The Struggle

..is real.

I know I'm not the only one who is having a hard time keeping up training while being forced to adapt to an ever-changing, endlessly complicated world. The weather hasn't helped, either; this week's mix of powerful wind, persistent cold, chilly rain, and stupid snow - sometimes all at the same time - has definitely not helped. So, I don't know who all needs to hear this, but..

IF YOU RAN IN NASTY WEATHER TODAY - I'm proud of you for getting out there!

IF YOU DIDN'T RUN TODAY DUE TO NASTY WEATHER - I'm proud of you for letting discretion be the better part of valor!

We all bloom better with some sunshine and warmth.

IF YOU RAN IN LOVELY WEATHER TODAY - I'm still proud of you for getting out there!

IF YOU RAN INDOORS TODAY - I'm proud of you for getting it done!

We all have to follow our own path

IF YOU DIDN'T RUN TODAY DUE TO FATIGUE, ILLNESS OR INJURY - I'm proud of you for listening to your body's needs, and I hope you're feeling better soon!

IF YOU DIDN'T RUN TODAY JUST BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T FEEL LIKE IT - I'm proud of you for taking care of your mental health, and ask that you please don't beat yourself up about it.

A rolling stone gathers no moss, but mossy rocks are beautiful!

IF YOU DIDN'T GET OUT OF YOUR PAJAMAS TODAY - I'm proud of you for making it out of bed. Have a glass of water; hydration is important.

Also, have this photo of a sunset along a riverside trail.

IF YOU DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT OF BED TODAY - I'm proud of you for letting yourself get some rest. You can try again tomorrow, or not.

For now, just let your mind and body fill with peace.

No matter how much or how little you accomplished today, it is enough - YOU are enough. High fives to all those who are still crushing their goals; you're doing amazing! If you fell short of what you wanted to achieve, offer yourself grace; it doesn't make you less worthy, and you can try again another time.

I know you'll get it, because you're awesome!

Now, if I can just remember to apply all this to myself when the days get rough..

The shoe doesn't always fit the other foot so well.

 Stay strong out there - wishing you all good health and peace of mind.

Oh yeah, and don't forget I'M PROUD OF YOU!

Stewardship

There seem to be a lot more people out using the trails these days.

I'm sure that will only increase as the weather improves.

As I ran down a local and much-loved trail recently, it occurred to me that this could be a wonderful thing.

The beginning of something..

While I know there are many longtime trail users - hikers, runners, and cyclists - that are irritated by the sudden influx of people on their favourite routes, my optimistic side tells me this could end up benefiting us all.

If it unfolds as we might hope.

If these new trail users realise how precious our outdoor spaces really are, we may be creating a whole new crew of people who will advocate for their protection. Who may be motivated to help with trail work - even something as simple as picking up one piece of trash while out walking - and pressure governing bodies to maintain trails and natural areas for all to enjoy.

Because these spaces are delicate, and need to be kept safe.

I know there is a huge issue with all of this: I'm assuming that these folks will actually care. I know that some of them may be currently behaving in ways that jeopardize - rather than preserve - the natural beauty around them. I worry about the green shoots I see along a particular section of trail; will they be trampled before they bloom into a glorious carpet of trilliums? Will people know that these flowers are protected by law as our provincial flower?

Perhaps - as seasoned trail users - that is our new calling. To educate, and hope that we can turn what could potentially be the ruination of our beloved trails into a new generation of stewards.

So we can all enjoy the trails for years to come.

So, my challenge to you is this: the next time you see someone out in the woods who may not be displaying perfect trail etiquette or respect for their natural surroundings, try to view it as an occasion for education rather than an annoyance. Show them (from an appropriate distance, of course) what they may have missed - the delicate leaves of a wild plant or flower just emerging above the soil, the buds on the twigs slowly beginning to unfurl into a green canopy, or the turtle sunning itself on a rock in the trailside pond. There are no real races in the near future for which we need to train intensely, so why not pause for a moment while you're out and try to pass along some of your love for your favourite places to people who are just discovering them for the first time?

Teach them to listen to the endless chatter of a rocky stream.

If we treat these newcomers to our trails with contempt, we miss an opportunity to create a new ally in the never-ending fight against the destruction of our outdoor spaces...and the trails need all the friends they can make!

We've all lost, but not lost all

It's not an easy time to be a trail runner.

