Are you tough enough for the province's highest mountain?

I could complain about the rain, but the clouds cloud my thinking. The sun is more fun but we trot no matter the weather. So we rumourize (?) that snow may again fall but I have faith that we are all wrong! No snow for me! Let's take a road trip to Max Bell Arena for an 8 am journey along the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, the golf course, Beaver Dam Flats Provincial Park, and the Eastern Irrigation District Canal. If that doesn't sound like a trip around the world I don't know what is!

It was great to see our buddy Ken back from India, now on a permanent case. No more India stories, pictures, and winning the obcure race. But we wish him well as he is in Oregon for a marathon this weekend and then Vancouver for a do-over next weekend. The guy just never quits. Hopefully we will all have his energy and enthusiasm for life when we are in our 50's. Good luck Ken!

A belated congrats to our old peeps Evelyn V. and Jill N. and Martin L. all braved the Boston heat and completed the Boston Marathon last week. Hard to believe it was eight years ago I last did this and twelve for my first time. Time does fly but not my personal speed anymore!

And a good old good luck to those of you doing the Police Half on Sunday. Joy, Sadie, and me will be ensuring that the helicopter landing pad will be marshalled and the shortcut (1 km and one hill less...) will be offered to all trotters. Are you going?

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So I was thinking...

We are very excited to announce that, in partnership with BC Parks, we will be hosting the 2012 Mount Robson Marathon on Saturday, September 8, 2012.  The event will consist of full-marathon (actually 46km, about 4km longer than a true marathon) and half-marathon (21.1km) “out-and-back” trail races on the world-famous Berg Lake Trail in spectacular Mount Robson Provincial Park.  There will also be a shorter distance race still to be determined.  In addition to the races, there will a kids’ fun run, live music, BBQ and other activities during the day at the Mount Robson Visitor Centre.

Registrations are expected to open on Saturday, May 12 at 10am, and there will be a registration link on our website at www.mountrobsonmarathon.ca.  There will be a limit of 150 participants in each event.  Entry fees will be announced as soon as possible.

Further details on the event, including the entry fees, will be announced as they become available on our website at www.mountrobsonmarathon.ca, via our Twitter feed @MtRobsonMarathn, and via our email distribution list (please email info@mountrobsonmarathon.ca to be put on the email list if you didn’t receive this message directly from info@mountrobsonmarathon.ca).

Our website http://www.mountrobsonmarathon.ca/ includes detailed information of the race routes.  To see what you missed in 2011, or to relive some old memories, please take a look at our Flickr photo gallery at www.flickr.com/photos/mountrobsonmarathon

Anyone interested?

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And then it occurred to me...I need to train.

National High Five Day

Happy Friday! What a glorious day today. I am blessed to have a window seat to the world from my third floor in Heritage Hall. Soccer balls rolling on the pitch, trees sprouting new leaves, and a few new cranes dotting the downtown skyline. Doesn't get much better than this!

This week seems like a great week to climb stairs, 802 in fact. Tomorrow I will see you all at Eau Claire for the usual 8 am trot, but I will only travel 30 minutes with the group. I have a 9 am meeting for the Mother's Day Run and Walk  an event that I have participated in almost every year since the late 80's. Following that I hope to be climbing the steps of the Calgary tower at 10 am, early enough so I can make an 1130 am hockey game. I am tired just thinking about it! See many of you tomorrow.

All this activity has made me hungry and thirsty...I have a tasty habit!
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My friend April always sends over some great stories. This week she shared a video of Frank who has a website called postsecret.com. I had never heard of it before but it is apparently the most viewed website in the world without advertising. He talks about secrets and how people share some powerful thoughts with him through postcards. I was quite touched and wonder who YOU would share your secrets with? I have heard many secrets in the years of training the group, from the closet smokers to the 'secret' race goals (these secrets don't last long!) to impending childbirth to marital bliss or blahs.

We have many secrets that we sometimes share and sometimes just let store in our thoughts. One of the greatest joys I have (NOT more than wife Joy of course) is being able to share and support people in their secrets. I am truly blessed to have friends that trust their thoughts to me...
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And for that I support - (albeit yesterday)

National High Five Day

It’s National High Five Day! Today is all about celebrating the high five and giving high fives to everyone you meet, including friends, classmates, coworkers, and strangers. You can even send a free virtual high five to faraway friends and family. A group of students at the University of Virginia declared the first National High Five Day in 2002. Today, people all across the country celebrate this unique holiday and help raise money for the National High Five Project.

