2010 Rock and Ice Ultra - Cancelled

I was shocked, saddened and disappointed to find out today that the Rock and Ice Ultra had been cancelled for 2010. There were many thoughts and feelings going through my head when I read the emails and blogs about this decision.

I felt bad for Rock and Ice Race Director Scott Smith as he had built this event in three short years to be one of the premier winter races in the world. Rock and Ice is a very unique event with a strong field of international competitors. Scott had big plans for the race on the world scene and I only hope that this is a small blip and that he will be able to resurrect the race again in 2011.

The two competitors who I felt really bad for were David and JD. They had dreamed about this race, planned for it, booked flights, bought expensive gear and were training with the goal of competing in this life changing race. To them I feel truly very sorry that they won’t be able to race in this incredible event that they had set out to.

Lastly, I felt as though I had some unfinished business of my own at Rock and Ice after last year. I had hoped to have the opportunity to return again this year and have a great race. This is a race that really got under my skin and will be tough to replace.

So, now it’s back to the drawing board for us Ontario folks. There are still plenty of exciting winter events to choose from. We all will just need to do some research and see what fits best for each of us.

Snowshoe Magazine - Rock and Ice Ultra: A Real Gem of a Race

The following is an article I wrote for Snowshoe Magazine on the 2009 BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra.

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High winds and ominous clouds added to the tension and uncertainty as participants waited for the start of the 2009 BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra. A total of 78 athletes were lined up on the start line, with many frantically doing last minute gear checks to make sure that they had the appropriate survival equipment needed for the duration of the race. In a harsh climate like Yellowknife, NWT in Canada’s north, a careless mistake not only affects how well your race will go, but can also be downright dangerous, possibly even life threatening...

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To read the entire article, please click here>>

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(Click here to download the pdf magazine version)

Northern Thoughts...

It’s been a week since we arrived home from Yellowknife, but I still find my thoughts drifting back to the north regularly.

As I mentioned in my training log update, I am beginning to feel a little better and look forward to getting back out running more. That will certainly help to reduce some of the disappointment that still lingers from getting sick at the worst possible time at Rock and Ice.

The above photo was sent to us by Barb Campbell and is of Sara and me running together on Prelude Lake during the snowstorm on day #1.

As I look out the window this morning, there are a few snow flurries in the air. A quick check with the Yellowknife weather also indicates below 0C temperatures with snow in the forecast.

While it’s great to be home, there is a part of me that wishes I was still up north…or heading back soon.

Rock and Ice Wrap-up

Following a long day of travel on Saturday, we are back home to what we now affectionately call Yarkerknife.

Being away from home for 11 days is a long time. Since Sara and I tend to be homebodies, it made it seem a little longer at times. We were kept busy the whole time of our trip though, with race planning, in addition to writing assignments.

I still have a hard time wrestling with my personal Rock and Ice race experience this year. Feeling fairly confident going into the race, it still frustrates me to no end that I ended up with a big fat DNF on day two. I know that I wasn’t feeling well on the week of the race, with the taper, travel and planning, however I wasn’t too concerned about things. I fully expected that as soon as the race started, I would feel better, just like many other times in the past. Obviously, this didn’t happen as I have been sick since and still feel like hell.

Dropping out of the race on day two of six feels very much like unfinished business. I had a roller coaster of emotions going through my head during the later stages of the race, as I was watching from the sidelines. I felt as though I was on the outside looking in. I’m not one to cherish race souvenirs; however I really wanted one of the Rock and Ice finisher awards handed out when participants crossed the finish line. I found myself looking in the other direction when participants were given this memento upon completion of the race. It’s not about the memento itself, but just what it symbolizes.
As much as my race was such a disappointment and a feeling as though my body let me down, it helped greatly that even though my race fell apart early, Sara nailed her race big time. It was very cool to see all of her hard work come together and that she was obviously getting stronger and stronger each day. It was interesting too that Sara seemed to have the same experience this year that I had last year, in that she felt that she changed and truly became an ultra runner during the course of this race. It’s exciting to think of what’s next for Sara this year. It sounds like a 50 miler may be in the works for later in 2009.
As for me, at first upon dropping out, I thought that I might be able to salvage another race sooner rather than later as my recovery would be that much quicker since I hadn’t competed for the entire six days of the race. That is still a possibility, however I need to get healthy first before deciding what’s next. By the end of last week, I was starting to feel a little bit better …weak still, but better. However, my fever has now returned with a vengeance and with it a sinus infection, sore throat, heavy chest and achy ears. Once again, it’s back to getting healthy before thinking about registering for the next race.

