#73: Within You Without You

4:21am, Sat 30 June 2012

Have you ever closed your eyes and had the feeling that the world around you is getting larger and larger, that massive, endless and overwhelming space is building and that as you get smaller and smaller, you are overtaken by a profound and terrifying sense of insignificance, helplessness and fear?

Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, the cocktail of drugs pre and post surgery or simply the total sum of stresses experienced in the past 24hrs, but it was during one such experience early this morning that my mind began to race, and a perfect articulation of thoughts materialized in my brain.

Recently, I read somewhere an article which spoke about 'the code' of running which according to the author relates to the declining incidence of the friendly wave or nod to fellow runners. For reasons then unknown, I was deeply 'bothered' by this and only now believe I know why.

There are two ways to insult what I do as a runner. The direct way is to belittle the sport that I so love and enjoy. That of course being track and field, specifically running. The indirect route and one becoming increasingly prevalent is to glamorize and celebrate a similar but in my opinion unrelated 'sport'/activity that is 'extreme' endurance running. For you see while seemingly very similar in terms of the goal of the events (to cover distance) and essential movements employed (bipedal locomotion); they actually couldn't be more different.

When I, and others like me, run track, be it 100m or 42.2k (not technically a track event but bear with me), I run for a very simple reason. That being to cover that distance as quickly and as efficiently as I possibly can. To do this I must invest a tremendous amount of time, physical and mental energy/effort, resources and employ very specific forms of training, knowledge and experience. Regardless of the time it takes to do this, what stays the same for both myself as well as the world record holder is our shared desire to push our bodies to yet unimaginable limits to be the best we can possibly be and then strive to be even better. This is what it means not only to run, but to run well.

With 'extrene' running, I argue this desire is not shared or even valued. Rather the time, the energy, the resources and the approach to training is simply not employed in order to strive for any personal (subjective) or absolute (objective) excellence. Rather it is wasted (in my opinion) in the pointless and misplaced pursuit of cheap glory, incomparable challenge and a false sense of self-actualization. These are activities with built-in excuses NOT to run fast and NOT to run well. The extreme distance, the unfavourable terrain, the unbearable conditions. These are nothing more than convenient and admittedly 'true' excuses which cloud the nature of the challenge and allow participants the opportunity to hide behind a veil of  blatant mediocrity. What they do is NOT the same thing that I do when I run. We are doing very different things and they cannot be compared. 

Today I will run a 5k race and many will ask why. I will not run as fast as I should run. I will not run as fast as I could and can run. But I will run nonetheless and provide no excuses to explain myself. I don't run because I 'want' to run, or 'need' to run... I run because that is simply what I do. It is what I love to do and will always do. It is who I am and always will be. It is the only thing that truly makes me feel alive in this world. It is the thing that prevents the world from becoming bigger and bigger and prevents me from becoming smaller, insignificant and afraid.

#72: The Word

Today is Wednesday the 13th of June in the year 2012.

Here are some totally random thoughts I've had today and figured I would share them with you all. Enjoy...

- Euro fever has taken Toronto by storm and it's wonderful. I'm of course referring to football and not the forsaken currency of a failing continent. For reasons I can't quite explain, the world seems a better place when people are proud and passionate about their country, their team and their little flags. Perhaps it's time to become uber nationalistic about something more than sport (although I'm super excited about the coming Olympics as well). I've fully embraced my Dutch roots and am proudly sporting the orange colours win, loss or draw. I've also never seen so many happy optimistic Portuguese people in my life...and I've been to Portugal! The Dutchies have a tough road ahead and must now get maximum points against the Germans. Go Oranje!

Hup Holland Hup. Oranje Boven. Wij Houden van Oranje! etc etc

- As a regular city cyclist I take my life into my own hands (and mostly legs) and it's only a matter of time before I get involved in an 'incident' (hopefully not fatal). I also admit to breaking a lot of traffic rules. I run red lights, I turn when and where I shouldn't, and I go the wrong direction on one-way streets to name but a few. Motorists, pedestrians and even fellow cyclists rightly criticize me for doing so and yet I have no regrets. I fully intend to continue doing so because it's faster and in many cases safer than competing with traffic. I wear a helmet, use a bell and lights and generally try to be as safe and courteous to fellow road users as often as I can. I'm doing something good for myself and for the planet and so I justify my bicycle-related behaviours. If the world were full of cyclists, it would be a better place (and that includes the hipsters). Way to go cyclists.

In Toronto, it's you and two wheels versus everybody else.

- Anyone who runs between the hours of 11 and 2pm during the summer is an idiot! I mean seriously, it's the hottest time of the day and exposure to the sun is greatest. And yet I see dozens of lunchtime joggers slogging their way through the heat and humidity. Absolute stupidity! There are far more risks than benefits to this behaviour and any and every other time of the day is more ideal than this one. All the hype and hysteria about hot summer running is ridiculous and can be resolved by using some basic common sense.

Smart summer running means avoiding the hottest times of day.

