The first factor for optimal fitness is to create a support network. You need people around you who will support you in your quest to perform at your best.
Read the full story here.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
What Does It Mean to Live Well?
It's time we expand our concepts of what health and wellness really are.
Read full story at The Active Life blog on BC Living
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Upcoming running clinics
Four new clinics are being offered this fall:
Run Better clinics in Vancouver. (view info.)
Run Stronger clinics at the Run Inn stores in Vancouver and Delta. (view info.)
The Run Better clinics are the best way to learn the Core Running technique. You’ll practice good biomechanics with running drills, develop ankle and hip mobility with mobilization exercises and become a better runner.
The Run Stronger clinics are the next step. You’ll continue to practice good running technique but each week also includes a running specific strength workout that will build core stability, strengthen your running muscles and improve your functional flexibility.
Spaces are limited so register a.s.a.p.
Run Better clinics in Vancouver. (view info.)
Run Stronger clinics at the Run Inn stores in Vancouver and Delta. (view info.)
The Run Better clinics are the best way to learn the Core Running technique. You’ll practice good biomechanics with running drills, develop ankle and hip mobility with mobilization exercises and become a better runner.
The Run Stronger clinics are the next step. You’ll continue to practice good running technique but each week also includes a running specific strength workout that will build core stability, strengthen your running muscles and improve your functional flexibility.
Spaces are limited so register a.s.a.p.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Core Running website
I'm happy to announce that www.corerunning.com has been updated with a great new look and tons more information.
If you're a runner or triathlete who would like to run better, run faster and stay injury free check out www.corerunning.com.
If you're a runner or triathlete who would like to run better, run faster and stay injury free check out www.corerunning.com.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Excuses to not exercise
As a coach I hear a lot of excuses people have for not exercising. As a person with a busy schedule and conflicting demands on my time I can relate to many of them. Let me share with you a few really good excuses and a simple, yet powerful way to overcome them and stick to your fitness plan.
A couple of weeks ago I was at a dinner party on a Saturday evening. I knew I was going to this so I factored into my training plan on eating too much, drinking too much and staying out late this one night. To be able to enjoy myself guilt-free, I kept pretty close control of my nutrition plan the weeks before and after the party and made damn sure I had some good workouts during those weeks as well.
This included scheduling a 10-mile run on the Sunday after the party. It looked pretty good on the calendar but after a fun night of celebrating with friends, the run didn't seem like such a good idea. My mind was full of reasons why I should skip the run. Here are some thoughts that were running through my head:
"I didn't sleep a lot last night and I had a really busy week last week plus I've got a hectic week coming up so I should probably skip the run and catch up on my rest."
"A lot of people have been sick lately; it feels like I'm coming down with something. I should probably rest up and build my immune system."
"You know, I'm 40 now. I've worked out every day this week except one and I won't get another rest day until next weekend. Masters athletes need a lot more recovery time than 20 somethings. Maybe I need the rest more than I need the run."
"I've got a few things I need to get done today. We've got to walk the dog, get groceries for the week, I've got to get a few files organized, I should call my parents, I need to spend some time with Samantha as we've both been so busy lately and haven't had much quality time. Yeah, I really don't have time to do this run today."
So I was too tired, too sick, too old and too busy to do my 10-miler. I thought they were great excuses to skip the run. I'm sure many people reading this would definitely agree and could relate to these feelings. These excuses continued to play in my mind as I put on my running gear and dragged my tired, sick, lazy ass out the door, did my warm-up and began my run.
My trick? Three things. First, I didn't try to stop my mind from thinking; that's impossible. I just decided not to listen to it. You see, just because you have a thought doesn't make it right. Second, I made a decision. I decided it was more important to me to stick to my plan and do the run. I gave myself 20 minutes of leeway; I'd start the run and if within 20 minutes I was truly feeling sick or overworked I'd stop. And third, I said two magic words to discard the excuses. "Screw 'em."
So what happened? Well, I didn't feel great after 20 minutes. My legs felt heavy and I felt like I was running in molasses. But I knew that I wasn't really sick and I wasn't overtraining so I kept going. Even the tunes in my iPod weren't helping rev me up. But I still kept going. 20 minutes. 25, 30, 35, 40.
And then something happened at about 45 minutes. My body began to feel lighter; my gait wasn't so stiff; I began to feel more alive and the pounding in my head subsided. For the next 30 minutes I felt better and better and actually threw in a few short interval bursts. When I finished the run I felt waaaaay better than when I started and in fact, I could have kept going. But I completed my plan and really did have a number of things to do today so I stopped.
