co-RD's: Vince, Shep, Scooty

Our tenure as Race Directors has come to a close,
So I thought I’d pay tribute with some poetic prose.
For nearly a decade we have organized the Iroquoia Trail Test,
With these duties behind us, it’s time for a well-deserved rest.

If you’ve ever staged a run, you can appreciate the work required
To get every runner across the finish line satisfied albeit tired.
Preparations begin several months before the event takes place,
With registration forms, website updates and advertising for the race.

One must obtain trail permits and insurance, purchase awards and gifts,
These are but a handful of the items found on a race director’s checklist.
We pride ourselves on all the personal touches that go into this run,
Hand-painted finisher’s rocks and a free kid’s race only add to the fun.

After loading up the truck with pylons, tables, water jugs and cups,
We head to Kilbride School the night before the race to start setting up.
The course must be marked and a finisher’s chute put together,
We’ll only get a couple of hours sleep as we hope for good weather.

An army of volunteers is the key to the success of any competition,
To the members of the Burlington Runners Club we owe much recognition.
Every third weekend of August we could count on this fine mass
For runner’s safety, hydration and to ensure the trail test is passed.

The race is a 32 kilometer trek along the rugged Bruce,
An escarpment trail lined with maples, pine and spruce.
This event was a labor of love for Shep, Scoot and me,
If we went back in time, we wouldn’t do it differently.

As we reflect back on our own race directing experiment,
We now fully appreciate RD’s and their everlasting commitment.
Without these organizers there simply would be no races,
They allow us to carry out our passion and put smiles on our faces.

With the gear back in storage and the truck returned to Discount Car rental
Our era as directors of the ITT is over, the Effort has been Monumental.

Please, leave a comment.

Gotta run,

Vince

Busy on race day

Another successful Kids Quiz

15 years ago, in a drunken fog I made a bet that I’d run a marathon before my 40th birthday.

In September of 2010, I turn 40.  I hadn’t forgotten my bet.  I’d began running a little in 2009 and managed to complete a 25K trail race and several shorter distances.  But the marathon eluded me.  I signed up for an early 2010 marathon in hopes of getting it over with with time to spare, but the winter training didn’t go well and I didn’t run the race.  With the clock ticking, I had to find a local marathon before September 2010, and fast.  That’s when I found the Endurrun, a remarkable 7-stage race in Waterloo, Ontario that offers single stage entry.  Lucky for me, Stage 7 is a marathon.  For added incentive, I concluded that if I could convince others to enter on a team with me, I’d have to finish Stage 7 or risk DNF’ing the whole team.

Enter Team Monumental Effort.  My partner in crime on this blog, Vince is an ultrarunner so I figured he was a no-brainer for inclusion on the team.  Not only did Vince agree to be on the team, but he decided to run 3 stages.  He ran Stage 3 (a 30K trail run) and Stage 4 (10 mile hill run) as a team member, and Stage 7 as a single stage entrant in order to pace me.

Vince after the marathon. Looks like he could run another.

Vince managed to convince two buddies, Martin Vallaincourt to run Stage 1 (half marathon) and Geoff Sheppard to run Stage 5 (25.6K alpine run).

Martin finished Stage 1

Shep about to start Stage 5.

I managed to talk my friend, Jonathan Finn into running two stages as well, Stage 2 (15K time trial) and Stage 5 (10K time trial).

Jonathan running strong in Stage 6.

Each team member ran like champs!  For every one’s results, see the Endurrun Results.

Which brings us to Stage 7, my first marathon:

The day did not begin favourably.  By 7:30am the temperature was about 30 celsius and very, very humid.  But I was a single stage runner, and the majority of the other competitors had already run 6 stages so how could I possibly complain.  As everyone gathered at the start line a fine mist descended from the clouds.  I hoped desperately that a light rain would fall throughout the race.  Following the ceremonial singing of the Canadian National Anthem the clock started and we were off.  Vince and I kept a slow, even pace as we chatted throughout the first 21.5K loop.  He had written down split times on the back of his race number and attempted to coach me through each one.  The splits would have us finishing in 4:30, my targetted time.  We completed loop 1 in about 2:10 and I dutifully ate Hammer Gels and gulped Gatorade and water as much as possible.

About 5K into the Marathon and still smiling.

Loop 2 began positively.  I felt pretty good and was happy with our loop 1 split.  But as we approached the 25KM markers I was really starting to feel the heat and my legs were beginning to ache.  Teammate Jonathan had warned me that during the second half I’d want to quit, that my brain would scream at me to stop but that I just had to push through it, that things would get better.  I hoped he was right.  I’m certain Vince could sense that I was sufferring a little as he mercifully suggested we walk a little, in particular up the hills.

The pain!

From kilometre 30 until 35 or so I was in agony.  Many of the runners behind us began to pass us and I was walking more and more.  Vince urged me to try running to landmarks in the visible distance so I did my best to comply.  I was beginning to feel nauseous as well and thought for sure I was going to be sick.  Oddly, in my head, I didn’t think I was trying hard enough but just couldn’t muster the strength to push much harder.  Then, around kilometre 37 I began to feel a little better.  My legs hurt less for some reason and I could run again.

As Vince pulled me along I began to realize that I might just finish this thing.  We ran past the neighbourhood where I live and I knew the finish was a mere 3KM away.  I wanted to sprint, I really did, but my body wouldn’t let me.  Vince urged me to push for a sub-five hour time but in my head, I just wanted to walk into the finish.  But I couldn’t do that, as I knew my wife, Trish and kids, Charlie and Lily had been waiting there for hours for me to arrive.  With 500m to go I could see Trish,Charlie and Lily running out to meet me on the road.  They cheered me on and gave me high fives.  It was all I could do not to cry.

Charlie and Lily running beside me near the finish.

Final time: 5:01:45.  Not quite what I’d hoped for, but I’ll take it.

Trish giving me a high 5 near the finish.

During the run I told myself I’d never run this far again.  But it’s been 4 days now and I’m already itching to run again.  I told myself that I’d give myself a week off, but come Monday, I’ll be out there again.  Looking back, I don’t think I tried hard enough.  I didn’t train as hard as I could have.  I didn’t push as hard as I could have.  I want to run farther, and faster!

Oh shit!

Leave us a comment, please.

“There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold.”

The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service

Seeing as my wife was travelling to India to visit her daughter, I decided to find a unique race in an exciting locale to run while she was away.  In a recent issue of Canadian Running magazine, Derrick Spafford wrote a piece on Canada’s Top 10 Must-Do Trail Races.  One race in particular that caught my eye was the Yukon River Trail Marathon.  In the article Spafford states:  “While you certainly won’t run your fastest marathon time on this course thanks to the elevation change and technical trail surface, you will be treated to the sheer beauty and joy of trail running in Whitehorse.”

Another article that I came across in my research was Erin Sheard’s “The True North Strong and Free and Fast: The Great Canadian Marathon Guide in iRun Magazine.  Here the author lists the YRTM as the “Best off-roading” marathon and writes: “(the race) is run on tricky terrain with drop-offs, quick turns, and narrow trails. The route is devilishly designed so that each upcoming leg is harder than the previous. In the final leg awaits Heart Break and Pee Wee hill. Extreme caution is advised—the glorious scenery is tempting, but keep your eyes on the trail”.

It appeared I had found my next running destination!

Flights were booked, hotel reservations made and I eagerly awaited my trip north of 60.  This adventure began with a short stopover to visit some friends in Vancouver.  I met Dom for an hour run along the seawall on Thursday afternoon.  Later we joined Wade and one of their friends for some sailing in English Bay.  Any sane runner would have called it a night in order to rest for the upcoming race and try to beat the jet lag.  However, our night out on the town continued as we met Jackie (my other fellow Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim adventurer), Gary Robbins (fresh off his top-10 performance at Western States and gearing up for his speed record attempt of the WCT) and others at a lounge where DJ Ecos (aka Dom) was spinning.  Long story short, the 7AM wake up came pretty darn fast.

