If you are runner you may have seen a few tweets, articles or news reports about a new business called “StayBillety”. The reason I say if you are a runner is because StayBillety is currently promoting itself along with Ottawa Race Weekend. For those outside the city who aren’t aware, Ottawa Race Weekend is a HUGE event, one that literally takes over the city for a full weekend. Almost 50,000 runners take part in the event and many of them come from out-of-town. Ottawa is an amazing destination city at the best of times, but throw in races for everyone from beginners to elites, plus a race course with scenery arguably second to none, it is no wonder many athletes flock to this event.

Of course traveling to a race brings its own challenges. I know, as I have made a trip for a race several times now. I have raced half marathons, 30k’s and marathons in Toronto, Hamilton, Vancouver, New York, Philadelphia and Prague. When traveling there is always the added complication of finding accommodations. So many factors come into play: proximity to the start/finish line, price and – something that I consider a prime consideration – late check-out availability. Seriously, do you want to start a long drive home, or worse catch a flight, without first having the chance to shower? Personally I place more importance on that post race shower than I do on a good meal!

StayBillety is offering a new way to approach accommodations. It is an online service that helps link travelers to homes that are willing to rent out space. The idea is to link people with common interests, in this case runners. So, if you are coming from out-of-town for Ottawa Race Weekend you could find a place to stay owned by others who support the event and perhaps take part in it themselves. As a traveler you could potentially have a local’s expertise about the city and/or the race to tap into as well. It is a perfect way to meet up with fellow runners and forge new friendships. And let’s face it, we runners are known for wanting to congregate and share running stories. Who else wants to listen to our stories of lost toenails or awkward chafing spots?

That said, hosts also have the option of simply renting out their home while they are away. The hosts get to set their price and ideally the guests have the opportunity to save some money on a weekend when prices are most likely at a premium. And hopefully guests get that chance to head back and have that long hot shower they deserve after the race without room service knocking repeatedly to try to get them to leave.  And as an added bonus, Run Ottawa will get a percentage of every booking.

I think it will be very interesting to see where this new service goes. The idea will be that it will be linked to many events and organizations, not just running. My interest of course lies in the running events.  As race events get bigger, alternatives need to be offered in the area of accommodations. I find it appealing that there could be the opportunity to meet new friends in the running world.  I have had that experience through social media and as a result have come to know some great people who I make sure to visit when racing in their area of the province. This seems like another way to expand your running circles, either by being a guest or a host.

For more information about StayBillety, check out the website at http://www.staybillety.com/

A month or so ago Mike Caldwell, Mad Trapper race director, asked if I would be willing to host a table for trail running and Madtrapper events at the annual Bushtukah “S.W.E.E.T.” night.  This is a women’s evening hosted at Bushtukah’s Richmond Rd. store and its title stands for “Sporty Women’s Empowering Evening of Tips and Advice”.  Mike asked me to step in since all participants, even those working at the tables, had to be women.  Imagine, if you will, an all female race expo that includes a fashion show, unbelievable prizes and inspiring guest speakers.  Also imagine the incredible energy in a room full of 500+ women who want to take on physical challenges and live life to the fullest.

I will admit to being a little proud of the fact that Mike asked me to represent trail running and the Mad Trapper.  I am still fairly new to trail running and I am certainly not at the front of the pack… or the middle for that matter!  But he felt that I could represent what his events are about – getting out there, challenging yourself, enjoying the outdoors and the social nature of trail runners.

To prepare for the evening I did some research as I had never attended a S.W.E.E.T. night before.  In the process of learning about it I discovered that Bushtukah was also looking for S.W.E.E.T. Ambassadors.  Five women of any age and fitness level would be chosen based on their applications to help promote achieving personal fitness goals.  Applicants were required to have a “personal first” planned for 2016, volunteer at a minimum of one event during the year and be active on social media, giving goal updates and sharing with other women stories of fitness.  Bushtukah in return would offer some very generous discounts and gift certificates as well as a Sugoi vest.  Needless to say I didn’t hesitate to apply and was very excited to find out that I had been chosen.  As for what my first will be, well a little more on that later.

That excitement increased even more once I was at the S.W.E.E.T. event on Sunday night.  To be truthful I was not prepared for the energy and enthusiasm of all the women attending.  To enter, tickets had to be pre-purchased with all proceeds –  $3,070! – going to the Ottawa School Breakfast Program.  Despite already having tickets, women still lined up outside 45 minutes before the event started!

I had a great time talking with so many different women about trail running and promoting the Madtrapper Power in Pink Trail Run that will be held this summer.  There were many women who voiced their desire to trail run but were nervous about starting – exactly how I felt not that long ago.  But if any event was going to convince you to try something new, the S.W.E.E.T. night  was it.

Once everyone had time to wander and look at all the tables, we all grabbed a seat and were treated to two guest speakers.  Sharon Donnelly spoke about the need for “me”, and the importance of giving yourself permission to focus on yourself.  Sue Halloway talked about the importance of encouraging girls to participate in sport and to recognize that how girls approach new challenges is in fact very different from boys.  Let’s just say we women spend a lot of time worrying about being accepted and wondering if we have the skills to meet the goals, and these characteristics start at a young age.