If you ever feel like you're too old, too tired, too sick and too busy to do your workout just follow my simple routine. 1. Don't try to stop these thoughts but realize they're not necessarily correct. 2. Make a decision on what you're going to do, then DO IT. 3. Say the magic words "Screw it" and do your workout. Give yourself 20 minutes and if you truly are sick or on the verge of overtraining you'll know. But chances are, you aren't.
Until next time, stay fit and stay healthly.
C.
www.ultrafitness.net
A couple of weeks ago I was at a dinner party on a Saturday evening. I knew I was going to this so I factored into my training plan on eating too much, drinking too much and staying out late this one night. To be able to enjoy myself guilt-free, I kept pretty close control of my nutrition plan the weeks before and after the party and made damn sure I had some good workouts during those weeks as well.
This included scheduling a 10-mile run on the Sunday after the party. It looked pretty good on the calendar but after a fun night of celebrating with friends, the run didn't seem like such a good idea. My mind was full of reasons why I should skip the run. Here are some thoughts that were running through my head:
"I didn't sleep a lot last night and I had a really busy week last week plus I've got a hectic week coming up so I should probably skip the run and catch up on my rest."
"A lot of people have been sick lately; it feels like I'm coming down with something. I should probably rest up and build my immune system."
"You know, I'm 40 now. I've worked out every day this week except one and I won't get another rest day until next weekend. Masters athletes need a lot more recovery time than 20 somethings. Maybe I need the rest more than I need the run."
"I've got a few things I need to get done today. We've got to walk the dog, get groceries for the week, I've got to get a few files organized, I should call my parents, I need to spend some time with Samantha as we've both been so busy lately and haven't had much quality time. Yeah, I really don't have time to do this run today."
So I was too tired, too sick, too old and too busy to do my 10-miler. I thought they were great excuses to skip the run. I'm sure many people reading this would definitely agree and could relate to these feelings. These excuses continued to play in my mind as I put on my running gear and dragged my tired, sick, lazy ass out the door, did my warm-up and began my run.
My trick? Three things. First, I didn't try to stop my mind from thinking; that's impossible. I just decided not to listen to it. You see, just because you have a thought doesn't make it right. Second, I made a decision. I decided it was more important to me to stick to my plan and do the run. I gave myself 20 minutes of leeway; I'd start the run and if within 20 minutes I was truly feeling sick or overworked I'd stop. And third, I said two magic words to discard the excuses. "Screw 'em."
So what happened? Well, I didn't feel great after 20 minutes. My legs felt heavy and I felt like I was running in molasses. But I knew that I wasn't really sick and I wasn't overtraining so I kept going. Even the tunes in my iPod weren't helping rev me up. But I still kept going. 20 minutes. 25, 30, 35, 40.
And then something happened at about 45 minutes. My body began to feel lighter; my gait wasn't so stiff; I began to feel more alive and the pounding in my head subsided. For the next 30 minutes I felt better and better and actually threw in a few short interval bursts. When I finished the run I felt waaaaay better than when I started and in fact, I could have kept going. But I completed my plan and really did have a number of things to do today so I stopped.
If you ever feel like you're too old, too tired, too sick and too busy to do your workout just follow my simple routine. 1. Don't try to stop these thoughts but realize they're not necessarily correct. 2. Make a decision on what you're going to do, then DO IT. 3. Say the magic words "Screw it" and do your workout. Give yourself 20 minutes and if you truly are sick or on the verge of overtraining you'll know. But chances are, you aren't.
Until next time, stay fit and stay healthly.
C.
www.ultrafitness.net
Monday, October 20, 2008
How to Fundraise for Charity and Almost Puke on TV
In addition to getting back to trail running this summer, on July 16 I led a group of five trainers in a unique fundraiser I named the "Bodyweight 1000 Challenge". The challenge was a workout designed by Craig Ballantyne of Turbulence Training.com which required each person to complete 1000 total reps consisting of:
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
25 Close-grip Pushups
25 Jumps
25 Pull-ups
25 Stability Ball Jacknifes
100 Squats
50 Bicycle Crunches (25 reps per side)
100 Pushups
50 Walking Lunges (25 reps per side)
50 Underhand Inverted Rows
50 Stability Ball Leg Curls
100 Bicycle Crunches (50 reps per side)
50 Decline Pushups
25 Overhand Inverted Rows
50 Mountain Climbers (25 per side)
50 Squats
25 Chin-ups
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
I chose Athletics for Kids (www.A4K.ca) as the charity. A4K is a BC-registered charity that raises money to help disadvantaged kids participate in sports. I believe sports can teach kids many positive lessons and given what my colleagues and I do for a living, the charity was a natural fit for this fundraiser.
