Here are a few iPhone pics from one of my runs at Frontenac Park over the Christmas break.

The beavers are still active

The long and winding trail

Can you spot the deer?

Still need a few more inches before I can use my snowshoes

Natural Christmas tree lights

Catching the last few minutes of light

Great shot of Frontenac Park by RichardCleaver.com

After showing up to my 2011 races out of shape (spring), sick and feverish (summer) and injured (fall), I’m finally feeling fit and healthy and ready to race. Of course, the race season is now over, so I’ll just have to wait for next year.

Running is a simple activity, but an easy one to complicate. In past winters, I’ve often set new training goals and decided on future races. This winter, however, I’m focusing on simplifying things.

Starting now, I don’t want to know about the latest shoes or newest gear. In fact, I’m sorting through all my running stuff this weekend and getting rid of everything I don’t need or use regularly.

Other than a few select websites, I’m going to avoid reading any additional running-related websites. This will be tough, as I spend an inordinate amount of time at night following blogs and training logs, often to the detriment of my health. Not only does this interfere with much-needed sleep, but it also fosters the commercialization of running.

I want my running to continue being fun, not a chore. There is something pure and natural about putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward. With traversing the Grand Canyon, pushing my son in a jogging stroller along the beach and exploring the trails near my house, I’ve had some great running experiences over the past two months.

Frontenac Park is an amazing place to run. Photo by RichardCleaver.com

I’m looking forward to snowshoe running this winter. I’ve already scoped out some locations in the city where I can snowshoe on a regular basis (as long as there is snow), so that should offer some variety to my daily runs. As well, I’ll fit in some nice snowshoe runs in Frontenac Park over the Christmas holidays and into January.

In February, Rochelle and I will welcome our second child into the world. This means that we can now field a relay team… except that we’re a trail running family.

South Rim: Just a few seconds after finishing the Rim2Rim2Rim

This was the start of our Grand Canyon adventure in which the five of us would attempt to make the double crossing from the South Rim to the North Rim and back—otherwise known as the Rim2Rim2Rim—in one day. As we moved slowly down the winding switchbacks, we knew that we were running on the edge of the canyon walls, but we had no visual clues of what lay before us.

Within the first hour on the South Rim, the wind died down and the temperature began to rise. We removed our heavier clothing and proceeded to move more quickly. As we reached the suspension bridge that led over the Colorado River, we had enough light to remove our headlamps.

View from Cedar Ridge on the way to/from the South Rim

With the group’s permission, Steve and I moved ahead at a slightly quicker pace. We weren’t going too fast, and we stopped to take many photos, but the pace felt much better on my body. Steve kept suggesting that I go on ahead, but I enjoyed the company and preferred not to run alone at this time. The route from Phantom Ranch to Cottonwood to the Pump Station is the most runnable section of the route as it is relatively flat, while offering spectacular views of the canyon walls from below. At one point along this section, there was fork in the path leading to either Ribbon Falls or the Cottonwood Campground. We stopped here for a few minutes to leave a direction marker made from rocks for the Group of Three, as we realized that we carried the only maps for the group.

After reaching the Pump Station, we began our ascent of the North Rim, which is 8241 feet (or 2512 metres). This was a very challenging section, and Steve and I didn’t run a step of it. We kept to a steady hike and didn’t stray too close to the outside of the trail. Compared to the South Rim, I found the North Rim more rugged and exposed and the trails much narrower. Some sections were just smooth rock and would be quite dangerous during heavy rains or snowy and icy conditions. The North Rim offered an incredible view, but I needed to stop to look or take photos as I got a bit dizzy looking out and down while moving.

Just a mile before the top of the North Rim

Steve and I reach the top of the North Rim

Once we reached the Pump Station, I filled my hydration bladder with water and parted ways with Steve. From there to Phantom Ranch, I ran very fast, stopping every so often to take some photos. I felt very free and strong throughout this section and was grateful for the opportunity to challenge myself physically in such a spectacular location.

Once I reached Phantom Ranch, I filled up my 3-litre bladder and decided to weigh my Osprey Raptor 18 pack on the scale available. My pack weighed over 11 pds, so I can only imagine how heavy it was before I ate more than half my food. Although fairly heavy, the pack felt great on my back and there was minimal bouncing, even when I was running at a fairly fast clip. As I needed to carry food, clothing, gear and water, this was a great pack for my Grand Canyon adventure.

