WINTER 2013 ISSUE 4
2012 Canadian Trail Awards
LOST! on my first 100 miler p.19
5 steps
CLARA HUGHES Interview with an Olympian p.13
BEGINNER TIPS p.28
to true trail enjoyment p.4
oleg tabelev Storming Alberta’s ultra scene p.8
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What’s Inside
COVER: Luc Hamel (Team Salomon) is an elite trail runner from Ayer’s Cliff, Quebec, including podium finishes at Montée d’Orford and Montée Sutton trail races in Quebec and a fourth place finish at 2010 TransRockies with teammate Junior Maheu. Hamel is also one of the coaches of the Club de trail Le Coureur, the largest trail running club in Canada. Photo credit: Michel Caron.
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2013 The north face trail ambassadors
Wandering in the dark by Joanne Schmidt
Editorial EDITORIAL
5 Tips to truly enjoy your favourite trails
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The Bit Between Your Teeth by Keith Iskiw
Loving the Trails!
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LOCAL CLUB PROFILE
15
Oleg Tabelev Record Holder INTERVIEWS
Clara HUghes
Runners of Compassion
REVIEWS
Columbia Triple Trail II Shell
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The North Face Ambassadors: Gear of the Year
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Saucony Kinvara TR Osprey Viper 9 Compressport Pro Running Socks Merrell Bare Access Arc Columbia OmniHeat Baselayer long sleeve Suunto Quest
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28 ROUNDUP
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Trail Roundup by Keith Iskiw
Coach’s Corner
by ‘The Trail Guy’ Mike Suminski
29 trail Rx
Osteopathy by Isabel Ostrom
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2012 Canadian Trail Running Awards
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BC TRAILS PHOTO ESSAY by Sasha Brown
www.trailrunner.ca | 3
Editors
Editorial
Jonathan Schmidt Isabel Ostrom Design & Layout Alex Whyte Advertising & Marketing
Five steps to true trail enjoyment I have to admit, I’m quite spoiled with the trails I have close to my home in Lethbridge, Alberta. After only a few short minutes on pavement, I can literally run for hours without worrying about a car or a traffic light. It’s just me and the trail. No, these aren’t epic mountain switchbacks, but they are beautiful and inspiring trails void of the city sounds and full of wildlife, colour and inspiration. The majority of Canadians live in cities and most of us rarely get to scamble up mountains or through coastal rainforests. Which means that you, like me, must find the beauty that is near you. From coast to coast to coast we are blessed with incredible natural beauty and lots of it can be accessed from your back door. The trick is finding your favourite trail and discovering its subtleties, its beauty, its animals, birds, and plants. Here are a few tricks I’ve used to truly discover all there is to know about my favourite local trails.
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First, notice how the trail changes during different times of the day or throughout the year. Notice the beauty of the shadows in the early morning light or the joy of a sunset/sunrise from your favourite perch. Second, learn about the natural landscape you run in. Go to a local nature centre or browse the web to learn about what animals or plants you might see on your run that you didn’t know about. One of my favourite sightings was a salamander, since I’d never seen one before (the run in with the bull snake is a different story). Third, run with a local historian (aka ‘know-it-all’). Sometimes older runners know about the local history of the area and tell you fascinating stories you might not otherwise know or take you to hard to find places with historic significance.
moving slower. Go out for your hard run, but then, instead of heading home, recover on the trail, keeping your ears and eyes open. Five, pitch-in. I know plenty of trail runners who take serious pride in joining local volunteer groups to do trail maintenance or cleanup. Many races in the USA are now requiring a certain number of volunteer hours before you can enter the race. If your race season feels far away or even if you don’t race at all, use these tips to get the most out of your local trails. Pretty soon you may find you’re the local ‘historian’ taking all your buddies to your favourite trails so they can share in the beauty and inspiration.
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Fourth, run slower. I hate saying this, but it’s true. You notice more when you’re
Jonathan Schmidt is co-editor and administrator for TrailRunning Canada. He can be reached at run@trailrunner.ca.
Jonathan Schmidt Contributors Isabel Ostrom Keith Iskiw Joanne Schmidt Mike Suminski David Pasivirta Sasha Brown Jonathan Schmidt
Have a comment or story? Write or email us to: TRAIL RUNNING CANADA 124 Lakhota Cres. W Lethbridge, AB T1K 6H6 run@trailrunner.ca www.trailrunner.ca Copyright 2013 TrailRunning Canada
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InterviewS
Q&A with Record Holder Oleg Tabelev by Joanne Schmidt Probably what I have discovered more than anything since I began trail and ultrarunning is that trail runners are really nice and humble people. I feel that although I just stumbled into this sport as a nobody, I can chat with the superstars of the sport, toe the line with them, and share a good laugh and hug when the race is done. Since I started trail running in 2009, I have had the great honour to have become friends with my ultrarunning hero Oleg Tabelev. Despite his recent wins in 2012 at FastTrax 100km, Sinister 7, Lost Soul Ultra 100km and
HURL Elkhorn 50 miler in Montana, I managed to track him down for an interview. TrailRunning Canada (TRC): Tell me a little bit about yourself—did you run when you were younger? Play other sports? When did you start trail running? Ultrarunning? Oleg Tabelev (OT): I started running, more or less seriously, a few years ago. I did run when I was younger because running was a part of the cardio training regime in my university’s alpine climbing club, with an occasional race thrown in for fitness evaluation or ranking. But it was not something
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I excelled at or was passionate about. Besides, I do not think that back in Russia we had organized races of the magnitude of, say, the Calgary Mother’s Day Run, with its carnivallike atmosphere and thousands of happy runners and walkers. I can definitely attribute the running bug I caught to that particular race, which my family and friends have supported for many years now. Trying to improve my road race results that seemed to have reached a plateau, about four years ago I signed up for the X/C Grand Prix series with the Calgary Road Runners, and that was the first time I raced on trails. The series is a terrific local event, both friendly (each race is followed by a lunch with a variety of soups!) and very competitive, with scores of Calgary running stars toeing the start line. These runners are truly inspiring to watch and race with. My transition to ultras must be similar to others: building up the distance to the half, then a full marathon, and curious to see if it is possible to run farther. I remember checking out the running calendar in Impact magazine some years ago, and thinking that ultra runners were a special breed of people. TRC: How many trail races do you do each year? How many ultras? OT: After a few finishes of the Gord’s Frozen Ass 50 (another local race held in February, which is rather fitting for a Siberian man), I took on a longer distance in 2010, so this year is only my third ultra season. Last year,
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I like being outdoors, preferably with my family and friends, and whether it is trail or road running, hiking or scrambling in the mountains, kayaking or biking, or skiing, anything other than spending the weekend home – I will take it. I think I got carried away and signed up for all but one Alberta Ultra Series events, in addition to a few cross country ski loppets and road races. As a result, it took me quite some to recover in the end, and I have no desire to be as aggressive with my race schedule this year! TRC: What do you find most difficult about trail running/ ultras and what is most thrilling/enjoyable? OT: I wish I could do just trail runs more often; running on your own, without the race pressure, must be very close to absolute joy. Races are a different story though, and while I immensely enjoy the camaraderie of the organized events, the races, obviously, bring us to certain mental and physical extremes. The notion of the highs and lows of ultra distance racing is well defined, but I am still amused witnessing the fight
of my own mind against my own body. It may be a very entertaining 20-hour long spectacle. TRC: Did anyone help get you into the sport? Who do you look up to or admire in trail or ultrarunning? OT: I do not have many heroes or role models, but most of our running community is fun to hang around with or to watch racing. We do this sport for fun, and seeing people smiling at the later stages of an ultra race (think Ellie Greenwood, for one) definitely makes the day brighter. I personally need to work on that aspect, as my own “race” face will turn a jug of milk sour! TRC: What is your favourite place to run or train? OT: All my training runs start right at my doorstep; we are very fortunate in Calgary to have such an expansive network of multi-use
pathways, and the northern hills, where I live, have plenty of demanding terrain to train on. My favourite place to run is any new place, naturally. My wife (who is the CEO, and the only member, of my very professional race crew) and I like exploring new cities and parks running them up, so the new favourite places to run are coming up easily. There are still hundreds of parks and trails out there to check, so it’s time to get busy. TRC: Can you tell me about your proudest moment in the sport? Your most enjoyable moment? The time you thought you were crazy for doing this sport? OT: Last year’s ACU and AUS series titles came as a great reward after a hard season, so I felt somewhat proud, but not too much. It is clear that the ultra running is, to some extent, an esoteric sport, and the titles do not really mean anything to general public,
including my non-running friends; I even suspect championships do not really matter to most of the runners – as I said, we generally run for fun, not for recognition. I do think that ultra running is an unorthodox (or should I say fringe?) sport: those involved in it must have tons of free time to accommodate countless hours of training and day-long races. We pay high race entry fees to purchase pain and suffering; I think the sport is ego-centric, considering all this time— including the volunteers’ and the race crews’, could be put to better causes. I think {all this} was recognized in the book, Born To Run, by dubbing ultra runners as “Mas Locos”. TRC: What is it that keeps you coming back to running trails? What race do you most look forward to in the year? OT: I have to say that I am not overly focused on trail running. I like being outdoors, preferably with my family and friends, and whether it is trail or road running, hiking or scrambling in the mountains, kayaking or biking, or skiing, anything other than spending the weekend home – I will take it. As for the particular races, I think most of them have their own appeal and special moments. I clearly remember and cherish: running the last leg of Sinister 7 on a single track marked with green glowsticks; the deer’s eyes returning the light of your headlamp when you are scanning the Lost Soul’s coulees in a search of reflecting flag; a beaver dragging a branch across the trail and coyotes
howling in the night of the IronHorse100. These moments make you want to come back—although you realize the experience is fleeting and will never be the same. (Note: Oleg won Sinister 7 this year and set a new course record in the Lost Soul 100 KM) /\/
Joanne Schmidt is Calgary trail and ultra runner. She was the 2012 The North Face Trail Ambassador for Alberta.
