Back To The Trails, Running

   Yesterday, I decided to go for a run!
   Last weekend, I finished my hiking project for the summer and now I'm going to try and concentrate on running some trails. I had planned on running end-to-end in Komoka Park but then found out that the powers that be had erected a brand new guard rail right across the little parking area I (and a bunch of) used to use to avoid the parking fee in the main lot at Komoka. So THAT was a no-go. I then changed my plans and headed for Kains Woods, which was only about 2 minutes away (literally). Once there, my plan was to run 4K and then turn around and hike back.
   Well, I had run less than 1K when my knee flared up. It had been fine til I started to run up some hills and then I got a bit of a twinge. Ignored it and then a couple of minutes later got a bigger twinge so, at that point, I shut her down and just hiked back.
   

In retrospect, this kind of mirrors last year at this time. I'd finished hiking and reverted to trail-running but found I had to build back up, almost from zero. So maybe I'll do this again. It WAS a little disappointing because my knee was feeling almost completely back to normal. Apparently, though, it isn't. What is different about this year, however, is that I now have some physio behind me and perhaps can return to doing some of the exercises and knee-taping I had been doing. Disappointing but then all I need do is remind myself that I know people who can't even walk and who would love to have a twinging knee! 

Medical Monday--A Broken Leg, A Broken Head And An Update

   Okay, it's been awhile since I've posted here so there's some catching up to do!
   First of all, it wasn't my broken leg! I was hiking about a month ago in Komoka Park when I came across a young lady holding a couple of horses. You will occasionally see horses in Komoka but when I walked around her I spotted this other young lady lying on the ground. To make a long story short, she had been trying to ride her horse up an icy trail, the horse had slipped, she fell under the horse and her leg broke!
   

Where the horse landed on the woman. We think
her leg might have ended up between the horse
and that sharp rock you see in the middle of
the pic, causing  her leg to break.

Another couple of hikers came along and we stayed with her while one of her friends tethered the remaining horses and the other friend rode off to meet the EMS people at the park entrance. Eventually, nine firefighters and paramedics showed up and managed to get her on a stretcher and out of the park.
   Fortunately, this is the only time I've run into a situation like this but I do quite often think about something similar happening to me (likely minus the horse) while I'm out on my own, either hiking or running. In light of this, I am actively trying to decide whether a cell phone is enough of a safety net or whether some kind of beacon device might be in order.

My broken head, post-surgery.

   The broken head is mine however. You might remember awhile back when I told you I'd been diagnosed with a spot of skin cancer on my left temple. Well, two weeks ago I went in for day surgery and had it removed. I think it was likely the least painful procedure I've ever had done and I need to go back in about a week and find out whether they got all of it or whether they need to do a little more digging. Fingers crossed but I'm not too worried!
    If anyone still cares about my right knee, it's feeling better but still not 1oo%. We are having a massive ice storm in London this weekend, otherwise I'd planned on getting out and giving the knee a real test (my fears be damned) but, alas, unable to. Allison, my physiotherapist, keeps telling me there's nothing structurally wrong with it and that I should truly test it but the psychological end of it throws me. Okay, maybe when the ice is gone....
   On Monday of last week, something kind of cool happened. I had been contacted by a local blogger friend, Heather, from Explorationproject , who asked if I was interested in meeting her on the Thames Valley Trail and filming a segment dedicated to the Trail. I kind of jumped at the opportunity and so we arranged to meet at the aforesaid Komoka Provincial Park, which is part of the trail. We then spent about an hour walking and talking and filming. Heather is this amazing blogger who has hiked and explored all over North America and we ran across each other last year when we both realized we were hiking the trail at more or less the same time. She currently has become interested in vlogging and wanted to practise on me, so why not? 
   About three weeks ago I had an interesting appointment with my chiropractor, Zeinin. We kind of strayed beyond the usual adjustments and had a bit of a talk about my weight and health. I wrote about this in "Neanderings" and you can read it in my post called "Black Coffee".
   And today, I had potentially my final appointment with Allison. We agreed that my knee is much better now than when I first saw her and that I should test it out as much as possible and follow some of the guidelines she's given me. If, in the future, things seem wrong with it, I can always call for a follow-up. I thanked her profusely and am itching to get back out there!
   You are now all caught up, almost to the minute!

   

Medical Monday

   The day before yesterday was Medical Monday (yes, I enjoy alliteration as much as the next blogger) and I found myself headed off to do bloodwork, get x-rays done of my problematic right knee and then, to top it off, set up an appointment for a physio assessment for that same right knee. Then, after all that was completed, it was off to the gym for a workout!
   I went about all of this with a little bit of glee in my heart. Part of this had something to do with the fact that it was finally a sunny day. Sunshine's been scarce in these parts and to once again experience it was a true mood-elevator. Principally, though, I was happy because I was actually doing something.

