A little update on my racing status and a wee reminder that donations for North Shore Search and Rescue Team are still being accepted ;) #winkwinknudgenudge
And did you hear? I'm a NUUNIE! It's like a townie, but way cooler. But then if you remember The Outsiders, townies weren't very cool. They were all jerks. We're not jerks! We're full of #AWESOMESAUCE and we wear #AWESOMESOCKS! See...it's MEEEEEEE! ME ME ME ME MEEEEE!
After a long injury laden fall & winter season with limited to no running due to a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis, I was a little worried for my 2 big races this summer. Then a friend told me about Radial Shockwave Therapy and it changed my perspective. Sean, I can't thank you enough. Much beer is owed. I went from hobbling and limping up to 36 hours after a run to 100% pain free. Three cheers for a lobotomy of the foot!! Hip hip HOORAY! Then I wiped out on the trails and broke my fall with my face, tweaking my ankle on the way down. Grade 1 sprain of the ATL. But seeing how it didn’t bother me to run, my PT on speed dial gave me the green light. Thanks to both Andrew Flynn & Jessie Wong at Physio Room for getting me back into the trails. I will now be getting maintenance done on my calf every 4 weeks with some needling by Jessie in the hopes that it will prevent the PF from returning. Not to mention, it sure will be nice not to have a calf with giant knots playing hide and seek on a daily basis.
I knew I could still manage Knee Knacker on July 9th. It would get ugly, but it could be done. And if I thought I was playing Russian Roulette with the clock last year, this year could be even closer. Last year climbing up the boulder scree I was practicing what to say to Greg to get him to let me continue. This year, I'm practicing now, 4 weeks prior to race day. The back to back Squamish races were a more questionable tale. But then I realized that the only true failure is not trying at all. You don't know what you're truly capable of unless you try. So on August 20th I’ll attempt the 50 miler. The following morning I will force myself out of my hotel room to run the 50 km. I am very fortunate that the trail running community is so amazing and I have many friends and strangers determined to get me to the finish line both days. Radlers have been offered for key points on course.
This past Sunday I completed my longest training run this year…the first half of the Knee Knacker from Horseshoe Bay to Cleveland Dam. 4000 feet up, followed by almost 4000 feet down. To say my quads were sore the next day is an understatement. But I was 100% injury pain free both during and after the run. Having no expectations going into this training run, the 6 ½ hours on my feet, while being completely under-fueled, left me so giddy. Except for that moment coming into Cypress ready to kill for a Coke and realizing I’d emptied all coins out of my pack. (Picture me screaming at the vending machine, “Why don’t you take debit!!!???” Because that did happen.) Hydration has never been a problem for me, but fueling has always been a struggle. I never forget to drink, yet I always forget to eat. And there is no catching up once you've fallen behind. It probably didn't help that everything I was eating was new. New flavours of GU gel. A PB&J with marshmallows sandwich, fig cookies. All things I don't normally eat while running. But training is when you try new things. Now I know that fruity GU's are gross. Sandwiches on a hot sunny day are not what my belly wants. Sunday's heat had me very thankful I had my NUUN Kona Cola+Lemonade with PLUS combination. At least I was hydrated and getting some calories in via the Plus. And holy hell that icy cold water at Cypress was AMAZING.
With only 4 training weekends left until KK, tomorrow I’ll be running the back half from Grouse to Deep Cove, conveniently ending at Honey Donuts for 1 (which really means 3) donuts. Then maybe repeating it the following day, because, well…more donuts and a refreshing dip in the ocean. This weekend I'll be trying out a maple syrup, ginger juice, sea salt concoction; some dates, perhaps stuffed with peanut butter; and some tried and true Root Beer GU. Maybe a Kona Cola + Mango Orange.
This also means I only have 4 more weeks to fundraise for North Shore Search and Rescue Team. For those who have already donated, thank you so much. These volunteers have my back every single time I step foot in the forest to play. For those who don’t wish to donate, I completely understand. We all have our budgets and we all have our causes. If you can’t remember if you’ve given or not, ask! I can check for you.
https://events.helpforcharities.com/kk/profile.php?profile_id=159246461454444526 Just scroll down to the bottom and click the “To make a donation, click here” which will lead you to a “pledge Barb Wilkins”. That's ME!!
I am absolutely over the moon to be out there running again. To be back in the forest doing what I love. And to be supported by NUUN, who provide me with continuous hydration in a cornucopia of flavour combinations. I am still pushing for #rootbeer or #creamsoda to replace the sadly discontinued Kona Cola, but in the meantime, I have 36 tubes of Kona Cola to tide me over until that sad, sad day when I run dry...literally.
