EXPANDING THE HORIZON: RUNNING THE MAPLE LEAF

With 43 States and the District of Columbia checked off – and looking at a fairly light race schedule next year – it appeared there might be a need to add a new dimension to our running goal. The Continents appeared overly ambitious (though not out of the question) – but our northern neighbor looked not only quite possible, but downright inviting. So after some deliberation, but little fanfare, Canada’s ten Provinces were added to the goal – with its major metropolitan area being the first target.

Toronto proved to be a wonderful – and surprising destination. I had always known that it was a big city, but hadn’t realized it was a HUGE city with over two-and-a-half million residents and well over 5 million in the metro area – constituting the 5^th largest metro area in North America. As such, it had everything a big city offers – to include traffic! We enjoyed a Major League baseball game in the Rogers Center with the Blue Jays hosting the Orioles;



we drove through many distinct neighborhoods with personalities of their own; we visited one of the largest Chinatowns in North America and enjoyed Chinese cuisine; we spent time on a beautiful waterfront (Lake Ontario) and the ferry to a delightful island in the Lake; we traversed two VERY “high-rent” neighborhoods and were duly impressed;



we visit the St. Lawrence market – where you could buy just about anything and everything; and we strolled through the city enjoying shops, stately government buildings – to include the Provincial Capitol, and the trappings of a very cosmopolitan and international city. Oh….and by the way – we also ran a half-marathon!

As races go, it was a big one and a good one. There were over 20,000 runners in the various races, including about 8,000 in the half. Race logistics were good, the course was flat and fast, and featured both waterfront and the city center. I had my best time since my hamstring issues in South Dakota – so was grateful to be able to really run again. The post race food wasn’t the greatest, but the finisher’s medal was nice and, overall, it was a great start to Canada’s Provinces.

Part of the trip also included a morning in Buffalo and a night-time visit to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls. Buffalo’s downtown had some impressive buildings and views and a similarly pretty waterfront along Lake Erie.



Niagara Falls at night is quite different than in the day – but still quite a sight with colored illumination and the mists. However, we felt like we were driving down the Strip when we entered the Canadian city of Niagara Falls! Lights, glitz and excess – they had it all!


And to make the night complete – after our visit the US Border Control didn’t want to let us back in the US! We were stopped at the border, ordered to place our hands on the dash and steering wheel in plain view, then escorted out of our car – by a squad of armed agents to the “facility” where we were separated and had to wait nearly an hour until they had determined that MY Karen Johnson wasn’t the Canadian criminal being sought. Whew…..what a relief – and just when I was getting worried about those unaccounted for years!

Okay – to the “thoughtful” nature of this post. First – it’s nice to know your wife isn’t a criminal. Beyond that, it became apparent to me during this race – as it has on occasion before – that we are creatures of habit. We grow accustomed to certain routines and when we are taken out of those, it can impact us – often adversely. In a “runner’s world” our habits can dictate our outlook. We prepare for races a certain way; our pre-race night needs to follow a certain pattern; our race-morning must play out according to schedule; our pre-race “eliminations” need to happen; and during the race we expect certain things for pacing, for hydration, for breathing and for who knows how many other things. One of those little things in Toronto was learning that the course didn’t have mile markers, but rather kilometer markings. Suddenly, my world was upside down! As it turns out, it’s an easy system to pace to – once you are expecting it. There has to be a lesson there – and I think it has to do with flexibility and adjustment – and figuring out a way to not get flustered when we think we have “lost control.”

Our foray into Canada was a great one. We are looking forward to the next nine Provinces under the banner of the Maple Leaf – which just happens to be the name of Toronto’s National Hockey League team – the Toronto Maple Leafs.

RUNNING: A Team Sport? Again??

Let’s start with what should be a very obvious equation: Sleep deprivation + Exhaustion = No Fun, and only if I’m compensated handsomely! So how did the equation, in reality, look like this? Sleep deprivation + Exhaustion + “Been There, Done That” = I will even PAY to do it again! Such was the case three weeks ago as I joined 11 other runners (all young enough to be my kids) with short memories to run the Red Rock Relay again. Neither Karen nor I had planned to run the Red Rock this year – but when I got a call two weeks before the race from a team (The Rabid Squirrels) that included several we ran this with last year – and who had lost a runner due to injury – I wasn’t overly difficult to persuade.

As was the case last year, the relay was a 24-hour, 186-mile long run, starting at Brian Head ski resort. However, much of the course was changed from last year. It stayed in the high country south and east of Brian Head much longer. That is where our van (#2, which included 3 people we ran with last year) started, at nearly 10,000’. We went down Cedar Canyon to Cedar City, west across the desert to Enterprise, south through the Bull Mountains and Snow Canyon (in the dark, unfortunately) to St. George, and then east to Springdale where it ended against the spectacular canyon walls of the entrance to Zion National Park.

