Race report: Inaugural Somersault K-Town Enduro triathlon

When the 2026 triathlon schedules were announced by Multisport Canada and Somersault Events, Alasdair and I were disappointed to see that the K-Town triathlon would no longer include a long course (2k swim, 56k bike, 15k run) as it had previously. But then we noticed that Somersault Events, who took over the race completely from Multisport Canada, created a new event called the Enduro. When we learned what it would entail, competing in a sprint triathlon at 8 am immediately followed by an Olympic triathlon at 10 am, we realized two things: 1) it should have been called “The Alasdair”, and 2) we were in!

At the Saturday afternoon race kit pick-up we got our race bibs and swim caps, and found the bike rack where we would put our things for the race. After our usual Kingston pre-race dinner of Wooden Heads Gourmet Pizza (this time with friends), we had Mio Gelato dessert outside before the skies opened up once again! Speaking of skies, we had our fingers crossed that smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario wouldn’t cancel the race.

8 am sprint triathlon

On race morning we arrived at CFB Kingston a little before registration opened at 7 am. We picked up our timing chips and got body marking done, and then racked our bikes side by side (this is very unusual!) because all 27 athletes in the Enduro race were on the same two racks. In total there were more than 400 athletes competing in the sprint and Olympic triathlons.

Alasdair (left) and me (right) differ slightly in our organization. 🙂

My plan for the sprint was to push hard, so that I would have as much time as possible before I had to start the Olympic at 10 am. With the hilly bike and run course, I figured it could take me 1 hour and 45 minutes to do the sprint, which would give me just 15 minutes to get re-organized, eat something, put my wetsuit back on and walk down to the water.

750 m swim

Somersault uses rolling swim starts, so instead of an assigned start time, you start when you’re ready. I never ever start with the lead swimmers (because I am slow!), but given I needed as much time as possible in between races, I opted to start right with the “1:15 min/100 m” or faster swimmers. Double that and add a bit more and you’ve got my pace!

When the 3-2-1 countdown was done, athletes moved forward a few people at a time, crossed the timing mat and walked or ran down the slippery mat, then dove into the water. As soon as I started swimming the chop and congestion was crazy! I hated it. I hadn’t taken many strokes before I stopped, looked around, and then resumed swimming at the far left side – right side breathing only until I finally calmed down. Because I started near the front of the pack I was passed – a lot! But once I was bilateral breathing again the swim was pretty uneventful. It was a clockwise route keeping 5 buoys on the right side, then back up the same mat through the Somersault inflatable arch. I was impressed with the time I saw on my watch and figured the course must have measured a little short! I made the long run to transition, pulling my wetsuit down to my waist and taking my goggles and swim cap off as I ran. I found Alasdair at his bike in transition.

20 km bike

I removed the rest of my wetsuit, put on my socks, shoes, race bib, helmet and sunglasses, and took off with my bike, Alasdair right in front of me. We essentially started our ride at the same time. But he took off up the very first (steepest) hill, and I eventually lost sight of him. The course was 10 km out and 10 km back, with a few hills in between! I didn’t realize until I was almost at the turnaround how close I was to Alasdair. But by the time I made it back to transition, he had already left on his run. I racked my bike, removed my helmet, put on my running hat, changed my shoes and headed onto the run course.

5 km run

There was a fairly late change to the run course to avoid a shooting exercise on the base, so this would be a new run course for me. I knew it would still be hilly, but in fact it wasn’t as hilly I expected!

I felt strong on the run, and surprised myself by finishing in 1:35:00, giving me a full 25 minutes before I had to race again! I went back to my spot in transition, ate a banana, re-organized my stuff (including a clean dry pair of socks), put my wetsuit on and headed back to the water with Alasdair (he finished about 3 minutes ahead of me).

Sprint race stats:

Time: 1:35:00
750 m swim: 17:49 (2:22/100 m)
T1: 3:51
20 km bike: 42:49 (28.0 km/h)
T2: 1:27
5 km run: 29:05 (5:49 min/km)
Women 50-54: 5/11
Women: 40/115
All athletes: 123/248

Olympic triathlon

My goal for the Olympic was to take it at an easier pace than the sprint and to just finish!

1500 m swim

There was a last-minute change to the swim course because of some sort of danger further out, so instead we would swim 2 loops of the sprint course. I decided to start mid-pack because there was no rush to start for this race. Alasdair started near the front because he enjoyed the drafting he did in the sprint! My race started much more smoothly this time, but overall I encountered way more congestion. I thought things might spread out in the second loop, but nope. I think I just ended up swimming very close to 2 athletes with the same pace as me. In any case, I made it to the swim exit, got a fist bump from Race Director Adam, told him “That’s enough swimming for today!” (the most distance I’ve ever covered in a day), and headed for transition!

40 km bike

By the time I got to my bike, Alasdair was already gone. This time I re-applied sunscreen, ate part of a homemade muffin (I got quite hungry on the swim!), and took off with my bike. I only rode a very short distance (less than 100 m) before I stopped for a quick pee break at the portapotties. Then I headed back up the dreaded hill!

My least favourite hill of the bike course (except coming back down it)!

Unfortunately I got confused and thought that I hadn’t switched my watch from T1 to biking, so I switched it and saw I was now in T2. I thought oh well I might as well put it to running! So for the entire bike (except for the first 5 minutes) I had no idea what my distance or pace was (there were no distance markers on the bike course, though my watch buzzed at me after every km). My watch must have been freaking out – I was running so fast! In fact after the race I got a new marathon record, a new fastest mile, etc.! I ate some fig bars during the ride, and tried to drink all of my electrolyte.

I spotted the 10 km turnaround marker for the sprint race flat on the ground, and then later I asked an athlete that I passed what distance we were at, and he replied 13.9 km. I kept riding, and felt like it was taking forever to get to the 20 km turnaround. I figured I still had at least 5 km to go, and was feeling somewhat discouraged, when I spotted a police car ahead and realized it was the turnaround! And then I saw Alasdair, and was shocked to see that I was just about 1 km behind him! That lifted my spirits!

I think I slowed on the way back, and while I was sure we would have a tail wind on the return, somehow we did not!! I was watching for the 10 km turnaround sign from the sprint but I never did see it, so it seemed to take forever to ride back. But then I recognized where I was and knew I was getting close. Another athlete passed me and said 5 km to go!

Unfortunately I had to stop again to pee, but once I was back in transition it was a quick switch into my running gear (with another bite of the muffin) and off I went.

10 km run

For the Olympic we would do 2 loops of the sprint course, which has the biggest uphill very close to the start. It wasn’t long before I spotted Alasdair, but he was a couple of kilometres ahead of me (because of the nature of the run course, I saw him multiple times). While I didn’t stop for water or electrolytes for the sprint, I stopped each time I passed an aid station on the Olympic for water (some to drink, some to pour on my head). At around 2 km I got a really bad side stitch, and ended up having to walk for a while (even downhill, sigh!). A volunteer on a bike asked if I was okay, and offered me salt, which I took. It wasn’t too long before I was running again, so I gave him an update and thanked him the next time I passed him! Until that point my race had been going great – I haven’t had something like that during a triathlon for a long time!

The temperature was rising, so I really appreciated the homeowners on the run course who set up sprinklers or stood there with hoses to spray us!

After 3 hours, 29 minutes and 41 seconds, I crossed the finish line of the Olympic triathlon, my Enduro race complete! Alasdair finished about 15 minutes ahead of me. Post-race food was pizza, bananas, chips, butter tarts and maybe something else! Before we left we stayed to cheer on the last of the Olympic triathlon finishers. Then we headed for DQ for ice cream – I had been craving a chocolate milkshake for a good part of the Olympic race!

Olympic race stats:

Time: 3:29:41
1500 m swim: 39:27 (2:37 min / 100 m)
T1: 4:43 (includes sunscreen application)
40 km bike: 1:33:52
T2: 1:53
10 km run: 1:09:47 (6:58 min/km)
Women 50-54: 4/4
Women: 52/66
All athletes: 141/176

Enduro race stats:

Time: 5:04:42
Women: 6/7
All athletes: 21/27

If you’re looking for a very different triathlon challenge, I highly recommend this race. Adam and the entire Somersault crew put on great events. The staff and volunteers were fantastic and the race was well-organized. Thanks Somersault for a great race!

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Race Report: 2026 Triathlon Season Opening Double-header – Gravenhurst Olympic and Sprint

Driving North to Gravenhurst for the season-opening Multisport Canada Triathlon Series Gravenhurst triathlon weekend, we got to enjoy the Canadian Forces Snowbirds (military aerobatics flight demonstration team) as they flew in the Barrie area in their last year of existence. They were very impressive!

Once again Alasdair and I registered for both the Saturday Olympic triathlon and Sunday sprint triathlon.

Saturday Olympic Triathlon

The weather forecast was great for Saturday, with a temperature in the low 20s, and no rain until much later in the day. I picked up my race bib, swim cap, timing chip and t-shirt, got myself organized and then had a lot of time to wait to board the steamship taking me out to the swim start.

Bike racked, gear prepped, ready to race!

Start times are assigned by predicted finishing times, so Alasdair was on the first running of the ship, starting 50 minutes before me. I was in the 5th of 6 waves of athletes.