After crossing the suspension bridge, I treated myself to a Snickers bar and started hiking up the trail to the South Rim. At 7260 feet (2213 metres), this would involve going up nearly 5,000 feet. Looking at my watch, I realized that even if I walked the rest of the route slowly, I would still finish ahead of my friends, so I might as well take my time and enjoy the view.

About halfway up the South Rim, with a nice view of the Colorado River

I reached the top of the South Rim in 12:46. While I know that I could have finished significantly faster had I gone out at my own pace, carried fewer supplies and not stopped to take so many photos, I know that I wouldn’t have been as satisfied. I’m thankful that I took the time to really enjoy the spectacular scenery of the Grand Canyon and had the opportunity to share this experience with friends.

Steve finished shortly after me in 14:30, and the Group of Three finished strong in 17:30. I’m glad that we all completed the mighty Rim2Rim2Rim. I’m also thankful to JD for hosting us at his condo in Sedona.

Although a bit tired, I took the opportunity the next day to go trail running in Sedona, which is another beautiful place to run in Arizona with its red clay dirt and large red sandstone formations. Although there was intermittent rain, the sun kept coming out and I was able to see a complete rainbow stretching from a nearby mountain to one of the large sandstone rocks.

Having spent much of August and September recovering from a nasty bone contusion on my left leg, I decided to stick to an easy pace for the duration of the race. My plan was to enjoy the day and not put any undue stress on my leg.

The weather was quite cool at the start, so I wore my Patagonia Houdini jacket for the first 12.5K loop. My leg felt great for the first loop, and I had to keep mentally restraining myself from going out much faster. Even if my leg had completely healed, I knew that I hadn’t done any speed work or enough long runs to sustain a racing pace for 50K.

During this first loop, I passed Ryne Melcher who was running the race with his girlfriend (I think). I quickly said hello and thanked him for introducing me to the wonderful world of trail running. Ryne had led the pace group during my first marathon a number of years ago and sparked my interest in trail running and ultramarathons.

The second loop felt great, and I enjoyed the freedom of running (and sort of racing) pain free. I continued to make a conscious effort to take things slow, as I knew the final two laps would prove challenging no matter the pace.

I definitely slowed down on the third loop, but picked up the pace for the final few K’s as I ran with Laurie McGrath, an ultrarunning legend here in Ontario. I ran the final loop at an easy pace, appreciating the rolling hills of the course, talking to other runners and thanking the great volunteers for their time and assistance.

I finished the race in 4:35, so not too fast for a relatively flat 50K, but I was very happy that my leg had held up for the entire run with no pain or discomfort. I finished in 17th place, 13th male.

George and Peggy Sarson, race directors, and their army of volunteers, do a wonderful job at organizing the Run for the Toad. I will certainly plan on running this race again.

When I smashed my leg on the rocks last month, I wasn’t even sure I’d be running at all in the fall. But after a couple weeks of taking things easy, the bone contusion seemed to be improving and I only experienced minor discomfort and pain when running.

Since I had been focusing on the Haliburton 100 Miler all summer (and had already paid my entry fee), I decided to give the race a try but with drastically reduced expectations. At the very least, it would be a nice opportunity to hang out with some of my running friends.

When the race started, I walked for a minute to allow all the speedy types to get ahead of me. Then I began running slowly, keeping an ever watchful eye on my Suunto T6D to ensure that I kept to an easy pace.

I felt great for the first 40+K. As much as possible, I ran slowly, kept my heart rate in the 130s and walked up all the hills. I think I hit the 40K turnaround in about 4:40, so I certainly hadn’t gone out too fast. Shortly after that, my injured leg started throbbing and it became difficult to lift my left foot. As I began to bang my toes on rocks and roots, the pain in my leg (and toes) increased and I realized that I would be foolish to continue running. Rather than drop at an aid station, I decided to walk the rest of the course and at least complete 50 miles. It wasn’t easy watching people run past me—especially since I was feeling great other than my left leg—but I knew it wasn’t worth making my injury worse.

So, a bit disappointing, but at least I know that the leg is starting to improve. I guess I’ll just have to go back to Haliburton next year and redeem myself.

On a more positive note, I was very pleased to see Sara, Keith and Carlos do well in their respective races. Way to go!

