Kusam Klimb (Slime) 2014

(Photo by adventuresbycamera.com )

From the moment I arrived in Sayward, B.C., I felt the warmth of the community as it welcomed me as one of the almost five hundred participants who took part in the 2014 Kusam Klimb. The friendly host at the Cable House Cafe prepared me coffee and chicken salad before I picked up my race number, and the kind staff at the Kelsey Rec Centre went out of their way to give us a comfortable night's sleep (for the $20 we paid to stay there we had use of the rec centre swimming pool, whirlpool, and TV room.)

Near 7 a.m. the Kusam Klimb race began. I took off with the lead pack and settled into a 5 minute per kilometer pace heading along a paved road until we reached the narrow trailhead. Rain continued throughout most of the ascent creating slippery sections on the steep rocky inclines. I didn't want to get injured so I took it slow, power-hiking most of it, stopping for water - keeping my calories up during the almost two-hour slog. Ascending close to 5000 feet in just 7 kilometers is a tough chore, but it does have its rewards. Between 3000 and 4000 feet the views at some sections are amazing as you're running above the clouds. There wasn't as much snow on the summit this year. One run off stream I was planning to refill my drink bottle at was bone dry.

The descent was a slimy process as the rain and melting snow created a series of challenging mud holes. I almost lost my left shoe gaiter to one of them. I was glad to see they had ropes to help us down the steeper slippery places. At a snowy decline where I chose to sit and slide around ten metres I lost a Nathan drink bottle. By the time I realized it was gone, I was too far down to make an attempt at reclaiming it. On the ropes I met a lady who remembered me from the year before when I had offered aid to her husband who was cramped up and dehydrated. I had given him two S-caps which enabled him to finish. She commented on how weeks later she had read about the incident in my blog. Just then, the fellow behind us, listening in on our conversation, said he forgot to bring his S-caps on the run and he could use some. I happened to have extra with me, so I gave him a couple before continuing on with my descent.

I picked up speed after leaving the snow and muck, and once we were out of the woods I was able to keep a steady pace running down the winding snake ridge to the 3rd aid station where a spread of Nanaimo bars was waiting laid out. One of the aid volunteers filled my drink bottle with Gatorade as I attempted to adjust my left shoe gaiter which was about to fall off. I scarfed a Nanaimo bar, as I waved goodbye.
I passed several runners over the last ten kilometers, stopping once to give Advil to a lady who was hurting. The continuous downhills put a strong pounding on the quads. The last aid station had a Hawaiian theme, the ladies tending it had grass skirts on, and were dancing the hula as I approached. I commented there that I would be heading to Hawaii in two weeks time as I took one of the pineapples they offered on a serving tray. Checking my watch as I left, I saw that I might be able to finish in under 4 hours. I picked up speed when I heard rock music playing, and the amplified voice of an announcer echoing up the hill. It was 3:52 as I rounded the last corner, on the paved road toward the finish. I could just make it. I crossed the finish line at 3:58. Almost 1/2 an hour faster than I had run the Kusam Klimb the previous year.

(Photo by adventuresbycamera.com )

While waiting for the evening after race buffet, we took advantage of Kelsey Rec Centre's offer to let us use their pool and hot tub to soothe our aching muscles (a bonus for those of us who had paid to spend the night there). Other racers were welcome as well but they had to pay a small fee. We made friends with some of the local children at the pool who dared us old goats to go down the kiddy slide. Never too old for fun, Louis Nadeau and I took up the challenge to the amusement of all.
Later, I joined over a hundred hungry runners as we filled our bellies at the buffet in the Sayward Community Hall. Awards, and door prizes, were given out. The festivities ended around 8:30 p.m.. Since it was Summer Saltice there was still plenty of sunshine left in the day to light my drive home to the Comox Valley.

The Eternal Staff

By Rob Sargeant

Strong finish at the Elk/Beaver ultra-marathon 2014

(Photos by Lorna Shaw) As the hours wound down to the start of the Elk /Beaver Ultra in Victoria, B.C. May 10th, I found myself wrestling with the prerace “What ifs”. What if I go out too fast, and cramp up? What if the weather turns foul? What if my training wasn’t sufficient? What if my stomach upsets? Running ultra-marathon distances has its risks, because you’re pushing your body to extremes – sometimes trying to run as far as you ever have, as quickly as possible, exposed to the forces of nature. There’s a fragile balance to be kept, of calorie and hydration intake, and speed. And if it’s not, it can lead to upset.

Around 5 a.m., without having had much sleep, Russ Green and I checked out of the Elk Lake Hojo’s Hotel near the race start. It was his first attempt at completing 100 kms, I was there to improve on my 50 mile (80 km) personal best finish time, set the year before.

In the cool of the early morning we joined a crowd of ultra-runners on the grass behind the starting line in Elk Lake Park, and set off at an easy pace, following a 10 km loop trail that wound through forests and fields next to the Elk/Beaver lakes. This was convenient, because we could keep a self-serve aid station near the start, and access it before pushing on to complete our next loop.

I had to keep patient when the 50 km distance runners were pushing the pace. This paid off when 4 hours into the ultra I reached the 40 km mark with lots of gas still in the tank. While I changed out my shoes at my aid station I met up with Russ who was looking strong heading out on his 5th loop. I didn’t see him again until after I had finished. To keep motivated going through the low points of the run I thought of my cause, Sick Kids Foundation, and the children who were bed ridden in hospitals, hooked up to machines, waiting for vital organ donations.

A great sense of exhilaration hit me as I came toward the finish on the last loop. All my “What ifs” were in vain. Under my previous time for this distance by almost an hour and forty minutes, coming in at 9:13, I was pleased. And I ended up awarded second place in Men’s Masters.

