A Family Trip To Japan

With my elder son travelling to Japan with his competitive gymnastics team and Team BC, we decided to go to Japan too. That way, if something happened, we could be close at hand to support. I’m happy to report that all went smoothly and we did not meet him in person once during the entire trip (9 days) so we were free to have our own adventures with the Lightning Kid.

Trains and Transportation

Tokyo has 2 airports, Narita and Haneda. We flew in with All Nippon Airlines from Vancouver to Haneda. Though we landed in the evening, we opted to try and get out of Tokyo right away to our first destination, Nagoya. My wife did a lot of research through Japan Travel groups on Facebook, and it was funny how people get used to using Japanese names for things, especially trains when those names don’t mean anything to you if you haven’t been to Japan. For example, we took the Keikyu line to Shinagawa, and a Shinkansen straight to Nagoya. The Keikyu is a commuter train from the airport (run by Keikyu Railways), Shinagawa is a station that serves the Shinkansen – Bullet Trains! After about 3-4 days we started using these names in casual conversation too. Bullet Trains can go up to 320 km/h, and if you take a Nazomi service, it will make fewer stops (express) and definitely hit those speeds. We rode these between Tokyo and Nagoya, between Nagoya and Osaka, and from Kyoto to Tokyo. Every Shinkansen ride seemed to need 2 tickets per person, which we found odd. It seemed like the best way to get tickets right was to use the counters staffed with people, not use ticket machines.

Bullet Train (Shinkansen) arriving at the station

We tried to visit a Dinosaur Park on the outskirts of Nagoya and had to use a local train. Unfortunately, we got on an express train which overshot our station and forced us to backtrack – we were lucky that a local woman with good English skills overheard our dilemma and set us straight. The dinosaur park wasn’t even open, but we had such beautiful weather that just taking the Lightning Kid to a playground was a pleasant experience.

The other kinds of trains we made use of were subways and monorails. I usually found I could buy a ticket from a machine that had an English interface (when selected) by picking the line and station I wanted to get off at. It was important to hang onto tickets as you can’t exit a station without running your ticket through a machine. One time I made a mistake, and the gates blocked us until I could correct our fare with the ticket taker. Getting around by subway was very convenient; there were a few times it was very crowded but having such a cheap way to get around was a blessing.

Also worth mentioning in this section was that on 2 occasions we shipped our luggage to the next destination/hotel rather than trying to lug it through train stations and onto the train. This is common practice in Japan apparently, and worked well (keep your receipt/paperwork!); you might have to repack a few things so that you have the most important items upon arrival as it can take an extra day for your stuff to arrive.

Onsen

Some of my favourite things on the trip were Onsen – public baths that we had access to in both hotels and ryokan (traditional hotels with smaller rooms where you can sleep on mats on the floor). Onsen have set rules – most notably you go nude, though they are separated by gender. The tubs were wide and shallow with a single step down the bottom. You could dip your feet in first, sit on the first step to put your lower body in the water or get your whole body in, provided you could recline in a semi-lying position.

Some Onsen had saunas, some had cold plunges, but they all had little sit-down shower stations for washing before and after. Each station had a bowl that you could fill and dowse yourself with. Bowls were also next to each tub (hot or cold, indoor or outdoor).

I brought the Lightning Kid with me, and I found that children are generally welcome to come, with the understanding that the Onsen is a quiet space for relaxation. An interesting note is that people with tattoos are often not allowed in Onsen. Luckily, that didn’t apply to us.

Accommodations

We stayed in The Nikko Style Hotel in Nagoya. It definitely had a stylish vibe, with a lounge decorated with spacious bookshelves. The room was definitely one of the more spacious ones we had in Japan, though we had to share one bed. We did find it odd that we had to book the Lightning Kid as an adult at age 12 in a lot of venues, though obviously, we weren’t going to get him a separate room. We found king-size beds generally big enough for 3.

This room had another 2 twin beds, but we thought it would be more fun to sleep like this.

