Runs and Santa Parades :)

Another great week has passed by, and running is still going well. I'm still getting a little tightness in the old hamstrings and the glutes, but I am getting better at stretching on a regular basis as well as adhering to the weekly strength sessions that my coach schedules in for me.

As per the usual routine, Tuesdays are once again my day for speedwork or faster paced running, and given that we are currently in a melt/freeze/melt/freeze cycle with the lying snow, the pavements are a skating rink when it comes to completing my evening runs. I've mentioned numerous times my reluctance to run "fast" when conditions outside are less than ideal, so on Tuesday evening, I once again found myself doing my session at the local rec centre.

This week it was a 10km progression run. I was going to use the indoor track, but sometimes the track can be far too busy for the pace I need to do, and I'm not too keen on swerving around people on a 200m track with very little space for overtaking. I ummed and arhed about whether to just do an easy run outside instead, but as the guilt started to set in about not sticking to the plan, I opted to thrash things out on the treadmill instead.

I usually find treadmill running extremely boring, but I put in my headphones, turned up the volume, and just went for it. I started off at a slow 7 mph, (8.30 miling or there abouts), and finished the last 400m at 10 mph or 6 minute miling, completing the run in a little over 46 minutes.

For me personally, I much prefer a progression or negative split run to tempo runs. Tempo runs are hard for me and I never feel motivated to do them, and yet starting at a slower pace and gradually picking things up until I'm running my 5k pace - sometimes even faster - makes me feel more accomplished, and I'm sure it brings far more benefits to my running. 

 Wednesday of course was run group again, and yet this week I wasn't sure if I really wanted the company or not on my evening run. I desperately wanted to run with the dogs, but I knew it was still extremely icy outside, and knowing how fast Wilson runs, I didn't want to end up on the floor again. In the end I went to the running group with both Wilson and April in tow, and I had a lovely, relaxed, easy evening run with the lovely Jessica and her pup Nanook. It wasn't as cold as anticipated and the local pathways weren't too bad at all. We had a good chat, we had a good laugh, and I was so glad that I had decided on company rather than another solo run. 

Come Thursday, i was back to feeling like a hermit again, not wanting company and just feeling like I needed  a bit of me time. I had the usual 10 miler to complete, so I grabbed my headtorch and headed out onto the local range roads where I knew there would be no people and no traffic, and I could have a good 90 minutes of peace and quiet. Running on those range roads was perfect and I thoroughly enjoyed running through the darkness of the night, the path being lit by the lying snow and the brightness of my headtorch - it felt like I had the world to myself! The legs felt good, the breathing felt good, and I finished my run feeling much happier and more content with the day.

I was really looking forward to the weekend this week - the local Santa parade was due to take place on Saturday evening, I was meeting a friend for trail run on the Sunday, and it was also this weekend that the virtual event Runukkha was due to start.

We spent most of Saturday filming the remaining scenes for the parkrun video that is currently on the go - it took up a lot of time, and the pups didn't get the usual dog park walk at Terwillegar or Buena Vista like they normally do. They didn't mind as they still had fun at the local parks, but I always feel guilty when they don't have a good couple of hours roaming free and doing dog things.

the filming also meant I didn't get out for my run until late afternoon. I had a 25km run to do, and the Santa Parade was due to start at 7pm. It was a race against the clock to make sure I didn't miss the parade for a fourth year, and I was slipping and sliding on some quite nasty ice for a good two or three miles before I was able to run properly and pick up the pace. The good news is that the legs and lungs were once again willing to work properly, and I got to the main street in town with 10 minutes to spare. Andy met me in town with a hot coffee, and we stood alongside the road watching the parade and feeling all festive, along with thousands of others that live in this wonderful little city.