The start of the race was conveniently about 500 meters from my hotel.  Some fifty runners gathered at Shipyards Park for the marathon start at 8:30AM.   More than thirty marathon relay teams of four runners departed at 9:15AM and nearly 150 other competitors were slated to run the half-marathon which started at 10:00AM.  Weather in Whitehorse was uncharacteristically warm as the start signal was given following some last-minute instructions by the Race Director.  “If you encounter a bear, be cautious” he warned!  I’m still not sure what “be cautious” means!

Russell, Amie and Vince pre-race

Runners trotted through town on the River Trail (a paved path) for a couple of kilometers towards the more rugged Millennium Trail.  In one nearby wooded area it was evident that a colony of beavers lived in the vicinity.  You can see that the rodents had been busy chewing down trees near the Robert Service campground.  After passing the Whitehorse Rapids Plant and several moored float-planes, runners crossed The Miles Canyon suspension bridge and headed up towards the top of the escarpment. 

Although I was running alone, the scenery at the summit of the first major climb forced a loud “WOW!” out of me.  The view of the Yukon River down below was stunning.  The water of the “great river” appeared so clear and refreshing as it snaked its way off into the distance.

The next section ran through what is called Canyon City, rolling trails along the river.  The race website suggests: “EXTREME CAUTION should be used as there are some steep drop offs to the river. Keep your eyes on the terrain, not the scenery.” After a long and steep downhill, runners arrive at Chadburn Lake aid-station and roughly the mid-way mark of the race.

As mentioned in iRun Magazine, the next two segments of the race would turn out to be more difficult than the previous two.  Leg three is characterized by technical trails which undulate through wooded areas and around small lakes.  At the top of one of the biggest hills on the course, a makeshift aid-station was there to offer runners some fluids.  The two volunteers at this spot must carry the water to this point on mountain bikes.  Certainly a Monumental Effort in itself!

The heat and constant up and downs began to wear me out at this point and I found myself taking much longer walking breaks than anticipated.  However, I knew I wasn’t in the Yukon to set personal records so I resolved to maintain forward progress and enjoy the tranquility and hopefully no bear encounters.  Finally I reached the last aid-station which happens to also be the first one on the course at the Miles Canyon Bridge. 

This time runners head north rather than retrace their steps from the first leg.  The trail skirts Schwatka Lakes and features Pee Wee Hill.  When I arrived at this hill I was a bit discouraged as the climb was steep, sandy and seemed endless.  A couple of spectators at the foot of the hill offered some encouragement as I slowly plodded uphill.  What goes up must come down.  After finally reaching the top, the trail follows a series of steep switchbacks down to the final aid-station back at the Rapids Dam.  With roughly five kilometers to go, I resolved to run as much of this section as possible. 

A large eagle’s nest atop a tree along the path towards town had attracted several tourists who eagerly took pictures of two huge Bald Eagles resting there.  A few hundred yards further down the route SS Klondike permanently rests.  This is a tribute to the era of riverboat transportation which serviced Whitehorse before roads had been constructed to the capital. 

With less than two kilometers to go, it was unclear which way the course went.  I suppose to the local runners this junction is a no-brainer, but myself and a half-marathoner were stopped and debating which way to go.  “I would hate to go off course in the last 2K” said the runner from Abbotsford.  Luckily someone who had been watching the runners come in saw us standing there looking confused and pointed us in the right direction.

I crossed the finish line in a lackluster time of 4:34:07, but as Spafford warned, personal bests are not likely on this course.  The post-race meal of (my favorite) meat-lovers pizza was a welcome treat.  A lot of runners, including me, also took a refreshing dip in the cool waters of the Yukon River.  Residents of Whitehorse claim that the water temperature usually hovers at around 4 degrees Celsius, but with the recent heat wave in the Yukon, the water temperature was certainly a bit higher than that.

Later that evening I joined fellow Burlington Runners Club members Amie and Russell for a dinner of fresh Arctic salmon.  The next day we spent some time relaxing our aching muscles at the Tahkini Hot Springs and visiting the Yukon Energy Fish Ladder and Hatchery before I hitched a ride to the airport for my return flight to Vancouver before heading home on Tuesday.

Every year I try to plan one or two running vacations to a new region.  Often these destinations are trips south of the border as there are so many races in the U.S. to choose from and many are within a day’s drive from my home.  However, our great country also has some incredible places worth exploring and Whitehorse in the Yukon is certainly a unique and worthwhile place to visit.  The Yukon River Trail Marathon is also a must-do for trail running enthusiasts.  It’s an intimate and friendly race on rugged trails with splendid scenery in a remote and historic Canadian region.  What more can you possibly ask for?  I’ll have to review Derrick’s list for next year’s destination!

Gotta run,

Vince

Please feel free to comment here.

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“In order to win you’ve got to avoid losing first”

— Dick Doobey, football coach at fictitious Southern University

Since I started writing reviews, first for the Burlington Runners Times newsletter then here at Monumental Effort, one book that has been recommended to me on occasion is Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. I purchased this book several months ago but had not gotten around to reading it until just recently. I now wish I would have read the cult classic years ago.

Of the dozens of books on running that I have read over the years, only a handful of them have been works of fiction. Once a Runner is by far the most enjoyable and well-written fictional story of the lot. From the very first chapter I was captivated by Parker’s almost lyrical prose as he describes the quiet track and stadium through the eyes of the young athlete.

Later, as the reader is introduced to the story’s setting and characters -the Southern University campus in Florida and its varsity teams- the author treats us to some more entertaining narrative as he compares and contrasts the various athletes in the different track and field disciplines. Of the weight men he writes: “These specimens made their particular way in the world by heaving sixteen-pound iron balls great distances, tossing fibreglass plates out of vision, whipping sharpened aluminum shafts to the horizon. They were the heavy artillery of old.”

Parker calls the distance runners the “serene messengers, gliding along wooded trails and mountain paths, their spiritual ancestors kept their own solitary counsel for long hours.” Finally, Parker calls the sprinters and jumpers “high-strung, either giddy with success or mired in swamp funk. They were the manic-depressives of the track world.”

The novel’s main character is Quenton Cassidy. Well-liked by all his peers, Quenton is the captain of the track team and on the verge of becoming a world-class miler. Not only is Quenton a talented runner, he is also quite comical and usually at the core of the amusing games and banter amongst the students of Doobey Hall where the athletes reside. The reader accompanies the runners through their gruelling workouts, the cross-country season and the indoor track meets.

Cassidy’s times keep improving and his competitive fires burning hotter than ever when controversy rears its ugly head. Upset over imposed rules by the athletic director and football coach, Quenton drafts a petition protesting the rules. Although the petition was signed by many athletes from all teams, Cassidy becomes the fall-guy and is suspended from competition for the remainder of the school year. This ruling prompts Quenton to quit school and to retreat to a cabin in the woods. Under the tutelage of Olympic gold medalist and close friend Bruce Denton (the self-proclaimed famous American clock-cleaner), Cassidy turns all of his attention and effort to his training and a quest to run a sub-four minute mile.

Will Quenton ever have a chance to “let loose his demons and just wail on” and compete again? Click on the book cover and order your copy to find out.

Parker’s personal running credentials are quite impressive to say the least. As a member of the University of Florida’s track team, Parker set the school record in the mile and was even the conference champion. In 1972 he competed at the Munich Olympics alongside his teammates Frank Shorter and Jeff Galloway. His extensive experience was quite evident throughout the book and in my opinion, certainly gave a lot of credibility to the novel.