Russ Green soon came through our aid station with one loop left to go. It was still possible for him to complete the 100 km before the 12 hour cut off time, but he would have to push the pace to do it. I gave him a couple of my power gels to get him through the last kilometers. With seven minutes to spare, I spotted Russ emerge from the forest shrouded trail. We cheered him in to the finish where he was awarded third place in Men’s Masters.

Donations for my cause, the Sick Kids Foundation, can still be made HERE

Training for Elk Beaver 50 Mile Ultra 2014

My wife, Olivia, was a great help this ultra training season as she drove the support vehicle on my longer runs. Twice we left while it was still dark, early in the morning, heading along the 19A coast highway. Once, up north 45kms to Campbell River, and another time, 47kms down to the Denman island ferry station and back. Olivia drove ahead of me 8kms or so, prepared my drinks and energy gels, and always offered an encouraging word. Early in the mornings the highway traffic is low. No convenience stores, or gas stations are open though at this time, so it would've been impossible for me to find the calories and water required to complete these runs alone.

March 9th, the first day of spring, as I ran beside the ocean approaching Campbell River, the sunrise was amazing over the Rocky Mountains peaks to the east. Starting off at 5 a.m. running in fog, I had wondered how the day would progress, was the weather man's prediction for rain true?. Thankfully it wasn't - only an hour of fog to run through. Later we had clear skies, sun, and spotted eagles in the trees, and comorants on the tidal rocks. My training pace was faster than the previous year, and I wasn't experiencing the leg cramps I had when I attempted this before. Maybe it was the new, Hoka One One Stinson Tarmac, running shoes, or the mix of Power Bar/Cliff energy gels I was using for calories. Whatever, it was a great feeling to arrive in Campbell River, and celebrate by going out for a delicious brunch at Banners Restaurant with Olivia, who had helped me along the way.
At midnight, March 29th, I left the house, running south along highway 19A. Olivia was going to catch-up with me in the van and meet me 8kms down the road at the edge of Royston. I felt a sense of issolation with just my headlamp for illumination along some of the long stretches of road. When we reached Union Bay, beside the ocean, the sea lions were active, in a frenzy barking to each other. One must have been right up near the edge of the road, as it gave me quite a scare when it barked out as I ran by. I sped up my pace for a few hundred metres to get away. I safely made it to the Denman Island ferry terminal, where Olivia was waiting with the support vehicle. She had the video camera out and was making some commentary. We even managed to get a photo.
My quads felt cramped at the turn around point, so I took in extra salt capsules and Gatorade. I told myself to run in the now, that time was just an illusion, and slowly got back into pace. 4-6 hour training runs are essential if you want to be a successful ultra distance runner. There's no short cut to building up endurance. I had a low point, on a very dark section of road, and felt like stopping, but as I came around the corner I saw the dome light of the van in the distance where Olivia was preparing my drinks. I pushed on, and was encouraged by my wife that this was the last aid stop before reaching the edge of Courtenay. I made it home just as the city was coming alive, glad to have missed the traffic, and even gladder to have a hot shower.

I'll be running for the Sick Kids Foundation on May 10th as I take part in the Elk/Beaver 50 Mile Ultra. Donations can be made here: Sick Kids Foundation

Run with the Wounded Warriors B.C. relay team

The goal the Wounded Warriors B.C. Relay Team set out to accomplish was to run 600 km in 6 days following the eastern coast of Vancouver Island to raise support for soldiers suffering with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). When I found out that they were open to having runners join them, I checked their route on Google maps, and saw a 22km section from the Parksville to Lantzville legions scheduled for a 2 p.m. start. It looked doable for a co-worker, Sal Barrie, and myslef to complete. As the team came through the Comox Valley I met with Dan Bodden, one of the organizers of the run, at the local legion to find out if we could link up with them for the Parksville segment of the relay. To do this we would need to sign a waiver, and get permission from our chain of command at work to have the afternoon off. We would also have to take two cars, and leave one in Lantzville so we'd have a way to return when we were finished.

Aside from a small set back with my running gear (I discovered, just before leaving, as I was putting my running gear on, that my cat had peed on my gym bag the night before - soaking my two Dry Fit tops), everything went according to plan. When we arrived at the Parksville start we were greeted by the mayor, and the president of the legion. The media was there to catch the runner's arrival. We had a quick introduction to the team, and then departed, heading south, along the edge of old Coast Highway 19. Steve Kobayashi was our first Wounded Warrior running partner. Having already covered close to 60 kms the previos three days, his IT band was giving him problems. We let him set the pace. The sun was out, and the air was still cool, so it was perfect running conditions. Steve told us of how they were hit with heavy snow the first two days on the north of the island, and were dodging snow plows. The segment we were on was timed to be about a two hour run on the schedule. A long gentle down hill about 6 kms in helped to speed us along as we leaned into it and picked up the pace. Unfortunately what goes down on Vancouver Island usually goes up. The second half of the run included several big hilly sections that put some burning into our legs. George Beatteay, a SARtech from 19 Wing Comox, met up with us around 10km in. He took over for Steve. With all of us being from the same Airforce Wing we had a fun time talking, and were looking forward to finishing together.

We got lost in the last few kilometers of the run by following the directions of a lady in a mini van at the side of the road who told us we were going in the right direction to get to the Lantzville legion. I thought she was a volunteer for the race so I didn't question her. Turns out she wasn't. The police escort we were supposed to meet, finally did link up with us just before we hit a big hill that climbed up toward the finish. With police siren tooting ahead of us, and and fire engine with lights flashing at the rear, we approached the legion where a good sized crowd was gathered to greet us. I couldn't have imagined a better welcome. They presented us with a check for $300 to the Wounded Warriors Foundation. There was coffee and and a spread of desserts waiting for us too. We finished the 22kms in around 1:55 hr, ahead of the scheduled time. My thanks go out to all the volunteers who helped to make this happen, and to the courageous runners, Allan Kobayashi, Dan Bodden, George Beatteay, Jeremy Buckingham, Steve Kobayashi, and Steve Deschamps.

