a good running buddy is a lifesaver

Dirty Duo is coming up! I won't be doing the biking part of the event. I am not that crazy to even consider biking in the mountains. I'd much rather run them.

The training run on Saturday turned into quite the miserable event as the rain was pouring from the get go, and that just made it colder. I'm okay with a little rain, and once your on the trails, it's usually not so bad and there's a little shelter under that great canopy. However, we were running the bike route section of the race so it was a little more open than expected and we were all soaked after about 20 minutes into our 20 k run.

It didn't take long before we were wet, cold, and starting to wonder how to get back faster than planned. There's not much you can do when you're 10k away from your car or any warmth at all. The best we could as a group was to try and stick together and get through it together.

There weren't that many of us running the 20 k distance at this point (perhaps some had better sense to turn back early??), so the few that were left started to struggle with walking and running. We were way beyond wringing out our gloves and hats. I was soaked through to my skin; the layers can only wick away so much moisture, so I felt like my whole body needed to be wrung out.  I ditched the gloves because they were beyond helping me and I started to tuck my hands under my shirt whenever I walked to try and warm them up. My running partner, dl, (we were pretty much down to two of us by now. There were two others ahead of us in the distance, and two who were behind us, but later passed us as dl and I struggled along) told me that she was done with about 7k to go. We re-grouped with a few others at the next point and changed up the route to head directly back to the lot and skip the rest of the trail route. dl wasn't feeling well being so wet and cold, so I walked with her, or would run a little to try and keep warm and then wait for her.

We did try to stay on trail as much as possible to be out of the rain more (actually it was now slushy snow). I was running with my hands tucked under my shirt because it was too painful to leave them exposed. dl was really struggling and she's a super strong runner. We kind of kept each other going for a bit and thought about all the warm things in the world (comforters, hottubs, goretex!), and how beyond ridiculous this run was. My legs were starting to really ache. I felt like I had run twice the distance, and every ache and pain seemed magnified. My feet shuffled along, each step seemed like it would never end, and my legs felt like they were seizing up and they probably were.

When we got back to the start where the clinic leader was waiting for us, I couldn't even hold a pencil to sign myself out. The clinic leader had to sign me out. dl and I said a quick good-bye. Screw the stretching. No one cared about that. We made haste to our cars. I had to sit in the car for a half hour before I could even drive. Fortunately, I had brought a change of clothes so I could change in the car and that took the better part of the half hour just to get changed. Then the shaking started and I realized that I was experiencing or had been experiencing hypothermia. We all had.

I shook all the way home. db said my lips were blue when I walked through the door and that was after an hour in a heated car. I immediately got into the tub and started to feel human again.

I couldn't have gotten through it without my running buddy. Crazy thing was, we were back out there the next day. I laughed when I saw that she was wearing extra layers as well. I stuffed my running pack with extra everything. From now on it's going to be emergency blankets in every pack. I think dl had one in her pack, but we never thought were were bad enough off to use it (just another sign of hypothermia -- not thinking clearly). I won't let that happen again.

Here's to a future of running with goretex socks! My next purchase.

Snowshoeing in the Mountains

 I know! Two posts in one week. Don't think this will continue. I could disappear again for another month as the school work piles on.

Anywho...

There are snow in those mountains. I thought it just rained here all winter, at least until we got that snow a couple of weeks ago, but before that everything was green and rainy, and we had a mild Christmas. I'm acclimatised to the winters here, and know how to get through the months of rain.

However, this year db and I resolved to get in some snowshoeing. db had purchased two pairs of snowshoes for us in the fall as Christmas gifts. I was wondering if we'd ever get to use them because there was no sign of snow and friends I had spoken to in December said that the snow conditions weren't great on the mountains when they had been skiing, so I wasn't expecting much when we headed up Mt. Seymour Rd. for our first snowshoe outing. 

 Our Costco snowshoes. db found these at Costco and they've been great. The last time I was on snowshoes, it was those more "traditional" shaped snowshoes that you might know with the tennis racket shape: very wide and difficult to walk in. Snowshoes have come a long way, and these are great! They may not be as streamlined as some of the "running" snowshoes I've seen on the market, but they sure are fun for walking. (I really don't have plans for taking up snowshoe running...honest).