Today - Sunday - marked the start of the my run streak which is due to last until the new year, and it began with a 3km run which kickstarted Runukkah.  This is the virtual event organised by Sinister Sports, where you have to run an extra 3km each day for the next 8 days. On this day last year, I did Turkeys on the Trail with all three pups, and we did it in memory of our beautiful girl Brandy, who suddenly left us three years ago. i wanted to run with all three pups again today in memory of our girl, so I took them with me for the 3km run, finishing at the dog park where they were able to go off-leash and have a play with all the other dogs there. I love running with the pups so much although Tillie isn't always that keen on joining us, but today I had the pleasure of Wilson, Tillie and April, and it made me feel very happy.

Today's real session though was a 10 mile easy run which I try to do on the trails each week, to make sure I get those climbs in and don't lose my trail legs. Today I met a good friend in Edmonton, and we ended up hitting predominantly single track snowy trails in the Whitemud Ravine area. It was beautiful running around there, it was nice to get some good climbs in and have a natter, and I am happy to say that whilst I am still far from being the best on the hills, I am definitely starting to feel less intimidated by the long, steep climbs that I sometimes encounter. We ended up with a shade over 10 miles in around 1 hour 47 minutes, and I was feeling good. I'm probably going to regret saying this, but I did successfully avoid another fall despite the icy stretches, and I'm looking forward to next week's wintry adventures :)

 

Outside of my running, things are ticking along quite nicely. We are still working on videos which will be shared soon, the daily dog park visits are still tons of fun, and we will hopefully be doing some winter camping trips again in the not too distant future. Andy will be heading off to Newfoundland for a few days soon which will put a delay on a few things, but with Christmas fast approaching, those few days off from work will be so valuable and I am counting down the days until I finally get some time off work after all these weeks.

Until next week, happy trails and happy running my friends!

A snowy week

On this weekend last year, I had taken part in the Barkakoo 55km Ultra at Chickakoo. It was an extremely snowy day on a tough, hilly, technical course, and I ended up finishing first overall in nine hours 4 minutes. It was a fantastic event and I absolutely loved the tough, challenging course, so much so that I had every intention of going back again this year.

The race was this weekend but I hadn't registered this year, simply because I wanted it to be just as tough as it was last year. Up until last weekend, we had had no snow whatsoever, and I didn't want to run the course on clear trails in mild weather. And then it came. On Tuesday this week, we had our first proper dump of snow with around 15cm falling locally. The organisers of Barkakoo shared photos of the course, and it looked just like last year. I now really, really wanted to go back again to do it all over again, but I didn't feel like I was in a racing mood so I grudgingly gave it a miss. 

The heavy snow earlier in the week did mean that I ended up at the indoor track for my speed session this week, which happened to be a kind of time trial where I had to run as far as possible in the hour. The track was pretty quiet on Tuesday night and I found I actually enjoyed the change of scenery, managing to cover just under 8 miles in the hour. I was pretty happy with that, and it once again made me hopeful that with another six months of marathon training, that sub 3.15 may be in my reach. 

At the track - how far can I go in an hour?

 It was Thursday before I finally managed to get outside properly for a run, and the snow was still present when I headed out after work for an easy 10 miler around the local lake. With being dark by 5pm, I was looking forward to seeing the Beaver Moon that everybody had been going on about, and maybe even catch a bit of the lunar eclipse. Unfortunately the skies were partly cloudy, and whilst the moonlight was still filtering through and lighting the trails with a silvery light, the clouds were obscuring the views that I was really hoping to see. I still had a great run though, managing to stay upright despite the snow and ice, and I got back home feeling happy about how the run had gone. 

Night of the Beaver Moon

 

Saturday was the 50th running of the River Valley Park Run, and with wanting to get to the park run far more frequently during my marathon build up. we ended up heading to Edmonton early on Saturday morning to take part. It had gone quite chilly the past few days and it was once again snowing as we headed north to the city. We would be filming the park run today in an attempt to promote it via my YouTube channel, and with not wanting to run fast or hard today, I made the decision to take Wilson and April with me. Tillie seemed keen to join us, but having stood around waiting for the start for around 10 minutes, she did start shivering and so we put her back into the warm car where she was much, much happier to wait patiently for our return. 

