Podium Finish - Vancouver Island Loppet

Okay, I admit the field was a bit small, but first is first!

http://www.zone4.ca/results.asp?ID=1828&cat=2450

Keep the snow comin'!

End of March and the snow on the mountains is still amazing!!! I've finally had a day or two of rest/less activity. My legs are happy about that.

On the 16th, I ran the 8K Diva run around Jericho. Great run! It felt pretty good to run hard again and I was really happy with my time.

Dan & I went up to Birken for Easter. A tree had fallen down last November so we cleaned it up. I couldn't believe how sore my hamstrings got from picking up branches for two hours. It never occurred to me to stretch after. I only think of that after running and other things like that. This gardening stuff is hard on the body! We checked out Callahan Valley (Whistler Olympic site for cross-country events) on our way home. My legs were too sore to really enjoy the skiing. It was a nice day and we took our time on the trails.

This weekend, we're going up to Mount Washington (Courtenay) to race in the Vancouver Island Loppet. I'm doing the 15k classic event and Dan will be doing the 30k skate ski event. I'm hoping to beat my time from the Cascade Cup at Manning Park last month.

Tired legs

My poor legs haven't had a day off in weeks!! I guess it's starting to catch up - they're pretty rubbery today. Actually, I guess all of me is rather tired right now. I wonder if running, skiing, spinning, etc every day is a bit too much... The problem is, it's all fun! Being tired from doing something you love and are enjoying is so different from being tired because you're doing something you have to do but don't want to be doing.

The Yeti was amazing!! The route was really challenging - a lot of uphill - but so much fun. My boss took a picture of the 4 of us from Cypress who ran in the event. As soon as I get a copy, I'll post it. My time for the 5K snowshoe run is a bit longer than my 5K run time, but I still beat the first 10K guy to the finish!! (Who, by the way, ran faster on a very hilly course in snow with snowshoes faster than I could run a dry, flat course in runners...)

I've got the Diva run on Sunday. It's an 8K around Jericho. It's a really nice route - all trail, partly along the water. Hope my legs are a bit less rubbery by then. I guess that won't happen unless I take a day off. And that's not going to happen while there's still snow on the ground...

PS. This little guy was created by one of the Cafe workers.

Snow, snow, snow...

The snow is amazing right now for cross-country skiing!!! I'm not a very technical xc skier, so maybe someone with more experience would disagree. But, I like the current conditions!! I'm able to glide but I also have control on the hills. That's the most important part - control on the hills. It's not so much fun if you're flying down the hill and can't stop...

Last Saturday, Dan & I went to Manning Park for the Cascade Cup - a classic (skis in the tracks) cross-country ski event. Dan did the 30K course and I did the 15K course. I was happy to finish before he did! :P

In a couple of weeks, we'll be going over to Courtenay to do the Vancouver Island Loppet on Mount Washington. I'll do the 15K classic event. I think Dan will be doing the 30K skate. I get a half hour head start, but skating is much faster than classic. I'm hoping to beat him again, but it'll be harder this time...

Tomorrow is the Yeti at Cypress. It's a 5 or 10K snowshoe race. I'm going to do the 5K. It'd sure be nice to get a day like the one in this picture.