Author: ultrarunnick

Finished with a smile, and a fat plate of PAELLA!!!

Flight back from La Palma..4 hours was a flash as I reminisced with Jan and Vanessa beside about the race we had and yes everything that goes with it.
Another TRANSVULCANIA come and gone. I love to sit and feel what went on in a week…once it is past..I find a story come together and a rather cool one each time.
This one I got to spend with a sister of friends my SIMONY ZITRONY…which makes the story even better!

Each time I am at an ultramarathon I come back with more…I feel richer..
I once again understand WHY I LOVE to do these crazy cool races. They test us in different ways and we are all here to take on that adventure.

Sometimes you can be not so ready and trained and pull off and excellent race and other times you are soooo ready, fit, trained and good to go and things don’t unfold as you imagined… for anything can arise. It’s all part of the beautiful package. I learn so much every time I do one. But the best thing I come back with is another experience, that fills me with joy..new friends…and moments to look back at and laugh on. 

This week high lights – rock n roll time with sister Simone, a hard pre race fall that landed on my ribs and gave me some La Palma scars, Car dancing around the crazy curves of the Island roads, octopus indulgence, my daily high of passing by the Yellow T2 VW beauty van in Tazacorte…., picture posing like nuts, holding my mouth trying everything not to throw up on the BUS RIDE to FUCALIENTE race morning, unbelievable gusting winds waiting for start at the lighthouse early raceday, Mirador El Time shop with amazing people and awesome jewellery that I get sucked into, …these are just to name a few…

With a shivering chatter nearing the start, nauseated I forced down my breakfast ISALEAN SHAKE..that I knew I needed for my first few hours of power. Being here at 5:55am at the Start line in Fucaliente on 10.05.14 at the Southern tip of the Island of La Palma is a MOST AWESOME FEELING…as the energy of ‘THUNDERSTRUCK’ booms through the air…all cold and nausea washes away for moments of ‘I love this’ and dancing…a surge of energy and celebration takes over everybody…BRING IT ON BABY!!!

With a race that climbs for approx 50km…puts you right on in the beaming hot sun…and then after a pasta fill….sends you booming down a 20km technical, steep downhill..on the lava rock…
My nutrition is critical and my grounding is my ‘IONIX and ENERGENIX’ in regular doses – my electrolytes, minerals and adaptogens for steady energy …keeps me focused …

The downhill takes back down approx 2400m…back to sea level…and then YES….back up!
I felt so happy deep down, coming to the finish today..that was victory for me (as I was not sure if I would finish at the start) These last 5km…was a grind for me…so close to finish..but just one step after another and HEAD DOWN…Behind this though was joy..and yes definitely some swear words flying out…but once the top of the hill is reached the swearing stopped …1.5km stretch to the finish…as runners you always can find the juice..just enough..to sail through to a smile at the finish. I cannot be more grateful for the people that cheer us on this island..they pour there hearts out for the day to bring us through…little kids are enthralled at what they see…the people here are incredible…we are taken care of ‘Over the Top’ and this would not happen like it does..without all that…
Until next year TVC…xoxo

Karrie Gregson is the owner of Livin’ Adventure, an Austrian based adventure tour company led by an experienced Canadian hiking guide: www.livinadventure.com

 

The Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon is the premier Toronto race in my books. The route, the organization, the spectators, the entertainment, basically everything is top notch. Of course I admit I’m biased based on the fact that I’m the race director of the Collingwood Half Marathon & 10K, a sister race of this one! Still I have been running this race since 1989 off and on and I have to say it’s truly grown into an international destination race.

The Course

The course runs from the north end of the city in Mel Lastman square straight down Toronto’s main north-south corridor, Yonge Street. After running through several pretty neighborhoods including passing Casa Loma, the course winds it’s way through the Rosedale Valley which is so well treed and beautiful that you forget you are in the 4th largest city in North America. After heading south on Bayview it turns into the historic St. Lawrence Market area and on into the heart of the downtown financial district. It carries on to the waterfront for a tour of Ontario Place, the lake shore parks, the Humber pedestrian bridge and Humberview Park. After turning around and heading back along Lake Shore Blvd. you finish to the roar of the crowd at Ontario Place right across the street from the Canadian National Exhibition grounds. It is indeed quite a scenic tour of the city.

