There's been no time for much besides work the past few day but, fortunately, there was a terrific sky as I headed to the ferry tonight and, since I was a few minutes ahead of schedule, I had time to grab two or three photos. This is one of them - tweaked only slightly to capture what I saw.
It's moments like this one that remind me why I'm so grateful to live where I do. Happy weekend, everybody!
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!
The weather hasn't been awfully reliable the past few weeks but we did get some warm temperatures over the Labour Day weekend. On Saturday, Husband and I took advantage of them by spending time at Broad Cove (pictured above). I drove my motorcycle there while Husband followed me in the car with all our gear. It was windy and cool on the beach but still quite wonderful. We pitched our sunbuster and read happily for a couple of hours before heading over to Best Coast Coffee for coffee and cake.
Lemon poppyseed cake with lemon curd and whipped cream, to be exact. Delicious! After our snack, I broke out my camera and we went for a walk around the cove so I could snap a few photos.
There's an old graveyard in Broad Cove with many stones dating from the 1800s. It was sad to see how young some of the people buried there were they died.
The children's graves made me especially sad.
On Sunday, I tackled a long run of 16k from our house in Conquerall Bank to LaHave. I didn't stop to take many pictures but couldn't resist grabbing a snap of these sunflowers. Aren't they glorious?
Husband met me in LaHave because we planned to have lunch there. Unfortunately, LaHave Bakery was packed on account of a folk festival taking place just up the road later that day so we drove back to Broad Cove and had a delicious lunch at the cafe instead. (The cafe's now closed for the season, but I'd highly recommend a stop there if you happen to find yourself in Broad Cove next summer. Both the food and ambiance are terrific.)
On Sunday evening we entertained good friends who were up from the Valley and, on Monday morning, I arranged to meet my buddy Dave for a mellow 8k recovery run along the river. By the time I was home and cleaned up, the sun was peaking through the clouds so Husband and I opted to abandon our chores and drive to Risser's Beach (my favourite place in the world) for a walk. Fortunately, we brought our gear with us (sunbuster, beach chairs, snacks, books) because, when we arrived, we discovered it was a perfect beach day.
Though quite muggy and hot, there were big waves to play in and enough wind and cloud cover to make the sun bearable. We swam twice and spent the rest of the afternoon reading and talking before finally heading home at suppertime.
En route, I asked Husband pull over so I could grab this shot.We're incredibly fortunate to live in such a beautiful part of the world.
All and all, my runs last week went pretty well. I managed four in total, including a longish 16k on a hilly route and two runs at a tempo-ish pace (for a total of 35k). Last night, after a long tiring day, I got myself out the door for my first hill training session, which felt remarkably good. Slowly but surely, my body seems to be adapting to this increased level of activity. I've even started to enjoy running again!
I've focused a lot on on my form lately, which seems to be helping. By the time I did my fourth hill last night, I was making better use of chi running techniques so it felt noticeably easier than the first three. In particular, my shoulders, calves and hamstrings were much looser and more relaxed. It was great to feel the difference good form can make.
The other thing I'm working on is my diet. It's time to get a better balance of calories in and out - particularly calories from wine and beer. With three weeks left to Rum Runners Relay, I'm hoping to drop a pound or two and ensure my body is properly fueled to tackle a fast (for me!) 13+ kms. I'll let you know how it goes.
There's not much else to report, so let me leave you with a video I saw this week. Is it any wonder I love living where I do?
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.
It was an "interesting" long run this weekend. To begin with, I was late leaving home. The combination of a busy work week, too little sleep several nights in a row, and a damp dreary morning meant I just couldn't get myself going. I only managed to get my butt out the door at all by promising myself I would cut the run short if I felt too awful. Of course, once I'd started, there was no way I was going to do that - I'm too darned stubborn - but somehow the ploy worked.
Even after I started my run, I couldn't seem to get into a groove. My body felt achy and stiff, the skies were grey and I found myself slogging through three or four inches of wet slush on the trails along the river. To make matters worse, I got lost taking a "short cut" through an unfamiliar park and ended up hiking through the snow-covered field pictured above to make my way back to familiar ground. I was cold, wet and embarrassed by the time I slipped through the gate beside the farmhouse.
The worst thing was the pain in my neck and shoulders. After a particularly demanding week at work, my shoulders felt as if they were fastened to my ears with bungee cords. No matter how often I relaxed them, the muscles in my neck, shoulders and upper back got taut again almost immediately - wasting energy and causing me some pretty serious discomfort.
I caught this image as I ran home from work through the Dartmouth Commons last evening. The two crows sitting quietly in the tree seemed to be enjoying the view as much as I was.
It's been awhile since I posted a "sky painting" - mostly because we've had so much grey, drizzly weather lately. Fortunately, the skies began to clear late this afternoon.
I'm looking forward to running 18kms in cold, clear sunshine tomorrow - but I still savoured the sky's grey, pink and mauve hues as dusk approached tonight.
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.
The sky was beautiful as I was driving back to the city last night. So beautiful I felt compelled to pull over and take a couple of quick photos, including this one which I took with my smartphone.
And these two which I took with my camera.
I think it's very cool that the blue in this one almost looks like water.
A painter friend once explained that you really can't make a mistake painting the sky because clouds come in an infinite variety of sizes, shapes and colours. Whatever you paint, he said, will look like the sky somewhere sometime - even if it doesn't turn out quite the way you intended.
Maybe - but I still wish I had the skill to paint the sky exactly as it looked yesterday afternoon when I took this photo. As lovely as the image is, it doesn't come close to capturing the intensity of the light as it poured through the clouds to the glowing sandbar beneath.
I was reminded tonight of one of the best things about running - how it offers such amazing opportunities to stumble upon unexpected beauty.
It was a lovely evening so I decided to run to and from the chiropractic clinic where I had an appointment. I'd never run there before and didn't have a lot of time so I took the most direct route across the city in order to avoid getting lost. (Dartmouth is an old city that straddles a series lakes so even the most "direct" route often involves a series of twists and turns.) After my treatment, I had more time to explore so decided to take a different, more interesting route back to my apartment.
Immediately after leaving the clinic, I saw a path through some trees that I hadn't noticed before and followed it to see where it would take me. I was delighted to discover it lead to an unexpectedly beautiful park that stretches for several kilometres along a nearby lake. I say "unexpectedly beautiful" because the park is surrounded by high density housing, strip malls, and car dealerships that makes it invisible from the roads closest to it. Despite having driven by it dozens of times in the past few years, I had no idea it existed.
Buoyed by my discovery, I veered even further from the direct route home and headed in the general direction of my favourite running paths along Lakes Banook and MicMac. Unfortunately, getting where I wanted to go meant climbing a rather challenging hill, but the view of Lake MicMac from the top was more than worth the effort.
I spent the remainder of the run being grateful - for living in such a beautiful place, for spring, and for being able to run.
A last look back before I turned to run the final leg to my apartment got me thinking about how wonderful it's going to be to finish my marathon training sessions this summer with a quick swim in Lake Banook. I can hardly wait.