Nobody knows who invented the high five. NBA player Derek Smith claimed that he created the high five while playing for the University of Louisville basketball team in 1979. According to another story, a man named Mont Sleets popularized the gesture. While Mont was growing up in Kentucky, his father's old army friends would greet each other by extending their arms straight up in the air and saying the name of their division: "Five." As a young boy, it was difficult for Mont to remember all of the names of his father's friends, so when he saw them he would just say "Hi, Five!" This childhood greeting stuck with him and he started to greet others with high fives. Want to know the trick for the perfect high five? Look at the other person's elbow as you are about to high five them. You’ll have a perfectly accurate high five every time. Happy National High Five Day!

 Hello my friends. Lovely rain/snow/sleet/wind/cold out in Cow-town today. Not so bad in Edmonton but as you all know up north - us in Calgary like to give it to you Edmontonians! At least you got the first round draft pick. All we got is, well not much. I can't even cheer for the Habs...

As it could be three feet of snow here by Saturday, let's meet at Eau Claire for our 8 am trot around the downtown. Don't miss out on an opportunity to test the bounce of the Peace Bridge! See you in the Eau Claire YMCA by the pool.

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I have been thinking about our trotters and how difficult the days have been this spring for some. We have enjoyed some wonderful experiences as individuals, highs of marathon qualifications, trips, and finish lines. We have also experienced some lows; injuries, relationships, and reactions to name a few.

I am constantly reminded of the 10-80-10 rule that was shared many years ago by our friend Kara. 10% of the time your trot is outstanding-never better-world beater. 80% of the days are just okay. We survive with friendship, no injuries, and our lunch in its rightful place. And then there is that last 10%, those days where we wonder why we woke from that sleep, where we DNF'd, crashed, or just had a miserable day.

All of these days make up who we are as an athlete. Those perfect days are just as important as the awful to allow us an opportunity to grown and learn from success and failure. What makes you tick? Is it the person at your side that spreads the wealth of knowledge (and multitudes of gossip!), or perhaps the peer pressure of having a larger group that you can blend into and just allow the crowd to pull you along? Do we challenge or hinder your progress? Hmmm...

Age can definitely play a part of your performance. Ken Skea aside, most of us have experienced a slide in our ability as we have crossed thresholds of 20-30-40-50-60. I have definitely seen my body catch my age these last few years. Granted a desk role and our Marketplace treats have also been a factor in this decline!

Sample, sample, sample. Keep those students practicing!

When you are finding the day not working in your favour, catalogue it with a journal in a book, a calendar, FB, somewhere you will be able to track and recall your days. Think of your fluid and food intake, your workday stress, activity, injuries - anything that may have affected your day good and bad. By tracking both the good and bad of your day and training you will be able to more accurately predict your ability to repeat training with success.

My friends who are struggling right now, you know who you are, keep consistency as your guide and tweak out all those things that are causing you grief. Your days of old when you wer young will come back and not haunt but rather help you across that daily finish line.
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 Many of you have heard me chat about this tower climb. While 802 steps might sound daunting, it really is about 15 minutes of left/right repeat with many water stops, photo ops, and good people along the stairs. If you have never tried this before please join me and I guarantee you will enjoy the experience. Heck, you might even go up twice!

Don't think you have what it takes, read the latest news and the story of Phyllis Hart. She passed away last week but had done the climb every year until she was 93 years old. NOBODY I know doesn't have the ability! So please join Joy and me as we climb up the stairs and see the next wonderful art piece in the stairwell.
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I pulled this story from the Calgary Herald today. I personally am killing myself doing a TRX workout to work my core and balance, but here is a good description of some simple training techniques. This might help with the earlier issues...

ROB WILLIAMS IS A KINESIOLOGIST AND POSTURE SPECIALIST IN DOWNTOWN VANCOUVER: WILLIAMSHEALTHGROUP.COM ROB WILLIAMS

Core training builds balance

Moves help avoid injuries

If you’re counting on longer days and warmer weather so you can get outside to do your exercise, hopefully you don’t have too much longer to wait.