Between speakers, myself and fellow Ambassadors were introduced to the crowd and some incredible draw prizes were awarded.  To give an idea of the scope of prizing, everything from full running outfits to free shoes were handed out.  The final prize of the night?  A bike!  If I had won that I might have actually been willing to take up biking!

The whole evening was inspiring and energizing.  I sometimes think that as women we unleash our insecurities by comparing ourselves to each other and in turn sometimes being critical of other women.  But there is so much power and joy that comes from supporting one another and cheering others on, no matter their goals.  When I was running Around the Bay this year there was a women in front of me who had a handwritten bib on her back stating she had just had a baby 5 months ago.  My first thought was, “How awesome is that?”  But the second line written rubbed me the wrong way.  It asked, “What’s your excuse?”  I felt like that question, though I am sure meant to be inspirational, just once again put women against women in a competition to see who could be the better female.  I wasn’t a runner before children so I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think I would have been running 30k only months after having either of my children.  I am truly in awe of someone who can, but I felt like that bib had a critical edge to it, a, “Well if I can do it you should be doing it too and if you can’t, whats wrong with you?” feel to it.  Let’s just stop doing that.  Let’s celebrate our accomplishments and appreciate that the accomplishments are different for everyone.  Hey, if your accomplishment was managing to get your teeth brushed in between nursing a fussy baby and attempting to grab a nap after a sleepless night, that is awesome and you have my greatest admiration.  I love the fact that the S.W.E.E.T. night embraced all of us, whether regular fitness enthusiasts or women who are just on the first steps of something new to improve their well-being and happiness.  I hope that as an ambassador I can offer up a little bit of that power of support in 2016.

And as for that first I am going to do this year… Run for the Toad 50k, here I come!

On second thought, maybe this post should be called “A Mental Battle Won.”  There was a lot of mental dialogue going on in my head during this race, I would venture to say more than normal.  In the end the voice of perseverance won out over the voice of despair and discouragement but it wasn’t an easy fight.  As a result however, I finished ATB feeling positive and happy.

Despite being the first “spring” race of the season, the weather was anything but spring-like.  Saturday, the day before the race, had more than its share of snow and wind, making everyone a little nervous about what we would wake to on Sunday morning.  I still have very distinct memories of fighting the wind in Hamilton at my fall marathon and really had no desire to repeat that scenario again.  The five of us who traveled to the race spent rather a lot of time trying to decide on just how many layers we would need come race time.

What to wear?

The view from the hotel the day before the race. Yuck!

Luckily for us, Sunday brought cold weather but also sunny skies.  There was definitely a wind, but not enough of one to suck the life out of you.  It was cold enough for there to be ice in the water at the stations, but warm enough that I did end up tying my running jacket around my waist after 10k.

My experience this year was very different from that of 2014 in many ways.  I have strong memories of how the 2014 race seemed to just come together for me, at least up to 26k.  That time I felt so strong at the beginning and went out at a faster pace than I had planned.  For lack of a better way to explain it, I simply felt happy to be out running.  During that 2014 race I did slow down as the race went on, and the big hill after 26k forced me to walk and made me light-headed.  I fought hard for the last 3k and when I finished the race I needed to sit down and put my head between my legs for fear I might pass out.  It was a race I was very proud of though.

This time I started faster, but at the same time didn’t feel like it was going to be my day.  I’m not sure how to describe it but if you are a runner you probably know what I mean.  It just didn’t have that feeling of everything coming together.  But 30 km is a long way (a long, long way) and you can never really predict what will happen based on the first part of the race.

After a solid 10k I started to get slower.  It was a strange feeling as I didn’t feel like I was struggling, but when I checked my watch there was a definite change in pace.  I think I was running into a bit more wind at this point and maybe that was what made the difference.  My mood changed here too.  Many of the thoughts that plagued me during training came out in full force.  I could not seem to turn off the discouraging voice in my head.  I was frustrated that these legs of mine just didn’t want to run faster, though at the same time pleased that I didn’t actually want to stop altogether.  As I started the hills of Burlington I finally got angry with myself.  Basically, I told myself to suck it up and just keep moving at whatever pace my body was prepared to do.  If I couldn’t beat my previous time of 3:04, so be it.  I stopped looking at my watch.  I told myself that no matter what, I would pick up my pace once the hills were done and show some speed in the last couple of kms.

Interestingly, I remembered there being more rolling hills two years ago.  This year of course the final hill was not included due to construction.  Am I a bad ATB runner for saying I was quite grateful to not have to do that hill this year?  But I was surprised when approaching a hill and I heard a woman behind me say, “This is the last hill.”  I was sure she was wrong as I was preparing for at least a few more rollers.  Amazingly she was correct and suddenly the hardest work was behind me and only a few more kms left!

