So it looks like I’ll be attempting my first ultra distance in 2 days. Some people call it the Vancouver 100, and it basically follows a trail called Baden Powell from Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay, and then back again. Another name for it is the Double Knee Knacker, because it is an out and back version of the Knee Knacker trail running race which does the course only in one direction, and I say “only” with a slight bit of irony. I really don’t know how I will manage in trying to complete a technically challenging 100km course, with about 5000m of climbing, but the uncertainty is part of the thrill of doing this. The most comforting aspect of this experience is that I’ll be running alongside a good friend of mine, Marcin, who is currently training for the Fat Dog 120-mile race in August. He helped expose me to the trail running scene when I moved out last fall, convinced me to sign up for the Squamish 50/50, and is not only a great training partner but also a great friend. It will be really nice to have him by my side, and although it will also be his first 100km effort, he has more experience than I do and will likely be a great help with regards to nutrition and pacing. That being said, our plan is not to crush the course. We will be taking it at a relatively mellow pace, doing our best to minimize the risk of injuries and maximizing the likelihood of finishing the whole thing. He has had some injury issues over the past month and there is a lot of uncertainty about the way his foot will hold up over such a long distance. I am also very unsure how my knees will deal with the 15-20 hours. With that in mind there is a possibility that we’ll have to cut it short, and although I really don’t want to quit, there is really no shame in only making it to 50 or 75 kms. The truth is I’ve never even run a marathon and have no clue what I’m doing running that far! The explanation probably lies in some combination of not knowing what to do with my time and an innate need to beat the hell out of myself. Or maybe I have learnt that the more I’m intimidated by a challenge, the more rewarding will be the experience. Either way I’m just going to head out and have a good time on some beautiful trails for an entire day.
Anyways, I’m gonna go bake myself a loaf of banana bread, a little comfort food for the trail. Hopefully it’ll give me the extra boost I’ll need to make it all the way, and in a few days I’ll be writing about completing my first 100k run. I’ll try to take lots and lots of photos, and will write up a little report on the experience toward the end of the week.
Oh yea I went on a sweet hike with some friends in Saturday, up to St-Mark’s summit. Here are a couple photos.
Gambier Island and the Sunshine Coast
Eagle circling above our heads
philrunshills 