Photography – Page 5 – My Second Running Life

What a Difference a Week Makes

As anyone who has lived here can tell you, Calgary doesn’t do fall very well. Sure, it can be nice one day, but we know not to be fooled. It’s only a matter of time before the weather turns into a demon.

This past week was a good case in point.

The First Responders races are hosted by Multisports Canada, in support of all first responders – police, fire, EMS and military. Races are held across Western Canada. This year, the Calgary race was held on October 22, on beautiful St. Patrick’s Island.

It was a cool day… a perfect day for racing. A good turnout for the 5k, 10k and half marathon races provided lots of opportunities for runners and spectators. Deb and I were there to cheer on some young athletes from our club. We were also fortunate to have Dan in town for the weekend. He was with members of his Cold Lake squadron, to compete in the 10k.

Overcast skies and the scenic backdrop of the island also promised some great photo opportunities. I got myself ready in a few strategic locations, with my Leica M10 and the excellent Voigtlander 75mm Heliar f1.8 lens in hand.

Competitors in the Half Marathon make their way across the George C. King Bridge

The racers didn’t disappoint. There was plenty of excitement and some terrific performances. You can find the results for all the races here. The ageless Maria Zambrano, who has been a fixture in the Calgary race scene for decades, won the 10k outright, in a sparkling time of 36:09. She isn’t getting older, she is getting faster. Amazing!

Maria Zambrano heads for home in the 10k

Providing more evidence that age is really just a number, Andrew Brown took home top honours in the half marathon, running 1:26:35. By the way, Andrew is in the 50-59 age group.

I was wearing two hats (well maybe three, given the temperature.) As an assistant coach, I was rooting for two young runners in our Adrenaline Rush club, Alison and Owen MacPherson. Both raced their plans to perfection, chalking up negative splits and looking far too comfortable at the finish. Dad Gord was there to cheer them on!

The MacPherson family celebrates two fine performances in the 5k

Now, what about the demon, you ask?

Our time ran out on Monday, with the arrival of a cold front. It was the first blast of winter. By the time it was done, 15cm of snow had fallen on Calgary, and our pleasant fall was a distant memory. We are still digging out! And running on treadmills for the most part.

Proving the resilience of the Calgary running community, a small army of volunteers picked up their shovels and headed for the track at the Glenmore Athletic Park.

As Deb and I worked to clear a couple of lanes on the back straight, I did some math to take my mind off my aching back. It took us an hour of hard work to clear about 200m of one lane. Did you know that one lane on a standard track is 4 feet (1.2m) wide? That means each of us did about 250 square metres of shovelling.

I also had time to figure out that the total surface area of a 400m track is about 4,300 square metres. So, between Deb and I, we managed to clear about 12 percent of the total surface area of the track. Thank goodness we had a lot of help.

No wonder I’m sore today.

Deb, Reinier Paauwe and Jeremy Deere work on the first corner

It all goes to show that Calgarians are adaptable, resilient and community-minded. We runners in the southwest will have a few lanes to train in, at least until the next snowfall.

Stay warm!

Hometown Photo Runs (+1)

An impromptu trip to my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario came together quickly last weekend. A visit with my mother was long overdue. While in the city, I took the opportunity to explore some of my old favourite running routes in the east end. There are some good ones.

My first outing was to Gage Park, a 75-acre urban oasis a few kilometres east of downtown. The city purchased the land for the park from Robert Russell Gage in 1917. The landscape architects Howard and Lorrie Grubb designed the park from 1919 to 1927. It features a picturesque 2-kilometre paved pathway loop, a historic greenhouse, gardens, fountains and many monumental trees.

I had racked up countless laps of the park as a novice runner. That was nearly fifty years ago. A couple of easy laps transported me right back to those days. There was something reassuring about seeing all the landmarks just as I remembered them. Where did all the years go?

I made sure to check on my three favourite trees, a grouping of massive plane trees along the northern edge of the park. They were just as impressive as ever. Plane trees are large, deciduous trees that are native to North America, eastern Europe, and Asia. They are characterized by scaling bark, which I think looks fantastic in a black and white photograph. See if you agree.

I swung by the fountain which sits in the centre of the park. Surprisingly, it was operating. I can’t say I’ve seen that very often. A young couple was using the fountain as a backdrop for their wedding pictures. They didn’t seem to mind a sweaty runner stopping to snap a few pictures of his own.

