Fall in LOVE with Autumn...a pictorial

Sunday despite feeling so tired and physically exhausted  from my halfmara...decided to head to to the maintains for a hike....first stop...a jaunt to one of my favourite places in Banff National Park...

Moraine Lake 

It's magnificent from the entry area...so we decided to walk around to the end of the pathway...Think it was a couple kilometres. We had to take that choice as the Bear warnings were up for the Larche Valley hike. Not enough people to go...damn!

Still...I love this area. I really love the logs...there is a huge pile of them

...and many of them line the perimetre of the lake....

And then we trn around to come back....lovely to see the lake from another angle! 

The clarity of the glacial water is amazing! 

Too short...and so then we go off to find less people and another interesting view...

Which lead us to a hike up to Silverton Falls...

Silverton Falls is a fairly unknown waterfall near Castle Mountain at Banff National Park. It was nice to only see a couple cars at the car park,
especially when so many lots are full and pathways crowded.

It was a short, mere 0.7km (each way), route. And, with no bear alert signs, perhaps an uneventful hike.


The trails were completely unmarked trails we passed others coming up the trail that we realized we took the WRONG fork (we realized this on the way back to the car park).

We missed taking the correct turn and scrambled up a steep rocky area to get back to the path to take us up the switchback path, the exposed landslip section to end at an overlook of the top two tiers of Silverton Falls.

There were a couple more tiers but just couldnt get a good shot! It was pretty rugged terrain. AWESOME.

There were a couple more tiers but just couldn't get a good shot! 

 AWESOME.

It was pretty rugged terrain.

A close up of the top of the falls...

And the bottom....

Then as we hiked back down the sky brightened a little bit and 

we could see the mountain over the way! 

 The view on the way down... Spectacular! 

And then onto....Johnston Canyon Trail up to the Upper Falls.

 No Bear Alerts here! 

The pathways lead us along, beside, above and beside some lovely views....Its like a series of catwalks along the walls of the canyon. I haven't come to this area much as it is overcrowded. The trails are paved and there are lots of hand rails. But today was quiet and a LOT less people.

Maybe because it was rather late in the day too.
There are cabins at the base...I SO wanna come back and stay!

So many falls...so much greenery! So beautiful! 

Wanted to go a few kilometres more up the trail to the Ink Pots...but my feet were very unhappy and called it quits for the day. Now I am super sad I didn't push on. 

Oh well I can go back for more! Even better...There are cabins at the base...I SO wanna come back and stay! Just not at high season.

There you have it in some lovely photos...a reason to LOVE AUTUMN colors! 

HalfMara Milestone: Victory Can Be Found in the Finish

Well. I finished. It all ended in tears. BUT I FINISHED.

Today was my 20th halfmarathon since 2011, Bit of a milestone. Not sure how that happened. In May 2011, I thought it might be a fine idea to run my first half. And, in August 2011 I did. And, I kept running. The past few years haven't be easy for me. It's been said (not just by me) that my life is a bit of a shitshow. So, in order to cope I run. Long Runs, preferably. Perhaps not the best thing, for a few reasons. Firstly, while I have drastically improved my 5km and 10km times since 2009, but since my first half mara, my times haven't improved so much. I have had a couple good races both in 2012. Since then, haven't matched that time. Came close in May...but since...NADA. But when i run a half i generally clear my mind. So BONUS. After a disastrous half in Edmonton in August, I thought MAYBE today I could crack the elusive 2:24. 

NOPE. Instead, today's run was brought to you by the letter G. G for GRATITUDE. The run wasn't my best time. It was NOWHERE near it. But it's done. And despite the tears and the frustration, I learned a valuable lesson today (yes, it's cheezy).

Shall we start at the very beginning? 


Woke up this morning at 5:30am feeling like a dishrag. Spent 3 hours last night cramping out and having good times on the white throne...courtesy of good ol' GI issues that plague me (and to think up til May I thought maybe I had conquered that "issue") HA!! oh nooooooooo.  Still, I thought I can maintain a certain pace and come through to beat my best time of the year. Its very do-able. I know this.

So I go get Michelle and off we go to meet Cori. And stand in line in the loo. 

And then along comes Tara (walking her first half!!!) and Sue! And we are ready to get this party started.

