It's always fun thinking up new adventures, especially when they are right before your eyes, but you never really put it together until that light bub goes off in your brain one day.
The Evans trail is an old access hiking trail to Valhalla Park that runs north from Slocan City up the west shore of Slocan lake. It is a 10km out and back trail that is too surreal to appreciate unless you go yourself and check it out. I was planning this run for Friday, since I always like being in the mountains for my birthday, but the torrential rain that day gave me enough of an excuse to postpone it a day.

It started off with 5 of us wanting to do the run, but in true Kootenay fashion, it ended up only two, myself and Liz Edwards (Oh and our two faithful dogs). Although I have hiked, bushwhacked and slogged through the mountains in adventure races for countless hours even days without stopping, I really hadn't ran for longer than an hour and a half before so I knew it was going to hurt a little.


The photo above shows the view looking back from the turn around. We followed the shoreline on the right all the way down as far as you can see to the end of the lake.

The trail meandered in and out of mossy dark green forests to open meadows overlooking the lake

Needless to say, the scenery was incredible, with fresh snow blanketing the mountains.

Knowing that it is only days away from full on winter and ski touring, I enjoyed the last days of warmth and sunshine.

The trail was not strenuous in an aerobic sense, but definitely required fancy footwork as you needed to focus at all times hopping over logs, rocks and slimy roots.

It was a great day- not knowing who had the bigger smile myself or Nemo...

All in all it took 2:45 for the run. It hurt more from smiling every minute of that run than it did on my legs...it was way too much fun!

TRAIL RACES

I sing the Body electric;

The armies of those I love engirth me, and I engirth them;

They will not let me off till I go with them, respond to them,

And discorrupt them, and charge them full with the charge of the Soul.

Walt Whitmans words uttered after completing this years Svoboda Trail Run (max. heart rate 189)

Thanks to everyone who attended the two fundraising runs. This is only the start so keep checking this blog for upcoming athletic challenges.

Do you have a special trail or epic run you could write about? I would love to post it here to share with others. Please send ito the e-mail attached to this site.

Special thanks to the folks at Snowpak, Hellman Canoes and Kayaks and Gericks Cycle and Ski for the great draw prizes and support.

And a very special thanks to my cohorts in crime Liz and Randy, volunteers Thiery Brionne, Sheryl Richmond, Troy,Gabe Carpindale, John Price and Holli Kosof.
Thanks......Bill

These races are fundraisers for KLH CT Scanner Campaign. Please see the Kootenay Lake Hospital link at the bottom of the page for more information about the campaign or if you wish to donate.

"Race to the Flagpole"
Sunday September 27 2009, 9:00 AM sharp race start.

Race starts from the new Pulpit Rock parking lot. There is no parking on Johnstone Road so please run or ride to the race start. All athletes who arrive by bike or running receive a 30 second time bonus! If you want our sherpa's to carry a warm shirt to the flagpole for the walk back down please arrive no later than 8:00 AM as we need to give them a head start. We will have some water at the top however we recommend that you carry your own water and nourishment.

The race climbs up to the flagpole where finishers will wait and re hydrate. After the last athlete finishes we will give out the draw prizes then walk back to Johnstone Road. Racers to take the left "easier" fork above pulpit rock.

"Svoboda Trail Run"
Sunday October 4 2009, 9:00 AM sharp race start

Race starts in the Svoboda Rd parking lot. Limited parking so please run or ride to the race start. A 30 second time bonus to those who do. The race starts up the road to the Frogjam outlet. Up Frogjam to the Svoboda Traverse. Left on the Traverse past the Logjam outlet to the road, up the road to the entrance to Logjam. Down Logjam to the Traverse. Left on the traverse over the footbridge, turn right back onto Frogjam back to the start/finish line. 12 km's and 500 meters of elevation gain. Please be self sufficient in water.


Costs are $25.00 for a single race or $40.00 for both (you must register for both races at the same time). Since this is a fund raiser there are no refunds. All money raised goes directly to the Kootenay Lake Hospital Foundation in support of the CT Scanner Campaign.


A special prize for the male and female with the lowest accumulated time for both races plus the long course Fat Tire XC mtn bike race to be awarded after the Svaboda Road race

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