Running with Sasquatch

Above illustrated by Andre Sargeant

I know some of you won't believe this, but for the past three years I've been trail running with a Sasquatch. When I first encountered the timid creature, it occurred early one summer morning on a narrow forest trail in the Comox Valley of Vancouver Island. I regularly ran this route on Saturdays, during four to five hour training sessions. Since few in the local community are crazy enough to join me running this far, I usually do it alone.

For weeks as I ran this route solo I had the feeling I was being watched. A couple of times I heard footsteps, and deep breathing, behind me, but in the few seconds it would take me to stop, and turn to look back, whoever or whatever was following me would disappear into the thick underbrush.
I gained my pursuer's trust one day by offering them bites of Cliff energy bars (I had them stashed in my Camel Pack). After luring him into the open, amazingly, I discovered it to be a real life Sasquatch. He was able to communicate with simple grunts and rudimentary sign language. I gave him a Power Bar gel, but he didn't seem to like the taste. After taking a few sips he made an ugly face, and tossed it to the ground, stomping on it with his big foot.

I slowly backed away, and carried on with my run. To my surprise, he followed me, keeping up with my pace. When he became thirsty, he stooped down on all fours at the river's edge to drink. We ran together for almost two hours that first day. I didn't know that Sasquatches were so fleet footed. Since then, he has joined me on numerous training runs.

He's a true barefoot runner who doesn't ever need a pair of Vibram Five Fingers when the trail gets tough. He's embraced the 'Green Revolution,' living off only what the wilderness provides.
When I qualify for the Western States 100 I'm going to bring him along as my pacer.

Training with the FITBIT HR

I've been using the FITBIT HR for close to two weeks now. This training aid is quite user friendly and so far has proved to be fairly accurate. I've taken it on runs following low lying, and mountainous trails. Most of the runs were around an hour long and fairly equal in distance according to the steps and distance logged. The heart rate monitor mode indicates how the trail terrain effected the workout, showing that an hour running in the mountain trails has more impact, bringing the heart rate up to and above the 140 pbm range. Pushing the heart rate to its peak cardio range is a great way to build up endurance.

The FITBIT HR also monitors the quality of your sleep, showing how many times you were restless and awake throughout the night. It records your resting heart rate too, which is always useful to know as an athlete. The transfer of this information all happens through a wireless connection because the FITBIT HR uses Bluetooth technology. It also comes with a 'wireless dongle' that you insert into the USB port and leave there (hopefully you have some to spare on your desktop computer) so whenever you come within 10 feet of it the data from your FITBIT can sync to the Fitbit Connect dashboard. Distance goals are adjustable through the dashboard. When you're running or walking and you reach that goal distance the FITBIT HR vibrates for several seconds to let you know that you've surpassed it.
Care and maintenance: I find I have to recharge the FITBIT HR at least once every four to five days. I have a rapid USB charger so this takes less than two hours to complete. The owners manual states that the FITBIT HR is NOT waterproof but splash proof. They don't recommend that you take it swimming or into a bathtub soak with you. I wear it around the house washing dishes, and have showered with it on my wrist, without any problems so far (might not be a good idea to take it into the shower). Wipe the underside of the FITBIT HR down (the part that makes contact with your skin) with a cloth or Kleenex after exercise. Keeping it clean will ensure more accurate readings, according to the website.

The joys of risk

It can take years to finish writing a great book, and it can take years of training to build up the endurance to finish strong as a runner in an ultramarathon. I began writing my latest book, RAPTURED in 2011, the same year I attempted my first ultramarathon - The Burning Boot Ultra. The course was a challenge with 64kms of mountainous logging roads winding from Gold River to Tahsis B.C.. At around 21kms I twisted my knee bounding down a steep incline, and was forced to walk. The walk quickly turned into a limp. I eventually had to give-up due to the inflammation.

