The Athletic Bucketlist

Life decisions and turning points

2012-02-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

Its has been three years since i retired from the sport that i spent half my life training and competing around the world in. For 15 years from the age of 14 till the end of 2008 at the age of 28 years and 9 months i put my blood, sweat and tears into the sport of swimming, biking and running myself on 4 continents as i strived for the high goals i set myself at the beginning of each calendar year.

There were two big reasons for retiring from a sport that i was only beginning to hit the age of peaking in 1) the lack of life balance that i had trying to make it in such a cut throat sport (which i can happily say i now have) and 2) for need to do more in my working life to make a difference in the world.

Having the privilege of being able to do something you love, travel the world doing so and living an endless summer you could say was hard at the time to turn my back on especially knowing it was all i had known since i had become an adult, but a burning desire to do more, make a difference and leave a mark on the world in a positive way helped me make that next step and gave me the confidence in that decision during the Christmas holidays of 2008.

Fast forward to February 2012 and i am lucky and honoured to work for a program called 'Team in Training' through the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. TNT trains a range of abilities of team members to achieve their goal of completing marathon, bike and triathlon events in North America and Europe all the while the team raises money for blood cancer research and patient services. Day to day i am impacted with the positive effect of our program and the money it raises to help fight these diseases. Below is just one success story of one our TNT team members in Ontario. Lisa was diagnosed with Leukemia at 36 years of age. Here is her emotional, brave and uplifting story to completing the Scotiabank Toronto Marathon in 2011.

All quiet on the range

2012-02-02T17:52:00.000-08:00

Its been fairly quiet of late with the daily routine of alarm, 5:30am, dark outside-mumble nothing in particular under my breath, coffee, train, work, commute home-in the dark, eat, hybernate, sleep. Tis the season here in the GWN even though quite the pleasant one with temperatures continuing to favour the outdoor aficionado.

Looking for inspiration is always of the highest priority in the winter season here in Canada so i have been surfing the channels for visual and endurance sport induced stimuli to keep the fires burning. Here are but a few of the great little clips that have definitely helped me get out of the door when a cozy bed wants to propel me back.

Kona Magic Link Enduro Sessions from Kona Bikes on Vimeo.

House of the Big Wheel Part 2: Hei Hei and King Kahuna from Kona Bikes on Vimeo.

A Flexible schedule

2012-01-14T07:52:00.000-08:00

Its amazing at how time continues to run off the calendar these days! November felt like yesterday as i plotted and planned for the 2012 season and we are now already two weeks into the year.

All good plans seem to have a hiccup or two and for my 2012 goals it seems to be in the form of a lack of the white stufff that make its way here each winter from November to March in the Great White North. We have had an unseasonably warm winter this year with temperatures hovering between -5 to +5 degrees when the norm would be 20+ degrees cooler. Let's get this straight, i am most definitely not complaining about these numbers, its just it has put a stall on my first goal of the year-racing the Canadian Birkenbeiner in a month's time.

The whole aim this winter was to focus on learning to nordic ski, taking some time away from running while still holding a solid level of fitness with out the impact of a winter's worth of mileage. As soon as the snow was to melt then i would turn my attention back to running and MTBing. This switch looks to be happening in the next week or two as i have only been able to get in six days on the ski trails and as a novice, be it a competitive one i don't partially want to go into the event under prepared. The Birkie will just have to wait another year.

So as February starts so will the preparation for my three big goals for the season- TNF Rundle's Revenge Iron Donkey, the 24 Hours of Adrenaline MTB race and the Squamish 50 miler Ultra marathon. I am really excited at mixing both MTBing and trail running up this summer for the variety and the fact that i really do miss going out for group rides and the terrain that MTBing brings to a training schedule.

I plan to head south early in the summer for a few training camps around Bragg Creek (venue for the 24 Hours event) to both MTB and trail run and get some much needed technical work in.

Saying that the MTB community here in Edmonton is a buzz with the development of Bike Town Devon-a new MTB park 10' drive from Edmonton that will open up a whole new training option for endurance athletes in the local community. It should add to the already solid single track training grounds that wrap it self around this city.

Salomon Flight Crew 2011

2011-12-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

Its was great to be apart of such a vibrant, enthusiastic group of people reaching all over Canada! Looking forward to an injury free season in 2012 representing such a great brand!

The African Attachment

2011-12-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

TAA has been following Salomon's top runners across five continents in 2011 capturing their experiences racing in some of the most beautiful places on Earth. I have enjoyed following along and watching the South African film production company make an art out of the Ultra running world. Below is their last for the season-TNF 50 miler in San Fran this past Sunday.

An issue that can not go unnoticed

2011-12-06T19:05:00.000-08:00

Another great short doc on why Canada needs to take notice of what is happening on the Pacific Coast in the area known as the Great Bear Rainforest.

Tipping Barrels from Sitka on Vimeo.

For more info check out:

www.standup4greatbear.ca
www.pacificwild.org/site/our-work.html

Yukon Artic Ultra

2011-12-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

I have been looking at this Ultra held in some of the most brutally cold terrain on earth for around a year now. I just came by this documentary on Derrick Spafford's blog from last year's event and it has convinced me that its a must for my ABL.

As you will see the event will take a year round focus and the ability to train for months in preparation in very cold conditions, something that Edmonton offers up during the winter months.

Knowing next year's calendar is already full to the brim, it could be a 2013 focus.

Check out the doco below:

The Yukon Arctic Ultra from Yukon Arctic Ultra on Vimeo.

One Day-Denali

2011-11-20T08:34:00.000-08:00

Climbing Denali is definitely high on my ABL, clips like this make me want to get up north sooner rather than later!

Three in One

2011-11-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

After a year plagued with injury with my ultimate 2011 goal of the Canadian Death Race ending at the 45km mark this past July i have chosen an ambitious 2012 racing schedule with three of my ten race goals on the schedule in the form of the Canadian Birkebeiner Cross Country Ski Race, the North Face Rundle's Revenge 'Iron Donkey' Race weekend and the 24 hours of Adrenaline MTB Race

I have done this for a few reasons:

1)To keep in line with the time frame of completing the ten endurance events on my Athletic Bucketlist by 2015.
2)Knowing that by mid 2013 we may be based in Halifax for Mandi's residency and such events would be a stretch to participate to.
3)This year's patient wait for my injury to heal has ended and i want to get out there and compete again!

I am also hoping to compete in a few sneaky events along the way in which i won't decide on until the race date gets closer.
For now i look outside each day waiting for the first flakes of snow. Here in Edmonton its has been a record breaking 'lack of snow' for this time of year. The rest of Edmonton seems quite chuffed about it but for me i am itching for the snow to fall so i can learn this Nordic ski thing!

See below for some more information on the BIG 3:

www.canadianbirkie.com
www.rundlesrevenge.com/
www.24hoursofadrenalin.com/canmore/

Team Salomon 5 Continents E05 - Kota Kinabalu intl. Climbathon Malaysia

2011-11-10T12:15:00.000-08:00

Even the best of us need a break

2011-11-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

Its nice to know even an athlete of Kilian's caliber needs a break at some point.
These next two clips give a good insight into rest and recovery and rejuvenating for the season ahead.

Jimmy Chin and Camp 4 Collective

2011-10-30T14:34:00.001-07:00

I may have been spending my 9-5 post Triathlon career working in the Non-Profit Industry, something which is a passion of mine and feel that your work no matter what you choose to do during your 20, 40, 60 hours a week should be something which you are passionate about. But in the back of my mind for at least five or six years now i have wanted to be a photographer of sorts and i get no better inspiration than from famed North Face photographer-Jimmy Chin.

See him here working on a project on El Cap in Yosemite captured by Camp 4 Collective, maybe one day.......

Stepping off the road to normality

2011-10-21T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have always believed in experience over materialistic wealth and have done my best to live my 31 years in that fashion taking opportunities when they are put in front of me with very rarely pausing to decipher the long term outcome. I am happy to say out of this way of living life i can look back thus far without a single regret and am proud of the way my pages read at present.

Last week a long time friend of mine rocked up on my doorstep-weary, ripe with being on the road for the past three day but with a big smile on his face. He had just spend the better part of 72 hours hitch hiking his way from the Okanagan where he had been fruit picking for the last month, before that he had been traveling through the Rockies, before that he had spent the better part of four months weaving his way through South East Asia. Next he plans to hitch hike back down South with his eventual destination being Buenos Aires, Argentina where he will spend the Northern Hemisphere's winter learning Spanish and traveling as much of the continent of South America as he can before changing focus on a new destination, a new culture, a new adventure.

He had watched me for years both racing and traveling around the world returning with countless stories and experiences as he toiled away in the world of finance finding success along a different path where a big majority of the world sees fit to revolve life around-work and money, money and work. But unlike most he broke free from the shackles and has embarked on a life-long goal and journey, with his final destination unwritten and future only focused on the next 24 hours. It is a brave choice and one most would criticize openly but envy and admire internally.

I look forward to catching up for a few beers in 2012 to see his progress, his stories on the road and where this journey will take him next.

Below are some photos from a trip to Jasper last weekend where he added a few memories to his book and i was happy to be apart of it.

Feliz viaje mi amigo

A Future Project, stay tuned

2011-10-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

Racing for a reason, mobilizing athletes and athletic energies to drive environmental awareness and change.

Leadville captured by Salomon

2011-10-04T18:51:00.001-07:00

Great piece on this year's Leadville 100 and the perspective of a winner in Salomon's Ryan Sandes

A Natural High

2011-10-03T19:59:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhhhhhhh....its good to be back.

First week of training has come and gone and the pure thrill of getting into the outdoors was an absolute pleasure!
The saying you don't really miss something till its gone rings especially true when you watch a summer go by with little physical activity.
My first week back was no extraordinary feat, a few runs followed by a celebratory weekend hiking high above the clouds in Japser with my wife, but boy it felt good!

The fresh air of the Northern Rocky Mountains, the reminiscent smell of fresh pine in fall, the contrast of fluorescent yellows, reds and greens of spruce, aspen and pine trees scattered throughout the landscape like patch work and the ominous figures of snow-tipped granite were almost too much to take in, in a 48 hour period in one of the most naturally beautiful places on earth.

I left Sunday afternoon as a light rain fell on the windscreen begging for more and looking forward to returning soon enough with a base of fitness behind me and a view to 2012.

2012

2011-09-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

Some say it may be a little early to be carving out a race plan for 2012, but having a full summer of not training has given me plenty of time to weigh up the pros and cons of getting the best out of myself and my goals for next year.

As previously mentioned in my last post i have taken a different philosophy to both training and racing with the hope of staying injury free for 2012. To be honest above and beyond any sort of race result orientated goals for the year ahead, staying injury free and enjoying what i am doing athletically is the main focus.

