Limberlost camping and race

 So, for the first time in 10 years I went camping this weekend.  Those of you who know me know that I refer to camping as "paying to be homeless."  The temperature was amazing, I went with people who know stuff and own camping stuff. Really the only downside was the bugs.  The tail end of horse or blackflies or whatever the painful biting flies were and the 5 gazillion mosquitos, mostly sunset to sunrise.  Since I'm an early to bed, early to rise type during the summer running months, I was mostly saved from the mosquitos taking all my blood. Which is good because I swell like crazy.

Limberlost Forest is a lovely private forest with miles and miles of trails open to the public for free 9am-5pm daily and open to camping.  When I signed up for this race in 2019, Running Partner had already done it previously and couldn't stop raving about how beautiful the course was.  When I signed up, she told me to (as is often how I get myself into these situations).  I was on the phone with her and explained, "but there's several distances-7km, 14km, 28, 42 and 56."  "the 28km" she says.  I signed up so long ago for this race I was still running in miles and didn't fully understand just how far 28km was.  When I told the running group they all said, "are you crazy? We are all running 14!" anyway... in 2019, someone had booked a lodge or Air BNB or something and was going to charge us $50 a night for an actual bed, so I figured it sounded fine.

Fast forward to this year and the lodge is not available. I figured I'd figure something out.  Then one of the other runners said, "you haven't booked anything? You better add the camping. It's only a few weeks out and you realize you can't find anywhere to stay that weekend-it's Canada Day weekend. And you can't beat the $12 a night price."  So I remembered I had a tent, sleeping bag and added the camping. I bought a sleeping pad off Amazon.  3 women (including myself) and 3 men from the group went.  The men had all camped before and had all the things. They planned meals and we all offered to bring various items and foods.  Running Partner had camped and loved camping but hadn't recently and the other woman had never camped.  

We drive the 3-4 hours north and are told to park and camp in a field in between two lakes.  We set up tents (including the club's huge shade tent) and set up 2 tables and all the cooking supplies and bring out the coolers.  The men did most of the cooking all weekend. Our new camper was amazed at what was happening. We were sleeping outdoors! We were cooking food!  In a field!  She was in awe of it all.

The race itself was a really beautiful course of 14km.  I figured it was going well when after my first loop a) I was about 30 minutes ahead of what I thought I'd be at timewise and b) I couldn't wait to run it again instead of dreading it.  I was really happy with my time, though I ended up having horrible leg cramps that started at my toes and moved their way up my legs gradually for the last 7km (so 1/4) of the race.  I actually ended up checking in with the medical tent afterwards.  We determined my electrolytes were good (it's all I'd drunk and I took about 7-12 ounces every 4-5k at every aid station-also, my stomach wasn't upset-my classic symptom) so he told me to keep moving for awhile and eat the lunch provided.  3 days later and about 50km of running later, there's a little twinge, but my legs seem to have recovered from whatever went on-there's some soreness, but no more pain or cramping.

Spring news

 V donated her hair to Wigs for Kids

Hubby and I won big at curling this season. We played together on a championship league team and were first in our league and my Industrial league team won the league as well!

H participated in a Metis canoe paddle painting workshop at Ball's Falls.

H graduated from elementary school.  Our elementary school here goes from Jr. Kindergarten through Grade 8. He will join C at the high school next year.

V got an award at the end of the year assembly for Most Improved Overall

Spring Races

 After Around the Bay at the end of March, I ran the Toronto Marathon at the beginning of May. After ATB I was tired and fell off the training bandwagon instead of using ATB as a jump off.  I was still running, but not doing the speedwork, etc. I should have been doing.  I was hurting for about 2 weeks before ATB and finally bought new shoes after and it made a world of difference.  I have 2 marathons this year-Toronto in the spring and Chicago in the Fall.  

So, I made the decision to use Toronto as a measuring stick.  I knew I wouldn't get the under 4 hours I really wanted, but figured I'd run it the best I could and figure out how much speedwork I needed to do before Chicago. 

I ended up with 4 hours 12 minutes which I'm perfectly happy with. My very first marathon in 2014 was 4 hours 29 minutes and my 2nd marathon last summer was 4 hours 22 minutes (same deal, trained by running a lot but not a strict training plan).  For reference during covid I did two training cycles to run 2 marathons on my one.  One was around our town and I planned and trained it down to the minute and ended up with 3 hours 52 minutes (I would need 3 hours 40 minutes at my age to qualify for the Boston Marathon) and the other was Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It was in November but ended up being 70 degrees that day and I got 4 hours 1 minute.

By all accounts, as long as I can keep from being injured and do some speed training I should be able to get my under 4 hour marathon in  Chicago. I've added mileage and been doing some trackwork so I am slowly getting faster (as you'll see ahead).

I drove up with my track coach who was running the 10k the day before to get our race packets with our bibs, shirts, etc.  We did a slow run to get an idea of the start/finish line.