- As I come closer to the completion of my MSc thesis which was conducted on committed runners and the subculture of distance running, many ask me what I found or what the 'results' were. In sum, I attempted to explain that for some, running ceases to be simply physical activity or exercise or even sport, but is rather an entire way of life, of being. It provides a plethora of lasting physical benefits (improved fitness...endurance, cardio, strength, body composition. Ie increased physical 'health')  but far more meaningful to participants are the psychological and social rewards that come from running. These include an enhanced sense of self-satisfaction, gratification, personal enrichment, fulfilment/actualization, regeneration, social/group belonging, recognition, acceptance, shared meaning, collective accomplishment and contribution. Participants create meaning, value and significance through their running-related behaviours, cognitions and emotions through the mastery of the activity. They persistently pursue an increased competence via the acquisition of skills and knowledge. They forge a unique personal and social identity. They became a part of an entire social world and ethos in which they embark on a 'career' in running. Through their continued commitment, they adhere in the long term and must persevere through adversity. They are taking part in 'serious leisure' (Stebbins, 1982) and 'recreational specialization' (Bryan, 1977) and are individually and collectively all the better for it. This research has important implications for better understanding, predicting and creating successful physical activity (exercise, sport) adherence and healthy lifestyles.

Questionable hydration to ecstatic elation: Running offers an unlimited number of rewards and benefits.

#71: I'm Happy Just to Dance with You

2012 Cabot Trail Relay Review
Part 4: And then the real fun begins...

But now for something completely different:

It's a picture of me and Melinda petting a cow. He won a contest!

...

It's now been almost 2 weeks since I departed for Halifax and what I am convinced were among the best days of my life. They included not only an incredible experience running the Cabot Trail Relay with 'the Black Lungs', but also making memories with my favourite people in the whole world in a most amazing and beautiful part of this world.

Most of the Lungs take a break from the action and sit on a big rock.

Shortly after the race concluded we joined Cardio Arrest for some beers before heading to the local Arena for the lobster lunch and awards presentations. There we immediately joined a massive queue to get our fresh Atlantic lobsters which was complimented with carrot cake and Alexander Keiths. Awards were presented for various accomplishments including those who had taken part in every Cabot Trail Relay in the events' 25 year history; those who had run each of the 17 legs at least once; all males and females who won an individual leg of this years event (including yours truly); those who were (un)fortunate enough to run the beautiful leg 10 in the darkness (again, this included me) and finally the top 3 overall teams (The Maine-iacs, we 'Lungs' were second and the Cape Breton Roadrunners in third) as well as the top mixed (Cardio Arrest) and all-female team.

Congrats to Cardio Arrest 2012: 1st mixed team and 4th overall.

After lunch we were given some much needed down time in which the whole team took a well-deserved collective nap. This would have gone on much longer except that the post-race party at the Bras d'Or Yacht Club was set to begin and our team attendance was mandatory. We downed a few brews to get on the right track and hobbled our way down to the club.

Wake up Rob Campbell! It's 2:30 in the afternoon and it's time to party!

Writing about the shenanigans which ensued wouldn't do the experience justice so I've chosen to steal some fabulous photos of the celebrations and share them once again.

Good times.

Needless to say, what followed was several hours of alcohol enhanced euphoria and fatigue fuelled fun. Pitchers were filled and re-filled, shots of lethal liquor were quickly downed, runners reminisced about the recent race and soon enough a bunch of white fools would have their go at singing and dancing. There was also the much anticipated (or feared...depending on your perspective) barren bolt into (and quickly out of) the ocean. 

It looked something like this except that instead of a bunch of furry penguins, picture naked, drunken men!

And of course, the post wouldn't be complete without the addition of this special song which will play over and over again in our hearts and minds...Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel

Until next year, that's all from me on the 2012 Cabot Trail Relay. Looking forward to 2013...

#70: A Hard Day's Night

2012 Cabot Trail Relay Review

Part 3: The experience of a lifetime and counting down to the finish

Leg numero 9: the middle/median leg. We were half way there, with only half way to go (like driving through Tennessee on the way to Disney Land). As mentioned before, a very good case could be made for this leg being the most challenging of the entire race (or a close second to leg 4). While a bit shorter (‘only’ 17.84km), it requires runners to ascend 385m to the top of North Mountain before descending back to sea level in a very short period of time (the downhills on this leg are severe enough to make your quads quiver). Then, if that weren’t bad enough, it’s still another 5 or so k over rolling hills to the finish at Pleasant Bay. But regardless whether we can agree it’s the toughest leg of the race, I would say it is hands down the most beautiful. The leg begins at dusk just before 8pm and by the time it finishes the sun is setting over the Cape Breton Highlights National Park and the combined views and lighting make this leg sensually and aesthetically appealing in every way.

Ah, the smell of brake fluid in the evening. The descent from North Mountain at dusk during leg 9

But back to the race. Our chosen disciple to tackle this leg was none other than the talented Mr Tom Hesch. Tom was chosen for this most special leg for very good reason. Last year when many of our runners were still a part of Cardio Arrest, Tom’s brother Dave ran this leg for us and did an exceptional job (hell, the guy never ran again afterwards!). We figured that having Tom on this leg would add extra incentive for him to go after his brother’s time and give everything he had. And if he didn't do better than Dave, we planned to just leave him out on the trail. Luckily, Tom did not disappoint. He keyed himself up and I could tell during his warm up that he was ready to go. I wished him luck and we left him alone at the start as we ascended the mountain to the first support site. There we waited in quiet anticipation and could only imagine the anguish and energy being felt as the runners climbed this beast. Slowly the runners, one by one, appeared from around the bend, grimaces on their fighting faces as their quads burned and their hearts heaved. A Maine-iac appeared first followed by a steady stream of singular runners including our own Tom Hesch in very good position. They reached the apex of the mountain and got only the shortest stretch of flat reprieve before descending and then again climbing another large hill. It was then that the runners would begin their rapid descent back to the bottom at break neck speed. We continued on along the leg and took in the spectacular oceanviews and forest covered valleys of the Park below. Descending the mountain in a vehicle was hard enough and everyone made similar comments about how incredibly crazy the downhill portion of the leg was. It was assumed that no one was immediately envious of what awaited poor Tom Hesch and his peers.