By the end of my third leg on Saturday morning, with it getting very warm, and after an unexpected steep trail section and over 17 miles – I was glad to be finished. However, I suspect I could be “persuaded” to do it again. There is something about the camaraderie, the format, and the challenge that breeds excitement and, ultimately satisfaction. I’m not certain my sentiments would have been the same, had you asked me during my second leg at 2:30 Saturday morning, after already running hills for over half an hour – but the adrenaline is real and with only 2-3 hours of intermittent sleep – all of us were ready for the final leg.

Luckily, after a great Mexican meal, I got a nap and then met Karen in St. George, who had agreed to come down with me – spending a day-and-a-half with Emily and the boys while I ran.
We enjoyed a production of Gershwin’s Crazy for You at Tuacahn that night (I even stayed awake). On Sunday we met Emily and the boys at Valley of Fire, where we had lunch and got Rachel back before heading home. Notwithstanding 17 miles and little sleep, it was another great weekend.

Running was always a very individual and personal activity for me. I loved the time to think, to de-tress and to stay active. However, I’ve learned over the past 6-8 years, that it isn’t ALWAYS just an individual thing. Running with Karen (and Rachel, for that matter) has provided a new dimension. It’s breathed new life into a hobby; it’s provided incentive to stick with it, to stay healthy and to find new challenges. I will always enjoy “my time” while running, but am blessed and happy to frequently “share the run”. I’m looking forward to making some form of running my “trademark” with the Grandkids – and I’m looking forward to running with my kids in the not too distant future – but in a relatively distant place! Are you ready, Team Johnson?? There is less than 16 months to post!

RUNNING THE LAST FRONTIER (and barely seeing it)

Last month in Montana we ran in Big Sky Country. In Alaska, it was going to be even grander – Big Everything Country – the magnitude and majesty of the mountains, the solitude of wilderness, the vastness of open space, the ice fields and the unending vistas.

No doubt, Alaska has earned every one of those superlatives. However, for us on this trip, it validated a couple of other appropriate adjectives: mysterious and inaccessible.


In ten days, we caught occasional (albeit infrequent) glimpses of the sun; saw a couple of small patches of blue sky; had some tantalizing (but nonetheless impressive) images of peaks and mountains; wore rain gear quite a bit; and drove across vast plains shrouded in clouds, mist and fog. None of this should imply the trip was not a good one – but if you’ve tasted something heavenly, and there just isn’t enough to satisfy the hunger and desire – that is the feeling we had as we tried to chase pockets of blue sky and misguided weather forecasts across south central Alaska.

Along the way, we DID see some beautiful waterfalls and cascades, magnificent glaciers – to include one calving huge chunks of ice into a fjord, and abundant marine wildlife, to include a pod of orcas, porpoises, harbor seals, Stellar sea lions, sea otters and birds of many feathers and colors. We also saw black bears with multiple cubs, moose with smaller “moosettes”, mountain sheep, caribou and bald eagles – and we kayaked on a glacial lake choked with icebergs the size of fortresses – exploring ice caves and canyons along the way. Indeed, Alaska remains the Last Frontier. There will always be more – just beyond your reach.

As for the race, it was a success. There wasn’t anything particularly remarkable about it, but it was a good course (part of it run along Cook Inlet and in the fog), with a few rolls to keep a person honest and a few twists and turns to make you wonder if you missed something. It was logistically pretty well-supported and there were a couple of running legends on-hand (specifically Jeff Galloway and Bart Yasso).

The post-race food was hardly a feast, but the bread was good. I didn’t try to push the pace due to my recent hamstring issues, but still finished well ahead of what I had been able to do in Montana and was grateful that the hamstring still felt pretty good after the race.

During the race we had our very own, personal race photographer. Kathi took pictures at the start and then captured us at multiple points along the course and again (at least for Karen) at the end. We also had a very good visit and road trip with her for a week and thoroughly enjoyed her hospitality – with salmon and halibut being featured items on our post-race meal.



During the trip she became somewhat of an “Outdoors Mentor” for Rachel, telling her about plants and animals and the Alaskan traditions. They established some excellent rapport and it was amazing some of the things Rachel retained! Also enjoyed time with Nub and Kami and were able to visit with Kristen, Phil and their other kids on Sunday afternoon.

As for my “thoughts” for this post – I am again reminded of the importance of expectations. They shape our sentiments and our assessments of events. Where we expect much the bar is higher for feeling an event was a success. Where we expect little, we may not often be disappointed – but we may also need to examine where the bar was set – or if it was even used. I think the analogy has application in many aspects of our lives and families. True, there are events beyond our control (Alaska weather to be sure). Also true, we can adjust our expectations to keep them aligned with reality – without sacrificing goals, standards and aspirations.

We’ve run the Last Frontier, but suspect it may yet beckon us again. Until then, we’ll be looking for blue skies and sunshine for our next trip!