I'm unofficially part of the February challenge. How unofficial? I think I'm supposed to be running every day this month. For me, this is ludicrous on many levels. Due to injuries, I consider running 3 days in a row as a Capital Hot Streak. Similar to other runners, by February, I'm tired of running in 17 layers. It's not that I want 20C and sunny skies, but enough with the -15, gale force winds and whiteouts. Weather in Creemore is wonderful for most of the year (okay, uphill battle convincing you of that - let's move on) but in February and March, we atone for our sins. I also support physical inventory at Honda in Alliston. Not a big draw in terms of time, but scratch a couple of weekends. I also prepare for maple syrup season, scratch the remaining weekends.
Let's just say that I don't exactly exude back-to-backs during the February challenge...
However, I don't exactly sit on the couch, so the conditioning does not leave me entirely. Only running prepares you for races, but hauling a 100 kg evaporator through a foot of snow can get your heart rate up to rabbit levels. Last Sunday I spent about 4 hours on snow shoes and built the evaporator, a 2' X 6" drop flue Phaneuf evaporator, for those keeping score. I have about 40 hours work before I can start the evaporator. This includes tapping 250 trees. Listen carefully: Snowshoe to a tree, take your gloves off, pull the plug off the spile, drill a 19/64" hole 2.5 inches deep into the tree at a point at least 3 inches away from previous year's tap holes, tap in the spile connected to tubing, make the tubing taught, put your gloves back on, gather the drill, hammer and supplies, snowshoe to the next tree. Repeat 250 times. Not to mention getting the sugar shack ready (pump, refractometer, generator, feed lines, shovel snow) and connecting various main lines...
I make a profit of about $12 on a good year. Please do not ever mention the 2012 season to me. Ever.
The Ontario Trail/Ultra Series (OTS/OUS) Spring Warm-up approaches! Since I have so little to do in early April (only work, boil maple syrup and sleep), I am hosting the event this year. It is a lot of fun and if you have not run the Dunedin course, you might want to do so, in case the event is moved elsewhere in 2014. I really like the course! Red warning lights should be flashing all over the place just about now. I am not know for being overly fond of flat courses. About 800 meters of the course is flat! I should quickly mention that the last downhill from near Lavender back into the hamlet of Dunedin, is quite reminiscent of Scotland. You appear to be running the moors!
Currently, only 6 people are signed up. That is a 1 in 6 chance of winning free entry into most of the OTS/OUS events! Not bad, for $35. Plus there will be random prize draws. Last year we had about 20 prizes, mainly of pottery (please don't ask me about the 2012 maple syrup season). In case I have elevated your hopes to an unrealistic level, I should mention that most years, at least 30 people sign up for the fun run. Still, 1 in 30 for an outlay of $35 and a supported run in Dunedin?
Guinness World Book of Records:
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records-5000/fastest-time-to-run-a-marathon-and-ultra-marathon-on-each-continent/
Andrei emailed me yesterday and claimed that Creemore was the hardest of all the marathons and ultras! I like it when people lie!
For those interested, there is a free 50K run (you can run shorter) on Base Borden at the Buell gym this Sunday, February 24, at 09:00. I will have to pass as I plan to start tapping this weekend. Have fun, say hello to Armand and Lise for me!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Busy in the Winter?
I typically like to post once per week. This avoids having to cover several details or events in one posting, which unfortunately, will transpire in this one...
I have this irrational image of winter in which I have little scheduled and I can spend the weekends with my feet up by the fire, reading or posting to the blog. The reality is that I have extra chores (firewood, shovelling, blowing the laneway, minor house repairs, major house repairs), a few weekends are spent working (I help with physical inventory at Honda) and we still manage to sneak in a few races or scheduled fun runs. The ironic aspect of this blog is that I have to leave soon, so this will be (for me) the Readers Digest version...
Creemore Snow Run
A small group came out to enjoy the mud and swollen streams. The course is 7.5K, comprised of the first 6K of the Creemore Vertical Challenge and the final 1.5K. I run it about twice per week as it is my short run, so I am used to the slick mud and swollen stream crossings. Most winters, it is a taxing 7.5K, with a foot of snow on the trails and recovery on the roads. This year, torrential rain on the day before the run converted the course into something bordering on not runnable. Those that had weathered the 100 mile course on December 1 & 2 had this look in their eyes that indicated they were not ready to tackle unrelenting mud and treacherous stream crossings - again. However, a key ingredient of runners is their adaptability. Although conditions remained the same for the second loop, it seemed easier; almost fun. I think it was all a matter of perspective!
