Another year with no ultra races, though I am signed up for Fat Dog 120 in August, I'm not convinced the race will be able to run. Cascade Crest 100 is going ahead, but with the border likely closed, or restricted, the Race Director has kindly agreed to roll-over my entry a second time to 2022. As this is a lottery to get in, I'd prefer to hold onto my spot that was originally for 2020.
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| At the start of the adventure. |
I turned 56 on Feb 23 of this year and wanted to celebrated by doing an ultra. Kilometres or miles in my age seemed appropriate, and wanting the longer distance, I went with miles. So I picked 56 miles (90 km) I have wondered at what age does running your age become unattainable. I supposed one could always change the units of measure. Down the road I could likely do 65 kilometres, then maybe 75 hectometres (7.5 km), then 85 Decametres (850 metres) and 95 metres, all with aid stations along the way.
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| Running through the tunnel under the Pat Bay Highway (and Charlene's finger) |
My run was planned for February 13th to take advantage of the long weekend; however, the weather had other ideas. With Environment Canada's snowfall warning overnight Friday and all day Saturday, I decided to postpone the run. I'm glad I did as I couldn't have driven to the start line, let along run in the mountain trails in the deep wet snow typical of the Coast. I have a history of weather interfering with long runs, starting with the baking hot weather of the Boston Marathon in 2012, and the Beast from the East Blizzard striking the morning of my race in England and cancelling it, after I had travelled all that way. Going back the next year was the opposite; the race ran but it was the hottest day on record and so abnormal for that part of the country.
So instead of announcing I was going to be running 56 miles for my 56th birthday, I quietly let a few friends know that I might be in the forest at these locations at these times, so if they happen to want to run with me, or bring some water and food, it would be appreciated. The weather gods were not to know about this event.
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| Glendale Trail |
The planned route was 90.1 km and was 62 per cent unimproved trails, 20 per cent urban gravel trails, 10 per cent urban paved trails and 15 per cent on roads, mostly lanes or residential roads. In total, the elevation gain and loss was just under 3,000 metres. The highest point on the route was the summit of Jocelyn Hill at 430 metres above sea-level, and the lowest a few metres above sea level at Goldstream.
The route went through 27 municipal parks
- Mount Doug, Donwood, Rithetwood, Emily Carr, Shadywood, Colquitz, Layritz, Logan, Calvert, Irwin, West Hills, Leigh Road, Goldstream Meadows, Spirit Ridge, Blue Grouse Plateau, Setchfield, Lake Ida Ann, Goldie, Burnside Corner, Aldersmith, Stoneridge Wetland, Knockan Hill, South Valley, Panama Hill, Copley West, Copley East, and Brydon parks,
- Francis/King, Thetis Lake and Mount Work
- Gowland Tod and Goldstream,
- Rithets Bog.
Leg 1: Mount Doug to Prior Lake (17 km)
Charlene Waldner had agreed to run the entire thing with me. We had originally planned to start from Cedar Hill Road at the bottom of Whitaker Trail at Mount Doug. But Saanich had recently installed 3 hour time limited parking there, and I didn't think I would make it back in time. So instead we parked at Churchill Drive, where there is no time limit to parking, and set out from there.
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| Calvert Park |
As usual for an ultra, I was carrying my essentials. I had my rain jacket, acting as an extra layer or wind breaker if needed, extra pair of gloves, emergency blanket, whistle, compass, emergency light, my Garmin InReach (for tracking us and for SOS if needed), food and two litres of water.
The morning was cold, for Victoria, at minus one degrees Celsius, but we soon warmed up as we climbed up Whitaker. Once over the ridge, down hill on single track Mercer Trail to Blenkinsop Road, then it was a pretty easy run along the relatively flat trails to Layritz Park. It was a little icy and we had to watch for black ice, worst on paved trails and roads.
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| Our water drop at McKenzie Creek trailhead on Highlands Rd |
From here along the Glendale Trail and out via Viaduct Rd with its short and very steep little hills, through Layton Park and Calvert Park and into Francis/King Regional Park. Then at a nice relaxed pace along the panhandle trail, over the ridge and into Thetis Lake Regional Park at Highland Road.
Karen Laberee had very kindly left us a water drop at the McKenzie Creek trailhead. We found it easily (Karen had sent me a photo of where it was stashed), and refilled out Tailwind bottles.