I have decided on a multi-sport year with four big races on the cards and will hope to add a handful of smaller events to get the most out of my season.
For the next four months i am focusing on completing the Canadian Birkebeiner Cross Country Ski Race here in Edmonton. This event could very well be my hardest to complete on the Athletic Bucketlist given the time frame i have to learn to cross country ski and banking on the notion that the snow will fall by November. With a current lack of fitness and a focus that will lean itself towards technique, the next 20 or so weeks will be challenging and i am really excited to start the process.

Following this event i will shift my training to trail running and Mountain biking (based obviously on the trail conditions) in preparation for a unique event called 'The Iron Donkey Challenge' run by the Trans-Rockies crew. I was lucky to witness the race this year in Canmore and am excited about the weekend in June that combines a 100k MTB race on the Saturday with a 50k trail run on the Sunday. The event will take on a triathlon-esque type feel about it and i am looking forward to simulating some weekends here in Edmonton to get the body ready for the weekend in June.

One month later i will back up for the 24 Hour of Adrenaline MTB Race. This event is a big one here in Canada and is part of an international series that culminates with a World Championships which by chance will also be held on the Canmore course in September 2012. The race itself is quite simple. You ride on a technical 17k course for 24 hours, whoever does the most laps wins! I am sure that by the time the clock hits the 24 hours of racing, simple will not be part of my description of the day and night's racing.

24 Hours of Adrenalin - Canmore 2010 from 24 Hours of Adrenalin on Vimeo.

To end the season i will be racing the Iron Legs 50 mile Ultra trail run that loops around Moose Mountain, in Kananaskis Country and offers fantastic single track and stunning views of the Canadian Rockies. The course is mostly on single track trails with some fire roads and lots of elevation change. There is approximately 20,000 feet of elevation change in the race with about 15,000 of it coming within the first 50k, which makes this one of the toughest ultras in the series. I aim to focus on the 50k-50mile distance in terms of Ultra running for the next few seasons to see how the body holds up rather than focusing on 100k-100milers and see it break down as has been the case the last two seasons.

So that is the season ahead. I am really excited about beginning the process tomorrow and believe a multi-sport focus will keep the injuries at bay and let me get the most out of my athletic year!

Looking to Fall/ Winter and a year without injury!

2011-09-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

A whole summer has passed since i put foot to trail outside of a very painful 45k of what I would describe as a fast hobble, followed by a slow hobble, then a crutched hike, some quality time in the fetal position contemplating life, finishing up with a long decent back into the town of Grand Cache.

I am happy to say that i have been given the all clear to train again at the not-so-convienient time of the start of fall and with that the realization that winter will soon follow. BUT, to be honest i am just happy to have the opportunity to regain some of my lost fitness and get into a nice, consistent training routine.

To start i plan on mixing some swimming with functional strength work and some very short runs in the month of October. As soon as the snow makes its presence felt i have booked in some time with the Fast Trax fellas to learn the technique aspects of Nordic Skiing with the hope that three months later i will be able to complete the 55k Canadian Birkebeiner held just outside of Edmonton.

I feel the only way to not complete a hat-trick of injured running seasons is to change my training plan and this will start with a focus on Nordic skiing and some cross training in the form of swimming during the fall and winter months. Once March rolls around i will switch to trail running and MTBing with the aim of coming out of fall/winter with a high level of fitness without the battering to the body that trying to run 10-12 months a year brings.

I have a very multi-sport themed year ahead in terms of racing goals and ticking off a hand full of my Athletic Bucketlist goals is on the cards (a soon written about blog piece).

To curb the angst of not being able to be out on the trails in the middle of summer i watched many inspirational clips this past three months ,but none more so that the below UTMB race footage. Truely a magicistic race and one that one day i hope to be apart of.

UTMB 2011 by Eurosport - in English by UltraTrailMontBlanc

A Sea Change

2011-08-20T08:21:00.000-07:00

265 days of injury out of 565 days of trail running training is the disheartening statistic that has come out of my first two seasons of racing Ultra Marathons. Not the greatest motivator as a short summer begins to say its goodbyes to the Great White North and in a short time a white blanket of fluffy stuff accompanied by 16 hours of darkness in a day will be upon Edmonton for another 4-6 months.

Since CDR i have been resting up, taking time away from any sort of structured training and healing my current injury. I have to admit with a wedding in a few weeks and a new job keeping my days a consistent blur, it is the perfect time to reflect on the last few seasons and put together a plan so the above mentioned statistic is a thing of the past.

I have decided on a 'Sea Change'.

Meaning:
A radical, and apparently mystical, change

This term is commonly used in Australia when people decide to radically change their life in some way, there was even a reality TV show at one stage which followed couples who left the big city and the big money jobs that accompanied it for a life where they lived out their dream jobs and the lifestyle it would include in small beach or country towns.
Ok, i am not personally changing my life radically, but I like the use of the term to describe my new view on training and what I will be focusing on over the fall/winter season ahead.
I have decided to focus on trail running for only six months a year giving me the other half of the year to get ready for what may be possibly my hardest challenge of the ABL-completing the Canadian Birkebeiner X-Country Ski Race that is staged just outside of Edmonton.
X-Country Skiing is a big sport in Alberta, really its a no-brainer, with close to half the year covered in the white stuff, it makes perfect sense to be involved with a sport that caters to it. I have only tried out the sport twice, on both occasions failing miserably, putting it down to an upbringing by the beach and not seeing snow till i was 26, let alone participating in any sort of physical activity on it. I feel this decision will bring a fresh approach to not only my winter's training, but my trail running season and will give the body adequate time to heal from the battering it has received the last 18 months.
The time frame is a short one, i will have four months to train for the 'Birkie' with only three on actual trails due to the timing of the snow fall here in Edmonton and the staging of the race in the second week of February.
So come October i will begin dry-land training and as soon as the trails in Edmonton are groomed i will be getting involved with the Fast Traxs Nordic Team's training schedule.
I am really excited about this new focus and look forward to the challenge ahead!

A-LITTLE ON THE CANADIAN BIRKENBEINER:

In the year 1206 a civil war raged in Norway. The infant prince and direct heir to the throne, Haakon Haakonsson, was in danger and in hiding near Lillehammer. Two brave Birkebeiner warriors rescued the prince and carried him by skis in the dead of winter to safety. They traveled 55 kilometres from Gudbrandsdal valley over two mountain ranges to Rena in Osterdal valley. The young prince, later crowned King of Norway, ended the civil war.

The english translation of Birkebeiner is “Birchlegs”, which described the warrior’s footwear of animal skins wrapped around the legs and secured with birch roots. Today, Birkebeiner has come to mean a person strong in adversity, never daunted by trial and hardships. The dramatic flight of the Birchlegs and the Infant King is commemorated every year by the Norwegian Birkebeinerrennet ski race which parallels the historic route over the mountains between Lillehammer and Rena.

In 1985, some 127 hardy participants participated in the first “Canadian Birkebeiner” in very cold conditions, reminiscent of the brutal winter in the original Norwegian Birchlegs saga. Since 1985, thousands of skiers have relived the legend here, skiing the historic 55 kilometre distance with a 5.5 kg pack, as a symbol of the child who was brought to safety by the Birchlegs in 1206. The Canadian event has grown to become the largest and friendliest classic-style cross-country ski festival in Canada, with 5 distance events.
Skiers recreate the legend of the original Birkebeiner skiers by carrying the equivalent of the infant crown prince, a 5.5 kg (12 lb) pack.
The 55 km Torskeklubben Birkebeiner with pack is point to point course from the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Village along the east edge of Elk Island National Park and through the scenic Cooking Lake-Blackfoot Provincial Recreation Area.

Danny Macaskill's new vid

2011-08-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

Not even going to try and describe the new clip from Danny Macaskill! Just watch!

COLDER

2011-08-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

Eric Larsen is a modern day explorer and rather than putting forward that he is exploring places that haven't been explored, his view is to explore places before they are not there anymore to explore.
'COLDER' is a documentary on his exploration of the North and South Poles plus Mt.Everest in a single year. Check it out, should be a good watch!

The unremitting pursuit of the the perfect day

2011-08-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

F$%^ing 3@3t, b^&*h, s%&!, good damn why me! Just some of the explicitives that were oozing out of my mouth 30k into the Canadian Death Race this time last weekend as i navigated my way through a steep single track section of Leg 2 using my hiking poles as a crutch for my right hip which had given out 10k previous and had slowed my once lofty goals for the day to an uncomfortably slow and pain-filled hike through some of the most demanding trails in the world.
Feeling sorry for myself and still another arduous 15k from the next aid station and the next possible option to pull out of the race i continued on through mosquito infested valleys and lung busting passes of the proclaimed toughest leg of the toughest ultra marathon in Canada wondering why the hell after 17 years of endurance sports do i continue to put my body and mind through days like these especially when they are both giving me all the bullet pointed reasons to pack it up and move on!
With each painful step towards my inevitable end to my 2011 goal race, i wrapped my head around this question and by the time i had made my way to the trailhead that directs racers back to the tiny town of Grand Cache it once again became clear, i do this for the 'Perfect Day'.
Now when i say perfect day, i don't mean sitting on a stretch of white sand looking out to azure coloured waters or making fresh lines on a bluebird day in the mountains, i am talking about that perfect day in sport where everything clicks, everything feels easy, all the training and sacrifice that built towards this day has paid off and you not only get the very best out of yourself, but you also stand above the rest of your competitors while doing so.
In my time i have heard it on so many occasions-"everything just clicked' or "i didn't even feel like i was going hard'" or Lance Armstrong's famous quote when his Director Sportif drives up to him on a crucial mountain stage of the Tour De France and he comments that "it feels like i am riding with no chain".
Yes of course over the years i have had close to perfect days-1999 ITU World Champs in Montreal was one, The American Sprint Champs in Newport Beach in 2001 was another, Shepparton 1/2 IM in 2003, Aussie Long Course Champs in 2005, Swiss 70.3 in 2007, IM China 2008, i could go on and on and say alot of the races i have toed the starting line at were close to that day i have dreamed of on some many training days, but to bring myself back to a crashing reality they were not, and if i was marking myself with a big red felt-tipped pen couldn't give myself more than an 8/10 for any of them.
So what am i looking for, well a day where as previously mentioned 'everything clicks'. The legs feel light and strong, the lungs find air easy and the mind stays focused and positive throughout.
It is by no coincidence that i chose my weakest of the three sports in triathlon and my self proclaimed achilles heel-running as my first few goals on the ABL. I feel that overcoming the disappointments experienced throughout my triathlon career (the majority of them achieved on the run leg of races) that i would be well on my way to having that perfect day.
Who knows, the day might come with a local 5km fun run when i am 65 years of age, it might come exactly as i planned, hopefully in the near future and while ticking off one of the goals on the list that sits below the title of this blog. All i know is that i will continue to pursue it, train for it and to the best of my ability enjoy it even if it means that i have to limp 20k to the next aid station in the journey to getting there.