1500m Swim

Once the steamship gets close to the yellow starting buoys, athletes jump off one at a time (hold onto your goggles!) and swim to the start. Once everyone in the wave is there, a 10-second countdown precedes the blast of a horn. Between the start and the one and only turning buoy, a boat must have gone by because we encountered some huge waves! I had to stop momentarily. I heard someone say, “Are you okay?” and another guy responded, “Yeah, but these waves are ridiculous!” Otherwise my swim was pretty uneventful except for having to fix my goggles 3 times in quick succession. Then I saw a goggle strap in front of my face and had to fix that. Sigh. I swam fairly straight, keeping the 8 orange sighting buoys on my left as I made my way to shore (you can swim on either side). I encountered no congestion! As I climbed up the ladder out of Lake Muskoka I saw 40 minutes on my watch and was not at all surprised. That’s pretty much the pace I’ve been swimming in the pool. Slow! As I ran along the dock to the transition zone, I unzipped my wetsuit, pulled it down to my waist, and pulled my goggles and swim cap off. I ran all the way around the transition zone (it’s a long way!), and arrived back at my bike to see that almost every other bike around me was already gone.

40k Ride

After removing the rest of my wetsuit, I put on my sunglasses, helmet, cycling shoes and race belt, grabbed a bite of banana bread and ran to the mount line. Somehow I messed up my watch and had it stuck in transition mode, so for the entire bike I had no idea how far I had gone or what my pace was (however there are distance markers every 5k). I started riding (into the wind!) and knew it wouldn’t be too long before I saw Alasdair coming the other way.

In addition to watching for Alasdair I kept my eyes open for turtles crossing the road. Thankfully, I never did see one. However, I did escort a big Snapping turtle across the road on the bike route on the way to the race! I spotted Alasdair, and then spent a good chunk of the ride leap-frogging with 3 other athletes – Bridget, Sam, and Grant. It helped to pass the time!

10k Run

Back in transition I racked my bike, removed my helmet, changed into running shoes, grabbed my hat and headed for the run course. I ducked into the bushes for a quick pee. I might have been at around the 1km mark when I saw Alasdair coming the other way. I tried to push on the run, but wasn’t able to go as fast as I would have liked to. I ended up walking one of the last hills, crossing the finish line just 12 seconds slower than last year.

Race stats:

1500 swim: 40:58 (2:43/100m)
T1: 3:59
40k bike: 1:25:45 (28 km/h)
T2: 1:40
10k run: 1:04:51 (6:28 min/km)
Overall time: 3:17:11

After the race I had veggie pizza, watched some of the awards presentation, and then headed for the finish line to cheer on the remaining athletes before heading back to our friends’ cottage to relax.

Sunday Sprint Triathlon

“Bzzzzzzz!” We weren’t the only ones at the race site very early on the Sunday morning for the sprint triathlon – in fact, we might have been outnumbered by mosquitoes! The thunderstorm that blew through the night before, the lingering rain and the 14C temperature didn’t help.

Because rain was forecast during the race, after picking up my race bib, swim cap, and timing chip I organized my things inside a black garbage bag to keep it all dry until I needed it. I put my Sulphur Springs towel on top to make it easier to find my spot after the bike.

Bike racked, gear protected from the rain, ready to race!

Once again Alasdair and I were on different runnings of the boat, so I chatted with other athletes.

750m Swim

This time I was the first person to jump off the boat other than the lifeguard! I learned that while athletes can wear wetsuits to stay warm and be more buoyant, the lifeguards aren’t allowed to! After the 10 second countdown the horn sounded and off I went. My swim was even more uneventful than the day before, with zero congestion, zero waves, and zero goggle issues! I swam pretty much the same pace too (slightly slower). This time, when I reached my bike it looked like all the bikes on my rack were still there.

20k Bike

Unfortunately, an athlete in front of me at the start line had trouble clipping into her pedals, so I spent a frustrating few seconds waiting for her to do so. It’s easy to get flustered when you know people are waiting for you! I rode pretty much the same pace as the day before, encountered less wind, and once again spotted Alasdair early on. When I got back to my spot and racked my bike Alasdair was standing there, already done his race. He told me I had a chance to beat him, but he didn’t know what his time was, so that wasn’t very helpful to me.

5k Run

I set out on the run hoping to maintain a faster pace than the day before. Given I was only going 5k I knew I should be able to push more. To be honest, I never once thought about the possibility of beating Alasdair. It wasn’t until I was about 100m from the finish line that another racer standing with him told me to speed up, that I could catch him and that it was close. I sped up slightly. It wasn’t until I was done and Alasdair told me his time that I realized I had beat him by a little under 3 minutes. This was one for the record books, because I’ve never beat him before! However, I don’t consider it a true victory because he was taking it easy as he returns from a hamstring injury. In any case, I was about 45 seconds faster than last year, and was pretty happy with my race.

Race Stats:

750 swim: 20:48 (2:46/100m)
T1: 3:31
20k bike: 42:44 (28.1 km/h)
T2: 1:29
5k run: 29:50 (5:57 min/km)
Overall time: 1:38:19

It’s always great to see athletes, volunteers and Multisport Canada staff who we haven’t seen since the race season ended last September. If you’re looking for a fun triathlon season-opener, this race is a great one!

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Race report: Winterlude Triathlon 2026 (skate, run, ski)

Why rest my legs for the 2026 edition of the Winterlude Triathlon when I’ve driven around 500 km to Ottawa three days before the race and can have fun skating on the Rideau Canal and skiing the race course?! Tapering is overrated.

I only managed to cross-country ski twice this winter before arriving in Ottawa (mostly around my local baseball and soccer fields and along a creek), so I skied the race course at Mooney’s Bay twice before the race. It was nice to remind myself that yes, I can ski, and yes, I can make it up and down small hills. I also skated the Rideau Canal three times, 8 km with my friend Josée, 17 km with my friends Kristi and Nathalie, and another 15 km with Alasdair!

On Saturday afternoon between 3 and 6 PM athletes were encouraged to pick up race bibs at Bushtukah in Westboro (what a great store!). Alasdair and I had a good chat with Adam the Race Director while we were there getting my bib and Josée’s.

This year the forecast was for a temperature of -19C at the start of the race, feeling like -27C with the windchill, with temperatures rising to a high of -9C in the afternoon (long after the race would be done). This was a promising improvement over last year’s frigid temperature and bitter wind.

A 5 AM wake-up meant we were able to check out of our accommodations and be at the race site by 6:10 AM, snagging a parking spot at the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. I was the first person to set up my ski gear on the seat side of the bleachers (transition spots were assigned by groups of bib numbers). I left my skis and poles leaning against the bleachers, and my boots, dry socks, dry gloves, hand warmers, a granola bar, and hot water in a thermos in a bag. Then Alasdair and I waited in the car for a while to keep warm. At one point when I went out to use the bathroom I saw someone carrying a timing chip and remembered I needed to grab mine! Since Josée was yet to arrive, I grabbed hers too.

Once Josée arrived and had her ski gear set up, we got into a line-up for a school bus ride to the start line. This turned into an adventure we were not expecting, when the driver stopped within eyesight of the Somersault big purple inflatable starting arch, and then drove away again, uncertain where we were supposed to be let out. This added about 10 minutes (and some stress!) to our drive as the 8 AM race start was fast approaching. Thankfully we were the first ones off the bus and I made a beeline for the bathroom! Josée headed for the warming shelter on the ice to put her skates on. While waiting for her to use the bathroom I skated around to try not to get too cold. I was dressed for racing, not standing still. I listened to a volunteer giving timing updates – 9 minutes to go, 2 minutes to go…

8k Skate

At last we were ready, pretty much just as the horn sounded! This year, the race was so big that there would be two waves of athletes starting 20 minutes apart. But within the first wave, around 20 athletes would start every 10-15 seconds. We wanted to be in the first wave so we didn’t have to stand around and get cold. And we managed to be in the last group of the first wave!

And then we were off! The ice was in great shape, the best I had seen it since arriving in Ottawa. The skate starts near Fifth Avenue, heading south and then west towards Dow’s Lake. We were flying! At Dow’s Lake the course turns north, but this year the wind was significantly less than last year. This is where we spotted Alasdair cheering for us for the first time, and also where we were lapped by the lead skaters in a tight pack (mostly wearing speed skates). Turning south and then continuing west until the western limit of the skating area, we turned back towards Dow’s Lake to do another loop of this section. When we were done the skate we headed for a picnic table to change into our running shoes, which we had to carry on our backs while skating. I also changed the thin gloves I was wearing under my mitten shells so I would start with dry hands. We put our skating gear into a bag, and added it to a big pile as we reached the stairs taking us up to the run course.

5k Run

While I felt that I could have worn one less top layer on the skate, it didn’t take long before my hands started overheating on the run and I had to carry my mitten shells. The run heads east for a short while, then back west along a recreational path towards the Terry Fox Athletic Facility. Josée and I ran together, passing Alasdair as he walked back to the race site.

The path was covered in snow and slush, but it was not slippery. We had agreed that we would part ways for the ski, as Josée switched to skate skiing this year, and would be faster than me skiing classic. When I reached the transition area I downed a cup of electrolyte and ran into the bathroom for a quick pee break, then got ready to ski, pulling off one of my two pairs of socks, and eating a now frozen granola bar as I got ready. I changed my inner gloves again.

6k Cross-country Ski

I carried my skis and poles past the timing mat, put them on and set off! I was glad that I had skied the course a couple of times before the race, because I knew what to expect. The course is groomed for skate skiing and class skiing, and as I skied along I looked wistfully at the skate skiers speeding past me. I did pass some classic skiers, stepping into the second set of tracks to do so. I also got passed. But I never found the course to be congested. I had to shuffle up two short hills with my skis in a V shape, but the other hill I was able to ski up. There’s just one significant downhill that really isn’t very steep. I saw Alasdair a few times on the ski course, both on the first loop and the second. I only saw Josée near the beginning when she passed me (I started skiing first).

I felt good during the race despite my un-rested legs! Towards the end of the ski my arms and shoulders were tiring. Once I was done my second loop I headed up the last hill to the finish line. Josée had met her goal of finishing under 2 hours (woohoo!), with me finishing about 10 minutes later.