Michelle kindly offered to be my pace bunny. VERY kind of her since she could probably run this half in very close to 2 hours. As the run went on, and my energy waned (despite having HoneyStinger jellies) I KNEW this was not my day. I think we started out strong, but I was not strong enough to fight and maintain the pace needed to come in at the 2:25 mark.The last few weeks have not been the best for me. Very distracting and stressful. I got out for runs, but want really feeling IT. Had a decent 15km race, then a very awesome 10km race last weekend. Which led me to think 'I got this!' Whatever everyone has shit in their life, not sure why I am not coping so well...BAH!

Anyways, as a pacer Michelle was ACE! She came up with a race plan. Super helpful tips and a lotta peppy. And, don't laugh...she talked more than me for the race. Let's be clear...no one talks more than me! But funnily in a race I actually shut the hell up. But she was invaluable. FREAKING AWESOME. And helped me to dig deep and carry on. This race was not easy. Lots of rolling hills. Sure, it is overall a net downhill. But there is some definite uphill. An the large hill at 17km mark slows one own. Gotta say we rocked the last 4.5km. Felt stronger there than most of the other miles. Sheer determination. EFF YOU halfmara, you won't win...And as we came up the last stretch Cori snapped this shot. Not soooo flattering of me, but still full of grit!

And we finish! 

 At first I thought, OMG, we finished at the goal. Then I realized nope. And I was really f'n off pace. As I crossed the finish the numbers were transposed in my wee brain. HA! FAILURE. I SUCK. And insert several expletives. All the ones your mother grounded yo for using. YUP. And some tears. Just feeling like I cannot measure up. That I failed AGAIN. Clearly I am doing something wrong. Back to drawing board. Again the hills defeated me. So we need to kick some hills ass and speed train like a demon. If not, I am never getting better.

And I am such a shitty friend was so self absorbed hardly congratulated Tara on her finish of her first half.

And despite Michelle and Tara trying to tell me otherwise, I still felt defeated. Such a lame-o.

Off we went to Starbucks. To meet up with some fellow bloggers. Where I proceeded to pout a bit about the shittay run.

Then Cori said I have a present for yo. Beaming she announced it was my 20th Halfmara and had a present. I protested. And she said READ THE MESSAGE. On the back it says, "Congrats on your 20th! Always be proud of how far you've come!" And I burst into tears. Seriously. I have come a long ways. Rarely would I ever use the word proud when it comes to me. But she made me stop for just a sec and quit being a self-absorbed tw*t.

And have a moment of reflection. yesssssss. I didn't have the run I wanted. But I have some pretty freaking  awesome friends and with their help an encouragement (and with my OWN hard work) I have done some pretty FAB things.Yes. my run wasn't even close to my best time. But I have lovely wonderful friends who remind me it is how far I have come...who hugged me and tell me in that ass kicking way that doing is a feat! HUGS all around. AND therein lies gratitude.

And a vow to fight on.
I do wish i had run faster, but I sure feel blessed and VERY grateful !

HUZZAH for running friends tweetups and the asskicking one's friends can provide. Cheezy? Yes. True? Very.  Yup. Gratitude. LOTS of it!

After Run TweetUp with
@khourianya @dothingsalways @FineFettle @KeithCartmell

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I do love the run. Maybe I do not work hard enough. I am realistic. I am not going to win my age group. I am not the front of the pack. I am, at best, mid-pack. Does that matter? I want to get out and run. I love how I feel WHEN I run, AFTER I run. I want to run when I am 60. THAT is more important than any BQ (let's be clear, THAT ain't happening an I am OK with that!) But I want to see progress. In my heart I know it will come. But I am frustrated. And, not a patient person. That said a little more WORK is in order. And, with my own steam (and the help and encouragement of my supercalifragalistic friends) it will come. One mile at a time. 

(almost) Wordless Wednesday: Giveaway & Guest Post

Did you enter my #giveaway?

Wordless Wednesday is NOT supposed to have words...

so how ‘bout I show you my homage to 

RUNNING SISTERHOOD and ask you to READ my 

GUEST POST at Chick'd Athletic Apparel!

Feel free to comment here and let me know what you think! 

I know I asked already...

Have you entered my #chick'd #MyType Contest? 

#mytype says 40 is a FABULOUS time to try new things. Age has no limits ...push yourself daily! #mytype is not the stereotype.

Do you have sistas you love to run with? Near OR Far?

Do they keep you motivated, show you the way and sometimes save the day? 

