I hope a bunch of you will come out to the run at Pilot Bay next weekend. Remember- most runners are just getting out and having fun, so there are no excuses about being too slow!...
Monday, April 30, 2012
Kokanee Park
I hope a bunch of you will come out to the run at Pilot Bay next weekend. Remember- most runners are just getting out and having fun, so there are no excuses about being too slow!...
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Trail Maintenance Day
In preparation for the Pilot Bay Trail running race in two weeks, I figured I better get out to clean up the trails and see how much snow is on the upper part of the trail.
Myself, Bil and Taz - oh and our two dogs- headed out to see what we could clean up in a day. We ended up doing the whole 22km route; cutting blowdown, picking up fallen debris and flagging where required. By the time we were done, I don't think I could of bent over to pick up one more cut log- i was cooked!....The snow is pretty much melted and the trails are in amazing shape.
Thanks to Bill and Taz for the epic day of trail maintenance!
The online signup should be up and running early this week as they've been really slow on getting it together....looking forward to seeing you all there!
Myself, Bil and Taz - oh and our two dogs- headed out to see what we could clean up in a day. We ended up doing the whole 22km route; cutting blowdown, picking up fallen debris and flagging where required. By the time we were done, I don't think I could of bent over to pick up one more cut log- i was cooked!....The snow is pretty much melted and the trails are in amazing shape.
Thanks to Bill and Taz for the epic day of trail maintenance!
The online signup should be up and running early this week as they've been really slow on getting it together....looking forward to seeing you all there!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Pilot Bay Trail Running Race Info
When: Sunday May 6th, 2012
ONLINE REGISTRATION - CLICK HERE
What: 10km and 22km trail run
Start times: 10am for the 22km race and 10:30am for the 10km race
Where: Pilot Bay Provincial Park. The park is located on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake, really close to the Kootenay Lake Ferry terminal at Kootenay Bay.
Directions: After exiting the Kootenay lake ferry from Balfour to Kootenay Bay drive ONLY 50 meters and turn right onto Pilot Bay Road. Drive 3.4km down Pilot Bay Road and turn left into the parking area for the trail head and race start. Although the ferry is free, you might want to park at the ferry and walk on with your bicycle to ride to the race start for a nice warm up!
VERY IMPORTANT: To make the race start you will have to be on the 8:10am ferry in Balfour. This will put you to the start at around 9am. If the ferry is full for any reason (I doubt it will) then walk on and get a ride from other racers that will be on the same ferry as it is only a 2 minute car ride to the start.
Aid Stations: there will only be one aid station for both races. For the 10km race it is at approx 5km. For the 22km race it is at 14km, so please make sure you are running with a camelback or other device to hold some water and food. There will be water, cookies and bananas at the aid stations as well as gels and Cliff blocks in you race package.
There will also be free hamburgers, vegi burgers, and pop/juice at the finish for those that register online!!!!
Registration: The cost for the race is $35 if you register online before May 4th. For Online registry please click on the following link: Online registration
If you have not registered online by May 4th, then you must register on May 6th at the race start by 9:30am. The cost is $45 on race day. (We're really trying to get everyone to preregister as it really makes our life a lot easier!)
Race Course Info: The 10km route is all trail with many nice vistas of kootenay lake. It is approx 3.5km out on a relatively flattish trail with some small rolling climbs, followed by a 3km loop with a nice climb and descent and then back 3.5km to the finish. Anyone who even can run a few Km's can do the 10km route, as you can always hike the hilly sections.
The 22km course is approx 3.5km out on a relatively flattish trail with some small rolling climbs, followed by a 15km big loop which takes you up to the height of land with a nice 1,100' climb and back down through some really nice forest and meadows to the lake. Then back along the water to the finish. The total elevation gain is 2600'. Although it is only 22km, I wouldn't call this course a quick trail, so assume you will be out there having fun for 2:30hrs for the faster runners to 4hrs for the slowest.
Fundraiser: ALL funds raised go directly to the "Tipi Camp" Please go to the following link to find out more about this awesome non-profit organization and the different types of events they hold. http://www.tipicamp.bc.ca/
ONLINE REGISTRATION - CLICK HERE
What: 10km and 22km trail run
Start times: 10am for the 22km race and 10:30am for the 10km race
Where: Pilot Bay Provincial Park. The park is located on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake, really close to the Kootenay Lake Ferry terminal at Kootenay Bay.
