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Friday 31 July 2015

FABFriday: Thank GAWD

It's been a bit of a week hasn't it? 
whoohooo!
GLAD to say...SOOOO GLAD to say...It's #FABFriday
I am personally SLAMMNG the door SHUT on this past week...
Good thing it is a LONG WEEKEND here!

CHEERS SWEETIE! 
#STAYFAB this weekend! I am spending mine with a few runs. Actually I am off to a family reunion...so there MAY be a few drinks needed too. Family can do that to a person. 
Actually the running part may prove to be difficult given the rural location - narrow roads, gravel, and unpaved areas. I am  generally looking at some highway running (UGH) 
but there needs to be some running. Some EVERY day! 
Next week I have some great trails planned...so I deal with what i get this weekend right?  
They would roll with the punches...and kick the suck in the pants. 
YAS!
What are your FAB plans??

Life. It's Fabulous.

Embrace it. Love it.
Celebrate the Awesome!
Run off all the suck oooops I mean Laugh yer arse off.



Tuesday 28 July 2015

Mountain Time ... Lessons on the trail

So when we last left off (after folk fest fun)...I was heading to the mountains.
I was off to Canmore to meet Crystal for a bite to eat and then an early evening trek. We had no concrete plans ... just were gonna go. After chatting with some locals we decided to drive out a bit and see where Grotto Creek Trail would take us.
 It was a scenic tour through the canyons. some trail, some scramble, some walking over the rocky terrain. It was beautiful. not really a run at all, but great views and some good laughs. After a few stops and starts - going over paths that didn't lead anywhere, we finally figured out where we were at and got moving. It was nice not seeing too many people -- we ran into less than half a dozen hikers - so its a great place if you want some quiet time!
It was rocky, but the views were awesome.
 Once we finally found the waterfall - a rather small one - but it was lovely - not as grand as I first thought it might be - we realized it was getting dark quicker than we thought so we headed back.

But not before posing a bit.
 The mountains never get old - they always look different every time.
No matter what they are glorious. I am pretty certain my pics do not do em justice.
Check out Crystals pics here!
We then decided to have a beer and chill out at Crystal's campsite. She let me crash with her - she has the BEST tent - small but easy to set up and take down...makes me want to totally get one.
 We got up around 6 am and got dressed and IMMEDIATELY drove into Canmore for a coffee and  bagel! My coffee was amazing. The Prince of Darkness blend. YES!
Then we got back to the site, packed up and off we went to explore. I had had someone tell me that Heart Mountain was a great trek. Perhaps Had I asked around, or done more research, I might have realized it was not the perfect spot for ME.
Off we went...it was easy going the first kilometer.
Lovely and Scenic
Then the next two kilometres (I think) became increasingly more difficult - due to all the gravel and rocks and steep narrow paths.
It kept getting increasingly steeper and more difficult. I was trying not to panic. I don't tell many people I have a fear of heights (haha - I know kind of funny, right?) Some of the trail stuff I do is to challenge me in this regard. I kept thinking if I take a break, if I take a deep breath I will be OK.
 But the views were insanely awesome - I mean Good Lord.
Took a pic - facing in ---> THEN facing out...
I stopped for a moment to take it all in ...
And kept going. And then we hit a treed area, full of switchbacks and super rocky.

And THEN I had a momentary panic attack. I JUST COULDN'T ANYMORE. I rarely have this sort of episode. I felt sick. I felt stupid and lame. I knew Crystal had gone ahead. And it took me 20 minutes to go a few hundred feet. Then then  people were passing me. And here I was trying to hold on to a tree while people were shimmying past. Add how was I going to hurry to catch her?
At this point some folks said I was just past halfway...and it would take another hour or so to get to the top. Ummm. I JUST CANNOT.

FUCK SERIOUSLY??????????
I had a real crisis of faith in myself there. And yes, I gave up.
At first I sat and ate something. enjoying the view. Then I tried to go up more and fell. Only scraped up my leg a bit, no biggie. But I was mad at myself for not being a brave enough soul to continue. I knew great view awaited, but the panic was there ... and I chose to descend.
Slowly, carefully going down was slick business!!
Holding onto trees (with a fake-ass smile) to support myself. Trying to tell myself it was OK
and that I'd do some running down past all the scree. I just needed to get past the rocky fragmented stuff, I then could try to run it off. All the while knowing I didn't TRY hard enough to conquer my fear. Because I essentially was just a chickenshit. The camera went away and down I went.
After I got down a ways, I did some trail runs on the lower paths, I didn't even take a photo of the waterfall area I was at. After running into a couple gals who asked if I would snap their photo, I got them to take one of me. Then off I took again to run the lower paths for a bit. repeating some of them so that I could feel like I worked out a bit. Crystals views of Heart Mountain are HERE! Lovely!

Once I got to my car, I would have waited another hour for Crystal, so I decided to head home. I showered and went to the evening show for Folk Fest. I felt awful. Dejected and lame. The music helped. But I still feel like I just didn't try hard enough. I am researching a couple trails to go check out in August to go kick some ass. My ass. Mountain Ass. #alltheasses

And so.... on Monday night was my regular training run on Douglas Fir Trail (near Edworthy Park) - a great spot for some pine-y fresh air to clear my head. My pal Sue and I are determined to do these trails and the umpteen stairs on the trail once a week until October!!  

It was a GREAT way to start a hectic week...and to re-boot, re-start and re-charge.
And to think about the time on the trail this weekend. It was FAB...it had some bumps and some challenges...but getting back out there makes it all better. 

Onward. Upward. Keep Trying. Keep Smiling.









Monday 27 July 2015

Music, Volunteering and some rocky adventures....

This past weekend was a bit of a blur! I had a whole lotta going on! There was some Folk Festing - Thursday and Friday...
 Which means fun, sun, cider, some treats....(a whole lotta coffee apparently!)
A whole lotta music...
There was some catching up with an old friend, too!
  The lantern parade each night is one of my FAV things!
 And of course this sign (from one of the portapotties) sums up the fest vibe nicely.
Don't mind the spelling on the sign - yes it is bad) but it was such a sweet sentiment.-- something that is missing all to often in our world!
Then, Saturday there was some early morning volunteering to help IronmanCalgary prep for the race
It was fun, got to see lots of my pals who were racing. I was working the T1 area (where bikes are dropped off the day before the race). I love the fun vibe. People are pumped for the race...and it is a cheery place to be. There is always a stage mom or a diva who has some HIGHLY specialized needs, but fo rthe most part it is all so much fun to meet the racers and help them pre-race.
This year, as I had training plans I missed out on Race-Day Volunteering.
Still, it was so much fun for the half day I spent working!

AND FINALLY at about 3pm, I took off for some mountain time.
There will be more on that in a bit...there was so much awesome fun, that it deserves it's own post!
Hope your weekend ROCKED!