Even when you're on vacation, if you're serious about running, you have to find ways to fit in your training runs. I did such a thing this weekend while camping on Galiano Island, which is in the Gulf Islands off the Coast of BC. I rode my bike from the Ferry Terminal at Sturdies Bay to Montague Harbour, a modest 7K bike ride with some suicide hills thrown in to keep you honest.
The hills I'm talking about are like none I've encountered in Vancouver. There is one hill I call the Triple Threat, which starts off with about a 45 degree climb, levels out, steepens, levels out, steepens again and then crests. This is where a hill runner like me should thrive. Should. I Should get to bed early so I can rest up for the run. Should.
I decided to wake up early before anyone else in the campsite and get this run over with before it heated up. 6am is totally out of the question, so I started out around 7:30-ish. It was pretty foggy and cold, which is odd for this time of year, but I'll take it over the heat. There was one other runner out on the road, but I'm not sure how far she went. She didn't look like she was working very hard... Once my legs warmed up, I felt like I could make some pretty good time.
My route is simple. 7K from Montague Harbour to the ferry terminal at Sturdies Bay, touch the water, turn and come back the same way. There's just one thing I forgot; what comes up must come down. I'm still working on my downhill stride. Grinding up the Triple Threat, I could feel the effects of yesterday's bike ride. You really use a different muscle group cycling than you do with running, but the hips are still tired out. Coming down the Triple Threat was even harder than going up, but once things leveled out, I was feeling okay. Okay. Normally, a 14K run would take me no more than an hour if I'm running at race pace (40 min/10K). Today's run took me an hour and a half. I was working as hard as I could, but those hills chewed me up and spat me out. Today's run reminds me that I can't rest on my laurels. I have a lot of work to do and it's time to break out the old weight routine again. Squats, Lunges, the Plank, Calf Raises and jumping rope are all in the forecast. Until next time, Galiano. You can bet I'll be more prepared.
Montague Harbour, Galiano Island.
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