CDR-The race that wasn't

2011-08-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

Well unfortunately i have to report i was unsuccessful in completing the Canadian Death Race Ultra Marathon this past saturday.
For close to six weeks now i have been suffering from a stress fracture in my right hip, one very similar to the injury i have had in years past in my left side. Even though i am very disappointed in the result or lack there of, i have had it in the back of my mind for the past month and a half that this could be my outcome to the race knowing that an injury such as this isn't one that heals in a six week time frame.
As far as the race goes, i was able to complete both Leg 1 (19k) and Leg 2 (27k). From the start i knew the injury wasn't going to be cooperative and fell off the lead pace early on. I decided to quickly change my focus to simply getting through one leg at a time from that point on, but once i started the first major climb and descent of Leg 2 i knew it was game over. I couldn't put any weight on my right side and was restricted to a 20k hike to finish up my short day in Grand Cache.
What i take from my experience at CDR-i was able to meet some of Salomon's other sponsored athletes-Ricky Gates of the USA, the new record holder and 2011 champion and Grant Guise of NZ and eventual third place finisher. Both guys were great to meet and hang out with and i hope when fit and ready i will be able to be compete in some big races in the future with them. I also got a sneak peak into the beauty and brutal course that is CDR and will be back in the years to come to finish off what i have started.

So what's next, well a good break is on the cards to rest the body, rejuvenate and look to next season and what goals i will focus the year around.
But first and foremost the most important day of my life-My Wedding to Mandi is a short five weeks away and we have plenty of planning and organizing to finish up before family and friends arrive from Australia and North America.

1 Day Out-some handy advice

2011-07-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

Well tomorrow we make the three hour drive west followed by a sneaky right hand turn and another hour north to the small mountain town that has been neatly nestled in the snow-tipped mountains of the Northern Canadian Rockies. 125k awaits and by the future weather forecasts a chilly saturday of running through some of Canada's finest landscapes.
For me the day will be a bit of the unknown, 5 weeks without running doesn't allow a person to go into a race at the height of his confidence, but funnier things have happened. I am hoping to enjoy the day no matter the outcome as long as i cross the line with few scares, whether they be physical or mental. This ultra game definitely lends itself to the former, and if you allow the mind to wander into a negative repitition your day will only extent the clock at the CDR finishline. For me this is the focus, managing the lows that come with such a day, if i conquer this, injury or no injury it will be a good day out.
I will be sure to do a thorough race report once the mind and body wraps itself around the day along with some race pictures.
Below was a last minute piece of advice from Salomon's Dr.PV....advice noted and digested;)

2 Days Out-a clip from last year's CDR

2011-07-28T06:35:00.001-07:00

No better way to get yourself motivated for a race than watching some images from last year's event. Breathtaking scenery, can't wait to be out there amoungst it!

3 Days Out-4x100 Mens Relay, Sydney 2000 Olympics

2011-07-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

This clip is one of Australia's finest moments at an Olympics Games.
Sydney 2000, the Men's Australian 4 x 100 swim relay went into the final big underdogs to the American team. Add to that a very loud-mouthed Gary Hall Jr let it be known that the aussie boys didn't have a chance in beating the yanks! End result, Gary went home with his tail between his legs and the Australian team set the tone for the nation's most successful Olympic games. It still gives me goosebumps!

4-Days out: The one and only Pre!

2011-07-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Steve Prefontaine is an icon amoungst running fans throughout North America and the world. His run from the front, never say die attitude made him a hero way beyond his short time on this earth. Check out the clip from one of his many battles with American track star-Frank Shorter

5 days out-Dick and Ricky Hoyt

2011-07-24T07:55:00.000-07:00

Today's clip of inspiration is the story of Dick and Ricky Hoyt. I could try to explain this amazing story, but know i wouldn't do it justice so take a look below

6 days out-Aussie Boy in Yellow

2011-07-23T21:54:00.001-07:00

Today's inspiration was an easy one!
This years Tour De France has to be one of the best of all time. I know it was the best i have seen in my time and to watch an Aussie slip on the yellow jersey, well it doesn't get much better than that!

7 days of Inspiration

2011-07-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

Well time has swung itself around to one week out from CDR! To celebrate i will be posting a video of inspiration each day.
The first-The Hardrock 100 Mile Ultra, consistently dubbed the hardest Ultra Marathon in the world. Take a peak and watch runners inch their way through the beautiful San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

CDR Pacours

2011-07-19T15:10:00.000-07:00

10 days out and the attention turns firmly to CDR and 125kms of steep pitches, long drags, tight singletrack, wide-sunbaked firetrail,mud-ridden canyons, lung busting passes and oh so many hours of putting the human body through a day it just ain't made for! What does this all add up to.....pure bliss in the Canadian Rockies!

A waiting game

2011-07-12T13:51:00.000-07:00

15 days since i last ran....
19 days till the season's goal- The Canadian Death Race....

Yes, i am going through a Groundhog-type preparation that i feel i already have been through in 2010, something i was hoping to avoid again in my lifetime, not perform back to back.
1)Train smart, strong and consistent throughout a six month time period with a single focus on an Ultra Marathon in calendar year.
2)Do everything right to prevent injury from occuring including functional strength work in the gym and reduce mileage to quality only.
3)Select a few test races which you hope brings you to a peak for the big goal!
4)Win a race weeks out from the season's goal!
5)Wake up the following day of your race win with an injury!

I have managed to almost mirror the last week's of my 2010 build up for Sinister 7 for CDR this year, which is pretty impressive if it didn't end in me being unable to run in my final block of prep! Yes i could be bitter, twisted, feel sorry for myself knowing that come race day i may have to change my focus from running to win to running to finish, but rather than taking that road i have decided to take a positive approach:
1) I have been able to reconnect with two wheels and jump on a MTB and add some great singletrack sessions around the River Valley of Edmonton to my prep
2)I have been able to focus more on core work which will only be of value on the trails of Grand Cache
3)My body will be well rested, not battered and brusied from the long miles of an Ultra prep.
4)I am even more hungry to get out there come July 30th and enjoy all that the CDR course offers.

I have also opted out of racing my final race before CDR at the Powderface 42 trail marathon in Bragg Creek this weekend. The injury has definitely healed somewhat, but not enough to put it to the test over a 4 hour event.
The next two and half weeks will fly by i am sure, and the aim is to continue to hold a good level of fitness through riding and gym work. Who knows what this will mean come race day, but i am confident no matter the outcome i will cross the line with a big smile on my face at CDR 2011!
A quote to live by:
"Some men see things as they are & ask why. Others dream things that never were & ask why not"

Stand Up 4 Great Bear

2011-07-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

I am new to this country of maple syrup,hockey and endless snow peaked mountains, well two and half years new. Back in Oz we don't have the natural environment that i have fallen in love with in my time in Canada. Of course we have beautiful coastlines and beaches, arguably the best in the world, but i consider myself more of a mountains type of guy these days and with that enjoy everything that a mountain environment offers.
I have been for the last year following a project by stand up paddle boarder, expedition guide and founder of Stand Up 4 Great-Norm Hann that is raising awareness to the threat of Enbridge’s proposed oil pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta to the deep water ocean port of Kitimat, B.C. A proposed 225 Very Large Crude Carriers per year would transport over 500000 gallons of oil each year through the treacherous waters and rich life of Douglas Channel and the Greatbear Rainforest.

In 2010 Norm accomplished a 400 KM standup paddleboard trip from Kitimat to Bella Bella, British Columbia along the proposed oil tanker route. This conservation expedition highlighted the traditional food harvesting areas of the coastal first nation’s and the spectacular wildlife and marine environments of the Great Bear Rainforest.

Below is the trailer of the soon to be released documentary about the threat to a one of a kind area of the world and Norm's expedition and adventures through it.

Please check it out and support a great cause at www.standup4greatbear.ca

Kilian's WS100 win

2011-07-04T13:08:00.000-07:00

Great little clip of Kilian's Western States win a few weeks back. Sitting back with my gimp hip, this clip gives me a mix of envy and motivation to get back out there on the trails!

A five week taper

2011-06-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we took the four hour drive south west towards the adventure playground town of Canmore, AB for the Rundle's Revenge 50k.
For me the race was concentrated around a solid effort on a very tough and technical course five weeks out from the Canadian Death Race. Add in a very competitive field to boot and the day was sure to be a perfect prep for the trials and trails that were to be in my near future in Grand Cache on August long.
Unfortunately post Fast Traxs Ultra, my right hip has been giving me grief much in the same way my left hip (femoral stress fracture) has the past few season and i took the week off running to give myself the best possible chance to put in a good effort at RR50K.
We awoke on sunday morning to the towering view of Mt.Rundle that shades the small mountain town and consistent rain,cold temps and muddy trails-a perfect race day mixture. My plan was to build over the 12.5k loop and feel at my strongest by the fourth and last loop of the 50k race.
The gun went off a few minutes after 8am and a mass start of 12.5k, 25k and 50k runners beelined the first technical trail that weeved it way through tree sections directly below Mt.Rundle. Not to get myself caught up in the pace of the 12.5 and 25k runners, i took a backseat and ran with two or three athletes early on including 2xtimes Death Race winner and fellow Edmontian-Jack Cook knowing i was in a good position to be on the podium at day's end. The slippery and muddy section of trail put immediate pressure on my injury and by the 5k mark i knew i was in for a painful day out. Through lap one i found myself 15secs off Jack and fourth overall with a bird's eye view to the competition ahead (all four of us being a minute apart).
As the sun started to peak through the heavy tree lines into the second lap, i knew my day would have to be cut short if i wanted the best possible chance of an injury free CDR and i focused on a even spilt by the 25k mark and called it a day knowing my game plan and prep for the remainder of the five weeks leading into the Death Race would now have to change.
As the heading suggests, i now will have to reduce my running mileage drastically to not further my injury. Waying up my options i would rather lose some of the run fitness i have gained throughout this current season to get to the start line injury free and confident the body will be able to sustain the pounding that CDR wil most definitely throw at me come the last week of July, frustrating...yes, but you can only play with the cards you are dealt with, and this close to the season's goal i have to play it smart!

For now i am looking at a training program focused around swimming, functional strength and stair climbing to hold my fitness levels and hope the injury comes around sooner rather than later. I am unsure if i will be at the start line for my final prep race-The Powderface 42 in three weeks time and will simply just take things day by day.