As we drove up towards the ski hill, we were relieved to have purchased winter tires because it was suddenly full on winter!

There were skiers everywhere. Kids were heading to the sliding hill with parents, and snowshoeing is definitely popular. We purchased our passes and strapped on the snowshoes.

These photos are from three different outings.  Mt. Seymour, Cypress (twice), and then back to Seymour.

You can see how much snow had actually accumulated on the mountain. Now I realize that whenever it's raining at home, it's snowing on the mountains.

 The reward back at home! Two vegan hot chocolates with those amazing sweet & sara marshmallows.

The following week, I took hot chocolate in a thermos (thank you to my brother for sending the fantastic company branded -- Capital Springs -- thermos for Christmas), and carted the marshmallows so we could enjoy it in the car. Why wait until you get home in the rain. It's more fun to have hot chocolate in a winter setting.

 This is Hollyburn Lodge at Cypruss. The snowshoe and nordic skiing trails lead to this lodge on the way to Hollyburn Mtn. It's a really cute little spot in the woods, and there were several pairs of snowshoes hanging outside next to skis while people warmed up inside. They have a little cafe in there as well, and there's a lovely wood stove smell as you near the lodge/cabin. Must be quite the hike up with the supplies (oh wait, there's a snowmobile track that leads up there).

You can see that it was snowing on that day. It was very pretty.

 I think this was Cypress the following weekend. We went on a longer hike. I was hoping to go all the way to Hollyburn Mtn, but once we hit the hiking access trail (free for snowshoers who don't want to pay to have access to the snowshoe trails), it was packed so we quickly headed back to the tranquility of the snowshoe trails and made our way on a fairly long route that pretty much tired us out for the rest of the day. db had also forgotten to put his orthotics in his hiking boots, so he had very sore and tired feet.

We did get some sun that day though. Blue skies.

This last shot was taken back at Seymour last weekend.  It was pouring when we left home, and as we drove up the mountain it was definitely like a winter storm up there. It was slow going on the road up.

At the top it was a blizzard. Snow was whipping around us and the winds were crazy. There were still skiers everywhere. There was actually an event going on, and it didn't seem to be slowing it down too much. db and I wondered how crazy we might be, but thought it would be better once we got into the woods, and it was. It was pretty tranquil in the woods, and we had another great hike. The trees creaked a little in the wind.

This hike was a little more adventurous since we took one of the "closed" trails. There were at least one or two other set of snowshoe tracks on the trail, so were weren't the only ones doing this. Plus there are many hiking trails that lead up to Seymour.

It was definitely more off the beaten path, but it did follow a well marked route and clearly someone else had been through. It was beautiful and quite hilly so it was a challenge. We did have to cross a creek without a bridge at one point so that was a little more challenge than I wanted in snowshoes, but I think there was probably a better way around that. Anywho...it was a good hike on a snowy day. The snow was still whipping up the ski slopes when we got back, and since we had been forced to park along the side of the road, we had a bit of a walk in the snow and wind, so we were glad to get to the shelter of our car, and warm up.

Next weekend, we might venture a little further afield. Squamish? Callaghan Valley?

Weekend Trail Runs

Had an awesome run Saturday! (I hate overusing the word "awesome," which I often do, but I'm using it anyway because it just seems right to describe today's run).

It was snowing when I left to meet the trail running clinic group...well, it was more slushy snow falling, which turned into rain when I reached the bottom of our hill, and then snow again as I started to climb along the Barnet. It was full on snow by the time I reached our meeting point at the bottom of the drive to Mt. Seymour (ski hill for those that don't know). There was a sad looking group of runners shivering in the parking lot, and I joined them, signed in and then we pretty much got under way because no one wanted to stand around for very long.

(the trail did not look as nice as this. Imagine it overcast, very damp, and partially snow covered and then you'll get an idea of trail running in the winter here)

The start was a long, slow climb on a trail that runs parallel to Mt Seymour Rd.  We were all running at first (probably just trying to stay warm. I know I was), and then eventually we all walked up at trail that's called Old Buck.  The clinic leader was at the next junction to meet us, and then we turned onto a more narrow trail that's part of the 48k trail route named Baden Powell. More climbing! The trail was snowy, but not too slippery. We stayed all grouped together. Usually we break up into smaller groups depending on pace, but this week we clustered in a big long group along the trail.