There's the bastard. On the left. YOUR left.

   My knee has stopped me dead in the tracks from doing many of the things I'd like to be able to do, training-wise. I have this desire to be training for running sprints and a right knee that will allow me to hike and run through a forest but will not enable me to run full-out is stifling. Even attempting a swift jog a couple of weeks ago gave me grief for several days afterward. So, setting in motion some of the things I need to do to finally deal with this situation was a welcome change to limping around and feeling sorry for myself.
   

It seems as though I may have touched down gently...

Today, my doctor's office called and informed me that the x-rays of the knee were normal. Now, my knee is certainly not "normal" but the fact that the x-rays did not indicate anything structurally wrong was encouraging. The best part about this result, though, is that it kind of rules out arthritis as a major contributor. I was kind of worried about this, I have no qualms in stating. This also allows me to meet my physiotherapist next week and tell her that I'm already this far into the investigation and what the results were.

Is there no end to my dirty
right knee pics??

   Having said all this, today the knee doesn't feel all that bad. This has been the trap I've fallen into ever since I injured it last spring. The knee will give me tons of grief but then gradually start to feel better, at which point I think I'm healing all by myself, so I don't get the medical attention I probably need. This was the cycle I was on all last summer and fall. In fact, the knee did heal enough that I was able to run on the trails and gradually increase the mileage. I enjoyed all that but now I want to run fast and the knee won't let me.
   Today, one of my co-workers (one who actually follows this blog) asked me if I had hooked up with physio yet. I told her I had and where it was and she herself had been a patient there and said they were very good. This was encouraging and I will go there next Medical Monday and let them do their magic!

   

A Bit Of An Update And Something New!

   I haven't posted anything on Ragged Cap Runner now for about the last three weeks.
   Basically, this has been because there's been very little to post about---no running, no hiking. This has been due to a couple of things---Christmas and what seemed like a month-long chest cold. On top of everything else, winter descended with a vengeance and I was not quite prepared for it. 
   At some point, about a week ago, the lungs began to cope a little better and mentally I felt like I was ready to get back into a more athletic existence. Co-incidentally with the arrival of winter, I was given a wonderful opportunity to try out the new snowshoes my son, Ben, had given me for Christmas.
   I've never had the snowshoeing experience before so I decided just to head for the backyard and give it a go, no-one else around to watch me flounder. Although I didn't actually flounder, my inexperience with tightening the bindings properly led to one of the snowshoes falling off and me being unable to get it back on securely. Lesson learned. I then ended up spending a few days before another opportunity to try them again presented itself. 
   I headed to Springbank Park here in London, determined to give them another go. I'd thought long and hard about putting them on properly and finally was out there, snowshoeing about, for the first time. Unfortunately, in the meantime, we had had a bit of a thaw and the deep snow was mostly gone. After the thaw, it had gotten really cold again and so there was all this crunchy shallow snow to walk on. It was still fun, though, and I learned a lot in a short amount of time. Almost fell once or twice because one shoe was on top of the other as I was attempting to take a step but I imagined that this was the kind of thing all first-timers likely experience.
   The other thing I started doing once I felt better was return to the gym. Before Christmas, I had "re-activated" my extremely under-used Goodlife Fit4Less membership and had been  going somewhat regularly. This fell by the wayside for the same reasons the other things did. Feeling better now, though, and I'm right back at it, at least every other day. I'm now at the point where I really look forward to it so today I headed there even though I was just there yesterday! Unheard of!
   

Finally (and this is sort of big news), I've taken the step of joining the Ontario Masters Athletics (OMA). This is a provincial association which runs track and field events in Ontario for athletes who are over the age of thirty and all the way up to people in their nineties!
   Why I've done this is that one of these days I want to sign up for a short sprint, like, say, anywhere from fifty to a hundred meters. I've always wanted to do this (almost desperately) and joining OMA will give me this opportunity. As much as I enjoy distance-running, there is something about running real fast for a short distance that has always appealed to me. With this membership, the chance to do so will be right there. If I decide to take it. This has given me a little more impetus for getting in shape, hence part of the reason for hitting the gym more regularly.
   Now, having said all this, I have a bum knee. I injured it street-running back in April and I've been working on it ever since. I'm able to run through the forest pretty quickly and it feels quite structurally sound but I'm just not sure what might happen if I went full-out. We've had quite the thaw lately and today I stopped back in at Springbank to try and test it out. I was certainly able (after a warm-up) to run at about 75% but was afraid to go any faster. The legwork at the gym has been somewhat irritating it so I've at least momentarily eliminated that part of the training. I have a physical next week and will talk to my doctor about the whole process and see what he suggests.
   In the meantime, there is an OMA mini-meet coming up on Feb. 11 in Toronto which I would really like to enter, as they have a 60 meter sprint division. This would give me a bit of an idea where I'm at, sprint-wise, with all the other guys in their sixties and also tell me just how much more training I still need to do. As long as the knee holds out...