Original book cover

Although sequels are generally not as good as the original, upon completing this book I felt compelled to order myself a copy of the follow-up to Once a Runner. This sequel was written three decades after Once a Runner was first published. Once a Runner had even been out of print for many years. According to Amazon, it was one of the most sought-after out-of-print books in the United States in 2007.

Look for a review of John L. Parker Jr’s “Again to Cartage” on M.E. in the future.

If you have read “Once a Runner” and would like to send us a comment, please do so by using the form below. Also, feel free to recommend any book with inspiring stories of determination and perseverance.

Gotta run,

Vince

 “Aw-right, y’all.  Let’s make the official start line the back of my here pickup truck.” – Denis R. Hamrick Jr. – Race Director

I wasn’t initially planning on writing a report of this event, but the RD’s pre-race instructions were simply too classic and needed to be shared with others as a reminder of what ultra running should be about.

At 6:30 AM on Saturday morning, ninety-nine runners gathered at Kanawha State Forest near Charleston, West Virginia for the Rattlesnake Trail 50K race.  Although in its 16^th year, this event has remained a very low-key race.  The website simply states the race information without any pictures or even a background and registration is still done by mail-in only.

The race consists of one loop and features 10 major climbs totaling over 5000 feet of uphill.  When I checked past results, I figured that I needed to complete this challenging course in less than seven hours if I wished to maintain my middle-of-the-pack status.  This may not sound like a very fast pace, but hey, I’m not fast, my short legs aren’t strong climbers and I don’t do well in the heat.  What are my preferred running conditions you might ask?  I’m really speedy and awesome in races that occur during my sleep!

Most of the Rattlesnake Trail 50K is run on forest trails with a slight sprinkling of dirt roads and very little asphalt.  The early miles were reminiscent of the Appalachian Trail portion of the JFK 50-miler, only with longer climbs.  The double-track trails during the middle miles reminded me of the “Green Loop” of the Mohican 100, but with longer climbs.  And the rocky and root-covered late section was akin to the Iroquoia Trail Test (the race I co-RD) with, you guessed it, longer climbs.

The many up-hills really forced me to maintain a slower pace, especially near the start when I usually have a tendency to go out too fast. The mantra I kept repeating to myself was: “Take it easy, enjoy the day.”  And that’s what I did.  I chit-chatted with some new friends from Tennessee and Mississippi, I ran within myself and walked when I needed to walk.  I ate regularly, took lots of fluids and reached the midway point in 3:25.  I was on pace for my seven-hour goal.

I have a tendency to really fade in the second half of an ultra, but I felt comfortable and maintained my pace.  “Take it easy, enjoy the day.”   After the final aid-station and on the last major climb of the day, I past a runner who was sitting, legs outstretched, on the trail.  At first I thought he was injured, but he informed me that he was suffering from cramps in his thighs and calves.  He was extremely grateful when I offered him some of my electrolyte tablets and a few moments later I heard him yell from behind me down the trail: “IT WORKED, THANKS!” 

I crossed the finish line in 6:55:10; good enough for 39^th place out of 99 runners, but more importantly, no puking!  I felt good throughout the race and felt I could have kept running after the finish.  I took it easy and enjoyed the day.

In closing, I strongly encourage you to seek out and support these low-key races.  Sure I have run big-city marathons on occasion and I often enter the largest ultras that require you to either sign up months in advance or be selected in a lottery.  But each year I try to find a small race in a location I would not otherwise visit.  This has allowed me to meet wonderful people and discover interesting places such as Hot Springs, South Dakota and Virgil, New York and now Charleston, West Virginia.  A special “Thanks” to Denis and his wonderful team of volunteers on a great event!

If you have stumbled upon this blog thanks to the business cards that you have received today at the Rattlesnake Trail 50K, please share your thoughts of this wonderful race by posting a comment below.

Up next:  The Yukon River Trail Marathon in Whitehorse on August 2^nd, 2010.

Gotta run,

Vince

“I bet many of you feel sorry for me.  Well, don’t.  Having an artificial leg has its advantages.  I’ve broken my right knee many times and it doesn’t hurt a bit.” – Terry Fox

Over the past couple of weeks we were focused on Charlotte Vasarhelyi’s successful attempt at breaking the Bruce Trail end-to-end solo speed record.  However in late June, we also kept a close eye on the developments at the prestigious Western States Endurance Run in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains of sunny California.  As usual, the WS 100 featured an extremely elite field. The top two runners, Geoff Roes (15:07:04) and Anton Krupicka (15:13:52) both broke Scott Jurek’s course record, and we were treated to many, many other Monumental Efforts.

Tracy cruising at WS 100

Any runner who even toes the line at this event has sacrificed much to dedicate hours to qualify, then train for the grueling run.  Of course, a bit of luck is also needed as only a small percentage of the entries get selected via the lottery.

Tracy Garneau became the first Canadian to ever win The Western States race, finishing in a very impressive time of 19 hours, 1 minute, 55 seconds.  In fact, I believe Tracy is the only non-U.S. runner, male or female, to earn the top spot on the podium at Placer High in Auburn, CA.  With wins at H.U.R.T. 100 and American River 50-miler earlier this year, Garneau has now proven to be one of North America’s best ultra-runners.  In the coming months Tracy will compete in the Canadian Death Race in Grand Cache, Alberta and The Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France.   We will follow these events with great interest.

Other notable Canadian performances include top-10 finishes by Gary Robbins (6^th in 17:06:20) and Glen Redpath (7^th in 17:10:06).  Congrats to all runners!

Another amazing athlete that caught our attention was Amy Palmiero-Winters.  Amy became the first amputee to successfully complete this particular 100-mile trail run.  Amy crossed the finish line in a time of 27:43:10. 

Amy mangled her left ankle in a gnarly motorcycle accident in 1994.  Nearly thirty leg operations later, the leg was amputated.  Since 1997, Amy has been proving many naysayers wrong by completing (and often winning) many events, from 5km road races to Ironman competitions, and even trail 100-milers.  The Western States finish is most impressive because of the amount of downhill running this course offers along rugged and uneven trails.  Next week, Amy will compete in the Badwater 135-mile run in Death Valley. 

More about Amy’s amazing accomplishments is available at her site: http://www.seeamyrun.com/

You can track Amy and other Badwater runners, including Jerseyville 100 champ Iris Cooper, on the live webcast at:

http://www.badwater.com/2010web/index.php.

With summer full swing and so many events on the horizon, please feel free to share your inspiring Monumental Effort stories of determination and inspiration with us.

Gotta run,

Vince

P.S. After a four week hiatus due to a slight tear in her Meniscus, Monica Scholz is ready to resume her 3000-mile quest at Vermont on July 17^th…stay tuned!

Final Time: 13 days, 10 hours 51 min which surpasses the previous record by 23 hours 9 min

Today, Charlotte Vasarhelyi set the solo speed record for running The Bruce Trail. The final time is pending, but Charlotte took approximately 1 full day off of the previous record (at least by our math).  For a full account please see the previous two posts.  What better way to finish up coverage of the Monumental Effort than with several pictures of Charlotte at the finish.  Congratulations, Charlotte!

Done! 4:34pm July 2, 2010. A very sweet moment.

FINAL DAY:

10.  Almost there!  1.5K to go!

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9.   5.3 to go. We’re heading to Southern Terminus.

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8.  3:25pm and 7k to go!

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7. 8.5 k to go at 3:03.

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6. From Gary B: Charlotte ran the last 6k in 1:02!!!! She has 20 km to go at about 1:15 PM !!!!!!!  I’ve been dragging around a bottle of bubbly on ice since Wednesday!

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5. Sitting @ 20 to go. Should be less than 30 min. Right at Wellland canal.

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4.  11:30 thru 30k to go !!!

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3. 10:30 and 36 to go !!!!! Other side of Short Hills !

