RACING ABROAD

Ha, if you take a look at my race schedule, so far, none of the races are in Canada. This was very different from last year because pretty much all of my races were within driving distance. But, to be honest, my goal last year was to stick around and save some money so that this year, I could have a bit more flexibility. I feel like I accomplished this.

I had origionally planned on heading to NZ in January but I am really glad I didn't. Last year, I got back on my ski's for the first time in 13 years and I am so glad I did because since then, I have been to some outstandingly beautiful places.

Thursday of last week, Peter and I lucked out and had a mid-week day off together. Luckily for us, the forecast was just awesome and we went ski touring up on Geribaldi.







Man, the sky was just blue bird and the sun was hitting the snow capped mountain tops perfectly. The tint of my sunglasses made the hosizon look like the kind of ocean you would only find in paradise. Sensational. Had I fled off in January, I would have missed out on all this great skiing. Looks like were heading out again next Monday and Tuesday!

Today, I found out that I got into UTMB. This of course, was all apart of my plan but it didn't feel real until today. I am glad that I didn't do a 100 miler last year because it has made me feel pretty hungry for this one.

The weather here right now is pretty bananas. Basically, just a ton of rain and the trails are quite icy now from the snow we had the other week. Today for some reason I am longing for a nice warm, dry run but will take what I can get. At least its not -30!

I'll try and post some pics in a couple days when Peter's back from his overnight ice climbing trip.

See you in the trails!

NEW ZEALAND BOUND!

Ever since I went to Europe back in 05...for a slim 3 weeks...with my family, I have wanted to go travelling again. I knew the next time I went travelling it would be for a while, a minimum of 3 months. So, on Thursday morning after months of lolligaging and a great lunch with my dad, I booked the ticket. I got a wicked deal, one which could not be refused. Needless to say, I am stoked. Stoked to be back in the season of summer,stoked to meet new people, do some NZ races, and just roll with the wind at my back.

I will of course miss the company of Peter, my adventure partner but as the saying goes "Absense makes the heart grow fonder".

I knew I wanted 2012 to be special and different and I think this experience will satisfy that craving. I signed up for a race in March, The Tarawera ultra marathon, which has varying distances but I'll be doing the 100km. I also want to visit my good friend Gretel Fortmann in Australia, who I met while I was living in Squamish. Gretel has a way of touching (not literally) everyone she comes into contact with and I can't wait to see her again on her home turf (she's an aussie)!

Next race is Orcas 50km. This race has been on my radar for a while and look forward to making the ferry trip over come February!

Nicola

A LOOK BACK AT 2011

As I look back at 2011, a few things stand out in my mind but by far the biggest was Peter and I's 8th month stint living in Squamish. Through working at CBC with Jen Segger and JF Plouffe, I met so many awesome people and a few who will be great friends for life. People always ask me how if feels to be back on the shore. Having lived here my entire life, it feels just about the same as the other 27 years of my life...which have been awesome, so it will always feel great living here.

My running season started off with a bang! A PR at the First Half 1/2 Marathon. I ran a 1:25 and change and my previous best time was 1:27 and change. This was done with no speed work, something I will intend to do a bit more of in 2012.

One of my favorite trips of last year was road tripping to Winthrop Washington to run the Sun Mountain 50km with 4 amazing girlfriends, 3 of whom were living and Squamish (this post would be a lot easier if the 'q' on my keyboard was working better!). Kristy, Gretel, Cathy, and Shauna, thanks for such a fun trip. Here's a few picks to relive the experience.


(Pre-race excitement)


(Post Sun Mountain 50km, everyone finished and the beer is flowing)


(Shauna, Jenni, Gretel, and I out for an awesome trainig run in Squamish)

Another memory that comes to mind is all the climbing I got up to with Peter. In 2011, I did way more climbing than years previous and although I am still learning, I feel like I gained a lot of knowledge and experience last year. Increasing my knowledge and skill level in 2012 will also be a focus of mine (may need to take a course or 2), along with keeping my cool when I can't finish something! Here are a few shots...


(A view of City of Rocks in Idaho...would love to go back here real soon)




(Hanging out in Smith Rock. We ended up here twice in 2011. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this place is magical and I hope to get back here again in 2012)


(Starting up the Cheif, Squamish)




My younger cousin Caitlin began dating a stud of a man by the name of Mark, who happens to be a steller climber. We got to experience some days out together and it was so cool to share climbing with her. Look forward to more outings soon!

Another really awesome experence of 2011 was working with a group of Squamish Nation teen girls. I was contacted by the youth group leaders and together we met twice a week, running or hiking around the city. On a few occasions I managed to get them into the trails where they had never been before. It is experiences like this that remind me how fortunate my life is and how important it is to give back.


