Running in the mountains

Mom and Dad sent me some important things, and they came today on the Greyhound bus. My real bedding was there, as well as my running shoes.

I'm equally excited about both things; I look forward to sleeping in my bed with real bedding, and have been itching to go out for a run. Up until today, I've been sleeping in my sleeping bag, with my pillow dressed in t-shirt. I've also been hankering for a run.

I picked up my goods from the bus station, which was really easy. There's a trail that takes me from my house to Creekside, where the bus station is, in about five minutes. I came back, made my bed, then laced up my running shoes and went for a run.

I ran for about fifty-three minutes, and it felt like no time at all. There's so much to look at and think about while I run here that time goes by very quickly. It's fortunate that there is no snow in the valley, and today it wasn't raining either. I ran in shorts and a poly long sleeve.

Running in Whistler is fantastic. It's been at least two years since I've run in Canadian mountains (I raced in Hong Kong's mountains back in the spring) and it was great to be back.

I ran through the forests near my house, and then onto Whistler mountain for a few minutes, before I turned around and ran around lakes and railroad tracks. It was quite nice.

A great thing about Whistler is the Valley Trail. Whistler is a very spread out community, with the different neighborhoods connected by this convenient path. It's for walkers and riders only, and it's fantastic. You get from anywhere to anywhere on the Valley Trail. The more popular sections are plowed in the winter, and other sections are groomed for traditional cross-country skiing.

I ran a bit on the Valley Trail today, and a bit in the woods and a bit on the mountain. Here are some shots of the Valley Trail that I took last week. While some communities have sidewalks beside the road, the bulk of Whistler's trail system winds through old forests, as well as beside lakes and parks.







I hope to get as much running in as possible before the snow comes, and then I'll look to join a gym to keep my fitness up. We'll see how long I can make my motivation last!