Working It Out !

Lots of time to think, plan, organize!

Today's Run

18 km

to Shouldice and return

+8 Degrees to start +21 Degrees at finish

slight breeze and sunny

Today's run felt great from the beginnng all the way through to the end! Thank you for that! I first looked at my watch at 32 minutes and the minutes seemed to quickly pass as did the miles. Thank you for that too! It was my longest run since the half on July 6th and afforded me lots of time to work things out.

I know what I will bring for lunch hiking tomorrow and that I better not forget those delicious Two Bite Brownies. I know too, what I will wear...my ode to the Olympics! Murrietta's will be a nice place for lunch when relatives pass through Calgary on September 25th. I will need to leave Calgary at 6:45 to get to Canmore an hour before the race starts to allow myself enough time so I am not needlessly racing around before I need to race around. I would like to do a winery tour when I am in Kelowna. I want to figure out how to add a list to the side of the blogs that I read. I figured all those things out, but I could not figure out who the lady was that was doing a distance measure for tomorrow's Robert Hamilton race, she looked so familiar!

Got my weekend run in now bring on the hike!

Tomorrow's Destination

Tomorrow's destination is Chester Lake!

There is what it looked like the last time I was there which was New Year's Eve!

This will be my first time seeing it in the summer!

I wonder what is under all that snow!

Stayed tuned!

Thankful for at Thanksgiving Time Kelowna Bound

Today's cold and rain pulled my thinking in a direction that I really shouldn’t be heading to yet in one way, but late in heading to in another way.

I began thinking about Thanksgiving Time, the October long weekend, when cool and crisp can fill the Calgary air. It can be a beautiful time of year! It’s a long weekend that I don’t want to just past by and have nothing to show for it. I want to have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving weekend.

I want to be thankful for my health and fitness which allows me to do the things I love. I want to be thankful I can finish a race upright with a smile on my face! I don’t mean to rush summer, but yet, I didn’t want to be left high and dry! It’s about planning, organizing, anticipation!

Sooo......I entered the BMO Okanagan Half Marathon in Kelowna on October 12th. YES! I’m going to Kelowna! I have my plane ticket (decent deal on that), I booked a room (all the good ones are taken because I left this a little late), my name is on the confirmation list!

I spent a day in Kelowna 8 years ago, but don’t remember much. I have not run there so this will be a new experience.

The countdown is on!

On The List

It's official! I put money down! I'm confirmed! I'm on the list!

I finally bit the bullet and entered the Canmore Rocky Mountain Half Marathon! Canmore is about 110 kms west of Calgary and just east of Banff National Park. This town is famous for it's Three Sisters, as seen above and also for the Nordic events of the 1988 Winter Olympics. The town was officially named in 1884 by an employee of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Much of the area to the North-East of Canmore is located in a critical wildlife corridor. (I wonder will we be running there?) This will be my first time for running a half marathon in the Rockies. I am feeling a bit intimidated! I have done Melissa's 10km in Banff a hand full of times and I did some very short trail runs (4 km) at the Canmore Nordic Center a few years back. Also included in my list of running in the Rockies was the 8km Canmore Rocky Mountain Run (it's a 10km now). My memories that stand out for that race are that there was a snowfall the night before, I had my camera in my belt and because the scenery was so awesome, I ended up stopping and taking photos along the way. Needless to say, it was not my fastest 8 km, but I could not resist the scenery. The other memory is that the start times were delayed about 45 minutes because a bear was on the route for the half marathon runners. They needed to clear him out of the way before the race started. With less than three weeks to go, I'm beginning to feel the anticipation, the excitement, the intimidation!

When You Least Expect It

I didn't really expect anything great today!

Today’s Run

15 km
out and back to Edworthy
+17 to start +23 at finish

Taking into consideration yesterday’s hike, a lack of sleep, the hot temperatures, I was surprised and delighted with this mornings run. The rhythm came within 10 minutes of starting, the miles passed by quickly, I was finished before I knew it! Could hiking and biking be beneficial cross trainers? Not to get cocky, but this is giving me the confidence that I should be ready for a half marathon in three weeks.

Only one problem! Just when I have my toes looking respectable again, I have this to deal with! I got it hiking yesterday! Geesh! What the heck is that all about!

Loop the Lake

What this hike lacked in elevation, it made up for in scenery!

Today we were 9 in total. They say bears will never confront a group of 4 or more hikers, so there was safety in our number. Although, I don’t trust that a bear will take the time to stop and count us, then make his decision on whether to charge or not!

