Day 125 September 8, 2011 Gull Lake to Maple Creek 71km

Last day with the Grants

We awoke early in the campground and after breakfast and getting ready Mike and Jean went outside to empty our septic tank. Unfortunately it didn’t go entirely according to plan and the seal broke, spewing septic contents everywhere before Mike reached in to hold the seal in place. So for the second time on this trip Mike has gotten covered in septic contents. Needless to say Jean was not impressed!

Both Ian and Jean planned PBs for their runs today. Jean was planning to run 26km and Ian was planning to run a full marathon, 42.2km. Ian started off with me for the first 15km.  We started running at around 6:40am and the temperature was perfect and the headwind was light and more of a diagonal wind.

When Ian had finished his 15km Jean stepped out and ran 10km. It’s been great having them both here this week because it means that someone is running with almost all the time. We were making good time and staying ahead of the heat and we made it to 25km by about 9:45am.

Then it started to heat up. Despite being September today felt like one of the hottest days I’ve had this trip, even though it was only 32C. It’s different from the heat I experienced in southern Ontario because it’s dry and windy so it doesn’t seem like I’m sweating nearly at all except that I’m always so thirsty.

After lunch both Ian and Jean continued swapping out until they reached their goals! Ian ran the last 5km with me so we sort of hobbled to the end together. We finished right beside what looked like an old information centre for Saskatchewan.

Once we finished stretching we set off for the long drive to Calgary. We stopped briefly in Medicine Hat for dinner, but other than that continued on for almost 4 hours. By the time we got to Calgary it was late and so we said goodbye to Ian and Jean and deposited them at a hotel and Mike and I continued on to park at one of Russ’s fire halls. Russ Jenkins is a friend of mine who will be joining us after the weekend.

Tomorrow Mike flies to Quebec to see about a girl and I fly to the Sunshine Coast to see Chris marry Aniela. I’m looking forward to the mini break!