Directions: After exiting the Kootenay lake ferry from Balfour to Kootenay Bay drive ONLY 50 meters and turn right onto Pilot Bay Road. Drive 3.4km down Pilot Bay Road and turn left into the parking area for the trail head and race start. Although the ferry is free, you might want to park at the ferry and walk on with your bicycle to ride to the race start for a nice warm up!
VERY IMPORTANT: To make the race start you will have to be on the 8:10am ferry in Balfour. This will put you to the start at around 9am. If the ferry is full for any reason (I doubt it will) then walk on and get a ride from other racers that will be on the same ferry as it is only a 2 minute car ride to the start.
Aid Stations: there will only be one aid station for both races. For the 10km race it is at approx 5km. For the 22km race it is at 14km, so please make sure you are running with a camelback or other device to hold some water and food. There will be water, cookies and bananas at the aid stations as well as gels and Cliff blocks in you race package.
There will also be free hamburgers, vegi burgers, and pop/juice at the finish for those that register online!!!!
Registration: The cost for the race is $35 if you register online before May 4th. For Online registry please click on the following link: Online registration
If you have not registered online by May 4th, then you must register on May 6th at the race start by 9:30am. The cost is $45 on race day. (We're really trying to get everyone to preregister as it really makes our life a lot easier!)
Race Course Info: The 10km route is all trail with many nice vistas of kootenay lake. It is approx 3.5km out on a relatively flattish trail with some small rolling climbs, followed by a 3km loop with a nice climb and descent and then back 3.5km to the finish. Anyone who even can run a few Km's can do the 10km route, as you can always hike the hilly sections.
The 22km course is approx 3.5km out on a relatively flattish trail with some small rolling climbs, followed by a 15km big loop which takes you up to the height of land with a nice 1,100' climb and back down through some really nice forest and meadows to the lake. Then back along the water to the finish. The total elevation gain is 2600'. Although it is only 22km, I wouldn't call this course a quick trail, so assume you will be out there having fun for 2:30hrs for the faster runners to 4hrs for the slowest.
Fundraiser: ALL funds raised go directly to the "Tipi Camp" Please go to the following link to find out more about this awesome non-profit organization and the different types of events they hold. http://www.tipicamp.bc.ca/
Monday, April 16, 2012
Columbia River Trail
I am not sure why more people don't include the Columbia River trail on their early season hit list as I cannot think of a more perfect run to get OFF the road and pack a few trail kms- especially this time of the year. I would think that in a normal winter it is good to go the end of March.
The Trail runs approximately 20km, mainly along the Columbia river from Castlegar to Trail (On the opposite side of the river than the Hwy runs). You access it from the end of Columbia Rd in Castlegar which runs off of Hwy 3 at the bottom of the Bombi. It's approx 4.5km down Columbia Rd from HWY 3. There is pretty good signage along the trail too, but there are a few sections along the dirt road that you need to pay attention.
The route starts out with an old dirt road for approx 3-4km until it narrows down eventually into a beautiful rolling single track trail. After about 13 km of single track it turns into a dirt road again for 3-4km as you start to approach the outskirts of Trail. I find the route has just enough ups and downs to keep those early season legs working, without putting any additional stress on them.
Lex Baas, Carolyn Donnelly and I really only intended on running 30km, but- well- what can I say, sometimes when you are having so much fun, why cut it short? So we ran the whole route to Trail and back for a great 40km day. We did grunt and slog in the last 3-4km though :)...I suppose that is the danger of doing an out and back as you always feel fine at the turn around!
Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so you'll just have to get out there yourself to see it- you'll be pleasantly surprised. BTW there are just enough creeks to keep the dogs happy!
I Will be posting the sign up and more info in the next few days on the really exciting Pilot Bay trail race May 6th- so please check back soon...
After 4:30hrs of running and some foood- I was out like a baby!
The Trail runs approximately 20km, mainly along the Columbia river from Castlegar to Trail (On the opposite side of the river than the Hwy runs). You access it from the end of Columbia Rd in Castlegar which runs off of Hwy 3 at the bottom of the Bombi. It's approx 4.5km down Columbia Rd from HWY 3. There is pretty good signage along the trail too, but there are a few sections along the dirt road that you need to pay attention.