The full loop of the Upper Kananaskis Lake is measured at 16.5 km. We did it in a clock-wise direction. It seemed the majority of hikers preferred the counter clock-wise direction. We passed large numbers heading that way, who were also taking advantage of this beautiful hot day. My thermometer measured +23 degrees at the start of the hike and +30 degrees five hours later when we arrived back at the parking lot. This was a good day to be in shade, to be near water, to be catching the spray of cold, fast, thundering, waterfalls.

The feast for our eyes consisted of a variety of land formations. It started with the wide openness where we saw the size of the lake. As we carried on we passed over bridge covered waterfalls and found ourselves walking through what felt like a lush humid rain forecast. Most of the early trail was in shade. It opened up halfway into the hike to a scene of vivid green growth with hundreds of gray tree stumps sticking out.

We realized at this point, that the counter clock-wise hikers were the smart ones, they did the open part of the trail before the heat of the day. We trekked on through a massive avalanche rock area. I would not want to have been there when this happened, which would have been years ago I assume as there was a well worn forged trail through the rocks.

Even though the wild flower season is closing in, we were left with a hint of fushia as we looked down onto this massive lake. This was the view we got to take away with us at the end of today’s hike!

I did this hike about 11 years ago but only a very tiny portion of it looked familar. It seemed brand new to me today. Speaking of brand new, my camelbak is a keeper! It will be a permanent fixture in my backpack. I am now thinking of what my next hike might be and even though I don't know which one it will be, I am looking forward to it already!

Tomorrow’s Destination

On what is forecast to be our hottest day so far this year, you will find me hitting the hiking trails, yet once again. Tomorrow’s trek will be the 16.5 km route around the Upper Kananaskis Lake. This hike is considered moderate only for its distance as there is not much elevation at all to speak of. It makes up in beauty what it lacks in elevation!

My new toy for hiking is a camelbak. My backpack is built to hold one, so why not have one. The majority of hikers last weekend had either a camelbak or a platypus. I had two water bottles, one in each pocket on either side of my pack. The location of the pockets does not allow for the easiest access to hydration. For that reason, I found I was not drinking as much as I should. With tomorrow’s forecast of +31 degrees, hydration will be important!

My new toy will be even more handy come snowshoe season. But that is a long long long way off!

Another Play Day

Runnin
6 km

+ 14 degrees

Bikin

21 km

+ 23 degrees

Smilin

wide

warm

Simple Solitude

lost in the kilometers

Today's Run

12 kms

out west and back from Eau Claire

+14 degrees and overcast

Mere grins and positive nods replaced the spoken "good morning" on my part and on theirs! The majority of runners out this morning appeared to be lost in their solitary run just like me! This was my time to plan, calculate, relive, test.

I should soon decide if I want to do the Canmore Rocky Mountain Half Marathon. I still have not entered. It's on September 7th, so three weekends left to get the mileage up to a respectable distance. It's doable! But do I want to do it! I find I am becoming somewhat of a weekend warrior. I want to run, hike and bike plus get everything else done that needs to be done. I need more vacation time, I need it to be an 8 day week, not 7! I need the seasons to be longer!

I saw the new Nike commerical for the first time today! I like it!

"I got soul but I'm not a soldier! Just do it!"

Glacier Gliding

Can you even comprehend doing that?

I did it today on Rae Glacier!

Elbow Lake was our first destination. Being only 1.5 km in at an elevation gain of 150 m, we came upon it in a very short time frame. It was definately a photo oppourtunity stop and drink stop. I get such fulfillment from a hike! There is something about it, that does something for me, that nothing else in my life could even come close to doing! For the reason that I can hardly ever find a friend to accompany me on adventures like these, I decided to join a local group that partakes in activities regularly. The main destination for today was Rae Glacier. There were 11 of us for this hike, three of us on our first outting with the group. Very shortly into the hike, I knew this was to be a great day. The pace was fine, and the folks were friendly. I belonged! After leaving Elbow Lake, we wound around the campsites and the lake to the other end and then started our trek upwards.