Photo credits: PG. 7 courtesy of IronHorse website
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The North Face and TrailRunning Canada are proud to announce the 2013 The North Face Canadian Trail Ambassadors.
“Trail running has opened up a whole new world to me. A natural world full of beauty and joy. My feet have led me along trails to hidden places that I never knew existed, yet can be found mere minutes from my house. Away from the noise of busy roads, I seek the deafening tranquility of the outdoors, broken only by a bird’s call or coyote’s howl.”
There was a great response to our second year call for applicants, with many extremely qualified submissions from across the country. The five chosen ambassadors represent a spectrum from recordbreaking runners to age-group winners and mid-packers. The North Face and Trail Running Canada are excited about the contribution these ambassadors will make to the Canadian trail running community in 2013. The North Face Canadian trail ambassador initiative represents a significant contribution to the trail running community in Canada. Catch the ambassadors at your local races and be sure to visit www.trailrunner.ca and read our quarterly digital magazine throughout the year.
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Stacey Cleveland
Female Region: British Columbia (Penticton, BC)
staceyontherun.blogspot.ca
Running Accomplishments: 2012 Canadian National Mountain Running Champion, 1st overall 2012 Scorched Sole 50k, 1st overall 2012Elk/Beaver Ultra 50mi, 6th place 2012 Chuckanut 50km
“First and foremost, I am a trail runner at heart, it allows me to connect back to nature and run for the love of running. I love the intensity and spirituality of running on unforgiving terrain, looking for and finding the trails less travelled and pushing myself to and beyond my limits.”
“I really fell in love with the trail this year... As a representative of Trail Running Canada and The North Face it will be most important to be heavily involved with the community. Races are for celebrating all the hard work you’ve put in through training, although training far outweighs the races in volume so being involved outside of the events is important too.”
Calum Neff
Male Region: Alberta (Cochrane, Alberta) thesoulofmyshoes.blogspot.ca
Kelly Wald
Female Region: Ontario (Barrie, ON) www.facebook.com/ kelly.anne.wald
Running Accomplishments: 1st - 2012 XTERRA Canadian Trail Championships 20km, 1st - 2012 Rundle’s Revenge 12.5km, 6th - 2012 XTERRA USA Trail Championships 21km
“It started with one winter trail run, and snowballed into a way of life. I love where I live, outside my house I can run single track trails for hours. The Canadian Shield has a lot to offer in the way of fun experiences spent trail running. This winter a small group of us will be out every Tuesday evening doing a trail run for anyone interested in coming out. It’s tons of fun to share what you love to do with others. I have a keen interest to help raise awareness of trail running in Ontario.” Running Accomplishments: Completed 2012 Limberlost 26km, 2012 Haliburton Forest 28km, 5 Peaks 2012 Rattlesnake Point 12.5km
Bob Nicol
Male Region: Saskatchewan / Manitoba (Winnipeg, Manitoba) winnipegbarefoot runners.blogspot.ca
Running Accomplishments: Completed countless trail races including: 2 legs of The North Face Canadian Death Race barefoot, Swamp Donkey 9 hr adventure run barefoot, Manitoba Trail Ultra 50km, Vulture Bait 50km, Polar Bear Run across Lake Winnipeg
“When I look at athletes like Mike Wolfe or Elizabeth Hawker, I’m inspired by what they have done, what they do and what they aspire to accomplish. So I want to be like them, to inspire people to move, to explore, to try new things, new challenges, to get outside and appreciate what’s already there, in front of us. What’s good is that people are drawn into this sport more and more every year.”
Maxime Lagacé
Male Region: Quebec & East (Ste-Julie, Quebec) www.youtube.com/ maxlagace
Running Accomplishments: XTrail Asics Sutton 10k 2010, XTrail Asics Orford 21k 2010, Ultimate XC Mont Tremblant, 58k, 2011, 8th, XTrail Asics Orford 21k 2011 7th, Defi Gerard Cote St-Hyacinthe 15k 2012 4th
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Education.
Inspiration.