My legs were burning! I had done some lunges with weights on Thursday at the gym and was still feeling the effects of that, so the climbing was TOUGH. When we finally hit something I could actually run on it felt great, but it was a really rocky section with lots of loose rocks so it was slow going in the snow. I later found out that that section of trail is called the Seymour grind. Appropriate.

There was a lot of up and down, but the warmer I got, the better I felt and the final run down towards our meeting point felt great and I pretty much ran my own pace downhill. I seem to be pretty fast on the downhills, finishing them before many more experienced runners, which is making me wonder if I'm going too fast and not pacing properly. Will it catch up with me later on a longer run? I just don't find the downhill sections that difficult. The uphills I'm always at the back of the pack, but the descent is pure joy for me.

I think finishing on a good descent kept me feeling great all day. I had a real runner's high that helped carry me through work. I should probably run every day before work!

Friends Making Money

I didn't look up why this is called "Friends Making Money" when I found it on Wandering Coyote's blog, but that' okay.

FMM involves answering 20 questions, then leaving a link to your post on the post of the friend you got the list from.

1.  What is your favourite way to spend a Saturday?
Start the day with an early morning trail run with my trail running buddies, then go home for a db specialty coffee and some yummy breakfast/brunch and then just let the day unfold. Hopefully there's a great movie in there at some point.

2. List your top 3 favourite TV shows.  
I think I only watch re-runs. 
St. Louis Blues Hockey (that's current!)
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (all time favorite)
The Simpsons
 
3. Would you rather be in pictures or take them?
Definitely take them.

4. Why do you blog?
Even though I don't do it as much anymore, I do blog for my family, and for my own interest. I think I started out to blog for different reasons and with bigger plans (creative expression), but it turned into a much more personal blog than I thought it would be.

5. Share 5 web sites you visit regularly.

Facebook (do you really need the link?)
Langara College (where I'm currently taking 2 courses)
SPUD (gotta order the veggies and see what's on special for the week)
Active.com (running stuff)
Fat Free Vegan (always something yummy)

6.  If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list, who would that be?
I don't have a twitter list. Let's say my fb list...it would be my sister.
 
7.  List a few of your favourite snacks.
Kale Chips from Tao Organics!!!! I'm addicted.
Vegan Peppermint Nanaimo bars from Sprout Vegan Bakery (She is an amazing local vegan baker)
db's hats (I can't give away the secret, but if you've had them, you know what I'm talking about.
Que Pasa tortilla chips and a spicy salsa (standard favorite).

8.  Do you have a pet?  If so, what kind.
Yes, two cats that are my companion animals.

9.  Which 3 material possessions would you struggle to live without?
 Struggle seems like a strong word for these things, but it would be: My Mac, My blender, and My camera. (not necessarily in that order).


10.  What’s your favourite drink?
Fresh juice with apple, beet, carrot and ginger. (Hmm, I think I'll go make some after this).
For something a little stronger, I prefer a nice red like a Barolo or Brunello di Montalcino (but who doesn't. I don't get to enjoy these too often though - $$$$$ -- so another tasty wine will do. I enjoy trying different ones.)

11.  Do you enjoy cooking?
Yes when I have time. Not so much when I don't.

12.  Do you have children?
Nope. I have two cats and too many other things in my life.

13.  What are you favourite hobbies?
Trail running, trail running, and trail running. Just kidding (sort of). I also enjoy photography, hiking, knitting, and volunteering at Wildlife Rescue.

14.  Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?
Shy.

15.  If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Better memory.

16.  Who is your favourite actor/actress?
My sis, of course!
Actor: Cary Grant.

17.  What’s the coolest thing  you’ve done this week?
Trail ran in the snow, and then later went out snowshoeing. That was today and I'm toast.

18.  Do you live near family or far from them?
Both. Most of my family is far away, but pw is just across the Salish Sea.

19.  List three of your talents.
Ability to take on any challenge.
Story editing (I do miss script editing)
Making risotto (It really is the best)

20.  What is your greatest attribute?
Compassion towards animals.

Christmas Day

 What kind of Christmas Day photo is this? Well, when db and I drove out to Mission to cut our Christmas tree, we took a wrong turn and passed this area that was full of eagles feeding on Salmon. A little further up the highway it was the weekend of Harrison's Eagle Festival, where eagles return every year to feed on the Salmon, so it wasn't surprising to see them in the area. As we drove past we saw eagle after eagle after eagle.