The Support System

The Toronto Marathon has literally and army of volunteers including bike marshals, intersection marshals, water station workers, police, EMS and more. I’m constantly amazed at how this army mobilizes to make the race as problem free as it is.

Water stations are every two kilometers on the route and well staffed with water and Gatorade available.

Along the route you will find everything from a Jazz band, buskers, cheering crowds, the amazing Bishop Strachan School for Girls cheering section, and generally not a single part of the course without some moral support from well wishers. Thank you Toronto for being there for us!

The finish line of any marathon is the most inviting thing in your entire life if you are a participant! The finish line at the Toronto Marathon is heaven. Right away you get your medal and pass well stocked Gatorade and water tables. From there you head to the food tent with it’s apples, bananas, oranges, and this year these cool round pita like breads that had raisins in them! From there it’s on to the massage and stretching tent where eager physiotherapy and massage therapists work their wonders on your trashed body.

The Medal

In all the hundreds of events I’ve run I have never seen a medal like this one. It’s heavy! It’s large. In fact I call it a sushi plate! Even the race director, my friend Jay Glassman sees the humor in the medal and saw to it that it was inscribed on the reverse side with the following message: “Holy….! Yes, this really is the medal! Caution don’t drop! Do not pack in carry-on luggage. Suitable as a personal protection device. We cannot be held responsible for personal injury.” It is so big that it gets it’s own paragraph!

My Race in 2014

So how did I do in 2014? I was 17 minutes slower than I’m capable of doing and I’m happy with that result. Why? Because I ran a 50km trail race with 8,000 feet of vertical up and down in it 7 days before! It’s all part of my back to back stress training for the Sinister 7 100 miler in Alberta Canada in July.

During the first half marathon I felt really good and ran 1:39 at the half marathon point. That would have been good for a 3:18 marathon. However one piece of advice I have and I knew it before the race anyway is that you can’t fully recover from a long race in 7 days. It was an experiment to see how I could cope with back to back long races.

In the second half things really slowed down particularly around the 34 km mark where my legs made their presence felt with a lot of pain. Cardio was fine. Cramping ensued and I had to walk/stretch the cramps away for a couple of minutes. By the time I finished I had a 3:47 marathon on my hands.

I’m actually thrilled with this result because my experiment taught me so much! I know that I can tolerate two long races within seven days. I know that it only added 17 minutes to my 42.2km time. I found out a lot of things including don’t run such a ridiculously positive split time when you totally know better! 

Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon Details

The next running of this iconic race will be May 3rd, 2015. I highly recommend the experience!

• Marathon
• Half Marathon
• 5K
• Race Expo on May 1st and 2nd

All details are available on their website: www.torontomarathon.com

The Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon is organized by Running First. For details on other races by Running First visit: www.runtoronto.com

If you are looking for a great fall Half Marathon, come to Collingwood for October 4th, 2014. For all details: www.runcollingwood.ca

Saturday April 26th I had the pleasure and pain of participating in the Pick your Poison trail race. The race took place at the Heights of Horseshoe at Horseshoe Valley in Ontario, Canada. It’s aptly named Pick your Poison because you can pick 12.5km, 25km or 50km which equals 1, 2 or 4 times around the grueling course.

With nearly 8,000 feet of elevation change in all the ups and downs the 50km race proved a difficult test. Our late winter and cold spring of 2014 resulted in ankle deep mud and corn snow in places that typically are hard packed trail. However, I can say that the rain did hold off and the grey skies kept the sun out of our eyes.

The course loop featured 3 aid stations located at the start/finish area, and every one third of the loop fairly equally. They were well stocked and had a variety of what ultra-runners crave including, water, Heed, salty snacks and sugary candies. The start/finish station even had wonderful salty chicken soup, the perfect source of calories, salt and heat on a relatively cold 4 degree celsius day. All volunteers were amazing, friendly and helpful.

From a psychological standpoint I found that it can be an extra challenge knowing after the first of four laps every hill and every tricky spot, and knowing I would have to do them all 3 more times. Still it’s just one of those things you deal with and can only make you tougher. The flip side is that I found that after climbing the last long hill on the last lap I knew exactly how close I was to the finish!