In Osaka, we stayed in a Ryokan – a more traditional form of lodging. The room was mostly one living/eating room with only a table and mattresses that had to be fetched from a closet. The Ryokan included dinner and breakfast with traditional set meals and the Onsen in the basement was very artfully decorated.

Our Kyoto stay was at the Granbell Hotel – Kyoto; which had a great speakeasy-type subterranean entrance and a nice bar and Onsen. It was very close to the train station, though a lot of nearby restaurants were closed early.

Our stay in Tokyo was at the Candeo in Roppongi. This hotel had a rooftop Onsen and provided loungewear that we could wear to and from the baths. It took me a day or so to realize that the bathroom floor was sloped and thus I sometimes felt a little disoriented going in there.

Sights and Attractions

In Nagoya, we visited a science museum – the Lightning Kid went to a playground while my wife waited in line for entrance tickets and engaged in play with a Japanese boy. The museum had dinosaur exhibits, as well as sections devoted to biology, physics and technology.

Later that day we visited Nagoya castle and were treated to a live samurai and ninja show.

The castle was quite scenic with its gardens and moats, especially with fall colours and bright sunlight.

There was also an inner palace within the castle/fortress grounds. The tour of this was rather crowded, but seeing the interior artwork and design was interesting.

We tried to find and go to a Dinosaur Park on our second day in Nagoya, but it ended up being closed so we spent some time in the sunshine at a playground.

On our first day in Osaka, we got a Ninja lesson at a Ninja Cafe. We got to don ninja costumes (with belt and headband), then got lessons in using shuriken (throwing stars), a blow gun, and finally some sword techniques. We also got lunch and drinks in the package, it was tremendous fun for the whole family.

Our afternoon in Osaka was spent exploring the Shinsaibashi Shopping area and Dotonburi Street (fun fact: on the flight home I watched John Wick Chapter 4 and was able to identify Osaka based on sights from Dotonburi Street before Osaka was identified by the movie characters).

At night, we went to an art installation created by a collective known as teamLab that they set up in the Botanical Gardens. From the website: “teamLab’s art project Digitized Nature explores how nature can become art. The concept of the project is that non-material digital technology can turn nature into art without harming it.”

We visited a place called Spa World that had Onsen and other bathing options from around the world, but navigating their ticket system with regards to the built-in waterpark with waterslides proved to be too much for us to really enjoy any relaxation.

For our day trip in Kyoto, we ventured to Aramayashi, which had multiple attractions in a mountain village setting – first off was a Monkey Park! There was some climbing involved, and we saw a few of the native Macaques (the only species of monkey in Japan) on the way up, but that was no kind of preparation for the number of monkeys we’d find ourselves surrounded by at the summit! There were strict rules about engaging with the monkeys – avoid prolonged eye contact, hide any food you have on your person, and keep your distance.

In Tokyo, we started by fulfilling a promise to the Lightning Kid that we would rent a dog and take it for a walk. We chose Sumire from Dog Heart, who was a gorgeous golden retriever, but she had her own ideas about how far she wanted to walk so it was a bit of a struggle; I ended up deferring to her ‘local expertise’… we ended up also paying to have an extra half hour with the smaller dogs in the pen. There were miniature French poodles and a beagle among other breeds of dogs and some couldn’t wait to jump in your lap and be petted.

Later the same day we made our way to Harajuku, but those adventures are culinary in nature, so you’ll have to see the next section! We’ve always enjoyed seeing cities from the water, so we found a small river cruise we could take that ended at the Odaiba Marine Park.

There was a beach and playground at Odaiba, as well as a mall and a replica Statue of Liberty. We did some shopping but did not visit the animal cafe which had otters, toucans and capybaras.

Food

Due to a late arrival on our first night in Nagoya, our first meal in Japan was food from a convenience store on one of the train station platforms: Pringles, sandwiches, waffles and Pocky (my fave!). The Nikko Style hotel had options of western breakfast (french toast or omelette-based platters) or a Japanese breakfast. It wouldn’t be the last time I had to find a way to like fish in the morning…

Japanse style breakfast at Nikko Style Hotel.