Anywho...db and I didn't stop that day, but decided to go back 2 weeks later on Christmas. The beach was littered with Salmon carcasses and there was mostly just gulls enjoying what was left.

 It's really a beautiful little spot, and the weather cleared long enough for us to walk along the water.

 An American Dipper. I looked up this little guy once I got home and could load the photo to see what it was. I was astounded when I saw it dive into the water and then come back out.

 Looking over the bridge, we watched this gull enjoying himself. The gulls really do enjoy cleaning up. They were almost as much fun to watch as the eagles.

 We did see eagles. At one point we counted a total of 14 in one area. It was probably a quarter of what we probably would have seen two weeks earlier.

 Several were perched in the trees. They stayed there the whole time we were there.

 This one bald eagle remained in this spot the whole time as well. Others moved around us, and we got to see several take off and land fairly close. It was quite amazing.

 More gulls having fun. (I love gulls!)

Finally, the best view! This eagle was along the side of the road and we almost drove past him and missed him. db spotted him as we drove by, so we swung around and parked several feet away to watch him (or her) enjoy whatever it had in his (her) talons. Beautiful raptors!

December 24th at Whoville

Just a few photos from our Christmas Eve.

 It's a very green Christmas. It poured all morning (very, very wet trail run! I had to wring out my clothes when I got home). The afternoon cleared up and there was some beautiful sunlight coming through the mist in the trees.

 That's right. You are seeing cheese. Raw vegan cheese! It's made from cashew, macadamia, and brazil nuts, and they are amazing. There's a cheddar, a goat style cheese, a brazil nut pesto soft cheddar type and the darker one is a "Christmas" flavour made with hazelnuts. These are so amazing. I met this nut cheese maker through work, and her cheeses are amazing! She brought samples once and I couldn't believe how delicious they were...how very cheese-like they were. So, I contacted her before Christmas and asked if she could make some for the holidays (she only does it as a hobby - so far) and they were delicious.

 This was our appetizer: black rice cakes with grilled pineapple & mushrooms (the sauce is a tamarind based reduction). Thank you Artful Vegan once again!

 The main dish was wild mushrooms in a cashew cream sauce (very rich!) with porcini fettucine.

And our tree! Merry Christmas everyone!

Dysfunctional Family Christmas

I don't really feel this way, but I love it!

Wow it's been over a month! Time flies. 

So the run went well. It seems like just a couple of weeks ago, but it's been a month already since I ran the 24k Phantom run. All I can say about it is that it was grueling. I mean it's a great event and loads of fun, but it was by far the toughest trail run I've ever done. I've done 19k on trails, so I thought 24 would be okay. Well, add in the driving rain, cold, streams, and mud-sucking puddles to run through and it all equals a grueling run. 

It started out okay. I was a bit nervous. I had never really run a race with running buddies before so I wasn't sure if I should stay with them or do my own thing. I did a bit of both, and then by the time we hit about the 19k mark, we stuck together just to get each other through the last stretch and climb. I don't think I could have finished without them.

With about 4k to go, my calf started cramping and tightening up and I was hobbling a bit. I must have been a sad sight, soaked through, muddy, and limping. One running pal, ab, got a burst of energy at the end and took off. It was inspiring to watch, but I knew I wouldn't keep up. I ran the last stretch with my other running pal, mc, and we finished together in 3 hours and 7 minutes. Seriously, that was a grueling run. I think it took me all day to get warm again. Fortunately there was some great food at the end. It's a potluck event, and someone brought cup of soups and there were vegan options! It was the perfect food on a cold, wet day. 

There was a photo captured of me after the run, and I look like I'm about to cry. I don't think I was, but it looks like it. I'm huddled under the tent watching the other runners come in. 

Anywho...I finished! My longest trail race yet. So now, there are several in the running group who have entered the lottery for the Knee Knacker race in the summer, and I'm tempted. It's a 50k. I've never done that distance on pavement or trail so it's a pretty big challenge for me, but I might just enter the lottery. I still have time to think about it though. And there's always the chance that my name won't get drawn and I won't be in the race at all. I kind of like the chance of the lottery. 

