Category: Running

The Gore-Tex Trans-Alpine Run is an 8 day stage trail race in the Alps, beginning in Germany in Oberstdorf and making it’s way via via Austria into northern Italy. It’s punishing with 13,730 metres of vertical change and 293 km of distance. It is a 2 person team event.

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Day 1: Well, Team Livin Adventure Super Sherpas took off like dog chasing a rabbit … Well half of the team did.. Sherpa 2… Simone was very strong.. She had to pull me a bit…there is that anxious energy we feel to go for it even though we haven’t even really started… In that impatience of my own or get by .. I had a nice wipeout..

We came 8th today running in to Lech in Austria… With out start in Oberstdorf Germany.. Many strong women teams…. Cannot believe… I cannot stop eating since I came in the finish….

My team member asleep beside me.. We are happy we are not in Camp like we were last night …( pic below).. I will take the luxury… To bed I go ..up at 530 to run down to the Transalpine BUFF outdoor Espresso bar and then soon off and running ( or shall I say climbing) on STAGE 2…. Until tomorrow!

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Transalp Day 2 – Lech am Alberg – St. Anton am Alberg

Stage 2 – yeahhhhh still in Austria! From Lech to St Anton…25km with over 1900 meters climbed felt like a heck of a lot more.Was a grind.. Up up up…and slippery…Great technical course with some fun hands and feet climbing that I love …

On a fast wide open downhill I turned around for a second and fell on the same knee and hip as yesterday … Another wipe out!!!!! Ouch Crap! What the heck… That fueled Sherpa 1 and 2 ‘s fast finish with adrenaline ….yeah at a BnB .. No more Camp until last night! Whoohoooo..

Onto Day 3 … Supposedly most challenging .. I am feeling a strong day for Livin Adventure Sherpas.. Right Simone! Give it hell, babe!!!

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TRANSALP DAY 3 – St. Anton –

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up.”
― Dean Karnazes

STAGE 3 – ‘ Was this a WOWSER OF A DAY’ COMPLETE – 38km, almost 3000m of climbing! What a course.. With some snow high up over technical rock …lots of hooting and whoohooing from above!… I loved it! Second climb seemed it would never end but sooo cool…feel in a little more rhythm … Livin adventure rocked it strong and steady with some super fun flying downhills! We have maintained top 10 from women’s teams of 30. Today 7 hours 49 min…
We have over 20 Canadians here that are Rockin it! My friend Rene C. Unserwho is a top personal trainer and coach out west, and her husband Trent ( in photo below) are doing amazing… They have a big team of Canadians here who they have coached for the event…..we love our CHICAS from Madrid too … You are Livin up the course!
Ready to rock Stage 4 taking us to SCUOL, Switzerland

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TRANSALP DAY 4 – Samnaun – Scuoal

Yeahhhhhhhh ahhhh I sit here in the Youth Hostel in SCUOL, SwitZ amongst the buzz of being halfway finished the Transalpine run … Most are snuggled in their beds but my bedtime is a little later…sleep is definitely not the best this week for most but for me shorter but solid is better than what I usually have..

STAGE 4 complete! Simone and i had an incredible day… Team Livin Adventure moved to 8th position. Our music blarring definitely helped..Full on sun, great course – 37km and 2000m up and oh what a beautiful 12km downhill to the end… We love the steep technical! What a rush! Uphills were created to experience the swoosh of coming down the other side!
Tomorrow is the REST DAY… Mountain Sprint ! The rest of the day… Either dancing or hanging out in the naked spa… Hmm

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TRANSALP DAY 6 – Scuol – St. Valentin

Day 6 from SCUOL to Sankt Valentin! Now in Italy! i had a tough day today with belly cramping and had to do the Drugs..very slow and then picked it up on last bit…Many people had a tough day … we maintained top 10 at 9th place…Crazy with a km to go we spot 2 women’s teams ahead of us.. so we burned it .. but didnt catch them… ah well… could have been 7th…37km… 1600m climbed..brought us to the land of Gelato, good espresso and prosciutto!!! We even sat in the sun at the Goretex Beach for awhile at finish line…Simone and I both being Vegetarians are doing some crazy ‘ Eat Meat’ week and I think today we went a little overboard with the Proscuitto and smoked salami.. We had to settle our stomachs with a tough Schnapps after dinner…Watched our pictures of the day and Video of the day up at 2000m high with an outdoor screen, like a drive in movie… I feel wiped … I am going for the earliest time to bed yet at 1030… Up at 445… For a 7am start… Crazy course tomorrow… With some high technical Alpine stretches… Love that stuff…adios my friends…

BERGSPRINT SCUOL!!!