I’m happy with my how my race went, though I’m tempted to learn how to skate ski! Unfortunately, living where I do there aren’t areas nearby that groom ski trails, and skate skiing around a soccer field wouldn’t work too well!

After the race we lined up for food, and while waiting in line an awesome volunteer brought us hot chocolate! I grabbed a banana (not frozen this time!), a granola bar, and a vegetarian ramen cup (which hit the spot!).

Thank you Josée for the great company, Alasdair for the cheers and support, and Somersault for another awesome race!

Results

Time: 2:06:25
8k skate: 33:58 (includes T1 skate to run transition)
5k run: 33:35
T2 run to ski transition: 5:31
6k ski: 53:20
Women 50-54: 14/19
Women: 113/189
All athletes: 249/361

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My 1st year as a Dundas Turtle Watch volunteer

Who knew my first year as a Dundas Turtle Watch volunteer would see me sitting in the grass on the side of a busy road for more than 3 hours waiting for a Midland painted turtle to lay eggs! And little did I know I’d be releasing some of her hatchlings just under 2 months later.

But I’m getting ahead of myself! In 2024 I applied to be a Dundas Turtle Watch volunteer; unfortunately, they already had enough. In the spring of 2025 I was pleasantly surprised to receive a phone call asking me if I was still interested in volunteering. Of course I said yes.

Dundas Turtle Watch is a volunteer-led group started in 2009 by Joanna Chapman. Twice a day (morning and night) during the turtle nesting season volunteers walk in teams of 2 or 3 through a wetland area at the west end of Dundas, recording sightings of live or dead turtles, as well as other wildlife (e.g. birds, frogs, snakes). Data is shared with the Royal Botanical Gardens and Ontario Nature. Turtles in danger on or near roadways are helped to safety, and turtles struck by vehicles are given veterinary care. Eggs from female turtles that don’t make it can be saved and incubated. All activities with turtles and eggs are conducted under permit from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (Wildlife Scientific Collectors Authorization).

After successfully passing the volunteer screening questions – Can you walk for an hour while carrying a hammer? Can you take photographs of dead wildlife? – among others, I was invited to the mandatory spring training session in April. In addition to meeting other new and returning volunteers, I learned tons about turtles from the super informative presentation. For example:

Estimates are that in the 1960’s there were 600 Snapping turtles in Cootes Paradise, but in 2020 there were only 200 left.
The sex of a turtle is determined by the temperature of the egg in the nest.
These are 8 species of turtle in Ontario but only 4 in the Dundas area: Midland painted, Northern map, Blandings and the Snapping turtle (not counting the invasive Red-eared slider that people sometimes release into bodies of water).
The survival rate for turtle hatchlings to reach sexual maturity is around 1%. This is why they need all the help they can get!

I also learned what turtle patrolling would involve, and who to call for help if needed.

In preparation for turtle nesting season, I met a small group of volunteers on May 14 to prepare a number of nesting beds. Before removing the tarps that cover them in the winter, we were warned that there may be snakes underneath them – there were, and I was prepared with my camera and macro lens! We also had to weed the beds, because apparently turtles prefer weed-free nesting areas! That first night I unknowingly came home with my first (and thankfully only!) tick of the season (granted, I had been lying in the grass taking pictures and hadn’t put on deet).

And then the week of May 25 turtle patrols began! I was very fortunate to be partnered with Hali, an experienced turtle volunteer who also happened to be my dad’s neighbour. I knew she would be able to teach me everything I needed to know! On Thursday nights we would meet on the route we were assigned, walking 1-2 km or so in search of turtles, or turtle activity. We were warned at the turtle training session that some people will see nothing, but I was hopeful I would be one of the lucky ones (spoiler alert: I was!).

One night in June (13th) we had a very busy shift. Not only did we find 2 partially predated Snapping turtle nests that we filled in and covered with nest protectors, but I also spotted a Midland painted turtle at the edge of the road when I was heading out to get more nest protectors from the storage shed (we started the night with just one, but needed three!).

While Hali continued protecting turtle nests (another volunteer brought the nest covers we needed!), I sat 15 metres away from the painted turtle for more than 3 hours to make sure she didn’t get hit by a car once she was done laying her eggs, and to make sure her eggs would be safe. I learned the hard way that night to always carry my backpack with me (with food, water and other supplies) – I had made the mistake of leaving it with Hali because I thought I was making a quick drive over to the supply shed! Lesson learned. Because the nest was in an unsafe location, we dug the eggs up so that they could be incubated in one of the Dundas Turtle Watch incubators until the hatchlings appeared, at which time they would be returned to the water near where we found them. Despite watching the turtle for so long, it was actually difficult to find the nest (thankfully she chose a spot right under a light post, which made it easier since we were in complete darkness at this point – my phone flashlight saved the day)! I couldn’t believe how well she covered it (with the grass!) and how small the hole was. We found 8 eggs. It was quite the night!

Later in June (17th) Hali showed me how to take care of turtle eggs that are collected and incubated. It gave me a newfound respect for wildlife re-habbers, as it’s quite a time (and infrastructure) commitment to take care of wildlife. Hali was kind enough to allow some of my family from Scotland to drop by another day to see the eggs! They absolutely loved it.

Snapping turtle eggs (round) and Midland painted turtle eggs (oblong) incubating

On June 26 we investigated some disturbed soil, digging carefully until we discovered a Snapping turtle egg. We protected the nest with a nest cover, part of which (the fine mesh) would be removed in August to let the hatchlings out.

While twice daily patrols stop during parts of July and August (because egg laying is done and turtle eggs are incubating), I kept walking every week when I was able to.

One night in July (24th) I brought Alasdair with me on patrol, and not only did he find a predated (uncovered) nest (i.e. one that volunteers had not known about), but he hammered tent pegs into the very very dry ground using a brick as a hammer to protect the remaining intact eggs with nest covers – all this at 35C (felt like 44C with the humidity)! I told him he was hired!

On July 31 I walked with another volunteer named Rosemary (a friend of my dad’s) to map the GPS locations of nests. We didn’t spot any turtles, but we did see around 7 deer and a beaver.

In early August (5th) Alasdair, my dad and I had the privilege of releasing hatchlings from the June Midland painted turtle into the wild with Hali – into mud at the edge of a pond! They knew what to do and all 3 went into the water. It was an amazing experience. The turtles were tiny and so adorable. Of the 8 we harvested from the nest, 7 hatched, but 1 died afterwards. The last egg apparently will not hatch. But we gave the best chance of survival to 6 hatchlings! We said, “Good luck little ones!”

Also in August (7th) Alasdair and I met Rosemary and her husband Peter to remove the fine mesh covers from the nest protectors to allow the hatchlings to get out.

On August 21 I got to release a Snapping turtle hatchling with Hali.

On August 28 I spotted a Snapping turtle hatchling on the trail, which led us to find turtles emerging from their nest (a first for me). It was amazing! As they came out of the hole we put them in a container with soil and wet them so we could give them the best chance of success by taking them directly to the water (they hatched at the top of a steep embankment!). As people passed by we talked to them about what we were doing, and let them move the turtles into the container if they wanted to – two teenage boys were so excited to take part that they wanted to become volunteers. Hali then left me with the turtles while she walked the rest of our patrol route in case there were others emerging. By the time she returned 17 turtles were in the container, and it was getting dark. We decided not to wait any longer but to move onto the next step, excavating the nest (by hand) to remove any remaining turtles. In the end we counted 35 turtles and 35 eggshells (so we knew we didn’t miss a turtle). Then we filled the hole back in.

At some point while sitting there I realized there was an emergent hole under a nest cover beside me, so we decided to excavate that one too. In the fading light it was hard to see inside the nest, so it was mostly by feel – and sometimes I wasn’t sure if I was pulling out a rock or a turtle! We made a pile of dirt and rock that I dug out and Hali made sure I didn’t miss any turtles (I did!). We found 16 turtles and 24 eggs (a few of the turtles were still partly in their eggs!). Some of the turtles had left the nest before we arrived (I did find one dead dried up one a few feet away). We also found 2 whole eggs that would be checked for heartbeats – if there was one the egg would be put in an incubator. By the time we packed up it was dark, which is not a good time to release turtles (too many predators). We would release them the next day.

On August 29 Alasdair and I got to help release the 51 Snapping turtle hatchlings that Hali and I collected the day before. We stayed until almost all of them had buried themselves in the mud.

On September 4th we found 2 emergent nests. The Snapping turtle hatchlings needed a little warming up to go from sleepy to get me out of here!

On September 18 we didn’t find any turtles, but I spotted Monarch caterpillars on our route, and Hali spotted a DeKay’s brownsnake! We escorted the snake off the parking lot and across the walking path to keep it safe. This would be the last creature we helped while on turtle patrol in 2025.

Monarch caterpillar with a snail in the leaf, and a DeKay’s brownsnake

I loved my first year as a Dundas Turtle Watch volunteer. As expected, Hali taught me so much! I lucked out with my mentor! Thank you Hali for a great season and for being such a great teacher!! At the beginning I felt like I knew nothing, but I quickly learned what to do in different situations. I am looking forward to turtle patrols in 2026! Turtles are incredible.

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Race report: Niagara Falls Barrelman Triathlon 2025

After participating in the first 5 editions of this race (2014-2018), Alasdair and I decided to take a break from half Ironman distance races. But this year, I decided to try it again on what would be the 10th anniversary of the Niagara Falls Barrelman Triathlon. If you’re not familiar with this race, it’s a point to point triathlon in which you swim 2k at the International Flatwater Centre in Welland (built for the 2015 Pan American Games canoe/kayak events), bike 90k to Niagara Falls, and run 21.1k in Niagara Falls. And new this year, an Olympic distance triathlon was added (1500m swim, 40k bike, 10k run), which Alasdair registered for.

