I set out on Hwy 1 headed to Kananaskis Country just after 8 a.m. on Saturday. Traffic was light so I made it to Moose Mountain Road around 9. A few cars were parked. I was meeting Barry, who was busy getting sorted.
Visibility wasn’t great and the threat of snow hung in the air. It didn’t matter what the skies threatened because we were prepared for all kinds of weather. If the parking lot was any indication, it was going to be slick on the road. Thankfully I tucked my Kahtoolas into my pack before leaving Calgary. Barry had a cheap pair of spikes in his truck that he pulled over his shoes before we set off.
For weeks I have been running mostly in Calgary’s urban streets and along the Bow River. No complaints. But I felt an immediate weight lifted as we crossed the gate and were greeted by trees on both sides of the road. The smell of pine was strong and I couldn’t help but smile. I missed the mountains.
An out and back is roughly 17K with about 650 metres of elevation gain. Many Calgary runners do repeats on the road during the winter. I trained on the road A LOT last winter. This is my first time this year, this decade.
As you know, I have been sticking close to home – one less car on the road – and exploring my new surroundings. I have enjoyed running along the pathways and embracing the lure of the Bow River. With the calendar change – It’s February – I felt it’s time to kick up my training with long runs in the mountains.
Saturday’s adventure was my first of many trips to come. Thankfully Barry was OK with taking it easy – hike up, run down. Truthfully it was more of a stroll than a hike. Hey I don’t want to overdo it.
I had some trouble doing my lunges at the gym before I headed out to Nose Hill for my Friday run. My right leg/hip was completely out of sync with the rest of my body. I had hopped it would sort itself out with a little mobility work but that wasn’t the case. I was really hurting on my run. (To be more accurate, it was more a hobble than a run.)
So I spent quite a bit of time rolling and easy stretching that night.
Thankfully my leg/hip felt fine when I rose Saturday morning. We hiked at a conversational pace. It was slippery going and it began to lightly snow about half way up. When you are running in these conditions, you have to lower your expectations and just keep going.
The snow was blowing quite strongly around the 7.5K mark. We decided to turn around to avoid the potential snow squall. We chatted with Hilary and another guy about the conditions.
Now what? 
Do something fun!
In all we got in 15.4K and about 560 metres of elevation. Nice day to ease into the training. I have to tell you – it felt so reinvigorating to be away from the city and into the natural world. Granted we were only out for a few hours but it felt so comforting.
How is your winter training going? Do you stick close to home during the winter months? Did the groundhog see his/her shadow?
Such a beautiful place to run! I’ve been running on the bike path by my house–parts of it are clear and others not. It’s been interesting and my splits are all over the place, lol!