At times I found it grueling, but over the years I have done this enough to know that grueling equals amazing! It definately was that today! It was another 4 km and 400 m beyond the Lake to the Glacier. Our maximum elevation gain was approximately 550 m to a height of 2438 m.
At the base of the Glacier was a perfect place to set up to dine. The eleven of us spread out over the rocks, feeling the sun beat down, yet the coolness of the snow around us. It was serene and peaceful. Having set a good pace on the way up, that left us plenty of time to play after dining. Four of us did! Including me! You will notice the dots on the rocks in the above photo, those are my hiking buddies!
Imagine...the dog days of summer, +27 degrees, dressed in shorts and t-shirt, high in the mountains, so high the snow does not melt! We layed on our jackets, I on my rain cape, and went sliding down the side of the glacier! I call it "Glacier Gliding"! I did it four times! I experienced my third childhood! The second was a few years back at Disneyland.

Right now it's 10:15 pm! I've been home since 5:00 and I still feel high on life! It was a leap for me to go with strangers, a little beyond my comfort zone but I am so thankful I took that leap and I know I will leap many more times to come!

Where I'm Going Today

Stay tuned!

We were reaching out for relief today! A place where we could go to escape the heat of the concrete jungle!

Ms M and I landed in Cochrane! Land of the famous ice cream! Mine matched the colors of the flower and the flower pot shown here! It tasted as delicious as the colors look!

We found a babbling brook meandering through the trees. The sound of the water trickling over the rocks gave a sense of fresh and cool. Every now and then we felt the breeze! It was glorious!

A visit to Cochrane would not be complete without a stroll along the pathway by the Bow River. The water was warm to the touch! Nice for our feet!

Heading back to the vehicle, we found a mural which depicts what this little town is all about!

08/08/08

Feeling Lucky?
I am!

Today's Run

my Canadian Tire route

at 6:05 am

sunny +14 degrees

a slight beautiful breeze

That was my kick off to the Olympics run! The way I felt this morning, in my mind, I would be able to keep pace with any of those athletes competing in the running events! It's all about being positive, right!

Another day of no work all play for me!

My afternoon treat...

No Work, All Play!

Oh how I love not working on a beautiful day! I could so get use to this but I realize this is not a reality for me at this point in my life!

Today’s Ride

My bike ride had a real purpose today. I needed to bring it in for a tune up. My plan was to ride for a few hours then drop if off.

I left home at 9:30 am. I was a little nervous, as I knew all the biker commuters were already sitting at their desks at work and the pathway would be quiet. I never use to feel this way, but it’s a new world and my nerves let me know they exist.

Just like my last ride, the people population count was low on the long path out, but picked up the closer in I got. About ½ km from the Zoo, I saw a uniformed lady walking and gawking with what looked like a purpose. As I approached her I saw her badge, it read "Calgary Zoo". My imagination started to swirl! I wondered what animal got loose that she needed to capture. I will check the news tonight to see if any zoo residents had some freedom today.

Just past the Zoo near the SE part of the city, HAWKS was hoovering and hoovering and hoovering! Geesh! Are they looking for a loose animal too? I didn’t know whether to feel safe or scared! A short distance down the path I came upon a ruckus. Three big burly city’s finest just tackled a fellow to the ground. Maybe HAWKS was part of this! I didn’t care about speed rules, I put my gears in fast mode and peddled out of there like there was no tomorrow! UGH! So many less fortunates, down and outs, less desirables and unsavories. I have never seen them in such high numbers!

After all this excitement, things were rather uneventful from here on it. I made my way to Shouldice to check out the car pool site for Saturday’s event. Four hours after leaving home, I arrived at Kensington to drop off my bike. Then hopped Transit for a ride as close to home as I could get then walked from there.

I am without my bike until Tuesday at 5:00 pm but that is O.K. I have lots of other plans of running and hiking to keep me out of trouble!

My New Book

"I Run Therefore I Am Nuts" was a gift from my running friend D Mo! The back of the book says the author pokes fun at the idiosyncratic personalities of runners and the strange and hilarious situations they encounter! It also says whether you fall in the middle of the pack, up near the front of the pack, or so from any semblance of a pack that you're wondering if everyone went home already, you will find plenty to laugh about in this book. Just flipping through the pages has me laughing already! Each chapter starts with a comic! Here are a couple that I can totally relate to!

August Rush

This long weekend topper was a three hour fun bike ride and what a great day for it!

I was surprised not to see many folks along the Nose Creek Pathway but as I got closer in, the numbers picked up dramatically. Instead of heading west from the Zoo, this time I hung a left, not knowing where I would end up.

