I would like to blog more than once per month…

So yeah, looking at my blog that comes up as my homepage on my internet browser, I realize that I haven’t blogged in a while. Every time I see it, I go “I know I know” I need to write a new one. So here I am, writing a new one. Let’s take a look at what has happened recently.

I did a winter run on Ghost Lake a little while ago. GPS data can be found here. This is the drive out there. Wintery indeed.

Last time I was out at Ghost, it was not frozen. But now it is. Figures… Good thing I didn’t bring a canoe.

I have a picture similar to this one that I took while kayaking this past summer. It can be found here. I love how we have seasons here. It’s so cool (and cold!).

I got out to the little island on Ghost lake and had some fun flying through the air. I am a nerd, that’s for sure!

I managed to get this one. I think it worked well.

Temperatures were close to –30 while I was running, which makes exercise and breathing difficult. It’s great for maximizing lung capacity though. I don’t know how, but after running in the cold, running in normal temperatures seems so much easier. Maybe it’s just in my head. Anyway, the plan with the run was to go circle the island and come back, but I ended up losing my car key somewhere along the run. So I spent a whack of time sifting through the snow and couldn’t find it. Bummer. Luckily, I got back to the car and had left the door unlocked. I got in the car, called for help and waited for 1/2 an hour before rescue came. Ooops. Luckily, friends were in town and able to help, or I would have had to hitch-hike back home.

I have also held true to one of my resolutions to try making an Artisan loaf of bread each month. This month’s (well, January’s) was a French Loaf from Peter Reinhart’s Bread Baker’s Apprentice book. The book is fantastic. I read almost 100 pages of bread theory. I ended up with this.

A sad attempt at a French Loaf. I think the main problem is that I accidentally shut off the oven during baking.

It sure looked good, and tasted great, but the oven-shutting-off incident caused a thick, chewy and rather hard-to-eat crust. At least the bread tasted really good.

The payoff though? Well my wife got some great photos . I learned that turning off the oven while baking generally produces poor results. But the key thing I learned is that a 2 day pre-ferment makes absolutely deliciously flavoured bread! I will definitely try this again.

Lastly, I have officially signed up for the Powderface42 FULL marathon. Yeah yeah! For the longest time, their website was down, then all of a sudden it was up and the race was 80% sold out! I immediately signed up and made it in! Yeah yeah! So January 31st marked the beginning of my training. It’s basically a 3 day on 1 day off training schedule. I’ve adopted Crossfit Endurance to help out with that. So far, it works great, although I am only in day 2 of it, lol! But one problem I found last year during the Powderface21 was that I ran out of fuel. So I am experimenting with fuelling while running without having to buy energy gels. I found a recipe for Pinole, a roasted corn endurance food. I learned about it in Born to Run (I know, I know…) so I figured I would give it a go.

Basically, you take cornmeal or corn flour, roast it till it browns (parches), mix it with some honey (I used brown rice syrup, about 1tsp per cup of corn), cinnamon (or ginger for flavour) and water to make little cookies. I baked it at 400 till it hardened and voila, instant energy! I made 3 variations, one with corn flour, one with cornmeal and the third with a mix of both.

I ran a 90minute Time Trial this morning at the track and took one of these cookies every 15 minutes with water. I cannot believe how well it worked. I even tried skipping one meal at the 45 minute mark and noticed a decline in performance. So yeah, I just have to tweak the size of these things (big, dry cookies are hard to eat when you’re thirsty) and they should go well. It’s amazing how well fuelling works! I will keep this up as I continue my training!

That’s all from me!

Mukluk 1/2 Marathon, but this one is not all about me…

This past New Year’s Eve day, I followed up on my commitment to run with Marathon 250’s Martin Parnell, who is on a quest in 2010 to run 250 marathons for the Right To Play charity.

Well, his 250th marathon came up and I decided it would be best to join him in the –30 Celsius weather. Off I went!

I walked the course along the Bow River at first to see it nicely cleared. Martin was running 2km loops so that anyone could run with him if they wanted to. Nice move! The river was freezing over and made a fantastic iceberg-ish sound as it flowed. So very cold.

Pre race interviews. It was very exciting to see all of this happening. I even called my mom!

Official Race start. If you watch the CTV news clip, you can see me recording. I am a nerd.

The run is underway! No races here, just support for this local man!

Coming in from the second to last lap!