P.S. I wrote this post a couple of days ago and, after that little bit of running I did, things are now not well with my right knee. Positions I was once able to get it into comfortably are now no longer comfortable and entering athletic events any time in the near future is likely not too feasible. This has me understandably frustrated and depressed. However, I know people who are unable to walk and who would be extremely happy to be getting around with a sore knee like mine. I salute those people and know that my little knee problem is really nothing.  BB
   
   

Upping The Mileage And Some Good News!

   Yesterday, in an effort to get my mileage up one more notch, I borrowed my wife's car (so that my wonderful stepsons would have the opportunity to put snow tires on my car) and headed off to Kains Woods once again.
   It was a couple of degrees Celsius when I left the house, so I layered up nicely before I walked out the door. I did this in spite of the fact that I knew much warmer temps were in the offing in the afternoon but I am kind of a wuss when it comes to my upper body being cold---I have a hard time forcing myself out the door on a run day if I know I'm going to be cold for the first twenty minutes or so. Better to start off warm, then yank off a layer or two.
   

On the paved walkway, running
around the collection pond.

I entered at the end of the trail where the first kilometer or so is paved walkway. This is kind of annoying as I was wearing Salomon trail shoes and their large lugs are not conducive to running on pavement so I tried as much as possible to run on the grass borders. Eventually I arrived at the true trail portion and things were much better. My right knee initially was giving me some minor grief but this went away after about half a K.
   It did warm up and by about halfway through my run I was way overdressed. I was running into people running in shorts and t-shirts and congratulating them on their choices!
   The goal yesterday was to run 8K. My plan was to run 4 and a half K and then turn around and head back. One of the problems with the trails in my area is that none of them are any much longer than 5K, so this always necessitates me doubling back to get in the mileage. No big deal, though, and I managed to reach my goal with few issues.
    Kains was a busy place yesterday, lots of hikers and more than the usual amount of runners as well. And lots of dogs! Dogs are supposed to be on a leash at all times but most of the ones I ran into weren't. They were all well-behaved but, at the same time, I don't know that until they demonstrate it. Until they demonstrate it, I have to stop dead in my tracks when I encounter them. I also wonder what would happen if a well-behaved dog suddenly spotted a deer or a skunk off in the distance...oh well. Now that I come to think of it, the only time I've actually ever been harmed by a dog while out running was a beagle (on a leash, on a sidewalk) that unexpectedly leapt up on me as I was passing and tore a hole in my brand-new running shirt, breaking my skin with a paw. So maybe it's safer in the forest!
    After the run, my right knee was more tender than usual. I don't actually experience pain in it while I'm running but the aftermath is swelling and the accompanying tightness. This usually disappears after a couple of days but is problematic enough that I might actually try and see the doc about it. Something tells me it might need to be drained....

Through the trees, on the other side
of the river, you can see the golf
course belonging to the London
Hunt and Country Club (careful how
you say that) Could hear the skeet
shooters as I ran!

   Good news! In my blog post last week I briefly mentioned that I had quickly gained a huge amount of weight recently. I signed off with a throwaway comment that perhaps I should start going to the gym. Well...I did! I finally got up the drive to head over to the Goodlife in the nearby Superstore and use my Fit For Less membership. I've had this membership literally for two years and have never used it! Stupid or what?! It took  me awhile to remember how to use some of the machines but eventually I got into the swing of it. The best part, though, is that the ice has finally been broken! I'm off again today!
   

Ran 6K And Stayed Upright!

   It was a warm and dry late-October day here in London and I decided to head on out to the trails once again. The plan was to tack on another kilometer to the mileage I've been gradually increasing so today that brought me up to the huge total of 6K! Woo hoo!

The view in Warbler Woods

   I've gone out to Komoka Park the past couple of weekends and I thought I would change things up a bit and head for Kains Woods. Kains is within walking distance and I usually hike through nearby Warbler Woods, under Commissioner's Road, and then on down Oxford to the southern entrance to Kains. I then continue to hike til I get past a couple of problematic ravines. Once past them I break into my typical slow run.
   After my little face plant episode last week, I decided to pay way more attention to where my feet were landing today. The problem is that this time of the year the path is covered with leaves and, underneath said leaves, lurks the gnarly root. Fortunately, today went well and there were hardly even any close calls.
   It's bizarre and unseasonably warm these days and I don't know whether this is brought on by global warming or is just one of those cyclical aberrations. Whatever the reason for it, I can only enjoy if it's not also responsible for Puerto Rico getting wiped out....
   

The view in Kains Woods.

