Week May 28-June 4

By far the most productive running week of the year!!
in preparation for the Fat dog 120 Miles race, I decided to run the Vancouver 100 which is probably considered the hardest 100K race in North Amercica. The race truley stands out for its repeitation and no short coming. The race is extream Whether is the acsends or decsends, snow, puddles, tree roots. The common words I heard through the run "No body said Vancouver 100 is going to be easy, no wonder they call it Vancouver 100" :)

Week log:

_Monday 7 miles

_Tuesday 9 miles including hill workout

_Wednesday 7 miles

_Thursday off
_Friday off
Saturday 72 miles including going off the course

Saturday run started at 5:00 AM in Deepcove with the folks from Fat Ass club. we headed to Horseshoe Bay about 50K north west through the Baden Powell and then had to return back to Deep cove. I estimated that I would be returning around 8:00 PM in the evening however about 1/3 of the way in the course Ryan Conroy and I managed to go off the course . Once we found our way back into the course after descending and climbing snow, creeks, sliding on the snow down, using tree roots to climb the creeks and slippery moss, we lost a good hour.
The good thing was that we both had a good spirit and also ate enough snow to keep us hydrated.
10:30 AM we reached Cypress and from there had to climb to Black mountain. running the snow absolutely would have been suicide, we colimbed to the first lookout, the View fantastic. I have never seen it before, so clear and you could for miles. Vancouver Island, Lions, Mount Baker, stunning and priceless.

Then we headed down to the half way point. Ryan proved to me that he was a much better down hill or technical runner than i was. He sprinted the down hills and I had no intention of following him which at the end became a mistake for me. I miss a turn which I later found out that he had missed the same turn. for 1 hour and 45 I went to different trails to find the way but had no luck. People on the root also had no clue about the trails. Luckily I bumped into a girl who i had seen him climbing Black while we were coming down and she told me about the way. By the time I got the junction i met Mike Wardas and followed him to the half way point.

2:00 PM I left the half way point after filling up my camelback and my hand held, Thanks to Mike Wardas crew and their generosity. I also drank quite a bit from the creek, nice and cold water. About 45 minutes into the return run I was very low on energy. running in the open trails and consuming most of my Carb had taken its toll. I was feeling hot, no light headed but felt my legs didn't want to go any further. All I can see is the hills. I ran into Dana and Deavah and they asked me how I was feeling. My response was terrible, I don't remembe ever saying that in any of my races :). Thank God they had some extra a bar to share with me. Another Gentlemen who was running with them gvme me a Cliff block (electrolyte). by the time I consume 2 bars and cliff block I was half way climbing black and as the sugar started to kick in I picked the pace up a bit. One more Cliff Bar at the top of the Black, I was ready to run down the slushy snow of the black. Mean while i am filling up my cap with snow to cool my head. By the time I got i reached Cleavland Dam I was completley out of fluid. I met Kerry Ward, Adam Way (Kerry's Pacer) while Kerry was changing to his shoe and dry sucks. I filled up my camelback all with Coke and a handheld of Carbo-pro, i was ready head for the last 1/4 of the race. In the morning from Deep cove to Cleavland Dam I ran the same distance+ 10 min road run in 2:50. I figured I should still get back to deep cove when is light out. Unfortunately it wasn't that easy. The trail was a lot darker than i anticipated and I just wanted to finish the run injury free so I decided to hike the rest of the way. 10:17 I reached Deep cove and to my surprize no one was there :).

17:16 training run was a perfect preparation for Fat Dog. Had high and lows. Never lost my confidence in my ability to finish the run, didn't panic when I was in trouble whether i was off the course or out of nutrition. With 2:45 loosing time still to be the first finisher was the bouns!!