Credit River Salmon Run

My 5th fall season in Toronto, Canada and the first look at the salmon run on the nearby Credit River, close to where I live. I think it is remarkable that with all the built up areas of Toronto, the ongoing quality problems of the water in the rivers and Great Lakes, and still the salmon continue to gather every fall in some rivers to nest, lay their eggs and die. This is not without some help from local conservation authorities as some species have been restocked and are managed carefully, Chinook and Coho salmon having been introduced from the west coast. The eggs will hatch in spring and the offspring will swim down river to Lake Ontario returning up to 4 years later as adults to their natal sites. In amidst the predominant chinook and coho salmon are Atlantic salmon. In the mid 1800's there are reports of streams overflowing with Atlantic salmon to the point where you could cross the stream walking on the backs of the fish. The dead adults also provide a bounty of nutrients for other river life, and the local gulls were standing motionless having consumed as much as possible.

Fall - A great time of the year in Canada !

Canadian Death Race 2010 - An Update

Unfortunately, I did not complete the race. A bit dissapointed, but also pleased with my attempt. I pulled out at 46 km, (the end of the 2nd leg), after it became clear I wasn't going to be able to make the next cut-off time. Those 46 km took a total time of 8hr15min, with an easy 19km first leg of 2 hrs. I can say with certainty that the 2nd leg is the most extreme terrain I have ever covered on foot for that distance. Have watched previous race videos and read the write-ups, I never really grasped the difficulty of some of the course until I was on it. Included in the 26km were two mountain tops, long steady climbs, and a series of sections titled "slug fest", "bum slide", "stairway to hell", and then some very long drop offs along a power line. I have the greatest admiration for anyone completing the course in 24 hrs. A great experience but I certainly hit my limit, just not fast enough over that terrain. Out of 418 starting soloists, 150 finished. Amongst 4 of us camped close to each other - 2 Scottish runners, 1 Canadian and myself, none of us finished. Photo: The relief on my face when I saw Heather at the end of the 2nd leg was immense ! By that point, I knew my race was over.

Rocky Mountain Sheep, Banff National Park

Moraine Lake, Banff National Park

I think we preferred Moraine Lake, although it's close neighbour Lake Louise is obviously more famous. Again, our approach of getting to these sights early in the morning paid off, as by mid-morning the summer traffic had started and the venues were over-run with people. Making the effort though to hike just a few km's away proved to be an escape from the crowds and traffic jams in most instances.

Kananaskis Country, Alberta

Following the advice of the RV rental company in Edmonton, we headed first to the Kananaskis Valley area, and the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park. It proved to be less busier than Banff and Jasper further north. A few terrific walks in the area including one around the Upper Kananaskis Lake early one morning, during which this photograph was taken.

Richardson's Ground Squirrel Portfolio, Kananaskis Country, Alberta

How Wild is North America?

The Big Wild asks "How Wild is North America?"

5 Peaks Rattlesnake Point 2010

Another comparatively successful race held this past weekend and my role as course manager. The biggest race so far by far which brings with it extra challenges. I say comparatively successful because although everything went reasonably well, we still had our problems out on the course - course markings pulled that shoudn't have, injuries, water supply to the aid stations. This to me is the toughest course of all of the 5 Peaks races with lots of roots, rocks, etc and parts of the Enduro course are specifically challenging. This year unfortunately this resulted in some injuries to runners which is never a good thing to experience. It obviously is a trail race and the objective is to provide the broader experience of trail running, but when runners fall and injure shoulders or ankles, this is never a great thing to be a part of !

Bruce Peninsula National Park

Another first - a visit to the Bruce Peninsula National Park and the small town of Tobermory. Surprisingly we were turned away from the main National Park entrance due to it being full. I don't think that has ever happened to me before at a National Park. We headed for another part of the park, and completed a short energetic walk along part of the Bruce Trail in the area of Halfway Log Dump. Spectacular shoreline, but the inviting water was extremely cold !

Canadian Death Race 2010 - 30 Days to go !

Just a brief update on my preparation for the race – 30 days to go ! Preparations have gone okay - could have been better, could have been worse. I suffered a quadricep injury about two months ago, which hindered my running training. I backed off the high mileage schedule, and currently am replacing that with alternatives - gym, cycling, hiking, indoor climbing, etc. Not ideal, but the best possible in the circumstances. My goal is to finish, and I am staying away from trying to set any pace goals other than finishing within the cut-off time.

In terms of sponsorship support, all going to The Rotary Foundation, I am currently at $ 1, 160.00. Thank you to everyone for your great support.

