2011-A Year in Review

A bit of self-reflection every now & then is a healthy endeavour, too much and it turns into therapy. Although there is nothing wrong with therapy, I don't think I'm quite willing to tackle all my inner demons and afflictions just yet. I find my various insecurities useful to get me out the door and to keep me pushing myself in all aspects of my life. Regardless, looking back and evaluating is a useful stepping stone to moving forward, as George Santayana famously said: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" and as a self-professed 'striver' I'm more interested in what I have left to do than what I have done.

Here's a month by month summary of my 2011-I have also linked each month back to an archive on my blog for more context.


January
I started the year in Canberra, Australia where Lauren was training. I ran more in my month there than I ever had before. It redefined what was possible for me in terms of mileage and I was able to do some beautiful runs in some wild country.
I also got a chance to learn some new ideas on running form from Darren Smith, Lauren's coach at the time. The form ideas relate to rhythm, posture and applying force into the ground with each foot-strike. They've served me well this whole year.
I had my wisdom teeth out at the end of the month.

February
After years of thinking about it, I finally signed up for a 100-mile race, the inaugural Mt. Fuji 100 miler. It was a huge leap to convince myself to finally sign up. I knew that once I committed to the distance, that I was likely turning my back on
ever having success at shorter distance runs. It's a silly fear and my gut and passion for long mountain outings ultimately won out. I have no regrets about the decision and I set about learning as much as I could to see me through such a long and challenging event.
I kept up a heavy training volume through the month, meeting Simon, Kyle and Jon for some fun and challenging runs.

March
I kept up a heavy training load for Mt. Fuji, trudging through some soggy and miserable runs.
I raced the Chuckanut 50km for the second time. In retrospect, I probably didn't cut back on my volume quite enough to have a perfect race. I went out with the race leaders at course record pace and paid dearly for the fast opening pace. Although I was able to salvage an 8th place finish and a half decent time, I suffered miserably for about 15 miles before pulling myself out of the hole that I was in. It was comforting to know that I could recover on the run, but I also developed immense respect for the talent of the top ultra runners, like Geoff Roes. Their combination of speed and strength is what I began striving for in my running. I also got my first real dose of the importance of running your own race. I got caught up in the moment and my performance suffered for it.
I recovered very quickly from Chuckanut, which I took as a great sign of my fitness.
Following the tragic Japanese earthquake, the race organizers of the Mt. Fuji understandably announced that they were canceling their race for 2011.

April
I wrote my last round of exams and finished law school. Despite my outward claims to the contrary, I was proud of this. I never finished my undergrad degree, dropping out of school to pursue other opportunities, and it gnawed at me, so being able to earn a law degree and do quite well, while being invigorated by learning, was hugely satisfying.
My running lacked focus, without an immediate race goal and with exams/papers taxing my energy, but I kept up my big miles. I celebrated writing my last exam by driving up to Nanaimo and running the Fletcher's Challenge 11km trail race. It was my first win of the year and I was introduced to awesome trails.

May
I finished my first 50-mile race, the Elk/Beaver 50-mile Canadian Trail Championships, which I won in a time of 5:44:00. I was proud of this race. It was satisfying to know that my body could hold up over the distance, that I could manage the rough patches, get my nutrition right and run a decent time. In retrospect, I could have run a fair bit quicker and others can too on the same course, but time wasn't really my goal, running a race I could be proud of was the objective. It was a good lesson that managing emotions are a very important part of long runs.

I left my apartment, friends and family in Victoria and moved to Vancouver and began my BC Law Society Bard Admission course. I've lived a very transient last 11 years and I was on the move again, relying on the generosity (and basement) of my in-laws. It was definitely sad and hard to leave the Island.

June
I was attending more classes, learning how to be a lawyer. I spent more time daydreaming than learning though and I really struggled with the format and utility of what I was learning. I was also missing Victoria, my support network and, most importantly, my wife.
I began to run more and more in the local mountains, but the trails were very snowed in and the alpine wasn't all that accessible. I ran the Iron Knee 21-25km (distance varies depending on who you ask) and was soundly beaten by a man with three names, finishing second. It was a solid effort and I kept up my mileage with a view on racing the CCC 100km in Chamonix France. I tried to get into the UTMB 100 mile race, but didn't have enough 'points' to qualify. I also toyed with the idea of racing the Canadian Death Race 125km, but knew it would be tricky with my Bar Exam the day before.

July
Lauren was forced to call an end to her season due to severe over-training. It's been hard to watch her struggle the past few years. She is such a talented athlete, but broken bones and now over-training set her back. Still, her attitude is why I love her. She was about as far down in the dumps as an athlete can get, but yet she never settled. She kept looking for answers, resting as much as she could and making hard decisions. Her ability to push through adversity is second to none and I can't wait to celebrate with her when she finally succeeds. Still, it was emotionally hard to see her struggling. I also gained a new level of respect for "fatigue". I never really believed in the concept of over-training, but her symptoms, night sweats, bizarre appetite, inability to push herself, inexplicable injuries, lethargy and frequent cold like symptoms made me respect the need for rest. It also reminded me how fickle sport can be and I swore to keep making the most of the time when I was performing well.

I wrote my Bar Exam-it was mentally draining. After drinking a pint with my cohort, I sneaked off and ran for 3.5 hours of alpine running bliss. I was mentally drained, sleep deprived and maybe a bit buzzed from my one beer (lightweight), but I enjoyed every exhausted step and gained strength with each snowy stride.

