long distances I'm running and check out a new part of the trans Canada trail in the Greater Whoville Regional Distract (GWRD).

This week I learned:
a.) always check the elevation level of the trail before heading out
b.) running shoes are not trail shoes once you leave the paved paths of the well maintained sections that run through the town's core, a trail becomes a little more...shall we say...rugged.
c.) D is a great coach (even if he is crazy following me out on these journeys).

And...most importantly I learned:

d.) that I am crazy for wanting to run a marathon distance.

We were doing great until we hit the woodsy section of the trail that runs parallel but below the highway and along the waterfront. As a walker it's a lovely trail. As a runner, it's a challenge because it's constant ups and downs and turns etc. For D. it wasn't such an easy bike ride either. His bike had a flat so he was on my bike with the skinnier tires and all those mini hills were wearing us both out. We were happy to reach the pavement on a side road that led up to the highway.

At this point the trail crosses the road and we started to climb and climb and climb and I finally said "I'm not doing this, I have to walk." D was already walking, pushing the bike up the hill. I have no idea how steep the mountain climb was, but it's the steepest trail I've ever been on.

I don't even know how long it took up to climb the mountain, probably a good 25 minutes to a half hour of very steep grade. At the "top" we saw a map of the parked area. The map indicated that the trail we had just climbed was "intermediate." Hmmm. The trail ahead promised to be a beginner trail. I can't imagine the advanced routes.

We kept going because we're just crazy enough to do so. By now I'm walking and running as I see fit. Screw the 10:1 ratio of the run walk, I'm in extreme conditions here.

We saw a cyclist who was all geared up and trekking on ahead. She was struggling too. I spoke to her briefly while waiting for D. to summit a particularly steep curve. She was walking her bike to and said she could usually bike this trail but felt today was enough to just walk pushing a 40 lb bike up the hill. Fair enough. She then asked if we were going up the "Cardiac hill" route. I laughed. She said it was a good route and I'm thinking here are D and I the two stupid newbies from Toronto thinking we can hit the trails like the most seasoned west coaster. How very humbling the hills can be.

The views were incredible. Up that high we could view across the inlet at the mountains on the other side and the clouds in wisps around the peaks. A few points along the trail the cliffs tapered sharply below us and we looked down into the trees, their spindly tops reaching for light as their long trunks sloped away from us into the valley below. There are some massive old growth stumps left behind from the old logging days with new trees sprouting from them (new as in a hundred years). We forgot the camera so there are no incredible vistas of us at the top of the mountain "looking down on creation." Next time.

Of course we hit every weather system again. There was a steady but light rain and then it was just overcast and still in the woods which was nice because it can be quite cool in the woods. When we completed that section of the trail, the sun came out and it was actually quite hot (I know I was running, but there was no wind and it really was quite balmy).

We headed for the highway and as crazy as it is, we ran on the bike path on the highway. There was no way we were getting on any more trails and I really wanted to be on pavement again and get in a good steady run going.

At about 6 k from home I started to stop a lot more and walk through a lot of it, but I kept running. We had a tough hike in the middle of the run so I'm not going to sweat it. Although I admit I still am uncertain about whether I can complete the full distance on race day. D. said he was astounded that my form didn't change through the whole ordeal. He said my form looked the same at the end as it did at the beginning. That's encouraging. I was on auto-pilot at the 28k mark so it's good to know the form holds up.

So all in all it was a run with an intense hike in the middle and then another run.

Glad to be home and rested and awaiting D's Sunday night tomato sauce with pasta. I made a tomato, cucumber, basil salad (all local veg) that I hope tastes good.