My boyfriend has been climbing for almost 17 years and naturally he has taken me out a few times. I have to admit, I have a fear of falling and this used to be a real problem in the beginning. To take this admittance even further, I found myself in a state of panic on the rock a few times. But then I learned a valuable lesson, a lesson that holds true in all facets of life. I learned to trust- the rope that is. I eventually realized through trial and error that when I let go of the rock (or fall), I didn’t go anywhere.

This break from training has allowed me the freedom to spend time climbing and I AM LOVING IT! It’s so different than running and works a completely whole new set of muscles in an entirely different way. I am starting to get pipes! I am feeling stronger than ever because when you run long distances like I do, you lose muscle in the process.

I can remember being a child and my dad would frequently take us camping and hiking in Squamish. Whenever we drove by the Chief, he would always point out the little people climbing on the rock. They looked so small on that giant piece of granite. Now I am one of them. It’s crazy! This summer, climbing has taken me to the Rockies, Revelstoke, Squamish, and even in my own backyard in the Lynn Valley Headwaters.

I will never stop running and I am the first to admit that. However, sometimes it’s nice to break away from the everyday routine of training and try something new. You learn more about yourself doing something new than you do doing the same thing over and over.

On that note, get out there and make it your goal to try something new in the remaining months left we have in 2010.

Note: All of my climbing endeavours have been powered by Elevate Me energy bars! When your climbing, you need to pack light! These high protein bars are as light as they come!

Nicola Gildersleeve
Athlete/Ambassador

1. The Lions: Distance: 15km, Elevation gain: 1280m, Time: 7 hours return. This is what West Coast hiking is all about. The Lions are the twin peaks that are seen from downtown Vancouver. They are also known as the Twin Sisters. The hike begins in Lions Bay. Click here for more info…

2. Black Tusk: Distance: 29km, Elevation gain: 1740m, Time: 11 hours return, Season: July- Oct. The dark, jagged edges of Black Tusk make it one of the most scenic and unique hikes in south western British Columbia. Located in Garibaldi Provincial Park, Black Tusk is the most spectacular mountain in the area. While many hikers do complete this trail in a day, the distance and elevation gain make for a very long day. For this reason, some people prefer to hike to Garibaldi Lake or Taylor Meadows and camp overnight, and then hike to Black Tusk the following day. It is up to you which you prefer, however if you do decide to do this in a day, make sure to leave plenty of time to return to the parking lot during daylight hours. Click here for more info…

3. Hanes Valley: Distance: 16km, Elevation gain: 1130m, Time: 7 hours. I have done this trail usually as a run/hike. I most look forward to the summer weather because I know the snow will have melted enough to depart on this adventure. This trail starts in the Lynn Headwaters in Lynn Valley and finishes at the top of Grouse Mountain. Click here for more info…

4. Golden Ears: Distance 24km, Elevation gain: 1160m, Time: 6 hrs. Golden Ears Provincial Park is located 11km North of Maple Ridge and is one of the largest parks in the province. I have not done this hike myself but I have heard a lot of great things about it. Click here for more info…

5. Coliseum Mountain: Distance: 23km, Time: 8 hours. This hike also starts in the Lynn Valley Headwaters (my backyard). Click here for more info…

There you have it, 5 hikes all within a 45 minute driving distance from one another. Always remember to be prepared, which means bring adequate amounts of food (ELEVATE ME BARS) and water and perhaps more in case you find yourself lost. Let a friend or family member know where you are going, wear proper footwear, bring something warm to wear in case it gets cold, and bring bear spray in case you see on in the wild.

The departure from Vancouver takes place Tuesday morning and with a mere 16 hours of driving later I will arrive at the cozy cabin my boyfriend, Peter, and I rented on Lake Tahoe (he is also doing the run). I always like to get to a destination at least 2 days before the race, which leaves just enough time to shake out the nervous energy and excitement that so naturally occurs before a big event.