Base Borden 50K
Base Borden hosts a free 50K run on the last Sunday of January and February. Lee Anne and I gathered our courage (it was -15C) and headed out. I had no intention of running 50K, but was hoping for a solid 20K - 30K. I ended up completing 4 loops (20.8K) and was happy to stop as the course was starting to become slushy. The course is run on roads with traffic, so it is necessary to run the shoulder when meeting traffic. Many of the CFB Borden runners were on a cruise (Armand Leblanc, Lise Gagne, etc.) so there was a smaller group. Ken Moon came out to see if his PF injury was getting better and was able to run 20.8K. Hopefully he is on the road to recovery. Get it? On the road... Never mind.
Lee Anne was the only one of us to complete the 50K, which took her some time in the slush. Well done dear!
Coming soon: Maple syrup season and the OTS/OUS Spring Warm-up
Yeah, this will have to wait for another day, but the SW will again be hosted in Dunedin, one of the most challenging areas in which to run. I still recall someone asking a question at about 2.5K into the first hill, which happens to be about 3K long: "Did Pierre design this course? Oh, never mind"...
Feel the love!
I have this irrational image of winter in which I have little scheduled and I can spend the weekends with my feet up by the fire, reading or posting to the blog. The reality is that I have extra chores (firewood, shovelling, blowing the laneway, minor house repairs, major house repairs), a few weekends are spent working (I help with physical inventory at Honda) and we still manage to sneak in a few races or scheduled fun runs. The ironic aspect of this blog is that I have to leave soon, so this will be (for me) the Readers Digest version...
Creemore Snow Run
A small group came out to enjoy the mud and swollen streams. The course is 7.5K, comprised of the first 6K of the Creemore Vertical Challenge and the final 1.5K. I run it about twice per week as it is my short run, so I am used to the slick mud and swollen stream crossings. Most winters, it is a taxing 7.5K, with a foot of snow on the trails and recovery on the roads. This year, torrential rain on the day before the run converted the course into something bordering on not runnable. Those that had weathered the 100 mile course on December 1 & 2 had this look in their eyes that indicated they were not ready to tackle unrelenting mud and treacherous stream crossings - again. However, a key ingredient of runners is their adaptability. Although conditions remained the same for the second loop, it seemed easier; almost fun. I think it was all a matter of perspective!
Base Borden 50K
Base Borden hosts a free 50K run on the last Sunday of January and February. Lee Anne and I gathered our courage (it was -15C) and headed out. I had no intention of running 50K, but was hoping for a solid 20K - 30K. I ended up completing 4 loops (20.8K) and was happy to stop as the course was starting to become slushy. The course is run on roads with traffic, so it is necessary to run the shoulder when meeting traffic. Many of the CFB Borden runners were on a cruise (Armand Leblanc, Lise Gagne, etc.) so there was a smaller group. Ken Moon came out to see if his PF injury was getting better and was able to run 20.8K. Hopefully he is on the road to recovery. Get it? On the road... Never mind.
Lee Anne was the only one of us to complete the 50K, which took her some time in the slush. Well done dear!
Coming soon: Maple syrup season and the OTS/OUS Spring Warm-up
Yeah, this will have to wait for another day, but the SW will again be hosted in Dunedin, one of the most challenging areas in which to run. I still recall someone asking a question at about 2.5K into the first hill, which happens to be about 3K long: "Did Pierre design this course? Oh, never mind"...
Feel the love!
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Race Report: Run 4R Kids
I joked with a few of the runners at Run 4RK that I did not sign up for the 30K as I was undertrained for that distance, so I signed up for the 6 hour. "A" goal was to run further than 30K, B goal was to run at least 10.2% more than 30K (to indicate I was obviously so much better trained than the 30K runners) and C goal was the first ultra of the year. I also had sub-goals. Could I run for 3 hours before the first walk break? Could I run faster than my current tortoise training pace? Read on.
Run 4R Kids:
After last year's race, Lee Anne waxed eloquently about this charming race. I tend to discount her opinion about races as she is not the strongest trail runner and she had placed second female overall. If I ever place second male in a race, that race would be the best race ever! However, she assured me that the indoor trail had a number of hills and some river crossings, so I opted in.
Before much more confusion sets in, the course is a rough concrete flat oval track of about 240 meters in length. There are no river crossings, no hills, no trees and it was strongly recommended that you use the washrooms when nature calls, instead of going beside the track.