There are logistical challenges to a point to point race, but the Barrelman is super well organized. On the day before the race (the Saturday), we attended the optional in-person pre-race briefing that supplements the online briefing athletes could watch on their own time. We picked up our race kits (bib, t-shirt, timing chip, tattoos and the all-important clear, red, and black race bags that would be used to shuttle our stuff from the start line to the finish). Before leaving we racked our bikes in transition.

That night we put on our number tattoos (in lieu of body marking) and organized our race bags: clear bags for post-race clothes (which would be transported to the finish for us), red bags for run gear (which would be transported to our spot in transition at T2), and black bags for swim gear (which we would use after the swim). Unfortunately there was a bit of a mix-up with the black bags (way too small), but Multisport Canada went out and bought black garbage bags that would be big enough. They had run out when I got my race kit, but I was assured I could pick one up the next morning.

On race morning I could only manage to eat about half my usual pre-race oatmeal breakfast, but I had extra food to eat before I started. We were at the bus shuttle at Upper Grand Rapids Parking Lot before 6 AM, on the first school bus full of nervous and excited athletes, and at the International Flatwater Centre more than 2 hours before my 8:48 AM start time. We dropped our red run bags at the bus shuttle so we didn’t have to take them with us to T1.

Once I arrived at T1 I added my bottles of F2C to my bike, added food to my bike crossbar bag (Oreos, Nutrigrain bars, homemade energy balls and mini waffle bits with honey), and got my stuff ready for swimming and biking. I was cold, so I put my volunteer shirt on, which of course prompted several people to ask me questions. I ate a waffle with peanut butter and honey, visited the portapotties multiple times, and chatted with other athletes.

Given the later start of the Olympic race, I wondered whether athletes would still be in bathroom lineups when I came out of the water from my swim – I hoped not, as I really didn’t want to have to wait in line during my race (and I have not mastered peeing while swimming!).

Pre-race and ready to go (photo credit: Trevor)

2k swim

At about the time the pros started at 8:29, I got into the water for a very short warm-up, and then went back to shore. With 5 minutes before my start time, I headed to the start line between 2 yellow buoys. I never know where to place myself, because I’m slow and don’t want everyone swimming over me, but also don’t want to have to pass many people. I think I got it wrong this time, with a lot of congestion at the start. It took a while for the crowd to eventually spread out, at which point I headed for the ever-helpful underwater wire holding the canoe/kayak lane marker buoys, and used that to keep me going straight instead of having to look up and ahead frequently.

I was pretty happy to have no goggle issues, but I did have faster swimmers in the wave behind me catch me and bump me as they went past. I had to be careful at times too for people doing the breaststroke so I didn’t get kicked in the head. In the last 250m or so I could feel that my swim cap was sliding back on my head – once at this same venue it came right off and I had to lean on a lifeguard’s SUP while I put it back on (not easy!) – this time I left it and hoped it would stay on (it did).

When I got to the swim exit the volunteers warned me that the mat was slippery, and gave me a hand to help me out. I was disappointed at the 51 minutes I saw on my watch (at the high end of my estimated time), but oh well! I ran along the paved path (where Alasdair cheered for me!), up the stairs, and straight for the bathroom! I took my wetsuit off before going in, and was relieved to find there was no line-up! I grabbed my wetsuit, goggles and swim cap from the ground and ran the few feet over to my bike.

I re-applied sunscreen and chamois cream, and ate a homemade apple muffin while I got my socks, shoes, sunglasses, helmet and race bib on. I shoved my swim stuff, extra water bottle and extra food into the black bag, grabbed my bike and headed for the road and the mount line.

90k bike

I had only just started pedalling when I saw someone changing a flat tire, and within the first 5k I saw 3 more athletes with mechanical issues. The bike course was revised this year to include two 25k loops of the Niagara Parkway along the Niagara River (scenic!), which was closed to traffic. This meant that faster cyclists had to pass slower cyclists more often, but it was safer riding overall.

At around 15k I was dismayed to notice my back tightening on the right side – already?! I hoped it didn’t get worse!

Very early on along the route I was hearing a noise on my bike, but it wasn’t the rattling noise I heard in July that had me bring my bike in for a check. It was something different, and more concerning – of course noises are hard to describe, but it sounded like a pebble being jostled around and released, quiet for a while, then repeat – I would not have been surprised if my pedal had fallen off! I was worried about changing gears, and in particular moving to the big chain ring, but thankfully shifting was fine. Eventually, near the end of the ride, I relaxed and decided it would be fine.

During the ride I was watching for people I knew, including Alasdair doing the Olympic – he started much later than me, but we did the math before the race and figured we’d see each other on the bike. On my first loop as we were heading North (against a slight headwind) he caught me and said “On your left, Sweetie!” He very very quickly told me he was having an amazing race as he passed me, and then he was gone!

At around 40k I stopped at the aid station quickly to pee (and lost 1 1/2 minutes in the process because I had to wait for a portapottie). Then at 65k at the same aid station I threw my bottle into one of several hockey net targets, and grabbed a bottle of water from one of the volunteers as I rode past. The water was so refreshing and such a treat after so much sweet F2C (electrolyte).

In the last few kilometres my hands were protesting holding onto my handlebars (I do not have aerobars). In this stretch I played leapfrog with 3 others, which probably made each of us go faster.

One group of 6-8 people in lawnchairs on the water side of the Niagara Parkway were great spectators, cheering for everyone! I thanked them the 5th and final time I went past!

Over the course of the ride I ate Oreos, multigrain granola bars, and homemade energy balls. I had 3 endurance taps gels in my shirt but did not use them.

I had no trouble finding my spot in T2, despite not going to check it out before the race. The racks were clearly marked, and my red run bag was waiting for me when I got there. I heard Alasdair yell to me that he had just finished his race. I dumped my red bag out, reapplied sunscreen, stuffed Cadbury mini eggs in my shirt pockets, changed my shoes, put my hat on, and ran for… you guessed it, the portapotty! Both were occupied, but after just a few seconds I spotted 3 more just outside transition at the start of the run course. After a quick stop, I had just a half marathon to go!

21.1k run

The run course is mostly flat with a couple of exceptions. At one point you get a fantastic view of both the American and Canadian falls. My friend Trevor caught me just before this point and told me the view was just ahead. We ran together for a bit and then he took off (he was finishing his 2nd loop)

It was warmer than I expected it to be on the run, and there wasn’t a lot of shade. I basically ran aid station to aid station, walking through them as I drank water and poured it on my head. I also poured ice into my top (to chew on later) and once I put it under my hat. The ice was the best part of the run! At one of the aid stations I took a wet towel and put it on the back of my neck, wetting it over and over each time I poured water on my head later on. I dealt with side stitches for a bit, but thankfully they didn’t last long!

At around 7k I felt my energy level really dropping, and I wondered how I would be able to finish. My pace was slowing. As I approached the end of loop one I asked a random spectator to “Tell me I can do another loop!” He replied, “You are an inspiration! I am proud of you! You can do this girl!” And then he let out a loud whoop! I chose the right guy for sure!!! I made a quick pee stop, and then when Alasdair cheered for me at the turnaround I was feeling like I might not be able to finish. He told me “Of course you can!” Unfortunately it took until 17k before I got my second wind!! Not sure if it was the heat or my nutrition.

I did force myself to have 3 Endurance tap gels during the run, even though I didn’t feel like having anything. I would have loved fresh fruit at the aid stations. The Cadbury mini eggs I was carrying did not appeal at all!

Pre-race I estimated that I’d finish somewhere in the 6 1/2 to 7 hour range, and I was right. I crossed the finish line at 6:45:25. I had hoped my run would go better, but I’m still happy with how my race went overall. Alasdair was waiting for me at the finish line. I enjoyed some veggie chili, a bun and pop, and then headed with Alasdair to the finish line where we stayed to cheer on the rest of the finishers.

Thank you Multisport Canada staff and all the volunteers and spectators for another great race!

Race stats

Time: 6:45:25 (14/20 women 50-54, 84/122 women, 280/380 overall
2k swim: 52:13
T1: 4:46
90k bike: 3:12:04
T2: 3:50
21.1k run: 2:32:34

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Running the Bruce Trail End to End: Peninsula Section and Finishing My End to End Running Adventure

I’ve now completed all 9 sections of the Bruce Trail!

What’s the Bruce Trail? According to the Bruce Trail Conservancy website, the Bruce Trail is “Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath. Running along the Niagara Escarpment in southern Ontario from Niagara to Tobermory, the Bruce Trail spans more than 890 km of main Trail and over 400 km of associated side trails.”