 

The reverse angle of that previous video. I never really realize that I am full head taller than most people until I see a photo…

This man has run a lot this past year. I asked him what his plans are for the new years. He told me that his resolution is to NOT run 250 marathons and he’s sticking to it! Well done sir, you deserve the break!

The countdown to the final lap! Way to go!

It was so encouraging to see so many people come out and support this local man! I think there were around 320 runners at the end of the run. Even the horses who flanked him at the start of the run couldn’t keep up!

With just 1 km to go in his 10,500km journey, Martin took off for an additional 400m of running to make his 42.5 km distance officially recognized! It just goes to show how focused he was at all times!

The big finish! Such a huge accomplishment! It is so inspiring to see this man’s dedication.

Martin finished with all the kids around him. I’m sure there could have be no better finish for him.

Awesome news coverage can be found HERE. This run truly was about Martin’s dedication to his goal of 250 marathons. It was so amazing to see him run and to be a part of it. He has given me one more reason to be proud to live in Cochrane. Way to go Martin!

While I was running to support Martin, I was also putting my mukluks to the test. I was delighted to have –30 weather and icy conditions, the very thing I am looking for while running this winter. So here is my review for the Manitobah Hunter Mukluks.

Manitobah Mukluks Hunters: Freezing Half Marathon

Pros: Warm and perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better “barefoot” winter shoe.

Cons: None, except for comments from people asking if I’d like runners. I will also add they still require the use of hockey tape (but we already know this).

Overall: These mukluks are the ultimate in winter running. They are warm and comfortable. They are stylish and they maintain their barefoot feel. I am blown away by their performance in cold weather, both static and running. The seams are well made, the Vibram sole is perfect and flexible at cold temperatures, the plush sheepskin lining wicks moisture away from your feet. Seriously, if you want to barefoot run in winter without getting frostbite, buy Hunter mukluks from Manitobah. You won’t be disappointed. 9.5/10.

Running in Mukluks: Official Snowy Review

I haven’t run in a while, my work has been preventing me from doing so. Not to mention the short hours of daylight. Anyway, that sounds like excuses to me. Regardless, I managed to get out running and in the snow with the mukluks.

The issue I had with flopping boots has been solved with hockey tape! Thanks Neil! Good suggestion. I would, however, like a more elegant solution for running mukluks, but this will do for my current purposes.

My run took me back to the Ranchehouse Ravine in Cochrane. It may be well trodden, but there is enough snow. Certainly more than last time. But the soft soles of the mukluks still provided superior grip and superior ground feel, something that is awesome in winter.

Considering the amount of Chinook’s we’ve had, there is still a good amount of snow. I noticed that during the run, in places that were not trodden, that I would be often running on top of the snow then falling through. My overall pace is considerable lower (greater than 5:00/km), but the workout is twice as hard because I was CONSTANTLY adjusting my stride and balance. Trail running in winter. Very dynamic.

Gratuitous running shot. Hero shot. Running in mukluks = fun

Plenty of snow, that’s for sure. It was a great day for running and a good opportunity to test out the mukluks. The temperature was around –5 to –10. The Hunter Mukluks proved themselves VERY warm and quite comfortable during the run. Big points for that. (Not that I have any points to really give away, lol).

As I said before, running through fields of this stuff creates a whole new level of workout. Constantly adjusting balance, stepping in unseen gopher holes, etc…. it provides one heck of a core workout. If I keep this up, that Powderface42 trail race this year may just seem all the more do-able.

Manitobah Mukluks Hunters: Snowy and Cool

Pros: Very comfortable. Good grip in snowy conditions. Excellent warmth, considering a flexible sole. Still maintains that barefoot feel, even in the snow. 

Cons: Flopping boots. I’ve said it before, and even with the hockey tape in place, I’d still like to see a more elegant solution. Perhaps lampwick lacing, or something resilient.

Overall: For the conditions listed, the Hunter’s performed very well. They are grippy, warm, and maintain the barefoot feel that I am so used to in summer. 8/10.

The run was short, only about 4km, so I think a longer run is in order. I’ve been a little negligent in my running, so I’ll have to build up to my 10-15km distance and cardio. Hopefully January provides some cold temperatures, plenty of snow, and ample time for me to run amok. Or amukluk, lol.