Photos, courtesy, Rob Williams In the sprawl twist, the core is engaged, building rotational movement under load.

For those who prefer running, cycling or swimming as their primary athletic activity, I hope you remember the importance of building balance within your body.
Whether it’s sitting at a computer, working in the garden, or riding your bike for hundreds of kilometres each week, too much of any single position or movement pattern isn’t a good thing. It can result in compromised posture and movement because of imbalances in your body, which result in dysfunction, pain and injury.
For example, if your daily routine and exercise efforts have you in a position of sustained forward flexion, you really need to do maintenance exercises that promote extension. If your conditioning activities are all linear (moving forward in a straight line, like running or cycling), you’d be well advised to start performing lateral and rotational movements to maintain balance.
Here are a few of my favourite exercises to help runners, cyclists and swimmers stay balanced and healthy. Remember to consult your physician before changing your exercise program, and always warm up properly before exercise.
One-legged squat, supported
An issue I often find in linear athletes is hip weakness, presenting as an inability to control the lateral stability of the pelvis under load. Often there is an ability to maintain a level pelvis while standing still on one leg, but the minute you ask them to engage their hip musculature and start to squat, they lose control of their pelvis.
The unsupported hip drops toward the floor; the supported hip juts out to the side, there is twisting of the supporting leg and knee, and unnecessary curving and twisting through the spine.
An easy way to build functional strength in these hip muscles is to perform controlled squats on each leg, supporting your balance with a wall or chair, and being absolutely committed to maintaining a square, level pelvis and neutral alignment of the spine and leg.
Stand with your left side to a wall, facing a mirror. Using the wall for support, raise your left foot off the floor by picking it up behind you. Perform slow, shallow squats on your right leg, keeping your entire body aligned and your right foot flat on the floor. Do as many as you can, then switch to the other side. Try two to three sets to fatigue, increasing the depth as you get stronger.

Sprawl twists
One area of functional movement that often becomes limited is rotation. There are many passive rotational stretches, and most are helpful, but it’s also important to make sure that you can perform active rotational movement while under load. This conditions the core musculature to stabilize and protect the spine during athletic activities, while ensuring that you maintain functional range of motion.
For the sprawl twist, start in a four-point sprawl position, with your body well aligned and your core engaged. From this loaded position raise one hand off the floor and turn to reach it upward toward the ceiling.
The initiation of the turning motion should come from your mid-section, turning your rib cage and upper torso first, with the shoulder, arm and head coming in sequence.
Try to keep your pelvis centred and level as you turn, with equal and consistent weight on both legs. Attempt five slow, controlled turns on each side.
Wall bridging
Active extension movements are essential for balancing the flexed positions of running and cycling, as well as posture. This modified wall bridge is helpful for the spine and shoulders, and is easily progressed to increase the level of difficulty.
Start with your back against a wall and feet flat on the floor. Hold your spine in neutral and your legs and hips slightly flexed as shown.
Reach your arms over your shoulders and place your fists on the wall, with your elbows bent. Maintain your body position and core engagement as you press through your fists to slowly lift your body from the wall.

Hold for five to 10 seconds and relax, repeating for 10 repetitions. Staying taller is easier. Try bending your legs for increased difficulty.

Simple enough?

Should we have paid for that?

Well, what an interesting night we had. Our usual group of ground-pounders were out and about enjoying a wonderful spring evening (plus 16C!), even warm enough for Ken from India...but that is not the story. Nope, it was the shock our twenty or so peeps had when we got to the Stampede grounds. Now I know uthe Stampede is a mere 95 days away but two amorous individuals were 'having at it' next to the river! Yep, a little bit of pre-Stampede lovin' for our trotters to wonder "Was this Lauren's training tip for tonight?" Thankfully Sara did NOT have her phone camera in working order...

We have enjoyed some returning veterans to the group with the addition of sun and clear paths for our training. Good to see Blaine back on track after a few months away. for the rest of you we hope to have you join Jen, Carroll, and the rest of the crew Saturday at the Glenmore Landing McDonald's for a reservoir romp. No, not the same romp as above. This will be the last 9 am meeting before we slide back to 8 am on April 14. I will not be there this Saturday so don't wait for me. I will be feeding two kids copious amounts of chocolate to ensure their dentist is kept in business and their parents keep a furrowed brow...
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A shout out to our successful Hervis Half Prague peeps who completed their goal last weekend. I do know that Janelle and Afton crossed the line in the neighbourhood of 2:15. Well done. Still waiting for pictures and a report from them but I am sure we will hear something soon. We will right girls???