I have been training for this race and this race alone since January. The thought of actually running a hundred miles didn’t really hit me until a week ago. And when it hit, it hit hard. All of a sudden I was really giddy and excited. Because I have never run this distance before I have no crazy expectations. Of course I have my own specific goals but I really have no idea what this experience is going to be like. There will be a lot of firsts for me- for example, running through the night with a headlamp, having a pacer (total stranger) run with me for the last 45 miles, running 60 more km than I ever have before, and eating for this length of time!

Of course there are things that I am really worried about. It is going to be hot in the canyons. People can lose a race if they don’t take care of themselves in the heat and if they fail to have properly heat trained. I have spent the last 4 days in the sauna (up to an hour and a half) and will continue to do so until the day I leave. The heat also makes you more prone to blisters because of the moisture and friction. A co-worker of mine had to walk the last 30km of the race last year because his blisters were so bad.

With all this considered it looks as though I have some more planning ahead of me. I have a small crew consisting of my mom (who is flying down) and my younger cousin Caitlin. Both have no prior crewing experience, and I am no help because I have never had a crew before nor have I crewed anyone for this distance. The day before the race however the race directors put on mini talks where the runner’s come to get their bibs etc. They have talks on blister/foot maintenance, how to crew, and nutrition and hydration etc. I am hoping to learn a little bit more there!

I also found a pacer on-line. What exactly is a pacer you ask? It is someone who runs with you and helps motivate you to keep going. In a race of this distance, it is expected that I will go through many highs and lows throughout the course of the day. The pacer helps to keep you focused and makes sure you’re eating and drinking according to plan.

I will post a link in the upcoming days to the website so that you can follow along live and track my progress throughout the race. Alright, time to go pack a lot of high protein elevate me bars for myself and my crew, to keep us all fuelled on the big day!!!

People keep asking me what I am going to do during the Olympics. I honestly have not put too much thought into it. I had pondered the idea of Volunteering, and then at least I could see some of the games. But, that involved time off work and I didn’t want to give that up. I fantasized about going away somewhere exotic and warm, but that also involved taking time off work. I concluded that I was just going to watch the Olympics live on my T.V with everyone else who could not afford to buy tickets!

I hiked up to Grouse Mountain this morning via the BCMC Trail. The BCMC parallels the grind and is approximately 10 minutes longer on average. I prefer this route because it doesn’t feel like a stair master and is less crowded. However, at this time of year, neither trail is crowded. Once I got to the top, I ate my Elevate Me Energy Bar and boarded the gondola to get down the mountain. On the way down, the gondola conductor (as I named him) told us about the plans Grouse Mountain has for during the Olympics. He told us that Grouse Mountain will be open 24/7 for the entire duration of the Olympic Games!!!!! That’s not all, NBC is going to be taping live from the top of the mountain (or the chalet area)

This means that you can literally ski everyday all day for 2 straight weeks! The gondola and restaurants will be open for 24 hours. You can snowshoe, hike, and even zip line at night. They have been planning this for 3 years and it sounds like it will be an amazing and entertaining adventure. I can’t wait to be a part of it.

My couch and television may remain empty during the games as I plan on hiking up the mountain to listen (to NBC reporters) and watch the games live (on big screens). Come try something different this year and experience something you will never forget!

Nicola Gildersleeve

Hi!

Hope your 2010 is off to a fabulous start! We’re back safely from Africa, and I’m happy to say that our whole team made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro! I’m also happy to say we exceeded our $150k fundraising objective! These funds will directly drive the program expansion of Power To Be and reduce waitlists, helping hundreds more underprivileged youths and families in our communities.

I wanted to thank you for all your support and providing us with the Elevate Me bars. I can say with certainty now that nutrition played a critical role in helping us all get to the summit, and your bars provided us with the nutrients and protein we needed to get to the top! You may also be interested to know the porters seemed to enjoy them as well. With a few bars left over, we decided to donate them to an orphanage in Moshi, which we visited after the climb – the orphanage appreciated the bars very much. This journey was a major life experience for each of us, and we were glad that Elevate Me was there every step of the way.

We’ll be sure to keep you posted on our next adventure, and please feel free to continue to check our site for updates
https://www.powertoclimb.ca

Best,
Mike Schauch
Expedition Leader, Power To Climb 2010 Mt. Kilimanjaro Expedition