I ran the Knee Knacker for the second time. After winning last year, but not being satisfied with how I won, feeling like Aaron Heidt lost the race, rather than me beating him, I wanted to put my fitness to the test and give the course record a go. I went out hard, maybe too hard and ended up running off-course early. I chased hard to catch up, but Aaron ran a smart race and beat me. Once again, I was reminded that a fast opening pace means little in a long race and more often than not, costs you in the end. I also learned that I have to make the same mistake twice for the lesson to stick. Still, I was able to move well while fatigued and I knew my fitness was good.

August
A month of pure "Alpine" bliss. My most memorable month of running to date. I have never put in as much time in the mountains as I did that month, running 20-24 hours a week.
I ran the iconic 31-km Sierre Zinal mountain run and got a taste of the depth and talent of Euro mountain running. I was much too fatigued to get a top result, but I thoroughly enjoyed the race and look back to more Skyrunning races in better condition.
I also ran the CCC and finished a surprising 2nd. I had a perfect race for me on the day. I faced incredible fatigue and gained more confidence that I can be competitive with the best in the world in mountain ultras. I spent a week immersed in mountain running culture, getting to know the top North American and European ultra mountain runners and enjoying the site and spectacle of the UTMB race weekend. It definitely provided a glimpse into how big mountain running can be and I fell in love with the sport and atmosphere. I vowed to go back to experience the UTMB in the top possible physical shape.
Seeing Kilian Jornet compete at both races and getting a chance to watch him race and operate behind the scenes was a real privilege. He is a class athlete and a class person. I was able to witness the professionalism that he and the Salomon team bring to races first hand. As with the UTMB spectacle, it really felt like you could see the nature of the sport changing.

September
I moved back to Vancouver and began working full-time in a corporate law firm environment. Serious culture shock, especially after my past month.
I took it easy for 2 weeks and then signed up for the TNF challenge in December. I kick started my training with the Rubble Creek 25km Classic. A beautiful alpine race in the provincial park just outside Whistler. It's one of the most beautiful mountain races in Canada and well worth doing. I won in essentially a sprint finish and had a blast. The conditions were as miserable as they get, pouring rain, huge winds, sleet, snow etc...

October
Lauren moved back to Victoria, so I got to spend a bit of time on the Island.

It was a low key month. I juggled work and training and watched the days get shorter. I began doing a lot of runs under the beam of my headlamp.
I went to Utah with Arc'teryx and Joe Grant for a photoshoot. It was amazing to get to see the desert that time of year and although we didn't run too much, we still got in some nice jaunts in an amazing part of the US.
My Dad and Robin also came to visit for a few weeks and I enjoyed showing them around the city. I don't get to see him, nor talk to him much, since they live in Nigeria and communication is not always straightforward, so it was nice to reconnect for a while.

November
Ferry trips to the Island, balancing lots of work and running at night. I was definitely feeling worn down from it all. I tried to connect with people as much as possible, as I was getting a bit lonely in town.
It was mostly a monotonous month, but my training went well and I knew I was ready to race. It was an interesting balance, trying not to overdo it with work and play and at times it felt daunting and more than a bit ridiculous.

December
I finished 3rd at the TNF 50. Once again, I had a steady race, I controlled my emotions, I listened to my body well, I manged a few rough patches well and was proud to finish ahead of some very good runners. Once again, my confidence in my ability to prepare and do well at ultra races was buoyed. I also got another glimpse at the level necessary to compete with the best. Being in a pack of 13, or more runners for 15 miles and then seeing Mike Wolfe and Dakota Jones slugging it out at an insanely fast pace made me hungrier than ever to want to be in the mix and reaffirmed my love of preparation and of racing. It was a great way to end a good race season.
I took a week off running and have been playing in the mountains a lot. I did my first day of ski touring and loved it. I also dusted off the skinny skis and have been out for a few rips around the tracks.
Since it's a season to be with family, Lauren's been around, so I was recruited as her on-land (my allergy to chlorinated pools has only gotten stronger this past year) training partner whenever possible over the past 2 weeks. I've been doing run sessions with her and slowly building up my mileage again, getting back into a strength routine and enjoying the relaxed pace of the holiday season.

In summary, after almost 15 years of competing in a variety of endurance sports at a decent level, I finally feel like I have found my sporting niche. I love mountain ultra running. It combines my passion for exploring the outdoors, long training days, challenging myself physically and mentally and the community is incredible. I still have a lot to learn and experience, so I'm very excited for the upcoming year. My results this past year have opened some unexpected doors and opportunities and, knowing how fickle sport can be, I want to make sure that I take advantage of them.
Although I also want to also be smart and strategic about how I approach it all, so I'm still finalizing a plan for 2012-but my main goal will be to finally tackle 100 mile race, or two. I also want to experience more of the Euro classic mountain races if possible. I've enjoyed putting in long hours on my feet, exploring new places and figuring out what is needed to do well at mountain running. It is a different beast from road races and ultra running is a whole other animal, but I know that if I stay smart, that I can build on my fitness and experiences from last year.
Some of my plans are contingent on what happens with Lauren and her attempt to qualify for her second Olympics. She has a difficult task ahead, but, as always, she is facing her challenge with determination, grace, fun and shit load of hard work.
I also have some big career choices and uncertainties to tackle in 2012 and I know that I'll have some soul searching to do.
I am well aware that these are all good problems to have, so, all in all, I'm excited for 2012. As Simon Whitfield would say, the "relentless pursuit" continues.