The route starts out with an old dirt road for approx 3-4km until it narrows down eventually into a beautiful rolling single track trail. After about 13 km of single track it turns into a dirt road again for 3-4km as you start to approach the outskirts of Trail. I find the route has just enough ups and downs to keep those early season legs working, without putting any additional stress on them.
Lex Baas, Carolyn Donnelly and I really only intended on running 30km, but- well- what can I say, sometimes when you are having so much fun, why cut it short? So we ran the whole route to Trail and back for a great 40km day. We did grunt and slog in the last 3-4km though :)...I suppose that is the danger of doing an out and back as you always feel fine at the turn around!
Unfortunately I forgot my camera, so you'll just have to get out there yourself to see it- you'll be pleasantly surprised. BTW there are just enough creeks to keep the dogs happy!
I Will be posting the sign up and more info in the next few days on the really exciting Pilot Bay trail race May 6th- so please check back soon...
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Coming Events and Adventures in 2012
Pilot Bay Trail Race: May 6th, 2012
Kokanee Glacier fun Run- Approx 25-30km: Probably the third weekend of July. We'll organize two groups depending on ability. The stronger group will run from Enterprise creek east through Kokanee Park to Gibson Lake and the other group will run the opposite direction from Gibson Lake to Enterprise Creek...This way there is no car shuttling involved...
Rockwall Trail Fun Run- Mid/Late August. The East Kootenays provides us with one of the most spectacular trail runs around. This amazing singletrack loop would be open to anyone able to run/hike a minimum of 35km over the course of a day. The trail has three options for distances on the loop (approx 30km, 40km, or 55km), which makes it appealing for a variety of running levels.
We'd leave the evening before to camp out around the trail for an early departure the next morning.
For some info on another runners adventure there see http://lazytrailrunner.blogspot.com/2009/08/shuffling-rockwall.html
Svoboda Trail Race, Nelson, BC- Mid September we will have a fun local 15km trail race on a new trail to get ready for the Sufferfest!
Kokanee Glacier fun Run- Approx 25-30km: Probably the third weekend of July. We'll organize two groups depending on ability. The stronger group will run from Enterprise creek east through Kokanee Park to Gibson Lake and the other group will run the opposite direction from Gibson Lake to Enterprise Creek...This way there is no car shuttling involved...
Rockwall Trail Fun Run- Mid/Late August. The East Kootenays provides us with one of the most spectacular trail runs around. This amazing singletrack loop would be open to anyone able to run/hike a minimum of 35km over the course of a day. The trail has three options for distances on the loop (approx 30km, 40km, or 55km), which makes it appealing for a variety of running levels.
We'd leave the evening before to camp out around the trail for an early departure the next morning.
For some info on another runners adventure there see http://lazytrailrunner.blogspot.com/2009/08/shuffling-rockwall.html
Svoboda Trail Race, Nelson, BC- Mid September we will have a fun local 15km trail race on a new trail to get ready for the Sufferfest!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
50km ultra on the Isle de Ometepe, Nicaragua
There is no luck on stumbling onto a race. It's kind of like a crack addict stumbling onto a dealer- when you need a fix, you'll find it without much effort.
I needed to be down in Costa Rica to meet my son for a week of surfing (more like a week of cartwheeling for me) so I stumbled through the ultra trail blogs and found that there was a race really close- just across the boarder in Nicaragua. Perfect....
I need to remind myself that showing up after 24 hours of straight traveling to do a race is a little stressful and I should give myself at least a few days buffer to adjust. There was even one guy in the race who spent 7 weeks on the island training for this race- that would be nice!
The race took place on the Island of Ometepe about a 2 hour ferry ride way out on Lake Nicaragua. In the photo above you can see the island (looks close, but it took 2 hours by boat). The island is in the shape of an hourglass with 2 big Volcano's on either end. The 50km race was one way across the island from one end to the other climbing to the top of one of the volcano's along the route.
After a 3 1/2 hour drive to the airport, 3 flights, bus and a ferry to the island and 3 hours of sleep in two nights, I actually felt ready to run...well with a BIG coffee first.
There where lots of people from all over North and South America, with a few Euro's too, even a strong contingent from the island itself where they are trying to encourage the local youth to get into the sport.
After the 4am start with our headlamps, we cruised through the dark on fairly relaxed rolling terrain, which was a mix of trail, donkey cart paths, dried river bed and road. The first 31km went by pretty fast in 3hours until we got to the base of the Volcano.
