Tag Archives: Jasper

Another year of Wednesday night races in the bag

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Yesterday marked the final race of the Spring Frank Mcnamara Wednesday night race series. There are 5 races in the series; personally I think the spring series runs are supAr fun. This is my third year racing them and every year seems to get better. This year I beat all my times by a minimum of a minute I also came in 8th in my age category, usually out of 20 plus girls. I’m super pumped about all of that considering my goal was top 10 each race. How we say success. The only pit fall of the series was at the last race my stomach was acting up pretty bad and by pretty bad I mean I was constipated (gross I know). So I took an Aleve to subside the pain? It helped a bit…ish. Now to rectify this little hiccup I am drinking smooth exit tea – YEAH that’s the real name; what if the exit isn’t smooth hmm? It tastes like weird camomile tea. Awesome, we will see how that pans out; even the package it comes in looks all weird organic medicine-y.

Training has been going really well; last week I was in Jasper with work and I got in some great training (in my favorite place super shocker I know). I didn’t take any photos which, was totally my fault but I did hill intervals at Old Fort Point with the sheeps and ran with the elks almost everyday. It’s May so they are out in full force. My interval day I did up Pyramid lake road they were 9 – 3 minute intervals w/ 1 min walk 1min jog. This is my little fancy chart thing from the run to spice this post up.

Interval training day. Woot.

I did a few two-a-days; they are hard but I noticed a difference in my performance when I did an am run before a Wednesday night race. I felt really strong and ready to go. Now that we are in May I have started back training in the pool and on my awesome possum bike because Tri season will start for me in August. I sport my swim cap and one piece bathing suit – I am sexy and I know it. Then I go back to work looking like a drowned rat because I swim on my lunch break once per week. Sew tutes. Back to running training; I have started running more in my 5 fingers so like once a week instead of once every 2 or 3 or 5 weeks. I truly love them but usually just wear them on hiking, adventures, and in the gym. It has been a nice change they are so comfs. (comfy if you didn’t catch my personal abbreviation).

This Saturday will be the first 5 Peaks race of the year! Party on! Can’t wait hopefully I race it much better than last year because I got the shit kicked out of me. No lie but I still had fun because they are that awesome. Then I am gone to Ontario for work for Cystic Fibrosis Canada Shinerama! My people! Then the weekend after that is the Blackfoot Ultra, I will be doing the 25km baby ultra. See there is my training schedule and motivation notes. Nerd nerd nerd nerd. Also the  picture will not rotate you can do some neck stretches to look at it if you wish.

 

The picture will not rotate I do not know why.

That is all.

 

For now.

 

HAULING OATS the whole way home

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This weekend was suppose to be the fat/half ass 25km and the first Storm XC snowshoe race. I was signed up for both and competed in none. I didn’t run the fat ass because I was dead tired from my week of training and being in Jasper. The snow shoe race got cancelled because we have NO SNOW!

I spent the last week in Jasper for work; I was also there the week before and was home for 48 hours before going back. HOWEVER I will never complain about that since that town is actually like my second home. The weather at home and in Jasper has been super wonky lately. Temperatures are abnormally high which, is creating rain instead of snow then at night that turns in to ice and all the roads and side walks have turned in to skating rinks. In Jasper last week I could really only run outside twice because I had to run in the morning due to work and almost died 29038539 times on the ice. So the rest of the days I just went to the gym there and ran on the dreadmill and worked out at the same time, rather than splitting it up!

But in bigger news my team went ice climbing the day after we got there, which was almost going to be a bust because it has been so warm Maligne canyon has melted out. So we went to tangle falls which, is about an hour out the parkway almost at the ice fields. The highway was shit and the weather was having seizures but it was super fun! I have been climbing my whole life (mostly rock) so I really love going out!

Just climbing away!

On belay!

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The team!

Lately I have fallen in love with Hall and Oats all over again. Until two weeks ago I thought the actually name was HAULING OATS however it is not. I have been listening to them all the time and sometimes for whole runs and workouts when I take my ipod. On the way to Jasper two weeks ago I went on a crazy Hall and Oats download (ask Jesse he had to put up with it) and have been rocking out since. Just last week I am running in on a skating rink in the rain at 6 am rocking out and singing hauling oats as I attempt to run and not die up Jasper bench trails. I also think the term HAULING OATS can be used for things that move fast; like me running.