Hazards exist

With Parks Canada, Ontario Parks, Grand River Conservation Areas (and all their managed lands), Credit Valley, Hamilton & Halton Conservation areas, and even the Bruce Trail closed to public access, there's very little off-road running to be found.

What few trails are open are often in rather poor repair..

..with no realistic hope of municipalities allocating resources to their repair any time soon.

Even our beloved Cambridge Farmers' Market is closed, so I've lost my usual Saturday morning run down to pick up our amazing local meats and produce.

We're finding ways to support local producers, but we miss seeing the friendly faces of our vendors!

I'm incredibly disappointed that the actions of some selfish, thoughtless people have brought us to this point. You see, the reason for the closures is that people were not respecting the physical distancing recommendations that have been drilled into all of us constantly for the past few weeks.

People who would ordinarily never be seen anywhere but their couch or perhaps the mall took to the trails and conservation areas in droves, gathering in groups, walking 2 or more abreast on trails, and not making space for others to safely pass. 

Singletrack got its name for a reason.

Had these folks gone out as single-home-dwelling parties only and offered the cushion of space required to avoid the possibility of infecting others, I would have welcomed them to the joys of experiencing nature on our beautiful trails. Instead, their lack of care and respect has meant that no-one gets to play in the woods in some of my most treasured spots anymore.

It's particularly difficult to find any hills worth training on that aren't paved.

I am also rather crotchety about all those complaining about being home all the time. As someone designated an "essential" employee, I'm grateful to still have a steady source of income...but as I'm still required to head to the office almost every day (I worked from home a total of 5 days in March - 3 of which were due to being ill - and none yet in April), and putting in very long hours due to the increased workload trying to ensure that our clients and their employees get all the necessary paperwork they need to apply for EI and other benefits, I rather envy you the luxury of boredom.

I'm exhausted, and have lost most of my outlets for stress relief on the trails.

This way lies happiness...and mud.

However, there are a precious few places left that I can get my trail fix. 

Though I'm loath to tell anyone where they are.

For the moment, we're still allowed freedom of movement away from our homes. While there's now the threat of a $100,000 fine and/or incarceration for using playgrounds, sports fields, or other outdoor recreation facilities like tennis or basketball courts, our provincial government has not yet closed access to green spaces and pathways, nor instituted a shelter-in-place order.

Yet.

So I beseech you: please consider others when you leave your home. To save lives AND our dwindling access to natural places, please only go out with those from your household and offer everyone no less than 6 feet of space. Be aware when using sidewalks, paths, and trails - no-one wins when you fail to make appropriate room, and we all stand to lose even more.

Heading to work on Monday is a lot easier to bear after some trail therapy on Sunday.

Be safe, be considerate, and be well.

Joy and coffee

I usually take Fridays off running.

Usually.

It's been a heckin' week, what with not knowing for the first two days whether or not I was still employed - the stress and fatigue from putting in long hours (even for me) working through all the Record of Employment requests I had from clients. I did my best to get them out the same day, because that was the only thing I could do to help all of the people for whom I was preparing them; I felt awful that they were losing their jobs, and wanted to try to get them support as quickly as possible.

It has not been smooth sailing this week.

I was too exhausted and stressed on Tuesday - when I didn't really get a lunch break, though I did manage to get in a bit of a walk - so no run happened. It would have to have been after work, and I just didn't have it in me anymore.

Sometimes you just gotta take a day.

Lunch runs happened the rest of the week, but I actually managed to get clearance to work from home - I'm apparently essential - for today.

Hallelujah

It was a long day. One just filled with problems. I did my best to solve them, and watched the sunshine break through the kitchen windows after chasing the cloud cover away.

I got to see our few crocuses - one of which is past its best - open for once!

It hit 10c (50f) with just the lightest breeze. To heck with "day off" - I was out the door moments after the end of my theoretical workday, which had started half an hour earlier than usual and had been without a lunch break. 

It's all road to get there and back, but there's about 100m of trail up in the high rent district.

I've run for so many reasons over the years. I've done it just as training for races (which are all cancelled for the foreseeable future), for challenges, for transportation, for health & fitness, and just because it's the only thing that ensures my trousers will still fit.

Today, I ran for joy.