OK a wild ‘Kick in the pants’ that Mountain Sprint was!!! 6.4km … Almost 1000m climbed….Teams were sent off every 15 sec depending on our ranking.. With the fastest leaving last…Man.. When you are so used to the long distance and steady tempo .. It’s hard to jump into that sprint gear…it bites but its good ..Sherpa 2 was very strong and she was pulling me along…we have maintained in top 10…I love the spirit of TRANSALPINE and all the brother and sisters we get to see everyday .. They definitely turn up the FUN knob for me..Below are some TAR family shots… Wow doing the Bergsprint really feels like a long day.. As I cannot nap like my Simony…so I sit here writing to you enjoying a special made Cappucino ( that was served with a spoon filled with CHOCOLATE) staring at a crystal clear sky, pretty cool peaks and athletes slurping back beers…Day 6 – STAGE 6 is upon us.. I am super excited and loving this although there are many grunts out on the course… The pushing of the limit in endurance, strength and stamina and hanging in with the ups and downs and smiling anyhow… the being in the moment with your body..step by step.. fully ALIVE is THE BEST GIFT EVER…

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Transalp Day 7 – St. Valentin – Sulden, Italy

Wow I must say today was magic! Team Livin Adventure moved up to 6th place for todays brutally good stage…..Waking up feeling sick in stomach which got worse after breakie.. Well let’s just say the running turned it around… We took off setting a fantastic pace for a long flat and downhill section… We knew the massive climb to come but I just followed the legs and went for a ride… And sometimes it can be a wild ride….
Well today was the toughest stage for me and Simone for sure – but I still loved it…Pounding the legs for 21km … Then rolling beautiful trails, then the biggest non stop steep 1600m ascent – all I could focus on was the ground and every step… In a rhythm … Looking around a bit, heads down, silence and the occasional ‘ whoohoo’, some have music, some don’t, many find their rhythm using their poles, some do not ( I need my hands on my legs)… Everyone has their thing.. Some shovel down all the goods at the food station … Some fly by only using their Gels…( yuck!)
But whatever it is, the greatest energy comes from your mind … Your attitude – to accept and go with it – commit to the end, when things are rough, to celebrate and test your limits when things are good… To feel the power of a team of 2 – a partner who you may not speak to along the way.. Just winks here and there..
Just when you think ‘ I have nothing left.. This is never ending .. You come running with peak energy and aliveness through the finish line under the GORETEX Balloon…
We are overjoyed… I cannot keep the kisses off Simone’s face .. We both left everything out on the course and that is a gratifying feeling…Simone has no words as people ask her how was it..it is true in a way…no words to describe … One must do…
The spirit here is just incredible and hard to describe .. Must be here to feel it…this super cool connection trail runners have as we all have the bad and the good days this weeks.. Walked on the same course, climbed the same grade and covered the same distance .. Each with their own personal reason for being here..There is this peace inside, this grand satisfaction for completing yes another challenging day. For some, experiencing another level they never knew they could take themselves to.. Oh it’s a beautiful thing …
And so is Sebastian’s espresso at the BUFF ( Flat is Boring) outdoor coffee stand…
43km and 2300m of climbing
Complete!
Onto our last day…
Oh and stage 9 if our crazy dance party tomorrow night! Oh I love that Stage!
Until tomorrow …

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TRANSALPINE RUN 2013 …. FINISHED!!!!!! Whooooooohooooooo!
Team Livin Adventure had to rock it out together all day for 8 days.. Through every emotion …not always easy… But I can’t think of a better person than My Simony!
We were strong the whole week and I found this to be the toughest Transalpine in the last 3 years but oh so stunning a course! Love this quote below…

“I run to breathe the fresh air. I run to explore. I run to escape the ordinary. I run…to savor the trip along the way. Life becomes a little more vibrant, a little more intense. I like that.”
― Dean Karnazes

I sit here in Segafredo back home in Inmsbruck now reminiscing of the whole week….my body starting to crash …and feeling that already missing TAR family… We rocked Stage 9 – the dance party last night! Oh yeah!

