Running Wild

The downside of all this fantastic wildlife in Canada is the impact it has on my running. I finally decided to brave the open trails and head out into the wilderness rather than stick to suburbia.

Within minutes I was scanning the trees waiting for a bear family to pounce, looking over my shoulder for the calving elks doubtless about to charge me, not to mention moose and rabid beaver. The squeak of the squirrels in their dens set my nerves ajangle.

After 12k I returned a nervous wreck, not sure if my lack of puff was altitude induced (Jasper is 1050m amsl) or simply from the many frights I had along the way.

At the dinner elk viewing site I summoned up my courage and ended up quite close to the elk. It seemed more interested in food, particularly dandelion heads, and what was in the woods behind than in me!