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Jen sent this article that sort of explains a bit of our habits for trotting the trails. Perhaps this the same high we get when we are on our first couple of dates with a new partner? May that feeling of euphoria stick with us longer than the first month...thanks Jen.

http://gizmodo.com/5896725/runners-highs-evolved-to-make-us-better-hunter-gatherers

Runners’ Highs Evolved to Make Us Better Hunter Gatherers

You've all been there: tired and exhausted, you drag your ass out for a run, but a few miles in—BOOM—your pain fades and you're suddenly euphoric. You've got a runner's high—and new research reveals that it's an evolutionary trait that fine-tuned us to be the ultimate hunter-gatherers.
The research, conducted by the University of Arizona and the University of Texas, shows that evolution has hard-wired us to perk up during endurance exercise. To do that, the body dumps neurotransmitters, called endocannabinoids, into our brain. Those compounds activate cannabinoid receptors—the same ones that are stimulated by cocaine—to provide that euphoric feeling during and after exercise.
The researchers tested out the theory that it's an evolved trait by studying the concentration of endocannabinoids in the blood of different animals exercising on treadmills for thirty minutes. In humans and dogs—animals which evolved for endurance exercise—the levels of the neurotransmitter rocketed. In animals that evolved to be sedentary—such as ferrets—there was no such increase. The results appaear in the Journal of Experimental Biology.
The researchers point out that an ability to run long distances would have made us better hunter-gathers capable of getting more food—so natural selection would have ensured that those who experienced runners' highs all those years ago won out. These days, you're probably best off enjoying the feeling while it lasts. The day after is when the pain really starts. [Journal of Experimental Biology]
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One of our buddies and original 'Uncoachable' Gerardo Carsolio is a wonderful artist who works primarily with wood. He is part of an art show listed below. I am always a fan of unique art pieces and might have to convice Joy to make the trip to Cochrane. At worst we can always stop and say hello to MacKay's (ice cream of course!)

Happy Spring Everybody!

I want to send out some information about an interesting art show I am participating in on April 13th and 14th called "Spring is in the Air".

The show is a fundraiser for the Cochrane Humane Society and the Bridges 2 Malawi Project.

The event is being held at the Cochrane Ranchehouse and features 25 artists that are some of the finest in Western Canada. 

Many of the participating artists I have met through the Stampede art show and I am excited to see their work in a new venue.

Please check out the attachment for the show, on Friday night there is a dinner and silent auction to try and raise money for the charities and there is also the option to come and see the art after the dinner and have coffee and desserts. There are also some events planned for Saturday including Children Paint With An Artist. All of the information is included in the invitation.

For your information all of the artists will be seated at separate tables for the dinner and if you are interested you can book a spot at my table to chat with me during dinner. Please let me know if you are interested in coming to the dinner and we can make sure that you are seated at my table!

I hope to see you at this new and exciting event!

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night

Okay, the office staff were singing a song today from the Sound of Music. Perhaps it was the winter wonderland of today that reminded them of the Christmas classic? Maybe it is just a group of happy singers looking for that forum to share their enthusiasm for the day? All I am thinking is nuts!

Well, what I was really thinking was to wish our Prague Half Marathon group a singing salute, an adios so to speak, or sing. Yes, all the training, whining, hobbling, check-backs and high fives have led to this last week of prep for the big Hervis Half. A special shout out to Afton and Janelle who started with shortness of breath and fear of trotting now becoming well conditioned athletes! Or so we say...I don't think they knew what they were in for

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For those of you wishing to temp fate and join us for a lovely day on the trails let's meet at Bowness Park Lagoon for our Saturday trot. Park in the first lot next to the coffee shop and washrooms. See you there at 9 am sharp! (ok, ish for me)

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A quick shout out to our friend Peter who ran his first half in NYC last weekend. A fantastic time of 1:59! I love that the NYRR have an age graded time of which Peter ran the 'equivalent' of 1:43, that is fast! The winner finished the race in under an hour, which means he ran TWICE as fast as our average pace. Could you keep that up?