The River Valley park run is never cancelled due to the conditions and in previous years, I have taken part when the temperature has been at -40 Celsius. It wasn't that cold on Saturday, but it was snowy and icy which made it pretty dicey running with two crazy pups. I found myself having to walk some sections whilst trying to restrain Wilson who was eager to race the other pups in attendance, and with the filming, I already knew it would be a much slower run that normal. We ended up finishing in just over 30 minutes as the snow really started to come down - park run number 9 completed for me, and number 3 for the pups :) 

Doggy park run - River Valley :)

 

I actually had 25km on my schedule for Saturday, so later on in the day after another visit to yet another dog park with the pups, I headed back out for another 20km on my own. I once again went around Telford Lake where I encountered some hefty snow drifts that were around 2 feet deep. It was a slog running through them and it really sapped the energy out of my legs, but i was happy to get the miles done and I was feeling very happy and content, and looking forward to hitting the trails the following day. 

Come Sunday, I had another 10 miles of easy run to do. I really wanted to head out to the Devon trails to get some hills in but we had an appointment at 3.30pm and I wasn't sure I would get back in time. It usually takes me well under two hours to do my usual 10 mile route out in Devon, but given the snow, I suspected it would take a little longer. I ended up driving out there anyway, and sure enough, the snow was soft, deep and hard work, and with 1600 ft of ascent, my legs were definitely buggered, especially after yesterday's slog through the snow drifts.

Snow covered hilly trails but a fabulous run :)

 

Despite being a hard run, I really did enjoy the run and the trails looked so pretty covered in the snow. It was pretty quiet out there too with very few people, and I only saw a couple of red squirrels chattering away as they scurried up and down the trees trying to find food. I did wonder whether the cross country skiing trails would be groomed and in use but it looks like it'll be a couple more weeks before they will be ready, so I was able to enjoy the trails to myself, being able to run wherever I liked.

It has been another great week of running with around 80km of running completed. I still have a long way to go in terms of getting some pace back, working on my strength and flexibility, and of course loosing a few pounds so I get back to my racing weight. That will come though, and I just have to be patient.

This week has also been good in that I now have more of an idea of my race plans for next year. My current itinerary looks like this right now:

February - Frozen Ass 50km

May - Red Deer Marathon

June - Rundles Revenge 50km

July - Outrun Backyard Ultra

Then in October, I am hoping to do another 100 miler, and maybe a 72 hour or a 6 day event at the end of the year.

It helps to have races scheduled in as it feeds the fire and passion I have for running with having goals. I think the backyard ultra will likely be my A race as I really would like to qualify for Team Canada again - but we shall see as there will no doubt be lots of competition and I do think the bar will be set high.

I have also released another video on my channel this week - just a simple, feelgood video of a trail run with the pups back in October. This coming week, we should be releasing the park run video if we can edit things in time, and then we have lots of others in the pipeline.

The pups of course continue to keep me smiling and happy, going for walks and runs, and enjoying their evening and bedtime snuggles. Life is certainly good right now, and here's hoping that it continues that way.

 

Winter's Arrival!

It's been another hectic week with barely any time to take a breath at work and then crazy evenings trying to catch up with things when I get home. The good news is that I'm still making time for all the things I enjoy doing - walking the pups, making my videos, and of course my running. 

The pups tend to go for at least three walks a day, one of which is early morning before I head into work. I love these early morning walks as they set me up for the day and always put a smile of my face before a busy day in the office. The weather has started to turn much cooler in the mornings, so Tillie tends to stay home snuggled up in her bed rather than wandering around in the dark with me, Wilson and April, but I will admit that I do miss her not joining us on those morning walks. Thankfully though she is always keen for her afternoon visit to the dog park, and I get to spend that special time with all three of them for a good hour or so every evening when I get home. 

Dog park fun with the pups :)

Dog walks make me very happy :)

The other morning, we encountered the most beautiful sunrise, and the sky was looking resplendent with all the different shades of red. I captured a couple of pictures as such picturesque views are usually short lived, and sure enough, the magnificent scene soon changed as the colours faded and the sun rose higher in the sky. Having been treated to splendid displays of the Northern Lights recently and of course, the recent full moon, Mother Nature has certainly been showing off her beauty, and I certainly have no problems with that whatsoever. 