In the meantime, I still have some writing to do about the 2009 Rock and Ice Ultra. Looking at it from a spectator’s perspective is not my ideal way of doing things, but has been interesting none the less. There are so many great stories from the race, and having not been wrapped up in finishing the race, I have had the opportunity to see many of these things a little closer than I might have otherwise.

Rock and Ice is the type of race that really gets under your skin. You form many close friendships with people you have just met, but feel like you’ve known them all your life, from race director Scott Smith, right on down to volunteers, fellow competitors, media and the Yellowknife community in general. The challenge and attraction of this type of race is obviously huge and can be life changing for many once completed.

I have had a lot of people ask me if I am planning to run the race again next year. After the disappointment of this years race, I was unsure how I would feel and what my thoughts would be. At this point, I don’t think that I can leave R&I as a DNF, so if I have the opportunity, I think I need to go back.

I loved the feeling of crossing the finish line last year after three of the hardest days of running I have ever done. I could also see that in Sara’s eyes when she crossed the finish this year and that she had learned something as a runner and felt an incredible feeling of accomplishment. Even though I was only racing for a total of less than two days, I do feel as though I learned a little more about the race and what it takes to run well there which would help me in the future. Whether it’s first place or last place, I don’t really care. I just want to cross the line at the Rock and Ice Diamond Ultra.

And, now a few final memorable thoughts from the race…

Race Highlight:
Sara winning the K-Rock three day race. She nailed it and just seemed to get stronger and stronger as the race progressed. Thinking about seeing Sara come across the finish line in first place and having conquered some very difficult conditions, was an incredible sight and will continue to give me a warm feeling for years to come.

Disappointment:
You needed to ask? Obviously, getting sick and having to stop.

Weather:
The first day of the race consisted of extreme conditions. High winds and wind chills, plus driving snow at times where you were out in the middle of a lake and could not see the shoreline.

People:
Bigger than life people and friendships formed. There were so many nice people who we got to know very well, and too many to name as we wouldn’t want to leave out anyone. Special thanks to Scott for doing everything that he does and for putting this together. The volunteers, especially Elaine for being so kind. Ken, for being a friend at camp. All the media, racers and community. So many wonderful people.

Trout Rock Lodge:
Once Sara’s race was over, we had the opportunity to go out to Trout Rock Lodge with the media, in addition to helping at the stage camp finish line. The weather was beautiful and we were shuttled in by a vehicle used by the Swedish military that was a cross between snowmobile, bus and boat. Being at this remote lodge felt like you were in the middle of nowhere. Northern Lights:
We were lucky. I have always imagined what the northern lights would be like and never in my wildest dreams did I picture them to be so beautiful. We had just gone to bed when Scott woke up the camp to tell everyone that they had to get up and see the northern lights. We were treated to a swirl of dancing green lights that connected from one end of the sky to the other. Sara and I walked away from the lodge and out onto Great Slave Lake where the northern lights were so bright and close that it seemed like you could almost touch them. It was incredibly beautiful and certainly something that I will never forget. I was disappointed that I really didn’t get a chance to see much of them last year, but was grateful that Sara and I got to see them together this year.

International Friends:
The first night that we arrived, we met the Italian team of Pietro, Katia, Francesco and Gabriela, and hit it off right away. Even though language was an issue with trying to communicate, we were able to do so and got to know them all very well. It sounds like they are planning to return next year, which will be nice to see them again. There were competitors from a total of 11 different countries taking part in Rock and Ice, making this quite the international field. We got to know everyone pretty well over the course of the race.

Fun times:
It was fun sharing stories with fellow racers. The media was also an eclectic group of individuals who were quick with a joke or story to tell. Some true, some not so much, but all good times.

Food:
Sara and I are vegetarians and don’t eat meat. However, when in Yellowknife we were given the opportunity to sample some traditional dishes which included various types of wild meat. All were excellent and while it’s nice to return to our regular diet, it was great to try out these foods that we don’t have a chance to eat regularly. We even made the trip to the world famous Bullock’s Bistro and enjoyed what Reader’s Digest calls “The Best Fish and Chips in all of Canada.” The Arctic Char certainly lived up to that billing.

Races:
Each of the races had an interesting story and many weren’t decided until the final day. Congratulations to Mike, Greg, Denise, Liza, Dennis, Shawne, Thom, and of course Sara. Also, congratulations to Phil for fighting it out to the end in the closest race at R&I, and Jenn for gutting it out despite injury and making things close as well. Just completing this race is a victory and a huge congratulations goes out to everyone who did.