That evening we made a point of trying to find a Gyoza (dumpling) based restaurant and lucked out thanks to some recommendations from the hotel staff. We actually sat with a Japanese family and made friends using broken English and even more limited Japanese. The Lightning Kid even tried a fermented drink called Calpis.

Breakfast and dinners in Osaka (at the ryokan) were set meals – no a la carte. Our first dinner was 5 different courses and despite a written description, we often didn’t know how close we were to being finished. Our breakfast involved poached eggs, and tofu and grilling our own fish over an open flame.

There were two occasions, the first in Aramayashi (a beautiful mountain village outside Kyoto) where we had to navigate a different eating experience. You purchased tickets for the food you wanted from a machine, then handed them to a server from your table – the food is still brought to you at the table when it is ready, but the aisles stay clearer of servers this way. It was difficult to gather an entire order for 3 people before starting to press buttons and pump coins into the machine. Once we ate Udon dishes this way, the other time Ramen.

Ordering food from a machine in a restaurant.

The Ninja cafe where we got our ninja lessons had passable food, but nothing special – my meal was a curry.

Dotonburi street is a marvel of food, but we actually stuck to eating meals at restaurants rather than grabbing random eats. We may have to correct that if we visit again in the future!

Dotonburi St in Osaka

We tried to find a Tonkatsu (fried pork cutlets with a BBQ sauce) restaurant in the Harajuku district, but Google led us to a place that was closed. We wound up wandering around till we found a restaurant with Italian cuisine! It still had a Japanese spin on the pasta dishes and we found it to be delicious. Unfortunately I didn’t record the name of it and my Google Timeline wasn’t any help tracking it down. The other thing we found in Harajuku was a “candy factory” that specialized in Cotton Candy…. look at the size of those things.

Exploring the different types of Japanese food remains an incomplete quest; I’d like to get to know Ramen better and maybe some Izakaya

Conclusion

I love Japan! In the period leading up to our trip, I didn’t have a lot of time to get invested in a detailed itinerary, so I just wanted to know that I would be able to relax and get a taste of what the country was like – and all my expectations were exceeded.

Impressions from The Cultus Lake Triathlon

1: Very Strict Rules – But Well Communicated
Running triathlon races takes a lot of structure and rules for safety and efficiency. This is known to me, but somehow the vibe I got coming to this event after a 3-year absence from the sport (and the last race before it’s run during the pandemic with different rules for social distancing etc.) was that the rules were somewhat heavy and oppressive. Still, when those rules are well communicated by volunteers, pre-race emails and written material in the race kit, I can’t claim there was any space for misunderstanding so it was easy to follow the rules.

2: Swim Start Needs To Be Broken Up In Waves
The sprint race had 2 waves to start: the first was all males as well as non-gendered athletes. The second wave was all females. I’m more used to waves being broken up by age category as well as gender to spread the masses out in the water. Open water swim collisions are already scary for the beginner triathlete, and we were having these kinds of collisions even while treading water and waiting behind the starting line. I think it made the swim leg of the race more difficult than it needed to be.

3: Best Run Course
The course followed the lake shore initially and had sections through a shady forest path and along residential streets with beautiful houses and people cheering us on from their front porches. One of the nicest run courses I can imagine.

4: P.A. System
I saw a race crew member trying to locate a certain athlete by yelling throughout the transition area. The pre-race briefing where course details were shared with racers were done with a megaphone at least.

5: Body Marking
Rather than write bib numbers on racers’ arms and calves, the race organizers supplied temporary tattoos. They look neat and worked well (though I was stressed about applying them properly), but it seems like an overcomplicated solution to what wasn’t really a big problem. Perhaps the tattoos will wear off faster than a number written in Sharpie, which is what I’m more used to and is easily done in a matter of seconds.

6: BC Beauty
The bike course was a simple out-and-back with a little climbing (and thus downhills too), but even the simplest routes in the Chilliwack area can have beautiful greens and mountains to see.