An artists rendition of what Tom may have felt like while descenting leg 9.

We stopped to support him several more times. He had asked to be given a gel but given that this was the first official ‘night leg,’ we were not allowed to support him and he was forced to carry on alone. He was fighting a good battle with several other runners and positions were changing constantly. Although we missed it while trying to park at the finish, it became known that Tom had moved into second place for a time before simply losing energy during those long and lingering last 5k and was unable to hold on to the others. He finished in a fantastic time of 1:14:55 (4:12/k) and 6^th overall. Leg 9 results. Although quietly reserved and a fighter through and through, made of every ounce of determination, Tom expressed his subjective disappointment in this performance by stating his desire to run the leg again the very next year in order to finish stronger, finish faster. You’ll get your chance Tom Hesch. You’ll get your revenge on that mountain. Someday.

Tom Hesch gave everything he had (and then some) during his battle on leg 9. Hopefully he will live to run another day.

So after parking the SUV and while the others went to find and congratulate Tom, I was left alone to prepare for my second leg. The past weeks I had tried to wrap my head around this task which was essentially to run uphill for at least 10k sometimes rather steeply. I pride myself as a descent uphill runner and was generally excited to take on the challenge. I take on the hills with confidence and can generally drop my competition who seem to spend way too much energy and effort (the key is not to do that!). But after having already run a fast leg less than 12hrs before and not paying particular attention to my rest and refueling strategy (candy counts as carbs right?!), I was beginning to have my doubts. I did some light stretching, took a visit to the woods for a final pit stop and then ran lightly to the starting area. By this time it was completely dark. I met up with the others who were inside the restaurant having ordered some food (who said they would come out to see the start but totally bailed to eat instead). I dropped off my clothing and was ready to run. I milled around a bit as the organizers got us ready and once again we lined up on the Cabot Trail ever so briefly before the gun went off and we departed into the night.

A rough elevation profile of MacKenzie Mountain. Note: It's uphill.

The first ~3k were rolling hills and it was nice to run in a small group and chat with the others. As we arrived at the base of MacKenzie Mountain, one runner broke away and I knew immediately it would not be smart to follow. I settled comfortably into second place and as we began to go uphill, a gap began to form behind me and I was alone. The next ~6k are all uphill as we climb the mountain and at times the uphills seemed overwhelming. There were a number of switchbacks and I convinced myself that the turns were flat and provided a bit of a break. A gentle wind was blowing and although the temperatures were dropping close to zero, I was so warm that it provided a nice cooling effect. I again refused to look at my watch but tried only to think about my task at hand and mentally visualize the end of the hills. This point came sooner than I had expected and my perception was that the hills had leveled out and I was either running on flat surface or slightly downhill. Technically it wasn’t true since the leg continued to climb uphill right to the finish of the 14.7k leg. However, my pace began to quicken and after only a few minutes, my breathing and heart rate relaxed and returned to ‘normal’ and I was able to ‘race’ again. I became so comfortable with how I felt that for the first time in the leg I was able to really take in my surrounding and really enjoy the experience. The sky was clear and what seemed like millions of stars shone brightly above. Occasionally I could see a view of the ocean with a quarter moon laminating the waters below. Endless evergreen forest enveloped the quiet trail and suddenly I became aware that I was in the most beautiful place in the world doing the thing I loved more than anything in this world. At one point I was so elated by the entire experience that I consciously wished that I could continue on running forever. It was without a doubt an existential experience that will go down as among the greatest I will ever have.

Above and below: Sorta what/how I imagine seeing/feeling during my late evening jaunt through Leg 10.

Obviously I was travelling quite quickly and soon there came a time when I began to anticipate the end. Again I checked my watch only once and only to see the distance which notified me that I had just less than 3k to go. Those last k’s required some extra effort and focus and I was only too happy to see the 1k to go marker. I really had no idea what my time or pace was like but figured I was giving a very honest and hard effort. I saw the line of cars parked along the road and as the final few hundred metres grew closer, I gave everything I had left. I crossed the road to see the illuminated finish area and caught a glimpse of the time clock with read 57:xx. I had come in well under an hour (my primary goal) and would soon realize that my time of 57:41 (3:56/k) was also good enough to average under 4:00/k (my secondary goal) and placed me second (behind a guy who set a new course record. Leg 10 results. I was so thrilled with the result and also just totally relieved to be done that I did some cheesy gunshot thing with my hands that came out of nowhere. It was uber lame but was done in the heat of the moment.

Sadly, no one captured my gun slinging glory moment so this photo from the finish will have to do instead.