Empowerment. Impossible2Possible (i2P) is a non-profit organization dedicated to using the platform of adventure and technology to educate, inspire, and empower the global community to reach beyond their perceived limits and make positive change in the world. There is no cost for schools, Youth Ambassadors, or students to participate in Experiential Learning Programs and Expeditions. To learn more, please visit www.impossible2possible.com. 12 | Issue 4: Winter 2013
Clara Hughes, Loving the Trails! by Isabel Ostrom One of the first things you sense when you speak to Clara Hughes about trail running is the passion she has about being outside and enjoying nature on her own terms. After 22 years as a competitive athlete and a stellar career as a six-time Olympic medalist in both cycling and speed skating, she has definitely earned the right to take her time to stop and smell the roses. Hughes may be the greatest Olympian our nation has ever produced; she is one of only five people to have podium finishes in the Winter and Summer Olympics, and is the only person ever to have won multiple medals in both. I spoke with Hughes just after she and her husband Peter returned from a week of
backpacking in Canyonlands National Park, Utah. In the time that has passed since Hughes competed in the London Olympics, she’s embraced trail running. She says she loves running because it makes her feel really good as a human being - “I love the simplicity of running, specifically when I’m trail running and outside.” She often runs near her home in the Wasatch mountains of Utah. She and Peter bought the place three years ago, as it was a perfect location when she was competing because of the altitude and proximity to an airport. Although officially “retired” Hughes still has a busy travel schedule so the location still fits for that reason, but she’s also developed a great
passion for exploring the backcountry on foot in her own “backyard”. Hughes has discovered that running is a great way to explore trails you can’t bike on - and now she aims for the trailheads she’d ride past when she was training for the Olympics. She heads out with a map, some drinks, and says she probably looks like “a total dork” compared to a pro trail runner! “Sometimes I will run trails instead of hiking them and I love how fast you can move on the trails when you run.” Ever the athlete, Hughes says she absolutely loves it when she can start running downhills fast - “just the agility, coordination, legs, muscles and knees going and letting yourself go - I’m like flying
down the trails like a little kid with a huge smile on my face!” And while she says she doesn’t like mountain biking on single track, since she started trail running on those type of trails she “totally gets it” now. Hughes takes pride in knowing the local trails close to her home and loves seeing moose, deer, and other wildlife. She mentions that one of her neighbours has set up a motion sensitive camera and has captured images of cougars, bobcats and bears, but that doesn’t deter her from going out alone. “Frankly”, she says, “I see far greater risk while running in Toronto!” On the trails she’s cautious and brings bear bangers - and admits it’s a risk she’s fully willing to
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take. She doesn’t run with music because she loves the silence and absorbing her surroundings, hearing the crunching underfoot and the sounds of nature. Her home overlooks a ridge and she’s making it her mission to know those trails inside out, following animal trails and bushwhacking. She also snowshoes, but hasn’t tried snowshoe running (yet). She loves exploring and then downloads her run from her Garmin when she gets back to see where she’s been. Hughes says she typically runs about 3 - 4 hours on average, with her longest run at 5 hours. She likes to run when she can, but because of her busy travel schedule she can’t always run on trails and is “kind of forced” to run on roads. Recently she was in Rwanda with Right to Play and ran on roads there (for obvious reasons). Lately she finds she’s searching out trails - for example, while in Toronto she ran from her hotel to the “brickworks
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trails”, and “probably got 2 miles in of trails on a total run of 20 miles, but they were worth looking for”! Since she just started trail running when she “quit being an athlete”, Hughes cannot name any favourite Canadian trails although she is familiar with many of the trails in Quebec’s eastern townships near her (other) home. However, Hughes looks forward to exploring many of Canada’s trails in the future, particularly in the Alberta Rockies, on the west coast and on Vancouver Island. As for entering a trail race, Hughes is not sure she wants to race and wants to stress that is not something she’s considering right now. “As the Wasatch 100 goes right near my house, I have run sections of it and find it so hard, with the huge elevation gain (and drop). It blows my mind that people can run that far and finish! I would never enter something like that without really preparing
for it. The terrain brings you to your knees if you don’t pace yourself.” Hughes is keenly aware of the fact that runners, like all athletes, can be susceptible to breaking down if they push their limits and do too much too soon. “You have to train the body, the muscle fibers for the pounding. I’m not willing to train for something like that right now.” She emphasizes that she really “respects it too much to just randomly say I’m going to do it. I don’t have a delusional sense about it - I don’t want to cripple myself!”
excellent entry on Hughes’ blog describes how she feels about running http://clarahughes.com/movementis-my-medicine/ As trail runners, we totally relate to the idea that “movement is medicine” and we heartily welcome you to our ranks, Clara. You are always an inspiration, and we wish you happy trails! You can check out Clara Hughes’ runs on Strava here: h t t p : / / w w w. s t r ava . c o m / pros/180317. /\/
To sum up, in Hughes’ words, “I just want to do what I want and not have to prepare to do something. It is more for me just the freedom of it - just a liberating thing right now.” An
Isabel Ostrom is a Calgary-based freelance writer, fitness coach and endurance athlete. Photo credits: PG. 13 & 14: Clara Hughes
Local Club Profile
Nanaimo, BC
Runner’s of Compassion by Isabel Ostrom Runners of Compassion (ROC) is Nanaimo’s largest running club with over 230 members. Founded in 2003, the Nanaimo Chapter of ROC has raised money to help support local families in need, local charities, and assists young people to overcome financial barriers so that they can participate in sport activities (not just running). ALL proceeds from membership and trail races are put directly back into the
community. So far they have put over $100,000.00 back into the local community! Another way that ROC has given back to the community is that two of their members founded and created the Coalition to Save Mount Benson. This two person coalition quickly expanded to include a collection of different user groups, and they were successful in saving the mountain that is the back drop to Nanaimo
from being logged. The large area they saved is now either part of the newly created Mount Benson Regional Park or is part of the Vancouver Island University Woodlands.
Clegg, ROC member and trail runner extraordinaire, to tell us a bit more about their club.
The social side of ROC is the trail running. They are known for their Saturday morning runs, generally held at a different location each weekend in and around Nanaimo. We asked Dan Brady, one of the founding members of ROC and Jeremy
Runner’s of Compassion Dan (ROC): ROC in Nanaimo actually started out of a marathon training clinic that used off road training as part of their training regime. After we had completed the Royal Victoria Marathon one year a few folks asked me
railRunning Canada (TRC): T How Did ROC get started?
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In our opinion, Nanaimo has the greatest network on the central island. There is a large mountain biking community on the island, so there are trails everywhere! if I would keep organizing a Saturday run for the 8 or 10 of us that were hooked on trails. 14 years later I still put out my weekly newsletter, “ Trail Bits”, and the distribution list has grown from the original 10 or so people to close to 300 people. We don’t get 300 on a Saturday morning, but we do get 40 or more on a regular basis. The original Runners of Compassion was started by Rob Reid of Victoria who also started the
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Frontrunners footwear chain. Rob and his partners in the Nanaimo and WestShore stores have always been huge supporters of all the charitable work undertaken by both the Victoria and Nanaimo Chapters. TRC: Tell me a bit more about your Saturday morning runs. ROC: All runs are on single track trails and are led by a knowledgeable trail leader and followed up by a “sweeper”. ROC will run in
all conditions and the best part is, they will show you some hidden spots around Nanaimo that you wouldn’t find on your own. We do have an introductory group on Saturdays, but people must be able to run at least 5-6 km before they can come out. We then take them out and start to push their boundaries a bit. It doesn’t take long for someone in the introductory group to have pushed themselves up into Group 1 or Group 2, which do run for longer periods of time (they generally try to split folks up into three different pace groups). The runs are generally about 75 to 90 minutes long, stopping every so often to tighten the group and make sure that everyone makes the correct turn at intersections. The Saturday trail runs have now expanded to include Monday night trail runs, which are all run on hard
core, nasty, gnarly single track. The Monday runs were originally a bit of a learn to run program as it did take some encouragement and guidance from those of us that were comfortable with trail running to get others to (1) first of all spend the money on a GOOD headlamp and (2) not to trip over their own feet! TRC: Is ROC run by volunteers or do you have any paid coaching staff? ROC: It is all volunteerbased. We do not do any specific coaching, we just like to show people how much fun the trails are. However, we do help out with a lot of the Learn to Run programs that are put on by the local high schools. We help with rabbits, marshaling, funds to buy water, snacks, etc and it is generally our members that are the teachers in the high schools that run the
programs. These programs culminate with a 6km trail around Westwood Lake. TRC: Does host races?
your
club
ROC: Each year, ROC hosts Fletcher’s Challenge which is in memory of a ROC member who was tragically killed in a car accident, Gavin Fletcher. There is a write up about him on the race website here: fletchers2012. blogspot.ca/p/why-thisevent-gavin-fletcher.html A new Fletchers Challenge race route is designed by ROC each year and it is kept secret from the racers until they are on course and even then they have to follow the flagging. In designing the race course we design it with the thought being, “what would Gavin have
liked?” so we include nasty, steep climbs, lots and lots of single track and as many water crossings as possible. ROC also hosts the Nanaimo Gutbuster trail race each year (see www.gutbustertrailrun. com/), in conjunction with Frontrunners. We move the start location between Westwood Lake Park and Colliery Dam Park from time to time and we do change the routing each year, just to keep things interesting and challenging. In 2010 this event was listed as one of the top 10 MUST DO Canadian trail races by Canadian Running Magazine. TRC: Have you noticed an increase in the number of people interested in trail running? Ultra running?