The next morning, I made my way to the Rosedale neighbourhood. As with Gage Park, I have many happy memories of running through and around the King’s Forest Golf Club as a high school cross-country runner. It was our training headquarters, and we knew every inch of the trails. Redhill Creek meanders through the golf course, and it made for a pleasant photo stop.

On my way home, I made sure to run along Kimberly Drive, as I knew the foliage on the Niagara Escarpment (aka “the Mountain” to those of us from Hamilton) would be in peak fall colours. I wasn’t disappointed.

A bonus (non-running) photo from my time in Hamilton presented itself as I made my way to the GO Transit station for my trip back to Pearson airport. As a lifelong fan of my hometown team, the Tiger-Cats, I couldn’t help but stop and admire this mural of the great Angelo Mosca. He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Mosca’s hard-hitting style of play suited Hamilton. He died in 2021.

Local legend, Angelo Mosca #68 (1937-2021)

Very Thankful Indeed!

Thanksgiving weekend was a satisfying one for your blog host. We Canadians roast our turkeys on the second weekend of October, rather than waiting another six weeks like our friends to the south.

The first order of business was another parkrun. We had a special visitor from Cold Lake for the weekend who was up for the challenge. Dan was seeking more mountain adventures, and yes, the promise of a turkey dinner. There was no better way to start the holiday weekend.

Conditions were ideal. Dan took off right from the gun, while Deb and I settled into a more pedestrian pace. Unlike our foggy Nose Hill parkrun (#285) of two weeks earlier… our first… this Saturday morning brought fine fall weather.

Clear skies meant we could see every detail of the challenging circuit. It includes mixed hard asphalt, gravel and a short section of single track. The Nose Hill course consists of two laps of about 2k each, with an out and back section making up the 5k distance. It’s a good test.

We enjoyed a brief peek of the mountains at the far end of the course. (The dusting of snow there was a prelude to our next adventure.)

When we arrived at the finish line, Dan was already cooling down, having put in a hard tempo pace to reach his goal of a sub-20-minute 5k. We were content with a finishing time that was close to (okay, a bit slower than) our previous result. We headed home, all satisfied with our performances.

The energy level is always higher around the house when Dan is there, and this weekend was no different. So, we were not surprised when he explained that his plans for Sunday included a hike in Canmore.

I reminded myself that we would soon be lamenting the return of cold, dark and short days. I asked him to count me in. Who needs sleep anyway?

He had selected Ha Ling Peak, a moderately challenging 8k round tripper with 700m of elevation gain. I had always wanted to try this one, especially since the trail modifications that were done in 2019.

We made an early start, figuring that many enthusiasts would already be on the trail, all keen to burn some calories before a big dinner. In fact, it wasn’t that busy. We encountered more hikers making their way down from sunrise treks to the summit. It would have been a good one, based on the beautiful pink sky we enjoyed on our drive to the mountains.

Our ascent was quick. We stopped only briefly at the two intermediate viewpoints. Then we marvelled at the engineering behind the wooden staircases built into the steep upper sections of the trail. Dan was nimble on the last scrabbly (and unmaintained) section before the summit, and as always, considerate enough to wait for me every so often.

I wondered how I’d do near the top, given that Ha Ling is known to be a bit of a challenge for those prone to vertigo. I have to count myself in that category, after my vertebral strokes.

I focused on the ground in front of me, only looking up when I stopped to catch my breath. Fortunately, I had no issues at all with my balance on the day.

Views of the town opened up below us near the top. It was spectacular; a very rich reward for the 90 minutes of effort needed to get us there.

Dan proposed that we make the side trip to Miners Peak, maximizing our reward even more. I was slightly intimidated by the prospect, until he pointed out that I was looking at the wrong peak. We checked out the cairn at the col, before making quick work of the small peak… more of a mound… directly in front of us.

Dan scouts Miners Peak, with Ha Ling behind

Having skipped down the mountain in no time, after meeting many groups of hikers on their way up, we made the obligatory stop at The Bicycle Cafe in town for an excellent latte. Delicious!

