BE FAST is a memory jogger that I’ve been sharing with people, because it covers the full range of stroke symptoms. Here’s what it stands for:
BE FAST – someone’s life could depend on it!
Stroke incidence continues to rise in Canada – more strokes are happening and more people are living with stroke due to our aging population and more younger people having strokes. There are now nearly 110,000 strokes each year in Canada. That is roughly one stroke every five minutes.
I’ll leave you with the words of Dr. Michael Hill, the Calgary neurologist who wrote the foreword to Stroke of Luck:
“Time is brain when it comes to stroke and everyone has a role to play. It starts with someone recognizing the signs of stroke and calling 9-1-1”
– Dr. Michael Hill, Neurologist, Calgary Stroke Program
So, during June, why not take a minute to familiarize yourself with ALL the potential signs of stroke? Even better, spread the message to those you care about. It could save a life! And if you’re looking for a bit of motivation, why not order your copy of Stroke of Luck for a discounted price?
I had a late evening return flight from Ontario yesterday, so I was feeling a bit out of sorts as I parked next to the Glenmore Athletic Park (GAP) track. A high school track meet was in full swing. I watched from trackside for a few minutes, absorbing waves of energy and hearing the screams of hundreds of students as they cheered on their teammates. It motivated me to get going on my short and overdue run.
I’d been thinking for some time about a homage post to the GAP track. I should say the original GAP track (GAP 1.0), because a spiffy new facility is being constructed by CANA, just a short distance away. I have a lot of criticism for decisions coming out of Calgary city hall but this isn’t one of them. I can’t wait for the new facility to be finished.
The grandstands have been taken down and moved to the new track. The brilliant blue of the new surface looks magnificent and oh so ready for spiked shoes. Crews are working on the finishing touches, like landscaping. It will soon be the dawn of an exciting new era in track and field in Calgary.
It seems timely to say a few words about GAP 1.0. I’ll be honest. The place is definitely looking worse for wear. Chunks of Lane 1 are crumbling into the infield. Patches and cracks are plentiful, thanks to our winter freeze-thaw cycles. The spotting booth on the back straight has been taken over by pigeons.
Pigeon holes on the back straight
I did a little research and found out that GAP 1.0 was built in 1962-63. It’s just a couple of years younger than me. No wonder it has cracks and wrinkles!
Despite these blemishes, the track has also been the site of countless track meets, interval workouts and road race finishes. I’ve personally done thousands of laps of the track, in all sorts of weather. And that’s a good segue to the fact that the Calgary running community has been second to none when it comes to keeping a lane or two of GAP 1.0 open through the winter months. All it takes is willpower and a lot of shovels, as demonstrated in this shot from October 2023.
Deb, Reinier and Jeremy dig in
Here’s a shot of an interval session from late March. It was one of those Calgary spring evenings when we started with water in the far corner and ended with sheet ice. No one complained when we decided to cut things short.
Late March interval training, GAP 1.0
Or how about a photo from the 2019 Stampede Road Race? The park was a beehive of activity that morning, with lots of racing action and a pancake breakfast as our reward.
Sherrey and Deb, post-race
A recent track racing milestone got me thinking nostalgically about GAP 1.0. It was on May 6, 2024, the seventieth anniversary of Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile breakthrough on the Iffley Road track in Oxford, England.
It seemed fitting to make a brief pilgrimage, in pouring rain, to run four ceremonial laps in honour of this great achievement. After all, the GAP track is only 10 years younger than Bannister’s record. I pointed out the significance of the day to a young athlete who had just finished his track workout. He gave me a polite but puzzled smile. I secretly wished for him to do the same on the hundredth anniversary in 2054, running his commemorative laps on the new track.
In closing, I have many fond memories of running on the GAP 1.0 track. I don’t know what lies ahead, but if they do tear it down I’ll miss that familiar red surface, flaws and all. For years, it has been a great venue and meeting place for runners. It’s one of my favourite spots in the city.
So here’s to a good run for a fine old facility! And here’s to GAP 2.0… can’t wait to try out “big blue”.
I was thrilled to be featured in a recent story by the Calgary Health Foundation. You can read their piece here. And don’t pass up the opportunity to read some of the other motivational stories on the CHF website.
In our interview, Ashley and I talked about my running adventures and my recovery from a series of strokes in the summer of 2017. I shared my experience as a patient at the Foothills Stroke Unit, and what prompted me to write a book about it.
While I’m writing, I will say thanks to those who purchased a copy of my book, Stroke of Luck: My Life in Amateur Athletics. It’s worth reminding my readers of my main messages:
The importance of an active lifestyle
Awareness of the full range of stroke symptoms… remember, “BE FAST”
Support for world-class stroke care at the Foothills Medical Centre
If you haven’t already picked up a copy of Stroke of Luck, it isn’t too late. The book is available directly from me (if you live in the Calgary area), on Amazon, or at any independent bookstore. Speaking of which, let me give a shout-out to Owl’s Nest Books in Calgary!