ROC: Our membership has remained consistent over the past few years, and we never have a lack of folks who are excited to come out regardless of the weather. The numbers increased dramatically in the early years of ROC but now our membership is fairly steady. The support we have received over the years from Frontrunners has helped. They would actually carry a stock of trail shoes in their store, whereas the other stores would simply give you a blank look and try and sell you a road shoe when you asked about trail shoes...... it wasn’t that long ago that people thought we were some kind of freaks for running in the dead of winter and blasting courageously through a thigh deep creek!
Ultra running is taking off in Nanaimo with credit for that needing to go to Jeremy Clegg. The feats he has accomplished are unbelievable and the more he has accomplished, the more folks want to run and train with him! TRC: What are your favourite trails to run on in the Nanaimo area? ROC (Jeremy): Personally I love the local mountain, Mt. Benson, however the membership at large would probably favour the excellent trail system found at the base of the mountain and surrounding Westwood Lake. (Dan) Trails such as “The Saddle”, K2, Chihuahua, Gavin’s Trail.
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TRC: Where else do you run on central Vancouver Island? ROC: In our opinion, Nanaimo has the greatest network on the central island. There is a large mountain biking community on the island, so there are trails everywhere! Aside from Nanaimo, other excellent central island locations include Ladysmith and Mt Tzouhalem in Duncan. There is also an incredible trail system in Strathcona Park, which is only an hour or so north of Nanaimo. We also have access within a few hours drive to the world famous West Coast Trail and Juan de Fuca Trail. There are also great trails in Port Alberni, Hornby Island, Newcastle Island, Cumberland and the trails in the Snowden Demonstration Forest just outside of Campbell River.
ROC does organize “road trips” to some of these other places. The intent with these day trips is to expose people to more and more of the fantastic trails we have on Vancouver Island. For more information about Nanaimo’s Runners of Compassion and how you can get involved, please go to their website at www. rocnanaimo.com. They vow, “we will get you wet, we will get you muddy and we will get you smiling!” /\/
Isabel Ostrom is a Calgary-based freelance writer, fitness coach and endurance athlete.
18 | Issue 4: Winter 2013
Photo credits: PG. 15, 16, 17, 18: Dan Brady
TRAIL STORIES
Wandering in the Dark by Joanne Schmidt
www.trailrunner.ca | 19
Facing your fears is one of the toughest things you can do in life. My first 100 mile race at the Iron Horse 100 in St. Paul, Alberta gave me no way out, no easy exit from two of my biggest fears, getting lost and being unbearably cold.
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The start was quiet and serene, a gentle swoosh of clothing and the pattering of feet on the ground in the morning mist. It didn’t take long for the sun to rise and as it did, I had my first glimpse of the backdrop for the race. Lovely fall colours, their edges obscured by the thick foggy air, brushed rolling hills, and fallen leaves forming a carpet along the roads and trails. The beginning of the race took us along a wooden walkway before crossing some roads and heading out into the countryside for the first few legs. I was in awe. It was stunning— rolling hills of red, yellow, orange and green leaves were the background for the ashen grey of those branches that had already
lost theirs. It felt both familiar and foreign. Leg 4 alternated between climbing over and crawling under barbed wire, running through fields and then along fences, up and down hills. I really enjoyed this part of the race as you would be running along steeped in one kind of landscape, then suddenly pass through some trees and find yourself gazing upon a completely different type of scenery—like entering scattered pockets of time, connected like squares of a quilt. The end of this leg was at one of my favourite spots in the race. Leaf-strewn rolling paths wound down gently through a park with lovely secluded historic sites popping into view through clearings in the trees.
This next leg proved to be long and chilly. I made several wrong turns, including one which involved backtracking. As it was dark, I had to make sure to be vigilant for stakes and flags. At Aid Station 6, I realized the act of stopping transformed me into a shivering mess. The bonfire held onto to me and I was terrified of leaving the fires’ embrace. Three of us, Hiro, Rene and, I started to run, and as funny as it sounds at 102 kilometres into the race, I got a second wind. I felt like I could sprint to the finish. When we reached Elk Point, a not so humorous situation unraveled. I got lost (again). This time in a town I had already been to on the way out. My thoughts were pathetic. ”Great, who gets lost here?”
I had clearly gone down the wrong road and the aid station was nowhere to be seen. As I wandered on the street, precariously close to panic, I tried to appeal to my rational mind, when a car appeared. “Hey, do you know of any good bars around here?” I couldn’t help seeing the absurdity and humour in the situation, dressed as I was in tights and running shoes, barricaded from the cold by several layers of gear. “Actually I am looking for an aid station”. “What’s an aid station?” “Well, I am running a race and it’s a place to get food and drink…”
2011 & 2012 IRON HORSE Top Finishers 2011 2012 100 Mile Oleg Tabelev (19:03) Mary Nielsen (25:27) 100 KM Michael Heath (11:04) Margaret Li (12:52) 100 Mile Relay Runners With Attitude (15:29) 100 KM Relay Runners With Attitude Too (10:33)
100 Mile Adam French (20:45) Joanne Schmidt (23:49) 100 KM Adrian Harvey (11:17) Stacey Shand (13:29) 100 Mile Relay Runners With Attitude (17:18) 100 KM Relay No Whining No Crying(9:28)
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“Oh, it has a big bonfire and cars…?” “Yes!!!” He sped off and returned to point me the way. I thanked him profusely and found it. It was then I decided I would wait for my good friend and experienced ultra runner Hiro. After he arrived we set off into the dark. We alternated between chatting and running in silence, one leading then following. And then we were lost. We wandered in the field, up to the fence line, back down and then stood waiting as another runner emerged from the darkness to spot the stake that had eluded us. Then, after an hour of quivering due to the cold and damp, my legs creaked back to life and I began to run again. Unfortunately, it was straight down a hill and into a bog, shocking the life into me and jolting me awake, back into the present of this long and delirious trek. Alas, I made it to the final aid station and it really felt like a piece of heaven, complete with a sauna-like tent, hot soup and my final drop bags. I didn’t linger long and after all the struggle, the end was becoming a reality. I left the aid station, plodding alongside Hiro with my feet aching and my eyelids falling asleep. Suddenly, Hiro alerted me to look up. It was incredible, the Northern Lights were dancing across
the sky. I felt mesmerized, drawn to their delicate flitting and prancing. Who sees all this in one day? Who is granted such a wealth of experiences propelled only by themselves? That final stretch felt long. I hurt, my feet ached, and I was sleeping as I ran. It was after all my first 100 mile race. But it was love at first plight. I was bitten. Hiro asked me if I wanted to finish together, a truly self-effacing act of grace; without him I would still be wandering in that field, but instead we ran together through the funnel of Christmas lights back to Reunion Hall and to the warmth of the bonfire, almost exactly one day later. I felt as if I had lived a whole life in that day, yet returned renewed to have the chance to do it all over again. As I sat in the glow of the bonfire, I reflected on the incredible experiences I had in the last 24 hours. I had seen so many amazing things that I had trouble comprehending the magnitude of it. I was completely spent, more mentally than physically. My first 100 mile experience serves as an inspiration for my next adventure. I am ready to set new goals, face new challenges and run right past my comfort zone. I may even be willing to run in the cold again. /\/
Joanne Schmidt is a Calgary trail and ultra runner. She was the 2012 The North Face Trail Ambassador for Alberta. Photo credits: PG. 19, 20, 21, 22: Scott Brass 22 | Issue 4: Winter 2013
Maui & Canmore, 2013
July 6th, 2013
JUNE 22-23, 2013
JULY 13th, 2013
AUG 13- AUG 18, 2013
JULY 27 - AUG 2, 2013
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The Bit Between Your Teeth by Keith Iskiw
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But only for those with true grit. And we are chock full of that, man – Hunter S. Thompson
I think, as a runner, I could be described as gritty. I will destroy myself to keep moving forward, to avoid losing ground. For some, it is an innate ability. I have had to endure some awful experiences over my short career in ultramarathoning to hone this mentality. I relied on it heavily at the Whiteface Uphill Road Race. Two weeks after winning the Haliburton 50 mile I signed up for this race in Lake Placid. I told everyone that would listen that I was just going down to give it a try (lie), that I had no expectation (lie) but deep down I knew that once the race started I was going
to grind out pace, coaxing every ounce of strength from myself till I was spent. It is part of the magic of racing, that moment when you realize you bit off more than you could chew but you still put your head down and get the job done. Whiteface Mountain is the 5th tallest mountain in the Adirondacks and the race takes place on the Memorial Highway from Wilmington. It winds its way up the road for almost 8 miles forcing the runners to gain over 3500 feet in the process. Although the footing is excellent the challenge is in the elevation gain, which for a guy from
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Ontario makes interesting day.