All in all, it was a fine and memorable weekend. It was made even better by the impressive results achieved by my Adrenaline Rush teammates (and many other Calgary runners) in top-flight marathons in Chicago, Victoria and St. George. More on that in a future piece.

I feel very thankful indeed!

Fall Photo Run

It’s been a busy couple of months for your blog host. Between work and travel, there hasn’t been much time for a simple photo run in and around the neighbourhood. Knowing how short our autumn is here in Alberta, it looked like I might miss the whole season.

It was a pleasure to have a short window of opportunity a couple of weeks ago. So I grabbed the trusty Ricoh GR III, left my watch at home, and headed out on a perfect fall day.

Fall splendour was everywhere. Yellow leaves and green grass were on vivid display against the clear blue sky. Magical.

I ran by an elm tree in the corner of Wolfe Park, not far from home. I had to stop. The yellow leaves were glowing in the afternoon sunlight. Then, a minute later and only a few feet away, I came across a vintage trailer parked on the street. I snapped my pictures and finished my run, hoping that I had captured the feeling of the day.

The photos sat in the camera until this morning, when I finally got a few minutes to open them up in Lightroom.

The rich colour palette and stately profile of the elm tree did make for a nice photo. It was a classic fall shot of a fine-looking tree.

Elm tree in full sunlight, as we usually see it

But something seemed to be missing. My picture of the elm tree didn’t grab me as much as I had hoped. After all, the way it looked on that warm September afternoon had made me stop and reach for my camera.

I thought I would try the same shot in an infrared (IR) simulation mode that Lightroom conveniently offers. What’s that about, you may ask?

Well, the short answer is that IR shots respond to different wavelengths than the human eye. Here’s how it works. The human eye sees light in the 400-700 nanometre (nm) range, covering the colour spectrum from purple to red. IR light is in the range of 700-1200 nm; that is, beyond the visible spectrum. We can’t see IR light, but it can be captured (or as in this case, simulated) in photographs. Because the leaves of the elm tree emit light in the IR range, the yellow foliage is recorded as bright white. It can make for surreal images.

Here’s what the infrared version of the same photo looks like.

Same elm tree, simulated IR filter, as we can’t see it

I’m not sure which image I prefer. I like them both. I would never want to overuse the IR effect, given its other worldly look. Seeing the images side-by-side made me realize that there can never be anything that matches seeing nature in person. I am curious which image of the elm tree you prefer. Please let me know in the comments section, below.

As for the picture of the trailer, it was more straightforward to edit. I like the way that the blue of the trailer matches the sky. It’s a bonus that the curtains in the window of the trailer give the picture a distinct fall vibe, picking up the foliage in the background. But that’s just my opinion. What do you think?

I hope wherever you are, you are experiencing good weather and capturing lots of memorable photographs.

Enjoy.

A Foggy parkrun and a Larchy Hike

What a weekend!

Saturday.

parkrun is a worldwide phenomenon. It started in 2004 in the UK, when a small group of runners got together for an informal 5k run. There are now more than 3 million registered runners who can show up at any weekly parkrun around the world.

As a historical aside, park runs were a thing decades ago. That was in the late 1970s, at the dawn of the running boom. I remember doing 1, 3 or 5 mile runs around Gage Park in Hamilton, which were organized by the local YMCA. Like parkrun, those runs were free and informal. But I digress…

We now have several parkruns to choose from in the Calgary area. My friend Tim (a veteran of 100 parkruns) encouraged us to give it a try, so Deb and I decided to join for our first Nose Hill parkrun, and the 285th weekly edition.

Fog settled over the park as we did an easy warm-up jog. The field was large, with over 150 runners. It included a large number of airline employees from around the world. They were in town to participate in the World Airline Road Race, a large race that was scheduled for the next day.

Our run went well. We handled the two laps of mixed terrain without much trouble. That said, we saw almost nothing, due to the thick fog. It did make for some interesting photos, with runners disappearing off in the misty distance.

We finished in 30 minutes, and thanks to a modern technological touch, we scanned our personal parkrun barcodes against our finisher’s chips. An hour later we had an email with our age-graded results and our updated parkrun record.

We’ll be back for another parkrun soon!

Sunday. Another day, another early start. This time it was for a trip to the mountains.