The next year, in 2013, I was determined to complete The Burning Boot. I found a 16 week ultramarathon training plan online and followed it as closely as I could. The diligence paid off later that year. I finished with the top 15 runners with a time of 7:35. Three months after this, in September, I entered the 56km Great Lake Ultra in Cowichan, and finished 11th overall. It took discipline. I had to push my body through pain, and keep track of my fluid and calorie intake. At times I questioned, "Why am I doing this?". I tried to think of a good excuse to give up, but I didn't find one that would stop me. I pressed on and finished just outside the top ten with a time of 6:03.

Since then I have gone on to complete three, 50 mile ultras (80kms). My best time was 9:13 at the Elk Beaver Ultra in 2014. I placed 2nd in the Men's Masters age category.

You try to minimize the risk as a runner by training properly and having sufficient calories and fluids at hand on long run days. But there's always this risk on the race days, partly because of the terrain, and partly because of the distance. I could break if I push myself too hard. Call me crazy, but I enjoy this.

I finished writing RAPTURED this summer. To complete it, I required a determination and resilience like that which I use to complete an ultramarathon. Risk plays an important part in the books that I've written. In each story I have at least one character under some threat. Either their life or their livelihood is at risk.

In LOST ARK FOUND five preteen boys head out on a two-week treasure hunt with a grandfather on Vancouver Island, facing all the dangers present in the wilderness. The opening sentence of the book sets up the risk at hand: "This story begins with the opening of a book, and ancient manuscript, found centuries ago on the dead body of a frozen traveler, high on the mountain glaciers of Vancouver Island."

Brad, an ambitious surveillance expert, one of the characters in, A SILENT VIOLENCE, risks loosing a lucrative contract with the CIA when he discovers why a world famous rock star has invited over a hundred of the richest and poorest people of the world to a secret meeting in Toronto.

In DANCE WITH ME Carl Guinness is left for dead, dumped in a river. The Fallen Angels gang attempted to kill him because he wanted to close the tavern they had helped to finance (without Carl's knowledge). Luckily, the bullet hit the Bible tucked into the breast pocket of Carl's leather jacket. After escaping the submerged tarp cocoon, he is forced to live as a fugitive, his life at risk, trying to figure out a way to bring justice to this powerful biker gang. But it seems impossible, until God intervenes.

RAPTURED: Angelic Army Conquests Books 1 & 2
Book 1
Fifteen-year-old Colin Duncan could soon be dead, if his broke, drug addicted father, follows through with a diabolical plan. But Rob Milne, a newly deceased Canadian soldier, joins a platoon of angels on a rescue mission to save him. Can Colin be reached in time, or will the demonic resistance take too long to overcome?

Book 2
After the rapture, the United Nations set up a secret death camp on a tropical island near Fiji to interrogate and annihilate new Christian believers. Rob, and the angelic platoon under his charge, is tasked with the mission of securing the nuptials of a TWA tennis pro to one of the wealthiest men in the world, Russ King. Somehow, this marriage could save millions of Christians from slaughter.

I've learned that risk can be exciting. It adds joy to life in the real world, and interest for the reader in the world of fiction. Don't let the fear of failure or the 'what if's' immobilize you. Take the first steps, lace up the running shoes and jog around the block. Put the pen to paper and write the first paragraph. Create an interesting character whose life is under risk. You'll be amazed how far you can go once you get started.

Exciting journeys kayaking and writing

August 26th, a day after the e-book release of my latest book, "Raptured", I left for an overnight kayaking trip on the east coast of Vancouver Island. My goal was to kayak from Deep Bay and circumnavigate Hornby Island, a paddle that would turn out to be thirty seven kilometers. I prayed for good weather as I climbed into my sleeping bag at Deep Bay Resort, where I was camping, so I could get an early start.

Waking up at 5:00 a.m., through the tent's entrance I could see the rising sun breaking through the clouds on the horizon. I ate a quick breakfast of muesli and coffee, and then waded into the shallow surf with my kayak and some supplies, just after the tide had turned.