With that my spirits picked up as did my pace.  I felt confident that I was not going to hit a wall, even if a big portion of the race felt like a giant speed bump.  I was able to high-five the Grim Reaper Jr. and make my way to the finish line inside First Ontario Place.  This was the stretch that two years ago seemed to last forever; where I fought light-headedness while quietly hoping I wouldn’t pass out.  This time I can honestly say that while I was tired, I did not feel like I had run almost 30 km.  That is a pretty amazing feeling, even when not quite reaching the hoped for pace.

It was during this stretch that I said to myself words I never thought I would:

“Thank you, thank you, Taylor Swift!”

I can’t say I’m a Taylor fan – indifferent would probably be the best description of my thoughts on her music.  But right before the race I added a few new songs to my iPod, and Swift’s “Out of the Woods” was one of them.  I often use music as a motivator when I run.  I would argue I am somewhat addicted to listening to music both when training and racing.  Music can sometimes pull from me strength that I otherwise can’t find.  It is not always predictable what song will work at any given time so I keep quite a variety on my iPod and simply skip forward if I need to.  I don’t even rely on songs with a specific beat.  Slow songs can push me forward as much as something with a quick tempo.  I have a memory of one day running joyfully to Gordon Lightfoot’s “Carefree Highway” and let’s face it, Gord is probably not usually thought of when making a running list.

In this case, after 28k of running, it was “Out of the Woods” that somehow pulled that little extra out of me – so much so I played it twice.  To my ears there is some female anger and a fighting spirit in that song, just what I needed as I edged closer to the finish line.  In less time than I was expecting, I was on the steep ramp (with unhappy quads I might add), entering the stadium.  I watched the gun time just roll over the 3 hour 3 minute time and told myself that at least I had managed to come in before the 3:04.  In fact, I reassured myself that my chip time would actually be 3:02 and was satisfied with the result.

Pre-race view of the finish line.

It was only later that I checked my watch and then Sportstats to find the best kind of running surprise.  I really had no idea how much time passed between the gun going off and me crossing the starting mats.  Where I was, you couldn’t even hear the start gun, something I would really like to see this race address.  It ends up it was longer than I thought and so, quite a while after I finished the race, I discovered that I had actually finished in 3 hours and 53 seconds!  Another time I might have been a little frustrated with just missing a sub 3 hour 30k, but this was just such a good surprise I couldn’t feel disappointed.  In the end I had salvaged what for a while had felt like a run that might not come together.  In fact, I didn’t even take a walk break.  How could I complain?

If there is one thing I will take away from this race it is that I can keep going and I don’t have to listen to those negative voices in my head.  I know they won’t go away, but I sure don’t have to pay attention to them.  When I run I sometimes find it easy to give up when I think all is not going to plan.  I never quit, but I easily convince myself to just change it to an easy run, because hey – at least I’m out there running right?  This run proved I don’t have to do that, I am capable of pulling it all together again and fighting for a strong finish.  No, I am not as fast as my friends, but as cliché as it sounds, I can still fight for my own personal best.

I am in taper mode now.  The hardest workouts are behind me and in a week and a half I will be running my second Around the Bay 30k race in Hamilton.

It has been a busy few months preparing for this one.  In a period of two and a half months the following has happened:

• surgery to try to fix my previously dislocated finger
• various appointments because of the above
• 4 to 6 hours a week for I-don’t-know-how-many-weeks-now because of a “frozen shoulder” or adhesive capsulitis
• two sets of report cards, one set of parent/teacher interviews
• an Ottawa winter, including a snowstorm that dumped 50+ cm of snow in 24 hours
• the general life/work/run balance that we all juggle

I found myself slipping in the positive attitude department.  Maybe it was the winter weather.  Maybe it was fatigue.  Maybe I was just too damn hard on myself.  I often felt like I was making little or no progress.  I also felt frustrated with the fact that so many people I know run quickly with less training.  It was like I was working hard with no reward.  Things that were going through my mind included:

• “I am working harder and getting slower.”
• “I should be getting more mileage in.”
• “I should be running more mid-distance runs but don’t have time.”
• “Damn my G.I. system!!!”
• “My shoulder hurts. All. The. Time.”
• “My longest run should have been more than 27k”
• “I should have done more hill work.”
• “I think my age is starting to show in my running, maybe I am past getting P.B’s”
• “I can’t even run a half marathon in a reasonable speed.”  (This was during the Hypo Half a couple of weeks ago.)

With all this nonsense playing like a broken record in my mind, it was pretty difficult to get excited for Around the Bay.

Last week I decided to change my thought patterns.  Instead of the thoughts above, I started paying attention to these facts:

• I compared my long runs this training session to when I did ATB in 2014.  If I counted runs of 15k and longer and totaled them, I ran 76 more “long run kms” this time around.
• My long run pace was similar to my long run paces in 2014, not slower like I thought.
• My last two long runs I picked up the pace a bit.  In fact, my 27k run was done only one second slower per km than my race pace from 2014’s ATB.
• A few days ago I ran 3k at a 5:02 pace – slightly under my personal best 5k pace.
• Yesterday I did 5k of rolling hills at about 25 seconds per km faster than I plan on running ATB.
• Today I did 10k just under my hoped-for race pace.
• I seem to be recovering well after each run.  In fact, that 3k fast pace was the day after my 26k long run and my legs felt great.