(2 girls and 1 youth leader on the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge)


(A group of us on a hike to Quarry rock in deep cove)

In 2011, I got back into skiing! Yes, after a 13 year hiatus, I baught a ski touring set up and managed to get out quite a few times. Living in Squamish made this a lot easier as well. Thanks to Pete for showing me the ropes about backcountry travel and being my tour guide all year.






(Cozying up by the fire at the Red Heather hut)


(Mt. Baker!)


(A few solo days on Whistler/Blackcomb. I prefer to ski with others!)

A crappy part of my year was when I cranked my ankle during the Comfortably Numb 25km in Whistler at the end of June. Gretel and I had slept in her Dodge Caravan at the finish line and ran the 25km to the start, just barely making it there on time. I anticipated taking the next 25km pretty relaxed but I got caught up in the excitement. I saw a chance to pass someone but had to menuevre around him and as I did, the trail dropped off and I jammed my ankle, worse than I have ever experienced. This injury prevented me from finishing one of my favorite races, Knee Knacker 50km, which I was in great shape to race. I didn't race again until November 5th at the Whistler 50miler, where I came 2nd female in a time which was 90 minutes faster than I was anticipating.

A year wouldnt be a year without a few tokem hikes in the bag, especially one's with dear ol' dad! Here are a few pics of Peter, my dad and I's summit of Crown Mtn and our scramble over to the Camel, as well as a few from our hike up to Mt. Harvey.






(Summit of Crown- My dad with his Camera)


(On the scramble over to the Camel)

I started a new (2nd job) job at Mountain Equipment Co-op in North Vancouver. I have really enjoyed the balance of personal training and doing something a little more laid-back. The people who work there are all superb individuals and it's great chatting it up with members about their adventures. Making some extra cash makes me a happy camper as well.

It would be a shame to miss naming all the family fun I had in 2011- Shuswap with Peter's family, Gildersleeve family breakfasts, Dutch Christmas, Thanksgiving at the Leahy's and more...

A big thing for me was supporting my mom out on the Vancouver Marathon course as she completed her first marathon. Weeks later she went on to finish her first triathlon. She is a big inspiration to me and it just goes to show it is never to late to do anything!

Before this post gets to long, I`ll end with a great visit I had with my folks over in Powell River last summer. Peter and I discovered some of the climbing over there as well as some rockin mountain biking. There is endless amounts of fun to be had over there. A goal for next year however is to make it over to Savery Island.

Before I sat down to write this I honestly thought this year was rather low key and I didnt really get up to much, which saddened me a little. Looking back, I can see how foolishly wrong I was. Here is to a great 2012! I look forward to reading all about your crazy escapades as well!

Nic

AFRAID OF THE DARK

I suppose being afraid of the dark is a fear that was instilled in our childhood. The lights go out and the creeps come out...right?

Usually when I get off work it's dark out and I have been getting in my workouts in the morning but somedays that is not an option. I have been avoiding the trails due to lack of sunlight and I've been missing them so much. It's already 'unsafe' to run alone in the trails, which I do 99% of the time, but there's something about being alone and in the dark that has juust got me spooked. I decided last thursday that I was going to get out after work for a nightime adventure in the mountains to prove to myself that it's not that bad and theres nothing to be afraid of. Of course, I have run on the trails at night a few times, both accompanied however.

I figured I would start with the Grouse Grind. I have done it with Peter in the dark before, thus it was somewhat familiar and I would be hiking versus running. There would also be tons of people at the top because nightime skiing is open. I packed my bag, with headlamp, and drove up to the base of the Mtn. I decided not to bring music as I sometimes do in the daytime because I wanted to be able to hear what was going on around me. Looking back, maybe it would have been better if I didn't. There were many times when I thought I heard something or someone and turned around to see what was behind me. Of course, there was no sign of anything or anyone so I pushed on. I was surprised how it seemed to go by so fast. All was good until I saw this glob of what looked like blood in the snow. I am not talking like a dime size glob, I am talking like a small fist full. Hmm, that one shook me a bit. Why was that there? Why was there no signs of anymore? Weird!

I continued on, my heart pounding a little bit more with each step but eventually I forgot about it. I had hit the snow point and put my yak trax on my feet to prevent me from slipping and sliding around. Normally, the Grouse grind is an extremely popular hike, for locals and tourists, but tonight, there was not a soul (except me!). I had hit the 3/4 mark and was getting psyched to be around people once again, until I saw another blood globue! Really, another one???? Come on! At this point, I didn't stop to ponder this one, I just simply pushed my body as fast as it could to the top.

In the end, I made it safe and sound, feeling a little bit braver than the day before. There's a saying that we should do something everyday that scares us. Well, I may not do something everyday but I am counting this!

See you in the trails!

INVIGORATED!