The water was calm. The only sounds for the first hour were made by my kayak paddle and the calls of distant seagulls. As I neared Ford Cove, a few anglers in small fishing boats puttered past. Upon reaching the island's coast, I spotted seals laid out on the sandstone, soaking in the morning sun.

By midday I had reached the north side of Hornby Island, but ran into trouble because the tide had receded too far. I had to take a much longer detour around the exposed rocky shoreline to continue. It was worth it though, because while doing this I spotted more seals. A group of over twenty of them bobbed in the water, curiously watching me as I kayaked past.

I stopped briefly to have lunch, and take drink breaks at various spots along the way. When the wind picked up, coming around the east side of Hornby Island, I had to put some heavy large rocks in the bow of the kayak to keep the keel submerged and the kayak under control. To wait out the wind and waves I sheltered in Ford Cove, having a coffee and some locally made carrot cake at the small variety store/cafe there. One of my books, "Dance With Me" had scenes that took place at the wharf, so it was extra special to sit, and sip my coffee, thinking of what my fictional character experienced at the marina.

By the time I returned to my campsite at Deep Bay the whole trip had taken just under ten hours. Tired, but excited by the accomplishment, I enjoyed a hot shower in the resort washroom. What a journey.

The next day, after I returned home, I checked my new book on Amazon, and saw that it was selling, and moving up the best-selling hot new releases for its genre, ranking as high as #4 by mid September. Over two years of writing work went into "Raptured" - another long journey. It felt good to know that people, anywhere, were now able to read it.

I took some video clips of the kayaking trip. If you're interested you can watch it below.

Hiking the North Coast Trail - Summer 2015

Hiking the North Coast Trail has been on my bucket list for some time so when I heard that 407 Squadron was doing the trek as an Adventure Training Exercise I jumped at the opportunity to be part of the team.

Hauling backpacks, we disembarked from a water taxi at the North Coast Trail head at Shushartie Bay, July 31st around 2 p.m.. Twelve members of 407 Squadron, including, Cpl Caron, MCpl Horwood, MCpl Larouche, Sgt Nadeau, MCpl Proulx, Cpl Smith, Maj Smith, Cpl St-Pierre, 2Lt Tang, Sgt Toth, Cpl Ward, and myself, started off with a great sense of excitement. It was diminished a bit when we found we immediately had a ten metre steep climb by rope into the rain forest.

The first two days of hiking crossed difficult terrain. We averaged a pace of a little over 1km/hour due to the technical challenge of climbing over tree root systems, and slippery rock faces. Though there were some wooden boardwalks and steps built along the first two sections of the “trail” we crossed, it seemed more of an obstacle course than a “trail”.

The first night we camped at Skinner Creek I accidentally burned three of my toes with boiling hot water. The next day, while crossing Cape Sutil, I was stung by four mud wasps within five seconds. Even though I cried out for those ahead of me to “Run!!” it did no good because we were hiking a difficult uphill in close ranks. Later that day I slid down a slimy cliff scraping my elbow. The North Coast Trail was becoming somewhat more of a “trial” to endure than a “trail” to trek. But we all persevered, and by day three we were hiking scenic long stretches of sandy, and pebble stone beaches. For about an hour we were followed by a humpback whale a few hundred metres off shore. The whale would rise to the ocean’s surface and release a blasting spout of mist into the air every few minutes.

While trekking the North Coast Trail you’re stripped of most amenities. With no cellular reception the smart phones become just useful tools to take photos, or for use as and e-readers and pedometers. Our minds focused on more basic things, like finding fresh drinking water, getting shelter, and making fire.

During the inland crossings when I found myself alone, after the sound of the rumbling surf faded, the mossy bogs soaked up the shuffle of my footsteps and my deep breathing as I pressed on lugging my backpack. When I did stop to listen, the silence was dramatic, almost unearthly, like I was standing on some lifeless planet.