By thinking about the above, my mindset is changing.  The fact is I am capable of improving my last ATB time if things out of my control go well.  The biggest factor is of course weather.  I can’t tell you how happy I would be if there is no wind in Hamilton on April 3rd.  I still have memories of fighting ridiculously strong wind gusts for much of my marathon in the fall.  I can fight it for a while but it obviously takes its toll.

A big issue for me is the G.I. issues.  If you are a runner you know what I mean.  My intestines hate distance running and cost me several minutes at a couple of outhouses during the Road2Hope Marathon in the fall.  Those minutes in turn cost me my goal of a sub 4:30 marathon (final time of 4:34).  There seems to be only so much I can do about this and so I am letting go of stressing about it.  Instead I have a plan.  This time my watch will be stopped if I have to use those lovely portable facilities at any time on the course.  To hell with chip time, I am just going count running time.   Let’s call it non-porta potty time.

So let the taper begin.  I’m not antsy yet, but probably will be in a few days.  Every ache and pain feels like a major injury now, just like what always happens in the days before a race.  I am obsessively washing my hands in the hopes of not getting sick like I did before the marathon.  Other than that, there is not much I can do at this stage other than to hold on to those positive thoughts listed above! (I confess I may go back and read the list daily).

Happy running!

Follow me on Twitter @AverageRunnerK 

I am so behind on posting, here we are two and a half months into the “new” year.  How did that happen?  I have been running, I swear, though with mixed success.  I seem to be working hard on my runs but not necessarily making progress.  Or at least it doesn’t feel like it.

That said there have been a lot of fun runs and more snowshoe running than I have ever done.  Some of that running included an afternoon out with CBC Ottawa’s Omar Dabaghi-Pacheco and my family to film a segment for his news series “Cold Play”.  You can check out that segment here:

https://drive.google.com/a/ocsb.ca/file/d/0B74RsvCDhpDEN3ZrUTRTYUJCMFk/view

It was a fun afternoon though I can tell you that you do a lot more standing around than running for a t.v. shoot.  At -25C we were more than a little cold out there when not in motion!  The part we really enjoyed was Omar’s invitation to come to the CBC Ottawa news studio the night the segment aired.  He gave us a full tour of the studio and the boys got to hang out at the anchor desk with host Adrian Harewood after the show.

If you watch the Cold Play segment you will also see Omar’s piece about snowshoe Ultimate Frisbee.  Madtrapper race director Mike Caldwell organized what I believe was the area’s first such tournament as part of Ottawa’s Winterlude.  Mike, the boys and I joined up despite three of us having no knowledge of the game.  Evan was introduced to it this year in grade 7 so he was able to fill us in on some of the rules.  We also invited our neighbour who has played for years to join our “Ultimately Doomed” team in the hopes we would not be totally slaughtered!  We ended up playing some serious ultimate types (including a few who didn’t seem to notice that they were playing against a 10-year-old and were all over him – really?) but had an amazing time.  Three losses and one tie – not too bad!  We are already planning on signing up for next year.

As for running, well like I said I have definitely been out there.  I had to take a week off in January because of surgery to try to fix the finger that I dislocated back in June while trail running.  The surgery was somewhat successful but the finger still does not like to straighten, or completely bend for that matter.

Otherwise I am usually managing to fit in 40-50k of running (or snowshoeing) a week.  I believe snowshoeing season is officially over now.  There is still snow out there now but when we went out last week it was so wet my snowshoes ended up raised off the ground due to the build up of snow in the crampons.

This winter that started late made up for it by dumping lots of snow in the last half of the season.  It certainly made running a bit of a challenge when you had days like these:

This is my driveway!

Fun on a snowstorm day!

Note the wall of snow beside the sort-of ploughed sidewalk.

Let it snow!

It wouldn’t be winter without ice. This is not a lake, it is a field near my house.

I have tried hard to do more specific runs; tempos, speed intervals, strides and of course long runs.  Yet somehow I am running slower.  I feel like I am working harder for slower paces.  One of the advantages of starting running later in life is you get P.B’s at an age when long time runners are slowing down.  Perhaps as I approach 47 I have hit that stage of losing pace.  I am hopeful though that as spring comes I will still find the odd P.B.