We would also like to thank again the following sponsors for supporting us at the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra:

La Sportiva Running Team
Kingston Police Association
Scott Smith (Rock and Ice Ultra Race Director)
Bob Duess/President of Duess Geological Services Ltd (GPS)
PolarMAX (base layering systems)
Outdoor Research (windpants)
Duane Ramsay Alaskan Huskies (pulk design and construction of runners)
Ryan Alford (Snowshoe Magazine)
Jack and Rosemary Spafford
Brennan and Heather Spafford (pulk artwork and support)
Peter and Judy Montgomery
Debbie and Jack McKeown (gear swapping)
Karen Spafford-Fitz & Family (Edmonton B&B)

To read Sara's race report, please click here

Breathe Magazine: The Prized Pulk

Competing in an extreme winter race like the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra requires hard training, knowledge of the north, and a good pulk.

The Rock and Ice Ultra began on March 21, 2009 in Yellowknife, NWT. Participants could choose between the Diamond Ultra 225km six day, K-Rock Ultra 135km three day or the Cold Foot Classic 55km one day race. There is a foot/snowshoe and ski category in each race. Those participating in the Diamond Ultra must pull their supplies for the entire six day race in a pulk (sled).

For a winter race, finding or building the right pulk can be a daunting task. Surprisingly, the frame is the easy part. Many great racing pulks begin with a basic kid's sled before customizing it to specific needs. Some competitors choose to simply tie it around their waist with a rope, but there are other things that can be done to improve performance significantly...

read full article>>

Rock and Ice Update: K-Rock Results & Diamond update

The third day of the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra has come to an end which also signifies the conclusion of the three stage 135km K-Rock Ultra.

If you have been following the race through this blog, you already know that congratulations are in order to my wife Sara (Montgomery) for winning the women's division of the foot/snowshoe race, in addition to placing third overall. Sara had a great race and seemed to get stronger each day. With the challenging footing, high winds and cold weather, Sara showed great mental and physical strength in finishing the race three hours ahead of the next female participant. Sara won a diamond valued at $2,800 for her efforts which was donated by title sponsor BHP Billiton - she will be flying up to the diamond mine that it came from for the presentation and a tour on Friday morning.

Due to the depth of the snow on the course, Sara had to run approximately 125 of the 135km of the race in her Dion snowshoes. The only time she ran in just her trail shoes was for the first five and then the final five km's of the race; which was on the ice highway.

Even though the K-Rock is over, there is still plenty of racing to take place as the six day 225km Diamond Ultra division just passed the half way point. Ottawa adventure racer Andrew Cameron continues to run well and is solidly in second place behind Greg McHale. Greg has built up a big lead over the first three days, which will be tough for Andrew to make up, but in a race like this anything can happen.

Andrew looked in great spirits heading out this morning and it will be interesting to see how things play out in the final three days on the trail.

Liza Pye also looked good heading into day four and just needs to make it to the finish line to pick up her diamond, however you can bet she will be trying to make up ground on some of the male competitors who are currently in front of her.

On a personal note, thanks to Rick and all the people who commented, sent emails and well-wishes after I was forced out of the Diamond race. It means a lot to me and is comforting. Thanks.

Rock and Ice Update #11: Start of K-Rock Day #3

Thanks everyone for the comments.

As I said on Sara's blog...
Race headquarters at the Matrix Village were able to patch me through on the radio to the Jennejohn stage camp last night, so I was able to speak briefly with Sara. She said the conditions were very tough, but she was encouraged with how she was feeling, and looking forward to the final push to home today.

I was hoping to catch a media flight out to the stage camp for the start, but unfortunately wasn't able to, so I'll be anxiously awaiting Sara's arrival this afternoon sometime probably after 3pm. I will call in or post results at that point.

The weather this morning in YK isn't too cold, but it's been snowing pretty hard which will make some of the lake crossings very tough. The wind should be at their backs though, which will be a welcome push to the finish.

Go Sara!!!! Can't wait to see you!

As for me...
I had a restless night of sleep with cold sweats but have been able to keep my fever under control this morning with ibruprophen. It was a pretty lonely Matrix Village last night with everyone either on the course or packed up and gone home.

I was glad to have the company of the Matrix Village Camp staff member Ken. Ken is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and just speaking with him for a few minutes, you feel as though you've known him all your life. Kind of a combination of camp manager, father figure, best friend and race mascot all wrapped into one. He is always quick with a interesting story about back home (Cape Breton) or some of the remote places he has been to (Baffin Island and many more). When you aren't feeling well, it's comforting to have someone like that near by.