I highly recommend this race and would do it again.

For complete details about Pick your Poison 12.5k, 25k, 50k Trail Race visit the race website: http://pickyourpoison.ca

I recently had one of the most intensely difficult, painful, draining yet joyous, moving experiences of my life. On July 6th, 2013 I participated in the Sinister 7 Mountain Trail Race. (www.sinister7.com)

It really is sinister and yes you really do feel all those sensations and emotions over it’s 148km distance. As if that distance isn’t hard enough there’s 18,000 feet of climbing and descending, mud bogs, river crossings and a 27 hour time limit! Located in the fantastically beautiful Crowsnest Pass in south-western Alberta Canada, it’s mountains are located right on the continental divide. It has a rugged beauty all it’s own!

Preparations
In order to prepare for this beast of a race I had a plan in place that took up 7 months. I have run for 40 years and have competed in many marathons, half marathons, 10k’s 5k’s, you name it, so I wasn’t starting from ground zero. Nevertheless I knew that the training that was going to be required for this beast was something entirely different. Less speed work and more long slow distance. It was going to require many hill repeats on our small ski hill here in Collingwood Ontario. It may only be 720 feet high, but 5 repeats of it in the middle of a 30k run was not much fun!

So many times I remember running 30 to 40k in the middle of nowhere seeing my road cycling friends go by and wish me luck. Every month the grind went on with no seeming end in sight other than a vague idea that July 6th I’d somehow get through the 7 grueling legs of the S7 in one piece in under 27 hours.

Through an unseasonably cold spring, the training continued. With a feeling of constant soreness in my body and feeling completely drained I pressed on. Sleeping was easy. Eating was also easy! I got down to 165 pounds on my six foot frame despite eating a lot with my sons aged 21 and 17.

It was tough but also toughening to put in up to 120km per week leading up to the race, and when the tapering period came up 10 days before it felt strange. Taking days off and running 5 to 10km easy to stay sharp and build reserves sounds easy but can be tough to stick to!

The Race
On the morning of the race I woke up in my tent filled with nervous energy but not as much as I would the morning of a 42.2km road marathon. I had nothing to prove. I had run 100km before non-stop, but this was uncharted ground and there were no expectations. No pressure.

Leg 1 of 7
16.5km (9.94 mi.)
Elevation Gain: 502m (1,647′)
Elevation Loss: 329m (1,079′)

At the starting line everyone was upbeat with nervous laughter filling the air. The cool mountain air of the night made fog which was only starting to burn off in the heat of the rising sun. The gun went and we were off and running from Blairmore towards the Frank Slide, a huge mountain rockslide that covers the road with rock from time to time.

After the slide we climbed up to the base of Hastings Ridge. I felt super good and filled with energy and optimism about the remaining 6 legs.

Leg 2 of 7
Distance: 16km (9.94mi)
Elevation Gain: 937m (3,074′)
Elevation Loss: 1,110m (3,642′)

On leg 2 any feeling of optimism and feeling like it was attainable was dashed on the rocks! The climb up Hastings Ridge was a tough one but at least it was still cool. At the apex of the climb the view opened up to something so spectacular that it literally took my breath away.

The descent ended up being tougher than the climb in some ways. It involved mud slicked forest trails for the last third of the distance. The constant relentless descent pushed my feet against the front of the shoes causing some serious toe blistering. At the time I didn’t think anything of it.

One river crossing and I wound my way down to the tent city at transfer and aid station #2/3. After refueling with all sorts of fruit, breads, candy, gels, electrolyte drink and water, I headed back out.

Leg 3 of 7

Distance: 35km (21.75mi)
Elevation Gain: 1,327m (4,354′)
Elevation Loss: 1,327m (4,354′)

Affectionately named “Satan’s Sack” by the runners, this leg is a hideously challenging one.

One thing I know about running such long difficult races is that my emotions sometimes feel amplified. Positive or negative emotions are more intense. Controlling these emotions and pushing through the tough times is for me the tough part about ultra running. For example the views were so spectacular that I teared up with joy and awe. This leg’s huge 4,500 feet of vertical was a challenge particularly in the heat that came in the mid day even at altitude.

