Training While Traveling

We like peace and quiet on the fourth, so we headed for Canada on Tuesday, July 3, destination Summerland, BC. I planned a 12-mile running route for Wednesday in Rose Valley Regional Park.  Since I knew my starting elevation would be around 1200 feet and the most I would gain would be 1800 feet, I figured it would be a fairly easy route.

I found the trails by looking online. Whenever I travel, I always plan ahead to find a running route, especially when I am looking for a trail run. I searched the local area for trails and finally found something on Trail Run Project (app and website). I was surprised that there isn't more to offer in the Lake Okanogan area. I wasn't sure what to expect for terrain and technicality. What I got was not too far off from what I thought I would encounter: hard-surface trails with sharp rocks.

My planned route out in purple and my return in red at Rose Valley Regional Park in Kelowna, BC.

After climbing for two miles, I finally reached the top of the ridge and saw to my left what I was hoping to see: Rose Lake. (None of the trail names matched what I had previously seen online, and Garmin Connect did not have the trails on its maps.) To my right was the obvious Lake Okanogan. Unfortunately, this moment of distractedness led to tripping on the one and only rock poking up out of an otherwise bare ridge top. I tripped up on my left foot, as always, and took a huge lunge forward with my right. I really thought I was going to faceplant, but somehow I caught myself (which frankly was worse because it strained my hamstring) and actually landed abruptly, hyperextending my right leg. This is exactly what I have been trying to avoid the last several weeks. All it took was a moment of inattentiveness, sight-seeing and looking down at the lake. Lesson learned. I shouldn't look at the beauty of my surroundings if my feet are moving.

Along the way up to the ridge, I could see Lake Okanogan to my right and the bridge at Kelowna.

I looked to my left once I got to the top and was delighted to see Rose Lake far below. Had I not tripped, I would have run the trail on the far side of the lake. 

I knew it was bad when I did it; I walked around briefly, and then tested out my leg. Running was not an option. The belly of my right hamstring was just overstretched. I decided it was best to walk back to my car and not try to run through the strain. On the way back, which was about two and a half miles, I tried several more times to run. It just wasn't going to happen. I kept peeking back at my hamstring to see if I had any bruising. I was so worried I had torn it. No discoloration appeared.

It was tough to call John when I got back to the car to let him know what had happened. I knew he would be sad. We talked more about it on a brief hike to Giant's Head that same morning. We agreed it was best that I rest it. Meanwhile, I iced it throughout the day, took some Aleve, and used some Voltaren cream (which you can buy over the counter in Canada!).

I had to use my running pole to hike the short walk to the top of Giant's Head in Summerland, BC.

I did not run Thursday or Friday, and saved myself for a 26.2 mile run on Saturday. I kept it simple, mostly going for distance. I chose the Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR) for my route, 13.1 miles uphill and then 13.1 miles down. The first four miles were groomed gravel trail, so there were no tripping hazards, but the rest of the way, I had to focus on the rocky, uneven terrain. The run hurt my right side, mostly in my piriformis, hip flexor, and the top of my foot. The hamstring was sore, but not the worst of my pain. The other pains were no doubt a result of the stumble.

I show on the map where I'll start and finish. You can see that the trail, which is an old rail trail, has two switch backs to keep the grade gentle. Each stretch was about five miles.

I start off at 6:00 am hoping for cool temperatures. As it turned out, I was in the shade until about 10:00. I was nice and cool and didn't get too hot until the last half hour.

At about three miles, there is "Little Tunnel."

There was a wedding on the north side (far away side) on my way back. They were just setting up, and a man was playing the bagpipes. It was also John and my anniversary that day!

If you peek through the trees you'll see Lake Okanogan far below. This is near the 13.1 mile turn around point.

A view of Lake Okanogan on the way back from the middle switchback .

On the way back down, I stopped to take a picture of one of the rock ovens in Rock Oven Provincial Park. The Italians, who built the railroad, had rock ovens for baking bread and cooking in their settlements along the creeks.

Last mile! John was waiting for me at a viewpoint so he could take my picture in the beautiful surroundings.

Back at the car, I sip my Tailwind drink and stretch.

I decided not to run 12 miles Sunday, as my hamstring was extremely tight and my butt cheek was just plain sore. I walked six miles with John on the KVR (Kettle Valley Rail) instead. It's frustrating to be so far into my training and have to back off. Next week will be the last hard week before the Cascade Pass Stehekin run. I figure I am pretty well trained by now, so it's best to baby the leg and get it ready to go in four weeks.

I am accustomed to running wherever I travel. It would be easy for me to say that I wouldn't have tripped on my Wednesday run if I had been at home, but you just never know. Meanwhile, I haven't had too hard of a time relaxing--late mornings at the beach reading, and then afternoons wine tasting.

I enjoy a glass of white merlot at Bench 1775 in Naramata, BC.

What have I learned from this experience? It's good to be more careful when sight-seeing while running. I don't want that to happen on the PCT. I also think it would have been a good idea for me to scale back my run in terms of terrain in an unfamiliar area. Twelve miles on KVR would have been preferable to an injury.

I'll spend the next several weeks trying to get the soreness in my right leg to abate through massage, chiro appointments, and rest, if need be. If I had to, I could do the fastpack on the PCT from Stevens to Snoqualmie Pass (section J)  this weekend, but it would be painful. I am glad I have some time to recuperate. I'll give the leg another day of rest and run again Tuesday.