The sunshine was glorious. I won't say I was floating - a lovely spring day doesn't improve the conditions of my legs at all, and they've been a bit tetchy lately - but I honestly didn't even mind the bit of soreness as I bopped up the road.

It's not trail, but a sidewalk will do.

A little less than 8km later it was back to my laptop and a pile of paperwork - grinding away long after the sun went down. I finally put it all away - not because I was done, but because I was getting to the point of doubting the quality of the work of which I was capable. I'm grateful for having that three quarters of an hour of sun-drenched happiness to carry me through.

These are tough times, and I hope you all get to do something that gives you joy. It doesn't have to be running, or even something active - I hope you read good books and create amazing things with fiber or flour; that you write and draw and paint things that may or may not be seen by anyone but yourself but that make you smile.

Waterfalls are definitely a source of happiness for me.

I hope you can find joy in small things and not let the stress wear you down. I wish you peace in your mind and hope in your heart, as spring begins to take hold around us. 

For those times you may need a little pick-me-up, I'm throwing in a totally random review of something I've just tried.

Alpine Start Coconut Creamer Latté 

Instant coffee usually sucks. I've seldom had a cup that isn't terrible, which has led to us sporting along a lot of space and weight's worth of coffee brewing equipment when we've gone into the backcountry, and spending a bit of time getting a cup together. French press, moka pot, percolator - it's all wonderful coffee, but it's not particularly quick. 

Since I'm allergic to dairy (and even regular non-dairy creamer has sodium caseinate in it, which is derived from dairy protein and gives me vicious stomach cramps), even most latté mixes are off limits. 

When I saw this stuff, I figured I'd give it a shot. The preservatives aren't great, but there didn't appear to be anything that would mess with me. I found the package in the cupboard today (we bought a few months back in anticipation of camping trips to come), and ended up trying a cup at nearly 10pm this evening...because where the heck do I have to be tomorrow morning?

It's not what I'll call awesome coffee, but it has a nice creaminess to it from the coconut creamer - which gives it no coconut flavour, if you're leery of that - but it's drinkable. No gut rot, and just enough caffeine to keep me alive to write this post.

I'll let you decide whether or not that's actually a positive.

It's not cheap - we paid about $13 for a box of 5 sachets from MEC - but for a fast-and-light backcountry trip, or even just when I need a really quick shot of caffeine, I'd buy it again. It's still cheaper than a latté from a café, and infinitely more flexible. Heck, I may just stick one in the UltraCooler™ if I need a lift during a race; while they often have coffee at aid stations for long races, they seldom have dairy-free creamer, and I'm not a black coffee fan. These just need hot-ish water; they dissolve really well with a quick stir, and even give a wee bit of foam. Super simple, and I think simple is something we can all appreciate right now.

Wishing you joy, and good coffee.

Where are we going

..and why am I in this handbasket?

At least the view is nice sometimes.

Events are cancelled. Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world are ill. There are shortages caused by greed, and breathtaking acts of generosity and goodwill.

There's a lot going on.

The trails emerged from the snowpack just in time to be submerged in meltwater along the Grand River.

Erhm..

It's supposed to be a trail, not a tributary.

A lot of flood damage has been done, at a time when no level of government is going to devote the tiniest amount of effort to their repair.

It's a very different-looking world than it was just a couple of weeks ago.

It's stressful and difficult, particularly knowing that the worst is still ahead. My boss refuses to let me work from home (despite it being easily managed, and in fact offered to me in the past), and is talking about having to close down the office for awhile, potentially putting me out of work entirely. 

..and some of the trails have got awfully narrow.

I don't know if I'm doing enough, and I don't really know for sure if I'm doing the right things, apart from washing my hands and sanitizing all the high-touch places I encounter. With the possibility of lockdown or the need to quarantine, I'm trying to prepare for something like a camping trip to nowhere, but of unknown duration and with shortages of various things I'd like to bring along. 

I don't have a pandemic pack list.
Yet.

I don't know how this will all turn out, or what our lives will look like once we come through.

All I know is that I have to keep moving. 

I may not have any races coming, but I'll be out there running. It may be away from my worries, or it may be to find joy on the trails. 

Most likely some combination of the two.

I wish you all good health and good luck for yourselves and those you love. Take care of your bodies and minds the best ways you know how, and try to remember that there is always room for hope and kindness.

We have to bloom where we're planted.