I've had a bit of a chance to ponder about my race and it still hasn't sunk in that I'm not out there. It started to hit home a bit when I saw the photos on Sleepmonsters. I'll have more time to reflect on this in the next little while. Still frustrates the hell out of me, but looking back at the past week I do realize that something wasn't feeling right. On Wednesday I had an ear ache and scratchy throat but was hoping to just put that down to the flight from Toronto. Apparently it was more than that though.

I'm heading back down to the finish line now for the long wait. It looks like the snow is dying down and the sun is trying to peak through which is a good sign. With any kind of luck I might be able to get out on the course on a snowmobile to see Sara. I'm very pumped for her as she seems like she is in a really good place right now and will be mentally tough as she knows today is the final day.

Rock and Ice Update #10: Early results

If you have been following the daily updates on www.sleepmonsters.com, you would have seen that the conditions for the first day of the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra were pretty challenging. The temperature on race morning of day one was -25C. Combined with high winds made for very hazardous running conditions. To add to this, we were treated to whiteout snow squalls at times; so heavy that you couldn't see the shore from the lake you were running on.

It's not surprising that a number of people were treated with cold related conditions including frost bite and hypothermia, and the last I heard there were at least 7 participants evacuated during the first day and others decided to drop out after the stage or before the start of day two. Everyone who did get through the first day felt as though they were very fortunate and could only hope that day two was going to be a better day.

Greg McHale and Jason Terauchi-Loutitt took things out hard in the Diamond Ultra six day race for the first four hours of the day, before Terauchi-Loutitt was forced to retire from the race due to exposure to the cold. McHale went on to finish the first day in an astounding time that was 20 minutes faster than his time last year. Andrew Cameron of Ottawa ran a strong stage to finish the day in second place, while I was in third in the male category.

The womens race so far hasn't disappointed those who follow adventure racing and ultra running. Denise McHale and Jen Segger ran side by side for much of the day, before McHale pushed on to gain 13 minutes on Segger by the end of the stage.

In the K-Rock three day race, my wife Sara is running a very strong, consistent race and is leading the women's field, however Fumi Sutoh of Japan and Lisa Brougham of BC are running well, not too far off Sara's pace. Dennis Colburn ran a solid race to lead the men's field in K-Rock.

The start of day two brought renewed hope for everyone after limping into the day one stage camp. The winds had died down overnight, but the temperature had also dropped very low at the remote stage camp, which made for a cold night of sleep in the tents.

After the horn sounded, Greg McHale picked up where he left off, pushed hard from the beginning and build up a seemingly insurmountable lead. Andrew continues to sit comfortably in second place. Denise and Jen picked up their battle where they left off. Sara was looking as though she was getting stronger as her race continued. Dennis Colburn continues to lead the men's K-Rock field.

This is where my race unfortunately came to an end. Fighting a fever, combined with a sore back from pulling my pulk through deep snow, I made the hard decision to drop out after about 24km into day two. I thought about this for a long time before actually pulling the plug, but in the end realized that after popping vitamin I (Ibruprohen) after vitamin I, that things were going to continue to get worse for a while before getting better. I didn't feel particularly good going into the race, which may have been my body fighting a flu bug beforehand. In the end I really had the choice made for me. Very disappointing, but not much I could do.

So, 'Derrick the participant' now becomes 'Derrick the observer'. While pulling out of a race is never easy, at least the consolation is that I can follow the rest of the race from the sidelines and cheer Sara on in her final day of the race.

Now it's time to put this sick camper back to bed and try to get some rest before a busy 'non-racing' day on Monday.

Remember to check out www.sleepmonsters.com for more reports and photos.

Rock and Ice - Quick Pre-race

We arrived in Yellowknife yesterday after a nice day in Edmonton with my sister Karen and Family. Thursday was kept busy with plenty of little things around town including picking up camp fuel and a few last minute supplies.

We've met a ton of nice people and had dinner with the Italian team. Very interesting folks, including one person who among other things has run in the North and South Pole Marathons, and one of the other guys has actually summited Mount Everest! Not sure if these are good things to be putting in our heads though ;)

Sara has finished her registration and I've had my gear bag check and passed. I'm able to be an official participant now, so off to register. We then have a press conference, survival training, race meeting, and finally a pasta dinner.

At this point, after all the planning, we are just looking forward to starting to run. The weather is cold at -29C this morning with a strong wind, but is certainly better than it could be.

Will probably be offline for a while now, but may be able to do an update on Monday. Check www.sleepmonsters.com for daily update and photos.

Time to play!

Rock and Ice Update #8: Heading North

Training is done, gear has been tested and re-tested, everything is packed and we’re ready to head to the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra on Wednesday. We’ll be flying to Edmonton, staying at my sister’s place; and then heading up to Yellowknife on Thursday.