Leg 4 of 7

Distance: 17km (10.56mi)
Elevation Gain: 675m (2,215′)
Elevation Loss: 617m (2,024′)

This leg began with a change of shoes and socks for me and the first hints that blisters were developing under my toenails from the punishing descents and from being wet from crossing rivers.

Immediately I found myself climbing a decent sized ski hill. The climb seemed to go on forever followed by ducking into the woods where things got a little muddy. After jumping a fast flowing creek onto a mud bank on all fours I found it opened into a long flat valley that reminded me of a really long golf course fairway without the manicured grass of course! In the distance was a beautiful rocky peak that was so distant that it seemed to take ages to get close to. After passing that mountain it was a climb up to the 100th kilometer and the end of 4. At only a couple of km from the end of the leg there was a despicable gravel valley with a pond at the bottom followed by the same type of gravel on the climb-out. At this point I was running by headlamp and had my jacket and toque on because the temperature went down to 8 celsius. After stumbling down the valley I slipped and fell into the pond soaking me from head to foot. 

After reaching the aid station at the 100th km I began shivering in the line to drink as much chicken broth as I could and to eat meatballs. The shivering would not abate and the doctor at the medical tent suggested I sit down. They wrapped me in blankets and he told me that I was going into shock and hypothermia and that I should withdraw from the race to avoid serious medical problems and a potential ATV rescue. Two toenails were coming off at this point as well. Had it not been for the shock I’d have duct taped my toes and continued, but it was not to be in 2013.

Epilogue

I consider Sinister 7 to be my Apollo 13 – a successful failure. It was a hard pill to swallow but at the end of the day I’m proud to have covered 100km and climbed and descended 14,000 feet in 17 hours. It was successful because I learned so much from it.

I learned that I had to find trail shoes that had the perfect shape for my feet particularly in the toe box area. I found the Brooks Cascadia shoe and I’m training in them now for months with no issues.

I feel the training I did last year was not the issue so I’m following a similar routine this year and I’m heading back this July! That’s right – I’m doing Sinister 7 2014 and intend to finish this time! Sure they went and added 12km to make it 160km total and a true 100 miler, but that will not stop me now! I found out a lot of things in those mountains, but the most important find was myself. I found out who I really am, what I’m made of and I discovered that my life’s mission is to inspire and help others.

 

The Gore-Tex Trans-Alpine Run is an 8 day stage trail race in the Alps, beginning in Germany in Oberstdorf and making it’s way via via Austria into northern Italy. It’s punishing with 13,730 metres of vertical change and 293 km of distance. It is a 2 person team event.

---

Day 1: Well, Team Livin Adventure Super Sherpas took off like dog chasing a rabbit … Well half of the team did.. Sherpa 2… Simone was very strong.. She had to pull me a bit…there is that anxious energy we feel to go for it even though we haven’t even really started… In that impatience of my own or get by .. I had a nice wipeout..

We came 8th today running in to Lech in Austria… With out start in Oberstdorf Germany.. Many strong women teams…. Cannot believe… I cannot stop eating since I came in the finish….

My team member asleep beside me.. We are happy we are not in Camp like we were last night …( pic below).. I will take the luxury… To bed I go ..up at 530 to run down to the Transalpine BUFF outdoor Espresso bar and then soon off and running ( or shall I say climbing) on STAGE 2…. Until tomorrow!

---

Transalp Day 2 – Lech am Alberg – St. Anton am Alberg

Stage 2 – yeahhhhh still in Austria! From Lech to St Anton…25km with over 1900 meters climbed felt like a heck of a lot more.Was a grind.. Up up up…and slippery…Great technical course with some fun hands and feet climbing that I love …

On a fast wide open downhill I turned around for a second and fell on the same knee and hip as yesterday … Another wipe out!!!!! Ouch Crap! What the heck… That fueled Sherpa 1 and 2 ‘s fast finish with adrenaline ….yeah at a BnB .. No more Camp until last night! Whoohoooo..

Onto Day 3 … Supposedly most challenging .. I am feeling a strong day for Livin Adventure Sherpas.. Right Simone! Give it hell, babe!!!