Not long after the finish my body began to rebel and I immediately felt pain in my entire lower body (mostly my groin and hip flexor/adductor area). I tried to run a bit and stretch but it was too painful. Trying to put on pants whilst sitting in the front seat of the SUV was also a bit of a challenge. While I had now finished running both of my legs at Cabot, Warren Ringler was just now getting ready for his first (of two). Warren is a local runner from Toronto who we see (and get beaten by) all the time at races. He’s very quiet and reserved and tends to run solo most of the time. We were both surprised but thrilled when he agreed to join our Cabot team and I was hoping that I and others wouldn’t be too much for him. Shortly before his leg was set to start (23:03) I wished him luck and took his things and then our vehicle got out of there before the start. Leg 11 is 14k and is a mostly downhill leg. Warren had told us he liked running downhill and his small frame and good form suggested he would excel at it. The first ~6k actually climbs gradually to a max elevation of 460m before rapidly descending back to sea level. There are then two short but very steep uphills right before the finish. As could be expected, I was utterly exhausted after running my second leg and was content to sleep/rest in the back of our SUV. I missed Warren the first time we stopped to support him but when I heard that he was running in close second I made the effort to get out and support him. I’m not sure why certain images and memories are so solidly cemented in one’s mind, but one I will never forget and which I consider a highlight of the race this year for me was seeing little Warren Ringler (‘our little Ringler’) fly down that hill at epic velocity and look so composed. He overtook first place sometime during the downhill when he was simply flying and was still in the lead when we last stopped to see him just before the final k and those damned final uphills. We parked the car and not wanting to miss the finish I actually ran towards the finish as fast as I possibly could despite resonating pain all through my body. I arrived in just the nick of time but unfortunately saw another runner come in a mere 6 seconds ahead of Warren. Ringler finished in 48:49 (3:20/k!!!) and came within a minute of the course record! Leg 11 results. The downhills surely beat up his legs pretty bad and he just didn’t have anything left for those last uphills. Warren was disappointed that he was passed within the final 150m but I hope I conveyed to him just how amazing he had run for us.

A wicked run by Warren. A close second place and within a minute of the record.

After leg 11, I was somehow forced to start driving our SUV despite my inability to voluntarily control my legs and so after Warren had finished his cool down and we had wished Rob C luck on his second leg we high-tailed it outta there and went off ahead to park and wait. I’m sorry Rob but I really don’t remember much about this leg. I remember Ringler feeding me some delicious vegan treats made of a bean to be reckoned with and then coming into Cheticamp where the Tim Hortons stays open late just to accommodate the hordes of runners and teams who have become ravenous in numerous ways. We stopped so Darren could buy something he probably didn’t need and chatted a bit with our other team vehicle and some Cardio folks. We supported Rob one final time before making our way to the finish where Rob crossed the line in 1:00:22 (3:50/k) and finished 4^th. Having fought tooth and nail the past year to avoid being ‘hagged’ by Sheri Piers in 2011 on leg 10 (he was successful finishing just seconds ahead), this year he fared worse and was beaten by Kristen Barry of the Road Hags who finished a place ahead. The course record which had stood since 1995 was also smashed by a Maine-iac by almost 2 minutes (apparently something did happen on this leg). Lynn of Cardio Arrest ran a great leg as well and finished 6^th overall and was the 2^nd female. Leg 12 results. Other events of note to happen at the end of this leg were Warren taking an ice bath in the ocean (he just walked right in like it were nothing) and the team making a last minute decision to switch our runners on leg 14 and 15 (Darren and Gerardo) which meant I was running around like a headless chicken with the timing chips to be exchanged and then losing our Mexican Diesel while trying to make it out of the start before the 10min rule came into effect.

For rather obvious reasons (a lack of illumination), there are few good photos from the night legs (10-14), but I can assure you we were all busy running and driving around the Cabot Trail. We didn't just have a nap and say we ran!

Anthony Davey was running the next leg which included a major detour that added ~2.5km to this leg (now totalling 18.18k). I was still driving and after some minor confusion where I almost got lost, we found our way through the detour and back to the trail where we waited for Davey at about 5k. This was both the second leg for Davey as well as for the Hags’ Sherri Piers and like me earlier, Davey was determined not to get beaten. They were pretty close in the early stages and I was having fun razzing Davey about how close Piers was and how he was going to be beat but he was confident that it wouldn’t happen. He was cruising along and looked so comfortable the entire time. I was very impressed and was happy to report that the gap between him and Sheri was only getting bigger. In the end, he finished the leg in third place in a time of 1:12:48 (4:01/k) and a full minute ahead of Piers. Not far behind was Julie of Cardio Arrest in 5^th who also ran a great leg in 1:17:15(4:15/k). Leg 13 results.

Because he was running at night, we had Davey identify himself during the day so we could locate him in case he got lost during his second leg. That's him there with his hand in the air.