By the fifth day we had completed the North Coast Trail section and were able to camp two nights at Nels Bight beach on the Cape Scott Trail. The following day most of the team took a 14-km roundtrip day hike to the Cape Scott lighthouse (I stayed behind to tend to my three burned toes).

Thursday morning greeted us with a rainbow in the sky and more humpback whales feeding offshore. I watched them as I ate a quick breakfast of hot oats and coffee readying myself for the final 19-km hiking leg that would take us near to the Cape Scott Trail head (where the shuttle bus would be picking us up the next day). I couldn’t think of a better way to depart, being able to witness such beauty. It was worth a few wasp stings, and burned toes.

All together throughout the trek we covered around 70-km, and those who went on to the lighthouse completed another 14-km. Overall, I figured we each burned around 21,000 calories. Our total food intake was closer to 10,000 calories each, so we were famished by the time the shuttle bus picked us up at the Cape Scott trail head the final day. A couple of hours later when we stopped at a mall in Port Hardy for lunch I was elated to have an A&W Uncle burger in my grasp. One has never tasted so good.

Tough enough for the Kusam Klimb 2015

A festive atmosphere settled upon the small coastal town of Sayward B.C. June 20th, as over 500 adventure seeking runners, and hikers, gathered there to test if they were tough enough to conquer "Bill's Trail", a 23km endurance race covering 5000 ft of elevation in the first 7kms.

The night before race day, rain fell as I crawled into my tent at the Fisherboy Campground around 10 p.m.. The patter of the drops lulled me to sleep. It stopped before I awoke around 4:15 a.m., giving me plenty of time to prepare.

To prevent blistering on the descent I lubed up my toes, and feet, with a mix of Body Glide and Chamois Cream. Since it was going to be a warm day I filled my Camel Pack to its 2 litre capacity.

The skies cleared, as we crowded behind the start just before 7 a.m.. After the countdown, for the first 11-12 minutes, we dashed up a gently slopping paved road to the trail head. I watched Nick Elson, the eventual winner, speed ahead of the chase pack, and disappear into the forest.
I decided early on not to push too hard. My left knee still had a bit of inflammation, and I didn't want to aggravate it further. I was careful on the climb, stopping to have drink breaks, and even paused to take some photos. My Hoka Mafate Speed trail running shoes worked well. I only had to stop one time to tighten the speed laces, as they came loose at one of the very steep rock climbing sections. The rain the night before was enough to get keep the dust down but not so much that things became slippery.

As we climbed to the summit, above the clouds, I saw the exposed rock of the peaks for the first time. Other years when I had reached this section in the trail it was still covered in snow. The backside of the mountain was snow-less as well. Because of this descending the "cliff's of insanity" sections with the long ropes took longer than other years, since there was no way to slide by the lines (unless you wanted to get scrapped with rocks and stones). I slipped on a slimy stone as I jumped across a creek in the swampy sections of the lower back forest. It sent a cutting pain across my right calf muscle, and for several seconds of pain I thought I was finished. I slowly moved ahead, and was able to walk it off. Thirty seconds later I was back to running again, and entered the wider, exposed trail, on the switch-backs leading down to aid station three (where Nanaimo bars and Gatorade were waiting for me).

I ran out of water with about 5km to go, so I gulped down an extra cup of Gatorade at the second last aid station. Soon after this, I heard a familiar voice call out behind me. It was my friend and co-worker Louis Nadeau, running a personal best Kusam Klimb pace. We decided to finish the course together, encouraging each other, as we continued to descend the trails. We could hear blasting rock music the last few kilometers, and raised our hands in victory as we rounded the last turn toward the finish.

Photo credit: adventuresbycamera.com

DNF'ing the 2015 Elk Beaver 50 Mile Ultra

There were a couple of factors that led to me DNF'ing the Elk Beaver 50 Mile Ultra last weekend - shoes and heat. Though I had put in nearly 900km of training over a 16 week period leading up to the race, I found out close to the event that my Hoka Bondi 3 running shoes were deformed. I had run with Hokas in the past and had had no problems, so when I bought a pair online at Shoeme.ca a month before the race I figured they would be fine, but while training I developed some strain on the inner side of my knee, and a slight lower heal pain. I went to the local Extreme Runners shoe store to get some guidance. They took a look at my Hokas and quickly pointed out, by sitting them side by side on the counter, they were a deformed pair. I had to make some quick decisions, so I purchased a pair of new insoles for an older pair of trail Hokas (Mafate Speeds) and hoped for the best.