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2. From Gary B.: After some foot repair (and I mean that literally) the girl is on FIRE. 40 min for 3.4 k on trail !!!!! They just headed into Shorthills (39.0 Map 3) without a stop. Henri is doing a great job leading. It’s take out only today at Gary and Stephan’s mobile eatery !!!!!

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1. From Diane C.: Engines were on at 4:45 a.m. and with the quick jaunt to the trailhead at the top of Balls Falls, they were running by 5 a.m.  A rather smooth morning with lots of coffee.  So just to recap, she has around 50 k left and is trying to hit the end before 3:45 p.m. today.

Update 11:50pm:

Balls Falls is done.  Charlotte stopped sometime  just before 9 p.m. tonight with 50.9 km left on the route.  She’ll be on the trails tomorrow sometime around 5 a.m. with Kinga and Henri.  It’s now 11:16 p.m., feet are just about done (yes…feet…some minor things had to be tended to) and sleep is calling her.  Can’t believe tomorrow is it!  Ciao!

Update 7:25pm:

At 7:25 she went thru 55.0 on Map 4…..headin’ for Balls Falls !!!!!!!

Evening Update:

Mark and I continue to be blown away by the Char Machine! We spent time on the trail today with her – a very cool way for us to celebrate Canada Day! Despite her body being truly beaten up from this enormous endeavour she pushes on with style and grace. And yes, still some moaning on the downhills. At 6pm she was at 57.6 km marker on Map 4. Kinga and Keith are now pacing her. Hopefully they can make their way through Balls Falls and a little more before they run out of  daylight. This section of the BT has some very tricky footing. Char has chosen to sleep tonight rather than push through, allowing her to really absorb, embrace and celebrate the last kms of this epic journey!

Update 3:45pm:

3:45 sitting at 64.7 on Map 4…..they should be here in 10 min……wow, map 4……mark and joany pacing…..how will it end….will she sleep at diane and henri’s tonight…..will she just push through….will she bunk out on the trail for a few hours and then carry on ??????  All have been  discussed but we don’t know how it will play out…….

Update 9:53am:   Update from the trail…..

At 9:50am, Char was just approaching 11.8km marker on Map # 6. At this point she will have 88.7km left in her journey to the Niagara BT terminus. All seems to be going well!

Kinga on shoe maintenance.

We here at Monumental Effort are in awe of Charlotte Vasarhelyi! As she begins Day 13 of running The Bruce Trail solo we thought it appropriate to dedicate a new post to her final push to the Southern Terminus.  It feels odd to say that charlotte only has 100K left to run, but after 13 days and approximately 700KM traversed, how else can 100K be described?

Also, our math may be wrong but by our count, as of her start on July 1, 2010 Charlotte has been out there for 12 elapsed days and has just began running into her 13th day!!

Day 13: We will begin with Joany V.’s account of this morning’s start.

Good Morning…..

Char was up at 4:30am after a good night sleep – 5 hours! This was the first night of late that she did not get up through the evening with throbbing knees.  Char was out the door at 5:30am after pretty comprehensive footcare by Mark and Kinga, and a big hearty breakfast!  Energy level and spirit are great – looks like a good day may lie ahead!  At present, the plan will be to do a full day of running today, sleep this evening at Diane & Henri’s host house then finish it off on Friday!  Her goal is to finish by 3 o’clock on Friday, setting a new record by one full day.

After many long days, Jamie will hand over the crew captain position over to Gary around the lunch hour. Gary can be contacted by emailing bill@monumentaleffort.com who will pass along Gary’s phone number. We are in need of pacers on the trail for both this afternoon, and more importantly Friday.

For those wanting to just run a bit on the trail while cheering her on, please also call Gary for location co-ordinates based on BT map. What is working best is that we direct you to the NEXT location the crew will be stopping at – you can park your car there and then run in from the other direction to intersect Char and accompany her in. This approach really helps with car logistics and also provides for nice surprises for Char along the trail!

Charlotte asked me to again mention how grateful she is for all the support and encouragement she has received along the way. I would also like to specially recognize Gary, Stephan, Kinga & Jamie, who really have been the backbone of support on the trail for Char’s adventure!

Go Char Go!

Day 12 (night):  A final update on the day.

It appears Charlotte has called it a day at the Mountain Brow Side Trail (26.4km marker on Map # 7). Her and the crew are now heading in our direction for the night. No details of the plan for tomorrow as of yet.

Tomorrow should be an exciting day – Charlotte will plan her strategy for the push to the finish. Does she nail a solid day tomorrow with evening sleep or does she attempt an all nighter????

Day 12 (evening):  More updates from Joany V. who’s been out on the trail with Charlotte today:

At approximately 4:00pm Charlotte left Sherman’s Falls (in Dundas) which is at the 45.9km mark on Map # 8. The last 10km stretch (with one hook up with the crew car) took us approximately 1:40. Spirits are good. Amazingly, Charlotte’s legs have loosened up a bit and her gate/stride looks much more comfortable than this morning and previous days. This is making the down hills a little easier on her. This time of the day is when the feet start throbbing but she knows that she doesn’t have to tolerate the discomfort for much longer! She is starting to see the Niagara BT terminus!

…..later.

At 9:30pm, Gary has informed us that Charlotte was at 28.6km on Map # 7 at 9:15pm.

Apparently some locals are guiding Gary & Jamie thru the difficult Red Hill Creek area to ensure they are giving the support Charlotte needs as she pushes into the dark.

We are yet to learn how much longer she will want to be on the trail this evening. When she gets out of Paramount Park, she will have 101.3km to go in order to touch the Niagara terminus. Gary reports she is running really well.

Many have joined her along the way and that has been uplifting for Char, and everyone pacing/crewing.

We will try to continue our updates as regularly as possible however many of us will be on the trail and potentially not able to get an email out.

Within the next 24 hours, if you would like to join in on the “fun”, there is a group of us that can be contacted (email bill@monumentaleffort.com for the list ). Again, have your BT map handy and we can provide you the current check point km marker and map number so you can direct yourself in.

Day 12 (morning):  Today begins with an early message from Joany V. at Basecamp:

Good Morning – base camp here!

With a 15-20 minute drive to the start, Charlotte was out the door at 5:55am. About 15 minutes behind our departure time goal but after Mark assesed the condition of her feet, we agreed it was important to take a little extra time to ensure the best possible footcare could be provided. The tough part is the condition of her feet degrade a bit every day so what works magically one day often requires an altered strategy the next.

Angus joined us last evening and had the maps all set and was eager to lead Char this morning. Kat was waiting at the start to join in – her ultra experience will be terrific for Char today!

Jamie spent time last night re-arranging supplies and sorting through foods before transitioning everything into the new crew car – Char’s.

The pounding is taking a toll. Char’s body is slowly breaking down. If you can take the time to get out on the trail and cheer her on, that will give her wings! When calling the crew to find out where to hook up, best to have a Bruce Trail map handy so they can give you the km marker to meet at. Today they are starting on Map 9.

Go Char Go!

Stay tuned for more updates.

Day 11:  The following update was once again graciously provided by Gary Black.

An eventful day!  South of the 401 and south of Milton, Charlotte almost made it to 1st Side Road and Guelph line. We are almost around the corner of Lake Ontario and on the home stretch.  The crew was awesome on a tough day.  Paul T. showed up at my door at 5:10am to run before he had to be at work, after Paul T. left, in jumped Ron Gehl.  Ron was willing to stay as long as he was needed.  His car was thrown into service as the crew vehicle and somewhere along the way the battery died  To the rescue came Mark Taminga (he booked the day off work to help Char accomplish her goal) and we traded Ron’s dead wagon for an Audi Quatro…..some upgrade – Jamie was happy.

Diane Chesla was there until late afternoon and Kinga was back again to have a go.  Gailanne came in after work to help out.

Angus is hooked. He’s coming back for another day Wednesday. Hard to stay away, isn’t it?