We were discussing the Haliburton 100 Miler, which I’m registered to race on September 10. Rochelle caught me by surprise, as I was feeling quite pleased with myself at that particular moment. Just the day before I had finished a three-and-a-half hour trail run at a fairly decent pace in hot weather. And earlier that morning I had completed a five-and-a-half hour trail run as well (was supposed to be 6-7 hours, but a crazy thunderstorm made the trail conditions unsafe). So as we went on our nice hour-long walk pushing Kieran in his stroller, I was thinking about how I must be getting very strong as my body didn’t even feel tired or sore that evening. And then she rattled the cage. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Now, Rochelle was just questioning me out of concern for my safety, not from any lack of belief in my ability to finish the race. She was mostly worried that I’d been prevented from getting the training that I needed and felt bad that I might arrive in Haliburton ill-prepared for the challenge.

As it turns out, Rochelle was right about me running less. After checking my training log, I discovered that I’ve run 153 fewer hours in 2011 as compared to the same number of months in 2010. However, I’m feeling quite fit right now, without any heaviness or weariness in my body, so that is a positive outlook.

One of my primary goals for this year was to find a healthy balance between family, work and running. While I still need to tweak the work aspect of life, I think that I’ve done a good job at making my family a priority this year. While my mileage is down significantly from last year, most of that comes from running very little from January to May after we had bought our house. And from June forward, I’ve run at least 48 hours every month, so I’m certainly finding time to train.

I know I’ve got the balance right when my wife is encouraging me to run more often instead of worrying about how long I’m going to be away from her or Kieran. I’ve been intentional about finding time for running that doesn’t interfere with my responsibilities as a father or husband. So, during the week I often go out running after 9 PM, and on the weekend I schedule my runs while the family naps in the afternoons to minimize my time away.

Anyway, to my darling wife, Yes, I’m ready. And thanks for encouraging me to run.

Two more updates. I had planned on running the Limberlost Challenge 56K in July fairly hard, but became quite ill that week. Experiencing night shivers and a very high fever for a few days, I didn’t expect to even make the race. However, the day before the race my fever broke, so I decided to at least run a loop or two of the course. And I’m thankful I did, as the forest was very beautiful. This is easily the most beautiful race in the Ontario Ultra Series. Although I ran hard for the first 8K, I basically walked/hiked the remaining 48K as I was still quite weak from being sick. Didn’t keep me from smiling, however, as the photo above can attest to. I look forward to trying this race again next year.

I also spent two great weeks running in British Columbia recently. Although I injured my left leg (and right hand) in the middle of the second week with a bad fall, I did manage to get in some sweet trail running prior to this. My favourite run was in Lynn Headwaters. I planned on going for another long run there before returning to Toronto, but my leg was too banged up to do any running at that point.

After a number of weeks of painful running, the leg seems to be recovering. I’m hoping I’ll be pain free in time for Haliburton.

After the hike, I put Kieran in our Chariot running stroller and went for a run. I had planned on running through the Corridor Trail and then seeing how things progressed from there, but due to the recent rains, the trail was too muddy for the stroller. We moved over to Big Salmon Road and then ran along there a couple of times.

We saw a number of deer running across our path and one even stopped a few metres away from us. We took a short break so that we could talk quietly to our new friend with her bushy white tail.

It was the first day of trout fishing season, so there were a number of people out fishing in canoes on Big Salmon Lake. As Kieran loves throwing rocks into the water, we took another break by the water. My primary task was to gather small piles of rocks for Kieran and to exclaim, “Splash,” every time he threw a rock into the lake. We also saw more deer across the water and there were dragonflies flying all around us.

On Sunday, Rochelle watched Kieran so that I could go back to Frontenac with Derrick and Sara. Although we started together at Arab Lake, Sara went on a different route, and Derrick and I went along Bufflehead, Birch, Clear and Big Salmon South. It was great to run by―and around―so many beautiful lakes, but with the recent heavy rains, some of the trails in the low ground resembled small lakes as well. Needless to say, we were a bit muddy at the end.

Frontenac is one of Ontario’s jewels, and I always feel so grateful for the opportunity to run there. A few times on our run, I asked Derrick to stop for a minute so that I could view the scenery. Although I’ve run and snowshoed at Frontenac on numerous occasions, the park never seems to lose its allure.

As a sponsored athlete and member of the La Sportiva Running Team, Derrick is very considerate when running with mere mortals like me from the trail running community. To make me feel more at ease out there on the trails and confident in my own abilities, Derrick made three spectacular dives into the dirt. The most impressive involved him flying through the air with his arms and legs outstretched like Superman as he landed hard on the ground.