Before the race, all athletes will be staying in the Matrix Village in large tents right on the ice in Yellowknife Bay. These tents resemble the Gatineau Park Yurts, and are located right next to the famous Snowking Ice Castle. The comfort of the Matrix Village will be replaced with our evening accommodations during the race of teepees and expedition tents stage camps…we will be sleeping directly on top of the snow.

Thursday and Friday will be filled with gear checks, registration and we will also be taking part in the Arctic Response Survival Training. I took the survival training last year and it was well worth it. There were many important winter tips offered that helped during the race. While it was scary hearing about worst case scenarios, it is vital to be aware of what you need to do in an emergency situation. The somber final words we were left with last year were “Be smart. Don’t get dead.” Kind of makes you sit up, take notice and realize that this is an extreme environment and you need to be careful.

What I find really interesting with Rock and Ice is that even with a $6,000 diamond on the line, competitors are not cut throat by any means. The camaraderie among competitors resembles more of an expedition than a race. It’s like everyone is working together towards a common goal of completion. There has been a great deal of sharing of information between competitors already, as many have been discussing different gear ideas and recommendations back and forth with each other. I don’t expect that this would be the same with many other races with this type of purse.

However, having said that, once the gun goes off, the competition is sure to be fierce. Race director Scott Smith has assembled a top notch field for the 2009 race with athletes from Great Britain, Australia, Italy, France, Ireland, Spain, South Africa, Japan and Canada. Skiers, triathletes, adventure racers; combined with trail, mountain and ultra runners are going to make for an exciting race to follow.

On the Canadian side, look for former national team cross country skier Phil Villeneuve to be the man to beat in the men’s ski. The foot/snowshoe division will be a little wider open, however 2008 champion Greg McHale will be trying to repeat. Ottawa adventure racer Andrew Cameron and former Canadian Mountain Running team member Jason Loutitt will be trying to dethrone Greg.

Liza Pye, also from Ottawa, will be competing for the women’s title in the ski race. The women’s foot/snowshoe race is shaping up to be an epic battle between ultra runner/adventure racers Jenn Segger and Denise McHale. Denise may have the home court advantage though based on her third place finish overall in last years K-Rock three day race at the Rock and Ice.

With a race like this, favorites can sometimes be surprised by competitors with slower personal best times. Add all the competitors from other countries outside of Canada, and things will be very interesting. As race director Scott Smith likes to say, “This is the north and anything can happen.”

The race begins on March 21, 2009, with daily updates and photos available at http://www.sleepmonsters.com/.

Staying warm

Bubba sleeping by the warmth of the fire before we head north for the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra.

Rock and Ice Update #7: Gear Requirements

Training is essentially done and it’s now time to start tapering for the 2009 BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra. We leave for Yellowknife in less than a week. Even though I’m putting less hours into training, it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get prepared for the race.

I sometimes feel that the training for a race like this is the easy part and the logistics and getting all of the necessary gear organized is the biggest challenge. With the lack of winter these days in Eastern Ontario, the days of being able to fine tune my pulk (sled) design have been limited. Luckily, there was still some snow at Frontenac Provincial Park on Tuesday and I was able to take my pulk on one final run and I’m pleased with the end result. Now I just have to figure out how to fit everything I need for the entire six days of racing into it!

The list of gear requirements for Rock and Ice is extensive, but due to the harsh environment that we will be racing in, it is vital.

Mandatory gear items and equipment include:
- Emergency shelter (bivy sac or four-season tent)
- Sleeping bag with a temperature rating of at least -30C (it was -40 in 2007)
- Thermal groundsheet (Therma-rest or closed cell foam - we will sleep directly on the snow)
- EXTRA toque or balaclava (heavy weight)
- EXTRA mitts or gloves (heavy weight)
- EXTRA insulating socks (heavy weight)
- Complete set of wind breakers (Gore Tex is NOT recommended in this climate)
- Appropriate underwear, outer wear and footwear for temperatures 0C to -40
- Head lamp with extra batteries (battery life is reduced in cold weather)
- Sunglasses (extra dark lenses are recommended-snow blindness hit R&I in 2008)
- 1 litre thermos
- Water bottle
- Toiletries
- Route map
- GPS and extra batteries (2 sets)
- Food for 6 days (energy bars, energy gels, dehydrated foods, etc)
- Cook stove and fuel
- Pots and pans
- Cutlery and utensils
- Weather-proof matches
- Foot racers must pack snowshoes even if not planning to wear them

Mandatory survival kit must include:
- Whistle
- Emergency Space Blanket
- Candle or ‘canned heat’ (emergency heat source)
- Fire starter
- Glow Stick

This is all in addition to the gear we will be wearing, plus any other items we may want to bring.

