I'm at an age where many of my friends are approaching retirement. For those of you who like to nail down details, the group spans 35 to 58.225 years of age. The last sentence is a bit nasty, especially to those who are 36 years old and consider themselves to be one or two geological periods away from retirement. What those of you in your late thirties / early forties don't appreciate is that you will wake up one morning and shout "Holy snapping left bananas captain, he was right!" It totalling, insidiously sneaks up on you.
If the planets align according to Pierre (please don't let 2008 happen ever, ever again) I am in my last FULL year of work. That's correct, retirement is pegged for mid-2014. The light at the end of the tunnel is turning out not to be a train...
What do I want to do in retirement? Those of you who know me, or believe the impossible rumours about me (not the one about a waiting list at Honda of people that want to kill me - that one is true) understand that I have plans to expand the maple syrup production, run more races, make more pottery (with my dear wife Lee Anne of course), chop more trees, wear more high heels, enhance the Creemore races and build a house using trees from the bush. What I hope to do in my spare time is turn my hand back to writing.
Before life got busier than a bear at the dump, I used to write short stories. I attempted to instill some humour, so I certainly did not bother to let reality or practicality spoil the story. I would like to use the same technique to describe the events of 2012... Consider that a warning!
The year of 2012 actually started in 2011, when Creemore and the Town of Blue Mountain (where we have a sugar bush) received 170.2166 feet of snow during the latter part of November and most of December. Although deep, the snow did little to mar the trail running. I considered it practice in hyperventilating. Since the area had joined the polar cap, the lakes froze early, resulting in less precipitation in late January and February. This, in turn, resulted in sunny days, which generate unseasonably warm weather in March. Great for running, not so good for making maple syrup.
For those of you who have seen the old movie "It's a Wild Wild Wild World", recall the drunk, who explains that he cannot stop smoking, because "the smoke bone is connected to the booze bone". I would enjoy paraphrasing his analogy. For those of you who are wondering how the hell this ties in to reminiscing about 2012, please be patient. There is a 42.2% chance that it is meaningful. Maple syrup is a cash crop. What this means is that if you have a lot of cash, and don't mind spending 485 hours per year fixing sap lines, chopping wood (the list is truly endless) etc. then you can make enough syrup to pay for half your bills! Unfortunately, I am only referring to your maple syrup bills... So I spend about $1000 per year to make enough syrup for myself (24 litres), friends and family (36 litres), the CVC race (52 litres) and to sell. In a good year, I have made 156 litre, which if my math is correct, means I sell 44 litres. At $20 per litre (I've rounded up), I almost pay for my expenses!
In 2012, I made 37 litres of maple syrup.
Please don't interrupt my sobbing...
Priority was given to the race and with some creative replacements (Lee Anne made pottery for the land owners) I was able to provide almost the full complement of race prizes offered in prior years. Tricky part #1: The maple syrup sales is used as seed money to finance the CVC race. I also pull money from savings, but in 2012, the amount withdrawn was rather hefty. The profit from CVC goes to the national ultra team (ACU), St. John's Ambulance and I sometimes (race director's discretion) direct a small percentage somewhere else. In the fifth year (2011), 10% went to returning the entry fee for the past 5 years to the top male 25K runner (Mike Tickner) and the top female 50K runner (Laurie McGrath).
Most of the proceeds go to paying for the race, which I have already "invested". Tricky part #2: This money is normally used for a vacation, but in 2012, it went to finance a new race, the Creemore Copper Kettle Dash (Lee Anne is race director). And so it evaporated...
Makes you want to start a syrup operation and race of your own, eh? Yeehaw! Pass me that $120,000 seed money baby!
If you think the abysmal syrup season and watching funds drain away into races was tough, I haven't yet told you about my racing season, have I?
Racing season:
Creemore Snow Run: Injured (unsure what)
Spring Warm-up: Injured (suspected torn cartilage)
Pick Your Poison: Injured (diagnosed as a torn cartilage)
Sulphur Springs: Injured
Barrie Half: 2:00 pace bunny (could I be more stupid?)
Niagara Ultra: DNF in the half (shortest race I've ever DNF'd)
Creemore Vertical Challenge: Race director
The Limberlost Challenge: Injured (surgery in 4 days)
July 17: Surgery for torn cartilage in my right knee
Dirty Girls: Volunteer
Copper Kettle Dash: RD assistant
Run for the Toad: 2:41 for the 25K (very happy with that!)
Creemore 100 Mile: RD assisstant
High point: Good result at the Toad, given my training
Low point: 2012
The really really bright side to all this? My running in 2013 can only get better, I'm looking forward to allocating as much time AS I WANT to running in 2014, and 2013 should be a better maple syrup year. Please. Not kidding. Anyone with pull with the weather gods, think of me before your pathetic wish for warm weather in March.