7: Friendly Neighbour
The fellow racking his bike next to mine in transition was very nice and friendly and we managed to meet twice during the race – we finished our swim and bike legs at roughly the same time. I think he must have been much faster on the run because I believe his total time was 10 minutes less than mine.

8: Cycling Jealousy
I can remember being passed on the bike leg very far along the total distance and seeing what kind of difference a very expensive bike can make. I’m used to that – but on that day I got passed by someone riding a simple commuter bike and I was unable to catch him again – he must have very strong legs!

9: Cool Weather
The temperature was in the low 10s at the start of the race. When I first got on the bike with wet skin and no sleeves I was freezing, but luckily the early parts of the bike ride were an incline so the work of going uphill quickly warmed me. I think the cool weather meant I also felt less need to drink water, which meant better speed as I didn’t slow down to hydrate (or urinate).

10: Cool Location
Cultus Lake has a water park and theme park nearby and other cafes and restaurants. We could have stood to take more advantage.

Stepping Stones To My Next Sprint Triathlon

I bit the bullet and signed up for a Sprint Triathlon after a hiatus. My wife always encouraged me and dismissed my excuses and the negative idea that I was not in good enough condition to take it on — she figures I won’t improve my fitness without the deadline and goal of a race, and there may be some truth to that. She asked me if I have a training plan for it, and it’s unlikely that I can find one on the internet that will fit into the 6 weeks I have to get ready, never mind one well suited to someone who is experienced, but in worse shape than some beginners.

I have over 10 years of experience in triathlon, so I will show confidence in my ability to wing it. Here’s a checklist of what I think I need to do or be able to do before mid-September.

  1. Weekly Running Mileage increase to 15km per week
  2. Long Runs of over 5km
  3. Bike: 60 Min sessions on the trainer
  4. Swim: Get into my wetsuit
  5. Swim: 750m open water swims
  6. Swim: 1000m (total, broken into 100-200m intervals) pool workouts
  7. Bike: 30 min hill sessions
  8. Run: 30 min hill sessions
  9. Transition: Check Equipment (Make sure my racing shoes are OK. Goggles, water bottles etc.)
  10. Brick Workouts: From bike trainer to treadmill

Things That Happen In A Float Session

woman on body of water
Photo by Darya Sannikova on Pexels.com

Today, I booked a 75 minute “float”; I lay in an enclosed tub that shuts out light and sound, and the water is heated and salted so that you can feel weightless and don’t notice the water over time.Here’s what can happen while the time goes by.

1: Hallucinations
I’ve never experienced this, but I’ve read that it can happen, so I thought I’d mention it and get it out of the way.

2: Itches
With nothing else to notice, I find itches to scratch. It’s a problem for me when I meditate too.

3: You end up tasting the water.
Probably from touching your face It’s disgusting.

4: Your Muscles Relax
…in a way you’ve never experienced. You don’t have to support anything, or swim to keep your head above water, so your whole body (and thus your mind) can just be.

5: You Stretch
In spite of the relaxation, I still felt some pain and tension in my worst spots. Stretching in a float is entirely different, because you can maintain that weightlessness (up to a point) and adopt poses you couldn’t on the ground.

6: You “Dance”
Similarly, it’s fun to sway and feel your way through the water.

7: You Daydream

8: You Reminisce
I had some nostalgic thoughts

9: You Lose Track of Time
I really wasn’t sure how long I had spent in there at various intervals. When the chime went off to let me know I was done, I could have thought I was only halfway done, or had been in there more than 2 hours.

10: You Can Practice Meditation and Breathing Exercises
You feel peaceful and patient, and there’s not much else to do.

Things I’m Looking Forward To in Germany

I composed this list before our flight, but I’m publishing it after our return so you’ll see some pics and updates on how it went down.

Very shortly I’ll be flying to Germany for a month or so. It’s been 3 years since I’ve been.

1: Beer
I’ll just get that one out of the way first. I like German beer.

2: Spaghetti Ice Cream
Invented by an Italian in my father’s hometown – I don’t think I’ve ever seen it anywhere in North America.