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With some of our group (not John Boy!) off to another European adventure I thought we should chat a bit about packing for the trip. Specifically our race day gear. Nothing is worse than travelling overseas and realizing you forgot the most important part of your trip. I have forgotten my shoes, I even wore two different shoes to a race (note to self, don't dress in the dark), and forgot the race bib that tracks your timing for the race crew. Simple things but they will matter if you don't have them.

I support getting dressed in your gear that you intend to wear race day before you leave your home. Yep, look a geared up in your bedroom! Think head to toe:

- Hat (or tuque or chicken)

- sunglasses

- sunscreen and bodyglide

- earrings and necklace (y'know you need this)

- shirt (long and short sleeve)

- jacket

- running bra

- gloves

- water belt

- electrolytes (gels, caplets, salt tabs, etc.)

- camera and cash (trust me, these are most important)

- ID (stranger in a strange land)

- running underwear

- shorts and tights (just in case)

- not one but TWO pair of socks (perhaps a compression pair for the airplane?)

- and the one thing that is most important, your shoes.

What have I missed? going by memory and of course it is not as vast as I like to remember...The most important thing I missed is whatever makes you feel comfortable to finish your goal. I had six bags of potato chips pinned on my back for Joy...she finished!

The list is long but I suggest you get dressed at home, feel comfortable with what you have on, then pack it in your carry-on. Wear those running shoes on the plane to save luggage space. By having your race gear with you, lost luggage only means a stop to Marks and Spencer to pick up new 'unmentionables'. Trying to find comfy trotting gear and the RIGHT shoes for a race would be darn near impossible.

So don't forget to pack the gear you need to get to the start line. Oh yes, last year I forgot an important piece that almost made me miss the Disneyworld Marathon...my passport expired. Thank you Canadian Border Services for turning over a new passport within 20 hours. Who says government is bogged down???

Are you perfect?

Where does the time go? I look down to my watch and see that it is Friday. Who knows where the time goes when we sit at our desk on Monday morning and all of a sudden Jimmy Buffett is singing "It's five o'clock somewhere". I could so be in Margueritaville right now!

So where to trot this weekend? The weather has been fantastic this week and tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day. So I think we need to find a place with green and great views. I think we will meet at the Glennfield Meadows parking lot within Fish Creek Park. The lot is accessed off Macleod Trail and Bannister Road, opposite Green Gate Garden Centre. See you all there at 9am.
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We missed the original airing last night of The Perfect Runner last night on The Nature of Things but fortunately there is another airing later this week. The Calgary Herald covered a story on this Edmonton filmmaker and his journey to put science into long distance running. I like that he considers our butt based environment of office and car to be the true 'extreme'. I might have to agree. Who can recall their youth where activity was always at the forefront of our day and the Playstation, PVR, and computer surfing were not considered 'activity'?

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I look back on my teaching of stride and movement for our many groups and think about our 'perfect' stride. Is this really a true statement? We all have a different body structure, 'parts' that don't fit where they used to, and our practice is not as refined as the elite athlete. So where do we become the perfect athlete? If we choose to only compare ourselves to ourselves we will have much greater success in finding perfection. If you think of all our media today much of it is photo enhanced to offer us the supposed 'ideal' person. Are we really able to become the perfect person when our comparable is photoshopped?

We all can move in our own fashion. The finish line is the same distance from the start no matter when you cross those lines!

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There was a question about race prep from one our Lausanne participants so I thought I would pull out an old newspaper article that I think highlights the important pieces to a successful trot in Switzerland.

First, you must have a good quality hat to protect from the elements. As you see, the chicken DID come before the egg.

Second, bring a camera. You never know what you might see along the journey. Wildlife abound!

Third, enjoy yourself. Smiling is the only option.

And finally, bring cash as there are many 'distractions' along a route that might cause you to need a drink, food, or a great souvenir. Why would you pass up on the experieince???

I still don't know what this reporter wrote, but I am sure it had alot to do with the beautiful mountains of Evian, France in the background. I am sure that is it...