Right now my eyes are on the Around the Bay 30k race.  It is only 3 weeks away and I admit I am mildly discouraged.  On the one hand I know I can do the distance.  In long runs I have done a 23k, 24k, 25k and 27k plus a half marathon and a 14k snowshoe run (which time-wise converts to about a half marathon).  I would have liked to fit in a 30k run before the race but I don’t think that will happen.  I will do one more long run next week – probably 27 or 28k – and then start the taper.  Yesterday’s 27k long run wasn’t bad, in fact I ran it only a second per km slower than I ran the race 2 years ago.  Technically I know I should be happy with that for a training run.  My worry is I just don’t feel like I have it in me to go faster for that distance.  When I ran the race in 2014 I finished in a surprising 3:04.  The weather was perfect and I felt great that day.  I really would like to get a sub three-hour time this year but I am not feeling confident.

Probably what is not helping is the fact that last weekend I ran a very disappointing 2:04 Hypothermic Half Marathon.  While I wasn’t looking for a super fast time at that race, I did expect to be faster than that.  Last year at this time I ran a 2:01 half in Prague and I don’t think I was running any more than I am now.  The half marathon last weekend beat me up, physically and mentally.  I just kept getting slower on a perfectly flat course.  I am hoping it was the lack of fueling that was the root problem.  I opted to wear my hydration backpack filled with Tailwind only to discover that despite the beautiful sunny day it was still cold enough to freeze the hose, meaning nothing but water from the stations until it started to thaw around 14k.  For me, that is too long to go without taking fuel.  At 18k I actually had to stop and take a long walk.  I suppose the lack of a taper may have played a role too given the fact I had run a 25k long run the weekend before. I did get a nice medal and a full brunch afterwards so all was not lost.  The advantage of having a slow 21k run is that I also still had energy in the afternoon and was able to get 5k of snowshoeing done, though admittedly there was more walking that running!

So I now find myself trying to be cautiously optimistic.  Technically I should be able to run at least a slightly faster time at ATB this year.  Realistically, there is a possibility that I will be slower.  Hopefully I will at least enjoy the run as much as I did last time.

Happy spring running!

Just a little wet on our road!

Follow me on Twitter @AverageRunnerK

I’m a little behind schedule on this post and my mind is far more focused on the year to come rather than the year that has been.  But there are certainly some significant running memories from 2015.  It was not a year of huge PB’s, though I did complete my fastest 5k and marathon.  I think it was more of a year for new adventures, and experiences and isn’t that what life should be?

So, in no particular order, some highlights of 2015:

Traveling

Race expo for the Prague Half Marathon. Found my name!

Until 2013, my husband and I had only done one vacation.  That was a trip out east before we had kids.  Once we had kids we chose not to travel for many years.  The reason was twofold.  I chose to stay home for 5 years (a choice I would recommend to anyone if you can manage it, though be warned, it is the hardest job in the world!) and as a result we had one income.  We also did not see the point in dragging small children who still needed naps to new locations.  We wanted out kids to be old enough to appreciate and remember their traveling adventures.

We started traveling again in 2013 when I ran the NYC Half Marathon.  Our kids were 10 and almost 8 at the time.  I rediscovered my love of traveling and also discovered that our kids are amazing travelers.  They have no interest in Disney vacations.  What they love is exploring new places, looking at architecture, finding new trails.  From that trip we knew we had kids who would be happy exploring the world, and that was again the case when in 2014 we took them to the west coast so I could run the Vancouver Half Marathon.

2015 was an even bigger year in traveling and one that I will remember for years to come.  In March we set off to Europe so I could return to Prague, a city I had spent some time teaching in many years ago.  The main point of the trip was the Prague Half Marathon, but in the end it was only a small part of our adventure.  We had a phenomenal time as a family, not only exploring Prague but also spending a week in Nice.  Having a chance to run in these two beautiful cities was such a gift, but the bigger gift was having such a wonderful two weeks with my husband and kids – so many memories that I will treasure.

After the finish of the Prague Half Marathon:

Enjoying the moment,

A family run in Nice , France:

Running in Nice.

As if that wasn’t enough, we actually managed a second family trip, this time to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island so that the four of us could participate in the Canadian Orienteering Championships.  Between events I fit in training runs in each of the provinces, meaning in 2015 I ran in a total of 5 Canadian provinces and two countries outside of Canada.

The kids at the Canadian Orienteering Championships:

An amazing morning orienteering on the ocean floor at Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick:

A beautiful trail for running:

A gorgeous morning run in Moncton, N.B.:

Racing

I admit I haven’t counted the races of 2015.  I know there were quite a few, though I am pretty sure not as many as in 2014.  I did run my coldest race ever when all four of us took part in the Winterman race here in Ottawa.  It was -40 C with the wind chill and there was no avoiding the wind since we were running along the Ottawa River.  It was one of my slowest 10k’s ever but it certainly gave bragging rights!

The kids bundled up alongside the Winterlude mascot.

The other big race of the year was my third go at a marathon.  I’m still slow (surprise!) but I did take off 4 minutes despite having a cold, stomach issues and the craziest head winds I have ever experienced.  I definitely recommend the Road2Hope Marathon and I will be heading there again this year, though I have not decided if it will be for the full or the half.  It was a well-organized mid-sized race with a great route.