Apart from the race, Heather and I will be hiring an RV, and exploring some of the National Parks of Alberta for 10 days prior to the race - Waterton Lakes, Banff and Jasper. We are definitely looking forward to that part of the trip, our first to that part of Canada. Up to now, I have only seen photographs and documentaries of some of the stunning scenery in that part of the world.

Surprisingly I am really looking forward to the race, and not nervous at all. No doubt, my first sight of the Canadian Rockies will send "shivers down my spine". That is not a bad thing, and will force a careful approach to the race as a whole. My lack of nervousness probably has something to do with having completed the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon previously. As they say, these races are partially physical fitness, and mostly mental stamina. Having got through one extreme race feels like a major breakthrough in my mind. Time will tell if I have underestimated this race.

Thanks to all of you for your interest and support. It is motivational to know that others will be following my participation in the race. When I "hit the wall", no doubt a few times, I certainly plan to remind myself of all the support I have received, and the money we have raised for The Rotary Foundation, which should get me walking again, if not jogging!

5 Peaks Durham Regional Forest

Another successful 5 Peaks trail race completed as Course Manager (I will remember to take my camera next time). From my perspective, that means no one got lost, positive comments on the course, and as a team I think we left the forest trails cleaner than when we arrived on the Friday. Over the Friday and Saturday of race weekend, I get to spend approximately 15 hours out on the courses - Sport and Enduro. Marking the course, delivering aid station gear and volunteers, out on the course during the race, and then clearing up the course markers afterwards. Hard work ! but a really great couple of days of exercise, and being out on the trails. Had some great volunteers this race helping to lay the course and clear up. Heather helps a great deal, and between the two of us, we cover almost every km before and after the race. Next event: Rattlesnake Point 10 July.

Canoeing on the Grand River

For the second time, we spent part of the weekend canoeing on the Grand River. An overcast day, but warm and without rain ! Not quite the remote experience of areas further north of Toronto, but within an hour's drive of where we live, and mainly tranquil and scenic.

World's Largest Conservation Agreement ...

http://blog.wwf.ca/blog/2010/05/18/peace-in-the-woods/

WWF-Canada CN Tower Climb

Another successful CN Tower Climb, the third one for me. An unusual event, but in my mind, a good test of my current fitness against previous years times. Not only did I climb this year, but also helped out as a volunteer on both the team and public climb days. To be honest, there is nothing great about the climb itself - there are no views (except at the finish !), just 144 flights of monotonous stairs, and when I did get to the top, I spent the next 24 hrs coughing from the bad air I had inhaled on the way up. This year I also climbed as part of a WWF volunteer team, which added a great deal to the enjoyment. The event though is a major fund raiser for WWF-Canada, and this year 6, 420 climbers raised over $ 1.2 million for the organisation.

Dr. Jane Goodall - 50 years of Chimps and Change

On Friday, what a privelege for Heather and I to listen to a lecture by Dr. Jane Goodall at the University of Toronto. Inspirational, and even emotional, to hear of the challenges and successes of the chimpanzee studies in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, and beyond. I guess what was most striking to us, is that with all her awards and worldwide recognition, the message was straight forward and direct, and given with such humility.

Pack of Wild Eastern Wolves in Algonquin Provincial Park - February 18, 2010

Being a member of the The Friends of Algonquin Park, and visiting regularly, the following video was of great interest. Hear and read so much about the wolves, but they are so rarely seen !

http://www.youtube.com/user/FOAPAlgonquinPark#p/a/u/0/8g-mJHcH0_U

Death Race Training

Since the beginning of January, I have just completed 13 weeks of training for the race, approx. 900 km (A 100 mile race training schedule). The last few weeks have been tough, struggling with niggling injuries that just never go away. Also completed my third Hamilton Around the Bay race on the 28 Mar - a great time of year for the 30 km race, and a good test of fitness coming out of winter. Last week, on my recovery week, I stuck to walking to try and give my body a chance to get through the strains. Not lost effort, as there will be a lot of walking during the race. The next three weeks will be a real test, with a target of 96 km per week. The weather in Toronto though has warmed up a lot, and it is making for some great clear days for running. The race facebook page has regular updates from other competitors, but I am unsure of the pro's and cons of reading the updates. It is encouraging to read the updates, but in other ways concerning to follow the amount of training others are getting in. I honestly don't believe I can be doing more than I am - the body just will not adjust that fast !