Here is a write up of our finish line…

With 3km to go into the finish of the TAR 2013 into Lastch, Italy…
Team Livin Adventure flew through the apple orchards with the finish line adrenaline pulling us fast … Interesting how there is nothing left in the body but there is ALWAYS when you dig deep ( that is a beautiful thing) and focus on that ONE THING… The culmination of all those 8 long days of taking our trained bodies out of what it is used to and into the extreme….Seeing the determination and will on each and every face out there, no matter if they finish in 4 hours or 8 hours … Is something huge to bring to the rest of our lives…at the finish line Simone gets on my shoulders, I waver a bit with done – in legs and stand up and run over the finish…minutes later we take in the Magic of a finish line …. The feel of satisfaction and look of joy and exhaustion mixed together …. Soooo cool… Don’t want to talk .. Just want to look… As Simone and I clank our Champagne glasses together we both look at each other as we do every year and say ‘ Not again next year… No way’

8 days, 4 countries, 261 km, almost 16,000m climbed… Ready for a bit of a rest ….

As I woke up at the Camp ( open Gym where everybody sleeps n the floor) having slept maybe 3 hours… I hear the rustling of bags, hustle bustle and some flatulence as people walk by … All I can say is I am always glad Simone and I choose our own accomodation. Simone slept outside under the stars as there is not a chance sleeping with all the snoring and sounds in a room with a few hundred people ….

To any of you trail runners out there feeling the itch for this Event.. Don’t think twice .. Enroll yourself .. Commit to something a little crazy… That’s where all the magic happens… Then come visit me in Innsbruck for a TAR training camp!!!! Yeeeheaaaaaaaa!
Thanks for all your energy, support and comments throughout the week!
You all absolutely ROCK!

 

 

 

 

 

If you enjoyed reading about this adventure and want to hike in the Alps visit: www.livinadventure.com

I had the unusual pleasure of running on thick ice for 12 kilometres on Georgian Bay several weeks ago! It’s normally one of my favorite kayak routes more suited to my 14 foot Necky kayak but lately with a record breaking 90% of the great lakes covered in ice it’s been trail running shoes. The sensation is very calm and can be slightly unsettling when you come to the clear parts. You can see thick cracks in the ice which act as telltales so you can gauge the thickness of the ice. I would estimate that it’s 8″ to 12″ thick for most of the run. Still, it’s quite strange to see the rocks on the bottom of the water under the ice and the water. It feels like running on water.

It’s a good idea to keep a few ideas in mind if you ever attempt it.

1. Be sure to know the thickness of the ice. Never attempt it unless you know for sure that the conditions warrant it and always be sure that the weather hasn’t warmed up or changed drastically. Conditions can change rapidly.

2. Run close to shore and/or over water that’s shallow. Ideally not over your chest in depth. Then you can not only climb out of your hole, but can make it to shore to get warmed up. Try to be running near civilization as well just in case!

3. Wear some sort of trail shoes and maybe invest in YakTrax which you can attach to your shoes that prevent slipping on ice.

4. Tell someone how long and far you are going so you can be rescued if need be.

This probably sounds like those pharmaceutical ads on TV where they say how great the product is but they then proceed to tell you how many horrible side effects it has. Really though it’s just common sense precautions to make sure it stays the amazing, enjoyable experience you want to have.

I also recommend bringing an iPhone or other mobile phone with an arm holster to not only record your run on Strava so you know your time/distance etc. but to take some pictures along the way! Enjoy and happy trails!

 

Running can be such sweet joy or agony if our feet are not in a happy place. Choosing the correct shoe for the type of running can be just as important as choosing the correct shoe for your particular physiology.

There are millions of opinions about shoes. Currently we are seeing a trend towards minimal shoes which don’t have much support or heel lift in them. There are those who believe that orthotics and super controlling shoes are the only way to go. I can’t give one answer that fits every runner and this post isn’t going to try and weigh in on that subject. What we are talking about here is choosing shoes that fit the type of running we plan to do.