I decided to run 3K and then turn around and run 3K back, for my 6K total. Running such a short distance does always feel odd but, at the same time, I'm trying to break in an injured knee very slowly, hence the low mileage. At the end of the run portion, I was then left with a 3K walk back to my house. I think this might be the part I didn't plan out all that well. The past couple of weeks, I've been able to park right where I did the running, so no hiking to get there and then no hiking to make my way home. Today, I ran the farthest I've done in  months but was then faced with a long walk home. At the end of it, I was looking at close to 12K of being on my feet and this evening, both my knees are feeling it! So we just won't do that again!

Back to 5K! And a Face Plant!

   It's the weekend again and today looked like it was going to be kind of rainy so I took the opportunity to get out yesterday and give it a go at running 5K on the trails.
   Once again I headed to Komoka Provincial Park, have finally found a little place at the far end of the park where you don't have to pay the parking fee so Komoka is now a more affordable option.

Passing through a grassy meadow.
It looks flat but is actually pretty steep.

   There were, however, drops of rain on my windshield by the time I arrived and off in the distance the skies were pretty threatening so I wasn't quite sure how dry this run was really going to be. No raingear with me but it was unseasonably warm so I headed out anyway.
   Once again, I briskly walked the first half a kilometer to get warmed up and then I started a slow run. A very slow run. It was the kind of run where you can actually have a fairly lengthy conversation with walkers as you sort of pass them. Yes, that kind of run.... 
   I am, however, much more interested in accumulating some mileage these days and seeing how my injured right knee holds up. At some point, the speed with which I run will be addressed.
   I ran in Komoka last week and I really didn't want to replicate the same run today so when I reached the junction of the Blue and White trails, I headed off on the Blue. This takes you up and down a few steep sections, so I quickly began to wonder if I'd made the right decision. In the end, though, I figured it was all part of the process.
   I ran with trekking poles once again yesterday, as I'm now accustomed to doing. I got used to them on my hiking adventures this past summer and find that they provide a little more stability on some of the more technical terrain. In my mind, they also enable me to imagine that I am some sort of badass mountain trail runner. On level parts of the trail, I

Some of the scenery at the west (and
less-traveled) end of the park.

simply carry them in my hand. I'm starting to become fairly adept at switching back and forth and moving quickly (for me) up and down rocky slopes. What much of this means is that in a park where most of the people are either walking their dogs or spending romantic time with their significant other, I really stand out. And that's fine, kinda enjoy doing my own thing!
   Just before the end of the running portion yesterday, I passed one of those romantic couples I just mentioned, going the other way. I was about 10 meters past them when my toe snagged on a root and I landed hard. The noise of this (imagine a tree falling in a forest) alerted the romantic couple and they turned around to see me lying there in a heap. They asked if I was okay. I assured them I was and that only my pride was slightly bruised. I also swore them to secrecy and they were fine with that. It was my right (and injured) knee that took the brunt of the fall and I was quite happy to see and feel that there were no ill effects suffered. Good to know, actually, it confirmed in a new and different way that the knee is continuing to heal the way I need it to.
   

The aftermath. All is well, though!

So my 5K trail run is in the books and the good news is that I could quite easily have continued. The knee is a little swollen today but is not paining me at all and did not pain me yesterday as I ran, so this is good. My plan is to try and incorporate some kind of run mid-week this week so that I end up running more then just once a week. The other good thing that occurred to me about having run 5K yesterday is that it is an actual race distance. You quite often hear people talk about how their 5K run went and it is simply nice knowing that I am once again back to that level. Onward and upward!
    
   
   

Upping the mileage in Komoka Park

Good to be back in the
Komoka woods!

   Yesterday was a day off for me and I took the opportunity to head out to Komoka Provincial Park and get in a bit of a hike/run.
   I've been trying to make sure I get out every weekend and up the mileage each time as I work my knee back into ship-shapeness. I missed last weekend due to a little bit of toe tendinitis which had me limping around and this weekend was busy with Thanksgiving plans so yesterday was the day.

The Steps! A good place to turn
around cuz, if you don't, you
have to run up them!

   It's been unseasonably warm here in London the past couple of weeks and yesterday the temp was in the low 20s (C)---perfect for shorts and a t-shirt. I managed to find free parking at the far end of the park and started my hike/run there. I hiked for half a kilometer and then started a slow run.

The Maples always turn first

   The goal for yesterday was 4K, just adding a kilometer every week at this point. I hiked for the first half a K and then started the run portion. There was almost no discomfort in the knee whatsoever and the 4K went by without incident. I ran as far as the bottom of The Steps and then turned back and continued to run until I hit the magical 4K mark. What made it even more magical was that I really felt as though I could have kept on running (so slow was my pace, likely) so I guess this bodes well for my next outing, which will be 5K. From that point, I just hiked my way back to the car.