It’s a fine line between having too much gear and dragging the extra weight unnecessarily across the frozen tundra or going ultra light, but risking not having enough. With the weather in Yellowknife currently in the -30C range, I know what way I will be leaning.

The Evolution of Bubba

Bubba has changed a great deal from his early days of running with me, as you can see from the photos here and here.

It's been very interesting playing around with the design to try and find the best set up for my needs at the Rock and Ice Diamond Ultra. It has taken a lot of trial and error, but I am finally at the point where I think I am happy with Bubba...and hopefully Bubba is happy with me.

I kind of expected that it wouldn't be as easy as just getting a sled and hooking it up, but didn't realize it would be quite as detailed with all the little changes.

It all started with just the sled, but then I soon realized that with a heavier load, there was more resistance. The answer was to add runners or skis. I opted for dogsled runners and received guidance and help installing them from local dogsledding guru Duane Ramsay (Willy, Cody and Jesse's Godfather). The runners made a huge difference in the way that the sled tracked on the snow by preventing it from swaying from side to side, which also put less strain on my lower back. I am surprised how much easier it pulls now.

Next was to figure out a pole system. I started with a double pole system, but soon found that it caused some lateral sway as well. I received some great tips from Geoff Roes on how he built his pulk and switched to a double pole system that was clamped together.
I'm still tinkering with the waistbelt and how to attach the rope securely to the sled, but these are minor things at this point that will come together fairly quickly.

The finishing touches on Bubba came from Brennan and Heather who provided artwork, poems and inspiration that will be with me for all six days of the race.

Heather's poem...

Brennan's artwork...
And now it's almost time to go play!...

Rock and Ice Update #6: Fine Dining in Yellowknife

Cold weather endurance racing requires a totally separate set of rules compared to races in the summer. The temperatures at the sub-arctic latitudes in Yellowknife pose risks of frostbite and hypothermia. While it is vital to manage sweat effectively, it is also a lot more work for your body just to stay warm. Then throw in the fact that at the Rock and Ice Diamond Ultra you're pulling a 30 lb pulk (sled) behind you, making your body work harder still. Plus, you’re doing this for six days to cover 225km, making all of the effects cumulative. The bottom line is: you need to consume a heck of a lot of calories.

The countdown is on until we head north, so I'm now trying to fine tune what I'll be dining on for the six days of the race. Most athletes at Rock and Ice rely heavily on dehydrated camp meals in the evening. They are quick and convenient with just having to add hot water. Camp foods have improved a great deal in terms of taste and nutritional value over the past few years. Of course, pasta meals work great, but I also found it helpful last year having something with a bit more protein like a rice and bean combo. I usually found that two packages of camp-food were adequate each night. Instant potatoes are also good if you need something extra. The packages usually say ‘good for two servings’ but that is a little misleading as you are burning so many calories during the race. Adding extra chunks of butter to meals is another way of boosting caloric and fat intake. I am also planning to take cheese curds with me this year. Other things that I will include in the evenings are chocolate (ie. Rolo pieces are easier to break off when frozen and can be sucked on) and nuts. Macadamia nuts are awesome as they are very high in calories and fat, and have the added benefit of being very lightweight. Hot chocolate is also a nice treat in the evening after a cold day on the trail.

For breakfast, I will go with instant oatmeal and soft wraps with peanut butter/honey. On the third day of the K-Rock race last year, I found that I needed some extra calories, so had a pasta breakfast and ended up having my best day of the race. Another good reason to pack some extra instant meals.

Fuel during the actual race is vital. I will eat a lot of the same stuff that I would normally eat during any other long race. I’ll use energy gels regularly; warming them up in my mitts before eating. Sports bars don’t work well in the winter as they freeze up and are impossible to eat without breaking a tooth. Granola bars (Nature Valley type) are good long burning forms of energy and are easy to break off pieces in the cold. You could also suck on pieces of chocolate, but I found that alternating between gels and granola bars work quite well. If I find that I needed something more substantial, then I’d eat some Macadamia nuts or have a soft wrap with PB.

Hydration in the cold can also be a very difficult thing to master, as water bottles freeze up easily during the race. To prevent this, I will use an insulated water bottle cover and put one of those convenient ‘instant hand warmers’ in the bottom of the cover at the start of the day. This should provide enough heat to keep the bottle from freezing.

My six days of meals on the trails near Yellowknife might not sound like fine dining, but you can bet that the thought of that first pizza and beer at the end of the race will be enough to inspire me to get to the finish line as quick as possible. And speaking of fine dining, the World's Best Fish and Chips are reported to be served at Bullock’s restaurant in Yellowknife. I didn't get a chance to try their arctic char last year, but I'm told that it's so good that I will be tempted to turn in my Vegetarian badge.