This year I was blessed to have my wife, Olivia, along to help out with the aid station. She took some video of the start too, as we all departed at 6:00 a.m. from Elk Lake Park. In the cooler hours of the morning I made good time and completed 30km in just over 3 hours. While the heat of the day hit us, I developed a blister on my left foot. I switched out my shoes at 40km for another pair of old Hokas to see if that would ease the blister pain. It did, but then my knee started to get inflamed while pushing to the 50km mark. I stopped longer at my aid station, drinking more, icing my knee, and I even took a swim in Elk Lake to cool off, since we were right beside the beach. With my core body temperature cooled down I was able to complete another 10km. But my knee was too inflamed by 60km to continue in the heat, so after this stage I DNF'd.

Lessons learned: Check running shoes for deformities, no matter how trusted the brand. Be prepared for all types of weather.

My wife and I shared the same motel as Arielle Fitzgerald (the eventual winner of the women's 100km race) and we drove her to the start with us in the morning so she didn't have to get a taxi. We helped her out as well during the ultra, sharing an aid station, giving her gels and S-Caps to help her when she looked like she was dragging. I was able to get video clips of the top 100km finishers including Adam Kahtava, and some shots taken after the race. You can find it below:

With this being my third time participating in the Elk Beaver Ultra I was pleased to see some people had returned. Armond LeBlanc, president of the Canadian Ultramarathoners Association, and manager of the Canadian ultra running team, was there. I had run some hills with him before in the Cumberland, last year, so it was good to see him again. Two of the Wounded Warriors I ran with last year were there as well. Allan Kobayashi competed in the Elk Beaver 50Km event and finished strong with a time of 4:30, placing first in the Men's Open category.

Running from one year to the next

New Years Eve, 2014, a friend, Louis Nadeau, and I, set out around 11 p.m. to trail run from one year to the next. It was a clear night, just below freezing when we headed out to what we call, the Pipe Line Trail. This starts at the Puntledge River power station in Courtenay, B.C., and runs up to the head of the Riverside Trail. Most of it is a gravel pathway, until it enters the forest after 6-7 kms. We had run this route several times before in the dark, early morning, so we had some idea of the risks we were taking. With only the moon, and head lamps, for illumination, I figured it was good ultra training, for those long runs that go through the night, or begin early mornings.
We both wore hydration packs, with a mix of gels, and other nutrients, tucked into the pockets. We weren't running for long when we noticed the cold temperatures caused the water in the hydration pack lines to freeze-up, so we had to be careful to take frequent sips to keep things from clogging up with ice. We were midway through the winding forest trail when the New Year rolled over. I stopped at that moment, and let out a few hoops, and hollers, yelling, "Happy New Year!".
We took turns leading on the trail, as it wound its way through a fir tree forest to the Comox Lake dam. While passing through this we noticed a temperature difference, that it was several degrees warmer in the thick woods, even though we were at a higher elevation.

Unfortunately I tripped over a root on the return trip from Comox Lake, totally flipping onto my back. The hydration pack cushioned the blow, but spilt most of its contents. My headlamp went flying off into the undergrowth. I'm sure Louis thought my trip was amusing, though I didn't hear him laughing. He found my headlamp and helped me to reseal the hydration pack, which was now soaked. There was still some drink left for the remains of the run, but not much. The biggest problem was the wetness on my running tights. That caused my legs to freeze up, and my running pace slowed to a crawl.

The 25 km run ended up taking around 3 hours to complete, due to the tripping accident over the root. Over all it was well worth it though. What a great way to ring in the year 2015.