WWF CN Tower Climb 2010

Under two weeks to go until the annual World Wildlife Fund CN Tower climb - the team challenge on Thu April 15, and the public climb on Sat April 17. Since our six month trip in 2008 to South America, it has been a focus on work to pay the bills and increase the savings. Our dream would be to travel more, and to certainly get out into the great outdoors more often. In the meantime my goal is to have a balance between work and the rest of life, hence a big focus this year for me to get more involved in Rotary projects, course manager for the 5peaks Ontario trail racing series, and also I have become part of the in-house volunteer team at WWF. The CN Tower climb week will be busy, helping out as a volunteer on both the Thu and Sat, and to climb as part of a volunteer team in the team challenge. Saturdays shift starts at 03h00 ! All for a great cause, and the involvement is just so rewarding contributing towards something real. The dream would be to work full-time in conservation related work, but for now I have to accept that engineering project manager is where the money comes from.

Algonquin Park Bear Research - Rick Mercer Report !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz4iXyIYvgk

Training, Training, Training !

Training continues for the Death Race in August, and for the first time in my life I am committed to a proper training schedule, unlike ad-hoc training attempts for previous races. The schedule targets a 100 mile race, and last week I completed my first 80 km week of training. From here on in, the weekly mileage continues to increase in 4 week cycles, with every 4th week a recovery week - a mere 56 km! Apart from the challenge of the race, the training targets are challenge enough, and I continue to be surprised by my progress - Not necessarily in speed, but more in endurance. I am looking forward to the weather warming up, as a lot of training is currently being done on a treadmill. Gearing up to run in -20 Deg C with wind chill, along with iced up pathways is just not appealing. As with previous races, I am using my participation in the event to raise funds for charity. Last year I joined the local Credit Valley Rotary Club, and so all donations will go towards the Rotary Foundation. This is the most effective way I know to support health, education and poverty alleviation projects locally and globally.

Canadian Death Race, 2010

Following my experiences with the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon (KAEM), this year I have set myself a goal of completing the Canadian Death Race ! (www.canadiandeathrace.com). The entries opened on the 1st Jan, and I finally had full confirmation of my entry as a solo runner this past week. Unlike the 7 day extreme marathon, this race has a cut-off of 24 hrs, to complete a really challenging route of 125 km, with total elevation change of 17, 000 feet. The race is run from the town of Grande Cache in Alberta, Canada, during the August holiday weekend. As I have learnt before, coming down with flu two days before one of my attempts at the KAEM, it is not all about the race only, but also the journey getting there - sounds silly, but really true ! For the first time in my training, I am determined to stick to a training regime, unlike my ad-hoc training attempts previously. I have a schedule for a 100 mile race, downloaded from the web, that is broken down into 4 week cycles. Just achieving the 4 week and weekly goals, is fulfilling and challenging, and a significant step towards any shorter races I hope to complete during the year.

5Peaks Trail Running Series, Southern Ontario

www.5peaks.com Having run a number of the races over the past few years, this year I have taken on a role as part of the organisation team of the Southern Ontario series. As Course Manager, I will be setting and marking the Sport and Enduro courses and managing the course part of the event on race days. Basically, it is a great reason to spend time outdoors, the best time being the day before the Saturday races when many hours are spent reviewing and marking the courses. Over 15 km of trails are marked for each of the five events during the year. Being a weekday, the conservation areas are usually quiet with few people. Last weekend we did a reconnaissance of the Dundas Valley Conservation area, the location of the first race in the series in late April 2010. With the wind chill, the temperature was below -20 Deg C, and in little time, the contents of our water bottles had frozen completely !

Frigate Bird Colony, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Frigate Birds (Fregata magnifiscens) have the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird in the world. The males have wingspans up to 2.3m in length.

Bottlenose Dolphins, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Following the turtle sighting and almost exactly on cue, we came across a school of bottlenose dolphins in deeper water, already having been spotted by other boats. They surfaced frequently around the boats, in this case a juvenile and adult surfacing together.

Hawksbill Turtle, Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve

Searching the shallow waters of the bay by boats, it did not take long to spot our first turtle, but the animal was determined to stay underwater as long as possible away from the boats. Very briefly it surfaced to grab a quick breath and then it submerged again - this happened twice. As soon as the boats moved off, and our attention was diverted, the animal surfaced for a longer time in the distance.

Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

A week's escape from the Canadian winter to the sun and warmth of the Riviera Maya included a day's trip into the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve. A rough drive by jeep followd by an extensive boat tour through part of the reserve provided for an excellent day back into some spectacular natural areas away from the resorts and their crowds. Searching for turtles in the extensive bays with fringing mangroves, was followed by a bottlenose dolphin sighting, a trip to a frigate bird colony, and then some snorkelling above the local reefs.