I’ve been very gratified by the response to Stroke of Luck. Many families are affected by strokes, so my story is one we can all relate to. And don’t forget, funds raised from sales of the book are going directly to support the work of the Foothills Stroke Unit, through the Calgary Health Foundation. It’s a win-win situation!
It will be obvious from the long gap between posts that I haven’t been thinking much about the blog lately. It has been a difficult time on the personal front. I don’t feel like going into the specifics—maybe I will someday.
Several times, I’ve tried putting my feelings into words, never sure if the result would end up in a blog post. Each time I’ve tried, it has been a failure. It’s frustrating, especially since I’m usually not at a loss for words.
Music seems to help. As I write this, I’m listening to Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, a classic album by Lucinda Williams. This is melancholic music. It suits my mood and I think it makes me feel better—it’s hard to say. The lyrics of one of my favourite songs, Time from Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, have been stuck in my head. This verse seems appropriate.
Every year is getting shorter Never seem to find the time Plans that either come to naught Or half a page of scribbled lines
My half pages (not literal, of course—they’re typed on my iPad) have been piling up, as I’ve grappled with anxiety. I’ve been feeling helpless against our overwhelming insignificance. Our impermanence. Our mortality.
North Glenmore Park pathway, April 2024
Then came a breakthrough of sorts. It was in a situation that might not be conducive to finding inspiration. But it was no surprise to me because I was running at the time. Anyone familiar with my story (Stroke of Luck is still available, by the way) will know that running has often been a source of consolation and positivity in my life.
To set the scene, I met a small but hardy group of my teammates at Carburn Park in Calgary for an interval workout. It was a ladder workout, which for those who aren’t familiar, is a session with increasing length intervals. This workout, with intervals of 400m up to 2000m, looked daunting. Each set totaled 5.4k, and Coach Janice had specified 2-3 sets. I had to go back to her to confirm the details because it seemed that she must have miscalculated. This was TOO MUCH!
To add another degree of difficulty, the weather was awful. The threatening sky opened up just as we finished our warmup jog around the lagoon. Clouds turned to rain, then snow. My eyes were being pelted with icy crystals. We were soaked in no time. The temperature hovered just above freezing.
We ran south beside the steel-blue water of the Bow River, and I began to wonder what on earth we were doing. It didn’t help that I was the slowest runner in our group, meaning I also had the pleasure of watching my friends stretch out and away from me as the first set wore on.
As I approached the turnaround point, now miles from my warm car, my mood lightened. I was enjoying this. Even as my vision was being obscured by sleet, my thoughts were becoming clearer. Then, as if on cue, the sun peeked out briefly, casting a warm glow on the wet pathway in front of me. (I didn’t bring a camera on this run—it would have been waterlogged—so I can’t even show you a picture of that special but fleeting moment.)
By now, I was totally on my own. My teammates were out of sight, and the pathway was deserted. I was enjoying the feeling of movement, of being in control. Running was proof of life. I was thriving in what had just a few minutes earlier seemed an impossible task.
Then the following thoughts came into my head, without any prompting:
I don’t have all the answers
Sometimes there are no answers to find
All I have to offer is my best effort
I can only control what I do, not what anyone else does
I eventually made my way back to Carburn, where I caught up with my teammates. They had waited for me—how nice! We were soaked, shivering, and content. We patted each other on the back for getting through this monstrous workout on a rotten night, together. On that day, we were all heroes. Of course, even heroes need to dry off and warm up, so we said our short goodbyes and headed home.
With my mind clear, even if temporarily, I was ready to face whatever challenges were still waiting for me. Running and music and writing can help me figure things out, even if the answers themselves remain elusive.
Straight from our successful morning at the XTerra Black Canyon trail run, our convoy headed north to beautiful Sedona for a week at the Seven Canyons resort. Our theme for the week was “Elevate Performance”, and our hosts, Bill and Janice, were exceptionally generous, opening their home and directing all manner of activities.
We explored the extensive trail system around Sedona, which brought us awesome views of the stunning “red rocks” for which the city is famous. Sedona was much busier than what we remembered from our last visit, so we made sure to get an early start for our trail runs.
Did you know that the unique red colour of Sedona’s geological formations comes from iron oxide? The rocks are primarily sandstone and limestone. Because these are relatively soft rocks, they are susceptible to physical and chemical erosion. Wind and water (think flash flooding) have played a significant role in shaping the landscape over millions of years. And the result is spectacular… it’s unlike any other place I’ve been.
Our first group run was on the Little Horse-Bell Rock trail. We could have legitimately said we were still recovering from the race a couple of days earlier. That may have been partly true for Deb, but I was definitely okay with an easy start as I was still feeling the effects of my fall (and knowing that we had a busy week ahead of us.) This trail was perfect, even for those in our group who were a bit more ambitious. We did an out-and-back route that brought us all to the trailhead at the same time, so it all worked out. And what views!
