I'm sure a few of you have seen this already, but I really enjoyed it.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
May Long Weekend Pt. 3
Sunday morning brought us both sunshine and a brisk wind. While the air made thinks a bit chilly, the sun inspired us to do another hike. This time to Bertha Falls.
The hike up to the viewpoint was well hidden from the wind, but once the pinnacle was reached we could see heavy, almost fog-like cloud cover over the lake in the distance as well as the stiff hit of cold. No matter how many times I hike this trail, I always take the extra 10 steps to the lookout. LOMAH truly is the land of milk and honey! (Note my new hiking boots! Already have 3 short hikes behind them and they are fitting dreamy...)
The rest of the hike was uneventful to Bertha falls, but for those who have been long gone from home, the bridge across has been updated. They did a great job on it and it looks awesome!
Much like the Crandell Lake hike, Logan hiked the majority of the trail... I figure 4.5-5km. It truly inspires me to be a better person and get him out more when I see how well he does and how excited he is. Thanks bud!
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
May Long Weekend Pt. 2
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
Saturday was a nice hike up to Crandell Lake. We headed up via the Red Rocks road, which for those of you don't know is under construction. Not the road so much, but the parking lot at Red Rocks. Not sure when it will be done, but a nice change I'm sure when it's done.
The hike was awesome and Logan hiked the majority of the trail himself. In fact he probably hiked 3.8km that day. Nice job buddy! With a bit of fishing (Logan's first fishing trip) and some pictures we headed home for the night. A few specks of rain as we finished and back to the comforts of a cabin. The evening finished with a outburst of rain as we watched from our window. Cabins do have their benefits! Perhaps we too will have a cabin someday!
| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
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| From 2010_05 May long Weekend |
Next Day 2, Sunday.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
May Long Weekend Pt. 1
For being such a pessimist this weekend, it sure turned out great. Every day we expected rain, yet were met with sunshine! It wasn't the warmest by any stretch, colder than my calculated average (see older posting), but a great weekend. Here is a short video from my Monday. I managed to get out biking and thought I would try filming it. This is the minute, thirty it took me to get down. A bit shorter than the 12min. it took me to climb back out! I played around with my altimeter watch the day before and figured out how to do the data log feature. I used it to calculate my ascent rate of 8m/min. over the 99m climb. Now I can try and best it!
Not for those who suffer from motion sickness!
Not for those who suffer from motion sickness!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Accountability
Marco will no doubt be posting about our pretty awesome May long weekend. He will supply pictures and witty captions. I don't want to steal his thunder. I just wanted to say that training has started. For real. My first 1/2 marathon is 20 weeks away from today. I have signed up to run this race with my 2 sisters-in-law and good friend. We will be each others motivation and support. I'm really looking forward to it. So I just wanted to throw it out there that I ran my 10 k today around the Waterton townsite. I thought about a trail but decided against it because I am afraid of bears. The wind was pushing the lake into big waves just like the ocean. Victoria is going to be great. Running along the ocean is beautiful and fairly flat. Yipee! 11k next week. Anyone want to run with me and Denali?
Friday, May 21, 2010
Does May-Long Weekend Suck?
This question seems to plague me every year, so with the Internet and spreadsheet in hand I finally decided to tackle it.
It's amazing what you can compile with a little spare time on your hands. Looking back over the last 10 years in Waterton, I wondered what the weather was really like. Does it always suck? Am I imagining things?
Turns out the average high over the past 10 years is 16.26 degrees, with an average low of 4.44 degrees. Is that really that bad? I guess I shouldn't be complaining, 16 isn't that cold. Guess I'm focusing on the bad years.
Speaking of bad years, this weekend doesn't look like it will be on the high side of the averages. I don't think any of the days this long weekend will be above the averages. Yikes! Guess it's better to think of the better ones. Here are a few pics from May-longs of past.
It's amazing what you can compile with a little spare time on your hands. Looking back over the last 10 years in Waterton, I wondered what the weather was really like. Does it always suck? Am I imagining things?
Turns out the average high over the past 10 years is 16.26 degrees, with an average low of 4.44 degrees. Is that really that bad? I guess I shouldn't be complaining, 16 isn't that cold. Guess I'm focusing on the bad years.
Speaking of bad years, this weekend doesn't look like it will be on the high side of the averages. I don't think any of the days this long weekend will be above the averages. Yikes! Guess it's better to think of the better ones. Here are a few pics from May-longs of past.
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| From May long Weekends |
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| From May long Weekends |
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| From May long Weekends |
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| From May long Weekends |
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| From May long Weekends |
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
And the winner is...
Well, not me. But I am still really happy with how things turned out this weekend. Marco has filled you in on the specifics of the weekend so I won't repeat that. I just wanted to throw out my final time in the 12 k race...
So thanks for the positive energy and all the encouraging texts prior to the big day. The hills were big and the sun was hot...It meant a lot knowing that you knew what I was doing and that you believed in me.
Place Gun Time Race# Name Div/Tot Div City Net Time Pace
222 1:24:06.97 1135 S.IWAASA 93/235 F3039 Lethbridge AB 1:22:45.00 6:54So yipee for me. I love how my overall place (222 out of 595) is the same as a certain house number. Maybe next time I can gun for 213!
So thanks for the positive energy and all the encouraging texts prior to the big day. The hills were big and the sun was hot...It meant a lot knowing that you knew what I was doing and that you believed in me.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Wicked Weekend
Don't tell anyone, but I had a great weekend. Nothing hard core from my end, just a short day hike up Heart Creek, but the combination weather, company and time away from home made it a great time.