Also, I came across a store in Cochrane that sells Manitobah Mukluks. They are called Poor David’s, right beside Heavenly Outhouse on Main Street. I was tickled to see that they sold Manitobah’s. Now you know where to buy them

Running in Mukluks; Snowshoeing,–20, and Snowy Reviews

Last week when I went out for my run, I was so disappointed that snow had not yet fallen, and that it was still relatively warm, and that the mukluks would not be used for their original intent.However, a week of Alberta weather changed everything by dumping over a foot of snow in the Bragg Creek / Cochrane area and plummeting temperatures to where they should be. Yeah, yeah, let’s go snowshoeing.

Four of us headed out to Silver Line in West Bragg creek to take advantage of cold weather. The temperature in the vehicle says it was –23 on the way out there. Oh yeah!!!

Over the past summer, I went mountain biking here. Those details can be found here. This area in West Bragg Creek is known for it’s cross country ski trails, and I was surprised to find unbroken trails. I thought that the recent snowfall would have brought the xc-skiers out sooner, but lucky for us they had not broken all the trails.

Friends of mine came with me. These two love the outdoors (moved all the way to Canada for it), but this was their first time snowshoeing.

This guy came on the Baldy Scramble with me back in August. I told him there would be no injuries this time. It was his first time snowshoeing as well, and he had very stylish faded red snowshoes. Snowshoes don’t really do much in a few inches of powder snow, until you take them off and try walking uphill. It’s amazing what those beasties can do for you on a slope.

There obviously were some skiers out ahead of us, but we didn’t run into anyone until later on in the hike. It was absolutely gorgeous out! The snowfall made for some very cool looking trees.

My snowshoes of choice are GV Huron’s. Traditional style baby. I used to use lampwick as my binding, but I did modernize a bit and do a ratcheting binding. Since the mukluks are soft, the straps tend to dig in to the top of my foot and reduce circulation. My toes got cold quite quickly. I expected this anyway.

So much snow in less that one week. Love it!

Hard to wipe that grin off my face. My hair got streaked grey by my breath, giving me frosted tips to my hair. Oh how vanity can prevail in nature.

I definitely feel in my element in the snow and cold! I always tell people I need to take a week off every winter so I can frolic all day in the snow.

It was suggested to me by someone to fix the problem of flopping mukluks to use hockey tape to hold them up. What a great idea, except that I forgot to do it this time out. No big deal cause my snow pants have elastic cuffs that held the mukluks in place.

Snowshoeing downhill and bushwacking is tons of fun! I got a C+ for navigational skills! (It started as a C-).

Since mukluks are soft soled, it’s very neat walking in snowshoes with them. I can feel all the webbing under my feet. I can also feel the spring of the webbing as I walk, something that I never really noticed. Perhaps I was more aware of what to look for. Regardless, after some adjustments to the binding straps, my feet quickly warmed up and the mukluks kept me toasty. I was quite amazed at the warmth of the mukluks as I was only wearing a stretch polyester sock. No wool or anything.

We stopped a few km’s into the hike for some tea and goodies. When I pulled off the snowshoes and loosened them off, my feet instantly warmed up. The mukluks proved themselves extremely warm in cold, static conditions. Proof that circulation being cut off causes cold toesies! I tried running for a bit and found that they performed extremely well for that as well. Again, as close to barefoot as you are going to get in sub zero, snowy conditions (and on trails to boot!).

We eventually ran in to some cross country skiers. Actually, lots of them. Probably 30 or so. It looks like fun, but I am going to keep my focus on shoeing this year. Can’t afford skis (yet).  I used to XC ski all the time as a kid and I would love to get back in to it as we live in such a fantastic area for it.

If you’re ever in West Bragg and need someone to go snowshoeing with, look me up! I’ll be there, cold weather and all!

Manitobah Mukluks Hunters: Cold, Snowy and Snowshoeing

Pros: Extremely warm. Soft soles in snowshoes provides unique feel. Still stylish. Running stills feels barefoot-ish, as close to being barefoot in winter as possible. Very grippy on snow trails while running.

Cons: Soft mukluk not the best choice for snowshoe bindings. Perhaps a binding that covers the whole foot, rather than uses straps would do better. Mukluks still flop (but that was my fault due to no hockey tape). Once wet, the mukluks stay wet and aren’t waterproof.

Overall: With the right binding, these mukluks would provide the recreationalist with a very unique snowshoe experience. For the conditions listed (snowshoes, snow, –20), I would give the Hunter’s a 8.5/10. Very pleased.

