IRON LUNG COURSE - superb, hilly, trail run 

With our trip to Bishop, CA looming in 4 weeks and feeling over trained from trying to prepare for the boulders, we decided to go running today. My fingers are feeling sore and swollen from over use, and my large muscles have chosen to go on strike. Well... my legs are recovered from last weekends long run so running it is. 

Over copious amounts of espresso brewed on my Miss Sylvia, I browse through Rich's trail running book and become intrigued with the Iron Lung course. It seems hard and the challenge taunts me. At 19km, its a good length for getting back into shape. Its notorious for its hills and I'm drawn to it. I make sure to look over the books map several times and put key trail junctions to memory then, pack my trusty Salomon running pack. In goes a couple of gels, powerbar, water bottles, hat, gloves, wickedly sexy Salomon jacket, and GPS watch. 

We jump into the deisel Golf and blitz over to the North Shore to Park Gate community center.

Cruising up the Empress switchbacks, my legs feel more powerful than last weekend. I'm psyched because I want to take photos and at the same time I don't want to take all day on this run. Krissy runs with me to the Baden Powell junction and its nice to have her out on the trails with me again. However, she is a little under the weather and not feeling uber power in the legs yet so she opts to u-turn and head back to the coffee shop early.

Wet boardwalk on the Baden Powell trail.

With Krissy heading back to the car, I put some extra coal on the fire and step up the pace, chugging along at a comfortable 145 bpm. The Baden Powell section descends along this stretch and I'm flying down the trail. Pistol squat followed by pistol squat, I pass a section of rehabilitated trail and turn onto the new detour section. 

Heading up Hyannis Connector Trail through old growth Western Hemlock.

After heading up the Hyannis Connector, you end up on the Powerline Trail and head toward Mystery Trail.

The climb up Hyannis to Powerline goes fast - my legs are still powerful and I'm surprised. I'm soon blasting downhill again and rocket onto the Mystery trail with a quick stop for a photo of Mystery falls. Now, I never even realized this little waterfall existed until Rich pointed it out to me as a locals "secret". Pshhh, whatever, I'm local and I never heard of it. 

Blahhh... at the bottom of Mystery trail I turn right on Fishermens and commit to a steady pace in order to dispatch this section swiftly. Up ahead is Homestead trail and its a slog of a climb. It gets steep in places and its relatively long - my heart rate soars to 165 bpm but, I keep pushing to the top and sprint down Twin Bridges, reaching 30km/h in places. 

The course brings me back to the Baden Powell trail and I'm looking at the last, largest, hill climb on the run. Bloody hell! I put my head down and prepare for the pain game. Internal systems check - do I have enough juice to cruise this beast or is it going to be a five round cage match? The Seymour grind is a beast - getting to the base sucks enough, then the trail erodes into a dry creekbed. I keep a steady pace up to Hyannis drive. My heart rate is soaring and I relish the flatter incline across the road. At the Bridal Path/Baden Powell junction I'm red lining again but, the trail eases as it traverses toward the Seymour Grind section.  

Its hard going but, I push everytime I'm feeling better so I use every drop in the tank. I'm reduced to power hiking on only a few sections of the grind and my quads are now feeling it - so are my calves. The top comes faster than I expect and I see the sign for Severed Dick. The junction is a good excuse to snap a photo and text Krissy that I'm 15 minutes from the car. "15 minutes" holy crap, I sprint down Severed Dick and my quads are feeling every step but, its so fun running down this technical mountain bike trail. Corners are banked with intricate rock work and small log drops launch me into the air. 

I reach the car and Krissy is there waiting for me to grab a baked good and coffee. Great way to end a great run in my backyard mountains!   

BCMC Trail and Snowshoe Grind to Damn Mtn

         Photo: view looking south at the summit of Damn Mountain with Krissy, Matt, and Jess on top 

I like to sleep in on the weekends lately... so, I've kept the adventure close to home and yesterday was no different. Kristina, Matt, Jess, and I needed to get our fix and I'm perpetually concerned about getting more fit in a different way so we worked the climbing legs a little.

Photo: me carrying skis near marker #120 on BCMC trail

Now, typically the Grouse Grind is closed and I have my voracious opionions about closing a mountain trail but, that is for another day in another post however, the BCMC trail is fully open and user freindly. For a scenic frolic up a mountain where you can lay the smack down on nearly 3000 feet of elevation gain in less than 1/2 hour drive from my doorstep - this is the ticket. 

In typical soft-core, recreational (yes, I am an elitist) fashion, Grouse Mountain has created the "Snow Shoe Grind" to replace the Grouse Grind aka Lululemon Parade. The trail begins from the plateau and winds a path toward the summit of Damn Mountain - a fairly beautiful, getting to be more remote area of the North Shore (if you go back a little further to Haines Valley, you feel remote). The trail is another recreationalist gong show complete with people completely out of their element in rental snow shoes and leather boots from Gravity Pope on 4th Ave. 

In order to get a descent workout in, we link the BCMC trail into the Snow Shoe Grind to the summit of Damn Mountain for a total distance of 8.5km and 3630 feet elevation gain. A nice "quick hit" close to home. I'm keen to ski a little so I carry my boots and skis on my back up the BCMC while the others carry their snowshoes. 

Krissy

Krissy and Jess

Matty

On a side not, friends don't let friends snow shoe but, in this instance of gong showery, I let my guard down and ignore this eye sore. Anyways, I'm about to be bombarded by a hundred unprepared snow shoers with their snowshoes 1/2 buckled and dangling wearily off their Columbia hikers, with blue jeans and leather backpacks that double as "man-purses" in the city.
It was a beautiful day of sunshine and fun with great friends. I always find extra solace in the fact that I'm so close to home and feel a connection with the North Shore mountains that feels like I'm always home.  

Photo: view of the Lions from Damn Mountain in evening light.