A big congrats must go out to Jack for his win over the 50k course which also ended with an injury free day for him (a good progression from months of back problems) and also to Team Salomon Flight Crew member Munny for his big effort of winning the weekend's race, AKA the Donkey (100k MTB/50k trail run).
I will be definitely making a return to this race next season, possible racing the previous mentioned-Donkey race format.

Atop of Sulphur Springs with Mandi pre race

Rundle's Revenge 50k Course profile

2011-06-23T15:38:00.000-07:00

A sneak peak into this weekend's Rundle's Revenge 50k course profile. The sunday morning race is 4x12.5km laps with 400mtrs of elevation per lap and by all accounts a very technical loop. I have heard alot about the running in this area and am looking forward to getting amoungst it in a few days! Great way to spend the first weekend of summer!

Team in Training

2011-06-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce i have recently taken a position with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program. TNT is a North America wide fundraising campaign that through events such as marathons, cycling races and triathlons raise vital money for the research into blood cancers.
In my earlier racing years based in San Diego, CA I was lucky enough to experience first hand at events throughout North America the impact, enthusiasm and dedication the Team in Training participants and organization have, and it has always stuck with me. When the opportunity came up to be apart of the team I jumped at it and am really looking forward to working with and being apart of such a vibrant and motivated community of people.

If you would like to learn more about the organization visit the link below:
www.teamintraining.ca/ab
I will be doing my best to update on the role and the inspirational stories i come across working for TNT.

Fast Traxs Ultra

2011-06-18T14:37:00.001-07:00

Waterlogged Fun is the best way to describe this year's Fast Traxs Ultra!
I decided to add this local Edmonton race held at GoldBar Park (Edmonton's XC ski trails headquarters) to my schedule to not only support Jack and the crew at Fast Traxs who do soo much for the local trail community, but to also get another hitout in six weeks out from the CDR.
I decided on the 30k event knowing that i would be racing the Rundle's Revenge 50k the following weekend and knew i could recovery well to put myself in a good position to have a good day in Canmore on the 26th June rather than doing two 50k race back to back.
We were greeted at 6am to heavy rain and muddy trails that would soon turn into muddy rivers. None the less everyone seemed in a jovial mood and we set off at 7am with people racing the 30k, 50k, 50mile and 100k distances.
My plan was to hold as best i could a 4min/km pace on a very tough course that resembled a figure 8. I felt great and held focus to find myself in the lead early and was able to hold this position to the finish line with the small luxury of backing off the last 8km with an eye to next weekend. The conditions as described above did make it hard to finish in a time close to the 2 hour mark, but i snuck under the 2:10 mark happy with the effort under my belt.
I must admit i would have definitely rolled over in the bed this morning if i didn't put myself on the start list and was thankful for the races testing course.

The only negative to come out of the day is that my right hip is quite sore, a niggling injury i have been dealing with the last week or so and unfortunately resembles my left femoral stress fracture that has caused so much grief the last few years, BUT I will do everything to be ready to go in Canmore next weekend and look forward to hitting up some of Alberta's best trails!

A big thanks again goes out to Jack and the crew@Fast Traxs who did a great job in testing conditions!

Kilian's Quest-S3-Mount Olympus (Part 1)

2011-06-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Kilian's Quest- Season Three/Episode 3-Mt.Olympus

2011-06-16T07:35:00.001-07:00

Getting a taste of BC's finest!

2011-06-13T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have been lucky enough to be road tripping through BC for the last week and have found time to run on some of the world's best trails systems. North Van's Dirty Duo course, the Baden Powell and Quarry Rock trails and yesterday the KVR and Chute Lake Rd trails in Penticton, not to mention a nice recovery session out on Deep Cove on a SUP.
I am hoping to get in one more run before the trip back to Alberta and a month packed with racing.
One thing i have noticed is the extensive variety of trails with big elevation gains here in BC, something not on offer being based out of Edmonton unless you take the four hour drive to the mountains. I have really enjoyed this aspect of the running and can see why BC has some of the best trail runners in the world!

Two months out from CDR

2011-06-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Time sure is flying by as spring has almost passed and summer is about to hit Alberta!
Not only does this mean a much more pleasant running week with all of the trails in and around Edmonton open for running, but it also must mean the Canadian Death Race is creeping up rather quickly!
Training has been consistent with a focus on the single track that is hidden within the river valley with the aim of improving my technical running. Rather than big mileage, i have focused more so on quality and staying injury free, so far so good.
We are roadtrippin down to BC through Vancouver, Whistler and Penticton over the coming few weeks and with that i hope to fit in some longer runs with big elevation gains as the prairies does lack the sort of ascent/descent that i will encounter in Grande Cache in a few months.
On our return i have three ultra races in five weeks-Fast Traxs 50k, Rundle's Revenge 50k and the Powderface 42, which i am hoping will put me in good race condition for the big one.
I am also aiming to make the effort of putting my training weeks up in pictures on my blog biweekly.
Below is the first of the snapshots which included-Banks, Redline and Peddie Can single track loops in a mix of weather that began with beautiful blue skies and ended with contrasting teaming rain and wind.

MOVIES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

2011-05-23T16:49:00.000-07:00

Inspiring movies about the joys of life!
LIFE IN A DAY

HAPPY

TNF OZ 100km

2011-05-20T17:46:00.000-07:00

Alittle clip of Team Salomon at the TNF 100km in the Blue Mountains just west of my hometown of Sydney, Australia.
Beautiful part of the world and definitely on my list of races to do in the future!

Kilian's Quest- Season Three/Episode 2

2011-05-16T06:47:00.001-07:00

The consistency of injury

2011-05-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

I raced the sport of triathlon for 15 years with my only injury occuring in my last five weeks preparation of my last race before i hung up the goggles, bike and racing flats. I never gave much thought to injury as i was blessed throughout my career with as previously mentioned a nearly injury free time in the sport.

A year off racing of any caliber in 2009 to travel and move to Canada from Australia, i was told that a break is as good as a holiday and i was looking forward to coming back stronger in my new athletic goals in 2010 with a chunk of motivation to find out what this sport of Ultra Marathon running was all about. All was on track aside from some achilles tendonitis in early may for my first Ultra last summer (the Sinister 7 Ultra Marathon) until two weeks out from the race i refractured my left femur. Deciding to race on the injury, i finished S7 (in a state of total pain and discomfort) and took time to heal the injury before setting my sights on a full season of racing this year.

I have followed a very cautious build up which has included a blow out at Diez Vista(more so due to a lack of mileage and technical trail in my diet), but otherwise training has been going smoothly. I have been consistently hitting around the 80k (50mile) mark of mileage and was looking forward to the second race of my season and my first road marathon (not run off a 180k bike).

Making sure to freshen up for the RunWild Marathon i tapered off and was doing a short speed set on the treadmill this past tuesday when i felt something go on my left calf. Doing my best to ignore it i took it easy and toed the starting line earlier today with the goal of a 2:50 marathon (a realistic target, but not close to what i hope to run by the end of the year).

All was on track with a 19:12 5k spilt/39:25 10k spilt/1:23:15 21.1k spilt.
These numbers were exactly as i had planned the night before. The one thing i failed to mentioned was that my calf blew up shortly after the 5k mark and i was fighting an increased sharp pain along with the bustling winds that the St.Albert course was throwing up.

I stopped to stretch things out shortly after the half way mark, but when i went to start to move again my calf said otherwise and i knew my day was done! I hobbled to the 25k mark frustrated with this new competitor i am butting heads with in this new sport of Ultra racing-INJURY!

As i sit here icing my calf, i have my fingers crossed its a quick heal as i am 11 weeks out from the Canadian Death Race and had planned a big 6 weeks of training post the RunWild Marathon.

1 injury=15 years of racing triathlon, 3 injuries=16 months of racing Ultra Marathons. I don't like the current statistics and hope to see a change for the summer ahead!

Never Complain about your training grounds!

2011-05-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Safe to say Somalian Olympic hopefuls runners are alittle more motivated than most in their quest for London 2012!

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about th

Kilian's Quest- Season Three/Episode 1

2011-05-10T06:04:00.001-07:00

Testing the Advanced Skin S-Lab

2011-05-09T07:03:00.001-07:00

I was able to get out onto the trails this weekend to trial the new Advanced Skin S-Lab hydration pack by Salomon and was totally impressed by what i got out of it on the 2.5 hour run through the River Valley trails.

To be honest i have always had trouble with these hydration packs, whether it has been leaking bladders, distribution of weight, constriction of the upper body when tightening the packs up and finally pockets that are put in places on the packs that you just can't get to!
It all adds up to a big pain in the ass when you are 80k into a race and any little thing will cause frustration, Salomon know these annoyances and have spent hours and hours a year with Kilian and the Flight Crew in research and development to eliminate such annoyances from their products.

The S-Lab just felt great to start with. It is super light weight, flexes so there is no upper body constriction and unlike its competition there was no chaffing around the armpits.

The best two features i found were the Source widepack bladder which made for easy detachment to refill and clean, a big problem with all the hydration packs i have used in the past and the mouthpiece itself which did not get in the way and was easy to get to allowing less energy spent for, yes, running!

Below is a link to Salomon's site for a more indepth look at the pack:

http://www.salomonrunning.com/caus/minisites/skinbag

I have been testing the new XR Crossmax shoe out also on the trails and will give you a breakdown of the shoe next week, post the RunWild Marathon.

Its about to get busy!

2011-05-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

Living in the Great White North means a long winter/spring wait to get out on the trails especially this past winter that has seemed to stretch out past the six month mark and cause a serious case of tiger in cage syndrome.
However this past week i have been able to get out on most of the trail systems in and around Edmonton.
While it has been a slushy, muddy experience, its great to get the legs use to the pounding and inconsistencies of trail running, something that can definitely not be simulated on the treadmill indoors.

Alberta has a short, but seriously jam-packed summer of racing and i plan to make the most of the four months ahead with The RunWild Marathon (May 15), FastTraxs 50k(June 18), Rundle's Revenge 50k(June 26), Powderface 42(July 16) and finally the Canadian Death Race (July 31) all on the cards over the next 12 weeks.

I am also aiming to get out to Jasper to have a good crack at the famous Skyline trail (44k) in early july and hopefully drag some of my Salomon team mates out to join in the fun!

Kilian's Quest- Season Three

2011-04-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to the always inspirational vids from spanish Salomon athlete-Kilian Journet.
This year's record chasing include The Throne of Zeus in Greece and the Chaski Trails in Peru.

Check out the teaser below!