Running in Mukluks, first run Review

Here it is, the first running review of my Hunter mukluks. I can’t wait forever for the snow to run, so I figured cold weather would be good enough. So I finally headed out to the Ranchehouse Ravine for a good running loop. Relatively cool, somewhere around the 0 mark, and easy, rolling terrain of various surfaces (dirt, pine needles, rocks, roots, gravel).

Run data can be found here.

Not exactly what I would call appropriate dress attire for running (cargo pants aren’t good enough), but a wool top and toque will suffice for now.

The mukluks fit nicely under the cargo pants. I tied up the calf drawstring and actually broke one. I have to remember that they are made of leather, not shoelace. My main concern was the the boots would “flop” as I ran, and sure enough they did. I have to find a way to hold the boot on the calf so that doesn’t happen.

First run in the new mukluks. Not much but a blur. I must be a super fast runner.

The Ranchehouse Ravine has such a great variety of trails, from single track through the grass to pine needle and rock. The thing I really noticed was that I could still feel the ground through mukluks as I did in my 5’s. A definite plus for anyone used to barefoot / minimalist footwear.

Roots and rock. The flat soles of the mukluks didnt’ disappoint with over-cushioning and such. I like feeling the ground, and these mukluks still allowed me to do that all the while keeping my feet insulated from the cold.

One thing I did notice in the mukluks was that walking up a very steep incline, my feet would slide back in the boot. This is largely due to the soft sheepskin lining, which I am sure will become a little more coarse as I wear the mukluks. It’s not too big of a deal, and I’m thinking of ways to keep my foot secured in the mukluk without compromising the feeling.

More variety of trails. So nice out, it felt great to run again.

No leaves, but what do you expect for November? I’m still waiting for snow. Forecast looks good. It was bit chilly, but the mukluks proved themselves VERY warm and soft. Nice.

Me running. I was able to keep the stride identical as if I were wearing my 5’s. The weight of the mukluk was not noticeable until they started bunching up around my ankles. Again, something I am trying to remedy.

My beloved mountains, always beckoning me to visit them. Soon enough. I have some trails that I want to try running in winter. Anyone care to join?

I would like to add that descending the grassy hills was a breeze. The Vibram sole in the mukluk provided TONS of grip, especially on the path covered in grass. No slippage or anything, and as I expected, my foot stayed planted in the mukluk. Points for that.

The Horseman, ever so faithfully watching over the town. Nice photo op too.

Looking up at Mr. Horseman of Cochrane.

All in all, an excellent run. You can see how the mukluks bunched up around my ankle. Not too big of a problem and it’s something that I am trying to solve. I am going to look for cinch straps to put in place of the leather lace. Ideally, if the boot came up to just below my knee, keeping the mukluks in place wouldn’t be a problem. But I am testing these out for this purpose exactly.

Total distance and time of my run was 4.5km and about 27 minutes.

Manitobah Mukluks Hunters: Flat and Cool

Pros: Super comfortable, stylish (always a bonus), warm, soft, as close to barefooting as possible in sub-zero temps, superior grip

Cons: Boot bunches around the ankle, leather lace more of a decoration than practical, sheepskin lining causes foot slide in boot on steep inclines

Overall: For an off the shelf mukluk that wasn’t made for running at all, these boots held up great. With a few tweaks and mods, as well as some snowfall and suede protector, these could be the start of something fantastic for those who wish to continue minimalist running in sub zero temps. For the conditions listed (dry, cool, relatively flat), I give these mukluks a 7/10.

I’m not done reviewing. I still have to see how these hold up on true trails (mountains), in snow, and in –10, –20, –30, –40 and perhaps –50 degree weather (that’s Celcius, my friends). I am also going to try them with snowshoes, on ice, and for sprint and interval trials and also with stationary workouts. So stay tuned and I will keep the reviews a comin’.

I would also like to add to the variety of locations that pushups can be done. Enjoy!!

Pushup #12 – Outside on a wooden deck.

Pushup #13 – On a fence. Challenges balance in many ways.

Pushup #14 – In the leaves. Man these leaves smell good.

That’s all from me. Coming up are more mukluk reviews and Parliamentary Pushups, French Pushups, perhaps pushups IN a plane and terminal pushups. Still open to suggestions,