Donations to the Wounded Warriors Foundation can be made HERE
Thanks.

Night run to Comox Lake dam

It was raining like crazy yesterday so I didn't go for my usual long Saturday run after my protein powder-banana pancake breakfast. Instead, I headed out early this morning at 5:30 a.m. while it was still dark. Trying out my new Nike dry max running tights, I had my headlamp on, and hit the trail around 6 a.m. leaving from the Fish Hatchery in Courtenay. Following the dirt service road running parallel to the hydro water tunnels I noticed my headlamp wasn't as bright as it should be. It illuminated a small patch of ground up to five meters ahead of me, plus it was lightly snowing, so visibility was poor. The first half hour I found my mind wandering, remembering a long conversation I had with a mountain man in the summer who had had several bear encounters in the area. He always carried a can of bear spray, and recommended that I have some too. I didn't have anything like that. Not even bear bells. The trail is in a secluded area, but it gets steady traffic from dog walkers, and the odd horse back rider. I told myself that all the dogs marking the trail side would probably discourage any predators. I was pretty sure of this. I remembered watching it on one of those survivor shows. I hoped I was right.

Nymph Falls trail from Rob Sargeant on Vimeo.

Running in the dark forest, after reaching the power station near Nymph Falls, the trail twisted and turned. I recognized where I was since I had passed through the trail so many times during the day. But it did seem like a different world. It definitely felt riskier in the early morning, before sunrise. It felt so good to get to the Comox Lake dam after an hour or so. The morning was breaking, but still dim with the clouded skies. I had to keep my headlamp on until I reached Nymph Falls, running on the other side of the Riverside Trail. By the time I reached the trail under the Highway 19 overpass the sun was fully up, its light sparkling off the wet ferns, and evergreen trees around me. Running in darkness has its challenges, but it makes me appreciate running in the light even more.

The highs and lows of 2013

2013 in many ways was an emotional roller coaster ride. The lows were related to the loss of my nephew, Joseph Sargeant, who was born with a heart defect, and wasn't able to get a donor heart in time to save his life. My brother, John-Paul, and his wife Sabina, did everything a parent could do to help a child born with a condition like this. The team of doctors and nurses at Toronto Sick Kids hospital did a wonderful job keeping Joseph alive, and comfortable, as long as they could, for a period of almost six months. Regional TV news coverage on City TV, and CBC, aired stories on Little Joe's plight and the need for a donor. A large prayer chain across Canada was started for him. I ran 60kms in September to raise support for Sick Kids Foundation wearing a photo of Little Joe pinned to my t-shirt.

The highs of 2013 included rich times spent with family and friends, and reaching some ultra-running goals. Olivia and I took a week long summer holiday to the west coast of Vancouver Island to enjoy the amazing scenery around Port Renfrew, and the Pacific Rim National Park. Finishing the Elk-Beaver 80 km Ultra in May, the 24km mountainous Kusam Klimb in June, and the 60 km, ten loops of the Nanaimo, Westwood Lake Trail in September were memorable achievements of 2013. I was also able to join the Heliset Hale First Nations Marathon Team in one of their stages running the length of Vancouver Island, raising support for suicide awareness (see video below).

It was encouraging this year to attend a college art show featuring some of our son, Andre's work (see below). His talents have improved over the years. He was paid to do some illustrations for a soon to be published children's book.

Entering 2014 I'm thankful that I'm not struggling with any injuries. I've started on a 16-week ultra training plan, hoping to improve on my speed and endurance for the upcoming season. I think I'll have more of a focus on trail running this year, as I seem to enjoy that more than pounding away the hours at the roadside. We'll see how things go.

Resilience in ultrarunning, and in life

At the end of November I had the privilege of being interviewed by Western States Ultra, seven time top 10 men finisher, Andy Jones-Wilkins, for a series of essays he was writing for his AJW Taproom column found on the iRunFar website. He was writing about how the meta-cognitive skills of persistence, resilience, patience, courage, and grit affect ultrarunning. He wanted to know how ultra running helped me to recover after the death of my 15 year-old son, Colt, who took his own life in June 2010.
It's interesting to discover through Andy's articles how running developed skills can positively impact other areas of your life. Please click on the link to the column above (if you already haven't) to learn more.

Sick Kids Foundation 60Km ultra run turns into record attempt

Three weeks before the Great Lake Ultramarathon was to take place I received a discouraging e-mail from the organizer saying that the event had been cancelled due to the low number of registrants. I had been training weeks for this and had already started my fund raising campaign for Sick Kids Foundation. My nephew Joseph was recently helped tremendously by Sick Kids after being born with a serious heart defect (he is in need of a heart transplant). I still wanted to follow through with my running commitment, but didn't know where I would do it or with whom.

A week later I saw a post on Facebook from a fellow ultramarathoner, Stacy Wallington, from Nanaimo, who was going to do a 60km run of his own at Westwood Lake on the same date the Great Lake Ultra would've been. He put out the challenge to other distance runners in the region. The Nanaimo Daily News picked up on the story the week before and interviewed Stacy. He hadn't heard of anyone ever running ten consecutive loops of the Westwood Lake trail before, so this 60km run would be a record breaking attempt, the FKT (fastest known time).