Looking out at the changing
colours of the Thames Valley.

   It's starting to become clearer that I can likely up not only the mileage (thank goodness, it's kinda hard to report on 4K runs) but the frequency, as well. Today I feel as though I could hit the trails again and not be suffering too much so perhaps one more day a week is in the offing? We'll see!

I Am Twelve Years Old (Again)

    Today (which will be yesterday  by the time you actually read this) I decided to give running yet another go and, once again, try to up the mileage just a touch.
   I gathered up and donned all the usual running accouterments and just before I left I gave my wife a kiss goodbye. As I was getting set to walk out the door, she looked at me, giggled, and said "You look like you're twelve!"
   

Me, doing my best impression
of a twelve-year-old!

At my age (not twelve) I've kind of gotten past the part of caring a whole heck of a lot about how I look anymore. This goes as much for street clothes (I believe grey goes with anything) as it does running attire. Notwithstanding all this, her comment gave me pause. I'm sure she saw me more as the young boy headed out to baseball practice or perhaps joining the Scout group or maybe even headed off trick-or-treating. I get it, I really do. Even the people on the street give me funny looks occasionally so when I finally hit the forest I do feel a little more at ease (although there was that time I was hiking through the woods and came across this young family whose three-year-old looked at me like I was Bigfoot and quite often the other hikers are wearing flip-flips and I'm dressed like I was running the Barkley Marathons but I digress...) 

This tree fell in the forest (across
the trail in Warbler) but I'm not sure
if anybody heard....

   Back to what matters. The simple plan was to make my way back to Kains Woods via Warbler Woods and run a slow 3K. Due to some right knee issues, I've very gradually been upping the mileage, having started at 1K and then 2K and today up to 3. You may have noticed a pattern and quite likely will be able to guess how far I'm running next week! The knee, which had been feeling awesome the last couple of days decided to feel not quite as awesome today (which is now yesterday) and I wondered if being out on the trails with it was even a good idea. Like a lot of other times, though, when my knee or perhaps another body part is feeling kind of iffy before or at the beginning of a run, by the time I'd run a couple hundred meters everything was fine. And because this all happened yesterday, I can tell you that the knee still feels fine today!

   

At the end of 3K's worth of
running. They don't want you
to go this way, so I didn't.

I'm not sure if global warming is the issue or not, but even this late in September we are in the midst of a heat spell that rivals easily anything that occurred mid-summer. Mid-thirties now for several days in a row. Somehow or other, I did not take this into account with my hydration and, in spite of the fact that I was wearing a hydration vest which could have accommodated two chest bottles and a bladder, I set out with only one chest bottle. Huge mistake! With the extra little bit of running and ending up just that much farther away from home, I didn't have enough water to see me back. Because of this, I ducked out of the forest as soon as I could just to avoid the extra labour and walked back along city streets, thinking that if anybody was out with a hose I might get 'em to either spray me or fill my bottle. Well, no such luck. About half a kilometer away from my place,

Cutting out of Kains Woods early.
Not a lot of fun, traversing
those large concrete blocks...

though, I did run into a house where they were watering the lawn and the sprinkler was mercifully spraying the sidewalk at the same time so I walked back and forth in it for a bit and it was heavenly. Yet another lesson learned. It was the same kind of a mistake that a twelve-year-old might have made...
   

On The Trails Again And Some Actual RUNNING!

   This was supposed to have been the summer I really got into trail-running. I got a bit of a taste of it at the end of last summer and vowed that I would get into it full-time come this summer.
   I actually ran trails most of the winter long (it was a reasonably mild winter here in London) and felt that I was well on my way to enjoying an awesome Spring and Summer. 
   Unfortunately, these plans got a little de-railed back in May. Wanting to see what marvelous benefits my winter training had wrought, I attempted to go run the streets in my neighbourhood. My knee popped on me about four houses down and that was it for running. My doctor told me that walking would be okay, so that's what I did. Started easy and then got into it with a vengeance and ended up hiking about 110 kilometers worth of the Thames Valley Trail in the month of July.

Warbler

   I also spent a great deal of time  on my knees in the  backyard, laying stepping stones and border rock. What with all the hiking and kneeling, my right knee never truly had a good chance to recover.
   Lately, though, I've managed to take a break from all this and my knee ended up feeling much better. So much so, in fact, that I actually decided to try and go for a short trail run this past Thursday.
   My plan was to hike through nearby Warbler Woods and then on to Kains Woods, which are more or less adjacent to each other. Once in Kains, the plan was then to run for at least a kilometer and see how I felt.
   Well, I started to run and it did not feel good. Had a fair amount of pain in the knee and after about a hundred meters I shut it down. In my head, I began this list of all the medical stuff the knee was going to require and especially began entertaining concerns that I was now dealing with something chronic, as opposed to temporary.
   And then I remembered almost every other time I had ever gone running, especially after a layoff. My knees always hurt. And even though they always hurt, I persevere until gradually things loosen up, parts fall into place and I end up running just fine, thank you. It occurred to me then that this might be what was happening. I decided to give it another shot and, sure enough, after a little bit the knee came around and ended up being quite workable. I ended up running for the allotted kilometer and then returned to walking briskly. I had set my Garmin when I walked out the door and as soon as it hit 5K I turned around and headed back the same way I came.
   