Niagara – Queenston to Grimsby (Maps 1-5) (read summary)
Iroquoia – Grimsby to Milton (Maps 5-11) (read summary)
Toronto – Milton to Cheltenham (Maps 11-14) (read summary)
Caledon Hills – Cheltenham to Mono Centre (Maps 14-19) (read summary)
Dufferin Hi-Land – Mono Centre to Lavender (Maps 19-21) (read summary)
Blue Mountains – Lavender to Craigleith (Maps 21-24) (read summary)
Beaver Valley – Craigleith to Blantyre (Maps 24-28) (read summary)
Sydenham – Blantyre to Wiarton (Maps 28-35) (read summary)
Peninsula – Wiarton to Tobermory (Maps 35-42)

PENINSULA SECTION

Started the Peninsula section: August 10, 2019

Finished the Peninsula section: August 16, 2025

Run details

August 10, 2019 – Bluewater Park to Bruce Road 9 – 6.6k (as part of Bruce Peninsula Multisport Race) (with Rebecca)

May 12, 2023 – Bruce Road 9 to Brock Street/Hope Bay (from end of Hope Bay Rd took side trail to Brock St parking) – 33k (with Kris)

November 8, 2024 – Brock Street/Hope Bay to Jackson’s Cove Road – 9.8k (with Josée)

November 9, 2024 – Jackson’s Cove Road to Rush Cove Road – 7.2k (with Josée)

June 14, 2025 – Rush Cove Road to Moore St (Lion’s Head) – 24.13k (with Heidi)

June 15, 2025 – Moore St (Lion’s Head) to Carter Road (Cape Chin South) – 16.92k (with Heidi)

August 11, 2025 – Park Road (Hope Bay) to Sydney Bay Bluffs Lookout and back – 4.22k (solo to fill in a section)

August 11, 2025 – Rush Cove Road to Rush Cove Road – 1.58k (solo to fill in a section)

August 12, 2025 – Carter Road (Cape Chin) to Lindsay Road 40 (Cabot Head Provincial Nature Reserve) 18.94k (solo)

August 14, 2025 – Lindsay Road 40 (Cabot Head Provincial Nature Reserve) – Halfway Dump Rd – 22.83k (solo)

August 15, 2025 – Halfway Dump Rd – Little Cove Rd – 18.18k (solo)

August 16, 2025 – Little Cove Rd – end – 6.66k (solo)

Run stats

# runs: 12
# solo runs: 6
# runs with my husband Alasdair: 0
# runs with friends: 6 (1 with Rebecca as part of BPMR, 1 with Kris, 2 with Josée, 2 with Heidi)
# trail angels: 8 (Alasdair 6, Kat 2)
shortest run: 7k
longest run: 33k
average length of run: 14.2k

Run highlights

Neat geologic feature: Given that my friend Josée and I were running through Hope Bay in the fall, we ran carefully to avoid ending up in any glacial potholes obscured by fallen leaves!

First Bruce Trail adventures with bikes: This spring my friend Heidi and I headed to the Bruce Peninsula with just one car, so we brought our bikes with us. We decided to park our car at the run end, ride our bikes along the road to the run start, lock them together and to a tree, do our run, then drive back to the start to get our bikes. On the first day we biked 14k then ran 21k, and on the second day we biked 19k then ran 17k! We worked hard for our post-run ice cream!

Mountain bikes locked to one another – and to a tree

The flood that wasn’t: When I heard that Crane Lake Road was flooded (apparently mid-calf or higher!), I debated carrying a second pair of trail running shoes to keep my feet dry while running, but I didn’t want to carry that much weight, so I thought I’d carry sandals instead. And then I saw water shoes at the Shops on Main in Lion’s Head and decided to buy a pair. But when I arrived at Crane Lake Road, there was no water on the road! The dry conditions we’ve been having lately meant that the road had dried up. To be honest, it was a bit of a disappointment! The flooded road would have been an adventure in itself!

Crane Lake Road, and entering Bruce Peninsula National Park

Close bear encounter: Heading north on the trail just before Britain Lake Road, I encountered a group of 3 hikers who told me they had just seen a bear on Britain Lake Road. It ran onto the Bruce Trail heading north (the way I was going!), so they decided to hike south! I had forgotten my bear bell at home, so I spent the next few kilometres trying to make more noise than usual, saying “Hey bear!” and “Where are you bear?!” and “Good morning!” and “Just passing through!” I also clapped sometimes, and then realized I could also make noise with my whistle! I know the vast majority of black bears are harmless (and this one took off as soon as it saw the hikers), but I still didn’t want to startle it! Luckily for me I never did see it.

Most amazing wildlife encounter: Running along the trail near Moore Lake (between Crane Lake Road and Halfway Dump Road), it was a couple of seconds before I realized the sound I was hearing may be the rattle of a Massasauga rattlesnake, the only venomous snake in Ontario! It was much quieter than I expected, and with the jingle of my bear bell, it was even harder to hear. But I stopped running, turned and looked over my left shoulder, and sure enough, there was a Massasauga rattlesnake! I was so excited, because it was the first one I had ever seen! Watching the tip of the tail vibrate back and forth quickly was pretty neat. No, I did not get close to it! I figured that if I were lucky enough to spot one, it would be sunning itself on rocks. Instead, this one was laying right on the trail in the dirt and leaves in the shade!

Most scenic views: In my opinion, the Peninsula section of the Bruce Trail has the most spectacular views. The Georgian Bay shoreline is stunning.

I was rewarded with so many breathtaking viewpoints as I ran along.

That finish line feeling: When I started my Bruce Trail running adventure (after Alasdair first decided to do it), I figured it would take me “a few” years. I never envisioned a global pandemic getting in the way. After 6 3/4 years, I reached the northern terminus of the trail with a real feeling of accomplishment!

I’ve been asked if I have a favourite of the 9 sections of the trail, but I don’t think I do. There were so many neat areas that I discovered. I still think my favourite parts are the waterfalls, and in particular the unexpected ones!

Thank you to my running partners for allowing me to do more linear runs instead of out and backs, and for making the trail exploration more fun!! And thank you to all the Bruce Trail volunteers who maintain the trail – it would fall apart without you!

My Bruce Trail Running Adventure by the Numbers

Approximate length of the Bruce Trail: 900 km
Distance I covered: 1,105 km (because of out and back runs and side trail starts/finishes)
Time it took: 6 3/4 years
Number of runs: 57 runs (23 solo, 34 with company)
Average length of run: 19.4 km
Shortest run: 1.58 km
Longest 42 km – Happy Trails Falling Waters marathon
Number of running partners: 6 (Alasdair, Laura, Rebecca, Kris, Josée, Heidi)
Number of trail angels: 3

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Race report: Multisport Canada Gravenhurst Olympic and sprint triathlons 2025

I am always amazed at the number of people who choose Gravenhurst to do their very first triathlon, as if that alone isn’t stressful enough without having to jump off a steamship before the race even begins!

Once again this year Alasdair and I registered for both the Olympic and sprint triathlons. Last year I opened my triathlon season with the Subaru Milton sprint triathlon, but this year I didn’t think that would be a wise move, given my very first 50k trail race was just the week before! I wasn’t sure how my legs would handle one triathlon, let alone two, just two weeks after the big race. Time would tell.

Olympic triathlon

We arrived at the race site at 6 AM in time for the start of registration, which necessitated getting up way too early on a Saturday morning! Thankfully, we were staying nearby at the cottage of friends (thank you Brian and Emma!). Earlier in the week I was doubtful that Lake Muskoka would be warm enough to swim, and then the day before the race air quality warnings due to forest fires made me wonder whether we would be racing at all. But on race morning the water was 17 degrees Celsius and north winds had moved the poor air quality out. The race was on.

I set things up in transition, including my new Sulphur Springs race buff, which I sewed to a towel to (hopefully!) be able to find my stuff quickly this year (I made a couple of newbie mistakes last year even after having raced for years!).

Once again, Alasdair would be on the 1st running of the Wenonah steamship while I would be on the 2nd. After the pre-race briefing I headed down to the water with him, and once he boarded the boat I just chatted with other athletes until it was our turn.

I was in wave 5 of 6 (athletes are slotted into waves based on predicted finishing time at race registration), which meant the 2nd of 3 waves on the boat. When given the all clear to start jumping, I was the first one in my wave into the water. I was so focused on holding onto my goggle strap that I forgot to plug my nose! Yikes, that felt awful. I swam (a long way!) over to the start line, much further than usual (wind was swinging the boat and making it float further away). After just a few minutes, we got a 10 second countdown and we were off!

1500m swim

I had one of my best swims in a long time – absolutely no congestion, no need to adjust my goggles, no breathing issues, no navigational issues, just a relatively straight swim to shore (after the first turning buoy near the beginning). I was expecting to see 45+ minutes when I reached the ladder, but was shocked to see 37! I found out later that we had a tailwind, so that explained it! Once onto the dock a race official reached up and opened the velcro flap of my wetsuit on the back that keeps the zipper from opening while I swim. I wondered what was going on (this is very unusual!) and he said, “You’re doing great!” I have no idea why he did that. I ran along the dock, across the road, toward and then all the way around transition before entering on the far side and finding my spot. By this point I already had my wetsuit down to my waist and my goggles and swim cap in my hand.

I got ready to ride, eating chocolate chip banana bread while I did, and headed out of transition.

40k bike

I jumped on my bike and was on my way. Unfortunately I was stuck behind some bike traffic at the beginning, as we had to ride in a narrow coned lane at the edge of the road. As soon as I could I started passing people. It wasn’t too long before I spotted Alasdair coming the other way. Last year I dropped my chain and cut my finger trying to put it back on. This year I had no such issues, but I was dying to pee! I knew I couldn’t make it 40k without going. As I rode I looked for potential spots where I could pull over and not be seen. I didn’t want to stop on a hill or just after a downhill. In the end I squatted in a ditch on the side of the road… and I watched at least 3 racers pass me. Otherwise, my bike was okay – I thought I had a headwind in the first part of the route, but then I turned at 20k and thought oh no, THIS is a headwind! I didn’t feel incredibly fast over the 40k, but I pushed as hard as I could, leapfrogging with one athlete for a while, and chasing Oscar on the back half (passing him near the end). I saw 2 turtles on a log as I rode past a marshy area.

Back into transition I had no trouble finding my spot, quickly changed my shoes and ran out with hat in hand.