I was almost late to the 8 a.m. start because I was reading my Google Map print out upside-down. I didn't realize that Jingle Pot Road crossed Highway 19 at two separate intersections. Thanks to a couple walking their dog, who gave me directions, I arrived at the Westwood Lake parking lot with about 15 minutes to spare. Stacy was laying out his aid station in the trunk of his car as I drove in. I had a cooler prepared in my back seat with a jug of Gatorade and high carbohydrate snacks. Stacy's wife, Katy, and his mother, arrived just before we departed. They were joining us as walkers.

We set off at an easy pace, running together most of the first loop so I wouldn't get lost. The weather was perfect, and the trail had a lot of activity, as this was the same day a Dog Triathlon was taking place (something I had never witnessed before - dogs and their owners, racing, tackling an obstacle course, and swimming together). I think the local running club was doing a four hour run as well. Stacy passed me as I was at my aid station after the second loop.

Around noon the park began to clear out. The Dog Triathlon ended, and the other runners must have gone off for lunch. I was alone for long stretches, running, thinking of my nephew. Over four hours into the run I changed into a new t-shirt before heading out on loop 7. Stacy had already lapped me but said he was suffering leg cramps and wasn't going to continue. He decided to stay at his car to wait for his wife and mother. When I returned after the next loop they were waiting for me and politely asked if I wanted to end. I declined, saying I was into the ultramarathon groove and wanted to continue. So I went on alone.

The last three hours, at times, was a fight. I had a laminated photo of my nephew pinned to my t-shirt. I glanced down to it for inspiration from time to time. This was the most emotional ultra run I had ever done. I guess because this time I was running for someone who was family.

To keep track of my loops, once another one was completed, I would place a small stone by my aid station on the pavement. As I put the tenth stone down at the end of a neat row, I felt excited. Not only had I finished the 60km run but I had set a new record. I ran into the lake fully clothed and took a swim to celebrate.

Video on Little Joe Sargeant. Please share.

Donations are still being accepted here: Sick Kids Foundation 60 Km Ultra run And here:Heart 2 Heart for Baby Joe

The Eternal Staff

By Rob Sargeant

Running trails in Strathcona Provincial Park and Forbidden Plateau

Two weeks in a row now the pleasant summer weather has made it possible for Louis Nadeau and I to run the trails of Strathcona Provincial Park and Forbidden Plateau.
The first Saturday we attempted to run from Forbidden Plateau to Raven Lodge, Mount Washington. We met-up at Mount Washington, Raven Lodge, around 7 a.m. arriving in separate cars, left one vehicle there, before driving together back to highway 19, towards the top of Forbidden Plateau where our run would begin.

The Forbidden Plateau side the trail wasn't very well marked out or maintained. Once onto the north side of the mountain, we found the switchback trails winding down had many fallen trees across it that we had to scramble over to continue.

But much of the trail from Forbidden Plateau was runnable. We power hiked the steeper inclines. 8km in, the trail seemed to vanish. We followed what we thought was the continuation of the trail (more like a deer trail) to Douglas Lake, where we found a rustic cabin which was unlocked and luckily had a supply of filtered water I could use to refill my camel pack.

After a while of going in circles we found a trail leading north that eventually lead us out of the park to a series of logging roads. We could see Forbidden Plateau at some points as we ran the logging roads. Exposed to the sun, things heated up quickly. We took breaks in the shade to have a power gel or to take in salt capsules.
When the steep logging road came to an end we found ourselves in a clearing surrounded by tree stumps and rotting logs. Walking to the edge of a nearby bog we continued heading west, knowing that Paradise Meadows was in that direction. We could see on Louis' I-phone map we were just off to the east of the park. No signs of a trail appeared. We came to a larger lake with an old campfire that gave us hope, but how did people get there? We decided to follow a narrow stream with a good flow of water and hiked higher. At one point I splashed my face and cupped my hands to drink water from a small falls before climbing up it. Refreshed, I soon saw signs of civilization - an old rusty cart wheel lying on the river stone, and then we heard a voice, a lady, she was standing on a bridge, saying, "Are you lost?"
I think we were somewhere near Lady Lake. With a very runnable trail to now follow we got into stride and made it back to the parking area near Raven Lodge in good time. Overall the 28kms took us 6 hours and twenty nine minutes. We had almost 4000 feet in elevation gain, much of that probably from the steep logging roads we had to go up and down.

This Saturday we met at the Raven Lodge parking area on Mount Washington, same time. Louis brought his son Dom along for the run. Dom was a B.C. provincial cross country running finalist last year, and is also a top road racer on the island for his age category. We asked him to take it easy on us old goats.
The trail was much simpler to follow than the week before, with many runnable sections. It became more technical as we came to the foot of Mount Albert Edward. Steep sections there, we had to be careful on, due to loose footing. Sometimes we were down on all fours scrambling up roots and boulders. We were inside the clouds, and couldn't see very far once past 5000 feet. There were fewer trees and it seemed harder to catch our breath

When we reached the summit I found a patch of snow and made a snow angel, cooling off the quads. We took some photos and refilled our camel packs with ice. I made a Gatorade slushy.
On the way down we met up with many hikers with heavy backpacks, taking advantage of the long weekend. Seeing that we were running, they politely stepped to the side of the path and let us pass. I thought I came across a bear when a black nose came around one corner, but it belonged to a large Labrador dog, thankfully. We were very tired by this point in the run so I wouldn't have been able to do much if it was a real bear.
Dom was waiting for us in the shade when we got back to the Raven Lodge parking lot. The 25km run took us old goats 6 hours and 22 minutes with 3000 feet in elevation gain.