for
an
The start of the race is always a nervous time for me. I am sizing people up for the most part. Every one here looks fit. Really fit. I feel a bit out of place with the triathletes and road runners. I know I will have to work hard to place well in this field so I station myself close to the start, not right out front, but close, and wait for the gun. I will be honest, I don’t really recall much of the race. I put in a lot of effort over the first half to be in the lead group but was dropped by the top 4
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guys in the middle. My goal for the final 3 miles was to try and gain on 4th and 5th place but having slowed during the middle miles I lost contact with them. I found the wind the most challenging thing of all. Gusts of 70km an hour pelted me, forcing me to walk as it was futile to try and fight it. The best part was ascending high enough out of the tree line to enjoy the absolute beauty of the area. It was nice to focus on something else during those last 2 miles of switchbacks. When I rounded the last turn on the road I could
see the finish line and attempted to speed up, but that simply wasn’t going to happen. I enjoyed the final 400 meters as it was lined with people cheering and although I was spent I sprinted, just a little, through the finish line in 6th place.
I loved this race. So much so that next year I am going back as fresh as possible to give it a true effort. If anyone feels like a running challenging course in a spectacular place, I have room for 2 in my car. /\/
Keith Iskiw is a trail and ultra runner from Kingston, Ontario. He was the 2012 The North Face Trail Ambassador for Ontario Photo credits: PG. 24, 25, 26: Keith Iskiw
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HI-TECH MATERIALS www.trailrunner.ca | 27
2012: A year to remember it is a place to showcase Canadian stories. 2012 had many stories. Gary Robbins’ return to racing after a year of injury. Adam Campbell doing what Adam does so well, competing at an elite level and remaining playful and joyous about the adventure. The Trail Round Up is intended to tell the stories that happen when we step out onto the ledge. It isn’t necessarily about the elite athletes that produce extraordinary efforts. Its intention is to remind us that at every race there are possibilities and that no victory is guaranteed. Even more so than that,
Let’s not forget Cody Gilles’ record on the Bruce Trail, Scott Garrett’s incredible year of racing twelve 100 milers in as many months or John McAlister’s win at Haliburton after the loss of his brother only three days earlier. These are the stories that provide us with hope and camaraderie. We share the experience and gain the
Coach’s Corner
knowledge to do better or even attempt something that its not guaranteed. We want to tell your stories, give them a voice and share them in our community. 2013 has much to offer. New races in Quebec like La Chute du Diable and Ultra Trail Harricana Charlevoix are giving eastern Canada reason to take notice of the growing community of passionate runners and race directors in La Belle Province. Classics out west continue to shine with the Canadian Death Race selling out to capacity, The Squamish and Meet Your Maker 50 milers providing all of us a chance to race with the elites and attempt greatness.
Columbia Sportswear plays a huge part in helping us produce this column and we thank them for their support. We will from time to time bring you reviews of some of their fine products as part of our coverage. We receive numerous submissions and there is a lot to keep track of - please keep emailing us your stories and we will try our best to stay on top of things to share your adventures with the trail running community. Please contact Keith Iskiw at keith@trailrunner.ca Happy Trails! /\/
with ‘The Trail Guy’ Mike Suminski
New to trail running?
Try these 5 steps to an energizing experience every time you hit the trails. Step 1: Proper Footwear The first step is having a trail shoe. Trail shoes give you increased traction, which makes running easier in challenging conditions and on varied terrain. Step 2: Hydration Second, have a proper water pack system. If your trail run is for more than an hour your body needs fuel and water. Step 3: Proper Pacing Once on the trails, start out slow and easy, let the trail and the conditions set the
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pace. If you feel you’ve gone out to fast, slow down the pace, adjust your stride and focus on breathing and arm swing. Don’t push it. Step 4: Seeing the Trail Always look approximately ten feet ahead so you can see the upcoming terrain and avoid obstacles. Than lift your feet slightly higher than you would if you were running over pavement. Stay focused on every step and think only of a good running form (head up, relaxed shoulders) and breathing.
Step 5: Conquer the Hills When approaching a hill do not exceed lactate-threshold level for long (point in which lactic acid begins to build aka burning pain), switch to a power walk. Go forward with your hands on your quads and a heel to toe stride along with a steady rate of effort. When going downhill, shorten your stride and increase your leg speed (aka -turnover) to stay in control and continue to look ahead of you, scanning the trail for obstacles.
By making these basics a habit, you’ll run easier, faster and with more fun on the trails. /\/ ‘The Trail Guy’ Mike Suminski can be reached at coach@mikesuminski.ca or www.thetrailguy.com. Check out his website for video interviews with elite trail runners, coaching advice and other great trail running resources.
Osteopathy
A Manual Therapy to Consider
TRAIL RUNNING Rx
by Isabel Ostrom How many of you have had a niggling running injury or muscle imbalance that doesn’t seem to quite go away, no matter how you treat it? I’m sure many of you can relate to that frustrated feeling of doing as much as you can to treat an “issue” through various treatment modalities, only to suffer the same symptoms weeks, months and sometimes years later. Well, there may be something that your chiropractor, physiotherapist, or massage therapist has been unable to detect. Osteopathy is a manual therapy you may not have considered, or even heard of in the first place. Last year, at the suggestion of a friend, I decided to see an osteopath. While rather skeptical of alternative therapies, I’m willing to try anything if it might help me. The experience was revelatory and it made me seek more knowledge about osteopathy. The philosophy of osteopathy is to treat the body as a whole and to acknowledge the relationships between the body’s structure and function and its innate ability to heal itself. The notion is that if one part of the body is
suffering, the rest of the body works harder to compensate for it, with the end result being inflammation, stiffness or pain. Founded by Dr. Andrew Taylor Still in the 1870s, there are two streams of osteopathy recognized internationally: a medical stream of osteopathic physicians and surgeons (trained in the United States), and a manual stream of osteopaths, prevalent in the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Canada represents a unique situation as it is one of a few countries worldwide in which both types of osteopathy are represented. Osteopathic manual therapy focuses on the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the body’s structure, whether it is related to the pelvis, peripheral joints, organs, nervous systems, venous system or spine. Treatment is tailored to the individual, and manual techniques are selected which are appropriate to that individual’s needs, to restore balance and function to the musculoskeletal system, allowing healing to occur naturally.