The entrance to Kains Woods. Took my
trekking poles for the hilly, hiking parts.
While I was running, I pretended they
were spears.....*giggle*

The right knee seemed fine at the time but I knew that the telling part would come the next day. On Friday, however, the knee continued to feel good (well, as much as a 64-year-old knee can) and I had no issues with bending, kneeling or using stairs. Woo hoo! 
   So now the plan is simply to do this a little more often and up the running portion of it by small increments. I also still have the option of seeing a PT for the knee, as I do have a referral, if at some point it flares up again. Perhaps a little hard work mixed with
optimistic caution will get me trail-running next summer! We shall see!

Recap: End-to-End on the Thames Valley Trail

   Just about a week ago, I hiked the last remaining section of the Thames Valley Trail. It had taken me slightly over a month to complete the 110 kilometer trail and involved nine separate hikes, averaging about 12K each.
   When I began the quest, I really had no time frame in mind---all I really knew was that I wanted to get it done by the end of the year, as doing so would make me eligible for the Thames Valley Trail End-to-End patch. The thought of walking the whole thing was a little daunting, both distance and time-wise, and this would be my first real experience at hiking so I wasn't at all sure what I was getting myself in for.
   As you can imagine, it was quite the learning experience. It seemed as though every time I set out I learned something new which would better prepare me for the subsequent hikes.
   

Sample of a map and some of
the directions (hope no copyright
broken....)

The first section, from Southdel Road to Sharon Creek, started under threatening skies and stayed that way right until I got about 2K away from the end and the heavens opened up. I had brought a rain jacket with me but it barely covered me with a backpack on and did nothing whatsoever for my legs. I was wearing shorts and I don't mind wet legs but what happened was that all the rain water flowed into my hiking boots. My boots are Merrell Moabs and are waterproof. This is only really good, though, if the water is on the outside. If the water is on the inside, it just stays there. After that first hike, I made a trip to Canadian Tire and bought waterproof rain-gear, both tops and bottoms. And, of course, it never rained again! I also got eaten alive by mosquitoes on that first hike and so purchased insect repellent with Deet. Hopefully this would also provide protection from ticks, as this has been a particularly bad season for them.
   I combined the following two sections as they were shorter and also tacked on an extra bit from the first section, because I had missed a turn near the end and wanted to be able to say I'd walked the whole thing. This was part of a tactical error on that day and I later on found myself in some reasonably serious trouble as I'd totally miscalculated the water I'd needed. It was about 34C (93F) that day and substantially before the end of the hike I found myself feeling dehydrated and sick to my stomach and out in a forest with no true way of getting help in a hurry, if things got any worse. I did

Marriage of humans and nature

eventually make my way out of the woods but by this time thigh cramps had started to set in, making it a very gingerly trip to my car. HUGE learning experience here, both about fueling and hydration and what your body is (or isn't) capable of. The result of this, and of hikes to come, was that I spent some time musing over the safety issues of hiking solo. There are numerous times on the trail when a slip or a trip might send you tumbling into some rocky ravine and I often imagined myself at the bottom of one of them, tangled in underbrush and unable to reach my phone. I think hiking solo may continue to require some careful consideration.
   On subsequent hikes, I learned how to marry the maps and the guidebook a little better, how to keep my hat on my head, how to keep my food cooler, how to be patient and wait for the blazes to appear, and how to check both sides of the road for trail markers.

The badge and the guidebook

   The end result of all this is that I did finally get my End-to-End badge! I contacted the Thames Valley Trail Association, gave them a link to this blog so that I could certify that I'd actually completed it, and was able to pick up the badge from Paulette Renaud, the Association's Activities Director, just a day later. Also had a wonderful chat about the Trail while we were at it!
   Where I go from here, hiking-wise, is kind of up in the air. There is no shortage of amazing places to hike here in Ontario, if you are so inclined, and perhaps I'll check some of them out. Doralyn is not a hot weather person so maybe once fall arrives the two of us might be able to get out and do a little exploring together.
   One of the things I do need to do, though, is get back to running. This was to be a trail-running summer for me but that was derailed back in the Spring when I did something to my knee and the doctor said WALK. The knee, for the most part, is starting to feel better and I think it's time I started thinking about hitting the trails once more!

