MOMAR 101 and the BIG RIDE

Hello and Happy Sunday!

I have been having plenty-o-fun this weekend and wanted to take a moment to share some pics with you!

FRIDAY: 'BIG' RIDE

Ever since the BC Bike Race came through the Comox Valley this summer I have been itching to do the Cumberland stage course- one that links ALL the best trails in the Valley together. Thursday night I sent out a last minute idea to my buddies Marc and John and when I woke up on Friday the wheels were in motion and we were set to ride the course!

5hours and 65kms later we were all smiles and licking triple chocolate gelato cones on the way home! But there were plenty of smiles throughout the entire day too! What an amazing route! I can't wait to do it again this summer if I can convince them to join me:))

To give you an idea:

Started in Cumberland and rode the dump trails to the dump of course...

Dump road to Comox Logging road to Bevan XC trails (snowtosurf route)...

Bevan to Dam to Bears Bait to Nymph Falls park...

Up Forbidden plateau road to Branch 21 (that was a good 10k climb in itself)

Down Screamin Deamon and the trails above the Dam, finishing on Transmission, the suspension bridge and KMA then back to the Dam...

Back to Whites Bay (coal hills by the lake) in Cumberland via a logging road network I had never been on...

Then a super fun Cumberland route including Two and a Juice, Buggered Pig, Climb to Sykes Bridge, Teapot, Back of Allan Lake, Short and Curly, Soggy and Space Nugget...

PHEW! See what I mean that was every fun trail out there!

Boys at the lookout on Screamin Deamon...

Nice view after exiting the new branch off Transmission (does anyone know the name of this new trail??)

Time for a dip in the lake mid course!

SATURDAY: MOMAR 101!

Good times were had by all on Saturday at the MOMAR 101 clinic at the Comox Lake Dam. 7 keen Adventure Racers turned up for a crash course in the best sport on the planet:) and in preparation for their first (or third:) MOMAR! All have signed up for the 10th anniversary race this September in Cumberland and they are all fired up to race after the course yesterday. I enjoy the course as much as the participants because I get to gab about adventure racing all afternoon (to people who really want to hear my stories:).

After 8 years of Adventure Racing I have had the opportunity to make every mistake in the book and these fortunate racers get the advantage of learning (the easy way) from all of my screw ups. I wish this course was around when I was starting racing! I tell them all my tips and tricks to save time and energy during ARing and they are ahead of the game when they hit the start line.

Good luck to you all and I look forward to seeing you in Cumberland!! 6 weeks to go...

SUNDAY: TODAY!

This morning kicked off with a taper run for the ELM Half Marathon Clinic at Seal Bay Park. After running for hours and hours over the past few Sundays the gang enjoyed a special 'reward' taper run of a mear 50 minutes which left plenty of time to hang out at Becky's Bakery and enjoy good coffee, yummy baked goods and great conversation:) Thanks for another FANTASTIC summer endurance clinic! And a HUGE thank you to our fearless ELM leaders who donated they time, energy and passion to support our running habit!

Post run smiles (or are those pre-latte smiles?) at Becky's Bakery...
The perfect latte!

Now I must get off this darn computer and get back to enjoying the rest of my weekend!

SS