Rock and Ice Update #5: Jen Simpson

I just read Jen Simpon’s Rock and Ice report from Friday’s issue of TriRudy.com and it made me do a lot of thinking. It was scary reading about what she has had to deal with in terms of the severity of her knee injury and the long rehab that she has had to go through. It’s very unfortunate that she will not be able to compete at Rock and Ice this year.

Jen’s report also made me think a lot about my own training for Rock and Ice. I have been disappointed in my training over the past few months with not having the ideal buildup to the race due to some of my own injuries and illnesses. While I have still been able to get out there each day and run, there have been times where I’ve had to cut back considerably from what I had originally planned on doing.

Sure, we always want our training to go ideally, but we also need to accept that sometimes there are things beyond our control that get in the way to prevent this. Reading Jen’s report was a good message for me in taking what the ‘Fitness Gawds’ give us and being ok with it. It’s all about having a positive attitude, having fun and then running hard on race day.

Rock and Ice is now less than a month away and it’s time to sharpen up a little before starting to think about tapering soon. The next month will fly by and certainly be filled with plenty of second guessing about things; however I am no longer going to complain about what I haven’t been able to do and what I should have done. I am healthy now which is the main thing and I can’t wait to head north.

All the best in your recovery Jen. I know many of us will be thinking of you while racing and hope to see you up there in 2010 at the Rock and Ice.

Rock and Ice Update #4: The Joy of Pulk Running

The history of the pulk (sled) dates back as long as humans have been living in winter conditions and needing to transport things over the snow. I never really thought much about them before signing up for the Rock and Ice Ultra, however I will have to run while pulling a pulk with all of my supplies in it for the entire six day race.

Pulks come in many shapes and sizes, from bulky expedition style to a baby carrier style. I am taking it one step further and am in the process of coming up with my own design. The concept is very basic (ie. inexpensive) and I am looking to use a simple child’s sled with poles attached to my waist to prevent the pulk from running into me while going down hills. It has been a fun process and being a bit of a gear geek, I’ve enjoyed tinkering and trying to find the perfect design for me. I’m current trying to attach dogsled runners to the bottom to allow it to track a little smoother.

I have to admit that initially I didn’t really think that I would enjoy the whole idea of pulling a heavy load behind me during a run. Before we got snow, I was preparing for what lay ahead by dragging an old car tire. This was tough work. I tried to have a better attitude about it by naming my tire, however no matter how much you try to lighten things up mentally, running with a tire roped to your waist isn’t much fun at all.

An interesting thing happened though as soon as the snow hit the ground and I was able to switch the tire for my pulk. The pulling was much easier and I was able to actually start enjoying my pulk runs and even looking for any excuse to run with it. From running to the store to get groceries to loading up for a full day of fun in the outdoors, I found that by running with my pulk, I had many more interesting ways to enjoy my runs.

Knowing that you are out there for possibly several hours at a time, it’s very comforting that you can pack a wide variety of extra gear in your pulk for any conditions. Need an extra layer of clothing, dry socks, switch from trail shoes to traction device to snowshoes, have a more substantial lunch than just a sport bar, or maybe a hot drink, grab a headlamp, go winter camping?

Pulk running opens up so many fun opportunities for winter adventures. The possibilities are truly endless.

Rock and Ice Update #3: Cold enough for ya?

(Trirudy.com) Over the past few weeks we’ve had some pretty cold days in Eastern Ontario. When things dip into the -30C range, it sometimes can become a bit of a challenge to convince yourself to get out the door. While the thought of a warmer climate and running in shorts and t-shirt is appealing to a certain extent, I find myself hoping that we get another good cold stretch of weather to be able to fully prepare for Rock and Ice.

During the first year of the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra in 2007 temperatures dipped down to -40C. This made things extremely difficult for racers in an already very difficult race to begin with. Running up to 45km each day for six days was one thing, but trying to stay warm while sleeping in tents along the trail at night was quite another. Not optimal racing conditions for sure, but everyone was in the same boat and athletes persevered.

I ran the K-Rock three day race at Rock and Ice in 2008 and while there were times that weather conditions seemed very cold, it was nothing like the stories that I heard from the previous year. Even though we had deep and difficult snow conditions, I can’t help but think that we got off lucky. Lucky last year, but what do the Yellowknife Weather Gods have lined up for us in 2009? To be perfectly honest, thinking about it too much sometimes scares the hell out of me.
While I feel as though I learned a lot from being there last year, witnessing how cold it can be and talking to and observing other competitors, I am still trying to do everything possible to fully prepare myself for the worst possible conditions this year.