This one was a little too big even for me.

3: Strengthening My German Language Skills
I’ll get to work off the rust. Even better, the kids both really improved their spoken German. It was thrilling to see them communicate with locals and their grandmothers in German.

4: Commuting by Bicycle
We don’t have a car there so bikes will be a significant mode of transportation. I rode at least 16km a day. The kids rode to their summer camp (on an island) by bike every day. I even got my wife a bike for her birthday.

5: Riding the double-decker bus into town

I think the double-decker buses were decommissioned. This was pretty disappointing.

6: Curry Wurst
A Berlin specialty. A bratwurst with curry powder. Also, french fries with both ketchup and mayonnaise.

7: Free Range Kids
From less ‘sanitized’ playgrounds to a largely unstructured summer camp, I’m hopeful the boys can flex their independence muscles a bit. They spent a night on the island in a tent, and went to the bakery to get us fresh buns for breakfast every morning. They rode the bus home from town alone too.

8: Fresh Water Swimming
A river and a lake are within short walking distance

A Stork on the Dock

9: Berlin Sightseeing
We might not get that much of this done, but we’ll see. We got into downtown Berlin (Kurfürstendamm) for Sushi and a bit of a walking tour. We also did our usual river cruise

10: Summer Festivals
Germans celebrate the summer a lot like other countries in the Western world.

This was taken at the Havelfest in Tegel.

Overall another successful Germany trip. I worked remotely for most of the visit, and I may share some thoughts on the ‘Laptop Lifestyle’ in a future post.

Ode To The Suburbs

I grew up in a suburb, and there comes a point in your youth when you decide they are lame.  You’re not where the ‘action’ of the city is, nor do you have the wide-open spaces and freedom of a more rural setting.

high angle shot of suburban neighborhood
Photo by David McBee on Pexels.com

Before I got married I lived in a condo along Toronto’s lesser-used subway line (the University-Downsview line).  While it wasn’t downtown Toronto, the nearby subway let me access the core of Canada’s largest city, and Eglinton had some more upscale businesses that spoke to some of the glamour Toronto had to offer.  There was a handy nearby running trail, but you’d have to think a little about cycling – lots of intersections with traffic lights or stop signs to slow you down.  The running trail was too crowded for higher-speed cycling.  I’m honestly not sure how to evaluate how kid-friendly the neighbourhood was overall, but I know my condo did not have a backyard.

Our current residence in Abbotsford BC is pretty rural.  The space behind the house is huge and the air is always fresh (ok, maybe some manure smell sometimes).  We don’t however, let the kids leave the property, as big trucks are constantly whizzing by (did you ever see Pet Sematary? Don’t).  Even when my wife and I go out for a walk, we either drive to a second location or wear a high-visibility safety vest or other illumination to be seen by drivers passing by.

All this to say, I love the suburbs.  The suburbs have a dark history,  where the way they were planned was to encourage racial segregation and block access to education for marginalized groups. I’m hopeful, that, in spite of this history, as long the residents of a suburb can represent a good portion of the community’s diversity, the benefits of a planned suburb can be enjoyed by all.

Here are 10 Things I Love About the suburbs (this list represents my best experiences, and when suburbs are done right).


1: Sidewalks

If you’ve ever been a pedestrian in a space that didn’t feel safe for pedestrians, you probably won’t take a nice sidewalk for granted again.

2: Bikes, Skateboards, Scooters, Inline Skates

Between those sidewalks, some paved multi-use trails, or even streets that aren’t too busy, you’ll see people moving under their own power, getting fit and protecting the environment.

3: Parking

In spite of the previous points, if you use a car to get around (like so many do), having a place to put it is hard. Whether it’s driveways, garages, carports, or simply pulling up in front of the house (as you do when visiting a friend), it’s generally a safe, stress-free experience.

4: Parks and Playgrounds

Good for kids to play, or adults to get exercise. Increase the green space we need to keep the air clean.