Beautiful sunrises :)

My other passion of course is my running, and with the dark nights now here, I'm back to running by the street lights and somewhat restricted on the routes I can take given that the city we live in is fairly small. Tuesday night was a negative split run and I set off all fired up for what I knew was going to be a good one. I was about five minutes into my run, admiring yet another beautiful evening sky, when I tripped on some uneven pavement and fell flat on my face. My poor right knee took yet another battering - seriously, there is so much scar tissue on that knee, I really don't know if it can take anymore - and of course my right hand and right arm also bore the brunt of the fall. I was sore and bruised and contemplated heading back home, but I was feeling good and didn't want to give up on my run. Despite the scrapes and bruises, I was able to have a fairly decent run with the second half of the run being done around 3 minutes quicker - result! 

Bruised and sore, but had a great negative split run!

I may have already mentioned that I am doing a marathon again next year, so at present, I am trying to get back some of that speed endurance I used to have as a road runner. My coach gave me a half marathon to do on Saturday which was meant to have been done on the trails. Unfortunately life gets in the way sometimes, and so I did the run around town on the roads. I felt a little pressured to maintain the pace and did find it a little tough at times, but I was very happy to maintain a relatively comfortable 7.40 minute miling, giving me a half marathon time of 1 hour 40 minutes. That is definitely far from my best, but I was still happy as I never thought I would be able to keep that kind of pace going any time soon, and it bodes well for the marathon given I still have a good six months before I actually do it :) 

Today's session was just 10 miles easy and I was hoping to hit the trails, but winter finally arrived and we had light snow for a couple of hours this morning and it was pretty slick outside. I did drive to Edmonton with every intention of running there, but having got to the hill that would take me down to the parking lot, the police were turning people around as the road was too slippery and dangerous, and people were struggling to get up the hill in their vehicles. I was disappointed, and given that I hadn't got a contingency plan, I headed back home and ended up running local again. The run turned out to be lots of fun, although I had forgotten how running in the snow makes my hips ache due to having to grip on the slippery sections. But it was a recovery run, so I really wasn't too concerned, and it was nice to take things easy. 

First snow of the winter :)

I don't have any races planned for quite a few weeks right now, although I did sign up for a couple of virtual events which will hopefully keep me motivated into the new year. Sinister Sports, organisers of the Canadian Death Race, have a couple of events - Rununka and an Advent Run leading up to the festive season. I've signed up for both simply because the swag includes an ugly Christmas running shirt, and I really do like Christmas jumpers. I'll also be doing a video vlog of both of them, so if you follow my YouTube channel, please do look out for them to see how things go and what the events are all about. 

Talking of videos, I have some ideas and will be making the videos over the coming weeks. There is going to be one celebrating the 50th River Valley Park Run, I'll be doing a head to head on head torches to see which is the best one for trail running and all things outdoors, I'll be sharing some tips about winter running and the things you need to keep you safe for running during the darker nights, we have another winter camping trip planned, and of course, there will be something special for Christmas. If you've not yet checked out my channel, you can find it here.

So that's the week in a nutshell - work, dog walking, running and videos, winter's arrival and more snow in the forecast - I have absolutely no complaints whatsoever :)

Races, Camping Trips and Planning!

It's been another amazing and busy month with more camping trips, more races, and of course, fun times with the pups who never fail to put a smile on my face.

It all started when I decided at the last minute to do the River's Edge Ultra again out in Devon. Thanks to Covid, all REU races had been cancelled and I had forgotten that I had a race credit still to use up. With a trail marathon on my training schedule for the same weekend as the race, I decided to register for the 50k with the intention of using things as a good final training run for the Grizzly 50k a couple of weeks later.

We decided to make a weekend of it this year, and with free camping provided on-site, we headed over on the Friday evening to pitch the tent and spend a night under the stars. I tend to sleep really well in a tent even the night before a race, and after a really good night's sleep, I was pretty excited to hit the trails the following morning.