Although a hot day, we had a solid run of 3:25 with a few nice hills. Thanks to Derrick and Sara for picking me up and dropping me off.

I’ve registered for the Limberlost Challenge on July 16. It’s a 56K trail race and comes recommended as the most scenic of the races in the Ontario Ultra Series. I’m slowly starting to get back into shape, so I should be strong enough by July to really enjoy the day.

By this date last year, I had already logged 132 more hours of training. This may explain how I’ve managed to gain 10 pounds and why my clothes no longer fit me … although my insatiable appetite for cookies, chocolate and ice cream may have had something to do with it. I also have a habit of bringing my lunch to work, eating it by 9:30 am and then going out for a second lunch with my coworkers.

I guess the warning signs came when my wife kept urging me to go outside and run. If you’re an ultrarunner and your spouse suggests that you should be running more, something is not right with the world.

So I’m trying to get back into shape, but it’s not a pretty sight. My running gait doesn’t feel natural, and it doesn’t look natural, either. It may just be my imagination, but I think people have been averting their eyes when I plod past them. Oh well, I’m sure that things will improve rapidly over the next few weeks of training.

I plan to run the Haliburton 100 Miler on September 10. While I probably couldn’t run a 10-miler today, I figure that I have nearly 16 weeks to get back in shape. That’s lots of time, right?

Most of the marathon training plans I found on the web also follow a 16-week schedule. Although I’ll be running the equivalent of four marathons, I think I should be fine. My strategy will be to take a 10-minute break after each 25-mile section to just catch my breath and recover before starting the next one. Maybe I’ll even have some ice cream.

After studying the various training plans on the web, I’ve customized my own. As I’m not really a chart or graph person, I’ve cut back on the traditional details a bit. So, here is my official 16-Week 100-Mile Training Plan:

Run as much as I can, on as many hills as I can, without getting injured or divorced.

Seems so simple. And it might even work.

With a stressful week and a half at work with accelerated deadlines (plus Kieran’s struggles), I was feeling mentally wiped by the time I arrived in Haliburton. I’d also been through two weeks of ankle soreness from a nasty sprain that occurred on my last long run, so I wasn’t sure how my body would hold up on the run.

When I arrived at the forest, I decided to sleep in my car rather than set up my tent, as I figured I would be warmer inside the car and wouldn’t have to pack up my tent after. Well, I froze in the car but did appreciate the easy pack up later.

Although it would be a strange day for me, race morning started well. As I was chatting with some other runners before the start, I noticed that Derrick had arrived to cheer on his clients and friends. I figured that he’d show up, so I wasn’t surprised to see him. I’m sure his clients really appreciated him coming, as did Keith who benefited from his pacing duties later in the race.

During the race, I experienced little difficulty for the first 42 K. The trail conditions were quite muddy, but it was a beautiful day and I felt optimistic about my race. I felt good early on and expected to have a great day. I also enjoyed spending time with David, who was running his first 50 miler.

A happier moment before my race fell apart

Just after the 25 mile turnaround, however, a wave of fatigue just hit me and I lost the willpower to keep running. No cramps, no soreness, I just couldn’t get my body to run. It was actually a bit spooky. I think I hit the 42 K mark somewhere around 4:17-4:26, so I certainly wasn’t pushing the pace too much.

When I stopped running, I decided just to hike back to the 50 mile turnaround and call it a day. I was nervous about driving home tired (if I did the 100), and I also noticed that the bracelet I wear with Kieran’s name on it had fallen off somewhere on the trail, so I started worrying about my family as well.

I couldn’t figure out what was going on with my body. I kept hoping that at some point, I’d be able to start running again and then I could get back into the race.

Just before Aid Station #2, I saw Veronique who was hoping to finish her first 50 Miler in under 11 hours, so I started running with her to help push her along. When we hit the 50-mile mark in under 10:45, I decided to keep going since I was finally able to run again.

About 6 K later on the Normac Trail, I had a standoff with a bear. I’d nearly run into him on the trail (he was running away from people farther off in the opposite direction), so I surprised him a bit and he scampered off the trail a few yards before turning around to face me. He didn’t want to back off and was growling at me. I kept talking to him and backing up slowly until I moved out of sight. After a few minutes, Stephan and another runner arrived and we proceeded along the trail together. The bear had disappeared, but would emerge later to play with some other runners (see Keith’s report).

