To My Great Surprise, I Have Not Run Out Of Lessons....

Well, it was a great week in some ways, infact...I suppose it was a great week.
Last weekend in Lou of my trail training, I ran the Northface Whistler Half Marathon. I registered for it last year. Great event. In its second year, and truly flawless. The "swag bags" are superb. Top notch. Dryfit t's, water bottle, even a sun visor. All with Northface product.
I brought the kids along with some family and we made a weekend out of it. The kiddies did the "Little Rippers" race, which was a KM around the villiage. It is so important to me to let them experience such fun and reward. To my GREAT surprise I killed my own PB by 13 minutes. I couldn't believe it, thought something was wrong with my watch. I guess all that hill training is paying off!

The medal for the Half Marathon was a poster of a painting. It is really different, apparently there are a series of them. I plan on getting one every year.
The kiddies got ribbons and shirts too.

                                                                  Part of the Swag bag.
Just before the race started, I saw my first BEAR. Yay! I was so thrilled, he/she was only about 100 m away, had a good look at me and kept going. Sorry for the bad photo. I just about killed me to not get closer, but I was running a little late.

Our "Medal"

 Now for the embarrassing part... unofficial training night. (ugh)
I have mentioned this before in my lessons....but last night was crazy dumb. OH I am a Donkey.
I know to stay with someone, I do try. I have a couple of friends that I seem to catch on the runs usually.
As soon as we were on the mountain I found my legs were tired, I guess from running my tail off in Whistler (that's my excuse anyway) I wasn't far behind, but far enough...
I got a little confused with the trail but kept looking at my map to make sure I was on target.
I started to see some of the "Speedies" running down, part of me felt like I wanted to turn around and just head back, but noooooooo. Not the way I roll, so I had to go to the top solo.
I turned around and all of a sudden it seemed very confusing. Im not exactly sure where I went wrong, but the moment I realized, I b-lined it back to where I thought I would see the next wave of runners...but they had already gone....at least, I thought I knew that is where I would meet them...or had I been going the right way....

My heart was now starting to race as I was looking at the time and I knew that I was in trouble.
I heard water running and could not remember for the life of me if I had run over that creek.

Ugh, Focus, focus....focus....
I ran back and forth along a stretch for a few minutes before deciding I needed to start descent.
I saw a Mountain Bike trail, which clearly meant I was on the wrong path, but I felt comfort that humans had been there!!!
So I ran near it, but it was so slippery, so much wood.
I felt like I was doing everything wrong, and everything was going through my head about what I should be doing....
I had to run a little further off track to get to see get near the bike path again...seemed like I was always going left. I just wanted to go right, but there was nothing but dense forrest.
I then picked up my phone...the red light was flashing. WHAT? How could that be? I charged it all the way here...no battery? I went to put my phone away and I looked down and there it was....large paw track marks. FRESH ones. OMW.
I am wanting to panic, but know it isn't going to help. I picked up my phone and thought I just need to tell someone where I think I am...so I called my brother (of course I would) My sister in law answered just at the same time as I saw a BP marker on a tree...I felt immediate relief.
I also knew that I had a looooooong road ahead as I had gone way right.


I saw some Mountain bikers at this time and got some direction, I was quite far off base.
I managed to see one more runner with his dog too. It was so quite in there, getting dark and cooler...I thought I heard a voice. I stopped and waited. Oh was I happy to see him. He was so fast though, and I was so knackered. 3 hours in there, more that half of that time totally lost.
He waited for me at a few confusing spots.

When I was running down Cap Road back to the Cleveland Dam at full speed. (So happy to see pavement) I saw a familiar car. Oh CLIVE! He had waited for me. Saw my name was not checked out and waited.
I felt TERRIBLE and still do...but I was very appreciative of his patience. I am quite certain this is what he saw running down the hill....

I did think my phone was charged, I did have an emergency blanket...but it was not enough. Not this time.


I will NEVER do that again. Follow your gut. Turn around if you need to if it means staying with the Pack.
Or wait for the next ones.


Happy to get home, peal off my gear, stand in front of the fridge and slurp some soup and slip into bed.