The most surprising part of the marathon this time around for me was that I really enjoyed my training.  This is despite that fact that I spent 4 weeks of training with my hand in a cast and 5 days of training sleeping at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario while my youngest son was in being treated with I.V. antibiotics.  I really enjoyed the training plan I used and I will be using a modified version of it to train for this year’s Around the Bay 30k.

A highlight race was also the Sporting Life 10k when I had the chance to pace Evan for his first 10k race:

Trail Running/Snowshoeing

This year I stepped out of my road running box and hit the trails.  It started in the winter when I participated in the Mad Trapper Snowshoe Series.  If you ever get cocky about your running, strap on a pair of snowshoes and head out for a 5k.  Within a km you will wonder if you are coming down with some life-draining disease because surely you couldn’t be that exhausted after a mere km.  Snowshoeing is one helluva workout but one I highly recommend to change things up and to take advantage of winter.

I also participated in several trail events, plus hit the trails more often on my solo runs.  I had a blast at MEC’s trail running clinic for women.  I convinced some friends to join me at another women’s event, the Mad Trapper Power in Pink trail run and an amazing time was had by all.  I would do both events again in a second and I encourage all women to give them a try.

Finishing the Mad Trapper NOOTR race, being greeted by my kids, who finished long before me!

Mad Trapper events definitely became the series of choice in our family.  We started with the snowshoe races at the beginning of the year, a rural road run with the 8k Pancake Prediction Run, then joined in on the trail races.  I probably sign up for these races as much for the awesome food and social time post-race as the race itself and have really enjoyed meeting up with new friends.  The kids and my husband are also hooked as all of them prefer to be in the woods rather than running on the roads.

Perhaps my most “out of my comfort zone” event (even more so than a marathon!) was the NOOTR Race – the “Natural Obstacle Off-Trail Race”.  This one involved climbing rocks and steep hills, running through mud pits and streams and just generally having a blast in the forest.  I couldn’t keep up with my kids but I did strangely manage to come in first for the women.

Speaking of not keeping up with my kids, my favourite post race newsletter is definitely the one sent out by Mike Caldwell after the recent Hilly Snowshoe race.  We and others had put in a request for a 3k distance so our kids could come.  Ends up Luke and Evan were much faster than we thought they would be on snowshoes and they whipped through the course pretty quickly.  Here’s a portion of that newsletter:

The 3km option, is not for youth only. Meaning anyone can participate in the 3k event and youth 16 and under aren’t restricted to this race. Youth are welcome to compete in any distance they are comfortable with.  And if that means the kids will be stepping up and beating their parents…. then so be it! (Look out Raz family!)

Yep, our kids are going to be kicking our butts soon in snowshoeing.  Maybe I should just drop down to the 3k distance now if they are going to move up to the 5k!

I have to add these two trail running photos – my favourite before and after pictures.  Do you think it was a hot day?

Before picture

After – do we look a little hot?

Orienteering

Orienteering has become the new passion of this family.  My kids are amazing at this sport and my husband is very capable too.  I, on the other hand, well… let’s just say I am slowly learning.  As someone with a lack of spatial sense, this sport is a tough one for me but I am so glad we discovered it.  We are very lucky here in Ottawa to have an amazing club, Ottawa Orienteering.  It organizes regular B events throughout Ottawa/Gatineau and it has been such a pleasure being part of the club.  If you want a family activity or if you just like heading out into the woods on a Sunday morning, I can’t recommend this sport enough.

I truly feel blessed that I can share the sports of road running, snowshoeing, trail running and orienteering with my entire family.  As a mother of two boys I think that is a special privilege and one I hope we can share throughout their teen years.  When I started running almost 5 years ago it was for me, and it certainly remains a “me” activity.  But I had no idea that it would become a way for our family to be together and share common experiences.  2015 was proof of that, and for that I am grateful.

Happy 2016 to all!

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I’m just going to let the photos say it all:

A Christmas Eve trail run in shorts and 17 degrees C:

A snowshoe/crosscountry ski day on January 4th:

Than you Mother Nature for a great week of trail running followed by a perfect week of snowshoeing.  Awesome!

Much of my focus this fall season was the marathon. Long runs, pool running, core strength routines… they took up much of my time. But I did manage to squeeze in a few other activities including some orienteering events. I also became an Icebug Orienteering Ambassador.  I picked up a pair of Icebug Zeal OLX shoes for a discounted price and was excited to try a very different shoe from any of those found in my road shoe collection.

Right now all of you road runners might be wondering what Icebugs are.  You are not going to find them at many of your local running stores.  Icebug is a Swedish shoe company that makes running shoes as well as boots specifically for slippery conditions. This is a shoe company that focuses on traction and the proof is in the shoe.  The OLX’s are clearly made with orienteering and obstacle course racing in mind.