***
Once the Phantom race finished, several of us from the trail clinic decided to keep running on the weekends until the next clinic starts. So we've been meeting every Sunday and running trails. It's been great to keep going and is the highlight of my week. Usually my December is pretty slow for running, so with the group, I've been more motivated to keep running throughout the month. 

I hope I can juggle it all come January when I start my course work as well. 

***

This week in running and other fun stuff

db and I didn't hike this week, and my clinic trail run was a short one because we've started the taper week. Race day is Nov. 12th. The group did have a nice easy run on Saturday, and a few of us have decided to keep meeting Saturday mornings after the clinic is over, which I'm really glad about because I want to keep trail running through the winter (it's possible here at the lower elevations), and I don't really want to go out alone.

At the end of our run, the clinic leader had some nice draw prizes. My name got drawn early so I picked out a pair of socks. I know it doesn't sound exciting, but for some reason a good pair of trail running socks seems to make my day, and they're not merino wool which is even better (cruelty-free socks!). I'll try them out this week before race day to see if they'll work for me so I can wear them on Saturday. They're supposed to dry fast so that could be really useful. I got very very wet a couple of weeks ago, which was fine for a short run, but for a longer distance I can see how blisters would be a risk with a sock that doesn't dry quickly enough. Okay enough of socks -- you can see how ridiculously important my socks are to me.

We also got our free technical shirt that comes with the race entry/clinic fee. It's a nice long sleeve technical with little ghosts on the front (the race is called the Phantom Race). It's pretty cute. I'll also have to take it for a test run before I wear it race day. I love the free stuff that comes with these clinics and races. It should be a good race day. It looks really well organized with heat lamps at the start line, and a potluck at the finish. It should be a fun day.

db and I have also signed up for the Running Room's Resolution Run on January 1st. It's a 5 k run that we're going to do together. I guess we should start training for that soon too.

I'm considering...just considering putting my name into the Knee Knacker lottery. The draw is in March and if your name is drawn, you get to run the 50k. It may be a done deal now that I've written about it. Of course I can only enter the lottery. There are no guarantees that I'll get in, but I have to train like I am in.

***
There have been some life altering decisions made around here at whoville. Yes, we have decided to buy winter tires. Okay, that's not life altering too much except for the...choke...money it's going to cost, but once they're bought, they're bought. Owning a car does cost a lot of money! It's worth it though.

No, the bigger change is that I've decided to go back to school. I know, I know. More school? Yes. I decided that I need a career change and that I really need to be doing something that will be more fulfilling in the long run, so I've applied to the Library & Information Technology program. I want to take a course online to start (the entire program can be done online!), and then aim for full time in the fall.

I can use credit from previous degrees (hmm...this next degree better work!) to fill in some of the electives that are required. It's a two year program, and I'm actually very excited about getting started. I wish I could start right at this moment. I'm just waiting to hear back from the program once they've received all of my documents (transcripts -- boy were those fun and stressful to track down and get sent off -- and letters of reference). Hopefully it'll be in soon.

I'm sure I can still work part-time and do full time studies by the fall. I've done it before so I  know what I'm in for.

So that's the news (if you haven't already heard).

Brother's Creek Loop

 A nice way to start a hike. At first look we thought these might be Chicken of the Woods, but after reading my reference book once we got home, I knew right away that they weren't. I'm guessing they are Velvet Foots (or is that "feet"), but without a more careful look I can't be certain. Mushrooms were abundant, and the edible we saw the most were Angel Wings, but we didn't collect any since they were quite damp and we had a long way to go. However, I thought if we had collected all along the way, we'd have quite a haul (a soggy haul).

Anywho...onto the hike. In the summer I had run part of this trail with my trail running group, and we had taken a side route that wasn't on the planned itinerary, but was a route that I remember commenting on how beautiful it was.

 db and I wanted to hike on Sunday, but the early morning rain made us a little lazy about heading outside so we took our time with breakfast and getting our day started. However, I was still up for a hike in rain or whatever weather was out there.
I remembered this side route we had run and looked it up, and found a nice loop hike listed that we could do in an afternoon. It also seemed like a good rainy day option since it wasn't about fabulous views or mountaintops.