Dora had a surprize race when a friend of Jaime's canceled, opening a spot in the Rocky Mountain Soap Company Women's Run. With litterally a week to train, Dora ran a 12km race, 4km more than any previous race. I don't know about you but that's about 10km more than I'd be willing to run! She trained, stressed and headed North to Camore for the race and we bunked with my brother and his family in a rented Condo. It was a small, but cozy 2 bedroom place with a view of Hai Ling's Peak.
The 2009 race consisted of 2000 participants of the female persuasion and I felt like a lamb in a field of cougars. Luckily I had my boys to protect me! We had a great time waiting for the girls to arrive and we cheered Dora and Jaime on! They both worked hard and these pictures are at the half way point.
The times are not yet up, but considering the terrain and training time, I know Dora did awesome!
The boots fit like a glove and the full leather interior/exterior combined with the rand had me at hello. Deep down inside you all know how I crave gear and I've come into my own in a way. I used to buy "quantity" with regards to gear, but in the last few years I've moved on to "quality". I expect these boots to last me 10-15 years.
Sunday we packed up and headed home, but not before a stop and a hike. We zipped up the Heart Creek trail and back in a couple of hours. The kids did awesome as we hiked the 3km trail. Logan hiked most of the 6km round trip, making it his longest hike yet! What a trooper and it's only getting better!
Here are some pictures from the hike.
Like I said. Wicked Weekend.
Dora had a surprize race when a friend of Jaime's canceled, opening a spot in the Rocky Mountain Soap Company Women's Run. With litterally a week to train, Dora ran a 12km race, 4km more than any previous race. I don't know about you but that's about 10km more than I'd be willing to run! She trained, stressed and headed North to Camore for the race and we bunked with my brother and his family in a rented Condo. It was a small, but cozy 2 bedroom place with a view of Hai Ling's Peak.
The times are not yet up, but considering the terrain and training time, I know Dora did awesome!
After the race we walked the streets of Canmore and took the kids to the park to play. After we headed back to the condo for some beverage and steaks. By the end of the weekend we were surprized to realize that we ate all our meals at the condo. Not one meal out! I manged to do some shopping and got a new pair of hiking boot which I am totally excited about. I had these adventure 9's that lasted forever and when they died I couldn't find anything to replace them with. I finally broke down and bought a decent pair of boots, some Scarpa Nepal's.
The boots fit like a glove and the full leather interior/exterior combined with the rand had me at hello. Deep down inside you all know how I crave gear and I've come into my own in a way. I used to buy "quantity" with regards to gear, but in the last few years I've moved on to "quality". I expect these boots to last me 10-15 years.
Sunday we packed up and headed home, but not before a stop and a hike. We zipped up the Heart Creek trail and back in a couple of hours. The kids did awesome as we hiked the 3km trail. Logan hiked most of the 6km round trip, making it his longest hike yet! What a trooper and it's only getting better!
Here are some pictures from the hike.
Like I said. Wicked Weekend.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
I wish I had my hair back.
Remember that Diet Pepsi commercial showing a man wanting to feel young again, then showing a montage of the man with Flock of Seagulls hairstyle while the song "I Ran (So Far Away)" plays. It was sweet.
Evan apparently feels the same way. We did give it a trim today, but here it is in all it's glory before we cut it.
Evan apparently feels the same way. We did give it a trim today, but here it is in all it's glory before we cut it.
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| From 2010_05 Mother's Day |
Sunday, May 09, 2010
I just had a double double.
Mother's Day has arrived and Dora got to sleep in a bit. After a quick breakfast of Apple Waffles we ran to the corner to watch Kevin complete his second triathlon. Last year he did the super sprint, but this year he did the sprint, 0.5km swim, 20km bike and a 5km run. He ended up finishing 3rd in his age category and 11th overall? Could be wrong about that. Regardless, here is quick look.
Also a few pictures as he zipped by!
Also a few pictures as he zipped by!
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| From 2010_05 Mother's Day |
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| From 2010_05 Mother's Day |
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| From 2010_05 Mother's Day |
Saturday, May 08, 2010
Calling all nutbars!
So, I thought after a winter of not running much that I should start. I have been getting out irregularly over the last couple of weeks. A few solo runs, a few with Denali (that girl can STILL run - hope I can say that at 84), and a few with family - I thought hey I'm getting good at this again. I know lets destroy ANY self-esteem that I might have in terms of my ability to exercise and enter a race. Not just any race, no may nos way, a 12 k. Not so bad you say and you'd be right, with a bit of training it would be great. A wonderful opportunity for a "comeback". But here's where the problem lies...THE RACE IS NEXT SATURDAY!! Crap, 7 days is not a lot of time to train. And you know what I did last night to help prepare for this 12 k slog? I went out for drinks with the girls and was too hungover/sleep deprived to run this morning. So tonight I will run in the cold (and probably wet) and will have to ignore my aches and chills. Because next Saturday is going to be legendary; I am going to get my ass kicked in the mountains and set a PR for a 12 k AND your positive energy is going to power me through to the finish. Oh yes, I will finish. I'm way too stubborn not to finish.
Thursday, May 06, 2010
One Big Dam
I came across this link today... thought it was pretty awesome.
A beaver dam that's 850m across! The worlds largest beaver dam, in Northern Alberta. The site didn't have any coordinates which wasn't good enough for me. So with a little "Googling" and a lot of Google earth, I came up with this.
58°16'18.76"N 112°15'7.63"W
feel free to throw those numbers into Google earth or Google maps.
58°16'18.76"N 112°15'7.63"W
feel free to throw those numbers into Google earth or Google maps.