Kusam Klimb 2013 - The Cliffs of Insanity

Running the Kusam Klimb is probably the most insane thing I've ever attempted, and I liked it. The 23km race course ascends from 9 to 1482 meters within 7.7kms from the start. The first 2kms were on paved roads so I was able to keep the lead runners in my sights until we got to the narrow trail head. Soon it became so steep we had to power hike. Since it had been raining often the previous week the race trail higher up was muddy. At times I was on all fours crawling along, glad that I had worn heavy duty gloves. I stopped to refill my drink bottles at a stream fed by the melting snow above us. It took about two hours to get to the top where we were above the clouds near the peak, scrambling across snow drifts. What an unforgettable view that was.

The craziest part was getting down the other side of the mountain. At certain steep places long ropes were fastened to trees for us to use on the descent of the snowy slopes, reminding me of the 'cliffs of insanity' from the movie Princess Bride. I was able to slide down a few sections, seated on the snow, using my feet and hands to protect myself from protruding rocks and tree branches.

I entered runnable sections of forest not long after the course passed by a lake and the second checkpoint. Soon I found myself running alone and wondered if I had somehow wandered off the Kusam Trail, but then I would see a small pink ribbon up ahead tied to a branch telling me that I was going in the right direction.

After reaching an old logging road I picked up speed following switchbacks down towards a mist filled valley. Along the way I came to a broad stream with water calf deep. It cooled my burning feet as I ran across. The third check point had Nanaimo bars and Gatorade to offer, which I took advantage of. Just past this, I met a fellow runner, leaned against a tree, suffering with muscle cramps so I stopped to give him some salt capsules (later, at the finish, he thanked me, saying that he couldn't have finished without them).

The last six kilometers I ran steadily, descending over a mixture of logging roads and quad wheeler trails, passing several runners. I tripped at one point, going head over heals and landed on my back, but quickly got up and shook it off.
I heard the finish line before I could see it. They were blasting rock music and making announcements over a loud speaker. I finished strong, smeared with mud, in a time of 4 hrs and 35 minutes, happy to have completed the most crazy race of my life.

Thanks to all the volunteers who helped to make this event go smoothly.

The Eternal Staff

By Rob Sargeant

50 Mile - Elk Beaver Ultra 2013

The night before I was to run 80 kilometers, non stop, for the first time in my life, I ordered a piece of thick New York strawberry cheesecake from the Elk Lake Restaurant in Victoria. I would need the extra carbohydrates. I felt excited, and nervous, going over a check list in my mind, making sure I had the things I needed to be able to finish the 26th annual Island Runners - Elk Beaver Ultra. My training was sufficient. I had spent 16 weeks in preparation, putting in the long runs on the weekend to build up the required base to attempt a 50 miler. My left knee had developed some inflammation problems midway through the training, and it had healed. I hoped that it wouldn't flare up again during the race.

Wearing my Team World Vision jersey, I joined fifty other runners at the 6 a.m. start. From the northern park on Elk Lake we followed a 10km, mostly flat, circular route counter clockwise that wound through woods and fields along the water's edge. I was to run this circuit eight times to complete the 50 miles. The path was still open to the public so as the day warmed we met up with local joggers, walkers and even some people on horse back. With fresh legs I ran the first 30 km in 3 hours. I thought since it would be cooler earlier in the day I would try to bank as many kilometers as I comfortably could.

The day did heat up around 11 a.m. and I wasn't prepared for it. When I headed out to tackle the 50km loop I didn't bring enough with me to stay hydrated. My muscles began to cramp. I had thoughts of dropping out, giving it serious consideration as my run turned into a shuffle as I headed towards the check in point back at Elk Lake to my aid station. A voice in my head told me to take some salt tablets and extra water first, before making a final decision to stop. I did that, and felt well enough to start off on the 6th loop, munching a Snickers bar. Within ten minutes I was back running again at a pace that helped me make up for lost time.
With three kilometers to go I whispered a prayer to finish in 10:55. A surge of energy came over me in the last 1/2 kilometer and I ran faster than I had in hours. The cheesecake from the night before was kicking in. As I rounded the corner heading toward the official timer's desk for the last time the digital clock read 10:55. Finishing a race never felt so good. I was surprised to find out that I placed 2nd in Men's Masters.

Saint Peter's Run - 40 Km

With my wife, Olivia, driving the support vehicle, I was able to do a 40 km training run from Courtenay to Campbell River, B.C., Easter morning. I decided midway through the run that I would call it "Saint Peter's Run" in memory of how Peter and John ran to the tomb looking for Jesus on that first Easter morning two thousand years ago.

A good portion of the route we followed, wound along beside the eastern coastline of Vancouver Island offering amazing views on this Easter morning. Below is a video I made of the journey.

Departing from the Canadian Tire store at 5 a.m., wearing a head lamp and reflective running gear, I ran uphill following old highway 19A, taking the scenic route to Campbell River. Every now and then I could see the brake lights of our van far off in the distance. The first stop to refill my drinking bottle was 6 kms into the run. It worked out well to have the support vehicle stop every 6 - 7 kms so I could get more power gels and top up my drinking bottle with Gatorade. This made the adventure much easier.

After an hour and a half of running in darkness I was able to take off my headlamp and leave it in the van. Things went smoothly until the heat of the day started to wear on me. I hadn't taken enough S-Caps to compensate for my increased sweating, so my sodium levels dropped around 30 - 35km. This caused me to cramp sooner than I should've. We reached the 7-11 Store in Campbell River, my goal destination 5 hours and 10 minutes into the run. I was planning on turning around there, to run back another 10 km, but decided to take Olivia out for an Easter morning brunch instead at a riverside restaurant. Still dressed in my flashy running gear, I helped myself to the all you can eat brunch buffet. Eggs Benedict never tasted so good.

Ultra Running Season 2013

Ultra running season will soon be upon us here on the west coast of Canada and I'm hard at work training. But Ultras aren't the only thing I'm interested in competing in this Spring, I've also applied to take part in the first Amazing Race Canada. A co-worker, Rob Herrett, and I, submitted an online video application earlier this month. We're both members of the Royal Canadian Air Force and want to compete under the banner "Team Rob". Have a look at our audition below.