I was quite ill for three weeks recently, which limited the amount of training I could do, however this gave me a good opportunity to research further about the most appropriate type of gear I should be looking to use for a self-supported six day race in an extreme climate. My plan once again will be to focus on layering the most breathable clothing possible to prevent any moisture from building up inside my clothing. In the north, a little bit of overheating can be a very dangerous thing.

Since I haven’t really been able to fully duplicate what the conditions of the north could be for the race, I have taken to doing the best I can and running during the coldest parts of the day. I’ve also found that doing some unconventional training has helped to get me used to the colder temperatures. Aside from snowshoe running, my other wintertime passion is dogsledding. During the recent cold snap, I was out dogsledding on some very cold nights. While I didn’t get much of a workout by standing on the sled, I do feel as though I got some good cold weather acclimatization at -25C, and the wind chill created by being whisked through the trails by our team of enthusiastic huskies.

Dogsledding might not be the best way to train for Rock and Ice, but mentally in combination with all of the other training I’ve been doing, this has helped me to feel more at one with the north.

For more information on the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra, please visit http://www.rockandiceultra.com/ . (Note: Rock and Ice Race Director Scott Smith has extended the early registration discount to March 1, so you can still sign up at the reduced rate.)

Rock and Ice Update #2: Why?

(Trirudy.com) I have been asked many times why I want to compete in a race like the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra. I will be racing in the Diamond Ultra (six day/225km race), then there’s the K-Rock Ultra (three day/135km) and also the Cold Foot Ultra (one day/55km). All races are very challenging in their own way with the unpredictable environment of Canada’s North. With the extreme nature of Rock and Ice, I sometimes find myself asking the same question….why?

Participants in the three races last year ranged in age from university students to a 65 year old gentleman from South Africa. This is truly an international race with competitors travelling from such places as Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, Italy, France, Korea, Ireland, in addition to various parts of Canada.

What is it about Rock and Ice that captures everyone’s imagination and lures them to Yellowknife?

I guess I can only speak for myself, and for me, the appeal of the north has always been a part of why I’ve wanted to run Rock and Ice. I love the winter months. Many hours of my winter training are taken up by either running the cold trails near our home, or strapping on the snowshoes and spending long, wonderful hours of snowshoe running in the forest and frozen lakes nearby.

My other favourite wintertime activity is dogsledding with our pack of happy huskies. I guess the thought of actually being a husky and having to pull a pulk (sled) with my gear in it has also struck me as being strangely fitting.

I felt like I learned a great deal by participating in the K-Rock last year and observing the competitors in the other races. I learned about what I needed to do to get myself through each day and by the end of the race I had the strange feeling of being so relieved to be done, but also not wanting it to end. The only thing for me to do was to go back and experience the Diamond Ultra this year.

Fitness wise, I feel as though I am better prepared than last year. I have had a solid year of training, including a successful debut in my first attempt at a 100 mile race in the Haliburton Forest. Funny thing is, there is so much more involved at Rock and Ice than just fitness. That part intrigues me, yet scares me at the same time. Isn’t that the way a challenge should be?

Pulk Running

Before the recent meltdown, I was getting in some great pulk runs. This is the pulk and design that I'm planning to use for Rock and Ice. The more time I can spend running with it the better. As you can see, we've lost quite a bit of snow and a lot more in the past few days, so I may be back pulling 'Bubba the tire' again soon.

Here are a few pics and videos of a recent pulk run.

Going grocery shopping with the pulk....


Running through Downtown Yarker...


On the road before hitting the trails...


Ah...this is better. Back in our natural environment...




This run was a little different than most and a strange way to get groceries, but was fun just the same. Even with all the funny looks.

Snowshoe Magazine and Sara's Blog

Here is a blog that Sara recently posted in the Athletes Blog section of Snowshoe Magazine...


Last March, Derrick took part in the BHP Billiton Rock and Ice Ultra in Yellowknife, Canada. He had an amazing time doing the three-day K-Rock race, and came home inspired to return in 2009 and take on the six-day Diamond Ultra. The Diamond race involves running with a pulk (sled) full of all your food and gear.

He will be bringing along one additional thing this year that he had to leave home last time: Me. I’m going to be taking part in the K-Rock to experience it myself. I’m really looking forward to visiting Yellowknife, as northern culture has always intrigued me.
(click here to read full blog).
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Sara's New Blog...

Sara has also started her own blog to share her training and preparations for Rock and Ice. Check it out at http://www.saratraining.blogspot.com/