So despite Darren having the most unusual of medical conditions which prevent him from being able to see at night (we superior humans on the other hand have long developed perfect night vision), he took on the challenge and was readying himself for his second and much tougher leg. This leg is long (19.81k) and although considered ‘flatter’ than others, it still contains some gradual rollers that add to its difficulty (the other being the timing in the very early morning). Luckily for those running this year (unlike last year when I ran the leg), the start time (349) was moved up almost 30min which meant they would get more of the increasingly daylight which was on the near horizon. Sadly for Darren, his luck would end there. He was matched up against some very tough competition including our good friend (temporarily turned foe) Roger Moss of Cardio Arrest who was running his first leg of the race and must have been feeling fresh and feisty. The battle was apparent even at the first stop near 5k where a group of 3 (the Maine-iac was already well ahead) including both Rog and Darren were running in a tight pack at a wicked pace. This continued on well into the race. Due to the limited light, we could never be sure as to who was leading the trio and so at one point I asked the lead runner to identify himself and for the first time (ever?!), I was acknowledged with a reply: “It’s me, Darren!” As the long leg wore on, the already fatigued Darren did what he does best, he faded from the front. With less than 5k to go, Rog and another anonymous runner got a gap on Darren who was fighting to hold on for dear life. But this did little to detract from the excitement of the leg as Rog and the other guy went toe to toe right up to the finish where an inspiring kick to the finish and some poor tactical moves (you should have went to the inside!!!) meant that Rog got edged out over the last 50m and finished 2^nd behind random other guy (3^rd overall on the leg) in a time of 1:14:18 (3:46/k). Leg 14 results. It was definitely the most exciting finish of the entire race in my opinion and I think I may have caused most of the damage to my throat muscles whilst screaming incessantly at Roger during that fantastic finish and amazing time too. Our man Darren was not far behind in fourth in 1:15:16 (3:48/k) which is an excellent result for the tough second leg. Daylight had now mostly risen which is ironic that my teammates now seemed more tired than ever before and lazily napped and relaxed in the SUVs while we waited for the next leg to start.

Roger and Darren celebrating the end of leg 14 and a job well done.

Gerardo (Her-are-doe in Mexican) was our man for leg 15 and after such a long wait, he seemed ready and anxious to go. He had been recently dealing with a minor back problem which was why we made the last minute switch between leg 14 and 15. If his back didn’t feel great, the almost 20k on leg 14 could be a rough road so we felt it safer to put him on a slightly shorter leg and give his back some extra time to recuperate. Anyway, we left Gerardo at the end of leg 14/the start of leg 15 and assumed he would be okay while we went off ahead and camped out in our SUV several k’s up the trail. I was again fluctuating in an out of consciousness and was particularly sleepy after polishing off the remaining ‘monster’ cookies that were suddenly re-discovered in the back of the car. We cheered on Gerardo several times as the day broke to reveal what would become a beautiful day and ‘the Mexican Diesel’ was doing great and didn’t seem to be suffering at all from his back. The end of leg 15 was a bit of a circus for parking and we ended up missing the finish in which Gerardo did 1:02:40 (4:04/k) for the 15.42k leg and place 5^th. Darren Goldman of Cardio finished close behind in 1:02:59. Leg 15 results. Following the leg at a little restaurant, we hung around to drink some much needed coffee and for the first time in ages, actually watched the start of the next leg. I'm sure some other funny things worth mentioning happened as well, but due to the extreme lack of sleep and poor air quality in the SUVs (mostly because of Warren's crazy vegan bean snacks), I was becoming increasingly delusional and my memory of such events now eludes me.

This is a photo of Gerardo.

This is a photo of Gerardo running leg 15.

This is a photo of Gerardo finishing leg 15.

Warren had admitted to feeling a little banged up before his double which is only fair given that he had flung himself precariously down a massive hill on leg 11 a mere 7hrs earlier. We wished him luck as he departed on this 15.35km leg that is considered among the ‘easier’ legs given its fewer hills but knew that he would have a tough road ahead regardless. We finally left the starting area after almost a half hour and raced ahead to support out Ringler. His hypnotic compact form and fluent stride suggested he was running comfortably but he was also clearly showing signs of being worse for wear and was doing his absolute best to simply get this one done and mail it in. With Doyle on board and a trek to get him to the start of leg 17, we sadly had to leave Warren alone and wasn’t there to see him finish (no wonder he likes to run alone). He fared well in the end coming in at 58:44 (3:50/k) and 4^th overall just one spot ahead of Cardio’s Brooke Brown who had completed the Texas Ironman just one week before in an amazing time of 9:45. Leg 16 results.

Warren Ringler wondering where the hell his teammates are to support him on leg 16.

Due to some engineering issues with a local bridge, leg 17 was altered this year which meant that the start was moved from where it usually is very near the finish of leg 16, but was now several km’s down the road. All teams were instructed to drop off their final runner at the new start area and then return to Baddeck to watch the grand conclusion. We figured we had plenty of time for this as we cruised down the highway with just under an hour to the start of leg 17. The written directions seemed clear enough (follow the trail over Hunter Mountain and turn left on Swamp Road where a marshal will direct you) but after driving for some 20min or so and not seeing any swamps, roads or marshals, I began to think that something was wrong. I stopped driving in the direction I was headed (the wrong one) and decided to turn around. There were now less than 30min to race start and everyone was getting nervous. We went back the way we came and a gravel road appeared on our right. Although it was NOT labelled ‘Swamp Road’ we were able to ask some locals who told us it was. We then proceeded to drive what seemed like forever to the end of this makeshift roadway where we were relieved to see a number of other teams/runners milling about. Despite only about a quarter of teams being present and no race officials to be seen, we were convinced we were in the right spot. Doyle went off to warm up and we hung around awhile to be sure that everything was in order. After another 15min or so, the race officials and many more teams finally arrived and we were all instructed to head back to Baddeck. We wished our captain luck and were on our way.

The whole team waiting in unifrom on the streets of Baddeck for Doyle to finish leg 17.