---

TRANSALP DAY 3 – St. Anton –

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
― Dean Karnazes

STAGE 3 – ‘ Was this a WOWSER OF A DAY’ COMPLETE – 38km, almost 3000m of climbing! What a course.. With some snow high up over technical rock …lots of hooting and whoohooing from above!… I loved it! Second climb seemed it would never end but sooo cool…feel in a little more rhythm … Livin adventure rocked it strong and steady with some super fun flying downhills! We have maintained top 10 from women’s teams of 30. Today 7 hours 49 min…
We have over 20 Canadians here that are Rockin it! My friend Rene C. Unserwho is a top personal trainer and coach out west, and her husband Trent ( in photo below) are doing amazing… They have a big team of Canadians here who they have coached for the event…..we love our CHICAS from Madrid too … You are Livin up the course!
Ready to rock Stage 4 taking us to SCUOL, Switzerland

---

TRANSALP DAY 4 – Samnaun – Scuoal

Yeahhhhhhhh ahhhh I sit here in the Youth Hostel in SCUOL, SwitZ amongst the buzz of being halfway finished the Transalpine run … Most are snuggled in their beds but my bedtime is a little later…sleep is definitely not the best this week for most but for me shorter but solid is better than what I usually have..

STAGE 4 complete! Simone and i had an incredible day… Team Livin Adventure moved to 8th position. Our music blarring definitely helped..Full on sun, great course – 37km and 2000m up and oh what a beautiful 12km downhill to the end… We love the steep technical! What a rush! Uphills were created to experience the swoosh of coming down the other side!
Tomorrow is the REST DAY… Mountain Sprint ! The rest of the day… Either dancing or hanging out in the naked spa… Hmm

---

TRANSALP DAY 6 – Scuol – St. Valentin

Day 6 from SCUOL to Sankt Valentin! Now in Italy! i had a tough day today with belly cramping and had to do the Drugs..very slow and then picked it up on last bit…Many people had a tough day … we maintained top 10 at 9th place…Crazy with a km to go we spot 2 women’s teams ahead of us.. so we burned it .. but didnt catch them… ah well… could have been 7th…37km… 1600m climbed..brought us to the land of Gelato, good espresso and prosciutto!!! We even sat in the sun at the Goretex Beach for awhile at finish line…Simone and I both being Vegetarians are doing some crazy ‘ Eat Meat’ week and I think today we went a little overboard with the Proscuitto and smoked salami.. We had to settle our stomachs with a tough Schnapps after dinner…Watched our pictures of the day and Video of the day up at 2000m high with an outdoor screen, like a drive in movie… I feel wiped … I am going for the earliest time to bed yet at 1030… Up at 445… For a 7am start… Crazy course tomorrow… With some high technical Alpine stretches… Love that stuff…adios my friends…

BERGSPRINT SCUOL!!!

OK a wild ‘Kick in the pants’ that Mountain Sprint was!!! 6.4km … Almost 1000m climbed….Teams were sent off every 15 sec depending on our ranking.. With the fastest leaving last…Man.. When you are so used to the long distance and steady tempo .. It’s hard to jump into that sprint gear…it bites but its good ..Sherpa 2 was very strong and she was pulling me along…we have maintained in top 10…I love the spirit of TRANSALPINE and all the brother and sisters we get to see everyday .. They definitely turn up the FUN knob for me..Below are some TAR family shots… Wow doing the Bergsprint really feels like a long day.. As I cannot nap like my Simony…so I sit here writing to you enjoying a special made Cappucino ( that was served with a spoon filled with CHOCOLATE) staring at a crystal clear sky, pretty cool peaks and athletes slurping back beers…Day 6 – STAGE 6 is upon us.. I am super excited and loving this although there are many grunts out on the course… The pushing of the limit in endurance, strength and stamina and hanging in with the ups and downs and smiling anyhow… the being in the moment with your body..step by step.. fully ALIVE is THE BEST GIFT EVER…