Each osteopathic practitioner will treat you differently, based on their own particular skill set and education. An osteopathic treatment typically takes between 1 and 1.5 hours. According to the Canadian College of Osteopathy, most patients will feel considerable relief after about three to five sessions. So, what’s so special about osteopathic manual therapy? One the things that makes it unique is a highly developed sense of touch called “palpation”, used to identify points of weakness or excessive strain throughout the body, both superficially and deeply. Another unique thing is the attention to the body’s organs and fascia (connective tissue). An osteopathic practitioner may identify that your injury originates from somewhere you had not considered before, not necessarily where you are having your symptoms.
has found that osteopathy is the “missing link” to her training and practice. As someone who has been practicing athletic therapy for 12 years, Wendy finds that learning about osteopathy is providing her with solutions to her patients’ problems that stymied her before. She says the osteopathic approach ensures a more effective diagnosis of the true cause of the problem and effectively integrates local and global treatment, significantly reducing the chances of the condition becoming chronic, improving the overall functioning of the body. As osteopathy is currently not a regulated profession in Canada, do your homework to find an experienced and credible practitioner. For more information or to find a practitioner in your area, go to: www.osteopathy.ca /\/
To help explain why osteopathy works, I spoke with Wendy Laythorpe, a Calgary-based athletic therapist who is currently studying at the Canadian College of Osteopathy to become an osteopathic manual practitioner. Wendy
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2012 Canadian Trail Trail Running Canada and impossible2Possible are pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Canadian Trail Running Awards (2012). There were over 50 nominations for four award categories.
Canadian Male Ultra Trail Runner of the Year - Adam Campbell Adam Campbell (far right above) from Vancouver, BC had another incredible year on the world ultra running scene, despite reducing his racing schedule due to injury. He began the year with a win at the highly competitive Chuckanut 50km in Fairhaven, Washington, USA. Adam then ramped things up, completing his first 100 miler at the Ultra Trail Mt. Fuji in Japan and placing an impressive second amongst a world class field. He then came back to Canada to win the Arc’teryx Squamish50 21km race in August before heading to San Francisco for The North Face Endurance
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50. During one of Adam’s toughest races ever, with cold rain and wet muddy conditions, he took a wrong turn with the lead group and still ended up an impressive fourth overall. Adam’s commitment to the trail running community in Canada, combined with his world class results and determination makes him the 2012 Canadian Male Ultra Trail Runner of the Year. Congratulations Adam. Honourable mention: Scott Garrett for completing twelve 100 milers in 2012.
Canadian Female Ultra Trail Runner of the Year - Ellie Greenwood In 2012 there was only one word to describe soon-tobe Canadian resident Ellie Greenwood - unbeatable. Few people know that it all started in February, with Ellie beating the entire local field at the Frozen Ass 50k. She then followed it up by traveling south of the border to win the Chuckanut 50k followed by American River 50 miler. Greenwood then crushed the course record set by legend Ann Trason in 1994 at the Western States 100 miler by 50 minutes! No rest for the weary, she continued to storm the trail running world with wins at White River 50 mile, Arc’teryx
Squamish50 50miler, UROC 100km and JFK 50 miler. The trail running world may never see another year of such dominance on a global stage at such a range of distances. Ellie’s incredible determination, ability to perform at all distances, lovable personality and ability to encourage and connect with the trail running community makes her the 2012 Canadian Female Ultra Trail Runner of the Year. Honourable Mentions: Melanie Bos, Abi Moore
rail Running Awards
Canadian Trail Running Performance of the Year - Cody Gilles At the beginning of 2012 rumours began to swirl about a young man named Cody with a big goal - to set a new fastest known time (FKT) for the 885km Bruce Trail in Ontario. Few in the ultra and trail running world knew about him and I think few felt he would be able to endure the continued mental and physical toll that such a challenge was sure to pose. Over the course of the year Cody continued to pour in some big training mileage and seemed to have done all the proper planning. In addition he was raising money for a cause dear to his heart, pediatric care at
Headwaters Hospital. Cody supported by trail running community in Ontario tackled the tough terrain one day at a time and finally touched the monument in Queenston Heights at the termination of the Bruce Trail with a new fastest known time of 12 days 7 hours and 39 minutes, over a day faster than the previous record. Along the way he inspired many runners young and old and a few days after completion he reached his fundraising goal. Honourable mention: Ellie Greenwood: Western States 100 course record
Canadian Trail Running Contributors of the Year - Dave McMahon & Lise Meloche There are few people that are able to give of oneself to others and at the same time achieve amazing personal goals. Few great coaches are also great athletes. Dave McMahon and Lise Meloche are just some of those unique people. Dave and Lise organize what may be the largest trail running club in Canada, all the while training as elite masters athletes. Together they have created many helpful trail running resources, including books and DVDs for both beginner and advanced runners. Dave
and Lise’s enthusiasm for trail running has made the Ottawa-Gatineau region a hotbed for Canadian trail running. Despite being in the business of coaching, Dave and Lise offer many free trail running clinics, fun runs and advice to beginners and elites alike. They both encourage a lifelong approach to running, exercise and health that is a model for runners everywhere. Honourable Mentions: Jodi Isnor (Nova Scotia), Kamren Farr (Alberta)
Awards: Winners of the awards will receive a professionally custom framed 8x10 photo with text indicating the award and year, a pair of Compressport trail socks and Compressport calf sleeves and other prizes TBA.
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BC TRAILS
a photo essay by Sasha Brown I am often asked if I have a favourite trail run. I find this a difficult question to answer, as each trail I’ve run has different things to love. I’ve pondered this again recently, and have reworded the question in my mind to be: “what trailrun would I recommend to others that showcases unique terrain, epic views and alpine?” While we have many alpine trails all around us in BC, the season during which they can be accessed is exceptionally short. As such, August and September are perfect months to head up one of the many trails between Vancouver and Whistler (the sea to sky corridor). Which trail run would I recommend? It would have to be a combination
that includes the meadows and views surrounding the iconic monolith Black Tusk. The trails in this area of Garibaldi Park are impeccably maintained, easily accessed, and well signed, making it the perfect choice for trail runners visiting the Vancouver area. The views are unique and spectacular but rather than spend words describing them, I will instead let pictures convey the beauty. If you are willing to drop a car and shuttle, this run can be done as a point to point from the Cheakamus Lake trailhead to the Rubble Creek trailhead (or in reverse), or
as in-out from either parking lot. It is worth spending the time and energy to head up Panorama Ridge, as well as to the shores of Garibaldi Lake. Plan to cover 25-35k depending on the route you choose, and allow enough time to enjoy many stops along the way. The only downfall of these trails is that they can be busy with dayhikers and backpackers, as many attempt to experience BC’s elusive alpine beauty.
Local Trails
The pictures are from three runs, in three different years, but all highlight the incredible landscape. Black Tusk is surreal from any angle, and the views of meadows, lava fields, glaciers and lakes constantly change.
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EXPLORE MORE! Garibaldi Park
Sasha Brown is a trail and ultra runner in North Vancouver, BC. She was the 2012 The North Face Trail Ambassador for BC. Photo credits: PG. 33-39: Sasha Brown
www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/garibaldi There are two trailheads, as the tusk can be approached from either end. The Rubble Creek Parking lot is the most common/ popular, and the other is Cheakamus Lake Parking Lot. As a point to point, a car would be dropped at one parking lot...