Sponsors donated a specified amount for each rep we completed and together we raised almost $4000 which will make a positive impact in the lives of seven kids. A huge THANK-YOU goes out to all the people who sponsored us and donated to a great cause.
As you watch the short video below, watch for my interview. I don't say this because I think I look hot but rather, it was all I could do to not throw up. When I finished the workout I was ecstatic and pumped but after a couple of minutes the endorphin rush began to wear off and I knew I was in trouble.
As my blood sugar levels plummeted my body began to rebel - I was light-headed, nauseous and I had a severe case of dry-mouth. Of course this is when the reporter asked me to do the interview. The entire time he was asking me questions, I could barely spit out a decent sounding answer because all I could think was "Don't puke on-camera, don't puke on-camera".
Watch the Shaw cable video of the event:
Here are some photos of the event to give you an idea of just how tough it was.
Rachel keeps her young son entertained in the middle of the workout. Incredible!
Cord fighting through the 100 pushups.
Yep, that's me grunting my way through the final 25 chinups.
DONE!!! Me, Cord, Marsha, Rachel, Jesse - happy campers now that its over.
Next year I plan on making the event even bigger and better so start your training now!
C.
www.ultrafitness.net
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
25 Close-grip Pushups
25 Jumps
25 Pull-ups
25 Stability Ball Jacknifes
100 Squats
50 Bicycle Crunches (25 reps per side)
100 Pushups
50 Walking Lunges (25 reps per side)
50 Underhand Inverted Rows
50 Stability Ball Leg Curls
100 Bicycle Crunches (50 reps per side)
50 Decline Pushups
25 Overhand Inverted Rows
50 Mountain Climbers (25 per side)
50 Squats
25 Chin-ups
100 Jumping Jacks or Jump Rope
I chose Athletics for Kids (www.A4K.ca) as the charity. A4K is a BC-registered charity that raises money to help disadvantaged kids participate in sports. I believe sports can teach kids many positive lessons and given what my colleagues and I do for a living, the charity was a natural fit for this fundraiser.
Sponsors donated a specified amount for each rep we completed and together we raised almost $4000 which will make a positive impact in the lives of seven kids. A huge THANK-YOU goes out to all the people who sponsored us and donated to a great cause.
As you watch the short video below, watch for my interview. I don't say this because I think I look hot but rather, it was all I could do to not throw up. When I finished the workout I was ecstatic and pumped but after a couple of minutes the endorphin rush began to wear off and I knew I was in trouble.
As my blood sugar levels plummeted my body began to rebel - I was light-headed, nauseous and I had a severe case of dry-mouth. Of course this is when the reporter asked me to do the interview. The entire time he was asking me questions, I could barely spit out a decent sounding answer because all I could think was "Don't puke on-camera, don't puke on-camera".
Watch the Shaw cable video of the event:
Here are some photos of the event to give you an idea of just how tough it was.
Rachel keeps her young son entertained in the middle of the workout. Incredible!
Cord fighting through the 100 pushups.
Yep, that's me grunting my way through the final 25 chinups.
Next year I plan on making the event even bigger and better so start your training now!
C.
www.ultrafitness.net
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Summer Adventure Runs - Goal Achieved!
It's been a while since I posted to the blog as I was busy enjoying our great summer. The weather in BC was fantastic and allowed me to spend lots of time playing in our beautiful outdoors from surfing in Tofino to running in the backcountry near Whistler.
One of the best ways to commit to an exercise program is to set goals that will stretch you while exciting you at the same time. I wanted to get back into some serious trail running so at the beginning of the summer I set a goal to complete 3-4 "adventure" runs, which to me, are any trail runs that take you onto some rugged, gnarly trails for at least 4 hours.