Rundle's Revenge 50k

2011-04-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

After a meeting over coffee late last with with Phil, Munny and Angie from Salomon during their nation-wide Door2Trail Tour, i have decided to add the Rundle's Revenge 50k into my race calendar for 2011!

This is a new Ultra trail event to Alberta and will be staged at the home of endurance sports in Rockies- Canmore and was too good not to take on and be apart of.
Salomon is looking to enter a team to take on the TNF guys which should make for a super competitive day out.
I am looking forward to hitting some of the great single track in the much talked about area of the Rockies and be apart of a super comeptitive race!

http://rundlesrevenge.com

More from Camp 4 Collective

2011-04-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

Love these guys work!

Beautiful images +incredible athleticism + from far away places= Camp 4 Collective

Revising the ABL

2011-04-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

I took the time this weekend to revise my goals, the long term plan for the next four years, and which of the goals i still feel the desire and motivation to achieve and tick off the list.

To be honest i really cannot see myself jumping back in the pool on a grand scale to pursue such a feat as crossing the English Channel anymore. I think the limits of my swimming training from here on in will be preparing for an assault on Xterra Worlds in a few years. A range of 10-15k a week seems alot more doable than putting 50 plus km a week into a year for the English Channel and i had to be honest with myself that the time and money to do this endurance goal was no longer on my radar.

So with that change of mind, i have decided to pursue a new goal to take its place and that complements the environment i am living in at present and that is to aim to go under a 2:45 marathon spilt in the next year or two.
The run, more specifically the marathon throughout my triathlon career was always a weakness and i never truly got close to nailing a time i was proud of, so it seems a motivating task that after i complete the Canadian Death race in the last week of July, i move on while the legs are still inclined to the running mileage and switch focuses to next year's Boston Marathon, an iconic and historic race that i have had my eye on for quite some time.

I am aiming to qualify via the St.Albert RunWild Marathon this next month here in Alberta.
While my time will be somewhat slower due to the ultra focus, i feel i can get under the qualifying time for next April's Boston Marathon. Then maybe a handful of practice races over the half distance to regain some speed will be on the horizon.

Edmonton definitely limits the eager athlete to but a few sports and running is one that is catered for in a city that experiences six months of winter a year.

Looking forward to the challenge of getting some foot speed back!

A five year project

2011-04-15T11:13:00.000-07:00

So as of late i have been getting the regular question of 'why are you doing this Athletic Bucketlist?'

Well to break it down, after 15 years of racing the sport of Triathlon i knew i could not just retire and walk away from endurance sports altogether, let alone the day to day training, prepping and excitement of building towards a goal, so i began to write a well thought and well rounded list in early 2009 before i started my travels through North and South America that included endurance sporting events that i had come across or heard about during my years traveling and racing throughout North America, Europe and Asia.

As you see listed on this blog page, there are seven different endurance sports, with one to three goals/races within each sport.

My aim was/is to complete the ABL within the five years in which i started (January 2010), which would give me until December 2015 to complete the list

I also had some rules i hoped to follow in achieving these goals:

1) That i would not train anymore than 8-12 hours per week for the chosen goal (i felt after many, many years of 30-40 hour training weeks, it was time to have a healthy life balance, my athletic goals are now a hobby, though a competitive one and on the above mentioned number of hours, i felt they were sufficient to be at a competitive level)

2)That i wouldn't sacrifice an experience for a training day or race (something that was a reoccuring theme during my professional racing years)

3)I would focus on one to two of the goals per year

4)As previously mentioned, i would have five years to achieve the list

So far Ultra Marathon racing has been the focus with the first of the two goals (Sinister 7) completed last July and the second of them (The Canadian Death Race) in less than 15 weeks.

I had always thought of Ultra runners as a weird breed of athletes, ones that ran these distances because they weren't quick or talented enough to compete in more competitive sports like triathlons, road marathons and both road and off-road cycling.
But I have been blown away by not only the talent and athletic feats being involved with the sport has shown me, but also the shear hard men and women that compete in these events.

Fo example, last week's Diez Vista was probably in the top 3 sufferfests i have endured throughout the last 17 years of competing, crawling to the finishline very humbled at the course i had just ran,hiked and yes walked over, finishing more than an hour over the time i had aimed for before the start.
With over 6,000 feet of elevation in 50k, it was mind blowing to find out the men's record was 4:10, held by Vancouver's Gary Robbins. This is close to 4min km pace, which for anybody who has experienced DV is out of this world and by all accounts a time that could be closer to the four hour mark with the right field turning up to push each other in future years to come.

This is but one example of why i am doing this project, to see and compete with great athletes from many different sports and fields, to be apart and watch amazing examples of endurance feats unfold and be inspired to push myself beyond what i first thought possible.

I look forward to continue to be humbled, pushed and hopefully apart of these feats over the next four years!

Salomon XR Crossmax Door2Trail Tour

2011-04-13T07:35:00.000-07:00

Throughout April and May the guys at Salomon will be hitting the road for the Door2Trail Tour.
From the west coast to east, they will be hitting up races and Salomon stocked stores to get the word out about the Salomon XR Crossmax.

This high mileage training shoe is meant for the trail runner that likes to mix things up and put foot to pavement every so often.

I will be at Fast Traxs Run and Ski Shop on Thursday 21st of this month to demo some of the gear, so come down, try a pair on and come out on the tri-weekly Athletics North Club run.

See you there!

XR CROSSMAX

http://www.salomonrunning.com/caus/minisites/xr

Diez Vista 50k

2011-04-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

I made the short flight to Vancouver yesterday to race the much talked about Diez Vista 50k.

The course weaved through beautifully hard single track in the Port Moody area with 6000 feet of elevation and the Diez Vista ridge-the true test of early season fitness.

Training had been consistent in the lead up to the race with a good eight week block since my return from injury.
Due to the long Alberta winter however, the treadmill was my only course of choice and i knew the legs would not be ready for the matching 6000 feet of descending that DV offered up, but was looking forward to getting out amongst some testing trails to start the season.

My day started well as i set off on a solid pace on the flat 3k that took competitors around Sasamat Lake before a grueling 7k climb to the high point of the day-the Diez Vista ridge.

I set a good click on the zigzagging single track as the remains of the snow from the winter appeared in view as i reached the highest point in the days course and with that panoramic views across the bays and coves of Vancouver.

I had a handy 2 min lead at the top and started the technical descent into the lush forest that surrounds much of Van.
Unfortunately the legs didn't seem to agree with my early pace and i soon started to pay for the early race enthusiasm.
By the 15k mark i was passed by eventual champ-Justin Angle and tried for a short time to stay with his smooth descending pace, but soon lost sight in the maze of pine, maple and alder that rose tall in the early morning light.
I continued to tick away at a good click hitting the half way mark at around 2 hour, when the wheels came off! I found myself chasing after them for the remaining 25k with not much success.

Call it a lack of trail running unavailable in Edmonton during a winter season, a too eager early pace or a slow start to my nutrition plan, but i IMPLODED somewhere around the 30k mark losing chunks of time and the last of the podium spots, followed shortly after by a long line of more seasoned runner (smarter runners) passing me with encouragement.
The next 10kms of the race i am sure i was seeing dancing raccoons out on the course and fought to get it together coming to the conclusion the day would serve as a good first hitout for the season and a true test that my injury was fully healed.

Once reaching the final climb at around 42k, i finally put a solid rhythm back together and quads burning descended back into the temperate rainforest for the final section of the DV course.

Quads full of lactic, ego slightly bruised i finished the day content that the first race in eight months was behind me and with a view to the season that lay ahead, and with that the work that needs to be done for the Canadian Death Race in 16 weeks.

The DV 50k is a must for every trail loving ultra runner and i hope to be back next year with a full prep under my belt to have a good crack at the course. Vancouverites are definitely lucky to have such an array of trail systems to chose from and i can see why so many good trail runners are breed from this area

Big thanks to Butters for the support out on the course, its now time for a few cold ones and to put the feet up and on monday a switch of focus to my first marathon.....not off a 180k bike!

To say its nice to finally get a race under the belt is an understatement after a long lay off with injury since November, but it was a painful introduction to the 2011 trail season.

The high point of the race

Top of Diez Vista Ridge

The beautiful single track of Port Moody

Plus some pics from a friday afternoon stroll through Van City

Looking forward to the Classics!

2011-04-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

Always love this time of year in the cycling world with the Belgium classics just around the corner.

Great little vid of Fabian Cancellara, definitely my pick for both Flanders and Roubaix!

The Bicycle City Doc

2011-04-02T07:50:00.000-07:00

How a simple idea can change a country-The Bicycle City Documentary:

What happens when a poor town in an impoverished nation is saturated with tens of thousands of bicycles? The Bicycle City is the story of the struggle, determination, idealism, and hope that has brought about the transformation of an entire society.

Crippled by decades of military dictatorship, civil war, and environmental catastrophe, Nicaragua is the second poorest country in Latin America, having one of the region's lowest GDPs and the second highest Human Poverty Index, behind only Haiti. Economic opportunities are few and those born into the lower classes tend to remain in poverty for life.

Over the past 20 years, more than 20,000 bicycles have been brought into Rivas, a city on Nicaragua's Pacific coast, by the non-profit Pedals for Progress, which collects donated bicycles in the United States and distributes them in impoverished communities worldwide. Since the first was unloaded in Rivas in 1991, the bicycle has become an integral part of daily life.

Told from the vantage points of Julia, the street vendor; Xiomara, the young mother; Joaquin, the entrepreneur; and David, the unlikely philanthropist, The Bicycle City is the story of how an idealistic experiment has helped the war-ravaged city of Rivas find its own path to recovery and normalcy through the introduction of cheap, reliable transportation in the form of the bicycle.

The Bicycle City. Trailer from Greg Sucharew on Vimeo.

Sneak Peak into Diez Vista 50k course

2011-03-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Diez Vista will sure to be a quality test of my early season fitness with solid elevation gain, technical trail and what i am looking forward to the most-snow free running!
Check out the course below. Looking forward to heading west to Vancouver in just over a weeks time!

Hamster Wheelin!

2011-03-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

April is less than a week away and the first race of 2011-the Diez Vista 50k less than two, but Edmonton's weather is holding consistently cold which has made getting out on the trails a hard task. Its looks very much like my first big trail run for the season will be in Port Moody on the 9th April.

The positives here are the fact that i have been able to gradually build my run mileage after my stress fracture in the way that all sports doctors advise you to and for that my injury seems 100% healed and ready for the season ahead.
It has left my training week focused around treadmill running. I have done alot of graded work to build strength with a slow development in speed over the last week or so and feel the functional strength work has helped my leg handle the mileage thus far.