The event is organized by Cindy and Scott Gallagher. Neil Jefferson graciously stepped in on race day to help out and provide aid station supplies. The event is chip timed, which goes without saying, as there is no way to manually track the laps of 60+ people going around a 240ish meter oval for 6 hours. Chip Timing had a very cool display projected onto a screen, which showed the latest person to cross the timing mats, with their current total distance!
Race report:
My biggest concern of late is that I am training at a very slow pace. I can't seem to run at my normal pace and suspect that I will need to incorporate speed work into my training regiment. With knee surgery 5 months earlier and a lack of training, I was content to run at a slow and steady pace, while Cameron, Chris Baker and Marylou lapped me every 3 minutes... Note: I think "content" is the wrong word. No one likes being the tortoise in any race, but more so when it is so evident on a short oval. I also ran out of witty remarks as they constantly flew by. Imagine me, at a loss for words!
And so I slogged on, roughly 1:30 laps (one and a half minutes, not hours. Please, let's not be overly rude about a sore spot) going around and around. I tried Nuun in my water bottle for the first time. One nice aspect about running an indoor track is that you can pick up your water bottle, continue running and drink, then set it back down on your table after 1 loop. One downside to running an indoor track is that you can pick up your water bottle, continue running and drink. I think you see what I'm trying to say here! The only time you need to stop is to grab a gel, than back to running, as you eat the gel, then grab your water on the next loop to swallow the gel. The Nuun probably helped, as I felt comfortable running until 25K, which was further than my current long training runs.
How slow was my pace? It took almost 3 hours to hit 25K. At that point I was getting very tired. With considerable knee and back pain, although a baby ultra was still possible (42.3K), I was struggling with selling the trade-off to myself. Was running an ultra worth re-injuring my knee or back? I was woefully undertrained and not overly interested in a 3 hour painfest. As in any race, you need to set shorter goals, so I focused on hitting A goal (30K) before 3.5 hours and without walking breaks. I almost made it! At about 28.5K (I could not focus on the results screen any more) I had to take a walking break. I grabbed my Nuun/water bottle and walked a lap. I was then able to run until I hit 30K, at about 3.5 hours. After that, the intent was to walk a lap, then run a lap. Guess what? Didn't happen. I could not increase my speed past a painful hobble. I even tried sitting for 5 minutes, in the hopes of some recovery. I walked slowly until 33.95K, when my knee started hurting at a walking pace. Time to pull the plug!
As I said at the start, I'm satisfied with the results. It could have been worse. I'm sore this morning, but no more than the day after any other race. I have no lingering pain and I fully expect to be able to go for a run tomorrow.
Surprisingly, the race truly fills a niche. A fellow runner (I forget who) mentioned that Run 4R Kids is a rude wake-up call from the holiday season's excesses. Think running a flat 50K is a piece of cake? Put up or shut up. It was also a blast to see and talk to so many in the ultra community. For 2 years I have been relegated to the "trail" distances (14K - 25K) while I waited for, then recovered from surgery. Running the trail races (Ontario Trail Series) is a lot of fun, but I miss running with my ultra buddies. 33K also implies that with some serious training, I can run a 50K again this year.
The last 30 minutes of the race was quite exciting and chaotic. Cameron put on a finishing kick I could not have matched at the start of the race. He was clocking 1:12 and 1:14 laps, finishing with over 66K. Lee Anne finished with 51K, 3K under last year's result, but good enough for 4th women overall and great considering she is nursing an Achilles issue. I think the dark horse in the event was Chris Baker, who finished 4th overall. Until this year, Chris has not been known for his speed, but for doing well in longer events. He ran over 60K, which is a significant achievement and makes me wonder if 2013 will be the year of the Bakers? We all received nifty finishing medals which looked vaguely familiar...
So, now we wait for the Creemore snow run. It is open to all, but please note it is on Sunday, January 13. I have to work Saturday! Format: Starts at 09:00, run as many loops as you want on a course comprised of some trail (there is currently a foot of snow) and some country roads. We will have some cheese and crackers and soup after the run. Also some wine and Creemore suds to help with recovery...
Run 4R Kids:
After last year's race, Lee Anne waxed eloquently about this charming race. I tend to discount her opinion about races as she is not the strongest trail runner and she had placed second female overall. If I ever place second male in a race, that race would be the best race ever! However, she assured me that the indoor trail had a number of hills and some river crossings, so I opted in.