The trail I was most interested in is called the Fire Access Road, which is actually the McNair Skidway.  "This trench is visible in several locations across the mountainside and was known as McNairs 'Fore & Aft' skidway.  In the early 1900's loggers pulled (skidded) logs down this trench by a steam powered cable system (steam donkey).  The logs were then transported to the waterfornt via a logging railway.(...) In the 1950's this old truck road was used to haul logs off the mountain." (from http://westvancouver.ca/Level3.aspx?id=1258)

 It's really not much of a road. It's a double track, rocky route that slowly ascends through a variety of forest up the mountain.

The weather was in our favor since the rain had stopped. It was foggy and damp, but we would remain mostly dry.

My interest to return to this trail was for the cedars. Once we left the Baden Powell trail and started up the "road" the forest was quite eerie. db suggested that the old stumps, logged in the early 1900s, reminded him of death (seems extreme, but it was eerie and we were thinking that it was a good Halloween trail). The fog amongst the tall trunks and these old massive stumps without much greenery around did make this section quite spooky.

The rain that we have had lately did mean there were several smaller streams along the way and at times the trail itself was a bit like a stream. We eventually reached the large cedars that I had remembered from my run in the summer (like the one two photos above). The trail was much greener along this section and very beautiful. Photos don't really give you a sense of the size of the trees so I didn't take many tree photos. db did take one of me hugging a tree (ha!), but I'll save that for another day.

The trail narrowed more and the scenery changed again and became more lush with more leafy foliage, and even more moss (is that even possible in the forests here?) and soon we could hear the creek.

This junction also leads to Lost Lake and Blue Gentian Lake, but we decided to stick with the chosen loop. We had had enough of climbing for one day, and knew that once you reach this point of the loop and cross the bridge the descent starts.

 The sound was incredible as the water rushed past us and over a small cliff. It was such a contrast to being in this area in the summer when it was completely dry. We didn't go to the creek then, but I'm sure it was probably just a small trickle since all of the other creeks we crossed at the time were bone dry.

 This is such a nice little marker and bridge. Most creeks aren't marked in this way, and I found it rewarding to see the sign because it felt like we had reached a destination. In better weather, we might have picnicked here.

Much of the descent followed a cliff edge that looked down at the creek, so we had the sound of rushing water as we negotiated our way through the soggy trail, and we had some impressive views of the creek at times. The Brother's Creek trail is very narrow and was quite damp, so we had to be careful with our footing and step around lots of muddy puddles.

At the next trail marker, we took the turn that had a narrow staircase down towards the creek and a bridge to cross it again. This is where we say this waterfall, and I remembered this section from the summer run because we had stopped here to break and have a snack. At that time the waterfall was a small cascade that seemed quite pretty. However, on this day it was a rushing waterfall, and we had to yell to talk to each other as we stood on the bridge. From the edge of the bridge we could feel the cool breeze generated from the water.

Our last ascent was up away from the waterfall (another staircase) before we started the rest of our descent that ended on a West Van. street where we had parked the car.

This was really a wonderful hike, and I think the damp weather made it even more beautiful.

Rubber Ducky Half Update

Here's the latest results from the Rubber Ducky race I ran to raise funds for Wildlife Rescue.

Place: 31
Age group place: 5th Female 40-49 (there were 26 in my age group)
Chip Time: 58:50.7

I'm pretty happy with those results. That's the fastest 11 k I've ever done! The trail training must be paying off.
The race is one lap around Burnaby Lake so it's flat trail with some spongy, boggy parts, but I went for it and I'm pretty pleased to place 5th in my age group and to place 31st out of 132 runners in that distance!
Thanks to my mom for inspiring me! She made a generous donation to Wildlife Rescue and I decided that I would run the race with her in mind.

Beware the Runner's High

I absolutely love my trail running clinic on Saturday mornings. It is all the way to the North Shore (about a 35-40 minute drive), but it's so worth it.

I get to spend 2 hours plus running/hiking trails and each week it's a new route of rocks, roots, and streams (especially this time of year) that has a new challenge. I'm usually with several people at a time so the thought of bears doesn't cross my mind (too often). I've seen some of the most beautiful trails on the North Shore that I may have never seen otherwise.

