"It doesn't have to be fun to be fun"

Nice slogan! Should have backed out once hearing this!

The Rubble Creek Classic climbs from Cheakamus Lake trail up (2915ft) and across Helm Creek flats giving spectacular panoramic views along the way. With the final a knee jarring decent of 4015ft. to finish at the Rubble creek Parking lot.
Approximate distance: 26km.

This race is very casual. No bibs, markers, or aid stations. Oh and they said it was a good idea to time yourself. Ha! No start line, no finish line. "3,2,1, GO!" So I did. Not so fast though. The 2915ft climb stopped me dead in my tracks. Power hiked most of it. Wanted to cry near the top. Just wanted to be done with climbing. Crossing Helm creek was frosty, running on packed ice/snow. So pretty though. You keep running across looking out at Black tusk-cool! Some lakes to run around, and a large stream crossing. Then the decent starts. Along the hillside for the first bit, don't lose your step or you're in for a long fall!

The last 7.7k is a switch back downhill to the Garibaldi parking lot. Bone rattling stomp to the finish. Switch backs actually made me dizzy, and rounding them was sketchy-focus! Then all the yahoos hiking up didn't leave much room. Plus one was smoking! Gross. Anyways running downhill that long made my uterus want to come out, not to mention other things.
The body pounding finally ended at the parking lot where dude says" Hey whats your name?" I say " Shannon MacLeod" he writes it on his clipboard. I say "Am I done? Can I stop?" Then I beeline for the bathroom! Time:3:06 (give or take a minute) I forgot to press STOP. I really wanted 2:45. Drive back up to Cheakamus to retrieve vehicle was also a bone shaker. Something fell off my truck. I didn't retrieve it. Truck still works.

Rubble Creek 2009 done!

Thankyou Wise Owl

Wildlife. Its out there. I trail run for hours in the local forests with my friends the rabbits, toads, and plenty of snakes. No bother. But the other morning I did a road run. Early hours on the back road. Usually busy with early morning commuters, and the odd drug deal. I'm about 7 minutes into my run, enjoying the fresh air, morning stars, and looking forward to the sunrise. When WHACK, I feel a smack on the back off my head. It was hard. It hurt. For a split second I thought someone through a rock at me. Before I can process, I feel what felt like vice grips clamp my head, then release. I look up and see an Owl flying away. Really? Did that just happen? I turn to continue my planned run, when what is standing in front of me? A Bear!!! The bear didn't seem to fussed over the whole scene, and kept on his way. I continued my run, letting that odd series of events marinate for the next hour and a half.
My friend JC just informed me that she was attacked by an owl, except hers followed her for 5 minutes!
Now my father, AKA bird fanatic said that sometimes large birds will go for the ponytail thinking its a Squirrel. Well that makes sense.
My favourite quotes/lessons that came out of this experience:
Michelle Grey " The owl was probably thinking 'WTF is a squirrel doing on that chicks head! I'll get it!'"
Jen Segger (coach): " I think I assigned that as part of this weeks training - its about developing mental toughness and the ability to fight of the creatures of the forest - adventure onwards :) Just imagine what will attack you in Costa Rica???"
Dawn MacLeod: "The link I sent you on wikipedia talked about how the owl was a symbol for a number for a hieroglyph, and that was a clue in my crossword the next day!
I never would have gotten the answer if you hadn't been viciously attacked by the owl!"

Lesson:

Owl Totem:

Active at dawn and dusk owls are sometimes referred to as the night eagle, a messenger from the darkness and a guide through all the mysteries that it contains. It teaches us how to embrace our personal darkness without fear. Owls are sometimes thought to come to those that are about to die. This does not mean a physical death as much as it means the letting go of some part of yourself that is not serving you. Owls with their spectral senses help guide us through the dark tunnels of fear, change and uncertainty to the brilliant light shining at the other end. If the owl appears in your life thank it for its willingness to guide you through its shadowy realm to the other side of promise and joy.

Getting harder...

I did 3hrs Friday. Two hours before work 1hr after work. Saturday I did 5hrs out in the trails. The last hour of the 5 was power walking mind you, but still.
This week:
Monday: Double Chief
Tuesday: Road bike 1 1/2hrs
Wednesday: 1 1/2 hr flat run
Thursday: Technical downhill sprints 1 1/2hrs.
Friday: Rest!!!!
Sat: 3hrs Trail
Sun: 2hrs Trail

I still have 5 months to go-so its only going to get nuttier!!!!

Oh for the love of peas!