Before much more confusion sets in, the course is a rough concrete flat oval track of about 240 meters in length. There are no river crossings, no hills, no trees and it was strongly recommended that you use the washrooms when nature calls, instead of going beside the track.
The event is organized by Cindy and Scott Gallagher. Neil Jefferson graciously stepped in on race day to help out and provide aid station supplies. The event is chip timed, which goes without saying, as there is no way to manually track the laps of 60+ people going around a 240ish meter oval for 6 hours. Chip Timing had a very cool display projected onto a screen, which showed the latest person to cross the timing mats, with their current total distance!
Race report:
My biggest concern of late is that I am training at a very slow pace. I can't seem to run at my normal pace and suspect that I will need to incorporate speed work into my training regiment. With knee surgery 5 months earlier and a lack of training, I was content to run at a slow and steady pace, while Cameron, Chris Baker and Marylou lapped me every 3 minutes... Note: I think "content" is the wrong word. No one likes being the tortoise in any race, but more so when it is so evident on a short oval. I also ran out of witty remarks as they constantly flew by. Imagine me, at a loss for words!
And so I slogged on, roughly 1:30 laps (one and a half minutes, not hours. Please, let's not be overly rude about a sore spot) going around and around. I tried Nuun in my water bottle for the first time. One nice aspect about running an indoor track is that you can pick up your water bottle, continue running and drink, then set it back down on your table after 1 loop. One downside to running an indoor track is that you can pick up your water bottle, continue running and drink. I think you see what I'm trying to say here! The only time you need to stop is to grab a gel, than back to running, as you eat the gel, then grab your water on the next loop to swallow the gel. The Nuun probably helped, as I felt comfortable running until 25K, which was further than my current long training runs.
How slow was my pace? It took almost 3 hours to hit 25K. At that point I was getting very tired. With considerable knee and back pain, although a baby ultra was still possible (42.3K), I was struggling with selling the trade-off to myself. Was running an ultra worth re-injuring my knee or back? I was woefully undertrained and not overly interested in a 3 hour painfest. As in any race, you need to set shorter goals, so I focused on hitting A goal (30K) before 3.5 hours and without walking breaks. I almost made it! At about 28.5K (I could not focus on the results screen any more) I had to take a walking break. I grabbed my Nuun/water bottle and walked a lap. I was then able to run until I hit 30K, at about 3.5 hours. After that, the intent was to walk a lap, then run a lap. Guess what? Didn't happen. I could not increase my speed past a painful hobble. I even tried sitting for 5 minutes, in the hopes of some recovery. I walked slowly until 33.95K, when my knee started hurting at a walking pace. Time to pull the plug!
As I said at the start, I'm satisfied with the results. It could have been worse. I'm sore this morning, but no more than the day after any other race. I have no lingering pain and I fully expect to be able to go for a run tomorrow.
Surprisingly, the race truly fills a niche. A fellow runner (I forget who) mentioned that Run 4R Kids is a rude wake-up call from the holiday season's excesses. Think running a flat 50K is a piece of cake? Put up or shut up. It was also a blast to see and talk to so many in the ultra community. For 2 years I have been relegated to the "trail" distances (14K - 25K) while I waited for, then recovered from surgery. Running the trail races (Ontario Trail Series) is a lot of fun, but I miss running with my ultra buddies. 33K also implies that with some serious training, I can run a 50K again this year.
The last 30 minutes of the race was quite exciting and chaotic. Cameron put on a finishing kick I could not have matched at the start of the race. He was clocking 1:12 and 1:14 laps, finishing with over 66K. Lee Anne finished with 51K, 3K under last year's result, but good enough for 4th women overall and great considering she is nursing an Achilles issue. I think the dark horse in the event was Chris Baker, who finished 4th overall. Until this year, Chris has not been known for his speed, but for doing well in longer events. He ran over 60K, which is a significant achievement and makes me wonder if 2013 will be the year of the Bakers? We all received nifty finishing medals which looked vaguely familiar...
So, now we wait for the Creemore snow run. It is open to all, but please note it is on Sunday, January 13. I have to work Saturday! Format: Starts at 09:00, run as many loops as you want on a course comprised of some trail (there is currently a foot of snow) and some country roads. We will have some cheese and crackers and soup after the run. Also some wine and Creemore suds to help with recovery...
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
2012 in Review
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).
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).
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!
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