Tim (yes, that’s parkrun Tim) and his wife Judi proposed the Pocaterra Ridge in Kananaskis. This moderately strenuous, point-to-point, 10-kilometre hike is renowned for its larches. And given that this weekend would see the larches at their golden peak, we knew the trail would be busy.

Despite our early start, the parking situation was already very tight when we arrived at the north trailhead. We carpooled to the south end of the trail at the Highwood Pass, got ourselves organized, and set off.

The well-trodden, muddy trail began climbing immediately. We admired the magnificent golden larches as we toiled through the first couple of kilometres of the hike.

Reaching the first summit on Pocaterra Ridge

The first of three peaks along the ridge hike maxes out at an elevation of 2722m. The views of the entire Kananaskis Valley to the north were spectacular, when we had views. This being an Alberta autumn, it had begun to snow. The temperature dropped and we reached for our toques and extra layers.

We made good time coming down from the summit. We timed our lunch stop perfectly, to coincide with a brief interlude of sunny and calm weather. By this point, the crowds were much thinner. Many hikers had clearly focused on the lower reaches of the trail, but they may have missed the best part of the hike. Our high altitude paid huge dividends, in the form of incredible views, as we walked along the well-defined ridge trail.

Larches and great views on Pocaterra Ridge

The last hour of the hike was a steep descent back through the larches to the highway. We gingerly made our way down, with quads burning.

Overall, it was a memorable day in the mountains, made better with good friends and magical views.

Running, Across the Iberian Peninsula

Our trip to Portugal and Spain offered ample opportunities for us to explore the region on foot, and we did just that. Working our way from Lisbon to Barcelona, we made sure to include a run in each location. As many readers will attest, there is no better way to see a new place than at running speed. We had some memorable runs (camera in hand, of course) and faced only a few minor challenges along the way. Here’s a summary.

Lisbon

The Portuguese capital was a charming place to start our Iberian tour. The Praça do Comércio and the Tagus River were just steps from the Pousada Lisboa Hotel. We did an easy out-and-back run to the Ponte 25 de Abril, enjoying magnificent views along the way. We decided to turn around before reaching the impressive modern Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Belém. We knew that we wanted to visit the area later in the day so we could explore the sights more fully. We were thrilled to see so many fast and fit runners on the (cobbled!) pathway.

And here’s what we saw later in Belém (but not running):

The spectacular Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology

2. Faro

We fit in a short run during our stopover in Faro, the capital city of the Algarve district in southern Portugal, which let us see the morning activity along the waterfront. Fishing boats were returning to port, and clamdiggers were taking full advantage of the low tide as the sun rose. The temperature was already climbing as we returned to our comfortable room among the narrow, cobbled streets of the old town.

3. Seville

Our first stop in Spain was a revelation. The capital of Andalucia is brimming with Spanish character. Our apartment was a few blocks from the historic Puente de Isabel on the beautiful Guadalquivir River. We were treated to many sights on our early morning seven-kilometre run. Rowers and runners were out in force, all with the same thought of avoiding the heat of the day. Unique public art, several famous monuments and contemporary architecture were all to be found along the route. Our turnaround point was the lush Maria Luisa Park, the gardens next to Plaza de España, and one of the many features in Seville that were constructed for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition.

We started from the historic Ponte Isabel II in Sevilla

Torre del Oro, one of the sights along the Guadalquivir River

4. Granada

Our challenge in this historic city was to find a flat spot to run. From our apartment in the Albaicin neighbourhood we had a panoramic view of the most famous feature of the city (the Alhambra, a massive Moorish fortress and palace), but it was also a steep, twisty and cobbled kilometre away from the city centre. As a result, we decided to enjoy a leisurely walk down to the Avenida de la Constitución before starting our run. A few laps of this pedestrian-friendly mall made for a pleasant outing. We didn’t see many other runners during our early morning run, but we did get a chance to say hello to statues of many famous people from the region.

5. Madrid

We were impressed by the capital city of Spain as soon as we arrived at the handsome and historic Estación de Atocha. This very walkable city of 3.2 million people is crammed with sights, including the world-famous Prado Museum. We found surprises around every corner. When it came to planning our run, we were pleased to see that the Hotel Fénix Gran Meliá in the Salamanca district was a few minutes away from the Parque de Buen Retiro, possibly the most beautiful urban park in Europe. A lap of the gravel path around the park was 4.5 kilometres, leaving us with enough energy to check out the Estanque del Retiro, a spectacular artificial pond and monument. Aside from the Retiro, there are many other green spaces to explore in Madrid. We were disappointed to learn that a hugely popular 10k race (Corre por Madrid) was taking place on the morning we left the city. Maybe next time!