I do continue to dream about getting back outdoors and back onto the trails as there is no better simulation for the ups and downs of ultras than being out there on the trails and putting the quads through the constant pounding they will receive in a 4-15 race.

12 days out and i will stick to the training plan that has got me this far, hopefully post race i will return to melted trails and spring temperatures!

Endurance Conspiracy's Japan Relief Tee

2011-03-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

The guys at Endurance Conspiracy have made their first charity tee to raise money for the Japan Tsunami relief effort.
All proceeds will go directly to the Japanese Red Cross and FoE Japan to aid in the massive task of helping over 100,000 displaced Japanese people get back to some sort of normaility.

Check out their site today for more information and help made a difference!

http://www.enduranceconspiracy.com/blog/

Salomon XR Crossmax

2011-03-15T11:26:00.000-07:00

Salomon's new shoe, the XR Crossmax promises to bridge the gap between a shoe that can be used for both trail and road running. Check out a sneak peak of what's to come this spring!

Salomon Flight Crew

2011-03-15T08:11:00.000-07:00

I am happy to report i will be a sponsored Salomon athlete for the 2011 trail running season!

I have been wearing and using Salomon product for the last few years since living in Canada and believe they have the best trail running gear period!
They are immersed in the trail running culture throughout Europe and North America and it shows in their footwear and apparel. I cant wait to get out there in the weeks to come and trial the new products for 2011!

The Salomon Flight Crew members are brand ambassadors who live at the heart of the sport. Not only is their input valued at the product testing level but they also share their experiences via blogs and in-store clinics.
I am lucky to represent the province of Alberta and will be doing my best to represent the brand at races throughout AB and BC and also helping out at clinics in Edmonton as well as being present at the Salomon 5 peaks series throughout the summer:

http://www.5peaks.com

I am three weeks out from the first race of the season and four out from the first major goal (Diez Vista 50k).

Finally the weather here in Edmonton is starting to warm up and with that the snow is slowly melting which means soon enough the trails will be runable. I am really looking forward to getting some consistent running out on the trails in the sun!

Till then.

Downhill MTB racing South America style!

2011-03-07T07:37:00.000-08:00

VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.

Wandering Fever

2011-03-03T07:43:00.000-08:00

Salomon athlete Ryan Sandes is arguably the best Ultra runner on the planet at the moment or at the very least the best desert runner.
Wandering Fever is a documentary about his pursuit and passion in a sport uncontaminated by drugs or money, but rather a sport done purely to test the human body and its capabilities.

Check out the trailer, screenings coming soon!

Camp4Collective

2011-03-02T11:53:00.000-08:00

Loving these guys work at the moment, inspiring vids and stories from extreme locations!

As It Happens from renan ozturk on Vimeo.

When I grow up i want to be like Jimmy Chin!

2011-03-02T10:44:00.000-08:00

I have found myself more and more these days trying to contain an addiction to photography and documenting everything i do by photo.
Although i do most of my shots from a point and shoot Pentax Optio W90, i still love getting that perfect shot that summarizes an experience.
The long term plan (lets hope shorter rather than longer) is to get a good SLR camera and document more artistically the adventures through travel, training and racing that we have in store in the years to come.
For now i will take my handy Pentax on as many training and racing days as i can for that 'just in case' moment.

While on the topic i started following an outdoor adventure photographer named Jimmy Chin a few years back and am continually amazed at what he comes out of expeditions in far reach countries with, be it photography or film.
He focuses on new ascents, descents and exploration of skiers, climbers and mountaineers, along the way telling the story of the countries and culture that they are immersed in when attempting these feats.

Stop by his website and blog@ www.jimmychin.com

StandUp4 Great Bear

2011-03-02T08:33:00.000-08:00

Standup4Greatbear was a first of it’s kind, 400 KM standup paddleboard trip from Kitimat to Bella Bella, British Columbia along the proposed oil tanker route. This conservation expedition highlighted the traditional food harvesting areas of the coastal first nation’s and the spectacular wildlife and marine environments of the Greatbear Rainforest.

The threat is Enbridge’s proposed oil pipeline from the tar sands of Alberta to the deep water ocean port of Kitimat, B.C. A proposed 225 Very Large Crude Carriers per year would transport over 500000 gallons of oil each through the treacherous waters and rich life of Douglas Channel and the Greatbear Rainforest.

Stand up paddle boarder Norm Hann's non profit-StandUp4 Great Bear for the past year and change has helped make the public aware of the potential disaster that the proposed oil pipeline would cause to such a diverse and unique area of Canada and the world.

Check out the short for Norm's film "Stand Up" coming soon in 2011!

Back on the Trails!

2011-03-01T13:59:00.000-08:00

After three long months i finally put foot to trail and did my first outside run!
We just arrived home after a week long roadtrip through Calgary, Nelson, Penticton, Vernon and Revelstoke. Got in the last ski trip for the year, enjoyed the warmer temps and even though we received 5 fresh cms on our arrival into the Okanagan i was able to hit the KVR trail for some fresh air.

6 weeks till Diez Vista and i am hoping to continue to get outside, though the weather on arrival back to Edmonton doesn't seem that catching (-25+ for the next week).

A start is a start though and i am excited about spring dropping in to the Great White North very soon!

Trail Dreaming!

2011-02-16T08:01:00.000-08:00

As the fourth month of winter is coming to an end here in Edmonton, thoughts drift to getting back outside and hitting the trails for so much needed reconnection with nature and the great outdoors!
The combination of the climate here in the Great White North and my injury has meant four months of zero running outside.
At present i am feeling like a caged animal and am very excited to get out and amongst as soon as the snow melts.

This season i am looking at hitting close to a half a dozen major pass/trail runs through the Canadian Rockies.
The big objective is the 44k 'Skyline Trail' in Jasper National Park, which i hope to do in early July. Along with this both Elysium and Whistlers Passes are on the schedule and hopefully one or two big days out in the Banff Area.

Below is alittle info about the first three. Hurry up and melt snow!!

SKYLINE TRAIL (44K)

The Skyline Trail in Jasper National Park is one of the premier backpacking trails in the Canadian Rockies and with 25kms of the trail at or above treeline it is easy to understand why. Can be hiked as a point to point backpack of 2-6 days or as a there and back again for a quick overnighter. Be prepared for big climbs as you tackle three passes and cross the highest section of trail in Jasper Nat Pk. Connects with the Watchtower Trail at 17km.

There are two ways to start the Skyline but most people choose the main trail, otherwise known as the easy way. From the parking lot at Maligne Lake (several metres to the right of the gated Bald Hills fireroad) the main trail starts with a gentle ramble through the forest, passing Lorraine and Mona Lakes before reaching Evelyn Creek bridge and campground. The other way to start the Skyline Trail is by grunting up the Bald Hills via the short cut for a commanding view of Maligne Lake before heading down the fireroad and taking the connector trail to the Evelyn Creek bridge. This option adds a mere 4km and 500m of vertical to the first day.
Evelyn Creek campground is nicely nestled in the forest next to the creek but unless you plan on a late start then pass it by for higher campgrounds. From Evelyn Creek to Little Shovel Pass you'll be working the legs as the trail makes the first climb of the trip. With heavy demand on Snowbowl c/g by the two night crew, Little Shovel or Curator campgrounds are a good second choice for the first night out. From Little Shovel c/g the trail enters the more open terrain of the upper subalpine and continues its climb to Little Shovel Pass at 10km. Entering the Snowbowl the trail can be seen snaking its way down through open meadows and into the trees where Snowbowl c/g is hidden.

Crossing the into the Curator Basin the trail swings right and contours past the junction with the Watchtower Trail. The short trip to the top of this col is worth the view on the other side. Four kilometres down this quiet valley sits Watchtower Campground, not only a good alternate campground when Curator is booked solid but a fitting destination in its own right.
Back in the Curator Basin the Skyline continues to the Wabasso Creek Trail junction at 19km. Less than a kilometre down this trail is Curator Campground followed by Shovel Pass Lodge. Unlike Shangrila, Shovel Pass Lodge (http://www.skylinetrail.com/) caters to hikers but horse trips are their forté. Both the Watchtower and Wabasso trails are good foul weather escape routes off the Skyline. Beyond the Wabasso junction the Skyline Trail passes Curator Lake then makes an abrupt ascent to the Notch at 22km the highest point on the Skyline at 2511m. The cornice that crowns this pass should always be navigated on the climbers right. To stand on or below the cornice is a risk that sensible people don't take.
Your experience over the next four kilometres is entirely dependant on the weather as you are completely exposed on the crest of the Maligne Range. Completely exposed to stunning mountain scenery that is. Take your time, poke around, walk a ridge, peek down a seldom traveled valley or just kick back and contemplate life above a bejeweled lake. The downside to this utopia would be a spell of nasty weather, like the day I hiked it in a July snowstorm. The high elevation and exposed nature of the Skyline means that hikers are at the mercy of the elements. Be prepared or be cold!
The descent to Tekarra c/g is down a twisted trail through a rocky valley bounded by Mount Tekarra on the left and Excelsior on the right. At the head of the valley, lending its name to the creek and lakes below is Center Mountain. After skirting lower Centre Lake the trail enters Tekarra c/g at 30km. (Tekarra Lake is at the head of Tekarra Creek on the north side of the mountain... no seriously, it's on the map) From Tekarra c/g cross Centre Creek and follow the trail as it skirts the shoulders of Tekarra and Signal Mountain to the junction with the Signal Mountain Fireroad. Uphill to the left the fireroad climbs for one kilometre to the old Signal Mountain fire lookout site. (well worth the trip) Downhill to the right the fireroad passes the junction into Signal c/g then plunges into the forest for the final leg of the trip. Losing 800 metres of vertical over the final 9km is hard on the knees but a small price to pay for such a great trip. If you planned it well your car will be waiting for you at the bottom of Signal Mountain, if not you'll have to wait for the Maligne Lake

ELYSIUM PASS (30K)

The trail climbs almost a kilometre over it's 15km length and on a hot summer day with a full pack you'll wonder what ever made you decide to do such a foolish thing. But the long haul up to Elysium Pass in Jasper National Park is worth every bucket of sweat you'll leave on the trail. Then armed with a map and solid route finding skills the area around the pass becomes an explorer's paradise.
The first part of this trail has already been described in the Dorothy, Christine and Virl Lakes Trail. From early summer on make sure you fill up your water bottle(s) at the Minaga Creek crossing, there is no other reliable source till you reach the pass.
Turn left at the junction and follow along high above Minaga Creek for 4km to the bottom of the switchbacks. The switchbacks drag on for what feels like forever but is probably only 4km and 400m of elevation, where they emerge into a rockslide and views finally open up. Above you is Emigrants Mtn and across the valley juts Mt Fitzwilliam.
The trail through the rockslide is very enjoyable after the slog up the switchbacks but continues to climb nontheless. There are a couple of places where the trail is not so obvious as it winds it's way across gullies and through thick stands of krummholz.
Above the rockslides as the trees begin to thin out and the trail enters into beautiful little wildflower filled meadows. The trail continues to climb the slopes of Emigrants Mtn to a bare ridge overlooking Elysium Pass. This is a fantastic viewpoint and a great place to make a late lunch or an early dinner, if you have any water left.
The trail now drops 150m in the next kilometre where it comes to an abrupt end at the creek that drains the pass. This is where the turnaround is to be made and the journey home begins.