Leg 2: Prior Lake to Durance Road (14.5 km = total 31.5 km)
From here the run slows down as the trails become more technical, especially the next stretch along McKenzie Creek Trail to McKenzie Lake. Even in summer this trail is muddy, and in February it was a mud bath. We spent a lot of time picking our way through deep wet mud. Fun but slow. We ran into Bob Reid of the Prairie Inn Harriers. He was walking with a tool box and was coming back from placing some grip onto the log tree where the bark had come off. Really nice of him and when we crossed I was thinking we might be the first people to use it since he repaired it. Thanks Bob!
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| Prior Lake from McKenzie Creek Trail |
The weather was good and I was feeling good. It had warmed up and so had I so now I was settling into the pace and movements on the trails, reminiscent of running ultra races. The usual keep a steady pace, walk when you need to, keep checking the body for issues, drink, fuel, enjoy the views and repeat. Never think of the distance ahead, only the next hill or aid station. Our next goal was to meet Andrew at Munn Road.
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| Mud bath - this is McKenzie Creek Trail |
We climbed over the north ridge of Stewart Mountain, first on the switchback fire road up the east side of the mountain, then cutting off onto a beautiful single track. Over the ridge and down onto the Stewart Mountain Fire Road. The climb up the ridge was steady, the trail was smooth, so it made a nice run/hike up it. Then out along the fun single track connector trail to Munn Road, leaving Thetis Lake Regional Park behind and entering Mount Work Regional Park at Munn Road Trailhead. We arrived at 11:10 am.
Andrew had just arrived and was warming up and we quickly said hi and bye to Cindy, who had driven Andrew up from where he left his car at Goldstream, and we made good time out towards Kinghorn Cabin. This is my favourite route over Mt Work to Durance - it avoid the main trail and it is mostly runnable single track, with mostly gentle grades up and down. We went through the two old gates and up Raven Ridge past Kinghorn Cabin to Giants Junction, then down what I call "the Kinghorn" trail, which brought us out on the Summit Trail on the north ridge of Mount Work. While not the top, at 300 metres, it's a decent climb.
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| Just finished repairing a bridge for us - Bob Reid on McKenzie Creek Trail |
We crossed the summit trail, onto a single track connector into the bike park, then down North Ridge Trail to the Regional Trail and along there to Durance Road trailhead. Karen had left a food and water stash in her car for us. We found the car after walking past it and running out of cars parked along the road (and there were a lot), but found it when we backtracked.
Again thank you to Karen for the water, potato chips, M&Ms, pickles, energy bites and coke. We fueled up and reloaded our water and got ready for leg 3. It was about 12:20 pm when we got to Durance.
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| The added grip on the tree bridge over McKenzie Creek |
Leg 3: Durance to Goldstream (18 km = total 49.5 km)
The next leg is the longest and hardest. It has the most technical trails on the route with the most elevation gain of the run, so I knew it would take a while through here (my planned timings had allowed for this). We set off on Timberman Trail transitioning out of Mount Work Regional Park and into Gowland Tod Provincial Park. The first part of the trail is an easy run, but after the waterfall bridge and a couple steep little hills, it becomes technical, and the longest steepest climb of the run - 200 m elevation gain in just over one kilometre.
Charlene tripped and fell on a down hill just before the big climb. I felt bad for her as I know that it shakes you up, and undermines your confidence; and we had a ways to go yet too and didn't want her to quit as I know if she did she'd regret doing so later. We hiked for a bit after so she could get herself steady and control the adrenaline that makes you shake after a fall, and get her confidence back.
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| Giant's Junction near Raven Ridge and Troll Knoll, Mt Work Regional Park |
On Timberman near the start we ran into Colin Goldblatt and Dave Campbell, just finishing their run. It was good to see them.
Timberman Trail was busy with hikers, though after we passed Squally Reach viewpoint, the numbers dropped off a lot and we mostly had the trail to ourselves until the summit of Jocelyn Hill. At 430 metres, this is the highest point on the run, and certainly offers the most spectacular views. Two of my favourites are up here; the first just past the summit overlooking the inlet, and the second at an Arbutus Tree on Ridge Trail looking south towards Holmes Peak and Mount Finalyson.