As my hip flexor rears its ugly head once again, its time to break out the peas. My good old faithful bag of frozen peas. With me through thick and thin. They even have their own travel bag with cooling system, so that post run I can sit in my truck, peas on my groin chilling. I drive with them, facebook with them, and read with them. Well the peas even came to starbucks and the drop-in clinic with me today. Sitting in the waiting room, with my coffee and my peas. This frozen bag has received more love and commitment than any man in my life. Oh how I love thee peas, to heal, not to eat!

Ice Baths

A.K.A as cold water immersion for exercises recovery(cryotherapy)

I hate being cold. Hate, hate, hate, hate, double hate being cold. Not even a little bit, not even for a short time, not here, not there, not anywhere. So I have never attempted the ice bath..until today. As this weekend was my biggest running challenge yet, with 4hrs Saturday, 2:15 today I thought I should get on this program. I fill the bath,with cold water. I dip my toes in a few times. It really is cold like ice. LIKE ICE! Websites suggest immersion times to be 5-10minutes, and sometimes up to 20 minutes. So I just do it. Just get in and sit. It hurts. I look at the clock, and 5 seconds have gone by. Well I can definitely rule out the "sometimes up to 20 minutes" because that is not going to happen! I sit. OMG how I wish I had a toque, gloves and winter parka on. SO cold-leg hairs growing by the second. Shivering and shaking. 25 seconds. Seriously??!! How is this helping? My grandparents HAD to take ice baths because they had no hot water. I have free hot water! Why am I choosing this, why?
Because maybe one day Mr. Mc-Ice-bath below will ask me to ice bath with him. And I'll be able to say " Yah no prob. I love ice bathing! Your place or mine?"

Back to backs

And the back to back long runs begin! Today 4hrs, tomorrow 2:15. Yikes, and its only August! Wonder what my back to backs will be in a couple months time? Today felt great, shoulder/back blisters again. I need a proper running pack ASAP! So I'm off to eat(again) and get a good nights sleep before tomorrows run :)

Mother Trucker!

Today was my 4hr run. I have ran 4hrs once in my lifetime during Stormy 2008. Today was different. I had a watch to compulsively check, and I had to pick my own 4hr route. The first hour was a watch checker, second hour I zoned out, third hour was spent re-thinking route and life in general, fourth hour was the "I will stop moving one day "countdown. I saw two human beings in four hours-really? Where is everyone in this supposedly active community? The clock hit 4 hours, and I was about 8 min from my truck at Brennan Park. That's Ok I thought, really whats another 8 minutes? So I keep moving, slowly. I round the corner at Brennan Park, heading into parking lot, pace near dead slow, dreaming of my recovery drink, and my orange I have ready to consume. Looking for my truck...looking...looking. Hmmmm?
Oh Mother of Pearl and other things not nice! I parked at Brennan LAST week, NOT this week!!!!! I now remember that my truck is at the smoke bluff parking lot. A mere 2km down the road, but at this point that 2km is the Boston Marathon. So I drag my you know what down the painfully flat, straight road to my truck. Man that orange, and my drink tasted so much better for it!

First road bike crash!

Survived my first road bike crash! Train tracks tripped me up, took my bike, and I kept going. I remember thinking "I wish my body would stop rolling on the pavement soon." Palm of my head was bleeding alot! Hip and right arm were hurting, but I couldn't see the damage. Started riding home, had a bit of a cry, and kept going. When I got home and took off my long sleeve(thanks goodness for long sleeve) I saw my arm, which was swollen and bloody. I panicked a little as there were some rocks embedded in skin as well. Called good old faithful sister who told me to get to hospital because they could at least clean it properly. Which they did. They removed the rocks, and some chunks of skin. They contemplated stitches, but went with steri-strips. Also I got a tetanus shot. Love shots! I really do. So I an check road bike crash off my list of things to do!!!

Stormy 2009 done!

We did awesome. Came 3rd in our category. 80km in 8hrs 55 minutes. I did my 34km in 3:47, Jude did her 46km in 5:08. Race felt awesome, stumbled lots near the end, as the trails were really dry. I had a weird moment when my left leg hit a root, and froze up. It wouldn't do what my brain was telling it. Paralyzed. Finally my toes wiggled, and I was off! So cool to be running with 100&50 milers. The 100 milers had been running since 10am the day before-and they're telling me great job! Jeeze. Love the Stormy. Next year 50 miler-solo!!!!

Waiting...

Waiting for my turn! I met Jude at 5:30am. She started at 6. I see her again at 9 mile hill, where she finishes and I begin. So now I wait. She may take 5 hours, maybe 6. So I wait, and try to keep my energy!