10k run

Starting this hilly 10k run I was thinking to myself that this is 10k, not 50k, and these are NOT the Sulphur Springs hills! I had to go into the bushes near the beginning of the run to pee again – sigh. (It’s WAY better when there are portapotties in transition!) I had barely reached 300m when I saw Alasdair running towards me, about to finish the race! I pushed my pace, stopped at only a couple of aid stations for electrolytes and water, and spent way too much time swatting horseflies or deer flies! Thankfully this year I didn’t get bitten. With about 1k to go there’s a great downhill, and then the rest of the run is flat. Alasdair cheered for me near the end, and then I was done.

After the race I found Alasdair and grabbed some food, and then went over to where the awards presentations were happening. Normally I pay attention, but I was chatting with some athletes I met pre-race who also ran Sulphur Springs this year (I approached one when I saw the race buff!). And then Alasdair said to me, “I think they called your name.” I replied, “Why would they call my name?” And then I got a hand signal to go up – it turns out I was 3/8 women 50-54! I’ve never been on a triathlon podium for anything but a try a tri! I was shocked.

Race results

Time: 3:16:59 (3/8 women 50-54, 58/97 women, 269/349 all athletes)
1500m swim: 38:46 (2:35 min/km)
T1: 4:21 (includes long run up to transition)
40k bike: 1:27:13 (27.5 km/h)
T2: 1:46
10k run: 104:55 (6:29 min/km)

We stayed to cheer on the last racers, and then spent the rest of the day relaxing. The next morning we were back to do it all over again! My right hamstring was tight, so I wasn’t sure how it would feel biking and running…

Sprint triathlon

Another early morning, more race prep and another race with Alasdair on the 1st boat and me on the 2nd.

Writing over the old numbers with new numbers

This time after the boat loaded with the first set of athletes there was a delay of 20-30 minutes before the boat pulled away from shore – apparently the engine wouldn’t start! Because of this everyone’s starts were pushed back. And so we waited longer for the boat to come back to us.

750m swim

This time I was in the 4th of 6 waves, and the 1st on the 2nd boat. I was the first one to jump off, and this time, the boat was much closer to the start line! After a 10 second countdown, we were off. Unfortunately this time I had to adjust my left goggle lens 3 times in the early part of the race! Otherwise, my swim was pretty unremarkable. I was a little disappointed to see 23 when I reached the ladder, definitely slower than the day before.

20k bike

I got ready to ride, grabbed my bike and headed for the exit, where I encountered Alasdair entering transition (he started the race at least 30 minutes ahead of me). A quick kiss and I was heading for the mount line. Knowing that the bike was half the distance compared to the day before, I decided to try to push the pace a bit (my hamstring was fine). I didn’t have to stop to pee this time, but I really wasn’t quite sure if I was any faster than the day before. I got back to transition, ran to my spot, quickly switched into running shoes and was off. I was surprised not to see Alasdair cheering for me at the end of the bike, and hoped he was okay.

5k run

I expected to see Alasdair at the beginning of the run course, but he wasn’t there. Again I decided to push the pace, knowing I was only running 5k. I was surprised when I ran up the first hill and saw 5:10 or 5:15 on my watch – that’s fast for me! When I felt myself slowing down I shortened my stride and pushed harder. I didn’t stop at any of the aid stations, and I wasn’t bothered quite as much by horse flies or deer flies. With a couple hundred metres to go I spotted Alasdair and then heard him cheering for me.

I rounded the last corner and crossed the finish line, where Teresa announced me as having done a double header. I was happy with my time, and knew that I had run faster than I have been lately in triathlons. It turns out my bike and run were faster than the day before. I was just 3 minutes slower than Alasdair – he noted that he better up his game, or I will beat him (which I’ve never done before)!

I found Alasdair, grabbed food, and this time checked the results on sportstats.ca – I was shocked to see that once again I had placed 3/8 women 50-54!!

Race results

Time: 1:39:07 (3/8 women 50-54, 36/105 women, 102/229 all athletes)
750m swim: 23:50 (3:10 min/km)
T1: 3:47 (includes long run up to transition)
20k bike: 41:43 (28.8 km/h)
T2: 1:20
5k run: 28:28 (5:41 min/km)

We stayed to cheer on the final finishers, and then headed out. What a weekend, and what a start to the 2025 triathlon season!!

Thanks Multisport Canada for a great race weekend!

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Sulphur Springs Trail Races 2025: 1st ultramarathon (50k)

At some point in 2023 I decided to run 50k on my 50th birthday in 2024, but I had to stop training when I started having back spasms. After a 3 week break from running, I started again but gave up on my 50k goal. Then last fall I registered for the 50k at the May 2025 Sulphur Springs Trail Races. As soon as I registered I told a few friends, and crazy like me, several signed up within minutes (you know who you are)! I met with a personal trainer to set me on the right path, continued doing physiotherapy as needed, added in strength training, and ran 4 days a week starting on December 1. I also swam twice a week, did lots of skating in the winter, and walked – a lot. I cross-country skied a few times, ran on snowshoes, and biked – once!

Most weekends from December to May I was out on the Sulphur Springs course, running some or all of the 10k and 20k loops, and sometimes other trails too. I definitely had home court advantage! I looked forward to sharing the trail with friends who were coming from far and wide to race, including from Ottawa, Sault Ste Marie and Québec.

My friend Josée from la belle province was visiting me for the weekend and would be running the 10k race, her very first trail race! On our way to race kit pick-up on Friday afternoon I showed her two waterfalls that are just a short distance from the race site at Morgan Firestone Arena in Ancaster – Tiffany Falls and Sherman Falls.

Tiffany Falls (left) and Sherman Falls (right)

We set up my dining tent for the weekend, picked up our race kits (bib, thermos, stickers), and headed back to my place.

Race Day

It was a very early morning so that we could be at the race site in time to watch the first runners head out, the 50 milers at 5:45 AM, the 100k racers at 6 AM (including Nathalie and Lisa!), and finally the 100 milers at 6:15 AM (including Iris, Jon and Luke!)! We arrived around 5:20 AM and parking took a while, but I wasn’t racing until 7 AM so I had tons of time. I offered the use of my dining tent to several friends, so we had a meeting place pre-race. Kris and I decided at the last minute to run together, but I told her to go ahead if she wanted to go faster. Before long, we were at the start line and ready to go. I was surprisingly not nervous – I knew I could do the distance! Kris and I had done our longest training run together, a 35k run where I got to be a tour guide for her on the race course (we did the 10k loop, the 20k loop, and then 5k more). For the race we would be running the 10k loop first, climbing the steep Martin Road hill at the end and then running the 20k loop two times (for more Martin Road hill punishment).

At the start line Kris was surprised that I wasn’t wearing a hat – I had forgotten about it, so I quickly went back to the dining tent to grab it! The race began and off we went, down the Martin Road hill. Kris was beside or just behind me on the first loop, though the gap was widening as I went along. I wasn’t used to running with SO MANY PEOPLE! I almost always did my training runs alone. It was 8C feels like 5C at the start, with a high in the mid-teens expected, but little chance of rain – in other words, a perfect running temperature! And bonus – there were no bugs!

I had decided pre-race that I would not stop at any of the aid stations (except to use a portapotty) until my second 20k loop (where I would find them at 4.4k, 8.3k, 13k and 19k and would likely be more willing to walk). I was carrying all the electrolytes, water and food I would need (with extra stuff in my dining tent to replenish what I was carrying). I had pre-portioned all my food options into 100-200 calorie portions, and planned to eat after 1 hour, and then every 30 minutes after that. This worked well during my training runs, when I started running about 1 1/2 hours after eating my breakfast. But for the race, I started running 3 hours after eating breakfast. I didn’t feel like eating at the race site before the race, so I ended up having my first food a little sooner, after 45 minutes.

One part of training that I enjoyed (maybe my favourite part!) was testing out different running food options! I wanted to know what my stomach would tolerate, and what would appeal to me after hours of running. I tried different cookies, bars, boiled potatoes with salt, chocolate, fruit chews, applesauce pouches, chips, and dried fruit. I tolerated everything, but some things I liked more than others (like mango baby applesauce pouches, pickled pretzels, and mini Skor bars). I tried to time my eating for steep uphills when I would be walking anyway.

After that first 10k loop I didn’t see Josée when I reached the top of the hill, but then I heard her behind me, following me to the tent! I had my own super fan. I swapped my electrolyte bladder, grabbed more cookies (the only thing I had eaten so far), and headed for the portapotties.

I had told Kris that I would definitely be stopping to pee after 10k, but then I never saw her again during the race! I assumed she had gotten ahead of me. I did see Heidi and Trevor just before the 10k point, and in fact I was really happy to see everyone I knew at least once out on the course, and most people two or more times! Watching for people I knew and chatting briefly with others gave me something to do as I ran.

Heading out on my first 20k loop I felt good. There was less mud than I feared given the rain in the days leading up to the race, and FAR less than the mudfest runners had to deal with the year before. At some point during this loop I started to feel a hot spot on my left foot, and was pretty sure I would get a blister. I just hoped I’d be able to tolerate the pain.

Iris caught me on the G. Donald Trail, so we got to run together for a very short time (and climb yet another hill too). Did I mention the hills? There is approximately 250m of elevation gain on the 10k loop, and 490m on each 20k loop.

I decided to stop at the aid station at the bottom of the Martin Road hill just before finishing my first 20k loop – using the portapotty here would mean not having to go 100m off course to reach the bank of portapotties at the start/end. I also grabbed a delicious slice of orange!

Once again I missed Josée as I climbed the hill, but she found me and followed me to the dining tent. I asked for more mango applesauce and some ketchup chips, so she grabbed them for me, I swapped my electrolyte bladder again (she had re-filled it), and I was off! Before the race I thought that when starting this loop I might feel dejected, like I would never be able to run that loop again. Instead it was the opposite – I was thinking that I’ve run the 20k loop so many times in training, I know I can do it one more time!