---

Transalp Day 7 – St. Valentin – Sulden, Italy

Wow I must say today was magic! Team Livin Adventure moved up to 6th place for todays brutally good stage…..Waking up feeling sick in stomach which got worse after breakie.. Well let’s just say the running turned it around… We took off setting a fantastic pace for a long flat and downhill section… We knew the massive climb to come but I just followed the legs and went for a ride… And sometimes it can be a wild ride….
Well today was the toughest stage for me and Simone for sure – but I still loved it…Pounding the legs for 21km … Then rolling beautiful trails, then the biggest non stop steep 1600m ascent – all I could focus on was the ground and every step… In a rhythm … Looking around a bit, heads down, silence and the occasional ‘ whoohoo’, some have music, some don’t, many find their rhythm using their poles, some do not ( I need my hands on my legs)… Everyone has their thing.. Some shovel down all the goods at the food station … Some fly by only using their Gels…( yuck!)
But whatever it is, the greatest energy comes from your mind … Your attitude – to accept and go with it – commit to the end, when things are rough, to celebrate and test your limits when things are good… To feel the power of a team of 2 – a partner who you may not speak to along the way.. Just winks here and there..
Just when you think ‘ I have nothing left.. This is never ending .. You come running with peak energy and aliveness through the finish line under the GORETEX Balloon…
We are overjoyed… I cannot keep the kisses off Simone’s face .. We both left everything out on the course and that is a gratifying feeling…Simone has no words as people ask her how was it..it is true in a way…no words to describe … One must do…
The spirit here is just incredible and hard to describe .. Must be here to feel it…this super cool connection trail runners have as we all have the bad and the good days this weeks.. Walked on the same course, climbed the same grade and covered the same distance .. Each with their own personal reason for being here..There is this peace inside, this grand satisfaction for completing yes another challenging day. For some, experiencing another level they never knew they could take themselves to.. Oh it’s a beautiful thing …
And so is Sebastian’s espresso at the BUFF ( Flat is Boring) outdoor coffee stand…
43km and 2300m of climbing
Complete!
Onto our last day…
Oh and stage 9 if our crazy dance party tomorrow night! Oh I love that Stage!
Until tomorrow …

---

TRANSALPINE RUN 2013 …. FINISHED!!!!!! Whooooooohooooooo!
Team Livin Adventure had to rock it out together all day for 8 days.. Through every emotion …not always easy… But I can’t think of a better person than My Simony!
We were strong the whole week and I found this to be the toughest Transalpine in the last 3 years but oh so stunning a course! Love this quote below…

“I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.”
― Dean Karnazes

I sit here in Segafredo back home in Inmsbruck now reminiscing of the whole week….my body starting to crash …and feeling that already missing TAR family… We rocked Stage 9 – the dance party last night! Oh yeah!

Here is a write up of our finish line…

With 3km to go into the finish of the TAR 2013 into Lastch, Italy…
Team Livin Adventure flew through the apple orchards with the finish line adrenaline pulling us fast … Interesting how there is nothing left in the body but there is ALWAYS when you dig deep ( that is a beautiful thing) and focus on that ONE THING… The culmination of all those 8 long days of taking our trained bodies out of what it is used to and into the extreme….Seeing the determination and will on each and every face out there, no matter if they finish in 4 hours or 8 hours … Is something huge to bring to the rest of our lives…at the finish line Simone gets on my shoulders, I waver a bit with done – in legs and stand up and run over the finish…minutes later we take in the Magic of a finish line …. The feel of satisfaction and look of joy and exhaustion mixed together …. Soooo cool… Don’t want to talk .. Just want to look… As Simone and I clank our Champagne glasses together we both look at each other as we do every year and say ‘ Not again next year… No way’

8 days, 4 countries, 261 km, almost 16,000m climbed… Ready for a bit of a rest ….

As I woke up at the Camp ( open Gym where everybody sleeps n the floor) having slept maybe 3 hours… I hear the rustling of bags, hustle bustle and some flatulence as people walk by … All I can say is I am always glad Simone and I choose our own accomodation. Simone slept outside under the stars as there is not a chance sleeping with all the snoring and sounds in a room with a few hundred people ….

To any of you trail runners out there feeling the itch for this Event.. Don’t think twice .. Enroll yourself .. Commit to something a little crazy… That’s where all the magic happens… Then come visit me in Innsbruck for a TAR training camp!!!! Yeeeheaaaaaaaa!
Thanks for all your energy, support and comments throughout the week!
You all absolutely ROCK!

 

 

 

 

 

If you enjoyed reading about this adventure and want to hike in the Alps visit: www.livinadventure.com