The day of the race was nice and cool, but started to rain about 75% of the way in and get chilly and windy by the waterfront. I did run the entire way (walking when I got water at aid stations, but running otherwise). But I got it done and got this giant medal and a banana. I got 33/78 Female 40-44; 220/500 Female; 942/1639 overall. Solid middle of the pack performance.

Next up was Rugged Raccoon.  I wanted some night trail experience and figured a race in the dark that was well marked and had aid stations was a good place to start.  It was 25K. I ran it with my running partner and we finished in 2 hours 52 minutes. 

It was a very nice course around the lake. I may want to do the race again in the daytime next year as it was pretty in the dark and I imagine it's lovely in the daytime as well! 

After Rugged Raccoon was the 12 mile creek 1/2 marathon trail race that our local running club puts on. I came in first female!  About 5 km in a couple who was watching on the sideline noted, "you are the first female" I slowed and asked them to repeat it. Then I said, "are you s**tting me right now???"  and decided to race.  See, I'd done a 30km run the day before so this was just supposed to be a double race for a much longer race I'm training for. But if I was doing that well and feeling good, I may as well do it right!  So I took off!  At all the aid stations they assured me I was still the first female that had come through!  

Next up was the Solstice Race-racing 15 hours from sun up to sun down as a relay team of 5.  The course is 4k and some people do the entire thing by themselves, 1/2 solstice, 1/4 solstice or 1/8 solstice.  We ran all day but only one of us at a time and ended up with about 35k each and our team got 171km total.  I felt it went well personally, last year it took me 22-24 minutes to complete each lap and this year I was finishing the laps in 20-22 minutes.

 

Yes, I still run in the cold. Winter in to Spring.

 

This is my 3rd winter running and I have to appreciate some of the unique scenes I was missing when I only ran when the weather was warmer.

This is Swayze falls in our local (10-15 minute drive from home) provincial park.  Also called Selfie falls because everyone likes to take a Selfie in front of it!

This is at Morningstar Mill which is on the Shorthills boundary.

I decided to take Paul and the kids on a wintery walk once the trail was packed down.  H was not a fan.

At Paleolithic falls (in between them, that's not just snow and ice-it is a frozen waterfall!

At Selfie/Swayze Falls.  They did think it was cool they could walk right up to the icicles.

H lost his will to walk on the way back, so we tried to use his snowpants as a sled and a stick as a rope.

I did finally get to go skiing this winter!  It is very much midwest skiing, rather than the west coast mountain skiing I'm used to, so even though I'd not been on skiis in about 20 years, by the end of the day I was on the double diamond/ expert hills.  This is the view from the top.

H finished up his winter skating lessons.  He's decided to take a break for spring.

Paul went to Boston and competed in a curling bonspeil and won the entire competition with his team!

I participated in a race here called "Around the Bay".  It's 30km around a bay of Lake Ontario.  

I came in 2 hours 58 minutes and 48 seconds which I'm thrilled with because my goal was to finish in under 3 hours and I had several injuries that happened during my training. Luckily they mostly stayed at bay during the race.  I learned my lesson and replaced my road shoes and am much less injured these days excepting a case of plantar facitis in my foot that comes and goes.

There were some birthdays to celebrate this spring.  My grandma turned 95!

C turned 17 -he wanted fish & chips and donuts for his birthday.

V is getting ready to donate her long hair for children's wigs so I wanted to get a picture beforehand. I cannot believe how thick and wavy her hair has gotten! Much more like her dad's side of the family than mine.

We ended the curling season on top!  We only had January off due to Covid (last season we only curled until Christmas then shut the club down).  Paul and I and our team took first place on the Club Championship league (the competitive league) and my team took first place in the Industrial League (a more social league).  

I took some people from my run club on a 30 km run a few weeks after the race (we were already trained to go 30 km) on the Bruce trail version of the Laura Secord run. I'd done the Friends of Laura Secord version before, so this was a bit different.  We all earned a badge from the Bruce trail conservancy for our efforts.  

At the end of the first semester, in early February C and I were to go to Texas to visit friends.  They had Covid and we rescheduled for Easter weekend.  3 days before we were to leave, C started to feel terrible.  Yep, he tested positive for Covid-19. Not only were we disappointed to have to cancel the trip, but C was one of the few kids at his school still wearing a mask now that mask mandates have been lifted and he's not been working since the end of December, so it had to have been from school as he goes no where else.  Poor kid!  His isolation period ended Sunday. We'd talked to my mother in law who had offered to make Easter dinner on Monday (we get Good Friday and Easter Monday off here) if we were all better.  As C finished up his illness, Husband tested positive :(.  Luckily curling season is over and they hand quick Covid tests out at the grocery store like free samples. 3 of us have been boosted and the other 2 have had their first two vaccines.  

I tested myself (I have the most exposure to both of them) on the Monday before Easter (when C tested positive) then the following Monday (I was spending time with a friend and was 7 days since exposure-Husband had had symptoms for 2 days and we were closer than 6 feet apart unmasked) and both were negative.