WHISTLER'S PASS+INDIAN RIDGE (28K)

The trail up The Whistlers in Jasper National Park gains 1200 metres of elevation and passes through all three of the park's life zones
Starting in the montane life zone, the trail rises through beautiful lush mixed forest, a virtual hotbed of ecological diversity. With so much elevation to gain the trail pushes up the mountain at a heart pounding rate. At 2.5km a rockslide provides nice views and a place to rest. After the slide the trail resumes its climb, entering a dark subalpine forest of spruce, pine and fir, the second life zone of the day.
Levelling out after 3km the trail makes its way under the tramway and traverses towards the creek draining The Whistlers cirque, before resuming its steady grind up the mountain at 4km. The next two klicks, despite the stiff grade is enjoyable as the trail passes through a delightful flower filled subalpine forest. On the last klick to the summit ridge the trail breaks out of the trees and into the alpine, the third and final life zone on the day. This is a great place to take a nice long break, for when you hit the summit ridge the flowers are all but left behind and you'll join the throng of tourists who rode the tramway up the mountain.
The final kilometre to the summit is a cake-walk compared to the rest of the trail. The trail braids out giving you the choice of steep or not-so-steep trails. There used to be little brass trail markers on the ground, but many have gone missing. The trails to the left have the easier grade. From the summit at 2470m a sea of peaks fills the eye and inspires the soul. A rotatable peak-finder helps point out the prominent peaks in the surrounding valleys, including Mount Robson, tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies at 3954m.

The Travel Bucketlist

2011-02-14T08:03:00.000-08:00

I have been lucky enough to travel to many different countries and experience many different cultures, landscapes, people and food. The thing with travel is it never gets old, you never run out of places and a new sunrise to wake up to, that's the amazing thing about packing a bag and taking off whether it be on a plane somewhere 5,000k away or simply a weekend roadtrip.

My morning treadmill run was full of traveling dreams, ideas and plans. I know for sure we have a big one planned in 2013, which will cover alot of the below list, but planning and organizing a trip is half the fun, especially the excitement and anticipation as it gets closer.

Below is my 'Travel Bucketlist'.

I know as each one gets ticked off, another will be added to the bottom, but that's the great thing about the world we live in, there is always a new place around the corner, sometimes one you didn't plan on experiencing!

TRAVEL BUCKETLIST

-Volunteer in Uganda
-See the Gorillas in the Wild, Uganda
-Hike the Himalayas in Nepal and Tibet
-A trip through the Amazon and Pantanal, Brazil
-Watch an Arsenal Game with my brothers@Emirates Stadium, London
-Heliski in British Columbia, Canada
-Swim with the Whale Sharks@Ningaloo Reef, Australia
-Ride through Laos, Myanmar and Bhutan

Knock on Wood

2011-02-13T07:38:00.000-08:00

It has been over 100 days since my stress fracture returned and i am happy to report all signs are good to resume normal training for the 2011 season!
It has been a long road (i haven't been on a trail since the middle of November) but a patient approach has (fingers crossed) put me in a good position to train 100% for the Canadian Death Race without interruption for the next six months.
My first scheduled race is in eight weeks so from here on in its alot of treadmill work until the snow melts and make for even trail running.
I am currently at 14' running 1' walking rotations and next week i hope to add some strength stuff into the mix and step up my functional strength work.
A week long road trip through Calgary, Nelson, Penticton, Vernon and Fernie should have some opportunities to run on dry trail, looking forward to the fresh air after a long, hibernating winter!

Slow Return from Injury

2011-02-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

We are already into the second month of 2011! Time sure does seem to fly by these days, a sign of age or just a busy life, who knows, but things seem to be on track for all things on the go this year!

Training has been patiently slow with regards to running. I am trying to fit in two to three gym sessions a week as well as currently 2-3 runs. I have built up to 10' running, 2' walking x3 and the stress fracture seems to be responding well. Studies have helped to keep my return to a very low volume, which in the long run will be a good thing.

The snow has been dumping down here in Edmonton this year with a record base already achieved, great for XC skiers, not so much for trail runners (even though i have been strictly building on the treadmill indoors. Uneven snowpacked trails=no quick return from injury) and i am very eager to get back out there in March as it has been three months since i have put foot to trail!

The snow however does mean good conditions in the ski hills and we have been enjoying some great days in the mountains as the pictures below show.

For the rest of February, its much of the same-study, a slow build back to running mileage and some days escaping to the mountains! Good times ahead!

Ironman V Ultrarunner

2011-01-23T11:15:00.000-08:00

Hilarious and very true in many ways!

Impossible to Possible

2011-01-22T08:55:00.000-08:00

I have been chatting over the phone recently to Ray Zahab, founder of Impossible to Possible, a non-profit organization that uses endurance and adventure as a platform to make the global community aware of biodiversities under threat and teaches future generations to be proactive in making a difference.
I am hoping to work in 2011 to do some exciting things with I2P. Stay tuned!

ABOUT I2P:
The mission of impossible2Possible(i2P) is to encourage youth to reach beyond their perceived limits, and to use adventure as a medium to educate, inspire and empower our global community to make positive change in the the world. i2P aims to equip today's youth with the understanding and belief that they have the power to change the world. We envision a world of achievers that believe in their hearts that nothing is out of the realm of possibility!

The vision of impossible2Possible (i2P) is to use adventure to cultivate a generation of leaders, whose direct experiences and education will prepare them to lead social and environmental action all across the world. To achieve this, i2P utilizes a combination of world-class expeditions, youth expeditions, leadership training and fully interactive web based educational resource material. As with founder, Ray Zahab's, run across the Sahara Desert, all i2P expeditions will make use of television, film, and the internet to broadcast these messages about human and environmental sustainability and to raise awareness for our youth programs.

All Expedition expenses are covered for Youth Ambassadors participating and all i2P Experiential Learning Programs are delivered free of charge to schools and students around the world.

ABOUT ATACAMA EXTREME:

i2P Team Members Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely are at it again! Last year they successfully ran the length of Lake Baikal in Russia in 13 days, this year they are heading to Chile to attempt to run the length of the Atacama Desert north to south in a little over 2 weeks. Running a total distance over 1200 km (745 miles)- carrying each days total supplies, they will rely on one daily water/food drop or communities along the way to refuel.

Follow Ray and Kevin from today as they start their journey across the Chilean Desert!

www.impossible2possible.com/atacama/about

Kidsport

2011-01-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

Kidsport Canada is a non profit organization dedicated to giving underprivileged kids a chance to participate and enjoy everything that teams sports offers. I could never imagine not being given the opportunities to play team sports growing up, interacting with other children, making friends, keeping healthy through exercise and overall being part of the thrill and excitement that is playing sport!

Personally it helped shape the person i am today in so many ways.

Take some time to drop by their site and help give a kid the OPTION to play.

Kidsport's Mission:
We believe that no kid should be left on the sidelines and all should be given the opportunity to experience the positive benefits of organized sports. KidSport provides support to children in order to remove financial barriers that prevent them from playing organized sport.

We do this by:
Raising funds in the community to pay registration fees for KidSport kids to participate in sport programs.
Gathering used equipment for KidSport kids to use in sport programs.
Advocating the value and benefit of kids playing sports in the pursuit of lifelong health and wellness.
Raising funds in the community to pay registration fees for KidSport kids to participate in sport programs.
We believe that through participation in organized sport activities, kids learn the values of:
Co-operation
Team play and friendship
Commitment to goals
Personal excellence
Healthy competition
Self-esteem

24 hours of Adrenaline

2011-01-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

Another day and another endurance event to add to the Bucketlist!
The 24 hours of Adrenaline mountain bike event is held in the endurance sport mecca town of Canmore, Alberta and a true test of endurance on the fat tires. Hope to be apart of this race in 2011 or 2012!

www.24hoursofadrenalin.com/twenty4/home/countryselection.cfm?CFID=1260893&CFTOKEN=95618479

Favourite 20 Pics from the Triathlon Days!

2011-01-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

While a deep freeze has settled over the Great White North, i have had sometime to flick through all of my old triathlon racing and training photos, looking them over with fond memories which now seems like a lifetime ago (only two and a half years).
Even though my MacBook only has the last four years of racing and training stored, i thought i would post my favourite 20 from the many.
Hopefully one day soon i will be able to scan and download all my pics starting from 1994 all the way through till the end of 2008.
Lot of good times, great races, places and people!

1. Post-ride Zurich bridge with city in the background, Zurich Switzerland 2007

2. Bike Leg of Pacific Crest Half Ironman, Bend Oregon 2008

3. Oregon State Open Water Swim Champs, Bend Oregon 2008

4. Bike Leg 2. of Pacific Crest Half Ironman, Bend Oregon 2008

5. First ride on a chilly Oregon june morning, Bend Oregon 2008

6.Pre-Ironman China Bike course ride, meeting with the locals, Hainan Island China 2008

7. Switching up rides pre-race, Hainan Island China 2008

8. Start of second lap of IM China swim leg, Hainan Island China 2008

9. Riding into Italy with Team Erox, Ascona Switzerland 2007

10. Heartbreak Hill, Switzerland Ironman Bike Course and the craziest spectators around! Zurich Switzerland 2007

11. Riding into the villages and mountains of southern Switzerland/Northern Italy, 2007

12. Top of Donner Pass with Donner Lake in the background, Truckee California 2007

13. Bike Leg of Ironman Australia 2007, Port Macquarie Australia 2007

14. Beautiful Red-Rock riding through Sedona, Arizona 2006

15. Boulder Trails with the Flatirons in the background, Boulder Colorado 2006

16. Top of Arches National Park, Utah 2006

17. Pacific Crest Trail, Lake Tahoe California 2007

18. Stacked in on a roadtrip to the Italian National Champs, Bardolino Italy 2007

19. Snowy Peaks climbing in Lassen National Park, California 2008

20. Coffee with the fellas midway through one of the many rides through southern swiss, Ascona Switzerland 2007

Powder Face 42!