Hiking And Gunfire!

   Ooops, sorry, just one of those blog post titles which almost forces you to click on the link, who knew I would stoop so low?!

The first 4K was all on sidewalks.
Til they ended...

   Will get to the "gunfire" a little later, if I remember. First, though, the story of my 12K hike today!
   It's Saturday and beautifully sunny and, as I am still not running as per my doc's instructions, I went out on another 12K hike. If you have been reading faithfully, then you will need counselling remember that last weekend I was doing the hiking thing as well, due to having injured my knee running about two and a half weeks ago. This weekend, I simply reversed the route from last weekend.
   Doing this had me hiking

Made it to where the Kains Woods
trail officially begins but
it's still sidewalks

on sidewalks for the first 4K, before I was actually into a forest. Today, my plan was to run through Kains Woods, then zigzag over til I got to Warbler Woods and this would then get me pretty close to home.
   I used the urban poles again today. They seem to work just fine for hiking, although I may need to check into different tips for them, as they don't get a lot of traction once you're actually on a trail.
   It wasn't nearly as warm this week as it was last, and there was a cool breeze, particularly for the portion of the hike out in the open, on sidewalks. Still, warm enough for shorts and I just threw a tee over top of a long sleeve tech shirt. Being cooler also meant that I only used up about half of the water I brought along. 
   

Ah, where the "trail" part
of the trail begins!

Being such a nice day, I ran into a fair number of people out on the trails. Most of the pleasantries were quite perfunctory but then I ran into a Dad who was out with his two teenage (or early twenties) daughters and we actually stopped and chatted. They looked at all my gear and asked what I was training for! I kind of smiled to myself and just explained the medical end of things and they then mentioned that they'd actually seen me out on the street before they got to the woods. Nice to know that people are paying attention, I guess, although I'm also wondering what they said in the car...

The narrowest entrance to a trail
I have ever encountered. I  put one
of my poles up for reference
and I'd estimate that the entrance
is only about 14" wide. I need
to squeeze through sideways
and my butt and my belly both
touch the posts. I'm not small
but I'm not huge either! Hard
to imagine a heftier person
being able to make it through!

   Last week, I had a bit of an issue with blisters but I neglected to mention the weird rash-like marks on the tops of my feet and toes when I'd finished walking. They looked just like a really bad sunburn but they didn't itch or hurt and they weren't raised up or anything. I had already put down the blisters to the work socks I'd been wearing that day and, after this rash thing, I was pretty sure I was allergic to whatever was in the socks as well. They got tossed.
   Most of my running socks are all the of the no-show variety but I did manage to find a neon yellow pair of Under Armor athletic crew socks and so I wore them today. Quite comfy, no blisters and no strange rash! They're a winner!
   

Just to prove I was there.

It occurred to me at some point as I was hiking the woods that I'm starting to like it a little too much. Not that there's anything wrong with enjoying hiking but, at the same time, I know that I'm only hiking right at the moment because I'm not

Beautiful trails in Kains!

supposed to run and that pretty soon I'll be back to running and I'm wondering if I'll end up torn between the two. Running is fun but it's also hard,  whereas I always get the feeling I could hike pretty well all day long and still get many of the same benefits. Hmmm....I guess we'll see!
   Oh right! GUNFIRE!! When I heard the gunfire the very first time, last fall, I initially thought it was the sound of hammers coming from nearby construction sites. After awhile, though, and with a little checking, I realized it was just the sound of skeet-shooting from the nearby London Hunt and Country Club, just on the other side of the river from Kains Woods. I

Through the tunnel....

suppose it's nice that they no longer chase the foxes with the horses and the hounds but, at the same time, it's kinda weird to be out enjoying a hike in the woods and for there to be constant gunfire at the same time! Jeesh!

...and into Warbler Woods.

 

And Then My Knee Went BANG!

   Since last September, I have been exclusively running trails. Prior to that, almost all of my running took place on the sidewalks and streets of my neighbourhood, here in London.
   I took to trail-running because it felt much less performance-based to me. My only goal out on the trail was to explore, see some scenery and run with ease. As I did this, it felt as though it was becoming easier and easier and that I was able to progressively run harder. I then began to wonder what difference this might have made in my ability to run a 5K on pavement.
   With all this in mind, last night I headed out for a 5K run. I realized very quickly that I was very much heel-striking as I ran. On the trails, for whatever reason, I find that I am very much more prone to heel-striking whereas on pavement a midfoot strike seems easier. When I realized that I was heel-striking, I attempted to switch over to midfoot running.
   Well, I took about three more strides and then I heard a bang. After the quarter of a second it took for me to wonder what the bang was, the pain in my knee hit. I stopped dead in my tracks and then took another couple of very tentative steps before I knew that my running for the evening was done. 