Heading down the mountain on the other side we heard "Happy Birthday" being sung by Karen Laberee, Holland Gidney and Fiona Peters as they climbed up towards us. That was so awesome. Thank you for making my day.
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| Timberman Trail - starts out a nice fun run. |
Ridge Trail was a fun run and in pretty good shape. We took the trail up and over Holmes Peak and then from Caleb Pike, we followed Rowntree Trail, up its steep relentless hill until we hit the Rowntree Fire Rd at the top. We essentially followed the Finlayson Arm 28/50/100 race course from here around Mount Finlayson to the junction to the group campground and Prospector Trail. While a lot of hiking due to the washed out nature of the trails at this time of year, mud and slippery routes and rocks, there were some fun sections to run, including the last of Prospector to the concrete steps down to the Trans-Canada Highway.
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| On Jocelyn Hill - just past the summit |
The biggest failing of Goldstream Provincial Park is the ridiculous situation of no safe way to cross the busy Trans-Canada Highway that bi-sects the park. At present you cross at Prospector Trail by wading in the river under the highway bridge, or playing "Frogger" by trying to cross the highway. Signs recommend you don't try it. At the north end of the park you can either use a river tunnel or again play a variation of Frogger, this time with a concrete divider to jump over as well. Both the river wading and tunnel are safe in summer; the tunnel is dry and the river is low. But in winter, the tunnel is dangerous as the fast flowing water will sweep you off your feet. The river isn't too bad, but the water is running strong and up to your knees; holding on the bridge wall helps to make it through. This should change over the next year as a bridge is planned to be placed at the Prospector Trail crossing eliminating the need to cross in the river.
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| Karen, Holland and Fiona on the north side of Jocelyn Hill |
Knowing we had to cross in the river, we had drop bags waiting for us on the other side with a change of shoes, socks and shirt, as well as snacks to fuel us for the next section. We arrived at Goldstream at 4:20 pm.
Leg 4 - Langford Loop (12 km = total 61.5 km)
We picked up our headlamps from our drop bags and put them in our packs. It would be getting dark before we hit the next aid station, so best to have them with us. I also had another light (my waist light) and an emergency light (a 100 lumens penlight that is tiny but so useful). Andrew left us here and Markus Pirker joined us. We set off on Prospector Trail crossing Goldstream River via the footbridge (which in winter means we need to step on rocks to cross a flooded side-channel before we could reach the bridge). Seriously, whoever designed this trail did a terrible job - no way cross the highway and half-assed bridge.
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| On the Ridge Trail, Gowland Tod Provincial Park |
We did a loop up onto Arbutus Ridge then through the campground, railway and onto the Sooke Hills Wilderness Trail. Now I am extremely disappointed with Capital Regional District. A year ago a mud slide damaged the trail so the CRD simply closed the trail. A year later is is still closed! This trail is part of the Great Trail - the trail across Canada. It is the only trail connection. And yet, the CRD can't be bothered to repair it and reopen it to the public, instead leaving an embarrassing closed signs with no alterative. I've complained to the CRD and was told there are plans to fix it this year. But my point is, if this was the Malahat Highway, the rockslide would have been cleared and the road reopened to traffic within hours. So with no alternative, we did what everybody else does, ignore the closed signs and went through there anyway. Yes it's muddy and wet but no worse than other trails in the regional parks; why this one is closed instead of a sign indicating it is muddy makes no sense to me.
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| One of my favourite views - the Arbutus tree view looking south - Gowland Tod Provincial Park |
The trails from here were quite runable. All of them are improved trail, either dirt, gravel or some, in built-up Langford, concrete. We made good time. We came to an obstacle on the Ed Nixon Trail that goes around Langford Lake. After running a few hundred metres down the trail we came to a flooded section, where the lake water level had arisen and flooded the path. We back-tracked, and then took the railway around the flooded section (for those not living in Victoria area, the railway is abandoned; sadly no trains have run on this line since 2011). Back on the trail is was a nice run in the fading daylight back to the Group Campground entrance. We arrived there at about 6:30 pm in the dark.