5: It’s a Threshold

In the book ‘Mostly Harmless’ Douglas Adams describes happiness as a Lake House. A state of being on the verge of two different states of being. A Lake House is by the water, yet on land, which explains why it’s such a desirable piece of real estate. A suburb is the boundary condition of being near a city (and its amenities) and a more rural space (with its natural benefits).

6: Backyards

It’s nice to have a little green space of your own.

7: Noise

Both urban centres and rural settings have sources of noise (nightclubs, trucks, tractors, farm animals).

8: Sports Fields

Softball, football, and soccer are all ways to stay fit, have fun and join your local community.

9: Utilities (including Internet)

Infrastructure can be more easily maintained in the suburbs. In the city, digging up a road or accessing subterranean equipment can mean disrupting critical commercial operations or working around important landmarks. In the country, there might not be that kind of infrastructure at all (unreliable power, no high-speed internet, your waste goes to a septic tank you have to maintain).

10: It’s been idealized by modern pop-culture

I saw a post lambasting the movie American Beauty – a masterpiece of 90s film where the idea of working a corporate office job and living in the suburbs with a family caused enormous ennui. For millennials, the world of having a steady job with benefits and a roof over your head seems like an out-of-reach fantasy. It’s how many people in Western society grew up, and what they still ultimately aspire to.

Top Ten Tech Toys I Would Buy If I Had the Budget

N.B. There are some affiliate links in this post. I would get a commission if you happened to order these.

1: Drone
The DJI Mini 3 Pro is small enough that you don’t need a licence in Canada and idiot-proof enough for me to use to shoot video.

2: JBL Endurance Dive Bluetooth Headphones
I like this wrap-around form factor, and they are waterproof too!

3: GoPro Hero 10
For non-aerial and underwater videos.

4: HP Omen Gaming Laptop
I already hate Dell, Acer, Toshiba and Lenovo, so if I was to spend money on something serious for gaming (if I ever found the time for it), maybe this one.

5: Chromebook
On the other end of the computing spectrum are Chromebooks. I could use it just for writing, surfing and streaming. I guess I’d try ASUS since Samsung ones don’t seem to be available in Canada…

6: Smart Watch
I’m not sure my Garmin Forerunner 910XT is cutting the mustard anymore. I would want something with better connectivity. Maybe the Fenix 6 Pro, but I’d be willing to consider Polar or Suunto as brands.

7: Kobo Sage
A waterproof eReader that can also play audiobooks via Bluetooth, and act as a digital note-taking device

8: Moleskine Ellipse Smart Pen
Speaking of note-taking, this pen works with a Moleskine paper notebook, and digitizes your notes and sketches as you draw.

9: Power Meter Pedals
If I find myself getting into triathlon again, power is the performance metric of choice when cycling, but it is very expensive to add that capability to a bike.

10: Smart Swim Goggles
Tracking laps swum is a pain, and performance metrics make for smarter training.

Top Ten: Travel Bucket List for Adventurous Families

I’ve been spending a few minutes each day over on NotePD. It’s a website dedicated toward capturing Idea Lists – the principle is that you dedicate yourself to coming up with 10 new ideas a day. They might not be good ideas, but by making a daily practice of it, your ‘creative muscles’ get their exercise. I really enjoy it, and when I did a Clifton Strengths Finder test, ‘Ideation’ came up as one of my top 5, so it makes sense that I would enjoy that sort of thing.

One of my lists of ideas was ‘Travel Bucket List for Adventurous Families‘, which I decided to re-publish here.