I was still feeling good, but my quads were starting to tire and I felt myself slowing down, even on the downhills. I felt that 100% quad strength wasn’t there. In this 2nd and last 20k loop, I walked more of the hills than I had in the other loops. For this entire loop I was craving watermelon and oranges but I didn’t see any at the aid stations I stopped at (just 2). At one aid station, I filled my squishy collapsible cup with electrolytes, then realized I should have stopped to pee first! Instead, I drank half of it, and held the cup between my teeth while I used the portapotty!

Thankfully, the hot spot pain didn’t get any worse. There were a couple of times over the course of the race that I felt a little low energy/mood, but I assumed it was a fueling issue and ate something right away – the feeling never lasted very long.

When I reached the bottom of the Martin Road hill for the last time, I spotted Alasdair (who made it back from a conference in time to see me finish) and Josée. Alasdair asked if they could walk with me – and I didn’t hesitate to say yes. When the steepness decreases a bit near the top I usually start running again, which I did, causing Alasdair to cheer for me. I walked again, then finally ran to the finish line!

I was happy to be done, and grateful that my training worked and I was able to cover the distance! I was surprisingly emotional once I finished!

Thank you Josée for being my support crew! And thank you Alasdair for making it for the finish! During the race and after I finished I was thinking there’s no need for me to ever run 50k again. After the race I posted “Would I do it again? Today I say no” – my friend Mike responded by saying “this is a very common statement around this house – we don’t take it seriously!” Smart man. I think by the day after the race I was already reconsidering.

This race was superbly well organized and has such a friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend it. The race Directors Mauro, Russell and Steve do a fantastic job. I would be remiss if I didn’t also thank the many volunteers!

I will be back!

Race Stats

Time: 6:49:03 (8:10 min/km)
10k: 1:14:9
1st 20k loop: 2:37:18
2nd 20k loop: 2:57:37
Placing women 50-59: 9/31
Placing women: 60/142
Placing all athletes: 183/317

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Race report: Winterlude Triathlon 2025

I’m no stranger to obsessively checking the weather forecast ahead of races and other outdoor adventures, but this time I decided to wait to even register for the 2025 Somersault Winterlude Triathlon in Ottawa until I was certain the Rideau Canal would be frozen and there would be a skate component of the race. I competed in this triathlon for the first time in 2024, but when it was announced that the race would be a run-ski-run-ski I was pretty disappointed. This year the weather was on our side, so my friend Josée and I decided to register.

The race is superbly well organized, with a pre-race video walking athletes through all the key details. The video is updated when weather warrants course changes. The ice conditions were so good this year that the race organizers turned the skate into a point to point route, giving us the opportunity to experience more of the canal.

Josée picked up our race kits the day before the race at Bushtukah in Westboro, so we had one less thing to do on race morning.

Race day

We arrived at the race site at the Terry Fox Facility at Mooney’s Bay around 6:30 AM on Saturday, February 1, to a temperature of around -19 Celsius, -26 C with the windchill. Suffice it to say it was c-c-c-c-cold! After some last minute clothing deliberations, we layered up and hoped to be warm enough. I decided to put on a 4th top layer and thick gloves and was grateful that I had.

We put our skis, poles and ski boots in transition (in areas covering a range of bib numbers – e.g. 1-25), used the warm indoor bathrooms, said goodbye to Alasdair and then got onto a school bus to head to the start line (no wait!), where the race would begin at 8 AM.

8 km skate

We headed immediately to an indoor warming shelter on the ice, but to our surprise it wasn’t open. Thankfully someone unlocked the doors almost immediately! By the time we got inside it was standing room only, but we were out of the cold and wind! People sat on benches to put their skates on, then made way for others. We stood with our skates on for a short time before deciding to head to the (warm!) bathroom facilities. Thankfully the lineup wasn’t long and most of our wait was actually indoors. While inside we heard the 10-minute warning, and as we were heading to the start line we heard that we had just 3 minutes to go. Timing was perfect!

We weren’t quite sure where to line up within the pack, because we didn’t want to get in the way of faster skaters or have to pass too many people right off the bat. We had decided that we would do the race together. The race began and the pack started to slowly spread out. It wasn’t too long before we got into a rhythm and I thought the cold and wind weren’t so bad after all.

And then we turned at Dow’s Lake and were hit by a heavy headwind that was actually quite ridiculous! It took significantly more effort to make forward progress, and my only bit of exposed skin (my face) was pretty darn cold! We got some relief when we turned again, but we now knew what was in store for our second loop!

As you can see in the picture below, we had to wear small bags while we skated to carry our running shoes (the bags were provided by the race). Other than having to pull a strap back onto my shoulder once, I forgot I was carrying it. While still on our first loop we were lapped by the super speedy skaters on speed skates who went by in a tight draft pack.

Since Alasdair wasn’t racing, he cheered for us many times throughout the race, and also got lots of pictures and videos.

We reached the end of the skate course, grabbed a picnic bench and changed into our running shoes. Unfortunately I had to remove my gloves to untie my skates and tie my running shoes but it wasn’t too bad! We tied our skates to our bags, attached our helmets, and headed up some stairs to the start of the run course, where we handed our things to volunteers (who graciously faced freezing cold conditions for us all race long!).

Carrying our shoes, and switching from skating to running
[Photo credit: Alasdair]

5 km run

We turned away from the Terry Fox Facility to start the run, then headed towards it for the rest of the route. We ran mostly along a multi-use path, and ended along sidewalks before entering the Terry Fox Facility. Josée started feeling unwell during the run, but continued on. At one point I spotted a coyote in a field not too far away. Once we reached transition I made a quick pit stop at the bathroom, but somehow ended up on the wrong side of a fence on my way to my skis. I quickly backtracked and in no time was scanning the long row of skis for my stuff. Next time I think I’ll use a brightly coloured bag or something else so I can easily find them (my boots were in a bag so they weren’t visible)!

I took my running shoes off, noticed that my socks were very damp, and put my ski boots on (next year, I’ll change into dry socks at this point!). I grabbed my skis and poles, and headed to the ski course with Josée.

7.8 km cross-country ski

This year race organizers made a great change to the ski start – no more two way traffic with skiers starting down a short hill while athletes finishing their race skied up it. The new separated start was much less anxiety-inducing. And unlike last year where the ski course was very icy, this year the snow conditions were nearly perfect – there was just one area of the course where there wasn’t quite enough snow (blown by the wind!), so there was some exposed dirt and roots. Nevertheless, the entire course was skiable!

Josée and I headed out on the 1st of 3 loops. Last-minute course changes meant we’d be skiing 7.8 km instead of 6 km. Josée was not happy about this addition! This would be my 3rd cross-country ski of the winter, and first in groomed tracks rather than around a soccer field!

The ski course is groomed for classic and skate-skiing. Josée and I skied together for a while (classic), but she was falling behind. At one point I asked Alasdair to check on her to make sure she was okay, and when I saw him next he said she was but didn’t know if she would finish. I felt strong and was loving the ice-free course! The wind was pretty strong at one end, but it was nothing like the wind on the skate. Because there were parallel sets of tracks, it was easy to step into the other set to pass other athletes. For the last loop of the ski course I had a ball of ice on my upper eyelash (see picture below) – I didn’t bother trying to do anything about it. I made a final turn to the finish, skied up the hill, and crossed the line in 2:21:32. I was glad to be done, but felt that I could have gone longer (with food! I had gotten hungry on the final loop).

Alasdair headed back to cheer for Josée, while I grabbed my skating stuff and put it in the car. My only complaint about this race was that there was no hot chocolate left when I finished, and the bananas were frozen solid. There was ice cold water and electrolyte drink. I heard from other athletes that by the time they had hot chocolate it was actually cold. Yes, I know, it was -19 C. Maybe the hot chocolate and bananas could be inside? On the bright side, the maple cookies hit the spot! I went inside to warm up briefly, and unfortunately when I went to the finish line I had just missed Josée finishing. But she finished, despite not feeling great (turns out she was fighting a virus)!! (And lucky me, Alasdair noticed that the Terry Fox Facility sold hot chocolate from a machine and bought some for us! I won’t mention that it caused a small crisis for Josée!)

It was definitely more fun racing together. Thank you Josée for the weekend adventures! I highly recommend this race! Thank you Somersault for another great Winterlude Triathlon. I’ll be back!

Results

Time: 2:21:32 (5/8 women 50-59, 70/106 women, 171/220 solo athletes)
8k skate: 37:14 (includes 4:39 transition from skate to run) (15 km/h)
5k run: 32:41 (6:33 min/km)
T2 (run to ski): 5:26
7.8 km ski: 1:06:14 (7 km/h)

Race route: purple skate, blue run, green/blue ski

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Trip report: 5-day fall canoe trip on the east side of Algonquin Provincial Park – Grand Lake to the Barron Canyon

This was to be my first time doing a canoe trip at the east side of Algonquin Provincial Park. I’d been in the area to swim at High Falls and walk the very short Barron Canyon Trail to get a glimpse of the canyon, but that was all. Since it’s quite far from home, and my friend Jen and I didn’t want to be paddling to our campsite in the dark, we chose to break up the drive and spend one night car camping at Canisbay campground first. Just after pulling onto Highway 60 the next morning I saw a wolf walking along the treeline at the side of the road!

Canoe trips from the Achray access point don’t really lend themselves to 5-day loop trips without doing very long portages (4 km!), so we planned a one-way trip with a shuttle at the end (my friend Paul!).