Charlotte is amazing in her tenacity.  By rough calculation she has run 725K in 11 days on nasty limestone trail. That leaves about 169 to go; looks easy when you see the numbers, but it is getting really painful.  I don’t know how much running you’ve done on the rocky Bruce, but imagine the beating 725K, day after day would put on your feet.  I feel very privileged to be able to observe and participate in this unbelievable adventure.

Tonight Charlotte is in the confident hands of Mark and Joany with Jamie lending assistance where required. Let’s hope for a good nights sleep and some relief for her feet tomorrow.

We are into crunch time.  Charlotte really appreciates seeing new faces on the trail.  Come park your car and run with her a bit, she is remarkably coherent and usually ready to chat.  Hope you can come out and be part of her quest.

On Sunday, June 27th, Monumental Effort reader, Chris Duke managed to track down Charlotte and her entourage on the Bruce Trail.  Here’s his account of running with Charlotte:

Anyone’s attempt at something incredible facinates me. I just have to see it happen. I’ve been following Charlotte’s progrcss and spent Saturday and Sunday trying to find her and her crew by driving roads along the Bruce Trail. I found them [thanks to ME] north west of Mono Mills.

I started running the trail backwards and found them slogging up a Hockely Valley hill on a road [due to a trail closure]. Signature red Running Free shirt. I wasn’t expecting a welcome from a tired ultra runner who had already coursed 600 km over the past few days. I expected eyes glued to the road a few steps ahead – no time for strangers. Instead Barb and Angus kindly thanked me for my interest and support [no thanks needed, who wouldn't marvel at this!]. And Charlotte started getting chatty, asking me my running interests, and sharing hers.

At the top of this 300m nasty hill I followed them into the trail, heading back towards my car. Of course as this wasn’t a 10 km trail race, this was about relentlessly moving forward. The trails are beautiful and scenic springs, rocks, hills. I think I was lucky to be with her on a smooth stretch. Single track, weeds brushing your legs, watching every step to avoid slips on mossy wet rocks. Charlotte told me she hadn’t fallen yet. I’d be down with twisted ankles pretty quick. Shows you she has strength and attention for this technical running. I heard she was getting very little sleep – a very dangerous state to be in when running these trails.

Charlotte ran with swinging arms, elbows out, solid legs. She chugged along, driving to each milestone such as another km, another road crossing. Her pacers are very, very important to her. She preferred to be right behind Angus who was doing careful and observant pace guiding. Barb knew these trails and watched for every blaze to keep her followers on course.

I moved ahead with my car to the next trail road crossing. I had to hurry up the course since they were not far from me. I ran again with them and just before crossing Airport Road the heavy clouds dropped their load on our heads. Barb quickly had a wind breaker for Charlotte without missing a moment off pace.

At Airport Road [and my car] I had to say goodbye after only 4 km on the trail with them. They zipped across the busy road and disappeared into the wet trail again. I can’t imagine the determination and strength to run another 400 km or so. I also salute Charlotte’s team of volunteers who are on their own marathons. Good on you – you’re all amazing!

Day 10: Quick update from Gary B. 72 k today and she looks freakin’ good !  She ran…..yes ran (mostly) from 6 am to 9:45…… She ended at 4th line between 17 and 22 side roads, just north of Milton.

Here’s another update, this one from Joany V.:

Charlotte continues to work hard to keep on pace to set a record. Determined, strong and a true athlete! She has such will and determination but also such grace in calmly embracing the journey. Char is surrounded by so many talented, giving volunteers offering support. Special thanks to Barb and Richard who hosted the stinky hungry group of us for not one but TWO days! And of course the endless support by Gary. In addition to crewing much of this event, Gary offered up his home last evening for us all.

Mark, Kinga and I have been watching over Char’s feet over the last several days. I have to say, I am so impressed on how well her feet are holding up. Yes, they are beaten up, but I have seen much worse with many conquering a 50 miler! Char shows great patience as we poke, drain, and tape away at her feet each and every day  – now even making some reapplications of foot care during the day.

Yesterday, was a transition day for support crew and now Jamie takes over as crew captain and will lead Char’s charge to the finish. Anyone willing to come out and help with pacing & crewing, please contact Jamie at Jamie.follas@johnstonequipment.com (or email bill@monumentaleffort.com for Jamie’s phone number). We need help for these last few days! Please keep in mind that due to the crazy logistics of this event, we would need you to be self sufficient  including carrying your own food & making arrangement for your car being moved down the trail.

Go Char Go – your dream IS possible because YOU are making it happen!

Here’s a couple of pics from the trail:

And here’s more updates on this amazing feat from Barb C.:

Last night was our second night of hosting the crew base camp for Charlotte Vasarhelyi’s bid to break the Bruce Trail solo run record. Yesterday’s alarm went off at 4 a.m. but because she was running in Caledon today, I got to sleep in till 4:30 a.m. before getting up to make coffee and toast bagels for the people sleeping on Thermarests in odd corners of our house.

Angus Doughty and Paul Trebilcock took the first shift of pacing, then Joany Verschuuren ran through Forks of the Credit. Then Ron Gehl and I took over for the afternoon, starting with the climb up Devil’s Pulpit on the Niagara Escarpment, then continuing through mostly rocky, muddy terrain to the far side of Terra Cotta Conservation Area. Char ran more today but the humidity and 27C temperature made her a little queasy by mid-afternoon. At the 50K mark, Jamie Follas, her longtime training partner, took over alone in hopes that the injection of new blood might inspire her to put in some extra kilometers in the evening. It worked – she did 72 km today and got most of the way to Milton. Almost 700 km down, about 200 km to go!

If any Milton/Hamilton trail runners have time available during the day on Tues/Wed of this week, write me for Jamie Follas’s cell phone. I think he may be overworked in the next couple of days.

It was fun to meet longtime ultrarunner Ron Gehl. There is absolutely *no* mystery as to how his daughter Laurie McGrath became one of the top ultrarunners in North America. Whereas most people might get to know you by asking things like, “How do you know Charlotte?” or “How long have you lived in Caledon?”, one of Ron’s first questions to me was, “When are you doing a 100-miler?” I laughed and said that I’m working toward my first 50K. He immediately started discussing the race calendar, recommending a good candidate event and talking about the strategy I should use to run four 20K laps. “Wait a minute, Ron – 4 laps would be a 50-miler. I’m just thinking about a 50K.” “Oh, don’t bother with that. Once you get going, you might as well just do the 50-miler. And then you should do a 100-miler. And here’s how you’ll prepare for that…” I get the feeling that it would be virtually impossible to grow up in his household and *not* become an ultrarunner!

Kudos to Char for her amazing effort. She will break the record if she finishes by Saturday morning, and with “only” a little over 200 km left, things are looking very, very good.

A special tip of the hat to Joany Verschuuren and Mark Tamminga, whose calm, organized, experienced approach to both the base camps and the trail running contributed hugely to the success of Char’s last couple of days. Jamie Follas will be the team leader over the next few days and is doing a bang-up job too.

Here are some random photos showing Char and crew, including Laurie McGrath, Angus Doughty, Ron, Joany Verschuuren, Jamie Follas and me.

Day 8/9:  The following is an amalgamation of pacer reports from Day 8 and Day 9.  Thanks to Laurie M. and Kinga M. for running with Charlotte and letting us all know how it went:

Laurie M:

Just got back from running with Charlotte who is still in great spirits  Jen S. and I ran map “19″ of the bruce with her (mono conservation center) until about 1pm today.  Her feet are drying out as much as can be expected and the iodine really seems to be working.  She really loves when people show up along the way and it really perks her up (the more the merrier).  She will need lots of help Wednesday and Thursday too, so contact Gary Black and volunteer . She really likes to know how far she is running and small goals eg. ” lets run to the next tree up there and then power walk up the hill” etc. really helps her.  It was a lot of fun joining her and the Bruce is absolutely gorgeous and not too buggy (surprisingly so!) right now.

