What area of the world contains 10 of the 15 climatic zones of the world? Better yet, what island has both tropical and temperate rain forests, hot, arid landscapes and even periglacial climates? Hawaii. But not Hawaii the state–Hawaii the island, more commonly referred to as the Big Island. Earlier this month, Nick and I spent 8 days traversing the Big Island by foot and by Jeep Wrangler. It’s difficult to pick a favorite activity, let alone a favorite…
Day Four: 17.5km-0 (Tscowis to finish at Pachena Bay) “I can’t believe they’re right there! Have you seen them before?” Nick and I stood on the torn shoreline of the West Coast Trail, roughly 15 kilometers from Bamfield, the closest town to the start (or in our case, the end) of the West Coast Trail. The morning had been cool and cloudy, but we felt relaxed, especially because we knew that in just a few…
Day Three: 42km-17.5 (Cribs Creek to Tsocowis) It was bound to happen. We just didn’t expect it to be this petty. “I thought we decided we were going to mix it up,” I said as I traipsed down the umpteenth ladder of the WCT, literally balancing the two poles and the cumbersome weight on my pack with my desire to finish this portion of the hike. “You said you didn’t care,” Nick said, exasperated at…
Day Two: 62-42km (Camper Cove to Cribs Creek) By morning the sky had cleared and rain was no longer a concern. Still, our tent was damp from the night as we folded away the various parts into the tent’s pack. Nick boiled water for oatmeal and yerba mate as I changed into warm gear, thinking that the temperatures would remain cool since the first half of today’s hike would be inland. As soon as we started hiking,…
I don’t know when I first heard about the West Coast Trail, the 75km trail that winds its way along the southwestern stretch of Vancouver Island. Having grown up in Crescent Beach, B.C. roughly one hour outside of Vancouver City proper and twenty minutes to the Tsawassen ferry terminal that leads to Vancouver Island, it was something I figured I would one day do. I didn’t personally know anyone who had backpacked the trail, but…
I can wrap this race report up quickly: altitude is not my friend. Fainting during a hot Fourth of July Parade in Aspen, Colorado. Traveling to Ecuador for the summer and staying at a hacienda at 3,600m (11,800 feet) for a week. I spent five of those seven days in bed, nursing cups of an herbal tea I was handed to help cure me of my nausea and, moreso, the depression of missing out on the chance to…
Earlier this year, Nick and I scoured Ultrasignup, looking for a competitive 50K that we could work towards. Molly’s Whoo’s in El Moro 25/50K (WIEM) fit the bill: it was relatively close to San Diego (Newport Coast), looked beautiful and, best of all, was competitive–which meant that we would by default have to work on our speed, something that both of us needed to do; Nick, to improve upon his 50-mile and 100-mile races, and…
First thoughts pre-race: Jade: This is awful! I don’t want to start the race stressed about getting there on time! Why didn’t we look up the starting directions last night? I’m cold. It’s cold. It better warm up in the desert. I’m excited! Nick: Damn, this is a way longer drive than I thought. Shit, we’re going to be late to the start. I’ve got no time to stretch. Oh no, my GPS battery is…
Compared to most ultra runners and adventure fiends, I haven’t been running long. In fact, outside of a few 5Ks and 10Ks I ran with my friends during my teens, I’ve been running weird amounts for about as long as I’ve been dating Nick. Yes, I’ve noticed the correlation. Two years ago, I picked Nick up from the Rabbit Peak race he’d just finished. He had promised we would spend the rest of the afternoon hiking,…
*Please note, I originally wrote this post as an assignment for my MFA in Creative Writing. See the original blog post here: http://osucascadesmfa.com This past fall, I ran my first 50-mile race. I may or may not have been influenced by the promise of “You’ll love it!” and “You’ll feel great,” both of which were a draw and an improbable, unimaginable scenario. Can you truly enjoy running 50-miles? Can you learn to enjoy squeezing plastic pockets…