“Elevate Performance” – Adrenaline Rush hits the trails at Little Horse
A highlight of the week was a trail run starting from the Dry Creek trailhead. We went out on the Long Canyon trail and returned via the Mescal-Yucca loop. We knew this route from prior runs, and we stopped along the way to enjoy the breathtaking… in both senses of the word… views.
Taking a break on Mescal
We added a second trail race to our calendar, given that the Sedona Stumble was conveniently scheduled for Saturday March 23, at the Posse Grounds Park in town. The 5k and 10k distances were full of challenges, including sections on a narrow single-track circuit and a mountain bike slalom course. Wow!
The race was very well organized by Run Sedona. Adrenaline Rush runners tackled both distances. Once around this technical loop was enough for Deb and me. We enjoyed the post-race snacks and festivities, especially the delicious donuts provided by Sedonuts. It was no surprise that Adrenaline Rush runners again made an impact on the podium. Congrats to Allison (1st in F50-59) and Al (1st in M60-69) in the 10k, to Doreen (1st in F60-69), Janice (2nd in F60-69) and Carolyn (1st in F50-59) in the 5k, and to the rest of our group on your strong results!
In addition to trail running, there was a lot of golf action on the beautiful Seven Canyons course throughout the week. Deb and I enjoyed a few casual games, although the glaring truth, for me at least, is that my game needs serious attention. A summer project, perhaps?
It was all smiles after the (cool and breezy) Adrenaline Rush golf game
Of course, I carried my Ricoh GR III with me on our runs and was rewarded with some good shots. From our vantage point on Rachel’s Knoll, I also got some amazing landscapes. The weather was cool and breezy, which meant some very interesting evening cloud formations. And the sunsets were outstanding.
It was a monster day of trail racing. An early start on a rainy St. Patrick’s Day morning in central Arizona didn’t deter a large Adrenaline Rush contingent for the Black Canyon XTerra trail races.
Our runners toed the line in the 7k, 11k and Half Marathon distances… sadly there were no takers for the marathon. The rain eased up just in time and gave way to perfect racing conditions on the scenic course in the Sonoran Desert.
Early morning in the Sonoran Desert (March 17, 2024)
Allison Blackmore and Mark Martens were off first in the half marathon. Allison smoothly made her way around the course, a challenging mix of single track and horse trail. Her legs held up until the 16k mark, and she managed the fatigue induced by 525m of elevation gain. Allison nailed down a first-place finish in the F55-59 age group and was fourth overall female in a time of 2:01.
A stir went through the crowd when word spread of a Sasquatch sighting on the trail. Of course, it was only Mark, who overcame a few nagging injuries that have kept him out of interval training for the winter. He put in a solid performance, finishing in 2:19 and fifth in the M50-54 AG. His performance leaves him optimistic about his chances in the upcoming HM in Mississauga.
A St. Patrick’s Day Sasquatch sighting!
142 runners tackled the 11k, including four AR racers, who left a definite mark on the event. Al Blackmore continued his recent good form by racing to an 18th-place finish. He looked very comfortable running to an excellent time of 1:08. This was good for third in the highly competitive M60-64 AG.
Doreen Katchmar admitted she couldn’t sleep the night before the race, worrying about getting lost on the course. Fortunately, the XTerra route was extremely well-marked. That meant Doreen could focus on staying upright and running strong… and it was mission accomplished! She turned in a nifty performance of 1:19 and first in her F60-64 AG. What a result!
Carolyn Leonard enjoyed the race and delivered a great performance. At 1:21, her time won her a first-place finish in the F55-59 category. The entertaining race announcer kept her in suspense, but there was never any doubt that she ran “the most perfect race.” Carolyn appreciated the supportive atmosphere among the racers on the trail.
Coach Janice McCaffrey got into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit (and was easily the best costume of the day, but sadly there was no such category). We heard later that she may have lost a bit of time on course when her green tutu got snagged on a Saguaro cactus. Fortunately she was carrying poles, which she put to good use, en route to a third-place AG result and a 1:29 time.
Debbie and I had modest expectations for the 7k, due to a sore hip and Achilles, respectively. Things started well, with Deb leading a small group of runners through the single-track section. That is until yours truly hit a rock and went down hard. After a brief pause, we carried on, but not before Deb had confirmed that no women in her age group had passed us. She need not have worried. In the immortal words of the race announcer, she was an “ultimate monster” with a convincing first-place finish in the F65-69 AG in 57:45. And me? I managed 2nd in my AG and was happy to still be upright.
Deb cruises past the horse stables and heads for home
Rita and Jamie Bertwell turned in awesome performances on what they described as their “first day of training.” They looked like race veterans as they handled everything the course threw at them, including 10-12 fords of Black Canyon Creek in the last 2k. Jamie noted that while it wasn’t a contest, he did notch one better AG place in his race than Mark did. And Rita? She was a cool 5th. Our intrepid announcer called it correctly for their hand-in-hand 1:22 finish: “Now THIS is what it’s all about!”
And in summary, those words rang true for all the AR racers on the day.
My Second Running Life 