That is all we saw of leg 17 until the very end. When we arrived back in Baddeck the crowds were slowing building in and around the ‘downtown’ core (ie on the one and only Main Street) and we soon met up with the other from our team. We all dressed in our ‘Black Lung’ singlets and headed down to finish to wait out the rest of the race. The sun had already risen brightly in the sky and the rapidly warming temperature meant that we soon began to bake in our all black getup. Soon the crowds had grown to what seemed to be thousands as all the teams and many more locals filled the streets and surrounded the finish line. In fitting fashion, the first runner, a Maine-iac, came in well before the others in ~67min and highlighted why they are the team to beat. We then waited several more minutes and began to make rough calculations as to when our man would arrive. Sure enough, and again most appropriately, Michael Doyle appeared at the top of the hill solidly in second place a few minutes later. He flew down the hill towards us as we closed in to create a human tunnel to the finish and offered our hands for some well-deserved high fives. In the countless times I’ve seen Doyle run and race, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger more satisfied grin on his face as he beamed with pride, confidence and pure happiness.

'Happy Doyle' finishing leg 17.

It was a sight to be seen and an experience to envy. The whole team was elated and in this brief moment, we knew that everything had worked out just as we had imagined, and perhaps even better.  His result for the 19.0km leg was 1:14:40 (4:00/k); several minutes later, Kevin Gallagher would finish in 1:24:50 to finish off the race for Cardio Arrest. Leg 17 results. Doyle had completed the final leg and the entire race in the finest form and fashion and had put the ‘Lungs’ in the Cabot history books for the first, and far from final, time. This was just the beginning…

The grand finale and finish of leg 17 for the Black Lungs at the 2012 Cabot Trail Relay.

As we had anticipated but were far from guaranteed, we finished the 278.3km race in a solid second place in a cumulative time of 18:04:24 (3:53/k). No one was even close to beating the Maine-iacs who finished in 16:39:32 (3:35/k!). The course record is 16:16:45 but it’s important to note that the course was changed slightly (made longer) this year due to road closures and construction. Cardio Arrest was 4^th overall and repeated as top mixed team in a time of 19:38:25. The Maine Road Hags were the top female team in 20:50:06. Full team results.

The 2012 Black Lungs. Back from left: Doyle, David Hiddleston, Darren, Rob Campbell, Davey, the Belge.
Bottom from right: Gerardo, Tom Hesch, yours truly and Warren Ringler. Missing but not forgotten: Guy Smith.

This concludes the race specific portion of my Cabot review for 2012. The final instalment of the series will come later (like after I have a nap, or several naps) and will briefly highlight what some consider the best part of the entire Cabot Trail Relay experience…that being the post-race celebrations!

#69: All Together Now

2012 Cabot Trail Review 

Part 2: A most amazing race in a most amazing place

A view from the Trail on our way to the start of leg 1.

The first leg was set to start at 7am and given that it was still a 20 or so min drive from Baddeck, the entire team was up and ready to go before 6am and the SUVs were re-loaded (including with excessive amounts of alcohol which had to come along for the ride) and ready to roll. The first memory of the day will go down to a spectacular view of the sun rising above the ocean and through a majestic valley to the east and was followed shortly after by the first (and final) near disastrous ‘tree trunk’ incident while parking at the Gaelic College in St. Anne’s, the starting destination of the race. When questioned about the event, Darren’s only response was: “Who puts a tree trunk in the middle of a grass lawn?!” God does Darren. God does!

An early team meeting. You'd think the Belge would look refreshed considering he slept THE WHOLE TIME!

The start was crowded with spectators as most teams in their entirety were present to see off their first runner. Almost exactly at 7am, the horn sounded to kick off the race and 70 eager harriers hurried off into the hills. We were then forced to wait the unlucky 25min that we randomly drew as the time that must pass before our main support vehicle could lead the starting area. The other support vehicle would have to wait the mandatory 30min. This is of course did not apply if the vehicles left 10min or more before the official starting time of the leg.

Rob Campbell chatting with a competitor just before the start of leg 1.

We eventually got out of there and sped ahead to catch up with Rob. Another important race rule is that no vehicle is allowed to stop (‘support’) within the first 5km of any leg which is conveniently marked by a water station put on voluntarily by one of the teams. Teams cannot offer actual support (water, Gatorade, a ventilator) until after the 10k mark and no one is allowed to stop within the final km of a leg (the only official course marking via a small yellow sign). Those are just the rules!

Captain Campbell getting into a groove on leg 1.

Anyway, we caught up to Rob and he notified us that after a bit of a slow start getting comfortable, he was running strong at about the halfway mark. I wish I could say that something terribly exciting happened during this (and subsequent) leg(s) of the race, but the fact of the matter is that most of the time, you (the runner) are simply running on your own along a somewhat busy highway over rolling hills and are way to focused and hurting to pay attention to the breathtaking views and scenery passing you by. We drove to finish which was located at the bottom of a hill next to a nice little church in the middle of nowhere and were there in time to see Rob cruise to the finish in 1:04:38 (3:48/k) which was good for 4^th place. The winner of the Leg was (to no one’s surprise) an established member of the Maine-iacs, the team that would go on to win the overall event and 14 of 17 individual legs. He also set a new record for the leg in 55:13 or 3:15/k. A good start for them! Kevin Gough of Cardio also ran a fantastic leg coming in soon after Rob in 6^th place in a time of 1:07:27 (3:58/k). Complete leg 1 results here.

At the finish. Satisfied (perhaps) with a fine performance.

