Last weekend I went on a trip with friends to Jasper. It was my first time heading that way since I was a kid. The mountain views were amazing and the whole weekend was a great reminder of why I decided to do Sinister 7.
The Great Outdoors
After living my whole life within a few hours of the Rockies, the mountains have become something that I tend to take for granted. But when I take a step back it really hits me. I am incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful place.
A number of years ago I took a friend from university on a day trip to the mountains. She was visiting from Saskatchewan and had never seen the Rockies up close and personal. I will never forget her reaction. She could not tear her eyes away from the window as we made the drive to Banff.
I have been on that stretch of the Trans-Canada dozens of times so the magic has sort of dwindled for me. However, I had not traveled the route to Jasper in so long and had completely forgotten everything. All of the spectacular views were new to me and I felt a sense of what my friend was probably experiencing back then.
I cannot wait to capture that magical feeling again when I am looking up at Seven Sisters Mountain for the first time during my ultramarathon!
Happy Trails
While in Jasper I had a 25k training run scheduled. I did some research beforehand to find a good spot for a jaunt. There is a lovely map of trails around the town and it was really easy to find a good option. I decided to do the Jasper Discovery Trail loop a few times to get the mileage. Half of the route went through Jasper while the other half circled behind the town and up into the trees.
The part through the wooded area was a ton of fun. Climbing some hills, hopping over roots and crossing a cute little wooden bridge. Distance, time and pace shifted to the back of my mind while navigating the trail. It was great to truly be in the moment and enjoy my surroundings.
Wildlife Spotting
Throughout the trip we saw a crazy amount of wildlife. Deer, mountain goats, big horned sheep, a bald eagle and a black bear. While on my run I came across a group of about 15 moose roaming about town. I took a video (posted on Insta) and showed my friends as soon as I got back to the hotel. They kindly informed me that these were in fact elk and that moose do not travel in herds.
I am still questioning my identity as a Canadian…
While it was very exciting to see so many different animals, it did make me a bit wary of being on that trail solo. I was hugging the very edge of the forest and the town was never out of sight for too long, but I still got that creepy feeling that all sorts of creatures were probably eye balling me.
Yet another reason to join up with the Calgary Trail Runners so I can meet some buddies! Stay tuned for an update on that in the next couple weeks.
Being on the trails and in the mountains has renewed my excitement for Sinister. More than ever, I know that I picked the right race and cannot wait for July 13th!