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| Wading in the river under the Trans-Canada Highway - wet but safest way to get across the highway. |
Leg 5: Goldstream Group Campground to Barclay's (15.7 km= total 77.2 km)
Lisa Fehr had an aid station set up for us with chair, firepit, watermelon, hot broth, coke, potato chips and other food. Coke and M&Ms are an ultra favourite combination; the coke gives you a quick sugar and caffeine boost, and the M&Ms give you a slower sugar and caffeine burn - together they really help with energy levels. There's some science behind how it works at the cell level, but it forces your body to recycle and burn energy better; the tradeoff is that you'll feel it later when you're done the run in the form of even more tiredness and fatigue. The hot broth was so welcome in the cooling evening temperatures.
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| Aid Station 3 - Goldstream River Crossing |
Charlene and I pulled out our hiking poles. We'd carried them in case we'd need them on technical trails, but mostly I wanted them for the last 30 kilometres as I knew we'd be getting tired. The next stretch was all technical and all up hill, some of it steep as we climb up to Bear Mountain. We ran the first part into the campground, partly to warm up. I got cold when stopped and away from the firepit. Once on Prospector, we power hiked over the roots, up the hills and over the uneven loose rocks. At this point like in any ultra heading into the night, it's about focusing on keeping moving. I could see Charlene's bright headlamp behind me, so in some ways it was easier to know where she was so I could keep going and not have to look back to check if she was still with me. I knew she could see my light ahead too.
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| Waterfall along the trail |
Climbing up to Bear Mountain, my hamstrings started to mildly complain, so I was not surprised when, descending down a steep trail from Bear Mountain, my left hamstring when into a full cramp. That's a big muscle to cramp and it's difficult to force it into a stretch. I always carry pickled ginger to get rid of muscle cramps. It's something to do with the spice (in this case ginger) resetting the nervous system. The trick is to chew on the ginger so you get the spice into your mouth lining. It works. No more than 30 seconds later the cramp was gone. This usually prevents cramps for a couple of hours (then I'd chew on more ginger), but in this case, the cramps never returned for the remainder of the run. I use pickled ginger because it doesn't hurt my system in a run (other spices can have nasty side effects), and it can be used as a treatment for nausea if that ever became an issue during an ultra. Plus the vinegar and salt in the brine is also good for replenishing electrolytes.
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| Running along the E&N Railway |
We ran back through the south portion of Thetis Lake Regional Park, all the many dog walkers thankfully at home asleep at this time of night. And before we knew it we're at Andrew and Cindy Barclay's house for our last aid station before the finish. We arrived there at about 9:40 pm.
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| Aid Station 4 - fire pit and hot broth was most welcome. |
Leg 6: Barclay's to the Finish Line (13 km = total 90 km)
Andrew invited us in and we sat on the stairs, not wanting to get too warm. We refueled on coke and chips and a glass full of cold water. We got out and set off on the final leg. The trails were all runable, so we power hiked up Knockan Hill, then ran down the other side, through South Valley, over Panama Hill, along the Colquitz Trail, and back the way we had come out on Rolston Trail, and into Mount Doug Park on Mercer Trail. We climbed quickly, power hiking, knowing we were only a couple kilometres from the finish. I had no idea of time. I wasn't watching the time, just focused on keeping us moving. Running when we could, I felt surprisingly strong after being out all day, and walking for a break as needed.
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| Aid Station 5 - warmth was nice but hard to get back outside and keep running. |
Heading down Mercer we saw a bright headlamp coming up the trail. At this time of night, it could only be someone we knew. It was Lisa Fehr who had run the route from the finish line to meet us and run us in the finish. She had a flask of Fireball, so we took a sip for the final 1.5 kilometres. And by 11:50 pm, after 16 hours, 30 minutes elapsed time, we finished the 56 miles for my 56th birthday. Lisa had the fire pit at the finish, and we sat and re-heated pizza on the fire, drank fireball and Bubly water and ate birthday cupcakes with sparklers on, chips, hot pizza, and dark chocolate left in the car by Marion for my finish.
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| Birthday cupcakes at the finish line |
Big thank you to Karren Laberee for the water drop, aid station and happy birthday on Jocelyn Hill (with Holland and Fiona, thank you both too); to Andrew Barclay for running part of the course with us, and the drop bags and last aid station (and Cindy too); Markus Pirker for running the Langford Loop with us; Lisa Fehr for the 4th aid station and for the finish line party. Marion for leaving chocolate in my car to celebrate the run; and Charlene Waldner for running the entire crazy distance with me, and the birthday cupcakes. It was the perfect birthday. Thank you everybody.
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| The route - 56 miles, 90.1 km |
