Winter’s here, with some fits and starts. It’s time to screw the hobnails into my second-run shoes and hit the local trails. I’m back in the game a bit after a slow year and went for a two-hour run in the Don Valley on Boxing Day.
New Year’s resolution numero uno: Finish running the Bruce Trail in 2010
Tory and I have been invited to a wedding in Tobermory at the end of the summer, so I have a deadline. It’s a long drive to the trail now so I want to up the daily mileage. I think I’ve got about 270 kilometres to go (contradicting my previous calculation of 236 and/or the advertised length of the trail).
Last night I started scribbling plans. Five, 40-50 km running days will put me at Bruce Peninsula National Park and the beginning of the last 40 km, which I want to finish on a two-day backpacking trip with Tory. The remaining running days look like this:
- Bothwell’s Corner to Glen Camp
- Glen Camp to Wiarton
- Wiarton to Hope Bay
- Hope Bay to Lion’s Head
- Lion’s Head to Crane Lake Gate
The logical way to do this would be a one-day run to Glen Camp, then a couple of 100-km weekends with overnights in Wiarton and Lion’s Head and shuttles from local B&Bs. This is how I imagined I would be running the trail from the beginning – in big chunks rather than 3- to 4-hour pieces. Full weekends for running are hard to come by, but I will try to make it happen in 2010 with some careful planning and negotiation.
A sub-resolution is to knock off one of these big chunks during the summer solstice, with an all-day run to celebrate the longest day of the year. Since starting this project I’ve dreamed of running a 100-kilometre day in June, but after my 60+ km day last year I don’t know if I’m up for it. I’ll be happy if I can do 100 km in a weekend.
After last year’s efforts on snowshoes, I’m happy to put this on hold until the snow melts and stick to local training. I can’t cover enough distance in the snow to make the drive worthwhile. Winter is for skiing.
Came upon your site on the web – I love the Bruce. I plan on running the peninsula in late August or early September this is my plan: Wiarton to Cape Croaker 20.46
Cape Croaker to Lion’s Head – 24.8
Lion’s Head to Crane River (high Dump) 26.6
High dump to Tobermorry 25.46
I plan on sleeping on the trail and bringing only what i need in my pack
sleeping bag (size of footbal)
No tent- small hamock compresses to size of softball
freeze dried food – light weight/pocket rocket stove and 1 canister of fuel
energy bars – lots of them
water purifier
as you can see i plan on traveling light and unassisted hoping to do it in 3 days, i figure i have sun-up till sun down to get in my miles going to wing it a little . I have hiked and scrambled on the peninsula trails for years.
let me know what you think of my plan.
That sounds like an awesome plan! I’m planning to do some of those sections around the same time and I’d like to spend at least one weekend sleeping out on the trail and running with my gear. Keep in touch and we can compare notes. Good luck with the training.
You can do it!
I spent 3 months in summer of 2009 on the Bruce Trail. It was the wettest, most miserable summer I have ever spent outdoors.
Also – the greatest experience I ever had!
Your readers will be right here behind you mate!
I am so glad to hear that you want to finish the bruce. I’ve already covered over 50kms on the bruce. (Wiarton to Hope Bay) I plan on running, hiking, backpacking the rest (to Tobermory) The trails are GREAT! I am sure after this wet few days it will be slick.. but you need to start ASAP before the bugs and people.
Good luck! and if you need to know of the trail conditions please feel free to drop me a line! Cheer happy trails
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