Email me - Diane - dianechesla [at] gmail [dot] com
I'll send you a detailed outline of "end day" that includes approx. times at various road crossings if you would like to catch Henri to cheer him on mid route. Keep in mind that it's a heck of job to catch him at cross roads but totally FUN!
12:22pm - He's still going strong! Wind has REALLY picked up though. No knee/leg/ITB pain.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Quick update from "the field"
Diane here. Just waiting for Henri to come into "stop no.2" on the second last day (top of Wolverton Hill). He is reporting no pain in either of his legs and despite both of us being a tad disappointed in ending the journey on familiar territory, there really is no other place we'd like to be right now.
The Bruce is beautiful. Really, in comparison to road running, there are very few people that hike or run on these trails so there is so much peace to be experienced out here. I know as the man that tried to control his Doberman-like dog yesterday on the trails from nipping at me said that no one ever hikes along in back of his house.
Right now, our estimated arrival time at the southern Bruce cairn is 2:30 p.m. - but that will probably be pushed forward as Henri takes the time to run with others tomorrow & take longer breaks (and dependent too on leg/knee strength).
Ciao for now...
Start just off of Dewitt Rd. this morning in Stoney Creek
Navigating the maze on McNeily Rd. in Grimsby
The Bruce is beautiful. Really, in comparison to road running, there are very few people that hike or run on these trails so there is so much peace to be experienced out here. I know as the man that tried to control his Doberman-like dog yesterday on the trails from nipping at me said that no one ever hikes along in back of his house.
Right now, our estimated arrival time at the southern Bruce cairn is 2:30 p.m. - but that will probably be pushed forward as Henri takes the time to run with others tomorrow & take longer breaks (and dependent too on leg/knee strength).
Ciao for now...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Alice doesn't live here anymore...and sometimes, neither does Diane
Remember that movie? I remember watching it as a kid and thinking Alice has lost it. If you've tried to crew someone on and end-to-ender in Hamilton, you too must have felt like Alice and wanted to run away from it all!
Geez! I sat in our crew vehicle frazzled today on some access mountain cut I'd never heard of despite being from Hamilton. Cars whizzing by - up, down, up, down - and yes, the Bruce Trail crosses through this road. This was a common occurrence trying to crew in this city.
It was a fairly non-invasive start at the dead end road bit of Old Guelph Rd. at Hwy 6 at 8:15 a.m. this morning. Henri had a decent pace going. He met up with Spence & Cloey (Spence's dog) on the trails in Dundas. Something was different today though - both Henri and I seemed a tad unenthusiastic. Henri's pace varied between 7-9 minute kilometres all day.
Don from our running club joined Henri around Felker Falls on west Hamilton mountain early in the afternoon. Don almost ran 50k himself today but I'll let him tell you that story at the Club one night.
A new pain - this one appearing to be the IT band on one of his legs started to give Henri problems in the last several hours of the run today. Nonetheless, Don and I paced him through to the end and still a great 48+ k on day number 16 of his journey. That's just about 800 k on his feet.
Some mapping of tomorrow's route to do, some massaging & in bed by nine.
Henri starting out Day 16.
Geez! I sat in our crew vehicle frazzled today on some access mountain cut I'd never heard of despite being from Hamilton. Cars whizzing by - up, down, up, down - and yes, the Bruce Trail crosses through this road. This was a common occurrence trying to crew in this city.
It was a fairly non-invasive start at the dead end road bit of Old Guelph Rd. at Hwy 6 at 8:15 a.m. this morning. Henri had a decent pace going. He met up with Spence & Cloey (Spence's dog) on the trails in Dundas. Something was different today though - both Henri and I seemed a tad unenthusiastic. Henri's pace varied between 7-9 minute kilometres all day.
Don from our running club joined Henri around Felker Falls on west Hamilton mountain early in the afternoon. Don almost ran 50k himself today but I'll let him tell you that story at the Club one night.
A new pain - this one appearing to be the IT band on one of his legs started to give Henri problems in the last several hours of the run today. Nonetheless, Don and I paced him through to the end and still a great 48+ k on day number 16 of his journey. That's just about 800 k on his feet.
Some mapping of tomorrow's route to do, some massaging & in bed by nine.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Day 15 - Rattlesnake Pt to Clappsons Cut ... done
8:00 am start on Appleby Line, ran well consistently to finish 48 km by 3:09 this aft. The luck continues with kinesio tape and my quad muscle. The trail is still beautiful. The Grindstone Creek in Waterdown was quite something, I didn't know it was there!
Resisted the temptation to do more, after conferring with my ultra cool handler, Di. This trek is about enjoying the journey - not trying to do it as fast as I can.
Tomorrow; Waterdown, through Dundas/Ancaster, to west Hamilton (Dewitt Rd.)
Henri
Resisted the temptation to do more, after conferring with my ultra cool handler, Di. This trek is about enjoying the journey - not trying to do it as fast as I can.
Tomorrow; Waterdown, through Dundas/Ancaster, to west Hamilton (Dewitt Rd.)