Race day dawned and after my usual bowl of porridge and a cup of tea followed by a coffee, I was all set to go. It was quite a chilly start, but things soon warmed up and I was glad I had started in just a singlet and shorts rather than the usual layers I'd be using on my runs during the autumn months. 

We were treated to one the best autumn displays I had ever seen here this year, and the colours were so vibrant. I had an awesome few hours slogging it out up and down the many steep ups and downs, and was loving being out on the trails in the fresh air. I was reminded once again why I do enjoy this event - the course is tough yet beautiful, and that river crossing is so refreshing and adds an element of adventure to the race.

REU - photo thanks to Beautiflow Photography

With making the decision to make a video of the race this year, I wasn't really focused on racing, but when I realised that another lady was trying to chase me down, my competitive instinct kicked in and I admit that maybe, just maybe, I did focus a little more on racing rather than trying to capture some of the stunning scenes on film.

I ended up finishing in around 5 hours 45 minutes, a little longer than I was hoping for, but given the filming, the change in course with LOTS more climbs, and the fact that the course ended up being closer to 53km, I was pretty happy with the result. I also finished 2nd lady overall and 1st in my age group, so came away with another of those awesome log awards that are so carefully crafted by the organisers.

We stayed the Saturday night too, and some of the 100k runners were still running late into the night whilst we sat around the campfire, sharing stories of our race with others and enjoying a good beer or two. Come Sunday morning, the organisers once again provided a pancake breakfast, and with bacon and sausage, hot coffee and lots of other yummy food, it certainly was impressive, and it was good to see that we weren't the only ones that had stayed the extra night to enjoy a hearty breakfast with other runners, volunteers and support crew.

Following the REU, I had a couple of easier weeks as I made final preparations for The Grizzly Ultra. This was meant to have been one of my goal races for the year, but whilst I was excited about racing, Andy had decided that we should try filming the race again which did kind of distract me from doing my own thing on race day. 

The Grizzly is held at the Canmore Nordic Centre and as with the REU, consists of different legs, with a central transition area where all the support crews and spectators hang out. It uses lots of the same trails, but also veers off onto some of the single track which provides some great views of the surrounding mountains. This year, there was a race on both the Saturday and the Sunday, and the two days couldn't have been more different, with the former having beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures, and the latter having a complete mixed bag of weather conditions!

Of course, I was racing on the Sunday, and we were greeted first thing my light snow and much cooler temperatures. The cloud shrouding the mountains sure added a dramatic feel to the venue, and there was certainly a sense of excited and anticipation in the air. Having started in damp, cool conditions, I found myself still warming up very quickly, and I really did not enjoy the first leg - Grey Wolf. I found it hard to get in to the right mental space and I struggled, and on arriving back at my support tent where Andy was waiting for me, I had a meltdown and cried. I certainly didn't want to quit, but having spent the past months desperately wanting a good race here, things were going tits up already.

Grizzly Ultra - Photo Credit the Grizzly Ultra

I managed to pull my together and get going again once I had changed in to shorts and cooler clothing, and whilst leg 2 still didn't exactly have me feeling my best, I was starting to settle in to the race a little better. It was leg 3 Odyssey that really got me back it to race mode. The field had opened up, I'd found my space, and with lots of single track running that was quite technical in places, I was starting to find my groove and actually enjoying myself. The remainder of the race went along a similar vein - I was much happier and feeling better with every step, and when the snow really started to come down towards the end, I was loving it!

Once again, I finished in a much slower time than I had hoped for with around 5 hours 45 minutes, but I was still happy to have made my age group podium, coming away with third place in my age group. I really do think the Grizzly is a fantastic event, so well organised and you certainly get lots for your money, but I also find it far too popular for my liking and I think the crowds at the start were a little too much for me this time around. It's crazy thinking about it. I used to love doing the city marathons and larger road races, but in recent years, I have become so accustomed to having my own space and running solo that having all those people around me in a race stresses me out. I guess I need to get used to having people around me again, especially if I plan to do another marathon again next year.