When I first tried my Icebugs I was in the midst of choosing marathon shoes. I was used to feeling some cushioning and a certain glove like feel around my foot. I’m going to be honest, when I put on the Icebugs my immediate reaction was a fear that I would not like them. They felt so different from any of my road shoes. The uppers felt a little stiffer, there wasn’t that soft feeling of the shoes I was wearing on the road. These shoes also let you feel the ground beneath your feet, so there was not the airy, cushioned feel that I had grown accustomed to on my long runs.  But they were remarkably light, and I love a light shoe.

Next step was to try them around my rural property. These are not shoes you can break in while walking around the house unless you don’t mind perforating your floors. There is a reason the OLX’s have traction – check out the metal studs:

If metal studs are a bit more than you need, there are plenty of Icebug shoes with serious lugs to get you through tricky terrain.

As soon as I started moving in the shoes I knew that I would in fact love wearing them.  To start with, they are incredibly light for a trail shoe. For me, the ultimate test in a shoe is will I forget about them once I start running. In my opinion, if my mind goes to my shoes – whether running trails or roads – there is a problem. Shoes should be your quiet workhorse partner, getting their job done without interfering in your quest to finish.  As soon as I was running I was virtually unaware of the Zeals.  The 6mm drop falls right in my comfort zone and the uppers felt snug without being tight.

As I ran around the rough, uneven ground of our open pasture any of my initial concerns disappeared.  I then tested them on our rough gravel driveway and was quite pleased to discover that the studs were not uncomfortable on the harder surface.  And, on a purely vain note, I admit I loved that they actually made my feet look small.  When you are 5’8 and wear a 10 1/2 shoe, you can’t help but be pleased by a shoe that doesn’t make you feet look even bigger!  These shoes kind of have the look of a comfy sneaker.  Don’t let them fool you though, they have plenty of protection at the toe and around the sole for rough terrain.

The next test was trying them in an orienteering event.  The first thing I enjoyed was the traction I felt when stepping on top of slippery logs.  Remember when orienteering you are often not on a beaten (or even semi-beaten) path.  I usually try to go over old, wet logs in order to avoid slipping, but with the 16 carbide tip steel studs I had no worries digging into the wood.  As well, these shoes give you a real feel for the ground and nice flexibility.  Unfortunately for me, with all my road running this past fall I was suffering from a mild case of metatarsalgia (pain at the ball of my toes) and found that I sometimes needed a little more cushioning, depending on the day.  Without that issue however, I really enjoy feeling the terrain.

It was at this first event with the shoes that I discovered the main problem with the Zeals.  To be honest it is a bit of a bizarre one, though luckily a very easy fix.  For some reason, the laces that come with the shoes will not stay tied, even when double tied.  I double tie all my running shoes.  It is such a habit that even when trying on shoes in a store I double tie.  I have never, ever, had my laces come undone during a run.  So I was a little surprised that within the first 20 minutes of my orienteering event I discovered that both shoes were untied.  This is frustrating enough when running on the road, but when orienteering it adds extra challenges. Firstly, if you are orienteering in Eastern Ontario, there is a very good chance you are running through poison ivy.  About the last thing I really want to do is tie up laces that may have been dragged through poison ivy oil.  Secondly, when orienteering, you are carrying a map, a compass and an S.I. on your finger that looks like this:

Photo from http://ol-wiki.de/index.php?title=Bild:SPORTident_Chip_6.jpg

This is the piece of technology you need to “punch” each control to prove you completed the course.  In order to tie shoes, you need to put all of this gear on the ground (poison ivy alert again!).  The third time my shoes came undone, I only picked up two of the three things I needed.  It wasn’t until I reached the next control that I realized I did not have my S.I. chip.  I did try to retrace my steps but lets face it, finding one of those in an autumn forest carpeted in leaves is much like looking for a needle in a haystack.  At that point my event was done and I was out an S.I.  With no chip, there was no way for me to officially continue and I had to take a DNF.  It is possible a few swear words were used.  Now, I am going to admit that I was not having a good course.  That could be translated to I was completely lost for a period of time.  O.K. possibly a long period of time.  I was not going to be winning this class (not that I win any class)!  But I would have liked to finish.

I did contact the company and discovered that they too had experienced difficulties with the laces.  My husband also had the same problems with his pair.  They sent me a link showing a better way to tie laces and my husband has had some success with this method.  I, on the other hand, have decided that I am too old to relearn how to tie shoelaces.  Some things are just too engrained to change.  Instead I simply changed the laces and the problem is solved.  My current laces don’t exactly match the colour scheme, but they make them unique!

Do the pink laces work?

Once the lace issue was solved, the shoes worked well for several other orienteering events.  But what I was really waiting for was the chance to try them in some truly slippery conditions, whether it be snow or ice.  This unusually mild and dry  fall and winter didn’t help on that front, but this week I finally got the chance to try them in less than ideal footing.  My husband and I headed out around our rural area in our matching Zeals – his minus the pink laces!  The first test was our slippery rural road.  I have run that road many times with a bit of snow, slush and ice and I can tell you my feet usually slip out behind me.  Definitely not a problem in the Zeals.  Then we ran up a long, steep trail.  The unfortunate part is that the Zeals give you no excuses.  Normally I could just say, “Oh, I’d better take this slow, wouldn’t want to slip!”  Sorry, that excuse is gone with these shoes – you are not going to slip.