Well, didn't truly get around to writing something with panache, wit or introspection, but I hope to do so in the next blog or two, when I figure out what it is I hope to accomplish in 2013. Until then, may your runs be filled with fun and the sun shine brighter (but not so much in March).
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Forecast: 4cm of snow?
I know, I live in Creemore where the weather is either extremely awful or extreme... By now, I should be used to the forecast being somewhat understated. However, when they called for mucho snow in T.O. and only a sprinkling in Creemore, I look forward to sending that smug email to Torontonian runners:
How's the weather? Having fun running through a foot of snow on traffic snarled roads? We have 4cm on the ground and the TRAIL running is perfect. See you soon!
Unfortunately, most weather forecasters live in Toronto and if they are predicting local accumulation, I don't think they truly care what might happen in hicksville Creetown. We have 4cm of snow, no doubt. In fact, I think we are getting about 4cm per hour at the current rate. I found the tractor, so I shouldn't complain too much. Better yet, it had fuel, so all I had to do was plug it in, wait for another 4cm of snow to fall, then start it. Cleared the laneway, which is about a half kilometer long. By the time I was done, it was only 4cm deep. I can wait until tomorrow to blow it again.
Ran 13K with Lee Anne on Christmas day. We were going to run road as the Run4RKids race is in 10 days and takes place on an indoor track. I have considerable trouble running on roads (or the treadmill) when the trails are still hypothetically runnable. Since the roads were a bit greasy, we decided to run Collingwood Street, which happens to have a 4K hill (Hill #1 on the CVC course is the top part of this hill). At the top of the hill is the gully, which has a stream crossing, then another hill on the far side. My theory (I know, red warning lights are flashing everywhere) is that the stream crossing would be easy, as it was -5C and the snow was not melting. I suggested that we run the gully. Apparently, I miscalculated by about 20 feet. That's how wide the "stream" was at the trail. Through some creative hopping and tree climbing, I stayed dry, but Lee Anne got one foot wet. As we were out for a short run (Lee Anne only ran 30K), it was not overly significant. Since the trails had about 4 inches of snow, it took us 90 minutes to cover the first 10K. I'm okay with that, as I need some time on my feet.
With the Creemore snow run in a mere 17 days away, I am duty-bound to run the course today. The trail portions have a foot of snow, but there are some drifts that might make this into a challenging run... I'm also toying with running the course in reverse, so that I can hang the ropes. Can't wait!
If you are lucky enough to have some time off this week, do get out for a run in the snow. It is a lot of fun this time of year, as the novelty has not worn off. Although the running is slow, the footing is surprisingly good, what with soft ground under the snow. Carry water if you plan on running more than 10K, as it will take longer than in the summer. Friends have told me over and over to include a warning when giving advice on running, but I can't remember why, so I'll make it up: Use the ropes when running cliffs in less than 2 feet of snow. There. That should help.
How's the weather? Having fun running through a foot of snow on traffic snarled roads? We have 4cm on the ground and the TRAIL running is perfect. See you soon!
Unfortunately, most weather forecasters live in Toronto and if they are predicting local accumulation, I don't think they truly care what might happen in hicksville Creetown. We have 4cm of snow, no doubt. In fact, I think we are getting about 4cm per hour at the current rate. I found the tractor, so I shouldn't complain too much. Better yet, it had fuel, so all I had to do was plug it in, wait for another 4cm of snow to fall, then start it. Cleared the laneway, which is about a half kilometer long. By the time I was done, it was only 4cm deep. I can wait until tomorrow to blow it again.
Ran 13K with Lee Anne on Christmas day. We were going to run road as the Run4RKids race is in 10 days and takes place on an indoor track. I have considerable trouble running on roads (or the treadmill) when the trails are still hypothetically runnable. Since the roads were a bit greasy, we decided to run Collingwood Street, which happens to have a 4K hill (Hill #1 on the CVC course is the top part of this hill). At the top of the hill is the gully, which has a stream crossing, then another hill on the far side. My theory (I know, red warning lights are flashing everywhere) is that the stream crossing would be easy, as it was -5C and the snow was not melting. I suggested that we run the gully. Apparently, I miscalculated by about 20 feet. That's how wide the "stream" was at the trail. Through some creative hopping and tree climbing, I stayed dry, but Lee Anne got one foot wet. As we were out for a short run (Lee Anne only ran 30K), it was not overly significant. Since the trails had about 4 inches of snow, it took us 90 minutes to cover the first 10K. I'm okay with that, as I need some time on my feet.
With the Creemore snow run in a mere 17 days away, I am duty-bound to run the course today. The trail portions have a foot of snow, but there are some drifts that might make this into a challenging run... I'm also toying with running the course in reverse, so that I can hang the ropes. Can't wait!
