Because it's there...

I've just done something that may turn out to be very, very foolish. I volunteered to run Leg 9 of the Cabot Trail Relay at the end of May. Here's how the organizers describe it:

17.84 km Rating 5 (start time: 1955hrs) Time to put on the reflective vest! This leg makes Smokey look like a piece of cake. North Mountain in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park climbs 385 km & reaches the top at 6.2 km then falls back to sea level. The route then levels off to finish at Mountain View Motel & Restaurant on the right at Pleasant Bay. Night will have fallen completely. The restaurant will be open and there will be two portables in the parking lot.

The road in the photo at the top of the post is a portion of the route. You can check out the elevation chart here.

I watched my friend David and 69 other runners complete Leg 9 in 2013 in total awe. How, I wondered, could anyone run up such a steep grade for 6.2 kms? Even more impressive were the downhill portions of the leg - more than 6 kms in length and just as steep. I was so damned proud of David. He did fantastically well and returned the next year to tackle the even tougher Leg 10 to the top of MacKenzie Mountain.

I've already run CTR four times - completing legs 1, 5, 12, and 14 - and my plan is do it just once more in honour of my 55th birthday in March. Given that it's likely to be my last CTR, I figured I might as well make it a good one, and running one of the mountain legs been on my bucket list since my first time out. I can't say why really. To quote George Mallory, "because it's there", I suppose.

That said, I confess to a moment of panic when the email arrived saying I'd been slotted in to run North Mountain. I've not done much hill training the past couple of years, and I'm a long way from being in top condition so it's not going to be easy. However, this isn't the first time I've taken on a big challenge. In the fall of 2013, I completed Cape to Cabot, the "toughest race in eastern North America". Comparing elevation charts for the two races, C2C actually has more ascents overall. And I ran C2C just five weeks after completing a full marathon, which made it more challenging.

Of course, the reality is that the hills on the C2C route are more spread out and I was three and a half years younger. Also, I ran it more slowly than I plan to run North Mountain. On the upside I've got nineteen weeks to train and three more years of racing experience. In addition, I'm determined not to let my teammates down.

I spent some time this week sketching out a training schedule. The goal is to run 4 times per week and include hills in nearly every run. For instance, two nights this week I changed my usual route so I could run up and down a long steep hill I normally avoid. I'll also do plenty of structured hill training as well as regular core workouts and yoga to keep everything in balance. I found some new strengthening exercises I'd like to build into my program as well.

For the rest of this month, my plan is to focus on solidifying my base and enhancing my diet to include more leafy greens and proteins. In early February, hill and speed training can begin in earnest. If the weather isn't cooperative, I'll hit the gym instead. Stay tuned for regular updates once I get underway.

In other news, Husband and I just spent an awesome weekend with two of our darling nieces. The girls live in the country and only get to the city now and again, so we had great fun showing them around and introducing them to the joys of public transit, the Museum of Natural History, the trampoline park (Get Air), the Emera Oval, and beavertails. They seemed to enjoy their time with us, but truthfully we enjoyed it more. They're at such fun and interesting ages, and were so appreciative of all that we did together. 

I offered to put her hair in a ponytail but she preferred to let it go wild

 

Showing off her gymnastics moves on the trampoline

With Husband on the ferry

First ride on a city bus

Littlest who skating on her own!

The weather here hasn't been too cold and miserable so far this winter. We've had a few brutal days here and there, but there have been lots of mild mornings like this too.

Hope winter's going well, wherever you are. Happy running and writing!

Running lessons: Jump first, train later!

So, I did it. I took the leap and registered for Cape to Cabot in St. Johns's in October - which means I've got some pretty serious training to do over the next couple of months. To prepare, I've promised myself no more long runs on my usual routes along abandoned rail beds. Instead, for the next 9 weeks, I'll slog my way up and down as many hills as possible.

Yesterday's 24 km run was from our house in Conquerall Bank to Crescent Beach. Here's the elevation chart.

None of the hills was as high as those I'll run in Newfoundland but I'm hoping my quads will get stronger through sheer repetition.