Live from Bethlehem - in Parksville

While taking a well needed break for my body to recover from all the ultra running I did this year I've been able to do some Christmas holiday activities. Yesterday my wife, Olivia, my son, Andre, his girlfriend, Fiona, and I, attended Bethlehem Live, at the Parksville Baptist Church. We arrived about 45 minutes before the doors opened and there was already a line up, but we didn't have to wait long. Soon we were ushered inside by Roman centurions, who said we had to go the Bethlehem to pay our taxes. See the video below documenting the experience.

It was encouraging to see all the local volunteers in costume, acting the roles of various village residents. The fish, and meat products the venders had on display were all real, so you could get a sense of what the village would have smelled like. Ewwwh! I'm glad they were baking fresh bread to balance out the scents.

Surviving the Whistler 50 miler

Two groups of ultra runners, departing an hour apart, left the start of the Whistler 50 Miler, while it was still dark in the early hours of Saturday morning, October 18th. I was part of the second group, comprised of the faster runners. Since the cut off time was 5 p.m., eleven hours from when I would leave, I figured it would give me plenty of time to finish (my last 50 miler, the Elk Beaver, I completed in just over nine hours). But this was my first time attempting the Whistler 50 Miler. It had steeper hills, and more of them. The aid stations were set up with, what for me was an untested hydration drink, called ELETE. I couldn't foresee the stomach upset, and painful whack that would later hit me.

The Whistler 50 Mile Ultra course follows a 20km loop, run four times, consisting of paved and gravel trails, beginning and ending in Whistler Village at Olympic Park. The first loop was mostly done in the dark. I had my head lamp on so I didn't see much scenery. It went fast, as I came through Olympic Park in just over 2 hours. I wore my camel pack for most of the first loop, and switched to a Nathan drink belt at the 16km aid station, where I had my drop bag. It would be 14km from there, before I made a return to my drop bag again, and this is when the problems began. I started to refill one of my Nathan bottles with ELETE, which I didn't know was highly concentrated. I drank quite a bit of it up until the 30km mark. My stomach didn't like this, and fought back. I pressed on in the hills, and switched out my drink bottles again at the 36km aid station. Getting some CYTOMAX, which I was used to back into my system settled my stomach somewhat, but my pace started to drag. I came through the end of the 40km loop around 4:25, feeling like I wanted to drop. The large crowds there, some ringing cow bells, cheered me on though, and I was encouraged by the idea that I was over half-way done. I tried to drink more water to flush out the ELETE as I came approached the 50km mark. I rewarded myself with a SNICKERS bar and some Coke at the aid station before heading across the narrow river bridge, up the steep hill to the gravel forest trail. As I continued, the sun broke through the clouds, and I took appreciative glances at the passing lake and mountain views. I thanked God for his amazing creation, and prayed that He would renew my strength. Relay runners, with much fresher legs, overtook me, speaking encouraging words. This did spur me on. An oatmeal raisin cookie grabbed at the 56km aid station helped to settle my stomach, as I made my way back to the start/finish.

When I came through Olympic Park, having completed 60kms, my race number and name was announced, along with other details of my ultra running history, and my home town (He must've been reading my blog). The crowd by this point was quite large there, so their cheering gave me a big boost. I was now started onto my last loop, only 20kms more to endure. Making my way out of Whistler Village I thanked some of the volunteer street crossing guards, giving them a high-five, as it would be the last time I would see them. When I reached the 67km aid station I took another oatmeal raisin cookie and refilled my Nathan drink bottles. A lady warned me to get moving, because I only had an hour to make it to the cabin check-point in the hills before the cut off time. I pressed on, power hiking up the steep hill, munching on the cookie. My pace picked up as I leaned into the downhills of the forest trails. I made it to the cabin check point with fifteen minutes to spare. A large group of enthusiastic relay runners were there, and they cheered me on. Running on adrenaline, I made my way to the last aid station, where I reported the good news. I had fifteen minutes on the cut-off time. They offered me some Coke, and told me not to get too excited, giving me the news that I only had half an hour to make it to the finish before it closed. With 4km to go, I pushed the pace on the flat paved trail winding back into Whistler Village. The last official finisher for the relay runners passed me just before Olympic Park. With a time of 10:56 (four minutes to spare) I crossed the finish line. I had no idea where I was placed as an ultra runner, but since I left an hour later than the first group I figured I probably beat some of them.