2011-01-09T20:55:00.000-08:00

I have decided to add the Powder Face 42 trail marathon in Bragg Creek to my race calendar for 2011.
It is perfect timing for a last hitout before the Canadian Death Race and by all reports a beautiful race!

POWDER FACE 42 course info:

The powderface42 marathon course is a demanding marathon run entirely on single track trails through the beautiful foothills of the Rocky Mountains. This race will be a test of your strength, endurance and trail running ability. The course has a total elevation gain of 2070 meters with a significant climb of approximately 500 meters over Powderface Pass at the mid point. The good thing is it is essentially downhill to the finish line, sort of!Don’t forget to enjoy the scenery.
Starting at Station Flats recreation area the course is a combination of three of our favorite loops: Sulphur Springs Loop, Elbow Link and Powderface Prairie Creek Loop.

Banff Film Festival

2011-01-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

The Banff Mountain Film Festival is an international film competition and an annual presentation of short films and documentaries about mountain culture, sports, and environment. We try to catch it each year as it rolls through Edmonton on its World Tour.
The stand outs for me this year were the below two films: Life Cycles and The Swiss Machine!

PS-Ueli Steck has gone straight to the top of my 'wanna be athlete' list! INSANE!

2011 Goal Race!

2011-01-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

The Canadian Death Race is the biggest Ultra Marathon in Canada, held in Grand Cache, slightly north of Jasper National Park.
This race will be my 2011 focus and from all reports is equally beautiful as it is grueling. 7months to go and the training begins!

The Offseason, Injuries and 2011!

2011-01-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

As always time seems to fly by when you are having a break from training and especially so if that time off is taken during the holiday season.
Since TNF 50mile champs i have taken four weeks off to help heal my stress fracture with not much more than some rehab functional strength work, alittle snowshoeing and a day snowboarding in Silverstar in BC.
The holidays were great with too much food and drink consumed and i am looking really forward to the season planned out with the focus on the Canadian Death Race on the August long weekend in Grand Cache.
Between now and then i have the fingers crossed that in a week when i start the slow road back to a full running program my injury will be fully healed and ready to go.
I am making some changes to my program with a big emphasis on functional strength and TRX work the key to not getting an injury in 2011.

With our wedding in september, the beginnings of a new career, new non-profit initiatives starting and a full Ultra racing calendar 2011 is sure to be a busy one!

Boulder Trails

2010-12-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

Came across this cool little video of Tony Krupicka (arguably the best Ultra Runner currently going around) running the beautiful trails of Boulder, Colorado.
I was lucky enough to spend a season here back in 2006 and loved the many trails around the mountain town. Memories.....

Salomon 5 Peaks Trail Series

2010-12-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

The Salomon 5 Peaks Series Northern Alberta schedule is up for next season. Hope to see you there!

Northern Alberta Trail Running Series

Alberta is known around the world for it's pure and natural beauty --- certainly one of Canada's premiere outdoor playgrounds. The 5 Peaks courses cover single-track trails, lift lines, hiking trails, cat tracks, x-country trails, ski runs, etc… While elevation gain varies according to the course, the diverse range of terrain will challenge your endurance and give you the chance to take in some breathtaking scenery.

Each race venue is located within approximately a one-hour drive from Edmonton. So, here's your chance for an exhilarating Saturday morning experience. What better way to start your weekend?!

You'll be physically challenged while experiencing some of the most spectacular terrain Alberta has to offer.

www.5peaks.com/schedule.asp?p=abnorth

This has to be my new favourite quote!

2010-12-18T10:46:00.001-08:00

BC MTB Race

2010-12-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

Well this race just went to the top of my mountain biking goals!!!!!

The course:

www.bcbikerace.com/the-journey

The list continues to grow!

2011 Race Schedule

2010-12-10T08:10:00.001-08:00

As my first season of racing Ultra Marathons concluded last weekend, i had already had a good idea of the racing i am hoping to do next year.
Originally competing and completing the Sinister 7 Ultra Marathon this past July was the first of the list of Athletic goals i had set out to achieve over the next five years. Once all said and done i was moving onto completing the Canadian Birkebeiner 55k Cross Country Ski Race, which was my second goal on the list.
What i hadn't planned was getting hooked on this sport and it has left me craving for more. It also had something to do with the fact that i hadn't raced in the Canadian Death Race Ultra Marathon (the biggest in Canada). The chance to have a crack at this event is to good to pass up, so my 2011 goals will be focused on peaking for the race on the August long weekend.

I have set out to compete more than i did in 2010 so to gain more experience in racing Ultras. I will stick to the 50k distance so to not bash the body up to much while still learning the art of being able to run downhills well without leaving my legs battered for the uphills, something that continues to remain a mystery to me. This will mean between the four to five races i have set out in the lead up to the Death Race, to also take the 3 hour drive out to Jasper and getting some long alpine runs in with a big focus on downhill work.
Along with this focus after an injury plagued 2010, i will aim to focus on functional strength work as a priority in my training regime. Time away from hitting the trails and mixing this form of training into my weekly schedule will only help and prevent future frustrating race preparations that are interrupted by injuries.

Below is my race schedule for next season. I am hoping to also focus on a good race performance at Diez Vista 50k in April and the Fast Trax 50k Ultra in June (which is on home turf and the Canadian National 50k and 100k Championships). I have also thrown a marathon into the mix as i have never raced a straight marathon (only ones off an 180k bike) and it will be good to get a time on the board!

Frozen Ass 50k Feb *
Dirty Duo 50k Mar 12 *
Diez Vista 50k Apr 9
St.Albert Marathon May 15
Blackfoot 50k May 28
Fast Trax 50k Jun 25
CANADIAN DEATH RACE 125k Jul 31

For now, i am resting up and making sure my stress fracture is fully healed and ready to go in mid January. I hope to mix up some cross country skiing and even a jump back into the pool over the next few months while taking time away from the trails.

Race Day Footage

2010-12-07T10:02:00.001-08:00

Check out how the race unfolded. Gives you an insight into how hard and impressive the course was!

TNF 50 MILE Wrap Up

2010-12-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well unfortunately my end of year race down in San Francisco didn't end as planned.

Five weeks out from the race my reoccuring femoral stress fracture reared its ugly head. I considered pulling the pin on making the trip down south to San Francisco and rest up and recover from my first year of racing Ultra Marathons, but the chance to race against the best field that has ever assembled in an Ultra event was too good a chance to give up.

Alot of hype was plastered on the web about the race, not only the field, but the tough course that took athletes through the Golden Gate National Park and through the Marin County area.

The start of the race was bright and early at 5am, which meant a 3am wake up call. It was a surreal experience to be apart of a mass start of 250 athletes, all with headlamps running in formation through the blackness of an eerie North Cal late fall morning.
I was excited to amongst the lead group in the first 10 miles experiencing the first major climb which rose above the city landscape to only dive deep back into the darkness of the national park.

Not long after the first aid station my stress fracture started to really cause a problem and the pain although not too bad on the climbs, made it unbearable on the descents. I continued on through the winding single track as the sun rose and gave a full scope of the beauty of this area of North America.

It was apparent as i closed in towards the 20 mile mark of the run and the defining section of the race that i was not going to be crossing the finish line in this event.
Getting final advice and clarification from my support team of one- Matty Lieto, i pulled out of the race. An anti climax to a fun and very eye opening first season in the Ultra game.
As i write this blog my decision is only justified stronger by the current pain i am having to walk around the house.

So where to next....first step is to take time off to heal this injury, at this stage a good six weeks. Then i will be focused on alot of functional strength work so this stress fracture (which has occured three times now) does not return, before returning to a full running program.

I will start to plan for my second season of Ultra Marathons very soon, with a focus on the Canadian Death Race and a handful of 50k events to be fully prepared for this race.

Till then,

Cheers!

Heading to San Fran

2010-12-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

I am about to take off for the my flight to San Francisco for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50mile Championships this saturday.
There has been alot of talk about the field who are to race the event and the talent of ultra and mountain runners who are toeing the line.
It will be great to mix it up with them, learn and gain some more experience in this new world of Ultra Marathon racing.
The aim.....well considering my restricted preparation due to my injury, finish would be the best answer, but i would love to be competitive and hold onto the top 10, top 20 for as long as i can. Only time will tell!!!!!

Five Days Out from TNF 50mile Champs.

2010-11-29T11:24:00.000-08:00

Only five more days till i set out to complete my second Ultra Marathon.
What i am most excited about is not traveling back down to one of my favorite cities, nor catching up with some mates i haven't seen for a few years now, but rather getting a chance to race and compete against the best Ultra Marathon field on paper ever!

Will be great to learn and watch these guys in action and hopefully at some point mix it up in Marin County,California.

Check out the link below for a full pre-race report on the men's field.

www.irunfar.com/2010/11/the-north-face-endurance-challenge-2010-championship-mens-preview.html

Two Weeks to TNF 50miler

2010-11-20T09:23:00.000-08:00

Two weeks out and i am more than ready to make the trip south for my last race of my first season running Ultra Marathons.
Winter has arrived in the Great White North and temps in the -15 to -25 range makes for hard running.
The pictures below may be my last outside for the year as i feel more than happy to stick to the treadie for the next week or so.

2010-11-18T10:01:00.000-08:00

Inspiration can be found in many things, many people, many ways of life.... Two great short films from two guys living their life, there way!

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

Trail Running at its most extreme!

2010-11-09T08:17:00.000-08:00

Kilian Journet is an Ultra Marathon runner from Burgada, Spain and one of the best, if not the best currently in the world.
His sponsor Salomon has made it possible for him through an initiative called 'Kilian's Quest' to follow his dream of setting records all over the world in epic venues where people only dream of-Lake Tahoe's Rim, the Pyrennes and Kilimanjaro and all the while documenting it.

Some good watching in some unbelievable locations! Take a look!

AWESOME!!!!!

2010-10-28T07:15:00.001-07:00

Rockies Running Weekend

2010-10-18T08:22:00.000-07:00

Just came back from a great weekend in Jasper with a lactic filled 10k race on the saturday at the 'Rootromp 10k', followed by a 2.5 hour long run up Whistler's Pass with an elevation gain of 1200mtrs over 8k and a snowy summit!

TNF 50mile

2010-10-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Here's some footage of last years 50mile race in Marin County, CA.

Course looks beautifully hard!

Gulu Walk-Footsteps Series Part 2

2010-10-12T09:35:00.001-07:00

2. In Their Footsteps: The Child Soldier from Andrew Cromey on Vimeo.

Gulu Walk-Footsteps Series Part 1

2010-10-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

1. In Their Footsteps: Going To Gulu from Andrew Cromey on Vimeo.