1: Thailand
I went here for our honeymoon, and it has a wide variety of terrains and eco-systems that would make an extended trip a lot of fun.

top view of boats on beach
Photo by Tirachard Kumtanom on Pexels.com

2: Costa Rica
Similar appeal to Thailand, only I’m the only one in the family to have been there.

wood covered with green moss on brown sand near body of water
Photo by Adam Heunis on Pexels.com

3: New Zealand
My wife went in her 20s, and she’s been obsessed ever since.

scenic view of the mountains
Photo by Tyler Lastovich on Pexels.com

4: Ireland
I think there are some beautiful walks and hikes. A friend of mine bike toured it too.

old medieval ruins of dunluce castle on ocean coast in northern ireland famous place in uk
Photo by Iain on Pexels.com

5: Japan
A bit questionable for this list, but I’ve been fascinated by elements of Japanese culture, and I’ll bet a family can find fun things to do.

red and black temple surrounded by trees photo
Photo by Belle Co on Pexels.com

6: Belize
Reputed to be very Costa Rica like

nature beach vacation sand
Photo by Asad Photo Maldives on Pexels.com

7: Tuscany, Italy
Pastoral setting, getting around by bike, FOOD!

foggy hills
Photo by Aliona & Pasha on Pexels.com

8: Spain – Andalusia
I loved Seville and the surrounding area on a solo trip. Suitability for family activities would need to be investigated

green trees and city buildings high angle photography
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

9: Switzerland (Winter)
Skiing. Cheese, Chocolate.

brown house under blue skies photography
Photo by Tranmautritam on Pexels.com

10: Gros Morne, NL, Canada
I’ve had this as a camping/hiking goal for several years now.

rock formation with trees in gros morne national park canada
Photo by Daniel Battersby on Pexels.com

Would any of these make your top ten? I can’t say as they are necessarily ranked in order, but if I were to rank them, what should be number one?

Race Recap: 5 Peaks Golden Ears

At long last a return to in-person races! And also to writing about in-person races! I couldn’t have picked a better event than a 5 Peaks Trail Run. I did my first 5 Peaks Trail Run almost exactly 10 years ago, and their family-friendly events have been a staple of this blog ever since. Of course, those were all in Ontario, so expected an even bigger challenge and more beautiful scenery in B.C.!

We arrived at the race site in Golden Ears with plenty of time to spare; there had been warnings that getting parking spots and making it to the race start could be time-consuming but we faced no such challenges. We grabbed our race kits (including socks for me) and spent some time getting to know the site, while the Lightning Kid danced with Buffy the tiger.

The kids were signed up for a timed event – 3km of running. It would be the Lightning Kid’s first time (to my recollection) running the longer kids event. I’d predicted the terrain might be more challenging than they were used to and encouraged them to run together, but Shark Boy wanted to run his fastest. My prediction about the challenge proved correct, as the course had 2 creek crossings that the organizers encouraged the kids to get good and wet while attempting, and there was a prize for the dirtiest kid – which Shark Boy ended up winning, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

I didn’t have a good feel for how long the kids’ race would take or even if I’d be able to see them come in, but I hadn’t even gotten to the front of the line for the toilet when the first kids started coming in. After a few especially fast kids came in, I spotted Shark Boy, who seems to be coming down with a case of camera shyness, but he finished strong. Waiting for the Lightning Kid became a little nerve-wracking when they started the 1k kids’ fun run, and were about to start the first wave of the Enduro course racers. Luckily a volunteer ‘rabbit’ kept him company – I didn’t get her name, but if you’re reading this, thanks again! – and he came in shortly before the Enduro course was to be started. The official race photographer got some great shots of his adventure; see below.

Soon it would be my turn – the Enduro racers all took off in waves seeded by the racer’s own expectation of speed, then the Sport course racers. The Sport course was over 8.5km and the longest run I’d done over the season was probably about 6, so I knew I had to manage my expectations and I seeded myself in the last wave.

The race started, and I forgot to start tracking on Strava for the first 200-300 meters, but I was off – and happy to be running a non-virtual race…

So before the race, I got advice from Shark Boy as to how to best cross one of the creeks and once the race started, I found myself at the first Creek with a big lineup forming so I followed his advice and veered off a little to the right and used the log to cross and probably got a little bit ahead that way. I don’t really mind being slower than other people. I just can’t stand standing in line when I’m in the great outdoors and trying to avoid that kind of stuff. By the time I get to the second creek, I just said stuff it and stuck my foot right in it and got wet feet. The first part of the trail after that was in the Spirea nature trail area which I visited before with my family, and it’s very beautiful. Then there was a road crossing and it was nonstop climbing on the other side of the road just all the way up a mountain. And in spite of my best efforts, I not only had to slow to a walk but actually had to take complete stops just to catch my breath on that climb.