Weather is a four-ish letter word

Snow-lots of it. Wind-has there ever been a day without? Rain-icky when it freezes so quickly. Sun-makes all the rest of it worth it! Living in a mountain city like Calgary has always been a challenge for this outdoor enthusiast. Monday, 15 cm of snow with freezing rain causing havoc with the wiper blades on the way home. Tuesday, cold with a high around -10C but the wind chill created some -20C moments. Wednesday, sunny and +5C which caused slushy splashes, soiled pant cuffs and soggy socks. Today, +9 already with the heat of the day still to come. We really do have the "Don't like the weather? Wait an hour and it will change" mentality here in Calgary!

Well, I tried. Last Sunday I made an effort to join Afton and Jen as they went out for a Sunday trot. All was good until they decided to change locations from Glenmore Landing to Eau Claire. Haven't received the update but I am sure that Jen pushed Afton for pushing Jen. That is why training with a partner is so useful, we get each other from point A to B. High fives all around. I did enjoy a lovely trot around Heritage Park, Sandy Beach, Bel Aire, and Mayfair. Checked out the old 'hood to see how many homes are under renovation THIS week. Lost count after I got to the second pinky toe.

This week we should try to protect ourselves from the 'extreme' heat of the spring sun...+12C for Saturday...let's head on up to Confederation Park and a loop through 45 years of park history. We will meet at West Mount Pleasant arena, located at 610-23 Avenue NW. Call me if you are lost. We will trot off at 9 am...
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As many of you know I work at SAIT as a professional fundraiser. One of the best parts of my job is to meet fantastic donors who truly are passionate about the school and our primary resource...grads. Everything I do is with the goal of getting a student their parchment so that they too can have a great career and life. Another great part of SAIT is learning all about the trades and experiencing the finished products of their hard work. Today I went to a place we call the Marketplace. It is for our culinary programs to sell what the students create. Our School of Hospitality is the only culinary school in Canada that recovers all the food costs that are incurred when they 'practice' preparing their culinary delights. So today I went over there to check out the soups and meat counters but found only this:


Oreo Cookie cake 3 foot tall to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Oreo cookies.



butternut squash? Must be healthy!

Reason number 23423 why I love to (and need to) get outside at least three days a week to enjoy some fresh air.If you are ever up to SAIT for any reason, come visit the Marketplace. I will even give you a tour...
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Every once in a while we find our body is not accepting our goals. Really though, who is the master of this domain??? Shouldn't our mind control the rest of this bag of skin? It IS where all the smarts are, right?

Unfortunately our thoughts can be overcome by emissions from the nerves (never mind THOSE emissions!) that tell us we are not 'appreciating' the day of training. We get out there with the greatest of intentions to set a pace that feels practical, a distance within reason, and with a grou that motivates us to complete the task. All seems good until that darn nerve gets pushed and decides to push back.

We will have many days like this along our trails. Our body is a fabulous device to regulate the ability to left-right-repeat-breathe. This device gives you the important information that allows you to make the right decisions to go faster, slow down, work harder, rest, start or stop. Your body says alot to you in the days that you strap on those stinky sneakers and get out there. How do you react?

I strongly suggest a training journal for those that are new to their chosen trot. A journal will allow you to mark all things important in your training day: weather, how you feel, work related issues, body functions related to training (yes, it matters!), etc. Chances are when you have a bad day training it is probably collateral damage from something else not related to the actual trot.

For me, I am suffering through a quadricep issue. Been four months. I always thought it was something but never would I have thought it was a back issue probably related to my new office environment. But it makes sense. Sometimes the little things that have nothing to do with strapping on those shoes. I think that the age of forty(ish) might also be part of my problem. Oh, did I mention that stretching is probably a solution? I know, I try to avoid it too!
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I know that when you get out to a race you always hope that there will be something that gets you motivated to keep going. I have enjoyed many great races over my thirty years of pinning bibs to the front of my shirt. Dancing in the Chateau's of France, punk rock fiddlers in Belgium (and seeing John McRae's bunker where he wrote In Flanders Fields), drinking with the Hash House Harriers in Boston, and four years of Uncoachables in Victoria. But I have never experieinced this:

Now is that motivation for you? Every time I look at this photo I laugh that the adult pays no attention but the young lad is intrigued...

All the best,

John