Next up for the Lungs was our hired harrier from the West Coast, Guy Smith, a member of the Vancouver Falcons Athletics Club (VFAC), who at age 56 was our oldest runner who had recently completed the BMO VancouverMarathon in a time of 2:55! He too put in an exceptional effort over the long and winding 17.92km leg and would cross the line in 5^th place in a time of 1:08:46 (3:51/k)  just one place ahead of Sharlene Cobain of Cardio Arrest who finished first female overall in 1:11:24 (4:00/k). Leg 2 results.

Guy Smith working hard during leg 2.

David and Darren having a shouting match at the finish of Leg 2.

Long before any of us had left Ontario and headed East for the trail, news had spread that leg 3 was going to be a battle. I was scheduled to run this shorter (13.46km) relatively ‘easy’ leg due to the fact I would be running the much more challenging (and all uphill) leg 10 later in the evening. I was hoping to run fast yet comfortable and cruise in between 3:35 and 3:40/k in order to save my legs. Fate it seems had other plans for me and that was simply not going to happen.

In the days leading up to my departure for Halifax, our teams’ private investigators (yes they exist) caught wind that the Maine Road Hags, an all-female team from… Maine (USA), who sport some very skilled runners and always finish top female team (by a long shot), would be putting their ‘hallowed’ hag, Sheri Piers, the top American female at Boston this year (and 10th female overall) as well as 24thoverall at the 2012 Olympic Marathon Trials were she ran 2:37:09, onto the leg to no doubt go after the women’s record and perhaps even more. It thus became necessary for me to avoid being ‘hagged’ at all costs and the pressure was certainly on. I grew increasingly nervous about this task and can say with confidence that I have never before been more afraid of a 40 year old women who was smaller than my grandmother. As the time to the start (10:27) grew nearer, I became increasingly anxious and was doing my best to ‘psyche’ myself up for the leg. I knew I could run fast and run well, but I could not know for sure if it would be enough to best Ms Piers and how much I would have to give on this leg with yet another still to come. I warmed up ever so briefly and was left alone as my team went on ahead. Alone with my fears. The time came and we hurriedly lined up on the ‘trail’ and then with just the shortest of warning, the horn sounded and we were off. I quickly settled in on the left side of the road immediately behind Piers and a Maine-iac and ran just behind them for the first few hundred metres. An unknown runner on an unknown team quickly went to the front and began building a small lead. Not wanting to let him get away, I made my first pass on Piers and tried to make up some ground on the leader. It soon became clear that this unknown leader was in over his head and I passed him around 3k and took the overall lead.

Myself cruising (comfortably) and in the lead during leg 3.

For the next 5k I ran seemingly alone with nothing and nobody ahead but an empty road. After the 5k mark, various teams were camped on the opposite side of the road supporting their runners and all of them made it perfectly clear that I had close company. As if I was the evil enemy, all of them cheered loudly for the second place runner sitting soundly on my heels.  I can’t even recall how many people told me I was about to get ‘chicked,’ ‘girled,’ and appropriately ‘hagged.’ Occasionally, I corrected them and told them it wasn’t going to happen. I was doing my best to believe that were true. The Hags support crew and our crew were there every couple k’s and Rob would let me know how far I was ahead. 200m became 100m and at approximately 5miles (8k), Sherri caught me and settled in right behind me. As we approached a rather long uphill and feeling like I may have been defeated once and for all, the only thing I could think to say to her was something to the tune of (perhaps I just thought this): “Well hello Ms Piers. We meet again. Shall we dance? Feel free to take the lead as I’d actually prefer to follow for awhile.” 

The breaking point: I build a slight lead on Sheri during a lengthy hill and  create some space between us.

And the next thing I know... she's gone. Less than 30sec later as I climbed the hill (my speciality don’t you know), I seemed to once again gain some ground on her. It would later become apparent that this was the point in which I broke her and won myself the race. Rob told me I had 50m at the top of the hill and she never came any closer than that. I tried to stay comfortable and relaxed and stay at a constant pace and only checked my watch once to see the distance which read 10.7k. I had less than 3k to go…~10min I figured. Several more times I was consoled to hear that the gap between Ms Piers and I was either staying steady or slightly increasing. At one point Rob said it was 400m which I convinced myself was more than enough with so little to go. The increasingly hot temperatures and blasts of warm air began to cause minor cramping problems just as I hit the “1km to go” marker and so I gave what little I had left and also began to realize I was about to win a leg of the Cabot Trail (my second outright win of the year after Good Friday). I finished as fast as I could and would soon be informed that I ran 47:12 (3:31/k) which was ~5sec per k faster than I had planned to do but was just enough to beat Piers who finished only 35sec back and bested the female course record by an impressive 2 and a half minutes (new record: 47:47; old record: 50:19). Leg 3 results. We gave each other a big hug at the finish and I’m sure we both will acknowledge the role each other played in pushing one another to the get the results we did on the day. It seems that the Maine-iacs may have put one of their lesser animals on this leg in hopes that Ms Piers would have won outright but unfortunately that wasn’t to be. Mu ah ha hah. Needless to say I was pretty stoked about my first leg and had minimal interest in the fact that I would be running again, and a much tougher leg, in less than 12hrs…

A great shot with mere metres to go as I sprint to the finish in first place on leg 3.