If we're not accepted onto Amazing Race Canada I'm planning on running the 80 km Elk Lake Ultra in May, and the 56K Great Lake Ultra in September. All of these will be held at various picturesque places on Vancouver Island with courses on hilly logging roads and trails. Training so far has gone well. The wet weather and cold temperatures have held me back a bit with days off with leg cramps and chest congestion. Overall I'm feeling stronger as I get closer to doing the long four hour training runs required to get a good base for ultramarathon running. I think I'll do the Comox Valley 1/2 Marathon in March as a training run since the start for it is on the street just outside my condo in Courtenay.

On rainy days and Sunday mornings I'm still writing, working on my next novel, entitled - In Heaven. The main character is a soldier who has died in Afghanistan, and is recruited to join the angelic army of heaven. His first assignment as a heavenly warrior is back on earth in semi-angelic human form as an ultra running guy who saves a teenager whose life is in danger. My wife and I traveled to Woss, B.C. to do some research for the book after Christmas, as this is a town mentioned in the story. It's amazing how when you're in the actual location you're writing about writer's block is broken.

Big Run Recovery Drink
1 peeled banana
1 peeled orange
1 cup milk (soy or normal)
1 scoop chocolate Protein Powder
2 table spoons, Greek yogurt
Blend well for 20-30 sec. Enjoy.

Run In The Rain Goes To The Dogs

I was getting cabin fever after three days of heavy rain in the Comox Valley which had kept me from running. Much of my route shares the road with vehicle traffic in the countryside so I was leery of heading out to run in the down pour with drivers distracted by the weather. But Saturday, I had to go out and do my half marathon route. By mid morning the traffic wasn't too bad. I decided to wear a tuque to help me stay warm with the cool weather and rain. Even though it was December 1st, I wore my running shorts, and after a couple of kilometers I felt fine. The river along Dove Creek Road was running high, swelled from the days of rain. Five kilometers or so into the route, as I passed a couple of hobby farms, three husky dogs joined me. I don't know who they belonged to. They seemed friendly. The three of them ran along with me for seven kilometers, and after one took off, two continued with me all the way home covering a total of fifteen kilometers. It ended up being one of my quicker 1/2 marathon training runs, as the dogs helped to keep me on pace. I got worried when they wouldn't turn back as I got closer to my home. I guess we had formed some sort of bond during the run; a pack mentality of something like that, and I was the leader of the pack. So they stayed with me until I reached my condo in downtown Courtenay. My wife, Olivia, was surprised to see me returning from my wet run accompanied by two huskies.

She gave them water, some left over cat food, and chunks of chicken. I called the SPCA to tell them about these dogs who had followed me on my run. They both didn't have collars, or ID tattoos inside their ears. We let the dogs inside our tiny condo, dried the rain off them, and made arrangements to bring them to the SPCA. I had a quick shower and grabbed some lunch before taking the dogs there in the van. I later posted a photo of them on Facebook and a friend of a friend seems to know who they belong to, so hopefully they'll soon be reunited with their masters.

The 56K Great Lake Ultramarathon 2012

The 56K Great Lake Ultramarathon went better for me than I expected, especially since the start I had was awkward. I was up front near the start with the rest of the runners beneath Youbou Town Hall, and somehow after we all sang "Oh Canada" and were let go, my visor was flipped off by the start ribbon, sending my headlamp flying out of sight. I scrambled around, avoiding getting trampled to retrieve my visor, but couldn't spot the headlamp, so I made a quick decision to run on without it. It was 5:00 a.m. totally dark, I followed the rest of the runners out of the town. We quickly came to a gravel logging road shrouded by forest. The lead pack thinned out. I saw bobbing headlamps ahead of me like fireflies stretch into the distance.

Every once in a while a support vehicle would pass by giving me some help with their headlights, but for about an hour I was running in complete darkness. I managed to pass a couple runners before sun rise, but had no idea where I was placed until near the 3rd aid station where someone told me I was in 4th place.

The friendly volunteers at the aid stations quickly helped me to refill my Gatorade bottles, and at certain ones, find the drop bags I had prepared, containing power gels, electrolytes and snacks.

Near the halfway point I was passed by a runner and her support vehicle. I was slowing the pace because I knew a big hill was up ahead and I would need some gas in the tank to handle that. My quads were already feeling the distance. When I left Aid station 8, at what I thought was the top of the hill, I was encouraged by reaching the marathon distance marker in just under four hours. My joy didn't last long though, when I came around the next corner I saw how the hill still ascended.

Finally I was able to run down the long winding descent to the A&W Aid Station where the course joined pavement and followed fairly level ground again. I knew it was around 12 km from the finish because I had measured it with my car the day before (a sign was there too indicating this) the home stretch. My only concern was that I was down to my last power gel. I would've liked to have a couple of more for the final push.

By this time I was in 8th place. I refilled and holstered my drinking bottles and pushed on. I could feel the heat of the beautiful day rising from the street, as I passed homes and small businesses. At some street corners small groups of people clapped, encouraging me to press on. With 10km left to go I took my last gel. My legs felt like cement. I counted down the kilometers. In the last couple of kilometers I was passed by three runners, two of them in the final two hundred meters or so. We were so close. But by that point my place didn't seem to matter to me. I was just so glad to see the finish line. The cheering happy people. Ringing the finish bell. Coming in eleventh place with a time of 6:03 was better than I had expected. And to top it all off when the first aiders checked my feet at their station in the Lake Cowichan Hall, they couldn't find any blisters.