Kinga M.:

We’re just back from a couple of days crewing and pacing Charlotte.

Sunday turned out to be solid day, Charlotte hammered out some really good miles with her pacers. She was very strong and focused and was still willing to go at the end of the day, but the downpour made some sections rather treacherous. She went back to basecamp content and already planning to push harder on the next day.

With all the crewing, I finally got a chance to run with Charlotte on Saturday most of the day and Sunday at the very end of the day. She is so strong and determined!! Despite severe sleep deprivation and unimaginable pain, she can still have fun with her pacers and crew and stay focused on covering distance. The downhills are punishing and her quads and knees are taking a beating, but she just keeps on motoring.

I will be going out to cheer and run with her in the evenings after work.

Day 6/7:  An update has been graciously provided by Gary Black.  Given the exhaustion of the crew, Gary has provided a snapshot of a day so that people get a bit of a feel for what Charlotte’s going through:

Charlotte seems to have settled into a rhythm of sorts, rising at 3:30 am, coffee, about an hour of work for someone to tape her feet while drinking coffee and eating breakfast.  While this is going on, crew prepares daily food, packs the vehicle, (finds her pillow ), and prepares her pack. It is really nice when we can stay at the same place two nights in a row.  The goal is to get on the trail at 5:30, but this depends on how many are in the crew and how long the drive is back to the previous evenings finish but typically this is before 6 am. It’s tough as the crew is constantly rotating and changing and the duties need to be picked up by the new arrivals.

I have not run with Charlotte on this journey, but I can say that (as many of you know) she is one very tough and determined woman!  This adventure is by no means an easy feat and this is one tough trail!  By now her feet start the day pretty sore, but better than the night before.  Knees and ankles can be an issue too.  She feels she has a good 7-8 hours before it gets really painful again.  Then she carries on for another 7 hours.  The crew is meeting her at many of the intermediate road crossings and not just the start and finish of the 4 x 20ish k legs set out for the day.

Charlotte runs until dark (around 9:30-10) then is shuttled to the local base camp.  Yup, that’s over 15 hours a day on her feet and then there is all the maintenance, food and she often gets as little as 3 hours sleep each night.  Through all this, she is still quick to laugh and always ready with a smile. As we get closer to civilization we hope that more of you can come out and at the least, hang out with the crew and cheer her on as she passes through…that would mean a lot to her.  She is currently running with  one pacer/guide and if you can come out and help, another set of eyes to scout the trail would be very helpful. It is deflating when she goes off trail, or gets confused on one of the many reroutes.  If you would like to run some with her, please be 100% self supported as the crew has enough on their hands. There may be some night legs that will need to be run (more like hiked) as we get closer to the finish.  Saturday she will be leaving the Creemore base camp (thanks to Pierre and Lee Ann for putting up with us for 2 nights) and heading towards Palgrave.  Sunday should see her at the Milton Camp…..then it’s through Hamilton, St. Catharines and the big finish at Niagara!!!!

DAY 5:  Here is a first hand account of crewing from Ron I. who ran with Charlotte from Blantyre to Epping on Day 5, Wednesday, June 23rd.  I have left the account in Ron’s words, as I felt Ron captured exactly what it’s like to be out there on the Bruce Trail perfectly:

I feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to spend some time on the trail with Charlotte.

I meet Charlotte and Ron G. at Blantyre, finishing her first leg of the day.  I got a few tips from the legendary Mr. Gehl and off we went.  It took a few kilometres to establish protocol but we quickly settled into to our roles.  I stayed 5-10 metres in front of Charlotte; never too far, never to close and always keeping her moving along.

Two things that were extremely important to Charlotte:

• Always know exactly how far is left in the current leg
• Never go off trail

After we began to feel comfortable and were going along at a nice pace the trail suddenly disappeared and we were waist deep in very wet vegetation!   I spotted a blaze 200 metres away for which I was never so thankful!

The feet are a huge issue for Charlotte.  Every step is painful.  The pain varies between barely manageable to excruciating to nearly debilitating, but she keeps going.

About 1/4 of the way into the leg we met up with Stephan and Kinga.  Char does not like to stop for anything but she decided she needed fresh socks.  When we got going again the pain was worse for the first half of a kilometre or so before starting to feel better and then Charlotte started to fly!  She said there was a slight improvement and was quite pleased that she invested the time to stop.

With “fresh” feet we moved along quite well for an hour or so.  I missed a blaze and took us a few hundred metres off course; my heart sunk!  I told Charlotte “stay here … I haven’t seen a blaze in a bit and will quickly run back and see if we are off course.” I ran flat out and quickly found the mistake and ran back with equal speed announcing on the way for her to come back!  I apologized many, many times.  I know how bummed out she was but she was very graceful in keeping the way she felt to her self.

Back on track we really slowed down but were always moving forward.  The last 5K of our leg the feet were getting the better of her.  Charlotte asked if there was a running store nearby and wanted to get shoes 1/2 a size bigger!  I had an idea …..

I called Kinga and had her give Doug Barber a call. She asked him to have Scott from the Runners Den in Owen Sound give me a call.  Minutes later Scott was on the phone with Charlotte and she described to him what was needed.  Stephan came up the trail and met Charlotte and I with about 1.5K to go on in the leg.  I ran flat out to the end and jumped in my vehicle and was in the Runners Den in Owen Sound in less then an hour.  After Scott consulted with his wife Tracy they came up with 4 different shoes that might work.  I darted back to the first road past the Epping Lookout and we had a little shoe fitting session.  Charlotte found a pair that worked but decided to stick with her original shoes until the end of the day.

Stephan was running with Charlotte as they entered Beaver Valley around 6pm.  Charlotte was moving better now and making some good time with Stephan.  Kinga and I met them for the next three roads until they came out just North of the Talisman Ski Club.   When Kinga and I arrived at the meeting point I would run back up the trail, meeting them mid segment … it was alot of fun for Stephan and I; kind of like being in a episode of Man Tracker, only better.

In spite of Charlotte’s constant pain she always had a smile and a laugh and no matter what kept moving.

SPECIAL UPDATE:  Update from Jill who ran with Charlotte on Day 4.  Charlotte wanted to pass along a HUGE thank you to the base camp hosts thus far for the care and support she is receiving from them!!

DAY 4:  Update from Stephen Miklos who’s been out on the Bruce Trail with Charlotte.  At the end of day 4, Charlotte got as far as side road 3 and 6th concession S. near Bognor.  Her feet are a bit sore but she’s in good spirits and things look good.  She was back on the road this morning at 6:30am.  70.3KM in 15:46

DAY 3:  Things are still going well. Char is still in good spirits and making her way.  Feet seem to be sore, but the again, who’s wouldn’t be?? 79.4KM in 15:22

DAY 2: Things were great on the Bruce today!  The weather has been gorgeous and I’m having fun with the crew and enjoying nature.  Ran from Lion’s Head to Wiarton with total mileage being 89km (slight variation from the original plan sent out..some modifications to the Bruce).  Start time 5:32am, finish 8:40pm, total time out today 15 hours 8 minutes. 89KM in 15:08

DAY 1:   Day one is in the books. After a great night at Jack Van Dorp’s, Charlotte and Ken had a great day. All four legs done. 83k plus a few extra K done in 14 hours 38 min.  Awesome day for her and awesome start to a great adventure.  Currently in Lions Head as planned.  Stay tuned! 83K in 14:38 Day 1 Photos.

Charlotte Vasarhelyi running at the 2010 HURT100.