My run felt tougher yesterday because I didn't start it until mid-afternoon after driving my motorcycle from Halifax to Bridgewater in the morning (approx. 120 kms). I'd never done such a long trip before so was anxious about it. Would I be able to drive fast enough to avoid being a hazard to other drivers? Would the weather cooperate? As it turned out, I had a great ride though my lower back and arms were pretty tired by the time I reached our country place. I was on the road shortly after 7:00 a.m. so there wasn't much traffic and the route was much easier to drive than those on which I've been practicing in recent weeks. The only really scary bit was when I had to drive on Highway #103 for a few kilometres because the secondary highway was closed.  Here's a pic of Patti at Queensland Beach. I think maybe she's a beach girl like me.

And here are a few pics from yesterday's long run. Yes, I was dawdled - but I meant to. When I discussed my race plans with my chiro last week, he reminded me that "long slow runs" are supposed to be just that - long and slow - so I did my best to heed his advice and run 20-30 seconds per kilometre more slowly than I have been. I wasn't altogether successful so took more walk breaks than usual, which gave me lots of time to take pictures.

It was sunny and warm for the first 13 kms or so.

But I ran into a fog bank just outside LaHave.

From then on, there weren't many waterviews but the foggy landscape was pretty in its own way and I appreciated the cooler temperatures.

I also enjoyed the flowers and brightly painted houses along the way.

And encountered a rather irate mama osprey who took exception to me running by her nest and let me know it by swooping overhead, calling out in full voice that I should move along, move along.

When I finally arrived at the beach just after 5:00, Husband was waiting to drive me the last few kilometres to Risser's Beach, where I threw myself into the water for a refreshing swim before joining family at the campground for a BBQ supper.

Walking to the car later, I noticed the fog had cleared and the sky, though moonless, was bright with stars - so I thanked those lucky stars for the good fortune to live and run in such a beautiful place.

Happy running and writing, friends.

For the running geeks in the crowd, here's a summary of last week's training:
Total # runs: 4
Total distance: 45.5 kms
Longest run: 24.34 kms
Hill training: 1 x 4 hills
Tempo runs: 1 x 6 kms

Weekly Update: Back in the Groove!

Okay, I still haven't totally committed to attempting a marathon in September but I'm getting closer. When I finally recovered from jetlag last week, running started to feel more natural again and, this past weekend, I ran two strong training runs - 13.5k on Saturday and 8k on Sunday. If my runs continue to feel good in the next week or so, I'll knuckle down and make a plan to train for 42.2k.

I got back into other grooves this week too. I hadn't been on my motorcycle ("Patti") for about six weeks so I got her out of the shed and went for a quick tour of Easter Passage and Cow Bay last evening. Since the weather was so perfect, I decided to take my camera along and stopped a couple of time to take photos along the way.





I'm still struggling to learn how to use my new camera. I almost invariably end up editing more than I'd like because I haven't got the exposure quite right or didn't frame the subject improperly. On the other hand, I find the process of taking and editing photographs incredibly relaxing. As I stood on the shoreline last evening trying to get a clear shot of this paddler, I suddenly realized I was completely "in the moment". I wasn't thinking or worrying about anything - just savouring the beauty of what I was seeing and trying to capture some representation of it.



Which makes me think I should spend more time riding Patti and taking photographs this summer. Hmmm. I wonder how I'm going to do that and train for two big races in the fall.

NaNoWriMo - Day #13

It was an awesome weekend - full of running, writing and riding my pretty red motorcycle. I mentioned in my last post that I ran 8k on Saturday. I followed that up with a further 16k on Sunday. I'd intended to run again yesterday but was feeling pretty tired so spent the afternoon on my bike instead. My last stop was, Green Bay, where I took the photo above. It felt good to spend some serious time with my butt in the saddle  I haven't made it to 80 kms/hr yet but at least I'm feeling more comfortable on the highway.

When I started my long run Sunday, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the sunshine felt wonderful after the cool, dreary weather we had last week. I took this photo from Peace Park.

I can't say it was one of my better runs.  I think I was fighting a cold (successfully, it seems). Or maybe I was wearing the wrong shoes. Or maybe it was this weather system blowing in.