Race Day goodies from the Grizzly Ultra

The Grizzly was my last race for 2021, and in a way I am glad about that. I haven't had a bad year of running, but not of my races have really gone as planned, and whilst I'll agree that it's been another funny year thanks to Covid, I am also a little disappointed and feel like it's been a bit of anticlimax.

But I'm one of those people that doesn't look back, and I am looking forward to next year with far more optimism. I've already registered for the Red Deer Marathon in the hope that I can break 3 hours 15 minutes and qualify for the Championship event in London, England. I also have Rundles Revenge in June, and the 5 Peaks season pass for northern Alberta. As yet though, I haven't thought much beyond June and I really don't know what I want to do race wise. Part of me wants to do the Javelina Jundred again or at least another 100 miler, and I am also tempted by trying a 72 hour race or even the 6 day event at Across the Years, but I really can't think that far ahead right now. Needless to say, I will of course update you once I have made my decision :)

One of the good things with planning on doing another marathon is that speedwork has made an appearance in my training schedule again. I've not done speed sessions for quite a while and I do find it difficult running at a faster pace. 

Feeling happy and motivated with my running :)

Back to the trails and loving my running again :)

One of the things I have started to do again is the River Valley Park Run in Edmonton on a Saturday morning. My best time on that particular course is 22 minutes which I set last year when I WAS doing speedwork. Admittedly it was during the winter months and I could probably have dipped under 22 minutes on a better day, but it is what it is. Anyhow, my recent goal has been to crack that 22 minutes with eventually going under 21 again, although that is quite a ways away right now. I headed to Park Run last month with no really expectations, and I was well chuffed to have ran 22.13 as my official time that day. I went back again this weekend to see how I got on, and was once again very happy to get an official Park Run time of 22.07 despite struggling with a bad back and tight glutes again right now. I didn't get a course PR this weekend, but it was still an improvement on the one I did a month or so again, and that is progress :) I am pretty sure that the sub 22 minutes will be mine by Christmas.

River Valley Park Run - PC Coral Weibe

Talking of Christmas, whilst I say I have no races now until next year, I have registered for a couple of virtual events with Sinister Sports - Runnuka and the Advent run. The swag looks very festive and I love the thought of "ugly Christmas running shirts", and I am hoping that taking part in these events will give me the motivation to run over the coming weeks and move towards another new year.

Of course, outside of running I am still making my YouTube videos and we have been doing tons of camping this year. A couple of weeks ago, we made it out to Ghost PLUZ and spent a night in a hot tent, utilizing a woodstove to see how it would cope when the weather really does start to cool off and we finally get some snow. It was a great weekend out in the wilds with Andy and the pups, and with barely anybody around with it being the end of October, it felt like we had the entire area to ourselves. We are hoping to do more winter camping this year and will be spending more time outdoors, and I am really looking forward to the things we have planned.

Camping at Ghost PLUZ

Night time views at Ghost PLUZ

Then there's our pups - Wilson, Tillie and April - who all bring such joy, happiness and laughter to our family. The three of them are little stars and they have shared those camping trips with us out in the great outdoors, they love their visits to the dog park every week, and since the weather went much cooler, Wilson and April have been joining me at the running group every week for an easy 6km run (Tillie doesn't like cool weather so has stayed home snuggled up in her bed). Some of my videos are about my pups, as well as running and camping, as they make up a huge part of my life and make me who I am. I love them to bits and don't know what I would do without them.

Local run group and puppy jog :)

Fun times with our furry gang :)

So there you go - a very quick catchup on what's been happening over the past few weeks. Things have certainly been hectic, but I'm hoping to get back to more regular updates on here so that I don't fall behind quite so much again next time :)

If you fancy watching any of the videos mentioned above, you can of course check out "Del's Jogs with Dogs" by clicking on the link. It's been almost a year now since I started the channel and I'm really happy with how it's growing and with the number and variety of videos on there.

Until next time, happy trails and happy running, and of course, happy waggy tails to all those pups out there!