If you are lucky enough to have some time off this week, do get out for a run in the snow. It is a lot of fun this time of year, as the novelty has not worn off. Although the running is slow, the footing is surprisingly good, what with soft ground under the snow. Carry water if you plan on running more than 10K, as it will take longer than in the summer. Friends have told me over and over to include a warning when giving advice on running, but I can't remember why, so I'll make it up: Use the ropes when running cliffs in less than 2 feet of snow. There. That should help.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Post Holing in December!
High winds last night, with a bit of snow. It's funny how unprepared you are to comprehend there are drifts between the house and the driveway. Not to sound overly pessimistic, but I place a snow shovel near the front door in late August. It was needed this morning. I even plugged in the tractor and blew snow from the laneway. It didn't really need clearing, but it is good to confirm the snowblower is operational before a foot of snow drops.
Ran the ridge run today. This run is 7.5K, comprised of trail and road and a scattering of cliffs. Challenging, with the odd knee high drift. I took the ropes down at the cliffs for use on the Creemore 100 mile course and have not yet put them up in their normal spots. Nothing like a bit of scrambling on a short run!
The first field section had a good sized drift along the river. It was something else, hyperventilating less than 1K from the start. Ah! The joy of trail running in the winter!
Gearing up for the Run4Rkids 6 hour event. Haven't run on an indoor track in years. I figure running snow laden trails is completely similar to the indoor track?
Anyway, off from work for 11 days and hoping to run more often. Keep warm and enjoy the winter running!
Ran the ridge run today. This run is 7.5K, comprised of trail and road and a scattering of cliffs. Challenging, with the odd knee high drift. I took the ropes down at the cliffs for use on the Creemore 100 mile course and have not yet put them up in their normal spots. Nothing like a bit of scrambling on a short run!
The first field section had a good sized drift along the river. It was something else, hyperventilating less than 1K from the start. Ah! The joy of trail running in the winter!
Gearing up for the Run4Rkids 6 hour event. Haven't run on an indoor track in years. I figure running snow laden trails is completely similar to the indoor track?
Anyway, off from work for 11 days and hoping to run more often. Keep warm and enjoy the winter running!
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Creemore 100 Mile Challenge: Soul Sucking Mud!
This time I would like to start by thanking all the people who put effort into this event!
Jodi Langely, race director. The Creemore 100M is a Fatass (free) event, so you know how much Jodi makes from the race. She also committed her own funds to any items that are imperative to a successful race, but might not be supplied by the runners. In a fatass, the runners supply all the materials for the event, but Jodi could not leave to chance that some runner would show up with a port-a-potty. So she ordered one. And belt buckles, propane tanks, tarps and 1,000,000 other items. I am positive Jodi is out of pocket. I just don't know by how much.
Stuart Lombard. Stuart has a beautiful house in the hills surrounding Creemore. He does not need the inconvenience of having 40+ runners (includes pacers) on his trails for 10 - 15 loops. Fortunately, Stuart is not only a neighbor, but a runner and has a keen passion for the sport. Securing a key component of the 100 mile course (Stuart's trail) was too easy, as Stuart was more than willing to share his trail.
Volunteers. I would truly love to list all their names, but would miss some for sure, as I did not see or speak with them all. Some showed up Friday evening and left Sunday afternoon. All were pivotal in assisting the runners when bad weather turned to cataclysmic Armageddon late Saturday night.
Runners. It might seem strange to thank the runners in an event that is free. They just sign up, show up, hand over items they need to run the race, and run. The runners make the biggest effort in any race. I would propose that for the 2012 Creemore 100 Mile Challenge, they dug a little deeper. Even those who did not grasp the belt buckle at the end of 100 miles, went well beyond what most runners are willing to endure in the name of testing oneself.
Runners 16, Weather 11
In case you have ever had a hypothetical debate about what is the toughest running conditions, the answer is mud. The race started with -5C and snow. Footing was good, required more energy than running on dry trail, but no wasted effort in forward motion. About 6 hours into the race, -2 and ice became the dominant surface. Ice requires careful foot placement, slowing down and always having an escape route. Runners in the 2012 Creemore Vertical Challenge will appreciate the following... 18 hours after the race started, at 02:00 on Sunday morning, the course was deluged by pounding rain, +3 degrees and 50 KPH winds. As reported by almost every runner, the course could not be navigated, let alone run. A course that is normally run with some effort at 1:20, became a nightmare to complete in under 2 hours. A good example is Steve Beach's time. In 2010, Steve was second overall in a time of 21:58. The course had about 3 inches of snow. Today, Steve finished in 26:53. In Steve's word, when his pacer, the accomplished Adi Schnall had to stop supporting him, "I fell apart". A 5 hour difference!
Dale Draaistra is on the podium at ultras with annoying regularity. Granted, the running earlier in the day was "easier", but completing a loop of the 10.6K Creemore loop in under 1:10 is very tough. Dale ran 4 loops (an ultra in itself) in under 1:10 per loop! Dale shaved almost 2 HOURS off the record. And Steve Parker was not far behind, in a time of 19:22. Kiriam, one of Ontario's finest ultra runners (she lives in Barrie, practically a neighbor!), clocked the 100 miles in 20:24. Wow!
