Interview: Charlotte Vasarhelyi – On the Eve of a Bruce Trail Solo Speed Record Attempt

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 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.

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.