Build a Collection
Every runner should have more than one pair of shoes. That number of pairs is up to the individual but it’s at least two pairs! This allows the shoe to dry out post run and recover it’s shape and smell better. the other factor is that no two shoes are identical. Even the same make and model varies from one to the other. This means that you are presenting different geometries to your feet to minimize repetitive stress injuries. It is remarkable how a degree here or there in terms of heel lift, or lateral angle can change how the muscles and tendons are worked. Since every part of our bodies are connected to our feet on the ground it’s apparent that slight differences in shoes can help make our running easier.

Trail, Road, Track
When you run it’s so important to have the correct footwear. Think of a Formula 1 driver trying to keep up in a 4 wheel drive off-road vehicle, or the F1 car trying to go off-road. Road shoes are for road, trail shoes are for trail. Track and shorter road races have their own specific shoe too – the racing flat.

Trail Shoes

Trail shoes have features that make them ideal to run in off-road conditions. Having run some pretty extreme trail races I can tell you that these conditions may include:

• Steep climbs and descents
• Loose rock, sand, gravel
• Tree roots
• Mud
• River crossings
• Snow

The qualities of trail shoes that address these running conditions include:

• Deep tread patterns that vary wildly from one manufacturer to another
• Rock plates in the soles that minimize bruising of the foot on rough rocky trails
• Some shoes are gore-tex protected which is great for drier feet in snow, but fairly useless for river crossings
• reinforced toes to protect against banging your toes into rocks and roots
• Trail shoes are often combined with very small gators that prevent small stones getting in your shoes.
• If a race includes a lot of descending in mountains then trail shoes should be chosen with ample toe room to prevent undue pressure on the toes
• Trail shoe makers are experimenting with super thick soles to provide a smooth ride sort of like fat tires on a mountain bike smooth the ride

Road Shoes

Road shoes are designed to allow you to move as quickly as possible on pavement and unforgiving road surfaces like concrete and asphalt. Lighter runners who enjoy solid fundamental running mechanics are able to run in more minimally supporting shoes. Heavier runners often choose shoes that help cushion the footfall. Runners have a variety of shapes and requirements. Some land on the heel and some are mid-foot strikers. There are shoes that address most of these issues and it’s best to find a store with runners who understand this and can properly fit your shoe.

The qualities of road shoes that address road running include:

• Light weight
• Cushioning
• A wide variety of motion control technology that acts to support various feet
• A shallower tread pattern that’s geared for smooth surfaces
• Long wearing tread compounds that stand up to the abrasive road surfaces
• Various energy transfer features built in to the shoe that help propel the runner forward

Racing Flats

These are the original minimalist shoes. Long before the minimal trend began, Roger Bannister ran the first 4 minute mile in leather track shoes with zero cushioning and none of the features of modern shoes. Depending on the race they can be as minimal as track spikes or flats, or they can look fairly similar to the road shoes described above but more “stripped down” versions of them. Elite marathon runners often run in very minimal flats. It’s not for everyone to run a whole marathon in super minimal flats. Your mechanics need to be perfect and your foot fall needs to be very gentle.

I can’t stress enough that racing flats are to be considered only when a runner is ready for them. Training must be in place and no injuries that will be aggravated by the minimal support available.

Racing Flats may have these properties:

• Very thin soles
• Very little support
• Very light
• Designed to be the minimum protection for your soles and allow the foot to perform naturally

Important Advice!

Go to a reputable running store! You wouldn’t go to your family doctor for tricky brain surgery, so don’t rely on a store that carries running shoes and thousands of other things. Find a local store with runners on staff who know what you need and can help you asses what shoe you need.

Become a shoe junkie! Find out as much information as you can about what’s out there on the market and try to find what works for you and what doesn’t.

I hope that I have shed some light on shoe selection and handling, particularly for novice runners who may be just starting out. Have a great run!

– Nick Brindisi,
Race Director of the Collingwood Half Marathon – www.runcollingwood.ca
Running Coach – www.georgiantrianglerunningclub.org