The other 13 finishers were Andrew (25:20), Bill (27:43), Catherine (28:46), Debbie (22:03), Eman (25:01), Keith (also from Barrie - 23:01), Lisa (21:11!), Phil (24:51), Sharon (25:21), Steve Beach (26:53), Stephen Bradshaw (25:32), Scott Garrett (23:29 - his 12th 100 Miler in 2012!) and Wayne (22:23). A special note about Wayne Cho. This was his first ultra race. Yes, 100 miles. Go big or go home! Wayne is no stranger to running, having run across Canada... I would classify that feat as an ultra!
The weather started moderate for Ontario in December, got a bit worse, then turn downright nasty. At 04:30 Sunday morning, the 5K aid station called that they were not able to support runners as they were holding on to the 2 tents, or the tents would blow away. I headed up to the AS pronto, leaving my coffee at the start/finish behind. We did a complete makeover of the AS in about 15 minutes!
Runners who routinely complete long ultras were dropping like flies. Those who persevered versus those who dropped made no sense. Lee Anne (my wife) dropped at 94K, a long distance for her, but well within her means. One of this year's ultra phenoms, Jeff Ishazawa? Not today. Kinga and Stephan Miklos? Although both claimed to be under-trained, dropped. Chris Battaglia (sorry about the spelling)? Mr. automatic, who although not the fastest, hit the finish line about 35 times in 2012? Forced down to a walk, with time running out.
All runners deserve to be proud of their accomplishments this weekend, in weather that was not conducive to finishing a 20K, let alone 160.9946K. Well done.
After the race, a host helped clean up. Jodi, who had not slept since early Saturday morning, reminded me of the eveready bunny. I think she was afraid to shut her eyes, as it could very well mean waking up Monday morning! We had some interesting items left at the race site. Normally, Lee Anne and I are grateful for the odd gel or bottle of Gatorade left behind by someone too tired to care about finding such an item, when heading home. This race, we had leftover gels, head lights and a car. Unfortunately, Kiriam came by Sunday afternoon to pick up the car...
Quote of the race stems from a Michigan runner. I think his name is Phil and I paraphrase, as I was too tired to remember it accurately: "I have never seen a trail in such bad condition, that I could not walk it. I had to walk among the trees in order to find some footing". This from an experienced trail runner!
A last note on garbage. After breaking trail at Dirty Girls last year, I made the mistake of mentioning to Kinga Miklos that when people drop garbage on the trail, they should do so near a flag, so the volunteer does not have to bend down an extra time to pick up the garbage. I almost avoided the explosion. Kinga was adamant that YOU DO NOT LEAVE ANY GARBAGE ON THE TRAIL. She is, of course, 100% correct. If you eat a gel, put the garbage back in your pouch. Yes, it is sticky, that is too bad. At Dirty Girls, I collected 2 garbage bags of trash from the trails. Granted, a lot was trail tape. At the Creemore 100 Mile race? I found 1 gel container, 1 bottle from a hydration belt and a baggy with 3-4 salt caps. I honestly believe that none of these were deliberately thrown onto the trail. If someone who has run for 25 hours can carry out their trash, so can someone running a 10K.
Will there be another Creemore 100 Miler? To be honest, although the weather has been nasty, we have not seen extremes that can occur in early December. It is also an expensive proposition to undertake. The cost, coupled with the potential for more serious issues (no marshals, no ambulance, inadequate quarters at the 5K aid station and a plethora of other potential risks), dictates that the event should not be repeated. There is talk of a point-to-point 100 miler in the area around the same timing. There is definitely demand for such an event, but the demand should be met with adequate precautions.
Cheers!
Jodi Langely, race director. The Creemore 100M is a Fatass (free) event, so you know how much Jodi makes from the race. She also committed her own funds to any items that are imperative to a successful race, but might not be supplied by the runners. In a fatass, the runners supply all the materials for the event, but Jodi could not leave to chance that some runner would show up with a port-a-potty. So she ordered one. And belt buckles, propane tanks, tarps and 1,000,000 other items. I am positive Jodi is out of pocket. I just don't know by how much.
Stuart Lombard. Stuart has a beautiful house in the hills surrounding Creemore. He does not need the inconvenience of having 40+ runners (includes pacers) on his trails for 10 - 15 loops. Fortunately, Stuart is not only a neighbor, but a runner and has a keen passion for the sport. Securing a key component of the 100 mile course (Stuart's trail) was too easy, as Stuart was more than willing to share his trail.
Volunteers. I would truly love to list all their names, but would miss some for sure, as I did not see or speak with them all. Some showed up Friday evening and left Sunday afternoon. All were pivotal in assisting the runners when bad weather turned to cataclysmic Armageddon late Saturday night.