www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ garibaldi/#Location
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REVIEWS
Columbia Triple Trail II Shell by Jonathan Schmidt When you run through Canada’s harsh winter conditions you need to be adequately prepared to counter the effects of frostbite, frigid temperatures, sleet, snow, blasting winds and everything else winter can throw at you. A large portion of the jackets devoted to running are designed for temperatures around freezing, but not much below. Light shell jackets are extremely common, but fail to provide much protection below -10 degrees. I and the trail runners I know simply wear multiple base layers under their shell jacket to survive temperatures down below -20 degrees Celsius. The Columbia Triple Trail II Shell Jacket allows a runner to save a few of those base layers and still maintain core temperature when the mercury creeps deep down. The Triple Trail II could be
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considered medium weight at 23.2 oz., somewhere between a light shell and a puffy insulated ski jacket. The multiple layers of OmniTech/Wick/Heat® breathable materials provide all the layers you really need within the jacket itself. One of the most unique features of the jacket is the large front pockets, strategically designed within the entire front of the jacket, giving you ample room to store gloves, hats, keys, ipod, etc. during or after the run. The hood, underarm venting and dual directional zipper are nice additional elements to the Triple Trail II. The ability to zip up from the bottom allows for increased movement during running, while still providing the benefits of the rear drop hem for kick up from mud and slush. The Omni materials and jacket
design does provide for limited flexibility, hence the need for the reverse zipper on the bottom of the jacket to allow optimal hip and leg movement while running. I tested the jacket in a variety of snowy and wet conditions from 0 to -15 degrees Celsius. The jacket performed well in most conditions, except it was definitely too warm at close to freezing temperature, even with only a light short sleeve underneath. In the colder weather conditions there were no problems with warmth or breathability and I suspect it would hold up well into the -20s. If you’re into pure speed there are some points of restricted movement, for
example in the arms, but if you find the proper size and adjustments this can be minimized. Also, this jacket is designed for very cold temperatures where you’re not likely trying to set any speed records and thus willing to sacrifice some top speed for increased warmth. I’d highly recommend this jacket for those looking to stretch their trail running to a full 12 months of the year regardless of outside temperatures or conditions. /\/
Salvationist MSRP $350 CDN
Link: www.columbiasportswear.ca/
The Dion Eastern Ontario Snowshoe Running Series Presented by
Dion running snowshoes available in Canada at www.HealthandAdventure.com www.trailrunner.ca | 41
The North Face Ambassadors: Gear of the Year
These are a few of our favourite (running) things
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The outgoing 2012 The North Face trail ambassadors were asked about their favourite gear of the year. Here is the list from three ambassadors. Chad Sawatzky (Sask/Man) There are three things that I do not leave home without when I go for a run. 1. The North Face Double Tracks. The Double Tracks provide a softer ride (because of the plush cushioning) than the Single Tracks, which is important when you are carrying over 200 pounds! The traction is also an added bonus when running in the Saskatchewan winters! 2. Nike+ Sportwatch GPS powered by TomTom. I am not a very techno savvy, but since receiving my Nike+ Sportwatch
as a Father’s Day gift, I rarely go for a run without it. The watch keeps track of my records: longest run, fastest mile, fastest 5k, 10k, half marathon and marathon. Once your run is completed you can download a virtual map of your activity and share it on Facebook or Twitter. 3. Bodyglide. I am a large runner with large thighs. My quads and hamstrings make up my V8 engine, but they also create a lot of friction and chaffing. Bodyglide has proven its worth in gold on many runs.
SASHA BROWN (BC) As the winter sets in and I reflect on this past year, I am keenly aware of the kilometers I have run and the hills and mountains I have ascended. I am in fact, more conscious of this than I have been previously, likely because I cared more than I have in recent years (due in part to the TNF ambassadorship), but mainly because I love my Garmin Forerunner 610 and it has accompanied me on almost every run. The FR610 fits like a normal watch, even on my tiny narrow wrists. Menus and Displays: I won’t go into copious amounts of details about the techy stuff, but I personally have found navigating through the menus to be simple and straightforward. These functions are operated by a simple touch screen that has worked easily and without fail, even with gloves in the rain. I can quickly swap between running and cycling modes merely by holding the lap/reset button down to display an option to choose between them. This might be one of my favourite features, with a close second going to the display of weekly and monthly totals (distance and time) for both running and cycling.
gone further than the display indicated. I have since learned that there are different sampling rates. The FR 610 can be set to a 1-second recording mode which is significantly better that the 3-6 second modes found in many other GPS watches. Battery life: My only complaint of the FR610 would be that, as an ultra-runner, the battery life is not adequate for long runs. It is listed at 8 hours, and I find that this is the longest it will live; with a HR monitor, and 1 second recording mode, the duration is closer to 5 or 6 hours. This is a significant shortcoming and I hope that Garmin improves this in new versions. I have found my Garmin to be inspirational; it has provided targets, whether for individual workouts or for weekly totals, and I know I have gone for runs I would otherwise have skipped in order to obtain or exceed a goal. It also lets me know when my body is exhausted and I need to rest. It has become a faithful training partner, and I feel naked when I run without it. http://sites.garmin.com/forerunner610/?lang=en
GPS: I had become annoyed by GPS systems that greatly under estimated distances. I knew in my heart and muscles that I had
JOANNE SCHMIDT (AB) Unhappy with my collection of hydration packs, this year I decided to try the Nathan HPL 008, and I was not disappointed. Compact and lightweight, the Nathan HPL 008 is ideal for long distances and hard efforts. It holds 1.5 L of water, and has a total carrying capacity of 2.87 L. Although it looks small, I managed to cram a load of gear and fuel into every nook and cranny without it ever feeling bulky or awkward. There are two front pockets— one mesh holster and one zippered; the fabric is stretchy so I can endlessly stuff gels into them without running out of room. For Sinister 7, I carried an extra headlamp, a jacket, a handheld bottle, bear spray, multiple gels, safety matches, a space blanket, first aid kit, extra gloves, gummies, bars and more.
After a day of racing, covered in mud and GU, it was also nice to be able to throw the whole thing into the wash and have it come out looking brand new. The bladder itself is easy to clean and turns inside out to dry. I liked the Slideseal™ top closure; refilling was like pouring into a stiff ziploc bag—much easier than twisting a cap and refilling through a hole when exhausted and cold. The only criticisms I would make are these; the first is that I never quite figured out how to clean the drinking tube. The second is that it hurt my spine somewhat when the bladder was full. However, overall the Nathan HPL 008 is a wonderful pack and I am excited to see where it takes me next year—UTMB here I come! /\/ www.trailrunner.ca | 43
Osprey Viper 9 Hydration Pack by Isabel Ostrom
Saucony Kinvara TR The Saucony KinvaraTR is the trail edition of Saucony’s popular Kinvara road. The KinvaraTR is a low profile, 4mm drop shoe, suitable to those runners looking for less cushioning and a more aggressive lighter feel. At 240 g (7.9oz.) you’ll be hard pressed to find too many shoes lighter than the KinvaraTR. The uppers are quite comfortable as they are made from a thin flexible material called FlexFilm. The material wicks away moisture, provides weather and waterresistance and adds to the shoes light, yet comfortable feel. The midsole has more cushioning than you might expect in a 4mm drop shoe and I’ve appreciated this while traversing many rocky trails as well as during any pavement running. In my opinion the best feature of the shoe is the outsole, an extremely aggressive tread that takes on all types of terrain, including ice, snow, mountain passes, loose sand, rocks, and scree. I took these shoes out in numerous snow and ice conditions and
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they provided great traction where many other shoes would have failed. The downside of these shoes is the fit. They are simply too narrow. At first I thought it may just be my feet that don’t fit these shoes properly, but unfortunately it’s a wider problem as evidence from complaints around the internet. The toe box narrows very quickly from the mid foot, such that problems with numbness can occur if you don’t keep the front laces quite loose. I love many aspects of this shoe, the light weight, aggressive tread, and comfortable upper, but all that’s missing is a few extra millimeters of space in the toe box for the perfect fit. The Saucony KinvaraTR is best suited to those with narrow feet looking for a light weight aggressive trail shoe. Hopefully Saucony will heed the complaints and produce a revised edition for wider feet in 2013. /\/