We usually start out easy and have some light chit chat going on between us, getting caught up or just making small talk. Then there's usually a steep climb that silences most people for a while and we get more focused on our footing and trying to keep the pace moving as quickly as possible. This past week I noticed that towards the end of our runs, we get really chatty and we have a bit of a runner's high so the mood is light and fun. Two of the more experienced runners were talking about a couple of Ultra races (50k and up) they have done or are planning to do in 2012. I listened with interest in their stories and their plans. Then, they suggested that I think about doing one of these races, and I seriously started thinking it was possible. Yup, the runner's high when everything seems possible and you feel no pain.

When we ran back to our start/finish point to sign out and do some stretching, the high was still with us and they almost had me convinced to go home and sign up for these Ultras.
I'd say it took about 15 minutes in the car ride home for me to know that there was no way I was going to get home and sign up for an Ultra.

Okay, it might be on my list of possibilities, but I'm not registering for anything yet.

This coming Saturday I'll be ready for the runner's high.

Fall Favorites

 First I have to introduce the newest member at whoville. Owning a car is a first for us, and we held off as long as we could, but ultimately it came down to wanting to have access to all those things we love to do that Beautiful British Columbia has to offer.
db no longer had the company car on the weekends since he changed jobs (oh, did I forget to mention that? -- Long story, but it's all good now). Anywho...we found a nice little used Matrix that will get us wherever we need to go.
I still transit to work, and db takes turns with a co-worker carpooling, so we're still trying to minimize our carbon footprint even though it may have gotten a whole lot bigger just by owning a vehicle. Anyway, I'm not going to beat myself up about it any longer.

Now onto fall.

 The leaves are starting to change colour, but I haven't really been focused so much on the changing colours. It's been all about enjoying fall treats such as db's Apple Pie and freshly baked bread.
When I came home from work after he'd made pie and bread, the whole place felt so inviting and warm.

My favorite fall flower: the toad lily. This is probably my favorite lily (but then again whatever lily happens to be in bloom at the moment is usually my favorite). Lilies in the fall! It doesn't get better. Just when I thought the garden was winding down and I would have to start thinking about bringing in pots and tidying up for winter, the toad lilies bloomed. I love their freckled petals and their tiny delicate presence.

And then there are the mushrooms, a definite fall favorite. The Matsutake or Pine Mushroom was our first wild mushroom of the season. Unfortunately it wasn't something we found in the forest, but rather at the farmer's market. The vendor told us that they're from the Bella Coola and Terrace areas. That's a long, long way from whoville so I'm not rushing out to search for these (even though I know they're out there!). They had two large crates of Pine Mushrooms. We picked two from the less expensive ones that needed more cleaning than the more expensive ones. They were still pricey, but we really wanted to try them.

 The next day we went to our favorite fall forested area. On route to our chanterelle spot, db found this Boletus Mirabilis. It was in good shape having been somewhat protected from the rain by the canopy. (I wish I had taken more pictures of it. db took this one. I think the fork is supposed to give you an idea of the size, but it also might be a reminder to make sure you eat your mushrooms).
db did some research to be certain that it was edible and then sliced it and panfried it. I was reluctant to try it and thought that one of us should be alert and healthy enough to drive to the hospital, but then I couldn't resist, and I really was confident that it was an edible. Very melt in your mouth tasty. It's a shame we only found one.

Finally, the bounty. There were a few chanterelles on our way to our favorite spot, but nothing to get too excited about. We hiked up to our little mossy area in the woods and started looking around, but weren't finding much -- at first. Then, once we spotted one we kept seeing more and more. We left the smaller ones. The ones we did collect were clean and dry and pretty perfect overall. Again, that nice canopy over the moss seems to keep them from getting too damp. We'd find these soft green depressions where the moss had grown over the old growth and inevitably we'd find chanterelles. It seems like they're just starting.  More fall to come.

Run Trails Vegan, Run Trails

I'm completely obsessed with trail running now. It's all I think about when my mind wanders to running thoughts. The road is just a training surface now that helps keep me fit for the trail.

Seven weeks ago I started a trail running clinic to give me the opportunity to trail run with a group therefore making it more safe, and to prepare for a 15k trail race at the end of September. I am loving this clinic! It's all women (for some reason) and I can't wait to go every week. I'm always a little nervous each week, wondering if I can keep up or if I should even be out there, and every week I have an amazing run and feel sad that its over. I'll have to see if I can continue somehow in the fall.