My own excitement as well as our teams over the surprise victory at leg 3 unfortunately wouldn’t last long as we closely approached the start of the 4^th and some would argue the toughest leg of the entire race (the other being leg 9). Leg 4 is the longest leg at 20.01km and involves an initial 7k cruise over rolling hills before reaching the base and then climbing Cape Smokey, a 2.1k rise with steep (suicidal) grades, and then cruising down the other side hoping your legs have something left. The (un)fortunate individual assigned with this more difficult of tasks was our youngest (and some would argue best looking) member of the Lungs, Michiel Van Hooreweder (or as I like to call him: The Belge). Despite his incessant interest in road cycling and (pool/lake/ocean…water!) swimming, his superior fitness, impressive build and youthful exuberance made him the ideal candidate for this lofty leg which would also prove to be among his last running races in the country since he was set to leave Canada a week later. He certainly didn’t disappoint despite a cramping issue which slowed him after the initial ascent of the mountain. He cruised to the top of Smokey looking comfortable to say the least but was sadly slowed slightly due to cramping issues in the unexpected heat and humidity. In the end he completed his task in a time of 1:22:52 (4:09/k), good for 5^th place. Paul Huyer of Cardio Arrest also put on a clinic, especially considering his recent return from a stress fracture in his leg. He finished the leg in 3^rd place in a time of 1:20:52 (4:03/k). Well done gentlemen, well done. Leg 4 results.

Our Black Lung, the Belge (Michiel VH), with a slight lead on Cardio's Paul Huyer as they tackle Cape Smokey. Huyer would go on to best the Belgian and finish 3rd while Michiel would suffer from cramping and finish 2min back in 5th.

The next leg saw the debut of Mr Anthony Davey. Davey narrowly avoided being hagged (okay, he was well in front and wasn’t worried for a second) and finished his 17.5km leg in a time of 1:05:55 (3:46/k) which was more than good enough for second place overall. A ‘hag’ was (relatively) close behind in third and Aleks K of Cardio in 4th. Leg 5 results. This would be the first of a double for Davey and a helluva job from an old guy I am proud to call my father (he unofficially adopted me and plans to exploit me if I ever get good (at anything)). I love ya Dad! Haha

Davey taking a moment to balance on one leg during leg 5.

Some of the guys rest and relax to enjoy the amazing ocean views while Hiddleston struggles somewhere on Leg 6.

Leg 6 was a beautiful but challenging leg along the coast and while David Hiddleston ran his ass off in order NOT to be beaten by a girl, a majority of our team took in the scenery and the magnificent views. Sadly, his 1:12:14 (4:08/k) effort over the 17.5km where he battled some wildly wicked winds and (extremely) rolling hills was not quite fast enough as he came in shortly after Denise Robson but placed 5^th overall. Leg 6 results. Although not technically ‘hagged’ on the leg, he was indeed ‘chicked’ and is thus awaiting the teams’ disciplinary committee report and suggested outcome.

A great shot of our man David Hiddleston leading  (albeit temporarily)  a small pack of runners during leg 6. He would go on to get 'chicked' by the lady in the hula skirt.

Onward to leg 7 where absolutely nothing of any significance happened whatsoever.

Just kidding! Darren Lee did absolutely amazing and finished 3^rd overall in 50:40 (3:46/k) on the 13.5km leg. He also didn’t lose to a girl or back any of the vehicles into large immovable objects. All around a good job by Darren. During the leg as we attempted to support him, a challenge ensued in which we tried (in vain) to get any reaction at all from Darren who remains a rock of concentration and focus during his running exploits. Even my lame and sarcastic comments (“Look Darren, you’re running a race”) and Anthony’s incessant “I love you’s” directed at him, Darren won the challenge easily and refused to acknowledge us in any way, shape or form. Rob Watson was right: What a jerk! Haha. Tara Lapstra on the other hand of Cardio Arrest is just a delightfully cheerful human being and  finished strong for Cardio in a time of 58:33 (4:21/k). Because she did acknowledge us during the race and was very nice about it, she will likely replace Darren in subsequent years. Leg 7 results.

Sorry Darren but your inability/unwillingness to acknowledge us when we yell and scream support at you may end up costing you your spot on the team. Haha Just kidding. Then who would do our team taxes? You da man Darren!

Although highly unexpected and which caused Mr Davey much undue confusion (and crying), leg 8 followed almost immediately after leg 7, and showcased the first running of our fearless leader and official team captain (who is really just a figurehead of our ruthless puppet regime). For whatever reason (but probably due to mounting unrest in the Middle East and a fear of bumblebees) he wasn’t entirely thrilled with his effort on the leg despite clocking a 46:17 (3:48/k) which was also good for a solid 3^rd place finish. Melinda Campbell put many men to shame, undoubtedly causing them to undergo ‘Cardio Arrest,’ when she came in shortly after in 52:10 (4:17/k) and placed 6^th overall and was the 2^nd female. Leg 8 results.

Unable to locate any photos of Mr Doyle completing this leg, I found one of a pretty girl in red instead. Doesn't she look fast? And she is too!

Found one. Move over 'Angry Dan.' Introducing 'Angry Doyle' flying toward the finish on leg 8.

And thus concludes my coverage of the ‘day legs’ (Legs 1 through 8) on day one as the race approached the approximate half way mark. Stay tuned for the third edition/posting of my Cabot Trail Relay review which will continue to recap the race in its entirety (covering legs 9 through 17).