Snow, water and mud all in one run.

I was a little worried about what they would be like in the colder temperatures.  This was my first run in them with the temperature hovering around 0C.  The snow was covering the huge puddles from the previous days’ rain.  I ended up ankle-deep a couple of times but the water drained quickly and I had no problem with my feet getting cold.  Wool socks of course helped too.  We also tested some downhill muddy trails topped with wet snow, again no issues.

I’m still waiting to try these on ice.  I have little doubt they will be amazing.  What I really want to do is what you see in this advertisement for Icebug shoes:

Hey, if a pair of shoes can get me up a hill of ice and leave a bunch of guys in the dust  snow, I’m all for them!

In short, if you are going to be on rough or slippery terrain, particularly orienteering or obstacle course racing, these are comfortable, high traction shoes that simply need better laces.  My biggest recommendation is to get out and run in them – don’t just base your opinion on how they feel the moment you put them on.  Try them on for a run and you should be pleasantly surprised.

The family at the Nakkertok B meet

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As an Icebug Ambassador I purchased my Zeals for a reduced price.  All opinions are my own.

So, I sort of suck at trail running.  I have only two gears; really, really slow and falling down.  The latter I actually do quite quickly and with troubling regularity.  But I am not prepared to give up on trail running.  Instead I will continue to plod along – literally – and enjoy the ride.  I would love to say I also get to enjoy the view but the fact is if I take my eyes off the rocks, roots, mud and fallen branches, I will simply fall down again.

This past Saturday was the Mad Trapper Transition Race at The Ark.  In a real winter it would have been a snowshoe race (which, by the way, I also suck at), but in this bizarre mix of early spring/late fall weather there has not been any snow to talk of, so the snowshoes remain in storage.

Where is our snow???

One of my favourite things about Mad Trapper races is the fact that you choose your distance the morning of the race.  I opted for the 10k race knowing I needed a long slow run for the week.  Trust me, 10k at The Ark is a loooong run due to the constant elevation changes.  Since it was a double loop course though, I knew there was an option to call it a day at 5k and get inside to enjoy some lasagna and brownies.

I was hit with a cold prior to the race and was not feeling my best.  As soon as I started running I could tell that my breathing, heart rate and legs were all going to cause problems.  I started towards the back and then let people pass.  I still feel like a newbie at trail races, slightly (maybe more than slightly) intimidated by those fearless trail runners who charge along the hilly single track like it is a flat stretch of highway.  The first couple of kms found me in a bit of a negative head space.  Most of my mental conversations revolved around one question – why can’t I be a faster trail runner?  Another form of that question popped up  – why is everyone a faster trail runner than me?  But, alone in the woods (which is what happens when you are slow, and is in my opinion an advantage of being slow), I started a different conversation.  I was out there for me, for my fitness, for my happiness.  I got out of bed despite not feeling well with a plan to run 10k.  How long it took me to complete the goal was irrelevant, it just needed to be done.  So while early in the race I considered stopping at 5k, I knew as I approached it that I would continue on.  I was going to be last, there was no doubt about that, but I also knew I was going to finish what I set out to do.  Once I changed the conversation in my head I was excited to take on the second loop.  I hiked when I needed to and ran when I could and finished happy.

So how “last” was I?  Only my husband was waiting for me at the finish line while everyone else was inside enjoying the awesome food that Mad Trapper races are famous for.  Since this is a low-key, hand timed race, my time didn’t even make it on the results page :).  I can tell you there would have been a time in my life when that would have mortified me.  But then again there was a time in my life when just the idea of lining up at a start line of a small race would have been out of the question.  Let’s face it, the big races offer some anonymity as a safety blanket.  But I think I am too old for thinking like that now.  I just want to be out there and hey, as long as there is a bit of food left at the finish line all is good!  I even requested a prize for being in last place and proudly accepted it in front of all those faster runners!  I could argue that the fact I wasn’t feeling well could have been part of my slow time.  I’m sure if I hadn’t had a cold I would have shaved a few minutes of my time, which would have put me in… yep – last place.  So I am owning that last place with a smile on my face and the knowledge that it will probably happen again.

To everyone out there who finished last (or even back of the pack) lately, here’s to us!  And if you would like to have some company in that final position, why not join me at future Mad Trapper races – we’ll grab the last of the brownies together!

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And the final runner comes in!

Here is my idea of a great two days:

• Race Saturday morning – make it a late start race (10:30!) with a Christmas theme.
• After said race head to Cora’s for a giant brunch.
• Nap (I admit, this may be the best part of the weekend).
• Sunday afternoon, head for a trail run with the kids, but they get to ride their bikes because it is spring in December.
• Come home, have popcorn and watch awesome finale of Dr. Who.

Why aren’t all weekends like this one?