Be well - wash your hands!

Eleventy-leven

On Monday of this week, the 2019/2020 100 runs in 100 days challenge drew to a close.

As all things do, eventually.

Tanker said it felt like it had been quite short, but I - as the one out there trudging each and every step through everything from calm sunshine to raging winter storms - had to disagree. I felt like it had been long enough to fall into a routine; one that had become fairly comfortable, but that was now ending.

And let me tell you that even some of the sun-filled days had not been easy.

I took a fairly measured approach to this year's challenge, despite some changes to the base rules for the 100 in 100: while the requirement for a qualifying run was reduced from 30mins to 3mi (4.828km) OR 30mins, my own personal standard remained at 30mins or 5km, whichever came LAST. I thought I had given myself a bit of grace for a snowshoe run and counted it even though it was less than 5km (but more than 30mins), however looking through my logs I did actually push all of them to a minimum of 5.0km by my GPS watch.

Which really just goes to show you what a dork I really am.

Another personal requirement was that I run every day of each week except Fridays, which are my traditional day off. There were 15 Fridays in the challenge period of December 1st to March 9th, and I took 14 of them off - I did run (twice, actually) on Friday, December 27th, as I was in the middle of 5 days off work for the holidays.

Gotta make use of daylight when you can.

The final rule I put in place for myself was that I run twice on every day I was not at the office. With three exceptions, I fulfilled that requirement: one was a day on which I had to DNF a race due to severe knee and ankle pain, the other was the day I ran for 6 heckin' hours, and the last was the day after the 6-hour.

Even one run the day after a 6-hour was rather a struggle.

Thanks to weekends, holidays, and one day that I was working from home, I put in a total of 35 days with multiple runs. 34 of those were doubles - on the penultimate day of the challenge, I put in my only triple. I had run three times per day on 3 other occasions, but my 5-to-6-minute warm-up runs before the three snowshoe races I ran in February don't count for the challenge.

They count according to my legs, but not the spreadsheet.

So, to relieve the anticipation that absolutely none of you are feeling - the results!

Which are much more readable on the original page

With 121 runs in the 100 days, I ended up in 20th place overall, and what appears to be 2nd woman - the first place woman had the same number of runs, but significantly more mileage. It was also 1 single run more than I did in the 2018/2019 challenge, when I was also 2nd woman.

At 833.58km (517.96mi) of total mileage, I averaged 6.89km (4.28mi) per run - with 14 days off in the 100 day period, that gives me an average of 9.69km (6.02mi) per day of running, or 8.34km (5.18mi) per day of the challenge period. Amusingly enough, while thinking I'd run more last year, it turns out I put in a whole 0.61km of additional running in this year's challenge. So, lower average per run, but almost exactly the same on a per-day basis.

No runs were completed on a treadmill, though I will admit that 4 of them were on an indoor track, including the 6-hour. Many were on the roads due to conditions or time constraints - I have no access to trails I can run on my lunch break - but as many as possible were done on trails through ice, snow, slush and rain. There was one memorable evening when weather dictated my run take the form of 12 laps around my small crescent.

The end total of eleven squared was only partly by design - as I came into the final week, I totted up everything I expected to do before the end and realised that I'd come in exactly where I had last year. Having not done a triple at all, I decided to throw down on day 99.

It didn't hurt it was both mild and sunny that day, and I'd gained an extra hour of evening light.

With 120 in the bank, all I had to do on day 100 was go for my usual lunch run. It seemed a fitting way to end it off - not with some big push, but rather the day-in-day-out habitual running that this challenge encourages.

By coincidence, it happened to be 17c/63f and my first run in a skirt since October!

So this one goes to 11...squared.

Of course - as luck would have it - I finally succumbed to the cold that had been threatening to overwhelm me for a few weeks now, and haven't run since the challenge ended. I do have high hopes for tomorrow, though!

For those who might think that running 100 (or more) times in 100 days is out of reach, I still suggest giving it a try - there are many who join the challenge with an aim to simply improving on their current run frequency, and the leaderboard awards medals of varying tones to those who complete 70 or more qualifying runs in the challenge period.

There are awesome stories of people making massive gains in speed or resiliency through their 100 in 100 efforts, so I would encourage anyone to give it their best shot! It's a great motivator in those dark days of winter when it can feel awfully difficult to take that first step out the door.