So I now haul oats all over the place.
It’s pay day soon; thank jesus Lululemon stuff has been on sale lately
I will be doing my level 2 of my running coaching
I’ll be in Jasper in 2 or 3 weeks to ride and adventure
The Hypothermic half and Birke are soon! If the Birke will even go?!
OH and the second which, will be the first snowshoe race of the year!

Running: Mexican Style

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Hola,

I was in Bucerias, Mexico from December 17th to the 24th! I had made a goal to run 20km for my week away so I could enjoy some vacation but still get some runs in! Our hotel was right beside a town called Bucerias, which is a great little Mexican town with lots o’ Mexicana flava! The day after we got there I just did 4 km on the treadmill so Jesse could lift in the tiny tiny Mexican resort gym. The rest of the days we got up ate breakfast and went off for our runs and lifted a few days. We did 4km a day kept them short and sweet! Running there was amazing for me nice and hot and running on dry pavement was perfect because my feets weren’t slipping around on icy roads like they do here at home. The town is right beside the ocean so there were great short and steep hills to go up and down off the main road to add some elevation; the roads were also cobblestone so it was like makeshift pavement trail running…sorta. OH and one day I had the bright idea of going on a run on the beach. In my eyes this was an epic fail for a variety of reasons; the tide was in, the beach was full of loitering people, and we were running on a downwards slant the whole way. It was a loooong 4km.

The start of our daily runs!

The beach when the tide was OUT not in!

Getting my tan on! Mexico style.

None the less it was great; I ended up only running 19km this week because I cut my first run home short today so I could participate in more Christmas activities.

I love traveling, going on holidays, and running in new places but it is SO nice to come home and run where I love to run! My run at home today was good I did 3km at race pace 5:10km and then I did 1km at a cool down pace between 5:30 and 5:45 km. In 3 days I am heading out to my 3rd home Jasper to go snowboarding, throw down some XC skiing (if there is enough snow), and go for some runs. Very excited!

It is now Christmas time and I am sure everyone has access to enough treats to sink a ship! Remember to enjoy and take care of your body! I have enjoyed my Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Defiantly enjoyed. They taste like little pods of amazing surprises. But tomorrow will be a long run day!!

How do you stay fit during Christmas? AND do you have a favorite Christmas treat?

Jasper

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Is awesome.

Spent the long weekend in Jasper this year which, was excellent! Did lots of funactivities and adventuring and even saw a bear and 1000000 tourists trying to ride elk. Go figure.

Friday pm- we got in to Jasper pretty late so just set up the tent and went to bed.

Saturday am – We got up pretty early and went in to town so I could get my $1.50 tea from macs that I buy every day I’m in Jasper always. So often I think I keep them in business when I am there for weekends. And bought the $2 muffins from Super A foods that we buy every time we are there because they are DELICIOUS. Then we headed to Mt.Edith Cavell to do a morning hike around the valley; then walked down the river for a while.

How do you enjoy your morning tea?


Saturday pm – Then we headed to Moab lake and the Athabasca pass to run intervals. We did 10 x 1 min w/ 2 down the trails and down to the lake on the way back. The Athabasca Pass is actually a 49km hike so we just ran out on the trails.

Then after our run we went to the beach made lunch and then tanned and swam. In Jasper the beach is on lake Annette its gorgeous and the water is brisk but refreshing!

Sunday am – We got up and headed to the Sulfur skyline trail to run/hike it! Wore our Montrail Wildwoods which, are amazing for the downhills great support for the feet and not hurt on the toes! The Sulfur skyline trail is about 5km straight up and then obvs a super fun 5km down!

This is the view.

This is me doing work!

Sunday pm – As soon as we were done and driving down the mountain is started to pour rain and didn’t stop all day and all night! So we just relaxed hung out etc. I drank tea; big surprise.

Monday am – Leaving day so we got up and did the easy and ever so popular Valley of Five Lakes before driving home! It’s a great little hike approx 4.5 km!

So that was the August long weekend of 2011! This is the famous weekend for the Canadian Death race as well! A new course record was set by Rickey Gates with a time of 12 hours and 18 minutes! No big deal the guy is a mad man! Next year I will also be running in the Death Race with my boyfriend we are splitting it. I will be doing Leg 1, 2 and 3 and then he will run legs 4 and 5! Shall be a grande time I am very excited! We are considering taking a first leg runner so lighten the load a bit but that is still up in the air!