Charlotte Vasarhelyi is one of Canada’s most accomplished, active endurance athletes.  Most recently, Charlotte participated as a member of Team Canada at the 24 Hour World Championships in Brive, France running 192.985KM!  On Saturday, June 19th, 2010 Charlotte will be undertaking a solo assault on the Bruce Trail in an attempt to break the solo speed record.  The Bruce Trail is Canada’s longest hiking trail with a total distance of 894.1KM.  Monumental Effort has had the fortune  to interview Charlotte prior to this incredible run.  Please follow @ME_Stories on twitter from June 19th as we will be tweeting Charlotte’s progress as regularly as possible.

Rather than post a large map of the Bruce Trail, please see this great Interactive Map online.  Oh, and please join the Bruce Trail Conservancy to help maintain this amazing trail.

We hope you enjoy this interview with Charlotte below.  Please, if you have any questions or comments feel free to add them in the comments section below.

Question 1:  You’ve said that The Blaze was one of your most memorable racing experiences.  Did that experience seed the idea to solo The Bruce Trail?

Answer 1: The Blaze was a very memorable racing experience in large part due to the amazing people (some of whom I met through racing years ago, and I also met some new people), both the inspiring athletes and outstanding crew, who together, through a concerted team effort,  made the relay speed record possible.  Also the Adventure Science project that took place with the Blaze as the venue was a great way to do research, educate people, and raise funds for charity.

The Blaze, however, did not seed my idea to attempt a solo of the Bruce Trail.  I have had the dream of completing the entire Bruce Trail for over a decade, having hiked and ran the trail most of my adult life.  However, in 2005, I began to plan the idea of a speed record attempt, and actually was originally going to complete the trail with a very good friend and training partner.  However, it was difficult to plan a time that worked for both of us with family and work commitments, so, in 2009, I decided that I would attempt it myself the following year.

Question 2:  What did you learn during The Blaze that will benefit your solo attempt?

Answer 2:  The Blaze taught me a great deal about how to optimize factors during multi-day stage racing/running such as sleep, nutrition and recovery pre, during, and post running.  I have a lot of experience with ultra-running non-stop up to 2 days on trails, but had not completed stage type racing before, which is very different.  I also learned how important it is to have a detailed, well thought out/organized run plan and have a great crew of people to work towards the plan, with both you and the crew having the ability to adapt quickly when things change on the trail, which they always do.  I have adopted the same layout plan for maps and running legs for my solo attempt as was used during the Blaze, and have modified run times accordingly.

Question 3:  What’s your plan of attack for the run?  For example, how much do you intend to sleep?

Answer 3:  My plan of attack for the run is relatively straightforward, complete 4 pre-planned running legs each day, averaging 51+ miles per day.   Taking into account factors such as terrain, re-fuelling stops, and level of tiredness, means that I likely will be on the trail between 13-17 hours per day.  I intend to make stops with crew during the day as quick as possible, and spend more time at the end of the day replenishing nutrition, icing, and getting ready for the next day.  I expect to sleep very little per night, probably between 3-4 hours depending on the day.

Question 4:  Are you inspired by any other long-trek athletes?

Answer 4:  Many people have inspired me, but one long-trek athlete that comes to mind right away is Dr. David Horton.  He is an exceptional runner having completed many trail through runs including the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and completed the Run Across America.  However, the thing that inspires me most is that he has taken his experiences on the trail back into everyday life to become a better, more balanced person.  That is something that I believe is very important.

Canadian athlete Ray Zahab is also inspirational to me as he is an amazing athlete, but also does a great deal to help communities of people through out the world.  The work that he has done through Impossible2Possible is incredible.

Question 5:  What’s next?  Are there any other trails you’d like to run end-to-end?  The West Coast Trail perhaps?

Answer 5:  I have always wanted to run a multi-day in the desert and also the mountains, both of which have been very special places of self discovery for me.  As far a through runs go, I would like to run the Appalachian Trail, but I want to wait and share that experience with a special someone.

Question 6:  What’s your goal for the solo attempt?  The current record according to trailrunner.ca is held by Clayton Smith at 15 days.

Answer 6:  My number one goal for the Bruce run is to complete the entire trail from end to end, to enjoy every second of the journey, and to embrace all of the experiences and emotions that will come along with it.  My second goal is to complete the run in 11 days, which is an aggressive plan, but one that I believe is achievable for me.  The current record is 14 days 10 hours.

Question 7:  Is this run in support of any charities?

Answer 7:  I strongly believe that it is very important to give back to the community whether if be through raising funds, or volunteering your time.  I have been very fortunate to have had a lot of support from the community through organizations such as the Lion’s Club, Running Free, and people within the community.  I am using the Bruce Trail run to raise funds and awareness for the United Way, specifically the Oxford County United Way as they as a great grass roots community charity.  I am primarily raising funds through/at work (Toyota, Woodstock Plant), as Toyota is a long time supporter of the United Way.

Question 8:  You recently competed as part of Team Canada at the 24h World Championships, can you tell us a little about that experience?  What’s next for Team Canada?

Answer 8:  My recent experience at Worlds as part of Team Canada, was incredible.  The Canadian team has come a long way over the years, and this year we had a great group of people, both runners and support crew for the event.  A number of records and personal bests were achieved, including a best ever cumulative women’s team distance score, and there was a very real sense of unity and support amongst the team.   I have been on the 24h Canadian Team since 2005, and each time I am able to represent my country gives me such an incredible sense of pride and joy to be Canadian.

Ultra-running is growing in Canada, which is exciting.  Currently, there are National Teams for the 50km, 50 mile, 100km, and 24 hour events.

 

 

 

 

 

Charlotte with Teresa (left) and Laurie (right) McGrath representing Canada.

 

Question 9:  What’s your current training schedule?

Answer 9:  I run very long miles, typically 90-100 miles per week.  In training for the Bruce, I have specifically attempted to keep my miles to 100 plus since the fall, with good results endurance wise.  I love running long distances, spending time in nature and with friends brings me peace and clears my mind, it is a large part of who I am.  I also practice Bikram yoga at least once a week (hot yoga), and do strength training.

Question 10:  Any favourite gear?  Shoes? Gels? etc. etc.

Answer 10:  Favourite shoes are Montrail Hardrocks (the old style), which they no longer make.  Some of my favourite gear includes Marmot and Salomon clothing.  As far as food, I will always chose real food over gels and bars.

Question 11:  Can you think of the greatest single Monumental Effort you’re inspired by.

Answer 11:  I do not have a single monumental effort that has inspired me, but rather a common element to efforts/experiences on the trail by others.  I am inspired by every person who I have shared the trail with who had a dream, the courage to toe the start line and follow that dream despite the unknown, and the perseverance to follow through on their commitment to themselves.

Additional Thoughts:  I strive to lead by example and be a positive role model to others within the community.  Through sharing my experiences on the Bruce, I hope that I am able to inspire and motive others to try something out of the ordinary for them, and in the process redefine themselves and realize their potential.  I truly believe that that only limitations that we have are the ones that we place on ourselves, so if we are open minded we can accomplish anything.

Please submit you comments below.

“My report card always said, ‘Jim finishes first and then disrupts the other students’.” -comedian Jim Carrey

We are nearly halfway through 2010 and Monumental Effort thought it would be a good idea to revisit and assess some of the stories we have covered this year.  As the academic year winds down most teachers are currently in “report card mode”.  I will attempt to demonstrate my teacher skills by offering a grade and a report card comment for some of our featured athletes.

The story that has generated the most M.E. interest thus far is that of Monica’s 3000+ Mile Odyssey. The sidebar on our site serves as a reminder of Monica’s upcoming events as well as a summary of her past successes.

By the end of this month, Monica will have completed nearly half of her projected thirty 100-milers.  Her schedule has undergone some adjustments; most notably she has decided to forgo the grueling Badwater-135.  The cost of travelling to Death Valley with a crew of several people simply wasn’t feasible given the amount of races on Monica’s agenda this year.