Julia, a monumental sculpture by Jaume Plensa

Just one of many picturesque spots in el Retiro, Madrid

6. Barcelona

Our stay at the Hotel Casa Fuster in the Gracia district of Barcelona was a highlight of the trip. Our fifth-floor view was dominated by the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s Modernist masterpiece. We intended to run an out-and-back route on via Diagonal, a pedestrian avenue near the hotel, but road construction and a close call with a taxi changed our plans. While looking for an easier route, we took a couple of wrong turns and found ourselves staring up at the iconic church. Breathtaking! We thoroughly enjoyed our stay in the capital city of the Catalonia region. The Sagrada and the Picasso Museum were well worth a visit. Overall, it was a fitting end to our travels.

Skyline Trail: One Less Bucket List Item

We were halfway into our Skyline Trail hike when Dan asked me a question.

“So, how long have you wanted to do this hike?

I had to think for a minute.

“I don’t know exactly, but it was long before you were born. Let’s say 40 years.”

To be truthful, I’d given up the idea of tackling this epic 45km trail in Jasper National Park. It seemed less likely after my health problems, and considering how much effort it would take to organize the required overnight backcountry camping.

That was before I mentioned my bucket list item to my son, Dan. Next thing I knew he had sent me an email with possible itineraries and dates, complete with a packing list and even his menu suggestions. He’d already booked the campsites.

I realized I had no reason to say no. We were going to Jasper on the August long weekend!

I went into rapid preparation mode, starting with some shorter hikes and an actual backpack (my old Arc’teryx Bora 65). I bought some missing gear, which was almost as much fun as the hiking. Deb did us a huge favour by organizing our food into about a thousand convenient Ziploc bags. We were off!

We would do the hike in 3 days, in the typical south-to-north direction, from Maligne Lake to Signal Lake. The trail crosses three passes and gains 1,400 metres of elevation. Our days would increase from 8 km to 13 km to 26 km. I was secretly worried about that last day; I didn’t want to be the guy they had to rescue by helicopter.

As it turned out, I got more comfortable with my pack each day. The trail was perfectly maintained. I handled it all well. Dan was an amazing trail companion and a totally confident backpacker. He did all the planning, all the cooking (including the most unexpected and awesome birthday cake ever), and most of the hauling. There were only a couple of times I felt I was holding him back. I did decline his offer of a quick side scramble up Curator Mountain though.

The scenery was spectacular, especially on either side of the third pass, The Notch, which at 2,500 metres is the highest point on the trail. We had an early start on day 3, and my mantra was “Notch by nine”. I told myself the climb was just another tough interval workout. It was fascinating to see how each pass opened up very different vistas and microclimates; from lush green valleys to moonscapes. There were great B&W landscapes everywhere you looked. (I had the capable and compact Ricoh GR III with me.)

We knew there was a chance of thunderstorms as we approached the final campsite, Signal. Suddenly, the sky darkened around us. I forgot all about my aching feet, as our attention shifted to one goal… getting to a lower elevation.

Fortunately, the sky cleared, after dropping some large but harmless raindrops on us. That left us only with the monotony of an 8-km fire road to finish the hike.

Overall, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, and best of all, a chance to spend a few memorable days with a wonderful person.

An Ideal Photo Run

Today’s photo run was perfect.

The weather in Calgary has taken a turn. I was about to write “for the worse” but since this is a blog about running, I’ll leave that comment off. Let’s say that we have seen a change, from something approaching “too hot” to “good running weather”.

Cool temperatures and drizzle often have a way of dampening (pun intended) my enthusiasm for a run. But one thing I’ve learned is that I need to look beyond those feelings and get myself out the door. Today was no exception.

After a block or two, I knew I had made the right call. The Elbow River pathway was quiet, and the river was looking fine. The sun was trying its best to make an appearance. I knew the light would be good for photographs, so I brought along my trusty Ricoh GR III.