There's that sucker---up near the top.

   I hobbled home (thank goodness I had only made it about four houses away), made it up the front steps and over to the couch. Out came the ice and the Ibuprofen. I then spent the rest of the evening taking it easy, as well as trying to assess how bad the damage was.
   Straining a knee is nothing new to me, a long history of sports has given me ample opportunity to enjoy the experience. What was new, however, was the bang sound! 
   Right off the bat, I was consulting Dr. Google. He, of course, was not encouraging. The only thing that didn't send me into a total panic (okay, I never do that anyways) was the fact that I could quite easily bear weight. I resolved to wait until morning and see how I felt.
   This morning, the knee didn't feel all that good and I knew right away that I'd be seeking medical attention. Fortunately, it was my late work morning and I was able to find coverage so that I could get the day off. Then, fortunately again, I was able to get in to see my family doctor.
   One of the nice things about my family doctor is that he is a young guy with a sports background. Before becoming a family doctor, he ran a physio clinic and was also a massage therapist so I was quite happy to get his opinion. After hearing my story and doing a physical exam, he diagnosed me with a gastrocnemius muscle pull or strain. We agreed that this was better than what it could have been. He also gave me a referral for physiotherapy and if, with their expertise, they think it might be something else then I have effectively gotten a second opinion. On top of everything else, he also suggested that when I get back to running I should perhaps concentrate a little more on dynamic stretching. My pre-run routine, principally done in response to a debilitating PF adventure I had back when I started running, currently involves almost solely static stretching. My plan will be to try and combine that two.
   In the meantime....no running! This, of course, sucks and I know what a funk it can throw other runners into. I tend to try and remember people I know who can't even walk and would be ecstatic to be limping around with me, if it were at all possible, before I get really too down about it. I also know that the recovery time will go by quickly and by the time I'm ready to hit the trails again, everything will be warm and leafy and green. Can't wait!

New Trail!: Kains Woods

   Once I became interested in running some of the local trails and after exploring the internet, Kains Woods kept popping up as a great place to hike and run.
   As it happens, Kains Woods is only a hop, skip and half a jump from where I live and I decided that I would give it a try today.
   The closest access point is only about 2 and a half clicks away, right near the Oxford Street bridge over the Thames. I've literally driven past this access point a couple of thousand times without even realizing it was there!
   Due to its proximity, I decided to just walk there. My goal was to run from one end of the trail to the other and then return the same way. This would total approximately 10K and I know that this is about as much mileage as I can handle these days so I wasn't going to run there.
   The Kains Woods trail basically follows the Thames River in a horseshoe shape around the Riverbend community and is classified as one of London's ESA's (Environmentally Significant Area). It's a single path trail which follows a fairly narrow forested area. For the first half a kilometer or so, you can catch glimpses through the trees of where all the rich people live but, after that, it's all forest and river.
   It's a beautiful place to run! You run along deep ravines on twisty paths and then you find yourself on more level terrain winding your way through tall trees. Parts of it are up on a bluff along the river and then other parts take you down to the edge of the Thames. But maybe rather than describe it to you, I'll just do a photo dump! 

The steep hill from Oxford Street
to the trail access point.

The Rules! Oh, and the warning about
Wile E.

Trail along a deep ravine

Thank goodness for the plank!

Intermittent railings so you don't fall off!

Finally down to the river....

...where some romancin' has been going on! Pretty well gotta be
"Jack and Diane".....

Some more beauty

Ironic that you deface it to save it....

A trail led up past these boulders. When I went to
investigate, I found.....

...a golf course!

Changing terrain

Better than a wooden bridge!

Found this pond at what I thought was the end of
the trail. Apparently I was supposed to run around it.

Lots of rock tumbles, I'm thinking from when they
cleared the land for the subdivision.

Thought this was part of the trail but...

...it led to this.

End of the trail leading up to the subdivision. Time to head back.

W

Lots of signs steering you away from private property

I met Ron again!! Met him earlier in the year at Komoka. He
mentioned that these trails have been here for likely about 40
years and that he was part of the Association which formed them!

Finally back to the Oxford Street access point. Legs cramping
up nicely, thank you!

Took a short cut underneath Commissioners Road to get home.

Very tropical-looking at the end of that tunnel!

   At the end of the running part, my legs were in rough shape and had actually started to cramp up while running, causing me to adjust my gait and cadence somewhat. Oddly, running faster made the legs feel better. I was wishing I'd maybe driven, because the long walk home was a bit of a killer. And later in the evening, when I went to stand up from the couch, I got this godawful cramp on the inside of my right thigh. It was one of those f--k, f--k, f--k, F--K!! moments my wife has come to recognize all too well. I guess a little bit of work to be done there....
   So there you have it, my first trip to Kains Woods! Best guess is, the first of many!