And did you hear? I'm a NUUNIE! It's like a townie, but way cooler. But then if you remember The Outsiders, townies weren't very cool. They were all jerks. We're not jerks! We're full of #AWESOMESAUCE and we wear #AWESOMESOCKS! See...it's MEEEEEEE! ME ME ME ME MEEEEE!
After a long injury laden fall & winter season with limited to no running due to a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis, I was a little worried for my 2 big races this summer. Then a friend told me about Radial Shockwave Therapy and it changed my perspective. Sean, I can't thank you enough. Much beer is owed. I went from hobbling and limping up to 36 hours after a run to 100% pain free. Three cheers for a lobotomy of the foot!! Hip hip HOORAY! Then I wiped out on the trails and broke my fall with my face, tweaking my ankle on the way down. Grade 1 sprain of the ATL. But seeing how it didn’t bother me to run, my PT on speed dial gave me the green light. Thanks to both Andrew Flynn & Jessie Wong at Physio Room for getting me back into the trails. I will now be getting maintenance done on my calf every 4 weeks with some needling by Jessie in the hopes that it will prevent the PF from returning. Not to mention, it sure will be nice not to have a calf with giant knots playing hide and seek on a daily basis.
I knew I could still manage Knee Knacker on July 9th. It would get ugly, but it could be done. And if I thought I was playing Russian Roulette with the clock last year, this year could be even closer. Last year climbing up the boulder scree I was practicing what to say to Greg to get him to let me continue. This year, I'm practicing now, 4 weeks prior to race day. The back to back Squamish races were a more questionable tale. But then I realized that the only true failure is not trying at all. You don't know what you're truly capable of unless you try. So on August 20th I’ll attempt the 50 miler. The following morning I will force myself out of my hotel room to run the 50 km. I am very fortunate that the trail running community is so amazing and I have many friends and strangers determined to get me to the finish line both days. Radlers have been offered for key points on course.
This past Sunday I completed my longest training run this year…the first half of the Knee Knacker from Horseshoe Bay to Cleveland Dam. 4000 feet up, followed by almost 4000 feet down. To say my quads were sore the next day is an understatement. But I was 100% injury pain free both during and after the run. Having no expectations going into this training run, the 6 ½ hours on my feet, while being completely under-fueled, left me so giddy. Except for that moment coming into Cypress ready to kill for a Coke and realizing I’d emptied all coins out of my pack. (Picture me screaming at the vending machine, “Why don’t you take debit!!!???” Because that did happen.) Hydration has never been a problem for me, but fueling has always been a struggle. I never forget to drink, yet I always forget to eat. And there is no catching up once you've fallen behind. It probably didn't help that everything I was eating was new. New flavours of GU gel. A PB&J with marshmallows sandwich, fig cookies. All things I don't normally eat while running. But training is when you try new things. Now I know that fruity GU's are gross. Sandwiches on a hot sunny day are not what my belly wants. Sunday's heat had me very thankful I had my NUUN Kona Cola+Lemonade with PLUS combination. At least I was hydrated and getting some calories in via the Plus. And holy hell that icy cold water at Cypress was AMAZING.
With only 4 training weekends left until KK, tomorrow I’ll be running the back half from Grouse to Deep Cove, conveniently ending at Honey Donuts for 1 (which really means 3) donuts. Then maybe repeating it the following day, because, well…more donuts and a refreshing dip in the ocean. This weekend I'll be trying out a maple syrup, ginger juice, sea salt concoction; some dates, perhaps stuffed with peanut butter; and some tried and true Root Beer GU. Maybe a Kona Cola + Mango Orange.
This also means I only have 4 more weeks to fundraise for North Shore Search and Rescue Team. For those who have already donated, thank you so much. These volunteers have my back every single time I step foot in the forest to play. For those who don’t wish to donate, I completely understand. We all have our budgets and we all have our causes. If you can’t remember if you’ve given or not, ask! I can check for you.
https://events.helpforcharities.com/kk/profile.php?profile_id=159246461454444526 Just scroll down to the bottom and click the “To make a donation, click here” which will lead you to a “pledge Barb Wilkins”. That's ME!!
I am absolutely over the moon to be out there running again. To be back in the forest doing what I love. And to be supported by NUUN, who provide me with continuous hydration in a cornucopia of flavour combinations. I am still pushing for #rootbeer or #creamsoda to replace the sadly discontinued Kona Cola, but in the meantime, I have 36 tubes of Kona Cola to tide me over until that sad, sad day when I run dry...literally.