One spot I’ve gone by a thousand times but have had trouble capturing is the small garden on Elbow Drive at 30 Avenue SW. It’s an attractive little spot but I’ve always found something challenging about the composition. Today, though, the combination of the soft lighting, misty conditions, and the new foliage was magical. I stopped and grabbed a couple of shots without a second thought. Later, I tried Lightroom’s infrared preset and got a result that I think was very cool. I hope you’ll agree

Almost back home, and content with the run (and the photos), I passed a leafy corner and noticed two eyes peeking out from between the hedges. Closer inspection revealed that it was, in fact, the headlights of a Triumph TR3 sportscar. At least I think it was a TR3. Maybe a car expert reading this piece can confirm its pedigree. In any case, it was a scene that made me smile, and a fitting way to end my run.

Enjoy.

Leicaphilia Loses its Creative Force

Tim Vanderweert passed away in early January. I need to say a few words about him, and the impact he had on me. In this digital world, it seems a stretch to say Tim was a friend because I never met him. I only knew him through his online presence and a bit of interaction we had through his blog, Leicaphilia. One thing is certain – I wasn’t the only person who was influenced by Tim.

It’s funny how things go sometimes. About five years ago, I was putting my life back together after a medical episode that left me wondering what my future would look like. Competitive running, which had been a constant presence in my life for more than four decades, looked like it might be taken away forever. I wasn’t sure I could cope with that prospect.

I had always had a passing interest in photography, but to be fair, it had never gone beyond a teenager’s early fascination with the gear and amateurish attempts to emulate the great landscape photographer, Ansel Adams. Boxes of family snapshots, as great as they are, attest to the fact that I focused more on quantity than quality. And that was fine, as I had limited time for hobbies, for all the usual reasons.

Fast forward to 2017. Adrift after a lengthy hospital stay and amid much uncertainty, I picked up my old Canon AT-1–that’s a totally manual film camera by the way–and started carrying it with me on my slow recovery walks around the neighbourhood. For years, I had cruised through the same streets at a faster pace – apparently fast enough that I hadn’t seen things that were right in front of my eyes.

My interest in photography was being rekindled but I was rusty. So rusty that I had missed the whole transition to digital photography, which had made film cameras obsolete. At least that was the conventional wisdom.

And then I discovered Leicaphilia, and its creative force, Tim vdW. Here was a guy, about my age, who had dedicated as much of his life and energy to photography – Leica-based film photography no less – as I had dedicated to competitive running. Different hobby, same passion. I liked him immediately.

The more I delved into Tim’s writing and creative output, the more our connection grew. I especially liked the fact that he steadfastly defended the turf of film photography against the onslaught of digital. Pixels didn’t matter an iota to him. It was more about the emotional impact, the art, than about the technical features of the latest camera. And on that point, Tim had the knowledge (and the courage) to state his views and share his thoughts. He wrote eloquently about the philosophical underpinnings of photography, about topics like aesthetics. His knowledge spanned centuries.

I had never read articles that tied the Greek philosophers to this hobby. But as a returning student, I was more than willing to learn. His lucid posts entertained me (and his other devotees) while they educated me, complete with photographs from his archives and his bike rides around North Carolina. He put together a book of his photographs taken from inside cars – it was called Car Sick – and I bought not one but two copies. (You see, he had made it abundantly clear to his readers that he had lost his shirt on the production of the book. I wanted him to keep going.)

When Tim announced to his readers that he had cancer, we all held our breaths. It looked bad. For a time, he stopped posting. Eventually, he informed us that he was in hospice care, with only a few days to live. Except he didn’t die. He got better, at least for a while.

In the last few months of his life, he gifted his anxious audience with constant posts, full of clear writing about his situation, and yes, some excellent photography. With a creative flourish, he turned his attention to developing the hundreds of rolls of film that had accumulated in his house. He even put together an exhibition of his life’s work.

And now he is gone. Tim showed us all how we might try to face the grim prospect of our own impending death, with grace and purpose, and good humour. As we go through the ups and downs of our own lives, we should all hope to have as much positive impact on those around us.

My first reaction to the news of his passing was to load a roll of his favourite film (Kodak Tri-X) into my Leica M6 and shoot some street photographs, hoping for his spirit to walk with me as my muse.

Tim will be missed.