straps and hip and back support so it would not be great for long days. It has a relatively small capacity so it only fits an extra layer or two and your food/snacks when the hydration bladder is full. Unfortunately this model does not have a bungee system on the back, which is really a must-have for me. It does have an expandable exterior pocket to stuff things in but I would be worried about them popping out when running. I would describe the red Osprey Viper 9 hydration pack I received as a light day pack, more geared towards cycling. The most unusual feature is Osprey’s 2 litre “Hydraulics” hydration reservoir which has an odd, rigid handle that extends down the length of the reservoir. It took me a while to figure out what that was for - it is to keep the hydration bladder from collapsing and it also makes it easier to insert and remove from the pack when stuffed. This is a “men’s specific” pack, which really means it has a longer torso size. As I am tall, with a long torso, the pack actually fits me fine so I’d rather think of it as a “long” pack than “men’s specific”. The elastic sternum strap is very adjustable over the chest too. The Osprey Viper 9 cannot compare to a runningspecific pack as it does not have the features that make other running packs so comfortable (such as vest-style packs made by Nathan or Ultra Aspire, which distribute the weight evenly and eliminate bouncing and shoulder chafing). As far as performance, it is comfortable for light hiking and snowshoeing but lacks padding on the shoulder
The Osprey Viper 9 is a pack that I would definitely use for a mountain biking/ hiking combination or even commuting as it does have a special “Lidlock” helmet clip to secure your bike helmet, above the expandable outer pouch, which fits a bike helmet nicely. So, when you’re not riding, you can stash your helmet in there. It also has a really cool magnetic bite valve attachment on the elastic sternum strap (and on the bite valve of the hydration pack). This is really useful as it stops the bite valve from flopping around and dribbling all over you - great idea! There is also a small pocket on the shoulder strap that you can put your phone, GPS unit (or whatever) in - nice thought but in practice this pocket was so high on my shoulder that I couldn’t reach what was in it! There are also a couple of other pockets built into the pack to put some bike tools, extra tubes etc in. The pack can be cinched tight to your back so it doesn’t flop around while riding. To sum up, I can’t really recommend this pack for running but it is a nice, lightweight multipurpose pack that would be great for mountain biking or commuting! /\/
Compressport Pro Running Socks
Merrell Bare Access Arc by Isabel Ostrom
by Jonathan Schmidt
Compressport, known for its compression calf sleeves and socks, has come forward with a new running sock. The socks immediately attract your eye with bright coloured dots against a black (or white) background. The dots are not just a fashion statement though, they are a raised fabric (called “3D dots”) and according to the company, they are strategically placed around the heel, Achilles and forefoot to add cushioning, circulation and prevent the foot from slipping inside the shoe. The arch or midfoot is covered with another space-age fabric called ArchStim, designed to stimulate venous return (i.e. circulation) and also prevent slippage. The toe piece is yet a different fabric called ErgoFit technology, and uses a thin lightweight material to ensure the sock does not crease at the toe and result in an uncomfortable run. I found these socks to fit nicely, albeit tight as intended in the design. They worked remarkably well on the trail during short, long, cold and hot runs. Personally, I don’t pay too much attention to
my socks while running and I think that’s the way it should be. If socks work well they should allow you to pay attention to more critical matters during a race or training run. I wore these on numerous training runs and long distance races without any problems with blisters or overheating. They have lasted through a season of trail running and racing with minimal visible wear. The socks are based on Compressport’s compression technology, so expect a tighter, yet still comfortable fit. The only downside to these socks is that if you purchased shoes based on wearing thicker socks, you’ll have a bit of extra space in your shoes. Fortunately, though, the 3D dots do help with this aspect, but you may want a tighter fitting shoe. Overall the Compressport Pro Running socks provide cutting edge technology for your feet at a relatively affordable price. The greatest compliment you may pay these socks is that you won’t notice them at all. /\/ MRSP $19.95
My first reaction to the Merrell Bare Access Arc running shoes was pleasure - such a pretty blue colour, reminiscent of a tropical ocean (the colour is called “Adriatic blue” and with good reason)! My second reaction was disbelief at how light they are! At 4.9 oz (139g) per shoe it doesn’t feel like you are wearing anything on your feet - the perfect introduction to minimalist footwear, which is apparently what these shoes are intended for. Merrell’s Bare Access Arc has a 0mm drop that gives you the barefoot feel, but it also has added toe to heel cushioning (8mm midsole cushioning) that protects your foot from impact. These shoes are extremely comfortable, with a roomy toe box, so they would be ideal for longer runs if you are hesitant to run distance in your more minimalist shoes but still want to maintain that barefoot feel. The Vibram outsole is not particularly aggressive with its 2.5mm lugs but provides enough sticky grip that it is perfect for hard packed trails or pavement. Other features are the treatment of the
mesh upper to repel water and resist stains, and the antimicrobial Lycra neoprene lining (there is no removable liner). The flexibility and lightness of the Merrell Bare Access Arc gives it a very natural feel. I have a naturally high arch, relatively narrow heel and widish forefoot and they seem to fit my foot perfectly and in all the right places. The Merrell Bare Access Arc is not a shoe I would choose to wear in Canadian wintery conditions, but they are a perfect choice for spring. As I am transitioning from more traditional running footwear toward minimalist shoes, this is the first 0mm drop shoe I have tried. While I have not taken these shoes for a long run yet, they are so comfortable that I have been wearing them around and about all the time. So - whether or not you are keen on using these shoes to run in, I would also highly recommend them as a stylish, casual walking shoe! /\/ MRSP $110.00
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Columbia Omni-Heat Baselayer long sleeve
Suunto Quest w/ Heart Rate Monitor
by David Pasivirta
by Keith Iskiw
The first thing I noticed about the Columbia Omni-Heat Baselayer longsleeve was that it came in a really welldesigned sturdy plastic box (that I’ll keep around for reuse). The second thing was the metallic interior of the shirt. It looks like a space blanket turned into a baselayer. It uses Columbia’s patented Omni-Heat design composed of metallic dots that reflect heat back to your body, while remaining a comfortable and breathable design. I am 5’9” slim build and the men’s small fit well. I usually wear medium, but any larger would have been awkward to wear as a baselayer. Where it was snug it was still comfortable and I liked that the arms were longer, so that while I was running it wasn’t riding up or leaving my arms exposed to the cold. I first tested the baselayer on a mild November day where it was windy and sunny after a
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fresh snowfall in Fernie, BC. The temperature was about 2 degrees Celsius. It performed well, keeping my arms warm despite the wind, and when I stopped in the sunshine, I felt warm but not sweaty as it breathed and wicked moisture well. The baselayer seems to work well during both high and low intensity workouts in warmer and cooler temperatures, ensuring you stay warm and dry. One interesting note is that the reflective dots are not present on the sides of the torso. Specifically for running in colder weather it might be good to have them go all the way around, whereas for other activities it may not be as necessary. Overall, the Columbia Omni-Heat Baselayer LS is an effective baselayer for cold weather running, either underneath a shell jacket or on its own. The baselayer is also stylish enough to wear off the trail. /\/
The Suunto Quest is both form and function. This sleek and stylish heart rate monitor carries all the characteristics one would want in training watch but can still be used day to day without seeming clunky and obtrusive. Firstly as a training watch it works superbly. Tracking calories burned, allowing you to personalize your heart rate settings with target zone alarms and a even a website, Movecount.com, to upload your data to and help track your progress. The Quest is all that you would need to help achieve top form as an endurance athlete. Suunto units are anything but static. As with most of the Suunto watches I have used the Quest is scalable. You can pair your watch with any number of POD units to provide you with sport specific data. Foot, Bike and GPS POD’s provide much needed data in the form of distance, cadence and even elevation
in some cases. When paired with heart rate information the athlete can refine their training further to make sure that they are getting the maximum benefit from each and every training session. The Quest can also be uploaded with training programs so that you can keep track during your workouts with predefined intervals and rest. The customizable displays allow you to choose the pertinent information for yourself so that you have everything you need to see at a glance without fumbling through screens while in mid-session. Overall the robustly designed Suunto Quest has everything that I look for in a training watch and I have been very impressed with its durability, functionality and style. I look forward to using more in the months to come to bring along my fitness and help in my training. I think you will as well./\/
www.trailrunner.ca
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