I'm happy to report that I achieved that goal. I revisited a couple of old favourite runs, the Lions and Crown Mountain plus I completed a run I've always wanted to do, Black Tusk in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
The Lions Run
The Lions are the two peaks you see in the distance as you're crossing the Lions Gate Bridge from downtown Vancouver to the North Shore. There are a number of different options if you want to reach the Lions but I choose the most scenic route, the Howe Sound Crest Trail from Cypress Bowl to the West Lion (on the left). I choose to do this on the August Long weekend Monday as the weather was absolutely perfect with gorgeous blue skies. After a fun weekend of barbeques and socializing with friends, I thoroughly enjoyed having 6.5 hours to myself on the trails.
Crown Mtn. Ascent
Sometimes I like heading out for solo jaunts but often I like having good friends share in the outdoor adventure. So for the other two runs, my buddy Glenn Pace (yep, the same guy who ran the Easter Seals 24 hour relay - SOLO) joined me.
Having a support system including friends or workout partners is another key element in achieving your fitness goals. It helps to have someone else to share both the fun and the struggle as you work towards your goal.
(Photo: Nice shot of Crown Mtn. on the left with the Camel on the right.)
Crown Mtn. run is the tallest peak on Vancouver's North Shore; if you're looking toward Grouse Mtn. from downtown, Crown is slightly to the left and behind Grouse.
It was a hot forecast for the day we chose to do our run so we decided to get an early start and hit the Grouse Grind trail a little after 7 a.m. We had quite a trek ahead of us with a lot of climbing so our pace was fairly conservative and we emerged at the Chalet in about 48 minutes.
By then it was already hot with no clouds in the sky so we knew it was going to be a scorcher. We made our way past the tourist area and scampered up the Dam Mountain route towards Crown Pass. The shade of the forest was very welcome as the sun climbed higher in the sky.
(Photo: Glenn using the ropes on the descent to Crown Pass.)
This run has a lot of elevation change as you drop down into the pass and then have to make the final ascent to Crown. This is also the section of the trail where you're most exposed to the sun; even though it was still early I was beginning to sweat buckets and began to worry if I had enough fluid in my camelback.
We had a blast scrambling up the rugged final climb towards the peak and the view was worth it. We took a few minutes to rest and savour the sight but didn't rest too long as we wanted to be back into the shade when the sun reached its peak. The temperature would climb to 30 degrees that day!
(Left photo: Coming up from the pass. Not too much running on this part of the trail!)
(Right photo: Crown Mtn. looming over us.)
On the return trip to Grouse, I ran out of water just as we were making our way up the pass towards Grouse and Glenn was close to being done his camelback as well. We decided to skirt around Dam Mtn. as there was less climbing so it would be faster. I didn't want to be out here too long without any hydration; there aren't any good streams in this area so I would be empty until we got back to the Chalet.
Glenn eventually ran out of water as well but it only took us another 45 minutes before we were back at the Grouse Chalet where we scarfed down some food and cold drinks. In the end, the run took us about 4.5 hours.
One of the best things I love about Vancouver is that you can get to some rugged wilderness for a few hours and still be home by noon. In fact, that afternoon I ended up on the beach at Spanish Banks looking towards the North Shore and the peak we were sitting on just a few hours earlier. Amazing!
The Black Tusk Run
For my final adventure run this summer, in September Glenn joined me again as we tackled Black Tusk in Garibaldi Provincial Park near Whistler. Once again the weather cooperated as we had blue skies and warm temperatures.
Black Tusk is the jagged spire to your left a short distance before Function Junction as you're driving on Hwy. 99 towards Whistler .
I've done a number of runs in Garibaldi Park over the years and have always ran past the Tusk so its been a goal of mine for a while and I was finally going to do it. I was PUMPED!
The run to Black Tusk starts at the Garibaldi Lake trail head parking lot and is a steep climb for the first 6 km or so. Once you hit the meadows the incline lessens but basically you're climbing the entire way to the Tusk, a distance of about 13 km. We hiked/ran the ascent and though it was sunny with no clouds the elevation kept the temperature down so we were never too hot.
(Photo: The winding trail through alpine meadows.)
After the winding trail through the meadows the tough climbing really began as we hit the scree. We had gained quite a bit of elevation and were both feeling the effects of less oxygen in the air while continuing to push the pace.
(Left Photo: Out of the meadows and getting close.)
(Right Photo: The final ascent along the scree slope.)
We reached the bottom of a section called the Chimney which you have to climb to reach the peak. This area can often bottleneck as there is only enough room for one person to go at a time. When we arrived there was a large party descending and four people ahead of us waiting to go climb up.