V started to get stuffy and a cough on Thursday/Friday. Husband picked her up from school on Friday and on Saturday we tested her and myself (the CDC calendar suggested because of my exposures whether I had symptoms or not I should take a test on Saturday), we were both negative.  She felt quite crappy over the weekend (there is a bad cold going around her school-2 years of no exposure to germs will do that). But we tested her again on Monday and she felt much better and she is still negative, so we let her go to school. She was begging so that she could participate in a debate about the pros and cons of the oil pipeline out west. That girl never wants to miss an opportunity to argue!

So. fingers crossed but I think the Casa De Covid is no more.  Just in time, too. I am running the Toronto Marathon next Sunday and want to be ready.  This week will be a relaxed taper week, then Sunday is the marathon, then a relaxed recovery week as the following Saturday is a nighttime 25K trail race that I'm doing with a friend.

It is so cold

 I have been counting mileage in metric, but I still can't seem to convert to metric for temperature.  I can't wrap my head around an entire week where the HIGH temperatures are a negative number.

This week it's been less than 10 degrees F but above 0 (not looking at windchill). So I've been working on perfecting my winter running layers:

Knit hat, balaclava (plus fleece neck and or ear warmer if it's windy) buff or handkerchief for the inevitable running nose, wind jacket, thick long sleeved run shirt, thin base layer on top and bottom, 2 pairs of gloves-one knit and one a waterproof knit with flap mitten on top to keep dry, optional run tights, jogging pants (a bit thicker pant), shoes and if Icy spikes that go over my shoes and if snowy Yak Traks over the shoes.

Christmas

 

After missing Christmas in WA last year due to Covid concerns, we headed out west.  It was really good to see my parents and brother and his family and grandmother and a few other relatives.

We were not able to see everyone we would have liked-while we were there, a huge snowstorm hit which made driving pretty difficult for 4-5 days of the trip and Covid cases surged again.  Between the two we had to cancel plans and were glad we'd seen so many people when we were out for the summer.  

The Covid surge and winter weather also made our trip back to Canada a little more difficult.  I'd booked our required PCR tests 6 days before the 72 hour window only to have them cancelled the morning of the test. After driving between test sites that were open that morning only to be turned away, we did have a bit of luck. We were able to get C a booster shot (he'd been vaccinated very early in the 16+ age group and was 7 months past his second shot. In the US they opened up boosters to 16 and 17 year olds 2 weeks before we got his appointment through my parent's health provider.  We'd gotten V her second shot while we were in the U.S. as well so that she'd be considered "fully vaccinated" by the time school restarted.  The other bit of luck is we were able to find tests.

However, the tests were in Yakima, a 7 hour round trip through a mountain pass.  But we were lucky, it was sunny, the roads were well plowed and the pass stayed open for our drive.

We got our tests and the results came just as we got to the airport-all negative.  We had some flight delays but ended up home and unpacked the next day and had plenty of time to do the trams at SeaTac airport before we left-all 3 of them. Multiple times.

2021 book list

 I read 75 books in 2021:

Sex & Vanity, Kevin Kwan
Hidden Valley Road, Robert Kolker 
Clap When You Land, Elizabeth Acevedo
The Family Upstairs, Lisa Jewell
Punching the Air
The Alice Network
The Last Mrs. Parrish, Liv Constantine
Braving the Wilderness
Daughter of Black Lake
Where the Light Enters, Donati
The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse
Front Desk
Never Tell, Lisa Gardner
The Light We Lost
Happiness, a Memoir, Harpham
The Lying Game
Anxious People
The Woman Outside My Door
The Gilded Hour
Before She Disappeared, Gardner
When No One is Watching
How Much of These Hills is Gold
Fighting Words
Invisible Girl, Jewell
Olive, Again
Good Citizens Need Not Fear
Last Impressions
Dirty Birds
Pretty Little Wife
Indians on Vacation
The Overstory
The Forgotten Orphan
Open House: A Story in 32 Moves
Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons
The Way of Integrity, Martha Beck
A Dog's Purpose
The Dog Who Danced
Water for Elephants
Night at the Fiestas
Elon Musk: Tesla Space X
The Wrong Family, Tarryn Fisher
The Deal of a Lifetime
The boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Must Love Otters
The Silver Star, Jeanette Walls
Hope is Our Only Wing
Map of Days (Peregrine book)
Into the Wilderness, Sarah Donati
The Pearl that Broke its Shell
Sparks Like Stars
The Push, Ashley Audrain
Seasteading
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes, Caitlin Doughtry
The White Tiger
The Desolations of Devil's Acre (Peregrine)
Miss Benson's Beetle
Operation Angus, Terry Fallis
A Sister's Tale
The Beekeeper of Aleppo
The Hatbox Letters
Unwanted Child, VC Andrews
Sure I'll be Your Black Friend
Last Breath, Karen Slaughter
The Girls in the Stilt House (very good)
We are Never Meeting in Real Life
Let's all Be Brave
The Truth about Melanie Browne
In Search of April Raintree
Six Weeks to Live
Letters Across the Sea
Marilla Before Anne
Marilla of Green Gables
The Doctor's Wife
Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk
Stuck in the Middle with You