Henri
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Day 14 - From Terra Cotta to Appleby Line (Milton)
Hey, Scheduled for 44 k today, last nights massage and todays strategy of kinesio tape vs tensor bandage made a huge difference. Was able to run today for the whole day instead of hobbling through the last 20 km. Still there was a trail reroute through the Kelso Park that was very poorly marked, causing me to run in circles and do extra mileage! Very demoralizing - Oh well, sh.. happens. Finished 52.2 k today. Was great to see my brother Hans and family out today on the trail (I now have some champagne to pop when I reach Queenston)! Charlotte was an awesome pacer on the trail again today and it was great to see Gary Black out. Today we ran his route which we will be doing later this fall. ...nice trail!
Tomorrow - Appleby Line (from Rattlesnake Point) through the ITT route and onwards to Waterdown (Clappisons Cut) 48.4 km.
Henri
Tomorrow - Appleby Line (from Rattlesnake Point) through the ITT route and onwards to Waterdown (Clappisons Cut) 48.4 km.
Henri
"Sign, Sign, Everywhere a sign..."
"To keep people out or to keep Mother Nature in?"
Boy - what a difference from the north - I noticed as soon as we hit the Orangeville area yesterday (Saturday) that the roadways by trails are littered with "NO PARKING" signs. This means that "parkable" areas are jam packed with vehicles. I was stopped to be told I couldn't park somewhere and when I explained that I was crewing a runner coming from Tobermory, I was kindly allowed to stay parked "illegally." This makes for a hectic couple of days.
To top it off, Henri's pace is only increasing. Yuppers - day no. 14 - that's two weeks into running fifty "k" a day and he's getting faster. Today was his fastest pace yet. Although he had ONLY 44k to do today, he finished at around 3 p.m. so decided to keep going. He bagged another eight kilometres out there and finished in Milton at the back of Kelso/front of Rattlesnake Point (while I waited nervously parked illegally).
What's up with his pace? Here's some thoughts (I've informally interviewed Henri but it turned into a casual conversation about running):
-Henri's demeanor is just plain casual. He has a low operating stress level and takes everything in stride. So 50k a day in the woods is merely a wonderful "walk in the woods" for him - everyday
-we could all do it if we trained (hmmm...he laughs when people ask him about training & claims that the first week of running the Bruce was his training)
-Charlotte has been pacing him (For those not in the know, Charlotte broke the End-to-End record on the Bruce this past June with a time of 13 days and 10 hours)
-Similar to point 1, he LOVES being in nature & is compelled to run on trails any day, any time
Whatever the reason, he's remarkable to watch (and lovely to crew for!). Here's some visuals from the past couple of days:
Henri laughing at the start of Day 14 - Terra Cotta
Henri laughing at the end of Day 14 - Milton
Boy - what a difference from the north - I noticed as soon as we hit the Orangeville area yesterday (Saturday) that the roadways by trails are littered with "NO PARKING" signs. This means that "parkable" areas are jam packed with vehicles. I was stopped to be told I couldn't park somewhere and when I explained that I was crewing a runner coming from Tobermory, I was kindly allowed to stay parked "illegally." This makes for a hectic couple of days.
To top it off, Henri's pace is only increasing. Yuppers - day no. 14 - that's two weeks into running fifty "k" a day and he's getting faster. Today was his fastest pace yet. Although he had ONLY 44k to do today, he finished at around 3 p.m. so decided to keep going. He bagged another eight kilometres out there and finished in Milton at the back of Kelso/front of Rattlesnake Point (while I waited nervously parked illegally).
What's up with his pace? Here's some thoughts (I've informally interviewed Henri but it turned into a casual conversation about running):
-Henri's demeanor is just plain casual. He has a low operating stress level and takes everything in stride. So 50k a day in the woods is merely a wonderful "walk in the woods" for him - everyday
-we could all do it if we trained (hmmm...he laughs when people ask him about training & claims that the first week of running the Bruce was his training)
-Charlotte has been pacing him (For those not in the know, Charlotte broke the End-to-End record on the Bruce this past June with a time of 13 days and 10 hours)
-Similar to point 1, he LOVES being in nature & is compelled to run on trails any day, any time
Whatever the reason, he's remarkable to watch (and lovely to crew for!). Here's some visuals from the past couple of days:
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sat Oct 16th - Day 13
Day 13 and still going strong. I think the key is doing a manageable 50 km a day. My right quadricep muscle has been a issue for the last couple of days. It has tightened up like a charliehorse and limits my speed to a half walk, half shuffle by mid day. The good thing is that I think I have mastered the apesters technique for a quick ground covering half-walk, half-jog that sees me through with some speed and manages the pain level. This aft was better so keeping my fingers crossed.
On an other level the Bruce Trail is still beautiful with the fall leaves and each day on the trail is a joy. Thanks to Greg for running on Thursday, Stephan and Kinga who helped and paced yesterday and to Charlotte who ran with me today. And of course the capable Di who enjoys the logistics and keeps me organized and running. Thanks everyone!
Henri
On an other level the Bruce Trail is still beautiful with the fall leaves and each day on the trail is a joy. Thanks to Greg for running on Thursday, Stephan and Kinga who helped and paced yesterday and to Charlotte who ran with me today. And of course the capable Di who enjoys the logistics and keeps me organized and running. Thanks everyone!
Henri
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