Took my shoes for a run.

I wish I had more days like today, blue skies, mild temperature's, endless vistas. With an unknown destination I set out above Elfin Lakes to see where I would end up. It was 11km on a well used trail up to the two very beautiful mountain lakes to start with. It's quite isolated, I saw one party on their way down around RedHeather hut, other than that it was a pretty quiet mid week in the backcountry. The feeling I get with solitude and mountains is very spiritual, indescribable sometimes? 

I am alive in the backcountry, searing lungs and heavy breathing, quivering quads and aching feet. My mind is happy, my spirit free. In pursuit of this feeling I will always have.

I finished up back at my car 6 and a half hours later and just shy of 50km. Happy am I!!

Must get out and run more, feeling like a lazy sloth lately? wtf??

Wanting to go out and get lost in the mountains, just pack light, alpine style and see how far I can go in a day. Must do! Must get my adventurous spirit back.

Skull capped

You are a dumbass! 

You drove your little convertible piece of shit too fast and you lost control...and now you lost the top of your head. Luckily my stomach contents stayed put but it was touch and go for awhile, just like your life. 

In the end though only one of us lost.

And my wife wonders why I'm a little weird

It's where I learned the meaning and mindset of pushing myself. The only limits we have are the ones we put on ourselves. The only competition I have is with my brain. 

Snakes and Ladders

Personally I think running some of the North Shore trails are the technically most difficult trails you will see anywhere. Rocks and roots, ups and downs, it's amazing trail running terrain.

The following picture is from Mt Seymour in Vancouver's north shore mountains...a trail runners paradise!

Humbled

I was out for some hill training the other day, climbing Grouse Mtn via the BCMC(starting from Cleveland Dam), I was nearing the 3/4 mark of this steep climb when I came upon this wonderful old gentleman. Vintage gear, steady pace heart full of zest and adventure, wow how wonderful! how impressive!! how humbling!!

He was 85, has always had the love for being in the mountains and an adventurous spirit. We had just a quick chat, I could tell he was not a man full of useless banter. I can only hope I will be like this when I'm 85.

True dat!

Forward momentum and a PB&J

I run...I don't 'jog'..sorry I'm not trying to be a snob or anything, it's just I don't like the term 'jogging'. For me jogging is something that is done half heartedly. When I go running, it's just that, 'running'. I am thinking, training, adjusting, relaxing, absorbing, working, I am there for a purpose, to run and feel alive in my body and spirit.
And what do I enjoy most after a long run... a PB&J sandwich!! It seems to be a staple in my diet. Since childhood it has been my comfort food. I think it was the most common sandwich I asked for whilst in school, and I never got bored of it. That has carried onto my adult life and now I regularly pack a PB&J for work.
I love you PB&J!!

Stop and find the beauty in all things!

Honour roll please!!

My crazy step-gurl had a little ceremony the other night, she made the Honour Roll in only her 2nd year of Canadian Highschool!

So proud of her. Despite black toenails from running and bruises from field hockey she cleaned up pretty nice I'd say.

Love you Maggie

Don't loose your wheel

"I was just drivin' and I tried to stop and I had no brakes!"

...that's because your wheel was not attached to the truck!

100k

After a longish day I can happily pose with my cutie pie girls Maggie and Madeleine.

Just over 12 hours of running to finish this 100km trail race on Vancouver Island. Overall I can say I had a good race..I finished of course and that in itself at these distances is an accomplishment.

0-30km was so so, just tried to set a good pace and get into a rhythm. 30-50 wanted to quit, knee pain. 50-80 zoned out and plodded along. 80-100km I was enjoying the moment and actually felt good. 

I was happy to have my wife and girls with me, my loyal support crew as always. I hope my next 100 race has more hills though as I enjoy the elevation changes through the race. This race was a 10km loop and tended to get boring after about 50k. As always though I'm just happy to run and the feeling I get from pushing myself is wonderful. The 'passion' of running takes me to new heights of self transcendence. Thank you running!

Road trip

Just finished a 6 day 2,200km road trip through Washington and Oregon State. Beautiful sights, great weather and a failing car that didn't fail...bliss.

Three nights we slept in our tent, one night we crashed in the back of the station wagon and one night we stayed at a run down stinky hotel(should have slept in the car). Leavenworth, Yakima, Mt Hood, Portland, Cannon Beach and the Oregon coast, it was all very interesting and great to see. Meifeng was nails as always, happy to just sleep in the car, cook up some boring noodles on the cooker and carry on. We managed our morning coffee at Starbucks and a bit of wifi time and then onto a different day of discovery, hikes, walks, strolls off the beaten path.