The sun is shining and the snow in the mountains is abundant (I wrote this post over a week ago). Today, I had the entire day to myself. No work and no friends to play with, so I had the opportunity to create my very own solo adventure. As of late, Peter and I have been hiking the BCMC a few times a week, usually in the morning before work. I know snowshoeing trails exist up there but have never taken the time to explore. I am sure it's not a whole lot different then when I hike around in the summertime but when everything is covered in snow, the terrain just looks different.

I strapped my snowshoes to my pack and started my hike up the Grind to the top. I only saw 2 others on the trail today and one of them must have been in his 80's, very impresive. Once at the chalet I asked en employee about the trails and he gave me the scoop. There is a trail called the Snowshoe Grind trail (SSG) which essentially takes you to Dam Mountain. You can purchase a chip if you want and you can scan it just outside the chalet and upon your return. There is nothing to scan on Dam Mtn, they just go by the honor system.

The trails were easy to find and within no time I was on the top of Dam, eating my lunch in pure bliss. The sun was shining directly on me and I stayed warm and toasty. A fellow was telling me about Thunderbird Ridge, somewhere I had never been. It wasn't to far of a detour so I checked that one off as well. If you are looking to snowshoe to a location more private, Thunderbird Ridge would be it. There were 3 ladies eating lunch and boy did they pack well (i.e- Baileys, banana bread, chocolate santas!). I took a picture of them and then was back on my way to the chalet. Getting to descend (run) downhill back to the chalet was by far the best part.

Grouse was just a zoo today. I couldn't beleive how many cars there were and how many people were at the top. However, where I went was relativily quiet. Can't wait for more adventures soon!

On another note, I have been running lot's but can't say I am really in training mode. Most runs are no longer than an hour before or after 8-11 hours of work. I prefer to go before work as that is when I am the most fresh. After being on my feet for so long, all I want to do is sit down! I am also doing the BCMC 2-3 times a week and strength training, climbing and doing yoga when I can fit them in. So, I am staying active and getting in a good mix of everything.

I was planning on doing some travelling (to New Zealand) at the beginning of the new year but plans changed slightly. I got another job working full-time at MEC (Mountain Equipment co-op) and am trying to juggle that with my personal training/run coaching/lactate balance point testing. It's the busiest I have been for a while but to be honest, I am loving it. I just function better as a busy person. I also appreciate the downtime more. So with all that said, I am going to focus on saving some money and look to head over to Europe in the summer months to explore the mountains, eat delicious food, and hopefully run UTMB (pending I get selected from the lottery).

See you out there!

STAMP-A-STACK!

I must warn you, this is not a typical running post, but more of an introduction to something fun I have been doing every Christmas season (yes, were already getting into Christmas time) for the past 3 years.

My boyfriend Peter has 2 older sisters, Kathleen and Angela. Both of them are awesome. Angela, this middle child, is not only an amazing elementary school teacher, but she is also an award winning scrapbooker. Right in her own home, she hosts dozens of card making classes per year but the one I go to is called 'stamp a stack'. For $15-20 bucks, I get to make 5 copies of 3 different cards that she has hand created, all Christmas theme. In the end, I leave with 15 handmade cards of which I am so proud of.



For me, this is a pretty tedious task and it takes a lot of concentration. I have never actually been diagnosed with ADD but I am pretty sure deep down, I must have a mild form ha! I am always the last to leave and I am not sure how because I am working as fast as I can. The class goes from 7pm-10pm and the time simply flies by!



You can check out her blog HERE
which I highly recommend!!! The cards she produces are just unreal. I have always hand made my own birthday and christmas cards, ever since I was a little girl, and it's fun to keep that tradition going with a more professional look (not that printer paper and pencil crayons is unprofessional!).

On a running note, I have taken the last 4 days off since the 50 miler. My left hamstring is a bit tight and was so during the race. I am running with a client tomorrow so that will be a good test.

See you in the trails!

Whistler 50 mile Race Report!

haha, I sit here and laugh because it has been forever since I have done a race longer than 50km. In fact, Western States 100 in June of 2010 was my last long race. This year has been a bit interesting as far as my running is concerned and I have had to DNF, due to ankle injuries, more than I would like. It's felt as though I had DNF'd more races this year than completed so I was more than excited crossing the finish line at the Whistler 50 miler this past Saturday!

The decision to race was very last minute (weekend before). I tapered for a week and felt pretty well rested overall. I knew going into it that it would challenge me mentally due to the course being 4 x 20km loops but also challenge me physically because it's a relatively flat course, with the majority on pavement. I like to run. I like to get into a flow. Flatter courses let me do that!

I woke up at 3:45, got ready, ate breaky, and left my hotel at 5:40am for the 6am start. My hotel was literally a 2 minute walk to the conference center where the race debriefing was. However, I had a mini panic attack because I was a bit lost. I was told to take 2 rights from outside the hotel lobby doors, but that found me at the Hilton, not the conference center. With a little surge of adrenaline, I ran into some guys who were working the race and they steered me in the right direction. Within minutes we were lined up outside and away we went!