Runners. It might seem strange to thank the runners in an event that is free. They just sign up, show up, hand over items they need to run the race, and run. The runners make the biggest effort in any race. I would propose that for the 2012 Creemore 100 Mile Challenge, they dug a little deeper. Even those who did not grasp the belt buckle at the end of 100 miles, went well beyond what most runners are willing to endure in the name of testing oneself.
Runners 16, Weather 11
In case you have ever had a hypothetical debate about what is the toughest running conditions, the answer is mud. The race started with -5C and snow. Footing was good, required more energy than running on dry trail, but no wasted effort in forward motion. About 6 hours into the race, -2 and ice became the dominant surface. Ice requires careful foot placement, slowing down and always having an escape route. Runners in the 2012 Creemore Vertical Challenge will appreciate the following... 18 hours after the race started, at 02:00 on Sunday morning, the course was deluged by pounding rain, +3 degrees and 50 KPH winds. As reported by almost every runner, the course could not be navigated, let alone run. A course that is normally run with some effort at 1:20, became a nightmare to complete in under 2 hours. A good example is Steve Beach's time. In 2010, Steve was second overall in a time of 21:58. The course had about 3 inches of snow. Today, Steve finished in 26:53. In Steve's word, when his pacer, the accomplished Adi Schnall had to stop supporting him, "I fell apart". A 5 hour difference!
Dale Draaistra is on the podium at ultras with annoying regularity. Granted, the running earlier in the day was "easier", but completing a loop of the 10.6K Creemore loop in under 1:10 is very tough. Dale ran 4 loops (an ultra in itself) in under 1:10 per loop! Dale shaved almost 2 HOURS off the record. And Steve Parker was not far behind, in a time of 19:22. Kiriam, one of Ontario's finest ultra runners (she lives in Barrie, practically a neighbor!), clocked the 100 miles in 20:24. Wow!
The other 13 finishers were Andrew (25:20), Bill (27:43), Catherine (28:46), Debbie (22:03), Eman (25:01), Keith (also from Barrie - 23:01), Lisa (21:11!), Phil (24:51), Sharon (25:21), Steve Beach (26:53), Stephen Bradshaw (25:32), Scott Garrett (23:29 - his 12th 100 Miler in 2012!) and Wayne (22:23). A special note about Wayne Cho. This was his first ultra race. Yes, 100 miles. Go big or go home! Wayne is no stranger to running, having run across Canada... I would classify that feat as an ultra!
The weather started moderate for Ontario in December, got a bit worse, then turn downright nasty. At 04:30 Sunday morning, the 5K aid station called that they were not able to support runners as they were holding on to the 2 tents, or the tents would blow away. I headed up to the AS pronto, leaving my coffee at the start/finish behind. We did a complete makeover of the AS in about 15 minutes!
Runners who routinely complete long ultras were dropping like flies. Those who persevered versus those who dropped made no sense. Lee Anne (my wife) dropped at 94K, a long distance for her, but well within her means. One of this year's ultra phenoms, Jeff Ishazawa? Not today. Kinga and Stephan Miklos? Although both claimed to be under-trained, dropped. Chris Battaglia (sorry about the spelling)? Mr. automatic, who although not the fastest, hit the finish line about 35 times in 2012? Forced down to a walk, with time running out.
All runners deserve to be proud of their accomplishments this weekend, in weather that was not conducive to finishing a 20K, let alone 160.9946K. Well done.
After the race, a host helped clean up. Jodi, who had not slept since early Saturday morning, reminded me of the eveready bunny. I think she was afraid to shut her eyes, as it could very well mean waking up Monday morning! We had some interesting items left at the race site. Normally, Lee Anne and I are grateful for the odd gel or bottle of Gatorade left behind by someone too tired to care about finding such an item, when heading home. This race, we had leftover gels, head lights and a car. Unfortunately, Kiriam came by Sunday afternoon to pick up the car...
Quote of the race stems from a Michigan runner. I think his name is Phil and I paraphrase, as I was too tired to remember it accurately: "I have never seen a trail in such bad condition, that I could not walk it. I had to walk among the trees in order to find some footing". This from an experienced trail runner!
A last note on garbage. After breaking trail at Dirty Girls last year, I made the mistake of mentioning to Kinga Miklos that when people drop garbage on the trail, they should do so near a flag, so the volunteer does not have to bend down an extra time to pick up the garbage. I almost avoided the explosion. Kinga was adamant that YOU DO NOT LEAVE ANY GARBAGE ON THE TRAIL. She is, of course, 100% correct. If you eat a gel, put the garbage back in your pouch. Yes, it is sticky, that is too bad. At Dirty Girls, I collected 2 garbage bags of trash from the trails. Granted, a lot was trail tape. At the Creemore 100 Mile race? I found 1 gel container, 1 bottle from a hydration belt and a baggy with 3-4 salt caps. I honestly believe that none of these were deliberately thrown onto the trail. If someone who has run for 25 hours can carry out their trash, so can someone running a 10K.