(Left Photo: Looking up the "Chimney", the final climb to the true peak.)
(Right Photo: Looking back down the scree slope; you have to really focus on your footing running downhill here!)
The problem with waiting here is falling rocks. The Tusk is volcanic rock which is very brittle and breaks off relatively easily. Climbers above us occasionally loosened a rock or two and they fell around us as we waited. We tried to find the safest area to wait but both of us were feeling more uneasy with each baby-head sized rock that fell. We waited for about 20 minutes but it looked like we'd have to wait at least 30 minutes more before we could make our ascent.
I'll admit I have a healthy fear of heights and climbing the Chimney did make me a little anxious. But I was a lot more anxious just sitting around as these lethal projectiles fell; after another close call with a falling rock we decided to head back and do the final climb another day when it wasn't so busy.
(Left photo: From the base of Black Tusk looking east towards Garibaldi Lake.)
(Right photo: Looking north towards Panorama Ridge and glaciers.)
Though we didn't get to the true peak, the views from our vantage point were still breathtaking. I've always found this park to be serene and magical; the scenery gorgeous. If you've never been to Garibaldi Park, make it one of the places to see before you kick the bucket.
Running back down the scree slope was a lot more fun than coming up. Though the footing was tricky it was a blast if you relaxed into it and did a bit of rock-surfing. This run follows the same trail in and out but it's all downhill on the way back.
It took us only half as long to return to the parking lot as it did to climb up. My quads were pretty beat up after all that downhill, especially the final 6 km but the trip was definitely worth the price.
My feet loved the soak in the frigid waters of Rubble Creek before we got back into the car for the drive home. The run had taken us about 6.5 hours and it lived up to my expectations. A stop at the Howe Sound Brew Pub for some food and a cold beer made for the perfect ending to another perfect day in beautiful BC!
How have you done with your fitness goals over the last 3 months? If you haven't hit them or worse yet, haven't even set any goals, maybe its time you did.
C.
www.ultrafitness.net
One of the best ways to commit to an exercise program is to set goals that will stretch you while exciting you at the same time. I wanted to get back into some serious trail running so at the beginning of the summer I set a goal to complete 3-4 "adventure" runs, which to me, are any trail runs that take you onto some rugged, gnarly trails for at least 4 hours.
I'm happy to report that I achieved that goal. I revisited a couple of old favourite runs, the Lions and Crown Mountain plus I completed a run I've always wanted to do, Black Tusk in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
The Lions Run
The Lions are the two peaks you see in the distance as you're crossing the Lions Gate Bridge from downtown Vancouver to the North Shore. There are a number of different options if you want to reach the Lions but I choose the most scenic route, the Howe Sound Crest Trail from Cypress Bowl to the West Lion (on the left). I choose to do this on the August Long weekend Monday as the weather was absolutely perfect with gorgeous blue skies. After a fun weekend of barbeques and socializing with friends, I thoroughly enjoyed having 6.5 hours to myself on the trails.Crown Mtn. Ascent
Sometimes I like heading out for solo jaunts but often I like having good friends share in the outdoor adventure. So for the other two runs, my buddy Glenn Pace (yep, the same guy who ran the Easter Seals 24 hour relay - SOLO) joined me.
Having a support system including friends or workout partners is another key element in achieving your fitness goals. It helps to have someone else to share both the fun and the struggle as you work towards your goal.
(Photo: Nice shot of Crown Mtn. on the left with the Camel on the right.)Crown Mtn. run is the tallest peak on Vancouver's North Shore; if you're looking toward Grouse Mtn. from downtown, Crown is slightly to the left and behind Grouse.
It was a hot forecast for the day we chose to do our run so we decided to get an early start and hit the Grouse Grind trail a little after 7 a.m. We had quite a trek ahead of us with a lot of climbing so our pace was fairly conservative and we emerged at the Chalet in about 48 minutes.
By then it was already hot with no clouds in the sky so we knew it was going to be a scorcher. We made our way past the tourist area and scampered up the Dam Mountain route towards Crown Pass. The shade of the forest was very welcome as the sun climbed higher in the sky.
(Photo: Glenn using the ropes on the descent to Crown Pass.)This run has a lot of elevation change as you drop down into the pass and then have to make the final ascent to Crown. This is also the section of the trail where you're most exposed to the sun; even though it was still early I was beginning to sweat buckets and began to worry if I had enough fluid in my camelback.