I think a lot of people thought the next 2okm climb over the Volcano was going to be quick, so they blew through the aid station at the bottom of the 5,000' climb without much food reserves. Of course I new better, not because I'm very bright, but because I've made this mistake about twenty times before- paying a heavy price...
I was slightly nauseous because of the tropical jungle heat, but as we started to ascend the Volcano, the weather actually got cold, wet and rainy- perfect!
So I went from crappy to feeling great over the course of the climb.
About 30 seconds after munching down 4 Oreo cookies in the photo above I sprayed them back up all over me...The guy who took the photo figures that's where they came up with the expression "blowing you cookies!"
Up up and away we climbed and it got gnarlier and gnarlier as we ascended with cold driving rain, deep mud and a tangled mess of roots and ferns. The locals call this section the "Jungle Gym"
Some of the trail sections were 4 foot deep ruts by 6" wide...
After 2 hours of hard climbing and numerous false summits I finally topped out before I descended down to the check point which was in the crater of the Volcano. We still had to climb back out again before you'd start the last big descent down to the ocean finish line.
It went from 15 degrees blowing windy rain to 33 degrees and sunny on the descent down the volcano, but I felt great passing a bunch of people on the way.
After 7:08hrs I crossed the finish line with one lovely tasting beer waiting for me- man did it taste amazing!
I don't think I'll run much in the next 3 weeks as I really didn't enjoy the road running to get ready for this trail race, but I am going to India in March so....hmmmmm....... wonder what my crack dealer can find me there??
I needed to be down in Costa Rica to meet my son for a week of surfing (more like a week of cartwheeling for me) so I stumbled through the ultra trail blogs and found that there was a race really close- just across the boarder in Nicaragua. Perfect....
I need to remind myself that showing up after 24 hours of straight traveling to do a race is a little stressful and I should give myself at least a few days buffer to adjust. There was even one guy in the race who spent 7 weeks on the island training for this race- that would be nice!
The race took place on the Island of Ometepe about a 2 hour ferry ride way out on Lake Nicaragua. In the photo above you can see the island (looks close, but it took 2 hours by boat). The island is in the shape of an hourglass with 2 big Volcano's on either end. The 50km race was one way across the island from one end to the other climbing to the top of one of the volcano's along the route.After a 3 1/2 hour drive to the airport, 3 flights, bus and a ferry to the island and 3 hours of sleep in two nights, I actually felt ready to run...well with a BIG coffee first.
There where lots of people from all over North and South America, with a few Euro's too, even a strong contingent from the island itself where they are trying to encourage the local youth to get into the sport.
After the 4am start with our headlamps, we cruised through the dark on fairly relaxed rolling terrain, which was a mix of trail, donkey cart paths, dried river bed and road. The first 31km went by pretty fast in 3hours until we got to the base of the Volcano.
I think a lot of people thought the next 2okm climb over the Volcano was going to be quick, so they blew through the aid station at the bottom of the 5,000' climb without much food reserves. Of course I new better, not because I'm very bright, but because I've made this mistake about twenty times before- paying a heavy price...I was slightly nauseous because of the tropical jungle heat, but as we started to ascend the Volcano, the weather actually got cold, wet and rainy- perfect!
So I went from crappy to feeling great over the course of the climb.
About 30 seconds after munching down 4 Oreo cookies in the photo above I sprayed them back up all over me...The guy who took the photo figures that's where they came up with the expression "blowing you cookies!"
Up up and away we climbed and it got gnarlier and gnarlier as we ascended with cold driving rain, deep mud and a tangled mess of roots and ferns. The locals call this section the "Jungle Gym"
Some of the trail sections were 4 foot deep ruts by 6" wide...After 2 hours of hard climbing and numerous false summits I finally topped out before I descended down to the check point which was in the crater of the Volcano. We still had to climb back out again before you'd start the last big descent down to the ocean finish line.
It went from 15 degrees blowing windy rain to 33 degrees and sunny on the descent down the volcano, but I felt great passing a bunch of people on the way.After 7:08hrs I crossed the finish line with one lovely tasting beer waiting for me- man did it taste amazing!
I don't think I'll run much in the next 3 weeks as I really didn't enjoy the road running to get ready for this trail race, but I am going to India in March so....hmmmmm....... wonder what my crack dealer can find me there??
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