Will there be another Creemore 100 Miler? To be honest, although the weather has been nasty, we have not seen extremes that can occur in early December. It is also an expensive proposition to undertake. The cost, coupled with the potential for more serious issues (no marshals, no ambulance, inadequate quarters at the 5K aid station and a plethora of other potential risks), dictates that the event should not be repeated. There is talk of a point-to-point 100 miler in the area around the same timing. There is definitely demand for such an event, but the demand should be met with adequate precautions.
Cheers!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Pre-Race Report: Creemore 100 Mile Challenge
Is there such a thing as good weather in Creemore? We all know there is exciting weather in Creemore. The Creemore Vertical Challenge in July experienced 3 inches of rain in the first hour of the 50K race. The runners probably did not notice since they were busy trying to avoid being struck by lightning and to climb hills that were conveniently converted into mudslides. What fun!
And in previous years, brutal baking hot temperatures made sure the runners heart rates were tapped out on the flats (or is it the flat?), let alone while striving to run up a 600 foot vertical hill in the heat... More fun!
In 2009, the OUS Spring Warm-up was held in Avening, a hamlet quite near Creemore. The race started in gale force winds and sleet, then the weather turned bad... I was asked by 2 runners if they could run the course backwards (counterclockwise instead of clockwise). Why? When running clockwise, the section of the course that went north was on top of the Niagara Escarpment and they were not able to make headway into the wind... The fun never stops, enjoy the buffet!
So when the long range forecast for December 1 & 2 called for sunny skies and a high of +3, I waited... And waited. I even had the temerity to joke that if the weather was good (okay, I'll say it - IDEAL) I would catch flak from those who had braved the Spring and July races. Now that the forecast has turned south, what the hell was I thinking, taunting the weather gods? Will I ever learn? No, don't answer that. I'm 54 and don't need the constant reminders.
For those of you reading this blog with trepidation (that would be the 29 rationally challenged individuals who signed up for the Creemore 100 Mile Challenge), rest assured that the weather is not horrific. There, now I've eased your minds!
I ran the course this morning and it is in surprisingly good shape. To preface the course update, it has been snowing "a bit" in Creemore for the last 3 days. The backroads have about 2 inches of snow (most have not seen a plow) and the trails have about 3 inches of snow. The footing is mostly good, with a few slippery parts. I have added a rope with knots at the steep downhill leading to the ridge run (the trail with 20 foot cliffs on each side) and cut stairs directly before the beaver dam.
The course requires effort to run, but has several long, gradual downhill sections where recovery is facilitated. You still need to burn calories to complete the 10.6K loop, but it is not a constant grind. I ran the 3 uphills (since I was only running one loop) and although tough, the course is not much more effort than running it when dry.
A huge thanks to Elise Maguire, who will be marking the course on Friday. I have run out of spare vacation days (I only get 34 per year) so it will be nice to ensure the course is well prepped the day before the race. Elise needs volunteer hours on the trail (as opposed to at an aid station) for entry into a race (I have forgotten which). Not a bad idea! Although fun, setting a course requires considerable time and effort. Much appreciated, Elise!
Well, let's get it over with... The Forecast:
Saturday:
Good! Cloudy with a low of -4 and warming to +2. This should keep the course from getting too muddy. Not too cold, so changing clothes every loop is not needed. The footing should be good (frozen) until later in the day.
Sunday:
Could be worse... A low of +2 and a high of +7. Light rain. The course will degenerate overnight. Hopefully, the runners will be far enough into their race that 2 - 3 final loops in the rain will not be significant. Change into dry clothes every loop or simply push through. I talked to Jeff Ashizawa after his 48 hours at Dirty Girls and he claims the runners would have done much better had it rained Saturday instead of Friday. Perhaps Jeff is the reason for the forecast? Jeff: Did you want rain on Sunday? Probably an academic question as Jeff is likely to finish before the rains makes an appearance.
Volunteers!
The Creemore 100 Mile Challenge is a Fatass. What this means is that it is not a sanctioned race. No person or body assumes responsibility for race details, such as aid station stock, volunteers, insurance, etc. This is all the responsibility of the runners. Hence the race is "Free" (try telling that to yours legs at the finish) as no one is ensuring the well-being of the runners. A good example is there are currently positions available for volunteers at the 5K aid station on Saturday night. If these positions are not filled, there will be less support for the runners. This is fine, as the runners simply need to take care of their hydration / nutrition requirements themselves. However...