Unfortunately, back at my hotel in Whistler, I became sick to my stomach (caused by drinking too much ELETE), and I was unable to make it to the awards ceremony. I took a quick shower, sipped on some water, and then crashed on the bed until 10 p.m. when I woke up hungry. I hobbled down to the grocery store, across the square and bought some beef barley soup, a bottle of Ensure, and a liter of drinking water. Thankfully, I was able to keep this down, and regain a bit of strength.

It's been two weeks of recovery back in the Comox Valley for me, and my stomach is still a bit sensitive. I've eliminated highly acidic food, and most sweets from my diet for the time being. The race results showed that I had finished 25th overall, and surprisingly I managed to just make it into the top ten for the men's masters category.

Training for the Whistler 50 Mile Ultra 2014

I decided the 2nd week of September that I would enter the Whistler 50 Miler scheduled to take place October 18th. I was encouraged by Armand Leblanc, president of the Association of Canadian Ultramarathoners, who happened to be in the Comox Valley on business, working for a couple of weeks at the same Air force Base base where I am stationed. While he joined me on a 16km hill training run in the Cumberland forest, he shared with me some of his experiences running ultramarathons since he began racing in the late 1980's. The first competitive race he ran was a 100km one in Europe. Before that the furthest he had gone was 10km. Since then he has run over 100 ultras of various distances. He told me the upcoming Whistler Ultra was a Canadian championship this year for the 50 Mile distance.

Since I hadn't trained intensely during the month of July while I was in Hawaii this year, I wondered if I still had the stamina for a 50 Miler, so the 2nd last weekend of September I had Olivia, my wife, drive support vehicle for me on a 44km early morning run to Campbell River. My pace ended up being faster than I had ever run that route before. The cooler temperatures and rain that day probably helped. You can watch a video blog of the training run below.

I've been doing much more mid week hill training, and have been feeling good results from it with increased leg strength. It is sort of risky running alone on these forest trails this time of year because the bears and cougars are active. I wear a bear bell most days to ward them off. I haven't seen any of them so far, but I did cross paths with a majestic elk, around 12 feet tall while running the pipe line trail up to the hydro station. Just as I reached into my Camel Pack to get my camera the elk took off into the thick woods.

I feel I've had a good base of ultra training this year, so it will be interesting to see how things go in Whistler.

Adventures running the Cape Scott trail, North Coast Vancouver Island, and the miraculous key

It is possible to run the Cape Scott trail on the North Coast of Vancouver Island from the trail head to the lighthouse and back in one day. This is around a 46-km ultra-marathon distance. Due to the technical nature of the terrain I would class it as being even more difficult than a typical 50-km trail ultra. My attempt to complete this run on Friday was hindered by a bear and cub encounter in the early stages. I had only run about ten minutes when I came upon an adult bear and cub at the edge of the trail. Following the instructions that I had just read listed at the information booth at the start, I backed away slowly and returned to the parking lot. The park attendant told me to wait until the bear cleared the area, which would usually be about 1/2 an hour. Encouraged by my wife, Olivia, to give it another attempt I headed down the trail a second time. Cautiously, I ran through the section of forest where I had spotted the bears. There were no signs of them accept for some bear scat at the side of the path. I ran on, making noise as I went, hooting and singing out loud every now and then, to alert any wild life ahead that I was approaching.

