Cross Canada Run

It has been more than a week since the Cross Canada Run crew (Jay and I) entered the mountain ranges and I have certainly seen my share of hills during this time. After climbing about 16km of hills up Roger’s Pass, the steepest section in the area, I have been enjoying some easier time cruising down the hills while admiring the beautiful mountainous scenery. Getting up-close with nature has calmed me down considerably as I often find tranquility in natural environments: from running near cliffs overlooking beautiful icebergs and the Atlantic Ocean in Newfoundland to the gorgeous fall colors in Quebec to the cool, still snow-covered landscapes in Northern Ontario and the huge open skies in the prairies.          

The natural theme that soothes me during my runs these days consists of mountains (of course), lakes, creeks, forests, waterfalls, animals and birds in the wild. Feeling a little lost over the last little while, the opportunity to get in touch with nature enabled me to be a little more grounded and more in tune with my self.

Life on the road has been a good mix of work and fun while the arrival of spring has added variety to the fun part. Jay is addictively fond of hot springs and since he is in charge of planning out our schedule, we have had the good fortune of coinciding our rest days around places with hot springs. So on our last day off, we naturally stayed at the Albert Canyon Hot Springs campground where the operator gave us a discount on the accommodation rate and threw in a couple of passes for the hot springs.

It was around the hot spring where we had casual conversations with fellow patrons that progressed into discussions about mental health. Coincidentally, two of the people we conversed with were the mother and sister of a man who has been suffering from anxiety and depression for years without proper treatment. The man had a history of turning to alcohol to curb the problems but finally sought professional help after his illnesses worsen. However, the medications that were prescribed to him have not been working for the man and his family is concerned for him. I shared with them my story, the experience of people I came across on this journey, and the importance of professional help and patience. The mother then added that what they need the most is HOPE! Hope, indeed. Hope, we must. After our conversation, I felt that we all walked away feeling a little more hopeful.

Believe it or not, this leg of my journey is coming to an end soon on June 11. That’s right, we expect to arrive in Victoria, BC in less than a month. I am beginning to ponder what to do after my run but I have a feeling that things will work out and I will be able to occupy myself with something fun. In the mean time, I will keep trekking and try to smell the wild flowers along the Trans Canada Highway.

Total distance ran:  7545 km

Current location: Revelstoke, BC

Upcoming Schedule:

May 24 – 25      Kamloops

May 27 – 29      Merritt

June 3               Abbotsford

June 4               Langley

June 5               Coquitlam, Burnaby & Surrey

June 6 – 7         Vancouver

June 8 – 10       Richmond

June 11             Victoria