Come on down to Creemore for an action packed night of cheering, yelling and yes, even whooping! We have 29 runners who would truly love to see you Saturday night / early Sunday morning. See the greats, such as Stephan and Kinga Miklos, the incredible Jeff Ishazawa and returning from an amazing showing at the 24 hour worlds, Sharon Zelinski! Get autograph worth hundreds of pennies! Rub shoulders with the who's who in Ontario Ultra running! Have the time of your life and most importantly, see people that look and feel much much worse than you!
A bit of a plug for vollies; please contact Jodi Langley if you can help out:
jodilangley3029@gmail.com
Hope to see you next Saturday!
And in previous years, brutal baking hot temperatures made sure the runners heart rates were tapped out on the flats (or is it the flat?), let alone while striving to run up a 600 foot vertical hill in the heat... More fun!
In 2009, the OUS Spring Warm-up was held in Avening, a hamlet quite near Creemore. The race started in gale force winds and sleet, then the weather turned bad... I was asked by 2 runners if they could run the course backwards (counterclockwise instead of clockwise). Why? When running clockwise, the section of the course that went north was on top of the Niagara Escarpment and they were not able to make headway into the wind... The fun never stops, enjoy the buffet!
So when the long range forecast for December 1 & 2 called for sunny skies and a high of +3, I waited... And waited. I even had the temerity to joke that if the weather was good (okay, I'll say it - IDEAL) I would catch flak from those who had braved the Spring and July races. Now that the forecast has turned south, what the hell was I thinking, taunting the weather gods? Will I ever learn? No, don't answer that. I'm 54 and don't need the constant reminders.
For those of you reading this blog with trepidation (that would be the 29 rationally challenged individuals who signed up for the Creemore 100 Mile Challenge), rest assured that the weather is not horrific. There, now I've eased your minds!
I ran the course this morning and it is in surprisingly good shape. To preface the course update, it has been snowing "a bit" in Creemore for the last 3 days. The backroads have about 2 inches of snow (most have not seen a plow) and the trails have about 3 inches of snow. The footing is mostly good, with a few slippery parts. I have added a rope with knots at the steep downhill leading to the ridge run (the trail with 20 foot cliffs on each side) and cut stairs directly before the beaver dam.
The course requires effort to run, but has several long, gradual downhill sections where recovery is facilitated. You still need to burn calories to complete the 10.6K loop, but it is not a constant grind. I ran the 3 uphills (since I was only running one loop) and although tough, the course is not much more effort than running it when dry.
A huge thanks to Elise Maguire, who will be marking the course on Friday. I have run out of spare vacation days (I only get 34 per year) so it will be nice to ensure the course is well prepped the day before the race. Elise needs volunteer hours on the trail (as opposed to at an aid station) for entry into a race (I have forgotten which). Not a bad idea! Although fun, setting a course requires considerable time and effort. Much appreciated, Elise!
Well, let's get it over with... The Forecast:
Saturday:
Good! Cloudy with a low of -4 and warming to +2. This should keep the course from getting too muddy. Not too cold, so changing clothes every loop is not needed. The footing should be good (frozen) until later in the day.
Sunday:
Could be worse... A low of +2 and a high of +7. Light rain. The course will degenerate overnight. Hopefully, the runners will be far enough into their race that 2 - 3 final loops in the rain will not be significant. Change into dry clothes every loop or simply push through. I talked to Jeff Ashizawa after his 48 hours at Dirty Girls and he claims the runners would have done much better had it rained Saturday instead of Friday. Perhaps Jeff is the reason for the forecast? Jeff: Did you want rain on Sunday? Probably an academic question as Jeff is likely to finish before the rains makes an appearance.
Volunteers!
The Creemore 100 Mile Challenge is a Fatass. What this means is that it is not a sanctioned race. No person or body assumes responsibility for race details, such as aid station stock, volunteers, insurance, etc. This is all the responsibility of the runners. Hence the race is "Free" (try telling that to yours legs at the finish) as no one is ensuring the well-being of the runners. A good example is there are currently positions available for volunteers at the 5K aid station on Saturday night. If these positions are not filled, there will be less support for the runners. This is fine, as the runners simply need to take care of their hydration / nutrition requirements themselves. However...
Come on down to Creemore for an action packed night of cheering, yelling and yes, even whooping! We have 29 runners who would truly love to see you Saturday night / early Sunday morning. See the greats, such as Stephan and Kinga Miklos, the incredible Jeff Ishazawa and returning from an amazing showing at the 24 hour worlds, Sharon Zelinski! Get autograph worth hundreds of pennies! Rub shoulders with the who's who in Ontario Ultra running! Have the time of your life and most importantly, see people that look and feel much much worse than you!
A bit of a plug for vollies; please contact Jodi Langley if you can help out:
jodilangley3029@gmail.com
Hope to see you next Saturday!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Creemore 100 Mile Training Run
Practice makes perfect, so in order to prepare for a 100 mile race, it is important to preview as many facets of the race as possible. This applies mainly to the runners, but is also important for pacers, volunteers and the race directors.