We had a blast scrambling up the rugged final climb towards the peak and the view was worth it. We took a few minutes to rest and savour the sight but didn't rest too long as we wanted to be back into the shade when the sun reached its peak. The temperature would climb to 30 degrees that day!
(Left photo: Coming up from the pass. Not too much running on this part of the trail!)(Right photo: Crown Mtn. looming over us.)
On the return trip to Grouse, I ran out of water just as we were making our way up the pass towards Grouse and Glenn was close to being done his camelback as well. We decided to skirt around Dam Mtn. as there was less climbing so it would be faster. I didn't want to be out here too long without any hydration; there aren't any good streams in this area so I would be empty until we got back to the Chalet.
Glenn eventually ran out of water as well but it only took us another 45 minutes before we were back at the Grouse Chalet where we scarfed down some food and cold drinks. In the end, the run took us about 4.5 hours.
One of the best things I love about Vancouver is that you can get to some rugged wilderness for a few hours and still be home by noon. In fact, that afternoon I ended up on the beach at Spanish Banks looking towards the North Shore and the peak we were sitting on just a few hours earlier. Amazing!
The Black Tusk Run
For my final adventure run this summer, in September Glenn joined me again as we tackled Black Tusk in Garibaldi Provincial Park near Whistler. Once again the weather cooperated as we had blue skies and warm temperatures.
Black Tusk is the jagged spire to your left a short distance before Function Junction as you're driving on Hwy. 99 towards Whistler .I've done a number of runs in Garibaldi Park over the years and have always ran past the Tusk so its been a goal of mine for a while and I was finally going to do it. I was PUMPED!
The run to Black Tusk starts at the Garibaldi Lake trail head parking lot and is a steep climb for the first 6 km or so. Once you hit the meadows the incline lessens but basically you're climbing the entire way to the Tusk, a distance of about 13 km. We hiked/ran the ascent and though it was sunny with no clouds the elevation kept the temperature down so we were never too hot.
(Photo: The winding trail through alpine meadows.)After the winding trail through the meadows the tough climbing really began as we hit the scree. We had gained quite a bit of elevation and were both feeling the effects of less oxygen in the air while continuing to push the pace.
(Left Photo: Out of the meadows and getting close.)(Right Photo: The final ascent along the scree slope.)
We reached the bottom of a section called the Chimney which you have to climb to reach the peak. This area can often bottleneck as there is only enough room for one person to go at a time. When we arrived there was a large party descending and four people ahead of us waiting to go climb up.
(Left Photo: Looking up the "Chimney", the final climb to the true peak.)(Right Photo: Looking back down the scree slope; you have to really focus on your footing running downhill here!)
The problem with waiting here is falling rocks. The Tusk is volcanic rock which is very brittle and breaks off relatively easily. Climbers above us occasionally loosened a rock or two and they fell around us as we waited. We tried to find the safest area to wait but both of us were feeling more uneasy with each baby-head sized rock that fell. We waited for about 20 minutes but it looked like we'd have to wait at least 30 minutes more before we could make our ascent.
I'll admit I have a healthy fear of heights and climbing the Chimney did make me a little anxious. But I was a lot more anxious just sitting around as these lethal projectiles fell; after another close call with a falling rock we decided to head back and do the final climb another day when it wasn't so busy.
(Left photo: From the base of Black Tusk looking east towards Garibaldi Lake.)(Right photo: Looking north towards Panorama Ridge and glaciers.)
Though we didn't get to the true peak, the views from our vantage point were still breathtaking. I've always found this park to be serene and magical; the scenery gorgeous. If you've never been to Garibaldi Park, make it one of the places to see before you kick the bucket.
Running back down the scree slope was a lot more fun than coming up. Though the footing was tricky it was a blast if you relaxed into it and did a bit of rock-surfing. This run follows the same trail in and out but it's all downhill on the way back.
It took us only half as long to return to the parking lot as it did to climb up. My quads were pretty beat up after all that downhill, especially the final 6 km but the trip was definitely worth the price.
My feet loved the soak in the frigid waters of Rubble Creek before we got back into the car for the drive home. The run had taken us about 6.5 hours and it lived up to my expectations. A stop at the Howe Sound Brew Pub for some food and a cold beer made for the perfect ending to another perfect day in beautiful BC!
How have you done with your fitness goals over the last 3 months? If you haven't hit them or worse yet, haven't even set any goals, maybe its time you did.
C.
www.ultrafitness.net
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