Fortunately, as ominous as the cloud bank looked, it didn't bring nasty weather and, by yesterday, the skies were clear and it was 17 degrees again - perfect for motorcycling.

I've been thinking about setting some new running goals lately. I'd like to do the Cabot Trail Relay again, and think I might tackle the 10th Bluenose Marathon. Since they're both tough races and take place just a week apart, it would be a good idea to run the Hypothermic Half in February as a warm-up as well. Before making any decisions, I'll have to confer with Husband to see what he thinks about me getting back into serious training mode. He might prefer that I focus on our various renovation projects instead. :-)

For those wondering about the writing project. It's going well. I hit 21,000 words before leaving for work this morning, and so far the plot still makes sense. I'll try to post another snippet tonight. The story is getting pretty dark and twisty but, then, it is a murder mystery. And I must say there seems to be something very cathartic about the exercise. I've been sleeping better in the past week than I have in a long while. Go figure.

A big thank you to my friend, Janet, who's training for her first full marathon and participating in NaNo as well. When we got together for our "write-in" on Saturday, she suggested I consider writing in shorter blocks of time, and it really seems to be working for me. Last week, I needed 2-3 hours to write 1,667 words. Now, I'm writing the same number of words in about half the time. The trick is to focus and stop myself from revising as I go. As I keep telling myself, there'll be lots of time for editing when/if I get the first draft done.

Have a great week, everyone! I'd love to hear how your running is going. Any big races planned?  And, if you're NaNoing too, how are you feeling on Day 13?

Autumn colours and reflections on why I want to ride

There's not a lot of time to blog today so I'll mostly let the pictures speak for themselves. Yesterday was an awesome day for running - mild and a bit foggy to start, with autumn colours making the route even prettier than usual. Husband joined me for the first half so I took advantage of the opportunity to get a photo of myself on the foot bridge.

And here's one of him.  Looking pretty darned great for a recently retired gentleman!

Though I was feeling good, I didn't make especially good time. The scenery was so lovely, I had to stop frequently to take photos.  There wasn't as much red as I like to see this time of year but the more subdued golds, oranges and yellows were lovely in the mist.  

And there were a few more intense bits of colour along the way.

Especially when the sun began breaking through the clouds.

I caught this image while waiting at an intersection for a light to change. Think it might be my Christmas card!  The red is holly and burning bush.

All in all, the run felt great and my left knee - which has been cranky since its encounter with a rock in June - feels fine this morning, so I hope I can get back to more serious training soon. I'd like to start thinking about next year's running goals. Another marathon? Another fund raiser? Another exotic locale?  Something to get my running juices flowing so I'm motivated to tackle hills a bit more often. :-)

On another topic entirely, I managed to ride my new motorcycle twice this weekend. It was a bit scary at times (who knew 70km/hr could feel so fast?!) but still lots of fun. I'm hoping the mild weather holds for a few more weeks. It would be nice to get in some longer rides before the cold weather arrives.

On the second half of my long run yesterday, I found myself pondering why I want to ride a motorcycle. I don't think it's because I'm having a mid-life crisis. I did that already. :-)  It's really just that I want to try something new - something that scares me a little, makes me laugh out loud and forces me to be more fully "present" in my life.

As Pirsig puts it in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance:

In a car you're always in a compartment, and because you're used to it you don't realize that through that car window everything you see is just more TV. You're a passive observer and it is all moving by you boringly in a frame. 

On a cycle the frame is gone. You're completely in contact with it all. You're in the scene, not just watching it anymore, and the sense of presence is overwhelming.

Have a great week! And happy running and/or riding, friends! 

Sky paintings 8: Risser's Beach

It was another wonderful weekend at Risser's Beach - with sunny, warm days followed by beautiful sunsets and cool, clear nights.  I took this shot while the guys were cooking supper. My niece asked me to take a photo of her "rock climbing" while I was at it.  

When I asked her what colour the clouds were, she replied "Purple, pink, blue, grey and white." Clever girl.

I think seeing the world through the eyes of a 5 year old is good for the artistic soul. 