Somewhere between 3 and 4 kilometers, we stopped having to climb and began the descent. Even on the downhill, I found myself slowing to a walk occasionally and had to mentally kick myself to get back into race mode. I did have a little fun at yet another creek crossing – this one was pretty mild as you can see, but I think there were 5 in total.

I don’t remember where the Enduro course separated from the Sport course, but after they re-merged, I made sure to allow people to pass me safely as often as I could. The scenery continued to be enchanting of course. There was light rain to deal with sometimes, but the forest provided more than adequate shelter.

I knew from the tracked distance that I must have been getting close to the finish, but on some other level it was almost as if I could taste it. And there was Shark Boy, ready to guide me in the last 500m or so. I started my Endspurt (a German term for the burst of energy you use to finish off an effort) and started passing people. Somehow I knew the last climb before the finish line would defeat me and the last few meters were more of a crawl.

And just like the start of the race, my rustiness led to me forgetting to stop the Strava tracking, but I still like the looks of the graph showing all the climbing involved; its’a bit weird that the heart rate doesn’t seem to go up much during the climb. I can’t say as I placed well in my division or even overall, but we all had a good day, and 5 Peaks can maintain its sterling reputation.

Strava Data

I Stopped Drinking for ‘Dry February’ and This Is What I Learned

I chose to participate in the Canadian Cancer Society’s Fundraiser ‘Dry February’ – the rules are simple, don’t drink alcohol for the month of February (or as long as you can). You can insert your own joke about it being the shortest month of the year, but the truth is, I could still use a donation or two to get to my goal, so if you have the means please click on this link to donate.

I have every confidence I’ll make it through to the end, but I’ve been observing when the urge to have a drink creeps up, and it hasn’t been what I expected.

What I Expected

I thought it would be when I’ve had a tough and stressful day that I would want to use alcohol to ‘”settle my nerves”. I’ve had plenty of those sorts of days in February, but having to abstain from having a drink hasn’t felt like much of a sacrifice. That’s the good news.

The Unexpected Times I Found Myself Wanting a Drink

  • Food Pairing: Some kinds of foods I most often like to have a beer with – burgers and pizza are notable examples. For steak and some pastas (especially tomato-based sauces) a glass of red wine would have been nice. Instead I found myself with water (or maybe milk) – which are certainly healthier, but it made the meal feel like less of an indulgence
  • Restaurants: Beyond the obvious correlation to the above, where if I’m treating myself to a night out and the food is good, I want to pair it with the right libation, I find there’s a lot of suggestion in restaurants. From my table, I can see what kinds of beers are on tap, signature cocktails get their own featured menu, as do the wine lists. Those signature cocktails catch the eye when you see one being brought to another table.
  • Television: Right now we’re watching Inventing Anna where most of the action takes place within the world of the ultra-rich so you see a lot of partying and luxury. We also watch a British series Cuckoo and there’s a fair bit of drinking on that show too, with the added bonus of making me nostalgic for my late 20s in Grad School at Leeds University. Anytime there’s a scene of people celebrating, or having one of those “settle the nerves” drinks after a tough day, there’s a pang I feel like a voice asking me “wouldn’t that be nice?”

I don’t have regular access to a bathroom scale, so I haven’t been able to measure any weight loss, and frankly, that didn’t interest me at the moment anyway. It’s possible I’m a little more trim and fitting into my clothes is a little easier, but on the other hand, my desire to ‘treat myself’ has translated into a stronger sweet tooth, and I find myself indulging in sweet foods maybe more than I should. I haven’t had all good nights for sleep, but at least none of them have been due to the way alcohol disturbs your circadian rhythms.

Whether it’s for a good cause, health benefits or simply to discover your own patterns, I think doing a dry month (or even a couple of weeks) is a worthwhile endeavour.