It was pitch black and we ran the entire first loop in the dark. I was roughly 7 minutes behind Jen Segger after the first loop. She set out at an obviously faster pace at which I was not willing to match. Having not run an ultra in quite some time, I was more focused on starting out comfortable, as my main goal was to FINISH this one! However, I was willing to let the competetive spark come alive if that's what it felt like doing. I only had a couple little navigation hiccups in that first loop but overall it was pretty well marked with glowsticks and cones. My only complaint is that the aid stations were not set up with food yet. I actually did not have any food on me as I had planned to feed off the aid stations and after 90 minutes of no food, I started to get worried...and hungry! The temperature was below zero and I didn't find myself feeling all that thirsty and drank way less water than normal.

The second loop was awesome because it was now light out and it was as though I was running a whole new loop! The frost on the ground was stunning and the snow on the mountains took my breath away. Snow covered a few trails in lost lake portion but it was not slick and the footing was great. There were so many volunteers who stood out in the cold for hours and I tried to thank each and every one. The relay teams started at 8am and at this point there were tons of them waiting at the exchange stations. They always cheered us solo ultra runners on everytime we came past and I have to admit, it was pretty cool!

The 3rd loop: THE TRAIN! A few miles into the 3rd loop, I noticed Jen and a few others waiting with a volunteer Marshal. My first thought was, did she drop out (not something Jen is known for)? But then I quickly noticed the train that had come to a complete stop, blocking our running path. She had already been there for 10 minutes and was starting to get really cold. I offered her some of my water as she said she was getting thirsty. A bunch of people caught up at this point. I took this opportunity to stretch out and tried to keep moving. After 12 minutes of waiting there, they finally got the train going. Jen had been there a total of 22 minutes! On a cold day, stopping for that long is not ideal.

I managed to keep warm that entire time and quickly passed Jen shortly after crossing the tracks. I wasn't really into racing today and tried to maintain a steady comfortably fast pace, however, I think I was running the fastest I had been all day and I am sure it was just a rush from now being up front. I can't say I enjoyed being up front all that much. When I was behind, I was so content just doing my thing and listening to my tunes. Now, all I could focus on was Jen and where she was and if she'd catch me. My IT-Band started to flare up, something I had been worried about coming into this race but after I stopped for a minute to stretch it, it seemed to be fine. Muscle discomfort came and went on this lap. At one point my ankle was tight but then my left hamstring got tight and I forgot all about my ankle. This pattern changed around all day. It's interesting how this happens. All I kept thinking to myself was, 'Ellie Greenwood gets tight hamstrings and quads in races, but she still rocks on, you can get through this'.

Loop 4 was by far the most challenging. I just could not maintain the speed I had for the first 3 loops and everything just got tight. My stomach turned off and I couldn't eat gels like I had been in the beginning. Everything else I had been consuming (Cliff shot blocks) were too hard to eat because it was so cold out. I turned to coke and just survived on that for the last 10-15km. My calves started to cramp up pretty bad as well, bringing me to a screeching hault on many occasions. Thank goodness I had packed salt pills in my drop bag as they saved my butt a few times in that last loop. I know part of my problem was that I didn't take in many electrolytes in the first 4 hours. I was filling my water bottle up with water that had Elete (liquid sodium) in it but due to my lack of taking in fluids, I wasn't getting that much.

I managed to keep it together, plugging away the miles, even though I felt like I was moving at a snails pace. It took energy to smile, whereas before it was just written all over my face. In the end, I crossed the line in a time of 6:48 (actual time is 6:36 because of the 12 min at the train). Although I was the first female to cross the line, Jen won the event because she was waiting at the train for 10 extra minutes than myself. I had only made up about 4 minutes on her in those last 1.5 loops. I have to laugh though because I went up to her after she crossed the line stating how sorry I was that she was stopped for so long at the train. I told her she probably would have won if it weren't for that. I was so clueless!!! Of course they would deduct the time spent waiting...why didn't I think of that? The whole time I was running I thought I was winning. Ha...it makes me laugh.

In the end, winning was not the prize I was searching for that day, so I was still overjoyed with my accomplishment. I am happy I entered. I am happy I finished. I am happy I pushed myself to a 2nd place finish. My aunt and uncle even came out to see me (thanks guys). Thank goodness for them because they helped me hobble back to my hotel room!

I just want to thank the RD and everyone else who helped make this event a success. The after party was awesome and I somehow managed to dance the night away in my less than functional state.

Next up: Deception pass 25 or 50km...TBD.

See you in the trails...which will hopefully be covered in a beautiful pillowy smooth layer of snow soon!