Hot Damn THAT felt GOOD: Melissa's 10k Recap !

Saturday started out EARLY and CHILLY! An hour and a half drive with two potty breaks got me there a bit late. Then another pee break and a jaunt back to the car to get my iPod (affectionately known as doodie - does yours have a name?) Then head to bag check, then start line. 

But first a stop to take a picture of the absolutely gorgeous surroundings!! 

I had some time to think about this run and to plan...I set an expectation of 70 minutes. That would be slower for me, but this is high elevation and one mother of a hill (see THAT post here) made me say, I want 

to push, I want to have a PB, but maybe that is not today.

For now I will take steady pace and strong legs. Focus. Persevere. And it will come. Like my prior post said...Last time I ran this race I was pushing 215 pounds. I was heavy and starting out to do longer distances. This took me over almost an hour and 25 mins to do.

So THIS RACE is about proving a point. CRUSHING fatty voice. And, I  am confident that will happen. I take a sec, remember WHY I RUN and say to myself..OK then. LET'S JUST RUN. (in my fave Sparkle Athletic skirt), oh yesss go #teamsparkle!

Then I see Sophia (Check out her race recap @TheMamaRuns) at the 1:10 pace bunny meet area! YAY!! Nice way to start morning. We chat. Then I decide I am running the whole race, not going to run with the pacer, since I am not going to do 10:1s. If it was a half...diff story. But today. No. FORGE ON! 

Off we go!! As you can see the views are FREAKING spectacular. 

Love the run down the main street looking at Rundle Mountain! . 

Honestly, not sure what to recap. I ran. I just ran. I got outta the start area and realize i am running about 6 minute pace. Fast for me. I take a deep breath and think I am gonna do this till we get to the bridge an turn onto main street. I pull back ever slightly, but I feel f'n fantastic and think I am not stopping. Nope. Not slowing down. Keep this pace. Just go until you CAN'T! Less than 15 minutes later a woman in front of me just stops to "fix her watch". I manage to avert a crisis and not ram into her completely. The guy next to me helps steady me and we both stay on course. I hear the boys behind me yell at her to quit barking at me and get the hell over! Nice boys. I keep on pace. I slow down a little...only because the next few kilometres are climbing, climbing. I weave around those who are walking up the incline. I am doing my damnedest not to walk. I am also NOT looking at my watch. I do NOT want to see this time. Just get into the tunes (too big a crowd, only one earbud in!) and feel the steady beat of my feet hitting the pavement. 

Every time I want to stop, I push further. I only slow or walk to take some water. Before I know it that 4km climb is pretty much over. And we are cresting the mountain...and it is downhill from there. So I give in an just LET my legs go! The views are amazing and it just makes you smile as you race down the mountain and get a view of the Banff Springs Hotel, the valley and the town site. I wanted to stop an snap a pic...but I can  tell from my music I was AHEAD of where I thought I might be at this time, so I decided to push on and not stop to snap a picture. All of a sudden I was at 7km. THEN at 8km when I saw someone who is a WAY faster runner than me (usually 10 or so mins ahead of me in a 10km race) on a turnaround. THAT meant I was less than a kilometre behind! PRESS ON!!!  I turn around and know i have less than 2km left, Then I have less than 1km. I feel my legs burning, kinda heavy...but man its good. I don't know my pace, but I know I have to be under 70mins. 

And then I run around the corner. Come down the last bit. And push as hard as I can down the last stretch. 

I see holy shit 1:05 something. I actually choke up at the finish. A few tears. Because I really show myself WHAT I am made of....WHERE I have come FROM! (and honestly...this is the first really great race in a few months!) 

But tell me this: 

WHY DO I ALWAYS LOOK LIKE A GD CARP AT THE FINISH LINE?? 

sooooooo what's the Official time? 1:05:39

*i need to double check but this is only 10sec off my fastest 10km time this year - which was a FLAT race. So hell yeh hot damn. I am pleased!!! Now let's translate THIS run to a halfmara...

 The official race photographer DID snap one where I don't look too bad. 

But it is 30bucks to buy it! no way! 

After race I tried to celebrate with a beer....

oh yesssss....I am finished

 CHUG!!! ooooooooooooooooooohhhhh

this is SWILL!!!
gag. 

How was your weekend? 
Got a race coming up? 
Do you have a beer recommendation that does NOT taste like shit?