I happened upon Fort Calgary so thought I would pay Ms M a visit. There she was, doing what she loves to do! I think I surprised her! Along the route I needed directions, so questioned an older then me biking fellow. He had a police half marathon shirt on so not only did I ask for directions I also asked if he ran that race. He did in 1980! I checked some info when I got home, 1980 was the first year for the race! He doesn’t run anymore but does very well with his biking!

I wore my new ironman socks and JE if you read this, thank you very much! They were a treat for my feet! I don’t know my mileage because I was not able to attach my new Incite i8 computer and all it’s little pieces. I have a date on Thursday for a service check on my bike, as the newness is coming out of it and some adjustments need to be made, they will attach my new gadget and get it running for me at the same time.

What a trio long weekend! Saturday Sunday Monday...running hiking biking! What a rush!

Radiant Rawson

We found a piece of paradise today nestled high above surrounded by forests and mountain peaks!

Rawson Lake it was!
Radiant is was!

Today’s hike, going and coming, was a great way to get caught up on each other’s comings and goings with my friend R who I have not seen in about a year. There was lots of catching up to do, so much to chat about, it made the day go by quick but we still savored the scenery.

Both of us had been to Rawson Lake before but today that did not diminish the sense of enjoyment that being in a place like this brings on. It still invokes that lost for words feeling! In chatting, we realized that over the years we have experienced Rawson in all seasons. I have even been there in the dead of winter.

The trail was busy but not overwhelming. We felt safe in the numbers! As R said, no self respecting bear would make an appearance in this neck of the woods this day! Even though it is not prime time for the wild flowers, they still put on a show for us, as did the picas, squirrels, chipmunks and moles. The fishermen were casting, the lake trout jumping, the parks visitor center rep patrolling and the ridge walkers could be seen way off in the distance...lots happening to catch our attention!

It was such an enjoyable day! Thank you for sharing it with me! I look forward to hiking again with you!

Maybe Buller will be Beautiful, or Lillian will be Luscious, or Galatea will be Gorgeous!

Today's Destination

Rawson Lake is our destination for today!

This is what it looked like when I was there last October!

I wonder what it will look like today!

Stayed tuned!

Matched the Orange Sunrise

That, I did this morning!

Today’s Run

at 5:45 am
out and back from home
sunny clear fresh
+8 degrees Celsius, no wind

Oh how I love my early morning runs! Their quality surpasses, by a landslide, those runs that take place late afternoon or early evening. They pass by quickly, this morning I realized I didn’t look at my watch until it was time to press the stop bottom once I reached home. The street lights are still flashing caution at intersections, so I don’t have to stop and wait for a green. I heeded my big sister’s advice! With what made the local paper recently, I paid a little more attention to my surroundings (not that I never did), instead of running along side the tall wooden fence, I veered to the right and dashed through the wide open field, and I listened to my heart beat and the swoosh of the grass instead!

This & That

Weekend Wishes!

I emailed my sister today! She lives just outside the city, has a busy life of her own, we keep in touch by email, it works for both of us. In today’s email to wish her a nice long weekend, I asked her if she was golfing golfing golfing and I told her I was running hiking biking. Her reply was "Don’t wear your ipod when you run, take your bear spray, watch for dangerous drivers, there’s crazy stuff happening out there these days! " What ever happened to just plain old "Have Fun!" Her reply caught me off guard a little. She IS my big sister and I guess no matter how old we are, she will always behave in a big sisterly way!

Thank you for watching out for me!

**********************************************************
Part of Something Great!

How exciting for Calgary! In some ways I think ugh Calgary is becoming so big! In this case this is a good thing! We are now considered prime territory for a world class ironman event! Ironman 70.3 is coming to Calgary! I want to be a part of it! Not as a participant but as a volunteer!

I have entered my name to be a part of making this a great experience!

**********************************************************
Technician but not of the Mechanical Type!

I bought another toy for my bike! It’s a Trek Incite 8i wireless computer! After an hour last evening and an hour the evening before, I still don’t have that dang thing up and running. I usually hate to read directions on how to do something so was glad to see the instructions for this gadget were by way of pictures. Geesh! I can’t make out what the pictures are! I used the zoom feature on our photocopier at work to blow up the pictures and that was no help. I went online to find a user’s manual. It helps a bit. I have the computer settings set and have it mounted on the handle bar but I still can’t figure out how to attach the magnet and the sensor! I’m a technician, but of the oil and gas type and that doesn’t help me here unless I have to grease the thing!

I will have a go at it again this evening!