With overcast skies the temperature wasn't an issue for most of the morning. I kept a good pace, slowed only at sections with exposed roots and rocky outcrops. With a Camel Pack holding two liters of Gatorade strapped across my back I kept hydrated. I had some power gels and S-Caps in one of its pouches to help out as well. Near 10-Km in I found a good water source at Fisherman's Creek where I refilled my Camel Pack bladder on the way back. After running 2 1/4 hours I was about 2 km past the Danish memorial on Cape Scott. I turned around there because I knew my wife was waiting, and we still had to drive back to the Comox Valley that night. She worked the next morning. I was whacked pretty hard by running around 30 km on the Cape Scott trail that day. When I got back to the trailhead along with several other groups of backpackers I shared their sense of revelry with having come to the end of such a difficult slog.

I found the van was locked when I returned to the parking lot and I couldn't find Olivia anywhere. I was out of water in my Camel Pack and still thirsty. I could see there was plenty inside the van to drink but I didn’t have a key. I felt to walk over to the information booth at the trail head to see if maybe Olivia had left a note there for me. I didn’t find a note but I did find a car key. It was just a random car key left there by someone, but I felt an urging in my spirit to try it on my van door. Miraculously it worked on the passenger door and I was able to get in. My wife came back to find me refreshed, preparing a sandwich with groceries from the cooler. She had attempted to hike to a nearby beach. She was delighted like I was at God's provision of a random car key that would work to open our car door.

To get to the Cape Scott trail take highway 19 until just past Port Hardy. Turn left onto the paved road where the sign says Holberg - Cape Scott Trail. 14-kms down the road you'll come to the boot tree on the right side of the road, where some of the past hikers of the trail have placed their worn out hiking boots. Continue on this road west 50-km until reaching Holberg. Drive through Holberg past the restaurant/pub and baseball field until you see a sign for Cape Scott Provincial Park. Turn left there and follow the logging road as it branches off to the right. Watch out for pot holes and logging trucks while on these roads.

Holberg has a gas station/variety store open from 3-6 pm and a restaurant pub. This is the last place to pick-up any back packing supplies before reaching the trail. For more information on the park visit - CAPE SCOTT PARK

The Eternal Staff

By Rob Sargeant

Long distance running training in Waikiki Hawaii

I tried to keep up my long distance training while serving on temporary duty with the Canadian Air Force for almost a month in Hawaii as part of RIMPAC this July and August. Our hotel was on Waikiki Beach, close to a user friendly running path that looped around Diamond Head providing a good 10km run. Because of the heat and humildity most of these were done at around sunrise or sunset. This made for some beautiful views coming around Diamond Head at the end of the day. To run this, follow KalaKaua Avenue in Waikiki turning left at Monsarrat Avenue behind the Honolulu Zoo. Monsarrat Avenue becomes Diamond Head Road and continues in a loop joining back to Kalakaua Avenue.

Another route around the same distance leads from Waikiki Beach east to a trail around the perimeter fence of the golf course and then back along a palm tree lined river channel utilized by the rowing community.

One Saturday I spent about two hours power hiking up to Waahila Ridge State Recreational Area. This was worth the slog as the views are great from up there. The trails along the ridge weren't runnable though as rain had made them slippery. The only way to access this park is through a winding series of residential streets. Follow Kapahulu Avenue from Waikikki under the H1 highway, turn right at Waialae Avenue. Take the first left at St. Louis Drive. Follow this steep residential street all the way up to Betram Street, and stay on it until you get to Peter St. Turn left, go two blocks, and then turn left again at Ruth Place. There you will find the entrance to the Waahila Ridge State Recreation Area. If you can run up this hill it would make for some great hill training. I could only manage to power hike. But I did run most of the way down, and that did a good number on the quad muscles. I recommend having the Loco Moco breakfast at the Rainbow Drive-In on Kapahulu Avenue after completing this, as you will certainly build up a good appetite. (Loco Moko is a hearty breakfast that includes white rice, a hamburger patty, and eggs, smothered in gravy.) The Rainbow Drive-In also makes a tasty icecream slushy drink.

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