We saw a lot of beautiful sights and we made some memories together, love on the road...

Hand in Hand

We walk this road together, hand in hand. And though our paths may separate. And though times may become harsh. I will always be here. Walking hand in hand with you until the very end. I will never abandon you. I will never let you go. I will be here forever. Waiting and hoping. Let's walk together.
- Adrian Mortal

It's a steady progression..upping the distance in my running. Was feeling some nagging knee pain for the last 30min??
But am I ready for 100 km? I guess we will see.

Vegas....meh!

'Sin City', should be renamed 'Ripoff City'. Everything is overpriced, the hotels steer you where they want you to go, hidden fees, ect ect...
My Starbucks coffee, a tall Pike is usually $1.74 in Vancouver, Vegas price...$3.50, and you can't even get a refill(even though they take registered Starbucks cards). Pastries were double the price, and the bastards even charged me for a cup of hot water. They rang it up as 'ice water' and then charged me a shitty $1.00 for it!
It was nearly impossible to get their wifi also. RIPOFF!!
Our hotel was Bally's. It's best days are long gong. Although its centrally located on the strip the hotel doesn't have much going for it. A smoke filled casino, so so rooms(no ability to be self sufficient with no tea kettle, no mini fridge, no kitchen things), and an extra $15 per night for a 'resort fee'. The resort fee is for use off the hotel gym and wifi for ONE device in the room...RIPOFF!!
Basically we did a couple long winded strolls down the main drag, took in some of the free shows, then decided to rent a car so we could get outta town for a bit. We took off for Red Rock Canyon for a day, which was nice cause I got out for a little trail run, and then we went to Hoover Dam and Las Vegas Chinatown for another day.
I got some small runs in, but mostly R&R'd it for the trip. The girls enjoyed it mostly because it was a 'different' place, but I think we all would have been happier if we went camping or hiking somewhere not so 'over the top'.
Las Vegas is great if your into choosing amongst ten thousand over priced restaurants to eat from, smoke filled cheesy casinos, crowded sidewalks going to nowhere, stag and stagget parties, and dodging morbidly obese fat Americans. For us it wasn't a great idea for a holiday.
Vegas...meh...

Off to Sin City

Vegas baby..that's what I'm talkin bout!
It's been years for me, since I've been to this over the top neon city of debauchery. For my wife and her daughter I think it will be a 'trip' they could never have imagined.
First we have to make it to Seattle.
After my relentless night shift I came home, packed up my bags and woke up the girls, then off we went walking with backpacks strapped on and got a bus to the skytrain, then skytrain to the city centre bus station. As I write we're fueling up with a Starbucks coffee and waiting for the coach bust to take us to downtown Seattle. Tomorrow we fly to Las Vegas!!

Smarties

Trouble afoot. Runners have ugly feet, calluses, blisters, black toe nails, just a few of the main culprits. What better way to cover those black toenails than to have your 8 year old daughter paint them up smarty style.
She was happy, I let her pic the colours out, we sat out on the back balcony on a beautiful spring day and she went to town on my lower digits.
We don't have to live with this curse, brighten those bad boys up, put some colour on down there. Black toenails no more, for me...or at least until I stop ultra running.

About a month to go and then I get my feet wet with a 100k race. I'm not ready, I know I'm not...I will suffer and it will hurt. I will question why I run long distances and I will bask in my mental rainbow of pleasure and pain.

A busy day

Woke at 5:20am to do a longish morning run, it was 3 hrs of hell. For one I hate morning runs and for two, the day previous I did a full on leg workout along with another 13km, my legs felt like cinder blocks. I got 22km in which totally sucks.

Then we rushed off to day trip on Bowen Island.
What a great little escape from the city, and it's only 20 min by the Ferry. A few quaint shops littler the small but hilly islands population of 4000 tree huggers. We walked up to the Artisian area and had a great lunch in a Deli shop. After lunch we just strolled around, relaxing, walking and talking.
Upon getting home Helen wanted to go for a run to see the sunset off Iona Pier strip, so another 10 was added into my day for a total distance of 32 km for the day.
It was a great day, so happy to be with the ones I love ...and my legs are tired.