Running lessons: Some things are worth getting up early for

As my family and friends will tell you, I am definitely not a morning person. In fact, in my perfect world I'd stay up late every night and roll into work sometime between10:00 and 11:00 after a leisurely coffee (or three) to get me started. Which is what made my decision to set my alarm for 6:30 both Saturday and Sunday mornings this past weekend a bit puzzling to say the least - particularly since I wasn't registered to run a race either day.

A mellow misty morning on the harbour

Resting and recovering in one of my favourite places: Herring Cove

After my long run through Shubie Park last weekend, my legs were tired and sore so I gave them a workout on Sunday and went for a long hike in one of my favourite places - Herring Cove Provincial Park Reserve just outside Halifax.  The trail is a bit hard to find if you've never been but it's soooo worth the effort.

I spent a very mellow couple of hours walking the trail and scrambling over rocks, as I watched fishing boats come and go and savoured the sounds of surf, birdsong and buoy bells far in the distance. The view there makes me feel I can see forever.

A perfect mid-winter night's run

(For Janet)

It was mild tonight with snow falling gently from a moonlit sky.

It felt good running through the still whiteness,
ice crunching underfoot,
fat snowflakes begging to be tasted,
abstracts forming on the surface of the pond,
cold, clear air filling every part of me.

How could I not run on a night such as this?

Running Lessons: To be or not to be ... present

A moment of quiet reflection in Peace Park

Many runners I know wouldn't dream of heading out the door without their ipods. They like the distraction and motivation of listening to high energy music while they run. Others tell me they use their running time to organize their day or solve complex problems. Still others say they "zone out" when they run. One acquaintance even told me he often got lost because he became so disconnected from reality that he no longer had any idea where he was or how to got there.

From the beginning, I've taken a different approach. I never listen to music. Instead, I listen to - well, whatever's around me - birds singing, waves pounding the shoreline, the wind in the trees, cars swooshing past, the soles of my shoes crunching on gravel beneath my feet, or the sound of my own breathing.  And, when I run, I don't solve problems or strategize about the future. I simply try to pay attention to the moment I'm in, to feel every sensation and to experience the wonder of being alive in such a beautiful world.

When I first started running, I sometimes dreaded going for a run - telling myself I just had "to get it over with."  Nine and a half years later, I try to begin every run grateful that I "get" to be out there, attentive to how my body's feeling on that particular day, and excited by another opportunity to explore my physical and psychological limits. 

It's why I like having my smart phone with me. Looking for images to capture helps me focus on the now, rather than zoning out or getting too caught up in my thoughts.  

Here's a link to a few of the pictures I've taken on my runs this fall.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on being present while you run. Or not.

Have I mentioned lately how much I like my commute?

We've had some grim, grey weather lately but this morning was gloriously cool, clear and sunny. As I stood waiting for the bus, Sullivan's Pond gleamed in the sunshine and the red and gold of the autumn leaves glowed. My heart lifted.

Most days, the best thing about my commute is my time on the ferry. I never tire of being on the water. I love the sound of waves splashing against the bow, the heavy salt scent in the air, and views that remind me of my city's dramatic history - Citadel Hill, George's Island, the Narrows.

The best thing about today's commute wasn't the ride on the ferry though. The best thing was climbing aboard the 8:45 bus and being greeted by John. John's been a bus driver for years and, judging by how he behaves, he seems to like his job. He greets every passenger warmly - most by name - and his passengers respond in kind, calling out to wish him a great day as they disembark.

My first morning in my new apartment, I didn't know the bus schedule so was still half a block away when the bus arrived at the stop. I started running in an effort to reach it before it pulled away - but gave up and began walking when I realized I was too late. At the same time, John saw me and hauled on the brakes, bringing the bus to a stop directly in front of me and opening the door to invite me aboard with a friendly smile. It was at that moment, I knew I'd done the right thing moving back to Nova Scotia.

So -  yes - I love my commute.

From work too - when I so often get the pleasure of seeing and photographing skies like the ones pictured  here.  I grabbed these shots with my smart phone en route to the ferry terminal tonight.