Monica has won some of the women’s races and has finished second amongst the ladies in a handful of other events.  Her journey to this point has not been a stroll in the park.  Monica did encounter some significant challenges at the Coyote Two Moons 100.  This race features a staggered start and the race director determines the start times for all runners.  Monica started the race with the 3AM wave alongside some of the race’s fastest runners.  Monica soon realized that she hadn’t planned accordingly for this start time, she was underdressed for the cool start and her drop bag was not located at one of the nearest aid stations.  It took Monica ten hours to complete the first 30 miles and she decided that this was not going to be her day.  Monica chose to drop out of the race and catch an earlier flight home.  I’m sure she will redeem herself at this race next year.

On June 18-19^th,  I will have the privilege of accompanying Monica at one of my favorite events, the Mohican 100 in Loudonville, Ohio.  I’m sure Monica will once again do well and be her cheerful self as she cruises to yet another 100-mile finish.

Monica’s grade: A+

Monica’s report card comment: If Monica continues to put forth the determination displayed during this reporting period, she will certainly benefit from her hard work.  Monica is a good citizen, is working to her full capability and leads by example.  We encourage her to continue this Monumental Effort throughout all of 2010.

Monica cruising along at LOST

Another popular M.E. account was the Ray Zahab – Canada’s Karnazes…and more post.  I must admit that I was thrilled that Ray himself even submitted a comment.  This led to an exchange of emails, a couple of phone calls and our correspondence resulted in successfully landing Ray as the keynote speaker at the annual Ontario School Counsellors’ Association (OSCA) conference this November.  I attend this conference every year, and I have already done some lobbying within the organizing committee that will hopefully have me introduce Ray to the delegates.  I am definitely looking forward to meeting him and hearing him speak.  He will certainly close out the conference with a bang and send hundreds of educators back to their respective schools energized and inspired.

Over the course of the past few months, Ray has been doing so much wonderful work with Impossible-2-possible.   So far this year Ray and his team have led expeditions across frozen lakes in Siberia and through sweltering heat over sand dunes in Tunisia.  These expeditions are tracked by thousands of students who communicate with the adventurers as they battle the elements.  The mind-boggling excursions serve to raise awareness and funds for environmental causes around the world.  Ray has even recruited some youth ambassadors to accompany the travelers to some of the planet’s most remote places in hopes to “Educate, Inspire and Empower”.  What an awesome, awesome experience for these future leaders!  When Ray speaks at the November conference, he will have completed yet another expedition with some teens.  This mission has yet to be officially announced, but it is expected to be made public on his website very soon.

Ray’s grade: A+

Ray’s report card comment: If Ray continues to put forth the determination displayed during this reporting period, communities around the world will certainly benefit from his hard work.  Ray is a good citizen, is working to his full capability and leads by example.  We encourage him to continue this Monumental Effort throughout all of 2010.

Youth Ambassador's in Tunisia

A story that surprisingly received little fanfare was that of The Human Polar Bear Lewis Pugh.  M.E. is thrilled to announce that Lewis successfully completed his swim across Lake Pumori.  This lake sits at an altitude of 5,300 meters (17,400 feet) just below the summit of Mount Everest.  The water temperature was a reported 2 degrees centigrade (36 degrees Fahrenheit) and it took Lewis 22 minutes and 51 seconds to complete the swim.  While ascending the Himalayas, Lewis would contact his wife Antoinette by satellite phone and she would then post the updates on his blog.  After successfully completing what many thought was impossible, Antoinette announced: “Lewis has demonstrated that the strength of the human spirit can overcome even the most adverse conditions”.

When Lewis returned to Katmandu, his accomplishment earned him a meeting with the president of Nepal, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav.  They discussed the melting glaciers and the critical need to protect the environment.  Lewis has since returned to his home in London, England where he is doing some endorsement work for Speedo and is promoting his book “Achieving the Impossible”.  On his blog Lewis states:  “Now is when the real work begins to spread the message and build awareness of what is happening”

Lewis’s grade: A+

Lewis’s report card comment: If Lewis continues to put forth the determination displayed during this reporting period, our ailing planet will certainly benefit from his hard work.  Lewis is a good citizen, is working to his full capability and leads by example.  We encourage him to continue this Monumental Effort throughout all of 2010.

Lewis completes Everest swim

(Are you sensing a trend in my report card comments?)

Martin Parnell’s Marathon Quest 250 story is another one that didn’t necessarily draw much attention, but in my opinion, his Monumental Effort is worth reviewing.  I have been following Martin’s progress and on Saturday June 5th, Parnell completed his 99^th marathon of 2010 (appropriately baptized “The Wayne Gretzky Marathon”).  Some would consider his times a bit pedestrian, but running this many miles (to date he has covered 4178 kilometers or 2594 miles) at any speed is simply astonishing.

Early in the year Martin suffered some foot injuries and was ordered by his doctor to take some time off.  He was forbidden to run for over a week and fell behind schedule a bit.  Martin has visited over twenty schools at which he has run the marathon distance, often accompanied by students and staff for parts of the run.  The purpose of these visits is to raise awareness for the youngsters about the importance of being active and provide teachers with data and information that could be incorporated into the curriculum.

One of his most recent “official” marathons (his 94^th) was the Calgary Marathon which Martin completed in a very respectable 4:35:36.  To date Parnell has raised just over $30,000 for Right to Play.  This is a significant amount; however it is off his goal of $250,000.  Feel free to visit his site and make a donation!

Martin’s grade: A+

Martin’s report card comment: If Martin continues to put forth the determination displayed during this reporting period, children everywhere will certainly benefit from his hard work.  Martin is a good citizen, is working to his full capability and leads by example.  We encourage him to continue this Monumental Effort throughout all of 2010.

This post would not be complete if we didn’t take this opportunity to assess our own goals and performances.  Personally, I’m a bit disappointed with my results to date.  Although I successfully completed one of my major goals of 2010, the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim adventure, I wasn’t sufficiently trained for an undertaking of this magnitude and suffered accordingly (and made my friends work doubly hard to ensure that I didn’t stay in the bottom of the Grand Canyon forever).  Also, I failed to complete both the Jerseyville and Sulphur Springs 100.  As my good friend Wade would say, it is time to “step my game up”.  In the second half of 2010 I will need to train harder and smarter if I want to complete the goals I have set.  More consistency on the track and on hills will certainly help.  I’m looking forward to the races I have planned this summer and I am determined to be better prepared for the Arkansas Traveler 100 in October.  EndurRun with Team M.E. will undoubtedly be a blast!

Vince’s grade: C-

Vince’s report card comment: Vince needs to put forth greater determination during the next reporting period in order to benefit and earn better results.  More hard work is required.  Vince is a good citizen, who is not working to his full capability and must lead by example.  We encourage him to improve his Monumental Effort during the next half of 2010.

Bill here.  My 2010 started rather disappointingly.  I had set a target date of April 25th to run a local marathon and failed to run it.  I didn’t even start.  I knew at the time that I was under trained and I’d be risking injury.  So instead, I’ve moved my marathon goal to August 12th as part of Team Monumental Effort, running the EndurRun.  As part of my training I’ve also scheduled a few races for added motivation.  I ran a 10K called the Mudpuppy Chase on May 2nd and managed my goal of less than 1 hour by finishing in 57:06 or so.  I also ran the inaugural Phlox Run 10K which turned out to be a fairly technical trail run with about 4K of consecutive single track trail.  It was very muddy and fun.  I turned in a 1:02:17 which I am fairly happy with.  I’ve got several more shorter races planned, the marathon in August and the The Run for the Toad in October.

Bill’s grade: B-

Bill’s report card comment: Bill is determined when he sets his mind to a task.  However, he’s easily distracted and has difficulty maintaining concentration on a single task through to completion.  With continued hard work and minimization of the amount of work items Bill takes on, he can certainly attain anything he has chosen to undertake.

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Gotta run,

Vince