A training run also helps with the last minute details. Do we need a port-a-potty for 30 runners? Not necessarily, but what about the 20+ pacers and 25+ volunteers? Suddenly my cute little bathroom looks ill equipped to handle 75+ people over the weekend! There was also some secret details to discuss and what better place than the anonymity of the trail?
The nicest aspect of a training run is that it is a chance for runners, pacers, volunteers etc. to get out for a run, but also spend some time socializing after a "short" (only 6 hours!) run. This typically does not happen after a 100 miler, as everyone is cold and tired. A bed has more appeal than sharing a glass of wine with a friend! So we sat after the training run for a surprisingly long time, discussing the beautiful weather (it was sunny and 8C) and the upcoming race.
I am recovering from a cold that has an annoying aspect; I cough incessantly throughout the night. I had doubts that I could run today, but gave it a try anyway. Got in 10.6K on a beautiful day, with about 20 friends. Could not have asked for more! Might even go out for a repeat tomorrow.
Got some pictures, including a great shot of Jeff, Marylou, Maryka and Jodi high-fiving (yes, it's a real word, don't bother looking it up) after completing 4 or 5 loops of the course. Also of Ron and his pacer (yes, I'm terrible with names, how did you know?):
2 weeks until race day!
A training run also helps with the last minute details. Do we need a port-a-potty for 30 runners? Not necessarily, but what about the 20+ pacers and 25+ volunteers? Suddenly my cute little bathroom looks ill equipped to handle 75+ people over the weekend! There was also some secret details to discuss and what better place than the anonymity of the trail?
The nicest aspect of a training run is that it is a chance for runners, pacers, volunteers etc. to get out for a run, but also spend some time socializing after a "short" (only 6 hours!) run. This typically does not happen after a 100 miler, as everyone is cold and tired. A bed has more appeal than sharing a glass of wine with a friend! So we sat after the training run for a surprisingly long time, discussing the beautiful weather (it was sunny and 8C) and the upcoming race.
I am recovering from a cold that has an annoying aspect; I cough incessantly throughout the night. I had doubts that I could run today, but gave it a try anyway. Got in 10.6K on a beautiful day, with about 20 friends. Could not have asked for more! Might even go out for a repeat tomorrow.
Got some pictures, including a great shot of Jeff, Marylou, Maryka and Jodi high-fiving (yes, it's a real word, don't bother looking it up) after completing 4 or 5 loops of the course. Also of Ron and his pacer (yes, I'm terrible with names, how did you know?):
2 weeks until race day!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Phlegm Phor All!
Sorry about the title... Lee Anne and I are both sick and I have come to the conclusion that the reason I get so tired when sick is because it takes a tremendous amount of energy to convert half my body weight into phlegm...
I had visions of writing this entry about how fabulous it felt to run 25K this weekend, even though I'm ill. Guess what? I did not go for a run. I cut the grass on about 600 meters of the Creemore 100 Mile course, which left me panting, sweating and in dire need of a nap. Lee Anne ran 51K on Friday, took Saturday off, then 50K on Sunday. She is as sick as I am, so apparently we know who is the macho member of our family.
So, that's it! No run this weekend (probably for the best), but I hope to be back on the trails tomorrow.
I keep dreaming that the weather for the 100 mile race on December 1&2 will be close to what we had today: Blue skies, warm (for December) and DRY trails. I know I'm dreaming and if it did transpire, several of the Creemore Vertical Challenge 50K alumni would be out to lynch me. Nevertheless, the local trails are in fine shape and one can only hope that they remain decent, until the race.
A huge thanks to Stuart Lombard, who is allowing us to run his trail (the ridge run) for the training run on Saturday, November 17 and for the race on December 1,2. Stuart is also a runner and I hope he runs a loop or two with us next weekend.
Cheers!
I had visions of writing this entry about how fabulous it felt to run 25K this weekend, even though I'm ill. Guess what? I did not go for a run. I cut the grass on about 600 meters of the Creemore 100 Mile course, which left me panting, sweating and in dire need of a nap. Lee Anne ran 51K on Friday, took Saturday off, then 50K on Sunday. She is as sick as I am, so apparently we know who is the macho member of our family.
So, that's it! No run this weekend (probably for the best), but I hope to be back on the trails tomorrow.
I keep dreaming that the weather for the 100 mile race on December 1&2 will be close to what we had today: Blue skies, warm (for December) and DRY trails. I know I'm dreaming and if it did transpire, several of the Creemore Vertical Challenge 50K alumni would be out to lynch me. Nevertheless, the local trails are in fine shape and one can only hope that they remain decent, until the race.
A huge thanks to Stuart Lombard, who is allowing us to run his trail (the ridge run) for the training run on Saturday, November 17 and for the race on December 1,2. Stuart is also a runner and I hope he runs a loop or two with us next weekend.
Cheers!
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