Check here for the Great Lake Ultramarathon Results

Running the Sky Line Trail, in Jasper, Alberta

I had planned to run the 44 km Skyline Trail from start to finish while on my summer vacation in Jasper Park, Alberta. I thought by the middle of July the snow would be melted on the summit, but after ascending 15 km up the winding trail on the side of Curator Mountain from Maligne Lake I was stopped by a washed out trail and snow drifts. If I had brought my gaiters along I probably could've continued. I was being cautious though because the staff at the Parks Canada office in Jasper had warned me that snow was still a problem at those altitudes, and if I encountered it I was to turn back - risks of avalanche still in places.

A family of Marmots met me where I stopped to turn around. I was able to catch them on video, and shared a video blog of my thoughts after reaching the summit. The view was worth the trip, even if I couldn't continue. The run down was a blast, leaping over roots and rocks on the switch backs. I met up with some backpacking hikers and warned them of the snow on the summit. They seemed undeterred by the news, wearing hiking boots that would help them get through the deep snow. I hope they made it.

You can view the video blog of this running adventure below:

Burning Boot/Great Walk 63.5 K Ultramarathon 2012

When I reached the 538 meter summit at 5:30 a.m., running in fourth place, I let out a celebratory hoot, knowing this was the highest point in the Burning Boot ultramarathon. The next ten to fifteen kilometers were down hill - some hills dangerous with 16-18% declines. We had started in darkness at 4 a.m.. At 5:30 the rising sun was still hidden by mountains, casting dim light across the cloudy skies overhead. I took special care going down the steep decline at 20kms, walking at the steepest parts while I ate a banana and a Power Gel. This was where I was injured the year before so I took it easy.

Continuing on, running down into the mist filled valley I was kind of disappointed because the amazing views I remembered from the year before were hidden. After aid station five, 25 kms or so along, I was informed that I was in tenth place. As I ran across a flat stretch of gravel road, the fog ahead parted, revealing a narrow waterfall cascading hundreds of feet down the mountainside.
The lead group of runners I was part of was making good time, reaching the halfway point of 32 kms between 7:00 - 7:30 a.m.. When I came through, the volunteer crew at the aid station were still trying to fix the "halfway point" banner up between the trees across the road. When I stopped there to change my socks and add more Vaseline to the bottoms of my feet (I was developing a blister on the ball of my left foot), the official told me we were going too fast, and that they wouldn't be able to get my drop bag to stage 9 before we would get there, so I had to take an extra set of power gels and protein bars with me in a plastic bag, carrying them by hand.

The weather improved as I came to Heart Attack Hill, near Aid Station 8. Aid Station 8 is where my first attempt at completing the Burning Boot Ultramarathon ended last year. I felt joy passing through it, refilling my drinking bottles with Gatorade and water, and grabbing a banana to go.

My first experience of Heart Attack Hill did a number on my quads. I power hiked up most of it, but running after it was a chore. Descending, I quoted the Bible verses from Isiah 40 under my breath, "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary..." I felt like I was taken to a place outside of time, where there is just the next step, the next stride. I stayed in this place until I made it past aid station 11, eating 1/2 a protein bar and another Power Gel along the way.

The last big hill, before the final aid station, maxed out my quads. They stiffened up like watermelons and couldn't take the pounding of the descent. I was forced into a brisk walk, and watched as three guys came flying down past me. I recognized one of them as my friend from work, Russ Green. I had spotted him far behind me before aid station 8, but hadn't seen him since then.

Once I was down on the flats again I could run, and ate another Power Gel. A burst of adrenaline came over me as I rounded the corner and saw in the distance the public school gym roof next to the finish line. I ran the final kilometer into Tahsis, welcomed by the sound of Fire Fighter Sirens, cheering villagers and volunteers.

My final time was 7 hours and 40 minutes, close to what I was aiming for when I started out. The expected rains never came, and the day maintained cool temperatures, making ideal ultramarathon running conditions.

(Update) All the finishing times are now in and I ended up in 12th place, at 7 hours 40 minutes. Two groups of finishers ahead of me tied, so it brought my final finishing position up in the standings.
Big thanks goes out to all the cheerful volunteers who helped out along the way, manning the aid stations and the final First Aid centre.

I'm turning into Big Foot

There's only a couple of more weeks to go until the 64 k Burning Boot Ultra-marathon. I've been sticking to my training plan for the past 18 weeks, and for the most part it has paid off. This past month I completed two runs, each a little over four hours long, running up and down Forbidden Plateau. I've been experimenting with various power gels and drinks to find out what my stomach handles best and think I have found a good balance.
With the increased mileage my feet have expanded. I'm turning into a Big Foot. This is common among ultramarathoners. I've purchased a pair of runners 1/2 - 1 size larger than I normally wear to deal with it.
We shot a Red Bull spot up on Forbidden Plateau Monday evening. Red Bull Launch Pad is holding a dream video competition so we submitted this 30 second entry. Vote for it and maybe they'll make it come true. I want to be sponsored by Red Bull as an ultramarathoner so we can raise money and awareness about the need for more water wells in Tanzania. In some of the remote villages there, young ladies have to walk for 3-6 hours to get water for their households. Most of it is used for cooking so personal hygiene is neglected, causing sickness and disease to spread. Tanzania has one of the highest infant mortality rates partly due to this.
After shooting the video, driving down from Forbidden Plateau I stopped to video this black bear: World Vision has a site set up online for those who would like to sponsor me in the upcoming Burning Boot Ultra. Here's the link if you wish to do so:World Vision Fund Raiser.
Thanks for your support

Ultra marathon training progress - pain and gain

The middle of December I started a 50 mile, ultra marathon training plan that I found listed on the internet, and so far it has greatly helped me to increase my endurance. I didn't start to feel the benefits of it until near the end of the second month. Up until then, there was a lot of pain on the long weekend runs (especially in the shins). This training plan sandwiches two long runs into the weekend, between two rest days on Friday and Monday. When my long runs got close to 1/2 marathon length, I purchased a Nathan running belt with two, 10 oz, plastic drinking bottles. It also includes a handy zippered pouch where I can store my Sony Walkman, and a power bar or two.