Day 1: Achray access point: Grand Lake to Upper Spectacle Lake

Once we reached Algonquin Provincial Park, we stopped at the park office on the Barron Canyon Road to get our permit, and after driving a little while longer, we parked at the boat launch at the Achray access point on Grand Lake to unload the canoe and our gear. I moved my car to one of two nearby parking lots, we ate lunch at a picnic table at the lake, loaded the canoe, and off we went just after noon (but not before Jen spotted a snake swimming past – sadly, I missed it)! We used Maps by Jeff.

While we had been obsessively checking the weather in the days leading up to the trip, the rain forecast kept changing so much that we had little faith in it. We hoped it was wrong. We set out under mostly sunny skies, with an expected high of around 23 C and very little wind. Perfect fall paddling weather. We headed for what would be the first of many portages over the course of the trip, though some were very short. This first portage (to Carcajou Lake) would also be the first of several portages around pretty waterfalls, several of them named High Falls! It took a few portages before we figured out the most efficient way to carry our gear. On the first leg, I would carry the canoe and a small backpack, while Jen would carry her big canoe pack and the paddles. On the return leg we skipped along empty handed. On the final leg I carried my canoe pack and food bag, while Jen carried the food barrel (with kitchen supplies, tarps, and other miscellaneous small things) and a small backpack. On one of the portages on Day 1 there was such a big step up that it took me a couple of attempts to have enough momentum to get up it with the canoe on my head!

We also got into a routine upon arriving at our campsite for the night – tent and tarp up (sometimes two tarps), rope for food bag thrown over a tree branch, and then a swim if the weather cooperated. I’d say then we would relax, but that wouldn’t be true. There always seems to be something to do, like gathering firewood, cooking meals, cleaning burnt pots, and stowing gear away from hungry critters. But we DID find time to relax. I got to try out my very first backcountry chair (Helinox brand). I like it, but I think I’d prefer a more upright chair. Nevertheless it was so nice not to have to sit on the wet ground, or on wet logs!

We were the only ones staying on Spectacle Lake. We swam in mucky, weedy water (yuck!), then gathered wood for a fire, with Jen using her saw to cut some logs. I built the fire and boiled some water for hot chocolate, and then cooked our sweet potato chili for dinner.

Animal highlights: I heard a Whippoorwill at dusk, followed by a Barred owl. During the day we also saw turkeys, minnows, frogs, a loon, a cormorant, and a belted kingfisher. We also had tiny black flies at our campsite but they weren’t biting.

Distance paddled: 7 km (all distances approximate)

Distance portaged: 20 m + 50 m (we were able to paddle through with a little shifting of our weight in the boat) + 260 m + 155 m

Day 2: Upper Spectacle Lake to St. Andrew’s Lake

Sometime in the night we had heavy rain, and somehow I had water droplets dripping on my head. In the morning everything felt damp. Jen and I are not ones to sleep in, so we were up bright and early. We got into a routine of packing our stuff up (damp or not!) and taking the tent down before making breakfast. When I visited the thunderbox early in the morning and lifted the lid, a skink ran across the back of it and into the woods. Sadly I wasn’t quick enough with my camera to get a picture!

After a yummy oatmeal breakfast, we cleaned up our kitchen stuff, took down the tarp, and finished packing up. We set off for St. Andrew’s Lake. On the way there we stopped at a campsite on Stratton Lake for lunch, and put a tarp up just in case. It’s a good thing we did, or we would have been eating in the rain. It rained off and on all day, and only reached around 16 C.

By the time we arrived at our campsite we had no interest in swimming – it was cool, and we didn’t know if we’d be able to get a fire going to really warm up. We put a tarp up over the tent, and a tarp up over the fire pit. In throwing a rock over a tree branch to get the rope over, we somehow managed to get the rock stuck in the tree. Jen lashed a paddle and a branch together (which had been part of the “table” that someone made at the campsite) to poke the rock up and over the branch so we got the rope back. I then re-assembled the table.

I went in search of dry firewood, which I knew would be a tall order given all the rain that had fallen in the night and during the day. I brought a bunch of wood back to the campsite, and with multiple fire starters I was able to eventually get a fire going. It took some stubbornness and a lot of patience, but we made hot chocolate and cooked our cheesy potato soup (more like cheesy mashed potatoes) and had a campfire to keep us warm!

Animal highlights: We saw loons, mergansers, a polywog, minnows, and what looked to Jen like a moose swimming but turned out to be a cormorant on a tiny island drying its wings. We had a chipmunk and a few mosquitoes at our campsite.

Distance paddled: 10 km

Distance portaged: 155 m + 260 m + 50 m (paddled through again, this time easier after heavy rain!) + 20 m + 50 m + 80 m

Day 3: St. Andrew’s Lake to Opalescent Lake

It was really nice first thing in the morning to hear loons calling near our campsite. It wasn’t raining, so we opted to cook scrambled eggs and bagels using my MSR Dragonfly stove instead of oatmeal. Yum.

We pushed off shore heading for Opalescent Lake, with a route that would take us through High Falls Lake and Ooze Lake. The portage into High Falls Lake was quite challenging. There was a spot where I needed to take a very big step down. It might have been okay for a very tall person, but at 5’6 I wasn’t sure how to make that step while keeping the canoe on my head! I ended up tipping the nose down and resting it on the ground, sitting down, shimmying forward and then tipping the canoe up again. When we reached High Falls Lake, we left our stuff and headed along a trail to High Falls, which I thought was the natural slide that I had been at before. However, after walking 300 m we caught site of a beautiful waterfall, but realized that we would have to walk another 700 m to get to the spot I was thinking of. We decided not to.

While paddling along Jen suddenly made a sound that made me think we were going to hit a rock or a log – turns out we nearly ran over a giant bullfrog sitting on a lilypad!

While it was cloudy all day, we went for a swim at our campsite (which ended up being pretty much right at the portage), and decided to make campfire pizzas. They turned out perfectly – the crust was crispy (not burnt) and the cheese melted nicely. Delicious! We also made hot chocolate, and apple crumble.

Animal highlights: We saw a Great blue heron and a belted kingfisher, and had a sneaky chipmunk at our campsite who tried to run away with our peppers and other pizza toppings while they were re-hydrating!

Distance paddled: 3 km

Distance portaged: 550 m + 300 m + 640 m

Day 4: Opalescent Lake to Lower Barron River

Day 4 was another rainy day. We began our day with a portage to the portage. There was a very short trail from our campsite to the portage to Brigham Lake. That was a new one for me, not having to paddle to the portage. We were being so careful on the wet rocks and roots. It started to rain on the portage, and by the time we returned empty-handed, there were puddles that weren’t there a few minutes before. Grabbing the rest of our stuff, we headed once again for Brigham Lake. Jen was in front walking across a wooden bridge, when all of a sudden she slipped on the wet wood and tumbled (seemingly in slow motion) off the bridge. If there was any consolation, she fell into wet moss, cushioning her fall. She was shaken up, and her leg took a beating, but it could have been far worse. We saw a few more people on the portage, warning them of the danger ahead. Speaking of people, we hardly saw anyone on our trip.

There was a very pretty waterfall on the portage to the Barron River. When we reached the river it started to pour, so we stood in the water under overhanging branches to keep us out of the rain. Once the rain stopped we set out. The canyon was beautiful, so quiet and peaceful.

We decided to paddle nearly as far as we could and stay at one of the last campsites on the Lower Barron River so that on our last morning we didn’t have much paddling to do. We ended up having a very late lunch (including re-hydrated guacamole that was really nice!).

We made a very wimpy attempt at starting a fire – the wood was again soaking wet, and I didn’t have the fight in me! We were in the tent early – definitely before 8!

There was no cell signal on our trip at all, but both Jen and I carry Garmin InReach devices, so I was able to stay in touch with family, and we were able to confirm our shuttle with Paul.

Animal highlights: We saw 4 Great blue herons, more mergansers, and had frogs at our campsite (hopping ever so close to our tent).

Distance paddled: 6 km

Distance portaged: 720 m + 100 m + 440 m

Day 5: Lower Barron River to Squirrel Rapids

On our last morning we woke up to sun, which we hadn’t seen in 4 days! While eating our breakfast we watched a Great blue heron fishing in the water just across the river. As we paddled east toward our last portage of the trip, the sun was so bright that it was actually very difficult to spot rocks and logs in the water. We mostly let the wind carry us along, preferring not to paddle quickly so we could hopefully avoid hitting anything. But just before reaching the portage, after successfully navigating around dozens of logs, we beached ourselves on a rock we hadn’t seen. Jen carefully stepped one leg out of the boat (we did not want her ending up in the water!) and that was enough to shift the canoe off the rock. Phew. Crisis averted.

For some reason, I was very uncomfortable carrying the canoe for this last portage. I felt like the canoe was back heavy, and I wondered if not doing the strap up on my backpack was making that much of a difference. I put the canoe down at the end and realized what had happened. Somehow, I had carried the canoe backwards and didn’t have the yoke and pad for support. No wonder it felt terrible. Rookie mistake that I’ve never made before!

We set off for Squirrel Rapids, where we would meet Paul. Unfortunately, Paul wasn’t feeling well but he still made the drive from Deep River to shuttle me to my car at Achray, about 25 minutes away. Thank you again Paul!! I drove back to get Jen, we loaded everything into the car, and off we went!

Animal highlights: Great blue heron

Distance paddled: 3 km

Distance portaged: 350 m

If you prefer to camp where you don’t hear sounds of civilization (like traffic and trains), this might not be the area for you – on days 3, 4 and 5 (and maybe day 2) we could hear artillery fire from CFB Petawawa. We knew this going in. Be forewarned (it can be loud)!

If you prefer to camp at campsites with Canadian Shield rock and great swimming, this might not be the area for you – all of our campsites were weedy and mucky.

There were a lot of pine trees, so we didn’t see much in the way of fall colours. But the area is beautiful, and I highly recommend checking it out!

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