By the time we got moving again, I was back to the powerhiking. I just couldn’t will myself to run despite the fact that my legs felt fine physically. After I reached the 75-mile mark, I just didn’t want to hike anymore. Although I had over 12 hours left to finish the final 25 miles, I just didn’t want to do it. If I had a ride home later, I might have kept going, but this just wasn’t the race I’d trained for. Sure, I could have finished the 100 miles under the time limit, but I didn’t come to Haliburton to hike 75 miles of a 100-mile running race. And I knew I needed to catch some Zzzz’s before driving home, so didn’t want to spend the whole night walking in the dark.

During the race, I had no nutrition problems (ate a gel every 20 mins plus snacked at aid stations) and stayed on top of hydration (1-2 S-Caps every hour). I also had no feet issues (wore La Sportiva Crosslites), despite the soul-sucking mud.

I’m not sure what happened to me, but my head and body just weren’t into this race. I’m not angry or disappointed or filled with any regret about quitting. Just a bit confused about the whole thing. It was a very strange day for me.

After a few hours sleep in the car, I felt pretty good Sunday morning. I had a nice breakfast at the cookhouse with Keith and then watched the final runners finish their race with Keith, Jenn and Derrick. With a 30-hour cutoff, it was exciting to see some of the runners finish with minutes (even seconds) left to spare. Congratulations to all the runners who finished such a challenging (and muddy) course this year.

It’s been a few days now, so it’s time to look ahead. I’m in decent shape, my body feels pretty good, I’ve still got my drop bags packed and I’ve got this 100-mile monkey on my back. I figure I should just run another 100-mile race as soon as possible and get it done. Thankfully, the Virgil Crest 100 Miler is happening seven days from now in northern New York and Rochelle’s fine with me going. Derrick and Sara are heading down, so I’m catching a lift with them in Floyd the Forester.

Update: Still feeling exhausted, so have decided not to run Virgil Crest.

For the past week, I stretched, massaged and rolled my legs at least once a day. I also iced the ankle a bit. I also explored some options for ankle support, such as wearing a neoprene wrap or sports tape. None of these options offered my ankle the flexibility I need for my race at Haliburton, so I’m not going to bother with any additional support. I may pack some sports tape in one of my drop bags, but hopefully won’t need to use it.

I went for a two-hour trail run on Saturday and just let loose a bit. While I knew that one misstep could end my Haliburton attempt a week early, I needed to discern whether my ankle could handle running on technical trails. The good news is that I ran pain free and had little trouble with mobility or foot placement. The bad news is that I have no idea how the ankle will hold up over a 100-mile race.

Today, after a week of restraint and stuffing myself with chocolate and ice cream, my ankle is feeling much better. While it’s still weak and vulnerable, the pain and discomfort has lessened considerably. My waistline, however, is experiencing some significant swelling after a week of binge snacking with little running.

As for Haliburton, I’m just going to go for it. I mean, really, it’s just a 100-mile race through a pretty forest. It’s not like I’m hiking across India or anything. And besides, I’ve already paid the entry fee.

I spent some time this weekend packing my drop bags. There will be seven aid stations spread out along the course, and the 100-mile runners are permitted to place one bag at each station. While I won’t be leaving stuff at every aid station, I have prepared four drop bags that are filled with gels, ginger, medical supplies, extra clothing and other gear. As there’s a significant chance of colder temperatures and/or rain, it’s important to pack for all possible weather conditions.

Here are some of my essential items for the race:

Shoes. Given the muddy conditions in Haliburton Forest this year (thank you, Mr Beaver), I’ll be wearing La Sportiva Crosslites. I’m also stashing a pair of La Sportiva Wildcats at an aid station in case I want to make a switch.

Lighting. For the night running, I’ll be wearing the Petzl Myo XP with the spot setting on my head and the Petzl Tikka XP with the diffuse setting on my waist.

Hydration. I’m planning on carrying two Ultimate Direction handhelds, but if my arms get too tired, I’ll switch to a Nathan HPL #008 or #020 hydration vest. I’ll also be taking at least one S-Cap every hour to ensure I’m replacing the electrolytes I lose.

With four days left until race day, I just need to rest up, let my ankle continue to heal and go for a few easy short runs.

Total hours of running this week: 6:03 (4:03 trail; 2:00 road) * taper plus injury

Total hours of running this year (since January): 400:09 (269:38 trail; 135:35 road; snowshoeing 4:16)

My detailed training log is available at AttackPoint.