I've seen some beautiful trails on the north shore. Each week we're given a map and written instructions with the distance of the planned run. There are leaders for each group (advanced, intermediate, and short) who know the trails fairly well and set the pace for each group. I've been trying oh so hard to learn to read the map and instructions, but we often end up on a different route for whatever reason. This is fine because it's always a great run and still keeps us in the approximate distance, but my map reading skills aren't really improving. One week I realized that I was reading the map backwards! Someone did take the time to show me where we were on the map, but it sill looked completely baffling to me.

There have been some beautiful views, and challenging trails (climbing boulders? ), and last week I did my longest run at 19 k. It took us 2: 50 to run it, but I was so happy to have done it.

With the race next weekend I feel pretty confident that I can go the distance with some power hiking up the steep sections. While I won't have the group to run with, I will have all those other runners who have signed up to go the distance with. I can't wait!

Elfin Lakes

If you are ever on the west coast near Squamish, and plan to do some hiking, I highly recommend this hike to Elfin Lakes.  Situated in Garibaldi Park, Elfin Lakes is a fairly popular trail for both hikers and bikers, and on this long weekend it was quite busy, but not too busy so that we didn't have lots of quiet time with just the two of us hiking.

It looks like it's also a popular snowshoe hike in the winter as well.

Sunday the weather was incredible. It was a very warm day (mid 20s). I had read online that there would most likely be snow along the trail. There was. It covered several sections of the trail, but the trail was well marked.

A great part of the hike is along Paul Ridge.

 The views were unbelievable. Snow-capped mountains were all around. I felt like I was in another world, and so close to home!

 Tantalus Ridge.

 Mt. Garibaldi was a constant view along the trail. We never lost sight of this beautiful peak.

 One of the most beautiful trails I've hiked. The climb is quite reasonable as well. There's not a steep, steep grade like some other hikes I've done to reach views like this. Much of the elevation is climbed on the drive up, so it didn't take long to hike up into the snow.

 First view of the lakes! We would have to hike through more snow to descend to the lakes.

 Drinking lake or Swimming lake? I can't remember which one this is. I suspect it's the swimming lake since we spent more time at that one, and had our lunch next to it. We did refill our bottles from the drinking lake. As a rule, I never drink water from lakes or creeks (beaver-fever -- or Giardia -- and other nasties being the risk), but that little glacial lake seemed pristine and was marked as a drinking water lake, so I went for it (no beavers at that elevation I'm sure!). It was cold and refreshing.

 I took this shot while I was in the lake, so I guess it is the swimming lake.

 Here's my proof that I went into the lake, only up to my knees, and not just because that was the length of my pants. You have no idea how cold this water is! It's an ice bath. I felt okay as long as I didn't move, and I stayed as long as I could stand it. It felt amazing! There was a man on the other side of the lake who dipped in quickly up to his neck, let out a whoop, and rushed out. He did that a couple of times. It was quite entertaining.

When I stepped out of the lake onto the snow, I didn't even notice how cold the snow was. I have to say that the hike back to the parking lot was a lot easier after reviving my legs in the lake.

 One of the many valley views. The pictures of the valley do not do it justice. Sometimes the valley below looked as if viewing from a plane. We looked down at trees and meadows, sometimes small ponds appeared along the route. I kept watching for bears to appear in the valley because this area of Garibaldi Park is known to have the highest concentration of black bears. I think the trail was probably too busy for any bear to appear, and it was a fairly warm day, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were all hanging out in the shade somewhere, or knew much quieter areas.

 Mountain heather is abundant along the trail and in the meadows. There were lots of wild flowers, and because of the late summer we've had I still saw lupins and daisies.

 Back into the forest.

 False morel. There is a sign at the entrance of the park reminding people that mushroom foraging is prohibited. It must be picked over though. It wouldn't surprise me, and there's probably a reason for such a sign.

 Wildflowers! My favorite is this wild tiger lily. It's actually quite tiny. It's hard to tell from the photograph, but it's probably a bit smaller than an average daisy bloom.

 I was really excited to have seen these along the trail. I don't know how I missed them on the way up the trail, but I did see them on the way down.

Elfin Lakes is now one of my favorite places in B.C. Our second hike in Garibaldi Park and they both seem to be at the top of my favorites list.