I've noticed with the longer distances, my running style has changed, taking on more of a forward lean. I ran two weekends so far with Saturday runs over three hours. I'm hoping to get to the four hour lengths by mid April.

This weekend I'm registered in the Comox Valley 1/2 Marathon. It's a fast course. The record time for it is 1:03. Simon Whitfield (Canadian Olympic Triathlete) is supposed to be taking part, as well as several other hundred runners. I don't plan on pushing too hard as I'm in the middle of training for the ultra. It should be fun.

There's a life lesson in all of this training. The struggle, difficulties and pain I've gone through has all worked to make me stronger. I've gained from it just like I've gained from all the struggles and pain that God has allowed me to go through in life. If I have the right attitude, it's all working to help me develop perseverance, and strength.

A celebration of life for Grandma

This past weekend I shared the below eulogy at my Grandmother's Celebration of life ceremony in Ontario. She was 96 years old.

Blanche lived a full, rich, life. She had a genuine faith in the words of her savior, Jesus Christ, who said, “Whoever believes in me will not perish but have everlasting life.” So we know she is now in heaven, we can celebrate as we remember her.
Blanche Victoria Atkinson was born May 16, 1915, in Newmarket, Ontatio. Her father, Charles, was a farmer, who later went on to become a carpenter. He was active in the church choir, and sang in quartets at the Gormley and Stouffville Missionary churches. While growing up, I’m sure Blanche and her younger sisters, Reta and Delma would’ve been proud to sit and listen to their father sing.
After completing her education, Blanche worked 31 years as a teacher. The first 8 of those, in one room school houses, typical of rural Ontario at the time, where one teacher would teach around thirty students from 8 grades. The first school house she taught in still stands in East Gwillimbury, Ontario, now known as the North Community Hall. In those days, a wood stove sat in one corner of the class. The kids furthest away from it had to keep their coats and boots on to stay warm in the winter. Blanch met her first husband, Clifford Gordon, while on her first four year teaching assignment in Ravenshoe. They were married September 7, 1940. She took a ten-year break from teaching to start a family. This is when her daughters, Glendyne June, and Louise Margaret (my mother) were born. She returned to teaching at a one-room schoolhouse in Whitchurch township for another 4 years, before transferring to Summitview Public School, in Stouffville, where she continued to work until 1977.

Some of you may have known her as a teacher, a friend, or a co-worker, I knew her as Grandma. My first memories of her go back to when we lived in Chilliwack, B.C. in the 1970s, when she would fly out from Ontario to visit us during school summer vacations. She usually picked up a gift for us at the airport. I remember this book she gave us, from the Noddy Boy Books series, the adventures of a young bobble head toy. She would read it to me before bed, and then we had what she called “kissy kissy time”. As a little six or seven year-old I didn’t seem to mind. But we weren’t a real kissing family around the home, like some Mediterranean families. When I became a teen-ager, I shied away from these kissy kissy times with Grandma, most of the time I could. In the summer of 2009, I was posted from 19 Wing Comox to the naval base in Halifax. My wife, Olivia, my eldest son, Andre, and I were driving across Canada. I knew Grandma was suffering with Dementia. I wondered as we drove into southern Ontario, if she would remember me. When we stopped to visit her at the nursing home, Grandma was in the midst of taking a nap. I quietly entered her room, and stood beside her. She promptly woke up, made eye contact with me, put both her arms up, and the first thing she said was, “Give me a kiss!”

I only ever saw Grandma angry once, and that was when were sold some dead fishing worms at a gas station in Coboconk, Ontario, near the 4 Mile Lake, Atkinson cottage. She took those worms back inside and demanded they be replaced. “How dare you sell my Grandsons dead worms!” The attendant argued that they were just sleeping, but after her insistence, he did replace them.

Being a teacher all those years must have given my Grandma extra patience for dealing with boys. Somehow she could get me to do things no other adult could. Like one summer she taught me how to play a tune on the piano by putting numbered masking tape on the keys. To this day it’s the only song I can play. She introduced me to literature, like, Charlotte’s Web and Stewart Little. She was a strong creative influence in my life.

Grandma loved to travel. Several summers, she visited a cottage on the Bay of Fundy coast in Nova Scotia belonging to her dear friend, Helen Weatherby. After Grandma retired, with her second husband, Cecil Emmerson Banks (they married Dec 1, 1979) they visited Hawaii, and Great Britain. She went on several bus tours down south, and even joined my parents as they took an Airstream trailer through the United States in the late 1990s.

Board games were another passion of hers. She was an avid Scrabble player, and any time I faced her across the table, if I won, I knew she let me.

While I was studying in England and overseas is Egypt working as a missionary Grandma would send me monthly letters, with encouraging clippings she had found in the church bulletin, or in her Daily Bread devotions. She would update me on her comings and goings in Stouffville or share a diary of some bus site seeing trip she was on. When we returned to Canada, we could count on a weekly call from her on the weekend. She was genuinely interested in our lives and many times had words of encouragement or advice if we were facing struggles or challenges.
She was a very even keeled person, who, like I said, rarely became angry. I did some stupid things as a kid, even as a young man, but I never felt judged by her. Instead I was encouraged. As many of those here who knew her can testify, especially former students, she was an encourager. I feel privileged as her grandson to have known her. Though I’ll miss her I hold onto the hope that I will meet her again in heaven.